These with shrill pipe indenting the soft lip Breathed melody, while broken echoes thrill’d Around them: to the lyre with flying touch Those led the love-enkindling dance. A group Of youths was elsewhere imaged to the flute Disporting: some in dances and in song, In laughter others. To the minstrel’s flute So pass’d they on; and the whole city seem’d As fill’d with pomps, with dances, and with feasts. Others again, without the city walls, [264]Vaulted on steeds and madden’d for the goal. [265]Others as husbandmen appear’d, and broke With coulter the rich glebe, and gather’d up Their tunics neatly girded. Next arose A field thick-set with depth of corn: where some With sickle reap’d the stalks, their speary heads Bent, as weigh’d down with pods of swelling grain, The fruits of Ceres. Others into bands Gather’d, and threw upon the threshing-floor The sheaves. And some again hard by were seen Holding the vine-sickle, who clusters cut From the ripe vines; which from the vintagers Others in frails received, or bore away, [266]In baskets thus up-piled, the cluster’d grapes, Or black or pearly-white, cut from deep ranks Of spreading vines, whose tendrils curling twined In silver, heavy-foliaged: near them rose The ranks of vines, by Vulcan’s curious craft Figured in gold. The vines leaf-shaking curl’d Round silver props. They therefore on their way Pass’d jocund to one minstrel’s flageolet, Burthen’d with grapes that blacken’d in the sun. Some also trod the wine-press, and some quaff’d The foaming must. But in another part Were men who wrestled, or in gymnic fight Wielded the cæstus. Elsewhere men of chase Were taking the fleet hares. Two keen-tooth’d dogs Bounded beside: these ardent in pursuit, Those with like ardour doubling on their flight. Next them were horsemen, who sore effort made To win the prize of contest and hard toil. High o’er the well-compacted chariots [267]hung The charioteers: the rapid horses loosed At their full stretch, and shook the floating reins. Rebounding from the ground with many a shock Flew clattering the firm cars, and creak’d aloud The naves of the round wheels. They therefore toil’d Endless: nor conquest yet at any time Achiev’d they, but a doubtful strife maintain’d. In the mid-course the prize, a tripod huge, Was placed in open sight; and it was carved In gold: the skilful Vulcan’s glorious craft. Rounding the uttermost verge [268]the ocean flow’d As in full swell of waters: and the shield All-variegated with whole circle bound. Swans of high-hovering wing there clamour’d shrill, And many skimm’d the breasted surge: and nigh Fishes were tossing in tumultuous leaps. Sight marvellous e’en to thundering Jove: whose will Bade Vulcan frame the buckler; vast and strong.