Thy household teach a decent heed to pay, And well observe each Jove-appointed day. [139]The thirtieth of the moon inspect with care Thy servants’ tasks and all their rations share; [140]What time the people to the courts repair. These days obey the all-wise Jove’s behest: The first new moon, the fourth, the seventh is blest: Phœbus, on this, from mild Latona born, The golden-sworded god, beheld the morn. The eighth, nor less the ninth, with favouring skies, Speeds of th’ increasing month each rustic enterprise; And on th’ eleventh let thy flocks be shorn, And on the twelfth be reap’d thy laughing corn: Both days are good: yet is the twelfth confest More fortunate, with fairer omen blest. On this the air-suspended spider treads In the full noon his fine and self-spun threads; And the wise emmet, tracking dark the plain, Heaps provident the store of gather’d grain. On this let careful woman’s nimble hand Throw first the shuttle and the web expand. On the thirteenth forbear to sow the grain; But then the plant shall not be set in vain. The sixteenth profitless to plants is deem’d Auspicious to the birth of men esteem’d; But to the virgin shall unprosperous prove, Then born to light or join’d in wedded love. So to the birth of girls with adverse ray The sixth appears, an unpropitious day: But then the swain may fence his wattled fold, And cut his kids and rams; male births shall then be bold. This day is fond of biting gibes and lies, And jocund tales and whisper’d sorceries. Cut on the eighth the goat and lowing steer And hardy mule; and when the noon shines clear, Seek on the twenty-ninth to sow thy race, For wise shall be the fruit of thy embrace. The tenth propitious lends its natal ray To men, to gentle maids the fourteenth day: Tame too thy sheep on this auspicious morn, And steers of flexile hoof and wreathed horn, And labour-patient mules; and mild command Thy sharp-tooth’d dog with smoothly flattering hand. The fourth and twenty-fourth no grief should prey Within thy breast, for holy either day. Fourth of the moon lead home thy blooming bride, And be the fittest auguries descried. [141]Beware the fifth, with horror fraught and wo: ’Tis said the furies walk their round below Avenging the dread oath; whose awful birth From discord rose, to scourge the perjured earth. On the smooth threshing-floor, the seventeenth morn, Observant throw the sheaves of sacred corn: For chamber furniture the timber hew, And blocks for ships with shaping axe subdue. The fourth upon the stocks thy vessel lay, Soon with light keel to skim the watery way. The nineteenth mark among the better days When past the fervour of the noon-tide blaze. Harmless the ninth: ’tis good to plant the earth,