But we must beg our bread in climes unknown, Beneath the scorching or the freezing zone; And some to far Oaxis shall be sold, Or try the Libyan heat, or Scythian cold; The rest among the Britons be confined, A race of men from all the world disjoined. O! must the wretched exiles ever mourn, Nor, after length of rolling years, return? Are we condemned by fate's unjust decree, No more our houses and our homes to see? Or shall we mount again the rural throne, And rule the country kingdoms, once our own? Did we for these barbarians plant and sow? } On these, on these, our happy fields bestow? } Good heaven! what dire effects from civil discord flow! } Now let me graff my pears, and prune the vine; The fruit is theirs, the labour only mine. Farewell, my pastures, my paternal stock, My fruitful fields, and my more fruitful flock! No more, my goats, shall I behold you climb The steepy cliffs, or crop the flowery thyme! No more, extended in the grot below, Shall see you browzing on the mountain's brow The prickly shrubs; and after on the bare, Lean down the deep abyss, and hang in air. No more my sheep shall sip the morning dew; } No more my song shall please the rural crew: } Adieu, my tuneful pipe! and all the world, adieu! } TITYRUS. This night, at least, with me forget your care; Chesnuts, and curds and cream, shall be your fare: The carpet-ground shall be with leaves o'erspread, And boughs shall weave a covering for your head. For see yon sunny hill the shade extends, And curling smoke from cottages ascends. FOOTNOTES: [295] Virgil means Octavius Cæsar, heir to Julius, who perhaps had not arrived to his twentieth year, when Virgil saw him first. _Vide_ his Life. _Of heavenly birth_, or heavenly blood, because the Julian family was derived from Iülus, son to Æneas, and grandson to Venus. PASTORAL II. OR, _ALEXIS_. ARGUMENT. _The commentators can by no means agree on the person of Alexis, but are all of opinion that some beautiful youth is meant by him, to whom Virgil here makes love, in Corydon's language and simplicity. His way of courtship is wholly pastoral: he complains of the boy's coyness; recommends himself for his beauty and skill in piping; invites the youth into the country, where he promises him the diversions of the place, with a suitable present of nuts and apples. But when he finds nothing will prevail, he resolves to quit his troublesome amour, and betake himself again to his former business._