Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

CALPURNIUS SICULUShastening torrents stayed their courses. Eastwindsceased their rush upon the quivering leavesand so made deep silence over all the hills ; everythingstood idle ; bulls trampled the pasture, Mhichthey heeded not ; during that contest even thecraftsman bee ventured to leave unvisited thenectar-yielding flowers. Now under the shade of anaged tree had Thyrsis taken his seat between themand said, " Lads, if I am to be judge, I urge thatthe stakes count for nothing. Let sufficient recompensebe won herefrom, if the victor take the gloryand the vanquished the reproach. Now, the betterto mark off your alternate songs, raise in suddenmovement each your hands three times." " Theyobey at once. The finger-trial decides, and Idasbegins first.I am loved of Silvanus—he gives me reeds to obeymy will—he wreathes my temples with leaves ofpine. To me while yet a boy he uttered thisprophecy of no slender import: " Already upon thesloping reed there grows a slender pipe for thee."But my locks doth Flora adorn Avith pale-greengrasses, and for me Pomona in her ripeness sportsbeneath the tree. " Take, boy," said the nymphs,**take for yourself these fountains. Now with thechannels you can feed your well-watered orchard."Pales herself teaches me the breeding of a flock,how a black ram mated with a white ewe producesa changed colour in the fleece of the lamb born to" In the Itahan game of mora, the two players raiseeach callingsimultaneously any number of fingers they like,out a number, v»-hi(h •wins if it gives the correct sum of thefingers raised by both. Here the winner is the one whomakes the best score out of three rounds.229