Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

CALPURNIUS SICULUSBoy, break your })ipes, forsake tlie l)e^«rarlyMuses. Go, gather aeorns instead and red eorneleherries; lead lierds to the milking-pails ; loudjin\()ur ery through the city carry your milk for sale.What will the pipe bring you to ward off famine ?Of a truth, no one repeats my lay save the windspedecho from yonder crags."I. This, I confess, I did say, Meliboeus ; but it waslong ago ; our times are not the same now, our godis changed.** Hope wears a more radiant smilein sooth, it is your doing that I no more gatherstrawberries and brambles, or assuage hunger withgreen mallow. Your kindness feeds us with grain.You, in pity for our means and quick-taught youth,stop us from dispelling hunger-pangs with beechnutsin winter. Lo I 'tis thanks to you, Meliboeus,that no complaint passes our lips : thanks to youwe recline well-fed in care-free shade, and enjoythe woodland of Amaryllis.^ But for thee, Meliboeus,we should of late have looked upon the furthest, yea,the furthest shores of earth, Geryon's meadowsexposed to the Moor's fury, where mighty Baetis,*^they say, with flowing currents strikes upon thewestern sands. Doubtless should I now lie an outcastat the world's end, oh. woe I and, but an hireling,among Iberian flocks should be playing onsevenfold pipe my unavailing scrannel tunes : no onewould give a glance at my muses among the thornbushes: he himself, our divine sovereign himself, mayhapwould never lend a leisured ear to me, nor hear," i.e. an emperor has come to the throne, who favourspoetry with his patronage.* The reference is to Virgil's formosam resonare docesAmaryllida .«ilvas. Eel. i. 5.