Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

NEMESIANUS])air of wood-pigeons. And after this, Donaee,(In you despise my passion? Perhaps you thinkit shame that the clownish Alcon should pinewith love for you, I who lead oxen to their morningpasturage. Gods have fed herds of cattle,beauteous Apollo, skilled Pan, prophetic Fauns,and fair Adonis. Nay, I have remarked myselfin a fountain's mirror of a morning, beforePhoebus raised aloft the splendour of his uprising,and when no quivering light shone in theclear waters. As far as I saw, no down coversmy cheeks ; I let my hair grow ; men call memore handsome than our Idas, and this indeed youwere wont to say to me on oath,*^ while praising ^the radiance of my cheeks, the milky whiteness ofmy neck, the laughter in my eyes and the comelinessof my manhood. Nor am I "without skillon the reed-pipe. I sing on a flute whereongods have sung ere now, whereon Tityrus madesweet music and so advanced from the woodlandto the imperial city.'' Me too on your account,Donaee, the city will celebrate, if only thecypress with its cones be allowed to burst intoleaf amonsr the osiers or the hazel amono: thepines."So the boys sang of Donaee throughout the dayuntil chilly evening bade them come down from thewoods and lead the full-fed bulls to their stalls." Lino 79 is repeated from Calp. ITT. 62.**With laudando (80) cf. Xeraes, Ed. I. 53, mulcendo.