Virgil: Ecologa Prima

Part three!

Tityrus

Quid facerem? neque servitio me exire licebat               40
nec tam praesentis alibi cognoscere divos.
hic illum vidi iuvenem, Meliboee, quot annis
bis senos cui nostra dies altaria fumant,
hic mihi responsum primus dedit ille petenti:
'pascite ut ante boves, pueri, submittite tauros.'               45

Meliboeus

Fortunate senex, ergo tua rura manebunt
et tibi magna satis, quamvis lapis omnia nudus
limosoque palus obducat pascua iunco.
non insueta gravis temptabunt pabula fetas
nec mala vicini pecoris contagia laedent.               50
fortunate senex, hic inter flumina nota
et fontis sacros frigus captabis opacum;
hinc tibi, quae semper, vicino ab limite saepes
Hyblaeis apibus florem depasta salicti
saepe levi somnum suadebit inire susurro;               55
hinc alta sub rupe canet frondator ad auras,
nec tamen interea raucae, tua cura, palumbes
nec gemere aeria cessabit turtur ab ulmo.

My translation:

Tityrus

What could I do? I was not allowed to be rid of my servitude
and could not find gods so ready to help.
Here I saw that young man, Meliboeus, for whom
twice a year our altars smoke six days,
here he was first to respond to my ask
'Boy, graze your cattle as before, raise your bulls.'

Meliboeus

Fortunate old man, so these lands will remain yours
and big enough for you, however much bare stone
and muddy marsh cover all your pastures.
No strange plants will tempt your heavy ewes,
nor contagious disease from a neighbor’s flock will infect them.
Fortunate old man, here among noted streams
and scared springs you’ll find cool shade;
here for you, which always, from the neighboring limit, the hedge,
Hybla’s bees feed on flowers and willows
often will induce smooth sleep to enter, whispering;
here beneath the high cliff the gardener sings to the breeze,
meanwhile, for your care, the raucous wood-pigeons
and turtle doves do not cease to coo by the elm tree.