THE WORKS OF TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE By JOHN DRYDEN. Sequiturque patrem non passibus æquis. A NEW EDITION; WITH REMARKS on the "CORRECTIONS" of DR. CAREY. VOL. II. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON; R. BALDWIN; F. AND C. RIVINGTON; GEORGICS, BOOK III. ARGUMENT. This book begins with the invocation of some rural deities, and a compliment to Augustus: after which Virgil directs himself to Mæcenas, and enters on his subject. He lays down rules for the breeding and management of horses, oxen, sheep, goats, and dogs; and interweaves several pleasant descriptions of a chariot-race, of the battle of the bulls, of the force of love, and of the Scythian winter. In the latter part of the book, he relates the diseases incident to cattle; and ends with the description of a fatal murrain that formerly raged among the Alps. THY fields, propitious Pales, I rehearse; All other themes, that careless minds invite, 5 Busiris' altars, and the dire decrees Of hard Eurystheus, ev'ry reader sees: Of Grecian tales, by poets are express'd. 10 15 I, first of Romans, shall in triumph come And with Idume's palms my Mantua grace. Where the slow Mincius through the valley strays, 20 Full in the midst shall mighty Cæsar stand, Hold the chief honours, and the dome command. Then I, conspicuous in my Tyrian gown (Submitting to his godhead my renown), A hundred coursers from the goal will drive: The rival chariots in the race shall strive. 25 |