Page:The Greek bucolic poets (1912).djvu/49

 The neatherds came, the shepherds came, and the goatherds him beside, All fain to hear what ail’d him; Priapus came and cried “Why peak and pine, unhappy wight, when thou mightest bed a bride? “For there’s nor wood nor water but hath seen her footsteps ﬂee—

“In search o’ thee. O a fool-in-love and a feeble is here, perdye! “Neatherd, forsooth? ’tis goatherd now, or ’faith, ’tis like to be; “When goatherd in the rutting-time the skipping kids doth scan, “His eye grows soft, his eye grows sad, because he’s born a man;—

“So you, when ye see the lasses laughing in gay riớt, “Your eye grows soft, your eye grows sad, because you share it not.” But never a word said the poor neathérd, for a bitter love bare he; And he bare it well, as I shall tell, to the end that was to be.

But and the Cyprian came him to, and smiled on him full sweetly— For though she fain would foster wrath, she could not choose but smile— And cried “Ah, braggart Daphnis, that wouldnt throw Love so featly! Rh