Tyndaris, when this place falls under the spell
Of the rocks and hills of U stica echoing
The sound of Faunus playing upon his pipe,
The wives of the rank male goat then feeling easy
Can wander through the woods in safety searching
For thyme and for arbutus where they hide,
Nor do the kids have anything to fear
From snakes nor from Mars' favorite, the wolf.
The gods protect me here because they know
That I and my Muse are ever devout and faithful.
And here, for you, from the horn of plenty flow
All the good things of our local fields and vines.
Here you can shade yourself from the heat of summer,
Singing a song about Penelope
And Circe of the glassy sea, and how
Both of them loved the wandering Ulysses.
Here you will sit, under these guardian plane trees,
Tasting the mild innocent wine ofLesbos;
Here Mars and Bacchus, Semele's child, will never
Contend to make trouble; and, untroubled here,
Watched over, here in the garden, under these trees,
You will have nothing to fear from jealous Cyrus,
Tearing your dress, or disarranging your hair,
Pawing you with his cruel offending hands.
II.
1
To Pollio
Do not be absent long from the tragic stage,
Pollio, famous for this, and famous too
For your victory in Dalmatia, and for wise
Counsel in the councils of the Senate,
