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Iam nox hibernas bis quinque peregerat horas

excubitorque diem cantu praedixerat ales,

Simylus exigui cultor cum rusticus agri

tristia venturae metuens ieiunia lucis

membra levat vili sensim demissa grabato

sollicitaque manu tenebras explorat inertes

vestigatque focum, laesus quem denique sensit.

Parvolus exusto remanebat stipite fomes

et cinis obductae celabat lumina prunae.

Admovet his pronam summissa fronte lucernam

et producit acu stuppas umore carentis

excitat et crebris languentem flatibus ignem.

Tandem concepto, sed vix, fulgore recedit

oppositaque manu lumen defendit ab aura

et reserat clausae quae pervidet ostia clavis.

Fusus erat terra frumenti pauper acervos:

hinc sibi depromit quantum mensura patebat,

quae bis in octonas excurrit pondere libras.

Inde abit assistitque molae parvaque tabella,

quam fixam paries illos servabat in usus,

lumina fida locat; geminos tunc veste lacertos

liberat et cinctus villosae tergore caprae

pervertit cauda silices gremiumque molarum.

Aduocat inde manus operi partitus utrique:

laeva ministerio, dextra est intenta labori.

Haec rotat adsiduom gyris et concitat orbem

(tunsa Ceres silicum rapido decurrit ab ictu)

interdum fessae succedit laeva sorori

alternatque vices. Modo rustica carmina cantat

agrestique suom solatur voce laborem,

interdum clamat Scybalen (erat unica custos,

Afra genus, tota patriam testante figura,

torta comam labroque tumens et fusca colore,

pectore lata, iacens mammis, compressior alvo,

cruribus exilis, spatiosa prodiga planta)

hanc vocat atque arsura focis imponere ligna

imperat et flamma gelidos adolere liquores.

Postquam implevit opus iustum versatile finem,

transfert inde manu fusas in cribra farinas

et quatit ac remanent summo purgamina dorso.

Subsidit sincera foraminibusque liquatur

emundata Ceres. Levi tum protinus illam

componit tabula, tepidas super ingerit undas

contrahit admixtos nunc fontes atque farinas,

transuersat durata manu liquidoque coacto,

interdum grumos spargit sale. Iamque subactum

levat opus palmisque suom dilatat in orbem

et notat impressis aequo discrimine quadris.

Infert ince foco (Scybale mundaverat aptum

ante locum) testisque tegit, super aggerat ignis.

Dumque suas peragit Volcanus Vestaque partes,

Simylus interea vacua non cessat in hora,

verum aliam sibi quaerit opem neu sola palato

sit non grata Ceres, quas iungat comparat escas.

Non illi suspensa focum carnaria iuxta,

durati sale terga suis truncique vacabant,

traiectus medium sparto sed caseus orbem

et vetus adstricti fascis pendebat anethi:

ergo aliam molitur opem sibi providus aeris.

Hortus erat iunctus casulae, quem vimina pauca

et calamo rediviva levi muniebat harundo,

exiguo spatio, variis sed fertilis herbis.

Nil illi deerat ,quod pauperis exigit usus:

interdum locuples a paupere plura petebat.

Nec sumptus erat ullius, sed regula curae:

si quando vacuom casula pluviaeve tenebant

festave lux, si forte labor cessabat aratri,

horti opus illud erat. Varias disponere plantas

norat et occultae committere semina terrae

vicinosque apte circa summittere rivos.

Hic holus, hic late fundentes bracchia betae

fecundusque rumex maluaeque inulaeque virebant,

hic siser et nomen capiti debentia porra

grataque nobilium requies lactuca ciborum

..........crescitque in acumina radix

et gravis in latum dimissa cucurbita ventrem.

Verum hic non domini (quis enim contractior illo?),

sed populi proventus erat, nonisque diebus

venalis umero fasces portabat ad urbem:

inde domum cervice levis, gravis aere redibat

vix umquam urbani comitatus merce macelli.

Caepa rubens sectique famem domat area porri

quaeque trahunt acri voltus nasturtia morsu

intibaque et venerem revocans eruca morantem.

Tunc quoque tale aliquid meditans intraverat hortum.

Ac primum, leviter digitis tellure refossa,

quattuor educit cum spissis alia fibris,

inde comas apii gracilis rutamque rigentem

vellit et exiguo coriandra trementia filo.

Haec ubi collegit, laetum consedit ad ignem

et clara famulam poscit mortaria voce.

Singula tum capitum nodoso corpore nudat

et summis spoliat coriis contemptaque passim

spargit humi atque abicit. Servatum germine bulbum

tinguit aqua lapidisque cavom demittit in orbem.

His salis inspargit micas, sale durus adeso

caseus adicitur, dictas super ingerit herbas

et laeva vestem saetosa sub inguina fulcit:

dextera pistillo primum flagrantia mollit

alia, tum pariter mixto terit omnia suco.

It manus in gyrum: paulatim singula vires

deperdunt proprias; color est e pluribus unus,

nec totus viridis, quia lactea frusta repugnant,

nec de lacte nitens, quia tot variatur ab herbis.

Saepe viri nares acer iaculatur apertas

spiritus et simo damnat sua prandia voltu,

saepe manu summa lacrimantia lumina terget

immeritoque furens dicit convicia fumo.

Procedebat opus nec iam salebrosus ut ante

sed gravior lentos ibat pistillus in orbis.

Ergo Palladii guttas instillat olivi

exiguique super vires infundit aceti

atque iterum commiscet opus mixtumque retractat.

Tum demum digitis mortaria tota duobus

circuit inque globum distantia contrahit unum,

constet ut effecti species nomenque moreti.

Eruit interea Scybale quoque sedula panem,

quem laetus recipit manibus, pulsoque timore

iam famis inque diem securus Simylus illam

ambit crura ocreis paribus tectusque galero

sub iuga parentis cogit lorata iuvencos

atque agit in segetes et terrae condit aratrum.

Iām nōx hībērnās bīs quīnquĕ pĕrēgĕrăt hōrās

ēxcŭbĭtōrquĕ dĭēm cāntū praēdīxĕrăt ālēs,

Sīmўlŭs ēxĭgŭī cūltōr cūm rūstĭcŭs āgrī

trīstĭă vēntūraē mĕtŭēns iēiūnĭă lūcīs

mēmbră lĕvāt vīlī sēnsīm dēmīssă grăbātō

sōllĭcĭtāquĕ mănū tĕnĕbrās ēxplōrăt ĭnērtēs

vēstīgātquĕ fŏcūm, laēsūs quēm dēnĭquĕ sēnsīt.

Pārvŏlŭs ēxūstō rĕmănēbāt stīpĭtĕ fōmēs

ēt cĭnĭs ōbdūctaē cēlābāt lūmĭnă prūnaē.

Ādmŏvĕt hīs prōnām sūmmīssā frōntĕ lŭcērnām

ēt prōdūcīt ācū stūppăs ŭmōrĕ cărēntīs

ēxcĭtăt ēt crēbrīs lānguēntēm flātĭbŭs īgnēm.

Tāndēm cōncēptō, sēd vīx, fūlgōrĕ rĕcēdīt

ōppŏsĭtāquĕ mănū lūmēn dēfēndĭt ăb aūrā

ēt rĕsĕrāt claūsaē quaē pērvĭdĕt ōstĭă clāvīs.

Fūsŭs ĕrāt tērrā frūmēntī paūpĕr ăcērvōs:

hīnc sĭbĭ dēprōmīt quāntūm mēnsūră pătēbāt,

quaē bĭs ĭn ōctōnās ēxcūrrīt pōndĕrĕ lībrās.

Īnde ăbĭt āssīstītquĕ mŏlaē pārvāquĕ tăbēllā,

quām fīxām părĭēs īllōs sērvābăt ĭn ūsūs,

lūmĭnă fīdă lŏcāt; gĕmĭnōs tūnc vēstĕ lăcērtōs

lībĕrăt ēt cīnctūs vīllōsaē tērgŏrĕ cāpraē

pērvērtīt caūdā sĭlĭcēs grĕmĭūmquĕ mŏlārūm.

Ādvŏcăt īndĕ mănūs ŏpĕrī pārtītŭs ŭtrīquĕ:

laēvă mĭnīstĕrĭō, dēxtra ēst īntēntă lăbōrī.

Haēc rŏtăt ādsĭdŭōm gŷrīs ēt cōncĭtăt ōrbēm

(tūnsă Cĕrēs sĭlĭcūm răpĭdō dēcūrrĭt ăb īctū)

īntērdūm fēssaē sūccēdīt laēvă sŏrōrī

āltērnātquĕ vĭcēs. Mŏdŏ rūstĭcă cārmĭnă cāntāt

āgrēstīquĕ sŭōm sōlātūr vōcĕ lăbōrēm,

īntērdūm clāmāt Scўbălēn (ĕrăt ūnĭcă cūstōs,

Āfră gĕnūs, tōtā pătrĭām tēstāntĕ fĭgūrā,

tōrtă cŏmām lābrōquĕ tŭmēns ēt fūscă cŏlōrĕ,

pēctŏrĕ lātă, iăcēns māmmīs, cōmprēssĭŏr ālvō,

crūrĭbŭs ēxīlīs, spătĭōsā prōdĭgă plāntā)

hānc vŏcăt ātque ārsūră fŏcīs īmpōnĕrĕ līgnă

īmpĕrăt ēt flāmmā gĕlĭdōs ădŏlērĕ lĭquōrēs.

Pōstquam īmplēvĭt ŏpūs iūstūm vērsātĭlĕ fīnēm,

trānsfērt īndĕ mănū fūsās īn crībră fărīnās

ēt quătĭt āc rĕmănēnt sūmmō pūrgāmĭnă dōrsō.

Sūbsīdīt sīncēră fŏrāmĭnĭbūsquĕ lĭquātūr

ēmūndātă Cĕrēs. Lēvī tūm prōtĭnŭs īllām

cōmpōnīt tăbŭlā, tĕpĭdās sŭpĕr īngĕrĭt ūndās

cōntrăhĭt ādmīxtōs nūnc fōntēs ātquĕ fărīnās,

trānsvērsāt dūrātă mănū lĭquĭdōquĕ cŏāctō,

īntērdūm grūmōs spārgīt sălĕ. Iāmquĕ sŭbāctūm

lēvăt ŏpūs pālmīsquĕ sŭōm dīlātăt ĭn ōrbēm

ēt nŏtăt īmprēssīs aēquō dīscrīmĭnĕ quādrīs.

Īnfērt īncĕ fŏcō (Scўbălē mūndāvĕrăt āptūm

āntĕ lŏcūm) tēstīsquĕ tĕgīt, sŭpĕr āggĕrăt īgnīs.

Dūmquĕ sŭās pĕrăgīt Vōlcānūs Vēstăquĕ pārtēs,

Sīmўlŭs īntĕrĕā văcŭā nōn cēssăt ĭn hōrā,

vērum ălĭām sĭbĭ quaērĭt ŏpēm neū sōlă pălātō

sīt nōn grātă Cĕrēs, quās iūngāt cōmpărăt ēscās.

Nōn īllī sūspēnsă fŏcūm cārnārĭă iūxtā,

dūrātī sălĕ tērgă sŭīs trūncīquĕ văcābānt,

trāiēctūs mĕdĭūm spārtō sēd cāsĕŭs ōrbēm

ēt vĕtŭs ādstrīctī fāscīs pēndēbăt ănēthī:

ērgo ălĭām mōlītŭr ŏpēm sĭbĭ prōvĭdŭs aērīs.

Hōrtŭs ĕrāt iūnctūs căsŭlaē, quēm vīmĭnă paūcă

ēt călămō rĕdĭvīvă lĕvī mŭnĭēbăt hărūndŏ,

ēxĭgŭō spătĭō, vărĭīs sēd fērtĭlĭs hērbīs.

Nīl īllī dĕĕrāt ,quōd paūpĕrĭs ēxĭgĭt ūsūs:

īntērdūm lŏcŭplēs ā paūpĕrĕ plūră pĕtēbāt.

Nēc sūmptūs ĕrăt ūllīūs, sēd rēgŭlă cūraē:

sī quāndō văcŭōm căsŭlā plŭvĭaēvĕ tĕnēbānt

fēstăvĕ lūx, sī fōrtĕ lăbōr cēssābăt ărātrī,

hōrti ŏpŭs īllŭd ĕrāt. Vărĭās dīspōnĕrĕ plāntās

nōrăt ĕt ōccūltaē cōmmīttĕrĕ sēmĭnă tērraē

vīcīnōsque āptē cīrcā sūmmīttĕrĕ rīvōs.

Hīc hŏlŭs, hīc lātē fūndēntēs brācchĭă bētaē

fēcūndūsquĕ rŭmēx mālvaēque ĭnŭlaēquĕ vĭrēbānt,

hīc sĭsĕr ēt nōmēn căpĭtī dēbēntĭă pōrră

grātăquĕ nōbĭlĭūm rĕquĭēs lāctūcă cĭbōrūm

..........crēscītque ĭn ăcūmĭnă rādīx

ēt grăvĭs īn lātūm dīmīssă cŭcūrbĭtă vēntrēm.

Vērum hīc nōn dŏmĭnī (quĭs ĕnīm cōntrāctĭŏr īllō?),

sēd pŏpŭlī prōvēntŭs ĕrāt, nōnīsquĕ dĭēbūs

vēnālīs ŭmĕrō fāscēs pōrtābăt ăd ūrbēm:

īndĕ dŏmūm cērvīcĕ lĕvīs, grăvĭs aērĕ rĕdībāt

vīx ūmquam ūrbānī cŏmĭtātūs mērcĕ măcēllī.

Caēpă rŭbēns sēctīquĕ fămēm dŏmăt ārĕă pōrrī

quaēquĕ trăhūnt ācrī vōltūs nāstūrtĭă mōrsū

īntĭbăque ēt vĕnĕrēm rĕvŏcāns ērūcă mŏrāntēm.

Tūnc quŏquĕ tāle ălĭquīd mĕdĭtāns īntrāvĕrăt hōrtūm.

Āc prīmūm, lĕvĭtēr dĭgĭtīs tēllūrĕ rĕfōssā,

quāttŭŏr ēdūcīt cūm spīssīs ālĭă fībrīs,

īndĕ cŏmās ăpĭī grăcĭlīs rūtāmquĕ rĭgēntēm

vēllĭt ĕt ēxĭgŭō cŏrĭāndră trĕmēntĭă fīlō.

Haēc ŭbĭ cōllēgīt, laētūm cōnsēdĭt ăd īgnēm

ēt clārā fămŭlām pōscīt mōrtārĭă vōcĕ.

Sīngŭlă tūm căpĭtūm nōdōsō cōrpŏrĕ nūdāt

ēt sūmmīs spŏlĭāt cŏrĭīs cōntēmptăquĕ pāssīm

spārgĭt hŭmi ātque ăbĭcīt. Sērvātūm gērmĭnĕ būlbūm

tīnguĭt ăquā lăpĭdīsquĕ căvōm dēmīttĭt ĭn ōrbēm.

Hīs sălĭs īnspārgīt mīcās, sălĕ dūrŭs ădēsō

cāseūs ādĭcĭtūr, dīctās sŭpĕr īngĕrĭt hērbās

ēt laēvā vēstēm saētōsă sŭb īnguĭnă fūlcīt:

dēxtĕră pīstīllō prīmūm flāgrāntĭă mōllīt

ālĭă, tūm părĭtēr mīxtō tĕrĭt ōmnĭă sūcō.

Īt mănŭs īn gŷrūm: paūlātīm sīngŭlă vīrēs

dēpērdūnt prŏprĭās; cŏlŏr ēst ē plūrĭbŭs ūnūs,

nēc tōtūs vĭrĭdīs, quĭă lāctĕă frūstă rĕpūgnānt,

nēc dē lāctĕ nĭtēns, quĭă tōt vărĭātŭr ăb hērbīs.

Saēpĕ vĭrī nārēs ācēr iăcŭlātŭr ăpērtās

spīrĭtŭs ēt sīmō dāmnāt sŭă prāndĭă vōltū,

saēpĕ mănū sūmmā lăcrĭmāntĭă lūmĭnă tērgēt

īmmĕrĭtōquĕ fŭrēns dīcīt cōnvīcĭă fūmō.

Prōcēdēbăt ŏpūs nēc iām sălĕbrōsŭs ŭt āntĕ

sēd grăvĭōr lēntōs ībāt pīstīllŭs ĭn ōrbīs.

Ērgō Pāllădĭī gūttās īnstīllăt ŏlīvī

ēxĭgŭīquĕ sŭpēr vīrēs īnfūndĭt ăcētī

ātque ĭtĕrūm cōmmīscĕt ŏpūs mīxtūmquĕ rĕtrāctāt.

Tūm dēmūm dĭgĭtīs mōrtārĭă tōtă dŭōbūs

cīrcŭĭt īnquĕ glŏbūm dīstāntĭă cōntrăhĭt ūnūm,

cōnstĕt ŭt ēffēctī spĕcĭēs nōmēnquĕ mŏrētī.

Ērvīt īntĕrĕā Scўbălē quŏquĕ sēdŭlă pānēm,

quēm laētūs rĕcĭpīt mănĭbūs, pūlsōquĕ tĭmōrĕ

iām fămĭs īnquĕ dĭēm sēcūrūs Sīmўlŭs īllām

āmbīt crūra ŏcrĕīs părĭbūs tēctūsquĕ gălērō

sūb iŭgă pārēntīs cōgīt lōrātă iŭvēncōs

ātque ăgĭt īn sĕgĕtēs ēt tērraē cōndĭt ărātrūm.