Classic Poem

Once on a day the fair Daphnis, out upon the long hills with his cattle, met Menalcas keeping his sheep. Both had ruddy heads, both were striplings grown, both were players of music, and both knew how to sing. Looking now towards Daphnis, Menalcas first ‘What, Daphnis,’ cries he, ‘thou watchman o' bellowing kine, art thou willing to sing me somewhat? I'll warrant, come my turn, I shall have as much the better of thee as I choose.’ And this was Daphnis' answer: ‘Thou shepherd o' woolly sheep, thou mere piper Menalcas, never shall the likes of thee have the better of me in a song, strive he never so hard.’

MENALCAS

Then will 't please you look hither? Will't please you lay a wage?

DAPHNIS

Aye, that it will; I'll both look you and lay you, too.

MENALCAS

And what shall our wage be? what shall be sufficient for us?

DAPHNIS

Mine shall be a calf, only let yours be that mother-tall fellow yonder.

MENALCAS

He shall be no wage of mine. Father and mother are both sour as can be, and tell the flock to a head every night.

DAPHNIS

Well, but what is't to be? and what's the winner to get for's pains?

MENALCAS

Here's a gallant nine-stop pipe I have made, with good white beeswax the same top and bottom; this I'm willing to lay, but I'll not stake what is my father's.

DAPHNIS

Marry, I have a nine-stop pipe likewise, and it like yours hath good white beeswax the same top and bottom. I made it t'other day, and my finger here sore yet where a split reed cut it for me. ( each stakes a pipe )

MENALCAS

But who's to be our judge? who's to do the hearing for us?

DAPHNIS

Peradventure that goatherd yonder, if we call him; him wi' that spotted flock dog a barking near by the kids.
So the lads holla'd, and the goatherd came to hear them, the lads sang and the goatherd was fain to be their judge. Lots were cast, and 'twas Menalcas Loud-o'-voice to begin the country-song and Daphnis to take him up by course. Menalcas thus began:
Ye woods and waters, wondrous race,
Lith and listen of your grace;
If e'er my song was your delight
Feed my lambs with all your might;
And if Daphnis wend this way,
Make his calves as fat as they.

DAPHNIS

Ye darling wells and meadows dear,
Sweets o' the earth, come lend an ear;
If like the nightingales I sing,
Give my cows good pasturing;
And if Menalcas e'er you see,
Fill his flock and make him glee.

MENALCAS

Where sweet Milon trips the leas
There's fuller hives and loftier trees;
Where'er those pretty footings fall
Goats and sheep come twinners all;
If otherwhere those feet be gone,
Pasture's lean and shepherd lone.

DAPHNIS

Where sweet Naïs comes a-straying
There the green meads go a-maying;
Where'er her pathway lies along,
There's springing teats and growing young;
If otherwhere her gate be gone,
Cows are dry and herd fordone.

MENALCAS

Buck-goat, husband of the she's,
Hie to th' wood's infinities—
Nay, snubbies, hither to the spring;
This errand's not for your running;—
Go, buck, and “Fairest Milon” say,
“A God kept seals once on a day.”

[ Daphnis' reply is lost ]

MENALCAS

I would not Pelops' tilth untold
Nor all Croesus' coffered gold,
Nor yet t' outfoot the storm-wind's breath,
So I may sit this rock beneath,
Pretty pasture-mate, wi' thee,
And gaze on the Sicilian sea.
DAPHNIS

Wood doth fear the tempest's ire,
Water summer's drouthy fire,
Beasts the net and birds the snare,
Man the love of maiden fair;
Not I alone lie under ban;
Zeus himself 's a woman's man.
So far went the lads' songs by course. Now 'twas the envoy, and Menalcas thus began:

Spare, good Wolf, the goats you see,
Spare them dam and kid for me;
If flock is great and flockman small,
Is't reason you should wrong us all?
Come, White-tail, why so sound asleep?
Good dogs wake when boys tend sheep.
Fear not, ewes, your fill to eat;
For when the new blade sprouteth sweet,
Then ye shall no losers be;
To 't, and feed you every she,
Feed till every udder teem
Store for lambs and store for cream.
Then Daphnis, for his envoy, lifted up his tuneful voice, singing—

Yestermorn a long-browed maid,
Spying from a rocky shade
Neat and neatherd passing by,
Cries “What a pretty boy am I!”
Did pretty boy the jape repay?
Nay, bent his head and went his way.
Sweet to hear and sweet to smell,
God wot I love a heifer well,
And sweet alsó 'neath summer sky
To sit where brooks go babbling by;
But 'tis berry and bush, 'tis fruit and tree,
'Tis calf and cow, wi' my kine and me.
So sang those two lads, and this is what the goat-herd said of their songs: “You, good Daphnis, have a sweet and delightful voice. Your singing is to the ear as honey to the lip. Here's the pipe; take it; your song has fairly won it you. And if you are willing to teach me how to sing as you sing while I share pasture with you, you shall have the little she-goat yonder to your school-money, and I warrant you she'll fill your pail up to the brim and further.”
At that the lad was transported, and capered and clapped hands for joy of his victory; so capers a fawn at the sight of his dam. At that, too, the other's fire was utterly extinct, and his heart turned upside-down for grief; so mourns a maiden that is wed against her will.
From that day forth Daphnis had the pre-eminence of the shepherds, insomuch that he was scarce come to man's estate ere he had to wife that Naïs of whom he sang.