BOOK 1. 1. 1-2 



in the care of cattle and the prudent wisdom of 

 Triptolemus " or Aristaeus * in the tilling of the 

 fields and the soil, still he will have made great 

 progress if he has equalled in practice our own 

 Tremeliuses and Sasernas and Stolos." For agriculture 33 

 can be conducted without the greatest mental acute- 

 ness, but not on the other hand, " by the fat-witted,'' " 

 to use a frequent expression. For far from the 

 truth is the belief, held by many, that the busi- 

 ness of husbandry is extremely easy and requires 

 no mental keenness. There is no occasion for 

 further discussion of the subject as a whole at this 

 point, inasmuch as its several divisions are to be 

 set forth in the several Books assigned to them, 

 which I shall carry through, each in its own order, 

 but only after I have said by way of preface what 

 I judge to be especially pertinent to the science in 

 general. 



I. One who devotes himself to agriculture should 

 understand that he must call to his assistance these 

 most fundamental resources : knowledge of the 

 subject, means for defraying the expenses, and the 

 will to do the work. For in the end, as Tremelius 

 remarks, he will have the best-tilled lands who 

 has the knowledge, the wherewithal, and the vn\\ 

 to cultivate them. For the knowledge and wilhng- 

 ness will not suffice anyone without the means which 

 the tasks require ; on the other hand, the will to 2 



two Sasernas, father and son (I. 1. 12; Varro I. 2. 22); and 

 C. Licinius Stolo (I. 3. 11 ; Varro I. 2. 9). 



<* Lit. " fat Minerva." Cf. Cicero, De Amic. 5. 19, pingui 

 Minerva; Horace, Serm. II. 2. 3, rusticus . . . crassaque 

 Minerva. 



27 



