296 The Honey-Makers 



" Ah, regard my heart's deep sorrow ! Ah, would I were 

 that humming bee, and to thy cave might come dipping 

 beneath the fern that hides thee and the ivy leaves ! " 



Comatos, ordered by Lacon to go with him, replies, — 



"That way I will not go ! Here be oak-trees, and here 

 the galingale, and sweetly here hum the bees about the 

 hives." 



In the song of Simichidas we have the following beautiful 

 description of a rural scene : — 



" And high above our heads waved many a poplar, many 

 an elm-tree, while close at hand the sacred water from the 

 nymphs' own cave welled forth with murmurs musical. 

 On shadowy boughs the burnt cicalas kept their chatter- 

 ing toil, far off the little owl cried in the thick thorn brake, 

 the larks and finches were singing, the ring-dove moaned, 

 the yellow bees were flitting about the springs. All 

 breathed the scent of the opulent summer, of the season of 

 fruits ; pears at our feet and apples by our sides were roll- 

 ing plentiful ; the tender branches, with wild plums laden, 

 were earthward bowed, and the four-year-old pitch seal was 

 loosened from the mouth of the wine-jars." 



Daphnis won the prize for singing among the goatherds. 



" So sang the lads, and the goatherd thus bespoke them : 

 " ' Sweet is thy mouth, O Daphnis, and delectable thy 

 song ! Better is it to listen to thy singing than to taste 

 the honeycomb. Take thou the pipe, for thou hast con- 

 quered in the singing match.' " 



" Cicala to cicala is dear, and ant to ant, and hawks to 

 hawks, but to me the Muse and song. Of song may all 

 my dwelling be full, for sleep is not more sweet, nor sud- 

 den spring, nor flowers are more delicious to the bees — 

 so dear to me are the Muses. Whom they look on in 

 happy hour, Circe hath never harmed with her enchanted 

 potion." 



