Daphnis. Tempest is the dread pest of the trees, drought of the
waters, snares of the birds, and the hunter's net of the wild beasts,
but ruinous to man is the love of a delicate maiden. O father, O
Zeus, I have not been the only lover, thou too hast longed for a
mortal woman.

Thus the boys sang in verses amoebaean, and thus Menalcas began the
crowning lay:

Menalcas. Wolf, spare the kids, spare the mothers of my herd, and
harm not me, so young as I am to tend so great a flock. Ah,
Lampurus, my dog, dost thou then sleep so soundly? a dog should not
sleep so sound, that helps a boyish shepherd. Ewes of mine, spare ye
not to take your fill of the tender herb, ye shall not weary, 'ere
all this grass grows again. Hist, feed on, feed on, fill, all of
you, your udders, that there may be milk for the lambs, and somewhat
for me to store away in the cheese-crates.

Then Daphnis followed again, and sweetly preluded to his singing:

Daphnis. Me, even me, from the cave, the girl with meeting eyebrows
spied yesterday as I was driving past my calves, and she cried, 'How
fair, how fair he is!' But I answered her never the word of railing,
but cast down my eyes, and plodded on my way.

Sweet is the voice of the heifer, sweet her breath, {50} sweet to lie
beneath the sky in summer, by running water.

Acorns are the pride of the oak, apples of the apple tree, the calf
of the heifer, and the neatherd glories in his kine.