field descries, With silent glee, the heaps around him rise. A ready banquet on the turf is laid, Beneath an ample oak's expanded shade. The victim ox the sturdy youth prepare; The reaper's due repast, the woman's care. Next, ripe in yellow gold, a vineyard shines, Bent with the ponderous harvest of its vines; A deeper dye the dangling clusters show, And curl'd on silver props, in order glow: A darker metal mix'd intrench'd the place; And pales of glittering tin the inclosure grace. To this, one pathway gently winding leads, Where march a train with baskets on their heads, (Fair maids and blooming youths,) that smiling bear The purple product of the autumnal year. To these a youth awakes the warbling strings, Whose tender lay the fate of Linus sings; In measured dance behind him move the train, Tune soft the voice, and answer to the strain. Here herds of oxen march, erect and bold, Rear high their horns, and seem to low in gold, And speed to meadows on whose sounding shores A rapid torrent through the rushes roars: Four golden herdsmen as their guardians stand, And nine sour dogs complete the rustic band. Two lions rushing from the wood appear'd; And seized a bull, the master of the herd: He roar'd: in vain the dogs, the men withstood; They tore his flesh, and drank his sable blood. The dogs (oft cheer'd in vain) desert the prey, Dread the grim terrors, and at distance bay. Next this, the eye the art of Vulcan leads Deep through fair forests, and a length of meads, And stalls, and folds, and scatter'd cots between; And fleecy flocks, that whiten all the scene. A figured dance succeeds; such once was seen In lofty Gnossus for the Cretan queen, Form'd by Daedalean art; a comely band Of youths and maidens, bounding hand in hand. The maids in soft simars of linen dress'd; The youths all graceful in the glossy vest: Of those the locks with flowery wreath inroll'd; Of these the side