WD.467   ἀρχόμενος τὰ πρῶτ' ἀρότου, ὅτ' ἂν ἄκρον ἐχέτλης
WD.467   When you're beginning the ploughing at first, then hold in your hand the

WD.468   χειρὶ λαβὼν ὅρπηκι βοῶν ἐπὶ νῶτον ἵκηαι
WD.468   End of the tail of the plough, lay stripes on the backs of your oxen

WD.469   ἔνδρυον ἑλκόντων μεσάβων. ὁ δὲ τυτθὸς ὄπισθε
WD.469   Pulling the peg by the straps, while walking a little behind, a

WD.470   δμῶος ἔχων μακέλην πόνον ὀρνίθεσσι τιθείη
WD.470   Serf with a mattock creates much trouble and woe for the birds by

WD.471   σπέρμα κατακρύπτων: εὐθημοσύνη γὰρ ἀρίστη
WD.471   Hiding the seed in the ground. Good husbandry, that is the best for

WD.472   θνητοῖς ἀνθρώποις, κακοθημοσύνη δὲ κακίστη.
WD.472   Men who are mortal, as rotten husbandry is the most evil.

WD.473   ὧδέ κεν ἁδροσύνῃ στάχυες νεύοιεν ἔραζε,
WD.473   So will the heads of your wheat hang down to the ground in their fullne

WD.474   εἰ τέλος αὐτὸς ὄπισθεν Ὀλύμπιος ἐσθλὸν ὀπάζοι,
WD.474   If the Olympian gives you a good outcome; after all, then

WD.475   ἐκ δ' ἀγγέων ἐλάσειας ἀράχνια, καί σε ἔολπα
WD.475   Dusting your storage jars you+ll be brushing off cobwebs, I hope that

WD.476   γηθήσειν βιότου αἰρεύμενον ἔνδον ἐόντος.
WD.476   You will rejoice when you've got your livelihood safe in your keeping,

WD.477   εὐοχθέων δ' ἵξεαι πολιὸν ἔαρ οὐδὲ πρὸς ἄλλους
WD.477   So well-provided you+ll come to misty spring and you'll look to

WD.478   αὐγάσεαι: σέο δ' ἄλλος ἀνὴρ κεχρημένος ἔσται.
WD.478   Nobody else, but another may likely need your assistance.

WD.479   εἰ δέ κεν ἠελίοιο τροπῇς ἀρόῳς χθόνα δῖαν,
WD.479   Yet if you plough the excellent earth at the winter solstice,

WD.480   ἥμενος ἀμήσεις ὀλίγον περὶ χειρὸς ἐέργων,
WD.480   You will reap in a sitting position, and harvest no more than handfuls,

WD.481   ἀντία δεσμεύων κεκονιμένος, οὐ μάλα χαίρων,
WD.481   Binding the dust-covered sheaves all askew. You'll not be too happy

WD.482   οἴσεις δ' ἐν φορμῷ: παῦροι δέ σε θηήσονται.
WD.482   Bringing them home in a basket, when not very many admire you.

WD.483   ἄλλοτε δ' ἀλλοῖος ^[2[3Ζηνὸς νόος^3] αἰγιόχοιο,^2]
WD.483   Truly the purposes vary of Zeus who carries the aegis,

WD.484   ἀργαλέος δ' ἄνδρεσσι καταθνητοῖσι νοῆσαι.
WD.484   All too difficult are they to fathom by men who are mortal.

WD.485   εἰ δή κ' ὄψ' ἀρόσῃς, τόδε κέν τοι φάρμακον εἴη:
WD.485   If you insist upon ploughing too late one remedy there is:

WD.486   ἦμος κόκκυξ κοκκύζει δρυὸς ἐν πετάλοισι
WD.486   After the cuckoo is heard for the first time loud in the oak tree's

WD.487   τὸ πρῶτον, τέρπει δὲ βροτοὺς ἐπ' ἀπείρονα γαῖαν,
WD.487   Foliage, cheering mankind all over the earth which is boundless,

WD.488   τῆμος Ζεὺς ὕοι τρίτῳ ἤματι μηδ' ἀπολήγοι,
WD.488   If on the third day Zeus begins raining and doesn't let up till

WD.489   μήτ' ἄρ' ὑπερβάλλων βοὸς ὁπλὴν μήτ' ἀπολείπων:
WD.489   Rain neither rises above cows' hooves nor is very much under,

WD.490   οὕτω κ' ὀψαρότης πρωιηρότῃ ἰσοφαρίζοι.
WD.490   Then one who's late with his ploughing will rival him who was early.

WD.491   ἐν θυμῷ δ' εὖ πάντα φυλάσσεο: μηδέ σε λήθοι
WD.491   Keep this advice, every bit of it, well in mind, and forget not

WD.492   μήτ' ἔαρ γινόμενον πολιὸν μήθ' ὥριος ὄμβρος.
WD.492   Either the mist-grey days of the spring or the rain-sodden season.

WD.493   πὰρ δ' ἴθι χάλκειον θῶκον καὶ ἐπαλέα λέσχην
WD.493   Pass by the blacksmith's forge with its cosy and comfortable club room

WD.494   ὥρῃ χειμερίῃ, ὁπότε κρύος ἀνέρα ἔργων
WD.494   During the winter when cold prevents a man doing his outdoor

WD.495   ἰσχάνει, ἔνθα κ' ἄοκνος ἀνὴρ μέγα οἶκον ὀφέλλοι,
WD.495   Work, at the time when laborious men do most for their households,