BkIV:67-102 The Fighting Swarms But if on the other hand they’ve gone out to fight – because often discord, with great turmoil, seizes two leaders: and immediately you may know in advance the will of the masses and, from far off, how their hearts are stirred by war: since the martial sound of the harsh brass rebukes the lingerers, and an intermittent noise is heard, like a trumpet blast – then they gather together restlessly, and their wings quiver, and they sharpen their stings with their mouths, and flex their legs. And they swarm round their leader, and the high command, in crowds, and call out to the enemy with loud cries: So, when they’ve found a clear spring day, and an open field, they burst out of the gates: there’s a clash, the noise rises high in the air, they’re gathered together, mingled in one great ball, and fall headlong: hail from the sky’s no thicker, nor is the rain of acorns from a shaken oak-tree. The leaders themselves in the middle of their ranks, conspicuous by their wings, have great hearts in tiny breasts, determined not to give way until the victor’s might has forced these here, or those there, to turn their backs in flight. The tossing of a little dust restrains and calms these fits of passion and these mighty battles. When you’ve recalled both generals from the fight, give death to the one that appears weaker, to avoid waste: and let the stronger one hold power alone. That one will shine with rough blotches of gold, since there are two kinds: the better is distinguished in looks, and bright with reddish armour: the other’s shaggy from sloth, and ingloriously drags a swollen belly. As the features of the leaders are twofold, so their subjects’ bodies. Since some are ugly and bristling, like a parched traveller who comes out of the deep dust, and spits the dirt from his dry mouth: others gleam and sparkle with brightness, their bodies glowing and specked with regular drops of gold. These are the stronger offspring: in heaven’s due season, you’ll take sweet honey from these, and no sweeter than it is clear, and needed to tame the strong flavour of wine. Virgil/Bee-Keeping
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:26:10 +0000
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