M. Fortunate senex, ergo tua rura manebunt
et tibi magna satis, quamuis lapis omnia nudus
limosoque palus obducat pascua iunco:
non insueta grauis temptabunt pabula fetas,
nec mala uicini pecoris contagia laedent. 50
fortunate senex, hic inter flumina nota
et fontis sacros frigus captabis opacum;
hinc tibi, quae semper, uicino ab limite saepes
Hyblaeis apibus florem depasta salicti
saepe leui somnum suadebit inire susurro; 55
hinc alta sub rupe canet frondator ad auras,
nec tamen interea raucae, tua cura, palumbes
nec gemere aëria cessabit turtur ab ulmo.

Match each adjective with the noun it modifies (more than one adj. may modify the same noun):

  1. magna
  2. tua
  3. limoso
  4. gravis
  5. nudus
  6. vicini
  7. levi
  8. nota
  9. sacros
  10. vicino
  11. aëria
  12. alta
  1. fetas
  2. susurro
  3. lapis
  4. rura
  5. limite
  6. fontis
  7. rupe
  8. flumina
  9. pecoris
  10. iunco
  11. ulmo
  12. gemere


For each subject, find its verb:
  1. rura
  2. lapis
  3. palus
  4. pabula
  5. contagia
  6. saepes
  7. frondator
  8. turtur
  9. palumbes (trickier)

Find:

  1. a complementary infinitive
  2. a vocative
  3. a compound subject (i.e. a subject with two parts, x and y)
  4. an ablative of agent
  5. an accusative plural ending in -is
  6. an ablative of means
  7. another accusative plural ending in -is

Is the second foot of each line a dactyl or a spondee?

  1. 45
  2. 46
  3. 47
  4. 48
  5. 49
  6. 50
  7. 51
  8. 52
  9. 53

Answer the following in English:

  1. There are many antitheses (opposing things juxtaposed) here: identify some and discuss how they contribute to the effect/meaning of the poem.
  2. If you were to transfer/translate the idea of this poem into a modern setting, what would it be? Say more.

Ancient Comment (from Maurus Servius Honoratus' Commentary on the Poems of Virgil.