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Commentary Cons. Phil. Book 1 Metrum 6

Metrum 6

Success attends those who adapt their actions to the pattern of nature. (Thus, we deduce, it makes sense for P. to proceed cautiously with milder remedies at the outset.)

Meter: Glyconic. - - - u u - u -

line 2
cancri sidus: Cancer is burned by the sun's rays from 20 June to 20 July.

line 3
negantibus: negantibus sulcis: i.e., at that season the furrows refuse to nurture seeds planted too late.

line 4
sulcis: negantibus sulcis: i.e., at that season the furrows refuse to nurture seeds planted too late.
credidit: < credo, here "entrust."

line 5
Cereris: objective genitive, "the faith placed in Ceres"; Ceres was the goddess of harvest and grain.

line 6
quernas: quernas . . . arbores: "oak trees"; acorns were traditionally the food of prehistoric times, when agricultural arts were unknown; the phrase "nuts and berries" has the same force in English.
arbores: quernas . . . arbores: "oak trees"; acorns were traditionally the food of prehistoric times, when agricultural arts were unknown; the phrase "nuts and berries" has the same force in English.

line 8
lecturus: < lego, "gather"; the future participle has some of the force of a purpose construction, here "to pick."

line 9
cum: cum . . . inhorruit: indicative temporal clause; Aquilo (the north wind) blows in winter.

line 10
inhorruit: cum . . . inhorruit: indicative temporal clause; Aquilo (the north wind) blows in winter.

line 11
quaeras: subjunctive in a future-less-vivid condition (cf. libeat (13)), governing stringere ("prune, trim").

line 12
palmites: "vine-shoots."

line 13
frui: "to enjoy" with ablative.

line 15
Bacchus: god of wine, hence of the grape-harvest.
contulit: perfect tense < confero.

line 17
aptans: sc. tempora from line 16.

line 19
uices: "alternations"; here, "seasons."

line 20
quod: = id quod

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