Menalcas

O every way Unhappy sheep, unhappy flock! while he Still courts Neaera, fearing lest her choice Should fall on me, this hireling shepherd here Wrings hourly twice their udders, from the flock Filching the life-juice, from the lambs their milk.

DAMOETAS Hold! not so ready with your jeers at men! We know who once, and in what shrine with you- The he-goats looked aside- the light nymphs laughed-

MENALCAS Ay, then, I warrant, when they saw me slash Micon’s young vines and trees with spiteful hook.

DAMOETAS Or here by these old beeches, when you broke The bow and arrows of Damon; for you chafed When first you saw them given to the boy, Cross-grained Menalcas, ay, and had you not Done him some mischief, would have chafed to death.

MENALCAS With thieves so daring, what can masters do? Did I not see you, rogue, in ambush lie For Damon’s goat, while loud Lycisca barked? And when I cried, “Where is he off to now? Gather your flock together, Tityrus,” You hid behind the sedges.