79. 
To whom thus Mercury with prudent speech:—­
’Wisely hast thou inquired of my skill:  620
I envy thee no thing I know to teach
Even this day:—­for both in word and will
I would be gentle with thee; thou canst reach
All things in thy wise spirit, and thy sill
Is highest in Heaven among the sons of Jove, 625
Who loves thee in the fulness of his love.

80. 
’The Counsellor Supreme has given to thee
Divinest gifts, out of the amplitude
Of his profuse exhaustless treasury;
By thee, ’tis said, the depths are understood 630
Of his far voice; by thee the mystery
Of all oracular fates,—­and the dread mood
Of the diviner is breathed up; even I—­
A child—­perceive thy might and majesty.

81. 
’Thou canst seek out and compass all that wit 635
Can find or teach;—­yet since thou wilt, come take
The lyre—­be mine the glory giving it—­
Strike the sweet chords, and sing aloud, and wake
Thy joyous pleasure out of many a fit
Of tranced sound—­and with fleet fingers make 640
Thy liquid-voiced comrade talk with thee,—­
It can talk measured music eloquently.

82. 
’Then bear it boldly to the revel loud,
Love-wakening dance, or feast of solemn state,
A joy by night or day—­for those endowed 645
With art and wisdom who interrogate
It teaches, babbling in delightful mood
All things which make the spirit most elate,
Soothing the mind with sweet familiar play,
Chasing the heavy shadows of dismay. 650

83. 
’To those who are unskilled in its sweet tongue,
Though they should question most impetuously
Its hidden soul, it gossips something wrong—­
Some senseless and impertinent reply. 
But thou who art as wise as thou art strong 655
Canst compass all that thou desirest.  I
Present thee with this music-flowing shell,
Knowing thou canst interrogate it well.

84. 
’And let us two henceforth together feed,
On this green mountain-slope and pastoral plain, 660
The herds in litigation—­they will breed
Quickly enough to recompense our pain,
If to the bulls and cows we take good heed;—­
And thou, though somewhat over fond of gain,
Grudge me not half the profit.’—­Having spoke, 665
The shell he proffered, and Apollo took;

85. 
And gave him in return the glittering lash,
Installing him as herdsman;—­from the look
Of Mercury then laughed a joyous flash. 
And then Apollo with the plectrum strook 670
The chords, and from beneath his hands a crash
Of mighty sounds rushed up, whose music shook
The soul with sweetness, and like an adept
His sweeter voice a just accordance kept.