The Georgics

Book I

The poet, in the beginning of this book, propounds the general design of each Georgic: and, after a solemn invocation of all the gods who are any way related to his subject, he addresses himself, in particular, to Augustus, whom he complements with divinity; and after strikes into his business. He shows the different kinds of tillage proper to different soils; traces out the original of agriculture; gives a catalogue of the husbandman’s tools; specifies the employments peculiar to each season; describes the changes of the weather, with the signs in heaven and earth that fore-bode them; instances many of the prodigies that happened near the time of Julius Caesar’s death; and shuts up all with a supplication to the gods for the safety of Augustus, and the preservation of Rome.

What makes a plenteous harvest, when to turn

The fruitful soil, and when to sow the corn;