4.103–115

Ways to promote productivity in the hive.

The beekeeper can help the hive’s productivity. First, by removing the wings from the king bees, he prevents both the king from leading out a swarm, and thus the hive from ignoring its work. He also plants gardens with fragrant flowers and trees and makes sure they are watered.

103–104 cum…volant…lūdunt…contemnunt…relinquunt: a temporal cum clause with the indicative (AG 545). Vergil continues the personification of the bees.

103 incerta: “aimless.”

103 caelō: ablative of place where without preposition, as in poetry (AG 429.4).

104 frīgida tecta: hives left unoccupied by swarming bees.

105 lūdō prohibēbis inanī: “restrain from idle diversion”; lūdō = ablative of separation (AG 401).

105 prohibēbis: didactic future = imperative (AG 449.2b).

106 nec…labor = nec est magnus labor prohibēre. Infinitive as impersonal subject (AG 454).

106 rēgibus: either dative of disadvantage (AG 376) or ablative of separation (AG 402).

107–108 nōn illīs…signa = illīs (rēgibus) cūnctantibus, nōn quisquam audēbit īre altum iter aut vellere signa castrīs.

107 illīs cunctantibus: ablative absolute (AG 419).

108 vellere signa: “to pick up the standards” = move camp. See Roman military standards.

108 castrīs: ablative of separation (AG 401).

109–115 invītent (109), servet (111), serat (113), terat (114), fīgat (115): jussive subjunctives (AG 439).

109 invītent: supply eās as direct object.

109 croceīs…flōribus: likely refers to saffron-producing Crocus sativus, with fragrant stigmas. Take closely with hālantēs.

110 cūstōs fūrum: “guardian against thieves.” Priapus protects gardens; originally worshipped in Lampsacus on the Hellespont. salignā: ablative with falce; willow (Salix sp.) is still used for tool handles.

111 tūtēla: appositive with cūstōs.

112 ipse: the beekeeper (also in 114).

112 thymum: thyme (Thymus vulgaris), still favored by bees.

112 tīnōs: laurustinus (Viburnum tinus). pīnōs (“pines”) is also attested but tīnōs fits better: it blooms in winter and is excellent bee forage.

113 cui tālia cūrae: double dative: dative of reference (cui) + dative of purpose (cūrae) (AG 382.1).

113 tecta: “the hive,” as in lines 62 and 104; object of circum.

114 ferācēs: accusative plural feminine, modifies plantās.

115 plantās: “shoots” or “starts.”

115 imbrēs: “showers,” i.e., watering.