‘Daphnis, thou herdsman of the lowing kine, art thou minded to sing a match with me? Methinks I shall vanquish thee, when I sing in turn, as readily as I please.’
Then Daphnis answered him again in this wise, ‘Thou shepherd of the fleecy sheep, Menalcas, the pipe-player, never wilt thou vanquish me in song, not thou, if thou shouldst sing till some evil thing befall thee!’
Menalcas. Dost thou care then, to try this and see, dost thou care to risk a stake?
Daphnis. I do care to try this and see, a stake I am ready to risk.
Menalcas. But what shall we stake, what pledge shall we find equal and sufficient?
Daphnis. I will pledge a calf, and do thou put down a lamb, one that has grown to his mother’s height.
Menalcas. Nay, never will I stake a lamb, for stern is my father, and stern my mother, and they number all the sheep at evening.
Daphnis. But what, then, wilt thou lay, and where is to be the victor’s gain?
Menalcas. The pipe, the fair pipe with nine stops, that I made myself, fitted with white wax, and smoothed evenly, above as below. This would I readily wager, but never will I stake aught that is my father’s.
Daphnis. See then, I too, in truth, have a pipe with nine stops, fitted with white wax, and smoothed evenly, above as below. But lately I put it together, and this finger still aches, where the reed split, and cut it deeply.