The Golden Age (Ovid)

Saeculum Aureum

Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo,
sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat.

poena metusque aberant, nec verba minantia fixo
aere legebantur, nec supplex turba timebat
iudicis ora sui, sed erant sine vindice tuti.
nondum caesa suis, peregrinum ut viseret orbem,
montibus in liquidas pinus descenderat undas,

nullaque mortales praeter sua litora norant;
nondum praecipites cingebant oppida fossae;
non tuba derecti, non aeris cornua flexi,
non galeae, non ensis erat: sine militis usu
mollia securae peragebant otia gentes.    

          

 ipsa quoque inmunis rastroque intacta nec ullis
saucia vomeribus per se dabat omnia tellus,
contentique cibis nullo cogente creatis
arbuteos fetus montanaque fraga legebant
cornaque et in duris haerentia mora rubetis

et quae deciderant patula Iovis arbore glandes.
ver erat aeternum, placidique tepentibus auris
mulcebant zephyri natos sine semine flores;
mox etiam fruges tellus inarata ferebat,
nec renovatus ager gravidis canebat aristis;

flumina iam lactis, iam flumina nectaris ibant,
flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella.

The Golden Age 
 

The age was formed of gold; in those first days

No law or force was needed; men did right

Freely; without duress they kept their word.

No punishment or fear of it; no threats

Inscribed on brazen tablets; no crowds crawled

Beseeching mercy from a lofty judge;

For without law or judge all men were safe.

High on its native hills the pine tree stood,

Unlopped as yet, nor yet compelled to cross

Ocean's wide waves, and help men leave their homes.

Towns had no moats; no horns of winding brass

Nor trumpets straight, nor swords nor shields existed.

The nations dozed through ages of soft time,

Safe without armies; while the earth herself,

Untouched by spade or plowshare, freely gave,

As of her own volition, all men needed:

And men were well content with what she gave

Unforced and uncompelled; they found the fruit

Of the arbutus bush, and cornel-cherries,

Gathered wild berries from the mountain-sides,

Eating ripe fruit plucked from the thorny canes,

And acorns as they fell from Jove's wide oak.

Spring lasted all year long; the warm west wind

Played gently over flowers sprung from no seed:

Soon too the unfilled earth brought forth profuse

Her crops of grain; and fields, uncultivated,

Whitened beneath their stalks of bearded wheat.

Streams flowed profuse, now milk, now nectar, and

The living oak poured streams of golden honey.