Alternative to Virgil's Georgics

[Vergilius]

Two great Latin beekeeping texts from the Loeb classical library:

Columella's De re rustica book IX

Varro's De re rustica book III

English translations provided for both, so no need to know the Latin...

Ben P

 

[BeeJayBee]

Is this any use?

Marcus Terentius Varro. On Agriculture. Book II

Is translated here >> http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Varro/de_Re_Rustica/3*.html

The apiculture starts at around p501, with some unusual assertions about the origins of bees, and finishes at p521. Some things don't seem to have changed much.

 

[Vergilius]

Yes, that is the right text. It is interesting that Columella, Virgil and Varro all believed that swarms of bees originated from the carcasses of cattle. Virgil, I believe, even recommended the slaughter of cattle, as a means for the beekeeper to increase/replace stock - a barbaric practice if ever there were one!

Ben P