Acknowledgments

Now that I have worked on the Georgics longer than, as it is said, Virgil did, I have the great pleasure of acknowledging the help of many supportive friends and colleagues.

Professors Jonathan Goldberg, Ralph Johnson, Gary Miles, Michael Putnam, James Tatum, and Christian Wolff read versions of this manuscript, either in whole or in part, and made valuable suggestions. Above all, I wish to thank Professor Zeph Stewart. He initially interested me in the Georgics as a dissertation topic, and he read this study as well with his characteristic acumen. His objections have made this a less imperfect work.

Professor Richard Thomas kindly allowed me to profit from his splendid commentary on the Georgics while it was still in galley proofs. Gail Vernazza typed this manuscript with professionalism and good spirit. I am grateful also to Richard Holway, Mary Lamprech, and Marion Shotwell at the University of California Press for their constructive attention at every stage of review and production. Dale Sweeney helped greatly with checking references and indexing. My department and the deans at Dartmouth College allowed me time to revise this manuscript and demonstrated thereby their true collegiality, as they have in other ways throughout the years. To my husband, Marco, who has learned more about ancient science than he really needs to know, special thanks are due. My greatest and most abiding debt is expressed elsewhere.