Queen Bee

Latin

Ille operum custos, illum admiruntur et omnes

circumstant fremitu denso stipantque frequentes

et saepe attollunt umeris et corpora bello

obiectant pulchramque petunt per vulnera mortem.

His quidam signis atque haec exempla secuti

esse apibus partem divinae mentis et haustus

aetherios dixere; deum namque ire per omnes

terrasque tractusque maris caelumque profundum.

Hinc pecudes, armenta, viros, genus omne ferarum,

quemque sibi tenues nascentem arcessere vitas;

scilicet huc reddi deinde ac resoluta referri

omnia nec morti esse locum, sed viva volare

sideris in numerum atque alto succedere caelo.

English Translation

The drones all marvel at their guardian

And in a throng encircle closely

And extol him, hoping to bring him honor 

By dying graciously for his sake.

Divine conscience and ethereal currents are

Said to reside in these bees, since the divinities are

Known to traverse all the ends of this earth.

From the divine source all wild creatures—

those with four legs, two legs or otherwise—

Derive their precious little livelihoods.

Possibly, all things originate and terminate here;

But, instead of an earthly grave, all creatures

Chart a course toward the lofty constellations.