We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

My Ántonia Man and the Natural World Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #10

I propped my book open and stared listlessly at the page of the "Georgics" where tomorrow's lesson began. It opened with the melancholy reflection that, in the lives of mortals the best days are the first to flee. "Optima dies ... prima fugit." (3.2.2)

These are the words that Cather uses for her epigraph. Notice what text they come from – a didactic poem about farming. This quote serves as a reminder of the timeless importance of man's relationship with the natural world.