OW the white snow-drop decks the mead;
The dew-besprent narcissus blows;
And on the flowery mountain's head
The wildly scattered lily grows.
Each loveliest child of Summer throws
Its fragrance to the sunny hour;
But Lesbia's opening lips disclose
Divine Persuasion's fairer flower.
Meadows, why do ye smile in vain,
In robe of green and garlands gay ?
When Lesbia moves along the plain,
She wears a sweeter charm than they.
Translation of J. H. Merivale.
Y Mopsa is little, my Mopsa is brown,
But her cheek is as smooth as the peach's soft down,
And, for blushing, no rose can come near her;
In short, she has woven such nets round my heart,
That I ne'er from my dear little Mopsa can part,
Unless I can find one that's dearer.
Her voice hath a music that dwells on the ear,
And her eye from its orb gives a daylight so clear
That I'm dazzled whenever I meet her;
Her ringlets, so curly, are Cupid's own net,
And her lips, oh! their sweetness I ne'er shall forget-
Till I light upon lips that are sweeter.
But 'tis not her beauty that charms me alone,
'Tis her mind, 'tis that language whose eloquent tone
From the depths of the grave could revive one;
In short, here I swear, that if death were her doom,
I would instantly join my dead love in the tomb-
Unless I could meet with a live one.
Translation of Thomas Moore.
URL, ye sweet flowers; ye zephyrs, softly breathe,
Nor shake from Helen's door my votive wreath, Bedewed with grief, your blooming honors keepFor those, who love, are ever known to weepAnd when beneath my lovely maid appears, Rain from your purple cups a lover's tears. Translation of the Rev. Robert Bland.
E ask no flowers to crown the blushing rose,
Nor glittering gems thy beauteous form to deck;
The pearl, in Persia's precious gulf that glows
Yields to the dazzling whiteness of thy neck.
Gold adds not to the luster of thy hair,
But, vanquished, sheds a fainter radiance there.
The Indian hyacinth's celestial hue
Shrinks from the bright effulgence of thine eye,
The Paphian cestus bathed thy lips in dew,
And gave thy form ambrosial harmony.
My soul would perish in the melting gaze,
But for thine eyes, where hope forever plays.
Translation of the Rev. Robert Bland.
FROM THE LATIN OF TIBULLUS.
REAT god of war! Sulpicia, lovely maid,
To grace your calends is in pomp arrayed.
If beauty warms you, quit th' ethereal height,
E'en Cytherea will indulge the sight;
But while you gaze o'er all her matchless charms,
Beware your hands should meanly drop your arms!
When Cupid would the gods with love surprise,
He lights his torches at her radiant eyes.
A secret grace her every act improves,
And pleasing follows wheresoe'er she moves.
If loose her hair upon her bosom plays,
Unnumbered charms that negligence betrays :
Or if 'tis plaited with a labored care,
Alike the labored plaits become the fair.
Whether rich Tyrian robes her charms invest,
Or all in snowy white the nymph is dressed,
All, all she graces, still supremely fair,
Still charms spectators with a fond despair.
A thousand dresses thus Vertumnus wears,
And beauteous equally in each appears.
The richest tints and deepest Tyrian hue,
To thee, O wondrous maid! are solely due:
To thee th' Arabian husbandman should bring
The spicy product of his Eastern spring;
Whatever gems the swarthy Indians boast,
Their shelly treasures, and their golden coast,
Alone thou merit'st! Come, ye tuneful choir,
And come, bright Phoebus! with thy plausive lyre!
This solemn festival harmonious praise,
No theme so much deserves harmonious lays.
Translation of Dr. Grainger.
FROM THE ITALIAN OF DANTE.
HOSE curled and flaxen tresses I admire,
Of which, with strings of pearl and scattered flowers,
Hath Love contrived a net for me, his prey
To take me; and I find the lure succeed.
And chief, those beauteous eyes attract my gaze,
Which pass through mine and penetrate the heart
With rays so animating and so bright,
That from the sun itself they seem to flow.
Virtue still growing is in them displayed;
Hence I, who contemplate their charms so rare,
Thus commune with myself amid my sighs:
"Alas! why can not I be placed
Alone, unseen, with her where I would wish;
So that with those fair tresses I might play,
And separate them wave by wave;
And of her beauteous eyes, which shine supreme,
Might form two mirrors for delight of mine?"
I next the fair and lovely mouth survey,
The spacious forehead, and the enamoring look,
The fingers white, the nose correctly straight,
The eyebrow smooth and dark, that penciled seems.
Then wandering thought imagination stirs,
Saying "Observe the winning grace and joy
Within that delicate and vermeil lip,
Where all that's sweet and zest can give is seen:
Oh, stay, and hear how lovely her discourse,
What tenderness and goodness it reveals,
And how her converse she imparts to all!
Admire how, when she smiles,
All other charms in sweetness are surpassed!"
Thus to expatiate on that mouth my thought
Still spurs me on; for I
Have nothing upon earth I would not give,
Could I from it obtain one unreluctant "Yes."
Then I regard her white and well-turned throat,
So aptly joined to shoulders and to bust;
And little rounded chin with dimples stamped,
In form as true as painter's eye conceives.
My thought, which ever turns its flight to her,
Then says:
"With joy contemplate the delight,
To clasp within the arms that lovely neck,
And on the throat a tender seal impress!"
Her arms I next observe, spacious and full;
Her hand, white, smooth, and soft as down;
Her fingers, long and delicately thin,
Proud of the ring which one of them enclasps,
And thought then says to me: "If thou wert now
Within those arms, thy life would pleasure know
And share with her, which to describe
In least degree defies my utmost skill.
Observe, that every limb a picture seems;
Exact the size and shape her frame requires,
And colored with angelic hues of pearl :
Grace is in every look ;
And indignation, if offense provoke :
Meek, modest, temperate, and calm,
To virtue ever dear,
O'er all her noble manners reigns a charm,
Which universal reverence inspires.
Stately and soft she moves as Juno's bird,
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