Theocritus, translated into English Verse. Theocritus

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СКАЧАТЬ draw homeward him I love.

      The coltsfoot grows in Arcady, the weed

      That drives the mountain-colts and swift mares wild.

      Like them may Delphis rave: so, maniac-wise,

      Race from his burnished brethren home to me.

      Turn, magic wheel, draw homeward him I love.

      He lost this tassel from his robe; which I

      Shred thus, and cast it on the raging flames.

      Ah baleful Love! why, like the marsh-born leech,

      Cling to my flesh, and drain my dark veins dry?

      Turn, magic wheel, draw homeward him I love.

      From a crushed eft tomorrow he shall drink

      Death! But now, Thestylis, take these herbs and smear

      That threshold o'er, whereto at heart I cling

      Still, still—albeit he thinks scorn of me—

      And spit, and say, ''Tis Delphis' bones I smear.'

      Turn, magic wheel, draw homeward him I love.

      [Exit Thestylis.

      Now, all alone, I'll weep a love whence sprung

      When born? Who wrought my sorrow? Anaxo came,

      Her basket in her hand, to Artemis' grove.

      Bound for the festival, troops of forest beasts

      Stood round, and in the midst a lioness.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      Theucharidas' slave, my Thracian nurse now dead

      Then my near neighbour, prayed me and implored

      To see the pageant: I, the poor doomed thing,

      Went with her, trailing a fine silken train,

      And gathering round me Clearista's robe.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      Now, the mid-highway reached by Lycon's farm,

      Delphis and Eudamippus passed me by.

      With beards as lustrous as the woodbine's gold

      And breasts more sheeny than thyself, O Moon,

      Fresh from the wrestler's glorious toil they came.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      I saw, I raved, smit (weakling) to my heart.

      My beauty withered, and I cared no more

      For all that pomp; and how I gained my home

      I know not: some strange fever wasted me.

      Ten nights and days I lay upon my bed.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      And wan became my flesh, as 't had been dyed,

      And all my hair streamed off, and there was left

      But bones and skin. Whose threshold crossed I not,

      Or missed what grandam's hut who dealt in charms?

      For no light thing was this, and time sped on.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      At last I spake the truth to that my maid:

      "Seek, an thou canst, some cure for my sore pain.

      Alas, I am all the Mindian's! But begone,

      And watch by Timagetus' wrestling-school:

      There doth he haunt, there soothly take his rest.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      "Find him alone: nod softly: say, 'she waits';

      And bring him." So I spake: she went her way,

      And brought the lustrous-limbed one to my roof.

      And I, the instant I beheld him step

      Lightfooted o'er the threshold of my door,

      (Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love,)

      Became all cold like snow, and from my brow

      Brake the damp dewdrops: utterance I had none,

      Not e'en such utterance as a babe may make

      That babbles to its mother in its dreams;

      But all my fair frame stiffened into wax.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      He bent his pitiless eyes on me; looked down,

      And sate him on my couch, and sitting, said:

      "Thou hast gained on me, Simætha, (e'en as I

      Gained once on young Philinus in the race,)

      Bidding me hither ere I came unasked.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      "For I had come, by Eros I had come,

      This night, with comrades twain or may-be more,

      The fruitage of the Wine-god in my robe,

      And, wound about my brow with ribands red,

      The silver leaves so dear to Heracles.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      "Had ye said 'Enter,' well: for 'mid my peers

      High is my name for goodliness and speed:

      I had kissed that sweet mouth once and gone my way.

      But had the door been barred, and I thrust out,

      With brand and axe would we have stormed ye then.

      Bethink thee, mistress Moon, whence came my love.

      "Now СКАЧАТЬ