| Deutsch and Yarmolinsky, comps. Modern Russian Poetry. 1921. | | | | Narcissus: A Pompeiian Bronze | | By Vyacheslav Ivanov (b. 1866) |
| | | BEAUTIFUL boy, like a faun here in loneliness roaming, who art thou? | |
| Surely no child of the woods: thine is too prideful a face. | |
| Music that moves in thy gait, the wrought grace of thy sumptuous sandal | |
| Tell thou art son to the gods, or the high offspring of kings. | |
| Poised, with thy listening limbs, thou hast followed the lips of the forest, | 5 |
| Harkening, bending thy head, fingering softly the sound. | |
| Was it the piping of Pan or the amorous sighing of Echo? | |
| Whisper of dryads, or words fluent-limbed naiads repeat? | |
| Pressing thy thigh with thy arm, now the light shoulder-fleece like a garland | |
| Thou hast entwined on thy wrist, thou, like Liæus at rest. | 10 |
| Wonderful, art thou in truth the gay Bacchus, Nysæan nymphs cherished, | |
| Hunter, whom goddesses loved, naked and idle and young? | |
| Or art thou haughty Narcissus, whom secret sweet harmonies guided, | |
| Wandering, languid with sleep, drunken, alone with his dream? | |
| Go, seek the summoning nymph, oh thou blind, not yet knowing thy image, | 15 |
| Go thou, but dare not to bend over the slumbering wave. | |
| Oh, if thou art not Narcissus, yet seeing thy face in the waters,— | |
| Stranger, I tremble,—anew, thou a Narcissus shalt be. | | | | |
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