ARISTOMENES TO MYRONIDES
THE GOD of the love-darting bow, | |
| Whose bliss is man’s heart to destroy, | |
| Oft contrives to embitter our woe | |
| By a specious resemblance of joy.— | |
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| Long—long had Architeles sigh’d | 5 |
| The fair Telesippe to gain: | |
| She coolly his passion denied, | |
| Yet seem’d somewhat moved at his pain. | |
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| At length she consented to hear; | |
| But ’twas done with a view to beguile: | 10 |
| For her terms were most harsh and severe, | |
| And a frown was as good as her smile. | |
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| “You may freely,” says she, “touch my breast, | |
| And kiss, while a kiss has its charms; | |
| And (provided I am not undrest) | 15 |
| Encircle me round in your arms. | |
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| “In short, my favour you please, | |
| But expect not, nor think of the last: | |
| Lest enraged I revoke my decrees, | |
| And your sentence of exile be cast.”— | 20 |
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| “Be it so,” cried the youth, with delight, | |
| “Thy pleasure, my fair one, is mine: | |
| Since I’m blest as a prince at your sight, | |
| Sure to touch thee, will make me divine. | |
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| “But why keep one favour alone, | 25 |
| And grant such a number beside?”— | |
| “Because the men value the boon | |
| But only so long as denied. | |
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| “They seek it with labour and pain; | |
| When gain’d, throw it quickly away: | 30 |
| For youth is unsettled and vain, | |
| And its choice scarce persists for a day.” | |
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| —Thus pines the poor victim away, | |
| Forced to nibble and starve on a kiss; | |
| Served worse than e’en eunuchs—for they | 35 |
| Can never feel torture like this. | |
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