T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Cruel Compassion
By Aristaenetus (fl. 5th or 6th Century A.D.)(Love Epistles, XXI; translated by Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Nathaniel Brassey Halhed) |
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.— | |
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. | |
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. | |
“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. | |
“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 |
“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. | |
“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. | |
“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.” | |
—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. | |