T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Consolation
By Aristaenetus (fl. 5th or 6th Century A.D.)(Love Epistles, VI; translated by Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Nathaniel Brassey Halhed) |
HERMOCRATES TO EUPHORION SAYS a girl to her nurse, “I’ve a tale to unfold, | |
Of utmost concern to us both; | |
But first you must swear not to blab when you’re told.” | |
—Nurse greedily swallow’d the oath. | |
“I’ve lost, my dear mother,” the innocent said, | 5 |
“What should be a virgin’s chief pride.”— | |
I wish you had seen what a face the dame made, | |
And heard how she blubber’d and cried. | |
“Hush, for God’s sake,” says Miss, in a whispering tone, | |
“The people will hear you within; | 10 |
You have sworn to discover my secret to none, | |
Then why such a horrible din? | |
“My virtue long all opposition withstood, | |
And scorn’d at Love’s efforts to flinch; | |
It retreated at last—but as slow as it could, | 15 |
Disputing the ground inch by inch. | |
“In vain to my aid did I reason invoke; | |
Young Cupid no reason could quell; | |
He’d got root in my heart, and there grew like an oak, | |
So I fell—but reluctantly fell. | 20 |
“Yet surely young Lysias has charms to betray; | |
Too charming, alas, to be true! | |
But you never heard the soft things he can say— | |
Ah! would I had ne’er heard them too: | |
“For now that the spoiler has robb’d me of all | 25 |
My innocent heart used to prize, | |
He cruelly mocks at my tears as they fall— | |
The tears he has drawn from my eyes.” | |
“You’ve play’d a sad game,” cried the matron, aghast; | |
“Besides, you disgrace my gray head: | 30 |
But since no reflections can alter what’s past, | |
Cheer up—there’s no more to be said. | |
“Cheer up, child, I say; why there’s no such great crime; | |
Sure I too have met with false men: | |
I’ve known what it was to be trick’d in my time; | 35 |
But I know too—to trick them again. | |
“But do so no more; lest, should you be rash, | |
Your apron-strings publish your tricks: | |
Your father, I hope, has a round sum of cash, | |
And soon on your husband will fix. | 40 |
“Some innocent swain, (if such innocence be!) | |
Unskill’d in the myst’ries of love; | |
Whose gallantry ne’er went ’yond Phyllis’s knee, | |
Or fastening the garter above. | |
“My humble petition may Jupiter hear, | 45 |
And grant that you quickly may wed.”— | |
“So at present, dear mother, I’ve nothing to fear | |
No tale-telling urchin to dread?”— | |
“You’re safe, my dear daughter, I fancy, as yet; | |
And when at the altar you’re tied, | 50 |
I’ll teach you a method your husband to cheat, | |
For a virgin, as well as a bride.” | |