Page images
PDF
EPUB

SAPPHO

ΤΟ

PHAON.

VOL. II.

A

(2)

SAPPHO

P. H HAONI.

ECQUID, ut infpecta eft studiosac littera dex

trae,

Protinus eft oculis cognita noftra tuis ?
An, nifi legiffes auctoris nomina Sapphûs,
Hoc breve nefcires unde movetur opus?
Forfitan et quare mea fint alterna requiras

Carmina, cum lyricis fim magis apta modis.
Flendus amor meus eft: elegeïa flebile carmen ;
Non facit ad lacrymas barbitos ulla meas.
Uror, ut, indomitis ignem exercentibus Euris,
Fertilis accenfis meffibus ardet ager.
Arva Phaon celebrat diverfa Typhoïdos Aetnae,
Me calor Aetnaeo non minor igne coquit.
Nec mihi, difpofitis quae jungam carmina nervis,
Proveniunt; vacuae carmina mentis opus.
Nec me Pyrrhiades Methymniadefve puellae,
Nec me Lesbiadum caetera turba juvant.
Vilis Anactorie, vilis mihi candida Cydno:
Non oculis grata eft Atthis, ut ante, meis;

5

ΙΟ

15

[blocks in formation]

AY, lovely youth, that do'ft my heart command,

SAY, lovely youth, that do'ft

Can Phaon's eyes forget his Sappho's hand ?
Muft then her name the wretched writer prove,
To thy remembrance loft, as to thy love?
Afk not the cause that I new numbers chufe,
The Lute neglected, and the Lyric mufe;
Love taught my tears in fadder notes to flow,
And tun'd my heart to Elegies of woe.

I burn, I burn, as when thro' ripen'd corn

5

By driving winds the spreading flames are born. 10 Phaon to Ætna's scorching fields retires,

While I confume with more than Etna's fires!
No more my foul a charm in music finds,
Mufic has charms alone for peaceful minds.
Soft fcenes of folitude no more can please,
Love enters there, and I'm my own disease.
No more the Lesbian dames my paffion move,
Once the dear objects of my guilty love;

15

Atque aliae centum, quas non fine crimine amavi :
Improbe, multarum quod fuit unus habes.

Eft in te facies, funt apti lufibus anni.

O facies oculis infidiofa meis!

20

Sume fidem et pharetram; fies manifeftus Apollo:
Accedant capiti cornua; Bacchus eris.
Et Phoebus Daphnen, et Gnofida Bacchus amavit;
Nec norat lyricos illa, vel illa modos.
At mihi Pegafides blandiffima carmina dictant;
Jam canitur toto nomen in orbe meum.
Nec plus Alcaeus, confors patriaeque lyraeque,
Laudis habet, quamvis grandius ille fonet.
Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit ;
Ingenio formae damna rependo meae.

35

40

Sum brevis; at nomen, quod terras impleat omnes,
Eft mihi; menfuram nominis ipfa fero.
Candida fi non fum, placuit Cepheïa Perfeo
Andromede, patriae fufca colore fuae :
Et variis albae junguntur faepe columbae,
Et niger a viridi turtur amatur ave.
Si, nifi quae facie poterit te digna videri,

45

Nulla futura tua eft; nulla futura tua est.

[ocr errors]
« EelmineJätka »