 | Poems |  |
93
ANACREON. ODE 66.
“Χαλεπον το μη φιλησαι.”
Ah! not to love is sad and hard,
And yet to love is heavy pain;
But harder, heavier it is,
Fondly to love, and love in vain.
And yet to love is heavy pain;
But harder, heavier it is,
Fondly to love, and love in vain.
Wisdom and worth are trampled down,
And nought avails an honoured line;
Not truth, but treasure woman wins,
Dazzling her heart with empty shine.
And nought avails an honoured line;
Not truth, but treasure woman wins,
Dazzling her heart with empty shine.
Perish the heartless wretch that first
Could learn to love his cursed gold;
To him our brother's blood we owe,
Through him our sires are dead and cold.
Could learn to love his cursed gold;
To him our brother's blood we owe,
Through him our sires are dead and cold.
From him has sprung the ceaseless hate,
The bloody strife—the warring crew;
And worse, from his unholy lust
Lovers and love are ruined too.
The bloody strife—the warring crew;
And worse, from his unholy lust
Lovers and love are ruined too.
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