Love
Bissula I. — The Preface
Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White (1919–21) · From Book IX. — Bissula
As you desired, Paulus, you have all the verses of my Bissula — playful verses which I have written in honour of a slip of a Swabian girl, rather amusing my idleness than aiming at renown. Tiresome you have been, so read these tiresome poems which you demanded: you must eat up all the mess you have compounded; or, as the old saw bids:
"Let the smith who made them wear
The shackles which he did prepare."
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Ausonius, Decimus Magnus. “Bissula I. — The Preface.” Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/ausonius/128/.
Chicago
Ausonius, Decimus Magnus. “Bissula I. — The Preface.” Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/ausonius/128/.
Read this poem with the Codex →