Love
Bissula V. — To a Painter : on Bissula's Portrait
Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White (1919–21) · From Book IX. — Bissula
Bissula, whom no wax nor any paint can imitate, adapts not her natural beauty to the shams of art. Vermilion and white, go picture other girls: the artist's skill cannot so blend you as to match this face. Away, then, painter, mingle crimson roses and lilies, and let that colour which they give the air be the very colour of her face.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Ausonius, Decimus Magnus. “Bissula V. — To a Painter : on Bissula's Portrait.” Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/ausonius/132/.
Chicago
Ausonius, Decimus Magnus. “Bissula V. — To a Painter : on Bissula's Portrait.” Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/ausonius/132/.
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