Love
Love and the Muses (Lang)
Translated by Andrew Lang (1880) · From Theocritus, Bion and Moschus rendered into English Prose (Macmillan, 1889)
The Muses do not fear the wild Love, but heartily they cherish, and fleetly follow him. Yea, and if any man sing that hath a loveless heart, him do they flee, and do not choose to teach him. But if the mind of any be swayed by Love, and sweetly he sings, to him the Muses all run eagerly. A witness hereto am I, that this saying is wholly true, for if I sing of any other, mortal or immortal, then falters my tongue, and sings no longer as of old, but if again to Love, and Lycidas I sing, then gladly from my lips flows forth the voice of song.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Smyrna, Bion of. “Love and the Muses (Lang).” Translated by Andrew Lang. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/bion/23/.
Chicago
Smyrna, Bion of. “Love and the Muses (Lang).” Translated by Andrew Lang. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/bion/23/.
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