Love

Translation from Catullus. Ad Lesbiam

by Lord Byron 1788–1824

From Works, ed. Coleridge, vol. I (1898)

Love

Equal to Jove that youth must be--
Greater than Jove he seems to me--
Who, free from Jealousy's alarms,
Securely views thy matchless charms;
That cheek, which ever dimpling glows,
That mouth, from whence such music flows,
To him, alike, are always known,
Reserv'd for him, and him alone.
Ah! Lesbia! though 'tis death to me,
I cannot choose but look on thee;
But, at the sight, my senses fly,
I needs must gaze, but, gazing, die;
Whilst trembling with a thousand fears,
Parch'd to the throat my tongue adheres,
My pulse beats quick, my breath heaves short,
My limbs deny their slight support;
Cold dews my pallid face o'erspread,
With deadly languor droops my head,
My ears with tingling echoes ring,
And Life itself is on the wing;
My eyes refuse the cheering light,
Their orbs are veil'd in starless night:
Such pangs my nature sinks beneath,
And feels a temporary death.

MLA

Byron, George Gordon, Lord. “Translation from Catullus. Ad Lesbiam.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/byron/296/.

Chicago

Byron, George Gordon, Lord. “Translation from Catullus. Ad Lesbiam.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/byron/296/.

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