Love

Ad Pictorem Ausonii Epig

by Charles Cotton 1630–1687

Translated by Charles Cotton (1689) · From Poems on Several Occasions (1689)

Love

[…]'Express me in a Face! vain Painter why?
Or court an unknown Goddess with thine Eye?
From Hyre, and Tongue, I'me sprung mother of vain
Report, who Voice without a Mind retain.
Catching last Syllab'es from their dying tone,
And mocking others Language with my own.
Shrill Eccho only in the Ear is found;
But if thou'lt paint her like, go paint a Sound.

MLA

Cotton, Charles. “Ad Pictorem Ausonii Epig.” Translated by Charles Cotton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/cotton/239/.

Chicago

Cotton, Charles. “Ad Pictorem Ausonii Epig.” Translated by Charles Cotton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/cotton/239/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Charles Cotton