Living
Amor Mysticus (Mackail)
Translated by J. W. Mackail (1890) · From Select Epigrams from the Greek Anthology (1890)
Where is that backward-bent bow of thine, and the reeds that leap from thy hand and stick fast in mid-heart? where are thy wings? where they grievous torch? and why carriest thou three crowns in thy hands, and wearest another on thy head? I spring not from the common Cyprian, O stranger, I am not from earth, the offspring of wild joy; but I light the torch of learning in pure human minds, and lead the soul upwards into heaven. And I twine crowns of the four virtues; whereof carrying these, one from each, I crown myself with the first, the crown of Wisdom.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Scholasticus, Marianus. “Amor Mysticus (Mackail).” Translated by J. W. Mackail. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/marianus-scholasticus/7/.
Chicago
Scholasticus, Marianus. “Amor Mysticus (Mackail).” Translated by J. W. Mackail. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/marianus-scholasticus/7/.
Read this poem with the Codex →