Love
Love at Auction (Mackail)
Translated by J. W. Mackail (1890) · From Select Epigrams from the Greek Anthology (1890)
Let him be sold, even while he is yet asleep on his mother's bosom, let him be sold; why should I have the rearing of this impudent thing? For it is snub-nosed and winged, and scratches with its nail-tips, and weeping laughs often between; and furthermore it is unabashed, ever-talking, sharp-glancing, wild and not gentle even to its very own mother, every way a monster; so it shall be sold; if any outward-bound merchant will buy a boy, let him come hither. And yet he beseeches, see, all in tears. I sell thee no more; be comforted; stay here and live with Zenophile.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Gadara, Meleager of. “Love at Auction (Mackail).” Translated by J. W. Mackail. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/meleager/149/.
Chicago
Gadara, Meleager of. “Love at Auction (Mackail).” Translated by J. W. Mackail. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/meleager/149/.
Read this poem with the Codex →