Love

A Lesson to Lovers

by Moschus fl. c. 150 BC

Translated by J. M. Edmonds (1912) · From The Greek Bucolic Poets (Loeb, 1912)

Love

Pan loved his neighbour Echo; Echo loved a frisking Satyr; and Satyr, he was head over ears for Lydè. As Echo was Pan's flame, so was Satyr Echo's, and Lydè master Satyr's. 'Twas Love reciprocal; for by just course, even as each of those hearts did scorn its lover, so was it also scorned being such a lover itself. To all such as be heart-whole be this lesson read: If you would be loved where you be loving, then love them that love you.

This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.

MLA

Moschus. “A Lesson to Lovers.” Translated by J. M. Edmonds. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/moschus/4/.

Chicago

Moschus. “A Lesson to Lovers.” Translated by J. M. Edmonds. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/moschus/4/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Moschus