Love
Book V, 246
Translated by W. R. Paton (1916–18) · From The Greek Anthology (Loeb, vol. I, 1916)
Soft are Sappho’s kisses, soft the clasp of her snowy limbs, every part of her is soft. But her heart is of unyielding adamant. Her love reaches but to her lips, the rest is forbidden fruit. Who can support this? Perhaps, perhaps he who has borne it will find it easy to support the thirst of Tantalus.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Silentiary, Paul the. “Book V, 246.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/paulus-silentiarius/12/.
Chicago
Silentiary, Paul the. “Book V, 246.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/paulus-silentiarius/12/.
Read this poem with the Codex →