Love

Book V, 270

by Paul the Silentiary d. c. 575

Translated by W. R. Paton (1916–18) · From The Greek Anthology (Loeb, vol. I, 1916)

Love

A rose requires no wreath, and thou, my lady, no robes, nor hair-cauls set with gems. Pearls yield in beauty to thy skin, and gold has not the glory of thy uncombed hair. Indian jacynth has the charm of sparkling splendour, but far surpassed by that of thy eyes. Thy dewy lips and the honeyed har mony of thy breasts are the magic cestus of Venus itself. By all those I am utterly vanquished, and am comforted only by thy eyes which kind hope makes his home.

This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.

MLA

Silentiary, Paul the. “Book V, 270.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/paulus-silentiarius/26/.

Chicago

Silentiary, Paul the. “Book V, 270.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/paulus-silentiarius/26/.

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