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Poems from the Classical Greek of
RUFINUS
first published in the Penguin version of the
Greek Anthology, edited by Peter Jay
The
numbers at the end of each piece, e.g. 5.19 (688), indicate the book and
poem-number in the Anthology and (in brackets) the poem-number in Jay’s
presentation for Penguin Classics.
Few
of these
pieces have titles, so the menu below is of first lines.
a silver-toed virgin
boy-mad no longer
dear Love you’d better know
did I not say we grow old
Europa’s kiss
Felucca and Pinnace
her eyes are gold
here Rhodoklea is a garland
I do not enjoy an extortionate night
I hate an easy woman
I have armoured my feelings
if girls were nice
lay neither the scrawny nor thick
let us wash each other’s body
Melissa where is the golden
Melissias denies she’s I love
my sweetest Elpis
Pallas and golden-shoed Hera
Rhodope is so stuck up
Rhodope, Melite and Rhodoklea contested
so it’s hullo now
when Prodike seemed alone
where is Praxiteles
who flogged you and threw you out
you have Hera’s eyes Melite
1
boy-mad
no longer
as
once before
I
am called
woman-mad
now
from
scabbard to thimble
instead
of boys’ unalloyed skin
I
go in for
chalky
complexions
and
the added crusts
of
cochineal.
dolphins
shall pasture
in
the Black Forest
and
nervous deer
in
the grey sea
5.19(688)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
2
a
silver-toed virgin
was
washing her body
drenching
the golden
apples
of her breasts
their
flesh like yogurt
the
plump cheeks of her bum
tossed
against one another
as
she swung about
flesh
as lithe as water
a
hand spread down
to
cover
much
swollen
the
fair-flowing conduit
not
the whole thing
but
as much as she could
5.60(689)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
3
Europa’s
kiss
even
if
brushing
the lips
is
sweet
even
if
reaching
the outer mouth
but
she does not reach
with
outer lips
her
grappling
tongue
drags
the soul
out
of your fingers
5.14
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
4
Pallas
and
golden-shoed
Hera
took
one glance
at
Maionis
and
from the roots of their souls
cried
no
more
will
we take off our clothes
let
one bum verdict
suffice
it
is not nice
to
be not nice
twice
5.69(691)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
5
dear
Love you’d better know
that
the virgin Amymone
mulled
my vitals
no
end
she
would flirt with me
till
at the critical moment
I
dared to
she blushed
what
else
she
felt that pain
I
managing with some trouble
now
I am told she is pregnant
what
next
do
I go or stay?
5.75(692)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
6
my
sweetest Elpis
I
you much joy
if
any without me
is
possible
by
your eyes
I
can bear no longer
this
asceticism
this
lonely
dismemberment
from you
always
tear-wet I visit
Koressos
Hill
or
the temple
of
Artemis the Great
but
tomorrow I shall be
back
home and I’ll fly
to
your eyes bestowing unnumbered
good
wishes
Rufinus 5.9(693)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
7
when
Prodike seemed
alone
I begged for it
holding
her
marvellous
knees
I
said save a man
almost
utterly gone
allow
me life’s
vanishing
breath
my
words brought a tear
but
she dried it
and
with a fastidious linger
gradually
withdrew
her
hands
5.66(694)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
8
let
us wash each other’s body
Prodike
and
crown ourselves
and
swill neat wine
from
bigger cans
life’s
joy is miniscule
then
age mars
the
residue
and
at last death
5.12(695)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
9
did
I not say we grow old
Prodike
did
I not foretell
solvents
of love
should
quickly come
wrinkles
grey hair
tattered
body
a
mouth with none
of
its gone charm
does anyone
unctuous
and pleading
visit
you now
high-minded
lady
no
you’re like
a
burial mound
that
we pass by
5.21(696)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
10
so
it’s hullo now
the
bright face you
were
frugal with
is
devilled away
so
you flirt now
that
you’ve dismantled
the
hair that once
stirred
at your throat
high-minded
lady
press
no more
I
do not take
spikes
for flowers
5.28(697)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
11
Melissias
denies she’s in love
but
her body screams
she
has absorbed
a
quiver of darts
her
walk is fitful
and
her breath fitful
while
her eyes have gone into
smitten
hollows
by
your dam
the
chapleted Kypris
you
tiny Lusts
hot
up this girl
till
the strict thing cries
I’m
on heat
5.87(698)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
12
Felucca
and Pinnace
those
two whores
are
always blockading
the
harbour of Samos
fly
boys all such
vikings
of lust
the
man who grapples
and
goes down on them
gets
sucked right in
5.44(699)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
13
where
is Praxiteles where
the hands of Polykleitos
that gave life
to the old masterpieces
who will fabricate Melite’s
fragrant hair her burning
eyes and the marvel
that is her neck
where are the sculptors
where
are the masons
such a shape
like the effigy of a god
deserves a temple
5.15(700)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
14
you
have Hera’s eyes Melite
the
hands of Athene
the
breasts of the Paphian
the
ankles of Thetis
wealthy
the man who sees you
thrice
prosperous who hears you
a
demigod who kisses
and a god who makes you his wife
5.94(701)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
15
Rhodope
is so stuck up
because
of her beauty
if
I ever say hi
she
acknowledges
with
an arched eyebrow
if
I let a bouquet
hang
at her door
she
tracks it to earth
with
an angry foot
wrinkles
and ruthless age
pst
come
quickly
do
you at least
prevail
upon
Rhodope
5.92(702)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
16
here
Rhodoklea
is
a garland
a
braid of delicate
flowers
laced
with
my own hands
there
are lilies
roses
moist
anemones
soft
narcissus
dark-gleaming
violets
wear
it
cease
to be haughty
both
flowers and you
will
cease one day
5.74(703)
(translated
by Alan Marshfield)
(back)
17
Rhodope,
Melite and Rhodoklea
contested
to
see who possessed
the
best quim
I
was the judge
and like those three
famous
seraphs
they
stood naked
damp
with wine
between
Rhodope’s thighs
gleamed
the one eye
like
a rosepatch cut
by
a foaming stream
(and
Melite’s
like
watered silk
between
frills folded
an
aching dark)
while
Rhodoklea’s
was
like clear glass
its
wet surface
like
a newly minted
temple
carving
but
I knew what Paris
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