CARMEN IV. THE DEDICATION OF THE PINNACE. That yacht of mine that here you see, Nor distant Rhodus' famous bay, Along the Pontic gulf declare, This well doth Pontus know, for there Which made my boat, and 'twas thy sea From furthest bounds her course did steer, All this is o'er, now rest at last My boat enjoys, her toils are past, Twin Castor, dedicate is she To thy Twin brother, and to thee. CARMEN V.-TO LESBIA. Let us live, my Lesbia fair, But when our brief light is o'er So do thou bestow on me First a thousand kisses, then Let the tale a hundred be, Next a thousand give again, Then a hundred, hurrying on, Hundreds, thousands more bestow, So that when our pastime's done We may never come to know What has been our count of joy, Nor may envy those sweet blisses With its evil blight destroy, Reckoning up our tale of kisses. CARMEN VI.-TO FLAVIUS. Your charmer's beauty still would be, Of all the talk you have with me The everlasting theme, Were it not that this precious maid Your couch is decked with garlands rare, These little facts alone declare That you on love are bent, The pillow pressed on either side, The creaking bed, your restless stride All these a tale reveal; Your lank appearance too may show So let us all about her know, Tell us and I the praise will sing Of you and her you love, So that your fame through heaven shall ring And reach the gods above. CARMEN VII.-TO LESBIA. Dost thou ask how many kisses, Or how soon with those sweet blisses Of great Jove on Libya's strand Lie the heaps of burning sand; Countless as the stars which see In the quiet hush of night Lovers' joys wrought secretly Hidden from day's garish light, Thus unnumbered kisses, which Curious watchers ne'er could count Or with evil tongue bewitch Reckoning up their full amount, These enough for him would be Who is mad with love for thee. |