![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Rime Sparse 44
Tuesday, 21 July 2009 07:46Caesar, with hands so ready to shed
on Thessaly the red of civil war,
still wept for Pompey, son-in-law no more,
when he recognized his severed head;
and the shepherd who broke Goliath's head
wept for Absalom, his rebellious son,
and even cried to hear good Saul was gone
and cursed in grief the wild hill where he bled;
but you, whom pity never has made pale,
who always has defenses up and ready
against Love's bow, which he draws in vain,
you've seen me die a thousand deaths already
but nevertheless no tears ever trail
from your eyes -- only anger and disdain.
---L.
on Thessaly the red of civil war,
still wept for Pompey, son-in-law no more,
when he recognized his severed head;
and the shepherd who broke Goliath's head
wept for Absalom, his rebellious son,
and even cried to hear good Saul was gone
and cursed in grief the wild hill where he bled;
but you, whom pity never has made pale,
who always has defenses up and ready
against Love's bow, which he draws in vain,
you've seen me die a thousand deaths already
but nevertheless no tears ever trail
from your eyes -- only anger and disdain.
—12-15 June + 3 August 2008
Again from Petrarch using Robert Durling's prose pony, checked against a couple other translations. The original is here, but since the site seems to be down, also ( below a courtesy cut. )---L.