#poseidippus

[lionofchaeronea]

Beauty Comes Forth

Anthologia Palatina 5.194 = Poseidippus or Asclepiades The Loves themselves escorted tender Irenion As she came forth from Cypris’ golden bedchamber – A holy blossom from her hair down to her feet, Like one carved from marble, full to bursting With the graces of a maiden; and they loosed Many arrows then from their purple bowstrings With their hands, to hit unmarried youths. αὐτοὶ τὴν ἁπαλὴν Εἰρήνιον ἦγον Ἔρωτες, Κύπριδος ἐκ χρυσέων ἐρχομένην θαλάμων, ἐκ τριχὸς ἄχρι ποδῶν ἱερὸν θάλος, οἷά τε λύγδου γλυπτήν, παρθενίων βριθομένην χαρίτων· καὶ πολλοὺς τότε χερσὶν ἐπ᾽ ἠιθέοισιν ὀιστοὺς τόξου πορφυρέης ἧκαν ἀφ᾽ ἁρπεδόνης.

A Classical Beauty, Léon Comerre (1850-1916)