Volume 1

Studies of the Greek poets / by John Addington Symonds.

  • John Addington Symonds
Date:
1877-1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Studies of the Greek poets / by John Addington Symonds. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The third celebrates the Aphrodite of Praxiteles in Cnidos, whose garden has been so elegantly described by Lucian (ii. 560) : * j) Tlacpirj KvOipeia di offi/xaros is Kvihov tjAffe fSovAofiivr]' tear iHetv eindva tt]w lZ'n\v * TtdvTT] S’ ddp'fjaaaa TreptericeirTep iv\ x&PQ, (pOey^aro ’ 7rov yvfivrfv elde fie Hpu^LTeAifs ; The fourth is composed with much artifice of style upon a statue of Love bound by his arms to a pillar (ii. 567) : f tcAcue 5vaeK(pvKTWs (rcfuyxQeIs x*Pas, &Kpire Boufiov, nAciie fiaAa, errdfav ipyxoTanrj SaKpva, crw<f)po(rvvas v&ptcrra, eppevoKAdire, Atjctto. Aoyterfiov, 7TTavbv irvp, if/uxas rpav/i ddparov, yEpcos ’ 6//aro7s fiev Averts iffrl yocov 6 <ros, ’dteptre, Secr/ids • $ crcpLyxOds Kcctpots nifiire Airas avifiots • %v Se fSporots cupvAcLKTOS iveepAeyes iv (ppeal irvper'bv dOpet vvv inrb awv er^evvvfieuov Satcpdow. * ‘ ‘ Bright Cytherea thought one day To Cnidos she’d repair, Gliding across the watery way To view her image there. But when arrived, she cast around Her eyes divinely bright, And saw upon that holy ground The gazing world’s delight, Amazed, she cried— while blushes told The thoughts that swelled her breast— Where did Praxiteles behold My form ? or has he guessed ? ” J. PI. Merivale. t “ Weep, reckless god ; for now your hands are tied : Weep, wear your soul out with the flood of tears, Heart-robber, thief of reason, foe to pride, Winged fire, thou wound unseen the soul that sears ! Freedom from grief to us these bonds of thine, Wherein thou wailest to the deaf winds, bring : Behold ! the torch wherewith thou mad’st us pine, Beneath thy frequent tears is languishing ! ”