Belt fastened, Diana, tunic firmly tied,
Fully accoutred in her hunting gear,
The whole day so chastely occupied
Hunts and catches many a stag and deer.
But you, Diana, being the more composed,
With acts less cruel and no such brutal lance,
Also hunt with chaste and gentle glance
Those whom your pursuit so harries to despair.
They burn now in your virtuous fire and dance
About you, while the beasts will flee from her.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
does this have something to do with a goddess? at first i thought it was about Princess Diana, mentioning the belt (seat belt) . but as i read more, i didn't think so. the princess DID have a 'gentle glance' i think. nice rhyming. if i weren't so stupid i might even understand it better! bri :)
Nothing to do with Princess Di! It is a translation of a poem by the French renaissance poet, Maurice sceve... Where he contrasts the Diana mentioned first being the Roman Goddess of Hunting with his potential girlfriend also called Diana. It's an example of classical irony with the Goddess charging around looking for animals to kill whereas the human Diana only needs the odd gesture to get her targets grovelling at her feet.. Sceve wrote some very funny poems. In one he pretends to be this lover who is livid because his mistress is actually sleeping with her husband that night! No doubt the man was a mate of his!