Think of this, O youthful fair one!
Chase away the tears that wear one,
And all foolish love’s alarms;
If thy life may not have perish’d,
O forget thy love once cherish’d—
Ma foi! within my arms.
77.
The eunuchs controverted,
When I raised up my voice;
They grumbled and asserted
My singing was not choice.
And then they all raised sweetly
Their voicelets petty and shrill;
They sang so finely and neatly,
Like crystal sounded their trill.
They sang of love’s fierce yearning,
Of loving effusions and love,
To tears the ladies all turning,
With tunes so adapted to move.
78.
I left you at first in July at the warmest,
In January now I find you once more;
In the midst of the heat you then were complaining,
And now you are cool’d, and cold to the core.
I shall soon leave again, and when next I’m returning
Neither warm shall I find you, nor yet quite cold;
I shall walk o’er your grave with silent composure,
While my own heart within me is wretched and old.