The Satyricon of Petronius ArbiterPetronius Arbiter
General
The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter
Petronius Arbiter
Rome -- Fiction; Satire, Latin -- Translations into English
Our pleasant discourse continuing, I desir'd her to bring her lady:
she readily consented, and taking hold of her petticoats, tript it
into a lawrel labyrinth, that border'd on the walk; 'twas not long
e're she usher'd her lady to me; a beauty excelling even the flattery
of painters; words can't express so perfect a creature; whatever I
shou'd say of her wou'd fall short of what she was. Her hair spread
all o're her shoulders, and seem'd in easie curls to wanton in the
air. Her forehead oval, and that naturally inclin'd the hair to its
advantage. The proportion of her eye-brows was most correct. Her
eyes eclypst the glory of the brightest star. Her nose had an easie
turn, and mouth was such Pragiteless believ'd Venus had. Then her
chin, her neck, her arms, and feet, gently girt with embroider'd
sandals, to whose whiteness the Parian marble wou'd serve but as a
foil. 'Twas then I began to despise my old mistress Doris. And thus
broke out:
"Sure amorous Jove's a holy tale above;
With fancy'd arts that wait upon his love,
When we are blest with such a charm as this,
And he no rival of our happiness:
How well the bull wou'd now the god become:
Or his grey-hairs to be transform'd to down?
Here's Danae's self, a touch from her wou'd fire
And make the god in liquid joys expire."
She was pleas'd, and smil'd with such an air, that, she seem'd like
the moon in all her glories breaking through a cloud, when addressing
her self, her pretty fingers humouring the turn of her voice, "If a
fine woman, and that but this year, has been acquaint'd with a man,"
said she, "may deserve your love, let me commend a mistress to you. I
am sensible you have a comrade already, nor have I thought it below me
to inquire it: But why not a mistress too? I enter the list on the
same bottom with your comrade; nor do I desire to engross all the
caresses; only think me deserving, and confer them as you please."
"Let me beseech you, madam," return'd I, "by all those cupids in your
face and meen, not to scorn to admit a stranger into the number of
your admirers. You'l find him most religious, if you accept his
devotions, and that you shou'd not suspect I believe the way to this
heaven, unlike all others, may be trod gratis, I present you with my
comrade."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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