Moschus

If any one a wandering Cupid see,
The little fugitive belongs to me.

Smooth are his words, his voice as honey sweet,
Yet war is in his heart, and dark deceit!

Moschus (born at Syracuse, flourished about 200 B.C.) was an ancient Greek idyllic poet.

Quotes

The Idylliums of Moschus

Idyllium I

• If any one a wandering Cupid see,
  The little fugitive belongs to me.
  And if he tell what path the rogue pursues,
  My kisses shall reward him for the news:
  But if he bring me back the boy I miss,
  I'll give him something sweeter than a kiss.
  • 'The Stray Cupid', tr. R. Polwhele, lines 3–8; spoken by Venus.
  • Compare: "It fortuned, fair Venus having lost / Her little son, the winged god of love, / ....." Edmund Spenser, Faerie Queene, B. III, C. 6, st. 11

• Smooth are his words, his voice as honey sweet,
  Yet war is in his heart, and dark deceit!
  • 'The Stray Cupid', tr. R. Polwhele, lines 14–15
  • Compare: "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords." Psalm 55:21 (KJV)

Idyllium III

• But we, the great, the valiant, and the wise,
  When once the seal of death has closed our eyes,
  Lost in the hollow tomb obscure and deep,
  Slumber, to wake no more, one long unbroken sleep!
  • 'The Epitaph on Bion', tr. R. Polwhele, lines 129–132

External links

• Encyclopedic article on Moschus on Wikipedia