The Death of Adonis

Cythera saw Adonis And knew that he was dead; She marked the brow, all grisly now, The cheek no longer red; And 'Bring the boar before me' Unto her Loves she said. Forthwith her winged attendants Ranged all the woodland o'er, And found and bound in fetters Threefold the grisly boar: One dragged him at a rope's end E'en as a vanquished foe; One went behind and drave him And smote him with his bow: On paced the creature feebly; He feared Cythera so. To him said Aphrodite: 'So, worst of beasts, 'twas you Who rent that thigh asunder, Who him that loved me slew?' And thus the beast made answer: 'Cythera, hear me swear By thee, by him that loved thee, And by these bonds I wear, And them before whose hounds I ran- I meant no mischief to the man Who seemed to thee so fair. 'As on a carven statue Men gaze, I gazed on him; I seemed on fire with mad desire To kiss that offered limb: My ruin, Aphrodite, Thus followed from my whim. 'Now therefore take and punish And fairly cut away These all unruly tusks of mine; For to what end serve they? And if thine indignation Be not content with this, Cut off the mouth that ventured To offer him a kiss'- But Aphrodite pitied And bade them loose his chain. The boar from that day forward Still followed in her train; Nor ever to the wildwood Attempted to return, But in the focus of Desire Preferred to burn and burn. translated by C. S. Calverley