English Translation

What slender boy drenched

in liquid perfumes is pressing you

     into many roses, Pyrrha, within the pleasing cave?

     For whom you tie up your auburn hair,

simple in your elegance? Alas, how often he will weep     5

the changing faith of the gods and

     the seas violent with gloomy/black winds

     unaccustomed he will be astonished at,

who now enjoys golden you, trusting he hopes that

you are always available, always lovable,                         10

     ignorant of your decietful breezes.

     Unhappy [are they], to whom

you shine untried. The sacred wall shows

with a votive tablet that I have hung up

     wet clothes for the powerful

     god of the sea [Neptune].                              15

Latin Text (www.latinlibrary.com)

Quis multa gracilis te puer in rosa

perfusus liquidis urget odoribus

     grato, Pyrrha, sub antro?

     cui flauam religas comam,

simplex munditiis? Heu quotiens fidem               5

mutatosque deos flebit et aspera

     nigris aequora ventis

     emirabitur insolens,

qui nunc te fruitur credulus aurea,

qui semper vacuam, semper amabilem               10

     sperat, nescius aurae

     fallacis. Miseri, quibus

intemptata nites. Me tabula sacer

votiva paries indicat uuida

      suspendisse potenti

     vestimenta maris deo.                                  15

Meter

Fourth Asclepiadean