How can I reach you? Though I hold you close the essential you escapes me; I cannot pierce to the core of your being .
Though I have given you all myself, what have I gained? Only my own happiness, not yours — so much more precious. Can I be glad seeing the life-weariness in your eyes?
What do you seek from me? Oblivion? Ask it of death, not of me. Happiness? I can only give you happiness if your love is great enough to create it .
To be loved is nothing; to receive is nothing. If you seek happiness, love and give .

Jove -born Bacchus when possest
(Care exiling) of my breast,
In a sprightly Saraband
Guides my foot and ready hand,
Which an even measure sets
'Twixt my voice and Castanets ;
Tir'd we sit and kiss; and then
To our dancing fall agen.

CLEODAMUS

Which will you have is sweetest, Myrson, spring, winter; autumn, or summer? which are you fainest should come? Summer, when all our labours are fulfilled, or sweet autumn when our hunger is least and lightest, or the winter when no man can work — for winter also hath delights for many with her warm firesides and leisure hours — or doth the pretty spring-time please you best? Say, where is the choice of your heart? To be sure, we have time and to spare for talking.

MYRSON

Here I am, a lazy old man. Normally I find it so bothersome to have people coming to see me that I often vow in my heart, " I'll never meet or invite people. " But what can I do? — on a moonlit night or in the snowy morning I long for my friends. At such a time, quietly I drink sake alone, talking in my mind. I push open the door of my hut and look at the snow. I take up my cup again, dip my brush and put it away. Here I am, a demented old man:
I drink sake and find it harder to sleep this snowy night

Distaff, friend of them that weave and spin, gift of the Grey-eyed Huswife above to all good huswives here below, come away, come away to Neleus' town so bright and fair, where the Cyprian's precinct lies fresh and green among the tall soft reeds; for 'tis thither bound I ask of Zeus fair passage, with intent both to glad my eyes with the sight and my heart with the love of a dear good child of the Ladies o' the Voice of Delight, by name Nicias, and to give you, my pretty offspring of laboured ivory, into the hands of the goodwife of the same, to be her helpmate in the making of much wool into

Once upon a time when the little Heracles was ten months old, Alcmena of Midea took him and Iphicles that was his younger by a night, and laid them, washed both and suckled full, in the fine brazen buckler Amphitryon had gotten in spoil of Pterelaüs, and setting her hand upon their heads said " Sleep my babes, sleep sweetly and light; sleep, sweethearts, brothers twain, goodly children. Heaven prosper your slumbering now and your awakening to-morrow. " And as she spake, she rocked the great targe till they fell asleep.

There was once a heart-sick swain had a cruel fere, the face of the fere goodly but his ways not like to it; for he hated him that loved him, and had for him never a whit of kindness, and as for Love, what manner of God he might be or what manner of bow and arrows carry, or how keen and bitter were the shafts he shot for his delectation, these things wist he not at all, but both in his talk and conversation knew no yielding.

When la bella Simonetta was borne forth on her black bier, and loveliness still breathed from her dead face, the Love-God seized that hour, when no man dreaded him, to cast a thousand rays from her closed eyes.
He took captive a thousand souls with her form and exclaimed (exulting over Death): " She is still mine. " " She is still mine, " said Love; " Not yet, O Death, canst thou take her utterly. Even in death she is mine. " And then Love moaned, for now he sees no more days of triumph, but of tears.

So Sleep has flown to find thee, tender Love,
Proud Sleep that sat upon the lids of Jove.
Would thou wert all mine own, would I were Sleep;
I'd want not wings into thine eyes to creep.

Lady of the great sea — whose star governs the winds from either shore of the sea and shines to mariners when they stretch forth their sails — from your white house at Laurentum calm the Adriatic waves; let your winds give us safe voyaging lest Auster overwhelm us with his storms.
And when we come to the harbour of our country we will fulfil our vows to you with added gifts. Along the whole shore your altars shall be gladdened with praise and incense.