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Dulcia quandoque amara fieri [8]


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8[a] ↓
Dulcia quandoque amara fieri.translation
Matre procul licta, paullum secesserat infans
Lydius: hunc diræ sed rapuistis apes.
Venerat hic ad vos, placidas ratus esse volucres,
Cum nec ita immitis vipera sæva foret:
Quæ datis, ah, dulci stimulos pro munere mellis,
Pro dolor heu sine te gratia nulla datur. translation

Die 't vercken wil keelen, moet hem 't gieren troosten.
De leckre Cupido die stal met listicheden,
De hoonich uyt de korf; de byen op het boost,
Die quetsten hem de handt: hier door leert ons de reden,
Dat wie de zoetheyt wil, dat hy hem 't bitter troost.

Amour derobbe miel.
Le friand Cupido derobboit par finesse,
Aux mouches leur doux miel, mais il en fut piqué
Ce qu'a sa mere il plaint, & dit tout eplore,
D'ou vient qu'un animal si petit si fort blesse?
Sa mere luy respond: Mais toy mon petit Nain,
Tu blesse bien chascun & le tiens soubs ta main.

8[b] ↓

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Facsimile Images


8[a]

8[b]

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Translations

Sweet things become bitter sometimes.
The Lydian child had left his mother far behind,
And stayed away from her just a little while,
But you, awful bees, ravaged him.
He had come to you in the belief that you were mellow birds,
Whereas not even the grim viper would be so savage.
Ah! You give stings in exchange for the sweet present of honey.
O pain, no gift of love comes without you.

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Literature


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    Sources and parallels


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    References, across this site, to this page:


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    Iconclass

    In the background Cupid is pursued by bees, in the foreground Venus attends to his face

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    Comments

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    Notes