When Mars the Lemnian Darts survey'd

Title:

The Forty-Fifth Ode of Anacreon

Primary Text:

No MS; 1714 Steele, 48-9*.
When Mars the Lemnian Darts survey'd,
Which Vulcan forg'd for Cupid's Bow;
What foolish toys are these, he said,
How brittle and how slight they show?

Fit Play-things for a Child! when strait
The little God did one prepare;
Here try, said he, if this one wants Weight;
And gave it to the God of War.

He took the Dart, its Weight he try'd,
While Venus smil'd to see him caught;
Here take it back again, he cry'd,
'Tis much more weighty than I thought.

The little Archer, wanton grown
To find the God of War shew Fear,
Keep it, said he, and henceforth own
My Dart wounds deeper than your Spear.

Source:

1696 Dacier, "Les Poesies d'Anacreon and de Sapho" 236-41.

Comment:

This is by Finch for the reasons given in The 30th Ode of Anacreon, No. 165. This poem is more risque: vide the line where Cupid's "dart" is found "much more weighty" than Mars' "Spear." They're all sexy.
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