Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day

Cupid the Honey Thief by Albrecht Dürer
1514

Once thievish Love the honeyed hives would rob,

When a bee stung him: soon he felt a throb

Through all his finger-tips, and, wild with pain,

Blew on his hands and stamped and jumped in vain.

To Aphroditè then he told his woe:

'How can a thing so tiny hurt one so?'

She smiled and said; 'Why thou'rt a tiny thing,

As is the bee; yet sorely thou canst sting.'


Theocritus, Idyll XIX