Francisco de Quevedo

A Apolo siguiendo a Dafne


Bermejazo platero de las cumbres,
a cuya luz se espulga la canalla:
la ninfa Dafne, que se afufa y calla,
si la quieres gozar, paga y no alumbres.

Si quieres ahorrar de pesadumbres,
ojo del cielo, trata de compralla:
en confites gastó Marte la malla,
y la espada en pasteles y en azumbres.

Volvióse en bolsa Júpiter severo;
levantóse las faldas la doncella
por recogerle en lluvia de dinero.

Astucia fue de alguna dueña estrella,
que de estrella sin dueña no lo infiero:
Febo, pues eres sol, sírvete de ella.



To Apollo chasing Daphne


Ruddy silversmith from up on high,
in whose bright beams the rabble pick their fleas:
Daphne, that nymph, who takes off and won't speak,
if you'd possess her, pay, and douse your light.

If you want to save yourself the pain,
oh, eye of heaven, try to buy her love:
Mars for bonbons sold his coat of mail,
and then his sword for jugs and sweet delights.

Stodgy Jupiter became a purse;
the maiden raised her skirt above her knees
in showers of coins to catch him on the run.

That was the doing of some duenna star,
--a star without a duenna it can't be--
Phoebus, get her help, since you're the sun. 

                     (©Alix Ingber, 1995)



 E-mail your comments and questions to:

Alix Ingber
Professor of Spanish
Sweet Briar College

ingber@sbc.edu



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