Priapeia

Priaepia

by divers poets in English verse and prose. Translated by Sir Richard Burton and Leonard C. Smithers

  1. Held by the pathic girls like in degree to a god.
  1. Whoso comes hither shall a bard become
  2. And to me dedicate facetious verse;
  3. But who thiswise doth not, 'mid learnèd poets
  4. Shall pace with fundament fulfilled of 'figs'.
  1. Bailiff Aristagoras of his grapes high-pedigree'd boasting
  2. Apples moulded in wax giveth, O Godhead, to thee:
  3. But thou, pleased with the fruit in effigy placed on thine altar,
  4. Genuine 'fruit' vouchsafe he, O Priapus! shall bear.
  1. Refrain from deeming all my sayings be
  2. In sport bespoken for mine own disport;
  3. Thieves taken thrice or four tunes in the fact
  4. (Believe my word) I'll surely irrumate.
  1. What shouldest say this spear (although I'm wooden) be wishing