Mimnermus. MIMNERMUS. Bef. Ch. 594. FRAGMENTS OF ELEGIES. ENGLISH TRANSLATOR: BLAND. MIMNERMUS was born at Colophon; a town of Ionia. He was eminent both as a musician and a poet. His mistress Nanno followed, also, the profession of a minstrel. Horace and Propertius speak of him, as the master of amorous elegy. There is poetical vigour in the fragments remaining of his poetry; but, contrary to the joyous character given of him, they exhibit a melancholy cast of morbid sentiment: and we discern the miserable philosophy of a youth of dissolute pleasure, and an old age of senseless, and sensual, repining. MIMNERMUS. SHORTNESS OF LIFE. WE, like the leaves of many-blossom'd spring, Another drags in pain his lingering days, While slow disease upon his vitals preys. Nor lives there one, whom Jupiter on high Exempts from years of mix'd calamity. REPROACH OF OLD AGE. WHAT joy in life, were golden Venus fled? |