作品概况

勃朗宁夫人抒情诗集《葡萄牙的十四行诗》的第一首1。

作品原文

I thought once how Theocritus had sung

Of the sweet years, the dear and wished-for years,

Who each one in a gracious hand appears

To bear a gift for mortals, old or young:

And, as I mused it in his antique tongue,

I saw, in gradual vision through my tears,

The sweet, sad years, the melancholy years,

Those of my own life, who by turns had flung

A shadow across me. Straightway I was 'ware,

So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move

Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair;

And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, --

`Guess now who holds thee?' -- `Death.' I said. But, there

The silver answer rang, -- `Not Death, but love."

作品译文

我想起，当年希腊的诗人曾经歌咏：