Caesarion

 Partly to verify an era,
partly also to pass the time,
last night I picked up a collection
of Ptolemaic epigrams to read.

The plentiful praises and flatteries
for everyone are similar.
 They are all brilliant,
glorious, mighty, beneficent;
each of their enterprises the wisest.

If you talk of the women of that breed, they too,
all the Berenices and Cleopatras are admirable.


When I had managed to verify the era
I would have put the book away, had not a small
and insignificant mention of king Caesarion
immediately attracted my attention.
.
.
.
.


Behold, you came with your vague
charm.
 In history only a few
lines are found about you,
and so I molded you more freely in my mind.

I molded you handsome and sentimental.

My art gives to your face
a dreamy compassionate beauty.

And so fully did I envision you,
that late last night, as my lamp
was going out -- I let go out on purpose --
I fancied that you entered my room,
it seemed that you stood before me; as you might have been
in vanquished Alexandria,
pale and tired, idealistic in your sorrow,
still hoping that they would pity you,
the wicked -- who whispered "Too many Caesars.
"

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