Cleis

Sleep, darling

I have a small

daughter called

Cleis, who is

like a golden

flower

       I wouldn't

take all Croesus'

kingdom with love

thrown in, for her

—-

Don't ask me what to wear

I have no embroidered

headband from Sardis to

give you, Cleis, such as

I wore

       and my mother

always said that in her

day a purple ribbon

looped in the hair was thought

to be high style indeed

but we were dark:

                a girl

whose hair is yellower than

torchlight should wear no

headdress but fresh flowers

translated by: Barnard