Whoever wishes to see a god overcoming me

Whoever wishes to see a god overcoming me,

assailing me, vanquishing me,

making my heart flame and freeze repeatedly,

and taking pride in my shame...

whoever wishes to see a young man quick to pursue

in vain the object of his misery...

should read my words: he will see my suffering,

which is ignored by my goddess Cassandre, and by my god.

He will learn that love is irrational,

a sweet illusion, a beautiful prison,

a futile hope which feeds on empty air.

He will learn that one lets oneself down

when one mistakenly accepts

Eros the blind as guide, Eros the child as master.