Ludus [English translation]

1[2]That tree was in a meadow,

adorned by all kinds of flowers,

The grass, a fountain - a marvellous place,

being there breeze and shadows too.

Plato, with his stylus, could't have painted

a more pleasant place than this.

[4]While delighted by the bliss,

enjoying my delight,

recovering from my fatigue,

I notice a shepherdess, one of a kind2,

gathering blackberries.

[1]In the summer heat,

when everything is blooming,

I was feeling all hot.

Under the beauty of an olive,

heat, sweat and fatigue,

drove me to take a break.

[6]She answers briefly:

"I'm not used to men's games,

my parents are stern,

my mother is very old,

she is angered by the mildest things.

Now back off!"

[3]Down was the source of the lively torrents,

you could hear the singing of Philomena,

and the chant of the Naiads.

I felt in paradise,

there are no places, this I'm certain,

merrier than this one.

[5]I fall in love at first sight,

Venus made her, I believe.

"Come!", I say, "I'm not a thief,

nothing I steal, nothing I hurt.

I give all myself to you,

who are more beautiful than Flora!"

1. The translator suggests you read the comment before you continue reading the tanslation2. Here "formam singulari" seems to be an added description of the girl, even thoguh it should be "forma singulari" if that was the case. In this form the sentence is just incorrect latin. I checked a scan of the original book and the error is there, indicating a likely copying error. If you search online for the poem you will find sources with and without the 'm'. Qntal's choice of repeating (and clearly pronouncing) the transcription error is likely to be deliberate.