38. Simply To Thee I Say Whatever To Say

38

Priapus

Simpliciter tibi me, quodcumque est, dicere oportet,

natura est quoniam semper aperta mihi:

pedicare volo, tu vis decerpere poma;

quod peto, si dederis, quod petis, accipies.

Simply to thee I say whatever to say shall behove me,

Since my 'nature' alway openly showeth to fight;

Fain would I pedicate thee who'rt Fain to plunder my apples;

An my want thou shalt grant, eke shall be granted thy want.

Since my nature is always open, it behoves me to say to thee--whate'er it is--frankly. I wish to pedicate; thou wishest to pluck apples. What I desire, if thou wilt give: what thou desirest, thou shalt receive.

[1. In the original Latin, "natura", punningly used in the double sense 'native character' and 'privy part'.]