Tales of Arabia

YES, friend, I own these tales of Arabia

Smile not, as smiled their flawless originals,

Age-old but yet untamed, for ages

Pass and the magic is undiminished.

Thus, friend, the tales of the old Camaralzaman,

Ayoub, the Slave of Love, or the Calendars,

Blind-eyed and ill-starred royal scions¹,

Charm us in age as they charmed in childhood.

Fair ones, beyond all numerability,

Beam from the palace, beam on humanity,

Bright-eyed, in truth, yet soul-less houris

Offering pleasure and only pleasure.

Thus they, the venal² Muses³ Arabian,

Unlike, indeed, the nobler divinities,

Greek Gods or old time-honoured muses,

Easily proffer⁴ unloved caresses⁵.

Lost, lost, the man who mindeth the minstrelsy;

Since still, in sandy, glittering pleasances,

Cold, stony⁶ fruits, gem-like but quite inEdible⁷, flatter and wholly starve him.

1 scions   

n.接穗，幼枝( scion的名词复数 )；（尤指富家）子孙

参考例句：

• Eldritch giants are powerful scions of arcane lore. 邪术巨人是神秘奥术知识的强大传承者。 来自互联网
• Grafting can join scions with desirable qualities to root stock that is strong and resistsand insects. 嫁接能够将理想质量的接穗嫁接到强有力抗病虫害的砧木上。 来自互联网

2 venal   

adj.唯利是图的，贪脏枉法的

参考例句：

• Ian Trimmer is corrupt and thoroughly venal.伊恩·特里默贪污受贿，是个彻头彻尾的贪官。
• Venal judges are a disgrace to a country.贪污腐败的法官是国家的耻辱。

3 muses   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的第三人称单数 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• We have listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe. 欧洲那种御用的诗才，我们已经听够了。 来自辞典例句
• Shiki muses that this is, at least, probably the right atmosphere. 志贵觉得这至少是正确的气氛。 来自互联网

4 proffer   

v.献出，赠送；n.提议，建议

参考例句：

• He rose and proffered a silver box full of cigarettes.他站起身，伸手递过一个装满香烟的银盒子。
• I proffer to lend him one.我表示愿意借他一个。

5 caresses   

爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A breeze caresses the cheeks. 微风拂面。
• Hetty was not sufficiently familiar with caresses or outward demonstrations of fondness. 海蒂不习惯于拥抱之类过于外露地表现自己的感情。

6 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

7 inedible   

adj.不能吃的，不宜食用的

参考例句：

• The food was totally inedible.食物完全无法下咽。
• These chemicals make the fruit inedible.这些化学品使这种水果不宜食用。