Lad of Athens, faithful be by Emily Dickinson

Из Афин,- так предан будь,   
верь в себя, и в таинств суть,
остальное - ложь и блуд...



(Эмили - напутствует готовящегося к свадьбе Боулза-младшего.
В США множество городов с европейскими названиями.)
[David Preest:
Thomas Johnson suggests that the short note (L865)
containing this poem may have been sent to Samuel
Bowles the younger in the autumn of 1883, just after
his engagement to Miss Elizabeth Hoar. If this is so,
Emily seems to be giving some prewedding advice to one
who was born or lived in one of the many American towns
called Athens. She says that provided he follows his
own instincts and recognises that much is ‘Mystery,’
he can regard any certainties he receives from others
as ‘Perjury.’ Emily had already congratulated him on
his engagement in poem 1577. At a New England wedding
reception in Portland in 2004 which I attended
a microphone was passed around for guests to give
their advice to the married couple.]

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Lad of Athens, faithful be by Emily Dickinson

Lad of Athens, faithful be               
To Thyself,  And Mystery --            
All the rest is Perjury --