LX THE DOLL
Mitchell S. (Mitchell Starrett) Buck translation
I HAVE given her a doll, a doll of wax with cheeks of roses. Its arms are attached by little pegs and its legs can be moved.
When we are together, she couches it between us, and it is our child. In the evening she cradles it and gives it the breast before putting it to sleep.
She has woven it three little tunics and we gave it jewels on the day of the Aphrodisian Festival; jewels and flowers also.
She watches over its virtue, and will not let it go out without her; not in the sun, above all, for the little doll would melt into drops of wax.