Camoens: "Beholding Her"

When I behold you, Lady! When my eyes
Dwell on the deep enjoyment of your sight,
I give my spirit to that one delight,
And earth appears to me a Paradise.

And when I hear you speak,
And see you smile,
Full satisfied, absorb'd, my center'd mind,
Deems all the world's vain hopes
And joys the wild,
As empty as the unsubstantial Wind.

Lady! I feel your charms,
Yet dare not raise,
To that high theme the unequal Song of praise,
A power for that to language
Was not given.

Nor marvel I, when I those beauties view, Lady!
That He, Whose power created you,
Could form the Stars,
And yonder glorious Heaven.

J.W. Ludwig Gleim: "Cynthia Bathing"

From her fair limbs
The last thin veil she drew,
And naked stood in all her charms confess'd,
The wanton gales
Her ringlets backward blew,

To sport themselves more freely on her breast:
From each warm
Beauty of the uncovered maid,
Before scarce guessed at, or but seen in part,
From all, for all, was to my eyes displayed,
Delicious poison trickled to my heart:

Since thus I gazed
(was mine to gaze the blame?)
Nor bless my soul hath tasted, nor repose;
The subtle venom glides through all my frame,
And in my brain a fiery deluge glows:

Thou, who my pangs wouldst shun,
With wiser care the spot,
Where Cynthia bathes at noon, beware.