THE GREEK LOVE POEMS OF HILARY THE ENGLISHMAN
Hilarius, a cleric studying in Champagne, France around 1125, but supposed to have been an Englishman, [1] was the author of some Latin poetry preserved in a manuscript in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, and edited and published by J. J. Champollion-Figeac as Hilarii versus et ludi (Paris, 1838). Besides one addressed to his teacher and some religious verse, five of his surviving fourteen poems were love poems, one addressed to a nun and four to boys. The four latter are presented below.
The translation of those numbered VII, IX and XIII is by John Boswell in Appendix 2 of his Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality (Chicago, 1980), pp. 372-4, with the amendment of his translation thrice of one word, noted in a footnote. That of number X "To William of Anfonia" is by Thomas Stehling in his Medieval Latin Poems of Male Love and Friendship (New York, 1984), pp.71-75. The Latin text is that printed by Champollion-Figeac with two amendments by Boswell explained in footnotes. The enumeration of the poems follows that in Champollion-Figeac.
VII. To a Boy of Anjou
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To a Boy of Anjou Beautiful and singular boy,[2] Prostrate at your knees, I am afraid to speak face to face; Enough, wretch! I barely bore it As a patient I demand a doctor, Long held in a dreary jail, Oh, how I wish you wanted money! Surely, boy,[5] this is foolishness, A solemn resolve of chastity 
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Ad Puerum Andegavensem Puer pulcher et puer unice, Ego tuis affusııs genibus, Loqui presens presenti vereor; Satis, miser! pene sustinui Eger ego deposco medicum Gravi diu detentus carcere, O! Quam vellem ut velles precium, Certe, pııer, hoc est inscicia, Castitatis grave propositum 
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IX. To an English Boy
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To an English Boy Hail, fair boy,[9] who seeks no bribe, Golden haired, fair of face, with a small white When nature formed you, she doubted for a Afterward, she does finally extend her hand to No other mortal can be compared with you, Believe me, if those former days of Jove should You are the common desire of lasses and lads; [11] |
Ad Puerum Anglicum Ave, puer speciose, qui non queris Crinis flavus, os decoruın cervísque Cum natura te creavit, dubitavit paululum Postquam vero tibi manum extremam Tibi nequid conparari quislibet mortalium, Crede mihi, si redirent prisca Jovis secula, Puellarum juvenumque votum extas |
X. To William of Anfonia
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To William of Anfonia Hail, splendor of England, Rumor is a good thing: by its tidings Virgil had just cause She gave you wealth which you use so Rumor speaks the truth about you I am not strong enough finally to remain silent While I confidently held such hope |
Ad Guillelmum de Anfonia Ave, splendor telluris Anglice, Fama bonum, ex cujus nuncio Ille causam honestam habuit Dedit opes, quibus sic uteris De te verum a fama dicitur; Reticere tandem non valeo, Dum spem talem haberem credulus, |
XIII. To an English Boy
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To an English Boy Beautiful boy, flower fair, The moment I saw you, Oh, how happy would I be I will win, as I believe, Even the ruler of heaven, Then, in the chambers of heaven, |
Ad Puerum Anglicum Puer decens, decens floris, Ut te vidi, ınos cupido O Quam felix ego forem, Inpetrabo, sicut credo; Nam et rector superorum, Aula tandem in superna, |
[1] This attribution goes back at least to Jean Mabillon’s Annales ordinis S. Benedicti, vol. 5 (1713), p. 315. In its favour, five of his lyric poems were addressed to English people: three boys and two women.
[2] Boswell’s translation of “puer” as “youth” has here been amended to “boy”. Whilst it would be entirely legitimate to point out that the Latin “puer” could encompass youths as well as literal boys, just as its English equivalent “boy” can (or at least could), this cannot justify translating the word in such a way as to imply that Hilary must have meant “youths” rather than "boys”. This sort of license is typical of one important way by which Greek love has typically been misrepresented as androphile in translations since the 1980s.
[3] Reading “es nescius" (with Herkenrath) instead of the “sed melius” printed by Champollion-Figeac. [Translator’s note]
[4] Reading “es nescius" (with Herkenrath) instead of the “sed melius” printed by Champollion-Figeac. [Translator’s note]
[5] Boswell’s translation of “puer” as “youth” has here been amended to “boy”. Whilst it would be entirely legitimate to point out that the Latin “puer” could encompass youths as well as literal boys, just as its English equivalent “boy” can (or at least could), this cannot justify translating the word in such a way as to imply that Hilary must have meant “youths” rather than "boys”. This sort of license is typical of one important way by which Greek love has typically been misrepresented as androphile in translations since the 1980s.
[6] Two lines are omitted here; the first is missing from the manuscript, leaving the next (“Qui sit pulcris ex pudiciciae”) ambiguous. [Translator’s note]
[7] The account in Seneca's Phaedra might have been familiar to Hilary [Translator’s note]. In this play, the Hippolytus’s spurning of Phaedra, who had fallen in love with him, led to his doom.
[8] The biblical Joseph’s spurning of the advances of his master’s wife (not actually a queen) led to his imprisonment (Genesis 39: 7-20).
[9] Boswell’s translation of “puer” as “youth” has here been amended to “boy”. Whilst it would be entirely legitimate to point out that the Latin “puer” could encompass youths as well as literal boys, just as its English equivalent “boy” can (or at least could), this cannot justify translating the word in such a way as to imply that Hilary must have meant “youths” rather than "boys”. This sort of license is typical of one important way by which Greek love has typically been misrepresented as androphile in translations since the 1980s.
[10] For “nequid " I read “nequit," … as does Fuller. [Translator’s note]
[11] Note the particularly firm assertion of the general assumption in pre-modern Europe that such a beautiful boy would be desired by both sexes.
[12] A Latin pun on “anglicus" and “angelicus,” doubtless copied from Bede’s famous anecdote explaining why Pope Gregory the Great launched a mission to convert the English to Christianity in AD 597. Long before, Gregory had seen for sale in the market in Rome some particularly beautiful slave-boys whom he was told were “Angli” (English) and heathen. “Non angli sed angeli si forent Christiani (Not English but angels if only they were Christians)” he said. (Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People II 1, though he does not actually quote Gregory’s famous words).
[13] In classical mythology, Jupiter became a bull in order to abduct Europa, a woman, and became an eagle in order to take away Ganymede, a boy, to live with him forever.
[14] Dido was the ancient Queen of Carthage who according to Virgil’s Aeneid (IV 642) cursed the lover who abandoned her and his descendants, with ultimately fatal consequences.
[15] I.e., if I could leave my “Dido” for you, as other men leave one woman for another. The Latin is tortuous. [Translator’s note]
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