Christina Davidson reading the English Song of Songs from the Book of Solomon Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. (1.02) How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. (4.10-16)

Merryn Gates reads from Virgil's 8th Eclogue in Latin

necte tribus nodis ternos, Amarylli, colores;
necte, Amarylli, modo et 'Veneris' dic 'vincula necto.'
ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina ducite Daphnin.

limus ut hic durescit et haec ut cera liquescit
uno eodemque igni, sic nostro Daphnis amore.
sparge molam et fragilis incende bitumine laurus;
Daphnis me malus urit, ego hanc in Daphnide laurum.
ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina ducite Daphnin.

talis amor Daphnin qualis cum fessa iuvencum
per nemora atque altos quaerendo bucula lucos
propter aquae rivum viridi procumbit in ulva
perdita nec serae meminit decedere nocti,
talis amor teneat nec sit mihi cura mederi.
ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina ducite Daphnin.

Tom Considine reads from Virgil's 8th Eclogue in English

Weave, Amaryllis, weave, three threads around,
And make three times three-coloured knots, and say
'With these three threads I weave the chains of love.'
Bring Daphnis home, bring Daphnis home, my charms.

As in one fire this image made of clay
Grows hard and this of wax grows soft, so may
The heart of Daphnis melt for love of me.
Cast meal about, light bitumen pitch and burn
The crackling laurel boughs; Daphnis burns me;
Thus in the laurel fire may Daphnis melt.
Bring Daphnis home, bring Daphnis home, my charms.

May he be seized by such desire as that
Of a lovesick heifer longing for her bull,
Who weary and lost from following where he went
Lies down in the grass that grows beside the stream
That through the deep woods flows; weary and lost,
Forgetful of her home far into the night;
May he be seized by such desire as hers,
And I not care at all to be the cure.
Bring Daphnis home, bring Daphnis home, my charms.

Itiel Bereson reading the Hebrew Song of Songs