莎士比亚的 Sonnet 98 是他的Fair Youth 系列之一。Fair youth 这个角色和背景，就像其它诗中的Dark Lady，诗人没有具体交代，一直是个迷。因而对这个形象的理解也很有分歧。我个人觉得主要基于诗人对失去年华的一些惆怅，而并不是简单的所谓性取向猜疑。顺便附上本人一首《忆旧游》，谈不上是个忠实的翻译，只是一篇读后感吧。

Sonnet 98

By William Shakespeare 

From you have I been absent in the spring,

When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim,

Hath put a spirit of youth in everything,

That heavy Saturn laughed and leaped with him.

Yet nor the lays of birds, nor the sweet smell

Of different flowers in odour and in hue,

Could make me any summer’s story tell,

Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew:

Nor did I wonder at the lily’s white,

Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose;

They were but sweet, but figures of delight

Drawn after you, – you pattern of all those.

Yet seem’d it winter still, and, you away,

As with your shadow I with these did play.

忆旧游.春怨

樊功生

又举眉春处，不见君归，四月谁邀？

髫髻垂柔发，数匆匆去岁，几度新苗？

却有拙星时现，笑语醉良宵。

纵燕舞莺歌，花香纷扰，难掩心焦。

朝朝，柳前诉，嫩绿送芬芳，暗绕斜梢。

妒合花冰瘦，怨红玫火簇，银海迢迢。

天涯魂梦牵手，冬雪几曾消？

只人去楼空，琼阶悄影明月桥。

(周邦彦体 词林正韵)

注：读莎士比亚十四行诗第98 (Sonnet 98 From You) 。