My well-beloved was stripped. Knowing my whim,
She wore her tinkling gems, but naught besides:
And showed such pride as, while her luck betides,
A sultan’s favored slave may show to him.
When it lets off its lively, crackling sound,
This blazing blend of metal crossed with stone
Gives me an ecstasy I’ve only known
Where league of sound and lustre can be found.
She let herself be loved: then, drowsy-eyed,
Smiled down from her high couch in languid ease.
My love was deep and gentle as the seas
And rose to her as to a cliff the tide.
My own approval of each dreamy pose,
Like a tamed tiger, cunningly she sighted:
And candour, with lubricity united,
Gave piquancy to every one she chose.
Her limbs and hips, burnished with changing lustres
Before my eyes, clairvoyant and serene,
Swanned themselves, undulating in their sheen;
Her breasts and belly, of my vine the clusters,
Like evil angels rose, my fancy twitting,
To kill the peace which over me she’d thrown,
And to disturb her from the crystal throne
Where, calm and solitary, she was sitting.
So swerved her pelvis that, in one design,
Antiope’s white rump it seemed to graft
To a boy’s torso, merging fore and aft.
The talc on her brown tan seemed half-divine.
The lamp resigned its dying flame. Within,
The hearth alone lit up the darkened air,
And every time it sighed a crimson flare
It drowned in blood that amber-coloured skin.
Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh.
Lauren Crowley Taylor –
On me this is subtle – slightly musky, slightly sweet, I don’t think I would pick up the apricot but I recognize it after reading it’s there. It’s a pretty skin scent but I prefer other similar ones like Tamora, and La Petite Mort.
jessikanon –
Letting this one settle for a few weeks did wonders. Aging brought out the musky apricot and took the sharp edge off the orange blossom, making this a very rounded scent. It’s clean, sweet without being foody. It reminds me of Zephyr, somehow. But they’re siblings, not twins (Katharina being the orange sister, and Zephyr the yellow brother… Does that make sense?).
Unlike other people, I have found that Katharina lasts all day on me, even throughout workout sessions. Balanced throw, likely noticeable without getting all up other people’s noses.
laurel.kalypso –
Very bright and fruity. I mostly just get the apricot which I thought I’d love, and don’t get me wrong, it’s nice. But this scent is a bit too feminine for me personally. It’s a young, girly scent. I’m sure it would be a good summer perfume.
WinteryCate –
What a beautiful, bright scent.
It’s currently -40 outside, and just received an imp of this with a purchase… and I have to say, it is absolutely gorgeous to be smelling something so luminous in the dead of winter.
The orange blossom faded quickly, leaving the most gorgeous apricot kiss on my skin. As another reviewer said, this would be perfect for a summer evening date. It’s soft and pretty without being too juvenile (I’m 41), and is just what I needed to remind me of summer sunshine.
CluckingBell –
This is my default scent, because it’s compatible with any mood and it always comes through, offering ripe fruit on a sunny day or consoling warmth in winter snows. Somewhat sharper when wet, it dries down sweet, soft, and rich without being cloying or childish. It has minimal throw on me once dry, so I don’t overwhelm sensitive coworkers or get comments from strangers (except that time I was at a hotel and left the room right after applying), which is my preference. I love scents that someone has to be close to smell and subtly give the impression that I’m just naturally delectable, which Katharina does consistently.
ktpetunia –
This is my go to summer scent. It doesn’t stay for very long, but it’s nice because it’s not too sweet. It’s very light, and has a good balance between the notes. The apricot really adds to the orange blossom and hides any sharpness I get from most citrus notes I’ve tried. Youthful and happy.
Hellokoi –
Sweet, syrupy, creamy, canned apricots scent. Pleasant and fun, but doesn’t last long at all on me, and I kind of prefer Grand Guignol for an apricot scent.
Gloame –
A favorite! This one is so beautiful. It smells youthful but not childish. The apricot and the orange are so bright and happy together, and the musk keeps things adult. Would smell lovely on an evening date in the summer.
Feminine, happy.