Two more young hunks

The wordplay in the first of these epigrams is a matter of an additional letter in the original Greek, rather than a substitution: kuros (the personal name Cyrus) and kurios (lord, master).

The second poem is by the less famous Alcaeus: not Sappho's fellow Lesbian lyricist, but Alcaeus of Messene (third-second century BC). The brief flower of a young man's peak of beauty, his anthos, is likened here to a relay-race: each young athlete carries the flaming torch only for a brief sprint before passing it on to the next runner.

12.28
NUMINIUS OF TARSUS

Jules rules — and I don’t mind the difference
A single letter makes. He is so fine;
I only want to look, not analyse.

12.29
ALCAEUS

Prōtarchus is so lovely — and says no.
Later it will be yes, but all the while
His hour of loveliness is racing on
To pass the love-torch to another boy.