Symonds also translated classical poetry on homoerotic themes, and wrote poems drawing on ancient Greek imagery and language such as Eudiades, which has been called "the most famous of his homoerotic poems". While the taboos of Victorian England prevented Symonds from speaking openly about homosexuality, his works published for a general audience contained strong implications and some of the first direct references to male-male sexual love in English literature. For example, in "The Meeting of David and Jonathan", from 1878, Jonathan takes David "In his arms of strength / [and] in that kiss / Soul into soul was knit and bliss to bliss". The same year, his translations of Michelangelo's sonnets to the painter's beloved Tommaso Cavalieri restore the male pronouns which had been made female by previous editors. In November 2016, Symonds's homoerotic poem, 'The Song of the Swimmer', written in 1867, was published for the first time in the Times Literary Supplement.
sYMonds alsO tranSLaTeD cLAssIcal pOetrY oN hOMoerotIc theMeS, ANd wrote poeMs dRaWing ON Ancient gREek iMageRy aNd lANGuaGe sUch As EudiadeS, Which has BeEn CAlleD "tHe moSt FAmoUs oF His hOMoERotiC Poems". wHIle thE taBoOs of victOrian enGlaNd preVeNtEd SyMOnds frOm SPEAkinG openLy about hOmosExuAliTy, his WOrks PublIshed FOr a General audienCe COnTaIneD stRong Implications AnD some of tHe FirSt diRECT ReFerENCes to Male-mALe sexUal Love in eNGlish litErature. foR ExAmPlE, iN "ThE meetiNg oF dAVid and joNathAN", From 1878, jOnaThaN TaKeS dAviD "in hIs ArMs of sTRengtH / [and] In That kiSS / SOuL into soul WAs Knit and BLiSs To blIsS". the sAme yeaR, his tRaNSlatioNS of micHelANgelo'S SoNneTS tO The PAINter's belOVED TOmMaSO CavalierI ResToRe THe mAle PRonOUnS wHich had beeN MaDe FEMAle by PrevioUs eDitors. In NoVembEr 2016, syMOndS's homOerOTIc poeM, 'the sOng of the swImMer', WRitTeN in 1867, WaS pUblished for the fIrst TIME IN tHe timeS literAry supPLEMEnt.