Amours
- 1.7.47
Dissolve the frost, it runs into a stream.
- 1.7.48
The lamentable objects struck me dead,
- 1.7.49
And tears of blood to quench those tears I shed;
- 1.7.50
Thrice at her feet the prostrate suppliant fell,
- 1.7.51
And thrice did she repulse the criminal.
- 1.7.52
What would I not your anger to abate,
- 1.7.53
Redeem your favour, or remove your hate?
- 1.7.54
To your revenge no means or method spare;
- 1.7.55
Revenge, alas! is easy to the fair.
- 1.8.1
There is a bawd renown'd in Venus' wars,
- 1.8.2
Aud dreadful still with honorable scars;
- 1.8.3
Her youth and beauty, craft and guile supply,
- 1.8.4
Sworn foe to all degrees of chastity.
- 1.8.5
Dypsas, who first taught love-sick maids the way
- 1.8.6
To cheat the bridegroom on the wedding-day,
- 1.8.7
And then a hundred subtle tricks devis'd,
- 1.8.8
Wherewith the am'rous theft might be disguis'd;
- 1.8.9
Of herbs and spells she tries the guilty force,
- 1.8.10
The poison of a mare that goes to horse.
- 1.8.11
Cleaving the midnight air upon a switch,
- 1.8.12
Some for a bawd, most take her for a witch.
- 1.8.13
Each morning sees her reeling to her bed,
- 1.8.14
Her native blue o'ercome with drunken red:
- 1.8.15
Her ready tongue ne'er wants a useful lie,
- 1.8.16
Soft moving words, nor charming flattery.
- 1.8.17
Thus I o'erheard her to my Lucia speak:
- 1.8.18
"Young Damon's heart wilt thou for ever break
- 1.8.19
He long has lov'd thee, and by me he sends
- 1.8.20
To learn thy motions, which he still attends;
- 1.8.21
If to the park thou go'st, the plays are ill;
- 1.8.22
If to the plays, he thinks the air would kill.
- 1.8.23
The other day he gaz'd upon thy face,
- 1.8.24
As he would grow a statue in the place;
- 1.8.25
And who indeed does not? like a new star,
- 1.8.26
Beauty like thine strikes wonder from afar.
- 1.8.27
Alas! methinks thou art ill-dress'd to-night;
- 1.8.28
This point's too poor; thy necklace is not right;
- 1.8.29
This gown was by some botching tailor made,
- 1.8.30
It spoils thy shape; this fucus is ill laid.
- 1.8.31
Hear me, and be as happy as thou'rt fair:
- 1.8.32
Damon is rich, and what thou wanst, can spare.
- 1.8.33
Like thine his face, like thine his eyes are thought.
- 1.8.34
Would he not buy, he might himself be bought."
- 1.8.35
Fair Lucia blush'd. "It is a sign of grace,
- 1.8.36
(Dypsas replied,) that red becomes thy face.
- 1.8.37
All lovers now by what they give are weighed,
- 1.8.38
And she is best belov'd that best is paid;
- 1.8.39
The sun-burnt Latins, in old Tatius' reign,
- 1.8.40
Did to one man perhaps their love restrain:
- 1.8.41
Venus in her Aeneas' city rules,
- 1.8.42
And all adore her deity but fools.
- 1.8.43
Go on, ye fair, chaste only let such live
- 1.8.44
As none will ask, and know not how to give.
- 1.8.45
Life steals away, and our best hours are gone
- 1.8.46
Ere the true use or worth of them be known.
- 1.8.47
Things long neglected, of themselves decay;
- 1.8.48
What we forbear, time rudely makes his prey.
- 1.8.49
Beauty is best preserv'd by exercise,
- 1.8.50
Nor for that task can one or few suffice.
- 1.8.51
Wouldst thou grow rich, thou must from many take:
- 1.8.52
From one 'twere hard continually to rake.
- 1.8.53
Without new gowns and coaches, who can live ?
- 1.8.54
What does thy poet but new verses give?
- 1.8.55
A poet, the last thing that earth does breed,
- 1.8.56
Whose wit, for sixpence, any one may read.
- 1.8.57
Hang the poor lover, and his pedigree;
- 1.8.58
The thriving merchant, or fat judge, give me.
- 1.8.59
Love truly none, but seem in love with all,
- 1.8.60
And at old friends to thy new lovers rail.
- 1.8.61
Sometimes deny, 'twill appetite procure;
- 1.8.62
The sharp-set hawks will stoop to any lure.
- 1.8.63
Then grant again, lest he a habit get
- 1.8.64
Of living from thee; but be sure thou let
- 1.8.65
No empty lover in; murmur sometimes,
- 1.8.66
And at first hurt, reproach him with thy crimes.
- 1.8.67
Seem jealous, when thou'st been thyself to blame;
- 1.8.68
'Twill stop his mouth, if thou the first complain.
- 1.8.69
All thou hast done be ready to forswear:
- 1.8.70
For lovers' oaths fair Venus has no ear.
- 1.8.71
Whilst lie is with thee, let some woman bring
- 1.8.72
Some Indian stuff or foreign precious thing;
- 1.8.73
Which thou must say thou want'st, and he must buy,
- 1.8.74
Though for it six months hence in gaol he lie.
- 1.8.75
Thy mother, sister, brother, and thy nurse,
- 1.8.76
Must have a pull each at thy lover's purse.
- 1.8.77
Let him from rivals never be secure,
- 1.8.78
That hope once gone, love will not long endure;
- 1.8.79
Show him the presents by those rivals sent,
- 1.8.80
So shall his bounty thy request prevent.
- 1.8.81
When he will give no more, ask him to lend:
- 1.8.82
If he wants money, find a trusting friend.
- 1.8.83
Get hangings, cabinets, and looking-glass,
- 1.8.84
Or any thing for which his word will pass.
- 1.8.85
Practise these rules, thou'lt find the benefit!
- 1.8.86
I lost my beauty ere I got this wit."
- 1.8.87
I at that word step'd from behind the door,
- 1.8.88
And scarce my nails from her thin cheeks forbore.
- 1.8.89
Her few gray hairs in rage I vow'd to pull,
- 1.8.90
And thrust her drunken eyes into her skull.
- 1.8.91
"Poor in a dungeon's bottom may'st thou rot,
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Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0959.phi001.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.