Part 24

De amica quÊ perjuraverat.

What, are there gods? herself she hath forswore, And yet remains the face she had before. How long her locks were ere her oath she took, So long they be since she her faith forsook. Fair white with rose-red was before commixt; Now shine her looks pure white and red betwixt. Her foot was small: her foot's form is most fit: Comely tall was she, comely tall she's yet. Sharp eyes she had: radiant like stars they be, By which she, perjured oft, hath lied to me. 10 In sooth, th' eternal powers grant maids society Falsely to swear; their beauty hath some deity. By her eyes, I remember, late she swore, And by mine eyes, and mine were painËd sore. Say gods: if she unpunished you deceive, For other faults why do I loss receive. But did you not so envy Cepheus' daughter, For her ill-beauteous mother judged to slaughter. 'Tis not enough, she shakes your record off, And, unrevenged, mocked gods with me doth scoff. 20 But by my pain to purge her perjuries, Cozened, I am the cozener's sacrifice. God is a name, no substance, feared in vain, And doth the world in fond belief detain. Or if there be a God, he loves fine wenches, And all things too much in their sole power drenches. Mars girts his deadly sword on for my harm; Pallas' lance strikes me with unconquered arm; At me Apollo bends his pliant bow; At me Jove's right hand lightning hath to throw. 30 The wrongËd gods dread fair ones to offend, And fear those, that to fear them least intend. Who now will care the altars to perfume? Tut, men should not their courage so consume. Jove throws down woods and castles with his fire, But bids his darts from perjured girls retire. Poor Semele among so many burned, Her own request to her own torment turned. But when her lover came, had she drawn back, The father's thigh should unborn Bacchus lack. 40 Why grieve I? and of heaven reproaches pen? The gods have eyes, and breasts as well as men. Were I a god, I should give women leave, With lying lips my godhead to deceive. Myself would swear the wenches true did swear, And I would be none of the gods severe. But yet their gift more moderately use, Or in mine eyes, good wench, no pain transfuse.

FOOTNOTES:

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

Old eds. "by."

"At non invidiÊ vobis CephÎia virgo est, Pro male formosa jussa parente mori?"

("InvidiÊ" here means "discredit, odium.")

ELEGIA IV.

Ad virum servantem conjugem.

Rude man, 'tis vain thy damsel to commend To keeper's trust: their wits should them defend. Who, without fear, is chaste, is chaste in sooth: Who, because means want, doeth not, she doth. Though thou her body guard, her mind is stained; Nor, 'less she will, can any be restrained. Nor can'st by watching keep her mind from sin, All being shut out, the adulterer is within. Who may offend, sins least; power to do ill The fainting seeds of naughtiness doth kill. 10 Forbear to kindle vice by prohibition; Sooner shall kindness gain thy will's fruition. I saw a horse against the bit stiff-necked, Like lightning go, his struggling mouth being checked: When he perceived the reins let slack, he stayed, And on his loose mane the loose bridle laid. How to attain what is denied we think, Even as the sick desire forbidden drink. Argus had either way an hundred eyes, Yet by deceit Love did them all surprise. 20 In stone and iron walls Dan‰e shut, Came forth a mother, though a maid there put. Penelope, though no watch looked unto her, Was not defiled by any gallant wooer. What's kept, we covet more: the care makes theft, Few love what others have unguarded left. Nor doth her face please, but her husband's love: I know not what men think should thee so move She is not chaste that's kept, but a dear whore: Thy fear is than her body valued more. 30 Although thou chafe, stolen pleasure is sweet play; She pleaseth best, "I fear," if any say. A free-born wench, no right 'tis up to lock, So use we women of strange nations' stock. Because the keeper may come say, "I did it," She must be honest to thy servant's credit. He is too clownish whom a lewd wife grieves, And this town's well-known custom not believes; Where Mars his sons not without fault did breed, Remus and Romulus, Ilia's twin-born seed. 40 Cannot a fair one, if not chaste, please thee? Never can these by any means agree. Kindly thy mistress use, if thou be wise; Look gently, and rough husbands' laws despise. Honour what friends thy wife gives, she'll give many, Least labour so shall win great grace of any. So shalt thou go with youths to feasts together, And see at home much that thou ne'er brought'st thither.

FOOTNOTES:

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

Old eds. "least." ("Nec custodiri, ni velit, ulla potest.")

The original has "Nescio quid, quod te ceperit, esse putant."

Dyce calls this line an "erroneous version of 'Non proba sit quam vir servat, sed adultera; cara est.'" But Merkel's reading is "Non proba fit quam vir servat, sed adultera cara"--which is accurately rendered by Marlowe.

ELEGIA VI.

Ad amnem dum iter faceret ad amicam.

Flood with reed-grown slime banks, till I be past Thy waters stay: I to my mistress haste. Thou hast no bridge, nor boat with ropes to throw, That may transport me, without oars to row. Thee I have passed, and knew thy stream none such, When thy wave's brim did scarce my ankles touch. With snow thawed from the next hill now thou gushest, And in thy foul deep waters thick thou rushest. What helps my haste? what to have ta'en small rest? What day and night to travel in her quest? 10 If standing here I can by no means get My foot upon the further bank to set. Now wish I those wings noble Perseus had, Bearing the head with dreadful adders clad; Now wish the chariot, whence corn fields were found, First to be thrown upon the untilled ground: I speak old poet's wonderful inventions, Ne'er was, nor [e'er] shall be, what my verse mentions. Rather, thou large bank-overflowing river, Slide in thy bounds; so shalt thou run for ever. 20 Trust me, land-stream, thou shalt no envy lack, If I a lover be by thee held back. Great floods ought to assist young men in love, Great floods the force of it do often prove. In mid Bithynia, 'tis said, Inachus Grew pale, and, in cold fords, hot lecherous. Troy had not yet been ten years' siege out stander, When nymph NeÊra rapt thy looks, Scamander. What, not Alpheus in strange lands to run, The Arcadian virgin's constant love hath won? 30 And Creusa unto Xanthus first affied, They say Peneus near Phthia's town did hide. What should I name Asop, that Thebe loved, Thebe who mother of five daughters proved, If, Achelˆus, I ask where thy horns stand, Thou say'st, broke with Alcides' angry hand. Not Calydon, nor ∆tolia did please; One Deianira was more worth than these. Rich Nile by seven mouths to the vast sea flowing, Who so well keeps his water's head from knowing, 40 Is by Evadne thought to take such flame, As his deep whirlpools could not quench the same. Dry Enipeus, Tyro to embrace, Fly back his stream charged; the stream charged, gave place. Nor pass I thee, who hollow rocks down tumbling, In Tibur's field with watery foam art rumbling. Whom Ilia pleased, though in her looks grief revelled, Her cheeks were scratched, her goodly hairs dishevelled. She, wailing Mar's sin and her uncle's crime, Strayed barefoot through sole places on a time. 50 Her, from his swift waves, the bold flood perceived, And from the mid ford his hoarse voice upheaved, Saying, "Why sadly tread'st my banks upon, Ilia sprung from IdÊan Laomedon? Where's thy attire? why wanderest here alone? To stay thy tresses white veil hast thou none? Why weep'st and spoil'st with tears thy watery eyes? And fiercely knock'st thy breast that open lies? His heart consists of flint and hardest steel, That seeing thy tears can any joy then feel. 60 Fear not: to thee our court stands open wide, There shalt be loved: Ilia, lay fear aside. Thou o'er a hundred nymphs or more shalt reign, For five score nymphs or more our floods contain. Nor, Roman stock, scorn me so much I crave, Gifts than my promise greater thou shalt have." This said he: she her modest eyes held down. Her woful bosom a warm shower did drown. Thrice she prepared to fly, thrice she did stay, By fear deprived of strength to run away. 70 Yet rending with enragËd thumb her tresses, Her trembling mouth these unmeet sounds expresses: "O would in my forefathers' tomb deep laid, My bones had been while yet I was a maid: Why being a vestal am I wooed to wed, Deflowered and stainËd in unlawful bed. Why stay I? men point at me for a whore, Shame, that should make me blush, I have no more." This said; her coat hoodwinked her fearful eyes, And into water desperately she flies. 80 'Tis said the slippery stream held up her breast, And kindly gave her what she likËd best. And I believe some wench thou hast affected, But woods and groves keep your faults undetected. While thus I speak the waters more abounded, And from the channel all abroad surrounded. Mad stream, why dost our mutual joys defer? Clown, from my journey why dost me deter? How would'st thou flow wert thou a noble flood? If thy great fame in every region stood? 90 Thou hast no name, but com'st from snowy mountains; No certain house thou hast, nor any fountains; Thy springs are nought but rain and melted snow, Which wealth cold winter doth on thee bestow. Either thou art muddy in mid-winter tide, Or full of dust dost on the dry earth slide. What thirsty traveller ever drunk of thee? Who said with grateful voice, "Perpetual be!" Harmful to beasts, and to the fields thou proves, Perchance these others, me mine own loss moves. 100 To this I fondly loves of floods told plainly, I shame so great names to have used so vainly. I know not what expecting, I ere while, Named Achelˆus, Inachus, and Nile. But for thy merits I wish thee, white stream, Dry winters aye, and suns in heat extreme.

FOOTNOTES:

Not in Isham copy or ed. A.--In the old copies this elegy is marked "Elegia v." The fifth elegy (beginning "Nox erat et somnus," &c.) was not contained in Marlowe's copy.

Old eds. "redde-growne."

So Dyce for "rushest" of the old eds.

So Dyce for "arrowes" of the old eds.

The original has "Inachus in Melie Bithynide pallidus isse." &c.--Dyce suggests that Marlowe's copy had "in media Bithynide."

Old eds. "Aesope."

Old eds. "shame."

"Loca sola."

The original has "Desit famosus qui notet ora pudor" (or "Desint ... quae," &c.)