Volume III Part 12 (2/2)

Both of them watch: each on the hard earth sleeps: His mistress' door this, that his captain's keeps.

Soldiers must travel far: the wench forth send,[182]

Her valiant lover follows without end. 10 Mounts, and rain-doubled floods he pa.s.seth over, And treads the desert snowy heaps do[183] cover.

Going to sea, east winds he doth not chide, Nor to hoist sail attends fit time and tide.

Who but a soldier or a lover's bold To suffer storm-mixed snows with night's sharp cold?

One as a spy doth to his enemies go, The other eyes his rival as his foe.

He cities great, this thresholds lies before: This breaks town gates, but he his mistress' door. 20 Oft to invade the sleeping foe 'tis good, And armed to shed unarmed people's blood.

So the fierce troops of Thracian Rhesus fell, And captive horses bade their lord farewell.

Sooth,[184] lovers watch till sleep the husband charms, Who slumbering, they rise up in swelling arms.

The keepers' hands[185] and corps-du-gard to pa.s.s, The soldier's, and poor lover's work e'er was.

Doubtful is war and love; the vanquished rise, And who thou never think'st should fall, down lies. 30 Therefore whoe'er love slothfulness doth call, Let him surcease: love tries wit best of all.

Achilles burned, Briseis being ta'en away; Trojans destroy the Greek wealth, while you may.

Hector to arms went from his wife's embraces, And on Andromache[186] his helmet laces.

Great Agamemnon was, men say, amazed, On Priam's loose-trest daughter when he gazed.

Mars in the deed the blacksmith's net did stable; In heaven was never more notorious fable. 40 Myself was dull and faint, to sloth inclined; Pleasure and ease had mollified my mind.

A fair maid's care expelled this sluggishness, And to her tents willed me myself address.

Since may'st thou see me watch and night-wars move: He that will not grow slothful, let him love.

FOOTNOTES:

[181] Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

[182] ”Mitte puellam.”

[183] Old eds. ”to.”

[184] So ed. B.--Ed. C ”such.”

[185] ”Custodum transire _ma.n.u.s_ vigilumque catervas.” (For ”hands” the poet should have written ”bands.”)

[186] ”Et galeam capiti quae daret uxor erat.”

ELEGIA X.[187]

Ad puellam, ne pro amore praemia poscat.

Such as the cause was of two husbands' war, Whom Trojan s.h.i.+ps fetch'd from Europa far, Such as was Leda, whom the G.o.d deluded In snow-white plumes of a false swan included.

Such as Amymone through the dry fields strayed, When on her head a water pitcher laid.

Such wert thou, and I feared the bull and eagle, And whate'er Love made Jove, should thee inveigle.

Now all fear with my mind's hot love abates: No more this beauty mine eyes captivates. 10 Ask'st why I change? because thou crav'st reward; This cause hath thee from pleasing me debarred.

While thou wert plain[188] I loved thy mind and face: Now inward faults thy outward form disgrace.

<script>