venus and adonis-第1章
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1593
VENUS AND ADONIS
by William Shakespeare
Vilia miretur vulgus; mihi flavus Apollo
Pocula Castalia plena ministret aqua
TO THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE
HENRY WRIOTHESLEY;
EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON; AND BARON
OF TITCHFIELD
Right Honourable;
I know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to
your lordship; nor how the world will censure me for choosing so
strong a prop to support so weak a burden: only; if your honour seem
but pleased; I account my self highly praised; and vow to take
advantage of all idle hours; till I have honoured you with some graver
labour。 But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed; I
shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather; and never after ear so
barren a land; for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest。 I leave it
to your honourable survey; and your honour to your heart's content;
which I wish may always answer your own wish; and the world's
hopeful expectations。
Your honour's in all duty;
William Shakespeare
Even as the sun with purple…coloured face
Had ta'en his last leave of the weeping morn;
Rose…cheeked Adonis hied him to the chase;
Hunting he loved; but love he laughed to scorn。
Sick…thoughted Venus makes amain unto him;
And like a bold…faced suitor 'gins to woo him。
'Thrice fairer than myself;' thus she began;
'The field's chief flower; sweet above compare;
Stain to all nymphs; more lovely than a man;
More white and red than doves or roses are;
Nature that made thee with herself at strife
Saith that the world hath ending with thy life。
'Vouchsafe; thou wonder; to alight thy steed;
And rein his proud head to the saddle…bow;
If thou wilt deign this favour; for thy meed
A thousand honey secrets shalt thou know。
Here come and sit; where never serpent hisses;
And being set; I'll smother thee with kisses;
'And yet not cloy thy lips with loathed saiety;
But rather famish them amid their plenty;
Making them red and pale with fresh variety;
Ten kisses short as one; one long as twenty。
A summer's day will seem an hour but short;
Being wasted in such time…beguiling sport。'
With this she seizeth on his sweating palm;
The precedent of pith and livelihood;
And; trembling in her passion; calls it balm;
Earth's sovereign salve to do a goddess good。
Being so enraged; desire doth lend her force
Courageously to pluck him from his horse。
Over one arm the lusty courser's rein;
Under her other was the tender boy;
Who blushed and pouted in a dull disdain;
With leaden appetite; unapt to toy;
She red and hot as coals of glowing fire;
He red for shame; but frosty in desire。
The studded bridle on a ragged bough
Nimbly she fastens… O; how quick is love!
The steed is stalled up; and even now
To tie the rider she begins to prove。
Backward she pushed him; as she would be thrust;
And governed him in strength; though not in lust。
So soon was she along as he was down;
Each leaning on their elbows and their hips;
Now doth she stroke his cheek; now doth he frown;
And 'gins to chide; but soon she stops his lips;
And kissing speaks; with lustful language broken;
'If thou wilt chide; thy lips shall never open。'
He burns with bashful shame; she with her tears
Doth quench the maiden burning of his cheeks;
Then with her windy sighs and golden hairs
To fan and blow them dry again she seeks。
He saith she is immodest; blames her miss;
What follows more she murders with a kiss。
Even as an empty eagle; sharp by fast;
Tires with her beak on feathers; flesh and bone;
Shaking her wings; devouring all in haste;
Till either gorge be stuffed or prey be gone;
Even so she kissed his brow; his cheek; his chin;
And where she ends she doth anew begin。
Thus she replies: 'Thy palfrey; as he should;
Welcomes the warm approach of sweet desire。
Affection is a coal that must be cooled;
Else; suffered; it will set the heart on fire。
The sea hath bounds; but deep desire hath none;
Therefore no marvel though thy horse be gone。
'How like a jade he stood tied to the tree;
Servilely mastered with a leathern rein!
But when he saw his love; his youth's fair fee;
He held such petty bondage in disdain;
Throwing the base thong from his bending crest;
Enfranchising his mouth; his back; his breast。
'Who sees his true…love in her naked bed;
Teaching the sheets a whiter hue than white;
But; when his glutton eye so full hath fed;
His other agents aim at like delight?
Who is so faint that dares not be so bold
To touch the fire; the weather being cold?
'Let me excuse thy courser; gentle boy;'
And learn of him; I heartily beseech thee;
To take advantage on presented joy;
Though I were dumb; yet his proceedings teach thee。
O; learn to love; the lesson is but plain;
And once made perfect; never lost again。'
'I know not love;' quoth he; 'nor will not know it;
Unless it be a boar; and then I chase it。
'Tis much to borrow; and I will not owe it。
My love to love is love but to disgrace it;
For I have heard it is a life in death;
That laughs; and weeps; and all but with a breath。
'Who wears a garment shapeless and unfinished?
Who plucks the bud before one leaf put forth?
If springing things be any jot diminished;
They wither in their prime; prove nothing worth。
The colt that's backed and burdened being young
Loseth his pride; and never waxeth strong。
'You hurt my hand with wringing; let us part;
And leave this idle theme; this bootless chat;
Remove your siege from my unyielding heart;
To love's alarms it will not ope the gate。
Dismiss your vows; your feigned tears; your flatt'ry;
For where a heart is hard they make no batt'ry。'
'What; canst thou talk?' quoth she; 'hast thou a tongue?
O; would thou hadst not; or I had no hearing!
Thy mermaid's voice hath done me double wrong;
I had my load before; now pressed with bearing:
Melodious discord; heavenly tune harsh sounding;
Ears' deep…sweet music; and heart's deep…sore wounding。
'Had I no eyes but ears; my ears would love
That inward beauty and invisible;
Or were I deaf; thy outward parts would move
Each part in me that were but sensible。
Though neither eyes nor ears; to hear nor see;
Yet should I be in love by touching thee。
'Say that the sense of feeling were bereft me;
And that I could not see; nor hear; nor touch;
And nothing but the very smell were left me;
Yet would my love to thee be still as much;
For from the stillitory of thy face excelling
Comes breath perfumed; that breedeth love by smelling。
'But O; what banquet wert thou to the taste;
Being nurse and feeder of the other four!
Would they not wish the feast might ever last;
And bid Suspicion double…lock the door;
Lest Jealousy; that sour unwelcome guest;
Should by his stealing in disturb the feast?'
Once more the ruby…coloured portal opened;
Which to his speech did honey passage yield;
Like a red morn; that ever yet betokened
Wrack to the seaman; tempest to the field;
Sorrow to shepherds; woe unto the birds;
Gusts and foul flaws to herdmen and to herds。
This ill presage advisedly she marketh。
Even as the wind is hushed before it raineth;
Or as the wolf doth grin before he barketh;
Or as the berry breaks before it staineth;