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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;

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