venus and adonis-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
Or as the wolf doth grin before he barketh;
Or as the berry breaks before it staineth;
Or like the deadly bullet of a gun;
His meaning struck her ere his words begun。
And at his look she flatly falleth down;
For looks kill love; and love by looks reviveth;
A smile recures the wounding of a frown。
But blessed bankrupt that by loss so thriveth!
The silly boy; believing she is dead;
Claps her pale cheek; till clapping makes it red;
And all amazed brake off his late intent;
For sharply he did think to reprehend her;
Which cunning love did wittily prevent。
Fair fall the wit that can so well defend her!
For on the grass she lies as she were slain;
Till his breath breatheth life in her again。
He wrings her nose; he strikes her on the cheeks;
He bends her fingers; holds her pulses hard;
He chafes her lips; a thousand ways he seeks
To mend the hurt that his unkindness marred;
He kisses her; and she; by her good will;
Will never rise; so he will kiss her still。
The night of sorrow now is turned to day:
Her two blue windows faintly she upheaveth;
Like the fair sun; when in his fresh array
He cheers the morn; and all the earth relieveth;
And as the bright sun glorifies the sky;
So is her face illumined with her eye;
Whose beams upon his hairless face are fixed;
As if from thence they borrowed all their shine。
Were never four such lamps together mixed;
Had not his clouded with his brow's repine;
But hers; which through the crystal tears gave light;
Shone like the moon in water seen by night。
Forced to content; but never to obey;
Panting he lies and breatheth in her face;
She feedeth on the steam as on a prey;
And calls it heavenly moisture; air of grace;
Wishing her cheeks were gardens full of flowers;
So they were dewed with such distilling showers。
Look how a bird lies tangled in a net;
So fast'ned in her arms Adonis lies;
Pure shame and awed resistance made him fret;
Which bred more beauty in his angry eyes。
Rain added to a river that is rank
Perforce will force it overflow the bank。
Still she entreats; and prettily entreats;
For to a pretty ear she tunes her tale;
Still is he sullen; still he lours and frets;
'Twixt crimson shame and anger ashy…pale;
Being red; she loves him best; and being white;
Her best is bettered with a more delight。
Look how he can; she cannot choose but love;
And by her fair immortal hand she swears
From his soft bosom never to remove
Till he take truce with her contending tears;
Which long have rained; making her cheeks all wet;
And one sweet kiss shall pay this countless debt。
Upon this promise did he raise his chin;
Like a dive…dapper peering through a wave;
Who; being looked on; ducks as quickly in;
So offers he to give what she did crave;
But when her lips were ready for his pay;
He winks; and turns his lips another way。
Never did passenger in summer's heat
More thirst for drink than she for this good turn。
Her help she sees; but help she cannot get;
She bathes in water; yet her fire must burn。
'O; pity;' 'gan she cry。 'flint…hearted boy!
'Tis but a kiss I beg; why art thou coy?
'I have been wooed; as I entreat thee now;
Even by the stern and direful god of war;
Whose sinewy neck in battle ne'er did bow;
Who conquers where he comes in every jar;
Yet hath he been my captive and my slave;
And begged for that which thou unasked shalt have。
'Over my altars hath he hung his lance;
His batt'red shield; his uncontrolled crest;
And for my sake hath learned to sport and dance;
To toy; to wanton; dally; smile and jest;
Scorning his churlish drum and ensign red;
Making my arms his field; his tent my bed。
'Thus he that overruled I overswayed;
Leading him prisoner in a red…rose chain;
Strong…tempered steel his stronger strength obeyed;
Yet was he servile to my coy disdain。
O; be not proud; nor brag not of thy might;
For mast'ring her that foiled the god of fight!
'Touch but my lips with those fair lips of thine…
Though mine be not so fair; yet are they red…
The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine。
What see'st thou in the ground? hold up thy head;
Look in mine eyeballs; there thy beauty lies;
Then why not lips on lips; since eyes in eyes?
'Art thou ashamed to kiss? then wink again;
And I will wink; so shall the day seem night。
Love keeps his revels where there are but twain;
Be bold to play; our sport is not in sight。
These blue…veined violets whereon we lean
Never can blab; nor know not what we mean。
'The tender spring upon thy tempting lip
Shews thee unripe; yet mayst thou well be tasted;
Make use of time; let not advantage slip;
Beauty within itself should not be wasted。
Fair flowers that are not gath'red in their prime
Rot and consume themselves in little time。
'Were I hard…favoured; foul; or wrinkled…old;
Ill…nurtured; crooked; churlish; harsh in voice;
O'erworn; despised; rheumatic and cold;
Thick…sighted; barren; lean; and lacking juice;
Then mightst thou pause; for then I were not for thee;
But having no defects; why dost abhor me?
'Thou canst not see one wrinkle in my brow;
Mine eyes are grey and bright and quick in turning;
My beauty as the spring doth yearly grow;
My flesh is soft and plump; my marrow burning;
My smooth moist hand; were it with thy hand felt;
Would in thy palm dissolve; or seem to melt。
'Bid me discourse; I will enchant thine ear;
Or; like a fairy; trip upon the green;
Or; like a nymph; with long dishevelled hair;
Dance on the sands; and yet no footing seen。
Love is a spirit all compact of fire;
Not gross to sink; but light; and will aspire。
'Witness this primrose bank whereon I lie;
These forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me;
Two strengthless doves will draw me through the sky
From morn till night; even where I list to sport me。
Is love so light; sweet boy; and may it be
That thou should think it heavy unto thee?
'Is thine own heart to thine own face affected?
Can thy right hand seize love upon thy left?
Then woo thyself; be of thyself rejected;
Steal thine own freedom; and complain on theft。
Narcissus so himself forsook;
And died to kiss his shadow in the brook。
'Torches are made to light; jewels to wear;
Dainties to taste; fresh beauty for the use;
Herbs for their smell; and sappy plants to bear;
Things growing to themselves are growth's abuse。
Seeds spring from seeds and beauty breedeth beauty;
Thou wast begot; to get it is thy duty。
'Upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou feed;
Unless the earth with thy increase be fed?
By law of nature thou art bound to breed;
That thine may live when thou thyself art dead;
And so in spite of death thou dost survive;
In that thy likeness still is left alive。'
By this; the love…sick queen began to sweat;
For where they lay the shadow had forsook them;
And Titan; tired in the mid…day heat;
With burning eye did hotly overlook them;
Wishing Adonis had his team to guide;
So he were like him; and by Venus' side。
And now Adonis; with a lazy sprite;
And with a heavy; dark; disliking eye;
His louring brows o'erwhelming his fair sight;
Like misty vapours when they blot the sky;
Souring his cheeks; cries 'Fie; no more of love!
The sun doth burn my face; I must remove。'
'Ay me;' quoth Venus; 'young; and so unkind!
What bare excuses mak'st thou to be gone!
I'll sigh celestial breath; whose gentle wind
Shall cool the heat of this descending s