The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume III Part 16

ELEGIA I.[233]

Quod pro gigantomachia amores scribere sit coactus.

I, Ovid, poet, of my[234] wantonness, Born at Peligny, to write more address.

So Cupid wills. Far hence be the severe!

You are unapt my looser lines to hear.

Let maids whom hot desire to husbands lead,[235]

And rude boys, touched with unknown love, me read: That some youth hurt, as I am, with Love's bow, His own flame's best-acquainted signs may know.

And long admiring say, "By what means learned, Hath this same poet my sad chance discern'd?" 10 I durst the great celestial battles tell, Hundred-hand Gyges, and had done it well; With Earth's revenge, and how Olympus top High Ossa bore, Mount Pelion up to prop; Jove and Jove's thunderbolts I had in hand, Which for[236] his heaven fell on the giants' band.

My wench her door shut, Jove's affairs I left, Even Jove himself out of my wit was reft.

Pardon me, Jove! thy weapons aid me nought, Her shut gates greater lightning than thine brought. 20 Toys, and light elegies, my darts I took, Quickly soft words hard doors wide-open strook.

Verses reduce the horned b.l.o.o.d.y moon, And call the sun's white horses back[237] at noon.

Snakes leap by verse from caves of broken mountains,[238]

And turned streams run backward to their fountains.

Verses ope doors; and locks put in the post, Although of oak, to yield to verses boast.

What helps it me of fierce Achill to sing?

What good to me will either Ajax bring? 30 Or he who warred and wandered twenty year?

Or woful Hector whom wild jades did tear?

But when I praise a pretty wench's face, She in requital doth me oft embrace.

A great reward! Heroes of[239] famous names Farewell! your favour nought my mind inflames.

Wenches apply your fair looks to my verse, Which golden Love doth unto me rehea.r.s.e.

FOOTNOTES:

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

[234] Old eds. "thy."

[235] A clear instance of a plural verb following a singular subject.

[236] "Quod bene pro coelo mitteret ille suo."

[237] Old eds. "blacke."

[238] "Carmine dissiliunt, _abruptis faucibus_, angues." ("Fauces" means both "jaw" and "mountain-gorge." Marlowe has gone desperately wrong.)

[239] Old eds. "O."

ELEGIA II.[240]

Ad Bagoum, ut custodiam puellae sibi commissae laxiorem habeat.

Bagous, whose care doth thy[241] mistress bridle, While I speak some few, yet fit words, be idle.

I saw the damsel walking yesterday, There, where the porch doth Danaus' fact[242] display: She pleased me soon; I sent, and did her woo; Her trembling hand writ back she might not do.

And asking why, this answer she redoubled, Because thy care too much thy mistress troubled.

Keeper, if thou be wise, cease hate to cherish, Believe me, whom we fear, we wish to perish. 10 Nor is her husband wise: what needs defence, When unprotected[243] there is no expense?

But furiously he follow[244] his love's fire, And thinks her chaste whom many do desire: Stolen liberty she may by thee obtain, Which giving her, she may give thee again: Wilt thou her fault learn? she may make thee tremble.

Fear to be guilty, then thou may'st dissemble.

Think when she reads, her mother letters sent her: Let him go forth known, that unknown did enter. 20 Let him go see her though she do not languish, And then report her sick and full of anguish.

If long she stays, to think the time more short, Lay down thy forehead in thy lap to snort.

Inquire not what with Isis may be done, Nor fear lest she to the theatres run.

Knowing her scapes, thine honour shall increase; And what less labour than to hold thy peace?

Let him please, haunt the house, be kindly used, Enjoy the wench; let all else be refused. 30 Vain causes feign of him, the true to hide, And what she likes, let both hold ratified.

When most her husband bends the brows and frowns, His fawning wench with her desire he crowns.

But yet sometimes to chide thee let her fall Counterfeit tears: and thee lewd hangman call.

Object thou then, what she may well excuse, To stain all faith in truth, by false crimes' use.

Of wealth and honour so shall grow thy heap: Do this, and soon thou shalt thy freedom reap. 40 On tell-tales' necks thou seest the link-knit chains, The filthy prison faithless b.r.e.a.s.t.s restrains.

Water in waters, and fruit, flying touch, Tantalus seeks, his long tongue's gain is such.

While Juno's watchman Io too much eyed, Him timeless[245] death took, she was deified.

I saw one's legs with fetters black and blue, By whom the husband his wife's incest[246] knew: More he deserved; to both great harm he framed, The man did grieve, the woman was defamed. 50 Trust me all husbands for such faults are sad, Nor make they any man that hears them glad.

If he loves not, deaf ears thou dost importune, Or if he loves, thy tale breeds his misfortune.

Nor is it easy proved though manifest; She safe by favour of her judge doth rest.

Though himself see, he'll credit her denial, Condemn his eyes, and say there is no trial.

Spying his mistress' tears he will lament And say "This blab shall suffer punishment." 60 Why fight'st 'gainst odds? to thee, being cast, do hap Sharp stripes; she sitteth in the judge's lap.

To meet for poison or vild facts[247] we crave not; My hands an unsheathed s.h.i.+ning weapon have not.

We seek that, through thee, safely love we may; What can be easier than the thing we pray?

FOOTNOTES:

[240] Not in Isham copy or ed. "A."

[241] So ed. B.--Ed. C "my."

[242] The original has "agmen." Cunningham suggests "pack." If we retain "fact" the meaning is "Danaus' guilt."

[243] Old eds. "vn-protested." ("Unde nihil, quamvis non tueare, perit.")

[244] So ed. B.--Ed. C "follows." (The sense wanted is "Furiously let him follow" &c.)

[245] "Ante suos annos occidit."

[246] "Unde vir incestum scire coactus erat." (Here "incestum" is "adultery.")

[247] "Scelus."

ELEGIA III.[248]

Ad Eunuchum servantem dominam.