The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume III Part 29

Marlowe appears to have read "Qui tibi concubitus," &c.

ELEGIA XI.[419]

Ad amicam a cujus amore discedere non potest.

Long have I borne much, mad thy faults me make; Dishonest love, my wearied breast forsake!

Now have I freed myself, and fled the chain, And what I have borne, shame to bear again.

We vanquish, and tread tamed love under feet, Victorious wreaths[420] at length my temples greet.

Suffer, and harden: good grows by this grief, Oft bitter juice brings to the sick relief.

I have sustained, so oft thrust from the door, To lay my body on the hard moist floor. 10 I know not whom thou lewdly didst embrace, When I to watch supplied a servant's place.

I saw when forth a tired lover went.

His side past service, and his courage spent, Yet this is less than if he had seen me; May that shame fall mine enemies' chance to be.

When have not I, fixed to thy side, close laid?

I have thy husband, guard, and fellow played.

The people by my company she pleased; My love was cause that more men's love she seized. 20 What, should I tell her vain tongue's filthy lies, And, to my loss, G.o.d-wronging perjuries?

What secret becks in banquets with her youths, With privy signs, and talk dissembling truths?

Hearing her to be sick, I thither ran, But with my rival sick she was not than.

These hardened me, with what I keep obscure:[421]

Some other seek, who will these things endure.

Now my s.h.i.+p in the wished haven crowned, With joy hears Neptune's swelling waters sound. 30 Leave thy once-powerful words, and flatteries, I am not as I was before, unwise.

Now love and hate my light breast each way move, But victory, I think, will hap to love.

I'll hate, if I can; if not, love 'gainst my will, Bulls hate the yoke, yet what they hate have still.

I fly her l.u.s.t, but follow beauty's creature, I loathe her manners, love her body's feature.

Nor with thee, nor without thee can I live, And doubt to which desire the palm to give. 40 Or less fair, or less lewd would thou might'st be: Beauty with lewdness doth right ill agree.

Her deeds gain hate, her face entreateth love; Ah, she doth more worth than her vices prove!

Spare me, oh, by our fellow bed, by all The G.o.ds, who by thee, to be perjured fall.[422]

And by thy face to me a power divine, And by thine eyes, whose radiance burns out mine!

Whate'er thou art, mine art thou: choose this course, Wilt have me willing, or to love by force. 50 Rather I'll hoist up sail, and use the wind, That I may love yet, though against my mind.

FOOTNOTES:

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

[420] The original has "Venerunt capiti cornua sera meo."

[421] "Et que taceo."

[422] "Qui dant fallendos se tibi saepe, deos."

ELEGIA XII.[423]

Dolet amicam suam ita suis carminibus innotuisse ut rivales multos sibi pararit.

What day was that, which all sad haps to bring, White birds to lovers did not[424] always sing?

Or is I think my wish against the stars?

Or shall I plain some G.o.d against me wars?

Who mine was called, whom I loved more than any, I fear with me is common now to many.

Err I? or by my books[425] is she so known?

'Tis so: by my wit her abuse is grown.

And justly: for her praise why did I tell?

The wench by my fault is set forth to sell. 10 The bawd I play, lovers to her I guide: Her gate by my hands is set open wide.

'Tis doubtful whether verse avail or harm, Against my good they were an envious charm.

When Thebes, when Troy, when Caesar should be writ, Alone Corinna moves my wanton wit.

With Muse opposed, would I my lines had done, And Phoebus had forsook my work begun!

Nor, as use will not poets' record hear, Would I my words would any credit bear. 20 Scylla by us her father's rich hair steals, And Scylla's womb mad raging dogs conceals.

We cause feet fly, we mingle hares with snakes, Victorious Perseus a winged steed's back takes.

Our verse great t.i.tyus a huge s.p.a.ce outspreads, And gives the viper-curled dog three heads.

We make Enceladus use a thousand arms, And men enthralled by mermaid's[426] singing charms.

The east winds in Ulysses' bags we shut, And blabbing Tantalus in mid-waters put. 30 Niobe flint, Callist we make a bear, Bird-changed Progne doth her Itys tear.[427]

Jove turns himself into a swan, or gold, Or his bull's horns Europa's hand doth hold.

Proteus what should I name? teeth, Thebes' first seed?

Oxen in whose mouths burning flames did breed?

Heaven-star, Electra,[428] that bewailed her sisters?

The s.h.i.+ps, whose G.o.dhead in the sea now glisters?

The sun turned back from Atreus' cursed table? 39 And sweet-touched harp that to move stones was able?

Poets' large power is boundless and immense, Nor have their words true history's pretence.

And my wench ought to have seemed falsely praised, Now your credulity harm to me hath raised.

FOOTNOTES:

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

[424] Marlowe has put his negative in the wrong place and made nonsense of the couplet:--

"Quis fuit ille dies quo tristia semper amanti Omina non albae concinuistis aves?"

[425] Old eds. "lookes."

[426] "Ambiguae captos virginis ore viros." ("Ambigua virgo" is the sphinx.)

[427] The original has "_Concinit_ Odrysium Cecropis ales Ityn."

[428] Marlowe's copy must have been very corrupt here. The true reading is

"Flere genis electra tuas, auriga, sorores?"

ELEGIA XIII.[429]