The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume III Part 30

De Junonis festo.

When fruit-filled Tuscia should a wife give me, We touched the walls, Camillus, won by thee.

The priests to Juno did prepare chaste feasts, With famous pageants, and their home-bred beasts.

To know their rites well recompensed my stay, Though thither leads a rough steep hilly way.

There stands an old wood with thick trees dark clouded: Who sees it grants some deity there is shrouded.

An altar takes men's incense and oblation, An altar made after the ancient fas.h.i.+on. 10 Here, when the pipe with solemn tunes doth sound, The annual pomp goes on the covered[430] ground.

White heifers by glad people forth are led, Which with the gra.s.s of Tuscan fields are fed, And calves from whose feared front no threatening flies, And little pigs, base hogsties' sacrifice, And rams with horns their hard heads wreathed back; Only the G.o.ddess-hated goat did lack, By whom disclosed, she in the high woods took, Is said to have attempted flight forsook. 20 Now[431] is the goat brought through the boys with darts, And give[n] to him that the first wound imparts.

Where Juno comes, each youth and pretty maid, Show[432] large ways, with their garments there displayed.

Jewels and gold their virgin tresses crown, And stately robes to their gilt feet hang down.

As is the use, the nuns in white veils clad, Upon their heads the holy mysteries had.

When the chief pomp comes, loud[433] the people hollow; And she her vestal virgin priests doth follow. 30 Such was the Greek pomp, Agamemnon dead; Which fact[434] and country wealth, Halesus fled.

And having wandered now through sea and land, Built walls high towered with a prosperous hand.

He to th' Hetrurians Juno's feast commended: Let me and them by it be aye befriended.

FOOTNOTES:

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

[430] "It per velatas annua pompa vias."

[431]

"Nunc quoque per pueros jaculis incessitur index Et pretium auctori vulneris ipsa datur."

[432] "Praeverrunt latas veste jacente vias."--Dyce remarks that Marlowe read "Praebuerant."

[433] "Ore favent populi." (In Henry's monumental edition of Virgil's aeneid, vol. iii. pp. 25-27, there is a very interesting note on the meaning of the formula "ore favete." He denies the correctness of the ordinary interpretation "be silent.")

[434] "Et _scelus_ et patrias fugit Halaesus opes."

ELEGIA XIV.

Ad amicam, si peccatura est, ut occulte peccet.

Seeing thou art fair, I bar not thy false playing, But let not me, poor soul, know[435] of thy straying.

Nor do I give thee counsel to live chaste, But that thou would'st dissemble, when 'tis past.

She hath not trod awry, that doth deny it.

Such as confess have lost their good names by it.

What madness is't to tell night-pranks[436] by day?

And[437] hidden secrets openly to bewray?

The strumpet with the stranger will not do, Before the room be clear and door put-to. 10 Will you make s.h.i.+pwreck of your honest name, And let the world be witness of the same?

Be more advised, walk as a puritan, And I shall think you chaste, do what you can.

Slip still, only deny it when 'tis done, And, before folk,[438] immodest speeches shun.

The bed is for lascivious toyings meet, There use all tricks,[439] and tread shame under feet.

When you are up and dressed, be sage and grave, And in the bed hide all the faults you have. 20 Be not ashamed to strip you, being there, And mingle thighs, yours ever mine to bear.[440]

There in your rosy lips my tongue entomb, Practise a thousand sports when there you come.

Forbear no wanton words you there would speak, And with your pastime let the bedstead creak; But with your robes put on an honest face, And blush, and seem as you were full of grace.

Deceive all; let me err; and think I'm right, And like a wittol think thee void of slight. 30 Why see I lines so oft received and given?

This bed and that by tumbling made uneven?

Like one start up your hair tost and displaced, And with a wanton's tooth your neck new-rased.

Grant this, that what you do I may not see; If you weigh not ill speeches, yet weigh me.

My soul fleets[441] when I think what you have done, And thorough[442] every vein doth cold blood run.

Then thee whom I must love, I hate in vain, And would be dead, but dead[443] with thee remain. 40 I'll not sift much, but hold thee soon excused.

Say but thou wert injuriously accused.

Though while the deed be doing you be took, And I see when you ope the two-leaved book,[444]

Swear I was blind; deny[445] if you be wise, And I will trust your words more than mine eyes.

From him that yields, the palm[446] is quickly got, Teach but your tongue to say, "I did it not,"

And being justified by two words, think The cause acquits you not, but I[447] that wink. 50

FOOTNOTES:

[435] So Isham copy and eds. B, C.--Ed. A "wit."

[436] So Isham copy.--Ed. A "night-sports."

[437] So eds. B, C.--Isham copy and ed. A "Or."

[438] So Isham copy.--Ed. A "people."

[439] So Isham copy.--Ed. A "toyes."

[440] So eds. B, C.--Isham copy and ed. A "mine ever yours."

[441] "Mens abit."

[442] So eds. B, C.--Isham copy and ed. A "through."

[443] So eds. B, C.--Isham copy and ed. A "dying."

[444] The original has

"Et fuerint oculis probra videnda meis."

[445] So eds. B, C.--Isham copy and ed. A "yeeld not."

[446] So eds. B, C.--Isham copy and ed. A "garland."

[447] So Isham copy and eds. A, B.--Ed. C "that I."

ELEGIA XV.[448]