Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 5. OF TEMPERANCE, by WILLIAM BASSE Poet's Biography First Line: How sad and lonely (clorus) doest thou stand Last Line: N'a jamais fin, ne terme. Subject(s): Absence; Separation; Isolation | ||||||||
Orpin. Clorus Orpin HOW sad and lonely (Clorus) doest thou stand! Beware such vaine not melancholly bring. Come, either take thy charmefull reed in hand, Some wakefull note in Eccho's eares to ring; Or with shrill bosome entertaine the spring, If thou thy breast canst more then fingers use; Or, be thy Muse not bent to pipe nor sing, (Pitie so bent should euer be thy Muse) Say (gentle Swayne) how thou the time hast spent, The tedious time, since Pmenarcha went. Clorus Yon Bush our nymphes with Summers wreaths adornes, As thick as he in natiue bloomes is blowne, How fares he that sad time, wherein forlorne He standes of their fine dressings and his owne? This streame that hath by our greene meaddows flowne Before our ancestour of us did dreame, Suppose his chrystall head some course unknowne Should chance to take, how then would fare this streame? How fare the sheepe by shepheard left alone? So Shep-heard fares since Pminarcha's gone. Since Pminarcha's paces plaines forsooke, And playnes forsooke their pleasance with her paces, And under Decks (not for their owne faire looke So call'd, but for so deckt within with graces) Caus'd emulation in the proud embraces Of amorous Pine and odoriferous Firre: While they with fame of farre discouer'd places And perfumes, like Sea-courtiers, honour her; And our owne winde the swelling canvas stores, Longing to shew such prize to forrayne shores. When this fayre Iland, fond of her, was seene Cast chalky cheekes from her relinquis'd shore And wish'd her selfe in gray or (since in greene) Wish'd all th' apparrell willow that she wore; And Ocean proud, imagining he bore His Gouernesse upon his curled crest, (And blame not much his over-ioy therefore For in this fare was all that Ladyes best) With Dolphins yoak'd, and songes of Syrens sweet, From followeing eyes steales on the less'ning Fleet. Rough Saylers now leade Shep-heards liues at Sea, Shep-heards at land now Saylours fortune beare; We plung'd in greifes, in calme delightes are they; Ships there as sheepe, and sheepe as ships are here. Wee now keepe flocks with more then wonted feare, Since from our sight our Shep-heards star doth slip: And they without their Card or needle steare, All while they haue their Load-starre in their Ship. So cross'd are wee: They bless'd. Thou think'st me long: But what means't thou, to thrall me in this song? Orpin That thou mayst tell thy greife: it is the way The danger of it from thy heart to draw. Clorus The Belgique boates enamour'd, as they say, Then ventur'd drowning when her sayle they saw. Slow-paced Seyne besought her for a law, That he might eb and flow like Thames, and shine Bright as his brothers brow: and famous Spaw, That lineally from stock of precious mines Deriues him-selfe, yet more advanc'd his streames, To flow from earthly into heauenly gemmes. When in our treasure strangers rich became, When forraine Shepheards thriue and wee decay, Hast thou forgotten (Orpin) what I am, That thou demand'st how I passe time away? Why what is Time? the eldest and most gray Of all the starres, and therefore drawne by howers In forme of fleetest stags; and what are they That draw his coach, if Sun with-drew his powers? Hide he his face, will Diall shaddow show? Or Cynthia hers, how shall we Midnight know? Orpin Well, Clorus, well: I finde thou doat'st on much, Though dost but little good: and I confesse Such passions may attend on causes such. Some great felicities make mindes the lesse. But what! doth vow thy solemne thoughts possesse? Clorus He parts the wed that vowes and thoughts doth seuer. Orpin Plac'd in one place, is thy hearts happiness? Clorus Hearts 'till so plac'd, (thou know'st), are happy never. Orpin Containes thy minde but one delight in all? Then great is that delight or minde is small. But that some one mans great delight I note Is in his eye, some others in his breast; And some doe ioy to thinke on joyes remote, More then to bee of present joyes posses'd. Art so vnbles't, or should I say so bles't, Thou canst not loue? so dull thou canst not dance? Nymphes neuer were more worthy thy request; Nor did in any age more Bridalls chance. Who sorrow can so out of sweetnes borrow, Me thinks might steale some sweetnes out of sorrow. When civill streame, diseas'd with storme, denyes The patient hooke his siluer hopes by day; Perhaps with plumed pris'ners smiling skyes By night the Sprindge or lime-twig prosper may. Our youngest lads, when lillyes fade away, With Lady-gloues can deck their hoods againe; And simple Shep-heardesse, that walkes in gray, More then one suiter hath, if not then twaine. If what I say thou thinks't is true to finde, But will to joy, what ioy then wantes thy minde? Clorus Say (simple Swaine) The sayling Pilots eye Should loose the sight of the Arcadian Beare, Could he as well by fickle Mercury, As by his fixed starre, his vessell steere? Should wee forget in thriueing Moone to sheare Will fleeces thriue as well in her decay? So may we fowle with danger, fish with feare, In languour loue, and dance in dumpes we may; But when nor mindes nor meanes are present to Our deeds, wee doe but undoe what we doe. As mans owne garment euer suites him best, So suites him best that humour is his owne, Be'it white or black or myrth or mone: The rest Are borrow'd vizars, and behauiours stol'ne. Like as yon lambe, that (motherles and lone) In a false skin now suckes a lambeles mother, Is not to us, (though to his nurse), unknowne By his loose robe from his dead foster-brother; Delightes disguize so loose on sorrow showes Fain'd joyes are much lesse gracious then true woes. And though my pipe I had no minde to use Since shee went hence, yet, to giue these content, Shalt heare a little of my slender Muse In song that I deuised since shee went; Though some-thing sad, (for sadly was I bent, When first I fram'd it, I must needs confesse). Orpin O sing it (though): 'Twill help the woe to vent That doeth thy gentle heart too much possesse. Clorus 1. Silly Swaine, sit downe and weepe Weepe that she from hence is gone; She, of all that follow'd sheepe By her matchles beauty knowne. 2. All the playne by her bright eyes Shin'd, while she did here remaine: Now her eye her light denyes, Darkenes seemes to hide the playne. 3. Phbus now seemes lesser light To th' unhappy vale to send, Hauing lost more by her flight Then he doth his sister lend. 4. Cynthia yeilds Night fewer rayes, Since the Sun her fewer yeildes; He has wanted for the Dayes, Since her wanted haue the feildes. 5. Mountaines neuer knowne to rue, Rockes that strangers were to woes, Since her absence cleaue in two, And their ruin'd hearts disclose. 6. Feildes are left to winters wrack; Sheepe that share the Shep-heard's woe Change their hue to mourning black, Once as white as mornings snow. 7. Earth in withring weeds doth mourne, Flowers droop their heads dismay'd, Trees let fall their leaues, that borne Were, her beautious browes to shade. 8. All the yeare, while she was here, Spring and Summer seem'd to last: Since shee left us, all the yeare Autumne seemes and Winters blast. 9. While she grac'd us and these plaines, Forraine Swaynes of her did heare; Now she graces forraine Swaines Wee envy their Fortunes there; Fame where-euer she remaines Soundes her wonder euery-where. It should be more but that my voyce is faint: The rest by thus much may bee understood. Orpin It is enough; Exceed not in complaint To hurt thy selfe and doe thy freind no good. Make vse of vertuous Temperance, that shou'd The Mistresse bee of all our wordes and deeds. And now the Sun in Tritons fomeing flood Cooles the hot fet-locks of his yellow steeds, Leade home thy Lambes with so much more good speed, And sleepe, which thou a little seemes to need. Clorus Well fare thy heart, that mindes me Temperance, Whose onely name mine eare doth so enchant I wish that it may never be thy chance The freindly counsell thou dost giue to want; For thou (I know) canst not be ignorant It is two vertues well to doe and teach. But now, before the black Inhabitant Of Cimeris shall this Horizon reach, With thy faire Heardlem hye thee home apace. Embrace my Counsell, I will thine embrace. Orpins Emblem Temperance tout asseure, Violence nulle dure: Clorus his Emblem Amour loyal et ferme N'a jamais fin, ne terme. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE EVENING OF THE MIND by DONALD JUSTICE CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM HOME by JANE KENYON THE PROBLEM by CHARLOTTE FISKE BATES WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN by DAVID LEHMAN THIS UNMENTIONABLE FEELING by DAVID LEHMAN ELEGY ON MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE by WILLIAM BASSE |
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