Poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Spring was come, and all the fields grown fine;
My flame Lycoris like young Proserpine
Went forth to gather flowers, bettring their sent
They took more sweetnesse from her, then they lent.
Now loaden with her harvest, and o'represt
With her sweet toyl, she laid her down to rest,
Lillies did strow her couch, and proud were grown
To bear a whitenesse purer then their own.
Roses fell down soft pillows to her head,
And blusht themselves into a deeper red
To emulate her cheeks: Flora did set
Her maids to work to weave the Violet
Into a purple rugge, to shield the fair
Lycoris from the malice of the Air;
When lo a snake hid in the neighbour bowres
(Ah who could think treason should lurk in flowrs?)
Shoots forth her checker'd skin, and gently creeps
O're my Lycoris that as gently sleeps.
I saw it, and a sudden frost possest
My frighted soule in my then troubled brest.
What fears appear'd not to my mind and me?
Thou first wert call'd bemoan'd Enridice,
By Serpents envy forced to expire,
From Orpheus rapt, and his death-conquering lyre:
But when I found he wore a guiltlesse sting,
And more of love did then of treason bring:
How quickly could my former fear depart,
And to a greater leave my jealous heart!
For the smooth Viper every member scands,

Africk he loaths now, and the barren sands
That nurst him, wondring at the glorious sight
Of thighes and belly, and the brests more white
Then their own milk, Ah might I still (quoth he)
Crawl in such fields, 'twixt two such mountains be!
There me he spied, and fearing to be seen;
Shrowds to her neck, thinking t'had Lillies been.
But viewing her bright cheeks, he soon did cry.
Under your Roses shall I safer lye.
Thence did her fore-head with full veins appear,
Good heaven (quoth he) what violets grow here
On this clear Promontory? Hence he slides
Vp to her locks, and through her tresses glydes,
Her yellow tresses; dazel'd to behold
A glistring grove, an intire wood of Gold.
Th'Hesperian wood he thinks he now hath seen,
That thought, but now, they had an Orchard been;
For leaves and boughes the Archimenian Vine,
The Dodan Oak, and the Thessalian Pine
Must yeeld to these; no Trees so bright as they,
Nor Paphian Myrtles, nor Pentian Bay!
Joy now fill'd all his brest, no timerous fear
Of danger could find room to harbour there.
Down slips he, and about each limb he hurls
His wanton body into numerous curles.
And while his tail had thrown it self a chain
About her neck, his head bears up again;
With his black lips her warmer lips he greets,
And there with kisses steept in Nectar meets.
Thence Zephyrs breath he sucks, then doth he smell
Perfumes that all th'Aræbian gums excell.
And spices that do build the Phœnix Pyre,
When she renews her youth in funerall fire.

Nor seeks he poyson there, but like the Bee
That on Mount Hybla plies her husbandry,
He gathers honey thence, now, now I know
With Aristeus Flocks a Snake may go.
Ah cold at heart, I fear'd some heavenly sleight.
And Iove my rivall; that his old deceit
Had once again this borrowed shape put on
To court my Nymph, as he Dedis won,
Up lift the Snake his head (for pleasure now
Held all his soul) and with erected brow
To flatter's Love he sung; he strives to play,
And hisses forth a well tun'd Rounde lay.
This wakes the Nymph, her eyes admit the day;
Here flowers, and there her scattered Garlands lay,
Which as she picks up, and with Bents reties,
She in her lap the speckled Serpent spies.
The Nymph no sign of any terrour shows,
(How bold is beauty when her strength she knows!)
And in her hand the tender worm she grasp'd,
While it sometime about her finger clasp'd
A ring enamel'd, then her tender wast
In manner of a girdle round imbrac'e,
And now upon her a bracelet hung,
Where for the greater ornament she flung
His limber body into severall folds,
And twenty winding figures, where it holds
Her amorous pulse, in many a various twist,
And many a Love-knot ties upon her wrist.
Lycoris to the gods thou art too dear,
And top too much of heaven belov'd I fear.
This or that Nymph's the Red-sea spoyls may be.
But Lybia ne're sent Jewels but to thee.
What s're to us are deaths and poysons sent,

Desire to be Lycoris Ornament:
For that same little Spider that hangs up,
Together with her web on the house top,
When she beheld the Snake a bracelet made,
Stuck with an evy, and a love; she said,
And shall a Snake a Gemme Lycoris be,
And such bright form receive no tires from me?
Then flings her nets away, and throwing by
Her subtle toyl she sets to catch the fly,
To th'loom Arachne goes, and plyes it there
To work a roab for my Lycoris weare.

But thou, o Serpent, which so blest can be
To reap those joyes for which I envy thee:
That happy worm, upon her lip fast hung,
Sucking in kisses with thy three fork'd tongue
(So may'st thou age and skin together cast,
And oft recall thy youth, when it is past,)
Teach my Lycoris what your Arts may be,
Let her th'Ingredients of thy Cordials see.
That she may ne're grow old, that times dull plow
May never print a wrinckle in her brow.
I charge thee in thy powerfull Cupids name,
May a new beauty alwayes and the same
Lycoris shew; ne're may she in her glasse
Look for her owne, ad find anothers face.
Venus for beauty may she then appear
When she has liv'd to old Sybilla's year;
And when, dark Snake, thou wilt no more renew
Thy youthfull vigour, bid base earth adiew;
And glory to the night, or from his sphear
Huge Python pull and fix thy torches there:
Where like a river thou shalt bending go,
And through the Orb a starry torrent flow.

And thou Dycoris, when th'art pleas'd to take
No more of life, next thy beloved Snake
Shine forth a constellation, full, and bright;
Blesse the poor heavens with more majestick light,
Who in requitall shall present you there,
Ariadnasses Crown, and Cassiopæis Chair.

University of Virginia Library

In anguem, qui Lycoris in dormientem amplexus est. 9

Englished thus Παραφραστακς

In anguem, qui Lycoris in dormientem amplexus est.
9