The art of love In Imitation of Ovid De Arte Amandi. With a Preface containing the Life of Ovid. By W. King |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
Part XI.
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| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
 | The art of love |  |
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XI. Part XI.
I who the Art of War to Danaans gave,Will make Penthesilea's Force as Brave:
That both becoming glorious to the Sight,
With equal Arms may hold a dubious Fight.
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My Amazonian Darts shall make him yield.
A Myrtle Crown with Victory attends
Those who are Cupid's and Dione's Friends.
When Beauty has so many Arms in store,
(Some Men will say) why should you give it more?
Tell me who, when Penelope appears
With Constancy maintain'd for twenty Years;
Who can the Fair Laodamia see
In her Lord's Arms expire as well as he;
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From Earth, instead of him she so much loves;
Can hear of bright Evadne, who in Fires
For her lov'd Capaneus prepar'd, expires;
When Virtue has it self a Female Name,
So Truth, so Goodness, Piety, and Fame;
Would headstrong fight, and would not conquer'd be,
Or stoop to so much Generosity?
'Tis not with Sword, or Fire, or Strength of Bow
That Female Warriors to their Battle go:
They have no Stratagem, or subtile Wile;
Their Native Innocence can ne'er beguile:
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They leave to Fierceness and the Craft of Men.
'Twas Jason that transfer'd his broken Vows
From kind Medea to another Spouse:
Theseus left Gnossis on the Sands to be
Prey to the Birds, or Monsters of the Sea:
Demophoon Nine times recall'd, forbore
Return, and let his Phillis name the Shore.
Æneas wrackt, and hospitably us'd,
Fam'd for his Piety, yet still refus'd
To stay where lov'd, but left the dangerous Sword
By which she dy'd to whom he broke his Word.
Piteous Examples! worthy better Fate,
If my Instructions had not come too late:
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What first victorious Rays of Beauty gain'd.
Whilst thus I thought, not without Grief to find
Defenceless Virtue meet with Fate unkind,
Bright Cytherea's sacred Voice did reach
My tingling Ears, and thus she bad me teach:
“What had the harmless Maid deserv'd from thee?
“Thou hast given Weapons to her Enemy;
“Whilst in the Field she must defenceless stand
“With want of Skill, and more unable Hand.
“Stesichorus, who would no Subject find
“But Harm to Maids, was by the Gods struck blind.
“But when his Song did with their Glories rise,
“He had his own restor'd, to praise their Eyes.
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“'Tis by the Ladies Favours you must live.
She then one Mystick Leaf with Berries four
(Pluckt from her Myrtle Crown) bad me with speed devour.
I find the Pow'r inspir'd, through purer Sky
My Breath dissolves in Verse to make young Lovers die.
Here Modesty and Innocence shall learn
How they may Truth from flattering Speech discern
But come with speed: Lose not the flying Day.
See how the crowding Waves roll down away,
And neither, tho' at Love's Command, will stay.
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But as the Minutes pass must lose 'em all.
Nor like what's past are Days succeeding good,
But slide with Warmth decay'd and thicker Blood.
Flora, altho' a Goddess, yet does fear
The Change that grows with the declining Year;
Whilst glistering Snakes, by casting off their Skin,
Fresh Courage gain, and Life renew'd begin.
The Eagles cast their Bills, the Stag its Horn;
But Beauty to that Blessing is not born.
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Grac'd by Examples of the Powers above.
Endymion pierc'd the Chast Diana's Heart,
And cool Aurora felt Love's fiery Dart.
| The art of love | |