University of Virginia Library

ELEGIA. 1 Quemadmodum à Cupidine pro bellis amores scribere coactus sit.

VVe which were Ouids fiue books now are three
For these before the rest preferreth he.
If reading fiue thou plain'st of tediousnesse.
Two tane away, thy labour will be lesse.
With Muse prepar'd I meant to sing of Armes,
Choosing a subiect fit for fierce alarmes.
Both verses were a like till loue (men say)
Began to smile and tooke one foote away.
Rash boy, who gaue thee power to change a line?
We are the Muses Prophets, none of thine.
What if thy mother take Dianas bow,
Shall Dian fanne, when loue begins to glow.
In wooddy groues is't meete that Ceres raigne?
And quiuer-bearing Dian till the plaine.
Who'le set the faire trest sunne in battell ray,
While Mars doth take the Aonian Harp to play.
Great are thy kingdomes, ouer strong and large,
Ambitious impe, why seek'st thou further charge?
Are all things thine? the Muses Temple thine?
Then scarse can Phœbus say, this Harp is mine.
When in this workes first verse I trode aloft,
Loue slackt my Muse, and made my numbers soft.
I haue no mistresse; nor no [illeg.]
Being fittest matter, for [illeg.]
Thus I complain'd, but loue vnlockt his quiuer,
Tooke out the shaft, ordain'de my heart to shiuer:
And bent his sinewie bow vpon his knee,
Saying Poet, heere's a worke beseeming thee.
Oh woe is me, he neuer shootes but hits,
I burne loue in my idle bosome sits.
Let my first verse be sixe, my last fiue feete,
Fare-well sterne warre, for blunter Poets meete.
Elegian Muse, that warblest amorous laies,
Girt my shine brow with Sea-banke Mirtle praise.