University of Virginia Library

CARMEN ANACREONTIVM.

ODE 17.

Reueale) sweet muse) this secrette,
Wherein, the liuely sences
Do most triumph in glorie
Where others talke of eagles,
Searching the Sunne with quick-sight:
With eyes in brightnesse pearsaunte,
Parthenophe, my sweet Nymphe,
With sight more quicke then eagles,
With eyes, more cleare, and pearsaunte,
And (which exceedes all eagles)
Whose influence giues more heate,
Then Sunne in Cancers tropique:
With proude imperious glaunces,
Subdewing all beholders,
Which gaze vpon their brightnesse,
Shall triumphe ouer that sence.
Reueale (sweet muse) this secret,
Wherein the liuely sences
Do most triumph in glorie,
Where some, of heauenly Nectar,
The tastes cheefe comfort talke of,
For pleasure, and sweet relish:
Where some, cœlestiall Syrroppes,
And sweet Barbarian spices,
For pleasauntnesse commend most:
Parthenophe, my sweet Nymphe,
With lippes more sweet then Nectar,
Containing much more comfort,
Then all cœlestiall Syrroppes,
And which exceedes all spices,
On which, none can take surfet,
Shall triumphe ouer that sence.
Reueale (sweet muse) this secret,
Wherein, the liuely sences
Do most triumphe in glorie,
Where some, Panchaian incense,
And riche Arabian odours,
And waters sweet distilled:
Where some of herbes, and flowers,
Of Amber-greece, and sweet rootes,
For heauenly spirite prayse most:
Parthenophe, my sweet Nymphe
With breath more sweet then incense,
Panchaian, or Arabicke,
Or any sortes of sweet thinges,
And (which exceedes all odours)
Whose spirite, is loues godhead,
Shall triumphe ouer that sence.
Reueale (sweet muse) this secret,
Wherein the liuely sences,
Do most triumphe in glorie:
Where musique, restes in voyces,
As Socrates supposed:
In voyce, and bodies mouing,
As though Aristoxinus:
In mynde, as Theophrastus.
Her voyce, exceedes all musique,
Her bodies comely carridge,
Her gesture, and deuine grace
Doth rauish all beholders:
Her mynde, it is much heauenly
And which, exceedes all iudgement.
But such sweet lookes, sweet thoughtes tell,
And makes her conquour that sence.
Reueale (sweet muse) this secret,
Wherein, the liuely sences,
Do most triumphe in glorie:
Where some, of sacred handes talke,
Whose blessing makes things prosper:
Where some, of well-skill'de singers,
Which makes such heauenly musique,
With woode, and tuch of sinewes:
Parthenophes deuine handes,
Let them, but tuch my rude handes,
Let them, but tuch my pale cheekes,
Let them, but any part tuch:
My sorrow shall asswage soone,
Let her, but checke the lute string,
The sounde to heauen shall charme me:
Thus shee the sences conquores.