Ouids Banquet of Sence A Coronet for his Mistresse Philosophie, and his amorous Zodiacke. With a translation of a Latine coppie, written by a Fryer, Anno Dom.[by George Chapman] 1400 |
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 | Ouids Banquet of Sence |  |
Heerewith, as Ouid something neerer drew,
Her Odors, odord with her breath and brest,
Into the sensor of his sauor flew,
As if the Phenix hasting to her rest
Had gatherd all th' Arabian Spicerie
T'enbalme her body in her Tombe, her nest,
And there lay burning gainst Apollos eye,
Whose fiery ayre straight piercing Ouids braine
Enflamde his Muse with a more odorouse vaine.
Her Odors, odord with her breath and brest,
Into the sensor of his sauor flew,
As if the Phenix hasting to her rest
Had gatherd all th' Arabian Spicerie
T'enbalme her body in her Tombe, her nest,
And there lay burning gainst Apollos eye,
Whose fiery ayre straight piercing Ouids braine
Enflamde his Muse with a more odorouse vaine.
And thus he sung, come soueraigne Odors, come
Restore my spirits now in loue consuming,
Wax hotter ayre, make them more sauorsome,
My fainting life with fresh-breath'd soule perfuming,
The flames of my disease are violent,
And many perish on late helps presuming,
With which hard fate must I yet stand content,
As Odors put in fire most richly smell,
So men must burne in loue that will excell.
Restore my spirits now in loue consuming,
Wax hotter ayre, make them more sauorsome,
My fainting life with fresh-breath'd soule perfuming,
The flames of my disease are violent,
And many perish on late helps presuming,
With which hard fate must I yet stand content,
As Odors put in fire most richly smell,
So men must burne in loue that will excell.
And as the ayre is rarefied with heate
But thick and grosse with Summer-killing colde,
So men in loue aspire perfections seate,
When others, slaues to base desire are sold,
And if that men neere Ganges liu'd by sent
Of Flowres, and Trees, more I a thousand fold
May liue by these pure fumes that doe present
My Mistres quickning, and consuming breath
Where her wish flyes with power of life and death.
But thick and grosse with Summer-killing colde,
So men in loue aspire perfections seate,
When others, slaues to base desire are sold,
And if that men neere Ganges liu'd by sent
Of Flowres, and Trees, more I a thousand fold
May liue by these pure fumes that doe present
My Mistres quickning, and consuming breath
Where her wish flyes with power of life and death.
Me thinks, as in these liberall fumes I burne
My Mistres lips be neere with kisse-entices,
And that which way soeuer I can turne,
She turns withall, and breaths on me her spices
As if too pure for search of humaine eye
She flewe in ayre disburthening Indian prizes,
And made each earthly fume to sacrifice.
With her choyse breath fell Cupid blowes his fire,
And after, burns himselfe in her desire.
My Mistres lips be neere with kisse-entices,
And that which way soeuer I can turne,
She turns withall, and breaths on me her spices
As if too pure for search of humaine eye
She flewe in ayre disburthening Indian prizes,
And made each earthly fume to sacrifice.
With her choyse breath fell Cupid blowes his fire,
And after, burns himselfe in her desire.
Gentle, and noble are theyr tempers framde,
That can be quickned with perfumes and sounds,
And they are cripple-minded, Gowt-wit lamde,
That lye like fire-fit blocks, dead without wounds,
Stird vp with nought, but hell-descending gaine,
The soule of fooles that all theyr soules confounds,
The art of Pessants and our Nobles staine,
The bane of vertue and the blisse of sinne.
Which none but fooles and Pessants glorie in.
That can be quickned with perfumes and sounds,
And they are cripple-minded, Gowt-wit lamde,
That lye like fire-fit blocks, dead without wounds,
Stird vp with nought, but hell-descending gaine,
The soule of fooles that all theyr soules confounds,
The art of Pessants and our Nobles staine,
The bane of vertue and the blisse of sinne.
Which none but fooles and Pessants glorie in.
Sweete sounds and Odors, are the heauens, on earth
Where vertues liue, of vertuous men deceast,
Which in such like, receiue theyr second birth
By smell and
hearing endlesly encreast;
They were meere flesh were not with them delighted,
And euery such is perisht like a beast
As all they shall that are so foggye sprighted,
Odors feede loue, and loue cleare heauen discouers,
Louers weare sweets then; sweetest mindes, be louers.
Where vertues liue, of vertuous men deceast,
Which in such like, receiue theyr second birth
By smell and
By this allusion drawne from the effects of sounds and Odors, hee imitates the eternitie of Vertue: saying, the vertues of good me liue in them, because they stir vp pure enclinations to the like, as if infusde in perfumes & sounds: Besides, he infers, that such as are neyther delighted with sounds (intēding by sounds all vtterance of knowledge, as well as musicall affections,) nor with Odors, (Wc properly drye the braine & delight the instruments of the soule, making them the more capable of her faculties) such saith hee, perrish without memorie.
They were meere flesh were not with them delighted,
And euery such is perisht like a beast
As all they shall that are so foggye sprighted,
Odors feede loue, and loue cleare heauen discouers,
Louers weare sweets then; sweetest mindes, be louers.
Odor in heate and drynes is consite
Loue then a fire is much thereto affected;
And as ill smells do kill his appetite
With thankfull sauors it is still protected;
Loue liues in spyrits, and our spyrits be
Nourisht with Odors, therefore loue refected;
And ayre lesse corpulent in quallitie
Then Odors are, doth nourish vitall spyrits
Therefore may they be prou'd of equall merits;
Loue then a fire is much thereto affected;
And as ill smells do kill his appetite
With thankfull sauors it is still protected;
Loue liues in spyrits, and our spyrits be
Nourisht with Odors, therefore loue refected;
And ayre lesse corpulent in quallitie
Then Odors are, doth nourish vitall spyrits
Therefore may they be prou'd of equall merits;
Of soueraigne Odors; not of force to giue
Foode to a thing that liues nor let it dye,
But to ad life to that did neuer liue;
Nor to ad life, but immortallitie.
Since they pertake her heate that like the fire
Stolne from the wheeles of Phœbus waggonrie
To lumps of earth, can manly lyfe inspire;
Else be these fumes the liues of sweetest dames
That (dead) attend on her for nouell frames;
Foode to a thing that liues nor let it dye,
But to ad life to that did neuer liue;
Nor to ad life, but immortallitie.
Since they pertake her heate that like the fire
Stolne from the wheeles of Phœbus waggonrie
To lumps of earth, can manly lyfe inspire;
Else be these fumes the liues of sweetest dames
That (dead) attend on her for nouell frames;
Reioyce blest Clime, thy ayre is so refinde
That while shee liues no hungry pestilence
Can feede her poysoned stomack with thy kynde;
But as the Vnicorns pregredience
To venomd Pooles, doth purdge them with his horne,
And after him the desarts Residence
May safely drinke, so in the holesome morne
After her walke, who there attends her eye,
Is sure that day to tast no maladye.
That while shee liues no hungry pestilence
Can feede her poysoned stomack with thy kynde;
But as the Vnicorns pregredience
To venomd Pooles, doth purdge them with his horne,
And after him the desarts Residence
May safely drinke, so in the holesome morne
After her walke, who there attends her eye,
Is sure that day to tast no maladye.
Thus was his course of Odors sweet and sleight,
Because he long'd to giue his sight assaye,
And as in feruor of the summers height,
The sunne is so ambitious in his sway
He will not let the Night an howre be plast,
So in this Cupids Night (oft seene in day
Now spred with tender clouds these Odors cast,)
Her sight, his sunne so wrought in his desires,
His sauor vanisht in his visuale fires.
Because he long'd to giue his sight assaye,
And as in feruor of the summers height,
The sunne is so ambitious in his sway
He will not let the Night an howre be plast,
So in this Cupids Night (oft seene in day
Now spred with tender clouds these Odors cast,)
Her sight, his sunne so wrought in his desires,
His sauor vanisht in his visuale fires.
So vulture loue on his encreasing liuer,
And fruitfull entrails egerly did feede,
And with the goldnest Arrow in his Quiuer,
Wounds him with longings, that like Torrents bleeds,
To see the Myne of knowledge that enricht
His minde with pouertie, and desperate neede
A sight that with the thought of sight bewitcht,
A sight taught Magick his deepe misterie,
Quicker in danger then Dianas eye.
And fruitfull entrails egerly did feede,
And with the goldnest Arrow in his Quiuer,
Wounds him with longings, that like Torrents bleeds,
To see the Myne of knowledge that enricht
His minde with pouertie, and desperate neede
A sight that with the thought of sight bewitcht,
A sight taught Magick his deepe misterie,
Quicker in danger then Dianas eye.
Stay therefore Ouid, venter not, a sight
May proue thy rudenes, more then shew thee louing,
And make thy Mistres thinke thou think'st her light:
Which thought with lightest Dames is nothing mouing.
The slender hope of fauor thou hast yet
Should make thee feare, such grosse conclusions prouing:
Besides, the Thicket Floras hands hath set
To hide thy theft, is thinne and hollow harted,
Not meete to haue so high a charge imparted.
May proue thy rudenes, more then shew thee louing,
And make thy Mistres thinke thou think'st her light:
Which thought with lightest Dames is nothing mouing.
The slender hope of fauor thou hast yet
Should make thee feare, such grosse conclusions prouing:
Besides, the Thicket Floras hands hath set
To hide thy theft, is thinne and hollow harted,
Not meete to haue so high a charge imparted.
And should it keepe thy secrets, thine owne eye
Would fill thy thoughts so full of lightenings,
That thou must passe through more extremitie.
Or stand content to burne beneath theyr wings,
Her honor gainst thy loue, in wager layde,
Thou would'st be prickt with other sences stings,
To tast, and feele, and yet not there be staide:
These casts, he cast, and more, his wits more quick
Then can be cast, by wits Arithmetick.
Would fill thy thoughts so full of lightenings,
That thou must passe through more extremitie.
Or stand content to burne beneath theyr wings,
Her honor gainst thy loue, in wager layde,
Thou would'st be prickt with other sences stings,
To tast, and feele, and yet not there be staide:
These casts, he cast, and more, his wits more quick
Then can be cast, by wits Arithmetick.
Forward, and back, and forward went he thus,
Like wanton Thamysis, that hastes to greete
The brackish Court of old Oceanus;
And as by Londons bosome she doth fleet
Casts herselfe proudly through the Bridges twists,
Where (as she takes againe her Christall feete:)
She curls her siluer hayre like Amorists,
Smoothes her bright cheekes, adorns her browes with ships
And Empresse-like along the Coast she trips.
Like wanton Thamysis, that hastes to greete
The brackish Court of old Oceanus;
And as by Londons bosome she doth fleet
Casts herselfe proudly through the Bridges twists,
Where (as she takes againe her Christall feete:)
She curls her siluer hayre like Amorists,
Smoothes her bright cheekes, adorns her browes with ships
And Empresse-like along the Coast she trips.
Till comming neere the Sea, she heares him rore,
Tumbling her churlish billowes in her face,
Then, more dismaid, then insolent before
Charg'd to rough battaile, for his smooth embrace,
She crowcheth close within her winding bancks,
And creepes retreate into her peacefull Pallace;
Yet straite high-flowing in her female prancks
Againe shee will bee wanton, and againe,
By no meanes stayde, nor able to containe.
Tumbling her churlish billowes in her face,
Then, more dismaid, then insolent before
Charg'd to rough battaile, for his smooth embrace,
She crowcheth close within her winding bancks,
And creepes retreate into her peacefull Pallace;
Yet straite high-flowing in her female prancks
Againe shee will bee wanton, and againe,
By no meanes stayde, nor able to containe.
So Ouid with his strong affections striuing,
Maskt in a friendly Thicket neere her Bowre,
Rubbing his temples, fainting, and reuiuing,
Fitting his garments, praying to the howre,
Backwards, and forwards went, and durst not venter,
To tempt the tempest of his Mistres lowre,
Or let his eyes her beauties ocean enter,
At last, with prayer he pierceth Iunos eare,
Great Goddesse of audacitie and feare,
Maskt in a friendly Thicket neere her Bowre,
Rubbing his temples, fainting, and reuiuing,
Fitting his garments, praying to the howre,
Backwards, and forwards went, and durst not venter,
To tempt the tempest of his Mistres lowre,
Or let his eyes her beauties ocean enter,
At last, with prayer he pierceth Iunos eare,
Great Goddesse of audacitie and feare,
Great Goddesse of audacitie, and feare,
Queene of Olympus, Saturns eldest seede,
That doost the scepter ouer Samos beare,
And rul'st all Nuptiale rites with power, and meede,
Since thou in nature art the meane to mix
Still sulphure humors, and canst therefore speede
Such as in Cyprian sports theyr pleasures fix
Uenus herselfe, and Mars by thee embracing,
Assist my hopes, me and my purpose gracing.
Queene of Olympus, Saturns eldest seede,
That doost the scepter ouer Samos beare,
And rul'st all Nuptiale rites with power, and meede,
Since thou in nature art the meane to mix
Still sulphure humors, and canst therefore speede
Such as in Cyprian sports theyr pleasures fix
Uenus herselfe, and Mars by thee embracing,
Assist my hopes, me and my purpose gracing.
Make loue within me not too kinde but pleasing,
Exiling Aspen feare out of his forces,
My inward sight, with outward seeing, easing,
And if he please further to stretch his courses,
Arme me with courage to make good his charges,
Too much desire to please, pleasure diuorces,
Attemps, and not entreats get Ladies larges,
Wit is with boldnes prompt, with terror danted,
And grace is sooner got of Dames then graunted.
Exiling Aspen feare out of his forces,
My inward sight, with outward seeing, easing,
And if he please further to stretch his courses,
Arme me with courage to make good his charges,
Too much desire to please, pleasure diuorces,
Attemps, and not entreats get Ladies larges,
Wit is with boldnes prompt, with terror danted,
And grace is sooner got of Dames then graunted.
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