University of Virginia Library

A translation of Boëthius, the third book and last verse.

Happie man, whose perfect sight
Views the over-flowing light!
Happie man, that canst unbinde
Th' earth-barres pounding up the minde!
Once his wives quick fate lamenting
Orpheus sat, his hair all renting,
While the speedie woods came running,
And rivers stood to heare his cunning;
And the lion with the hart
Joyn'd side to side to heare his art:
Hares ran with the dogs along,
Not from dogs, but to his song.
But when all his verses turning
Onely fann'd his poore hearts burning,
And his grief came but the faster,
(His verse all easing, but his master)
Of the higher powers complaining,
Down he went to hell disdaining:
There his silver lute-strings hitting,
And his potent verses fitting,
All the sweets that e're he took
From his sacred mothers brook,
What his double sorrow gives him,
And love, that doubly-double grieves him,
There he spends to move deaf hell,
Charming divels with his spell,
And with sweetest asking leave
Does the lords of ghosts deceive.
The dog, whose never quiet yell
Affrights sad souls in night that dwell,
Pricks up now his thrice two eares;
To howl, or bark, or whine he fears:
Struck with dumbe wonder at those songs,
He wisht more eares, and fewer tongues.
Charon amaz'd his oare foreslowes,
While the boat the sculler rowes.
Tantal might have eaten now
The fruit as still as is the bough;
But he (fool!) no hunger fearing,
Starv'd his taste, to feed his hearing.
Ixion, though his wheel stood still,
Still was rapt with musicks skill.
At length the Judge of souls with pitie
Yeelds, as conquer'd with his dittie;
Let's give back his spouses herse,
Purchas'd with so pleasing verse:
Yet this law shall binde our gift,
He turn not, till ha's Tartar left.
Who to laws can lovers draw?
Love in love is onely law:
Now almost he left the night,
When he first turn'd back his sight;
And at once, while her he ey'd,
His Love he saw, and lost, and dy'd.
So, who strives out of the night
To bring his soul to joy in light,
Yet again turns back his eye
To view left hells deformitie;
Though he seems enlightned more,
Yet is blacker then afore.