X.
[Myne]
The Authour hath made two or three other passions
vpon this matter that is heere conteined, alluding
to the losse of his sight and life since the
time he first beheald her face, whose loue hath
thus bewitched him. But heere hee mentioneth,
the blindnesse of Tyresias to proceed of an other
cause, then he doth in those his other Sonnettes,
And heerein he leaneth not to the opinion of the
greater sorte of Poets, but vnto some fewe, after
whom Polytian hath written also, as followeth;
Baculum dat deinde petentem
Tyresiæ magni, qui quondam Pallada nudam
vidit, & hoc raptam pensauit munere lucem.
Suetus in offensos baculo duce tendere gressus
Nec deest ipse sibi, quin sacro instincta furore
Ora mouet, tantique parat solatia damni.
Myne
Quod naturale esse, ait Plinius lib. II. natur. hist. c. 36.
eyes dye first, which last enioyed life,
Not hurt by bleared eies, but hurt with light
Of such a blazing starre as kindeleth strife
Within my brest as well by day as night:
And yet no poysned Cockatrice lurk't there,
Her vertuous beames dissuade such foolish feare.
Besides, I liue as yet; though blinded nowe
Like him, that sawe Mineruaes naked side,
And lost his sight (poore soule) not knowing howe;
Or like to him, whome euill chance betide,
In straying farre to light vpon that place,
Where midst a fount he founde Dianaes grace.
But he alone, who Polyphemus hight,
Trewe patterne was of me and all my woe,
Of all the rest that euer lost their sight:
For being blinde, yet loue possest him so,
That he each how'r on ev'ry dale and hill
Sung songes of loue to
Galatæa was a water Nymph and daughter to old Nereus.
Galatæa still.
