And in her haste unfortunately spies The foul boar's conquest on her fair delight; Which seen, her eyes, as murdered with the view, Like stars ashamed of day, themselves withdrew. Or, as the snail, whose tender horns being hit, So, at his bloody view, her eyes are fled Where they resign their office and their light Whereat each tributary subject quakes: That from their dark beds once more leap her eyes; And, being opened, threw unwilling light Upon the wide wound that the boar had trenched With purple tears, that his wound wept, was drenched: No flower was nigh, no grass, herb, leaf, or weed, But stole his blood, and seemed with him to bleed This solemn sympathy poor Venus noteth; Upon his hurt she looks so steadfastly That her sight dazzling makes the wound seem three; My tongue cannot express my grief for one, And yet," quoth she, " behold two Adons dead! My sighs are blown away, my salt tears gone, Mine eyes are turned to fire, my heart to lead: Heavy heart's lead melt at mine eyes' red fire! So shall I die by drops of hot desire. "Alas, poor world, what treasure hast thou lost! What face remains alive that's worth the viewing? Whose tongue is music now? what canst thou boast Of things long since, or any thing ensuing? The flowers are sweet, their colors fresh and trim ; But true-sweet beauty lived and died with him. you: "Bonnet nor veil henceforth no creature wear! you: 1 Fair, beauty. But when Adonis lived, sun and sharp air "And therefore would he put his bonnet on, They both would strive who first should dry his tears. "To see his face the lion walked along Behind some hedge, because he would not fear him: The tiger would be tame and gently hear him: "When he beheld his shadow in the brook The fishes spread on it their golden gills; When he was by the birds such pleasure took, That some would sing, some other in their bills Would bring him mulberries, and ripe-red cherries; He fed them with his sight, they him with berries. "But this foul, grim, and urchin-snouted1 boar, If he did see his face, why then I know 1 Urchin-snouted, with the snout of the urchin, or hedgehog. "Tis true, 'tis true; thus was Adonis slain; "Had I been toothed like him I must confess She looks upon his lips, and they are pale; As if they heard the woful words she told : She lifts the coffer-lids that close his eyes, Where, lo! two lamps, burnt out, in darkness lies: Two glasses where herself herself beheld "Wonder of time," quoth she, "this is my spite, That you being dead the day should yet be light. "Since thou art dead, lo! here I prophesy, That all love's pleasure shall not match his woe. "It shall be fickle, false, and full of fraud; The strongest body shall it make most weak, Strike the wise dumb, and teach the fool to speak. "It shall be sparing, and too full of riot, Teaching decrepit age to tread the measures; The staring ruffian shall it keep in quiet,. 2 Pluck down the rich, enrich the poor with treas ures: It shall be raging mad, and silly mild, Make the young old, the old become a child. "It shall suspect, where is no cause of fear; "It shall be cause of war and dire events, Sith in his prime death doth my love destroy, By this, the boy that by her side lay killed 1 O'erstrawed, o'erstrewed. 2 Measures, grave dances suited to age. |