Done into English by Will Shakespeare.

ENTLES, perchance you wonder at this show; but wonder on, till truth makes all things plain. this man is Pyramus, if you would know; this bounteous lady Thisby is, certain.

this man, with lime and roughcast, doth present wall,-that vile wall that did these lovers sunder, and through wall's chink, poor souls, they are content to whisper; at the which let no one wonder. this man, with lantern, dog, and bush of thorn, presenteth moonshine; for, if you will know, by moonshine did these lovers think no scorn

to meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo. this grisly beast, which by name lion hight, the trusty Thisby, coming first by night, did scare away, or rather did affright. and as she fled, her mantle did she fall;

which lion vile with bloody mouth did stain: anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall, and finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain. whereat with blade, with bloody blameful blade, he bravely broached his boiling bloody breast; and, Thisby tarrying in mulberry shade,

his dagger drew, and died. for all the rest, let lion, moonshine, wall, and lovers twain, at large discourse, while here they do remain.

Pyramus.

WEET Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams;
I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright:
for by thy gracious golden glittering streams
I trust to taste of truest Thisby's sight.

Εκ τῆς ἐλεεινοτάτης κωμῳδίας, ἐν ᾗ Πυραμοῦ καὶ Θίσβης οἰκτρότατα παθήματα διηγεῖται ὁ ποιητής.

Παράβασις.

"Ω θεώμενοι, τάχ ̓ ἴσως θαυμάσεσθε τὴν θέαν. ἀλλ' ἔτ ̓, ἔστ ̓ ἂν πάντα φράση τἀληθές, θαυμάζετε. ἄνδρα τόνδε Πυραμὸν ὄντ ̓ ἴστ', ἢν βούλησθ' εἰδέναι, Θίσβη γὰρ παῖς καλλιπρόσωπος δήλη 'στ ̓ ἐκεινηΐ. ἀνὴρ δ ̓ οὔμπλεως χάλικος καὶ πηλοῦ μιμήσεται τεῖχος τοὐπίτριπτον, ἐραστὰ διεῖργον τὼ δύο. τώδε γὰρ τείχους δι ̓ ὀπῆς ἀσμένως τρισαθλίω νῦν πρὸς ἀλλήλω ψιθυρίζουσ' ἃ μηδεὶς θαυμάσῃ. ἄνδρα κεῖνον δ', ὃς κύν ̓ ἰπνόν τ ̓ ἔχει κακάνθης βάτον, σελήνης πρόσωπον ὁρᾶτ'· ἦν γὰρ βούλησθ' εἰδέναι, τὼ δύ ̓ οὐκ αἰδεῖσθον ἐραστὰ Σεληναίας σέλας εἰς Νίνου τύμβον προαπαντῶντε καὶ παίζοντ ̓ ἐκεῖ. θηρίον τόδ' αὖ χαροπόν, λέονθ' δν κικλήσκομεν, Θίσβην πιστήν ἐρχομένη δ ̓ ἡ παῖς νυκτὸς ἔφθασεν ἐξέπληξ ̓ εἴτ' οὖν ἐφόβησ ̓ ὧδε γὰρ τρανῶς ἐρῶ. φεύγουσαν δὲ θοιμάτιον λανθάνει πίπτον χαμαί, χώ λέων γνάθοις ἀκάθαρτος χραίνει μιαιφόνοις. κἀν τῷδ ̓ ἡδὺς ὑψικόμας μειρακίσκος προσμολὼν κτάμενον εὗρε θοιμάτιον Θίσβης πιστῆς Πυραμός. φασγάνῳ δὲ τῷ φοβερῷ τῷ φονῶντι φασγάνῳ φλᾷ φλογωπὸν φοιταλέος φοινίαν φίλην φρένα. εἶτα, Θίσβη γὰρ παρέμεινεν μόρου σκιᾶς ύπο, ἔγχος εἵλκυσ ̓ εἶτ ̓ ἔθανεν. τἄλλα δ ̓ οὖν πάνθ' ὡς ἔχει, ἡ σελήνη, τὼ δύ ̓ ἐραστά, τὸ τεῖχος, χώ λέων, οἵδ ̓ ἀφηγείσθων τάδ', ἕως ἐνθαδὶ μένουσ ̓ ἔτι.

Π.

Ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς κωμῳδίας λείψανον.

Δῖα Σελήνη, σὲ δὲ μαρμαρυγῆς ἄγαμαι τῆς ἡλιοειδοῦς. ἄγαμαι δῆτ ̓, ὦ δῖα Σελήνη, σελαγεῖς σέλας οἵνεκα λαμπρόν ὑπὸ γὰρ τοῖς σοῖς χρυσορύτοισιν χλιδανοῖς χαρίεσσι ρεέθροις ὄσσων Θίσβης τῆς πιστοτάτης πίστις πάρα πάγχυ πάσασθαι.

but stay-o spite!

but mark-poor knight,

what dreadful dole is here ? eyes, do you see?

how can it be?

o dainty duck! o dear!
thy mantle good,
what, stained with blood?

approach, ye furies fell!

o fates, come, come!
cut thread, and thrum !

quail, crush, conclude, and quell!

SHAKESPEARE.

To Sir Henry Vane the younger.

ANE, young in years, but in sage counsel old,

than whom a better senator ne'er held

the helm of Rome, when gowns, not arms, repelled

the fierce Epirot, and the African bold;

whether to settle peace, or to unfold

the drift of hollow states hard to be spelled; then to advise how war may best upheld

move by her two main nerves, iron and gold,

in all her equipage: besides to know

both spiritual power and civil, what each means,

what severs each, thou hast learned, which few have done. the bounds of either sword to thee we owe: therefore on thy firm hand religion leans

in peace, and reckons thee her eldest son.

MILTON.

ἀτὰρ οὐχὶ μενεῖς; φεῦ τῆς ὕβρεως
ὦ δύσμορ ̓ ἐράστ ̓, οὐχὶ κατόψει;
τί τόδ' αὖ φοβερὸν φρικώδες ὁρᾶν ;
* τήνδε θέαν λεύσσετον, ὄμματε ;
πῶς δέ, νεόττιον,

ὦ νηττάριον, τάδ' ἂν εἴη;
τὸ δ ̓ ἀμώμητον στάζειν αἵματι
σὴν ἀμπεχόνην. ἐπιχαιρέκακοι
δεῦρ ̓ ἴτ' Ερινύες· ἔλθετε Μοῖραι
τέμνετε λήνεα, τέμνετε πηνία
κείρετε καίνετε
κακθλίβετε, κατα πεπαύσθω.

Secundis temporibus dubiisque rectus. RIMAEVUS annis, consiliis senex, tu, Vane, Musa teste vocaberis, quo non gubernaclum senator Romuleum melior tenebat, quando peritae vox sapiens togae, non vis sagati militis, efferum certamen Epiri refregit

et Libyae furiale robur;

seu firma suades foedera, seu doces calumniantis quid populi tegant incepta, seu munire nervis

militiam properas duobus

ferrique et auri. quid statuat sacrum, civile quid ius, quosque habeant modos, haut ista te fallunt sagacem

discere quae didicere pauci. utrique fines tu gladio suos

addicis.

ergo stat tibi maximo

confisa natorum tuaque
relligio stabilita dextra.

Κ.

Delays are dangerous.

HUN delays, they breed remorse,
take thy time while time is lent thee,
creeping snails have weakest force,

fly their fault lest thou repent thee.
good is best when soonest wrought,
lingred labours come to nought.
Hoise up sail while gale doth last,
tide and wind stay no man's pleasure;
seek not time when time is past,

sober speed is wisdom's leisure. afterwits are dearly bought, let thy forewit guide thy thought. Time wears all his locks before,

take thy hold upon his forehead; when he flies he turns no more,

and behind he shews a bare head. works adjourned have many stays, long demurs breed new delays. Seek thy salve while sore is green, festred wounds ask deeper lancing, after-cures are seldom seen,

often sought scarce ever chancing. time and place give best advice, out of season out of price.

Oliver Cromwell.

LD Oliver 's gone to the dogs

oh no, I do mistake:

SOUTHWELL.

he's gone in a wherry over the ferry

is call'd the Stygian lake.

but Cerberus, that great porter,

did read him such a lecture,

that made him to roar when he came on shore for being Lord Protector.

CAVALIER SONG.