99

A CONCEITED FABLE OF THE OLD COMEDIAN

AN

ESOP.

N ant and a grasshopper, walking together on a green, the one carelessly skipping, the other carefully prying what winter's provision was scattered in the way; the grasshopper scorning (as wantons will) this needless thrift, as he termed it, reproved him thus;

The greedy miser thirsteth still for gain;

His thrift is theft, his weal works others woe: That fool is fond which will in caves remain, When 'mongst fair sweets he may at pleasure go. To this, the ant, perceiving the grasshopper's meaning, quickly replied;

The thrifty husband spares what unthrifts spends, His thrift no theft, for dangers to provide;

Trust to thyself; small hope in want yield friends: A cave is better than the deserts wide.

In short time these two parted, the one to his pleasure, the other to his labour. Anon harvest grew on, and reft from the grasshopper his wonted moisture. Then weakly skips he to the meadows' brinks, where till fell winter he abode. But storms continually pouring, he went for succour to the ant, his old acquaintance, to whom he had scarce discovered his estate, but the little worm made this reply;

Pack hence, quoth he, thou idle, lazy worm;
My house doth harbour no unthrifty mates:
Thou scorn'd'st to toil, and now thou feel'st the storm,
And starv'st for food, while I am fed with cates:
Use no entreats, I will relentless rest,

For toiling labour hates an idle guest.

The grasshopper, foodless, helpless, and strengthless, got into the next brook, and in the yielding sand digged himself a pit: by which likewise he engraved this epitaph;

H 2

When spring's green prime arrayed me with delight,
And every power with youthful vigour filled,
Gave strength to work whatever fancy willed,
I never feared the force of winter's spite.
When first I saw the sun the day begin,

And dry the morning's tears from herbs and grass,
I little thought his cheerful light would pass,
Till ugly night with darkness entered in;

And then day lost I mourned, spring past I wailed;
But neither tears for this or that availed.
Then too, too late, I praised the emmet's pain,
That sought in spring a harbour 'gainst the heat,
And in the harvest gathered winter's meat,
Perceiving famine, frosts, and stormy rain.

My wretched end may warn green springing youth
To use delights, as toys that will deceive,
And scorn the world, before the world them leave,
For all world's trust is ruin without ruth.

Then blest are they that, like the toiling ant, Provide in time 'gainst woeful winter's want. With this the grasshopper, yielding to the weather's extremity, died comfortless without remedy.

FROM CICERONIS AMOR.*

VERSES.

WHEN gods had framed the sweet of women's face,

And locked men's looks within their golden hair, That Phoebus blushed to see their matchless grace, And heavenly gods on earth did make repair;

* Ciceronis Amor. Tully's Love. Wherein is discoursed the prime of Cicero's youth, setting out in lively pourtraitures how young gentlemen that aim at honor should level the end of their affections, holding the love of country and friends in more esteem than those fading blossoms of beauty, that only feed the curious survey of the eye. A work full of pleasure as following Cicero's vein, who was as conceited

To quip fair Venus' overweening pride,
Love's happy thoughts to jealousy were tied.
Then grew a wrinkle on fair Venus' brow;

The amber sweet of love is turned to gall; Gloomy was heaven; bright Phoebus did avow He could be coy, and would not love at all, Swearing, no greater mischief could be wrought Than love united to a jealous thought.

VITA

VERSUS.

ITA quæ tandem magis est jucunda,
Vel viris doctis magis expetenda,
Mente quam pura sociam jugalem
Semper amare?

Vita quæ tandem magis est dolenda,
Vel magis cunctis fugienda, quam que,
Falso suspecta probitate amicæ,
Tollit amorem?

Nulla eam tollit medicina pestem,
Murmura, emplastrum, vel imago sagæ,
Astra nec curant, magicæ nec artes,
Zelotypiam.

SONG.

MARS in a fury 'gainst love's brightest queen,

on his helm, and took him to his lance;

On Erycinus' mount was Mavors seen,

And there his ensigns did the god advance, And by heaven's greatest gates he stoutly swore, Venus should die for she had wronged him sore. Cupid heard this, and he began to cry,

And wished his mother's absence for a while: 'Peace, fool,' quoth Venus, 'is it I must die?

Must it be Mars?' with that she coined a smile;

in his youth, as grave in his age; profitable, as containing precepts worthy so famous an orator. Robert Greene, in Artibus Magister. Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. 1589.

She trimmed her tresses, and did curl her hair,
And made her face with beauty passing fair
A fan of silver feathers in her hand,
And in a coach of ebony she went;

She passed the place where furious Mars did stand,
And out her looks a lovely smile she sent;
Then from her brows leaped out so sharp a frown,
That Mars for fear threw all his armour down.

He vowed repentance for his rash misdeed,
Blaming his choler that had caused his woe:
Venus grew gracious, and with him agreed,

But charged him not to threaten beauty so,
For women's looks are such enchanting charms,
As can subdue the greatest god in arms.

ROUNDELAY.

FOND, feigning poets make of love a god, And leave the laurel for the myrtle boughs, When Cupid is a child not past the rod,

And fair Diana Daphne most allows:
I'll wear the bays, and call the wag a boy,
And think of love but as a foolish toy.

Some give him bow and quiver at his back,
Some make him blind to aim without advice,
When, naked wretch, such feathered bolts he lack,
And sight he hath, but cannot wrong the wise;
For use but labour's weapon for defence,

And Cupid, like a coward, flieth thence.

He's god in court, but cottage calls him child,
And Vesta's virgins with their holy fires
Do cleanse the thoughts that fancy hath defiled,
And burn the palace of his fond desires;
With chaste disdain they scorn the foolish god,
And prove him but a boy not past the rod.

LENTULUS'S DESCRIPTION OF TERENTIA IN

LATIN.

QUALIS aurora 1 min.

UALIS in aurora splendescit lumine Titan,

Lumina seu spectes radiantia, sive capillos,
Lux, Ariadne, tua, et lux tua, Phoebe, jacet.
Venustata fuit verbis, spirabat odorem;
Musica vox, nardus spiritus almus erat;
Rubea labra, genæ rubræ, faciesque decora,
In qua concertant lilius atque rosa;
Luxuriant geminæ formoso in pectore mammæ
Circundant niviæ candida colla coma;
Denique talis erat divina Terentia, quales
Quondam certantes, Juno, Minerva, Venus.

BRIG

THUS IN ENGLISH.

RIGHTSOME Apollo in his richest pomp, Was not like to the trammels of her hair; Her eyes, like Ariadne's sparkling stars, Shone from the ebon arches of her brows; Her face was like the blushing of the east, When Titan charged the morning sun to rise; Her cheeks, rich strewed with roses and with white, Did stain the glory of Anchises' love; Her silver teats did ebb and flow delight; Her neck columns of polished ivory; Her breath was perfumes made of violets; And all this heaven was but Terentia.

THE SHEPHERD'S ODE.

WALKING in a valley green,

Spread with Flora, summer queen,

Where she heaping all her graces,
Niggard seemed in other places;