What will my age do,-age I cannot shun,*-
When in my prime my force is spent and done?
I blush, that being youthful, hot, and lusty,
I prove neither § youth nor man, but old and
rusty.

Pure rose she, like a nun to sacrifice,

Or one that with her tender brother lies.
Yet boarded I the golden Chie || twice,
And Libas and the white-cheek'd Pitho thrice.
Corinna crav'd it in a summer's night,
And nine sweet bouts we had ¶ before day-light.
What, waste my limbs through some Thessalian
charms?

May ** spells and drugs do silly souls such harms?
With virgin wax hath some imbast ++ my joints?
And pierc'd my liver with sharp needles'‡‡ points?
Charms change corn to grass, and make it die;
By charms are running springs and fountains
dry;

By charms mast drops from oaks, from vines grapes fall,

And fruit from trees when there's no wind at all. Why might not, then, my sinews be enchanted, And I grow faint, as with some spirit haunted? To this, add §§ shame: shame to perform it quail'd me,

And was the second cause why vigour |||| fail'd

Chie] So our poet's copy of Ovid read (instead of "Chlide").

Twe had] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "had we." **May] So eds. A, B.-Ed. C "Nay."

tt imbast] Is this to be understood as embasted, or as embased, impaired, relaxed? The original has "Sagave pœniceâ defixit nomina cerâ?"

‡‡ And... needles'] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "Had... needle."

§§ add] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "and."

I wish'd to be receiv'd in,-in I get me ;*
To kiss,-I kiss'd;t to lie with her, she let

me.

Why was I blest? why made king, to refuse ‡ it?
Chuff like, had I not gold, and could not use it?
So in a spring thrives he that told so much,§
And looks upon the fruits|| he cannot touch.
Hath any rose so from a fresh young maid,
As she might straight have gone to church and
pray'd?

Well I believe, she kiss'd not as she should,
Nor us'd the sleight and cunning which she
could.

Huge oaks, hard adamants might she have mov'd, And with sweet words caus['d] deaf rocks to have lov'd.**

Worthy she was to move both gods and men,††
But neither was I man nor‡‡ lived then.
Can deaf ears §§ take delight when Phemius
sings,

Or Thamyris |||| in curious-painted things?
What sweet thought is there but I had the same?
And one gave place still as another came.
Yet notwithstanding, like one dead it lay,
Drooping more than a rose pull'd yesterday.
Now, when he should not jet, he bolts upright,
And craves his task, and seeks to be at fight.
Lie down with shame, and see thou stir no

more,

Seeing thou TT wouldst deceive me as before.
Thou cozen'st me: *** by thee surpris'd am I,
And bide sore loss +++ with endless infamy.
Nay, more, the wench did not disdain a whit
To take it in her hand, and play with it.
But when she saw it would by no means stand,
But still droop'd‡‡‡ down, regarding not her
hand,

receiv'd in,-in I get me] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "restored in, and in I got me."

tkiss'd] Old eds. "kisse."

to refuse] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "and refusde."

§ he that told so much] i.e. Tantalus.-"taciti vulgator." fruits] So eds. A, B.-Ed. C "fruite."

Tand] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "nor."

** lov'd] So ed. A.-Ed. B "moned."-Ed. C "moved." †† both gods and men] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "divosque virosque."

1 nor] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "ne."

§§ ears] Ed. A "yeres."-Eds. B, C, "eare "

Thamyris] Our author's copy of Ovid had "Thamyrin," instead of what we now find in the passage, "Thamyran." Either form is right.

¶¶ Seeing thou] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "Seeing now thou." *** Thou cozen'st me] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "Tu dominum fallis.

ttt sore loss] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "great hurt." It droop'd] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "dropt."

ill,

Who bade thee lie down here against thy will? Either thou'rt witch'd with blood of frogs* new-dead,

Or jaded cam'st thou from some other's bed." With that, her loose gown on, from me she cast her;

In skipping out her naked feet much grac'd her; And, lest her maid should know of this disgrace, To cover it, spilt water ont the place.

ELEGIA VIII.‡

Quod ab amica non recipiatur, dolet.

WHAT man will now take liberal arts in hand,§
Or think soft verse in any stead to stand?
Wit was sometimes more precious than gold;
Now poverty great barbarism we hold.
When our books did my mistress fair content,
I might not go whither my papers went.
She prais'd me, yet the gate shut fast upon her;
I here and there go, witty with dishonour.
See, a rich chuff, whose wounds great wealth
inferr'd,

For bloodshed knighted, before me preferr'd! Fool, canst thou him in thy white arms embrace?

Fool, canst thou lie in his enfolding space? Know'st not this head a helm was wont to bear?

This side, that serves thee, a sharp sword did

Confessing this, why dost thou touch him than?*
I, the pure priest of Phoebus and the Muses,
At thy deaf doors in verse sing my abuses.
Not what we slothful know,t let wise men learn,
But follow trembling camps and battles stern,
And, for a good verse, draw the first dart forth:
Homer, without this, shall be nothing worth.
Jove, being admonish'd gold had sovereign power,
To win the maid came in a golden shower.
Till then, rough was her father, she severe,
The posts of brass, the walls of iron were.
But when in gifts the wise adulterer came,
She held her lap ope to receive the same.
Yet when old Saturn heaven's rule possess'd,
All gain in darkness the deep earth suppress'd:
Gold, silver, iron's heavy weight, and brass,
In hell were harbour'd; here was found no mass.
But better things it gave, corn without ploughs,
Apples, and honey in oaks' hollow boughs:
With strong ploughshares no man the earth did
cleave,

The ditcher no marks on the ground did leave;
Nor hanging oars the troubled scas did sweep,
Men kept the shore and sail'd not into deep.
Against thyself, man's nature, thou wert cunning,
And to thine own § loss was thy wit swift run-
ning.

Why gird'st thy cities with a towered wall,
Why lett'st discordant hands to armour fall?
What dost with seas? with th' earth thou wert

content;

Why seek'st not heaven, the third realm, to frequent?

Heaven thou affects: with Romulus, temples brave,

Bacchus, Alcides, and now Cæsar have.

Gold from the earth, instead of fruits, we pluck;
Soldiers by blood to be enrich'd have luck.
Courts shut the poor out; wealth gives esti-
mation;

Thence grows the judge and knight of reputation.
All they possess; they govern fields, and laws;
They manage peace, and raw war's bloody jaws.
Only our loves let not such rich churls gain :
'Tis well, if some wench for the poor remain.

than] i.e. then.

† know] Old eds. "knew.

dart] So ed. B.-Ed. C "darts."-Here our translator quite mistakes the meaning of "Proque bono versu primum deducite pilum."

§ thine own] So ed. B.-Ed. C "thy one."
All they possess, &c.] Very incorrectly rendered.
"Omnia possideant: illis Campusque Forumque
Serviat; hi pacem crudaque bella gerant."

IF Thetis and the Morn their sons did wail,
And envious Fates great goddesses assail,
Sad Elegy, thy woful hairs unbind :
Ah, now a name too true thou hast I find!
Tibullus, thy work's poet, and thy fame,
Burns his dead body in the funeral flame.
Lo, Cupid brings his quiver spoilèd quite,
His broken bow, his firebrand without light!
How piteously with drooping wings he stands,
And knocks his bare breast with self-angry
hands!

The locks spread on his neck receive his tears,
And shaking sobs his mouth for speeches bears:
So at Æneas' burial, men report,
Fair-fac'd Iülus, he went forth thy court:
And Venus grieves, Tibullus' life being spent,
As when the wild boar Adon's ¶ groin had rent.
The gods' care we are call'd, and men of piety,
And some there be that think we have a deity.
Outrageous death profanes all holy things,
And on all creatures obscure darkness brings.
To Thracian Orpheus what did parents good,
Or songs amazing wild beasts of the wood?
Where Linus,** by his father Phoebus laid,
To sing with his unequall'd harp is said.
See,++ Homer, from whose fountain ever fill'd
Pierian dew to poets is distill'd!

*her] Old eds. "she."-"Imperat ut captae, qui dare multa potest."

For me, she doth keeper and husband fear] But the original is, "Me prohibet custos: in me timet illa maritum."

Elegia IX.] Not in ed. A.

§ Elegy] Ed. B "Eeliga."-Ed. C "Elegia." he] i. e. Cupid.

Adon's] So ed. B.-Ed. C "Adonis."

** Where Linus, &c.] Marlowe must have read "Et Linus in silvis"; but I know not what reading he followed in the remainder of the line. In the next line, his copy of Ovid had "Dicitur invicta concinuisse lyrâ."

tt See] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "Aspice Mæonidem."

Him the last day in black Avern hath drown'd:
Verses alone are with continuance crown'd.
The work of poets lasts; Troy's labour's fame,
And that slow web night's falsehood did unframe.
So Nemesis, so Delia famous are;

The one his first love, th' other his new care.
What profit to us* hath our pure life bred?
What to have lain alone † in empty bed?
When bad Fates take good men, I am forbod
By secret thoughts to think there is a god.
Live godly, thou shalt die; though honour
heaven,

Yet shall thy life be forcibly bereaven:

Trust in good verse, Tibullus feels death's pains;
Scarce rests of all what a small urn contains.
Thee, sacred poet, could sad flames destroy?
Nor feared they thy body to annoy?
The holy gods' gilt temples they might fire,
That durst to so great wickedness aspire.
Eryx' bright empress turn'd her looks aside,
And some, that she refrain'd tears, have denied.
Yet better is't, than if Corcyra's isle

Had thee unknown interr'd in ground most

And thou, if falsely charg'd to wrong thy friend,
Gallus, that car'd'st not blood and life to spend.
With these thy soul walks, souls if death release:
The godly sweet Tibullus doth increase.t
Thy bones, I pray, may in the urn safe rest,
And may th' earth's weight thy ashes naught
molest!

ELEGIA X.‡

Ad Cererem, conquerens quod ejus sacris cum amica concumbere non permittatur.

COME were the times of Ceres' sacrifice;
In empty bed alone my mistress lies.
Golden-hair'd Ceres, crown'd with ears of corn,
Why are our pleasures by thy means forborne ?
Thee, goddess, bountiful all nations judge,
Nor less at man's prosperity any grudge.
Rude husbandmen bak'd not their corn before,
Nor on the earth was known the name of floor.§
On mast of oaks, first oracles, men fed;
This was their meat; the soft grass was their
bed.||

First Ceres taught the seed in fields to swell, And ripe-ear'd corn with sharp-edg'd scythes to fell;

She first constrain'd bulls' necks to bear the yoke,

And untill'd ground with crooked ploughshares

broke.

Who thinks her to be glad at lovers' smart,
And worshipp'd by their pain and lying apart?
Nor is she, though she loves the fertile fields,
A clown, nor no love from her warm breast
yields:

Be witness Crete (nor Crete doth all things feign),
Crete proud that Jove her nursery maintain.
There he who rules the world's star-spangled

towers,

A little boy, drunk teat-distilling showers. Faith to the witness Jove's praise doth apply; Ceres, I think, no known fault will deny.

* car'd'st] Old eds. "carst."

The godly sweet Tibullus doth increase] No one could possibly find out the meaning of this line without the assistance of the original: "Auxisti numeros, culte Tibulle, pios."

Elegia X.] Not in ed. A.

§ Nor on the earth was known the name of floor] "Nec notum terris area nomen erat."

This was their meat; the soft grass was their bed] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "Hæc cibus; et teneri cespitis herba torus."

The goddess saw Iasion,* on Candian Ide,
With strong hand striking wild beasts' bristled
hide:

She saw, and, as her marrow took the flame,
Was divers ways distract with love and shame.
Love conquer'd shame: the furrows dry were
burn'd,

And corn with least part of itself return'd; When well-toss'd mattocks did the ground pre'pare,

Being fit-broken with the crooked share,
And seeds were equally in large fields cast,
The ploughman's hopes were frustrate at the last.
The grain-rich goddess in high woods did stray; t
Her long hair's ear-wrought garland fell away.
Only was Crete fruitful that plenteous year;
Where Ceres went, each place was harvest there:
Ida, the seat of groves, did sing with corn,‡
Which by the wild boar in the woods was shorn.
Law-giving Minos did such years desire,

And wish'd the goddess long might feel love's fire.

Ceres, what sports to thee § so grievous were,
As in thy sacrifice we them forbear?
Why am I sad, when Proserpine is found,
And, Juno-like, with || Dis reigns under-ground?
Festival days ask Venus, songs, and wine;
These gifts are meet to please the powers divine.

ELEGIA XI.¶

Ad amicam, a cujus amore discedere non potest. LONG have I borne much;* ** mad thy faults me++ make;

Dishonest Love, my wearied breast forsake!

* Iasion] Marlowe must have intended this name (which is properly "Iäsion" or "Iäsius") to be pronounced "Jasion."

↑ in high woods did stray] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "silvis errabat in altis."

↑ did sing with corn] Of all our translator's mistakes this is perhaps the oddest. " Ipse locus nemorum canebat frugibus Ide."

§ Ceres, what sports to thee, &c.]

"Quod tibi secubitus tristes, Dea flava, fuissent;
Hoc cogor sacris nunc ego ferre tuis."

Here Marlowe's copy of Ovid had " Qui tibi," &c: and he seems to have thought that "secubitus" meant the same as "concubitus."

with] So ed. B.-Not in ed. C.

Elegia XI.] Not in ed. A.

** Long have I borne much] Mariowe s copy of Ovid had "Multa diu tuli" (against the metre: the right lection is "diuque ").

tt me] So ed. B.-Ed. C. "we."

Now have I freed myself, and fled the chain,+
And what I have borne, shame to bear again.
We vanquish, and tread tam'd Love under feet;
Victorious wreaths at length my temples greet.
Suffer, and harden: good grows by this grief;
Oft bitter juice brings to the sick relief.

I have sustain'd, so oft thrust from the door,
To lay my body on the hard moist floor.
I know not whom thou lewdly didst embrace,
When I to watch supplied a servant's place.
I saw when forth a tirèd lover went,
His side past service, and his courage spent.
Yet this is less than if he had seen me :

May that shame fall mine enemies' chance to be!
When have not I, fix'd to thy side, close lay'd?
I have thy husband, guard, and fellow play'd.
The people by my company she pleas'd ; §
My love was cause that more men's || love she
seiz'd.

What should I tell her vain tongue's filthy lies,
And, to my loss, god-wronging perjuries?
What secret becks in banquets with her youths,
With privy signs, and talk dissembling truths?
Hearing her to be sick, I thither ran;
But with my rival sick she was not than.¶
These harden'd me, with what I keep obscure : **
Some other seek, who will these things endure.
Now my ship in the wished haven crown'd,
With joy++ hears Neptune's swelling waters sound.
Leave thy once-powerful words, and flatteries;
I am not as I was before, unwise.

Now love and hate my light breast each way

move;

But victory, I think, will hap to love.

I'll hate, if I can; if not, love 'gainst my will: Bulls hate the yoke, yet what they hate have still.

I fly her lust, but follow beauty's creature;
I loathe her manners, love her body's feature.
Nor with thee, nor without thee, can I live,
And doubt to which desire the palm to give.

Or less fair, or less lewd, would thou mightst be!
Beauty with lewdness doth right ill agree.
Her deeds gain hate; her face entreateth love:
Ah, she doth more worth than her vices prove!
Spare me, O, by our fellow bed, by all
The gods (who by thee to be perjur'd fall),*
And by thy face, to me a power divine,
And by thine eyes whose radiance burns out
mine !

Whate'er thou art, mine art thou: choose this

course,

Wilt have me willing, or to love by force? Rather I'll hoist up sail, and use the wind, That I may love yet, though against my mind.

ELEGIA XII.+

Dolet amicam suam ita suis carminibus innotuisse ut rivales multos sibi pararit.

WHAT day was that, which, all sad haps to bring,

White birds to lovers did not always sing?
Or is, I think, my wish against the stars? §
Or shall I plain || some god against me wars?
Who mine was call'd, whom I lov'd more than

any,

I fear with me is common now to many. Err I or by my books ¶ is she so known? 'Tis so; ** by my wit her abuse is grown. And justly; for her praise why did I tell? The wench by my fault is set forth to sell. The bawd I play; lovers to her I guide; Her gate by my hands is set open wide. 'Tis doubtful whether verse avail or harm: Against my good they were an envious charm. When Thebes, when Troy, when Cæsar should be writ,

Alone Corinna moves my wanton wit.

* Now] So ed. B.-Ed. C "Nor."

and fled the chain] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "fugique catenas."

Victorious wreaths at length my temples greet] The original (which I suspect, Marlowe did not understand here) has "Venerunt capiti cornua sera meo."

§ by my company she pleas'd] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had " per me comitata placebat.”

men's] So ed. B.-Ed. C "men."

than] i. e. then.

** with what I keep obscure] "et quæ taceo."

+ With joy, &c.] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "Lata tumescentes", &c.

*(who by thee to be perjur'd fall)] "Qui dant fallendos se tibi sæpe" was the reading in the copy of Ovid used by Marlowe,-who mistranslates "fallendos." + Elegia XII.] Not in ed. A.

What day was that, &c.] Nothing can be worse than this translation of

"Quis fuit ille dies, quo tristia semper amanti

Omina non albæ concinuistis aves?"

$ stars] So ed. C.-Ed. B "starre."-An awkward version of a line, which stood thus in Marlowe's copy of Ovid, -"Quodve putem sidus nostris occurrere votis ? " plain] i. e. complain.

books] Old eds. "lookes."-"an nostris innotuit illa libellis ?"

** 'Tis so] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had “Sic est."