Venus and Adonis (Modern)

Author: William Shakespeare

Editor: Hardy M. Cook

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Venus and Adonis (Modern)
- Work
- Stanza
  1. Dedication
  2. 2 — 6
  3. 7 — 11
  4. 12 — 16
  5. 17 — 21
  6. 22 — 26
  7. 27 — 31
  8. 32 — 36
  9. 37 — 41
  10. 42 — 46
  11. 47 — 51
  12. 52 — 56
  13. 57 — 61
  14. 62 — 66
  15. 67 — 71
  16. 72 — 76
  17. 77 — 81
  18. 82 — 86
  19. 87 — 91
  20. 92 — 96
  21. 97 — 101
  22. 102 — 106
  23. 107 — 111
  24. 112 — 116
  25. 117 — 121
  26. 122 — 126
  27. 127 — 131
  28. 132 — 136
  29. 137 — 141
  30. 142 — 146
  31. 147 — 151
  32. 152 — 156
  33. 157 — 161
  34. 162 — 166
  35. 167 — 171
  36. 172 — 176
  37. 177 — 181
  38. 182 — 186
  39. 187 — 191
  40. 192 — 196
  41. 197 — 199
Venus and Adonis (Quarto 1, 1592-3)
- Work
- Stanza
  1. Title Page
  2. Dedication
  3. 2 — 6
  4. 7 — 11
  5. 12 — 16
  6. 17 — 21
  7. 22 — 26
  8. 27 — 31
  9. 32 — 36
  10. 37 — 41
  11. 42 — 46
  12. 47 — 51
  13. 52 — 56
  14. 57 — 61
  15. 62 — 66
  16. 67 — 71
  17. 72 — 76
  18. 77 — 81
  19. 82 — 86
  20. 87 — 91
  21. 92 — 96
  22. 97 — 101
  23. 102 — 106
  24. 107 — 111
  25. 112 — 116
  26. 117 — 121
  27. 122 — 126
  28. 127 — 131
  29. 132 — 136
  30. 137 — 141
  31. 142 — 146
  32. 147 — 151
  33. 152 — 156
  34. 157 — 161
  35. 162 — 166
  36. 167 — 171
  37. 172 — 176
  38. 177 — 181
  39. 182 — 186
  40. 187 — 191
  41. 192 — 196
  42. 197 — 199
- Page
  1. 2
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6
  5. 7
  6. 8
  7. 9
  8. 10
  9. 11
  10. 12
  11. 13
  12. 14
  13. 15
  14. 16
  15. 17
  16. 18
  17. 19
  18. 20
  19. 21
  20. 22
  21. 23
  22. 24
  23. 25
  24. 26
  25. 27
  26. 28
  27. 29
  28. 30
  29. 31
  30. 32
  31. 33
  32. 34
  33. 35
  34. 36
  35. 37
  36. 38
  37. 39
  38. 40
  39. 41
  40. 42
  41. 43
  42. 44
  43. 45
  44. 46
  45. 47
  46. 48
  47. 49
  48. 50
  49. 51
  50. 52
  51. 53
  52. 54
  53. 55

¶"Thrice fairer than myself," thus she began,
¶"The field's chief flower, sweet above compare,
¶Stain to all nymphs, more lovely than a man,
10More white and red than doves or roses are.
¶_Nature that made thee with herself at strife
¶_Saith that the world hath ending with thy life.

¶"Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight thy steed
¶And rein his proud head to the saddlebow.
15If thou wilt deign this favor, for thy meed
¶A thousand honey secrets shalt thou know.
¶_Here come and sit, where never serpent hisses,
¶_And being set, I'll smother thee with kisses.

¶"And yet not cloy thy lips with loathed satiety,
20But rather famish them amid their plenty,
¶Making them red and pale with fresh variety;
¶Ten kisses short as one, one long as twenty.
¶_A summer's day will seem an hour but short,
¶_Being wasted in such time-beguiling sport."

25With this she seizeth on his sweating palm,
¶The precedent of pith and livelihood,
¶And trembling in her passion, calls it balm,
¶Earth's sovereign salve, to do a goddess good.
¶_Being so enraged, desire doth lend her force
30_Courageously to pluck him from his horse.

¶Over one arm the lusty courser's rein,
¶Under her other was the tender boy,
¶Who blushed and pouted in a dull disdain,
¶With leaden appetite, unapt to toy;
35_She red and hot as coals of glowing fire,
¶_He red for shame, but frosty in desire.

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Venus and Adonis (Modern)