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Venus and Adonis (Quarto 1, 1592-3)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Hardy M. Cook
Peer Reviewed
VENVS AND ADONIS.

475He wrings her nose, he strikes her on the cheekes,
He bends her fingers, holds her pulses hard,
He chafes her lips, a thousand wayes he seekes,
To mend the hurt, that his vnkindnesse mard,
He kisses her, and she by her good will,
VVill neuer rise, so he will kisse her still.

480The night of sorrow now is turnd to day,
Her two blew windowes faintly she vpheaueth,
Like the faire sunne when in his fresh array,
He cheeres the morne, and all the earth releeueth:
And as the bright sunne glorifies the skie:
485So is her face illumind with her eye.

VVhose beames vpon his hairelesse face arefixt,
As if from thence they borrowed all their shine,
VVere neuer foure such lamps, together mixt,
490Had not his clouded with his browes repine.
But hers, which through the cristal tears gaue light,
Shone like the Moone in water seene by night.

O where am I (quoth she,) in earth or heauen,
Or in the Ocean drencht, or in the fire:
495VVhat houre is this, or morne, or wearie euen,
Do I delight to die or life desire?
But now I liu'd, and life was deaths annoy,
But now I dy'de, and death was liuely ioy.
D iij