21141141The aim of all is but to nurse the life

142142With honor, wealth, and ease in waning age;

143143And in this aim there is such thwarting strife

144144That one for all, or all for one we gage:

145145As life for honor in fell battle's rage,

146146Honor for wealth; and oft that wealth doth cost

147147The death of all, and all together lost.

22148148So that, in vent'ring ill, we leave to be

149149The things we are for that which we expect;

150150And this ambitious foul infirmity,

151151In having much, torments us with defect

152152Of that we have; so then we do neglect

153153The thing we have and, all for want of wit,

154154Make something nothing by augmenting it.

23155155Such hazard now must doting Tarquin make,

156156Pawning his honor to obtain his lust,

157157And for himself himself he must forsake.

158158Then where is truth if there be no self-trust?

159159When shall he think to find a stranger just

160160When he himself himself confounds, betrays

161161To sland'rous tongues and wretched hateful days?

24162162Now stole upon the time the dead of night,

163163When heavy sleep had closed up mortal eyes.

164164No comfortable star did lend his light,

165165No noise but owls' and wolves' death-boding cries

166166Now serves the season that they may surprise

167167The silly lambs; pure thoughts are dead and still,

168168While lust and murder wakes to stain and kill.

25169169And now this lustful lord leapt from his bed,

170170Throwing his mantle rudely o'er his arm,

171171Is madly tossed between desire and dread;

172172Th' one sweetly flatters, th' other feareth harm,

173173But honest fear, bewitched with lust's foul charm,

174174Doth too too oft betake him to retire,

175175Beaten away by brainsick rude desire.