Peer Reviewed
- Edition: Venus and Adonis
Venus and Adonis (Modern)
- Texts of this edition
- Facsimiles
722The earth, in love with thee, thy footing trips,
723And all is but to rob thee of a kiss.
724Rich preys make true men thieves; so do thy lips
725 Make modest Dian cloudy and forlorn,
726 Lest she should steal a kiss and die forsworn.
728Cynthia, for shame, obscures her silver shine
729Till forging nature be condemned of treason
730For stealing molds from heaven that were divine,
731 Wherein she framed thee, in high heaven's despite,
732 To shame the sun by day and her by night.
734To cross the curious workmanship of nature,
735To mingle beauty with infirmities
736And pure perfection with impure defeature,
737 Making it subject to the tyranny
738 Of mad mischances and much misery;
740Life-poisoning pestilence, and frenzies wood,
741The marrow-eating sickness whose attaint
742Disorder breeds by heating of the blood;
743 Surfeits, impostumes, grief, and damned despair
744 Swear nature's death for framing thee so fair.
746But in one minute's fight brings beauty under.
747Both favor, savor, hue, and qualities,
748Whereat th' impartial gazer late did wonder,
749 Are on the sudden wasted, thawed, and done,
750 As mountain snow melts with the midday sun.