Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: Venus and Adonis (Quarto 1, 1593)
  • Editor: Hardy M. Cook
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-411-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Hardy M. Cook
    Peer Reviewed

    Venus and Adonis (Quarto 1, 1593)

    Whose frothie mouth bepainted all with red,
    Like milke, & blood, being mingled both togither,
    A second feare through all her sinewes spred,
    Which madly hurries her, she knowes not whither,
    905 This way she runs, and now she will no further,
    But backe retires, to rate the boare for murther.
    A thousand spleenes beare her a thousand wayes,
    She treads the path, that she vntreads againe;
    Her more then hast, is mated with delayes,
    910Like the proceedings of a drunken braine,
    Full of respects, yet naught at all respecting,
    In hand with all things, naught at all effecting.
    Here kenneld in a brake, she finds a hound,
    And askes the wearie caitiffe for his maister,
    915And there another licking of his wound,
    Gainst venimd sores, the onely soueraigne plaister.
    And here she meets another, sadly skowling,
    To whom she speaks, & he replies with howling.
    When he hath ceast his ill resounding noise,
    920Another flapmouthd mourner, blacke, and grim,
    Against the welkin, volies out his voyce,
    Another, and another, answer him,
    Clapping their proud tailes to the ground below,
    Shaking their scratcht-eares, bleeding as they go.
    925Looke how, the worlds poore people are amazed,
    At apparitions, signes, and prodigies,
    Whereon with feareful eyes, they long haue gazed,
    Infusing them with dreadfull prophecies;
    So she at these sad signes, drawes vp her breath,
    930 And sighing it againe, exclaimes on death.