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  • 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)

    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:
    485 So is her face illumind with her eye.
    Whose beames vpon his hairelesse face arefixt,
    As if from thence they borrowed all their shine,
    Were 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:
    495What 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.
    O thou didst kill me, kill me once againe,
    500Thy eyes shrowd tutor, that hard heart of thine,
    Hath taught them scornfull tricks, & such disdaine,
    That they haue murdred this poore heart of mine,
    And these mine eyes true leaders to their queene,
    But for thy piteous lips no more had seene.
    505Long may they kisse ech other for this cure,
    Oh neuer let their crimson liueries weare,
    And as they last, their verdour still endure,
    To driue infection from the dangerous yeare:
    That the star-gazers hauing writ on death,
    510 May say, the plague is banisht by thy breath.
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