Page 2238 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

Is love so light, sweet boy, and may it be [155]
That thou should think it heavy unto thee?

«Is thine own heart to thine own face affected?
Can thy right hand seize love upon thy left?
Then woo thyself, be of thyself rejected;

Steal thine own freedom, and complain on theft. [160]
Narcissus so himself himself forsook,
And died to kiss his shadow in the brook.

«Torches are made to light, jewels to wear,
Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use,

Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear: [165]
Things growing to themselves are growth’s abuse.
Seeds spring from seeds, and beauty breedeth beauty;

Thou wast begot, to get it is thy duty.

«Upon the earth’s increase why shouldst thou feed,
Unless the earth with thy increase be fed? [170]
By law of nature thou art bound to breed,
That thine may live when thou thyself art dead;

And so in spite of death thou dost survive,
In that thy likeness still is left alive».

By this the love-sick queen began to sweat, [175]
For where they lay, the shadow had forsook them;
And Titan, tired in the mid-day heat,

With burning eye did hotly overlook them,
Wishing Adonis had his team to guide,
So he were like him and by Venus’ side. [180]

And now Adonis with a lazy sprite,

And with a heavy, dark, disliking eye,
His louring brows o’erwhelming his fair sight,
Like misty vapours when they blot the sky:
Souring his cheeks, cries, «Fie, no more of love! [185]
The sun doth burn my face, I must remove».