Page 2258 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

Under whose simple semblance he hath fed [795]
Upon fresh beauty, blotting it with blame;
Which the hot tyrant stains and soon bereaves,
As caterpillars do the tender leaves.

«Love comforteth like sunshine after rain,

But lust’s effect is tempest after sun; [800]
Love’s gentle spring doth always fresh remain,
Lust’s winter comes ere summer half be done;

Love surfeits not, lust like a glutton dies;
Love is all truth, lust full of forged lies.

«More I could tell, but more I dare not say: [805]
The text is old, the orator too green.
Therefore in sadness, now I will away;

My face is full of shame, my heart of teen,
Mine ears that to your wanton talk attended
Do burn themselves, for having so offended». [810]

With this he breaketh from the sweet embrace
Of those fair arms which bound him to her breast,

And homeward through the dark laund runs apace;
Leaves love upon her back deeply distress’d.
Look how a bright star shooteth from the sky, [815]
So glides he in the night from Venus’ eye;

Which after him she darts, as one on shore

Gazing upon a late embarked friend,
Till the wild waves will have him seen no more,
Whose ridges with the meeting clouds contend: [820]
So did the merciless and pitchy night

Fold in the object that did feed her sight.

Whereat amaz’d, as one that unaware
Hath dropp’d a precious jewel in the flood,
Or ’stonished as night-wand’rers often are, [825]
Their light blown out in some mistrustful wood: