Classic Poem

Then, like the false and servile crone she was,
She recommenced her prating, with the thought
That by her doctrines she might cozen me
To fool myself with honey licked from thorns,
Advising him that he should call me Friend
Though no true love on me he did bestow.
But he remembered all and told it me;
Though certainly, had he been what she thought,
He had betrayed me. Spite of all she said,
Fair Welcome never worked such treachery.
He gave his solemn oath and word for that,
And also he assured me other ways.
" Most fair, sweet son — exquisite, tender flesh —
I'll teach you all the games of Love, that you,
When you have learned them, cannot be deceived
Conform yourself unto my art, for none
Not well informed can fail to lose his all
Now strive to hear and understand and keep
All that I say within your memory,
For I know all the history of love.
" Fair son, whoso would taste the joys of love —
Its pleasant pains that are so bittersweet —
Must know the laws of Love, but not Love's self.
All these I'd teach you, did I not perceive
That you by nature have all that you need
In heaping measure. If you count them well,
Of those that you must know the number's ten;
But he is foolish who the last two heeds,
For they're not worth a counterfeited cent.
Devote yourself, then, to the other eight,
For he who would observe the latter two
But fools himself and loses all his pains.
These two should not be taught in any school;
Any professor who would lover teach
That he should have a generous heart, and yet
Bestow it in a single place, would lay
Too great a burden on the neophyte
The text is false; the doctrine is untrue
The son of Venus lies in teaching this;
No one should credit either him or her.
Dearly he'll pay who follows their advice,
As will appear before I make an end.
" Fair son, be never prodigal in love;
Bestow your heart on no one specially,
But many places have where it may be.
Don't either lend or give it quite away,
But sell it only for the highest price
At auction, and take care that he who buys
Secures no bargain. It were better far
That you should burn or hang or drown yourself
Than he should have your love who nothing gives.
Above all else remember these two points:
Take with an open hand, but close your fist
When 'tis your turn to give. Great foolishness
It is to give, except by way of lure,
When one can see it would be profitable,
Or hope for some repayment of the gift
That would be better than the price he'd get.
Such gifts I grant you well. 'Tis wise to give
When giving will but multiply the gain.
He who is certain of his usury
Will not repent the loan; that I agree.
" Now, next, as to the bow and arrows five
Which are so full of finest qualities
And shoot so subtly, you know all their use
Better than Love himself, the archer skilled.
He cannot draw the golden bow, fair son,
As well as you, who many a time have shot
Its arrows, though you have not always known
Just where the shot would strike; for when one shoots
At random someone may receive the stroke
Who by the archer had not been perceived.
But he who should your manners well regard
Would see that you so well can bend and draw
That you have really nothing left to learn.
You may be able, then, someone to wound
Whose conquest will, please God, be profitable
" I do not need to speak of your attire —
The gowns and garnishments that you should wear
To make yourself seem better than you are.
It's not important to repeat that song
About the image of Pygmalion,
Which you must know by heart, since you have heard
Me oft repeat it as we took our ease.
From it you've learned more of appareling
Than oxen know of plowing. There's no need
To give you counsel in such things as that.
If this will not suffice, you'll hear me say,
If you will listen to me presently,
Some things from which you may a lesson take.
This much I'll tell you: if you wish to choose
As friend a fair young man who prizes you,
Although you set your heart on him, beware
Lest you should love him all too fervently.
Love others prudently; I'll find for you
Enough from whom great gain can be amassed.
'Tis well to make acquaintance of rich men
Whose hearts are neither miserly nor close,
If you but know how you may dig their gold.
" Fair Welcome may gain whatsoe'er he please
Provided he give each to understand
That he would not accept another friend —
Not for a thousand marks of finest gold —
And swear that, if another he'd allowed
To gain the Rose which is so much desired,
He had been loaded down with gold and gems;
But that so faithful is his loyal heart
That not another shall extend his hand
To pluck the Rose, except the favored one.
Though they a thousand were, to each he'd say:
" God fail me if I should apportion her!"
So he should swear and pledge his faith, nor fear
If he perjures himself; for God but smiles
On such an oath, and lightly pardons it.
" When lovers swear false oaths, great Jupiter
And all the gods laugh loudly. They themselves
Commit their perjuries when they're in love.
When Jupiter would reassure his wife,
Queen Juno, he pronounced the highest oath,
Swearing by river Styx, yet falsely lied.
When such examples gods to lovers give,
They should the latter much assurance lend
Falsely to swear by temples, shrines, and saints.
And so, God love me, he is but a fool
Who would believe a lover on his oath;
Lovers have hearts that are too changeable.
Unstable are the young; and, oftentimes,
The old folks, too, will break their faith and vows.
" You know 'tis true the master of the fair
Takes toll from all; and he who fails to grind
At one mill seeks another, lickety-clip;
And at great peril forages the mouse
Who has for refuge but a single hole.
Just so a woman, mistress of all marts,
Who makes her bargains in pursuit of gain,
Should take her toll from all; she were a fool,
As she herself should on reflection know,
If she did not desire more friends than one.
I swear by Saint Lifard of Meun that she
Who all her love would in one sole place lay
Has badly served her heart, confining it
Bereft of all its freedom. She deserves
Enough of grief and pain who but one man
Takes care to love. If he to comfort her
Should fail, she then would have no comforter.
Such are the ones who suffer most default
Because their hearts to one man they entrust;
Misfortune they must feel and suffer woe
When they are left deserted in the bitter end. "