Classic Poem

" A THING unbeautiful is poverty —
Yet I dare say that if you have a store
Of coin and jewels, and will give of these
As many as you promise, you may pluck
Roses and buds, no matter how well kept.
You may not wealthy be, but don't be close
Or miserly; give gladly fair, small gifts
That won't impoverish you unreasonably.
If they should do that, you would fare but ill;
Many would mock and few would pardon you
For having paid for goods more than they're worth.
" He's well advised who offers of fresh fruits
Presents in baskets or in napery.
Don't overlook such things as mulberries,
Strawberries, cherries, quinces, apples, pears,
Barberries, peaches, plums, and beam-tree fruit,
And grafted medlars, prunes, and nectarines,
Raspberries, chestnuts, figs, and purple grapes.
Be sure they're fresh and ripe; and, if you buy
In nearby markets, say they come from far,
Presented to you by one of your friends.
Give roses red, primroses, violets,
In season, fairly placed in basketry.
Remember, presents take away their spite
From evil tongues, and silence calumny.
Though some may know of donors something bad,
They'll say of the donation naught but good.
Many a reputation by fair gifts
Has been sustained that else had fallen low.
Many a prebendage has been secured
By gifts of food and wine. Trust what I say:
Good gifts give testimony of good lives;
He's noble thought to be who nobly lives.
Presents cause givers gain and takers loss;
These forfeit freedom when to those they're bound.
What shall I say in summary? By gifts
One wins the favor of both men and gods.
" Companion, hark to what I now advise:
Know well that, if you'll do what I have said,
When you the mighty castle shall assail,
The God of Love will never fail to keep
His promises to you; Venus and he
Will so attack the jailers that the fort
Shall fall. However strongly she's shut up,
You'll then be able to secure your Rose.
" But when you have attained your end, there's need
Of mastership, wisely and well to guard
Your conquest if you would enjoy it long;
For no less valor is required to keep
And well defend what once has been acquired
Than to attain, by whatsoever means.
One would be right to call himself a wretch
Who by his own fault loses what he loves.
Most high and worthy is the mother wit
To know well how to keep a woman's heart
And lose no share in it, especially
When God has been so gracious as to give
One who is courteous, artless, wise, and good —
One who'd not sell but gladly gives her love.
No woman e'er made love a merchandise
Except a harlot proved; there's no real love
Found in a woman who will sell herself.
Beware of such; may hell-fire burn feigned love!
" Yet are most women covetous of gain,
And gluttonous to swallow and consume
Until there naught remains to those who claim
Themselves their lovers, loyal in their love.
Old Juvenal tells us of Iberine
That she more willingly would lose an eye
Than trust one man to satisfy her lust;
One man would not suffice to feed her flame.
No woman is so ardent in desire
To keep her sweetheart and his love that she
Would not despoil and into torment bring
Her dearest lover. See what others do
Who give themselves to men for gifts they get.
No woman can you find who will not try
What men are in her power thus to prove;
This one intent is common to them all.
This is the rule that Juvenal lays down;
But it is not infallible, for he
Of evil women this harsh judgment makes.
" This is what you should do if she you love
Is true in heart and innocent in face:
A man who's innocent and debonair —
Who is not careless where he sets his heart —
Will not be too impressed with face and form,
But will assure himself of character
Founded on art and science; beauty's self
Too short a time remains, as well he knows
Who's learned the workings of effect and cause.
Beauty is like the flowers of the mead
Whose vesper song's soon sung — no sooner blown
Than they begin to wither and decay.
" She who an education has acquired
Will make a fitting helpmeet for a man
Long as she lives on earth, and at the end
She'll better be than at the first she was.
Time never will diminish her allure,
But ever will ameliorate her worth.
Any man of high intelligence,
Who wisely acts, should be much loved and prized
Conversely, every woman takes delight
When she gives her devotion to a man
Who shows her proof that he is wise and good.
" Someone may ask if it is not worth while
To make and send to charm and hold his love
Fair verses, motets, ballads, chansonettes.
Alas, one gains not much from such pursuit —
He need not pain himself to poetize —
Perhaps the poem's praised, but that is all.
But ample purse, filled and weighed down with gold,
Will make them run to him with open arms
When ladies see him draw and open it;
Their desperation has become so great
That they pursue naught but full pocketbooks.
Once, to be sure, 'twas different; times are getting worse. "