Classic Poem

When Love had thus commanded me, I said:
" Sir, how and by what means may I endure
The evils you have just detailed to me?
They overwhelm my mind with grievous fear;
For how can any man live and support,
In every place and time, such sighs and griefs,
Such tears and cares, such burnings and such pains,
And so severe a strain? So help me God,
I marvel much that anyone could live,
Were he not made of steel, in such a hell. "
The God of Love, explaining, thus replied:
" No man has good unless he purchase it.
Fair friend, I swear this by my father's soul:
Things dearest paid for are the dearest prized,
And good seems best when it is bought with ill.
It's true that naught with lovers' woes compares.
No more than man can pump the ocean dry
Can story or romance love's griefs exhaust.
Yet lovers live as long as e'er they can;
To flee from Death each has a right good will!
The wretch immured in filthy dungeon dark,
Annoyed by vermin, eating barley bread
Or only oaten cake, dies not for that;
Hope gives him comfort, and he's confident
Some chance will offer freedom to him yet.
Like aspiration have the thralls of Love;
Though held in prison, they expect relief.
Hope so consoles them that with willing heart
They give themselves up thus to martyrdom.
Hope makes them bear such ills as none can tell
For sake of joys a hundred times more great.
It's Hope revives them, making them forget
Adversities they've suffered. Blest be Hope,
Who does the cause of lovers so advance!
Most courteous is Hope; she never lags
Six feet behind the valiant, till their end,
In spite of mischief or of peril dire.
Even the thief who feels the hangman's rope
By Hope is made still to expect reprieve.
This will I warrant: Hope will not depart
But ever succor you in your most need;
And with this Hope I give you three more gifts
That solace those who're caught within my net.
" Sweet Thought, who e'er recalls what Hope accords,
Is first of those who comfort all my thralls.
Whene'er a lover weeps and sighs and groans
And is in torment, then Sweet Thought will come,
Within short space, to drive away his gloom,
Reminding him of all the joy that Hope
Has promised him, setting before his view
His sweetheart's laughing eyes, her saucy nose —
Neither too small nor large — her rose-red lips
Exhaling sweet perfume, and all her parts
The memory of which can pleasure give.
Then, doubling all his joy, a tender look
Or welcome kind or smile he will recall
Which his dear fair one has sometime bestowed.
Sweet Thought thus often calms the rage of love.
I willingly bestow on you this boon
As well as others, which if you refuse
You'll be ungrateful, for they're not less sweet.
" The second gift is called Sweet Speech, who lends
To many a man and maid great comforting;
For lovers always long to talk of love.
Because of this a dame made up a song,
About her love, which I remember well:

Whatever they may say, I joy to hear
Men talk to me about my lover dear.

Well did she know what power in Sweet Speech lies;
For she had tested it in many a way.
I counsel you, therefore, to seek a friend,
Secret and sage, to whom you may reveal
Whate'er you wish, discovering your heart.
A great advantage you will gain by this;
For, when your malady gives you most pain,
You'll go to him for comfort, and converse,
You two alone, of her who has your heart —
Of her appearance, her sweet countenance,
Her beauty. Then you will recount the state
Of all your being, asking his advice —
What you may do, and how, to please your love.
If he who is your friend has set his mind
Upon some sweetheart, then his confidence
Is of most worth; for he of course will tell
His lady's name and what her station is,
And whether she's a widow or a maid.
So you will not suspect him of designs
Upon your lady, or have any fear
Of treachery; for you with him and he
With you will then have made an interchange
Of utmost trust. You'll know how sweet it is
To have a friend with whom your thoughts are safe.
When you have tested him, you'll feel well paid
To get such comforting as he can give.
" My third gift is Sweet Sight, child of Regard,
Who stays away from those far from their loves,
So take my counsel and remain near yours.
Delicious to the taste of those who love,
The solace is that Sweet Sight offers them.
Delightful meetings have the eyes at morn
To which God shows the sanctuary blest
For sight of which they are most envious.
Nothing will seem mischance to them that day!
They fear no dust or rain or other grief.
And when the well-taught eyes gain such delight
They are too courteous to hide their joy
But rather wish with it to please the heart
And calm its woes; for such good messengers
Are lovers' eyes that to the heart straightway
They send the news of whatsoe'er they see,
And then in joy the heart forgets its grief
And all the gloom that troubled it before.
Just as the rising sun puts shades to rout,
So does Sweet Sight drive darkness from the heart
Which night and day lay languishing for love.
Heart nothing doubts when eyes have longed-for sight.
" Now I've explained away your fears, I think;
For truthfully I've told you all the means
By which lovers are eased and kept from death,
And for your comfort now you know you have
At least Sweet Thought, Sweet Speech, Sweet Sight, and Hope.
It is my will that these shall be your guard
Till better aids you gain, for these, indeed,
Are but an earnest of the more that is to come. "