Classic Poem

Egloga quarta.

[The Fourth Eclogue.]

Melibeus Palemon

O God, that guides the golden globe
where shining shapes do dwell,
O Thou that throwest the thunder thumps
from heavens high, to hell,
What wonders works Thy worthiness?
what marvels dost Thou frame?
What secret sights be subject seen
unto Thy holy name?
A simple shepherd, slain of late
by foolish force of love,
That had not grace such fancies fond
and flames for to remove,
Appeared late before mine eyes
(alas, I fear to speak)
Not as he here was wont to live
while grief him none did break,
But all in black he clothed came,
an ugly sight to see,
As they that for their due deserts
with pains tormented be.
My sheep for fear amazed ran
and fled from hill to dale,
And I alone remained there
with countenance wan and pale.
" O Lord," quoth I, " what means this thing?
Is this Alexis' sprite?
" Or is it Daphnes" soul that shows
to me this dreadful sight?
" Or comes some fiend of hell abroad,
with fear men to torment?
" Megaera this? or Tisiphon?
or is Alecto sent?
" Whatsoever thou art, that thus dost come,
ghost, hag, or fiend of hell,
" I thee command by Him that lives
thy name and case to tell."
With this, a stinking smoke I saw
from out his mouth to fly,
And with that same his voice did sound,
" None of them all am I.
" But once thy friend, O Melibei,
Dametas was my name;
" Dametas I, that slew myself,
by force of foolish flame.
" Dametas I, that doting died
in fire of unkind love;
" Dametas I, whom Deiopey
did cause such end to prove.
" The same Dametas here I come,
by licence, unto thee,
" For to declare the woeful state
that happens now to me.
" O Melibei, take heed of love,
of me example take,
" That slew myself, and live in hell,
for Deiopeia's sake.
" I thought that death should me release
from pains and doleful woe,
" But now, alas, the troth is tried
I find it nothing so,
" For look what pain and grief I felt
when I lived here afore,
" With those I now tormented am,
and with ten thousand more.
" I mean not that I burn in love, —
such foolish toys be gone, —
" But griefs in number have I like
and many more upon.
" O cursed Love, (what should I say?)
that brought me first to pain,
" Well might I once despise thy lore,
but now, alas, in vain.
" With fond affection I did flame
which now I most repent,
" But all too late, alas, I wail,
sith hope of grace is spent.
" The fickle fading form and face
that once so much I sought,
" Hath made me lose the skies above,
and me to hell hath brought.
" Why had I reason dealt to me,
and could not reason use?
" Why gave I bridle to my will
when I might well refuse?
" A wicked will indeed it was
that blinded so my sight,
" That made me on such fading dust
to set my whole delight.
" A fond affection led me then,
when I for God did place
" A creature, cause of all my care,
a fleshy fleeting face,
" A woman, wave of wretchedness,
a pattern pilled of pride,
" A mate of mischief and distress,
for whom, a fool, I died."
Thus while he spake, I saw, methought,
of hell an ugly fiend,
With loathsome claws, him for to close
and forced him there to end.
And with this same, " O Melibei,
farewell, farewell," quoth he,
" Eschew the blaze of fervent flames.
Example take of me."
My heart with this began to rent,
and all amazed I stood.
" O Lord," quoth I, " what flames be these?
What rage, what furies wood
" Doth Love procure to wretched men?
What bondage doth it bring?
" Pain here, and pain in life to come:
O doleful, dreadful thing!" Palemon

I quake to hear this story told,
and, Melibei, I faint,
For sure I thought Dametas had
been placed like a saint.
I thought that cruel Charon's boat
had missed of him her freight,
And through his death he mounted had
to stars and heavens straight.
How valiantly did he despise
his life in bondage led!
And seeking death with courage high
from love and lady fled.
And is he thus rewarded now?
The ground be cursed then
That fostered up so fair a face
that lost so good a man
Finis Eglogae quartae.