Classic Poem

Cupido Conquered.

The sweetest time of all the year
it was, whenas the sun
Had newly entered Gemini,
and warming heat begun,
When every tree was clothed green,
and flowers fair did show,
And when the white and blooming may
on hawthorns thick did grow,
When sore I longed to seek abroad
to see some pleasant sight
Amid my woes and heavy haps
that might my mind delight.
Care would not let me bide within,
but forced me forth to go,
And bade me seek some present help
for to relieve my woe.
Then forward went I forth in haste
to view the garnished trees,
What time the sun was mounted up
twixt nine and ten degrees.
From flowers flew sweet airs abroad,
delighting much my brain;
With sight and smells gan sorrow fade,
and joy return again,
So that in mind I much rejoice
to feel myself so light,
For gorgeous sights and odours sweet
had new revived my sprite.
Beside the pleasant harmony
that singing birds did make
Bade me pull up my heart again,
and sorrow soon forsake.
" For though," quoth Reason, " she be gone
on whom thy life depends,
" Yet fond it is to cark and care
where there is none amends."
Thus forth I went, and in the groves
I ranged here and there,
Whereas I heard such pleasant tunes
as heaven had been near.
I think that if Amphion had
been present there to play,
Or if Sir Orpheus might have held
his harp that present day,
Or if Apollo with his lute
had striven to excel,
None of them all by music should
have borne away the bell.
I rather judge the Thracian would
his harp wherewith he played
Have cast away, as one whom ire
had utterly dismayed.
Such passing tunes of sundry birds
I never heard before;
The further I went in the woods,
the noise resounded more.
" O happy birds," quoth I, " what life
is this that you do lead?
" How far from care and misery?
how far from fear and dread?
" With what rejoicing melody
pass you this fading life,
" While man, unhappiest creature, lives
in wretched toil and strife."
Still forth I went, and wondered at
this pleasant harmony,
And gazed at these little fools
that made such melody,
Till at the length I gan to spy
a stately laurel tree,
So placed and set in such a guise,
that as it seemed to me,
Dame Nature strove to show herself
in planting such a thing;
For even out beside the rock
a fountain clean did spring,
Where in the water I beheld,
resembled wondrous true,
The white and green of all the trees,
adorned late of new,
And how in order eke they stood,
a goodly sight to see,
And there I might discern the birds
that sung in every tree,
To move the bill and shake the wings
in uttering music sweet,
And here and there to fly to feed,
and eftsoons there to meet.
Great pleasure had I there to bide,
and stare upon the spring,
For why? methought it did surmount
each other kind of thing.
Now was the sun got up aloft,
and raught the middle line,
And in the well, the golden globe
with flaming beams did shine,
Whereof the brightness was so great
that I might not endure
Longer to look within the spring,
whose waters were so pure.
Unwilling went I thence away,
and underneath the tree
I laid me down, whose branches broad
did keep the sun from me,
Thinking to rest me there a while,
till falling some degrees,
Sir Phoebus should have hid himself
behind the shadowing trees,
And then for to have viewed the spring,
and marked every place,
And seen if there I could have spied
the weeping Byblis' face.
For sure I think it was the place
wherein Narcissus died,
Or else the well to which was turned
poor Byblis while she cried.
But whether it was weariness,
with labour that I took,
Or fume that from the spring did rise,
wherein I late did look,
Or if it were the sweet accord
that singing birds did keep,
Or what it was, I know no whit,
but I fell fast asleep.
I think the woody nymphs agreed
that I should have this chance,
And that it was their pleasure so
to show me things in trance.
Whilst I lay thus in slumber deep,
I might perceive to stand
A person clothed all in white,
that held a rod in hand,
Which was, methought, of massy gold;
I knew it very well,
For that was it, made Argus sleep,
while he did Io steal.
When I perceived by his attire
that it was Mercury,
My heart at first began to faint;
yet at the length quoth I,
" Thou goddess" son, why stand'st thou there,
what business now with thee?
" What meanest thou in thy flying weed
for to appear to me?"
And therewithal my thought I stayed,
and could no farther speak,
For fear did force my speech to fail,
and courage waxed weak.
Which when the son of Maia saw,
he took me by the hand,
" Look up," quoth he, " be not afraid,
but boldly by me stand.
" The Muses all of Helicon
have sent me now to thee,
" Whom thou dost serve and whose thou seek'st
for evermore to be.
" And thanks to thee by me they send,
because thou tookest pain
" In their affairs (a thankless thing)
to occupy thy brain,
" Desiring thee not for to stay
for Momus' ill report,
" But ending that thou hast begun,
to spite the cankered sort.
" And think not thou, that thou art he
that canst escape disdain;
" The day shall come when thankful men
shall well accept thy pain,
" But rather lay before thine eyes
the high attempts of those
" Whose stately style with painful proof
their worthy wits disclose.
" Mark him that thundered out the deeds
of old Anchises' son,
" Whose English verse gives Maro's grace
in all that he hath done,
" Whose death the Muses sorrow much,
that lack of aged days
" Amongst the common Britons old,
should hinder Virgil's praise.
" Mark him that hath well framed a glass
for states to look upon,
" Whose labour shows the ends of them
that lived long agone.
" Mark him that shows the tragedies,
thine own familiar friend,
" By whom the Spaniard's haughty style
in English verse is penned.
" Mark these same three, and other moe,
whose doings well are known,
" Whose fair attempts in every place
the flying fame hath blown.
" Hast thou not heard, thyself in place
full oft and many a time,
" " Lo, here the author loseth grace,
lo, here a doltish rhyme; "
" Now sith that they have this reward
who pass thee even as far
" As in the night Diana doth
excel the dimmest star,
" Take thou no scorn at evil tongues:
what need'st thou to disdain?
" Sith they whom none can well amend
have like fruit of their pain.
" Moreover yet the ladies nine
have all commanded me,
" Because they know the blinded god
hath something pierced thee,
" To lead thee forth, a thing to see,
if all things happen right,
" Which shall give thee occasion good,
with joyful mind to write."
To this, I would have answered fain
and there began to speak,
But as my words were coming forth
my purpose he did break.
" Come on," quoth he, " none answer now;
we may no longer stay,
" But frame thyself to fly abroad,
for hence we must away."
And here withal, on both my sides,
two wings methought did grow
Of mighty breadth; away went he,
and after him I flow.
And ever as we mounted up,
I looked upon my wings,
And proud I was, methought, to see
such unacquainted things.
Till forth we flew, my guide and I,
with mounting flight apace,
Beholding rivers, woods, and hills,
and many a goodly place,
Till at the length methought I might
a gorgeous castle spy.
There down began my guide to fall,
and downward eke fell I:
" Lo, here the place where thou must light,"
gan Mercury to say,
" Farewell, and note what thou dost see,
for I must hence away."
And with this same away flew he,
and left me there alone,
Whereas with fear amazed I stood,
and thus began to moan:
" Alas, where am I now become,
what cursed chance hath blown
" Me from the place where I was bred,
to countries here unknown?
" What meant that fell unhappy fiend,
that Maia brought to light,
" To bring me from my heart's desire,
to see this doleful sight?
" Unhappy wretch, I would I had
his person here in hand!
" Then should I wreak mine ire of him
that brought me to this land.
" But all too late, alas, I wish,
for words avail not now;
" 'Tis best to learn what place it is,
and yet I know not how.
" Alas, that here were Ptolemy,
with compass globe in hand,
" Whose art should show me true the place
and climate where I stand.
" Well yet whatsoever chance thereon,
whatsoever realm it be,
" Yon castle will I visit sure,
hap what hap will to me."
Thus much methought alone I spoke,
and then I forward went,
And cursed eke a hundredfold
them that me thither sent.
Thus to the castle straight I came,
which when I viewed about
And saw the workmanship thereof
full gorgeously set out,
I entered in, with fearful heart,
much doubting how to speed,
But ever hope of happy chance
my heavy heart did feed.
Wide was the court and large within,
the walls were raised high
And all engraved with stories fair
of costly imagery.
There might I see, with wondrous art,
the picture portured plain
Of old Orion, hunter good,
whom scorpions vile had slain,
And by him stood his boarspear and
his other instruments,
His net, his dart, his courser, and
his hunter's resting tents,
And under him was written fair,
in letters all of gold,
Here lies he slain with scorpion's sting,
unhappy wretch, that would
Have forced the lady of this fort,
with stain of royalty,
To have consented to his will
in filthy lechery.
Wherefore beware that enters here,
whatsoever man thou art;
Account thyself but lost, if that
thou bear'st a lecherous heart.
When I had viewed these written lines
and marked the story well,
I joyed much, for why I knew
Diana there did dwell;
Diana, she that goddess is
of virgin's sacred mind,
By whom Orion, hunter wild,
his fatal end did find.
Next unto him I might behold
Acteon, woeful wight;
In what a manner, all totorn,
his cruel dogs him dight,
There might be seen, their greedy mouths
with master's blood imbrued,
And all his own unhappy men
that fast their lord pursued.
And many stories more there were
engraved, too long to tell,
What fearful haps to many men
for lust unclean befell.
Thus as I stood with musing mind
beholding all things there,
In rusheth at the gate behind
a post, with heavy cheer.
Into the hall with haste he hies,
and after followed I
To hear what kind of news he brought
or what he meant thereby.
He, passing through the hall in haste,
at entrance never stayed,
But blowing fast for want of breath,
as one almost dismayed,
Approached in presence to the sight
of chaste Diana's face,
That all encompassed round about
with virgins in that place,
In lofty chair of high estate
did sit, all clothed in white
Of silver hue, that shining gave,
methought, a gorgeous sight.
There did I see fair Dido Queen,
and fair Hypsipyle,
And next to them Lucretia sat,
and chaste Penelope.
But these same four no bows did bear,
for virgin's sacred state
They had forsaken long ago
and joined with faithful mate.
On the other side, sat all the sort
of fair Diana's train
Whose trade with toil amongst the woods
was ever bent to pain,
Whose sacred minds were ne'er defiled
with any wanton lust,
Which never could the fickle state
of lovers' fancy trust.
The chief of them was Ismenis,
whom best Diana loved,
And next in place sat Hyale,
whom never fancy moved,
Next unto them sat Niphe fair,
a gem of chastity,
And next to her sat Phiale,
not basest in degree;
Behind them all, of passing form,
fair Rhanis held her place,
And nigh to her I might discern
Dame Psecas' shining face.
These princely nymphs accompaned
Diana in her bains,
Whileas in shape of stag, poor wretch,
Acteon had his pains.
Above them all I might behold,
as placed before the rest,
Hippolytus, whom Phaedra's spite
most cruelly had dressed,
Hippolytus, the unspotted pearl
of pure virginity,
Whose noble heart could not agree
to stepdame's villainy.
Next unto him sat Continence,
and next was Labour placed:
Of body big and strong he was,
and somewhat crabtree faced.
Next him was placed Abstinence,
a lean unwieldy wight,
Whose diet thin had banished clean
all fond and vain delight.
A thousand more methought there were
whose names I did not know,
And if I did, too long it were
in verses them to show.
Down of his knees the messenger
before them all doth fall,
And unto chaste Diana there
for succour thus doth call:
" O Goddess chief of chastity,
and sacred virgin's mind,
" Let pity from your noble heart
redress for misers find.
" Let not our wearied hearts sustain
such wrongful tyranny!
" Quench quickly now the fiery flames
of open injury."
This said, for fear he stayed a while,
and then began again:
" A mighty prince," quoth he, " is come
with great unruly train,
" All armed well at every point
(A dreadful sight to see),
" And every man in feats of arms,
right skillful all they be.
" The captain chief in chariot ride
with pomp and stately pride,
With bow in hand of glistering gold,
and quiver by his side,
" Where many a shaft full sharp doth lie,
and many a mortal dart,
" That hath with poisoned force destroyed
full many a yielding heart.
" He entered hath within your realm,
and taken many a fort,
" Hath sacked them all, and spoiled them quite,
and slain a wondrous sort
" In strangest guise, for where he shoots
the wound doth fester still,
" And all the surgeons that we have
cannot remove the ill.
" In little time the grief so sore
doth grow in every part,
" Distraining through the venomed veins,
doth so torment the heart
" That some to rid themselves thereof
in floods full deep they leap
" And drown themselves; some downward falls
from houses high by heap;
" Some anchor cast on crossed beams
to rid themselves from strife,
" And hang themselves full thick on trees
to end a wretched life.
" And they whose fearful minds dare not
thus make an end of woe,
" With grievous flames, consuming long,
their life at length forgo.
" Lo, here the sum of all I have:
this tiger us annoys,
" And cruelly hath spoiled us
of all our wonted joys,
" Whom if your Grace do not repulse
and find some present stay,
" Undoubtedly he will win this realm,
and take us all away."
At this, the ladies all amazed
for fear did look full pale,
And all beheld with mazed eyes
the wretch that told the tale.
Till at the length Hippolytus
of heart and courage high,
Nothing abashed with sudden news,
began thus to reply:
" Cast fear away, fair dames," quoth he,
" dismay yourselves no more;
" I know by whom this mischief springs
and know a help therefor.
" It is not such a dreadful wight
as he doth here report
" That entered is within these parts
and plagues the simple sort.
" Nor is his force so great to fear:
I know it, I, full well.
" It is the scornful blinded boy,
that near to us doth dwell,
" Whom Mars long time ago begot
of that lascivious dame,
" That linked in chains for lechery,
received an open shame;
" A disobedient blinded fool
that durst presume to turn
" His darts against his mother once,
and caused her sore to burn,
" An ancient foe to all this Court
of long time he hath been,
" And hath attempted evermore
by this renown to win.
" His cruel heart, of pity void,
doth spare no kind of age,
" But tender youth and doting age
he strikes in furious rage,
" And laughs to scorn the seely souls
that he hath wounded so,
" No fine appointed of their ills,
no end of all their woe.
" But since he hath presumed thus
to enter here in place,
" And here to threaten conquests thus
against Diana's Grace,
" Let him be sure his lofty mind
this deed shall soon repent,
" If that your Grace do here agree
with free and full consent
" To make me chieftain of this charge
and whom I list to choose,
" If prisoner here I bring him not,
let me mine honour lose."
And there he ceased with joyful looks;
the ladies smiled all,
And thorough his words they hoped soon
to see Cupido's fall.
With heavenly voice Diana there,
as chief above the rest,
This wise her words began to frame
from out her sacred breast:
" My good Hippolytus," quoth she,
" whose true and faithful mind
" In doubtful danger often I
do always ready find
" For to revenge the cankered rage
of all my spiteful foes,
" Thou he from whose unspotted heart
the floods of virtue flows,
" Whose service long hath been approved
within this Court of mine,
" Restrain this boy's unruly rage
by valiant means of thine.
" I give thee leave, and thee appoint
my chief lieutenant here,
" Choose whom thou wilt, take whom thou list,
thou needest no whit to fear."
With this he rose from out his place,
and looking round about,
Chose Abstinence and Continence,
with Labour, captain stout.
And with these three he took his leave
of all the ladies there,
Who, doubting of his safe return,
let fall full many a tear.
He left them there in heaviness,
and made no more delay,
But outward went and toward the camp
he took the nearest way.
With this the Queen's commission straight
was sent abroad in haste
To raise up soldiers round about,
and with their captain placed,
To bring them forth and marching on,
Hippolytus to meet.
Then sounded trumpets all abroad,
and drums in every street,
And soldiers good, like swarms of bees
their captains press about,
All armed brave in corselets white,
they march with courage stout,
And forward shove, till at the length
whereas their marshall lies,
They find the place; the joyful sounds
do mount above the skies.
Hippolytus received them all
with words of pleasant cheer,
And placeth them in good array,
because the camp was near.
Three battles big of them he frames,
and of the rearward strong
Hath Labour charge, who steppeth forth
before the stately throng,
And captain of the rearward next
was placed Abstinence,
And joined to him for policy
was Captain Continence.
The battle main Hippolytus
himself did choose to guide,
And in the foremost front thereof
on courser fair doth ride.
The trumpets sound " march on apace,"
and drums the same do strike.
Then forward moves the army great
in order martial-like.
I came behind (methought), and best
it seemed then to me
To view the dint of dreadful sword,
and fighter none to be.
Three spies were sent abroad to view
the place where Cupid lay:
Alongst a river fair and broad
they spy a pleasant way,
Which way they took, and passing forth
at length appears a plain
Both large and vast, where lies the rout
of cruel Cupid's train.
Thus told the spies; we onward hie,
and straight in sight we have
The fearful show of all our foes
and dreadful army brave.
The first that marched from Cupid's camp
was drowsy Idleness,
The chiefest friend that Love had then;
the next was vile Excess,
A lubber great, misshapen most
of all that there I saw,
As much I think in quantity
as horses six can draw,
A mighty face both broad and flat,
and all with rubies set,
Much nosed like a turkey cock,
with teeth as black as jet,
A belly big, full trussed with guts,
and pistols two, like posts,
A knave full square in every point,
a prince of drunken hosts,
Upon a camel couched high,
for horse could none him bear,
A mighty staff in hand he had
his foes afar to fear.
Behind them all, the blinded god
doth come in chariot fair,
With raging flames flung round about
he pesters all the air.
And after him, for triumph leads
a thousand wounded hearts
That gush abroad hot streams of blood,
new pierced with his darts.
The army ready for to meet
and all at point to fight,
Hippolytus, with lusty cheer
and with a noble sprite,
His soldiers to encourage, thus
his words begins to place:
" My valiant friends and subjects all
of chaste Diana's Grace,
Whose noble hearts were never stained
with spot of dastard's mind,
" Behold our enemies here at hand,
behold yon coward blind,
" Of little force compared with you,
how in a fond array
" They straggle out, no order due
observed in their way.
" Behold what goodly guides they have
to govern them withal,
" That never knew what fighting meant,
but live to Venus thrall.
" Mark him that guides the rearward there,
that vile deformed churl,
" Whose foggy mates with paunches side
do thick about him whirl.
" And he that foremost hither comes:
lo! what a handsome squire!
" Sure full unapt to keep the field,
more fit to sit by the fire.
" In fine, lo, victory at hand
with high triumphant crown,
" Bent for to spoil our foes of fame
and cast their glory down.
" Fight therefore now courageously,
and rid your friends of fear;
" Declare your manhood valiantly,
and let your hearts appear."
With this the sound begins to mount
and noise high to rise,
And warlike tunes begin to dash
themselves against the skies.
The cannon's crack begins to roar,
and darts full thick they fly,
And covered thick the armies both,
and framed a counter sky.
And now the battles both be joined
with stroke of hand to try
The quarrel just, and for to find
where victory doth lie.
The soldiers all of Idleness,
where Labour comes, do fall,
And wounded sore by force of him
all bathed in blood they sprawl.
Himself alone with Idleness
now hand to hand doth fight,
And after many a mortal wound
destroys the seely wight.
Then joins with him Sir Abstinence
with aid and succours new,
And both upon the greasy host
of Gluttony they flew.
The Captain doth advance himself
with Abstinence to meet:
The unwieldy creature, smitten there,
is tumbled under feet.
Then Fancy flies, Incontinence,
and all Cupido's friends,
Beholding Fortune thus to frown
by flight themself defends.
Cupido, when he sees himself
thus spoiled of all his aid,
The chief supporters of his Court
so suddenly decayed,
Bade turn his chariots then with haste
and fast away he flies;
Amongst the chaste Hippolytus
on swifty courser hies.
Then all with joy they after run,
down thick the enemies fall;
The blinded boy for succour straight
to Venus high doth call,
But all his cries availeth not,
his foes him fast pursue;
The driver of his chariot, soon
Hippolytus there slew,
And down from horse the wretch doth fall.
The horses spoiled of guide,
A soldier stout of Reason's band
is willed there to ride,
Who turning reins another way
restrains him of his flight.
His honours lost, and taken thus,
Cupid, in doleful plight,
These words with trembling voice began:
" Sith Fortune thus," quoth he,
" Hath given her doom from doubtful breast
and turned her grace from me,
" Sith that the most misfortune now
that ever I could find
" Hath chanced to me, and miser I,
by Destinies assigned
" Am captive here, consider yet,
what Fortune might have wrought,
" And made a conqueror of me,
and you in bondage brought.
" Consider yet the woeful plight
wherein you had remained,
" If that the gods my happy state
had not so sore disdained.
" And by your grief, then measure mine;
show mercy in this case.
" That conqueror commended is,
who gives to pity place;
" The cruel mind dispraised is
in every kind of state.
" No man so haughty lives on earth,
but once may find his mate.
" These words, Hippolytus, I speak,
to breed no farther strife.
" I speak not this of malice here:
my suit is for my life.
" Sith Fortune thus hath favoured you,
grant this my small request,
" And let me live, if mercy dwell
within your noble breast."
By this time Morpheus had dispersed
the drowsy cloud of sleep,
And from my brains the quiet trance
began full fast to creep
And downward fell. I waked therewith
and looking round about,
Long time I mused where I was;
my mind was still in doubt.
Till at the length I viewed the tree
and place whereas I sat,
And well beheld the pleasant spring
that late I wondered at.
I saw beside the golden globe
of Phoebus shining bright,
That westward half did hide his face,
approaching fast the night.
Each bird began to shroud himself
in tree to take his rest,
And ceased the pleasant tunes that late
proceeded from their breast.
I homeward went, and left them all,
and restless all that night
I musing lay, tormented thus
with fond lamenting sprite.
When Phoebus rose, to pass the time
and pass my grief away,
I took my pen and penned the dream
that made my Muses stay.