L Amongst these mighty men were women mixed; Proud women, vain, forgetful of their yoke: The bold Semiramis, whose sides transfixed With son's own blade her foul reproaches spoke : Fair Stheneboea, that herself did choke With wilful cord for wanting of her will: High-minded Cleopatra, that with stroke Of Aspes sting herself did stoutly kill: And thousands more the like that did that dungeon fill. LI Besides the endless routs of wretched thralls, Which thither were assembled day by day From all the world, after their woful falls, Through wicked pride and wasted wealth's decay. But most of all which in that dungeon lay, Fell from high princes' courts or ladies' bowers, Where they in idle pomp, or wanton play, Consumed had their goods and thriftless hours, And lastly thrown themselves into these heavy stoures. (I. 5.) THE PLEASURES OF SENSE. SIR GUYON ON THE ISLAND OF THE ENCHANTRESS.* XII It was a chosen plot of fertile land, * Compare with the originals in Odysseia V., and in Orlando Furioso VIII., Kalypso's Isle and Alcina's Palace. No dainty flower or herb that grows on ground, No arboret with painted blossoms drest And smelling sweet, but there it might be found. To bud out fair, and throw her sweet smells all around. XIII No tree whose branches did not bravely spring; No song but did contain a lovely ditt. Trees, branches, birds, and songs, were framed fit Careless the man soon waxed, and his weak wit XIV Thus when she had his eyes and senses fed Into a shady dale she soft him led, And laid him down upon a grassy plain; And her sweet self without dread or disdain She set beside, laying his head disarmed In her loose lap, it softly to sustain, Where soon he slumbered fearing not be harmed: The whiles with a love lay she thus him sweetly charmed. XV 'Behold, O man! that toilsome pains dost take, The flowers, the fields, and all that pleasant grows, How they themselves do thine ensample make, Whilst nothing envious nature them forth throws Out of her fruitful lap; how no man knows, They spring, they bud, they blossom fresh and fair, And deck the world with their rich pompous shows; Yet no man for them taketh pains or care, Yet no man to them can his careful pains compare. XVI "The lily, lady of the flowering field, The flower-deluce, her lovely paramour, Bid thee to them thy fruitless labours yield, Therein to shroud her sumptuous belamour; XVII "Why then dost thou, O man! that of them all (II. 6.) THE BOWER OF BLISS. XLII Thence passing forth, they shortly do arrive XLIII Goodly it was enclosed round about As well their entered guests to keep within, As those unruly beasts to hold without; Yet was the fence thereof but weak and thin ; Nought feared their force that fortilage to win But wisdom's power and temperance's might, By which the mightiest things efforced bin : And eke the gate was wrought of substance light, Rather for pleasure than for battery or fight. XLIV It framed was of precious ivory, That seemed a work of admirable wit; Of Jason and Medea was ywrit ; Her mighty charms, her furious loving fit; His goodly conquest of the golden fleece: The wondered Argo, which in venturous peace First through the Euxine seas bore all the flower of Greece. L Thus being entered, they behold around When forth from virgin bower she comes in th' early morn. LI Therewith the heavens always jovial Looked on them lovely, still in steadfast state, Nor scorching heat, nor cold intemperate, Gently attempered, and disposed so well That still it breathed forth sweet spirit and wholesome smell. LII More sweet and wholesome than the pleasant hill A giant babe herself for grief did kill; Or the Thessalian Tempe, where of yore |