breasts restrains.
Water in waters, and fruit, flying touch,
Tantalus seeks, his long tongue's gain is such.
While Juno's watchman Ioe too much eyed,
Him timeless[245] death took, she was deified.
I saw one's legs with fetters black and blue,
By whom the husband his wife's incest[246] knew:
More he deserved; to both great harm he framed,
The man did grieve, the woman was defamed. 50
Trust me all husbands for such faults are sad,
Nor make they any man that hears them glad.
If he loves not, deaf ears thou dost importune,
Or if he loves, thy tale breeds his misfortune.
Nor is it easy proved though manifest;
She safe by favour of her judge doth rest.
Though himself see, he'll credit her denial,
Condemn his eyes, and say there is no trial.
Spying his mistress' tears he will lament
And say "This blab shall suffer punishment." 60
Why fight'st 'gainst odds? to thee, being cast, do hap
Sharp stripes; she sitteth in the judge's lap.
To meet for poison or vild facts[247] we crave not;
My hands an unsheathed shining weapon have not.
We seek that, through thee, safely love we may;
What can be easier than the thing we pray?

FOOTNOTES:

[240] Not in Isham copy or ed. "A."

[241] So ed. B.--Ed. C "my."

[242] The original has "agmen." Cunningham suggests "pack." If we retain
"fact" the meaning is "Danaus' guilt."

[243] Old eds. "vn-protested." ("Unde nihil, quamvis non tueare,
perit.")

[244] So ed. B.--Ed. C "follows." (The sense wanted is "Furiously let
him follow" &c.)

[245] "Ante suos annos occidit."

[246] "Unde vir incestum scire coactus erat." (Here "incestum" is
"adultery.")

[247] "Scelus."

ELEGIA III.[248]

Ad Eunuchum servantem dominam.

Ay me, an eunuch keeps my mistress chaste,
That cannot Venus' mutual pleasure taste.
Who first deprived young boys of their best part,
With self-same wounds he gave, he ought to smart.
To kind requests thou would'st more gentle prove,
If ever wench had made lukewarm thy love:
Thou wert not born to ride, or arms to bear,
Thy hands agree not with the warlike spear.
Men handle those; all manly hopes resign,
Thy mistress' ensigns must be likewise thine. 10
Please her--her hate makes others thee abhor;
If she discards thee, what use serv'st thou for?