:
Goddess, come here; make my love conquering.
Applaud you Neptune, that dare trust his wave,
The sea I use not: me my earth must have.
Soldier applaud thy Mars, no wars we move,
Peace pleaseth me, and in mid peace is love. 50
With augurs Phoebus, Phoebe with hunters stands.
To thee Minerva turn the craftsmen's hands.
Ceres and Bacchus countrymen adore,
Champions please[356] Pollux, Castor loves horsemen more.
Thee, gentle Venus, and the boy that flies,
We praise: great goddess aid my enterprise.
Let my new mistress grant to be beloved;
She becked, and prosperous signs gave as she moved.
What Venus promised, promise thou we pray
Greater than her, by her leave, thou'rt, I'll say. 60
The gods, and their rich pomp witness with me,
For evermore thou shalt my mistress be.
Thy legs hang down, thou may'st, if that be best,
Awhile[357] thy tiptoes on the footstool[358] rest.
Now greatest spectacles the Praetor sends,
Four chariot-horses from the lists' even ends.
I see whom thou affect'st: he shall subdue;
The horses seem as thy[359] desire they knew.
Alas, he runs too far about the ring;
What dost? thy waggon in less compass bring. 70
What dost, unhappy? her good wishes fade:
Let with strong hand the rein to bend be made.
One slow we favour, Romans, him revoke:
And each give signs by casting up his cloak.
They call him back; lest their gowns toss thy hair,
To hide thee in my bosom straight repair.
But now again the barriers open lie,
And forth the gay troops on swift horses fly.
At least now conquer, and outrun the rest:
My mistress' wish confirm with my request. 80
My mistress hath her wish; my wish remain:
He holds the palm: my palm is yet to gain.
She smiled, and with quick eyes behight[360] some grace:
Pay it not here, but in another place.

FOOTNOTES:

[350] Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

[351] "Contactu lateris laeditur ista tui."

[352] "Tua contraha crura."

[353]

"Invida vestis eras quod tam bona crura tegebas!
Quoque magis spectes ... invida vestis eras."

[354] Defile.

[355] A strange rendering of "linguis animisque favete."

[356] Ed. B "pleace;" ed. C "place."

[357] Old eds. "Or while."

[358] "Cancellis" (_i.e._ the rails).

[359] Old eds. "t