f wholly to her affections
to please her, and, as Aemelia said, makes himself her lackey. All his
cares, actions, all his thoughts, are subordinate to her will and
commandment:" her most devote, obsequious, affectionate servant and vassal.
"For love" (as [5421]Cyrus in Xenophon well observed) "is a mere tyranny,
worse than any disease, and they that are troubled with it desire to be
free and cannot, but are harder bound than if they were in iron chains."
What greater captivity or slavery can there be (as [5422]Tully
expostulates) than to be in love? "Is he a free man over whom a woman
domineers, to whom she prescribes laws, commands, forbids what she will
herself; that dares deny nothing she demands; she asks, he gives; she
calls, he comes; she threatens, he fears; _Nequissimum hunc servum puto_, I
account this man a very drudge." And as he follows it, [5423]"Is this no
small servitude for an enamourite to be every hour combing his head,
stiffening his beard, perfuming his hair, washing his face with sweet
water, painting, curling, and not to come abroad but sprucely crowned,
decked, and apparelled?" Yet these are but toys in respect, to go to the
barber, baths, theatres, &c., he must attend upon her wherever she goes,
run along the streets by her doors and windows to see her, take all
opportunities, sleeveless errands, disguise, counterfeit shapes, and as
many forms as Jupiter himself ever took; and come every day to her house
(as he will surely do if he be truly enamoured) and offer her service, and
follow her up and down from room to room, as Lucretia's suitors did, he
cannot contain himself but he will do it, he must and will be where she is,
sit next her, still talking with her. [5424]"If I did but let my glove fall
by chance," (as the said Aretine's Lucretia brags,) "I had one of my
suitors, nay two or three at once ready to stoop and take it up, and kiss
it, and with a low conge deliver it unto me; if I would walk, another was
ready to sustain me by the arm. A third to provide fruits, pears, plums,
cherries, or whatsoever I would eat or drink." All this and much more he
doth in her presence, and when he comes home, as Troilus to his Cressida,
'tis all his meditation to recount with himself his actions, words,
gestures, what entertainment he had, how kindly she used him in such a
place, how she smiled, how she graced him, and that infinitely pleased him;
and then he breaks out, O sweet Areusa, O my dearest Antiphila,