ousand times haue darkned and obscured the rayes and beames of
the Sunne it self: Alas I say, that I can no longer be suffred
to heare the pleasaunt harmonye of thy voice whose sweetenesse
is able to force Iupiter himselfe to mitigate his rage when with
lightning Thunderbolts and stormie claps in his greatest furie
he meaneth to plague the earth. Ah that it is not lawfull any
more for me to throw these vnhappy armes about thy tender neck,
whose whitenesse of face entermingled with semely rudds,
excelleth the Morning Roses, which by sweete nightly dewes doe
sproute and budde. The Gods graunt that I doe not long remaine
on liue without thy sweete haunt and company, which can no
longer draw forth this breathing ghoste of myne, than can a
Bodye lyue wythoute like Breathe in it. Graunt (O Myghty
Iupiter) that one graue may close vs twaine to liue among the
ghostes and shadowes that be already past this world for like
right louing fitts, if intent of life be ment to mee without thy
fellowship and delectable presence. And who (O good God) shal be
more blisful amongs the Elysian fields, wandryng amids the
spirites and ghostes of departed soules, than I, if there we two
may iette and stalke amonge the shadowed friths and forests
huge, besette with Mirtle trees, odoriferous and sweete? that
there we may at large recount and sing the sweete and sower
pangs of those our passed loues without anye stay or let at all:
that there I say we may remembre things already done, reioycing
for delights and sighing for the paines. There shall no harde
hearted Scipio bee found, there shal no marble minded captain
rest, which haue not had regard of Loue's toyes, ne yet haue
pitied bitter payns, by hauing no experience what is the force
of loue. He then with ouer cruell wordes shall not goe aboute to
persuade me to forsake thee, or to deliuer thee into the Romanes
handes, to incurre miserable and most cruell bondage: he shal
there neuer checke me for the feruent loue I beare thee: we shal
there abide without suspition of him or any other: they can not
seperate vs, they be not able to deuide our sweetest companye.
I would the Gods aboue had graunted me the benefite, that hee
had neuer arriued into Affrica, but had still remayned in
Sicilia, in Italy or Spayne. But what stand I vpon these termes,
O I fole and beast? what meanes my drousie head to dreame sutch
fansies? if he hadde not passed ouer into Affrica, and made war
against kinge Syphax, how