Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 12 (signor, sal, zelmane, handkerchief, absolon, dissemble…). Matches are highlighted.
secrets dost unlock To propagate a lasting stock; And multiply that the issue might Be little less then infinite. Thou mother of all that is found Within this universal round, What is thy will with Love? Straight I'll do it. Can Love deny if Nature woo it. The heavens first in tune I'll set; And from their music soon beget A charm,
Full speech
See; Love appears at thy request. Thou cause of motion and of rest. Thou greater powers great substitute, Whose will and acts none must dispute. Thou that formest the best of things From thought-impossibles, and brings Contrary matters to produce Another difference, then the use Of a mere quality in one Can work unto perfection. Thou that thy secrets dost unlock To propagate a lasting stock; And multiply that the issue might Be little less then infinite. Thou mother of all that is found Within this universal round, What is thy will with Love? Straight I'll do it. Can Love deny if Nature woo it. The heavens first in tune I'll set; And from their music soon beget A charm, of power to make light fire Skip to his sphere, and earth retire To her parch den. The subtle air I'll calm from mists, and make it fair, And water with her curled waves sweep The bounded channels of the deep, That order may succeed, and things Grow perfect from their lasting springs. Move right ye spheres in concord found, And with your music fill this round. Spheres again Your brazen trebles higher strain. And lusty moving sounds advance To make us active while we dance. Fairest of all earthly things, Mount thy thoughts upon the wings Of contemplation, and aspire. To reach at my supernal fire: Whose heat shall purge thy spouse and that e From all dregs of impurity. Let no falser love delight Thy sense deluding appetite To seek out other wantons led, So heaven at length shall crown thy head. Welcome to Love my now loved heir, Elysium is thine; ascend my chair. For following Sensuality I thought to disinherit thee. But being new reformed in life, And reunited to thy wife, Mine only daughter, fate allow's That Love with stars should crown your brows. Join you that were his guides to this: Thus I enthrone you both. Now kiss, Whilst you in active measures move, Led on to endless joys by Love.
Plot summary
Plot — Microcosmus
The four elements, children of Nature and Janus, fight with one another. Janus' attempts to discipline them prove ineffectual, so Nature tries to persuade them to procreate. She invokes the help of Love, who creates concord between the elements through the music of the spheres. Earth gives birth to Physander, the perfect being. The four humours become his servants, and Love brings him Bellanima to be his wife. But Bellanima brings with her a good and bad genius, who can each influence Physander's moral actions. He succumbs to temptation, dismisses the good genius, and seeks out the whore Sensuality. The four humours suggest ways of wooing her: Choler proposes violence, Blood, dance, Phlegm, language, and Melancholy, pathos. The five senses, Sensuality's servants, conduct him to her, and she seduces him with the promise of luxury. Bellanima attempts to reclaim him, but he refuses her. After sleeping with Sensuality, Physander falls ill. The humours drunkenly attack him, and Sensuality disowns him. He feels ashamed at having left his wife for a whore. Bellanima summons Temperance to cure his wounds; she prescribes a simple life and frugal diet, and he is cured. The evil genius still maliciously seeks his destruction, and plans to drive him to suicide through remorse. He is tormented by Furies and accused before the court of Conscience; Despair prosecutes, andHope speaks for thedefence. Physander admits his marital crimes, but his penitence and commitment to future fidelity save him from punishment. With no further power over him, the evil genius can only torment herself; Sensuality, reduced to beggary, joins her on the road to Hell. Love accepts Physander and Bellanima into Elysium, and they are crowned with stars.