CUPID

W Ho would believe that in this human form, And under these mean Shepherd's weeds, A God head? nor yet of the lower rank, But the most mighty among the gods; whose pour were hid Makes oft the bloody Sword of angry Mars Fallen from his hand; stern Neptune hurl away His powerful trident; and great Jove lay by His thunderbolt: and thus attyr'de, I hope My mother Venus shall have much ado To find her Cupid. For the troth to tell, Sh'has made me play the runaway with her: Because (forsooth) she will sole mistress be, And to her pleasure bind my shafts and me; And (vain ambitious woman as she is) Would tie me to live still amongst Crowns, & Scep ters, And to high Courts confine my power and me; And to my vnder-followers grants to live Here in these woods; and to advance their powers, Over silly Shepherd's breasts; but I that am No child, (though childish be my gate and looks) Will for this once, do as shall please me best: For not to her, but me allotted were The ever awful brand, and golden bow: Therefore I purpose to conceal my self, And run from her entreats; (for other pour Then to entreat, she shall not have over me:) I hear she haunts these groves, and promises Unto the Nymphs and Shepherd's, which of them Will bring me to her, kisses for their pains, And more then kisses too; and cannot I To them shall hide me from her, liberal be Of kisses, and more too as well as she? The Nymphs I know will Like my kisses best, When I shall woe them that am God of love: Therefore my mother does but looze her pain, Here's none will bring her home her son again. But to be surer, that she may not know Or find me out by the vsd'e marks I bear, I've laid my quiver, bow, and wings from me; Yet come I not hither vnarm'de; this rod I carry is my brand transformed thus, And breathes out unseen flame at every poor; And this dart (though it have no golden head) Of heu'nly temper is; and where it lytes Enforceth love; and eu'ne this day shall make A deep and cureless wound in the hard breast Of the most cruel Nymph, that ever yet Hath been a follower of Diana's train; Nor will I pity Silvia more, (for so Th'obdurate stony-brested Nymph is called) Then erst I did the gentle-hearted Swain Aminta, many winter's since, when he (Poor wretch) then young, followed her younger steps From wood to wood in every game and sport: And for more sure effecting my intent, I'll pause a while till some remorse and pity Of the poor Shephedrs sufferings, have a little Thawde the hard ice congealed about her breast With maiden peevishness; and when I find She grows more pliant, will I launch her breast: And this to do with better ease and art, Amongst the feasting troops of the crowned Shep herds That hither come to sport o'hollydayes, I'll put my self; and here, even in this place I'll give the speeding blow unseen, unknown. To day these Woods shall hear another voice Of love then ere before, and more refin'de; My God head here shall in it self appear Present no longer in my Ministers: I'll breath soft thoughts into their courser breasts, And make their tungs in smoothest nu ̄ bers move; For wheresoever I am, still am I Love; No less in Shepherd's then in greatest Peers; And inequality in people, I Can temper as I please, such is my power. The Rural found of homely Shepherd's read I can make equal with the learnedest lyre, And if my mother (which disdains forsooth To see me here) be ignorant of this, She's blind, not I Whom the blind world reputes blind wrongfully. I'st possible (Silvia) thou canst resolve To spend the fair hours of thy flowering youth With such contempt of Venus, and her Son; And hast no more desire to be a mother, And leave a partly of thee (when thou art dead) Living behind thee? Change (young fondling) change Thy mind; and do not lead a life so strange.