PORTIA

Thou hast (deer Lord) prevented my design, Which was to ask of thee, what makes me pale; It Phœbus had no light, could Phoebe shine? No, with the cause of force th'effed must fail. The mirror but gives back as it receives, A joust resemblance of th'obiected form: And such impression as engraver leaves, The wax retains still to the stamp conform. Oh I'm the mirror that reflects thy mind, According to the influence of thine eyes, I take the state in which thy state I find, Such is my colour as thy countenance die. Then how can I rejoice while thou art sad, Whose breast of all thy crosses is the scroule? I am still as thou art, if grieved, or glad, Thy bodies shadow, essence of thy soul. On that great planet that divides the years, As th'increase of inferior fields depends; And as it does evanish, or appears, In th'earths cold bosom life begins, or ends: Sun of my soul, so I subsist by thee, Whose course rests to thy secret motions thrall, For when thou art from cloudy Fortune's free, I rise in joys, but if thou faint, I fallen. I was not (Brutus) matched with thee, to be A partner only of thy board and bed, Each servile whore in those might equal me, That did her self to nought but pleasure wed; No, Portia spoused thee with a mind abide Thy fellow in all Fortune's, good, or ill. With chains of mutual love together tied, As those that have two breasts, one heart, two souls, one will. With sacred bans whom holy Hymen binds, They tween them should communicate all things; Yea both the bodies labors, and the minds, Whence either pleasure or displeasure springs. If thus thou seek thy sorrows to conceal Through a disdain, or a mistrust of me; Then to the world what way can I reveal, How great a matter I would do for thee. And though our sex too talkative be deemed, As those whose tongues import our greatest powers, For secrets still bade treasurers esteemed Of others greedy, prodigal of ours; Good education may reform defects, And I this vantage have t'a virtuous life, Which other minds do want, and mine respects: I'm Cato's daughter, and I'm Brutus wife; Yet would I not repose my trust in ought, Still thinking that thy cross was great to bear, Till that my courage was t'a trial brought, Which suffering for thy cause can nothing fear. For first t'experience how I could comport, With stern afflictions spirit-enfeebling blows, Ere I would seek t'assault thee in this sort, To whom my soul a duteous reverence owes. Lo, here a wound, which makes me not to smart, Though by my self being made, to make me known, Since thy distress strikes deeper in my heart, Thy grief (life's joy) makes me neglect mine own. And without me can thou resolve so soon Assay the dangers of a doubtful strife? As if despaired and always to b'vndone, Being tired of me, yea tired of thy life. Yet since thou thus thy rash design hath shown, Leave Portia's portion, venture not her partly: Endanger nought but that which is thine own, Go where thou likest, I will hold still thy heart. But lest by holding of thy best partly back, That th'other perish t'aggrauate my groans, That would be so thonght guilty of thy wrack, Take all thy treasure to the Seas at once. Like the Asian Monarchs wife that with short hairs, (Sad signs of bondage) passed still where he passed, To wear away, or bear away thy cares, I'll follow thee, and of thy fortune taste. These hands that were with my own blood imbrued, To strike another may more strength afford: At least when thou by enemy art pursued, I'll set my self betwixt thee and his sword. But if too great a privilege I claim, Whose actions all should be disposed by thee: Ah, pardon me (deer Brutus, ) do but blame These my excessive sorrows, and not me. Then prosecute thy course, for I protest, Though with some grief, my soul the same approves: This resolution does become thy breast, Where in the sphere of honour virtue moves. And do this enterprise no more defer, What thee contents, to me contentment brings; I to my life thy safety do prefer, But hold thy honour deer above all things. It would but let the world my weakness see, If I sought my delights, not thy desires: Though it give grief, and threaten death to me, Go follow forth that which thy fame requires. Though nature, sex, and education breed No power in me, that's with my purpose even; He lend assistance to th'intended deed, If vows and prayers may penetrate the heaven: But difficulties huge my fancy finds, Save the success nought can defray my fear: Ah, Fortune always frowns on worthy minds, As hating all that trust in ought save her. Yet I despair not but thou may prevail, And by this course t'appease my present groans, I this advantage have which cannot fail, I'll be a freemans wife, or else be nonce. For if all prosper not as we pretend, And that the heavens Rome's bondage do decree, Straight with thy liberty my life shall end, Who have no comfort but what comes from thee. My father hath me taught what way to die, By which if I be barred encounter death, Another means (though far more strange) I'll try, For after Brutus none shall see me breathe. I fear the heavens have our confusion sworn, Since this illage can with no good accord; Thou and my father (ah) should have been born, When Virtue was advanced, and Vice abhorred. Then ere the light of virtue was declinde, Your worth had reueren de been, not thrown away, Where now you both have but in darkness shinde, As stars by night, that had been suns by day. Why shouldst thou so from me thy thoughts con ceale? From thine own soul that in thy bosom sleeps, To whom, though shown, thou dost them not reveal, But in thy self more inwardly them keepest? And thou canst hardly hide thy self from me, That straight in thee each alteration spy, I can comment on all that comes from thee, True love still looks with a suspicious eye. Rests not within our bosom every thought, Tuned by a sympathy of mutual love? Thou marrst the music if thou change in ought, Which straight by my distemperature I prove. Soul of my soul, unfold what is amiss, My mind some great disaster does divine, And even excuse my couriousnesse in this, Since it concerns thy state, and therefore mine.