Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. II. The Seventeenth Century: Ben Jonson to Dryden

Ben Jonson (1572–1637)

Epode (from The Forest)

NOT to know vice at all, and keep true state,

Is virtue and not Fate;

Next to that virtue, is to know vice well,

And her black spite expel.

Which to effect (since no breast is so sure

Or safe, but she ’ll procure

Some way of entrance) we must plant a guard

Of thoughts to watch and ward

At the eye and ear, the ports unto the mind,

That no strange or unkind

Object arrive there, but the heart, our spy

Give knowledge instantly

To wakeful reason, our affections’ king:

Who, in th’ examining,

Will quickly taste the treason, and commit

Close the close cause of it.

’Tis the securest policy we have

To make our sense our slave.

But this true course is not embraced by many—

By many? scarce by any.

For either our affections do rebel,

Or else the sentinel,

That should ring larum to the heart, doth sleep;

Or some great thought doth keep

Back the intelligence, and falsely swears

They are base and idle fears

Whereof the loyal conscience so complains.

Thus, by these subtle trains

Do several passions invade the mind,

And strike our reason blind.