| |
| O NEVER can I see that sunny light! | |
| That bright contriver of my fiery rage! | |
| Those precious Golden Apples shining bright: | |
| But, out alas! methinks, some fearful sight | |
| Should battle, with the dear beholders wage. | 5 |
| I fear such precious things should have some force | |
| Them to preserve, lest some beholders might | |
| Procure those precious apples by their slight. | |
| Then cruel ATLAS, banished from remorse, | |
| Enters my thoughts, and how he feared away | 10 |
| The poor inhabitants which dwelt about; | |
| Lest some, of his rich fruit should make a prey: | |
| Although the Orchard, circummured throughout | |
| With walls of steel was; and a vigil stout | |
| Of watchful dragons guarded everywhere, | 15 |
| Which bold attempters vexed with hot pursuit, | |
| So that none durst approach his fruit for fear. | |
| Thus, ATLAS like, thine heart hath dragons set | |
| Tyrannous Hatred, and a Proud Disdain, | |
| Which in that Orchard cruelly did reign, | 20 |
| And with much rigour rule thy lovely eyes! | |
| Immured in steelly walls of chaste Desire, | |
| Which entrance to poor passengers denies, | |
| And death’s high danger to them that require, | |
| And even as ATLAS (through fierce cruelty, | 25 |
| And breach to laws of hospitality; | |
| When lodging to a stranger he denied) | |
| Was turnèd to a stony mountain straight; | |
| Which on his shoulders, now, supports heaven’s weight: | |
| (A just revenge for cruelty and pride!) | 30 |
| Even so, thine heart (for inhumanity, | |
| And wrath to those, that thine eyes’ apples love! | |
| And that it will not lodge a lovely guest) | |
| Is turned to rock, and doth the burden bear | |
| Of thousand zealous lovers’ dear complaints; | 35 |
| Whom thou, with thy fierce cruelty, didst tear! | |
| A huge hard rock, which none can ever move; | |
| And of whose fruit, no man can be possesst. | |
| Thy golden smiles make none attempts too dear: | |
| But when attempted once those apples be, | 40 |
| The vain Attempter, after, feels the smart; | |
| Who, by thy dragons, Hatred and Disdain, | |
| Are torn in sunder with extremity! | |
| For having entered, no man can get forth | |
| (So those enchanting apples hinder thee), | 45 |
| Of such dear prize be things of such rare worth; | |
| But even as PERSEUS, JOVE’s thrice valiant son, | |
| (Begot of DANAE in a golden shower) | |
| Huge ATLAS conquered, when he first begun; | |
| Then killed the dragons with his matchless power: | 50 |
| At length, the beauteous Golden Apples won. | |
| So right is he born in a golden hour | |
| (And for his fortune, may from JOVE descend), | |
| Who first thine heart (an ATLAS!) hath subdued; | |
| Next, Hatred and Disdain brought to their end; | 55 |
| Fierce dragons, which Attempters all pursued, | |
| And which, before, none ever have eschewed. | |
| At length, who shall these golden apples gain, | |
| He shall, alone, be PERSEUS, for his pain! | |
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