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| SWIFT ATALANTA (when she lost the prize | |
| By gathering golden apples in her race) | |
| Shews how, by th’apples of thine heavenly eyes, | |
| (Which Fortune did, before my passage place, | |
| When for mine heart’s contentment, I did run) | 5 |
| How, I was hindered, and my wager lost! | |
| When others did the wager’s worth surprise; | |
| I viewed thine eyes! Thus eyes viewed to my cost! | |
| Nor could I them enjoy, when all was done! | |
| But seeming (as they did) bright as the sun, | 10 |
| My course I stayed to view their fiery grace; | |
| Whose sweet possession I could not comprise. | |
| Th’Idæan Shepherd, when the strife begun | |
| Amongst three goddesses, as Judge decreed, | |
| The golden apple to VENUS did award | 15 |
| (Cause of the waste and downfall of proud Troy). | |
| But when the Graces had a sweet regard, | |
| How fair PARTHENOPHE did her exceed; | |
| And VENUS, now, was from the world debarred: | |
| One so much fairer far, as too much coy, | 20 |
| PARTHENOPHE, they chose in VENUS stead. | |
| And since her beauty VENUS’ did outgo, | |
| Two golden apples were to her assigned! | |
| Which apples, the outrageous tumults breed | |
| That are heaped up in my distressèd mind: | 25 |
| Whose figure, in inflamed Troy I find; | |
| The chief occasion of mine endless woe. | |
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