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To shame his hope with deeds degenerate。
The mightier man； the mightier is the thing
That makes him honoured or begets him hate；
For greatest scandal waits on greatest state。
The moon being clouded presently is missed；
But little stars may hide them when they list。
'The crow may bathe his coal…black wings in mire
And unperceived fly with the filth away；
But if the like the snow…white swan desire；
The stain upon his silver down will stay。
Poor grooms are sightless night； kings glorious day。
Gnats are unnoted wheresoe'er they fly；
But eagles gazed upon with every eye。
'Out； idle words； servants to shallow fools！
Unprofitable sounds； weak arbitrators！
Busy yourselves in skill…contending schools；
Debate where leisure serves with dull debaters；
To trembling clients be you mediators。
For me； I force not argument a straw；
Since that my case is past the help of law。
'In vain I rail at Opportunity；
At Time； at Tarquin； and uncheerful Night；
In vain I cavil with mine infamy；
In vain I spurn at my confirmed despite：
This helpless smoke of words doth me no right。
The remedy indeed to do me good
Is to let forth my foul…defiled blood。
'Poor hand； why quiver'st thou at this decree？
Honour thyself to rid me of this shame；
For if I die； my honour lives in thee；
But if I live； thou livest in my defame。
Since thou couldst not defend thy loyal dame
And wast afeard to scratch her wicked foe；
Kill both thyself and her for yielding so。'
This said； from her betumbled couch she starteth；
To find some desp'rate instrument of death。
But this no slaughterhouse no tool imparteth
To make more vent for passage of her breath；
Which； thronging through her lips； so vanisheth
As smoke from Etna that in air consumes；
Or that which from discharged cannon fumes。
'In vain；' quoth she； 'I live； and seek in vain
Some happy mean to end a hapless life。
I feared by Tarquin's falchion to be slain；
Yet for the selfsame purpose seek a knife；
But when I feared I was a loyal wife；
So am I now…O no； that cannot be；
Of that true type hath Tarquin rifled me。
'O； that is gone for which I sought to live；
And therefore now I need not fear to die。
To clear this spot by death； at least I give
A badge of fame to slander's livery；
A dying life to living infamy。
Poor helpless help； the treasure stol'n away；
To burn the guiltless casket where it lay！
'Well； well； dear Collatine； thou shalt not know
The stained taste of violated troth；
I will not wrong thy true affection so；
To flatter thee with an infringed oath；
This bastard graff shall never come to growth；
He shall not boast who did thy stock pollute
That thou art doting father of his fruit。
'Nor shall he smile at thee in secret thought；
Nor laugh with his companions at thy state；
But thou shalt know thy int'rest was not bought
Basely with gold； but stol'n from forth thy gate。
For me； I am the mistress of my fate；
And with my trespass never will dispense；
Till life to death acquit my forced offence。
'I will not poison thee with my attaint；
Nor fold my fault in cleanly…coined excuses；
My sable ground of sin I will not paint
To hide the truth of this false night's abuses。
My tongue shall utter all； mine eyes； like sluices；
As from a mountain…spring that feeds a dale；
Shall gush pure streams to purge my impure tale。'
By this； lamenting Philomel had ended
The well…tuned warble of her nightly sorrow；
And solemn night with slow sad gait descended
To ugly hell； when lo； the blushing morrow
Lends light to all fair eyes that light will borrow；
But cloudy Lucrece shames herself to see；
And therefore still in night would cloist'red be。
Revealing day through every cranny spies；
And seems to point her out where she sits weeping；
To whom she sobbing speaks： 'O eye of eyes；
Why pry'st thou through my window？ leave thy peeping；
Mock with thy tickling beams eyes that are sleeping；
Brand not my forehead with thy piercing light；
For day hath nought to do what's done by night。'
Thus cavils she with every thing she sees。
True grief is fond and testy as a child；
Who wayward once； his mood with nought agrees。
Old woes； not infant sorrows； bear them mild；
Continuance tames the one； the other wild；
Like an unpractised swimmer plunging still
With too much labour drowns for want of skill。
So she； deep…drenched in a sea of care；
Holds disputation with each thing she views；
And to herself all sorrow doth compare；
No object but her passion's strength renews；
And as one shifts； another straight ensues。
Sometime her grief is dumb and hath no words；
Sometime 'tis mad and too much talk affords。
The little birds that tune their morning's joy
Make her moans mad with their sweet melody；
〃For mirth doth search the bottom of annoy；
〃Sad souls are slain in merry company；
〃Grief best is pleased with grief's society
True sorrow then is feelingly sufficed
When with like semblance it is sympathized。
〃'Tis double death to drown in ken of shore；
〃He ten times pines that pines beholding food；
〃To see the salve doth make the wound ache more；
〃Great grief grieves most at that would do it good；
〃Deep woes roll forward like a gentle flood；
Who； being stopped； the bounding banks o'erflows；
Grief dallied with nor law nor limit knows。
'You mocking birds；' quoth she； your tunes entomb
Within your hollow…swelling feathered breasts；
And in my hearing be you mute and dumb。
My restless discord loves no stops nor rests；
〃A woeful hostess brooks not merry guests。
Relish your nimble notes to pleasing ears；
〃Distress likes dumps when time is kept with tears。
'Come； Philomel； that sing'st of ravishment；
Make thy sad grove in my dishevelled hair。
As the dank earth weeps at thy languishment；
So I at each sad strain will strain a tear；
And with deep groans the diapason bear；
For burden…wise I'll hum on Tarquin still；
While thou on Tereus descants better skill。
'And whiles against a thorn thou bear'st thy part
To keep thy sharp woes waking； wretched I；
To imitate thee well； against my heart
Will fix a sharp knife to affright mine eye；
Who； if it wink； shall thereon fall and die。
These means； as frets upon an instrument；
Shall tune our heart…strings to true languishment。
'And for； poor bird； thou sing'st not in the day；
As shaming any eye should thee behold；
Some dark deep desert； seated from the way；
That knows not parching heat nor freezing cold；
Will we find out； and there we will unfold
To creatures stern sad tunes； to change their kinds。
Since men prove beasts； let beasts bear gentle minds。'
As the poor frighted deer； that stands at gaze；
Wildly determining which way to fly；
Or one encompassed with a winding maze
That cannot tread the way out readily；
So with herself is she in mutiny；
To live or die which of the twain were better；
When life is shamed and death reproach's debtor。