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Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow Elegia XI. Napen alloqutur, ut paratas tabellas ad Cornnam perferat. - The Works of Christopher Marlowe, vol. 3 (Poems)

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Elegia XI. Napen alloqutur, ut paratas tabellas ad Cornnam perferat. - Christopher Marlowe, The Works of Christopher Marlowe, vol. 3 (Poems) [1598]

Edition used:

The Works of Christopher Marlowe, ed. A.H. Bullen (London: John C. Nimmo, 1885). Vol. 3.

Part of: The Works of Christopher Marlowe, 3 vols.

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Elegia XI.1
Napen alloqutur, ut paratas tabellas ad Cornnam perferat.

  • In skilful gathering ruffled hairs in order,
  • Napè, free-born, whose cunning hath no border,2
  • Thy service for night's scapes is known commodious.
  • And to give signs dull wit to thee is odious.3
  • Corinna clips me oft by thy persuasion:
  • Never to harm me made thy faith evasion.
  • Receive these lines; them to my mistress carry:
  • Be sedulous; let no stay cause thee tarry,
  • Nor flint nor iron are in thy soft breast,
  • But pure simplicity in thee doth rest.

    10

  • And 'tis supposed Love's bow hath wounded thee.
  • Defend the ensigns of thy war in me.
  • If what I do, she asks, say “hope for night;”
  • The rest my hand doth in my letters write.
  • Time passeth while I speak; give her my writ,
  • But see that forthwith she peruseth it.
  • I charge thee mark her eyes in front in reading:
  • By speechless looks we guess at things succeeding.
  • Straight being read, will her to write much back,
  • I hate fair paper should writ matter lack.

    20

  • Let her make verses and some blotted letter
  • On the last edge to stay mine eyes the better.
  • What needs she tire1 her hand to hold the quill?
  • Let this word “Come,” alone the tables fill.
  • Then with triumphant laurel will I grace them
  • And in the midst of Venus' temple place them,
  • Subscribing, that to her I consecrate
  • My faithful tables, being vile maple late.

[1]Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

[2]Bound.

[3]“Et dandis ingeniose notis.”

[1]So Dyce for “try” of the old eds.