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Elegia II. Ad Bagoum, ut custodiam puellæ sibi commissæ laxiorem habeat - 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 II.1
Ad Bagoum, ut custodiam puellæ sibi commissæ laxiorem habeat

  • Bagous, whose care doth thy2 mistress bridle,
  • While I speak some few, yet fit words, be idle.
  • I saw the damsel walking yesterday,
  • There, where the porch doth Danaus' fact3 display:
  • She pleased me soon; I sent, and did her woo;
  • Her trembling hand writ back she might not do.
  • And asking why, this answer she redoubled,
  • Because thy care too much thy mistress troubled.
  • Keeper, if thou be wise, cease hate to cherish,
  • Believe me, whom we fear, we wish to perish.

    10

  • Nor is her husband wise: what needs defence,
  • When unprotected4 there is no expense?
  • But furiously he follow5 his love's fire,
  • And thinks her chaste whom many do desire:
  • Stolen liberty she may by thee obtain,
  • Which giving her, she may give thee again:
  • Wilt thou her fault learn? she may make thee tremble.
  • Fear to be guilty, then thou may'st dissemble.
  • Think when she reads, her mother letters sent her:
  • Let him go forth known, that unknown did enter.

    20

  • Let him go see her though she do not languish,
  • And then report her sick and full of anguish.
  • If long she stays, to think the time more short,
  • Lay down thy forehead in thy lap to snort.
  • Inquire not what with Isis may be done,
  • Nor fear lest she to the theàtres run.
  • Knowing her scapes, thine honour shall increase;
  • And what less labour than to hold thy peace?
  • Let him please, haunt the house, be kindly used,
  • Enjoy the wench; let all else be refused.

    30

  • Vam causes feign of him, the true to hide,
  • And what she likes, let both hold ratified.
  • When most her husband bends the brows and frowns,
  • His fawning wench with her desire he crowns.
  • But yet sometimes to chide thee let her fall
  • Counterfeit tears: and thee lewd hangman call.
  • Object thou then, what she may well excuse,
  • To stain all faith in truth, by false crimes' use.
  • Of wealth and honour so shall grow thy heap:
  • Do this, and soon thou shalt thy freedom reap.

    40

  • On tell-tales' necks thou seest the link-knit chains,
  • The filthy prison faithless breasts restrains.
  • Water in waters, and fruit, flying touch,
  • Tantalus seeks, his long tongue's gain is such.
  • While Juno's watchman Iö too much eyed,
  • Him timeless1 death took, she was deified.
  • I saw one's legs with fetters black and blue,
  • By whom the husband his wife's incest1 knew:
  • More he deserved; to both great harm he framed,
  • The man did grieve, the woman was defamed.

    50

  • Trust me all husbands for such faults are sad,
  • Nor make they any man that hears them glad.
  • If he loves not, deaf ears thou dost importune,
  • Or if he loves, thy tale breeds his misfortune.
  • Nor is it easy proved though manifest;
  • She safe by favour of her judge doth rest.
  • Though himself see, he'll credit her denial,
  • Condemn his eyes, and say there is no trial.
  • Spying his mistress' tears he will lament
  • And say “This blab shall suffer punishment.”

    60

  • Why fight'st 'gainst odds? to thee, being cast, do hap
  • Sharp stripes; she sitteth in the judge's lap.
  • To meet for poison or vild facts2 we crave not;
  • My hands an unsheathed shining weapon have not.
  • We seek that, through thee, safely love we may;
  • What can be easier than the thing we pray?

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

[2]So ed. B.—Ed. C “my.”

[3]The original has “agmen.” Cunningham suggests” pack.” If we retain “fact” the meaning is “Danaus' guilt.”

[4]Old eds. “vn-protested.” (“Unde nthil, quamvis non tueare, pent.”)

[5]So ed. C.—Ed. B “follow.” (The sense wanted is “Furiously let him follow,' &c.)

[1]“Ante suos annos occidit'

[1]“Unde vir incestum scire coactus erat.” (Here “incestum” is “adultery.”)

[2]“Scelus.”