Yet ever to obtain his will resolving, Though weak-built hopes persuade him to abstaining: 150 Despair to gain doth traffic oft for gaining, And when great treasure is the meed proposed, Though death be adjunct, there 's no death supposed. Those that much covet are with gain so fond Is but to surfeit, and such griefs sustain, That they prove bankrupt in this poor-rich gain. 140 The aim of all is but to nurse the life With honour, wealth and ease, in waning age; As life for honour in fell battle's rage; Honour for wealth; and oft that wealth doth cost 133 Though death be adjunct] Cf. K. John, III, iii, 57: "Though that my death were adjunct to my act." 134-136 Those that much covet . bond] Thus the first edition. Some unconvincing changes have been suggested. The meaning seems to be, "People who are very rapacious are made so foolish by greed that they scatter and unloose from their grasp everything, both that which they try to obtain but fail to get, and that which they actually possess." 144 gage] stake. So that in venturing ill we leave to be In having much, torments us with defect The thing we have, and, all for want of wit, Such hazard now must doting Tarquin make, When he himself himself confounds, betrays Now stole upon the time the dead of night, eyes: 148 in venturing ill we leave to be] in venturing on evil courses we cease to be. ... 154 Make something augmenting it] Cf. Macb., II, i, 26–27: “So I lose none [sc. honour] In seeking to augment it," and the Sonnets appended to Alcilia by J. C. (1595), stanza xxv: "The things we have, we most of all neglect; And that we have not, greedily we crave. The things we may have, little we respect; And still we covet, that we cannot have. Yet, howsoe'er in our conceit, we prize them. 160 confounds] destroys. 164 comfortable] comforting, cheering. 150 160 No noise but owls' and wolves' death-boding cries; The silly lambs: pure thoughts are dead and still, And now this lustful lord leap'd from his bed, His falchion on a flint he softly smiteth, "As from this cold flint I enforced this fire, Here pale with fear he doth premeditate 174 retire] retreat, flight. 187-188 he doth despise . . . lust] he despises his inability to withstand lust, against which his armour or equipment is defenceless. "Stillslaughter'd lust" implies that lust is ever being killed, but is ever returning to life. 170 180 His naked armour of still-slaughter'd lust, "Fair torch, burn out thy light, and lend it not Let fair humanity abhor the deed That spots and stains love's modest snow-white weed. "O shame to knighthood and to shining arms! "Yea, though I die, the scandal will survive, 190-191 burn out thy light... light] "Light" is similarly used in the double sense (of flame and of life) in Othello, V, ii, 7: "Put out the light, and then put out the light." 196 weed] dress. 198 my household's grave] my family monument, or mausoleum engraved with the scutcheons of my family. 200 soft fancy's slave] slave of effeminate love. 201 true respect] respect for truth. 202 digression] transgression. 205 golden coat] splendid coat-of-arms. 190 200 Some loathsome dash the herald will contrive, Shall curse my bones, and hold it for no sin “What win I, if I gain the thing I seek? For one sweet grape who will the vine destroy? Or what fond beggar, but to touch the crown, "If Collatinus dream of my intent, This dying virtue, this surviving shame, 210 220 206-207 Some loathsome dash... I did dote] A recurrence of the heraldic terminology of lines 57 seq. Heralds were wont to deface with a blot or mark of disgrace, technically called “an abatement," the shields of those who committed dishonourable offences like seduction or desertion in battle. Such "abatements" are described in Guillim's Display of Heraldry, 1610. "To cipher" means "To signify” “To denote." . 213 Who buys to wail a week] Cf. Rich. III, IV, i, 97: “And each hour's joy wrecked with a week of teen." |