The Works of Abraham Cowley/Volume 1/Love

by Abraham Cowley

ANACREONTIQUES:

OR,

SOME COPIES OF VERSES,

TRANSLATED PARAPHRASTICALLY OUT OF ANACREON.

I.LOVE.$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$I'll sing of heroes and of kings,In mighty numbers, mighty things.Begin, my Muse! but lo! the stringsTo my great song rebellious prove;The strings will sound of nought but love.I broke them all, and put on new;'T is this or nothing sure will do.These sure (said I) will me obey;These, sure, heroick notes will play.Strait I began with thundering Jove,And all th'immortal powers; but Love,$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Love smil'd, and from my' enfeebled lyreCame gentle airs, such as inspireMelting love and soft desire.$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Farewell then, heroes! farewell, kings!And mighty numbers, mighty things!Love tunes my heart just to my strings.