Whoso his breast declined To yield unto this cruel maddening wound, Within whose healthy mind Traitor Love is not found, Lo I will kiss beneath his feet the ground! And happy everywhere The prudent herdsman will I call, the swain Who lives and sets his care On his poor flock, and fain Would turn to Love a face of cold disdain. Ere the ripe season come, Such a one's ewe-lambs will be fit to bear, Bringing their lambkins home, And when the day is drear Pasturage will they find and waters clear. If Love should for his sake Be angry and should turn his mind astray, Lo, his flock will I take With mine and lead the way To the clear stream, and to the meadow gay. What time the sacred steam Of incense shall go flying to the sky, This is the prayer I deem To offer up on high, Kneeling on earth in zealous piety. "Oh holy Heaven and just, Since thou protector art of those who seek To do thy will, whose trust Is in thee, help the weak, On whom for thy sake Love doth vengeance wreak. "Let not this tyrant bear The spoils away that were thine own before, But with thy bounteous care And choice rewards once more Unto their senses do thou strength restore." As Lenio ceased singing, he was courteously received by all the shepherds, and when he heard them name Damon and Thyrsis, whom he only knew by repute, he was astonished at seeing their admirable bearing, and so he said to them: 'What encomiums would suffice, though they were the best that could be found in eloquence, to have the power of exalting and applauding your worth, famous shepherds, if perchance love's follies were not mingled with the truths of your renowned writings? But since you are in love's decline, a disease to all appearance incurable, though my rude talents may pay you your due in valuing and praising your rare discretion, it will be impossible for me to avoid blaming your thoughts.' 'If you had yours, discreet Lenio,' replied Thyrsis, 'without the shadows of the idle opinion which fills them, you would straightway see the brightness of ours, and that they deserve more glory and praise for being loving, than for any subtlety or discretion they might contain.' 'No more, Thyrsis, no more,' replied Lenio, 'for I know well that with such great and such obstinate foes my reasonings will have little force.'