The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume IICrashaw, Richard
General
The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume II
Crashaw, Richard
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
EHEU, ver breve et invidum!
Eheu, floriduli dies!
Ergo curritis improba,
Et quae nunc face fulgurat,
Dulcis forma tenacibus
Immiscebitur infimae:
Heu, noctis nebulis; amor
Fallax, umbraque somnii.
Quin incumbitis; invida
Sic dictat colus, et rota
Cani temporis incito
Currens orbe volubilis.
O deprendite lubricos
Annos; et liquidum jubar
Verni sideris, ac novi
Floris fulgura, mollibus
Quae debetis amoribus,
Non impendite luridos
In manes avidum et Chaos.
Quanquam sidereis genis,
Quae semper nive sobria
Sinceris spatiis vigent,
Floris germine simplicis,
Flagrant ingenuae rosae:
Quanquam perpetua fide
Illic mille Cupidines,
Centum mille Cupidines,
Pastos nectarea dape,
Blandis sumptibus educas;
Istis qui spatiis vagi,
Plenis lusibus ebrii,
Udo rore beatuli,
Uno plus decies die
Istis ex oculis tuis,
Istis ex oculis suas
Sopitas animant faces,
Et languentia recreant
Succo spicula melleo:
Tum flammis agiles novis
Lasciva volitant face,
Tum plenis tumidi minis,
Tum vel sidera territant,
Et coelum et fragilem Jovem:
Quanquam fronte sub ardua
Majestas gravis excubans,
Dulces fortiter improbis
Leges dictat amoribus:
Quanquam tota, per omnia,
Coelum machina praeferat,
Tanquam pagina multiplex
Vivo scripta volumine,
Terris indigitans polos.
Et compendia siderum:
Istis heu tamen heu genis,
Istis purpureis genis,
Oris sidere florido,
Regno frontis amabili;
Mors heu crastina forsitan
Crudeles faciet notas,
Naturaeque superbiam
Damnabit tumuli specu.
TRANSLATION.
THE BEAUTIFUL NOT LASTING.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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