The dainty[126] Venus, left them; blue their truth; 290 The red and black, ensigns of death and ruth. And this true honour from their love-death sprung,-- They were the first that ever poet sung.[127] FOOTNOTES: [113] It should be _binds_: _i.e._, "Leucote flies to the several winds, and, commissioned by the Fates, commands them to restrain their violence." _Broughton._ [114] The next few lines are in Chapman's obscurest manner. "Devotes," in l. 21, means, I suppose, "tokens of devotion to his patron." [115] Cunningham says, "I cannot perceive the meaning of 'doth repair more tender fawns.'" "Fawns" is equivalent to "fawnings;" and the meaning seems to be, "applies himself to softer blandishments." [116] Orithyia.--The story of the rape of Orithyia is told in a magnificent passage of Mr. Swinburne's _Erectheus_. [117] So the Isham copy. Later eds. "true." [118] So the Isham copy. Later eds. "torrent." [119] Some eds. "himselfe surpris'd." Dyce gives "himself so priz'd." [120] A short arrow blunted at the end; it killed birds without piercing them. [121] Countenance. [122] Clipt, embraced. [123] From Gr. [Greek: Atthis] (a woman of Attica, _i.e._, Orithyia). [124] "The flame taking _bait_ (refreshment), feeding." Dyce. (Old eds. "bating.") [125] Old eds. "vsde." [126] Isham copy "deuil." [127] In Chapman's day the work of the grammarian Musaeus was supposed to be the genuine production of the fabulous son of Eumolpus. OVID'S ELEGIES. All the old editions of Marlowe's translation of the _Amores_ are undated, and bear the imprint Middleburgh (in various spellings). It is probable that the copy which Mr. Charles Edmonds discovered at Lamport Hall, Northamptonshire (the seat of Sir Charles Isham, Bart.), is the earliest of extant editions. The title-page of this edition is--_Epigrammes and Elegies By I. D. and C. M. At Middleborugh_ 12mo. After the title-page come the _Epigrammata_, which are signed at the end "I. D." (the initials of Sir John Davies). Following the _Epigrammata_ is a copy of verses headed _Ignoto_, and then comes a second title-page--_Certaine of Ovid's Elegies. By C. Marlowe. At Middleborough_. In his preface to a facsimile reprint of the little volume, Mr. Edmonds states his conviction that this edition, notwithstanding the imprint Middleborough, was issued at London from the press of W. Jaggard, who in 1599 printed the _Passionate Pilgrime_. He grounds his opinion not only on the character of the type and of the misprints, but on the fact that there would be no need for the book to be printed abroad in the first instance. It was not (he thinks) until after June 1599--when (with other books) it was condemned by Archbishop Whitgift to be burnt--that recourse was had to the expedient of reprinting it at Middleburgh. In the notes I refer to this edition as Isham copy.