Trust not thy friend, much less thy mistress praise; If he believe, thou may'st a rival raise. 'Tis true, Patroclus, by no lust misled, Sought not to stain his dear companion's bed; Nor Pylades Hermione embraced; Even Phædra to Pirithous still was chaste. But hope not thou, in this vile age, to find Those rare examples of a faithful mind; The sea shall sooner with sweet honey flow, Or from the furzes pears and apples grow. We sin with gust, we love by fraud to gain, And find a pleasure in our fellow's pain. From rival foes you may the fair defend; But, would you ward the blow, beware your friend: Beware your brother, and your next of kin; But from your bosom-friend your care begin. Here I had ended, but experience finds, That sundry women are of sundry minds, With various crotchets filled, and hard to please; They therefore must be caught by various ways. All things are not produced in any soil; This ground for wine is proper, that for oil. So 'tis in men, but more in womankind; } Different in face, in manners, and in mind; } But wise men shift their sails with every wind. } As changeful Proteus varied oft his shape, And did in sundry forms and figures 'scape; A running stream, a standing tree became, A roaring lion, or a bleating lamb. Some fish with harpoons, some with darts are struck, Some drawn with nets, some hang upon the hook; So turn thyself; and, imitating them, Try several tricks, and change thy stratagem. One rule will not for different ages hold; The jades grow cunning, as they grow more old. Then talk not bawdy to the bashful maid; Broad words will make her innocence afraid: Nor to an ignorant girl of learning speak; She thinks you conjure, when you talk in Greek. And hence 'tis often seen, the simple shun The learned, and into vile embraces run. Part of my task is done, and part to do; But here 'tis time to rest myself and you. FOOTNOTES: [43] The Minotaur. [44] Scylla. [45] The famous brazen bull of Phalaris is here, _rythmi gratia_, converted into a cow. The story of his inclosing Perillus, the inventor, in the engine which he had contrived, is well-known. [46] Grateful is here used for pleasing. FROM OVID'S AMOURS. BOOK I. ELEG. 1.