lucasta-第26章

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；　a　term　of　equivocal　import。

　Here　equivalent　to　RANTER；　and　used　for　the　sake　of　the　metre。



　　　　　　THE　TOAD　AND　SPYDER。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　DUELL。

　　Upon　a　day；　when　the　Dog…star　Unto　the　world　proclaim'd　a　war；　And　poyson　bark'd　from　black　throat；　And　from　his　jaws　infection　shot；　Under　a　deadly　hen…bane　shade　With　slime　infernal　mists　are　made；　Met　the　two　dreaded　enemies；　Having　their　weapons　in　their　eyes。

　　First　from　his　den　rolls　forth　that　load　Of　spite　and　hate；　the　speckl'd　toad；　And　from　his　chaps　a　foam　doth　spawn；　Such　as　the　loathed　three　heads　yawn；　Defies　his　foe　with　a　fell　spit；　To　wade　through　death　to　meet　with　it；　Then　in　his　self　the　lymbeck　turns；　And　his　elixir'd　poyson　urns。　Arachne；　once　the　fear　oth'　maid

Coelestial；　thus　unto　her　pray'd：　Heaven's　blew…ey'd　daughter；　thine　own　mother！　The　Python…killing　Sun's　thy　brother。　Oh！　thou；　from　gods　that　didst　descend；　With　a　poor　virgin　to　contend；　Shall　seed　of　earth　and　hell　ere　be　A　rival　in　thy　victorie？　Pallas　assents：　for　now　long　time　And　pity　had　clean　rins'd　her　crime；　When　straight　she　doth　with　active　fire　Her　many　legged　foe　inspire。　Have　you　not　seen　a　charact　lie　A　great　cathedral　in　the　sea；　Under　whose　Babylonian　walls　A　small　thin　frigot　almshouse　stalls？　So　in　his　slime　the　toad　doth　float　And　th'　spyder　by；　but　seems　his　boat。　And　now　the　naumachie　begins；　Close　to　the　surface　her　self　spins：　Arachne；　when　her　foe　lets　flye　A　broad…side　of　his　breath　too　high；　That's　over…shot；　the　wisely…stout；　Advised　maid　doth　tack　about；　And　now　her　pitchy　barque　doth　sweat；　Chaf'd　in　her　own　black　fury　wet；　Lasie　and　cold　before；　she　brings　New　fires　to　her　contracted　stings；　And　with　discolour'd　spumes　doth　blast　The　herbs　that　to　their　center　hast。　Now　to　the　neighb'ring　henbane　top　Arachne　hath　her　self　wound　up；　And　thence；　from　its　dilated　leaves；　By　her　own　cordage　downwards　weaves；　And　doth　her　town　of　foe　attack；　And　storms　the　rampiers　of　his　back；　Which　taken　in　her　colours　spread；　March　to　th'　citadel　of's　head。　Now　as　in　witty　torturing　Spain；　The　brain　is　vext　to　vex　the　brain；　Where　hereticks　bare　heads　are　arm'd　In　a　close　helm；　and　in　it　charm'd　An　overgrown　and　meagre　rat；　That　peece…meal　nibbles　himself　fat；　So　on　the　toads　blew…checquer'd　scull　The　spider　gluttons　her　self　full。　And　vomiting　her　Stygian　seeds；　Her　poyson　on　his　poyson　feeds。　Thus　the　invenom'd　toad；　now　grown　Big　with　more　poyson　than　his　own；　Doth　gather　all　his　pow'rs；　and　shakes　His　stormer　in's　disgorged　lakes；　And　wounded　now；　apace　crawls　on　To　his　next　plantane　surgeon；　With　whose　rich　balm　no　sooner　drest；　But　purged　is　his　sick　swoln　breast；　And　as　a　glorious　combatant；　That　only　rests　awhile　to　pant；　Then　with　repeated　strength　and　scars；　That　smarting　fire　him　new　to　wars；　Deals　blows　that　thick　themselves　prevent；　As　they　would　gain　the　time　he　spent。

　　So　the　disdaining　angry　toad；　That　calls　but　a　thin　useless　load；　His　fatal　feared　self　comes　back　With　unknown　venome　fill'd　to　crack。　Th'　amased　spider；　now　untwin'd；　Hath　crept　up；　and　her　self　new　lin'd　With　fresh　salt　foams　and　mists；　that　blast　The　ambient　air　as　they　past。　And　now　me　thinks　a　Sphynx's　wing　I　pluck；　and　do　not　write；　but　sting；　With　their　black　blood　my　pale　inks　blent；　Gall's　but　a　faint　ingredient。　The　pol'tick　toad　doth　now　withdraw；　Warn'd；　higher　in　CAMPANIA。　There　wisely　doth；　intrenched　deep；　His　body　in　a　body　keep；　And　leaves　a　wide　and　open　pass　T'　invite　the　foe　up　to　his　jaws；　Which　there　within　a　foggy　blind　With　fourscore　fire…arms　were　lin'd。　The　gen'rous　active　spider　doubts　More　ambuscadoes　than　redoubts；　So　within　shot　she　doth　pickear；　Now　gall's　the　flank；　and　now　the　rear；　As　that　the　toad　in's　own　dispite　Must　change　the　manner　of　his　fight；　Who；　like　a　glorious　general；　With　one　home…charge　lets　fly　at　all。　Chaf'd　with　a　fourfold　ven'mous　foam　Of　scorn；　revenge；　his　foes　and　's　own；　He　seats　him　in　his　loathed　chair；　New…made　him　by　each　mornings　air；　With　glowing　eyes　he　doth　survey　Th'　undaunted　hoast　he　calls　his　prey；　Then　his　dark　spume　he　gred'ly　laps；　And　shows　the　foe　his　grave；　his　chaps。

　　Whilst　the　quick　wary　Amazon　Of　'vantage　takes　occasion；　And　with　her　troop　of　leggs　carreers　In　a　full　speed　with　all　her　speers。　Down　（as　some　mountain　on　a　mouse）　On　her　small　cot　he　flings　his　house；　Without　the　poyson　of　the　elf；　The　toad　had　like　t'　have　burst　himself：　For　sage　Arachne　with　good　heed　Had　stopt　herself　upon　full　speed；　And；　's　body　now　disorder'd；　on　She　falls　to　execution。　The　passive　toad　now　only　can　Contemn　and　suffer。　　Here　began　The　wronged　maids　ingenious　rage；　Which　his　heart　venome　must　asswage。　One　eye　she　hath　spet　out；　strange　smother；　When　one　flame　doth　put　out　another；　And　one　eye　wittily　spar'd；　that　he　Might　but　behold　his　miserie。　She　on　each　spot　a　wound　doth　print；　And　each　speck　hath　a　sting　within't；　Till　he　but　one　new　blister　is；　And　swells　his　own　periphrasis。　Then　fainting；　sick；　and　yellow…pale；　She　baths　him　with　her　sulph'rous　stale；　Thus　slacked　is　her　Stygian　fire；　And　she　vouchsafes　now　to　retire。　Anon　the　toad　begins　to　pant；　Bethinks　him　of　th'　almighty　plant；　And　lest　he　peece…meal　should　be　sped；　Wisely　doth　finish　himself　dead。　Whilst　the　gay　girl；　as　was　her　fate；　Doth　wanton　and　luxuriate；　And　crowns　her　conqu'ring　head　all　or　With　fatal　leaves　of　hellebore。　Not　guessing　at　the　pretious　aid　Was　lent　her　by　the　heavenly　maid。　The　neer　expiring　toad　now　rowls　Himself　in　lazy　bloody　scrowls；　To　th'　sov'raign　salve　of　all　his　ills；　That　only　life　and　health　distills。　But　loe！　a　terror　above　all；　That　ever　yet　did　him　befall！

　　Pallas；　still　mindful　of　her　foe；　（Whilst　they　did　with　each　fires　glow）　Had　to　the　place　the　spiders　lar　Dispath'd　before　the　ev'nings　star。　He　learned　was　in　Natures　laws；　Of　all　her　foliage　knew　the　cause；　And　'mongst　the　rest　in　his　choice　want　Unplanted　had　this　plantane　plant。

　　The　all…confounded　toad　doth　see　His　life　fled　with　his　remedie；　And　in　a　glorious　despair　First　burst　himself；　and　next　the　air；　Then　with　a　dismal　horred　yell　Beats　down　his　loathsome　breath　to　hell。

　　But　what　inestimable　bliss　This　to　the　sated　virgin　is；　Who；　as　before　of　her　fiend　foe；　Now　full　is　of　her　goddess　too！　She　from　her　fertile　womb　hath　spun　Her　stateliest　pavillion；　Whilst　all　her　silken　flags　display；　And　her　triumphant　banners　play；　Where　Pallas　she　ith'　midst　doth　praise；　And　counterfeits　her　brothers　rayes；　Nor　will　she　her　dear　lar　forget；　Victorious　by　his　benefit；　Whose　roof　inchanted　she　doth　free　From　haunting　gnat　and　goblin　bee；　Who；　trapp'd　in　her　prepared　toyle；　To　their　destruction　keep　a　coyle。

　　Then　she　unlocks　the　toad's　dire　head；　Within　whose　cell　is　treasured　That　pretious　stone；　which　she　doth　call　A　noble　recompence　for　all；　And　to　her　lar　doth　it　present；　Of　his　fair　aid　a　monument。

　It　will　be　seen　that　this　poem　partly　turns　on　the　mythological　tale　of　Arachne　and　Minerva；　and　the　metamorphosis　of　the　former　by　the　angry　goddess　into　a　spider　（）。

　i。e。　CARAK；　or　CARRICK；　as　the　word　is　variously　spelled。　This　large　kind　of　ship　was　much　used　by　the　Greeks　and　Venetians　during　the　middle　ages；　and　also　by　other　nations。

　The　poet　rather　awkwardly　sustains　his　simile；　and　employs；　in　expressing　a　contest　between　the　toad　and　the　spider；　a　term　signifying　a　naval　battle；　or；　at　least；　a　fight　between　two　ships。

　Lovelace's　fondness　for　military　similitudes　is　constantly　standing　in　the　way；　and　marring　his　attempts　at　poetical　imagery。

　A　form　of　RAMPART；　sanctioned　by　Dryden。

　Medicinal　herb　or　plant。

　Blended。

　CAMPANIA　may　signify；　in　the　present　passage；　either　a　field　or　the　country　generally；　or　a　plain。　　It　is　a　clumsy　expression。

　In　the　sense　in　which　it　is　here　used　this　word　seems　to　be　peculiar　to　Lovelace。　　TO　PICKEAR；　or　PICKEER；　means　TO　SKIRMISH。

　So　that。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SNAYL。

　　Wise　emblem　of　our　politick　world；　Sage　Snayl；　within　thine　own　self　curl'd；　Instruct　me　softly　to　make　hast；　Whilst　these　my　feet　go　slowly　fast。

　　Compendious　Snayl！　thou　seem'st　to　me　Large　Euclid's　strict　epitome；　And　in　each　diagram　dost　fling　Thee　from　the　point　unto　the　ring。　A　figure　now　trianglare；　An　oval　now；　and　now　a　square；　And　then　a　serpentine；　dost　crawl；　Now　a　straight　line；　now　crook'd；　now　all。

　　Preventing　rival　of　the　day；　Th'　art　up　and　openest　thy　ray；　And　ere　the　morn　cradles　the　moon；　Th'　art　broke　into　a　beauteous　noon。　Then；　when　the　Sun　sups　in　the　deep；　Thy　silver　horns　e're　Cinthia's　peep；　And　thou；　from　thine　own　liquid　bed；　New　Phoebus；　heav'st　thy　pleasant　head。

　　Who　shall　a　name　for　thee　create；　Deep　riddle　of　mysterious　state？　Bold　Nature；　that　gives　common　birth　To　all　products　of　seas　and　earth；　Of　thee；　as　earth…quakes；　is　afraid；　Nor　will　thy　dire　deliv'ry　aid。

　　Thou；　thine　own　daughter；　then；　and　sire；　That　son　and　mother　art　intire；　That　big　still　with　thy　self　dost　go；　And　liv'st　an　aged　embrio；　That　like　the　cubbs　of　India；　Thou　from　thy　self　a　while　dost　play；　But　frighted　with　a　dog　or　gun；　In　thine　own　belly　thou　dost　run；　And　as　thy　house　was　thine　own　womb；　So　thine　own　womb　concludes　thy　tomb。

　　But　now　I　must　（analys'd　king）　Thy　oeconomick　virtues　sing；　Thou　great　stay'd　husband　still　within；　Thou　thee　that's　thine　dost　discipline；　And　when　thou　art　to　progress　bent；　Thou　mov'st　thy　self　and　tenement；　As　warlike　Scythians　travayl'd；　you　Remove　your　men　and　city　too；　Then；　after　a　sad　dearth　and　rain；　Thou　scatterest　thy　silver　train；　And　when　the　trees　grow　nak'd　and　old；　Thou　cloathest　them　with　cloth　of　gold；　Which　from　thy　bowels　thou　dost　spin；　And　draw　from　the　rich　mines　within。

　　Now　hast　thou　chang'd　thee；　saint；　and　made　Thy　self　a　fane　that's　cupula'd；　And　in　thy　wreathed　cloister　thou　Walkest　thine　own　gray　fryer　too；　Strickt　and　lock'd　up；　th'art　hood　all　ore；　And　ne'r　eliminat'st　thy　dore。　On　sallads　thou　dost　feed　severe；　And　'stead　of　beads　thou　drop'st　a　tear；　And　when　to　rest　each　calls　the　bell；　Thou　sleep'st　within　thy　marble　cell；　Where；　in　dark　contemplation　plac'd；　The　sweets　of　Nature　thou　dost　tast；　Who　now　with　time　thy　days　resolve；　And　in　a　jelly　thee　dissolve；　Like　a　shot　star；　which　doth　repair　Upward；　and　rarifie　the　air。

　Anticipating；　forerunning。

　It　can　scarcely　be　requisite　to　mention　that　Lovelace　refers　to　the　gradual　evanescence　of　the　moon　before　the　growing　daylight。　　It　is　well　known　that　the　lunar　orb　is；　at　certain　times；　visible　sometime　even　after　sunrise。



　　　　　　　　　　　　ANOTHER。

The　Centaur；　Syren；　I　foregoe；　Those　have　been　sung；　and　lowdly　too：　Nor　of　the　mixed　Sphynx　Ile　write；　Nor　the　renown'd　Hermaphrodite。　Behold！　this　huddle　doth　appear　Of　horses；　coach　and　charioteer；　That　moveth　him　by　traverse　law；　And　doth　himself　both　drive　and　draw；　Then；　when　the　Sunn　the　south　doth　winne；　He　baits　him　hot　in　his　own　inne。　I　heard　a　grave　and　austere　clark　Resolv'd　him　pilot　both　and　barque；　That；　like　the　fam'd　ship　of　TREVERE；　Did　on　the　shore　himself　lavere：　Yet　the　authentick　do　beleeve；　Who　keep　their　judgement　in　their　sleeve；