The Anatomy of Melancholy Part 60

_Centum luminibus cinctum caput Argus habebat_, Argus had a hundred eyes, all so charmed by one silly pipe, that he lost his head. c.l.i.tiphon complains in [5085]Tatius of Leucippe's sweet tunes, "he heard her play by chance upon the lute, and sing a pretty song to it in commendations of a rose," out of old Anacreon belike;

"Rosa honor decusque florum, Rosa flos odorque divum, Hominum rosa est voluptas, Decus illa Gratiarum, Florente amoris hora, Rosa suavium Diones," &c.

"Rose the fairest of all flowers.

Rose delight of higher powers, Rose the joy of mortal men, Rose the pleasure of fine women, Rose the Graces' ornament, Rose Dione's sweet content."

To this effect the lovely virgin with a melodious air upon her golden wired harp or lute, I know not well whether, played and sang, and that transported him beyond himself, "and that ravished his heart." It was Jason's discourse as much as his beauty, or any other of his good parts, which delighted Medea so much.

[5086] ------"Delectabatur enim Animus simul forma dulcibusque verbis."

It was Cleopatra's sweet voice and pleasant speech which inveigled Antony, above the rest of her enticements. _Verba ligant hominem, ut taurorum cornua funes_, "as bulls' horns are bound with ropes, so are men's hearts with pleasant words." "Her words burn as fire," Eccles. ix. 10. Roxalana bewitched Suleiman the Magnificent, and Sh.o.r.e's wife by this engine overcame Edward the Fourth, [5087]_Omnibus una omnes surripuit Veneres_.

The wife of Bath in Chaucer confesseth all this out of her experience.

_Some folk desire us for riches.

Some for shape, some for fairness, Some for that she can sing or dance.

Some for gentleness, or for dalliance_.

[5088]Peter Aretine's Lucretia telleth as much and more of herself, "I counterfeited honesty, as if I had been _virgo virginissima_, more than a vestal virgin, I looked like a wife, I was so demure and chaste, I did add such gestures, tunes, speeches, signs and motions upon all occasions, that my spectators and auditors were stupefied, enchanted, fastened all to their places, like so many stocks and stones." Many silly gentlewomen are fetched over in like sort, by a company of gulls and swaggering companions, that frequently belie n.o.blemen's favours, rhyming Coribantiasmi, Thrasonean Rhadomantes or Bombomachides, that have nothing in them but a few player's ends and compliments, vain braggadocians, impudent intruders, that can discourse at table of knights and lords' combats, like [5089]Lucian's Leonitiscus, of other men's travels, brave adventures, and such common trivial news, ride, dance, sing old ballad tunes, and wear their clothes in fas.h.i.+on, with a good grace; a fine sweet gentleman, a proper man, who could not love him! She will have him though all her friends say no, though she beg with him. Some again are incensed by reading amorous toys, Amadis de Gaul, Palmerin de Oliva, the Knight of the Sun, &c., or hearing such tales of [5090]lovers, descriptions of their persons, lascivious discourses, such as Astyana.s.sa, Helen's waiting-woman, by the report of Suidas, writ of old, _de variis concubitus modis_, and after her Philenis and Elephantine; or those light tracts of [5091]Aristides Milesius (mentioned by Plutarch) and found by the Persians in Cra.s.sus' army amongst the spoils, Aretine's dialogues, with ditties, love songs, &c., must needs set them on fire, with such like pictures, as those of Aretine, or wanton objects of what kind soever; "no stronger engine than to hear or read of love toys, fables and discourses" ([5092]one saith) "and many by this means are quite mad." At Abdera in Thrace (Andromeda one of Euripides' tragedies being played) the spectators were so much moved with the object, and those pathetical love speeches of Perseus, amongst the rest, "O Cupid, Prince of G.o.ds and men,"

&c. that every man almost a good while after spake pure iambics, and raved still on Perseus' speech, "O Cupid, Prince of G.o.ds and men." As carmen, boys and apprentices, when a new song is published with us, go singing that new tune still in the streets, they continually acted that tragical part of Perseus, and in every man's mouth was "O Cupid," in every street, "O Cupid," in every house almost, "O Cupid, Prince of G.o.ds and men,"

p.r.o.nouncing still like stage-players, "O Cupid;" they were so possessed all with that rapture, and thought of that pathetical love speech, they could not a long time after forget, or drive it out of their minds, but "O Cupid, Prince of G.o.ds and men," was ever in their mouths. This belike made Aristotle, _Polit. lib. 7. cap. 18._ forbid young men to see comedies, or to hear amorous tales.

[5093] "Haec igitur juvenes nequam facilesque puellae Inspiciant"------

"let not young folks meddle at all with such matters." And this made the Romans, as [5094]Vitruvius relates, put Venus' temple in the suburbs, _extra murum, ne adolescentes venereis insuescant_, to avoid all occasions and objects. For what will not such an object do? Ismenias, as he walked in Sosthene's garden, being now in love, when he saw so many [5095]lascivious pictures, Thetis' marriage, and I know not what, was almost beside himself.

And to say truth, with a lascivious object who is not moved, to see others dally, kiss, dance? And much more when he shall come to be an actor himself.

To kiss and be kissed, which, amongst other lascivious provocations, is as a burden in a song, and a most forcible battery, as infectious, [5096]

Xenophon thinks, as the poison of a spider; a great allurement, a fire itself, _prooemium aut anticoenium_, the prologue of burning l.u.s.t (as Apuleius adds), l.u.s.t itself, [5097]_Venus quinta parte sui nectaris imbuit_, a strong a.s.sault, that conquers captains, and those all commanding forces, ([5098]_Domasque ferro sed domaris osculo_). [5099]Aretine's Lucretia, when she would in kindness overcome a suitor of hers, and have her desire of him, "took him about the neck, and kissed him again and again," and to that, which she could not otherwise effect, she made him so speedily and willingly condescend. And 'tis a continual a.s.sault,--[5100]_hoc non deficit incipitque semper_, always fresh, and ready to [5101]begin as at first, _basium nullo fine terminatur, sed semper recens est_, and hath a fiery touch with it.

[5102] ------"Tenta modo tangere corpus, Jam tua mellifluo membra calore fluent."

Especially when they shall be lasciviously given, as he feelingly said, [5103]_et me praessulum deosculata Fotis, Catenatis lacertis_, [5104]

_Obtorto valgiter labello_.

[5105] "Valgiis suaviis, Dum semiulco suavio Meam puellam suavior, Anima tunc aegra et saucia Concurrit ad l.a.b.i.a mihi."

The soul and all is moved; [5106]_Jam pluribus osculis labra crepitabant, animarum quoque mixturam facientes, inter mutuos complexus animas anhelantes_,

[5107] "Haesimus calentes, Et transfudimus hinc et hinc labellis Errantes animas, valete curae."

"They breathe out their souls and spirits together with their kisses,"

saith [5108]Balthazar Castilio, "change hearts and spirits, and mingle affections as they do kisses, and it is rather a connection of the mind than of the body." And although these kisses be delightsome and pleasant, Ambrosial kisses, [5109]_Suaviolum dulci dulcius Ambrosia_, such as [5110]

Ganymede gave Jupiter, _Nectare suavius_, sweeter than [5111]nectar, balsam, honey, [5112]_Oscula merum amorem stillantia_, love-dropping kisses; for

"The gilliflower, the rose is not so sweet, As sugared kisses be when lovers meet;"

Yet they leave an irksome impression, like that of aloes or gall,

[5113] "Ut mi ex Ambrosia, mutatum jam foret illud Suaviolum tristi tristius h.e.l.leboro."

"At first Ambrose itself was not sweeter, At last black h.e.l.lebore was not so bitter."

They are deceitful kisses,

[5114] "Quid me mollibus implicas lacertis?

Quid fallacibus osculis inescas?&c."

"Why dost within thine arms me lap, And with false kisses me entrap."

They are destructive, and the more the worse: [5115]_Et quae me perdunt, oscula mille dabat_, they are the bane of these miserable lovers. There be honest kisses, I deny not, _osculum charitatis_, friendly kisses, modest kisses, vestal-virgin kisses, officious and ceremonial kisses, &c. _Osculi sensus, brachiorum amplexus_, kissing and embracing are proper gifts of Nature to a man; but these are too lascivious kisses, [5116]_Implicuitque suos circ.u.m meet colla lacertos_, &c. too continuate and too violent, [5117]_Brachia non hederae, non vinc.u.n.t oscula conchae_; they cling like ivy, close as an oyster, bill as doves, meretricious kisses, biting of lips, _c.u.m additamento: Tam impresso ore_ (saith [5118]Lucian) _ut vix l.a.b.i.a detrahant, inter deosculandum mordicantes, tum et os aperientes quoque et mammas attrectantes_, &c. such kisses as she gave to Gyton, _innumera oscula dedit non repugnanti puero, cervicem invadens_, innumerable kisses, &c. More than kisses, or too homely kisses: as those that [5119]he spake of, _Accepturus ab ipsa venere 7, suavia_, &c. with such other obscenities that vain lovers use, which are abominable and pernicious. If, as Peter de Ledesmo _cas. cons._ holds, every kiss a man gives his wife after marriage, be _mortale peccatum_, a mortal sin, or that of [5120]Hierome, _Adulter est quisquis in uxorem suam ardentior est amator_; or that of Thomas Secund. _quaest. 154. artic. 4._ _contactus et osculum sit mortale peccatum_, or that of Durand. _Rational. lib. 1. cap.

10._ _abstinere debent conjuges a complexu, toto tempore quo solennitas nuptiarum interdicitur_, what shall become of all such [5121]immodest kisses and obscene actions, the forerunners of brutish l.u.s.t, if not l.u.s.t itself! What shall become of them that often abuse their own wives? But what have I to do with this?

That which I aim at, is to show you the progress of this burning l.u.s.t; to epitomise therefore all this which I have hitherto said, with a familiar example out of that elegant Musaeus, observe but with me those amorous proceedings of Leander and Hero: they began first to look one on another with a lascivious look,

"Oblique intuens inde nutibus,-- Nutibus mutuis inducens in errorem mentem puellae.

Et illa e contra nutibus mutuis juvenis Leandri quod amorem non renuit, &c. Inde Adibat in tenebris tacite quidem stringens Roseos puellae digitos, ex imo suspirabat Vehementer------Inde Virginis autem bene olens collum osculatus.

Tale verb.u.m ait amoris ictus stimulo, Preces audi et amoris miserere mei, &c.

Sic fatus recusantis persuasit mentem puellae."

"With becks and nods he first began To try the wench's mind.

With becks and nods and smiles again An answer he did find."

"And in the dark he took her by the hand, And wrung it hard, and sighed grievously, And kiss'd her too, and woo'd her as he might, With pity me, sweetheart, or else I die, And with such words and gestures as there past, He won his mistress' favour at the last."

The same proceeding is elegantly described by Apollonius in his Argonautics, between Jason and Medea, by Eustathius in the ten books of the loves of Ismenias and Ismene, Achilles Tatius between his c.l.i.tophon and Leucippe, Chaucer's neat poem of Troilus and Cresseide; and in that notable tale in Petronius of a soldier and a gentlewoman of Ephesus, that was so famous all over Asia for her chast.i.ty, and that mourned for her husband: the soldier wooed her with such rhetoric as lovers use to do,--_placitone etiam pugnabis amori_? &c. at last, _frangi pertinaciam pa.s.sa est_, he got her good will, not only to satisfy his l.u.s.t, [5122]but to hang her dead husband's body on the cross (which he watched instead of the thief's that was newly stolen away), whilst he wooed her in her cabin. These are tales, you will say, but they have most significant morals, and do well express those ordinary proceedings of doting lovers.

Many such allurements there are, nods, jests, winks, smiles, wrestlings, tokens, favours, symbols, letters, valentines, &c. For which cause belike, G.o.dfridus _lib. 2. de amor_. would not have women learn to write. Many such provocations are used when they come in presence, [5123]10 they will and will not,

"Malo me Galatea pet.i.t lasciva puella, Et fugit ad salices, et se cupit ante videri."

"My mistress with an apple woos me, And hastily to covert goes To hide herself, but would be seen With all her heart before, G.o.d knows."

Hero so tripped away from Leander as one displeased,

[5124] "Yet as she went full often look'd behind, And many poor excuses did she find To linger by the way,"------

but if he chance to overtake her, she is most averse, nice and coy,

"Denegat et pugnat, sed vult super omnia vinci."

"She seems not won, but won she is at length, In such wars women use but half their strength."

Sometimes they lie open and are most tractable and coming, apt, yielding, and willing to embrace, to take a green gown, with that shepherdess in Theocritus, _Edyl. 27._ to let their coats, &c., to play and dally, at such seasons, and to some, as they spy their advantage; and then coy, close again, so nice, so surly, so demure, you had much better tame a colt, catch or ride a wild horse, than get her favour, or win her love, not a look, not a smile, not a kiss for a kingdom. [5125]Aretine's Lucretia was an excellent artisan in this kind, as she tells her own tale, "Though I was by nature and art most beautiful and fair, yet by these tricks I seemed to be far more amiable than I was, for that which men earnestly seek and cannot attain, draws on their affection with a most furious desire. I had a suitor loved me dearly" (said she), "and the [5126]more he gave me, the more eagerly he wooed me, the more I seemed to neglect, to scorn him, and which I commonly gave others, I would not let him see me, converse with me, no, not have a kiss." To gull him the more, and fetch him over (for him only I aimed at) I personated mine own servant to bring in a present from a Spanish count, whilst he was in my company, as if he had been the count's servant, which he did excellently well perform: [5127]_Comes de monte Turco_, "my lord and master hath sent your ladys.h.i.+p a small present, and part of his hunting, a piece of venison, a pheasant, a few partridges, &c.

(all which she bought with her own money), commends his love and service to you, desiring you to accept of it in good part, and he means very shortly to come and see you." Withal she showed him rings, gloves, scarves, coronets which others had sent her, when there was no such matter, but only to circ.u.mvent him. [5128]By these means (as she concludes) "I made the poor gentleman so mad, that he was ready to spend himself, and venture his dearest blood for my sake." Philinna, in [5129]Lucian, practised all this long before, as it shall appear unto you by her discourse; for when Diphilus her sweetheart came to see her (as his daily custom was) she frowned upon him, would not vouchsafe him her company, but kissed Lamprius his co-rival, at the same time [5130]before his face: but why was it? To make him (as she telleth her mother that chid her for it) more jealous; to whet his love, to come with a greater appet.i.te, and to know that her favour was not so easy to be had. Many other tricks she used besides this (as she there confesseth), for she would fall out with, and anger him of set purpose, pick quarrels upon no occasion, because she would be reconciled to him again. _Amantium irae amoris redintegratio_, as the old saying is, the falling out of lovers is the renewing of love; and according to that of Aristenaetis, _jucundiores amorum post injurias deliciae_, love is increased by injuries, as the sunbeams are more gracious after a cloud. And surely this aphorism is most true; for as Ampelis informs Crisis in the said Lucian, [5131]"If a lover be not jealous, angry, waspish, apt to fall out, sigh and swear, he is no true lover." To kiss and coll, hang about her neck, protest, swear and wish, are but ordinary symptoms, _incipientis adhuc et crescentis amoris signa_; but if he be jealous, angry, apt to mistake, &c., _bene speres licet_, sweet sister he is thine own; yet if you let him alone, humour him, please him, &c., and that he perceive once he hath you sure, without any co-rival, his love will languish, and he will not care so much for you. Hitherto (saith she) can I speak out of experience; Demophantus a rich fellow was a suitor of mine, I seemed to neglect him, and gave better entertainment to Calliades the painter before his face, _principio abiit, verbis me insectatus_, at first he went away all in a chafe, cursing and swearing, but at last he came submitting himself, vowing and protesting he loved me most dearly, I should have all he had, and that he would kill himself for my sake. Therefore I advise thee (dear sister Crisis) and all maids, not to use your suitors over kindly; _insolentes enim sunt hoc c.u.m sentiunt_, 'twill make them proud and insolent; but now and then reject them, estrange thyself, _et si me audies semel atque iterum exclude_, shut him out of doors once or twice, let him dance attendance; follow my counsel, and by this means [5132]you shall make him mad, come off roundly, stand to any conditions, and do whatsoever you will have him. These are the ordinary practices; yet in the said Lucian, Melissa methinks had a trick beyond all this; for when her suitor came coldly on, to stir him up, she writ one of his co-rival's names and her own in a paper, _Melissa amat Hermotimum, Hermotimus Mellissam_, causing it to be stuck upon a post, for all gazers to behold, and lost it in the way where he used to walk; which when the silly novice perceived, _statim ut legit credidit_, instantly apprehended it was so, came raving to me, &c.

[5133]"and so when I was in despair of his love, four months after I recovered him again." Eugenia drew Timocles for her valentine, and wore his name a long time after in her bosom: Camaena singled out Pamphilus to dance, at Myson's wedding (some say), for there she saw him first; Felicia.n.u.s overtook Caelia by the highway side, offered his service, thence came further acquaintance, and thence came love. But who can repeat half their devices? What Aretine experienced, what conceited Lucian, or wanton Aristenaetus? They will deny and take, stiffly refuse, and yet earnestly seek the same, repel to make them come with more eagerness, fly from if you follow, but if averse, as a shadow they will follow you again, _fugientem sequitur, sequentem fugit_; with a regaining retreat, a gentle reluctancy, a smiling threat, a pretty pleasant peevishness they will put you off, and have a thousand such several enticements. For as he saith,

[5134] "Non est forma satis, nec quae vult bella videri, Debet vulgari more placere suis.

Dicta, sales, lusus, sermones, gratia, risus, Vinc.u.n.t naturae candidioris opus."