Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/243

Rh

Than this I offer? Doth he give

Guerdon more rich to those who live

Beneath his sceptre? For God’s sake

Refuse me not, or else will ache

My heart with pain which maidens know

Alone, who pine ’neath passion’s glow.

Bethink thee what Dan Ovid saith

Of Echo, and her woeful death.”

“From your hard Latin phrase I blench,

Can you not speak plain wholesome French?

Say plainly what you ask of me.”

“Fain would I thou my friend shouldst be,

And I thy humble slave. Forsake

Thy cruel God of Love, and make

No count of Fortune and her wheel

(Not worth a prune is she), but steel

Thy heart like Socrates, who ne’er

In all his life was swayed by her.

She smiled, his heart grew nowise gay;

She frowned, he laughed her frowns away.

Whatso of good or ill he met,

Was each ’gainst each in balance set,

Nor deigned he say that this was good,

Or that was fraught with drearihood.

No evil chances could destroy

His peace, nor good luck move to joy.