Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/262

234

And forthwith will he deem that she

Loves him with mad intensity,

And is of him as jealous as

In olden days God Vulcan was

Of Venus, whom he found at play

With Mars, when Phœbus brought the day,

[Trapped in the brazen net he’d wrought.

On his own head contempt he brought

When thus he proved himself betrayed,

And openwise a cuckold made.

HENE’ER Dan Vulcan, dunderhead,

Had spied the amorous twain in bed,

Around the couch a net he threw

(Which was an foolish thing to do;

For little wotteth he of life

Who thinks he only hath his wife),

And then the gods did he convoke,

Who crowded round with gibe and joke,

Beholding how the pair were ta’en.

But many ’mong the host, with pain,

Beheld dame Venus’ sore distress,

While marvelling at her loveliness;

Nor heard unmoved her bitter cries

At suffering such indignities