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For in their spirits burneth bright

The fire of youth, and maketh light

And bold their hearts in such degree

As cometh nigh insanity.

And causeth every one of these

To deem himself a Hercules,

Samson or Roland; ’twixt the two

First named, if records tell us true,

Corporal strength was equal, for

Hercules, saith Solinus, more

Than seven feet was of height, and this

Exceeds all other men, ywis.

Labours immense he undertook,

And fearsome monsters twelve he strook

With death, and then a thirteenth tried

To overcome, but failed, and died

By Dejanira’s act, who sent

To him a shirt, in which was pent

A poisonous, deadly fire, and thus

This Hercules, so valorous

And strong, was utterly subdued

And conquered by vicissitude,

Beneath a woman’s treacherous hand.

And this she did because the brand

Of Love towards Iole had turned

The heart of him for whom she burned.

And Samson—he a half-score men

Had scorned in fight as they were ten

Ripe apples while his locks grew, but

By Delilah those locks were cut.

A sot am I these things to say,

Which you’ll repeat, when once away,