Lyly, John · published 1584 · first performed or written c.1583 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs typicality 0.87 · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
Go, loiter not, nor mistake your shaft. Now Venus, hast thou played a cunning part, though not current. But why should Venus dispute of unlawfulness in love, or faith in affection? being both the Goddess of love and affection? knowing there is as little truth to be used in love, as there is reason. No, sweet Phao, Venus will obtain because she is venus. Not thou Ioue with thunder in thy hand, shalt take him out of my hands. I have new arrows now for my boy, and fresh flames, at which the Gods shall tremble, if they begin to trouble me. But I will expect the event, and tarry for Cupid at the forge. What hast thou done Cupid? That my mother commanded, Sapho. My thinks I feel an alteration in my mind, and as it were a withstanding in myself of mine own affections. Then hath mine arrow his effect. I pray thee tell me the cause? I dare not. Fear nothing: for if Venus fret, Sapho can frown, thou shalt be my son. Mileta, give him some sweet meats, speak good Cupid, and I will give thee many pretty things. My mother is in love with Phao, she willed me to strike you with disdain of him, and him with desire of her. O spiteful Venus, Mileta give him some of that. What else Cupid? I could be even with my mother: and so I will, if I shall call you mother? Yea Cupid, call me any thing, so I may be even with her. I have an arrow, with which if I strike Phao, it will cause him to loathe only Venus. Sweet Cupid, strike Phao with it. Thou shalt sit in my lap, I will rock thee asleep, and feed thee with all these fine knacks. I will about it. But come quickly again. Ah unkind Venus, is this thy promise to Sapho? But if I get Cupid from thee, I myself will be the Queen of love. I will direct these arrows with better aim, and conquer mine own affections, with greater modesty. Venus' heart shall flame, and her love be as common as her craft. O Mileta, time hath disclosed that, which my temperance hath kept in: but sith I am rid of the disease, I will not be ashamed to confess the cause. I loved Phao Mileta, a thing unfit for my degree, but forced by my desire. Phao? Phao, Mileta, of whom now Venus is enamoured. And do you love him still. No, I feel relenting thoughts, and reason not yielding to appetite. Let Venus have him, no, she shall not have him. But here comes Cupid. How now my boy, hast thou done it? Yea, and left Phao railing on Venus, and cursing her name: yet still sighing for Sapho, and blazing her virtues. Alas poor Phao, thy extreme love should not be requited with so mean a fortune, thy fair face deserved greater favours: I cannot love, Venus hath hardened my heart.
nodes 475–496 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 25 of 27 in this edition
Length
503 words · 664 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T21 — Cupid, Venus and the nymphscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.871 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T21 · seed 44: T24 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Goe, loyter not, nor mistake your shafte. Now Venus, hast thou plaide a cunning parte, though not curraunt. But why should Venus dispute of vnlawfulnesse in loue, or faith in affection? beeing both the Goddesse of loue and affection? knowing there is as litle trueth to be vsed in loue, as there is reason. No, sweete Phao, Venus will obtaine because she is venus. Not thou Ioue with thūder in thy hand, shalt take him out of my hands. I haue new arrowes now for my boy, and fresh flames, at which the Gods shall tremble, if they beginne to trouble me. But I will expect the euent, and tarye for Cupid at the forge▪ What hast thou done Cupid? That my mother commaunded, Sapho. My thinkes I feele an alteration in my minde, and as it were a withstanding in my self of mine own affections. Then hath mine arrow his effect. I pray thee tell me the cause? I dare not. Feare nothing: for if Venus fret, Sapho canne frowne, thou shalt bee my sonne. Mileta▪ giue him some sweete meates, speake good Cupid, and I will giue thee many pretie things. My mother is in loue with Phao, she willed mee to strike you with disdain of him, and him with desire of her. O spitefull Venus, Mileta giue him some of that. What els Cupid? I could be euen with my mother: and so I will, if I shall call you mother? Yea Cupid, call me any thing, so I may be euen with her. I haue an arrow, with which if I strike Phao, it will cause him to loth onely Venus. Sweete Cupid, strike Phao with it. Thou shalt sitte in my lappe, I will rocke thee asleepe, and feede thee with all these fine knackes. I will about it. But come quickly againe. Ah vnkinde Venus, is this thy promise to Sapho? But if I gette Cuppid from thee, I my selfe will be the Queene of loue. I will direct these arrowes with better aime, and conquer mine own affections, with greater modesty. Venus heart shal flame, and her loue be as common as her crafte. O Mileta, time hath disclosed that, which my temperance hath kept in: but sith I am rid of the disease, I will not be ashamed to confesse the cause. I loued Phao Mileta, a thing vnfit for my degree, but forced by my desire. Phao? Phao, Mileta, of whom nowe Venus is inamoured. And doe you loue him still. No, I feele relenting thoughtes, and reason not yeelding to appetite. Let Venus haue him, no, shee shall not haue him. But here coms Cupid. How now my boy, haste thou done it? Yea, and left Phao rayling on Venus, and cursing her name: yet stil sighing for Sapho, and blafing her vertues. Alas poore Phao, thy extreame loue should not be requited with so meane a fortune, thy faire face deserued greater fauours: I cannot loue, Venus hath hardened my heart.