Social Commentaries
Of Leda that plaid at Tables with her Husband
From The Most Elegant and Witty Epigrams (1618), Book 1
IF tales are told of Leda be not Fables,
Thou with thy Husband do'st play false at Tables.
First, thou so cunningly a Die canst slurre,
To strike an Ace so dead, it cannot sturre.
Then play thou for a pound, or for a pin,
High men are low men, still are foysted in.
Thirdly through, for free entrance is no fearing,
Yet thou dost ouerreach him still at bearing:
If poore Almes-ace, or Sincts, haue beene the cast,
Thou bear'st too many men, thou bear'st too fast.
Well, Leda, heare my counsell, vse it not,
Else your faire game may haue so foule a blot,
That he to lose, or leaue, will first aduenture,
Then in so shamefull open points to enter.
Codex Note
Book 1, Epigram 79
Cite this poem
MLA
Harington, John. “Of Leda that plaid at Tables with her Husband.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/harington/56/.
Chicago
Harington, John. “Of Leda that plaid at Tables with her Husband.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/harington/56/.
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