Odes 4.1 (Creech): Intermissa, Venus

LOng interrupted War
Thou Venus dost again renew,
And former hate pursue;
Oh spare, for Pitty, Venus, spare.

I am not what I was
In lovely Cynera's easy Reign
When heat warm'd every Vein,
And manly Beauty filld my Face.

Cease Queen of soft Desires
To bend my Mind grown stiff with Age,
And fifty years engage
To crackle in thy wanton Fires.

But Youth and Beauty hear,
Go where their tender wishes call,
And let their sighs prevail;
Go free young Virgins of their fear.

There is a Noble game,
In Paulus House, go drive thy Doves,
And revel with thy Loves,
His Heart deserves thy choicest Flame:

For He is great in Charms,
The chiefest Honor of the Bar,
He'l make successful War,
And spread the Glory of thy Arms:

When He the lovely smiles,
When he the happy Man shall prove,
And win by naked Love
His giving Rivals costly spoyls;

Of Cedar grac't with Gold,
A stately Pile shall proudly rise
As glorious as the Skies,
And thy blest Image gladly hold;

Before Thee thrice a day
With Incense sweet thy Shrine shall smoke,
And Boys and Maids invoke,
And dance, and praise Thee as they pray;

In wanton order move,
Whilst Pipe, and Flute, and charming Lyre
Compose the joyful Quire,
And naked all, and fit for Love.

No Maids, no wanton Boys,
No Empty hopes of mutual Love
My feeble passions move,
Or quicken my dead Soul to joys:

E'en Crowns and Wine displease,
I cannot roar and drink all Night,
Old Age doth cramp Delight,
And lead me down to lazy Ease:

But Ah! what's this my Dear!
Dear Ligurine, ah tell me why
These drops forsake my Eye,
And tender sighs fan every tear.

Why doth my flowing Tongue
In unbecoming silence fall?
And why do sighs prevail,
And in the midst surprise my Song?

Thee, Thee, my lovely Boy,
Now now I clasp, and now in Dreams
Pursue o're Fields, and Streams;
Thee, Thee, my Dear, my flying Joy.