Love

Phoebe's Sonnet, a reply to Montanus' Passion

by Thomas Lodge 1557–1625

From England's Helicon (1600), ed. A. H. Bullen (1887)

Love

"Down a down!"
Thus Phyllis sung,
By fancy once distress'd:
" Whoso by foolish Love are stung
Are worthily oppress'd.
And so sing I, with down a down."

" When Love was first begot.
And by the mother's will,
Did fall to human lot.
His solace to fulfil.
Devoid of all deceit,
A chaste and holy fire,
Did quicken men's conceit,
And women's breasts inspire.
The gods that saw the good,
That mortals did approve.
With kind and holy mood
Began to talk of Love.
Down a down!"

Thus Phyllis sung
By fancy once distress'd, &c.
' ' But during this accord,
A wonder strange to hear.
Whilst Love in deed and word.
Most faithful did appear.
False Semblance came in place,
By Jealousy attended.
And with a double face
Both love and fancy blended;
Which made the gods forsake,
And men from fancy fly,
And maidens scorn a make;
Forsooth, and so will I.

Down a down! "
Thus Phyllis sung,
By fancy once distress'd:
" Whoso by foolish Love are stung,
Are worthily oppress'd.
And so sing I, with down a down.

✦ ✦ ✦

Signed "Thom. Lodge" in England's Helicon.

MLA

Lodge, Thomas. “Phoebe's Sonnet, a reply to Montanus' Passion.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/lodge/51/.

Chicago

Lodge, Thomas. “Phoebe's Sonnet, a reply to Montanus' Passion.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/lodge/51/.

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