In praise of his Daphnis

Tune on my pipe the praise of my love,

Love fair and bright;

Fill earth with sound, and airy heav'ns above,

Heav'ns love's delight,

With Daphnis' praise.

To pleasant Tempe groves and plains about,

Plains shepherd's pride,

Resounding echoes of her praise ring out,

Ring far and wide

My Daphnis' praise.

When I begin to sing, begin to sound,

Sounds loud and shrill,

Do make each note unto the skies rebound,

Skies calm and still

With Daphnis' praise.

Her eyes like shining lamps in midst of night,

Night dark and dead,

Or as the stars that give the seamen light,

Light for to lead

Their wand'ring ships.

Her lips like scarlet of the finest dye,

Scarlet blood-red;

Teeth white as snow which on the hills doth lie,

Hills over spread

By winter's force.

Her skin as sof as is the finest silk,

Silk soft and fine,

Of colour like unto the whitest milk,

Milk of the kine

Of Daphnis' herd.

As swift of foot as is the pretty roe,

Roe swift of pace,

When yelping hounds pursue her to and fro,

Hounds fierce in chase

To reave her.

Cease tongue to tell of any more compares,

Compares too rude,

Daphnis' deserts and beauty are too rare;

Then here conclude

Fair Daphnis' praise.