Notes
1] This song is little more than a skilful cento of quotations from the love-letters of Philostratus, an obscure Greek sophist. Cf. Philostratus, Letter XXIV: "Drink to me with thine eyes only. Or, if thou wilt, putting the cup to thy lips, fill it with kisses, and so bestow it upon me."
8] change for: give in exchange.
9-12] Cf. Letter XXX: "I sent thee a rosy wreath, not so much honouring thee (though this also is in my thoughts) as bestowing favour upon the roses, that so they might not be withered."
13-16] Cf. Letter XXXI: "If thou wouldst do a kindness to thy lover, send back the reliques of the roses I gave thee, no longer smelling of themselves only, but of thee."
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Ben Jonson, The workes of Benjamin Jonson (London: Will Stansby, 1616). STC 14751.
First publication date:
1616
Publication date note: from Epicoene
RPO poem editor: F. D. Hoeniger
RP edition: 3RP 1.154.
Recent editing: 4:2002/4/3
Rhyme: abcbabcb