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"You'll weep, I know you will; no Iron Chains / Confine thy Heart, thy Breast no Oak retains."

— Dart, John (d. 1730); Tibullus (c. 54-19 B.C.)

Author

Dart, John (d. 1730); Tibullus (c. 54-19 B.C.)

Work Title

Elegy I [from The Works of Tibullus, Containing his Love-Elegies. Translated by Mr Dart. To which is added, The Life of the Author; with Observations on the Original Design of Elegiack Verse; and the Characters of the most Celebrated Greek, Latin and English Elegiack Poets]

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed by T. Sharpe, for W. Newton ... A. Bettesworth and J. Batley ... and W. Mears and T. Jauncy [etc.]

Date

1720

Metaphor

"You'll weep, I know you will; no Iron Chains / Confine thy Heart, thy Breast no Oak retains."

Metaphor in Context

Messalla, War is yours, and Hostile Toils,
Through foreign Lands in Quest of foreign Spoils;
To firm your Conquests, and your Palace grace
With Trophies worthy your illustrious Race.
I wear the Chain, and scorning Glory wait
The constant Porter at my Mistress's Gate.
Honour is an indiff'rent Thing to me,
I Sleight it, Delia, while possess'd of thee;
Censure may rail, and call me what she can,
I would be counted an inglorious Man.
Thee let me have for ever in my Eye,
Ev'n when my latest Hour of Life draws nigh,
Gaze o'er thy lovely Form, and as you stand,
I'll dying grasp thee with a feeble Hand.
You'll weep, and when the pale extended Spoil
Lies stretch'd out, ready for the Funeral Pile;
With Flouds of Tears repeated Kisses fix
On my cold Lips, and Tears and Kisses mix:
You'll weep, I know you will; no Iron Chains
Confine thy Heart, thy Breast no Oak retains.
No Youth unmov'd shall leave those Obsequies,
Nor tender Maid return with Tearless Eyes.
But moderate your Grief, nor move my Shade,
Nor with your Hands your lovely Cheeks invade;
That heav'nly Face from Sorrow's Fury spare,
Nor rend the dangling Tresses of your Hair.