"Prepare with every smiling grace t'adorn / The festival; and let victorious joy / Chase every black idea from thy mind: / For ever banish from thy gentle breast / All cares, except the pleasing cares of love!"
— Fenton, Elijah (1683-1730)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Tonson
Date
February 22, 1723
Metaphor
"Prepare with every smiling grace t'adorn / The festival; and let victorious joy / Chase every black idea from thy mind: / For ever banish from thy gentle breast / All cares, except the pleasing cares of love!"
Metaphor in Context
HEROD
If ev'ry star
Contain'd a golden world, and bounteous heav'n
Wou'd make me lord of all, I'd not forsake
My Mariamne, to receive the boon.
My absence never shall afflict thee more.
The blaze of glory whose deluding light
Mis-led me from thy arms, shall now be lost
In love's superior flame: Pheroras, train'd
In Roman camps, and perfected in arms,
Shall have the conduct of our future wars.
And now, thou dearest treasure of my soul!
Prepare with every smiling grace t'adorn
The festival; and let victorious joy
Chase every black idea from thy mind:
For ever banish from thy gentle breast
All cares, except the pleasing cares of love!
Be this the prelude of eternal peace,
And mutual passion with our years increase!
(pp. 37-8)
If ev'ry star
Contain'd a golden world, and bounteous heav'n
Wou'd make me lord of all, I'd not forsake
My Mariamne, to receive the boon.
My absence never shall afflict thee more.
The blaze of glory whose deluding light
Mis-led me from thy arms, shall now be lost
In love's superior flame: Pheroras, train'd
In Roman camps, and perfected in arms,
Shall have the conduct of our future wars.
And now, thou dearest treasure of my soul!
Prepare with every smiling grace t'adorn
The festival; and let victorious joy
Chase every black idea from thy mind:
For ever banish from thy gentle breast
All cares, except the pleasing cares of love!
Be this the prelude of eternal peace,
And mutual passion with our years increase!
(pp. 37-8)
Categories
Provenance
LION
Citation
First performed February 22, 1723. Over 16 entries in the ESTC (1723, 1726, 1728, 1735, 1745, 1759, 1760, 1768, 1774, 1777, 1781, 1794).
Mariamne. A Tragedy. Acted at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. Written by Mr. Fenton (London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1723). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Mariamne. A Tragedy. Acted at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. Written by Mr. Fenton (London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1723). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/20/2013
