Epode Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDEEEFFGGEEHIFF FFFFJJJJEEKLJJMMNNOP NNKLQQRSJJJJEEJJJJNN JJNNNNGGJJJJTTNNEEPP EEJJJJFFJJKKEEJJNNEE NNJJPPJJPPEEJJNN

Not to know vice at all and keepe true stateA
Is vertue and not FateA
Next to that vertue is to know vice wellB
And her black spight expellB
Which to effect since no brest is so sureC
Or safe but shee'll procureC
Some way of entrance we must plant a guardD
Of thoughts to watch and wardE
At th'eye and eare the ports unto the mindeE
That no strange or unkindeE
Object arrive there but the heart our spieF
Give knowledge instantlyF
To wakefull Reason our affections kingG
Who in th'examiningG
Will quickly taste the reason and commitE
Close the close cause of itE
'Tis the securest policie we haveH
To make our sense our slaveI
But this true course is not embrac'd by manyF
By many scarce by anyF
For either our affections doe rebellF
Or else the sentinellF
That should ring larum to the heart doth sleepeF
Or some great thought doth keepeF
Back the intelligence and falsely swearesJ
Th'are base and idle fearesJ
Whereof the loyall conscience so complainesJ
Thus by these subtill trainesJ
Doe severall passions invade the mindeE
And strike our reason blindeE
Of which usurping ranck some have thought LoveK
The first as prone to moveL
Most frequent tumults horrors and unrestsJ
In our enflamed brestsJ
But this doth from the cloud of error growM
Which thus we over blowM
The thing they here call Love is blinde DesireN
Arm'd with bow shafts and fireN
Inconstant like the sea of whence 'tis borneO
Rough swelling like a stormeP
With whom who sailes rides on the surge of feareN
And boyles as if he wereN
In a continuall tempest Now true LoveK
No such effects doth proveL
That is an essence farre more gentle fineQ
Pure perfect nay divineQ
It is a golden chaine let downe from heavenR
Whose linkes are bright and evenS
That falls like sleepe on Lovers and combinesJ
The soft and sweetest mindesJ
In equall knots This beares no brands nor dartsJ
To murther different heartsJ
But in a calme and god like unitieE
Preserves communitieE
O who is he that in this peace enjoyesJ
Th Elixir of all joyesJ
A forme more fresh than are the Eden bowersJ
And lasting as her flowersJ
Richer than Time and as Time's vertue rareN
Sober as saddest careN
A fixed thought an eye un taught to glanceJ
Who blest with such high chanceJ
Would at suggestion of a steep desireN
Cast himselfe from the spireN
Of all his happinesse But soft I heareN
Some vicious foole draw neareN
That cryes we dream and swears there's no such thingG
As this chaste love we singG
Peace luxury thou art like one of thoseJ
Who being at sea supposeJ
Because they move the Continent doth soJ
No vice we let thee knowJ
Though thy wild thoughts with sparrows wings do flyeT
Turtles can chastly dyeT
And yet in this t'expresse our selves more cleareN
We do not number hereN
Such Spirits as are only continentE
Because lust's meanes are spentE
Or those who doubt the common mouth of fameP
And for their place and nameP
Cannot so safely sinne Their chastityE
Is meere necessityE
Nor meane we those whom Vowes and conscienceJ
Have fill'd with abstinenceJ
Though we acknowledge who can so abstayneJ
Makes a most blessed gaineJ
He that for love of goodnesse hateth illF
Is more crowne worthy stillF
Than he which for sins penalty forbearesJ
His heart sins though he fearesJ
But we propose a person like our DoveK
Grac'd with a Phoenix loveK
A beauty of that cleare and sparkling lightE
Would make a day of nightE
And turne the blackest sorrowes to bright joyesJ
Whose od'rous breath destroyesJ
All taste of bitternesse and makes the ayreN
As sweet as she is faireN
A body so harmoniously compos'dE
As if Nature disclos'dE
All her best symmetrie in that one featureN
O so divine a creatureN
Who could be false to chiefly when he knowesJ
How only she bestowesJ
The wealthy treasure of her love on himP
Making his fortunes swimP
In the full flood of her admir'd perfectionJ
What savage brute affectionJ
Would not be fearefull to offend a dameP
Of this excelling frameP
Much more a noble and right generous mindE
To vertuous moods inclin'dE
That knowes the weight of guilt He will refraineJ
From thoughts of such a straineJ
And to his sense object this sentence everN
Man may securely sinne but safely neverN

Ben Jonson



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