Virgils Gnat Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABACCDCDDDDDAA EFEGEGHH CECGCAII DDDDDDEE EGAGCGDD DJDEDEDD DDDDDDD DCDEDKCC EDEDEDGG DCDCDCGG DGDGDG LDLDLDJJ MDCDCDAA G G G D DKDKDKDD DADADADD NCNCNCCC EDEDEDCC CDCDCDDD GNGNGNKK ODODODDD ADADADCC

Wrong'd yet not daring to expresse my paineA
To you great Lord the causer of my careB
In clowdie teares my case I thus complaineA
Vnto yourselfe that onely priuie areC
But if that any Oedipus vnwareC
Shall chaunce through power of some diuining sprightD
To reade the secrete of this riddle rareC
And know the purporte of my euill plightD
Let him rest pleased with his owne insightD
Ne further seeke to glose vpon the textD
For griefe enough it is to grieued wightD
To feele his fault and not be further vextD
But what so by my selfe may not be showenA
May by this Gnatts complaint be easily knowenA
-
-
We now haue playde Augustus wantonlyE
Tuning our song vnto a tender MuseF
And like a cobweb weauing slenderlyE
Haue onely playde let thus much then excuseG
This Gnats small Poeme that th' whole historyE
Is but a jest though envie it abuseG
But who such sports and sweet delights doth blameH
Shall lighter seeme than this Gnats idle nameH
-
Hereafter when as season more secureC
Shall bring forth fruit this Muse shall speak to theeE
In bigger notes that may thy sense allureC
And for thy worth frame some fit PoesieG
The golden offspring of Latona pureC
And ornament of great Ioues progenieA
Phoebus shall be the author of my songI
Playing on iuorie harp with siluer strongI
-
He shall inspire my verse with gentle moodD
Of Poets Prince whether he woon besideD
Faire Xanthus sprincled with Chim ras bloodD
Or in the woods of Astery abideD
Or whereas mount Parnasse the Muses broodD
Doth his broad forhead like two hornes diuideD
And the sweete waues of sounding CastalyE
With liquid foote doth slide downe easilyE
-
Wherefore ye Sisters which the glorie beeE
Of the Pierian streames fayre NaiadesG
Go too and dauncing all in companieA
Adorne that God and thou holie PalesG
To whome the honest care of husbandrieC
Returneth by continuall successeG
Haue care for to pursue his footing lightD
Throgh the wide woods groues with green leaues dightD
-
Professing thee I lifted am aloftD
Betwixt the forrest wide and starrie skyJ
And thou most dread Octauius which oftD
To learned wits giuest courage worthilyE
O come thou sacred childe come sliding softD
And fauour my beginnings graciouslyE
For not these leaues do sing that dreadfull stoundD
When Giants bloud did staine Phlegr an groundD
-
Nor how th' halfe horsy people Centaures hightD
Fought with the bloudie Lapithaes at bordD
Nor how the East with tyranous despightD
Burnt th Attick towres and people slew with swordD
Was digged downe nor yron bands abordD
The Pontick sea by their huge Nauy castD
My volume shall renowne so long since pastD
-
Nor Hellespont trampled with horses feeteD
When flocking Persians did the Greeks affrayC
But my soft Muse as for her power more meeteD
Delights with Phoebus friendly leaue to playE
An easie running verse with tender feeteD
And thou dread sacred child to thee alwayK
Let euerlasting lightsome glory striueC
Through the worlds endles ages to suruiueC
-
And let an happie roome remaine for theeE
Mongst heauenly ranks where blessed soules do restD
And let long lasting life with ioyous gleeE
As thy due meede that thou deseruest bestD
Hereafter many yeares remembred beE
Amongst good men of whom thou oft are blestD
Liue thou for euer in all happinesseG
But let us turne to our first businesseG
-
The fiery sun was mounted now on hightD
Vp to the heauenly towers and shot each whereC
Out of his golden Charet glistering lightD
And fayre Aurora with her rosie heareC
The hatefull darknes now had put to flightD
When as the shepheard seeing day appeareC
His little Goats gan driue out of their stallsG
To feede abroad where pasture best befallsG
-
To an high mountaines top he with them wentD
Where thickest grasse did cloath the open hillsG
They now amongst the woods and thickets mentD
Now in the valleies wandring at their willsG
Spread themselues farre abroad through each descentD
Some on the soft greene grasse feeding their fillsG
Some clambring through the hollow cliffes on hy-
Nibble the bushie shrubs which growe thereby-
-
Others the vtmost boughs of trees doe cropL
And brouze the woodbine twigges that freshly budD
This with full bit doth catch the vtmost topL
Of some soft Willow or new growen studD
This with sharpe teeth the brambles leaues doth lopL
And chaw the tender prickles in her CudD
The whiles another high doth ouerlookeJ
Her owne like image in christall brookeJ
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O the great happines which shepheards haueM
Who so loathes not too much the poor estateD
With minde that ill vse doth before depraueC
Ne measures all things by the costly rateD
Of riotise and semblants outward braueC
No such sad cares as wont to macerateD
And rend the greedie mindes of couetous menA
Do euer creepe into the shepheards denA
-
Ne cares he if the fleece which him arayesG
Be not twice steeped in Assyrian dye-
Ne glistering of golde which vnderlayesG
The summer beames doe blinde his gazing eye-
Ne pictures beautie nor the glauncing rayesG
Of precious stones whence no good commeth by-
Of B tus or of Alcons vanityD
-
Ne ought the whelky pearles esteemeth heeD
Which are from Indian seas brought far awayK
But with pure brest from carefull sorrow freeD
On the soft grasse his limbs doth oft displayK
In sweete spring time when flowres varietieD
With sundrie colours paints the sprincled layK
There lyin all at ease from guile or spightD
With pype of fennie reedes doth him delightD
-
There he Lord of himselfe with palme bedightD
His looser locks doth wrap in wreath of vineA
There his milk dropping Goats be his delightD
And fruitful Pales and the forrest greeneA
And darkesome caues in pleasaunt vallies pightD
Whereas continuall shade is to be seeneA
And where fresh sprining wells as christall neateD
Do alwayes flow to quench his thirstie heateD
-
O who can lead them to a more happie lifeN
Than he that with cleane minde and heart sincereC
No greedy riches knowes nor bloudie strifeN
No deadly fight of warlick fleete doth feareC
Ne runs in perill of foes cruell knifeN
That in the sacred temples he may reareC
A trophee of his glittering spoyels and treasureC
Or may abound in riches aboue measureC
-
Of him his God is worshipt with his sytheE
And not with skill of craftsman polishedD
He ioyes in groues and makes himselfe full blytheE
With sundrie flowers in wilde fieldes gatheredD
Ne frankincens he from Panch a buythE
Sweete quiet harbours in his harmeles headD
And perfect pleasure builds her iouyous bowreC
Free from sad cares that rich mens hearts deuowreC
-
This all his care this all his whole indeuourC
To this his minde and senses he doth bendD
How he may flow in quiets matchles treasourC
Content with any food that God doth sendD
And how his limbs resolu'd through idle leisourC
Vnto sweete sleepe he may securely lendD
In some coole shadow from the scorching heateD
The whiles his flock their chawed cuds do eateD
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O flocks O Faunes and O ye pleasaunt springsG
Of Tempe where the countrey Nymphs are rifeN
Through whose not costly care each shepheard singsG
As merrie notes vpon his rusticke FifeN
As that Ascr an bard whose fame now ringsG
Through the wide world and leads as ioyfull lifeN
Free from all troubles and from worldly toyleK
In which fond men doe all their dayes turmoyleK
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In such delights whilst thus his carelesse timeO
This shepheard driues vpleaning on his battD
And on shrill reedes chaunting his rustick rimeO
Hyperion throwing foorth his beames full hottD
Into the highest top of heauen gan climeO
And the world parting by an equall lottD
Did shed his whirling flames on either sideD
As the great Ocean doth himselfe diuideD
-
Then gan the shepheard gather into oneA
His stragling Goates and draue them to a foordD
Whose c rule streame rombling in Pible stoneA
Crept vnder mosse as greene as any goordD
Now had the Sun halfe heauen ouergoneA
When he heard back from that water foordD
Draue from the force of Phoebus boyling rayC
Into thick shadowes there themselues to layC
-
Soone as he them plac'd in thy sacred w-

Edmund Spenser



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