The Anatomy of Melancholy Part 57

[4872]When Peter Aretine's Lucretia came first to Rome, and that the fame of her beauty, _ad urbanarum deliciarum sectatores venerat, nemo non ad videndam eam_, &c. was spread abroad, they came in (as they say) thick and threefold to see her, and hovered about her gates, as they did of old to Lais of Corinth, and Phryne of Thebes, [4873]_Ad cujus jacuit Graecia tota fores_, "at whose gates lay all Greece." [4874]"Every man sought to get her love, some with gallant and costly apparel, some with an affected pace, some with music, others with rich gifts, pleasant discourse, mult.i.tude of followers; others with letters, vows, and promises, to commend themselves, and to be gracious in her eyes." Happy was he that could see her, thrice happy that enjoyed her company. Charmides [4875]in Plato was a proper young man in comeliness of person, "and all good qualities, far exceeding others; whensoever fair Charmides came abroad, they seemed all to be in love with him" (as Critias describes their carriage), "and were troubled at the very sight of him; many came near him, many followed him wheresoever he went,"

as those [4876]_formarum spectatores_ did Acontius, if at any time he walked abroad: the Athenian la.s.ses stared on Alcibiades; Sappho and the Mitilenean women on Phaon the fair. Such lovely sights do not only please, entice, but ravish and amaze. Cleonimus, a delicate and tender youth, present at a feast which Androcles his uncle made in Piraeo at Athens, when he sacrificed to Mercury, so stupefied the guests, Dineas, Aristippus, Agasthenes, and the rest (as Charidemus in [4877]Lucian relates it), that they could not eat their meat, they sat all supper time gazing, glancing at him, stealing looks, and admiring of his beauty. Many will condemn these men that are so enamoured, for fools; but some again commend them for it; many reject Paris's judgment, and yet Lucian approves of it, admiring Paris for his choice; he would have done as much himself, and by good desert in his mind: beauty is to be preferred [4878]"before wealth or wisdom."

[4879]Athenaeus _Deipnosophist, lib. 13. cap. 7_, holds it not such indignity for the Trojans and Greeks to contend ten years, to spend so much labour, lose so many men's lives for Helen's sake, [4880]for so fair a lady's sake,

"Ob talem uxorem cui praestantissima forma, Nil mortale refert."

That one woman was worth a kingdom, a hundred thousand other women, a world itself. Well might [4881]Sterpsich.o.r.es be blind for carping at so fair a creature, and a just punishment it was. The same testimony gives Homer of the old men of Troy, that were spectators of that single combat between Paris and Menelaus at the Seian gate, when Helen stood in presence; they said all, the war was worthily prolonged and undertaken [4882]for her sake.

The very G.o.ds themselves (as Homer and [4883]Isocrates record) fought more for Helen, than they did against the giants. When [4884]Venus lost her son Cupid, she made proclamation by Mercury, that he that could bring tidings of him should have seven kisses; a n.o.ble reward some say, and much better than so many golden talents; seven such kisses to many men were more precious than seven cities, or so many provinces. One such a kiss alone would recover a man if he were a dying, [4885]_Suaviolum Stygia sic te de valle reducet_, &c. Great Alexander married Roxanne, a poor man's child, only for her person. [4886]'Twas well done of Alexander, and heroically done; I admire him for it. Orlando was mad for Angelica, and who doth not condole his mishap? Thisbe died for Pyramus, Dido for Aeneas; who doth not weep, as (before his conversion) [4887]Austin did in commiseration of her estate! she died for him; "methinks" (as he said) "I could die for her."

But this is not the matter in hand; what prerogative this beauty hath, of what power and sovereignty it is, and how far such persons that so much admire, and dote upon it, are to be justified; no man doubts of these matters; the question is, how and by what means beauty produceth this effect? By sight: the eye betrays the soul, and is both active and pa.s.sive in this business; it wounds and is wounded, is an especial cause and instrument, both in the subject and in the object. [4888]"As tears, it begins in the eyes, descends to the breast;" it conveys these beauteous rays, as I have said, unto the heart. _Ut vidi ut perii._ [4889]_Mars videt hanc, visamque cupit._ Schechem saw Dinah the daughter of Leah, and defiled her, Gen. x.x.xiv. 3. Jacob, Rachel, xxix. 17, "for she was beautiful and fair." David spied Bathsheba afar off, 2 Sam. xi. 2. The Elders, Susanna, [4890]as that Orthomenian Strato saw fair Aristoclea daughter of Theophanes, bathing herself at that Hercyne well in Lebadea, and were captivated in an instant. _Viderunt oculi, rapuerunt pectora flammae_; Ammon fell sick for Thamar's sake, 2 Sam. xiii. 2. The beauty of Esther was such, that she found favour not only in the sight of Ahasuerus, "but of all those that looked upon her." Gerson, Origen, and some others, contended that Christ himself was the fairest of the sons of men, and Joseph next unto him, _speciosus prae filiis hominum_, and they will have it literally taken; his very person was such, that he found grace and favour of all those that looked upon him. Joseph was so fair, that, as the ordinary gloss hath it, _filiae decurrerent per murum, et ad fenestras_, they ran to the top of the walls and to the windows to gaze on him, as we do commonly to see some great personage go by: and so Matthew Paris describes Matilda the Empress going through Cullen. [4891]P. Morales the Jesuit saith as much of the Virgin Mary. Antony no sooner saw Cleopatra, but, saith Appian, _lib.

1_, he was enamoured of her. [4892]Theseus at the first sight of Helen was so besotted, that he esteemed himself the happiest man in the world if he might enjoy her, and to that purpose kneeled down, and made his pathetical prayers unto the G.o.ds. [4893]Charicles, by chance, espying that curious picture of smiling Venus naked in her temple, stood a great while gazing, as one amazed; at length, he brake into that mad pa.s.sionate speech, "O fortunate G.o.d Mars, that wast bound in chains, and made ridiculous for her sake!" He could not contain himself, but kissed her picture, I know not how oft, and heartily desired to be so disgraced as Mars was. And what did he that his betters had not done before him?

[4894] ------"atque aliquis de diis non tristibus optat Sic fieri turpis"------

When Venus came first to heaven, her comeliness was such, that (as mine author saith) [4895]"all the G.o.ds came flocking about, and saluted her, each of them went to Jupiter, and desired he might have her to be his wife." When fair [4896]Antilochus came in presence, as a candle in the dark his beauty shined, all men's eyes (as Xenophon describes the manner of it) "were instantly fixed on him, and moved at the sight, insomuch that they could not conceal themselves, but in gesture or looks it was discerned and expressed." Those other senses, hearing, touching, may much penetrate and affect, but none so much, none so forcible as sight. _Forma Briseis mediis in armis movit Achillem_, Achilles was moved in the midst of a battle by fair Briseis, Ajax by Tecmessa; Judith captivated that great Captain Holofernes: Dalilah, Samson; Rosamund, [4897]Henry the Second; Roxolana, Suleiman the Magnificent, &c.

[4898] "[Greek: nika de kai sidaeron kai pur kalae tis ousa.]"

"A fair woman overcomes fire and sword."

[4899] "Nought under heaven so strongly doth allure The sense of man and all his mind possess, As beauty's loveliest bait, that doth procure Great warriors erst their rigour to suppress, And mighty hands forget their manliness, Driven with the power of an heart-burning eye, And lapt in flowers of a golden tress.

That can with melting pleasure mollify Their harden'd hearts inur'd to cruelty."

[4900]c.l.i.tiphon ingenuously confesseth, that he no sooner came in Leucippe's presence, but that he did _corde tremere, et oculis lascivius intueri_; [4901]he was wounded at the first sight, his heart panted, and he could not possibly turn his eyes from her. So doth Calysiris in Heliodorus, _lib. 2._ Isis Priest, a reverend old man, complain, who by chance at Memphis seeing that Thracian Rodophe, might not hold his eyes off her: [4902]"I will not conceal it, she overcame me with her presence, and quite a.s.saulted my continency which I had kept unto mine old age; I resisted a long time my bodily eyes with the eyes of my understanding; at last I was conquered, and as in a tempest carried headlong." [4903] Xenophiles, a philosopher, railed at women downright for many years together, scorned, hated, scoffed at them; coming at last into Daphnis a fair maid's company (as he condoles his mishap to his friend Demaritis), though free before, _Intactus nullis ante cupidinibus_, was far in love, and quite overcome upon a sudden. _Victus sum fateor a Daphnide_, &c. I confess I am taken,

[4904] "Sola haec inflexit sensus, animumque labentem Impulit"------

I could hold out no longer. Such another mishap, but worse, had Stratocles the physician, that blear-eyed old man, _muco plenus_ (so [4905]Prodromus describes him); he was a severe woman's-hater all his life, _foeda et contumeliosa semper in faeminas profatus_, a bitter persecutor of the whole s.e.x, _humanas aspides et viperas appellabat_, he forswore them all still, and mocked them wheresoever he came, in such vile terms, _ut matrem et sorores odisses_, that if thou hadst heard him, thou wouldst have loathed thine own mother and sisters for his word's sake. Yet this old doting fool was taken at last with that celestial and divine look of Myrilla, the daughter of Anticles the gardener, that smirking wench, that he shaved off his bushy beard, painted his face, [4906]curled his hair, wore a laurel crown to cover his bald pate, and for her love besides was ready to run mad. For the very day that he married he was so furious, _ut solis occasum minus expectare posset_ (a terrible, a monstrous long day), he could not stay till it was night, _sed omnibus insalutatis in thalamum festinans irrupit_, the meat scarce out of his mouth, without any leave taking, he would needs go presently to bed. What young man, therefore, if old men be so intemperate, can secure himself? Who can say I will not be taken with a beautiful object? I can, I will contain. No, saith [4907]Lucian of his mistress, she is so fair, that if thou dost but see her, she will stupefy thee, kill thee straight, and, Medusa like, turn thee to a stone; thou canst not pull thine eyes from her, but, as an adamant doth iron, she will carry thee bound headlong whither she will herself, infect thee like a basilisk. It holds both in men and women. Dido was amazed at Aeneas'

presence; _Obstupuit primo aspectu Sidonia Dido_; and as he feelingly verified out of his experience;

[4908] "Quam ego postquam vidi, non ita amavi ut sani solent Homines, sed eodem pacto ut insani solent."

"I lov'd her not as others soberly, But as a madman rageth, so did I."

So Museus of Leander, _nusquam lumen detorquet ab illa_; and [4909]Chaucer of Palamon,

_He cast his eye upon Emilia, And therewith he blent and cried ha, ha, As though he had been stroke unto the hearta_.

If you desire to know more particularly what this beauty is, how it doth _Influere_, how it doth fascinate (for, as all hold, love is a fascination), thus in brief. [4910]"This comeliness or beauty ariseth from the due proportion of the whole, or from each several part." For an exact delineation of which, I refer you to poets, historiographers, and those amorous writers, to Lucian's Images, and Charidemus, Xenophon's description of Panthea, Petronius Catalectes, Heliodorus Chariclia, Tacius Leucippe, Longus Sophista's Daphnis and Chloe, Theodorus Prodromus his Rhodanthes, Aristaenetus and Philostratus Epistles, Balthazar Castilio, _lib. 4. de aulico._ Laurentius, _cap. 10, de melan._ Aeneas Sylvius his Lucretia, and every poet almost, which have most accurately described a perfect beauty, an absolute feature, and that through every member, both in men and women.

Each part must concur to the perfection of it; for as Seneca saith, _Ep.

33. lib. 4._ _Non est formosa mulier cujus crus laudatur et brachium, sed illa cujus simul universa facies admirationem singulis partibus dedit_; "she is no fair woman, whose arm, thigh, &c. are commended, except the face and all the other parts be correspondent." And the face especially gives a l.u.s.tre to the rest: the face is it that commonly denominates a fair or foul: _arx formae facies_, the face is beauty's tower; and though the other parts be deformed, yet a good face carries it (_facies non uxor amatur_) that alone is most part respected, princ.i.p.ally valued, _deliciis suis ferox_, and of itself able to captivate.

[4911] "Urit te Glycerae nitor, Urit grata protervitas, Et vultus nimium lubricus aspici."

"Glycera's too fair a face was it that set him on fire, too fine to be beheld." When [4912]Chaerea saw the singing wench's sweet looks, he was so taken, that he cried out, _O faciem pulchram, deleo omnes dehinc ex animo mulieres, taedet quotidianarum harum formarum!_ "O fair face, I'll never love any but her, look on any other hereafter but her; I am weary of these ordinary beauties, away with them." The more he sees her, the worse he is,--_uritque videndo_, as in a burning-gla.s.s, the sunbeams are re-collected to a centre, the rays of love are projected from her eyes. It was Aeneas's countenance ravished Queen Dido, _Os humerosque Deo similis_, he had an angelical face.

[4913] "O sacros vultus Baccho vel Apolline dignos, Quos vir, quos tuto foemina nulla videt!"

------"O sacred looks, befitting majesty, Which never mortal wight could safely see."

Although for the greater part this beauty be most eminent in the face, yet many times those other members yield a most pleasing grace, and are alone sufficient to enamour. A high brow like unto the bright heavens, _coeli pulcherrima plaga, Frons ubi vivit honor, frons ubi ludit amor_, white and smooth like the polished alabaster, a pair of cheeks of vermilion colour, in which love lodgeth; [4914]_Amor qui mollibus genis puellae pernoctas_: a coral lip, _suaviorum delubrum_, in which _Basia mille patent, basia mille latent_, "A thousand appear, as many are concealed;" _gratiarum sedes gratissima_; a sweet-smelling flower, from which bees may gather honey, [4915]_Mellilegae volucres quid adhuc cava thyma rosasque_, &c.

"Omnes ad dominae labra venite meae, Illa rosas spirat," &c.

A white and round neck, that _via lactea_, dimple in the chin, black eyebrows, _Cupidinis arcus_, sweet breath, white and even teeth, which some call the salepiece, a fine soft round pap, gives an excellent grace, [4916]_Quale decus tumidis Pario de marmore mammis!_ [4917]and make a pleasant valley _lacteum sinum_, between two chalky hills, _Sororiantes papillulas, et ad pruritum frigidos amatores solo aspectu excitantes. Unde is, [4918]Forma papillarum quam fuit apta premi!_--Again _Urebant oculos durae stantesque mamillae_. A flaxen hair; golden hair was even in great account, for which Virgil commends Dido, _Nondum sustulerat flavum Proserpinina crinem, Et crines nodantur in aurum_. Apollonius (_Argonaut.

lib. 4._ _Jasonis flava coma incendit cor Medeae_) will have Jason's golden hair to be the main cause of Medea's dotage on him. Castor and Pollux were both yellow haired. Paris, Menelaus, and most amorous young men, have been such in all ages, _molles ac suaves_, as Baptista Porta infers, [4919]

_Physiog. lib. 2._ lovely to behold. Homer so commends Helen, makes Patroclus and Achilles both yellow haired: Pulchricoma Venus, and Cupid himself was yellow haired, _in aurum coruscante et crispante capillo_, like that neat picture of Narcissus in Callistratus; for so [4920]Psyche spied him asleep, Briseis, Polixena, &c. _flavicomae omnes_,

------"and Hero the fair, Whom young Apollo courted for her hair."

Leland commends Guithera, king Arthur's wife, for a flaxen hair: so Paulus Aemilius sets out Clodeveus, that lovely king of France. [4921]Synesius holds every effeminate fellow or adulterer is fair haired: and Apuleius adds that Venus herself, G.o.ddess of love, cannot delight, [4922]"though she come accompanied with the graces, and all Cupid's train to attend upon her, girt with her own girdle, and smell of cinnamon and balm, yet if she be bald or badhaired, she cannot please her Vulcan." Which belike makes our Venetian ladies at this day to counterfeit yellow hair so much, great women to calamistrate and curl it up, _vibrantes ad gratiam crines, et tot orbibus in captivitatem flexos_, to adorn their heads with spangles, pearls, and made-flowers; and all courtiers to effect a pleasing grace in this kind. In a word, [4923]"the hairs are Cupid's nets, to catch all comers, a brushy wood, in which Cupid builds his nest, and under whose shadow all loves a thousand several ways sport themselves."

A little soft hand, pretty little mouth, small, fine, long fingers, _Gratiae quae digitis_ --'tis that which Apollo did admire in Daphne,--_laudat digitosque ma.n.u.sque_; a straight and slender body, a small foot, and well-proportioned leg, hath an excellent l.u.s.tre, [4924]_Cui totum inc.u.mbit corpus uti fundamento aedes_. Clearchus vowed to his friend Amyander in [4925]Aristaenetus, that the most attractive part in his mistress, to make him love and like her first, was her pretty leg and foot: a soft and white skin, &c. have their peculiar graces, [4926]_Nebula haud est mollior ac hujus cutis est, aedipol papillam bellulam_. Though in men these parts are not so much respected; a grim Saracen sometimes,--_nudus membra Pyracmon_, a martial hirsute face pleaseth best; a black man is a pearl in a fair woman's eye, and is as acceptable as [4927]lame Vulcan was to Venus; for he being a sweaty fuliginous blacksmith, was dearly beloved of her, when fair Apollo, nimble Mercury were rejected, and the rest of the sweet-faced G.o.ds forsaken. Many women (as Petronius [4928]observes) _sordibus calent_ (as many men are more moved with kitchen wenches, and a poor market maid, than all these ill.u.s.trious court and city dames) will sooner dote upon a slave, a servant, a dirt dauber, a brontes, a cook, a player, if they see his naked legs or arms, _thorosaque brachia_, [4929]&c., like that huntsman Meleager in Philostratus, though he be all in rags, obscene and dirty, besmeared like a ruddleman, a gipsy, or a chimney-sweeper, than upon a n.o.ble gallant, Nireus, Ephestion, Alcibiades, or those embroidered courtiers full of silk and gold. [4930]Justine's wife, a citizen of Rome, fell in love with Pylades a player, and was ready to run mad for him, had not Galen himself helped her by chance. Faustina the empress doted on a fencer.

Not one of a thousand falls in love, but there is some peculiar part or other which pleaseth most, and inflames him above the rest. [4931]A company of young philosophers on a time fell at variance, which part of a woman was most desirable and pleased best? some said the forehead, some the teeth, some the eyes, cheeks, lips, neck, chin, &c., the controversy was referred to Lais of Corinth to decide; but she, smiling, said, they were a company of fools; for suppose they had her where they wished, what would they [4932]first seek? Yet this notwithstanding I do easily grant, _neque quis vestrum negaverit opinor_, all parts are attractive, but especially [4933]the eyes, [4934]

------"videt igne micantes, Sideribus similes oculos"------

which are love's fowlers; [4935]_aucupium amoris_, the shoeing horns, "the hooks of love" (as Arandus will) "the guides, touchstone, judges, that in a moment cure mad men, and make sound folks mad, the watchmen of the body; what do they not?" How vex they not? All this is true, and (which Athaeneus _lib. 13. dip. cap. 5._ and Tatius hold) they are the chief seats of love, and James Lernutius [4936]hath facetely expressed in an elegant ode of his,

"Amorem ocellis flammeolis herae Vidi insidentem, credite posteri, Fratresque circ.u.m ludibundos c.u.m pharetra volitare et arcu," &c.

"I saw Love sitting in my mistress' eyes Sparkling, believe it all posterity, And his attendants playing round about With bow and arrows ready for to fly."

Scaliger calls the eyes, [4937]"Cupid's arrows; the tongue, the lightning of love; the paps, the tents:" [4938]Balthazar Castilio, the causes, the chariots, the lamps of love,

------"aemula lumina stellis, Lumina quae possent sollicitare deos."

"Eyes emulating stars in light, Enticing G.o.ds at the first sight;"

Love's orators, Petronius.

"O blandos oculos, et o facetos, Et quadam propria nota loquaces Illic est Venus, et leves amores, Atque ipsa in medio sedet voluptas."

"O sweet and pretty speaking eyes, Where Venus, love, and pleasure lies."

Love's torches, touch-box, naphtha and matches, [4939]Tibullus.

"Illius ex oculis quum vult exurere divos, Accendit geminas lampades acer amor."

"Tart Love when he will set the G.o.ds on fire, Lightens the eyes as torches to desire."

Leander, at the first sight of Hero's eyes, was incensed, saith Musaeus.

"Simul in [4940]oculorum radiis crescebat fax amorum, Et cor fervebat invecti ignis impetu; Pulchritudo enim Celebris immaculatae foeminae, Acutior hominibus est veloci sagitta.

Oculos vero via est, ab oculi ictibus Vulnus dilabitur, et in praecordia viri manat."

"Love's torches 'gan to burn first in her eyes.

And set his heart on fire which never dies: For the fair beauty of a virgin pure Is sharper than a dart, and doth inure A deeper wound, which pierceth to the heart By the eyes, and causeth such a cruel smart."