Cupid and Death I - Sol Invictus

Though little be the god of love

Yet his arrows mighty are

And his victories above

What the valiant reach by war

Nor are his limits with the sky

Over the Milky Way he’ll fly

And sometimes wound a deity

Apollo once the python slew

But a keener arrow flew

From Daphne’s eye and made a wound

For which the god no balsam found

A smile of Venus that did more

On Mars then armies could before

Thus Love can fiery spirits tame

And, when he pleases, cold rocks inflame

Victorious men of Earth, no more

Proclaim how wide your Empires are

And though you bind in every shore

And your triumphs reach as far

As night or day

Yet you proud monarchs must obey

And mingle with forgotten ashes when

Death calls you to the crowd

Of common men

Devouring famine, plague and war

Each able to undo mankind

Death’s servile emissaries are

Nor to these alone confined

He has at will

More quaint and subtle ways to kill

A smile or kiss, he will use the art

Shall have the cunning skill

To break a heart

Stay Cupid, where art you flying?

Pity the pale lovers dying

They that honoured thee before

Will honour thee no more

At thy alter pay their vows

O let the weeping virgins strow

Instead of rose, and myrtle boughs

Sad yew and funeral cypress now

Unkind Cupid, leave thy killing

These are all my mother’s doves

O do not wound such noble loves

And make them bleed, that should be billing

What will it, Death, advance thy name?

Upon cold rocks to waste a flame

Or by mistake seem to throw

Bright torches into pits of snow

Thy rage is lost, thy old killing frost

And with thy arrows you may try

To make the young or aged bleed

But indeed not compel one heart to die

O Love!

O Death!

Be it your fate

Before you both repent too late

To meet and try upon yourselves

Your sad artillery

O Love!

O Death!

Be it your fate

Before you both repent too late

To meet and try upon yourselves

Your sad artillery

So Death may make Love kind again

Or cruel Death by Love be slain

So Death may make Love kind again

Or cruel Death by Love be slain

So Death may make Love kind again

Or cruel Death by Love be slain

So Death may make Love kind again

Or cruel Death by Love be slain