Thou doggèd Cineas, hated like a dogge,
For still thou grumblest like a masty[45] dogge,
Compar'st thyself to nothing but a dogge;
Thou saith[46] thou art as weary as a dogge,
As angry, sicke, and hungry as a dogge,
As dull and melancholly as a dogge,
As lazy, sleepy,[47] idle as a dogge:
But why dost thou compare thee to a dogge
In that, for which all men despise a dogge?
I will compare thee better to a dogge:
Thou art as faire and comely as a dogge,
Thou art as true and honest as a dogge,
Thou art as kind and liberall as a dogge,
Thou art as wise and valiant as a dogge.
But Cineas, I have [often][48] heard thee tell,
Thou art as like thy father as may be;
'Tis like enough; and faith I like it well;
But I am glad thou art not like to me.
[Footnote 45: Mastiff. D. [This is an error. A 'mastiff' is not a
grumbling dog, and 'masty' is = fatted, and here answers apparently to
the over-fed vicious pet. See _Maste_, Prompt. Parv. & p. 151 (Way's
ed.)] G.]
[Footnote 46: Isham 'saist.' G.]
[Footnote 47: 'And as' not in Isham, and being superfluous left out. G.]
[Footnote 48: Supplied from MS. by Mr. Dyce. Isham 'oft.' G.]