LXXVII.

Was it a dreame, or did I see it playne?

A goodly table of pure yvory,

All spred with juncats fit to entertayne

The greatest prince with pompous roialty:

Mongst which, there in a silver dish did ly

Two golden apples of unvalewd* price,

Far passing those which Hercules came by,

Or those which Atalanta did entice;

Exceeding sweet, yet voyd of sinfull vice;

That many sought, yet none could ever taste;

Sweet fruit of pleasure, brought from Paradice

By Love himselfe, and in his garden plaste.

Her brest that table was, so richly spredd;

My thoughts the guests, which would thereon have fedd.

[* _Unvalewd_, invaluable]

The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5 · 第 264 / 327 题