Venom, (alas and alas!) plague of our friendship and pest.
Yet must I now lament that lips so pure of the purest
Damsel, thy slaver foul soilèd with filthiest kiss.
But ne'er hope to escape scot free; for thee shall all ages
10
Know, and what thing thou be, Fame, the old crone, shall declare.
O Rufus, credited by me as a friend, wrongly and for naught, (wrongly? nay, at an ill and grievous price) hast thou thus stolen upon me, and a-burning
my innermost bowels, snatched from wretched me all our good? Thou hast snatched it, alas, alas, thou cruel venom of our life! alas, alas, thou plague of our amity. But now 'tis grief, that thy swinish slaver has soiled the pure love-kisses of our pure girl. But in truth thou shalt not come off with impunity; for every age shall know thee, and Fame the aged, shall denounce what thou art.
LXXVIII.
Gallus habet fratres, quorumst lepidissima coniunx