Virtue. Woo me, and I’ll take off this ugly scorn.
Vice. Woo me, and I’ll clap on another horn.
Andel. I am beset with anguish, shame and death.
O bid the Fates work fast, and stop my breath.
Fortune. No, Andelocia, thou must live to see
Worse torments, for thy follies, light on thee.
This golden tree, which did thine eyes entice,
Was planted here by Vice: lo, here stands Vice:
How often hast thou sued to win her grace?
Andel. Till now, I never did behold her face.
Fortune. Thou didst behold her at thy father’s death,
When thou in scorn didst violate his will;
Thou didst behold her, when thy stretched-out arm
Catched at the highest bough, the loftiest vice,
The fairest apple, but the foulest price;
Thou didst behold her, when thy liquorish eye
Fed on the beauty of fair Agripyne;
Because th’ hadst gold, thou thought’st all women thine.
When look’st thou off from her? for they whose souls
Still revel in the nights of vanity,
On the fair cheeks of Vice still fix their eye.
Because her face doth shine, and all her bosom
Bears silver moons, thou wast enamoured of her.
But hadst thou upward looked, and seen these shames,
Or viewed her round about, and in this glass
Seen idiots’ faces, heads of devils and hell,
And read this “Ha, ha, he,” this merry story,
Thou wouldst have loathed her: where, by loving her,
Thou bear’st this face, and wear’st this ugly head,
And if she once can bring thee to this place,
Loud sounds these “Ha, ha, he!” She’ll laugh apace.
Andel. O, re-transform me to a glorious shape,
And I will learn how I may love to hate her.
Fortune. I cannot re-transform thee, woo this woman.
Andel. This woman? wretched is my state, when I,
To find out wisdom, to a fool must fly.
Fortune. Fool, clear thine eyes, this is bright Aretë,[395]
This is poor virtue, care not how the world
Doth crown her head, the world laughs her to scorn,
Yet “Sibi sapit,” Virtue knows her worth.
Run after her, she’ll give thee these and these,
Crowns and bay-garlands, honour’s victories:
Serve her, and she will fetch thee pay from Heaven,
Or give thee some bright office in the stars.