Classic Poem

When Venus first did see
Adonis dead to be;
With woeful tattered hair
And cheeks so wan and sear,
The winged Loves she bade,
The boar should straight be had.
Forthwith like birds they fly,
And through the wood they hie;
The woeful beast they find,
And him with cords they bind.
One with a rope before
Doth lead the captive boar:
Another on his back
Doth make his bow to crack.
The beast went wretchedly,
For Venus horribly
He feared; who thus him curst:
‘Of all the beasts the worst,
Didst thou this thigh so wound?
Didst thou my love confound?’
The beast thus spake in fear
‘Venus, to thee I swear!
By thee, and husband thine,
And by these bands of mine,
And by these hunters all,
Thy husband fair and tall
I minded not to kill.
But, as an image still,
I him beheld for love:
Which made me forward shove
His thigh, that naked was;
Thinking to kiss, alas,
And that hath hurt me thus.
‘Wherefore these teeth, Venus,
Or punish, or cut out:
Why bear I in my snout
These needless teeth about!
If these may not suffice,
Cut off my chaps likewise!’
To ruth he Venus moves,
And she commands the Loves
His bands for to untie.
After he came not nigh
The wood; but at her will
He followed Venus still.
And coming to the fire,
He burnt up his desire.