Samuel Daniel: Ulysses and the Siren
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Ulysses and the Siren

1562-1619


Siren. COME, worthy Greek! Ulysses, come,
         Possess these shores with me:
The winds and seas are troublesome,
         And here we may be free.
Here may we sit and view their toil
         That travail in the deep,
And joy the day in mirth the while,
         And spend the night in sleep.

Ulysses. Fair Nymph, if fame or honour were
         To be attain'd with ease,
Then would I come and rest me there,
         And leave such toils as these.
But here it dwells, and here must I
         With danger seek it forth:
To spend the time luxuriously
         Becomes not men of worth.

Siren. Ulysses, O be not deceived
         With that unreal name;
This honour is a thing conceived,
         And rests on others' fame:
Begotten only to molest
         Our peace, and to beguile
The best thing of our life--our rest,
         And give us up to toil.

Ulysses. Delicious Nymph, suppose there were
         No honour nor report,
Yet manliness would scorn to wear
         The time in idle sport:
For toil doth give a better touch
         To make us feel our joy,
And ease finds tediousness as much
         As labour yields annoy.

Siren. Then pleasure likewise seems the shore
         Whereto tends all your toil,
Which you forgo to make it more,
         And perish oft the while.
Who may disport them diversely
         Find never tedious day,
And ease may have variety
         As well as action may.

Ulysses. But natures of the noblest frame
         These toils and dangers please;
And they take comfort in the same
         As much as you in ease;
And with the thought of actions past
         Are recreated still:
When Pleasure leaves a touch at last
         To show that it was ill.

Siren. That doth Opinion only cause
         That 's out of Custom bred,
Which makes us many other laws
         Than ever Nature did.
No widows wail for our delights,
         Our sports are without blood;
The world we see by warlike wights
         Receives more hurt than good.

Ulysses. But yet the state of things require
         These motions of unrest:
And these great Spirits of high desire
         Seem born to turn them best:
To purge the mischiefs that increase
         And all good order mar:
For oft we see a wicked peace
         To be well changed for war.

Siren. Well, well, Ulysses, then I see
         I shall not have thee here:
And therefore I will come to thee,
         And take my fortune there.
I must be won, that cannot win,
         Yet lost were I not won;
For beauty hath created been
         T' undo, or be undone.


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