Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Barnabe Barnes, Parthenophil and Parthenophe 1593: Sestine I
Barnaby Barnes: 1593
Parthenophil means one who loves young women platonically.
Parthenophe was a siren in Homer's "Ulysses".
Barnabe Barnes Parthenophil and Parthenophe (1593): Sestine I
When I waked out of dreaming,
Looking all about the garden,
Sweete Parthenophe was walking:
Oh what fortune brought her hether!
She much fayrer then that Nymphe.
Which was bet with rose and lillyes.
Her cheekes exceede the rose and lillyes,
I was fortunate in dreaming,
Of so bewtifull a Nymphe:
To this happie blessed garden
Come you Nymphes, come fayries hether,
Wonder natures wonder walking:
So she seemed in her walking,
As she would make rose, and lillyes
Euer florish, oh but hether
Harke (for I beheld it dreaming)
Lillyes blush't within the garden,
Staind with bewties of that Nymphe.
The Rose for anger at that Nymphe
Was pale, and (as she went on walking)
When she gathred in the garden,
Teares came from the rose and lillyes:
As the sigh'd, their breath in dreaming
I could well perceiue it hether.
When Parthenophe came hether,
At the presence of that Nymphe,
(That hill was heauen where I lay dreaming)
But when I had espye'd her walking,
And in hand her rose, and lillyes
As sacrifice giuen by that garden,
(To loue stood sacred that fayre garden)
I dar'd the Nymphes to hasten hether:
Make homage to the rose, and lillyes
Which are sacred to my Nymphe:
Wonder when you see her walking.
Might I see her but in dreaming,
Euen the fancie of that Nymphe,
Would make me night, and day come hether
To sleepe in this thrise happie garden.
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