The Consolation of Philosophy

The sails which wise Ulysses bore,

And ships which in the seas long time did stray

The eastern wind drave to that shore

Where the fair Goddess Lady Circe lay,

Daughter by birth to Phoebus bright,

Who with enchanted cups and charms did stay

Her guests, deceived with their delight

And into sundry figures them did change,

Being most skilful in the might

And secret force of herbs and simples strange;

Some like to savage boars, and some

Like lions fierce, which daily use to range

Through Libya,¹ in tooth and claw become.

Others are changed to the shape and guise

Of ravenous wolves, and waxing dumb

Use howling in the stead of manly cries.

Others like to the tiger rove²

Which in the scorched Indian desert lies.

And though the winged son of Jove³

From these bewitchéd cups' delightful taste

To keep the famous captain strove,

Yet them the greedy mariners embraced

With much desire, till turned to swine

Instead of bread they fed on oaken mast.

Ruined in voice and form, no sign

Remains to them of any human grace;

Only their minds unchanged repine

To see their bodies in such ugly case.

O feeble hand and idle art

Which, though it could the outward limbs deface,

Yet had no force to change the heart.

For all the force of men given by God's arm

Lies hidden in their inmost part.

The poisons therefore which within them swarm

More deeply pierce, and with more might,

For to the body though they do no harm,

Yet on the soul they work their spite."