Sonnet 153: Cupid laid by his brand, and fell asleep:

Cupid laid by his brand, and fell asleep:
A maid of Dian’s this advantage found,
And his love-kindling fire did quickly steep
In a cold valley-fountain of that ground;
Which borrow’d from this holy fire of Love
A dateless lively heat, still to endure,
And grew a seething bath, which yet men prove
Against strange maladies a sovereign cure.
But at my mistress’ eye Love’s brand new-fired,
The boy for trial needs would touch my breast;
I, sick withal, the help of bath desired,
And thither hied, a sad distemper’d guest,
But found no cure: the bath for my help lies
Where Cupid got new fire–my mistress’ eyes.

Sonnet 153: Modern English Translation

Cupid put down his torch and fell asleep,
When a maiden of Diana found his flame;
She quickly quenched it in a cold valley stream,
And from the holy fire, a lasting warmth she did claim.
The water became a hot, bubbling bath,
That could cure many strange maladies and pain,
But when Love’s torch sparked in my mistress’ eyes,
Cupid tested it on my heart again.
Sick and in need, I sought the soothing bath,
But found no relief, a miserable guest;
For the cure lies where Cupid’s fire was reborn,
In my mistress’ eyes, where my heart can rest.

 


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