Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake

Matthew Prior (1664–1721)

An Ode: ‘The merchant, to secure his treasure’

THE MERCHANT, to secure his treasure,

Conveys it in a borrowed name:

Euphelia serves to grace my measure;

But Chloe is my real flame.

My softest verse, my darling lyre

Upon Euphelia’s toilet lay;

When Chloe noted her desire,

That I should sing, that I should play.

My lyre I tune, my voice I raise;

But with my numbers mix my sighs:

And whilst I sing Euphelia’s praise,

I fix my soul on Chloe’s eyes.

Fair Chloe blushed: Euphelia frowned:

I sung and gazed: I played and trembled:

And Venus to the Loves around

Remarked, how ill we all dissembled.