11

BUT if ye saw that which no eyes can see,

The inward beauty of her lively spright1,

Garnisht with heavenly guifts of high degree,

Much more then would ye wonder at that sight,

And stand astonisht lyke to those which red2

Medusaes mazeful hed3.

There dwels sweet Loue and constant Chastity,

Unspotted Fayth and comely Womanhood,

Regard of Honour, and mild Modesty,

There Vertue raynes as queene in royal throne,

And giueth Lawes alone

The which the base affections doe obay,

And yeeld theyr services unto her will

Ne thought of thing uncomely4 ever may

Thereto approch to tempt her mind to ill.

Had ye once seene these her celestial threasures,

And unrevealéd pleasures,

Then would ye wonder, and her prayses sing,

That al the woods should answer, and your echo ring.

注释：1.spright：灵魂。

2.red：看到过。

3.hed：所有看到蛇发女妖美杜莎的人都会瞬间变成石头。根据诗人奥维德《变形记》中所述，美杜莎原是一位美丽的少女，因为与海神波塞冬私会（也有一些版本称因美杜莎自恃长得美丽，竟然不自量力地和智慧女神比美，故而被雅典娜诅咒），雅典娜一怒之下将美杜莎的头发变成毒蛇，而且给她施以诅咒，任何直视美杜莎双眼的人都会变成石像，因此美杜莎成了面目丑陋的怪物。

4.uncomely：不体面的，不好看的，不像样子的。