declares of vulgar
and animal desire when he says:--

Fluctuat incertis erroribus ardor amantum,
Nec constat, quid primum oculis, manibusque fruantur:
Quod petiere, premunt arte, faciuntque dolorem
Corporis, et dentes inlidunt saepe labellis,
Osculaque adfigunt, quia non est pura voluptas,
Et stimuli subsunt, qui instigant laedere id ipsum,
Quodcunque est, rabies, unde illa haec germina surgunt.
Sed leviter poenas frangit Venus inter amorem,
Blandaque refraenat morsus admixta voluptas;
Namque in eo spes est, unde est ardoris origo,
Restingui quoque posse ab eodem corpore flammam.

Behold, then, with what condiments the skill and art of nature works,
so that one is wasted with the pleasure of that which destroys him, is
happy in the midst of torment, and tormented in the midst of all the
satisfactions. For nothing is produced absolutely from a homoeogeneous
(pacifico) principle, but all from opposite principles, through the
victory and dominion of one part of the opposites, and there is no
pleasure of generation on one side without the pain of corruption on the
other: and where these things which are generated and corrupted are
joined together and as it were compose the same subject, the feeling of
delight and of sadness are found together; so that it comes to be called
more easily delight than sadness, if it happens that this predominates,
and solicits the senses with greater force.

III.

CES. Now let us take into consideration the following image which is
that of a phoenix, which burns in the sun, and the smoke from which
almost obscures the brightness of that by which it is set on fire, and
here is the motto which says: Neque simile, nec par mar.

43.

MAR.:

This phoenix set on fire by the bright sun,
Which slowly, slowly to extinction goes,
The while she, girt with splendour burning lies;
Yields to her star antagonistic fief
Through that which towards the sky to Heaven ascends.
Black smoke, and sombre fog of murky hue
Concealing thus his radiance from our eyes,
And veiling that which makes her burn and shine.
And so my soul, illumined and inflamed
By radiance divine, would fain display
The brightness of her own effulgent thought;
The lofty concept of her song sends forth.
In words which do but hide the glorious light,
[C]While I dissolve and melt and am destroyed.
Ah me! this lowering cloud, thi