culate
upon his success with the prey, and after three inspections he knows
whether he will succeed or fail.

CES. Can one imagine why, if at the first his prey presents itself
before his eyes, he does not instantly pounce upon it?

MAR. No; unless it be to see whether anything better, or more easily
taken, comes to sight. At the same time I do not believe that this is
always so, but most often it is. But to return. Of the whale it is
manifest that, being such a huge animal, he cannot divide the waters
without making his presence known through the repulsion of the waves,
besides which there are several species of this fish, that when they
move or breathe, spout forth a windy tempest of water. Thus from these
three principal species of animals, the inferior kinds have warning to
enable them to get away, so that they do not conduct themselves as
deceivers and traitors. But Love, who is stronger and greater and who
has supreme dominion in heaven, on earth, and in the seas, and who in
comparison ought perhaps to show greater magnanimity, as he also has
more power, does nothing of the kind, but assaults and wounds suddenly
and swiftly.

Labitur totas furor in medullas,
Igne furtivo populante venas,
Nec habet latum data plaga frontem;
Sed vorat tectas penitas medullas,
Virginum ignoto ferit igne pectus.

As you perceive, the tragic poet calls him a furtive fire, an unknown
flame. Solomon calls it furtive waters. Samuel named it the whisper of a
gentle wind. The which three significations show with what sweetness,
gentleness, and astuteness, in seas, on earth, in sky, does this fellow
come and tyrannize over the whole universe.

CES. There is no vaster empire, no worse tyranny, no better dominion, no
more necessary magistracy, nothing more sweet and dear, no food to be
found more hard and bitter, no deity more violent, no god more pleasing,
no agent more treacherous and false, no author more regal and faithful,
and, in fine, it seems to me that Love is all and does all, of him all
may be said, and all may refer itself to him.

MAR. You say well. Love then, as he who works chiefly through the
sight, which is the most spiritual of all the senses, and which reaches
swiftly the known ends of the earth, and without stretch of time takes
in the whole horizon of the visible, comes to be quick, furtive, sudden
and instantaneous. Besides which, we must remember what the ancients
say, that Love precedes all