8.0040 Q: Epigram Attributions (1/44)
Elaine Brennan (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Sat, 28 May 1994 21:55:36 EDT
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 8, No. 0040. Saturday, 28 May 1994.
Date: Thu, 26 May 94 23:26:59 EDT
From: Alan A Green <agreen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Q: Help with epigram attributions
Dear colleagues,
I am trying to identify the authors of seven epigrams which are
the texts of a set of songs by Allen Sapp in 1952, _Seven Epigrams (Both Sweet
and Sour)_. Unfortunately de did not record the attributions in the score,
but remembered that they were from an anthology of works by English
poets of the 16th and 17th centuries. After scouring dozens of likely
anthologies, and concordances of Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe, I have
come up empty. I would be grateful for any attributions for the seven
epigrams printed below:
I. Short epigrams relish both sweet and sour
like fritters of sour apple and sweet flour
II. Treason doth never prosper. What's the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.
III. Weapons in peace grow hungry,
and will eat themselves with rust.
But war allows them meat.
IV. Thy sins and hairs may no man equal call,
for as thy sins increase, thy hairs do fall.
V. Thy flatt'ring picture, Phryne,
is like thee only in this:
that both you painted be.
VI. Who only in his cups will fight
is like a clock which must be well oiled ere it strike.
VII. Some men marriage do commend
and all their life in wiving spend.
But if that I should wives have three
(God keep me from Polygamy!)
I'll give the devil two for pay
If he will fetch the third away.
Thank you for your assistance!
Alan Green
Ohio State University
green.200@osu.edu