Sonnet 153: Cupid Laid by His Brand and Fell Asleep
Sonnet 153: Cupid Laid by His Brand and Fell Asleep - meaning Summary
Love's Ironic Cure
The sonnet recounts a mythic scene where Cupid’s extinguished fire is quenched in a chaste nymph’s fountain, turning it into a supposedly curative bath that heals love’s maladies. The speaker, struck by his mistress’s eyes, seeks that bath to cure his lovesickness but discovers it has been recharged by Cupid’s new flame. The poem compresses playful classical allusion into an ironic observation about love’s inescapable power.
Read Complete AnalysesCupid laid by his brand and fell asleep, A maid of Dian’s this advantage found, And his love-kindling fire did quickly steep In a cold valley-fountain of that ground; Which borrowed from this holy fire of Love A dateless lively heat still to endure, And grew a seeting bath, which yet men prove Against strange maladies a sovereign cure. But at my mistress’ eye Love’s brand new-fired, The boy for trial needs would touch my breast; I, sick withal, the help of bath desired, And thither hied a sad distempered guest, But found no cure. The bath for my help lies Where Cupid got new fire my mistress’ eyes.
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