I would suggest that you read faint as a version of feint--to pretend--
So--it would be shameful to pretend to be thankful--especially since
any debt (gratitude) to power must be paid honestly (duly)--and (the
poem continues) this is important because a noble (upright, honest)
mind would hate to find out that a gracious act has been met with false
thanks (feigned gratitude).
Tricky stuff.
jeff
__________________________________________________________________
From: mc41mc <mc4...@yahoo.com>
To: David van Ooijen <davidvanooi...@gmail.com>; lutelist Net
<Lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Tue, April 5, 2011 2:59:21 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Farre from triumphing court - text question
Here is the paraphrased verse by David Hill from a pdf on this page:
[1]http://www.johndowland.co.uk/songs.htm
3 Ravished with joy at being so honoured by such a aEUR~saint',
He quite forgot his aEUR~cell' and disowned his retired state.
He considered that it would be shameful to faint in gratitude,
For debts that are due to royalty must be duly paid.
There can be nothing so hateful to a noble mind
As discovering that an act of kindness has been unkindly dismissed.
__________________________________________________________________
From: David van Ooijen <[1]davidvanooi...@gmail.com>
To: lutelist Net <[2]Lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Tue, April 5, 2011 11:22:02 AM
Subject: [LUTE] Farre from triumphing court - text question
A Musicall Banquet, song VIII, third stanza has:
Ravisht with ioy so grac't by such a Saint,
He quite forgat his Cell and selfe denaid,
He thought it shame in thankfulnesse to faint,
Debts due to Princes must de duely paid:
Nothing so hatefull to a noble minde,
As finding kindnesse for to prove unkinde.
Why 'faint' in the third line? Just because it rhymes with 'Saint' in
the first line? Is there another meaning apart from the swooning,
indeed not the most polite thing to do in Royal presence?
David
--
*******************************
David van Ooijen
[2][3]davidvanooi...@gmail.com
[4]www.davidvanooijen.nl
*******************************
To get on or off this list see list information at
[3]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
--
References
1. [5]http://www.johndowland.co.uk/songs.htm
2. mailto:[6]davidvanooi...@gmail.com
3. [7]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
--
References
1. mailto:davidvanooi...@gmail.com
2. mailto:Lute@cs.dartmouth.edu
3. mailto:davidvanooi...@gmail.com
4. http://www.davidvanooijen.nl/
5. http://www.johndowland.co.uk/songs.htm
6. mailto:davidvanooi...@gmail.com
7. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
