225. ‘Dodici donne honestamente lasse,’

I saw twelve ladies virtuously sailing,

or twelve stars rather, one sun in their midst,

happy and alone, in a little boat

I think there was never another like it.

Not I believe the one that carried Jason

to the golden fleece, now all would like to wear,

nor the shepherd’s whom Troy still grieves for:

those two who made such a noise in the world.

Then I saw the ladies in a triumphal car,

my Laura, with her shy sacred look,

sitting apart, and singing sweetly.

Not a human sight, nor mortal vision:

happy the Tiphys, or Automedon,

who steered such a gracious crew!

Note: Paris was the shepherd prince who caused the Trojan War. Tiphys was the helmsman of Jason’s Argo, Automedon was Achilles’charioteer.

‘Paris and Oenone’ - Jacob de Wit (Dutch, 1695 – 1754), The Rijksmuseum