Lupercio Leonardo de Argensola (1559–1613)

Translated by James Y. Gibson

I MUST confess, Don John, on due inspection,

That dame Elvira’s charming red and white,

Though fair they seem, are only hers by right

In that her money purchased their perfection;

But thou must grant as well, on calm reflection,

That her sweet lie hath such a lustre bright,

As fairly puts to shame the paler light,

And honest beauty of a true complexion!

And yet no wonder I distracted go

With such deceit, when ’tis within our ken

That Nature blinds us with the self-same spell;

For that blue Heaven above, that charms us so,

Is neither Heaven nor blue! Sad pity then,

That so much Beauty is not Truth as well!