"My Reason's conquer'd by more powerful Love, / Who rules as Tyrant in my captiv'd Breast."

— Sherburne, Sir Edward (bap. 1616, d. 1702)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for S. Smith and B. Walford
Date
1701
Metaphor
"My Reason's conquer'd by more powerful Love, / Who rules as Tyrant in my captiv'd Breast."
Metaphor in Context
PHAEDRA
I must confess 'tis true thou tell'st me, Nurse,
But forc'd by Passion, I pursue the worse.
Headlong to Ruine runs my knowing Mind,
Which oft turns back, but vainly, Help to find.
So when against the Tide the Sailor toils
To force his loaded Bark, the Current foils
His Pains, down Stream the master'd Vessel's drove.
My Reason's conquer'd by more powerful Love,
Who rules as Tyrant in my captiv'd Breast.

This winged God does Heav'n and Earth infest.
With all-o'er-mast'ring Flames Jove's self he scorches,
Mars more than Fire-Pikes dreads his little Torches.
The God who three-fork'd Thunder frames, who toils,
Unswelter'd in Ætnæan Forges, broils
In his small Fires. Phoebus who bears the Fame
For Archery, this Boy with surer Aim
Tranfixes: through the Earth and ample Skies
A winged Plague to Men and Gods, he flies.
Provenance
Searching "rule" and "reason" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
At least 2 entries in ESTC (1701, 1702).

See The Tragedies of L. Annæus Seneca: The Philosopher. Medea, Phædra and Hippolytus, and Troades, or the Royal Captives. Translated into English verse with Annotations. (London: Printed for S. Smith and B. Walford, 1701). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
06/14/2004
Date of Review
01/12/2012

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.