Astrophel and Stella (A modernised version): “Either I will find a way, or I will make one”

By Sir Philip Sidney

Sir Philip Sidney was born on 30th November 1554 at Penshurst Place, Kent. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and Christ Church, Oxford.

In 1572, at the age of 18, he was elected to Parliament as a Member for Shrewsbury. Despite his domestic commitments Sidney spent the next several years travelling through Germany, Italy, Poland, the Kingdom of Hungary and Austria.

Returning to England in 1575, Sidney met Penelope Devereux who became the inspiration for his beautiful sonnet sequence ‘Astrophel and Stella’.

Life now became rather more complicated with his quarrel with Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. The result was that Sidney challenged de Vere to a duel, which Elizabeth then forbade. Sidney wrote a long letter to the Queen explaining the foolishness of her proposed French marriage. Elizabeth bristled at his presumption, and Sidney, realising his error, retired from court.

His artistic pursuits were more peaceful and more significant for his lasting fame. During the years of absence from court, Sidney wrote the first draft of ‘The Arcadia’ and ‘The Defence of Poesy’.

Sidney was promoted to General of Horse in 1583, his enthusiasm for the Protestant struggle was now given a free rein when he was appointed governor of Flushing in the Netherlands in 1585. Later that year, he joined Sir John Norris in the Battle of Zutphen, fighting for the Protestant cause against the Spanish. During the battle, he was shot in the thigh.

Sir Philip Sidney died of gangrene 26 days later, on 17th October 1586 at Arnhem. He was a mere 31 years of age.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Portable Poetry
• Release date: Oct 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781787801912

Book preview

Astrophel and Stella by Sir Philip Sidney

A modernised version

Sir Philip Sidney was born on 30th November 1554 at Penshurst Place, Kent.  He was educated at Shrewsbury School and Christ Church, Oxford.

In 1572, at the age of 18, he was elected to Parliament as a Member for Shrewsbury. Despite his domestic commitments Sidney spent the next several years travelling through Germany, Italy, Poland, the Kingdom of Hungary and Austria.

Returning to England in 1575, Sidney met Penelope Devereux who became the inspiration for his beautiful sonnet sequence ‘Astrophel and Stella’.

Life now became rather more complicated with his quarrel with Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.  The result was that Sidney challenged de Vere to a duel, which Elizabeth then forbade. Sidney wrote a long letter to the Queen explaining the foolishness of her proposed French marriage. Elizabeth bristled at his presumption, and Sidney, realising his error, retired from court.

His artistic pursuits were more peaceful and more significant for his lasting fame. During the years of absence from court, Sidney wrote the first draft of ‘The Arcadia’ and ‘The Defence of Poesy’.

Sidney was promoted to General of Horse in 1583, his enthusiasm for the Protestant struggle was now given a free rein when he was appointed governor of Flushing in the Netherlands in 1585.  Later that year, he joined Sir John Norris in the Battle of Zutphen, fighting for the Protestant cause against the Spanish.  During the battle, he was shot in the thigh.

Sir Philip Sidney died of gangrene 26 days later, on 17th October 1586 at Arnhem.  He was a mere 31 years of age.

Note: There are a hundred and eight sonnets, and also a hundred and eight stanzas in the eleven songs, being the number of Penelope’s suitors in Homer. (Odyssey Book XVI:245). Each sonnet and stanza is therefore a ‘suitor’ sent on behalf of Astrophil (Sidney) to Stella (Penelope Rich nee Devereaux).

This version has been updated to a more modern version of spelling.

Index of Contents

I - Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show

II - Not at first sight, nor with a dribbed shot

III - Let dainty wits cry on the Sisters nine,

IV - Virtue, alas, now let me take some rest.

V - It is most true, that eyes are form’d to serve

VI - Some lovers speak when they their Muses entertain,

VII - When Nature made her chief work, Stella’s eyes,

VIII - Love, born in Greece, of late fled from his native place,

IX - Queen Virtue’s court, which some call Stella’s face,

X - Reason, in faith thou art well serv’d, that still

XI - In truth, oh Love, with what a boyish kind

XII - Cupid, because thou shin’st in Stella’s eyes,

XIII - Phoebus was judge between Jove, Mars, and Love,

XIV - Alas, have I not pain enough, my friend,

XV - You that do search for every purling spring,

XVI - In nature apt to like when I did see

XVII - His mother dear Cupid offended late,

XVIII - With what sharp checks I in myself am shent,

XIX - On Cupid’s bow how are my heartstrings bent,

XX - Fly, fly, my friends, I have my death wound; fly!

XXI - Your words, my friend, (right healthful caustics) blame

XXII - In highest way of heav’n the Sun did ride,

XXIII - The curious wits seeing dull pensiveness

XXIV - Rich fools there be, whose base and filthy heart

XXV - The wisest scholar of the wight most wise

XXVI - Though dusty wits dare scorn astrology,

XXVII - Because I oft in dark abstracted guise

XXVIII - You that with allegory’s curious frame,

XXIX - Like some weak lords, neighbor’d by mighty kings,

XXX - Whether the Turkish new moon minded be

XXXI - With how sad steps, oh Moon, thou climb’st the skies,

XXXII - Morpheus the lively son of deadly sleep,

XXXIII - I might, unhappy word, oh me, I might,

XXXIV - Come, let me write. And to what end? To ease

XXXV - What may words say, or what may words not say,

XXXVI - Stella, whence doth this new assault arise,

XXXVII - My mouth doth water, and my breast doth swell,

XXXVIII - This night while sleep begins with heavy wings

XXXIX - Come sleep, oh sleep, the certain knot of peace,

XL - As good to write as for to lie and groan,

XLI - Having this day my horse, my hand, my lance

XLII - Oh eyes, which do the spheres of beauty move,

XLIII - Fair eyes, sweet lips, dear heart, that foolish I

XLIV - My words I know do well set forth my mind,

XLV - Stella oft sees the very face of woe

XLVI - I curs’d thee oft, I pity now thy case,

XLVII - What, have I thus betray’d my liberty?

XLVIII - Soul’s joy, bend not those morning stars from me,

XLIX - I on my horse, and Love on me doth try

L - Stella, the fullness of my thoughts of thee

LI - Pardon mine ears, both I and they do pray,

LII - A strife is grown between Virtue and Love,

LIII - In martial sports I had my cunning tried,

LIV - Because I breathe not love to every one,

LV - Muses, I oft invoked your holy aid,

LVI - Fie, school of Patience, fie! Your lesson is

LVII - Woe, having made with many fights his own

LVIII - Doubt there hath been, when with his golden chain

LIX - Dear, why make you more of a dog than me?

LX - When my good angel guides me to the place,

LXI - Oft with true sighs, oft with uncalled tears,

LXII - Late tir’d with woe, ev’n ready for to pine,

LXIII - Oh grammar rules, oh now your virtues show

First Song - Doubt you to whom my Muse these notes intendeth,

LXIV - No more, my dear, no more these counsels try,

LXV - Love by sure proof I may call thee unkind,

LXVI - And do I see some cause a hope to feed,

LXVII - Hope, art thou true, or dost thou flatter me?

LXVIII - Stella, the only planet of my light,

LXIX - Oh joy, too high for my low style to show:

LXX - My Muse may well grudge at my heav’nly joy,

LXXI - Who will in fairest book of Nature know

LXXII - Desire, though thou my old companion art,

Second Song - Have I caught my heav’nly jewel,

LXXIII - Love still a boy, and oft a wanton is,

LXXIV - I never drank of Aganippe well,

LXXV - Of all the kings that ever here did reign,

LXXVI - She comes, and straight therewith