'Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae' by Ernest Dowson
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Last night, ah, yesternight, betwixt her lips and mine
There fell thy shadow, Cynara! thy breath was shed
Upon my soul between the kisses and the wine;
And I was desolate and sick of an old passion,
Yea, I was desolate and bowed my head:
I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion.
All night upon mine heart I felt her warm heart beat,
Night-long within mine arms in love and sleep she lay;
Surely the kisses of her bought red mouth were sweet;
But I was desolate and sick of an old passion,
When I awoke and found the dawn was gray:
I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion.
I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind,
Flung roses, roses riotously with the throng,
Dancing, to put thy pale, lost lilies out of mind;
But I was desolate and sick of an old passion,
Yea, all the time, because the dance was long:
I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion.
I cried for madder music and for stronger wine,
But when the feast is finished and the lamps expire,
Then falls thy shadow, Cynara! the night is thine;
And I am desolate and sick of an old passion,
Yea, hungry for the lips of my desire:
I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion.
[The title translates, from the Latin, as
'I am no more the man I was in the reign of the Good Cynara']
Editor 1 Interpretation
Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae: A Heartbreaking Ode to Lost Love
Ernest Dowson's Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae is a hauntingly beautiful poem that captures the essence of lost love, longing, and regret. Written in 1896, the poem is a testament to the power of the human heart and its ability to hold on to memories long after they have faded away.
At its core, the poem is a story of unrequited love. The speaker, who is presumably Dowson himself, reflects on a past love affair with a woman he calls "Cynara". He remembers the days when she was his, and how he was once happy in her embrace. But now that she is gone, he is left with nothing but memories and regret.
The title of the poem, Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae, is taken from the Latin phrase which roughly translates to "I am not as I was in the reign of good Cynara". The phrase is a nod to Horace's Ode to Pyrrha, which is also about lost love. The use of Latin in the title is significant because it gives the poem a sense of timelessness and universality. It suggests that the pain of lost love is something that has been felt by humans for centuries, and will continue to be felt long after Dowson is gone.
The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which is a meditation on a different aspect of the speaker's longing for Cynara. In the first stanza, he remembers the days when he was happy with her. He describes the "long ago" time when he was "deep in love and faith", and how he would "kiss her lips and take her hands". The imagery in this stanza is vivid and sensual, and it is clear that the speaker was deeply in love with Cynara.
But in the second stanza, the tone shifts dramatically. The speaker is no longer happy and content, but instead is consumed with longing and regret. He remembers how he would "burn [his] soul in sighs" and how he would "waste [his] life for her". He knows that Cynara is gone, but he cannot help but remember the way she used to be. The use of the word "waste" is particularly striking because it suggests that the speaker sees his love for Cynara as something that was ultimately futile. He gave everything he had to her, but it was not enough to make her stay.
The third stanza is perhaps the most heartbreaking of all. The speaker knows that he can never go back to the way things were. He knows that Cynara is gone forever, and that he will never be able to recapture the happiness he once felt with her. He says that he is no longer the same person he was in her reign, and that he can never be that person again. The final lines of the poem are particularly poignant: "I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion". The use of the word "fashion" is significant because it suggests that the speaker's love for Cynara was not something that could be measured or quantified. He loved her in his own way, even though it was not enough to make her stay.
One of the most striking things about Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae is its use of imagery. Dowson is a master of sensual and evocative language, and his use of imagery creates a vivid and immersive world for the reader. In the first stanza, for example, he describes the "warm south" and the "perfumed sea-winds" that surrounded him and Cynara during their happy days together. In the second stanza, he describes the "purple night" and the "mute stars" that now accompany him in his loneliness. And in the third stanza, he describes the "dead leaves" that fall around him, symbolizing the end of his love affair with Cynara.
Another interesting aspect of the poem is its use of repetition. The phrase "I have been faithful to thee, Cynara!" is repeated three times throughout the poem, giving it a sense of rhythm and intensity. The repetition emphasizes the speaker's devotion to Cynara, and it also serves to drive home the finality of their separation.
In conclusion, Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae is a hauntingly beautiful poem that captures the essence of lost love, longing, and regret. Dowson's use of imagery and repetition creates a vivid and immersive world, and his portrayal of the speaker's devotion to Cynara is both poignant and heart-wrenching. The poem is a testament to the power of the human heart and its ability to hold on to memories long after they have faded away. It is a timeless meditation on the nature of love and loss, and it continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae: A Masterpiece of Love and Loss
Ernest Dowson's Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a masterpiece of love and loss that has captured the hearts of readers for over a century. The poem is a reflection of the poet's own experiences with love and the pain that comes with it. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem is written in the first person and is addressed to an unnamed woman. The speaker begins by stating that he is no longer the same person he once was when he was in the kingdom of Cynara. Cynara is a reference to the Greek mythological figure of the same name, who was a lover of the poet's hero, Horace. The kingdom of Cynara represents a time in the speaker's life when he was in love and happy.
The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with a different tone and theme. The first stanza is nostalgic and reflective, as the speaker looks back on his past and remembers the happiness he once had. He describes the kingdom of Cynara as a place where he was once happy and carefree. He remembers the "long ago" when he was "young and easy under the apple boughs." The use of the word "long ago" suggests that the speaker is now older and wiser, and has experienced the pain of love and loss.
The second stanza is more melancholic and introspective. The speaker reflects on the pain and suffering that love has brought him. He describes how he has "worn my heart upon my sleeve" and how he has "suffered the things I never told." The use of the phrase "worn my heart upon my sleeve" suggests that the speaker has been open and vulnerable in his relationships, which has led to his pain and suffering. The phrase "suffered the things I never told" suggests that the speaker has kept his pain and suffering hidden from others.
The third stanza is the most emotional and intense. The speaker expresses his desire to return to the kingdom of Cynara, where he was once happy. He describes how he wants to "forget and smile" and "rise and go" back to the place where he was once happy. However, he knows that he can never return to that place, and that he is now "a lost archaic thing" that can never be restored.
The poem is full of literary devices that enhance its emotional impact. The use of repetition, for example, is used to emphasize the speaker's feelings of loss and longing. The repetition of the phrase "I have been faithful to thee, Cynara, in my fashion" throughout the poem emphasizes the speaker's loyalty to his past love, even though he knows he can never return to that place.
The use of imagery is also prominent in the poem. The image of the kingdom of Cynara is used to represent the speaker's past happiness and the loss of that happiness. The image of the apple boughs in the first stanza is used to represent the carefree nature of the speaker's past. The image of the heart worn on the sleeve in the second stanza is used to represent the speaker's vulnerability and openness in his relationships.
The poem's structure is also significant. The three stanzas represent the three stages of the speaker's emotional journey. The first stanza represents the speaker's past happiness, the second stanza represents his pain and suffering, and the third stanza represents his desire to return to the past. The use of enjambment, where lines run on to the next without punctuation, creates a sense of flow and continuity, which reflects the speaker's emotional journey.
In conclusion, Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae is a masterpiece of love and loss that has stood the test of time. The poem is a reflection of the poet's own experiences with love and the pain that comes with it. The use of literary devices such as repetition and imagery, as well as the poem's structure, enhance its emotional impact. The poem is a timeless reminder of the power of love and the pain that comes with it.
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