The Trojan swain had judged the great dispute, <br />And beauty's power obtain'd the golden fruit, <br />When Venus, loose in all her naked charms, <br />Met Jove's great daughter clad in shining arms, <br />The wanton goddess view'd the warlike maid <br />From head to foot, and tauntingly she said; <br /> <br />Yield sister; rival, yield: naked, you see, <br />I vanquish: guess how potent I should be, <br />If to the field I came in armour dress'd, <br />Dreadful like thine my shield, and terrible my crest! <br /> <br />The warrior goddess with disdain replied, <br />Thy folly, child, is equal to thy pride: <br />Let a brave enemy for once advise, <br />And Venus (if 'tis possible) be wise: <br />Thou to be strong must put off every dress; <br />Thy only armour is thy nakedness; <br />And more than once (or thou art much belied) <br />By Mars himself that armour has been tried.<br /><br />Matthew Prior<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/pallas-and-venus-an-epigram/
