SONNET 101

SHAKESPEARE
O truant Muse what shall be thy amends
For thy neglect of truth in beauty dyed?
Both truth and beauty on my love depends;
So dost thou too, and therein dignified.
Make answer Muse: wilt thou not haply say,
'Truth needs no colour, with his colour fixed;
Beauty no pencil, beauty's truth to lay;
But best is best, if never intermixed'?
Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?
Excuse not silence so, for't lies in thee
To make him much outlive a gilded tomb
And to be praised of ages yet to be.
Then do thy office, Muse; I teach thee how
To make him seem, long hence, as he shows now.

OH truant Muſe what ſhalbe thy amends,

For thy neglect of truth in beauty di'd?
Both truth and beauty on my loue depends:
So doſt thou too,and therein dignifi'd:
Make anſwere Muſe,wilt thou not haply ſaie,
Truth needs no collour with his collour fixt,
Beautie no penſell,beauties truth to lay:
But beſt is beſt,if neuer intermixt.
Becauſe he needs no praiſe,wilt thou be dumb?
Excuſe not ſilence ſo,for't lies in thee,
To make him much out-liue a gilded tombe:
And to be praiſd of ages yet to be.
Then do thy office Muſe,I teach thee how,
To make him ſeeme long hence,as he ſhowes now.

COMMENTARY
1. O truant Muse what shall be thy amends
truant Muse - the original meaning of 'truant' is rogue, knave, vagabond, a sturdy beggar,
an idle rascal (OED.1 & 2.a). Here it could be either a noun or an adjective, and its
meaning is probably defined by neglect in the following line. The Muse has neglected her
duty (of praising the youth) as a truant neglects his duty to society, or by missing school.
There is also a secondary meaning of 'being unfaithful', as in:
'Tis double wrong, to truant with your bed' CE.III.2.17.
where 'truant' is used as a verb, in the sense of 'to play truant with', 'to abscond from'.
what shall be thy amends = what recompense will you offer, what penance will you do?