Question

According to the elizabethan view of music, What are the orbs said to be doing?

merchant of Venice
act 5 scene 1​

Answer 1

Answer:

MODERN TEXT

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

Here will we sit and let the sounds of music

Creep in our ears. Soft stillness and the night

Become the touches of sweet harmony.

Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven

Is thick inlaid with patens of bright gold.

There’s not the smallest orb which thou behold’st

But in his motion like an angel sings,

Still choiring to the young-eyed cherubins.

Such harmony is in immortal souls,

But whilst this muddy vesture of decay

Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.

Enter musicians

Musicians enter.

Come ho, and wake Diana with a hymn!

With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear,

And draw her home with music.