Question

what is the alternative suggestions made by the poet in lines three and four? in the Celia poem ​

Answer 1

Answer:

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Song to Celia ("Drink to me only with thine eyes") Stanza 1

By Ben Jonson

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Stanza 1

Lines 1-2

Drink to me only with thine eyes

And I will pledge with mine;

The poem opens with the speaker addressing a woman (presumably). Because of the title, we're guessing she's named Celia.

He tells her to "drink" to him "only" with her "eyes." In other words, he's telling her that she doesn't have to hold up a beer and say cheers, but only has to use her eyes. It's kind of like when you say, "I'll drink to the Bears winning the Super Bowl."

The speaker says that he, too, will "pledge" – i.e., "drink" or say "cheers" or something to that effect – with his eyes.

Lines 3-4

Or leave a kiss but in the cup,

And I'll not look for wine;

If she doesn't want to "drink," the speaker says she can just leave a kiss "but in the cup," and he won't care if there's no wine in it ("I'll not look for wine").

"But" in line 3 means something like "just" or "only," and it sounds funny because it's out of place. The line really means "just leave a kiss in the cup, baby" or "only leave a kiss in the cup."

Answer 2

Answer:

The poet says that if Celia doesn’t want to drink the wine, instead of drinking the wine she can just leave a “kiss” in the cup and the poet “will not look for wine” i.e. he would not care whether the wine is in the cup or not.

Explanation: