It may seem surprising that such a simple poem could cause difficulties in trying to understand it, yet it seems to do just that on at least two or three points. In such a case, it is best to begin with an overview of the poem. It is also good to keep in mind that this poem was not original to Jonson: He borrowed the ideas from a love letter written by ancient Greek writer Philostratus, either the Philostratus of Athens or the one of Lemnos; which one wrote the love letter is not known.