Metamorphoses
Ovid
Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.
- And with the sea the Trachin shippe ay alteration tooke.
- One whyle as from a mountaynes toppe it seemed downe to looke
- To vallyes and the depth of hell. Another whyle beset
- With swelling surges round about which neere above it met,
- It looked from the bottom of the whoorlepoole up aloft
- As if it were from hell to heaven. A hideous flusshing oft
- The waves did make in beating full against the Gallyes syde.
- The Gallye being striken gave as great a sownd that tyde
- As did sumtyme the Battellramb of steele, or now the Gonne
- In making battrye to a towre. And as feerce Lyons ronne
- Full brist with all theyr force ageinst the armed men that stand
- In order bent to keepe them off with weapons in theyr hand,
- Even so as often as the waves by force of wynd did rave,
- So oft uppon the netting of the shippe they maynely drave,
- And mounted farre above the same. Anon off fell the hoopes:
- And having washt the pitch away, the sea made open loopes
- To let the deadly water in. Behold the clowdes did melt,
- And showers large came pooring downe. The seamen that them felt
- Myght thinke that all the heaven had falne uppon them that same tyme,
- And that the swelling sea likewyse above the heaven would clyme.
- The sayles were throughly wet with showers, and with the heavenly raine
- Was mixt the waters of the sea. No lyghts at all remayne
- Of sunne, or moone, or starres in heaven. The darknesse of the nyght
- Augmented with the dreadfull storme, takes dowble powre and myght.
- Howbee't the flasshing lyghtnings oft doo put the same to flyght,
- And with theyr glauncing now and then do give a soodeine lyght.
- The lightnings setts the waves on fyre. Above the netting skippe
- The waves, and with a violent force doo lyght within the shippe.
- And as a souldyer stowter than the rest of all his band
- That oft assayles a citie walles defended well by hand,
- At length atteines his hope, and for to purchace prayse withall
- Alone among a thousand men getts up uppon the wall:
- So when the loftye waves had long the Gallyes sydes assayd,
- At length the tenth wave rysing up with huger force and brayd,
- Did never cease assaulting of the weery shippe, till that
- Uppon the hatches lyke a fo victoriously it gat.
- A part thereof did still as yit assault the shippe without,
- And part had gotten in. The men all trembling ran about,
- As in a Citie commes to passe, when of the enmyes sum
- Dig downe the walles without, and sum already in are come.
- All arte and conning was to seeke. Theyr harts and stomacks fayle:
- And looke, how many surges came theyr vessell to assayle,
- So many deathes did seeme to charge and breake uppon them all.
- One weepes: another stands amazde: the third them blist dooth call
- Whom buryall dooth remayne. To God another makes his vow,
- And holding up his handes to heaven the which hee sees not now,
- Dooth pray in vayne for help. The thought of this man is uppon
- His brother and his parents whom he cleerely hath forgone.
- Another calles his house and wyfe and children unto mynd,
- And every man in generall the things he left behynd.
- Alcyone moveth Ceyx hart. In Ceyx mouth is none
- But onely one Alcyone. And though shee were alone
- The wyght that he desyred most, yit was he verry glad
- Shee was not there. To Trachin ward to looke desyre he had,
- And homeward fayne he would have turnd his eyes which never more
- Should see the land. But then he knew not which way was the shore,
- Nor where he was. The raging sea did rowle about so fast:
- And all the heaven with clowds as black as pitch was over cast,
- That never nyght was halfe so dark. There came a flaw at last,
- That with his violence brake the maste, and strake the sterne away.
- A billowe proudly pranking up as vaunting of his pray
- By conquest gotten, walloweth hole and breaketh not asunder,
- Beholding with a lofty looke the waters woorking under.
- And looke, as if a man should from the places where they growe
- Rend downe the mountaynes, Athe and Pind, and whole them overthrowe
- Into the open sea: so soft the Billowe tumbling downe,
- With weyght and violent stroke did sink and in the bottom drowne
- The Gallye. And the moste of them that were within the same
- Went downe therwith and never up to open aier came,
- But dyed strangled in the gulf. Another sort againe
- Caught peeces of the broken shippe. The king himself was fayne
- A shiver of the sunken shippe in that same hand to hold,
- In which hee erst a royall mace had hilld of yellow gold.
- His father and his fathrinlawe he calles uppon (alas
- In vayne.) But cheefly in his mouth his wife Alcyone was.
- In hart was shee: in toong was shee: he wisshed that his corse
- To land where shee myght take it up the surges myght enforce:
- And that by her most loving handes he might be layd in grave.
- In swimming still (as often as the surges leave him gave
- To ope his lippes) he harped still upon Alcyones name,
- And when he drowned in the waves he muttred still the same.
- Behold, even full uppon the wave a flake of water blacke
- Did breake, and underneathe the sea the head of Ceyx stracke.
- That nyght the lyghtsum Lucifer for sorrowe was so dim,
- As scarcely could a man discerne or thinke it to bee him.
- And forasmuch as out of heaven he might not steppe asyde,
- With thick and darksum clowds that nyght his countnance he did hyde.
- Alcyone of so great mischaunce not knowing aught as yit,
- Did keepe a reckening of the nyghts that in the whyle did flit,
- And hasted garments both for him and for herself likewyse,
- To weare at his homecomming which shee vaynely did surmyse.
- To all the Goddes devoutly shee did offer frankincence:
- But most above them all the Church of Juno shee did sence.
- And for her husband (who as then was none) shee kneeld before
- The Altar, wisshing health and soone arrivall at the shore,
- And that none other woman myght before her be preferd.
- Of all her prayers this one peece effectually was heard.
- For Juno could not fynd in hart intreated for to bee
- For him that was already dead. But to th'entent that shee
- From dame Alcyones deadly hands might keepe her Altars free,
- Shee sayd: Most faythfull messenger of my commaundments, O
- Thou Raynebowe, to the slugguish house of Slomber swiftly go.
- And bid him send a Dreame in shape of Ceyx to his wyfe
- Alcyone, for to shew her playne the losing of his lyfe.
- Dame Iris takes her pall wherein a thousand colours were
- And bowwing lyke a stringed bow upon the dowdy sphere,
- Immediatly descended to the drowzye house of Sleepe
- Whose Court the clowdes continually doo clocely overdreepe.
- Among the darke Cimmerians is a hollow mountaine found
- And in the hill a Cave that farre dooth ronne within the ground,
- The Chamber and the dwelling place where slouthfull sleepe dooth cowch.
- The lyght of Phebus golden beames this place can never towch.
- A foggye mist with dimnesse mixt streames upwarde from the ground,
- And glimmering twylyght evermore within the same is found.
- No watchfull bird with barbed bill, and combed crowne dooth call
- The morning foorth with crowing out. There is no noyse at all
- Of waking dogge, nor gagling goose more waker than the hound
- To hinder sleepe. Of beast ne wyld ne tame there is no sound.
- No bowghes are stird with blastes of wynd, no noyse of tatling toong
- Of man or woman ever yit within that bower roong.
- Dumb quiet dwelleth there. Yit from the Roches foote dooth go
- The ryver of forgetfulnesse, which ronneth trickling so
- Uppon the little pebble stones which in the channell lye,
- That unto sleepe a great deale more it dooth provoke thereby.
- Before the entry of the Cave, there growes of Poppye store,
- With seeded heades, and other weedes innumerable more,
- Out of the milkye jewce of which the night dooth gather sleepes,
- And over all the shadowed earth with dankish deawe them dreepes.
- Bycause the craking hindges of the doore no noyse should make,
- There is no doore in all the house, nor porter at the gate.
- Amid the Cave, of Ebonye a bedsted standeth hye,
- And on the same a bed of downe with keeverings blacke dooth lye:
- In which the drowzye God of sleepe his lither limbes dooth rest.
- About him, forging sundrye shapes as many dreames lye prest
- As eares of come doo stand in feeldes in harvest tyme, or leaves
- Doo grow on trees, or sea to shore of sandye cinder heaves.
- As soone as Iris came within this house, and with her hand
- Had put asyde the dazeling dreames that in her way did stand,
- The brightnesse of her robe through all the sacred house did shine.
- The God of sleepe scarce able for to rayse his heavy eyen,
- A three or fowre tymes at the least did fall ageine to rest,
- And with his nodding head did knocke his chinne ageinst his brest.
- At length he shaking of himselfe, uppon his elbowe leande.
- And though he knew for what shee came: he askt her what shee meand.
- O sleepe (quoth shee,) the rest of things, O gentlest of the Goddes,
- Sweete sleepe, the peace of mynd, with whom crookt care is aye at oddes:
- Which cherrishest mennes weery limbes appalld with toling sore,
- And makest them as fresh to woork and lustye as beefore,
- Commaund a dreame that in theyr kyndes can every thing expresse,
- To Trachine, Hercles towne, himself this instant to addresse.
- And let him lively counterfet to Queene Alcyonea
- The image of her husband who is drowned in the sea
- By shipwrecke. Juno willeth so. Her message beeing told,
- Dame Iris went her way. Shee could her eyes no longer hold
- From sleepe. But when shee felt it come shee fled that instant tyme,
- And by the boawe that brought her downe to heaven ageine did clyme.
- Among a thousand sonnes and mo that father slomber had
- He calld up Morph, the feyner of mannes shape, a craftye lad.
- None other could so conningly expresse mans verrye face,
- His gesture and his sound of voyce, and manner of his pace,
- Togither with his woonted weede, and woonted phrase of talk.
- But this same Morphye onely in the shape of man dooth walk.
- There is another who the shapes of beast or bird dooth take,
- Or else appeereth unto men in likenesse of a snake.
- The Goddes doo call him Icilos, and mortall folke him name
- Phobetor. There is also yit a third who from theis same
- Woorkes diversly, and Phantasos he highteth. Into streames
- This turnes himself, and into stones, and earth, and timber beames,
- And into every other thing that wanteth life. Theis three,
- Great kings and Capteines in the night are woonted for to see.
- The meaner and inferiour sort of others haunted bee.
- Sir Slomber overpast the rest, and of the brothers all
- To doo dame Iris message he did only Morphye call.
- Which doone he waxing luskish, streyght layd downe his drowzy head
- And softly shroonk his layzye limbes within his sluggish bed.
- Away flew Morphye through the aire: no flickring made his wings:
- And came anon to Trachine. There his fethers off he flings,
- And in the shape of Ceyx standes before Alcyones bed,
- Pale, wan, stark naakt, and like a man that was but lately deade.
- His berde seemd wet, and of his head the heare was dropping drye,
- And leaning on her bed, with teares he seemed thus to cry:
- Most wretched woman, knowest thou thy loving Ceyx now
- Or is my face by death disformd? behold mee well, and thow
- Shalt know mee. For thy husband, thou thy husbandes Ghost shalt see.
- No good thy prayers and thy vowes have done at all to mee.
- For I am dead. In vayne of my returne no reckning make.
- The dowdy sowth amid the sea our shippe did tardy take,
- And tossing it with violent blastes asunder did it shake.
- And floodes have filld my mouth which calld in vayne uppon thy name.
- No persone whom thou mayst misdeeme brings tydings of the same.
- Thou hearest not thereof by false report of flying fame.
- But I myself: I presently my shipwrecke to thee showe.
- Aryse therefore and wofull teares uppon thy spouse bestowe.
- Put moorning rayment on, and let mee not to Limbo go
- Unmoorned for. In shewing of this shipwrecke Morphye so
- Did feyne the voyce of Ceyx, that shee could none other deeme,
- But that it should bee his in deede. Moreover he did seeme
- To weepe in earnest: and his handes the verry gesture had
- Of Ceyx. Queene Alcyone did grone, and beeing sad
- Did stirre her armes, and thrust them foorth his body to embrace.
- In stead whereof shee caught but ayre. The teares ran downe her face.
- Shee cryed, Tarry: whither flyste? togither let us go.
- And all this whyle she was asleepe. Both with her crying so,
- And flayghted with the image of her husbands gastly spryght,
- She started up: and sought about if fynd him there shee myght.
- (For why her Groomes awaking with the shreeke had brought a light.)
- And when shee no where could him fynd, shee gan her face to smyght,
- And tare her nyghtclothes from her brest, and strake it feercely, and
- Not passing to unty her heare shee rent it with her hand.
- And when her nurce of this her greef desyrde to understand
- The cause: Alcyone is undoone, undoone and cast away
- With Ceyx her deare spouse (shee sayd). Leave comforting I pray.
- By shipwrecke he is perrisht: I have seene him: and I knew
- His handes. When in departing I to hold him did pursew
- I caught a Ghost: but such a Ghost as well discerne I myght
- To bee my husbands. Nathelesse he had not to my syght
- His woonted countenance, neyther did his visage shyne so bryght,
- As heeretofore it had beene woont. I saw him, wretched wyght,
- Starke naked, pale, and with his heare still wet: even verry heere
- I saw him stand. With that shee lookes if any print appeere
- Of footing where as he did stand uppon the floore behynd.
- This this is it that I did feare in farre forecasting mynd,
- When flying mee I thee desyrde thou shouldst not trust the wynd.
- But syth thou wentest to thy death, I would that I had gone
- With thee. Ah meete, it meete had beene thou shouldst not go alone
- Without mee. So it should have come to passe that neyther I
- Had overlived thee, nor yit beene forced twice to dye.
- Already, absent in the waves now tossed have I bee.
- Already have I perrished. And yit the sea hath thee
- Without mee. But the cruelnesse were greater farre of mee
- Than of the sea, if after thy decease I still would strive
- In sorrow and in anguish still to pyne away alive.
- But neyther will I strive in care to lengthen still my lyfe,
- Nor (wretched wyght) abandon thee: but like a faythfull wyfe
- At leastwyse now will come as thy companion. And the herse
- Shall joyne us, though not in the selfsame coffin: yit in verse.
- Although in tumb the bones of us togither may not couch,
- Yit in a graven Epitaph my name thy name shall touch.
- Her sorrow would not suffer her to utter any more.
- Shee sobd and syghde at every woord, untill her hart was sore.
- The morning came, and out shee went ryght pensif to the shore
- To that same place in which shee tooke her leave of him before.
- Whyle there shee musing stood, and sayd: He kissed mee even heere,
- Heere weyed hee his Anchors up, heere loosd he from the peere.
- And whyle shee calld to mynd the things there marked with her eyes:
- In looking on the open sea, a great way off shee spyes
- A certaine thing much like a corse come hovering on the wave.
- At first shee dowted what it was. As tyde it neerer drave,
- Although it were a good way off, yit did it plainely showe
- To bee a corce. And though that whose it was shee did not knowe,
- Yit forbycause it seemd a wrecke, her hart therat did ryse:
- And as it had sum straunger beene, with water in her eyes
- She sayd: Alas poore wretch who ere thou art, alas for her
- That is thy wyfe, if any bee. And as the waves did stirre,
- The body floted neerer land: the which the more that shee
- Behilld, the lesse began in her of stayed wit to bee.
- Anon it did arrive on shore. Then plainely shee did see
- And know it, that it was her feere. Shee shreeked, It is hee.
- And therewithall her face, her heare, and garments shee did teare,
- And unto Ceyx stretching out her trembling handes with feare,
- Sayd: cumst thou home in such a plyght to mee, O husband deere?
- Returnst in such a wretched plyght? There was a certeine peere
- That buylded was by hand, of waves the first assaults to breake,
- And at the havons mouth to cause the tyde to enter weake.
- Shee lept thereon. (A wonder sure it was shee could doo so)
- Shee flew, and with her newgrowen winges did beate the ayre as tho.
- And on the waves a wretched bird shee whisked to and fro.
- And with her crocking neb then growen to slender bill and round,
- Like one that wayld and moorned still shee made a moaning sound.
- Howbee't as soone as she did touch his dumb and bloodlesse flesh,
- And had embraast his loved limbes with winges made new and fresh,
- And with her hardened neb had kist him coldly, though in vayne,
- Folk dowt if Ceyx feeling it to rayse his head did strayne,
- Or whither that the waves did lift it up. But surely hee
- It felt: and through compassion of the Goddes both hee and shee
- Were turnd to birdes. The love of them eeke subject to their fate,
- Continued after: neyther did the faythfull bond abate
- Of wedlocke in them beeing birdes: but standes in stedfast state.
- They treade, and lay, and bring foorth yoong and now the Alcyon sitts
- In wintertime uppon her nest, which on the water flitts
- A sevennyght. During all which tyme the sea is calme and still,
- And every man may to and fro sayle saufly at his will,
- For Aeolus for his offsprings sake the windes at home dooth keepe,
- And will not let them go abroade for troubling of the deepe.
- An auncient father seeing them aabout the brode sea fly,
- Did prayse theyr love for lasting to the end so stedfastly.
- His neyghbour or the selfsame man made answer (such is chaunce):
- Even this fowle also whom thou seest uppon the surges glaunce
- With spindle shanks, (he poynted to the wydegoawld Cormorant)
- Before that he became a bird, of royall race might vaunt.
- And if thou covet lineally his pedegree to seeke,
- His Auncetors were Ilus, and Assaracus, and eeke
- Fayre Ganymed who Jupiter did ravish as his joy,
- Laomedon and Priamus the last that reygnd in Troy.
- Stout Hectors brother was this man. And had he not in pryme
- Of lusty youth beene tane away, his deedes perchaunce in tyme
- Had purchaast him as great a name as Hector, though that hee
- Of Dymants daughter Hecuba had fortune borne to bee.
- For Aesacus reported is begotten to have beene
- By scape, in shady Ida on a mayden fayre and sheene
- Whose name was Alyxothoe, a poore mans daughter that
- With spade and mattocke for himselfe and his a living gat.
- This Aesacus the Citie hates, and gorgious Court dooth shonne,
- And in the unambicious feeldes and woods alone dooth wonne.
- He seeldoom haunts the towne of Troy, yit having not a rude
- And blockish wit, nor such a hart as could not be subdewd
- By love, he spyde Eperie (whom oft he had pursewd
- Through all the woodes) then sitting on her father Cebrius brim
- A drying of her heare ageinst the sonne, which hanged trim
- Uppon her back. As soone as that the Nymph was ware of him,
- She fled as when the grisild woolf dooth scare the fearefull hynd
- Or when the Fawcon farre from brookes a Mallard happes to fynd.
- The Trojane knyght ronnes after her, and beeing swift through love,
- Purseweth her whom feare dooth force apace her feete to move.
- Behold an Adder lurking in the grasse there as shee fled,
- Did byght her foote with hooked tooth, and in her bodye spred
- His venim. Shee did cease her flyght and soodein fell downe dead.
- Her lover being past his witts her carkesse did embrace,
- And cryde: Alas it irketh mee, it irkes mee of this chace.
- But this I feard not. Neyther was the gaine of that I willd
- Woorth halfe so much. Now two of us thee (wretched soule) have killd.
- The wound was given thee by the snake, the cause was given by mee.
- The wickedder of both am I: who for to comfort thee
- Will make thee satisfaction with my death. With that at last
- Downe from a rocke (the which the waves had undermynde) he cast
- Himself into the sea. Howbee't dame Tethys pitying him,
- Receyvd him softly, and as he uppon the waves did swim,
- Shee covered him with fethers. And though fayne he would have dyde,
- Shee would not let him. Wroth was he that death was him denyde,
- And that his soule compelld should bee ageinst his will to byde
- Within his wretched body still, from which it would depart,
- And that he was constreynd to live perforce ageinst his hart.
- And as he on his shoulders now had newly taken wings,
- He mounted up, and downe uppon the sea his boddye dings.
- His fethers would not let him sinke. In rage he dyveth downe,
- And despratly he strives himself continually to drowne.
- His love did make him leane, long leggs: long neck dooth still remayne.
- His head is from his shoulders farre: of Sea he is most fayne.
- And for he underneath the waves delyghteth for to drive
- A name according thereunto the Latins doo him give.
- King Priam beeing ignorant that Aesacus his sonne
- Did live in shape of bird, did moorne: and at a tumb wheron
- His name was written, Hector and his brother solemly
- Did keepe an Obit. Paris was not at this obsequye.
- Within a whyle with ravisht wyfe he brought a lasting warre
- Home unto Troy. There followed him a thowsand shippes not farre
- Conspyrd togither, with the ayde that all the Greekes could fynd:
- And vengeance had beene tane foorthwith but that the cruell wynd
- Did make the seas unsaylable, so that theyr shippes were fayne
- At rode at fisshye Awlys in B'aeotia to remayne.
- Heere as the Greekes according to theyr woont made sacrifyse
- To Jove, and on the Altar old the flame aloft did ryse,
- They spyde a speckled Snake creepe up uppon a planetree bye
- Uppon the toppe whereof there was among the braunches hye
- A nest, and in the nest eyght birdes, all which and eeke theyr dam
- That flickering flew about her losse, the hungry snake did cram
- Within his mawe. The standers by were all amazde therat.
- But Calchas, Thestors sonne, who knew what meening was in that,
- Sayd: We shall win. Rejoyce, yee Greekes, by us shall perish Troy,
- But long the tyme will bee before wee may our will enjoy.
- And then he told them how the birds nyne yeeres did signifie
- Which they before the towne of Troy not taking it should lye.
- The Serpent as he wound about the boughes and braunches greene,
- Became a stone, and still in stone his snakish shape is seene.
- The seas continewed verry rough and suffred not theyr hoste
- Imbarked for to passe from thence to take the further coast.
- Sum thought that Neptune favored Troy bycause himself did buyld
- The walles therof. But Calchas (who both knew, and never hilld
- His peace in tyme) declared that the Goddesse Phebe must
- Appeased bee with virgins blood for wrath conceyved just.
- As soone as pitie yeelded had to cace of publicke weale,
- And reason got the upper hand of fathers loving zeale,
- So that the Ladye Iphigen before the altar stood
- Among the weeping ministers, to give her maydens blood:
- The Goddesse taking pitie, cast a mist before theyr eyes,
- And as they prayd and stird about to make the sacrifyse,
- Conveyes her quight away, and with a Hynd her roome supplyes.
- Thus with a slaughter meete for her Diana beeing pleasd,
- The raging surges with her wrath togither were appeasd,
- The thousand shippes had wynd at poope. And when they had abode
- Much trouble, at the length all safe they gat the Phrygian rode.
- Amid the world tweene heaven, and earth, and sea, there is a place,
- Set from the bounds of eche of them indifferently in space,
- From whence is seene what ever thing is practisd any where,
- Although the Realme bee nere so farre, and roundly to the eare
- Commes whatsoever spoken is. Fame hath his dwelling there.
- Who in the toppe of all the house is lodged in a towre.
- A thousand entryes, glades, and holes are framed in this bowre.
- There are no doores to shet. The doores stand open nyght and day.
- The house is all of sounding brasse, and roreth every way,
- Reporting dowble every woord it heareth people say.
- There is no rest within, there is no silence any where.
- Yit is there not a yelling out: but humming, as it were
- The sound of surges beeing heard farre off, or like the sound
- That at the end of thunderclappes long after dooth redound,
- When Jove dooth make the clowdes to crack. Within the courts is preace
- Of common people, which to come and go doo never ceace.
- And millions both of trothes and lyes ronne gadding every where,
- And woordes confusely flye in heapes. Of which, sum fill the eare
- That heard not of them erst, and sum Colcaryers part doo play
- To spread abrode the things they heard. And ever by the way
- The thing that was invented growes much greater than before,
- And every one that getts it by the end addes sumwhat more.
- Lyght credit dwelleth there. There dwells rash error: there dooth dwell
- Vayne joy: there dwelleth hartlesse feare, and Bruit that loves to tell
- Uncertayne newes uppon report, whereof he dooth not knowe
- The author, and Sedition who fresh rumors loves to sowe.
- This Fame beholdeth what is doone in heaven, on sea, and land,
- And what is wrought in all the world he layes to understand.
- He gave the Trojans warning that the Greekes with valeant men
- And shippes approched, that unwares they could not take them then.
- For Hector and the Trojan folk well armed were at hand
- To keepe the coast and bid them bace before they came aland.
- Protesilay by fatall doome was first that dyde in feeld
- Of Hectors speare: and after him great numbers mo were killd
- Of valeant men. That battell did the Greeks full deerly cost.
- And Hector with his Phrygian folk of blood no little lost,
- In trying what the Greekes could doo. The shore was red with blood.
- And now king Cygnet, Neptunes sonne, had killed where he stood
- A thousand Greekes. And now the stout Achilles causd to stay
- His Charyot: and his lawnce did slea whole bandes of men that day.
- And seeking Cygnet through the feeld or Hector, he did stray.
- At last with Cygnet he did meete. For Hector had delay
- Untill the tenth yeare afterward. Then hasting foorth his horses
- With flaxen manes, ageinst his fo his Chariot he enforces.
- And brandishing his shaking dart, he sayd: O noble wyght,
- A comfort let it bee to thee that such a valeant knyght
- As is Achilles killeth thee. In saying so he threw
- A myghty dart, which though it hit the mark at which it flew,
- Yit perst it not the skinne at all. Now when this blunted blowe
- Had hit on Cygnets brest, and did no print of hitting showe,
- Thou, Goddesse sonne (quoth Cygnet), for by fame we doo thee knowe.
- Why woondrest at mee for to see I can not wounded bee?
- (Achilles woondred much thereat.) This helmet which yee see
- Bedect with horses yellow manes, this sheeld that I doo beare,
- Defend mee not. For ornaments alonly I them weare.
- For this same cause armes Mars himself likewyse. I will disarme
- Myself, and yit unrazed will I passe without all harme.
- It is to sum effect, not borne to bee of Neryes race,
- So that a man be borne of him that with threeforked mace :
- Rules Nereus and his daughters too, and all the sea besyde.
- This sayd, he at Achilles sent a dart that should abyde
- Uppon his sheeld. It perced through the steele and through nyne fold
- Of Oxen hydes, and stayd uppon the tenth. Achilles bold
- Did wrest it out, and forcybly did throwe the same agayne.
- His bodye beeing hit ageine, unwounded did remayne,
- And cleere from any print of wound. The third went eeke in vayne.
- And yit did Cygnet to the same give full his naked brist.
- Achilles chafed like a Bull that in the open list
- With dreadfull homes dooth push ageinst the scarlet clothes that there
- Are hanged up to make him feerce, and when he would them teare
- Dooth fynd his wounds deluded. Then Achilles lookt uppon
- His Javelings socket, if the head thereof were looce or gone.
- The head stacke fast. My hand byleeke is weakened then (quoth lice),
- And all the force it had before is spent on one I see.
- For sure I am it was of strength, both when I first downe threw
- Lyrnessus walles, and when I did Ile Tenedos subdew,
- And eeke Aetions Thebe with her proper blood embrew.
- And when so many of the folke of Tewthranie I slew,
- That with theyr blood Caycus streame became of purple hew.
- And when the noble Telephus did of my Dart of steele
- The dowble force, of wounding and of healing also feele.
- Yea even the heapes of men slayne heere by mee, that on this strond
- Are lying still to looke uppon, doo give to understond
- That this same hand of myne both had and still hath strength. This sed,
- (As though he had distrusted all his dooings ere that sted,)
- He threw a Dart ageinst a man of Lycia land that hyght
- Menetes, through whose Curets and his brest he strake him quyght.
- And when he saw with dying limbes him sprawling on the ground,
- He stepped to him streyght, and pulld the Javeling from the wound,
- And sayd alowd: This is the hand, this is the selfsame dart
- With which my hand did strike even now Menetes to the hart.
- Ageinst my tother Copemate will I use the same: I pray
- To God it may have like successe. This sed, without delay
- He sent it toward Cygnet, and the weapon did not stray,
- Nor was not shunned. Insomuch it lighted full uppon
- His shoulder: and it gave a rappe as if uppon sum ston
- It lyghted had, rebownding backe. Howbeeit where it hit,
- Achilles sawe it bloodye, and was vaynly glad of it.
- For why there was no wound. It was Menetes blood. Then lept
- He hastly from his Charyot downe, and like a madman stept
- To carelesse Cygnet with his swoord. He sawe his swoord did pare
- His Target and his morion bothe. But when it toucht the bare,
- His bodye was so hard, it did the edge thereof abate.
- He could no lengar suffer him to tryumph in that rate,
- But with the pommell of his swoord did thump him on the pate,
- And bobd him well about the brewes a doozen tymes and more,
- And preacing on him as he still gave backe amaazd him sore,
- And troubled him with buffetting, not respetting a whit.
- Then Cygnet gan to bee afrayd, and mistes beegan to flit
- Before his eyes, and dimd his syght. And as he still did yeeld,
- In giving back, by chaunce he met a stone amid the feeld,
- Ageinst the which Achilles thrust him back with all his myght,
- And throwing him ageinst the ground, did cast him bolt upryght.
- Then bearing bostowsely with both his knees ageinst his chest,
- And leaning with his elbowes and his target on his brest,
- He shet his headpeece cloce and just, and underneathe his chin
- So hard it straynd, that way for breath was neyther out nor in,
- And closed up the vent of lyfe. And having gotten so
- The upper hand, he went about to spoyle his vanquisht fo.
- But nought he in his armour found. For Neptune had as tho
- Transformd him to the fowle whose name he bare but late ago.
- This labour, this encounter brought the rest of many dayes,
- And eyther partye in theyr strength a whyle from battell stayes.
- Now whyle the Phrygians watch and ward uppon the walles of Troy,
- And Greekes likewyse within theyr trench, there came a day of joy,
- In which Achilles for his luck in Cygnets overthrow,
- A Cow in way of sacrifyse on Pallas did bestowe,
- Whose inwards when he had uppon the burning altar cast
- And that the acceptable fume had through the ayer past
- To Godward, and the holy rytes had had theyr dewes, the rest
- Was set on boords for men to eate in disshes fynely drest.
- The princes sitting downe, did feede uppon the rosted flesh,
- And both theyr thirst and present cares with wyne they did refresh.
- Not Harpes, nor songs, nor hollowe flutes to heere did them delyght.
- They talked till they nye had spent the greatest part of nyght.
- And all theyr communication was of feates of armes in fyght
- That had beene doone by them or by theyr foes. And every wyght
- Delyghts to uppen oftentymes by turne as came about
- The perills and the narrow brunts himself had shifted out.
- For what thing should bee talkt beefore Achilles rather? Or
- What kynd of things than such as theis could seeme more meeter for
- Achilles to bee talking of? But in theyr talk most breeme
- Was then Achilles victory of Cygnet. It did seeme
- A woonder that the flesh of him should bee so hard and tough
- As that no weapon myght have powre to raze or perce it through,
- But that it did abate the edge of steele: it was a thing
- That both Achilles and the Greekes in woondrous maze did bring.
- Then Nestor sayd: This Cygnet is the person now alone
- Of your tyme that defyed steele, and could bee perst of none.
- But I have seene now long ago one Cene of Perrhebye,
- I sawe one Cene of Perrhebye a thousand woundes defye
- With unatteynted bodye. In mount Othris he did dwell:
- And was renowmed for his deedes: (and which in him ryght well
- A greater woonder did appeere) he was a woman borne.
- This uncouth made them all much more amazed than beforne,
- And every man desyred him to tell it. And among
- The rest, Achilles sayd: Declare, I pray thee (for wee long
- To heare it every one of us), O eloquent old man,
- The wisedome of our age: what was that Cene and how he wan
- Another than his native shape, and in what rode, or in
- What fyght or skirmish, tweene you first acquaintance did beegin,
- And who in fyne did vanquish him if any vanquisht him.
- Then Nestor: Though the length of tyme have made my senses dim,
- And dyvers things erst seene in youth now out of mynd be gone:
- Yit beare I still mo things in mynd: and df them all is none
- Among so many both of peace and warre, that yit dooth take
- More stedfast roote in memorye. And if that tyme may make
- A man great store of things through long continuance for to see,
- Two hundred yeeres already of my lyfe full passed bee,
- And now I go uppon the third. This foresayd Ceny was
- The daughter of one Elatey. In beawty shee did passe
- The maydens all of Thessaly. From all the Cities bye
- And from thy Cities also, O Achilles, came (for why
- Shee was thy countrywoman) store of wooers who in vayne
- In hope to win her love did take great travail, suit and payne.
- Thy father also had perchaunce attempted heere to matcht
- But that thy moothers maryage was alreadye then dispatcht,
- Or shee at least affyanced. But Ceny matcht with none,
- Howbeeit as shee on the shore was walking all alone,
- The God of sea did ravish her. (So fame dooth make report.)
- And Neptune for the great delight he had in Venus sport,
- Sayd: Ceny, aske mee what thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
- (This also bruited is by fame.) The wrong heere doone to mee
- (Quoth Ceny) makes mee wish great things. And therfore to th'entent
- I may no more constreyned bee to such a thing, consent
- I may no more a woman bee. And if thou graunt thereto,
- It is even all that I desyre, or wish thee for to doo.
- In bacer tune theis latter woordes were uttred, and her voyce
- Did seeme a mannes voyce as it was in deede. For to her choyce
- The God of sea had given consent. He graunted him besyde
- That free from wounding and from hurt he should from thence abyde,
- And that he should not dye of steele. Right glad of this same graunt
- Away went Ceny, and the feeldes of Thessaly did haunt,
- And in the feates of Chevalrye from that tyme spent his lyfe.
- The over bold Ixions sonne had taken to his wyfe
- Hippodame. And kevering boordes in bowres of boughes of trees
- His Clowdbred brothers one by one he placed in degrees.
- There were the Lordes of Thessaly. I also was among
- The rest: a cheerefull noyse of feast through all the Pallace roong.
- Sum made the altars smoke, and sum the brydale carrolls soong.
- Anon commes in the mayden bryde, a goodly wench of face,
- With wyves and maydens following her with comly gate and grace.
- Wee sayd that sir Pirithous was happy in his wyfe:
- Which handsell had deceyved us wellneere through soodeine stryfe.
- For of the cruell Centawres thou most cruell Ewryt, tho
- Like as thy stomacke was with wyne farre over charged: so
- As soone as thou behilldst the bryde, thy hart began to frayne,
- And doubled with thy droonkennesse thy raging lust did reigne.
- The feast was troubled by and by with tables overthrowen.
- The bryde was hayled by the head, so farre was furye growen.
- Feerce Ewryt caught Hippodame, and every of the rest
- Caught such as commed next to hand, or such as likte him best.
- It was the lively image of a Citie tane by foes.
- The house did ring of womens shreekes. We all up quickly rose.
- And first sayd Theseus thus: What aylst? art mad, O Ewrytus?
- That darest (seeing mee alive) misuse Pirithous?
- Not knowing that in one thou doost abuse us both? And least
- He myght have seemd to speake in vayne, he thrust way such as preast
- About the bryde, and tooke her from them freating sore thereat.
- No answere made him Ewrytus: (for such a deede as that
- Defended could not bee with woordes) but with his sawcye fist
- He flew at gentle Theseus face, and bobd him on the brist.
- By chaunce hard by, an auncient cuppe of image woork did stand,
- Which being huge, himself more huge sir Theseus tooke in hand,
- And threw't at Ewryts head. He spewd as well at mouth as wound
- Mixt cloddes of blood, and brayne and wyne, and on the soyled ground
- Lay sprawling bolt upryght. The death of him did set the rest,
- His dowblelimbed brothers, so on fyre, that all the quest
- With one voyce cryed out, Kill, kill. The wyne had given them hart.
- Theyr first encounter was with cuppes and cannes throwen overthwart,
- And brittle tankerds, and with boawles, pannes, dishes, potts, and trayes,
- Things serving late for meate and drinke, and then for bluddy frayes.
- First Amycus, Ophions sonne, without remorse began
- To reeve and rob the brydehouse of his furniture. He ran
- And pulled downe a Lampbeame full of lyghtes, and lifting it
- Aloft like one that with an Ax dooth fetch his blowe to slit
- An Oxis necke in sacrifyse, he on the forehead hit
- A Lapith named Celadon, and crusshed so his bones
- That none could know him by the face: both eyes flew out at ones.
- His nose was beaten backe and to hispallat battred flat.
- One Pelates, a Macedone, exceeding wroth therat,
- Pulld out a maple tressles foote, and napt him in the necks,
- That bobbing with his chin ageinst his brest to ground he becks.
- And as he spitted out his teeth with blackish blood, he lent
- Another blowe to Amycus, which streyght to hell him sent.
- Gryne standing by and lowring with a fell grim visage at
- The smoking Altars, sayd: Why use we not theis same? with that
- He caught a myghty altar up with burning fyre thereon,
- And it among the thickest of the Lapithes threw anon.
- And twoo he over whelmd therewith calld Brote and Orion.
- This Orions moother, Mycale, is knowne of certeintye
- The Moone resisting to have drawne by witchcraft from the skye.
- Full dearely shalt thou by it (quoth Exadius) may I get
- A weapon: and with that in stead of weapon, he did set
- His hand uppon a vowd harts horne that on a Pynetree hye
- Was nayld, and with two tynes therof he strake out eyther eye
- Of Gryne: whereof sum stacke uppon the home, and sum did flye
- Uppon his beard, and there with blood like jelly mixt did lye.
- A flaming fyrebrand from amids an Altar Rhaetus snatcht,
- With which uppon the leftsyde of his head Charaxus latcht
- A blow that crackt his skull. The blaze among his yellow heare
- Ran sindging up, as if dry come with lightning blasted were.
- And in his wound the seared blood did make a greevous sound,
- As when a peece of steele red hot tane up with tongs is drownd
- In water by the smith, it spirts and hisseth in the trowgh.
- Charaxus from his curled heare did shake the fyre, and thowgh
- He wounded were, yit caught he up uppon his shoulders twayne
- A stone, the Jawme of eyther doore that well would loade a wayne.
- The masse theof was such as that it would not let him hit
- His fo. It lighted short: and with the falling downe of it
- A mate of his that Comet hyght, it all in peeces smit.
- Then Rhaete restreyning not his joy, sayd thus: I would the rowt
- Of all thy mates myght in the selfsame maner prove them stowt.
- And with his halfeburnt brond the wound he searched new agayne,
- Not ceasing for to lay on loade uppon his pate amayne,
- Untill his head was crusht, and of his scalp the bones did swim
- Among his braynes. In jolly ruffe he passed streyght from him
- To Coryt, and Euagrus, and to Dryant on a rowe.
- Of whom when Coryt (on whose cheekes yoong mossy downe gan grow)
- Was slayne, What prayse or honour (quoth Euagrus) hast thou got
- By killing of a boy? mo woordes him Rhetus suffred not
- To speake, but in his open mouth did thrust his burning brand,
- And downe his throteboll to his chest. Then whisking in his hand
- His fyrebrand round about his head he feercely did assayle
- The valyant Dryant. But with him he could not so prevayle.
- For as he triumpht in his lucke, proceeding for to make
- Continuall slaughter of his foes, sir Dryant with a stake
- (Whose poynt was hardned in the fyre) did cast at him a foyne
- And thrust him through the place in which the neck and shoulders joyne.
- He groand and from his cannell bone could scarcely pull the stake.
- And beeing foyled with his blood to flyght he did him take.
- Arnaeus also ran away, and Lycidas likewyse.
- And Medon (whose ryght shoulderplate was also wounded) flyes.
- So did Pisenor, so did Cawne, and so did Mermeros
- Who late outronning every man, now wounded slower goes:
- And so did Phole, and Menelas, and Abas who was woont
- To make a spoyle among wylde Boares as oft as he did hunt:
- And eeke the wyzarde Astylos who counselled his mates
- To leave that fray: but he to them in vayne of leaving prates.
- He eeke to Nessus (who for feare of wounding seemed shye)
- Sayd: Fly not, thou shalt scape this fray of Hercles bowe to dye.
- But Lycid and Ewrinomos, and Imbreus, and Are
- Escapte not death. Sir Dryants hand did all alike them spare.
- Cayneius also (though that he in flying were not slacke,)
- Yit was he wounded on the face: for as he looked backe,
- A weapons poynt did hit him full midway betweene the eyes,
- Wheras the noze and forehead meete. For all this deane, yit lyes
- Aphipnas snorting fast asleepe not mynding for to wake,
- Wrapt in a cloke of Bearskinnes which in Ossa mount were take.
- And in his lither hand he hilld a potte of wyne. Whom when
- That Phorbas saw (although in vayne) not medling with them, then
- He set his fingars to the thong: and saying: Thou shalt drink
- Thy wyne with water taken from the Stygian fountaynes brink,
- He threw his dart at him. The dart (as he that tyme by chaunce
- Lay bolt upright uppon his backe) did through his throteboll glaunce.
- He dyde and felt no payne at all. The blacke swart blood gusht out,
- And on the bed and in the potte fell flushing lyke a spout.
- I saw Petreius go about to pull out of the ground
- An Oken tree. But as he had his armes about it round,
- And shaakt it too and fro to make it looce, Pirithous cast
- A Dart which nayled to the tree his wrything stomacke fast.
- Through prowesse of Pirithous (men say) was Lycus slayne.
- Through prowesse of Pirithous dyde Crome. But they both twayne
- Lesse honour to theyr conquerour were, than Dyctis was, or than
- Was Helops. Helops with a dart was striken, which through ran
- His head, and entring at the ryght eare to the left eare went.
- And Dyctis from a slipprye knappe downe slyding, as he ment
- To shonne Perithous preacing on, fell headlong downe, and with
- His hugenesse brake the greatest Ash that was in all the frith,
- And goard his gutts uppon the stump. To wreake his death comes Phare:
- And from the mount a mighty rocke with bothe his handes he tare:
- Which as he was about to throwe, Duke Theseus did prevent,
- And with an Oken plant uppon his mighty elbowe lent
- Him such a blowe, as that he brake the bones, and past no further.
- For leysure would not serve him then his maymed corce to murther.
- He lept on hygh Bianors backe, who none was woont to beare
- Besydes himself. Ageinst his sydes his knees fast nipping were,
- And with his left hand taking hold uppon his foretoppe heare
- He cuft him with his knubbed plant about the frowning face,
- And made his wattled browes to breake. And with his Oken mace
- He overthrew Nedimnus: and Lycespes with his dart,
- And Hippasus whose beard did hyde his brest the greater part:
- And Riphey tallar than the trees, and Therey who was woont
- Among the hilles of Thessaly for cruell Beares to hunt,
- And beare them angry home alyve. It did Demoleon spyght
- That Theseus had so good successe and fortune in his fyght.
- An old long Pynetree rooted fast he strave with all his myght
- To pluck up whole bothe trunk and roote, which when he could not bring
- To passe, he brake it off, and at his emnye did it fling.
- But Theseus by admonishment of heavenly Pallas (so
- He would have folke beleve it were) start backe a great way fro
- The weapon as it came. Yit fell it not without some harme.
- It cut from Crantors left syde bulke, his shoulder, brest, and arme.
- This Grantor was thy fathers Squyre (Achilles) and was given
- Him by Amyntor ruler of the Dolops, who was driven
- By battell for to give him as an hostage for the peace
- To bee observed faythfully. When Peleus in the preace
- A great way off behilld him thus falne dead of this same wound,
- O Grantor, deerest man to mee of all above the ground,
- Hold heere an obitgift hee sayd: and both with force of hart
- And hand, at stout Demoleons head he threw an asshen dart,
- Which brake the watling of his ribbes, and sticking in the bone,
- Did shake. He pulled out the steale with much adoo alone.
- The head therof stacke still behynd among his lungs and lyghts.
- Enforst to courage with his payne, he ryseth streight uprights,
- And pawing at his emny with his horsish feete, he smyghts
- Uppon him. Peleus bare his strokes uppon his burganet,
- And fenst his shoulders with his sheeld, and evermore did set
- His weapon upward with the poynt, which by his shoulders perst
- Through both his brestes at one full blowe. Howbee't your father erst
- Had killed Hyle and Phlegrye, and Hiphinous aloof
- And Danes who boldly durst at hand his manhod put in proof.
- To theis was added Dorylas, who ware uppon his head
- A cap of woolves skinne. And the homes of Oxen dyed red
- With blood were then his weapon. I (for then my courage gave
- Mee strength) sayd: See how much thy homes lesse force than Iron have.
- And therewithall with manly might a dart at him I drave.
- Which when he could not shonne, he clapt his right hand flat uppon
- His forehead where the wound should bee. For why his hand anon
- Was nayled to his forehead fast. Hee roared out amayne.
- And as he stood amazed and began to faynt for payne,
- Your father Peleus (for he stood hard bv him) strake him under
- The middle belly with his swoord, and ript his womb asunder.
- Out girdes mee Dorill streyght, and trayles his guttes uppon the ground
- And trampling underneath his feete did breake them, and they wound
- About his leggs so snarling, that he could no further go,
- But fell downe dead with empty womb. Nought booted Cyllar tho
- His beawtye in that frentick fray, (at leastwyse if wee graunt
- That any myght in that straunge shape, of natures beawtye vaunt.)
- His beard began but then to bud: his beard was like the gold:
- So also were his yellowe lokes, which goodly to behold
- Midway beneath his shoulders hung. There rested in his face
- A sharpe and lively cheerfulnesse with sweete and pleasant grace.
- His necke, brest, shoulders, armes, and hands, as farre as he was man,
- Were such as never carvers woork yit stayne them could or can.
- His neather part likewyse (which was a horse) was every whit
- Full equall with his upper part, or little woorse than it.
- For had yee given him horses necke, and head, he was a beast
- For Castor to have ridden on. So bourly was his brest:
- So handsome was his backe to beare a saddle: and his heare
- Was blacke as jeate, but that his tayle and feete milk whyghtish were.
- Full many Females of his race did wish him to theyr make.
- But only dame Hylonome for lover he did take.
- Of all the halfbrutes in the woodes there did not any dwell
- More comly than Hylonome. She usde herself so well
- In dalyance, and in loving, and in uttring of her love,
- That shee alone hilld Cyllarus. As much as did behove
- In suchye limbes, shee trimmed them as most the eye might move.
- With combing, smoothe shee made her heare: shee wallowed her full oft
- In Roses and in Rosemarye, or Violets sweete and soft:
- Sumtyme shee caryed Lillyes whyght: and twyce a day shee washt
- Her visage in the spring that from the toppe of Pagase past:
- And in the streame shee twyce a day did bath her limbes: and on
- Her left syde or her shoulders came the comlyest things, and none
- But fynest skinnes of choycest beasts. Alike eche loved other:
- Togither they among the hilles roamd up and downe: togither
- They went to covert: and that tyme togither they did enter
- The Lapithes house, and there the fray togither did adventer.
- A dart on Cyllars left syde came, (I know not who it sent)
- Which sumwhat underneathe his necke his brest asunder splent.
- As lyghtly as his hart was raazd, no sooner was the dart
- Pluckt out, but all his bodye wext stark cold and dyed swart.
- Immediatly Hylonome his dying limbes up stayd,
- And put her hand uppon the wound to stoppe the blood, and layd
- Her mouth to his, and labored sore to stay his passing spryght.
- But when shee sawe him throughly dead, then speaking woordes which might
- Not to my hearing come for noyse, shee stikt herself uppon
- The weapon that had gored him, and dyde with him anon
- Embracing him beetweene her armes.
- There also stood before
- Myne eyes the grim Pheocomes both man and horse who wore
- A Lyons skinne uppon his backe fast knit with knotts afore.
- He snatching up a timber log (which scarcely two good teeme
- Of Oxen could have stird) did throwe the same with force extreeme
- At Phonolenyes sonne. The logge him all in fitters strake,
- And of his head the braynepan in a thousand peeces brake,
- That at his mouth, his eares, and eyes, and at his nosethrills too,
- His crusshed brayne came roping out as creame is woont to doo
- From sives or riddles made of wood, or as a Cullace out
- From streyner or from Colender. But as he went about
- To strippe him from his harnesse as he lay uppon the ground,
- (Your father knoweth this full well) my sword his gutts did wound,
- Teleboas and Cthonius bothe, were also slaine by mee.
- Sir Cthonius for his weapon had a forked bough of tree.
- The tother had a dart. His dart did wound mee. You may see
- The scarre therof remayning yit. Then was the tyme that I
- Should sent have beene to conquer Troy. Then was the tyme that I
- Myght through my force and prowesse, if not vanquish Hector stout,
- Yit at the least have hilld him wag, I put you out of Dout.
- But then was Hector no body: or but a babe. And now
- Am I forspent and worne with yeeres. What should I tell you how
- Piretus dyde by Periphas? Or wherefore should I make
- Long processe for to tell you of sir Ampycus that strake
- The fowrefoote Oecle on the face with dart of Cornell tree,
- The which had neyther head nor poynt? Or how that Macaree
- Of Mountaine Pelithronye with a leaver lent a blowe
- To Erigdupus on the brest which did him overthrowe?
- Full well I doo remember that Cymelius threw a dart
- Which lyghted full in Nesseyes flank about his privie part.
- And think not you that Mops, the sonne of Ampycus, could doo
- No good but onely prophesye. This stout Odites whoo
- Had bothe the shapes of man and horse, by Mopsis dart was slayne,
- And labouring for to speake his last he did but strive in vayne.
- For Mopsis dart togither nayld his toong and neather chappe,
- And percing through his throte did make a wyde and deadly gappe.
- Fyve men had Cene already slayne: theyr wounds I cannot say:
- The names and nomber of them all ryght well I beare away.
- The names of them were Stiphelus, and Brome, and Helimus,
- Pyracmon with his forest bill, and stout Antimachus.
- Out steppes the biggest Centawre there, huge Latreus, armed in
- Alesus of Aemathias spoyle slayne late before by him.
- His yeeres were mid tweene youth and age, his courage still was yoong,
- And on his abrun head hore heares peerd heere and there amoong.
- His furniture was then a swoord, a target and a lawnce
- Aemathian like. To bothe the parts he did his face advaunce,
- And brandishing his weapon brave, in circlewyse did prawnce
- About, and stoutly spake theis woordes: And must I beare with yow,
- Dame Cenye? for none other than a moother (I avow)
- No better than a moother will I count thee whyle I live.
- Remembrest not what shape by birth dame nature did thee give?
- Forgettst thou how thou purchasedst this counterfetted shape
- Of man? Consyderest what thou art by birth? and how for rape
- Thou art become the thing thou art? Go take thy distaffe, and
- Thy spindle, and in spinning yarne go exercyse thy hand.
- Let men alone with feates of armes. As Latreus made this stout
- And scornefull taunting in a ring still turning him about,
- This Cenye with a dart did hit him full uppon the syde
- Where as the horse and man were joyned togither in a hyde.
- The strype made Latreus mad: and with his lawnce in rage he stracke
- Uppon sir Cenyes naked ribbes. The lawnce rebounded backe
- Like haylestones from a tyled house, or as a man should pat
- Small stones uppon a dromslets head. He came more neere with that,
- And in his brawned syde did stryve to thrust his swoord. There was
- No way for swoord to enter in. Yit shalt thou not so passe
- My handes (sayd he.) Well sith the poynt is blunted thou shalt dye
- Uppon the edge: and with that woord he fetcht his blow awrye,
- And sydling with a sweeping stroke along his belly smit.
- The strype did give a clinke as if it had on marble hit.
- And therewithall the swoord did breake, and on his necke did lyght.
- When Ceny had sufficiently given Latreus leave to smyght
- His flesh which was unmaymeable, Well now (quoth he) lets see,
- If my swoord able bee or no to byght the flesh of thee.
- In saying so, his dreadfull swoord as farre as it would go
- He underneathe his shoulder thrust, and wrinching to and fro
- Among his gutts, made wound in wound. Behold with hydeous crye
- The dowblemembred Centawres sore abasht uppon him flye,
- And throwe theyr weapons all at him. Theyr weapons downe did fall
- As if they had rebated beene, and Cenye for them all
- Abydes unstriken through. Yea none was able blood to drawe.
- The straungenesse of the cace made all amazed that it sawe.
- Fy, fy for shame (quoth Monychus) that such a rable can
- Not overcome one wyght alone, who scarcely is a man.
- Although (to say the very truthe) he is the man, and wee
- Through fayntnesse that that he was borne by nature for to bee.
- What profits theis huge limbes of ours? what helpes our dowble force?
- Or what avayles our dowble shape of man as well as horse
- By puissant nature joynd in one? I can not thinke that wee
- Of sovereigne Goddesse Juno were begot, or that wee bee
- Ixions sonnes, who was so stout of courage and so hault,
- As that he durst on Junos love attempt to give assault.
- The emny that dooth vanquish us is scarcely half a man
- Whelme blocks, and stones, and mountaynes whole uppon his hard brayne pan:
- And presse yee out his lively ghoste with trees. Let timber choke
- His chappes, let weyght enforce his death in stead of wounding stroke.
- This sayd: by chaunce he gets a tree blowne downe by blustring blasts
- Of Southerne wynds, and on his fo with all his myght it casts,
- And gave example to the rest to doo the like. Within
- A whyle the shadowes which did hyde mount Pelion waxed thin:
- And not a tree was left uppon mount Othris ere they went.
- Sir Cenye underneathe this greate huge pyle of timber pent,
- Did chauf and on his shoulders hard the heavy logges did beare.
- But when above his face and head the trees up stacked were,
- So that he had no venting place to drawe his breth: One whyle
- He faynted: and another whyle he heaved at the pyle,
- To tumble downe the loggs that lay so heavy on his backe,
- And for to winne the open ayre ageine above the stacke:
- As if the mountayne Ida (lo) which yoonder we doo see
- So hygh, by earthquake at a tyme should chaunce to shaken bee.
- Men dowt what did become of him. Sum hold opinion that
- The burthen of the woodes had driven his soule to Limbo flat.
- But Mopsus sayd it was not so. For he did see a browne
- Bird flying from amid the stacke and towring up and downe.
- It was the first tyme and the last that ever I behild
- That fowle. When Mopsus softly saw him soring in the feeld,
- He looked wistly after him, and cryed out on hye:
- Hayle peerlesse perle of Lapith race, hayle Ceny, late ago
- A valeant knyght, and now a bird of whom there is no mo.
- The author caused men beleeve the matter to bee so.
- Our sorrow set us in a rage. It was too us a greef
- That by so many foes one knyght was killd without releef.
- Then ceast wee not to wreake our teene till most was slaine in fyght,
- And that the rest discomfited were fled away by nyght.