Metamorphoses

Ovid

Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.

A Persone in the whyle was sought sufficient to susteine
The burthen of so great a charge, and woorthy for to reigne
In stead of such a mighty prince. The noble Nume by fame
(Whoo harped then uppon the truthe before to passe it came)
Appoynted to the Empyre was. This Numa thought it not
Inough that he the knowledge of the Sabine rites had got.
The deepenesse of the noble wit to greater things was bent,
To serch of things the natures out. The care of this intent
Did cause that he from Curie and his native Countrye went
With peynfull travell, to the towne where Hercules did hoste.
And asking who it was of Greece that in th'Italian coast
Had buylt that towne, an aged man well seene in storyes old,
To satisfye his mynd therin the processe thus him told:
As Hercules enriched with the Spannish kyne did hold
His voyage from the Ocean sea, men say with lucky cut
He came aland on Lacine coast. And whyle he there did put
His beace to grazing, he himself in Crotons house did rest,
The greatest man in all those parts and unto straungers best:
And that he there refresht him of his tedious travell, and
That when he should depart, he sayd: Where now thy house dooth stand,
Shall in thy childers childrens tyme a Citie buylded bee.
Which woordes of his have proved trew as playnly now wee see.
For why there was one Myscelus, a Greeke, Alemons sonne,
A persone more in favour of the Goddes than any one
In those dayes was. The God that beares the boystous club did stay
Uppon him being fast asleepe, and sayd: Go seeke streyght way
The stonny streame of Aeserie. Thy native soyle for ay
Forsake. And sore he threatned him onlesse he did obey.
The God and sleepe departed both togither. Up did ryse
Alemons sonne, and in himself did secretly devyse
Uppon this vision. Long his mynd strove dowtfull to and fro.
The God bad go. His country lawes did say he should not go,
And death was made the penaltie for him that would doo so.
Cleere Titan in the Ocean sea had hid his lyghtsomme head,
And duskye nyght had put up hers most thick with starres bespred.
The selfsame God by Myscelus did seeme to stand eftsoone,
Commaunding him the selfsame thing that he before had doone,
And threatning mo and greater plages onlesse he did obey.
Then being stricken sore in feare he went about streyghtway
His household from his natyve land to forreine to convey.
A rumor heereuppon did ryse through all the towne of Arge
And disobedience of the lawe was layed to his charge.
Assoone as that the cace had first beene pleaded and the deede
Apparantly perceyved, so that witnesse did not neede,
Arreyned and forlorne to heaven he cast his handes and eyes,
And sayd: O God whoose labours twelve have purchaste thee the skyes,
Assist mee, I thee pray. For thou art author of my cryme.
When judgement should bee given it was the guyse in auncient tyme
With whyght stones to acquit the cleere, and eeke with blacke to cast
The giltye. That tyme also so the heavy sentence past.
The stones were cast unmercifull all blacke into the pot.
But when the stones were powred out to number, there was not
A blacke among them. All were whyght. And so through Hercles powre
A gentle judgement did proceede, and he was quit that howre.
Then gave he thankes to Hercules, and having prosprous blast,
Cut over the Ionian sea, and so by Tarent past
Which Spartanes buylt, and Cybaris, and Neaeth Salentine,
And Thurine bay, and Emese, and eeke the pastures fyne
Of Calabrye. And having scarce well sought the coastes that lye
Uppon the sea, he found the mouth of fatall Aeserye.
Not farre from thence, he also found the tumb in which the ground
Did kiver Crotons holy bones, and in that place did found
The Citie that was willed him, and gave thereto the name
Of him that there lay buryed. Such originall as this same
This Citie in th'Italian coast is sayd to have by fame.

Heere dwelt a man of Samos Ile, who for the hate he had
To Lordlynesse and Tyranny, though unconstreynd was glad
To make himself a bannisht man. And though this persone weere
Farre distant from the Goddes by site of heaven: yit came he neere
To them in mynd. And he by syght of soule and reason cleere
Behild the things which nature dooth to fleshly eyes denye.
And when with care most vigilant he had assuredly
Imprinted all things in his hart, he set them openly
Abroade for other folk to lerne. He taught his silent sort
(Which woondred at the heavenly woordes theyr mayster did report)
The first foundation of the world: the cause of every thing:
What nature was: and what was God: whence snow and lyghtning spring:
And whither Jove or else the wynds in breaking clowdes doo thunder:
What shakes the earth: what law the starres doo keepe theyr courses under:
And what soever other thing is hid from common sence.
He also is the first that did injoyne an abstinence
To feede of any lyving thing. He also first of all
Spake thus: although ryght lernedly, yit to effect but small:
Yee mortall men, forbeare to frank your flesh with wicked foode.
Yee have both come and frutes of trees and grapes and herbes right good.
And though that sum bee harsh and hard: yit fyre may make them well
Both soft and sweete. Yee may have milk, and honny which dooth smell
Of flowres of tyme. The lavish earth dooth yeeld you plentiously
Most gentle foode, and riches to content bothe mynd and eye.
There needes no slaughter nor no blood to get your living by.
The beastes do breake theyr fast with flesh: and yit not all beastes neyther.
For horses, sheepe, and Rotherbeastes to live by grasse had lever.
The nature of the beast that dooth delyght in bloody foode,
Is cruell and unmercifull. As Lyons feerce of moode,
Armenian Tigers, Beares, and Woolves. Oh, what a wickednesse
It is to cram the mawe with mawe, and frank up flesh with flesh,
And for one living thing to live by killing of another:
As whoo should say, that of so great abundance which our moother
The earth dooth yeeld most bountuously, none other myght delyght
Thy cruell teethe to chawe uppon, than grisly woundes that myght
Expresse the Cyclops guyse? or else as if thou could not stawnche
The hunger of thy greedye gut and evill mannerd pawnche,
Onlesse thou stroyd sum other wyght. But that same auncient age
Which wee have naamd the golden world, cleene voyd of all such rage,
Livd blessedly by frute of trees and herbes that grow on ground,
And stayned not their mouthes with blood. Then birds might safe and sound
Fly where they listed in the ayre. The hare unscaard of hound
Went pricking over all the feeldes. No angling hooke with bayt
Did hang the seely fish that bote mistrusting no deceyt.
All things were voyd of guylefulnesse: no treason was in trust:
But all was freendshippe, love and peace. But after that the lust
Of one (what God so ere he was) disdeyning former fare,
To cram that cruell croppe of his with fleshmeate did not spare,
He made a way for wickednesse. And first of all the knyfe
Was staynd with blood of savage beastes in ridding them of lyfe.
And that had nothing beene amisse, if there had beene the stay.
For why wee graunt, without the breach of godlynesse wee may
By death confound the things that seeke to take our lyves away.
But as to kill them reason was: even so agein theyr was
No reason why to eate theyr flesh. This leawdnesse thence did passe
On further still. Wheras there was no sacrifyse beforne,
The Swyne (bycause with hoked groyne he rooted up the come,
And did deceyve the tillmen of theyr hope next yeere thereby)
Was deemed woorthy by desert in sacrifyse to dye.
The Goate for byghting vynes was slayne at Bacchus altar whoo
Wreakes such misdeedes. Theyr owne offence was hurtful to theis two.
But what have you poore sheepe misdoone, a cattell meeke and meeld,
Created for to maynteine man, whoose fulsomme duggs doo yeeld
Sweete Nectar, whoo dooth clothe us with your wooll in soft aray?
Whoose lyfe dooth more us benefite than dooth your death farreway?
What trespasse have the Oxen doone, a beast without all guyle
Or craft, unhurtfull, simple, borne to labour every whyle?
In fayth he is unmyndfull and unwoorthy of increace
Of come, that in his hart can fynd his tilman to releace
From plowgh, to cut his throte: that in his hart can fynde (I say)
Those neckes with hatchets off to strike, whoose skinne is worne away
With labring ay for him: whoo turnd so oft his land most tough,
Whoo brought so many harvestes home. Yit is it not ynough
That such a great outrageousenesse committed is. They father
Theyr wickednesse uppon the Goddes. And falsly they doo gather
That in the death of peynfull Ox the Hyghest dooth delyght.
A sacrifyse unblemished and fayrest unto syght,
(For beawtye woorketh them theyr bane) adornd with garlonds, and
With glittring gold, is cyted at the altar for to stand.
There heeres he woordes (he wotes not what) the which the preest dooth pray,
And on his forehead suffereth him betweene his homes to lay
The eares of come that he himself hath wrought for in the clay,
And stayneth with his blood the knyfe that he himself perchaunce
Hathe in the water sheere ere then behild by soodein glaunce.
Immediatly they haling out his hartstrings still alive,
And poring on them, seeke therein Goddes secrets to retryve.
Whence commes so greedy appetyte in men, of wicked meate?
And dare yee, O yee mortall men, adventure thus to eate?
Nay doo not (I beseeche yee) so. But give good eare and heede
To that that I shall warne you of, and trust it as your creede,
That whensoever you doo eate your Oxen, you devowre
Your husbandmen. And forasmuch as God this instant howre
Dooth move my toong to speake, I will obey his heavenly powre.
My God Apollos temple I will set you open, and
Disclose the woondrous heavens themselves, and make you understand
The Oracles and secrets of the Godly majestye.
Greate things, and such as wit of man could never yit espye,
And such as have beene hidden long, I purpose to descrye.
I mynd to leave the earth, and up among the starres to stye.
I mynd to leave this grosser place, and in the clowdes to flye,
And on stowt Atlas shoulders strong to rest my self on hye,
And looking downe from heaven on men that wander heere and there
In dreadfull feare of death as though they voyd of reason were,
To give them exhortation thus: and playnely to unwynd
The whole discourse of destinie as nature hath assignd.

O men amaazd with dread of death, why feare yee Limbo Styx,
And other names of vanitie, which are but Poets tricks?
And perrills of another world, all false surmysed geere?
For whether fyre or length of tyme consume the bodyes heere,
Yee well may thinke that further harmes they cannot suffer more.
For soules are free from death. Howbee't, they leaving evermore
Theyr former dwellings, are receyvd and live ageine in new.
For I myself (ryght well in mynd I beare it to be trew)
Was in the tyme of Trojan warre Euphorbus, Panthewes sonne,
Quyght through whoose hart the deathfull speare of Menelay did ronne.
I late ago in Junos Church at Argos did behold
And knew the target which I in my left hand there did hold.
Al things doo chaunge. But nothing sure dooth perrish. This same spright
Dooth fleete, and fisking heere and there dooth swiftly take his flyght
From one place to another place, and entreth every wyght,
Removing out of man to beast, and out of beast to man.
But yit it never perrisheth nor never perrish can.
And even as supple wax with ease receyveth fygures straunge,
And keepes not ay one shape, ne bydes assured ay from chaunge,
And yit continueth alwayes wax in substaunce: so I say
The soule is ay the selfsame thing it was and yit astray
It fleeteth into sundry shapes. Therfore lest Godlynesse
Bee vanquisht by outragious lust of belly beastlynesse,
Forbeare (I speake by prophesie) your kinsfolkes ghostes to chace
By slaughter: neyther nourish blood with blood in any cace.
And sith on open sea the wynds doo blow my sayles apace,
In all the world there is not that that standeth at a stay.
Things eb and flow: and every shape is made to passe away.
The tyme itself continually is fleeting like a brooke.
For neyther brooke nor lyghtsomme tyme can tarrye still. But looke
As every wave dryves other foorth, and that that commes behynd
Bothe thrusteth and is thrust itself: even so the tymes by kynd
Doo fly and follow bothe at once, and evermore renew.
For that that was before is left, and streyght there dooth ensew
Anoother that was never erst. Eche twincling of an eye
Dooth chaunge. Wee see that after day commes nyght and darks the sky,
And after nyght the lyghtsum Sunne succeedeth orderly.
Like colour is not in the heaven when all things weery lye
At midnyght sound asleepe, as when the daystarre cleere and bryght
Commes foorth uppon his milkwhyght steede. Ageine in other plyght
The Morning, Pallants daughter fayre, the messenger of lyght
Delivereth into Phebus handes the world of cleerer hew.
The circle also of the sonne what tyme it ryseth new
And when it setteth, looketh red, but when it mounts most hye,
Then lookes it whyght, bycause that there the nature of the skye
Is better, and from filthye drosse of earth dooth further flye.
The image also of the Moone that shyneth ay by nyght,
Is never of one quantitie. For that that giveth lyght
Today, is lesser than the next that followeth, till the full.
And then contrarywyse eche day her lyght away dooth pull.
What? Seest thou not how that the yeere as representing playne
The age of man, departes itself in quarters fowre? First bayne
And tender in the spring it is, even like a sucking babe.
Then greene, and voyd of strength, and lush, and foggye, is the blade,
And cheeres the husbandman with hope. Then all things florish gay.
The earth with flowres of sundry hew then seemeth for to play,
And vertue small or none to herbes there dooth as yit belong.
The yeere from springtyde passing foorth to sommer, wexeth strong,
Becommeth lyke a lusty youth. For in our lyfe through out
There is no tyme more plentifull, more lusty, hote and stout.
Then followeth Harvest when the heate of youth growes sumwhat cold,
Rype, meeld, disposed meane betwixt a yoongman and an old,
And sumwhat sprent with grayish heare. Then ugly winter last
Like age steales on with trembling steppes, all bald, or overcast
With shirle thinne heare as whyght as snowe. Our bodies also ay
Doo alter still from tyme to tyme, and never stand at stay.
Wee shall not bee the same wee were today or yisterday.
The day hath beene wee were but seede and only hope of men,
And in our moothers womb wee had our dwelling place as then:
Dame Nature put to conning hand and suffred not that wee
Within our moothers streyned womb should ay distressed bee,
But brought us out to aire, and from our prison set us free.
The chyld newborne lyes voyd of strength. Within a season tho
He wexing fowerfooted lernes like savage beastes to go.
Then sumwhat foltring, and as yit not firme of foote, he standes
By getting sumwhat for to helpe his sinewes in his handes.
From that tyme growing strong and swift, he passeth foorth the space
Of youth: and also wearing out his middle age apace,
Through drooping ages steepye path he ronneth out his race.
This age dooth undermyne the strength of former yeares, and throwes
It downe. Which thing old Milo by example playnely showes.
For when he sawe those armes of his (which heeretofore had beene
As strong as ever Hercules in woorking deadly teene
Of biggest beastes) hang flapping downe, and nought but empty skin,
He wept. And Helen when shee saw her aged wrincles in
A glasse wept also: musing in herself what men had seene,
That by two noble princes sonnes shee twyce had ravisht beene.
Thou tyme the eater up of things, and age of spyghtfull teene,
Destroy all things. And when that long continuance hath them bit,
You leysurely by lingring death consume them every whit.
And theis that wee call Elements doo never stand at stay.
The enterchaunging course of them I will before yee lay.
Give heede therto. This endlesse world conteynes therin I say
Fowre substances of which all things are gendred. Of theis fower
The Earth and Water for theyr masse and weyght are sunken lower.
The other cowple Aire and Fyre, the purer of the twayne,
Mount up, and nought can keepe them downe. And though there doo remayne
A space betweene eche one of them: yit every thing is made
Of themsame fowre, and into them at length ageine doo fade.
The earth resolving leysurely dooth melt to water sheere.
The water fyned turnes to aire. The aire eeke purged cleere
From grossenesse, spyreth up aloft, and there becommeth fyre.
From thence in order contrary they backe ageine retyre.
Fyre thickening passeth into Aire, and Ayer wexing grosse,
Returnes to water: Water eeke congealing into drosse,
Becommeth earth.

No kind of thing keepes ay his shape and hew.
For nature loving ever chaunge repayres one shape anew
Uppon another. Neyther dooth there perrish aught (trust mee)
In all the world, but altring takes new shape. For that which wee
Doo terme by name of being borne, is for to gin to bee
Another thing than that it was: and likewise for to dye,
To cease to bee the thing it was. And though that varyably
Things passe perchaunce from place to place: yit all from whence they came
Returning, do unperrisshed continew still the same.
But as for in one shape, bee sure that nothing long can last.
Even so the ages of the world from gold to Iron past.
Even so have places oftentymes exchaunged theyr estate.
For I have seene it sea which was substanciall ground alate,
Ageine where sea was, I have seene the same become dry lond,
And shelles and scales of Seafish farre have lyen from any strond,
And in the toppes of mountaynes hygh old Anchors have beene found.
Deepe valleyes have by watershotte beene made of levell ground,
And hilles by force of gulling oft have into sea beene worne.
Hard gravell ground is sumtyme seene where marris was beforne,
And that that erst did suffer drowght, becommeth standing lakes.
Heere nature sendeth new springs out, and there the old in takes.
Full many rivers in the world through earthquakes heretofore
Have eyther chaundgd theyr former course, or dryde and ronne no more.
Soo Lycus beeing swallowed up by gaping of the ground,
A greatway off fro thence is in another channell found.
Even so the river Erasine among the feeldes of Arge
Sinkes one whyle, and another whyle ronnes greate ageine at large.
Caycus also of the land of Mysia (as men say)
Misliking of his former head, ronnes now another way.
In Sicill also Amasene ronnes sumtyme full and hye,
And sumtyme stopping up his spring, he makes his chanell drye.
Men drank the waters of the brooke Anigrus heretofore,
Which now is such that men abhorre to towche them any more.
Which commes to passe, (onlesse wee will discredit Poets quyght)
Bycause the Centaures vanquisshed by Hercules in fyght
Did wash theyr woundes in that same brooke. But dooth not Hypanis
That springeth in the Scythian hilles, which at his fountaine is
Ryght pleasant, afterward becomme of brackish bitter taste?
Antissa, and Phenycian Tyre, and Pharos in tyme past
Were compast all about with waves: but none of all theis three
Is now an Ile. Ageine the towne of Lewcas once was free
From sea, and in the auncient tyme was joyned to the land.
But now environd round about with water it dooth stand.
Men say that Sicill also hath beene joynd to Italy
Untill the sea consumde the bounds beetweene, and did supply
The roome with water. If yee go to seeke for Helicee
And Burye which were Cities of Achaia, you shall see
Them hidden under water, and the shipmen yit doo showe
The walles and steeples of the townes drownd under as they rowe.
Not farre from Pitthey Troyzen is a certeine high ground found
All voyd of trees, which heeretofore was playne and levell ground,
But now a mountayne. For the wyndes (a woondrous thing to say)
Inclosed in the hollow caves of ground, and seeking way
To passe therefro, in struggling long to get the open skye
In vayne, (bycause in all the cave there was no vent wherby
To issue out,) did stretch the ground and make it swell on hye,
As dooth a bladder that is blowen by mouth, or as the skinne
Of horned Goate in bottlewyse when wynd is gotten in.
The swelling of the foresayd place remaynes at this day still,
And by continuance waxing hard is growen a pretye hill.
Of many things that come to mynd by heersay, and by skill
Of good experience, I a fewe will utter to you mo.
What? Dooth not water in his shapes chaunge straungely to and fro?
The well of horned Hammon is at noonetyde passing cold.
At morne and even it wexeth warme. At midnyght none can hold
His hand therin for passing heate. The well of Athamane,
Is sayd to kindle woode what tyme the moone is in the wane.
The Cicons have a certeine streame which beeing droonk dooth bring
Mennes bowwelles into Marble hard: and whatsoever thing
Is towcht therwith, it turnes to stone. And by your bounds behold
The rivers Crathe and Sybaris make yellow heare like gold
And Amber. There are also springs (which thing is farre more straunge)
Which not the bodye only, but the mynd doo also chaunge.
Whoo hath not heard of Salmacis, that fowle and filthye sink?
Or of the lake of Aethyop, which if a man doo drink,
He eyther ronneth mad, or else with woondrous drowzinesse
Forgoeth quyght his memorie? Whoo ever dooth represse
His thirst with drawght of Clitor well, hates wyne, and dooth delyght
In only water: eyther for bycause there is a myght
Contrary unto warming wyne by nature in the well,
Or else bycause (for so the folk of Arcadye doo tell)
Melampus, Amythaons sonne (when he delivered had
King Praetus daughters by his charmes and herbes from being mad),
Cast into that same water all the baggage wherewithall
He purdgd the madnesse of theyr mynds. And so it did befall,
That lothsomnesse of wyne did in those waters ay remayne.
Ageine in Lyncest contrarie effect to this dooth reigne.
For whoo so drinkes too much therof, he reeleth heere and there
As if by quaffing wyne no whyt alayd he droonken were.
There is a Lake in Arcadye which Pheney men did name
In auncient tyme, whoose dowtfulnesse deserveth justly blame.
A nyght tymes take thou heede of it, for if thou taste the same
A nyghttymes, it will hurt. But if thou drink it in the day
It hurteth not.

Thus lakes and streames (as well perceyve yee may)
Have divers powres and diversly. Even so the tyme hathe beene
That Delos which stands stedfast now, on waves was floting seene.
And Galyes have beene sore afrayd of frusshing by the Iles
Symplegads which togither dasht uppon the sea erewhyles,
But now doo stand unmovable ageinst bothe wynde and tyde.
Mount Aetna with his burning Oovens of brimstone shall not byde
Ay fyrye: neyther was it so for ever erst. For whither
The earth a living creature bee, and that to breathe out hither
And thither flame, great store of vents it have in sundry places,
And that it have the powre to shift those vents in divers caces,
Now damming theis, now opening those, in moving to and fro:
Or that the whisking wynds restreynd within the earth bylowe,
Doo beate the stones ageinst the stones, and other kynd of stuffe
Of fyrye nature, which doo fall on fyre with every puffe:
Assoone as those same wynds doo cease, the caves shall streight bee cold.
Or if it bee a Rozen mowld that soone of fyre takes hold,
Or brimstone mixt with clayish soyle on fyre dooth lyghtly fall:
Undowtedly assoone as that same soyle consumed shall
No longer yeeld the fatty foode to feede the fyre withall,
And ravening nature shall forgo her woonted nourishment,
Then being able to abyde no longer famishment,
For want of sustenance it shall cease his burning. I doo fynd
By fame, that under Charlsis wayne in Pallene are a kynd
Of people which by dyving thryce three tymes in Triton lake
Becomme all fethred, and the shape of birdes uppon them take.
The Scythian witches also are reported for to doo
The selfsame thing (but hardly I give credit therunto)
By smearing poyson over all theyr bodyes. But (and if
A man to matters tryde by proof may saufly give beleef,)
Wee see how flesh by lying still a whyle and ketching heate
Dooth turne to little living beastes. And yit a further feate,
Go kill an Ox and burye him, (the thing by proof man sees)
And of his rotten flesh will breede the flowergathering Bees,
Which as theyr father did before, love feeldes exceedingly,
And unto woork in hope of gayne theyr busye limbes apply.
The Hornet is engendred of a lustye buryed Steede.
Go pull away the cleas from Crabbes that in the sea doo breede,
And burye all the rest in mowld, and of the same will spring
A Scorpion which with writhen tayle will threaten for to sting.
The Caterpillers of the feelde the which are woont to weave
Hore filmes uppon the leaves of trees, theyr former nature leave,
(Which thing is knowen to husbandmen) and turne to Butterflyes.
The mud hath in it certeine seede wherof greene frosshes ryse.
And first it brings them footelesse foorth. Then after, it dooth frame
Legges apt to swim: and furthermore of purpose that the same
May serve them for to leape afarre, theyr hinder part is mych
More longer than theyr forepart is. The Bearwhelp also which
The Beare hath newly littred, is no whelp immediatly.
But like an evill favored lump of flesh alyve dooth lye.
The dam by licking shapeth out his members orderly
Of such a syse, as such a peece is able to conceyve.
Or marke yee not the Bees of whom our hony wee receyve,
How that theyr yoong ones which doo lye within the sixsquare wax
Are limblesse bodyes at the first, and after as they wex
In processe take bothe feete and wings? What man would think it trew
That Ladye Venus simple birdes, the Dooves of silver hew,
Or Junos bird that in his tayle beares starres, or Joves stowt knyght
The Earne, and every other fowle of whatsoever flyght,
Could all bee hatched out of egges, onlesse he did it knowe?
Sum folk doo hold opinion when the backebone which dooth growe
In man, is rotten in the grave, the pith becommes a snake.
Howbee't of other things all theis theyr first beginning take.
One bird there is that dooth renew itself and as it were
Beget it self continually. The Syrians name it there
A Phoenix. Neyther come nor herbes this Phoenix liveth by,
But by the jewce of frankincence and gum of Amomye.
And when that of his lyfe well full fyve hundred yeeres are past,
Uppon a Holmetree or uppon a Date tree at the last
He makes him with his talants and his hardened bill a nest.
Which when that he with Casia sweete and Nardus soft hathe drest,
And strowed it with Cynnamom and Myrrha of the best,
He rucketh downe uppon the same, and in the spyces dyes.
Soone after, of the fathers corce men say there dooth aryse
Another little Phoenix which as many yeeres must live
As did his father. He (assoone as age dooth strength him give
To beare the burthen) from the tree the weyghty nest dooth lift,
And godlyly his cradle thence and fathers herce dooth shift.
And flying through the suttle aire he gettes to Phebus towne,
And there before the temple doore dooth lay his burthen downe.
But if that any noveltye woorth woondring bee in theis,
Much rather may we woonder at the Hyen if we please.
To see how interchaungeably it one whyle dooth remayne
A female, and another whyle becommeth male againe.
The creature also which dooth live by only aire and wynd,
All colours that it leaneth to dooth counterfet by kynd.
The Grapegod Bacchus, when he had subdewd the land of Inde,
Did fynd a spotted beast cald Lynx, whoose urine (by report)
By towching of the open aire congealeth in such sort,
As that it dooth becomme a stone. So Corall (which as long
As water hydes it is a shrub and soft) becommeth strong
And hard assoone as it dooth towch the ayre. The day would end,
And Phebus panting steedes should in the Ocean deepe descend,
Before all alterations I in woordes could comprehend.
So see wee all things chaungeable. One nation gathereth strength:
Another wexeth weake: and bothe doo make exchaunge at length.
So Troy which once was great and strong as well in welth as men,
And able tenne yeeres space to spare such store of blood as then,
Now beeing bace hath nothing left of all her welth to showe,
Save ruines of the auncient woorkes which grasse dooth overgrowe,
And tumbes wherin theyr auncetours lye buryed on a rowe.
Once Sparta was a famous towne: Great Mycene florisht trim:
Bothe Athens and Amphions towres in honor once did swim.
A pelting plot is Sparta now: great Mycene lyes on ground.
Of Theab the towne of Oedipus what have we more than sound?
Of Athens, king Pandions towne, what resteth more than name?
Now also of the race of Troy is rysing (so sayth fame)
The Citie Rome, which at the bank of Tyber that dooth ronne
Downe from the hill of Appennyne) already hath begonne
With great advysement for to lay foundation of her state.
This towne then chaungeth by increase the forme it had alate,
And of the universall world in tyme to comme shall hold
The sovereintye, so prophesies and lotts (men say) have told.
And as (I doo remember mee) what tyme that Troy decayd,
The prophet Helen, Priams sonne, theis woordes ensewing sayd
Before Aenaeas dowting of his lyfe in weeping plyght:
O Goddesse sonne, beleeve mee (if thou think I have foresyght
Of things to comme) Troy shalnot quyght decay whyle thou doost live.
Bothe fyre and swoord shall unto thee thy passage freely give.
Thou must from hence: and Troy with thee convey away in haste,
Untill that bothe thyself and Troy in forreine land bee plaast
More freendly than thy native soyle. Moreover I foresee,
A Citie by the offspring of the Trojans buylt shall bee,
So great as never in the world the lyke was seene before
Nor is this present, neyther shall be seene for evermore.
A number of most noble peeres for manye yeeres afore
Shall make it strong and puyssant: but hee that shall it make
The sovereine Ladye of the world, by ryght descent shall take
His first beginning from thy sonne the little Jule. And when
The earth hathe had her tyme of him, the sky and welkin then
Shall have him up for evermore, and heaven shall bee his end.

Thus farre (I well remember mee) did Helens woordes extend
To good Aenaeas. And it is a pleasure unto mee
The Citie of my countrymen increasing thus to see:
And that the Grecians victorie becommes the Trojans weale.
But lest forgetting quyght themselves our horses happe to steale
Beyond the mark: the heaven and all that under heaven is found,
Dooth alter shape. So dooth the ground and all that is in ground.
And wee that of the world are part (considring how wee bee
Not only flesh, but also sowles, which may with passage free
Remove them into every kynd of beast both tame and wyld)
Let live in saufty honestly with slaughter undefyld,
The bodyes which perchaunce may have the spirits of our brothers,
Our sisters, or our parents, or the spirits of sum others
Alyed to us eyther by sum freendshippe or sum kin,
Or at the least the soules of men abyding them within.
And let us not Thyesteslyke thus furnish up our boordes
With bloodye bowells. Oh how leawd example he afoordes.
How wickedly prepareth he himself to murther man
That with a cruell knyfe dooth cut the throte of Calf, and can
Unmovably give heering to the lowing of the dam
Or sticke the kid that wayleth lyke the little babe, or eate
The fowle that he himself before had often fed with meate.
What wants of utter wickednesse in woorking such a feate?
What may he after passe to doo? well eyther let your steeres
Weare out themselves with woork, or else impute theyr death to yeeres.
Ageinst the wynd and weather cold let Wethers yeeld yee cotes,
And udders full of batling milk receyve yee of the Goates.
Away with sprindges, snares, and grinnes, away with Risp and net.
Away with guylefull feates: for fowles no lymetwiggs see yee set.
No feared fethers pitche yee up to keepe the Red deere in,
Ne with deceytfull bayted hooke seeke fishes for to win.
If awght doo harme, destroy it, but destroy't and doo no more.
Forbeare the flesh: and feede your mouthes with fitter foode therfore.

Men say that Numa furnisshed with such philosophye
As this and like, returned to his native soyle, and by
Entreatance was content of Rome to take the sovereintye.
Ryght happy in his wyfe which was a nymph, ryght happy in
His guydes which were the Muses nyne, this Numa did begin
To teach Religion, by the meanes whereof hee shortly drew
That people unto peace whoo erst of nought but battell knew.
And when through age he ended had his reigne and eeke his lyfe,
Through Latium he was moorned for of man and chyld and wyfe
As well of hygh as low degree. His wyfe forsaking quyght
The Citie, in vale Aricine did hyde her out of syght,
Among the thickest groves, and there with syghes and playnts did let
The sacrifyse of Diane whom Orestes erst had fet
From Taurica in Chersonese, and in that place had set.
How oft ah did the woodnymphes and the waternymphes perswade
Egeria for to cease her mone. What meanes of comfort made
They. Ah how often Theseus sonne her weeping thus bespake.
O Nymph, thy moorning moderate: thy sorrow sumwhat slake: '
Not only thou hast cause to heart thy fortune for to take.
Behold like happes of other folkes, and this mischaunce of thyne
Shall greeve thee lesse. Would God examples (so they were not myne)
Myght comfort thee. But myne perchaunce may comfort thee. If thou
In talk by hap hast heard of one Hippolytus ere now,
That through his fathers lyght beleefe, and stepdames craft was slayne,
It will a woonder seeme to thee, and I shall have much payne
To make thee to beleeve the thing. But I am very hee.
The daughter of Pasyphae in vayne oft tempting mee
My fathers chamber to defyle, surmysde mee to have sought
The thing that shee with al her hart would fayne I should have wrought.
And whither it were for feare I should her wickednesse bewray,
Or else for spyght bycause I had so often sayd her nay,
Shee chardgd mee with hir owne offence. My father by and by
Condemning mee, did banish mee his Realme without cause whye.
And at my going like a fo did ban me bitterly.
To Pitthey Troyzen outlawelike my chariot streight tooke I.
My way lay hard uppon the shore of Corinth. Soodeinly
The sea did ryse, and like a mount the wave did swell on hye,
And seemed huger for to growe in drawing ever nye,
And roring clyved in the toppe. Up starts immediatly
A horned bullocke from amid the broken wave, and by
The brest did rayse him in the ayre, and at his nostrills and
His platter mouth did puffe out part of sea uppon the land.
My servants harts were sore afrayd. But my hart musing ay
Uppon my wrongfull banishment, did nought at all dismay.
My horses setting up theyr eares and snorting wexed shye,
And beeing greatly flayghted with the monster in theyr eye,
Turnd downe to sea: and on the rockes my wagon drew. In vayne
I stryving for to hold them backe, layd hand uppon the reyne
All whyght with fome, and haling backe lay almost bolt upryght.
And sure the feercenesse of the steedes had yeelded to my might,
But that the wheele that ronneth ay about the Extree round,
Did breake by dashing on a stub, and overthrew to ground.
Then from the Charyot I was snatcht the brydles beeing cast
About my limbes. Yee myght have seene my sinewes sticking fast
Uppon the stub: my gutts drawen out alyve: my members, part
Still left uppon the stump, and part foorth harryed with the cart:
The crasshing of my broken bones: and with what passing peyne
I breathed out my weery ghoste. There did not whole remayne
One peece of all my corce by which yee myght discerne as tho
What lump or part it was. For all was wound from toppe to toe.
Now canst thou, nymph, or darest thou compare thy harmes with myne?
Moreover I the lightlesse Realme behild with theis same eyne,
And bathde my tattred bodye in the river Phlegeton,
And had not bright Apollos sonne his cunning shewde uppon
My bodye by his surgery, my lyfe had quyght bee gone.
Which after I by force of herbes and leechecraft had ageine
Receyvd by Aesculapius meanes, though Pluto did disdeine,
Then Cynthia (lest this gift of hers myght woorke mee greater spyght)
Thicke clowds did round about mee cast. And to th'entent I myght
Bee saufe myself, and harmelessely appeere to others syght:
Shee made mee old. And for my face, shee left it in such plyght,
That none can knowe mee by my looke. And long shee dowted whither
To give mee Dele or Crete. At length refusing bothe togither,
Shee plaast mee heere. And therwithall shee bade me give up quyght
The name that of my horses in remembrance put mee myght.
For whereas erst Hippolytus hath beene thy name (quoth shee)
I will that Virbie afterward thy name for ever bee.
From that tyme foorth within this wood I keepe my residence,
As of the meaner Goddes, a God of small magnificence,
And heere I hyde mee underneathe my sovereine Ladyes wing
Obeying humbly to her hest in every kynd of thing.
But yit the harmes of other folk could nothing help nor boote
Aegerias sorrowes to asswage. Downe at a mountaines foote
Shee lying melted into teares, till Phebus sister sheene
For pitie of her greate distresse in which shee had her seene,
Did turne her to a fountaine cleere, and melted quyght away
Her members into water thinne that never should decay.

The straungenesse of the thing did make the nymphes astonyed: and
The Ladye of Amazons sonne amaazd therat did stand,
As when the Tyrrhene Tilman sawe in earing of his land
The fatall clod first stirre alone without the help of hand,
And by and by forgoing quyght the earthly shape of clod,
To take the seemely shape of man, and shortly like a God
To tell of things as then to comme. The Tyrrhenes did him call
By name of Tages. He did teach the Tuskanes first of all
To gesse by searching bulks of beastes what after should befall.
Or like as did king Romulus when soodeinly he found
His lawnce on mountayne Palatine fast rooted in the ground,
And bearing leaves, no longer now a weapon but a tree,
Which shadowed such as woondringly came thither for to see.
Or else as Cippus when he in the ronning brooke had seene
His homes. For why he saw them, and supposing there had beene
No credit to bee given unto the glauncing image, hee
Put oft his fingers to his head, and felt it so to bee.
And blaming now no more his eyes, in comming from the chase
With conquest of his foes, he stayd. And lifting up his face
And with his face, his homes to heaven, he sayd: What ever thing
Is by this woonder meant, O Goddes, if joyfull newes it bring
I pray yee let it joyfull to my folk and countrye bee:
But if it threaten evill, let the evill light on mee.
In saying so, an altar greene of clowwers he did frame,
And offred fuming frankincence in fyre uppon the same,
And powred boawles of wyne theron, and searched therwithall
The quivering inwards of a sheepe to know what should befall.
A Tyrrhene wizard having sought the bowelles, saw therin
Great chaunges and attempts of things then readye to begin,
Which were not playnly manifest. But when that he at last
His eyes from inwards of the beast on Cippus homes had cast,
Hayle king (he sayd). For untoo thee, O Cippus, unto thee,
And to thy homes shall this same place and Rome obedyent bee.
Abridge delay: and make thou haste to enter at the gates
Which tarrye open for thee. So commaund the soothfast fates.
Thou shalt bee king assoone as thou hast entred once the towne,
And thou and thyne for evermore shalt weare the royall crowne.
With that he stepping back his foote, did turne his frowning face
From Romeward, saying: Farre, O farre, the Goddes such handsel chace.
More ryght it were I all my lyfe a bannisht man should bee,
Than that the holy Capitoll mee reigning there should see.
Thus much he sayd: and by and by toogither he did call
The people and the Senators. But yit he first of all
Did hyde his homes with Lawrell leaves: and then without the wall
He standing on a mount the which his men had made of soddes,
And having after auncient guyse made prayer to the Goddes
Sayd: Heere is one that shall (onlesse yee bannish him your townc
Immediatly) bee king of Rome and weare a royall crowne.
What man it is, I will by signe, but not by name bewray.
He hath uppon his brow two homes. The wizard heere dooth say,
That if he enter Rome, you shall lyke servants him obey.
He myght have entred at your gates which open for him lay,
But I did stay him thence. And yit there is not unto mee
A neerer freend in all the world. Howbee't forbid him yee
O Romanes, that he comme not once within your walles. Or if
He have deserved, bynd him fast in fetters like a theef.
Or in this fatall Tyrants death, of feare dispatch your mynd.
Such noyse as Pynetrees make what tyme the heady easterne wynde
Dooth whiz amongst them, or as from the sea dooth farre rebound:
Even such among the folk of Rome that present was the sound.
Howbee't in that confused roare of fearefull folk, did fall
Out one voyce asking, Whoo is hee? And staring therewithall
Uppon theyr foreheads, they did seeke the foresayd homes. Agen
(Quoth Cippus) Lo, yee have the man for whom yee seeke. And then
He pulld (ageinst his peoples will) his garlond from his head,
And shewed them the two fayre homes that on his browes were spred.
At that the people dassheth downe theyr lookes and syghing is
Ryght sorye (whoo would think it trew?) to see that head of his,
Most famous for his good deserts. Yit did they not forget
The honour of his personage, but willingly did set
The Lawrell garlond on his head ageine. And by and by
The Senate sayd: Well Cippus, sith untill the tyme thou dye
Thou mayst not come within theis walles, wee give thee as much ground
In honour of thee, as a teeme of steeres can plough thee round,
Betweene the dawning of the day, and shetting in of nyght.
Moreover on the brazen gate at which this Cippus myght
Have entred Rome, a payre of homes were gravde to represent
His woondrous shape, as of his deede an endlesse monument.

Yee Muses whoo to Poets are the present springs of grace,
Now shewe (for you knowe, neyther are you dulld by tyme or space)
How Aesculapius in the Ile that is in Tyber deepe
Among the sacred sayncts of Rome had fortune for to creepe.
A cruell plage did heertofore infect the Latian aire,
And peoples bodyes pyning pale the murreine did appayre.
When tyred with the buriall of theyr freends, they did perceyve
Themselves no helpe at mannes hand nor by Phisicke to receyve.
Then seeking help from heaven, they sent to Delphos (which dooth stand
Amid the world) for counsell to bee had at Phebus hand.
Beseeching him with helthfull ayd to succour theyr distresse,
And of the myghtye Citie Rome the mischeef to redresse.
The quivers which Apollo bryght himself was woont to beare,
The Baytrees, and the place itself togither shaken were.
And by and by the table from the furthest part of all
The Chauncell spake theis woords, which did theyr harts with feare appal:
The thing yee Romanes seeke for heere, yee should have sought more ny
Your countrye. Yea and neerer home go seeke it now. Not I,
Apollo, but Apollos sonne is hee that must redresse
Your sorrowes. Take your journey with good handsell of successe,
And fetch my sonne among you. When Apollos hest was told
Among the prudent Senators, they sercht what towne did hold
His sonne, and unto Epidawre a Gallye for him sent.
Assoone as that th'Ambassadours arryved there they went
Unto the counsell and the Lordes of Greekland: whom they pray
To have the God the present plages of Romanes for to stay,
And for themselves the Oracle of Phebus foorth they lay.
The Counsell were of sundry mynds and could not well agree.
Sum thought that succour in such neede denyed should not bee.
And divers did perswade to keepe theyr helpe, and not to send
Theyr Goddes away sith they themselves myght neede them in the end.
Whyle dowtfully they off and on debate this curious cace,
The evening twylyght utterly the day away did chace,
And on the world the shadowe of the earth had darknesse brought.
That nyght the Lord Ambassadour as sleepe uppon him wrought,
Did dreame he saw before him stand the God whose help he sought,
In shape as in his chappell he was woonted for to stand,
With ryght hand stroking downe his herd, and staffe in tother hand,
And meekely saying: Feare not, I will comme and leave my shryne.
This serpent which dooth wreath with knottes about this staffe of mine
Mark well, and take good heede therof: that when thou shalt it see,
Thou mayst it knowe. For into it transformed will I bee.
But bigger I will bee, for I will seeme of such a syse,
As may celestiall bodyes well to turne into suffise.
Streyght with the voyce, the God, and with the voyce and God, away
Went sleepe: and after sleepe was gone ensewed cheerfull day.
Next morning having cleerely put the fyrye starres to flyght,
The Lordes not knowing what to doo, assembled all foorthryght
Within the sumptuous temple of the God that was requyrde,
And of his mynd by heavenly signe sum knowledge they desyrde.
They scarce had doone theyr prayers, when the God in shape of snake
With loftye crest of gold, began a hissing for to make,
Which was a warning given. And with his presence he did shake
The Altar, shryne, doores, marble floore, and roofe all layd with gold,
And vauncing up his brest he stayd ryght stately to behold
Amid the Church, and round about his fyrye eyes he rold.
The syght did fray the people. But the wyvelesse preest (whoose heare
Was trussed in a fayre whyght Call) did know the God was there.
And sayd: Behold, tiz God, tiz God. As many as bee heere
Pray both with mouth and mynd. O thou our glorious God, appeere
To our beehoofe, and helpe thy folke that keepe thy hallowes ryght.

The people present woorshipped his Godhead there in syght,
Repeating dowble that the preest did say. The Romaynes eeke
Devoutly did with Godly voyce and hart his favour seeke.
The God by nodding did consent, and gave assured signe
By shaking of his golden crest that on his head did shyne,
And hissed twyce with spirting toong. Then trayld he downe the fyne
And glistring greeces of his church. And turning backe his eyen,
He looked to his altarward and to his former shryne
And temple, as to take his leave and bid them all fare well.
From thence ryght huge uppon the ground (which sweete of flowres did smell
That people strewed in his way), he passed stately downe,
And bending into bowghts went through the hart of all the towne,
Untill that hee the bowwing wharf besyde the haven tooke.
Where staying, when he had (as seemd) dismist with gentle looke
His trayne of Chapleynes and the folke that wayted on him thither,
Hee layd him in the Romane shippe to sayle away toogither.
The shippe did feele the burthen of his Godhed to the full,
And for the heavye weyght of him did after passe more dull.
The Romanes being glad of him, and having killd a steere
Uppon the shore, untyde theyr ropes and cables from the peere.
The lyghtsum wynd did dryve the shippe. The God avauncing hye,
And leaning with his necke uppon the Gallyes syde, did lye
And looke uppon the greenish waves, and cutting easly through
Th'Ionian sea with little gales of westerne wynd not rough,
The sixt day morning came uppon the coast of Italy.
And passing foorth by Junos Church that mustreth to the eye
Uppon the head of Lacine he was caryed also by
The rocke of Scylley. Then he left the land of Calabrye
And rowing softly by the rocke Zephyrion, he did draw
To Celen cliffs the which uppon the ryght syde have a flawe.
By Romeche and by Cawlon, and by Narice thence he past,
And from the streyghtes of Sicily gate quyght and cleere at last.
Then ran he by th'Aeolian Iles and by the metall myne
Of Tempsa, and by Lewcosye, and temprate Pest where fyne
And pleasant Roses florish ay. From thence by Capreas
And Atheney the headlond of Minerva he did passe
To Surrent, where with gentle vynes the hilles bee overclad,
And by the towne of Hercules and Stabye ill bestad
And Naples borne to Idlenesse, and Cumes where Sybell had
Hir temples, and the scalding bathes, and Linterne where growes store
Of masticke trees, and Vulturne which beares sand apace from shore,
And Sinuesse where as Adders are as whyght as any snowe,
And Minturne of infected ayre bycause it stands so lowe,
And Caiete where Aeneas did his nurce in tumbe bestowe,
And Formy where Antiphates the Lestrigon did keepe,
And Trache envyrond with a fen, and Circes mountayne steepe:
To Ancon with the boystous shore. Assoone as that the shippe
Arryved heere, (for now the sea was rough,) the God let slippe
His circles, and in bending bowghts and wallowing waves did glyde
Into his fathers temple which was buylded there besyde
Uppon the shore, and when the sea was calme and pacifyde,
The foresayd God of Epidawre, his fathers Church forsooke,
(The lodging of his neerest freend which for a tyme hee tooke,)
And with his crackling scales did in the sand a furrowe cut,
And taking hold uppon the sterne did in the Galy put
His head, and rested till he came past Camp and Lavine sands,
And entred Tybers mouth at which the Citie Ostia stands.
The folke of Rome came hither all by heapes bothe men and wyves
And eeke the Nunnes that keepe the fyre of Vesta as theyr lyves,
To meete the God, and welcomd him with joyfull noyse. And as
The Gally rowed up the streame, greate store of incence was
On altars burnt on bothe the banks, so that on eyther syde
The fuming of the frankincence the very aire did hyde,
And also slaine in sacrifyse full many cattell dyde.
Anon he came to Rome, the head of all the world: and there
The serpent lifting up himself, began his head to beare
Ryght up along the maast, uppon the toppe whereof on hye
He looked round about, a meete abyding place to spye.
The Tyber dooth devyde itself in twaine, and dooth embrace
A little pretye Iland (so the people terme the place)
From eyther syde whereof the bankes are distant equall space.
Apollos Snake descending from the maast conveyd him thither,
And taking eft his heavenly shape, as one repayring hither
To bring our Citie healthfulnesse, did end our sorrowes quyght.

Although to bee a God with us admitted were this wyght,
Yit was he borne a forreiner. But Caesar hathe obteynd
His Godhead in his native soyle and Citie where he reignd.
Whom peerelesse both in peace and warre, not more his warres up knit
With triumph, nor his great exployts atcheeved by his wit,
Nor yit the great renowme that he obteynd so speedely,
Have turned to a blazing starre, than did his progenie.
For of the actes of Caesar, none is greater than that hee
Left such a sonne behynd him as Augustus is, to bee
His heyre. For are they things more hard: to overcomme thy Realme
Of Britaine standing in the sea, or up the sevenfold streame
Of Nyle that beareth Paperreede victorious shippes to rowe,
Or to rebelliouse Numidye to give an overthrowe,
Or Juba, king of Moores, and Pons (which proudely did it beare
Uppon the name of Mythridate) to force by swoord and speare
To yeeld them subjects unto Rome, or by his just desert
To merit many triumphes, and of sum to have his part,
Than such an heyre to leave beehynd, in whom the Goddes doo showe
Exceeding favour unto men for that they doo bestowe
So great a prince uppon the world? Now to th'entent that hee
Should not bee borne of mortall seede, the other was too bee
Canonyzde for a God. Which thing when golden Venus see,
(Shee also sawe how dreadfull death was for the bisshop then
Prepaard, and how conspiracye was wrought by wicked men)
Shee looked pale. And as the Goddes came any in her way,
Shee sayd unto them one by one: Behold and see, I pray,
With how exceeding eagernesse they seeke mee to betray,
And with what woondrous craft they stryve to take my lyfe away,
I meene the thing that only now remayneth unto mee
Of Jule the Trojans race. Must I then only ever bee
Thus vext with undeserved cares? How seemeth now the payne
Of Diomeds speare of Calydon to wound my hand ageyne?
How seemes it mee that Troy ageine is lost through ill defence?
How seemes my sonne Aenaeas like a bannisht man, from thence
To wander farre ageine, and on the sea to tossed bee,
And warre with Turnus for to make? or rather (truth to say)
With Juno? What meene I about harmes passed many a day
Ageinst myne ofspring, thus to stand? This present feare and wo
Permit mee not to think on things now past so long ago.
Yee see how wicked swoordes ageinst my head are whetted. I
Beseeche yee keepe them from my throte, and set the traytors by
Theyr purpose. Neyther suffer you dame Vestas fyre to dye
By murthering of her bisshop. Thus went Venus wofully
Complayning over all the heaven, and moovde the Goddes therby.
And for they could not breake the strong decrees of destinye,
They shewed signes most manifest of sorrowe to ensew.
For battells feyghting in the clowdes with crasshing armour flew.
And dreadfull trumpets sownded in the aire, and homes eeke blew,
As warning men before hand of the mischeef that did brew.
And Phebus also looking dim did cast a drowzy lyght
Uppon the earth, which seemd lykewyse to bee in sorrve plyght.
From underneathe amid the starres brands oft seemd burning bryght.
It often rayned droppes of blood. The morning starre lookt blew,
And was bespotted heere and there with specks of rusty hew.
The moone had also spottes of blood. The Screeche owle sent from hell
Did with her tune unfortunate in every corner yell.
Salt teares from Ivory images in sundry places fell.
And in the Chappells of the Goddes was singing heard, and woordes
Of threatning. Not a sacrifyse one signe of good afoordes.
But greate turmoyle to bee at hand theyr hartstrings doo declare.
And when the beast is ripped up the inwards headlesse are.
About the Court, and every house, and Churches in the nyghts
The doggs did howle, and every where appeered gastly spryghts.
And with an earthquake shaken was the towne. Yit could not all
Theis warnings of the Goddes dispoynt the treason that should fall,
Nor overcomme the destinies. The naked swoordes were brought
Into the temple. For no place in all the towne was thought
So meete to woork the mischeef in, or for them to commit
The heynous murder, as the Court in which they usde to sit
In counsell. Venus then with both her hands her stomacke smit,
And was about to hyde him with the clowd in which shee hid
Aenaeas, when shee from the swoord of Diomed did him rid,
Or Paris, when from Menelay shee did him saufe convey.
But Jove her father staying her did thus unto hir say:
Why, daughter myne, wilt thou alone bee stryving to prevent
Unvanquishable destinie? In fayth and if thou went
Thy self into the house in which the fatall susters three
Doo dwell, thou shouldest there of brasse and steele substantiall see
The registers of things so strong and massye made to bee,
That sauf and everlasting, they doo neyther stand in feare
Of thunder, nor of lyghtning, nor of any ruine there.
The destnyes of thyne offspring thou shalt there fynd graven deepe
In Adamant. I red them: and in mynd I doo them keepe.
And forbycause thou shalt not bee quyght ignorant of all,
I will declare what things I markt herafter to befall.
The man for whom thou makest sute, hath lived full his tyme
And having ronne his race on earth must now to heaven up clyme.
Where thou shalt make a God of him ay honord for to bee
With temples and with Altars on the earth. Moreover hee
That is his heyre and beares his name, shall all alone susteyne
The burthen layd uppon his backe, and shall our help obteyne
His fathers murther to revenge. The towne of Mutinye
Beseedged by his powre, shall yeeld. The feelds of Pharsaly
Shall feele him, and Philippos in the Realme of Macedonne
Shall once ageine bee staynd with blood. The greate Pompeius sonne
Shall vanquisht be by him uppon the sea of Sicilye.
The Romane Capteynes wyfe, the Queene of Aegypt, through her hye
Presumption trusting to her match too much, shall threate in vayne
To make her Canop over our hygh Capitoll to reigne.
What should I tell thee of the wyld and barbrous nacions that
At bothe the Oceans dwelling bee? The universall plat
Of all the earth inhabited, shall all be his. The sea
Shall unto him obedient bee likewyse. And when that he
Hathe stablisht peace in all the world, then shall he set his mynd
To civill matters, upryght lawes by justice for to fynd,
And by example of himself all others he shall bynd.
Then having care of tyme to comme, and of posteritye,
A holy wyfe shall beare to him a sonne that may supply
His carefull charge and beare his name. And lastly in the end
He shall to heaven among the starres, his auncetors, ascend,
But not before his lyfe by length to drooping age doo tend.
And therfore from the murthred corce of Julius Caesar take
His sowle with speede, and of the same a burning cresset make,
That from our heavenly pallace he may evermore looke downe
Uppon our royall Capitoll and Court within Rome towne.
He scarcely ended had theis woordes, but Venus out of hand
Amid the Senate house of Rome invisible did stand,
And from her Caesars bodye tooke his new expulsed spryght
The which shee not permitting to resolve to ayer quyght,
Did place it in the skye among the starres that glister bryght
And as shee bare it, shee did feele it gather heavenly myght,
And for to wexen fyrye. Shee no sooner let it flye,
But that a goodly shyning starre it up aloft did stye
And drew a greate way after it bryght beames like burning heare.
Whoo looking on his sonnes good deedes confessed that they were
Farre greater than his owne, and glad he was to see that hee
Excelled him. Although his sonne in no wyse would agree
To have his deedes preferd before his fathers: yit dooth fame,
(Whoo ay is free, and bound to no commaund) withstand the same
And stryving in that one behalf ageinst his hest and will,
Proceedeth to preferre his deedes before his fathers still.
Even so to Agamemnons great renowne gives Atreus place,
Even so Achilles deedes, the deedes of Peleus doo abace.
Even so beyond Aegaeus, farre dooth Theseyes prowesse go.
And (that I may examples use full matching theis) even so
Is Saturne lesse in fame than Jove. Jove rules the heavenly spheres,
And all the tryple shaped world. And our Augustus beares
Dominion over all the earth. They bothe are fathers: they
Are rulers both. Yee Goddes to whom both fyre and swoord gave way,
What tyme yee with Aenaeas came from Troy: yee Goddes that were
Of mortall men canonyzed: thou Quirin whoo didst reere
The walles of Rome: and Mars who wart the valeant Quirins syre
And Vesta of the household Goddes of Caesar with thy fyre
Most holy: and thou Phebus whoo with Vesta also art
Of household: and thou Jupiter whoo in the hyghest part
Of mountayne Tarpey hast thy Church: and all yee Goddes that may
With conscience sauf by Poets bee appealed to: I pray
Let that same day bee slowe to comme and after I am dead,
In which Augustus (whoo as now of all the world is head)
Quyght giving up the care therof ascend to heaven for ay,
There (absent hence) to favour such as unto him shall pray.
Now have I brought a woork to end which neither Joves feerce wrath,
Nor swoord, nor fyre, nor freating age with all the force it hath
Are able to abolish quyght. Let comme that fatall howre
Which (saving of this brittle flesh) hath over mee no powre,
And at his pleasure make an end of myne uncerteyne tyme.
Yit shall the better part of mee assured bee to clyme
Aloft above the starry skye. And all the world shall never
Be able for to quench my name. For looke how farre so ever
The Romane Empyre by the ryght of conquest shall extend,
So farre shall all folke reade this woork. And tyme without all end
(If Poets as by prophesie about the truth may ame)
My lyfe shall everlastingly bee lengthened still by fame.