Metamorphoses
Ovid
Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.
- The Centaure Chyron in the while was glad of Phebus boy,
- And as the burthen brought some care the honor brought him joy.
- Upon a time with golden lockes about hir shoulders spread,
- A daughter of the Centaurs (whome a certaine Nymph had bred
- About the brooke Caycus bankes) that hight Ocyroe
- Came thither. This same fayre yong Nymph could not contented be
- To learne the craft of Surgerie as perfect as hir Sire,
- But that to learne the secret doomes of Fate she must aspire.
- And therfore when the furious rage of frenzie had hir cought,
- And that the spright of Prophecie enflamed had hir thought,
- She lookt upon the childe and saide: Sweete babe the Gods thee make
- A man. For all the world shall fare the better for thy sake.
- All sores and sicknesse shalt thou cure: thy powre shall eke be syche,
- To make the dead alive again. For doing of the whiche
- Against the pleasure of the Gods, thy Graundsire shall thee strike
- So with his fire, that never more thou shalt performe the like.
- And of a God a bludlesse corse, and of a corse (full straunge)
- Thou shalt become a God againe, and twice thy nature chaunge.
- And thou my father liefe and deare, who now by destinie,
- Art borne to live for evermore and never for to die,
- Shalt suffer such outragious paine throughout thy members all,
- By wounding of a venimde dart that on thy foote shall fall,
- That oft thou shalt desire to die, and in the latter end
- The fatall dames shall breake thy threede and thy desire thee send.
- There was yet more behinde to tell, when sodenly she fet
- A sore deepe sigh, and downe hir cheekes the teares did trickle wet.
- Mine owne misfortune (quoth she) now hath overtake me sure.
- I cannot utter any more, for words waxe out of ure.
- My cunning was not worth so much as that it should procure
- The wrath of God. I feele by proufe far better had it bene:
- If that the chaunce of things to come I never had foreseene.
- For now my native shape withdrawes. Me thinkes I have delight
- To feede on grasse and fling in fieldes: I feele my selfe so light.
- I am transformed to a Mare like other of my kinne.
- But wherfore should this brutish shape all over wholy winne?
- Considering that although both horse and man my father bee:
- Yet is his better part a man as plainly is to see.
- The latter ende of this complaint was fumbled in such wise,
- As what she meant the standers by could scarcely well devise.
- Anon she neyther semde to speake nor fully for to ney,
- But like to one that counterfeites in sport the Mare to play.
- Within a while she neyed plaine, and downe hir armes were pight
- Upon the ground all clad with haire, and bare hir bodie right.
- Hir fingers joyned all in one, at ende wherof did grow
- In stede of nayles a round tough hoofe of welked horne bylow.
- Hir head and necke shot forth in length, hir kirtle trayne became
- A faire long taile. Hir flaring haire was made a hanging Mane.
- And as hir native shape and voyce most monstrously did passe,
- So by the uncoth name of Mare she after termed was.
- The Centaure Chyron wept hereat: and piteously dismaide
- Did call on thee (although in vaine) thou Delphian God for ayde.
- For neyther lay it in thy hande to breake Joves mighty hest,
- And though it had, yet in thy state as then thou did not rest.
- In Elis did thou then abide and in Messene lande.
- It was the time when under shape of shepehierde with a wande
- Of Olyve and a pipe of reedes thou kept Admetus sheepe.
- Now in this time that (save of Love) thou tooke none other keepe,
- And madste thee merrie with thy pipe, the glistring Maias sonne
- By chaunce abrode the fields of Pyle spide certaine cattle runne
- Without a hierde, the which he stole and closely did them hide
- Among the woods. This pretie slight no earthly creature spide,
- Save one old churle that Battus hight. This Battus had the charge
- Of welthie Neleus feeding groundes, and all his pastures large,
- And kept a race of goodly Mares. Of him he was afraide.
- And lest by him his privie theft should chaunce to be bewraide,
- He tooke a bribe to stop his mouth, and thus unto him saide:
- My friend I pray thee if perchaunce that any man enquire
- This cattell say thou saw them not. And take thou for thy hire
- This faire yong Bullocke. Tother tooke the Bullocke at his hand,
- And shewing him a certaine stone that lay upon the lande,
- Sayd, go thy way: Assoone this stone thy doings shall bewray,
- As I shall doe. So Mercurie did seeme to go his way.
- Annon he commes me backe againe, and altred both in speche
- And outward shape, saide: Countrieman Ich heartely bezeche,
- And if thou zawest any kie come royling through this grounde,
- Or driven away, tell what he was and where they may be vownde.
- And I chill gethee vor thy paine an Hecfar and hir match.
- The Carle perceyving double gaine, and greedy for to catch,
- Sayde: Under yon same hill they were, and under yon same hill
- Cham zure they are, and with his hand he poynted thereuntill.
- At that Mercurius laughing saide: False knave: and doste bewray
- Me to my selfe? doste thou bewray me to my selfe I say?
- And with that word strayt to a stone he turnde his double heart,
- In which the slaunder yet remaines without the stones desart.
- The Bearer of the charmed Rod, the suttle Mercurie,
- This done, arose with waving wings and from that place did flie.
- And as he hovered in the Ayre he viewde the fieldes bylow
- Of Atticke and the towne it selfe with all the trees that grow
- In Lycey where the learned Clarkes did wholsome preceptes show.
- By chaunce the verie selfesame day the virgins of the towne
- Of olde and auncient custome bare in baskets on their crowne
- Beset with garlands fresh and gay and strowde with flowres sweete
- To Pallas towre such sacrifice as was of custome meete.
- The winged God beholding them returning in a troupe
- Continued not directly forth, but gan me downe to stoupe,
- And fetch a wyndlasse round about. And as the hungry kite
- Beholding unto sacrifice a Bullocke redie dight,
- Doth sore about his wished pray desirous for to snatche
- But that he dareth not for such as stand about and watch:
- So Mercurie with nimble wings doth keepe a lower gate
- About Minervas loftie towres in round and wheeling rate.
- As far as doth the Morning starre in cleare and streaming light
- Excell all other starres in heaven: as far also as bright
- Dame Phebe dimmes the Morning starre, so far did Herses face
- Staine all the Ladies of hir troupe: she was the verie grace
- And beautie of that solemne pompe, and all that traine so fayre.
- Joves sonne was ravisht with the sight, and hanging in the ayre
- Began to swelt within himselfe, in case as when the poulder
- Hath driven the Pellet from the Gunne, the Pellet ginnes to smoulder:
- And in his flying waxe more hote. In smoking brest he shrowdes
- His flames not brought from heaven above but caught beneath the clouds.
- He leaves his jorney toward heaven and takes another race
- Not minding any lenger time to hide his present case.
- So great a trust and confidence his beautie to him gave
- Which though it seemed of it selfe sufficient force to have,
- Yet was he curious for to make himselfe more fine and brave.
- He kembd his head and strokt his beard, and pried on every side
- To see that in his furniture no wrinkle might be spide.
- And forbicause his Cloke was fringde and garded brode with golde,
- He cast it on his shoulder up most seemely to beholde.
- He takes in hand his charmed rod that bringeth things asleepe
- And wakes them when he list againe. And lastly taketh keepe
- That on his faire welformed feete his golden shooes sit cleene,
- And that all other things therto well correspondent beene.
- In Cecrops Court were Chambers three set far from all resort
- With yvorie beddes all furnished in far most royall sort.
- Of which Aglauros had the left and Pandrose had the right,
- And Herse had the middlemost. She that Aglauros hight
- First markt the comming of the God, and asking him his name
- Demaunded him for what entent and cause he thither came.
- Pleiones Nephew, Maias sonne, did make hir aunswere thus:
- I am my fathers messenger, his pleasure to discusse
- To mortall folke and hellish fiendes as list him to commaund.
- My father is the mightie Jove. To that thou doste demaund
- I will not feyne a false excuse. I aske no more but graunt
- To keepe thy sisters counsell close, and for to be the Aunt
- Of such the issue as on hir my chaunce shalbe to get.
- Thy sister Herse is the cause that hath me hither fet.
- I pray thee beare thou with my love that is so firmely set.
- Aglauros cast on Mercurie hir scornfull eyes aside,
- With which against Minervas will hir secretes late she spide,
- Demaunding him in recompence a mighty masse of Golde:
- And would not let him enter in until the same were tolde.
- The warlike Goddesse cast on hir a sterne and cruell looke,
- And fetched such a cutting sigh that forcibly it shooke
- Both brest and brestplate, wherewithall it came unto hir thought
- How that Aglauros late ago against hir will had wrought
- In looking on the Lemman childe contrarie to hir othe,
- The whiche she tooke hir in the chest, for which she waxed wrothe.
- Againe she saw hir cancred heart maliciously repine
- Against hir sister and the God. And furthermore in fine
- How that the golde which Mercurie had given hir for hir meede,
- Would make hir both in welth and pride all others to exceede.
- She goes me straight to Envies house, a foule and irksome cave,
- Replete with blacke and lothly filth and stinking like a grave.
- It standeth in a hollow dale where neyther light of Sunne
- Nor blast of any winde or Ayre may for the deepenesse come.
- A dreyrie sad and dolefull den ay full of slouthfull colde
- As which ay dimd with smoldring smoke doth never fire beholde,
- When Pallas, that same manly Maide, approched nere this plot,
- She staide without, for to the house in enter might she not,
- And with hir Javelin point did give a push against the doore.
- The doore flue open by and by and fell me in the floore.
- There saw she Envie sit within fast gnawing on the flesh
- Of Snakes and Todes, the filthie foode that keepes hir vices fresh.
- It lothde hir to beholde the sight. Anon the Elfe arose
- And left the gnawed Adders flesh, and slouthfully she goes
- With lumpish laysure like a Snayle, and when she saw the face
- Of Pallas and hir faire attire adournde with heavenly grace,
- She gave a sigh, a sorie sigh, from bottome of hir heart.
- Hir lippes were pale, hir cheekes were wan, and all hir face was swart:
- Hir bodie leane as any Rake. She looked eke askew.
- Hir teeth were furde with filth and drosse, hir gums were waryish blew.
- The working of hir festered gall had made hir stomacke greene.
- And all bevenimde was hir tongue. No sleepe hir eyes had seene.
- Continuall Carke and cankred care did keepe hir waking still:
- Of laughter (save at others harmes) the Helhound can no skill.
- It is against hir will that men have any good successe,
- And if they have, she frettes and fumes within hir minde no lesse
- Than if hir selfe had taken harme. In seeking to annoy
- And worke distresse to other folke, hir selfe she doth destroy.
- Thus is she torment to hir selfe. Though Pallas did hir hate,
- Yet spake she briefly these few wordes to hir without hir gate:
- Infect thou with thy venim one of Cecrops daughters three,
- It is Aglauros whome I meane, for so it needes must bee.
- This said, she pight hir speare in ground, and tooke hir rise thereon.
- And winding from that wicked wight did take hir flight anon.
- The Caitife cast hir eye aside, and seeing Pallas gon,
- Began to mumble with hir selfe the Divels Paternoster,
- And fretting at hir good successe, began to blow and bluster.
- She takes a crooked staffe in hand bewreathde with knubbed prickes,
- And covered with a coly cloude, where ever that she stickes
- Hir filthie feete, she tramples downe and seares both grasse and corne:
- That all the fresh and fragrant fieldes seeme utterly forlorne.
- And with hir staffe she tippeth off the highest poppie heades.
- Such poyson also every where ungraciously she sheades,
- That every Cottage where she comes and every Towne and Citie
- Doe take infection at hir breath. At length (the more is pitie)
- She found the faire Athenian towne that flowed freshly then
- In feastfull peace and joyfull welth and learned witts of men.
- And forbicause she nothing saw that might provoke to weepe,
- It was a corsie to hir heart hir hatefull teares to keepe.
- Now when she came within the Court, she went without delay
- Directly to the lodgings where King Cecrops daughters lay,
- There did she as Minerva bad. She laide hir scurvie fist
- Besmerde with venim and with filth upon Aglauros brist,
- The whiche she filde with hooked thornes: and breathing on hir face
- Did shead the poyson in hir bones: which spred it selfe apace,
- As blacke as ever virgin pitch through Lungs and Lights and all.
- And to th'intent that cause of griefe abundantly should fall,
- She placed ay before hir eyes hir sisters happie chaunce
- In being wedded to the God, and made the God to glaunce
- Continually in heavenly shape before hir wounded thought.
- And all these things she painted out, which in conclusion wrought
- Such corsies in Aglauros brest that sighing day and night
- She gnawde and fretted in hir selfe for very cancred spight.
- And like a wretche she wastes hir selfe with restlesse care and pine
- Like as the yse whereon the Sunne with glimering light doth shine.
- Hir sister Herses good successe doth make hir heart to yerne,
- In case as when that fire is put to greenefeld wood or fearne
- Whych giveth neyther light nor heate, but smulders quite away:
- Sometime she minded to hir Sire hir sister to bewray,
- Who (well she knew) would yll abide so lewde a part to play.
- And oft she thought with wilfull hande to brust hir fatall threede,
- Bicause she woulde not see the thing that made hir heart to bleede.
- At last she sate hir in the doore and leaned to a post
- To let the God from entring in. To whome now having lost
- Much talke and gentle wordes in vayne, she said: Sir, leave I pray
- For hence I will not (be you sure) onlesse you go away.
- I take thee at thy word (quoth he) and therewithall he pusht
- His rod against the barred doore, and wide it open rusht.
- She making proffer for to rise, did feele so great a waight
- Through all hir limmes, that for hir life she could not stretch hir straight.
- She strove to set hirself upright: but striving booted not.
- Hir hamstrings and hir knees were stiffe, a chilling colde had got
- In at hir nayles, through all hir limmes. And eke hir veynes began
- For want of bloud and lively heate, to waxe both pale and wan.
- And as the freting Fistula forgrowne and past all cure
- Runnes in the flesh from place to place, and makes the sound and pure
- As bad or worser than the rest, even so the cold of death
- Strake to hir heart, and closde hir veines, and lastly stopt hir breath:
- She made no profer for to speake, and though she had done so
- It had bene vaine. For way was none for language forth to go.
- Hir throte congealed into stone: hir mouth became hard stone,
- And like an image sate she still, hir bloud was clearely gone,
- The which the venim of hir heart so fowly did infect,
- That ever after all the stone with freckled spots was spect.
- When Mercurie had punisht thus Aglauros spightfull tung
- And cancred heart, immediatly from Pallas towne he flung.
- And flying up with flittering wings did pierce to heaven above.
- His father calde him straight aside (but shewing not his love)
- Said: Sonne, my trustie messenger and worker of my will,
- Make no delay but out of hand flie downe in hast untill
- The land that on the left side lookes upon thy mothers light,
- Yon same where standeth on the coast the towne that Sidon hight.
- The King hath there a heirde of Neate that on the Mountaines feede,
- Go take and drive them to the sea with all convenient speede.
- He had no sooner said the word but that the heirde begun
- Driven from the mountaine to the shore appointed for to run,
- Whereas the daughter of the King was wonted to resort
- With other Ladies of the Court there for to play and sport.
- Betweene the state of Majestie and love is set such oddes,
- As that they can not dwell in one. The Sire and King of Goddes
- Whose hand is armd with triplefire, who only with his frowne
- Makes Sea and Land and Heaven to quake, doth lay his scepter downe
- With all the grave and stately port belonging thereunto:
- And putting on the shape of Bull (as other cattell doe)
- Goes lowing gently up and downe among them in the field
- The fairest beast to looke upon that ever man beheld.
- For why? his colour was as white as any winters snow
- Before that eyther trampling feete or Southerne winde it thow.
- His necke was brawnd with rolles of flesh, and from his chest before
- A dangling dewlap hung me downe good halfe a foote and more.
- His hornes were small, but yet so fine as that ye would have thought
- They had bene made by cunning hand or out of waxe bene wrought.
- More cleare they were a hundreth fold than is the Christall stone,
- In all his forehead fearfull frowne or wrinkle there was none.
- No fierce, no grim, nor griesly looke as other cattle have,
- But altogether so demure as friendship seemde to crave.
- Agenors daughter marveld much so tame a beast to see,
- But yet to touche him at the first too bolde she durst not bee.
- Annon she reaches to his mouth hir hand with herbes and flowres.
- The loving beast was glad thereof and neither frownes nor lowres.
- But till the hoped joy might come with glad and fauning cheare
- He lickes hir hands and scarce ah scarce the resdue he forbeare.
- Sometime he friskes and skippes about and showes hir sport at hand
- Annon he layes his snowie side against the golden sand.
- So feare by little driven away, he offred eft his brest
- To stroke and coy, and eft his hornes with flowers to be drest.
- At last Europa knowing not (for so the Maide was calde)
- On whome she venturde for to ride, was nerawhit appalde
- To set hir selfe upon his backe. Then by and by the God
- From maine drie land to maine moyst Sea gan leysurly to plod.
- At first he did but dip his feete within the outmost wave,
- And backe againe, then further in another plunge he gave.
- And so still further till at the last he had his wished pray
- Amid the deepe where was no meanes to scape with life away.
- The Ladie quaking all for feare with rufull countnance cast
- Ay toward shore from whence she came, held with hir righthand fast
- One of his hornes: and with the left did stay upon his backe.
- The weather flaskt and whisked up hir garments being slacke.
- The God now having laide aside his borrowed shape of Bull
- Had in his likenesse shewde himself: and with his pretie trull
- Tane landing in the Ile of Crete. When in that while hir Sire
- Not knowing where she was become, sent after to enquire
- Hir brother Cadmus, charging him his sister home to bring,
- Or never for to come againe: wherein he did a thing,
- For which he might both justly kinde and cruell called bee.
- When Cadmus over all the world had sought, (for who is hee
- That can detect the thefts of Jove?) and no where could hir see,
- Then as an outlaw (to avoyde his fathers wrongfull yre)
- He went to Phebus Oracle most humbly to desire
- His heavenly counsell, where he would assigne him place to dwell.
- An Heifer all alone in field (quoth Phebus) marke hir well,
- Which never bare the pinching yoke, nor drew the plough as yit,
- Shall meete thee. Follow after hir, and where thou seest hir sit,
- There builde a towne, and let thereof Beotia be the name.
- Downe from Parnasus stately top scarce fully Cadmus came,
- When royling softly in the vale before the herde alone
- He saw an Heifer on whose necke of servage print was none.
- He followde after leysurly as hir that was his guide,
- And thanked Phebus in his heart that did so well provide.
- Now had he past Cephisus forde, and eke the pleasant groundes
- About the Citie Panope conteinde within those boundes.
- The Heifer staide, and lifting up hir forehead to the skie
- Full seemely for to looke upon with homes like braunches hie
- Did with hir lowing fill the Ayre: and casting backe hir eie
- Upon the rest that came aloofe, as softly as she could
- Kneelde downe and laide hir hairie side against the grassie mould.
- Then Cadmus gave Apollo thankes, and falling flat bylow
- Did kisse the ground and haile the fields which yet he did not know.
- He was about to sacrifice to Jove the Heavenly King,
- And bad his servants goe and fetch him water of the spring.
- An olde forgrowne unfelled wood stoode neare at hand thereby,
- And in the middes a queachie plot with Sedge and Osiers hie,
- Where courbde about with peble stone in likenesse of a bow
- There was a spring with silver streames that forth thereof did flow.
- Here lurked in his lowring den God Mars his griesly Snake
- With golden scales and firie eyes beswolne with poyson blake.
- Three spirting tongues, three rowes of teeth within his head did sticke.
- No sooner had the Tirian folke set foote within this thicke
- And queachie plot, and deped downe their bucket in the well,
- But that to buscle in his den began this Serpent fell,
- And peering with a marble head right horribly to hisse.
- The Tirians let their pitchers slip for sodaine feare of this,
- And waxing pale as any clay, like folke amazde and flaight,
- Stoode trembling like an Aspen leafe. The specled serpent straight
- Commes trailing out in waving linkes, and knottie rolles of scales,
- And bending into bunchie boughts his bodie forth he hales.
- And lifting up above the wast himselfe unto the Skie,
- He overlooketh all the wood, as huge and big welnie
- As is the Snake that in the Heaven about the Nordren Pole
- Devides the Beares. He makes no stay but deales his dreadfull dole
- Among the Tirians. Whether they did take them to their tooles,
- Or to their heeles, or that their feare did make them stand like fooles,
- And helpe themselves by none of both, he snapt up some alive,
- And swept in others with his taile, and some he did deprive
- Of life with rankenesse of his breath, and other some againe
- He stings and poysons unto death till all at last were slaine.
- Now when the Sunne was at his heigth and shadowes waxed short,
- And Cadmus saw his companie make tarience in that sort,
- He marveld what should be their let, and went to seeke them out.
- His harnesse was a Lions skin that wrapped him about.
- His weapons were a long strong speare with head of yron tride,
- And eke a light and piercing Dart. And thereunto beside
- Worth all the weapons in the world a stout and valiant hart.
- When Cadmus came within the wood and saw about that part
- His men lie slaine upon the ground, and eke their cruell fo
- Of bodie huge stand over them, and licking with his blo
- And blasting tongue their sorie woundes: Well trustie friendes (quoth he)
- I eyther of your piteous deathes will streight revenger be,
- Or else will die my selfe therefore. With that he raughting fast
- A mightie Milstone, at the Snake with all his might it cast.
- The stone with such exceding force and violence forth was driven,
- As of a fort the bulwarkes strong and walles it would have riven.
- And yet it did the Snake no harme: his scales as hard and tough
- As if they had bene plates of mayle did fence him well inough,
- So that the stone rebounded backe against his freckled slough.
- But yet his hardnesse savde him not against the piercing dart.
- For hitting right betweene the scales that yeelded in that part
- Whereas the joynts doe knit the backe, it thirled through the skin,
- And pierced to his filthy mawe and greedy guts within.
- He fierce with wrath wrings backe his head, and looking on the stripe,
- The Javeling steale that sticked out, betwene his teeth doth gripe.
- The which with wresting to and fro at length he forth did winde,
- Save that he left the head therof among his bones behinde.
- When of his courage through the wound more kindled was the ire,
- His throteboll swelde with puffed veines, his eyes gan sparkle fire.
- There stoode about his smeared chaps a lothly foming froth.
- His skaled brest ploughes up the ground, the stinking breath that goth
- Out from his blacke and hellish mouth infectes the herbes full fowle.
- Sometime he windes himselfe in knots as round as any Bowle.
- Sometime he stretcheth out in length as straight as any beame.
- Anon againe with violent brunt he rusheth like a streame
- Encreast by rage of latefalne raine, and with his mightie sway
- Beares downe the wood before his breast that standeth in his way.
- Agenors sonne retiring backe doth with his Lions spoyle
- Defend him from his fierce assaults, and makes him to recoyle
- Aye holding at the weapons point. The Serpent waxing wood
- Doth crashe the steele betwene his teeth, and bites it till the blood,
- Dropt mixt with poyson from his mouth, did die the greene grasse blacke,
- But yet the wound was verie light bicause he writhed backe
- And puld his head still from the stroke: and made the stripe to die
- By giving way, untill that Cadmus following irefully
- The stroke, with all his powre and might did through the throte him rive,
- And naylde him to an Oke behind the which he eke did clive.
- The Serpents waight did make the tree to bend. It grievde the tree
- His bodie of the Serpents taile thus scourged for to bee.
- While Cadmus wondred at the hugenesse of the vanquisht foe
- Upon the sodaine came a voyce: from whence he could not know,
- But sure he was he heard the voyce. Which said: Agenors sonne,
- What gazest thus upon this Snake? the time will one day come
- That thou thy selfe shalt be a Snake. He pale and wan for feare,
- Had lost his speach: and ruffled up stiffe staring stood his heare.
- Behold (mans helper at his neede) Dame Pallas gliding through
- The vacant Ayre was straight at hand, and bade him take a plough
- And cast the Serpents teeth in ground, as of the which should spring
- Another people out of hand. He did in every thing
- As Pallas bade, he tooke a plough, and earde a furrow low
- And sowde the Serpents teeth whereof the foresaid folke should grow.
- Anon (a wondrous thing to tell) the clods began to move,
- And from the furrow first of all the pikes appearde above,
- Next rose up helmes with fethered crests, and then the Poldrens bright,
- Successively the Curets whole, and all the armor right.
- Thus grew up men like corne in field in rankes of battle ray
- With shields and weapons in their hands to feight the field that day.
- Even so when stages are attirde against some solemne game,
- With clothes of Arras gorgeously, in drawing up the same
- The faces of the ymages doe first of all them showe,
- And then by peecemeale all the rest in order seemes to grow,
- Untill at last they stand out full upon their feete bylow.
- Afrighted at this new found foes gan Cadmus for to take
- Him to his weapons by and by resistance for to make.
- Stay, stay thy selfe (cride one of them that late before were bred
- Out of the ground) and meddle not with civill warres. This sed,
- One of the brothers of that brood with launcing sworde he slue.
- Another sent a dart at him, the which him overthrue.
- The third did straight as much for him and made him yeelde the breath,
- (The which he had receyvde but now) by stroke of forced death.
- Likewise outraged all the rest untill that one by one
- By mutuall stroke of civill warre dispatched everychone,
- This broode of brothers all behewen and weltred in their blood,
- Lay sprawling on their mothers womb, the ground where erst they stood,
- Save only five that did remaine. Of whom Echion led
- By Pallas counsell, threw away the helmet from his head,
- And with his brothers gan to treat attonement for to make.
- The which at length (by Pallas helpe) so good successe did take,
- That faithfull friendship was confirmd and hand in hand was plight.
- These afterward did well assist the noble Tyrian knight,
- In building of the famous towne that Phebus had behight.
- Now Thebes stoode in good estate, now Cadmus might thou say
- That when thy father banisht thee it was a luckie day.
- To joyne aliance both with Mars and Venus was thy chaunce,
- Whose daughter thou hadst tane to wife, who did thee much advaunce,
- Not only through hir high renowne, but through a noble race
- Of sonnes and daughters that she bare: whose children in like case
- It was thy fortune for to see all men and women growne.
- But ay the ende of every thing must marked be and knowne.
- For none the name of blessednesse deserveth for to have
- Onlesse the tenor of his life last blessed to his grave.
- Among so many prosprous happes that flowde with good successe,
- Thine eldest Nephew was a cause of care and sore distresse.
- Whose head was armde with palmed homes, whose own hounds in the wood
- Did pull their master to the ground and fill them with his bloud.
- But if you sift the matter well, ye shall not finde desart
- But cruell fortune to have bene the cause of this his smart.
- For who could doe with oversight? Great slaughter had bene made
- Of sundrie sortes of savage beastes one morning: and the shade
- Of things was waxed verie short. It was the time of day
- That mid betweene the East and West the Sunne doth seeme to stay.
- When as the Thebane stripling thus bespake his companie,
- Still raunging in the waylesse woods some further game to spie:
- Our weapons and our toyles are moist and staind with bloud of Deere:
- This day hath done inough as by our quarrie may appeare.
- As soone as with hir scarlet wheeles next morning bringeth light,
- We will about our worke againe. But now Hiperion bright
- Is in the middes of Heaven, and seares the fieldes with firie rayes.
- Take up your toyles, and cease your worke, and let us go our wayes.
- They did even so, and ceast their worke. There was a valley thicke
- With Pinaple and Cipresse trees that armed be with pricke.
- Gargaphie hight this shadie plot, it was a sacred place
- Tochast Diana and the Nymphes that wayted on hir grace.
- Within the furthest en ereof there was a pleasant Bowre
- So vaulted with the leavie trees the Sunne had there no powre:
- Not made by hand nor mans devise: and yet no man alive,
- A trimmer piece of worke than that could for his life contrive.
- With flint and Pommy was it wallde by nature halfe about,
- And on the right side of the same full freshly flowed out
- A lively spring with Christall streame: whereof the upper brim
- Was greneawith grasse and matted herbes that smelled verie trim.
- Whe hebe )elt hir selfe waxe faint, of following of hir game,
- It was oi-etrsfome for to come and bath hir in the same.
- That day she, having timely left hir hunting in the chace,
- Was entred with hir troupe of Nymphes within this pleasant place.
- She tooke hirrquiveLad hir bow the which she had unbent,
- And eke hir Javelin to a Nymph that served that intent.
- Another Nymph t ttaie hir clothes among hir traine she chose,
- Two losde hir buskins from hir legges and pulled off hir hose.
- The Thebane Ladie Crocale more cunnig than the rest
- Did trusse hir tresses handsomly which hung behind undrest.
- And yet hir owne hung waving still. Then Niphe nete and cleene
- With Hiale glistring like the grass in beautie fresh and sheene,
- And Rhanis clearer of hir skin than are the rainie drops,
- And little bibling Phyale, and Pseke that pretie Mops
- Powrde water into vessels large to washe their Ladie with.
- Now while she keepes this wont, behold, by wandring in the frith
- He wist not whither (having staid his pastime till the morrow)
- Comes Cadmus Nephew to this thicke: and entring in with sorrow
- (Such was his cursed cruell fate) saw Phebe where she washt.
- The Damsels at the sight of man quite out of countnance dasht,
- (Bicause they everichone were bare and naked to the quicke)
- Did beate their handes against their breasts, and cast out such a shricke,
- That all the wood did ring thereof: and clinging to their dame
- Did all they could to hide both hir and eke themselves fro shame.
- But Phebe was of personage so comly and so tall,
- That by the middle of hir necke she overpeerd them all.
- Such colour as appeares in Heaven by Phebus broken rayes
- Directly shining on the Cloudes, or such as is alwayes
- The colour of the Morning Cloudes before the Sunne doth show,
- Such sanguine colour in the face of Phoebe gan to glowe
- There standing naked in his sight. Who though she had hir gard
- Of Nymphes about hir: yet she turnde hir bodie from him ward.
- And casting back an angrie looke, like as she would have sent
- An arrow at him had she had hir bow there readie bent,
- So raught she water in hir hande and for to wreake the spight
- Besprinckled all the heade and face of this unluckie knight, r
- And thus forespake the heavie lot that should upon him light:
- Now make thy vaunt among thy Mates, thou sawste Diana bare.
- Tell if thou can: I give thee leave: tell hardily: doe not spare.
- This done she makes no further threates, but by and by doth spread
- A payre of lively olde Harts homes upon his sprinckled head.
- She sharpes his eares, she makes his necke both slender, long and lanke.
- She turnes his fingers into feete, his armes to spindle shanke.
- She wrappes him in a hairie hyde beset with speckled spottes,
- And planteth in him fearefulnesse. And so away he trottes,
- Full greatly wondring to him selfe what made him in that cace
- To be so wight and swift of foote. But when he saw his face
- And horned temples in the brooke, he would have cryde Alas,
- But as for then no kinde of speach out of his lippes could passe.
- He sighde and brayde: for that was then the speach that did remaine,
- And downe the eyes that were not his, his bitter teares did raine.
- No part remayned (save his minde) of that he earst had beene.
- What should he doe? turne home againe to Cadmus and the Queene?
- Or hyde himselfe among the Woods? Of this he was afrayd,
- And of the tother ill ashamde. While doubting thus he stayd.
- His houndes espyde him where he was, and Blackfoote first of all
- And Stalker speciall good of scent began aloud to call.
- This latter was a hounde of Crete, the other was of Spart.
- Then all the kenell fell in round, and everie for his part,
- Dyd follow freshly in the chase more swifter than the winde,
- Spy, Eateal, Scalecliffe, three good houndes comne all of Arcas kinde,
- Strong Bilbucke, currish Savage, Spring, and Hunter fresh of smell,
- And Lightfoote who to lead a chase did beare away the bell,
- Fierce Woodman hurte not long ago in hunting of a Bore,
- And Shepeheird woont to follow sheepe and neate to fielde afore.
- And Laund, a fell and eger bitch that had a Wolfe to Syre:
- Another brach callde Greedigut with two hir Puppies by her.
- And Ladon gant as any Greewnd, a hownd in Sycion bred,
- Blab, Fleetewood, Patch whose flecked skin with sundrie spots was spred:
- Wight, Bowman, Royster, Beautie faire and white as winters snow,
- And Tawnie full of duskie haires that over all did grow,
- With lustie Ruffler passing all the resdue there in strength,
- And Tempest best of footemanshipe in holding out at length.
- And Cole and Swift, and little Woolfe, as wight as any other,
- Accompanide with a Ciprian hound that was his native brother,
- And Snatch amid whose forehead stoode a starre as white as snowe,
- The resdue being all as blacke and slicke as any Crowe.
- And shaggie Rugge with other twaine that had a Syre of Crete,
- And Dam of Sparta: T'one of them callde Jollyboy, a great
- And large flewd hound: the tother Chorle who ever gnoorring went,
- And Kingwood with a shyrle loude mouth the which he freely spent,
- With divers mo whose names to tell it were but losse of tyme.
- This fellowes over hill and dale in hope of pray doe clyme.
- Through thicke and thin and craggie cliffes where was no way to go,
- He flyes through groundes where oftentymes he chased had ere tho.
- Even from his owne folke is he faine (alas) to flee away.
- He strayned oftentymes to speake, and was about to say:
- I am Acteon: know your Lorde and Mayster, sirs, I pray.
- But use of wordes and speach did want to utter forth his minde.
- Their crie did ring through all the Wood redoubled with the winde,
- First Slo did pinch him by the haunch, and next came Kildeere in,
- And Hylbred fastned on his shoulder, bote him through the skinne.
- These cam forth later than the rest, but coasting thwart a hill,
- They did gainecope him as he came, and helde their Master still
- Untill that all the rest came in, and fastned on him too.
- No part of him was free from wound. He could none other do
- But sigh, and in the shape of Hart with voyce as Hartes are woont,
- (For voyce of man was none now left to helpe him at the brunt)
- By braying shew his secret grief among the Mountaynes hie,
- And kneeling sadly on his knees with dreerie teares in eye,
- As one by humbling of himselfe that mercy seemde to crave,
- With piteous looke in stead of handes his head about to wave.
- Not knowing that it was their Lord, the huntsmen cheere their houndsi
- With wonted noyse and for Acteon looke about the grounds.
- They hallow who could lowdest crie still calling him by name,
- As though he were not there, and much his absence they do blame
- In that he came not to the fall, but slackt to see the game.
- As often as they named him he sadly shooke his head,
- And faine he would have beene away thence in some other stead.
- But there he was. And well he could have found in heart to see
- His dogges fell deedes, so that to feele in place he had not bee.
- They hem him in on everie side, and in the shape of Stagge,
- With greedie teeth and griping pawes their Lord in peeces dragge.
- So fierce was cruell Phoebes wrath, it could not be alayde,
- Till of his fault by bitter death the raunsome he had payde.
- Much muttring was upon this fact. Some thought there was extended
- A great deale more extremitie than neded. Some commended
- Dianas doing: saying that it was but worthely
- For safegarde of hir womanhod. Eche partie did applie
- Good reasons to defende their case. Alone the wife ofJe,
- Of lyking or misliking it not all so greatly strove,
- As secretly rejoyst in heart that such a plague was light
- On Cadmus linage: turning all the malice and the spight
- Conceyved earst against the wench that Jove had fet fro Tyre,
- Upon the kinred of the wench, and for to fierce hir ire,
- Another thing cleane overthwart there commeth in the nicke:
- The Ladie Semell great with childe by Jove as then was quicke.
- Hereat she gan to fret and fume, and for to ease hir heart,
- Which else would burst, she fell in hande with scolding out hir part:
- And what a goodyeare have I woon by scolding erst? (she sed)
- It is that arrant queane hir selfe, against whose wicked hed
- I must assay to give assault: and if (as men me call)
- I be that Juno who in heaven beare greatest swing of all,
- If in my hande I worthie bee to holde the royall Mace,
- And if I be the Queene of heaven and soveraigne of this place,
- Or wife and sister unto Jove, (his sister well I know:
- But as for wife that name is vayne, I serve but for a show,
- To cover other privie skapes) I will confound that Whore.
- Now (with a mischiefe) is she bagd and beareth out before
- Hir open shame to all the world, and shortly hopes to bee
- The mother of a sonne by Jove, the which hath hapt to mee
- Not passing once in all my time, so sore she doth presume
- Upon hir beautie. But I trowe hir hope shall soone consume.
- For never let me counted be for Saturns daughter more,
- If by hir owne deare darling Jove on whome she trustes so sore,
- I sende hir not to Styxes streame. This ended up she rose
- And covered in golden cloud to Semelles house she goes.
- And ere she sent away the cloud, she takes an olde wyves shape
- With hoarie haire and riveled skinne, with slow and crooked gate.
- As though she had the Palsey had, hir feeble limmes did shake,
- And eke she foltred in the mouth as often as she spake.
- She seemde olde Beldame Beroe of Epidaure to bee,
- This Ladie Semelles Nourse as right as though it had beene shee.
- So when that after mickle talke of purpose ministred
- Joves name was upned: by and by she gave a sigh and sed:
- I wish with all my heart that Jove bee cause to thee of this.
- But daughter deare I dreade the worst, I feare it be amisse.
- For manie Varlets under name of Gods to serve their lust,
- Have into undefiled beddes themselves full often thrust;
- And though it bene the mightie Jove yet doth not that suffise,
- Onlesse he also make the same apparant to our eyes.
- And if it be even verie hee, I say it doth behove,
- He prove it by some open signe and token of his love.
- And therefore pray him for to graunt that, looke, in what degree,
- What order, fashion, sort and state he use to companie
- With mightie Juno, in the same in everie poynt and cace,
- To all intents and purposes he thee likewise embrace,
- And that he also bring with him his bright threeforked Mace.
- With such instructions Juno had enformed Cadmus Neece:
- And she poore sielie simple soule immediately on this
- Requested Jove to graunt a boone the which she did not name.
- Aske what thou wilt sweete heart (quoth he) thou shalt not misse the same,
- And for to make thee sure hereof, the grisely Stygian Lake,
- Which is the feare and God of Gods beare witnesse for thy sake.
- She joying in hir owne mischaunce, not having any powre
- To rule hir selfe, but making speede to hast hir fatall howre,
- In which she through hir Lovers helpe should worke hir owne decay,
- Sayd: Such as Juno findeth you when you and she doe play
- The games of Venus, such I pray thee shew thy selfe to mee
- In everie case. The God would faine have stopt hir mouth. But shee
- Had made such hast that out it was. Which made him sigh full sore,
- For neyther she could then unwish the thing she wisht before,
- Nor he revoke his solemne oth. Wherefore with sorie heart
- And heavie countnance by and by to Heaven he doth depart,
- And makes to follow after him with looke full grim and stoure
- The flakie clouds all grisly blacke, as when they threat a shoure.
- To which he added mixt with winde a fierce and flashing flame,
- With drie and dreadfull thunderclaps and lightning to the same
- Of deadly unavoyded dynt. And yet as much as may
- He goes about his vehement force and fiercenesse to allay.
- He doth not arme him with the fire with which he did remove
- The Giant with the hundreth handes, Typhoeus, from above:
- It was too cruell and too sore to use against his Love.
- The Cyclops made an other kinde of lightning farre more light,
- Wherein they put much lesse of fire, lesse fierceness, lesser might.
- It hight in Heaven the seconde Mace. Jove armes himselfe with this
- And enters into Cadmus house where Semelles chamber is.
- She being mortall was too weake and feeble to withstande
- Such troublous tumultes of the Heavens: and therefore out of hande
- Was burned in hir Lovers armes. But yet he tooke away
- His infant from the mothers wombe unperfect as it lay,
- And (if a man may credit it) did in his thigh it sowe,
- Where byding out the mothers tyme it did to ripenesse growe.
- And when the time of birth was come his Aunt the Ladie Ine
- Did nourse him for a while by stealth and kept him trym and fine.
- The Nymphes of Nysa afterwarde did in their bowres him hide,
- And brought him up with Milke till tyme he might abrode be spyde.