Metamorphoses
Ovid
Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.
- Within the towne (of whose huge walles so monstrous high and thicke
- The fame is given Semyramis for making them of bricke)
- Dwelt hard together two yong folke in houses joynde so nere
- That under all one roofe well nie both twaine conveyed were.
- The name of him was Pyramus, and Thisbe calde was she.
- So faire a man in all the East was none alive as he,
- Nor nere a woman, maide nor wife in beautie like to hir.
- This neighbrod bred acquaintance first, this neyghbrod first did stirre
- The secret sparkes, this neighbrod first an entrance in did showe,
- For love to come to that to which it afterward did growe.
- And if that right had taken place they had bene man and wife,
- But still their Parents went about to let which (for their life)
- They could not let. For both their heartes with equall flame did burne.
- No man was privie to their thoughts. And for to serve their turne
- In steade of talke they used signes. The closelier they supprest -
- The fire of love, the fiercer still it raged in their brest.
- The wall that parted house from house had riven therein a crany
- Which shronke at making of the wall. This fault not markt of any
- Of many hundred yeares before (what doth not love espie)
- These lovers first of all found out, and made a way whereby
- To talke togither secretly, and through the same did goe
- Their loving whisprings verie light and safely to and fro.
- Now as at one side Pyramus and Thisbe on the tother
- Stoode often drawing one of them the pleasant breath from other:
- O thou envious wall (they sayd) why letst thou lovers thus?
- What matter were it if that thou permitted both of us
- In armes eche other to embrace? Or if thou thinke that this
- Were overmuch, yet mightest thou at least make roume to kisse.
- And yet thou shalt not finde us churles: we thinke our selves in det
- For this same piece of courtesie, in vouching safe to let
- Our sayings to our friendly eares thus freely come and goe.
- Thus having where they stoode in vaine complayned of their woe,
- When night drew nere, they bade adew and eche gave kisses sweete
- Unto the parget on their side, the which did never meete.
- Next morning with hir cherefull light had driven the starres aside
- And Phebus with his burning beames the dewie grasse had dride.
- These lovers at their wonted place by foreappointment met.
- Where after much complaint and mone they covenanted to get
- Away from such as watched them and in the Evening late
- To steale out of their fathers house and eke the Citie gate.
- And to th'intent that in the fieldes they strayde not up and downe
- They did agree at Ninus Tumb to meete without the towne,
- And tarie underneath a tree that by the same did grow
- Which was a faire high Mulberie with fruite as white as snow,
- Hard by a coole and trickling spring. This bargaine pleasde them both
- And so daylight (which to their thought away but slowly goth)
- Did in the Ocean fall to rest, and night from thence doth rise.
- As soone as darkenesse once was come, straight Thisbe did devise
- A shift to wind hir out of doores, that none that were within
- Perceyved hir: and muffling hir with clothes about hir chin,
- That no man might discerne hir face, to Ninus Tumb she came
- Unto the tree, and sat hir downe there underneath the same.
- Love made hir bold. But see the chaunce, there comes besmerde with blood
- About the chappes a Lionesse all foming from the wood
- From slaughter lately made of kine to staunch hir bloudie thurst
- With water of the foresaid spring. Whome Thisbe spying furst,
- Afarre by moonelight, thereupon with fearfull steppes gan flie,
- And in a darke and yrkesome cave did hide hirselfe thereby.
- And as she fled away for hast she let hir mantle fall
- The whych for feare she left behind not looking backe at all.
- Now when the cruell Lionesse hir thurst had stanched well,
- In going to the Wood she found the slender weede that fell
- From Thisbe, which with bloudie teeth in pieces she did teare.
- The night was somewhat further spent ere Pyramus came there
- Who seeing in the suttle sande the print of Lions paw,
- Waxt pale for feare. But when also the bloudie cloke he saw
- All rent and tome: One night (he sayd) shall lovers two confounde,
- Of which long life deserved she of all that live on ground.
- My soule deserves of this mischaunce the perill for to beare.
- I, wretch, have bene the death of thee, which to this place of feare
- Did cause thee in the night to come, and came not here before.
- My wicked limmes and wretched guttes with cruell teeth therfore
- Devour ye, O ye Lions all that in this rocke doe dwell.
- But Cowardes use to wish for death. The slender weede that fell
- From Thisbe up he takes, and streight doth beare it to the tree,
- Which was appointed erst the place of meeting for to bee.
- And when he had bewept and kist the garment which he knew,
- Receyve thou my bloud too (quoth he) and therewithall he drew
- His sworde, the which among his guttes he thrust, and by and by
- Did draw it from the bleeding wound beginning for to die,
- And cast himselfe upon his backe, the bloud did spin on hie
- As when a Conduite pipe is crackt, the water bursting out
- Doth shote it selfe a great way off and pierce the Ayre about.
- The leaves that were upon the tree besprincled with his blood
- Were died blacke. The roote also bestained as it stoode,
- A deepe darke purple colour straight upon the Berries cast.
- Anon scarce ridded of hir feare with which she was agast,
- For doubt of disapointing him commes Thisbe forth in hast,
- And for hir lover lookes about, rejoycing for to tell
- How hardly she had scapt that night the daunger that befell.
- And as she knew right well the place and facion of the tree
- (As whych she saw so late before): even so when she did see
- The colour of the Berries turnde, she was uncertaine whither
- It were the tree at which they both agreed to meete togither.
- While in this doubtfull stounde she stoode, she cast hir eye aside
- And there beweltred in his bloud hir lover she espide
- Lie sprawling with his dying limmes: at which she started backe,
- And looked pale as any Box, a shuddring through hir stracke,
- Even like the Sea which sodenly with whissing noyse doth move,
- When with a little blast of winde it is but toucht above.
- But when approching nearer him she knew it was hir love,
- She beate hir brest, she shricked out, she tare hir golden heares,
- And taking him betweene hir armes did wash his wounds with teares,
- She meynt hir weeping with his bloud, and kissing all his face
- (Which now became as colde as yse) she cride in wofull case:
- Alas what chaunce, my Pyramus, hath parted thee and mee?
- Make aunswere O my Pyramus: it is thy Thisb', even shee
- Whome thou doste love most heartely, that speaketh unto thee.
- Give eare and rayse thy heavie heade. He hearing Thisbes name,
- Lift up his dying eyes and having seene hir closde the same.
- But when she knew hir mantle there and saw his scabberd lie
- Without the swoorde: Unhappy man thy love hath made thee die:
- Thy love (she said) hath made thee sley thy selfe. This hand of mine
- Is strong inough to doe the like. My love no lesse than thine
- Shall give me force to worke my wound. I will pursue the dead.
- And wretched woman as I am, it shall of me be sed
- That like as of thy death I was the only cause and blame,
- So am I thy companion eke and partner in the same,
- For death which only coulde alas asunder part us twaine,
- Shall never so dissever us but we will meete againe.
- And you the Parentes of us both, most wretched folke alyve,
- Let this request that I shall make in both our names bylive
- Entreate you to permit that we whome chaste and stedfast love
- And whome even death hath joynde in one, may as it doth behove
- In one grave be together layd. And thou unhappie tree
- Which shroudest now the corse of one, and shalt anon through mee
- Shroude two, of this same slaughter holde the sicker signes for ay,
- Blacke be the colour of thy fruite and mourning like alway,
- Such as the murder of us twaine may evermore bewray.
- This said, she tooke the sword yet warme with slaughter of hir love
- And setting it beneath hir brest, did to hir heart it shove.
- Hir prayer with the Gods and with their Parentes tooke effect.
- For when the frute is throughly ripe, the Berrie is bespect
- With colour tending to a blacke. And that which after fire
- Remained, rested in one Tumbe as Thisbe did desire.
- This tale thus tolde a little space of pawsing was betwist,
- And then began Leucothoe thus, hir sisters being whist:
- This Sunne that with his streaming light al worldly things doth cheare
- Was tane in love. Of Phebus loves now list and you shall heare.
- It is reported that this God did first of all espie,
- (For everie thing in Heaven and Earth is open to his eie)
- How Venus with the warlike Mars advoutrie did commit.
- It grieved him to see the fact and so discovered it,
- He shewed hir husband Junos sonne th'advoutrie and the place
- In which this privie scape was done. Who was in such a case
- That heart and hand and all did faile in working for a space.
- Anon he featly forgde a net of Wire so fine and slight,
- That neyther knot nor nooze therein apparant was to sight.
- This piece of worke was much more fine than any handwarpe oofe
- Or that whereby the Spider hanges in sliding from the roofe.
- And furthermore the suttlenesse and slight thereof was such,
- It followed every little pull and closde with every touch,
- And so he set it handsomly about the haunted couch.
- Now when that Venus and hir mate were met in bed togither
- Hir husband by his newfound snare before convayed thither
- Did snarle them both togither fast in middes of all theyr play
- And setting ope the Ivorie doores, callde all the Gods streight way
- To see them: they with shame inough fast lockt togither lay.
- A certaine God among the rest disposed for to sport
- Did wish that he himselfe also were shamed in that sort.
- The resdue laught and so in heaven there was no talke a while,
- But of this Pageant how the Smith the lovers did beguile.
- Dame Venus highly stomacking this great displeasure, thought
- To be revenged on the part by whome the spight was wrought.
- And like as he hir secret loves and meetings had bewrayd,
- So she with wound of raging love his guerdon to him payd.
- What now avayles (Hyperions sonne) thy forme and beautie bright?
- What now avayle thy glistring eyes with cleare and piercing sight?
- For thou that with thy gleames art wont all countries for to burne,
- Art burnt thy selfe with other gleames that serve not for thy turne.
- And thou that oughtst thy cherefull looke on all things for to shew
- Alonly on Leucothoe doste now the same bestow.
- Thou fastnest on that Maide alone the eyes that thou doste owe
- To all the worlde. Sometime more rathe thou risest in the East,
- Sometime againe thou makste it late before thou fall to reast.
- And for desire to looke on hir, thou often doste prolong
- Our winter nightes. And in thy light thou faylest eke among.
- The fancie of thy faultie minde infectes thy feeble sight,
- And so thou makste mens hearts afrayde by daunting of thy light,
- Thou looxte not pale bycause the globe of Phebe is betweene
- The Earth and thee: but love doth cause this colour to be seene.
- Thou lovest this Leucothoe so far above all other,
- That neyther now for Clymene, for Rhodos, nor the mother
- Of Circe, nor for Clytie (who at that present tyde
- Rejected from thy companie did for thy love abide
- Most grievous torments in hir heart) thou seemest for to care.
- Thou mindest hir so much that all the rest forgotten are.
- Hir mother was Eurynome of all the fragrant clime
- Of Arabie esteemde the flowre of beautie in hir time.
- But when hir daughter came to age the daughter past the mother
- As far in beautie, as before the mother past all other.
- Hir father was king Orchamus and rulde the publike weale
- Of Persey, counted by descent the seventh from auncient Bele.
- Far underneath the Westerne clyme of Hesperus doe runne
- The pastures of the firie steedes that draw the golden Sunne.
- There are they fed with Ambrosie in stead of grasse all night
- Which doth refresh their werie limmes and keepeth them in plight
- To beare their dailie labor out: now while the steedes there take
- Their heavenly foode and night by turne his timely course doth make,
- The God disguised in the shape of Queene Eurynome
- Doth prease within the chamber doore of faire Leucothoe
- His lover, whome amid twelve Maides he found by candlelight
- Yet spinning on hir little Rocke, and went me to hir right.
- And kissing hir as mothers use to kisse their daughters deare,
- Saide: Maydes, withdraw your selves a while and sit not listning here.
- I have a secret thing to talke. The Maides avoyde eche one,
- The God then being with his love in chamber all alone,
- Said: I am he that metes the yeare, that all things doe beholde,
- By whome the Earth doth all things see, the Eye of all the worlde.
- Trust me I am in love with thee. The Ladie was so nipt
- With sodaine feare that from hir hands both rocke and spindle slipt.
- Hir feare became hir wondrous well. He made no mo delayes,
- But turned to his proper shape and tooke hys glistring rayes.
- The damsell being sore abasht at this so straunge a sight,
- And overcome with sodaine feare to see the God so bright,
- Did make no outcrie nor no noyse, but helde hir pacience still,
- And suffred him by forced powre his pleasure to fulfill.
- Hereat did Clytie sore repine. For she beyond all measure
- Was then enamoured of the Sunne: and stung with this displeasure
- That he another Leman had, for verie spight and yre
- She playes the blab, and doth defame Leucothoe to hir Syre.
- He cruell and unmercifull would no excuse accept,
- But holding up hir handes to heaven when tenderly she wept,
- And said it was the Sunne that did the deede against hir will:
- Yet like a savage beast full bent his daughter for to spill,
- He put hir deepe in delved ground, and on hir bodie laide
- A huge great heape of heavie sand. The Sunne full yll appaide
- Did with his beames disperse the sand and made an open way
- To bring thy buried face to light, but such a weight there lay
- Upon thee, that thou couldst not raise thine hand aloft againe,
- And so a corse both voide of bloud and life thou didst remaine.
- There never chaunst since Phaetons fire a thing that grievde so sore
- The ruler of the winged steedes as this did. And therfore
- He did attempt if by the force and vertue of his ray
- He might againe to lively heate hir frozen limmes convay.
- But forasmuch as destenie so great attempts denies,
- He sprincles both the corse it selfe and place wherein it lyes
- With fragrant Nectar. And therewith bewayling much his chaunce
- Sayd: Yet above the starrie skie thou shalt thy selfe advaunce.
- Anon the body in this heavenly liquor steeped well
- Did melt, and moisted all the earth with sweete and pleasant smell.
- And by and by first taking roote among the cloddes within
- By little and by little did with growing top begin
- A pretie spirke of Frankinsence above the Tumbe to win.
- Although that Clytie might excuse hir sorrow by hir love
- And seeme that so to play the blab hir sorrow did hir move,
- Yet would the Author of the light resort to hir no more
- But did withholde the pleasant sportes of Venus usde before.
- The Nymph not able of hir selfe the franticke fume to stay,
- With restlesse care and pensivenesse did pine hir selfe away.
- Bareheaded on the bare cold ground with flaring haire unkempt
- She sate abrode both night and day: and clearly did exempt
- Hirselfe by space of thrise three dayes from sustnance and repast
- Save only dewe and save hir teares with which she brake hir fast.
- And in that while she never rose but stared on the Sunne
- And ever turnde hir face to his as he his corse did runne.
- Hir limmes stacke fast within the ground, and all hir upper part
- Did to a pale ashcolourd herbe cleane voyde of bloud convart.
- The floure whereof part red part white beshadowed with a blew
- Most like a Violet in the shape hir countnance overgrew.
- And now (though fastned with a roote) she turnes hir to the Sunne
- And keepes (in shape of herbe) the love with which she first begunne.
- She made an ende: and at hir tale all wondred: some denide
- Hir saying to be possible: and other some replide
- That such as are in deede true Gods may all things worke at will:
- But Bacchus is not any such. Thys arguing once made still,
- To tell hir tale as others had Alcithoes turne was come.
- Who with hir shettle shooting through hir web within the Loome,
- Said: Of the shepeheird Daphnyes love of Ida whom erewhile
- A jealouse Nymph (bicause he did with Lemans hir beguile)
- For anger turned to a stone (such furie love doth sende: )
- I will not speake: it is to knowe: ne yet I doe entende
- To tell how Scython variably digressing from his kinde,
- Was sometime woman, sometime man, as liked best his minde.
- And Celmus also wyll I passe, who for bicause he cloong
- Most faithfully to Jupiter when Jupiter was yoong,
- Is now become an Adamant. So will I passe this howre
- To shew you how the Curets were engendred of a showre:
- Or how that Crocus and his love faire Smylax turned were
- To little flowres. With pleasant newes your mindes now will I chere.
- Learne why the fountaine Salmacis diffamed is of yore,
- Why with his waters overstrong it weakeneth men so sore
- That whoso bathes him there commes thence a perfect man no more.
- The operation of this Well is knowne to every wight.
- But few can tell the cause thereof, the which I will recite.
- The waternymphes did nurce a sonne of Mercuries in Ide
- Begot on Venus, in whose face such beautie did abide,
- As well therein his father both and mother might be knowne,
- Of whome he also tooke his name. As soone as he was growne
- To fiftene yeares of age, he left the Countrie where he dwelt
- And Ida that had fostered him. The pleasure that he felt
- To travell Countries, and to see straunge rivers with the state
- Of forren landes, all painfulnesse of travell did abate.
- He travelde through the lande of Lycie to Carie that doth bound
- Next unto Lycia. There he saw a Poole which to the ground
- Was Christall cleare. No fennie sedge, no barren reeke, no reede
- Nor rush with pricking poynt was there, nor other moorish weede.
- The water was so pure and shere a man might well have seene
- And numbred all the gravell stones that in the bottome beene.
- The utmost borders from the brim environd were with clowres
- Beclad with herbes ay fresh and greene and pleasant smelling flowres.
- A Nymph did haunt this goodly Poole: but such a Nymph as neyther
- To hunt, to run, nor yet to shoote, had any kinde of pleasure.
- Of all the Waterfairies she alonly was unknowne
- To swift Diana. As the bruit of fame abrode hath blowne,
- Hir sisters oftentimes would say: take lightsome Dart or bow,
- And in some painefull exercise thine ydle time bestow.
- But never could they hir persuade to runne, to shoote or hunt,
- Or any other exercise as Phebes knightes are wont.
- Sometime hir faire welformed limbes she batheth in hir spring:
- Sometime she downe hir golden haire with Boxen combe doth bring.
- And at the water as a glasse she taketh counsell ay
- How every thing becommeth hir. Erewhile in fine aray
- On soft sweete hearbes or soft greene leaves hir selfe she nicely layes:
- Erewhile againe a gathering flowres from place to place she strayes.
- And (as it chaunst) the selfesame time she was a sorting gayes
- To make a Poisie, when she first the yongman did espie,
- And in beholding him desirde to have his companie.
- But though she thought she stoode on thornes untill she went to him:
- Yet went she not before she had bedect hir neat and trim,
- And pride and peerd upon hir clothes that nothing sat awrie,
- And framde hir countnance as might seeme most amrous to the eie.
- Which done she thus begon: O childe most worthie for to bee
- Estemde and taken for a God, if (as thou seemste to mee)
- Thou be a God, to Cupids name thy beautie doth agree.
- Or if thou be a mortall wight, right happie folke are they,
- By whome thou camste into this worlde, right happy is (I say)
- Thy mother and thy sister too (if any bee): good hap
- That woman had that was thy Nurce and gave thy mouth hir pap.
- But farre above all other, far more blist than these is shee
- Whome thou vouchsafest for thy wife and bedfellow for to bee.
- Now if thou have alredy one, let me by stelth obtaine
- That which shall pleasure both of us. Or if thou doe remaine
- A Maiden free from wedlocke bonde, let me then be thy spouse,
- And let us in the bridelie bed our selves togither rouse.
- This sed, the Nymph did hold hir peace, and therewithall the boy
- Waxt red: he wist not what love was: and sure it was a joy
- To see it how exceeding well his blushing him became.
- For in his face the colour fresh appeared like the same
- That is in Apples which doe hang upon the Sunnie side:
- Or Ivorie shadowed with a red: or such as is espide
- Of white and scarlet colours mixt appearing in the Moone
- When folke in vaine with sounding brasse would ease unto hir done.
- When at the last the Nymph desirde most instantly but this,
- As to his sister brotherly to give hir there a kisse,
- And therewithall was clasping him about the Ivorie necke:
- Leave off (quoth he) or I am gone and leave thee at a becke
- With all thy trickes. Then Salmacis began to be afraide,
- And, To your pleasure leave I free this place, my friend, she sayde.
- Wyth that she turnes hir backe as though she would have gone hir way:
- But evermore she looketh backe, and (closely as she may)
- She hides hir in a bushie queach, where kneeling on hir knee
- She alwayes hath hir eye on him. He as a childe and free,
- And thinking not that any wight had watched what he did
- Romes up and downe the pleasant Mede: and by and by amid
- The flattring waves he dippes his feete, no more but first the sole
- And to the ancles afterward both feete he plungeth whole.
- And for to make the matter short, he tooke so great delight
- In coolenesse of the pleasant spring, that streight he stripped quight
- His garments from his tender skin. When Salmacis behilde
- His naked beautie, such strong pangs so ardently hir hilde,
- That utterly she was astraught. And even as Phebus beames
- Against a myrrour pure and clere rebound with broken gleames:
- Even so hir eys did sparcle fire. Scarce could she tarience make:
- Scarce could she any time delay hir pleasure for to take:
- She wolde have run, and in hir armes embraced him streight way:
- She was so far beside hir selfe, that scarsly could she stay.
- He clapping with his hollow hands against his naked sides,
- Into the water lithe and baine with armes displayed glydes.
- And rowing with his hands and legges swimmes in the water cleare:
- Through which his bodie faire and white doth glistringly appeare,
- As if a man an Ivorie Image or a Lillie white
- Should overlay or close with glasse that were most pure and bright.
- The prize is won (cride Salmacis aloud) he is mine owne.
- And therewithall in all post hast she having lightly throwne
- Hir garments off, flew to the Poole and cast hir thereinto
- And caught him fast between hir armes, for ought that he could doe:
- Yea maugre all his wrestling and his struggling to and fro,
- She held him still, and kissed him a hundred times and mo.
- And willde he nillde he with hir handes she toucht his naked brest:
- And now on this side now on that (for all he did resist
- And strive to wrest him from hir gripes) she clung unto him fast:
- And wound about him like a Snake which snatched up in hast
- And being by the Prince of Birdes borne lightly up aloft,
- Doth writhe hir selfe about his necke and griping talants oft:
- And cast hir taile about his wings displayed in the winde:
- Or like as Ivie runnes on trees about the utter rinde:
- Or as the Crabfish having caught his enmy in the Seas,
- Doth claspe him in on every side with all his crooked cleas.
- But Atlas Nephew still persistes, and utterly denies
- The Nymph to have hir hoped sport: she urges him likewise.
- And pressing him with all hir weight, fast cleaving to him still,
- Strive, struggle, wrest and writhe (she said) thou froward boy thy fill:
- Doe what thou canst thou shalt not scape. Ye Goddes of Heaven agree
- That this same wilfull boy and I may never parted bee.
- The Gods were pliant to hir boone. The bodies of them twaine
- Were mixt and joyned both in one. To both them did remaine
- One countnance: like as if a man should in one barke beholde
- Two twigges both growing into one and still togither holde.
- Even so when through hir hugging and hir grasping of the tother
- The members of them mingled were and fastned both togither,
- They were not any lenger two: but (as it were) a toy
- Of double shape. Ye could not say it was a perfect boy
- Nor perfect wench: it seemed both and none of both to beene.
- Now when Hermaphroditus saw how in the water sheene
- To which he entred in a man, his limmes were weakened so
- That out fro thence but halfe a man he was compelde to go,
- He lifteth up his hands and said (but not with manly reere):
- O noble father Mercurie, and Venus mother deere,
- This one petition graunt your son which both your names doth beare,
- That whoso commes within this Well may so be weakened there,
- That of a man but halfe a man he may fro thence retire.
- Both Parentes moved with the chaunce did stablish this desire
- The which their doubleshaped sonne had made: and thereupon
- Infected with an unknowne strength the sacred spring anon.
- Their tales did ende and Mineus daughters still their businesse plie
- In spight of Bacchus whose high feast they breake contemptuously.
- When on the sodaine (seeing nought) they heard about them round
- Of tubbish Timbrels perfectly a hoarse and jarring sound,
- With shraming shalmes and gingling belles, and furthermore they felt
- A cent of Saffron and of Myrrhe that verie hotly smelt.
- And (which a man would ill beleve) the web they had begun
- Immediatly waxt fresh and greene, the flaxe the which they spun
- Did flourish full of Ivie leaves. And part thereof did run
- Abrode in Vines. The threede it selfe in braunches forth did spring.
- Yong burgeons full of clustred grapes their Distaves forth did bring.
- And as the web they wrought was dide a deepe darke purple hew,
- Even so upon the painted grapes the selfesame colour grew.
- The day was spent, and now was come the time which neyther night
- Nor day, but even the bound of both a man may terme of right.
- The house at sodaine seemde to shake, and all about it shine
- With burning lampes, and glittering fires to flash before their eyen,
- And Likenesses of ougly beastes with gastfull noyses yeld.
- For feare whereof in smokie holes the sisters were compeld
- To hide their heades, one here and there another, for to shun
- The glistring light. And while they thus in corners blindly run,
- Upon their little pretie limmes a fine crispe filme there goes,
- And slender finnes in stead of handes their shortned armes enclose.
- But how they lost their former shape of certaintie to know
- The darknesse would not suffer them. No feathers on them grow,
- And yet with shere and velume wings they hover from the ground
- And when they goe about to speake they make but little sound,
- According as their bodies give, bewayling their despight
- By chirping shirlly to themselves. In houses they delight
- And not in woods: detesting day they flitter towards night:
- Wherethrough they of the Evening late in Latin take their name,
- And we in English language Backes or Reermice call the same.
- Then Bacchus name was reverenced through all the Theban coast,
- And Ino of hir Nephewes powre made every where great boast.
- Of Cadmus daughters she alone no sorowes tasted had,
- Save only that hir sisters haps perchaunce had made hir sad.
- Now Juno noting how she waxt both proud and full of scorne,
- As well by reason of the sonnes and daughters she had borne,
- As also that she was advaunst by mariage in that towne
- To Athamas, King Aeolus sonne, a Prince of great renowne,
- But chiefly that hir sisters sonne who nourced was by hir
- Was then exalted for a God: began thereat to stir,
- And freating at it in hirselfe said: Coulde this harlots burd
- Transforme the Lydian watermen, and drowne them in the foord?
- And make the mother teare the guttes in pieces of hir sonne?
- And Mineus al three daughters clad with wings, bicause they sponne
- Whiles others howling up and down like frantick folke did ronne?
- And can I Juno nothing else save sundrie woes bewaile?
- Is that sufficient? can my powre no more than so availe?
- He teaches me what way to worke. A man may take (I see)
- Example at his enmies hand the wiser for to bee.
- He shewes inough and overmuch the force of furious wrath
- By Pentheys death: why should not Ine be taught to tread the path
- The which hir sisters heretofore and kinred troden hath?
- There is a steepe and irksome way obscure with shadow fell
- Of balefull yewgh, all sad and still, that leadeth downe to hell.
- The foggie Styx doth breath up mistes: and downe this way doe wave
- The ghostes of persons lately dead and buried in the grave.
- Continuall colde and gastly feare possesse this queachie plot
- On eyther side: the siely Ghost new parted knoweth not
- The way that doth directly leade him to the Stygian Citie
- Or where blacke Pluto keepes his Court that never sheweth pitie.
- A thousand wayes, a thousand gates that alwayes open stand,
- This Citie hath: and as the Sea the streames of all the lande
- Doth swallow in his gredie gulfe, and yet is never full:
- Even so that place devoureth still and hideth in his gull
- The soules and ghostes of all the world: and though that nere so many
- Come thither, yet the place is voyd as if there were not any.
- The ghostes without flesh, bloud, or bones, there wander to and fro,
- Of which some haunt the judgement place: and other come and go
- To Plutos Court: and some frequent the former trades and Artes
- The which they used in their life: and some abide the smartes
- And torments for their wickednesse and other yll desartes.
- So cruell hate and spightfull wrath did boyle in Junos brest,
- That in the high and noble Court of Heaven she coulde not rest:
- But that she needes must hither come: whose feet no sooner toucht
- The thresholde, but it gan to quake. And Cerberus erst coucht
- Start sternely up with three fell heades which barked all togither.
- She callde the daughters of the night, the cruell furies, thither:
- They sate a kembing foule blacke Snakes from off their filthie heare
- Before the dungeon doore, the place where Caitives punisht were,
- The which was made of Adamant. When in the darke in part
- They knew Queene Juno, by and by upon their feete they start.
- There Titius stretched out (at least) nine acres full in length,
- Did with his bowels feede a Grype that tare them out by strength.
- The water fled from Tantalus that toucht his neather lip,
- And Apples hanging over him did ever from him slip.
- There also laborde Sisyphus that drave against the hill
- A rolling stone that from the top came tumbling downeward still.
- Ixion on his restlesse wheele to which his limmes were bound
- Did flie and follow both at once in turning ever round.
- And Danaus daughters forbicause they did their cousins kill,
- Drew water into running tubbes which evermore did spill.
- When Juno with a louring looke had vewde them all through- out,
- And on Ixion specially before the other rout,
- She turnes from him to Sisyphus, and with an angry cheere
- Sayes: Wherefore should this man endure continuall penance here,
- And Athamas his brother reigne in welth and pleasure free
- Who through his pride hath ay disdainde my husband Jove and mee?
- And therewithall she poured out th'occasion of hir hate,
- And why she came and what she would. She would that Cadmus state
- Should with the ruine of his house be brought to swyft decay,
- And that to mischiefe Athamas the Fiendes should force some way.
- She biddes, she prayes, she promises, and all is with a breth,
- And moves the furies earnestly: and as these things she seth,
- The hatefull Hag Tisiphone with horie ruffled heare,
- Removing from hir face the Snakes that loosely dangled there,
- Sayd thus: Madame there is no neede long circumstance to make.
- Suppose your will already done. This lothsome place forsake,
- And to the holsome Ayre of heaven your selfe agayne retire.
- Queene Juno went right glad away with graunt of hir desire.
- And as she woulde have entred heaven, the Ladie Iris came
- And purged hir with streaming drops.
- Anon upon the same
- The furious Fiende Tisiphone doth cloth hir out of hand
- In garment streaming gorie bloud, and taketh in hir hand
- A burning Cresset steepte in bloud, and girdeth hir about
- With wreathed Snakes and so goes forth. And at hir going out,
- Feare, terror, grief and pensivenesse for companie she tooke,
- And also madnesse with his flaight, and gastly staring looke.
- Within the house of Athamas no sooner foote she set,
- But that the postes began to quake and doores looke blacke as Jet.
- The sonne withdrew him, Athamas and eke his wife were cast
- With ougly sightes in such a feare, that out of doores agast
- They would have fled. There stoode the Fiend, and stopt their passage out,
- And splaying forth hir filthie armes beknit with Snakes about,
- Did tosse and wave hir hatefull head. The swarme of scaled snakes
- Did make an irksome noyse to heare as she hir tresses shakes.
- About hir shoulders some did craule: some trayling downe hir brest
- Did hisse and spit out poyson greene, and spirt with tongues infest.
- Then from amyd hir haire two snakes with venymd hand she drew
- Of which shee one at Athamas and one at Ino threw.
- The snakes did craule about their breasts, inspiring in their heart
- Most grievous motions of the minde: the bodie had no smart
- Of any wound: it was the minde that felt the cruell stings.
- A poyson made in Syrup wise, shee also with hir brings.
- The filthie fome of Cerberus, the casting of the Snake
- Echidna, bred among the Fennes about the Stygian Lake:
- Desire of gadding foorth abroad: forgetfulnesse of minde:
- Delight in mischiefe: woodnesse: teares: and purpose whole inclinde
- To cruell murther: all the which shee did together grinde:
- And mingling them with new shed bloud had boyled them in brasse,
- And stird them with a Hemblock stalke. Now whyle that Athamas
- And Ino stood and quakte for feare, this poyson ranke and fell
- Shee tourned into both their breastes and made their heartes to swell.
- Then whisking often round about hir head hir balefull brand,
- She made it soone by gathering winde to kindle in hir hand.
- Thus as it were in triumph wise accomplishing hir hest,
- To Duskie Plutos emptie Realme shee gettes hir home to rest,
- And putteth off the snarled Snakes that girded in hir brest.
- Immediatly King Aeolus sonne starke madde comes crying out
- Through all the court: What meane yee Sirs? why go yee not about
- To pitch our toyles within this chace? I saw even nowe here ran
- A Lyon with hir two yong whelpes. And there withall he gan
- To chase his wyfe as if in deede shee had a Lyon beene
- And lyke a Bedlem boystouslie he snatcheth from betweene
- The mothers armes h's little babe Loearchus smyling on him
- And reaching foorth his preatie armes, and floong him fiercely from him
- A twice or thrice as from a slyng: and dasht his tender head
- Against a hard and rugged stone until he sawe him dead.
- The wretched mother (whither griefe did move hir thereunto
- Or that the poyson spred within did force hir so to doe)
- Howld out and frantikly with scattered haire about hir eares
- And with hir little Melicert whome hastely shee beares
- In naked armes she cryeth out, Hoe Bacchus. At the name
- Of Bacchus Juno gan to laugh and scorning sayde in game:
- This guerden loe thy foster child requiteth for the same.
- There hangs a rocke about the Sea the foote whereof is eate
- So hollow with the saltish waves which on the same doe beate,
- That like a house it keepeth off the moysting showers of rayne.
- The toppe is rough and shootes his front amiddes the open mayne.
- Dame Ino (madnesse made hir strong) did climb this cliffe anon
- And headlong downe (without regarde of hurt that hoong thereon)
- Did throwe hir burden and hir selfe, the water where shee dasht
- In sprincling upwarde glisterd red. But Venus sore abasht
- At this hir Neeces great mischaunce without offence or fault,
- Hir Uncle gently thus bespake: O ruler of the hault
- And swelling Seas, O noble Neptune whose dominion large
- Extendeth to the Heaven, whereof the mightie Jove hath charge,
- The thing is great for which I sue. But shewe thou for my sake
- Some mercie on my wretched friends whome in thine endlesse lake
- Thou seest tossed to and fro. Admit thou them among
- The Goddes. Of right even here to mee some favour doth belong
- At least wise if amid the Sea engendred erst I were
- Of Froth, as of the which yet still my pleasaunt name I beare.
- Neptunus graunted hir request, and by and by bereft them
- Of all that ever mortall was. Insted wherof he left them
- A hault and stately majestie: and altring them in hew
- With shape and names most meete for Goddes he did them both endew.
- Leucothoe was the mothers name, Palemon was the sonne.
- The Thebane Ladies following hir as fast as they could runne,
- Did of hir feete perceive the print upon the utter stone.
- And taking it for certaine signe that both were dead and gone,
- In making mone for Cadmus house, they wrang their hands and tare
- Their haire, and rent their clothes, and railde on Juno out of square,
- As nothing just, but more outragious farre than did behove
- In so revenging of hir selfe upon hir husbands love.
- The Goddesse Juno could not beare their railing. And in faith:
- You also will I make to be as witnesses (she sayth)
- Of my outragious crueltie. And so shee did in deede.
- For shee that loved Ino best was following hir with speede
- Into the Sea. But as shee would hir selfe have downeward cast,
- She could not stirre, but to the rock as nailed sticked fast.
- The second as shee knockt hir breast, did feele hir armes wax stiffe.
- Another as shee stretched out hir hands upon the cliffe,
- Was made a stone, and there stoode still ay stretching forth hir hands
- Into the water as before. And as an other standes
- A tearing of hir ruffled lockes, hir fingers hardened were
- And fastned to hir frisled toppe still tearing of hir heare,
- And looke what gesture eche of them was taken in that tide,
- Even in the same transformde to stones, they fastned did abide.
- And some were altered into birds which Cadmies called bee
- And in that goolfe with flittering wings still to and fro doe flee.
- Nought knoweth Cadmus that his daughter and hir little childe
- Admitted were among the Goddes that rule the surges wilde.
- Compellde with griefe and great mishappes that had ensewd togither,
- And straunge foretokens often seene since first his comming thither,
- He utterly forsakes his towne the which he builded had,
- As though the fortune of the place so hardly him bestad,
- And not his owne. And fleeting long like pilgrims, at the last
- Upon the coast of Illirie his wife and he were cast.
- Where ny forpind with cares and yeares, while of the chaunces past
- Upon their house, and of their toyles and former travails tane
- They sadly talkt betweene themselves: Was my speare head the bane
- Of that same ougly Snake of Mars (quoth Cadmus) when I fled
- From Sidon? or did I his teeth in ploughed pasture spred?
- If for the death of him the Goddes so cruell vengeaunce take,
- Drawen out in length upon my wombe then traile I like a snake.
- He had no sooner sayde the worde but that he gan to glide
- Upon his belly like a Snake. And on his hardened side
- He felt the scales new budding out, the which was wholy fret
- With speccled droppes of blacke and gray as thicke as could be set.
- He falleth groveling on his breast, and both his shankes doe growe
- In one round spindle Bodkinwise with sharpned point below.
- His armes as yet remayned still: his armes that did remayne,
- He stretched out, and sayde with teares that plentuously did raine
- Adowne his face, which yet did keepe the native fashion sownd:
- Come hither wyfe, come hither wight most wretched on the ground,
- And whyle that ought of mee remaynes vouchsafe to touche the same.
- Come take mee by the hand as long as hand may have his name,
- Before this snakish shape doe whole my body over runne.
- He would have spoken more when sodainely his tongue begunne
- To split in two and speache did fayle: and as he did attempt
- To make his mone, he hist: for nature now had cleane exempt
- All other speach. His wretched wyfe hir naked stomack beete
- And cryde: What meaneth this? deare Cadmus, where are now thy feete?
- Where are thy shoulders and thy handes? thy hew and manly face?
- With all the other things that did thy princely person grace
- Which nowe I overpasse? But why yee Goddes doe you delay
- My bodie into lyke misshape of Serpent to convay?
- When this was spoken, Cadmus lickt his wyfe about the lippes:
- And (as a place with which he was acquaynted well) he slippes
- Into hir boosome, lovingly embracing hir, and cast
- Himselfe about hir necke, as oft he had in tyme forepast.
- Such as were there (their folke were there) were flaighted at the sight,
- For by and by they sawe their neckes did glister slicke and bright.
- And on their snakish heades grew crests: and finally they both
- Were into verie Dragons tournd, and foorth together goth
- T'one trayling by the tothers side, untill they gaynd a wood,
- The which direct against the place where as they were then stood.
- And now remembring what they were themselves in tymes forepast,
- They neyther shonne nor hurten men with stinging nor with blast.