text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/239

 Thou wart a fyre. No lesser power than also thus to doo Had Erisicthons daughter whom Awtolychus tooke to wyfe. Her father was a person that despysed all his lyfe The powre of Gods, and never did vouchsauf them sacrifyse. He also is reported to have heawen in wicked wyse The grove of Ceres, and to fell her holy woods which ay Had undiminisht and unhackt continewed to that day. There stood in it a warrie Oke which was a wood alone. Uppon it round hung fillets, crownes, and tables, many one, The vowes of such as had obteynd theyr hearts desyre. Full oft The Woodnymphes underneath this tree did fetch theyr frisks aloft And oftentymes with hand in hand they daunced in a round About the Trunk, whose bignesse was of timber good and sound Full fifteene fadom. All the trees within the wood besyde, Were unto this, as weedes to them: so farre it did them hyde. Yit could not this move Triops sonne his axe therefro to hold, But bade his servants cut it downe. And when he did behold Them stunting at his hest, he snatcht an axe with furious mood From one of them, and wickedly sayd thus: Although thys wood Not only were the derling of the Goddesse, but also The Goddesse even herself: yet would I make it ere I go To kisse the clowers with her top that pranks with braunches so. This spoken, as he sweakt his axe asyde to fetch his blow, The manast Oke did quake and sygh, the Acornes that did grow Thereon togither with the leaves to wex full pale began, And shrinking in for feare the boughes and braunches looked wan. As soone as that his cursed hand had wounded once the tree, The blood came spinning from the carf, as freshly as yee see It issue from a Bullocks necke whose throte is newly cut Before the Altar, when his flesh to sacrifyse is put. They were amazed everychone. And one among them all To let the wicked act, durst from the tree his hatchet call. The lewd Thessalian facing him sayd: Take thou heere to thee The guerdon of thy godlynesse, and turning from the tree, He chopped off the fellowes head. Which done, he went agen And heawed on the Oke. Streight from amid the tree as then There issued such a sound as this: Within this tree dwell I


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/240

 A Nymph to Ceres very deere, who now before I dye In comfort of my death doo give thee warning thou shalt bye Thy dooing deere within a whyle. He goeth wilfully Still thorrough with his wickednesse, untill at length the Oke Pulld partly by the force of ropes, and cut with axis stroke, Did fall, and with his weyght bare downe of under wood great store. The Wood nymphes with the losses of the woods and theyrs ryght sore Amazed, gathered on a knot, and all in mourning weede Went sad to Ceres, praying her to wreake that wicked deede Of Erisicthons. Ceres was content it should bee so. And with the moving of her head in nodding to and fro, Shee shooke the feeldes which laden were with frutefull Harvest tho, And therewithall a punishment most piteous shee proceedes To put in practyse: were it not that his most heynous deedes No pitie did deserve to have at any bodies hand. With helpelesse hungar him to pyne, in purpose shee did stand. And forasmuch as shee herself and Famin myght not meete (For fate forbiddeth Famin to abyde within the leete Where plentie is) shee thus bespake a fayrie of the hill: There lyeth in the utmost bounds of Tartarie the chill A Dreerie place, a wretched soyle, a barreine plot: no grayne, No frute, no tree, is growing there: but there dooth ay remayne Unweeldsome cold, with trembling feare, and palenesse white as clowt, And foodlesse Famin. Will thou her immediatly withowt Delay to shed herself into the stomacke of the wretch, And let no plentie staunch her force but let her working stretch Above the powre of mee. And lest the longnesse of the way May make thee wearie, take thou heere my charyot: take I say My draggons for to beare thee through the aire. In saving so She gave hir them. The Nymph mounts up, and flying thence as tho Alyghts in Scythy land, and up the cragged top of hye Mount Caucasus did cause hir Snakes with much adoo to stye. Where seeking long for Famin, shee the gaptoothd elfe did spye Amid a barreine stony feeld a ramping up the grasse With ougly nayles and chanking it. Her face pale colourd was. Hir heare was harsh and shirle, her eyes were sunken in her head. Her lyppes were hore with filth, her teeth were furd and rusty red.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/241

 Her skinne was starched, and so sheere a man myght well espye The verie bowels in her bulk how every one did lye. And eke above her courbed loynes her withered hippes were seene. In stead of belly was a space where belly should have beene. Her brest did hang so sagging downe as that a man would weene That scarcely to her ridgebone had hir ribbes beene fastened well. Her leannesse made her joynts bolne big, and kneepannes for to swell. And with exceeding mighty knubs her heeles behynd boynd out. Now when the Nymph behild this elfe afarre, (she was in dout To come too neere her:) shee declarde her Ladies message. And In that same little whyle although the Nymph aloof did stand, And though shee were but newly come, yit seemed shee to feele The force of Famin. Wheruppon shee turning backe her wheele Did reyne her dragons up aloft: who streyght with courage free Conveyd her into Thessaly. Although that Famin bee Ay contrarye to Ceres woork, yit did shee then agree To do her will and glyding through the Ayre supported by The wynd, she found th'appoynted house: and entring by and by The caytifs chamber where he slept (it was in tyme of nyght) Shee hugged him betweene her armes there snorting bolt upryght, And breathing her into him, blew uppon his face and brest, That hungar in his emptie veynes myght woorke as hee did rest. And when she had accomplished her charge, shee then forsooke The frutefull Clymates of the world, and home ageine betooke Herself untoo her frutelesse feeldes and former dwelling place. The gentle sleepe did all this whyle with fethers soft embrace The wretched Erisicthons corse. Who dreaming streight of meate Did stirre his hungry jawes in vayne as though he had to eate And chanking tooth on tooth apace he gryndes them in his head, And occupies his emptie throte with swallowing, and in stead Of food devoures the lither ayre. But when that sleepe with nyght Was shaken off, immediatly a furious appetite Of feeding gan to rage in him, which in his greedy gummes And in his meatlesse maw dooth reigne unstauncht. Anon there cummes Before him whatsoever lives on sea, in aire or land: And yit he crieth still for more. And though the platters stand Before his face full furnished, yit dooth he still complayne


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/242

 Of hungar, craving meate at meale. The food that would susteine Whole householdes, Towneships, Shyres and Realmes suffyce not him alone. The more his pampred paunch consumes, the more it maketh mone And as the sea receyves the brookes of all the worldly Realmes, And yit is never satisfyde for all the forreine streames, And as the fell and ravening fyre refuseth never wood, But burneth faggots numberlesse, and with a furious mood The more it hath, the more it still desyreth evermore, Encreacing in devouring through encreasement of the store: So wicked Erisicthons mouth in swallowing of his meate Was ever hungry more and more, and longed ay to eate. Meate tolld in meate: and as he ate the place was empty still. The hungar of his brinklesse Maw, the gulf that nowght might fill, Had brought his fathers goods to nowght. But yit continewed ay His cursed hungar unappeasd: and nothing could alay I The flaming of his starved throte. At length when all was spent, And into his unfilled Maw bothe goods and lands were sent, An only daughter did remayne unworthy to have had So lewd a father. Hir he sold, so hard he was bestad. But shee of gentle courage could no bondage well abyde. And therfore stretching out her hands to seaward there besyde, Now save mee, quoth shee, from the yoke of bondage I thee pray, O thou that my virginitie enjoyest as a pray. Neptunus had it. Who to this her prayer did consent. And though her maister looking backe (for after him shee went) Had newly seene her: yit he turnd hir shape and made hir man, And gave her looke of fisherman. Her mayster looking than Upon her, sayd: Good fellow, thou that on the shore doost stand With angling rod and bayted hooke and hanging lyne in hand, I pray thee as thou doost desyre the Sea ay calme to thee, And fishes for to byght thy bayt, and striken still to bee, Tell where the frizzletopped wench in course and sluttish geere That stoode right now uppon this shore (for well I wote that heere I saw her standing) is become. For further than this place No footestep is appeering. Shee perceyving by the cace That Neptunes gift made well with her, and beeing glad to see Herself enquyrd for of herself, sayd thus: Who ere you bee


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/243

 I pray you for to pardon mee. I turned not myne eye A t'one syde ne a toother from this place, but did apply My labor hard. And that you may the lesser stand in dowt, So Neptune further still the Art and craft I go abowt, As now a whyle no living Wyght uppon this levell sand (Myself excepted) neyther man nor woman heere did stand. Her maister did beleeve her words: and turning backward went His way beguyld: and streight to her her native shape was sent. But when her father did perceyve his daughter for to have A bodye so transformable, he oftentymes her gave For monny. But the damzell still escaped, now a Mare And now a Cow, and now a Bird, a Hart, a Hynd, or Hare, And ever fed her hungry Syre with undeserved fare. But after that the maladie had wasted all the meates As well of store as that which shee had purchast by her feates: Most cursed keytife as he was, with bighting hee did rend His flesh, and by diminishing his bodye did intend To feede his bodye, till that death did speede his fatall end. But what meene I to busye mee in forreine matters thus? To alter shapes within precinct is lawfull even to us, My Lords. For sumtime I am such as you do now mee see, Sumtyme I wynd mee in a Snake: and oft I seeme to bee A Capteine of the herd with homes. For taking homes on mee I lost a tyne which heeretofore did arme mee as the print Dooth playnly shew. With that same word he syghed and did stint.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/244

hat ayleth thee (quoth Theseus) to sygh so sore? and how Befell it thee to get this mayme that is uppon thy brow? The noble streame of Calydon made answer, who did weare A Garland made of reedes and flags upon his sedgie heare: A greeveus pennance you enjoyne. For who would gladly show The combats in the which himself did take the overthrow? Yit will I make a just report in order of the same. For why? to have the woorser hand was not so great a shame, As was the honor such a match to undertake. And much It comforts mee that he who did mee overcome, was such A valiant champion. If perchaunce you erst have heard the name Of Deyanyre, the fayrest Mayd that ever God did frame Shee was in myne opinion. And the hope to win her love Did mickle envy and debate among hir wooers move. With whome I entring to the house of him that should have bee My fathrilaw: Parthaons sonne (I sayd) accept thou mee Thy Sonnylaw. And Hercules in selfsame sort did woo. And all the other suters streight gave place unto us two. He vaunted of his father Ioue, and of his famous deedes, And how ageinst his stepdames spyght his prowesse still proceedes. And I ageine a toother syde sayd thus: It is a shame That God should yeeld to man. (This stryfe was long ere he became A God). Thou seeist mee a Lord of waters in thy Realme Where I in wyde and wynding banks doo beare my flowing streame. No straunger shalt thou have of mee sent farre from forreine land: But one of household, or at least a neyghbour heere at hand. Alonly let it bee to mee no hindrance that the wyfe Of Jove abhorres mee not, ne that upon the paine of lyfe Shee sets mee not to talk. For where thou bostest thee to bee Alcmenas sonne, Ioue eyther is not father unto thee: Or if he bee it is by sin. In making Ioue thy father, Thou maakst thy mother but a whore. Now choose thee whither rather Thou had to graunt this tale of Ioue surmised for to bee, Or else thy selfe begot in shame and borne in bastardee.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/245

 At that he grimly bendes his browes, and much adoo he hath To hold his hands, so sore his hart inflamed is with wrath. He said no more but thus: My hand dooth serve mee better than My toong. Content I am (so I in feighting vanquish can) That thou shalt overcome in wordes. And therewithall he gan Mee feercely to assaile. Mee thought it was a shame for mee That had even now so stoutly talkt, in dooings faint to bee. I casting off my greenish cloke thrust stifly out at length Mine armes and streynd my pawing armes to hold him out by strength, And framed every limme to cope. With both his hollow hands He caught up dust and sprincked mee: and I likewise with sands Made him all yelow too. One whyle hee at my necke dooth snatch Another whyle my cleere crisp legges he striveth for to catch, Or trippes at mee: and everywhere the vauntage he dooth watch. My weightinesse defended mee, and cleerly did disfeate His stoute assaults as when a wave with hideous noyse dooth beate Against a Rocke, the Rocke dooth still both sauf and sound abyde By reason of his massinesse. Wee drew a whyle asyde. And then incountring fresh ageine, wee kept our places stowt Full minded not to yeeld an inch, but for to hold it owt. Now were wee stonding foote to foote. And I with all my brest Was leaning forward, and with head ageinst his head did rest, And with my gryping fingars I ageinst his fingars thrust. So have I seene two myghtie Bulles togither feercely just In seeking as their pryse to have the fayrest Cow in all The feeld to bee their make, and all the herd bothe greate and small Stand gazing on them fearfully not knowing unto which The conquest of so greate a gayne shall fall. Three tymes a twich Gave Hercules and could not wrinch my leaning brest him fro But at the fourth he shooke mee off and made mee to let go My hold: and with a push (I will tell truthe) he had a knacke To turne me off, and heavily he hung upon my backe. And if I may beleeved bee (as sure I meene not I To vaunt my selfe vayngloriusly by telling of a lye,) Mee thought a mountaine whelmed me. But yit with much adoo I wrested in my sweating armes, and hardly did undoo His griping hands. He following still his vauntage, suffred not


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/246

 Mee once to breath or gather strength, but by and by he got Mee by the necke. Then was I fayne to sinke with knee to ground, And kisse the dust. Now when in strength too weake myself I found, I tooke mee to my slights, and slipt in shape of Snake away Of wondrous length. And when that I of purpose him to fray Did bend myself in swelling rolles, and made a hideous noyse Of hissing with my forked toong, he smyling at my toyes, And laughing them to scorne sayd thus: It is my Cradle game To vanquish Snakes, O Acheloy. Admit thou overcame All other Snakes, yet what art thou compared to the Snake Of Lerna, who by cutting off did still encreasement take? For of a hundred heades not one so soone was paarde away, But that uppon the stump therof there budded other tway. This sprouting Snake whose braunching heads by slaughter did revive And grow by cropping, I subdewd, and made it could not thryve. And thinkest thou (who being none wouldst seeme a Snake) to scape? Who doost with foorged weapons feyght and under borowed shape? This sayd, his fingars of my necke he fastned in the nape. Mee thought he graand my throte as though he did with pinsons nip. I struggled from his churlish thumbes my pinched chappes to slip But doo the best and worst I could he overcame mee so. Then thirdly did remayne the shape of Bull, and quickly tho I turning to the shape of Bull rebelld ageinst my fo. He stepping to my left syde cloce, did fold his armes about My wattled necke, and following mee then running maynely out Did drag mee backe, and made mee pitch my hornes against the ground, And in the deepest of the sand he overthrew mee round. And yit not so content, such hold his cruell hand did take Uppon my welked horne, that he asunder quight it brake, And pulld it from my maymed brew. The waterfayries came And filling it with frute and flowres did consecrate the same, And so my horne the Tresory of plenteousnesse became. As soone as Acheloy had told this tale a wayting Mayd With flaring heare that lay on both hir shoulders and arrayd Like one of Dame Dianas Nymphes with solemne grace forth came And brought that rich and precious horne, and heaped in the same All kynd of frutes that Harvest sendes, and specially such frute


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/247

 As serves for latter course at meales of every sort and sute. As soone as daylight came ageine, and that the Sunny rayes Did shyne upon the tops of things, the Princes went their wayes. They would not tarry till the floud were altogither falne And that the River in his banks ran low ageine and calme. Then Acheloy amid his waves his Crabtree face did hyde And head disarmed of a home. And though he did abyde In all parts else bothe sauf and sound, yit this deformitye Did cut his comb: and for to hyde this blemish from the eye He hydes his hurt with Sallow leaves, or else with sedge and reede. But of the selfsame Mayd the love killd thee, feerce Nesse, in deede, When percing swiftly through thy back an arrow made thee bleede. For as Joves issue with his wyfe was onward on his way In going to his countryward, enforst he was to stay At swift Euenus bank, bycause the streame was risen sore Above his bounds through rage of rayne that fell but late before. Agein so full of whoorlpooles and of gulles the channell was, That scarce a man could any where fynd place of passage. As Not caring for himself but for his wyfe he there did stand, This Nessus came unto him (who was strong of body and Knew well the foordes), and sayd: Use thou thy strength, O Hercules, In swimming. I will fynd the meanes this Ladie shall with ease Bee set uppon the further bank. So Hercules betooke His wyfe to Nessus. Shee for feare of him and of the brooke Lookte pale. Her husband as he had his quiver by his syde Of arrowes full, and on his backe his heavy Lyons hyde, (For to the further bank he erst his club and bow had cast) Said: Sith I have begonne, this brooke bothe must and shalbee past. He never casteth further doubts, nor seekes the calmest place, But through the roughest of the streame he cuts his way apace. Now as he on the furthersyde was taking up his bow, His heard his wedlocke shreeking out, and did hir calling know: And cryde to Nesse (who went about to deale unfaythfully In running with his charge away): Whoa, whither doost thou fly, Thou Royster thou, uppon vaine hope by swiftnesse to escape My hands? I say give eare thou Nesse for all thy double shape, And meddle not with that thats myne. Though no regard of mee


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/248

 Might move thee to refrayne from rape, thy father yit might bee A warning, who for offring shame to Juno now dooth feele Continuall torment in his limbes by turning on a wheele. For all that thou hast horses feete which doo so bolde thee make, Yit shalt thou not escape my hands. I will thee overtake With wound and not with feete. He did according as he spake. For with an arrow as he fled he strake him through the backe, And out before his brist ageine the hooked iron stacke. And when the same was pulled out, the blood amayne ensewd At both the holes with poyson foule of Lerna Snake embrewd: This blood did Nessus take, and said within himselfe: Well: sith I needes must dye, yet will I not dye unrevendgd. And with The same he staynd a shirt, and gave it unto Dyanyre, Assuring hir it had the powre to kindle Cupids fyre. A greate whyle after when the deedes of worthy Hercules Were such as filled all the world, and also did appease The hatred of his stepmother, as he uppon a day With conquest from Oechalia came, and was abowt to pay His vowes to Jove uppon the Mount of Cenye, tatling fame (Who in reporting things of truth delyghts to sauce the same With tales, and of a thing of nowght dooth ever greater grow Through false and newly forged lyes that shee hirself dooth sow) Told Dyanyre that Hercules did cast a liking to A Ladie called Iolee. And Dyanyra (whoo Was jealous over Hercules,) gave credit to the same. And when that of a Leman first the tidings to hir came, She being striken to the hart, did fall to teares alone, And in a lamentable wise did make most wofull mone. Anon she said: what meene theis teares thus gushing from myne eyen? My husbands Leman will rejoyce at theis same teares of myne. Nay, sith she is to come, the best it were to shonne delay, And for to woork sum new devyce and practyse whyle I may, Before that in my bed her limbes the filthy strumpet lay. And shall I then complayne? or shall I hold my toong with skill? Shall I returne to Calydon? or shall I tarry still? Or shall I get me out of doores, and let them have their will?


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/249

 What if that I (Meleager) remembring mee to bee Thy suster, to attempt sum act notorious did agree? And in a harlots death did shew (that all the world myght see) What greef can cause the womankynd to enterpryse among? And specially when thereunto they forced are by wrong. With wavering thoughts ryght violently her mynd was tossed long. At last shee did preferre before all others, for to send The shirt bestayned with the blood of Nessus to the end To quicken up the quayling love. And so not knowing what She gave, she gave her owne remorse and greef to Lychas that Did know as little as herself: and wretched woman, shee Desyrd him gently to her Lord presented it to see. The noble Prince receyving it without mistrust therein, Did weare the poyson of the Snake of Lerna next his skin. To offer incense and to pray to Jove he did begin, And on the Marble Altar he full boawles of wyne did shed, When as the poyson with the heate resolving, largely spred Through all the limbes of Hercules. As long as ere he could, The stoutnesse of his hart was such, that sygh no whit he would. But when the mischeef grew so great all pacience to surmount, He thrust the altar from him streight, and filled all the mount Of Oeta with his roring out. He went about to teare The deathfull garment from his backe, but where he pulled, there He pulld away the skin: and (which is lothsum to report) It eyther cleaved to his limbes and members in such sort As that he could not pull it off, or else it tare away The flesh, that bare his myghty bones and grisly sinewes lay. The scalding venim boyling in his blood, did make it hisse, As when a gad of steel red hot in water quenched is. There was no measure of his paine. The frying venim hent His inwards, and a purple swet from all his body went. His sindged sinewes shrinking crakt, and with a secret strength The povson even within his bones the Maree melts at length. And holding up his hands to heaven, he sayd, with hideous reere: O Saturnes daughter, feede thy selfe on my distresses heere. Yea feede, and, cruell wyght, this plage behold thou from above And glut thy savage hart therewith. Or if thy fo may move


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/250

 Thee unto pitie, (for to thee I am an utter fo) Bereeve mee of my hatefull soule distrest with helplesse wo, And borne to endlesse toyle. For death shall unto mee bee sweete, And for a cruell stepmother is death a gift most meetc. And is it I that did destroy Busiris, who did foyle His temple floores with straungers blood? Ist I that did dispoyle Antaeus of his mothers help? Ist I that could not bee Abashed at the Spanyard who in one had bodies three? Nor at the trypleheaded shape, O Cerberus, of thee? Are you the hands that by the homes the Bull of Candie drew? Did you king Augies stable clenze whom afterward yee slew? Are you the same by whom the fowles were scaard from Stymphaly? Caught you the Stag in Maydenwood which did not runne but fly? Are you the hands whose puissance receyved for your pay The golden belt of Thermodon? Did you convey away The Apples from the Dragon fell that waked nyght and day? Ageinst the force of mee, defence the Centaures could not make, Nor yit the Boare of Arcadie: nor yit the ougly Snake Of Lerna, who by losse did grow and dooble force still take. What? is it I that did behold the pampyred Jades of Thrace With Maungers full of flesh of men on which they fed apace? Ist I that downe at syght thereof theyr greazy Maungers threw, And bothe the fatted Jades themselves and eke their mayster slew? The Nemean Lyon by theis armes lyes dead uppon the ground. Theis armes the monstruous Giant Cake by Tyber did confound. Uppon theis shoulders have I borne the weyght of all the skie. Joves cruell wyfe is weerye of commaunding mee. Yit I Unweerie am of dooing still. But now on mee is lyght An uncoth plage, which neyther force of hand, nor vertues myght, Nor Arte is able to resist. Like wasting fyre it spreedes Among myne inwards, and through out on all my body feedes. But all this whyle Eurysthye lives in health. And sum men may Beeleve there bee sum Goddes in deede. Thus much did Hercule say. And wounded over Oeta hygh, he stalking gan to stray, As when a Bull in maymed bulk a deadly dart dooth beare, And that the dooer of the deede is shrunke asyde for feare. Oft syghing myght you him have seene, oft trembling, oft about


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/251

 To teare the garment with his hands from top to toe throughout, And throwing downe the myghtye trees, and chaufing with the hilles, Or casting up his handes to heaven where Jove his father dwelles. Behold as Lychas trembling in a hollow rock did lurk, He spyed him. And as his greef did all in furie woork, He sayd: Art thou, syr Lychas, he that broughtest unto mee This plagye present? of my death must thou the woorker bee? Hee quaakt and shaakt, and looked pale, and fearfully gan make Excuse. But as with humbled hands hee kneeling to him spake, The furious Hercule caught him up, and swindging him about His head a halfe a doozen tymes or more, he floong him out Into th'Euboyan sea with force surmounting any sling. He hardened into peble stone as in the ayre he hing. And even as rayne conjeald by wynd is sayd to turne to snowe, And of the snow round rolled up a thicker masse to growe, Which falleth downe in hayle: so men in auncient tyme report, That Lychas beeing swindgd about by violence in that sort, (His blood then beeing drayned out, and having left at all No moysture,) into peble stone was turned in his fall. Now also in th'Euboyan sea appeeres a hygh short rocke In shape of man ageinst the which the shipmen shun to knocke, As though it could them feele, and they doo call it by the name Of Lychas still. But thou Joves imp of great renowme and fame, Didst fell the trees of Oeta high, and making of the same A pyle, didst give to Poeans sonne thy quiver and thy bow, And arrowes which should help agein Troy towne to overthrow. He put to fyre, and as the same was kindling in the pyle, Thy selfe didst spred thy Lyons skin upon the wood the whyle, And leaning with thy head ageinst thy Club, thou laydst thee downe As cheerfully, as if with flowres and garlonds on thy crowne Thou hadst beene set a banquetting among full cups of wyne. Anon on every syde about those carelesse limbes of thyne The fyre began to gather strength, and crackling noyse did make, Assayling him whose noble hart for daliance did it take. The Goddes for this defender of the earth were sore afrayd To whom with cheerefull countnance Jove perceyving it thus sayd: This feare of yours is my delyght, and gladly even with all


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/252

 My hart I doo rejoyce, O Gods, that mortall folk mee call Their king and father, thinking mee ay myndfull of their weale, And that myne offspring should doo well your selves doo show such zeale. For though that you doo attribute your favor to desert, Considring his most woondrous acts: yit I too for my part Am bound unto you. Nerethelesse, for that I would not have Your faythfull harts without just cause in fearfull passions wave, I would not have you of the flames in Oeta make account. For as he hath all other things, so shall he them surmount. Save only on that part that he hath taken of his mother, The fyre shall have no power at all. Eternall is the tother, The which he takes of mee, and cannot dye, ne yeeld to fyre. When this is rid of earthly drosse, then will I lift it hygher, And take it unto heaven: and I beleeve this deede of myne Will gladsome bee to all the Gods. If any doo repyne, If any doo repyne, I say, that Hercule should become A God, repyne he still for mee, and looke he sowre and glum. But let him know that Hercules deserveth this reward, And that he shall ageinst his will alow it afterward. The Gods assented everychone. And Juno seemd to make No evill countnance to the rest, untill hir husband spake The last. For then her looke was such as well they might perceyve, Shee did her husbands noting her in evil part conceyve. Whyle Jove was talking with the Gods, as much as fyre could waste So much had fyre consumde. And now, O Hercules, thou haste No carkesse for to know thee by. That part is quyght bereft Which of thy mother thou didst take. Alonly now is left The likenesse that thou tookst of Jove. And as the Serpent slye In casting of his withered slough, renewes his yeeres thereby, And wexeth lustyer than before, and looketh crisp and bryght With scoured scales: so Hercules as soone as that his spryght Had left his mortall limbes, gan in his better part to thryve, And for to seeme a greater thing than when he was alyve, And with a stately majestie ryght reverend to appeere. His myghty father tooke him up above the cloudy spheere, And in a charyot placed him among the streaming starres. Huge Atlas felt the weyght thereof. But nothing this disbarres


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/253

 Eurysthyes malice. Cruelly he prosecutes the hate Uppon the offspring, which he bare ageinst the father late. But yit to make her mone unto and wayle her miserie And tell her sonnes great woorkes, which all the world could testifie, Old Alcmen had Dame Iolee. By Hercules last will In wedlocke and in hartie love shee joyned was to Hill, By whome shee then was big with chyld: when thus Alcmena sayd: The Gods at least bee mercifull and send thee then theyr ayd, And short thy labor, when the fruite the which thou goste withall Now beeing rype enforceth thee wyth fearfull voyce to call Uppon Ilithya, president of chyldbirthes, whom the ire Of Juno at my travailing made deaf to my desire. For when the Sun through twyce fyve signes his course had fully run, And that the paynfull day of birth approched of my sonne, My burthen strayned out my wombe, and that that I did beare Became so greate, that of so huge a masse yee well myght sweare That Jove was father. Neyther was I able to endure The travail any lenger tyme. Even now I you assure In telling it a shuddring cold through all my limbes dooth strike, And partly it renewes my peynes to thinke uppon the like. I beeing in most cruell throwes nyghts seven and dayes eke seven, And tyred with continuall pangs, did lift my hands to heaven, And crying out aloud did call Lucina to myne ayd, To loose the burthen from my wombe. Shee came as I had prayd: But so corrupted long before by Juno my most fo, That for to martir mee to death with peyne she purposde tho. For when shee heard my piteous plaints and gronings, downe shee sate On yon same altar which you see there standing at my gate. Upon her left knee shee had pitcht her right ham, and besyde Shee stayd the birth with fingars one within another tyde In lattiswyse. And secretly she whisperde witching spells Which hindred my deliverance more than all her dooings ells. I labord still: and forst by payne and torments of my Fitts, I rayld on Jove (although in vayne) as one besyde her witts. And av I wished for to dye. The woords that I did speake, Were such as even the hardest stones of very flint myght breake. The wyves of Thebee beeing there, for sauf deliverance prayd


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/254

 And giving cheerfull woords, did bid I should not bee dismayd. Among the other women there that to my labor came, There was an honest yeomans wyfe, Galantis was her name. Her heare was yellow as the gold, she was a jolly Dame. And stoutly served mee, and I did love her for the same. This wyfe (I know not how) did smell some packing gone about On Junos part. And as she oft was passing in and out, Shee spyde Lucina set uppon the altar holding fast Her armes togither on her knees, and with her fingars cast Within ech other on a knot, and sayd unto her thus: I pray you who so ere you bee, rejoyce you now with us, My Lady Alcmen hath her wish, and sauf is brought abed. Lucina leaped up amazde at that that shee had sed, And let her hands asunder slip. And I immediatly With loosening of the knot, had sauf deliverance by and by. They say that in deceyving Dame Lucina Galant laught. And therfore by the yellow locks the Goddesse wroth hir caught, And dragged her. And as she would have risen from the ground, She kept her downe, and into legges her armes shee did confound. Her former stoutnesse still remaynes: her backe dooth keepe the hew That erst was in her heare: her shape is only altered new. And for with lying mouth shee helpt a woman laboring, shee Dooth kindle also at her mouth. And now she haunteth free Our houses as shee did before, a Weasle as wee see. With that shee syghes to think uppon her servants hap, and then Her daughtrinlaw immediatly replied thus agen: But mother, shee whose altred shape dooth move your hart so sore, Was neyther kith nor kin to you. What will you say therefore, If of myne owne deere suster I the woondrous fortune show, Although my sorrow and the teares that from myne eyes doo flow, Doo hinder mee, and stop my speeche? Her mother (you must know My father by another wyfe had mee) bare never mo But this same Ladie Dryopee, the fayrest Ladye tho In all the land of Oechalye. Whom beeing then no mayd (For why the God of Delos and of Delphos had her frayd) Andraemon taketh to hys wyfe, and thinkes him well apayd. There is a certaine leaning Lake whose bowing banks doo show


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/255

 A likenesse of the salt sea shore. Uppon the brim doo grow All round about it Mirtletrees. My suster thither goes Unwares what was her destinie, and (which you may suppose Was more to bee disdeyned at) the cause of comming there Was to the fayries of the Lake fresh garlonds for to beare. And in her armes a babye her sweete burthen shee did hold. Who sucking on her brest was yit not full a twelvemoonth old. Not farre from this same pond did grow a Lote tree florisht gay With purple flowres and beries sweete, and leaves as greene as Bay. Of theis same flowres to please her boy my suster gathered sum, And I had thought to doo so too, for I was thither cum. I saw how from the slivered flowres red drops of blood did fall, And how that shuddring horribly the braunches quaakt withall. You must perceyve that (as too late the Countryfolk declare) A Nymph cald Lotos flying from fowle Pryaps filthy ware, Was turned into this same tree reserving still her name. My suster did not know so much, who when shee backward came Afrayd at that that shee had seene, and having sadly prayd The Nymphes of pardon, to have gone her way agen assayd: Her feete were fastned downe with rootes. Shee stryved all she myght To plucke them up, but they so sure within the earth were pyght, That nothing save her upper partes shee could that present move. A tender barke growes from beneath up leysurly above, And softly overspreddes her loynes, which when shee saw, shee went About to teare her heare, and full of leaves her hand shee hent. Her head was overgrowen with leaves. And little Amphise (so Had Eurytus his Graundsyre naamd her sonne not long ago) Did feele his mothers dugges wex hard. And as he still them drew In sucking, not a whit of milke nor moysture did ensew. I standing by thee did behold thy cruell chaunce: but nought I could releeve thee, suster myne. Yit to my powre I wrought To stay the growing of thy trunk and of thy braunches by Embracing thee. Yea I protest I would ryght willingly Have in the selfesame barke with thee bene closed up. Behold, Her husband, good Andraemon, and her wretched father, old Sir Eurytus came thither and enquyrd for Dryopee. And as they askt for Dryopee, I shewd them Lote the tree.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/256

 They kist the wood which yit was warme, and falling downe bylow, Did hug the rootes of that their tree. My suster now could show No part which was not wood except her face. A deawe of teares Did stand uppon the wretched leaves late formed of her heares. And whyle she might, and whyle her mouth did give her way to speake, With such complaynt as this, her mynd shee last or all did breake: If credit may bee given to such as are in wretchednesse, I sweare by God I never yit deserved this distresse. I suffer peyne without desert. My lyfe hath guiltlesse beene. And if I lye, I would theis boughes of mine which now are greene, Myght withered bee, and I heawen downe and burned in the fyre. This infant from his mothers wombe remove you I desyre: And put him forth to nurce, and cause him underneath my tree Oft tymes to sucke, and oftentymes to play. And when that hee Is able for to speake I pray you let him greete mee heere, And sadly say: in this same trunk is hid my mother deere. But lerne him for to shun all ponds and pulling flowres from trees, And let him in his heart beleeve that all the shrubs he sees, Are bodyes of the Goddesses. Adew deere husband now, Adew deere father, and adew deere suster. And in yow If any love of mee remayne, defend my boughes I pray From wound of cutting hooke and ax, and bite of beast for ay. And for I cannot stoope to you, rayse you yourselves to mee, And come and kisse mee whyle I may yit toucht and kissed bee. And lift mee up my little boy. I can no lenger talke,      ^ For now about my lillye necke as if it were a stalke The tender rynd beginnes to creepe, and overgrowes my top. Remove your fingars from my face. The spreading barke dooth stop My dying eyes without your help. Shee had no sooner left Her talking, but her lyfe therewith togither was bereft. But yit a goodwhyle after that her native shape did fade, Her newmade boughes continewed warme. Now whyle that Iole made Report of this same woondrous tale, and whyle Alcmena (who Did weepe) was drying up the teares of Iole weeping too, By putting to her thomb: there hapt a sodeine thing so straunge, That unto mirth from heavinesse theyr harts it streight did chaunge. For at the doore in manner even a very boy as then


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/257

 With short soft Downe about his chin, revoked backe agen To youthfull yeares, stood Iolay with countnance smooth and trim. Dame Hebee, Junos daughter, had bestowde this gift on him, Entreated at his earnest sute. Whom mynding fully there The giving of like gift ageine to any to forsweare, Dame Themis would not suffer. For (quoth shee) this present howre Is cruell warre in Thebee towne, and none but Jove hath powre To vanquish stately Canapey. The brothers shall alike Wound eyther other. And alyve a Prophet shall go seeke His owne quicke ghoste among the dead, the earth him swallowing in. The sonne by taking vengeance for his fathers death shall win The name of kynd and wicked man, in one and selfsame cace. And flayght with mischeefes, from his wits and from his native place The furies and his mothers ghoste shall restlessely him chace, Untill his wyfe demaund of him the fatall gold for meede, And that his cousin Phegies swoord doo make his sydes to bleede. Then shall the fayre Callirrhoee, Achelous daughter, pray The myghty Jove in humble wyse to graunt her children may Retyre ageine to youthfull yeeres, and that he will not see The death of him that did revenge unvenged for to bee. Jove moved at her sute shall cause his daughtrinlaw to give Like gift, and backe from age to youth Callirrhoes children drive. When Themis through foresyght had spoke theis woords of prophesie, The Gods began among themselves vayne talke to multiplie, They mooyld why others myght not give like gift as well as shee. First Pallants daughter grudged that her husband old should bee. The gentle Ceres murmurde that her Iasions heare was hore. And Vulcane would have calld ageine the yeeres long spent before By Ericthonius. And the nyce Dame Venus having care Of tyme to come, the making yong of old Anchises sware. So every God had one to whom he speciall favor bare. And through this partiall love of theyrs seditiously increast A hurlyburly, till the time that Jove among them preast, And sayd: So smally doo you stand in awe of mee this howre, As thus too rage? Thinkes any of you himself to have such powre, As for to alter destinye? I tell you Iolay Recovered hath by destinye his yeeres erst past away,


text:
Page:Language and the Study of Language.djvu/296

274 The separation of neuter from masculine was both later in origin and less substantially marked, having little to do with suffixes of derivation, and extending through only a small part of the declensional endings (it is mainly limited to the nominative and accusative).

This system of Indo-European declension has suffered not less change in the history of the various branches of the family than has that of conjugational inflection. The dual number was long ago given up, as of insignificant practical value, by most of the branches: the oldest Aryan dialects exhibit it most fully; it also makes some figure in ancient Greek; but even the most antique Germanic tongues have a dual only in the personal pronouns of the first and second persons; and the Latin shows but the faintest traces of it (in the peculiar nominative and accusative endings of duo, 'two,' and ambo, 'both'). As regards, again, the cases, the complete scheme only appears in the Indian and Persian; and even there the process of its reduction has begun, by the fusion, in one or another number, and in one or another class of words, of two cases into one—that is to say, the loss of the one as a distinct form, and the transference of its functions to another. In the oldest known condition of the classic tongues, this process has gone yet farther; in Latin, the locative and instrumental are thus fused with the dative and ablative; and in Greek, the genitive and ablative have been also compressed into one. The oldest Germanic dialects have nominative, accusative, genitive, and dative; with traces of the instrumental, which the later tongues have lost. But the modern development of the prepositions, and their rise to importance as independent indicators of the relations formerly expressed by the case-endings, has brought with it a yet more sweeping abandonment of the latter. We, in English, have saved a single oblique case, the ancient genitive, so restricting its use at the same time as to make a simple "possessive" of it—and further, among the pronouns, an accusative or "objective" (me, us, etc., and whom); in the Romanic languages, the noun has become wholly stripped of case-inflection. In what manner we have rid ourselves of the distinctions of


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/258

 Callirrhoes children must returne to youth by destiny, And not by force of armes, or sute susteynd ambitiously. And to th'entent with meelder myndes yee may this matter beare, Even I myself by destinyes am rulde. Which if I were Of power to alter, thinke you that our Aeacus should stoope By reason of his feeble age? or Radamanth should droope? Or Minos, who by reason of his age is now disdeynd, And lives not in so sure a state as heretofore he reygnd? The woords of Jove so movd the Gods that none of them complaynd, Sith Radamanth and Aeacus were both with age constreynd: And Minos also: who (as long as lusty youth did last,) Did even with terror of his name make myghty Realmes agast. But then was Minos weakened sore, and greatly stood in feare Of Milet, one of Deyons race: who proudly did him beare Uppon his father Phoebus and the stoutnesse of his youth. And though he feard he would rebell: yit durst he not his mouth Once open for to banish him his Realme: untill at last Departing of his owne accord, Miletus swiftly past The Gotesea and did build a towne uppon the Asian ground, Which still reteynes the name of him that first the same did found. And there the daughter of the brooke Maeander which dooth go So often backward, Cyane, a Nymph of body so Exceeding comly as the lyke was seldome heard of, as Shee by her fathers wynding bankes for pleasure walking was, Was knowen by Milet: unto whom a payre of twinnes shee brought, And of the twinnes the names were Caune and Byblis. Byblis ought To bee a mirror unto Maydes in lawfull wyse to love. This Byblis cast a mynd to Caune, but not as did behove A suster to her brotherward. When first of all the fyre Did kindle, shee perceyvd it not. Shee thought in her desyre Of kissing him so oftentymes no sin, ne yit no harme In cleeping him about the necke so often with her arme. The glittering glosse of godlynesse beguyld her long. Her love Began from evill unto woorse by little too remove. Shee commes to see her brother deckt in brave and trim attyre, And for to seeme exceeding fayre it was her whole desyre. And if that any fayrer were in all the flocke than shee,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/259

 It spyghts her. In what case she was as yit shee did not see. Her heate exceeded not so farre as for to vow: and yit Shee suffred in her troubled brist full many a burning fit. Now calleth shee him mayster, now shee utter hateth all The names of kin. Shee rather had he should her Byblis call Than suster. Yit no filthy hope shee durst permit to creepe Within her mynd awake. But as shee lay in quiet sleepe, Shee oft behild her love: and oft she thought her brother came And lay with her, and (though asleepe) shee blushed at the same. When sleepe was gone, she long lay dumb still musing on the syght, And said with wavering mynd: Now wo is mee, most wretched wyght. What meenes the image of this dreame that I have seene this nyght? I would not wish it should bee trew. Why dreamed I then so? Sure hee is fayre although hee should bee judged by his fo. He likes mee well, and were he not my brother, I myght set My love on him, and he were mee ryght woorthy for to get, But unto this same match the name of kinred is a let. Well, so that I awake doo still mee undefylde keepe, Let come as often as they will such dreamings in my sleepe. In sleepe there is no witnesse by. In sleepe yit may I take As greate a pleasure (in a sort) as if I were awake. Oh Venus and thy tender sonne, Sir Cupid, what delyght, How present feeling of your sport hath touched mee this nyght. How lay I as it were resolvd both maree, flesh, and bone. How gladdes it mee to thinke thereon. Alas too soone was gone That pleasure, and too hastye and despyghtfull was the nyght In breaking of my joyes. O Lord, if name of kinred myght Betweene us two removed bee, how well it would agree, O Caune, that of thy father I the daughtrinlaw should bee. How fitly myght my father have a sonneinlaw of thee. Would God that all save auncesters were common to us twayne. I would thou were of nobler stocke than I. I cannot sayne, O perle of beautie, what shee is whom thou shalt make a mother. Alas how ill befalles it mee that I could have none other Than those same parents which are thyne. So only still my brother And not my husband mayst thou bee. The thing that hurts us bothe Is one, and that betweene us ay inseparably gothe.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/260

 What meene my dreames then? what effect have dreames? and may there bee Effect in dreames? The Gods are farre in better case than wee. For why? the Gods have matched with theyr susters as wee see. So Saturne did alie with Ops, the neerest of his blood. So Tethys with Oceanus: So Jove did think it good To take his suster Juno to his wyfe. What then? the Goddes Have lawes and charters by themselves. And sith there is such oddes Betweene the state of us and them, why should I sample take, Our worldly matters equall with the heavenly things to make? This wicked love shall eyther from my hart be driven away, Or if it can not bee expulst, God graunt I perish may, And that my brother kisse me, layd on Herce to go to grave. But my desyre the full consent of both of us dooth crave. Admit the matter liketh me. He will for sin it take. But yit the sonnes of Aeolus no scrupulousnesse did make In going to theyr susters beds. And how come I to know The feates of them? To what intent theis samples doo I show? Ah whither am I headlong driven? avaunt foule filthy fyre: And let mee not in otherwyse than susterlyke desyre My brothers love. Yit if that he were first in love with mee, His fondnesse to inclyne unto perchaunce I could agree. Shall I therefore who would not have rejected him if hee Had sude to mee, go sue to him? and canst thou speake in deede? And canst thou utter forth thy mynd? and tell him of thy neede? My love will make mee speake. I can. Or if that shame doo stay My toong, a sealed letter shall my secret love bewray. This likes her best. Uppon this poynt now restes her doubtful mynd. So raysing up herself uppon her leftsyde shee enclynd, And leaning on her elbow sayd: Let him advyse him what To doo, for I my franticke love will utter playne and flat. Alas to what ungraciousnesse intend I for to fall? What furie raging in my hart my senses dooth appall? In thinking so, with trembling hand shee framed her to wryght The matter that her troubled mynd in musing did indyght. Her ryght hand holdes the pen, her left dooth hold the empty wax. She ginnes. Shee doutes, shee wryghtes: shee in the tables findeth lacks. She notes, she blurres, dislikes, and likes: and chaungeth this for that.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/261

 Shee layes away the booke, and takes it up. Shee wotes not what She would herself. What ever thing shee myndeth for to doo Misliketh her. A shamefastnesse with boldenesse mixt thereto Was in her countnance. Shee had once writ Suster: Out agen The name of Suster for to raze shee thought it best. And then She snatcht the tables up, and did theis following woords ingrave: The health which if thou give her not shee is not like to have Thy lover wisheth unto thee. I dare not ah for shame I dare not tell thee who I am, nor let thee heare my name. And if thou doo demaund of mee what thing I doo desyre, Would God that namelesse I myght pleade the matter I requyre, And that I were unknowen to thee by name of Byblis, till Assurance of my sute were wrought according to my will. As tokens of my wounded hart myght theis to thee appeere: My colour pale, my body leane, my heavy mirthlesse cheere, My watry eyes, my sighes without apparent causes why, My oft embracing of thee: and such kisses (if perdye Thou marked them) as very well thou might have felt and found Not for to have beene Susterlike. But though with greevous wound I then were striken to the hart, although the raging flame Did burne within: yit take I God to witnesse of the same, I did as much as lay in mee this outrage for to tame. And long I stryved (wretched wench) to scape the violent Dart Of Cupid. More I have endurde of hardnesse and of smart, Than any wench (a man would think) were able to abyde. Force forceth mee to shew my case which faine I still would hyde, And mercy at thy gentle hand in fearfull wyse to crave. Thou only mayst the lyfe of mee thy lover spill or save. Choose which thou wilt. No enmy craves this thing: but such a one As though shee bee alyde so sure as surer can bee none, Yit covets shee more surely yit alyed for to bee, And with a neerer kynd of band to link her selfe to thee. Let aged folkes have skill in law: to age it dooth belong To keepe the rigor of the lawes and search out ryght from wrong. Such youthfull yeeres as ours are yit rash folly dooth beseeme. Wee know not what is lawfull yit. And therefore wee may deeme That all is lawfull that wee list: ensewing in the same


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/262

 The dooings of the myghtye Goddes. Not dread of worldly shame Nor yit our fathers roughnesse, no nor fearfulnesse should let Our purpose. Only let all feare asyde be wholy set. ~Wee underneath the name of kin our pleasant scapes may hyde. Thou knowest I have libertie to talke with thee asyde, And openly wee kysse and cull. And what is all the rest That wants? Have mercy on mee now, who playnly have exprest My case: which thing I had not done, but that the utter rage Of love constreynes mee thereunto the which I cannot swage. Deserve not on my tumb thy name subscribed for to have, That thou art he whose cruelnesse did bring mee to my grave. Thus much shee wrate in vayne, and wax did want her to indyght, And in the margent she was fayne the latter verse to wryght. Immediatly to seale her shame shee takes a precious stone, The which shee moystes with teares: from tung the moysture quight was gone. She calld a servant shamefastly, and after certaine fayre And gentle woords: My trusty man, I pray thee beare this payre Of tables (quoth shee) to my (and a great whyle afterward Shee added) brother. Now through chaunce or want of good regard The table slipped downe to ground in reaching to him ward. The handsell troubled sore her mynd. But yit shee sent them. And Her servant spying tyme did put them into Caunyes hand. Maeanders nephew sodeinly in anger floong away The tables ere he half had red, (scarce able for to stay His fistocke from the servants face who quaakt) and thus did say: Avaunt, thou baudye ribawd, whyle thou mayst. For were it not For shame I should have killed thee. Away afrayd he got, And told his mistresse of the feerce and cruell answer made By Caunye. By and by the hew of Byblis gan to fade, And all her body was benumd with Icie colde for feare To heere of this repulse. Assoone as that her senses were Returnd ageine, her furious flames returned with her witts. And thus shee sayd so soft that scarce hir toong the ayer hitts: And woorthely. For why was I so rash as to discover By hasty wryghting this my wound which most I ought to cover? I should with dowtfull glauncing woords have felt his humor furst, And made a trayne to trye him if pursue or no he durst.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/263

 I should have vewed first the coast, to see the weather cleere, And then I myght have launched sauf and boldly from the peere. But now I hoyst up all my sayles before I tryde the wynd: And therfore am I driven uppon the rockes against my mynd, And all the sea dooth overwhelme mee. Neyther may I fynd The meanes to get to harbrough, or from daunger to retyre. Why did not open tokens warne to bridle my desyre, Then when the tables falling in delivering them declaard My hope was vaine? And ought not I then eyther to have spaard From sending them as that day? or have chaunged whole my mynd? Nay rather shifted of the day? For had I not beene blynd Even God himself by soothfast signes the sequele seemd to hit. Yea rather than to wryghting thus my secrets to commit, I should have gone and spoke myself, and presently have showde My fervent love. He should have seene how teares had from mee flowde. Hee should have seene my piteous looke ryght loverlike. I could Have spoken more than into those my tables enter would. About his necke against his will, myne armes I myght have wound And had he shaakt me off, I myght have seemed for to swound. I humbly myght have kist his feete, and kneeling on the ground Besought him for to save my lyfe. All theis I myght have proved, Wherof although no one alone his stomacke could have moved, Yit all togither myght have made his hardened hart relent. Perchaunce there was some fault in him that was of message sent. He stept unto him bluntly (I beleeve) and did not watch Convenient tyme, in merrie kew at leysure him to catch. Theis are the things that hindred mee. For certeinly I knowe No sturdy stone nor massy steele dooth in his stomacke grow. He is not made of Adamant. He is no Tygers whelp. He never sucked Lyonesse. He myght with little help Bee vanquisht. Let us give fresh charge uppon him. Whyle I live Without obteyning victorie I will not over give. For firstly (if it lay in mee my dooings to revoke) I should not have begonne at all. But seeing that the stroke Is given, the second poynt is now to give the push to win. For neyther he (although that I myne enterpryse should blin) Can ever whyle he lives forget my deede. And sith I shrink,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/264

 My love was lyght, or else I meant to trap him, he shall think. Or at the least he may suppose that this my rage of love Which broyleth so within my brest, proceedes not from above By Cupids stroke, but of some foule and filthy lust. In fyne I cannot but to wickednesse now more and more inclyne. By wryghting is my sute commenst: my meening dooth appeere: And though I cease: yit can I not accounted bee for cleere. Now that that dooth remayne behynd is much as in respect My fond desyre to satisfy: and little in effect To aggravate my fault withall. Thus much shee sayd. And so Unconstant was her wavering mynd still floting to and fro, That though it irkt her for to have attempted, yit proceedes Shee in the selfsame purpose of attempting, and exceedes All measure, and, unhappy wench, shee takes from day to day Repulse upon repulse, and yit shee hath not grace to stay. Soone after when her brother saw there was with her no end, He fled his countrie forbycause he would not so offend, And in a forreine land did buyld a Citie. Then men say That Byblis through despayre and thought all wholy did dismay. Shee tare her garments from her brest, and furiously shee wroong Her hands, and beete her armes, and like a bedlem with her toong Confessed her unlawfull love. But beeing of the same Dispoynted, shee forsooke her land and hatefull house for shame, And followed after flying Caune. And as the Froes of Thrace In dooing of the three yeere rites of Bacchus: in lyke cace The maryed wyves of Bubasie saw Byblis howling out Through all theyr champion feeldes, the which shee leaving, ran about In Caria to the Lelegs who are men in battell stout, And so to Lycia. Shee had past Crag, Limyre, and the brooke Of Xanthus, and the countrie where Chymaera that same pooke Hath Goatish body, Lions head and brist, and Dragons tayle, When woods did want: and Byblis now beginning for to quayle Through weerynesse in following Caune, sank down and layd her hed Ageinst the ground, and kist the leaves that wynd from trees had shed. The Nymphes of Caria went about in tender armes to take Her often up. They oftentymes perswaded her to slake


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/265

Rh Her love. And woords of comfort to her deafe eard mynd they spake. Shee still lay dumbe: and with her nayles the greenish herbes shee hild, And moysted with a streame of teares the grasse upon the feeld. The waternymphes (so folk report) put under her a spring, Whych never myght be dryde: and could they give a greater thing? Immediatly even like as when yee wound a pitchtree rynd, The gum dooth issue out in droppes: or as the westerne wynd With gentle blast toogither with the warmth of Sunne, unbynd The yee: or as the clammy kynd of cement which they call Bitumen issueth from the ground full fraughted therewithall: So Phoebus neece, Dame Byblis, then consuming with her teares, Was turned to a fountaine, which in those same vallyes beares The tytle of the founder still, and gusheth freshly out From underneath a Sugarchest as if it were a spowt. The fame of this same wondrous thing perhappes had filled all The hundred Townes of Candye had a greater not befall More neerer home by Iphys meanes transformed late before. For in the shyre of Phestos hard by Gnossus dwelt of yore A yeoman of the meaner sort that Lyctus had to name. His stocke was simple, and his welth according to the same. Howbee't his lyfe so upryght was, as no man could it blame. He came unto his wyfe then big and ready downe to lye, And sayd: Two things I wish thee. T'one, that when thou out shalt crye, Thou mayst dispatch with little payne: the other that thou have A Boay. For Gyrles to bring them up a greater cost doo crave. And I have no abilitie. And therefore if thou bring A wench (it goes ageinst my heart to thinke uppon the thing) Although ageinst my will, I charge it streyght destroyed bee. The bond of nature needes must beare in this behalf with mee This sed, both wept exceedingly, as well the husband who Did give commaundement, as the wyfe that was commaunded too. Yit Telethusa earnestly at Lyct her husband lay, (Although in vayne) to have good hope, and of himselfe more stay. But he was full determined. Within a whyle, the day Approched that the frute was rype, and shee did looke to lay Her belly every mynute: when at midnyght in her rest Stood by her (or did seeme to stand) the Goddesse Isis, drest And trayned with the solemne pomp of all her rytes. Two homes Uppon


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/266

 Uppon her forehead lyke the moone, with eares of rypened comes Stood glistring as the burnisht gold. Moreover shee did weare A rich and stately diademe. Attendant on her were The barking bug Anubis, and the saint of Bubast, and The pydecote Apis, and the God that gives to understand By fingar holden to his lippes that men should silence keepe, And Lybian wormes whose strnging dooth enforce continuall sleepe, And thou, Osyris, whom the folk of Aegypt ever seeke, And never can have sought inough, and Rittlerattles eke. Then even as though that Telethuse had fully beene awake, And seene theis things with open eyes, thus Isis to her spake: My servant Telethusa, cease this care, and breake the charge Of Lyct. And when Lucina shall have let thy frute at large, Bring up the same what ere it bee. I am a Goddesse who Delyghts in helping folke at neede. I hither come to doo Thee good. Thou shalt not have a cause hereafter to complayne Of serving of a Goddesse that is thanklesse for thy payne. When Isis had this comfort given, shee went her way agayne. A joyfull wyght rose Telethuse, and lifting to the sky Her hardened hands, did pray hir dreame myght woorke effectually. Her throwes increast, and forth alone anon the burthen came, A wench was borne to Lyctus who knew nothing of the same. The mother making him beleeve it was a boay, did bring It up, and none but shee and nurce were privie to the thing. The father thanking God did give the chyld the Graundsyres name, The which was Iphys. Joyfull was the moother of the same, Bycause the name did serve alike to man and woman bothe, And so the lye through godly guile forth unperceyved gothe. The garments of it were a boayes. The face of it was such As eyther in a boay or gyrle of beawtie uttered much. When Iphys was of thirteene yeeres, her father did insure The browne Ianthee unto her, a wench of looke demure, Commended for her favor and her person more than all The Maydes of Phestos: Telest, men her fathers name did call. He dwelt in Dyctis. They were bothe of age and favor leeke, And under both one schoolemayster they did for nurture seeke. And hereupon the hartes of both, the dart of Love did streeke,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/267

 And wounded both of them aleeke. But unlike was theyr hope. Both longed for the wedding day togither for to cope. For whom Ianthee thinkes to bee a man, shee hopes to see Her husband. Iphys loves whereof shee thinkes shee may not bee Partaker, and the selfesame thing augmenteth still her flame. Herself a Mayden with a Mayd (ryght straunge) in love became. Shee scarce could stay her teares. What end remaynes for mee (quoth shee) How straunge a love? how uncoth? how prodigious reygnes in mee? If that the Gods did favor mee, they should destroy mee quyght. Of if they would not mee destroy, at least wyse yit they myght Have given mee such a maladie as myght with nature stond, Or nature were acquainted with. A Cow is never fond Uppon a Cow, nor Mare on Mare. The Ram delyghts the Eawe, The Stag the Hynde, the Cocke the Hen. But never men could shew, That female yit was tane in love with female kynd. O would To God I never had beene borne. Yit least that Candy should Not bring foorth all that monstruous were, the daughter of the Sonne Did love a Bull. Howbee't there was a Male to dote uppon. My love is furiouser than hers, if truthe confessed bee. For shee was fond of such a lust as myght bee compast. Shee Was served by a Bull beguyld by Art in Cow of tree. And one there was for her with whom advowtrie to commit. If all the conning in the worlde and slyghts of suttle wit Were heere, or if that Daedalus himselfe with uncowth wing Of Wax should hither fly againe, what comfort should he bring? Could he with all his conning crafts now make a boay of mee? Or could he, O Ianthee, chaunge the native shape of thee? Nay rather, Iphys, settle thou thy mynd and call thy witts Abowt thee: shake thou off theis flames that foolishly by fitts Without all reason reigne. Thou seest what Nature hathe thee made (Onlesse thow wilt deceyve thy selfe.) So farre foorth wysely wade, As ryght and reason may support, and love as women ought. Hope is the thing that breedes desyre, hope feedes the amorous thought. This hope thy sex denieth thee. Not watching doth restreyne Thee from embracing of the thing wherof thou art so fayne. Nor yit the Husbands jealowsie, nor rowghnesse of her Syre, Nor yit the coynesse of the Wench dooth hinder thy desyre.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/268

 And yit thou canst not her enjoy. No, though that God and man Should labor to their uttermost and doo the best they can In thy behalfe, they could not make a happy wyght of thee. I cannot wish the thing but that I have it. Frank and free The Goddes have given mee what they could. As I will, so will bee That must become my fathrinlaw. So willes my father, too. But nature stronger than them all consenteth not thereto. This hindreth mee, and nothing else. Behold the blisfull tyme, The day of Mariage is at hand. Ianthee shalbee myne, And yit I shall not her enjoy. Amid the water wee Shall thirst. O Juno, president of mariage, why with thee Comes Hymen to this wedding where no brydegroome you shall see, But bothe are Brydes that must that day togither coupled bee? This spoken, shee did hold hir peace. And now the tother mayd Did burne as hote in love as shee. And earnestly shee prayd The brydale day myght come with speede. The thing for which shee longd Dame Telethusa fearing sore, from day to day prolongd The tyme, oft feyning siknesse, oft pretending shee had seene Ill tokens of successe. At length all shifts consumed beene. The wedding day so oft delayd was now at hand. The day Before it, taking from her head the kercheef quyght away, And from her daughters head likewyse, with scattred heare she layd Her handes upon the Altar, and with humble voyce thus prayd: O Isis, who doost haunt the towne of Paretonie, and The feeldes by Maraeotis lake, and Pharos which dooth stand By Alexandria, and the Nyle divided into seven Great channels, comfort thou my feare, and send mee help from heaven, Thyself, O Goddesse, even thyself, and theis thy relikes I Did once behold and knew them all: as well thy company As eke thy sounding rattles, and thy cressets burning by, And myndfully I marked what commaundement thou didst give. That I escape unpunished, that this same wench dooth live, Thy counsell and thy hest it is. Have mercy now on twayne, And help us. With that word the teares ran downe her cheekes amayne. The Goddesse seemed for to move her Altar: and in deede She moved it. The temple doores did tremble like a reede. And homes in likenesse to the Moone about the Church did shyne.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/269

 And Rattles made a raughtish noyse. At this same luckie signe, Although not wholy carelesse, yit ryght glad shee went away. And Iphys followed after her with larger pace than ay Shee was accustomd. And her face continued not so whyght. Her strength encreased, and her looke more sharper was to syght. Her heare grew shorter, and shee had a much more lively spryght, Than when shee was a wench. For thou, O Iphys, who ryght now A modther wert, art now a boay. With offrings both of yow To Church retyre, and there rejoyce with fayth unfearfull. They With offrings went to Church ageine, and there theyr vowes did pay. They also set a table up, which this breef meeter had: The vowes that Iphys vowd a wench he hath performd a Lad. Next morrow over all the world did shine with lightsome flame, When Iuno, and Dame Venus, and Sir Hymen joyntly came To Iphys mariage, who as then transformed to a boay Did take Ianthee to his wyfe, and so her love enjoy.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/270

Rom thence in saffron colourd robe flew Hymen through ayre, And into Thracia beeing called by Orphy did repayre. He came in deede at Orphyes call: but neyther did he sing The woordes of that solemnitie, nor merry countnance bring, Nor any handsell of good lucke. His torch with drizling smoke Was dim: the same to burne out cleere, no stirring could provoke. The end was woorser than the signe. For as the Bryde did rome Abrode accompanyde with a trayne of Nymphes to bring her home, A serpent lurking in the grasse did sting her in the ancle: Whereof shee dyde incontinent, so swift the bane did rancle. Whom when the Thracian Poet had bewayld sufficiently On earth, the Ghostes departed hence he minding for to trie, Downe at the gate of Tænarus did go to Limbo lake. And thence by gastly folk and soules late buried he did take His journey to Persephonee and to the king of Ghosts That like a Lordly tyran reignes in those unpleasant coasts. And playing on his tuned harp he thus began to sound: O you, the Sovereines of the world set underneath the ground, To whome wee all (what ever thing is made of mortall kynd) Repayre, if by your leave I now may freely speake my mynd, I come not hither as a spye the shady Hell to see: Nor yet the foule three headed Curre whose heares all Adders bee To tye in cheynes. The cause of this my vyage is my wyfe Whose foote a Viper stinging did abridge her youthfull lyfe. I would have borne it paciently: and so to doo I strave, But Love surmounted powre. This God is knowen great force to have Above on earth. And whether he reigne heere or no I dowt. But I beleeve hee reignes heere too. If fame that flies abowt Of former rape report not wrong, Love coupled also yow. By theis same places full of feare: by this huge Chaos now, And by the stilnesse of this waste and emptye Kingdome, I Beseech yee of Eurydicee unreele the destinye That was so swiftly reeled up. All things to you belong. And though wee lingring for a whyle our pageants do prolong,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/271

 Yit soone or late wee all to one abyding place doo rome: Wee haste us hither all: this place becomes our latest home: And you doo over humaine kynd reigne longest tyme. Now when This woman shall have lived full her tyme, shee shall agen Become your owne. The use of her but for a whyle I crave. And if the Destnyes for my wyfe denye mee for to have Releace, I fully am resolvd for ever heere to dwell. Rejoyce you in the death of both. As he this tale did tell, And played on his instrument, the bloodlesse ghostes shed teares: To tyre on Titius growing hart the greedy Grype forbeares: The shunning water Tantalus endevereth not to drink: And Danaus daughters ceast to fill theyr tubbes that have no brink. Ixions wheele stood still: and downe sate Sisyphus uppon His rolling stone. Then first of all (so fame for truth hath gone) The Furies beeing striken there with pitie at his song Did weepe. And neyther Pluto nor his Ladie were so strong And hard of stomacke to withhold his just petition long. They called foorth Eurydicee who was as yit among The newcome Ghosts, and limped of her wound. Her husband tooke Her with condicion that he should not backe uppon her looke, Untill the tyme that hee were past the bounds of Limbo quyght: Or else to lose his gyft. They tooke a path that steepe upryght Rose darke and full of foggye mist. And now they were within A kenning of the upper earth, when Orphye did begin To dowt him lest shee followed not, and through an eager love Desyrous for to see her he his eyes did backward move. Immediatly shee slipped backe. He retching out his hands, Desyrous to bee caught and for to ketch her grasping stands. But nothing save the slippry aire (unhappy man) he caught. Shee dying now the second tyme complaynd of Orphye naught. For why what had shee to complayne, onlesse it were of love Which made her husband backe agen his eyes uppon her move? Her last farewell shee spake so soft, that scarce he heard the sound, And then revolted to the place in which he had her found. This double dying of his wife set Orphye in a stound, No lesse than him who at the syght of Plutos dreadfull Hound That on the middle necke of three dooth beare an iron cheyne,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/272

 Was striken in a sodein feare and could it not restreyne, Untill the tyme his former shape and nature beeing gone, His body quyght was overgrowne, and turned into stone. Or than the foolish Olenus, who on himself did take Anothers fault, and giltlesse needes himself would giltie make, Togither with his wretched wyfe Lethæa, for whose pryde They both becomming stones, doo stand even yit on watry Ide. He would have gone to Hell ageine, and earnest sute did make: But Charon would not suffer him to passe the Stygian lake. Seven dayes he sate forlorne uppon the bank and never eate A bit of bread. Care, teares, and thought, and sorrow were his meate And crying out uppon the Gods of Hell as cruell, hee Withdrew to lofty Rhodopee and Heme which beaten bee With Northern wynds. Three tymes the Sunne had passed through the sheere And watry signe of Pisces and had finisht full the yeere, And Orphye (were it that his ill successe hee still did rew, Or that he vowed so to doo) did utterly eschew The womankynd. Yit many a one desyrous were to match With him, but he them with repulse did all alike dispatch. He also taught the Thracian folke a stewes of Males to make And of the flowring pryme of boayes the pleasure for to take. There was a hyll, and on the hyll a verie levell plot, Fayre greene with grasse. But as for shade or covert was there not. As soone as that this Poet borne of Goddes, in that same place Sate downe and toucht his tuned strings, a shadow came apace. There wanted neyther Chaons tree, nor yit the trees to which Fresh Phaetons susters turned were, nor Beeche, nor Holme, nor Wich, Nor gentle Asp, nor wyvelesse Bay, nor lofty Chestnuttree. Nor Hazle spalt, nor Ash wherof the shafts of speares made bee. Nor knotlesse Firre, nor cheerfull Plane, nor Maple flecked grayne. Nor Lote, nor Sallow which delights by waters to remayne. Nor slender twigged Tamarisk, nor Box ay greene of hew. Nor Figtrees loden with theyr frute of colours browne and blew. Nor double colourd Myrtletrees. Moreover thither came The wrything Ivye, and the Vyne that runnes uppon a frame, Elmes clad with Vynes, and Ashes wyld and Pitchtrees blacke as cole, And full of trees with goodly frute red stryped, Ortyards whole.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/273

 And Palmetrees lythe which in reward of conquest men doo beare, And Pynapple with tufted top and harsh and prickling heare, The tree to Cybele, mother of the Goddes, most deere. For why? Her minion Atys putting off the shape of man, did dye, And hardened into this same tree. Among this companee Was present with a pyked top the Cypresse, now a tree, Sumtime a boay beloved of the God that with a string Dooth arme his bow, and with a string in tune his Violl bring. For hallowed to the Nymphes that in the feeldes of Carthye were There was a goodly myghty Stag whose homes such bredth did beare, As that they shadowed all his head. His homes of gold did shyne, And downe his brest hung from his necke, a cheyne with jewels fyne. Amid his frunt with prettie strings a tablet beeing tyde, Did waver as he went: and from his eares on eyther syde Hung perles of all one growth about his hollow temples bryght. This goodly Spitter beeing voyd of dread, as having quyght Forgot his native fearefulnesse, did haunt mens houses, and Would suffer folk (yea though unknowen) to coy him with theyr hand. But more than unto all folke else he deerer was to thee O Cyparisse, the fayrest Wyght that ever man did see In Cœa. Thou to pastures, thou to water springs him led, Thou wreathedst sundry flowres betweene his homes uppon his hed. Sumtyme a horsman thou his backe for pleasure didst bestryde, And haltring him with silken bit from place to place didst ryde. In summer tyme about hygh noone when Titan with his heate Did make the hollow crabbed cleas of Cancer for to sweate, Unweeting Cyparissus with a Dart did strike this Hart Quyght through. And when that of the wound he saw he must depart, He purposd for to die himself. What woords of comfort spake Not Phoebus to him? willing him the matter lyght to take And not more sorrow for it than was requisite to make. But still the Lad did sygh and sob, and as his last request Desyred God he myght thenceforth from moorning never rest. Anon through weeping overmuch his blood was drayned quyght: His limbes wext greene: his heare which hung upon his forehead whyght Began to bee a bristled bush: and taking by and by A stiffnesse, with a sharpened top did face the starrie skye.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/274

 The God did sigh, and sadly sayd: Myselfe shall moorne for thee, And thou for others: and ay one in moorning thou shalt bee. Such wood as this had Orphye drawen about him as among The herdes of beasts, and flocks of Birds he sate amyds the throng. And when his thumbe sufficiently had tryed every string, And found that though they severally in sundry sounds did ring, Yit made they all one Harmonie, he thus began to sing: O Muse my mother, frame my song of Jove, for every thing Is subject unto royall Jove. Of Jove the heavenly King I oft have shewed the glorious power. I erst in graver verse The Gyants slayne in Phlaegra feeldes with thunder, did reherse. But now I neede a meelder style to tell of prettie boyes That were the derlings of the Gods: and of unlawfull joyes That burned in the brests of Girles, who for theyr wicked lust According as they did deserve, receyved penance just. The King of Goddes did burne erewhyle in love of Ganymed The Phrygian and the thing was found which Jupiter that sted Had rather bee than that he was. Yit could he not beteeme The shape of any other Bird than Aegle for to seeme And so he soring in the ayre with borrowed wings trust up The Trojane boay who still in heaven even yit dooth beare his cup, And brings him Nectar though against Dame Junos will it bee. And thou Amyclys sonne (had not thy heavy destinee Abridged thee before thy tyme) hadst also placed beene By Phoebus in the firmament. How bee it (as is seene) Thou art eternall so farre forth as may bee. For as oft As watrie Piscis giveth place to Aries that the soft And gentle springtyde dooth succeede the winter sharp and stowre: So often thou renewest thyself, and on the fayre greene clowre Doost shoote out flowres. My father bare a speciall love to thee Above all others. So that whyle the God went oft to see Eurotas and unwalled Spart, he left his noble towne Of Delphos (which amid the world is situate in renowne) Without a sovereigne. Neyther Harp nor Bow regarded were. Unmyndfull of his Godhead he refused not to beare The nets, nor for to hold the hounds, nor as a peynfull mate To travell over cragged hilles, through which continuall gate


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/275

 His flames augmented more and more. And now the sunne did stand Well neere midway beetweene the nyghts last past and next at hand. They stript themselves and noynted them with oyle of Olyfe fat. And fell to throwing of a Sledge that was ryght huge and flat. Fyrst Phoebus peysing it did throw it from him with such strength, As that the weyght drave downe the clouds in flying. And at length It fell upon substantiall ground, where plainly it did show As well the cunning as the force of him that did it throw. Immediatly upon desyre himself the sport to trie, The Spartane lad made haste to take up unadvisedly The Sledge before it still did lye. But as he was in hand To catch it, it rebounding up ageinst the hardened land, Did hit him full upon the face. The God himselfe did looke As pale as did the lad, and up his swounding body tooke. Now culles he him, now wypes he from the wound the blood away, Anotherwhyle his fading lyfe he stryves with herbes to stay. Nought booted Leechcraft. Helplesse was the wound. And like as one Broosd violet stalkes or Poppie stalkes or Lillies growing on Browne spindles, streight they withering droope with heavy heads and are Not able for to hold them up, but with their tops doo stare Uppon the ground, so Hyacinth in yeelding of his breath Chopt downe his head. His necke bereft of strength by meanes of death Was even a burthen to itself, and downe did loosely wrythe On both his shoulders, now a t'one and now a toother lythe. Thou faadst away, my Hyacinth, defrauded of the pryme Of youth (quoth Phoebus) and I see thy wound my heynous cryme. Thou art my sorrow and my fault: this hand of myne hath wrought Thy death: I like a murtherer have to thy grave thee brought. But what have I offended thow? onlesse that to have playd, Or if that to have loved, an offence it may be sayd. Would God I render myght my lyfe with and instead of thee. To which syth fatall destinee denyeth to agree, Both in my mynd and in my mouth thou evermore shalt bee. My Violl striken with my hand, my songs shall sound of thee, And in a newmade flowre thou shalt with letters represent Our syghings. And the tyme shall come ere many yeeres bee spent, That in thy flowre a valeant Prince shall joyne himself with thee,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/276

 And leave his name uppon the leaves for men to reede and see. Whyle Phoebus thus did prophesie, behold the blood of him Which dyde the grasse, ceast blood to bee, and up there sprang a trim And goodly flowre, more orient than the Purple cloth ingrayne, In shape a Lillye, were it not that Lillyes doo remayne Of sylver colour, whereas theis of purple hew are seene. Although that Phoebus had the cause of this greate honor beene, Yit thought he not the same ynough. And therfore did he wryght His syghes uppon the leaves thereof: and so in colour bryght The flowre hath a writ theron, which letters are of greef. So small the Spartanes thought the birth of Hyacinth repreef Unto them, that they woorship him from that day unto this. And as their fathers did before, so they doe never misse With solemne pomp to celebrate his feast from yeere to yeere. But if perchaunce that Amathus the rich in mettals, weere Demaunded if it would have bred the Propets it would sweare, Yea even as gladly as the folke whose brewes sumtyme did beare A payre of welked homes: whereof they Cerastes named are. Before theyr doore an Altar stood of Jove that takes the care Of alyents and of travellers, which lothsome was to see, For lewdnesse wrought theron. If one that had a straunger bee Had lookt thereon, he would have thought there had on it beene killd Sum sucking calves or lambes. The blood of straungers there was spilld. Dame Venus sore offended at this wicked sacrifyse, To leave her Cities and the land of Cyprus did devyse. But then bethinking her, shee sayd: What hath my pleasant ground, What have my Cities trespassed? what fault in them is found? Nay rather let this wicked race by exyle punnisht beene, Or death, or by sum other thing that is a meane betweene Both death and exyle. What is that? save only for to chaunge Theyr shape. In musing with herself what figure were most straunge, Shee cast her eye uppon a home. And therewithall shee thought The same to bee a shape ryght meete uppon them to bee brought: And so shee from theyr myghty limbes theyr native figure tooke, And turnd them into boystous Bulles with grim and cruell looke. Yit durst the filthy Propets stand in stiffe opinion that Dame Venus was no Goddesse till shee beeing wroth thereat,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/277

 To make theyr bodies common first compelld them everychone And after chaungd theyr former kynd. For when that shame was gone, And that they wexed brazen faast, shee turned them to stone, In which betweene their former shape was diffrence small or none. Whom forbycause Pygmalion saw to leade theyr lyfe in sin Offended with the vice whereof greate store is packt within The nature of the womankynd, he led a single lyfe. And long it was ere he could fynd in hart to take a wyfe. Now in the whyle by wondrous Art an image he did grave Of such proportion, shape, and grace as nature never gave Nor can to any woman give. In this his worke he tooke A certaine love. The looke of it was ryght a Maydens looke, And such a one as that yee would beleeve had lyfe, and that Would moved bee, if womanhod and reverence letted not: So artificiall was the work. He woondreth at his Art And of his counterfetted corse conceyveth love in hart. He often toucht it, feeling if the woork that he had made Were verie flesh or Ivorye still. Yit could he not perswade Himself to think it Ivory, for he oftentymes it kist And thought it kissed him ageine. He hild it by the fist, And talked to it. He beleeved his fingars made a dint Uppon her flesh, and feared lest sum blacke or broosed print Should come by touching over hard. Sumtyme with pleasant boords And wanton toyes he dalyingly dooth cast foorth amorous woords. Sumtime (the giftes wherein yong Maydes are wonted to delyght) He brought her owches, fyne round stones, and Lillyes fayre and whyght, And pretie singing birds, and flowres of thousand sorts and hew, In gorgeous garments furthermore he did her also decke, And peynted balles, and Amber from the tree distilled new. And on her fingars put me rings, and cheynes about her necke. Riche perles were hanging at her eares, and tablets at her brest. All kynd of things became her well. And when she was undrest, She seemed not lesse beawtifull. He layd her in a bed The which with scarlet dyde in Tyre was richly overspred, And terming her his bedfellow, he couched downe hir head Uppon a pillow soft, as though shee could have felt the same. The feast of Venus hallowed through the Ile of Cyprus, came


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/278

 And Bullocks whyght with gilden homes were slayne for sacrifyse, And up to heaven of frankincence the smoky fume did ryse. When as Pygmalion having doone his dutye that same day, Before the altar standing, thus with fearefull hart did say: If that you Goddes can all things give, then let my wife (I pray) (He durst not say bee yoon same wench of Ivory, but) bee leeke My wench of Ivory. Venus (who was nought at all to seeke What such a wish as that did meene) then present at her feast, For handsell of her freendly helpe did cause three tymes at least The fyre to kindle and to spyre thryse upward in the ayre. As soone as he came home, streyghtway Pygmalion did repayre Unto the Image of his wench, and leaning on the bed, Did kisse hir. In her body streyght a warmenesse seemd to spred. He put his mouth againe to hers, and on her brest did lay His hand. The Ivory wexed soft: and putting quyght away All hardnesse, yeelded underneathe his fingars, as wee see A peece of wax made soft ageinst the Sunne, or drawen to bee In divers shapes by chaufing it betweene ones handes, and so To serve to uses. He amazde stood wavering to and fro Tweene joy, and feare to be beeguyld, ageine he burnt in love, Ageine with feeling he began his wished hope to prove. He felt it verrye flesh in deede. By laying on his thumb, He felt her pulses beating. Then he stood no longer dumb But thanked Venus with his hart, and at the length he layd His mouth to hers who was as then become a perfect mayd. Shee felt the kisse, and blusht therat: and lifting fearefully Hir eyelidds up, hir Lover and the light at once did spye. The mariage that her selfe had made the Goddesse blessed so, That when the Moone with fulsum lyght nyne tymes her course had go, This Ladye was delivered of a Sun that Paphus hyght, Of whom the Iland takes that name. < part=f>Of him was borne a knyght Calld Cinyras who (had he had none issue) surely myght Of all men underneathe the sun beene thought the happyest wyght. Of wicked and most cursed things to speake I now commence. Yee daughters and yee parents all go get yee farre from hence. Or if yee mynded bee to heere my tale, beleeve mee nought In this beehalfe: ne think that such a thing was ever wrought.


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/279

 Or if yee will beeleeve the deede, beleeve the vengeance too Which lyghted on the partye that the wicked act did doo. But if that it be possible that any wyght so much From nature should degenerate, as for to fall to such A heynous cryme as this is, I am glad for Thracia, I Am glad for this same world of ours, yea glad exceedingly I am for this my native soyle, for that there is such space Betweene it and the land that bred a chyld so voyd of grace. I would the land Panchaya should of Amomie be rich, And Cinnamom, and Costus sweete, and Incence also which Dooth issue largely out of trees, and other flowers straunge, As long as that it beareth Myrrhe: not woorth it was the chaunge, Newe trees to have of such a pryce. The God of love denyes His weapons to have hurted thee, O Myrrha, and he tryes Himselfe ungiltie by thy fault. One of the Furies three With poysonde Snakes and hellish brands hath rather blasted thee. To hate ones father is a cryme as heynous as may bee, But yit more wicked is this love of thine than any hate. The youthfull Lordes of all the East and Peeres of cheef estate Desyre to have thee to their wyfe, and earnest sute doo make. Of all (excepting onely one) thy choyce, O Myrrha, take. Shee feeles her filthye love, and stryves ageinst it, and within Herself sayd: Whither roonnes my mynd? what thinke I to begin? Yee Gods (I pray) and godlynesse, yee holy rites and awe Of parents, from this heynous cryme my vicious mynd withdrawe, And disappoynt my wickednesse. At leastwyse if it bee A wickednesse that I intend. As farre as I can see, This love infrindgeth not the bondes of godlynesse a whit. For every other living wyght dame nature dooth permit To match without offence of sin. The Heifer thinkes no shame To beare her father on her backe: the horse bestrydes the same Of whom he is the syre: the Gote dooth bucke the kid that hee Himself begate: and birdes doo tread the selfsame birdes wee see Of whom they hatched were before. In happye cace they are That may doo so without offence. But mans malicious care Hath made a brydle for it self, and spyghtfull lawes restreyne The things that nature setteth free. Yit are their Realmes (men sayne)


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/280

 In which the moother with the sonne, and daughter with the father Doo match, wherethrough of godlynesse the bond augments the rather With doubled love. Now wo is mee it had not beene my lot In that same countrie to bee borne. And that this lucklesse plot Should hinder mee. Why thinke I thus? Avaunt, unlawfull love. I ought to love him, I confesse: but so as dooth behove His daughter: were not Cinyras my father than, Iwis I myght obtaine to lye with him. But now bycause he is Myne owne, he cannot bee myne owne. The neerenesse of our kin Dooth hurt me. Were I further off perchaunce I more myght win. And if I wist that I therby this wickednesse myght shunne, I would forsake my native soyle and farre from Cyprus runne. This evill heate dooth hold mee backe, that beeing present still I may but talke with Cinyras and looke on him my fill, And touch, and kisse him, if no more may further graunted bee. Why wicked wench, and canst thou hope for further? doost not see How by thy fault thou doost confound the ryghts of name and kin? And wilt thou make thy mother bee a Cucqueane by thy sin? Wilt thou thy fathers leman bee? wilt thou bee both the moother And suster of thy chyld? shall he bee both thy sonne and brother? And standst thou not in feare at all of those same susters three Whose heads with crawling snakes in stead of heare bematted bee? Which pushing with theyr cruell bronds folks eyes and mouthes, doo see Theyr sinfull harts? but thou now whyle thy body yit is free, Let never such a wickednesse once enter in thy mynd. Defyle not myghtye natures hest by lust ageinst thy kynd. What though thy will were fully bent? yit even the very thing Is such as will not suffer thee the same to end to bring. For why he beeing well disposde and godly, myndeth ay So much his dewtye that from ryght and truth he will not stray. Would Godlyke furie were in him as is in mee this day. This sayd, her father Cinyras (who dowted what to doo By reason of the worthy store of suters which did woo His daughter,) bringing all theyr names did will her for to show On which of them shee had herself most fancie to bestow. At first shee hild her peace a whyle, and looking wistly on


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/281

 Her fathers face, did boyle within: and scalding teares anon Ran downe her visage. Cyniras, (who thought them to proceede Of tender harted shamefastnesse) did say there was no neede Of teares, and dryed her cheekes, and kist her. Myrrha tooke of it Exceeding pleasure in her selfe: and when that he did wit What husband shee did wish to have, shee sayd: One like to yow. He undertanding not hir thought, did well her woordes allow, And sayd: In this thy godly mynd continew. At the name Of godlynesse, shee cast mee downe her looke for very shame. For why her giltie hart did knowe shee well deserved blame. Hygh mydnight came, and sleepe bothe care and carkesses opprest. But Myrrha lying brode awake could neyther sleepe nor rest. Shee fryes in Cupids flames, and woorkes continewally uppon Her furious love. One while shee sinkes in deepe despayre. Anon Shee fully myndes to give attempt, but shame doth hold her in. Shee wishes and shee wotes not what to doo, nor how to gin. And like as when a mightye tree with axes heawed rownd, Now redy with a strype or twaine to lye uppon the grownd, Uncerteine is which way to fall and tottreth every way: Even so her mynd with dowtfull wound effeebled then did stray Now heere now there uncerteinely, and tooke of bothe encreace. No measure of her love was found, no rest, nor yit releace, Save only death. Death likes her best. Shee ryseth, full in mynd To hang herself. About a post her girdle she doth bynd, And sayd: Farewell deere Cinyras, and understand the cause Of this my death. And with that woord about her necke shee drawes The nooze. Her trustye nurce that in another Chamber lay By fortune heard the whispring sound of theis her woordes (folk say). The aged woman rysing up unboltes the doore. And whan Shee saw her in that plyght of death, shee shreeking out began To smyght her self, and scratcht her brest, and quickly to her ran And rent the girdle from her necke. Then weeping bitterly And holding her betweene her armes, shee askt the question why Shee went about to hang her self so unadvisedly. The Lady hilld her peace as dumb, and looking on the ground Unmovably, was sorye in her hart for beeing found Before shee had dispatcht herself. Her nurce still at her lay,


text:
Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/282

 And shewing her her emptie dugges and naked head all gray, Besought her for the paynes shee tooke with her both night and day In rocking and in feeding her, shee would vouchsafe to say What ere it were that greeved her. The Ladye turnd away Displeasde and fetcht a sygh. The nurce was fully bent in mynd To bowlt the matter out: for which not onely shee did bynd Her fayth, in secret things to keepe: but also sayd, put mee In truth to fynd a remedye. I am not (thou shalt see) Yit altogither dulld by age. If furiousenesse it bee, I have bothe charmes and chaunted herbes to help. If any wyght Bewitcheth thee, by witchcraft I will purge and set thee quyght. Or if it bee the wrath of God, we shall with sacrifyse Appease the wrath of God right well. What may I more surmyse? No theeves have broken in uppon this house and spoyld the welth. Thy mother and thy father bothe are living and in helth. When Myrrha heard her father naamd, a greevous sygh she fet Even from the bottom of her hart. Howbee't the nurce as yet Misdeemd not any wickednesse. But nerethelesse shee gest There was some love: and standing in one purpose made request To breake her mynd unto her, and shee set her tenderly Uppon her lappe. The Ladye wept and sobbed bitterly. Then culling her in feeble armes, shee sayd: I well espye Thou art in love. My diligence in this behalf I sweare Shall servisable to thee bee. Thou shalt not neede to feare That ere thy father shall it knowe. At that same woord shee lept From nurces lappe like one that had beene past her witts, and stept With fury to her bed. At which shee leaning downe hir face Sayd: Hence I pray thee: force mee not to shewe my shamefull cace. And when the nurce did urge her still, shee answered eyther: Get Thee hence, or ceace to aske mee why myself I thus doo fret. The thing that thou desyrste to knowe is wickednesse. The old Poore nurce gan quake, and trembling both for age and feare did hold Her handes to her. And kneeling downe right humbly at her feete, One whyle shee fayre intreated her with gentle woordes and sweete. Another whyle (onlesse shee made her privie of her sorrow) Shee threatned her, and put her in a feare shee would next morrow Bewray her how shee went about to hang herself. But if