Ouids Metamorphosis: Fifteenth Book Poem by Arthur Golding

A Persone in the whyle was sought sufficient too susteine
The burthen of so great a charge, and woorthy for too reigne
In stead of such a mighty prince. The noble Nume by fame
(Whoo harped then vppon the truthe before too passe it came)
Appoynted too the Empyre was. This Numa thought it not
Inough that he the knowledge of the Sabine rites had got.
The deepenesse of the noble wit too greater things was bent,
Too serch of things the natures out. The care of this intent
Did cause that he from Curie and his natiue Countrye went
With peynfull trauell, too the towne where Hercules did hoste.
And asking who it was of Greece that in th' Italian coast
Had buylt that towne, an aged man well seene in storyes old,
Too satisfye his mynd therin the processe thus him told.


As Hercules enriched with the Spannish kyne did hold
His voyage from the Ocean sea, men say with lucky cut
He came a land on Lacine coast. And whyle he there did put
His beace too grazing, he himself in Crotons house did rest
The greatest man in all those parts and vntoo straungers best:
And that he there refresht him of his tedious trauell, and
That when he should depart, he sayd. Where now thy house dooth stand,
Shall in thy childers childrens tyme a Citie buylded bee.
Which woordes of his haue proued trew as playnly now wee see.
For why there was one Myscelus a Greeke, Alemons sonne,
A persone more in fauour of the Goddes than any one
In those dayes was. The God that beares the boystous club did stay
Uppon him being fast a sleepe, and sayd: go seeke streyght way
The stonny streame of Aeserie. Thy natiue soyle for ay
Forsake. And sore he threatned him onlesse he did obey.
The God and sleepe departed both toogither. Up did ryse
Alemons sonne, and in himself did secretly deuyse
Uppon this vision. Long his mynd stroue dowtfull too and fro.
The God bad go. His country lawes did say he should not go,
And death was made the penaltie for him that would doo so.
Cleere Titan in the Ocean sea had hid his lyghtsomme head,
And duskye nyght had put vp hers most thick with starres bespred.
The selfsame God by Myscelus did seeme too stand eftsoone,
Commaunding him the selfsame thing that he before had doone,
And threatning mo and greater plages onlesse he did obey.
Then being stricken sore in feare he went about streyght way
His household from his natyue lond too forreine too conuey.
A rumor heerevppon did ryse through all the towne of Arge
And disobedience of the lawe was layëd too his charge.
Assoone as that the cace had first beene pleaded and the deede
Apparantly perceyued, so that witnesse did not neede,
Arreyned and forlorne too heauen he cast his handes and eyes,
And sayd: O God whoose labours twelue haue purchaste thee the skyes,
Assist mee I the pray. For thou art author of my cryme.
When iudgement should bee giuen it was the guyse in auncient tyme
With whyght stones too acquit the cleere, and eeke with blacke too cast
The giltye. That tyme also so the heauy sentence past.
The stones were cast vnmercifull all blacke intoo the pot.
But when the stones were powred out too number, there was not
A blacke among them. All were whyght. And so through Hercles powre
A gentle iudgement did proceede, and he was quit that howre.
Then gaue he thankes too Hercules, and hauing prosprous blast,
Cut ouer the Iönian sea, and so by Tarent past
Which Spartanes buylt, and Cybaris, and Neæth salentine,
And Thurine bay, and Emese, and eeke the pastures fyne
Of Calabrye. And hauing scarce well sought the coastes that lye
Uppon the sea, he found the mouth of fatall Aeserye.
Not farre from thence, he also found the tumb in which the ground
Did kiuer Crotons holy bones, and in that place did found
The Citie that was willed him, and gaue theretoo the name
Of him that there lay buryed. Such originall as this same
This Citie in th' Italian coast is sayd too haue by fame.


Heere dwelt a man of Samos Ile, who for the hate he had
Too Lordlynesse and Tyranny, though vnconstreynd was glad
Too make himself a bannisht man. And though this persone weere
Farre distant from the Goddes by site of heauen: yit came he neere
Too them in mynd. And he by syght of soule and reason cleere
Behild the things which nature dooth too fleshly eyes denye.
And when with care most vigilant he had assuredly
Imprinted all things in his hart, he set them openly
Abroade for other folk too lerne. He taught his silent sort
(Which woondred at the heauenly woordes theyr mayster did report)
The first fonndation of the world: the cause of euery thing:
What nature was: & what was God: whence snow & lyghtning spring:
And whither Ioue or else the wynds in breaking clowdes doo thunder:
What shakes ye earth: what law ye starres doo keepe theyr courses vnder:
And what soeuer other thing is hid from common sence.
He also is the first that did inioyne an abstinence
Too feede of any lyuing thing. He also first of all
Spake thus: although ryght lernedly, yit too effect but small.


Yee mortall men forbeare too frank your flesh with wicked foode.
Yee haue both corne & frutes of trees and grapes & herbes right good.
And though that sum bee harsh and hard: yit fyre may make them well
Both soft and sweete. Yee may haue milk, and honny which dooth smell
Of flowres of tyme. The lauas earth dooth yeeld you plentiously
Most gentle foode, and riches too content bothe mynd and eye.
There needes no slaughter nor no blood too get your liuing by.
The beastes doo breake theyr fast with flesh: & yit not all beastes neyther.
For horses, sheepe, and Rotherbeastes too liue by grasse had leuer.
The nature of the beast that dooth delyght in bloody foode,
Is cruell and vnmercifull. As Lyons feerce of moode,
Armenian Tigers, Beares, and Woolues. Oh what a wickednesse
It is too cram the mawe with mawe, and frank vp flesh with flesh,
And for one liuing thing too liue by killing of another:
As whoo should say, that of so great abundance which our moother
The earth dooth yeeld most bountuously, none other myght delyght
Thy cruell teethe too chawe vppon, than grisly woundes that myght
Expresse the Cyclops guyse? or else as if thou could not stawnche
The hunger of thy greedye gut and euill mannerd pawnche,
Onlesse thou stroyd sum other wyght. But that same auncient age
Which wee haue naamd the golden world, cleene voyd of all such rage,
Livd blessedly by frute of trees and herbes that grow on ground,
And stayned not their mouthes wt blood. Then birds might safe & sound
Fly where they listed in the ayre. The hare vnscaard of hound
Went pricking ouer all the feeldes. No angling hooke with bayt
Did hang the seely fish that bote mistrusting no deceyt.
All things were voyd of guylefulnesse: no treason was in trust:
But all was freendshippe loue and peace. But after that the lust
Of one (what God so ere he was) disdeyning former fare,
Too cram that cruell croppe of his with fleshmeate did not spare,
He made a way for wickednesse. And first of all the knyfe
Was staynd with blood of sauage beastes in ridding them of lyfe.
And that had nothing beene amisse, if there had beene the stay.
For why wee graunt, without the breach of godlynesse wee may
By death confound the things that seeke too take our lyues away.
But as too kill them reason was: euen so agein theyr was
No reason why too eate theyr flesh. This leawdnesse thence did passe
On further still. Wheras there was no sacrifyse beforne,
The Swyne (bycause with hoked groyne he wrooted vp the corne,
And did deceyue the tillmen of theyr hope next yeere thereby)
Was deemed woorthy by desert in sacrifyse too dye.
The Goate for byghting vynes was slayne at Bacchus altar whoo
Wreakes such misdeedes. Theyr owne offence was hurtful to theis twoo.
But what haue you poore sheepe misdoone a cattell meeke and meeld,
Created for too maynteine man, whoose fulsomme duggs doo yeeld
Sweete Nectar, whoo dooth clothe vs with your wooll in soft aray?
Whoose lyfe dooth more vs benefite than dooth your death farreway?
What trespasse haue the Oxen doone? a beast without all guyle
Or craft, vnhurtfull, simple, borne too labour euery whyle?
In fayth he is vnmyndfull and vnwoorthy of increace
Of corne, that in his hart can fynd his tilman too releace
From plowgh, too cut his throte: that in his hart can fynde (I say)
Those neckes with hatchets of too strike, whoose skinne is worne away
With labring ay for him: whoo turnd so oft his land most tough,
Whoo brought so many haruestes home. yit is it not ynough
That such a great outrageousenesse committed is. They father
Theyr wickednesse vppon the Goddes. And falsly they doo gather
That in the death of peynfull Ox the hyghest dooth delyght.
A sacrifyse vnblemished and fayrest vntoo syght,
(For beawtye woorketh them theyr bane) adornd with garlonds, and
With glittring gold, is cyted at the altar for too stand.
There heeres he woordes (he wotes not what ye which ye preest dooth pray,
And on his forehead suffereth him betweene his hornes too lay
The eares of corne that he himself hath wrought for in the clay,
And stayneth with his blood the knyfe that he himself perchaunce
Hathe in the water sheere ere then behild by soodein glaunce.
Immediatly they haling out his hartstrings still aliue,
And poring on them, seeke therein Goddes secrets too retryue.
Whence commes so greedy appetyte in men, of wicked meate?
And dare yee O yee mortall men aduenture thus too eate?
Nay doo not (I beseeche yee) so. But giue good care and heede
Too that that I shall warne you of, and trust it as your creede,
That whensoeuer you doo eate your Oxen, you deuowre
Your husbandmen. And forasmuch as God this instant howre
Dooth moue my toong too speake, I will obey his heauenly powre.
My God Apollos temple I will set you open, and
Disclose the woondrous heauens themselues, and make you vnderstand
The Oracles and secrets of the Godly maiestye.
Greate things, and such as wit of man could neuer yit espye,
And such as haue beene hidden long, I purpose too descrye.
I mynd too leaue the earth, and vp among the starres too stye.
I mynd too leaue this grosser place, and in the clowdes too flye,
And on stowt Atlas shoulders strong too rest my self on hye,
And looking downe from heauen on men that wander heere and there
In dreadfull feare of death as though they voyd of reason were,
Too giue them exhortation thus: and playnely too vnwynd
The whole discourse of destinie as nature hath assignd.
O men amaazd with dread of death, why feare yee Limbo Styx,
And other names of vanitie, which are but Poets tricks?
And perrills of another world all false surmysed geere?
For whither fyre or length of tyme consume the bodyes heere,
Yee well may thinke that further harmes they cannot suffer more.
For soules are free from death. Howbeet, they liuing euermore
Theyr former dwellings are receyud and liue ageine in new.
For I myself (ryght well in mynd I beare it too be trew)
Was in the tyme of Troian warre Euphorbus Panthevves sonne
Quyght through whoose hart the deathfull speare of Menelay did ronne.
I late ago in Iunos Church at Argos did behold
And knew the target which I in my left hand there did hold.
Al things doo chauge. But nothing sure dooth perrish. This same spright
Dooth fleete, and fisking heere and there dooth swiftly take his flyght
From one place too another place, and entreth euery wyght,
Remouing out of man too beast, and out of beast too man.
But yit it neuer perrisheth nor neuer perrish can.
And euen as supple wax with ease receyueth fygures straunge,
And keepes not ay one shape, ne bydes assured ay from chaunge,
And yit continueth alwayes wax in substaunce: So I say
The soule is ay the selfsame thing it was and yit astray
It fleeteth intoo sundry shapes. Therfore least Godlynesse
Bee vanquisht by outragious lust of belly beastlynesse,
Forbeare (I speake by prophesie) your kinsfolkes ghostes too chace
By slaughter: neyther nourish blood with blood in any cace.
And sith on open sea the wynds doo blow my sayles apace,
In all the world there is not that that standeth at a stay.
Things eb and flow: and euery shape is made too passe away.
The tyme itself continually is fleeting like a brooke.
For neyther brooke nor lyghtsomme tyme can tarrye still. But looke
As euery waue dryues other foorth, and that that commes behynd
Bothe thrusteth and is thrust itself: Euen so the tymes by kynd
Doo fly and follow bothe at once, and euermore renew.
For that that was before is left, and streyght there dooth ensew
Anoother that was neuer erst. Eche twincling of an eye
Dooth chaunge. Wee see that after day commes nyght and darks the sky,
And after nyght the lyghtsum Sunne succeedeth orderly.
Like colour is not in the heauen when all things weery lye
At midnyght sound a sleepe, as when the daystarre cleere and bryght
Commes foorth vppon his milkwhyght steede. Ageine in other plyght
The morning Pallants daughter fayre the messenger of lyght
Deliuereth intoo Phebus handes the world of cleerer hew.
The circle also of the sonne what tyme it ryseth new
And when it setteth, looketh red. but when it mounts most hye,
Then lookes it whyght, bycause that there the nature of the skye
Is better, and from filthye drosse of earth dooth further flye
The image also of the Moone that shyneth ay by nyght,
Is neuer of one quantitie. For that that giueth lyght
Too day, is lesser than the next that followeth, till the full.
And then contrarywyse eche day her lyght away dooth pull.
What? seest thou not how that the yeere as representing playne
The age of man, departes itself in quarters fowre? first bayne
And tender in the spring it is, euen like a sucking babe.
Then greene, and voyd of strength, and lush, and foggye, is the blade,
And cheeres the husbandman with hope. Then all things florish gay.
The earth with flowres of sundry hew then seemeth for too play,
And vertue small or none too herbes there dooth as yit belong.
The yeere from springtyde passing foorth too sommer, wexeth strong,
Becommeth lyke a lusty youth. For in our lyfe through out
There is no tyme more plentifull, more lusty whote and stout.
Then followeth Haruest when the heate of youth growes sumwhat cold,
Rype, meeld, disposed meane betwixt a yoongman and an old,
And sumwhat sprent with grayish heare. Then vgly winter last
Like age steales on with trembling steppes, all bald, or ouercast
With shirle thinne heare as whyght as snowe. Our bodies also ay
Doo alter still from tyme too tyme, and neuer stand at stay.
Wee shall not bee the same wee were too day or yisterday.
The day hath beene wee were but seede and only hope of men,
And in our moothers womb wee had our dwelling place as then,
Dame Nature put too conning hand and suffred not that wee
Within our moothers streyned womb should ay distressed bee,
But brought vs out too aire, and from our prison set vs free.
The chyld newborne lyes voyd of strength. Within a season tho
He wexing fowerfooted lernes like sauage beastes too go.
Then sumwhat foltring, and as yit not firme of foote, he standes
By getting sumwhat for too helpe his sinewes in his handes.
From that tyme growing strong and swift, he passeth foorth the space
Of youth: and also wearing out his middle age a pace,
Through drooping ages steepye path he ronneth out his race
This age dooth vndermyne the strength of former yeares, and throwes
It downe. which thing old Milo by example playnely showes.
For when he sawe those armes of his (which heeretoofore had beene
As strong as euer Hercules in woorking deadly teene
Of biggest beastes) hang flapping downe, and nought but empty skin,
He wept. And Helen when shee saw her aged wrincles in
A glasse wept also: musing in herself what men had seene,
That by twoo noble princes sonnes shee twyce had rauisht beene.
Thou tyme the eater vp of things, and age of spyghtfull teene.
Destroy all things. And when that long continuance hath them bit,
You leysurely by lingring death consume them euery whit.
And theis that wee call Elements doo neuer stand at stay.
The enterchaunging course of them I will before yee lay.
Giue heede thertoo. This endlesse world conteynes therin I say
Fowre substances of which all things are gendred. Of theis fower
The Earth and Water for theyr masse and weyght are sunken lower.
The other cowple Aire, and Fyre the purer of the twayne
Mount vp, & nought can keepe the downe. And though there doo remayne
A space betweene eche one of them: yit euery thing is made
Of themsame fowre, and intoo them at length ageine doo fade.
The earth resoluing leysurely dooth melt too water sheere.
The water fyned turnes too aire. The aire eeke purged cleere
From grossenesse, spyreth vp aloft, and there becommeth fyre.
From thence in order contrary they backe ageine retyre.
Fyre thickening passeth intoo Aire, and Ayër wexing grosse,
Returnes too water: Water eeke congealing intoo drosse,
Becommeth earth. No kind of thing keepes ay his shape and hew.
For nature louing euer chaunge repayres one shape a new
Uppon another. neyther dooth there perrish aught (trust mee)
In all the world, but altring takes new shape. For that which wee
Doo terme by name of being borne, is for too gin too bee
Another thing than that it was: And likewise for too dye,
Too cease too bee the thing it was. And though that varyably
Things passe perchaunce from place too place: yit all from whence they came
Returning, doo vnperrisshed continew still the same.
But as for in one shape, bee sure that nothing long can last.
Euen so the ages of the world from gold too Iron past.
Euen so haue places oftentymes exchaunged theyr estate.
For I haue seene it sea which was substanciall ground alate,
Ageine where sea was, I haue seene the same become dry lond,
And shelles and scales of Seafish farre haue lyen from any strond.
And in the toppes of mountaynes hygh old Anchors haue beene found.
Deepe valleyes haue by watershotte beene made of leuell ground,
And hilles by force of gulling oft haue intoo sea beene worne.
Hard grauell ground is sumtyme seene where marris was beforne,
And that that erst did suffer drowght, becommeth standing lakes.
Heere nature sendeth new springs out, and there the old in takes.
Full many riuers in the world through earthquakes heretoofore
Haue eyther chaundgd theyr former course, or dryde and ronne no more.
Soo Lycus beeing swallowed vp by gaping of the ground,
A greatway of fro thence is in another channell found.
Euen so the riuer Erasine among the feeldes of Arge
Sinkes onewhyle, and another whyle ronnes greate ageine at large.
Caycus also of the land of Mysia (as men say)
Misliking of his former head, ronnes now another way.
In Sicill also Amasene ronnes sumtyme full and hye,
And sumtyme stopping vp his spring, he makes his chanell drye.
Men drank the waters of the brooke Anigrus heretoofore,
Which now is such that men abhorre too towche them any more.
Which commes too passe, (onlesse wee will discredit Poets quyght)
Bycause the Centaures vanquisshed by Hercules in fyght
Did wash theyr woundes in that same brooke. But dooth not Hypanis
That springeth in the Scythian hilles, which at his fountaine is
Ryght pleasant, afterward becomme of brackish bitter taste?
Antissa, and Phenycian Tyre, and Pharos in tyme past
Were compast all about with waues: but none of all theis three
Is now an Ile. Ageine the towne of Levvcas once was free
From sea, and in the auncient tyme was ioyned too the land.
But now enuirond round about with water it dooth stand.
Men say that Sicill also hath beene ioynd too Italy
Untill the sea consumde the bounds beetweene, and did supply
The roome with water. If yee go too seeke for Helicee
And Burye which were Cities of Achaia, you shall see
Them hidden vnder water, and the shipmen yit doo showe
The walles and steeples of the townes drownd vnder as they rowe.
Not farre from Pitthey Troyzen is a certeine high ground found
All voyd of trees, which heeretoofore was playne and leuell ground,
But now a mountayne. for the wyndes a (woondrous thing too say)
Inclosed in the hollow caues of ground, and seeking way
Too passe therefro, in struggling long too get the open skye
In vayne, (bycause in all the caue there was no vent wherby
Too issue out,) did stretch the ground and make it swell on hye,
As dooth a bladder that is blowen by mouth, or as the skinne
Of horned Goate in bottlewyse when wynd is gotten in.
The swelling of the foresayd place remaynes at this day still,
And by continuance waxing hard is growen a pretye hill.
Of many things that come too mynd by heersay, and by skill
Of good experience, I a fewe will vtter too you mo.
What? dooth not water in his shapes chaunge straungely too and fro:
The well of horned Hammon is at noonetyde passing cold.
At morne and euen it wexeth warme. At midnyght none can hold
His hand therin for passing heate. The well of Athamane,
Is sayd too kindle woode what tyme the moone is in the wane.
The Cicons haue a certeine streame which beeing droonk dooth bring
Mennes bowwelles intoo Marble hard: and whatsoeuer thing
Is towcht therwith, it turnes too stone. And by your bounds behold
The riuers Crathe and Sybaris make yellow heare like gold
And Amber. There are also springs (which thing is farre more straunge)
Which not the bodye only, but the mynd doo also chaunge.
Whoo hath not hard of Salmacis that fowle and filthye sink?
Or of the lake of Aethyop, which if a man doo drink,
He eyther ronneth mad, or else with woondrous drowzinesse
Forgoeth quyght his memorie. Whoo euer dooth represse
His thirst with drawght of Clitor well, hates wyne, and dooth delyght
In only water: eyther for bycause there is a myght
Contrary vntoo warming wyne by nature in the well,
Or else bycause (for so the folk of Arcadye doo tell)
Melampus Amythaöns sonne (when he deliuered had
King Prætus daughters by his charmes and herbes from being mad,)
Cast intoo that same water all the baggage wherewithall
He purdged the madnesse of theyr mynds. And so it did befall,
That lothsomnesse of wyne did in those waters ay remayne.
Ageine in Lyncest contrarie effect too this dooth reigne.
For whoo so drinkes too much therof, he reeleth heere and there
As if by quaffing wyne no whyt alayd he droonken were.
There is a Lake in Arcadye which Pheney men did name
In auncient tyme, whoose dowtfulnesse deserueth iustly blame.
A nyght tymes take thou heede of it, for if thou taste the same
A nyghttymes, it will hurt. but if thou drink it in the day
It hurteth not. Thus lakes and streames (as well perceyue yee may)
Haue diuers powres and diuersly. Euen so the tyme hathe beene
That Delos which stands stedfast now, on waues was floting seene.
And Galyes haue beene sore afrayd of frusshing by the Iles
Symplegads which toogither dasht vppon the sea erewhyles,
But now doo stand vnmouable ageinst bothe wynde and tyde.
Mount Aetna with his burning Oouens of brimstone shall not byde
Ay fyrye: neyther was it so for euer erst. For whither
The earth a liuing creature bee, and that too breathe out hither
And thither flame, great store of vents it haue in sundry places,
And that it haue the powre too shift those vents in diuers caces,
Now damming theis, now opening those, in mouing too and fro:
Or that the whisking wynds restreynd within the earth bylowe,
Doo beate the stones ageinst the stones, and other kynd of stuffe
Of fyrye nature, which doo fall on fyre with euery puffe:
Assoone as those same wynds doo cease, the caues shall streight bee cold.
Or if it bee a Rozen mowld that soone of fyre takes hold,
Or brimstone mixt with clayish soyle on fyre dooth lyghtly fall:
Undowtedly assoone as that same soyle consumed shall
No longer yeeld the fatty foode too feede the fyre withall,
And rauening nature shall forgo her woonted nourishment,
Then being able too abyde no longer famishment,
For want of sustenance it shall cease his burning. I doo fynd
By fame, that vnder Charlsis wayne in Pallene are a kynd
Of people which by dyuing thryce three tymes in Triton lake
Becomme all fethred, and the shape of birdes vppon them take.
The Scythian witches also are reported for too doo
The selfsame thing (but hardly I giue credit thervntoo)
By smearing poyson ouer all theyr bodyes. But (and if
A man too matters tryde by proof may saufly giue beleef,)
Wee see how flesh by lying still a whyle and ketching heate
Dooth turne too little liuing beastes. And yit a further feate,
Go kill an Ox and burye him, (the thing by proof man sees)
And of his rotten flesh will breede the flower gathering Bees,
Which as theyr father did before, loue feeldes exceedingly,
And vntoo woork in hope of gayne theyr busye limbes apply.
The Hornet is engendred of a lustye buryed Steede.
Go pull away the cleas from Crabbes that in the sea doo breede,
And burye all the rest in mowld, and of the same will spring
A Scorpion which with writhen tayle will threaten for too sting.
The Caterpillers of the feelde the which are woont too weaue
Hore filmes vppon the leaues of trees, theyr former nature leaue,
(Which thing is knowen too husbandmen) and turne too Butterflyes.
The mud hath in it certeine seede wherof greene frosshes ryse.
And first it brings them footelesse foorth. Then after, it dooth frame
Legges apt too swim: and furthermore of purpose that the same
May serue them for too leape a farre, theyr hinder part is mych
More longer than theyr forepart is. The Bearwhelp also which
The Beare hath newly littred, is no whelp immediatly.
But like an euill fauored lump of flesh alyue dooth lye.
The dam by licking shapeth out his members orderly
Of such a syse, as such a peece is able too conceyue.
Or marke yee not the Bees of whom our hony wee receyue,
How that theyr yoong ones which doo lye within the sixsquare wax
Are limblesse bodyes at the first, and after as they wex
In processe take bothe feete and wings? What man would think it trew
That Ladye Venus simple birdes the Dooues of siluer hew,
Or Iunos bird that in his tayle beares starres, or Ioues stowt knyght
The Earne, and euery other fowle of whatsoeuer flyght,
Could all bee hatched out of egges, onlesse he did it knowe?
Sum folk doo hold opinion when the backebone which dooth growe
In man, is rotten in the graue, the pith becommes a snake.
Howbeete of other things all theis theyr first beginning take.
One bird there is that dooth renew itself and as it were
Beget it self continually. The Syrians name it there
A Phoenix. Neyther corne nor herbes this Phoenix liueth by.
But by the iewce of frankincence and gum of Amomye.
And when that of his lyfe well full fyuehundred yeeres are past,
Uppon a Holmetree or vppon a Date tree at the last
He makes him with his talants and his hardened bill a nest.
Which when that he with Casia sweete and Nardus soft hathe drest,
And strowed it with Cynnamom and Myrrha of the best,
He rucketh downe vppon the same, and in the spyces dyes.
Soone after, of the fathers corce men say there dooth aryse
Another little Phoenix which as many yeeres must liue
As did his father. He (assoone as age dooth strength him giue
Too beare the burthen)from the tree the weyghty nest dooth lift,
And godlyly his cradle thence and fathers herce dooth shift.
And flying through the suttle aire he gettes too Phebus towne,
And there before the temple doore dooth lay his burthen downe.
But if that any noueltye woorth woondring bee in theis,
Much rather may we woonder at the Hyën if we please.
Too see how interchaungeably it one whyle dooth remayne
A female, and another whyle becommeth male againe.
The creature also which dooth liue by only aire and wynd,
All colours that it leaneth too dooth counterfet by kynd.
The Grapegod Bacchus, when he had subdewd the land of Inde,
Did fynd a spotted beast cald Lynx, whoose vrine (by report)
By towching of the open aire congealeth in such sort,
As that it dooth becomme a stone. So Corall (which as long
As water bydes it is a shrub and soft) becommeth strong
And hard assoone as it dooth towch the ayre. The day would end,
And Phebus panting steedes should in the Ocean deepe descend,
Before all alterations I in woordes could comprehend.
So see wee all things chaungeable. One nation gathereth strength:
Another wexeth weake: and bothe doo make exchaunge at length.
So Troy which once was great and strong as well in welth as men,
And able tenne yeeres space too spare such store of blood as then,
Now beeing bace hath nothing left of all her welth too showe,
Saue ruines of the auncient woorkes which grasse dooth ouergrowe,
And tumbes wherin theyr auncetours lye buryed on a rowe.
Once Sparta was a famous towne: Great Mycene florisht trim:
Bothe Athens and Amphions towres in honor once did swim.
A pelting plot is Sparta now: great Mycene lyes on ground.
Of Theab the towne of Oedipus what haue we more than sound?
Of Athens king Pandions towne what resteth more than name?
Now also of the race of Troy is rysing (so sayth fame)
The Citie Roome, which at the bank of Tyber that dooth ronne
Downe from the hill of Appennyne) already hath begonne
With great aduysement for too lay foundation of her state.
This towne then chaungeth by increase the forme it had alate,
And of the vniuersall world in tyme to comme shall hold
The souereintye so prophesies and lotts (men say) haue told.
And as (I doo remember mee) what tyme that Troy decayd,
The prophet Helen Priams sonne theis woordes ensewing sayd
Before Aenæas dowting of his lyfe in weeping plyght:
O Goddesse sonne, beleeue mee (if thou think I haue foresyght
Of things too comme) Troy shalnot quyght decay whyle thou doost liue.
Bothe fyre and swoord shall vntoo thee thy passage freely giue.
Thou must from hence: and Troy with thee conuey away in haste,
Untill that bothe thyself and Troy in forreine land bee plaast
More freendly than thy natiue soyle. Moreouer I foresee,
A Citie by the ofspring of the Troians buylt shall bee,
So great as neuer in the world the lyke was seene before
Nor is this present, neyther shall be seene for euermore.
A number of most noble peeres for manye yeeres afore
Shall make it strong and puyssant: But hee that shall it make
The souereine Ladye of the world, by ryght descent shall take
His first beginning from thy sonne the little Iule. And when
The earth hathe had her tyme of him, the sky and welkin then
Shall haue him vp for euermore, and heauen shall bee his end.
Thus farre I (well remember mee) did Helens woordes extend
Too good Aenæas. And it is a pleasure vntoo mee
The Citie of my countrymen increasing thus too see:
And that the Grecians victorie becommes the Troians weale.
But least forgetting quyght themselues our horses happe too steale
Beyond the mark: the heauen and all that vnder heauen is found,
Dooth alter shape. So dooth the ground and all that is in ground.
And wee that of the world are part (considring how wee bee
Not only flesh, but also sowles, which may with passage free
Remoue them intoo euery kynd of beast both tame and wyld)
Let liue in saufty honestly with slaughter vndefyld,
The bodyes which perchaunce may haue the sprits of our brothers,
Our sisters, or our parents, or the spirits of sum others
Alyed too vs eyther by sum freendshippe or sum kin,
Or at the least the soules of men abyding them within.
And let vs not Thyëstes lyke thus furnish vp our boordes
With bloodye bowells. Oh how leawd example he auoordes?
How wickedly prepareth he himself too murther man?
That with a cruell knyfe dooth cut the throte of Calf, and can
Unmouably giue heering too the lowing of the dam?
Or sticke the kid that wayleth lyke the little babe? or eate
The fowle that he himself before had often fed with meate?
What wants of vtter wickednesse in woorking such a feate?
What may he after passe too doo? well eyther let your steeres
Weare out themselues with woork, or else impute theyr death too yeeres.
Ageinst the wynd and weather cold let Wethers yeeld yee cotes.
And vdders full of batling milk receyue yee of the Goates.
Away with sprindges, snares, and grinnes, away with Risp and net.
Away with guylefull feates: for fowles no lymetwiggs see yee set.
No feared fethers pitche yee vp too keepe the Reddeere in,
Ne with deceytfull bayted hooke seeke fishes for too win.
If awght doo harme, destroy it. but destroyt and doo no more.
Forbeare the flesh: and feede your mouthes with fitter foode therfore.


Men say that Numa furnisshed with such philosophye
As this and like, returned too his natiue soyle, and by
Entreatance was content of Roome too take the souereintye.
Ryght happy in his wyfe which was a nymph, ryght happy in
His guydes which were the Muses nyne, this Numa did begin
Too teach Religion. by the meanes whereof hee shortly drew
That people vntoo peace whoo erst of nought but battell knew.
And when through age he ended had his reigne and eeke his lyfe,
Through Latium he was moorned for of man and chyld and wyfe
As well of hygh as low degree. His wyfe forsaking quyght
The Citie, in vale Aricine did hyde her out of syght,
Among the thickest groues, and there with syghes and playnts did let
The sacrifyse of Diane whom Orestes erst had fet
From Taurica in Chersonese, and in that place had set.
How oft ah did the woodnymphes and the waternymphes perswade
Egeria for too cease her mone? what meanes of comfort made
They? Ah how often Theseus sonne her weeping thus bespake?


O Nymph, thy moorning moderate: thy sorrow sumwhat slake:
Not only thou hast cause too hart thy fortune for too take.
Behold like happes of other folkes, and this mischaunce of thyne
Shall greeue thee lesse. would God examples (so they were not myne)
Myght comfort thee. But myne perchaunce may comfort thee. If thou
In talk by hap haste heard of one Hippolytus ere now,
That through his fathers lyght beleefe, and stepdames craft was slayne,
It will a woonder seeme too thee, and I shall haue much payne
Too make thee too beleeue the thing. But I am very hee.
The daughter of Pasyphae in vayne oft tempting mee
My fathers chamber too defyle, surmysde mee too haue sought
The thing that shee with al her hart would fayne I should haue wrought.
And whither it were for feare I should her wickednesse bewray,
Or else for spyght bycause I had so often sayd her nay,
Shee chardgd mee with hir owne offence. My father by and by
Condemning mee, did banish mee his Realme without cause whye.
And at my going like a fo did ban me bitterly.
Too Pitthey Troyzen outlawelike my chariot streight tooke I
My way lay hard vppon the shore of Corinth. Soodeinly
The sea did ryse, and like a mount the waue did swell on hye,
And seemed howger for too growe in drawing euer nye,
And roring clyued in the toppe. Up starts immediatly
A horned bullocke from amid the broken waue, and by
The brest did rayse him in the ayre, And at his nosethrills and
His platter mouth did puffe out part of sea vppon the land.
My seruants harts were sore afrayd. But my hart musing ay
Uppon my wrongfull banishment, did nought at all dismay.
My horses setting vp theyr eares and snorting wexed shye,
And beeing greatly flayghted with the monster in theyr eye,
Turnd downe too sea: and on the rockes my wagon drew. In vayne
I stryuing for too hold them backe, layd hand vppon the reyne
All whyght with fome, and haling backe lay almost bolt vpryght.
And sure the feercenesse of the steedes had yeelded too my might,
But that the wheele that ronneth ay about the Extree round,
Did breake by dashing on a stub, and ouerthrew too ground.
Then from the Charyot I was snatcht the brydles beeing cast
About my limbes. Yee myght haue seene my sinewes sticking fast
Uppon the stub: my gutts drawen out alyue: my members, part
Still left vppon the stump, and part foorth harryed with the cart:
The crasshing of my broken bones: and with what passing peyne
I breathed out my weery ghoste. There did not whole remayne
One peece of all my corce by which yee myght discerne as tho
What lump or part it was. For all was wound from toppe too to.
Now canst thou nymph, or darest thou compare thy harmes with myne?
Moreouer I the lightlesse Realme behild with theis same eyne,
And bathde my tattred bodye in the riuer Phlegeton.
And had not bright Apollos sonne his cunning shewde vppon
My bodye by his surgery, my lyfe had quyght bee gone.
Which after I by force of herbes and leechecraft had ageine
Receyud by Aesculapius meanes, though Pluto did disdeine,
Then Cynthia (least this gift of hers myght woorke mee greater spyght)
Thicke clowds did round about mee cast. And too thentent I myght
Bee saufe myself, and harmelessely appeere too others syght:
Shee made mee old. And for my face, shee left it in such plyght,
That none can knowe mee by my looke. And long shee dowted whither
Too giue mee Dele or Crete. At length refusing bothe toogither,
Shee plaast mee heere. And therwithall shee bade me giue vp quyght
The name that of my horses in remembrance put mee myght.
For whereas erst Hippolytus hath beene thy name (quoth shee)
I will that Virbie afterward thy name for euer bee.
From that tyme foorth within this wood I keepe my residence,
As of the meaner Goddes, a God of small magnificence
And heere I hyde mee vnderneathe my souereine Ladyes wing
Obeying humbly too her hest in euery kynd of thing.


But yit the harmes of other folk could nothing help nor boote
Aegerias sorrowes too asswage. Downe at a mountaines foote
Shee lying melted intoo teares, till Phebus sister sheene
For pitie of her greate distresse in which shee had her seene,
Did turne her too a fountaine cleere, and melted quyght away
Her members intoo water thinne that neuer should decay.
The straungenesse of the thing did make the nymphes astonyed: and
The Ladye of Amazons sonne amaazd therat did stand,
As when the Tyrrhene Tilman sawe in earing of his land
The fatall clod first stirre alone without the help of hand,
And by and by forgoing quyght the earthly shape of clod,
Too take the seemely shape of man, and shortly like a God
Too tell of things as then too comme. The Tyrrhenes did him call
By name of Tages. He did teach the Tuskanes first of all
Too gesse by searching bulks of beastes what after should befall.
Or like as did king Romulus when soodeinly he found
His lawnce on mountayne Palatine fast rooted in the ground,
And bearing leaues, no longer now a weapon but a tree,
Which shadowed such as woondringly came thither for too see.
Or else as Cippus when he in the ronning brooke had seene
His hornes. For why he saw them, and supposing there had beene
No credit too bee giuen vntoo the glauncing image, hee
Put oft his fingers too his head, and felt it so too bee.
And blaming now no more his eyes, in comming from the chase
With conquest of his foes, he stayd. And lifting vp his face
And with his face, his hornes too heauen, he sayd: what euer thing
Is by this woonder meant O Goddes, If ioyfull newes it bring
I pray yee let it ioyfull too my folk and countrye bee:
But if it threaten euill, let the euill light on mee.
In saying so, an altar greene of clowwers he did frame,
And offred fuming frankincence in fyre vppon the same,
And powred boawles of wyne theron, and searched therwithall
The quiuering inwards of a sheepe too know what should befall.
A Tyrrhene wizard hauing sought the bowelles, saw therin
Great chaunges and attempts of things then readye too begin,
Which were not playnly manifest. But when that he at last
His eyes from inwards of the beast on Cippus hornes had cast,
Hayle king (he sayd.) For vntoo thee O Cippus, vntoo thee,
And too thy hornes shall this same place and Roome obedyent bee.
Abridge delay: and make thou haste too enter at the gates
Which tarrye open for thee. So commaund the soothfast fates.
Thou shalt bee king assoone as thou hast entred once the towne,
And thou and thyne for euermore shalt weare the royall crowne.
With that he stepping back his foote, did turne his frowning face
From Roome ward, saying. Farre, O farre, ye Goddes such handsel chace.
More ryght it were I all my lyfe a bannisht man should bee,
Than that the holy Capitoll mee reigning there should see
Thus much he sayd: and by and by toogither he did call
The people and the Senators. But yit he first of all
Did hyde his hornes with Lawrell leaues: and then without the wall
He standing on a mount the which his men had made of soddes,
And hauing after auncient guyse made prayer too the Goddes
Sayd: heere is one that shall (onlesse yee bannish him your towne
Immediatly) bee king of Roome and weare a royall crowne.
What man it is, I will by signe, but not by name bewray.
He hath vppon his brow twoo hornes. The wizard heere dooth say,
That if he enter Roome, you shall lyke seruants him obey.
He myght haue entred at your gates which open for him lay,
But I did stay him thence. And yit there is not vntoo mee
A neerer freend in all the world. Howbeet forbid him yee
O Romanes that he comme not once within your walles. Or if
He haue deserued, bynd him fast in fetters like a theef.
Or in this fatall Tyrants death, of feare dispatch your mynd.
Such noyse as Pynetrees make what tyme the heady easterne wynde
Dooth whiz amongst them, or as from the sea dooth farre rebound:
Euen such among the folk of Roome that present was the sound.
Howbeet in that confused roare of fearefull folk, did fall
Out one voyce asking, whoo is hee? And staring therewithall
Uppon theyr foreheads, they did seeke the foresayd hornes. Agen
(quoth Cippus) lo, yee haue the man for whom yee seeke. And then
He pulld (ageinst his peoples will) his garlond from his head,
And shewed them the twoo fayre hornes that on his browes were spred.
At that the people dassheth downe theyr lookes and syghing, is
Ryght sorye (whoo would think it trew?) too see that head of his
Most famous for his good deserts. Yit did they not forget
The honour of his personage, but willingly did set
The Lawrell garlond on his head ageine. And by and by
The Senate sayd. Well Cippus, sith vntill the tyme thou dye
Thou mayst not come within theis walles, wee giue thee as much groud
In honour of thee, as a teeme of steeres can plough thee round,
Betweene the dawning of the day, and shetting in of nyght.
Moreouer on the brazen gate at which this Cippus myght
Haue entred Roome, a payre of hornes were graude too represent
His woondrous shape, as of his deede an endlesse monument.


Yee Muses whoo too Poets are the present springs of grace,
Now shewe (for you knowe, neyther are you dulld by tyme or space)
How Aesculapius in the Ile that is in Tyber deepe
Among the sacred sayncts of Roome had fortune for too creepe.
A cruell plage did heertoofore infect the Latian aire,
And peoples bodyes pyning pale the murreine did appayre.
When tyred with the buriall of theyr freends, they did perceyue
Themselues no helpe at mannes hand nor by Phisicke too receyue.
Then seeking help from heauen, they sent too Delphos (which dooth stand
Amid the world) for counsell too bee had at Phebus hand.
Beseeching him with helthfull ayd too succour theyr distresse,
And of the myghtye Citie Roome the mischeef too redresse.
The quiuers which Apollo bryght himself was woont too beare,
The Baytrees, and the place itself toogither shaken were.
And by and by the table from the furthest part of all
The Chaucell spake theis woords, which did theyr harts with feare appal.
The thing yee Romanes seeke for heere, yee should haue sought more ny
Your countrye. Yea and neerer home go seeke it now. Not I
Apollo, but Apollos sonne is hee that must redresse
Your sorrowes. Take your iourney with good handsell of successe,
And fetch my sonne among you. When Apollos hest was told
Among the prudent Senators, they sercht what towne did hold
His sonne, and vntoo Epidavvre a Gallye for him sent.
Assoone as that th' Ambassadour arryued there they went
Untoo the counsell and the Lordes of Greekland: whom they pray
Too haue the God the present plages of Romanes for too stay,
And for themselues the Oracle of Phebus foorth they lay.
The Counsell were of sundry mynds and could not well agree.
Sum thought that succour in such neede denyed should not bee.
And diuers did perswade too keepe theyr helpe, & not too send
Theyr Goddes away sith they themselues myght neede them in the end.
Whyle dowtfully they of and on debate this curious cace,
The euening twylyght vtterly the day away did chace,
And on the world the shadowe of the earth had darknesse brought.
That nyght the Lord Ambassadour as sleepe vppon him wrought,
Did dreame he saw before him stand the God whose help he sought,
In shape as in his chappell he was woonted for too stand,
With ryght hand stroking downe his berd, and staffe in toother hand,
And meekely saying: feare not, I will comme and leaue my shryne.
This serpent which dooth wreath with knottes about this staffe of mine
Mark well, and take good heede therof: that when thou shalt it see,
Thou mayst it knowe. For intoo it transformed will I bee.
But bigger I will bee. for I will seeme of such a syse,
As may celestiall bodyes well too turne intoo suffise.
Streyght with the voyce, the God: and with the voyce and God, away
Went sleepe: and after sleepe was gone ensewed cheerfull day.
Next morning hauing cleerely put the fyrye starres too flyght,
The Lordes not knowing what too doo, assembled all foorthryght
Within the sumptuous temple of the God that was requyred,
And of his mynd by heauenly signe sum knowledge they desyred.
They scarce had doone theyr prayers, when the God in shape of snake
With loftye crest of gold, began a hissing for too make,
Which was a warning giuen. And with his presence he did shake
The Altar, shryne, doores, marble floore, and roofe all layd with gold,
And vauncing vp his brest he stayd ryght stately too behold
Amid the Church, and round about his fyrye eyes he rold.
The syght did fray the people. But the wyuelesse preest (whoose heare
Was trussed in a fayre whyght Call) did know the God was there.
And sayd, behold tiz God, tiz God. As many as bee heere
Pray both with mouth and mynd. O thou our glorious God, appeere
Too our beehoofe, and helpe thy folke that keepe thy hallowes ryght.
The people present woorshipped his Godhead there in syght,
Repeating dowble that the preest did say. the Romaynes eeke
Deuoutly did with Godly voyce and hart his fauour seeke.
The God by nodding did consent, and gaue assured signe
By shaking of his golden crest that on his head did shyne,
And hissed twyce with spirting toong. Then trayld he downe the fyne
And glistring greeces of his church. And turning backe his eyen,
He looked too his altarward and too his former shryne
And temple, as too take his leaue and bid them all fare well.
From thence ryght howge vppon the ground (which sweete of flowres did smell
That people strewed in his way,) he passed stately downe,
And bending intoo bowghts went through the hart of all the towne,
Untill that hee the bowwing wharf besyde the hauen tooke.
Where staying, when he had (as seemd) dismist with gentle looke
His trayne of Chapleynes and the folke that wayted on him thither,
Hee layd him in the Romane shippe too sayle away toogither.
The shippe did feele the burthen of his Godhed too the full,
And for the heauye weyght of him did after passe more dull.
The Romanes being glad of him, and hauing killd a steere
Uppon the shore, vntyde theyr ropes and cables from the peere.


The lyghtsum wynd did dryue the shippe. The God auauncing hye,
And leaning with his necke vppon the Gallyes syde, did lye
And looke vppon the greenish waues, and cutting easly through
Th' Iönian sea with little gales of westerne wynd not rough,
The sixt day morning came vppon the coast of Italy.
And passing foorth by Iunos Church that mustreth too the eye
Uppon the head of Lacine he was caryed also by
The rocke of Scylley. then he left the land of Calabrye
And rowing softly by the rocke Zephyrion, he did draw
Too Celen cliffs the which vppon the ryghtsyde haue a flawe.
By Romeche and by Cavvlon, and by Narice thence he past,
And from the streyghtes of Sicily gate quyght and cleere at last.
Then ran he by th' Aeölian Iles and by the metall myne
Of Tempsa, and by Levvcosye, and temprate Pest where fyne
And pleasant Roses florish ay. From thence by Capreas
And Atheney the headlond of Minerua he did passe
Too Surrent, where with gentle vynes the hilles bee ouerclad,
And by the towne of Hercules and Stabye ill bestad
And Naples borne too Idlenesse, and Cumes where Sybell had
Hir temples, and the scalding bathes, and Linterne where growes store
Of masticke trees, and Vulturne which beares sand apace from shore,
And Sinuesse where as Adders are as whyght as any snowe,
And Minturne of infected ayre bycause it stands so lowe,
And Caiete where Aeneas did his nurce in tumbe bestowe,
And Formy where Antiphates the Lestrigon did keepe,
And Trache enuyrond with a fen, and Circes mountayne steepe:
Too Ancon with the boystous shore. Assoone as that the shippe
Arryued heere, (for now the sea was rough,) the God let slippe
His circles, and in bending bowghts and wallowing waues did glyde
Intoo his fathers temple which was buylded there besyde
Uppon the shore. and when the sea was calme and pacifyde,
The foresayd God of Epidavvre, his fathers Church forsooke,
(The lodging of his neerest freend which for a tyme hee tooke,)
And with his crackling scales did in the sand a furrowe cut,
And taking hold vppon the sterne did in the Galy put
his head, and rested till he came past Camp and Lauine sands,
And entred Tybers mouth at which the Citie Ostia stands.
The folke of Roome came hither all by heapes bothe men and wyues
And eeke the Nunnes that keepe the fyre of Vesta as theyr lyues,
Too meete the God, and welcomd him with ioyfull noyse. And as
The Gally rowed vp the streame, greate store of incence was
On altars burnt on bothe the banks, so that on eyther syde
The fuming of the frankincence the very aire did hyde,
And also slaine in sacrifyse full many cattell dyde.
Anon he came too Roome the head of all the world: and there
The serpent lifting vp himself, began his head too beare
Ryght vp along the maast, vppon the toppe whereof on hye
He looked round about, a meete abyding place too spye
The Tyber dooth deuyde itself in twaine, and dooth embrace
A little pretye Iland (so the people terme the place)
From eyther syde whereof the bankes are distant equall space.
Apollos Snake descending from the maast conueyd him thither,
And taking eft his heauenly shape, as one repayring hither
Too bring our Citie healthfulnesse, did end our sorrowes quyght.


Although too bee a God with vs admitted were this wyght.
Yit was he borne a forreiner. But Cæsar hathe obteynd.
His Godhead in his natiue soyle and Citie where he reignd.
Whom peerelesse both in peace and warre, not more his warres vp knit
With triumph, nor his great exployts atcheeued by his wit,
Nor yit the great renowme that he obteynd so speedely,
Haue turned too a blazing starre, than did his progenie.
For of the actes of Cæsar, none is greater than that hee
Left such a sonne behynd him as Augustus is, too bee
His heyre. For are they things more hard too ouercomme thy Realme
Of Britaine standing in the sea? or vp the seuenfold streame
Of Nyle that beareth Paperreede victorious shippes too rowe?
Or too rebelliouse Numidye too giue an ouerthrowe?
Or Iuba king of Moores, and Pons (which proudely did it beare
Uppon the name of Mythridate) too force by swoord and speare
Too yeeld them subiects vntoo Roome? or by his iust desert
Too merit many triumphes, and of sum too haue his part?
Than such an heyre too leaue beehynd, in whom the Goddes doo showe
Exceeding fauour vntoo men for that they doo bestowe
So great a prince vppon the world? Now too thentent that hee
Should not bee borne of mortall seede, the oother was too bee
Canonyzed for a God. Which thing when golden Venus see,
(Shee also sawe how dreadfull death was for the bisshop then
Prepaard, and how conspiracye was wrought by wicked men)
Shee looked pale. And as the Goddes came any in her way,
Shee sayd vntoo them one by one. Behold and see I pray,
With how exceeding eagernesse they seeke mee too betray,
And with what woondrous craft they stryue too take my lyfe away,
I meene the thing that only now remayneth vntoo mee
Of Iule the Troians race. Must I then only euer bee
Thus vext with vndeserued cares? How seemeth now the payne
Of Diomeds speare of Calydon too wound my hand ageyne?
How seemes it mee that Troy ageine is lost through ill defence?
How seemes my sonne Aenæas like a bannisht man, from thence
Too wander farre ageine, and on the sea too tossed bee,
And warre with Turnus for too make? or rather (truth too say)
With Iuno? what meene I about harmes passed many a day
Ageinst myne ofspring, thus too stand? This present feare and wo
Permit mee not too think on things now past so long ago.
Yee see how wicked swoordes ageinst my head are whetted. I
Beseeche yee keepe them from my throte, and set the traytors by
Theyr purpose. neyther suffer you dame Vestaas fyre too dye
By murthering of her bisshop. Thus went Venus wofully
Complayning ouer all the heauen, and moovde the Goddes therby.
And for they could not breake the strong decrees of destinye,
They shewed signes most manifest of sorrowe too ensew.
For battells feyghting in the clowdes with crasshing armour flew.
And dreadfull trumpets sownded in the aire, and hornes eeke blew,
As warning men before hand of the mischeef that did brew.
And Phebus also looking dim did cast a drowzy lyght.
Uppon the earth, which seemd lykewyse too bee in sorye plyght.
From vnderneathe amid the starres brands oft seemd burning bryght
It often rayned droppes of blood. The morning starre lookt blew,
And was bespotted heere and there with specks of rusty hew.
The moone had also spottes of blood. The Screeche owle sent from hell
Did with her tune vnfortunate in euery corner yell.
Salt teares from Iuory images in sundry places fell.
And in the Chappells of the Goddes was singing heard, and woordes
Of threatning. Not a sacrifyse one signe of good auoordes.
But greate turmoyle too bee at hand theyr hartstrings doo declare.
And when the beast is ripped vp the inwards headlesse are.
About the Court, and euery house, and Churches in the nyghts
The doggs did howle, and euery where appeered gastly spryghts.
And with an earthquake shaken was the towne. Yit could not all
Theis warnings of the Goddes dispoynt the treason that should fall,
Nor ouercomme the destinies. The naked swoordes were brought
Intoo the temple. For no place in all the towne was thought
So meete too woork the mischeef in, or for them too commit
The heynous murder, as the Court in which they vsde too sit
In counsell. Venus then with both her hands her stomacke smit,
And was about too hyde him with the clowd in which shee hid
Aenæas, when shee from the swoord of Diomed did him rid.
Or Paris, when from Menelay shee did him saufe conuey.
But Ioue her father staying her did thus vntoo hir say.
Why daughter myne, wilt thou alone bee stryuing too preuent
Unuanquishable destinie? In fayth and if thou went
Thy self intoo the house in which the fatall susters three
Doo dwell, thou shouldest there of brasse and steele substantiall see
The registers of things so strong and massye made too bee,
That sauf and euerlasting, they doo neyther stand in feare
Of thunder, nor of lyghtning, nor of any ruine there.
The destnyes of thyne ofspring thou shalt there fynd grauen deepe
In Adamant. I red them: and in mynd I doo them keepe.
And forbycause thou shalt not beiquyght ignorant of all,
I will declare what things I markt herafter too befall.
The man for whom thou makest sute, hath liued full his tyme
And hauing ronne his race on earth must now too heauen vp clyme.
Where thou shalt make a God of him ay honord for too bee
With temples and with Altars on the earth. Moreouer hee
That is his heyre and beares his name, shall allalone susteyne
The burthen layd vppon his backe, and shall our help obteyne
His fathers murther too reuenge. The towne of Mutinye
Beseedged by his powre, shall yeeld. The feelds of Pharsaly
Shall feele him, and Philippos in the Realme of Macedonne
Shall once ageine bee staynd with blood. The greate Pompeius sonne
Shall vanquisht be by him vppon the sea of Sicilye.
The Romane Capteynes wyfe the Queene of Aegypt through her hye
Presumption trusting too her match too much, shall threate in vayne
Too make her Canop ouer our hygh Capitoll too reigne.
What should I tell thee of the wyld and barbrous nacions that
At bothe the Oceans dwelling bee? The vniuersall plat
Of all the earth inhabited, shall all be his. The sea
Shall vntoo him obedient bee likewyse. And when that he
Hathe stablisht peace in all the world, then shall he set his mynd
Too ciuill matters, vpryght lawes by iustice for too fynd,
And by example of himself all others he shall bynd.
Then hauing care of tyme too comme, and of posteritye,
A holy wyfe shall beare too him a sonne that may supply
His carefull charge and beare his name. And lastly in the end
He shall too heauen among the starres his auncetors ascend,
But not before his lyfe by length too drooping age doo tend.
And therfore from the murthred corce of Iulius Cæsar take
His sowle with speede, and of the same a burning cressed make,
That from our heauenly pallace he may euermore looke downe
Uppon our royall Capitoll and Court within Roome towne.


He scarcely ended had theis woordes, but Venus out of hand
Amid the Senate house of Roome inuisible did stand,
And from her Cæsars bodye tooke his new expulsed spryght
The which shee not permitting too resolue too ayer quyght,
Did place it in the skye among the starres that glister bryght
And as shee bare it, shee did feele it gather heauenly myght,
And for too wexen fyrye. Shee no sooner let it flye,
But that a goodly shyning starre it vp a loft did stye
And drew a greate way after it bryght beames like burning heare.
Whoo looking on his sonnes good deedes confessed that they were
Farre greater than his owne, and glad he was too see that hee
Excelled him. Although his sonne in no wyse would agree
Too haue his deedes preferd before his fathers: yit dooth fame,
(Whoo ay is free, and bound too no commaund) withstand the same
And stryuing in that one behalf ageinst his hest and will,
Proceedeth too preferre his deedes before his fathers still.
Euen so too Agamemnons great renowne giues Atreus place
Euen so Achilles deedes, the deedes of Peleus doo abace.
Euen so beyond Aegæus farre dooth Theseyes prowesse go.
And (that I may examples vse full matching theis) euen so
Is Saturne lesse in fame than Ioue. Ioue rules the heauenly spheres,
And all the triple shaped world. And our Augustus beares
Dominion ouer all the earth. They bothe are fathers: They
Are rulers both. Yee Goddes too whom both fyre and swoord gaue way,
What tyme yee with Aenæas came from Troy: yee Goddes that were
Of mortall men canonyzed: Thou Quirin whoo didst reere
The walles of Roome: and Mars whoo wart the valeant Quirins syre
And Vesta of the household Goddes of Cæsar with thy fyre
Most holy: and thou Phebus whoo with Vesta also art
Of household: and thou Iupiter whoo in the hyghest part
Of mountayne Tarpey haste thy Church: and all yee Goddes that may
With conscience sauf by Poëts bee appealed too: I pray
Let that same day bee slowe too comme and after I am dead,
In which Augustus (whoo as now of all the world is head)
Quyght giuing vp the care therof ascend too heauen for ay
There (absent hence,) to fauour such as vntoo him shall pray.


Now haue I brought a woork too end which neither Ioues feerce wrath,
Nor swoord, nor fyre, nor freating age with all the force it hath
Are able too abolish quyght. Let comme that fatall howre
Which (sauing of this brittle flesh) hath ouer mee no powre,
And at his pleasure make an end of myne vncerteyne tyme.
Yit shall the better part of mee assured bee too clyme
Aloft aboue the starry skye. And all the world shall neuer
Be able for too quench my name. For looke how farre so euer
The Romane Empyre by the ryght of conquest shall extend,
So farre shall all folke reade this woork. And tyme without all end
(If Poets as by prophesie about the truth may ame)
My lyfe shall euerlastingly bee lengthened still by fame.

Finis Libri decimi quinti


Laus & honor soli Deo\