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Book 4

Minyeides. THE DAUGHTERS OF KING MINYAS TRANSFORMED TO BATS

Alcithoe, daughter of King Minyas,

consents not to the orgies of the God;

denies that Bacchus is the son of Jove,

and her two sisters join her in that crime.

'Twas festal-day when matrons and their maids,

keeping it sacred, had forbade all toil.—

And having draped their bosoms with wild skins,

they loosed their long hair for the sacred wreaths,

and took the leafy thyrsus in their hands;—

for so the priest commanded them. Austere

the wrath of Bacchus if his power be scorned.

Mothers and youthful brides obeyed the priest;

and putting by their wickers and their webs,

dropt their unfinished toils to offer up

frankincense to the God; invoking him

with many names:—“O Bacchus! O Twice-born!

O Fire-begot! Thou only child Twice-mothered!

God of all those who plant the luscious grape!

O Liber !” All these names and many more,

for ages known—throughout the lands of Greece .

“Thy youth is not consumed by wasting time;

and lo, thou art an ever-youthful boy,

most beautiful of all the Gods of Heaven,

smooth as a virgin when thy horns are hid.—

The distant east to tawny India 's clime,

where rolls remotest Ganges to the sea,

was conquered by thy might.—O Most-revered!

Thou didst destroy the doubting Pentheus,

and hurled the sailors' bodies in the deep,

and smote Lycurgus, wielder of the ax.

“And thou dost guide thy lynxes, double-yoked,

with showy harness.—Satyrs follow thee;

and Bacchanals, and old Silenus, drunk,

unsteady on his staff; jolting so rough

on his small back-bent ass; and all the way

resounds a youthful clamour; and the screams

of women! and the noise of tambourines!

And the hollow cymbals! and the boxwood flutes,—

fitted with measured holes.—Thou art implored

by all Ismenian women to appear

peaceful and mild; and they perform thy rites.”

Only the daughters of King Minyas

are carding wool within their fastened doors,

or twisting with their thumbs the fleecy yarn,

or working at the web. So they corrupt

the sacred festival with needless toil,

keeping their hand-maids busy at the work.

And one of them, while drawing out the thread

with nimble thumb, anon began to speak;

“While others loiter and frequent these rites

fantastic, we the wards of Pallas, much

to be preferred, by speaking novel thoughts

may lighten labour. Let us each in turn,

relate to an attentive audience,

a novel tale; and so the hours may glide.”

it pleased her sisters, and they ordered her

to tell the story that she loved the most.

So, as she counted in her well-stored mind

the many tales she knew, first doubted she

whether to tell the tale of Derceto,—

that Babylonian, who, aver the tribes

of Palestine , in limpid ponds yet lives,—

her body changed, and scales upon her limbs;

or how her daughter, having taken wings,

passed her declining years in whitened towers.

Or should she tell of Nais, who with herbs,

too potent, into fishes had transformed

the bodies of her lovers, till she met

herself the same sad fate; or of that tree

which sometime bore white fruit, but now is changed

and darkened by the blood that stained its roots.—

Pleased with the novelty of this, at once

she tells the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe ;—

and swiftly as she told it unto them,

the fleecy wool was twisted into threads.

Pyramus et Thisbe. PYRAMUS AND THISBE

When Pyramus and Thisbe, who were known

the one most handsome of all youthful men,

the other loveliest of all eastern girls,—

lived in adjoining houses, near the walls

that Queen Semiramis had built of brick

around her famous city, they grew fond,

and loved each other—meeting often there—

and as the days went by their love increased.

They wished to join in marriage, but that joy

their fathers had forbidden them to hope;

and yet the passion that with equal strength

inflamed their minds no parents could forbid.

No relatives had guessed their secret love,

for all their converse was by nods and signs;

and as a smoldering fire may gather heat,

the more 'tis smothered, so their love increased.

Now, it so happened, a partition built

between their houses, many years ago,

was made defective with a little chink;

a small defect observed by none, although

for ages there; but what is hid from love?

Our lovers found the secret opening,

and used its passage to convey the sounds

of gentle, murmured words, whose tuneful note

passed oft in safety through that hidden way.

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There, many a time, they stood on either side,

thisbe on one and Pyramus the other,

and when their warm breath touched from lip to lip,

their sighs were such as this: “Thou envious wall

why art thou standing in the way of those

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who die for love? What harm could happen thee

shouldst thou permit us to enjoy our love?

But if we ask too much, let us persuade

that thou wilt open while we kiss but once:

for, we are not ungrateful; unto thee

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we own our debt; here thou hast left a way

that breathed words may enter loving ears.,”

so vainly whispered they, and when the night

began to darken they exchanged farewells;

made presence that they kissed a fond farewell

115

vain kisses that to love might none avail.

When dawn removed the glimmering lamps of night,

and the bright sun had dried the dewy grass

again they met where they had told their love;

and now complaining of their hapless fate,

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in murmurs gentle, they at last resolved,

away to slip upon the quiet night,

elude their parents, and, as soon as free,

quit the great builded city and their homes.

Fearful to wander in the pathless fields,

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they chose a trysting place, the tomb of Ninus ,

where safely they might hide unseen, beneath

the shadow of a tall mulberry tree,

covered with snow-white fruit, close by a spring.

All is arranged according to their hopes:

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and now the daylight, seeming slowly moved,

sinks in the deep waves, and the tardy night

arises from the spot where day declines.

Quickly, the clever Thisbe having first

deceived her parents, opened the closed door.

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She flitted in the silent night away;

and, having veiled her face, reached the great tomb,

and sat beneath the tree; love made her bold.

There, as she waited, a great lioness

approached the nearby spring to quench her thirst:

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her frothing jaws incarnadined with blood

of slaughtered oxen. As the moon was bright,

Thisbe could see her, and affrighted fled

with trembling footstep to a gloomy cave;

and as she ran she slipped and dropped her veil,

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which fluttered to the ground. She did not dare

to save it. Wherefore, when the savage beast

had taken a great draft and slaked her thirst,

and thence had turned to seek her forest lair,

she found it on her way, and full of rage,

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tore it and stained it with her bloody jaws:

but Thisbe , fortunate, escaped unseen.

Now Pyramus had not gone out so soon

as Thisbe to the tryst; and, when he saw

the certain traces of that savage beast,

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imprinted in the yielding dust, his face

went white with fear; but when he found the veil

covered with blood, he cried; “Alas, one night

has caused the ruin of two lovers! Thou

wert most deserving of completed days,

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but as for me, my heart is guilty! I

destroyed thee! O my love! I bade thee come

out in the dark night to a lonely haunt,

and failed to go before. Oh! whatever lurks

beneath this rock, though ravenous lion, tear

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my guilty flesh, and with most cruel jaws

devour my cursed entrails! What? Not so;

it is a craven's part to wish for death!”

So he stopped briefly; and took up the veil;

went straightway to the shadow of the tree;

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and as his tears bedewed the well-known veil,

he kissed it oft and sighing said, “Kisses

and tears are thine, receive my blood as well.”

And he imbrued the steel, girt at his side,

deep in his bowels; and plucked it from the wound,

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a-faint with death. As he fell back to earth,

his spurting blood shot upward in the air;

so, when decay has rift a leaden pipe

a hissing jet of water spurts on high.—

By that dark tide the berries on the tree

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assumed a deeper tint, for as the roots

soaked up the blood the pendent mulberries

were dyed a purple tint.

Thisbe returned,

though trembling still with fright, for now she thought

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her lover must await her at the tree,

and she should haste before he feared for her.

Longing to tell him of her great escape

she sadly looked for him with faithful eyes;

but when she saw the spot and the changed tree,

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she doubted could they be the same, for so

the colour of the hanging fruit deceived.

While doubt dismayed her, on the ground she saw

the wounded body covered with its blood;—

she started backward, and her face grew pale

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and ashen; and she shuddered like the sea,

which trembles when its face is lightly skimmed

by the chill breezes;—and she paused a space;—

but when she knew it was the one she loved,

she struck her tender breast and tore her hair.

200

Then wreathing in her arms his loved form,

she bathed the wound with tears, mingling her grief

in his unquenched blood; and as she kissed

his death-cold features wailed; “Ah Pyramus ,

what cruel fate has taken thy life away?

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Pyramus ! Pyramus! awake! awake!

It is thy dearest Thisbe calls thee! Lift

thy drooping head! Alas,”—At Thisbe's name

he raised his eyes, though languorous in death,

and darkness gathered round him as he gazed.

210

And then she saw her veil; and near it lay

his ivory sheath—but not the trusty sword

and once again she wailed; “Thy own right hand,

and thy great passion have destroyed thee!—

And I? my hand shall be as bold as thine—

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my love shall nerve me to the fatal deed—

thee, I will follow to eternity—

though I be censured for the wretched cause,

so surely I shall share thy wretched fate:—

alas, whom death could me alone bereave,

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thou shalt not from my love be reft by death!

And, O ye wretched parents, mine and his,

let our misfortunes and our pleadings melt

your hearts, that ye no more deny to those

whom constant love and lasting death unite—

225

entomb us in a single sepulchre.

“And, O thou tree of many-branching boughs,

spreading dark shadows on the corpse of one,

destined to cover twain, take thou our fate

upon thy head; mourn our untimely deaths;

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let thy fruit darken for a memory,

an emblem of our blood.” No more she said;

and having fixed the point below her breast,

she fell on the keen sword, still warm with his red blood.

But though her death was out of Nature's law

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her prayer was answered, for it moved the Gods

and moved their parents. Now the Gods have changed

the ripened fruit which darkens on the branch:

and from the funeral pile their parents sealed

their gathered ashes in a single urn.

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Venus et Mars. Leucothoe. Clytie. MARS AND VENUS

So ended she; at once Leuconoe

took the narrator's thread; and as she spoke

her sisters all were silent.

“Even the Sun

that rules the world was captive made of Love.

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My theme shall be a love-song of the Sun.

'Tis said the Lord of Day, whose wakeful eye

beholds at once whatever may transpire,

witnessed the loves of Mars and Venus. Grieved

to know the wrong, he called the son of Juno,

250

Vulcan , and gave full knowledge of the deed,

showing how Mars and Venus shamed his love,

as they defiled his bed. Vulcan amazed,—

the nimble-thoughted Vulcan lost his wits,

so that he dropped the work his right hand held.

255

But turning from all else at once he set

to file out chains of brass, delicate, fine,

from which to fashion nets invisible,

filmy of mesh and airy as the thread

of insect-web, that from the rafter swings.—

260

Implicit woven that they yielded soft

the slightest movement or the gentlest touch,

with cunning skill he drew them round the bed

where they were sure to dally. Presently

appeared the faithless wife, and on the couch

265

lay down to languish with her paramour.—

Meshed in the chains they could not thence arise,

nor could they else but lie in strict embrace,—

cunningly thus entrapped by Vulcan 's wit.—

At once the Lemnian cuckold opened wide

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the folding ivory doors and called the Gods,—

to witness. There they lay disgraced and bound.

I wot were many of the lighter Gods

who wished themselves in like disgraceful bonds.—

The Gods were moved to laughter: and the tale

275

was long most noted in the courts of Heaven.

The Cytherean Venus brooded on

the Sun's betrayal of her stolen joys,

and thought to torture him in passion's pains,

and wreak requital for the pain he caused.

280

LEUCOTHEA AND CLYTIE

Son of Hyperion! what avails thy light?

What is the profit of thy glowing heat?

Lo, thou whose flames have parched innumerous lands,

thyself art burning with another flame!

And thou whose orb should joy the universe

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art gazing only on Leucothea's charms.

Thy glorious eye on one fair maid is fixed,

forgetting all besides. Too early thou

art rising from thy bed of orient skies,

too late thy setting in the western waves;

290

so taking time to gaze upon thy love,

thy frenzy lengthens out the wintry hour!

And often thou art darkened in eclipse,

dark shadows of this trouble in thy mind,

unwonted aspect, casting man perplexed

295

in abject terror. Pale thou art, though not

betwixt thee and the earth the shadowous moon

bedims thy devious way. Thy passion gives

to grief thy countenance—for her thy heart

alone is grieving—Clymene and Rhodos ,

300

and Persa, mother of deluding Circe,

are all forgotten for thy doting hope;

even Clytie, who is yearning for thy love,

no more can charm thee; thou art so foredone.

Leucothea is the cause of many tears,

305

Leucothea, daughter of Eurynome,

most beauteous matron of Arabia 's strand,

where spicey odours blow. Eurynome

in youthful prime excelled her mother's grace,

and, save her daughter, all excelled besides.

310

Leucothea's father, Orchamas was king

where Achaemenes whilom held the sway;

and Orchamas from ancient Belus' death

might count his reign the seventh in descent.

The dark-night pastures of Apollo's steeds

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are hid below the western skies; when there,

and spent with toil, in lieu of nibbling herbs

they take ambrosial food: it gives their limbs

restoring strength and nourishes anew.

Now while these coursers eat celestial food

320

and Night resumes his reign, the god appears

disguised, unguessed, as old Eurynome

to fair Leucothea as she draws the threads,

all smoothly twisted from her spindle. There

she sits with twice six hand-maids ranged around,

325

and as the god beholds her at the door

he kisses her, as if a child beloved

and he her mother. And he spoke to her:

“Let thy twelve hand-maids leave us undisturbed,

for I have things of close import to tell,

330

and seemly, from a mother to her child.”,

so when they all withdrew the god began,

“Lo, I am he who measures the long year;

I see all things, and through me the wide world

may see all things; I am the glowing eye

335

of the broad universe! Thou art to me

the glory of the earth!” Filled with alarm,

from her relaxed fingers she let fall

the distaff and the spindle, but, her fear

so lovely in her beauty seemed, the God

340

no longer brooked delay: he changed his form

back to his wonted beauty and resumed

his bright celestial. Startled at the sight

the maid recoiled a space; but presently

the glory of the god inspired her love;

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and all her timid doubts dissolved away;

without complaint she melted in his arms.

So ardently the bright Apollo loved,

that Clytie, envious of Leucothea's joy,

where evil none was known, a scandal made;

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and having published wide their secret love,

leucothea's father also heard the tale.

Relentlessly and fierce, his cruel hand

buried his living daughter in the ground,

who, while her arms implored the glowing Sun,

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complained. “For love of thee my life is lost.”

And as she wailed her father sowed her there.

Hyperion's Son began with piercing heat

to scatter the loose sand, a way to open,

that she might look with beauteous features forth

360

too late! for smothered by the compact earth,

thou canst not lift thy drooping head; alas!

A lifeless corse remains.

No sadder sight

since Phaethon was blasted by the bolt,

365

down-hurled by Jove, had ever grieved the God

who daily drives his winged steeds. In vain

he strives with all the magic of his rays

to warm her limbs anew. — The deed is done—

what vantage gives his might if fate deny?

370

He sprinkles fragrant nectar on her grave,

and lifeless corse, and as he wails exclaims,

“But naught shall hinder you to reach the skies.”

At once the maiden's body, steeped in dews

of nectar, sweet and odourate, dissolves

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and adds its fragrant juices to the earth:

slowly from this a sprout of Frankincense

takes root in riched soil, and bursting through

the sandy hillock shows its top.

No more

380

to Clytie comes the author of sweet light,

for though her love might make excuse of grief,

and grief may plead to pardon jealous words,

his heart disdains the schemist of his woe;

and she who turned to sour the sweet of love,

385

from that unhallowed moment pined away.

Envious and hating all her sister Nymphs,

day after day,—and through the lonely nights,

all unprotected from the chilly breeze,

her hair dishevelled, tangled, unadorned,

390

she sat unmoved upon the bare hard ground.

Nine days the Nymph was nourished by the dews,

or haply by her own tears' bitter brine;—

all other nourishment was naught to her.—

She never raised herself from the bare ground,

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though on the god her gaze was ever fixed;—

she turned her features towards him as he moved:

they say that afterwhile her limbs took root

and fastened to the around.

A pearly white

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overspread her countenance, that turned as pale

and bloodless as the dead; but here and there

a blushing tinge resolved in violet tint;

and something like the blossom of that name

a flower concealed her face. Although a root

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now holds her fast to earth, the Heliotrope

turns ever to the Sun, as if to prove

that all may change and love through all remain.

Salmacis.

Thus was the story ended. All were charmed

to hear recounted such mysterious deeds.

410

While some were doubting whether such were true

others affirmed that to the living Gods

is nothing to restrain their wondrous works,

though surely of the Gods, immortal, none

accorded Bacchus even thought or place.

415

When all had made an end of argument,

they bade Alcithoe take up the word:

she, busily working on the pendent web,

still shot the shuttle through the warp and said;

“The amours of the shepherd Daphnis, known

420

to many of you, I shall not relate;

the shepherd Daphnis of Mount Ida , who

was turned to stone obdurate, for the Nymph

whose love he slighted—so the rivalry

of love neglected rouses to revenge:

425

neither shall I relate the story told

of Scython, double-sexed, who first was man,

then altered to a woman: so I pass

the tale of Celmus turned to adamant,

who reared almighty Jove from tender youth:

430

so, likewise the Curetes whom the rain

brought forth to life: Smilax and Crocus, too,

transpeciated into little flowers:

all these I pass to tell a novel tale,

which haply may resolve in pleasant thoughts.

435

HERMAPHRODITUS

Learn how the fountain, Salmacis, became

so infamous; learn how it enervates

and softens the limbs of those who chance to bathe.

Although the fountain's properties are known,

the cause is yet unknown. The Naiads nursed

440

an infant son of Hermes, surely his

of Aphrodite gotten in the caves

of Ida, for the child resembled both

the god and goddess, and his name was theirs.

The years passed by, and when the boy had reached

445

the limit of three lustrums, he forsook

his native mountains; for he loved to roam

through unimagined places, by the banks

of undiscovered rivers; and the joy

of finding wonders made his labour light.

450

Leaving Mount Ida, where his youth was spent,

he reached the land of Lycia , and from thence

the verge of Caria , where a pretty pool

of soft translucent water may be seen,

so clear the glistening bottom glads the eye:

455

no barren sedge, no fenny reeds annoy,

no rushes with their sharpened arrow-points,

but all around the edges of that pool

the softest grass engirdles with its green.

A Nymph dwells there, unsuited to the chase,

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unskilled to bend the bow, slothful of foot,

the only Naiad in the world unknown

to rapid-running Dian. Whensoever

her Naiad sisters pled in winged words,

“Take up the javelin, sister Salmacis,

465

take up the painted quiver and unite

your leisure with the action of the chase;”

she only scorned the javelin and the quiver,

nor joined her leisure to the active chase.

Rather she bathes her smooth and shapely limbs;

470

or combs her tresses with a boxwood comb,

Citorian; or looking in the pool

consults the glassed waters of effects

increasing beauty; or she decks herself

in gauzy raiment, and reposing lolls

475

on cushioned leaves, or grass-enverdured beds;

or gathers posies from the spangled lawns.

Now, haply as she culled the sweetest flowers

she saw the youth, and longing in her heart

made havoc as her greedy eyes beheld.

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Although her love could scarcely brook delay,

she waited to enhance her loveliness,

in beauty hoping to allure his love.

All richly dight she scanned herself and robes,

to know that every charm should fair appear,

485

and she be worthy: wherefore she began:

“O godlike youth! if thou art of the skies,

thou art no other than the god of Love;

if mortal, blest are they who gave thee birth;

happy thy brother; happy, fortunate

490

thy sister; happy, fortunate and blest

the nurse that gave her bosom; but the joys

surpassing all, dearest and tenderest,

are hers whom thou shalt wed. So, let it be

if thou so young have deigned to marry, let

495

my joys be stolen; if unmarried, join

with me in wedlock.” So she spoke, and stood

in silence waiting for the youth's reply.

He knows nor cares for love—with loveliness

the mounting blushes tinge his youthful cheeks,

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as blush-red tint of apples on the tree,

ripe in the summer sun, or as the hue

of painted ivory, or the round moon

red-blushing in her splendour, when the clash

of brass resounds in vain. And long the Nymph

505

implored; almost clung on his neck, as smooth

and white as ivory; unceasingly

imploring him to kiss her, though as chaste

as kisses to a sister; but the youth

outwearied, thus:

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“I do beseech you make

an end of this; or must I fly the place

and leave you to your tears?” Affrighted then

said Salmacis, “To you I freely give—

good stranger here remain.” Although she made

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fair presence to retire, she hid herself,

that from a shrub-grown covert, on her knees

she might observe unseen.

As any boy

that heedless deems his mischief unobserved,

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now here now there, he rambled on the green;

now in the bubbly ripples dipped his feet,

now dallied in the clear pool ankle-deep;—

the warm-cool feeling of the liquid then,

so pleased him, that without delay he doffed

525

his fleecy garments from his tender limbs.

Ah, Salmacis, amazement is thy meed!

Thou art consumed to know his naked grace!

As the hot glitters of the round bright sun

collected, sparkle from the polished plate,

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thine eyes are glistened with delirious fires.

Delay she cannot; panting for his joy,

languid for his caressing, crazed, distract,

her passion difficult is held in check.—

He claps his body with his hollow palms

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and lightly vaults into the limped wave,

and darting through the water hand over hand

shines in the liquid element, as though

should one enhance a statue's ivorine,

or glaze the lily in a lake of glass.

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And thus the Naiad, “I have gained my suit;

his love is mine,—is mine!” Quickly disrobed,

she plunged into the yielding wave—seized him,

caressed him, clung to him a thousand ways,

kissed him, thrust down her hands and touched his breast:

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reluctant and resisting he endeavours

to make escape, but even as he struggles

she winds herself about him, as entwines

the serpent which the royal bird on high

holds in his talons; —as it hangs, it coils

550

in sinuous folds around the eagle's feet;—

twisting its coils around his head and wings:

or as the ivy clings to sturdy oaks;

or as the polypus beneath the waves,

by pulling down, with suckers on all sides,

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tenacious holds its prey. And yet the youth,

descendant of great Atlas, not relents

nor gives the Naiad joy. Pressing her suit

she winds her limbs around him and exclaims,

“You shall not scape me, struggle as you will,

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perverse and obstinate! Hear me, ye Gods!

Let never time release the youth from me;

time never let me from the youth release!”

Propitious deities accord her prayers:

the mingled bodies of the pair unite

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and fashion in a single human form.

So one might see two branches underneath

a single rind uniting grow as one:

so, these two bodies in a firm embrace

no more are twain, but with a two-fold form

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nor man nor woman may be called—Though both

in seeming they are neither one of twain.

When that Hermaphroditus felt the change,

so wrought upon him by the languid fount,

considered that he entered it a man,

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and now his limbs relaxing in the stream

he is not wholly male, but only half,—

he lifted up his hands and thus implored,

albeit with no manly voice; “Hear me

O father! hear me mother! grant to me

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this boon; to me whose name is yours, your son;

whoso shall enter in this fount a man

must leave its waters only half a man.”

Moved by the words of their bi-natured son

both parents yield assent: they taint the fount

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with essences of dual-working powers.

Now though the daughters of King Minyas

have made an end of telling tales, they make

no end of labour; for they so despise

the deity, and desecrate his feast.

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While busily engaged, with sudden beat

they hear resounding tambourines; and pipes

and crooked horns and tinkling brass renew,

unseen, the note; saffron and myrrh dissolve

in dulcet odours; and, beyond belief,

595

the woven webs, dependent on the loom,

take tints of green, put forth new ivy leaves,

or change to grape-vines verdant. There the thread

is twisted into tendrils, there the warp

is fashioned into many-moving leaves—

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the purple lends its splendour to the grape.

And now the day is past; it is the hour

when night ambiguous merges into day,

which dubious owns nor light nor dun obscure;

and suddenly the house begins to shake,

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and torches oil-dipped seem to flare around,

and fires a-glow to shine in every room,

and phantoms, feigned of savage beasts, to howl.—

Full of affright amid the smoking halls

the sisters vainly hide, and wheresoever

610

they deem security from flaming fires,

fearfully flit. And while they seek to hide,

a membrane stretches over every limb,

and light wings open from their slender arms.

In the weird darkness they are unaware

615

what measure wrought to change their wonted shape.

No plumous vans avail to lift their flight,

yet fair they balance on membraneous wing.

Whenever they would speak a tiny voice,

diminutive, apportioned to their size,

620

in squeaking note complains. Adread the light,

their haunts avoid by day the leafy woods,

for sombre attics, where secure they rest

till forth the dun obscure their wings may stretch

at hour of Vesper;—this accords their name.

625

Athamas et Ino. ATHAMAS AND INO

Throughout the land of Thebes miraculous

the power of Bacchus waxed; and far and wide

Ino, his aunt, reported the great deeds

by this divinity performed. Of all

her sisters only she escaped unharmed,

630

when Fate destroyed them, and she knew not grief—

only for sorrow of her sisters' woes.—

While Ino vaunted of her mother-joys,

and of her kingly husband, Athamas,

and of the mighty God, her foster-child;

635

Juno, disdaining her in secret, said;

“How shall the offspring of a concubine

transform Maeonian mariners, overwhelm

them in the ocean, sacrifice a son

to his deluded mother, who insane,

640

tears out his entrails; how shall he invent

wings for three daughters of King Minyas,

while Juno unavenged, bewails despite?—

Is it the end? the utmost of my power?

His deeds instruct the way; true wisdom heeds

645

an enemy's device; by the strange death

of Pentheus, all that madness could perform

was well revealed to all; what then denies

a frenzy may unravel Ino's course

to such a fate as wrought her sisters' woe?”

650

A shelving path in shadows of sad yew

through utter silence to the deep descends,

infernal, where the languid Styx exhales

vapours; and there the shadows of the dead,

descend, after they leave their sacred urns,

655

and ghostly forms invade: and far and wide,

those dreary regions Horror and bleak Cold

obtain.

The ghosts, arrived, not know the way,—

which leadeth to the Stygian city-gates,—

660

not know the melancholy palace where

the swarthy Pluto stays, though streets and ways

a thousand to that city lead, and gates

out-swing from every side: and as the sea

with never-seen increase engulfs the streams

665

unnumbered of the world, that realm enfolds

the souls of men, nor ever is it filled.

Around the shadowy spirits go; bloodless

boneless and bodiless; they throng the place

of judgment, or they haunt the mansion where

670

abides the Utmost Tyrant, or they tend

to various callings, as their whilom way; —

appropriate punishment confines to pain

the multitude condemned.

To this abode,

675

impelled by rage and hate, from habitation

celestial, Juno, of Saturn born, descends,

submissive to its dreadful element.

No sooner had she entered the sad gates,

than groans were uttered by the threshold, pressed

680

by her immortal form, and Cerberus

upraising his three-visaged mouths gave vent

to triple-barking howls.—She called to her

the sisters, Night-begot, implacable,

terrific Furies. They did sit before

685

the prison portals, adamant confined,

combing black vipers from their horrid hair.

When her amid the night-surrounding shades

they recognized, those Deities uprose.

O dread confines! dark seat of wretched vice!

690

Where stretched athwart nine acres, Tityus,

must thou endure thine entrails to be torn!

O Tantalus, thou canst not touch the wave,

and from thy clutch the hanging branches rise!

O Sisyphus, thou canst not stay the stone,

695

catching or pushing, it must fall again!

O thou Ixion! whirled around, around,

thyself must follow to escape thyself!

And, O Belides, (plotter of sad death

upon thy cousins) thou art always doomed

700

to dip forever ever-spilling waves!

When that the daughter of Saturnus fixed

a stern look on those wretches, first her glance

arrested on Ixion; but the next

on Sisyphus; and thus the goddess spoke;—

705

“For why should he alone of all his kin

suffer eternal doom, while Athamas,

luxurious in a sumptuous palace reigns;

and, haughty with his wife, despises me.”

So grieved she, and expressed the rage of hate

710

that such descent inspired, beseeching thus,

no longer should the House of Cadmus stand,

so that the sister Furies plunge in crime

overweening Athamas.—Entreating them,

she mingled promises with her commands.—

715

When Juno ended speech, Tisiphone,

whose locks entangled are not ever smooth,

tossed them around, that backward from her face

such crawling snakes were thrown;—then answered she:

“Since what thy will decrees may well be done,

720

why need we to consult with many words?

Leave thou this hateful region and convey

thyself, contented, to a better realm.”

Rejoicing Juno hastens to the clouds—

before she enters her celestial home,

725

Iris, the child of Thaumas, purifies

her limbs in sprinkled water.

Waiting not,

Tisiphone, revengeful, takes a torch;—

besmeared with blood, and vested in a robe,

730

dripping with crimson gore, and twisting-snakes

engirdled, she departs her dire abode—

with twitching Madness, Terror, Fear and Woe:

and when she had arrived the destined house,

the door-posts shrank from her, the maple doors

735

turned ashen grey: the Sun amazed fled.

Affrighted, Athamas and Ino viewed

and fled these prodigies; but suddenly

that baneful Fury stood across the way,

blocking the passage— There she stands with arms

740

extended, and alive with twisting vipers.—

She shakes her hair; the moving serpents hiss;

they cling upon her shoulders, and they glide

around her temples, dart their fangs, and vomit

corruption.—Plucking from the midst two snakes,

745

she hurls them with her pestilential hand

upon her victims, Athamas and Ino, whom,

although the vipers strike upon their breasts,

no injury attacks their mortal parts;—

only their minds are stricken with wild rage,

750

inciting to mad violence and crime.

And with a monstrous composite of foam—

once gathered from the mouth of Cerberus,

the venom of Echidna, purposeless

aberrances, crimes, tears, hatred—the lust

755

of homicide, and the dark vapourings

of foolish brains; a liquid poison, mixed,

and mingled with fresh blood, in hollow brass,

and boiled, and stirred up with a slip of hemlock—

she took of it, and as they trembled, threw

760

that mad-mixed poison on them; and it scorched

their inmost vitals—and she waved her torch

repeatedly, within a circle's rim—

and added flame to flame.—

Then, confident

765

of having executed her commands,

the Fury hastened to the void expanse

where Pluto reigns, and swiftly put aside

the serpents that were wreathed around her robes.

At once, the son of Aeolus, enraged,

770

shouts loudly in his palace; “Ho, my lads!

Spread out your nets! a savage lioness

and her twin whelps are lurking in the wood;—

behold them!” In his madness he believes

his wife a savage beast. He follows her,

775

and quickly from her bosom snatches up

her smiling babe, Learchus, holding forth

his tiny arms, and whirls him in the air,

times twice and thrice, as whirls the whizzing sling,

and dashes him in pieces on the rocks; —

780

cracking his infant bones.

The mother, roused

to frenzy (who can tell if grief the cause,

or fires of scattered poison?) yells aloud,

and with her torn hair tangled, running mad,

785

she carries swiftly in her clutching arms,

her little Melicerta! and begins

to shout, “Evoe, Bacche!”—Juno hears

the shouted name of Bacchus, and she laughs,

and taunts her;—“Let thy foster-child award!”

790

There is a crag, out-jutting on the deep,

worn hollow at the base by many waves,

where not the rain may ripple on that pool;—

high up the rugged summit overhangs

its ragged brows above the open sea:

795

there, Ino climbs with frenzy-given strength,

and fearless, with her burden in her arms,

leaps in the waves where whitening foams arise.

Venus takes pity on her guiltless child,

unfortunate grand-daughter, and begins

800

to soothe her uncle Neptune with these words;—

“O Neptune, ruler of the deep, to whom,

next to the Power in Heaven, was given sway,

consider my request! Open thy heart

to my descendants, which thine eyes behold,

805

tossed on the wild Ionian Sea ! I do implore thee,

remember they are thy true Deities—

are thine as well as mine—for it is known

my birth was from the white foam of thy sea;—

a truth made certain by my Grecian name.”

810

Neptune regards her prayer: he takes from them

their mortal dross: he clothes in majesty,

and hallows their appearance. Even their names

and forms are altered; Melicerta, changed,

is now Palaemon called, and Ino, changed,

815

Leucothoe called, are known as Deities.

When her Sidonian attendants traced

fresh footprints to the last verge of the rock,

and found no further vestige, they declared

her dead, nor had they any doubt of it.

820

They tore their garments and their hair—and wailed

the House of Cadmus— and they cursed at Juno,

for the sad fate of the wretched concubine.

That goddess could no longer brook their words,

and thus made answer, “I will make of you

825

eternal monuments of my revenge!”

Her words were instantly confirmed—The one

whose love for Ino was the greatest, cried;

“Into the deep; look—look—I seek my queen.”

But even as she tried to leap, she stood

830

fast-rooted to the ever-living rock;

another, as she tried to beat her breast

with blows repeated, noticed that her arms

grew stiff and hard; another, as by chance,

was petrified with hands stretched over the waves:

835

another could be seen, as suddenly

her fingers hardened, clutching at her hair

to tear it from the roots.—And each remained

forever in the posture first assumed.—

But others of those women, sprung from Cadmus,

840

were changed to birds, that always with wide wings

skim lightly the dark surface of that sea.

Cadmus et Harmonia. CADMUS AND HARMONIA

Unwitting that his daughter and his son

are Ocean deities, Agenor's son,—

depressed by sorrow and unnumbered woes,

845

calamities, and prodigies untold,—

the founder fled the city he had built,

as though fatalities that gathered round

that city grieved him deeper than the fate

of his own family; and thence, at last

850

arrived the confines of Illyria ;

in exile with his wife.—

Weighted with woe,

bowed down with years, their minds recalled the time

when first disaster fell upon their House:—

855

relating their misfortunes, Cadmus spoke;

“Was that a sacred dragon that my spear

impaled, when on the way from Sidon 's gates

I planted in the earth those dragon-teeth,

unthought-of seed? If haply 'tis the Gods,

860

(whose rage unerring, gives me to revenge)

I only pray that I may lengthen out,

as any serpent.” Even as he spoke,

he saw and felt himself increase in length.

His body coiled into a serpent's form;

865

bright scale's enveloped his indurate skin,

and azure macules in speckled pride,

enriched his glowing folds; and as he fell

supinely on his breast, his legs were joined,

and gradually tapered as a serpent's tail.—

870

Some time his arms remained, which stretching forth

while tears rolled down his human face, not changed

as yet, he said; “Hither, O hapless one!

Come hither my unhappy wife, while aught

is left of manhood; touch me, take my hand,

875

unchanged as yet—ah, soon this serpent-form

will cover me!”

So did he speak, nor thought

to make an end; but suddenly his tongue

became twin-forked. As often as he tried,

880

a hissing sound escaped; the only voice

that Nature left him. —

And his wife bewailed,

and smote her breast, “Ah, Cadmus, ah!

Most helpless one, put off that monster-shape!

885

Your feet, your shoulders and your hands are gone;

your manly form, your very colour gone; all—all

is changed!—Oh, why not, ye celestial Gods,

me likewise, to a serpent-shape transform!”—

So ended her complaint. Cadmus caressed

890

her gently with his tongue; and slid to her

dear bosom, just as if he knew his wife;

and he embraced her, and he touched her neck.

All their attendants, who had seen the change,

were filled with fear; but when as crested snakes

895

the twain appeared in brightly glistening mail,

their grief was lightened: and the pair, enwreathed

in twisting coils, departed from that place,

and sought a covert in the nearest grove.—

There, then, these gentle serpents never shun

900

mankind, nor wound, nor strike with poisoned fangs;

for they are always conscious of the past.

Perseus. Atlas. Andromeda. PERSEUS AND ATLAS

The fortune of their grandson, Bacchus, gave

great comfort to them—as a god adored

in conquered India ; by Achaia praised

905

in stately temples. — But Acrisius

the son of Abas, of the Cadmean race,

remained to banish Bacchus from the walls

of Argos , and to lift up hostile arms

against that deity, who he denied

910

was born to Jove. He would not even grant

that Perseus from the loins of Jupiter

was got of Danae in the showering gold.

So mighty is the hidden power of truth,

Acrisius soon lamented that affront

915

to Bacchus, and that ever he refused

to own his grandson; for the one achieved

high heaven, and the other, (as he bore

the viperous monster-head) on sounding wings

hovered a conqueror in the fluent air,

920

over sands, Libyan, where the Gorgon-head

dropped clots of gore, that, quickening on the ground,

became unnumbered serpents; fitting cause

to curse with vipers that infested land.

Thence wafted by the never-constant winds

925

through boundless latitudes, now here now there,

as flits a vapour-cloud in dizzy flight,

down-looking from the lofty skies on earth,

removed far, so compassed he the world.

Three times did he behold the frozen Bears,

930

times thrice his gaze was on the Crab's bent arms.

Now shifting to the west, now to the east,

how often changed his course? Time came, when day

declining, he began to fear the night,

by which he stopped his flight far in the west—

935

the realm of Atlas—where he sought repose

till Lucifer might call Aurora's fires;

Aurora chariot of the Day.

There dwelt

huge Atlas, vaster than the race of man:

940

son of Iapetus, his lordly sway

extended over those extreme domains,

and over oceans that command their waves

to take the panting coursers of the Sun,

and bathe the wearied Chariot of the Day.

945

For him a thousand flocks, a thousand herds

overwandered pasture fields; and neighbour tribes

might none disturb that land. Aglint with gold

bright leaves adorn the trees,—boughs golden-wrought

bear apples of pure gold. And Perseus spoke

950

to Atlas, “O my friend, if thou art moved

to hear the story of a noble race,

the author of my life is Jupiter ;

if valiant deeds perhaps are thy delight

mine may deserve thy praise.—Behold of thee

955

kind treatment I implore—a place of rest.”

But Atlas, mindful of an oracle

since by Themis, the Parnassian, told,

recalled these words, “O Atlas! mark the day

a son of Jupiter shall come to spoil;

960

for when thy trees been stripped of golden fruit,

the glory shall be his.”

Fearful of this,

Atlas had built solid walls around

his orchard, and secured a dragon, huge,

965

that kept perpetual guard, and thence expelled

all strangers from his land. Wherefore he said,

“Begone! The glory of your deeds is all

pretense; even Jupiter , will fail your need.”

With that he added force and strove to drive

970

the hesitating Alien from his doors;

who pled reprieve or threatened with bold words.

Although he dared not rival Atlas' might,

Perseus made this reply; “For that my love

you hold in light esteem, let this be yours.”

975

He said no more, but turning his own face,

he showed upon his left Medusa's head,

abhorrent features.—Atlas, huge and vast,

becomes a mountain—His great beard and hair

are forests, and his shoulders and his hands

980

mountainous ridges, and his head the top

of a high peak;—his bones are changed to rocks.

Augmented on all sides, enormous height

attains his growth; for so ordained it, ye,

O mighty Gods! who now the heavens' expanse

985

unnumbered stars, on him command to rest.

PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA

In their eternal prison, Aeous,

grandson of Hippotas, had shut the winds;

and Lucifer, reminder of our toil,

in splendour rose upon the lofty sky:

990

and Perseus bound his wings upon his feet,

on each foot bound he them; his sword he girt

and sped wing-footed through the liquid air.

Innumerous kingdoms far behind were left,

till peoples Ethiopic and the lands

995

of Cepheus were beneath his lofty view.

There Ammon, the Unjust, had made decree

Andromeda, the Innocent, should grieve

her mother's tongue. They bound her fettered arms

fast to the rock. When Perseus her beheld

1000

as marble he would deem her, but the breeze

moved in her hair, and from her streaming eyes

the warm tears fell. Her beauty so amazed

his heart, unconscious captive of her charms,

that almost his swift wings forgot to wave.—

1005

Alighted on the ground, he thus began;

“O fairest! whom these chains become not so,

but worthy are for links that lovers bind,

make known to me your country's name and your's

and wherefore bound in chains.” A moment then,

1010

as overcome with shame, she made no sound:

were not she fettered she would surely hide

her blushing head; but what she could perform

that did she do—she filled her eyes with tears.

So pleaded he that lest refusal seem

1015

implied confession of a crime, she told

her name, her country's name, and how her charms

had been her mother's pride. But as she spoke

the mighty ocean roared. Over the waves

a monster fast approached, its head held high,

1020

abreast the wide expanse.—The virgin shrieked;—

no aid her wretched father gave, nor aid

her still more wretched mother; but they wept

and mingled lamentations with their tears—

clinging distracted to her fettered form.

1025

And thus the stranger spoke to them, “Time waits

for tears, but flies the moment of our need:

were I, who am the son of Regal Jove

and her whom he embraced in showers of gold,

leaving her pregnant in her brazen cell, —

1030

I, Perseus, who destroyed the Gorgon, wreathed

with snake-hair, I, who dared on waving wings

to cleave etherial air—were I to ask

the maid in marriage, I should be preferred

above all others as your son-in-law.

1035

Not satisfied with deeds achieved, I strive

to add such merit as the Gods permit;

now, therefore, should my velour save her life,

be it conditioned that I win her love.”

To this her parents gave a glad assent,

1040

for who could hesitate? And they entreat,

and promise him the kingdom as a dower.

As a great ship with steady prow speeds on;

forced forwards by the sweating arms of youth

it plows the deep; so, breasting the great waves,

1045

the monster moved, until to reach the rock

no further space remained than might the whirl

of Balearic string encompass, through

the middle skies, with plummet-mold of lead.

That instant, spurning with his feet the ground,

1050

the youth rose upwards to a cloudy height;

and when the shadow of the hero marked

the surface of the sea, the monster sought

vainly to vent his fury on the shade.

As the swift bird of Jove, when he beholds

1055

a basking serpent in an open field,

exposing to the sun its mottled back,

and seizes on its tail; lest it shall turn

to strike with venomed fang, he fixes fast

his grasping talons in the scaly neck;

1060

so did the winged youth, in rapid flight

through yielding elements, press down

on the great monster's back, and thrust his sword,

sheer to the hilt, in its right shoulder—loud

its frightful torture sounded over the waves.—

1065

So fought the hero-son of Inachus.

Wild with the grievous wound, the monster rears

high in the air, or plunges in the waves;—

or wheels around as turns the frightened boar

shunning the hounds around him in full cry.

1070

The hero on his active wings avoids

the monster's jaws, and with his crooked sword

tortures its back wherever he may pierce

its mail of hollow shell, or strikes betwixt

the ribs each side, or wounds its lashing tail,

1075

long, tapered as a fish.

The monster spouts

forth streams—incarnadined with blood—

that spray upon the hero's wings; who drenched,

and heavy with the spume, no longer dares

1080

to trust existence to his dripping wings;

but he discerns a rock, which rises clear

above the water when the sea is calm,

but now is covered by the lashing waves.

On this he rests; and as his left hand holds

1085

firm on the upmost ledge, he thrusts his sword,

times more than three, unswerving in his aim,

sheer through the monster's entrails.—Shouts of praise

resound along the shores, and even the Gods

may hear his glory in their high abodes.

1090

Her parents, Cepheus and Cassiope,

most joyfully salute their son-in-law;

declaring him the saviour of their house.

And now, her chains struck off, the lovely cause

and guerdon of his toil, walks on the shore.

1095

The hero washes his victorious hands

in water newly taken from the sea:

but lest the sand upon the shore might harm

the viper-covered head, he first prepared

a bed of springy leaves, on which he threw

1100

weeds of the sea, produced beneath the waves.

On them he laid Medusa's awful face,

daughter of Phorcys;—and the living weeds,

fresh taken from the boundless deep, imbibed

the monster's poison in their spongy pith:

1105

they hardened at the touch, and felt in branch

and leaf unwonted stiffness. Sea-Nymphs, too,

attempted to perform that prodigy

on numerous other weeds, with like result:

so pleased at their success, they raised new seeds,

1110

from plants wide-scattered on the salt expanse.

Even from that day the coral has retained

such wondrous nature, that exposed to air

it hardens.—Thus, a plant beneath the waves

becomes a stone when taken from the sea.

1115

Three altars to three Gods he made of turf.

To thee, victorious Virgin, did he build

an altar on the right, to Mercury

an altar on the left, and unto Jove

an altar in the midst. He sacrificed

1120

a heifer to Minerva , and a calf

to Mercury, the Wingfoot, and a bull

to thee, O greatest of the Deities.

Without a dower he takes Andromeda,

the guerdon of his glorious victory,

1125

nor hesitates.—Now pacing in the van,

both Love and Hymen wave the flaring torch,

abundant perfumes lavished in the flames.

The houses are bedecked with wreathed flowers;

and lyres and flageolets resound, and songs—

1130

felicit notes that happy hearts declare.

The portals opened, sumptuous halls display

their golden splendours, and the noble lords

of Cepheus' court take places at the feast,

magnificently served.

1135

After the feast,

when every heart was warming to the joys of genial Bacchus ,

then, Lyncidian Perseus asked about the land and its ways

about the customs and the character of its heroes.

Straightway one of the dinner-companions made reply,

1140

and asked in turn, “ Now, valiant Perseus, pray

tell the story of the deed, that all may know,

and what the arts and power prevailed, when you

struck off the serpent-covered head.”

“There is,”

1145

continued Perseus of the house of Agenor,

“There is a spot beneath cold Atlas, where

in bulwarks of enormous strength, to guard

its rocky entrance, dwelt two sisters, born

of Phorcys. These were wont to share in turn

1150

a single eye between them: this by craft

I got possession of, when one essayed

to hand it to the other.—I put forth

my hand and took it as it passed between:

then, far, remote, through rocky pathless crags,

1155

over wild hills that bristled with great woods,

I thence arrived to where the Gorgon dwelt.

“Along the way, in fields and by the roads,

I saw on all sides men and animals—

like statues—turned to flinty stone at sight

1160

of dread Medusa's visage. Nevertheless

reflected on the brazen shield, I bore

upon my left, I saw her horrid face.

“When she was helpless in the power of sleep

and even her serpent-hair was slumber-bound,

1165

I struck, and took her head sheer from the neck.—

To winged Pegasus the blood gave birth,

his brother also, twins of rapid wing.”

So did he speak, and truly told besides

the perils of his journey, arduous

1170

and long—He told of seas and lands that far

beneath him he had seen, and of the stars

that he had touched while on his waving wings.

And yet, before they were aware, the tale

was ended; he was silent. Then rejoined

1175

a noble with enquiry why alone

of those three sisters, snakes were interspersed

in dread Medusa's locks. And he replied:—

“Because, O Stranger, it is your desire

to learn what worthy is for me to tell,

1180

hear ye the cause: Beyond all others she

was famed for beauty, and the envious hope

of many suitors. Words would fail to tell

the glory of her hair, most wonderful

of all her charms—A friend declared to me

1185

he saw its lovely splendour. Fame declares

the Sovereign of the Sea attained her love

in chaste Minerva 's temple. While enraged

she turned her head away and held her shield

before her eyes. To punish that great crime

1190

Minerva changed the Gorgon's splendid hair

to serpents horrible. And now to strike

her foes with fear, she wears upon her breast

those awful vipers—creatures of her rage.

Metamorphoses. P. Ovidius Naso. Brookes More (Translator). Boston. 1922.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Metamorphoses (English) (Ovid. Metamorphoses. More, Brookes, translator. Boston: Cornhill Publishing Co., 1922.)

Editions (1)

Metamorphoses Perseus (Ovid. Die Metamorphosen des P. Ovidius Naso, Volume 1-3. Magnus, Hugo, editor. Gotha, Germany: F.A. Perthes. 1892-1919.) — 4 focus

1 Minyeides.

At non Alcithoe Minyeias orgia censet

accipienda dei, sed adhuc temeraria Bacchum

progeniem negat esse Iovis, sociasque sorores

inpietatis habet. Festum celebrare sacerdos

inmunesque operum famulas dominasque suorum

pectora pelle tegi, crinales solvere vittas,

serta coma, manibus frondentes sumere thyrsos

iusserat, et saevam laesi fore numinis iram

vaticinatus erat. Parent matresque nurusque

telasque calathosque infectaque pensa reponunt,

turaque dant Bacchumque vocant Bromiumque Lyaeumque

ignigenamque satumque iterum solumque bimatrem:

additur his Nyseus indetonsusque Thyoneus,

et cum Lenaeo genialis consitor uvae,

Nycteliusque Eleleusque parens et Iacchus et Euhan,

et quae praeterea per Graias plurima gentes

nomina, Liber, habes. Tibi enim inconsumpta iuventa est,

tu puer aeternus, tu formosissimus alto

conspiceris caelo, tibi, cum sine cornibus adstas,

virgineum caput est. Oriens tibi victus, adusque

decolor extremo qua tingitur India Gange:

Penthea tu, venerande, bipenniferumque Lycurgum

sacrilegos mactas, Tyrrhenaque mittis in aequor

corpora, tu biiugum pictis insignia frenis

colla premis lyncum; bacchae satyrique sequuntur,

quique senex ferula titubantes ebrius artus

sustinet et pando non fortiter haeret asello.

Quacumque ingrederis, clamor iuvenalis et una

femineae voces inpulsaque tympana palmis

concavaque aera sonant longoque foramine buxus.

“Placatus mitisque” rogant Ismenides “adsis,”

iussaque sacra colunt. Solae Minyeides intus

intempestiva turbantes festa Minerva

aut ducunt lanas, aut stamina pollice versant,

aut haerent telae famulasque laboribus urgent.

E quibus una levi deducens pollice filum

“dum cessant aliae commentaque sacra frequentant,

nos quoque, quas Pallas, melior dea, detinet” inquit,

“utile opus manuum vario sermone levemus:

perque vices aliquid, quod tempora longa videri

non sinat, in medium vacuas referamus ad aures.”

Dicta probant primamque iubent narrare sorores.

Illa, quid e multis referat (nam plurima norat),

cogitat et dubia est, de te, Babylonia, narret,

Derceti, quam versa squamis velantibus artus

stagna Palaestini credunt motasse figura;

an magis, ut sumptis illius filia pennis

extremos albis in turribus egerit annos;

nais an ut cantu nimiumque potentibus herbis

verterit in tacitos iuvenalia corpora pisces,

donec idem passa est; an, quae poma alba ferebat,

ut nunc nigra ferat contactu sanguinis arbor.

Hoc placet, hanc, quoniam vulgaris fabula non est,

talibus orsa modis, lana sua fila sequente:

55 Pyramus et Thisbe.

“Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter,

altera, quas oriens habuit, praelata puellis,

contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam

coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.

Notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit:

tempore crevit amor. Taedae quoque iure coissent:

sed vetuere patres. Quod non potuere vetare,

ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.

Conscius omnis abest: nutu signisque loquuntur,

quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis.

Fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,

cum fieret paries domui communis utrique.

Id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum

(quid non sentit amor?) primi vidistis amantes,

et vocis fecistis iter; tutaeque per illud

murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.

Saepe, ubi constiterant hinc Thisbe, Pyramus illinc,

inque vices fuerat captatus anhelitus oris,

“invide” dicebant “paries, quid amantibus obstas?

quantum erat, ut sineres toto nos corpore iungi,

aut hoc si nimium est, vel ad oscula danda pateres?

Nec sumus ingrati: tibi nos debere fatemur,

quod datus est verbis ad amicas transitus aures.”

Talia diversa nequiquam sede locuti

sub noctem dixere ”vale” partique dedere

oscula quisque suae non pervenientia contra.

Postera nocturnos aurora removerat ignes,

solque pruinosas radiis siccaverat herbas:

ad solitum coiere locum. Tum murmure parvo

multa prius questi, statuunt, ut nocte silenti

fallere custodes foribusque excedere temptent,

cumque domo exierint, urbis quoque tecta relinquant;

neve sit errandum lato spatiantibus arvo,

conveniant ad busta Nini lateantque sub umbra

arboris. Arbor ibi, niveis uberrima pomis

ardua morus, erat, gelido contermina fonti.

Pacta placent. Et lux, tarde discedere visa,

praecipitatur aquis, et aquis nox exit ab isdem.

Callida per tenebras versato cardine Thisbe

egreditur fallitque suos, adopertaque vultum

pervenit ad tumulum, dictaque sub arbore sedit.

Audacem faciebat amor. Venit ecce recenti

caede leaena boum spumantes oblita rictus,

depositura sitim vicini fontis in unda.

Quam procul ad lunae radios Babylonia Thisbe

vidit et obscurum timido pede fugit in antrum,

100

dumque fugit, tergo velamina lapsa reliquit.

Ut lea saeva sitim multa conpescuit unda,

dum redit in silvas, inventos forte sine ipsa

ore cruentato tenues laniavit amictus.

Serius egressus vestigia vidit in alto

105

pulvere certa ferae totoque expalluit ore

Pyramus: ut vero vestem quoque sanguine tinctam

repperit, “una duos” inquit “nox perdet amantes.

E quibus illa fuit longa dignissima vita,

nostra nocens anima est: ego te, miseranda, peremi,

110

in loca plena metus qui iussi nocte venires,

nec prior huc veni. Nostrum divellite corpus,

et scelerata fero consumite viscera morsu,

o quicumque sub hac habitatis rupe, leones.

Sed timidi est optare necem.” Velamina Thisbes

115

tollit et ad pactae secum fert arboris umbram;

utque dedit notae lacrimas, dedit oscula vesti,

“accipe nunc” inquit “nostri quoque sanguinis haustus!”

quoque erat accinctus, demisit in ilia ferrum,

nec mora, ferventi moriens e vulnere traxit.

120

Ut iacuit resupinus humo: cruor emicat alte,

non aliter quam cum vitiato fistula plumbo

scinditur et tenui stridente foramine longas

eiaculatur aquas atque ictibus aera rumpit.

Arborei fetus adspergine caedis in atram

125

vertuntur faciem, madefactaque sanguine radix

purpureo tingit pendentia mora colore.

Ecce metu nondum posito, ne fallat amantem,

illa redit iuvenemque oculis animoque requirit,

quantaque vitarit narrare pericula gestit.

130

Utque locum et visa cognoscit in arbore formam,

sic facit incertam pomi color: haeret, an haec sit.

Dum dubitat, tremebunda videt pulsare cruentum

membra solum, retroque pedem tulit, oraque buxo

pallidiora gerens exhorruit aequoris instar,

135

quod tremit, exigua cum summum stringitur aura.

Sed postquam remorata suos cognovit amores,

percutit indignos claro plangore lacertos,

et laniata comas amplexaque corpus amatum

vulnera supplevit lacrimis fletumque cruori

140

miscuit et gelidis in vultibus oscula figens

“Pyrame” clamavit “quis te mihi casus ademit?

Pyrame, responde: tua te carissima Thisbe

nominat: exaudi vultusque attolle iacentes!”

Ad nomen Thisbes oculos iam morte gravatos

145

Pyramus erexit, visaque recondidit illa.

Quae postquam vestemque suam cognovit et ense

vidit ebur vacuum, “tua te manus” inquit “amorque

perdidit, infelix. Est et mihi fortis in unum

hoc manus, est et amor: dabit hic in vulnera vires.

150

Persequar exstinctum letique miserrima dicar

causa comesque tui; quique a me morte revelli

heu sola poteras, poteris nec morte revelli.

Hoc tamen amborum verbis estote rogati,

o multum miseri meus illiusque parentes,

155

ut quos certus amor, quos hora novissima iunxit,

conponi tumulo non invideatis eodem.

At tu quae ramis arbor miserabile corpus

nunc tegis unius, mox es tectura duorum,

signa tene caedis pullosque et luctibus aptos

160

semper habe fetus, gemini monimenta cruoris.”

Dixit, et aptato pectus mucrone sub imum

incubuit ferro, quod adhuc a caede tepebat.

Vota tamen tetigere deos, tetigere parentes:

nam color in pomo est, ubi permaturuit, ater,

165

quodque rogis superest, una requiescit in urna.”

167 Venus et Mars. Leucothoe. Clytie.

Desierat, mediumque fuit breve tempus, et orsa est

dicere Leuconoe: vocem tenuere sorores.

“Hunc quoque, siderea qui temperat omnia luce,

cepit amor Solem: Solis referemus amores.

170

Primus adulterium Veneris cum Marte putatur

hic vidisse deus: videt hic deus omnia primus.

Indoluit facto, Iunonigenaeque marito

furta tori furtique locum monstravit. At illi

et mens et quod opus fabrilis dextra tenebat

175

excidit. Extemplo graciles ex aere catenas

retiaque et laqueos, quae lumina fallere possent,

elimat (non illud opus tenuissima vincant

stamina, non summo quae pendet aranea tigno),

utque leves tactus momentaque parva sequantur

180

efficit et lecto circumdata collocat arte.

Ut venere torum coniunx et adulter in unum,

arte viri vinclisque nova ratione paratis

in mediis ambo deprensi amplexibus haerent.

Lemnius extemplo valvas patefecit eburnas

185

admisitque deos: illi iacuere ligati

turpiter; atque aliquis de dis non tristibus optat

sic fieri turpis: superi risere, diuque

haec fuit in toto notissima fabula caelo.

Exigit indicii memorem Cythereia poenam,

190

inque vices illum, tectos qui laesit amores,

laedit amore pari. LEUCOTHEA AND CLYTIE Quid nunc, Hyperione nate,

forma colorque tibi radiataque lumina prosunt?

Nempe tuis omnes qui terras ignibus uris,

ureris igne novo; quique omnia cernere debes,

195

Leucothoen spectas, et virgine figis in una,

quos mundo debes oculos. Modo surgis Eoo

temperius caelo, modo serius incidis undis,

spectandique mora brumales porrigis horas,

deficis interdum, vitiumque in lumina mentis

200

transit et obscurus mortalia pectora terres.

Nec, tibi quod lunae terris propioris imago

obstiterit, palles: facit hunc amor iste colorem.

Diligis hanc unam; nec te Clymeneque Rhodosque

nec tenet Aeaeae genetrix pulcherrima Circes,

205

quaeque tuos Clytie quamvis despecta petebat

concubitus ipsoque illo grave vulnus habebat

tempore: Leucothoe multarum oblivia fecit,

gentis odoriferae quam formosissima partu

edidit Eurynome. Sed postquam filia crevit,

210

quam mater cunctas, tam matrem filia vicit.

Rexit Achaemenias urbes pater Orchamus, isque

septimus a prisco numeratur origine Belo.

Axe sub Hesperio sunt pascua Solis equorum.

Ambrosiam pro gramine habent: ea fessa diurnis

215

membra ministeriis nutrit reparatque labori.

Dumque ibi quadrupedes caelestia pabula carpunt,

noxque vicem peragit, thalamos deus intrat amatos,

versus in Eurynomes faciem genetricis, et inter

bis sex Leucothoen famulas ad lumina cernit

220

levia versato ducentem stamina fuso.

Ergo ubi ceu mater carae dedit oscula natae,

“res” ait “arcana est. Famulae, discedite neve

eripite arbitrium matri secreta loquendi.”

Paruerant: thalamoque deus sine teste relicto

225

“ille ego sum” dixit, “qui longum metior annum,

omnia qui video, per quem videt omnia tellus,

mundi oculus. Mihi, crede, places.” Pavet illa, metuque

et colus et fusus digitis cecidere remissis.

Ipse timor decuit. Nec longius ille moratus

230

in veram rediit speciem solitumque nitorem:

at virgo, quamvis inopino territa visu,

victa nitore dei posita vim passa querella est.

Invidit Clytie (neque enim moderatus in illa

Solis amor fuerat), stimulataque paelicis ira

235

vulgat adulterium diffamatumque parenti

indicat. Ille ferox inmansuetusque precantem

tendentemque manus ad lumina Solis et “ille

vim tulit invitae” dicentem defodit alta

crudus humo, tumulumque super gravis addit harenae.

240

Dissipat hunc radiis Hyperione natus iterque

dat tibi, qua possis defossos promere vultus.

Nec tu iam poteras enectum pondere terrae

tollere, nympha, caput corpusque exsangue iacebas.

Nil illo fertur volucrum moderator equorum

245

post Phaethonteos vidisse dolentius ignes.

Ille quidem gelidos radiorum viribus artus

si queat in vivum temptat revocare calorem:

sed quoniam tantis fatum conatibus obstat,

nectare odorato sparsit corpusque locumque,

250

multaque praequestus “tanges tamen aethera” dixit.

Protinus inbutum caelesti nectare corpus

dilicuit terramque suo madefecit odore:

virgaque per glaebas sensim radicibus actis

turea surrexit tumulumque cacumine rupit.

255

At Clytien, quamvis amor excusare dolorem,

indiciumque dolor poterat, non amplius auctor

lucis adit venerisque modum sibi fecit in illa.

Tabuit ex illo dementer amoribus usa

nympha larum inpatiens, et sub Iove nocte dieque

260

sedit humo nuda, nudis incompta capillis,

perque novem luces expers undaeque cibique

rore mero lacrimisque suis ieiunia pavit

nec se movit humo: tantum spectabat euntis

ora dei vultusque suos flectebat ad illum.

265

Membra ferunt haesisse solo, partemque coloris

luridus exsangues pallor convertit in herbas;

est in parte rubor, violaeque simillimus ora

flos tegit. Illa suum, quamvis radice tenetur,

vertitur ad Solem, mutataque servat amorem.”

270

271 Salmacis.

Dixerat, et factum mirabile ceperat aures.

Pars fieri potuisse negant, pars omnia veros

posse deos memorant: sed non et Bacchus in illis.

Poscitur Alcithoe, postquam siluere sorores.

Quae radio stantis percurrens stamina telae

275

“vulgatos taceo” dixit “pastoris amores

Daphnidis Idaei, quem nymphe paelicis ira

contulit in saxum (tantus dolor urit amantes).

Nec loquor, ut quondam naturae iure novato

ambiguus fuerit modo vir, modo femina Sithon.

280

Te quoque, nunc adamas, quondam fidissime parvo,

Celmi, Iovi, largoque satos Curetas ab imbri

et Crocon in parvos versum cum Smilace flores

praetereo, dulcique animos novitate tenebo.

HERMAPHRODITUS

Unde sit infamis, quare male fortibus undis

285

Salmacis enervet tactosque remolliat artus,

discite. Causa latet, vis est notissima fontis.

Mercurio puerum diva Cythereide natum

naides Idaeis enutrivere sub antris;

cuius erat facies, in qua materque paterque

290

cognosci possent; nomen quoque traxit ab illis.

Is tria cum primum fecit quinquennia, montes

deseruit patrios, Idaque altrice relicta

ignotis errare locis, ignota videre

flumina gaudebat, studio minuente laborem.

295

Ille etiam Lycias urbes Lyciaeque propinquos

Caras adit. Videt hic stagnum lucentis ad imum

usque solum lymphae. Non illic canna palustris

nec steriles ulvae nec acuta cuspide iunci:

perspicuus liquor est; stagni tamen ultima vivo

300

caespite cinguntur semperque virentibus herbis.

Nympha colit, sed nec venatibus apta, nec arcus

flectere quae soleat nec quae contendere cursu,

solaque naiadum celeri non nota Dianae.

Saepe suas illi fama est dixisse sorores:

305

“Salmaci, vel iaculum vel pictas sume pharetras,

et tua cum duris venatibus otia misce.”

Nec iaculum sumit nec pictas illa pharetras,

nec sua cum duris venatibus otia miscet,

sed modo fonte suo formosos perluit artus,

310

saepe Cytoriaco deducit pectine crines

et, quid se deceat, spectatas consulit undas;

nunc perlucenti circumdata corpus amictu

mollibus aut foliis aut mollibus incubat herbis;

saepe legit flores. Et tunc quoque forte legebat,

315

cum puerum vidit visumque optavit habere.

Nec tamen ante adiit, etsi properabat adire,

quam se conposuit, quam circumspexit amictus,

et finxit vultum et meruit formosa videri.

Tum sic orsa loqui: “Puer o dignissime credi

320

esse deus, seu tu deus es, potes esse Cupido,

sive es mortalis, qui te genuere, beati,

et frater felix, et fortunata profecto,

siqua tibi soror est, et quae dedit ubera nutrix:

sed longe cunctis longeque beatior illa,

325

siqua tibi sponsa est, siquam dignabere taeda.

Haec tibi sive aliqua est, mea sit furtiva voluptas,

seu nulla est, ego sim, thalamumque ineamus eundem.”

Nais ab his tacuit. Pueri rubor ora notavit

(nescit enim, quid amor), sed et erubuisse decebat.

330

Hic color aprica pendentibus arbore pomis

aut ebori tincto est, aut sub candore rubenti,

cum frustra resonant aera auxiliaria, lunae.

Poscenti nymphae sine fine sororia saltem

oscula iamque manus ad eburnea colla ferenti

335

“desinis? aut fugio, tecumque” ait “ista relinquo.”

Salmacis extimuit “loca” que “haec tibi libera trado,

hospes” ait, simulatque gradu discedere verso,

tunc quoque respiciens, fruticumque recondita silva

delituit, flexuque genu submisit. At ille,

340

scilicet ut vacuis et inobservatus in herbis,

huc it et hinc illuc, et in adludentibus undis

summa pedum taloque tenus vestigia tingit;

nec mora, temperie blandarum captus aquarum

mollia de tenero velamina corpore ponit.

345

Tum vero placuit, nudaeque cupidine formae

Salmacis exarsit: flagrant quoque lumina nymphae,

non aliter quam cum puro nitidissimus orbe

opposita speculi referitur imagine Phoebus.

Vixque moram patitur, vix iam sua gaudia differt,

350

iam cupit amplecti, iam se male continet amens.

Ille cavis velox adplauso corpore palmis

desilit in latices, alternaque bracchia ducens

in liquidis translucet aquis, ut eburnea siquis

signa tegat claro vel candida lilia vitro.

355

“Vicimus et meus est!” exclamat nais et omni

veste procul iacta mediis inmittitur undis,

pugnantemque tenet luctantiaque oscula carpit,

subiectatque manus invitaque pectora tangit,

et nunc hac iuveni, nunc circumfunditur illac;

360

denique nitentem contra elabique volentem

inplicat, ut serpens, quam regia sustinet ales

sublimemque rapit: pendens caput illa pedesque

adligat et cauda spatiantes inplicat alas:

utve solent hederae longos intexere truncos,

365

utque sub aequoribus deprensum polypus hostem

continet, ex omni dimissis parte flagellis.

Perstat Atlantiades, sperataque gaudia nymphae

denegat. Illa premit, commissaque corpore toto

sicut inhaerebat, “pugnes licet, inprobe” dixit,

370

“non tamen effugies. Ita di iubeatis! et istum

nulla dies a me nec me diducat ab isto.”

373

Vota suos habuere deos: nam mixta duorum

corpora iunguntur, faciesque inducitur illis

una, velut, siquis conducat cortice ramos,

375

crescendo iungi pariterque adolescere cernit.

Sic ubi conplexu coierunt membra tenaci,

nec duo sunt et forma duplex, nec femina dici

nec puer ut possit: neutrumque et utrumque videntur.

Ergo ubi se liquidas, quo vir descenderat, undas

380

semimarem fecisse videt, mollitaque in illis

membra, manus tendens, sed non iam voce virili,

Hermaphroditus ait: “Nato date munera vestro,

et pater et genetrix, amborum nomen habenti:

quisquis in hos fontes vir venerit, exeat inde

385

semivir et tactis subito mollescat in undis.”

Motus uterque parens nati rata verba biformis

fecit et incesto fontem medicamine tinxit.”

Finis erat dictis. Sed adhuc Minyeia proles

urget opus spernitque deum festumque profanat,

390

tympana cum subito non adparentia raucis

obstrepuere sonis, et adunco tibia cornu

tinnulaque aera sonant; redolent murraeque crocique,

resque fide maior, coepere virescere telae

inque hederae faciem pendens frondescere vestis.

395

Pars abit in vites, et quae modo fila fuerunt,

palmite mutantur; de stamine pampinus exit;

purpura fulgorem pictis adcommodat uvis.

Iamque dies exactus erat, tempusque subibat,

quod tu nec tenebras nec possis dicere lucem,

400

sed cum luce tamen dubiae confinia noctis:

tecta repente quati pinguesque ardere videntur

lampades et rutilis conlucere ignibus aedes

falsaque saevarum simulacra ululare ferarum.

Fumida iamdudum latitant per tecta sorores,

405

diversaeque locis ignes ac lumina vitant;

dumque petunt tenebras, parvos membrana per artus

porrigitur tenuique includit bracchia pinna.

Nec qua perdiderint veterem ratione figuram

scire sinunt tenebrae. Non illas pluma levavit,

410

sustinuere tamen se perlucentibus alis;

conataeque loqui minimam et pro corpore vocem

emittunt, peraguntque leves stridore querellas.

Tectaque, non silvas celebrant lucemque perosae

nocte volant, seroque tenent a vespere nomen.

415

416 Athamas et Ino.

Tum vero totis Bacchi memorabile Thebis

numen erat, magnasque novi matertera vires

narrat ubique dei, de totque sororibus expers

una doloris erat, nisi quem fecere sorores.

Adspicit hanc natis thalamoque Athamantis habentem

420

sublimes animos et alumno numine Iuno,

nec tulit, et secum “potuit de paelice natus

vertere Maeonios pelagoque inmergere nautas

et laceranda suae nati dare viscera matri

et triplices operire novis Minyeidas alis:

425

nil poterit Iuno nisi inultos flere dolores?

idque mihi satis est? haec una potentia nostra est?

ipse docet, quid agam (fas est et ab hoste doceri),

quidque furor valeat, Penthea caede satisque

ac super ostendit: cur non stimuletur eatque

430

per cognata suis exempla furoribus Ino?”

Est via declivis funesta nubila taxo,

ducit ad infernas per muta silentia sedes.

Styx nebulas exhalat iners, umbraeque recentes

descendunt illac simulacraque functa sepulcris.

435

Mille capax aditus et apertas undique portas

urbs habet, utque fretum de tota flumina terra,

440

sic omnes animas locus accipit ille, nec ulli

exiguus populo est, turbamve accedere sentit.

Errant exsangues sine corpore et ossibus umbrae,

parsque forum celebrant, pars imi tecta tyranni,

pars aliquas artes, antiquae imitamina vitae.

445

Sustinet ire illuc caelesti sede relicta

(tantum odiis iraeque dabat) Saturnia Iuno.

Quo simul intravit sacroque a corpore pressum

ingemuit limen, tria Cerberus extulit ora

450

et tres latratus semel edidit. Illa sorores

Nocte vocat genitas, grave et inplacabile numen.

Carceris ante fores clausas adamante sedebant

deque suis atros pectebant crinibus angues.

Quam simul agnorunt inter caliginis umbras,

455

surrexere deae. Sedes scelerata vocatur:

viscera praebebat Tityos lanianda novemque

iugeribus distentus erat; tibi, Tantale, nullae

deprenduntur aquae, quaeque inminet, effugit arbor;

aut petis aut urges rediturum, Sisyphe, saxum;

460

volvitur Ixion et se sequiturque fugitque;

molirique suis letum patruelibus ausae

adsiduae repetunt, quas perdant, Belides undas.

Quos omnes acie postquam Saturnia torva

vidit et ante omnes Ixiona, rursus ab illo

465

Sisyphon adspiciens “cur hic e fratribus” inquit

“perpetuas patitur poenas, Athamanta superbum

regia dives habet, qui me cum coniuge semper

sprevit?” et exponit causas odiique viaeque,

quidque velit. Quod vellet, erat, ne regia Cadmi

470

staret, et in facinus traherent Athamanta sorores.

Imperium, promissa, preces confundit in unum

sollicitatque deas. Sic haec Iunone locuta,

Tisiphone, canos ut erat turbata capillos,

movit et obstantes reiecit ab ore colubras

475

atque ita “non longis opus est ambagibus” inquit:

“facta puta, quaecumque iubes. Inamabile regnum

desere teque refer caeli melioris ad auras.”

Laeta redit Iuno, quam caelum intrare parantem

roratis lustravit aquis Thaumantias Iris.

480

481

Nec mora, Tisiphone madefactam sanguine sumit

inportuna facem, fluidoque cruore rubentem

induitur pallam tortoque incingitur angue

egrediturque domo. Luctus comitatur euntem

et Pavor et Terror trepidoque Insania vultu.

485

Limine constiterat: postes tremuisse feruntur

Aeolii pallorque fores infecit acernas,

solque locum fugit. Monstris exterrita coniunx,

territus est Athamas. Tectoque exire parabant:

obstitit infelix aditumque obsedit Erinys,

490

nexaque vipereis distendens bracchia nodis

caesariem excussit. Motae sonuere colubrae,

parsque iacent umeris, pars circum pectora lapsae

sibila dant saniemque vomunt linguisque coruscant.

Inde duos mediis abrumpit crinibus angues

495

pestiferaque manu raptos inmisit. At illi

Inoosque sinus Athamanteosque pererrant

inspirantque graves animas. Nec vulnera membris

ulla ferunt: mens est, quae diros sentiat ictus.

Attulerat secum liquidi quoque monstra veneni,

500

oris Cerberei spumas et virus Echidnae

erroresque vagos caecaeque oblivia mentis

et scelus et lacrimas rabiemque et caedis amorem,

omnia trita simul; quae sanguine mixta recenti

coxerat aere cavo viridi versata cicuta.

505

Dumque pavent illi, vergit furiale venenum

pectus in amborum praecordiaque intima movit.

Tum face iactata per eundem saepius orbem

consequitur motis velociter ignibus ignes.

Sic victrix iussique potens ad inania magni

510

regna redit Ditis sumptumque recingitur anguem.

Protinus Aeolides media furibundus in aula

clamat “io, comites, his retia tendite silvis!

hic modo cum gemina visa est mihi prole leaena:”

utque ferae sequitur vestigia coniugis amens

515

deque sinu matris ridentem et parva Learchum

bracchia tendentem rapit et bis terque per auras

more rotat fundae rigidoque infantia saxo

discutit ora ferox. Tum denique concita mater,

seu dolor hoc fecit seu sparsi causa veneni,

520

exululat passisque fugit male sana capillis

teque ferens parvum nudis, Melicerta, lacertis

“euhoe Bacche” sonat. Bacchi sub nomine Iuno

risit et “hos usus praestet tibi” dixit “alumnus.”

Inminet aequoribus scopulus: pars ima cavatur

525

fluctibus et tectas defendit ab imbribus undas,

summa riget frontemque in apertum porrigit aequor.

Occupat hunc (vires insania fecerat) Ino,

seque super pontum nullo tardata timore

mittit onusque suum; percussa recanduit unda.

530

At Venus, inmeritae neptis miserata labores,

sic patruo blandita suo est: “O numen aquarum,

proxima cui caelo cessit, Neptune, potestas,

magna quidem posco, sed tu miserere meorum,

iactari quos cernis in Ionio inmenso,

535

et dis adde tuis. Aliqua et mihi gratia ponto est,

si tamen in medio quondam concreta profundo

spuma fui Graiumque manet mihi nomen ab illa.”

Adnuit oranti Neptunus et abstulit illis,

quod mortale fuit, maiestatemque verendam

540

inposuit nomenque simul faciemque novavit

Leucothoeque deum cum matre Palaemona dixit.

Sidoniae comites, quantum valuere secutae

signa pedum, primo videre novissima saxo;

nec dubium de morte ratae Cadmeida palmis

545

deplanxere domum, scissae cum veste capillos,

utque parum iustae nimiumque in paelice saevae

invidiam fecere deae. Convicia Iuno

non tulit et “faciam vos ipsas maxima” dixit

“saevitiae monimenta meae.” Res dicta secuta est.

550

Nam quae praecipue fuerat pia, “persequar” inquit

“in freta reginam” saltumque datura moveri

haud usquam potuit scopuloque adfixa cohaesit.

Altera, dum solito temptat plangore ferire

pectora, temptatos sensit riguisse lacertos;

555

illa, manus ut forte tetenderat in maris undas,

saxea facta manus in easdem porrigit undas;

huius, ut arreptum laniabat vertice crinem,

duratos subito digitos in crine videres:

quo quaeque in gestu deprensa est, haesit in illo.

560

Pars volucres factae; quae nunc quoque gurgite in illo

aequora destringunt summis Ismenides alis.

563 Cadmus et Harmonia.

Nescit Agenorides natam parvumque nepotem

aequoris esse deos: luctu serieque malorum

victus et ostentis, quae plurima viderat, exit

565

conditor urbe sua, tamquam fortuna locorum,

non sua se premeret; longisque erroribus actus

contigit Illyricos profuga cum coniuge fines.

Iamque malis annisque graves, dum prima retractant

fata domus releguntque suos sermone labores,

570

“num sacer ille mea traiectus cuspide serpens”

Cadmus ait “fuerat, tum, cum Sidone profectus

vipereos sparsi per humum, nova semina, dentes?

Quem si cura deum tam certa vindicat ira,

ipse precor serpens in longam porrigar alvum.”

575

Dixit, et ut serpens in longam tenditur alvum

durataeque cuti squamas increscere sentit

nigraque caeruleis variari corpora guttis.

In pectusque cadit pronus. Commissaque in unum

paulatim tereti tenuantur acumine crura.

580

Bracchia iam restant: quae restant bracchia tendit

et lacrimis per adhuc humana fluentibus ora

“accede, o coniunx, accede, miserrima,” dixit

“dumque aliquid superest de me, me tange manumque

accipe, dum manus est, dum non totum occupat anguis!”

585

Ille quidem vult plura loqui, sed lingua repente

in partes est fissa duas: nec verba volenti

sufficiunt, quotiensque aliquos parat edere questus,

sibilat: hanc illi vocem natura reliquit.

Nuda manu feriens exclamat pectora coniunx

590

“Cadme, mane, teque, infelix, his exue monstris!

Cadme, quid hoc? ubi pes, ubi sunt umerique manusque

et color et facies et, dum loquor, omnia? cur non

me quoque, caelestes, in eandem vertitis anguem?”

Dixerat: ille suae lambebat coniugis ora

595

inque sinus caros, veluti cognosceret, ibat

et dabat amplexus adsuetaque colla petebat.

Quisquis adest (aderant comites), terretur: at illa

lubrica permulcet cristati colla draconis.

Et subito duo sunt iunctoque volumine serpunt,

600

donec in adpositi nemoris subiere latebras.

Nunc quoque nec fugiunt hominem nec vulnere laedunt

quidque prius fuerint, placidi meminere dracones.

604 Perseus. Atlas. Andromeda.

Sed tamen ambobus versae solacia formae

magna nepos dederat, quem debellata colebat

605

India, quem positis celebrabat Achaia templis.

Solus Abantiades ab origine cretus eadem

Acrisius superest, qui moenibus arceat urbis

Argolicae contraque deum ferat arma genusque

non putet esse Iovis; neque enim Iovis esse putabat

610

Persea, quem pluvio Danae conceperat auro.

Mox tamen Acrisium (tanta est praesentia veri)

tam violasse deum quam non agnosse nepotem

paenitet: inpositus iam caelo est alter, at alter

viperei referens spolium memorabile monstri

615

aera carpebat tenerum stridentibus alis.

Cumque super Libycas victor penderet harenas,

Gorgonei capitis guttae cecidere cruentae.

Quas humus exceptas varios animavit in angues:

unde frequens illa est infestaque terra colubris.

620

Inde per inmensum ventis discordibus actus

nunc huc, nunc illuc exemplo nubis aquosae

fertur et ex alto seductas aethere longe

despectat terras totumque supervolat orbem.

Ter gelidas Arctos, ter Cancri bracchia vidit:

625

saepe sub occasus, saepe est ablatus in ortus.

Iamque cadente die, veritus se credere nocti,

constitit Hesperio, regnis Atlantis, in orbe,

exiguamque petit requiem, dum Lucifer ignes

evocet Aurorae, currus Aurora diurnos.

630

Hic hominum cunctis ingenti corpore praestans

Iapetionides Atlas fuit. Ultima tellus

rege sub hoc et pontus erat, qui Solis anhelis

aequora subdit equis et fessos excipit axes.

Mille greges illi totidemque armenta per herbas

635

errabant, et humum vicinia nulla premebant.

Arboreae frondes auro radiante nitentes

ex auro ramos, ex auro poma tegebant.

“Hospes,” ait Perseus illi, “seu gloria tangit

te generis magni, generis mihi Iuppiter auctor;

640

sive es mirator rerum, mirabere nostras.

Hospitium requiemque peto.” Memor ille vetustae

sortis erat: Themis hanc dederat Parnasia sortem:

“Tempus, Atla, veniet, tua quo spoliabitur auro

arbor, et hunc praedae titulum Iove natus habebit.”

645

Id metuens solidis pomaria clauserat Atlas

moenibus et vasto dederat servanda draconi

arcebatque suis externos finibus omnes.

Huic quoque “vade procul, ne longe gloria rerum,

quam mentiris” ait, “longe tibi Iuppiter absit!”

650

vimque minis addit manibusque expellere temptat

cunctantem et placidis miscentem fortia dictis.

Viribus inferior (quis enim par esset Atlantis

viribus?) “at quoniam parvi tibi gratia nostra est,

accipe munus!” ait, laevaque a parte Medusae

655

ipse retro versus squalentia protulit ora.

Quantus erat, mons factus Atlas: nam barba comaeque

in silvas abeunt, iuga sunt umerique manusque,

quod caput ante fuit, summo est in monte cacumen,

ossa lapis fiunt: tum partes auctus in omnes

660

crevit in inmensum (sic, di, statuistis) et omne

cum tot sideribus caelum requievit in illo.

PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA

Clauserat Hippotades aeterno carcere ventos,

admonitorque operum caelo clarissimus alto

Lucifer ortus erat. Pennis ligat ille resumptis

665

parte ab utraque pedes teloque accingitur unco

et liquidum motis talaribus aera findit.

Gentibus innumeris circumque infraque relictis

Aethiopum populos Cepheaque conspicit arva.

Illic inmeritam maternae pendere linguae

670

Andromedan poenas iniustus iusserat Ammon.

Quam simul ad duras religatam bracchia cautes

vidit Abantiades (nisi quod levis aura capillos

moverat et tepido manabant lumina fletu,

marmoreum ratus esset opus), trahit inscius ignes

675

et stupet et visae correptus imagine formae

paene suas quatere est oblitus in aere pennas.

Ut stetit, “o” dixit “non istis digna catenis,

sed quibus inter se cupidi iunguntur amantes,

pande requirenti nomen terraeque tuumque,

680

et cur vincla geras.” Primo silet illa, nec audet

adpellare virum virgo; manibusque modestos

celasset vultus, si non religata fuisset:

lumina, quod potuit, lacrimis inplevit obortis.

Saepius instanti, sua ne delicta fateri

685

nolle videretur, nomen terraeque suumque,

quantaque maternae fuerit fiducia formae,

indicat. Et nondum memoratis omnibus unda

insonuit, veniensque inmenso belua ponto

inminet et latum sub pectore possidet aequor.

690

Conclamat virgo: genitor lugubris et una

mater adest, ambo miseri, sed iustius illa.

Nec secum auxilium, sed dignos tempore fletus

plangoremque ferunt vinctoque in corpore adhaerent,

cum sic hospes ait: “Lacrimarum longa manere

695

tempora vos poterunt: ad opem brevis hora ferendam est.

Hanc ego si peterem Perseus Iove natus et illa,

quam clausam inplevit fecundo Iuppiter auro,

Gorgonis anguicomae Perseus superator et alis

aerias ausus iactatis ire per auras,

700

praeferrer cunctis certe gener. Addere tantis

dotibus et meritum, faveant modo numina, tempto:

ut mea sit servata mea virtute, paciscor.”

Accipiunt legem (quis enim dubitaret?) et orant

promittuntque super regnum dotale parentes.

705

706

Ecce velut navis praefixo concita rostro

sulcat aquas, iuvenum sudantibus acta lacertis,

sic fera dimotis inpulsu pectoris undis

tantum aberat scopulis, quantum Balearica torto

funda potest plumbo medii transmittere caeli:

710

cum subito iuvenis pedibus tellure repulsa

arduus in nubes abiit. Ut in aequore summo

umbra viri visa est, visa fera saevit in umbra.

Utque Iovis praepes, vacuo cum vidit in arvo

praebentem Phoebo liventia terga draconem,

715

occupat aversum, neu saeva retorqueat ora,

squamigeris avidos figit cervicibus ungues,

sic celeri missus praeceps per inane volatu

terga ferae pressit dextroque frementis in armo

Inachides ferrum curvo tenus abdidit hamo.

720

Vulnere laesa gravi modo se sublimis in auras

attollit, modo subdit aquis, modo more ferocis

versat apri, quem turba canum circumsona terret.

Ille avidos morsus velocibus effugit alis

quaque patet, nunc terga cavis super obsita conchis,

725

nunc laterum costas, nunc qua tenuissima cauda

desinit in piscem, falcato vulnerat ense.

Belua puniceo mixtos cum sanguine fluctus

ore vomit: maduere graves adspergine pennae.

Nec bibulis ultra Perseus talaribus ausus

730

credere, conspexit scopulum, qui vertice summo

stantibus exstat aquis, operitur ab aequore moto.

Nixus eo rupisque tenens iuga prima sinistra

ter quater exegit repetita per ilia ferrum.

Litora cum plausu clamor superasque deorum

735

inplevere domos: gaudent generumque salutant

auxiliumque domus servatoremque fatentur

Cassiope Cepheusque pater. Resoluta catenis

incedit virgo, pretiumque et causa laboris.

Ipse manus hausta victrices abluit unda,

740

anguiferumque caput dura ne laedat harena,

mollit humum foliis natasque sub aequore virgas

sternit et inponit Phorcynidos ora Medusae.

Virga recens bibulaque etiamnum viva medulla

vim rapuit monstri tactuque induruit huius

745

percepitque novum ramis et fronde rigorem.

At pelagi nymphae factum mirabile temptant

pluribus in virgis et idem contingere gaudent

seminaque ex illis iterant iactata per undas.

Nunc quoque curaliis eadem natura remansit,

750

duritiam tacto capiant ut ab aere, quodque

vimen in aequore erat, fiat super aequora saxum.

Dis tribus ille focos totidem de caespite ponit,

laevum Mercurio, dextrum tibi, bellica virgo,

ara Iovis media est. Mactatur vacca Minervae,

755

alipedi vitulus, taurus tibi, summe deorum.

protinus Andromedan et tanti praemia facti

indotata rapit: taedas Hymenaeus Amorque

praecutiunt, largis satiantur odoribus ignes,

sertaque dependent tectis et ubique lyraeque

760

tibiaque et cantus, animi felicia laeti

argumenta, sonant. Reseratis aurea valvis

atria tota patent, pulchroque instructa paratu

Cepheni proceres ineunt convivia regis.

Postquam epulis functi generosi munere Bacchi

765

diffudere animos, cultusque genusque locorum

quaerit Lyncides moresque animumque virorum.

Quae simul edocuit, “nunc, o fortissime,” dixit

“fare, precor, Perseu, quanta virtute quibusque

770

artibus abstuleris crinita draconibus ora.”

Narrat Agenorides gelido sub Atlante iacentem

esse locum solidae tutum munimine molis;

cuius in introitu geminas habitasse sorores

Phorcidas, unius partitas luminis usum.

775

Id se sollerti furtim, dum traditur, astu

supposita cepisse manu perque abdita longe

deviaque et silvis horrentia saxa fragosis

Gorgoneas tetigisse domos, passimque per agros

perque vias vidisse hominum simulacra ferarumque

780

in silicem ex ipsis visa conversa Medusa.

Se tamen horrendae clipei, quem laeva gerebat,

aere repercusso formam adspexisse Medusae,

dumque gravis somnus colubrasque ipsamque tenebat,

eripuisse caput collo; pennisque fugacem

785

Pegason et fratrem matris de sanguine natos

addidit et longi non falsa pericula cursus,

quae freta, quas terras sub se vidisset ab alto

et quae iactatis tetigisset sidera pennis.

Ante exspectatum tacuit tamen. Excipit unus

790

ex numero procerum quaerens, cur sola sororum

gesserit alternis inmixtos crinibus angues.

Hospes ait: “Quoniam scitaris digna relatu,

accipe quaesiti causam. Clarissima forma

multorumque fuit spes invidiosa procorum

795

illa: neque in tota conspectior ulla capillis

pars fuit. Inveni, qui se vidisse referret.

Hanc pelagi rector templo vitiasse Minervae

dicitur. Aversa est et castos aegide vultus

nata Iovis texit; neve hoc inpune fuisset,

800

Gorgoneum crinem turpes mutavit in hydros.

⁴

Translations (1)

Metamorphoses Perseus (Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.) — 4 focus

Yet would not stout Alcithoe, Duke Mineus daughter, bow

The Orgies of this newfound God in conscience to allow

But still she stiffly doth denie that Bacchus is the sonne

Of Jove: and in this heresie hir sisters with hir runne.

The Priest had bidden holiday, and that as well the Maide

As Mistresse (for the time aside all other businesse layde)

In Buckskin cotes, with tresses loose, and garlondes on their heare,

Should in their hands the leavie speares (surnamed Thyrsis) beare,

Foretelling them that if they did the Goddes commaundement breake,

He would with sore and grievous plagues his wrath upon them wreake.

The women straight both yong and olde doe thereunto obay.

Their yarne, their baskets, and their flax unsponne aside they lay,

And burne to Bacchus frankinsence. Whome solemly they call

By all the names and titles high that may to him befall:

As Bromius, and Lyeus eke, begotten of the flame,

Twice borne, the sole and only childe that of two mothers came,

Unshorne Thyoney, Niseus, Leneus, and the setter

Of Wines, whose pleasant liquor makes all tables fare the better,

Nyctileus and th'Elelean Sire, Iacchus, Evan eke,

With divers other glorious names that through the land of Greke

To thee O Liber wonted are to attributed bee.

Thy youthfull yeares can never wast: there dwelleth ay in thee

A childhod tender, fresh and faire: in Heaven we doe thee see

Surmounting every other thing in beautie and in grace

And when thou standste without thy homes thou hast a Maidens face.

To thee obeyeth all the East as far as Ganges goes,

Which doth the scorched land of Inde with tawnie folke enclose.

Lycurgus with his twibill sharpe, and Penthey who of pride

Thy Godhead and thy mightie power rebelliously denide,

Thou right redowted didst confounde: thou into Sea didst send

The Tyrrhene shipmen. Thou with bittes the sturdy neckes doste bend

Of spotted Lynxes: throngs of Frowes and Satyres on thee tend,

And that olde Hag that with a staffe his staggering limmes doth stay

Scarce able on his Asse to sit for reeling every way.

Thou commest not in any place but that is hearde the noyse

Of gagling womens tatling tongues and showting out of boyes,

With sound of Timbrels, Tabors, Pipes, and Brazen pannes and pots

Confusedly among the rout that in thine Orgies trots.

The Thebane women for thy grace and favour humbly sue,

And (as the Priest did bid) frequent thy rites with reverence due.

Alonly Mineus daughters bent of wilfulnesse, with working

Quite out of time to breake the feast, are in their houses lurking:

And there doe fall to spinning yarne, or weaving in the frame,

And kepe their maidens to their worke. Of which one pleasant dame

As she with nimble hand did draw hir slender threede and fine,

Said: Whyle that others idelly doe serve the God of wine,

Let us that serve a better Sainct Minerva, finde some talke

To ease our labor while our handes about our profite walke.

And for to make the time seeme shorte, let eche of us recite,

(As every bodies turne shall come) some tale that may delight.

Hir saying likte the rest so well that all consent therein,

And thereupon they pray that first the eldest would begin.

She had such store and choyce of tales she wist not which to tell.

She doubted if she might declare the fortune that befell

To Dircetes of Babilon whome now with scaly hide

In altred shape the Philistine beleveth to abide

In watrie Pooles: or rather how hir daughter taking wings

In shape of Dove on toppes of towres in age now sadly sings:

Or how a certaine water Nymph by witchcraft and by charmes

Converted into fishes dumbe of yongmen many swarmes,

Untill that of the selfesame sauce hir selfe did tast at last:

Or how the tree that usde to beare fruite white in ages past,

Doth now beare fruite in manner blacke, by sprincling up of blood.

This tale (bicause it was not stale nor common) seemed good

To hir to tell: and thereupon she in this wise begun,

Hir busie hand still drawing out the flaxen threede she spun:

Within the towne (of whose huge walles so monstrous high and thicke

The fame is given Semyramis for making them of bricke)

Dwelt hard together two yong folke in houses joynde so nere

That under all one roofe well nie both twaine conveyed were.

The name of him was Pyramus, and Thisbe calde was she.

So faire a man in all the East was none alive as he,

Nor nere a woman, maide nor wife in beautie like to hir.

This neighbrod bred acquaintance first, this neyghbrod first did stirre

The secret sparkes, this neighbrod first an entrance in did showe,

For love to come to that to which it afterward did growe.

And if that right had taken place they had bene man and wife,

But still their Parents went about to let which (for their life)

They could not let. For both their heartes with equall flame did burne.

No man was privie to their thoughts. And for to serve their turne

In steade of talke they used signes. The closelier they supprest -

The fire of love, the fiercer still it raged in their brest.

The wall that parted house from house had riven therein a crany

Which shronke at making of the wall. This fault not markt of any

Of many hundred yeares before (what doth not love espie)

These lovers first of all found out, and made a way whereby

To talke togither secretly, and through the same did goe

Their loving whisprings verie light and safely to and fro.

Now as at one side Pyramus and Thisbe on the tother

Stoode often drawing one of them the pleasant breath from other:

O thou envious wall (they sayd) why letst thou lovers thus?

What matter were it if that thou permitted both of us

In armes eche other to embrace? Or if thou thinke that this

Were overmuch, yet mightest thou at least make roume to kisse.

And yet thou shalt not finde us churles: we thinke our selves in det

For this same piece of courtesie, in vouching safe to let

Our sayings to our friendly eares thus freely come and goe.

Thus having where they stoode in vaine complayned of their woe,

When night drew nere, they bade adew and eche gave kisses sweete

Unto the parget on their side, the which did never meete.

100

Next morning with hir cherefull light had driven the starres aside

And Phebus with his burning beames the dewie grasse had dride.

These lovers at their wonted place by foreappointment met.

Where after much complaint and mone they covenanted to get

Away from such as watched them and in the Evening late

105

To steale out of their fathers house and eke the Citie gate.

And to th'intent that in the fieldes they strayde not up and downe

They did agree at Ninus Tumb to meete without the towne,

And tarie underneath a tree that by the same did grow

Which was a faire high Mulberie with fruite as white as snow,

110

Hard by a coole and trickling spring. This bargaine pleasde them both

And so daylight (which to their thought away but slowly goth)

Did in the Ocean fall to rest, and night from thence doth rise.

As soone as darkenesse once was come, straight Thisbe did devise

A shift to wind hir out of doores, that none that were within

115

Perceyved hir: and muffling hir with clothes about hir chin,

That no man might discerne hir face, to Ninus Tumb she came

Unto the tree, and sat hir downe there underneath the same.

Love made hir bold. But see the chaunce, there comes besmerde with blood

About the chappes a Lionesse all foming from the wood

120

From slaughter lately made of kine to staunch hir bloudie thurst

With water of the foresaid spring. Whome Thisbe spying furst,

Afarre by moonelight, thereupon with fearfull steppes gan flie,

And in a darke and yrkesome cave did hide hirselfe thereby.

And as she fled away for hast she let hir mantle fall

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The whych for feare she left behind not looking backe at all.

Now when the cruell Lionesse hir thurst had stanched well,

In going to the Wood she found the slender weede that fell

From Thisbe, which with bloudie teeth in pieces she did teare.

The night was somewhat further spent ere Pyramus came there

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Who seeing in the suttle sande the print of Lions paw,

Waxt pale for feare. But when also the bloudie cloke he saw

All rent and tome: One night (he sayd) shall lovers two confounde,

Of which long life deserved she of all that live on ground.

My soule deserves of this mischaunce the perill for to beare.

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I, wretch, have bene the death of thee, which to this place of feare

Did cause thee in the night to come, and came not here before.

My wicked limmes and wretched guttes with cruell teeth therfore

Devour ye, O ye Lions all that in this rocke doe dwell.

But Cowardes use to wish for death. The slender weede that fell

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From Thisbe up he takes, and streight doth beare it to the tree,

Which was appointed erst the place of meeting for to bee.

And when he had bewept and kist the garment which he knew,

Receyve thou my bloud too (quoth he) and therewithall he drew

His sworde, the which among his guttes he thrust, and by and by

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Did draw it from the bleeding wound beginning for to die,

And cast himselfe upon his backe, the bloud did spin on hie

As when a Conduite pipe is crackt, the water bursting out

Doth shote it selfe a great way off and pierce the Ayre about.

The leaves that were upon the tree besprincled with his blood

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Were died blacke. The roote also bestained as it stoode,

A deepe darke purple colour straight upon the Berries cast.

Anon scarce ridded of hir feare with which she was agast,

For doubt of disapointing him commes Thisbe forth in hast,

And for hir lover lookes about, rejoycing for to tell

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How hardly she had scapt that night the daunger that befell.

And as she knew right well the place and facion of the tree

(As whych she saw so late before): even so when she did see

The colour of the Berries turnde, she was uncertaine whither

It were the tree at which they both agreed to meete togither.

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While in this doubtfull stounde she stoode, she cast hir eye aside

And there beweltred in his bloud hir lover she espide

Lie sprawling with his dying limmes: at which she started backe,

And looked pale as any Box, a shuddring through hir stracke,

Even like the Sea which sodenly with whissing noyse doth move,

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When with a little blast of winde it is but toucht above.

But when approching nearer him she knew it was hir love,

She beate hir brest, she shricked out, she tare hir golden heares,

And taking him betweene hir armes did wash his wounds with teares,

She meynt hir weeping with his bloud, and kissing all his face

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(Which now became as colde as yse) she cride in wofull case:

Alas what chaunce, my Pyramus , hath parted thee and mee?

Make aunswere O my Pyramus : it is thy Thisb', even shee

Whome thou doste love most heartely, that speaketh unto thee.

Give eare and rayse thy heavie heade. He hearing Thisbes name,

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Lift up his dying eyes and having seene hir closde the same.

But when she knew hir mantle there and saw his scabberd lie

Without the swoorde: Unhappy man thy love hath made thee die:

Thy love (she said) hath made thee sley thy selfe. This hand of mine

Is strong inough to doe the like. My love no lesse than thine

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Shall give me force to worke my wound. I will pursue the dead.

And wretched woman as I am, it shall of me be sed

That like as of thy death I was the only cause and blame,

So am I thy companion eke and partner in the same,

For death which only coulde alas asunder part us twaine,

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Shall never so dissever us but we will meete againe.

And you the Parentes of us both, most wretched folke alyve,

Let this request that I shall make in both our names bylive

Entreate you to permit that we whome chaste and stedfast love

And whome even death hath joynde in one, may as it doth behove

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In one grave be together layd. And thou unhappie tree

Which shroudest now the corse of one, and shalt anon through mee

Shroude two, of this same slaughter holde the sicker signes for ay,

Blacke be the colour of thy fruite and mourning like alway,

Such as the murder of us twaine may evermore bewray.

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This said, she tooke the sword yet warme with slaughter of hir love

And setting it beneath hir brest, did to hir heart it shove.

Hir prayer with the Gods and with their Parentes tooke effect.

For when the frute is throughly ripe, the Berrie is bespect

With colour tending to a blacke. And that which after fire

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Remained, rested in one Tumbe as Thisbe did desire.

This tale thus tolde a little space of pawsing was betwist,

And then began Leucothoe thus, hir sisters being whist:

This Sunne that with his streaming light al worldly things doth cheare

Was tane in love. Of Phebus loves now list and you shall heare.

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It is reported that this God did first of all espie,

(For everie thing in Heaven and Earth is open to his eie)

How Venus with the warlike Mars advoutrie did commit.

It grieved him to see the fact and so discovered it,

He shewed hir husband Junos sonne th'advoutrie and the place

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In which this privie scape was done. Who was in such a case

That heart and hand and all did faile in working for a space.

Anon he featly forgde a net of Wire so fine and slight,

That neyther knot nor nooze therein apparant was to sight.

This piece of worke was much more fine than any handwarpe oofe

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Or that whereby the Spider hanges in sliding from the roofe.

And furthermore the suttlenesse and slight thereof was such,

It followed every little pull and closde with every touch,

And so he set it handsomly about the haunted couch.

Now when that Venus and hir mate were met in bed togither

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Hir husband by his newfound snare before convayed thither

Did snarle them both togither fast in middes of all theyr play

And setting ope the Ivorie doores, callde all the Gods streight way

To see them: they with shame inough fast lockt togither lay.

A certaine God among the rest disposed for to sport

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Did wish that he himselfe also were shamed in that sort.

The resdue laught and so in heaven there was no talke a while,

But of this Pageant how the Smith the lovers did beguile.

Dame Venus highly stomacking this great displeasure, thought

To be revenged on the part by whome the spight was wrought.

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And like as he hir secret loves and meetings had bewrayd,

So she with wound of raging love his guerdon to him payd.

What now avayles (Hyperions sonne) thy forme and beautie bright?

What now avayle thy glistring eyes with cleare and piercing sight?

For thou that with thy gleames art wont all countries for to burne,

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Art burnt thy selfe with other gleames that serve not for thy turne.

And thou that oughtst thy cherefull looke on all things for to shew

Alonly on Leucothoe doste now the same bestow.

Thou fastnest on that Maide alone the eyes that thou doste owe

To all the worlde. Sometime more rathe thou risest in the East,

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Sometime againe thou makste it late before thou fall to reast.

And for desire to looke on hir, thou often doste prolong

Our winter nightes. And in thy light thou faylest eke among.

The fancie of thy faultie minde infectes thy feeble sight,

And so thou makste mens hearts afrayde by daunting of thy light,

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Thou looxte not pale bycause the globe of Phebe is betweene

The Earth and thee: but love doth cause this colour to be seene.

Thou lovest this Leucothoe so far above all other,

That neyther now for Clymene, for Rhodos , nor the mother

Of Circe, nor for Clytie (who at that present tyde

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Rejected from thy companie did for thy love abide

Most grievous torments in hir heart) thou seemest for to care.

Thou mindest hir so much that all the rest forgotten are.

Hir mother was Eurynome of all the fragrant clime

Of Arabie esteemde the flowre of beautie in hir time.

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But when hir daughter came to age the daughter past the mother

As far in beautie, as before the mother past all other.

Hir father was king Orchamus and rulde the publike weale

Of Persey, counted by descent the seventh from auncient Bele.

Far underneath the Westerne clyme of Hesperus doe runne

260

The pastures of the firie steedes that draw the golden Sunne .

There are they fed with Ambrosie in stead of grasse all night

Which doth refresh their werie limmes and keepeth them in plight

To beare their dailie labor out: now while the steedes there take

Their heavenly foode and night by turne his timely course doth make,

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The God disguised in the shape of Queene Eurynome

Doth prease within the chamber doore of faire Leucothoe

His lover, whome amid twelve Maides he found by candlelight

Yet spinning on hir little Rocke, and went me to hir right.

And kissing hir as mothers use to kisse their daughters deare,

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Saide: Maydes, withdraw your selves a while and sit not listning here.

I have a secret thing to talke. The Maides avoyde eche one,

The God then being with his love in chamber all alone,

Said: I am he that metes the yeare, that all things doe beholde,

By whome the Earth doth all things see, the Eye of all the worlde.

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Trust me I am in love with thee. The Ladie was so nipt

With sodaine feare that from hir hands both rocke and spindle slipt.

Hir feare became hir wondrous well. He made no mo delayes,

But turned to his proper shape and tooke hys glistring rayes.

The damsell being sore abasht at this so straunge a sight,

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And overcome with sodaine feare to see the God so bright,

Did make no outcrie nor no noyse, but helde hir pacience still,

And suffred him by forced powre his pleasure to fulfill.

Hereat did Clytie sore repine. For she beyond all measure

Was then enamoured of the Sunne : and stung with this displeasure

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That he another Leman had, for verie spight and yre

She playes the blab, and doth defame Leucothoe to hir Syre .

He cruell and unmercifull would no excuse accept,

But holding up hir handes to heaven when tenderly she wept,

And said it was the Sunne that did the deede against hir will:

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Yet like a savage beast full bent his daughter for to spill,

He put hir deepe in delved ground, and on hir bodie laide

A huge great heape of heavie sand. The Sunne full yll appaide

Did with his beames disperse the sand and made an open way

To bring thy buried face to light, but such a weight there lay

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Upon thee, that thou couldst not raise thine hand aloft againe,

And so a corse both voide of bloud and life thou didst remaine.

There never chaunst since Phaetons fire a thing that grievde so sore

The ruler of the winged steedes as this did. And therfore

He did attempt if by the force and vertue of his ray

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He might againe to lively heate hir frozen limmes convay.

But forasmuch as destenie so great attempts denies,

He sprincles both the corse it selfe and place wherein it lyes

With fragrant Nectar. And therewith bewayling much his chaunce

Sayd: Yet above the starrie skie thou shalt thy selfe advaunce.

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Anon the body in this heavenly liquor steeped well

Did melt, and moisted all the earth with sweete and pleasant smell.

And by and by first taking roote among the cloddes within

By little and by little did with growing top begin

A pretie spirke of Frankinsence above the Tumbe to win.

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Although that Clytie might excuse hir sorrow by hir love

And seeme that so to play the blab hir sorrow did hir move,

Yet would the Author of the light resort to hir no more

But did withholde the pleasant sportes of Venus usde before.

The Nymph not able of hir selfe the franticke fume to stay,

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With restlesse care and pensivenesse did pine hir selfe away.

Bareheaded on the bare cold ground with flaring haire unkempt

She sate abrode both night and day: and clearly did exempt

Hirselfe by space of thrise three dayes from sustnance and repast

Save only dewe and save hir teares with which she brake hir fast.

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And in that while she never rose but stared on the Sunne

And ever turnde hir face to his as he his corse did runne.

Hir limmes stacke fast within the ground, and all hir upper part

Did to a pale ashcolourd herbe cleane voyde of bloud convart.

The floure whereof part red part white beshadowed with a blew

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Most like a Violet in the shape hir countnance overgrew.

And now (though fastned with a roote) she turnes hir to the Sunne

And keepes (in shape of herbe) the love with which she first begunne.

She made an ende: and at hir tale all wondred: some denide

Hir saying to be possible: and other some replide

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That such as are in deede true Gods may all things worke at will:

But Bacchus is not any such. Thys arguing once made still,

To tell hir tale as others had Alcithoes turne was come.

Who with hir shettle shooting through hir web within the Loome,

Said: Of the shepeheird Daphnyes love of Ida whom erewhile

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A jealouse Nymph (bicause he did with Lemans hir beguile)

For anger turned to a stone (such furie love doth sende: )

I will not speake: it is to knowe: ne yet I doe entende

To tell how Scython variably digressing from his kinde,

Was sometime woman, sometime man, as liked best his minde.

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And Celmus also wyll I passe, who for bicause he cloong

Most faithfully to Jupiter when Jupiter was yoong,

Is now become an Adamant. So will I passe this howre

To shew you how the Curets were engendred of a showre:

Or how that Crocus and his love faire Smylax turned were

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To little flowres. With pleasant newes your mindes now will I chere.

Learne why the fountaine Salmacis diffamed is of yore,

Why with his waters overstrong it weakeneth men so sore

That whoso bathes him there commes thence a perfect man no more.

The operation of this Well is knowne to every wight.

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But few can tell the cause thereof, the which I will recite.

The waternymphes did nurce a sonne of Mercuries in Ide

Begot on Venus, in whose face such beautie did abide,

As well therein his father both and mother might be knowne,

Of whome he also tooke his name. As soone as he was growne

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To fiftene yeares of age, he left the Countrie where he dwelt

And Ida that had fostered him. The pleasure that he felt

To travell Countries, and to see straunge rivers with the state

Of forren landes, all painfulnesse of travell did abate.

He travelde through the lande of Lycie to Carie that doth bound

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Next unto Lycia . There he saw a Poole which to the ground

Was Christall cleare. No fennie sedge, no barren reeke, no reede

Nor rush with pricking poynt was there, nor other moorish weede.

The water was so pure and shere a man might well have seene

And numbred all the gravell stones that in the bottome beene.

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The utmost borders from the brim environd were with clowres

Beclad with herbes ay fresh and greene and pleasant smelling flowres.

A Nymph did haunt this goodly Poole: but such a Nymph as neyther

To hunt, to run, nor yet to shoote, had any kinde of pleasure.

Of all the Waterfairies she alonly was unknowne

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To swift Diana. As the bruit of fame abrode hath blowne,

Hir sisters oftentimes would say: take lightsome Dart or bow,

And in some painefull exercise thine ydle time bestow.

But never could they hir persuade to runne, to shoote or hunt,

Or any other exercise as Phebes knightes are wont.

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Sometime hir faire welformed limbes she batheth in hir spring:

Sometime she downe hir golden haire with Boxen combe doth bring.

And at the water as a glasse she taketh counsell ay

How every thing becommeth hir. Erewhile in fine aray

On soft sweete hearbes or soft greene leaves hir selfe she nicely layes:

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Erewhile againe a gathering flowres from place to place she strayes.

And (as it chaunst) the selfesame time she was a sorting gayes

To make a Poisie, when she first the yongman did espie,

And in beholding him desirde to have his companie.

But though she thought she stoode on thornes untill she went to him:

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Yet went she not before she had bedect hir neat and trim,

And pride and peerd upon hir clothes that nothing sat awrie,

And framde hir countnance as might seeme most amrous to the eie.

Which done she thus begon: O childe most worthie for to bee

Estemde and taken for a God, if (as thou seemste to mee)

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Thou be a God, to Cupids name thy beautie doth agree.

Or if thou be a mortall wight, right happie folke are they,

By whome thou camste into this worlde, right happy is (I say)

Thy mother and thy sister too (if any bee): good hap

That woman had that was thy Nurce and gave thy mouth hir pap.

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But farre above all other, far more blist than these is shee

Whome thou vouchsafest for thy wife and bedfellow for to bee.

Now if thou have alredy one, let me by stelth obtaine

That which shall pleasure both of us. Or if thou doe remaine

A Maiden free from wedlocke bonde, let me then be thy spouse,

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And let us in the bridelie bed our selves togither rouse.

This sed, the Nymph did hold hir peace, and therewithall the boy

Waxt red: he wist not what love was: and sure it was a joy

To see it how exceeding well his blushing him became.

For in his face the colour fresh appeared like the same

405

That is in Apples which doe hang upon the Sunnie side:

Or Ivorie shadowed with a red: or such as is espide

Of white and scarlet colours mixt appearing in the Moone

When folke in vaine with sounding brasse would ease unto hir done.

When at the last the Nymph desirde most instantly but this,

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As to his sister brotherly to give hir there a kisse,

And therewithall was clasping him about the Ivorie necke:

Leave off (quoth he) or I am gone and leave thee at a becke

With all thy trickes. Then Salmacis began to be afraide,

And, To your pleasure leave I free this place, my friend, she sayde.

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Wyth that she turnes hir backe as though she would have gone hir way:

But evermore she looketh backe, and (closely as she may)

She hides hir in a bushie queach, where kneeling on hir knee

She alwayes hath hir eye on him. He as a childe and free,

And thinking not that any wight had watched what he did

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Romes up and downe the pleasant Mede: and by and by amid

The flattring waves he dippes his feete, no more but first the sole

And to the ancles afterward both feete he plungeth whole.

And for to make the matter short, he tooke so great delight

In coolenesse of the pleasant spring, that streight he stripped quight

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His garments from his tender skin. When Salmacis behilde

His naked beautie, such strong pangs so ardently hir hilde,

That utterly she was astraught. And even as Phebus beames

Against a myrrour pure and clere rebound with broken gleames:

Even so hir eys did sparcle fire. Scarce could she tarience make:

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Scarce could she any time delay hir pleasure for to take:

She wolde have run, and in hir armes embraced him streight way:

She was so far beside hir selfe, that scarsly could she stay.

He clapping with his hollow hands against his naked sides,

Into the water lithe and baine with armes displayed glydes.

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And rowing with his hands and legges swimmes in the water cleare:

Through which his bodie faire and white doth glistringly appeare,

As if a man an Ivorie Image or a Lillie white

Should overlay or close with glasse that were most pure and bright.

The prize is won (cride Salmacis aloud) he is mine owne.

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And therewithall in all post hast she having lightly throwne

Hir garments off, flew to the Poole and cast hir thereinto

And caught him fast between hir armes, for ought that he could doe:

Yea maugre all his wrestling and his struggling to and fro,

She held him still, and kissed him a hundred times and mo.

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And willde he nillde he with hir handes she toucht his naked brest:

And now on this side now on that (for all he did resist

And strive to wrest him from hir gripes) she clung unto him fast:

And wound about him like a Snake which snatched up in hast

And being by the Prince of Birdes borne lightly up aloft,

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Doth writhe hir selfe about his necke and griping talants oft:

And cast hir taile about his wings displayed in the winde:

Or like as Ivie runnes on trees about the utter rinde:

Or as the Crabfish having caught his enmy in the Seas,

Doth claspe him in on every side with all his crooked cleas.

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But Atlas Nephew still persistes, and utterly denies

The Nymph to have hir hoped sport: she urges him likewise.

And pressing him with all hir weight, fast cleaving to him still,

Strive, struggle, wrest and writhe (she said) thou froward boy thy fill:

Doe what thou canst thou shalt not scape. Ye Goddes of Heaven agree

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That this same wilfull boy and I may never parted bee.

The Gods were pliant to hir boone. The bodies of them twaine

Were mixt and joyned both in one. To both them did remaine

One countnance: like as if a man should in one barke beholde

Two twigges both growing into one and still togither holde.

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Even so when through hir hugging and hir grasping of the tother

The members of them mingled were and fastned both togither,

They were not any lenger two: but (as it were) a toy

Of double shape. Ye could not say it was a perfect boy

Nor perfect wench: it seemed both and none of both to beene.

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Now when Hermaphroditus saw how in the water sheene

To which he entred in a man, his limmes were weakened so

That out fro thence but halfe a man he was compelde to go,

He lifteth up his hands and said (but not with manly reere):

O noble father Mercurie, and Venus mother deere,

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This one petition graunt your son which both your names doth beare,

That whoso commes within this Well may so be weakened there,

That of a man but halfe a man he may fro thence retire.

Both Parentes moved with the chaunce did stablish this desire

The which their doubleshaped sonne had made: and thereupon

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Infected with an unknowne strength the sacred spring anon.

Their tales did ende and Mineus daughters still their businesse plie

In spight of Bacchus whose high feast they breake contemptuously.

When on the sodaine (seeing nought) they heard about them round

Of tubbish Timbrels perfectly a hoarse and jarring sound,

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With shraming shalmes and gingling belles, and furthermore they felt

A cent of Saffron and of Myrrhe that verie hotly smelt.

And (which a man would ill beleve) the web they had begun

Immediatly waxt fresh and greene, the flaxe the which they spun

Did flourish full of Ivie leaves. And part thereof did run

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Abrode in Vines. The threede it selfe in braunches forth did spring.

Yong burgeons full of clustred grapes their Distaves forth did bring.

And as the web they wrought was dide a deepe darke purple hew,

Even so upon the painted grapes the selfesame colour grew.

The day was spent, and now was come the time which neyther night

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Nor day, but even the bound of both a man may terme of right.

The house at sodaine seemde to shake, and all about it shine

With burning lampes, and glittering fires to flash before their eyen,

And Likenesses of ougly beastes with gastfull noyses yeld.

For feare whereof in smokie holes the sisters were compeld

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To hide their heades, one here and there another, for to shun

The glistring light. And while they thus in corners blindly run,

Upon their little pretie limmes a fine crispe filme there goes,

And slender finnes in stead of handes their shortned armes enclose.

But how they lost their former shape of certaintie to know

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The darknesse would not suffer them. No feathers on them grow,

And yet with shere and velume wings they hover from the ground

And when they goe about to speake they make but little sound,

According as their bodies give, bewayling their despight

By chirping shirlly to themselves. In houses they delight

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And not in woods: detesting day they flitter towards night:

Wherethrough they of the Evening late in Latin take their name,

And we in English language Backes or Reermice call the same.

Then Bacchus name was reverenced through all the Theban coast,

And Ino of hir Nephewes powre made every where great boast.

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Of Cadmus daughters she alone no sorowes tasted had,

Save only that hir sisters haps perchaunce had made hir sad.

Now Juno noting how she waxt both proud and full of scorne,

As well by reason of the sonnes and daughters she had borne,

As also that she was advaunst by mariage in that towne

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To Athamas, King Aeolus sonne, a Prince of great renowne,

But chiefly that hir sisters sonne who nourced was by hir

Was then exalted for a God: began thereat to stir,

And freating at it in hirselfe said: Coulde this harlots burd

Transforme the Lydian watermen, and drowne them in the foord?

525

And make the mother teare the guttes in pieces of hir sonne?

And Mineus al three daughters clad with wings, bicause they sponne

Whiles others howling up and down like frantick folke did ronne?

And can I Juno nothing else save sundrie woes bewaile?

Is that sufficient? can my powre no more than so availe?

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He teaches me what way to worke. A man may take (I see)

Example at his enmies hand the wiser for to bee.

He shewes inough and overmuch the force of furious wrath

By Pentheys death: why should not Ine be taught to tread the path

The which hir sisters heretofore and kinred troden hath?

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There is a steepe and irksome way obscure with shadow fell

Of balefull yewgh, all sad and still, that leadeth downe to hell.

The foggie Styx doth breath up mistes: and downe this way doe wave

The ghostes of persons lately dead and buried in the grave.

Continuall colde and gastly feare possesse this queachie plot

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On eyther side: the siely Ghost new parted knoweth not

The way that doth directly leade him to the Stygian Citie

Or where blacke Pluto keepes his Court that never sheweth pitie.

A thousand wayes, a thousand gates that alwayes open stand,

This Citie hath: and as the Sea the streames of all the lande

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Doth swallow in his gredie gulfe, and yet is never full:

Even so that place devoureth still and hideth in his gull

The soules and ghostes of all the world: and though that nere so many

Come thither, yet the place is voyd as if there were not any.

The ghostes without flesh, bloud, or bones, there wander to and fro,

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Of which some haunt the judgement place: and other come and go

To Plutos Court: and some frequent the former trades and Artes

The which they used in their life: and some abide the smartes

And torments for their wickednesse and other yll desartes.

So cruell hate and spightfull wrath did boyle in Junos brest,

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That in the high and noble Court of Heaven she coulde not rest:

But that she needes must hither come: whose feet no sooner toucht

The thresholde, but it gan to quake. And Cerberus erst coucht

Start sternely up with three fell heades which barked all togither.

She callde the daughters of the night, the cruell furies, thither:

560

They sate a kembing foule blacke Snakes from off their filthie heare

Before the dungeon doore, the place where Caitives punisht were,

The which was made of Adamant. When in the darke in part

They knew Queene Juno, by and by upon their feete they start.

There Titius stretched out (at least) nine acres full in length,

565

Did with his bowels feede a Grype that tare them out by strength.

The water fled from Tantalus that toucht his neather lip,

And Apples hanging over him did ever from him slip.

There also laborde Sisyphus that drave against the hill

A rolling stone that from the top came tumbling downeward still.

570

Ixion on his restlesse wheele to which his limmes were bound

Did flie and follow both at once in turning ever round.

And Danaus daughters forbicause they did their cousins kill,

Drew water into running tubbes which evermore did spill.

When Juno with a louring looke had vewde them all through- out,

575

And on Ixion specially before the other rout,

She turnes from him to Sisyphus, and with an angry cheere

Sayes: Wherefore should this man endure continuall penance here,

And Athamas his brother reigne in welth and pleasure free

Who through his pride hath ay disdainde my husband Jove and mee?

580

And therewithall she poured out th'occasion of hir hate,

And why she came and what she would. She would that Cadmus state

Should with the ruine of his house be brought to swyft decay,

And that to mischiefe Athamas the Fiendes should force some way.

She biddes, she prayes, she promises, and all is with a breth,

585

And moves the furies earnestly: and as these things she seth,

The hatefull Hag Tisiphone with horie ruffled heare,

Removing from hir face the Snakes that loosely dangled there,

Sayd thus: Madame there is no neede long circumstance to make.

Suppose your will already done. This lothsome place forsake,

590

And to the holsome Ayre of heaven your selfe agayne retire.

Queene Juno went right glad away with graunt of hir desire.

And as she woulde have entred heaven, the Ladie Iris came

And purged hir with streaming drops.

Anon upon the same

595

The furious Fiende Tisiphone doth cloth hir out of hand

In garment streaming gorie bloud, and taketh in hir hand

A burning Cresset steepte in bloud, and girdeth hir about

With wreathed Snakes and so goes forth. And at hir going out,

Feare, terror, grief and pensivenesse for companie she tooke,

600

And also madnesse with his flaight, and gastly staring looke.

Within the house of Athamas no sooner foote she set,

But that the postes began to quake and doores looke blacke as Jet.

The sonne withdrew him, Athamas and eke his wife were cast

With ougly sightes in such a feare, that out of doores agast

605

They would have fled. There stoode the Fiend, and stopt their passage out,

And splaying forth hir filthie armes beknit with Snakes about,

Did tosse and wave hir hatefull head. The swarme of scaled snakes

Did make an irksome noyse to heare as she hir tresses shakes.

About hir shoulders some did craule: some trayling downe hir brest

610

Did hisse and spit out poyson greene, and spirt with tongues infest.

Then from amyd hir haire two snakes with venymd hand she drew

Of which shee one at Athamas and one at Ino threw.

The snakes did craule about their breasts, inspiring in their heart

Most grievous motions of the minde: the bodie had no smart

615

Of any wound: it was the minde that felt the cruell stings.

A poyson made in Syrup wise, shee also with hir brings.

The filthie fome of Cerberus, the casting of the Snake

Echidna, bred among the Fennes about the Stygian Lake:

Desire of gadding foorth abroad: forgetfulnesse of minde:

620

Delight in mischiefe: woodnesse: teares: and purpose whole inclinde

To cruell murther: all the which shee did together grinde:

And mingling them with new shed bloud had boyled them in brasse,

And stird them with a Hemblock stalke. Now whyle that Athamas

And Ino stood and quakte for feare, this poyson ranke and fell

625

Shee tourned into both their breastes and made their heartes to swell.

Then whisking often round about hir head hir balefull brand,

She made it soone by gathering winde to kindle in hir hand.

Thus as it were in triumph wise accomplishing hir hest,

To Duskie Plutos emptie Realme shee gettes hir home to rest,

630

And putteth off the snarled Snakes that girded in hir brest.

Immediatly King Aeolus sonne starke madde comes crying out

Through all the court: What meane yee Sirs? why go yee not about

To pitch our toyles within this chace? I saw even nowe here ran

A Lyon with hir two yong whelpes. And there withall he gan

635

To chase his wyfe as if in deede shee had a Lyon beene

And lyke a Bedlem boystouslie he snatcheth from betweene

The mothers armes h's little babe Loearchus smyling on him

And reaching foorth his preatie armes, and floong him fiercely from him

A twice or thrice as from a slyng: and dasht his tender head

640

Against a hard and rugged stone until he sawe him dead.

The wretched mother (whither griefe did move hir thereunto

Or that the poyson spred within did force hir so to doe)

Howld out and frantikly with scattered haire about hir eares

And with hir little Melicert whome hastely shee beares

645

In naked armes she cryeth out, Hoe Bacchus. At the name

Of Bacchus Juno gan to laugh and scorning sayde in game:

This guerden loe thy foster child requiteth for the same.

There hangs a rocke about the Sea the foote whereof is eate

So hollow with the saltish waves which on the same doe beate,

650

That like a house it keepeth off the moysting showers of rayne.

The toppe is rough and shootes his front amiddes the open mayne.

Dame Ino (madnesse made hir strong) did climb this cliffe anon

And headlong downe (without regarde of hurt that hoong thereon)

Did throwe hir burden and hir selfe, the water where shee dasht

655

In sprincling upwarde glisterd red. But Venus sore abasht

At this hir Neeces great mischaunce without offence or fault,

Hir Uncle gently thus bespake: O ruler of the hault

And swelling Seas, O noble Neptune whose dominion large

Extendeth to the Heaven, whereof the mightie Jove hath charge,

660

The thing is great for which I sue. But shewe thou for my sake

Some mercie on my wretched friends whome in thine endlesse lake

Thou seest tossed to and fro. Admit thou them among

The Goddes. Of right even here to mee some favour doth belong

At least wise if amid the Sea engendred erst I were

665

Of Froth, as of the which yet still my pleasaunt name I beare.

Neptunus graunted hir request, and by and by bereft them

Of all that ever mortall was. Insted wherof he left them

A hault and stately majestie: and altring them in hew

With shape and names most meete for Goddes he did them both endew.

670

Leucothoe was the mothers name, Palemon was the sonne.

The Thebane Ladies following hir as fast as they could runne,

Did of hir feete perceive the print upon the utter stone.

And taking it for certaine signe that both were dead and gone,

In making mone for Cadmus house, they wrang their hands and tare

675

Their haire, and rent their clothes, and railde on Juno out of square,

As nothing just, but more outragious farre than did behove

In so revenging of hir selfe upon hir husbands love.

The Goddesse Juno could not beare their railing. And in faith:

You also will I make to be as witnesses (she sayth)

680

Of my outragious crueltie. And so shee did in deede.

For shee that loved Ino best was following hir with speede

Into the Sea. But as shee would hir selfe have downeward cast,

She could not stirre, but to the rock as nailed sticked fast.

The second as shee knockt hir breast, did feele hir armes wax stiffe.

685

Another as shee stretched out hir hands upon the cliffe,

Was made a stone, and there stoode still ay stretching forth hir hands

Into the water as before. And as an other standes

A tearing of hir ruffled lockes, hir fingers hardened were

And fastned to hir frisled toppe still tearing of hir heare,

690

And looke what gesture eche of them was taken in that tide,

Even in the same transformde to stones, they fastned did abide.

And some were altered into birds which Cadmies called bee

And in that goolfe with flittering wings still to and fro doe flee.

Nought knoweth Cadmus that his daughter and hir little childe

695

Admitted were among the Goddes that rule the surges wilde.

Compellde with griefe and great mishappes that had ensewd togither,

And straunge foretokens often seene since first his comming thither,

He utterly forsakes his towne the which he builded had,

As though the fortune of the place so hardly him bestad,

700

And not his owne. And fleeting long like pilgrims, at the last

Upon the coast of Illirie his wife and he were cast.

Where ny forpind with cares and yeares, while of the chaunces past

Upon their house, and of their toyles and former travails tane

They sadly talkt betweene themselves: Was my speare head the bane

705

Of that same ougly Snake of Mars (quoth Cadmus ) when I fled

From Sidon ? or did I his teeth in ploughed pasture spred?

If for the death of him the Goddes so cruell vengeaunce take,

Drawen out in length upon my wombe then traile I like a snake.

He had no sooner sayde the worde but that he gan to glide

710

Upon his belly like a Snake. And on his hardened side

He felt the scales new budding out, the which was wholy fret

With speccled droppes of blacke and gray as thicke as could be set.

He falleth groveling on his breast, and both his shankes doe growe

In one round spindle Bodkinwise with sharpned point below.

715

His armes as yet remayned still: his armes that did remayne,

He stretched out, and sayde with teares that plentuously did raine

Adowne his face, which yet did keepe the native fashion sownd:

Come hither wyfe, come hither wight most wretched on the ground,

And whyle that ought of mee remaynes vouchsafe to touche the same.

720

Come take mee by the hand as long as hand may have his name,

Before this snakish shape doe whole my body over runne.

He would have spoken more when sodainely his tongue begunne

To split in two and speache did fayle: and as he did attempt

To make his mone, he hist: for nature now had cleane exempt

725

All other speach. His wretched wyfe hir naked stomack beete

And cryde: What meaneth this? deare Cadmus , where are now thy feete?

Where are thy shoulders and thy handes? thy hew and manly face?

With all the other things that did thy princely person grace

Which nowe I overpasse? But why yee Goddes doe you delay

730

My bodie into lyke misshape of Serpent to convay?

When this was spoken, Cadmus lickt his wyfe about the lippes:

And (as a place with which he was acquaynted well) he slippes

Into hir boosome, lovingly embracing hir, and cast

Himselfe about hir necke, as oft he had in tyme forepast.

735

Such as were there (their folke were there) were flaighted at the sight,

For by and by they sawe their neckes did glister slicke and bright.

And on their snakish heades grew crests: and finally they both

Were into verie Dragons tournd, and foorth together goth

T'one trayling by the tothers side, untill they gaynd a wood,

740

The which direct against the place where as they were then stood.

And now remembring what they were themselves in tymes forepast,

They neyther shonne nor hurten men with stinging nor with blast.

But yet a comfort to them both in this their altred hew

Became that noble impe of theirs that Indie did subdew,

745

Whom al Achaia worshipped with temples builded new.

All only Acrise, Abas sonne, (though of the selfesame stocke)

Remaind, who out of Argos walles unkindly did him locke,

And moved wilfull warre against his Godhead: thinking that

There was not any race of Goddes, for he beleved not

750

That Persey was the sonne of Jove: or that he was conceyved

By Danae of golden shower through which shee was deceived.

But yet ere long (such present force hath truth) he doth repent

As well his great impietie against God Bacchus meant,

As also that he did disdaine his Nephew for to knowe.

755

But Bacchus now full gloriously himselfe in Heaven doth showe.

And Persey bearing in his hand the monster Gorgons head,

That famous spoyle which here and there with snakish haire was spread,

Doth beat the ayre with wavyng wings. And as he overflew

The Lybicke sandes, the droppes of bloud that from the head did sew

760

Of Gorgon being new cut off, upon the ground did fal.

Which taking them (and as it were conceyving therwithall)

Engendred sundrie Snakes and wormes: by meanes wherof that clyme

Did swarme with Serpents ever since, even to this present tyme.

From thence he lyke a watrie cloud was caried with the weather,

765

Through all the heaven, now here, now there as light as any feather.

And from aloft he viewes the earth that underneath doth lie,

And swiftly over all the worlde doth in conclusion flie,

Three times the chilling Beares, three times the Crabbes fel cleas he saw:

Oft times to Weast, oftimes to East did drive him many a flaw.

770

Now at such time as unto rest the sonne began to drawe,

Bicause he did not thinke it good to be abroad all night,

Within King Atlas western Realme he ceased from his flight,

Requesting that a little space of rest enjoy he might,

Untill such tyme as Lucifer should bring the morning gray,

775

And morning bring the lightsome Sunne that guides the cherefull day.

This Atlas, Japets Nephewe, was a man that did excell

In stature everie other wight that in the worlde did dwell.

The utmost coast of all the earth and all that Sea wherein

The tyred steedes and wearied Wayne of Phoebus dived bin,

780

Were in subjection to this King. A thousande flockes of sheepe,

A thousand heirdes of Rother beastes he in his fields did keepe:

And not a neighbor did anoy his ground by dwelling nie.

To him the wandring Persey thus his language did applie:

If high renowne of royall race thy noble heart may move,

785

I am the sonne of Jove himselfe: or if thou more approve

The valiant deedes and hault exploytes, thou shalt perceive in mee

Such doings as deserve with prayse extolled for to bee.

I pray thee of thy courtesie receive mee as thy guest,

And let mee only for this night within thy palace rest.

790

King Atlas called straight to minde an auncient prophesie

Made by Parnassian Themys, which this sentence did implie:

The time shall one day, Atlas, come in which thy golden tree

Shall of hir fayre and precious fruite dispoyld and robbed bee.

And he shall be the sonne of Jove that shall enjoy the pray.

795

For feare hereof he did enclose his Orchard everie way

With mightie hilles, and put an ougly Dragon in the same

To keepe it. Further he forbad that any straunger came

Within his Realme, and to this knight he sayde presumtuouslie:

Avoyd my land, onlesse thou wilt by utter perill trie

800

That all thy glorious actes whereof thou doest so loudly lie

And Jove thy father be too farre to helpe thee at thy neede.

To these his wordes he added force, and went about in deede

To drive him out by strength of hand. To speake was losse of winde

For neyther could intreating faire nor stoutnesse tourne his minde.

805

Well then (quoth Persey ) sith thou doest mine honour set so light,

Take here a present: and with that he turnes away his sight,

And from his left side drewe mee out Medusas lothly head.

As huge and big as Atlas was he tourned in that stead

Into a mountaine: into trees his beard and locks did passe:

810

His hands and shoulders made the ridge: that part which lately was

His head, became the highest top of all the hill: his bones

Were turnd to stones: and therewithall he grew mee all at once

Beyond all measure up in heighth (for so God thought it best)

So farre that Heaven with all the starres did on his shoulders rest.

815

In endlesse prison by that time had Aeolus lockt the wind

And now the cheerely morning starre that putteth folke in mind

To rise about their daylie worke shone brightly in the skie.

Then Persey unto both his feete did streight his feathers tie

And girt his Woodknife to his side, and from the earth did stie.

820

And leaving nations nomberlesse beneath him everie way

At last upon King Cepheyes fields in Aethiop did he stay.

Where cleane against all right and law by Joves commaundement

Andromad for hir mothers tongue did suffer punishment.

Whome to a rocke by both the armes when fastned hee had seene,

825

He would have thought of Marble stone shee had some image beene,

But that hir tresses to and fro the whisking winde did blowe,

And trickling teares warme from hir eyes adowne hir cheeks did flow,

Unwares hereat gan secret sparkes within his breast to glow.

His wits were straught at sight thereof and ravisht in such wise,

830

That how to hover with his wings he scarsly could devise.

As soone as he had stayd himselfe: O Ladie faire (quoth hee)

Not worthie of such bands as these, but such wherewith we see

Togither knit in lawfull bed the earnest lovers bee,

I pray thee tell mee what thy selfe and what this lande is named

835

And wherefore thou dost weare these Chains. The Ladie ill ashamed

Was at the sodaine striken domb: and lyke a fearfull maid

Shee durst not speake unto a man. Had not hir handes beene staid

She would have hid hir bashfull face. Howbeit as she might

With great abundance of hir teares shee stopped up hir sight

840

But when that Persey oftentimes was earnestly in hand

To learne this matter, for bicause shee would not seeme to stand

In stubborne silence of hir faultes, shee tolde him what the land

And what she hight: and how hir mother for hir beauties sake

Through pride did unadvisedly too much upon hir take.

845

And ere shee full had made an ende, the water gan to rore:

An ougly monster from the deepe was making to the shore

Which bare the Sea before his breast. The Virgin shrieked out.

Hir father and hir mother both stood mourning thereabout,

In wretched ease both twaine, but not so wretched as the maid

850

Who wrongly for hir mothers fault the bitter raunsome paid.

They brought not with them any help: but (as the time and cace

Requird) they wept and wrang their hands, and streightly did embrace

Hir bodie fastened to the rock. Then Persey them bespake,

And sayde: The time may serve too long this sorrow for to make:

855

But time of helpe must eyther now or never else be take.

Now if I, Persey , sonne of hir whome in hir fathers towre

The mightie Jove begat with childe in shape of golden showre,

Who cut off ougly Gorgons head bespred with snakish heare,

And in the ayre durst trust these winges my body for to beare,

860

perchaunce should save your daughters life, I think ye should as then

Accept mee for your sonne in lawe before all other men.

To these great thewes (by the help of God) I purpose for to adde

A just desert in helping hir that is so hard bestadde.

I covenaunt with you by my force and manhod for to save hir,

865

Conditionly that to my wife in recompence I have hir.

Hir parents tooke his offer streight: for who would sticke thereat?

And praid him faire, and promisde him that for performing that

They would endow him with the ryght of al their Realme beeside.

Like as a Gally with hir nose doth cut the waters wide,

870

Enforced by the sweating armes of Rowers wyth the tide

Even so the monster with his brest did beare the waves aside,

And was now come as neere the rocke as well a man myght fling

Amid the pure and vacant aire a pellet from a sling.

When on the sodaine Persey pusht his foote against the ground,

875

And stied upward to the clouds his shadow did rebound

Upon the sea: the beast ran fierce upon the passing shade.

And as an Egle when he sees a Dragon in a glade

Lie beaking of his blewish backe against the sunnie rayes,

Doth seize upon him unbeware, and with his talants layes

880

Sure holde upon his scalie necke lest writhing back his head

His cruell teeth might doe him harme: so Persey in that stead

Discending downe the ayre amaine with all his force and might

Did seize upon the monsters backe: and underneath the right

Finne hard unto the verie hilt his hooked sworde did smight.

885

The monster being wounded sore did sometime leape aloft,

And sometime under water dive, bestirring him full oft

As doth a chaufed Boare beset with barking Dogges about.

But Persey with his lightsome wings still keeping him without

The monsters reach, with hooked sword doth sometime hew his back

890

Where as the hollow scales give way: and sometime he doth hacke

The ribbes on both his maled sides: and sometime he doth wound

His spindle tayle where into fish it growes most smal and round.

The Whale at Persey from his mouth such waves of water cast,

Bemixed with the purple bloud, that all bedreint at last

895

His feathers verie heavie were: and doubting any more

To trust his wings now waxing wet, he straight began to sore

Up to a rocke which in the calme above the water stood:

But in the tempest evermore was hidden with the flood.

And leaning thereunto and with his left hand holding just

900

The top thereof a dozen times his weapon he did thrust

Among his guttes. The joyfull noyse and clapping of their hands

The which were made for loosening of Andromad from hir bands,

Filde all the coast and heaven it selfe. The parents of the Maide

Cassiope and Cepheus were glad and well appayde:

905

And calling him their sonne in law confessed him to bee

The helpe and savegarde of their house. Andromade the fee

And cause of Perseys enterprise from bondes now beyng free,

He washed his victorious hands. And lest the Snakie heade

With lying on the gravell hard should catch some harme, he spred

910

Soft leaves and certaine tender twigs that in the water grew,

And laid Medusas head thereon: the twigs yet being new

And quicke and full of juicie pith full lightly to them drew

The nature of this monstrous head. For both the leafe and bough

Full straungely at the touch thereof became both hard and tough.

915

The Sea nymphes tride this wondrous fact in divers other roddes

And were full glad to see the chaunge, bicause there was no oddes

Of leaves or twigs or of the seedes new shaken from the coddes.

For still like nature ever since is in our Corall founde:

That looke how soone it toucheth Ayre it waxeth hard and sounde,

920

And that which under water was a sticke, above is stone.

Three altars to as many Gods he makes of Turfe anon:

Upon the left hand Mercuries: Minervas on the right:

And in the middle Jupiters: to Pallas he did dight

A Cow: a Calfe to Mercurie: a Bull to royall Jove.

925

Forthwith he tooke Andromade the price for which he strove

Endowed with hir fathers Realme. For now the God of Love

And Hymen unto mariage his minde in hast did move.

Great fires were made of sweete perfumes, and curious garlandes hung

About the house, which every where of mirthful musicke rung

930

The gladsome signe of merie mindes. The Pallace gates were set

Wide open. None from comming in were by the Porters let.

All Noblemen and Gentlemen that were of any port

To this same great and royall feast of Cephey did resort.

When having taken their repast as well of meate as wine

935

Their hearts began to pleasant mirth by leysure to encline,

The valiant Persey of the folke and facions of the land

Began to be inquisitive. One Lincide out of hand

The rites and manners of the folke did doe him t'understand.

Which done he sayd: O worthie knight I pray thee tell us by

940

What force or wile thou gotst the head with haires of Adders slie.

Then Persey tolde how underneath colde Atlas lay a plaine

So fenced in on every side with mountaines high, that vaine

Were any force to win the same. In entrance of the which

Two daughters of King Phorcis dwelt whose chaunce and hap was such

945

That one eye served both their turnes: whereof by wilie slight

And stealth in putting forth his hand he did bereve them quight,

As they from t'one to tother were delivering of the same.

From whence by long blind crooked wayes unhandsomly he came

Through gastly groves by ragged cliffes unto the drerie place

950

Whereas the Gorgons dwelt: and there he saw (a wretched case)

The shapes as well of men as beasts lie scattered everie where

In open fields and common wayes, the which transformed were

From living things to stones at sight of foule Medusas heare,

But yet that he through brightnesse of his monstrous brazen shield

955

The which he in his left hand bare, Medusas face beheld.

And while that in a sound dead sleepe were all hir Snakes and she,

He softly pared off hir head: and how that he did see

Swift Pegasus the winged horse and eke his brother grow

Out of their mothers new shed bloud. Moreover he did show

960

A long discourse of all his happes and not so long as trew:

As namely of what Seas and landes the coasts he overflew,

And eke what starres with stying wings he in the while did vew.

But yet his tale was at an ende ere any lookt therefore.

Upon occasion by and by of wordes reherst before

965

There was a certaine noble man demaunded him wherefore

Shee only of the sisters three haire mixt with Adders bore.

Sir (aunswerde Persey ) sith you aske a matter worth report

I graunt to tell you your demaunde. She both in comly port

And beautie, every other wight surmounted in such sort,

970

That many suters unto hir did earnestly resort.

And though that whole from top to toe most bewtifull she were,

In all hir bodie was no part more goodly than hir heare.

I know some parties yet alive, that say they did hir see.

It is reported how she should abusde by Neptune bee

975

In Pallas Church: from which fowle facte Joves daughter turnde hir eye,

And with hir Target hid hir face from such a villanie.

And lest it should unpunisht be, she turnde hir seemely heare

To lothly Snakes: the which (the more to put hir foes in feare)

Before hir brest continually she in her shield doth beare.

980

P. Ovidius Naso Metamorphoses 4

Brookes More (Translator)

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