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1 PHAETON AND PHOEBUS

Regia Solis erat sublimibus alta columnis,

clara micante auro flammasque imitante pyropo:

cuius ebur nitidum fastigia summa tegebat,

argenti bifores radiabant lumine valvae.

Materiam superabat opus: nam Mulciber illic

aequora caelarat medias cingentia terras,

terrarumque orbem, caelumque quod inminet orbi.

Caeruleos habet unda deos, Tritona canorum

Proteaque ambiguum, balaenarumque prementem

Aegaeona suis inmania terga lacertis,

Doridaque et natas, quarum pars nare videtur,

pars in mole sedens virides siccare capillos,

pisce vehi quaedam: facies non omnibus una,

non diversa tamen, qualem decet esse sororum.

Terra viros urbesque gerit silvasque ferasque

fluminaque et nymphas et cetera numina ruris.

Haec super imposita est caeli fulgentis imago

signaque sex foribus dextris totidemque sinistris.

Quo simul acclivi Clymeneia limite proles

venit et intravit dubitati tecta parentis,

protinus ad patrios sua fert vestigia vultus

consistitque procul: neque enim propiora ferebat

lumina. Purpurea velatus veste sedebat

in solio Phoebus claris lucente smaragdis.

A dextra laevaque Dies et Mensis et Annus

Saeculaque et positae spatiis aequalibus Horae

Verque novum stabat cinctum florente corona,

stabat nuda Aestas et spicea serta gerebat,

stabat et Autumnus, calcatis sordidus uvis,

et glacialis Hiems, canos hirsuta capillos.

Inde loco medius rerum novitate paventem

Sol oculis iuvenem, quibus adspicit omnia, vidit

“quae” que “viae tibi causa? quid hac” ait “arce petisti,

progenies, Phaethon, haud infitianda parenti?”

Ille refert “o lux inmensi publica mundi,

Phoebe pater, si das usum mihi nominis huius

nec falsa Clymene culpam sub imagine celat,

pignera da, genitor, per quae tua vera propago

credar, et hunc animis errorem detrahe nostris.”

Dixerat: at genitor circum caput omne micantes

deposuit radios propiusque accedere iussit;

amplexuque dato “nec tu meus esse negari

dignus es, et Clymene veros” ait “edidit ortus.

Quoque minus dubites, quodvis pete munus, ut illud

me tribuente feras. Promissis testis adesto

dis iuranda palus, oculis incognita nostris.”

Vix bene desierat, currus rogat ille paternos

inque diem alipedum ius et moderamen equorum.

Paenituit iurasse patrem. Qui terque quaterque

concutiens inlustre caput “temeraria” dixit

vox mea facta tua est. Utinam promissa liceret

non dare! confiteor, solum hoc tibi, nate, negarem.

Dissuadere licet. Non est tua tuta voluntas.

Magna petis, Phaethon, et quae nec viribus istis

munera conveniant nec tam puerilibus annis.

Sors tua mortalis, non est mortale quod optas.

Plus etiam, quam quod superis contingere possit,

nescius adfectas. Placeat sibi quisque licebit,

non tamen ignifero quisquam consistere in axe

me valet excepto. Vasti quoque rector Olympi,

qui fera terribili iaculatur fulmina dextra,

non agat hos currus: et quid Iove maius habemus?

Ardua prima via est et qua vix mane recentes

enitantur equi: medio est altissima caelo,

unde mare et terras ipsi mihi saepe videre

fit timor, et pavida trepidat formidine pectus.

Ultima prona via est et eget moderamine certo:

tunc etiam quae me subiectis excipit undis,

ne ferar in praeceps, Tethys solet ipsa vereri.

Adde quod adsidua rapitur vertigine caelum

sideraque alta trahit celerique volumine torquet.

Nitor in adversum, nec me, qui cetera, vincit

impetus, et rapido contrarius evehor orbi.

Finge datos currus: quid ages? poterisne rotatis

obvius ire polis, ne te citus auferat axis?

Forsitan et lucos illic urbesque deorum

concipias animo delubraque ditia donis

esse? per insidias iter est formasque ferarum.

Utque viam teneas nulloque errore traharis,

per tamen adversi gradieris cornua tauri

Haemoniosque arcus violentique ora leonis

saevaque circuitu curvantem bracchia longo

scorpion atque aliter curvantem bracchia cancrum.

Nec tibi quadrupedes animosos ignibus illis,

quos in pectore habent, quos ore et naribus efflant,

in promptu regere est: vix me patiuntur, ubi acres

incaluere animi, cervixque repugnat habenis.

At tu, funesti ne sim tibi muneris auctor,

nate, cave, dum resque sinit, tua corrige vota.

Scilicet ut nostro genitum te sanguine credas,

pignera certa petis? do pignera certa timendo

et patrio pater esse metu probor. Adspice vultus

ecce meos; utinamque oculos in pectora posses

inserere et patrias intus deprendere curas!

Denique quidquid habet dives, circumspice, mundus,

eque tot ac tantis caeli terraeque marisque

posce bonis aliquid: nullam patiere repulsam.

Deprecor hoc unum, quod vero nomine poena,

non honor est: poenam, Phaethon, pro munere poscis.

Quid mea colla tenes blandis, ignare, lacertis?

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ne dubita, dabitur (Stygias iuravimus undas)

quodcumque optaris: sed tu sapientius opta.”

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Finierat monitus: dictis tamen ille repugnat

propositumque premit flagratque cupidine currus.

Ergo qua licuit genitor cunctatus ad altos

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deducit iuvenem, Vulcania munera, currus.

Aureus axis erat, temo aureus, aurea summae

curvatura rotae, radiorum argenteus ordo;

per iuga chrysolithi positaeque ex ordine gemmae

clara repercusso reddebant lumina Phoebo.

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Dumque ea magnanimus Phaethon miratur opusque

perspicit, ecce vigil nitido patefecit ab ortu

purpureas Aurora fores et plena rosarum

atria. Diffugiunt stellae, quarum agmina cogit

Lucifer et caeli statione novissimus exit.

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Quem petere ut terras mundumque rubescere vidit

cornuaque extremae velut evanescere lunae,

iungere equos Titan velocibus imperat Horis.

Iussa deae celeres peragunt, ignemque vomentes,

ambrosiae suco saturos, praesepibus altis

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quadrupedes ducunt adduntque sonantia frena.

Tum pater ora sui sacro medicamine nati

contigit et rapidae fecit patientia flammae

imposuitque comae radios, praesagaque luctus

pectore sollicito repetens suspiria dixit:

125

“Si potes his saltem monitis parere parentis,

parce, puer, stimulis et fortius utere loris:

sponte sua properant; labor est inhibere volentes.

Nec tibi directos placeat via quinque per arcus:

sectus in obliquum est lato curvamine limes,

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zonarumque trium contentus fine polumque

effugit australem iunctamque aquilonibus arcton.

Hac sit iter: manifesta rotae vestigia cernes.

Utque ferant aequos et caelum et terra calores,

nec preme nec summum molire per aethera currum.

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Altius egressus caelestia tecta cremabis,

inferius terras: medio tutissimus ibis.

Neu te dexterior tortum declinet ad anguem,

neve sinisterior pressam rota ducat ad aram:

inter utrumque tene. Fortunae cetera mando,

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quae iuvet et melius quam tu tibi, consulat opto.

Dum loquor, Hesperio positas in litore metas

umida nox tetigit. Non est mora libera nobis:

poscimur: effulget tenebris aurora fugatis.

Corripe lora manu, vel, si mutabile pectus

145

est tibi, consiliis, non curribus utere nostris,

dum potes et solidis etiamnunc sedibus adstas

dumque male optatos nondum premis inscius axes.

Quae tutus spectes, sine me dare lumina terris!”

Occupat ille levem iuvenali corpore currum,

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statque super manibusque datas contingere habenas

gaudet et invito grates agit inde parenti.

Interea volucres Pyrois et Eous et Aethon,

Solis equi, quartusque Phlegon, hinnitibus auras

flammiferis implent pedibusque repagula pulsant.

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Quae postquam Tethys, fatorum ignara nepotis

reppulit, et facta est inmensi copia caeli,

corripuere viam pedibusque per aera motis

obstantes scindunt nebulas pennisque levati

praetereunt ortos isdem de partibus Euros.

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Sed leve pondus erat, nec quod cognoscere possent

Solis equi, solitaque iugum gravitate carebat;

utque labant curvae iusto sine pondere naves

perque mare instabiles nimia levitate feruntur,

sic onere adsueto vacuus dat in aera saltus

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succutiturque alte similisque est currus inani.

Quod simulac sensere, ruunt tritumque relinquunt

quadriiugi spatium, nec quo prius ordine currunt.

Ipse pavet nec qua commissas flectat habenas,

nec scit, qua sit iter; nec, si sciat, imperet illis.

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Tum primum radiis gelidi caluere triones

et vetito frustra temptarunt aequore tingi,

quaeque polo posita est glaciali proxima serpens,

frigore pigra prius nec formidabilis ulli,

incaluit sumpsitque novas fervoribus iras.

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Te quoque turbatum memorant fugisse, Boote,

quamvis tardus eras et te tua plaustra tenebant.

Ut vero summo despexit ab aethere terras

infelix Phaethon penitus penitusque iacentes,

palluit et subito genua intremuere timore,

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suntque oculis tenebrae per tantum lumen obortae.

Et iam mallet equos numquam tetigisse paternos,

iam cognosse genus piget et valuisse rogando,

iam Meropis dici cupiens ita fertur, ut acta

praecipiti pinus borea, cui victa remisit

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frena suus rector, quam dis votisque reliquit.

Quid faciat? multum caeli post terga relictum,

ante oculos plus est! animo metitur utrumque,

et modo quos illi fatum contingere non est,

prospicit occasus, interdum respicit ortus:

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quidque agat ignarus stupet et nec frena remittit

nec retinere valet nec nomina novit equorum.

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Sparsa quoque in vario passim miracula caelo

vastarumque videt trepidus simulacra ferarum.

Est locus, in geminos ubi bracchia concavat arcus

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scorpius et cauda flexisque utrimque lacertis

porrigit in spatium signorum membra duorum.

Hunc puer ut nigri madidum sudore veneni

vulnera curvata minitantem cuspide vidit,

mentis inops gelida formidine lora remisit.

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Quae postquam summum tetigere iacentia tergum,

exspatiantur equi, nulloque inhibente per auras

ignotae regionis eunt, quaque impetus egit,

hac sine lege ruunt altoque sub aethere fixis

incursant stellis rapiuntque per avia currum.

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Et modo summa petunt, modo per declive viasque

praecipites spatio terrae propiore feruntur.

Inferiusque suis fraternos currere Luna

admiratur equos, ambustaque nubila fumant;

corripitur flammis ut quaeque altissima, tellus

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fissaque agit rimas et sucis aret ademptis.

Pabula canescunt, cum frondibus uritur arbor,

materiamque suo praebet seges arida damno.

Parva queror: magnae pereunt cum moenibus urbes,

cumque suis totas populis incendia gentes

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in cinerem vertunt. Silvae cum montibus ardent,

ardet Athos Taurusque Cilix et Tmolus et Oete

et tum sicca, prius creberrima fontibus, Ide,

virgineusque Helicon et nondum Oeagrius Haemus;

ardet in inmensum geminatis ignibus Aetna

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Parnasusque biceps et Eryx et Cynthus et Othrys,

et tandem nivibus Rhodope caritura, Mimasque

Dindymaque et Mycale natusque ad sacra Cithaeron.

Nec prosunt Scythiae sua frigora: Caucasus ardet

Ossaque cum Pindo maiorque ambobus Olympus

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aeriaeque Alpes et nubifer Appenninus.

Tum vero Phaethon cunctis e partibus orbem

adspicit accensum nec tantos sustinet aestus,

ferventesque auras velut e fornace profunda

ore trahit currusque suos candescere sentit;

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et neque iam cineres eiectatamque favillam

ferre potest calidoque involvitur undique fumo,

quoque eat, aut ubi sit, picea caligine tectus

nescit et arbitrio volucrum raptatur equorum.

Sanguine tum credunt in corpora summa vocato

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Aethiopum populos nigrum traxisse colorem.

Tum facta est Libye raptis umoribus aestu

arida, tum nymphae passis fontesque lacusque

deflevere comis: quaerit Boeotia Dircen,

Argos Amymonen, Ephyre Pirenidas undas.

240

Nec sortita loco distantes flumina ripas

tuta manent: mediis Tanais fumavit in undis

Peneusque senex Teuthranteusque Caicus

et celer Ismenos cum Phegiaco Erymantho

arsurusque iterum Xanthus flavusque Lycormas,

245

quique recurvatis ludit Maeandrus in undis.

Mygdoniusque Melas et Taenarius Eurotas.

Arsit et Euphrates Babylonius, arsit Orontes

Thermodonque citus Gangesque et Phasis et Hister.

Aestuat Alpheus, ripae Spercheides ardent,

250

quodque suo Tagus amne vehit, fluit ignibus aurum,

et quae Maeonias celebrabant carmine ripas

flumineae volucres, medio caluere Caystro.

Nilus in extremum fugit perterritus orbem

occuluitque caput, quod adhuc latet: ostia septem

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pulverulenta vacant, septem sine flumine valles.

Fors eadem Ismarios Hebrum cum Strymone siccat

Hesperiosque amnes Rhenum Rhodanumque Padumque,

cuique fuit rerum promissa potentia, Thybrin.

Dissilit omne solum, penetratque in Tartara rimis

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lumen et infernum terret cum coniuge regem.

Et mare contrahitur, siccaeque est campus harenae

quod modo pontus erat: quosque altum texerat aequor,

exsistunt montes et sparsas Cycladas augent.

Ima petunt pisces, nec se super aequora curvi

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tollere consuetas audent delphines in auras;

corpora phocarum summo resupina profundo

exanimata natant. Ipsum quoque Nerea fama est

Doridaque et natas tepidis latuisse sub antris.

Ter Neptunus aquis cum torvo bracchia vultu

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exserere ausus erat, ter non tulit aeris ignes.

Alma tamen Tellus, ut erat circumdata ponto,

inter aquas pelagi contractosque undique fontes,

qui se condiderant in opacae viscera matris,

sustulit oppressos collo tenus arida vultus

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opposuitque manum fronti magnoque tremore

omnia concutiens paulum subsedit et infra

quam solet esse fuit, siccaque ita voce locuta est:

“Si placet hoc, meruique, quid o tua fulmina cessant,

summe deum? liceat periturae viribus ignis

280

igne perire tuo clademque auctore levare.

Vix equidem fauces haec ipsa in verba resolvo”

(presserat ora vapor): “tostos en adspice crines

inque oculis tantum, tantum super ora favillae.

Hosne mihi fructus, hunc fertilitatis honorem

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officiique refers, quod adunci vulnera aratri

rastrorumque fero totoque exerceor anno,

quod pecori frondes, alimentaque mitia, fruges,

humano generi, vobis quoque tura ministro?

Sed tamen exitium fac me meruisse: quid undae,

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quid meruit frater? cur illi tradita sorte

aequora decrescunt et ab aethere longius absunt?

Quodsi nec fratris nec te mea gratia tangit,

at caeli miserere tui. Circumspice utrumque,

fumat uterque polus. Quos si vitiaverit ignis,

295

atria vestra ruent. Atlas en ipse laborat

vixque suis umeris candentem sustinet axem.

Si freta, si terrae pereunt, si regia caeli,

in chaos antiquum confundimur. Eripe flammis,

siquid adhuc superest, et rerum consule summae.”

300

301

Dixerat haec Tellus: neque enim tolerare vaporem

ulterius potuit nec dicere plura: suumque

rettulit os in se propioraque manibus antra.

At pater omnipotens, superos testatus et ipsum,

qui dederat currus, nisi opem ferat, omnia fato

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interitura gravi, summam petit arduus arcem,

unde solet nubes latis inducere terris,

unde movet tonitrus vibrataque fulmina iactat.

Sed neque quas posset terris inducere nubes

tunc habuit, nec quos caelo demitteret imbres.

310

Intonat et dextra libratum fulmen ab aure

misit in aurigam pariterque animaque rotisque

expulit et saevis compescuit ignibus ignes.

Consternantur equi et saltu in contraria facto

colla iugo eripiunt abruptaque lora relinquunt.

315

Illic frena iacent, illic temone revulsus

axis, in hac radii fractarum parte rotarum,

sparsaque sunt late laceri vestigia currus.

At Phaethon rutilos flamma populante capillos,

volvitur in praeceps longoque per aera tractu

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fertur, ut interdum de caelo stella sereno

etsi non cecidit, potuit cecidisse videri.

Quem procul a patria diverso maximus orbe

excipit Eridanus fumantiaque abluit ora.

Naïdes Hesperiae trifida fumantia flamma

325

corpora dant tumulo, signant quoque carmine saxum:

HIC SITUS EST PHAETHON, CURRUS AURIGA PATERNI:

QUEM SI NON TENUIT, MAGNIS TAMEN EXCIDIT AUSIS.

Nam pater obductos, luctu miserabilis aegro

condiderat vultus: et, si modo credimus, unum

330

isse diem sine sole ferunt: incendia lumen

praebebant aliquisque malo fuit usus in illo.

At Clymene postquam dixit quaecumque fuerunt

in tantis dicenda malis, lugubris et amens

et laniata sinus totum percensuit orbem,

335

exanimesque artus primo, mox ossa requirens

repperit (ossa tamen peregrina condita ripa!),

incubuitque loco nomenque in marmore lectum

perfudit lacrimis et aperto pectore fovit.

Nec minus Heliades lugent et inania morti

340

munera dant lacrimas, et caesae pectora palmis

non auditurum miseras Phaethonta querellas

nocte dieque vocant adsternunturque sepulcro.

Luna quater iunctis implerat cornibus orbem:

illae more suo (nam morem fecerat usus)

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plangorem dederant. E quis Phaethusa, sororum

maxima, cum vellet terra procumbere, questa est

deriguisse pedes. Ad quam conata venire

candida Lampetie subita radice retenta est.

Tertia cum crinem manibus laniare pararet,

350

avellit frondes; haec stipite crura teneri,

illa dolet fieri longos sua bracchia ramos.

Dumque ea mirantur, complectitur inguina cortex,

perque gradus uterum pectusque umerosque manusque

ambit et exstabant tantum ora vocantia matrem.

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Quid faciat mater, nisi, quo trahat impetus illam,

huc eat atque illuc, et, dum licet, oscula iungat?

Non satis est; truncis avellere corpora temptat,

et teneros manibus ramos abrumpit; at inde

sanguineae manant, tamquam de vulnere, guttae.

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“Parce, precor, mater”, quaecumque est saucia, clamat,

“parce, precor: nostrum laceratur in arbore corpus.

iamque vale” —cortex in verba novissima venit.

Inde fluunt lacrimae, stillataque sole rigescunt

de ramis electra novis, quae lucidus amnis

365

excipit et nuribus mittit gestanda Latinis.

Adfuit huic monstro proles Stheneleia Cycnus,

qui tibi materno quamvis a sanguine iunctus,

mente tamen, Phaethon, propior fuit. Ille relicto

(nam Ligurum populos et magnas rexerat urbes)

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imperio ripas virides amnemque querellis

Eridanum implerat silvamque sororibus auctam,

cum vox est tenuata viro, canaeque capillos

dissimulant plumae, collumque a pectore longe

porrigitur, digitosque ligat iunctura rubentes,

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penna latus velat, tenet os sine acumine rostrum.

Fit nova Cycnus avis, nec se caeloque Iovique

credit, ut iniuste missi memor ignis ab illo:

stagna petit patulosque lacus, ignemque perosus

quae colat elegit contraria flumina flammis.

380

Squalidus interea genitor Phaethontis et expers

ipse sui decoris, qualis, cum deficit orbem,

esse solet, lucemque odit seque ipse diemque,

datque animum in luctus; et luctibus adicit iram

officiumque negat mundo. “Satis” inquit “ab aevi

385

sors mea principiis fuit inrequieta, pigetque

actorum sine fine mihi, sine honore, laborum.

Quilibet alter agat portantes lumina currus!

Si nemo est omnesque dei non posse fatentur,

ipse agat ut saltem, dum nostras temptat habenas,

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orbatura patres aliquando fulmina ponat.

Tum sciet, ignipedum vires expertus equorum,

non meruisse necem, qui non bene rexerit illos.”

Talia dicentem circumstant omnia Solem

numina, neve velit tenebras inducere rebus,

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supplice voce rogant: missos quoque Iuppiter ignes

excusat precibusque minas regaliter addit.

Conligit amentes et adhuc terrore paventes

Phoebus equos stimuloque dolens et verbere saevit:

saevit enim, natumque obiectat et imputat illis.

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401 Callisto.

At pater omnipotens ingentia moenia caeli

circuit et ne quid labefactum viribus ignis

corruat explorat. Quae postquam firma suique

roboris esse videt terras hominumque labores

perspicit. Arcadiae tamen est impensior illi

405

cura suae: fontes et nondum audentia labi

flumina restituit dat terrae gramina, frondes

arboribus, laesasque iubet revirescere silvas.

Dum redit itque frequens, In virgine Nonacrina

haesit et accepti caluere sub ossibus ignes.

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Non erat huius opus lanam mollire trahendo

nec positu variare comas; ubi fibula vestem,

vitta coercuerat neglectos alba capillos,

et modo leve manu iaculum, modo sumpserat arcum,

miles erat Phoebes: nec Maenalon attigit ulla

415

gratior hac Triviae. Sed nulla potentia longa est.

Ulterius medio spatium sol altus habebat,

cum subit illa nemus, quod nulla ceciderat aetas.

Exuit hic umero pharetram lentosque retendit

arcus, inque solo, quod texerat herba, iacebat

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et pictam posita pharetram cervice premebat.

Iuppiter ut vidit fessam et custode vacantem,

“hoc certe furtum coniunx mea nesciet” inquit,

“aut si rescierit sunt o sunt iurgia tanti.”

Protinus induitur faciem cultumque Dianae

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atque ait: “O comitum, virgo, pars una mearum,

in quibus es venata iugis?” De caespite virgo

se levat et “salve numen, me indice”, dixit

“audiat ipse licet maius Iove.” Ridet et audit,

et sibi praeferri se gaudet et oscula iungit

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nec moderata satis nec sic a virgine danda.

Qua venata foret silva, narrare parantem

impedit amplexu, nec se sine crimine prodit.

Illa quidem contra, quantum modo femina possit

(adspiceres utinam, Saturnia: mitior esses !),

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illa quidem pugnat: sed quem superare puella,

quisve Iovem poterat? — Superum petit aethera victor

Iuppiter: huic odio nemus est et conscia silva.

Unde pedem referens paene est oblita pharetram

tollere cum telis et quem suspenderat arcum.

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Ecce, suo comitata choro Dictynna per altum

Maenalon ingrediens et caede superba ferarum

adspicit hanc visamque vocat: clamata refugit,

et timuit primo, ne Iuppiter esset in illa.

Sed postquam pariter nymphas incedere vidit,

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sensit abesse dolos numerumque accessit ad harum.

Heu quam difficile est crimen non prodere vultu!

Vix oculos attollit humo, nec, ut ante solebat,

iuncta deae lateri, nec toto est agmine prima,

sed silet et laesi dat signa rubore pudoris;

450

et nisi quod virgo est poterat sentire Diana

mille notis culpam; nymphae sensisse feruntur.

Orbe resurgebant lunaria cornua nono,

cum dea venatu, fraternis languida flammis,

nacta nemus gelidum, de quo cum murmure labens

455

ibat et attritas versabat rivus harenas.

Ut loca laudavit, summas pede contigit undas:

his quoque laudatis “procul est” ait “arbiter omnis;

nuda superfusis tingamus corpora lymphis.”

Parrhasis erubuit. Cunctae velamina ponunt:

460

una moras quaerit. Dubitanti vestis adempta est;

qua posita nudo patuit cum corpore crimen.

Attonitae manibusque uterum celare volenti

“i procul hinc” dixit “nec sacros pollue fontes”

Cynthia; deque suo iussit secedere coetu.

465

466

Senserat hoc olim magni matrona Tonantis

distuleratque graves in idonea tempora poenas.

Causa morae nulla est, et iam puer Arcas (id ipsum

indoluit Iuno) fuerat de paelice natus.

Quo simul obvertit saevam cum lumine mentem,

470

“scilicet hoc etiam restabat, adultera” dixit,

“ut fecunda fores, fieretque iniuria partu

nota, Iovisque mei testatum dedecus esset.

Haud impune feres: adimam tibi nempe figuram,

qua tibi, quaque places nostro, importuna, marito.”

475

Dixit et adversa prensis a fronte capillis

stravit humi pronam. Tendebat bracchia supplex:

bracchia coeperunt nigris horrescere villis

curvarique manus et aduncos crescere in ungues

officioque pedum fungi, laudataque quondam

480

ora Iovi lato fieri deformia rictu.

Neve preces animos et verba precantia flectant

posse loqui eripitur; vox iracunda minaxque

plenaque terroris rauco de gutture fertur.

Mens antiqua tamen facta quoque mansit in ursa,

485

adsiduoque suos gemitu testata dolores

qualescumque manus ad caelum et sidera tollit

ingratumque Iovem, nequeat cum dicere, sentit.

A quotiens, sola non ausa quiescere silva,

ante domum quondamque suis erravit in agris!

490

A quotiens per saxa canum latratibus acta est

venatrixque metu venantum territa fugit!

Saepe feris latuit visis, oblita quid esset,

ursaque conspectos in montibus horruit ursos

pertimuitque lupos, quamvis pater esset in illis.

495

Ecce, Lycaoniae proles, ignara parentis,

Arcas adest, ter quinque fere natalibus actis:

dumque feras sequitur, dum saltus eligit aptos

nexilibusque plagis silvas Erymanthidas ambit,

incidit in matrem; quae restitit Arcade viso

500

et cognoscenti similis fuit. Ille refugit

inmotosque oculos in se sine fine tenentem

nescius extimuit propiusque accedere aventi

vulnifico fuerat fixurus pectora telo.

Arcuit omnipotens pariterque ipsosque nefasque

505

sustulit, et celeri raptos per inania vento

imposuit caelo vicinaque sidera fecit.

Intumuit Iuno, postquam inter sidera paelex

fulsit et ad canam descendit in aequora Tethyn

Oceanumque senem, quorum reverentia movit

510

saepe deos, causamque viae scitantibus infit:

“Quaeritis, aetheriis quare regina deorum

sedibus huc adsim? pro me tenet altera caelum.

Mentiar, obscurum nisi nox cum fecerit orbem,

nuper honoratas summo, mea vulnera, caelo

515

videritis stellas illic, ubi circulus axem

ultimus extremum spatioque brevissimus ambit.

Est vero, cur quis Iunonem laedere nolit

offensamque tremat, quae prosum sola nocendo?

O ego quantum egi! quam vasta potentia nostra est!

520

Esse hominem vetui: facta est dea. Sic ego poenas

sontibus impono, sic est mea magna potestas.

Vindicet antiquam faciem vultusque ferinos

detrahat, Argolica quod in ante Phoronide fecit.

Cur non et pulsa ducit Iunone meoque

525

collocat in thalamo socerumque Lycaona sumit?

At vos si laesae tangit contemptus alumnae,

gurgite caeruleo septem prohibete triones

sideraque in caelo, stupri mercede, recepta

pellite, ne puro tingatur in aequore paelex.”

530

531 Corvus. Coronis. Cornix. Ocyroe.

Di maris adnuerant: habili Saturnia curru

ingreditur liquidum pavonibus aethera pictis,

tam nuper pictis caeso pavonibus Argo,

quam tu nuper eras, cum candidus ante fuisses,

corve loquax, subito nigrantes versus in alas.

535

Nam fuit haec quondam niveis argentea pennis

ales ut aequaret totas sine labe columbas

nec servaturis vigili Capitolia voce

cederet anseribus nec amanti flumina cycno.

Lingua fuit damno; lingua faciente loquaci

540

qui color albus erat, nunc est contrarius albo.

Pulchrior in tota, quam Larisaea Coronis,

non fuit Haemonia: placuit tibi, Delphice, certe,

dum vel casta fuit vel inobservata. Sed ales

sensit adulterium Phoebeius, utque latentem

545

detegeret culpam, non exorabilis index,

ad dominum tendebat iter. Quem garrula motis

consequitur pennis, scitetur ut omnia, cornix,

auditaque viae causa “non utile carpis”

inquit “iter: ne sperne meae praesagia linguae.

550

Quid fuerim quid simque vide, meritumque require:

invenies nocuisse fidem. Nam tempore quodam

Pallas Erichthonium, prolem sine matre creatam,

clauserat Actaeo texta de vimine cista

virginibusque tribus gemino de Cecrope natis

555

et legem dederat, sua ne secreta viderent.

Abdita fronde levi densa speculabar ab ulmo,

quid facerent. Commissa duae sine fraude tuentur,

Pandrosos atque Herse; timidas vocat una sorores

Aglauros nodosque manu diducit, et intus

560

infantemque vident adporrectumque draconem.

Acta deae refero. Pro quo mihi gratia talis

redditur, ut dicar tutela pulsa Minervae

et ponar post noctis avem. Mea poena volucres

admonuisse potest ne voce pericula quaerant.

565

At, puto, non ultro nec quicquam tale rogantem

me petiit? ipsa licet hoc a Pallade quaeras:

quamvis irata est, non hoc irata negabit.

Nam me Phocaica clarus tellure Coroneus

(nota loquor) genuit fueramque ego regia virgo

570

divitibusque procis (ne me contemne) petebar.

Forma mihi nocuit. Nam cum per litora lentis

passibus, ut soleo, summa spatiarer harena,

vidit et incaluit pelagi deus; utque precando

tempora cum blandis absumpsit inania verbis,

575

vim parat et sequitur. Fugio densumque relinquo

litus et in molli nequiquam lassor harena.

Inde deos hominesque voco; nec contigit ullum

vox mea mortalem: mota est pro virgine virgo

auxiliumque tulit. Tendebam bracchia caelo:

580

bracchia coeperunt levibus nigrescere pennis.

Reicere ex umeris vestem molibar: at illa

pluma erat inque cutem radices egerat imas.

Plangere nuda meis conabar pectora palmis:

sed neque iam palmas nec pectora nuda gerebam.

585

Currebam: nec, ut ante, pedes retinebat harena,

sed summa tollebar humo. Mox alta per auras

evehor et data sum comes inculpata Minervae.

Quid tamen hoc prodest, si diro facta volucris

crimine Nyctimene nostro successit honori?

590

An quae per totam res est notissima Lesbon,

non audita tibi est, patrium temerasse cubile

Nyctimenen? avis illa quidem, sed conscia culpae

conspectum lucemque fugit tenebrisque pudorem

celat et a cunctis expellitur aethere toto.”

595

Talia dicenti “tibi” ait “revocamina” corvus

“sint precor ista malo: nos vanum spernimus omen.”

Nec coeptum dimittit iter, dominoque iacentem

cum iuvene Haemonio vidisse Coronida narrat.

Laurea delapsa est audito crimine amanti,

600

et pariter vultusque deo plectrumque colorque

excidit. Utque animus tumida fervebat ab ira,

arma adsueta rapit flexumque a cornibus arcum

tendit et illa suo totiens cum pectore iuncta

indevitato traiecit pectora telo.

605

Icta dedit gemitum, tractoque a corpore ferro

candida puniceo perfudit membra cruore,

et dixit: “Potui poenas tibi, Phoebe, dedisse,

sed peperisse prius: duo nunc moriemur in una.”

Hactenus, et pariter vitam cum sanguine fudit.

610

Corpus inane animae frigus letale secutum est.

Paenitet heu sero poenae crudelis amantem,

seque, quod audierit, quod sic exarserit, odit;

odit avem, per quam crimen causamque dolendi

scire coactus erat, nec non arcumque manumque

615

odit, cumque manu temeraria tela sagittas

conlapsamque fovet seraque ope vincere fata

nititur et medicas exercet inaniter artes.

Quae postquam frustra temptata, rogumque parari

vidit et arsuros supremis ignibus artus,

620

tum vero gemitus (neque enim caelestia tingi

ora licet lacrimis) alto de corde petitos

edidit, haud aliter quam cum spectante iuvenca

lactentis vituli, dextra libratus ab aure

tempora discussit claro cava malleus ictu.

625

Ut tamen ingratos in pectora fudit odores

et dedit amplexus iniustaque iusta peregit,

non tulit in cineres labi sua Phoebus eosdem

semina, sed natum flammis uteroque parentis

eripuit geminique tulit Chironis in antrum;

630

sperantemque sibi non falsae praemia linguae

inter aves albas vetuit consistere corvum.

633 OCYROE AND AECULAPIUS

Semifer interea divinae stirpis alumno

laetus erat mixtoque oneri gaudebat honore.

Ecce venit rutilis umeros protecta capillis

635

filia Centauri, quam quondam nympha Chariclo

fluminis in rapidi ripis enixa vocavit

Ocyroen. Non haec artes contenta paternas

edidicisse fuit: fatorum arcana canebat.

Ergo ubi vaticinos concepit mente furores

640

incaluitque deo, quem clausum pectore habebat,

adspicit infantem “toto” que “salutifer orbi

cresce puer” dixit: “tibi se mortalia saepe

corpora debebunt; animas tibi reddere ademptas

fas erit; idque semel dis indignantibus ausus

645

posse dare hoc iterum flamma prohibebere avita

eque deo corpus fies exsangue, deusque,

qui modo corpus eras, et bis tua fata novabis.

Tu quoque, care pater, nunc inmortalis et aevis

omnibus ut maneas nascendi lege creatus,

650

posse mori cupies, tum cum cruciabere dirae

sanguine serpentis per saucia membra recepto;

teque ex aeterno patientem numina mortis

efficient, triplicesque deae tua fila resolvent.”

Restabat fatis aliquid. Suspirat ab imis

655

pectoribus, lacrimaeque genis labuntur obortae,

atque ita “praevertunt” inquit “me fata, vetorque

plura loqui, vocisque meae praecluditur usus.

Non fuerant artes tanti, quae numinis iram

contraxere mihi; mallem nescisse futura.

660

Iam mihi subduci facies humana videtur,

iam cibus herba placet, iam latis currere campis

impetus est: in equam cognataque corpora vertor.

Tota tamen quare? pater est mihi nempe biformis.”

Talia dicenti pars est extrema querellae

665

intellecta parum, confusaque verba fuerunt.

Mox nec verba quidem nec equae sonus ille videtur,

sed simulantis equam, parvoque in tempore certos

edidit hinnitus et bracchia movit in herbas.

Tum digiti coeunt et quinos adligat ungues

670

perpetuo cornu levis ungula, crescit et oris

et colli spatium, longae pars maxima pallae

cauda fit, utque vagi crines per colla iacebant,

in dextras abiere iubas: pariterque novata est

et vox et facies nomen quoque monstra dedere.

675

676 Battus.

Flebat opemque tuam frustra Philyreius heros,

Delphice, poscebat. Nam nec rescindere magni

iussa Iovis poteras, nec, si rescindere posses,

tunc aderas: Elin Messeniaque arva colebas.

BATTUS AND MERCURY

Illud erat tempus, quo te pastoria pellis

680

texit onusque fuit baculum silvestre sinistrae,

alterius dispar septenis fistula cannis.

Dumque amor est curae, dum te tua fistula mulcet,

incustoditae Pylios memorantur in agros

processisse boves. Videt has Atlantide Maia

685

natus et arte sua silvis occultat abactas.

Senserat hoc furtum nemo nisi notus in illo

rure senex; Battum vicinia tota vocabant.

Divitis hic saltus herbosaque pascua Nelei

nobiliumque greges custos servabat equarum.

690

Hunc timuit blandaque manu seduxit et illi

“quisquis es, hospes” ait, “si forte armenta requiret

haec aliquis, vidisse nega; neu gratia facto

nulla rependatur, nitidam cape praemia vaccam” —

et dedit. Accepta voces has reddidit hospes:

695

“Tutus eas: lapis iste prius tua furta loquetur”,

et lapidem ostendit. Simulat Iove natus abire,

mox redit, et versa pariter cum voce figura

“rustice, vidisti siquas hoc limite” dixit

“ire boves, fer opem furtoque silentia deme:

700

iuncta suo pariter dabitur ubi femina tauro.”

At senior, postquam est merces geminata, “sub illis

montibus” inquit “erunt”: et erant sub montibus illis.

Risit Atlantiades et “me mihi, perfide, prodis?

me mihi prodis?” ait, periuraque pectora vertit

705

in durum silicem, qui nunc quoque dicitur index,

inque nihil merito vetus est infamia saxo.

708 Aglauros. Invidia.

Hinc se sustulerat paribus caducifer alis,

Munychiosque volans agros gratamque Minervae

despectabat humum cultique arbusta Lycei.

710

Illa forte die castae de more puellae

vertice supposito festas in Palladis arces

pura coronatis portabant sacra canistris.

Inde revertentes deus adspicit ales iterque

non agit in rectum, sed in orbem curvat eundem.

715

Ut volucris visis rapidissima miluus extis,

dum timet et densi circumstant sacra ministri,

flectitur in gyrum nec longius audet abire

spemque suam motis avidus circumvolat alis,

sic super Actaeas agilis Cyllenius arces

720

inclinat cursus et easdem circinat auras.

Quanto splendidior quam cetera sidera fulget

Lucifer, et quanto quam Lucifer aurea Phoebe,

tanto virginibus praestantior omnibus Herse

ibat, eratque decus pompae comitumque suarum.

725

Obstipuit forma Iove natus, et aethere pendens

non secus exarsit, quam cum Balearica plumbum

funda iacit: volat illud et incandescit eundo

et quos non habuit, sub nubibus invenit ignes.

Vertit iter caeloque petit terrena relicto

730

nec se dissimulat: tanta est fiducia formae.

Quae quamquam iusta est, cura tamen adiuvat illam

permulcetque comas chlamydemque, ut pendeat apte,

collocat, ut limbus totumque appareat aurum,

ut teres in dextra, qua somnos ducit et arcet,

735

virga sit, ut tersis niteant talaria plantis.

Pars secreta domus ebore et testudine cultos

tres habuit thalamos: quorum tu, Pandrose, dextrum,

Aglauros laevum, medium possederat Herse.

Quae tenuit laevum, venientem prima notavit

740

Mercurium nomenque dei scitarier ausa est

et causam adventus. Cui sic respondit Atlantis

Pleionesque nepos: “Ego sum, qui iussa per auras

verba patris porto: pater est mihi Iuppiter ipse.

Nec fingam causas; tu tantum fida sorori

745

esse velis prolisque meae matertera dici.

Herse causa viae. Faveas oramus amanti.”

Adspicit hunc oculis isdem, quibus abdita nuper

viderat Aglauros flavae secreta Minervae,

proque ministerio magni sibi ponderis aurum

750

postulat: interea tectis excedere cogit.

Vertit ad hanc torvi dea bellica luminis orbem

et tanto penitus traxit suspiria motu,

ut pariter pectus positamque in pectore forti

aegida concuteret. Subit, hanc arcana profana

755

detexisse manu tum cum sine matre creatam

Lemnicolae stirpem contra data foedera vidit,

et gratamque deo fore iam gratamque sorori

et ditem sumpto, quod avara poposcerat, auro.

Protinus Invidiae nigro squalentia tabo

760

tecta petit. Domus est imis in vallibus huius

abdita, sole carens, non ulli pervia vento,

tristis et ignavi plenissima frigoris, et quae

igne vacet semper, caligine semper abundet.

Huc ubi pervenit belli metuenda virago,

765

constitit ante domum (neque enim succedere tectis

fas habet) et postes extrema cuspide pulsat.

Concussae patuere fores. Videt intus edentem

vipereas carnes, vitiorum alimenta suorum,

Invidiam, visaque oculos avertit. At illa

770

surgit humo pigre semesarumque relinquit

corpora serpentum passuque incedit inerti;

utque deam vidit formaque armisque decoram,

ingemuit vultumque ima ad suspiria duxit.

Pallor in ore sedet, macies in corpore toto,

775

nusquam recta acies, livent rubigine dentes,

pectora felle virent, lingua est suffusa veneno.

Risus abest, nisi quem visi movere dolores.

Nec fruitur somno, vigilacibus excita curis,

sed videt ingratos intabescitque videndo

780

successus hominum, carpitque et carpitur una,

suppliciumque suum est. Quamvis tamen oderat illam,

talibus adfata est breviter Tritonia dictis:

“Infice tabe tua natarum Cecropis unam.

Sic opus est. Aglauros ea est.” Haud plura locuta

785

fugit et impressa tellurem reppulit hasta.

Illa deam obliquo fugientem lumine cernens

murmura parva dedit, successurumque Minervae

indoluit, baculumque capit, quod spinea totum

vincula cingebant, adopertaque nubibus atris,

790

quacumque ingreditur, florentia proterit arva

exuritque herbas et summa cacumina carpit,

adflatuque suo populos urbesque domosque

polluit. Et tandem Tritonida conspicit arcem

ingeniis opibusque et festa pace virentem,

795

vixque tenet lacrimas, quia nil lacrimabile cernit.

Sed postquam thalamos intravit Cecrope natae,

iussa facit pectusque manu ferrugine tincta

tangit et hamatis praecordia sentibus implet,

inspiratque nocens virus, piceumque per ossa

800

dissipat et medio spargit pulmone venenum.

Neve mali causae spatium per latius errent,

germanam ante oculos fortunatumque sororis

coniugium pulchraque deum sub imagine ponit,

cunctaque magna facit. Quibus inritata dolore

805

Cecropis occulto mordetur et anxia nocte,

anxia luce gemit, lentaque miserrima tabe

liquitur ut glacies incerto saucia sole.

Felicisque bonis non lenius uritur Herses,

quam cum spinosis ignis supponitur herbis,

810

quae neque dant flammas lenique tepore cremantur.

Saepe mori voluit, ne quicquam tale videret,

saepe velut crimen rigido narrare parenti;

denique in adverso venientem limine sedit

exclusura deum. Cui blandimenta precesque

815

verbaque iactanti mitissima “desine” dixit:

“hinc ego me non sum nisi te motura repulso.”

“Stemus” ait “pacto” velox Cyllenius “isto”:

caelestique fores virga patefecit. At illi

surgere conanti partes, quascumque sedendo

820

flectimus, ignava nequeunt gravitate moveri.

Illa quidem pugnat recto se attollere trunco,

sed genuum iunctura riget, frigusque per inguen

labitur, et callent amisso sanguine venae.

Utque malum late solet inmedicabile cancer

825

serpere et inlaesas vitiatis addere partes,

sic letalis hiems paulatim in pectora venit

vitalesque vias et respiramina clausit.

Nec conata loqui est, nec, si conata fuisset,

vocis habebat iter: saxum iam colla tenebat,

830

oraque duruerant, signumque exsangue sedebat.

Nec lapis albus erat: sua mens infecerat illam.

833 Europa.

Has ubi verborum poenas mentisque profanae

cepit Atlantiades, dictas a Pallade terras

linquit et ingreditur iactatis aethera pennis.

835

Sevocat hunc genitor. Nec causam fassus amoris

“fide minister” ait “iussorum, nate, meorum,

pelle moram solitoque celer delabere cursu,

quaeque tuam matrem tellus a parte sinistra

suspicit (indigenae Sidonida nomine dicunt),

840

hanc pete, quodque procul montano gramine pasci

armentum regale vides, ad litora verte.”

Dixit, et expulsi iamdudum monte iuvenci

litora iussa petunt, ubi magni filia regis

ludere virginibus Tyriis comitata solebat.

845

Non bene conveniunt nec in una sede morantur

EUROPA AND JUPITER

maiestas et amor: sceptri gravitate relicta

ille pater rectorque deum, cui dextra trisulcis

ignibus armata est, qui nutu concutit orbem,

induitur faciem tauri mixtusque iuvencis

850

mugit et in teneris formosus obambulat herbis.

Quippe color nivis est, quam nec vestigia duri

calcavere pedis nec solvit aquaticus auster.

Colla toris exstant, armis palearia pendent,

cornua parva quidem, sed quae contendere possis

855

facta manu, puraque magis perlucida gemma.

Nullae in fronte minae, nec formidabile lumen;

pacem vultus habet. Miratur Agenore nata,

quod tam formosus, quod proelia nulla minetur.

Sed quamvis mitem metuit contingere primo:

860

mox adit et flores ad candida porrigit ora.

Gaudet amans et, dum veniat sperata voluptas,

oscula dat manibus; vix iam, vix cetera differt.

Et nunc adludit viridique exsultat in herba,

nunc latus in fulvis niveum deponit harenis;

865

paulatimque metu dempto modo pectora praebet

virginea plaudenda manu, modo cornua sertis

impedienda novis. Ausa est quoque regia virgo

nescia quem premeret, tergo considere tauri,

cum deus a terra siccoque a litore sensim

870

falsa pedum primis vestigia ponit in undis:

inde abit ulterius mediique per aequora ponti

fert praedam. Pavet haec litusque ablata relictum

respicit, et dextra cornum tenet, altera dorso

imposita est; tremulae sinuantur flamine vestes.

875

Metamorphoses. P. Ovidius Naso. ed. Hugo Magnus. Gotha. 1892.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (2)

Metamorphoses Perseus (Ovid. Metamorphoses. More, Brookes, translator. Boston: Cornhill Publishing Co., 1922.) — 2 focus

Book 2

PHAETHON AND PHOEBUS

Glowing with gold, flaming with carbuncles

on stately columns raised, refulgent shone

the palace of the Sun, with polished dome

of ivory gleaming, and with portals twain

of burnished silver. And the workmanship

exceeded all the wealth of gems and gold;

for there had Mulciber engraved the seas

encircling middle earth; the round of earth,

and heaven impending over the land.

And there

amid the waves were azure deities:

melodious Triton and elusive Proteus; there

Aegeaan pressing with his arms the backs.

Of monstrous whales; and Doris in the sea

and all her daughters; some amid the waves

and others sitting on the bank to dry

their sea-green hair, and others borne about

by fishes. Each was made to show a fair

resemblance to her sisters—yet not one

appearance was assigned to all—they seemed

as near alike as sisters should in truth.

And men and cities, woods and savage beasts,

and streams and nymphs, and sylvan deities

were carved upon the land; and over these

an image of the glittering sky was fixed;—

six signs were on the right, six on the left.

Here when audacious Phaethon arrived

by steep ascending paths, without delay

he entered in the shining palace-gates

of his reputed parent, making haste

to stand in his paternal presence. There,

unable to endure the dazzling light,

he waited at a distance.

Phoebus sat,

arrayed in royal purple, on a throne

that glittered with the purest emeralds.—

there to the left and right, Day, Month and Year,

time and the Hours, at equal distance stood;

and vernal Spring stood crowned with wreathed flowers;

and naked Summer stood with sheaves of wheat;

and Autumn stood besmeared with trodden grapes;

and icy Winter rough with hoary hair.

And from the midst, with orbs that view the world,

Phoebus beheld the trembling youth, fear-struck,

in mute amazement, and he said; “Declare

the reason of thy journey. What wilt thou

in this my palace, Phaethon my child

beloved?”

And to him replied the youth;

“O universal light of all the world,

my father Phoebus, if thy name be mine,

if Clymene has not concealed her sin

beneath some pretext, give to me, my sire,

a token to declare thy fatherhood

which may establish my assured descent,

and leave no dark suspicions in our minds.”—

then Phoebus from his shining brows cast down

his circling rays; called Phaethon to him,

and as he held him to his breast replied;

“O child most worthy of thy sire, the truth

was told thee by thy mother; wherefore doubts

to dissipate, consider thy desire,

and ask of me that I may freely give:

yea, let the Nether Lake, beyond our view,

(which is the oath of Gods inviolate)

be witness to my word.”

When this was said

the happy youth at once began to plead

command and guidance of his father's steeds,

wing-footed, and his chariot for a day.

But Phoebus much repented that he sware,

and thrice and four times shook his radiant head;

“Ah, would I might refuse my plighted word;

and oh, that it were lawful to deny

the promised boon.—For I confess, O son,

this only I should keep from thee—and yet

'Tis lawful to dissuade. It is unsafe

to satisfy thy will. It is a great

request, O Phaethon, which neither suits

thy utmost strength nor tender years; for thou

art mortal, and thou hast aspired to things

immortal. Ignorance has made thy thought

transcend the province of the Gods. I vaunt

no vain exploits; but only I can stand

securely on the flame-fraught axle-tree:

even the Ruler of Olympian Gods,

who hurls fierce lightnings with his great right hand,

may never dare to drive this chariot,

and what art thou to equal mighty Jove?

“The opening path is steep and difficult,

for scarcely can the steeds, refreshed at dawn,

climb up the steeps: and when is reached the height,

extreme of midmost Heaven, and sea and earth

are viewed below, my trembling breast is filled

with fearful apprehensions: and requires

the last precipitous descent a sure

command. Then, also, Tethys, who receives

me in her subject waves, is wont to fear

lest I should fall disastrous. And around

the hastening sky revolves in constant whirl,

100

drawing the lofty stars with rapid twist.

“I struggle on. The force that overcomes

the heavenly bodies overwhelms me not,

and I am borne against that rapid globe.

Suppose the chariot thine: what canst thou do?

105

Canst thou drive straight against the twisted pole

and not be carried from the lofty path

by the swift car? Art thou deceived to think

there may be groves and cities of the Gods,

and costly temples wondrously endowed?

110

“The journey is beset with dreadful snares

and shapes of savage animals. If thou

shouldst hold upon thy way without mistake

yet must thy journey be through Taurus' horns,

and through the Bow Haemonian, and the jaws

115

of the fierce Lion, and the cruel arms

of Scorpion, bent throughout a vast expanse,—

and Cancer's curving arms reversely bent.

“It is no easy task for thee to rule

the mettled four-foot steeds, enflamed in fires

120

that kindle in their breasts, forth issuing

in breathings from their mouths and nostrils hot;—

I scarce restrain them, as their struggling necks

pull on the harness, when their heated fires

are thus aroused.

125

“And, O my son, lest I

may be the author of a baneful gift,

beware, and as the time permits recall

thy rash request. Forsooth thou hast besought

undoubted signs of thy descent from me?

130

My fears for thee are certain signs that thou

art of my race—by my paternal fears

'Tis manifest I am thy father. Lo!

Behold my countenance! and oh, that thou

couldst even pierce my bosom with thine eyes,

135

and so discover my paternal cares!

“Look round thee on the treasured world's delights

and ask the greatest blessing of the sky,

or sea or land, and thou shalt suffer no

repulse: but only this I must deplore,

140

which rightly named would be a penalty

and not an honour.—Thou hast made request

of punishment and not a gift indeed.

O witless boy! why dost thou hold my neck

with thy caressing arms? For, doubt it not,

145

as I have sworn it by the Stygian Waves,

whatever thou shalt wish, it shall be given—

but thou shouldst wish more wisely.”

So were all

his admonitions said, availing naught;

150

for Phaethon resisted his advice,

and urged again his claim, and eagerly burned

to use the chariot. Wherefore, Phoebus long

delaying and reluctant, took the youth

to view the spacious chariot, gift of Vulcan.—

155

gold was the axle and the beam was gold,

the great Wheel had a golden tire and spokes

of silver; chrysolites and diamonds

reflected from the spangled yoke the light

of Phoebus.

160

While aspiring Phaethon admired

the glittering chariot and its workmanship,

the vigilant Aurora opened forth

her purple portals from the ruddy east,

disclosing halls replete with roses. All

165

the stars took flight, while Lucifer, the last

to quit his vigil, gathered that great host

and disappeared from his celestial watch.

And when his father, Phoebus, saw the earth

and the wide universe in glowing tints

170

arrayed, as waned the Moon's diminished horns,

far-distant, then he bade the nimble Hours

to yoke the steeds.—At once the Deities

accomplished his commands, and led the steeds,

ambrosia-fed and snorting flames, from out

175

their spacious stalls; and fixed their sounding bits.

Then with a hallowed drug the father touched

the stripling's face, to make him proof against

the rapid flame, and wrought around his hair

the sun-rays. But, foreboding grief, he said,

180

while many a sigh heaved from his anxious breast;

“If thou canst only heed thy father's voice—

be sparing of the whip and use with nerve

the reins; for of their own accord the steeds

will hasten. Difficult are they to check

185

in full career. Thou must not drive the car

directly through five circles, for the track

takes a wide curve, obliquely, and is bound

by the extreme edge of three zones.—It avoids

the Southern Pole, and it avoids the Bear

190

that roams around the north. The way is plain;

the traces of the Wheel are manifest.

“Observe with care that both the earth and sky

have their appropriate heat—Drive not too low,

nor urge the chariot through the highest plane;

195

for if thy course attain too great a height

thou wilt consume the mansions of the sky,

and if too low the land will scorch with heat.

“Take thou the middle plane, where all is safe;

nor let the Wheel turn over to the right

200

and bear thee to the twisted Snake! nor let

it take thee to the Altar on the left—

so close to earth—but steer the middle course.—

to Fortune I commit thy fate, whose care

for thee so reckless of thyself I pray.

205

“While I am speaking humid night has touched

the margin of Hesperian shores. 'Tis not

for us to idle; we are called away;—

when bright Aurora shines the darkness flies.

Take up the reins! But if thy stubborn breast

210

be capable of change use not our car,

but heed my counsel while the time permits,

and while thy feet are on a solid base,

but not, according to thy foolish wish,

pressing the axle. Rather let me light

215

the world beneath thy safe and wondering gaze.”

But Phaethon with youthful vigor leaped,

and in the light-made chariot lightly stood:

and he rejoiced, and with the reins in hand

thanked his reluctant parent.

220

Instantly

Eous, Aethon, Pyrois and Phlegon,

the winged horses of the Sun, gave vent

to flame-like neighs that filled the shaking air;

they pawed the barriers with their shining hoofs.

225

Then Tethys, witless of her grandson's fate

let back the barriers,—and the universe

was theirs to traverse. Taking the well-known road,

and moving through the air with winged feet,

they pierced resisting clouds, and spreading wide

230

their pinions soared upon the eastern wind,

far-wafted from that realm. But Phaethon,

so easy of their yoke, lost all control,

and the great car was tossed,—as tapered ships

when lightened of their ballast toss and heave

235

unsteady in the surging seas: the car

leaped lightly in the air, and in the heights

was tossed unsteady as an empty shell.

Soon as the steeds perceived it, with a rush

impetuous, they left the beaten track;

240

regardless of all order and control;

and Phaethon filled with fear, knew not to guide

with trusted reins, nor where the way might be—

nor, if he knew, could he control their flight.

Warmed in the sunshine, never felt before,

245

the gelid Triones attempted vain

to bathe in seas forbid: the Serpent cold

and torpid by the frozen Pole, too cold

for contest, warmed, and rage assumed from heat

bootes, troubled by the heat, took flight,

250

impeded by his wain.

And as from skies

of utmost height unhappy Phaethon

beheld the earth receding from his view,

a pallor spread his cheeks with sudden fear;

255

his knees began to quake; and through the flare

of vast effulgence darkness closed his eyes.

Now vainy he regrets he ever touched

his father's steeds, and he is stunned with grief

that so entreating he prevailed to know

260

his true descent. He rather would be called

the son of Merops. As a ship is tossed

by raging Boreas, when the conquered helm

has been abandoned, and the pilot leaves

the vessel to his vows and to the Gods;

265

so, helpless, he is borne along the sky.

What can he? Much of heaven remains behind;

a longer distance is in front of him—

each way is measured in his anxious mind.—

at first his gaze is fixed upon the west,

270

which fate has destined he shall never reach,

and then his eyes turn backward to the east.—

so, stupefied and dazed he neither dares

to loose the bits, nor tighten on the reins,

and he is ignorant of the horses' names.

275

He sees horrific wonders scattered round,

and images of hideous animals.—

and there's a spot where Scorpion bends his claws

in double circles, and with tail and arms

on either side, stretches his limbs throughout

280

the space of two Celestial Signs; and when

the lad beheld him, steeped in oozing slime

of venom, swart, and threatening to strike

grim wounds with jagged spear-points, he was lost;

and, fixed in chills of horror, dropped the reins.

285

When these they felt upon their rising backs,

the startled steeds sprang forthwith; and, unchecked,

through atmospheres of regions unexplored,

thence goaded by their unchecked violence,

broke through the lawful bounds, and rushed upon

290

the high fixed stars. They dragged the chariot

through devious ways, and soared amid the heights;

dashed down deep pathways, far, precipitous,

and gained a level near the scorching earth.

Phoebe is wondering that her brother's steeds

295

run lower than her own, and sees the smoke

of scorching clouds. The highest altitudes

are caught in flames, and as their moistures dry

they crack in chasms. The grass is blighted; trees

are burnt up with their leaves; the ripe brown crops

300

give fuel for self destruction—Oh what small

complaints! Great cities perish with their walls,

and peopled nations are consumed to dust—

the forests and the mountains are destroyed.

Cilician Taurus, Athos and Tmolus,

305

and Oeta are burning; and the far-famed Ida

and all her cooling rills are dry and burning,

and virgin Helicon, and Hoemos—later

Oeagrius called—and Aetna with tremendous,

redoubled flames, and double-peaked Parnassus ,

310

Sicilian Eryx, Cynthus—Othrys, pine-clad,

and Rhodope , deprived his snowy mantle,

and Dindyma and Mycale and Mimas,

and Mount Cithaeron, famed for sacred rites:

and Scythia , though a land of frost, is burning,

315

and Caucasus ,—and Ossa burns with Pindus,—

and greater than those two Olympus burns—

the lofty Alps , the cloud-topped Apennines .

And Phaethon, as he inhaled the air,

burning and scorching as a furnace blast,

320

and saw destruction on the flaming world,

and his great chariot wreathed in quenchless fires,

was suddenly unable to endure the heat,

the smoke and cinders, and he swooned away.—

if he had known the way, those winged steeds

325

would rush as wild unguided.—

then the skin

of Ethiopians took a swarthy hue,

the hot blood tingling to the surface: then

the heat dried up the land of Libya ;

330

dishevelled, the lorn Nymphs, lamenting, sought

for all their emptied springs and lakes in vain;

Boeotia wailed for Dirce's cooling wave,

and Argos wailed for Amymone's stream—

and even Corinth for the clear Pyrene.

335

Not safer from the flames were distant streams;—

the Tanais in middle stream was steaming

and old Peneus and Teuthrantian Caicus,

Ismenus, rapid and Arcadian Erymanthus;

and even Xanthus destined for a second burning,

340

and tawny-waved Lycormas, and Meander,

turning and twisting, and Thracian Melas burns,

and the Laconian Eurotas burns,

the mighty Babylonian Euphrates,

Orontes and the Ganges, swift Thermodon,

345

Ister and Phasis and Alpheus boil.

The banks of Spercheus burn, the gold of Tagus

is melting in the flames. The swans whose songs

enhanced the beauties of Maeonian banks

are scalded in the Cayster's middle wave.

350

The Nile affrighted fled to parts remote,

and hid his head forever from the world:

now empty are his seven mouths, and dry

without or wave or stream; and also dry

Ismenian Hebrus, Strymon and the streams

355

of Hesper-Land, the rivers Rhine and Rhone ,

and Po, and Tiber , ruler of the world.

And even as the ground asunder burst,

the light amazed in gloomy Tartarus

the King Infernal and his Spouse. The sea

360

contracted and his level waste became

a sandy desert. The huge mountain tops,

once covered by the ocean's waves, reared up,

by which the scattered Cyclades increased.

Even the fishes sought for deeper pools;—

365

the crooked dolphins dared not skip the waves;

the lifeless sea-calves floated on the top;

and it is even famed that Nereus hid

with Doris and her daughters, deep below

in seething caverns. With a dauntless mien

370

thrice Neptune tried to thrust his arms above

the waters;—thrice the heated air overcame

his courage.

Then the genial Earth, although

surrounded by the waters of the sea,

375

was parched and dry; for all her streams had hid

deep in the darkness of her winding caves.—

she lifted her productive countenance,

up to her rounded neck, and held her palms

on her sad brows; and as the mountains huge

380

trembled and tottered, beneath her wonted plane

declined she for a space—and thus began,

with parched voice;

“If this is thy decree,

O, Highest of the Gods,—if I have sinned

385

why do thy lightnings linger? For if doomed

by fires consuming I to perish must,

let me now die in thy celestial flames—

hurled by thine arm—and thus alleviate,

by thine omnipotence, this agony.

390

“How difficult to open my parched mouth,

and speak these words! (the vapours choking her),

behold my scorching hair, and see the clouds

of ashes falling on my blinded eyes,

and on my features! What a recompense

395

for my fertility! How often I

have suffered from the wounds of crooked plows

and rending harrows—tortured year by year!

For this I give to cattle juicy leaves

and fruits to man and frankincense to thee!

400

“Suppose destruction is my just award

what have the waters and thy brother done?

Why should thy brother's cooling waves decrease

and thus recede so distant from the skies?

If not thy brother's good nor mine may touch

405

thy mercy, let the pity of thy Heaven,

for lo, the smoking poles on either side

attest, if flames consume them or destroy,

the ruin of thy palace. Atlas, huge,

with restive shoulders hardly can support

410

the burning heavens. If the seas and lands

together perish and thy palace fall,

the universe confused will plunge once more

to ancient Chaos. Save it from this wreck—

if anything survive the fury of the flames.”

415

So made the tortured Earth an end of speech;

and she was fain to hide her countenance

in caves that border on the nether night.

But now the Almighty Father, having called

to witness all the Gods of Heaven, and him

420

who gave the car, that, else his power be shown,

must perish all in dire confusion, high

he mounted to the altitude from which

he spreads the mantling clouds, and fulminates

his dreadful thunders and swift lightning-bolts

425

terrific.—Clouds were none to find on the earth,

and the surrounding skies were void of rain.—

Jove, having reached that summit, stood and poised

in his almighty hand a flashing dart,

and, hurling it, deprived of life and seat

430

the youthful charioteer, and struck with fire

the raging flames— and by the same great force

those flames enveloping the earth were quenched,

and he who caused their fury lost his life.

Frantic in their affright the horses sprang

435

across the bounded way and cast their yokes,

and through the tangled harness lightly leaped.

And here the scattered harness lay, and there

the shattered axle, wrenched from off the pole,

and various portions of the broken car;

440

spokes of the broken Wheel were scattered round.

And far fell Phaethon with flaming hair;

as haply from the summer sky appears

a falling star, although it never drops

to startled earth.—Far distant from his home

445

the deep Eridanus received the lad

and bathed his foaming face. His body charred

by triple flames Hesperian Naiads bore,

still smoking, to a tomb, and this engraved

upon the stone; “Here Phaethon's remains

450

lie buried. He who drove his father's car

and fell, although he made a great attempt.”

Filled with consuming woe, his father hid

his countenance which grief had overcast.

And now, surpassing our belief, they say

455

a day passed over with no glowing sun;—

but light-affording flames appeared to change

disaster to the cause of good.

Amazed,

the woeful Clymene, when she had moaned

460

in grief, amid her lamentations tore

her bosom, as across the world she roamed,

at first to seek his lifeless corpse, and then

his bones. She wandered to that distant land

and found at last his bones ensepulchred.

465

There, clinging to the grave she fell and bathed

with many tears his name on marble carved,

and with her bosom warmed the freezing

stone.

And all the daughters of the Sun went there

470

giving their tears, alas a useless gift;—

they wept and beat their breasts, and day and night

called, “Phaethon,” who heard not any sound

of their complaint:—and there they lay foredone,

all scattered round the tomb.

475

The silent moon

had four times joined her horns and filled her disk,

while they, according to an ancient rite,

made lamentation. Prone upon the ground,

the eldest, Phaethusa, would arise

480

from there, but found her feet were growing stiff;

and uttered moan. Lampetia wished to aid

her sister but was hindered by new roots;

a third when she would tear her hair, plucked forth

but leaves: another wailed to find her legs

485

were fastened in a tree; another moaned

to find her arms to branches had been changed.

And while they wondered, bark enclosed their thighs,

and covered their smooth bellies, and their breasts,

and shoulders and their hands, but left untouched

490

their lips that called upon their mother's name.

What can she do for them? Hither she runs

and thither runs, wherever frenzy leads.

She kisses them, alas, while yet she may!

But not content with this, she tried to hale

495

their bodies from the trees; and she would tear

the tender branches with her hands, but lo!

The blood oozed out as from a bleeding wound;

and as she wounded them they shrieked aloud,

“Spare me! O mother spare me; in the tree

500

my flesh is torn! farewell! farewell! farewell!”

And as they spoke the bark enclosed their lips.

Their tears flow forth, and from the new-formed

boughs

amber distils and slowly hardens in the sun;

505

and far from there upon the waves is borne

to deck the Latin women.

Cycnus, son

of Sthenelus, by his maternal house

akin to Phaethon, and thrice by love

510

allied, beheld this wonderful event.—

he left his kingdom of Liguria ,

and all its peopled cities, to lament

where the sad sisters had increased the woods,

beside the green banks of Eridanus .

515

There, as he made complaint, his manly voice

began to pipe a treble, shrill; and long

gray plumes concealed his hair. A slender neck

extended from his breast, and reddening toes

were joined together by a membrane. Wings

520

grew from his sides, and from his mouth was made

a blunted beak. Now Cycnus is a swan,

and yet he fears to trust the skies and Jove,

for he remembers fires, unjustly sent,

and therefore shuns the heat that he abhors,

525

and haunts the spacious lakes and pools and streams

that quench the fires.

In squalid garb, meanwhile,

and destitute of all his rays, the sire

of Phaethon, as dark as when eclipse bedims

530

his Wheel, abhors himself and hates the light,

shuns the bright day, gives up his mind to grief,

adds passion to his woe, denies the earth

his countenance, and thus laments; “My lot

was ever restless from the dawn of time,

535

and I am weary of this labour, void

and endless. Therefore, let who will urge forth

my car, light-bearing, and if none may dare,

when all the Gods of Heaven acknowledge it,

let Jove himself essay the task. Perchance,

540

when he takes up the reins, he may forget

his dreadful lightning that bereaves of child

a father's love; and as he tries the strength

of those flame-footed steeds will know, in truth,

the lad who failed to guide my chariot

545

deserved not death.”

But all the Deities

encircle Phoebus as he makes complaint,

and with their supplications they entreat

him not to plunge the world in darkness. Jove

550

would find excuses for the lightning-bolt,

hurled from his hand, and adds imperious threats

to his entreaties. Phoebus calls his steeds,

frenzied with their maddening fires, and

breaks

555

their fury, as he vents with stinging lash

his rage upon them, and in passion lays

on them the death of Phaethon his son.

Callisto. CALISTO AND JUPITER

Now after Phaethon had suffered death

for the vast ruin wrought by scorching flames,

560

all the great walls of Heaven's circumference,

unmeasured, views the Father of the Gods,

with searching care, that none impaired by heat

may fall in ruins. Well assured they stand

in self-sustaining strength, his view, at last,

565

on all the mundane works of man is turned;—

his loving gaze long resting on his own

Arcadia . And he starts the streams and springs

that long have feared to flow; paints the wide earth

with verdant fields; covers the trees with leaves,

570

and clothes the injured forests in their green.

While wandering in the world, he stopped amazed,

when he beheld the lovely Nymph, Calisto,

and fires of love were kindled in his breast.

Calisto was not clothed in sumptuous robes,

575

nor did she deck her hair in artful coils;

but with a buckle she would gird her robe,

and bind her long hair with a fillet white.

She bore a slender javelin in her hand,

or held the curving bow; and thus in arms

580

as chaste Diana, none of Maenalus

was loved by that fair goddess more than she.

But everything must change. When bright the sun

rolled down the sky, beyond his middle course,

she pierced a secret thicket, known to her,

585

and having slipped the quiver from her arm,

she loosed the bended bow, and softly down

upon the velvet turf reclining, pressed

her white neck on the quiver while she slept.

When Jupiter beheld her, negligent

590

and beautiful, he argued thus, “How can

my consort, Juno, learn of this? And yet,

if chance should give her knowledge, what care I?

Let gain offset the scolding of her tongue!”

This said, the god transformed himself and took

595

Diana's form—assumed Diana's dress

and imitating her awoke the maid,

and spoke in gentle tones, “What mountain slope,

O virgin of my train, hath been thy chase?”

Which, having heard, Calisto, rose and said,

600

“Hail, goddess! greater than celestial Jove!

I would declare it though he heard the words.”

Jove heard and smiled, well pleased to be preferred

above himself, and kissed her many times,

and strained her in his arms, while she began

605

to tell the varied fortunes of her hunt.—

but when his ardent love was known to her,

she struggled to escape from his embrace:

ah, how could she, a tender maid, resist

almighty Jove?—Be sure, Saturnia

610

if thou hadst only witnessed her thy heart

had shown more pity!—

Jupiter on wings,

transcendent, sought his glorious heights;

but she, in haste departing from that grove,

615

almost forgot her quiver and her bow.

Behold, Diana , with her virgin train,

when hunting on the slopes of Maenalus,

amidst the pleasures of exciting sport,

espied the Nymph and called her, who, afraid

620

that Jove apparelled in disguise deceived,

drew backward for a moment, till appeared

to her the lovely Nymphs that followed: thus,

assured deceit was none, she ventured near.

Alas, how difficult to hide disgrace!

625

She could not raise her vision from the ground,

nor as the leader of the hunting Nymphs,

as was her wont, walk by the goddess' side.

Her silence and her blushes were the signs

of injured honour. Ah Diana , thou,

630

if thou wert not a virgin, wouldst perceive

and pity her unfortunate distress.

The Moon 's bent horns were rising from their ninth

sojourn, when, fainting from Apollo's flames,

the goddess of the Chase observed a cool

635

umbrageous grove, from which a murmuring stream

ran babbling gently over golden sands.

When she approved the spot, lightly she struck

her foot against the ripples of the stream,

and praising it began; “Far from the gaze

640

of all the curious we may bathe our limbs,

and sport in this clear water.” Quickly they

undid their garments,—but Calisto hid

behind the others, till they knew her state.—

Diana in a rage exclaimed, “Away!

645

Thou must not desecrate our sacred springs!”

And she was driven thence.

Ere this transpired,

observed the consort of the Thunder-God

her altered mien; but she for ripening time

650

withheld severe resentment. Now delay

was needless for distracted Juno heard

Calisto of the god of Heaven had borne

a boy called Arcas. Full of jealous rage,

her eyes and thoughts enkindled as she cried;

655

“And only this was wanting to complete

your wickedness, that you should bear a son

and flaunt abroad the infamy of Jove!

Unpunished you shall not escape, for I

will spoil the beauty that has made you proud

660

and dazzled Jupiter with wanton art.”

So saying, by her forehead's tresses seized

the goddess on her rival; and she dragged

her roughly to the ground. Pleading she raised

her suppliant arms and begged for mercy.—While

665

she pled, black hair spread over her white limbs;

her hands were lengthened into feet, and claws

long-curving tipped them; snarling jaws deformed

the mouth that Jove had kissed. And lest her prayers

and piteous words might move some listening God,

670

and give remembrance, speech was so denied,

that only from her throat came angry growls,

now uttered hoarse and threatening.

Still remains

her understanding, though her body, thus

675

transformed, makes her appear a savage bear.—

her sorrows are expressed in many a groan,

repeated as she lifts her hands—if we

may call them so—repeated as she lifts

them towards the stars and skies, ungrateful Jove

680

regarding; but her voice accuses not.

Afraid to rest in unfrequented woods,

she wandered in the fields that once were hers,

around her well-known dwelling. Over crags,

in terror, she was driven by the cries

685

of hounds; and many a time she fled in fear,

a huntress from the hunters, or she hid

from savage animals; forgetting her

transformed condition. Changed into a bear,

she fled affrighted from the bears that haunt

690

the rugged mountains; and she feared and fled

the wolves,—although her father was a wolf.

When thrice five birthdays rounded out the youth

of Arcas, offspring of Lycaon's child,

he hunted in the forest of his choice;

695

where, hanging with his platted nets the trees

of Erymanthian forest, he espied

his transformed mother,—but he knew her not;

no one had told him of his parentage.

Knowing her child, she stood with levelled gaze,

700

amazed and mute as he began approach;

but Arcas, frightened at the sight drew back

to pierce his mother's breast with wounding spear.—

but not permitting it the god of Heaven

averted, and removed them from that crime.

705

He, in a mighty wind—through vacant space,

upbore them to the dome of starry heaven,

and fixed them, Constellations, bright amid

the starry host.

Juno on high beheld

710

Calisto crowned with glory—great with rage

her bosom heaved. She flew across the sea,

to hoary Tethys and to old Oceanus,

whom all the Gods revere, and thus to them

in answer to their words she made address;

715

“And is it wondered that the Queen of Gods

comes hither from ethereal abodes?

My rival sits upon the Throne of Heaven:

yea, when the wing of Night has darkened

let my fair word be deemed of no repute,

720

if you behold not in the height of Heaven

those new made stars, now honoured to my shame,

conspicuous; fixed in the highest dome of space

that circles the utmost axis of the world.

“Who, then, should hesitate to put affront

725

on Juno ? matchless goddess! each offense

redounds in benefit! Who dreads her rage?

Oh boundless powers! Oh unimagined deeds!

My enemy assumes a goddess' form

when my decree deprives her human shape;—

730

and thus the guilty rue their chastisement!

“Now let high Jove to human shape transform

this hideous beast, as once before he changed

his Io from a heifer.—Let him now

divorce his Juno and consort with her,

735

and lead Calisto to his couch, and take

that wolf, Lycaon, for a father-in-law!

“Oh, if an injury to me, your child,

may move your pity! drive the Seven Stars

from waters crystalline and azure-tint,

740

and your domain debar from those that shine

in Heaven, rewarded for Jove's wickedness.—

bathe not a concubine in waters pure.”—

Corvus. Coronis. Cornix. Ocyroe.

the Gods of Ocean granted her request.

CORONIS AND PHOEBUS

High in her graceful chariot through the air,

745

translucent, wends the goddess, glorious child

of Saturn , with her peacocks many-hued:

her peacocks, by the death of Argus limned,

so gay were made when black as midnight turned

thy wings, O chattering raven! white of yore.

750

For, long ago the ravens were not black—

their plumage then was white as any dove—

white-feathered, snow-white as the geese that guard

with watchful cries the Capitol: as white

as swans that haunt the streams. Disgrace reversed

755

the raven's hue from white to black, because

offense was given by his chattering tongue.

O glorious Phoebus! dutiful to thee,

Coronis of Larissa, fairest maid

of all Aemonia, was a grateful charm,

760

a joy to thee whilst faithful to thy love,—

while none defamed her chastity. But when

the Raven, bird of Phoebus, learned the Nymph

had been unfaithful, mischief-bent that bird,

spreading his white wings, hastened to impart

765

the sad news to his master. After him

the prattling Crow followed with flapping wings,

eager to learn what caused the Raven's haste.

Concealing nothing, with his busy tongue

the Raven gave the scandal to that bird:

770

and unto him the prattling Crow replied;

“A fruitless errand has befooled thy wits!

Take timely warning of my fateful cries:

consider what I was and what I am:

was justice done? 'Twas my fidelity

775

that caused my downfall. For, it came to pass,

within a basket, fashioned of small twigs,

Minerva had enclosed that spawn; begot

without a mother, Ericthonius;

which to the wardship of three virgins, born

780

of double-natured Cecrops, she consigned

with this injunction, ‘Look ye not therein,

nor learn the secret.’—

“But I saw their deeds

while hidden in the leaves of a great tree

785

two of the sisters, Herse and Pandrosos,

observed the charge, but scoffing at their fears,

the third, Aglauros, with her nimble hands

untied the knotted cords, and there disclosed

a serpent and an infant. This I told

790

Minerva ; but in turn, she took away

her long protection, and degraded me

beneath the boding Owl.—My punishment

should warn the birds how many dangers they

incur from chattering tongues.

795

“Not my desire

impelled me to report to her, nor did

I crave protection; which, if thou wilt ask

Minerva , though enraged she must confirm.

And when is told to thee what lately fame

800

established, thou wilt not despise the Crow.

“Begot by Coronaeus, who was lord

of all the land of Phocis, I was once

a royal virgin, sought by suitors rich

and powerful. But beauty proved the cause

805

of my misfortune; for it came to pass,

as I was slowly walking on the sands

that skirt the merge of ocean, where was oft

my wont to roam, the god of Ocean gazed

impassioned, and with honied words implored

810

my love—but finding that I paid no heed,

and all his words despised, he fumed with rage

and followed me.

“I fled from that sea-shore,

to fields of shifting sands that all my steps

815

delayed: and in despair upon the Gods

and all mankind I called for aid, but I

was quite alone and helpless. Presently

the chaste Minerva , me, a virgin, heard

and me assistance gave: for as my arms

820

implored the Heavens, downy feathers grew

from out the flesh; and as I tried to cast

my mantle from my shoulders, wings appeared

upon my tender sides; and as I strove

to beat my naked bosom with my hands,

825

nor hands remained nor naked breast to beat.

“I ran, and as I sped the sands no more

delayed me; I was soaring from the ground;

and as I winged the air, Minerva chose

me for a life-companion; but alas,

830

although my life was blameless, fate or chance

deprived me of Minerva 's loving aid;

for soon Nictimene succeeded me

to her protection and deserved esteem.—

it happened in this way,—Nictimene

835

committed the most wicked crimes, for which

Minerva changed her to the bird of night—

and ever since has claimed her as her own

instead of me; and this despite the deed

for which she shuns the glorious light of day,

840

and conscious of her crime conceals her shame

in the dark night—Minerva's Owl now called.

All the glad birds of day, indignant shun,

and chase her from the skies.”

But now replied

845

the Raven to the Crow, that talked so much,

“A mischief fall upon your prating head

for this detention of my flight. Your words

and warnings I despise.” With which retort

he winged upon his journey, swiftly thence

850

in haste, despite the warning to inform

his patron, Phoebus, how he saw the fair

Coronis with a lad of Thessaly .

And when Apollo, Phoebus, heard the tale

the busy Raven made such haste to tell,

855

he dropped his plectrum and his laurel wreath,

and his bright countenance went white with rage.

He seized his trusted arms, and having bent

his certain bow, pierced with a deadly shaft

that bosom which so often he had pressed

860

against his own.

Coronis moaned in pain,—

and as she drew the keen shaft from the wound,

her snow-white limbs were bathed in purple blood:

and thus she wailed, “Ah, Phoebus! punishment

865

is justly mine! but wherefore didst thou not

await the hour of birth? for by my death

an innocent is slain.” This said, her soul

expired with her life-blood, and death congealed

her drooping form.

870

Sadly the love-lore God

repents his jealous deed; regrets too late

his ready credence to the Raven's tale.

Mourning his thoughtless deed, blaming himself,

he vents his rage upon the talking bird;

875

he hates his bow, the string, his own right hand,

the fateful arrow. As a last resource,

and thus to overcome her destiny,

he strove to cherish her beloved form;

for vain were all his medicinal arts.

880

But when he saw upraised the funeral pyre,

where wreathed in flames her body should be burnt,

the sorrow of his heart welled forth in sighs;

but tearless orbed, for no celestial face

may tide of woe bedew. So grieves the poor dam,

885

when, swinging from his right the flashing ax,

the butcher with a sounding blow divides

the hollow temples of her sucking calf.

Yet, after Phoebus poured the fragrant myrrh,

sweet perfumes on her breast, that now once more

890

against his own he pressed, and after all

the prematurely hastened rites were done,

he would not suffer the offspring of his loins

to mingle with her ashes, but he plucked

from out the flames, forth from the mother's thighs

895

his child, unborn, and carried to the cave

of double-natured Chiron.

Then to him

he called the silly raven, high in hopes

of large requital due for all his words;

900

but, angry with his meddling ways, the God

turned the white feathers of that bird to black

and then forbade forever more to perch

among the favoured birds whose plumes are white.

OCYROE AND AESCULAPIUS

Chiron, the Centaur, taught his pupil; proud

905

that he was honoured by that God-like charge.

Behold, his lovely daughter, who was born

beside the margin of a rapid stream,

came forward, with her yellow hair as gold

adown her shoulders.—She was known by name

910

Ocyroe. The hidden things that Fate

conceals, she had the power to tell; for not

content was she to learn her father's arts,

but rather pondered on mysterious things.

So, when the god of Frenzy warmed her breast,

915

gazing on Aesculapius,—the child

of Phoebus and Coronis, while her soul

was gifted, with prophetic voice she said;

“O thou who wilt bestow on all the world

the blessed boon of health, increase in strength!

920

To thee shall mortals often owe their lives:

to thee is given the power to raise the dead.

But when against the power of Deities

thou shalt presume to dare thy mortal skill,

the bolts of Jove will shatter thy great might,

925

and health no more be thine from thence to grant.

And from a god thou shalt return to dust,

and once again from dust become a God;

and thou shalt thus renew thy destiny.—

“And thou, dear father Chiron, brought to birth

930

with pledge of an immortal life, informed

with ever-during strength, when biting flames

of torment from the baneful serpent's blood

are coursing in thy veins, thou shalt implore

a welcome death; and thy immortal life

935

the Gods shall suffer to the power of death.—

and the three Destinies shall cut thy thread.”

She would continue these prophetic words

but tears unbidden trickled down her face;

and, as it seemed her sighs would break her heart,

940

she thus bewailed; “The Fates constrain my speech

and I can say no more; my power has gone.

Alas, my art, although of little force

and doubtful worth, has brought upon my head

the wrath of Heaven.

945

“Oh wherefore did I know

to cast the future? Now my human form

puts on another shape, and the long grass

affords me needed nourishment. I want

to range the boundless plains and have become,

950

in image of my father's kind, a mare:

but gaining this, why lose my human shape?

My father's form is one of twain combined.”

And as she wailed the words became confused

and scarcely understood; and soon her speech

955

was only as the whinny of a mare.

Down to the meadow's green her arms were stretched;

her fingers joined together, and smooth hoofs

made of five nails a single piece of horn.

Her face and neck were lengthened, and her hair

960

swept downward as a tail; the scattered locks

that clung around her neck were made a mane,

tossed over to the right. Her voice and shape

were altogether changed, and since that day

the change has given her a different name.

965

Battus.

In vain her hero father, Chiron, prayed

the glorious God, Apollo, her to aid.

He could not thwart the will of mighty Jove;

and if the power were his, far from the spot,

from thence afar his footsteps trod the fields

970

of Elis and Messenia , far from thence.

BATTUS AND MERCURY

Now while Apollo wandered on those plains,—

his shoulders covered with a shepherd's skin,

his left hand holding his long shepherd's staff,

his right hand busied with the seven reeds

975

of seven sizes, brooding over the death

of Hymenaeus, lost from his delight;

while mournful ditties on the reeds were tuned,—

his kine, forgotten, strayed away to graze

over the plains of Pylos . Mercury

980

observed them, unattended, and from thence

drove them away and hid them in the forest.

So deftly did he steal them, no one knew

or noticed save an ancient forester,

well known to all the neighbor-folk, by them

985

called Battus. He was keeper of that wood,

and that green pasture where the blooded mares

of rich Neleus grazed.

As Mercury

distrusted him, he led him to one side

990

and said; “Good stranger, whosoever thou art,

if any one should haply question thee,

if thou hast seen these kine, deny it all;

and for thy good will, ere the deed is done,

I give as thy reward this handsome cow.”

995

Now when the gift was his, old Battus said,

“Go hence in safety, if it be thy will;

and should my tongue betray thee, let that stone

make mention of the theft.” And as he spoke,

he pointed to a stone.

1000

The son of Jove

pretended to depart, but quickly changed

his voice and features, and retraced his steps,

and thus again addressed that ancient man;

“Kind sir, if thou wouldst earn a fair reward,

1005

a heifer and a bull, if thou hast seen

some cattle pass, I pray thee give thy help,

and tell me of the theft.” So the reward

was doubled; and the old man answered him,

“Beyond those hills they be,” and so they were

1010

‘Beyond those hills.’

And, laughing, Mercury said,

“Thou treacherous man to me dost thou betray

myself? Dost thou bewray me to myself?”

The god indignant turned his perjured breast

1015

into a stone which even now is called

“The Spy of Pylos ,” a disgraceful name,

derived from days of old, but undeserved.

Aglauros. Invidia. AGLAUROS AND MERCURY

High in the dome of Heaven, behold the bright

Caduceus-Bearer soared on balanced wings;

1020

and far below him through a fruitful grove,

devoted to Minerva's hallowed reign,

some virgins bearing on their lovely heads,

in wicker baskets wreathed and decked with flowers,

their sacred offerings to the citadel

1025

of that chaste goddess. And the winged God,

while circling in the clear unbounded skies,

beheld that train of virgins, beautiful,

as they were thence returning on their way.

Not forward on a level line he flew,

1030

but wheeled in circles round. Lo, the swift kite

swoops round the smoking entrails, while the priests

enclose in guarded ranks their sacrifice:

wary with fear, that swiftest of all birds,

dares not to venture from his vantage height,

1035

but greedily hovers on his waving wings

around his keen desire. So, the bright God

circled those towers, Actaean, round and round,

in mazey circles, greedy as the bird.

As much as Lucifer outshines the stars

1040

that emulate the glory of his rays,

as greatly as bright Phoebe pales thy light,

O lustrous Lucifer! so far surpassed

in beauty the fair maiden Herse, all

those lovely virgins of that sacred train,

1045

departing joyous from Minerva's grove.

The Son of Jove, astonished, while he wheeled

on balanced pinions through the yielding air,

burned hot; as oft from Balearic sling

the leaden missile, hurled with sudden force,

1050

burns in a glowing heat beneath the clouds.

Then sloped the god his course from airy height,

and turned a different way; another way

he went without disguise, in confidence

of his celestial grace. But though he knew

1055

his face was beautiful, he combed his hair,

and fixed his flowing raiment, that the fringe

of radiant gold appeared. And in his hand

he waved his long smooth wand, with which he gives

the wakeful sleep or waketh ridded eyes.

1060

He proudly glanced upon his twinkling feet

that sparkled with their scintillating wings.

In a secluded part of that great fane,

devoted to Minerva's hallowed rites,

three chambers were adorned with tortoise shell

1065

and ivory and precious woods inlaid;

and there, devoted to Minerva's praise,

three well known sisters dwelt. Upon the right

dwelt Pandrosos and over on the left

Aglauros dwelt, and Herse occupied

1070

the room between those two.

When Mercury

drew near to them, Aglauros first espied

the God, and ventured to enquire his name,

and wherefore he was come. Then gracious spoke

1075

to her in answer the bright son of Jove;

“Behold the god who carries through the air

the mandates of almighty Jupiter!

But I come hither not to waste my time

in idle words, but rather to beseech

1080

thy kindness and good aid, that I may win

the love of thy devoted sister Herse.”

Aglauros, on the son of Jupiter,

gazed with those eyes that only lately viewed

the guarded secret of the yellow-haired

1085

Minerva, and demanded as her price

gold of great weight; before he paid denied

admittance of the house.

Minerva turned,

with orbs of stern displeasure, towards the maid

1090

Aglauros; and her bosom heaved with sighs

so deeply laboured that her Aegis-shield

was shaken on her valiant breast. For she

remembered when Aglauros gave to view

her charge, with impious hand, that monster form

1095

without a mother, maugre Nature's law,

what time the god who dwells on Lemnos loved.—

now to requite the god and sister; her

to punish whose demand of gold was great;

Minerva to the Cave of Envy sped.

1100

Dark, hideous with black gore, her dread abode

is hidden in the deepest hollowed cave,

in utmost limits where the genial sun

may never shine, and where the breathing winds

may never venture; dismal, bitter cold,

1105

untempered by the warmth of welcome fires,

involved forever in abounding gloom.

When the fair champion came to this abode

she stood before its entrance, for she deemed

it not a lawful thing to enter there:

1110

and she whose arm is mortal to her foes,

struck the black door-posts with her pointed spear,

and shook them to the center. Straight the doors

flew open, and, behold, within was Envy

ravening the flesh of vipers, self-begot,

1115

the nutriment of her depraved desires.—

when the great goddess met her evil gaze

she turned her eyes away. But Envy slow,

in sluggish languor from the ground uprose,

and left the scattered serpents half-devoured;

1120

then moving with a sullen pace approached.—

and when she saw the gracious goddess, girt

with beauty and resplendent in her arms,

she groaned aloud and fetched up heavy sighs.

Her face is pale, her body long and lean,

1125

her shifting eyes glance to the left and right,

her snaggle teeth are covered with black rust,

her hanging paps overflow with bitter gall,

her slavered tongue drips venom to the ground;

busy in schemes and watchful in dark snares

1130

sweet sleep is banished from her blood-shot eyes;

her smiles are only seen when others weep;

with sorrow she observes the fortunate,

and pines away as she beholds their joy;

her own existence is her punishment,

1135

and while tormenting she torments herself.

Although Minerva held her in deep scorn

she thus commanded her with winged words;

“Instil thy poison in Aglauros, child

of Cecrops; I command thee; do my will.”

1140

She spake; and spurning with her spear the ground

departed; and the sad and furtive-eyed

envy observed her in her glorious flight:

she murmured at the goddess, great in arms:

but waiting not she took in hand her staff,

1145

which bands of thorns encircled as a wreath,

and veiled in midnight clouds departed thence.

She blasted on her way the ripening fields;

scorched the green meadows, starred with flowers,

and breathed a pestilence throughout the land

1150

and the great cities. When her eyes beheld

the glorious citadel of Athens , great

in art and wealth, abode of joyful peace,

she hardly could refrain from shedding tears,

that nothing might be witnessed worthy tears.

1155

She sought the chamber where Aglauros slept,

and hastened to obey the God's behest.

She touched the maiden's bosom with her hands,

foul with corrupting stains, and pierced her heart

with jagged thorns, and breathed upon her face

1160

a noxious venom; and distilled through all

the marrow of her bones, and in her lungs,

a poison blacker than the ooze of pitch.

And lest the canker of her poisoned soul

might spread unchecked throughout increasing space,

1165

she caused a vision of her sister's form

to rise before her, happy with the God

who shone in his celestial beauty. All

appeared more beautiful than real life.—

when the most wretched daughter of Cecrops

1170

had seen the vision secret torment seized

on all her vitals; and she groaned aloud,

tormented by her frenzy day and night.

A slow consumption wasted her away,

as ice is melted by the slant sunbeam,

1175

when the cool clouds are flitting in the sky.

If she but thought of Herse's happiness

she burned, as thorny bushes are consumed

with smoldering embers under steaming stems.

She could not bear to see her sister's joy,

1180

and longed for death, an end of misery;

or schemed to end the torture of her mind

by telling all she knew in shameful words,

whispered to her austere and upright sire.

But after many agonizing hours,

1185

she sat before the threshold of their home

to intercept the God, who as he neared

spoke softly in smooth blandishment.

“Enough,” she said, “I will not move from here

until thou hast departed from my sight.”

1190

“Let us adhere to that which was agreed.”

Rejoined the graceful-formed Cyllenian God,

who as he spoke thrust open with a touch

of his compelling wand the carved door.

But when she made an effort to arise,

1195

her thighs felt heavy, rigid and benumbed;

and as she struggled to arise her knees

were stiffened? and her nails turned pale and cold;

her veins grew pallid as the blood congealed.

And even as the dreaded cancer spreads

1200

through all the body, adding to its taint

the flesh uninjured; so, a deadly chill

entered by slow degrees her breast, and stopped

her breathing, and the passages of life.

She did not try to speak, but had she made

1205

an effort to complain there was not left

a passage for her voice. Her neck was changed

to rigid stone, her countenance felt hard;

she sat a bloodless statue, but of stone

not marble-white—her mind had stained it black.

1210

Europa.

So from the land of Pallas went the God,

his great revenge accomplished on the head

of impious Aglauros; and he soared

on waving wings into the opened skies:

and there his father called him to his side,

1215

and said,—with words to hide his passion;—Son,—

thou faithful minister of my commands.—

let naught delay thee—swiftly take the way,

accustomed, to the land of Sidon (which

adores thy mother's star upon the left)

1220

when there, drive over to the sounding shore

that royal herd, which far away is fed

on mountain grass.—

he spoke, and instantly

the herd was driven from the mountain side;

1225

then headed for the shore, as Jove desired,—

to where the great king's daughter often went

in play, attended by the maids of Tyre .—

can love abide the majesty of kings?

Love cannot always dwell upon a throne.—

1230

EUROPA AND JUPITERTHE HOUSE OF CADMUS

Jove laid aside his glorious dignity,

for he assumed the semblance of a bull

and mingled with the bullocks in the groves,

his colour white as virgin snow, untrod,

unmelted by the watery Southern Wind.

1235

His neck was thick with muscles, dewlaps hung

between his shoulders; and his polished horns,

so small and beautifully set, appeared

the artifice of man; fashioned as fair

and more transparent than a lucent gem.

1240

His forehead was not lowered for attack,

nor was there fury in his open eyes;

the love of peace was in his countenance.

When she beheld his beauty and mild eyes,

the daughter of Agenor was amazed;

1245

but, daring not to touch him, stood apart

until her virgin fears were quieted;

then, near him, fragrant flowers in her hand

she offered,—tempting, to his gentle mouth:

and then the loving god in his great joy

1250

kissed her sweet hands, and could not wait her will.

Jove then began to frisk upon the grass,

or laid his snow-white side on the smooth sand,

yellow and golden. As her courage grew

he gave his breast one moment for caress,

1255

or bent his head for garlands newly made,

wreathed for his polished horns.

The royal maid,

unwitting what she did, at length sat down

upon the bull's broad back. Then by degrees

1260

the god moved from the land and from the shore,

and placed his feet, that seemed but shining hoofs,

in shallow water by the sandy merge;

and not a moment resting bore her thence,

across the surface of the Middle Sea,

1265

while she affrighted gazed upon the shore—

so fast receding. And she held his horn

with her right hand, and, steadied by the left,

held on his ample back—and in the breeze

her waving garments fluttered as they went.

1270

Metamorphoses Perseus (Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.) — 2 focus

The Princely Pallace of the Sunne stood gorgeous to beholde

On stately Pillars builded high of yellow burnisht golde,

Beset with sparckling Carbuncles that like to fire did shine.

The roofe was framed curiously of Ivorie pure and fine.

The two doore leaves of silver cleare a radiant light did cast:

But yet the cunning workemanship of things therein farre past

The stuffe wherof the doores were made. For there a perfect plat

Had Vulcane drawne of all the worlde: Both of the sourges that

Embrace the earth with winding waves, and of the stedfast ground,

And of the heaven it selfe also that both encloseth round.

And first and formest in the Sea the Gods thereof did stande:

Loude sounding Tryton with his shirle and writhen Trumpe in hande:

Unstable Protew chaunging aye his figure and his hue,

From shape to shape a thousande sithes as list him to renue:

Aegeon leaning boystrously on backes of mightie Whales

And Doris with hir daughters all: of which some cut the wales

With splaied armes, some sate on rockes and dride their goodly haire,

And some did ryde uppon the backes of fishes here and theare.

Not one in all poyntes fully lyke an other coulde ye see,

Nor verie farre unlike, but such as sisters ought to bee.

The Earth had townes, men, beasts and Woods with sundrie trees and rods,

And running Ryvers with their Nymphes and other countrie Gods.

Directly over all these same the plat of heaven was pight,

Upon the two doore leaves, the signes of all the Zodiak bright,

Indifferently six on the left and six upon the right.

When Clymens sonne had climbed up at length with weerie pace,

And set his foote within his doubted fathers dwelling place,

Immediately he preaced forth to put him selfe in sight,

And stoode aloofe. For neere at hande he could not bide the light.

In purple Robe and royall Throne of Emeraudes freshe and greene

Did Phoebus sitte, and on eche hande stoode wayting well beseene,

Dayes, Monthes, yeares, ages, seasons, times, and eke the equall houres.

There stoode the springtime with a crowne of fresh and fragrant floures.

There wayted Sommer naked starke all save a wheaten Hat:

And Autumne smerde with treading grapes late at the pressing Vat.

And lastly quaking for the colde, stood Winter all forlorne,

With rugged heade as white as Dove, and garments all to torne,

Forladen with the Isycles that dangled up and downe

Uppon his gray and hoarie bearde and snowie frozen crowne.

The Sunne thus sitting in the middes did cast his piercing eye,

(With which full lightly when he list he all thinges doth espye)

Upon his childe that stood aloofe, agast and trembling sore

At sight of such unwonted things, and thus bespake him thore:

O noble ympe, O Phaeton which art not such (I see)

Of whome thy father should have cause ashamed for to bee:

Why hast thou traveld to my court? what is thy will with mee?

Then answerde he: Of all the worlde O onely perfect light,

O Father Phoebus, (if I may usurpe that name of right,

And that my mother for to save hir selfe from worldely shame,

Hyde not hir fault with false pretence and colour of thy name)

Some signe apparant graunt whereby I may be knowne thy Sonne,

And let mee hang no more in doubt. He had no sooner donne,

But that his father putting off the bright and fierie beames

That glistred rounde about his heade like cleare and golden streames,

Commaunded him to draw him neere, and him embracing sayde:

To take mee for thy rightfull Sire thou neede not be afrayde.

Thy mother Clymen of a truth from falshood standeth free.

And for to put thee out of doubt aske what thou wilt of mee,

And I will give thee thy desire, the Lake whereby of olde

We Gods do sweare (the which mine eyes did never yet beeholde)

Beare witnesse with thee of my graunt. He scarce this tale had tolde,

But that the foolish Phaeton straight for a day did crave

The guyding of his winged Steedes, and Chariot for to have.

Then did his Father by and by forethinke him of his oth.

And shaking twentie tymes his heade, as one that was full wroth,

Bespake him thus: Thy wordes have made me rashly to consent

To that which shortly both of us (I feare mee) shall repent.

Oh that I might retract my graunt, my sonne I doe protest

I would denie thee nothing else save this thy fond request.

I may disswade, there lyes herein more perill than thou weene:

The things the which thou doest desire of great importance beene:

More than thy weakenesse well can wielde, a charge (as well appeares)

Of greater weight, than may agree with these thy tender yeares.

Thy state is mortall, weake and frayle, the thing thou doest desire

Is such, whereto no mortall man is able to aspire.

Yea, foolish boy, thou doest desire (and all for want of wit)

A greater charge than any God coulde ever have as yet.

For were there any of them all so overseene and blinde,

To take upon him this my charge, full quickly should he finde

That none but I could sit upon the fierie Axeltree.

No not even he that rules this wast and endlesse space we see,

Not he that darts with dreadfull hande the thunder from the Skie,

Shall drive this chare. And yet what thing in all the world perdie

Is able to compare with Jove? Now first the morning way

Lyes steepe upright, so that the steedes in coolest of the day

And beeing fresh have much adoe to climbe against the Hyll.

Amiddes the heaven the gastly heigth augmenteth terror still.

My heart doth waxe as colde as yse full many a tyme and oft

For feare to see the Sea and land from that same place aloft.

The Evening way doth fall plump downe requiring strength to guide,

That Tethis who doth harbrowgh mee within hir sourges wide

Doth stand in feare lest from the heaven I headlong down should slide.

Besides all this the Heaven aye swimmes and wheeles about full swift

And with his rolling dryves the starres their proper course to shift.

Yet doe I keepe my native course against this brunt so stout,

Not giving place as others doe: but boldely bearing out

The force and swiftnesse of that heaven that whyrleth so about.

Admit thou had my winged Steedes and Chariot in thine hande:

What couldste thou doe? dost thinke thy selfe well able to withstande

The swiftnesse of the whyrled Poles, but that their brunt and sway

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(Yea doe the best and worst thou can) shall beare thee quite away?

Perchaunce thou dost imagine there some townes of Gods to finde,

With groves and Temples richt with giftes as is among mankinde.

Thou art deceyved utterly: thou shalt not finde it so.

By blinde bywayes and ugly shapes of monsters must thou go.

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And though thou knewe the way so well as that thou could not stray,

Betweene the dreadful bulles sharp hornes yet must thou make thy way.

Agaynst the cruell Bowe the which the Aemonian archer drawes:

Against the ramping Lyon armde with greedie teeth and pawes:

Against the Scorpion stretching farre his fell and venymd clawes:

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And eke the Crab that casteth forth his crooked clees awrie

Not in such sort as th'other doth, and yet as dreadfully.

Againe thou neyther hast the powre nor yet the skill I knowe

My lustie coursers for to guide that from their nostrilles throwe

And from their mouthes the fierie breath that breedeth in their brest.

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For scarcely will they suffer mee who knowes their nature best

When that their cruell courages begin to catch a heate,

That hardely should I deale with them, but that I know the feate.

But lest my gift should to thy griefe and utter perill tend

My Sonne beware and (whyle thou mayst) thy fonde request amend.

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Bycause thou woulde be knowne to bee my childe thou seemst to crave

A certaine signe: what surer signe I pray thee canst thou have

Than this my feare so fatherly the which I have of thee

Which proveth me most certainly thy father for to bee?

Beholde and marke my countenaunce. would to God thy sight

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Could pierce within my wofull brest, to see the heavie plight,

And heapes of cares within my heart. Looke through the worlde so round

Of all the wealth and goodes therein: if ought there may be found

In Heaven or Earth or in the Sea, aske what thou lykest best,

And sure it shall not be denide. This onely one request

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That thou hast made I heartely beseech thee to relent,

Which for to tearme the thing aright is even a punishment,

And not an honour as thou thinkest: my Phaeton thou dost crave

In stead of honour even a scourge and punishment for to have.

Thou fondling thou, what dost thou meane with fawning armes about

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My necke thus flattringly to hang? Thou needest not to dout.

I have alreadie sworne by Styx, aske what thou wilt of mee

And thou shalt have. Yet let thy next wish somewhat wiser bee

Thus ended his advertisment: and yet the wilfull Lad

Withstood his counsell urging still the promisse that he had,

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Desiring for to have the chare as if he had been mad.

His father having made delay as long as he could shift,

Did lead him where his Chariot stood, which was of Vulcans gift.

The Axeltree was massie golde, the Bucke was massie golde,

The utmost fellies of the wheeles, and where the tree was rolde.

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The spokes were all of sylver bright, the Chrysolites and Gemmes

That stood uppon the Collars, Trace, and hounces in their hemmes

Did cast a sheere and glimmering light, as Phoebus shone thereon.

Now while the lustie Phaeton stood gazing here upon,

And wondered at the workemanship of everie thing: beeholde

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The earely morning in the East beegan mee to unfolde

Hir purple Gates, and shewde hir house bedeckt with Roses red.

The twinckling starres withdrew which by the morning star are led:

Who as the Captaine of that Host that hath no peere nor match,

Dooth leave his standing last of all within that heavenly watch.

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Now when his Father sawe the worlde thus glister red and trim,

And that his waning sisters hornes began to waxen dim,

He had the fetherfooted howres go harnesse in his horse.

The Goddesses with might and mayne themselves thereto enforce.

His fierifoming Steedes full fed with juice of Ambrosie

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They take from Maunger trimly dight: and to their heades doe tie

Strong reyned bits: and to the Charyot doe them well appoint.

Then Phoebus did with heavenly salve his Phaetons heade annoint,

That scorching fire coulde nothing hurt: which done, upon his haire

He put the fresh and golden rayes himselfe was wont to weare.

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And then as one whose heart misgave the sorrowes drawing fast,

With sorie sighes he thus bespake his retchlesse sonne at last:

(And if thou canst) at least yet this thy fathers lore obay:

Sonne, spare the whip, and reyne them hard, they run so swift away

As that thou shalt have much adoe their fleeing course to stay.

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Directly through the Zones all five beware thou doe not ride,

A brode byway cut out askew that bendeth on the side

Contaynde within the bondes of three the midmost Zones doth lie:

Which from the grisely Northren beare, and Southren Pole doth flie.

Keepe on this way: my Charyot rakes thou plainely shalt espie

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And to th'intent that heaven and earth may well the heate endure,

Drive neyther over high nor yet too lowe. For be thou sure,

And if thou mount above thy boundes, the starres thou burnest cleane.

Againe beneath thou burnst the Earth: most safetie is the meane.

And least perchaunce thou overmuch the right hand way should take,

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And so misfortune should thee drive upon the writhen Snake,

Or else by taking overmuche upon the lefter hand

Unto the Aultar thou be driven that doth against it stand:

Indifferently betweene them both I wish thee for to ride.

The rest I put to fortunes will, who be thy friendly guide,

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And better for thee than thy selfe as in this case provide.

Whiles that I prattle here with thee, behold the dankish night

Beyond all Spaine hir utmost bound is passed out of sight.

We may no lenger tariance make: my wonted light is cald,

The Morning with hir countnance cleare the darknesse hath appald.

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Take raine in hand, or if thy minde by counsell altred bee,

Refuse to meddle with my Wayne: and while thou yet art free,

And doste at ease within my house in safegarde well remaine,

Of this thine unadvised wish not feeling yet the paine,

Let me alone with giving still the world his wonted light,

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And thou thereof as heretofore enjoy the harmelesse sight.

Thus much in vaine: for Phaeton both yong in yeares and wit,

Into the Chariot lightly lept, and vauncing him in it

Was not a little proud that he the brydle gotten had.

He thankt his father whom it grievde to see his childe so mad.

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While Phebus and his rechelesse sonne were entertalking this,

Aeous, Aethon, Phlegon, and the firie Pyrois,

The restlesse horses of the Sunne, began to ney so hie

Wyth flaming breath, that all the heaven might heare them perfectly.

And with their hoves they mainly beate upon the lattisde grate.

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The which when Tethis (knowing nought of this hir cousins fate)

Had put aside, and given the steedes the free and open scope

Of all the compasse of the Skie within the heavenly Cope:

They girded forth, and cutting through the Cloudes that let their race,

With splayed wings they overflew the Easterne winde apace.

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The burthen was so lyght as that the Genets felt it not.

The wonted weight was from the Waine, the which they well did wot.

For like as ships amids the Seas that scant of ballace have,

Doe reele and totter with the wynde, and yeeld to every wave:

Even so the Waine for want of weight it erst was wont to beare,

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Did hoyse aloft and scayle and reele, as though it empty were.

Which when the Cartware did perceyve, they left the beaten way

And taking bridle in the teeth began to run astray.

The rider was so sore agast, he knew no use of Rayne ,

Nor yet his way: and though he had, yet had it ben in vayne,

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Because he wanted powre to rule the horses and the Wayne .

Then first did sweat cold Charles his Wain through force of Phebus rayes

And in the Sea forbidden him, to dive in vaine assayes.

The Serpent at the frozen Pole both colde and slow by kinde,

Through heat waxt wroth, and stird about a cooler place to finde.

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And thou Bootes though thou be but slow of footemanship,

Yet wert thou faine (as Fame reports) about thy Waine to skip.

Now when unhappy Phaeton from top of all the Skie

Behelde the Earth that underneath a great way off did lie,

He waxed pale for sodaine feare, his joynts and sinewes quooke,

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The greatnesse of the glistring light his eyesight from him tooke.

Now wisht he that he never had his fathers horses see:

It yrkt him that he thus had sought to learne his piedegre.

It grievde him that he had prevailde in gaining his request.

To have bene counted Merops sonne he thought it now the best.

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Thus thinking was he headlong driven, as when a ship is borne

By blustring windes, hir saileclothes rent, hir sterne in pieces torne,

And tacling brust, the which the Pilote trusting all to prayre

Abandons wholy to the Sea and fortune of the ayre.

What should he doe? much of the heaven he passed had behinde

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And more he saw before: both whiche he measurde in his minde,

Eft looking forward to the West which to approch as then

Might not betide, and to the East eft looking backe agen.

He wist not what was best to doe, his wittes were ravisht so.

For neither could he hold the Reynes, nor yet durst let them go.

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And of his horses names was none that he remembred tho.

Straunge uncoth Monsters did he see dispersed here and there

And dreadfull shapes of ugly beasts that in the Welkin were.

There is a certaine place in which the hidious Scorpion throwes

His armes in compasse far abrode, much like a couple of bowes,

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With writhen tayle and clasping cles, whose poyson limmes doe stretch

On every side, that of two signes they full the roume doe retch,

Whome when the Lad beheld all moyst with blacke and lothly swet,

With sharpe and nedlepointed sting as though he seemde to thret,

He was so sore astraught for feare, he let the bridels slacke,

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Which when the horses felt lie lose upon their sweating backe,

At rovers straight throughout the Ayre by wayes unknowne they ran

Whereas they never came before since that the worlde began.

For looke what way their lawlesse rage by chaunce and fortune drue

Without controlment or restraint that way they freely flue

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Among the starres that fixed are within the firmament

They snatcht the Chariot here and there. One while they coursing went

Upon the top of all the skie: anon againe full round

They troll me downe to lower wayes and nearer to the ground,

So that the Moone was in a Maze to see hir brothers Waine

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Run under hirs: the singed cloudes began to smoke amaine.

Eche ground the higher that it was and nearer to the Skie

The sooner was it set on fire, and made therewith so drie

That every where it gan to chinke. The Medes and Pastures greene

Did seare away: and with the leaves, the trees were burned cleene.

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The parched corne did yeelde wherewith to worke his owne decaie.

Tushe, these are trifles. Mightie townes did perish that same daie.

Whose countries with their folke were burnt: and forests ful of wood

Were turnde to ashes with the rocks and mountains where they stood.

Then Athe, Cilician, Taure and Tmole and Oeta flamed hie,

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And Ide erst full of flowing springs was then made utter drie.

The learned virgins daily haunt, the sacred Helicon ,

And Thracian Hemus (not as yet surnamde Oeagrion,)

Did smoke both twaine: and Aetna hote of nature aye before,

Encreast by force of Phebus flame now raged ten times more.

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The forkt Parnasus, Eryx , Cynth, and Othrys then did swelt

And all the snow of Rhodope did at that present melt.

The like outrage Mount Dindymus, and Mime and Micale felt.

Cytheron borne to sacred use with Osse , and Pindus hie

And Olymp greater than them both did burne excessively.

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The passing colde that Scithie had defended not the same

But that the barren Caucasus was partner of this flame.

And so were eke the Airie Alpes and Appennyne beside,

For all the Cloudes continually their snowie tops doe hide.

Then wheresoever Phaeton did chaunce to cast his vew,

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The world was all on flaming fire. The breath the which he drew,

Came smoking from his scalding mouth as from a seething pot.

His Chariot also under him began to waxe red hot.

He could no lenger dure the sparkes and cinder flyeng out,

Againe the culme and smouldring smoke did wrap him round about,

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The pitchie darkenesse of the which so wholy had him hent

As that he wist not where he was nor yet which way he went.

The winged horses forcibly did draw him where they wolde.

The Aethiopians at that time (as men for truth upholde)

(The bloud by force of that same heate drawne to the outer part

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And there adust from that time forth) became so blacke and swart.

The moysture was so dried up in Lybie land that time

That altogither drie and scorcht continueth yet that Clyme.

The Nymphes with haire about their eares bewayld their springs and lakes.

Beotia for hir Dyrces losse great lamentation makes.

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For Amimone Argos wept, and Corinth for the spring

Pyrene, at whose sacred streame the Muses usde to sing.

The Rivers further from the place were not in better case,

For Tanais in his deepest streame did boyle and steme apace,

Old Penew and Caycus of the countrie Teuthranie,

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And swift Ismenos in their bankes by like misfortune frie.

Then burnde the Psophian Erymanth: and (which should burne ageine)

The Trojan Xanthus and Lycormas with his yellow veine,

Meander playing in his bankes aye winding to and fro,

Migdonian Melas with his waves as blacke as any slo.

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Eurotas running by the foote of Tenare boyled tho.

Then sod Euphrates cutting through the middes of Babilon.

Then sod Orontes, and the Scithian swift Thermodoon.

Then Ganges, Colchian Phasis, and the noble Istre

Alpheus and Sperchius bankes with flaming fire did glistre.

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The golde that Tagus streame did beare did in the chanell melt.

Amid Cayster of this fire the raging heat was felt

Among the quieres of singing Swannes that with their pleasant lay

Along the bankes of Lidian brakes from place to place did stray.

And Nyle for feare did run away into the furthest Clyme

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Of all the world, and hid his heade, which to this present tyme

Is yet unfound: his mouthes all seven cleane voyde of water beene,

Like seven great valleys where (save dust) could nothing else be seene.

By like misfortune Hebrus dride and Strymon, both of Thrace .

The Westerne Rivers Rhine and Rhone and Po were in like case:

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And Tyber unto whome the Goddes a faithfull promise gave

Of all the world the Monarchie and soveraigne state to have.

The ground did cranie everie where and light did pierce to hell

And made afraide the King and Queene that in that Realme doe dwell.

The Sea did shrinke and where as waves did late before remaine,

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Became a Champion field of dust and even a sandy plaine.

The hilles erst hid farre under waves like Ilelandes did appeare

So that the scattred Cyclades for the time augmented were.

The fishes drew them to the deepes: the Dolphines durst not play

Above the water as before, the Seales and Porkpis lay

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With bellies upward on the waves starke dead: and fame doth go

That Nereus with his wife and daughters all were faine as tho

To dive within the scalding waves. Thrise Neptune did advaunce

His armes above the scalding Sea with sturdy countenaunce:

And thrise for hotenesse of the Ayre, was faine himselfe to hide.

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But yet the Earth the Nurce of things enclosde on every side

(Betweene the waters of the Sea and Springs that now had hidden

Themselves within their Mothers wombe) for all the paine abidden,

Up to the necke put forth hir head and casting up hir hand,

Betweene hir forehead and the sunne as panting she did stand

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With dreadfull quaking, all that was she fearfully did shake,

And shrinking somewhat lower downe with sacred voyce thus spake:

O king of Gods and if this be thy will and my desart,

Why doste thou stay with deadly dint thy thunder downe to dart?

And if that needes I perish must through force of firie flame,

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Let thy celestiall fire O God I pray thee doe the same.

A comfort shall it be to have thee Author of my death.

I scarce have powre to speak these words (the smoke had stopt hir breath).

Behold my singed haire: behold my dim and bleared eye,

See how about my scorched face the scalding embers flie.

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Is this the guerdon wherewithall ye quite my fruitfulnesse?

Is this the honor that ye gave me for my plenteousnesse

And dutie done with true intent? for suffring of the plough

To draw deepe woundes upon my backe and rakes to rend me through?

For that I over all the yeare continually am wrought?

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For giving foder to the beasts and cattell all for nought?

For yeelding corne and other foode wherewith to keepe mankinde?

And that to honor you withall sweete frankinsence I finde?

But put the case that my desert destruction duely crave,

What hath thy brother? what the Seas deserved for to have?

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Why doe the Seas, his lotted part, thus ebbe and fall so low,

Withdrawing from thy Skie to which it ought most neare to grow?

But if thou neyther doste regarde thy brother, neyther mee,

At least have mercy on thy heaven, looke round about and see

How both the Poles begin to smoke which if the fire appall

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To utter ruine (be thou sure) thy pallace needes must fall.

Behold how Atlas ginnes to faint. His shoulders though full strong,

Unneth are able to uphold the sparkling Extree long.

If Sea and Land doe go to wrecke, and heaven it selfe doe burne

To olde confused Chaos then of force we must returne.

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Put to thy helping hand therfore to save the little left

If ought remaine before that all be quite and cleane bereft.

When ended was this piteous plaint, the Earth did hold hir peace.

She could no lenger dure the heate but was compelde to cease.

Into hir bosome by and by she shrunke hir cinged heade

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More nearer to the Stygian caves, and ghostes of persones deade.

The Sire of Heaven protesting all the Gods and him also

That lent the Chariot to his child, that all of force must go

To havocke if he helped not, went to the highest part

And top of all the Heaven from whence his custome was to dart

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His thunder and his lightning downe. But neyther did remaine

A Cloude wherewith to shade the Earth, nor yet a showre of raine.

Then with a dreadfull thunderclap up to his eare he bent

His fist, and at the Wagoner a flash of lightning sent,

Which strake his bodie from the life and threw it over wheele

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And so with fire he quenched fire. The Steedes did also reele

Upon their knees, and starting up sprang violently, one here,

And there another, that they brast in pieces all their gere.

They threw the Collars from their neckes, and breaking quite asunder

The Trace and Harnesse flang away: here lay the bridles: yonder

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The Extree plucked from the Naves: and in another place

The shevered spokes of broken wheeles: and so at every pace

The pieces of the Chariot torne lay strowed here and there.

But Phaeton (fire yet blasing stil among his yellow haire)

Shot headlong downe, and glid along the Region of the Ayre

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Like to a starre in Winter nights (the wether cleare and fayre)

Which though it doe not fall in deede, yet falleth to our sight,

Whome almost in another world and from his countrie quite

The River Padus did receyve, and quencht his burning head.

The water Nymphes of Italie did take his carkasse dead

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And buried it yet smoking still, with Joves threeforked flame,

And wrate this Epitaph in the stone that lay upon the same:

Here lies the lusty Phaeton which tooke in hand to guide

His fathers Chariot, from the which although he chaunst to slide:

Yet that he gave a proud attempt it cannot be denide.

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Wyth ruthfull cheere and heavie heart his father made great mone

And would not shew himselfe abrode, but mournd at home alone.

And if it be to be beleved, as bruited is by fame

A day did passe without the Sunne . The brightnesse of the flame

Gave light: and so unto some kinde of use that mischiefe came.

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But Clymen having spoke, as much as mothers usually

Are wonted in such wretched case, discomfortablely,

And halfe beside hir selfe for wo, with torne and scratched brest,

Sercht through the universall world, from East to furthest West,

First seeking for hir sonnes dead coarse, and after for his bones.

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She found them by a forren streame, entumbled under stones.

There fell she groveling on his grave, and reading there his name,

Shed teares thereon, and layd hir breast all bare upon the same.

The daughters also of the Sunne no lesse than did their mother,

Bewaild in vaine with flouds of teares, the fortune of their brother:

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And beating piteously their breasts, incessantly did call

The buried Phaeton day and night, who heard them not at all,

About whose tumbe they prostrate lay. Foure times the Moone had filde

The Circle of hir joyned hornes, and yet the sisters hilde

Their custome of lamenting still: (for now continuall use

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Had made it custome.) Of the which the eldest, Phaetuse,

About to kneele upon the ground, complaynde hir feete were nom.

To whome as fayre Lampetie was rising for to com,

Hir feete were held with sodaine rootes. The third about to teare

Hir ruffled lockes, filde both hir handes with leaves in steade of heare.

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One wept to see hir legges made wood: another did repine

To see hir armes become long boughes. And shortly to define,

While thus they wondred at themselves, a tender barke began

To grow about their thighes and loynes, which shortly overran

Their bellies, brestes, and shoulders eke, and hands successively,

445

That nothing (save their mouthes) remainde, aye calling piteously

Upon the wofull mothers helpe. What could the mother doe

But runne now here now there, as force of nature drue hir to

And deale hir kisses while she might? She was not so content:

But tare their tender braunches downe: and from the slivers went

450

Red drops of bloud as from a wound. The daughter that was rent

Cride: Spare us mother spare I pray, for in the shape of tree

The bodies and the flesh of us your daughters wounded bee.

And now farewell. That word once said, the barke grew over all.

Now from these trees flow gummy teares that Amber men doe call,

455

Which hardened with the heate of sunne as from the boughs they fal

The trickling River doth receyve, and sendes as things of price

To decke the daintie Dames of Rome and make them fine and nice.

Now present at this monstruous hap was Cygnus, Stenels son,

Who being by the mothers side akinne to Phaeton

460

Was in condicion more akinne. He leaving up his charge

(For in the land of Ligurie his Kingdome stretched large)

Went mourning all along the bankes and pleasant streame of Po

Among the trees encreased by the sisters late ago.

Annon his voyce became more small and shrill than for a man.

465

Gray fethers muffled in his face: his necke in length began

Far from his shoulders for to stretche: and furthermore there goes

A fine red string acrosse the joyntes in knitting of his toes:

With fethers closed are his sides: and on his mouth there grew

A brode blunt byll: and finally was Cygnus made a new

470

And uncoth fowle that hight a Swan, who neither to the winde,

The Ayre, nor Jove betakes himselfe, as one that bare in minde

The wrongfull fire sent late against his cousin Phaeton.

In Lakes and Rivers is his joy: the fire he aye doth shon,

And chooseth him the contrary continually to won.

475

Forlorne and altogether voyde of that same bodie shene

Was Phaetons father in that while which erst had in him bene,

Like as he looketh in Th'eclypse. He hates the yrkesome light,

He hates him selfe, he hates the day, and settes his whole delight

In making sorrow for his sonne, and in his griefe doth storme -

480

And chaufe denying to the worlde his dutie to performe.

My lot (quoth he) hath had inough of this unquiet state

From first beginning of the worlde. It yrkes me (though too late)

Of restlesse toyles and thankelesse paines. Let who so will for me

Go drive the Chariot in the which the light should caried be.

485

If none dare take the charge in hand, and all the Gods persist

As insufficient, he himselfe go drive it if he list,

That at the least by venturing our bridles for to guide

His lightning making childlesse Sires he once may lay aside.

By that time that he hath assayde the unappalled force

490

That doth remaine and rest within my firiefooted horse,

I trow he shall by tried proufe be able for to tell

How that he did not merit death that could not rule them well.

The Goddes stoode all about the Sunne thus storming in his rage

Beseching him in humble wise his sorrow to asswage.

495

And that he would not on the world continuall darkenesse bring,

Jove eke excusde him of the fire the which he chaunst to sling,

And with entreatance mingled threates as did become a King.

Then Phebus gathered up his steedes that yet for feare did run

Like flaighted fiendes, and in his moode without respect begun

500

To beate his whipstocke on their pates and lash them on the sides.

It was no neede to bid him chaufe; for ever as he rides

He still upbraides them with his sonne, and layes them on the hides.

And Jove almighty went about the walles of heaven to trie

If ought were perisht with the fire, which when he did espie

505

Continuing in their former state, all strong and safe and sound,

He went to vew the workes of men, and things upon the ground.

Yet for his land of Arcadie he tooke most care and charge.

The Springs and streames that durst not run he set againe at large.

He clad the earth with grasse, the trees with leaves both fresh and greene

510

Commaunding woods to spring againe that erst had burned bene.

Now as he often went and came it was his chaunce to light

Upon a Nymph of Nonacris whose forme and beautie bright

Did set his heart on flaming fire. She used not to spinne

Nor yet to curle hir frisled haire with bodkin or with pinne.

515

A garment with a buckled belt fast girded did she weare

And in a white and slender Call slight trussed was hir heare.

Sometimes a dart sometime a bow she used for to beare.

She was a knight of Phebes troope. There came not at the mount

Of Menalus of whome Diana made so great account.

520

But favor never lasteth long. The Sunne had gone that day

A good way past the poynt of Noone: when werie of hir way

She drue to shadowe in a wood that never had bene cut.

Here off hir shoulder by and by hir quiver did she put,

And hung hir bow unbent aside, and coucht hir on the ground,

525

Hir quiver underneth hir head. Whom when that Jove had found

Alone and wearie: Sure (he said) my wife shall never know

Of this escape, and if she do, I know the worst I trow.

She can but chide, shall feare of chiding make me to forslow?

He counterfeiteth Phebe streight in countnance and aray.

530

And says: O virgine of my troope, where didst thou hunt to day?

The Damsell started from the ground and said: Hayle Goddesse deare,

Of greater worth than Jove (I thinke) though Jove himselfe did heare.

Jove heard hir well and smylde thereat, it made his heart rejoyce

To heare the Nymph preferre him thus before himselfe in choyce.

535

He fell to kissing: which was such as out of square might seeme,

And in such sort as that a mayde coulde nothing lesse beseeme.

And as she would have told what woods she ranged had for game,

He tooke hir fast betweene his armes, and not without his shame,

Bewrayed plainly what he was and wherefore that he came.

540

The wench against him strove as much as any woman could:

I would that Juno had it seene. For then I know thou would

Not take the deede so heynously: with all hir might she strove.

But what poore wench or who alive could vanquish mighty Jove?

Jove having sped flue straight to heaven. She hateth in hir hart

545

The guiltlesse fields and wood where Jove had playd that naughty part,

Alwaye she goes in such a griefe as that she had welnie

Forgot hir quiver with hir shaftes and bow that hanged by.

Dictynna, garded with hir traine and proude of killing Deere,

In raunging over Menalus, espying, cald hir neere.

550

The Damsell hearing Phebe call did run away amaine,

She feared lest in Phebes shape that Jove had come againe,

But when she saw the troope of Nymphes that garded hir about,

She thought there was no more deceyt, and came among the rout.

Oh Lord how hard a matter ist for guiltie hearts to shift

555

And kepe their countnance? from the ground hir eyes scarce durst she lift.

She prankes not by hir mistresse side, she preases not to bee

The foremost of the companie, as when she erst was free.

She standeth muet: and by chaunging of hir colour ay

The treading of hir shooe awrie she plainely doth bewray,

560

Diana might have founde the fault but that she was a May.

A thousand tokens did appeare apparant to the eye,

By which the Nymphes themselves (they say) hir fault did well espie.

Nine times the Moone full to the worlde had shewde hir horned face

When fainting through hir brothers flames and hunting in the chace.

565

She found a coole and shadie lawnde through midst whereof she spide

A shallow brooke with trickling streame on gravell bottom glide.

And liking well the pleasant place, upon the upper brim

She dipt hir foote, and finding there the water coole and trim,

Away (she sayd) with standers by: and let us bath us here.

570

Then Parrhasis cast downe hir head with sad and bashfull chere.

The rest did strip them to their skinnes. She only sought delay,

Untill that would or would she not hir clothes were pluckt away.

Then with hir naked body straight hir crime was brought to light.

Which yll ashamde as with hir hands she would have hid from sight,

575

Fie beast (quoth Cynthia) get thee hence, thou shalt not here defile

This sacred Spring, and from hir traine she did hir quite exile.

The Matrone of the thundring Jove had inckling of the fact,

Delaying till convenient time the punishment to exact.

There is no cause of further stay. To spight hir heart withall,

580

Hir husbands Leman bare a boy that Arcas men did call.

On whome she casting lowring looke with fell and cruell minde

Saide: Was there, arrant strumpet thou, none other shift to finde

But that thou needes must be with barne? that all the world must see

My husbandes open shame and thine in doing wrong to mee?

585

But neyther unto heaven nor hell this trespasse shalt thou beare.

I will bereve thee of thy shape through pride whereof thou were

So hardy to entyce my Feere. Immediatly with that

She raught hir by the foretop fast and fiercely threw hir flat

Against the grounde. The wretched wench hir armes up mekely cast,

590

Hir armes began with griesly haire to waxe all rugged fast.

Hir handes gan warpe and into pawes ylfavordly to grow,

And for to serve in stede of feete. The lippes that late ago

Did like the mightie Jove so well, with side and flaring flaps

Became a wide deformed mouth. And further lest perhaps

595

Hir prayers and hir humble wordes might cause hir to relent:

She did bereve hir of hir speach. In steade whereof there went

An yreful, horce, and dreadfull voyce out from a threatning throte:

But yet the selfesame minde that was before she turnde hir cote,

Was in hir still in shape of Beare. The griefe whereof she showes

600

By thrusting forth continuall sighes, and up she gastly throwes

Such kinde of handes as then remainde unto the starrie Skie.

And forbicause she could not speake she thought Jove inwardly

To be unthankfull. Oh how oft she daring not abide

Alone among the desert woods, full many a time and tide

605

Would stalke before hir house in grounds that were hir owne erewhile?

How oft oh did she in the hilles the barking houndes beguile

And in the lawndes where she hir selfe had chased erst hir game,

Now flie hirselfe to save hir life when hunters sought the same?

Full oft at sight of other beastes she hid hir head for feare,

610

Forgetting what she was hir selfe. For though she were a Beare,

Yet when she spied other Beares she quooke for verie paine:

And feared Wolves although hir Sire among them did remaine.

Beholde Lycaons daughters sonne that Archas had to name

About the age of fiftene yeares within the forrest came

615

Of Erymanth, not knowing ought of this his mothers case.

There after pitching of his toyles, as he the stagges did chase,

Upon his mother sodenly it was his chaunce to light,

Who for desire to see hir sonne did stay hirselfe from flight.

And wistly on him cast hir looke as one that did him know.

620

But he not knowing what she was began his heeles to show.

And when he saw hir still persist in staring on his face,

He was afrayde, and from hir sight withdrew himselfe apace,

But when he coulde not so be rid, he tooke an armed pike,

In full intent hir through the heart with deadly wound to strike.

625

But God almighty held his hand, and lifting both away

Did disapoint the wicked Act. For straight he did convay

Them through the Ayre with whirling windes to top of all the skie,

And there did make them neighbour starres about the Pole on hie.

When Juno shining in the heaven hir husbands minion found,

630

She swelde for spight: and downe she comes to watry Tethys round

And unto olde Oceanus, whome even the Gods aloft

Did reverence for their just deserts full many a time and oft,

To whome demaunding hir the cause: And aske ye (quoth she) why

That I which am the Queene of Goddes come hither from the sky?

635

Good cause there is I warrant you. Another holdes my roome.

For never trust me while I live, if when the night is coome,

And overcasteth all the world with shadie darknesse whole,

Ye see not in the heigth of heaven hard by the Northren Pole

Whereas the utmost circle runnes about the Axeltree

640

In shortest circuit, gloriously enstalled for to bee

In shape of starres the stinging woundes that make me yll apayde.

Now is there (trow ye) any cause why folke should be afrayde

To do to Juno what they list, or dread hir wrathfull mood,

Which only by my working harme doe turne my foes to good?

645

O what a mightie act is done? How passing is my powre!

I have bereft hir womans shape, and at this present howre

She is become a Goddesse. Loe this is the scourge so sowre

Wherewith I strike mine enimies. Loe here is all the spight

That I can doe: this is the ende of all my wondrous might,

650

No force. I would he should (for me) hir native shape restore,

And take away hir brutish shape, like as he hath before

Done by his other Paramour, that fine and proper piece

Of Argos whom he made a Cow, I meane Phononeus Niece.

Why makes he not a full devorce from me, and in my stead

655

Straight take his Sweetheart to his wife, and coll hir in my bed?

He can not doe a better deede (I thinke) than for to take

Lycaon to his fatherinlaw. But if that you doe make

Accompt of me your foster childe, then graunt that for my sake,

The Oxen and the wicked Waine of starres in number seven,

660

For whoredome sake but late ago receyved into heaven,

May never dive within your waves. Ne let that strumpet vyle

By bathing of hir filthie limmes your waters pure defile.

The Gods did graunt hir hir request: and straight to heaven she flue,

In handsome Chariot through the Ayre, which painted peacocks drue

665

As well beset with blasing eyes late tane from Argus hed,

As thou thou prating Raven white by nature being bred,

Hadst on thy fethers justly late a coly colour spred.

For this same birde in auncient time had fethers faire and whight

As ever was the driven snow, or silver cleare and bright.

670

He might have well comparde himself in beautie with the Doves

That have no blemish, or the Swan that running water loves:

Or with the Geese that afterward should with their gagling out

Preserve the Romaine Capitoll beset with foes about.

His tongue was cause of all his harme, his tatling tongue did make

675

His colour which before was white, become so foule and blake.

Coronis of Larissa was the fairest maide of face,

In all the land of Thessalie . Shee stoode in Phebus grace

As long as that she kept hir chast, or at the least as long

As that she scaped unespide in doing Phebus wrong.

680

But at the last Apollos birde hir privie packing spide,

Whome no entreatance could persuade but that he swiftly hide

Him to his maister, to bewray the doings of his love.

Now as he flue, the pratling Crow hir wings apace did move:

And overtaking fell in talke and was inquisitive

685

For what intent and to what place he did so swiftly drive.

And when she heard the cause thereof, she said: Now trust me sure,

This message on the whiche thou goste no goodnesse will procure.

And therefore hearken what I say: disdaine thou not at all,

To take some warning by thy friende in things that may befall.

690

Consider what I erst have bene and what thou seest me now:

And what hath bene the ground hereof. I boldly dare avow,

That thou shalt finde my faithfulnesse imputed for a crime.

For Pallas in a wicker chest had hid upon a time

A childe calde Ericthonius, whome never woman bare,

695

And tooke it unto Maidens three that Cecrops daughters were,

Not telling them what was within, but gave them charge to keepe

The Casket shut, and for no cause within the same to peepe.

I standing close among the leaves upon an Elme on hie,

Did marke their doings and their wordes, and there I did espie

700

How Pandrosos and Herse kept their promise faithfully.

Aglauros calles them Cowardes both, and makes no more adoe,

But takes the Casket in hir hand and doth the knots undooe.

And there they saw a childe whose partes beneath were like a snake.

Straight to the Goddesse of this deede a just report I make.

705

For which she gave me this reward that never might I more

Accompt hir for my Lady and my Mistresse as before.

And in my roume she put the fowle that flies not but by night,

A warning unto other birdes my lucke should be of right

To holde their tongues for being shent. But you will say perchaunce

710

I came unsentfor of my selfe, she did me not advaunce.

I dare well say though Pallas now my heavie Mistresse stand

Yet if perhaps ye should demaund the question at hir hand,

As sore displeased as she is, she would not this denie:

But that she chose me first hir selfe to beare hir companie.

715

For (well I know) my father was a Prince of noble fame,

Of Phocis King by long discent, Coronew was his name:

I was his darling and his joy, and many a welthie Piere

(I would not have you thinke disdaine) did seeke me for their Fere.

My forme and beautie did me hurt. For as I leysurely

720

Went jetting up and downe the shore upon the gravell drie,

As yet I customably doe, the God that rules the Seas

Espying me fell straight in love. And when he saw none ease

In sute, but losse of wordes and time, he offred violence,

And after me he runnes apace. I skudde as fast fro thence,

725

From sand to shore from shore to sand, still playing Foxe to hole,

Untill I was so tirde that he had almost got the gole.

Then cald I out on God and man. But (as it did appeare)

There was no man so neare at hand that could my crying heare.

A Virgin Goddesse pitied me bicause I was a mayde:

730

And at the utter plunge and pinche did send me present ayde.

I cast mine armes to heaven, mine armes waxt light with fethers black,

I went about to cast in hast my garments from my back,

And all was fethers. In my skinne the rooted fethers stack.

I was about with violent hand to strike my naked breast,

735

But nether had I hand nor breast that naked more did reast.

I ran, but of my feete as erst remained not the print.

Me thought I glided on the ground. Anon with sodaine dint,

I rose and hovered in the Ayre. And from that instant time

Did wait on Pallas faithfully without offence or crime.

740

But what availes all this to me, and if that in my place

The wicked wretch Nyctyminee (who late for lacke of grace

Was turned to an odious birde) to honor called bee?

I pray thee didst thou never heare how false Nyctyminee

(A thing all over Lesbos knowne) defilde hir fathers couch?

745

The beast is now become a birde, whose lewdnesse doth so touch

And pricke hir guiltie conscience that she dares not come in sight,

Nor shewe hirselfe abrode a dayes, but fleeteth in the night

For shame lest folke should see hir fault: and every other birde

Doth in the Ayre and Ivie toddes with wondring at hir girde.

750

A mischiefe take thy tatling tongue, the Raven answerde tho.

Thy vaine forspeaking moves me not. And so he forth did go

And tels his Lorde Apollo how he saw Coronis lie

Wyth Isthyis, a Gentleman that dwelt in Thessalie .

When Phebus heard his lovers fault, he fiersly gan to frowne,

755

And cast his garlond from his head, and threw his violl downe.

His colour chaungde, his face lookt pale, and as the rage of yre

That boyled in his belking breast had set his heart on fyre,

He caught me up his wonted tooles, and bent his golden bow

And by and by with deadly stripe of unavoyded blow

760

Strake through the breast the which his owne had toucht so oft afore.

She wounded gave a piteous shrike, and (drawing from the sore

The deadly Dart the which the bloud pursuing after fast

Upon hir white and tender limmes a scarlet colour cast)

Saide: Phebus , well, thou might have wreakt this trespasse on my head

765

And yet forborne me till the time I had bene brought abed.

Now in one body by thy meanes a couple shall be dead.

Thus muche she saide: and with the bloud hir life did fade away.

The bodie being voyde of soule became as colde as clay.

Than all too late, alas too late gan Phebus to repent

770

That of his lover he had tane so cruell punishment.

He blames himselfe for giving eare so unadvisedly.

He blames himselfe in that he tooke it so outragiously.

He hates and bannes his faithfull birde bicause he did enforme

Him of his lovers naughtinesse that made him so to storme.

775

He hates his bow, he hates his shaft that rashly from it went:

And eke he hates his hasty hands by whom the bow was bent.

He takes hir up betweene his armes endevoring all too late

By plaister made of precious herbes to stay hir helplesse fate.

But when he saw there was no shift: but that she needes must burne,

780

And that the solemne sacred fire was prest to serve the turne,

Then from the bottome of his heart full sorie sighes he fet,

(For heavenly powres with watrie teares their cheekes may never wet)

In case as when a Cow beholdes the cruell butcher stand

With launching Axe embrewd with bloud and lifting up his hand

785

Aloft to snatch hir sucking Calfe that hangeth by the heeles

And of the Axe the deadly dint upon his forehead feeles.

Howbeit after sweete perfumes bestowde upon hir corse

And much embracing, having sore bewailde hir wrong divorse,

He followed to the place assignde hir bodie for to burne.

790

There coulde he not abide to see his seede to ashes turne.

But tooke the baby from hir wombe and from the firie flame,

And unto double Chyrons den conveyed straight the same.

The Raven hoping for his truth to be rewarded well,

He maketh blacke, forbidding him with whiter birdes to dwell.

795

The Centaure Chyron in the while was glad of Phebus boy,

And as the burthen brought some care the honor brought him joy.

Upon a time with golden lockes about hir shoulders spread,

A daughter of the Centaurs (whome a certaine Nymph had bred

About the brooke Caycus bankes) that hight Ocyroe

800

Came thither. This same fayre yong Nymph could not contented be

To learne the craft of Surgerie as perfect as hir Sire,

But that to learne the secret doomes of Fate she must aspire.

And therfore when the furious rage of frenzie had hir cought,

And that the spright of Prophecie enflamed had hir thought,

805

She lookt upon the childe and saide: Sweete babe the Gods thee make

A man. For all the world shall fare the better for thy sake.

All sores and sicknesse shalt thou cure: thy powre shall eke be syche,

To make the dead alive again. For doing of the whiche

Against the pleasure of the Gods, thy Graundsire shall thee strike

810

So with his fire, that never more thou shalt performe the like.

And of a God a bludlesse corse, and of a corse (full straunge)

Thou shalt become a God againe, and twice thy nature chaunge.

And thou my father liefe and deare, who now by destinie,

Art borne to live for evermore and never for to die,

815

Shalt suffer such outragious paine throughout thy members all,

By wounding of a venimde dart that on thy foote shall fall,

That oft thou shalt desire to die, and in the latter end

The fatall dames shall breake thy threede and thy desire thee send.

There was yet more behinde to tell, when sodenly she fet

820

A sore deepe sigh, and downe hir cheekes the teares did trickle wet.

Mine owne misfortune (quoth she) now hath overtake me sure.

I cannot utter any more, for words waxe out of ure.

My cunning was not worth so much as that it should procure

The wrath of God. I feele by proufe far better had it bene:

825

If that the chaunce of things to come I never had foreseene.

For now my native shape withdrawes. Me thinkes I have delight

To feede on grasse and fling in fieldes: I feele my selfe so light.

I am transformed to a Mare like other of my kinne.

But wherfore should this brutish shape all over wholy winne?

830

Considering that although both horse and man my father bee:

Yet is his better part a man as plainly is to see.

The latter ende of this complaint was fumbled in such wise,

As what she meant the standers by could scarcely well devise.

Anon she neyther semde to speake nor fully for to ney,

835

But like to one that counterfeites in sport the Mare to play.

Within a while she neyed plaine, and downe hir armes were pight

Upon the ground all clad with haire, and bare hir bodie right.

Hir fingers joyned all in one, at ende wherof did grow

In stede of nayles a round tough hoofe of welked horne bylow.

840

Hir head and necke shot forth in length, hir kirtle trayne became

A faire long taile. Hir flaring haire was made a hanging Mane.

And as hir native shape and voyce most monstrously did passe,

So by the uncoth name of Mare she after termed was.

The Centaure Chyron wept hereat: and piteously dismaide

845

Did call on thee (although in vaine) thou Delphian God for ayde.

For neyther lay it in thy hande to breake Joves mighty hest,

And though it had, yet in thy state as then thou did not rest.

In Elis did thou then abide and in Messene lande.

It was the time when under shape of shepehierde with a wande

850

Of Olyve and a pipe of reedes thou kept Admetus sheepe.

Now in this time that (save of Love) thou tooke none other keepe,

And madste thee merrie with thy pipe, the glistring Maias sonne

By chaunce abrode the fields of Pyle spide certaine cattle runne

Without a hierde, the which he stole and closely did them hide

855

Among the woods. This pretie slight no earthly creature spide,

Save one old churle that Battus hight. This Battus had the charge

Of welthie Neleus feeding groundes, and all his pastures large,

And kept a race of goodly Mares. Of him he was afraide.

And lest by him his privie theft should chaunce to be bewraide,

860

He tooke a bribe to stop his mouth, and thus unto him saide:

My friend I pray thee if perchaunce that any man enquire

This cattell say thou saw them not. And take thou for thy hire

This faire yong Bullocke. Tother tooke the Bullocke at his hand,

And shewing him a certaine stone that lay upon the lande,

865

Sayd, go thy way: Assoone this stone thy doings shall bewray,

As I shall doe. So Mercurie did seeme to go his way.

Annon he commes me backe againe, and altred both in speche

And outward shape, saide: Countrieman Ich heartely bezeche,

And if thou zawest any kie come royling through this grounde,

870

Or driven away, tell what he was and where they may be vownde.

And I chill gethee vor thy paine an Hecfar and hir match.

The Carle perceyving double gaine, and greedy for to catch,

Sayde: Under yon same hill they were, and under yon same hill

Cham zure they are, and with his hand he poynted thereuntill.

875

At that Mercurius laughing saide: False knave: and doste bewray

Me to my selfe? doste thou bewray me to my selfe I say?

And with that word strayt to a stone he turnde his double heart,

In which the slaunder yet remaines without the stones desart.

The Bearer of the charmed Rod, the suttle Mercurie,

880

This done, arose with waving wings and from that place did flie.

And as he hovered in the Ayre he viewde the fieldes bylow

Of Atticke and the towne it selfe with all the trees that grow

In Lycey where the learned Clarkes did wholsome preceptes show.

By chaunce the verie selfesame day the virgins of the towne

885

Of olde and auncient custome bare in baskets on their crowne

Beset with garlands fresh and gay and strowde with flowres sweete

To Pallas towre such sacrifice as was of custome meete.

The winged God beholding them returning in a troupe

Continued not directly forth, but gan me downe to stoupe,

890

And fetch a wyndlasse round about. And as the hungry kite

Beholding unto sacrifice a Bullocke redie dight,

Doth sore about his wished pray desirous for to snatche

But that he dareth not for such as stand about and watch:

So Mercurie with nimble wings doth keepe a lower gate

895

About Minervas loftie towres in round and wheeling rate.

As far as doth the Morning starre in cleare and streaming light

Excell all other starres in heaven: as far also as bright

Dame Phebe dimmes the Morning starre, so far did Herses face

Staine all the Ladies of hir troupe: she was the verie grace

900

And beautie of that solemne pompe, and all that traine so fayre.

Joves sonne was ravisht with the sight, and hanging in the ayre

Began to swelt within himselfe, in case as when the poulder

Hath driven the Pellet from the Gunne, the Pellet ginnes to smoulder:

And in his flying waxe more hote. In smoking brest he shrowdes

905

His flames not brought from heaven above but caught beneath the clouds.

He leaves his jorney toward heaven and takes another race

Not minding any lenger time to hide his present case.

So great a trust and confidence his beautie to him gave

Which though it seemed of it selfe sufficient force to have,

910

Yet was he curious for to make himselfe more fine and brave.

He kembd his head and strokt his beard, and pried on every side

To see that in his furniture no wrinkle might be spide.

And forbicause his Cloke was fringde and garded brode with golde,

He cast it on his shoulder up most seemely to beholde.

915

He takes in hand his charmed rod that bringeth things asleepe

And wakes them when he list againe. And lastly taketh keepe

That on his faire welformed feete his golden shooes sit cleene,

And that all other things therto well correspondent beene.

In Cecrops Court were Chambers three set far from all resort

920

With yvorie beddes all furnished in far most royall sort.

Of which Aglauros had the left and Pandrose had the right,

And Herse had the middlemost. She that Aglauros hight

First markt the comming of the God, and asking him his name

Demaunded him for what entent and cause he thither came.

925

Pleiones Nephew, Maias sonne, did make hir aunswere thus:

I am my fathers messenger, his pleasure to discusse

To mortall folke and hellish fiendes as list him to commaund.

My father is the mightie Jove. To that thou doste demaund

I will not feyne a false excuse. I aske no more but graunt

930

To keepe thy sisters counsell close, and for to be the Aunt

Of such the issue as on hir my chaunce shalbe to get.

Thy sister Herse is the cause that hath me hither fet.

I pray thee beare thou with my love that is so firmely set.

Aglauros cast on Mercurie hir scornfull eyes aside,

935

With which against Minervas will hir secretes late she spide,

Demaunding him in recompence a mighty masse of Golde:

And would not let him enter in until the same were tolde.

The warlike Goddesse cast on hir a sterne and cruell looke,

And fetched such a cutting sigh that forcibly it shooke

940

Both brest and brestplate, wherewithall it came unto hir thought

How that Aglauros late ago against hir will had wrought

In looking on the Lemman childe contrarie to hir othe,

The whiche she tooke hir in the chest, for which she waxed wrothe.

Againe she saw hir cancred heart maliciously repine

945

Against hir sister and the God. And furthermore in fine

How that the golde which Mercurie had given hir for hir meede,

Would make hir both in welth and pride all others to exceede.

She goes me straight to Envies house, a foule and irksome cave,

Replete with blacke and lothly filth and stinking like a grave.

950

It standeth in a hollow dale where neyther light of Sunne

Nor blast of any winde or Ayre may for the deepenesse come.

A dreyrie sad and dolefull den ay full of slouthfull colde

As which ay dimd with smoldring smoke doth never fire beholde,

When Pallas , that same manly Maide, approched nere this plot,

955

She staide without, for to the house in enter might she not,

And with hir Javelin point did give a push against the doore.

The doore flue open by and by and fell me in the floore.

There saw she Envie sit within fast gnawing on the flesh

Of Snakes and Todes, the filthie foode that keepes hir vices fresh.

960

It lothde hir to beholde the sight. Anon the Elfe arose

And left the gnawed Adders flesh, and slouthfully she goes

With lumpish laysure like a Snayle, and when she saw the face

Of Pallas and hir faire attire adournde with heavenly grace,

She gave a sigh, a sorie sigh, from bottome of hir heart.

965

Hir lippes were pale, hir cheekes were wan, and all hir face was swart:

Hir bodie leane as any Rake. She looked eke askew.

Hir teeth were furde with filth and drosse, hir gums were waryish blew.

The working of hir festered gall had made hir stomacke greene.

And all bevenimde was hir tongue. No sleepe hir eyes had seene.

970

Continuall Carke and cankred care did keepe hir waking still:

Of laughter (save at others harmes) the Helhound can no skill.

It is against hir will that men have any good successe,

And if they have, she frettes and fumes within hir minde no lesse

Than if hir selfe had taken harme. In seeking to annoy

975

And worke distresse to other folke, hir selfe she doth destroy.

Thus is she torment to hir selfe. Though Pallas did hir hate,

Yet spake she briefly these few wordes to hir without hir gate:

Infect thou with thy venim one of Cecrops daughters three,

It is Aglauros whome I meane, for so it needes must bee.

980

This said, she pight hir speare in ground, and tooke hir rise thereon.

And winding from that wicked wight did take hir flight anon.

The Caitife cast hir eye aside, and seeing Pallas gon,

Began to mumble with hir selfe the Divels Paternoster,

And fretting at hir good successe, began to blow and bluster.

985

She takes a crooked staffe in hand bewreathde with knubbed prickes,

And covered with a coly cloude, where ever that she stickes

Hir filthie feete, she tramples downe and seares both grasse and corne:

That all the fresh and fragrant fieldes seeme utterly forlorne.

And with hir staffe she tippeth off the highest poppie heades.

990

Such poyson also every where ungraciously she sheades,

That every Cottage where she comes and every Towne and Citie

Doe take infection at hir breath. At length (the more is pitie)

She found the faire Athenian towne that flowed freshly then

In feastfull peace and joyfull welth and learned witts of men.

995

And forbicause she nothing saw that might provoke to weepe,

It was a corsie to hir heart hir hatefull teares to keepe.

Now when she came within the Court, she went without delay

Directly to the lodgings where King Cecrops daughters lay,

There did she as Minerva bad. She laide hir scurvie fist

1000

Besmerde with venim and with filth upon Aglauros brist,

The whiche she filde with hooked thornes: and breathing on hir face

Did shead the poyson in hir bones: which spred it selfe apace,

As blacke as ever virgin pitch through Lungs and Lights and all.

And to th'intent that cause of griefe abundantly should fall,

1005

She placed ay before hir eyes hir sisters happie chaunce

In being wedded to the God, and made the God to glaunce

Continually in heavenly shape before hir wounded thought.

And all these things she painted out, which in conclusion wrought

Such corsies in Aglauros brest that sighing day and night

1010

She gnawde and fretted in hir selfe for very cancred spight.

And like a wretche she wastes hir selfe with restlesse care and pine

Like as the yse whereon the Sunne with glimering light doth shine.

Hir sister Herses good successe doth make hir heart to yerne,

In case as when that fire is put to greenefeld wood or fearne

1015

Whych giveth neyther light nor heate, but smulders quite away:

Sometime she minded to hir Sire hir sister to bewray,

Who (well she knew) would yll abide so lewde a part to play.

And oft she thought with wilfull hande to brust hir fatall threede,

Bicause she woulde not see the thing that made hir heart to bleede.

1020

At last she sate hir in the doore and leaned to a post

To let the God from entring in. To whome now having lost

Much talke and gentle wordes in vayne, she said: Sir, leave I pray

For hence I will not (be you sure) onlesse you go away.

I take thee at thy word (quoth he) and therewithall he pusht

1025

His rod against the barred doore, and wide it open rusht.

She making proffer for to rise, did feele so great a waight

Through all hir limmes, that for hir life she could not stretch hir straight.

She strove to set hirself upright: but striving booted not.

Hir hamstrings and hir knees were stiffe, a chilling colde had got

1030

In at hir nayles, through all hir limmes. And eke hir veynes began

For want of bloud and lively heate, to waxe both pale and wan.

And as the freting Fistula forgrowne and past all cure

Runnes in the flesh from place to place, and makes the sound and pure

As bad or worser than the rest, even so the cold of death

1035

Strake to hir heart, and closde hir veines, and lastly stopt hir breath:

She made no profer for to speake, and though she had done so

It had bene vaine. For way was none for language forth to go.

Hir throte congealed into stone: hir mouth became hard stone,

And like an image sate she still, hir bloud was clearely gone,

1040

The which the venim of hir heart so fowly did infect,

That ever after all the stone with freckled spots was spect.

When Mercurie had punisht thus Aglauros spightfull tung

And cancred heart, immediatly from Pallas towne he flung.

And flying up with flittering wings did pierce to heaven above.

1045

His father calde him straight aside (but shewing not his love)

Said: Sonne, my trustie messenger and worker of my will,

Make no delay but out of hand flie downe in hast untill

The land that on the left side lookes upon thy mothers light,

Yon same where standeth on the coast the towne that Sidon hight.

1050

The King hath there a heirde of Neate that on the Mountaines feede,

Go take and drive them to the sea with all convenient speede.

He had no sooner said the word but that the heirde begun

Driven from the mountaine to the shore appointed for to run,

Whereas the daughter of the King was wonted to resort

1055

With other Ladies of the Court there for to play and sport.

Betweene the state of Majestie and love is set such oddes,

As that they can not dwell in one. The Sire and King of Goddes

Whose hand is armd with triplefire, who only with his frowne

Makes Sea and Land and Heaven to quake, doth lay his scepter downe

1060

With all the grave and stately port belonging thereunto:

And putting on the shape of Bull (as other cattell doe)

Goes lowing gently up and downe among them in the field

The fairest beast to looke upon that ever man beheld.

For why? his colour was as white as any winters snow

1065

Before that eyther trampling feete or Southerne winde it thow.

His necke was brawnd with rolles of flesh, and from his chest before

A dangling dewlap hung me downe good halfe a foote and more.

His hornes were small, but yet so fine as that ye would have thought

They had bene made by cunning hand or out of waxe bene wrought.

1070

More cleare they were a hundreth fold than is the Christall stone,

In all his forehead fearfull frowne or wrinkle there was none.

No fierce, no grim, nor griesly looke as other cattle have,

But altogether so demure as friendship seemde to crave.

Agenors daughter marveld much so tame a beast to see,

1075

But yet to touche him at the first too bolde she durst not bee.

Annon she reaches to his mouth hir hand with herbes and flowres.

The loving beast was glad thereof and neither frownes nor lowres.

But till the hoped joy might come with glad and fauning cheare

He lickes hir hands and scarce ah scarce the resdue he forbeare.

1080

Sometime he friskes and skippes about and showes hir sport at hand

Annon he layes his snowie side against the golden sand.

So feare by little driven away, he offred eft his brest

To stroke and coy, and eft his hornes with flowers to be drest.

At last Europa knowing not (for so the Maide was calde)

1085

On whome she venturde for to ride, was nerawhit appalde

To set hir selfe upon his backe. Then by and by the God

From maine drie land to maine moyst Sea gan leysurly to plod.

At first he did but dip his feete within the outmost wave,

And backe againe, then further in another plunge he gave.

1090

And so still further till at the last he had his wished pray

Amid the deepe where was no meanes to scape with life away.

The Ladie quaking all for feare with rufull countnance cast

Ay toward shore from whence she came, held with hir righthand fast

One of his hornes: and with the left did stay upon his backe.

1095

The weather flaskt and whisked up hir garments being slacke.

P. Ovidius Naso Metamorphoses 2

ed. Hugo Magnus

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