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1 Nisus et Scylla.

Iam nitidum retegente diem noctisque fugante

tempora Lucifero cadit eurus, et umida surgunt

nubila: dant placidi cursum redeuntibus austri

Aeacidis Cephaloque, quibus feliciter acti

ante exspectatum portus tenuere petitos.

Interea Minos Lelegeia litora vastat

praetemptatque sui vires Mavortis in urbe

Alcathoi, quam Nisus habet, cui splendidus ostro

inter honoratos medioque in vertice canos

crinis inhaerebat, magni fiducia regni.

Sexta resurgebant orientis cornua lunae,

et pendebat adhuc belli fortuna: diuque

inter utrumque volat dubiis Victoria pennis.

Regia turris erat vocalibus addita muris,

in quibus auratam proles Letoia fertur

deposuisse lyram: saxo sonus eius inhaesit.

Saepe illuc solita est ascendere filia Nisi

et petere exiguo resonantia saxa lapillo,

tum cum pax esset: bello quoque saepe solebat

spectare ex illa rigidi certamina Martis.

Iamque mora belli procerum quoque nomina norat

armaque equosque habitusque Cydonaeasque pharetras.

Noverat ante alios faciem ducis Europaei,

plus etiam, quam nosse sat est. Hac iudice Minos,

seu caput abdiderat cristata casside pennis,

in galea formosus erat; seu sumpserat aere

fulgentem clipeum, clipeum sumpsisse decebat.

Torserat adductis hastilia lenta lacertis:

laudabat virgo iunctam cum viribus artem.

Imposito calamo patulos sinuaverat arcus:

sic Phoebum sumptis iurabat stare sagittis.

Cum vero faciem dempto nudaverat aere

purpureusque albi stratis insignia pictis

terga premebat equi spumantiaque ora regebat,

vix sua, vix sanae virgo Niseia compos

mentis erat. Felix iaculum, quod tangeret ille,

quaeque manu premeret, felicia frena vocabat.

Impetus est illi, liceat modo, ferre per agmen

virgineos hostile gradus, est impetus illi

turribus e summis in Gnosia mittere corpus

castra, vel aeratas hosti recludere portas,

vel siquid Minos aliud velit. Utque sedebat

candida Dictaei spectans tentoria regis,

“laeter,” ait “doleamne geri lacrimabile bellum,

in dubio est. Doleo, quod Minos hostis amanti est:

sed nisi bella forent, numquam mihi cognitus esset.

Me tamen accepta poterat deponere bellum

obside, me comitem, me pacis pignus haberet.

Si quae te peperit, talis, pulcherrime rerum,

qualis es ipsa fuit, merito deus arsit in illa.

O ego ter felix, si pennis lapsa per auras

Gnosiaci possem castris insistere regis

fassaque me flammasque meas, qua dote, rogarem,

vellet emi! tantum patrias ne posceret arces.

Nam pereant potius sperata cubilia, quam sim

proditione potens! — Quamvis saepe utile vinci

victoris placidi fecit clementia multis:

iusta gerit certe pro nato bella perempto

et causaque valet causamque tenentibus armis,

et, puto, vincemur. Quis enim manet exitus urbem,

cum suus haec illi reserabit moenia Mavors

et non noster amor? Melius sine caede moraque

impensaque sui poterit superare cruoris.

Non metuam certe, ne quis tua pectora, Minos,

vulneret imprudens. Quis enim tam durus, ut in te

dirigere inmitem non inscius audeat hastam?

Coepta placent, et stat sententia tradere mecum

dotalem patriam finemque imponere bello.

Verum velle parum est! Aditus custodia servat

claustraque portarum genitor tenet: hunc ego solum

infelix timeo, solus mea vota moratur.

Di facerent, sine patre forem! — Sibi quisque profecto

est deus: ignavis precibus Fortuna repugnat.

Altera iamdudum succensa cupidine tanto

perdere gauderet quodcumque obstaret amori.

Et cur ulla foret me fortior? Ire per ignes

et gladios ausim. Nec in hoc tamen ignibus ullis

aut gladiis opus est: opus est mihi crine paterno.

Illa mihi est auro pretiosior, illa beatam

purpura me votique mei factura potentem.”

Talia dicenti curarum maxima nutrix

nox intervenit, tenebrisque audacia crevit.

Prima quies aderat, qua curis fessa diurnis

pectora somnus habet: thalamos taciturna paternos

intrat et (heu facinus!) fatali nata parentem

crine suum spoliat praedaque potita nefanda

per medios hostes (meriti fiducia tanta est)

pervenit ad regem. Quem sic adfata paventem est:

“Suasit amor facinus. Proles ego regia Nisi

Scylla tibi trado patriaeque meosque penates.

Praemia nulla peto nisi te. Cape pignus amoris

purpureum crinem, nec me nunc tradere crinem,

sed patrium tibi crede caput.” Scelerataque dextra

munera porrexit. Minos porrecta refugit

turbatusque novi respondit imagine facti:

“Di te summoveant, o nostri infamia saecli,

orbe suo, tellusque tibi pontusque negetur.

Certe ego non patiar Iovis incunabula, Creten,

qui meus est orbis, tantum contingere monstrum.”

100

Dixit, et ut leges captis iustissimus auctor

hostibus imposuit, classis retinacula solvi

iussit et aeratas impelli remige puppes.

Scylla freto postquam deductas nare carinas

nec praestare ducem sceleris sibi praemia vidit,

105

consumptis precibus violentam transit in iram,

intendensque manus, passis furibunda capillis,

“quo fugis” exclamat, “meritorum auctore relicta,

o patriae praelate meae, praelate parenti?

Quo fugis, inmitis? cuius victoria nostrum

110

et scelus et meritum est. Nec te data munera, nec te

noster amor movit, nec quod spes omnis in unum

te mea congesta est? Nam quo deserta revertar?

In patriam? Superata iacet. Sed finge manere:

proditione mea clausa est mihi. Patris ad ora?

115

Quem tibi donavi! Cives odere merentem,

finitimi exemplum metuunt: exponimur orbae,

terrarum nobis ut Crete sola pateret.

Hac quoque si prohibes et nos, ingrate, relinquis,

non genetrix Europa tibi ea, sed inhospita Syrtis,

120

Armeniae tigres austroque agitata Charybdis.

Nec Iove tu natus, nec mater imagine tauri

ducta tua est (generis falsa est ea fabula !): verus

et ferus et captus nullius amore iuvencae,

qui te progenuit, taurus fuit. Exige poenas,

125

Nise pater! gaudete malis, modo prodita, nostris

moenia! nam fateor, merui et sum digna perire.

Sed tamen ex illis aliquis, quos impia laesi,

me perimat. Cur, qui vicisti crimine nostro,

insequeris crimen? Scelus hoc patriaeque patrique,

130

officium tibi sit. Te vere coniuge digna est,

quae torvum ligno decepit adultera taurum

discordemque utero fetum tulit. Ecquid ad aures

perveniunt mea dicta tuas? An inania venti

verba ferunt idemque tuas, ingrate, carinas?

135

Iam iam Pasiphaen non est mirabile taurum

praeposuisse tibi: tu plus feritatis habebas.

Me miseram! properare iubet, divulsaque remis

unda sonat; mecumque simul mea terra recedit.

Nil agis, o frustra meritorum oblite meorum:

140

insequar invitum, puppimque amplexa recurvam

per freta longa trahar.” Vix dixerat, insilit undis

consequiturque rates, faciente cupidine vires,

Gnosiacaeque haeret comes invidiosa carinae.

Quam pater ut vidit (nam iam pendebat in aura

145

et modo factus erat fulvis haliaeetus alis),

ibat, ut haerentem rostro laceraret adunco.

Illa metu puppim dimisit, et aura cadentem

sustinuisse levis, ne tangeret aequora, visa est.

Pluma fuit: plumis in avem mutata vocatur

150

ciris, et a tonso est hoc nomen adepta capillo.

152 Labyrinthus. Ariadnes corona.

Vota Iovi Minos taurorum corpora centum

solvit, ut egressus ratibus Curetida terram

contigit, spoliis decorata est regia fixis.

Creverat opprobrium generis, foedumque patebat

155

matris adulterium monstri novitate biformis.

Destinat hunc Minos thalamo removere pudorem

multiplicique domo caecisque includere tectis.

Daedalus ingenio fabrae celeberrimus artis

ponit opus turbatque notas et lumina flexu

160

ducit in errorem variarum ambage viarum.

Non secus ac liquidis Phrygius Maeandrus in undis

ludit et ambiguo lapsu refluitque fluitque

occurrensque sibi venturas adspicit undas,

et nunc ad fontes, nunc ad mare versus apertum

165

incertas exercet aquas: ita Daedalus implet

innumeras errore vias. Vixque ipse reverti

ad limen potuit: tanta est fallacia tecti.

Quo postquam geminam tauri iuvenisque figuram

clausit, et Actaeo bis pastum sanguine monstrum

170

tertia sors annis domuit repetita novenis,

utque ope virginea nullis iterata priorum

ianua difficilis filo est inventa relecto,

protinus Aegides rapta Minoide Diam

vela dedit comitemque suam crudelis in illo

175

litore destituit. Desertae et multa querenti

amplexus et opem Liber tulit; utque perenni

sidere clara foret, sumptam de fronte coronam

inmisit caelo. Tenues volat illa per auras

dumque volat, gemmae nitidos vertuntur in ignes

180

consistuntque loco specie remanente coronae,

qui medius Nixique genu est anguemque tenentis.

183 Daedalus et Icarus. Perdix.

Daedalus interea Creten longumque perosus

exsilium tactusque loci natalis amore

clausus erat pelago. “Terras licet” inquit “et undas

185

obstruat: at caelum certe patet; ibimus illac.

Omnia possideat, non possidet aera Minos.”

Dixit et ignotas animum dimittit in artes

naturamque novat. Nam ponit in ordine pennas,

a minima coeptas, longam breviore sequenti,

190

ut clivo crevisse putes. Sic rustica quondam

fistula disparibus paulatim surgit avenis.

Tum lino medias et ceris adligat imas,

atque ita compositas parvo curvamine flectit,

ut veras imitetur aves. Puer Icarus una

195

stabat et, ignarus sua se tractare pericla,

ore renidenti modo, quas vaga moverat aura,

captabat plumas, flavam modo pollice ceram

mollibat lusuque suo mirabile patris

impediebat opus. Postquam manus ultima coepto

200

imposita est, geminas opifex libravit in alas

ipse suum corpus motaque pependit in aura.

Instruit et natum “medio” que “ut limite curras,

Icare,” ait “moneo, ne, si demissior ibis,

unda gravet pennas, si celsior, ignis adurat.

205

Inter utrumque vola. Nec te spectare Booten

aut Helicen iubeo strictumque Orionis ensem:

me duce carpe viam.” Pariter praecepta volandi

tradit et ignotas umeris accommodat alas.

Inter opus monitusque genae maduere seniles,

210

et patriae tremuere manus. Dedit oscula nato

non iterum repetenda suo, pennisque levatus

ante volat comitique timet, velut ales, ab alto

quae teneram prolem produxit in aera nido,

hortaturque sequi damnosasque erudit artes

215

et movet ipse suas et nati respicit alas.

Hos aliquis tremula dum captat harundine pisces,

aut pastor baculo stivave innixus arator

vidit et obstipuit, quique aethera carpere possent

credidit esse deos. Et iam Iunonia laeva

220

parte Samos (fuerant Delosque Parosque relictae),

dextra Lebinthos erat fecundaque melle Calymne,

cum puer audaci coepit gaudere volatu

deseruitque ducem caelique cupidine tractus

altius egit iter. Rapidi vicinia solis

225

mollit odoratas, pennarum vincula, ceras.

Tabuerant cerae: nudos quatit ille lacertos,

remigioque carens non ullas percipit auras,

oraque caerulea patrium clamantia nomen

excipiuntur aqua: quae nomen traxit ab illo.

230

At pater infelix, nec iam pater, “Icare,” dixit,

“Icare,” dixit “ubi es? qua te regione requiram?”

“Icare” dicebat: pennas adspexit in undis

devovitque suas artes corpusque sepulcro

condidit, et tellus a nomine dicta sepulti.

235

Hunc miseri tumulo ponentem corpora nati

garrula limoso prospexit ab elice perdix

et plausit pennis testataque gaudia cantu est:

unica tunc volucris nec visa prioribus annis,

factaque nuper avis, longum tibi, Daedale, crimen.

240

Namque huic tradiderat, fatorum ignara, docendam

progeniem germana suam, natalibus actis

bis puerum senis, animi ad praecepta capacis.

Ille etiam medio spinas in pisce notatas

traxit in exemplum ferroque incidit acuto

245

perpetuos dentes et serrae repperit usum.

Primus et ex uno duo ferrea bracchia nodo

vinxit, ut aequali spatio distantibus illis

altera pars staret, pars altera duceret orbem.

Daedalus invidit sacraque ex arce Minervae

250

praecipitem misit, lapsum mentitus. At illum

quae favet ingeniis excepit Pallas avemque

reddidit et medio velavit in aere pennis.

Sed vigor ingenii quondam velocis in alas

inque pedes abiit: nomen quod et ante remansit.

255

Non tamen haec alte volucris sua corpora tollit,

nec facit in ramis altoque cacumine nidos:

propter humum volitat ponitque in saepibus ova

antiquique memor metuit sublimia casus.

260 Aper Calydonius. Meleager.

Iamque fatigatum tellus Aetnaea tenebat

260

Daedalon, et sumptis pro supplice Cocalus armis

mitis habebatur, ATALANTA AND MELEAGER iam lamentabile Athenae

pendere desierant Thesea laude tributum.

Templa coronantur, bellatricemque Minervam

cum Iove disque vocant aliis, quos sanguine voto

265

muneribusque datis et acerris turis honorant.

Sparserat Argolicas nomen vaga fama per urbes

Theseos, et populi, quos dives Achaia cepit,

huius opem magnis imploravere periclis.

Huius opem Calydon, quamvis Meleagron haberet,

270

sollicita supplex petiit prece. Causa petendi

sus erat, infestae famulus vindexque Dianae.

Oenea namque ferunt pleni successibus anni

primitias frugum Cereri, sua vina Lyaeo,

Palladios flavae latices libasse Minervae.

275

Coeptus ab agricolis superos pervenit ad omnes

ambitiosus honor; solas sine ture relictas

praeteritae cessasse ferunt Latoidos aras.

Tangit et ira deos. “At non impune feremus,

quaeque inhonoratae, non et dicemur inultae”

280

inquit, et Oeneos ultorem spreta per agros

misit aprum, quanto maiores herbida tauros

non habet Epiros, sed habent Sicula arva minores.

Sanguine et igne micant oculi, riget horrida cervix,

fervida cum rauco latos stridore per armos

spuma fluit, dentes aequantur dentibus Indis,

fulmen ab ore venit, frondes adflatibus ardent.

Is modo crescentes segetes proculcat in herba,

290

nunc matura metit fleturi vota coloni

et Cererem in spicis intercipit. Area frustra

et frustra exspectant promissas horrea messes.

Sternuntur gravidi longo cum palmite fetus

bacaque cum ramis semper frondentis olivae.

295

Saevit et in pecudes: non has pastorve canisve,

non armenta truces possunt defendere tauri.

Diffugiunt populi nec se nisi moenibus urbis

esse putant tutos, donec Meleagros et una

lecta manus iuvenum coiere cupidine laudis:

300

Tyndaridae gemini, spectatus caestibus alter,

alter equo, primaeque ratis molitor Iason,

et cum Pirithoo, felix concordia, Theseus;

et duo Thestiadae prolesque Aphareia, Lynceus

et velox Idas, et iam non femina Caeneus

305

Leucippusque ferox iaculoque insignis Acastus

Hippothousque Dryasque et cretus Amyntore Phoenix,

Actoridaeque pares et missus ab Elide Phyleus.

Nec Telamon aberat magnique creator Achillis

cumque Pheretiade et Hyanteo Iolao

310

impiger Eurytion, et cursu invictus Echion,

Naryciusque Lelex Panopeusque Hyleusque feroxque

Hippasus et primis etiamnum Nestor in annis,

et quos Hippocoon antiquis misit Amyclis,

Penelopaeque socer cum Parrhasio Ancaeo,

315

Ampycidesque sagax et adhuc a coniuge tutus

Oeclides, nemorisque decus Tegeaea Lycaei.

Rasilis huic summam mordebat fibula vestem,

crinis erat simplex, nodum conlectus in unum.

Ex umero pendens resonabat eburnea laevo

320

telorum custos, arcum quoque laeva tenebat.

Talis erat cultu; facies, quam dicere vere

virgineam in puero, puerilem in virgine possis.

Hanc pariter vidit, pariter Calydonius heros

optavit renuente deo flammasque latentes

325

hausit et “o felix, siquem dignabitur” inquit

“ista virum.” Nec plura sinit tempusque pudorque

dicere: maius opus magni certaminis urget.

Silva frequens trabibus, quam nulla ceciderat aetas,

incipit a plano devexaque prospicit arva.

330

Quo postquam venere viri, pars retia tendunt,

vincula pars adimunt canibus, pars pressa sequuntur

signa pedum cupiuntque suum reperire periclum.

Concava vallis erat, quo se demittere rivi

adsuerant pluvialis aquae: tenet ima lacunae

335

lenta salix ulvaeque leves iuncique palustres

viminaque et longa parvae sub harundine cannae.

Hinc aper excitus medios violentus in hostes

fertur, ut excussis elisi nubibus ignes.

Sternitur incursu nemus et propulsa fragorem

340

silva dat. Exclamant iuvenes praetentaque forti

tela tenent dextra lato vibrantia ferro.

Ille ruit spargitque canes, ut quisque furenti

obstat, et obliquo latrantes dissipat ictu.

Cuspis Echionio primum contorta lacerto

345

vana fuit truncoque dedit leve vulnus acerno.

Proxima, si nimiis mittentis viribus usa

non foret, in tergo visa est haesura petito:

longius it. Auctor teli Pagasaeus Iason.

“Phoebe,” ait Ampycides “si te coluique coloque,

350

da mihi quod petitur certo contingere telo!”

Qua potuit, precibus deus adnuit: ictus ab illo est,

sed sine vulnere, aper; ferrum Diana volanti

abstulerat iaculo: lignum sine acumine venit.

Ira feri mota est, nec fulmine lenius arsit:

355

emicat ex oculis, spirat quoque pectore flamma.

Utque volat moles adducto concita nervo,

cum petit aut muros aut plenas milite turres,

in iuvenes certo sic impete vulnificus sus

fertur et Hippalmon Pelagonaque, dextra tuentes

360

cornua, prosternit; socii rapuere iacentes.

At non letiferos effugit Enaesimus ictus,

Hippocoonte satus: trepidantem et terga parantem

vertere succiso liquerunt poplite nervi.

365

Forsitan et Pylius citra Troiana perisset

365

tempora: sed sumpto posita conamine ab hasta

arboris insiluit, quae stabat proxima, ramis

despexitque, loco tutus, quem fugerat hostem.

Dentibus ille ferox in querno stipite tritis

inminet exitio fidensque recentibus armis

370

Eurytidae magni rostro femur hausit adunco.

At gemini, nondum caelestia sidera, fratres,

ambo conspicui, nive candidioribus ambo

vectabantur equis, ambo vibrata per auras

hastarum tremulo quatiebant spicula motu.

375

Vulnera fecissent, nisi saetiger inter opacas

nec iaculis isset nec equo loca pervia silvas.

Persequitur Telamon studioque incautus eundi

pronus ab arborea cecidit radice retentus.

Dum levat hunc Peleus, celerem Tegeaea sagittam

380

imposuit nervo sinuatoque expulit arcu.

Fixa sub aure feri summum destrinxit harundo

corpus et exiguo rubefecit sanguine saetas.

Nec tamen illa sui successu laetior ictus,

quam Meleagros erat. Primus vidisse putatur

385

et primus sociis visum ostendisse cruorem

et “meritum” dixisse “feres virtutis honorem.”

Erubuere viri seque exhortantur et addunt

cum clamore animos iaciuntque sine ordine tela:

turba nocet iactis et, quos petit, impedit ictus.

390

Ecce furens contra sua fata bipennifer Arcas

“discite, femineis quid tela virilia praestent,

o iuvenes, operique meo concedite!” dixit.

“Ipsa suis licet hunc Latonia protegat armis,

invita tamen hunc perimet mea dextra Diana.”

395

Talia magniloquo tumidus memoraverat ore

ancipitemque manu tollens utraque securim

institerat digitis, primos suspensus in artus.

Occupat audentem, quaque est via proxima leto,

summa ferus geminos direxit ad inguina dentes.

400

Concidit Ancaeus glomerataque sanguine multo

viscera lapsa fluunt: madefacta est terra cruore.

Ibat in adversum proles Ixionis hostem

Pirithous valida quatiens venabula dextra.

Cui “procul” Aegides “o me mihi carior” inquit

405

“pars animae consiste meae! licet eminus esse

fortibus: Ancaeo nocuit temeraria virtus.”

Dixit et aerata torsit grave cuspide cornum.

Quo bene librato votique potente futuro,

obstitit abscisa frondosus ab arbore ramus.

410

Misit et Aesonides iaculum: quod casus ab illo

vertit in inmeriti fatum latrantis et inter

ilia coniectum tellure per ilia fixum est.

At manus Oenidae variat, missisque duabus

hasta prior terra, medio stetit altera tergo.

415

Nec mora, dum saevit, dum corpora versat in orbem

stridentemque novo spumam cum sanguine fundit,

vulneris auctor adest hostemque inritat ad iram

splendidaque adversos venabula condit in armos.

Gaudia testantur socii clamore secundo

420

victricemque petunt dextrae coniungere dextram

inmanemque ferum multa tellure iacentem

mirantes spectant, neque adhuc contingere tutum

esse putant; sed tela tamen sua quisque cruentat.

Ipse pede imposito caput exitiabile pressit

425

atque ita “sume mei spolium, Nonacria, iuris,”

dixit “et in partem veniat mea gloria tecum.”

Protinus exuvias rigidis horrentia saetis

terga dat et magnis insignia dentibus ora.

Illi laetitiae est cum munere muneris auctor:

430

invidere alii, totoque erat agmine murmur.

E quibus ingenti tendentes bracchia voce

“pone age nec titulos intercipe, femina, nostros,”

Thestiadae clamant “nec te fiducia formae

decipiat, ne sit longe tibi captus amore

435

auctor” et huic adimunt munus, ius muneris illi.

Non tulit et tumida frendens Mavortius ira

“discite, raptores alieni” dixit “honoris,

facta minis quantum distent,” hausitque nefando

pectora Plexippi nil tale timentia ferro.

440

Toxea, quid faciat, dubium pariterque volentem

ulcisci fratrem fraternaque fata timentem

haud patitur dubitare diu calidumque priori

caede recalfecit consorti sanguine telum.

ALTHAEA AND THE DEATH OF MELEAGER

Dona deum templis nato victore ferebat,

445

cum videt exstinctos fratres Althaea referri.

Quae plangore dato maestis clamoribus urbem

implet et auratis mutavit vestibus atras.

At simul est auctor necis editus, excidit omnis

luctus et a lacrimis in poenae versus amorem est.

450

451

Stipes erat, quem, cum partus enixa iaceret

Thestias, in flammam triplices posuere sorores;

staminaque impresso fatalia pollice nentes

“tempora” dixerunt “eadem lignoque tibique,

o modo nate, damus.” Quo postquam carmine dicto

455

excessere deae, flagrantem mater ab igne

eripuit ramum sparsitque liquentibus undis.

Ille diu fuerat penetralibus abditus imis

servatusque tuos, iuvenis, servaverat annos.

Protulit hunc genetrix taedasque et fragmina poni

460

imperat et positis inimicos admovet ignes.

Tum conata quater flammis imponere ramum,

coepta quater tenuit. Pugnant materque sororque,

et diversa trahunt unum duo nomina pectus.

Saepe metu sceleris pallebant ora futuri,

465

saepe suum fervens oculis dabat ira ruborem.

Et modo nescio quid similis crudele minanti

vultus erat, modo quem misereri credere posses.

Cumque ferus lacrimas animi siccaverat ardor,

inveniebantur lacrimae tamen. Utque carina,

470

quam ventus ventoque rapit contrarius aestus,

vim geminam sentit paretque incerta duobus:

Thestias haud aliter dubiis adfectibus errat

inque vices ponit positamque resuscitat iram.

Incipit esse tamen melior germana parente,

475

et consanguineas ut sanguine leniat umbras,

impietate pia est. Nam postquam pestifer ignis

convaluit, “rogus iste cremet mea viscera” dixit.

Utque manu dira lignum fatale tenebat,

ante sepulcrales infelix adstitit aras

480

“poenarum” que “deae triplices, furialibus,” inquit,

“Eumenides, sacris vultus advertite vestros.

Ulciscor facioque nefas: mors morte pianda est,

in scelus addendum scelus est, in funera funus.

Per coacervatos pereat domus impia luctus.

485

An felix Oeneus nato victore fruetur,

Thestius orbus erit? Melius lugebitis ambo.

Vos modo, fraterni manes animaeque recentes,

officium sentite meum magnoque paratas

accipite inferias, uteri mala pignera nostri! —

490

Ei mihi! quo rapior? Fratres, ignoscite matri.

Deficiunt ad coepta manus. Meruisse fatemur

illum, cur pereat: mortis mihi displicet auctor. —

Ergo impune feret, vivusque et victor et ipso

successu tumidus regnum Calydonis habebit:

495

vos cinis exiguus gelidaeque iacebitis umbrae?

Haud equidem patiar. Pereat sceleratus et ille

spemque patris regnumque trahat patriaeque ruinam.

Mens ubi materna est? Ubi sunt pia iura parentum

et quos sustinui bis mensum quinque labores?

500

O utinam primis arsisses ignibus infans,

idque ego passa forem! Vixisti munere nostro:

nunc merito moriere tuo. Cape praemia facti

bisque datam, primum partu, mox stipite rapto,

redde animam — vel me fraternis adde sepulcris!

505

Et cupio et nequeo. Quid agam? modo vulnera fratrum

ante oculos mihi sunt et tantae caedis imago,

nunc animum pietas maternaque nomina frangunt. —

Me miseram! male vincetis, sed vincite, fratres:

dummodo quae dedero vobis solacia vosque

510

ipsa sequar.” Dixit, dextraque aversa trementi

funereum torrem medios coniecit in ignes.

Aut dedit aut visus gemitus est ipse dedisse

stipes, ut invitis correptus ab ignibus arsit.

Inscius atque absens flamma Meleagros ab illa

515

uritur et caecis torreri viscera sentit

ignibus ac magnos superat virtute dolores.

Quod tamen ignavo cadat et sine sanguine leto,

maeret et Ancaei felicia vulnera dicit

grandaevumque patrem fratresque piasque sorores

520

cum gemitu sociamque tori vocat ore supremo,

forsitan et matrem. Crescunt ignisque dolorque

languescuntque iterum: simul est exstinctus uterque,

inque leves abiit paulatim spiritus auras

paulatim cana prunam velante favilla.

525

Alta iacet Calydon: lugent iuvenesque senesque,

vulgusque proceresque gemunt, scissaeque capillos

planguntur matres Calydonides Eueninae.

Pulvere canitiem genitor vultusque seniles

foedat humi fusus spatiosumque increpat aevum.

530

Nam de matre manus diri sibi conscia facti

exegit poenas acto per viscera ferro.

Non mihi si centum deus ora sonantia linguis

ingeniumque capax totumque Helicona dedisset,

tristia persequerer miserarum dicta sororum.

535

Inmemores decoris liventia pectora tundunt,

dumque manet corpus, corpus refoventque foventque,

oscula dant ipsi, posito dant oscula lecto.

Post cinerem cineres haustos ad pectora pressant,

adfusaeque iacent tumulo signataque saxo

540

nomina complexae lacrimas in nomina fundunt.

Quas Parthaoniae tandem Latonia clade

exsatiata domus praeter Gorgenque nurumque

nobilis Alcmenae natis in corpore pennis

adlevat et longas per bracchia porrigit alas

545

corneaque ora facit versasque per aera mittit.

547 Theseus apud Acheloum. Perimele.

Interea Theseus sociati parte laboris

functus Erechtheas Tritonidos ibat ad arces.

Clausit iter fecitque moras Achelous eunti

imbre tumens. “Succede meis,” ait “inclite, tectis,

550

Cecropida, nec te committe rapacibus undis:

ferre trabes solidas obliquaque volvere magno

murmure saxa solent. Vidi contermina ripae

cum gregibus stabula alta trahi: nec fortibus illic

profuit armentis, nec equis velocibus esse.

555

Multa quoque hic torrens nivibus de monte solutis

corpora turbineo iuvenalia flumine mersit.

Tutior est requies, solito dum flumina currant

limite, dum tenues capiat suus alveus undas.”

Adnuit Aegides, “utar” que “Acheloe, domoque

560

consilioque tuo” respondit; et usus utroque est.

Pumice multicavo nec levibus atria tophis

structa subit: molli tellus erat umida musco,

summa lacunabant alterno murice conchae.

Iamque duas lucis partes Hyperione menso

565

discubuere toris Theseus comitesque laborum:

hac Ixionides, illa Troezenius heros

parte Lelex, raris iam sparsus tempora canis,

quosque alios parili fuerat dignatus honore

amnis Acarnanum, laetissimus hospite tanto.

570

Protinus adpositas nudae vestigia nymphae

instruxere epulis mensas dapibusque remotis

in gemma posuere merum. Tum maximus heros,

aequora prospiciens oculis subiecta, “quis” inquit

“ille locus?” digitoque ostendit, “et insula nomen

575

quod gerit illa, doce: quamquam non una videtur.”

Amnis ad haec “non est” inquit “quod cernitis, unum:

quinque iacent terrae: spatium discrimina fallit.

Quoque minus spretae factum mirere Dianae,

naides hae fuerant. Quae cum bis quinque iuvencos

580

mactassent rurisque deos ad sacra vocassent,

inmemores nostri festas duxere choreas.

Intumui, quantusque feror, cum plurimus umquam,

tantus eram, pariterque animis inmanis et undis

a silvis silvas et ab arvis arva revelli

585

cumque loco nymphas, memores tum denique nostri,

in freta provolvi. Fluctus nosterque marisque

continuam diduxit humum partesque resolvit

in totidem, mediis quot cernis Echinadas undis.

Ut tamen ipse vides, procul en procul una recessit

590

insula, grata mihi; Perimelen navita dicit.

Huic ego virgineum dilectae nomen ademi.

Quod pater Hippodamas aegre tulit inque profundum

propulit e scopulo periturae corpora natae.

Excepi nantemque ferens “o proxima mundi

595

regna vagae” dixi “sortite, tridentifer, undae,

adfer opem mersaeque precor, feritate paterna

da, Neptune, locum; vel sit locus ipsa licebit.”

Dum loquor, amplexa est artus nova terra natantes,

et gravis increvit mutatis insula membris.

610

611 Philemon et Baucis.

Amnis ab his tacuit. Factum mirabile cunctos

moverat: inridet credentes, utque deorum

spretor erat mentisque ferox, Ixione natus

“ficta refers nimiumque putas Acheloe potentes

esse deos” dixit, “si dant adimuntque figuras.”

615

Obstipuere omnes nec talia dicta probarunt,

ante omnesque Lelex, animo maturus et aevo,

sic ait: “Inmensa est finemque potentia caeli

non habet, et quidquid superi voluere, peractum est.

Quoque minus dubites, tiliae contermina quercus

620

collibus est Phrygiis modico circumdata muro.

Ipse locum vidi; nam me Pelopeia Pittheus

misit in arva, suo quondam regnata parenti.

Haud procul hinc stagnum est, tellus habitabilis olim,

nunc celebres mergis fulicisque palustribus undae.

625

Iuppiter huc specie mortali cumque parente

venit Atlantiades positis caducifer alis.

Mille domos adiere locum requiemque petentes,

mille domos clausere serae. Tamen una recepit,

parva quidem, stipulis et canna tecta palustri;

630

sed pia Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon

illa sunt annis iuncti iuvenalibus, illa

consenuere casa paupertatemque fatendo

effecere levem nec iniqua mente ferendo.

Nec refert, dominos illic famulosne requiras:

635

tota domus duo sunt, idem parentque iubentque.

Ergo ubi caelicolae parvos tetigere penates

submissoque humiles intrarunt vertice postes,

membra senex posito iussit relevare sedili,

quo superiniecit textum rude sedula Baucis.

640

Inque foco tepidum cinerem dimovit et ignes

suscitat hesternos foliisque et cortice sicco

nutrit et ad flammas anima producit anili.

Multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto

detulit et minuit parvoque admovit aeno.

645

Quodque suus coniunx riguo conlegerat horto,

truncat holus foliis; furca levat illa bicorni

sordida terga suis nigro pendentia tigno

servatoque diu resecat de tergore partem

exiguam sectamque domat ferventibus undis.

650

Interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas

⁴

concutiuntque torum de molli fluminis ulva

655

impositum lecto sponda pedibusque salignis.

Vestibus hunc velant, quas non nisi tempore festo

sternere consuerant: sed et haec vilisque vetusque

vestis erat, lecto non indignanda saligno.

Accubuere dei. Mensam succincta tremensque

660

ponit anus, mensae sed erat pes tertius impar.

Testa parem fecit. Quae postquam subdita clivum

sustulit, aequatam mentae tersere virentes.

Ponitur hic bicolor sincerae baca Minervae

conditaque in liquida corna autumnalia faece

665

intibaque et radix et lactis massa coacti

ovaque non acri leviter versata favilla,

omnia fictilibus. Post haec caelatus eodem

sistitur argento crater fabricataque fago

pocula, qua cava sunt, flaventibus inlita ceris.

670

Parva mora est, epulasque foci misere calentes,

nec longae rursus referuntur vina senectae

dantque locum mensis paulum seducta secundis.

Hic nux, hic mixta est rugosis carica palmis

prunaque et in patulis redolentia mala canistris

675

et de purpureis conlectae vitibus uvae.

Candidus in medio favus est. Super omnia vultus

accessere boni nec iners pauperque voluntas.

Interea totiens haustum cratera repleri

sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina:

680

attoniti novitate pavent manibusque supinis

concipiunt Baucisque preces timidusque Philemon

et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant.

Unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae:

quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant.

685

Ille celer penna tardos aetate fatigat

eluditque diu tandemque est visus ad ipsos

confugisse deos. Superi vetuere necari

“di” que “sumus, meritasque luet vicinia poenas

impia” dixerunt; “vobis inmunibus huius

690

esse mali dabitur. Modo vestra relinquite tecta

ac nostros comitate gradus et in ardua montis

ite simul.” Parent ambo baculisque levati

nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.

Tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta

695

missa potest: flexere oculos et mersa palude

cetera prospiciunt, tantum sua tecta manere.

Dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum,

illa vetus, dominis etiam casa parva duobus

vertitur in templum: furcas subiere columnae,

700

stramina flavescunt, aurataque tecta videntur

caelataeque fores adopertaque marmore tellus.

Talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore:

“Dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto

digna, quid optetis.” Cum Baucide pauca locutus

705

iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon:

“Esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri

poscimus; et quoniam concordes egimus annos,

auferat hora duos eadem, ne coniugis umquam

busta meae videam neu sim tumulandus ab illa.”

710

Vota fides sequitur. Templi tutela fuere,

donec vita data est. Annis aevoque soluti

ante gradus sacros cum starent forte locique

narrarent casus, frondere Philemona Baucis,

Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon

715

Iamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus

mutua, dum licuit reddebant dicta “vale” que

“o coniunx” dixere simul, simul abdita texit

ora frutex. Ostendit adhuc Thyneius illic

incola de gemino vicinos corpore truncos.

720

Haec mihi non vani (neque erat cur fallere vellent)

narravere senes: equidem pendentia vidi

serta super ramos, ponensque recentia dixi

“cura deum di sint, et qui coluere colantur.””

725 Erysichthon. Fames.

Desierat cunctosque et res et moverat auctor,

725

Thesea praecipue. Quem facta audire volentem

mira deum, innixus cubito Calydonius amnis

talibus adloquitur: “Sunt, o fortissime, quorum

forma semel mota est et in hoc renovamine mansit,

sunt, quibus in plures ius est transire figuras,

730

ut tibi, complexi terram maris incola, Proteu.

Nam modo te iuvenem, modo te videre leonem;

nunc violentus aper, nunc, quem tetigisse timerent,

anguis eras, modo te faciebant cornua taurum.

Saepe lapis poteras, arbor quoque saepe videri;

735

interdum, faciem liquidarum imitatus aquarum,

flumen eras, interdum undis contrarius ignis.

ERYSICHTHON AND MESTRA

Nec minus Autolyci coniunx, Erysichthone nata,

iuris habet. Pater huius erat, qui numina divum

sperneret et nullos aris adoleret odores.

740

Ille etiam Cereale nemus violasse securi

dicitur et lucos ferro temerasse vetustos.

Stabat in his ingens annoso robore quercus,

una nemus; vittae mediam memoresque tabellae

sertaque cingebant, voti argumenta potentis.

745

Saepe sub hac dryades festas duxere choreas,

saepe etiam manibus nexis ex ordine trunci

circuiere modum, mensuraque roboris ulnas

quinque ter implebat. Nec non et cetera tantum

silva sub hac, silva quantum fuit herba sub omni.

750

Non tamen idcirco ferrum Triopeius illa

abstinuit famulosque iubet succidere sacrum

robur; et ut iussos cunctari vidit, ab uno

edidit haec rapta sceleratus verba securi:

“Non dilecta deae solum, sed et ipsa licebit

755

sit dea, iam tanget frondente cacumine terram.”

Dixit, et obliquos dum telum librat in ictus,

contremuit gemitumque dedit Deoia quercus:

et pariter frondes, pariter pallescere glandes

coepere ac longi pallorem ducere rami.

760

Cuius ut in trunco fecit manus impia vulnus,

haud aliter fluxit discusso cortice sanguis,

quam solet, ante aras ingens ubi victima taurus

concidit, abrupta cruor e cervice profundi.

Obstipuere omnes, aliquisque ex omnibus audet

765

deterrere nefas saevamque inhibere bipennem.

Adspicit hunc “mentis” que “piae cape praemia!” dixit

Thessalus, inque virum convertit ab arbore ferrum

detruncatque caput repetitaque robora caedit,

redditus et medio sonus est de robore talis:

770

“Nympha sub hoc ego sum Cereri gratissima ligno,

quae tibi factorum poenas instare tuorum

vaticinor moriens, nostri solacia leti.”

Persequitur scelus ille suum, labefactaque tandem

ictibus innumeris adductaque funibus arbor

775

corruit et multam prostravit pondere silvam.

Attonitae dryades damno nemorumque suoque,

omnes germanae, Cererem cum vestibus atris

maerentes adeunt poenamque Erysichthonis orant.

Adnuit his capitisque sui pulcherrima motu

780

concussit gravidis oneratos messibus agros.

Moliturque genus poenae miserabile, si non

ille suis esset nulli miserabilis actis,

pestifera lacerare Fame. Quae quatenus ipsi

non adeunda deae est (neque enim Cereremque Famemque

785

fata coire sinunt), montani numinis unam

talibus agrestem compellat oreada dictis:

“Est locus extremis Scythiae glacialis in oris,

triste solum, sterilis, sine fruge, sine arbore tellus;

Frigus iners illic habitant Pallorque Tremorque

790

et ieiuna Fames. Ea se in praecordia condat

sacrilegi scelerata iube; nec copia rerum

vincat eam, superetque meas certamine vires.

Neve viae spatium te terreat, accipe currus,

accipe quos frenis alte moderere dracones.”

795

796

Et dedit. Illa dato subvecta per aera curru

devenit in Scythiam rigidique cacumine montis

(Caucason appellant) serpentum colla levavit

quaesitamque Famem lapidoso vidit in agro

unguibus et raras vellentem dentibus herbas.

800

Hirtus erat crinis, cava lumina, pallor in ore,

labra incana situ, scabrae rubigine fauces,

dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent;

ossa sub incurvis exstabant arida lumbis,

ventris erat pro ventre locus, pendere putares

805

pectus et a spinae tantummodo crate teneri.

Auxerat articulos macies, genuumque tumebat

orbis, et inmodico prodibant tubere tali.

Hanc procul ut vidit (neque enim est accedere iuxta

ausa), refert mandata deae: paulumque morata,

810

quamquam aberat longe, quamquam modo venerat illuc,

visa tamen sensisse famem retroque dracones

egit in Haemoniam, versis sublimis habenis.

Dicta Fames Cereris, quamvis contraria semper

illius est operi, peragit. Perque aera vento

815

ad iussam delata domum est et protinus intrat

sacrilegi thalamos altoque sopore solutum

(noctis enim tempus) geminis amplectitur ulnis:

seque viro inspirat faucesque et pectus et ora

adflat et in vacuis spargit ieiunia venis.

820

Functaque mandato fecundum deserit orbem

inque domos inopes adsueta revertitur antra.

Lenis adhuc somnus placidis Erysichthona pennis

mulcebat: petit ille dapes sub imagine somni

oraque vana movet dentemque in dente fatigat

825

exercetque cibo delusum guttur inani

proque epulis tenues nequiquam devorat auras.

Ut vero est expulsa quies, furit ardor edendi

perque avidas fauces incensaque viscera regnat.

Nec mora, quod pontus, quod terra, quod educat aer,

830

poscit et adpositis queritur ieiunia mensis

inque epulis epulas quaerit; quodque urbibus esse

quodque satis poterat populo, non sufficit uni,

plusque cupit, quo plura suam demittit in alvum.

Utque fretum recipit de tota flumina terra

835

nec satiatur aquis peregrinosque ebibit amnes,

utque rapax ignis non umquam alimenta recusat

innumerasque faces cremat et, quo copia maior

est data, plura petit turbaque voracior ipsa est:

sic epulas omnes Erysichthonis ora profani

840

accipiunt poscuntque simul. Cibus omnis in illo

causa cibi est, semperque locus fit inanis edendo.

Iamque fame patrias altaque voragine ventris

attenuarat opes, sed inattenuata manebat

tum quoque dira fames, implacataeque vigebat

845

flamma gulae. Tandem, demisso in viscera censu,

filia restabat, non illo digna parente.

Hanc quoque vendit inops. Dominum generosa recusat

et vicina suas tendens super aequora palmas

“eripe me domino; qui raptae praemia nobis

850

virginitatis habes” ait. Haec Neptunus habebat.

Qui prece non spreta, quamvis modo visa sequenti

esset ero, formamque novat vultumque virilem

induit et cultus piscem capientibus aptos.

Hanc dominus spectans “o qui pendentia parvo

855

aera cibo celas, moderator harundinis,” inquit

“sic mare compositum, sic sit tibi piscis in unda

credulus et nullos, nisi fixus, sentiat hamos:

quae modo cum vili turbatis veste capillis

litore in hoc steterat (nam stantem in litore vidi),

860

dic ubi sit: neque enim vestigia longius exstant.”

Illa dei munus bene cedere sensit et a se

se quaeri gaudens, his est resecuta rogantem:

“Quisquis es, ignoscas; in nullam lumina partem

gurgite ab hoc flexi studioque operatus inhaesi.

865

Quoque minus dubites, sic has deus aequoris artes

adiuvet, ut nemo iamdudum litore in isto,

me tamen excepto, nec femina constitit ulla.”

Credidit et verso dominus pede pressit harenam

elususque abiit: illi sua reddita forma est.

870

Ast ubi habere suam transformia corpora sensit,

saepe pater dominis Triopeida tradit. At illa

nunc equa, nunc ales, modo bos, modo cervus abibat

praebebatque avido non iusta alimenta parenti.

Vis tamen illa mali postquam consumpserat omnem

875

materiam dederatque gravi nova pabula morbo,

ipse suos artus lacero divellere morsu

coepit et infelix minuendo corpus alebat.

Quid moror externis? Etiam mihi nempe novandi est

corporis, o iuvenis, numero finita potestas.

880

Nam modo qui nunc sum videor, modo flector in anguem,

armenti modo dux vires in cornua sumo, —

cornua, dum potui! nunc pars caret altera telo

frontis, ut ipse vides.” Gemitus sunt verba secuti.

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.) — 8 focus

Book 8

Nisus et Scylla. KING MINOS AND SCYLLA

Now Lucifer unveiled the glorious day,

and as the session of the night dissolved,

the cool east wind declined, and vapors wreathed

the moistened valleys. Veering to the south

the welcome wind gave passage to the sons

of Aeacus, and wafted Cephalus

on his returning way, propitious; where

before the wonted hour, they entered port.

King Minos, while the fair wind moved their ship,

was laying waste the land of Megara .

He gathered a great army round the walls

built by Alcathous, where reigned in splendor

King Nisus—mighty and renowned in war—

upon the center of whose hoary head

a lock of purple hair was growing.—Its

proved virtue gave protection to his throne.

Six times the horns of rising Phoebe grew,

and still the changing fortune of the war

was in suspense; so, Victory day by day

between them hovered on uncertain wings.

Within that city was a regal tower

on tuneful walls; where once Apollo laid

his golden harp; and in the throbbing stone

the sounds remained. And there, in times of peace

the daughter of king Nisus loved to mount

the walls and strike the sounding stone with pebbles:

so, when the war began, she often viewed

the dreadful contest from that height;

until, so long the hostile camp remained,

she had become acquainted with the names,

and knew the habits, horses and the arms

of many a chief, and could discern the signs

of their Cydonean quivers.

More than all,

the features of King Minos were engraved

upon the tablets of her mind. And when

he wore his helmet, crested with gay plumes,

she deemed it glorious; when he held his shield

shining with gold, no other seemed so grand;

and when he poised to hurl the tough spear home,

she praised his skill and strength; and when he bent

his curving bow with arrow on the cord,

she pictured him as Phoebus taking aim,—

but when, arrayed in purple, and upon

the back of his white war horse, proudly decked

with richly broidered housings, he reined in

the nervous steed, and took his helmet off,

showing his fearless features, then the maid,

daughter of Nisus, could control herself

no longer; and a frenzy seized her mind.

She called the javelin happy which he touched,

and blessed were the reins within his hand.

She had an impulse to direct her steps,

a tender virgin, through the hostile ranks,

or cast her body from the topmost towers

into the Gnossian camp. She had a wild

desire to open to the enemy

the heavy brass-bound gates, or anything

that Minos could desire.

And as she sat

beholding the white tents, she cried, “Alas!

Should I rejoice or grieve to see this war?

I grieve that Minos is the enemy

of her who loves him; but unless the war

had brought him, how could he be known to me?

But should he take me for a hostage? That

might end the war—a pledge of peace, he might

keep me for his companion.

“O, supreme

of mankind! she who bore you must have been

as beautiful as you are; ample cause

for Jove to lose his heart.

“O, happy hour!

If moving upon wings through yielding air,

I could alight within the hostile camp

in front of Minos, and declare to him

my name and passion!

“Then would I implore

what dowry he could wish, and would provide

whatever he might ask, except alone

the city of my father. Perish all

my secret hopes before one act of mine

should offer treason to accomplish it.

And yet, the kindness of a conqueror

has often proved a blessing, manifest

to those who were defeated. Certainly

the war he carries on is justified

by his slain son.

“He is a mighty king,

thrice strengthened in his cause. Undoubtedly

we shall be conquered, and, if such a fate

awaits our city, why should he by force

instead of my consuming love, prevail

to open the strong gates? Without delay

and dreadful slaughter, it is best for him

to conquer and decide this savage war.

“Ah, Minos, how I fear the bitter fate

should any warrior hurl his cruel spear

and pierce you by mischance, for surely none

can be so hardened to transfix your breast

100

with purpose known.”

Oh, let her love prevail

to open for his army the great gates.

Only the thought of it, has filled her soul;

she is determined to deliver up

105

her country as a dowry with herself,

and so decide the war! But what avails

this idle talk.

“A guard surrounds the gates,

my father keeps the keys, and he alone

110

is my obstruction, and the innocent

account of my despair. Would to the Gods

I had no father! Is not man the God

of his own fortune, though his idle prayers

avail not to compel his destiny?

115

“Another woman crazed with passionate desires,

which now inflame me, would not hesitate,

but with a fierce abandon would destroy

whatever checked her passion. Who is there

with love to equal mine? I dare to go

120

through flames and swords; but swords and flames

are not now needed, for I only need

my royal father's lock of purple hair.

More precious than fine gold, it has a power

to give my heart all that it may desire.”

125

While Scylla said this, night that heals our cares

came on, and she grew bolder in the dark.

And now it is the late and silent hour

when slumber takes possession of the breast.

Outwearied with the cares of busy day;

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then as her father slept, with stealthy tread

she entered his abode, and there despoiled,

and clipped his fatal lock of purple hair.

Concealing in her bosom the sad prize

of crime degenerate, she at once went forth

135

a gate unguarded, and with shameless haste

sped through the hostile army to the tent

of Minos, whom, astonished, she addressed:

“Only my love has led me to this deed.

The daughter of King Nisus, I am called

140

the maiden Scylla. Unto you I come

and offer up a power that will prevail

against my country, and I stipulate

no recompense except yourself. Take then

this purple hair, a token of my love.—

145

Deem it not lightly as a lock of hair

held idly forth to you; it is in truth

my father's life.” And as she spoke

she held out in her guilty hand the prize,

and begged him to accept it with her love.

150

Shocked at the thought of such a heinous crime,

Minos refused, and said, “O execrable thing!

Despised abomination of our time!

May all the Gods forever banish you

from their wide universe, and may the earth

155

and the deep ocean be denied to you!

So great a monster shall not be allowed

to desecrate the sacred Isle of Crete ,

where Jupiter was born.” So Minos spoke.

Nevertheless he conquered Megara ,

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(so aided by the damsel's wicked deed)

and as a just and mighty king imposed

his own conditions on the vanquished land.

He ordered his great fleet to tarry not;

the hawsers were let loose, and the long oars

165

quickly propelled his brazen-pointed ships.—

When Scylla saw them launching forth,

observed them sailing on the mighty deep,

she called with vain entreaties; but at last,

aware the prince ignored her and refused

170

to recompense her wickedness, enraged,

and raving, she held up her impious hands,

her long hair streaming on the wind, — and said:

“Oh, wherefore have you flown, and left behind

the author of your glory. Oh, wretch! wretch

175

to whom I offered up my native land,

and sacrificed my father! Where have you

now flown, ungrateful man whose victory

is both my crime and virtue? And the gift

presented to you, and my passion,

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have these not moved you? All my love and hope

in you alone!

“Forsaken by my prince,

shall I return to my defeated land?

If never ruined it would shut its walls

185

against me.—Shall I seek my father's face

whom I delivered to all-conquering arms?

My fellow-citizens despise my name;

my friends and neighbors hate me; I have shut

the world against me, only in the hope

190

that Crete would surely welcome me;—and now,

he has forbidden me.

“And is it so

I am requited by this thankless wretch!

Europa could not be your mother! Spawn

195

of cruel Syrtis! Savage cub of fierce

Armenian tigress;—or Charybdis, tossed

by the wild South-wind begot you! Can you be

the son of Jupiter ? Your mother was

not ever tricked by the false semblance

200

of a bull. All that story of your birth

is false! You are the offspring of a bull

as fierce as you are!

“Let your vengeance fall

upon me, O my father Nisus, let

205

the ruined city I betrayed rejoice

at my misfortunes—richly merited—

destroy me, you whom I have ruined;—I

should perish for my crimes! But why should you,

who conquered by my crime, abandon me?

210

The treason to my father and my land

becomes an act of kindness in your cause.

“That woman is a worthy mate for you

who hid in wood deceived the raging bull,

and bore to him the infamy of Crete .

215

I do not wonder that Pasiphae

preferred the bull to you, more savage than

the wildest beast. Alas, alas for me!

“Do my complaints reach your unwilling ears?

Or do the same winds waft away my words

220

that blow upon your ships, ungrateful man?—

Ah, wretched that I am, he takes delight

in hastening from me. The deep waves resound

as smitten by the oars, his ship departs;

and I am lost and even my native land

225

is fading from his sight.

“Oh heart of flint!

you shall not prosper in your cruelty,

and you shall not forget my sacrifice;

in spite of everything I follow you!

230

I'll grasp the curving stern of your swift ship,

and I will follow through unending seas.”

And as she spoke, she leaped into the waves,

and followed the receding ships—for strength

from passion came to her. And soon she clung

235

unwelcome, to the sailing Gnossian ship.

Meanwhile, the Gods had changed her father's form

and now he hovered over the salt deep,

a hawk with tawny wings. So when he saw

his daughter clinging to the hostile ship

240

he would have torn her with his rending beak;—

he darted towards her through the yielding air.

In terror she let go, but as she fell

the light air held her from the ocean spray;

her feather-weight supported by the breeze;

245

she spread her wings, and changed into a bird.

They called her “Ciris” when she cut the wind,

and “Ciris”—cut-the-lock—remains her name.

Labyrinthus. Ariadnes corona. MINOS AND THE MINOTAUR

King Minos, when he reached the land of Crete

and left his ships, remembered he had made

250

a vow to Jupiter , and offered up

a hundred bulls.—The splendid spoils of war

adorned his palace.—

Now the infamous

reproach of Crete had grown, till it exposed

255

the double-natured shame. So, Minos, moved

to cover his disgrace, resolved to hide

the monster in a prison, and he built

with intricate design, by Daedalus

contrived, an architect of wonderful

260

ability, and famous. This he planned

of mazey wanderings that deceived the eyes,

and labyrinthic passages involved.

so sports the clear Maeander , in the fields

of Phrygia winding doubtful; back and forth

265

it meets itself, until the wandering stream

fatigued, impedes its wearied waters' flow;

from source to sea, from sea to source involved.

So Daedalus contrived innumerous paths,

and windings vague, so intricate that he,

270

the architect, hardly could retrace his steps.

In this the Minotaur was long concealed,

and there devoured Athenian victims sent

three seasons, nine years each, till Theseus, son

of Aegeus, slew him and retraced his way,

275

finding the path by Ariadne's thread.

Without delay the victor fled from Crete ,

together with the loving maid, and sailed

for Dia Isle of Naxos , where he left

the maid forlorn, abandoned. Her, in time,

280

lamenting and deserted, Bacchus found

and for his love immortalized her name.

He set in the dark heavens the bright crown

that rested on her brows. Through the soft air

it whirled, while all the sparkling jewels changed

285

to flashing fires, assuming in the sky

between the Serpent-holder and the Kneeler

the well-known shape of Ariadne's Crown.

Daedalus et Icarus. Perdix. DAEDALUS AND ICARUS

But Daedalus abhorred the Isle of Crete —

and his long exile on that sea-girt shore,

290

increased the love of his own native place.

“Though Minos blocks escape by sea and land.”

He said, “The unconfined skies remain

though Minos may be lord of all the world

his sceptre is not regnant of the air,

295

and by that untried way is our escape.”

This said, he turned his mind to arts unknown

and nature unrevealed. He fashioned quills

and feathers in due order — deftly formed

from small to large, as any rustic pipe

300

prom straws unequal slants. He bound with thread

the middle feathers, and the lower fixed

with pliant wax; till so, in gentle curves

arranged, he bent them to the shape of birds.

While he was working, his son Icarus,

305

with smiling countenance and unaware

of danger to himself, perchance would chase

the feathers, ruffled by the shifting breeze,

or soften with his thumb the yellow wax,

and by his playfulness retard the work

310

his anxious father planned.

But when at last

the father finished it, he poised himself,

and lightly floating in the winnowed air

waved his great feathered wings with bird-like ease.

315

And, likewise he had fashioned for his son

such wings; before they ventured in the air

he said, “My son, I caution you to keep

the middle way, for if your pinions dip

too low the waters may impede your flight;

320

and if they soar too high the sun may scorch them.

Fly midway. Gaze not at the boundless sky,

far Ursa Major and Bootes next.

Nor on Orion with his flashing brand,

but follow my safe guidance.”

325

As he spoke

he fitted on his son the plumed wings

with trembling hands, while down his withered cheeks

the tears were falling. Then he gave his son

a last kiss, and upon his gliding wings

330

assumed a careful lead solicitous.

As when the bird leads forth her tender young,

from high-swung nest to try the yielding air;

so he prevailed on willing Icarus;

encouraged and instructed him in a]l

335

the fatal art; and as he waved his wings

looked backward on his son.

Beneath their flight,

the fisherman while casting his long rod,

or the tired shepherd leaning on his crook,

340

or the rough plowman as he raised his eyes,

astonished might observe them on the wing,

and worship them as Gods.

Upon the left

they passed by Samos , Juno's sacred isle;

345

Delos and Paros too, were left behind;

and on the right Lebinthus and Calymne,

fruitful in honey. Proud of his success,

the foolish Icarus forsook his guide,

and, bold in vanity, began to soar,

350

rising upon his wings to touch the skies;

but as he neared the scorching sun, its heat

softened the fragrant wax that held his plumes;

and heat increasing melted the soft wax—

he waved his naked arms instead of wings,

355

with no more feathers to sustain his flight.

And as he called upon his father's name

his voice was smothered in the dark blue sea,

now called Icarian from the dead boy's name.

The unlucky father, not a father, called,

360

“Where are you, Icarus?” and “Where are you?

In what place shall I seek you, Icarus?”

He called again; and then he saw the wings

of his dear Icarus, floating on the waves;

and he began to rail and curse his art.

365

He found the body on an island shore,

now called Icaria , and at once prepared

to bury the unfortunate remains;

but while he labored a pert partridge near,

observed him from the covert of an oak,

370

and whistled his unnatural delight.

Know you the cause? 'Twas then a single bird,

the first one of its kind. 'Twas never seen

before the sister of Daedalus had brought

him Perdix, her dear son, to be his pupil.

375

And as the years went by the gifted youth

began to rival his instructor's art.

He took the jagged backbone of a fish,

and with it as a model made a saw,

with sharp teeth fashioned from a strip of iron.

380

And he was first to make two arms of iron,

smooth hinged upon the center, so that one

would make a pivot while the other, turned,

described a circle. Wherefore Daedalus

enraged and envious, sought to slay the youth

385

and cast him headlong from Minerva's fane,—

then spread the rumor of an accident.

But Pallas, goddess of ingenious men,

saving the pupil changed him to a bird,

and in the middle of the air he flew

390

on feathered wings; and so his active mind—

and vigor of his genius were absorbed

into his wings and feet; although the name

of Perdix was retained.

The Partridge hides

395

in shaded places by the leafy trees

its nested eggs among the bush's twigs;

nor does it seek to rise in lofty flight,

for it is mindful of its former fall.

Aper Calydonius. Meleager.

Wearied with travel Daedalus arrived

400

at Sicily ,—where Cocalus was king;

and when the wandering Daedalus implored

the monarch's kind protection from his foe,

he gathered a great army for his guest,

and gained renown from an applauding world.

405

ATALANTA AND MELEAGER

Now after Theseus had destroyed in Crete

the dreadful monster, Athens then had ceased

to pay her mournful tribute; and with wreaths

her people decked the temples of the Gods;

and they invoked Minerva, Jupiter ,

410

and many other Gods whom they adored,

with sacrifice and precious offerings,

and jars of Frankincense.

Quick-flying Fame

had spread reports of Theseus through the land;

415

and all the peoples of Achaia , from that day,

when danger threatened would entreat his aid.

So it befell, the land of Calydon,

through Meleager and her native hero,

implored the valiant Theseus to destroy

420

a raging boar, the ravage of her realm.

Diana in her wrath had sent the boar

to wreak her vengeance; and they say the cause

was this:—The nation had a fruitful year,

for which the good king Oeneus had decreed

425

that all should offer the first fruits of corn

to Ceres—and to Bacchus wine of grapes—

and oil of olives to the golden haired

Minerva. Thus, the Gods were all adored,

beginning with the lowest to the highest,

430

except alone Diana, and of all the Gods

her altars only were neglected. No

frankincense unto her was given! Neglect

enrages even Deities.

“Am I

435

to suffer this indignity?” she cried,

“Though I am thus dishonored, I will not

be unrevenged!” And so the boar was sent

to ravage the fair land of Calydon.

And this avenging boar was quite as large

440

as bulls now feeding on the green Epirus ,

and larger than the bulls of Sicily .

A dreadful boar.—His burning, bloodshot eyes

seemed coals of living fire, and his rough neck

was knotted with stiff muscles, and thick-set

445

with bristles like sharp spikes. A seething froth

dripped on his shoulders, and his tusks

were like the spoils of Ind. Discordant roars

reverberated from his hideous jaws;

and lightning—belched forth from his horrid throat—

450

scorched the green fields. He trampled the green corn

and doomed the farmer to lament his crops,

in vain the threshing-floor has been prepared,

in vain the barns await the promised yield.

Long branches of the vine and heavy grapes

455

are scattered in confusion, and the fruits

and branches of the olive tree, whose leaves

should never wither, are cast on the ground.

His spleen was vented on the simple flocks,

which neither dogs nor shepherd could protect;

460

and the brave bulls could not defend their herds.

The people fled in all directions from the fields,

for safety to the cities. Terror reigned.

There seemed no remedy to save the land,

till Meleager chose a band of youths,

465

united for the glory of great deeds.

What heroes shall immortal song proclaim?

Castor and Pollux, twins of Tyndarus;

one famous for his skill in horsemanship,

the other for his boxing. Jason, too, was there,

470

the glorious builder of the world's first ship,

and Theseus with his friend Perithous,

and Toxeus and Plexippus, fated sons

of Thestius, and the son of Aphareus,

Lynkeus with his fleet-foot brother Idas

475

and Caeneus, first a woman then a man

the brave Leucippus and the argonaut

Acastus, swift of dart; and warlike Dryas,

Hippothous and Phoenix, not then blind,

the son of King Amyntor, and the twain

480

who sprung from Actor, Phyleus thither brought

from Elis ; Telamon was one of them

and even Peleus, father of the great

Achilles; and the son of Pheres joined,

and Iolas, the swift Eurytion,

485

Echion fleet of foot, Narycian Lelex—

and Panopeus, and Hyleus and Hippasus,

and Nestor (youthful then), and the four sons

Hippocoon from eld Amyclae sent,

the father-in-law of queen Penelope,

490

Ancaeus of Arcadia , and the wise

soothsayer Mopsus, and the prophet, son

of Oeclus, victim of a traitor-wife.—

And Atalanta, virgin of the groves,

of Mount Lycaeus, glory of her sex;

495

a polished buckle fastened her attire;

her lustrous hair was fashioned in a knot;

her weapons rattled in an ivory case,

swung from her white left shoulder, and she held

a bow in her left hand. Her face appeared

500

as maidenly for boy, or boyish for girl.

When Meleager saw her, he at once

longed for her beauty, though some god forbade.

The fires of love flamed in him; and he said,

“Happy the husband who shall win this girl!”

505

Neither the time nor his own modesty

permitted him to say another word.

But now the dreadful contest with the boar

engaged this hero's energy and thought.

A wood, umbrageous, not impaired with age,

510

slopes from a plain and shadows the wide fields,

and there this band of valiant heroes went—

eager to slay the dreaded enemy,

some spread the nets and some let loose the dogs,

some traced the wide spoor of the monster's hoofs.

515

There is a deep gorge where the rivulets

that gather from the rain, discharge themselves;

and there the bending willow, the smooth sedge,

the marsh-rush, ozier and tall tangled reed

in wild profusion cover up the marsh.

520

Aroused from this retreat the startled boar,

as quick as lightning from the clashing clouds

crashed all the trees that cumbered his mad way.—

The young men raised a shout, leveled their spears,

and brandished their keen weapons; but the boar

525

rushed onward through the yelping dogs,

and scattered them with deadly sidelong stroke.

Echion was the first to hurl his spear,

but slanting in its course it only glanced

a nearby maple tree, and next the spear

530

of long-remembered Jason cut the air;

so swiftly hurled it seemed it might transfix

the boar's back, but with over-force it sped

beyond the monster. Poising first his dart,

the son of Ampyx, as he cast it, he

535

implored Apollo, “Grant my prayer if I

have truly worshiped you, harken to me

as always I adore you! Let my spear

unerring strike its aim.” Apollo heard,

and guided the swift spear, but as it sped

540

Diana struck the iron head from the shaft,

and the blunt wood fell harmless from his hide.

Then was the monster's savage anger roused;

as the bright lightning's flash his red eyes flamed;

his breath was hot as fire. As when a stone

545

is aimed at walls or strong towers, which protect

encompassed armies,—launched by the taut rope

it strikes with dreaded impact; so the boar

with fatal onset rushed among this band

of noble lads, and stretched upon the ground

550

Eupalamon and Pelagon whose guard

was on the right; and their companions bore

their bodies from the field.

Another youth,

the brave son of Hippocoon received

555

a deadly wound—while turning to escape,

the sinew of his thigh was cut and failed

to bear his tottering steps.—

And Nestor might

have perished then, so long before he fought

560

the heroes of old Troy , but ever wise,

he vaulted on his long lance from the ground

into the branches of a sheltering tree;

where in a safe position, he could look

down on his baffled foe. The raging boar

565

whetted his gleaming tushes on an oak.

Then with his sharpened tusks he gored the thigh

of mighty Hippasus. Observed of all,

and mounted on their horses—whiter than

the northern snow—the twins (long afterward

570

transformed to constellations) sallied forth,

and brandishing their lances, poised in air,

determined to destroy the bristling boar.

It thwarted their design by hiding in

a thicket intricate; where neither steed

575

nor lance could penetrate. But Telamon

pursued undaunted, and in haste tripped up

by tangled roots, fell headlong.—Peleus stooped

to rescue him.

While he regained his feet,

580

the virgin, Atalanta, took her bow

and fitting a sharp arrow to the notch,

twanged the tight cord. The feathered shaft

quivered beneath the monster's ear, the red blood

stained his hard bristles.

585

Flushed with her success

rejoiced the maid, but not more gladly than

the hero Meleager. He it was

who first observed the blood, and pointed out

the stain to his companions as he cried,

590

“Give honor to the courage of a maid!”

Unwilling to be worsted by a maid,

the rushing heroes raised a mighty cry

and as they shouted in excitement, hurled

their weapons in confusion; and so great

595

the multitude their actions interfered.

Behold! Ancaeus wielding his war-axe,

and rushing madly to his fate, exclaimed,

“Witness it! See the weapons of a man

excel a woman's! Ho, make way for my

600

achievement! Let Diana shield the brute!

Despite her utmost effort my right hand

shall slaughter him!” So mighty in his boast

he puffed himself; and, lifting with both hands

his double-edged axe, he stood erect,

605

on tiptoe fiercely bold. The savage boar

caught him, and ripped his tushes through his groin,

a spot where death is sure.—Ancaeus fell;

and his torn entrails and his crimson blood

stained the fair verdure of the spot with death.

610

Ixion's doughty son was running straight

against the monster, shaking his long lance

with nervous vigor in his strong right hand;

but Theseus, standing at a distance called:

“Beware! beware, O, dearest of my friends;

615

be valiant at a distance, or the fate

of rashly-bold Ancaeus may be yours!”

Even as he spoke he balanced in his hand

his brazen-pointed lance of corner wood;

with aim so true it seemed the great boar's death

620

was certain, but an evergreen oak branch

shielded the beast.—Then Jason hurled his dart,

which turned by chance, transfixed a luckless dog

and pinned him yelping, to the sanguine earth.—

So fared those heroes. Better fortune gave

625

success to Meleager; first he threw

a spear that missed and quivered in the ground;

but next he hurled a spear with certain aim.

It pierced the middle of the monster's back;

and rushing in upon the dreaded beast,

630

while raging it was whirling round and round,

the fearless prince provoked to greater rage

the wounded adversary. Bloody froth

dripped down his champing jaws—his purple blood

poured from a rankling wound. Without delay

635

the mighty Meleager plunged a spear

deep in the monster's shoulder. All his friends

raised a glad shout, and gathering round him, tried

to grasp his hand.—With wonder they beheld

the monster's bulk stretched out upon the plain;

640

and fearful still to touch him, they began

to stain their weapons in his spouting blood.

At length the hero Meleager pressed

his conquering foot upon the monster's head

and said, “O Atalanta, glorious maid,

645

of Nonacris, to you is yielded spoil,

my lawful right, and I rejoice to share

the merit of this glorious victory.”

And while he spoke, he gave to her the pelt,

covered with horrid bristles, and the head

650

frightful with gory tusks: and she rejoiced

in Meleager and his royal gift.

But all the others, envious, began

to murmur; and the sons of Thestius

levelled their pointed spears, and shouted out;

655

“Give up the prize! Let not the confidence

of your great beauty be a snare to you!

A woman should not interfering filch

the manly honors of a mighty hunt!

Aside! and let your witless lover yield!”

660

So threatened they and took from her the prize;

and forcibly despoiled him of his rights.

The warlike prince, indignant and enraged,—

rowed with resentment, shouted out. “What! Ho!

You spoilers of this honor that is ours,

665

brave deeds are different far from craven threats!”

And with his cruel sword he pierced the breast

of rash Plexippus, taken unawares,

and while his brother, Toxeus, struck with fear,

stood hesitating whether to avenge

670

or run to safety, Meleager plunged

the hot sword, smoking with a brother's blood,

in his breast also. And so perished they.

ALTHAEA AND THE DEATH OF MELEAGER

Ere this, Althaea, mother of the prince,

and sister of the slaughtered twain,—because

675

her son had killed the boar, made haste to bear

rich offerings to the temples of the Gods;

but when she saw her slaughtered brothers borne

in sad procession, she began to shriek,

and filled the city with her wild lament.

680

Unwilling to abide her festal robes

she dressed in sable.—When she was informed

her own son Meleager was the cause,

she banished grief and lamentations,—

thirsting for vengeance.

685

She remembered well,

how, when she lay in childbirth round her stood

the three attendant sisters of his fate.

There was a billet in the room, and this

they took and cast upon the wasting flames,

690

and as they spun and drew the fatal threads

they softly chanted, “Unto you we give,

O child new-born! only the life of this;

the period of this billet is your life.”

And having spoken so, they vanished in the smoke.

695

Althaea snatched the billet from the fire,

and having quenched it with drawn water, hid

it long and secretly in her own room,

where, thus preserved, it acted as a charm

to save the life of Meleager. This

700

the mother now brought forth, and fetched a pile

of seasoned tinder ready for the torch.

She lit the torches and the ready pile,

and as the flames leaped up, four times prepared

to cast the fatal billet in the midst;

705

and four times hesitated to commit

the dreadful deed,—so long the contest veered

between the feelings of a mother's breast

and the fierce vengeance of a sister's rage.

Now is the mother's visage pale with fear,

710

and now the sister's sanguinary rage

glows in her eyes. Her countenance contorts

with cruel threats and in bewildered ways

dissolves compassionate: And even when

the heat of anger had dried up her eyes

715

the conflict of her passion brought new tears.

As when the wind has seized upon a ship

and blows against a tide of equal force,

the vexed vessel feels repellent powers,

and with unsteady motion sways to both;

720

so did Althaea hesitate between

the conflict of her passions: when her rage

had cooled, her fury was as fast renewed:

but always the unsatisfied desire

of blood, to ease the disembodied shades

725

of her slain brothers, seemed to overcome

the mother-instinct; and intensity

of conduct proved the utmost test of love.

She took the billet in her arms and stood

before the leaping flames, and said, “Alas,

730

be this the funeral pyre of my own flesh!”

And as she held in her relentless hand

the destiny of him she loved, and stood

before the flames, in all her wretchedness

she moaned, “You sad Eumenides attend!

735

Relentless Gods of punishment,—turn, turn

your dreadful vision on these baneful rites!

I am avenging and committing crime!

With death must death be justified and crime

be added unto crime! Let funerals

740

upon succeeding funerals attend!

“Let these accumulating woes destroy

a wicked race. Shall happy Oeneus bask

in the great fame of his victorious son,

and Thestius mourn without slaughtered ones?

745

'Tis better they should both lament the deed!

Witness the act of my affection, shades

of my departed brothers! and accept

my funeral offering, given at a cost

beyond my strength to bear. Ah wretched me!

750

Distracted is my reason! Pity me,

the yearnings of a stricken mother's heart

withholding me from duty! Aye, although

his punishment be just, my hands refuse

the office of such vengeance. What, shall he

755

alive, victorious, flushed with his success,

inherit the broad realms of Calydon,

and you, my slaughtered brothers, unavenged,

dissolved in ashes, float upon the air,

unpalpitating phantoms? How can I

760

endure the thought of it? Oh let the wretch

forever perish, and with him be lost

the hopes of his sad father, in the wreck

of his distracted kingdom. Where are now

the love and feelings of a mother; how

765

can I forget the bitter pangs endured

while twice times five the slow moon waxed and waned?

“O had you perished in your infancy

by those first fires, and I had suffered it!

Your life was in my power! and now your death

770

is the result of wrongs which you have done—

take now a just reward for what you did:

return to me the life I gave and saved.

When from the flames I snatched the fatal brand.

Return that gift or take my wretched life,

775

that I may hasten to my brothers' tomb.

“What dreadful deed can satisfy the law,

when I for love against my love am forced?

For even as my brothers' wounds appear

in visions dreadful to denounce my son,

780

the love so nurtured in a mother's breast

breaks down the resolution! Wretched me!

Such vengeance for my brothers overcomes

first at your birth I gave it, and again

the yearning of a mother for her son!

785

Let not my love denounce my vengeance!

My soul may follow with its love the shade

of him I sacrifice, and following him

my shade and his and yours unite below.”

She spoke and as she turned her face away,

790

she threw the fatal billet on the fire,

and as the flames devoured it, a strange groan

was heard to issue from the burning wood

but Meleager at a distance knows

of naught to wreck his hour of victory,

795

until he feels the flame of burning wood

scorching with secret fire his forfeit life.

Yet with a mighty will, disdaining pain

he grieves his bloodless and ignoble death.

He calls Ancaeus happy for the wounds

800

that caused his death. With sighs and groans he called

his aged father's name, and then the names

of brothers, sisters, and his wife—and last,

they say he called upon his mother's name.

His torment always with the fire increased,

805

until, as little of the wood remained,—

his pain diminished with the heat's decrease;

and as the flames extinguished, so his life

slowly ascended in the rising air.

And all the mighty realm of Calydon

810

was filled with lamentations —young and old

the common people and the nobles mourned;

and all the wailing women tore their hair

his father threw his body on the ground,

and as he covered his white hair and face

815

with ashy dust, bewailed his aged days.

Althaea, maddened in her mother's grief,

has punished herself with a ruthless hand;

she pierced her heart with iron. —Oh! if some God

had given a resounding harp, a voice

820

an hundred-fold more mighty, and a soul

enlarged with genius, I could never tell

the grief of his unhappy sisters.—They,

regardless of all shame, beat on their breasts;

before the body was consumed with fire,

825

embraced it, and again embracing it,

rained kisses on their loved one and the bier.

And when the flames had burnt his shrinking form

they strained his gathered ashes to their breasts,

and prostrate on the tomb kissed his dear name,

830

cut only in the stone,—and bathed it with their tears

Latona 's daughter, glutted with the woes

inflicted on Parthaon's house, now gave

two of the weeping sisters wide-spread wings,

but Gorge and the spouse of Hercules

835

not so were changed. Latona stretched long wings

upon their arms, transformed their mouths to beaks,

and sent them winging through the lucent air.

Theseus apud Acheloum. Perimele. PERIMELA AND ACHELOUS

And Theseus, meantime, having done great deeds,

was wending towards Tritonian Athen's towers,

840

but Achelous, swollen with great rains,

opposed his journey and delayed his steps.

“O famous son of Athens , come to me,

beneath my roof, and leave my rapid floods;

for they are wont to bear enormous beams,

845

and hurl up heavy stones to bar the way,—

mighty with roaring, down the steep ravines.

And I have seen the sheep-folds on my banks

swept down the flood, together with the sheep;

and in the current neither strength availed

850

the ox for safety, nor swift speed the horse.

When rushed the melting snows from mountain peaks

how many bodies of unwary men

this flood has overwhelmed in whirling waves!

Rest safely then, until my river runs

855

within its usual bounds—till it contains

its flowing waters in its proper banks.”

and gladly answered Theseus, “I will make

good use of both your dwelling and advice.”

And waiting not he entered a rude hut,

860

of porous pumice and of rough stone built.

The floor was damp and soft with springy moss,

and rows of shells and murex arched the roof.

And now Hyperion having measured quite

two thirds of daylight, Theseus and his friends

865

reclined upon the couches.—On his right

Ixion's son was placed, and on his left

the gray-haired hero Lelex; and others

deemed worthy by the Acarnanian-god

who was so joyful in his noble guests.

870

Without delay the barefoot nimble Nymphs

attending to the banquet, rich food brought;

and after all were satisfied with meat

and dainties delicate, the careful Nymphs

removed all traces of the feast, and served

875

delicious wine in bowls embossed with gems.

And after they had eaten, Theseus arose,

and as he pointed with his finger, said,

“Declare to me what name that island bears,

or is it one or more than one I see?”

880

To which the ready River-God replied:

“It is not one we see but five are there,

deceptive in the distance. And that you

may wonder less at what Diana did,

those islands were five Naiads.—Long ago,

885

ten bullocks for a sacrifice they slew;

and when the joyous festival was given,

ignoring me they bade all other Gods.

Indignant at the slight, I swelled with rage

as great as ever when my banks are full,—

890

and so redoubled both in rage and flood,

I ravished woods from woods, and fields from fields,

and hurled into the sea the very soil,

together with the Nymphs, who then at last

remembered their neglect. And soon my waves,

895

united with the ocean streams, cut through

the solid soil, and fashioned from the one,

five islands you may see amid the waves,

which men since then, have called Echinades.

“But yet beyond you can observe how one

900

most beautiful of all is far withdrawn;

and this which most delights me, mariners

have Perimela named. She was so fair

that I deprived her of a precious wealth.

And when Hippodamas, her father, knew,

905

enraged he pushed her, heavy then with child,

forth from a rock into the cruel sea,

where she must perish,—but I rescued her;

and as I bore her on my swimming tide,

I called on Neptune , ruler of the deep,

910

‘O Trident-wielder, you who are preferred

next to the god most mighty! who by lot

obtained the empire of the flowing deep,

to which all sacred rivers flow and end;

come here, O Neptune , and with gracious will

915

grant my desire;—I injured her I save;—

but if Hippodamas, her father, when

he knew my love, had been both kind and just,

if he had not been so unnatural,

he would have pitied and forgiven her.

920

Ah, Neptune , I beseech you, grant your power

may find a place of safety for this Nymph,

abandoned to the deep waves by her sire.

Or if that cannot be, let her whom I

embrace to show my love, let her become

925

a place of safety.’ Instantly to me

the King of Ocean moved his mighty head,

and all the deep waves quivered in response.

“The Nymph, afraid, still struggled in the deep,

and as she swam I touched her throbbing breast;

930

and as I felt her bosom, trembling still,

I thought her soft flesh was becoming hard;

for even then, new earth enclosed her form;

and as I prayed to Neptune, earth encased

her floating limbs;—and on her changing form

935

the heavy soil of that fair island grew.”

Philemon et Baucis. BAUCIS AND PHILEMON

And at this point, the River said no more.

This wonderful event astonished all;

but one was there, Ixion's haughty son—

a known despiser of the living Gods—

940

who, laughing, scorned it as an idle tale.

He made a jest of those who heard, and said,

“A foolish fiction! Achelous, how

can such a tale be true? Do you believe

a god there is, in heaven so powerful,

945

a god to give and take away a form—

transform created shapes?

Such impious words

found no response in those who heard him speak.

Amazed he could so doubt known truth, before

950

them all, uprose to vindicate the Gods

the hero Lelex, wise in length of days.

“The glory of the living Gods,” he said,

“Is not diminished, nor their power confined,

and whatsoever they decree is done.

955

“And I have this to tell, for all must know

the evil of such words:—Upon the hills

of Phrygia I have seen two sacred trees,

a lime-tree and an oak, so closely grown

their branches interlace. A low stone wall

960

is built around to guard them from all harm.

And that you may not doubt it, I declare

again, I saw the spot, for Pittheus there

had sent me to attend his father's court.

“Near by those trees are stagnant pools and fens,

965

where coots and cormorants delight to haunt;

but it was not so always. Long ago

'Twas visited by mighty Jupiter ,

together with his nimble-witted son,

who first had laid aside his rod and Wings.

970

“As weary travelers over all the land

they wandered, begging for their food and bed;

and of a thousand houses, all the doors

were bolted and no word of kindness given—

so wicked were the people of that land.

975

At last, by chance, they stopped at a small house,

whose humble roof was thatched with reeds and straw;—

and here a kind old couple greeted them.

“The good dame, Baucis, seemed about the age

of old Philemon, her devoted man;

980

they had been married in their early youth,

in that same cottage and had lived in it,

and grown together to a good old age;

contented with their lot because they knew

their poverty, and felt no shame of it;

985

they had no need of servants; the good pair

were masters of their home and served themselves;

their own commands they easily obeyed.

“Now when the two Gods, Jove and Mercury,

had reached this cottage, and with bending necks

990

had entered the low door, the old man bade

them rest their wearied limbs, and set a bench,

on which his good wife, Baucis, threw a cloth;

and then with kindly bustle she stirred up

the glowing embers on the hearth, and then

995

laid tinder, leaves and bark; and bending down

breathed on them with her ancient breath until

they kindled into flame. Then from the house

she brought a store of faggots and small twigs,

and broken branches, and above them swung

1000

a kettle, not too large for simple folk.

And all this done, she stripped some cabbage leaves,

which her good husband gathered for the meal.

“Then with a two-pronged fork the man let down

a rusty side of bacon from aloft,

1005

and cut a little portion from the chine;

which had been cherished long. He softened it

in boiling water. All the while they tried

with cheerful conversation to beguile,

so none might notice a brief loss of time.

1010

“Swung on a peg they had a beechwood trough,

which quickly with warm water filled, was used

for comfortable washing. And they fixed,

upon a willow couch, a cushion soft

of springy sedge, on which they neatly spread

1015

a well worn cloth preserved so many years;

'Twas only used on rare and festive days;

and even it was coarse and very old,

though not unfit to match a willow couch!

“Now as the Gods reclined, the good old dame,

1020

whose skirts were tucked up, moving carefully,

for so she tottered with her many years,

fetched a clean table for the ready meal—

but one leg of the table was too short,

and so she wedged it with a potsherd—so

1025

made firm, she cleanly scoured it with fresh mint.

“And here is set the double-tinted fruit

of chaste Minerva , and the tasty dish

of corner, autumn-picked and pickled; these

were served for relish; and the endive-green,

1030

and radishes surrounding a large pot

of curdled milk; and eggs not overdone

but gently turned in glowing embers—all

served up in earthen dishes. Then sweet wine

served up in clay, so costly! all embossed,

1035

and cups of beechwood smoothed with yellow wax.

“So now they had short respite, till the fire

might yield the heated course.

“Again they served

new wine, but mellow; and a second course:

1040

sweet nuts, dried figs and wrinkled dates and plums,

and apples fragrant, in wide baskets heaped;

and, in a wreath of grapes from purple vines,

concealed almost, a glistening honey-comb;

and all these orchard dainties were enhanced

1045

by willing service and congenial smiles.

“But while they served, the wine-bowl often drained,

as often was replenished, though unfilled,

and Baucis and Philemon, full of fear,

as they observed the wine spontaneous well,

1050

increasing when it should diminish, raised

their hands in supplication, and implored

indulgence for their simple home and fare.

And now, persuaded by this strange event

such visitors were deities unknown,

1055

this aged couple, anxious to bestow

their most esteemed possession, hastily

began to chase the only goose they had—

the faithful guardian of their little home —

which they would kill and offer to the Gods.

1060

But swift of wing, at last it wearied them,

and fled for refuge to the smiling Gods.

At once the deities forbade their zeal,

and said, ‘A righteous punishment shall fall

severe upon this wicked neighborhood;

1065

but by the might of our divinity,

no evil shall befall this humble home;

but you must come, and follow as we climb

the summit of this mountain!’

“Both obeyed,

1070

and leaning on their staves toiled up the steep.

Not farther from the summit than the flight

of one swift arrow from a hunter's how,

they paused to view their little home once more;

and as they turned their eyes, they saw the fields

1075

around their own engulfed in a morass,

although their own remained,—and while they wept

bewailing the sad fate of many friends,

and wondered at the change, they saw their home,

so old and little for their simple need—

1080

put on new splendor, and as it increased

it changed into a temple of the gods.

Where first the frame was fashioned of rude stakes

columns of marble glistened, and the thatch

gleamed golden in the sun, and legends carved,

1085

adorned the doors. And al] the ground shone white

with marble rich, and after this was done,

the Son of Saturn said with gentle voice,

‘Now tell us, good old man and you his wife,

worthy and faithful, what is your desire?’

1090

“Philemon counselled with old Baucis first;

and then discovered to the listening Gods

their hearts' desire, ‘We pray you let us have

the care of your new temple; and since we

have passed so many years in harmony,

1095

let us depart this life together— Let

the same hour take us both—I would not see

the tomb of my dear wife; and let me not

be destined to be buried by her hands!’

“At once their wishes were fulfilled. So long

1100

as life was granted they were known to be

the temple's trusted keepers, and when age

had enervated them with many years,

as they were standing, by some chance, before

the sacred steps, and were relating all

1105

these things as they had happened, Baucis saw

Philemon, her old husband, and he, too,

saw Baucis, as their bodies put forth leaves;

and while the tops of trees grew over them,

above their faces, — they spoke each to each;

1110

as long as they could speak they said, ‘Farewell,

farewell, my own’—and while they said farewell;

new leaves and branches covered both at once.

“The people of Tyana still point out

two trees which grew there from a double trunk,

1115

two forms made into one. Old truthful men,

who have no reason to deceive me, told

me truly all that I have told to you,

and I have seen the votive wreaths hung from

the branches of the hallowed double-tree.

1120

And one time, as I hung fresh garlands there,

I said, ‘Those whom the Gods care for are Gods!

And those who worshiped are now worshiped here.’”

Erysichthon. Fames. PROTEUS

He ceased, and this miraculous event,

and he who told it, had astonished them.

1125

But Theseus above all. The hero asked

to hear of other wonders wrought by Gods.

The Calydonian River-God replied,

and leaning on one elbow, said to him:

“There are, O valiant hero, other things

1130

whose forms once-changed as these, have so remained,

but there are some who take on many shapes,

as you have, Proteus, dweller of the deep—

the deep whose arms embrace the earth. For some

have seen you as a youth, then as a lion,

1135

a furious boar one time, a serpent next,

so dreadful to the touch—and sometimes horns

have made you seem a bull—or now a stone,

or now a tree, or now a slipping stream,

or even—the foe of water—next a fire.”

1140

ERYSICHTHON AND MESTRA

Now Erysichthon's daughter, Mestra, had

that power of Proteus—she was called the wife

of deft Autolycus.—Her father spurned

the majesty of all the Gods, and gave

no honor to their altars. It is said

1145

he violated with an impious axe

the sacred grove of Ceres , and he cut

her trees with iron. Long-standing in her grove

there grew an ancient oak tree, spread so wide,

alone it seemed a standing forest; and

1150

its trunk and branches held memorials,

as, fillets, tablets, garlands, witnessing

how many prayers the goddess Ceres granted.

And underneath it laughing Dryads loved

to whirl in festal dances, hand in hand,

1155

encircling its enormous trunk, that thrice

five ells might measure; and to such a height

it towered over all the trees around,

as they were higher than the grass beneath.

But Erysichthon, heedless of all things,

1160

ordered his slaves to fell the sacred oak,

and as they hesitated, in a rage

the wretch snatched from the hand of one an axe,

and said, “If this should be the only oak

loved by the goddess of this very grove,

1165

or even were the goddess in this tree,

I'll level to the ground its leafy head.”

So boasted he, and while he swung on high

his axe to strike a slanting blow, the oak

beloved of Ceres , uttered a deep groan

1170

and shuddered. Instantly its dark green leaves

turned pale, and all its acorns lost their green,

and even its long branches drooped their arms.

But when his impious hand had struck the trunk,

and cut its bark, red blood poured from the wound,—

1175

as when a weighty sacrificial bull

has fallen at the altar, streaming blood

spouts from his stricken neck. All were amazed.

And one of his attendants boldly tried

to stay his cruel axe, and hindered him;

1180

but Erysichthon, fixing his stern eyes

upon him, said, “Let this, then, be the price

of all your pious worship!” So he turned

the poised axe from the tree, and clove his head

sheer from his body, and again began

1185

to chop the hard oak. From the heart of it

these words were uttered; “Covered by the bark

of this oak tree I long have dwelt a Nymph,

beloved of Ceres , and before my death

it has been granted me to prophesy,

1190

that I may die contented. Punishment

for this vile deed stands waiting at your side.”

No warning could avert his wicked arm.

Much weakened by his countless blows, the tree,

pulled down by straining ropes, gave way at last

1195

and leveled with its weight uncounted trees

that grew around it. Terrified and shocked,

the sister-dryads, grieving for the grove

and what they lost, put on their sable robes

and hastened unto Ceres , whom they prayed,

1200

might rightly punish Erysichthon's crime;—

the lovely goddess granted their request,

and by the gracious movement of her head

she shook the fruitful, cultivated fields,

then heavy with the harvest; and she planned

1205

an unexampled punishment deserved,

and not beyond his miserable crimes—

the grisly bane of famine; but because

it is not in the scope of Destiny,

that two such deities should ever meet

1210

as Ceres and gaunt Famine,—calling forth

from mountain-wilds a rustic Oread,

the goddess Ceres, said to her, “There is

an ice-bound wilderness of barren soil

in utmost Scythia , desolate and bare

1215

of trees and corn, where Torpid-Frost, White-Death

and Palsy and Gaunt-Famine, hold their haunts;

go there now, and command that Famine flit

from there; and let her gnawing-essence pierce

the entrails of this sacrilegious wretch,

1220

and there be hidden—Let her vanquish me

and overcome the utmost power of food.

Heed not misgivings of the journey's length,

for you will guide my dragon-bridled car

through lofty ether.”

1225

And she gave to her

the reins; and so the swiftly carried Nymph

arrived in Scythia . There, upon the told

of steepy Caucasus , when she had slipped

their tight yoke from the dragons' harnessed necks,

1230

she searched for Famine in that granite land,

and there she found her clutching at scant herbs,

with nails and teeth. Beneath her shaggy hair

her hollow eyes glared in her ghastly face,

her lips were filthy and her throat was rough

1235

and blotched, and all her entrails could be seen,

enclosed in nothing but her shriveled skin;

her crooked loins were dry uncovered bones,

and where her belly should be was a void;

her flabby breast was flat against her spine;

1240

her lean, emaciated body made

her joints appear so large, her knobbled knees

seemed large knots, and her swollen ankle-bones

protruded.

When the Nymph, with keen sight, saw

1245

the Famine-monster, fearing to draw near

she cried aloud the mandate she had brought

from fruitful Ceres , and although the time

had been but brief, and Famine far away,

such hunger seized the Nymph, she had to turn

1250

her dragon-steeds, and flee through yielding air

and the high clouds;—at Thessaly she stopped.

Grim Famine hastened to obey the will

of Ceres , though their deeds are opposite,

and rapidly through ether heights was borne

1255

to Erysichthon's home. When she arrived

at midnight, slumber was upon the wretch,

and as she folded him in her two wings,

she breathed her pestilential poison through

his mouth and throat and breast, and spread the curse

1260

of utmost hunger in his aching veins.

When all was done as Ceres had decreed,

she left the fertile world for bleak abodes,

and her accustomed caves. While this was done

sweet Sleep with charming pinion soothed the mind

1265

of Erysichthon. In a dreamful feast

he worked his jaws in vain, and ground his teeth,

and swallowed air as his imagined food;

till wearied with the effort he awoke

to hunger scorching as a fire, which burned

1270

his entrails and compelled his raging jaws,

so he, demanding all the foods of sea

and earth and air, raged of his hunger, while

the tables groaned with heaps before him spread;

he, banqueting, sought banquets for more food,

1275

and as he gorged he always wanted more.

The food of cities and a nation failed

to satisfy the cravings of one man.

The more his stomach gets, the more it needs —

even as the ocean takes the streams of earth,

1280

although it swallows up great rivers drawn

from lands remote, it never can be filled

nor satisfied. And as devouring fire

its fuel refuses never, but consumes

unnumbered beams of wood, and burns for more

1285

the more 'tis fed, and from abundance gains

increasing famine, so the raving jaws

of wretched Erysichthon, ever craved

all food in him, was on]y cause of food,

and what he ate made only room for more.

1290

And after Famine through his gluttony

at last had wasted his ancestral wealth

his raging hunger suffered no decline,

and his insatiate gluttony increased.

When all his wealth at last was eaten up,

1295

his daughter, worthy of a fate more kind,

alone was left to him and her he sold.

Descendant of a noble race, the girl

refusing to be purchased as a slave,

then hastened to the near shore of the sea,

1300

and as she stretched her arms above the waves,

implored kind Neptune with her tears, “Oh, you

who have deprived me of virginity,

deliver me from such a master's power!”

Although the master, seeking her, had seen

1305

her only at that moment, Neptune changed

her quickly from a woman to a man,

by giving her the features of a man

and garments proper to a fisher-man:

and there she stood. He even looked at her

1310

and cried out, “Hey, there! Expert of the rod!

While you are casting forth the bit of brass,

concealed so deftly in its tiny bait,—

gods-willing! let the sea be smooth for you,

and let the foolish fishes swimming up,

1315

never know danger till they snap the hook!

Now tell me where is she, who only now,

in tattered garment and wind-twisted hair,

was standing on this shore—for I am sure

I saw her standing on this shore, although

1320

no footstep shows her flight.”

By this assured

the favor of the god protected her;

delighted to be questioned of herself,

she said, “No matter who you are, excuse me.

1325

So busy have I been at catching fish,

I have not had the time to move my eyes

from this pool; and that you may be assured

I only tell the truth, may Neptune, God

of ocean witness it, I have not seen a man

1330

where I am standing on this shore—myself

excepted—not a woman has stood here.”

Her master could not doubt it, and deceived

retraced his footsteps from the sandy shore.

As soon as he had disappeared, her form

1335

unchanged, was given back to her. But when

her father knew his daughter could transform

her body and escape, he often sold

her first to one and then another—all

of whom she cheated— as a mare, bird,

1340

a cow, or as a stag she got away; and so

brought food, dishonestly, to ease his greed.

And so he lived until the growing strength

of famine, gnawing at his vitals, had

consumed all he could get by selling her:

1345

his anguish burned him with increasing heat.

He gnawed his own flesh, and he tore his limbs

and fed his body all he took from it.

ah, why should I dwell on the wondrous deeds

of others—Even I, O gathered youths,

1350

have such a power I can often change

my body till my limit has been reached.

A while appearing in my real form,

another moment coiled up as a snake,

then as a monarch of the herd my strength

1355

increases in my horns—my strength increased

in my two horns when I had two—but now

my forehead, as you see, has lost one horn.

And having ended with such words,—he groaned.

Metamorphoses Perseus (Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.) — 8 focus

The day starre now beginning to disclose the Morning bright

And for to dense the droupie Skie from darkenesse of the night,

The Easterne wind went downe and flakes of foggie Clouds gan show,

And from the South a merrie gale on Cephals sayles did blow.

The which did hold so fresh and large, that he and all his men

Before that he was looked for arrived safe agen

In wished Haven. In that while King Minos with his fleete

Did waste the cost of Megara . And first he thought it meete

To make a triall of the force and courage of his men

Against the towne Alcathoe where Nisus reigned then.

Among whose honorable haire that was of colour gray,

One scarlet haire did grow upon his crowne, whereon the stay

Of all his Kingdome did depende. Sixe times did Phoebe fill

Hir homes with borrowed light, and yet the warre hung wavering still

In fickle fortunes doubtfull scaales: and long with fleeting wings

Betwene them both flew victorie. A Turret of the Kings

Stood hard adjoyning to the Wall which being touched rings,

For Phoebus (so men say) did lay his golden Violl there,

And so the stones the sound thereof did ever after beare.

King Nisus daughter oftentimes resorted to this Wall

And strake it with a little stone to raise the sound withall,

In time of peace. And in the warre she many a time and oft

Behelde the sturdie stormes of Mars from that same place aloft.

And by continuance of the siege the Captaines names she knew,

Their armes, horse, armor and aray in everie band and crew.

Bit specially above the rest she noted Minos face.

She knew inough and more than was inough as stoode the case.

For were it that he hid his head in Helme with fethered crest,

To hir opinion in his Helme he stayned all the rest.

Or were it that he tooke in hand of steele his target bright,

She thought in weelding of his shielde he was a comly Knight.

Or were it that he raisde his arme to throw the piercing Dart,

The Ladie did commend his force and manhode joynde with Art.

Or drew he with his arrow nockt his bended Bow in hand

She sware that so in all respectes was Phoebus wont to stand.

But when he shewde his visage bare, his Helmet laid aside,

And on a Milke white Steede brave trapt, in Purple Robe did ride,

She scarce was Mistresse of hir selfe, hir wits were almost straught.

A happie Dart she thought it was that he in fingars caught,

And happie called she those reynes that he in hand had raught.

And if she might have had hir will, she could have founde in hart,

Among the enmies to have gone. She could have found in hart,

From downe the highest Turret there hir bodie to have throwne,

Among the thickest of the Tents of Gnossus to have flowne,

Or for to ope the brazen gates and let the enmie in,

Or whatsoever else she thought might Minos favor win.

And as she sate beholding still the King of Candies tent,

She said: I doubt me whether that I rather may lament

Or of this wofull warre be glad. It grieves me at the hart

That thou O Minos unto me thy Lover enmie art.

But had not this same warfare bene, I never had him knowne.

Yet might he leave this cruell warre, and take me as his owne.

A wife, a feere, a pledge for peace he might receive of me.

O flowre of beautie, O thou Prince most pearlesse: if that she

That bare thee in hir wombe were like in beautie unto thee,

A right good cause had Jove on hir enamored for to bee.

Oh happie were I if with wings I through the Aire might glide

And safely to King Minos Tent from this same Turret slide.

Then would I utter who I am, and how the firie flame

Of Cupid burned in my brest, desiring him to name

What dowrie he would aske with me in loan of his love,

Save only of my Fathers Realme no question he should move.

For rather than by traitrous meanes my purpose should take place,

Adue, desire of hoped Love. Yet oftentimes such grace

Hath from the gentle Conqueror proceeded erst, that they

Which tooke the foyle have found the same their profit and their stay.

Assuredly the warre is just that Minos takes in hand,

As in revengement of his sonne late murthered in this land.

And as his quarrell seemeth just, even so it cannot faile,

But rightfull warre against the wrong must (I beleve) prevaile.

Now if this Citie in the ende must needes be taken, why

Should his owne sworde and not my Love be meanes to win it by?

It were yet better he should speede by gentle meanes without

The slaughter of his people, yea and (as it may fall out)

With spending of his owne bloud too. For sure I have a care

O Minos lest some Souldier wound thee ere he be aware.

For who is he in all the world that hath so hard a hart

That wittingly against thy head would aime his cruell Dart?

I like well this devise, and on this purpose will I stand:

To yeelde my selfe endowed with this Citie to the hand

Of Minos: and in doing so to bring this warre to ende.

But smally it availeth me the matter to intende.

The gates and yssues of this towne are kept with watch and warde,

And of the Keyes continually my Father hath the garde.

My Father only is the man of whome I stand in dreede,

My Father only hindreth me of my desired speede.

Would God that I were Fatherlesse. Tush, everie Wight may bee

A God as in their owne behalfe, and if their hearts be free

From fearefulnesse. For fortune works against the fond desire

Of such as through faint heartednesse attempt not to aspire.

Some other feeling in hir heart such flames of Cupids fire

Already would have put in proofe some practise to destroy

What thing so ever of hir Love the furtherance might anoy

And why should any woman have a bolder heart than I?

Through fire and sword I boldly durst adventure for to flie.

And yet in this behalfe at all there needes no sword nor fire,

There needeth but my fathers haire to accomplish my desire. I

That Purple haire of his to me more precious were than golde:

That Purple haire of his would make me blest a thousand folde:

That haire would compasse my desire and set my heart at rest.

100

Night (chiefest Nurce of thoughts to such as are with care opprest)

Approched while she spake these words, and darknesse did encrease

Hir boldnesse. At such time as folke are wont to finde release

Of cares that all the day before were working in their heds,

By sleepe which falleth first of all upon them in their beds,

105

Hir fathers chamber secretly she entered: where (alasse

That ever Maiden should so farre the bounds of Nature passe)

She robde hir Father of the haire upon the which the fate

Depended both of life and death and of his royall state.

And joying in hir wicked prey, she beares it with hir so

110

As if it were some lawfull spoyle acquired of the fo.

And passing through a posterne gate she marched through the mid

Of all hir enmies (such a trust she had in that she did)

Untill she came before the King, whom troubled with the sight

She thus bespake: Enforst, O King, by love against all right

115

I Scylla, Nisus daughter, doe present unto thee heere

My native soyle, my household Gods, and all that else is deere

For this my gift none other thing in recompence I crave

Than of thy person which I love, fruition for to have.

And in assurance of my love receyve thou here of mee

120

My fathers Purple haire: and thinke I give not unto thee

A haire but even my fathers head. And as these words she spake,

The cursed gift with wicked hand she profered him to take.

But Minos did abhorre hir gift: and troubled in his minde

With straungenesse of the heynous act so sore against hir kinde,

125

He aunswerde: O thou slaunder of our age, the Gods expell

Thee out of all this world of theirs and let thee no where dwell.

Let rest on neither Sea nor Land be graunted unto thee.

Assure thy selfe that as for me I never will agree

That Candie, Joves owne foster place (as long as I there raigne),

130

Shall unto such a monstruous Wight a Harbrow place remaine.

This said, he like a righteous Judge among his vanquisht foes

Set order under paine of death. Which done he willed those

That served him to go aboorde and Anchors up to wey.

When Scylla saw the Candian fleete aflote to go away,

135

And that the Captaine yeelded not so good reward as shee

Had for hir lewdnesse looked for: and when in fine she see

That no entreatance could prevaile, then bursting out in ire

With stretched hands and scattred haire, as furious as the fire

She shraming cryed out aloud: And whither doste thou flie

140

Rejecting me, the only meanes that thou hast conquerde by?

O cankerde Churle preferde before my native soyle, preferd

Before my father, whither flyste, O Carle of heart most hard?

Whose conquest as it is my sinne, so doth it well deserve

Reward of thee, for that my fault so well thy turne did serve.

145

Doth neither thee the gift I gave, nor yet my faithfull love,

Nor yet that all my hope on thee alonly rested, move?

For whither shall I now resort forsaken thus of thee?

To Megara the wretched soyle of my nativitie?

Behold it lieth vanquished and troden under foote.

150

But put the case it flourisht still: yet could it nothing boote.

I have foreclosde it to my selfe through treason when I gave

My fathers head to thee. Whereby my countriefolke I drave

To hate me justly for my crime. And all the Realmes about

My lewde example doe abhorre. Thus have I shet me out

155

Of all the world that only Crete might take me in, which if

Thou like a Churle denie, and cast me up without relief,

The Ladie Europ surely was not mother unto thee:

But one of Affricke Sirts where none but Serpents fostred bee,

But even some cruell Tiger bred in Armen or in Inde ,

160

Or else the Gulfe Charybdis raisde with rage of Southerne winde.

Thou wert not got by Jove: ne yet thy mother was beguilde

In shape of Bull: of this thy birth the tale is false compilde.

But rather some unwieldie Bull even altogither wilde

That never lowed after Cow was out of doubt thy Sire.

165

O father Nisus, put thou me to penance for my hire.

Rejoyce thou in my punishment, thou towne by me betrayd.

I have deserved (I confesse) most justly to be payd

With death. But let some one of them that through my lewdnesse smart

Destroy me, why doste thou that by my crime a gainer art,

170

Commit like crime thy selfe? Admit this wicked act of me

As to my land and Fatherward in deede most hainous be.

Yet oughtest thou to take it as a friendship unto thee.

But she was meete to be thy wife, that in a Cow of tree

Could play the Harlot with a Bull, and in hir wombe could beare

175

A Barne, in whome the shapes of man and beasts confounded were.

How sayst thou, Carle? compell not these my words thine eares to glow?

Or doe the windes that drive thy shyps, in vaine my sayings blow?

In faith it is no wonder though thy wife Pasiphae

Preferrde a Bull to thee, for thou more cruell wert than he.

180

Now wo is me. To make more hast it standeth me in hand.

The water sounds with Ores, and hales from me and from my land.

In vaine thou striveth, O thou Churle, forgetfull quight of my

Desertes: for even in spight of thee pursue thee still will I.

Upon thy courbed Keele will I take holde: and hanging so

185

Be drawen along the Sea with thee where ever thou do go.

She scarce had said these words, but that she leaped on the wave

And getting to the ships by force of strength that Love hir gave

Upon the King of Candies Keele in spight of him she clave.

Whome when hir father spide (for now he hovered in the aire,

190

And being made a Hobby Hauke did soare between a paire

Of nimble wings of yron Mayle) he soused downe amaine

To seaze upon hir as she hung, and would have tome hir faine

With bowing Beake. But she for feare did let the Caricke go:

And as she was about to fall, the lightsome Aire did so

195

Uphold hir that she could not touch the Sea as seemed tho.

Anon all fethers she became, and forth away did flie

Transformed to a pretie Bird that stieth to the Skie.

And for bicause like clipped haire hir head doth beare a marke,

The Greekes it Cyris call, and we doe name the same a Larke.

200

As soone as Minos came aland in Crete , he by and by

Performde his vowes to Jupiter in causing for to die

A hundred Bulles for sacrifice. And then he did adorne

His Pallace with the enmies spoyles by conquest wonne beforne.

The slaunder of his house encreast: and now appeared more

205

The mothers filthie whoredome by the monster that she bore

Of double shape, an ugly thing. This shamefull infamie,

This monster borne him by his wife he mindes by pollicie

To put away, and in a house with many nookes and krinks

From all mens sights and speach of folke to shet it up he thinks.

210

Immediatly one Daedalus renowmed in that lande

For fine devise and workmanship in building, went in hand

To make it. He confounds his worke with sodaine stops and stayes,

And with the great uncertaintie of sundrie winding wayes

Leades in and out, and to and fro, at divers doores astray.

215

And as with trickling streame the Brooke Maeander seemes to play

In Phrygia , and with doubtfull race runnes counter to and fro,

And meeting with himselfe doth looke if all his streame or no

Come after, and retiring eft cleane backward to his spring

And marching eft to open Sea as streight as any string,

220

Indenteth with reversed streame: even so of winding wayes

Unnumerable Daedalus within his worke convayes.

Yea scarce himselfe could find the meanes to winde himselfe well out:

So busie and so intricate the house was all about.

Within this Maze did Minos shet the Monster that did beare

225

The shape of man and Bull. And when he twise had fed him there

With bloud of Atticke Princes sonnes that given for tribute were,

The third time at the ninth yeares end the lot did chaunce to light

On Theseus, King Aegaeus sonne: who like a valiant Knight

Did overcome the Minotaur: and by the pollicie

230

Of Minos eldest daughter (who had taught him for to tie

A clew of Linnen at the doore to guide himselfe thereby)

As busie as the turnings were, his way he out did finde,

Which never man had done before. And streight he having winde,

With Minos daughter sailde away to Dia: where (unkinde

235

And cruell creature that he was) he left hir post alone

Upon the shore. Thus desolate and making dolefull mone

God Bacchus did both comfort hir and take hir to his bed.

And with an everlasting starre the more hir fame to spred,

He tooke the Chaplet from hir head, and up to Heaven it threw.

240

The Chaplet thirled through the Aire: and as it gliding flew,

The precious stones were turnd to starres which biased cleare and bright,

And tooke their place (continuing like a Chaplet still to sight)

Amid betweene the Kneeler Downe and him that gripes the Snake.

Now in this while gan Daedalus a wearinesse to take

245

Of living like a banisht man and prisoner such a time

In Crete , and longed in his heart to see his native Clime.

But Seas enclosed him as if he had in prison be.

Then thought he: though both Sea and Land King Minos stop fro me,

I am assurde he cannot stop the Aire and open Skie.

250

To make my passage that way then my cunning will I trie.

Although that Minos like a Lord held all the world beside:

Yet doth the Aire from Minos yoke for all men free abide.

This sed: to uncoth Arts he bent the force of all his wits

To alter natures course by craft. And orderly he knits

255

A rowe of fethers one by one, beginning with the short,

And overmatching still eche quill with one of longer sort,

That on the shoring of a hill a man would thinke them grow.

Even so the countrie Organpipes of Oten reedes ir row

Ech higher than another rise. Then fastned he with Flax

260

The middle quilles, and joyned in the lowest sort with Wax.

And when he thus had finisht them, a little he them bent

In compasse, that the verie Birdes they full might represent.

There stoode me by him Icarus, his sonne, a pretie Lad.

Who knowing not that he in handes his owne destruction had,

265

With smiling mouth did one while blow the fethers to and fro

Which in the Aire on wings of Birds did flask not long ago:

And with his thumbes another while he chafes the yelow Wax

And lets his fathers wondrous worke with childish toyes and knacks.

As soon as that the worke was done, the workman by and by

270

Did peyse his bodie on his wings, and in the Aire on hie

Hung wavering: and did teach his sonne how he should also flie.

I warne thee (quoth he), Icarus, a middle race to keepe.

For if thou hold too low a gate, the dankenesse of the deepe

Will overlade thy wings with wet. And if thou mount too hie,

275

The Sunne will sindge them. Therfore see betweene them both thou flie.

I bid thee not behold the Starre Bootes in the Skie.

Nor looke upon the bigger Beare to make thy course thereby,

Nor yet on Orions naked sword. But ever have an eie

To keepe the race that I doe keepe, and I will guide thee right.

280

In giving counsell to his sonne to order well his flight,

He fastned to his shoulders twaine a paire of uncoth wings.

And as he was in doing it and warning him of things,

His aged cheekes were wet, his hands did quake, in fine he gave

His sonne a kisse the last that he alive should ever have.

285

And then he mounting up aloft before him tooke his way

Right fearfull for his followers sake: as is the Bird the day

That first she tolleth from hir nest among the braunches hie

Hir tender yong ones in the Aire to teach them for to flie.

So heartens he his little sonne to follow teaching him

290

A hurtfull Art. His owne two wings he waveth verie trim,

And looketh backward still upon his sonnes. The fishermen

Then standing angling by the Sea, and shepeherdes leaning then

On sheepehookes, and the Ploughmen on the handles of their Plough,

Beholding them, amazed were: and thought that they that through

295

The Aire could flie were Gods. And now did on their left side stand

The Iles of Paros and of Dele and Samos , Junos land:

And on their right, Lebinthos and the faire Calydna fraught

With store of honie: when the Boy a frolicke courage caught

To flie at randon. Whereupon forsaking quight his guide,

300

Of fond desire to flie to Heaven, above his boundes he stide.

And there the nerenesse of the Sunne which burnd more hote aloft,

Did make the Wax (with which his wings were glewed) lithe and soft.

As soone as that the Wax was molt, his naked armes he shakes,

And wanting wherewithall to wave no helpe of Aire he takes.

305

But calling on his father loud he drowned in the wave:

And by this chaunce of his those Seas his name for ever have.

His wretched Father (but as then no father) cride in feare:

O Icarus, O Icarus, where art thou? tell me where

That I may finde thee, Icarus. He saw the fethers swim

310

Upon the waves, and curst his Art that so had spighted him.

At last he tooke his bodie up and laid it in a grave,

And to the Ile the name of him then buried in it gave.

And as he of his wretched sonne the corse in ground did hide,

The cackling Partrich from a thicke and leavie thorne him spide,

315

And clapping with his wings for joy aloud to call began.

There was of that same kinde of Birde no mo but he as than.

In times forepast had none bene seene. It was but late anew

Since he was made a bird: and that thou, Daedalus, mayst rew:

For whyle the world doth last thy shame shall thereupon ensew.

320

For why thy sister, ignorant of that which after hapt,

Did put him to thee to be taught full twelve yeares old and apt

To take instruction. He did marke the middle bone that goes

Through fishes, and according to the paterne tane of those

He filed teeth upon a piece of yron one by one

325

And so devised first the Saw where erst was never none.

Moreover he two yron shankes so joynde in one round head,

That opening an indifferent space, the one point downe shall tread,

And tother draw a circle round. The finding of these things,

The spightfull heart of Daedalus with such a m lice stings,

330

That headlong from the holy towre of Pallas downe he thrue

His Nephew, feyning him to fall by chaunce, which was not true.

But Pallas (who doth favour wits) did stay him in his fall

And chaunging him into a Bird did clad him over all

With fethers soft amid the Aire. The quicknesse of his wit

335

(Which erst was swift) did shed it selfe among his wings and feete.

And as he Partrich hight before, so hights he Partrich still.

Yet mounteth not this Bird aloft ne seemes to have a will

To build hir nest in tops of trees among the boughes on hie

But flecketh nere the ground and layes hir egges in hedges drie.

340

And forbicause hir former fall she ay in minde doth beare,

She ever since all lofty things doth warely shun for feare.

And now forwearied Daedalus alighted in the land

Within the which the burning hilles of firie Aetna stand.

To save whose life King Cocalus did weapon take in hand,

345

For which men thought him merciful. And now with high renowne

Had Theseus ceast the wofull pay of tribute in the towne

Of Athens . Temples decked were with garlands every where,

And supplications made to Jove and warlicke Pallas were,

And all the other Gods, to whome more honor for to show,

350

Gifts, blud of beasts, and frankincense the people did bestow

As in performance of their vowes. The right redoubted name

Of Theseus through the lande of Greece was spred by flying fame.

And now the folke that in the land of rich Achaia dwelt,

Praid him of succor in the harmes and perils that they felt.

355

Although the land of Calydon had then Meleager:

Yet was it faine in humble wise to Theseus to prefer

A supplication for the aide of him. The cause wherfore

They made such humble suit to him was this. There was a Bore

The which Diana for to wreake hir wrath conceyvde before

360

Had thither as hir servant sent the countrie for to waast.

For men report that Oenie when he had in storehouse plaast

The full encrease of former yeare, to Ceres did assigne

The firstlings of his corne and fruits: to Bacchus, of the Wine:

And unto Pallas Olife oyle. This honoring of the Gods

365

Of graine and fruits who put their help to toyling in the clods,

Ambitiously to all, even those that dwell in heaven did clime.

Dianas Altars (as it hapt) alonly at that time

Without reward of Frankincense were overskipt (they say).

Even Gods are subject unto wrath. He shall not scape away

370

Unpunisht, though unworshipped he passed me wyth spight:

He shall not make his vaunt he scapt me unrevenged quight,

Quoth Phoebe. And anon she sent a Bore to Oenies ground

Of such a hugenesse as no Bull could ever yet be found,

In Epyre: but in Sicilie are Bulles much lesse than hee.

375

His eies did glister blud and fire: right dreadfull was to see

His brawned necke, right dredfull was his haire which grew as thicke

With pricking points as one of them could well by other sticke.

And like a front of armed Pikes set close in battell ray

The sturdie bristles on his back stoode staring up alway.

380

The scalding fome with gnashing hoarse which he did cast aside,

Upon his large and brawned shield did white as Curdes abide.

Among the greatest Oliphants in all the land of Inde ,

A greater tush than had this Boare, ye shall not lightly finde.

Such lightning flashed from his chappes, as seared up the grasse.

385

Now trampled he the spindling come to ground where he did passe,

Now ramping up their riped hope he made the Plowmen weepe.

And chankt the kernell in the eare. In vaine their floores they sweepe:

In vaine their Barnes for Harvest long, the likely store they keepe.

The spreaded Vines with clustred Grapes to ground he rudely sent,

390

And full of Berries loden boughes from Olife trees he rent.

On cattell also did he rage. The shepeherd nor his dog,

Nor yet the Bulles could save the herdes from outrage of this Hog.

The folke themselves were faine to flie. And yet they thought them not

In safetie when they had themselves within the Citie got.

395

Untill their Prince Meleager, and with their Prince a knot

Of Lords and lustie gentlemen of hand and courage stout,

With chosen fellowes for the nonce of all the Lands about,

Inflamed were to win renowne. The chiefe that thither came

Were both the twinnes of Tyndarus of great renowne and fame,

400

The one in all activitie of manhode, strength and force,

The other for his cunning skill in handling of a horse.

And Jason he that first of all the Gallie did invent:

And Theseus with Pirithous betwene which two there went

A happie leage of amitie: And two of Thesties race:

405

And Lynce, the sonne of Apharie and Idas, swift of pace.

And fierce Leucyppus and the brave Acastus with his Dart

In handling of the which he had the perfect skill and Art.

And Caeny who by birth a wench, the shape of man had wonne

And Drias and Hippothous: and Phoenix eke the sonne

410

Of olde Amyntor: and a paire of Actors ympes: and Phyle

Who came from Elis . Telamon was also there that while:

And so was also Peleus, the great Achilles Sire:

And Pherets sonne: and Iolay, the Thebane who with fire

Helpt Hercules the monstruous heades of Hydra off to seare.

415

The lively Lad Eurytion and Echion who did beare

The pricke and prise for footemanship, were present also there.

And Lelex of Narytium too. And Panopie beside:

And Hyle: and cruell Hippasus: and Naestor who that tide

Was in the Prime of lustie youth: moreover thither went

420

Three children of Hippocoon from old Amicle sent.

And he that of Penelope the fathrinlaw became.

And eke the sonne of Parrhasus, Ancaeus cald by name.

There was the sonne of Ampycus of great forecasting wit:

And Oeclies sonne who of his wife was unbetrayed yit.

425

And from the Citie Tegea there came the Paragone

Of Lycey forrest, Atalant, a goodly Ladie, one

Of Schoenyes daughters, then a Maide. The garment she did weare

A brayded button fastned at hir gorget. All hir heare

Untrimmed in one only knot was trussed. From hir left

430

Side hanging on hir shoulder was an Ivorie quiver deft:

Which being full of arrowes, made a clattring as she went.

And in hir right hand she did beare a Bow already bent.

Hir furniture was such as this. Hir countnance and hir grace

Was such as in a Boy might well be cald a Wenches face,

435

And in a Wench be cald a Boyes. The Prince of Calydon

No sooner cast his eie on hir, but being caught anon

In love, he wisht hir to his wife. But unto this desire

God Cupid gave not his consent. The secret flames of fire

He haling inward still did say: O happy man is he

440

Whom this same Ladie shall vouchsave hir Husband for to be.

The shortnesse of the time and shame would give him leave to say

No more: a worke of greater weight did draw him then away.

A wood thick growen with trees which stoode unfelled to that day

Beginning from a plaine, had thence a large prospect throughout

445

The falling grounds that every way did muster round about.

As soone as that the men came there, some pitched up the toyles,

Some tooke the couples from the Dogs, and some pursude the foyles

In places where the Swine had tract: desiring for to spie

Their owne destruction. Now there was a hollow bottom by,

450

To which the watershots of raine from all the high grounds drew.

Within the compasse of this pond great store of Osiers grew:

And Sallowes lithe, and flackring Flags, and moorish Rushes eke,

And lazie Reedes on little shankes, and other baggage like.

From hence the Bore was rowzed out, and fiersly forth he flies

455

Among the thickest of his foes like thunder from the Skies,

When Clouds in meeting force the fire to burst by violence out.

He beares the trees before him downe, and all the wood about

Doth sound of crashing. All the youth with hideous noyse and shout

Against him bend their Boarspeare points with hand and courage stout.

460

He rushes forth among the Dogs that held him at a bay,

And now on this side now on that, as any come in way,

He rippes their skinnes and splitteth them, and chaseth them away,

Echion first of all the rout a Dart at him did throw,

Which mist and in a Maple tree did give a little blow.

465

The next (if he that threw the same had used lesser might),

The backe at which he aimed it was likely for to smight.

It overflew him. Jason was the man that cast the Dart.

With that the sonne of Ampycus sayd: Phoebus (if with hart

I have and still doe worship thee) now graunt me for to hit

470

The thing that I doe levell at. Apollo graunts him it

As much as lay in him to graunt. He hit the Swine in deede.

But neyther entred he his hide nor caused him to bleede.

For why Diana (as the Dart was flying) tooke away

The head of it: and so the Dart could headlesse beare no sway.

475

But yet the moodie beast thereby was set the more on fire

And chafing like the lightning swift he uttreth forth his ire.

The fire did sparkle from his eyes: and from his boyling brest

He breathed flaming flakes of fire conceyved in his chest.

And looke with what a violent brunt a mightie Bullet goes

480

From engines bent against a wall, or bulwarks full of foes:

With even such violence rusht the Swine among the Hunts amayne,

And overthrew Eupalamon and Pelagon both twaine

That in the right wing placed were. Their fellowes stepping to

And drawing them away, did save their lives with much ado.

485

But as for poore Enesimus, Hippocoons sonne had not

The lucke to scape the deadly dint. He would away have got,

And trembling turnde his backe for feare. The Swine him overtooke,

And cut his hamstrings, so that streight his going him forsooke.

And Naestor to have lost his life was like by fortune ere

490

The siege of Troie , but that he tooke his rist upon his speare:

And leaping quickly up upon a tree that stoode hard by,

Did safely from the place behold his foe whome he did flie.

The Boare then whetting sharpe his tuskes against the Oken wood

To mischiefe did prepare himselfe with fierce and cruell mood.

495

And trusting to his weapons which he sharpened had anew,

In great Orithyas thigh a wound with hooked groyne he drew.

The valiant brothers, those same twinnes of Tyndarus (not yet

Celestiall signes), did both of them on goodly coursers sit

As white as snow: and ech of them had shaking in his fist

500

A lightsome Dart with head of steele to throw it where he lyst.

And for to wound the bristled Bore they surely had not mist

But that he still recovered so the coverts of the wood,

That neyther horse could follow him, nor Dart doe any good.

Still after followed Telamon, whom taking to his feete

505

No heede at all for egernesse, a Maple roote did meete,

Which tripped up his heeles, and flat against the ground him laid.

And while his brother Peleus relieved him, the Maid

Of Tegea tooke an arrow swift, and shot it from hir bow.

The arrow lighting underneath the havers eare bylow,

510

And somewhat rasing of the skin, did make the bloud to show.

The Maid hirselfe not gladder was to see that luckie blow,

Than was the Prince Meleager. He was the first that saw,

And first that shewed to his Mates the blud that she did draw:

And said: For this thy valiant act due honor shalt thou have.

515

The men did blush, and chearing up ech other courage gave

With shouting, and disorderly their Darts by heaps they threw.

The number of them hindred them, not suffring to ensew

That any lighted on the marke at which they all did ame.

Behold, enragde against his ende the hardie Knight that came

520

From Arcadie , rusht rashly with a Pollax in his fist

And said: You yonglings learne of me what difference is betwist

A wenches weapons and a mans: and all of you give place

To my redoubted force. For though Diana in this chase

Should with hir owne shield him defend, yet should this hand of mine

525

Even maugre Dame Dianas heart confound this orped Swine.

Such boasting words as these through pride presumptuously he crakes:

And streyning out himselfe upon his tiptoes streight he takes

His Pollax up with both his hands. But as this bragger ment

To fetch his blow, the cruell beast his malice did prevent:

530

And in his coddes (the speeding place of death) his tusshes puts,

And rippeth up his paunche. Downe falles Ancaeus and his guts

Come tumbling out besmearde with bloud, and foyled all the plot.

Pirithous, Ixions sonne, at that abashed not:

But shaking in his valiant hand his hunting staffe did goe

535

Still stoutly forward face to face t'encounter with his foe

To whome Duke Theseus cride afarre: O dearer unto mee

Than is my selfe, my soule I say, stay: lawfull we it see

For valiant men to keepe aloofe. The over hardie hart

In rash adventring of him selfe hath made Ancaeus smart.

540

This sed, he threw a weightie Dart of Cornell with a head

Of brasse: which being leveld well was likely to have sped,

But that a bough of Chestnut tree thick leaved by the way

Did latch it, and by meanes therof the dint of it did stay.

Another Dart that Jason threw, by fortune mist the Bore,

545

And light betwene a Mastifes chaps, and through his guts did gore,

And naild him to the earth. The hand of Prince Meleager

Plaid hittymissie. Of two Darts his first did flie too far,

And lighted in the ground: the next amid his backe stickt fast.

And while the Bore did play the fiend and turned round agast,

550

And grunting flang his fome about togither mixt with blood,

The giver of the wound (the more to stirre his enmies mood,)

Stept in, and underneath the shield did thrust his Boarspeare through.

Then all the Hunters shouting out demeaned joy inough.

And glad was he that first might come to take him by the hand.

555

About the ugly beast they all with gladnesse gazing stand

And wondring what a field of ground his carcasse did possesse,

There durst not any be so bolde to touch him. Nerethelesse,

They every of them with his bloud their hunting staves made red.

Then stepped forth Meleager, and treading on his hed

560

Said thus: O Ladie Atalant, receive thou here my fee,

And of my glorie vouch thou safe partaker for to bee.

Immediatly the ugly head with both the tusshes brave

And eke the skin with bristles stur right griesly, he hir gave.

The Ladie for the givers sake, was in hir heart as glad

565

As for the gift. The rest repinde that she such honor had.

Through all the rout was murmuring. Of whom with roring reare

And armes displayd that all the field might easly see and heare,

The Thesties cried: Dame, come off and lay us downe this geare.

And thou a woman offer not us men so great a shame,

570

As we to toyle and thou to take the honor of our game.

Ne let that faire smooth face of thine beguile thee, lest that hee

That being doted in thy love did give thee this our fee,

Be over farre to rescow thee. And with that word they tooke

The gift from hir, and right of gift from him. He could not brooke

575

This wrong: but gnashing with his teeth for anger that did boyle

Within, said fiersly: learne ye you that other folkes dispoyle

Of honor given, what diffrence is betweene your threats, and deedes.

And therewithall Plexippus brest (who no such matter dreedes)

With wicked weapon he did pierce. As Toxey doubting stood

580

What way to take, desiring both t'advenge his brothers blood,

And fearing to be murthered as his brother was before,

Meleager (to dispatch all doubts of musing any more)

Did heate his sword for companie in bloud of him againe,

Before Plexippus bloud was cold that did thereon remaine.

585

Althaea going toward Church with presents for to yild

Due thankes and worship to the Gods that for hir sonne had kild

The Boare, beheld hir brothers brought home dead: and by and by

She beate hir brest, and filde the towne with shrieking piteously,

And shifting all hir rich aray, did put on mourning weede

590

But when she understoode what man was doer of the deede,

She left all mourning, and from teares to vengeance did proceede.

There was a certaine firebrand which when Oenies wife did lie

In childebed of Meleager, she chaunced to espie

The Destnies putting in the fire: and in the putting in,

595

She heard them speake these words, as they his fatall threede did spin:

O lately borne, like time we give to thee and to this brand.

And when they so had spoken, they departed out of hand.

Immediatly the mother caught the blazing bough away,

And quenched it. This bough she kept full charely many a day:

600

And in the keeping of the same she kept hir sonne alive.

But now intending of his life him clearly to deprive,

She brought it forth, and causing all the coales and shivers to

Be layed by, she like a foe did kindle fire thereto.

Fowre times she was about to cast the firebrand in the flame:

605

Fowre times she pulled backe hir hand from doing of the same.

As mother and as sister both she strove what way to go:

The divers names drew diversly hir stomacke to and fro.

Hir face waxt often pale for feare of mischiefe to ensue:

And often red about the eies through heate of ire she grew.

610

One while hir looke resembled one that threatned cruelnesse:

Another while ye would have thought she minded pitiousnesse.

And though the cruell burning of hir heart did drie hir teares,

Yet burst out some. And as a Boate which tide contrarie beares

Against the winde, feeles double force, and is compeld to yeelde

615

To both, so Thesties daughter now unable for to weelde

Hir doubtful passions, diversly is caried off and on,

And chaungeably she waxes calme, and stormes againe anon.

But better sister ginneth she than mother for to be.

And to th'intent hir brothers ghostes with bloud to honor, she

620

In meaning to be one way kinde, doth worke another way

Against kinde. When the plagie fire waxt strong she thus did say:

Let this same fire my bowels burne. And as in cursed hands

The fatall wood she holding at the Hellish Altar stands:

She said: Ye triple Goddesses of wreake, ye Helhounds three

625

Beholde ye all this furious fact and sacrifice of mee.

I wreake, and do against all right: with death must death be payde:

In mischiefe mischiefe must be heapt: on corse must corse be laide.

Confounded let this wicked house with heaped sorrowes bee.

Shall Oenie joy his happy sonne in honor for to see

630

And Thestie mourne bereft of his? Nay: better yet it were,

That eche with other companie in mourning you should beare.

Ye brothers Ghostes and soules new dead I wish no more, but you

To feele the solemne obsequies which I prepare as now:

And that mine offring you accept, which dearly I have bought

635

The yssue of my wretched wombe. Alas, alas what thought

I for to doe? O brothers, I besech you beare with me.

I am his mother: so to doe my hands unable be.

His trespasse I confesse deserves the stopping of his breath:

But yet I doe not like that I be Author of his death.

640

And shall he then with life and limme, and honor too, scape free?

And vaunting in his good successe the King of Calidon bee?

And you deare soules lie raked up but in a little dust?

I will not surely suffer it. But let the villaine trust

That he shall die, and draw with him to ruine and decay

645

His Kingdome, Countrie and his Sire that doth upon him stay.

Why where is now the mothers heart and pitie that should raigne

In Parents? and the ten Monthes paines that once I did sustaine?

O would to God thou burned had a babie in this brand,

And that I had not tane it out and quencht it with my hand.

650

That all this while thou lived hast, my goodnesse is the cause.

And now most justly unto death thine owne desert thee drawes.

Receive the guerdon of thy deede: and render thou agen

Thy twice given life, by bearing first, and secondarly when

I caught this firebrand from the flame: or else come deale with me

655

As with my brothers, and with them let me entumbed be.

I would, and cannot. What then shall I stand to in this case?

One while my brothers corses seeme to prease before my face

With lively Image of their deaths. Another while my minde

Doth yeelde to pitie, and the name of mother doth me blinde.

660

Now wo is me. To let you have the upper hand is sinne:

But nerethelesse the upper hand O brothers doe you win.

Condicionly that when that I to comfort you withall

Have wrought this feate, my selfe to you resort in person shall.

This sed, she turnde away hir face, and with a trembling hand

665

Did cast the deathfull brand amid the burning fire. The brand

Did eyther sigh, or seeme to sigh in burning in the flame,

Which sorie and unwilling was to fasten on the same.

Meleager being absent and not knowing ought at all

Was burned with this flame: and felt his bowels to appall

670

With secret fire. He bare out long the paine with courage stout.

But yet it grieved him to die so cowardly without

The shedding of his bloud. He thought Anceus for to be

A happie man that dide of wound. With sighing called he

Upon his aged father, and his sisters, and his brother,

675

And lastly on his wife too, and by chaunce upon his mother.

His paine encreased with the fire, and fell therewith againe:

And at the selfe same instant quight extinguisht were both twaine.

And as the ashes soft and hore by leysure overgrew

The glowing coales: so leysurly his spirit from him drew.

680

Then drouped stately Calydon. Both yong and olde did mourne,

The Lords and Commons did lament, and maried wives with tome

And tattred haire did crie alas. His father did beray

His horie head and face with dust, and on the earth flat lay,

Lamenting that he lived had to see that wofull day

685

For now his mothers giltie hand had for that cursed crime

Done execution on hir selfe by sword before hir time.

If God to me a hundred mouthes with sounding tongues should send,

And reason able to conceyve, and thereunto should lend

Me all the grace of eloquence that ere the Muses had,

690

I could not shew the wo wherewith his sisters were bestad.

Unmindfull of their high estate, their naked brests they smit,

Untill they made them blacke and blew. And while his bodie yit

Remained, they did cherish it, and cherish it againe.

They kist his bodie: yea they kist the chist that did containe

695

His corse. And after that the corse was burnt to ashes, they

Did presse his ashes with their brests: and downe along they lay

Upon his tumb, and there embraste his name upon the stone,

And filde the letters of the same with teares that from them gone.

At length Diana satisfide with slaughter brought upon

700

The house of Oenie, lifts them up with fethers everichone,

(Save Gorgee and the daughtrinlaw of noble Alcmene) and

Makes wings to stretch along their sides, and horned nebs to stand

Upon their mouthes. And finally she altring quight their faire

And native shape, in shape of Birds dooth sent them through the Aire.

705

The noble Theseus in this while with others having donne

His part in killing of the Boare, to Athens ward begonne

To take his way. But Acheloy then being swolne with raine

Did stay him of his journey, and from passage him restraine.

Of Athens valiant knight (quoth he) come underneath my roofe,

710

And for to passe my raging streame as yet attempt no proofe.

This brooke is wont whole trees to beare and evelong stones to carry

With hideous roring down his streame. I oft have seene him harry

Whole Shepcotes standing nere his banks, with flocks of sheepe therin.

Nought booted buls their strength: nought steedes by swiftnes there could win.

715

Yea many lustie men this brooke hath swallowed, when the snow

From mountaines molten, caused him his banks to overflow.

i The best is for you for to rest untill the River fall

Within his boundes: and runne ageine within his chanell small.

Content (quoth Theseus): Acheloy, I will not sure refuse

720

Thy counsell nor thy house. And so he both of them did use.

Of Pommy hollowed diversly and ragged Pebble stone

The walles were made. The floore with Mosse was soft to tread upon.

The roofe thereof was checkerwise with shelles of Purple wrought

And Perle. The Sunne then full two parts of day to end had brought,

725

And Theseus downe to table sate with such as late before

Had friendly borne him companie at killing of the Bore.

At one side sate Ixions sonne, and on the other sate

The Prince of Troyzen, Lelex , with a thin hearde horie pate.

And then such other as the brooke of Acarnania did

730

Vouchsafe the honor to his boord and table for to bid,

Who was right glad of such a guest. Immediatly there came

Barefooted Nymphes who brought in meate. And when that of the same

The Lords had taken their repast, the meate away they tooke,

And set downe wine in precious stones. Then Theseus who did looke

735

Upon the Sea that underneath did lie within their sight,

Said: tell us what is yon same place, (and with his fingar right

Hee poynted thereunto) I pray, and what that Iland hight,

Although it seemeth mo than one. The River answerd thus,

It is not one mayne land alone that kenned is of us.

740

There are uppon a fyve of them. The distaunce of the place,

Dooth hinder to discerne betweene eche Ile the perfect space.

And that the lesse yee woonder may at Phoebees act alate,

To such as had neglected her uppon contempt or hate,

Theis Iles were sumtyme Waternimphes: who having killed Neate,

745

Twyce fyve, and called to theyr feast the Country Gods to eate,

Forgetting mee kept frolicke cheere. At that gan I to swell,

And ran more large than ever erst, and being over fell

In stomacke and in streame, I rent the wood from wood, and feeld

From feeld, and with the ground the Nymphes as then with stomacks meeld

750

Remembring mee, I tumbled to the Sea. The waves of mee

And of the sea the ground that erst all whole was woont to bee

Did rend asunder into all the Iles you yonder see,

And made a way for waters now to passe betweene them free.

They now of Urchins have theyr name. But of theis Ilands, one

755

A great way off (behold yee) stands a great way off alone,

As you may see. The Mariners doo call it Perimell.

With her (shee was as then a Nymph) so farre in love I fell,

That of her maydenhod I her spoyld: which thing displeasd so sore

Her father Sir Hippodamas, that from the craggy shore

760

He threw her headlong downe to drowne her in the sea. But I

Did latch her streight, and bearing her aflote did lowd thus crie:

O Neptune with thy threetynde Mace who hast by lot the charge

Of all the waters wylde that bound uppon the earth at large,

To whom wee holy streames doo runne, in whome wee take our end,

765

Draw neere, and gently to my boone effectually attend.

This Ladie whome I beare aflote myselfe hath hurt. Bee meeke

And upright. If Hippodamas perchaunce were fatherleeke,

Or if that he extremitie through outrage did not secke,

He oughted to have pitied her and for to beare with mee.

770

Now help us Neptune, I thee pray, and condescend that shee

Whom from the land her fathers wrath and cruelnesse dooth chace

Who through her fathers cruelnesse is drownd: may find the grace

To have a place: or rather let hirselfe become a place.

And I will still embrace the same. The King of Seas did move

775

His head, and as a token that he did my sute approve,

He made his surges all to shake. The Nymph was sore afrayd.

Howbee't shee swam, and as she swam, my hand I softly layd

Upon her brest which quivered still. And whyle I toucht the same,

I sensibly did feele how all her body hard became:

780

And how the earth did overgrow her bulk. And as I spake,

New earth enclosde hir swimming limbes, which by and by did take

Another shape, and grew into a mighty Ile.

With that

The River ceast and all men there did woonder much thereat.

785

Pirithous being over hault of mynde and such a one

As did despyse bothe God and man, did laugh them everychone

To scorne for giving credit, and sayd thus: The woords thou spaakst

Are feyned fancies, Acheloy: and overstrong thou maakst

The Gods: to say that they can give and take way shapes. This scoffe

790

Did make the heerers all amazde, for none did like thereof.

And Lelex of them all the man most rype in yeeres and wit,

Sayd thus: Unmeasurable is the powre of heaven, and it

Can have none end. And looke what God dooth mynd to bring about,

Must take effect. And in this case to put yee out of dout,

795

Upon the hilles of Phrygie neere a Teyle there stands a tree

Of Oke enclosed with a wall. Myself the place did see.

For Pithey untoo Pelops feelds did send mee where his father

Did sumtyme reigne. Not farre fro thence there is a poole which rather

Had bene dry ground inhabited. But now it is a meare

800

And Moorecocks, Cootes, and Cormorants doo breede and nestle there.

The mightie Jove and Mercurie his sonne in shape of men

Resorted thither on a tyme. A thousand houses when

For roome to lodge in they had sought, a thousand houses bard

Theyr doores against them. Nerethelesse one Cotage afterward

805

Receyved them, and that was but a pelting one in deede.

The roofe therof was thatched all with straw and fennish reede.

Howbee't two honest auncient folke, (of whom she Baucis hight

And he Philemon) in that Cote theyr fayth in youth had plight:

And in that Cote had spent theyr age. And for they paciently

810

Did beare theyr simple povertie, they made it light thereby,

And shewed it no thing to bee repyned at at all.

It skilles not whether there for Hyndes or Maister you doo call,

For all the houshold were but two: and both of them obeyde,

And both commaunded. When the Gods at this same Cotage staid,

815

And ducking downe their heads, within the low made Wicket came,

Philemon bringing ech a stoole, bade rest upon the same

Their limmes: and busie Baucis brought them cuishons homely geere.

ihich done, the embers on the harth she gan abrode to steere,

And laid the coales togither that were raakt up over night,

820

And with the brands and dried leaves did make them gather might,

And with the blowing of hir mouth did make them kindle bright.

Then from an inner house she fetcht seare sticks and clifted brands,

And put them broken underneath a Skillet with hir hands.

Hir Husband from their Gardenplot fetcht Coleworts. Of the which

825

She shreaded small the leaves, and with a Forke tooke downe a flitch

Of restie Bacon from the Balke made blacke with smoke, and cut

A peece thereof, and in the pan to boyling did it put.

And while this meate a seething was, the time in talke they spent,

By meanes whereof away without much tedousnesse it went.

830

There hung a Boawle of Beeche upon a spirget by a ring.

The same with warmed water filld the two old folke did bring

To bathe their guests foule feete therein. Amid the house there stood

A Couch whose bottom sides and feete were all of Sallow wood,

And on the same a Mat of Sedge. They cast upon this bed

835

A covering which was never wont upon it to be spred

Except it were at solemne feastes: and yet the same was olde

And of the coursest, with a bed of sallow meete to holde.

The Gods sate downe. The aged wife right chare and busie as

A Bee, set out a table, of the which the thirde foote was

840

A little shorter than the rest. A tylesherd made it even

And tooke away the shoringnesse: and when they had it driven

To stand up levell, with greene Mintes they by and by it wipte.

Then set they on it Pallas fruite with double colour stripte.

And Cornels kept in pickle moyst, and Endive, and a roote

845

Of Radish, and a jolly lump of Butter fresh and soote,

And Egges reare rosted. All these Cates in earthen dishes came.

Then set they downe a graven cup made also of the same

Selfe kinde of Plate, and Mazers made of Beech whose inner syde

Was rubd with yellow wax. And when they pawsed had a tyde,

850

Hot meate came pyping from the fyre. And shortly thereupon

A cup of greene hedg wyne was brought. This tane away, anon

Came in the latter course, which was of Nuts, Dates, dryed figges,

Sweete smelling Apples in a Mawnd made flat of Osier twigges,

And Prunes and Plums and Purple grapes cut newly from the tree,

855

And in the middes a honnycomb new taken from the Bee.

Besydes all this there did ensew good countnance overmore,

With will not poore nor nigardly. Now all the whyle before,

As ofen as Philemon and Dame Baucis did perceyve

The emptie Cup to fill alone, and wyne to still receyve,

860

Amazed at the straungenesse of the thing, they gan streyght way

With fearfull harts and hands hilld up to frame themselves to pray.

Desyring for theyr slender cheere and fare to pardoned bee.

They had but one poore Goose which kept theyr little Tennantree,

And this to offer to the Gods theyr guestes they did intend.

865

The Gander wyght of wing did make the slow old folke to spend

Theyr paynes in vayne, and mokt them long. At length he seemd to flye

For succor to the Gods themselves, who bade he should not dye.

For wee bee Gods (quoth they) and all this wicked towneship shall

Abye their gylt. On you alone this mischeef shall not fall.

870

No more but give you up your house, and follow up this hill

Togither, and upon the top therof abyde our will.

They bothe obeyd. And as the Gods did lead the way before,

They lagged slowly after with theyr staves, and labored sore

Ageinst the rysing of the hill. They were not mickle more

875

Than full a flyghtshot from the top, when looking backe they saw

How all the towne was drowned save their lyttle shed of straw.

And as they wondred at the thing and did bewayle the case

Of those that had theyr neyghbours beene, the old poore Cote so base

Whereof they had beene owners erst, became a Church. The proppes

880

Were turned into pillars huge. The straw uppon the toppes

Was yellow, so that all the roof did seeme of burnisht gold:

The floore with Marble paved was. The doores on eyther fold

Were graven. At the sight hereof Philemon and his make

Began to pray in feare. Then Jove thus gently them bespake:

885

Declare thou ryghtuowse man, and thou woman meete to have

A ryghtuowse howsband, what yee would most cheefly wish or crave.

Philemon taking conference a little with his wyfe,

Declared bothe theyr meenings thus: We covet during lyfe,

Your Chapleynes for to bee to keepe your Temple. And bycause

890

Our yeeres in concord wee have spent, I pray when death neere drawes,

Let bothe of us togither leave our lives: that neyther I

Behold my wyves deceace, nor shee see myne when I doo dye.

Theyr wish had sequele to theyr will. As long as lyfe did last,

They kept the Church. And beeing spent with age of yeares forepast,

895

By chaunce as standing on a tyme without the Temple doore

They told the fortune of the place, Philemon old and poore

Saw Baucis floorish greene with leaves, and Baucis saw likewyse

Philemon braunching out in boughes and twigs before hir eyes.

And as the Bark did overgrow the heades of both, eche spake

900

To other whyle they myght. At last they eche of them did take

Theyr leave of other bothe at once, and therewithall the bark

Did hyde theyr faces both at once. The Phrygians in that park

Doo at this present day still shew the trees that shaped were

Of theyr two bodies, growing yit togither joyntly there.

905

Theis things did auncient men report of credit verie good.

For why there was no cause why they should lye. As I there stood

I saw the garlands hanging on the boughes, and adding new

I sayd: Let them whom God dooth love be Gods, and honor dew

Bee given to such as honor him with feare and reverence trew.

910

He hilld his peace, and bothe the thing and he that did it tell

Did move them all, but Theseus most. Whom being mynded well

To heere of woondrous things, the brooke of Calydon thus bespake:

There are, O valiant knyght, sum folke that had the powre to take

Straunge shape for once, and all their lyves continewed in the same.

915

And other sum to sundrie shapes have power themselves to frame,

As thou, O Protew, dwelling in the sea that cleepes the land.

For now a yoonker, now a boare, anon a Lyon , and

Streyght way thou didst become a Snake, and by and by a Bull

That people were afrayd of thee to see thy horned skull.

920

And oftentymes thou seemde a stone, and now and then a tree,

And counterfetting water sheere thou seemedst oft to bee

A River: and another whyle contrarie thereunto

Thou wart a fyre. No lesser power than also thus to doo

Had Erisicthons daughter whom Awtolychus tooke to wyfe.

925

Her father was a person that despysed all his lyfe

The powre of Gods, and never did vouchsauf them sacrifyse.

He also is reported to have heawen in wicked wyse

The grove of Ceres, and to fell her holy woods which ay

Had undiminisht and unhackt continewed to that day.

930

There stood in it a warrie Oke which was a wood alone.

Uppon it round hung fillets, crownes, and tables, many one,

The vowes of such as had obteynd theyr hearts desyre. Full oft

The Woodnymphes underneath this tree did fetch theyr frisks aloft

And oftentymes with hand in hand they daunced in a round

935

About the Trunk, whose bignesse was of timber good and sound

Full fifteene fadom. All the trees within the wood besyde,

Were unto this, as weedes to them: so farre it did them hyde.

Yit could not this move Triops sonne his axe therefro to hold,

But bade his servants cut it downe. And when he did behold

940

Them stunting at his hest, he snatcht an axe with furious mood

From one of them, and wickedly sayd thus: Although thys wood

Not only were the derling of the Goddesse, but also

The Goddesse even herself: yet would I make it ere I go

To kisse the clowers with her top that pranks with braunches so.

945

This spoken, as he sweakt his axe asyde to fetch his blow,

The manast Oke did quake and sygh, the Acornes that did grow

Thereon togither with the leaves to wex full pale began,

And shrinking in for feare the boughes and braunches looked wan.

As soone as that his cursed hand had wounded once the tree,

950

The blood came spinning from the carf, as freshly as yee see

It issue from a Bullocks necke whose throte is newly cut

Before the Altar, when his flesh to sacrifyse is put.

They were amazed everychone. And one among them all

To let the wicked act, durst from the tree his hatchet call.

955

The lewd Thessalian facing him sayd: Take thou heere to thee

The guerdon of thy godlynesse, and turning from the tree,

He chopped off the fellowes head. Which done, he went agen

And heawed on the Oke. Streight from amid the tree as then

There issued such a sound as this: Within this tree dwell I

960

A Nymph to Ceres very deere, who now before I dye

In comfort of my death doo give thee warning thou shalt bye

Thy dooing deere within a whyle. He goeth wilfully

Still thorrough with his wickednesse, untill at length the Oke

Pulld partly by the force of ropes, and cut with axis stroke,

965

Did fall, and with his weyght bare downe of under wood great store.

The Wood nymphes with the losses of the woods and theyrs ryght sore

Amazed, gathered on a knot, and all in mourning weede

Went sad to Ceres, praying her to wreake that wicked deede

Of Erisicthons. Ceres was content it should bee so.

970

And with the moving of her head in nodding to and fro,

Shee shooke the feeldes which laden were with frutefull Harvest tho,

And therewithall a punishment most piteous shee proceedes

To put in practyse: were it not that his most heynous deedes

No pitie did deserve to have at any bodies hand.

975

With helpelesse hungar him to pyne, in purpose shee did stand.

And forasmuch as shee herself and Famin myght not meete

(For fate forbiddeth Famin to abyde within the leete

Where plentie is) shee thus bespake a fayrie of the hill:

There lyeth in the utmost bounds of Tartarie the chill

980

A Dreerie place, a wretched soyle, a barreine plot: no grayne,

No frute, no tree, is growing there: but there dooth ay remayne

Unweeldsome cold, with trembling feare, and palenesse white as clowt,

And foodlesse Famin. Will thou her immediatly withowt

Delay to shed herself into the stomacke of the wretch,

985

And let no plentie staunch her force but let her working stretch

Above the powre of mee. And lest the longnesse of the way

May make thee wearie, take thou heere my charyot: take I say

My draggons for to beare thee through the aire.

In saving so

990

She gave hir them. The Nymph mounts up, and flying thence as tho

Alyghts in Scythy land, and up the cragged top of hye

Mount Caucasus did cause hir Snakes with much adoo to stye.

Where seeking long for Famin, shee the gaptoothd elfe did spye

Amid a barreine stony feeld a ramping up the grasse

995

With ougly nayles and chanking it. Her face pale colourd was.

Hir heare was harsh and shirle, her eyes were sunken in her head.

Her lyppes were hore with filth, her teeth were furd and rusty red.

Her skinne was starched, and so sheere a man myght well espye

The verie bowels in her bulk how every one did lye.

1000

And eke above her courbed loynes her withered hippes were seene.

In stead of belly was a space where belly should have beene.

Her brest did hang so sagging downe as that a man would weene

That scarcely to her ridgebone had hir ribbes beene fastened well.

Her leannesse made her joynts bolne big, and kneepannes for to swell.

1005

And with exceeding mighty knubs her heeles behynd boynd out.

Now when the Nymph behild this elfe afarre, (she was in dout

To come too neere her:) shee declarde her Ladies message. And

In that same little whyle although the Nymph aloof did stand,

And though shee were but newly come, yit seemed shee to feele

1010

The force of Famin. Wheruppon shee turning backe her wheele

Did reyne her dragons up aloft: who streyght with courage free

Conveyd her into Thessaly . Although that Famin bee

Ay contrarye to Ceres woork, yit did shee then agree

To do her will and glyding through the Ayre supported by

1015

The wynd, she found th'appoynted house: and entring by and by

The caytifs chamber where he slept (it was in tyme of nyght)

Shee hugged him betweene her armes there snorting bolt upryght,

And breathing her into him, blew uppon his face and brest,

That hungar in his emptie veynes myght woorke as hee did rest.

1020

And when she had accomplished her charge, shee then forsooke

The frutefull Clymates of the world, and home ageine betooke

Herself untoo her frutelesse feeldes and former dwelling place.

The gentle sleepe did all this whyle with fethers soft embrace

The wretched Erisicthons corse. Who dreaming streight of meate

1025

Did stirre his hungry jawes in vayne as though he had to eate

And chanking tooth on tooth apace he gryndes them in his head,

And occupies his emptie throte with swallowing, and in stead

Of food devoures the lither ayre. But when that sleepe with nyght

Was shaken off, immediatly a furious appetite

1030

Of feeding gan to rage in him, which in his greedy gummes

And in his meatlesse maw dooth reigne unstauncht. Anon there cummes

Before him whatsoever lives on sea, in aire or land:

And yit he crieth still for more. And though the platters stand

Before his face full furnished, yit dooth he still complayne

1035

Of hungar, craving meate at meale. The food that would susteine

Whole householdes, Towneships, Shyres and Realmes suffyce not him alone.

The more his pampred paunch consumes, the more it maketh mone

And as the sea receyves the brookes of all the worldly Realmes,

And yit is never satisfyde for all the forreine streames,

1040

And as the fell and ravening fyre refuseth never wood,

But burneth faggots numberlesse, and with a furious mood

The more it hath, the more it still desyreth evermore,

Encreacing in devouring through encreasement of the store:

So wicked Erisicthons mouth in swallowing of his meate

1045

Was ever hungry more and more, and longed ay to eate.

Meate tolld in meate: and as he ate the place was empty still.

The hungar of his brinklesse Maw, the gulf that nowght might fill,

Had brought his fathers goods to nowght. But yit continewed ay

His cursed hungar unappeasd: and nothing could alay I

1050

The flaming of his starved throte. At length when all was spent,

And into his unfilled Maw bothe goods and lands were sent,

An only daughter did remayne unworthy to have had

So lewd a father. Hir he sold, so hard he was bestad.

But shee of gentle courage could no bondage well abyde.

1055

And therfore stretching out her hands to seaward there besyde,

Now save mee, quoth shee, from the yoke of bondage I thee pray,

O thou that my virginitie enjoyest as a pray.

Neptunus had it. Who to this her prayer did consent.

And though her maister looking backe (for after him shee went)

1060

Had newly seene her: yit he turnd hir shape and made hir man,

And gave her looke of fisherman. Her mayster looking than

Upon her, sayd: Good fellow, thou that on the shore doost stand

With angling rod and bayted hooke and hanging lyne in hand,

I pray thee as thou doost desyre the Sea ay calme to thee,

1065

And fishes for to byght thy bayt, and striken still to bee,

Tell where the frizzletopped wench in course and sluttish geere

That stoode right now uppon this shore (for well I wote that heere

I saw her standing) is become. For further than this place

No footestep is appeering. Shee perceyving by the cace

1070

That Neptunes gift made well with her, and beeing glad to see

Herself enquyrd for of herself, sayd thus: Who ere you bee

I pray you for to pardon mee. I turned not myne eye

A t'one syde ne a toother from this place, but did apply

My labor hard. And that you may the lesser stand in dowt,

1075

So Neptune further still the Art and craft I go abowt,

As now a whyle no living Wyght uppon this levell sand

(Myself excepted) neyther man nor woman heere did stand.

Her maister did beleeve her words: and turning backward went

His way beguyld: and streight to her her native shape was sent.

1080

But when her father did perceyve his daughter for to have

A bodye so transformable, he oftentymes her gave

For monny. But the damzell still escaped, now a Mare

And now a Cow, and now a Bird, a Hart, a Hynd, or Hare,

And ever fed her hungry Syre with undeserved fare.

1085

But after that the maladie had wasted all the meates

As well of store as that which shee had purchast by her feates:

Most cursed keytife as he was, with bighting hee did rend

His flesh, and by diminishing his bodye did intend

To feede his bodye, till that death did speede his fatall end.

1090

But what meene I to busye mee in forreine matters thus?

To alter shapes within precinct is lawfull even to us,

My Lords. For sumtime I am such as you do now mee see,

Sumtyme I wynd mee in a Snake: and oft I seeme to bee

A Capteine of the herd with homes. For taking homes on mee

1095

I lost a tyne which heeretofore did arme mee as the print

Dooth playnly shew. With that same word he syghed and did stint.

Notes on the current edition

Metamorphoses

fert secum spolium celeris progressaque porta

et sactae similes rigidis hastilibus horrent

285

stantque velut vallum, velut alta hastilia saetae

3. v. 597—608 in multis libris leguntur hi:

In quo desinimus, quo sacri currimus amnes

huc ades atque audi placidus, Neptune, precantem.

Huic ego, quam porto, nocui. Si mitis et aequus,

si pater Hippodamas, aut si minus impius esset,

debuit illius misereri, ignoscere nobis.

Sequuntur v. 601—602, post quos inveniuntur haec:

hunc quoque complectar.” Movit caput aequoreus rex

concussitque suis omnes adsensibus undas.

Extimuit nymphe, nabat tamen. Ipse natantis

pectora tangebam trepido salientia motu.

Dumque ea contrecto, totum durescere sensi

corpus et inducta condi praecordia terra.

4. Pro v. 655 in multis libris leguntur hi versus:

sentirique moram prohibent. Erat alveus illic

fagineus, dura clavo suspensus ab ansa.

Is tepidis inpletur aquis artusque fovendos

accipit. In medio torus est de mollibus ulvis,

impositus lecto sq.

P. Ovidius Naso Metamorphoses 8

ed. Hugo Magnus

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