Ouids Metamorphosis: Eleventh Book Poem by Arthur Golding

Now whyle the Thracian Poet with this song delyghts ye mynds
Of sauage beastes, & drawes both stones and trees ageynst their kynds,
Behold the wyues of Ciconie wt reddeerskinnes about
Their furious brists as in the feeld they gadded on a rout,
Espyde him from a hillocks toppe still singing too his harp.
Of whom one shooke her head at him, and thus began to carp.
Behold (sayes shee) behold yoonsame is he that doth disdeine
Us women. And with that same woord shee sent her lawnce amayne
At Orphyes singing mouth. The Lawnce armd round about wt leaues,
Did hit him, and without a wound a marke behynd it leaues.
Another threw a stone at him, which vanquisht with his sweete
And most melodius harmonye, fell humbly at his feete
As sorye for the furious act it purposed. But rash
And heady ryot out of frame all reason now did dash,
And frantik outrage reigned. Yit had the sweetenesse of his song
Appeasd all weapons, sauing that the noyse now growing strong
With blowing shalmes, and beating drummes, & bedlem howling out,
And clapping hands on euery syde by Bacchus drunken rout,
Did drowne the sownd of Orphyes harp Then first of all stones were
Made ruddy with the prophets blood, and could not giue him eare.
And first the flocke of Bacchus froes by violence brake the ring
Of Serpents, birds, and sauage beastes that for to heere him sing
Sate gazing round about him there. And then with bluddy hands
They ran vppon the prophet who among them singing stands.
They flockt about him like as when a sort of birds haue found,
An Owle a day tymes in a tod: and hem him in full round,
As when a Stag by hungrye hownds is in a morning found,
The which forestall him round about and pull him to the ground.
Euen so the prophet they assayle, and throwe their Thyrses greene
At him, which for another vse than that inuented beene.
Sum cast mee clods, sum boughes of trees, & sum threw stones. And least
That weapon wherwithall too wreake theyr woodnesse which increast
Should want, it chaunst that Oxen by were tilling of the ground
And labring men with brawned armes not farre fro thence were found
A digging of the hardned earth, and earning of theyr food,
With sweating browes. They seeing this same rout, no longer stood,
But ran away and left theyr tooles behynd them. Euery where
Through all the feeld theyr mattocks, rakes, and shouells scattred were.
Which when the cruell feends had caught, and had a sunder rent
The horned Oxen, backe ageine to Orphy ward they went,
And (wicked wights) they murthred him, who neuer till that howre
Did vtter woordes in vaine, nor sing without effectuall powre.
And through that mouth of his (oh lord) which euen the stones had heard,
And vnto which the witlesse beastes had often giuen regard,
His ghost then breathing intoo aire, departed. Euen the fowles
Were sad for Orphye, and the beast with sorye syghing howles:
The rugged stones did moorne for him, the woods which many a tyme
Had followed him too heere him sing, bewayled this same cryme.
Yea euen the trees lamenting him did cast theyr leauy heare
The riuers also with theyr teares (men say) encreased were.
Yea and the Nymphes of brookes & woods vppon theyr streames did sayle
With scattred heare about theyr eares, in boats with sable sayle.
His members lay in sundrie steds. His head and harp both cam
To Hebrus. and (a woondrous thing) as downe the streame they swam,
His Harp did yeeld a moorning sound: his liuelesse toong did make
A certeine lamentable noyse as though it still yit spake,
And bothe the banks in moorning wyse made answer too the same.
At length a downe theyr country streame too open sea they came,
And lyghted on Methymnye shore in Lesbos land. There
No sooner on the forreine coast now cast a land they were,
But that a cruell naturde Snake did streyght vppon them fly,
And licking on his ruffled heare the which was dropping drye,
Did gape too tyre vppon those lippes that had beene woont to sing
Most heauenly hymnes. But Phebus streyght preuenting ye same thing,
Dispoynts the Serpent of his bit, and turnes him into stone
With gaping chappes. Already was the Ghost of Orphye gone
To Plutos realme, and there he all the places eft beehilld
The which he heretoofore had seene. And as he sought the feeld
Of fayre Elysion (where the soules of godly folk doo woonne,)
He found his wyfe Eurydicee, to whom he streyght did roonne
And hilld her in imbracing armes. There now he one while walks
Toogither with hir cheeke by cheeke: another while he stalks
Before her. and another whyle he followeth her. And now
Without all kinde of forfeyture he saufly myght auow
His looking bakward at his wyfe. But Bacchus greeued at
The murther of the Chapleine of his Orgies, suffred not
The mischeef vnrevengd too bee. For by and by he bound,
The Thracian women by the feete with writhen roote in ground,
As many as consenting too this wicked act were found.
And looke how much that eche of them the prophet did pursew,
So much he sharpening of their toes, within the ground them drew.
And as the bird that fynds her leg besnarled in the net
The which the fowlers suttlelye hathe clocely for her set,
And feeles shee cannot get away, stands flickering with her wings,
And with her fearefull leaping vp drawes clocer still the strings:
So eche of theis when in the ground they fastned were, assayd
Aflayghted for to fly away. But euery one was stayd
With winding roote which hilld her downe. her frisking could not boote.
And whyle she lookte what was become of To, of nayle, and foote,
Shee sawe her leggs growe round in one, and turning intoo woode.
And as her thyghes with violent hand shee sadly striking stoode,
Shee felt them tree: her brest was tree: her shoulders eeke were tree.
Her armes long boughes yee myght haue thought, and not deceyued bee.


But Bacchus was not so content: he quyght forsooke their land:
And with a better companye remoued out of hand
Unto the Uyneyarde of his owne mount Tmolus, and the riuer
Pactolus though as yit no streames of gold it did deliuer,
Ne spyghted was for precious sands. His olde accustomd rout
Of woodwards and of franticke froes enuyrond him about.
But old Silenus was away. The Phrygian ploughmen found
Him reeling bothe for droonkennesse and age, and brought him bound
With garlands, vnto Midas king of Phrygia, vnto whom
The Thracian Orphye and the preest Eumolphus comming from
The towne of Athens erst had taught the Orgies. When he knew
His fellowe and companion of the selfe same badge and crew.
Uppon the comming of this guest, he kept a feast the space
Of twyce fyue dayes and twyce fyue nyghts toogither in that place
And now theleuenth tyme Lucifer had mustred in the sky
The heauenly host, when Midas commes too Lydia iocundly
And yeeldes the old Silenus too his fosterchyld. He glad
That he his fosterfather had eftsoones recouered, bad
King Midas ask him what he would. Right glad of that was hee,
But not a whit at latter end the better should he bee.
He minding too misvse his giftes, sayd: graunt that all and some
The which my body towcheth bare may yellow gold become.
God Bacchus graunting his request, his hurtfull gift performd,
And that he had not better wisht he in his stomacke stormd.


Reioycing in his harme away full merye goes the king:
And for too try his promis true he towcheth euery thing.
Scarce giuing credit too himself, he pulled yoong greene twiggs
From of an Holmetree: by and by all golden were the spriggs
He tooke a flintstone from the ground, the stone likewyse became
Pure gold. He towched next a clod of earth, and streight the same
By force of towching did become a wedge of yellow gold.
He gathered eares of rypened corne: immediatly beholde
The corne was gold. An Apple then he pulled from a tree:
Yee would haue thought the Hesperids had giuen it him. If hee
On Pillars high his fingars layd, they glistred like the sonne.
The water where he washt his hands did from his hands so ronne,
As Danae might haue beene therwith beguyld. He scarce could hold
His passing ioyes within his hart, for making all things gold.
Whyle he thus ioyd, his officers did spred the boord anon,
And set downe sundry sorts of meate and mancheate thervppon.
Then whither his hand did towch the bread, the bread was massy gold:
Or whither he chawde with hungry teeth his meate, yee might behold
The peece of meate betweene his iawes a plat of gold too bee.
In drinking wine and water mixt, yee myght discerne and see
The liquid gold ronne downe his throte. Amazed at the straunge
Mischaunce, and being both a wretch and rich, he wisht too chaunge
His riches for his former state, and now he did abhorre
The thing which euen but late before he cheefly longed for.
No meate his hunger slakes: his throte is shrunken vp with thurst:
And iustly dooth his hatefull gold torment him as accurst.
Then lifting vp his sory armes and handes too heauen, he cryde:
O father Bacchus pardon mee. My sinne I will not hyde.
Haue mercy I beseech thee and vouchsauf too rid mee quyght
From this same harme that seemes so good and glorious vntoo syght.
The gentle Bacchus streight vppon confession of his cryme
Restored Midas too the state hee had in former tyme.
And hauing made performance of his promis, hee beereft him
The gift that he had graunted him. And least he should haue left him
Beedawbed with the dregges of that same gold which wickedly
Hee wisshed had, he willed him too get him by and by
Too that great ryuer which dooth ronne by Sardis towne, and there
Along the chanell vp the streame his open armes to beare
Untill he commeth too the spring: and then his head too put
Full vnderneathe the foming spowt where greatest was the gut,
And so in wasshing of his limbes too wash away his cryme.
The king (as was commaunded him) ageinst the streame did clyme.
And streyght the powre of making gold departing quyght from him,
Infects the ryuer, making it with golden streame too swim.
The force whereof the bankes about so soked in theyr veynes,
That euen as yit the yellow gold vppon the cloddes remaynes.


Then Midas hating riches haunts the pasturegrounds and groues,
And vp & down with Pan among the Lawnds & mountaines roues.
But still a head more fat than wyse, and doltish wit he hath,
The which as erst, yit once againe must woork theyr mayster scath.
The mountayne Tmole from loftye toppe too seaward looketh downe,
And spreading farre his boorely sydes, extendeth too the towne
Of Sardis with the tonesyde and too Hypep with the toother.
There Pan among the fayrye elues that dawnced round toogither
In setting of his conning out for singing and for play
Uppon his pype of reedes and wax, presuming for too say
Apollos musick was not like too his, did take in hand
A farre vnequall match, wherof the Tmole for iudge should stand.
The auncient iudge sitts downe vppon his hill, and ridds his eares
From trees, and onely on his head an Oken garlond weares,
Whereof the Acornes dangled downe about his hollow brow.
And looking on the God of neate he sayd: yee neede not now
Too tarry longer for your iudge. Then Pan blew lowd and strong
His country pype of reedes, and with his rude and homely song
Delighted Midas eares, for he by chaunce was in the throng.
When Pan had doone, the sacred Tmole too Phebus turnd his looke,
And with the turning of his head his busshye heare he shooke.
Then Phebus with a crowne of Bay vppon his golden heare
Did sweepe the ground with scarlet robe. In left hand he did beare
His viall made of precious stones and Iuorye intermixt.
And in his right hand for too strike, his bowe was reedy fixt.
He was the verrye paterne of a good Musician ryght
Anon he gan with conning hand the tuned strings too smyght.
The sweetenesse of the which did so the iudge of them delyght,
That Pan was willed for to put his Reedepype in his cace,
And not too fiddle nor too sing where vialls were in place.


The iudgement of the holy hill was lyked well of all,
Saue Midas, who found fault therwith and wrongfull did it call.
Apollo could not suffer well his foolish eares too keepe
Theyr humaine shape, but drew them wyde, & made them long & deepe.
And filld them full of whytish heares, and made them downe too sag.
And through too much vnstablenesse continually too wag.
His body keeping in the rest his manly figure still,
Was ponnisht in the part that did offend for want of skill.
And so a slowe paaste Asses eares his heade did after beare.
This shame endeuereth he too hyde. And therefore he did weare
A purple nyghtcappe euer since. But yit his Barber who
Was woont too notte him spyed it: and beeing eager too
Disclose it, when he neyther durst too vtter it, nor could
It keepe in secret still, hee went and digged vp the mowld,
And whispring softly in the pit, declaard what eares hee spyde
His mayster haue, and turning downe the clowre ageine, did hyde
His blabbed woordes within the ground, and closing vp the pit
Departed thence and neuer made mo woordes at all of it.
Soone after, there began a tuft of quiuering reedes too growe
Which beeing rype bewrayd theyr seede and him that did them sowe.
For when the gentle sowtherne wynd did lyghtly on them blowe,
They vttred foorth the woordes that had beene buried in the ground
And so reproude the Asses eares of Midas with theyr sound.


Apollo after this reuenge from Tmolus tooke his flyght:
And sweeping through the ayre, did on the selfsame syde alyght
Of Hellespontus, in the Realme of king Laomedon.
There stoode vppon the right syde of Sigæum, and vppon
The left of Rhetye cliffe that tyme, an Altar buylt of old
Too Ioue that heereth all mennes woordes. Heere Phebus did behold
The foresayd king Laomedon beginning for too lay
Foundation of the walles of Troy: which woork from day too day
Went hard and slowly forward, and requyrd no little charge,
Then he toogither with the God that rules the surges large,
Did put themselues in shape of men, and bargaynd with the king
Of Phrygia for a summe of gold his woork too end too bring.
Now when the woork was done, the king theyr wages them denayd,
And falsly faaste them downe with othes it was not as they sayd.
Thou shalt not mock vs vnreuendgd (quoth Neptune.) And anon
He caused all the surges of the sea too rush vppon
The shore of couetous Troy, and made the countrye like the deepe.
The goodes of all the husbandmen away he quight did sweepe,
And ouerwhelmd theyr feeldes with waues. And thinking this too small
A pennance for the falsehod, he demaunded therwithall
His daughter for a monster of the Sea. whom beeing bound
Untoo a rocke, stout Hercules deliuering saufe and sound,
Requyrd his steeds which were the hyre for which he did compound.
And when that of so great desert the king denyde the hyre,
The twyce forsworne false towne of Troy he sacked in his ire.
And Telamon in honour of his seruice did enioy
The Lady Hesion daughter of the couetous king of Troy.
For Peleus had already got a Goddesse too his wife,
And liued vntoo both theyr ioyes a right renowmed lyfe.
And sure he was not prowder of his graundsyre, than of thee
That wert become his fathrinlaw. For many mo than hee
Haue had the hap of mighty Ioue the nephewes for too bee.
But neuer was it heeretoofore the chaunce of any one
Too haue a Goddesse too his wyfe, saue only his alone.
For vntoo watry Thetis thus old Protevv did foretell.
Go marry: thou shalt beare a sonne whose dooings shall excell
His fathers farre in feates of armes, and greater he shall bee
In honour, hygh renowme, and fame, than euer erst was hee.
This caused Ioue the watry bed of Thetis too forbeare
Although his hart were more than warme with loue of her, for feare
The world sum other greater thing than Ioue himself should breede,
And willd the sonne of Aeäcus this Peleus to succeede.
In that which he himself would faine haue done, and for too take
The Lady of the sea in armes a moother her too make.


There is a bay of Thessaly that bendeth lyke a boawe.
The sydes shoote foorth, where if the sea of any depth did flowe
It were a hauen. Scarcely dooth the water hyde the sand.
It hath a shore so firme, that if a man theron doo stand,
No print of foote remaynes behynd: it hindreth not ones pace
Ne couered is with houering reeke. Adioyning too this place,
There is a groue of Myrtletrees with frute of dowle colour,
And in the midds thereof a Caue. I can not tell you whither
That nature or the art of man were maker of the same.
It seemed rather made by arte. Oft Thetis hither came
Starke naked, ryding brauely on a brydled Dolphins backe.
There Peleus as shee lay a sleepe vppon her often bracke.
And forbycause that at her handes entreatance nothing winnes,
He folding her about the necke with both his armes, beginnes
Too offer force. And surely if shee had not falne too wyles
And shifted oftentymes her shape, he had obteind erewhyles.
But shee became sumtymes a bird: He hilld her like a bird.
Anon shee was a massye log: but Peleus neuer stird
Awhit for that. Then thirdly shee of speckled Tyger tooke
The vgly shape: for feare of whose most feerce and cruell looke,
His armes he from her body twicht. And at his going thence,
In honour of the watry Goddes he burned frankincence,
And powred wyne vppon the sea, with fat of neate and sheepe:
Untill the prophet that dooth dwell within Carpathian deepe,
Sayd thus. Thou sonne of Aeäcus, thy wish thou sure shalt haue
Alonely when shee lyes a sleepe within her pleasant Caue,
Cast grinnes too trappe her vnbewares: hold fast with snarling knot:
And though shee fayne a hundreth shapes, deceyue thee let her not.
But sticke vntoot what ere it bee, vntill the tyme that shee
Returneth too the natiue shape shee erst was woont too bee.
When Protevv thus had sed, within the sea he duckt his head,
And suffred on his latter woordes the water for too spred.
The lyghtsum Titan downeward drew, and with declyning chayre
Approched too the westerne sea, when Neryes daughter fayre
Returning from the sea, resorts too her accustomd cowch.
And Peleus scarcely had begon hir naked limbes too towch,
But that shee chaungd from shape to shape, vntill at length shee found
Herself surprysd. Then stretching out her armes with sighes profound,
Shee sayd: Thou ouercommest mee, and not without the ayd
Of God: and then she Thetis like, appeerd in shape of mayd.
The noble prince imbracing her obteynd her at his will,
Too both theyr ioyes, and with the great Achylles did her fill.


A happye wyght was Peleus in his wyfe: A happy wyght
Was Peleus also in his sonne. And if yee him acquight
Of murthring Phocus, happy him in all things count yee myght.
But giltye of his brothers blood, and bannisht for the same
From bothe his fathers house and Realme, too Trachin sad he came.
The sonne of lyghtsum Lucifer king Ceyx (who in face
Exprest the liuely beawtye of his fathers heauenly grace,)
Without all violent rigor and sharpe executions reignd
In Trachin. He right sad that tyme vnlike himself, remaynd
Yit moorning for his brothers chaunce transformed late before.
When Peleus thither came, with care and trauayle tyred sore,
He left his cattell and his sheepe (whereof he brought great store)
Behynd him in a shady vale not farre from Trachin towne,
And with a little companye himself went thither downe.
Assoone as leaue too come too Court was graunted him, he bare
A braunche of Olyf in his hand, and humbly did declare
His name and lynage. Onely of his crime no woord hee spake,
But of his flyght another cause pretensedly did make:
Desyring leaue within his towne or countrye too abyde.
The king of Trachin gently thus too him ageine replyde.
Our bownty too the meanest sort (O Peleus) dooth extend:
Wee are not woont the desolate our countrye too forfend.
And though I bee of nature most inclyned good too doo:
Thyne owne renowme, thy graundsyre Ioue are forcements therevntoo,
Misspend no longer tyme in sute. I gladly doo agree
Too graunt thee what thou wilt desyre. Theis things that thou doost see
I would thou should account them as thyne owne, such as they bee
I would they better were. With that he weeped. Peleus and
His freends desyred of his greef the cause too vnderstand.


He answerd thus. Perchaunce yee think this bird that liues by pray
And putts all other birds in feare had wings and fethers ay.
He was a man. And as he was right feerce in feats of armes,
And stout and readye bothe too wreake and also offer harmes:
So was he of a constant mynd. Dædalion men him hyght.
Our father was that noble starre that brings the morning bryght,
And in the welkin last of all giues place too Phebus lyght.
My study was too maynteine peace, in peace was my delyght,
And for too keepe mee true too her too whom my fayth is plyght.
My brother had felicite in warre and bloody fyght.
His prowesse and his force which now dooth chase in cruell flyght
The Dooues of Thisbye since his shape was altred thus a new,
Ryght puyssant Princes and theyr Realmes did heeretoofore subdew.
He had a chyld calld Chyone, whom nature did endew
With beawtye so, that when too age of fowreteene yeeres shee grew,
A thousand Princes liking her did for hir fauour sew.
By fortune as bryght Phebus and the sonne of Lady May
Came tone from Delphos, toother from mount Cyllen, by the way
They saw her bothe at once, and bothe at once where tane in loue.
Apollo till the tyme of nyght differd his sute too moue.
But Hermes could not beare delay. He stroked on the face
The mayden with his charmed rod which hath the powre too chace
And bring in sleepe: the touch whereof did cast her in so dead
A sleepe, that Hermes by and by his purpose of her sped.
Assoone as nyght with twinckling starres the welkin had beesprent,
Apollo in an old wyues shape too Chyon clocely went,
And tooke the pleasure which the sonne of Maya had forehent.
Now when shee full her tyme had gon, shee bare by Mercurye
A sonne that hyght Avvtolychus who provde a wyly pye,
And such a fellow as in theft and filching had no peere.
He was his fathers owne sonne right: he could mennes eyes so bleere,
As for too make ye black things whyght, & whyght things black appeere.
And by Apollo (for shee bare a payre) was borne his brother
Philammon, who in musick arte excelled farre all other,
As well in singing as in play. But what auayled it
Too beare such twinnes, and of twoo Goddes in fauour too haue sit.
And that shee too her father had a stowt and valeant knight,
Or that her graundsyre was the sonne of Ioue that God of might?
Dooth glorie hurt too any folk? It surely hurted her.
For standing in her owne conceyt shee did herself prefer
Before Diana, and dispraysd her face. who there with all
Inflaamd with wrath, sayd: well, with deedes we better please her shall.
Immediatly shee bent her bowe, and let an arrow go,
Which strake her through the toong, whose spight deserued wounding so.
Her toong wext dumb, her speech gan fayle that erst was ouer ryfe,
And as shee stryued for too speake, away went blood and lyfe.
How wretched was I then O God? how strake it too my hart?
What woordes of comfort did I speake too ease my brothers smart?
Too which he gaue his eare as much as dooth the stonny rocke
Too hideous roring of the waues that doo against it knocke.
There was no measure nor none ende in making of his mone,
Nor in bewayling comfortlesse his daughter that was gone.
But when he sawe her bodye burne, fowre tymes with all his myght
He russhed foorth too thrust himself amid the fyre in syght.
Fowre tymes hee beeing thence repulst, did put himself too flyght.
And ran mee wheras was no way, as dooth a Bullocke when
A hornet stings him in the necke. Mee thought hee was as then
More wyghter farre than any man. Yee would haue thought his feete
Had had sum wings. So fled he quyght from all, and being fleete
Through eagernesse too dye, he gat too mount Parnasos knappe
And there Apollo pitying him and rewing his missehappe,
When as Dædalion from the cliffe himself had headlong floong,
Transformd him too a bird, and on the soodaine as hee hung
Did giue him wings, and bowwing beake, and hooked talants keene,
And eeke a courage full as feerce as euer it had beene.
And furthermore a greater strength he lent him therwithall,
Than one would thinke conueyd myght bee within a roome so small.
And now in shape of Gossehawke hee too none indifferent is,
But wreakes his teene on all birds. And bycause him selfe ere this
Did feele the force of sorrowes sting within his wounded hart,
Hee maketh others oftentymes too sorrow and too smart.


As Cæyx of his brothers chaunce this wondrous story seth,
Commes ronning thither all in haste and almost out of breth
Anætor the Phocayan who was Pelyes herdman. Hee
Sayd: Pelye Pelye I doo bring sad tydings vntoo thee.
Declare it man (quoth Peleus) what euer that it bee.
King Ceyx at his fearefull woordes did stand in dowtfull stowne.
Thiz noonetyde (quoth the herdman) Iche did driue your cattell downe
Too zea, and zum a them did zit vppon the yellow zand
And looked on the large mayne poole of water neere at hand.
Zum roayled zoftly vp and downe, and zum a them did zwim
And bare their iolly horned heades abooue the water trim.
A Church stondes neere the zea not deckt with gold nor marble stone
But made of wood, and hid with trees that dreeping hang theron.
A vissherman that zat and dryde hiz netts vppo the zhore
Did tellz that Nereus and his Nymphes did haunt the place of yore,
And how that thay beene Goddes a zea. There butts a plot vorgrowne
With zallow trees vppon the zame, the which is ouervlowne
With tydes, and is a marsh. Urom thence a woolf an orped wyght
With hideous noyse of rustling made the groundes neere hand afryght.
Anon he commes mee buskling out bezmeared all his chappes
With blood daubaken and with vome as veerce as thunder clappes.
Hiz eyen did glaster red as vyre, and though he raged zore
Uor vamin and vor madnesse bothe, yit raged he much more
In madnesse. Uor hee cared not his hunger vor too zlake,
Or i the death of oxen twoo or three an end too make.
But wounded all the herd and made a hauocke of them all,
And zum of vs too, in devence did happen vor too vall,
In daunger of his deadly chappes, and lost our lyues. The zhore
And zea is staynd with blood, and all the ven is on a rore.
Delay breedes losse. The cace denyes now dowting vor too stond,
Whyle owght remaynes let all of vs take weapon in our hond.
Lets arme our zelues, and let vz altoogither on him vall.


The herdman hilld his peace. The losse movde Peleus not at all.
But calling his offence too mynde, he thought that Neryes daughter
The chyldlesse Ladye Psamathe determynd with that slaughter.
Too keepe an Obit too her sonne whom hee before had killd.
Immediatly vppon this newes the king of Trachin willd
His men too arme them, and too take their weapons in theyr hand,
And he addrest himself too bee the leader of the band.
His wyfe Alcyone by the noyse admonisht of the same,
In dressing of her head, before shee had it brought in frame,
Cast downe her heare, and ronning foorth caught Ceyx fast about
The necke, desyring him with teares too send his folk without
Himself, and in the lyfe of him too saue the lyues of twayne.
O Princesse, cease your godly feare (quoth Peleus then agayne.)
Your offer dooth deserue great thanks. I mynd not warre to make
Ageinst straunge monsters. I as now another way must take.
The seagods must bee pacifyde. There was a Castle hye,
And in the same a lofty towre whose toppe dooth face the skye,
A ioyfull mark for maryners too guyde theyr vessels by.
Too this same Turret vp they went, and there with syghes behilld
The Oxen lying euery where stark dead vppon the feelde
And eeke the cruell stroygood with his bluddy mouth and heare.
Then Peleus stretching foorth his handes too Seaward, prayd in feare
Too watrish Psamath that she would her sore displeasure stay,
And help him. She no whit relents too that that he did pray.
But Thetis for hir husband made such earnest sute, that shee
Obteynd his pardon. For anon the woolfe (who would not bee
Reuoked from the slaughter for the sweetenesse of the blood)
Persisted sharpe and eager still, vntill that as he stood
Fast byghting on a Bullocks necke, shee turnd him intoo stone
As well in substance as in hew, the name of woolf alone
Reserued. For although in shape hee seemed still yit one,
The verry colour of the stone beewrayd him too bee none,
And that he was not too bee feard. How be it froward fate
Permitts not Peleus in that land too haue a setled state.
He wandreth like an outlaw too the Magnets. There at last
Acastus the Thessalien purgd him of his murther past.


In this meane tyme the Trachine king sore vexed in his thought
With signes yt both before & since his brothers death were wrought,
For counsell at the sacret Spelles (which are but toyes too foode
Fond fancyes, and not counsellers in perill too doo goode)
Did make him reedy too the God of Claros for too go.
For heathenish Phorbas and the folk of Phlegia had as tho
The way too Delphos stopt, that none could trauell too or fro.
But ere he on his iourney went, he made his faythfull make
Alcyone preeuye too the thing. Immediatly theyr strake
A chilnesse too her verry bones, and pale was all her face
Like box and downe her heauy cheekes the teares did gush a pace.
Three times about too speake, three times shee washt her face with teares,
And stinting oft with sobbes, shee thus complayned in his eares.


What fault of myne O husband deere hath turnd thy hart fro mee?
Where is that care of mee that erst was woont too bee in thee?
And canst thou hauing left thy deere Alcyone merrye bee?
Doo iourneyes long delyght thee now? dooth now myne absence please
Thee better then my presence dooth? Think I that thou at ease
Shalt go by land? Shall I haue cause but onely for too moorne?
And not too bee afrayd? And shall my care of thy returne
Bee voyd of feare? No no. The sea mee sore afrayd dooth make.
Too think vppon the sea dooth cause my flesh for feare too quake.
I sawe the broken ribbes of shippes a late vppon the shore.
And oft on Tumbes I reade theyr names whose bodyes long before
The sea had swallowed. Let not fond vayne hope seduce thy mynd,
That Aeölus is thy fathrinlaw who holdes the boystous wynd
In prison, and can calme the seas at pleasure. When the wynds
Are once let looce vppon the sea, no order then them bynds.
Then neyther land hathe priuiledge, nor sea exemption fynds.
Yea euen the clowdes of heauen they vex, and with theyr meeting stout
Enforce the fyre with hideous noyse too brust in flasshes out.
The more that I doo know them, (for ryght well I know theyr powre,
And saw them oft a little wench within my fathers bowre)
So much the more I think them too bee feard. But if thy will
By no intreatance may bee turnd at home too tarry still,
But that thou needes wilt go: then mee deere husband with thee take.
So shall the sea vs equally toogither tosse and shake.
So woorser than I feele I shall bee certeine not too feare.
So shall wee whatsoeuer happes toogither ioyntly beare.
So shall wee on the broad mayne sea toogither ioyntly sayle.


Theis woordes and teares wherewith the imp of Aeölus did assayle
Her husbond borne of heauenly race, did make his hart relent.
(For he lovd her no lesse than shee lovd him.) But fully bent
He seemed, neyther for too leaue the iourney which he ment
Too take by sea, nor yit too giue Alcyone leaue as tho
Companion of his perlous course by water for too go.
He many woordes of comfort spake her feare away too chace.
But nought hee could perswade therein too make her like the cace.
This last asswagement of her greef he added in the end,
Which was the onely thing that made her louing hart too bend.
All taryance will assuredly seeme ouer long too mee.
And by my fathers blasing beames I make my vow too thee
That at the furthest ere the tyme (if God thertoo agree)
The moone doo fill her circle twyce, ageine I will heere bee.
When in sum hope of his returne this promis had her set,
He willd a shippe immediatly from harbrough too bee fet,
And throughly rigged for too bee, that neyther maast, nor sayle,
Nor tackling, no nor other thing should apperteyning fayle.
Which when Alcyone did behold, as one whoose hart misgaue
The happes at hand, shee quaakt ageine, and teares out gusshing draue.
And streyning Ceyx in her armes with pale and piteous looke,
Poore wretched soule, her last farewell at length shee sadly tooke,
And swounded flat vppon the ground. Anon the watermen
(As Ceyx sought delayes and was in dowt too turne agen)
Set hand too Ores, of which there were twoo rowes on eyther syde,
And all at once with equall stroke the swelling sea deuyde.
Shee lifting vp her watrye eyes behilld her husband stand
Uppon the hatches making signes by beckening with his hand:
And shee made signes to him ageine. And after that the land
Was farre remoued from the shippe, and that the sight began
Too bee vnable too discerne the face of any man,
As long as ere shee could shee lookt vppon the rowing keele.
And when shee could no longer tyme for distance ken it weele,
Shee looked still vppon the sayles that flasked with the wynd
Uppon the maast. And when shee could the sayles no longer fynd,
She gate her too her empty bed with sad and sorye hart,
And layd her downe. The chamber did renew a fresh her smart,
And of her bed did bring too mynd the deere departed part.


From harbrough now they quyght were gone: & now a plasant gale
Did blowe. The mayster made his men theyr Ores asyde too hale,
And hoysed vp the toppesayle on the hyghest of the maast,
And clapt on all his other sayles bycause no wind should waast.
Scarce full tone half, (or sure not much aboue) the shippe had ronne
Uppon the sea, and euery way the land did farre them shonne,
When toward night the wallowing waues began too waxen whyght,
And eeke the heady easterne wynd did blow with greater myght,
Anon the Mayster cryed strike the toppesayle, let the mayne
Sheate flye and fardle it too the yard. Thus spake he, but in vayne.
For why so hideous was the storme vppon the soodeine brayd,
That not a man was able there too heere what other sayd.
And lowd the sea with meeting waues extreemely raging rores.
Yit fell they too it of them selues. Sum haalde asyde the Ores:
Sum fensed in the Gallyes sydes, sum downe the sayleclothes rend:
Sum pump the water out, and sea too sea ageine doo send.
Another hales the sayleyards downe. And whyle they did eche thing
Disorderly, the storme increast, and from eche quarter fling
The wyndes with deadly foode, and bownce the raging waues toogither.
The Pilot being sore dismayd sayth playne, he knowes not whither
Too wend himself, nor what too doo or bid, nor in what state
Things stood. So howge the mischeef was, and did so ouermate
All arte. For why of ratling ropes, of crying men and boyes,
Of flusshing waues and thundring ayre, confused was the noyse.
The surges mounting vp aloft did seeme too mate the skye,
And with theyr sprinckling for too wet the clowdes that hang on hye.
One whyle the sea, when from the brink it raysd the yellow sand,
Was like in colour too the same. Another whyle did stand
A colour on it blacker than the Lake of Styx. Anon
It lyeth playne and loometh whyght with seething froth thereon,
And with the sea the Trachin shippe ay alteration tooke.
One whyle as from a mountaynes toppe it seemed downe too looke
Too vallyes and the depth of hell. Another whyle beset
With swelling surges round about which neere aboue it met,
It looked from the bottom of the whoorlepoole vp aloft
As if it were from hell too heauen. A hideous flusshing oft
The waues did make in beating full against the Gallyes syde.
The Gallye being striken gaue as great a sownd that tyde
As did sumtyme the Battellramb of steele, or now the Gonne
In making battrye too a towre. And as feerce Lyons ronne
Full brist with all theyr force ageinst the armed men that stand
In order bent too keepe them of with weapons in theyr hand,
Euen so as often as the waues by force of wynd did raue:
So oft vppon the netting of the shippe they maynely draue,
And mounted farre aboue the same. Anon of fell the hoopes:
And hauing washt the pitch away, the sea made open loopes
Too let the deadly water in. Behold the clowdes did melt,
And showers large came pooring downe. The seamen that them felt
Myght thinke that all the heauen had falne vppon them that same tyme,
And that the swelling sea likewyse aboue the heauen would clyme.
The sayles were throughly wet wt showers. and with the heauenly raine
Was mixt the waters of the sea. no lyghts at all remayne
Of sunne, or moone, or starres in heauen. The darknesse of the nyght
Augmented with the dreadfull storme, takes dowble powre and myght.
Howbeet the flasshing lyghtnings oft doo put the same too flyght,
And with theyr glauncing now and then doo giue a soodeine lyght.
The lightnings setts the waues on fyre. Aboue the netting skippe
The waues, and with a violent force doo lyght within the shippe.
And as a souldyer stowter than the rest of all his band
That oft assayles a citie walles defended well by hand,
At length atteines his hope, and for too purchace prayse withall
Alone among a thousand men getts vp vppon the wall:
So when the loftye waues had long the Gallyes sydes assayd,
At length the tenth waue rysing vp with howger force and brayd,
Did neuer cease assaulting of the weery shippe, till that
Uppon the hatches lyke a fo victoriously it gat.
A part thereof did still as yit assault the shippe without,
And part had gotten in. The men all trembling ran about,
As in a Citie commes too passe, when of the enmyes sum
Dig downe the walles without, and sum already in are come.
All arte and conning was too seeke. Theyr harts and stomacks fayle:
And looke how many surges came theyr vessell too assayle,
So many deathes did seeme too charge and breake vppon them all.
One weepes: another stands amazde: the third them blist dooth call
Whom buryall dooth remayne. Too God another makes his vow,
And holding vp his handes too heauen the which hee sees not now,
Dooth pray in vayne for help. The thought of this man is vppon
His brother and his parents whom he cleerely hath forgone.
Another calles his house and wyfe and children vntoo mynd,
And euery man in generall the things he left behynd.
Alcyone moueth Ceyx hart. In Ceyx mouth is none
But onely one Alcyone. And though shee were alone
The wyght that he desyred most, yit was he verry glad
Shee was not there. Too Trachin ward too looke desyre he had,
And homeward fayne he would haue turnd his eyes which neuer more
Should see the land. But when he knew not which way was the shore,
Nor where he was. The raging sea did rowle about so fast:
And all the heauen with clowds as black as pitch was ouer cast,
That neuer nyght was halfe so dark. There came a flaw at last,
That with his violence brake the maste, and strake the sterne away.
A billowe proudly pranking vp as vaunting of his pray
By conquest gotten, walloweth hole and breaketh not a sunder,
Beholding with a lofty looke the waters woorking vnder.
And looke as if a man should from the places where they growe
Rend downe the mountaynes Athe & Pind, and whole them ouerthrowe
Intoo the open sea: so soft the Billowe tumbling downe,
With weyght and violent stroke did sink and in the bottom drowne
The Gallye. And the moste of them that were within the same
Went downe therwith and neuer vp too open aiër came,
But dyed strangled in the gulf. Another sort againe
Caught peeces of the broken shippe. The king himself was fayne
A shiuer of the sunken shippe in that same hand to hold,
In which hee erst a royall mace had hilld of yellow gold.
His father and his fathrinlawe he calles vppon (alas
In vayne.) But cheefly in his mouth his wife Alcyone was.
In hart was shee: in toong was shee: He wisshed that his corse
Too land where shee myght take it vp the surges myght enforce:
And that by her most louing handes he might be layd in graue.
In swimming still (as often as the surges leaue him gaue
Too ope his lippes) he harped still vpon Alcyones name,
And when he drowned in the waues he muttred still the same.
Behold, euen full vppon the waue a flake of water blacke
Did breake, and vnderneathe the sea the head of Ceyx stracke.
That nyght the lyghtsum Lucifer for sorrowe was so dim,
As scarcely could a man discerne or thinke it too bee him.
And forasmuch as out of heauen he might not steppe asyde,
With thick and darksum clowds that nyght his countnance he did hyde.


Alcyone of so great mischaunce not knowing aught as yit,
Did keepe a reckening of the nyghts that in the whyle did flit,
And hasted garments both for him and for herself likewyse,
Too weare at his homecomming which shee vaynely did surmyse.
Too all the Goddes deuoutly shee did offer frankincence:
But most aboue them all the Church of Iuno shee did sence.
And for her husband (who as then was none) shee kneeld before
The Altar, wisshing health and soone arriuall at the shore,
And that none other woman myght before her be preferd.
Of all her prayers this one peece effectually was heard.
For Iuno could not fynd in hart intreated for too bee
For him that was already dead. But too thentent that shee
From dame Alcyones deadly hands might keepe her Altars free,
Shee sayd. Most faythfull messenger of my commaundments, O
Thou Raynebowe, too the slugguish house of Slomber swiftly go.
And bid him send a Dreame in shape of Ceyx too his wyfe
Alcyone, for too shew her playne the losing of his lyfe.
Dame Iris takes her pall wherein a thousand colours were
And bowwing lyke a stringed bow vpon the clowdy sphere,
Immediatly descended too the drowzye house of Sleepe
Whose Court the clowdes continually doo clocely ouerdreepe.


Among the darke Cimmerians is a hollow mountaine found
And in the hill a Caue that farre dooth ronne within the ground,
The Chamber & the dwelling place where slouthfull sleepe dooth cowch.
The lyght of Phebus golden beames this place can neuer towch.
A foggye mist with dimnesse mixt streames vpwarde from the ground,
And glimmering twylyght euermore within the same is found.
No watchfull bird with barbed bill, and combed crowne dooth call
The morning foorth with crowing out. There is no noyse at all
Of waking dogge, nor gagling goose more waker than the hound
Too hinder sleepe. Of beast ne wyld ne tame there is no sound.
No bowghes are stird with blastes of wynd. no noyse of tatling toong
Of man or woman euer yit within that bower roong
Dumb quiet dwelleth there. Yit from the Roches foote dooth go
The ryuer of forgetfulnesse. which ronneth trickling so
Uppon the little pebble stones which in the channell lye,
That vntoo sleepe a great deale more it dooth prouoke thereby.
Before the entry of the Caue, there growes of Poppye store.
With seeded heades, and other weedes innumerable more,
Out of the milkye iewce of which the night dooth gather sleepes,
And ouer all the shadowed earth with dankish deawe them dreepes.
Bycause the craking hindges of the doore no noyse should make,
There is no doore in all the house, nor porter at the gate.
Amid the Caue, of Ebonye a bedsted standeth hye,
And on the same a bed of downe with keeuerings blacke dooth lye:
In which the drowzye God of sleepe his lither limbes dooth rest.
About him, forging sundrye shapes as many dreames lye prest,
As eares of corne doo stand in feeldes in haruest tyme, or leaues
Doo grow on trees, or sea too shore of sandye cinder heaues.
Assoone as Iris came within this house, and with her hand
Had put asyde the dazeling dreames that in her way did stand,
The brightnesse of her robe through all the sacred house did shine.
The God of sleepe scarce able for too rayse his heauy eyen,
A three or fowre tymes at the least did fall ageine too rest,
And with his nodding head did knocke his chinne ageinst his brest.
At length he shaking of himselfe, vppon his elbowe leande.
And though he knew for what shee came: he askt her what shee meand.
O sleepe (quoth shee,) the rest of things, O gentlest of the Goddes,
Sweete sleepe, the peace of mynd, with whom crookt care is aye at oddes:
Which cherrishest mennes weery limbes appalld with toyling sore,
And makest them as fresh too woork and lustye as beefore,
Commaund a dreame that in theyr kyndes can euery thing expresse,
Too Trachine Hercles towne himself this instant too addresse.
And let him liuely counterfet too Queene Alcyonea
The image of her husband who is drowned in the sea
By shipwrecke. Iuno willeth so. Her message beeing told,
Dame Iris went her way. shee could her eyes no longer hold
From sleepe. But when shee felt it come shee fled that instant tyme,
And by the boawe that brought her downe too heaue ageine did clyme.


Among a thousand sonnes and mo that father slomber had
He calld vp Morph the feyner of mannes shape a craftye lad.
None other could so conningly expresse mans verrye face,
His gesture and his sound of voyce, and manner of his pace,
Toogither with his woonted weede, and woonted phrase of talk.
But this same Morphye onely in the shape of man dooth walk.
There is another who the shapes of beast or bird dooth take,
Or else appeereth vntoo men in likenesse of a snake.
The Goddes doo call him Icilos, and mortall folke him name
Phobetor. There is also yit a third who from theis same
Woorkes diuersly, and Phantasos he highteth. Intoo streames
This turnes himself, and intoo stones, and earth, and timber beames,
And intoo euery other thing that wanteth life. Theis three
Great kings and Capteines in the night are woonted for too see.
The meaner and inferiour sort of others haunted bee.
Sir Slomber ouerpast the rest, and of the brothers all
Too doo dame Iris message he did only Morphye call.
Which doone he waxing luskish, streyght layd downe his drowzy head
And softly shroonk his layzye limbes within his sluggish bed.


Away flew Morphye through ye aire: no flickring made his wings:
And came anon too Trachine. There his fethers of he flings,
And in the shape of Ceyx standes before Alcyones bed,
Pale, wan, stark naake, and like a man that was but lately deade.
His berde seemd wet, and of his head the heare was dropping drye,
And leaning on her bed, with teares he seemed thus too cry.
Most wretched woman knowest thou thy louing Ceyx now
Or is my face by death disformd? behold mee well, and thow
Shalt know mee. For thy husband, thou thy husbandes Ghost shalt see.
No good thy prayers and thy vowes haue done at all too mee.
For I am dead. In vayne of my returne no reckning make.
The clowdy sowth amid the sea our shippe did tardy take,
And tossing it with violent blastes asunder did it shake.
And floodes haue filld my mouth which calld in vayne vppon thy name.
No persone whom thou mayst misdeeme brings tydings of the same
Thou hearest not thereof by false report of flying fame.
But I myself: I presently my shipwrecke too thee showe.
Aryse therefore and wofull teares vppon thy spouse bestowe.
Put moorning rayment on, and let mee not too Limbo go
Unmoorned for. In shewing of this shipwrecke Morphye so
Did feyne the voyce of Ceyx, that shee could none other deeme,
But that it should bee his in deede. Moreouer he did seeme
Too weepe in earnest: and his handes the verry gesture had
Of Ceyx. Queene Alcyone did grone, and beeing sad
Did stirre her armes, and thrust them foorth his body too embrace.
In stead whereof shee caught but ayre. The teares ran downe her face.
Shee cryed, tarry: whither flyste? toogither let vs go.
And all this whyle she was a sleepe. Both with her crying so,
And flayghted with the image of her husbands gastly spryght,
She started vp: and sought about if fynd him there shee myght.
(For why her Groomes awaking with the shreeke had brought a light.)
And when shee no where could him fynd, shee gan her face too smyght,
And tare her nyghtclothes from her brest, and strake it feercely, and
Not passing too vnty her heare shee rent it with her hand.
And when her nurce of this her greef desyrde too vnderstand
The cause: Alcyone is vndoone, vndoone and cast away
With Ceyx her deare spouse (shee sayd.) Leaue comforting I pray.
By shipwrecke he is perrisht: I haue seene him: and I knew
His handes. When in departing I too hold him did pursew,
I caught a Ghost: but such a Ghost as well discerne I myght
Too bee my husbands. Nathelesse he had not too my syght
His woonted countenance, neyther did his visage shyne so bryght,
As heeretoofore it had beene woont. I saw him wretched wyght
Starke naked, pale, and with his heare still wet: euen verry heere
I saw him stand. with that shee lookes if any print appeere
Of footing where as he did stand vppon the floore behynd.
This this is it that I did feare in farre forecasting mynd,
When flying mee I thee desyrde thou shouldst not trust the wynd.
But syth thou wentest too thy death, I would that I had gone
With thee. ah meete, it meete had beene thou shouldst not go alone
Without mee. So it should haue come too passe that neyther I
Had ouerliued thee, nor yit beene forced twice too dye.
Already, absent in the waues now tossed haue I bee.
Already haue I perrished. And yit the sea hath thee
Without mee. But the cruelnesse were greater farre of mee
Than of the sea, if after thy decease I still would striue
In sorrow and in anguish still too pyne away aliue.
But neyther will I striue in care too lengthen still my lyfe,
Nor (wretched wyght) abandon thee: but like a faythfull wyfe
At leastwyse now will come as thy companion. And the herse
Shall ioyne vs, though not in the selfsame coffin: yit in verse.
Although in tumb the bones of vs toogither may not couch,
Yit in a grauen Epitaph my name thy name shall touch.
Her sorrow would not suffer her too vtter any more.
Shee sobd and syght at euery woord, vntill her hart was sore.


The morning came, and out shee went ryght pensif too the shore
Too that same place in which shee tooke her leaue of him before.
Whyle there shee musing stood, and sayd, he kissed mee euen heere,
Heere weyëd hee his Anchors vp, heere loosd he from the peere,
And whyle shee calld too mynd the things there marked with her eyes:
In looking on the open sea, a great way of shee spyes
A certeine thing much like a corse come houering on the waue.
At first shee dowted what it was. As tyde it neerer draue,
Although it were a good way of, yit did it plainely showe
Too bee a corce. And though that whose it was shee did not knowe,
Yit forbycause it seemd a wrecke, her hart therat did ryse:
And as it had sum straunger beene, with water in her eyes
Shee sayd, alas poore wretch who ere thou art, alas for her
That is thy wyfe, if any bee. And as the waues did stirre,
The body floted neerer land: the which the more that shee
Behilld, the lesse began in her of stayed wit too bee.
Anon it did arriue on shore. Then plainely shee did see
And know it, that it was her feere. Shee shreeked it is hee.
And therewithall her face, her heare, and garments shee did teare,
And vntoo Ceyx stretching out her trembling handes with feare,
Sayd: cumst thou home in such a plyght too mee O husband deere?
Returnst in such a wretched plyght? There was a certeine peere
That buylded was by hand, of waues the first assaults too breake,
And at the hauons mouth too cause the tyde too enter weake.
Shee lept theron. (A wonder sure it was shee could doo so)
Shee flew, and with her newgrowen winges did beate the ayre as tho.
And on the waues a wretched bird shee whisked too and fro.
And with her crocking neb then growen too slender bill and round,
like one that wayld and moorned still shee made a moaning sound.
Howbeet as soone as she did touch his dumb and bloodlesse flesh,
And had embraast his loued limbes with winges made new and fresh,
And with her hardened neb had kist him coldly, though in vayne,
Folk dowt of Ceyx feeling it too rayse his head did strayne,
Or whither that the waues did lift it vp. But surely hee
It felt: and through compassion of the Goddes both hee and shee
Were turnd too birdes. The loue of them eeke subiect too their fate,
Continued after: neyther did the faythfull bond abate
Of wedlocke in them beeing birdes: but standes in stedfast state.
They treade, and lay, and bring foorth yoong and now the Alcyon sitts
In wintertime vppon her nest which on the water flitts
A seuennyght. During all which tyme the sea is calme and still,
And euery man may too and fro sayle saufly at his will.
For Aeölus for his ofsprings sake the windes at home dooth keepe,
And will not let them go abroade for troubling of the deepe.


An auncient father seeing them about the brode sea fly,
Did prayse theyr loue for lasting too the end so stedfastly.
His neyghbour or the selfsame man made answer (such is chaunce)
Euen this fowle also whom thou seest vppon the surges glaunce
With spindle shanks, (he poynted too the wydegoawld Cormorant)
Before that he became a bird, of royall race might vaunt.
And if thou couet lineally his pedegree too seeke,
His Auncetors were Ilus, and Assaracus, and eeke
Fayre Ganymed who Iupiter did rauish as his ioy,
Laomedon and Priamus the last that reygnd in Troy.
Stout Hectors brother was this man. And had he not in pryme
Of lusty youth beene tane away, his deedes perchaunce in tyme
Had purchaast him as great a name as Hector, though that hee
Of Dymants daughter Hecuba had fortune borne too bee.
For Aesacus reported is begotten to haue beene
By scape, in shady Ida on a mayden fayre and sheene
Whose name was Alyxothoe, a poore mans daughter that
With spade and mattocke for himselfe and his a liuing gat.
This Aesacus the Citie hates, and gorgious Court dooth shonne,
And in the vnambicious feeldes and woods alone dooth wonne.
He seeldoom haunts the towne of Troy, yit hauing not a rude
And blockish wit, nor such a hart as could not be subdewd
By loue, he spyde Eperie (whom oft he had pursewd
Through all the woodes) then sitting on her father Cebrius brim
A drying of her heare ageinst the sonne, which hanged trim
Uppon her back. Assoone as that the Nymph was ware of him,
She fled as when the grisild woolf dooth scare the fearefull hynd
Or when the Fawcon farre from brookes a Mallard happes too fynd.
The Troiane knyght ronnes after her, and beeing swift through loue,
Purseweth her whom feare dooth force apace her feete to moue.
Behold an Adder lurking in the grasse there as shee fled,
Did byght her foote with hooked tooth, and in her bodye spred
His venim. Shee did cease her flyght and soodein fell downe dead.
Her louer being past his witts her carkesse did embrace,
And cryde, alas it irketh mee, it irkes mee of this chace.
But this I feard not. neyther was the gaine of that I willd
Woorth halfe so much. Now twoo of vs thee (wretched soule) haue killd.
The wound was giuen thee by the snake, the cause was giuen by mee.
The wickedder of both am I: who for too comfort thee
Will make thee satisfaction with my death. With that at last
Downe from a rocke (the which the waues had vndermynde) he cast
Himself intoo the sea. Howbeet dame Tethys pitying him,
Receyud him softly, and as he vppon the waues did swim,
Shee couered him with fethers. And though fayne he would haue dyde,
Shee would not let him. Wroth was he that death was him denyde,
And that his soule compelld should bee ageinst his will too byde
Within his wretched body still, from which it would depart,
And that he was constreynd too liue perforce ageinst his hart.
And as he on his shoulders now had newly taken wings,
He mounted vp, and downe vppon the sea his boddye dings.
His fethers would not let him sinke. In rage he dyueth downe,
And despratly he striues himself continually too drowne.
His loue did make him leane, long leggs: long neck dooth still remayne.
His head is from his shoulders farre: of Sea he is most fayne.
And for he vnderneath the waues delyghteth for too driue
A name according there vntoo the Latins doo him giue.

Finis vndecimi Libri