The. xv. bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis, translated oute of Latin into English meeter, by Arthur Golding Gentleman, a worke very pleasaunt and delectable. 1567.

¶THE .XII. BOOKE OF Ouids Metamorphosis. (Book 12)

RIng Priam béeing ignorant that Aesacus his sonne Did liue in shape of bird, did moorne: and at a tumb wheron His name was written, Hector and his brother solemly Did kéepe an Obit. Paris was not at this obsequye. Within a whyle with rauisht wyfe he brought a lasting warre Home vnto Troy. There followed him a thowsand shippes not farre Conspyrd toogither, with the ayde that all the Greekes could fynd: And vengeance had béene tane foorthwith but that the cruell wynd Did make the seas vnsaylable, so that theyr shippes were fayne At rode at fisshye Avvlys in Baeotia too remayne. Héere as the Greekes according too theyr woont made sacrifyse Too Ioue, and on the Altar old the flame aloft did ryse, They spyde a speckled Snake créepe vp vppon a planetrée bye Uppon the toppe whereof there was among the braunches hye A nest, and in the nest eyght birdes, All which and éeke theyr dam That flickering flew about her losse, the hungry snake did cram Within his mawe. The standers by were all amazde therat. But Calchas Thestors sonne who knew what méening was in that, Sayd▪ wée shall win. Reioyce yée Greekes by vs shall perish Troy But long the tyme will bée before wée may our will enioy. And then he told them how the birds nyne yéeres did signifie Which they before the towne of Troy not taking it should lye. The Serpent as he wound about the boughes and braunches gréene, Became a stone, and still in stone his snakish shape is séene. The seas continewed verry rough and suffred not theyr hoste Imbarked for too passe from thence too take the further coast. Sum thought that Neptune fauored Troy bycause himself did buyld The walles therof. But Calchas(who both knew, and neuer hilld His peace in tyme) declared that the Goddesse Phebe must Appeased bée with virgins blood for wrath conceyued iust. Assoone as pitie yéelded had too cace of puplicke weale, And reason got the vpper hand of fathers louing zeale, So that the Ladye Iphigen before the altar stood Among the wéeping ministers, too giue her maydens blood:

The Goddesse taking pitie, cast a mist before theyr eyes, And as they prayd and sti••d about too make the sacrifyse, Conueyes her quight away, and with a Hynd her roome supplyes Thus with a slaughter méete for her Diana béeing pleasd, The raging surges with her wrath toogither were appeasd, The thousand shippes had wynd at poope. And when they had abode Much trouble, at the length all safe they gat the Phrygian rode. Amid the world twéene heauen, and earth, and sea, there is a place, Set from the bounds of eche of them indifferently in space, From whence is séene what euer thing is practisd any where, Although the Realme bée nere so farre, and roundly too the eare Commes whatsoeuer spoken is▪ Fame hath his dwelling there. Who in the toppe of all the house is lodged in a towre. A thousand entryes, glades, and holes are f••amed in this bowre. There are no doores too shet. The doores stand open nyght and day. The house is all of sounding brasse, and roreth euery way, Reporting dowble euery woord it heareth people say. There is no rest within, there is no silence any where. Yit is there not a yelling out: but humming, as it were The sound of surges béeing heard farre of, are like the sound That at the end of thunderclappes long after dooth redound, When Ioue dooth make the clowdes too crack, within the courts is preace Of common people, which too come and go doo neuer ceace. And millions both of trothes and lyes ronne gadding euery where, And woordes confusely flye in heapes. Of which, sum fill the ••are That heard not of them erst, and sum Colearyers part doo play Too spread abrode the things they heard. And euer by the way The thing that was inuented growes much greater than before, And euery one that getts it by the end addes sumwhat more. Lyght credit dwelleth there. There dwells rash error: There dooth dwell Uayne ioy: There dwelleth hartlesse feare, and Brute that loues too tell Uncertayne newes vppon report, whereof he dooth not knowe The author, and Sedition who fresh rumors loues too sowe. This Fame beholdeth what is doone in heauen, on sea, and land, And what is wrought in all the world he layes to vnderstand. He gaue the Troyans warning that the Gréekes with valeant men And shippes approched, that vnwares they could not take them then.

For Hector and the Troian folk well armed were at hand Too kéepe the coast and bid them bace before they came a land. Protesilay by fatall doome was first that dyde in féeld Of Hectors speare: and after him great numbers mo were killd Of valeant men. That battell did the Gréeks full déerly cost. And Hector with his Phrygian folk of blood no little lost, In trying what the Greekes could doo. The shore was red with blood. And now king Cygnet Neptunes sonne had killed where he stood A thousand Greekes. And now the stout Achilles causd to stay His Charyot: and his lawnce did ••lea whole bandes of men that day. And séeking Cygnet through the féeld or Hector, he did stray. At last with Cygnet he did méete. For Hector had delay Untill the tenth yeare afterward. Then hasting foorth his horses With flaxen manes, ageinst his fo his Chariot he enforces. And brandisshing his shaking dart, he sayd: O noble wyght A comfort let it bée too thée that such a valeant knyght As is Achilles killeth thée. In saying so he threw A myghty dart, which though it hit the mark at which it flew, Yit perst it not the skinne at all. Now when this blunted blowe Had hit on Cygnets brest, and did no print of hitting showe, Thou Goddesse sonne ({quod} Cygnet) for by fame we doo the knowe) Why woondrest at mée for too sée I can not wounded bée? (Achilles woondred much thereat.) This helmet which yée sée Bedect with horses yellow manes, this shéeld that I doo beare, Defend mée not. For ornaments alonly I them weare. For this same cause armes Mars himself likewyse. I will disarme Myself, and yit vnrazed will I passe without all harme. It is too sum effect, not borne too bée of Neryes race, So that a man be borne of him that with thréeforked mace Rules Nereus and his daughters too, and all the sea besyde. This sayd, he at Achilles sent a dart that should abyde Uppon his sheeld. It perced through the stéele and through nyne fold Of Oxen hydes, and stayd vppon the tenth. Achilles bold Did wrest it out, and forcybly did throwe the same agayne. His bodye béeing hit ageine, vnwounded did remayne, And cléere from any print of wound. The third went éeke in vayne. And yitdid Cygnet too the same giue full his naked brist.

Achilles chafed like a Bull that in the open list With dreadfull hornes dooth push ageinst the scarlet clothes that ther•• Are hanged vp too make him féerce, and when he would them teare Dooth fynd his wounds deluded. Then Achilles lookt vppon His Iauelings socket, if the head thereof were looce or gone. The head stacke fast. My hand byléeke is weakened then ({quod} hée). And all the force it had before is spent on one I sée. For sure I am it was of strength, both when I first downe threw Lyrnessus walles, and when I did Ile Tenedos subdew, And éeke Axëtions Thebe with her proper blood embrew. And when so many of the folke of Tevvthranie I slew, That with theyr blood Caycus streame became of purple hew. And when the noble Telephus did of my Dart of stéele The dowble force, of wounding and of healing also féele. Yea euen the heapes of men slayne héere by mée, that on this strond Are lying still too looke vppon, doo giue too vnderstond That this same hand of myne both had and still hath strength. This sed, (As though he had distrusted all his dooings ere that sted,) He threw a Dart ageinst a man of Lycia land that hyght Menetes, through whose Curets and his brest he strake him quyght. And when he saw with dying limbes him sprawling on the ground, He stepped too him streyght, and pulld the Iaueling from the wound, And sayd alowd: This is the hand, this is the self same dart With which my hand did strike euen now Menetes too the hart. Ageinst my toother Copemate will I vse the same: I pray Too God it may haue like successe. This sed, without delay He sent it toward Cygnet, and the weapon did not stray, Nor was not shunned. Insomuch it lighted full vppon His shoulder: and it gaue a rappe as if vppon sum ston It lyghted had, rebownding backe. Howbéeit where it hit, Achilles sawe it bloodye, and was vaynly glad of it. For why there was no wound. It was Menetes blood. Then lept He hastly from his Charyot downe, and like a madman stept Too carelesse Cygnet with his swoord. He sawe his swoord did pare His Target and his morion bothe. But when it toucht the bare, His bodye was so hard, it did the edge thereof abate. He could no lengar suffer him too tryumph in that rate,

But with the pommell of his swoord did thump him on the pate, And bobd him well about the brewes a doozen tymes and more, And preacing on him as he still gaue backe amaazd him sore, And troubled him with buffetting, not respetting a whit. Then Cygnet gan too bée afrayd, and mistres béegan too flit Before his eyes, and dimd his syght. And as he still did yéeld, In giuing back, by chaunce he met a stone amid the feeld, Ageinst the which Achilles thrust him back with all his myght, And throwing him ageinst the ground, did cast him bolt vpryght. Then bearing bostowsely with both his knées ageinst his chest, And leaning with his elbowes and his target on his brest, He shet his headpéece cloce and iust, and vnderneathe his chin So hard it straynd, that way for breath was neyther out nor in, And closed vp the vent of lyfe. And hauing gotten so The vpper hand, he went about too spoyle his vanquisht fo. But nought he in his armour found, For Neptune had as tho Transformd him too the fowle whose name he bare but late ago. This labour, this encounter brought the rest of many dayes, And eyther partye in theyr strength a whyle from battell stayes. Now whyle the Phrygians watch & ward vppon the walles of Troy, And Greekes likewyse within theyr trench, there came a day of ioy, In which Achilles for his luck in Cygnets ouerthrow, A Cow in way of sacrifyse on Pallas did bestowe. Whose inwards when he had vppon the burning altar cast And that the acceptable fume had through the ayer past Too Godward, and the holy rytes had had theyr dewes, the rest Was set on boords for men too eate in disshes fynely drest. The princes sitting downe, did féede vppon the rosted flesh, And both theyr thirst and present cares with wyne they did refresh. Not Harpes, nor songs, nor hollowe flutes too héere did them delyght. They talked till they nye had spent the greatest part of nyght. And all theyr communication was of feates of armes in fyght That had béene doone by them or by theyr foes. And euery wyght Delyghts too vppen oftentymes by turne as came about The perills and the narrow brunts himself had shifted out. For what thing should bée talkt béefore Achilles rather? Or What kynd of things than such as theis could séeme more méeter for

Achilles too bée talking of? But in theyr talk most bréeme Was then Achilles victory of Cygnet. It did séeme A woonder that the flesh of him should bée so hard and tough As that no weapon myght haue powre too raze or perce it through, But that it did abate the edge of stéele: It was a thing That both Achilles and the Greekes in woondrous maze did bring. Then Nestor sayd: This Cygnet is the person now alone Of your tyme that defyed stéele, and could bée perst of none. But I haue séene now long ago one Cene of Perrhebye, I sawe one Cene of Perrhebye a thousand wounders defye With vnatteynted bodye. In mount Othris he did dwell: And was renowmed for his déedes: (and which in him ryght well A greater woonder did appéere) he was a woman borne. This vncouth made them all much more amazed than beforne, And euery man desyred him to tell it. And among The rest, Achilles sayd. Declare I pray thée (for wée long Too heare it euery one of vs) O eloquent old man The wisedome of our age: what was that Cene and how he wan Another than his natiue shape, and in what rode, or in What fyght or skirmish, twéene you first acquaintance did béegin, And who in fyne did vanquish him if any vanquisht him. Then Nestor. Though y^• length of tyme haue made my senses dim, And dyuers things erst séene in youth now out of myne be gone: Yit beare I still mo things in mynd: and of them all is none Among so many both of peace and warre, that yit dooth take More stedfast roote in memorye. And if that tyme may make A man great store of things through long continuance for too sée, Two hundred yéeres already of my lyfe full passed bée, And now I go vppon the third. This foresayd Ceny was The daughter of one Elatey. In beawty shée did passe The maydens all of Thessaly. From all the Cities bye And from thy Cities also O Achilles came (for why Shée was thy countrywoman) store of wooers who in vayne In hope too win her loue did take great trauell sute and payne. Thy father also had perchaunce attempted héere too matcht But that thy moothers maryage was alreadye then dispatcht, Or shée at least affyanced. But Ceny match with none,

Howbéeit as shée on the shore was walking all alone, The God of sea did rauish her. (so fame dooth make report) And Neptune for the great delight he had in Venus sport, Sayd: Ceny, aske mée what thou wilt, and I will giue it thée. This also bruted is by fame.) The wrong héere doone too mée ({quod} Ceny makes mée wish great things. And therfore too thentent I may no more constreyned bée too such a thing, consent I may no more a woman bée. and if thou graunt theretoo, It is euen all that I desyre, or wish thée for too doo. In bacer tune theis latter woordes were vttred, and her voyce Did séeme a mannes voyce as it was in déede. For too her choyce The God of sea had giuen consent. He graunted him besyde That frée from wounding and from hurt he should from thence abyde, And that he should not dye of stéele. Right glad of this same graunt Away went Ceny, and the féeldes of Thessaly did haunt, And in the feates of Cheualrye from that tyme spent his lyfe. The ouer bold* 1.1 Ixions sonne had taken too his wyfe Hippodame. And keuering boordes in bowres of boughes of trées His Clowdbred brothers one by one he placed in degrées. There were the Lordes of Thessaly. I also was among The rest, a chéerefull noyse of feast through all the Pallace roong. Sum made the altars smoke, and sum the brydale carrolls soong. Anon commes in the mayden bryde a goodly wench of face, With wyues and maydens following her with comly gate and grace. Wée sayd that sir Pirithous was happy in his wyfe: Which handsell had deceyued vs wellnéere through soodeine stryfe. For of the cruell Centavvres thou most cruell Evvryt, tho Like as thy stomacke was with wyne farre ouer charged: so Assoone as thou behilldst the bryde, thy hart began too frayne, And doubled with thy droonkennesse thy raging lust did reigne. The feast was troubled by and by with tables ouerthrowen. The bryde was hayled by the head, so farre was furye growen. Féerce Evvryt caught Hippodame, and euery of the rest Caught such as ••ommed next to hand, or such as likte him best. It was the liuely image of a Citie tane by foes. The house did ring of womens shréekes▪ wée all vp quickly rose. And first sayd Theseus thus. What aylst? art mad O Evvrytus?

That darest (séeing mée aliue) mis••se Pirithöus? Not knowing that in one thou doost abvse vs bothe? And least He myght haue seemd too speake in vayne, he thrustway such as preast About the bryde, and tooke her from them freating sore thereat. No answere made him Evvrytus: (for such a déede as that Defended could not bee with woordes) but with his sawcye fist He flew at gentle Theseus face, and b••••d him on the brist. By chaunce hard by, an auncient cuppe of image woork did stand. Which being howge himself more howge sir Theseus tooke in hand, And threwt at Evvryts head. He spewd as well at mouth as wound Mirt cloddes of blood, and brayne and wyne, and on the soyled ground Lay sprawling bolt vpryght. The death of him did set the rest His dowblelimbed brothers so on fyre, that all the quest With one voyce cryed out kill kill. The wyne had giuen them hart. Theyr first encounter was with cuppes & Cannes throwen ouerthwart, And brittle tankerds, and with boawles, pannes, dishes, potts, & trayes, Things seruing late for meate and drinke, and then for bluddy frayes. First Amycus Ophions sonne with out remorse began Too réeue and rob the brydehouse of his furniture. He ran And pulled downe a Lampbeame full of lyghtes, and lifting it Aloft like one that with an Ax dooth fetch his blowe too slit An Oxis necke in sacrifyse, He on the forehead hit A Lapith named Celadon, and crusshed so his bones That none could know him by the face: both eyes flew out at ones. His nose was beaten backe and too his pallat battred slat. One Pelates a Macedone excéeding wroth therat, Pulld out a maple tressles foote, and napt him in the necks, That bobbing with his chin ageinst his brest too ground he becks, And as he spitted out his téeth with blackish blood, he lent Another blowe too Amycus which streyght too hell him sent. Gryne standing by and lowring with a fell grim visage at The smoking Altars, sayd: why vse we not theis same? with that He caught a myghty altar vp with burning fyre thereon, And it among the thickest of the Lapithes threw anon. And twoo he ouer whelmd therewith calld Brote and Orion. This Orions moother Mycale is knowne of certeintye The Moone resisting too haue drawne by witchcraft from the skye.

Full dearely shalt thou by it ({quod} Exadius) may I get A weapon: and with that in stead of weapon, he did set His hand vppon a vowd harts horne that on a Pynetrée hye Was nayld, and with twoo tynes therof he strake out eyther eye Of Gryne: whereof sum stacke vppon the horne, and sum did flye Uppon his beard, and there with blood like ielly mixt did lye, A flaming fyrebrand from amids an Altar Rhaetus snatcht. With which vppon the leftsyde of his head Charaxus latcht A blow that crackt his skull. The blaze among his yellow heare Ran sindging vp, as if dry corne with lightning blas••ed were. And in his wound the seared blood did make a gréeuous sound, As when a peece of stéele red who•• tane vp with tongs is drownd In water by the smith, it spirts and hisseth in the trowgh. Charaxus from his curled heare did shake the fyre. and thowgh He wounded were, yit caught he vp vppon his shoulders twayne. A stone the Iawme of eyther doore that well would loade a wayne. The masse therof was such as that it would not let him hi•• His fo. I•• lighted short: and with the falling downe of it A mate of his that Comet hyght, it all in péeces smit. Then Rhaete restreyning not his ioy, sayd thus: I would the rowt Of all thy mates myght in the selfsame maner proue them s••owt. And with his halfeburnt brond the wound he searched new agayne, Not ceasing for to lay on loade vppon his pate amayne, Untill his head was crusht, and of his scalp the bones did swim Among his braynes. In iolly ruffe he passed streyght from him Too Coryt, and Euagrus, and too Dryant on a rowe. Of whom when Coryt (on whose chéekes yoong mossy downe gan grow) Was slayne, what prayse or honour ({quod} Euagrus) hast thou got By killing of a boy? mo woordes him Rhetus suffred not Too speake, but in his open mouth did thrust his burning brand, And downe his throteboll too his chest. Then whisking in his hand His fyrebrand round about his head he féercely did assayle The valyant Dryant. but with him he could not so preuayle. For as he triumpht in his lucke, procéeding for too make Continuall slaughter of his foes, sir Dryant with a stake (Whose poynt was hardned in the fyre) did cast at him a ••oyne And thrust him through the place in which the neck and shoulders ioyne.

He groand and from his cannell bone could scarcely pull the stake. And béeing foyled with his blood too flyght he did him take. Arnaeus also ran away, and Lycidas likewyse. And Medon (whose ryght shoulderplate was also wounded) flyes. So did Pisenor, so did Cavvne, and so did Mermeros Who late outronning euery man, now wounded slower goes: And so did Phole, and Menelas, and Abas who was woont Too make a spoyle among wylde Boares as oft as he did hunt: And éeke the wyzarde Astylos who counselled his mates Too leaue that fray: but he too them in vayne of leauing prates. He éeke too Nessus (who for feare of wounding séemed shye) Sayd, fly not thou shalt scape this fray of Hercles bowe too dye. But Lycid and Evvrinomos, and Imbreus, and Are Escapte not death. Sir Dryants hand did all alike them spare. Cayneius also (though that he in flying were not slacke, Yit was he wounded on the face: For as he looked backe, A weapons poynt did hit him full midway betwéene the eyes, Wheras the nore and forehead méete. For all this deane, yit lyes Aphipnas snorting fast a sléepe not mynding for to wake, Wrapt in a cloke of Bearskinnes which in Ossa mount were take. And in his lither hand he hilld a potte of wyne. Whom when That Phorbas saw (although in vayne) not medling with them, then He set his fingars too the thong: and saying, thou shalt drink Thy wyne with water taken from the Stygian fountaynes brink, He threw his dart at him. The dart (as he that tyme by chaunce Lay bolt vpright vppon his backe) did through his throteboll glaunce. He dyde and felt no payne at all. The blacke swart blood gusht out, And on the bed and in the potte fell flushing lyke a spout. I saw Petreius go about too pull out of the ground An Oken tree. But as he had his armes about it round, And shaakt it too and fro too make it looce, Pirithous cast A Dart which nayled too the trée his wrything stomacke fast. Through prowesse of Pirithous (men say) was Lycus slayne. Through prowesse of Pirithous dyde Crome. But they both twayne Lesse honour too theyr conquerour were, than Dyctis was, or than Was Helops. Helops with a dart was striken which though ran His head, and eutring at the ryght eare too the left eare went.

And Dyctis from a slipprye knappe downe slyding, as he ment Too shonne Perithöus preaching on, fell headlong downe, and with His howgenesse brake the greatest Ash that was in all the frith, And goard his gutts vppon y^• stump. Too wreake his death cōmes Phare: And from the mount a mighty rocke with bothe his handes he tare: Which as he was about too throwe, Duke Theseus did preuent, And with an Oken plant vppon his mighty elbowe lent Him such a blowe, as that he brake the bones, and past no further. For leysure would not serue him then his maymed corce too murther. He lept on hygh Bianors backe, who none was woont too beare Besydes himself. Ageinst his sydes his knées fast nipping were, And with his left hand taking hold vppon his foretoppe heare He cuft him with his knubbed plant about the frowning face, And made his wattled browes too breake. And with his Oken mace He ouerthrew Nedimnus: and Lycespes with his dart, And Hippasus whose beard did hyde his brest the greater part: And Riphey tallar than the trées, and Therey who was woont Among the hilles of Thessaly for cruell Beares too hunt, And beare them angry home alyue. It did Demoleon spyght That Theseus had so good successe and fortune in his fyght. An old long Pynetrée rooted fast he straue with all his myght Too pluck vp whole bothe trunk & roote. which when he could not bring Too passe, he brake it of, and at his emnye did it fling. But Theseus by admonishment of heauenly Pallas (so He would haue folke beleue it were) start backe a great way fro The weapon as it came. Yit fell it not without some harme. It cut from Crantors left syde bulke, his shoulder, brest, and arme. This Crantor was thy fathers Squyre (Achilles) and was giuen Him by Amyntor ruler of the Dolops, who was driuen By battell for too giue him as an hostage for the peace Too bée obserued faythfully. When Peleus in the preace A great way of behilld him thus falne dead of this same wound, O Crantor déerest man too mée of all aboue the ground, Hold héere an obitgift hée sayd: and both with force of hart And hand, at stout Demoleons head he threw an asshen dart, Which brake the watling of his ribbes, and sticking in the bone, Did shake. He pulled out the steale with much a doo alone.

The head therof stacke still behynd among his lungs and lyghts Enforst too courage with his payne, he ryseth streight vprights, And pawing at his emny with his horsish séete, he smyghts Uppon him. Peleus bare his strokes vppon his burganet, And fenst his shoulders with his sheeld, and euermore did set His weapon vpward with the poynt, which by his shoulders perst Through both his brestes at one full blowe. Howbéet your father erst Had killed Hyle and Phlegrye, and Hiphinöus aloof And Danes who boldly durst at hand his manhod put in proof. Too theis was added Dorylas, who ware vppon his head A cap of woolues skinne. And the hornes of Oxen dy••d red With blood were then his weapon. I (for then my courage gaue Mee strength sayd: sée how much thy hornes lesse force than Iron haue. And therewithall with manly might a dart at him I d••aue. Which when he could not shonne, he clapt his right hand flat vppon His forehead where the wound should bée. For why his hand anon Was nayled too his forehead fast. Hee roared out amayne. And as he stood amazed and began too faynt for payne, Your father Peleus (for he stood hard by him) strake him vnder The middle belly with his swoord, and ript his womb asunder. Out girdes mée Dorill streyght, and trayles his guttes vppon y^e ground And trampling vnderneath his féete did breake them, and they wound About his leggs so snarling, that he could no further go, But fell downe dead with empty womb Nought booted Cyllar tho His beawtye in that frentick fray, (at leastwyse if wée graunt That any myght in that straunge shape, of natures beawtye vaunt.) His beard began but then too bud: his beard was like the gold: So also were his yellowe lokes, which goodly too behold Midway beneath his shoulders hung. There rested in his face A sharpe and liuely cheerfulnesse with swéete and pleasant grace. His necke, brest, shoulders, armes, and hands, as farre as he was man, Were such as neuer caruers woork yit stayne them could or can. His neather part likewyse (which was a horse) was euery whit Full equall with his vpper part, or little woorse than it. For had yee giuen him horses necke, and head, he was a beast For Castor too haue ridden on. So bou••ly was his brest: So handsome was his backe too beare a saddle; and his heare

Was blacke as ieate, but that his tayle and féete milk whyghtish were. Full many Fema••es of ••is race did wish him too theyr make. But only dame Hylonome for louer he did take. Of all the halfbrutes in the woodes there did not any dwell More comly than Hylonome. She vi••e herself so well In dalyance, and in louing, and in vttring of her loue, That shée alone hilid Cyllarus. As much as did behoue In suchye limbes, shée trimmed them as most the eye might moue. With combing, smoothe shée made her heare: shée wallowed her full oft In Roses and in Rosemarye, or Uiolets sweete and soft: Sumtyme shée caryed Lillyes whyght: and twyce a day shée washt Her visage in the spring that from the toppe of Pagase past: And in the streame shee twyce a day did bath her limbes: and on Her leftsyde or her shoulders came the comlyest things, And none But fynest skinnes of choycest beasts. Alike eche loued other: Toogither they among the hilles roamd vp and downe: toogither They went too couert: and that tyme toogither they did enter The Lapithes house, and there the fray toogither did aduenter. A dart on Cyllars left syde came, (I know not who it sent) Which sumwhat vnderneathe his necke his brest a sunder splent. As lyghtly as his hart was raazd, no sooner was the dart Pluckt out, but all his bodye wext stark cold and dyëd swart. Immediatly Hylonome his dying limbes vp stayd, And put her hand vppon the wound too stoppe the blood, and layd Her mouth too his, and labored sore too stay his passing spryght. But when shée sawe him throughly dead, then speaking woordes which might Not too my hearing come for noyse, shée stikt herself vppon The weapon that had gored him, and dyde with him anon Embracing him béetwéene her armes. There also stood before Myne eyes the grim Pheöcomes both man and horse who wore A Lyons skinne vppon his ••acke fast knit with knotts afore. He snatching vp a timber log (which scarcely twoo good téeme Of Oxen could haue stird) did throwe the same with force extréeme At Phonolenyes sonne. The logge him all in fitters strake, And of his head the braynepan in a thousand peeces brake, That at his mouth, his eares, and eyes, and at his nosethrills too, His crusshed brayne came roping out as creame is woont too doo

From siues or riddles made of wood, or as a Cullace out From streyner or from Colender. But as he went about Too strippe him from his harnesse as he lay vppon the ground, (Your father knoweth this full well) my sword his gutts did wound, Teleboäs and Cthonius bothe, were also slaine by mée. Sir Cthonius for his weapon had a forked bough of trée. The toother had a dart. His dart did wound. mée you may sée The scarre therof remayning yit. Then was the tyme that I Should sent haue béene too conquer Troy. Then was the tyme that I Myght through my force and prowesse, if not vanquish Hector stout, Yit at the least haue hilld him wag, I put you out of Dout. But then was Hector no body: or but a babe. And now Am I forspent and worne with yéeres. What should I tell you how Piretus dyde by Periphas? Or wherefore should I make Long processe for too tell you of sir Ampycus that strake The fowrefoote Oecle on the face with dart of Cornell trée. The which had neyther head nor poynt? Or how that Macaree Of Mountaine Pelithronye with a leauer lent a blowe Too Erigdupus on the brest which did him ouerthrowe? Full well I doo remember that Cymelius threw a dart Which lyghted full in Nesseyes flank about his priuie part. And think not you that Mops the sonne of Ampycus could doo No good but onely prophesye. This stout Odites whoo Had bothe the shapes of man and horse, by Mopsis dart was slayne, And labouring for too speake his last he did but striue in vayne. For Mopsis dart toogither nayld his toong and neather chappe, And percing through his throte did make a wyde and deadly gappe. Fyue men had Cene already slayne: theyr wounds I cannot say: The names and nomber of them all ryght well I beare away. The names of them were Stiphelus, and Brome, and Helimus, Pyracmon with his forest bill, and stout Antimachus. Out steppes the biggest Centavvre there howge Latreus armed in Alesus of Aemathias spoyle slayne late before by him. His yéeres were mid twéene youth and age, his courage still was yoong, And on his abrun head hore heares péerd héere and there amoong His furniture was then a swoord, a target and a lawnce Aemathian like. Too bothe the parts he did his face aduaunce,

And brandishing his weapon braue, in circlewyse did prawnce About, and stoutly spake theis woordes. And must I beare with yow Dame Cenye? for none other than a moother (I auow) No better than a moother will I cou••t thée whyle I liue. Remembrest not what shape by birth dame nature did the giue Forgettst thou how thou purchasedst this counterfetted shape Of man? Consyderest what thou art by birth? and how for rape Thou art become the thing thou art? Go take thy distaffe, and Thy spindle, and in spinning yarne go exercyse thy hand. Let men alone with feates of armes. As Latreus made this stout, And scornefull taunting in a ring still turning him about, This Cenye with a dart did hit him full vppon the syde Where as the horse and man were ioynd toogither in a hyde. The strype made Latreus mad: and with his lawnce in rage he stracke Uppon sir Cenyes naked ribbes. The lawnce rebounded backe Like haylestones from a tyled house, or as a man should pat Small stones vppon a dromslets head. He came more néere with that, And in his brawned syde did stryue too thrust his swoord. There was No way for swoord too enter in. Yit shalt thou not so passe My handes (sayd he.) Well sith the poynt is blunted thou shalt dye Uppon the edge: and with that woord he fetcht his blow awrye, And sydling with a swéeping stroke along his belly smit. The strype did giue a clinke as if it had on marble hit. And therewithall the swoord did breake, and on his necke did lyght. When Ceny had sufficiently giuen Latreus leaue too smyght His flesh which was vnmaymeable. Well now ({quod} he) lets see, If my swoord able bée or no too byght the flesh of thée. In saying so, his dreadfull swoord as farre as it would go He vnderneathe his shoulder thrust, and wrinching too and fro Among his gutts, made wound in wound Behold with hydeous crye The dowblemembred Centavvres sore abasht vppon him flye, And throwe theyr weapons all at him. Theyr weapons downe did fall As if they had rebated béene, and Cenye for them all Abydes vnstriken through. Yea none was able ••lood too drawe. The straungenesse of the cace made all amazed that it sawe. Fy, fy for shame ({quod} Monychus) that such a rable can Not ouercome one wyght alone, who scarcely is a man.

Although (too say the very truthe) he is the man, and wée Through fayntnesse that that he was borne by nature for too bée. What profits theis huge limbes of ours? what helpes our dowble force? Or what auayles our dowble shape of man as well as horse By puissant nature ioynd in one? I can not thinke that wée Of souereigne Goddesse Iuno were begot, or that wée bée Ixions sonnes, who was so stout of courage and so hault, As that he durst on Iunos loue attempt too giue assault. The emny that dooth vanquish vs is scarcely half a man. Whelme blocks, & stones, & mountaynes whole vppon his hard brayne pan: And presse yée out his liuely ghoste with trées. Let timber choke His chappes, let weyght enforce his death in stead of wounding stroke. This sayd: by chaunce he gets a trée blowne downe by blustring blasts Of Southerne wynds, and on his fo with all his myght it casts, And gaue example too the rest too doo the like. Within A whyle the shadowes which did hyde mount Pehon waxed thin: And not a trée was left vppon mount Othris ere they went. Sir Cenye vnderneathe this greate howge pyle of timber pent, Did chauf and on his shoulders hard the heauy logges did beare. But when aboue his face and head the trées vp stacked were, So that he had no venting place too drawe his breth: One whyle He faynted: and anotherwhyle he heaued at the pyle, Too tumble downe the loggs that lay so heauy on his backe, And for too winne the open ayre ageine aboue the stacke: As if the mountayne Ida (lo) which yoonder we doo sée So hygh, by earth quake at a tyme should chaunce to shaken bée. Men dowt what did become of him. Sum hold opinion that The burthen of the woodes had driuen his soule too Limbo flat. But Mopsus sayd it was not so. For he did sée a browne Bird flying from amid the stacke and towring vp and downe. It was the first tyme and the last that euer I behild That fowle. When Mopsus softly saw him soring in the féeld, He looked wistly after him, and cryed out on hye. Hayle péerlesse perle of Lapith race, hayle Ceny, late ago A valeant knyght, and now a bird of whom there is no mo. The author caused men beléeue the matter too bee so. Our sorrow set vs in a rage. It was too vs a gréef

That by so many foes one knyght was killd without reléef. Then ceast wee not too wreake our ••éene till most was slaine in fyght, And that the rest discomfit••d were fled away by nyght. As Nestor all the processe of this battell did reherce Betwéene the valeant Lapithes and misshapen Centavvres ferce, Tlepolemus displeased sore that Hercules was past With silence, could not hold his peace, but out theis woordes did cast. My Lord, I muse you should forget my fathers prayse so quyght. For often vntoo mée himself was woonted too recite, How that the clowdbred folk by him were chéefly put too flyght. Ryght sadly Nestor answerd thus. Why should you mée constreyne Too call too mynd forgotten gréefs? and for to réere ageine The sorrowes now outworne by tyme? or force mée too declare The hatred and displeasure which I too your father bare? In sooth his dooings greater were than myght bée well beléeued. He fild the world with high renowme which nobly he atchéeued. Which thing I would I could denye. For neyther set wee out Deïphobus, Polydamas, nor Hector that most stout And valeant knyght the strength of Troy. For whoo will prayse his fo? Your father ouerthrew the walles of Messen long ago, And razed Pyle, and Ely townes vnwoorthye seruing so. And feerce ageinst my fathers house hée vsde bothe swoord and fyre. And (not too speake of others whom he killed in his tre) Twyce six wée were the sonnes of Nele all lusty gentlemen. Twyce six of vs (excepting mée) by him were murthred then. The death of all the rest myght seeme a matter not so straunge: But straunge was Periclymens death whoo had the powre too chaunge And leaue and take what shape he list (by Neptune too him giuen, The founder of the house of Nele.) For when he had béene driuen Too try all shapes, and none could help: he last of all became The fowle that in his hooked féete dooth beare the flasshing flame Sent downe from heauen by Iupiter. He practising those birds, With flapping wings, and bowwing beake, and hooked talants girds At Hercle, and béescratcht his face. Too certeine (I may say) Thy father amde his shaft at him. For as hée towring lay Among the clowdes, he hit him vnderneath the wing. The stroke Was small: Howbéet bycause therwith the sinewes being broke,

He wanted strength too maynteine flyght, he fell me too the ground, Through weakenesse of his wing. The shaft that sticked in the wound, By reason of the burthen of his bodye perst his syde, And at the leftsyde of his necke all bloodye foorth did glyde. Now tell mée O thou beawtyfull Lord Amirall of the fléete Of Rhodes, if mée too speake the prayse of Hercle it bée méete. But least that of my brothers deathes men think I doo desyre A further vendge than silence of the prowesse of thy syre, I loue thée euen with all my hart, and take thée for my fréend. When Nestor of his pleasant tales had made this fréendly end, They called for a boll of wyne, and from the table went, And all the resdew of the nyght in sléeping soundly spent. But neptune like a father tooke the matter sore too hart That Cygnet too a Swan he was constreyned too conuert. And hating féerce Achilles, he did wreake his cruell téene Uppon him more vncourteously than had beséeming béene. For when the warres well neere full twyce fyue yéeres had lasted. Hée Unshorne Apollo thus bespake. O neuew vntoo mée Most déere of all my brothers impes, who helpedst mée too lay Foundation of the walles of Troy for which we had no pay, And canst thou syghes forbeare too sée the Asian Empyre fall? And dooth it not lament thy hart when thou too mynd doost call So many thousand people slayne in kéeping Ilion wall? Or (too thentent particlerly I doo not speake of all) Remembrest thou not Hectors Ghost whoo harryed was about His towne of Troy? where nerethelesse Achilles that same stout And farre in fyght more butcherly, whoo stryues with all his myght Too stroy the woorke of mée and thée, liues still in healthfull plyght▪ If euer hée doo come within my daunger he shall féele What force is in my tryple mace. But sith with swoord of stéele I may not méete him as my fo, I pray thée vnbéeware Go kill him with a sodeine shaft and rid mée of my care. Apollo did consent: as well his vncle for too please, As also for a pryuate grudge himself had for too ease. And in a clowd he downe among the host of Troy did slyde, Where Paris dribbling out his shaftes among the Gréekes hée spyde: And telling him what God he was, sayd wherfore doost thou waast

Thyne arrowes on the simple sort? It any care thou haste Of those that are thy fréendes, go turne ageinst Achilles head, And like a man reuendge on him thy brothers that are dead. In saying this, he brought him where Achilles with his brond Was beating downe the Troiane folk, and leueld so his hond As that Achilles tumbled downe starke dead vppon the lond. This was the onely thing wherof the old king Priam myght Take comfort after Hectors death. That stout and valeant knyght Achilles whoo had ouerthrowen so many men in fyght, Was by that coward carpet knyght béeréeued of his lyfe. Whoo like a caytif stale away the Spartane princes wyfe. But if of weapon womanish he had foreknowen it had His destnye béene too lose his lyfe, he would haue béene more glad That Quéene Penthesileas bill had slaine him out of hand. Now was the feare of Phrygian folk, the onely glory, and Defence of Gréekes, that péerelesse prince in armes, Achilles turnd Too asshes. That same God that had him armd, him also burnd. Now is he dust: and of that great Achilles bydeth still. A thing of nought, that scarcely can a little coffin fill. Howbéet his woorthy fame dooth lyue, and spreadeth ouer all The world, a measure méete sor such a persone too béefall. This matcheth thée Achilles full. And this can neuer dye. His target also (too thentent that men myght playnly spye What wyghts it was) did moue debate, and for his armour burst Out deadly foode. Not Diomed, nor Aiax Oylye durst Make clayme or chalendge too the same, nor Atreus yoonger sonne, Nor yit his elder, though in armes much honour they had wonne. Alone the sonnes of Telamon and Laërt did assay Which of them twoo of that great pryse should beare the bell away. But Agamemnon from himself the burthen putts, and cléeres His handes of enuye, causing all the Capteines and the Péeres Of Greece too méete amid the camp toogither in a place, Too whom he put the héering and the iudgement of the cace.

Finis duodecimi Libri.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Piritho••s.