L. VIVES.
LIke (e) parcells] Centones are peeces of cloath of diuerse colours; vsed any way, on the * 1.1 back, or on the bedde. Cic. Cato Maior. Sisenna, C. Caesar. Metaphorically it is a poeme patched out of other poems by ends of verses, as Homero-centon, and Uirgilio-centon, diuerse, made by Proba, and by Ausonius. (b) Retrograde poeme] Sotadicall verses: that is verses backward and forwards, as Musa mihi causas memora, quo numine laesa: &, Laeso numine quo memora causas mihi Musa. Sotadicall verses may bee turned backwards into others also: as * 1.2 this Iambick: Pio precare thure caelestum numina: turne it, Numina caelestum thure precare pi•…•…: it is a P•…•…ntameter. They are a kinde of wanton verse (as Quintilian saith) inuented, saith Strabo, or rather vsed (saith Diomedes) by Sotades, whome Martiall calleth Gnidus: some of Augustines copies read it, a great poeme, and it is the fitter, as if one should pick verses out of some greater workes concerning another purpose, and apply them vnto his owne, as some Centonists did, turning Uirgils and Homers words of the Greekes and Troyan warres, vnto Christ and diuine matters: And Ausonius turneth them vnto an Epithalamion.