FABLE I. Of the Chaos or of the first and most admirable Metamorphosis viz. of the forming or fashioning all things out of the Chaos first of the 4. Elemeâ—ts made out of it BEfore the Sea earth and Heauen which couereth al things There was one forme of nature in the whole world Which they called Chaos which was a rude confused heape Neither was there any thing but a lumpish weight and disagreeing â—eeds of things not well ioyned heaped vp together in the same No Sun gaue light as yet to the world Neither did the newe Moone repaire her hornes by increasing Nor yet the earth pâ—ized with her owne weight did hang in the ayre compassed about it nether had the sea reached out her armes by the long banke of the earth And likewise in what part was earth there was also both sea and ayre So the earth was vnstable the water not to bee swomme in The ayre was without light nothing had the proper form And one thing was against others because in one bodie Cold things did fight with hot moist with dry Soft things did fight with hard things hauing weight w th things without weight God and a better nature tooke away this strife For he diuided the earth from heauen the water from the earth And separated the liquid skie from the foggie ayre Which after he had tumbled out and taken from the confused heape Hee bound theÌ„ being separate in place with a quiet peace The fiery power of the heauen bending downward and without weight shined out chose it selfe a place in the highest tower The ayre is next to it in lightnesse and in place The earth is more solide then these and hath drawen the great Elements with it And is pressed downe with the heauinesse of it selfe The water flowing about it Hath possessed the vtmost places and kept in the soâ—â—e globe FABLE II. Of the full and perfect forming and fashioning of the 4. chiefe parts of the world and the adorning each of them with their proper creatures more specially of the creation of man last to bee Lord of all WHen hee which soeuer of the Gods he was had diuided the heape so disposed and brought it diuided into parts First of all hee made the earth round after the fashion of a great globe least that it should not be euen of euery part Then he poured abroad the narrow seas and commanded them to swell w th the whirling winds and to compasse about the shores of the earth inuironed thereby Moreouer he added fountaines and huge standing ponds and lakes And he girt in the riuers running downewards with crooked banks Which being distant in places are supped vp partly of the earth it self Partly doe they come into the sea and being receiued there in a field Of more free water they beate vpon the shoares instead of banks He commanded also the champaine fieldes to bee stretched abroad the valleies to settle downward The woods to bee couered with leaues the craggie mountains to ascend And as two zones diuide the heauen on the right part and as many moe on the left the fift is more burning then those So the prouidence of God hath distinguished the burden included by the same number and euen so many climates are set in the earth Whereof that which is the middle is not habitable for heate Deepe snow couereth two of them and also hee placed as many moe between those two And hath giuen them a teÌ„perature heat being mixed in them w th cold The ayre hangeth ouer these w ch is so much heauier then the fier as the weight of the water is lighter then the weight of the earth There he hath coÌ„manded both the little and great cloudes to stay and the thunders to mooue mens harts And together with the lightning the winds making the cold Moreouer the maker of the world hath not permitted the ayre to bee vsed of these euery where there there is scarcely any wiâ—hstanding of theÌ„ now Whenas euery one of theÌ„ ruleth his owne blasts in a diuers region But that they would reare the world in pieces the discord of those brethreÌ„ is so great The East-winde betooke it selfe vnto the morning and to the kingdomes of Nabathaea And to Persia and to the mountaines lying vnder the Sunne rising The euening and the shoares w ch wax warme by the Sunne setting Are next vnto the West-wind the horrible North-wind hath inuaded Scythia the parts lying vnder the North pole The contrarie earth is wet with continuall clouds froÌ„ the rainy south He placed ouer these the skie being pure and without all heauinesse neither hauing any terrene substaÌ„ce Scarcely had he thus seuered all things in their certaine bounds When as the starres which had long lyen hid pressed vnder that same masse began to glister in the whole heaueÌ„ And least any region should be destitute of their owne liuing creatures The starres and the Gods doe possesse the heauenly soyle The waters haue befallen to bee inhabited of the bright fishes The earth tooke the beasts the moueable ayre the birds A liuing creature more holy then these and more capeable of a diuine minde And which might rule ouer the rest was as yet lacking Man was borne whether that maker of all things the beginning of the better world made him of diuine seede
Or whether the earth newly made lately separated from the high skie retained the seedes of the heauen being kinne vnto it Which earth being mingled with riuer water Prometheus the Son of Iaphet Formed according to the image of the Gods ruling all things And whereas the rest of the liuing creatures do looke to the earth downeward He gaue to man a lofty countenance commaÌ„ded him to behold the heauen and to lift vp his face vpward to the skies So the earth which had beene but preseÌ„tly before vnwrought and without forme Being chanchanged put vpon it the vnknowen shapes of men FABLE III. Of the foure ages of the world v. z. the Golden Siluer Brazen Iron ages and first of the golden age THe golden age is sowen first which obserued fidelity and vpright dealing without any reuenger of the own accord w th out law There was no punishment nor feare nor threatning wordes were bound in fixed brasse neither yet did the suppliant company feare the face of their Iudge but they were safe without iudge The Pine cut out of her mountaines had not yet descended into the liquid waues that shee might goe to see the stâ—aunge world And mortall men knew no coasts but their owne Deepe trenches did not as yet compasse about the towns There was no Trumpet of straight brasse no hornes of bended brasse No helmets not a sword The nations liuing securely did follow continually their pleasant ease without vse of the souldier Also the earth it selfe as yet free and vntouched with the harrowe nor cut with any Shares yeelded all things of it selfe And they being content with meats prepared without any labour Gathered Seruice-berries and Straw-berries growing in the mountaines And Hawes and also bramble-berries sticking in the rough bushie places And likewise Acornes w ch fell from the broad spreading tree of Iupiter The spring was continual the pleasant West windes cherisht the flowers bred without seede W th their warm blasts Forth-with also the vntilled earth broght forth fruits The field not renued was white with r ful eares of corne Now riuers of milke now the riuers of Nectar ran And yellow honey dropped down froÌ„ the green holme FAB IIII. Of the other three ages viz. the Siluer Brazen Iron ages first of the siluer age wherein Iupiter contracted that perpetuall spring diuiding the yeare into foure parts AFter that Saturne was sent into the darke dungeons of hell The world was vnder Iupiter and the siluer age succeeded Worse then golde more pretious then the yellowe Brasse This Iupiter contracted the times of the ancieÌ„t spring And hee digested the yeare by foure spaces by Winters Summers inconstant autumns and a short spring Then first the ayre being burnt with drying heat Beganne to glowe and the I se haÌ„ged being congealed w th the r winds Then men first got into houses caues were their houses And thicke shrubs and rods tyed with pillings of trees Then first the seed corne was couered in long furrowes and the bullocks groned being pressed w th the yoke The third age being made of brasse succeeded after that More cruell in disposition and more forward to dreadfull warres Yet not mischieuous The last age is of hard iron Forthwith all wickednesse burst into an age of a worse metall Shamefastnesse and truth and fidelity fled away Into the place whereof there came both fraud and deceit And also treachery and violence and a wicked desire of getting The Mariner hoisted vp the Sayles to the winds although he yet knew theÌ„ not well and the Keeles W ch had stood long in the high mountains bounsed in the vnknowen waues Also the wary Suruaier bounded his ground with a long limite being common before as the light of the Sunne and of the ayre Neither onely the rich ground was asked corn and due nourishment but men went into the bowels of the earth And riches which it had hid deepe put vnto the Stigian shades are digged out being the r prouocations of euils And now hurtful iron golde more hurtful then iron came abroad war comes forth which fighteth with them both And shakes his ratling armour with a bloudy hand Men liue of rapine the guest is not safe from his host The father in lawe is not safe from his sonne in lawe and the agreemeÌ„t of brethren is rare The husband watcheth for the death of his wife she of her husband The terrible step-mothers doe mingle black wolf-bane The Sonne pries into his Fathers yeers before his day Piety lyeth ouercome and the virgin Iustice the last of the heauenly inhabitants left the earth imbrued in bloud FABLE V. Of the battell which the Giants prepared against the Gods ANd least the high heaueÌ„ should bee more secure then the earth They say that Giants did affect the kingdome of heauen And built vp mountains heaped vp vnto the high skies Then the Almighty Father sending downe his thunderbolt brake in pieces Olympus and smit out Pelion lying vnder Ossa When as their cruell bodies lay ouerwhelmed with their owne vast weight They say that the earth waxed wet being dashed w th much blood of her sonnes and that it animated the warm bloud And least no monuments of their progenie should remaine That it turned it into the shape of men and moreouer that that same
Thou in like manner alwaies beare the perpetuall honours of thy leaues Apollo had thus ended his speech the Laurell assented w th her boughs so lately made seemed to haue mooued her top euen as her head FINIS Adde quod ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros Ouid. a Metamorphosis signifieth a change of one likenesse or shape into another of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transformo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transformatio Some books haue of the metamorphosis or transformation in the singular number others of the transformations in the plurall it is all one in effect one sort speaking of the whole work in generall the other of the particular changes * Metamorphosis r Changes r Ouid. Here first is set down the Exordium or entrance into this worke contained in these 4 first verses Which consisteth of two parts viz. a Proposition and an Inuocation * My minde carrieth me viz. desireth r I intend or I am purposed or determined b Formes changed into new bodies for bodies chaÌ„ged into new forms by a figure most common amongst the Poëts called Hypallage * Formes or shapes changed into new bodies d This is vsuall with the Poëts to beginne with the inuocation of those Gods which they thought to be the principall authors and directors of the matters whereof they writ * O ye God 's for euen ye haue changed those shapes no other 1. The proposition sheweth the authors inteÌ„t which is to set down a continued history of the first creation of all things and the change of them after c Aspirare signifieth to blow prosperously vnto A metaphor taken from the windes blowing fitly vpon the sailes of a ship so fâ—rthering it in sailing * Fauour ye c. * Aspire ye vnto or blow ye vnto viz. Prosper ye or giue good successe vnto 2. The inuocation of the Gods is to prosper this attempt And that first because this transformation was their worke alone Secondly for that his desire is to draw out the storie in a continued verse euen vnto his owne times to make each fable to arise and depend euery one vpon another * Beginnings or attempts r Yee and none other * Perpetuall viz. so continued as no transformation is omitted but euery one fitly knit vnto another that one fable might seeme to rise of another r Creation of the world This Ouid teacheth to be the order of the creation according to the Poets as they had receiued of the ancicients who it is most like had scene or heard of the sacred scriptures Which although it be not in all things agreeable to the scriptures yet in many things coÌ„meth very neâ—re therevnto r Seas * Earths or lands e Coelum quasi varjâ—sy deribus coelatum or q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—concauâ—tate r The outward cirâ—cuÌ„fereÌ„ce wherin are the Sun moone and stars called the firmament or heauen r One oneâ—y Before Heauen or earâ—h were maue there was but one forme or fashion of all things * CountenaÌ„ce shape or fâ—shion f Oâ— nature viz. of all natural things whâ—râ— of nature is the auâ—hour Met. efficientis for nature is thus described Vis quaedam qua omnia 〈◊〉 r All the world * Which forme or countenance g Chaos signifieth hiatus â— gaping of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Poets meane by it a confused heape or lumpe which thâ—y hold to haue beene eternall and that out of it God formed all things contrary to the Scriptures which teach that God made this first and then all things out of it by his word aloue They seeme herein to allude to that which is Gen. 1. ver 1. 2 That in the beginning God created the Heauen the earth the earth was without form and voyde and darkenesse was vpon the face of the deep c. yet missing in the chiefe that God created first the very lumpe or masse r Men tearmed or the ancients called This the auncients called Chaos r An impolished vndigested masse or a greatnesse without distinction or order r Lumpe Which was a confused heape without all order r Sluggish or heauie and immooueable without all art And nothing but a dead and vnmoueable lumpe without all art r Contrary or repagnant h Those seedes were chiefly the fourâ— Elements called the first bodies of which all things consist Yet hauing the seeds of all thingâ— heaped vp together in it r Seedes viz. the beginings of all things disagreeing among themselues heaped or confused in the same place or in the Chaos t Titan son to Coelâ—m and Vesta viz. to the heauen and the earth There was as yet no Sunne to giue light to the world * The new mooue repaired Al the mone repaired â—er new hornes k Phoebe sister to Phoebus the Sunne so called o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because or their brightnesse r Renew or restore Nor Moone to change and increase * Neither r Neither did the earth peized c. hang in the ayre l The earth alone of all the Elements remaines immooueable and is therefore called the center of the world because it is in the middest of all the elements vnto which all things descâ—nd * Weighed by her c. or stayed vp r Proper * Weights Nor earth hanging equally of it selfe in the middest of the ayre * Poured about or compassing it about * The sea had reachâ—d or stretched out m Amphitrite the wife of Neptune heere put for the Sea Met Effic * Brinke or shore * Earths or lands Neither any sea reaching along by the bankes of the earth * And also * There was All parts of the world were mingled and confused in one Al slie r Vnsetled or moueable The earth was vnstable r Not possible or fit to be swomme in The water not to be swomme in * Needing or wanting light The ayre without light * The owne forme or shape did remaine to nothing or to none of the foure Elements Nothing had the right shape n Contrary qualities were in the same subiect which now cannot be in the same manner * Another thing stood against other things r was contrary to others One thing hindered another For that all things did striue together in the Chaos r Striue or contend * Hot things Colde with hot * Moyst things did fight with drye things Moyst with dry Soft things with hard Heauy with light * Hard things r Weighty or heauy things * Did striue with things Thus much concerning the Chaos Now the Poet sheweth the the first generall chaÌ„ge how the foure Elements were made out of this by whom so all things out of them o This he speaketh either acccording to the opinion of those Philosophers who thought nature to bee superiour to God more mighty then hee as it is in the 9. Booke Or et may be taken for
â—d est melior natura viz. God that better nature so the words following import that he diuided c. r Ended or brake or determined r Contention That God the best nature tooke away this strife * Cut away or parted in sunder * Earths * Waters Diuiding the earth from heauen and the waters from the earth * Seuered or distinguished r Pure clear bright free from corruption * Heauen p The thick ayre wherin the clouds and raine are bred * Thicke or grosse The pure skie from the foggy ayre * He rouled out And hauing separated these forth of the Chaos * Exempted * Blind or disordered r Lumpe or Chaos Hee bound each of them in their own proper place and settled them in a quiet peace * Dissociate in their places or seuered a sunder * Places * Agreeable r The fier * Force or strength * Bowing downeward The fire or fiery power of the heauen bending downeward and lightest in the highest place r Appeared r In the highest part of all r Chiefe The ayre next to it in lightnesse and place r Grosse and heauy The solide earth pressed downe with the weight of it selfe and drawing all heauie things vnto it in the lowest place q The earth is said to draw all heauie things because al heauy things doe naturally descend to it r The great heauie parts out of the Chaos or all weighty things r Ouid doth not â—ssigne the third place to the earth but the lowest as beiâ—g thâ— heauâ—est and drawing downe alâ— heauie things vnto it and so the water compassing it about The water flowing vpon and compassing the vttermost parts of the earth in the third r The vtmost parts of the earth flowing vpon it in many places compassing it about not couering it all r The earth Al So when hee which of the Gods soeuer he was a Heere the Poet making â—s though he was ignorant which of the Gods it was which diuided the foure Elements intimateth that it was some greater and more mighty theÌ„ those which the common sort tooke for Gods In this Chapter the Poet sheweth that God hauing thus diuided the Chaos into parts * Cut or hath cut or seperated r Set in order * Reduced or brought baâ—ke viz. digâ—steit * Beâ—ng cut First hee made the earth round like a globe * In the beginning * He winded round or made round the earth * To the fashion or shape or like to * Orbe or bowle r That it might be * Equall or round and of like weight r On euery side That it might bee equall on each side b Pretum is any narrow sea where 〈…〉 to boyle à seruendâ— oâ— as â—ome wâ—â—â— Ã â—remendo r The mediterranean seas Then hee poured abroad the seas * To begin to swell or to rage r Violent vehement or fierce winds Commanding them to swell with the winds * Gone about or compassed in or hâ—med in r By those seas To inuirone the earth * Hee added also r Springs * Vnmeasurable standing waters or fennes r Pooles â—â—eres or deepe places aâ—waâ—es full of water After he made fountains the great standing waters as lakes and fennes r Compassed in or compassed about r Turning downewardes Also riuers kept in with crooked bankes * Thwart or winding or sidelong bankes * Which riuers * Diuers or separate Which being distant in places one from another r Swallowed vp Are some of them swallowed vp of the earth r Runne Others of them run into the Sea r As in a field or in a more large place of waters Where they haue more liberty as in a large field r Where there is more liberty or room for them r Dash against * For bankes And shores insteade of bankes r Plaine fields Next hereunto hee stretched out the champaine fields * Extended or stretched out to lye euen all abroad c A valley is properly the hollow betweene two hils r Vales or dales r Descend Making the valleyes to descend * Hee commanded the woods * A leafe viz. with boughs of trees The woods to be couered with leaues * Stonie hils to arise or rockes Mountaines rocks to ascend d Zona signifieth both the part of the body which is giâ—t and the girdle it selfe which girdeth it * Girdles or circles * Cut. e Coelius Rhodiginus sheweth out of Cleomedes a notable expounder of the â—ifficulties of the Poets that antica or the fore-part of the heauens is the West whither the heauens tuâ—ne quoniam illuc annuit mundus so the hinder part towards the East from whence it is carried towardes the West and thereupon the left part towards the South the right toward the North. Like as it is if wee stand with our face towaâ—des the West Hâ—e likewise diuided the heâ—uens into fiue zones or pâ—rts two on the right hand two on the left and the burning zone in the middest * So many or euen so many * Left part * The fift zone r Hot or scorching r Then these foure * Care r Diuided r The earth compassed about within those zones or circles Hee diuided likewise the earth into fiue climates proportionable to the fiue zones in the heauens r By the same number of fiue viz hath diuided the earth into so many parts * Cuts diuâ—sions circles or regions * Pressed or stamped * Of which climates that c. Whereof that which is in the middest is not habitable for heate f The fift which is the middle is more hot and scorâ—hing then the rest for the neeâ—enâ—sse of the Sunne passing ouer it twise in the yeer r In the middest g Thus the ancients thought but our trauâ—llers finde it otherwâ—se * High * Two â—limates of those câ—â—mates The two vttermost are extreamely cold * And hee hath set euen so many between both or either of them The two middle viz. betweene the cold and hot of either side temperate of an equal mixture of hot and cold * A temper * The flame r Hauing mingled or tempered them of hot and colde * Those climates * Which is heauier then the fier by so much by how much it is lightâ—â— theâ— the weight of the earth and then the weight of the mater The ayre hangeth ouer these which is so much heauier then the firâ— as the water is lighter then the earth h Pondus leuius Al Pondere leuior * He hath commanded both the little cloudes to stay there and the great clouds to stay there r Fogs or mists * Stand or abide In the ayre hee hath placed both the little cloudes viz. fogs and mists and also the great * About to moue or able to terrifie mens minds or the hearts of men * Humane minds The terrible thunder * Lightnings i All windes are cold by nature * Colds Lightning Windes * And also Hee also limited the windes that they should not haue free liberty of the ayre *
Framer r Suffered or granted * to these * The ayre to be had or to haue the ayre viz. free liberty of the ayre * All abroad * It is resisted scarcely to them now viz. things can hardly abide the violence of them now For that they are so boystrous that they hardly can be resisted r Although euery of them hath but his owne region or quarter r Tract coast or quarter Although he haue restrained euery one of them to his owne part and region * But that they teare in pieces the world or butcher the world or destroy it k Epiphonemâ— Because they would otherwise teare the world in pieces thorough the vehemenâ—y of the discorde between them l Eurus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod ab oriente flat It is called Vulturnus by a similitude from the fierce flying of the Vultur * Went backe or departed r The Sunne rising * Nabathaean kingdomes m Nabathaea is a part of Arâ—bia-foelix between the Persian Sea and the red Sea The East-wind hee hath limited to the Sunne rising viz. to all those parts towards the Sunne rising n Persia a Countrey in the East part of Asia * Ridges or tops of the hills subiect or lying towards the * morning beames The warme West-winde to the Sunne setting viz. to all those parts towards it o Zephyrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à ferenda satis omnibus vita of refreshing and quiâ—kning all things sowen p Boreas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the noyse which â—t maketh or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à nutrimento because it especially nouâ—sheth the body making it healthfull r Gone into The boystrous North winde to the parts towards the north â—ole or the Charles waine * The seauen flowe Oxen or the seauen starres called the Charles waine The moyst South-winde to the contrary parts r Pâ—rt of the eâ—rth * Doth waxe wet r Or by the rainie South q Auster q. hauster ab hauriend a aqua because it is commonly rainie Ouer these he set the liquid skie without all weight or earthly substance * Hee hath imposed or set * The liquide skie r Aether may be taken here for the Element of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—b ardendo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— semper currendo * And wanting waight * Any thing of earthly dregs or setling These were scarcely thus separated and setled but the starres * He had separated or distinguâ—shed scarcely r He viz. God r Setled and vnchangâ—â—ble Which before had lyen hid kept-in in the Chaos * Signes consisting of many starres as Aries Tâ—uruâ— c. * Which haue lyen hid long r Kept vnder that they could not shine r The Chaos r Shine bright in euery part of heauen Began to glitter in all parts of the heauen * Depriued or voyd of * Her viz. proper and belonging to them And lest any region or part of the world should bee destitute of her huing creatures He set in each of them seuerall kinds s He followeth their opinion who hold the stars to bee liuing and the fained Gods liuing creatures * Formes or shapes of the Gods viz. the imagined Gods of the heathens * Holde or haue r Heauen t Solum is taken for whatsoeuer doth sustaine other things as the earth doth the creatures vpon it q sol dum The stars and Gods in the heauens * Waues * Giuen place to yeelded themselues or fallen to the lot of r Shining Fishes in the waters r Receiued the beasts for her creatures u Ferae quod toto corpore ferantur They are properly wilde beasts here for all kinds by Synec spec * The wilde beasts x The ayre is called mooueable because it is easily driuen hither and thither * Tooke or receiued the birds to abide chiefly in it Beasts in the earth Birds in the ayre y Man is said to bee a holy liuing creature and partaker of a high mind because he alone is partaker of reason hauing some acknowledgement of the Lord by nature For this high mind doth signifie reason inlightned with the knowledge of God and of the law of nature * These viz. beasts fishes and birds * A high or deepe mind viz. of a profound memory and great wit r Vnderstanding or reason And finally whereas there was as yet lacking a creature more holy and of a more diuine â—nderstanding z Man through reason hath the vse and benefite of all the creatures making all so to serue him r Haue the gouernment of the rest * The rest of the creatures * Was lacking as yet Which might rule ouer the rest * Is. r Bred. Man was made but whereof by whom or how hee sheweth it to be vncertaine amongst the Poets a We are not to maruaile if the Poet professe his ignorance in the creation of man * That chiefe workeman or framer of things viz. God * Originall or fountaine viz the cause or author r The world after the Chaos Whether that God which had made all the oâ—her creatures framed him of diuine seede * Fresh or new Or whether of the new earth retaining still the seeds of heauen wherunto it was so neer of kin * Drawne asunder or diuided r Neere vnto it by kin as comming out of the same masses or framed together * mixed * Waters * He who was soweÌ„ or begotten or descended of Iaphet b Iapeto by Iapetus is thought to bee meant Iaphet the sonne of Noah whom antiquitie accounted a holy man of the number of the heauenly like as they account his sons whom the Poets call Titans to bee more ancient then man-kinde And amongst them one of them was called Prometheus à prouidentia because he was prudent and prouident aboue the rest Being mingled with water Prometheus the Son of Iaphet c This Prometheus is celebrated to haue been the framer of man either because wisedome is onely belonging to man or because man was made by singular counsell aboue the other creatures or else for that he was the first that instructed men in the knowledge of the creation especially of man kinde how God made him to his image and so as the knowledge of God all diuine vnderstanding came from him * Hath fashioned or framed vnto the image or likenesse * Gouerning all things Formed him according to the image of the Gods who gouern all things * The other liuing creatures * Doe looke vpon or behold the earth * Prone or inclining downeward or groueling And made him such a one that whereas the rest of the creatâ—res looke downewards towards the earth d This shape of man after this sort sheweth to what end he was created to wit to the acknowledgment of God and the contemplation of heauenly things which appertaineth to no other of the creatures * Mouth viz. a countenance looking vpward or high * See or looke to He gaue him a lofty countenance to looke vpward * Countenances erect to the signes or
decreed Part of them approoue the speech of Iupiter by voice and put spurres vnto him thus moued others fulfil their parts with their assents Yet notwithstanding the losse of mankinde is a griefe vnto them all and they ask what shall be the forme of the earth being depriu'd of mortal men who should bring Frankincense vnto their Altars whether he thus prepare to deliuer to the wilde beasts the earth to bee destroyed Iupiter bids them asking such like things not to feare for that hee would haue a care of all other matters and promiseth that there should be an of-spring vnlike vnto the former people of a wonderful beginning And euen now was hee ready to disperse his lightnings vpon all the earth But he feared least bechance the holy heauen should catch the flame by so many fires vnder it and the whole heauen should be set on fire He also remembreth that it was decreed that the time should come Wherein the sea earth Palace of heauen being set on fire should burne the curious frame of the world should be dissolued His thunderbolts made by the hands of the Cyclopians are laid vp A contrary punishment pleaseth him to destroy all mankinde vnder the water and to send downe mighty raine from euery part of heauen And therefore hee forthwith shuts vp the North-winde in the caues of Eolia And all other windes which driue away the clouds broght in And hee sends out the South-winde The South-winde flies abroad with wet wings Hauing his terrible countenance couered with darknesse as black as pitch His beard is loaden with abundance of raine the water floweth from his hoarie lockes Little cloudes sit in his forehead both his feathers and bosome distill like deawe And as hee wringed with his hand the cloudes hanging all abroad A crash is made huge showers are poured downe from the skie The rainebowe Iunoes messenger being arrayed with diuers colours conceiueth waters and affoordeth matter vnto the clouds The standing corne is beaten downe and the hopes of the husbandmen lye altogether desperate and also the labour of the long yeer being frustrate perisheth vtterly Neither yet is the anger of Iupiter contēt w th his own heauen but his azure colored brother Neptune helpeth him with his aiding waues He calleth together the Gods of the riuers who after that they entred the house of their King we are not now quoth he to vse any long exhortation powre out your forces open your fountaines for so there is neede hauing remooued all hindrances giue the whole raines to al your streams Hee had thus commanded These returne and set open the mouths of their fountaines And so they are tumbled into the sea with a most violent course He himselfe also smit the earth with his three-forked Mace so that it Trembled and set open the passages of the water in the moouing thereof The floudes running all abroad doe rush through the open fields And carrie away with violence groues of trees together with the sowen corne and also cattell and men and houses and all the places of the worship of their Gods together with their sacred things If any house remained vncast downe and could withstand so great an euill yet the water being higher couereth the top thereof and the towers lye hid being ouerwhelmed vnder the vast waters And now the sea and land had no difference All things were sea euen the very shoares were wanting to the sea One man gets vp into a hill another sits in a crooked boat And roweth there where hee had plowed of late Hee sailes ouer the standing corn or the top of a drowned farme another catcheth fish in the top of an Elme The Anchor is fastened in the greene medowe as it fell out Or the crooked keeles do couer the vineyards lying vnder them And where of late the slender Goats did feede There the ill-fauoured sea-calues doe now lay their bodies The nymphs of the sea doe woonder at the groues and Cities and houses vnder the water also the Dolphins abide in the woods and doe runne vp and downe amongst the thick boughs and beat vpon the tossed Oakes The Wolfe swimmeth amōgst the sheep the water carrieth the tawnie coloured Lyons The water beareth away the Tigres neither doth the force of the thūderbolt help the Bore Nor yet doe the swift legs availe the Stag being carried away with the waters The bird likewise wandring with wearie wings falleth downe into the Sea hauing long sought the earth where she might rest The outragious swelling of the Sea had couered the hils And the r new waues beate vpon the tops of the moūtaines The greatest part of men is whirled away violently by the water whom the water spared Those long fasting doth ouercome thorough lacke of foode Phocis seuereth the Aonians from the Actean fields It was a fruitfull land whilst it remained a land but at that time A part of the sea a broad field of suddaine waters Where the mount Parnassus by name reacheth almost vnto the stars with two tops and goeth aboue the clouds with his height Whenas Deucalion being carried in a little ship together with his wife stayed here for the sea had couered the rest He adoreth the r Corycidane Nymphes and the Gods of the Mountaine And Themis the destinieteller who at that time gaue answeres from the Gods There was not a better man then he or
one that more loued equitie or any one that more reuerenced the Gods then she After that Iupiter seeth the world to stand as a pond with liquide fens And one onely man to remaine of so many thousands And onely one woman to be remaining of so many thousands Both of them harmelesse both deuout worshippers of God He dispersed the cloudes and hauing remooued the mighty raine with the Northwinde Hee sheweth both the earth vnto the heauens and the heauens vnto the earth Neither doth the rage of the sea continue And also Neptune hauing layd aside his three forked Mace asswageth the waters and calleth forth that azure coloured Triton his Trumpeter appearing aboue the deepe and hauing his shoulders couered with a natiue purple colour and commaunds him to blow with his sounding shell and now to recall the floudes and streames by this signe giuen vnto them He taketh vnto himselfe his hollowe Trumpet writhē wider and wider which waxeth bigger like vnto a top from the very smallest end His trumpet I say which so soone as it conceiueth the blast in the middest of the sea Filleth with the sound all the shoares lying vnder compasse of the Sunne Then also so soone r as it touched the mouth of the God distilling like the deawe with his wet beard and being blowen sounded the commāded retreits It was heard of all the waues both of land and sea And of what waters soeuer it was heard it forthwith repressed them all And now hath the Sea his shoares again the chanell containeth the full riuers The floudes settle downe and the little hils doe seeme to come forth The ground ariseth places doe increase the waters decreasing And after a long time the woodes shewe their naked tops and keepe the mud left In their boughs The world was restored which after that Deucalion saw it made bare And also the desolate earth to be altogether silent he speakes thus vnto Pyrtha the teares standing in his eyes Oh sister oh my wife oh the only woman remaining aliue Whome the common stocke and descent from the same Grandfather afterwards the bed hath ioyned vnto mee and now also these very dangers do ioyne together Wee two are the whole company of all the lands which soeuer the West and East do see the Sea hath all other liuing creatures Moreouer this confidence of our life is not yet sure enough now euen the verie cloudes doe terrifie our minde Ah poore soule to be pittied what a heart shouldest thou now haue had if thou hadst beene preserued alone without mee how couldest thou alone endure this feare by whose comfort couldest thou abide these griefes For why I my selfe my deare wife belieue mee if the Sea had thee likewise would follow thee and the sea should haue me too Oh that I were able to repaire the people by my Fathers skill infuse soules into the formed earth Now all mankinde remaineth in vs twaine For so it hath pleased the Gods and we remaine samples of men Hee had thus made an end of his speech and they both wept Then they thought it good to pray vnto the heauenly God and to seeke his ayde by the sacred Oracles They made no longer delay they goe together to the waters of Cephisus Although not* cleare as yet but now onely cutting the knowen fordes From thence so soone as they had sprinkled the waters lightly touched Vpon their clothes head they turne their steps vnto the Temple of the sacred Goddesse the roofe wherof of was lothsome with filthy mosse and her Altars stoode without fire Assoone as they touched the staires of the Temple both of them fall down Humbly vpon the ground and trembling kissed the colde stone And thus they spake If the diuine powers being ouercomne with the prayers of the iust begin to be appeased againe if the anger of the Gods be asswaged Oh Themis tell vs by what deuice the losse of our kinde may be repayred and oh most milde Goddes bring som help to mankind being thus destroyed The Goddess is mooued at their prayers giues them this answer Depart yee out of the tēple And couer your heads withall vnloose your garments And then cast the bones of your great mother behind your backe They stood amazed long but Pyrrha breakes off the silence first and refuseth to obey the commandement of the Goddesse And beseecheth her with a trēbling voice that she would pardon her for that shee feareth exceedingly To hurt her mothers ghost by casting of her bones In the meane time they repeate and scan betweene themselues the words of the answer which was giuen being obscure with darke mysteries And then Deucalion comforts Pyrrha his wife with these sweet wordes Either quoth he our iudgement deceiueth vs Or the answeres are holy perswade vs to no impietie The great mother is the earth I suppose the stones in the bodie of the earth to bee called bones wee are commanded to cast these behinde our backs Although Pyrrha be moued by this coniecture of her husband Yet their hope is doubtfull and stil both of them distrust the heauenly Oracle but what shall it hurt them to make a triall They depart couer their heades vngirde their garments And cast the stones commāded behind their backes The stones who can belieue this but that anquitie is witnesse Began to lay away their hardnesse and their stifnesse And to bee softened by little and little and being softened to take a shape By and by they increased and receiued a softer nature that some shape of man might be seene
though not very manifest but as an image made of Marble newly begun Not yet finished and most like impolished pictures Yet what part of them was moyst with any iuyce And also earthy is turned into the vse of the body What is solide and cannot bee bowed is changed into bones What was lately a veine remained vnder the same name And so in a short space by the power of the Gods the stones Cast by the hands of the man tooke the shape of men And the woman was repaired by the womans casting of stones behind her Thereupon wee are a hard kinde and so experienced in labours And thereby do giue experiments from whence we haue had our beginning FAB VIII Of the restoring of the Creatures by the sliminesse of the earth and warmenesse of the Sun and the killing of the Python bred amongst them by Apolloes shafts in the remembrance wherof the Pythian games were ordained THe earth brought forth the rest of the liuing creatures in diuerse shapes of it own accord after that the olde moysture began to bee thoroughly warme by the feruent heat of the sunne and also the mud and the moist fennes Began to swel with heat the fruitfull seeds of all things Being nourished in the liuely soyle as in the wombe of their mother Increased and took some shape by continuance of time Euen as when Nilus which floweth into the sea by 7 mouths hath left the fields all wet and brought againe his streames into his anciēt chanell And the fresh mud hath waxen very hot by the heauenly Sunne The plowmen turning ouer the clods doe finde very many liuing creatures and amongst these they see some onely begunne according to the short space of their breeding some vnperfect and cut off by their shoulders and oft times in the same bodie one part liueth another part remaineth rude earth Because so soone as both the moysture and heate haue receiued a temper they conceiue and all things are bred of these two And although the fire bee contrarie to water yet a moyst vapour doth breed all things and a disagreeing concord is fit for increase Therefore so soon as the earth being slimie by the late flood waxed warme by the heauenly Sunne and by the heate from aboue It brought forth innumerable kindes and partly restored again the ancient formes partly created new monsters It indeed was vnwilling to breed such but yet it bred thee also at that time oh thou most huge Python and thou serpent being vnknowen formerly wa st a terrour to the new-bred people thou coueredst such a space of the mountaine Apollo killed this Serpent being loaden with a thousand shafts hauing almost spent his whole quiuer although he had neuer vsed such like weapons before except amongst Deere and swift Roes so that his poison was shed out by thē through black wounds And lest that long continuance of time might blot out the famous memory of this worke He ordained sacred games w th a renowned strift for masteries Which games were called the Pythian games by the name of the subdued serpent Heere which-soeuer of the young men ouercame by hand or feet or wheele receiued the honour of an Escule branch As yet there was no Lawrell and therefore Apollo did adorne the temples of his head being decent with long haire w th branches plucked from any tree FAB IX Of Daphne turned into a Laurell tree DAphne the of the Peneus was the first loue of Apollo which not Blinde fortune gaue vnto him but the cruell anger of Cupid Apollo being proude of his late subduing of the serpent sawe this Cupid bending his bowe And what quoth he thou wanton boy hast thou to doe with these warlike weapons this furniture which thou bearest becomes our shoulders Who are able without missing to wound the wilde beasts to wound also the enemy who lately beat down w th innumerable shafts the swelling Python couering so many acres of ground with his pestilent belly Content thou thy self to kindle with thy brand I know not what light loues and meddle not with our praises Cupid answered him Phoebus be it so that thy bowe smites all liuing creatures quoth he yet my bowe shall smite thee and how much all liuing creatures are inferior to God so much is thy glorie lesse then ours Thus hee spake and fluttering with his wings Hee stood forthwith vpon the shady top of Parnassus And drewe forth of his quiuer two arrowes Of diuers operations the one driueth away loue the other causeth it That which causeth loue is of gold glittereth with a sharpe head That which driueth it away is blunt and hath lead vnder a reed The God fixed this in the Nymph Peneis but hee pierced the very marrow of Apollo through his bones with the other The one of them falls in loue forthwith the other flieth the very name of a louer Solacing herself in the thick woods and in the skinnes of the wilde beasts which she tooke and becomes an imitatour of vnmarried Diana Shee had onely her head fillited vp with a ribband Many sought her but she despised all her suters And being vnpatiēt to hear of mariage without a husband she rangeth the vnwaied woods Neither regards shee the bridal song what loue or what marriage is Oft times her father said thou owest me a son in law my daughter Her father said oft times my daughter thou owest mee nephewes She hating the marriage tapers as a crime Blushing modestly And foulding about
starres And commaunded him to behold the heauens r Was. * Euen now * Rude * Image frame or shape Thus finally for a conclusion hereof hee sheweth that the earth which had been so lately before framed out of the Chaos was both brought into forme also men made out of it out of whose diuers conditions follow the foure diuers ages of the world * Conuerted or turned * Figures e This fable of the foure ages seemeth to bee an imitation of the History in the sâ—cond Châ—pter of Daniel concerning the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream which was of foure sorts expounded of the foure Monarchs here applyed to the foure ages of the world In this Fable Ouid declareth how mankinde increasing the world degenerated waxing worsâ— and worse by little and little vntill the floud which God brought to purge it withall which that the Poets might signifie they fained this Metamorphosis of ages before the floud f The first age is said to haue beene golden both in regard of the nature and goodnesse of men then also for the easinesse of their liuing quietnes in regard of the rest which followed r Time r Begun or made of the manners of men * Loued or maintained * Faith and right viz. faithfull and iust dealing honesty * With no reuenger or none being to reuenge viz. without any punishment or iudge The first whereof in regard of the rest was a golden age as he sheweth how r Lawes This obserued faithfulnesse and vpright dealing without any compulsion That there was neither punishment nor feare nor yet any law * Punishment and feare were away Al Nor bondes threatning the necke were bound in brasse viz. lawes ingrauen in brasse g Lawes were ingrauen in brasse that they might indure long and hanged vp or fastened vpon the walles that they might be publikely read of all * The suppliant company did feare viz. prisoners or offenders humbly prostrate on their knees * Mouthes None feared the face of the Iudge for that there was not any malefactour r Secure and safe from all iniury But all liued in securitie without any execution of Iustice. Al The Pine not yet cut out c. r The ship made of Pine tree Met. Mâ—t. There was then no Nauigation r Gone downe r Moyst waters * Visite h Peregrinus â— pâ—ragrando r Vnknowen or far off * Orbe or compasse of the world viz. foraine Countries No ships nor sayling r Men. * Had knowen * Shoares * Besides their own Men knew no countries but their owne i Praeceps fossa vnde se quis praecipitem dare possit * Steepe downe ditches * Compassed not the townes as yet k Oppidum ab ope dandâ— in bellâ— periculis There were no wars No fortifications of Townes by ditches wals or the like * There was not a Trumpet c. * There were not hornes of bended or bowed brasse viz. horsemen Trumpets or Cornets No instruments of warre as Trumpets Cornets or such like * Not helmets No Helmets nor Swords * There was not any sword poynt * The secure Nations r Without care or feare * Finish * Soft ease viz. quiet and easie labours or sweet pleasures r Helpe or need of the souldier viz. without warre Miles vel à mille vel quòd minimè mollis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Countries liued at their ease in quiet security without any need of souldier r Without tillage r Any instrument wherewith to cut the earth The earth brought forth all things of it selfe without any tillage or husbandry * Wounded or broken vp r Plought * Gaue * by it selfe viz. without any husbandry * Created no man compelling The people were content with that which the earth brought forth without any labour * The young or fruit of the Arbute or Seruice tree * Mountaine straw-berries Straw-berries They liued on Seruice-berries * Hawe-berries or berries growing on the hawthorne Hawes * Mulberries Bramble-berries * Hard viz. sharpe r Thickets r Mast of the Oke Acornes and other kinde of fruites * Had fallen r Okes dedicated to Iupiter The Spring was continuall without any varying the times of the yeare pleasant with warme West windes which caused the flowers to spring vp without seeds * There was an eternall spring viz. no varying of times Al The West winds being pleasing milde quiet or calme with warme blasts * The West winds being pleasing milde quiet or calme with warme blasts r Windes continually blowing or ayres r Brought forth r Growing of themselues * Afterwards or by and by r Vnhusbanded * Bare r Corne. The earth fruitfull with all kindes of fruits of it selfe * Neither the field renued husbanded c. r Waxed white or hâ—arie * Heauie That the fields were loaden with Corne without any renewing or husbandry r Now ran the riuers of milke c. * Awnes or beards of corne put for the whole eare * Floods or riuers of milke went * Drinke of the Gods or most pleasant wines * Did goe or went The riuers ran with milke and Nectar * Honeyes * Distilled r From euery tree And honey dropped from the trees And so he concludeth the fable of the Golden age l For the occasion of this Fable of Saturne sent into hell Sabine thinketh it to haue byn taken from the profundity of the aire because Saturne is the highest farthest remoued from the earth of all the Planets and that the wonderfull height of the ayre is called Tartarus * But Iupiter contracted the times of the ancieÌ„t spring after that Saturne being sent into dark hell the world was vnder Iupiter c. m Saturnus quasi satur annis ob aetatem immenjam * Saturne being sent into the darke hell viz. Saturne being dead or after the death of Saturn for they who dye are said to be sent into hell n Tartarus à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia ibi omnia contarbata confusa In this Fable Ouid being to speake of the other three ages sheweth that after the golden age wherein Saturne raigned followed the siluer age in which Iupiter his sonne raigned r Vnder the gouernment of Iupiter o Iupiter is said to haue beene the sonne of Saturne Ops and borne at the same birth That hee expelled his Father out of the Kingdome of Creete That he was valiant and wise whereupon after his death he was honoured for a God and called Father and King of Gods * Issue of spring or progeny came in or entred in * Came vnder or came in or entred in This siluer age hee describeth r Better * Deepe yellow er red shining brasse 1. To haue beeue worse then the former golden age but more pretious then the brâ—zen age which followed r Shortned or drew in and abridged r Of that continuall spring which was in the golden age 2. That this Iupiter now raigning contracted the ancient spring * Exacted or finished viz.
diuided or measured r Foure measures of times or parts euery one consisting of three moneths * Heats of the weather p Autumns or Haruests are called vnequall because they are more vnconstant sometimes hot sometimes colde * vnequall q The spring is said to bee short in regard of the ancient spring in the golden age Diuiding the yeare into foure parts viz. Winter Summer Autumne and Spring r Scorched * Dry heat viz. feruent or vehement heate drying all things 3. That then first the ayre began to bee scorched with the heate in Summer * Glowed like a coale or waxed hot * I se bound with the winds hanged r Frozen viz. the North-winde and other colde windes And the waters to be frozen with the windes in Winter * Went vnder or went into * Caues or holes of the earth dennes haue beene * House 4. That now men began first to seek them houses to saue themselues in from the violence of the weather r Fushes r Windings tyed with barks of trees viz. hurdles made of rods * Ioyned with a barke viz. tyed or bound together That their houses were at the first but dens of the earth thicke shrubs and hurdles r Ceres daughter to Saturne and Ops is said to haue first deuised sowing of corne which before grew wilde for which shee was honoured as a Goddesse * Ceres seeds or seeds belonging to Ceres * Are ouerwhelmed r With long furrowes r Oxen. Then first the sowing of Corne and husbandry was inuented r The brazen age being the third succeeded after that * Of-spring * Brazen After the siluer age succeeded the brazen age worse then it * That siluer age Wherein men waxed more cruell in disposition and more forward to warre and bloudshed * Wits s Horrid a arma q. horrorem incutientia * Ready * Horrible or bloudie Yet this was not so wicked as that which followed * Armes or weapons * Wicked vngratious * Is made of c. Then in the last place hee declareth how the last age of all succeeded which he calls the iron age for that it seemed to be made of Iron Wherein all kinde of wickednesse burst forth modesty truth and fidelity viz. all vertue and honesty departed r And forthwith an age of a worse metall burst forth into all villany * Mischiefe or villany not to be spoken of r Brake out r Time * Veine or Myne r Modesty r Faithfulnesse or faithfull dealing * Of which viz. shamefastnesse and truth c. * Both fraudes and guiles and lying in wayt priuily and violence and a wicked desire of hauing came vnder or entred in And in place thereof succeeded all kinde of vice as deceit treacherie violence and wicked couetousnesse * Force t Here is a briefe descriptiō of couetousnes which is therefore called a wicked desire of getting or hauing riches because it inforceth man to all kinde of wickednesse and makes him wicked whence it is called the mother of all euils * Loue of hauing * Gaue. * Neither had hee knowen them well as yet viz. he knew not the violence or danger of the winds or how to preserue himselfe u Keeles or bottoms of the shippes for the whole ships r Ships r Stood long viz. whilest the trees growed there * Leaped vp and downe or daunced r With or amongst the vnknown waues * Floods And then the Mariner for greedinesse of gain durst venture himselfe to the raging seas thogh he neither knew winds nor seas * Measurer of grounds * Marked out * Bound frontier or ditch Then men began to measure and bound out their grounds * Lights Which before time had beene as common as the sun or the ayre * Was required for viz. corn was sought for of the ground Then also men began to seeke for corne and all manner of nourishment of the earth by husbandry * Nourishments * But it is gone of men into the bowels of c. viz. men digged deepe for riches And then they digged into the depth of the earth for gold and siluer and all kinde of metall x Opes Riches are said to haue the name of Ops Saturnes daughter by which the earth is signified out of which all riches are gotten * The earth or God or nature had layed lowe in the earth r Layed almost as lowe as hell r Stirrers vp of many euils Whence riches the prouocations of all mischiefes were got out of the earth * Hurtfull iron had come forth c. r Weapons made of iron y Nocentius Gold is said to be more hurtfull then iron because most hainous and shamefull wickednesses are committed to get gold z Pugnat vtroque These are as it were the sinnowes of warre these chiefly gold carry away the victory r With weapons and with gold Then also was iron found out whereof swords and other weapons of war are made and then came golde abroad farre more hurtfull then iron And finally warre which is managed with them both * Smites together r Rustling viz ringing or making a noyse Which warre is described by the ratling of armour and sheading of bloud * It is liued of that which is snatched or which is gotten by rapine Al The host is not safe from his guest viz. from all danger by his guest Then men began to liue by rapine That the guest could not bee safe from his Host. Nor the father in law from the sonne in law * Fauour viz. loue or true affection r Seldome seene And that it was rare to see brethren to agree * The man * Hangeth or houereth ouer * Destruction The husband seeking the death of the wife the wife of her husbād * She houereth for the destruction r Cruell towards their step-children r Prepare a Aconitum is a very venemous hearbe first bred as Poets faine of the frothing of the dog of hell amongst the rockes or crags * Pale or wan r Poyson making blacke The step-mothers cruelly practising the death of their step-children by poyson and all other wicked deuices b Inquires of diuiners sorcerers mathematicians and the like * Inquires r Inquires how long his Father shall liue The sonne inquiring and seeking by magicall and wicked arts how long his Father should liue * Godlinesse lieth ouercome of vngodlinesse or trampled vnderfoot Then began all true goldlinesse to bee troden vnder foote c Astraea is said by some to haue beene the daughter of Astraeus a most iust Prince for whose equity shee was called Iustice and is said to haue been taken into heauen and is placed in the Zodiack called Virgo * Astraea r Vertues or heauen dwellers * Wet with slaughter Then Iustice which before had beene vntouched betooke her selfe into heauen leauing the earth imbrued in bloud * Of the fight of the Giants In this Fable the Poet sheweth that the earth thus defiled and iustice gone of it * Skie r Safe Least the heauen should bee more secure
â—frango r There followed a crash Whereupon followeth immediatly a wonderfull crash and the raine powreth downe abundantly from the skie * Dense or thicke stormes r Heauen c Iris the raine-bowe is said to be the messenger of Iuno and sometimes of Iupiter because appearing after dry weather she is said to foreshow showers and after raine faire weather ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dico * The messenger of Iuno hauing put on diuers colours d She is said to be arrayed with diuers colours for the sundry colours of it made in the clouds by the reflexion of the beames of the Sunne or Moone And lastly how the raine-bowe which is said to bee the messenger of Iuno arrayed in her sundry colours gathereth water likewise and ministreth raine vnto the cloudes r Receiueth or gathereth within it selfe * Bringeth nourishmeÌ„t vnto the clouds viz. water to fill thiÌ„ Then is set downe the effect of all these that by the violence of the mightie raine * Are cast throwen downe The standing corne is beaten downe euery where * And the vowes lye deplored or bewailed or desperate to the husbandmen e Vota may bee taken for their corne which they had begged with many vowes and prayers And all the hope and labour of the husbandman vtterly perisheth * Made vaine or becomne vaine and fruitlesse perisheth And besides all these the Poet sheweth that for the increasing and furthering of this destruction by waters * The anger of Iupiter is content r To powre downe waters onely from heauen Iupiter in his wrath not content onely to send downe raine from heauen in this manner Procures moreouer his brother Neptune the God of the seas and waters to helpe him with his forces * His azure or skie-coloured brother viz. Neptune God of the sea r With the forces of his waues r Neptune * The riuers f Amnis ab ambiendo Varro How Neptune forthwith calls together all the Gods of the riuers * Haue entred the roofes of their Tyrant g Tyrant is sometimes taken in the good part for a good King ruling iustly for the good of the subiects * Tyrant viz. Neptune * Must not To whome so soone as euer they were entred his Palace and comne into his presence hee speaketh to this purpose That he was not now to vse any long exhortation but that they all presently send out their forces That they open the fountaines of their riuers * Houses viz. the fountains which are said to be the houses of the riuers or rather of the Gods thereof * The great dam or heape of earth keeping in the water being remoued out of the way Remoue all hindrances which might keepe in their waters And giue a free libertie to all their streames * Send ye in r Giue liberty to all your great riuers to ouerflowe h Habenas A metaphor froÌ„ horses which are stayed with bridles i Neptune had no sooner commaunded but these returne r Neptune And then followeth their obedience and readinesse that Neptune had no sooner giuen this command but that they all straight returne r The Gods of the riuers returne * Vnloose the mouthes to their fountaines Set open the mouthes of the fountaines of their riuers r The great riuers or streames * Rouled * With an vnbride led course or outragiously Whereby the waters flowe out with all violence and are rowled towards the sea in an outragious manner k As the thunderbolt is ascribed to Iupiter so a three-forked Mace to Neptune wherewith he smiting the earth maketh it to tremble and so the earth-quake which is said to be made by the bursting of vapours or waters out of the earth r Neptune And moreouer how Neptune also himselfe smites the earth with his three-forked mace * But it viz. the earth r Quaked exceedingly Whereupon it trembleth exceedingly and presently by the quaking thereof sets open all the passages of the waters and springs within it * Made to lye wide open the wayes * With her motion or trembling * Great riuers flowing wide and farre And hereby the flouds run all abroad and rush thorough the champaine fields * Snatch away or whirle away Carry away with all violence r All manner of trees Groues of trees * Sowen fields Sowen Corne. Cattell * Roofes of houses Men. Houses * The inward places of their houses where they worshipped their Gods and so their houshold Gods also Here it is taken for all places of worship as Churches Chappels c. Churches and Chappels Houshold Gods with all their sacred things r Not cast downe by the force of the waters If any house remained standing by the strength of it * Resist * Waue Yet the water still encreaseth till it couer the tops thereof r Being aboue it l The top of the house was called Culmen à culmo because they were woont to be thacked with straw * Of this * Pressed or coâ—ered So that the highest Towers are couered and ouerwhelmed vnder the vast waters m Gurges signifieth properly any deepe gulfe or whirling place in a riuer * Gulfe or deepe waters r There was no difference betweene sea and land all was like a Sea And that there was no difference betweene sea and land * Earth r The sea couered all But all things were maine sea n Poâ—tus the sea called Pontus Euxinus here put for the sea in generall * Also the shoares were wanting viz. no shoares did appeare No shores appearing any where Then followeth that lamentable sight * This man That one gets vp into a hill to saue himself * Occupieth or possesseth viz. taketh a hill o The boate is called crooked because both the forepart and hinderpart are so commonly and other parts of it Another sits in a boat to preserue life * Draweth or guideth his rudders there or thither Rowing where hee had plowed but hard before r Another man And sailing ouer not onely standing Corne but also tops of Villages ouerflowen * Vpon * Ouer the tops r A Village drowned * Hee viz. another man That now they might catch fish sitting in the tops of trees r The iron which the Mariners cast down into the sea by a cabâ—e to stay their ships The anchors of their ships are fastened in the greene medows insteed of the bottome of the sea * So fortune carried it or would haue it or so it happened p The Keeles or bottomes of the ships put for the whole ships r Ships The keeles of their ships floate ouer the vineyards lying drowned vnder them r Goe ouer the vineyards r Places set with Vines * Euen now or a little before And where of late Goâ—tes and other cattell did feed r Nimble * Haue cropped grasse * There now There sea-calues and other like Monsters of the sea do wallow now r Filthy great r Wallowe q Nereides sea Nymphs so cald of Nereus their fatheâ— r The sea Nymphs The very sea-nymphs do woonder to
see the groues Citties and houses vnder the water * Hold or possesse the woods The great Dolphines and other huge fishes of the sea dwell as birds in the woods * Doe oft runne in to the high branches Swim vp and downe amongst the boughes of the trees r The Oakes tossed with the waters And beate in their swimming against the Oakes tossed in the waters The Wolues and Lyons swim amongst the sheepe * Browne or weefill coloured * Carrieth Neither doth their woonderfull swiftnesse helpe the Tigres r The force of the wilde Bore who is caried with so great violence against the hunter that he may seeme to haue the very power of the thunderbolt or lightning r The Tigre is a beâ—â—â— of woonderfull 〈◊〉 nesse Nor fiercenesse the Bore though his violent rage bee like the thunderbolt s This may bee vnderstood also of the 〈◊〉 of the Bore wherewith he smiteth and 〈◊〉 like a thunderbolt * Neither Nor yet the light legs ought auaile the Stagge * Profit r Hart. * Taken away r All sorts of birds or more specially the Swallow which in flight most wandâ—rs vp and downe The poore bird hauing long wandered vp and downe with weary wings yet at length falleth into the sea finding no place at all for rest or succour * The earths being sought long where she may stand or stay * The vnmeasurable liberty The outragious waters couered all the lesser hills * Ouerwhelmed the lesser hils t Tumâ—lus à tumorâ— r The great and vnusuall waters And new surges still arising beat vpon the tops of the highest mountaines * Beat against * Snatched away Finally for mankinde the greatest part thereof is violently whirled carried quite away by the waters r They who escaped drowning perished with hunger * Long fastings doe tame or subdue them with a helpelesse or succourlesse liuing And if any bechance scape the violence of the waters yet they languish away with long fasting and vtterly perish for want of foode r Sustenance Here the Poet hauing thus shewed the generall destruction of all things by this deluge proceedeth now to shew how onely Deucalion and Pyrrha were preserued by whome mankind was repaired and first setteth downe the place where they were preserued viz. in the mountaine Parnassus in the countrey of Phocis which Phocis is described that it did lie betweene the Aonians and Acteans seuering them 2. That it was a fâ—uitfull land whil'st it remained a land u Here followeth a description of the mountaine Parnassus in the top whereof Deucalion and Pyrrha were preserued by whome after mankinde was repaired x Some make this an Hypallage That the Aonians separate Phocis from the Acteans or Athenians according to the tables of the Geographers * Phocis a fruitefull land whilest it was a land c. seuereth * Separateth or diuideth r Boetians r Athenean fields or fields of Acte where Athens stoode or the countrey of Attica r Which was r Countrey * Hath beene or was * But it was a part of the sea at that time and c. r Large or spacious But that at this time it was all ouerflowen and like vnto the maine sea Al Where the mouÌ„taine Parnassus being high with two tops 3. That in this countrey stoode the hill Parnassus which is also described r Named Parnassus * A high hill 1. By the height that it did seeme to reach almost to the starres * Seeketh or goeth vp vnto the starres or ascendeth 2. By the tops That it had two tops the height whereof went aboue the cloudes * Celestiall signes or skies * Goeth beyonde And only this mountaine remained vncouered of the waters by reason of the height y This seemeth to be a plaine alâ—usion to the resting of the Arke of Noah vpon the mountaine of Ararat * Top. * Where or heere where Deucalion How Deucalion and Pyrrha his wife carried in a little ship stayd here vpon this mountaine * Boate or Lighter * With the consort or companion of his bed or bed fellow Ratis is most properly a Lighter made of pieces of timber pioned together whereon hay or other like things are dragged or drawen with horses on Riuers * Sticked here Al They adore Nymphes of Coryceus And how first when they were comne to land in token of their thankfulnesse and to pacifie and obtaine the fauour and helpe of the Gods they adored the Nymphs and Gods of that mountaine to whome it was consecratâ—ed z Coryceus is a caue in the hill Parnassus dedicated to the Nymphes * Diuine powers of the mountaine viz. Apollo Bâ—cchus and the Muses to which Parnassus was consecrated a Themis Iupiters sister ' of whome hee begat Minerua Goddesse of Iustice commanding men to aske nothing of the Gods but that which was lawfull and meet whereof she had her name of 〈◊〉 sas or iustum r Themis the foretâ—ller of the secrets of the destinies And especially Themis the Goddess of Iustice who at that time was Lady and president of the Oracles and gaue answers vnto them who sought for helpe or to know secrets of the Gods as Apollo did after b Themis is 〈◊〉 to be the chiefe geuetr our of the Oracles viz of Religion 〈…〉 reason which is in 〈◊〉 doth teach all sons that there is a God and that this God is of due to be worshipped and doth maintaine this opinion being ingrauen in the minds of men by the generall consent of all Nations as Tully saith vid. Sabin * Held the Oracles or gaue answer concerning the destinies as Apollo did after * There was not any man better then he Here the Poet setteth out first that holinesse and integrity of these two parties who were thus preserued by whoÌ„ mankinde was so repaired to whome also the Gods had such respect * Nor more louing equity or iustice * More reuerencing the Gods or a more deuout worshipper of the Gods That there were not any better in the earth then they nor any more iust or more deuout and more true worshippers of God * The globe or compasse of the earth And secondly that hereupon Iupiter seeing the world thus ouerflowen as a pond r To stand all ouerflowen as a fen r Waters standing all abroad as in a fen Al Of so many thousands euen now And onely one man and one woman to bee left aliue of all the world and all alone r Thousand men r Innocent And these two both of them most harmelesse creatures most deuout worshippers of God * Worshippers of the diuine power or God * Cast asunder seuered or scattered Hee in compassion disperseth the clouds * Great showers or tempestuous weather being remooued with the North-winde And driues away the raine with the North-winde c The Northwinde scattereth the cloudes and bringeth faire weather r Lands And so beginnes to cleare both the heauen and the earth by remouing the cloudes from the skies and the waters from off the face of the
earth that both heauen and earth might bee seene to one another * To heauen and the skie to the lands viz the waters which had couered all being remooued * Anger viz. viclent ouerflowing Hee abateth also the rage of the seas * Remaine or abide * And also the triple poynted or three-forked dart being layed away or being put to it the sea asswageth or calmeth the waters His brother Neptune also who had so helped in increasing the flood hee layeth aside his triple-forked Mace Al Vsing his three-forked Mace d The three-forked Mace is ascribed to Neptune as is thought of some for the three parts of the world which the Ocean sea compasseth about and for that in places neere the sea are oft earthquakes and inundâ—â—ons with the eâ—â—thquake and thereupon is Neptune 〈◊〉 to smite the earth with his three-forked mace as before Asswageth the waters Calleth forth his Trumpetour Triton * Skie coloured or Sea coloured * The deepe Sea Who straight appears vpon the sea * Couered vpon his shoulders or in respect of his shoulders Synec Hauing vpon him a robe of a natiue purple colour r A purple robe e Murex is a shell-fish of the bloud whereof purple colour is made here put for the colour it selfe or a robe dyed with that colour f Triton is a sea-monster like vnto a man in the vpper part and in the nether part like vnto a fish he is of a skie color hath a shel like vnto the great Cockle He is fâ—ned to be Neptunes Trumpeter who by a sound can asswage the seas And the reason thereof is because he both soundeth loud in a shell and when hee is heard or appeareth he then foresheweth a calme to follow Him hee commands to sound a retreit to the flouds and streames therwith to recall them all * Waues and flouds * A signe being giuen that they may returne or a retreit being sounded g Tritons Trumpet described r Triton * A hollow Trumpet is taken to him or of him Hee forthwith takes his Trumpet * Into widenesse or a broad compasse * Which increaseth from the lowest top or mouth or poynt like the sharpe end of a top * His trumpet I say is taken Which so soone as hee had set vnto his bedeawed mouth that it felt his blast r So soone as it began to be blowen or to sound * Ayre or winde * Voyce It filled with the sound of it al the shores lying vnder the whole heauen * Both Phoebus viz. the sun rising and setting or both East and West or all betweene the East and West and so vnder the whole heauen * After that * Mouths of the God viz. of Triton r Triton had set the trumpet vnto his mouth distilling with his wet beard r Blowen in sang * To all viz. by and throughout all the waters So that it was heard of all the waters both in the land and sea * Waues And so soone as euer it was heard of them it forthwith repressed theÌ„ all * Shoare That immediately the Sea commeth within the shores againe * Taketh or receiueth or keepeth within the compasse of it r Streames The riuers returne runne within their chanels r Are diminished and not so deepe All the floudes doe settle downe and as it were little hils begin to appeare * Goe forth or they doe appeare The ground ariseth waxing broader r Waxe greater and broader as the waters diminish * Waues The waters fall waxing narrower * Also the woodes shew their naked tops after a long season So that after a long time the woods begin to shew their naked tops h 〈…〉 in foeminino vsi 〈…〉 pro tempore r Vncouered and without leaues * Hold. Hauing still the mud hanging in their boughes * Bough branch or leafe * The globe or compasse of the earth or vpper face And finally the world is restored againe that the face of the earth doth all appeare r is to be seene againe * Open viz. empty of man and beast Which when Deucalion sawe how it was emptie and desolate and silent r Left alone or desolate of man and beast * Earths * To doe or keepe deepe silences He speakes thus vnto Pyrrha with the teares arising in his eyes * Risen or arising i A patheticall speech and full of affection whereby Deucalion indeauoureth to binde Pyrrha mere firmely vnto him and to moue her to consult for the repaire of mankinde k Deucalion and Pyrrha were brethrens children for Iatheth as they say had two sons Prometheus of whome came Deucalion and Epimetheus of whome was Pyrrha And so he calleth her sister in most kinde sort for that neer bond and after the ancient manner Oh my sister my dearest wife oh woman onely left aliue r Suruiuour of all womankinde * Originall of cosingermans descended from two brethren viz. Prometheus and Epimetheus Whome so neere a descent euen from the same Grandfather and afterwards the mariage bed and now also these very present dangers haue thus ioyned together r Mariage * Now the very dangers do ioyne Thou seest that wee two are all the company that are left aliue in all the world * The setting and rising of the Sun doe see * Hath possessed the rest The sea hauing vtterly swept away all other liuing creatures l Caetera animantâ—â—a And moreouer that this stay of our life is very vncertaine r Trust or stay r Certaine And how euery little cloude doth now terrifie our hearts * Euen the clouds * Oh woman to be pittied what minde coulde bee to thee now if thou hadst beene Oh poore soule what a heart wouldest thou now haue had if thou hadst escaped alone without me * Deliuered from the destinies without me * Snatched from the fates How shouldest thou haue been able to haue endured this feare * By what meanes * Beare the feare * By whome comforting couldst thou endure these griefes Whome shouldest thou haue had to haue comforted thee in thy griefes As for my selfe my dearest wife if the sea had taken thee away I would certainely haue followed thee and it should haue had mee too * Also viz. in like manner as the rest of the creatures m Prometheus â—s is said before formed the earth vnto the image of man and put into it a heauenly soule And for mankinde that is thus destroyed oh would to God I were able to repaire it by my ancient Father Prometheus skill and to infuâ—e soules as hee did into the formed earth r Renew or restore againe * Arts. * To powre in * The earth being formed or framed viz. into the shapes of men * The mortall kinde For now all mankind remaineth in vs two * Seemed good to So it hath beene the good pleasure of the Gods r Onely patternes And we remaine the onely patternes of the same * He had spoken And thus Deucalion ended his speech The Poet hauing thus liuely set out the