yeare he chose Forsooth thou hadst more skill in signes of warres To curb thy neighbours then in signes of starres Yet he by reasons was to this induc'd His errour Caesar may be well excus'd What time the mother in her womb doth bear Her breeding child just that he made his yeare That time the widow from the fatall burning Of her dead mate did wear the signes of mourning These arguments did Romulus regard When he the seasons to his peasants shar'd Mars had the first the next was Venus place He father and she mother of his race The third from Eld the fourth from Yongth is nam'd The number titles for the rest hath fram'd But Numa willing Janus to adore And dead mens ghosts prepos'd a couple more Now you the duties of each day must know For every day did not the like allow That was Non-leet-day which the three words scap't That Leet-day was wherein the courts were kept These offices were not all day performing 'T is Leet at noon but 't was a Non-leet morning Before the Praetour pleading then begun And suits of law when sacrifice was done Some dayes the people in the rails include Some on the ninth day still their course renew'd Queen Juno's care our Romane Calends shield A fat white lamb in th' Ides to Jove is kill'd The Nones are blank and want a sacrifice Take heed I pray the next a black day is The reason 's from th' events In them they say Our Romane host have often lost the day But once of these it shall suffice to speak In all our book lest I my order break GErmanick lo our Janus thee doth bring A happy yeare he is the first I sing Tway-faced Janus our still-pac't yeares guide Who onely of the gods seest thy back-side Come gracious to our captains by whose care Both sea and land secure of tumult are Come gracious to our Romane lords and states And in good will unlock thy temple-gates A good day comes let tongues from hearts salute Good words and greetings this good day do suit Let idle wranglings not molest the eare Ye brawling people now your suits deferre See how the heavens with spicy fires do shine And spikenard crackles on the hearths divine Transplendent flames do lash the temples gold A twinkling lustre to the roof extoll'd White robes now walk to our Tarpeian wall The people 's deckt in gaytie festivall New purple shines new rods now stalk in state The ivory'd benches bear another weight The fair fat ox whose neck ne're felt the yoke Now yields it to the sacrificing stroke Jove when he views the world from towring skies Hath nought but Romane to imploy his eyes Hail holy-day come alwayes fortunate Deserving worship of a world-great state But Janus now what god shall I thee call For Greece hath nere a god like thee at all Rehearse the reason why thou hast such ods Of looking both wayes more then all the gods I walkt my note-book in mine hand I mus'd The temple brighter shines then earst it us'd Majestick Janus turns immediately His double visage to my wondring eye Amazement makes my hairs upright to start A sudden terrour chills me to the heart His staff in 's right hand in his left his key From former face he thus replies to me Time's studious prophet cast aside all fear And from my mouth what thou desirest heare Old times did call me Chaos I 'm a thing Of deepest eld mark what old acts I sing All these foure elements the Aire so clear Fire Earth and Water one whole bodie were When strife they ceas'd and this laborious masse To severall houses separated was Fire mounted heaven the next the Aire possess'd The Earth and Water in the midst were press'd Then I who was a rude and shapelesse load Came to the true proportion of a god Because my badge of that rude lump is small My fore and back parts differ not at all The other reason of my shape I 'le show Which with my office thou shalt also know What-ere thou seest heaven aire and sea and land Are all lockt up and open'd by mine hand This vast worlds guard is in my onely power The wheeling of the hinge of heaven is our When peace I please into calm courts to send She in safe paths about doth freely wend. With fatall bloud the world would drenched be Should I not curb stern warre with this my key I with the gentle Houres heavens portalls guard Jove's self goes in and out too by my ward Thence Janus call'd And when the priest doth make A wafer for me and a salt-meal-cake The name doth seem ridiculous some whiles He me Patusius and then Clusius styles My double office rude antiquitie By this alternate name would signifie Thou seest my office now will I make known My figure's ground in part alreadie shown Two fronts thou know'st belong to every gate This tow'rds the people tow'rds the houshold that And as the porter at his gate with you Does both the ingresse and the egresse view So I the porter or heavens court survey Just at a wink the East and Western bay See Hecate her faces three wayes bends And so she eas'ly three-leet wayes defends So without motion I two wayes can see Lest losse of time there should in moving be This said he promis'd with a courteous eye If more I askt he would not me denie I courage took and thankt S r Janus then And casting down mine eye thus spake again Why doth the New yeare in the cold begin The gentle spring a fitter time had bin Times age renews then and renews all things On swelling twigs the pearly vine-bud springs Leaves deck the trees in summer-green attire Both grasse and grain above the ground doth spire Birds descants warble in the calmed aire Both birds and beasts do sport about and pair The sun shines warm Then comes the vagrant swallow And on a beam her morter-work doth follow The farmers ploughes his fallow grounds manure This should have been the yeares beginning sure I largely ask't he made no large replies But in two verses doth his speech comprize Sols first and last day doth in winter fall The yeare the same beginning hath with Sol. Then marvell'd I why with some suits of laws This day is kept Sayes Janus Learn the cause Upon the first day some affairs we raise Lest from the Omen all the yeare should laze Each in his art for that some businesse does And by those acts his yearly studies shews But why said I do we bring myrrh and wine To thee before the other powers divine That you sayes he by me who keep the doore May have accesse to any other power And why said I on this first day such greetings And hearty wishes do we use at meetings Replies he leaning on his staff in 's hand In their beginnings do all Omens stand Your jealous eares you turn to each first word The watchfull Augur marks the first-spy'd bird Gods eares and temples
all stand ope no tongue Makes idle pray'rs but every word is strong Thus answer'd he I was not silent much For his last word I with my first did touch What means dry figs and palm-fruit I wot not And honey offer'd in a fine-white pot That 's for good luck that things may savour so And that our yeare a pleasant race may go This have I learn'd but shew the reason now Of new-yeares gifts that I may all parts know He smil'd O how doth thy age thee deceive Honey more sweet than money to believe I scarce saw any in old Saturns reign That was not taken with the sweets of gain In tract of time the Having love did grow 'T is now at height and can no further go Wealth now is farre more set by then of yore Rome being a novice and her people poore When Mars-got Romulus in mean stalls liv'd And little beds of river-reeds were weav'd In narrow court Jove scarce upright could stand And held an earthen thunderbolt in 's hand Then leaves for gold the Capitol adorn'd To keep his flocks the Senatour nere scorn'd Nor sham'd to sleep upon a lock of hay Or on a pad of straw his head to lay The Praetour kept his court new come from plow A plate of silver as a shame did show But when proud Fate this places head had rear'd And Romes top-gallant neare the gods appear'd Then wealth encreas'd and wealths unglut desire Men much possessing still much more require To spend what 's gotten and to get what 's spent The very course is vices nourishment So they whose bodies swelling dropsies have The more they drink the more they liquour crave Coin has the count wealth gets the honour still Wealth gets the friends the poore shifts where he will But if thou ask why new-yeares gifts are sent And why old moneyes us so well content Yerst brasse was given now better 't is in gold The newer coin hath taken place of old Gold-temples please us though the old w'approve The majestie a god doth most behove We praise old times but yet make use of new To both their customes like observance due He made an end When conging courteously Key-keeping Janus thus accosted I Much have I learn'd but why one side the brasse Is stampt a ship and then a double face Seest thou quoth he that double picture in 't It is my face but time hath blurr'd the print The Ships cause learn A ship old Saturn brought On Tuscan stream the whole world roam'd about I well remember since He pitcht upon These coasts when Jove the throne of heaven had won The name Saturnia thence this land did bear And Latium too because he sheltred here But after ages as a mindfull signe Of his arrivall stampt a ship in coyn I then manur'd that ground on whose left side Sand-guilded Tiber's courteous stream doth glide Where Rome now stands there grew a loftie wood This mightie masse was then but pasture-food Mine altar stood upon you hill which from My name this age doth all Janiculum Then reigned I when gods did dwell on ground And pow'rs divine in humane seats were found Mans crimes from earth yet had not Justice driven She last of gods withdrew her self to heaven Without constraint shame rul'd the hearts of men Not fear small pains to judge the Commons then I knew no warres but kept my Peace and Doore These arms quoth he his key advanc'd I wore His lips he closing mine then open'd I My question still provoking his reply Since thou hast many temples why dost stand In this alone with markets twain at hand He coaxing then his grave and bushy beard Down to his wast the Tatian warres declar'd How that light guard entic'd with Sabine chains Led into towre king Tatius and his trains From thence as now where you quoth he descend A hill through markets to the vales doth bend Now stole they to the gate whose fastned lock Malignant Juno off the bolts did knock I loth to thwart it with so high a power Did slily help them with a feat of our And op'd the spring-heads which my art can do And suddenly let flouds of water go First in the veins I sulphur threw about That scalding streams might force the Tatians out By which the Sabines almost scallt and slain The place its former nature did regain For this good turn they me a Chapell raise Where cakes and barley on my altars blaze But why in warres unbolted are thy gates And lockt in peace The reason he relates In time of warre I set my doores wide ope To make retreat for every marcht forth troop In peace I 'm barr'd lest forth stern warre should flee And long in Cesars empire barr'd I 'le be This said he lifts his all-way-looking eyes And views what ever in the broad world lies 'T was peace O Cesar and subdued Rhene To raise thy triumphs paid his tribute then Peace and peace-makers Janus death-lesse make Let not the authour e're that work forsake Now let me tell what registers do say Our fathers gave two temples on this day The isle where Tiber in two parts doth runne Did welcome Aesculapius Phebus sonne Jove hath a part one place them both conteins The grandchild's temple to the grandsire's joyns What lets to sing the starres ascent and set This is a piece on which our Muse must treat Blest souls who first did this rare science love And striv'd to climb those crystall courts above From worldly vices and all baser toyes They doubtlesse their diviner thoughts did raise Nor wine nor love nor warres nor court-affairs Did break those lofty-towring minds of theirs Nor varnish't glory nor ambition light Nor thirst of riches did distract their spright They drew the starres familiar to our eyes And to their knowledge did submit the skies So heaven is scal'd not as Olympus yerst Did Ossa bear the clouds with Pelion pierc'd We by those guides will meet those heavenly lines And point each day to his associate signes The third night come before the Nones ensue When earth is dabbled with the morning dew To seek eight-footed Cancers arms were vain He headlong falls into the western main Much rain doth threat from hovering clouds to flow The Nones the Harp arising signes will show Let foure dayes from the Nones be past then shall Old Janus have his service Agonall The girt-up priest who at the altar slayes The beast to him may be the titles cause Who being about to drench his knife in bloud Agóne cryes nor strikes till he 's allow'd This feast Agnalia they did term some say In ancient times one letter ta'n away Some think because the beasts are driven they call This day from cattle-driving Agonal Or else because knives laid in water scare The wary beast 't is call'd so from that fear Some hold that from those games the Greeks did make In former times this day the name did take Which games old language did Agonia call And in
lets no wrong to them be done by time Obliging Gods as well as men to him Great Temple-founder and repairer too Still may the Gods have mutuall care of you May Gods those yeares which you give them give thee And for thy house stand to eternitie Then is the Grove solemniz'd and th' Asyle Where forrein Tybris to the sea doth toil At Numa's shrine and in the Capitol Of thundring Jove a two-yeare-sheep doth fall Ofttimes great gusts the mantled heavens do shed Or feath'ry snow the earth doth overspread When next days Titan dives the western stream And pearly harnesse takes from purple team That night one lifting to the heavens his eyne Sayes Where 's the Harp which yesternight did shine And seeking for the Harp spies suddenly The Lions middle drench'd in western sea The starre-embossed Dolphine which to night Is seen the next night after shuns our sight For being Neptunes faithfull spie fix'd there Or ' cause he did the Lesbian Harper bear What sea or land but rings Arions fame Whose sweetest strains the swiftest streams could tame The wolf oft coursing silly lambs to kill The lamb oft running from the wolf stood still Oft dogs and hares beneath one covert lay And harts by lions on a bank did stay At sight of th' owl the jackdaw made no prate And by the dove the puttock quiet sate 'T is said that Cynthia did as much admire Arions musick as her Brothers lyre Arions fame had fill'd the Sicil sea His lyrick songs did charm Ausonia He with his riches purchas'd by his art Took ship into his countrey to depart Perhaps poore man thou dread'st the waves and wind But thou the sea more safe then ship didst find For lo the Pilot now a Pirate stands And all his crue with naked swords in hands Pilot what mak'st thou with a sword throw 't from thee And guide thy ship those tools do more become thee He pale with fear For life I do not pray But on my harp let me rehearse one lay They in derision yielded He puts on His laurell-crown which might become the Sunne Then dons his gown in Tyrian purple dy'd The fingred strings in measures due reply'd He sings in mournfull numbers like a Swan Whose hardned quills have pierc'd his ag'd brain-pan Then into water thus attir'd doth skip The battred billows all bedash the ship Whom on his arched back most strange to say The Dolphine takes and bears him on his way He sits and for his portage-wages sings The melting waves are ravish'd at his strings Jove and the Gods this piety beheld And with nine stars in heaven the Dolphine seal'd Now grand Maeonian I a thousand veines Could wish with thine Achilles-blazing strains Whiles holy times we sing on varying quill Still more renown our Calendar doth fill My breast falls short beyond my strength I strive We speciall numbers to this day must give Ah fool to elegize a weight so great This should have walk'd upon Heroick feet Hail Pater Patriae thee this title grave Both Court and Commons and our Order gave Yet 't was too late Thy deeds e're that claim'd more Thou wert the worlds great Father long before Jove's name in heaven is thine on earth small ods Thou Father of mankind he of the Gods Yield Romulus Our Prince thy walls doth keep Invicted Remus over thine could leap You curb'd small Cures Tatius and Caenine His Romane reigne out-starts Sols farthest line You but in small epitome did reigne All under Jove doth Cesars pow'r contein He honours Chastity defil'd by thee Your grove did hatch he stabs Iniquitie He fosters Laws you nurtur'd Violence You styl'd but Lord he Universall Prince You tax'd by Remus he is his foes Saver Thy father thee he deifies his father The Trojane Lad now to the wast appears And sokes the earth with store of Nectar tears Now all whom Boreas rigid blasts made quake Cheer up for Zephyr milder aire doth make When Lucifer his sparkling crest doth raise In this fifth morn the Spring begins straightwayes But yet take heed there still remains some cold For waning Winter still harsh signes doth hold The third night after we may see in skies The northern Bearherd with his feet to rise Calisto was the prettyest Lasse among The Nymphs of quiver-girt Diana's throng Her Lady's bow she takes This bow quoth she I hold here witnesse my virginitie This Cynthia prais'd Thy vow quoth she maintein And thou shalt be the Lady of my train Sh' had kept her promise had she not been fair All men she scorns but Jove doth her impair From hunting thousand games in forrests vast Diana comes about noontide or past Now in her grove with holms all overgrown Amid the which a clear-cool spring ran down Come Tegean Maid and in the cool she said Let 's wash She blush'd at that false title Maid The Nymphs all bidden laid their coats away She grew suspitious by her sham'd delay Her clothes pull'd off the swellings of her womb An open traitour to her shame become Avaunt false Strumpet from our virgin-train The Goddesse cri'd nor these pure waters stain Ten times the Moon her horns to orbs had brought She 's now a mother who a maid was thought Wrong'd Juno storming chang'd the wenches shape O spare She strove it was thy Husbands rape And as the maid an ugly bear did turn Let Jove saith she in those embraces burn The shapelesse beast in forrests wild doth rove Which did erewhile enamour mighty Jove The Bastard-boy his fifteenth yeare did run When lo by chance his mother met her sonne She as she him had known stood still poor wretch And groned groning was her onely speech Her deadly wound the ignorant lad had given But that they both were taken up to heaven Joynt constellations One we Arctos read The next Boötes doth behind succeed To hoary Tethys Juno vext more went To banish Arctos from her watry tent Wild Faunus Altars in the Ides do glow Where parted streams about the island flow This is the day wherein the Fabii's train Three hundred six were by the Veians slain One House a city's weight and burden bear And kindred-armies arms professed wear All out of one tent march couragiously Of whom there 's none but might a Captain be Carmentis Gate 's right hand to Janus leads Go no man that way it an omen breeds Forth by that portall march'd this noble House The Gate 's not faulty yet 't is ominous Soon as to rapid Cremera whose banks Were now brim-full they came in speedy ranks Their tents pitch'd down they rush with blades in hand In Martiall prowesse through the Tyrrbene band Like lions of the Libyan breed which tear The scatter'd herd about the fields each where The routed foes base wounds on back-sides bide The blushing ground in Tuscane bloud is dy'd Thus oft they fall Now when by chivalry They nought could do to policie they flie A plain there is inclos'd on every side With hills and woods close coverts
more eas'ly come away Who tells me now why Salii in a ring Dance with heaven's Buckler and Mamurius sing Thou Nymph that Dian's grove and spring dost haunt King Numa's Wife teach me thy feast I chaunt A lake much honour'd in religion stale Begirt with woods stands in th' Arician vale Hippolytus whom frighted steeds did tear Was hid herein For whom no horse comes there There tapes on which are many tablets hung To this good Goddesse veil the hedges long Ofttimes have women mistresse of their vows Brought hither lamps with wreaths about their brows Men stout of hand and swift of foot are kings Each king at last his mate to ruine brings A giggling brook doth on much gravel fall I oft have drunk there in a draught but small Muse-lov'd Aegeria yields those waters clear Who was king Numa's Wife and Counseller She first the Peeres too prone to live at ods With laws did temper and the fear of Gods Thence Laws that Strength might not bear al the sway Were made and men their vows did purely pay Wrath laid aside most pow'rfull Peace became ' Mongst Citizens a skirmish was a shame At th' Altars sight the furious man was turn'd And Wine and Wafers on the embers burn'd Behold Heavens Monarch lets his lightning flie Through crouding clouds and rains the welkin drie A flaming citie makes not such a blaze The King and People stood in great amaze The Nymph cries Thunder be n't too much afraid Is placable Jove's ire may be allay'd Yet must the means from Faun and Picus come Two Pow'rs that live within the lands of Rome Yet not without constraint First catch them you And bind them sure And then she tells him how A black grove stood beneath mount Aventine At whose first sight you 'ld say 'T is sure divine I' th' midst of which a pure perpetuall rill O're-grown with mosse from stony veins doth still Here Faun and Picus us'd to drink The King Come hither kills a sheep unto the Spring There sets down wine perfum'd with spice and then Takes up a cave in ambush with his men The wood-Gods to their old wont came the bowls They turn'd off blithe and quench'd their thirsty souls Wine winneth rest From 's cave doth Numa creep And bound them fast while they were fast asleep They rais'd from rest strive much themselves to free The more they strive the more they gyved be Ye Gods cries Numa pardon my bold act Ye know 't no wicked though a subtile fact Tell us which way may thunder be allaid Thus Numa Faunus shook his horns and said Great is thy question We cannot aread This hard precept our pow'r is limited Grove-Gods are we to us the rule is given But of vast Hills Jove orders all in Heaven Him you alone from heaven cannot call down Perhaps you may when our direction's known Thus Faunus said and thus said Picus too But yet said Picus first these cords undo By speciall art Jove charmed you shall see Shall hither come let Styx my witnesse be Unbound they teach them what to do which way To draw down Jove and what strange charms to say We licence have to know a pious pen May chaunt such rhythms unfit for other men Jove is drawn down Hence after-ages all In celebration him Elicius call 'T is said the tops of Aventine did move The earth shrunk down press'd with the weight of Jove King Numa quak'd at heart his bloud affright Ran from his veins his hair stood bolt upright Come to himself Great King of heaven cries he Inform's how thunder may appeased be If we frequent thine altars with pure hand If our petition may with piety stand Jove yields but yet doth in short riddles blind The truth and with dark doubts distracts his mind Cut off a Head cries he It shall be done Replies the King I 'll cut an Onyon Of Man saies Jove I 'll take the hair he cries The soul quoth Jove He Of a Fish replies Jove smiles O Man that canst discourse endure With Gods do this this will my thunder cure But when to morrow's Sunne is rais'd full-fac'd A pledge I 'll give thee that thy realm shall last This said he mounted with a mighty thunder Th' acquainted heavens and left the King in wonder Who streight returns with joy and tells his Lords The passages They scarce believe his words But ye'll believe it if th' event proves true Mark what sayes he to morrow will ensue So soon as Sol to morrow leaves the land Jove gives a pledge that this our realm shall stand All doubtfull part The promise seems too farre The day appears Their faiths suspended are The ground was soft with drops of pearl bedew'd To Numa's gate there flocks a multitude Forth comes the King and takes his maple-throne A mighty crowd all whist about him run The Sunne appears but onely on his brim 'Twixt hopes and fears their beating spirits swim His head with white veil cover'd up he stands And lifts to heaven his God-familiar hands This is the houre of that thy promis'd signe Great Jove cries he confirm those words of thine As thus he pray'd the Sunne was fully rais'd Huge cracks of thunder through the heavens were nois'd Thrice in clear aire he roar'd thrice did he fling His bolts Believe me thoâ—gh a wondrous thing Behold the heaven just in the midst doth ope Down to the ground both Prince and People stoop A shield from thence turn'd with a gentle gale Falls down A shout the welkin clear doth scale He takes it up a bullock first knock'd down Whose youthfull neck a yoke had never known 'T is call'd Ancile ' cause it was par'd round About the brims no corners to be found Then knowing that his kingdomes fate did lie In that by counsel of great policie Of shields like-shap'd he bids to make a dozen That so an errour might the couzener couzen Mamurius a man of great desert As well for manners as his manuall art Perform'd this work To whom the bounteous King As I am true 't is thine ask any thing Now he from dancing had the Salii nam'd Their Arms appointed and their Canto's fram'd Mamurius said I ask no meed but fame At their Songs end let them but sing my name From thence those Priests perform King Numa's grant To that old merit and Mamurius chaunt Would any marry Though you both make speed Deferre't small stay sometimes great good doth breed Arms cause a strife strife wedlock should abhorre The time 's more fit when th' are laid up therefore Jove's Flamen's wife till these dayes be exspir'd Must also go undress'd and unattir'd Now when this Months third night from heaven doth fall One of the Fishes is not seen at all Two Twins they be this to the South inclin'd That to the North both nam'd from either wind When Tithon's Bride her tulip-cheeks bedews And from the Orient porch the fifth day shews Whether the Bear-herd or the Car-man slow He dives the waves
her apron she her coats doth lade This Marigolds she plies the Violet-beds Her dainty finger crops the Poppy-heads On Hyacynth and Amaranth some dote Some Thyme some Crowfoot some love Melilote And other flow'rs The Rose doth much delight She plucks the Saffron and the Lily white Her busie mind still further off doth bear her And as it chanc'd none of her mates were near her Her Uncle spies her and on sooty steeds Rapes her away and to his kingdome speeds She cries and calls out Io my Mother dear I 'm forc'd away and off her clothes doth tear Forthwith the vault of Pluto doth display His light-auk steeds could not abide the day Her Maids their baskets fill'd with flowery treasures Cri'd Ho Persephone come see thy pleasures When nought was heard with cries they fill the dale And smite their hands against their bosomes pale Ceres amaz'd at this to Enna flies And straight Ah wofull Where 's my Girl she cries About she hurries in a dead distraction Like shrews of Bacchus in their frantick action Or as a Cow rob'd of her late-calv'd Love Runs sadly lowing all about the grove So she could neither sighs nor flight refrain But runs and first begins at Enna's plain There first her daughter's footsteps she doth note The ground betrayes the passage of her foot Perchance she then had search'd the furthest ground Had not some swine disturb'd the tract she found The Leontini and Anisus mazes She search'd with all the medow-grounds of Acis Then Cyane and mild Anapus fount And over Gela's dangerous gulf doth mount Then o're Orlygia and Pantagia goeth And Megara then o're Simethus mouth Next to the Cyclops sooty forge she hy'th Thence to that place nam'd from the crooked Sithe Then Himere Didym Agrigentum and Tauromenus thence to Mela's Holy-Ox-land Next Camarine with Swanny Tempe fair And Thapsos Eryx free to Western air Then search'd she Pachyne Pelore Lilybe Her Countrey 's horn-like promontories three Each nook she fills with monefull Elegies As when the Lapwing to his Itys cries Sometimes Persephone sometimes she cry'd My Daughter and by course both names imply'd But no Persephone could Ceres heare Nor Daughter Mother Vain both titles were When she a Shepherd or a Plowman spi'd Saw you no Damsel passe this way she cri'd Nights cole-black colour now alone possess'd All things now watchfull tongues of dogs did rest Where Aetna high Typhoeus vast bulk tires Whose ground is scorch'd with ever-spuing fires Here for her torch two Pines she doth inflame Hence in her rites the Torches custome came There is a cave of rugged pumice made Which neither man nor beast could e're invade Here when she came her bridled snakes she tyes T' her coach and dry-foot o're the water flies Next raught the Syrts and to Charybdis pass'd And those naufragious Dogs of Scylla vast The spacious Adriack and Corinthum bound Within two seas hence reach'd the Attick ground Sad on a stone here rests she first of all Which stone th' Athenians hence from Sadnesse call There many dayes in th' air she did remain Unstirr'd and patient both of cold and rain No place but hath its fate Now Cereall Eleusis then was Celeus farm but small He home was trudging with a trusse of wood With mast and berries from the hedge for food His daughter with two goats from field did come His young sonne lay in cradle sick at home The Wench said Mother Her that name did move What d' ye alone here in this desert grove Th' old man too stands there though his load were sore And pray'd her enter to his Cottage poore She now an old wife in a mitre drest In these sad words denyes his urg'd request Go safe blest Parent my pore Daughter 's gone Ah sweet condition farre above mine own She wip'd her eyes a pearly drop came from her Much like a tear for tears did not become her Th' old man and maid both tender-hearted make A part in tears The down-right Sage then spake God keep God keep thy daughter safe from harm Come pray arise reject not our poore farm Replies the Dame Thy argument is strong So rising up she follows him along As on they walk'd he this to her exprest His Sonne was sick and could by no means rest She as she went into his little mound Sleep-poring poppy gathers on the ground The-whiles she pluck'd she tasted it 't is said And unawares her long-long fasting stay'd The which because she in the Evening did Her supper is not till the sunne is hid Being entred in great mourning she beheld No hope of life was in the senselesse child Th' old wife saluted called Menaline She daigns the boy's mouth to her own to joyn His strength and colour instantly renew'd Such vigour her celestiall kisse ensu'd The whole house joy'd to wit the parents dear And little maid these three the whole house were Forthwith they set the boord curds apples plumbs And golden hony in the hony-combs But Ceres fasted and in milk lukewarm Gives poppy to the boy his sleep to charm Sleeps midnight-Silence did all things enwrap Triptolemus she takes into her lap Thrice stroak'd him with her hand three charms she sung Not to be utter'd by a mortall tongue Then rak'd up in hot embers him doth lay That fire might purge his humane drosse away Up starts the fool-kind Mother and stark wild Cries out What mean you and snatch'd up her child Said she Th' art evil in not being so By thy fond fear my gifts are frustrate now Now he is Mortall But he first shall till The earth whose plenty shall his garners fill Thus forth she goes and with a cloud attended Her winged-Dragon-mounted coach ascended Exposed Sunion and retir'd Piraeum And right-hand-ports she search'd and passes by 'um Then from th' Aegean all the Cyclads ey'd Hence pass'd th' Icarian and Ionian wide And through all Asia's towns the Hellespont She raught and over severall climes doth mount For spic'd Arabians she beholds awhile Then Ind Libs Meroe and the thirsty soil Then pass'd Hesperia Po the Rhene and Rhode And Tyber since a pow'rfull River's God O hold our pen in counting all would tire No place on Earth was left unransack'd by her Yea Heaven she search'd and ask'd the signes that roll Expell'd from th' Ocean next the frozen Pole Ye Northern Stars ye sure all actions know Because ye never dive the seas below Tell what 's become of my Persephone To her demand thus answers Helice The Night 's not conscious of her ask the Sunne Who sees what-ever in the Day is done Sol asked answered Toil no more in vain Thy Daughter 's marryed to the Tertian reigne Long having mourn'd to Jove she pleads her case Deep characters of sorrow in her face Had you remembred who my Proserpine Begat your care of her had equall'd mine The whole world's search affords me nought but this To know my wrong The Pirate hath his prize This forced match my child deserved not
thee from Latine vines we 'll bring The better vow prevails Mezentius slain Kicks at the ground in his fell souls disdain Blout Autumne in grape-soiled weeds array'd Was come To Jove the promis'd wine is pay'd Hence is this day enstyl'd Vinalia Jove Doth challenge it and much the feast doth love When April now hath gained six dayes more The Spring hath wasted half her pregnant store In vain thou seek'st the Ram which Helle bear Show'rs will give signes The Dog doth now appear As from Nomentum I return'd this day To Rome a white train meets me in the way A Flamen into Rusts old grove did hie The entrails of a Dog and Sheep to frie. I went along to learn that service There Quirinus Priest thus praying I did heare Rough Rust forbear our Cereal store to spoil And let the smooth blade glister on the soil Permit our grain to ripen full and fair Nurs'd by the favour of a temperate aire Great is thy power the corn which thou dost rust The sory Farmer doth account as lost Nor winds nor nipping frosts nor tempests strong Can work such hurt and do the corn such wrong As when the Suns hot gleams the dank blade warm Then is thy time dread Queen to do the harm O spare take off from corn thy fingers rough Hurt not our food Thou canst be that enough Eat up dire Ir'n and not our food from us First ruine that which is so ruinous On Swords and wastfull weapons rather seise No need of them the world now lives in peace Let countrey-tools the Spade the Rake the Share Now glister bright foul nought but tools of Warre And when a souldier would his sword unsheath Let tugging at it put him out of breath Ne'r maist thou deal with Ceres but alway Let carefull Farmers to thy absence pray He ends His towel fring'd with tufted locks On 's right side lay with wine and th' incense-box I saw him burn his wine and incense then With th' entrails of the Sheep and Dog unclean To know the ground of this strange sacrifice I ask'd the Flamen who to me replies There is a Dog Icarius call'd the fire Of whose aspect both soil and seed doth tire To that Dog-starre this dog we burn in flame Nor know I any reason but the name When thrice Tithonia Priam's Brothers Bride Is march'd forth usher'd by her gallant guide With crowns of flow'rs behold the Flow'ry Queen Now liberall Mirth luxuriates on the Scene Next Calends ends the feast I 'll mention 't then A greater task now calls away my pen. This day doth Vesta in her Cosin's shrine Conclude just Senatours did so combine One share hath Phoebus Vesta hath the second With whom Liege Caesar in the third is reckon'd Let Oaken boughs and lasting Laurell crown This Temple which conteins three Gods in one The end of the fourth Book OVIDS FESTIVALLS OR ROMANE CALENDAR The fifth Book or MAY. The Argument THe Muses Descants on the name of May. The Hyads call'd from Hyas made a prey Queen Flora's Playes and praises every part Of her feast shown Mars born by Flora's art Old Chiron's story Rites to Spirits pale From Remus nam'd Orion and his tale A temple to Bis-ultor Mars Joves cheat The Nuns Rush-pictures into Tiber let The Merchants pray'r of cheats to Mercurie The Twins More dayes of much diversitie YOu ask me whence this Month is called May. I know not well what reason down to lay Just as a traveller when as he views More paths stands still and knows not which to chuse So know not I because I have such store What cause to give even plenty makes me poore Relate ye Nymphs of Hippocrene that dwell About the lovely Pegasean well The Sisters differ Then Poly'mnia fair First speaks The rest in silence all give ear When Chaos wrought and these three bodies made And that huge masse was into forms convey'd Earth's load press'd downward and attracts the Sea Heaven mounted by its native levitie Sunne Moon and Starres clogg'd with no grosser weight With all their harnesse elevated straight But for a time Earth gave no place to Heaven Nor Starres to Sol All dignities were even Ofttimes a God but of the vulgar race Presum'd to take grand Saturn's royall place Each notelesse Deity would by Ocean old Sit cheek by joul Oft Tethys was controll'd Till awfull Reverence and Honour grave Seats sutable to every person gave Hence Majesty which all the world doth sway Did spring accounted great on her birth-day Amid Heaven's palace was she straight extoll'd Array'd in purple and transparent gold Pale Fear and modest Shame sate by her side And all the Gods with like fram'd looks her ey'd Straight Zeal of Honour seiz'd their minds all savour Repute and Worth and aym to purchase favour For many years in Heaven remain'd this state Till Father Saturn was expell'd by fate Those monstrous Giants then the Earth did bear Whose hands t' invade the court of Jove did dare With hundred hands to them she snakes feet gave The Gods themselves cries she in warres outbrave Vp to the Welkin with audacious might They mountains pil'd and challeng'd Jove to fight He from his tow'r discharg'd his thunder straight And on th' invaders pates whelm'd that vast weight Thus Majesty by Jove his arms protected The conquest wonne and since hath been respected With Jove she sits and is his guardian sure And sans constraint enstates his reigne secure On earth she came ador'd by divers Sages Quirinus Numa in their severall ages She Parents honour for them doth defend To fair and virtuous youth she is a friend The ivory-Bench and Rods enstall'd she graces On crowned Steeds she in proud triumph paces Poly'mnia ends and is approv'd in all By Clio and Thalia lyricall Vrania follows All are whist and still And her voice onely now the Quire doth fill Of old great reverence had the hoary head And wrinkled Age was highly honoured Youth practic'd warfare with a sprightfull hand And march'd in colours for their Gods and land Old Age but weak nor fit for battels brave Did aid their Countrey by their counsels grave The Court was then for none but Seniours free And Senate comes from Senioritie Old men kept Courts The law was onely ty'd To that calm age which thence was dignifi'd Old men 'twixt young without distast have gone And in the middle if there were but one Who dar'd a rash word near a Seniour's eare To speak A Censure he should surely bear Quirinus knowing this the Sages chose His cities new state-matters to dispose Hence to renown those Majors who did sway Those times I hold this Month is called May. And Numitor whom he could not deny Would have this Month giv'n to Majority Nor ill successe had this same pledge of grace June nam'd of Juniours follows next in place Then Queen of all Calliopea fair Began green ivie crown'd her fluent hair Oceanus whose streams the Earth confine To watry Tethys did in wedlock
joyn Hence Pleione descended who did wed Heaven-propping Atlas and the Pleiads bred The rest in beauty fame reports that May Excell'd and Jove enamour'd with her lay She on Cyllene's cypresse-crown did bear The Post of heaven whose pinions cut the aire Arcadia older then the Moon some hold Huge Maenalus swift Ladon him extoll'd Evander banish'd from th' Arcadian shore Came into Latium and his Gods brought o're Then whereas Rome the world's chief head now stands Were beasts and trees and stalls about the lands Here sailing Hold his learned Mother cry'd For in those fields a Kingdome 's plat I 've spi'd His Prophetesse and Mother he obey'd And on that unacquainted shore there stay'd He taught these nations many services Both horn-hoof'd Pans and winged Mercuries The girt Luperci worship half-goat Pan When with their thongs about the streets they ran But witty-shirking Mercurie who fram'd The Harp this month from his fair Mother nam'd Nor was 't his first good deed for he made even His Harp-strings number with the Pleiads seven She ended too her Sisters did approve My thoughts their reasons all alike do move Like thanks ye Muses I to you expresse Nor can I praise you either more or lesse Jove leads my work This night the Starre we spie Which was officious to Joves Infancie The wet Olenian Goat now rising see Whom Heaven rewarded for her nurserie Nymph Amalthea fam'd in Cretane Ide Jove her young nursling in the woods did hide She had a Goat two little twins that bred Of all Dictaean flocks the fairest head With stately horns which to her back did bend And teats that might Joves nurse right well commend She suckled Jove But in a tree she broke Her horn the beauty half away this took The Nymph took 't up crown'd with flow'rs she fill'd it With dainty fruits and to Joves mouth she held it Heavens Common-wealth and Fathers throne when he Possess'd and held the sole Supremacie He made his nurse a Signe his nurses horn A spring which since the mistresse name hath born May's Calends sees the little Images And th' altar rais'd to Lares Praestites The Altar for the Cures was but down 'T is beat by age and time that wasteth stone Because their vigilance make all things sure They stand for us and keep the walls secure And are assistant and in every need Are present we this name to them aread A Dog at their feet in the same stone carv'd Doth stand of which this reason is observ'd Both lov'd of masters both the house defend Both God and Dog the three-leet wayes do tend By Dogs and Gods slie thieves away are scar'd Those Gods with Dogs do ever watch and ward The Statues twain of these twin-Gods I sought But their decay consuming Time had wrought Our City hath a thousand Lares more With their Sires Ghost which countrey-men adore Where wander I These lines are Augusts task Mean while S t Bona in our verse should mask There is a masse by Nature wrought no small Part of a mountain which the Stone we call On this did Remus stand although in vain When to his Brother fowls did give the reigne There Fathers on that easie hill did build A Chapell which a man detested held Nun Claudia of the Clausi's familie Did vow 't a maid unstain'd with Venerie Queen Livia did repair it who presents In all her acts her Lords magnificence When Phoebus next the Eastern gates unbarres And with bright taper damps the languish'd starres The cold north-west-wind ' mongst the corn-earssports And white flags sally from the Caprean ports But when the Evening leads the Night on clear The Hyads sparkling bevy all appear The Bulls snout shines with seven refulgent flames Which Grecia Hyads from their showring names Some think they Bacchus nurs'd Some think them thus The seed of Tethys and Oceanus As yet grand Atlas had not shoulder'd Heaven When Hyas issu'd with his Sisters seven Which Aethra Oceans daughter bred and nurs'd But Hyas was the fairest and the first He in his youth the trembling Roe would chase Sometimes the Hare would make a sportfull race But whenas years encreas'd his strength he would With Boars encounter and the Lion bold At length he vent'ring for to steal away A Lion's whelps became a Lion's prey Both Mothers Sisters Atlas now to sail With heaven on 's neck their Hyas all bewail The Sisters yet surpass'd their parents piety Their Hyas gave them names their love a Deity Come Queen of Flow'rs renown'd in jocund playes I' th' former month I did deferre thy praise In April thou beginn'st and end'st in May With thee one comes in th' other goes away Since both their confines do pertein to thee Both to thy honour may devoted be The Cirk with speeches cry'd on Theaters Reach to this Month so also shall my verse Thou know'st inform me mens opinions erre Thou art thine own names best interpreter To my request this answer she bequeath'd Whiles from her lips the vernall Roses breath'd Once Chloris now I 'm Flora call'd the sound Of Latine letters doth the Greek confound Chloris a Nymph of that delicious field Where those blist men did live in times of eld It were not modesty for me to tell My beauty which did please a God so well I walk'd i' th' Spring me Zephyr spies I flie He follows me and swifter proves then I. His brother Boreas lends him all his aid Who once did ravish th' Erichthean maid Yet for his rape by making me his wife He made amends I cannot blame my life My Spring is constant all my season 's good My trees with leaves my ground is clad with food I have a garden in my dowry-fields Cull'd by kind airs and cool'd by courteous rills Here with rare sweets my husband deck'd my bowers Sweet wife saith he be thou the Queen of Flowers To tell their colours I have oft intended 'T was vain their number all accounts transcended Soon as their leaves have left their gemmy drops And Sol's beams warm their particolour'd tops The How'rs in broydred gowns array'd come hither And my endowments in light baskets gather Then come the Graces and quaint garlands here And coronets weave for the Gods to wear I first did scatter severall seeds all o're The Earth which but one colour had before A flow'r of Hyacinthus bloud I made Whose leaves expresse his Elegie most sad Thou also Narcisse through the fields art known Vnhappy youth that wert not two for one Young Crocus Acis and Adonis see Whose dying blouds were dignifi'd by me Mars thou maist know 't was born too by my skill Heaven grant that trick from Jove be hidden still Queen Juno griev'd that Jove without her aid Brought forth the motherlesse Athenian Maid Comes to old Ocean for to make her mone And at our gate quite tired sits her down Great Queen said I what cause hath thee here brought She told me whom and for what cause she sought To her I us'd
th' Aemonian Boy Sage Chiron kindly welcomes him and there Asks of his travels which he doth declare Mean while the Club and Lion's skin he view'd How well saith he do arms and armour suit Nor could Achilles hands themselves contein From feeling of the Lion's bristly train The old man poising of the shafts le ts fall A pois'ned dart and prick'd his foot withall Forth doth he draw it with a monefull crie Alcides and Achilles both reply Yet he with herbs of those Thessalian hills Apply'd in vain the raging fester stills The poison overcomes his salve and now O're all his joynts the venomes taint doth grow The Centaurs with the Hydra's bloud impure Infected will admit nor ease nor cure Achilles drown'd in tears doth him deplore The death of Peleus could have claim'd no more Oft with his hand his fainting pulse he try'd Oft kiss'd he him and lying by him cry'd O live nor leave thy pupill my dear father What fruit of manners did the Teacher gather The ninth day came Just Chiron in twice seven Bright Starres is fixed in the spangled heaven The wreathed Harp desires to follow him Not yet the third night is a fitter time The day before the Nones appear we may Observe the Scorpion shine in heaven half way Hence when thrice Phosphor shews his gilded face And fainting Starres have thrice to Sol giv'n place The Night Lemuria an old Rite is pay'd And dirges to the silent Ghosts are said Th' old yeare was short Unknown the Februa were And double Janus did not guide the yeare Yet to the Dead their gifts they did discharge The pious Sonne his Fathers tomb did purge This was in May from Majors first deduc'd In which are some of those old rites still us'd About midnight when Sleep and Silence fill The drowsie brains and dogs and birds are still The rite-remembring Ghost-abhorring Sunne Arises gently and no shoes puts on Then points with his clos'd fingers and his thumb Put in the midst lest Ghosts should near him come Then in spring-water he his hands doth cleanse But first doth roll about his mouth blue beans Then o're his shoulders throws them down Sayes he These beans I throw my house and self to free Nine times 't is said The Ghost doth trace his track And picks them up if that he looks not back Again he washes then a bason beats And so the Spirits to leave his house intreats Then nine times crying Kindred-Ghosts be gone He looketh back and all is purely done I am uncertain of th' Originall Of this day's name some God I now must call Cyllenius teach me Thou with powerfull Rod Oft view'st the palace of the Stygian God Invok'd Caducifer applies Sayes he The reason heare And thus he tells it me When Romulus had paid the obsequie To 's Brother haplesse in agilitie Poore Faustulus and Acca with torn hairs Belave his burned bones in willing tears At evening home they come with hearts full sad And cast themselves on their hard bed unmade The gory Ghost of Remus by their bed Appears to them and softly whispered Lo I the half of all your labours kind Behold my change from what to what declin'd Who if the Birds had been my friends within My peoples walls the Captain might have bin Now is your Remus but a dram of air A flitting relique of the piles impair Ah! where 's my Father Mars if you said true By whose instinct a wild beasts teat we drew A Wolf did nurse a Subject murder'd me How much more humane was the beast then he Thou cruel Celer yield thy soul and dye And be a bloudy Ghost as well as I. 'T was not my Brothers mind his pious cares Did what they could discharge their due in tears Him by your tears intreat and food you gave That he a day would sacer to my grave Thus spake he They him to embrace assay The slippery vapour flitters quite away Sleep from their eyes this vision off doth shake In whose relation to the King they make Him Romulus obey'd and calls that day Remuria in the which these rites they pay By time the letter that begins the word Is chang'd the sharp into a mild transferr'd Hence dead mens Ghosts we Lemures do call This is the words direct originall Our Ancestours barr'd up their Temples in These balefull dayes as now is to be seen Ill times for widows wedding or for maid Those that have wedded have not long enjoy'd And for this cause if Proverbs thou dost weigh The Proverb saies 'T is ill to wed in May. But these three feasts succeed not one another But on the same dayes are all kept together Amid this time who seeks Orion erres The cause of which Signe I will here rehearse Jove and his Brother Master of the Sea A journey took with witty Mercurie 'T was even and plowmen off their chains did knock And full-fed ews their frisking lambs did suck Perchance old Hyreus a Farmer poore Espies them as he stood before his doore Your journey 's farre sayes he and night at hand Our gate for travellers doth open stand His words and looks consented He doth pray Again Themselves concealing they obey His house they enter with dull smoke besmear'd Upon a brand a spark of fire appear'd He on his knees the cole doth bigger blow Then layes the brands and breaks small sticks in two Sets on two pipkins one with beans and one With herbs The scum the lids doth over-run With palsie-hand while meat was taken up He fills them wine The Sea-God takes the cup And turns it off The Cup saies he now bear To Jove He quakes the name of Jove to heare Come to himself for sacrifice he kill'd His Ox the tiller of his little field Then broach'd a hogshead of his speciall Sack Which in his young dayes he himself did make On fenny tufts a hempen cloth he spred And sets them down upon no stately bed Now braves his boord with dainty cates and liquours In earthen dishes and in beech-tree-beakers Sayes Jove What-e're thou wilt request or can Ask and receive Replies the good old man I had a wife in my young dayes and one I dearly lov'd but now she 's dead and gone To her I promis'd when by you I swore She was my onely wife I 'd wed no more My vow I 'll keep But in my mind doth run A crosse desire To have no Wife but Sonne All gave a grant and to the ox-hide came And o're it strain'd To tell the rest were shame Then bury'd it all dropping in the earth At ten months end a little Boy comes forth Him from his birth Vrion Hyreus styl'd Whose names first letter is a little soil'd He grew a hunter of a mighty fame And Delia's Serjeant and her Guard became Words rashly spoken do the Gods displease No beast braves he but this arm can suppresse Earth sends a Scorpion who doth whet his spite To rifle Delia of her arrows light Orion rescues Slain Diana
sayes Take thy desert and him to heaven doth raise Why does Orion with his fellows force Their lights from heaven Night contract her course Why does white Day by her bright Usher led More soon then earst extoll her sparkling head Did not arms rattle yes sure arms did rattle Mars comes and coming sounds the signes of battle The grand Revengers self descends his sport And Tow'r to see in Augusts ample Court Great God great work Even thus did it become God Mars to dwell in his Sonne 's city Rome Gigantick tropheys best befit this wall From hence his squadrons Mars should march and call Be any Rebell in the utmost East Or by departing Sol to be suppress'd The God approving that invicted Powers Do hold his Temple views the lofty Towers He views i' th' Court arms of a sundry fashion The whole worlds weapons wonne by his own nation Next eyes Aeneas with his load divine And all those Nobles of the Julian line Then Romulus with arms of Acron tam'd With acts and statues of more Worthies fam'd He views the walls grac'd with Augustus name Which makes it shew a work of greater fame That Prince did vow it in his pious warre Fit for a Prince such great beginnings are Just as the fight began with heav'd-up hands He vents these prayers against the Traitours bands If for my father Vesta's Priest I make These warres and vengeance for both titles take Come Mars and with their base bloud glut thy sword And favour to the juster cause affoord My conquest thee shall Ultor style and raise Thy temple Having vow'd his foes he slayes Nor was this name deserved once alone He gain'd our Ensignes which the Parthians wonne That nation was with broad plains fens'd secure With horses streams and arrows deadly sure The Crassi's slaughter now had flesh'd them well When Ensignes Souldiers Generalls all fell Romes Colours glory of the warres were lost With Romane Eagles did the Parthian boast That shame had still remain'd had not our land Protected been by Caesars valiant hand He took away that old disgrace and stain Our Flags redeem'd saluted Rome again What good O Parthian did thy back-shot-flight Thy Countrey do thee or thy race-horse light Thou yield'st our Eagles and thy conquer'd Bow Nor hast one badge of our dishonour now A Temple as both vow and merit claim'd To Mars he rais'd and him Bis-ultor nam'd Ye Peeres solemnize on the Circus playes No Scene doth suit a warlike Powers praise Now see the sister Pleiades whole train Just when two nights before the Ides remain Then enters Summer surest Authours write The gentle Spring concludes his soft delight The night before the Ides the Bull doth rear His sparkling brows Of whom the story heare Once Jove well horn'd and turned to a Bull Pack'd up the Tyrian Virgin by the gull Her right his mane her gown her left hand held Pale fear her cheeks with other beauty fill'd The wanton air her coats doth swell and move Her golden hairs Such looks best pleased Jove Her pretty feet she from the water saves And shuns the tacture of the leaping waves The subtile God his back doth often dive That to his neck she might the closer cleave Come to the shore himself unhorn'd Jove shew'd And of an Ox his shape Divine indu'd There swells her womb while heaven the Bull receives And Earth's third part the name from her derives The Pharian Heifer some suppose this Signe Made Beast of Humane of a Beast Divine Now from the timber-bridge the Vestall chast The rushie pictures of old men doth cast Who thinks old men of sixty years to be Thus drown'd too much doth tax Antiquitie Old fame reports that when Saturnia This land was call'd th' old Prophet thus did say Ye people to the Sickle God deliver Two men thrown down into the Tuscane river This gift each yeare to that Leucadian power Was given till Hercules pitch'd on this shore He strawy Nobles o're the bridge threw down From whose example pictures since were thrown Some think young men that so they might engrosse Their voice craz'd Seniours o're the bridge did tosse Inform me Tyber thou art farre beyond Our city's age and know'st this custome 's ground His reedy brows out of his murmuring source Old Tyber rouz'd and vents these accents hoarce This place of old a plain unwall'd and wide I knew Few oxen graz'd on either side Old Tyber known of all the world and fear'd Now in those dayes was scorn'd of every herd Thou know'st Arcadian Evander's name He rowing in my chanel hither came The next Alcides with his Greeks I saw Then call'd as I remember Albula Th' Arcadian King him freely here embrac'd And Cacus had his due desert at last Away he travels with his Spanish spoil As for his mates they would no further toil A great part of them in this land remains And pitch'd their hopes and houses on these plains Yet of their countrey they had oft a sense And divers dying left these testaments My body into Tyber throw that so My dust at length may to my countrey go The Heir was much displeas'd at his command And tombs his father in th' Ausonian land A rush-weav'd image into me is cast In stead of him to float to Greece at last His dewy cave of vitall stone this said He shrinks into at which the River stay'd Brave Lad of Atlas whom of Joviall seed Fair Maia on th' Arcadian hills did breed Thou wing-foot Arbiter between the Gods Of heaven and hell in friendship and at ods Thou who delight'st to touch the Harp and sense And varnishest the tongue with Eloquence Old times thy Chapell near the Circus fram'd In th' Ides since when this day to thee is nam'd All Tradesmen that their wares now ope thee crave With incense fum'd some gains in sale to save Mercurius Pool is near Capena's Port A spring divine believe experience for 't The coat-girt Chapman here his pitcher brings And water draws to purifie his things He dips a bay-bough with the dabbled bay His wares he sprinkles to be sold away Then with the bough he sprinkles his own hair And with his glozing tongue thus makes his prayer Purge thou away my former perjuries My cheating words and broken promises When by thy witnesse I untruths did prove Or falsely swore by by-abhorring Jove What Power soever broker to my lie I 've made now let them vanish all and die Wink thou at all my slie deceits to day Let not the Gods take notice what I say Afford me gains and joy that my desire Of gain is fed and that I 've gull'd the Buyer These prayers make Mercury in heaven to smile Remembring his Ortygian cheat yerwhile But heare quaint God this better prayer of mine What time doth Phoebus to the Twins combine Just when the dayes of this month equall'd be In number to Alcides toils saith he Relate said I the reason of this Signe The smooth-tongu'd God replies with voice