so cleare The rest Thaumantia sent before to bring Lucina to release the enuied King Assuring her that they would strait confer A Carquenet nine cubits long on her All wouen with wires of Gold But chargd her then To call apart from th'Iuorie-wristed Queene The child-birth-guiding Goddesse for iust feare Lest her charge vtter'd in Saturnia's eare She after might disswade her from descent When winde-swift-footed Iris knew th' intent Of th' other Goddesses away she went And instantly she past the infinite space Twixt Earth and Heauen when comming to the place Where dwelt th'Immortals strait without the gate She gat Lucina and did all relate The Goddesses commanded and enclin'd To all that they demanded her deare Minde And on their way they went like those two Doues That walking high-waies euery shadow moues Vp from the earth forc't with their naturall feare When entring Delos she that is so deare To Dames in labor made Latona strait Prone to deliuerie and to weild the wait Of her deare burthen with a world of ease When with her faire hand she a Palme did sease And staying her by it slucke her tender knees Amidst the soft meade that did smile beneath Her sacred labor and the child did breath The aire in th' instant All the Goddesses Brake in kinde teares and shrikes for her quicke ease And Thee O Archer Phoebus with waues cleere Washt sweetly ouer swadled with sincere And spotlesse swath-â—ands and made then to flow About thy breast a mantle white as snow Fine and new made and cast a Veile of Gold Ouer thy forehead Nor yet forth did hold Thy mother for thy foode her golden brest But Themis in supply of it addrest Louely Ambrosia and drunke off to thee A Bowle of Nectar interchangeablie With her immortall fingers seruing thine And when O Phoebus that eternall wine Thy tast had relisht and that foode diuine No golden swath-band longer could containe Thy panting bosome all that would constraine Thy soone-easd God-head Euery feeble chaine Of earthy Child-rights flew in sunder all And then didst thou thus to the Deities call Let there be giuen me my lou'd Lute and Bow I 'le prophecie to men and make them know Ioues perfect counsailes This said vp did flie From brode-waide Earth the vnshorne Deitie Far-shot Apollo All th'Immortalls stood In steepe amaze to see Latonaes brood All Delos looking on him all with gold Was loden strait and ioiâ—d to be extold By great Latona so that she decreed Her barrennesse should beare the fruitfulst seed Of all the Iles and Continents of earth And lou'd her from her heart so for her birth For so she florisht as a hill that stood Crownd with the flowre of an abundant wood And thou O Phoebus bearing in thy hand Thy siluer bow walk'st ouer euery land Sometimes ascend'st the rough-hewne rockie hill Of desolate Cynthus and sometimes tak'st will To visit Ilands and the Plumps of men And manie a Temple all wayes men ordein To thy bright God-head Groues made darke with Trees And neuer shorne to hide ye Deities All high-lou'd Prospects all the steepest browes Of farr-seene Hills and euery flood that flowes Forth to the sea are dedicate to Thee But most of all thy mindes Alacritie Is rais'd with Delos since to fill thy Phane There flocks so manie an Ionian With ample Gownes that flowe downe to their feet With all their children and the reuerend Sweet Of all their pious wiues And these are they That mindefull of thee euen thy Deitie Render more spritelie with their Champion fight Dances and songs perform'd to glorious sight Once hauing publisht and proclaim'd their strife And these are acted with such exquisite life That one would say Now the Ionian straines Are turn'd Immortalls nor know what Age meanes His minde would take such pleasure from his eye To see them seru'd by all Mortalitie Their men so humane women so well-grac't Their ships so swift their riches so encreast Since thy obseruance Who being all before Thy opposites were all despis'd and poore And to all these this absolute wonder add Whose praise shall render all posterities gladd The Delian Virgines are thy handmaides All And since they seru'd Apollo iointly fall Before Latona and Diana too In sacred seruice and doe therefore know How to make mention of the ancient Trimms Of men and women in their well-made Hymns And soften barbarous Nations with their song's Being able all to speake the seuerall tongu's Of forreine Nations and to imitate Their musiques there with art so fortunate That one would say there euery one did speake And all their tunes in naturall accents breake Their songs so well compos'd are and their Art To answer all soundes is of such Desart But come Latona and thou king of Flames With Phoebe Rectresse of chaste thoughts in Dames Let me salute ye and your Graces call Hereafter to my iust memoriall And you O Delian Virgins doe me grace When any stranger of our earthie Race Whose restlesse life Affliction hath in chace Shall hither come and question you Who is To your chaste eares of choicest faculties In sacred Poesie and with most right Is Author of your absolut'st delight Ye shall your selues doe all the right ye can To answer for our Name The sightlesse man Of stonie Chios All whose Poems shall In all last Ages stand for Capitall This for your owne sakes I desire for I Will propagate mine owne precedencie As far as earth shall well-built cities beare Or humane conuersation is held deare Not with my praise direct but praises due And men shall credit it because t is true How euer I 'le not cease the praise I vow To farre-shot Phoebus with the siluer bow Whom louely-hair'd Latona gaue the light O King Both Lycia is in Rule thy Right Faire Moeonie and the Maritimall Miletus wisht to be the seate of all But chiefely Delos girt with â—illowes round Thy most respected empire doth resound Where thou to Pythus wentst to answer there As soone as thou wert borne the burning eare Of many a far-come to heare future deeds Clad in diuine and odoriferous weeds And with thy Golden Fescue plaidst vpon Thy hollow Harp that sounds to heauen set gone Then to Olympus swift as thought hee flew To Ioues high house and had a retinew Of Gods t' attend him And then strait did fall To studie of the Harp and Harpsicall All th'Immortalls To whom euery Muse With rauishing voices did their answers vse Singing Th' eternall deeds of Deitie And from their hands what Hells of miserie Poore Humanes suffer liuing desperate quite And not an Art they haue wit or deceipt Can make them manage any Act aright Nor finde with all the soule they can engage A salue for Death or remedie for Age. But here the fayre-hayrd graces the wise Howres Harmonia Hebe and sweet Venus powres Danc't and each others Palme to Palme did cling And with these danc't not a deformed thing No forspoke Dwarfe nor downeward witherling But
chynn which must consummate All vows so bound that she would hold her state And be th'Inuincible Maid of Deities Through all her daies dates For Saturnides Gaue her a faire gift in her Nuptialls stedd To sit in midst of his house and be fedd With all the free and richest feast of Heauen In all the Temples of the Gods being giuen The prise of honor Not a mortall Man That either of the powrs Olympian His half-birth hauing may be said to be A mortall of the Gods or else that he Deities wills doings is of Deitie But giues her honor of the amplest kinde Of all these Three can Venus not a Minde Deceiue or set on forces to reflect Of all powrs els yet not a sex nor sect Flies Venus either of the blessed Gods Or Men confin'de in mortall Periods But euen the Minde of Ioue she doth seduce That chides with Thunder so her lawlesse vse In humane Creatures and by lot is giuen Of all most honor both in Earth and Heauen And yet euen his all-wise and mightie Minde She when she lifts can forge affectes to blinde And mixe with mortall Dames his Deitie Conceald at all parts from the ielous eye Of Iuno who was both his sister borne And made his wife whom beautie did adorne Past all the Bâ—â—ie of immortall Dames And whose so chiefely-glorified Flames Crosse-counsailde Saturne got and Rhaea bore And Ioues pure counsailes being Conqueror His wife made of his sister I and more Cast such an amorous fire into her minde As made her like him with the Mortall kinde Meete in vnmeete bedd vsing vtmost haste Lest she should know that he liu'd so vnchaste Before her selfe felt that fault in her heart And gaue her tongue too iust edge of Desert To tax his lightnes With this End beside Lest laughter-studying Venus should deride The Gods more then the Goddesses and say That shee the Gods commixt in amorous play With mortall Dames begetting mortall seede T'Immortall sires and not make Goddesses breede The like with mortall Fathers But t'acquite Both Gods and Goddesses of her despite Ioue tooke euen in her selfe on him her powre And made her with a mortall Paramoure Vse as deform'd a mixture as the rest Kindling a kinde affection in her brest To God-like-limm'd Anchises as he kept On Idas-top-on-top-to-heauens-Pole heapt Amongst the manie fountaines there his Herd For after his braue Person had apper'de To her bright eye her heart flew all on fire And to amaze she burn'd in his desire Flew strait to Cyprus to her odorous Phane And Altars that the people Paphiane Aduanc't to her Where soone as entred shee The shyning gates shut and the Graces three Washt and with Oiles of euerlasting sent Bath'd as became her deathlesse lyneament Then her Ambrosian Mantle she assum'd With rich and odoriferous Ayres perfum'd Which being put on and all her Trimms beside Fayre and with all allurements amplified The All-of-Gold-made-laughter-louing Dame Left odorous Cyprus and for Troy became A swift Contendresse her Passe cutting All Along the cloudes and made her instant fall On fountfull Ida that her Mother-Brests Giues to the Preyfull broode of sauage Beasts And through the Hill she went the readie way T' Anchises Oxstall where did fawne and play About her blessed feet Wolues griflie-gray Terrible Lyons many a Mankind Beare And Lybberds swift insatiate of red Deare Whose sight so pleas'd that euer as she past Through euery Beast a kindely Loue she cast That in their Denns-obscur'd with shadowes deepe Made all distinguisht in kinde Couples sleepe And now she reacht the rich Pauilion Of the Heroe In whom heauens had showne A fayre and goodly Composition And whom she in his Oxstall found alone His Oxen feeding in fat Pastures by He walking vp and downe sounds clere and hye From his harp striking Then before him shee Stood like a Virgine that inuinciblie Had borne her beauties yet alluringly Bearing her person lest his rauisht eye Should chance t' affect him with a stupid feare Anchises seeing her all his senses were With wonder stricken and high-taken-heedâ—s Both of her forme braue stature and rich weedes For for a vaile she shin'd in an Attire That cast a radiance past the Ray of fire Beneath which wore she guirt to her a Gowne Wrought all with growing-rose-budds reaching downe T' her slender small 's which buskinns did diuine Such as taught Thetis siluer Feete to shine Her soft white neck rich Carquenets embrac't Bright and with gold in all variety grac't That to her brests let downe lay there and shone As at her ioyfull full the rising Moone Her sight show'd miracles Anchises Heart Loue tooke into his hand and made him part With these high Salutations Ioy O Queene Whoeuer of the Blest thy beauties beene That light these Entries Or the Deitie That Darts affecteth or that gaue the eye Of Heauen his heat and Luster Or that moues The hearts of all with all-commanding Loues Or generous Themis Or the blew-eyd Maid Or of the Graces any that are laid With all the Gods in comparable skales And whom Fame vp to Immortalitie calles Or any of the Nymphs that vnshorne Groues Or that this fayre Hill-habitation loues Or valleys flowing with earths fattest Goods Or Fountaines pouring forth eternall floods Say which of all thou art that in some place Of circular prospect for thine eyes deare grace I may an Altar build and to thy Powres Make sacred all the yeares deuoted Howres With consecrations sweet and oppulent Assur'd whereof be thy benigne Minde bent To these wisht blessings of me giue me parts Of chiefe attraction in Troian hearts And after giue me the refulgencie Of most renownd and rich Posteritie Long and free life and Heauens sweet light as long The peoples blessings and a health so strong That no disease it let my life engage Till th' vtmost limit of a humane Age. To this Ioues seede this answer gaue againe Anchises happiest of the humane straine I am no Goddesse why a thrall to Death Think'st thou like those that immortality breath A woman brought me forth my Fathers Name Was Otreus If euer his high fame Thine eares haue witnest for he gouernd all The Phrygian State whose euery Towne a wall Impregnable embrac't Your tongue you heare I speake so well that in my naturall spheare As I pretend It must haue taken prime A woman likewise of the Troian clime Tooke of me in her house the Nurses care From my deare Mothers Bosome and thus are My words of equall accent with your owne How here I come to make the reason knowne Argicides that beares the Golden Rod Transferd me forciblie from my Abod Made with the Maiden Traine of her that ioies In Golden shafts and loues so well the noise Of Hounds Hunters Heauens pure-liuing powre Where many a Nymph and maid of mighty Dowre Chast sports emploid All circkl'd with a Crowne Of infinite Multitude to see so showne Our maiden Pastimes Yet from all the Fayre Of
string extend With an exploratorie spirit assaid To all the parts that could on it be plaid It sounded dreadfully to which he sung As if from thence the first and true force sprâ—ng That fashions Virtue God in him did sing His play was likewise an vnspeakable thing Yet but as an extemporall Assay Of what showe it would make being the first way It tryed his hand or a tumultuous noise Such as at feasts the first-flowr'd spirits of Boies Poure out in mutuall contumelies still As little squaring with his curious will Or was as wanton and vntaught a Store Of Ioue and Maia that rich shoes still wore He sung who sufferd ill reports before And foule staines vnder her faire titles bore But Hermes sung her Nation and her Name Did itterate euer All her high-flowne fame Of being Ioues Mistresse celebrating all Her traine of seruants and collaterall Sumpture of Houses all her Tripods there And Caldrons huge encreasing euery yeare All which she knew yet felt her knowledge flung With her fames losse which found she more wisht sung But now he in his sacred cradle laid His Lute so absolute and strait conuaid Himselfe vp to a watch-towre forth his house Rich and diuinely Odoriferous A loftie wile at worke in his conceipt Thirsting the practise of his Empires height And where Impostors rule since sable Night Must serue their deeds he did his deeds their right For now the neuer-resting Sunne was turn'd For th'vnder earth and in the Ocean burn'd His Coch and Coursers When th'ingenious spie Pieria's shadie hill had in his eye Where the immortall Oxen of the Gods In ayres flood solac't their select Abods And earths sweet greene floure that was neuer shorne Fed euer downe And these the wittie-borne Argicides set serious spie vpon Seuering from all the rest and setting gone Full fiftie of the violent Bellowers Which driuing through the sands he did reuerse His births-craft trait remembring all their houes And them transpos'd in opposite remoues The fore behinde set The behinde before T' employ the eyes of such as should explore And he himselfe as slye-pac't cast away His sandalls on the sea-sands Past display And vnexcogitable thoughts in Act Putting to shunn of his stolne steps the Tract Mixing both Tamrisk and like-Tamrisk sprayes In a most rare confusion to raise His footsteps vp from earth Of which sprayes he His armefull gathering fresh from off the Tree Made for his sandalls Tyes both leaues and tyes Holding together and then fear'd no eyes That could affect his feets discoueries The Tamrisk boughs he gather'd making way Backe from Pieria but as to conuaie Prouision in them for his iourney fit It being long and therefore needing it An ould man now at labour nere the field Of greene Onchestus knew the verdant yield Of his fayre armefull whom th'ingenious Sonne Of Maia therefore salutation Did thus beginn to Ho ould man That now Art crooked growne with making Plants to grow Thy nerues will farr be spent when these boughs shall To these their leaues confer me fruit and All. But see not thou what euer thou dost see Nor heare though heare But all as touching me Conceale since nought it can endamage thee This and no more he said and on draue still His brode-browd Oxen. Many a shadie Hill And many an echoing valley many a field Pleasant and wishfull did his passage yield Their safe Transcension But now the diuine And black-browd Night his Mistresse did decline Exceeding swiftly Daies most earely light Fast hasting to her first point to excite Wordlings to worke and in her Watch-towre shone King Pallas-Megamedes seed the Moone When through th' Alphaean flood Ioues powerfull Sonne Phoebus-Apollo's ample-foreheaded Herd Whose necks the laboring yoke had neuer spher'd Draue swiftly on and then into a stall Hillie yet past to through an humble vale And hollow Dells in a most louely Meade He gatherd all and them diuinely fedd With Odorous Cypresse and the rauishing Tree That makes his Eaters lose the memorie Of name and countrie Then he brought withall Much wood whose sight into his serch let fall The Art of making fire Which thus he tried He tooke a branch of Lawrell amplified Past others both in beautie and in sise Yet lay next hand rubb'd it and strait did rise A warme fume from it Steele being that did raise As Agent the attenuated Baies To that hot vapor So that Hermes found Both fire first and of it the seede close bound In other substances and then the seed He multiplied of sere-wood making feed The apt heat of it in a pile Combin'de Laid in a lowe Pit that inflames strait shin'de And cast a sparkling crack vp to the Skye All the drie parts so feruent were and hye In their combustion And how long the force Of glorious Vulcan kept the fire in course So long was he in dragging from their stall Two of the crook-hancht Herd that ror'd withall And rag'd for feare t'approch the sacred fire To which did all his dreadfull powrs aspire When blustring forth their breath He on the soile Cast both at length though with a world of toile For long he was in getting them to ground After their through-thrust and most mortall wound But worke to worke he ioin'd the flesh and cut Couerd with fat and on treene broches put In peeces rosted But in th'Intestines The black blood and the honorarie chines Together with the carcases lay there Cast on the cold earth as no Deities chere The Hydes vpon a rugged rock he spred And thus were these now all in peeces shred And vndistinguisht from Earths common herd Though borne for long date and to heauen endeard And now must euer liue in dead euent But Hermes hâ—rehence hauing his content Car'd for no more but drew to places euen The fat-works that of force must haue for heauen Their capitall ends though stolne and therefore were In twelue parts cut for twelue choice Deities chere By this deuotion To all which he gaue Their seuerall honors and did wish to haue His equall part thereof as free and well As th' other Deities but the fattie smell Afflicted him though he immortall were Play'ng mortall parts and being like mortalls here Yet his proud minde nothing the more obayde For being a God himselfe and his owne aide Hauing to cause his due And though in heart Hee highly wisht it but the weaker part Subdu'd the stronger and went on in ill Euen heauenly Powre had rather haue his Will Then haue his Right and will 's the worst of All When but in least sort it is criminall One Taint being Author of a Number still And thus resolu'd to leaue his hallow'd Hill First both the fat parts and the fleshie All Taking away at the steepe-entryed stall He laid all All the feet and heads entire And all the sere-wood making cleare with fire And now he leauing there then all things done And finisht in their fit perfection The Coles put out and their black Ashes
the CROWNE of all HOMERS WORKES Batrachomyomachia Or the Battaile of Frogs and Mise His Hymn's and Epigrams Translated according to ye. Originall By George Chapman London Printed by Iohn Bill his MAIESTIES Printer TO MY EVER MOST-WORTHIE-TO-BE-MOST HONOR'D LORD THE EARLE OF SOMERSET c. NOt forc't by fortune but since your free minde Made by affliction rests in choice resign'd To calme Retreate laid quite beneath the winde Of Grace and Glory I well know my Lord You would not be entitl'd to a word That might a thought remoue from your Repose To thunder and spit Flames as Greatnesse does For all the Trumps that still tell where he goes Of which Trumps Dedication being One Me thinks I see you start to heare it blowne But this is no such Trump as summons Lords Gainst Enuies steele to draw their leaden swords Or gainst Hare-lipt Detraction Contempt All which from all Resistance stand exempt It being as hard to seuer Wrong from Merit As meate-indude from blood or blood from spirit Nor in the spirits Chariot rides the soule In bodies chaste with more diuine controule Nor virtue shines more in a louely Face Then true desert is stuck off with Disgrace And therefore truth it selfe that had to blesse The merit of it all Almightinesse Would not protect it from the Bane and Ban Of all Moodes most distraught and Stygian As counting it the Crowne of all Desert Borne to Heauen to take of Earth no part Of false Ioy here for Ioyes-there-endlesse troth Nor sell his Birthright for a messe of Broth. But stay and still sustaine and his Blisse bring Like to the hatching of the Black-thornes spring With bitter frosts and smarting haile-stormes forth Fates loue Bees labors onely Paine crownes Worth This Dedication calls no Greatnes then To patrone this Greatnes-creating Penn Nor you to add to your dead calme a breath For those arm'd Angells that in spight of death Inspir'd those flowrs that wrought this poets wreath Shall keepe it euer Poesies steepest Starr As in Earths flaming wals Heauens seuenfold Carr From all the windes of Neptunes watrie sphere For euer guards the Erymanthian Beare Since then your Lordship settles in your shade A life retir'd and no Retreate is made But to some strength for else t is no Retreate But rudely running from your Battailes heate I giue this as your strength your strength my Lord In Counsailes and Examples that afford More Guard then whole Hosts of corporeal powre And more deliuerance teach the fatall Howre Turne not your medcine then to your disease By your too set and sleight repulse of these The Adiuncts of your matchlesse Odyssâ—s Since on that wisest minde of Man relies Refuge from all Liues Infelicities Nor sing these such diuision from them But that these spinn the thred of the same streame From one selfe Distaffs stuff for Poesies Pen Through al theames is t' informe the liues of Men All whose Retreates neede strengths of all degrees Without which had you euen Herculean knees Your foes fresh Charges would at length preuaile To leaue your Noblest suff'rance no least saile Strength then the Obiect is of all Retreates Strength needes no friends trust strength your foes defeates Retire to strength then of eternall things And y' are eternall for our knowing Spring 's Flow into those things that we truely know Which being Eternall we are render'd so And though your high-fixt Light passe infinite farr Th'aduicefull Guide of my still-trembling Starr Yet heare what my dischardg'd Peece must foretell Standing your Poore and Perdue Sentinell Kings may perhaps wish euen your Beggars Voice To their Eternities how skorn'd a choice Soeuer now it lies And dead I may Extend your life to lights extreamest Raie If not your Homer yet past doubt shall make Immortall like himselfe your Bounties stake Put in my hands to propagate your Fame Such virtue reigns in such vnited Name Retire to him then for aduice and skill To know things call'd worst Best and Best most ill Which knowne truths best chuse and retire to still And as our English Generall whose Name Shall equall interest finde in T'House of Fame With all Earths great'st Commanders in Retreate To Belgian Gant stood all Spaines Armies heate By Parma led though but one thousand strong Three miles together thrusting through the throng Of Th'Enimies Horse still pouring on their Fall Twixt him home thunderd through them al The Gallick Monsiour standing on the wall And wondring at his dreadfull Discipline Fir'd with a Valor that spit spirit Diuine In fiue Battaillons randging all his Men Bristl'd with Pikes and flanck't with Flanckers ten Gaue fire still in his Rere retir'd and wrought Downe to his fixt strength still retir'd and â—ought All the Battaillons of the Enemies Horse Storming vpon him still their fieriest Force Charge vpon Charge laid fresh he fresh as day Repulsing all and forcing glorious way Into the Gates that gaspt as swounes for Ayre And tooke their life in with vntoucht Repaire So fight out sweet Earle your Retreate in Peace No ope-warr equalls that where priuie Prease Of neuer-numberd odds of Enimie Arm'd all by Enuie in blinde Ambush lie To rush out like an open threatning skie Broke al in Meteors round about your eares Gainst which though far froÌ„ heÌ„ce through al your Reres Haue fires prepar'd wisdome with wisdome flanck And all your forces randge in present ranck Retiring as you now fought in your strength From all the Force laid in times vtmost length To charge and basely come on you behind The Doctrine of all which you here shall finde And in the true Glasse of a humane Minde Your Odysses the Body letting see All his life past through Infelicitie And manage of it all In which to friend The full Muse brings you both the prime and end Of all Arts ambient in the Orbe of Man Which neuer darknesse most Cimmerian Can giue Eclipse since blinde He all things sawe And to all euer since liu'd Lord and Lawe And though our mere-learn'd meÌ„ Modern wise Taste not poore Poesies Ingenuities Being crusted with their couetous Leprosies But hold her paines worse then the spiders worke And lighter then the shadowe of a Corke Yet th' ancient learn'd heat with celestiall fire Affirmes her flames so sacred and entire That not without Gods greatest grace she can Fall in the wid'st Capacitie of Man If yet the vile Soule of this Verminous time Loue more the Sale-Muse and the Squirrels chime Then this full sphere of Poesies sweetest Prime Giue them vnenuied their vaine veine and vent And rest your wings in his approu'd ascent That yet was neuer reacht nor euer fell Into affections bought with things that sell Being the Sunns Flowre and wrapt so in his skie He cannot yeeld to euery Candles eye Whosemost worthy Discoueries to your Lordships Iudiciall Perspectiue in most subdude Humilitie submitteth George Chapman The occasion of this Impos'd CROWNE AFter this not onely Prince of Poets but
Philosophers had written his two great Poems of Iliads Odysses which for their first Lights borne before all Learning were worthily call'd the Sunne and Moone of the Earth finding no compensation he writ in contempt of Men this ridiculous Poem of Vermin giuing them Nobility of Birth valorous elocution not inferior to his Heroes At which the Gods themselues put in amaze call'd Counsailes about their assistance of either Armie and the iustice of their Quarrels euen to the mounting of â—oues Artillery against them and discharge of his three-forckt flashes and all for the deuouring of a Mouse After which sleight and onely recreatiue touch hee betooke him seriously to the honor of the Gods in Hymn's resounding all their peculiar Titles Iurisdiction and Dignities which hee illustrates at all parts as he had beene continually conuersant amongst them and whatsoeuer autentique Poeâ—ie he omitted in the Episods contained in his Iliads and Odysses he comprehends and concludes in his Hym'ns and Epigrams Al his obseruance and honor of the Gods rather mou'd their enuies against him then their rewards or respects of his endeauours And so like a Man verecundi ingenij which he witnesseth of himselfe he liu'd vnhonord and needie till his death yet notwithstanding all mens seruile and manacled Miseries to his most absolute and neuer-equall'd Merite yea euen bursten profusion to Imposture and Impiety â—eare our-euer-the Same intranced and neuer-sleeping Master of the Muses to his last accent incomparablie singing BATRAXOMYOMAXIA ENtring the fields first let my Vowes call on The Muses whole Quire out of Helicon Into my Heart for such a Poems sake As lately I did in my Tables take And put into report vpon my knees A fight so fierce as might in all degrees Fit Mars himselfe and his tumultuous hand Glorying to dart to th' eares of euery land Of all the voice-deuided And to show How brauely did both Froggs and Mise bestow In glorious fight their forces euen the deedes Daring to imitate of earths Giant-seedes Thus then men talkt this seede the strife begat The Mouse once drie and scap't the dangerous Cat Drench't in the neighbour lake her tender berde To taste the sweetnesse of the waue it rer'de The farre-fam'de Fen-affecter seeing him said Ho Stranger what are you And whence that tred This shore of ours who brought you forth replie What truth may witnesse lest I finde you lie If worth fruition of my loue and me I le haue thee home and Hospitalitie Of feast and gift good and magnificent Bestow on thee For all this Confluent Resounds my Royaltie my Name the great In blowne-vp count'nances and lookes of threat Physignathus ador'd of all Frogs here All their daies durance And the Empire beare Of all their Beings Mine owne Beeing begot By royall Peleus mixt in nuptiall knot With faire Hydromedusa On the Bounds Nere which Eridanus his Race resounds And Thee mine Eie makes my Conceipt enclinde To reckon powerfull both in forme and Minde A Scepter-bearer And past others farre Aduanc't in all the fiery Fights of warre Come then Thy race to my renowne commend The Mouse made answer why enquires my friend For what so well know men and Deities And all the wing'd affecters of the skies Psycharpax I am calld Troxartes seede Surnam'de the Mighty-Minded She that free'd Mine eies from darknesse was Lichomyle King Pternotroctes Daughter shewing me Within an aged houell the young light Fed me with figges and nuts and all the height Of varied viands But vnfolde the cause Why 'gainst similitudes most equall lawes Obseru'd in friendship thou makst me thy friend Thy life the waters only helpe t' extend Mine whatsoeuer men are vs'd to eat Takes part with them at shore their purest cheat Thrice boulted kneaded and subdu'd in past In cleane round kymnels cannot be so fast From my approches kept but in I eat Nor Cheesecakes full of finest Indian wheat That Crustie-weedes weare large as Ladies traines Lyurings white-skind as Ladies nor the straines Of prest milke renneted Nor collups cut Fresh from the flitch Nor iunkets such as put Palats diuine in Appetite nor any Of all mens delicates thought ne're so many Their Cookes deuise them who each dish see deckt With all the dainties all strange soiles affect Yet am I not so sensuall to flie Of fields embattaild the most fiery crie But rush out strait and with the first in sight Mixe in aduenture No man with affright Can daunt my forces though his bodie bee Of neuer so immense a quantitie But making vp euen to his bed accesse His fingers ends dare with my teeth compresse His feet taint likewise and so soft sease both They shall not tast Th' Impression of a tooth Sweet sleepe shall holde his owne in euery eie Where my tooth takes his tartest libertie But two there are that alwaies far and neare Extremely still controule my force with feare The Cat and Night-Hawke who much skathe confer On all the Outraies where for food I erre Together with the streights-still-keeping Trap Where lurkes deceiptfull and set-spleend Mishap But most of all the Cat constraines my feare Being euer apt t' assault me euery where For by that hole that hope saies I shall scape At that hole euer she commits my Rape The best is yet I eat no pot-herb grasse Nor Raddishes nor Coloquintida's Nor Still-greene Beetes nor Parsley which you make Your dainties still that liue vpon the lake The Frog replide Stranger your boasts creepe all Vpon their bellies though to our liues fall Much more miraculous meates by lake and land Ioue tendring our liues with a twofold hand Enabling vs to leape ashore for food And hide vs strait in our retreatfull flood Which if your will serue you may proue with ease I le take you on my shoulders which fast sease If safe arriuall at my house y'intend He stoopt and thither spritelie did ascend Clasping his golden necke that easie seat Gaue to his sallie who was iocund yet Seeing the safe harbors of the King so nere And he a swimmer so exempt from Pere But when he sunke into the purple waue He mournd extremely and did much depraue Vnprofitable penitence His haire Tore by the roots vp labord for the aire With his feet fetcht vp to his belly close His heart within him panted out repose For th' insolent plight in which his state did stand Sigh'd bitterly and long'd to greete the land Forc't by the dire Neede of his freezing feare First on the waters he his taile did stere Like to a Sterne then drew it like an ore Still praying the Gods to set him safe ashore Yet sunke he midst the red waues more and more And laid a throat out to his vtmost height Yet in forc'd speech he made his perill sleight And thus his glorie with his grieuance stroue Not in such choice state was the charge of loue Borne by the Bull when to the Cretane
ouer bone Broade-shoulderd whence a ruddie yellow shone Distorted and small thigh'd had eyes that saw Out at their bosomes Twice foure feet did draw About their bodies Strong neckt whence did rise Two heads nor could to any hand be Prise They call them Lobsters that eat from the Mise Their tailes their feet and hands and wrested all Their lances from them so that cold Appall The wretches put in rout past all returne And now the Fount of light forbore to burne Aboue the earth When which mens lawes commend Our Battaile in one daie tooke absolute end The end of Homers Battaile of Frogges and Mise AL THE HYMNES OF HOMER An Hymne to Apollo I Will remember and expresse the praise Of heauens far-darter the faire King of daies Whom euen the Gods themselues feare when he goes Through Ioues high house and when his goodly bowes He goes to bend all from their Thrones arise And cluster neare t' admire his faculties Onely Latona stirs not from her seate Close by the Thunderer till her sonnes retreat From his dread archerie but then she goes Slackens his string and shuts his Quiuer close And hauing taken to her hand his bowe From off his able shoulders doth bestowe Vpon a Pinne of gold the glorious Tiller The Pinne of gold fixt in his Fathers Piller Then doth she to his Throne his state vphold Where his great Father in a cup of gold Serues him with Nectar and shews all the grace Of his great sonne Then th' other gods take place His gracious mother glorying to beare So great an Archer and a sonne so cleare All haile O blest Latona to bring forth An issue of such All-out-shining worth Royall Apollo and the Queene that loues The hurles of darts She in th' Ortygian groues And he in cliffie Delos leaning on The loftie Oros and being built vpon By Cynthus Prominent that his head reares Close to the Palme that Inops fluent cheares How shall I praise thee farre being worthiest praise O Phoebus to whose worth the law of layes In all kindes is ascrib'de If feeding flocks By Continent or I le all eminen'st rocks Did sing for ioy Hill-tops and floods in song Did breake their billows as they flow'd along To serue the sea The shores the seas and all Did sing as soone as from the lap did fall Of blest Latona thee the ioy of Man Her Child-bed made the mountaine Cynthian In rockie Delos the sea-circled Ile On whose all sides the black seas brake their Pile And ouer-flowd for ioy so franck a Gale The singing winds did on their waues exhale Here borne all mortalls liue in thy commands Who euer Crete holds Athens or the strands Of th'Ile Aegina or the famous land For ships Euboea or Eresia Or Peparethus bordring on the sea Aegas or Athos that doth Thrace diuide And Macedon Or Pelion with the pride Of his high forehead Or the Samian Ile That likewise lies neare Thrace or Scyrus soile Ida's steepe tops Or all that Phocis fill Or Autocanes with the heauen-high hill Or populous Imber Lemnos without Ports Or Lesbos fit for the diuine resorts And sacred soile of blest Aeolion Or Chius that exceeds comparison For fruitfulnes with all the Iles that lie Embrac't with seas Mimas with rocks so hie Or Loftie-crownd Corycius or the bright Charos or Aesagaeus dazeling height Or waterie Samos Mycale that beares Her browes euen with the circles of the spheares Miletus Cous That the Citie is Of voice-diuided-choice humanities High Cnidus Carpathus still strooke with winde Naxus and Paros and the rockie-mind Rugged Rhenaea Yet through all these parts Latona great-growne with the King of dares Trauailde and tried If any would become To her deare birth an hospitable home All which extremely trembled shooke with feare Nor durst endure so high a birth to beare In their free States though for it they became Neuer so fruitfull till the reuerend Dame Ascended Delos and her soile did sease With these wing'd words O Delos would'st thou please To be my sonne Apolloes natiue seat And build a welthie Phane to one so great No one shall blame or question thy kinde deede Nor thinke I thou dost Sheepe or Oxen feede In any such store Or in vines exceede Nor bring'st forth such innumerable Plants Which often make the rich Inhabitants Careles of Deitie If thou then should'st rere A Phane to Phoebus all men would confer Whole Hecatombs of beeues for sacrifice Still thronging hither And to thee would rise Euer vnmeasur'd Odors should'st thou long Nourish thy King thus and from forreigne wrong The Gods would guard thee which thine owne addresse Can neuer compasse for thy barrennesse She said and Delos ioi'd replying thus Most happie sister of Saturnius I gladly would with all meanes entertein The King your sonne being now despis'de of men But should be honord with the greatest then Yet this I feare Nor will conceale from theee Your Sonne some say will author miserie In many kindes as being to sustein A mightie empire ouer Gods and Men Vpon the holie-gift-giuer the earth And bitterly I feare that when his birth Giues him the sight of my so barren soile He will contemne and giue me vp to spoile Enforce the sea to me that euer will Oppresse my heart with many a watrie hill And therefore let him chuse some other land Where he shall please to build at his command Temple and Groue set thick with many a Tree For wretched Polypusses breed in me Retyring chambers and black sea-calues Den In my poore soile for penurie of Men. And yet O Goddesse would'st thou please to sweare The Gods great oath to me before thou beare Thy blessed Sonne here that thou wilt erect A Phane to him to render the effect Of mens demands to them before they fall Then will thy sonnes renowne be generall Men will his name in such varietie call And I shall then be glad his birth to beare This said the Gods great oath she thus did swere Know this O earth broad heauens inferior sphere And of blacke Styx the most infernall lake Which is the grauest oath the Gods can take That here shall euer rise to Phoebus Name An odorous Phane and Altar and thy fame Honor past all Iles else shall see him emploid Her oath thus tooke and ended Delos ioi'd In mightie measure that she should become To farr-shot Phoebus birth the famous home Latona then nine daies and nights did fall In hopeles labor at whose birth were all Heauens most supreame and worthie Goddesses Dione Rhaea and th'Exploratresse Themis and Amphitrite that will be Pursu'd with sighs still Euery Deitie Except the snowie-wristed wife of Ioue Who held her moodes aloft and would not moue Onely Lucina to whose virtue vowes Each Child-birth patient heard not of her throwes But sat by Iuno's counsaile on the browes Of broad Olympus wrapt in clouds of gold Whom Ioues proud wife in enuie did with-hold Because bright-lockt Latona was to beare A Sonne so faultles and inforce
all with wondrous goodly formes were deckt And mou'd with Beauties of vnpris'd aspect Dart-deare Diana euen with Phoebus bred Danc't likewise there and Mars a march did tred With that braue Beuie In whose consort fell Argicides th'ingenious Sentinell Phoebus-Apollo toucht his Lute to them Sweetely and softly a most glorious beame Casting about him as he danc't and plaid And euen his feet were all with raies araide His weede and all of a most curious Trymm With no lesse Luster grac't and circled him By these Latona with a hayre that shin'd Like burnisht gold and with the Mightie Minde Heauens Counsailor Ioue sat with delightsome eyes To see their Sonne new rankt with Deities How shall I praise thee then that art all praise Amongst the Brides shall I thy Deitie raise Or being in loue when sad thou wentst to wowe The Virgin Aza and didst ouerthrowe The euen-with-Gods Elations Mightie seed That had of goodly horse so braue a breed And Phorbas sonne of soueraigne Triopus Valiant Leucippus and Ereutheus And Triopus himselfe with equall fall Thou but on foot and they on horsebacke all Or shall I sing thee as thou first didst grace Earth with thy foot to finde thee forth a place Fit to pronounce thy Oracles to Men First from Olympus thou alightedst then Into Pieria Passing all the land Of fruitles Lesbos chok'â— with drifts of sand The Magnets likewise and the Perrhabes And to Iolous variedst thy accesse Cenaeus Topps ascending that their Base Make bright Euboea being of ships the Grace And fixt thy faire stand in Lelantus field That did not yet thy mindes contentment yeeld To raise a Phane on and a sacred Groue Passing Eurypus then thou maâ—'st remoue Vp to earths euer-greene and holyest Hill Yet swiftly thence too thou transcendedst still To Mycalessus and did'st touch vpon Teucmessus apt to make greene 〈◊〉 on And flowrie field-bedds Then thy Progresse found Thebes out whose soile with onely woods was crown'd For yet was sacred Thebes no humane seate And therefore were no Paths nor high waies beat On her free bosome that flowes now with wheat But then she onely wore on it a wood From hence euen loth to part because it stood Fit for thy seruice thou put'st on Remoue To greene Onchestus Neptunes glorious Groue Where new-tam'd horse bredd nourish nerues so rare That still they frolick though they trauaild are Neuer so sore and hurrie after them Most heauie Coches but are so extream In vsuall-trauaile fierie-and-free That though their cochman ne're so masterlie Gouernes their courages he sometimes must Forsake his seat and giue their spirits their lust When after them their emptie coach they drawe Foming and Neighing quite exempt from awe And if their Cocheman guide through any Groue Vnshorne and vow'd to any Deities Loue The Lords encocht leap out and all their care Vse to allaie their fires with speaking faire Stroking and trimming them and in some queach Or strength of shade within their nearest reach Reigning them vp inuoke the deified King Of that vnshorne and euerlasting spring And leaue them then to her preseruing hands Who is the Fate that there the God commands And this was first the sacred fashion there From hence thou wentst O thou in shafts past Pere And found'st Cephyssus with thy all-seeing beames Whose flood affects so many siluer streames And from Lylaeus poures so bright a waue Yet forth thy foot flew and thy faire eyes gaue The view of Ocale the rich in towrs Then to Amartus that abounds in flowrs Then to Delphusa putt'st thy progresse on Whose blessed soile nought harme fall breeds vpon And there thy pleasure would a Phane adorne And nourish woods whose shades should ne're be shorne Where this thou told'st her standing to her close Delphusa here I entertaine suppose To build a farr-fam'd Temple and ordein An Oracle t' informe the mindes of Men Who shall for euer offer to my loue Whole Hecatombs Euen all the men that moue In rich Peloponesus and all those Of Europe and the Iles the seas enclose Whom future search of Acts and Beings brings To whom I 'le prophecie the truths of things In that rich Temple where my Oracle sings This said The all-bounds-reacher with his bowe The Phanes diuine foundations did foreshowe Ample they were and did huge length impart With a continuate Tenour full of Art But when Delphusa look't into his end Her heart grew angrie and did thus extend It selfe to Phoebus Phoebus since thy minde A farr-fam'd Phane hath in it selfe design'd To beare an Oracle to men in me That Hecatombs may put in fire to thee This let me tell thee and impose for staie Vpon thy purpose Th'Inarticulate neye Of fire-hou'd horse will euer disobaie Thy numerous eare and mules will for their drinke Trouble my sacred springs and I should thinke That any of the humane Race had rather See here the burreys of rich Coches gather And heare the haughtie Neys of swift-hou'd horse Than in his pleasures place conuert recourse T' a Mightie Temple and his wealth bestow On Pieties where his sports may freely flow Or see huge wealth that he shall neuer owe. And therefore wouldst thou beare my free aduise Though Mightier farre thou art and much more wise O King than I thy powre being great'st of all In Crissa vnderneath the bosomes fall Of steepe Paranassus let thy minde be giuen To set thee vp a Phane where neuer driuen Shall glorious Coches be nor horses Neys Storme neare thy well-built Altars but thy praise Let the faire race of pious Humanes bring Into thy Phane that Io-Paeans sing And those gifts onely let thy Deified minde Be circularlie pleas'd with being the kinde And fayre-burnt-offrings that true Deities binde With this His minde she altered though she spake Not for his good but her owne glories sake From hence O Phoebus first thou mad'st retreat And of the Phlegians reacht the walled seat Inhabited with contumelious Men Whoe sleighting Ioue tooke vp their dwellings then Within a large Caue neare Cephyssus Lake Hence swiftly mouing thou all speed didst make Vp to the tops intended and the ground Of Crissa vnder the-with-snowe-still croun'd Parnassus reacht whose face affects the west Aboue which hangs a rock that still seemes prest To fall vpon it through whose brest doth runn A rockie Caue neare which the King the Sunn Cast to contriue a Temple to his minde And said Now heere stands my conceipt inclin'd To build a famous Phane where still shall be An Oracle to Men that still to me Shall offer absolute Hecatombs as well Those that in rich Peloponessus dwell As those of Europe and the Iles that lie Walld with the sea That all their paines applie T' employ my counsailes To all which will I True secrets tell by way of Prophesie In my rich Temple that shall euer be An Oracle to all Posteritie This said the Phanes forme he did strait present Ample and of a length of great extent In which Trophonius and
Into her Lap another that the praise Of an Immortall fashion had in Fame And of your Nation bore the Noble Name His Title Tython who not pleas'd with her As she his louely Person did transfer To satisfie him she bad aske of Ioue The Gift of an Immortall for her Loue. Ioue gaue and bound it with his bowed Brow Performing to the vtmost point his vow Foole that she was that would her loue engage And not as long aske from the Bane of Age The sweet exemption and Youths endlesse flowre Of which as long as both the grace and powre His person entertainde she lou'd the Man And at the fluents of the Ocean Nere Earths extreame bounds dwelt with him but when According to the course of aged Men On his faire head and honorable Beard His first gray hayres to her light eyes apperd She left his bed yet gaue him still for food The Gods Ambrosia and attire as good Till euen the hate of Age came on so fast That not a lyneament of his was grac't With powre of Motion nor did still sustaine Much lesse the Vigor had t' aduance a vaine The virtue lost in each exhausted limâ— That at his wish before would answer him All Powrs so quite decaid that when he spake His voice no perceptible accent brake Her counsaile then thought best to striue no more But lay him in his bed and lock his Dore. Such an Immortall would not I wish thee T' extend all daies so to Eternitie But if as now thou couldst performe thy course In Grace of Forme and all corporeall force To an eternall Date Thou then should'st beare My Husbands worthie Name and not a Teare Should I neede raine for thy deserts declinde From my All clouded bitternesse of minde But now the sterne storme of relentlesse Age Will quickly circkle thee that waites â—'engage All Men alike euen Lothsomnesse and Bane Attending with it euery humane â—ane Which euen the Gods bate Such a Penance lies Impos'd on flesh and bloods infirmities Which I my selfe must taste in great degree And date as endlesse for consorting thee All the Immortalls with my opprobrie Are full by this time on their Hearts so lie Euen to the sting of Feare my cunnings vs'd And wiuing conuersations infus'd Into the bosomes of the best of them With women that the fraile and mortall stream Doth daily rauish All this long since done Which now no more but with effusion Of teares I must in Heauen so much as name I haue so forfaited in this my Fame And am impos'd paine of so great a kinde For so much erring from a Goddesse Minde For I haue put beneath my Gyrdle here A Sonne whose sire the humane mortall sphere Giues Circumscription But when first the light His eyes shall comfort Nymphs that hant the height Of Hills and Brests haue of most deepe receit Shall be his Nurses who inhabit now A Hill of so vast and diuine a Brow As Man nor God can come at their Retreates Who liue long liues and eat immortall Meates And with Immortalls in the exercise Of comely Dances dare contend and rise Into high Question which deserues the Prise The light Sileni mix in loue with These And of all Spies the Prince Argicides In well-trymmd Caues their secret meetings made And with the liues of these doth life inuade Or odorous firre Trees or high-forheaded Okes Together taking their begetting strokes And haue tbeir liues and deaths of equall Dates Trees bearing louely and Delightsome states Whom Earth first feedes that Men initiates On her high Hills she doth their states sustaine And they their owne heights raise as high againe Their Growghts together made Nymphs call their Groues Vowd to th'Immortalls seruices and loues Which mens steeles therefore touch not but let grow But when wise Fates times for their fadings know The faire Trees still before the faire Nymphs die The Bark about them growne corrupt and drie And all their boughs falne yeeld to Earth her right And then the Nymphs liues leaue the louely Light And these Nymphs in their Caues shall nurse my Son Whom when in him Youths first grace is begun The Nymphs his Nurses shall present to thee And shew thee what a Birth thou hast by Me. And sure as now I tell thee all these things When earth hath cloth'd her plants in fiue faire springs My selfe will make returne to this Retreate And bring that Flowre of thy enamour'd heate Whom when thou then seest Ioy shall fire thine eyes He shall so well Present the Deities And then into thine owne care take thy Sonne From his calme seat to windie Ilion Where if strickt question be vpon thee past Asking what Mother bore beneath her wast So deare a Sonne answer as I afford Fit admonition nor forget a word They say a Nymph call'd Calucopides That is with others an inhabitresse On this thy wood-crownd Hill acknowledges That she his life gaue But if thou declare The Secrets truth and art so mad to dare In glory of thy fortunes te approue That rich-crownd Venus mixt with thee in loue Ioue fir'd with my aspersion so dispred Will with a wreakefull lightning dart thee dead All now is told thee comprehend it All. Be Master of thy selfe and doe not call My Name in question but with reuerence vow To Deities angers all the awe ye owe. This said shee reacht Heauen where ayres euer flowe And so O Goddesse euer honord be In thy so Odorous Cyprian Emperie My Muse affecting first thy Fame to raise Shall make Transcension now to others Praise The end of the first Hymne to Venus To the same THe Reuerend Rich-crownd and Faire Queene I sing Venus that owes in Fate the fortressing Of all Maritimall Cyprus Where the force Of gentle-breathing Zephire sterde her Course Along the waues of the resounding Sea While yet vnborne in that soft fome she laie That brought her forth whom those faire Howrs that beare The Golden-bridles ioyfully stood nere Tooke vp into their armes and put on her Weed's of a neuer-corruptible weare On her immortall head a Crowne they plac't Elaborate and with all the beauties grac't That Gold could giue it Of a weight so great That to impose aud take off it had set Three Handles on it made for endlesse hold Of shyning Brasse and all adorn'd with Gold Her soft neck all with Carquenets was grac't That stoop't and both her siluer brests embrac't Which euen the Howrs themselues weare in resort To Deities Dances and her Fathers Court. Grac't at all parts they brought to Heauen her graces Whos 's first sight seene all fell into embraces Hugg'd her white bands saluted wishing all To weare her Maiden Flowre in festiuall Of sacred Hymen and to leade her home All to all admiration ouercome With Cytheraea with the violet Crowne So to the black-Browd-sweet-spoke All Renowne Prepare my Song and giue me in the end The victory to whose Palme all contend So shall my Muse for euer honour thee And for
Hymens honord State And brought him such a peece of Progenie As showd at first sight monstrous to the eye Gote-footed Two-horn'd full of noise euen Then And opposite quite to other children Told in sweete laughter he ought death no Teare Yet strait his Mother start and fled in feare The sight of so vnsatisfying a Thing In whose face put forth such a bristled spring Yet the most vsefull Mercurie embrac't And tooke into his armes his homely-fac't Beyond all measure ioyfull with his sight And vp to heauen with him made instant flight Wrapt in the warme skinne of a Mountaine Hare Set him by Ioue and made most merrie fare To all the Deities else with his Sonnes sight Which most of all fill'd Bacchus with delight And Pan they call'd him since he brought to All Of Mirth so rare and full a Festiuall And thus all honor to the shepherds King For Sacrifice to Thee my Muse shall sing To Vulcan PRaise Vulcane now Muse whom Fame giues the Prise For Depth Facture of al Fordge deuise Who with the skie-eyd Pallas first did giue Men rules of buildings that before did liue In Caues and Denns and Hills like sauage Beasts But now by Art-fam'd Vulcans Interests In all their ciuill Industries waies cleare Through th'All-things-bringing-to-their-Ends the yeare They worke out to their Ages ends at ease Lodg'd in safe Roofes from Winters vtmost prease But Vulcan stand propitious to Me Virtue safe granting and Felicitie To Phoebus O Phoebus Euen the Swann from forth her wings Iumping her proyning-banck thee sweetly sings By bright Peneus whirle-pit-making-streames Thee that thy Lute mak'st sound so to thy Beames Thee first and last the sweete-voic't singer still Sings for thy songs-all-songs-transcending skill Thy Pleasure then shall my song still supply And so salutes thee King of Poâ—sie To Neptune NEptune the mighty Marine God I sing Earths mouer the fruitles Oceans king That Helicon and th' Aegan Deepes dost hold O thou Earth-shaker Thy Command two-fold The Gods haue sorted making thee of Horses The awfull Tamer and of Nauall Forces The sure Preseruer Haile O Saturns Birth Whose gracefull greene bayre circkles all the Earth Beare a benigne minde and thy helpfull hand Lend All submitted to thy drad Command To Ioue IOue now I sing the greatest the best Of al these Powrs that are with Deitie blest That farr-off doth his dreadfull Voice diffuse And being King of All doth all conduce To all their Ends. Who shut from all-Gods else With Themis that the lawes of all things tells Their fit Composures to their Times doth call Wedds them together and preserues This All. geuen Grace then O farr-heard Ioue the grace t' hast Most glorious most great of Earth Heauen To Vesta VEsta that as a seruant Ouersees King Phoebus hallowd house in all degrees Of Guide about it on the sacred shore Of heauenly Pythos and hast euermore Rich balms distilling from thy Odorous hayre Grace this House with thy huswifely repaire Enter and bring a Minde that most may moue Conferring euen the great in counsailes Ioue And let my verse taste of your eithers loue TO THE MVSES AND APOLLO THe Muses Ioue and Phoebus now I sing For from the farr-off-shooting Phoebus spring All Poets and Musitions and from Ioue Th'Ascents of Kings The Man the Muses loue Felicitie blesses Elocutions choice In Syrrup lay'ng of sweetest breath his voice Haile Seede of Ioue my song your honors giue And so in Mine shall yours and others liue To Bacchus IVie-Crown'd Bacchus Iterate in thy Praises O Muse whose Voice all loftiest Echoes raises And He with all th' illustrous seede of Ioue Is ioinde in honor being the fruite of Loue To him and Semele-the-great-in-graces And from the King his Fathers kinde embraces By faire-hayrde Nymphs was taken to the Dales Of Nyssa and with curious Festiuals Giuen his faire Grought far from his Fathers view In Caues from whence eternall Odors flew And in high number of the Deities plac't Yet when the many Hymne-giuen God had past His Nurses Cares in Iuies and in Baies All ouer Thicketed his varied waies To syluan Couerts euermore he tooke With all his Nurses whose shrill voices shooke Thickets in which could no footes Entrie fall And he himself made Captaine of them All. And so O Grape-abounding Bacchus be Euer saluted by my Muse and Me. Giue vs to spend with spirit our Howres out here And euery Howre extend to many a Yeare To Diana DIana that the Golden Spyndle moues And loftie soundes as wel as Bacchus loueâ— A bashfull Virgine and of fearefull hearts The Death-affecter with delighted Darts By Sire and Mother Phoebus Sister borne Whose Thigh the Golden Falchion doth adorne I sing who likewise ouer Hills of shade And Promontories that vast windes inuade Amorous of Hunting bends her all-gold Bowe And sigh-begetting Arrows doth bestowe In fates so dreadfull that the Hill-Tops quake And Bristlde woods their leauie foreheads shake Horrors inuade Earth and fishie Seas Impassiond furies nothing can appease The dying Braies of Beasts and her Delight In so much Death affects so with affright Euen all inanimate natures For while shee Her sports applies Their generall Progenie Shee all waies turnes vpon to All their Banes Yet when her fierie Pleasures finde their wanes Her yeelding Bowe vnbent to th'ample House Seated in Delphos rich and Populous Of her deare Brother her Retreats aduance Where Th'Instauration of delightsome Dance Amongst the Muses and the Graces shee Giues forme In which her selfe the Regencie Her vnbent Bowe hung vp and casting on A gracious Robe assumes and first sets gone The Dances Entrie to which all send forth Their heauenly voices and aduance the worth Of her faire-anckl'd Mother since to light Shee Children brought the farr most exquisite In Counsailes and Performances of all The Goddesses that grace the heauenly Hall Haile then Latona's faire-hayrd seede Ioues My song shall euer call to Minde your Loues To Pallas PAllas-Minerua's Deitie the renown'd My Muse in her variety must resound Mightie in counsailes whose Illustrous Eyes In all resemblance represent the skies A reuerend Maid of an inflexible Minde In Spirit and Person strong of Triple kinde Fautresse of Citties that iust Lawes maintaine Of Ioue-the-great-in-counsailes very Braine Tooke Prime existence his vnbounded Brows Could not containe her such impetuous Throw's Her Birth gaue way to that abrode she flew And stood in Gold arm'd in her Fathers view Shaking her sharpe Lance all Olympus shooke So terriblie beneath her that it tooke Vp in amazes all the Deities there All Earth resounded with vociferous Feare The Sea was put vp all in purple Waues And settld sodainly her rudest Raues Hyperions radiant Sonne his swift-hou'd Steedes A mighty Tyme staid till her arming weedes As glorious as the Gods the blew-eyd Maid Tooke from her Deathlesse shoulders but then staid All these distempers and heauens counsailor Ioue Reioic't that all things else his stay could moue So I salute thee still