but doth no better prove For though he did his loved Livia wed She was seduced from her husbands bed Nero is third disdainfull wicked fierce And yet a woman found a way to pierce His angry soul Behold Marcus the grave Wise Emperour is faire Faustina's slave These two are tyrants Dionysius And Alexander both suspicious And yet both loved the last a just reward Found of his causelesse feare I know y' have heard Of him who for Creusa on the rock Antandrus mourn'd so long whose-warlike stroke At once reveng'd his friend and wonne his love And of the youth whom Phedra could not move T' abuse his fathers bed he left the place And by his vertue lost his life for base Unworthy loves to rage doe quickly change It kill'd her too perhaps in just revenge Of wronged Theseus slain Hyppolito And poore forsaken Ariadne so It often proves that they who falsely blame Another in one breath themselves condemne And who have guilty been of treachery Need not complain if they deceived be Behold the brave Heros a captive made With all his fame and twixt these sisters led Who as he joy'd the death of th' one to see His death did ease the others misery The next that followeth though the world admire His strength love bound him Th' other full of ire Is great Achilles he whose pittied fate Was caus'd by love Demophoon did not hate Impatient Phyllis yet procur'd her death This Jason is he whom Medea hath Oblig'd by mischief she to her father prov'd False to her brother cruel t' him she lov'd Grew furious by her merit over-priz'd Hypsiphile comes next mournfull despis'd Wounded to see a strangers love prevail More then her owne a Greek Here is the frail Fair Helena with her the Shepherd boy Whose gazing looks hurt Greece and ruin'd Troy Mongst other weeping souls you heare the moan Enone makes her Paris being gone And Menelaus for the woe he had To lose his wife Hermione is sad And cals her deare Orestes to her aid And Laodamia that haplesse maide Bewails Protesilaus Argia prov'd To Polinice more faithfull then the lov'd But false and covetous Amphiaraos wife The groanes and sighes of those that lose their life By this kind Lord in unrelenting flames You heare I cannot tell you halfe their names For they appeare not onely men that love The gods themselves doe fill this mirtle grove You see faire Venus catch't by Vulcan's Art With angry Mars Proserpina apart From Pluto jealous Juno yellow hair'd Apollo vvho the young god's courage dar'd And of his trophees proud laught at the bovv Which in Thessalia gave him such a blovv What shal I say here in a vvord are all The gods that Varro mentions great and small Each vvith innumerable bonds detain'd And Jupiter before the chariot chain'd The end of the first Chapter ANNOTATIONS UPON THE FIRST CHAPTER COnquerour 87. line Julius Caesar Egyptian Queen 89. line Cleopatra Adoptive Sonne 93. line Augustus A woman 98. line Sabina Pompcia whom she loved with much violence yet killed her in his anger Italian Commentar. Marcus the grave 99. line Marcus Aurelius who so doted on his wife Faustina that though hee had often notice shee abused his bed yet he would not divorce from her Italian Commentar. Dionysius 101. line Tyrant of Syracuse Italian Commentar. Alexander 102. line Tyrant of Thessaly he was above measure fearefull and yet was killed by a wench whom he kept The Story is not worth relating Italian Commentar. Creusa 105. line Creusa was wife to Aeneas before he see Dido if ever he did see her Italian Commentar. Antandrus 106. line Antandrus is a rock seated on the Aegean sea where he used sports many dayes together in honour of her funeralls Italian Commentar. And wonne his Love 107. line Aeneas killed Turnus in a combat and so revenged the death of his friend Pallas whom Turnus had killed before and wonne his mistresse Lavinia in whom Turnus clamed interest Virgil Phedra could not move 108. line Hypolito was sonne to Theseus by Hypolita the Amazon Phedra wife to Theseus was in love with her sonne in law Hypolito and being justly rejected by him accused him to his father as having tempted her on which he fled and drowning in his flight she killed her selfe for grief of his losse Italian Commentar. Forsaken Ariadne 114. line Ariadne was left asleep in an Iland by Theseus who loved this Phedra better then her though shee had brought him out of the labyrinth and left her father to goe with him a knowne History Treachery 117. line He had dealt treacherously with Ariadne for the love of her sister Phedra and she required him with loving and falsely accusing his son Hypolito Brave Heros 119. line Theseus led betwixt Phedra and Ariadne Death 121. line He rejoyced as Petrarch alledges to see Phedra kill her selfe because she had been false to him Misery 122. line Ariadne might rejoyce both to see Phedra for whom he had been false to her abuse him and to see his death before her owne Italian Commentar. The next 124. line Hercules Was caused by love 126. line He was killed by Paris in a treatie of marriage with his sister Polixena whom Achilles loved Impatient Phillis 127. line Demophon having occasion to goe to Athens set a time for his returne but staying a little beyond his day by the crossenesse of his affairs and the winds Phillis jealous that he had forsaken her very wisely hanged her selfe Ovid Cruell 130. line When Medea fled from her father with Jason shee tooke her brother with her and cut him in pieces which she scattered that the pursuers might be stayed by gathering up his limbes Ovid Grew furious 131. line Shee was revenged on his inconstancy and ingratitude after by sending his new choice Chreons daughter a golden vestment which was so inchanted or anointed that it stuck fast to her till it burnt her up Hypsiphile 132. line She entertaind Jason with too much kindnesse as he passed by to Colchas Strangers love 133. line Medea whom Jason brought back with him being no Grecian and therefore her disgrace was the greater by the low esteeme her rivall was in Shepherd boy 135. line Paris who was bred a shepherd by his mother to avoid a prophesie that hee would bee the cause Troy should bee burned Enone 138. line A Nymph in Ida whom Paris loved when hee kept sheepe on that mountain His wife 140. line Helene whom Paris carried to Troy Hermione 140. line Shee was daughter to Menelaus and Helene being contracted to Orestes first she was taken from him and married against her will to Pirhus Orestes 141. line He was sonne to Agamemnon beloved of Hermione Laodamia 142. line She died for griefe on the corps of Protesilaus when it came back from Troy Italian Commentar. Argia 143. line Wife to Polenice a Theban she was killed by Creon for going to mourn over her husbands grave Amphyaraos wife 145. line Eryphile who betrayed her
he fled Glaucus alone 165. line Glaucus was a fisher and seeing that the new haild fish by tasting a kinde of herb upon the banke revived and leapt againe into the Sea He tried the conclusion himselfe and followed them by which means he became a Sea-god Hee loved Scilla but Circe loving him and seeing her selfe despised by him for the love he bare to Galatea Circe transformed her rivall into a Rocke so as Glaucus swims along without his Mistresse and curseth the loving Witch that caused it Canens laments 168 line Canens was wife to Picus a King in Italy of old Circe transformed him also to a Magpie because she could not obtain his love Aegeria while she wept 173. line Aegeria was a Nymph or Goddesse that converst with Numa Pompilius in his solitary retirements whilest he composed the Romane lawes being the first King of Rome after Romulus So sayes Plutatch and Titus Livius yet Livius saith also she was his wife by which it should seeme that being as wise as her husband she had a good hand in the businesse The Poets fained her to weep her self into a Well after his death because there was a Well in the middle of that Grove which he made for their consultations Scilla a horrid Rock 174. line See above in the Annotations 165. Infamous the Cicilian strand 175. line That is hath made it dangerous for passengers Her trembling hand 176. line Cannace daughter to Eolus having had a childe by her brother her father caused cut the childe in pieces and commanded her to kill her selfe which she being compelled to resolve on writ first to her brother with the pen in the one hand and a knife in the other to give him notice of her end that he might burie her childe and her His live Mistris 178. line Pigmalions mistresse was a statue of his owne cutting on which he grew enamoured and prayed till it became a live woman Aganippe and Castalia 179. line Aganippe and Castalia are two Fountains in Parnassus sacred to the Muses Faire banks placed 181. Because the Poets doe all drinke of these two Wells Petrarch will have the bankes to bee their ordinary residence alive and dead Cydippe by an apple foold 182. line Her Lover writ an oath That shee should marry him upon an apple and dropt it in Apollos Temple which she finding and reading he made her beleeve shee had sworne to make him her Husband CHAP. III. The Argument Love woundeth Petrarchs wary heart Who well describes that dying smart MY heart was fill'd with wonder and amaze As one struck dumb in silence stands at gaze Expecting Counsel when my friend drew neare And said What doe you looke why stay you here What mean you know you not that I am one Of these and must attend pray let 's be gone Deare friend said I consider what desire To learn the rest hath set my heart on fire My owne haste stops me I beleeve 't said he And I will help 't is not forbidden me This Noble man on whom the others wait You see is Pompey justly call'd The great Cornelia followeth weeping his hard fate And Ptolomies unworthy causelesse hate You see farre off the Grecian General His base wife with Aegisthus wrought his fal Behold them there and judge if Love be blinde But here are Lovers of another kinde And other faith they kept Lyncus was sav'd By Hypermnestra Pyramus bereav'd Himselfe of life thinking his mistresse slain Thisbes like end shortned her mourning pain Leander swimming often drown'd at last Hero her faire selfe from her window cast Courteous Vlisses his long stay doth mourn His chaste wife prayeth for his safe return While Circes amarous charmes her prayers controule And rather vexe then please his vertuous soule Amilcars sonne who made great Rome afraid By a mean wench of Spain is captive led This Hipsicrates is the vertuous faire Who for her husbands deare Love cut her haire And serv'd in all his warres This is the wife Of Brutus Portia constant in her life And death This Julia is who seems to mone That Pompey loved best when she was gone Looke here and see the Patriarch much abus'd Who twice seven years for his fair Rachel choos'd To serve O! powerfull love increast by woe His father this Now see his Grandsire goe With Sarah from his home This cruel Love O'recame good David so it had power to move His righteous heart to that abhorrid crime For which he sorrowed all his following time Just such like errour soil'd his wise sonnes fame For whose idolatry Gods anger came Here 's he who in one houre could love and hate Here Tamar full of anguish wailes her state Her brother Absolon attempts t' appease Her grieved soul Sampson takes care to please His fancy and appeares more strong then wise Who in a traitresse bosome sleeping lies Amongst those pikes and speares which guard the place Love wine and sleep a beauteous widdowes face And pleasing Art hath Holopherues taine She backe again retires who hath him slain With her one maide bearing the horrid head In haste and thanks God that so wel she sped The next is Sichem he who found his death In circumcision his father hath Like mischiefe felt the City all did prove The same effect of his rash violent Love You see Ahashuerus how well he bears His losse a new love soon expels his cares This cure in this disease doth seldome fail One naile best driveth out another nail If you would see Love mingled oft with hate Bitter with sweet behold fierce Herods state Beset with Love and crueltie at once Enraged first then late his fault bemoans And Mariamne cals those three faire Dames Who in the list of Captives write their names Pocris Deidamia Artimesia were All good the other three as wicked are Semiramis Biblis and Myrrha nam'd Who of their crooked wayes are now asham'd Here be the erring Knights in ancient scroules Lancelot Tristram and the vulgar soules That wait on these Jiniver and the faire Isond with other Lovers and the pair Who as they walke together seeme to plain Their just but cruel fate by one hand slaine Thus he discours'd and as a man that feares Approching harme when he a trumpet heares Starts at the blow ere touch 't my frighted blood Retir'd as one rais'd from his Tombe I stood When by my side I spi'd a lovely maide No Turtle ever purer whitenesse had And straight was caught who lately swore I would Defend me from a man at Armes nor could Resist the wounds of words with motion grac't The image yet is in my phansie plac't My friend was willing to increase my woe And smiling whisperd You alone may goe Conferre with whom you please for now we are All stained with one crime My sullen care Was like to theirs who are more griev'd to know Anothers happinesse then their owne woe For seeing her who had enthral'd my minde Live free in peace and no disturbance finde And seeing
husbands counsells and was cause that against his will hee tooke that journey in the which hee perished Italian Commentary Proserpina apart 152. line To expresse her anger for Pluto had ravished her Young gods courage 154. line Cupid His Trophies 155. line The skinne of Python a Monster which hee had newly killed A blow 156. line Strooke him in love with Daphne to try whose arrowes were sharpest and teach him to brag CHAP. II. The Argument Brave Massinissa doth relate His Love Seleucus his hard fate WEari'd not satisfi'd with much delight Now here now there I turn'd my greedy sight And many things I view'd to write were long The time is short great store of passions throng Within my brest when loe a lovely paire Joyn'd hand in hand who kindly talking were Drew my attention that way their attire And forrain language quickned my desire Of further knowledge which I soon might gain My kinde Interpreter did all explain When both I knew I boldly then drew neare He lov'd our countrey though she made it feare O! Massinissa I adjure thee by Great Scipio and her who from thine eye Drew manly tears said I let it not be A trouble what I must demand of thee He lookt and said I first desire to know Your name and qualitie for well you show Y' have heard the combate in my wounded soul When Love did Friendship Friendship Love controul I am not worth your knowledge my poore flame Gives little light said I your royall fame Sets hearts on fire that never see your face But pray you say are you two led in peace By him I shew'd their guide your History Deserves record it seemeth strange to me That faith and cruelty should come so neare He said Thine owne expressions witnesse beare Thou knowst enough yet I will all relate To thee 't will somewhat ease my heavie state On that brave man my heart was fixt so much That Lelius love to him could be but such Where ere his colours marched I was nigh And Fortune did attend with victory Yet still his merit call'd for more then she Could give or any else deserve but he When to the West the Romane Eagles came My self was also there and catcht a flame A purer never burnt in Lovers brest But such a joy could not be long possest Our nuptiall knot alas he soone untide Who had more power then all the world beside He car'd not for our sighes and though 't be true That he divided us his worth I knew He must be blinde that cannot see the Sunne But by strict justice Love is quite undone Counsel from such a friend gave such a stroke To Love it almost split as on a rock For as my father I his wrath did feare And as a sonne he in my love was deare Brothers in age we were him I obey'd But with a troubled soul and look dismaid Thus my dear halfe had an untimely death She priz'd her freedome far above her breath And I th' unhappy instrument was made Such force th' intreaty and intreater had I rather chose my self then him t' offend And sent the poyson brought her to her end With what sad thoughts I know and shee 'l confesse And you if you have sense of Love may guesse No heire she left me but my tedious moan And though in her my hopes and joyes were gone She was of lower value then my faith But now farewell and trie if this troup hath Another wonder for the time is lesse Then is the taske I pittied their distresse Whose short joy ended in so sharp a woe My soft heart melted As they onward goe This youth for his part I perhaps could love She said but nothing can my minde remove From hatred of the Nation He replide Good Sophonisba you may leave this pride Your City hath by us been three times beat The last of which you know we laid it flat Pray use these words t' another not to me Said she if Africk mourned Italy Needs not rejoyce search your records and there See what you gained by the Punick warre He that was friend to both without reply A little smiling vanisht from mine eye Amongst the croud As one in doubtfull way At every step looks round and fears to stray Care stops his journey so the varied store Of Lovers staid me to examine more And trie what kinde of fire burnt every brest When on my left hand strayed from the rest Was one whose looke exprest a ready minde In seeking what he joy'd yet sham'd to finde He freely gave away his dearest wife A new found way to save a Lovers life She though she joy'd yet blushed at the change As they recounted their affections strange And for their Syria mourn'd I tooke the way Of these three Ghosts who seem'd their course to stay And take another path The first I held And bid him turne he started and beheld Me with a troubled look hearing my tongue Was Romane such a pause he made as sprung From some deep thought then spake as if inspir'd For to my wish he told what I desir'd To know Seleucus is said he my name This is Antiochus my sonne whose fame Hath reacht your eare he warred much with Rome But Reason oft by Power is overcome This woman once my Wife doth now belong To him I gave her and it was no wrong In our Religion it staid his death Threatned by Love Stratonica she hath To name so now we may enjoy one state And our fast friendship shal out-last all date She from her height was willing to descend I quit my joy he rather chose his end Then our offence and in his prime had dide Had not the wise Physician been our guide Silence in Love orecame his vitall part His Love was force his Silence vertuous Art A fathers tender care made me agree To this strange change This said he turn'd from me As changing his designe with such a pace Ere I could take my leave h' had quit the place After the Ghost was carried from mine eye Amazedly I walkt nor could untie My minde from his sad story till my friend Admonisht me and said You must not lend Attention thus to every thing you meet You know the number 's great and time is fleet More naked prisoners this triumph had Then Xerxes souldiers in his army led And stretched further then my sight could reach Of severall Countreyes and of differing speech One of a thousand were not knowne to me Yet might those few make a large History Perseus was one and well you know the way How he was catched by Andromida She was a lovely brownet black her haire And eyes Narcissus too the foolish faire Who for his owne love did himselfe destroy He had so much he nothing could enjoy And she who for his losse deep sorrow's slave Chang'd to a voyce dwells in a hollow cave Iphis was there who hasted his owne fate He lov'd another but himselfe did hate And many moe condemn'd
like woes to prove Whose life was made a curse by haplesse love Some modern Lovers in my minde remain But those to reckon here were needlesse pain The two whose constant loves for ever last On whom the winds wait while they build their nest For Halcion dayes poore labouring saylers please And in rough winter calme the boystrous seas Far off the thoughtfull Aesacus in quest Of his Epiria findes a rocky rest Then diveth in the floods then mounts i' th' aire And she who stole old Nisus purple haire His cruel daughter I observ'd to fly Swift Atalanta ran for victory But three gold apples and a lovely face Slackt her quick paces till she lost the race She brought Hippomanes along and joy'd That he as others had not been destroy'd But of the victory could singly boast I saw amidst the vain and fabulous hoast Faire Galatea lean'd on Atis brest Rude Polyphemus noise disturbs their rest Glaucus alone swims through the dangerous seas And missing her who should his phansie please Curseth the cruels Love transform'd her shape Canens laments that Picus could not scape The dire enchantresse he in Italy Was once a King now a pie'd Bird for she Who made him such chang'd not his clothes nor name His Princely habit still appears the same Egeria while she wept became a Well Scylla a horrid rock by Circes spell Hath made infamous the Sicilian strand Next she who holdeth in her trembling hand A guilty knife her right hand writ her name Pygmalion next with his live mistresse came Sweet Aganippe and Castalia have A thousand more all there sung by the brave And deathlesse Poets on their faire banks plac'd Cydippe by an apple fool'd at last ANNOTATIONS UPON THE SECOND CHAPTER A Lovely pair 5. line Massinissa and Sophonisba The story runs thus Massinissa King of a part of Numidia an associate of the Romanes loving and much beloved of Scipio Sophonisba was daughter to Asdrubale son of Gisco a Principal man in the Citie of Carthage her father married her to Syphax a more considerable King of the same Countrey then Massinissa and an associate also of the Romanes with intention to debauch him from the Romane friendship which it did accordingly It came to passe in the progresse of the warre that Massinissa tooke Syphax prisoner and entered Cirrha his principall City victor Sophonisba presented her selfe before him at the gate of the Castle and being beautifull and eloquent to both which her affliction added lustre she besought him to take her for his prisoner and either preserve her from being led in triumph to Rome or kill her Massinissa was soon taken and as suddenly promised to performe her desire which that hee might the more easily doe hee married her presently When he came to Scipio after much commendation and honourable intertainment bestowed upon him in publick hee drew him aside and reproved him sharply for this rash act being afraid that Sophonisba would make him for her Countrey as she had done her other husband Massinissa retired to his Tent and after a long inward debate and many tears at last he composed a cup full of poyson and writes to her with it That since he could not performe the first part of his promise to make her free as by marrying her hee hoped to have done hee would yet keep the last desires her to remember whose daughter she was and that she had been wife to two Kings When shee read the letter she said no more but If this be the best token my Husband hath to send me I accept it willingly but tell him It would have grieved me lesse if my marriage bed had not been so near my grave and with such resolution as these times thought vertuous shee drank up the poyson chearfully Titus Livius That Lelius Love 32. line Lelius was bosome friend to Scipio yet Massinissas Love equalled that of Lelius The Romane Eagles 37. line The Romane Ensignes meaning Scipio with the Romane army for they carried an Eagle in their colours Seleucus 101. line The story is cleare enough here That Seleucus King of Syria having married Stratonica a young and beautifull Ladie Antiochus his sonne by a former wife became desperately in love with her and concealing it out of shame or feare or both hee fell sick almost to death which the Physician finding by his Art told the father there was no safetie for his son but by bestowing his mother in law on him to which the father joyfully yeilded With Rome 103. line It was not this Antiochus that had warre with the Romanes but another long after him which Petrarch knew well enough but useth a figure of purpose to mention Antiochus the great In his army 128. line Being as they say 700000. men Perseus was one 133. line He was sonne of Jupiter and Danaë By Andromida 134 line Andromida was an Ethiopian The history is known he saw her tied naked to a rock when he went to kill the sea Monster that should have devoured her Iphis was there 141. line Iphis hanged himselfe because his mistris despised him Constant Loves 147. line Halcion sonne of Aeolus and Ceica daughter of Lucifer He was drowned in his return from consulting with the Oracle she having had an ominous dream went to the shore where shee found his dead body newly cast up and as shee was about to cast her selfe into the Sea they were both turned into little birds of his name Halcion it is the bird called the Kings-fisher they build on the shore and the weather is calme all the while they are hatching their young Aesacus 151. line Aesacus was sonne to Priamus Epiria whom hee loved flying from his pursuit was bit with a Serpent and died of the wound for griefe of which misfortune hee went to the top of a Rock leapt into the Sea where Thetis in compassion transformed him into a bird called a Dydaper or Diver His cruell daughter 155. line Scilla daughter to Nisus King of Megara when Minos warred against her father and could not overcome him by reason of his purple hair in his head she stole the haire and gave it to him in hope to gain his affection By this means Minos became victor but in detestation of her unnaturall fact rejected her who being banished and desolate wandered till she became a Larke Her father was turned into a Merling and pursues her ever since Swift Atalanta 156. line A knowne History all her suiters must out-run her or bee killed and she being too swift to be matched with speed Hyppomanes tooke three golden apples and cast first one a good way off then as shee ran aside to catch it hee got ground of her and when shee approched hee threw another and a third till he obtained the victory by this cunning not without her consent Faire Galatea 163. line Galatea was daughter to Neptune her lover Atis and shee being together his Giant rivall Poliphemus came thither and killed him with a great stone as