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
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
work his piety his first grounds To justly vindicate his Fathers wounds When next Aurora dews the medows green The dreadfull Scorpions cleyes are to be seen The Ides third day doth Bacchus service bring Assist me Bacchus while thy rites I sing I sing not Semele to whom if Jove Had not come arm'd thy name but small might prove Nor thee an Embryon in thy Fathers thigh Inclos'd to grow to full maturitie Sithonians and thy Scythian triumphs fam'd I passe with Indians or Arabians tam'd Or Pentheus torn by mothers crueltie Or mad Lycurgus wounding of his knee Those Tyrrhene Pirates made Sea-monsters well I might but 't is not now my task here tell My task is this To shew th' originall Why th' old wife neighbours to her cakes doth call Before thy time on hearths of Gods all cold Grasse grew no honour did the Altars hold Thou having Ganges and all India beat Didst giue the first-fruits to thy Father great Thou captive Spice and Incense sanctifi'dst And first in triumph Bullocks entrails fry'dst Hence from the Authour Libum takes the name By consecrating part on holy flame These Cakes are made to Liber ' cause he lov'd Sweet juyce and Hony first of all improv'd From sandy Heber with his Satyrs he Did walk My tale shall not unpleasant be To Rhodope and the Pangean Spring Being come their cymbals all his followers ring Lo troups of bees with that shrill Musick charm'd Flie after as the noise did lead and swarm'd These Bacchus gets and in a tree-stock hives And so the glory of that gift receives When bald Silenus and the Satyrs tasted To seek bees nests about the groves they hasted In hollow Elm th' old God a swarm doth heare And sees the combs but takes no notice there Anon he comes and ties his lazy mate Fast to the Elm as on his back he sate Up clambers he and on a green-bough stands And to his booty thrusts his greedy hands Out of the hole a thousand Hornets spring About his eares and 's bald crown all besting Down tumbles he his Asse about him laid His heels there lies he yawling out for aid The Satyrs flock and laugh their Sire to see With face swoll'n up He halts on 's Asse-kick'd knee The Wine-God laughs and tells him mire is good Apply'd He simply daubs his face with mud Since Hony is Bacchus due A reaking Cake With Hony moistned to the God they make Why Women deal therein the reason 's plain His ivy-staff spurs up their frantick train But why old Wives That age most bouzie proves And most of all the pleasing vine-juyce loves And why with Ivy dress'd This God that tree Loves well The reason straight shall render'd be The Nysian maidens Ivy-leaves about His cradle hung when him vex'd Juno sought Now must I shew why Gowns of Libertie Are given to Stripplings on thy feast-dayes free Because fair Bacchus thou art alwayes seen A Boy or Young-man or an age between Or ' cause thou being a father to thy care All fathers do commend their children dear Or else because a gown and life more free Is giv'n by thee the God of Libertie Or when old times the ground more earnest till'd And Senatours themselves wrought in their field When Plowmen oft did take a Consuls place And thick-skinn'd hands were counted no disgrace The Countrey-folk to see these Games would make To th' town yet for the Gods not pleasure's sake And Liber who is now accompany'd With Ceres then these feasts alone enjoy'd Therefore that more Youth might these games frequent 'T was then thought best to give this ornament Kind S r your head and gentle antlets vail And guide my fansie with a prosperous gale On these two dayes as I suppose they go To th' Argive Brothers whom their Leaf will show The Puttock verges tow'rds Lycaon's Bear And on this night begins he to appear If you will know what him advanc'd to Heaven When Saturn from his throne by Jove was driven He in his rage the sturdy Titans arm'd And tries the aid the which the Fates had charm'd An earth-bred Monster was there wonderfull Behind a Serpent but before a Bull. This in a wood stern Styx inclos'd in three Huge bulwarks by the triple Fates decree Such was the fate He that this Monster slew And burn'd the inwards should the Gods subdue This Briareus with Diamant-ax did foil And was just now his guts about to broil Jove bids the Fowls to catch them up The Kite Did his command and so in heaven was pight Next day but one Minerva's feast revives The which from those five dayes the name derives The first no bloud nor sword-play doth admit Because Minerva was brought forth in it The foure next dayes the scaffolds all are fill'd This warlike Queen delights in weapons skill'd Come Boyes and Maids your gifts to Pallas bring Her favour gives great skill in every thing In Pallas favour let the Lasses learn To empty distaffs and to twist their yarn She also learns to make the Shuttle play About the web and how to fill the Stay Fullers and Diers give her honour both You that do white and you that dye the cloth No Shoemaker a shoe can fashion well Without her help though Tychius he excell He that Epeus shames in Carpentrie Becomes a dunce if Pallas angry be And you Physicians that diseases cure Salute this Lady with some gifts of your Dull Scholars curb'd in curst School-masters lore Your wits she quickens honour her therefore Ye that mete heaven and ye that Pencils use And he that stones to curious statues hews A thousand Arts she skills She Verse doth savour Inspire my song if I may ask that favour Where Caelius to a vale declineth prone The Vale's a level yet no perfect one There Capt Minerva's Chapell you may see To her devote on her Nativitie The reason 's doubtfull She 's the Minerall Of wit which quick is called Capitall Or else because her Fathers a king head Her arm'd with shield sans help of wife did shed Or'cause she captiv'd with Phaliscanes came To Rome the foremost letter shews the same Or else because her law is capitall For sacrilege within her Temple-wall What-ever reason thee this name affords Still keep thy Aegis Pallas for our Lords The last day bids to purge and round the green With trumps and offer to that warlike Queen Now may you lift your eyes to heaven and say Sol back'd the Phryxean Wether yesterday The seeds all scorch'd by wicked Ino's wile No fruits would grow as they were wont yerwhile A message is to Delphian Tripos sent To beg some help for souls with famine spent He with the seeds corrupt brought word Fates stood To have both Phryxus and his Sisters bloud Time People Ino all do urging stand Th' abhorring King t' obey the sad command Phryxus and Helle crown'd with flow'rs stand by The altars moning their joynt-destiny Their Mother spies them as in th' aire she hung And hands against