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
at their backs And where Caristo's shore the waves refracts Then sails Icarium where the molten fall Of Icarus the waters so did call Creet on the left o' th' right hand Pelop's main She leaves then lanches to Cithaeron's plain Hence to Trinacria where in boyling steel Steropians Brontians and Acmonians deal Then plows the Libyan sea and o' th' left hand Sardinia views hence reach'd th' Ausonian land There sounds that mouth where Tyber to the main Payes rent and ranges in a broader plain The Peers and Commons with the Senates ranks Came forth to meet her at the Tuscane banks The matrones with their husbands and their sonnes Went forth and all the holy Vestall Nuns The strained ropes mens toilsome hands do wring Yet to the port the Barge they scarce can bring The time was dry much heat had parch'd the land The laden Barge sinks into mirie sand Each Labourer more then his share doth toil And with loud whoots helps his stout hands each-while That like an island in the sea to th' ground Sticks fast The wonder strikes them all astound Nun Claudia sprung of Clausus progeny Whose beauty equall'd her nobility A maid but not so counted being abus'd By base report and wrongfully accus'd Her habits brave and musick so delicious And spruce attires did make her more suspicious Her conscience clear derides the lies of fame Yet we are prone to credit words of blame She steps before the Nuns religious train And in her hands takes up some water clean Thrice dews her head thrice lifts her hand to th' skie All think her frantick that her gestures eye Then on her humble knee with loosned hair She eyes the Goddesse and thus makes her prayer Alm Mother of the Powers celestiall Accept thy suppliants pray'rs conditionall My shame is tax'd I yield if thou accuse If thou condemn me death I 'll not refuse But if I 'm clear then give a reall signe Chast Mother follow these chast hands of mine This said she drew the rope with strength but small I speak a truth though strange yet generall The Goddesse follows and therewith commends Her Leader Joy to heaven a huge shout sends Now came they to the bending which old dayes Call'd Tyber's Court hence turns he left-hand-wayes Night came The rope t' an oaken stump they tye And being repasted down to sleep they lye Light came The rope from th' oaken stump th' unty'd But incense first on altars built apply'd And crown'd the ship Then kill a heifer clear Which never bull nor servile yoke did bear There is a place where Almo doth resigne His stream and name to nobler Tyberine There doth the Priest in purple robe most grave In Almo's stream her and her Sacreds lave Her followers hollow Furious pipes resound And velome thumpt t' her Eunuch's hands redound Joy'd Claudia honour'd walks before at last By heavenly witnesse scarce concluded chast She in her wain into Capena gate Is brought her oxen strew'd with flow'rs in state Nasica takes her not her Temples authour Metellus was but now Augustus rather Here Erato stay'd till I question'd more Shew why small toll said I augments her store With coin collected answered she her sane Metellus rais'd thence is that custome ta'n But why said I do men now frequent Guests By course solemnize her appointed feasts Because that she so happy a change did make Of places they this varying omen take Why then are her games Megalesia By Rome kept first To this my Muse did say She bred the Gods They give their Mother place And so the first Games celebrate her grace Why then do they her Eunuchs Galli call When Phrygia is so distant from the Gaul A frantick stream call'd Gallus runs between Celenae high and Cybel's verges green It causes madnesse Fly it all in sadnesse That love your wits The water worketh madnesse Vpon her table 't is said I in season To set herb-puddings Is there any reason Old times said she of milk and herbs did feed Such as the earth without controll did breed Curds mixt with boil'd herbs serve her boord that so An ancient Pow'r those ancient meats might know When starres are banish'd and Pallantias shines In th' East and Luna her white teem disjoyns Upon Quirinus we may truly say Was Publick Fortune consecrate this day The third to this brings Stage-games which as I Beheld thus spake a grave Gentile plac'd by This day did Caesar on the Libyan ground Perjurious Juba's stubborn arms confound I serv'd a Tribune under Caesars banner Lord of my actions which I count my honour My warfare me this place thy Gown gave thee Both rais'd to th' office of Decemviri From this discourse w' are call'd off by a showre The pendent Tankerd airie drops did poure But e're the evening doth the sights conclude Sword-arm'd Orion in the waves is stew'd When next Tithonia views victorious Rome And posting starres give place to Titans Groom Large pomps with ranks of Gods the Circus grace And aire-foot Coursers for the first prize race Then Ceres games The Cause need not b' express'd Her favours of themselves are manifest Green Herbs at first were hungry fathers food To them afforded from the earth unwoo'd Sometimes young stalks they gather'd here and there And tender sprouts did make them goodly chear They thought them wel when they had found out Mast The Oak did yield them many a rich repast First Ceres men with nobler meats did store And into better food turn'd akorns poore She oxens brawny necks to th' plow subdu'd Then first the lanched ground Sol's lustre view'd Then Brasse was priz'd Steel great content did yield Ah would that stuff had ever bin conceal'd She joyes in peace No pray'rs ye Farmers cease For peace perpetuall and our Prince of peace Meal mix'd with salt to her may you present And make th' old altars fumes of incense vent Or else for incense light your tapers greas'd With little gifts if pure is Ceres pleas'd Priests spare the Oxens harmlesse lives They plow Present the lazy soil-bemoiling Sow 'T is pitty an industrious life be slain Let it subsist and in her fields take pain This place invites the Virgins rape to shew Heare many things comprized in a few A land with three rocks crouds into the sea From its Triangle call'd Trinacria Belov'd of Ceres plentifully town'd There stands fair Enna on a fertil ground Cold Arethuse the Dames of heaven invites The corn-crown'd Goddesse comes to those delights Her Daughter tended with her usuall train Walk'd barefoot up and down her flow'ry plain Hard by a grovy vale a flat doth lie Well water'd with a sources fall from high The gaudy mead her pride much vary'd clad With all the colours Lady Nature had Which soon as spi'd Come Playfellows cries she And fill your aprons full of flow'rs with me Young Maidens minds delight in trifling spoil And fond desire calls off the sense of toil This fills her basket of fine osiers made This stores
soon be eas'd 11. Thus did I crave My Wife more largely pray'd Each accent broke with sighs most deep Then falling prostrate with her hairs displaid Before the Houshold-Gods doth creep To kisse the hearth with quaking lip 12. There poures she forth before the sullen Powers A many pray'rs not prevalent For dolefull Husband But the hasty Howers Deny'd delay the night was spent And Arotos down the West was bent 13. What should I do The love of Countrey ty'd me But ah that night was set to be My utmost bound How oft when any ply'd me Cry'd I Alas why hast you see But whence or whither post you me 14. How oft did I a certain hower feigne Convenient for my way assign'd Thrice stept I o're the threshold thrice again Went back my very foot inclin'd To sloth in flattery of my mind 15. Oft Farewell given I fell to talk agen And oft I kiss'd as if just there I would depart my will repeat I then In self-mistakes my eyes each-where Fix'd on my souls engagements dear 16. Why should I hasten Scythia is said I The Countrey whither I am sent Rome must I leave and leave perpetually In both respects just argument Of our delayes though time be spent 17. My wife and I are both for ever parted Yet both alive my familie With each sweet part and all my friends true-hearted O dear-beloved Souls to me Knit in Thesean amitie 18. Let 's change embraces while we may and make The best advantage of the hower Perhaps it is for ever Thus I spake In halved words and in the power Of soul we clasp'd each friend of our 19. Thus while I talk and we lament lo now Bright Lucifer in th' East appear Sad starre to us Oh! I am rent as though My joynts all wrung in sunder were Torn part from part by rack severe 20. Such wo was Priam's when that treachery That fatall Horse did now confesse But then arose a lamentable cry And sobbing grones did souls oppresse And heavy hands smote heavier brests 21. Then my poore wife embracing me close to Pour'd forth these tear-mix'd words to me Oh! I cannot part from thee I will go I 'll go I say I 'll go with thee An exuls exil'd wife I 'll be 22. The way 's as free for me so is the land Small burden to the ship are we Thee Caesars anger doth O grief command To banishment affection me Affection shall my Caesar be 23. Thus did she strive as she had done before And scarce her hold of me forbears By best perswasions Forth I go adoore A walking herse with my soil'd hairs Confus'd and torn about my ears 24. O'rewhelm'd in grief she fell into a swound And head against the hard floore knocks Come to her self at length and from the ground Rais'd up with much ado her locks With dust bemoiled off she plucks 25. Now wails her case then blames with many mones The vexing Gods and oft doth cry My Husband Oh my Husband with such grones And sobs as if her child or I Had been just now in pile to frie. 26. Death she desir'd by death her soul to ease Yet for my sake she life did will O mayst thou live and since the Fates so please Still live sweet wife my ease and still My absent soul with comfort fill 27. The Boreal Bear-man into sea doth steep His joul and moils the waters there Yet doth our keel plow up th' Ionian Deep Not of our own minds but we are Compell'd to boldnesse out of fear 28. Oh me what winds arise how Sea and Heaven Both scoul the bottom-sands do boil Upon the top huge mountain billows driven Against both sides our vessel toil Our Gods continuall dashes soil 29. The hatches moil the beaten sail-ropes rore The very ship doth seem to grone At our harsh fate The doubtfull Mariner With terrour in his visage shown Gives up and lets his art alone 30. And as some weak-arm'd groom the conquer'd rain Resignes unto his stiff-neck'd horse Even so the Pilote through the toilsome main Works on his ship not his own course But every way the surges force 31. And had not Aeolus chang'd his blustring wind Upon the interdicted Land I had been forc'd for leaving farre behind Th' Illyrian coast on our left hand We saw close by th' Italian strand 32. O do not strive to pitch our vessel there Do ye obey that God with me While thus I cry'd betwixt desire and fear Of being driv'n back O what a Sea Doth smite the sides most furiously 33. Gods of the Sea spare ye this life of ours O do not ye him further grieve Whom Jove doth scourge nor to the Stygian Powers This weary soul of mine yet give If one already dead may live For his respect and honour he held all his life-time with those that were his coetaneans his own works well shew And for the fame and estimation he hath mainteined by his Poemes through all ages in many parts of the world let the reader but turn to M r Sandys his Collection of the Testimonies of divers learned and judicious Authours in the frontispice of his exquisite Translation of our Poets Metamorph. I will content my self with one onely added to his which is Angelus Politianus his Elegie upon his death wherein he manifesteth not onely his own honour and estimation of him but also the love respect and favour he wonne among the Barbarians with whom he lived as you may reade AH weladay Doth Naso lye in Getick ground Our Romane Muses Joy Entomb'd in barbarous bound That barbarous land That lyes by Isters frozen spring Presse that sweet Poets hand Whose pen soft Love did sing Art not asham'd O Rome to be farre more severe Then Barbarisme untam'd To thy own Sonne so dear Ho Muses say Was any friend in Scythian shore His sorrows to allay Or ease his pains so sore Was any nigh His languish'd joynts on bed to lay Or with some melody To passe the painfull day Was any there To feel his fainting pulses beat Or to administer Some wholesome drams or meat Or at his death What friend did close his dying eye Or suck up his last breath A work of piety None none there was Thou thou remorselesse cruel Rome Kept'st all his friends alas That none at him could come None none I say His Wife his little Sonnes and Daughter Were parted farre away And could not follow after No friends he had But Bessi and Coralli tawny And Gets in wild-skins clad With arms and shoulders brawny The Sarmats brow'd With horrour and with looks austere That drink their horses bloud His onely comfort were The Sarmats grim Whose wiry-harsh and dangling hairs Congeal'd with cold extreme Do crash about their ears And yet his fate The stern Coralli did deplore The Gets and Sarmats sate And beat their bosomes sore Wood-Nymphs and woods And mountains did bewail his fall And Isters swelling flouds Did bear a part withall Fame doth reherse That
all stand ope no tongue Makes idle pray'rs but every word is strong Thus answer'd he I was not silent much For his last word I with my first did touch What means dry figs and palm-fruit I wot not And honey offer'd in a fine-white pot That 's for good luck that things may savour so And that our yeare a pleasant race may go This have I learn'd but shew the reason now Of new-yeares gifts that I may all parts know He smil'd O how doth thy age thee deceive Honey more sweet than money to believe I scarce saw any in old Saturns reign That was not taken with the sweets of gain In tract of time the Having love did grow 'T is now at height and can no further go Wealth now is farre more set by then of yore Rome being a novice and her people poore When Mars-got Romulus in mean stalls liv'd And little beds of river-reeds were weav'd In narrow court Jove scarce upright could stand And held an earthen thunderbolt in 's hand Then leaves for gold the Capitol adorn'd To keep his flocks the Senatour nere scorn'd Nor sham'd to sleep upon a lock of hay Or on a pad of straw his head to lay The Praetour kept his court new come from plow A plate of silver as a shame did show But when proud Fate this places head had rear'd And Romes top-gallant neare the gods appear'd Then wealth encreas'd and wealths unglut desire Men much possessing still much more require To spend what 's gotten and to get what 's spent The very course is vices nourishment So they whose bodies swelling dropsies have The more they drink the more they liquour crave Coin has the count wealth gets the honour still Wealth gets the friends the poore shifts where he will But if thou ask why new-yeares gifts are sent And why old moneyes us so well content Yerst brasse was given now better 't is in gold The newer coin hath taken place of old Gold-temples please us though the old w'approve The majestie a god doth most behove We praise old times but yet make use of new To both their customes like observance due He made an end When conging courteously Key-keeping Janus thus accosted I Much have I learn'd but why one side the brasse Is stampt a ship and then a double face Seest thou quoth he that double picture in 't It is my face but time hath blurr'd the print The Ships cause learn A ship old Saturn brought On Tuscan stream the whole world roam'd about I well remember since He pitcht upon These coasts when Jove the throne of heaven had won The name Saturnia thence this land did bear And Latium too because he sheltred here But after ages as a mindfull signe Of his arrivall stampt a ship in coyn I then manur'd that ground on whose left side Sand-guilded Tiber's courteous stream doth glide Where Rome now stands there grew a loftie wood This mightie masse was then but pasture-food Mine altar stood upon you hill which from My name this age doth all Janiculum Then reigned I when gods did dwell on ground And pow'rs divine in humane seats were found Mans crimes from earth yet had not Justice driven She last of gods withdrew her self to heaven Without constraint shame rul'd the hearts of men Not fear small pains to judge the Commons then I knew no warres but kept my Peace and Doore These arms quoth he his key advanc'd I wore His lips he closing mine then open'd I My question still provoking his reply Since thou hast many temples why dost stand In this alone with markets twain at hand He coaxing then his grave and bushy beard Down to his wast the Tatian warres declar'd How that light guard entic'd with Sabine chains Led into towre king Tatius and his trains From thence as now where you quoth he descend A hill through markets to the vales doth bend Now stole they to the gate whose fastned lock Malignant Juno off the bolts did knock I loth to thwart it with so high a power Did slily help them with a feat of our And op'd the spring-heads which my art can do And suddenly let flouds of water go First in the veins I sulphur threw about That scalding streams might force the Tatians out By which the Sabines almost scallt and slain The place its former nature did regain For this good turn they me a Chapell raise Where cakes and barley on my altars blaze But why in warres unbolted are thy gates And lockt in peace The reason he relates In time of warre I set my doores wide ope To make retreat for every marcht forth troop In peace I 'm barr'd lest forth stern warre should flee And long in Cesars empire barr'd I 'le be This said he lifts his all-way-looking eyes And views what ever in the broad world lies 'T was peace O Cesar and subdued Rhene To raise thy triumphs paid his tribute then Peace and peace-makers Janus death-lesse make Let not the authour e're that work forsake Now let me tell what registers do say Our fathers gave two temples on this day The isle where Tiber in two parts doth runne Did welcome Aesculapius Phebus sonne Jove hath a part one place them both conteins The grandchild's temple to the grandsire's joyns What lets to sing the starres ascent and set This is a piece on which our Muse must treat Blest souls who first did this rare science love And striv'd to climb those crystall courts above From worldly vices and all baser toyes They doubtlesse their diviner thoughts did raise Nor wine nor love nor warres nor court-affairs Did break those lofty-towring minds of theirs Nor varnish't glory nor ambition light Nor thirst of riches did distract their spright They drew the starres familiar to our eyes And to their knowledge did submit the skies So heaven is scal'd not as Olympus yerst Did Ossa bear the clouds with Pelion pierc'd We by those guides will meet those heavenly lines And point each day to his associate signes The third night come before the Nones ensue When earth is dabbled with the morning dew To seek eight-footed Cancers arms were vain He headlong falls into the western main Much rain doth threat from hovering clouds to flow The Nones the Harp arising signes will show Let foure dayes from the Nones be past then shall Old Janus have his service Agonall The girt-up priest who at the altar slayes The beast to him may be the titles cause Who being about to drench his knife in bloud Agóne cryes nor strikes till he 's allow'd This feast Agnalia they did term some say In ancient times one letter ta'n away Some think because the beasts are driven they call This day from cattle-driving Agonal Or else because knives laid in water scare The wary beast 't is call'd so from that fear Some hold that from those games the Greeks did make In former times this day the name did take Which games old language did Agonia call And in
her apron she her coats doth lade This Marigolds she plies the Violet-beds Her dainty finger crops the Poppy-heads On Hyacynth and Amaranth some dote Some Thyme some Crowfoot some love Melilote And other flow'rs The Rose doth much delight She plucks the Saffron and the Lily white Her busie mind still further off doth bear her And as it chanc'd none of her mates were near her Her Uncle spies her and on sooty steeds Rapes her away and to his kingdome speeds She cries and calls out Io my Mother dear I 'm forc'd away and off her clothes doth tear Forthwith the vault of Pluto doth display His light-auk steeds could not abide the day Her Maids their baskets fill'd with flowery treasures Cri'd Ho Persephone come see thy pleasures When nought was heard with cries they fill the dale And smite their hands against their bosomes pale Ceres amaz'd at this to Enna flies And straight Ah wofull Where 's my Girl she cries About she hurries in a dead distraction Like shrews of Bacchus in their frantick action Or as a Cow rob'd of her late-calv'd Love Runs sadly lowing all about the grove So she could neither sighs nor flight refrain But runs and first begins at Enna's plain There first her daughter's footsteps she doth note The ground betrayes the passage of her foot Perchance she then had search'd the furthest ground Had not some swine disturb'd the tract she found The Leontini and Anisus mazes She search'd with all the medow-grounds of Acis Then Cyane and mild Anapus fount And over Gela's dangerous gulf doth mount Then o're Orlygia and Pantagia goeth And Megara then o're Simethus mouth Next to the Cyclops sooty forge she hy'th Thence to that place nam'd from the crooked Sithe Then Himere Didym Agrigentum and Tauromenus thence to Mela's Holy-Ox-land Next Camarine with Swanny Tempe fair And Thapsos Eryx free to Western air Then search'd she Pachyne Pelore Lilybe Her Countrey 's horn-like promontories three Each nook she fills with monefull Elegies As when the Lapwing to his Itys cries Sometimes Persephone sometimes she cry'd My Daughter and by course both names imply'd But no Persephone could Ceres heare Nor Daughter Mother Vain both titles were When she a Shepherd or a Plowman spi'd Saw you no Damsel passe this way she cri'd Nights cole-black colour now alone possess'd All things now watchfull tongues of dogs did rest Where Aetna high Typhoeus vast bulk tires Whose ground is scorch'd with ever-spuing fires Here for her torch two Pines she doth inflame Hence in her rites the Torches custome came There is a cave of rugged pumice made Which neither man nor beast could e're invade Here when she came her bridled snakes she tyes T' her coach and dry-foot o're the water flies Next raught the Syrts and to Charybdis pass'd And those naufragious Dogs of Scylla vast The spacious Adriack and Corinthum bound Within two seas hence reach'd the Attick ground Sad on a stone here rests she first of all Which stone th' Athenians hence from Sadnesse call There many dayes in th' air she did remain Unstirr'd and patient both of cold and rain No place but hath its fate Now Cereall Eleusis then was Celeus farm but small He home was trudging with a trusse of wood With mast and berries from the hedge for food His daughter with two goats from field did come His young sonne lay in cradle sick at home The Wench said Mother Her that name did move What d' ye alone here in this desert grove Th' old man too stands there though his load were sore And pray'd her enter to his Cottage poore She now an old wife in a mitre drest In these sad words denyes his urg'd request Go safe blest Parent my pore Daughter 's gone Ah sweet condition farre above mine own She wip'd her eyes a pearly drop came from her Much like a tear for tears did not become her Th' old man and maid both tender-hearted make A part in tears The down-right Sage then spake God keep God keep thy daughter safe from harm Come pray arise reject not our poore farm Replies the Dame Thy argument is strong So rising up she follows him along As on they walk'd he this to her exprest His Sonne was sick and could by no means rest She as she went into his little mound Sleep-poring poppy gathers on the ground The-whiles she pluck'd she tasted it 't is said And unawares her long-long fasting stay'd The which because she in the Evening did Her supper is not till the sunne is hid Being entred in great mourning she beheld No hope of life was in the senselesse child Th' old wife saluted called Menaline She daigns the boy's mouth to her own to joyn His strength and colour instantly renew'd Such vigour her celestiall kisse ensu'd The whole house joy'd to wit the parents dear And little maid these three the whole house were Forthwith they set the boord curds apples plumbs And golden hony in the hony-combs But Ceres fasted and in milk lukewarm Gives poppy to the boy his sleep to charm Sleeps midnight-Silence did all things enwrap Triptolemus she takes into her lap Thrice stroak'd him with her hand three charms she sung Not to be utter'd by a mortall tongue Then rak'd up in hot embers him doth lay That fire might purge his humane drosse away Up starts the fool-kind Mother and stark wild Cries out What mean you and snatch'd up her child Said she Th' art evil in not being so By thy fond fear my gifts are frustrate now Now he is Mortall But he first shall till The earth whose plenty shall his garners fill Thus forth she goes and with a cloud attended Her winged-Dragon-mounted coach ascended Exposed Sunion and retir'd Piraeum And right-hand-ports she search'd and passes by 'um Then from th' Aegean all the Cyclads ey'd Hence pass'd th' Icarian and Ionian wide And through all Asia's towns the Hellespont She raught and over severall climes doth mount For spic'd Arabians she beholds awhile Then Ind Libs Meroe and the thirsty soil Then pass'd Hesperia Po the Rhene and Rhode And Tyber since a pow'rfull River's God O hold our pen in counting all would tire No place on Earth was left unransack'd by her Yea Heaven she search'd and ask'd the signes that roll Expell'd from th' Ocean next the frozen Pole Ye Northern Stars ye sure all actions know Because ye never dive the seas below Tell what 's become of my Persephone To her demand thus answers Helice The Night 's not conscious of her ask the Sunne Who sees what-ever in the Day is done Sol asked answered Toil no more in vain Thy Daughter 's marryed to the Tertian reigne Long having mourn'd to Jove she pleads her case Deep characters of sorrow in her face Had you remembred who my Proserpine Begat your care of her had equall'd mine The whole world's search affords me nought but this To know my wrong The Pirate hath his prize This forced match my child deserved not