# Metamorphoses (tr. Golding)/Book 11

¶ THE .XI. BOOKE
of Ouids Metamorphosis
Ow whyle the Thracian Poet with this song delyghts the mynds Of savage beastes, and drawes both stones and trees ageynst their kynds, Behold the wyves of Ciconie with red deer skinnes about Their furious brists as in the feeld they gadded on a rout, Espyde him from a hillocks toppe still singing to his harp. Of whom one shooke her head at him, and thus began to carp: Behold (sayes shee) behold yoon same is he that doth disdeine Us women. And with that same woord shee sent her lawnce amayne At Orphyes singing mouth. The Lawnce armd round about with leaves, Did hit him, and without a wound a marke behynd it leaves. ' Another threw a stone at him, which vanquisht with his sweete And most melodius harmonye, fell humbly at his feete As sorye for the furious act it purposed. But rash And heady ryot out of frame all reason now did dash, And frantik outrage reigned. Yit had the sweetenesse of his song Appeasd all weapons, saving that the noyse now growing strong With blowing shalmes, and beating drummes, and bedlem howling out, And clapping hands on every syde by Bacchus drunken rout, Did drowne the sownd of Orphyes harp. Then first of all stones were Made ruddy with the prophets blood, and could not give him eare. And first the flocke of Bacchus froes by violence brake the ring Of Serpents, birds, and savage beastes that for to heere him sing Sate gazing round about him there. And then with bluddy hands They ran uppon the prophet who among them singing stands. They flockt about him like as when a sort of birds have found An Owle a daytymes in a tod: and hem him in full round, As when a Stag by hungrye hownds is in a morning found, The which forestall him round about and pull him to the ground. Even so the prophet they assayle, and throwe their Thyrses greene At him, which for another use than that invented beene. Sum cast mee clods, sum boughes of trees, and sum threw stones. And lest That weapons wherwithall to wreake theyr woodnesse which increast Should want, it chaunst that Oxen by were tilling of the ground And labring men with brawned armes not farre fro thence were found
A digging of the hardned earth, and earning of theyr food, With sweating browes. They seeing this same rout, no longer stood, But ran away and left theyr tooles behynd them. Every where Through all the feeld theyr mattocks, rakes, and shovells scattred were. Which when the cruell feends had caught, and had asunder rent The horned Oxen, backe ageine to Orphy ward they went, And (wicked wights) they murthred him, who never till that howre Did utter woordes in vaine, nor sing without effectuall powre. And through that mouth of his (oh lord) which even the stones had heard, And unto which the witlesse beastes had often given regard, His ghost then breathing into aire, departed. Even the fowles Were sad for Orphye, and the beast with sorye syghing howles: The rugged stones did moorne for him, the woods which many a tyme Had followed him to heere him sing, bewayled this same cryme. Yea even the trees lamenting him did cast theyr leavy heare. The rivers also with theyr teares (men say) encreased were. Yea and the Nymphes of brookes and woods uppon theyr streames did sayle With scattred heare about theyr eares, in boats with sable sayle. His members lay in sundrie steds. His head and harp both cam To Hebrus, and (a woondrous thing) as downe the streame they swam, His Harp did yeeld a moorning sound: his livelesse toong did make A certeine lamentable noyse as though it still yit spake, And bothe the banks in moorning wyse made answer to the same. At length adowne theyr country streame to open sea they came, And lyghted on Methymnye shore in Lesbos land. And there No sooner on the forreine coast now cast aland they were, But that a cruell naturde Snake did streyght uppon them fly, And licking on his ruffled heare the which was dropping drye, Did gape to tyre uppon those lippes that had beene woont to sing Most heavenly hymnes. But Phebus streyght preventing that same thins, Dispoynts the Serpent of his bit, and turnes him into stone With gaping chappes. Already was the Ghost of Orphye gone To Plutos realme, and there he all the places eft beehild The which he heretofore had seene. And as he sought the feeld Of fayre Elysion (where the soules of godly folk doo woonne,) He found his wyfe Eurydicee, to whom he streyght did roonne,
And hilld her in imbracing armes. There now he one while walks Togither with hir cheeke by cheeke: another while he stalks Before her, and another whyle he followeth her. And now Without all kinde of forfeyture he saufly myght avow His looking backward at his wyfe. But Bacchus greeved at The murther of the Chapleine of his Orgies, suffred not The mischeef unrevengd to bee. For by and by he bound The Thracian women by the feete with writhen roote in ground, As many as consenting to this wicked act were found. And looke how much that eche of them the prophet did pursew, So much he sharpening of their toes, within the ground them drew. And as the bird that fynds her legs besnarled in the net The which the fowlers suttletye hathe clocely for her set, And feeles shee cannot get away, stands flickering with her wings, And with her fearefull leaping up drawes clocer still the strings: So eche of theis when in the ground they fastned were, assayd Aflayghted for to fly away. But every one was stayd With winding roote which hilld her downe. Her frisking could not boote. And whyle she lookte what was become of Toe, of nayle, and foote, Shee sawe her leggs growe round in one, and turning into woode. And as her thyghes with violent hand shee sadly striking stoode, Shee felt them tree: her brest was tree: her shoulders eeke were tree. Her armes long boughes yee myght have thought, and not deceyved bee. But Bacchus was not so content: he quyght forsooke their land: And with a better companye removed out of hand Unto the Vyneyarde of his owne mount Tmolus, and the river Pactolus though as yit no streames of gold it did deliver, Ne spyghted was for precious sands. His olde accustomd rout Of woodwards and of franticke froes envyrond him about. But old Silenus was away. The Phrygian ploughmen found Him reeling bothe for droonkennesse and age, and brought him bound With garlands unto Midas, king of Phrygia, unto whom The Thracian Orphye and the preest Eumolphus comming from The towne of Athens erst had taught the Orgies. When he knew His fellowe and companion of the selfesame badge and crew, Uppon the comming of this guest, he kept a feast the space Of twyce fyve dayes and twyce fyve nyghts togither in that place.
And now th'eleventh tyme Lucifer had mustred in the sky The heavenly host, when Midas commes to Lydia jocundly And yeeldes the old Silenus to his fosterchyld. He, glad That he his fosterfather had eftsoones recovered, bad King Midas ask him what he would. Right glad of that was hee, But not a whit at latter end the better should he bee. He minding to misuse his giftes, sayd: Graunt that all and some The which my body towcheth bare may yellow gold become. God Bacchus graunting his request, his hurtfull gift performd, And that he had not better wisht he in his stomacke stormd. Rejoycing in his harme away full merye goes the king: And for to try his promis true he towcheth every thing. Scarce giving credit to himself, he pulled yoong greene twiggs From off an Holmetree: by and by all golden were the spriggs. He tooke a flintstone from the ground, the stone likewyse became Pure gold. He towched next a clod of earth, and streight the same By force of towching did become a wedge of yellow gold. He gathered eares of rypened come: immediatly beholde The come was gold. An Apple then he pulled from a tree: Yee would have thought the Hesperids had given it him. If hee On Pillars high his fingars layd, they glistred like the sonne. The water where he washt his hands did from his hands so ronne, As Danae might have beene therwith beguyld. He scarce could hold His passing joyes within his harr, for making all things gold. Whyle he thus joyd, his officers did spred the boord anon, And set downe sundry sorts of meate and mancheate theruppon. Then whither his hand did towch the bread, the bread was massy gold: Or whither he chawde with hungry teeth his meate, yee might behold The peece of meate betweene his jawes a plat of gold to bee. In drinking wine and water mixt, yee myght discerne and see The liquid gold ronne downe his throte. Amazed at the straunge Mischaunce, and being both a wretch and rich, he wisht to chaunge His riches for his former state, and now he did abhorre The thing which even but late before he cheefly longed for. No meate his hunger slakes: his throte is shrunken up with thurst: And justly dooth his hatefull gold torment him as accurst. Then lifting up his sory armes and handes to heaven, he cryde:
O father Bacchus, pardon mee. My sinne I will not hyde. Have mercy, I beseech thee, and vouchsauf to rid mee quyght From this same harme that seemes so good and glorious unto syght. The gentle Bacchus streight uppon confession of his cryme Restored Midas to the state hee had in former tyme. And having made performance of his promis, hee beereft him The gift that he had graunted him. And lest he should have left him Beedawbed with the dregges of that same gold which wickedly Hee wished had, he willed him to get him by and by To that great ryver which dooth ronne by Sardis towne, and there Along the chanell up the streame his open armes to beare Untill he commeth to the spring: and then his head to put Full underneathe the foming spowt where greatest was the gut, And so in washing of his limbes to wash away his cryme. The king (as was commaunded him) ageinst the streame did clyme. And streyght the powre of making gold departing quyght from him, Infects the ryver, making it with golden streame to swim. The force whereof the bankes about so soked in theyr veynes, That even as yit the yellow gold uppon the cloddes remaynes. Then Midas, hating riches, haunts the pasturegrounds and groves, And up and down with Pan among the Lawnds and mountaines roves. But still a head more fat than wyse, and doltish wit he hath, The which as erst, yit once againe must woork theyr mayster scath. The mountayne Tmole from loftye toppe to seaward looketh downe, And spreading farre his boorely sydes, extendeth to the towne Of Sardis with the t'one syde and to Hypep with the tother. There Pan among the fayrye elves that dawnced round togither In setting of his conning out for singing and for play Uppon his pype of reedes and wax, presuming for to say Apollos musick was not like to his, did take in hand A farre unequall match, wherof the Tmole for judge should stand. The auncient judge sitts downe uppon his hill, and ridds his eares From trees, and onely on his head an Oken garlond weares, Wherof the Acornes dangled downe about his hollow brow. And looking on the God of neate he sayd: Yee neede not now To tarry longer for your judge. Then Pan blew lowd and strong His country pype of reedes, and with his rude and homely song
Delighted Midas eares, for he by chaunce was in the throng. When Pan had doone, the sacred Tmole to Phebus turnd his looke, And with the turning of his head his busshye heare he shooke. Then Phebus with a crowne of Bay uppon his golden heare Did sweepe the ground with scarlet robe. In left hand he did beare His viol made of precious stones and Ivorye intermixt. And in his right hand for to strike, his bowe was redy fixt. He was the verrye paterne of a good Musician ryght Anon he gan with conning hand the tuned strings to smyght. The sweetenesse of the which did so the judge of them delyght, That Pan was willed for to put his Reedepype in his cace, And not to fiddle nor to sing where viols were in place. The judgement of the holy hill was lyked well of all, Save Midas, who found fault therwith and wrongfull did it call. ' Apollo could not suffer well his foolish eares to keepe Theyr humaine shape, but drew them wyde, and made them long and deepe. And filld them full of whytish heares, and made them downe to sag, And through too much unstablenesse continually to wag. His body keeping in the rest his manly figure still, Was ponnisht in the part that did offend for want of skill. And so a slowe paaste Asses eares his heade did after beare. This shame endevereth he to hyde. And therefore he did weare A purple nyghtcappe ever since. But yit his Barber who Was woont to notte him spyed it: and beeing eager to Disclose it, when he neyther durst to utter it, nor could It keepe in secret still, he went and digged up the mowld, And whispring softly in the pit, declaard what eares hee spyde His mayster have, and turning downe the clowre ageine, did hyde His blabbed woordes within the ground, and closing up the pit Departed thence and never made mo woordes at all of it. Soone after, there began a tuft of quivering reedes to growe Which beeing rype bewrayd theyr seede and him that did them sowe. For when the gentle sowtherne wynd did lyghtly on them blowe, They uttred foorth the woordes that had beene buried in the ground And so reprovde the Asses eares of Midas with theyr sound. Apollo after this revenge from Tmolus tooke his flyght: And sweeping through the ayre, did on the selfsame syde alvght
Of Hellespontus, in the Realme of king Laomedon. There stoode uppon the right syde of Sigaeum, and uppon The left of Rhetye cliffe that tyme, an Altar buylt of old To Jove that heereth all mennes woordes. Heere Phebus did behold The foresayd king Laomedon beginning for to lay Foundation of the walles of Troy: which woork from day to day Went hard and slowly forward, and requyrd no little charge, Then he togither with the God that rules the surges large, Did put themselves in shape of men, and bargaynd with the king Of Phrygia for a summe of gold his woork to end to bring. Now when the woork was done, the king theyr wages them denayd, And falsly faaste them downe with othes it was not as they sayd. Thou shalt not mock us unrevendgd (quoth Neptune). And anon He caused all the surges of the sea to rush uppon The shore of covetous Troy, and made the countrye like the deepe. The goodes of all the husbandmen away he quight did sweepe, And overwhelmd theyr feeldes with waves. And thinking this too small A pennance for the falsehod, he demaunded therwithall His daughter for a monster of the Sea. Whom beeing bound Untoo a rocke, stout Hercules delivering saufe and sound, Requyrd his steeds which were the hyre for which he did compound. And when that of so great desert the king denyde the hyre. The twyce forsworne false towne of Troy he sacked in his ire. And Telamon in honour of his service did enjoy. The Lady Hesion, daughter of the covetous king of Troy. For Peleus had already got a Goddesse to his wife, And lived unto both theyr joyes a right renowmed lyfe. And sure he was not prowder of his graundsyre, than of thee That wert become his fathrinlaw. For many mo than hee Have had the hap of mighty Jove the nephewes for to bee. But never was it heeretofore the chaunce of any one To have a Goddesse to his wyfe, save only his alone. For unto watry Thetis thus old Protew did foretell: Go marry: thou shalt beare a sonne whose dooings shall excell His fathers farre in feates of armes, and greater he shall bee In honour, high renowme, and fame, than ever erst was hee. This caused Jove the watry bed of Thetis to forbeare
Although his hart were more than warme with love of her, for feare The world sum other greater thing than Jove himself should breede, And willd the sonne of Aeacus this Peleus to succeede In that which he himself would faine have done, and for to take The Lady of the sea in armes a mother her to make. There is a bay of Thessaly that bendeth lyke a boawe. The sydes shoote foorth, where if the sea of any depth did flowe It were a haven. Scarcely dooth the water hyde the sand. It hath a shore so firme, that if a man theron doo stand, No print of foote remaynes behynd: it hindreth not ones pace, Ne covered is with hovering reeke. Adjoyning to this place, There is a grove of Myrtletrees with frute of dowle colour, And in the midds thereof a Cave. I can not tell you whither That nature or the art of man were maker of the same. It seemed rather made by arte. Oft Thetis hither came Starke naked, ryding bravely on a brydled Dolphins backe. There Peleus as shee lay asleepe uppon her often bracke. And forbycause that at her handes entreatance nothing winnes, He folding her about the necke with both his armes, beginnes To offer force. And surely if shee had not falne to wyles And shifted oftentymes her shape, he had obteind erewhyles. But shee became sumtymes a bird: he hilld her like a bird. Anon shee was a massye log: but Peleus never stird A whit for that. Then thirdly shee of speckled Tyger tooke The ugly shape: for feare of whose most feerce and cruell looke, His armes he from her body twicht. And at his going thence, In honour of the watry Goddes he burned frankincence, And powred wyne uppon the sea, with fat of neate and sheepe: Untill the prophet that dooth dwell within Carpathian deepe, Sayd thus: Thou sonne of Aeacus, thy wish thou sure shalt have Alonely when shee lyes asleepe within her pleasant Cave, Cast grinnes to trappe her unbewares: hold fast with snarling knot: And though shee fayne a hundreth shapes, deceyve thee let her not. But sticke unto't what ere it bee, untill the tyme that shee Returneth to the native shape shee erst was woont to bee. When Protew thus had sed, within the sea he duckt his head, And suffred on his latter woordes the water for to spred.
The lyghtsum Titan downeward drew, and with declyning chayre Approched to the westerne sea, when Neryes daughter fayre Returning from the sea, resorts to her accustomd cowch. And Peleus scarcely had begon hir naked limbes to towch, But that shee chaungd from shape to shape, untill at length shee found Herself surprysd. Then stretching out her armes with sighes profound, She sayd: Thou overcommest mee, and not without the ayd Of God. And then she, Thetis like, appeerd in shape of mayd. The noble prince imbracing her obteynd her at his will, To both theyr joyes, and with the great Achylles did her fill. A happye wyght was Peleus in his wyfe: a happy wyght Was Peleus also in his sonne. And if yee him acquight Of murthring Phocus, happy him in all things count yee myght. But giltye of his brothers blood, and bannisht for the same From bothe his fathers house and Realme, to Trachin sad he came. The sonne of lyghtsum Lucifer, king Ceyx (who in face Exprest the lively beawtye of his fathers heavenly grace,) Without all violent rigor and sharpe executions reignd In Trachin. He right sad that tyme unlike himself, remaynd Yit moorning for his brothers chaunce transformed late before. When Peleus thither came, with care and travayle tyred sore, He left his cattell and his sheepe (whereof he brought great store) Behynd him in a shady vale not farre from Trachin towne, And with a little companye himself went thither downe. Assoone as leave to come to Court was graunted him, he bare A braunche of Olyf in his hand, and humbly did declare His name and lynage. Onely of his crime no woord hee spake, But of his flyght another cause pretensedly did make: Desyring leave within his towne or countrye to abyde. The king of Trachin gently thus to him ageine replyde: Our bownty to the meanest sort (O Peleus) dooth extend: Wee are not woont the desolate our countrye to forfend. And though I bee of nature most inclyned good to doo: Thyne owne renowme, thy graundsyre Jove are forcements thereunto. Misspend no longer tyme in sute. I gladly doo agree To graunt thee what thou wilt desyre. Theis things that thou doost see I would thou should account them as thyne owne, such as they bee
I would they better were. With that he weeped. Peleus and His freends desyred of his greef the cause to understand. He answerd thus: Perchaunce yee think this bird that lives by pray And putts all other birds in feare had wings and fethers ay. He was a man. And as he was right feerce in feats of armes, And stout and readye bothe to wreake and also offer harmes: So was he of a constant mynd. Daedalion men him hyght. Our father was that noble starre that brings the morning bryght, And in the welkin last of all gives place to Phebus lyght. My study was to maynteine peace, in peace was my delyght, And for to keepe mee true to her to whom my fayth is plyght. My brother had felicite in warre and bloody fyght. His prowesse and his force which now dooth chase in cruell flyght The Dooves of Thisbye since his shape was altred thus anew, Ryght puyssant Princes and theyr Realmes did heeretofore subdew. He had a chyld calld Chyone, whom nature did endew With beawtye so, that when to age of fowreteene yeeres shee grew, A thousand Princes liking her did for hir favour sew. By fortune as bryght Phebus and the sonne of Lady May Came t'one from Delphos, toother from mount Cyllen, by the way They saw her bothe at once, and bothe at once were tane in love. Apollo till the tyme of nyght differd his sute to move. But Hermes could not beare delay. He stroked on the face The mayden with his charmed rod which hath the powre to chace And bring in sleepe: the touch whereof did cast her in so dead A sleepe, that Hermes by and by his purpose of her sped. As soone as nyght with twinckling starres the welkin had beesprent, Apollo in an old wyves shape to Chyon clocely went, And tooke the pleasure which the sonne of Maya had forehent. Now when shee full her tyme had gone, shee bare by Mercurye A sonne that hyght Awtolychus, who provde a wyly pye, And such a fellow as in theft and filching had no peere. He was his fathers owne sonne right: he could mennes eyes so bleere, As for to make the black things whyghlt, and whyght things black appeere. And by Apollo (for shee bare a payre) was borne his brother Philammon, who in musick arte excelled farre all other, As well in singing as in play. But what avayled it
To beare such twinnes, and of two Goddes in favour to have sit? And that shee to her father had a stowt and valeant knight, Or that her graundsyre was the sonne of Jove that God of might? Dooth glorie hurt to any folk? It surely hurted her. For standing in her owne conceyt shee did herself prefer Before Diana, and dispraysd her face, who there with all Inflaamd with wrath, sayd: Well, with deedes we better please her shall. Immediatly shee bent her bowe, and let an arrow go, Which strake her through the toong, whose spight deserved wounding so. Her toong wext dumb, her speech gan fayle that erst was over ryfe, And as shee stryved for to speake, away went blood and lyfe. How wretched was I then, O God? how strake it to my hart? What woordes of comfort did I speake to ease my brothers smart? To which he gave his eare as much as dooth the stony rocke To hideous roring of the waves that doo against it knocke. There was no measure nor none ende in making of his mone, Nor in bewayling comfortlesse his daughter that was gone. But when he sawe her bodye burne, fowre tymes with all his myght He russhed foorth to thrust himself amid the fyre in spyght. Fowre tymes hee beeing thence repulst, did put himself to flyght. And ran mee wheras was no way, as dooth a Bullocke when A hornet stings him in the necke. Mee thought hee was as then More wyghter farre than any man. Yee would have thought his feete Had had sum wings. So fled he quyght from all, and being fleete Through eagernesse to dye, he gat to mount Parnasos knappe And there Apollo pitying him and rewing his missehappe, When as Daedalion from the cliffe himself had headlong floong, Transformd him to a bird, and on the soodaine as hee hung Did give him wings, and bowwing beake, and hooked talants keene, And eeke a courage full as feerce as ever it had beene. And furthermore a greater strength he lent him therwithall, Than one would thinke conveyd myght bee within a roome so small. And now in shape of Gossehawke hee to none indifferent is, But wreakes his teene on all birds. And bycause him selfe ere this Did feele the force of sorrowes sting within his wounded hart, Hee maketh others oftentymes to sorrow and to smart. As Caeyx of his brothers chaunce this wondrous story seth,
Commes ronning thither all in haste and almost out of breth Anaetor the Phocayan who was Pelyes herdman. Hee Sayd: Pelye Pelye, I doo bring sad tydings unto thee. Declare it man (quoth Peleus) what ever that it bee. King Ceyx at his fearefull woordes did stand in dowtfull stowne. This noonetyde (quoth the herdman) Iche did drive your cattell downe To zea, and zum a them did zit uppon the yellow zand And looked on the large mayne poole of water neere at hand. Zum roayled zoftly up and downe, and zum a them did zwim And bare their jolly horned heades aboove the water trim. A Church stondes neere the zea not deckt with gold nor marble stone But made of wood, and hid with trees that dreeping hang theron. A visherman that zat and dryde hiz netts uppo the zhore Did tell'z that Nereus and his Nymphes did haunt the place of yore, And how that thay beene Goddes a zea. There butts a plot vorgrowne With zallow trees uppon the zame, the which is overblowne With tydes, and is a marsh. From thence a woolf, an orped wyght, With hideous noyse of rustling made the groundes neere hand afryght. Anon he commes mee buskling out bezmeared all his chappes With blood daubaken and with vome as veerce as thunder clappes. Hiz eyen did glaster red as vyre, and though he raged zore Vor vamin and vor madnesse bothe, yit raged he much more In madnesse. Vor hee cared not his hunger vor to zlake, Or i'the death of oxen twoo or three an end to make. But wounded all the herd and made a havocke of them all, And zum of us too, in devence did happen vor to vail, In daunger of his deadly chappes, and lost our lyves. The zhore And zea is staynd with blood, and all the ven is on a rore. Delay breedes losse. The cace denyes now dowting vor to stond, Whyle owght remaynes let all of us take weapon in our hond. Let's arme our zelves, and let uz altogither on him vall. The herdman hilld his peace. The losse movde Peleus not at all. But calling his offence to mynde, he thought that Neryes daughter, The chyldlesse Ladye Psamathe, determynd with that slaughter To keepe an Obit to her sonne whom hee before had killd. Immediatly uppon this newes the king of Trachin willd His men to arme them, and to take their weapons in theyr hand,
And he addrest himself to bee the leader of the band. His wyfe, Alcyone, by the noyse admonisht of the same, In dressing of her head, before shee had it brought in frame, Cast downe her heare, and ronning foorth caught Ceyx fast about The necke, desyring him with teares to send his folk without Himself, and in the lyfe of him to save the lyves of twayne. O Princesse, cease your godly feare (quoth Peleus then agayne). Your offer dooth deserve great thanks. I mynd not warre to make Ageinst straunge monsters. I as now another way must take. The seagods must bee pacifyde. There was a Castle hye, And in the same a lofty towre whose toppe dooth face the skye, A joyfull mark for maryners to guyde theyr vessells by. To this same Turret up they went, and there with syghes behilld The Oxen lying every where stark dead uppon the feelde And eeke the cruell stroygood with his bluddy mouth and heare. Then Peleus stretching foorth his handes to Seaward, prayd in feare To watrish Psamath that she would her sore displeasure stay, And help him. She no whit relents to that that he did pray. But Thetis for hir husband made such earnest sute, that shee Obteynd his pardon. For anon the woolfe (who would not bee Revoked from the slaughter for the sweetenesse of the blood) Persisted sharpe and eager still, untill that as he stood Fast byghting on a Bullocks necke, shee turnd him intoo stone As well in substance as in hew, the name of woolf alone Reserved. For although in shape hee seemed still yit one, The verry colour of the stone beewrayd him to bee none, And that he was not to bee feard. How be it froward fate Permitts not Peleus in that land to have a setled state. He wandreth like an outlaw to the Magnets. There at last Acastus the Thessalien purgd him of his murther past. In this meane tyme the Trachine king sore vexed in his thought With signes that both before and since his brothers death were wrought, For counsell at the sacret Spelles (which are but toyes to foode Fond fancyes, and not counsellers in perill to doo goode) Did make him reedy to the God of Claros for to go. For heathenish Phorbas and the folk of Phlegia had as tho The way to Delphos stopt, that none could travell to or fro.
But ere he on his journey went, he made his faythfull make Alcyone preevye to the thing. Immediatly theyr strake A chilnesse to her verry bones, and pale was all her face Like box and downe her heavy cheekes the teares did gush apace. Three times about to speake, three times shee washt her face with teares, And stinting oft with sobbes, shee thus complayned in his eares: What fault of myne, husband deere, hath turnd thy hart fro mee? Where is that care of mee that erst was woont to bee in thee? And canst thou having left thy deere Alcyone merrye bee? Doo journeyes long delyght thee now? dooth now myne absence please Thee better then my presence dooth? Think I that thou at ease Shalt go by land? Shall I have cause but onely for to moorne? And not to bee afrayd? And shall my care of thy returne Bee voyd of feare? No no. The sea mee sore afrayd dooth make. To think uppon the sea dooth cause my flesh for feare to quake. I sawe the broken ribbes of shippes alate uppon the shore. And oft on Tumbes I reade theyr names whose bodyes long before The sea had swallowed. Let not fond vayne hope seduce thy mynd, That Aeolus is thy fathrinlaw who holdes the boystous wynd In prison, and can calme the seas at pleasure. When the wynds Are once let looce uppon the sea, no order then them bynds. Then neyther land hathe priviledge, nor sea exemption fynds. Yea even the clowdes of heaven they vex, and with theyr meeting stout Enforce the fyre with hideous noyse to brust in flashes out. The more that I doo know them, (for ryght well I know theyr powre, And saw them oft a little wench within my fathers bowre) So much the more I think them to bee feard. But if thy will By no intreatance may bee turnd at home to tarry still, But that thou needes wilt go: then mee, deere husband, with thee take. So shall the sea us equally togither tosse and shake. So woorser than I feele I shall bee certeine not to feare. So shall we whatsoever happes togitherjoyntly beare. So shall wee on the broad mayne sea togither joyntly sayle. Theis woordes and teares wherewith the imp of Aeolus did assayle Her husbond borne of heavenly race, did make his hart relent. (For he lovd her no lesse than shee lovd him.) But fully bent He seemed, neyther for to leave the journey which he ment
To take by sea, nor yit to give Alcyone leave as tho Companion of his perlous course by water for to go. He many woordes of comfort spake her feare away to chace. But nought hee could perswade therein to make her like the cace. This last asswagement of her greef he added in the end, Which was the onely thing that made her loving hart to bend: All taryance will assuredly seeme over long to mee. And by my fathers blasing beames I make my vow to thee That at the furthest ere the tyme (if God therto agree) The moone doo fill her circle twyce, ageine I will heere bee. When in sum hope of his returne this promis had her set, He willd a shippe immediatly from harbrough to bee fet, And throughly rigged for to bee, that neyther maast, nor sayle, Nor tackling, no nor other thing should apperteyning fayle. Which when Alcyone did behold, as one whoose hart misgave The happes at hand, shee quaakt ageine, and teares out gusshing drave. And streyning Ceyx in her armes with pale and piteous looke, Poore wretched soule, her last farewell at length shee sadly tooke, And swounded flat uppon the ground. Anon the watermen (As Ceyx sought delayes and was in dowt to turne agen) Set hand to Ores, of which there were two rowes on eyther syde, And all at once with equall stroke the swelling sea devyde. Shee lifting up her watrye eyes behilld her husband stand Uppon the hatches making signes by beckening with his hand: And shee made signes to him ageine. And after that the land Was farre removed from the shippe, and that the sight began To bee unable to discerne the face of any man, As long as ere shee could shee lookt uppon the rowing keele. And when shee could no longer tyme for distance ken it weele, Shee looked still uppon the sayles that flasked with the wynd Uppon the maast. And when shee could the sayles no longer fynd, She gate her to her empty bed with sad and sorye hart, And layd her downe. The chamber did renew afresh her smart, And of her bed did bring to mynd the deere departed part. From harbrough now they quyght were gone: and now a plasant gale Did blowe. The mayster made his men theyr Ores asyde to hale, And hoysed up the toppesayle on the hyghest of the maast,
And clapt on all his other sayles bycause no wind should waast. Scarce full t'one half, (or sure not much above) the shippe had ronne Uppon the sea and every way the land did farre them shonne, When toward night the wallowing waves began to waxen whyght, And eeke the heady easterne wynd did blow with greater myght, Anon the Mayster cryed: Strike the toppesayle, let the mayne Sheate flye and fardle it to the yard. Thus spake he, but in vayne, For why so hideous was the storme uppon the soodeine brayd, That not a man was able there to heere what other sayd. And lowd the sea with meeting waves extreemely raging rores. Yit fell they to it of them selves. Sum haalde asyde the Ores: Sum fensed in the Gallyes sydes, sum downe the sayleclothes rend: Sum pump the water out, and sea to sea ageine doo send. Another hales the sayleyards downe. And whyle they did eche thing Disorderly, the storme increast, and from eche quarter fling The wyndes with deadly foode, and bownce the raging waves togither. The Pilot being sore dismayd sayth playne, he knowes not whither To wend himself, nor what to doo or bid, nor in what state Things stood. So huge the mischeef was, and did so overmate All arte. For why of ratling ropes, of crying men and boyes, Of flusshing waves and thundring ayre, confused was the noyse. The surges mounting up aloft did seeme to mate the skye, And with theyr sprinckling for to wet the clowdes that hang on hye. One whyle the sea, when iirom the brink it raysd the yellow sand, Was like in colour to the same. Another whyle did stand A colour on it blacker than the Lake of Styx. Anon It lyeth playne and loomethwhyght with seething froth thereon. And with the sea the Trachin shippe ay alteration tooke. One whyle as from a mountaynes toppe it seemed downe to looke To vallyes and the depth of hell. Another whyle beset With swelling surges round about which neere above it met, It looked from the bottom of the whoorlepoole up aloft As if it were from hell to heaven. A hideous flusshing oft The waves did make in beating full against the Gallyes syde. The Gallye being striken gave as great a sownd that tyde As did sumtyme the Battellramb of steele, or now the Gonne In making battrye to a towre. And as feerce Lyons ronne
Full brist with all theyr force ageinst the armed men that stand In order bent to keepe them off with weapons in theyr hand, Even so as often as the waves by force of wynd did rave, So oft uppon the netting of the shippe they maynely drave, And mounted farre above the same. Anon off fell the hoopes: And having washt the pitch away, the sea made open loopes To let the deadly water in. Behold the clowdes did melt, And showers large came pooring downe. The seamen that them felt Myght thinke that all the heaven had falne uppon them that same tyme, And that the swelling sea likewyse above the heaven would clyme. The sayles were throughly wet with showers, and with the heavenly raine Was mixt the waters of the sea. No lyghts at all remayne Of sunne, or moone, or starres in heaven. The darknesse of the nyght Augmented with the dreadfull storme, takes dowble powre and myght. Howbee't the flasshing lyghtnings oft doo put the same to flyght, And with theyr glauncing now and then do give a soodeine lyght. The lightnings setts the waves on fyre. Above the netting skippe The waves, and with a violent force doo lyght within the shippe. And as a souldyer stowter than the rest of all his band That oft assayles a citie walles defended well by hand, At length atteines his hope, and for to purchace prayse withall Alone among a thousand men getts up uppon the wall: So when the loftye waves had long the Gallyes sydes assayd, At length the tenth wave rysing up with huger force and brayd, Did never cease assaulting of the weery shippe, till that Uppon the hatches lyke a fo victoriously it gat. A part thereof did still as yit assault the shippe without, And part had gotten in. The men all trembling ran about, As in a Citie commes to passe, when of the enmyes sum Dig downe the walles without, and sum already in are come. All arte and conning was to seeke. Theyr harts and stomacks fayle: And looke, how many surges came theyr vessell to assayle, So many deathes did seeme to charge and breake uppon them all. One weepes: another stands amazde: the third them blist dooth call Whom buryall dooth remayne. To God another makes his vow, And holding up his handes to heaven the which hee sees not now, Dooth pray in vayne for help. The thought of this man is uppon
His brother and his parents whom he cleerely hath forgone. Another calles his house and wyfe and children unto mynd, And every man in generall the things he left behynd. Alcyone moveth Ceyx hart. In Ceyx mouth is none But onely one Alcyone. And though shee were alone The wyght that he desyred most, yit was he verry glad Shee was not there. To Trachin ward to looke desyre he had, And homeward fayne he would have turnd his eyes which never more Should see the land. But then he knew not which way was the shore, Nor where he was. The raging sea did rowle about so fast: And all the heaven with clowds as black as pitch was over cast, That never nyght was halfe so dark. There came a flaw at last, That with his violence brake the maste, and strake the sterne away. A billowe proudly pranking up as vaunting of his pray By conquest gotten, walloweth hole and breaketh not asunder, Beholding with a lofty looke the waters woorking under. And looke, as if a man should from the places where they growe Rend downe the mountaynes, Athe and Pind, and whole them overthrowe Into the open sea: so soft the Billowe tumbling downe, With weyght and violent stroke did sink and in the bottom drowne The Gallye. And the moste of them that were within the same Went downe therwith and never up to open aier came, But dyed strangled in the gulf. Another sort againe Caught peeces of the broken shippe. The king himself was fayne A shiver of the sunken shippe in that same hand to hold, In which hee erst a royall mace had hilld of yellow gold. His father and his fathrinlawe he calles uppon (alas In vayne.) But cheefly in his mouth his wife Alcyone was. In hart was shee: in toong was shee: he wisshed that his corse To land where shee myght take it up the surges myght enforce: And that by her most loving handes he might be layd in grave. In swimming still (as often as the surges leave him gave To ope his lippes) he harped still upon Alcyones name, And when he drowned in the waves he muttred still the same. Behold, even full uppon the wave a flake of water blacke Did breake, and underneathe the sea the head of Ceyx stracke. That nyght the lyghtsum Lucifer for sorrowe was so dim,
As scarcely could a man discerne or thinke it to bee him. And forasmuch as out of heaven he might not steppe asyde, With thick and darksum clowds that nyght his countnance he did hyde. Alcyone of so great mischaunce not knowing aught as yit, Did keepe a reckening of the nyghts that in the whyle did flit, And hasted garments both for him and for herself likewyse, To weare at his homecomming which shee vaynely did surmyse. To all the Goddes devoutly shee did offer frankincence: But most above them all the Church of Juno shee did sence. And for her husband (who as then was none) shee kneeld before The Altar, wisshing health and soone arrivall at the shore, And that none other woman myght before her be preferd. Of all her prayers this one peece effectually was heard. For Juno could not fynd in hart intreated for to bee For him that was already dead. But to th'entent that shee From dame Alcyones deadly hands might keepe her Altars free, Shee sayd: Most faythfull messenger of my commaundments, O Thou Raynebowe, to the slugguish house of Slomber swiftly go. And bid him send a Dreame in shape of Ceyx to his wyfe Alcyone, for to shew her playne the losing of his lyfe. Dame Iris takes her pall wherein a thousand colours were And bowwing lyke a stringed bow upon the dowdy sphere, Immediatly descended to the drowzye house of Sleepe Whose Court the clowdes continually doo clocely overdreepe. Among the darke Cimmerians is a hollow mountaine found And in the hill a Cave that farre dooth ronne within the ground, The Chamber and the dwelling place where slouthfull sleepe dooth cowch. The lyght of Phebus golden beames this place can never towch. A foggye mist with dimnesse mixt streames upwarde from the ground, And glimmering twylyght evermore within the same is found. No watchfull bird with barbed bill, and combed crowne dooth call The morning foorth with crowing out. There is no noyse at all Of waking dogge, nor gagling goose more waker than the hound To hinder sleepe. Of beast ne wyld ne tame there is no sound. No bowghes are stird with blastes of wynd, no noyse of tatling toong Of man or woman ever yit within that bower roong. Dumb quiet dwelleth there. Yit from the Roches foote dooth go
The ryver of forgetfulnesse, which ronneth trickling so Uppon the little pebble stones which in the channell lye, That unto sleepe a great deale more it dooth provoke thereby. Before the entry of the Cave, there growes of Poppye store, With seeded heades, and other weedes innumerable more, Out of the milkye jewce of which the night dooth gather sleepes, And over all the shadowed earth with dankish deawe them dreepes. Bycause the craking hindges of the doore no noyse should make, There is no doore in all the house, nor porter at the gate. Amid the Cave, of Ebonye a bedsted standeth hye, And on the same a bed of downe with keeverings blacke dooth lye: In which the drowzye God of sleepe his lither limbes dooth rest. About him, forging sundrye shapes as many dreames lye prest As eares of come doo stand in feeldes in harvest tyme, or leaves Doo grow on trees, or sea to shore of sandye cinder heaves. As soone as Iris came within this house, and with her hand Had put asyde the dazeling dreames that in her way did stand, The brightnesse of her robe through all the sacred house did shine. The God of sleepe scarce able for to rayse his heavy eyen, A three or fowre tymes at the least did fall ageine to rest, And with his nodding head did knocke his chinne ageinst his brest. At length he shaking of himselfe, uppon his elbowe leande. And though he knew for what shee came: he askt her what shee meand. O sleepe (quoth shee,) the rest of things, O gentlest of the Goddes, Sweete sleepe, the peace of mynd, with whom crookt care is aye at oddes: Which cherrishest mennes weery limbes appalld with toling sore, And makest them as fresh to woork and lustye as beefore, Commaund a dreame that in theyr kyndes can every thing expresse, To Trachine, Hercles towne, himself this instant to addresse. And let him lively counterfet to Queene Alcyonea The image of her husband who is drowned in the sea By shipwrecke. Juno willeth so. Her message beeing told, Dame Iris went her way. Shee could her eyes no longer hold From sleepe. But when shee felt it come shee fled that instant tyme, And by the boawe that brought her downe to heaven ageine did clyme. Among a thousand sonnes and mo that father slomber had He calld up Morph, the feyner of mannes shape, a craftye lad.
None other could so conningly expresse mans verrye face, His gesture and his sound of voyce, and manner of his pace, Togither with his woonted weede, and woonted phrase of talk. But this same Morphye onely in the shape of man dooth walk. There is another who the shapes of beast or bird dooth take, Or else appeereth unto men in likenesse of a snake. The Goddes doo call him Icilos, and mortall folke him name Phobetor. There is also yit a third who from theis same Woorkes diversly, and Phantasos he highteth. Into streames This turnes himself, and into stones, and earth, and timber beames, And into every other thing that wanteth life. Theis three, Great kings and Capteines in the night are woonted for to see. The meaner and inferiour sort of others haunted bee. Sir Slomber overpast the rest, and of the brothers all To doo dame Iris message he did only Morphye call. Which doone he waxing luskish, streyght layd downe his drowzy head And softly shroonk his layzye limbes within his sluggish bed. Away flew Morphye through the aire: no flickring made his wings: And came anon to Trachine. There his fethers off he flings, And in the shape of Ceyx standes before Alcyones bed, Pale, wan, stark naakt, and like a man that was but lately deade. His berde seemd wet, and of his head the heare was dropping drye, And leaning on her bed, with teares he seemed thus to cry: Most wretched woman, knowest thou thy loving Ceyx now Or is my face by death disformd? behold mee well, and thow Shalt know mee. For thy husband, thou thy husbandes Ghost shalt see. No good thy prayers and thy vowes have done at all to mee. For I am dead. In vayne of my returne no reckning make. The dowdy sowth amid the sea our shippe did tardy take, And tossing it with violent blastes asunder did it shake. And floodes have filld my mouth which calld in vayne uppon thy name. No persone whom thou mayst misdeeme brings tydings of the same. Thou hearest not thereof by false report of flying fame. But I myself: I presently my shipwrecke to thee showe. Aryse therefore and wofull teares uppon thy spouse bestowe. Put moorning rayment on, and let mee not to Limbo go Unmoorned for. In shewing of this shipwrecke Morphye so
Did feyne the voyce of Ceyx, that shee could none other deeme, But that it should bee his in deede. Moreover he did seeme To weepe in earnest: and his handes the verry gesture had Of Ceyx. Queene Alcyone did grone, and beeing sad Did stirre her armes, and thrust them foorth his body to embrace. In stead whereof shee caught but ayre. The teares ran downe her face. Shee cryed, Tarry: whither flyste? togither let us go. And all this whyle she was asleepe. Both with her crying so, And flayghted with the image of her husbands gastly spryght, She started up: and sought about if fynd him there shee myght. (For why her Groomes awaking with the shreeke had brought a light.) And when shee no where could him fynd, shee gan her face to smyght, And tare her nyghtclothes from her brest, and strake it feercely, and Not passing to unty her heare shee rent it with her hand. And when her nurce of this her greef desyrde to understand The cause: Alcyone is undoone, undoone and cast away With Ceyx her deare spouse (shee sayd). Leave comforting I pray. By shipwrecke he is perrisht: I have seene him: and I knew His handes. When in departing I to hold him did pursew I caught a Ghost: but such a Ghost as well discerne I myght To bee my husbands. Nathelesse he had not to my syght His woonted countenance, neyther did his visage shyne so bryght, As heeretofore it had beene woont. I saw him, wretched wyght, Starke naked, pale, and with his heare still wet: even verry heere I saw him stand. With that shee lookes if any print appeere Of footing where as he did stand uppon the floore behynd. This this is it that I did feare in farre forecasting mynd, When flying mee I thee desyrde thou shouldst not trust the wynd. But syth thou wentest to thy death, I would that I had gone With thee. Ah meete, it meete had beene thou shouldst not go alone Without mee. So it should have come to passe that neyther I Had overlived thee, nor yit beene forced twice to dye. Already, absent in the waves now tossed have I bee. Already have I perrished. And yit the sea hath thee Without mee. But the cruelnesse were greater farre of mee Than of the sea, if after thy decease I still would strive In sorrow and in anguish still to pyne away alive.
But neyther will I strive in care to lengthen still my lyfe, Nor (wretched wyght) abandon thee: but like a faythfull wyfe At leastwyse now will come as thy companion. And the herse Shall joyne us, though not in the selfsame coffin: yit in verse. Although in tumb the bones of us togither may not couch, Yit in a graven Epitaph my name thy name shall touch. Her sorrow would not suffer her to utter any more. Shee sobd and syghde at every woord, untill her hart was sore. The morning came, and out shee went ryght pensif to the shore To that same place in which shee tooke her leave of him before. Whyle there shee musing stood, and sayd: He kissed mee even heere, Heere weyed hee his Anchors up, heere loosd he from the peere. And whyle shee calld to mynd the things there marked with her eyes: In looking on the open sea, a great way off shee spyes A certaine thing much like a corse come hovering on the wave. At first shee dowted what it was. As tyde it neerer drave, Although it were a good way off, yit did it plainely showe To bee a corce. And though that whose it was shee did not knowe, Yit forbycause it seemd a wrecke, her hart therat did ryse: And as it had sum straunger beene, with water in her eyes She sayd: Alas poore wretch who ere thou art, alas for her That is thy wyfe, if any bee. And as the waves did stirre, The body floted neerer land: the which the more that shee Behilld, the lesse began in her of stayed wit to bee. Anon it did arrive on shore. Then plainely shee did see And know it, that it was her feere. Shee shreeked, It is hee. And therewithall her face, her heare, and garments shee did teare, And unto Ceyx stretching out her trembling handes with feare, Sayd: cumst thou home in such a plyght to mee, O husband deere? Returnst in such a wretched plyght? There was a certeine peere That buylded was by hand, of waves the first assaults to breake, And at the havons mouth to cause the tyde to enter weake. Shee lept thereon. (A wonder sure it was shee could doo so) Shee flew, and with her newgrowen winges did beate the ayre as tho. And on the waves a wretched bird shee whisked to and fro. And with her crocking neb then growen to slender bill and round, Like one that wayld and moorned still shee made a moaning sound.
Howbee't as soone as she did touch his dumb and bloodlesse flesh, And had embraast his loved limbes with winges made new and fresh, And with her hardened neb had kist him coldly, though in vayne, Folk dowt if Ceyx feeling it to rayse his head did strayne, Or whither that the waves did lift it up. But surely hee It felt: and through compassion of the Goddes both hee and shee Were turnd to birdes. The love of them eeke subject to their fate, Continued after: neyther did the faythfull bond abate Of wedlocke in them beeing birdes: but standes in stedfast state. They treade, and lay, and bring foorth yoong and now the Alcyon sitts In wintertime uppon her nest, which on the water flitts A sevennyght. During all which tyme the sea is calme and still, And every man may to and fro sayle saufly at his will, For Aeolus for his offsprings sake the windes at home dooth keepe, And will not let them go abroade for troubling of the deepe. An auncient father seeing them aabout the brode sea fly, Did prayse theyr love for lasting to the end so stedfastly. His neyghbour or the selfsame man made answer (such is chaunce): Even this fowle also whom thou seest uppon the surges glaunce With spindle shanks, (he poynted to the wydegoawld Cormorant) Before that he became a bird, of royall race might vaunt. And if thou covet lineally his pedegree to seeke, His Auncetors were Ilus, and Assaracus, and eeke Fayre Ganymed who Jupiter did ravish as his joy, Laomedon and Priamus the last that reygnd in Troy. Stout Hectors brother was this man. And had he not in pryme Of lusty youth beene tane away, his deedes perchaunce in tyme Had purchaast him as great a name as Hector, though that hee Of Dymants daughter Hecuba had fortune borne to bee. For Aesacus reported is begotten to have beene By scape, in shady Ida on a mayden fayre and sheene Whose name was Alyxothoe, a poore mans daughter that With spade and mattocke for himselfe and his a living gat. This Aesacus the Citie hates, and gorgious Court dooth shonne, And in the unambicious feeldes and woods alone dooth wonne. He seeldoom haunts the towne of Troy, yit having not a rude And blockish wit, nor such a hart as could not be subdewd
By love, he spyde Eperie (whom oft he had pursewd Through all the woodes) then sitting on her father Cebrius brim A drying of her heare ageinst the sonne, which hanged trim Uppon her back. As soone as that the Nymph was ware of him, She fled as when the grisild woolf dooth scare the fearefull hynd Or when the Fawcon farre from brookes a Mallard happes to fynd. The Trojane knyght ronnes after her, and beeing swift through love, Purseweth her whom feare dooth force apace her feete to move. Behold an Adder lurking in the grasse there as shee fled, Did byght her foote with hooked tooth, and in her bodye spred His venim. Shee did cease her flyght and soodein fell downe dead. Her lover being past his witts her carkesse did embrace, And cryde: Alas it irketh mee, it irkes mee of this chace. But this I feard not. Neyther was the gaine of that I willd Woorth halfe so much. Now two of us thee (wretched soule) have killd. The wound was given thee by the snake, the cause was given by mee. The wickedder of both am I: who for to comfort thee Will make thee satisfaction with my death. With that at last Downe from a rocke (the which the waves had undermynde) he cast Himself into the sea. Howbee't dame Tethys pitying him, Receyvd him softly, and as he uppon the waves did swim, Shee covered him with fethers. And though fayne he would have dyde, Shee would not let him. Wroth was he that death was him denyde, And that his soule compelld should bee ageinst his will to byde Within his wretched body still, from which it would depart, And that he was constreynd to live perforce ageinst his hart. And as he on his shoulders now had newly taken wings, He mounted up, and downe uppon the sea his boddye dings. His fethers would not let him sinke. In rage he dyveth downe, And despratly he strives himself continually to drowne. His love did make him leane, long leggs: long neck dooth still remayne. His head is from his shoulders farre: of Sea he is most fayne. And for he underneath the waves delyghteth for to drive A name according thereunto the Latins doo him give.
Finis vndecimi Libri.