Metamorphoses

Ovid

Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.

The straungenesse of the thing did make the nymphes astonyed: and
The Ladye of Amazons sonne amaazd therat did stand,
As when the Tyrrhene Tilman sawe in earing of his land
The fatall clod first stirre alone without the help of hand,
And by and by forgoing quyght the earthly shape of clod,
To take the seemely shape of man, and shortly like a God
To tell of things as then to comme. The Tyrrhenes did him call
By name of Tages. He did teach the Tuskanes first of all
To gesse by searching bulks of beastes what after should befall.
Or like as did king Romulus when soodeinly he found
His lawnce on mountayne Palatine fast rooted in the ground,
And bearing leaves, no longer now a weapon but a tree,
Which shadowed such as woondringly came thither for to see.
Or else as Cippus when he in the ronning brooke had seene
His homes. For why he saw them, and supposing there had beene
No credit to bee given unto the glauncing image, hee
Put oft his fingers to his head, and felt it so to bee.
And blaming now no more his eyes, in comming from the chase
With conquest of his foes, he stayd. And lifting up his face
And with his face, his homes to heaven, he sayd: What ever thing
Is by this woonder meant, O Goddes, if joyfull newes it bring
I pray yee let it joyfull to my folk and countrye bee:
But if it threaten evill, let the evill light on mee.
In saying so, an altar greene of clowwers he did frame,
And offred fuming frankincence in fyre uppon the same,
And powred boawles of wyne theron, and searched therwithall
The quivering inwards of a sheepe to know what should befall.
A Tyrrhene wizard having sought the bowelles, saw therin
Great chaunges and attempts of things then readye to begin,
Which were not playnly manifest. But when that he at last
His eyes from inwards of the beast on Cippus homes had cast,
Hayle king (he sayd). For untoo thee, O Cippus, unto thee,
And to thy homes shall this same place and Rome obedyent bee.
Abridge delay: and make thou haste to enter at the gates
Which tarrye open for thee. So commaund the soothfast fates.
Thou shalt bee king assoone as thou hast entred once the towne,
And thou and thyne for evermore shalt weare the royall crowne.
With that he stepping back his foote, did turne his frowning face
From Romeward, saying: Farre, O farre, the Goddes such handsel chace.
More ryght it were I all my lyfe a bannisht man should bee,
Than that the holy Capitoll mee reigning there should see.
Thus much he sayd: and by and by toogither he did call
The people and the Senators. But yit he first of all
Did hyde his homes with Lawrell leaves: and then without the wall
He standing on a mount the which his men had made of soddes,
And having after auncient guyse made prayer to the Goddes
Sayd: Heere is one that shall (onlesse yee bannish him your townc
Immediatly) bee king of Rome and weare a royall crowne.
What man it is, I will by signe, but not by name bewray.
He hath uppon his brow two homes. The wizard heere dooth say,
That if he enter Rome, you shall lyke servants him obey.
He myght have entred at your gates which open for him lay,
But I did stay him thence. And yit there is not unto mee
A neerer freend in all the world. Howbee't forbid him yee
O Romanes, that he comme not once within your walles. Or if
He have deserved, bynd him fast in fetters like a theef.
Or in this fatall Tyrants death, of feare dispatch your mynd.
Such noyse as Pynetrees make what tyme the heady easterne wynde
Dooth whiz amongst them, or as from the sea dooth farre rebound:
Even such among the folk of Rome that present was the sound.
Howbee't in that confused roare of fearefull folk, did fall
Out one voyce asking, Whoo is hee? And staring therewithall
Uppon theyr foreheads, they did seeke the foresayd homes. Agen
(Quoth Cippus) Lo, yee have the man for whom yee seeke. And then
He pulld (ageinst his peoples will) his garlond from his head,
And shewed them the two fayre homes that on his browes were spred.
At that the people dassheth downe theyr lookes and syghing is
Ryght sorye (whoo would think it trew?) to see that head of his,
Most famous for his good deserts. Yit did they not forget
The honour of his personage, but willingly did set
The Lawrell garlond on his head ageine. And by and by
The Senate sayd: Well Cippus, sith untill the tyme thou dye
Thou mayst not come within theis walles, wee give thee as much ground
In honour of thee, as a teeme of steeres can plough thee round,
Betweene the dawning of the day, and shetting in of nyght.
Moreover on the brazen gate at which this Cippus myght
Have entred Rome, a payre of homes were gravde to represent
His woondrous shape, as of his deede an endlesse monument.

Yee Muses whoo to Poets are the present springs of grace,
Now shewe (for you knowe, neyther are you dulld by tyme or space)
How Aesculapius in the Ile that is in Tyber deepe
Among the sacred sayncts of Rome had fortune for to creepe.
A cruell plage did heertofore infect the Latian aire,
And peoples bodyes pyning pale the murreine did appayre.
When tyred with the buriall of theyr freends, they did perceyve
Themselves no helpe at mannes hand nor by Phisicke to receyve.
Then seeking help from heaven, they sent to Delphos (which dooth stand
Amid the world) for counsell to bee had at Phebus hand.
Beseeching him with helthfull ayd to succour theyr distresse,
And of the myghtye Citie Rome the mischeef to redresse.
The quivers which Apollo bryght himself was woont to beare,
The Baytrees, and the place itself togither shaken were.
And by and by the table from the furthest part of all
The Chauncell spake theis woords, which did theyr harts with feare appal:
The thing yee Romanes seeke for heere, yee should have sought more ny
Your countrye. Yea and neerer home go seeke it now. Not I,
Apollo, but Apollos sonne is hee that must redresse
Your sorrowes. Take your journey with good handsell of successe,
And fetch my sonne among you. When Apollos hest was told
Among the prudent Senators, they sercht what towne did hold
His sonne, and unto Epidawre a Gallye for him sent.
Assoone as that th'Ambassadours arryved there they went
Unto the counsell and the Lordes of Greekland: whom they pray
To have the God the present plages of Romanes for to stay,
And for themselves the Oracle of Phebus foorth they lay.
The Counsell were of sundry mynds and could not well agree.
Sum thought that succour in such neede denyed should not bee.
And divers did perswade to keepe theyr helpe, and not to send
Theyr Goddes away sith they themselves myght neede them in the end.
Whyle dowtfully they off and on debate this curious cace,
The evening twylyght utterly the day away did chace,
And on the world the shadowe of the earth had darknesse brought.
That nyght the Lord Ambassadour as sleepe uppon him wrought,
Did dreame he saw before him stand the God whose help he sought,
In shape as in his chappell he was woonted for to stand,
With ryght hand stroking downe his herd, and staffe in tother hand,
And meekely saying: Feare not, I will comme and leave my shryne.
This serpent which dooth wreath with knottes about this staffe of mine
Mark well, and take good heede therof: that when thou shalt it see,
Thou mayst it knowe. For into it transformed will I bee.
But bigger I will bee, for I will seeme of such a syse,
As may celestiall bodyes well to turne into suffise.
Streyght with the voyce, the God, and with the voyce and God, away
Went sleepe: and after sleepe was gone ensewed cheerfull day.
Next morning having cleerely put the fyrye starres to flyght,
The Lordes not knowing what to doo, assembled all foorthryght
Within the sumptuous temple of the God that was requyrde,
And of his mynd by heavenly signe sum knowledge they desyrde.
They scarce had doone theyr prayers, when the God in shape of snake
With loftye crest of gold, began a hissing for to make,
Which was a warning given. And with his presence he did shake
The Altar, shryne, doores, marble floore, and roofe all layd with gold,
And vauncing up his brest he stayd ryght stately to behold
Amid the Church, and round about his fyrye eyes he rold.
The syght did fray the people. But the wyvelesse preest (whoose heare
Was trussed in a fayre whyght Call) did know the God was there.
And sayd: Behold, tiz God, tiz God. As many as bee heere
Pray both with mouth and mynd. O thou our glorious God, appeere
To our beehoofe, and helpe thy folke that keepe thy hallowes ryght.