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 And for they did not know the cause whereof the sicknesse came, The place (bicause they did it know) was blamed for the same. Ye should have seene some halfe fordead go plundring here and there By highways sides while that their legges were able them to beare. And some lie weeping on the ground or rolling piteously Their wearie eyes which afterwards should never see the Skie: Or stretching out their limmes to Heaven that overhangs on hie, Some here, some there, and yonder some, in what so ever coste Death finding them enforced them to yeelde their fainting Ghoste. What heart had I, suppose you, then, or ought I then to have? In faith I might have lothde my life, and wisht me in my grave As other of my people were. I could not cast mine eie In any place, but that dead folke there strowed I did spie Even like as from a shaken twig when rotten Apples drop, Or Mast from Beches, Holmes or Okes when Poales doe scare their top. Yon stately Church with greeces long against our Court you see: It is the shrine of Jupiter. What Wight was he or shee That on those Altars burned not their frankincense in vaine? How oft, yet even with Frankincense that partly did remaine Still unconsumed in their hands, did die both man and wife, As ech of them with mutuall care did pray for others life? How often dyde the mother there in suing for hir sonne, Unheard upon the Altarstone, hir prayer scarce begonne? How often at the Temple doore even while the Priest did bid His Beades, and poure pure wine betwene their homes, at sodaine slid The Oxen downe without stroke given? Yea once when I had thought My selfe by offring sacrifice Joves favor to have sought, For me, my Realme, and these three ymps, the Oxe with grievous grone Upon the sodaine sunke me downe: and little bloud or none Did issue scarce to staine the knife with which they slit his throte. The sickly inwardes eke had lost the signes whereby we note What things the Gods for certaintie would warne us of before: For even the verie bowels were attainted with the sore. Before the holie Temple doores, and (that the death might bee The more dispitefull) even before the Altars did I see The stinking corses scattred. Some with haltars stopt their winde, By death expulsing feare of death: and of a wilfull minde