Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/210

 But Net ne toyle was none so hie that could his wightnesse stop, He mounted over at his ease the highest of the top. Then everie man let slip their Grewnds, but he them all outstript And even as nimbly as a birde in daliance from them whipt. Then all the field desired me to let my Laelaps go: (The Grewnd that Procris unto me did give was named so) Who strugling for to wrest his necke already from the band Did stretch his collar. Scarsly had we let him off of hand But that where Laelaps was become we could not understand. The print remained of his feete upon the parched sand, But he was clearly out of sight. Was never Dart I trow, Nor Pellet from enforced Sling, nor shaft from Cretish bow, That flew more swift than he did runne. There was not farre fro thence About the middle of the Laund a rising ground, from whence A man might overlooke the fieldes. I gate me to the knap Of this same hill, and there beheld of this straunge course the hap In which the beast seemes one while caught, and ere a man would think, Doth quickly give the Grewnd the slip, and from his bighting shrink: And like a wilie Foxe he runnes not forth directly out, Nor makes a windlasse over all the champion fieldes about, But doubling and indenting still avoydes his enmies lips, And turning short, as swift about as spinning wheele he whips, To disapoint the snatch. The Grewnd pursuing at an inch Doth cote him, never losing ground: but likely still to pinch Is at the sodaine shifted off. Continually he snatches In vaine: for nothing in his mouth save only Aire he latches. Then thought I for to trie what helpe my Dart at neede could show. Which as I charged in my hand by levell aime to throw, And set my fingars to the thongs, I lifting from bylow Mine eies, did looke right forth againe, and straight amids the field (A wondrous thing) two Images of Marble I beheld: Of which ye would have thought the t'one had fled on still apace And that with open barking mouth the tother did him chase. In faith it was the will of God (at least if any Goddes Had care of them) that in their pace there should be found none oddes. Thus farre: and then he held his peace. But tell us ere we part (Quoth Phocus) what offence or fault committed hath your Dart?