Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/220

 And marching eft to open Sea as streight as any string, Indenteth with reversed streame: even so of winding wayes Unnumerable Daedalus within his worke convayes. Yea scarce himselfe could find the meanes to winde himselfe well out: So busie and so intricate the house was all about. Within this Maze did Minos shet the Monster that did beare The shape of man and Bull. And when he twise had fed him there With bloud of Atticke Princes sonnes that given for tribute were, The third time at the ninth yeares end the lot did chaunce to light On Theseus, King Aegaeus sonne: who like a valiant Knight Did overcome the Minotaur: and by the pollicie Of Minos eldest daughter (who had taught him for to tie A clew of Linnen at the doore to guide himselfe thereby) As busie as the turnings were, his way he out did finde, Which never man had done before. And streight he having winde, With Minos daughter sailde away to Dia: where (unkinde And cruell creature that he was) he left hir post alone Upon the shore. Thus desolate and making dolefull mone God Bacchus did both comfort hir and take hir to his bed. And with an everlasting starre the more hir fame to spred, He tooke the Chaplet from hir head, and up to Heaven it threw. The Chaplet thirled through the Aire: and as it gliding flew, The precious stones were turnd to starres which biased cleare and bright, And tooke their place (continuing like a Chaplet still to sight) Amid betweene the Kneeler Downe and him that gripes the Snake. Now in this while gan Daedalus a wearinesse to take Of living like a banisht man and prisoner such a time In Crete, and longed in his heart to see his native Clime. But Seas enclosed him as if he had in prison be. Then thought he: though both Sea and Land King Minos stop fro me, I am assurde he cannot stop the Aire and open Skie. To make my passage that way then my cunning will I trie. Although that Minos like a Lord held all the world beside: Yet doth the Aire from Minos yoke for all men free abide. This sed: to uncoth Arts he bent the force of all his wits To alter natures course by craft. And orderly he knits A rowe of fethers one by one, beginning with the short,