Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/30

 Of that same stocke, she gave it shape and limmes of men againe. This offspring eke against the Gods did beare a native spight, In slaughter and in doing wrong was all their whole delight. Their deedes declared them of bloud engendred for to bee. The which as soone as Saturns sonne from Heaven aloft did see, He fetcht a sigh, and therwithall revolving in his thought The shamefull act which at a feast Lycaon late had wrought, As yet unknowne or blowne abrode: He gan thereat to storme And stomacke like an angry Ioue. And therfore to reforme Such haynous actes, he sommonde streight his Court of Parliament, Whereto resorted all the Gods that had their sommons sent. Highe in the Welkin is a way apparant to the sight In starrie nights, which of his passing whitenesse Milkie hight: It is the streete that to the Court and Princely Pallace leades, Of mightie Jove whose thunderclaps eche living creature dreades. On both the sides of this same waye do stand in stately port The sumptuous houses of the Peeres. For all the common sort Dwell scattring here and there abrode: the face of all the skie The houses of the chiefe estates and Princes doe supplie. And sure and if I may be bolde to speake my fancie free I take this place of all the Heaven the Pallace for to bee. Now when the Goddes assembled were, and eche had tane his place, Ioue standing up aloft and leaning on his yvorie Mace, Right dreadfully his bushie lockes did thrise or four times shake, Wherewith he made both Sea and Land and Heaven it self to quake, And afterward in wrathfull wordes his angrie minde thus brake: I never was in greater care nor more perplexitie, How to maintaine my soveraigne state and Princelie royaltie, When with their hundreth handes apiece the Adderfooted rout, Did practise for to conquere Heaven and for to cast us out. For though it were a cruell foe: yet did that warre depende Upon one ground, and in one stocke it had his finall ende. But now as farre as any sea about the worlde doth winde, I must destroy both man and beast and all the mortall kinde. I sweare by Styxes hideous streames that run within the ground, All other meanes must first be sought: but when there can be found No helpe to heale a festred sore, it must away be cut,