Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/56

 The utmost fellies of the wheeles, and where the tree was rolde. The spokes were all of sylver bright, the Chrysolites and Gemmes That stood uppon the Collars, Trace, and hounces in their hemmes Did cast a sheere and glimmering light, as Phoebus shone thereon. Now while the lustie Phaeton stood gazing here upon, And wondered at the workemanship of everie thing: beeholde The earely morning in the East beegan mee to unfolde Hir purple Gates, and shewde hir house bedeckt with Roses red. The twinckling starres withdrew which by the morning star are led: Who as the Captaine of that Host that hath no peere nor match, Dooth leave his standing last of all within that heavenly watch. Now when his Father sawe the worlde thus glister red and trim, And that his waning sisters hornes began to waxen dim, He had the fetherfooted howres go harnesse in his horse. The Goddesses with might and mayne themselves thereto enforce. His fierifoming Steedes full fed with juice of Ambrosie They take from Maunger trimly dight: and to their heades doe tie Strong reyned bits: and to the Charyot doe them well appoint. Then Phoebus did with heavenly salve his Phaetons heade annoint, That scorching fire coulde nothing hurt: which done, upon his haire He put the fresh and golden rayes himselfe was wont to weare. And then as one whose heart misgave the sorrowes drawing fast, With sorie sighes he thus bespake his retchlesse sonne at last: (And if thou canst) at least yet this thy fathers lore obay: Sonne, spare the whip, and reyne them hard, they run so swift away As that thou shalt have much adoe their fleeing course to stay. Directly through the Zones all five beware thou doe not ride, A brode byway cut out askew that bendeth on the side Contaynde within the bondes of three the midmost Zones doth lie: Which from the grisely Northren beare, and Southren Pole doth flie. Keepe on this way: my Charyot rakes thou plainely shalt espie And to th'intent that heaven and earth may well the heate endure, Drive neyther over high nor yet too lowe. For be thou sure, And if thou mount above thy boundes, the starres thou burnest cleane. Againe beneath thou burnst the Earth: most safetie is the meane. And least perchaunce thou overmuch the right hand way should take, And so misfortune should thee drive upon the writhen Snake,