Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/7

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Of wickednesse and crueltie which any wyght may lothe, And of the hyre that longs thereto. He sheweth also playne That whereas prodigalitie and gluttony dooth reigne, A world of riches and of goods are ever with the least Too satisfye the appetite and eye of such a beast. In Hercules and Acheloyes encounters is set out The nature and behaviour of two wooers that be stout. Wherein the Poet covertly taunts such as beeing bace Doo seeke by forged pedegrees to seeme of noble race. Who when they doo perceyve no truth uppon their syde to stand, In stead of reason and of ryght use force and myght of hand. This fable also signifies that valiantnesse of hart Consisteth not in woords, but deedes: and that all slyght and Art Give place to prowesse. Furthermore in Nessus wee may see What breach of promise commeth to, and how that such as bee Unable for to wreake theyr harmes by force, doo oft devyse Too wreake themselves by policie in farre more cruell wise. And Deyanira dooth declare the force of jealozie Deceyved through too lyght beleef and fond simplicitie. The processe following peinteth out true manlynesse of hart Which yeeldeth neyther unto death, to sorrow, greef, nor smart. And finally it shewes that such as live in true renowne Of vertue heere, have after death an everlasting crowne Of glorie. Cawne and Byblis are examples contrarie: The Mayd of most outrageous lust, the man of chastitie. The tenth booke cheefly dooth containe one kynd of argument Reproving most prodigious lusts of such as have bene bent To incest most unnaturall. And in the latter end It showeth in Hippomenes how greatly folk offend That are ingrate for benefits which God or man bestow Uppon them in the time of neede. Moreover it dooth show That beawty (will they nill they) aye dooth men in daunger throw: And that it is a foolyshnesse to stryve ageinst the thing Which God before determineth to passe in tyme to bring. And last of all Adonis death dooth shew that manhod strives Against forewarning though men see the perill of theyr lyves. The death of Orphey sheweth Gods just vengeance on the vyle And wicked sort which horribly with incest them defyle. In Midas of a covetous wretch the image wee may see Whose riches justly to himself a hellish torment bee, And of a foole whom neyther proof nor warning can amend, Untill he feele the shame and smart that folly doth him send. His Barbour represents all blabs which seeme with chyld to bee Untill that they have blaazd abrode the things they heare or see. In Ceyx and Alcyone appeeres most constant love, Such as betweene the man and wyfe to bee it dooth behove. This Ceyx also is a lyght of princely courtesie And bountie toward such whom neede compelleth for too flie. His viage also dooth declare how vainly men are led

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