Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/384

What further spyght hath Venus yit to woork ageinst us more?
When woorse misfortunes may be feard than have beene felt before,
Then prayer may advauntadge men, and vowwing may then boote.
But when the woorst is past of things, then feare is under foote.
And when that bale is hyghest growne, then boote must next ensew.
Although shee heere mee, and doo hate us all (which thing is trew)
That serve heere under Diomed: Yit set wee lyght her hate.
And deerely it should stand us on to purchase hygh estate.
With such stowt woordes did Agmon stirre dame Venus unto ire
And raysd ageine her settled grudge. Not many had desyre
To heere him talk thus out of square. The moste of us that are
His freendes rebukte him for his woordes. And as he did prepare
To answere, bothe his voyce and throte by which his voyce should go,
Were small: his heare to feathers turnd: his necke was clad as tho
With feathers: so was brist and backe. The greater fethers stacke
Uppon his armes: and into wings his elbowes bowwed backe.
The greatest portion of his feete was turned into toes.
A hardened bill of horne did growe uppon his mouth and noze,
And sharpened at the neather end. His fellowes, Lycus, Ide,
Rethenor, Nyct, and Abas all stood woondring by his syde.
And as they woondred, they receyvd the selfsame shape and hew.
And finally the greater part of all my band up flew,
And clapping with theyr newmade wings, about the ores did gird.
And if yee doo demaund the shape of this same dowtfull bird,
Even as they bee not verry Swannnes: so drawe they verry neere
The shape of Cygnets whyght. With much adoo I settled heere,
And with a little remnant of my people doo obteyne
The dry grownds of my fathrinlaw, king Dawnus, whoo did reigne
In Calabry. Thus much the sonne of Oenye sayd. Anon
Sir Venulus returning from the king of Calydon,
Forsooke the coast of Puteoll and the feeldes of Messapie,
In which hee saw a darksome denne forgrowne with busshes hye,
And watred with a little spring. The halfegoate Pan that howre
Possessed it: but heertofore it was the fayryes bowre.
A shepeherd of Appulia from that countrye scaard them furst.
But afterward recovering hart and hardynesse they durst
Despyse him when he chaced them, and with theyr nimble feete