Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/392

And fastning on the topps therof a halter thus did say:
Thou cruell and ungodly wyght, theis are the wreathes that may
Most pleasure thee. And with that woord he thrusting in his head,
Even then did turne him towards her as good as being dead,
And wretchedly did totter on the poste with strangled throte.
The wicket which his feerefull feete in sprawling maynely smote,
Did make a noyse: and flying ope bewrayd his dooing playne.
The servants shreekt, and lifting up his bodye, but in vayne,
Conveyd him to his moothers house, his father erst was slayne.
His moother layd him in her lappe, and cleeping in her armes
Her sonnes cold bodye, after that shee had bewayld her harmes
With woordes and dooings mootherlyke, the corce with moorning cheere
To buryall sadly through the towne was borne uppon a beere.
The house of Anaxarete by chaunce was neere the way
By which this piteous pomp did passe. And of the doolefull lay
The sound came to the eares of her, whom God alreadye gan
To strike. Yit let us see (quoth shee) the buryall of this man.
And up the hygh wyde windowde house in saying so, shee ran.
Scarce had shee well on Iphis lookt that on the beere did lye,
But that her eyes wext stark: and from her limbes the blood gan flye.
In stead therof came palenesse in. And as shee backeward was
In mynd to go, her feete stacke fast and could not stirre. And as
Shee would have cast her countnance backe, shee could not doo it. And
The stonny hardnesse which alate did in her stomacke stand,
Within a whyle did overgrow her whole from sole to crowne.
And lest you think this geere surmysde, even yit in Salamin towne
Of Lady Anaxarete the image standeth playne.
The temple also in the which the image dooth remayne,
Is unto Venus consecrate by name of Looker Out.
And therfore weying well theis things, I prey thee looke about
Good Lady, and away with pryde: and be content to frame
Thy self to him that loveth thee and cannot quench his flame.
So neyther may the Lentons cold thy budding frutetrees kill
Nor yit the sharp and boystous wyndes thy flowring Gardynes spill.
The God that can uppon him take what kynd of shape he list
Now having sayd thus much in vayne, omitted to persist
In beldames shape, and shewde himself a lusty gentleman,