Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/420

From underneathe amid the starres brands oft seemd burning bryght.
It often rayned droppes of blood. The morning starre lookt blew,
And was bespotted heere and there with specks of rusty hew.
The moone had also spottes of blood. The Screeche owle sent from hell
Did with her tune unfortunate in every corner yell.
Salt teares from Ivory images in sundry places fell.
And in the Chappells of the Goddes was singing heard, and woordes
Of threatning. Not a sacrifyse one signe of good afoordes.
But greate turmoyle to bee at hand theyr hartstrings doo declare.
And when the beast is ripped up the inwards headlesse are.
About the Court, and every house, and Churches in the nyghts
The doggs did howle, and every where appeered gastly spryghts.
And with an earthquake shaken was the towne. Yit could not all
Theis warnings of the Goddes dispoynt the treason that should fall,
Nor overcomme the destinies. The naked swoordes were brought
Into the temple. For no place in all the towne was thought
So meete to woork the mischeef in, or for them to commit
The heynous murder, as the Court in which they usde to sit
In counsell. Venus then with both her hands her stomacke smit,
And was about to hyde him with the clowd in which shee hid
Aenaeas, when shee from the swoord of Diomed did him rid,
Or Paris, when from Menelay shee did him saufe convey.
But Jove her father staying her did thus unto hir say:
Why, daughter myne, wilt thou alone bee stryving to prevent
Unvanquishable destinie? In fayth and if thou went
Thy self into the house in which the fatall susters three
Doo dwell, thou shouldest there of brasse and steele substantiall see
The registers of things so strong and massye made to bee,
That sauf and everlasting, they doo neyther stand in feare
Of thunder, nor of lyghtning, nor of any ruine there.
The destnyes of thyne offspring thou shalt there fynd graven deepe
In Adamant. I red them: and in mynd I doo them keepe.
And forbycause thou shalt not bee quyght ignorant of all,
I will declare what things I markt herafter to befall.
The man for whom thou makest sute, hath lived full his tyme