Page:The Crowne of all Homers Workes - Chapman (1624).djvu/12

This page has been validated.


BATRAXOMYOMAXIA.

Entring the fields, first let my Vowes call on
The Muses whole Quire out of Helicon
Into my Heart; for such a Poems sake,
As lately I did in my Tables take,
And put into report, vpon my knees.
A fight so fierce, as might in all degrees
Fit Mars himselfe, and his tumultuous hand,
Glorying to dart to th'eares of euery land
Of all the a [1]voice-deuided; And to show
How brauely did both Froggs and Mise bestow
In glorious fight their forces; euen the deedes
Daring to imitate of earths Giant-seedes.
Thus then, men talkt; this seede the strife begat:
The Mouse, once drie; and scap't the dangerous Cat;
Drench't in the neighbour lake, her tender berde,
To taste the sweetnesse of the waue it rer'de.
The farre-fam'de Fen-affecter (seeing him) said;
Ho? Stranger? what are you? And whence, that tred

This

  1. Intending men: being divided from all other creatures by the voice, ωεροψ, being a periphrasis, signifying voce divisus, of μειρω divido, and οψ οπὸς vox.