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Vtrgils Gnat.
WE now haue playde (Augustus) wantonly,
Tuning our song vnto a tender Muse,
And like a cobweb weaumg slenderly,
Haue onely playde let thus much then excuse
This Gnats small Poeme, that th'whole history
Is but a lest, though enaie it abuse
VIRGILS GNAT 487
Nor Hellespont trampled with horses feete, 49
When flocking Persians did the Greeks affray ,
But my soft Muse,as for her power more meete,
Delights (with Phœbus friendly leaue) to play
An easie running verse with tender feete
And thou (dread sacred child) to thee alway,
Let euerlasting lightsome glory striue,
Through the worlds endles ages to suruiue
But who such sport sand sweet delights doth blame,
And let an happie roome remaine for thee
Mongst heauenly ranks, where blessed soules do
Shall lighter seeme than this Gnats idle name
rest,
Hereafter, when as season more secure
And let long lasting life with loyous glee,
Shall bring forth fruit, this Muse shall speak to
As thy due meede that thou deseruest best, 60
thee 10 Hereafter many yeares remembred be
In bigger notes, that may thy sense allure, Amongst good men, of whom thou oft are blest,
And for thy worth frame some fit Poesie, Liue thou for euer in all happmesse
The golden offspring of Lalona pure, But let vs turne to our first businesse
And ornament of great loues progenie,
Phœbus shall be the author of my song, The fiery Sun was mounted now on hight
Playing on yuone harp with siluer strong Vp to the heauenly towers,and shot each where
He shall inspire my \erse with gentle mood Out of his golden Charet glistering light,
Of Poets Prince, whether he woon beside
And fayre Aurora with her rosie heare,
Faire Xanthus sprincled with Chimœras blood ,
The hatefull darknes now had put to flight,
Or in the woods of Aslery abide, 20
When as the shepheard seeing day appeare, 70
His little Goats gan driue out of their stalls,
Or whereas mount Parnasse, the Muses brood,
To feede abroad, where pasture best befalls
Doth his broad forhead like two hornes diuide,
And the swecte waucs of sounding Castaly To an high mountaines top he with them went,
With liquid foote doth slide downe easily Where thickest grasse did cloath the open hills
Wherefore ye Sisters which the glone bee They now amongst the woods and thickets
Of the Pierian streames, fayre Naiades, ment,
Go too, and dauncing all in companie, Now in the valleies wandnng at their wills,
Adorne that God and thou holie Pales, Spread themselues farre abroad through each
To whome the honest care of husbandry descent,
Returneth bv continuall successe, 30 Some on the soft greene grasse feeding their
Haue care for to pursue his footing light, fills,
Throgh the wide woods, and groues, with green Some clambring through the hollow chffeson hv,
leaues dight
Nibble the bushie shrubs, which growe thereby
Professing thee I lifted am aloft
Others the vtmost boughs of trees doe crop,
Betwixt the forrest wide and starne sky And brouze the woodbine twigges, that freshly
And thou most dread (Octamus) which oft bud, 82
To learned wits giuest courage worthily, This with full bit doth catch the vtmost top
O come (thou sacred childe) come sliding soft, Of some soft Willow, or new growen stud ,
And fauour my beginnings graciously This with sharpe teeth the bramble leaues doth
For not these leauesdosingthatdreadfullstound, lop,
When Glints bloud did staine Phlegrœan And chaw the tender prickles in her Cud,
ground 40 The whiles another high doth ouerlooke
Nor how th'halfe horsy people, Ceniaures hight,
Her owne like image in a christall brooke
Fought with the bloudie Lapithaes at bord, 0 the great happines, which shepheards haue,
Nor how the East with tyranous despight Who so loathes not too much the poore estate,
Burnt Atlick towres, and people slew with With minde that ill vse doth before depraue,
sword,
Ne measures all things by the costly rate 92
Nor how mount Athos through exceeding might Of notise, and semblants outward braue,
Was digged downe, nor yron bands abord No such sad cares, as wont to macerate
The Pontick sea by their huge Nauy cast, And rend the greedie mmdes of couetous men,
My volume shall renowne, so long since past Do euer creepe into the shepheards den