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VIRGILS GNAT 489
And that same tree, in which Demophoon, To drench himselfe in moorish slime did trace.
By his disloyalty lamented sore,
There from the boylmg heate himselfe to hide
Eternall hurte left vnto many one
He passing by with rolling wreathed pace,
Whom als accompanied the Oke, of yore With brandisht tongue the emptie aire did gride,
Through fatall charmes transformd to such an And wrapt hisscalie boughts with fell despight,
one
That all things seem'd appalled at his sight
The Oke, whose Acornes were our foode, before Now more and more hauing himselfe enrolde,
That Ceres seede of mortall men were knowne, His glittering breast he hfteth vp on hie,
Which first Triptoleme taught how to be sowne Andwith proud vaunt his head aloft doth holde,
Here also grew the rougher rinded Pine, His creste aboue spotted with purple die, 260
The great Argoan ships braue ornament 210 On euerie side did shine like scahe goide,
Whom golden Fleece did make an heauenly signe And his bright eyes glauncing full dreadfulhe,
Which coueting, with his high tops extent, Did seeme to flame out flakes of flashing fyre,
To make the mountaines touch the starres diume, And with sterne lookes to threaten kindled yre
Decks all the forrest with embellishment, I Thus wise long time he did himselfe dispace
And the blacke Holme that loues the watrie vale, There round about, when as at last he spide
And the sweete Cypresse, signe of deadly bale Lying along before him in that place,
Emongst the rest the clambring Yuie grew, That flocks grand Captaine, and most trustie
Knitting his wanton armes with grasping hold, guide
Least that the Poplar happely should rew Eftsoones more fierce in visage, and in pace,
Her brothers strokes, whose boughes she doth Throwing his fine eyes on euerie side, 270
enfold 220 He commeth on, and all things in his way
With her lythe twigs, till they the top survew, Full stearnly rends, that mighthis passage stay
And paint with pallid greene her buds of gold Much he disdaines, that anie one should dare
Next did the Myrtle tree to her approach, To come vnto his haunt, for which intent
Not yet vnmindfull of her olde reproach He inly burns, and gins straight to prepare
But the small Birds in their wide boughs em The weapons, which Nature to him hath lent,
bowring,
Fellie he hisseth, and doth fiercely stare,
Chaunted their sundne tunes with sweete con- And hath his lawes with angrie spirits rent,
sent,
That all his tract with bloudie drops is stained,
And vnder them a siluer Spring forth powring And all his f oldes are now in length outstramed
His trickling streames, a gentle murmure sent, Whom thus at point prepared, to preutnt,
Thereto the frogs, bred in the slimie scowring A litle nourshng of the humid ayre, 282
Of the moist moores, their larring voyces bent A Gnat vnto the sleepie Shepheard went,
And shrill grashoppers chirped them around And marking where his ey lids twinckling rare,
All which the ayne Echo did resound 232 Shewd the two pearles, which sight vntohim lent,
In this so pleasant place this Shepheards flocke Through their thin couenngs appearing fayre,
Lay euene where, their wearie limbs to rest, His little needle there infixing deep,
On euene bush, and euene hollow rocke Warndhim awake,from death himselfe to keep
Where breathe on them the whistling wind Wherewith enrag'd, he fiercely gan vpstart,
mote best,
And with his hand him rashly bruzmg, slewe
The whiles the Shepheard self tending hisstocke, As in auengement of his heedles smart, 291
site by the fountaine side, in shade to rest, That streight the spirite out of his senses flew,
Where gentle slumbnng sleep oppressed him, And life out of his members did depart
Displaid on ground, and seized euene lim 240 When suddenly casting aside his vew,
Of trechene or traines nought tooke he keep, He spide his foe with felonous intent,
But looshe on the grassie greene dispredd, And feruent eyes to his destruction bent
His dearest life did trust to careles sleep, All suddenly dismaid, and hartles quight,
Which weighing down his drouping drowsiehedd, He fled abacke, and catching hastie holde
In quiet rest his molten heart did steep, Of a yong alder hard beside him pight, 299
Deuoid of care, and feare of all falshedd It rent, and streight about him gan beholde,
Had not inconstant fortune, bent to ill, What God or Fortune would assist his might
Bid strange mischance his quietnes to spill But whether God or Fortune made him bold
For at his wonted time in that same place 249 Its hard to read yet hardie will he had
An huge great Serpent all with speckles pide, To ouercome, that made him lesse adrad
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