vaunt thy love unto our Art And didst reward our Priests with wealth and fame Oft didst thou take thy pen to play thy part Among our Quire and with our sacred flame Inspir'd didst triumph in a Poets name 24. How then came all that heat and love so quail'd O'rewhelm'd and quench'd by one dire blast of ire Our Pow'r contemn'd which ever yet prevail'd With stoutest spirits O why did we inspire Thee with one spark that thus dost slight our Quire 25. Our force and virtue that have rais'd the dead Drawn down the Moon erected brazen Towers Tam'd Bears and Tigers mov'd the Rocks and staid The running Streams and charm'd the greatest Powers In Pluto 's cell mov'd not that heart of yours 26. Jove Juno Venus Janus Mars and all Ye Powers of heaven his pen your praises spake Why did ye let so true a servant fall Why did ye not for your own honours sake With draughts of Nectar him immortall make 27. And thou great Father of our sacred Quire Let me in Griefs prerogative be bold To plead with thee Thou didst at full inspire Thy darling Naso and hast him enroll'd Among thy most renowned Priests of old 28. Oft hast thou crowned with immortall Bayes His sacred brows he was thy favourite Nor that grand Chanter of Achilles praise Nor that high pen which sung Aeneas flight Nor that sweet Lyrick thee did more delight 29. Why didst not then with thine Ambrosia feed him Food which thou giv'st to thine unwearied steeds To large eternity why didst not breed him Then his pure fansie sown with heavenly seeds Had chanted more divine and humane deeds 30. Thou might'st at least have done the world that favour As to have begg'd a longer lease of life From Joves own hand O thou hadst been a saver Of thine own honour hadst thou stay'd the knife That bloudie weapon of the Sisters rise 31. Behold that halved orphane work a piece Almost the last that by his hand was penn'd That work alone deserv'd a longer lease Of life from thee See how he did intend Thy same and honour through the year to send 32. Had he accomplish'd that divine designe And reach'd to his Years end without that wrong From Fate and Caesar that had all been thine Then in thy chariot thou hadst danc'd along Thy Years twelve labours in a constant song 33. Now is thy race uneven One half the yeare Thou passest blank Methinks thy wheels are numb Those silenc'd Months No song doth calendar Thy Signes and dayes One side of heaven is dumb Such wrongs to us from Fates thwart actions come 34. Apollo duly to her plaint gave eare Her grief mov'd pitie and her words mov'd grief Much it affects him Naso 's death to heare That envious Fate so short had cropp'd his life He shakes his fire-locks and replies not brief Apollo 35. Sweet Clio Thy complaint is just and true And in thy sorrow I consent with thee The thought of Phaethon's fall doth not renew My passion so nor more distemper me Then Ovid's death and sad calamitie 36. And had I thought his fatall twist had been So near the end and that the Three consented Amid his songs to cut his thread so green I would have tri'd my skill to have prevented That stroke and got a longer lease indented 37. But well thou know'st my mind about is hurl'd Each week each day each minute of an houre In generall affairs of all the world In meting out of Time and keeping our Heaven's Complices in their due course and power 38. That I nor space nor respit have alwayes On each particular in this vast All To set my thoughts though men of worth and praise Are cropp'd by Fates who threads of Virtue gall And oft my friends besides my knowledge fall 39. Thus Maro Lucane by their spitefull hand Aâ—nâ—â—ares were banish'd from my light And that arch-Poet of the Fairie lond With diverse more Thus many a Favourite Have lost their heads out of their Prince's sight 40. When I per chance foresee the fatall day Of any Worthie how it me doth pain To bring it onward gladly would I stay And were it not Necessitie constrain I should my chariot oftentimes refrain 41. But Clio stay thy tears 'T is follie never To cease a grief for unrevers'd decrees 'T is wisdome when Necessitie doth sever Her actions and our will when what we please We cannot do to do what most may ease 42. Though Death hath silenc'd his facetious quill And robb'd him of his life us of our praise Yet doth his fame his nobler portion still Survive and flourish like our lasting Bayes And through the world his works his worth shall raise 43. As for his Poeme's losse it proves his gain 'T is greater honour to be much desir'd Then much enjoy'd For that which doth remain To be made up some Fansie well attir'd May be e'r long for that supply inspir'd 44. Thus in despite of Fate will we extend Our Servants lives and raise their dying head As for Augustus who did cause his end The world concludes it Ovid banished Th' unworthi'st act that e'r Augustus did Sic questa est Clio moestae gemuere Sorores ConcussÃtque comam scitus Apollo Lyrae OVIDS FESTIVALLS OR ROMANE CALENDAR The first Book or JANUARIE The Argument TH' old Romane yeare The severall sorts of dayes Discourse with Janus Th' Astrosophi's praise The feast Agonia Whence the Altar's fill'd With bloud of birds and beasts Why th' Asse is kill'd To lustfull Priap Queen Carmentis rite With her predictions Great Tyrinthius fight With fire-mouth'd Cacus The Augustian name Assum'd by Cesar In Carmentis fame More sacreds pay'd White Concord in white fane Mild Peace her altar And a pray'r for grain TImes with their causes to the Romane yeare Dispos'd of old Star's courses sing we here Germanick Cesar O accept our charge With smooth aspect and guide my feeble barge Be Patrone to this piece devote to thee Let not this gift though small rejected be Here holy rites pickt out of annals old May'st thou read ore and why each day 's enroll'd Here may you your domestick feasts adjoynd And here your father and grandfather find And how throughout the Calendar renown'd Thy brother Drusus fame with thine shall sound Some Caesars arms we Caesars altars sing What dayes were hallow'd by that sacred king The whiles the glory of thy house I chaunt Do thou but smile no fear our Muse shall daunt Your grace gives vigour to my verses poore Our fansie at your eye doth flag or soat The censure of so learn'd a majesty Our Muse doth fear more then Apollo's eye For we did tast those sweets your lips let fall When you did plead in causes criminall But when Apollo thee inspir'd O then What streams of learning glided from thy pen O Poet deigne a Poets rain to guide That so our yeare a sweeter course may slide WHen Romulus the times did first dispose Ten months to number out his
rear And that same night the Dolphine doth appear Whose starres the Volsci and the Equi saw Yerwhile expell'd the plains of Algida For which brave Conquerour thou though first deny'd In suburb-Triumph on white steeds didst ride A dozen dayes our month hath still in store Yet to the dozen thou must adde one more Sol leaves the Twins and takes up Cancer's Signe And Pallas is ador'd on Aventine Now Tithone 's Bride the Eastern Court doth view Dull Night 's dispersed and the meadow-dew A Chapell to Summanus they did rear Who-e're he be when Rome did Pyrrhus fear Now when the Ocean swallows up this Light And Earth is shrouded in the wings of Night The grand Physician stellifi'd awakes And in his hand brings forth his twisted Snakes Vile Phaedra 's lust and Theseus wrong all know He rashly unto death his sonne did vow The frighted horses run and scorning aw Their dolefull Lord o're rocks and mountains draw Down falls Hippolytus thrown from his wain Torn all in pieces with his snarled rain Displeas'd Diana much his death lamented Said Aesculapius Be not discontented I 'll make him sound and hail in every part I 'll force the Fates to yield to my grand art He draws his med'cines from his ivory-case Whose pow'r on Glaucus yerst experienc'd was When he observed with what virtuous weed The cunning Snake reviv'd his fellow dead This he applies and wholesome charms he sayes Hippolytus his groveling head doth raise Diana hides him in the midst of all Grove Aricine and him doth Virbius call The balefull Sisters much repin'd and grudged To have their hands held and their pow'r abbridged Jove fearing hurt by this presumptuous Art Slew Aesculapius with a thunder-dart Phoebus be pleas'd Thy Sonne a God is made Jove for thy sake hath done what he forbade I wish not Caesar though thy conquests call If Signes forbid to stirre a flag at all Let but Flaminius speak and Thrasymene By what strange notes the Gods intents were seen Whos'e'r the day of that rash losse enquires It is eight dayes before the month expires Next day is happier in proud Syphax fall By Masinissa and slain Hasdrubal Time flies away incroching Age creeps on The houres and dayes in restlesse paces run How soon do Happy Fortune's Feasts return Now but sev'n dayes the end of June adjourn To Tyber's banks ye Lords your offrings bring To this kind Saint there honour'd by a King Some go on foot in nimble cock-boats some And take a pride to come well-tippled home In crowned barge let joviall youngsters laugh And feast and freely in their full bowls quaff The Common people and Maid-servants they Serve this inconstant Queen because they say The founder Tullus who was made a King From servile Maid of vulgar stock did spring Lo now in â—roups scarce sober home they walk When some starre-peeper with the Starres doth talk Your belt Sr Orion now you will not shew it Nor yet to morrow but e'r long we 'll view it But were his brains not pickled he would say The Summer Solstice is upon that day Next day a Chapell houshold-Gods receive Near where the Garland-weavers now do live The same day is Jove-Stator's feast divine Whose house Quirinus rais'd near Palatine The Parcae's number and our dayes are ev'n A Temple to Quirinus now was giv'n To morrow Julius native Calends come Ye Muses to our work now adde the summe Relate whose act you to his Temple brought Whose hands invicted Juno 's spite outwrought Clio replies Brave Philip's work you see From whence chast Martia draws her pedegree Sweet Martia sprung from Ancus so divine In whom Nobility and Beauty joyn Her Nature Feature Mind and Bloud so high Make up an admirable harmonie Nor blame us here that we her beauty praise For this the fame of Goddesses we raise Yerst Caesar's Aunt he in his Hymens led O Grace most worthy of that sacred bed The learned Nine applaud what Clio sang Alcides nodded and the Harp cry'd twang FINIS Caeterorum desiderium mundum fatigat March 19. Lib. 4. Eleg. 9. Lib. 2. Eleg. 1. The cause of his banishment Eleg. 3. lib. 1. * Here is a mistake where that which belongeth to the daughter is applyed to the mother * His grand-children for he had no sonne * Quae ostentare videtur quantum vir ille praestare potuerit si ingenio suo temperare quam indulgere maluisset Quint. * Under M. Varro as is forementioned * Et tamen exstinctum Bessi flevere Coralli c. Ang. Polit. in his Elegie * Carmina de coelo possunt deducere lunam Virg. Vid. Fast 2. of Arion And the power of Orpheus his Harp is a known story * This Orpheus did when he went down into the Stygian vaults to fetch back his wife
I Shall I here publish my own infamie Something she tells and for the period weeps And her grave cheeks in pure vermilion steeps They both forgive her forc'd adultery That pardon you give I cries she deny Forthwith her self she stabs with hidden knife And at their feet pow'rs forth her crimson life And even in Fate 's last act as she did die Express'd a care to fall with modestie Her Sire her Lord self-carelesse both fall down And o're her corps their common losse bemone Brute came whose mind at length his name deceiv'd And from her dying breast the knife repriev'd There holds it spuing of her noble bloud And dauntlesse threatnings breath'd forth as he stood By this chast noble bloud I vow to thee And thy dear ghost which as my God shall be Proud Tarquine with his seed for this shall pay No longer I the counterfeit will play She at his words her sightlesse eyes doth move And shook her head as seeming to approve The manly matrone's exequies are done Endow'd with tears and emulation The wound lies open Brute calls all the States And to their ears the Kings base act relates Proud Tarquine's house all flie Two Consuls sway And that became the last Monarchick day Hark heare the Swallow herald of the Spring Adieu to Winter chearfully doth sing Yet Progne thou of hast dost oft complain Thy husband Tereus joyes at thy chill'd pain Now two dayes of this month are still behind To Martiall chariots are the race-horse joyn'd Which games from thence are call'd Equiria Mars in his field spectatour is that day Hail welcome Mars thy time a place doth claim The month 's at hand that 's honour'd by thy name Now strike we sail Our Month and Book both done My boat shall in another chanel run The end of the second Book OVIDS FESTIVALLS OR ROMANE CALENDAR The third Book or MARCH The Argument THe Martiall Princes birth and pedigree This Month's Protectour and prioritie Why women sacrifice to Mars do bring And why the Salii do Mamurius sing The Pontificiall title And Vejove The Gorgon courser And Lyaeus love More Horse-races Perennall Anna's rites Th' old wife to Bacchus-hony-cakes invites Games in the honour of th' Athenian Dame Now blazing Phoebus backs the Phryxean Ram. MAn-slaughtering Mavors cast aside thy spear Thy shield and helmet and a while draw near Perchance thou'lt say With Mars what make the Muses This Month we sing his name from thee deduces Thou seest Minerva hath her bloudy fights Yet she sometimes in liberall arts delights Have thou as Pallas some void time assign'd For out of arms thou maist imployment find Thou armlesse to the Romane Nunne didst come And layd'st in her the royall seeds of Rome Nun Sylvia here our sail we hoise something To wash i' th' morning went unto the spring Now when she came unto the wriggling brook Her earthen pitcher from her head she took There tricking up her flowing hair she sits And amorous aire to her bare breasts admits The streams soft musick and the plumy quire With chearfull shades egg'd on a sleeps desire Inveigling sleep creeps on her yielding eyes Her hand slips down on which her cheek relies Mars sees and lusts and in his lust doth speed And cunningly conceals his juggling dead She wakes conceiv'd and in her pregnant womb Conteins the Founder of imperiall Rome She rises faint but did not know the cause And leaning to a tree she makes this pause Pray heaven this dream doth happy fortune bring And good betide Or is 't some higher thing Me thoughts my garland as I stood beside My Lady's altar from my head did slide From which two palms alike a wondrous thing Yet one of them more eminent did spring Whose fertil branches all the earth o're-spread And reach'd the welkin with their mounting head When lo my uncle fain would them have cropt Smit at the sight my heart for terrour hopt A Pie Mars bird a Wolf too having young Did take their parts and rescu'd both from wrong This said she weakly up her pot doth take With water fill'd she fill'd it as she spake Time runs on Romulus and Remus breed Her belly 's swell'd up with celestiall seed Now had the God whose rayes the world unmask Two signes remaining of his yearly task The Maid's a Mother Vesta's statue sham'd With virgin-hands did veil her face 'T is fam'd The altars trembled as her pangs began The frighted flames beneath the ashes ran To tyrannous Amulius this made known Who had usurp'd his brothers wealth and crown He gives command to drown the Brats The floud Abhorres the deed and sets them on the mud 'T is known these Infants suck'd a wild-beasts teat And that a Pie did daily bring them meat Thee Nurse Laurentia I will not passe by Nor Faustulus thy plain rusticity The Laurentalian feasts shall sound your praise Kept in Decembers joviall-geniall dayes These sonnes of Mars to mans estate now grown On whose fair chins did bud the silken down The husbandmen and shepherds round about To them for justice in contention sought Oft came they home all drench'd with robbers blouds And seiz'd their cattels as their proper goods Their pedigree's made known Mars rais'd their spirits In stalls now scorn'd they to enlarge their merits Amulius falls by Romulus his sword And to his Grandsire is the realm restor'd The wall is rais'd which though it were but small 'T was ill for Remus that he leap'd the wall Where woods yerst grew beasts their dens did make The lasting City rais'd the Founder spake Arms-Arbitratour of whose seed divine I sprung and will thereof give many a signe With thee will we begin our Romane yeare And our first Month thy noble name shall wear His word 's made good this Month he thus did call And pleas'd his Father very well withall Yet their forefathers Mars especially Ador'd in honour of their Chivalry Th' Athenians Pallas Creet Diana's Quire The Lemnian Isle ador'd the God of Fire Mycenians Juno and the Spartanes too And Arcadie Pan crown'd with pine-tree-bough Our Latium honour'd Mars Warre 's pow'rfull King Warres to our land both wealth and fame did bring Yea if we read but forrein Calendars There we shall find a month surnam'd from Mars Faliscanes fifth month and the Albanes third By Hernians 't is the sixth month register'd The Aricinians and high Tusculum And Albanes all to one account do come The fierce Aequicoli's tenth month it was Laurentians fifth the Sabines fourth in place Pelignian Nobles with those Sabines old Consent and this month for their fourth they hold But Romulus to go beyond them all This his first month by 's Fathers name did call Nor months so many had our ancestours As we their yeare fell short two months of ours Greece then a well-learn'd but an ill-arm'd land No arts had yielded to the Conquerours hand The Romane art was all to fight and fense To throw a dart the onely eloquence What man the Axle
her frighted bosome flung Leaps into Thebes girt with a troup of clouds And snatch'd her Children from amid the crouds And for their flight the Ramme with golden fleece Was given to both which bears them o're the seas The fainting Maid with weak left-hand the Ramme Held by the horn when she that Sea did name Her Brother whiles he strain'd to help and gave His hand stretch'd to her scarce himself could save He for his double-dangers-mate miscarry'd Laments not knowing Neptune her had marry'd Ashore the Ram was to the heavens extoll'd And Colchis kept his precious fleece of Gold When Lucifer hath thrice appear'd in heaven The balanc'd howers of Night and Day are even Hence when the Shepherd four times folds his flocks And four times Earth bedews her pearly locks Then Janus and Rome's Safety are ador'd With Altar of mild Peace and meek Concord The Moon doth guide the Months The Moon in fine Concludes this Month ador'd on Aventine The end of the third Book OVIDS FESTIVALLS OR ROMANE CALENDAR The fourth Book or APRIL The Argument THe pedigree of Romulus and Rome Fair April's name from Venus fair doth come Male Fortune's Incense Atlas daughters rise Grand Cybel's feasts Nun Claudia testifies Her Chastity Some Stage-games Feasts divine To Ceres and her search of Proserpine A Fordy Cow is sacrific'd to Earth Now glowing Sol on Taurus back rides forth Palilia and Vinalia feasts A pray'r To hurtfull Rust A feast to Flora fair ALme Queen of payring Love Assist I cri'd To me she streight her chearful eye appli'd What news with you you had another strain What touch'd saith she with your old wound again Madame said I you know my wound She smil'd And straight that way the aire grew clear and mild Or sound or sore I ne'r forsook thy tent Thou art my daily task my ornament I play'd my part throughout my youthfull prime But now our quill a higher strain doth climb Times with their causes pick'd from Annals old Starres sets and risings doth our Muse unfold We come to th' fourth month which doth thee renown You know sweet Lady Priest and Month 's your own The Goddesse pleas'd doth lightly touch my head With Myrtle-bough and bade me still proceed I felt the virtue All things straight grew clear Hoise up our sails then while the wind blows fair And Caesar thou maintein'st as good a share In April as in all the Calendar This Month descends to thee by pedigree Thine by adoptive great-nobilitie This Romulus knew when he did compound The yeare and thence his Parents both renown'd And as he gave to Mars the foremost place Because he was next Authour of his race So Venus many ranks before his mother He Mistresse made of this next following other And turning o're Times rolls to find the ground Of his descent the Gods his Parents found Who knows not Dardan from Electra's seed Did spring whom she conceiv'd by Jove did breed Hence Erichthonius who begat King Tros Assarac's Sire hence Capys next arose The next Anchises with whom Venus fair Did not disdain a Parent 's name to bear Aeneas next whose Piety try'd in fire Brought severall Sacreds both his Gods and Sire Now come we to Iulus blessed name Where Teucrian Sages meet the Julian fame Next Posthumus who was being born among The woods call'd Sylvius in the Romane tongue Another Sylvius of his father's name Joyn'd with Aeneas from this Sylvius came He was Latinus father Alba's time Succeeded his and Epytus next him This man the names of Troy reviv'd again Then Calpetus his grandchild next did reigne Next Tyberine his father's throne imply'd Who drowned in the Tuscane river dy'd Yet saw his sonne Agrippa and grandchild Stern Remulus who was with lightning kill'd Then Aventine whose mount doth still maintein His name succeeds Next Proca took the reigne Next Numitor unjust Amulius brother Whose Wife was Lausus and Nun Ilia's mother Amulius Lausus slayes Mars Ilia loves Who big by him with those twin-brothers proves Thence Romulus alwayes for Parents chief Held Mars and Venus and deserves belief And that succeeding times might know the same These Months he joyn'd in both his parents name But sure this name of Venus-month doth come From that Greek nown that notes the waters fome Nor wonder we at this Greek word at all For Italy old times Great Greece did call Here came Evander with his fleet well mann'd Here came Alcides both of Grecia land That clubbed Pilgrime did his herd display On Aventine and drank of Albula Vlysses too the Lestrygons can tell And that same shore where Circe once did dwell The walls of Telegon and Tybur stand Still extant raised by a Grecian hand Halesus forc'd by Atrides fate here came From whom Phaliscanes did derive their name Antenor too who would Troy's peace have wonne And Diomed Appulian Daunus Sonne Aeneas late behind Antenor came And hither brought his Gods from th' Ilian flame S r Solemus from Phrygian Ida tall Came in his train who named Sulmo's wall Sweet Sulmo's wall great Prince my native land Ah me how distant from the Scythian sand Well Muse suppresse these long complaints nor sing These sacred strains upon a mournfull string What will not Envy reach Some Venus would From thee the honour of this month withhold For ' cause the season opens every thing Grosse cold departs and plants begin to spring From th' Open time they challenge April's name Which Venus with an earnest hand doth claim She pleasantly doth temper all the yeare And rule inferiour to no God doth bear She governs Heaven and Earth and native Seas And by her work mainteins each Species She all the Gods begat 't were long to tell And with warm seeds makes Herbs and Trees to swell She brought rude men to one harmonious mind And to his proper make each male she joyn'd What but soft Pleasure Birds to breed doth move Nor would Beasts couple if there were no Love The surly Ram will with a Ram knock horns But yet to hurt his lovely Ew he scorns The Bull whose majesty doth aw the grove With smoothed brow doth gently wo his Love The same instinct doth guide marinall things Which fills with thousand fish the Water-springs She first Mankind's more savage life refin'd And first to comely habits men inclin'd A Lover in an ill-sped night his fate First wail'd in verse at 's Sweet-hearts bolted gate To wo his Wench Love made him eloquent And in his cause each man was excellent She hath discover'd thousand arts Love did Find many a notion which before lay hid Who then this Month to Venus dares refuse To give Avaunt that folly from our Muse Beside she is a generall Pow'r frequented With numerous Fanes but most in Rome augmented She for thy Troy O Rome did weapons wear When her soft hand was wounded with a spear She put two Ladies down a Trojane Judge Ah may those twain not think of that old grudge Assarac's daughter she became
thee from Latine vines we 'll bring The better vow prevails Mezentius slain Kicks at the ground in his fell souls disdain Blout Autumne in grape-soiled weeds array'd Was come To Jove the promis'd wine is pay'd Hence is this day enstyl'd Vinalia Jove Doth challenge it and much the feast doth love When April now hath gained six dayes more The Spring hath wasted half her pregnant store In vain thou seek'st the Ram which Helle bear Show'rs will give signes The Dog doth now appear As from Nomentum I return'd this day To Rome a white train meets me in the way A Flamen into Rusts old grove did hie The entrails of a Dog and Sheep to frie. I went along to learn that service There Quirinus Priest thus praying I did heare Rough Rust forbear our Cereal store to spoil And let the smooth blade glister on the soil Permit our grain to ripen full and fair Nurs'd by the favour of a temperate aire Great is thy power the corn which thou dost rust The sory Farmer doth account as lost Nor winds nor nipping frosts nor tempests strong Can work such hurt and do the corn such wrong As when the Suns hot gleams the dank blade warm Then is thy time dread Queen to do the harm O spare take off from corn thy fingers rough Hurt not our food Thou canst be that enough Eat up dire Ir'n and not our food from us First ruine that which is so ruinous On Swords and wastfull weapons rather seise No need of them the world now lives in peace Let countrey-tools the Spade the Rake the Share Now glister bright foul nought but tools of Warre And when a souldier would his sword unsheath Let tugging at it put him out of breath Ne'r maist thou deal with Ceres but alway Let carefull Farmers to thy absence pray He ends His towel fring'd with tufted locks On 's right side lay with wine and th' incense-box I saw him burn his wine and incense then With th' entrails of the Sheep and Dog unclean To know the ground of this strange sacrifice I ask'd the Flamen who to me replies There is a Dog Icarius call'd the fire Of whose aspect both soil and seed doth tire To that Dog-starre this dog we burn in flame Nor know I any reason but the name When thrice Tithonia Priam's Brothers Bride Is march'd forth usher'd by her gallant guide With crowns of flow'rs behold the Flow'ry Queen Now liberall Mirth luxuriates on the Scene Next Calends ends the feast I 'll mention 't then A greater task now calls away my pen. This day doth Vesta in her Cosin's shrine Conclude just Senatours did so combine One share hath Phoebus Vesta hath the second With whom Liege Caesar in the third is reckon'd Let Oaken boughs and lasting Laurell crown This Temple which conteins three Gods in one The end of the fourth Book OVIDS FESTIVALLS OR ROMANE CALENDAR The fifth Book or MAY. The Argument THe Muses Descants on the name of May. The Hyads call'd from Hyas made a prey Queen Flora's Playes and praises every part Of her feast shown Mars born by Flora's art Old Chiron's story Rites to Spirits pale From Remus nam'd Orion and his tale A temple to Bis-ultor Mars Joves cheat The Nuns Rush-pictures into Tiber let The Merchants pray'r of cheats to Mercurie The Twins More dayes of much diversitie YOu ask me whence this Month is called May. I know not well what reason down to lay Just as a traveller when as he views More paths stands still and knows not which to chuse So know not I because I have such store What cause to give even plenty makes me poore Relate ye Nymphs of Hippocrene that dwell About the lovely Pegasean well The Sisters differ Then Poly'mnia fair First speaks The rest in silence all give ear When Chaos wrought and these three bodies made And that huge masse was into forms convey'd Earth's load press'd downward and attracts the Sea Heaven mounted by its native levitie Sunne Moon and Starres clogg'd with no grosser weight With all their harnesse elevated straight But for a time Earth gave no place to Heaven Nor Starres to Sol All dignities were even Ofttimes a God but of the vulgar race Presum'd to take grand Saturn's royall place Each notelesse Deity would by Ocean old Sit cheek by joul Oft Tethys was controll'd Till awfull Reverence and Honour grave Seats sutable to every person gave Hence Majesty which all the world doth sway Did spring accounted great on her birth-day Amid Heaven's palace was she straight extoll'd Array'd in purple and transparent gold Pale Fear and modest Shame sate by her side And all the Gods with like fram'd looks her ey'd Straight Zeal of Honour seiz'd their minds all savour Repute and Worth and aym to purchase favour For many years in Heaven remain'd this state Till Father Saturn was expell'd by fate Those monstrous Giants then the Earth did bear Whose hands t' invade the court of Jove did dare With hundred hands to them she snakes feet gave The Gods themselves cries she in warres outbrave Vp to the Welkin with audacious might They mountains pil'd and challeng'd Jove to fight He from his tow'r discharg'd his thunder straight And on th' invaders pates whelm'd that vast weight Thus Majesty by Jove his arms protected The conquest wonne and since hath been respected With Jove she sits and is his guardian sure And sans constraint enstates his reigne secure On earth she came ador'd by divers Sages Quirinus Numa in their severall ages She Parents honour for them doth defend To fair and virtuous youth she is a friend The ivory-Bench and Rods enstall'd she graces On crowned Steeds she in proud triumph paces Poly'mnia ends and is approv'd in all By Clio and Thalia lyricall Vrania follows All are whist and still And her voice onely now the Quire doth fill Of old great reverence had the hoary head And wrinkled Age was highly honoured Youth practic'd warfare with a sprightfull hand And march'd in colours for their Gods and land Old Age but weak nor fit for battels brave Did aid their Countrey by their counsels grave The Court was then for none but Seniours free And Senate comes from Senioritie Old men kept Courts The law was onely ty'd To that calm age which thence was dignifi'd Old men 'twixt young without distast have gone And in the middle if there were but one Who dar'd a rash word near a Seniour's eare To speak A Censure he should surely bear Quirinus knowing this the Sages chose His cities new state-matters to dispose Hence to renown those Majors who did sway Those times I hold this Month is called May. And Numitor whom he could not deny Would have this Month giv'n to Majority Nor ill successe had this same pledge of grace June nam'd of Juniours follows next in place Then Queen of all Calliopea fair Began green ivie crown'd her fluent hair Oceanus whose streams the Earth confine To watry Tethys did in wedlock
divine Jove's Twins the Champion and the Horse-courser Had stoll'n fair Phoebe and her Sister dear Idas and Lynceus both by contract made Leucippus sonnes took arms their wives to aid Love causes their demand and their deniall The self-same cause perswades both sides to triall Th' Oebalian Twins could eas'ly flie away But that was base by flight to get the day There is an open plain a champion fair And fit for arms There stood this faithfull pair Swift Castor 's bosome bor'd with Lynceus blade He on the ground at unawares was laid Revenging Pollux comes and with his pike Quite through the throat doth Lynceus deadly strike At him flies Idas Whom Joves flames scarce quell'd They say his sword he in his hand still held Heavens ope for Pollux enterteinment were Sayes he O Father my petition heare What thou me onely do thou two enstall One moity of thy boon is more then all Thus to his Brother he divides his charge A welcome couple to a vexed barge Who seeks Agonia must to Janus go Yet this day hath it in this season too This night the Erigonian Dog doth shine I 've given else-where the reason of this Signe Next day is Vulcane's which is Lustria nam'd They lustrate Trumpets by the Lemnian fram'd Foure figures read from this and lo in sight The Holy Customes or the Tarquine's flight Lo Publick Fortune of our potent nation This day beheld her Temples consecration When spring-rich Amphitrite this light removes Behold the Bird which Jove so dearly loves The sequent morning doth Bootes hide Next day the Hyads vaunt their glittering pride The end of the fifth Book OVIDS FESTIVALLS OR ROMANE CALENDAR The sixth Book or JUNE The Argument THe severall reasons of this Month he gives The Janal wand away Night Scrich-owls drives Moneta 's Chapell'd by Camillus vow So is Bellona Mind is honour'd too The figure of Chast Vesta's house her rites Jove Pistor's Altar Ino Matrones cites Vnto her feast S t Fortune 's Temple built By Servius Tullia 's Hell-surpassing guilt Quinquatrian feasts The grand Physician rais'd The feast of Fortune Philip 's work is prais'd FOr this Months name too divers reasons make I 'll cite them all that thou thy choice maist take I sing a truth though some elsewise may ween And hold no Gods of humane eyes are seen There is a God in us in him we live His sacred spirits this heat and vigour give I specially may see a heavenly sight Or in a Prophet's or this subject's right There is a tree-throng'd Grove reserv'd from all Shape of a sound unlesse some water-fall Upon this month I musing hither came And much revolv'd th' originall and name Lo Nymphs I saw Not those that Farmer old Did meet in feeding his Ascraean fold Nor those that shew'd themselves to Priam's Sonne In spring-fed Ida Yet of them was one Even one of them her Husbands Sister Her I oft had seen i' th' Tower of Jupiter Amazed palenesse did my spirit betray Forthwith the fear she caus'd she took away O thou that dost the Romane Yeare maintein And sing'st saith she grand things on humble strain This priviledge of seeing Gods was thine When first thou undertook'st this task divine But lest that thou i' th' vulgar errour wade Know thou that June his name from Juno had Joves Wife and Sister 't is no modern grace To me I know not which should take the place I was old Saturns eldest child if birth And pedigree you count of any worth My Fathers name once to this place was given This land in his account was next to heaven If wedlock 's priz'd I am the Thund'rers Bride My Temple stands just by his Temples side Could May that strumpet have a Months renown What and shall any dare deny me one Why do I then that royall title hold The Queen of heaven and wear a crown of Gold Light makes the months and I am Lucine styl'd Shall I then be of my Months name beguil'd I should repent that my true love and grace I e're vouchsafed to the Trojane race Young Ganimed 's preferment and th' award Of Paris judgement urg'd my anger hard I should be sory that I e're despis'd My Carthage where my Coach and arms are priz'd Or that I ever put this land between My Samos Argos Sparta or Mycene Besides the Sabines and Faliscanes who Did honour me to Rome I did subdue But I 'm not griev'd this is my darling land And here my Temple with my Joves doth stand My Sonne Mars said Dear Mother take this town It is my Sonne 's here shall be thy renown His word 's perform'd My altars here are many And my Months honour is as great as any Nor doth Rome onely this most welcome fame On me conferre the neighbours do the same See but the Calendar of th' Aricinians Or my Laurentians or of my Lavinians See Tybur there this month is proved mine And read but o're the rolls of Praenestine This time they all give me and yet they wanted My Sonne 's foundation who this city planted Thus Juno ends I turn'd and Herc'les Bride With sorrows symptomes in her face I spi'd Should my dear Mother bid me pack away From heaven saith she in heaven I would not stay Nor do I now contend for this Month's honour I rather beg it in submissive manner Fain by intreaty would I keep my due Perhaps my cause may favour find with you My Mother hath her Capitol of gold And as is fit her Tower with Jove doth hold But all my glory is in this Months name All I regard is but this piece of fame Rome need not grudge with all her postern race To give Alcides Wife this season 's grace More for my Husband's sake might she afford With Spanish oxen he this kingdome stor'd And Cacus fens'd with flames of fire to strain By Vulcane's art by his stout arm was slain But I come nearer Romulus your King Into two parts his men distributing The Youth for arms for counsel were the Aged The Old to plot the warre the Young to wage it This by two months he stablish'd For this reason May is the Majors June the Juniors season Thus and in more words did they plead and chide Their eager anger did affection hide Then comes fair Concord deck'd with laurel-crown Whose fame and Fabrick is our Kings renown Of Romulus and Tatius she relates And how to one they did unite two States Both Sonne and Father made one common home From their conjunction June saith she doth come I 've heard three causes but excuse me ye 'T is not for me to arbitrate this plea. I leave you even Troy ru'd th' award of Paris One cannot make so much as two will marre us The first day Carna Mistresse of the Hinge Is worshipp'd she that shuts and opens things Whence she this office had time doth obscure The truth but yet our Muse shall thee assure Th' old grove Helernus near to Tyber lies The