of Ovid in Image and Text
George Sandys, Ovid's Metamorphosis (1632)
An Online Edition
Daniel Kinney, Director
Special Thanks to Alison Caviness, Zack Long, Keicy Tolbert, and the Many Resident Experts of U.Va.'s E-Text Staff
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Ovid Illustrated: The Renaissance Reception of Ovid in Image and Text George Sandys, Ovid's Metamorphosis (1632) An Online Edition Daniel Kinney, Director Special Thanks to Alison Caviness, Zack Long, Keicy Tolbert, and the Many Resident Experts of U.Va.'s E-Text Staff |
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VPON THE SIXTH BOOKE OF OVID'S METAMORPHOSIS. Pallas excited by the example of the Muses, proceeds to  the punishment of Arachne. Yet first the Goddesse
indeauours to reclaime her by perswasion; and for that purpose takes vpon her the shape of an old woman, as in experience and counsell of greater authority and
opinion: aduising her not vainely to contend with immortalls; but to aske forgiuenesse for her arrogancy, with assurance of obtaining. So vnwilling is she to
punish; and so glad to bee preuented by repentance. But Arachne wickedly resolute, the Goddesse reassumes her owne forme: when either, setting themselues to
their loomes, put their skill to the triall. Pallas weaues the ancient contention betweene her and Neptune about the naming of Athens: the Gods their judges; who propose the victory to him or her, who should produce what was most beneficiall to mortalls. The place Areopagus; after, the place of publique judicature among the Athenians: so called of Mars, who there had his triall for the slaughter of Halirrhotus the sonne of Neptune, that had rauished his daughter Alcippe. A story which Varro indeauours to disproue, as too much detracting from the honour of their Gods; but yet admits of the former contention. Pallas portraits Neptune striking the rock with his Trident; and the Sea from thence gushing: her selfe with a shield, a lance, and a helmet; accoutred as when first she sprung from the Head of Iupiter. For the fable reports how Iupiter hauing married Metis and got her with child, deuoured her at once, together with her burthen. When, hauing caused Vulcan to cleaue his skull, his braine was deliuered of this armed issue. Pallas is taken for the Intelligence of Iupiter; (A notion, as some Authors report, deriued by Tradition, of the second Person, and soberly deliuered by the Sybils, Trismegistus, and other Ethnicks, but after defaced by mixture of the Grecian vanities.) And therefore the Temples of Wisdome were erected by the Ancient in her honour; and that on high places, as in the Tower of Athens, in reference to the head, the principall seat of the soule. His deuouring of Metis doth intimate, how none can attaine vnto wisdome without the receipt and digestion of Counsell; for so her name signifies. Vulcan is said to haue plaid the part of a mid-wife: because fire, which demonstrates the puritie of the workes of Nature, is the instrument of humane industrie; which brings to light what is occult and secluded, reducing the Theory of art into practice: intended by Homer, when he speakes of a cunning workman instructed by Vulcan. Pallas is said to haue beene armed from her birth, in regard of the actiue & passiue fortitude of Wisdome; of power to encounter all opposition, and dispose of Fortune.
Pallas, to shew her riual Arachne what she was to expect for her presumption: in the angles of her web, within little Ouals adds foure contentions. In the first she delineates Haemus and Rhodope, both begotten by one father; and in loue with each other: insomuch that Haemus called his sister Iuno, and Rhodope her brother Iupiter: for which praesumption, they were fained to be by the angry Gods converted into these Thracian mountaines, bordering on the riuer Strymon; who was said to haue beene the mother of Rhodope.The second contained the miserable fate of the Pygmean matron; by others called Gerranica (which signifies a Crane.) Shee, the male line failing, became the Queene of that nation: adored by her subjects, as if more then mortall, for the excellency of her feature. Wherewith she pleased her selfe so much, that shee began to neglect the seruice of the Gods, but especially Iuno's: who, as here fained, and perhaps in regard of her name, transformed her into a Crane; and made her war with her owne Nation, as a punishment for her arrogancy: and to be a punishment vnto those who had giuen her vndue honours. It should seeme she was low of stature (and consequently proud, according to the Prouerb) whereupon, perhaps said to haue beene the mother of the Pygmies. These are so called of a Cubit, in that commonly no taller. Some place them in Caria, some on the Indian Mountaines; others, as Homer in Aethiopia.
The third Oual presents the transformation of Antigone, the daughter of Laomedon, into a Stork, for presuming to preferre her beauty before Iuno's. The metamorphosis well suting with a proud and talkatiue woman: for this foule, though a stranger to all musick, so affects her vntunable creakings, that she claps her wings in her owne plauditie. And perhaps the fable had an originall from her husbands giuing a Stork for his Impresse. In the fourth angle Cineras was figured weeping and imbracing the staires of the Temple, into which his daughters were converted for the like presumption. His name signifies lamentation, to his fortunes agreeable. But this seemes not to be he who was both grandfather and father to Adonis: nor is there of him else where any mention. Now Pallas both finisheth and crowneth her labour with a wreath of her owne tree: for the Oliue was not only the Symbol of peace, but also of victory. These serue for instruction. But profane Arachne sets forth the rapes and adulteries of the Gods. She makes Iupiter in the likenesse of a Bull to steale away Europa: of which we haue spoken already. To compresse Asteria in the shape of an Eagle. For Iupiter hauing violated Latona, fell in loue with her sister: who to auoid him, intreated the Gods to change her shape; who transformed her into a Quaile: but he converting himselfe into an Eagle, pursued, and caught her. Declaring how difficult it is, euen for the most chast, to preuent the traines, and insolent lust of Great ones. Iupiter here beguileth Leda in the likenesse of a Swan. For hee not knowing how to gaine accesse, is said to haue changed himselfe into that foule, and caused an Eagle to pursue him: who flew into her lap, as it were, for succour. Pitty introduceth Loue: Beautie, and the harmony of the tongue (expressed by the Swan) his preuailing solicitors. He dishonours Antiope in the shape of a Satyre: a forme well suting with his lust, expressed both in his nature and name: begetting on her Amphion and Zetus. But some affirme that he came disguised in the habit of a Pesant; the ground of this fable. So to Alcmena in the semblance of her husband Amphitrio: a deceit not vnusuall. But Iupiter signifies the virtue of the mind, and Alcmena fortitude: the parents of Hercules, or noble achieuments. In a golden showre, which is, with gifts, he corrupted Danae. He couples with Aegina in a flame: heat and moisture (Iupiter the aetheriall heat, and Aegina the daughterof the riuer Aesopus) being the parents of generation. Besides diuine purity expressed by elementall fire, infused from aboue; begets Aeacus on Aegina, or a minde indued with sincerity and Iustice. Hee compresseth Mnemosyne in the shape of a shepheard: Memory replenished with celestiall knowledge, and delighting in contemplation, producing the Muses. And Deois (the same with Proserpina) in the forme of a Serpent. For aetheriall heat, which is Iupiter, by tract of time, deciphered by the Serpent, whose extension and circular windings, expresse (according to Cirillus) the series of daies and yeares sliding silently by; doth cherish Proserpina, or the seed in the ground, and makes it to fructifie; In memoriall whereof, the Aegyptians, as Eusebius reports, exhibited a Serpent contracted in folds, among their sacred Mysteries.Arachne portraits Neptune defiling Arne in the forme of a Bull: said to take that figure, because the bellowing of a Bull resembles the roring of the Sea, he being
so called by the Baeotians, in that Bulls were vsually sacrificed vnto him. But historically for wearing a head-peece of Bulls leather: said in that shape to haue laine with Arne; for being gotten with child by Neptune, and banished to Metapont by her father, she was there deliuered in an oxestall. To beget the Aloides in the shape of Enipus a turbulent riuer, and therefore the father of those terrible Gyants, Otheus and Ephialities, who waged. warre against the Gods; begotten licentiously on Ephimedia the wife of Alous. To rauish Theophane the daughter of Bisaltus in the shape of a Ram; hauing borne her away from the rest of her sisters, in a ship which carried that figure on her prow. To haue laine with Ceres; in that Neptune or moysture, swels the corne in the earth, which is Ceres, the cause of her pregnancy: and in the shape of a horse, in regard of the vnbridled fury of water. And said in the same forme to haue defiled Medusa in the temple of Minerva, for the brutishnesse of headstrong appetite; which violates all lawes both diuine and humane. To deflowre
Melanthe, the daughter of Proteus, in the shape of a Dolphin; because Neptune was worshipped in that forme: expressing the empire of the Ocean, as swifter then all other creatures, and next to man in intelligence; affecting his conversation, and subject to the passions of sorrow and loue (the hieroglyphick of
the latter) of which we haue many examples; perhaps as true, as to some incredible. One nere Iassus cast himselfe on shore in pursuite of a boy whom he loued: the youth was made Neptunes Priest by Alexander the Great, as supposed to be affected by the Sea-god. An other not far from the same citty, accustoming to carry one Hermias on his back: on a time ouer-taken with a tempest, wherein the boy was drowned, the Dolphin brought the dead body to land, & thrusting himselfe a shore there dyed for company. To these adde we a third, reported by Pliny on the testimonies of Maecenas, Fabianus, and Flauius Alsius, who inserted it in their Annals; hapning in their owne times, in the Reigne of Augustus. This Dolphin was enamoured on a poore mans sonne of Baiae, that went daily to schoole at Puteoli; who about noone accustomed to stand on the shore, and call vpon the Dolphin by the name of Simo: and by feeding him with bread so
allured him, that in a short time he would come at his first summons; and offering him his back, conuey him to Puteoli, and back againe. Appian doth witnesse as much; and Solinus, that it became so ordinary a spectacle as no man admired it. But what was stranger, the Dolphin long missing the deceased boy, pined away with sorrow: and being found dead on the shore, was buried in his sepulcher. Arachne sets forth Apollo in the shape of a heards-man (whereof we formerly haue spoken.) In the shape of a Falcon, agreeingwith the Sunnes high mounted swiftnesse, cleare-sight, and deuouring feruor: and therefore worshipped vnder this figure. In the likenesse of a Lyon, because, the heat of the Sunne is most hot and violent when he enters that Signe. In the forme of a shepheard, that is, in such a disguize to haue deflowred Issa,
the daughter of Macarius King of Lesbos. She portraits Bacchus to deceiue Erigone in the likenesse of a grape (perhaps because wine is a prouocatiue to Venus, and takes from a
woman the guard of her honour.) This was the daughter of Icarius, to whom Bacchus had taught the planting of vines: and on the Attick rurals reuenged their
deaths with a pestilence. Of which more largely hereafter. Lastly she produceth Saturne to beget the Centaure Chiron on Philyra in the likenesse of a Horse: in regard of the furious lust of that
Creature: excited in mortalls by the secret operations of his Planet, those exorbitant desires being nourished by melancholy. But why Chiron is said to be his
sonne, and of his double forme is formerly declared.These personages, with the places, being wouen to the life by Arachne, she incloseth the web with a traile of Iuy; well suting with the wanton argument and her owne ambition. Worne in garlands at lasciuious meetings; and climing as ambitious men, to compasse their owne ends with the ruine of their supporters. Minerva teares in peeces what enuy could not but commend, because it published the vices of great ones; and beats her with the shuttle to chastise her presumption: who not induring the indignity hangs her selfe; and is by the Goddesse converted into a Spider: that she might still retaine the art which she had taught her, but toile without profit. For vselesse and worthlesse labors are expressed by the spiders web: by which the Psalmist presents the infirmity of man, and vanity of his actions; which wouen with infinite industry and care, in regard of their imbecillity, are broken through by euery occurrent. The common people who enuy the eminent, and pitty those whom they enuyed in aduersity; storme at the ruine of so excellent an artizan. Niobe in times
past had knowne Arachne, yet could not be admonished by her example, but exceeded her in insolency: proud of her high parentage, and of her husband
Amphion; both descending from Iupiter. He then King of Thebes, who first incompassed that citty with a wall, to defend it against the assaults of Plegyas. But
fained here to haue drawne the stones together, and built it with the musick of his harpe: in that by his wisdome and eloquence he brought the saluage people to
ciuility, and caused them to cohabit. Niobe, glories besides in her beauty, her riches, her dependancy, but especially in her children; exalting her selfe aboue the reach of fortune, or degree of a mortall, affects diuine honours: enraged at those which were giuen to an other. Her anger transports her beyond decency, and
eclipseth her beauty: whose intemperancy distorts the sweetnesse of the aspect, extends the veines, discolours the blood, and darts those flames from the eyes which loue neuer kindled. The prescribed remedy for this euill is a glasse, wherein they may see how they change themselues into Gorgons, and take an affright from their shaddowes. For women who are enamoured on their pretious beauties, had rather haue their soules deformed then their faces. She now suppresseth the sacrifices of Latona: who complaining to Apollo and Diana; Niobe, by the slaughter of her children, and selfe murder of her husband, is left a childlesse, despised, and desolate widdow; congealing with sorrow into a statue of marble, and is rapt by a whirle-wind to the Styphalian mountaines; who now might say if she had a tongue, and reason to direct it;
her, as she fled from Iuno with her little infants. Latona is formerly said to be the daughter of Caeus, as hee the sonne of Coelus; because obliuion of euils prceeds from diuine compassion, which cures those maladies of the minde which are incident to mortalls: and to bee the mother of Apollo and Diana, in that musique hath the same subordinate quality; the affections inflamed by the one, and allayed by the other. But Latona physically is taken for the Earth, from whence the starres at first were imagined to ascend; among which the Sunne and Moone, Apollo and Diana. Their births here fained to haue beene long protracted by Iuno, because the grosse and moist ayre obscured those greater lights at the beginning, which being then inuisible, were said to be restrained in the womb by her enuy: Vntill Delos, which signifies apparent, rose aboue the Deepe and afforded Latona a place for her deliuery: which is, those mists and fogges being dissipated by heat and drynesse, the Sunne and Moone, became apparent, as if newly produced. These exhalations were figured by Python: and therefore fained to be slaine by Apollo, (that is consumed by his rayes) for pursuing his mother. But to drawe more neere to the history: After the flood of Ogyges, there arose such abundance of thick fogges, that in Attica, and all along the coast of the Aegean sea, neither Sunne nor Moone for many dayes could be seene: till at length the aire beginning to cleare, the inhabitants of Ortygia a little before day espyed the Moone, and the same morning the Sunne: who were said hereupon to be borne in Ortygia, called after Delos, of their manifestation. Latona, in her flight from Iuno, is churlishly intreated by the Lycian pesants, and denied the publique benefit of water: for which inciuility these bawling Clownes are changed into croaking froggs, and confined vnto that Lake for euer. A kind of halfe-sould men, as malicious as vnmannerly; insolent when they haue the power; and made by entreaty inexorable: addicted to raile and clamor aloud; the latter, as obserued by Aristotle, an vnfallible signe of rusticity. And therefore to such this transformation is not misapplied: the frogge being the Heiroglyphick of impudence and clamor. It is written that the froggs about a certaine Village grew silent at the command of offended Augustus (then but an infant) and so continued euer after. In reference to this, his fauorite Mecaenas had the figure of a frogge ingrauen on his Seale, as promising secresy and silence. Yet the Emperour would complaine of his two friends, Agrippa and Mecaenas; that the one wanted patience, and the other taciturnity. These were sent as a plague to the Aegyptians: these draue the Abderites out of their country, whom Cassander planted in Macedon: these depopulated a Citty in France, and now not a little infest Virginia in Summer: called Pohatans hounds by the English, of their continuall yelping. And as they croake & ride one vpon another in shallow plashes: so Pesants baule and gamball at their meetings; soused in liquor, as froggs in the water. It is worth the obseruation, that a frogge, though she haue her heart and liuer puld out, will. skip vp and downe not withstanding. There is a story how the men of Delos siding with those of Rhodes against the Lycians, landed to water at a certaine lake, where they were resisted by the Pesants of Lycia; whom the Deleans slew, and threw into the water. The warre now ended, and they returning by that lake, could discouer none of their bodies floating aboue, but heard an outrageous croaking of froggs; whereupon grew this fable of their metamorphosis. This story is seconded by an other of the excoriating of Marsyas: a Musician excelling in wind instruments; and called a Satyre, for his rude and lasciuious composures: who finding the flute, which Minerva cast away, when she beheld in the riuer how the blowing thereof distorted her visage, was the first of mortalls that played thereon: and so cunningly, that he presumed to challenge Apollo with his Harpe: by whom ouercome, he had his skinne stript ouer his eares by the victor. It is said that Minerva threw the flute away, not only for deforming her face, but that such musique conferreth nothing to the knowledge of the Mind; presented by that Goddesse, the patronesse of wit and learning. The fiction of the Satyres punishment was invented not only to deterre from such selfe-exaltation: but to dehort the Athenians from the practise of an art so illiberall, whereunto the Thebans were generally adicted. To which purpose thus spake Alcibiades: Let the Thebans play on the flute, who know not how to speake: but for vs Athenians, we haue Pallas and Apollo for the Patrons of our country; of whom, in times past, the one threw away the pipe, and the other vncased the Piper. Marsyas is fained to haue the taile of a swine; in that audacious attempts haue but shamefull ends. But the Rurals deplore the death of their piper, and raise a riuer with their teares which carries his name: the Phrygians themselues beleiuing that it sprung from the blood of the Satyre. A violent streame, which meeting with Maeander; hath his speede abated by the slownesse of the other.
These stories told, they convert their discourse to the present occasion. All pitty the wofull end of Amphion and his issue; but none the arrogant Niobe, her brother Pelops excepted: who whilest he teares his garment, a custome at funeralls, discouers his iuory shoulder. This Pelops was said to haue beene cut in peeces by his father Tantalus, and set before the Gods among other viands: either to see if they could discerne it; or for the greater magnificency, in sacrificing vnto them what was most in his estimation. But all forbore to eat thereof: only Ceres, distracted with griefe for her rauished daughter, fed ere aware on a peece of his shoulder: When the Gods, commiserating Pelops, rejoyned his lims, supplying that part which was wanting with iuory: and reuoked his Soule to his body. The feasting of their Gods with the blood of their owne children was a wretched custome, introduced by the subtilty of the diuell, and deriued, as Viues conjectures, from the immolation of Isaack: vsed not only by the Heathen but the Iewes; who offered their sonnes and daughters vnto Molock, which bloody sacrifice was conuaied by the spirit of Darknesse vnto the saluages of Florida; in the same manner as Diodorus describes them to be offered vnto Saturne. But this was detested and held odious to the Gods, by the more sober Ethnicks. Tantalus his feasting the Gods with his sonne, taken allegorically, and in the better sense, doth declare that nothing should be so deare vnto vs, which we would not voluntarily sacrifice to God and religion; who restores what we giue in a greater perfection. For he, being rich, is said only to haue intended the seruice of the Gods (called elsewhere their friend, a title giuen to Abraham who first offered his sonne) despising riches, with all bodily pleasures; and therefore was fained to starue in plenty. To say something of the history: it is conjectured that Pelops was cruelly and inhumanely handled by his father: and therefore fained by him to haue beene cut in peeces, and serued to the Gods at a banquet: who rejoyned his lims and restored him to life; in that they recompensed his sufferings with future reputation, power, and abundance: for iuory signifies riches, as the shoulder strength and potency. Such Pelops, whose infinite wealth grew prouerbiall; great his power, and great his fame; hauing subdued all Peloponesus, and left his name to that country; where in he found diuers mynes of gold and siluer, which greatly inriched him. The neighbour Citties intreat their Princes to visit and condole with Pelops. Onely the Athenians could not performe that ciuill respect; being strictly besieged by those barbarous Nations that dwell about Pontus. But soone after relieued by the valour of Tereus: to whom Pandion in recompence gaue his daughter Progne. But neither Iuno, Hymen, nor the Graces, who vse to accompany successefull nuptialls, were present at that wedding. Iuno is fained to be the President of marriage, in that all things are produced to light by the aire: to whom they offered before the solemnities; and threw the gall of the sacrifice behind the altar; to declare that there should be no bitternesse and dissention betweene the married couple. Hymen a beautifull youth of Athens, disguised in the habit of a maid for the loue of another, was surprised with the rest of the virgins of that Citty, as they celebrated the feast of Ceres Eleusina, and carried away by Pirats: who taking him for the same he seemed, caben'd him with his beloued. But he, when the Pyrats were a sleepe, cut all their throtes; and then outrunning the rest to Athens, told their parents that he would restore their daughters, if they would assure him of her he affected. This graunted, and that marriage prouing extraordinary happy; it grew a custome among them, to inuoke and reiterate the name of Hymen, as a lucky presage, in all their nuptiall solemnities: imitated as well by the Romans as the rest of the Grecians, as appeares by this of Catullus.
of whatsoeuer is amiable or worthy: daughters to Ioue & Antonoae, Diuine bounty and Prudence, or a wise distribution. One is called Aglaia, or chearfull; in that benefits should bee conferred with alacrity: the second Thalia, or still-flourishing, because they should euer liue in the memory of the receauer: the third Euphrosyne, of delight; since to giue and to take should be equally delightfull. They are said to bee naked, in that gifts should be giuen without fraud or second respects: and linked together, in that the league of beneuolence should be endlesse. But the Furies kindled the nuptiall torches with funerall fires at this wedding of Tereus and Progne; the ominous Owle screeching sad presages; confirmed by the sequel: Tereus rauishing Philomela, and reuengefull Progne feasting her husband with the, flesh of her owne son; as he before had contaminated his table with the flesh of others. Astyages so serued his fauorite Harpalus: who hauing suffered him to glut himselfe with his misfortunes produced their heads, and askt him how he likt his viands: who replied, that all feasts were pleasant with a King. An answer which set him in the highway to safety: as it would haue done to reuenge, had he so intended. Nor doth the former story lesse agree with the truth, but only in the transformations: the two sisters famed to haue beene changed into birds, for their speedy flight vnto Athens, by which they escaped the reuenge of Tereus. Philomela into a Nightingall, and Progne into a Swallow; in that no Nightingalls are seene in Thrace, as hating the country of Tereus; nor Swallow euer builds there; as is obserued by Pausanias. Such also famed for their mournfull songs and seeming lamentations. The Nightingall chanting in the solitary woods; deseruedly called Philomela, or a louer of musicke, in that no bird bath so sweet a voice among all the siluan musitians: singing fifteene dayes. and nights together, when the leaues begin to afford her a shelter, with little or no intermission. So shrill a voice in so little a body, and a breath so long extended, is worthy admiration; shee alone in her songs expressing the exact art of Musicke in infinite variety. Neither haue all the same tunes and diuisions, which shewes their skill to be more then naturall. They striue among themselues in feruent contention: the vanquished not sildome ending her life with her song, through griefe, or ouer-straining. The young ones heare with attention; practise, & repeat their lesson, which the old correct; and being perfect in that, proceed to a new. The spring neere an end, they surcease, as satiated, or weary: and in the summer, in that neither heard nor scene, are said to change both their voice and colour: the latter disproued by such as are kept in cages. Perhaps she sleepes, or lies senseless all the winter; as her sister the Swallow. For Swallowes, when the cold comes in, and flyes, their only sustenance faile them; creepe into clefts of rocks, and sinke to the bottome of waters: insomuch as no extraordinary thing in Germany to drag them among fishes out of their ponds: these, seeming dead, when brought into their Stoues, or laid by the fire, will after a while reuiue with the heat, and betake them to their wings. As the other the woods, so these frequent houses; building their nests vnder arches, and in the cornishes of windowes, with wonderfull architecture (which to robbe, or pull downe, was held not only vnfortunate, but sacrilegious) recording their complaints on the tops of chimnies. Yet surely birds rather sing for delight then sorrow.Now Tereus, when he could not reduce his subjects to obedience, who for his cruelty towards them, and violence to Philomela, had rebelled against him, slew himselfe at Megara where he had a hill of Earth raised ouer him; an ancient fashion among the Thracians of intombing their Kings; whereof many are to bee seene at this day in that Country. Strabo places the Sceane of this Tragedy in the territory of Phocis; with whom Thucidides seemes to accord: and Pausanias discouers the tomb of Tereus hard by the rock Mergis in Attica: which may well agree with the speedy escape of the sisters vnto Athens. For Daulis was a Colony of the Thracians; there planted perhaps by Pyreneus: of which our Poet in the former book:
The Nightingall & Swallow are alluded to Poetry & Oratory: called sisters, because there is in both a similitude of Harmony: the one affecting solitary places; sequestred from the converse of men, but frequented by Gods & Muses; differing in argument, as in affection, from the other: who delights in citties, exercising her eloquence before tribunals, in Senates, and assemblies. Yet as the Nightingall excells the Swallow in sweetnesse, skill, and variety; so doth Poesy Oratory. Pandion dying with griefe, hath his throne supplyed by Erichtheus: a Prince highly extolled for his justice and valour; the subject happy in the one, and that happinesse protected by the other. The Thracian Boreas solicits his daughter Orythia: but Thrace, and the memory of Tereus, crosse his desires: who laying entreaties aside, now beares her away by force. Wherein the quality of the Northerne winde is liuely described: with the causes of haile, and thunder, lightning, & earthquakes. The story reports how it was not the winde, but one of that name, the sonne of the Thracian Strymon. But Plato in his Phaedrus, that she was blowne from a cliffe into the riuer Ilissus; and being neuer more seene, was famed to haue beene borne into Thrace by Boreas: said to be a Thracian because the Northerne windes blow bitterly on Greece from those mountaines. Calais and Zetes are said to be the sonnes of Boreas and Orythia: not onely because male children are likely begotten when the winde is in that quarter (as femals when Southerly) but in regard of their violent and fierce dispositions. They are said to haue wings, of the fashion and changeable colours of their garments: or, according to Zetzes, of their faire long-dangling haire, which couered their shoulders. Why not of their swift running, or celerity in warre; especially in Nauall fights, wherein the sailes doe carry their similitude? These winged brothers accompany Iason in his expedition to Colchos for the Golden Fleece; in the Argos, the first long ship that euer was made, so called of the builder. The voiage imposed on Iason by Peleas, his treacherous vnkle, who had his kingdome in trust: and endeauoured his destruction vnder the pretence of a glorious enterprize. But of this in the next. |