A HYMNE TO VENVS.
91
And be th'Inuincible Maid of Deities
Through all her daies dates. For Saturnides
Gaue her a faire gift, in her Nuptialls stedd;
To sit in midst of his house, and be fedd
With all the free, and richest feast of Heauen:
In all the Temples of the Gods being giuen
The prise of honor. Not a mortall Man,
(That either of the powrs Olympian
His half-birth hauing; may be said to be
A mortall of the Gods; or else that he
(Deities wills doings) is of Deitie)
But giues her honor, of the amplest kinde.
Of all these Three; can Venus, not a Minde
Deceiue, or set on forces to reflect.
Of all powrs els yet, not a sex, nor sect,
Flies Venus; either of the blessed Gods;
Or Men, confin'de in mortall Periods.
But euen the Minde of Ioue, she doth seduce,
That chides with Thunder so, her lawlesse vse
In humane Creatures; and by lot is giuen
Of all, most honor; both in Earth, and Heauen.
And yet euen his all-wise, and mightie Minde;
She, when she lifts, can forge affectes to blinde,
And mixe with mortall Dames, his Deitie:
Conceald, at all parts, from the ielous eye
Of Iuno; who was both his sister borne,
And made his wife; whom beautie did adorne
Past all the Beuie of immortall Dames;
Through all her daies dates. For Saturnides
Gaue her a faire gift, in her Nuptialls stedd;
To sit in midst of his house, and be fedd
With all the free, and richest feast of Heauen:
In all the Temples of the Gods being giuen
The prise of honor. Not a mortall Man,
(That either of the powrs Olympian
His half-birth hauing; may be said to be
A mortall of the Gods; or else that he
(Deities wills doings) is of Deitie)
But giues her honor, of the amplest kinde.
Of all these Three; can Venus, not a Minde
Deceiue, or set on forces to reflect.
Of all powrs els yet, not a sex, nor sect,
Flies Venus; either of the blessed Gods;
Or Men, confin'de in mortall Periods.
But euen the Minde of Ioue, she doth seduce,
That chides with Thunder so, her lawlesse vse
In humane Creatures; and by lot is giuen
Of all, most honor; both in Earth, and Heauen.
And yet euen his all-wise, and mightie Minde;
She, when she lifts, can forge affectes to blinde,
And mixe with mortall Dames, his Deitie:
Conceald, at all parts, from the ielous eye
Of Iuno; who was both his sister borne,
And made his wife; whom beautie did adorne
Past all the Beuie of immortall Dames;
