66
A HYMNE TO HERMES.
Where a Retreat rann, deepely multiplide
In blinding shadows; and where th'endlesse Bride;
Bore to Saturnius, his Ingenious Sonne:
An Odor, worth a Hearts desire, being throwne,
Along the Heauen-sweet Hill; on whose Herb, fedd,
Rich flocks of sheepe, that bow not where they tredd
Their horney Pasterns. There, the light of Men,
(Ioues Sonne Apollo) strait descended then,
The Marble Pauement, in that gloomie Den.
On whom, when Ioue, and Maia's Sonne set eye,
Wroth for his Oxen: On then, instantly
His Odorous swarth-hands, flew; in which, as close
Th'Impostor lay; As in the coole repose
Of cast-on Ashes, Harths of burning Coles
Ly in the woods hidd, vnder the Controules
Of skilfull Colyers: Euen so close did lie
Inscrutable Hermes in Apollo's eye.
Contracting his great God-head, to a small
And Infant likenesse; feet, hands, head and All.
And as a Hunter hath beene often viewd,
From Chace retir'd with both his hands embrewd
In his Games blood; that doth for water call
To clense his hands; And to prouoke withall
Delightsome sleepe; new washt and laid to rest;
So now lay Hermes in the close comprest
Chace of his Oxen. His New-found-out Lute;
Beneath his arme held: As if no pursuite
But that Prise, and the virtue of his play,
In blinding shadows; and where th'endlesse Bride;
Bore to Saturnius, his Ingenious Sonne:
An Odor, worth a Hearts desire, being throwne,
Along the Heauen-sweet Hill; on whose Herb, fedd,
Rich flocks of sheepe, that bow not where they tredd
Their horney Pasterns. There, the light of Men,
(Ioues Sonne Apollo) strait descended then,
The Marble Pauement, in that gloomie Den.
On whom, when Ioue, and Maia's Sonne set eye,
Wroth for his Oxen: On then, instantly
His Odorous swarth-hands, flew; in which, as close
Th'Impostor lay; As in the coole repose
Of cast-on Ashes, Harths of burning Coles
Ly in the woods hidd, vnder the Controules
Of skilfull Colyers: Euen so close did lie
Inscrutable Hermes in Apollo's eye.
Contracting his great God-head, to a small
And Infant likenesse; feet, hands, head and All.
And as a Hunter hath beene often viewd,
From Chace retir'd with both his hands embrewd
In his Games blood; that doth for water call
To clense his hands; And to prouoke withall
Delightsome sleepe; new washt and laid to rest;
So now lay Hermes in the close comprest
Chace of his Oxen. His New-found-out Lute;
Beneath his arme held: As if no pursuite
But that Prise, and the virtue of his play,
