Page:Alexander and Dindimus (Skeat 1878).djvu/71

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
VARIOUS SACRIFICES TO GREEK GODS.
27
foretell things to come. & wei-huus sain þat he witeþ · in his worde one,
A spild spirit of þe air · þat may speke wondrus,
700& telle what bi-tide schal · of tene oþur of welþe.
Apollo, who practiised medicine and minstrelsy, is god of hands. Ȝe leuen alle in appolin · & also ȝe tellen
Þat, for he medisine made · & minstralus craftus,
Ȝe holde hin giour ful good · & god of þe handus.
704 Se þer leueþ no lime · lasse no more,
Þat in ȝour power is put · but parted to fendus.
Ȝe ne leuen not on a lord · that lengus in heuene,
Þat al þe membrus of a man · made at his wille.
708 Your false gods only grieve you. And þouȝ ȝe falce godus folk · founden to serue,
Þei ne graunte no grace · but greuen ȝou ofte,
& taken of ȝou tribit · þat traie is to paie,
Of ȝoure offringus alle · ofte in þe ȝere.
712 To Mars, ye offer a boar; To martis þe mihtelese · men ofren in time
A gret bor & a bold · as burnus han vsed.
To Bacchus, a kid; To bacus þe balful · men bringen in temple
A kide, as is costum · of comine peple.
716To Juno a peacock; A fair pokok of pris · men paien to iuno,
& him wirchen þer-wiþ · worschipe vn erþe.
To Apollo, a white swan; Þe offrin of appolin · as ȝe alle knowe,
Ys a swan swiþe whit · swich as ȝe bryngen.
720 To Venu, a dove; Ȝe schullen bi ordre of vse[1] · offren to venus,[2]
A ful derworþe douue · on his den take.
To Minerva, a bat; Minerua men worschipen · in oþur maner alse,
& bringen hure a niht-brid · a bakke or an oule.
724To Ceres, Corn; To ceres þe sorwful · ȝe sacrifice maken,
& carien bi costum · corn to hure temple.
Ȝe mensken alle mercurie[3] · wiþ mirthe & wiþ ioie,
& him a chalis ful chois · wiþ good chere bringen.


Totum siquidem corpus hominis in deos diuidis, nullam in te particulam reseruando. Nec credis quod vnus deus qui est in celo corpus tuum creauerit. Deos colis alienos qui te in seruitatem redigunt, Et ipsis offers tributa. Marti enim offers aprum, Bacho hircum, Iunoni pauonem, Ioui thaurum, Appollini agnum, Ueneri columbam, Minerue noctuam, Cereri farra, Mercurio mella, Altaria herculi ex frondibus arborum plurimum coronata. Templum

  1. MS. 'of on vs'
  2. MS. 'to vectus'
  3. MS. 'mereurie'