Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/122

Nor day, but even the bound of both a man may terme of right.
The house at sodaine seemde to shake, and all about it shine
With burning lampes, and glittering fires to flash before their eyen,
And Likenesses of ougly beastes with gastfull noyses yeld.
For feare whereof in smokie holes the sisters were compeld
To hide their heades, one here and there another, for to shun
The glistring light. And while they thus in corners blindly run,
Upon their little pretie limmes a fine crispe filme there goes,
And slender finnes in stead of handes their shortned armes enclose.
But how they lost their former shape of certaintie to know
The darknesse would not suffer them. No feathers on them grow,
And yet with shere and velume wings they hover from the ground
And when they goe about to speake they make but little sound,
According as their bodies give, bewayling their despight
By chirping shirlly to themselves. In houses they delight
And not in woods: detesting day they flitter towards night:
Wherethrough they of the Evening late in Latin take their name,
And we in English language Backes or Reermice call the same.
Then Bacchus name was reverenced through all the Theban coast,
And Ino of hir Nephewes powre made every where great boast.
Of Cadmus daughters she alone no sorowes tasted had,
Save only that hir sisters haps perchaunce had made hir sad.
Now Juno noting how she waxt both proud and full of scorne,
As well by reason of the sonnes and daughters she had borne,
As also that she was advaunst by mariage in that towne
To Athamas, King Aeolus sonne, a Prince of great renowne,
But chiefly that hir sisters sonne who nourced was by hir
Was then exalted for a God: began thereat to stir,
And freating at it in hirselfe said: Coulde this harlots burd
Transforme the Lydian watermen, and drowne them in the foord?
And make the mother teare the guttes in pieces of hir sonne?
And Mineus al three daughters clad with wings, bicause they sponne
Whiles others howling up and down like frantick folke did ronne?
And can I Juno nothing else save sundrie woes bewaile?
Is that sufficient? can my powre no more than so availe?
He teaches me what way to worke. A man may take (I see)
Example at his enmies hand the wiser for to bee.