Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/405

In vayne, (bycause in all the cave there was no vent wherby
To issue out,) did stretch the ground and make it swell on hye,
As dooth a bladder that is blowen by mouth, or as the skinne
Of horned Goate in bottlewyse when wynd is gotten in.
The swelling of the foresayd place remaynes at this day still,
And by continuance waxing hard is growen a pretye hill.
Of many things that come to mynd by heersay, and by skill
Of good experience, I a fewe will utter to you mo.
What? Dooth not water in his shapes chaunge straungely to and fro?
The well of horned Hammon is at noonetyde passing cold.
At morne and even it wexeth warme. At midnyght none can hold
His hand therin for passing heate. The well of Athamane,
Is sayd to kindle woode what tyme the moone is in the wane.
The Cicons have a certeine streame which beeing droonk dooth bring
Mennes bowwelles into Marble hard: and whatsoever thing
Is towcht therwith, it turnes to stone. And by your bounds behold
The rivers Crathe and Sybaris make yellow heare like gold
And Amber. There are also springs (which thing is farre more straunge)
Which not the bodye only, but the mynd doo also chaunge.
Whoo hath not heard of Salmacis, that fowle and filthye sink?
Or of the lake of Aethyop, which if a man doo drink,
He eyther ronneth mad, or else with woondrous drowzinesse
Forgoeth quyght his memorie? Whoo ever dooth represse
His thirst with drawght of Clitor well, hates wyne, and dooth delyght
In only water: eyther for bycause there is a myght
Contrary unto warming wyne by nature in the well,
Or else bycause (for so the folk of Arcadye doo tell)
Melampus, Amythaons sonne (when he delivered had
King Praetus daughters by his charmes and herbes from being mad),
Cast into that same water all the baggage wherewithall
He purdgd the madnesse of theyr mynds. And so it did befall,
That lothsomnesse of wyne did in those waters ay remayne.
Ageine in Lyncest contrarie effect to this dooth reigne.
For whoo so drinkes too much therof, he reeleth heere and there
As if by quaffing wyne no whyt alayd he droonken were.
There is a Lake in Arcadye which Pheney men did name
In auncient tyme, whoose dowtfulnesse deserveth justly blame.