Book I, Chapter 3

IT doth remayne of Iupiter, as how (but then a Lad)
From Epire to Pelasgis him the Lordes Epyrote. had,
To fetch their pledge Lycaon held, when times of truce had ende.
Lycaon fayning to consent, that did not so intend,
Next day, as though he would dismisse the Legates with estate,
Did make to them a solemne feast: when, hauing slaine of late
The noble pledge, he brings his limmes and setteth them before
His Countreymen to feede vpon in saused dishes store.

The Strangers and his Subiects too abhorring such a sight,
Sit gazing each in others face, bereft of speech and sprite,
Vntill that lustie Iupiter, a stripling to beholde,
Did take the limmes dismembred so, and with a courage bolde
Did shew them throw Pelasgis streetes, declaring by the way
The murther of their bloodie King: which did so much dismay
The Citizens, that euen they, detesting such vnright,
Did rise in armes against their King, where youthfull Ioue did fight
So valiantly, that by his force Lycaon tooke his flight:
And after did by Robberies, by blood, and Rapines liue:
For which to him a Wooluish shape the Poets aptly giue.

IN Epyre and Pelasg[…]s thus Ioue first his honour wonne:
But greater things vntouched are by this same Worthy donne.
And partly, in the monstrous warre that Titan and his Crue
Did holde with Saturne, when by search of Issues males he knew
The which his brother had aliue, against their couenant made:
When, Titan Victor, fast in hold was vanquisht Saturne laide,
Together with his wife and friends: where sorrow much they past,
Till Iupiter did vnderstand his parentage at last.
He therefore landing tooke in Crete, with well prouided men:
And […]lew his Vncle Titan, and the Giant Tiphon then,
With most part of the Titanoies, and sets his Father free;
By meanes whereof they reconcile[…] and well a while agree.

NOt brooking then Apollos fault, in that he ente[…]tainde
The re[…]naunt of the Titano[…]es, that after warres remainde,
Ap[…]ll[…] was by Iupiter inforced for to flie
His kingdome Paphos, and to liue exilde in Thessalie.
There loue, but chiefly penurie, constrained him to keepe
(Vntill he was restored home) the King Admetus sheepe.
And for his Sonne disdainefully enuied Ioue his praise
Ioue was the same Phisitions death that dead to life could raise:
Whose same grew thus. As Aesculap an heardsman did espie,
That did with easie fight enforce a Basiliske to flie.
(Albeit naturally that Beast doth murther with the eye.)
Apollos Sonne perceiuing him with Garland on his head,
Imagins (as it was indeede) some hearb such vertue bred:
And for a proofe, he caused him to cast the wreath away,
When strait the beast her onely eyes the silly man did slay.
Then Aesculap himselfe did take the wreath and puts it o[…],
And by that meanes he ouercame the Basiliske anon.
In hearbs that deeper force is hid then Science may containe
I finde, sayd he, and hearb by hearb into his mouth did straine
That lay for dead, an hearb at last reuiuing him agayne.

Henceforth, men thought him more thē man, whē by his wondrous skill
He rendred life to many like, so winning great good will.
But as he waxed famous thus, he famous waxed proud,
Disdayning all, yea Ioue himselfe for Peere he disalowd:
Vntill that Saturns angry Sonne reueng'd his pride by death:
Correcting iustly each abuse, as Rector on the Earth.

THe Sonnes renoune thus added grace, vnto the Fathers name,
But shadowes waite on substances, and enuie followes fame.
Euen Saturne, pompous Saturne, ridde by Iupiter of Foes
And feare of Titan, did renewe his supersticious woes,
As touching former Oracle: and hastie sommons sent
Throughout his Realme to muster men, in purpose to preuent
By death of Ioue his destinie. The men of Crete repinde
To put on armour to his ill whom they had found so kinde:
But will they, nill they, so they must, for so their King assignd.
And Saturne with his armed troupes into Arcadia went,
Where Iupiter, forewarned of his Fathers ill intent,
Intreated peace, to him denide, so that perforce he must
Defend him from his froward Sire, or rather foe vniust.

Theare might ye see King Saturne fight like to a Lion wood,
Whilest Iupiter did beare his blowes and spares his Fathers blood:
And him that foe-like would him sley, he friendly did defend,
Desiring Saturne to retyre, but wordes were to no end.
The wilfull man pursuing blood, Ioue ceaseth to perswade,
And rushing in amongst his foes so hote a skirmish made,
That euery blowe sets blood abroch, and so in little space,
Euen he who late he did entreat is followed now in chace
By Arcas and his company: for Ioue resraind the flight,
Because against his countrey men he had no will to fight.

Whilest lucklesse Saturne did escape by flight and fortune then,
And wandred long in vncouth Seas, depriude of wealth and men,
Victorious Iupiter was crownde with glory King of Create:
And Saturne, now ariude at Troy, for succour did entreat.
Ganymedes, King Troys sonne, was sent in Saturnes ayde:
A worthy Knight, and valiant warre to Iupiter he made.
But he and his were chased backe euen to their Citie walles,
For whoso stoode with Iupiter, by Iupiter he falles.
And theare the Troyan Paragon Ganymedes was taine,
Twixt whome and Iupiter thenceforth sound friendship did remaine.
Then Saturne did the second time to Seas with shame retire,
And neuer after durst by warre against his sonne conspire:
But sayling into lower Realmes, in Italie did dwell:
And hereof it is said, his sonne did chase him into hell.

MEane while, lesse ioyous of his fame then ielous of his freakes,
Her wrong Queene Iuno on the Truls of Iupiter she wreakes.
Which was the cause that, all too late, he (purposing returne
To rescue Danae (in whose loue he amorously did burne)
Was cast by stormes into the Seas, that forthwith tooke the name
Of him whom for his Piracies Ioue vanquisht in the same.
Ye might haue seene Aegeon theare, with wreakfull wrath inflamde
At sight of Ioue, at whose decay he long in vaine had aimd.
And how that Ioue had now the worst, and in a trise againe
The Gyant with his twise three Barkes in hazard to be […]aine.
The Centaures shew them valerous, so did Ixeon stout,
And braue Ganymaedes did deale his balefull dole about:
But when couragious Iupiter had beaten to the ground
Aaegeon, and in the selfesame Chaynes wherein he often bound
The harmelesse soules that crost those Seas, himselfe in fetters lay,
Ye might haue sayd, and truly sayd, that then did end the fray.

So many were his high exploits, whereof such wonder bread,
That for the same the Heathen folke doe deifie him dead.
Which since they are so manifold, I many ouerpasse:
And though Amphitrio blush to heare how he deceiued was,
And that Alcmena pinch my tongue, possest with bashfull shame,
Yea though that Iupiter himselfe my lauish tongue shall blame,
Yeat since that iealous Iuno knowes already of the same,
I dare to tell how Iupiter so cunningly beguilde
His loue Alcmena, that by him she traueled with childe
Of Hercules: whose famous Acts we orderly shall tell,
Whereof the first, but not the least, in Cradle-time befell.