P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses
Arthur Golding, Ed.

And now forwearied Daedalus alighted in the land
Within the which the burning hilles of firie Aetna stand.
To save whose life King Cocalus did weapon take in hand,
For which men thought him merciful. And now with high renowne
Had Theseus ceast the wofull pay of tribute in the towne
Of Athens. Temples decked were with garlands every where,
And supplications made to Jove and warlicke Pallas were,
And all the other Gods, to whome more honor for to show,
Gifts, blud of beasts, and frankincense the people did bestow
As in performance of their vowes. The right redoubted name
Of Theseus through the lande of Greece was spred by flying fame.
And now the folke that in the land of rich Achaia dwelt,
Praid him of succor in the harmes and perils that they felt.
Although the land of Calydon had then Meleager:
Yet was it faine in humble wise to Theseus to prefer
A supplication for the aide of him. The cause wherfore
They made such humble suit to him was this. There was a Bore
The which Diana for to wreake hir wrath conceyvde before
Had thither as hir servant sent the countrie for to waast.
For men report that Oenie when he had in storehouse plaast
The full encrease of former yeare, to Ceres did assigne
The firstlings of his corne and fruits: to Bacchus, of the Wine:
And unto Pallas Olife oyle. This honoring of the Gods
Of graine and fruits who put their help to toyling in the clods,
Ambitiously to all, even those that dwell in heaven did clime.
Dianas Altars (as it hapt) alonly at that time
Without reward of Frankincense were overskipt (they say).
Even Gods are subject unto wrath. He shall not scape away
Unpunisht, though unworshipped he passed me wyth spight:
He shall not make his vaunt he scapt me unrevenged quight,
Quoth Phoebe. And anon she sent a Bore to Oenies ground
Of such a hugenesse as no Bull could ever yet be found,
In Epyre: but in Sicilie are Bulles much lesse than hee.
His eies did glister blud and fire: right dreadfull was to see
His brawned necke, right dredfull was his haire which grew as thicke
With pricking points as one of them could well by other sticke.
And like a front of armed Pikes set close in battell ray
The sturdie bristles on his back stoode staring up alway.
The scalding fome with gnashing hoarse which he did cast aside,
Upon his large and brawned shield did white as Curdes abide.
Among the greatest Oliphants in all the land of Inde,
A greater tush than had this Boare, ye shall not lightly finde.
Such lightning flashed from his chappes, as seared up the grasse.
Now trampled he the spindling come to ground where he did passe,
Now ramping up their riped hope he made the Plowmen weepe.
And chankt the kernell in the eare. In vaine their floores they sweepe:
In vaine their Barnes for Harvest long, the likely store they keepe.
The spreaded Vines with clustred Grapes to ground he rudely sent,
And full of Berries loden boughes from Olife trees he rent.
On cattell also did he rage. The shepeherd nor his dog,
Nor yet the Bulles could save the herdes from outrage of this Hog.
The folke themselves were faine to flie. And yet they thought them not
In safetie when they had themselves within the Citie got.
Untill their Prince Meleager, and with their Prince a knot
Of Lords and lustie gentlemen of hand and courage stout,
With chosen fellowes for the nonce of all the Lands about,
Inflamed were to win renowne. The chiefe that thither came
Were both the twinnes of Tyndarus of great renowne and fame,
The one in all activitie of manhode, strength and force,
The other for his cunning skill in handling of a horse.
And Jason he that first of all the Gallie did invent:
And Theseus with Pirithous betwene which two there went
A happie leage of amitie: And two of Thesties race:
And Lynce, the sonne of Apharie and Idas, swift of pace.
And fierce Leucyppus and the brave Acastus with his Dart
In handling of the which he had the perfect skill and Art.
And Caeny who by birth a wench, the shape of man had wonne
And Drias and Hippothous: and Phoenix eke the sonne
Of olde Amyntor: and a paire of Actors ympes: and Phyle
Who came from Elis. Telamon was also there that while:
And so was also Peleus, the great Achilles Sire:
And Pherets sonne: and Iolay, the Thebane who with fire
Helpt Hercules the monstruous heades of Hydra off to seare.
The lively Lad Eurytion and Echion who did beare
The pricke and prise for footemanship, were present also there.
And Lelex of Narytium too. And Panopie beside:
And Hyle: and cruell Hippasus: and Naestor who that tide
Was in the Prime of lustie youth: moreover thither went
Three children of Hippocoon from old Amicle sent.
And he that of Penelope the fathrinlaw became.
And eke the sonne of Parrhasus, Ancaeus cald by name.
There was the sonne of Ampycus of great forecasting wit:
And Oeclies sonne who of his wife was unbetrayed yit.
And from the Citie Tegea there came the Paragone
Of Lycey forrest, Atalant, a goodly Ladie, one
Of Schoenyes daughters, then a Maide. The garment she did weare
A brayded button fastned at hir gorget. All hir heare
Untrimmed in one only knot was trussed. From hir left
Side hanging on hir shoulder was an Ivorie quiver deft:
Which being full of arrowes, made a clattring as she went.
And in hir right hand she did beare a Bow already bent.
Hir furniture was such as this. Hir countnance and hir grace
Was such as in a Boy might well be cald a Wenches face,
And in a Wench be cald a Boyes. The Prince of Calydon
No sooner cast his eie on hir, but being caught anon
In love, he wisht hir to his wife. But unto this desire
God Cupid gave not his consent. The secret flames of fire
He haling inward still did say: O happy man is he
Whom this same Ladie shall vouchsave hir Husband for to be.
The shortnesse of the time and shame would give him leave to say
No more: a worke of greater weight did draw him then away.
A wood thick growen with trees which stoode unfelled to that day
Beginning from a plaine, had thence a large prospect throughout
The falling grounds that every way did muster round about.
As soone as that the men came there, some pitched up the toyles,
Some tooke the couples from the Dogs, and some pursude the foyles
In places where the Swine had tract: desiring for to spie
Their owne destruction. Now there was a hollow bottom by,
To which the watershots of raine from all the high grounds drew.
Within the compasse of this pond great store of Osiers grew:
And Sallowes lithe, and flackring Flags, and moorish Rushes eke,
And lazie Reedes on little shankes, and other baggage like.
From hence the Bore was rowzed out, and fiersly forth he flies
Among the thickest of his foes like thunder from the Skies,
When Clouds in meeting force the fire to burst by violence out.
He beares the trees before him downe, and all the wood about
Doth sound of crashing. All the youth with hideous noyse and shout
Against him bend their Boarspeare points with hand and courage stout.
He rushes forth among the Dogs that held him at a bay,
And now on this side now on that, as any come in way,
He rippes their skinnes and splitteth them, and chaseth them away,
Echion first of all the rout a Dart at him did throw,
Which mist and in a Maple tree did give a little blow.
The next (if he that threw the same had used lesser might),
The backe at which he aimed it was likely for to smight.
It overflew him. Jason was the man that cast the Dart.
With that the sonne of Ampycus sayd: Phoebus (if with hart
I have and still doe worship thee) now graunt me for to hit
The thing that I doe levell at. Apollo graunts him it
As much as lay in him to graunt. He hit the Swine in deede.
But neyther entred he his hide nor caused him to bleede.
For why Diana (as the Dart was flying) tooke away
The head of it: and so the Dart could headlesse beare no sway.
But yet the moodie beast thereby was set the more on fire
And chafing like the lightning swift he uttreth forth his ire.
The fire did sparkle from his eyes: and from his boyling brest
He breathed flaming flakes of fire conceyved in his chest.
And looke with what a violent brunt a mightie Bullet goes
From engines bent against a wall, or bulwarks full of foes:
With even such violence rusht the Swine among the Hunts amayne,
And overthrew Eupalamon and Pelagon both twaine
That in the right wing placed were. Their fellowes stepping to
And drawing them away, did save their lives with much ado.
But as for poore Enesimus, Hippocoons sonne had not
The lucke to scape the deadly dint. He would away have got,
And trembling turnde his backe for feare. The Swine him overtooke,
And cut his hamstrings, so that streight his going him forsooke.