Down slid into the ocean flood apart,
The Bear, that in the Irish seas had dipt

His grisly feet, with speed from thence he whipt;

For Thetis, hasting from the Virgin's bed Pursued the Bear, that ere she came was fled. 35

And Phaeton now reaching to his race
With glistering beams, gold streaming where
they bent,

Was prest to enter in his resting place.
Erythius that in the cart first went,

Had even now attained his journey's stent: 40
And fast declining hid away his head,
While Titan couched him in his purple bed.

240

And next, within the entry of this lake,
Sat fell Revenge, gnashing her teeth for ire,
Devising means how she may vengeance take,
Never in rest till she have her desire:
But frets within so far forth34 with the fire
Of wreaking flames, that now determines she
To die by death, or 'venged by death to be. 245

When fell Revenge, with bloody foul pretence
Had shewed herself, as next in order set,
With trembling limbs we softly parted thence,
Till in our eyes another sight we met:
When fro my heart a sigh forthwith I fet,35 250
Rueing, alas, upon the woful plight
Of Misery, that next appeared in sight.

295

And, next in order, sad Old Age we found,
His beard all hoar, his eyes hollow and blind,
With drooping cheer still poring on the ground,
As on the place where nature him assigned
To rest, when that the Sisters had untwined
His vital thread, and ended with their knife 300
The fleeting course of fast declining life.

There heard we him with broken and hollow plaint

Rue with himself his end approaching fast, And all for naught his wretched mind torment With sweet remembrance of his pleasures past, And fresh delights of lusty youth forwaste; 306 Recounting which, how would he sob and shriek And to be young again of Jove beseek.

Went on three feet, and sometimes crept on fower, 41

With old lame bones that rattled by his side,
His scalp all pilde,42 and he with eld forlore:
His withered fist still knocking at Death's door,
Fumbling and drivelling as he draws his
breath,

For brief, the shape and messenger of Death.

And fast by him pale Malady was placed,
Sore sick in bed, her colour all forgone,
Bereft of stomach, savour, and of taste,

Ne could she brook no meat, but broth alone:
Her breath corrupt, her keepers every one
Abhorring her, her sickness past recure, 43
Detesting physick, and all physick's cure.

335

339

Great was her force, whom stone wall could not stay,

360

Her tearing nails scratching at all she saw;
With gaping jaws that by no means ymay
Be satisfied from hunger of her maw,
But eats herself as she that hath no law:
Gnawing, alas, her carcass all in vain,
Where you may count each sinew, bone, and
vein.

On her while we thus firmly fixed our eyes, 365
That bled for ruth of such a dreary sight,
Lo, suddenly, she shrieked in so huge wise
As made hell gates to shiver with the might.
Wherewith, a dart we saw, how it did light
Right on her breast, and therewithal pale Death
Enthrilling" it, to reave45 her of her breath. 371

Cities he sacked, and realms (that whilom flowered

394

In honour, glory, and rule above the best)
He overwhelmed, and all their fame devoured,
Consumed, destroyed, wasted, and never ceased,
Till he their wealth, their name, and all op-
pressed:

His face forehewed" with wounds, and by his side

There hung his targe with gashes deep and wide.

Yet saw I more, the fight at Trasimene,
And Treby field, and eke when Hannibal
And worthy Scipio last in arms were seen
Before Carthago gate, to try for all
The world's empire, to whom it should befall.
There saw I Pompey and Caesar clad in arms
Their hosts allied, and all their civil harms:18.

With conquerors' hands forbathed in their own blood,

421

And Caesar weeping over Pompey's head.
Yet saw I Scilla and Marius where they stood,
Their great cruelty, and the deep bloodshed
Of friends: Cyrus I saw and his host dead,
And how the queen with great despight hath

flung

His head in blood of them she overcom

46 Straightway. 47 Cut in front. 48 B:

425