The Infancy of the World, Poem 21
Poetical Fictions.
1. On Jupiter.
IN Creta, Jupiter was born, of Ops;
And Saturn nourished on Ida's tops,
By the self-gelding Corribants, who plaid
So loudly on their brazen drums, and made
Such …inkling sounds, and such obsteperous noise,
That Saturn might not heare his infants voyce:
The cheated god (thinks to secure his throne)
Instead of Jupiter, devours a stone,
Who was, no sooner grown to mans estate,
But seeing how his father did await
To drink his bloud, tumbles him headlong down,
And he himself usurps the Regal Crown:
The conquered god in Latium hides for shame,
The land of Latium hence derives her name.
2 On Apollo.
Latona's son in fioating Delos born,
Vast Cyclops flew, his god-head lost, forlorn
Wanting employment sits him down to keep
Thessal…an Admetus fleecy sheep;
Mercury gave to him his Harp; the Speare,
Lyre, Buckler, on his Image painted were.
The Muses father, Poets chiefest power,
Au…hor of Musick in the upper Bower;
Sol was he call'd, Bacchus in earth, in hell
Known by the name Apollo, he could tell
Things long before they were, he first did know
The Ar… of Phisick, from his radiant bow
His golden-footed messengers doth send
Whose rapid force sing to their journeys end;
In love with Hi…cynth, and Daphne, he
Turnes him into a Flower, her a Tree.
The Lawrell, Ol…ve, and the Juniper,
Unto Apollo consec…ated were;
The Princely Cock, the Herauld of the day,
The griping Goshauk▪ greedy of his prey,
The silver Swan, and Crow, which can divine,
Is off'red up unto Apollo's shrine.
4 On Bacchus.
Jove's thigh-borne, Ivy crowned B…cchus nurst
By Juno and the Nymphs, invented first
The use of wine, and over all the world
He rides, fell Tigers and fierce Linces whirld
His Chariots rapid wheels, he did subdu…
Innu…erable Nations, and embrew
His hands in tawny Indians bloud, he taught
The Art to buy and sell, the first that sought
Triumphall honour, he his Temples bound
With Regal Diadems, and triumphs sound.
The browsing G…at, and slugish Ass are proud
For to be stiled his, see what a crowd
Of wanton Satyrs, and Sileni, comes,
Rending the ayer with their Kettl…-drums;
Loud b…llowing sounds, the Menedes his Priests
His Orgis, and his Bacchanalian feasts,
With such vociferations celebrate,
As would tire Fabius for to relate
Their mad confused fragors: seem to mix
The burning Axle with the frigid Styx.
5 On Mercury.
GReat Atlas Nephew, Jove and Maias son,
Th' embassador of heavenly powers puts on
His Stag-like feet, and golden head, his wings,
Quits the bright Court: with him along he brings
His snake-ingitted-soporiferous Rod,
Because that men should know he is a god,
Addicted much to exercise and motion
Swims swiftly thorough the aerial Ocean:
No sennuy force could weapons swifter fling
From Scythian bows, or Balearick string,
Then he doth scud along: Merchants to trade
Instructeth how, tells Theeves for to evade
As he (a theevish god) by slight of Art
Was wont, when he did steale Apollo's dart;
He quickly took (and was as quickly gone)
Neptune's Mace, Ʋ…lcan's tongs, & golden Zone
Of rose-cheek'd Ʋenus, king Admetus drove
And would have rob'd the bolts from thund'ring Jove
VVhat e're he saw he made, what could there be
Secur'd from his light-finger'd Dietie?
This active nimble god from heaven came,
VVas Author, first, of the Palestrick game;
The use of the shrill sounding Lute out found,
And on mount Caucasus, Prometheus bound,
Hundred-eyd Argus in a conflict slew,
Freed captive Mars, and on a golden clue
Let downe by pulleys, from his fluent tongue,
The eares of his atentive hearers hung.
Cylenius, in Egypt worship'd is,
In the shape of Dog-headed Anubis;
Of him and Venus, an Hermaphrodite
Of either sex was born, then from the sight
Of the prodigious Gvants, having fled,
He in t'a Stork was Metamorphosed.
6 On Mars.
THe war-like god, great Jove, and Juno's son
Caused the seed of discontent to run
Throughout the hospitable world, fierc… anger
With flaming eyes, a strange confused clangor,
Deafning the heav'ns, mad fury, pallid fear,
Rageing oppression, jarring discord were
His sad concomitants; with bloudy rod,
Bellona waits upon this impious god,
VntoUnto this all-devouring Diety:
In Lemnoe men were sacrifiz'd, the Py
That cheating bird, the watchful Dog, & brood—
—Destroying Vulture, the stout Cock, and bloud—
—Carowsing Wolfe, (true combatants of Mars)
Were dedicated to the god of warrs.
The Romans brag that they derive their line
From him, make him their patron, and assigne
To him his Salij, and do dedicate
The years first Month, oh what inver'rate hate
Beares he to Pallas? for his missile darts
At Iove-born wisdome fly, and lib'ral Arts
Him Vulcan with his spouse a bed espies,
And (angry) in a net doth them surprize:
Keeps them close p…is'ner from captivitie.
Till N…ptune by intrea…ies set them free.
7 On Ʋulcan.
The sooty god of Iove and Iuno sprung,
For his deformity from heaven flung,
Fell down into the Island Lemnos, with
The fall grew lame; made of the gods the Smith:
There sets up trade. On sulphry Aetn…e's top,
And L…para sometimes he sets up shop;
Where, with the one-…yd mo…strous Cyclopes,
Broontes, Pyrachmon▪ and huge Steropes,
Iove's thunder armour for the gods he made
Against those Gyants which would heaven invade:
To him the Lion, te…ri lest of beasts
Was consecrated; in his honor feasts,
And sacrifices, celebrated were
Called Protervia, what meat they spare
They burne: Gentiles with blazing torches run
And when the wick is spent their race is done.
At Juno's suit he made Aenea's shield,
At Thetis did Pelides armour yeild,
The potent Queen of riches and the air
He chaineth fast unto a golden chaire;
His wife and Msrs he in adultry found,
And them in Adamantine fetters bound.
8 On Cibele.
Cibele, mother of the Gods call'd Ops,
From helpful wealth, and Vesta fair with crops
Of golden eared-labour-crowning crown,
She cloaths the fields; and doth her lap adorn
With verdent grass, choice hearbs, green trees, sweet flowrs
Wife was she to the antient'st of all powers:
This antique Matron weares a branched gown,
And beares, upon her head, a Tower-like crown;
Her right hand helds a Mace, her left a Key;
To her, as Emblems of fertilitie,
The teeming Sow is sacrific'd, then comes
(Beating their brazen hollow-sounding drums)
A traine of self-dissected Coribants,
And round about the street for money dance,
To please their great Cybele, she that found
Out rural pipes, and first did Cymbals sound.
9 On Juno.
The sceptred Queen of heaven, to thundring Iove
Sister, and wife of marriage doth approve
Goddess of riches, ever counted mild
And helpful unto woman great with child;
Saturne, and Ops, her parents; she was bred
Up by the Flowrs, and by the Sea-Nymphs fed.
Faire Iris, Ledeas twins, and Nymphs twice seaven
Fidelious service, to the Qu…en of heaven,
Duly performe, and dayly waite upon her,
Respecting her according to her honour;
In a rich Charriot, stately to b…hold,
Of beaten silver and of burnish'd gold,
A yoke of yellow Lyons draw her round
Her vast dominions; spangled star pa…'d ground.
The taile-proud Peacock, and the vigilant Goose,
And ravenous Raven's sacred to her use:
Her parties, to be married, off'rings bring,
And do the gall behind the Altars fl…ng:
Her Temple open-roofed was, to enter
Therein, no whore by N…ma's law might venture.
Her co…djutor, who is wont to tye men
To females, known is by the name of Hymen.
This hand a Torch, and that a red vaile holds,
Therewith she modest blushing Brides enfolds;
Iuno did shed her milke, rather then she
A nurse unto feirce Herculee would be:
Thence Lillius had their Alablaster look,
From thence▪ the milkie way its whiteness took:
This hand holds a Pomgranate, there doth stand
A …uckow on her other sceptered hand.
10. On Ʋenus.
LOv…s Goddess, thrice more radient then the morne
Of Cetus test…cles, and Sea froth born,
Wi…h Rosy Chaplets her fair Templ…'s boun'd,
And sometimes with the peaceful Mir…le crown'd;
Light Torches bears, and needle-pointed A…rows,
Prodromes of love, a yoke of lecherous Sparrows
Sometimes do draw her Charriots, now she loves
To couple silver Sw…ns, then spotless Doves;
Facundious Merc'ry, and the bounteous Graces,
Perswasive Pytho, in their several places,
W…ite on her honour; who was said to saile
To flow'ry Paphos, in a shell, a vaile
Of sorrow-boading Cyperus she wore,
When she Bore-k…l'd Adonis did deplore.
Sometimes a wanton Goate she rides upon,
And doth house-carrying tongueless snails tread on,
Mars into Seas of wantonness did st…ere her,
And reeling Bacchus was her Armour-bearer.
Paris assign'd unto the Queen of love,
The golden Apple which fall from above:
Iuno prevails not though she proffers treasure,
Pallas her gifts are slighted, it is pleasure
Load-stone to vice, attracts the wanton eye
Of injuditious Paris, wit may lie
And starve, for him rich Iuno is neglected;
And Vinus, who but Venus, is respected?
Hellen is rap'd, he H…llen doth enjoy,
A ten years warr ends in the fall of Troy:
O d…re effects of love! by Vulcan's jaws
Troy was devour'd, but H…llen was the cause.
11 On Mix…rva.
JOve's brain-bred girle, the president of warr
Princess of peace drawn in a fiery Carr,
To her the Owl (To shew her clear discerning
Of obstruse secrets) sacred was of learning.
Of Arts of wisdome, she inven…'ress was;
Her Target (Egis call'd) though smooth as glass,
Did beare a Snake-hair'd Gorgon's head, thereon
Who ever look'd was turn'd into a stone;
She on a Dragon treads, gripes in her hand
A Crow a Cock doth on her Helmet stand;
A long Cloake (Peplum cal'd) she us'd to wear,
And in the air wave her glit'ring Spear;
Terrour and feare her waiting maids stood by her,
Tutor'd by her, Prometheus stole fire,
From Titan's burning Chariot, by which thing,
He many Arts did to perfection bring:
Her heav'n-sent Image, the Paladium
Was by the vestal Virgins kept at Rome:
The Trojans loosing, this their City, lost,
Which in a Sea of stormy warrs was tos'd?
Olives to her were sacred, for she found
The use of Oyl, her the Athenians crown'd
With decent Chaplets, made of Olive leavs;
Her new-sound use of wooll, she spins, and weaves,
A golden lamp to her was dedicated,
At her March feasts the Mistresses awaited
Upon their serving Maids, as Masters tended
Upon their Men, till the Saturnal's ended.
Jove's thunder she could use, and had the power
To raise a storme, and qualifie a shower.
Her heavenly seat is next to Jupiter,
She went up into Diomedes Carr,
In Orcus pi…chy Helmet hid (so sly)
That she was undiscern'd, by Mars his eye:
Palas, Arachne turn'd into a Spider,
Ambition loves no equals live beside her.
12. On Diana.
Apollo's sister daughter unto Jove,
And fair La…ona, loves in woods to rove;
And on the swelling hills: from her sure bow
Her Arrows (messengers of death) doth throw,
At swift-foot Dears, and tim'…ous Hares, which hast
For life, but meet with death; Diana chast
Goddess of d…ncing, unto virgins mild:
Propitious unto women great with child:
An eye of watchfulness, this Goddess sets,
Over the Fishers and the Hunters nets.
The dancing Satyrs. Syl…an Dryades,
Nymphs▪ Ham…dryades, and Orades.
Do in her figh… delight; in Heaven, Earth, Hell,
Luna▪ D…na, Proserpine, do dwell;
One and the same, Triform'd, and Trivis nam'd.
Because, where three waies m…t there she was fam'd
This winged Godness easily restra…ns
Fierce Lion… force, and speck'led Leopards reines:
The all-united force of milk-white Stags,
Through Marble plains her silver Chariot drags;
Because, with hornes, she looketh beautifull,
Men sac…ifized unto her a Bull;
Nay more (while they Diana did invoke)
With humane fl…sh her frequent Altars smoke.
13 On Ceres and Proserpine,
Corne crowned Ceres Saturne and faire Ops
Faire Off-spring smiles, upon her gold…n crops
Holds wealthy Plutus, who at her command
Scatters his bounty with a liberal hand.
Plenty and Hony-mouthed peace remaine
Linck'd fast together by a silken chaine
None to her sacrifice at any time
Could ent'rance find, if conscious of a crime
Faire Venu…, Iuno and Minerus to;
Did on a certaine time a Maying goe,
Proserpine bare them company, who while
Shee gathered Popy, with a pleasing toil
Tricking her bosome, with delightfull flowres
Grim Pluto whirld her to his pitchy Bowres
For his Tartarian Chariots, Cerb…ous sings
And fell Erynnis Scorpions have nor stings,
Ixions wheele stood still, Promtheus heart
Feeles no corroding Vipers, Flouds impart
Theire liquor unto thirsty Tantalus,
The stone affordeth rest to Sisyphus:
The lab'ring Belides have leave to play
And solemnize this ioyfull marrage day
Now Ceres mother takes a flaming Pine
And sorrowing seeketh for her Proserpine
And kindly entertained by Celeus
Taught them how …o sow corne; Triptolemus
His Son by day, with milk, by night with fire,
She nourished; while Celius did enquire
Too curiously in this, him Ceres slew.
Triptol'mus Chariot winged Dragons drew,
Circling the world Triptolemus to men
First taught the use of Corn; from Dis, his den
Proserpine could not redelivered be
Because she, of a fare Pomgranate tree
(Which did in Pluto's Oachard grow) did taste;
Yet she obtain'd such savour, at the l…st,
As to continue (after she was found)
Six months above, as many under ground;
Halfe a yeare here, as long assign'd to dwell
Black Pluto's Queen, in the low Countries, Hell:
Witches to Hecate, their Goddess, come;
Unto her offred are the Hecatombe.
To shew th' unconstancy of wealth and store,
Halfe moones upon their shoes the Romans wore.
14 On Pluto.
Saturne's three sons shar'd his estate, heav'n fell
To Iove, to Neptu…e Sea; to Pluto H…ll.
And all earth's golden entrails appertains,
His triple-headed Ceberus bound in chains
Of Adamant, holding a bunch of keys,
Before the pitchy Pallace kennel'd lies;
Horrible for his snakey hares, keeps cent'ry
To guard hell's Monarch; Sybil in this entry
(Which with a vig'lant eye he us'd to ke…p)
D…d by her wisdome, lul him fast asl…ep;
Thence Herc'les drag'd him, light doth make him spue,
And of his foame the poys'nous Wolf-bane grew;
The raiging Futies, the life-measuring Fates,
Rapacious Harpies, waite within the gates
Of gr…sly Dis, with Fun'rall Cypres crown'd,
Who, galloping on his black Steeds, is found
By fraud'…ent Cheaters, cursed Perjurers,
Oppressors, Lyars, and Extortioners:
But very slowly halteth from his den,
To honest, godly, conscionable men.
He cometh creeping when he wealth doth bring,
Departing, fli…teth with an Eagles wing.
Who e're put on Pluto his Helme…, he,
Became invisible, and from danger free:
With this same Helme… coverd, Wisdomes Queen
Fought against Troy, and was, by Mars unseen.
How Pluto ravished his Proserpine,
I lately told and shall not tel't again.
15 On Charon.
The squalid son of Erebus and Night
Old, but not weak, most terrible for sight;
Vigorous, furious, coveteous, and sad,
With greasy, sordid, ragged garments clad:
In his old rotten, feeble, brittle wherry,
Mens souls to the Elizium he doth ferry,
Over the scalding Lakes of Phlegethon:
Mournful Cocytus, joyless Acheron,
Hateful Styx, (by which the Gods did sweare)
Obl…vion; causing Lethe, for his fare,
Each Passenger a half-penny must carry
In his s…ut mouth, or else for passage tarry:
None but the dead t'his boat admitted be,
Yet was Eneas, for his pietie,
Took in alive; Herc…le… en…ance found,
Theseus by strength, Or…us by's musicks sound;
Alive, and with no fa… these Champions come,
Into the pitchy Realms of Bara…hrum.
16 On Mines, Eacus, Rhadamanthus,
Iust Min…s, husband to the beautiful
Pasiphas, who intirely lov'd a Bull:
Into a wooden Cow, which he did frame.
Her, D…d'lus puts, the Minotaur thence came.
No sooner was this known to Minos, but
He Dedaelus and his Son Icarus shut
With that same M…n-Bull Monster fed with men)
Within his self-m…de Labyrinth, and then
H…veing obtain'd the savour of a clue
Of threed, they made evasion, and flew
From Cretae's Isle, with Artificial plumes,
While unadvised Icarus presumes
Too high a fl…ght, his wax…n wings did melt,
And straightway fail'd, when they no sooner f…l…
The …corch…ng f…rce of Titan's fiery beames
He fell and christned the Icarian streames.
Theseus the man-d…stroying Monster slew,
And scap'd, help'd out by Ariadne's clue.
…ove his three Sons to be hell's judges sent,
Who in their way (by him directed) went
Thorough a flow'ry Meadow, which was thought
The field of truth, poor naked souls were brought
To these impartial Judges, who were strict
In dealing righteous judgment, and t' inflict
Deserved punishment upon▪ offenders,
Furies, and evill Genii, their atenders,
With thund'ring whips of steell are ready still,
To execute these righteous Judges will,
On conscious souls; as bloudy murtherers,
Adulterers, hollow-hearted fl…t…rers,
Claw bac'd detractors, glozing Sycophants,
He which hath store of guilt no torment wants.
Aeacus, Rhadamonthus, sit by one
Another lovingly, Minos alone.
Wh…n as Aegina was unpeopl'd then
At Eacus prayers, Iove turn'd the Ants to men;
His timely Orizons deliver'd Greece,
From the devouring plague, which did encrease,
And feast it self on fl…sh, carowsing bowls
Of the infected bloud of dying souls.
17 Eumenides.
THe snake-hair'd furies, born of Night and Dis.
Eumen'des nam'd by an Antiphrasis;
In heaven Dirae and in earth they be
Call'd Harpiae, and in hell the Furiae,
She Stygian Dogs of Pluto; Alecto
With bloudy-burning Pine, runs too and fro;
Envious Megaera riseth from her chair,
And with her poysnous breath infects the air;
The surnace of her mouth (beseig'd with fire)
Contagious vapors casts her whip of wir…
M…d drunk with bloud, makes such a dreadful soun…
As though the heauen, & earth, it would confound
Spightful Tes…peone with Scorpions stings
Offenders, and her horrour-boding wings
She stearnly shakes, and makes the guilty …e…l
Th' imprinted strokes of her revengful steel.
These sisters, dredful for their brazen feet;
Snake-hairs, loud-sounding scourges have their se…t
With Apollo's sacred Temple porch,
Dismaly tining their infestuous Torch;
Worship'd they were, that they no hurt might doe,
Who into their Achaian Temple goe,
Guilty of murther, incest, theft, or acted.
Much like enormities, d…d grow distracted
18 On the Harpies, Stryges, and Lamiae.
Aello, Celero, and Ocypete,
The names of …he rapac…ous Harpies be;
Who did, the me…t upon b…nd Phen…us table
Pollute, and then devour (as runs the Fable)
Their flat'…ing coun…enance, and maiden fac…,
Do seem to promise and p…rtend embraces;
Their Dragons tails, and tallons of an Eagle,
Threat ruine unto those whom they inveagle.
When as tra'luce…t Phebe doth appear,
The Striges and the Lamie domineere,
Suck childrens bloud, with Hecat…an charmes,
Hurt C…tle, therefore from such noxious harmes
They Carne to protect them doe invoke,
And with their sacrifices Altars smoke.
19 On Chimera.
Three shap'd Chimera, that much hurt had done,
At last was killed by Belerophon,
A Lions head he had, his gulf-like throate
Breaths fire, the belly of a wanton goate
No… wanting was to him, and least he faile
Of spight, he had the poys'nous Dragons taile.
20 On the Fates.
TH' inexorable Parce, borne of Hell,
And night, three Sisters were assign'd to dwell
Within a pitchy cavern, nature bindes
Their souls in peacefull union: Cloth… windes
Flax on the D…staffe, and the thred of life
Is spun by Lachesis, the fatal knife
Of Atropos divideth it in twain,
Which done it cannot be conjoyn'd againe.
The Series of things, Jupiter's scribes
Will not divert, no, for a world of bribes:
Cresus his store, the wealth that Midas treasur'd,
Cannot prorogue the life that they have measur'd:
Th'intreats of virtue, nor the threats of vice,
Melts them to mercy; neither prayer nor price
Wring out compassion, no fire can thaw
Their frozen hearts, nor can affliction draw
Their thoughts to pitty, they regard no m…nes,
Nor thunder of ingemenated groanes.
Noe stormy sighs, nor silent-pleading tears,
Can force the rocky portals of their ears;
They'r cloath'd in white, haveing their temples crown'd
An Adamantine distaffe held, which round
The spacious orb encircled, their extent
And solid stableness, thereby was meant.
By these three Fates is understood, by some,
Time past, time present, an… the time ro come.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nicolas Billingsley, The Infancy of the World (1658)