WICKEDNESS OF THE GREEK GODS.
21
Thou market
Cerberus to sleep. Þorou þi maistrie miche · maken to sclepe
536 Tricerberus þe helle-hound · þat holden is kene
Boþe wakrong & wikke · & wardain of paine.
Ye never fast Ȝe no fonde no fast · but fillen ȝoure wombis,
Eten euere whan ȝe list · & in ese libben.
540 Ye sacrifice your children. Vn-kinde kiþe ȝe ȝou · to kille ȝour children,
To queme quedfulle godus · þat quenchen ȝour blisse;
& to ȝoure souorain of sinne · sacrifice maken
Wiþ þat vnblisful blod · þat þei bled hauen.
544 Ye make war ever. Miche maugre ȝe maken · among many kingus,
& gret werre in þis world · to waste þe peple.
Many men vp-on molde · ful mek & ful simple
Þorou þe prouede prince · fu; prouede ben woxe.
548Ye cannot have enough. Ȝe wene winne noht i-now · on þis worde one,
But ȝif ȝe heuene miht haue · & holden hit alse.
Your gods used to work all evil. Michel gilte ȝe, gome · bi ȝour godus falce,
As þei were woned in þis word · to wirchen in hure liue.
552 For ensample, bi my sawe · soþ mow ȝe fonge
Of iubiter þe ioilese · iugged to paine.
Jupter was lecherous. He was alosed in his lif · lechourus of kinde,
Þat in his licamus list · as a lie brente.
556 He hadde, while he here was · to hordom i-eged
Gret won in þis word · of wommen aliue.
For-þi[1] ȝe holde him a god · þat in helle lengus,
& þat sorwful sinne · for his sake vsen.
560Propserine was equally wicked. Y prove hit by proserpine · þat ȝe praisen alle,
& holden godesse god · to gien ȝou here;
Hure was lecherie luf· þe while hue liuede alse,
Cerberus to sleep. Þorou þi maistrie miche · maken to sclepe
536 Tricerberus þe helle-hound · þat holden is kene
Boþe wakrong & wikke · & wardain of paine.
Ye never fast Ȝe no fonde no fast · but fillen ȝoure wombis,
Eten euere whan ȝe list · & in ese libben.
540 Ye sacrifice your children. Vn-kinde kiþe ȝe ȝou · to kille ȝour children,
To queme quedfulle godus · þat quenchen ȝour blisse;
& to ȝoure souorain of sinne · sacrifice maken
Wiþ þat vnblisful blod · þat þei bled hauen.
544 Ye make war ever. Miche maugre ȝe maken · among many kingus,
& gret werre in þis world · to waste þe peple.
Many men vp-on molde · ful mek & ful simple
Þorou þe prouede prince · fu; prouede ben woxe.
548Ye cannot have enough. Ȝe wene winne noht i-now · on þis worde one,
But ȝif ȝe heuene miht haue · & holden hit alse.
Your gods used to work all evil. Michel gilte ȝe, gome · bi ȝour godus falce,
As þei were woned in þis word · to wirchen in hure liue.
552 For ensample, bi my sawe · soþ mow ȝe fonge
Of iubiter þe ioilese · iugged to paine.
Jupter was lecherous. He was alosed in his lif · lechourus of kinde,
Þat in his licamus list · as a lie brente.
556 He hadde, while he here was · to hordom i-eged
Gret won in þis word · of wommen aliue.
For-þi[1] ȝe holde him a god · þat in helle lengus,
& þat sorwful sinne · for his sake vsen.
560Propserine was equally wicked. Y prove hit by proserpine · þat ȝe praisen alle,
& holden godesse god · to gien ȝou here;
Hure was lecherie luf· þe while hue liuede alse,
to monstrati vt horribile mare nauigaretur; tu tartareum custodem, id est canem cerberum supra posse precio confirmasti; to in sacrificio tuo filios occidis tuos; tu inter homines humiles semper discordiam seminas. Suades hominibus vt nequaquam spacia terrarum sufficiant, sed celorum querere habitacula preparata. Per dies tuos multa committis vt illi faciunt, et fecerunt. Nam testimonium potest accipi a ioue deo tuo et proserpina dea tua quos colis. Iupiter enim multas adulteratus est feminas; Prosperina vero multos fecit sui adulterii perticipes (sic). Miserrime ergo colis deos tuos et aduersos et adulteros. Nec
- ↑ MS. 'Forþei'
