Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/300

Of Hellespontus, in the Realme of king Laomedon.
There stoode uppon the right syde of Sigaeum, and uppon
The left of Rhetye cliffe that tyme, an Altar buylt of old
To Jove that heereth all mennes woordes. Heere Phebus did behold
The foresayd king Laomedon beginning for to lay
Foundation of the walles of Troy: which woork from day to day
Went hard and slowly forward, and requyrd no little charge,
Then he togither with the God that rules the surges large,
Did put themselves in shape of men, and bargaynd with the king
Of Phrygia for a summe of gold his woork to end to bring.
Now when the woork was done, the king theyr wages them denayd,
And falsly faaste them downe with othes it was not as they sayd.
Thou shalt not mock us unrevendgd (quoth Neptune). And anon
He caused all the surges of the sea to rush uppon
The shore of covetous Troy, and made the countrye like the deepe.
The goodes of all the husbandmen away he quight did sweepe,
And overwhelmd theyr feeldes with waves. And thinking this too small
A pennance for the falsehod, he demaunded therwithall
His daughter for a monster of the Sea. Whom beeing bound
Untoo a rocke, stout Hercules delivering saufe and sound,
Requyrd his steeds which were the hyre for which he did compound.
And when that of so great desert the king denyde the hyre.
The twyce forsworne false towne of Troy he sacked in his ire.
And Telamon in honour of his service did enjoy.
The Lady Hesion, daughter of the covetous king of Troy.
For Peleus had already got a Goddesse to his wife,
And lived unto both theyr joyes a right renowmed lyfe.
And sure he was not prowder of his graundsyre, than of thee
That wert become his fathrinlaw. For many mo than hee
Have had the hap of mighty Jove the nephewes for to bee.
But never was it heeretofore the chaunce of any one
To have a Goddesse to his wyfe, save only his alone.
For unto watry Thetis thus old Protew did foretell:
Go marry: thou shalt beare a sonne whose dooings shall excell
His fathers farre in feates of armes, and greater he shall bee
In honour, high renowme, and fame, than ever erst was hee.
This caused Jove the watry bed of Thetis to forbeare