 | Emblemes and Epigrames
|  |
|
(26) Philosophie.
Ioues sonne, the valiant Hercules,
whose worthye travayling peyne,
by his twelve labours, vnto him
immortall fame did geyne,
made this the best and last labour,
as glorie of them all,
That triple hedded Cerberus
hee made to bee his thrall,
The mightie cheyned porter of
The darke infernall hell,
where thinges obscure as dampned sprites
in darke oblivion dwell.
which inwardlie to vs vnfoulds
Philosophies triple kinde,
wherin doth rest the triple good
of our celestiall minde.
ffor as three hedds of Cerberus
doe from one boddie growe,
Soe from abstruse Philosophie,
three severall springs doe flowe:
Divine, humane, and naturall,
wherin consist the parts
of heavenlie and terene creatures,
and of all learned artes,
which are not conquered without
great paynes of daye and night,
as Hercules by painfull toyle
brought Cerberus to light,
That sharpe labour beinge the last,
as cheefest and the best,
therin, all former labours of
the bodie for to reste.
| Emblemes and Epigrames
| |
|
