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VVyth what Nations he liueth.

Eleg. 10.

If any there remember yet, mee Naso sent away,
And in the Cittye voyde of mee, my name remayning stay.
Know he in mids of barbarye, vnblisful man I breath,
Where fixed starres do neuer stoupe, to subiect Seas beneath.
The Savvromats a Nation fierce, the Bessians and the Geres,
Which names vnworthye are my wit, adioyning haue their seates.
Yet while the weather dureth warme, is Ister our defence,
He wyth his liquid waters weete, repelles the battels hence.
But when thunpleasant winter coms, puts out his vglye face,
And all the lande be sprinckled white, to marble frost geeue place.
While Borias blowes and while the snow, lyeth cast from Northren poole,
Then is it plaine these people are, opprest wyth planet epole,
The snow doth lye, which lyinge can, no Sunne or showers thowe,
That frysing blast indurate makes, to shyning Christall growe.
And on the first vnmelted yet, an other fals as fast,
In diuers places wonted and, twise twelue monthes wholy last.
So hideous force hath violent winde, from Northward hyther sent,
The lofty Towers it equal layes, wyth ground and houses rent.
Wyth mantles made of heary skinnes expell thy faruent could,
And only of their bodyes all, their faces open hould.
Their busshes oft wyth Isye drops, do make a tinkeling dinne,
Their beards wyth frost be bright embrude, all hoary at their chinne.
The cleared wynes in forme stand vp, like shards of chiuered tyle,
Nor draughts the drincke but gladly wil, wyth goblets thrust begyle.
What should I tel, yow riuers all wyth could congealed stand?
And howe the britle waters be, cast vp wyth digging hand?
The same up straighter then the streame, of Nylus bearing reede,
Which parted into sondry gulfes, in vastye Seas do spreede.
This Ister ties wyth parching blastes, his bluish liquor deepe,
And forth in secret silent waues, to sea in couert creepe.
Now may men safely walke on foote, where shippes late passage had,
Wyth could concreate on waters knocke, the houed horses sad,
And by such bridges newly built, on vnderslyding streame,
Sarmatia oxen vnkouth waynes, draw forth wyth stretched teame.
Forsoth I shall skant be beleeued, but if reward of lye,
Be any there no witnes ought, that fayth to ratifye.
The Largie freate with frost we saw, stand stil and neuer flowe,
And slippery shell did vnder keepe, vnmoued surges lowe.
Nor so contented to haue seene, the hardned seas we trode,
When vpmost waues beneath my feete, not wetting them abode.
If such a one sometime had beene, to the Liander kinde,
In narrow seas no fault thy death, or cause of cryme could finde.
Then neyther can the Dolphin fishe, in springing ayre attaine,
Whom forcing fast aloft to skip, doth winter hard restraine.
And though sir Borias blustering hurle, wyth winged wind displayed,
No surging billow boulteth vp, from swallow surelye stayed.
The piched pups inclosed sticke, in Marble as it were,
No strugling owres through frosen floud, their course are able shere.