Chaucer's ghoast Or, A Piece of antiquity. Containing twelve pleasant Fables of Ovid penn'd after the ancient manner of writing in England. Which makes them prove Mock-Poems to the present Poetry. With the History of Prince Corniger, and his Champion Sir Crucifrag, that run a tilt likewise at the present Historiographers |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. | [Conjugis adventum præsenserat, inq; nitentem] |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
 | Chaucer's ghoast |  |
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[Conjugis adventum præsenserat, inq; nitentem]
Arg. VIII.
How Jupiter ravished Io; and how she was transformed into a Cow, and how Mercury slew her Keeper Argus.
Conjugis adventum præsenserat, inq; nitentem
Inachidos vultus mutaverat ille juvencam.
Ovid. l. i.
Inachidos vultus mutaverat ille juvencam.
Ovid. l. i.
Ovid telleth in his Saws,
how Jupiter in ancient days
lay by a Maid, which Io
was called, whereof's Wife Juno
was wroth; and as she was Goddess,
of Io turned the likeness
into a Cow, to go throughout
the fields and pastures thereabout,
and get her meat upon the Green;
and thereupon the lofty Queen
betook her Argus for to keep;
for he was seldom wont to sleep,
because he had an hundred eyes,
all were alive, and all were spies.
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by Mercury, who was affiled
this Cow to steal; he came disguised,
and had a Pipe full well devised
of Musick, and thus to the field
he came, where Argus he beheld
with Io, which beside him went.
With that anon his Pipe he bent,
and 'gan to pipe in such manner,
things which were sleepy for to hear;
and in his piping ever among
he sang him such a lulling Song,
that he the Giant brought asleep,
and there was no eye that might keep
his head, which Mercury off smote,
and so away the Cow he got;
the Cow, I say, which Argus kept,
and all this fell for that he slept.
| Chaucer's ghoast | |