[Sidenote A: Anagliph smothly chased out with the hammer and not carued.]
In the quadriture vppon the right side, I behelde the iealous _Climene_,[A] with her haire trans-formed into an hearbe called _Venus_ maid, or Lady hearbe, & _Phoebus_ in a cruell indignation & wrathfull displeasure, she following of him weeping, from whom he fled hastening on forward hys swift horses, as one that flyeth from hys mortall and deadly enemie.
[Sidenote A: Clymene the mother of Phaeton.]
Vppon the Table ouer the Columnes on the left side in a curious and rare vnusuall caruing, there was the resemblance historyed of the vncomfortable and still mourning _Cyparissus_ holding vp hys handes and armes toward the Sunne, and making his mone to _Apollo_ for the wounded _Cerua_.
In the third Table nexte the last mencioned, in a worke answerable to the presedent and former, I behelde _Leucothoe_, wickedly slayne of hyr own Father, chaunging and transforming her fayre yong and tender flesh into smooth barke, shaking leaues and bending wandes.
In the fourth Table, was represented the discontented & displeasant _Daphne_, at the burning desires of the curled headed _Delius_, rendring vp by little and little her virgins body vndefiled, towards the hote heauens, beeing metamorphised most pyttifully into a greene Laurell.
Nowe successiuely in order ouer the afore-mencioned Tables and quadratures in the _Zophor_, wherein these Histories were represented in shapes, there was extended and laide ouer a Coronice denticuled & oualld with interset stralets, betwixt the iates of the Oualls, and leafeworke and the Imbrices with the rest that appertayneth to the setting forth of the same (past my skill to report) without any fault or defect: and lastly, the syme was adorned heere and there with the leaues of _Achanthis_.
And to return to the view of the whole frame, in the disposing thereof as aforesaide,[A] the Coronices by a perpendycular lyne were corrospondentand agreeing with the faling out of the whol worke, the Stilliced or Perimeter, or vtterpart of the vppermost Coronice onely except.
[Sidenote A: A petiment in corrupt English.]
It followeth to shew and speake of the _T_able or inward part of the _T_rigonall: within the which, according as the extreames of the same triangle would permit, there was presented to my view, a Crowne or Garland of diuers leaues, fruites, and stalkes, foulded vppe and wrapte together of a greene stone knitte in foure partes, the byndings of the selfe same stalkes, holden by two Mermaydes, the vpper parts of them of a humayne shape, and that vnder the nauell like a Fyshe, their one hande vp, and the other belowe on the Garlande, their scalye tayles extending to the nethermost corners of the Triangle, vppon the top of the Coronice hauing at theyr extreeme partes theyr fishy winges or finnes. Theyr faces like vyrgines, theyr tresses of haire, partly curling vppe vppon their forheades, some turned about their heads and rowled vp, some depending downe vppon theyr temples, and crisping and inanulating by their eares. From betwixt their shoulders grewe their winges like Harpies, stretching downe and extending to the foulding and turnings of theyr tayles, vpon their monstrous flankes grew out their fynnes to swimme withall, their beginning, their fishie and scalye substance, and from thenceso continuing theyr nether parts downewarde.
Within the saide Garland I beheld a rough Milche Gote,[A] which a little child did suck, sitting vnder hir side vpon his fleshie young legges one streight foorth, and the other retract and bowed vnder him. With his little armes houlding himselfe by the hearie and rough locks, his countenance and eyes vpon the byg and full vdder thus sucking. And a certaine Nimphe, as it were speaking woords, and giuing voyces of contentment, to the Goat and bowing downe hir selfe with the left hand, held vp one of the feete, and with the right hand putting the pappe to the smacking kissings of the sucking infant, and vnder hir were these letters _Amalthea_.[B]
[Sidenote A: Iupiter.]
[Sidenote B: Iupiters nursse.]
Another Nimphe stood against the head of the Goate, with one arme carefully compassing the neck, and with the other shee held hir by the horne.
In the middest stood the third Nimphe with greene bowgh leaues in one hand, and in the other an oulde fashioned drinking bowle, more long then broad, like a boate by a little handle. Vnder hir feete was written, _Melissa_.[A]
[Sidenote A: The daughter of Melissus and Iupiters nursse.]
Betwixt one and other of the three fore specified Nymphes, there were two other hauing Cymbals in theyr handes, as it were playing and dauncing, euery one apparrelled according to the perfection of theyr beauties, with an artificiall performance of workmanship in the vndertaken proportions, that they rather seemed the substances themselues then a Lythoglyph an Imagerie, either by _Policletus_, _Phidias_ or _Lysippus_, neyther did y^e _Anaglipts_[A] to _Artemisia_ the Queene of _Caria_, _Scaphes_, _Briaxes_, _Timotheus_, _Leocaris_ and _Theon_, come any thing neare for the workemanship heereof seemed to excell the cunning of any humaine Lapicidarie, caruer grauer, or cutter whatsoeuer.
[Sidenote A: Anaglipts are cunning carues and grauers.]
Aboue this foresayde Triangle, and vnder the vpper coronice in a smooth plaine were these two Attic wordes in capitall Letters, +DIOS AIGIOCHION+.
This conspitious porche and gate, most woorthye to be behelde, thus stoode of a maruelous composition, excellently disposed. If I had not explaned the commodulation and harmonie heereof particularly, I might haue beene blamed for my prolixitie and tediousnesse, and for wanting of fit words, in the discription. And thus for this time heereof so much.
[Illustration: {Archway with words} +DIOS AIGIOCHION+]
It must needes follow, that all the rest of the aforesaide court on euery side was beautifull to behold, and of stately workemanship by that which still remained standing: as in the inward parte the naues and columnes carrieng and bearing vp an immesurable and monstrous weight, and Corinthies of a lesser sort, a diuine and vnknowen work abounding in variety of perfections as proportion required and needfullnes did desire to beare vp the burthen that was laide vppon them. Their ornature and decking with woorkes, and deuises imitating the apparreling of princely bodies indewed as it were with an artificiall reason. For as to a large big and corpulent body strong legges, and broad feete, are necessarie to beare and carry the same: so in a modulate and well composed building, to sustaine great weights, Naues are appointed, and for beautie, columnes, Corinthies, and slender Ionices, are set vpon them. And this whole woorke euen after such sorte as was requisite for the harmonie thereof, euen so it stood in an approoued excellencie.
With diuersitie of coulers, sweetlye set, and aptlye disposed, the reflexion of one beautifing another, and all together making a gratious obiect. Of _Porphyrit_, _Ophit_, _Numidian_, _Alabastrit_, _Pyropecil_, _Lacedemonian_ greene, and white marble, diuerslie watered, and of _Andracine_ with white spottes, and many others of strange sorts and diuers commixtures.
I found one rare forme of a base, in fashion like a cushion vpon the plynthe whereof stood two trochils or torrules, with an interposition of Hypotracles or shaftes, and Astragals, with a supreame Thore.
Diuers places were hidden and couered ouer with winding, felted and spreding Iuie, full of black berries, and greene soft leaues heare and there growing vp, and hindering the inwarde obiect of the auncient worke, with other Murall and wall weeds comming out of the chinkes and clifts, as the bell flowre. Venus Nauill, & Erogennet, of some called Loue, to whome he is gratefull, bushing downe againe toward the ground, in other ryfts grew Mowse-eare, Polypodie, Adientus or Lady hayre, the iagged and curled Cithracus the knotted Lunarie minor, Prickmaddam, Polytricon, or goulden lockes and such like, which vse to grow in decayed buildings, and ould stone wales, so that many woorthie peeces were inuested and hydden from me, with such like weedes and greene Olyues the garnishers of ruines.
There was in diuers places inestimable huge downe falles of many columnes or rather confused piles of broken stones, and vnshapely Culpins mounting vp from the earth.
Among which downefallen peeces I might see the remaynders of diuers shapes of men of sundrie sortes, many naked, other some hauing their members couered with folded and plited induments, fast sticking to their naked proportions. Some standing vpon the left foote, others vpon the right in a streight sort, with their heads perpendicularly, euer the center betwixt their heeles, and some looking sidewaies in height, foure Cubites of sixe foote.
Others standing vppon both feete, some deale distant one from an other, and each one in a maiestie sitting in their thrones, and the rest with a rare and modest grace in their best pleasing and appointed seates.