Classic Poem

9
For other beds the priests there usèd none,
But on their mother Earth's dear lap did lie,
And bake their sides upon the cold hard stone,
T'inure themselves to sufferance thereby
And proud rebellious flesh to mortify.
For by the vow of their religion
They tièd were to steadfast chastity
And continence of life, that, all forgone,
They mote the better tend to their devotion.
10
Therefore they mote not taste of fleshly food,
Ne feed on aught, the which doth blood contain,
Ne drink of wine, for wine they say is blood,
Even the blood of giants which were slain
By thundering Jove in the Phlegrean plain.
For which the earth (as they the story tell),
Wroth with the gods, which to perpetual pain
Had damned her sons, which 'gainst them did rebel,
With inward grief and malice did against them swell.
11
And of their vital blood, the which was shed
Into her pregnant bosom, forth she brought
The fruitful vine, whose liquor bloody red
Having the minds of men with fury fraught,
Mote in them stir up old rebellious thought,
To make new war against the gods again:
Such is the power of that same fruit that nought
The fell contagion may thereof restrain,
Ne within reason's rule her madding mood contain.
12
There did the warlike maid herself repose,
Under the wings of Isis all that night,
And with sweet rest her heavy eyes did close
After that long day's toil and weary plight.
Where whilst her earthly parts with soft delight
Of senseless sleep did deeply drownèd lie,
There did appear unto her heavenly sprite
A wondrous vision, which did close imply
The course of all her fortune and posterity.
13
Her seemed, as she was doing sacrifice
To Isis, decked with miter on her head
And linen stole after those priestes' guise,
All suddenly she saw transfigurèd
Her linen stole to robe of scarlet red,
And moon-like miter to a crown of gold,
That even she herself much wonderèd
At such a change, and joyèd to behold
Herself adorned with gems and jewels manifold.
14
And in the midst of her felicity
An hideous tempest seemèd from below
To rise through all the temple suddenly,
That from the altar all about did blow
The holy fire, and all the embers strow
Upon the ground, which, kindled privily,
Into outrageous flames unwares did grow,
That all the temple put in jeopardy
Of flaming, and herself in great perplexity.
15
With that the crocodile, which sleeping lay
Under the idol's feet in fearless bower,
Seemed to awake in horrible dismay,
As being troubled with that stormy stour,
And gaping greedy wide did straight devour
Both flames and tempest, with which grown great
And swollen with pride of his own peerless power,
He gan to threaten her likewise to eat,
But that the goddess with her rod him back did beat.
16
Tho turning all his pride to humblesse meek,
Himself before her feet he lowly threw
And gan for grace and love of her to seek,
Which she accepting he so near her drew
That of his game she soon enwombèd grew,
And forth did bring a lion of great might,
That shortly did all other beasts subdue.
With that she wakèd, full of fearful fright,
And doubtfully dismayed through that so uncouth sight.