throw was wrought, & therwithall
The goddesses dissent about the ball.
Bloud-quaffing _Hector_ all in compleat steele,
Coping _Achilles_ in the Troian feeld,
Redoubling so his sterne stroaks on his head,
That great _Achilles_ left the field, and fled;
Which was so liuely by the Painter done,
That one would sweare the very cloth did runne.
Trecherous _Vlysses_ bringing in that horse,
Which proued a fatall coffin for Troies corse.
False-hearted _Synon_ groueling on the mire,
Whose oily words prou'd fewell to Troies fire.
Flint-brested _Pyrrhus_ with an iron mace
Murdring the remnants of great _Priams_ race.
Vertuous _AEneas_, with the armes of Greece,
Venturing for _Troy_ as _Iason_ for his fleece.
And vpward if you lookt, you might behold
The roofe of it all wrought in burnisht gold:
Whereon was figur'd heauen; and there anent
The Gods in state riding to Parliament.
Gold-showring _Ioue_ vpon a milke-white steed
Rode first in ranke; on whose imperiall head
A triple crowne was plac't, at which before
Two matchlesse diamonds for worth he wore:
On whose right hand _Idalian Ganymed_
A massie scepter strongly carried:
But on his left, swift-winged _Mercurie_
A dreadfull thunderbolt (earths feare) did whurrie.
Next _Ioue_, _Apollo_ came: him followed _Fame_
Baring a lawrell, on which sweet _Sydneys_ name
In golden letters, plainly to be read,
By the Nine Muses had beene charrectred:
On whose each side Eternitie and Praise
Enroll'd mens deeds, and gaue them fame to raise.
Then furious _Mars_ came next with sulphure eies,
Flashing forth fire as lightning from the skies;
Whose vncontrolled crest and battered shield
Greeke-wounding _Hector_ and _AEneas_ held.
Light-headed _Bacchus_ with a cup of golde
Brimfull of wine, next _Mars_ his place did holde;
The which quaft off, one reeling on before
Filled againe, and still supplied more.
Him followed sicknesse, by excesse, being lead,
With faint weake hands holding his pained head.
Thus was the roofe adorn'd: but for the bed,
The which those sacred limmes encanaped,
I could say much: yet poised with her selfe,
That gorgeous worke did seeme but drossy pelfe.
All-conquering Loue inspire my weaker Muse,
And with thy iocund smiles daigne to infuse
Heauen-prompted praises to my vntaught story,
That I may write her worth, and tell thy glory.
Vpon her backe she lay (o heauenly