The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5 | Page 6

able are with power of mightie spell To breake, and
thence the soules to bring awaie 375 Out of dread darkenesse to eternall
day, And them immortall make which els would die In foule
forgetfulnesse, and nameles lie.
"So whilome raised they the puissant brood Of golden-girt Alcmena,
for great merite, 380 Out of the dust to which the Oetaean wood Had
him consum'd, and spent his vitall spirite, To highest heaven, where
now he doth inherite All happinesse in Hebes silver bowre, Chosen to
be her dearest paramoure. 385
"So raisde they eke faire Ledaes warlick twinnes. And interchanged life
unto them lent, That, when th'one diës, th'other then beginnes To shew
in heaven his brightnes orient; And they, for pittie of the sad wayment*,
390 Which Orpheus for Eurydice did make, Her back againe to life sent
for his sake. [* _Wayment_, lament.]
"So happie are they, and so fortunate, Whom the Pierian sacred sisters
love, That freed from bands of impacable** fate, 395 And power of
death, they live for aye above, Where mortall wreakes their blis may
not remove: But with the gods, for former verities meede, On nectar
and ambrosia do feede. [* _Impacable_, unappeasable.]
"For deeds doe die, how ever noblie donne, 400 And thoughts of men
do as themselves decay; But wise wordes taught in numbers for to
runne, Recorded by the Muses, live for ay; Ne may with storming
showers be washt away, Ne bitter-breathing windes with harmfull blast,
405 Nor age, nor envie, shall them ever wast.
"In vaine doo earthly princes then, in vaine, Seeke with pyramides to

heaven aspired, Or huge colosses built with costlie paine, Or brasen
pillours never to be fired, 410 Or shrines made of the mettall most
desired, To make their memories for ever live: For how can mortall
immortalitie give?
"Such one Mausolus made, the worlds great wonder, But now no
remnant doth thereof remaine: 415 Such one Marcellus, but was torne
with thunder: Such one Lisippus, but is worne with raine: Such one
King Edmond, but was rent for gaine. All such vaine moniments of
earthlie masse, Devour'd of Time, in time to nought doo passe. 420
"But Fame with golden wings aloft doth flie, Above the reach of
ruinous decay, And with brave plumes doth beate the azure skie,
Admir'd of base-borne men from farre away: Then who so will with
vertuous deeds assay 425 To mount to heaven, on Pegasus must ride,
And with sweete Poets verse be glorifide.
"For not to have been dipt in Lethe lake, Could save the sonne of Thetis
from to die; But that blinde bard did him immortall make 430 With
verses dipt in deaw of Castalie: Which made the Easterne conquerour
to crie, O fortunate yong man! whose vertue found So brave a trompe
thy noble acts to sound.
"Therefore in this halfe happie I doo read* 435 Good Melibae, that hath
a poet got To sing his living praises being dead, Deserving never here
to be forgot, In spight of envie, that his deeds would spot: Since whose
decease, learning lies unregarded, 440 And men of armes doo wander
unrewarded. [* _Read_, consider]
"Those two be those two great calamities, That long agoe did grieve the
noble spright Of Salomon with great indignities, Who whilome was
alive the wisest wight: 445 But now his wisedome is disprooved quite,
For he that now welds* all things at his will Scorns th'one and th'other
in his deeper skill. [* _Welds_, wields]
"O griefe of griefes! O gall of all good heartes! To see that vertue
should dispised bee 450 Of him that first was raisde for vertuous parts,
And now, broad spreading like an aged tree, Lets none shoot up that
nigh him planted bee. O let the man of whom the Muse is scorned, Nor
alive nor dead, be of the Muse adorned! 455
"O vile worlds trust! that with such vaine illusion Hath so wise men
bewitcht and overkest*, That they see not the way of their confusion: O
vainesse to be added to the rest That do my soule with inward griefe

infest! 460 Let them behold the piteous fall of mee, And in my case
their owne ensample see. [* _Overkest_, overcast.]
"And who so els that sits in highest seate Of this worlds glorie,
worshipped of all, Ne feareth change of time, nor fortunes threats, 465
Let him behold the horror of my fall, And his owne end unto
remembrance call; That of like ruine he may warned bee, And in
himselfe be moov'd to pittie mee."
Thus having ended all her piteous plaint, 470 With dolefull shrikes shee
vanished away, That I, through inward sorrowe wexen faint, And all
astonished with deepe dismay For her departure, had no word to say;