These speeches pearced my hart, they were so delightfull and desired, and so much the more, bicause she called me hir Poliphilus. Whereupon I assured my selfe, that she was Polia, and from top to the toe I found an extreeme alteration into a supreame delight, my hart flying onely to hir. Which thoughts were bewraied by my countenance, and whispering small sighes.
Which she cunningly perceiuing, brake on this new accident with these words: Oh how many be there which would
[v] most gladly behold these triumphes, and therefore Poliphilus, addresse thy thoughts to other matters, and behold what noble and woorthy Nymphs shew themselues deseruedly consorted with their amorous louers, curteous and affable: who with sweete and pleasant notes in measured verse, praise and commend one another without wearines, incessantly celebrating their turnes with excessiue delight, and extolling the triumphs, the aire also full of the chirpings of diuers pretie birds, yeelding a diffused charme.
This verse consisted of Strophe, Aristophe, and Epodus. About the first triumph among the reioising companie, the nine Muses did sing, with their leader the diuine Luter Apollo.
After the triumph followed the faire Parthenopeian Leria, with a lawrell crowne, accompanied with Melanthia, whose habites and voices represented the pride of Greece,
Homer.
whereupon the great Macedon rested his head: She bare a splendent lampe, communicating the light thereof with hir companion, then the rest more excellent both in voice and song.
There the faire Nymph shewed me the auncient Iphianassa, and after the old father Himerinus his daughters and their drinke, and one betwixt the two Theban brothers: These with pleasant noises, sweete musicke and fine agilities, paste on about the first triumph.
About the second triumph was the noble Nemesis with the Lesbian Corina, Delia and Neæra, with diuers others amorous Nymphs, making pleasaunt soundes vppon stringed instruments of yealow wood.
About the thirde triumph, the glorious Nymphs shewed me Quintilia and Cynthea Nauta, with others, in great solace, making sweete harmonies, and singing pleasant verses: there also I behelde the virgin Violantilla with hir Doue, and the other sorrowing for hir Sparrow.