of Fulkish Agate, and in dyuers places white veines: such as King Pyrrhus could not shewe, with the representation of the nine Muses, and Apollo playing in the middest of them vppon his Lute.
The Axeltrees and fashion of the same like the other: but the Tables were of orient blewe Saphire, hauing in them, as small as motes in the Sunne, certaine glinces of golde, gratefull to the Magicke Arte, and of Cupid beloued in the left hande.
Vpon the Table on the right side, I behelde engrauen, a goodly Matron lying in a princely bed, beeing deliuered of two egges in a stately Pallace: her Midwyues and other Matrons and yonge women, beeing greatly astonished at the sight. Out of one of the which, spronge a flame of fire: and out of the other egge two bright starres.
Vppon the other side were engrauen, the curious Parents, ignorant of thys strange byrth, in the Temple of Apollo, before hys image, asking by Oracle the cause and ende heereof, hauing this darke aunswere. Vni gratum Mare. Alterum gratum Mari. And for thys ambiguous aunswere they were reserued by their Parents.
Vppon the fore-ende of the Charyot, there was represented most liuely the figure of Cupid, aloft in the skyes, with the sharpe heades of his golden arrowes, wounding and making bleede the bodyes of dyuers foure footed beastes, creeping Serpents, and flying Foules. And vppon the earth, stoode dvuers persons, wondering at the force of such a little slaue, and the effect of suche a vveake and slender Arrowe.
In the hynder ende, Iupiter appoynting in hys steade, a prudent and subtill Sheepehearde as a Iudge, awakened by hym, as hee lay sleeping neere a most fayre Fountaine, whether of the three most fayre Goddesses, hee esteemed best worthie. And hee beeing seduced by deuising Cupid, gaue the Apple to the pleasant working Venus.
This tryumphant Charyot, was drawen by sixe white Elephants, coupled two and two together, such as will hardly be found in Agesinua, nor among the Gandars of India. Pompei neuer
[v] had the like in his Tryumphes in Affricke: neither were the like seene in the Tryumphes of the conquest of India; their tronckes armed with deadly teeth of yuory, passing on theyr way and drawing together, making a pleasant braying or noyse. Their furniture & traces of pure blewe silke, twisted with threds of golde and siluer: the fastnings in the furniture, all made vp with square or true loue knots, lyke square eares of corne of the Mountaine Garganus. Their Poyterelles of golde, set with Pearle and stone different in collours; the beautie of the one striuing to excell the beautie of the other. And thus was all their furniture or armings to the traces, of silke as aforesayde.
Vppon them also, did ride (as before) sixe younge and tender Nymphes, in like sort, but theyr Instruments different from the former, but agreeing in consort: and what soeuer the first did, the same did these.
The first two were apparelled in Crymosen: the middle most two in fine hayre collour: and the foremost in vyolet. The Caparisons of the Eliphants were of cloth of golde, edged with great Pearles and precious stones: And about their neckes were ornaments of great round iewelles, and vpon their faces, great balles of Pearles, tasled with silke and golde, vnstable and turning.