Robert Henryson: Orpheus and Eurydice with Robert Henryson: The Want of Wise Men (Page 16 of 20)
(p.164) That Iuno tuke for his grete violence
Scho send hym doune vnto the sisteris thre
Apon thair quhele ay turnyt for to be
Bot quhen that resoun and intelligence
Playis apon the harp of conscience
That is to say. the grete sollicitude
Quhile vp quhile doune to wyn this warldis gude
Cessis. furthwith and oure complexioun
Waxis quiete in contemplacioun
This Tantalus of quham I spak of are
Quhill he lyvit he was a gay hostlare
And on a nyt come traualand
thare by
The god of riches / and tuke herbery
Wyth Tantalus / and he to the soupere
Slewe his awin sone / that was hym lef & dere
In till a sewe wyth spicis sodyn wele
And gert the god ete vp his flesch ilk dele
For this despyte quhen he was dede anone.
Was dampnyt in the flude of Acherone
To suffer hunger thrist nakit & calde
Ryt wo begone / as I before haue talde.
This hungry man and thristy Tantalus
Betakenis men gredy and couatouse
The god of riches that ar ay redy
For to ressaue / and call in herbery
And to thame sethe thair sone in pecis smale
That is thair flesch and blude wyth grete trauale
To fill the bag and newir fynd in thair hart
Apon thame self to spend / na tak thair part
Allace in erd quhare is thare mare foly
Than for to want & haue haboundantly
To haue distresse on bak and bed / and burde
And spare till othir men / of gold a hurde
