l e m e . l i b r a r y . u t o r o n t o . c a

s t c 1 9 1 4 9 r e e l 5 1 5 : 0 1

v e r . 1 . 0  ( 2 0 1 9 )



The firste 
syxe bokes of the mooste
christian Poet Marcellus Pa­
lingenius, called the zodiacke
of life.
Newly translated out of Latin
into English by Barnabe 
Googe.

¶ Imprinted at London
by Ihon Tisdale, for
Rafe Newbery.

Anno. 1561.






¶ A Table brefely decla­
rynge the signification and mea­
nynge of all suche Poetical wordes
as are conteined wythin this
boke, for the better vnder
standing thereof.


A

AChelous, was of the Poets fayned
to be the sonne of Tethis and Oce­
anus, who for the loue of Deianyra, 
fought wyth Hercules, and per­
ceiuinge Hercules to strong for hym, he 
transfourmed hym selfe into a Bull, at
whyche tyme Hercules brake one of his 
hornes. Wherefore beynge ouercome,
he hidde him selfe in a riuer. The verye
truthe is. It was a certaine riuer run­
nynge from the hil Pindus, wherof Her-
cules dried vp an arme, that manye ty­
mes drowned the country, and there by 
obtained Deianyra. 

Aganippe, a certayne wel consecrated 
to the muses, in the country of Boetia. 

Acheron, one of the riuers in Hel. Of
Seruius taken for a place, wherin Ne­




cromancy was vsed. 

Aristeus, the sonne of Apollo, whyche
for it inuented the vse of hony, and dres­
syng of hiues. 

Amphitrion, the husband of Alcumena
and father in law to Hercules. 

Alcinous,  king of the Corcirians, whose
whole study and plesure was in keping
of gardens, and also in graffing. 

Alcides,  one of the names of Hercules
so called of his graund father Alceus. 

Arion, a conning harper, and a Gre­
cian born, hauing gained much monye
in Italy by musik, sailed toward grece.
In which iourny by the shipmen he was
throwen ouer bourd, but for hys swete
melody receiued vpon the back of a Dol-
phin, was set safe on the land. 

Atlas, kynge of the blacke Moores,
who fyrst as the Poetes doo affyrme, in­
uented the excellent arte of Astronomy,
and was feygned of them to susteine the 
heauens vppon hys shulders. Atlas,
is called in deede a hylle of a wonde­
rous heyght. 

Arete, vertwe, the doughter of Iu­
pyter. 





Amphion the sonne of Iupyter, and
kyng of Thebes, whom the Poets fai­
ned first to inuent musike, and there by
to raise the wals of Thebes. 

Antheus a greate Giaunt that fought
wyth Hercules, who as ofte as hee was
throwen to the ground, recouered dou­
ble hys strength, whyche Hercules per­
ceaued, held hym hye from the grounde
and crushed hym to death. 

Antiphates,  was king of the Lestrigo­
nians, a people liuinge by mans fleshe:
amonge whome Vlisses men were de­
uoured. 

Aone fieldes a hilly place in the coun-
try Boetia, where springeth the Muses
wel Aganippe. 

Apelles  a notable man an Ephesyan
borne, who excelled in the Art of payn­
tynge. 

Alpes  exceading hie mountaines and
rockes. Separating Fraunce and Ger­
many from Italy. 


B

Bacchus,  the son of Iupiter & Semele,
who first inuented making of wynes, &
counted therfore for the God of wine. 





Beledes  were the daughters of one Da­
naus brother to Agiptus in nombre fiftie.
The story is thus: Agiptus hauing fifty
sonnes required of Danaus his l. daugh-
ters in mariage which Danaus first de­
nied bycause he was tolde by Prophesye
that one of his brothers issue should be
his death. Notwithstanding after ther­
vnto enforced he agrede & commaunded
his doughters secretely to kyl their hus­
bandes which they all dyd one only excep-
ted whose husband after slew Danaus. 

Bubalus  a certai paynter who hating
one Hipponar a Poet, paynted his face
his pycture lyuly expressed, to be seene
& laughed at of all men. The Poete (not
wel contented with this malitious deade)
with Iambick verses soo vehementlye
inueied against his sonne that he caused
him to hange him self. The lyke story is
written of Archilochus and Licambes. 


C
Caphare, a meruailous great rocke in
the Ilande of Euboia vpon the whiche
the Grecians perceyuing by night as it 
were a fyre, sayled therunto, and lost di­
uers shippes. 





Cadmus, the sonne of Agenor, who
fyrst buylte Thebes, and was father
to Semele, of whom Iupiter begatte
Bacchus. 

Castaly, a welle at the bottome of the
great hyll Pernassus, where the Muses
dyd commonly vse. 

Charon, an olde deformed knaue, whom
the Poetes fayned to be feryman of the 
ryuers in hell. 

Capua, a notable cytie in Italy, geuen
in the olde tyme all togyther to be a ly­
chere and wantonnesse. It hath beene
twyse destroyed: and as Blondus testi­
fieth, is at this daye situated two Ita­
lyan myles from his fyrst place. 

Charibdis  a daungerous goulf betwene
Calabre and Cicile. 

Cerastes, a venimous serpent, hauing 
viii. hornes, who couering his bodye in
sandes, destroieth many men vnwares. 

Colchos,  a countreye in Scythia, be­
twene the seas Caspium, and Pontus,
wher bredeth a great nombre of Fesants. 

Circes, a great witche dwellyng in an
Ilande aboute Catupania, who trans­
fourmed men into beastes. 





Cirha, a town at the bottome of the hyl
Pernassus, dedicated to Apollo. 

Cyzicus, a famous cytie in Asia, where
in was great store of oysters. 

Cybele, wyfe vnto Saturne, and mo­
ther to all the Ethnikes goddes, who
caused an amorous childe, called Atys
a Phrigian, to kepe her churche, com­
manding hym to lyue chast, but he incon­
tinente brake chastitie, whereat she ta­
kynge displeasure, punished him with
madnes. In which fury, he gelded him
self with a flynt, addyng these woordes.

Lo here for my desartes,
With bloude I pay the pains:
O cursed be the partes
That so prouoked my brayns.

He was after transformed into a pyne,
Cytheron, a woddy hyll in Boetia, dedica­
ted to Poetes and Muses for the plea­
santnes thereof. 

Calpe  a great hil in the vttermost part
of Spain that lieth toward Affricke. 

Calliope  the worthiest sister among the
muses. 

Canibals  a monstrous kynde of people,
feadynge onlye wyth mans flesh, lately




discouered by Colonus the spaniarde. 

Calanus  a Philosopher who in despite
of the world burned him self. 

Chimera  a horrible beast imagined of
the Poets hauing thre heds, a Lions, a
dragons, and a serpents slain at the last
by Bellerophon. 

Circus plaies, were certaine marcyall
feates practised in Rome, not much vn­
like to our Turnay and barriers, wher-
in was fighting with fistes, throwinge
of dartes, runninge with horses, and o­
ther like. 

Corinthe  a citye wherein was framed
most excellent vessels of brasse. 

Cyclops  a huge kind of giants hauing
but one eie, inhabiting the countrye of
Sicill. 


D

Driades, certaine wood nimphes, De­
dalus, a notable good carpenter, borne
in Athens, whome the Poetes fayned 
by art to make winges, by the which he
with his sonne flew into Sicilie, and o­
ther partes: In which fighte hys sonne 
named Icarus was drowned. The ve­
ry trouthe was, he fyrst inuented sailes
of ships. 





 Dionise, a great tyrant in Sicilie. 

 Demesthenes, a famous oratoure in A­
thens. 

 Democritus, a Philosopher, that put out
his owne eyes, to eschewe the vanities
of the worlde. 

Delphos, a town where Apollos chefest
church did stand, and where the subtyll
deuil did geue answer to blind prophets. 

Danae  the daughter of Acrisius, whom
(her kepers wyth golde corrupted) that
lecherous merchant Iupiter got wyth
chylde. 


E.

Erimanthus, a wylde forest in Arcadia,
where as Hercules ouerecame a mon­
strous bore. 

Etna, a meruaylus hylle in Sicilie, con­
tinually bourning, named at this day
Monte Cibello.

Eos, the sprynging of the daye, some­
time taken for the day sterre, and some­
tyme for the easte. 

Echidna, a foule serpente that Hercu­
les slewe. 

Euceladus  a mighty giant who darrai­
ning battail with the Gods, was consu­




med with lightning, and cast vnder the
flaming hil Etna. 

Elisius fieldes  a pleasant place imagy­
ned to be in hel where the soules of ver­
tuous men remaine. 


F.

Falerne fieldes, a place in Italie, reple­
nyshed with vines, whereof came three
kindes of notable wynes. 

Ferraria, a famous dukedome in Italy,
called at this day Ferrer, vnder the pro­
tection of the escension howse. 


G.

Ganymedes, the soonne of Tros, kyng of 
Phrygia, a boye of passyng beautie and 
feminine countenance, taken vp into
the skies by an Egle at Iupiters com­
maundement, and made his butlar. 

Gorgons  were thre sisters vile & hor­
rible furies in hel with heares of crau­
ling snakes wherof the one called Medusa
was slain by Perseus, Iupiters bastard. 

Ganges  a mighty riuer in India. 


I.

Icarus, the soonne of Dædalus, who
presuminge to flye to hye, fell into the
sea. 





Idale woddes, a pleasant woddy place
in Ciprus, wherevnto Venus ofte re­
sorted. 

Itys, the son of Tereus, kyng of Thrace
transfourmed into a Fesant. 

Ixion, kyng of Thessalie, who beinge
of Iupiter bidden to a banket, attemp­
ted the honestie of his hostesse, whiche
Iupiter perseauinge, left hym the pic­
ture of Iuno in a clowde, of whiche he 
begate the Centaures, and for his bo­
stinge therof, was after punished in hell
vpon a wheele, of adders. 

Ister  the greatest riuer in all Europ,
running betwene Germany & Scithya,
called commonly the riuer of Danubye. 


L.

Lethe, a riuer in hell, of whiche who
soeuer tasteth, forgetteth al things past. 

Lidia, a countreye, in the whiche ren­
neth the pleasant, ryuer Pactolus, full of 
golde. 

Leucothea  a goddesse of the seas. 


M.

Megera, one of the furies in hell. Midas
sonne to Gordius kyng of the Phrygi­
ans, who desyred of Bacchus, that all




that he touched, might be golde, whiche
Bacchus graunted, whereby his meate
and drynke turning into golde, he was
nere famished tyl Bacchus released his
graunt. 

Molorchus  a shephard in the wode Ne­
mea, who desyred Hercules to destroy a 
Lion, which he performed with Molor­
chus club. 

Muses, the nine daughters of Iupiter
and memory, ladies of learning. 

Melicert  a God of the sea otherwise cal­
led Palemon. 


N

Nisus, kinge of Megarenses, hauynge
in his heade a Purple heare, whiche
caused him to be inuincible, whose dau­
ghter for the loue of Minos stale awaye
the heare, wherby he was vanquyshed 
of Minos, and after transformed into a 
hoby, and his doughter into a larke. 

Nectar, a pleasaunte wyne vsed of the 
Ethnike Gods. 

Nilus  a famous riuer in Egipte that
many times ouerfloweth the country &
maketh it fertill. 





O

Orpheus, a Thracian, sonne of Apollo,
so farre excelling in Musike, that he mo­
ued stones, trees, & blocks, with his plea-
saunte harmonie. By Musike also hee
brought his wife out of hell, & was after
torne in pieces by women, some thinke
destroyed with lightning. 

Orion, the sonne of Neptune, a famous
hunter, who desyryng the companye of 
Diana, was slayne of a Scorpion, and
after canonised amonge the starres. 

Oryges, an auncient kyng in the coun­
trey of Boetia, who buylt Thebes. 

Orestes  the sonne of Agamemnon, who
slue his mother, for murdringe of hys
father, he afterward was mad: In whi­
che rage he was neuer forsaken of Pyla­
des his frend. 

Orgies and Thyase, certaine songes
and daunces celebrated to the honour of 
Bacchus. 

Ossa  a great hil in Thessaly. 

Olimpus  a hil of wonderful highnes in
Grece the toppe whereof ascendeth the
cloudes Paros an Ile where groweth 
plenty of marble. 





P

Palestine, a country in Siria, wher­
in was the great cities Gaza Ascalonus
Gethe, Acharon, Asotum, geuen all to 
couetousnesse and beastlynes: som think
they were destroyed with Sodome and
Gomorra. 

Pernassus, a goodly hyll, hauing two
toppes: thys hyll was in the olde tyme
dedicated to the muses. 

Pallas, doughter of Iupiter, goddesse
of battayle. 

Panomphes, one of the names of Iu­
piter. 

Pergamus, the famous city of Troy. 

Phebus, otherwise called Apollo, the
god of eloquence and Poetry. 

Plutus, the God of richesse. 

Pluto, the god of hell, otherwyse cal­
led the deuil. 

Progne, the wife of Tereus, kynge of 
Thrace, who slue her owne sonne, and
serued hym in at table to her husbande:
for the whiche deede she was tourned in
to a swallow, her husband to a lapwing
and the child into a fesant. 

Polyphemus, a great giant in Sicilie
whose eies Hercules put out. 





Philomela, doughter to Pandion, whom
Tereus, her brothere defyled, and after
cutte oute her tongue, which shamefull
acte her sister reuenged: She was after
transfourmed into a Nyghtingale.

Kinge Teres actes of shamefull force
Dothe Philomele bewayle,
A birde she swetely synges her sawes:
A mayde her tongue did fayle.


Proserpine, wife to Pluto & lady of hell. 

Phlegreus fieldes, was a certayne place
in Thessalye, where Iupiter foughte
with gyantes. 

Phlegeton, a ryuer in hell contynually
flamynge. 

Pyracmona  Cyclope, maker of thunder
boltes and lyghtning. 

Paros, an Ile wher groweth plentye of 
Marble. 

Pyros  a fiery horse that the Poetes fai­
ned to drawe the sonne. 

Phocidos  a lyttle countreye in Grece
where standeth the cytie Delphi. 

Phæton  borne of Climenes the nimphe
and gotten of Apollo a yonge man of a 
hawty courage who desiring to rule the
sonne for a day not able to discharge his




office was destroyde with fire. 

Padus  a notable ryuer in Italye sprin­
ging oute of the hyll Vesulo & running
(beinge augmented with xxx. other ry­
uers) by vii. mouthes into the sea Adria­
tycke it is called at this Po. 

Pelion, a hyll in Thessaly full of wood

Promotheus  an excellent connyng man
in the arte of grauing & making of pyc­
tures who for making of men & stealing
of fyre from Iupiter wherby he mighte
gyue them lyfe was punyshed with an
Egle contynually eatynge hys hart be­
yng bound fast to ther great hyll Cawca­
sus. If he were thus punyshed for ma­
kyng of men what paynes dothe he de­
serue that attempteth the makyng, cœte­
ra taceo. 




Quirinus  otherwyse called Romulus, 
sonne to Ears, who first builte Rome. 


S

Satirs  certayne beastes in Ethiope in
shape lyke a manne, except theyr two
hornes, and goates houses, they were
taken in olde time for goddes. 

Saturne, the sonne of heauen & earthe:
who begate of his owne sister, Iupiter,




Iuno, Neptune, and Pluto. 

Sardanapalus, the last kyng of the Assy­
rians, a man of so filthy a life, to be re­
hersed. 

Semele, daughter of Cadmus, and mo­
ther to Bacchus. 

Scylla, the doughter of Nisus, kyng of 
the Megarenses. It is also a greate and
dangerous rocke in the sea by Sicile. 

Sinon, a vylanous traytour amongest
the Grekes, who vnder the pretence of 
coloured frendship, brought the noble ci­
ty of Troy to destruction. 

Sysiphus  the sonne of Eolus, a horrible
thefe, slaine by Theseus, and fayned of 
the Poets for hys punishmente in hell,
continually to rolle a stone to the toppe
of a hyll, whych falleth euer backwarde
againe. 

Symplegades, two dangerous rockes in
the sea Helespont. 

Sidon, a plentyfull citye in the greater
Asia, where was first inuented the ma­
king of glasse. 

Stymphalides, certaine foule byrdes in 
Arcadia, which Hercules destroyed. 

Stygian, a riuer or lake in hel, by the 




which the gods alwaies did sweare. 

Strongylos, a litle Iland betwene Si-
cilie and Salerne. 


T

Tagus, a riuer in Spaine or Portugale
ful of golden sandes. 

Tantalus, the sonne of Iupiter, who for
reueling the secretes of god to men was 
punished standing in pleasaunte water
vp to the chin, and ouer his nose, honge
goodly apples. But when he assayed ei­
ther to eate or drynke, they bothe fledde
from him. Ouide,

In waters, water sekes,
False apples him allures:
These painful pains, sir Tantalus
His babbling tongue procures


Tartesse, a towne in Spaine, harde by
the pillers of Hercules. 

Tartarus  the depest and darkest place in
hel, wher sinners be tormented. 

Thaumantis  the rainbow, the messenger
of the gods in euil thynges. 

Tisyphone, one of the furies of hel. 

Tyrinthus, one of Hercules names. 

Triton, a god of the seas, and trumpet­
tour of Neptune. 




Tempe a plesant paradise in Thessaly. 

Tirteus. The Lacedemonians being e­
nemies to the Messenians, Through Apol-
los counsel required a captain of the men
of Athens. The Athenians as it wer dis-
daining the Lacedemonians gaue them
for a captaine this Tirteus a poet beyng
lame & impotent, vnder whose ensygne
they lost iii. notable batailes, wherwith
being discouraged, they intended neuer­
more to fight, and fled homewards, had
not Tirteus stayed them, who resityng
certain verses that he made, so enflamed
the hartes of his souldioures, that lyfe
with them was nothinge regarded, but
all their care and thought was for theyr
burial, wher vpon tying certain things
to theyr armes, wherby thei after death
be knowne, they marched forward, and
discomfited their enemies. 


V

Vulcane, sonne of Iupiter, and God of
fire, father vnto Cacus, that great thefe
a deformed villaine, and yet maried to
the fair Lady Venus. 

FINIS.