The amazon Thalestris was 125 Both beautiful, and bold; She sear'd her breasts with iron hot, And bang'd her foes with cold. Her hand was like the tool, wherewith Jove keeps proud mortals under: 130 It shone just like his lightning, And batter'd like his thunder. Her eye darts lightning, that would blast The proudest he that swagger'd, And melt the rapier of his soul, 135 In its corporeal scabbard. Her beauty, and her drum to foes Did cause amazement double; As timorous larks amazed are With light, and with a low-bell: 140
With beauty, and that lapland-charm,[442] Poor men she did bewitch all; Still a blind whining lover had, As Pallas had her scrich-owl. She kept the chastness of a nun 145 In armour, as in cloyster: But George undid the dragon just As you'd undo an oister. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France; Sing, _Honi soit qui mal y pense_. 150
Stout Hercules, was offspring of Great Jove, and fair Alcmene: One part of him celestial was, One part of him terrene. To scale the hero's cradle walls 155 Two fiery snakes combin'd, And, curling into swaddling cloaths, About the infant twin'd: But he put out these dragons' fires, And did their hissing stop; 160 As red-hot iron with hissing noise Is quencht in blacksmith's shop. He cleans'd a stable, and rubb'd down The horses of new-comers; And out of horse-dung he rais'd fame, 165 As Tom Wrench[443] does cucumbers. He made a river help him through; Alpheus was under-groom; The stream, disgust at office mean, Ran murmuring thro' the room: 170 This liquid ostler to prevent Being tired with that long work, His father Neptune's trident took, Instead of three-tooth'd dung-fork. This Hercules, as soldier, and 175 As spinster, could take pains; His club would sometimes spin ye flax, And sometimes knock out brains: H' was forc'd to spin his miss a shift By Juno's wrath and hér-spite; 180 Fair Omphale whipt him to his wheel, As cook whips barking turn-spit. From man, or churn he well knew how To get him lasting fame: He'd pound a giant, till the blood, 185 And milk till butter came. Often he fought with huge battoon, And oftentimes he boxed; Tapt a fresh monster once a month, As Hervey[444] doth fresh hogshead. 190 He gave Anteus such a hug, As wrestlers give in Cornwall: But George he did the dragon kill, As dead as any door-nail. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France; 195 Sing, _Honi soit qui mal y pense_.