lapping her winges vpon her
wrimpled backe, with a long taile folding and crinckling like and Eele
and neuer resting. _Ohi me_, the sight was sufficient to haue affrighted
_Mars_ himselfe in the assurednes of warlike Armour, or to haue made
tremble the strong and mightie Hercules, for all his molorchied and
clubbed but. And to call _Theseus_ backe from his begunne imprese and
bold attempt, and to terrifie the Gyant _Typhon_, and to make the
proudest and stoutest heart whatsoeuer to quaile and stoope. I wished my
selfe the swiftnes of _Atalanta_, beeing but young and vnarmed, no way
able to encounter with such a poisonable force, and perceiuing his
blacke infectious breath smoaking out at his mouth. Beeing past all hope
to slip by him, I deuoutly cried for diuine helpe. And sodeinly turning
my backe, as fast as I could runne, I conueighed my fearefull bodie by
the helpe of my swift pacing feete, into the inward part of the darke
places, penetrating through diuers crooked torments, ambagious passages
and vnknowne waies.

[Sidenote A: The Dragon is that Abaddon and Apollion, the enemy to
mankinde.]

So that I thought to bee[A] in the inextricable frame of the prudent
_Dedalus_, or of _Porsena_, so full of wayes and winding turnings, one
entring into another, to deceiue the intent of the goer out, or in the
romthie denne of the horrible _Cyclops_, or the hollow Caue of the
theeuish _Carus_. In such sort, that although my eyes were somewhat wel
acquainted with the darkenes, yet I could see iust nothing. But was glad
to stretche out my armes forme before my face, groping about mee (lyke
one that played blynde Sym) least I should runne my face against some
pyllers, and feeling with my feete softlye before I did rest vpon them
for feare I should tumble downe into some vaulte vnder thys mighty
Pyramides.

[Sidenote A: The darke places is ignorance, and the wisedome of this
word which is nothing els but meere folly.]

And looking backe, whether this fearefull Dragon did still followe mee
or no, the light was cleane gone. And I remayning in a darke place, full
of sundrie turnings and crossing passages, in a greater terror and more
deadly heauinesse of minde then _Mercurie_. Making himselfe _Ibis_ and
_Apollo_, _Threicia_, _Diana_, into the lyttle byrd _Cholomene_. And
_Pan_ into two shapes. I and more afraide then euer was _Oedipus_,
_Cyrus_, _Crasus_, and_Perseus_. And more trembling then the theefe
_Thracili