But yet more mindfull of his honour deare, xxxix Then of the grieuous smart, which him did wring, From loathed soile he can him lightly reare, And stroue to loose the farre infixed sting[386]: Which when in vaine he tryde with struggeling, Inflam’d with wrath, his raging blade he heft, And strooke so strongly, that the knotty string[387] Of his huge taile he quite a sunder[388] cleft, Fiue ioynts thereof he hewd, and but the stump him left. Hart cannot thinke, what outrage, and what cryes, xl With foule enfouldred smoake and flashing fire, The hell-bred beast threw forth vnto the skyes, That all was couered with darknesse dire: Then fraught with rancour, and engorged ire, He cast at once him to auenge for all, And gathering vp himselfe out of the mire, With his vneuen wings did fiercely fall[389] Vpon his sunne-bright shield, and gript it fast withall. Much was the man encombred with his hold, xli In feare to lose his weapon in his paw, Ne wist yet, how his talants to vnfold; Nor[390] harder was from _Cerberus_ greedie iaw To plucke a bone, then from his cruell claw To reaue by strength[391] the griped gage away: Thrise he assayd it from his foot to draw, And thrise in vaine to draw it did assay, It booted nought to thinke, to robbe him of his pray. Tho when he saw no power might preuaile, xlii His trustie sword he cald to his last aid, Wherewith he fiercely did his foe assaile, And double blowes about him stoutly laid, That glauncing fire out of the yron plaid; As sparckles from the Anduile vse to fly, When heauie hammers on the wedge are swaid; Therewith at last he forst him to vnty One of his grasping feete, him to defend thereby. The other foot, fast fixed on his shield,[392] xliii Whenas no strength, nor stroks mote him constraine To loose, ne yet the warlike pledge to yield, He smot thereat with all his might and maine, That nought so wondrous puissance might sustaine; Vpon the ioynt the lucky steele did light, And made such way, that hewd it quite in twaine; The paw yet missed not his minisht might, But hong still on the shield, as it at first was pight. For griefe thereof, and diuelish despight, xliv From his infernall fournace forth he threw Huge flames, that dimmed all the heauens light, Enrold in duskish smoke and brimstone blew; As burning _Aetna_ from his boyling stew Doth belch out flames, and rockes in peeces broke, And ragged ribs of mountaines molten new, Enwrapt in coleblacke clouds and filthy smoke, That all the land with stench, and heauen with horror choke.