Their fruit were golden apples glistring bright, liv That goodly was their glory to behold, On earth like neuer grew, ne liuing wight Like euer saw, but they from hence were sold; For those, which _Hercules_ with conquest bold Got from great _Atlas_ daughters, hence began, And planted there, did bring forth fruit of gold: And those with which th’[688]_Eubæan_ young man wan Swift _Atalanta_, when through craft he her out ran. Here also sprong that goodly golden fruit, lv With which _Acontius_ got his louer trew, Whom he had long time sought with fruitlesse suit: Here eke that famous golden Apple grew, The which emongst the gods false _Ate_ threw; For which th’_Idæan_ Ladies disagreed, Till partiall _Paris_ dempt it _Venus_ dew, And had of her, faire _Helen_ for his meed, That many noble _Greekes_ and _Troians_ made to bleed. The warlike Elfe[689] much wondred at this tree, lvi So faire and great, that shadowed all the ground, And his broad braunches, laden with rich fee, Did stretch themselues without the vtmost bound Of this great gardin, compast with a mound, Which ouer-hanging, they themselues did steepe, In a blacke flood which flow’d about it round; That is the riuer of _Cocytus_ deepe, In which full many soules do endlesse waile and weepe. Which to behold, he clomb vp to the banke, lvii And looking downe, saw many damned wights, In those sad waues, which direfull deadly stanke, Plonged continually of cruell Sprights, That with their pitteous cryes, and yelling shrights, They made the further shore resounden wide: Emongst the rest of those same ruefull sights, One cursed creature[690] he by chaunce espide, That drenched lay full deepe, vnder the Garden side. Deepe was he drenched to the vpmost chin, lviii Yet gaped still, as coueting to drinke Of the cold liquor, which he waded in, And stretching forth his hand, did often thinke To reach the fruit, which grew vpon the brincke: But both the fruit from hand, and floud from mouth Did flie abacke, and made him vainely swinke: The whiles he steru’d with hunger and with drouth He daily dyde, yet neuer throughly dyen couth. The knight him seeing labour so in vaine, lix Askt who he was, and what he ment thereby: Who groning deepe, thus answerd him againe; Most cursed of all creatures vnder skye, Lo _Tantalus_, I here tormented lye: Of whom high _Ioue_ wont whylome feasted bee, Lo here I now for want of food doe dye: But if that thou be such, as I thee see, Of grace I pray thee, giue to eat and drinke to mee.