Her name was _Belge_[348] who in former age vii A Ladie of great worth and wealth had beene, And mother of a frutefull heritage, Euen seuenteene goodly sonnes; which who had seene In their first flowre, before this fatall teene Them ouertooke, and their faire blossomes blasted, More happie mother would her surely weene, Then famous _Niobe_, before she tasted _Latonaes_ childrens wrath, that all her issue wasted. But this fell Tyrant, through his tortious powre, viii Had left her now but fiue of all that brood: For twelue of them he did by times deuoure, And to his Idols[349] sacrifice their blood, Whylest he of none was stopped, nor withstood. For soothly he was one of matchlesse might, Of horrible aspect, and dreadfull mood, And had three bodies in one wast empight, And th’armes and legs of three, to succour him in fight. And sooth they say, that he was borne and bred[350] ix Of Gyants race, the sonne of _Geryon_, He that whylome in Spaine so sore was dred[351], For his huge powre and great oppression, Which brought that land to his subiection, Through his three bodies powre, in one combynd; And eke all strangers in that region Arryuing, to his kyne for food assynd; The fayrest kyne aliue, but of the fiercest kynd. For they were all, they say, of purple hew, x Kept by a cowheard, hight _Eurytion_, A cruell carle, the which all strangers slew, Ne day nor night did sleepe, t’attend them on, But walkt about them euer and anone, With his two headed dogge, that _Orthrus_ hight; _Orthrus_ begotten by great _Typhaon_ And foule _Echidna_, in the house of night; But _Hercules_ them all did ouercome in fight. His sonne was this, _Geryoneo_ hight, xi Who after that his monstrous father fell Vnder _Alcides_ club, streight tooke his flight From that sad land, where he his syre did quell, And came to this, where _Belge_ then did dwell, And flourish in all wealth and happinesse, Being then new made widow (as befell) After her Noble husbands late decesse[352]; Which gaue beginning to her woe and wretchednesse. Then this bold Tyrant, of her widowhed xii Taking aduantage, and her yet fresh woes, Himselfe and seruice to her offered, Her to defend against all forrein foes, That should their powre against her right oppose. Whereof she glad, now needing strong defence, Him entertayn’d, and did her champion chose: Which long he vsd with carefull diligence, The better to confirme her fearelesse confidence.