These speeches pearced my hart, they were so delightfull and desired, and so much the more, bicause she called me hir _Poliphilus_. Whereupon I assured my selfe, that she was _Polia_, and from top to the toe I found an extreeme alteration into a supreame delight, my hart flying onely to hir. Which thoughts were bewraied by my countenance, and whispering small sighes.
Which she cunningly perceiuing, brake on this new accident with these words: Oh how many be there which would most gladly behold these triumphes, and therefore _Poliphilus_, addresse thy thoughts to other matters, and behold what noble and woorthy Nymphs shew themselues deseruedly consorted with their amorous louers, curteous and affable: who with sweete and pleasant notes in measured verse, praise and commend one another without wearines, incessantly celebrating their turnes with excessiue delight, and extolling the triumphs, the aire also full of the chirpings of diuers pretie birds, yeelding a diffused charme.
About the first triumph among the reioising companie, the nine Muses did sing, with their leader the diuine Luter _Apollo_.[A]
[Sidenote A: This verse consisted of _Strophe_, _Aristophe_, and _Epodus_.]
After the triumph followed the faire Parthenopeian _Leria_, with a lawrell crowne, accompanied with _Melanthia_, whose habites and voices represented the pride of Greece,[A] whereupon the great Macedon rested his head: She bare a splendent lampe, communicating the light thereof with hir companion, then the rest more excellent both in voice and song.
There the faire Nymph shewed me the auncient _Iphianassa_, and after the old father _Himerinus_ his daughters and their drinke, and one betwixt the two Theban brothers: These with pleasant noises, sweete musicke and fine agilities, paste on about the first triumph.
About the second triumph was the noble _Nemesis_ with the _Lesbian Corina_, _Delia_ and _Neæra_, with diuers others amorous Nymphs, making pleasaunt soundes vppon stringed instruments of yealow wood.
About the thirde triumph, the glorious Nymphs shewed me _Quintilia_ and _Cynthea Nauta_, with others, in great solace, making sweete harmonies, and singing pleasant verses: there also I behelde the virgin _Violantilla_ with hir Doue, and the other sorrowing for hir Sparrow.