University of Virginia Library

The Gods were in the Pallaice gay of Ioue so curious wrought,
To councell come, whom Nectar sweet the gentle Hebe brought.
Whereof they trypled ech so well, the golden Cuppe so fine
Among the rout from one to one, did passe with pleasant wine.
And hauing alwayes their regarde, with sight and mind they viewe
The long besieged Citie thus, whiche wearie now doth rue.

Then Ioue disposd he of his wife to make a sporte afar,
To nettle hir a talke beganne, which quickly tickled her.

In this combate (quoth he) the Gods immortall put in hande
Knowe ye, to Menelaus helpe two Goddesses do stande,
Who now at pleasure ioy their fil, to laugh they corners seeke,
Our Iuno one girnes in hir sleeue, with puissant Pallas eke.
But curteous Venus she againe with finger in hir eye,
On th'other side doth sorrowe muche hir Paris hap to spie,
She hauing made no small adoe, to shield him from his end:
He neither force nor heart she knew in field had to contend,
Against the Greeke, who victor stoode. Well now we muste aduise,
To which of both their pleasures moste our fauor ought to rise.
If best to make them enimies still, or cause them to agree,
A stable concord to them both must surely welcome be.
For by Helens returne, the Greekes their souldiors they shall ease,
Of trauels great, and Priams towne, whom fame so much doth raise,
Shall ay with people fraighted be: these fained wordes agog
So set the Goddesses, that they in anger gan to shog,
But Pallas kept hir anger in, against hir kindly sire,
And meekely bare hir selfe, though spite did boile in hir as fire.
But Iuno rash and carelesse bold (hap yea what happen can)
Could not hir furie once refraine, but thus hir tale beganne:
O crabbed husband why to mine still diuers is thy minde?
Such treason for to vse with me what reason dost thou finde?
Wouldst thou the sweat and trauailes great of me, and of my horse
Of heauenly race all bootelesse toile, and be of sillie force?
In calling to this place such crues: hast thou founde out the meanes
To get a safegard for the state of Priam and Troyans?
Do what thou canst, the time wil come, that Totnam French shal turn
The Gods and I will so prouide, but that shall serue our turne
Shal hap at all. But mightie Ioue seeing hir thus to fret,
Replyed againe, and from his breast a sigh he deepely fet.
Thou cankred Goddesse, what mischief, what harm, what hate, what wrongs
Hath Priam done, or yet his sons, ye so their bain thou longs
And mournest still the Troyan towne, if that thou shouldest not see
By Gretians sackte, and in such plight, as wars may make it bee?
I surely thinke but for the shame which causeth shee to stay,
And somwhat doth surmount the rage, thou wouldst haue taken way
Long time ere this to Troy, where like a foole enraged there
The skin and flesh of Priam King wyth teeth thou wouldest teare.
That onely can suffice at all t'assuage thy furious fit.
Sith so it standes, henceforth on me lay no excuse of it:
Fulfil thy minde, and what exploytes as you list do enterprise,
There shal against thee let nor word be vsde in any wise.
In time to come my wrath t'appease, when I shal haply meane,
The fairest of thy Cities all, by grounde to raze it cleane,
Thinke not my minde then to withstād, for copper thou mightst get,
Sith herein to content thee now thy wil I nothyng let.
I do agree the ouerthrow of the most famous rich
Citie vnder the heauen cope, and of a king so muche
Renoum of al, whom most I loue, and honor most I ought
Of Duetie, for to honor me al wayes al meanes they sought
Unto my Godhead day nor night, their hosties they do spare,
At no time of oblations fat my Altars emptie are.

Then Iuno fully satisfied in hauing got hir will,
Aunsweared: oh Ioue three townes I haue, which manie people fill,
All gouerned by ciuill lawes, the which I loue at hart,
Argos the rich, Mycene the gay, and eke the mightie Sparte,
When you shall please of one or all the glorie downe to rake
Your wil be done, none shal gainesay, or yet resistaunce make:
And though I would, you are so great, I know I coulde it not,
To your great power both gods and men obey in euery iote.
And I likewise great wrong should haue, if that my purpose now
Should nought preuaile, for a goddesse, I am as wel as you
A God, a Saturne impe, and borne to him in eldest place:
Why should not I then as your spouse esteemde be in each case
Aboue the rest? let peace be made, contention banish quite,
And let vs both as in this point our hartes in one vnite.
Wherwith then shall the heauenlye routes, who often troubled are,
And often moued by our iarres, shal be of mercie fare.
And shal in fine our mindes allow: commaund Minerue to hie
Unto the Campe, there for to moue some braule and broyle, wherby
The Troyans may the pact infringe. The God consenting tho
To Pallas sayde, you daughter mine, see straight to Troy you go,
And couertly the promist league stir vp some Troyan crue
To breake, their Greekish enemies assailing them of new.

Yet after this he wils hir hast, wherwith such speed she makes,
That wt the speede the goddesse came, on earth men dreadful quakes.
For Venus Ioue doth send the glore of flash and lightning brande,
Which oft doth cause the fighting folke at gaze and feareful stand,
And thinke within themselues with those, who do the seas frequent,
That of a mischiefe to them like it is a token sente:

The Goddesse in like sort descendes, as star with flame and flash
Amid the Campe, wherewith she doth the bands and armies bash.
And of them there were certaine sayed, with wonder and afright
This token shews vs luckie chaunce, or some mishap to light:
Either we shall haue by and by the happie peace we craue,
Or else the war continued, for long time shall we haue.

Pallas into the playne come downe, she straight hir selfe enrolde
In shape of one of the children of the Antenor olde,
Laodoc souldiour tricke and stoute: with Troyans then she throngs
And forthwith for to heare some newes of Pandarus she longs,
That valiaunt Archer good and sure: she sought so in the route,
That there with gorgeous armour girt, at last she found him out.
Enuironde with a warlike sort, who al his leegies were,
Bred vp by Asopus the floud, who happie thought them there,
Under a lustie leader such to shew proofe of their strength.

The greene eide Goddesse then drew me, & spake him thus at length
Uictorious prince, one of the broode of graue Lycaons stocke,
An enterprise it selfe presentes, wherto if so you shocke,
Men shal thee cal the happiest this side the Ocean firre:
It thee behoues with piersing girde to cause thy arrow skirre
To wound the sturdie Menelau: if thou that martial act
Fulfillst, what fame shalt thou obtaine by that victorious fact?
What thankes of Alexander eke, when he shall see to flowe
His enmies bloud? gay giftes with ioy on thee he shall bestow.
Well courage then and readie make your bow with vowes adrest
To offer to Phœbus such sheepe, as in your flockes are best,
If he will graunt you t'accomplish the bound which you do frame,
And giue you power and time your towne Zelye to see againe.

The cokesing wordes causde Pandarus too fondly to agree,
Whereof he soone repented him, out of the case then he
Drew out his great and gallant bow: garnisht with polisht brasse,
Which of the hornes of a wilde Goate right strangely shaped was.
Whom Pandarus so wel did hunt vpon a mountaine side,
He girt and hurt him in the flankes, and of his hornes beside,
By cunning workemanship was made a fine and proper bow
Sixteene pace the hornes were long, ful hard it was I trow
To make it serue to be shot in, but erst the workmans craft
Was so employde, that now a bow they serude, and shot a shaft:
And gorgeouser to make the bow appeare to all mens sight,
He hornde and tipt the ends right wel with beaten golde ful bright.

Then Pandarus without aboade drew out his bow to bende,
And that now of his enterprise none of them all should wende,
He causd his souldiours hap him wel with buckler and with targe,
Least that the wily subtile Greekes might find his minde at large.
And sodaine broyle hys enterprise might let, and turne to nought:
His bow in point, an arrow he out of his quiuer cought,
Sure steelde at end with piercing head, and finely featherde wel.
Most fit by cruel wretched death an enimie to quell.
He nockes the shaft, and then his vowes to Phœbus God doth make,
And him behights his pretie lambes, if so his hast do take
Good place and proofe by Phœbus meanes, his vow he thus ending
With such a force he drew his bow, as that he haelde the stryng
To hys right pap, and straight the head, when as it euen stoode
Hard with the backe, he losde it quicke, as shoter sure and good.
Wherwith the bow with sturdye string, when forth the shaft it floong
A clange so great and strong it gaue, as wide abrode it roong.

The Gods as then oh Menelau they were not farre from thee,
It was no time, Pallas hir selfe stoute armed there was she,
Of thy welfare hir selfe she shewed as careful as she coulde,
As when hir pretie sonne doth sleepe the tender mother would,
Haue good regard and charie eye, least that the busie flye
His tender flesh should bite or harme, or come his visage nie.
And ne with like care Mynerue did, put by the mortall blow,
Yet stroke, hys baudricke in the midst, and it it pierced so,
The buckle great of massie gold, which did his girdle tie
Was pierst, and through his Curats eke and steeled head did flye,
And past so fur, of the stoute Greeke the flesh it thirled in
And presently before them all the bloud was seene to spin.
Yea euen as on the Iuorie whyte the dames of Cary oft
Do worke the purple, and embost with broyderie aloft,
To make the gallant gorgeous raines for coursers braue and gay,
Which for a king a decking is, it is so rich aray:
The die was like and fairer much on the trimme Gretians flesh
With scarlet bloud, which by his thigh down to his heeles did desh,

The great Agamemnon with this so sore and sodaine shot
Was grieued much the wound eke seene the hurt man dolour got,
And colour chaundge: he sighing sore his brother gay drew nie,
And toke him by the hande, of Greekes most part then standing by.
He piteously begins his mone, and thus he saith, alas,
My only hope my brother deare, who as assured was
In assayling the Troyan freake, shal it be now the meane
That after this holy accorde thou couertly be slaine?
The oth before the Gods so sworne, where it is now become
Of these periured wicked folke? can Gods iustice be mum
Alas at rancour so much faynde? I hope it wil not so,
For though the Gods do winke thereat a while, and let it goe,
Yea though mens faults they seeme to slip, at end they pay for all,
Great time deferd, doth cause the smart with rigor on them fal.
In time these filthy traytours shal so plagde be for their hire,
Themselues, their sons, and eke their wiues: & from the skies the fire
With hideous storme they shal behold to light vpon their pate,
I know ere long Troy shal to wracke, & Priam with his stafe
Shal passe the sworde Gods wrath which doth the deedes of al mē sift
Is now against him so stirde vp, as therof is no shift.
But what mishap, alas, what griefe shal hap to be my share,
If I should leaue you here behinde, and death to be your fare,
With graue alacke, in forraine land, how wil all Greece cry out
At my returne, al Argos folke, and Countrey round about,
When they shal vnderstand your death? and they who with vs are,
Shal they not set of their returne their only minde and care?
Shal they not leaue to Troyans false the luckie glorie at hand?
Shal they not leaue to vs the shame? your carcase in this lande
(Which most me doats) shal they not leaue? shal they not leaue Helleine
Wherby hereafter to your tombe, there shal come some Troyan,
And loubring on the grasse, shall crie, al puffed vp with pride,
To all Agamemns practises God graunt like ende betide,
God graunt the Greekes here long abode, may haue the like successe,
And after they maye hie them home with shame and wretchednesse?
The Troyan fierce he thus may chat, then not to be aliue
I do beseech th'immortal Gods, but that the earth do cliue
And swallow me. Although the hurt did cause a grieuous paine,
Yet Menelau with cheereful looke thus aunswerde him againe,
And manlike to his brother sayde: reioyce thou brother mine,
And courage take, for wel thou maist by this mourning of thine
Impute such feare in the Greekes harts, which eft they cannot flie:
I feele ful wel the blow is such therof I cannot die,
The golden buckle of my belt, my Curet good I know
Wherwith I armed am before, hath surely stayde the blow.

My friendly brother would to God (quoth Agamemnon he)
You were out of this daunger here, and that it so might be
You might be healed of this wound: a surgeon good I wot,
Who should so wel attende you then, that this your wounding got,
Which irkes you so, he should delay: this saide, he causeth plod
Taltibius, to seeke the sonne of Esculape the God,
Macaon hight, from bande to bande he willes the Herault prie
Him out, praying thither to him, that he come by and by,
To visite Menelaus there, his wound to search and feele,
Which one of Licie or of Troy hath forst by stroke of steele,
In trayterous guile, thinking to Greekes there should redound therby
Notorious shame, to Troyans all to ioyful victorie.

So diligent Taltibius goes, amidst the Campe, that out
At last he finds the Phisition, enuironde rounde about
With strength of souldiers which he brought from his great town of Trice
Where horses plentie are, & whence by grasse great wealth doth rise,
His message to him he declares, beseeching him, that he
Wyll come to Agamemn the king, there Menelau to see,
And careful to looke to his wounde, he straight at the first dash
Obeyes, but yet the sodaine chaunce his minde doth greatly bash.
He cōmes, and there on heapes he findes the Greekish princes stande
Loking for him, with mindefull heartes the hurt to vnderstand.
The lech diuine strayght for his worke made all things very fitte,
And first the shaft he softly drew, and grievde him not a whit,
But tho the sharpe and bended barbe in plucking out it brake,
He soft vnarmes him, and his scarfe, and Curet off doth take,
That he, what harme ye wound hath done, might haue ye better sight,
How deepe it was and whether it in speeding place did light.

After he had beheld the stroke, and washte away the bloud,
And tended it, he layde vnto his oyntments perfect good
T'aswage the paine: the which whilom the cunning Chyron taughte
To Esculape, and Machaon of him his knowledge caught,
Which were Probatum oft to heale. This while the Troyans goe
To arme to fight, and battayle wise in fielde themselues they shoe.

The Greekes againe the crueltie of them, them picking out
Were straight in order armed wel yea forward, fierce and stout,
Their case on Troyans to reuenge: then Agamemn appeard
No whit to yeelde, or else retire, or ought with feare was steard,
But willing was as chieftaine tho, and king of valiaunt hart,
To die and take such part as they and from his chayre he start
And it vnto Eurymedon his trustie guider gaue,
And him commaundes to follow him, and horses readie haue
To mount againe, if toyled he shall feele himselfe to be,
In passing through and through the ranks their order for to see.

The armies of this worthy host to viewe, a foote he went,
And those whom manly martch he sees, their courage doth augment,
And comforts thus: my very friends, of Greece ye floures al,
Forget not your accustomde force, this day your prowesse cal
To minde: thinke not that Ioue wil rue on these false Troyan freaks,
Who thus vniust and faithlesly their oth and promise breaks.
This is the time of our reuenge, the dogs their bones shal pick,
And Uultures teare their flesh, and down shal now both stone & stick
Of their buildings, their welth bereft, their daughters, sons, & wiues
Shal in our bottomes caried be, and we with victors liues
Shal to our countrey backe, and see our home and children both,
The good king thus he spake: but such in martch he knew to sloth,
He toke them vp, and threatens thus: O yee of Grecian race
The dishonor, of your reproch hath shame with you no place?
Do yee not blush, thus fearefully to be by terrour trodden,
Euen as the timorous hartes do houe, with head & hornes loden,
And prest and harde being laide vnto by, hunters, in the field
Do lag, and feareful are intrapt for force beginnes to yeeld,
What? wil you stay your martch, til that your foes your bloud do spil
And that you see them take their ships, and murder at their wil.
What? thinke you that some God wil come, & fight for your behoofe,
And saue your liues, vnlesse by fight your selues do make some proofe.
This done, he goes whereas he found the souldiours al of Creete
Preparing them about their Prince, who then in order set,
And goodly raundge them as they shouldert and Meriones who high:
His friend, far of, to come forward makes al the hast he might.
The great Greeke then bespake ye king with kind & curteous cheere:
Idomene, of all the Kings whō we haue followed here
From al the Greekish prouinces, thy honor most I ment,
Yea stil in publike and in warre, or priuate in my tent,
Or else in open shew, when routes at banquetting were met.
It to be true, thy cup of wine is alwaye top ful fet
When as my greatest friend hath his with wine but halfe repleate,
Bycause I would declare to thee my fauours they be great,
Alway thou hauing at my hande what so thou dost request,
Thou to deserue this my good wil this day be readie prest,
And let me see that thou at ful thy selfe do now acquite,
As oft you say among the stoutst be forward in the fight.

He answerde straight, amid ye presse, you shal me surely finde
As I haue sayd, that al men know I beare you faithful minde
And honor due, but do you hast, and wil the fight to guide
So carefully, that we abate the Troyan glorious pride,
By which, and by their arrogance from stricken pact they start.

Herewith Agamemn ioyes to see Idomens loyal hart,
Wherwith he leaues him thus: and forth the king is forward gone,
And meetes in teeth the both Aiax, their armour buckling on:
The which a great and gallant crue of footemen in a roe
With buckles long, and tricksie Darts wel furnisht, after goe.
One woulde haue toke them for a cloude ful of some drisling showre,
Or haile, which to the seaward coast, the wind doth often powre,
Which when the feareful shephearde sees, to light vpon him like,
Constrainde, to hap his flockes and him, some hāging cliffe doth seeke.

Uiewing thys band, you to exhort (quoth he) I little neede
My mates to put your men in plight, you now make better speede
Than any other do: would God that all in order such
Were prest and furnished as you, and couraged as much:
Our enemies should soone be put to take their flight abacke,
Their Citie straight destroyed be, and cruel put to sacke.

Nestor the wise, the good old man, as further on he goes,
He findes, who toyling on the plaine his souldiours to dispose,
Fiue valiaunt Dukes and leaders stoute, with worthy Nestor was,
Pelagon, Emon, Alastor, Chronnyus and Brias,
His men in order for to raunge, and not to let them passe
His ordinaunce and his commaunde, in any kinde of case:
His Chariots first he puts in fronte, the force to beare and breake,
His choice footemen the rereward kept, in midst he plast the weake.
That in such sort inclosed thus, although they were afraide
Ech one should fight, constraynde of force, in spite yea of his head.
He shewde his horsemen, in no wise that single they should presse
Out of their ranke, where they were plast, their fomen to suppresse:
Ne to defence, nor fight beginne, ne that they should in horsse
Commit more trust and confidence, than in their proper force.
For in forsaking their array so fondly, weake they waxe,
Wherof ensues disorder great: again with sword or Axe
He telth them that it is not best with Chariots for to ioyne,
But rather with the shot and launce at them to pricke and foyne.
Thus doing, many auntient crues haue sundry Cities held,
And valiaunt deedes of warlike facts (saith he) did often welde,
In doing after my aduise: thus spake the worthy sire,
In th'army he to shew his helpe, doth greatly now desire.

Then Agamemn he spake him thus: ah Prince of great renowne,
Oh would to God for this affaire, the Gods would send thee down
From heauen aboue at my request into this corpse of thine,
Such strength and force as wisedome doth thy sprite and senses line,
Alas, why is not this your age bequeathed to some lad
Whom whilom time hath taken away? ye youth, which once you had,
Why see we not eft to reuiue, to vs to be a stay.
O good olde sire, now yong againe, why are you not I say?
I would (quoth he) that now I were as lustie and as strong,
As when Eurethali the stout these hands did lay along,
And slue: but what, al that is past, the Gods do nere bestow
Upon vs men all things at once, but alwayes order so,
That after our vnbrideled youth coms sage and wrinckled yeares,
Me yong, now old my selfe I feele, as to you all appeares,
And far vnmeete exploites to welde, as touching force of hand,
Yet for all that to do my best in councel wil I stand.
It is the honor of the olde to councell men aright,
And of the yong the glorie is, stoutly to deale in fight.
Who then can strike, lay he it on, and I assuredly
Will hast me to the horsemen here to raunge my selfe thereby,
And will instructe their deede to guide: Agamemnon right glad
In heart doth waxe, and doth reioice when Nestor heard he had.
A good bow shoote not further off warlike Menesthee stoode,
Whome there he meets with his Captains amid his souldiors good
Of Athens towne: next him ful still afoote Vlysses King
Of Cephelonie was great routes him eke accompanying.
They stand both close, martch do they not, the skirmish they do hark,
The which the souldiors should beginne to set them all awarke.

The chieftain of the Greekish camp their negligence doth blame:
O Menesthee and Vlysses, what do you feare? for shame
Where is your forwardnesse (quoth he) what mean you thus to lag?
What looke ye for? why do you not with firste and formost wag?
In my good cheare, in hiest place you alwayes I do put,
The flesh most trimmest rosted ay, for you is also cut,
And when you fancie for to drinke, the sweetest wine you haue.
Therfore in fight your selues should be more forward & more braue
Than are the rest that lag, and onward with such willing mind,
As of your friends tenne bandes you might in danger leaue behind.
The wise Greeke grieued at this talke, whose choler now doth rise,
Makes answere thus, with bended browes a front his setled eyes:
O Atreus sonne, what sayst thou here? thou Agamemnon trowes
Us dastards and faint hearted folke, t'approche the Troyan foes:
What, braule no more, but if thou please, thy selfe come, and beholde
Who doth his duty beste this day, whether the father olde
Of people of Talemach kinde, both shields and Curets crush,
And giue into the Troyan prease the first of all the push,
In better point than any prince: this heate he being in
Atridas sawe, wherefore againe he gently doth begin:
Illustre Prince, the impe and heire of good Laertes line,
Thy valiant actes are wel approvd by that same hand of thine.
I wil not thee reproche at all, I wrong thee should too much,
Greatly surpasse thy worthy deedes, the councell good is such
Of thy sage head, thy prowesse eke all men is layed before:
Content thy selfe, and of my wordes I pray thee thinke no more:
In time to come mends shal be made, for this time I thee pray
To shewe, and so behaue thy selfe, as al men of thee say,
And take the wordes, which I haue spoke, as simple fond, and vaine.

He ending thus, doth leaue him there, and onward goes againe,
A little off, he findes the Prince Diomedes the stout
Upon his chare, not minding he of further setting out,
But talketh with his Chariot guide, calld Stenelus by name,
Capanees sonne, to nothing he this iorney mindes to frame.

Atridas rushing forth thus saith, when he his countnance saw,
O Tydes heyre, whom doubt you here? of whom stand you in awe?
Belike you stay till we haue fought, and tryed in field at length,
Would you we should for you prepare an entrance in the strength
Of Troyans? wel, thy whilome sire had stomacke more at full,
He neuer quaild in mortall ioyne, ne yet in perillous pull,
But sole hath gone to front his foes: as oft I haue bin told
Of such as kept him company, and were his quaintance olde.
My selfe I neuer sawe the man, yet many do reporte
That he was at Mycenas once, my country towne, and forte:
That time, when as he warred on the warlike Thebanes towne,
He came then to demaunde some aide with Polynices downe,
Such as their souldiors shoulde refreshe, and we with willing heart
His armie would haue easd at full, and taken eke his parte,
If Ioue my friends and lieges al by signes apparant plaine
Had not quite turnde, whereby aidelesse he did returne againe,
After he long abode had made, vnto his campe ypitched
By Asope floud, with store of grasse whose bancks are much enriched.
There Tydee, as reporte doth goe, long bid not in his tent:
For euen that daye, yea al alone, the Gretians forth him sent
Embassador to Thebane foes, and to their King, who hight
Etheocles, to towne he came wel armd with yron bright,
Whereas he found the king in shade, with many a Thebane stout,
Discoursing this and that, and when he tolde his message out,
And shewd his courage and his might, he tild them for to trye
And proue with him the combate there, and dead by him they dye.
For Goddesse Pallas did encrease his force and hautie minde:
The Thebanes payed, do threat reuenge, and it with othe they binde.
The same to doe, they ambush lay, which doubtie Meon lead,
With Mneptoleme, who tumbled oft so many wolues adead.
These leaders two ful fiftie men chose fit for such a feate
And secretly conduct him downe with weapons hid to beate.
What came thereof? he slue them all, he did them soundly souse,
Of all the traytors Meon sole he home sent to his house.
Whereby before all men he might the Thebanes lewdnesse lay,
And his valor. Such was the King of Ætoly I say,
The race is failed in the sonne, a goodlier man he is,
And better tongde to tell a tale, no souldior like ywis.
So Agamemn Diomede prickte, who nothing did replie,
Ashamde, he doubted for to moue the Kingly state so hie,

His mate who well the matter heard, his speech he takes and sayes
O Agamemn, sith that the case is sure no manner wayes,
As you reporte, I you beseeche, the trueth do not disguise,
Nor do (I craue it at your handes) therein vs so despise.
For as for vs, I dare auouch, and stand to't to your face
Our force and valiantnesse ful far ore-meetes in euery case,
That of our auntient fathers past, as men more traind in warre.
The seauen gated Thebes towne had not withstoode so farre,
Ne yet hir walles, if so we two besiegde hir had aboute.
For soone you should haue seene them torne, & turnd vp from the rout,
Our fathers where in that assault by follie dead are done:
Then hold your peace, and father do not praise aboue the sonne.

Diomede was full ill content, thus hardly for to heare
His fellow speake, he thus him blames in anger as he were:
What moues you for to talke thus much? your tong can you not hold
Out pratling in this case of waight: Agamemn may be bold
For to complaine, and fault to finde, with such, as flie the fight:
For if he conquere, as to him belongs the honor right,
So if he conquerd be, againe with shame he shall be sped,
The honor and reproche of al doth lie vppon his head,
And as for vs, let vs go shew what men of warre we be.

With this he leapes, his Charlot downe, and as down leaped he,
His gay and gorgeous armor rich so sounded in the shake,
As yea the fiercest fighter there almost thereat did quake.
There might you see the battels rangd, and raking in aroe,
The gallant Greekes, and at the heeles therof their leaders goe.
Like as the waues within the sea, so large, so hie, so deepe,
Forst by some flaw, yeelds whushing noise, & shoring banks do sweepe.
The Captaines cease not to exhorte with wordes their souldiors still,
Who to their chieftaines beare good minde, and them obey they wil,
They on do martch, and nothing dreade, to them they list their eare,
As still as stones, they would haue saide tong tyed they had bin there.

But contrarie, the Troyans martch, they cries and clamors yeeld,
And therewith rings the countrey round as they prepare to fielde:
Unto the goodly flockes of sheepe compard in euery thing,
Whiche sheepheard to his Maisters Pen doth safe togither bring,
The old and yong togither put, the milke of them to take,
The Ewes do bleate, the Lambs do bey, and noise not small do make.
Like clamors do the Troyans vse, the medowes ring at hand
With sundrie sound, and diuers tongues, as they of sundry lande.

The Gretians by Minerua they were boldned to the blade,
And Troyans they by cruel Mars were full couragious made.
Terror and dread did tend them both, and did their doings guide,
Strife mate and sister vnto Mars eke in the plaine was spide.

This Goddesse namde, althoughe she be but poore and basely bred,
Yet rests she not till that she touch hie Heauen with hir head,
And yet on earth stil keepes hir feete. Nowe came she in a throwe,
Of purpose, quarrels and debate, and mortall strife to sowe,
Whereby thereafter might proceede a bad and wofull state,
With sobs and sighs, the which should bring repentance, but too late.
In place for fight the armies meete, the darts and arrowes fill
The aire aloft, and in the approch full many a man they kill.
But when it came to handie strokes, muche more the murder was,
Nought heard but dying grones, ye which frō yeelding sprites did pas,
And ioyfull cries of conquerors: hewing of harnesse tough,
Shearing of shields, and who erst braue, now falles, & hathe ynough.
Of this slaughter the purple gore so runnes from them that bled,
And as the springs mountaine top, which ore the valleys spred,
Rushing with noise the shepheards heare, aloofe that lodged are,
Euen so the noise of them that fight is heard both nie and far.

Of all the Greekish famed Knightes was first Antilochus
Did there of armes the first deede do, he slue Echepolus,
Fighting in formost Troyan ranckes: his top of helme he hit,
And with such force and courage stout the blow so doubled it,
That of the staffe the steeled point made in his forehead way,
And pierced down so in his mouth, that dead along he lay.
He fell as doth a tower hie, whych men do mine about:
His fall when as Elphenor sawe, he like a souldior stoute,
Did forye his body for to spoile: but Agenor he sent
His Iaueline to his bared flanckes, that backward downe he went.

The fight for these two bodies dead more fierce & mortal grewe,
As egre Wolues the souldiors all on one another flewe.

The ioly Aiax then came in, Symosius he did daunt.
Symosius he a yonker was, who Troyan towne did haunt:
So called was he of his friends, bycause nie Symosis head
That water cleare, his mother there, of him was brought abed:
She tardife tane, comming to viewe what pasturing then had
Hir flockes vpon the medow bancks. The yong mans lucke was bad:
To parents he coulde neuer shew what honor due he ought,
For bitter and too hastie death too soone his carcasse cought.
Stout Aiax with his cruel launce so pierced his right pappe,
As like a mightie Poplar greene he downe on earth doth flappe,
Whiche by the water growing hie, by workmans force it reeles,
His Axe it felles, a wood ful fit to forge the trolling wheeles
Of chariots, and also yokes, which on the riuer banckes
He leaues long time to drie, or else vppon some bourded planckes.

This Priams sonne, gay Antyphus to hart he doth it take,
His death to venge, his seemly dart to Aiax he doth shake,
But misste the man, and Leucus hit, who was Vlysses friend,
He through his guts and bowels thrust, and of him made an end.
Vlysse his friend thus seeing dead, in furie forth he fares,
Unto the formost Troyan ranckes, whereas he stands and stares,
And studies whom he should assault, his enimies gaue place,
And swayde aside, when as they sawe such fiercenesse in his face:
Yet forth his staffe ful stiffe he flong, and tooke vp by the way
Democoon bastard to Priam, as he did runne away,
But all too late: his temples both the steele it thorow stept,
He dies. Long time in Abydos King Priam had him kept.
From whence he came, and left the steeds and coursers of his sire,
To go abroad a venturer then was it his desire.

The Troyans all discomfited, retire, and almost flie,
The sonne when they saw of their King all dead in field to lie.
Hector himselfe, who had the charge and leading of the host,
Doth māmer eke whats best to do, least that his life be loste.

In truth the warre had ended bin, if not Apollo he
Had turnd the chaunce from sacred walles, the Troyans he did see
Out order, broke, the field they left, amaine he cries and calles,
He stayes them straight, and that they fight he to exhort them falles.

Take hart (quoth he) yee Troyans stout, I pray you do not sinke,
Dread not the Greekish brauerie? a Gods name do you thinke,
That they of stone or steele are made, and that your sturdie Darts
And Cimyters cannot suffise to pierce and sheare their harts?
Aduance, aduance, and surely hope that conquere needs you muste,
For Achilles that mightie bugge (to me I tell yee truste)
Who at his pleasure wonted was your heads and helmes to cleaue,
Doth keepe aboorde in mourning rage, the battels he doth leaue.

The Troyans at the heauenly call renue againe the fray,
And Pallas bolds ye Greekes, & blames whom fear doth there dismay.
In this conflict Diorus fell, Pirus a Thracian Lorde
With pibble great his legge he strake & burst eche vaine and cord,
And with his sword his breast he sliste, and guttes on grasse he laide,
With armes abroad before the Greeks he falles, as asking aide.
Where with sir Thoas thrusteth in, and with a deadly bloe
His cruell darte did Pirus wounde, the head of it did goe
Under his pappe vnto the lungs, and yet not pleased is,
But ruthlesse cuttes in mids his paunch, with hand and sword of his:
And after forceth al he may, the carcasse out to traine
The prease, his armor and hys weede to conquere for his paine.

The Thracians sorie for their Prince, and hap that was so hard,
The doubtie Thoas do resist, and stand vppon their guard,
And that so well he carried nought although he were so strong:
The bones of these two valiant Dukes togither lye along.
And numbers great of souldiors more with them died alas.
And if Minerue had graunted then a souldier olde to passe
Unhurt at all the armies through, to see who there did beste,
With wonder he, such slaughter like, was neare he would proteste.