The Whole Works of Homer :: :: University of Virginia Library

Vlysses, and Rogue Irus fight.
Penelope, vouchsafes her sight
To all her Wooers: who present
Gifts to her; rauisht with content.
A certaine Parle then we sing,
Betwixt a Wooer, and the King.

Another.

Σιγμα

The Beggers glee,
the Kings high fame,
Gifts giuen to see
a vertuous Dame.

There came a commune Begger to the Court;
Who, in the City, begg'd of all resort:
Excell'd in madnesse of the gut; drunke, eate
Past intermission: was most hugely great;
Yet had no fiuers in him, nor no force:
In sight, a Man; In mind, a liuing Corse.
His true name, was Arnæus: for his mother
Impos'd it from his birth. And yet another
The City youth would giue him (from the course
He after tooke; deriu'd out of the force
That Need held on him: which was vp, and downe
To run on all mens errands through the Towne)
VVhich sounded, Irus. VVhen whose gut was come,
He needs would barre Vlysses his owne home,
And fell to chiding him: Old man (saide he)
Your way out of the Entry, quickly see
Be with faire Language taken; lest your stay
But little longer, see you dragg'd away.
See Sir: Obserue you not, how all these make
Direct signes at me? Charging me to take
Your heeles, and drag you out? But I take shame.
Rise yet, y'are best; lest we two play a game
At cuffes together. He bent browes, and saide:
VVretch! I do thee no ill; nor once vpbraide

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Thy presence with a word; not what mine eye
By all hands sees thee giuen, one thought enuy:
Nor shouldst thou enuy others. Thou mayst see
The place will hold vs both; and seem'st to me
A Begger like my self: which who can mend?
The Gods giue most, to whom they least are Friend:
The cheefe goods Gods giue, is in good to end.
But to the hands strife, of which y'are so free,
Prouoke me not, for feare you anger me;
And lest the old man, on whose scorne you stood,
Your lips and bosome, make shake hands in blood.
I loue my quiet well, and more will loue
To morrow then to day. But if you moue
My peace beyond my right; the warre you make,
Will neuer after giue you will to take
Vlysses house into your begging walke.

O Gods (saide he) how volubly doth talke
This eating gulfe? And how his fume breakes out,
As from an old crackt Ouen? whom I will clout
So bitterly; and so with both hands mall
His chaps together; that his teeth shall fall,
As plaine seene on the earth, as any Sowes
That ruts the Corne-fields, or deuoures the Mowes.
Come; close we now, that all may see, what wrong
An old man tempts, that takes at cuffes, a yong.

Thus in the entry of those lofty Tow'rs,
These two, with al splene, spent their iarring pow'rs:
Antinous tooke it; laught, and saide; O Friends
We neuer had such sport: This Guest contends
VVith this vaste Begger, at the Buffets fight;
Come, ioyne we hands, and screw vp all their spight.

All rose in Laughters; and about them, bore
All the ragg'd rout of beggers at the dore.
Then mou'd Antinous the victors hire
To all the woo'rs thus: There are now at fire
Two brests of Goat: both which, let Law set downe
Before the man, that wins the dayes renowne,
With all their fat and greauie: And of both
The glorious Victor, shal preferre his tooth,
To which he makes his choise of, from vs all;
And euer after, banquet in our Hall,
VVith what our boords yeeld: Not a Begger more
Allow'd to share; but all keepe out at dore.
This he proposd; and this they all approu'd;
To which Vlysses answer'd: O most lou'd,
By no meanes should an old man; and one old
In chiefe with sorrowes, be so ouer-bold
To combat with his yonger: But alas,

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Mans-owne-ill-working belly, needs will passe
This worke vpon me; and enforce me too
To beate this fellow. But then, you must doo
My age no wrong, to take my yongers part,
And play me foule play; making your strokes smart
Helpe his to conquer: for you easly may
With your strengths crush me. Do then right, & lay
Your Honors on it, in your oaths, to yield
His part no aide; but equall leaue the field.

All swore his will. But then Telemachus,
His Fathers scoffes, with comforts serious,
Could not but answer, and made this reply.

Guest! If thine owne powers cheere thy victory,
Feare no mans else, that will not passe it free:
He fights with many, that shall touch but thee.
Ile see thy guest-right paide: Thou heere art come
In my protection: and to this, the summe
Of all these wooers (which Antinous are
And King Eurymachus) conioyne their care.

Both vow'd it. VVhen Vlysses, laying by
His vpper weed, his inner beggery
Nere shew'd his shame: which he, with rags preuēted
Pluckt from about his Thighes; and so presented
Their goodly sight, which were so white, and great,
And his large shoulders, were to view, so set
By his bare rags; his armes, his breast and all,
So broad, and brawny (their grace naturall
Being helpt by Pallas; euer standing nere)
That all the wooers, his admirers were
Beyond all measure: mutuall whispers, driuen
Through all their cluster, saying; Sure as heauen,
Poore Irus pull'd vpon him, bitter blowes.
Through his thin Garment, what a Thigh he showes?

They said; But Irus felt. His Cow-herd minde
VVas mou'd at roote. But now, he needs must finde
Facts to his brags; and forth at all parts fit
The seruants brought him; all his attires smit
VVith feares, and tremblings. VVhich Antinous saw,
And saide; Nay, now too late comes feare; No Law,
Thou shouldst at first haue giuen thy braggart vaine,
Nor should it so haue swell'd, if terrors straine
Thy spirits to this passe; for a man so old,
And worne with penuries, that still lay hold
On his ragg'd person. Howsoever, take
This vow from me, for firme; That if he make
Thy forces stoope; and proue his owne supreame;
Ile put thee in a Ship, and downe the streame
Send thee ashore, where King Echetus raignes,

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(The roughest tyrant, that the world containes)
And he will slit thy Nostrils, crop each heare;
Thy shame cut off, and giue it dogges to teare.

The buffet fight betwixt Vlysses and Irus:

This shook his Nerues the more. But both were now
Brought to the Lists; and vp did either throw
His heauy fists. Vlysses, in suspence
To strike so home, that he should flight from thence
His Cow-herd soule (his trunke laide prostrate there:)
Or let him take more leisure to his feare,
And stoope him by degrees. The last, shew'd best,
To strike him slightly; out of feare the rest
Would else discouer him. But (peace now broke)
On his right shoulder, Irus laide his stroke.
Vlysses strooke him, iust beneath the eare,
His iaw-bone broke, and made the blood appeare.
VVhen straight, he strew'd the dust, and made his crie
Stand for himselfe; with whom, his teeth did lie,
Spit with his blood out: and against the ground
His heeles lay sprawling. Vp the hands went round
Of all the wooers; all at point to dye
VVith violent laughters. Then the King did ply
The Beggers feete, and dragg'd him forth the Hall
Along the Entry, to the gates, and wall:
Where leauing him, he put into his hand
A Staffe, and bad him there vse his command
On Swine, and Dogs; and not presume to be
Lord of the guests, or of the Beggery:
Since he, of all men, was the scum and curse:
And so, bad please with that, or fare yet wurse.
Then cast he on his scrip, all patcht, and rent,
Hung by a rotten cord; and backe he went:
To greete the Entries threshold with his seat.

The wooers throng'd to him, and did entreat
VVith gentle words his conquest; laughing still:
Pray'd Ioue, and all the Gods, to giue his will
VVhat most it wisht him; and would ioy him most,
Since he so happily had cleer'd their cost
Of that vnsauoury morsell; whom they vow'd
To see with all their vtmost haste bestow'd
Aboord a ship; and for Epirus sent
To King Echetus: on whose Throne was spent
The worst mans seat yt breath'd. And thus was grac't
Diuine Vlysses: who with ioy embrac't
Euen that poore conquest. Then was set to him
The goodly Goats breast promist (that did swim
In fat and greauy) by Antinous.
And from a Basket (by Amphinomus)
VVas two Breads giuen him; who (besides) renown'd
His banquet, with a golden Goblet cround,

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And this high salutation: Frolicke, Guest;
And be those riches that you first possest
Restor'd againe, with full as many ioyes,
As in your poore state, I see now annoyes.

Amphinomus (saide he) you seeme to me
Exceeding wise, as being the progeny
Of such a Father, as autentique Fame
Hath told me was so: One of honour'd name,
And great reuennues in Dulychius;
His faire name, Nisus. He is blazon'd thus;
And you to be his Sonne; his wisedome heyring,
As well as wealth: his state, in nought empairing.
To proue which, all waies; let me tell you this
(As warning you to shun the miseries
That follow full states, if they be not held
With wisedome still at full; and so compeld
To courses, that abode not in their browes,
By too much swindge, their sodaine ouerthrowes)
Of all things breathing, or that creepe on earth;
Nought is more wretched then a humane Birth.
Bless'd men, thinke neuer, they can cursed be,
While any power lasts, to moue a knee.
But when the blest Gods, make them feele that smart,
That fled their Faith so; as they had no hart,
They beare their sufferings; and, what wel they might
Haue cleerly shun'd, they then meet in despight.
The Minde of Man flyes stil out of his way,
Vnlesse God guide, and prompt it, euery day.
I thought me once, a blessed man with men;
And fashion'd me, to all so counted then:
Did all iniustice like them; what for Lust,
Or any pleasure, neuer so vniust
I could by powre, or violence, obtaine;
And gaue them both in all their powres the raigne:
Bold of my Fathers, and my Brothers still;
VVhile which held good, my Arts seem'd neuer ill.
And thus is none, held simply good or bad;
But as his will is either mist, or had.
Al goods, Gods gifts man cals, how ere he gets them:
And so takes all, what price so ere, God sets them.
Saies nought, how ill they come; nor will controule
That Rauine in him, though it cost his soule.
And these parts here, I see these wooers play,
Take all that fals; and all dishonors lay
On that mans Queen, that (tell your frends) doth bear
No long times absence, but is passing neare.
Let God then, guide thee home; lest he may meete
In his returne, thy vndeparted feete.

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For when he enters, and sees men so rude,
The quarrell cannot but in blood conclude.

This said; he sacrific'd; then drunke, & then
Referr'd the giuen Boule, to the guide of men;
VVho walk't away, afflicted at his heart;
Shook head, and fear'd, that these facts wold conuert
To ill in th' end. Yet had not grace to flie:
Minerua staid him, being ordain'd to die
Vpon the Lance of yong Vlyssides.

So, downe he sate; and then did Pallas please
T'incline the Queenes affections, to appeare
To all the wooers; to extend their cheare
To th' vtmost lightning, that still vshers death:
And made her put on all the painted sheath,
That might both set her wooers fancies hye;
And get her greater honor in the eye
Euen of her Son & Soueraigne, then before.
VVho laughing yet (to shew her humor bore
No serious appetite to that light show)
She told Eurynome, that not till now
She euer knew her entertaine desire
To please her wooers eyes; but oft on fire
She set their hate, in keeping from them still;
Yet now she pleas'd t'appeare: though from no will
To do them honor; vowing she would tell
Her son that of them, that should fit him well
To make vse of: which was, not to conuerse
Too freely with their pride; nor to disperse
His thoughts amongst them, since they vs'd to giue
Good words; but through them, ill intents did driue.

Eurynome replied: With good aduise
You vow his counsaile, & your open guise.
Go then, aduise your Son; nor keepe more close
Your cheekes, stil drown'd in your eyes ouerflowes.
But bathe your body, & with Balmes make cleere
Your thickn'd count'nance; Vncomposed cheare,
And euer mourning, will the Marrow weare.
Nor haue you cause to mourn; your Son hath now
Put on that vertue, which (in chiefe) your vow
VVisht (as your blessing) at his birth, might decke
His blood & person. But forbeare to speake!
Of Baths, or Balmings, or of beauty, now
(The Queene replyed) lest (vrging comforts) you
Discomfort much: because the Gods haue wonne
The spoile of my lookes, since my Lord was gone.
But these must serue. Cal hither then, to me
Hippodamia, & Antonoe;
That those our traine additions may supply
Our owne deserts. And yet besides, Not I

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(VVith all my age) haue learn'd the boldnesse yet
T'expose my selfe to men, vnlesse I get
Some other Gracers. This said; forth she went
To call the Ladies; and much spirit spent

Eurynome.

To make their vtmost speed: for now, their Queene
VVould both her selfe shew, & make them be seene.

But now Minerua other proiects laid;
And through Icarius

Penelope.

daughters Veines conuaid
Sweet sleepes desire. In whose soft fumes, inuolu'd
She was as soone as laid; and quite dissolu'd
Were all her Lineaments. The Goddesse then
Bestow'd immortall gifts on her, that men
Might wonder at her beauties; and the beames
That glister in the deified supreames,
She cleer'd her mourning count'nance vp withall.
Euen such a radiance, as doth round empall
Crown'd

Venus.

Cytherea, when her order'd places,
Conduct the Beuy of the dancing Graces,
She added to her owne: more plumpe, more hie,
And fairer then the polisht Iuory,
Rendring her parts, and presence. This grace done,
Away the Deity flew; and vp did ronne
Her louely-wristed Ladies, with a noise
That blew the soft chaines from her sleeping ioyes.
When she, her faire eyes wip't; and (gasping) saide:

O me vnblest! How deep a sweet sleepe spread
His shades about me? VVould Diana pleas'd
To shoot me with a death no more diseas'd,
As soone as might be: that no more my mone
Might waste my blood, in weepings neuer done;
For want of that accomplisht vertue spher'd
In my lou'd Lord, to all the Greekes prefer'd.

Then she descended with her Maids, and tooke
Place in the Portall; whence her beamy looke
Reacht eu'ry wooers heart. Yet cast she on
So thin a veyle, that through it quite there shone
A grace so stolne, it pleasd aboue the cleere,
And sunke the knees of euery wooer there.
Their minds so melted, in loues vehement fires,
That to her bed she heightn'd all desires.

The Prince then coming neere, she said; O Son,
Thy thoughts & iudgements haue not yet put on
That constancy, in what becomes their good
VVhich all expect in thee: thy yonger blood
Did sparkle choicer spirits. But, arriu'd
At this ful growth, wherein their Forme hath thriu'd
Beyond the bounds of child-hood, (and when now)
Beholders should affirme, This man doth grow
Like the rare son of his matchles Sire,

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(His goodlinesse, his beauty, and his fire
Of soule aspir'd to) thou mak'st nothing good
Thy Fate, nor fortune; nor thy height of blood,
In manage of thy actions. What a deed
Of foule desert, hath thy grosse sufferance freed
Beneath thine owne Roofe? A poore stranger here
Vs'd most vnmanly! How will this appeare
To all the world; when Fame shall trumpet out,
That thus, and thus, are our guests beate about
Our Court vnrighted? Tis a blaze will show
Extreamly shamefull, to your name, and you.

I blame you not, O Mother (he replide),
That this cleere wrong sustain'd by me, you chide:
Yet know I, both the good and bad of all;
Being past the yeares, in which yong errors fall.
But (all this knowne) skill is not so exact
To giue (when once it knowes) things fit their fact.
I wel may doubt the prease of strangers here;
Who, bent to ill, and onely my Nerues nere,
May do it in despight. And yet the iarre
Betwixt our guest and Irus, was no warre
Wrought by the wooers; nor our guest sustain'd
VVrong in that action; but the conquest gain'd.
And would to Ioue, Minerua, and the Sun,
That all your woo'rs, might serue Contention
For such a purchase as the Begger made;
And wore such weak heads: Some should death inuade
Strew'd in the Entry; some imbrew the hall,
Till euery man had vengeance capitall;
Sattl'd like Irus at the Gates; his head
Euery way nodding; like one forfeited
To reeling Bacchus; Knees, nor feete, his owne,
To beare him where hee's better lou'd or knowne.

Eurym. courtship of the supposed Widdow Queene.

Their speeches giuen this end, Eurymachus
Began his Court-ship, and exprest it thus.

Most wise Icarius daughter; If all those
That did for Colchos ventrous saile dispose,
For that rich purchase; had before but seene
Earths richer prize, in th' Ithacensian Queene,
They had not made that voyage; but to you,
Would all their vertues, and their Beings vow.
Should all the world know what a worth you store,
To morrow then to day; and next light, more
Your Court should banquet; since to all Dames, you
Are far preferr'd; both for the grace of show,
In Stature, Beauty; Forme in euery kinde
Of all parts outward; and for faultlesse minde.

Penel. answer.

Alas (said she) my Vertue, Body, Forme,

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The Gods haue blasted, with that onely storme
That rauisht Greece to Ilion; since my Lord
(For that warre ship't) bore all my goods abord:
If he (return'd) should come, and gouerne here
My lifes whole state; the grace of all things there
His guide would heighten, as the spirit it bore:
VVhich dead in me, liues; giuen him long before.
A sad course I liue now; heauens sterne decree
VVith many an ill, hath numb'd and deaded me.
He tooke life with him, when he tooke my hand,
In parting from me to the Troian strand:
These words my witnesse; VVoman! I conceiue

Vlysses words to his wife at parting.

That not all th' Achiues bound for Troy, shall leaue
Their Natiue earth, their safe returned bones;
Fame saying, that Troy traines vp approued sonnes
In deeds of Armes: Braue putters off of shafts:
For winging Lances, Maisters of their crafts;
Vnmatched Riders; swift of foot; and streight
Can arbitrate a warre of deadliest weight:
Hope then, can scarse fill all with lifes supply;
And of all, any failing; why not I?
Nor do I know, if God hath marshall'd me
Amongst the safe-return'd: Or his decree
Hath left me to the thraldome, order'd there.
Howeuer, all cares by thy burthens here:
My Sire and Mother, tend as much as now,
I, further off; more neere in cares be you.
Your Son, to mans state grown, wed whom you will:
And (you gone) his care, let his houshold fill.
Thus made my Lord his will; which heauen sees prou'd
Almost at all parts; for the Sun remou'd
Downe to his set; ere long, wil leade the night
Of those abhorred Nuptials, that should fright
Each worthy woman; which her second are
VVith any man that breaths; her first Lords care
Dead, because he to flesh and blood is dead;
VVhich, I feare, I shal yeeld to, and so wed
A second husband; and my reason is,
Since Ioue hath taken from me all his blisse.
Whom God giues ouer, they themselues forsake;
Their greefes, their ioyes; their God, their deuill make.
And 'tis a great griefe; nor was seene till now,
In any fashion of such men as woo
A good and wealthy woman; and contend
VVho shal obtaine her, that those men should spend
Her Beeues and best Sheepe, as their cheefest ends;
But rather, that her selfe, and all her friends
They should with Banquets, and rich gifts entreat;

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Their life is death, that liue with others meat.

Diuine Vlysses, much reioyc't to heare
His Queene thus fish for gifts; and keepe in cheare
Their hearts with hope, that she would wed againe;
Her minde yet still, her first intent retaine.

Antinous saw, the wooers won to giue;
And said; wise Queene, by all your meanes receiue
What euer bounty, any woo'r shall vse;
Gifts freely giuen, 'tis folly to refuse.
For know, that we resolue not to be gone
To keepe our owne roofes; till of all, some One
VVhom best you like, your long-woo'd loue shal win

This pleas'd the rest; and euery one sent in
His present by the Herald; First had place

The wooers Gifts.

Antinous gift: a robe of speciall grace,
Exceeding ful and faire; and twenty hewes
Chang'd luster to it. To which, choise of shewes:
Twelue massy plated Buttons, all of Gold,
Enricht the substance, made to fairly hold
The Robe together; all lac'd downe before,
Where Keepes and Catches, both sides of it wore.

Eurymachus, a golden Tablet gaue;
In which did Art, her choisest workes engraue;
And round about, an Amber verge did run,
That cast a radiance from it, like the Sun.

Eurydamas, two seruants had, that bore
Two goodly Earings; whose rich hollowes wore
Three Pearles in either, like so many eyes,
Reflecting glances, radiant as the skies.

The King Pysander, great Polyctors heire,
A Casket gaue, exceeding rich and faire.

The other, other wealthy gifts commended
To her faire hand; which took, and straight ascended
This Goddesse of her sex, her vpper State.
Her Ladies, all her gifts elaborate,
Vp bearing after. All to dancing then
The wooers went, and songs delightfull straine;
In which they frolickt, till the Euening came:
And then rais'd sable Hesperus his flame.
VVhen, for their Lights within; they set vp there
3. Lampes, whose weekes were wood exceeding sere,
And passing porous; which they causd to burne,
Their matter euer minister'd by turne
Of seueral Hand-maids. VVhom Vlysses (seeing
Too conuersant with wooers; ill agreeing
VVith guise of maids) aduisd in this faire sort:

Vlysses to his wives women.

Maids of your long-lackt King; keepe you the port
Your Queenes chast presence beares? Go, vp to her,

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Imploy your Loomes, or Rockes, and keepe ye there:
He serue to feed these lamps; shold these Lords dances
Last til Aurora cheer'd vs with her glances.
They cannot weary me, for I am one
Borne to endure, when all men else haue done.

They wantonly brake out in Laughters all;
Look't on each other: and to termes did fall
Cheek proud Melantho, who was Dolius seed,
Kept by the Queene, that gaue her dainty breed
Fit for her daughter: and yet won not so
Her heart to her, to share in any wo
She suffer'd for her Lord: But she was great
VVith great Eurymachus; and her loues heat
In his bed quenched. And this cholericke thing,
Bestow'd this railing Language on the King.
Base Stranger; you are taken in your braine,
You talke so wildely: Neuer you, againe
Can get where you were borne; and seeke your bed

Melantho to Vlysses.

In some Smithes Houill, or the Market sted;
But heere you must take confidence to prate
Before all these; for feare can get no state
In your wine-hardy stomacke. Or, 'tis like
To proue your natiue garbe: your tongue will strike
On this side of your mouth still, being at best.
Is the man idle-brain'd for want of rest?
Or proud, because he beate the roguish begger?
Take heed Sir, lest some better man beleager
Your eares with his fists; and set headlong hence
Your bold abode heere, with your bloods expence.
He looking sternly on her; answer'd her:
Dog! What broad Language giu'st thou? Ile prefer
Your vsage to the Prince; that he may fall
Foule on your faire limbes, til he tel them all.
This fray'd the wenches; and al straight got gone
In feare, about their businesse: Euery one
Confessing he saide well. But he stood now
Close by the Cressets; and did lookes bestow
On all men there: his Braine employd about
Some sharper businesse, then to dance it out;
VVhich had not long to go. Nor therefore would
Minerua let the wooers spleenes grow cold,
VVith too good vsage of him; that his hart
Might fret enough, and make his choller smart.
Eurymachus, prouok't him first, and made
His fellow laugh, with a conceit he had
Fetch farre; from what was spoken long before;
That his poore forme, perhaps some Deity bore.
It well may chance (said he) some God doth beare

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This mans resemblance: For, thus standing nere
The glistering Torches; his slick't head doth throw
Beames round about it, as those Cressers do.
For not a haire he hath to giue it shade.
Say, wilthy heart serue t'vndertake a Trade
For fitting wages? Should I take thee hence
To walke my grounds, and looke to euery Fence:
Or plant high trees: thy hire should raise thy forces;
Food store, & cloaths. But these same ydle courses
Thou art so prompt in, that thou wilt not worke,
But forrage vp and downe, and beg, and lurke
In euery house, whose Roofes hold any will
To feed such fellowes. That thy gut may fil,
Giues end to all thy Beeing. He replyed;

I wish, at any worke, we two were tryed;
In hight of Spring time, when heauens lights are long;
I, a good crook'd Sithe, that were sharpe, and strong:
You, such another, where the grasse grew deepe;
Vp by day breake, and both our labours keepe
Vp, til slow darknes eas'd the labouring light;
Fasting all day, and not a crum til night:
VVe then should proue our either workmanship.
Or if (againe) Beeues, that the goad, or whip
VVere apt t'obey, before a tearing Plow:
Big, lusty beasts: Alike in bulke and brow;
Alike in Labour, and alike in strength;
Our taske foure Acres, to be Till'd in length
Of one sole day: Againe then you should try
If the dul glebe, before the Plough should flye;
Or I, a long Stitch could beare cleane, and euen.
Or lastly; if the guide of earth & heauen
Should stir sterne war vp, either here or there;
And that, at this day, I had double Speare,
And Shield, and steele Caske, fitting for my browes;
At this work likewise, midst the foremost blowes
Your eyes should note me; and get little cause
To twit me with my bellies sole applause.
But you affect, t'affect with iniurie,
Your minde vngentle; seeme in valour hie,
Because 'gainst few; and those, not of the best
Your conuersation hath bene still profest.
But if Vlysses (landed on his earth,
And enter'd on the true right of his birth)
Should come & front ye; straight, his ample Gates
Your feete would hold, too narrow for your Fates.

He frown'd, rag'd, call'd him wretch; and vow'd
To be his death, since he durst proue so proud
Amongst so many: to tell him so home

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VVhat he affected. Askt, if ouercome
With wine he were; or (as his Minion said)
Talk't stil so idlely; and were palsied
In his minds instruments: or was proud, because
He gat from Irus off, with such applause?
With all which, snatching vp a stoole, he threwe:
VVhen old Vlysses, to the knees withdrew,
Of the Dulychian Lord Amphinomus,
As if he fear'd him. His dart missing thus
His aged obiect: and his Pages hand,
(A Boy, that waited on his cups command,
Now holding of an Ewre to him) he smit.
Downe fel the sounding Ewre; and after it,
The guiltlesse Page, lay sprawling in the dust,
And crying out. VVhen all the wooers thrust
A tumult vp amongst them; wishing all,
The rogue had perisht in some Hospitall,
Before his life there, stirr'd such vprores vp;
And with rude speeches, spice their pleasures cup.
And all this for a Begger, to fulfill
A filthy Prouerbe: Good still yeelds to ill.

The Prince cried out on them, to let the bad
Obscure the good so; Told them they were mad;
Abusd their banquet; and affirm'd some God

Telem. mockes the wooers, yet wins their praise.

Tried maisteries with them: Bad them, take their load
Of food and wine: Sit vp, or fal to bed
At their free pleasures; and since he gaue head
To all their freedomes; why should they mistake
Their owne rich humors for a Beggers sake?

All bit their lips to be so taken downe;
And taught the course that shold haue bin their own;
Admir'd the Prince; and saide, he brauely spoke.
But Nisus Son then, strooke the equall stroke,
And saide, O Friends, let no man here disdaine
To put vp equall speeches; nor maintaine
VVith serious words, an humor; Nor with stroke,
A Stranger in anothers house prouoke,
Nor touch the meanest seruant; but confine
All these dissentions in a bolle of wine:
VVhich fill vs Cup-bearer; that hauing done
Our nightly sacrifice, we may attone
Our powres with sleepe; resigning first the guest
Vp to the Prince, that holds all interest
In his disposure here: the House being his
In iust descent, & all the faculties.

This all approu'd; when Noble Mulius

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(Herald in chiefe, to Lord Amphinomus)
The VVine distributed with reuerend grace
To eu'ry wooer: when the Gods giuen place
VVith seruice fit, they seru'd themselues, and tooke
Their parting Cups: till (when they all had shooke
The angry humor off) they bent to rest;
And euery VVooer to seuerall Roofes addrest.

The End of the Eighteenth Booke of Homers Odysses.