The Heroycall Epistles of the Learned Poet Publius Ouidius Naso, In Englishe Verse set out and translated by George Turberuile ... with Aulus Sabinus Aunsweres to certaine of the same |
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I. |
II. |
III. |
IV. |
V. |
VI. |
VII. |
VIII. |
IX. |
X. |
XI. |
XII. |
XIII. |
XIIII. |
XV. |
XVI. |
XVII. |
XVIII. |
XIX. |
XX. |
XXI. |
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![]() | The Heroycall Epistles of the Learned Poet Publius Ouidius Naso, In Englishe Verse | ![]() |
The Argument of the replie to the first Epistle, entituled Vlysses to Penelope.
Vlysses hauing throughly scand
The earnest verse his wife did write:
Thought good and needefull out of hand
Hir louing letters to requite:
What so she did obiect to him,
The Greeke reaunswerde very trim.
The earnest verse his wife did write:
Thought good and needefull out of hand
Hir louing letters to requite:
What so she did obiect to him,
The Greeke reaunswerde very trim.
He quittes himselfe of all such blame
As by his wife imputed was:
He telles his worthie feates of fame,
And perils that he chaunst to passe,
And how the Prophet willde the Squire
In beggers habite to retire,
And that his wife alone should knowe
Hir husband that disguisde him so.
As by his wife imputed was:
He telles his worthie feates of fame,
And perils that he chaunst to passe,
And how the Prophet willde the Squire
In beggers habite to retire,
And that his wife alone should knowe
Hir husband that disguisde him so.
148
Vlysses Replie to Penelopes Epistle.
Unto Vlysses miser wightgood hap at length hath brought
The louing lines (Penelope)
thy hand in tables wrought.
I knewe thy freendly fist at first
and tokens passing well:
They were a comfort to my woes,
and did my sorrowes quell.
Thou blamest me of retchlesse slouth
more better were perhaps
To linger, than to wrie my woes,
and tell the afterclaps.
Greece blamde me not for that ywis,
when I a furie fainde,
And made as though I had bene madde
with thee to haue remainde,
The earnest loue to thee (sweete hart)
and to thy bed I bare,
Procurde me tho so like a mad
and Bedlam wight to fare.
Thou wouldst not haue me write a whit,
but hasten home a pace:
Loe, when I thinke to come, my sayles
the froward windes doe chase
of Greekish Gyrles defide:
For Troie is nowe to cinders come,
suppressed is hir pride.
Deiphobus is slaine, with sterne
Hector, and Asius eke:
And who so else did breede thy feare
is conquerde by a Greeke.
I scapte the Thracian furious fights,
and hauing Rhesus slaine,
Upon the captiue chiuals came
into my Tents againe.
And safe from Pallas sacred Church
I stole, and did conuay
The fatall Relique of the Towne
Palladium awaye
Nor in the horse his hallow wombe
and bellie I adrad:
Although Cassandra (Troians) cryde
burne, burne as she were mad.
Burne, in this fayned timber frame
the wylie Greekes doe lurck:
That seeke this day poore Troians fall
and latter bane to worke.
Achylles honour of his graue
and Tompe was like to lack:
Had I to Thetis not conuaide
Achylles on my back.
149
with prayse my paynes to pay:
I had the Armour of the corps
that I had tane away.
But what auailes it? now t'is drownde,
I haue nor ship yleft,
Nor Mates aliue: the swalowing Goulfe
hath euery whit bereft.
Thy onely loue that part hath tane
with me of all my paine,
As onely fellow of my fates
doth aye with me remaine.
Not reuening Syllas wawghing whelpes
coulde force him to depart,
Ne yet Charybdis churlish Cha-
nell, plucke him from my hart.
Not fierce Antiphates, nor yet
Parthenope the trull,
With sweete deceitfull Syrens songes
from mee this loue coulde pull.
Not Circe, nor Calypso though
by Magick Arte they wrought:
And th' one to bring me to hir bent
by meane of marrige thought.
I had them both by promisse bounde
that they woulde take away
My mortall twist, and teache me to
King Plutos Court the way
did loue my wedlock best:
Although perhaps in seeking thee
I shall be sore distrest.
But thou perchaunce such daintie dames
suruaying in my write:
Impaciently wilt reade the reast,
and be in cholar quite.
When I with Circe had to doe
or fayre Calypso, thee
Will aye procure a (fearefull wench)
in doubtfull dumps to bee.
In fayth when I Antinous name,
and Polybus did reade,
With Medon: I amazed was,
and ouercome with dreade.
Amid so many lustie laddes
and Tossepots to be chaste?
Alas, what should I thinke herein?
I am full sore agaste.
Why, if thou shed thy teares so fast,
should any leake thy face?
What? haue not yet those trickling teares
beate beautie out of place?
Beside, thou hast behight to wedde
when twist is all ysponne:
And all in feare thou dost vntwist
as fast as thou begonne.
150
least whilst with such a wile
Thou doe thy suters eyes deceyue,
thy selfe thou not beguile,
Ah (Polyphem) I rather wish
within thy den to haue
Beene murthred, and my wofull dayes
yfinisht with the graue:
Yet rather had I conquerde, and
of Thracian swoord bene slaine,
What time the wandring Barges did
in Ismaron remaine:
Or that I had the greedie iawes
replenisht with my blood,
Of hungrie Helhounde, when I went
downe to the Stygian flood.
Where I (thou wrotste not of it) sawe
my mother, well at ease
That was when I departed from
thy coast, and tooke the seas
She tolde mee of the house his euils:
and thrise she fled me fro,
As I with reaching armes did catch
more newes of hir to know.
Sir Protesilaus I discride,
that forcing not a pin
The Prophets wordes, to fling the flame
to Troie did begin.
for with him went his wife
With laughing browes: that for his sake
forsooke hir lothsome life
For Lachesis the Goddesse had
hir twist not throughly spoonne:
It did hir good vnto hir spouse
before hir time to roonne:
I sawe (but oh with flowing teares
that gusht on eyther cheeke)
Duke Agamemnon lately staine,
a thrise renoumed Greeke.
He neuer tooke that hurt at Troie,
vntoucht he went his way
Through spiteful Nauplius secret snares
that in Eubœa lay.
But what did that auaile the wight?
for when he surely thought
Returnd to pay his due to Ioue
this beastly death he cought.
This was the guerdon Helen had
prouided for the man,
In steade of better present when
she with the straunger ran.
Ah, how could I reioyce to see
sir Hectors sister, and
His wife among thy other thrals
and Teucrian trulls to stand?
151
and vsed hir in bed,
That thy mistrustfull mind I mought
beguilde, and ielous hed
That would have thought thy husband had
of no such peece bene sped.
She gaue the first abodement fell
that on my ships should light:
Whome there I saw not with hir parts
and woonted members dight.
Hir bitter plaintes and wofull cries
a howling did pursew:
She was become a very Curre
in euery part to vew.
Dame Thetis musing at the sight,
turmoylde the quiet flood:
And Æole gaue his blustring winds
in charge to blow a good.
From that time Miser I was driuen
to wander in the seas,
And follow euerie flood and flaw,
to cruell things to please.
But if Tyresias be as true
in telling of good haps,
As earst he was in making show
of euill forepassed claps:
Now misaduentures are ypast
by land and sowsing waue,
some better luck to haue.
Now Pallas vndertaken hath
as following Mate to mee,
To safe conduct me to the lodge
where I doe long to bee.
I neuer saw hir from the time
of Troies latter wrack,
Till now the wronged Goddesse hath
from anger bene alack.
What so Oenides did, it lightes
vpon vs all aleeke:
Upon the Greekes from man to boye
reuengement shee did seeke.
Not thee (good Diomed) she sparde
whose armour knowen was:
She hath enforst thee Miser eke
through many broyles to passe.
Nor him that Telamon begat
vppon a captiue Lasse:
Nor him that with a thousand ships
to wreake his wrong did passe.
Plisthenides, thou were yblest,
what fortune so befell:
For aye thy wedlock went with thee,
whome thou didst loue so well.
And whether windes did breede thy stay,
or surging seas annoide:
152
incroching cares auoide,
Nor blustring blastes, nor troublous tide
from kissing thee dismayde:
With clinching armes thou hir imbraste,
and neuer wert afrayde.
Oh that I might not wander so,
(sweete wench) thou wouldst procure
The surge seeme calme, with thee I should
no deadly smart endure.
No sooner I had tydings that
Telemach was aliue,
But that the newes forepassed griefes
from gladsome minde did driue.
Whose going againe by tossing flouds
in weake and rotten Barck
To Pylos and to Sparta, did
reduce my former carck.
That loue deserues no thanke in deede
wherein such perill is:
And when you let him go to Sea
you did not well ywis.
But all the broyle will be at last,
the Prophet sayd I shoulde
At length imbrace thy freendly corse
as I had done of olde.
Whom thou alone shalt know, but then
take heede, and well beware,
not why so glad you are.
I must not deale with force of hande
or as an open fo,
The Prophet sayde that to foretell
Apollo bidde him so.
I shall perhaps deuise the time,
to be awroken fit,
With bow in hande to rushe me in
when they at tables sit.
And then perchaunce they maruell will
mee hatefull man to see:
Oh Gods, when will that day come on
and pleasaunt houre bee,
Wherein I may renue againe
the sweete delights ypast:
And thou begin to repossesse
thy louing spouse at last?
153
The Argument of the replie to the seconde Epistle, entituled Demophoon to Phyllis.
Herein his treason and delayDemophoon minded to deface,
That had ybene so long away
from friendly Phyllis noble grace:
Somtime vpon his Countrie men
the lingring Louer layes the blame:
On perillous passage now and then,
and lacke of winde he cast the same.
But last in spite of waue and winde
he made hir promisse to reuart:
And so he did, in hope to finde
the Queene as when he did depart.
But oh, impacient of hir panges,
that she had for hir guest sustainde,
In Almon tree good Phyllis hanges,
and this was all the Hostesse gainde.
Demophoons Replie to Phyllis Epistle.
Euen from his Countrie soyleDemophoon wrytes to thee:
His Countrie (Phyllis) that he mindes
thy gratefull gift to bee.
Demophoon is not linckt
with any nouell Lasse:
But not so happie as with thee
acquainted well he was.
Duke Theseus, of whome
thou euer stoodste in awe,
(Which made perhaps thy flame the more)
to be thy Fatherlawe:
(A shamefull thing for mee
to suffer such a deede)
By cruell foe was reft his reigne:
this was olde ages meede.
Euen he that whileome had
Amazons courage quaylde,
A mate for Hercules that so
in armour had preuaylde,
Euen he that Mynos made
a father of a foe,
Amazde to see his monstrous Beast
by valiance conquerde so.
154
the cause of his exile,
My brother layes it to my charge,
I must not pleade the while.
Whilst thou (quoth he) didst fonde
on Phyllis, and didst craue
By earnest sute vnto thy wyfe
a forraine wench to haue:
The slipper time did passe
with hastie foote away,
Thy loytring was the cause that thou
doste see this doolefull day.
Thou moughtst perhaps at first
this wicked stirre haue stayde:
At least, though matters had bene past,
thou moughtst haue bene an ayde.
But Rhodopeian Reigne
I better did esteeme:
And of a Nymph, whome better than
hir Scepter I did deeme.
Then Athamas gins to chaufe,
and thundring words bestowes:
And Æthra harpes vpon the same,
a crooked peece God knowes.
She sayth my lingring was
th' occasion that hir sonne
Could not shut vp his mothers eyes
as duetie was to donne.
they both excladme a good,
And cryde on mee when that my ship
rode on the Thracian flood.
Demophoon (quoth they)
why stayste thou lingring so?
The winde doth serue: home to thy Gods,
and natiue Countrie go.
Let Phyllis myrror be
whome thou dost loue so well:
She fancies thee, but loth she is
for thee hir Realme to sell.
She craues thee to retire,
thy iourney Mate to bee
She scorns: more than thy Raigne she waies
hir barbarous soyle we see.
But I in silence would
amid their brawles (I minde)
A thousand thankes bestow atonce
vpon the blustring winde.
And when I should depart,
imbracing Phyllis harde,
I ioyde with all my heart to see
how dashing waters warrde.
Ne would I feare the same
before my Sire to vaunt:
For by thy meritts I attainde
my libertie I graunt.
155
that with no steely heart
I went my way, nor in post haste
thy Countrie did depart.
I sobbde and weeping thee
to solace made a stay,
When to forgo thy friendly shore
was come the fixed day.
I clambe the Thracian Barke,
and tooke my shippe in deede:
When Phyllis bid it should not o-
uer hastely proceede.
Forgiue since I confesse,
your selfe remember well
King Mynos daughter in your brest,
that auncient loue doth dwell.
As often as my Sire
to Skieward lookes: he sayes,
She whilome was my louing wench
that hath those glistring rayes.
God Bacchus bidde him leaue
and yeelde him vp the Mayde:
But he (goodman) sustaines the blame,
they say he hir betrayde.
By his example I
a periurde man am thought:
Ne doste thou (cruell Phyllis) aske
the cause mine absence wrought.
or able to requight
My former fault, that I am not
in loue with any wight.
Why (Phyllis) hast thou not
heard of the cruell fate
Of Theseus Pallace? of his house?
and lamentable state?
Hast thou not tydings that
my fathers death I wayle?
A farther griefe than fathers fall
Demophoon doth assayle
Not of Hippolyts happe?
he miserable man
Fell headlong from the fearefull steedes
that downe the Mountaine ran.
I seeke not to excuse
my lingring, though there bee
A thousand cares that heape my hoe,
I aske a space of thee.
Let mee or ere I come
lay Theseus in his graue,
And see that he who was my Syre
his buriall rites may haue.
Giue space and leaue I pray,
not like a Traytour I
Absent me: than thy soyle I knowe
not safer where to lie.
156
and battayles broyle did stay,
What ease so ere I felt at Sea
or otherwhere: I say
I had it all in Thrace,
(yet there I found some griefe)
That onely soyle vnto my woes
was succour and reliefe.
And is, if thou be one,
and be not mooude awhight,
That now I haue a stately house
so Castlelyke in sight:
Nor that my Fathers happes
or Mothers shamefull fate,
Or these my yll successes cause
thy fancie to rebate.
What if I went to Troie
in mariage linckt with thee?
And thou thy husband waging warre
full ten yeares space shouldst see?
Thou hearste Vlysses wife
what honour she hath got:
A myrrour she became, for that
she liude withouten blot.
Who (by report) deuisde
a charitable wile
In spinning: wherewithall hir in-
stant Suters to beguile.
by day in sight had wrought:
At night the selfe same twisted twine
from threed to wooll she brought.
But Phyllis you doe feare
your Suters will be gone
That profferde wedlock earst in Thrace:
canste thou with any one,
Or haste thou heart to matche
thy selfe in bridely band?
What? will not feare of broken Hest
thy shamefull act withstand?
O Lord how thou wilt blush,
O Lord how thou wilt shame,
When thou shalt vew my sailes aloofe
and know they be the same?
Thou then wilt blame thy rashe
complaint (but all too late)
And say: Demophoon was to mee
a true and faithfull Mate.
Demophoon is retirde
that Southren blast abidde,
And cruell tempest, whilst vpon
the sowsing seas he slidde.
Ah, why in such post haste
did I this blame deuise?
I broken haue my plighted Hest,
which makes my heart agrise.
157
more rather than to mee
(Sweete Phyllis) greater griefe and care
should chaunce againe by thee.
What Gibbet (oh) is that
that thou dost manace so
Unto thy selfe, and froward fate
to worke thy waylfull wo?
The Gods that in this soyle doe dwell
are ouerbolde I trow.
I pray thee spare, and cause
no more defame to spring
From out our race: whose traitrous crime
too loude a Bell doth ring.
Ariadne may excuse
my Father since hir lotte
Was party cause shee was forlorne.
who me may iustly blotte?
Now selfe same windes my words
that did my sayles conuay:
I would returne with all my heart
but haue good cause to stay.
The Argument of the replie to the fift Epistle, entituled Paris to Oenone.
The
lynes that Oenon sent
When Paris had perusde,
And saw thereby she ment
That she was quite refusde,
Of him that had conuayde from Greece
Faire Helena that passing peece:
When Paris had perusde,
And saw thereby she ment
That she was quite refusde,
Of him that had conuayde from Greece
Faire Helena that passing peece:
He wrote in this effect,
And flat at first gan tell,
That when he did reiect
The Nymph, he did not well:
But therewithall he laide the blame
On Cupid that procurde the same.
And flat at first gan tell,
That when he did reiect
The Nymph, he did not well:
But therewithall he laide the blame
On Cupid that procurde the same.
He makes hir open showe,
How stately was the stroke,
Of blinded Cupids bow,
And how he brought to yoke
Both man and God, and did not let
To say that Destnies so had set.
How stately was the stroke,
Of blinded Cupids bow,
And how he brought to yoke
Both man and God, and did not let
To say that Destnies so had set.
158
Paris Replie to Oenons Epistle.
So lawefull is thy plaint(O Nymph) as I confesse,
My hand doth hunt for currant termes
my meaning to expresse,
It hunts and can not finde,
I feele my guilt so gret:
I would recant, but (oh) the same
my nouell loue doth let.
My conscience me condempnes
if thou not angrie bee
Therewith: but what? in cause I know
thou mayst not match with mee.
For mee whome thou dost blame,
Cupido to his raigne
Hath forst to yeelde: anothers pray
euen so I now remaine.
Thou were my wedlock first,
I graunt it true to bee
That I in greenish yeares my loue
and fayth behight to thee.
Ne was I then so proude
as in your Letters you
Obiected me: ne I my selfe
king Priams noorrie knew,
nor Hector thought to bee
My brothers when I fedde my flock
in Ida Mount with thee.
Not Hecuba I knewe
but by a Mothers name:
And thou didst well deserue to had
hir aye to beene thy Dame.
But Loue from Reason swarues,
thy selfe shalt iudge the case:
For thou art wrongde, and hauing wrong
dost loue me naythelasse.
And whereas Panes thee,
and Satyrs did desire:
Thou shoonste their loue, and aye in minde
dost keepe thy former fire.
Beside, this latter loue
was furthred by the fate:
My sister eke Cassandra sawe
of future things the state:
Not I as then had heard
the brute of Helens name:
Ne to mine eares by hir report
the Greekish tumult came.
You see that all is true,
my guilte doth sole remaine:
And to request your pardon I
in humble wise am faine.
159
the doome of life and death:
Now binde me thine for euermore
by sauing of my breath.
Thou weptst (I minde it well)
and yet thou sangst withall:
And sayd, God shilde that no such euill
at any time befall.
No though his deedes deserue
and euerie thing beside:
Yet Oenon I to worke his bane
will neuer be discride.
Oh pardon: selfesame loue
that forgde this fraude to thee,
Made me to thinke herein not halfe
so many feares to bee.
That God doth strike the stroke:
Sometime into a Bull
He Ioue conuerts, into a Foule
sometime to coy his trull.
Not Helen now in earth
so passing goodly Dame
Had beene, (a wench by nature made
to set my breast in flame)
Had not the mightie Ioue
become a Swanne in sight:
That earst a golden shattering showre
on Danaes lappe did light.
in Ida Mount did sore:
Sometime amids Agenors neate
in forme of Bull did rore.
Alcydes who woulde thinke
the valiant man to haue
Ysat at distaffe? Loue did make
him twisten lyke a slaue.
Againe the man was seene
in Ioles garment clad:
And she the hairie Lions case
vpon hir shoulders had.
And Oenon thou (I minde)
(I touch my selfe too me)
The God Apollo scorndste, and didst
to Paris mind aplie.
Not for I him excellde,
but Cupid willde it tho
That in such sort his subtill shafts
in Oenons breast should go.
But comfort thou thy wrong,
in that thy ryuall shee
A passing wench, and daughter braue
to Ioue is knowne to bee.
But that she came of Ioue
it moues me not a mite:
But (oh) hir face is passing faire,
t'is it that workes the spite.
160
a skillesse Iudge had bin,
When to contend for beauties pride
the Ladies did begin.
For then not Iunos ire
nor Pallas wrathfull brest
Should hurt me ought, for liking of
the Ladie Venus best.
She Cupids flames deuids,
and franckly fire on those
(By euen and odde, by quick and slow)
on whome she list bestowes.
Yet neyther she hir selfe
those weapons coulde auoyde:
The Bow she bare for other, hath
hir proper breast annoyde.
For halting Vulcan grutcht
when he by fortune founde
The warlike God and hir in bedde,
and caused to resounde
His wofull plaint before the Gods,
and Ioue that saw them bounde.
And mightie Mauors now
laments and lowres as fast:
For she hath fled this soyle, and of
Anchises is imbrast.
Nowe wholy she delights
Anchises eye to leake:
and giues the reast the gleake.
What wonder was that she
should haue the powre to ayde
Those egall flames of loue, whose fire
poore Paris hath assayde?
Whome Menelaus wrongde
doth loue, I fancide well
Not wrongde at all: beside she matcht
with one wrongde neare a dell.
And I perceyue it plaine
that for this rape there arre
Reuenger Greekes with wreakfull ships
to bidde the Troians warre.
The goodnesse of the cause
(I nothing doubt) will bee
Allowde: to forcen Dukes to fight
hir features are we see.
If me you not beleue,
beholde the Chieftaine Greekes
In Armour: I must holde hir fast
whome they so sorely seekes.
But if you stande in hope
by force to wrest my will,
Why cease your hearbes and Magike Uerse?
where is thy woonted skill?
For in Apollos Arte
thou canst as much as she
161
of Hecate thou dost see.
I well remember thou
hast fet the Moone aback:
And stayde the Starres, and dimde the daye
with duske and cloudie black.
I fed the frowning Bulles,
and maruelde much to see
Amid the Heirde by Oenons charmes
the Lyons tame to bee.
Of Xanthus what shoulde I,
or Simoys now report?
Or tell how both those streames were stayde
by thee in monstrous sort?
Thy Sire him selfe in feare
his daughter farde amisse,
Amid his waters all bewitcht
would often stay ywisse.
Now (Oenon) here is place,
doe what thou canst by skill:
Or quench thy flames, or cleane put out
my brande that blazeth still.
FINIS.
![]() | The Heroycall Epistles of the Learned Poet Publius Ouidius Naso, In Englishe Verse | ![]() |