Lydgate's Fall of Princes Edited by Dr. Henry Bergen ... presented to The Early English Text Society by The Carnegie Institution of Washington |
 |
|
| I. |
|
| II. |
| III. |
|
| IV. |
|
| V. |
[How Alisaundre ballas kyng of Surre for extorcioun
pride and vnkyndenesse deied atte mischeef.] |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
|
| IX. |
|
|
 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How Alisaundre ballas kyng of Surre for extorcioun pride and vnkyndenesse deied atte mischeef.]
Thus kan this ladi pleyen hir paient
Bi a maner of deynous mokerie,
Hir entermes forth serue hem of entent,
To folk that truste hir onli of folie.
And to purpos,—whilom of Surrie
Ther was a kyng, lik as writ Bochas,
Callid Alisaundre, whos surname was Ballas.
Bi a maner of deynous mokerie,
Hir entermes forth serue hem of entent,
To folk that truste hir onli of folie.
And to purpos,—whilom of Surrie
Ther was a kyng, lik as writ Bochas,
Callid Alisaundre, whos surname was Ballas.
Of which Ballas to telle the processe,
First of his risyng & aftir of his fall:
Anthiochus, the stori berth witnesse,
Callid Eupater, which in especiall
Cleymed title to thestat roiall,
Afftir his fader named Anthiochus
Epiphanes, the stori tellith thus.
First of his risyng & aftir of his fall:
Anthiochus, the stori berth witnesse,
653
Cleymed title to thestat roiall,
Afftir his fader named Anthiochus
Epiphanes, the stori tellith thus.
Afftir whos deth the kyngdam of Surrye
Sholde longe be successioun
To Eupater; & eek for his partie
Demetrius, hostage in Roome toun,
Cleymed a title to that regeoun
Of Surrye, because Epiphanes
Was brothir to hym, this stori is no les.
Sholde longe be successioun
To Eupater; & eek for his partie
Demetrius, hostage in Roome toun,
Cleymed a title to that regeoun
Of Surrye, because Epiphanes
Was brothir to hym, this stori is no les.
Demetrius fro Roome is come doun
Into Surrye to cleyme his heritage,
Resceyueth the crowne [&] took pocessioun,
Gan wexe proud, presumptuous of corage.
Thus Eupater, that was but yong of age,
Excludid was in Surrie to succeede.
Of Demetrius ferther thus I reede:
Into Surrye to cleyme his heritage,
Resceyueth the crowne [&] took pocessioun,
Gan wexe proud, presumptuous of corage.
Thus Eupater, that was but yong of age,
Excludid was in Surrie to succeede.
Of Demetrius ferther thus I reede:
Outraious he was aboue mesure,
Riht vengable & ful of cruelte,
Hatful also to eueri creature,
And heuy born of worthi kynges thre;
First in Egipt of worthi Tholome,
And off Attilius in Asie tho regnyng,
And Arirarches in Capadoce kyng,—
Riht vengable & ful of cruelte,
Hatful also to eueri creature,
And heuy born of worthi kynges thre;
First in Egipt of worthi Tholome,
And off Attilius in Asie tho regnyng,
And Arirarches in Capadoce kyng,—
Alle of assent ageyn hym han conspired,
Fond a weie Demetrius to depryue,
His vndoyng so sore thei ha[ue] desired.
And ther entent texecute blyue,
Thei gan a fable of purpos to contryue,
As ye shal heere, togidre as thei wente,
To which al Surrye attonys dede assente.
Fond a weie Demetrius to depryue,
His vndoyng so sore thei ha[ue] desired.
And ther entent texecute blyue,
Thei gan a fable of purpos to contryue,
As ye shal heere, togidre as thei wente,
To which al Surrye attonys dede assente.
Thei took a galaunt born of louh lynage,
Callid Ballas, of ther aqueyntaunce,
And affermede, al of o corage,
How he was sone & iust heir in substaunce
To Epiphanes, & next heir in alliaunce,
To succeede, bi toknis affermyng,
Next in Surrye to be crownid kyng.
Callid Ballas, of ther aqueyntaunce,
And affermede, al of o corage,
How he was sone & iust heir in substaunce
To Epiphanes, & next heir in alliaunce,
To succeede, bi toknis affermyng,
Next in Surrye to be crownid kyng.
654
Alisaundre of purpos thei hym calle,
Because thei thouhte of persone he was able;
Set hym up in his roiall stall,
Maugre Demetrius, cruel & vengable.
And Fortune was to them fauourable,
Made ther purpos fynalli tauaille,
With whom Demetrius hadde a gret bataille.
Because thei thouhte of persone he was able;
Set hym up in his roiall stall,
Maugre Demetrius, cruel & vengable.
And Fortune was to them fauourable,
Made ther purpos fynalli tauaille,
With whom Demetrius hadde a gret bataille.
This Alisaundre, which namyd was Ballas,
Be Demetrius, as put is in memorie,
First ouercome; but aftir fill this caas,
He of Demetrie hadde the victorie,
An[d] to encres of his roial glorie,
Of fortune be sodeyn auenture
Ballas the feeld dede on hym recure.
Be Demetrius, as put is in memorie,
First ouercome; but aftir fill this caas,
He of Demetrie hadde the victorie,
An[d] to encres of his roial glorie,
Of fortune be sodeyn auenture
Ballas the feeld dede on hym recure.
Thus be promocioun of thes kynges thre,
Whan he was crownid kyng of al Surrye,
To fals extorsioun & hatful cruelte
This Alisaundre his wittis dede applie,
To robbyng, pillage and eek tirannye,
And despised, shortli to conclude,
The said[e] kynges of ingratitude.
Whan he was crownid kyng of al Surrye,
To fals extorsioun & hatful cruelte
This Alisaundre his wittis dede applie,
To robbyng, pillage and eek tirannye,
And despised, shortli to conclude,
The said[e] kynges of ingratitude.
He hadde forget his staat of pouerte,
Knew nat hymsilff, of fals ambicioun
Weddid the douhtir of myhti Tholome,
Callid Cleopatra, as maad is mencioun.
And al his labour in conclsioun
Was onli this, in Bochas as I reede,
Al the kyngdam[ys] aboute hym to posseede.
Knew nat hymsilff, of fals ambicioun
Weddid the douhtir of myhti Tholome,
Callid Cleopatra, as maad is mencioun.
And al his labour in conclsioun
Was onli this, in Bochas as I reede,
Al the kyngdam[ys] aboute hym to posseede.
Who al coueiteth, sumtyme al doth leese;
Oon ageyn alle hath seelde souereynte.
And for Ballas frowardli gan cheese
To holde werre with kyng Tholome,
And with the forseid worthi kynges thre,
Alle off assent[e] haue such weies souht,
That be ther werkyng he was brouht to nouht.
Oon ageyn alle hath seelde souereynte.
And for Ballas frowardli gan cheese
To holde werre with kyng Tholome,
And with the forseid worthi kynges thre,
Alle off assent[e] haue such weies souht,
That be ther werkyng he was brouht to nouht.
First Tholome from hym took his wiff,
Cleopatra, & gaf hir in mariage
To oon Demetrie, causyng ful gret striff,
For he that tyme was but yong of age;
But Ballas aftir, be ful gret outrage,
With al his poweer, gadred nih & ferre,
Geyn Demetrie gan to holde werre.
Cleopatra, & gaf hir in mariage
To oon Demetrie, causyng ful gret striff,
655
But Ballas aftir, be ful gret outrage,
With al his poweer, gadred nih & ferre,
Geyn Demetrie gan to holde werre.
Togidre mette proudli in bataille,
Ballas constreyned cowardli to flee;
And whan he sauh his poweer dide faile,
In Arabie, a myhti strong contre,
Zabidus, a prince of gret pouste,
Took hym be force, he quakyng in his dreed,
To kyng Tholome sent anon his hed.
Ballas constreyned cowardli to flee;
And whan he sauh his poweer dide faile,
In Arabie, a myhti strong contre,
Zabidus, a prince of gret pouste,
Took hym be force, he quakyng in his dreed,
To kyng Tholome sent anon his hed.
Men may too thynges considren in this caas:
Pride pun[y]shed and vnkyndenesse,
And presumpcioun, in this man Ballas,
Withoute title or cleym of rihtwisnesse
Maad kyng of Surrie, set in gret worthynesse.
What was his eende? ye get no mor of me,—
His hed smet of & sente to Tholome.
Pride pun[y]shed and vnkyndenesse,
And presumpcioun, in this man Ballas,
Withoute title or cleym of rihtwisnesse
Maad kyng of Surrie, set in gret worthynesse.
What was his eende? ye get no mor of me,—
His hed smet of & sente to Tholome.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |