Ten books of Homers Iliades :: :: University of Virginia Library

Ten books of Homers Iliades

translated out of French By Arthur Hall

Hall, Arthur (1539?-1605)

[section]

TEN BOOKS of Homers Iliades

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

TEN BOOKS of Homers Iliades

To the right VVorshipfull his very good friend Sir Thomas Cicill Knight A.H. wisheth all prosperitie.

The first Booke.

I Thee beseech, O Goddesse milde, the hatefull hate to plaine,
Whereby Achilles was so wroong, and grewe in suche disdaine,
That thousandes of the Greekish Dukes, in hard and heauie plight,
To Plutoes Courte did yeelde their soules, and gaping lay vpright,
Those sencelesse trunckes of buriall voide, by them erst gaily borne,
By rauening curres, and carreine foules, in peeces to be torne.

Gainst Agamemn of Ioue his wrath, so kindled was the fire,
That he Achil to deere, and crosse so deepely did conspire.

O Lady shew what God beganne this hateful quarrell thus,
It was the heire of Latona, the gallant gay Phœbus,
Who had to sire that mighty God, who down his lightning throws,
With stormes of haile, and thunderclaps: the God in choller grows,
That Agamemn roughly a suite his Chryses Priest refusd,
In Greekish cāp his plages he flings, their state which gretly brusd.

At that time Chryses did repayre vnto the shippes, that lay
At ancker before Troy besiegde, in the Porte of Sigay,
With verdant crown, wherewith Apoll his seemely head had clad,
With scepter eke, with things of price, which he for ransome had,
His daughter captiue helde by Greekes by worth hir home to buy,
To both Atrïdes and other kings, he breakes thus humbly:

O Princes greate, the loftie Gods adorde in earth belowe
Doe sende you lucke, this Priams towne to sacke and ouerthrowe,
And loden with the Troian wealth, yee safe to Greece retire:
If pitie in your heartes haue place, if willing yee desire
To reuerence the God I serue, if feeble aged dayes,
A worthy foe, Nobilitie may temper any wayes,
Let my mishap obtaine, I pray Chryses so deare to me,
O Kings accept these goodly giftes for raunsome here that be.

His sute was taken in that sorte, that al the Greekes did cry
To take his gifts, to yeelde Chryses, and vse him reuerently.
Agamemn was so far in loue with this so gentle maide,

Such sutes he coulde not he abide, to Chryses grimme hee saide,
Shaking alofte his sterne head: O hatefull dotard thou,
Henceforth in these quarters againe take heede I see not you.
For no scepter, not Apolloes, shal hold my hand from thee,
Thinke not eftsoone Chryseis to haue, she shall remaine with mee
In Country fur thy Country fro my wooll to spinne and dight,
And bed to make, till beautie faile, when hoarie age shal light.
Hence not out away, moue me no more, I reade thou take good heede,
If safe and sounde vnto your house you homward meane to speede.
The good olde man thus threatned here, giues place, doth not abide,
He hides his greife, while still he coastes hard by the marine side.
But now his galley far aloofe, he shewes his dolefulnesse,
With prayers to Apoll, and vowes, the Gods of gallaunt tresse.

Apollo thou hear my complaints, who rules the Isles diuine,
Cilla, Chrisa, Sminthe, Tenedos, with siluer bowe of thine,
O Phœbus heare thou my complaints, if so with Laurell greene
Thy Temple I haue crowned oft, if I haue beene the man
Thy holy aultar who hath fraught with hostes digne to thee
Of fatted Bulles and scorched Goates: reuenge thys iniurie
On these gay Greekes, who thy seruant poore sire haue layed so low,
To plague ye wrong, Loord make thē feele the wounding of thy bow.
He prayd thus: Phœbus gaue eare, descending straight to grounde
Be girte with dored quiver and bowe, whiche gaue a dreadful sound
Leauing right darke his mansion cleare, to bad effects disposde,
He drawes the nauie to nigh, and in the campe a shafte he losde,
The noise was straunge, the loose was smarte, the shot so far it hit,
Tho franked Moiles they die, and Dogs for race and running fit.
But since the deadly steele he sent amid the Greekish host,
In numbers huge their bodies quaile, in heightie heapes they rost
Hard by the shippes (O horror great) the carcasses new dead,
Nine dayes Apollo bent, and shot, and them with wounding sped.

But puissant Iuno Goddesse then (of Greece a fautor true
During this war) of their hard state with pitie ganne to rue.
She puts in mind Achilles he, the councel whole to cal,
To seeke mine helpe to ease the harme which so doth deere them all

As much was done, in his estate when set was euery man,

Achilles putting forth himselfe this tale to them beganne:
O worthy Kings, abode is vaine, our hope it will not thee,
To Greece to Greece we must returne: For why it may not bee,
That we the Troians force do daunt, I dreade a matter more,
God graunt the weapons of our foes, doe not our bowels gore.
You see howe in this wretched warre our people doe decay,
And now this deadly morreine plague doth make the rest away,
Wherefore my Lordes, it needefull is to seeke and search about,
Of some Diuine, Augur, or Priest to trie the matter out,
What is the cause: For who that dreames, can true interprete wel
(Sith that from Ioue the dreames proceede) the why shal quickly tel.
He soone wil say whether Phœbus this direfull plague hath sent,
For that to do him sacrifice we haue beene negligent,
Or that vnto his holy house he worthy offrings craue,
Or sheepe and goats, whereby appeasd, some shielding we may haue.

Achilles had no sooner saide, he sate hym in his place,
Calchas arose, which from his youth Phœbus did yeelde suche grace,
The present times he knewe ful wel, the past he not forgot,
Of suche as were to come, he wist what was the secrete lot.
This onely was the Prophet he, for to direct their wayes,
The Greekes did choose in this exploite and sagely thus he sayes:

Achilles friend vnto the Gods, thou counselst I shoulde showe,
Unto the hearers here, from whence Apolloes wrath doth grow,
I wil it do, but sweare thou shalt, my safetie to defend
From such outragious iniuries, which some on me wil bend.
I much do doubt that chiefest one, who shall my speaches heare,
Yea he, whome all the campe obeyes, wil greatly seeme to deare
And much amaze. Oft mightie Lordes, although conceale they wul
A crosse receivde of simple wight, yet pay they at the ful:
The rancor ceaseth not, til they do yeeld their vengeance due,
Assure me then with your defence hereof what way ensue.
Say what thou wilt quoth Achilles, for by the God of might,
Whose secretes thou so well dost knowe, I wil defende thy right.
None of the Greekes, whereas I am, shal wrong or iniure thee,
No not the greatest of regarde, not Agamemnon hee.

Then Calchas thus assurde by worde, pronounst in open sight:

Ye Greekes, this plague continues not, ne for that cause did light,
It fel not in the campe (I say) for want of sacrifice
To Phœbus bright in Countrey far: this mischiefe whole doth rise,
For that you haue vnreuerently, the aged Chryses vsde,
His daughter shoulde haue beene restorde, and not his gifts refusde.
Til mends be made of this our fault, I thinke it wil not cease,
The blackenied Lady to hir home til she be brought in peace,
No raunsome had, in numbers tho our offerings let vs slay,
To purchase fauour of the God, and turne his wrath away.

Agamemnon forth standeth straite, with rage inflamed so,
As like a burning brand his eies did twinckle to and fro,
And thus he sayth, looking askance on Calchas furiously:
Unluckie Prophet that thou art, for neuer happily
Ought dost thou shewe, and badly bent, stil fortune bad dost tel,
And me to spite, now dost thou preach, forsooth a proper spel,
Auouching, that vnto the camp this plague is from aboue,
Bycause I Chryses do withholde, whome I so greatly loue.
Hir beautie gay, and gallant glee, hath conquerd so my wil,
As wel I hopde she in my house shoulde haue remayned stil
With Clytemnestra wife of mine, whome lesse I do regarde,
And iustly so, before hir she is muche to be prefarde,
For countnaunce good, for colour cleare, for sprite and body gay.
But sith I needes muste yeelde hir vp, to driue this sore away,
(Ah) take hir then, I do agree, hir want I rather craue,
Than that this people here, should not their health and safely haue:
But quickly looke in lieu of hir, for me some present out,
You wel shal know, of al these folke I wil not be the lout.

Achilles (gallantst of the Greekes) to him replyed thus,
In presence of the Princes al: Thou sonne of Atreus,
Thou pinching Prince, thou haughtie heart, thou loftie minded hee,
Where dost thou thinke the Greekes shal find another gifte for thee?
In guerdon nowe of al that warre, dost thou not knowe thy selfe
Long time agoe among vs all diuided is the pelfe?
Belike we must the spoiles amasse, which is not easely done,
And bring the camp to mutine to: let not thy minde so runne,
Obey the Gods, yeelde up the maide, and four times richer gaine

Thou shalt possesse, if Ioue vouchsafe that we the Troians raigne,
And Towers happe to lay ful lowe. Straight Agamemnon tho
Said: thou Achill thinke not (I reade) thy credite such, no, no,
Although thy force in shewe compare with suche to Gods belong,
Thinke not that I wil followe thee, or beare this open wrong.
Doth reason beare, that eche his part, haue of the wealthy prayes?
Thinkst thou it fit I leaue the maide, and emptie go my wayes
Unrecompenste. I hir forgoe, as reason so it would,
But see that I considered be, as fit it is I shoulde:
Else maugre thee and all thy might, that thine by thee possest,
Or Aiax, or Vlysses theirs, Ile haue as I think best.
And care who list, who then shall deere, that I his portion take
And here an end. I thinke it good to Sea we ready make
A vessell strong with skilfull guides, and eke that one of you
Accompany the Lady home vnto hir father now,
With honor due religiously the Aultars high to reare,
To sacrifice that Apollo, with fauour vs forbeare.
When Achilles had hearkned wel to Agamemnons tale,
Disdainfully he lookte at him, and blewe this bitter gale:
Thou impudent, thou iangler thou, what Greeke shall readye make
Himselfe to fight at thy commaund, thy party for to take?
I came not from my Countrey I, the Troians stout to scarre,
Or to reuenge my selfe on them: for in no broiles of warre,
They euer out my region fruites or cattaile tooke away,
Too large a sea, too mightie hilles, them deserts wilde do stay,
And champaines wide their forraies bar, tweene vs which are defēce
But I am come, and al my traine, cutting the seas from thence
Under thy leading, not at al for any cause of ours,
But Menelaus wrong to venge, a brother he of yours:
Not minding thou the good we doe (thou face and dogshead thou)
In place of thankes I shoulde receiue, thou deepely threatens nowe,
To take away my good, my good, for so in truth it is:
For by my valor in the fielde I gained it ywis,
And whiche the Greekes in witnesse large did giue of my desarte,
Of all the spoile: I haue more cause than thou to take at harte
These actions aye. Of pillage stil I alwayes haue the worst,

The victorie of wont is mine, in front I am the firste,
Yet what they giue, I wil accepte. Sith home is peacer quiet
Better than with a tyrant warre, I warre no more wil trye it.
The working sea I wil goe seeke in point of morning gray,
With Saile and Ore to Pthie land my countrey taking way.
And making here thou thy abode, dishonor thou shalt gaine,
Thy substaunce great and massie wealth withall to waste in vaine.
And will you so: (quoth Agamemnō) Amen, farewell, adue,
I list not your abode entreate, ne for your presence sue.
There are ynow will here abide, and tender my renowme,
Ne vnprouided mightie Ioue will leaue me in this rowme.
Of all these Kings and Princes here, thou dost delight Achill
To bite and sting me of the nonst, and alwayes bendes thy will,
Contentiously maintaining hate, presuming ouer much
Of force proceeding from the Gods: in thee there is none such.
Farewel, your godly Myrmidones, command thē at your pleasure,
And your agoe and furie thus Ile care for at my leysure.
But herewith your audacitie that further I doe daunt,
Sith that Apolloes pleasure is, and ordaines vs to graunt
That I Chryses restore againe, with speede as much as may,
To olde Chryses my people shall the Lady soone conuay.
To thy Pauillion wil I send tricke Brysida to bring
Thy best beloued, that al men knowe how pusaunter a King
I am than thou, and that henceforth none be so hardie bolde
To put vp head to matche with me, by whom I be controlde.

Hereat Achilles greeueth much, a warre in him he found,
With mightie Falcon, whether he, should ding down on the ground
Agamemn dead, or to appease the wrong he did conceaue,
To holde him stil, to parte them fro, and company to leaue.
Yet rage in spite of reason rulde, his blade he out doth drawe.
But Iuno hearde from Welkin high this cruell iarre, and sawe:
The bickering thus so neare at hande: them both she will defend,
And Pallas straight from loftie skies she causeth to descend
Approching to Achill, softly she tooke him by the haire,
Who speedily retirde, knowing, the Goddesse to be there,
With twinckling eies vnceasingly, yet knowne to neuer a man,

But onely to himselfe, to whome his speache he thus beganne:
You heauenly daughter Pallas you, doe I your presence see?
Would you it know how Agamemn doth wrong and iniure mee?
Giue me some leaue, and for his pride you shall see by and by
Before you here vppon the grasse his headlesse truncke to ly.

Thy griefe to ease quoth Pallas is this comming here of mine,
If to be rulde by heauenly sawe thy selfe thou canst encline.
Dame Iuno seeing this dangerous strife, who fauours both so much,
Did bid me downe, thee to aduise in no wise him to touch.
Put vp thy sworde it doth not wel, with words do wordes repay:
Assured be for his great fault thou shalt an other daye
And these thy harmes, haue gallant gifts, yea layed in thy lappe,
If to obey this counsaile mine thy mind and meaning happe.
Its more thau meete quoth Achilles, and reason so doth will,
That what the Gods commaunde vs men, we wholly do fulfill,
Though fury would vs thēce withdraw: Of Gods ye puissant might
Obedience doth moste esteeme, in euery manner wight.
And from his best who doth not swarue, in fauour stil we see,
His massie falcon saying thus, in sheath of brightsome blee
Of siluer braue he putteth vp, Pallas away she weares,
She leaues the Greekes, to Gods aloft in Heauen she repaires.
The valiant Greeke in furie stil on Agamemn doth stare,
His rage abides, him thus in speech he raging wise forbare.
Thou tipled Knight, a snarring curre, to sight and shew thou arte,
Than Stagge beset at bay about more feareful yet of harte,
Among the Kings a cowarde vile, a slouthful shifting Oxe,
Assaults, alarms, and battels fought, thou fearst for dread of knockes.
And lesse thou darste ambushments lay, for doubt to quaile or dye,
Thou tyrant great, who dost deuoure the people cruelly.
Oppressor thou scourge of the pore, delighting to disgrace
All men vnto thine appetite consenting giues not place.
If I my courage folowed had, thou shouldst no more haue harmed,
Al gracelesse straight thy carcas here to death I wold haue charmde.
But hearke, for by this royall Mace, by whiche I now doe sweare,
A worthy ornament to shewe, in right hand which I beare,
Who hauing lost the sappe of wood, eft greenenesse cannot drawe,

True ornament for iudges all, who execute the lawe
Of Iupiter on mortall men: the day before thou wist,
Wil come, when to be shielded from sir Hectors murdering fist
(Who shal hacke down the Greeks in heapes) yt I shal be entreated,
And thou (thy lewdnesse fond confest) shal thorowly be heated,
To haue despised carelesly, who most deserueth loes.
Thus said, from him in fury great his scepter down he throwes,
He sittes him downe. Agamemnon, whome anger forward straines,
Minding faire Bryseis stil to haue, the quarrel he maintaines.

That speaker sweete delighting tong therewith duke Nestor rose,
From Heauen had, much pleasaunter than Hony from him flowes,
By grace diuine, of triple life the yeares he also bare,
He to th'assembly as they sate his knowledge doth declare.

O what mishap, what parant losse see I on Greece to fall?
What ioy and hope to Priamus his sonnes and subiects all,
When as shall come vnto their eares, that in this campe of ours
By kindled heate in quarrell thus our greatest Princes lours?
This discorde leaue, this fury fly, than yours my yeares are more,
Your greaters and your grauers to, I known haue heretofore,
Who haue my counsel ay obeyed: I neuer knewe nor knowe
More bolde and mightie mortall men, than these and Perithoe,
Dryas in Prudence thiefe of price, Exadius, Polipheme,
Ceneis equall with the Gods, who by their force extreme
The Giants and the Lapyths slewe, whereby their glorie fledde
To Heauen highe, I called I, with them I often yedde
To battailes great and dangerous, in bloudy martial marte,
Whose force no lustie liuing tho to frunt in fight had hearte,
They alwaies built so on my word, as none would crosse my speech,
Wel shal you doe, if you performe by counsaile what I teach.
And first to you Agamemnon, be not of so greate minde,
Thoughe chiefe thou be, perforce to take Bryseis, who is assignde
By all the Greekes his iust rewarde: Achill I thinke it good
You silence vse, with iarring wordes forbeare to crosse in moode.
Of al the sceptred Princes none so high is seated downe,
As ouer hiest Ioue appoints the scepter and the crowne:
In force if so you more auaile, from Thetis that it retches

Your mother she, but yet than yours his puissaunce further stretches,
For Nations more do him obey. And Agamemnon take it,
Appease your rage and your abuse, lette not your calling make it.

Achilles, for the loue of me, if true, I true reporte,
Forget this iarre, to Greekish campe in olde and wonted sorte
Shewe forth your selfe a bulwarke sure: Thou aged worthy sire,
Quoth Agamemn, what thou haste saide, beste reason doth require,
But here this mate by gallant heart triumphing Lorde will goe,
He will commaunde, he all will rule: but softe, he shall not so,
If I may choose: his force is greate, as sib to power diuine,
Hathe he then leaue all wrong to doe, as fancie shall encline?

Achilles straight ful restlesse yet, from him the speache he tooke,
I were (quoth he) a coward leude, if I agreed to brooke
Thy gouernaunce, after thy wil I rulde will be no more,
For no obedience looke of me, others commaunde therefore,
And build on this: For Bryseis faire, no quarrel I wil make
With any man, sith obstinate you bent are for to take
The gifte on me whiche was bestowed: but haue regarde to dare
(Yea for thy life) to touch the Gods in my possession are,
And be aboorde my vessels, thou a bootelesse worke shouldest haue.
And if thou beest so gallant set, or yet so beastly braue,
Aduaunce thy selfe, thy valor shewe, and al men shal beholde
Me with my Launce to shed thy bloud, and lay thy carcasse colde.
The case debated thus at length, the Councell al they rose,
Achilles with his companye to his Pauillion goes.

A shippe well furnishte Agamemn on sea he causeth rise
With twentie Ores, forgetting not things meete for Sacrifice,
And pucell Chryseis fitly there he shipped honest well,
And Vlysses for patron put, who Greekes did all excell
In good aduise, and pleasaunte speache, the waues at will they slice,
With winde in poupe, they hope full soone to finde hir father Chryse.

Againe home offerings more to fitte, Agamemn hyeth faste,
To cleanse the campe, and in the sea the ordure for to caste.
Then to the Altars reared high on shoare right beautifull,
He biddeth bring the wanton Goate, the Sheepe and mightie Bull,
Deuoutly for the army all, on Phœbus to bestowe,

Whereof the smel and vapor thicke to heauen righte doth goe,
As burnt they were, the people eke in many sundry wise
Unto the Gods sent their demaunds, their prayers, and their cries,
But Agamemns wrath swageth not, he stil in rage doth roste,
Till he at pleasure Bryseis haue, for Chryseis he hathe loste.
Two Heraultes strayght he bids to come, he thought of best respect,
Talthybe, and Eurybate, to whome he spake to this effecte:
O Heraults here seeke out Achill, who in his tente nowe is,
Bring Bryse away, if he withstande, I present will not misse,
Spite of his teeth to fetche hir I, and wel vnto his paine.
Suche were his wordes, outragious, more fond and foolishe vaine.

To place the Heraultes quickly came, where lay ye valiant Greek,
They him no sooner sawe, but that their dreads were not to seeke,
Agast to touch so mightie a Prince, of whome when he did heare,
Although in grief he welcomde thē, and shewde thē pleasant cheere.

You Heraultes high, come on quoth he, no daunger dread at all,
For by youre disarde king, not you, this wrong on me doth fall,
Agamemn, who will me bereaue by force and tyranny
Of Bryseis liking presence, whyche so deare is in mine eye.
Petroclus mate and brother mine, of beautie fetche the dame,
Giue hir in handes to Heraults these: And here I doe proclaime
Before the Gods, ye Heraults eke, al people vnder Sunne,
This tyrant too, whose senses stil to worse and worse do runne:
To witnesse I do call you al, hereafter, if perhappes
The Greekes haue neede of my reliefe by meanes of afterclappes,
And peril comming to the campe, this doting dazeled Asse,
He knowes not good discourse, nor yet what ere good councel was.
He mindeth not, who hitherto hath bin the armies shield,
He knoweth not who hathe the power to saue the same in fielde.
Herewith Patroclus bringeth forth Bryseis the Damsel gay,
He giues hir in the Heraultes handes, who onwarde take their way
Apace to Agamemnons shippes to leade the Lady faire,
Who much againste hir wil, to him doth make hir new repaire.

By this farewel, the pleasures al of valiant Achill quailes,
He martirde so is with the griefe, with sheadding teares he wailes,
And from his people goes aparte. And better to abide

His bitter paine, vnto the shoare he stealeth there aside,
Thus to his mother Thetis ofte shewing his wofull case:

Sith in my birth by fate full harde fewe yeares I doe embrace
Of life, then Ioue (quoth he) who sees al things from Welkin hye,
Some honour shoulde haue giuen me, before the time I dye,
And not to suffer Agamemn my solace thus to sterue,
By power to take that noble gift, whyche well I did deserue.

From deapth of wide and hollowe sea, hir sonne complayning thus
With piteous noise, Thetis gaue eare, leauing Oceanus
The aged sire in Marine Courte, in likenesse of a cloude
With speede she comes to Achilles, in dolour where he stoode.
Kinde countenaunce and shewe she makes: Alas deare son quoth she,
What ayleth thee? whence commes thy griefe? Alas, what man is hee
That hathe thy minde disturbed thus? let me th'occasion see,
That of of thy doleful deering here, partaker I may be.

He sighing saide, muste I to you declare my martyring throwes?
The wrongs to me nowe lately done your selfe too too well knowes.
You knowe full wel howe for to harme King Priame and his kinne,
Many a subiect towne of his, and neighbors, quite haue bin
To ruine, sacke, and bootie brought, the walles of Ætion
The puissant king, by me were torne, whereof to euery one
The spoyles were parted equally: Chryseis of beautie moste
Was lefte to Agamemnons choice, who kept hir in the hoste.
Chryseis the sire shortly in campe his daughter faire he sought,
And for hir raunsome also due he gallant presents brought.
Unto vs all in humble wise he lowly made request,
And eke to him that had hir rule, with whome the Maide did rest.
Of Phœbus cleare, olde Chryses was, cladde with the worthye weed,
Thereby to purchase more regarde. By vs it was agreed,
That she in freedome shoulde be sette, and giftes had in exchaunge,
But here oure Chieftaine our aduise he tooke it very straunge:
And maugre al, with choller ful, the hoarie haires he chode;
His presents thus refusde, good Chryse, right sorrowfull abode.
To Phœbus cleare he prayed harde, who put him not abacke:
For shortly numbers greate, by plague are put to direfull lacke.
This wofull plight, when plaine I sawe of Greekes by death yspent,

Which Calchas wise saide from Apoll proceeded ill content,
I did persuade the people al, the God to pacifie,
Thereby displeasing Agamemn, himselfe so gloriously
And sterne who beares. With outrages and threats he eke began,
And sayde, his losse muste healed be of me, I was the man:
He failed not to execute his filthie minde so false.
Chryseis in Galley scarce was put, and haled vp the halse,
But that they Bryseis fetche away, whether she wil or no
Out of my Tent, King Agamemn to him wil haue hir goe.
I this way of the goodly gifte, which all the Campe me gaue
Defrauded am. But if that you suche might and puissaunce haue
(As well I know your force is great) then yeelde thou some reliefe
Unto your wofull sonne, whose soule is paulde with inward griefe.
Ascend, and licence craue of Ioue that I reuenge may take,
For once from danger you him drew, for mends let him this make.
I minde it well, I ofte haue heard you largely vaunt and boste,
That, but for you and for your helpe, he life and laude had loste.
For Neptune ioyned with Pallas, and Iuno Dame that shrowe,
Had enterprisde to bind his hands, & down the heauens him throwe.
But their malitious harde deuise preuented was in time:
For you descending, to the Heauen you caused for to clime
Briareus callde Ægeon, the hundred handed Giant,
The fiercest of all mortall wights, who fiercely there resiant,
Did so agast the Seaish God, and other Goddish powers,
That Ioue as soueraigne stil remaines, & none against him stoures.
Goe get you to him mother mine, and lowly on your knees
Minde him of this your seruice done, demaunding for your fees,
That he vouchsafe the Troyans sende suche courage to embrace,
That slaine or burnt, the Greekes to shore do fearefully giue place.
This mischiefe byding by their King, who then his faulte shal spie,
And loftie liking of himselfe, so little care, looselie
Minding his prowesse, who of all in valor beares the Bell.
Thetis againe Achill hir sonne thus answers very wel,
With heauy hearte and weeping eyes: Alas (she said) my sonne,
Haue I thee hither thus brought vp? thy life hast thou begonne
(Sith in a trice it is cutte off) Why blisfull is it not?

Haue I conceiued shee deare sonne, to this vnhappy lot?
What, is thy fate so hard, to giue thee short and doleful dayes?
Wel, thee to please, I wil to Ioue, perswading diuerse wayes,
In telling this, that to thy losse he be a setter an,
But two dayes past he with the Gods is gone th'ocean,
Wheras the Æthiopes do inuite the auntient Gods to cheere,
Eleauen dayes it wil be ful, ere he returne I heere.
But then a suter will I be, til when I wish (my child)
You from the battayle do absteine, and not your weapons wield.
Disport your selfe vpon the waues, a ship-boorde take no care,
That it be wist vnto the Greekes how great your dolours are.
With this she leaues hir sonne Achil. A boorde he keepes in paine
For Brisies gone, he feeles the smart, that thrils through euery vayne.
That while Vlisse with winde in poupe, and trauaile of the Ore,
Of fertile Chrise he with the dame approcheth to the shore
And pleasant port: downe come the sayles, & round they roll thē fast,
Upon the deck haeled adowne is layde the mightie Mast.
And then from Poupe with Cables harde the toothed Ancres fling
Their holde to take, and lay alande prouision which they bring
For sacrifice: Vlisses doth the mayde with careful charge
Upon hir saddle sette, conduct to Phœbus temple large,
With minde ful milde, where-to hir sier he giues hir in his handes,
And with these words: Thou Christs Priest, so happy thou ye stands,
Agamemn, who commaunds the Greeks, to thee hath sent me hither
To bring thee home thy daughter here, and with hir eke togither
Such vowes to offer to Apol, to pacifie his anger,
That Greekes therby so deeply pinde, be therewith plagde no lāger.
The good olde man did ioye apace his daughter to possesse,
And forthwith bad to sacrifice they all things readie dresse.
And Barly cakes he cals to bring, and fingers washed faire,
Aloude he lifteth vp his voyce, and ioyned hands doth reare.
Oh puissāt Phœbus (thus he prayes) whose darts do al things teare,
Thou Phœbus cleare, Apollo God who siluer bow doth beare,
And Cyl, Chrysa, and Tenedos doth rule vnto thy liking,
If any time thou hast vouchsafte to graunt at my besiking
To shew the working of thy wrath on Greekes afflicted sore,

Who wholely yeelde vnto thy wil, O Phœbus graunt therefore
To chaunge thy minde, & frō this Cāpe this bitter plague do banish,
No sooner prayde, but Phœbus hearde, & plague it straight did vanish.

Full furnishte were the offerings, when ended was to pray,
The sheepe are slaine, their skinnes of pluckt, & to the fire they lay
The gigots plumbe, and cut off legges: good Chrise with wine so red
The Aulter throughly doth perfume: himselfe he careful sped
About the seruice of the God, and fier great doth kindle,
The loynes of the oblations dead, and other flesh they mingle,
And roundly rost on broches fiue, and gridorne on the Coales,
And euery one prepares himselfe vnto his cheare and boales.
A seemely sight it was to see the seamen plye their teeth,
Wherewith the Cups apace they walke, they wel content therwith.
Refreshed thus, Vlisses and the Greekes they do not spend
Idle the day, they Himnes do chaunt, and ferly songs do send
Apollos prayse to herrie hie, wherof the pleasaunt tunes
Resounding in the God his eares, he pleasure great resumes.

At night Vlisses coucheth him within his galley lowe,
At peepe of day eche one prepares to plucke, to bale, to rowe.
To loftie seas the Maste they hoyse, Gods ayde they do not lacke,
For shortly with ye winde he gaue (which made their sayles to crack)
In port of safetie they ariue, where bloudie war doth rore,
And taking land, their vessel they do draw vpon the shore.
To his pauilion eche retires, or hieth him abrode.

This while Achilles keepes his tent, for matters of the sworde
He neither makes nor medles with, nor yet to counsel cōmes,
In minde with trouble ouerchargde, he grieued sits, and glōmes,
Pyning away his valiaunt corps, a patterne odde produced.
Unto the world of worthy shape: when as should be induced
Alarme among the Greeks, he gapes, whom Troyans should assaile,
Good proofe to shew his helpe, to them to be of great auaile.

The day now come of Ioues returne from th'Occean solemn feast,
One morning Thetis from the sea to heauen hir selfe doth prest.
The God aside she sitting saw, approching to him nie,
His knees hir left hand doth embrace, with countnaunce curteouslye
Hyr right to chin she moued soft, and humbly thus she prayde:

If any time (redoubted sire) that I haue with mine ayde
Thy high and mightie maiestie releeued in thy want,
I thee besech this my request O father do it graunt,
Sith life is short, his honor to touchte, yeelde thou vnto my sonne,
Let Agamemnon shortly know what wrong he hath him done,
Yeelding the Greekes a thorough feare, the Troyans courage hie,
So that the wracked Campe restore his credite worthilie.

To this the Goddesses milde speech, the great God answerd nat,
But sadly musing with himselfe he stil, in silence sat.
The Goddesse eftsoone wearie now, this silence long that spies,
In humble sort vpon hir knees intreateth in this wise:
Say yea, or no, Oh Iupiter, ende both my hope and feare,
For you of whom to stand in dread, I know none life doth beare:
Say on therfore, that I may see, in fauour how I stand,
How smal regarded or esteemde, I craue it at your hand.

With fetched sigh Ioue aunsweres thus: Oh harde and heauy case,
Sith my wife Iuno I must stirre, and haue hir froward grace.
T'is she, t'is she of all the Gods with me that most doth iarre,
Alleaging that I Priams part support do in this warre.
That she do not our meaning finde, down straight descēd your ways,
And your demaunde I wil fulfil, assurde without delayes.
And that you know my promise sound, I wil you shew a signe
To ease your doubt, this shal it be, to vow my heade diuine,
A token aye that neuer fayles, when any thing of waight
Unto the Gods I do behight. His head he shaketh straight,
And bended browes so raiseth he, that of his holy heare
By only shake, Olympus large doth tremble fast for feare.
Thetis to depth of sea descendes, the God his mansion keepes,
In Welkin Countrey he remaines, with other Gods he meetes,
In troupe, not missing no not one, themselues they humbly show,
Amid them all right glorionsly on throne he sitteth tho.
Then Iuno chased at the full, now found the secrete tricke
Of Ioue, to wracke of Greekish Campe, which touchte hir at ye quick.
With hart audatious thus she says: thou God with malice frought,
What subtile toy, what pretie prāke, haue you (I pray you) wrought
With that my maisters Mariner? from whence now doth it grow

That I with you must not conferre, nor must your counsels know?
Delighting that your dealings close to other knowen be,
I fur aloufe a straunger I. Hope not then aunsweared he
My secrets I acquaint you with, your gaine it would be lesse,
Although my wife and sister both, you are, I do confesse.
In Counsayles which are fitte for you, you full shal haue your right,
None calde so soone, no not the God, that greatest is of might.
If, what I haue determined plaine, none is shall know the matter,
Then let me rest, to search it out you ought not thus to patter.
Out cried the Goddesse loude, alas, O crabbed rusticke Ioue,
So like an Asse or vndiscrete, when did I euer roue,
To seeke the things of secrecie, but still I am excluded,
You crabbed you, your secrete deedes without me are concluded.
Which made me careful, when I saw Thetis that spiteful peate
Thys morning here so perting sitte at elbow by your seate.
I greatly dread hir sonne to venge, obtainde some suite she hath,
Wherby to danger down the Greekes, & worke their harme & scath.

To this the God did cal hir hag, (quoth he) I cannot shift,
But thy suspitious iealous heade aye findeth out my drift.
But how much more (I smel) you thinke to alter what I meane,
I so much more in spite of you do stil contrarie cleane,
The rather for your kicking thus. If I vnto Thetis
Haue promist anye thing at all, sith so my pleasure is,
And you it knowe, why should not you agree as wel as I?
Go sit you downe, and talke no more so fonde and foolishly,
Least moued I, with both my fistes I giue you hanging lawes,
And in such sort, as no God here can saue you from my clawes.

By this so great and dreadful threat, dame Iuno more she feares,
She quiet growes, she goes hir wayes, & visage downe she beares,
Among the Gods she takes hir place: this while the heauenly route,
By this contention greeued are, and troubled thorow out.

Whereby with pitie Vulcane bare to Iuno, which he had,
With doubt this snarling would proceed to worse, which was to bad:
With curteous speech he did his best, to comfort hir, as thus:
My mother deare, if this despite remaine, and that with vs
Immortal Gods we quarrel haue, for mortal peoples case,

I surely see decay to fal vpon this goddish race.
The banquets shal be brought to nought, and quailed with disquiet,
Wherat we all are stil refresht, and reason why, for royot
In mischiefe like makes better head, than better can attaine.
You must more kind and louing be: oh noble dame refraine
Your choller now vnto my sire, how, best your selfe doth know,
Else by this rigour of debate the case wil fall out so,
As all the Gods, both you and I, shal finde no little griefe,
If once he grow into a rage. He mightie is and chiefe,
He from the heauens will vs hunte, wherby our iunkets gay,
Our sport, our chat of louing toyes shal cleane be tane away,
And porte of this our mansion hie, all counsels ended quite.
I you beseech to haue some care this daunger do not light,
Agree your selfe vnto his wil, with wordes of milde allay,
And what you list, you shal obtaine, he can you not denay.
With this a boule of Nectar ful, in hand sir Vulcane tooke,
And to his mother did present it with a comely looke.
Beare mother mine, (quoth he to hir) refuse not to obay
To Ioue, though care doth maister you, and wils you answere nay,
Least greater shame you hap to haue, he laying you on the Hide,
And though I would, no help at all I could for you prouide,
Nor yet resist his power diuine: haue you forgot so soone,
How you to rescue from his hand, he had me almost done
To death? when so his furie woxe, from skies he did me thro
Down by the foote, where in the ayre I tumbled too and fro,
A whole day through, and fel at last with bones and body burst,
In Lemnos Ile, in manner dead, wheras I fel at furst.
Wheras I was wel entertainde there by the Lemnos dweller,
With bountie great. When Iuno heard thus Vulcane for to tel hir,
She was appeasde, and gan to smile, the cup to lips she set,
With Nectar sweete, celestial iuyce, hir mouth and hart she wet
It was a pastime to behold the pleasaunt Vulcane God,
In taking say to al the rest, with halting haunches plod.
Whereat the Gods do laugh apace, much liking of the iest.
And then prepared is forthwith, the high and heauenly feast,
From morning cleare which vnto night was drawen out along,

With great and glorious aray, the Muses with their song
Concording stil, and Phœbus he his doulced Harpe doth strike
Agreeing in sweet Harmonie, wherwith they greatly like
The worthy route: the sun gone downe, ech one with heauie eyes
Retires vnto his seuerall home, in buildings which do rise
By skil of lymping Artysane: Ioue to his Chamber hies,
And down he coucheth on his bed, and Iuno by him lyes.

Finis Libri primi.

The seconde Booke.

The Heauenly sires and mortal folke passed the night as tho
In pleasaunt sleepe, yeelding to it, ful free of care and wo.
But Ioue sticking with tooth and nayle stil vnto hys behest
To Thetis made, with irkesome cheare bereft was of his rest,
Casting how he Achilles fame vnto the starres might raise,
And moue some broyles in the Greeks Cāpe to their losse any ways.
Iohn dreaming God he callde to him, that God chiefe God of il,
Common cole carrier of euery lye, thus saying him his wil:
Thou cankerde dreame thinke on thy charge, & leaue thy seate nowe here
And straight to Agamemnons ships this message see thou beare,
Without abode that he do arme eche Greekish crue and bande,
His enterprise to ende, my selfe wil put an helping hande.
For now the Gods do all agree that Troy to ruine goe,
Among them though hath bene great tug whether it should be so.
Throughly by Iuno brought thereto, whose wil and whole desire
Is both the Troyan towne and folke to daunt with sworde and fire.

Hauing his errand thus from Ioue, the dreaming God him sped
Forthwith to Agamemn that prince, whom he found then abed,
By sleepe refreshing so his sprites of toyle and trauaile gone,
Of Nestor olde that famous wight the shape that God put on,
Saying: Oh valiant Atreus heire, sleepst thou or dost thou wake?
A Princes dutie is not thus himselfe to sloth to take,
Who hath the charge of such a crue of knights and army big,
For not throughout to sleepe a night the care of them would twig.
Sith Ioue so much thy fame desires, and eke thy name to raise,
And for thy sake hath causde such broyles he bids without delayes,
That next when Titan shewes his face this, Orizon to light,
In order you your armies range of battaile for to fight.
For now the time is right at hand, yea this is now the day,
Wherein the Troyan Citie shal be giuen to Greekes in pray.
The Gods as now yeelde all therto, agreeing in this case
Willing to follow Iunoes vaine, whom great desires embrace
Of Troy to see the Towers downe torne, and euend with the ground,
And Ioue that God, of others most, that string doth wholy sounde.
The Troyans little to esteeme his Godhead he doth know.
Thinke on oh King that I haue saide, my message do not slow.
His errand done, as he was willde, he toke his flight from thence,
Leauing Prince Agamemnon then in dumpe and in suspence.
And casting for to make exployte and end without delayes,
To spoyle the Troyan towne and line, and not to take more dayes.
But the great Calfe mist of his counte, for Ioue had layde a bayte
As wel the Greekes as Dardanes kind them both a shame to waite.
But then he rose, leauing his bed, and sitting downe thereon,
He clad himselfe with garments newe, and put a Mantle on,
And on his feete ful delicate cleane shoes right feate he set,
And to his side a sworde he girt, with golden nayles ybet.
Thus clad, holding in his right hand his own paternal Mace,
Went from his tent vnto the ships to consult of the case.

When as Aurora gan to clime vpon Olimpus hie,
And brought to men message of light before the Sunne in skie,
Agamemnon went to counsel his Heraults crying out,
Both great and smal, yea more and losse of all the Greekish route

Came to the cal, but ere he would his minde to them declare
He callde the auntients of the host, they that most worthy were,
Whose counsel was the best esteemde, to whom he thus began
Samewhat with ioy in Nestors shippe that famous worthy man.

How this last night the dreame diuine did set my thought on fire
Heare now my friends, when as he came resembling this old sire.
This rest becōmes thee not, quoth he, you child of Atreus kinde,
But rather on thy charge to thinke, and there to set thy minde.
A wise man the which subiect is to euery kinde of ill,
Ought not in rest spende all the night, or sleepe therein his fil.
Giue eare therefore vnto my words: sith Ioue now willing is
T'aduance thy name & great renoume, cōmands, thou dost not misse
But in the field to raunge thy power to morrow for to fight,
For therein thou shalt bring adowne the Troyan pride and might,
And sacke their Citie, sith the Gods no more are at discorde,
To succour them, their foe Iuno, hath wrought them to accorde.
And namely Ioue against Priam wil follow his reuenge,
And as a foman, so of him, himself himselfe wil venge.
This message done, the dreame me left, and I addresse likewise
My selfe to you my friends, to know your counsaile and aduise,
How to furnish this enterprise: but ere we do beginne
Our armour to put on, lets see what mindes our men be in.
If yee thinke good, to Countrey home I wil them wil to hie,
And with faire words wil counsayle them, & willing seeme wil I.
But you shal argue and reply against that my request,
Constrayning them by word and deede to tarrie and arest,
Til that a thorow ende be made: then Nestor vp did rise
Straight at his tale, and to them al he gan speake in this wise.

Oh Princes famous of renoume, if any presently
But Agamemn should counte this tale, we would it hold a lye,
And making him a laughing stocke, his credite should be smal:
But sith this tale is his, who hath the leading of vs al,
We must to it our credite giue, not spending time in this,
But to assent is my deuise vnto these words of his,
Encouraging our souldiours all for to committe to winde,
And to aduaunce our ensignes all with courage good and minde.

This sentence of Nestor allowde, Agamemnon straight rose,
The Peeres accompanying him, ye rout wt zeale of news now goes,
He, who hath seene the busie Bees, whē Prime time first forth leaps,
Issuing off the sliued rockes, flying in swarmes and heapes,
To smel the odour of the floures, of the small blossomde trees:
Suppose, that from al quarters came, both great and small likewise,
Folowing their chieftains at the heeles, for news to heare they cast,
Togither so to the sea stronde they hyed them to haste.

The messenger of Ioue so swift with wing as may be thought,
Fame with the help of his strong pens, did leaue no place vnsought,
But stirres eche man with doubled wordes to haste vnto the rout,
That with ye noise of those that came the earth trembled throughout:
And in the ayre the brute resoundes, right haply he was set,
That could by chance find out some place among such prease so gret,
He preaseth him, him he again, shouldring ech one his feere,
They labor stil with heaue and shoue, eche one to draw more neere.

But the Heraults silence to make, nine times th'Oies did crie,
To the Kings wordes praying the Greekes to hearke attentiuely.

Agamemnon him ready made, and on a place of state
He mounted vppe, in his right hande his Sceptre deaurate
Wrought lately by the God Vulcane, to Ioue it with great care
Did he present, efte by whose gifte eke Mercurie it bare,
And Mercurie in present gaue it to Pelops the greate,
Who it did yeelde to Atreus, and in his hand it set.
And Atreus yeelding vp the Ghost, to Thyestes the strong
He it bequeathde, with other things which to it did belong,
This Sceptre Agamemnon helde, and it possest indeede,
For to the soile of Argos riche as heire he did succeede,
And eke to other Cities more in lande right firme and fast,
With Iles, whose beauties to beholde eche minde would be agast.
Wherefore vaunting this royall Mace in his right hand before,
Whiche eke Pelops his auncestor had borne himselfe of yore,
With stately looke vpon his crues, he set and fixt his eies,
With stretched lims he gan him shroude, and spake thē in this wise:
With griesly plague not to be borne, O host of Greekishe soile,
Famous by Armes, Ioue hathe me deeerde, and put me to the foile,

And il hath fauourde our affaires: for promise he did make
To me, that long ere this we should the towne to flame betake
And that we should to Greece returne al safe in prosprous plight
But I see he hath laid a traine to trappe vs if he might.
For chaunging now his iust deuise: he counsels at the laste
Home to returne, when at this siege greate perils we haue past,
Which we this long time haue sustaind: thus wil this God of powre
Bring downe mens force if he so please in moment of an houre.
And Cities huge he layes in dust, euen as his pleasure is,
And brings eche mightie strength to ruine: oh what mishap is this?
Suche warped keeles for to behold fleeting vpon the seas,
And dead so many worthy Knightes on the earth sundry wayes,
And Troy to sacke haue had no might, who nowe cannot abide?
For if a present proofe were made, and that it might be tryde,
That Troians as our freendes and feres were numbred al in one,
And that we Greekes diuided were, by tens and tens eche one,
Appointing to eche troupe of vs but one Troyan by name,
To retche the Cuppe at our requests, when we call for the same,
A man should see thousandes of Greekes (the Troyans be so scant,)
That calling in their thirst for drinke, their butlers they should wāt,
So much our number theirs surmounts, which be of Troyan bloud.
But truth it is, that numbers great are come of nations good,
Resolued wightes themselues haue vowde to dye in their defence.
Whiche not a little grieues me nowe, and casts me in suspence,
Not being of force for to preuaile, and yet nine yeares throughout
We haue this Troy strongly besiegde on ech side round about.
Yet they our Machins haue withstoode: what hope then in the same
Of them to gaine should we now haue, but mere reproche & shame?
And of our ships the deckes be broke, and whole there is no saile,
Our saile yards rotten, our masts yspent, & tackling ginnes to faile.
For our returne to take in hand they are in sorie plight.
And yet againe our dolorous wiues doe wish of vs some sight,
And haue done long with ardent zeale, hearing the guiltlesse cries
Of the small babes, with our returne wishing to baite their eyes.
And we now brought into distresse, and voide of our purpose,
Our honor, fame, and good renowme, and like our time we lose.

For wel we knowe, and certaine be, that we can not destroy,
Nor put to flame this Citie nowe impugnable of Troy.
And other councell I knowe none, but this for beste I choose,
That to our houses we returne, and not our honours loose.
Doing as reason eke requires, let vs the Gods obay,
And that eche man hie to his home, let no man thinke of stay.

These words at pleasure thus pronoūst, did yeeld ye Greeks a mind
Of full desire of their returne, and so they ganne to wind,
With whispering noise, yeelding a sounde, as oft the seas we see
The storme the boistrous surge to raise, weltring now low now hie,
And with the strength of southern blast is driuen against eche rocke,
It doth redound with griesly roare, when on them it doth knocke:
Or else, when as the westerne winde doth meete a field of graine,
In haruest time, & cause the eares to whush throughout the plaine.
Ech man such hast made vnto shippe, that yet before their cryes
The dust into the aire was raisde alofte into the skyes.
Which was a griefe vnto them al, yet suche desire they had
Of their returne, that eche his friend beganne thereof to glad,
And councel gaue their Masts to hoise, and eke their sailes to spred,
With such a noise, as to the stars their cries and clamors yed.

In truth the selfe same morning then eche his returne did hie,
And al agreed were of the same, maugre the destinie:
Had not Iuno spit on hir handes, and taken better holde,
And prayed Pallas of hir help when these things waxed colde.

Minerua thou my friendly mate, shall we before our eyes
Suffer vppon these Greekishe bandes such infamie to rise,
And shamefully to take their flight by armes not sacking Troy,
Not winning Helene, who is cause of all this great annoy,
To King Priames immortall fame, and honor of his kinne?
If oft thy godly wisedome hath preuaild mens hearts to winne,
And them to change from sentence set, the same now for to vse
Is meete, to cause the Greekes to change, and thys their way refuse.
And that from Troy no shippe departe, haste downe I thee desire,
Till Greece, who hath receivde this wrong, do venge hirselfe by fire.

Whē as ye green eyed Goddesse thus had heard dame Iunoes talk,
To finde the wilie Vlysses straight downe she tooke hir walke.

Who hauing lefte the other Greekes in care, then plunged was,
With sorrowe sore, seeing how ill the warre was brought to passe.
Who semblance none, nor countnāce made, homward to take ye seas,
Nor once t'imbarke himselfe, this ende so muche did him displease.

Is it agreed, saide Pallas then, O thou Vlysses wise,
That this shamefull departure thus be taken in thys wise?
Shall thus the Greekes be seene to flye, and Troyans to enioy
That beautie, which al Greece to win, brought their whole strēgth Troy?
These rauishing beasts hir to possesse, to see dost yu not burne?
I pray thee hast with pleasant wordes to stay the Greekes returne,
Here to abide, vntil such time, as ye haue seene eche one
The Troyan towne within the walles and tower of Ilion.

The warie Greeke hearing the voice diuine, without delay
Threwe off his weed, and to the campe he tooke the nearest way,
The lighter clad to make more speede, and meeter to make haste,
The which an Herault straight tooke vp, and folowed him as fast.
And Agamemnon as he ranne, he mette right in the face,
Of whome (the more to be esteemde) he tooke hys golden Mace.
By happe, if in this hurly burle, with Prince or King he met,
With gentle speeche he causde them stay, these words he forward set.
Ah fellowe mine, it is not meete, that we, who beare the porte
Of Kings and heads, should shew our selues as do the meaner sorte,
Daald dastards, but our parte it is, from slouth them to refraine,
And to leade them by counsel good, to things more for their gaine.
Agamemns fetch you do not feele, who by a gentle way
Doth proue to see which Grecian heart most failes and faints away,
Or who holdes out: so his reward or punishment to bestow,
He is too wise that eche man should his minde and secrets know.
Wherefore we ought all to foresee, that he finde cause no where
In vs to stirre: for a Kings wrath is burthen great to beare.
For that powre, by the whiche he rules, proceedes from grace aboue,
And who commands here in Gods place, him God doth alway loue.
Vlysses to his fellow Knightes thus curteously did say,
Not irously, but if he founde a knaue carefull of pray,
Or mutinous, who made as though he home would passe the seas,
With his Sceptre he dealt some blows, &, beastly wretche he sayes:

Becomes it thee, thou Hedgehog thou, who loues no toile but ease,
With murmorous wordes to go about thy Captaine to displease?
Retire and stande, my friend I say, with those are of my bande,
To heare the Kings, who can appoint whats meetst to take in hand.
Eche one of honor maye not be a King and Ruler straight,
For worthy Fame and great renoume are things that are of waight,
If they be Marshalled by one: wherfore in euery case
Let vs obey that King, whome Ioue hath set here in his place.

Suche gentle wordes Vlysses vsde, that so they did retire,
And straight they left their ships, in troups & plūps ye kings to heare,
Making such noise as doth the sea, when with some boisterous brag
It makes the shoare whistle along, with beating on eche crag.
Ech one did choose himselfe a place, whereas he heare might beste,
Saue Thersites among them al without a roume did rest.

This Thersits was a surly knaue, and eke a dogged swine,
Not knowing honor nor his good, and alwaies spent his time,
And tooke delight to mocke and scorne, and vse with trifling toyes
Euen the chiefe: and in such trickes consisted al his ioyes:
Thinking that it became him wel, when he did them contrary:
And worse: he was the vgliest beast, that ere the earth did carry:
It seemde Nature had sought hir wit his foulenesse for to shape:
Ill limmde he was, and for his head, it pillde was like an Ape,
A Crassum caput, and his eares they were of Asses last,
His limmes gourdie, crooked, and lame: in fine, take thys at last,
His forme was monstrous to beholde, his shape none euer had,
He reaked not, though he were thought in trouble still to gad.
All his contention and debate was broadly to gainsay
Vlysses and Achill, and ofte like part, yea, woulde he play
With Agamemnon, who, bycause he knewe th'ole host of late,
Or moste of it, did stomacke then, for that so fonde debate,
Bycause he helde Bryseis the faire: he speedes to him amaine,
Thus scornfully to anger him, and moue him in eche vaine.

What doste thou lacke Agamemnon, t'accomplish thy desire?
What wouldst thou haue? what grieues thy hart? & sets it so on fire?
What doth it else demaunde? for first thy coffers full they be
Of golde, siluer, and iewels heapt, thy ships and tents we see

Beset with passing Damsels through, which we the Greekes bestow
In gifte on thee, when by assaulte we bring a Citie lowe.
If to vs chaunce a prisoner rich, we can thee not deny,
But bring to thee (strangely me thinke) his raunsome by and by:
For all these things at thy desire, yet art thou not content,
But if thou seest a captiue, whome nature hath beautie lent,
Hir strayght t'abuse thy corage serues: wherfore what should mē say,
Shall we al our allegeance beare, and such an head obey,
Or honor him, we very beastes and Greekes infamde? nay, nay,
Not Greekish knights, but Greciā dames, what get we here to bide?
This Auarice here let vs leaue, that perish may this pride,
And he of causing wrong debates may know the irkesome gaines,
Lets leaue him here, and he shal know what wrong Achill sustaines,
For Agamemn thou hadst good hap when as the quarrell grewe,
For, if that he reuenge had sought, downe there he had thee slewe.

Vlysse hearing this arrogant foole, with austere looke drew neare,
And looking through his browes at him, he spake as you shall heare:
Thou knaue defamde, thou busie Iacke, althoughe I knowe by kind
Thou arte a rayler, hold thy tongue, and set not thus thy minde,
Aught in reproch of him to say, whome we as chiefe do chuse,
For not the beste, euen of vs al, ought him in wordes misuse,
And much lesse thou, who of the campe art refuse and outcast,
What a trim Counsellour is this, who prates and talkes thus fast.
Of our departure from this siege, without respect to knowe
Whether our good or losse it be? and (his vile minde to showe)
Commes here to taunt Agamemnon, and casteth in his teeth
The gift, which his desert did craue, and we rewarded with?

But hearke thou Iacke, and be thou sure, that if little or muche
I finde thee chatte agaynste the Kyngs, or else their honor touche,
That from my necke my head I loose, I pray the Gods aboue,
And that mine onely sonne do dye, whome I entirely loue,
If straight as cruelly as I can, I strippe thee not of all,
Yea mother nakte, no not thy shirt to couer thee withall,
And then in eche my hands a whip I scourge thee through the plaine,
Carelesse the Greeks and thou thy selfe shalte hide for shame & paine.
So saying, with his Mace he hent him sixe or seauen bangs,

That on his crooked backe and bombes, the bloudy drops so hangs.
Then Thersites set vp with shame, grunting with cheere full ill,
Dreading that worser broiles might hap, wyth sobs so held him stil.

Which made th'assembly all to smile, (though troubled as before)
Laughing at him with open mouth, and at this skirmish sore.
Eche one lauding Vlysses muche, they thus reporte of him:
O what good zeale and wisedome great, with care of him so trimme.
His valyantnesse we knowe long since, and eche man well espies
He peerelesse is, hardie in warre, and eke in councell wise:
Yet neuer did he better deede, than coursing this rebel,
For henceforth nothing shal he moue, whiche dutie thinkes not well.

And Pallas played the Heraultes parte, exclayming to eche one
To holde them still, the flowing Greeke to heare, seconde to none.
Who seeyng them all so whusht to heark, spake thus before the thrōg:

Agamemnon thou worthy Prince, thou haste too open wrong,
Of al these Greeks vnder thy charge, to Greece who homward would
Against the promise they haue made, which rather keepe they should,
The whyche they made not to returne, til Troy were in thy hande,
Like Babes and Widowes full of rage, themselues alone to stande,
Desiring to their pleasure thus their Countrey earth to gaine,
Which rather they should flee, knowing their toile hath bin in vaine,
And truth it is, that the pilot a whole month on the seas
Toste with the surge and weltring waue, is pensiue diuers wayes,
And on his house, and wife at home, his whole desire doth goe:
Likewise these men some reason haue, to grieue and sorrowe so.
But if we shoulde wel weigh our case, Reproch we cannot flye,
But lose our honor and renoume, whiche losse is now too nie,
When men shall know our long abode: I doe aduise and pray,
Al you my friends, plucke vp your harts, for your own wealth I say.
What, suffer nowe yet one yeare more, that we Greeks know therby
Whether the knowledge of Calchas truth tolde or else did lye.
What he declarde by Prophecie, I thinke you all well knowe,
In Aulis towne of Beocie, he then as Prophet true.
Where all the Greekes assembled were reuenge for to deuise
Againste Priam, it hapned then in doing sacrifice,
To Iupiter to be our guide, vnder a Beeche right greene

With shadow fresh, by which to rise a liuely spring was seene,
That of the Greekes who stoutest is, his heart for dreade was colde,
From th'aultars foote, a Dragon crept, so hideous to beholde:
For huge he was, and to all sighte righte terrible in shape,
The colour painted on his scales, was as the scarlet Grape.
The Dragon drawing to the tree, to highest braunche did creepe,
Where in the leaues he sparrowes found 8. yong that loud did peepe,
Which sodainly he rauend vp, and hir birdes to forgo,
The Damme alone lamenting much, he straight denourd also:
But by and by his figure chaungde, when he had eat the Damme,
And of a monstrous Serpent tho, a rocke he straight became,
We present there, and looking on, and eke astonied all
At this so dreadfull beast and chaunce, that erst did so befall.

Then Calchas said: O people Greek, what makes thee in this maze,
The mightie heyre of Saturne high thine honor meanes to blase,
And hath declarde a perfect signe of thy renowme to raise,
The time shall serue, though long it be, to thine eternal praise.
And as the Dragon did deuour these seely little ones,
And eke the Damme, in number nine, did swallow all at once:
Likewise great daungers we shall passe in this our warre of Troy,
For nine yeares space, we shall returne to oure twice double ioy.
For in the tenth yeare we shall see Troy sackte, and Priame slaine:
Thus Calchas tolde this secret hidde, which hitherto is plaine.
Beholde the end at hand: Wherefore a while attende the same,
That hauing victorie of this towne, we parte with lasting fame.

Vlysses wordes and zeale so wel receivde was of the rout,
There of the Tents, the ships, and shoare, bare witnesse al about,
Resounding with the peoples noise, praysing his iudgement wise,
Whiche being stilld, the hoare Nestor to speake then straight did rise.

Oh hatefull case, worthy reproche, thus Nestor did begin,
O ye most variable folke, what mischiefe are we in?
As for our braueries heretofore, and councels diuers wayes,
As farre as I see, are but toyes and little childrens playes,
Who trauaile with their whole delight in foolishe trifles more
Than things aught worth, where are ye vowes & promises erst swore?
The othes so deepe and plighted faiths? where is the hatred greate?

Against Priam remaynes it yet, or else the cruel threate?
No, no, all these things quite are gone, and cleane you do forget
You minde them not, your idlenesse hath you so fully mette,
That without harming any wayes our enmies here of Troy,
We striue among our selues in words of eche inuented toye,
And none there is so wise, which mindes how now may ended be
This warre begonne: Agamemnon, the thing belongs to thee,
And if thy duetie I declare, thy pardon I require:
Togither for to plucke thy spirits should be thy chiefe desire,
And on these Campes, as reason is, to set thy care and minde,
As to the chiefe of all the host, and chiefetaine is assignde.
And if some one withdrawe himselfe, and wil not bide the fray,
And do refuse what thou commaundst, leaue him for nought away.
(Hauing indured such hurrie harde) what Greeke wil here request
For to depart, no knowledge, whether the plighted hest
Which Ioue did make, be true or no? for sure by letting fal
The dreadful flames of lighnting fire among vs Grecians al,
On our right hands we martching on, did giue us for to know,
That he himselfe would point a meane, and once the time wold show
Wherein we should cleane take away by sword the Troyan route.
What? courage sirs my felowes al, and yet a while holde out,
For we are almost at a pointe: wherefore what needes this hast,
Til that eche one here of vs al, at wil and ease be plast
With Troyan Dames, and of Priam some daughter eke of his
Their owne parents and husbands by, to venge vs of Paris,
That wicked whelpe, who toke in hande, and that so lewdly durst
Rauish from vs, and steale away from Greece our Heleine furst?
And in meane time, if any wretch or coward darelesse knaue,
Do hardly beare this our abode, or else misliking haue,
And home wil runne, him hang you vp: & much you ought to heede,
And be aduisde with careful minde, how al things do proceede,
Conferre, both giue and counsel take, but who the best are tryde,
Those follow stil: I thinke it good your Campe you do deuide
By nations sere, as they do martch, some distance leaue betweene,
That if apart they happe to fight, they shal be better seene,
Than if confusedly they went: and plainely shal you see,

Which of them best their dueties do, and whether so it be
That for prolonging of this war the Gods do it agree,
And stil continue do the same by heauens hie decree,
Or that the fault is in their Campe which listeth not to fight.

To this good counsel Agamemn aunswers the aged wight:
What ioy quoth he, is for to heare in wisdome how you passe,
Oh worthy sire, ech Grecian Prince that is, or euer was.
Oh Ioue, oh Phœbus, oh Pallas, would God such Nestors ten
Me for to comfort now I had, you should see quickly then
By their good conduct Priam tane, and down his Citie torne,
The Gods so would, and my mishap that I to furie borne
So hateful gainst Achil should be, for loue sole of a dame,
For which I only am in fault, and no man else to blame:
But if it please thy heauenly grace, that we two may agree,
Maugre all force, sonne Ilion quite in Ashes you shall see.
To make vs stronger, let vs dine, and then draw out our power,
To front our foes more valiauntly, and ech one for to scoure
His gallant brightsome armour tricke, let him some care apply,
And trim their shields and bucklers all, your Chariots also hie
To binde so fast, they stagger not, and chief, as best is wont,
So throughly prouend wel your Horsse, for they must bide the brunt.
The battel and the murder wil indure til sunne doth set,
Where many a lustie souldiour shal vnder his Baudrike swet,
In playing the man with Target borne himself for to defend,
And laying from him with his sword to bring his enmies end.
And eke ye steeds orehaeld by draught, shal scarce haue power to blow.
In fine, if any Greeke there be so lewde, that I may knowe
The fight to flye, and for to runne out of the troupe and bandes,
In ship himselfe to hide, no helpe shal saue him from my handes
But forthwith die, yea die he shal, to graue none shal him beare,
The dogs and flying foules for foode shal him asunder teare.

This speech which Agamemnon had, doth greatly ioy the Greekes,
They such a noyse and whirring made, as round the ayre it strikes:
The sound was like vnto the sea when as the whirling blasts
The fleeting waue it roring loude, on rockie mountaines casts.
Ech one repaireth to his tent, and dines contented wel

To mightie Gods they sacrifice and to their prayers fel.
They pray that the dayes iourney end, and to their daunger none.
To Ioue oblation doth prepare also Agamemnon,
As best becōmes the Captaine chiefe: an Oxe of fiue yeares old
Ful thicke and fat, to dine with him the Prince also he woulde
Haue of the Campe the chiefest Peeres, who sent for, there did meete:
Nestor of all came first, and then Idomene king of Creete,
The Aiax twaine, Diomede fifth, the sixth Vlisses slie,
To whom also then Menelau presents himselfe them by,
Ful certaine of the burden great, his brother then did beare
Sole for his sake in those turmoyles: they all assembled there.
And th'offring brought into the place, and cakes on Aulter layed,
As best deuotion then did bid: Agamemn thus he prayed:
Of Gods thou Ioue the soueraigne chiefe, and Lord of Welkin hie
Of aire, and of this earth below, who lets the thunder flie,
The stormes of Haile & pashing showers, grāt me this day thy grace
That I this Citie set a fire, or night do come in place
Which hath so long wtstood our force, grant yt my sworde doe sheare
This day the shirt of Hector stout, on brest which he doth weare,
And that by me he end his dayes, viewing hys souldiours al,
Enforcing them to saue his life, in bloudie death to fall.
He prayed thus: but Ioue was deafe, he pleased not to heare,
For all his offering there so great, he doth him greatly deare.

Then is the hostie slaine and stayde, and part on gridorne put,
The liuer and lights they comely seeth and euery little gut.
The gigots and the other flesh in peeces they did spit,
Which rost, tipling the pleasaunt wine they downe to table sit.

At pleasure hauing fed their fil, old Nestor was the furst
Who could not rest, but with these words their talking tales he burst:
It is no time Agamemnon to laugh or chat at all,
But execute we must the thing, to which Ioue vs doth call.
Commaund then all the Heraults here that they go crie amaine,
And hither warne the Campe to come, and then let vs againe
Ech one in field go raunge his bande, and there with curteous wordes
Exhort them, that right souldiour like they weelde, & vse their swords.
Agamemn bids the Heraults good to go from band to band,

And cal ye Greekes, who Heraults heard, & came straight out of hand.

A seemely sight it was to see th'array in euery thing,
And armour of the warlike Greekes ech following his king:
But goodlier was it to behold, those great and mightie Kings,
What paine they tooke, the multitude who there in order brings.
Wyth them stoode Pallas al vnknowen, come down frō Welkin hie:
Of Ioue the God inuincible, who liues immortally,
The Target hung, and gastful so, she on hir shoulder bare,
About the which hanging of gold an hundred pendants were.
So richly framde, as ech was worth of beues an hundred told.
So armde, of doughtie Grecians so the harts she doth embolde
To play the men, with dreadlesse minds, and do as souldiours right:
They nothing more wishe, than their liues to venter, and to fight.

The shining of their armor bright, gret Targets, shields of weight
Amid the plaine, was like in shew to those on mountaine height,
As is the fire in forrest made, which men do see a farre:
So shone their harneis gainst the sunne, and weapons for the warre.
And like a gay great heard of Cranes, or flock of swans like snow,
Or Geese a lesser foule, with Charme, and sundry singing go,
Harde by the pleasaunt Caister floud, vnder the clothed trees,
That all the places rounde about do sound in sundry wise:
So Greekes armde at Scamanderbanke, for fight in euery thing,
Such noise they yeelde, as fur aloofe they make the medowes ring.
With treading of the Horsse likewise the valley long did sound
To battayle martch, as many Greeks, as flowers on the ground.
And as you see great swarmes of flies, flie oft out hollow hoales,
And come in skul into the place wheras the shepheard foldes,
And gathers at the spring the milke, which of his sheepe he reapes:
Euen so suppose the Greeks, they came out order al in heapes.
But their good leaders them, dispose, as heardsmen who with care
At euen aye their flockes in field, to seuer do prepare.
Whom al aboue, Prince Agamemn himselfe did shew at ful,
As chiefe in name, so chiefe in deede, who brauing as a Bul
Came fierce, triumphes, and rule he wil, ouer the Oxen breede:
So he the puissant King commaundes how matters shal proceede.
For head he lookt that day like Ioue, like Neptune for his brest,

You would haue iudgde him presently God Mars for all the rest.
It was the pleasure then of Ioue such deckings to bestow
On Agamemn, that more thereby his honor he might showe.

Now Muses who in heauen hie your place and dwellings haue,
The fauourers of vertuous workes, teach me I humbly craue,
To tell that now I cannot write, yee all and all do knowe,
Recite the Princes who to Troy did with the army goe,
Recite their countrys and their ships: but hearesay, nought haue we,
It shall suffise to tell the names of those, who chiefest be.
For no man can with all his wittes rehearse of all the men
The number and the proper names, though tongues, yea, fully ten
Right good he had, and mouthes like, wel speecht that open were:
If euerlasting voyce I had, and breast of brasse did beare,
Without your fauour I may haue, in this, I am but lost.
Of Ioue you daughters Goddesses, of grace and vertue most,
Oh teach me then to name the kings and shippes of Greekish host.

The Cataloge of the Grecian Princes, and of their nauie that came to the siege of Troye, and also of the Troyan Dukes, and forraine Kings who came to Priams ayde: Translated out of the Latine.

To Troyan cost from Beotie fiue warlike leaders cum,
Pencle, Prothæno, and Leiton, Arcesilaus, Clonilum,
These people hath Beotia lande, they who do hyries eare,
With Scænon, Scolon, Aulida, which stonie earth doth beare,

And also famous Eteonum, bespred with Maioram,
Thespia, Græa, Micales, and town Laitiuadgam
With Harma olde, the Ilesij, and those that pasture on
The auntient soyle of Erythra, and men of Eleon,
Of Peteon, and Hilis eke, and those in Copæ dwel
And in Medcon, who for wals in pride doth so excel,
With Thisbes, which doth so abound with doues of wanton wil,
Who Eurtesis, and Coronee, and Platea gay do til.
Th'inhabitaunts of Aliarte, which is so fraught with grasse,
And who do stately Thebes holde, and liue about Glissas,
Orcheston too, with sacred groue to Neptunes godhead vowde,
And Arnen, where ye trees of vines with waight of grapes are bowde,
Midea faire, Nissa diuine, and lastly, who do liue
In Anthedo, whose fields about do fraught of flowers giue.
With fiftie ships they come full stuft with weapon and with men,
Ech one an hundred souldiours brought, and also double tenne.
Who from watred Orchomenon, with Minyeus floud,
Whose Citie is Aspledona, two knights of Mars his bloud
Ascalaphus and Ialmen leade: Astyoche the fayre
While she a virgin Actors childe, did by hir selfe repaire
To Parler sole, Mars hir deflourde, and forth she brought the twinne,
Those two welfurnisht at the ful with thirtie sayle come in.
From Phocis opposite against, such numbers as were sent,
With Schedius and Epistrophus two souldiours odde they went.
Them Iphitus Eubole begat: they all of Cyparis,
Of rockie Pytho, of Crissa, of Panop and Daulis,
Of loftie Hyampole, and wholy on Cephisson floold,
In Anemore, whose dwellings to, at head of Lilee stoode,
From whence Cephissa riuer runnes, with fortie ships they sweepe,
And as Beotians faithful mates, their left hand side they keepe.
The diuerse armed Locrenses, valiaunt Oileus sonne
The noble Aiax he did guide, who did as swiftly runne
As Esterne windes, but lesse in fact and eke in name likewise,
For neere to Aiax Telamon in heigth he did not rise,
But weaker much with members lesse, yet bare he mightie brest,
And for the throwing of a Dart he passed all the rest.

These lands the Locrenses do holde: Cynon, Opoes, Scarphen,
Calliaron, the pleasaunt Auge, Thronium and Tarphen,
Bessa, and people who do bide about Boager banke,
All ioynde to warre, with fortie ships to Troy they come in ranke.
Against sacred Euboea shore the Locrijs region lyes.
The Abantes who hold Euboea, out whose mouthes force out flyes,
Who Chalcida, Eretria, and wine Histia haue,
Cerinthum by the sea, the town of Iupiter so braue.
With Cariston, and in Styra who dwelling do abide,
Those doth a martiall worthy Prince Elphenor Captaine guide,
The Calcyens eke a guider stoute, of the Abantes bandes,
Who were the best throwers of Dartes, that euer threw with hands,
And cunning shakers of the staffe to hit their foe a farre,
These also fortie Bottomes big did bring vnto the warre.

From mightie walled Secrops town where people so do flourish
Of Erechthus, whom bred in field Ioues daughter great did nourishe,
To him a Temple Athens raisde, on them he first did raigne,
For yearely sacred offerings there both neate and lambes are slayne,
The doughtie mightie Menesthe the army out he leades,
No man his match for placing Horsse, and furnishing of steades,
And marchaling of souldiours close, wherin though Nestor ware
His better both for vse and yeares, therein he durst compare.
With fiftie warlike Keeles he came from Athens straight as line,
And twice sixe Aiax Telamon did bring from Salamine,
The which he plast hard on the shore, the Cecrop sayles them by.

Who Greekish Iunoes Argos holds, and Tyrinth walled hye,
Hermiones, and Asines, Troëzene hie in shore,
Eiöne sacred Epidaure, of Uines which hath such store,
Who are in wealthy Egina, and in Masita bred,
Those Diomedes big of voyce, and Stheneleus led
The sonne of noble Capanus, two men of prowes odde,
With them the third Eurialus, in vertue like to God.
Mecest of Telaios was his sire, but doughtie Diomede
Did rule as chiefe, with fourscore saile they came right wel arayde.

Who do Mycenas stately frontes inhabite and maintaine,
Who in rich Corinthes wals of pride, and in Ornias raigne,

Who in Cleonas building braue, and Aræthyra bin,
With fruiteful fallowes round beset, and liue Sicion in
Where once Adrastus great was king: Gonöes on the Hill,
Hyperesis, Pellenis, and Ægion, who do til,
All who dwel on the croked shore, and in the region large
Of Helissen, those Agamemn Atrides hath in charge.
Gallies and Gallions riggde he brought an hundred for reliefe,
Whom people and the Princes all did choose to be their chiefe.
For as in power he passed furre, his valure was not smal,
Wherfore by Greekes consent he had the gouernement of al.

Who people do the Bulwarkes proude of Lacedæmon towne
Fishing surnamde, who loftie Sparte, and Par in low adowne,
Who Messis full of doues, and Auge, that is so pleasaunt aye,
Brysas, and who of Amyclare enioy the greenes so gay,
Who Helon, and the fennish shore, and Tylon do frequent
With Laan, these with threescore saile with Menelaus went,
With men and weapons furnisht ful, a man of doughtie pride,
Wel toungde, he also brother was vnto the great Atride,
His wife by stealth him taken fro, to deadly wrath he grew,
For Helenes sake with teares and plaints the Greeks to war he drew.

Who keepe in Pilon Neleida, and in Areius tillde,
Thryon, and Alphes meeting foordes, and Epy hielie hillde
With towers aloft, Cyparissa, and Eneon alway greene,
And who in Pteleon and Helos, and Dorion dwellers beene,
Where Muses did bereaue of Thrace Thamyris of his skill
Of versifying, with whom he met with hap vnluckie ill,
When from Eurythus he did come, of Oechalie the king,
And sweeter than the Goddesses he boasted he did sing,
If they durst trye with him in song: Ioues children greevde thereat,
His song and Harping they doe marre, so vainely who did chat.
These souldiours brings Duke Nestor he, the oldest for his yeares,
With ninetie strong and warlike barkes wel armed he appeares.

The nations of Arcadie townes, which so doth swarme with men,
And who doe dwel about the foote of mountaine hie Cyllen
Hard by the graue so highly heapt, where mightie bodies lie,
Of many worthy warlike men, who in the war did die,

In Pheneon, who leade their liues, and in rich Orchomen,
By meanes of Lambes so finely fleesde, in Rhipes Stratien.
In Enispes, subiect alway to winde where so it blowe,
Tigea, and Mantina gay, and who in Stymphalo,
And stately seated Parrhasis: to these Agapenore
As Prince, the worthy Ances sonne, who came with full threescore
Right roomy keeles, with souldiours fraught, but they him giuen was
By the great king Atride, the sea of Nigropont to passe,
Bycause the Arcades farre from sea, and shore thereof doe fare,
They little reake for marine worke, and small for shipping care.

The natiue men of Buprasis, and of Elidadie,
Of Hyrnim, of furthest Myrsin, harde to the ridges hie
Of craggie Olen, and who dwell as farre as Alise olde,
These forward came with doubtie Dukes ful foure in number folde.
Eche one with twice fiue vessels armde, as any could desire,
Amphimach first, sharpe Thalpy next, to whome Eurite was sire,
And Eteato to Amphimache, thirde Amaryncis was
Diores cleapte, Polyxen fourth in shape who so Dis passe,
Ioues sonne by Auge, of Epeis they did bring a mightie masse.

The nations of Dulichium, and set alofte in waues,
Sacred Echinald, Elidis for Region fine that braues,
Meges a matche for Mars himselfe, their Captaine him they wull,
With tooles of warre, he Brigants brought in number fortie full.
The rider good Phileus Auge at Duliche, gote him there,
When from his wrathfull sire he fled, whom Ioue did fauor beare.

The warlike bandes of Cephalee, with crags and rockie hilles,
And of Neriton sterile earth, which mightie trees so filles,
And of the little Ithache fieldes, so barraine and so bad,
Of hard Crocilia, and the soile of Ægelipee clad,
With barenesse strange, and torne Torres of Samon; of Zacin,
Whose pastures be so ful of woodde, and al the folke within
The Countrey hie, the sea aloofe, Vlysse a Ioue for head,
Did ouer-rule, twelue shippes he brought, their sternes al okard red.

Th'Etolien men of Pleuronis and loftie Olenon
Of Chalcis nie, high Pyles shore, aud stony Calydon,
Andræmons sonne Duke Thoas rulde, the Etoles all he lead,

For all Oeneas stocke was failde, himselfe eke lately dead,
Nor yellow Meleager did lyue, with vessels foure times tenne
He did augment the name, and with thousandes so of men.

The worthy souldior Idomene the Cretian crues he brought,
Leuied out of Gneson and Gorthyna walld aloft,
And Lycta olde for buildings famde, and Lycast white as Snowe,
With Phest, Milet, and Rhytion, well peopled townes you knowe
The whole supplie of Creta, whiche the roomie sea besets,
With Cities large an hundred full, doubtie Idomene fets,
And Meryan a Mars indeede, with fourescore foistes in tale,
And harnest Hulkes, with picked men they come with mery gale.

Great Tlepoleme great Herculs sonne, for war and bones a man,
The Rhodians they in number great with him to nauie ranne,
With Galleis nine of fertile Rhodes, where men tricke so their haire
Of Lindus, Ialisse, and Camire, who snowish hewe doth weare.
With them to Toy Tlepoleme commes, of greate Alcidas seede,
Whome it is sayde Astyoche bare, when Alcide did proceede
His mightie sire to conquere realmes, he him from Ephyre tooke,
And out that countrey brought him home from nie Sellentees brooke.
Where growing now to riper yeares, he slewe his fathers friend
Allide in bloud, a vertuous wight, Licymnion had his end,
An aged man by slaughter his. Which done, his mates he calles,
And hasting straight vnto the sea, to flight he forwarde falles:
For al the flocke of Herculs breede themselues to vengeance cast,
He scapte them al, with sundrie toiles he seas and countries past,
And light at Rhodes, which Ile beset three Cities namde before,
The whiche, for his sake mightie Ioue did blesse with wealthie store.

With fore gates three from Syma went Aglaies Nirëus,
A King he had to father his that hight Caropæus,
Of all that came to Troy, he was a man for making odde,
Achill except, yet fewe he lead, bycause he was a lobbe.

The Nysire youth Capathus, Cast, and Euripile, not greate,
And al the Iles Calidnee cleapt, whereon the waues do beate,
Phidippus and Antiphus brings, Thessalees sonnes that were,
Amphytrios nephewes, Carauels they seas with thirtie shere
The Kreekers of Pelasgicke, Arge, Alopen, and Alon,

Trachina small, wel walld Pthie, and many a Myrmidon,
Bred of ful of many mothers faire, Achæs and Helens hight,
Who are also the Hellades eke, these Achill led aright
To Troy, there fiftie Argosies, both bigge and small he brought,
These ydle people of the warres vnhapppy neuer thought.
The mates who set their mind on muck no man wil bring to fight,
Achill then loytering kept aboord, doled with griefe and spite,
And wroth for leauing of Bryseis his tricke and gallant trull,
For whome he taken had such toile when as he downe did pull
The Bulwarkes proude of Lyrnessis in strong and warlike mart,
And wonne hir there, and Thebes sackte, and also claue the heart
Of Minite and Epistrophon, who sonnes of Euen were,
And also brethren vnto hir, whome nowe he helde so dere,
And for whose sake he mourning lies, with dreaming still of her,
That absent was, yet he againe to turne vnto the war.

Who seated are in Philaca, and in Pyrrhason wood
So fully fraught with Ceres plants, and Iton breeder good
Of waightie felterd felled sheepe: and Antro in the shore,
With Pteleon of Wedlockes rytes that makes so great a store:
To these was Prince Ptotesilau, with fortie saile he hyed
Straight vnto Troy, a souldior right, whereas he quickly dyed.
For whome his wife Laodame with teares ful mourning is,
And wayling stands that princely Court, who doth ye Maister misse.
He was the firste of all the Greekes on Phrygian shore that lepte,
Who there a worthy warrior slue of Troy to him that stepte.
These people were not Princelesse yet, nor left vnarmed quite,
Podarce rich, Iphiclus his sonne, them rules, a warlike wight,
Brother to stout Protesilau, but lesse of yeares and deede,
A good man yet, and therefore glad his souldiors forth to leade.

The folke of Pheres and Bæben, Glaphyre, and Bebeide,
In fennish scite, Iaolcon which in houses beares such showe.
Eumel with fiue wel harnest Hoyes augments the nauie there,
Who to Admetus Alcests breede, of beautie odde, did beare.
The garrison of Methonie, and next Taumacie fieldes
Melibæ, and Olizenes, whiche stony countrey yeeldes,
The cunning shot Philoctetes in seauen shippes doth bring

And mates they were not easly matcht with such as Iauelins fling,
In eche shippe fiftie souldiours were: but lefte in Lemnos he
Was by the Greekes, where wounded sore his chance it was to be,
With festered wound, that deerde him so, ystroke with Hydras bloud,
The Argiues yet him doe desire, not Dukelesse though they stoode.
To them is Medon Coronell, the bastard of Oiley,
To whome his mother Rhene him bare, then Medon leades the way,

The Triccen men, and who abide in rockes aboute Itho,
And Oechalie, whiche Euryte ruled, with saile thrice tenne they goe,
Their Generals were brethren two, their syre Coronis bare
Nephewes to Phœbus, in Phisicke they cunning Doctors ware,
Both men of warre, Machaon one, and Podalire his mate.
Of Ormen who and Hypen spring, nie Aster holdes the state
By top of Titan full of snow: their Duke was Eurypile
Euemons sonne, he vessels brought forty to Troy that while.

Argissa lads on Peneid shore, and who do Gyrtho tyll,
Orthen, Elone, white Oloos they followe with good wil,
Meneptoleme a doubtie chief, he was Perithoes sonne,
Whome Ioue on Hypodame begote, where Pelis mount dothe runne
So nigh the skies, and where he sire the hairie Centaures bred,
And to Macedon coaste removde, yet was he not the head
Of them alone, Leonteus was ioynde with him in charge,
A captaine good Coronus sonne, with many an armed barge,
And furnysht foist, yea fortie full, they come in for an ayde.

From Cypho towne Guneus brought, barkes twentie two arayed
Whose ensignes th'Eniens and eke the worthy Perebs would
Fast followe on, and at Dodo, who dwell in countrey colde,
And who about Titaresis, whiche ay so softly floes,
As thoughe sweete Peneon runnes therein, not mixt with it, it goes.
Perhappes for there the iuices fatte of Pallas Oliues runne,
The head from Stygian Lake, by whiche the Gods to sweare do shun.

The standards of Magnesia, begot by Terthredon
Prothous leades, but people else of pleasant Peneon
And Pelion so beset with wood, an other Prothous namde
A forwarde man doth order he, with two score galleys framde
Fit for the fight: these two do come, and loe, here haue I tolde

The King and Princes euery one, to Troy that came so bold.
Now say my Muse, which of the Greeks the best and worthiest was,
And whiche horse of the horses all in praise did there surpasse,
Whiche came to the Dardanian walles by conduct of Atride,
The Mares of Eumel were the best, as swift as though they flyde,
Both of a yere, both of a haire, and both in colour like,
And like the smooth and ryped Grapes, their backes were softe a slike,
Apollo in Pieria their dammes he fosterd stoute,
With mightie breasts, from nostrels whose they furie breathed out.

Aiax Telamon bare the name of all the Greekish crues
Next to Achill, who waxing wroth the battaile did refuse:
Of the Achiues he was the prime for strength, for bones, for pith,
His horsses eke they odde one were, but now at variance with
Atride the Chieftaine of them all, aboord he loyters still,
His mates yet met, in diuers mirth the shore in sporting fil.
Some quaite, some exercise their bowes, and on the dankey shore
The Chariots stande, the steedes do feede in manger them before,
Great foyson of their liked foode, wilde Smallage was their fare,
While that their Chariots to the fielde the Princes do prepare.
To these so forward to the fight when as they do request
A hand victorious them to leade, the no he doth protest.
Through all the campe they vp and downe do roile and linger on,
There is no leaue that they may fight or else to battaile gon.
But now of Greekes the army whole doth martch with stately grace,
And al their brazen armor shone, as of the earth the face
Had bin on fire, and all the fieldes had flamed ore with flashe,
And like as Ioue wood mad lightning and thunder downe doth dashe,
With drifting shoures, so large aboute the fields they do resound
With rushing of the weapons bright, and stamping on the grounde.
Oras when on Typhoeus tombe, whereon huge mountaines lyes,
He scourges with his tempest blacke, ysent from Arimise,
The Giants Caue, as it is sayd, such noyse their trampling yeelds,
They mouing in a bodie whole, hasting out further fieldes.
And Iris Pursiuant to Ioue, from heauen takes hir flight,
To Troyan state brings dolefull newes, and at the gates dothe light
Of Priam King, where on a plumpe consult bothe yong and olde,

Of things of waight, quicke Iris there to them this tale she told.
The fained shape and voice she tooke, of Polite Priams sonne
So swift of foote, to Eesites tombe, whom Priam made to runne
Aloft to viewe, and worde to bring, if Greekes did haply sturre,
Light Iris like to him in legges, she enters in thus furre.

Delightst thou still O aged sire (quoth she) to spend thy time
In needlesse talke, as when in peace did stande this state of thine:
Great warres and destinie thee deeres, and here vpon the greene
Such swarmes and millions flocke of men, as neuer hath bin seene.
To sande and leaues they are much like, their number is so great,
They fil the ample fields: this towne they harry wil they threat.
Do thou now Hector take the charge, sith thou hast in thy walles
Such great supply, and nations seere as beste it now befalles,
Commaunde the people ruled be by Princes of their own,
Assigne eche language leaders like, and ensignes to be knowne.

Thus Iris spake, but Hector well the voice diuine he knewe,
The Councell brake, from quarters all to towne the souldiors drewe,
And wide they open all the gates, the footmen forth they rushe,
The Cornets of the horsemen placed eke in order forward pushe,
With tumult and with clamor great, and nowe with heate they frie:
In sight amidst of all the field yplaced is on hie,
A sepulchre loftie and large, which men Batia call,
But Gods Myrynes tombe it cleape: here meete the Troyans all,
The Battaillons and Phalanges of footemen Marshald be,
The troupes of horssemen eke, to whyche the Captaines see.
Gay Hector was the Troyans chiefe, of Priam King the sonne,
Under whose ensignes many a feate of doubtie war was done,
He ioly forward souldiors had, men meete for Sword and launce.
To Dardans stout and beautifull Æneas leades the daunce,
Whom Venus white vnto Anchyse of Dardanie did beare,
In clothed shade of Ida hilles, with him when ioyde she there.
Enee alone not ruled all, with him appointed are
Antenors sonnes, Archilach, and Acamas men of war.
The bands of Zele in Lycie land, at foote of Ida springs,
The Aphnees braue, Lycaons sonne the noble Pandare brings,
The Æsapes eke, who dayly bib of Troes that water blacke,

Who golden Apollo taught to shoote, and bowe to beare at backe.
The aydes of the Adestreans sent out Pytiëan,
And Apease rich, and Terci hie, to these the Dukes were than
The sonnes of Mecops, Percosis, Adraston, Amphion,
Whose sire the future haps did knowe, yet forward would they on,
All his persuasions sette aparte, vnto that deadly warre,
They woulde withstande the destinie, which both the men did marre.
Who Percot and Praction townes, who Sestos, and Abyde,
Who holde Arisbaes Princely walles, a King ful noble tride.
Asius Hyrtacis gouernde, from riche Arisba sent
With worthy coursers for their feate, from riuer Selleent.
The willing people of Pelasge and Larisse fertile lands,
Hippothous and Pyleus both brethren, lead their bands.
Of Thracians, and next Hellespont, to war the crues are brought,
By worthy Acam and Peiro, a haughtie Heroe thought.

The launced troupes of Cicones al Euphemus doth commaunde,
The noble sonne of Træzenus Ceada hight le Graunde.
The cunning shot of Peony, Pyrecheies Marshals all
Farre off from Amydon that came, where Axius brooke doth fall
So wholly with his glassie hue. Pylæmen Prince is found
Of Paphlagons from Enet sent, where numbers so abound
Of clownish breede: to these the seates, to Cytor ioyned nie
Sesamon one, and Erythnie on mountaine placed hie,
And Cities proud, Cronna, and eke Aegiah gay to looke,
Yplaced on the pleasaunt bankes of Partheneia brooke.

On Halizons Epistrophus and Dius Rulers raignde,
Of Alyb farre whose soile ful deepe with siluer Ore is vainde.
Two warlike youths of Mysiens, Cromis, and Eunomus
Did guide: the last a Prophet good, yet could he not discusse
To flee his fate, and scape the fist, and fierce force of Achill,
When he so many wretches drounde, and field with Mortes did fill.

The mightie Legions of Phrygie to Phorcis did obay,
And to Ascanius proude of forme, who both had tane their way
From Ascame, a countrey farre, the loue of warre it brings
Two gallants gay armed at ful to fight they flie with wings.

With brethren Mesthles and Antyph the Meons came to fight.

Who dwel nie Tmole, Gyga their Dame, their sire Pylemene hight.

The Cares, the Dullardes in our speech, of Mileton the rankes,
And men of Pthiront shaded Mount, and of Mæander bankes,
And who dwel on Michales hilles, them, as they did desire,
Amphimach ioynde with Nastes rulde, to both was Nomion sire.
Amphimach, like some wanton wench in golden robes was cladde,
And so into a stubborne warre did thrust himselfe as madde.
No fence in golde, death fled he not, he falleth in the floud
Aeacis dothe bereaue his golde, and eke there spilles his bloud.

On lustie laddes of Lycie land, Sarpedon beareth sway,
Drawne from his Countrey Xanthus far, where that brook takes hys way,
With him was feere vnto the fielde in armor Glaucus gay.

Finis Libri secundi.

The third Booke.

After the Troyans troupes came forth new raunged on the soyle
With manly mindes and courage good to put their foes to foyle,
In sodain with a maiestie, they martch on Greekish hoste,
And like the Cranes they to the skies their cries and clamours tost,
Who leaue their hils and mountaines hie, great shoures knowing to fal,
And seek their foode by Neptunes shore, where they their armies cal,
For the Pygmeis, with whom ful oft war cruel they do hold,
With stroke of wing, of bil and foote, if they their force vnfold.
The Greeks againe come forward on, yeelding no noise nor crie,
Full wood with rage them to reuenge with furie they drewe nie,
With ardent minde for the desire of victors onely fame,
Eche rescuing his feere, who fought to death to gaine the same.

And as you see in winter time ful oft how fares the mist,
Which western winds scouring ye plains on moūtaines hie doth kest,
As much vnto the sheapheards losse as to the robbers gaine:
For who can see a stones throw of ought thing in land or plaine?
Euen so the troupes, when they approcht, the dust was rearde on hie
That neyther Troyan, ne yet Greeke could one another spie.

And when the armies both were raundge, Greekes by the Troyans harde,
Paris with stalking pace aduauncde himself to the Greeks warde
Stoutly calling of the Greekes the valiantst to the fighte,
Body to bodie was his demaunde, to shew therby his might.
The armour which he bare that day, was of Leopardus skinne,
With bow stifbent, and with quiuer, and many a shaft therein,
His sword in hand, and two braue Dartes armed with steele at all,
Which he gan shake, when as the Greekes to combat he did call.

But Menelau his boldnesse spyde, of whom he knowledge had
To be his foe, his hart it leapes, for ioy he groweth glad,
Most Lion like meeting an Hart or Gote he seeking pray
Amid the woods, forst by the Houndes, and Hunters to the bay,
It kild, he taking his repast, is pleasd at his good chaunce:
The Greeke so choosing Paris out, for very ioy doth daunce,
Th'occasion offred to reuenge the wrong him lately done,
And armed as he was, he leapt down from his Chariot soone.

But Paris who saw Menelau this fight in hand should take,
Could not holde out, but yea almost for verie dread gan quake.
And hasting straight reculde, he dred the daunger in this case,
And did retire among his feeres to raunge him in his place,
Euen as the trauelling man ful oft passing Hils great and hie,
Not looked for right in his way finding a Serpent lye,
Doth shunne the way, and step abacke, with colour pale and wan,
With trembling limmes, more like the death than any liuing man.
With this so villanous retreate sir Hector gay was wroth,
The slaunder seeing now would grow, chid Paris for his sloth.
Unhappie Paris, bearing shew as doughtie as the best,
Yet in effect but feminate, with luxure to detest.
Oh would to God thou cowarde vile, in birth thou hadst bene lost:
Such shame to bring thy dolorous sire, and eke thy Country cost:

Seest thou the mirth the Greekes do make for this thy vile retreate,
Who thought thy corpes for braune and bones of armes to beare the feate.
And this is ech mans speech & crie, behold the Greekish sides,
Behold a Masse of flesh, wherin no sprite or strength abides.
You were of force, I know, ere now, your ships to arme and band,
And hoyse your sayles, and turne your course to fetch a strangers lād:
And like a yong man being receivde, into a Princes house
Didst steale away against all right a worthy King his spouse,
To the dishonor and reproch of all the Troyan name,
And by the same there doth redounde to King Priam a shame,
To Greekes a ioy, to thee a griefe, and yet thou wert afright
And erst for dread began to pale with Menelau to fight.
This is thy feare, thou castest thus, that he should thee of life
Depriue, whom thou vnworthy hast depriued of his wife.
Thy voice so sweete, thy pleasaunte tongue, thy lims so feately layed,
Thy bush so seemely to thy sight, thy giftes if all be wayed
Which Venus hath bestowde on thee, should serue to little end
Thy life to saue, if in the fielde with him thou shouldst contende:
Thy coward hart hath in such case now brought ech Troyan wight
Seeing in thee nought worthy praise, that they refuse to fight.
Thy deed deserues to great reproch, wherfore now hie thee hence
Out of my sight, go packe the fourth, and hide in some defence.

Hector chiding Paris thus, tricke Paris straight confest,
Oh brother deare, of right to me this speech you haue addrest.
For why, your force is of suche fauour your courage eke so hie,
That toyle and trauayle is there none it can be hurt thereby.
No more than doth the workmans axe tourne edge, or waxeth blunt
When tymber trees, his worke to ende, the man to hew is wont.
But yet of God the giftes yee ought not thus cast in my teeth,
For Gods the same on men bestow for to reward them with:
And sith of Gods those giftes they haue, let them yeelde him ye praise,
Not metting them by their deserts, but by his wil alwayes.
Wel, if you wil with Menalau the combat I attend,
Appoint the place, that of this strife we two may make an ende.
Turne vs two lose here, in the Greeks and in the Troyans sight,
Placed about vs, let them see of vs the martiall fight.

Who victor shal be, let him haue to recompence his peine,
To make him merry, all the pray, let him possesse Heleine,
And let the Troyans vnto Troy, the Greekes to Greece repeare,
And couenant firmely for to keepe, let both the nations sweare.

Hector seeing Paris thus, buskle vnto the fray,
Maruailes with ioy, before his bands he steps out in the way,
His pike in midst aloft he beares, he wils them al to holde,
And stay thēselues, which straight they did as souldiors wel cōtrold:
The Greekes cease not to martch, their stones & darts at randō flye,
Gauling the Troyans, til such time Agamemnon did cry,
Cease, cease, (quoth he good Greekes I say) no more do shoote or thro,
To stay his men, out of the troupe the king doth also go:
Content yee yong and worthy lads, I yonder Hector see,
To talke with vs he by his signes doth willing seeme to bee.

The shafts they cease, & straight the Darts no mā doth see to flie,
The Campe was stil as possible might in twinckling of an eye.
Hector seeing such silence made between the hostes, began,
These were the words among them all of that most worthy man.

Heare oh yee Greekes and Troyans both what Paris doth offer
Unto you all, my brother here the author of this war.
He thinkes it good to make an ende of this so mortal fight
That yee aside your weapons laye, and to decide the right
Twixt him and Menelau, he would sharpe weapons should it try,
Faire Heleine should the victor haue him rendred by and by.
With all the pray, and that forthwith, to morrow else by day
Assurance made to keepe the pact ech one depart his way.
The worthy Hector scarse an ende had made now of this case,
But stoute and forwarde Menelau spake thus in open place:

Giue eare yee Greeks and Troyans both vnto these words of mine,
Who shall declare vnto you al my griefe and grieuous pine,
I do agree now for to end this daungerous debate,
Considering erst the trauailes great and mischiefs, which of late
And long sith by both campes sustainde, for the adulterie,
And the iust cause whiche prickes me forth to venge this miserie,
That all men rest, and that Paris against me come, whereby
All yee shall see, who ordainde is by fate to liue or dye.

And to effect that all be done, th'oblation whyche of due
The Gods in such case ought to haue, the pacte to holde more true,
It needeful is, by the Troyans two lambes there be assignde,
The one coale blacke, the other white, Male and Female by kinde,
White be the Male, the female blacke, vnto the summe most cleare
To shed their bloud, and to the earth, of all men dame so deare,
Benigne and auncient mother of man, and we a thirde wil bring,
Which shal be offred vnto Ioue that great and mighty King.
I woulde also for suretie more, one went for olde Priam,
That for this pact and couenaunt made, he ratifie the same,
For his children all Greece wel knows, are promisse breakers all,
Falsers of Faith, and vnto chaunge yong heades aire alway thral:
The olde man if he sweare the othe, if bounde he see he be,
He wil abide no treason then, nor offer iniurie.

This fight agreed, the Citizens, and souldiors strange of Troy
The Troyans all, the Greekes ech one, hereof beginne to ioy,
In hope an end shall now be made of this their wretched warre,
With busie toile they rounde about do place their horse afarre,
And keeping order, forthwith then they from their Chariots light,
Their shields, their launces down they lay, and harnesse fit for fight,
Leauing good scope betweene them both, ful fit by fight to trye.
The ioly Hector Heraults two to Troy sends by and ly,
Two Lambes to fetche, and hast Priam t'allowe all this accorde.
Talthybius eke went to the shippes, commanded by his Lord
Agamemn, to fetche the Lambe vnto the company,
Which was appointed as before, for the ceremonie.

This while from the Olympus high Iris made his repaire
To Troy, to tell these newes to hir, who fairest is affaire.
The shape she tooke of hir sister belovde, faire Laodice,
Who marryed had Elicaon, Anthenors sonne the wise.

She founde the faire not idle tho, but working busilie,
She in hir chamber made a peece of worthy Chiualrie,
Wherin was wrought of Troyans and of Greekes the worthy Acts,
Most cunningly in portrature, their sallies and their facts,
Their chargings oft, their cruel fight, their meetings one to one,
Which both the Campes continually, made for hir loue alone.

Arise quoth Iris, come Heleine, and in the plaine hard by,
The Citie here, thou straight shalt see things wondrous to thine eye:
Those whom thou hast ech day beheld, in wont deale doleful blowes,
In daungerous war, thou shalt see rest, togither in sundry rowes.
And some there leaning on their shields, wel wearie of their toyles,
And Menelau with Paris shal (to end these wars and broyles)
Fight hand to hand, and he who shall the better part obtaine,
Thee shall he haue by one consent, as glorie of his gaine.

These newes declarde, with a desire this Heleines minde is sped
Of hir first spouse, and countrey towne, wherein she first was bred,
Of hir parents, to see them once, a time this Heleine prayes
With them to leade hir life againe, and furnish forth hir dayes.

She riseth vp, and deckes hir selfe with gorgeous attire,
And out she goes, distilling teares, as they wel saw stoode by hir.
And not alone, she with hir led Climean and Aethrea,
And goes vnto the greatest port that named is Sciea.
Where on the Bulwarkes they might see at ease the fields so wide,
There king Priam with Lordes of state was set on euery side,
To shrowde them in the shade within the pentus of the Wal,
Tymets, Lampus, Clytus, Panthus, in vertues famous all.
Hicetaon renoumde in warre, also Vcalegon
Of late that was of boysteous braine, and eke Anthenor one,
As good a man of warre as they, but now for councel out,
The aged dads there closely sit, the scortching heate they dout.

As Grashoppers the olde men chat, when two or three are founde
In Sommer time amid the Grasse, and make a charming sounde.
They loking on the heauenly Greeke, good cause confessed, why
Both campes should make such toile & stirre, and eke so long shold try,
Hir beautie, wayed that was more than any earthly worke,
Which in hir Goddesse visage there did shine and seeme to lurke:
Yet they auoucht, it better were to yeelde hir home to goe,
Without abode, for to eschew the mischiefes, which might grow
By keeping hir stil as they did: as she arriued than
Wheras they sat, the king hir callde, and thus to hir began.
Come thou to me my daughter faire, here down by me do sit,
Leaue off thy mone, leaue off thy tears, which from thine eyes do flit.

Do not consume lamenting thus, come see thy husband here,
And all the Greekes thy kinsmen eke, and coosins all so deere.

Oh Ioues wil is not that in thee I should th'occasion lay
Of my mishaps, which yeeldes my griefe, no, no, the gods are they
Who for the better to reuenge themselues of me and mine,
Desire by this wretched warre t'afflict vs all with pine.
Come neere, and leaue your bashfulnesse, and of the Greekes declare
Your neighbours kindred and alies and who you neerest are.
What, who is he is formost there, of middle pitch and bone,
With countenaunce graue, as I forethinke, I neuer saw yet one
Since I was borne, so wel beseene as he in euery thing,
And sure he beares the port and shew, and grace of some great king.

Then answerde Heleine thus the King with humble voyce & saide,
My most deare Lord, thy reuerent state doeth yeelde me wel afraide,
When to thy presence I resort, but would to God by death
Before the turmoyles of this warre I yeelded had my breath:
And chiefely when to follow with thy sonne, I was so mad,
Leauing my husband, many a Dame and gentle pheere I had,
My brethren, and my daughter both, then both we free from wo
Had bene as now, but what helpe when il lucke wil haue it so?
Sent for to do your graces will, who doth commaunde the same:
For him you aske, that prince he hath Agamemnon to name.
A King both wise and stoute in warre, of Atreus eke the heire,
To whom the Campe in all obeyes, and their alliegance beare.
Who now long sith, when we in peace and suretie al did swim,
Was vnto me brother in law, and I sister to him.

The peerelesse faire holding hir peace, Priam with maruel mazde,
Hearing Agamemnons honor thus declarde, set forth, and blazde,
Could not himselfe then hold his peace, but gan his prayse to crie,
O fortune good, thou Agamemn art more than twice happie
Sith worthy Prince of chilualrie, the hie Gods in thy hands
To thy good hap do put the Greekes, to leade and rule their bands.
So that by thee is gouernde now, conducted at thy wyll,
So great an host arriued here, whiche doth al Phrigie fil.
When I was yong, and valiance had, and prowesse, I do minde,
That on this land the Amazones did warre, women in kind,

Yet folke in warre of great exploites, whose force for to withstand,
We driuen were to call such strength, as nere was in this lande.
Then Otrus and Migdon marching againste them in their way,
Their footemen and their horsemen both did in a valley stay,
Nie Sangar floude with streame so long, to their succors I came,
They made me chief, yet our gay bands ye Greeks now passe ye same.

After he castes his sight aside on Vlysses, and sayes,
Ah gods, daughter mine yet once againe come on your wayes,
Tel me what Greeke is that I see, with shoulders, breast, and wast
So well beset, and not so high as Agamemnon last,
Who wt so good a grace, and armd goes round about the Greekes,
As doth the mightie Belweather with hairie cote and cheekes,
Who for the better keeping in the goodly flockes of sheepe,
Goes by them stil, and rounde about, and from them doth not keepe.

It is (quoth she) Vlysses of a good and seemely shape,
Yet wiser in his fetchers, who, although he had the hap
To be brought vp in Countrie rude among the countrie clownes,
Yet he in head and witte doth passe the Greekish Kings renownes.

Worthy Princesse, thou sayest most true bespake Anthenor then,
My selfe doth know it very wel: for I remember when
Both he and Menelaus did Embassadors come hither,
They wer then lodgde at my pore house, whom I receivde togither,
And made them suche cheere as I could, as they my sons had beene,
Where I their counsel, mind, and gifts do think my selfe haue seene.
Or my coniecture thought them great, and chiefly when to vs
In counsell they themselues were calld, their message to discusse.
Menelaus standing vp was taller for his height,
But being set, Vlisses seemde more graue in things of weight,
And abler to maintaine the case, for Menelaus was
A man of fewe words, and in vaine from him did nothing passe.
His speech was pithie, wise and apt, and ful of gentlenesse,
And though Vlisses had more yeares, he vsed no excesse
Of words, but when it came to point that speake Vlisses should,
Wert neere so little, in the ayre cast vp his head he would.
And would a while cast down his sight most like a senselesse loute,
As one by rage and choller were from reason cleane put out.

Which well was shewed by his Mace, which he vnhansome bare,
But when he spake, he eloquence most heauenly did declare.
His words came forth like winter snow, such store he did vnfolde,
As hauing done, none with him durst any contention holde,
Nor yet of any thing he sayde did any doubt at all,
Nor question aske, his talke was such, as to the Gods befall.

King Priam curious more to know, had cast aside his eyes,
And finding Aiax of Heleine enquired in this wise:
Who is that goodly Prince, (to aske the old man doth begin)
Who is a Giaunt to the rest, none of them retch his chin.
She vnto this made aunswere thus: It is Aiax the strong,
Who is best hope, defence and wall, that to the Greekes belong.
And he, who stands hard by him there, is the good king of Creete
Idomene, among his folke obeyed with honor great,
As if some mightie God he were, whom often I haue seene
(He passing by) with Menelau at our house to haue bene.
And many moe, as wel as he, whose names I wel do know,
But not to see my brethren here, doth cause my griefe to grow.
The Castor gay that worthy knight with Pollux without Peere
In feats of armes, in they in this war haue not vouchsaft I feare
To take a part, but if they did arriue here with the rest,
The irksome sorrow, grief and care, which hath their minds opprest,
To see my wants and my mishaps, and chaunce, yea very filth,
Hath sent them home, & they abasht, with cares their harts it kilth.
Thus saide the faire, but hir brethren long ere these things befel
Were dead, and in the towne of Sparte they were intombed wel.

This while the two Heraults they did prepare all things at ful,
That best shuld serue, they from the flocke two lābes of choyce did cull
And with good wine that licour likt, of Goate a ful great hide
They fild top vp, the which was brought by th'Arault called Ide
They for the misterie most meete a massie basen brought
Of polisht gold, and eke of gold two cups most finely wrought.
Thus furnisht, to king Priam they shewed their Embassaide
They willing him to come himself, these were the words they sayde:
O peerelesse king of all renowme, we feare we haue bene sloe,
The chiefest of thy subiects all in field attend thee loe,

The Greekes will now make such accorde, in mind that ay shall last,
Your sonne Paris his right to trie, with Menelau doth cast,
By hand to hand and force of fight, who victor shall arise,
Shal in reward haue faire Helene, and gifts of worthy price.
All discordes by this meane shall end, for Greekes to Greece shall hie,
Troyans shall haue for war sustaind, their peace wishte earnestly.
Without your Grace nought can be done, for it is meete you sweare
For full suretie of this combate which is agreed on there.

The good olde man was fearfull straight, for wel he knew, in hand
Fondly was tane this enterprise, whereto they meane to stande:
Yet he commaundes his Chariot, and for his horsses calles,
They ioinde to it, all things were done, which in such case befalles.
With him he tooke Antenor olde, and to the field they haste,
Who scouring with a sweeping pace, came to the campe at laste,
And in the midst presente themselues: and lighted when they were,
Vlysses graue, and Agamemn, did come and meete them there.
The Heraults there eke shewde themselues, right gay and richly clad
With ornaments whych longs them to, and no delay was had,
But straight proceedes before them all to the ceremonie:
And first with good and pleasant wine, they skinke the cuppes on hie
To the chiefe Lords, this pacte t'allowe, to wash one water beares:
The gret Greek then doth draw his knife, ye which he always weares
By his left side, and of the Lambes the wooll he doth cut out
From twixt the browes, for the Heraults to part amids the rout
To the Princes, that hereafter repent none of them can.

The wooll receivde, his handes eke washt, Agamemn thus began,
With ioyned hands, and lifted vp, his prayer thus did make:
O mightie Ioue, who dost vouchsafe thy dwelling for to take
On Ida hil, and there to rule, O Sunne most bright I call,
Who sees this plaine, and knowes all things: O earth and riuers all,
I you beseech my prayers heare, you God infernall eake
So full of power, who al mischiefe so egerly do wreake,
Of fondling folke, who cal the Gods their witnes when they sweare,
And straight to be moste false forsworne they neither care nor feare,
Be Testes here, cause this accorde so sacred be fulfilld:
If it so be, that by Paris, or Menelau be killd,

Without repining we agree faire Helene shall be his,
The goods he shall enioy, the whiche he rauend once amisse,
Here promising to raise the siege, and straight to Greece returne,
If Menelau my brother like (if hap so serue his turne)
With hand this Paris do subdue, that then this Gretian faire
With worthy mends for wrong sustaind to vs forthwith repaire,
And yearly that there be some rent, or tribute for the same
Assignde our heires for our renowme, to shew their fault and shame.
And if that he shoulde vanquish thus, and Priams sonnes refuse
To keepe their othe and promise made, and so the Gods abuse,
If King Priam shall also hap for lacke and want of harte
To fault the same: I here protest I wil not hence departe
This countrey fro, nor turne elsewhere, vntil I see it wast,
The Troyans slaine, their Citie burnt, and therein fiers plast.
Thus hauing sayd, then with his knife the two yong lambs he slue,
And weakly sprawling in their bloud, on groūd from him he threw,
And many present in that place, the same did also vowe,
And powring wine vppon the earth thereof they did allowe.

Among the which some Troyan Knight, or Onea souldior Greeke
Nowe spent and worne with the warres, thus made his prayer eke:
O Gods of mercie, who wel sees, what here is done alway,
O graunt that he for whose default now this accord shal stay,
(As rebel vnto your decrees) with brayning be he sped,
And for his gilte, let of his ympes the braines be also shed.
And let an other haue his wife their prayer thus did go.
But for al this their iust request, the Gods yet would not so.

Againe Priam perceiuing well, that thus this geare woulde fodge,
Said to the Greekes and Troyans both, I thinke it best I trodge,
If you my Lordes so thinke it good, my grief will not, in sight
That I this quarrell for to end, should see my sonne to fight.
The mightie Gods agree, that death for one shall be his gaine,
And haue appointed whych of both with conquest shal remaine.

Forthwith with him he tooke the Lābs, & mounteth on his chaire,
And Antenor, and from the preasse to Troy they straight repaire.
The lustie Hector and Vlysse this while do go about
To mette the place, most fit for fight, the which they measure out

In mids betweene the armies both: and then for proofe they craue,
Of the first stroke for t'assaile who shall the honor haue:
Two lots they make, as in suche case the custome is to trie,
And in an helmet they do put two billets by and by,
For eche of the Combatants one: who first was drawne by lot,
Of first assailing of his feere the licence thereby got.

The souldiors all carefull to see, did fixe their minds and eyes
On this helmet, and to the Gods with heart thus sent their cryes:
O Ioue thou God of Gods, of men high king, and king most chief,
Grant thou that grace this day, that he, who causeth this mischiefe,
May downe to the infernall shades descend, and there arest,
And that the Greekes and Troyans free, may liue in peace and rest.
Hector from his helmet then his countnance hauing wried,
To parte the lots did turne them oft, them better to diuide.
He putteth in his hand, and out the lot of Paris drewe,
And forthwith straight to voide the place himself ech man withdrew,
And glad eche one sits round about: and Paris who assaile
Must Menelau, at all points wel to arme him doth not faile.
Then firste his gallant greues he tooke which customly he ware,
His Cuysses which were fastened to by art and mickle care,
With buttons gay, and buckles great of siluer therevppon,
And of Lycaon strong and sure he put the Curets on.
One would haue thought (they seemd so fit) it moulded was for him:
A massie sword he girt, which hong with siluer nailes ful trimme.
And on his shoulder he doth cast a strong and mightie targe,
His head to hap an helmet rych, with crest right long and large,
Gastful to see, made of the taile of some horse very great,
As oft as he cast vp his head, it also seemd to threat.
In fine, an armed Darte with steele to his right hand doth yeeld,
And thus with porte, and visage fierce, he commes into the fielde.

There was no souldior, no so stout, for feare who did not quake,
To see the hazarde of the case, when they beganne to shake
Their Darts at their approch, & more, their marks & gestures bold.

Paris stoutly stalking out, first there the fielde doth holde,
He manly first assailes, and forth his dart doth strongly launce,
The which in mids of the Greekes shield did stifly hit by chaunce,

But onely saue the vtter skin, no force it had to sturre,
The shields defence so put it backe, that pierce it coulde not furre.

For this yet was not Menelau one whit appalld at all,
He bid the blowe, and stepping forth, to prayer thus doth fall:
O mightie Ioue, who knowes the right, the man do thou me make,
Who of his foe for his offence nowe iuste reuenge may take.
Direct good Lorde, that he may dye, as his deserts do craue,
That babes not born, may heare & know what stroke his fault should haue,
To make them feare their friendly Ius, as wretches to defile,
Where strangers are with ciuiltie well vsed euery while.
Forthwith he shooke his speare, when as these words he did rehearse,
And with such force at Paris threwe, that it his shielde did pierce,
His Curets eke it thirled throwe, and al the cloutes he ware
Hard to his shirte, and eft the steele had kist his carcasse bare,
But then that Paris wried at last, and so the blowe did shunne.

After the stroke, then Menelau his gorgeous blade begunne
Out of his siluer sheath to drawe, which heauing vp he takes,
And striking him vpon his helme, his foe amazed makes.
Still laying on, at the thirde stroke his sworde in peeces flue,
Wherewith, as one distraught he cryed: O Ioue, thou God vntrue,
I now well see you can doe naught, Of al the Gods you are
The most malitious, yea of all, who in the skies repaire:
Alas I thought the time was come my foe I should confound,
But now my Iauelin I haue sent, not causing any wounde,
My sword in two: yet raging wood vpon him he doth fly,
And by the Crest he caught him fast, enforcing mightily
To driue and thrust him out of field, as one had conquest wonne,
By meanes his chin band chokte him so: the same then had he done,
But Venus who his safetie would, did cause it breake in twaine,
So saue his morreyne, Menelau had naught else for his gaine:
Which he among his mates doth throw, and meaning for to pay
His bared pate, the Goddesse tho, forthwith conueyed away
The Carpet Knight, bewrapping him in cloude of mistie aire,
She brought to town, wher she pluckte off the armor which he ware,
His bones to rest, she plaste him in, one of his Chambers all,
Which most did smoke wyth pleasant smels, and Helene went to cal,

Who in a Towre past the time, about hir many moe,
Both Troyan Dames and gentle folke deuising to and fro.

Venus not willing to be knowne, in humaine shape appeares
In Greas forme, the good handmaid, nowe wel ystept in yeares,
In broiderie worke a minion odde, no lesse in spinning eake,
Who pulling Helen by the skirte, did thus the silence breake.
Madame, your Paris doth commaunde, that I should will you hie
His lodging to, where in such ray, you shal there find him lie,
You will not trow he lookes so fresh, he commes now from the fight,
Youle iudge he coms frō dauncing sport, he seems so tricke a wight.

Thus spake the amorous Goddesse tho, inspiring in hir sprite,
The mighty flame, who knowing wel, hir breast and necke so white,
Beholding wel the flaming eye there of the heauenly stocke.
What mean you quoth she by this trade me this wise for to mocke:
What, nowe yet once againe as wife to giue me do you meane
In Phrigie townes or Meonie, or in some further realme,
For to rewarde some seruant thine, sith he, who by strong hand
Tooke me away, thou vanquisht seest, and I to Greekish lande
Yet once againe must make returne? and wherefore do you vse
This fained talke, and hyde your shape me onely to abuse?
I do beleeue the blinde desire of this thy Paris loue
Which holds thee now, hath causd thee leaue the skies & Gods aboue,
To be the slaue and Concubine of him thy darling dere,
Sith it is so, then plie him well, stir not but tarry here.
Ile couche no more with thee good Knight, within a paire of sheetes,
(I force no deale) I promise him, with me he nener meetes.
The Dames of state and Troyan wiues might scorn at me their fil,
With fleering taūts & slinting sleights, for spite which wold me kill.

When as the Goddesse heard these words, which forth in heat she flōg,
She spake hir thus: yu wretched else I reade thee hold thy tong,
Striue not with me if thou beest wise, least if thou stirre mine ire,
And that I kindly courst thee to, little to thy desire.
And least that as I haue bin friend I do become thy foe,
And seeke suche meanes as Goddesse nowe to moue againste thee so:
The Greekish hearts & Troyans both, yea al thy hope cleane gone,
The death with one consent they shall bestowe on thee anone.

The faire was mated by this rage, she with a countnance sowre,
Couering hir face with hir riche robe coms down straighte from the towre,
And softly followed Venus there, who hir to chāber brought,
The traine to talke, and some to weaue, and some the distaffe caught.

The place was trickly decked vp, the place where Helene sat
By Venus wil was placed there before hir husband flat,
Who did him earnestly behold, and swelling yea with wrath,
The very botome of hir minde she doth declare, and saith:
Then you are come you sorie sir, and luckie carpet knight
From this combat so daungerous, and eke fierce warlike fight.
O would to God my first husband had hapt thy life to daunt,
In field with thee he durst not cope thou wonted wert to vaunt,
You would haue eate him at the first, and now you run away:
Leaue him, and be no more so brag his force for to assay,
If that you loue your selfe: the Greeke brast out these words in rage,
But Paris curteously desires hir furie to assuage.
Sweet heart (quoth he) this passion leaue, and with me be not greued,
Though that the Greeke haue warde me nowe, for ye he was releued
By Minerua, the time will be, that I shall be his rod,
And vanquish him, when as I shal be fauourd by some God:
I knowe I am not so farre gone out of their fauors cleane,
But in my great affaires somewhat to aide me they do meane.
I pray thee now mine own sweet hart some better countnance showe,
Be mery once, and vnto rest let vs togither goe.
For (as me thinke) greater desire I had not any while,
No, when with thee I eabband first within Crance the Ile.

After these words, the faire was broght to bed so gorgeous drest,
Where without further doe they both two louers went to rest.

This while Menelau raging wood, more furious than the wilde
And sauage beast, doth nought but seeke his foe about the fielde,
To ridde him quite, but no Troyan, nor of themselues not one
Could him descrie, for they wist not, nowe whether he was gone,
And if they had, to keepe him close, there serue no friendship could,
But to the campe to shewe him forth they meant and surely woulde.
For now th'aduoutrie broad and knowne, & laid thus in their dishe
For sodaine end & fearful death with hate the souldiours wish.

Agamemnon then seeing plaine that there to ech mans sight
The famous conquest did belong to Menelau of right,
If so that they would rightly iudge, stept forth, and thus he spake,
Ye Troyan crues, and forraines, who their quarrell good to make,
Come vnder their ensignes to war, I peale vnto you all,
You Menelau haue seene by force (your faith and truths I call)
And martiall fight to ouercome your Paris, who is fled.
Restore the Greeke, and wealth wherewith once theefe away he yed,
Cause that we nowe be satisfied, and more for honor due
Which is deservd, do ye to Greeks a certaine rent renue,
To vs and our posteritie by Troyans to be payed.
Herewith his souldiors praise him much, and lo the wordes he sayed.

Finis tertij Libri.

The fourth Booke.

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.

Finis quarti Libri.

The fifth Booke.

Pallas she willing to set forth Diomedes his praise,
Among the Greeks his fame t'aduance by any worthy wayes,
Diuinely doth inspire his breast with stout and haughtie heart,
And to his person force and strength dame Pallas she doth part.
His armor she doth yeelde ful bright, and eke his waightie targe,
His harnesse shone as doth the starre within the heauen large,
The whiche in Autumne time is raisd amid the mightie skie,
And bathes it selfe in Occean floud: afoote then by and by
The puissant Goddesse brings him in the thickest of the host.

Now of King Priams subiects one, of all as rich as most,
Was Dares Priest of Vulcane God, the seruice tended hee:
Two sonnes he had, one Phegeus, the seconde called Idee,
Whose valiance in the Troian campe did cause their fame to flow:
Aboue the other souldiors much, the armour shining so,
When as they spide of the stout Greeke, no time they tarryed then,
But fiercely assaild him from their chaire, and yode with him like mē:
Phegeus there aduaunced throwes his dart, a souldior stout
Whiche doth no harme, his poldrone it doth strike and flieth out.

Diomedes the mortall launce he girdes with better hap,
The whiche he sendeth to his foe, and wounds him on the pap,
And Phegeus the bloudie death receiued by the wounde,
And from the Chariot there (good soule) he falleth to the grounde:
His brother slaine, straight Idee left the Chariot where it stoode,
And no resistaunce made, for why defence would doe no good.
For dyed he had, but that Vulcane he of his heauenly grace
Preservd the man, and with a cloude he hapte him in the place,
With pitie he respecting now the Dares good forgone,
Who childlesse sonke with sorrow great, his age would end anone.
The filthy flight Diomede sawe, to sue he nothing spedde,
The horses braue he gaue his man, who them to hauen ledde.

When Troyans sawe these brethren two discomfit, as you heare,
One put to flight, the other slaine, they greatly ginne to feare,
The warre they deeme not well for them, wherefore dame Pallas than
To Mars she cōmes, and takes his hand, and friendly thus beganne:
O bloudie Mars and gastfull God, O mightie Mars in rage,
Who townes and Castels in their force, and fighters still doth gage,
And rasest quite when pleaseth thee: is it agreed that stil
We disagree, why, let the Greekes and Troyans fight their fil,
By teeth let them the matter trie, our discord bid farewell,
Let vs not breake our heads with them, or with their quarrels mell:
Who Ioue the victorie will giue, that all men well may knowe,
To leaue this enterprise as nowe my councell would it so.
And surelye so I thinke it beste: wel, let vs hence I pray,
Take heede we stirre not vpon vs, Ioues furie anye way.

The Goddesse sage nowe ending thus: she softly from the rout

Of Scamander a pleasaunt shade to banckes she brought him out:
He gone, the Troyans host doth quayle, and yeeld to shamefull flight,
Whom Gretians now as conquerors do follow al the night:
And then the Captaines wel did shew their worthy prowesse hie.

Agamemn leader of the warre, to earth he manfully
Of Alisones Odius hight, a doughtie Duke he doong,
The chin he cleaues, & pierst his breast with Dart he strongly floong,
Wherewith he from the Chariot fell, whose fal (the noise was such)
Causde wel be heard his trembling corpse and eke his armor rich.
Idomen Phestus also slew, the vertuous Meons heire,
The courtous Phestus from Tarnee his prouince did repaire
That fertile was, renowme to get, but die (alack) he must,
In his right side the Cretane doth his bloudie iaueline thrust:
He falleth downe, blacke death he feeles, by souldiours he is spoylde,
His carcase all besmerde with bloud and filth, lyeth fouly foilde.

On the other side his valiantnesse wel sheweth Menelaie,
With stiffe and sturdie launce he doth Camander hunter stay.
Him Diane she did honor so, to him so friendly was,
Him cunning gaue and courage too, t'assayle the beasts of chase:
The Goddesse and his goodly art in quiuer and in bow
Full ill doe serue, he in his flight behinde receiues the blow,
And down on earth he dead doth lye: Phereclus may no starte,
Meriones hand, a Carpenter, so cunning in his arte
That worke was none so excellent that any man did frame,
But that Phereclus by his skill with toole could cut the same,
Minerua wise so fauoured him, for Paris he of Troy
Did builde the ships, which were the cause of al this great annoy,
And to his Citie and himselfe such spoyle and mischiefe brought.
For to the Gods, who nillde ye same, he wold not weeld his thought:
Without reuenge he yeelds the ghost, him Merione doth smite
Upon the haunch with steeled speare, and pierst his bladder quite,
When as he feeles hys breath to part, he falleth on his knees,
With better teares, sith die he must, distilling from his eyes.

Meges also fiercely fought for Phegeus wise and bold
Right down he slew, the bastard sonne of Antenorus olde,
Whom Theana his mother in Law had nourisht with great care

To please his sire, euen as though legitimate he were,
By great mishap vnto the teeth, the dart doth teare his skul,
He on the plaine doth die, his mouth with bloud and yron ful.

Hard by the bastards bodie there Euripilus doth quell
Hipsenor Priest of Scamander, who servde the Temple well:
Whose maners good were liked much, yet forst, he rested there
In field: his right hande at a blow his falchon off did shere:
Wherwith him sodainly receivde the darke and duskie death,
Which darknesse throwes vpon his eyes, & takes frō him his breath.

While that the kings they fought, & down in flight ye Troyans flew,
A man right hardly Diomede for Greeke or Troyan knew,
He through and through the Campe doth go withouten any stay,
And nothing finds can him resist, no any kinde of way.
Like as a spring throughout a plaine falling from mountaine top,
Disorders all, both bancke and bridge, and no where findeth stop
Which it not breakes in spreading forth his mightie course on fields,
On vines, and fertile Gardens eke, and Meadowes often yeelds
Fruitelesse, that erst were fruiteful much, and fils them ful of Sande:
Euen so this Gretians haughtie deedes, and valiance of his hand
Makes way through Troyans euery where, he findes none doth resist,
No band or battayle in defence that stand against him list.

Pandarus then beholding thus the folke of Troy to flie,
Doth bend his bow minding to strike Diomede mortally:
He letteth flye a shaft at him, and pierst his Curet flap
On his shoulder, and in the flesh it gaue a pretie knap,
As well appeared by the bloud aboundantly that sproong,
Wherewith the archer ginnes to braue, that al the field it roong.

Oh valiaunt Troyans al, (quoth he) come see, and here behold
The luckie hit of this my shaft, take hart and waxe yee bold.
Aduance my friends, now hurt I haue one chiefest of our foes,
Beleeue that long he cannot stande, of force to die he goes,
If so Apollo do not spoyle, and yeeld my trauaile vaine,
And take from me this worthy glore, which now I seeme to gaine.

Thinking that victour now he stoode, thus Pandarus doth braue
At the stoute Greeke, who feeling wel himselfe a wound to haue,
He draweth backe, but not agast, and Sthenelus his friend

He wils to come downe from his chaire, and softly take by end
The steele, and plucke it out the hurt, with ease as much as may:
As best he could, the piercing shaft he drew, and cast away.
Wherwith the golden buckle gaie, the which he ware before,
And Curets did togither holde, was stainde with purple gore.
Diomedes thus painde alite, cast vp to heauen his heade,
With hart he Pallas doth entreate, and thus to hir he sayde
Oh Pallas great, the daughter thou of Ioue the God so hie,
Giue eare, and graunt thy seruaunts suite, which craues it earnestlye:
If euer thou Tydee my sire, or else now me his sonne
Haue prospered wel gainst forceful foes, wher we exploite haue done,
Graunt I beseech, thy fauour now, that I may send to Hel
This gallant, who me hauing hurt, he thinkes he beares the bel,
Beleeuing sure, seeing from me my scarlet bloud to runne,
I cannot hold, but am depriude from euer sight of sunne.

The Greeke no sooner saide his sute, but Pallas would it so,
She came, and straight to al his parts did double strength bestow,
And spake him thus: Go, fiercely fight, thy foes to daunt not feare:
The gifts of force are now in thee, which in thy father were,
And more, the vale I take away long earst before thy sight:
That thou maist know both gods and men the better in thy fight:
Yet take good heede, if any God present himselfe to thee,
That one to deare him with thy hand thy minde, do not agree.
If Venus faire do hap to come, then do thy forces plie,
And hurt hir corpes, if so thou canst, composde so tenderly.

Minerua left him with these words, with courage fully frought,
And to the Troyans then he made, and one them fiercely fought.
Who, though ful fierce in war he were, and forward alway bent
Before his hurt, a thirde part now he findes his strength augment:
Wishing reuenge most Lion like, the which the simple hearde
Doth gaule with shaft or skirring dart in keeping of his heard,
Wherwith the beast is more enradge, the blow doth make him grin,
The which the heardman when he sees, for feare begins to spin,
And to the sauage Lion leaues his cattaile and his folde
To do his wil, who doth performe his losses manifold,
And commeth out a conqueror: ene with like valiant hart

The mightie Greeke the Troyans scoures amazde in euery part.
Astinous and Hipenor, two puissaunt Dukes to tel,
By weapon of the worthy Greeke in fielde the Princes fel.
For thwart the Pap the one he stroke, his launce so helde the trade,
The other smote his waightie sword twixt necke and shoulder blade:
The cruel blow he stroke, the ioynt ne whit it mysste at all,
The bodie and the shoulder both to earth togither fal.

After he cutte in pieces there Polidus and Abant
The children of the Prophet great cleaped Euridamant.
Who prophesies and dreames though true he could interpretate,
The hoarie sire yet had not cast his sonnes vnluckie fate.

And in the ranck by his right hand the selfe same daunce now runs
The brethren Thoon and Xanthus, rich Phenops only sonnes,
And to the olde mans griefe, sith fate no children did him leaue
He forced was his stored wealth to strangers to bequeaue.

And passing forth, a Chariot met Diomede in the face,
Wherein were two, king Priams sons, with wise and warlike grace,
Who wel did know the feates of war, Echemonone that hight,
Chromius eke fel deade in fielde ydaunted by his might.
For euen as the Lion proude for hunger set to pray,
In pasture findes an hearde of neate, and seekes to force away
One of the troupe, with strength on him he seaseth with his pawes,
And fiercely holds him by the necke, and forth the bootie drawes:
Euen so the hardie Greeke did ioy, & pluckt them from their chare,
His mightie hand of both their blouds the badge and token bare.
Off them their armour then he tare, their horsses eke he sente
Fourth by his friends vnto his ship, or else vnto his tent.

When as Eneas thus behelde the Troyans go to wracke,
With wounds and slaughter only one to put them al to sacke,
And at his pleasure play the Bug, he forward straight doth passe,
And in the throng he thrusteth in, wheras it thickest was:
Seeking he asketh of his folke for their Duke Pandarus,
The Lycian head, whom when he found, he cheerely spake him thus:
Oh curteous knight, thy piercing shafts where are they, & thy bowe?
Are they in peeces al to pasht, wherof thou boasted so?
Thy great renowne and worthy fame, wherwyth al Lycie roong,

And eke our Camp, and oft the Greeks with dread and terror doong,
What, is it out yquenched cleane? alack thy bow take yet,
And nocke the mortalst shaft thou hast, and sende it right to hit,
And pray the Gods to further thee against this Gretian fel,
Who cruelly our chiefest folke doth chase, destroy and quel:
I greatly feare some mightie God discended is from skies
To punish vs for our offence, whose furie now doth rise
For hauing not his honors due, if that way go the geare,
We quiet must content, for why, their rage is great to beare.

O noble Troyan quoth Pandare, as touching now this Greeke,
The prudent heire of Tydeus he seemeth to be leeke:
Like targe he beares, his loftie crest and armour doth agree,
His horses also make me thinke that wel it may be hee:
I dare not yet affirme the same, for no man mortall sure
Is to be thought, whose deedes of armes such valiaunce doth procure,
Perhap it is one of the Gods in mortal armor bent,
Or else some one, to whom the Gods haue secrete fauour sent,
And turnes aside the wounds and blows, which should vpon him fal,
If not, my shaft had sent him erst to good king Plutoes Hall.
But now I see him in the fight more furious than before,
And more I know some mighty God hath me displeasure bore.
For here I nothing haue to arme and fronte me to the fight,
My strong and shining chariots braue, my coursers eke so light,
And mightie band alack I want: oh (no good reason why)
Far hence I left them at my home, the more vnhappy I.
I haue eleauen armed wel and richly wrought throughout
With goldsmithes worke, and gallauntly embroydred round about.
Two horses tough ech one it hath, the Iades they are not dul,
Of Barley white, of Rie and Oates they feede in mangier ful.
Licaon when I did depart the good old man me bad
To take them with me, for to show what force in fight I had.
I do forethinke, for that I would my fathers hest obey,
And did forsake his counsel good: I only fearde alway,
(Knowing with siege this Citie girt) I doubted to come by
The wonted foode my horses had, wherfore vnhappily
Trusting vnto my sturdie bowe, I here am come a foote,

And haue them left, which bow of mine hath servde to little boote,
I hauing often provde the same: two of my shots did pricke
Both Menelau, and Diomede, and thrust them to the quicke,
And al in vaine, for thinking I, with death their bones to bore,
I nothing did, but stirde them vp more furious than before.
Wherfore I iustly now may say, vnluckie was my fate,
To bring my bow or souldioure else to fight in any rate
Under the Troyan ensignes here, or put my helping hande
Hector the noble prince to ayde, and subiectes of his lande.
If Gods do please that eft I may my wife and Countrey see,
For this my greeuous great mishap, I willingly agree
And am content some straunger do cut off this heade of mine,
If bow, if shafts, and quiuers too, as right as any line
In fire and flame I do not cast, with most despite to burne
Which with my payne in this exploite so il haue servde my turne.

This spake the Lycian Pandarus, do not thy selfe thus deere,
Quoth Eneas vnto him, but be of better cheere.
Let vs togither ioyne, and leaue this fancie wood,
Let vs assayle this souldiour stoute, if so you thinke it good.
Come vp into my Chariot here, do you my horsses trie
How light they are, how wel to hand to such as do them gye
To scoure apace, or else to stop, to ioyne to gallop swift,
To turne, and how to helpe vs to at any sodaine lift.

Choose which you list, take you the rain, and guider be to me,
While I do go and fight with him, or I wil guide to thee.

It best is that you take the charge quoth Pandare by my reede,
For they wil better gouernde be by him, who doth them feede,
Than by a forraine, for I feare when so we should retire,
With bit in teeth they still would stand: and horses wil require
The chearing of their wonted guide, and so it might befal,
That he the Greeke assayling vs, may raigne and gouerne all.
Wherfore do you your horses rule, and let me now in faight
My force and prowesse put in proofe: these words he ended straight
And both the lustie souldiours there in martch do forward goe,
And valiauntly do shake their dartes, whom Sthenelus doth knowe,
He cals his friend and sayth him thus: two enemies are here,

Who force themselues to ioyne with vs, and now are drawing neere,
Both warlike men, one cunning much in shooting very straight,
The Troyans praise the other stoute, and wise in things of waighte,
Esteemde and honourde ouer all, the olde Anchises heire,
The which he vaunteth he begot on louely Venus faire.
Wherfore herin is daunger much, and therfore I you pray
Retire a while, hast not so much the hap of war t'assaie.
For doubt that this our forwardnesse may yeelde vs both to die.

Diomede hearing thus his mate to counsel him to flye,
In choler great doth aunswere him as miscontented much:
Thinke not thy foolish counsaile can yeelde feare or terror such
In me, no, no, al men of vs great villany would say,
No souldiour following at our backes to see vs run away.
I aunswere can a greater cause than this yet wyth my force,
That it is true, I wil not take my Chariot nor my horsse
To deale with them, let me alone, Minerua she doth graunt
This victorie it shal be mine, one of them I must daunt,
And reaue from him his vital breath, beleeue it true to finde,
At least I wil constraine them here to leaue their chare behinde.
Good friend remember wel my words, part not from me away,
If so it hap, and fortune, that I both those Troyans stay,
Or if in field they mangled lye, make hast in any case,
Their horsse and Chariot to my hall I pray you leade apace.
These goodly beastes are of the race of these great coursers trim,
Which Iupiter to Tros the prince presented vnto him,
When as he meant Ganimedes from Troy to steale and catch
To serue him in the heauens hie, no where is found their match
For countenaunce and for courage, not, vnder the morning gray,
Nor yet beneath the shining sunne, Anchise wel knew the way
The race and kind for to come by, for sith the same in gift
Laomedon would neuer graunt, he findes a pretie shift,
Into the pasture priuily he puts his goodly Mares,
To couer them the Stalions stoute and coursers nothing spares:
Sixe colts so had he beautifull of which he chose him foure
To serue him at all tymes of neede, and made of them great store,
These two he gaue Eneas here so gay and richly clad,

O what a pray were this, if Ioue, would I the bootie had?

So spake the Greeke, who euen thinkes the deede already done:
In meane time both the Troyans do against him ioyntly runne.
Then spake Pandare, oh cruel Greeke, sith so it is befall,
That erst my mortal piercing shaft could not thee hurt at all,
To cleaue thy Curets once againe I now wil trie my dart.
And when he ended had these words, his launce he threw so smart,
That through he thirlde his buckler quite, and to his Curet fled,
And further not, yet thinking there that he the Greeke had sped,
Doth vaunt aloude: O Diomede the deede now is it done,
Wherby I iustly iudge my selfe the happiest vnder sunne.
This blow so deepe it pierced hath thy side, and pretie poke
Of guts, as die of force thou must, receiuing thus the stroke.

Diomede nought afright him sayde: thy strength it is too yong
Thou art deceivde, for by the same I nothing now am wroong.
I wil thee shew another tricke, thou shalt not so wel brooke,
My launce shal send thee to thy graue, at my handes do not looke
For better grace, but it in bloud of one of you to bathe:
He with these words at Pandarus doth throw it strong and rathe:
Then Pallas to the Lycians face directs the weapon right,
Which mightilye thrusteth through the same, & cuts in two his sight,
His nose, his teeth, his tong and all, and there remaineth in
A good peece of the steele and staffe, the head from out his chin
Doth peare, and downe he falleth dead, the horses start withal,
Hearing the noyse that there did make his armor in the fal:
His armour bright and finely wrought, but filld with bloud so raw,
And hewde throughout, this great defeite when as Eneas saw,
Most Lion like he venters forth, and loude the Prince doth crie,
With sworde and targe in hande, in hast he runneth desperatly,
Minding mortally to wound, the Gretian first he met,
But Diomede then wel aduisde, a waightie stone doth fet,
Which scarcely two good men could heaue or lift vpon the ground,
Wherwith he hits him on the thigh, and doth Eneas wounde,
So sore, his sinewes he doth pash, and muskles teares in two,
As forst halfe deade almost he was, headlong on knees to go,
And groueling stard him with his hands, he bitter death had cought,

If so his tender dame had not his present succor sought:
Who viewing wel the danger great, whiche to hir sonne did hap,
To rid him out the hard distresse, hir cloke she doth bewrap
Him round about, and hawseth him, wherewith he was so clad
As in a forte, else thousand darts him ouer happed had.
And then to leade him out the prease, Venus doth hir deuore.

And Sthenelus remembring what his friend had willd before,
Æneas horse doth take, his owne aside doth leave a while
The Troyans horse he doth betake hys trustie mate Deiphile,
To guide vnto Diomedes tents: this Deiphile was the same
Who wel belovde of all the campe, of Knighthoode bare the name.
His owne coursers he mounteth on, and followeth speedily.
Diomedes, whom then he findes with all his might to hie
After the Goddesse, hir to fell, and Venus downe to beate,
Well knowing she is none of them, in whom is powre so great,
As in the two maydens Minerue, and in the fierce Bellon,
A weake and daintie parnell she, in whome is goodnes none.
He in the prease doth finde hir out, he foloweth on so fast,
Whether th'immortalls wil be hurte, to proue he nowe doth caste.
His dart with poudred Emins lynde doth pierce the gallant cloke,
And in hir fine and Goddesse hande there forward hit the stroke:
The kinde and daintie dame is hurte, wherewith she waild hir ill,
And heauie in hir heart she feeles the heauenly iuice distill,
And scarlet bloud, which was not like as mortall men do bleede,
For, forasmuch as heauenly folkes on fruits they do not feede,
And do abstaine themselues from wine, their humors do not gree,
With vs are men, therefore we say immortall that they be.

Venus she grieues, and chafeth much, being thus forste to pine
By hand of one that mortall is, and loud beginnes to whine,
For feare she is constraind to leaue, and forsake Æneas,
Whome Phœbus helpeth at a pinch, and doth him there embrace,
She haps him with a cloud, and keepes him from the Greekish spite,
Which for the purpose, when he came, she straight had therein sight.

In meane time Diomedes doth at Venus give and floute,
Prouokes hir wrath, in fight (quoth he) hēceforth no more come out,
Let it suffice you with your wiles pore women to deceaue,

The trade of warre and warlike actes I reade you for to leaue:
For if the battaile thus you haunt, your selfe you will beguile,
One day you wil be payde for all, that you wil cursse the while.

The Grecian spake the Goddesse thus, for grief who sorrows sore,
Not onely for the wound that painde, no lesse, but rather more
She doth lament thus to be mockte, wherewith hir colour gay
So bright that was, beginnes to swarte, and seemes to fade away.
Wherefore Iris with pitie woonde, vnto hir draweth nie,
And for good will she brought hir out, and to a place there by
On the left hand she led hir in, where Mars did stand and groile,
As ill disposd, and did behold the bloudie fight and broile:
He sitting in a duskie cloude, his Mounter by him there,
He leaneth sadly on his launce, as though he wearie were.

Then Venus on hir maribones thus prayes him earnestlye:
Good brother Mars so well belovde, to mounte t' Olympus hie,
And heauenly pallace, lend me now your chaire, great pain I haue,
Alacke with treason Diomede, that fierce and cruell knaue
He hath me wounded in the hand, that fierce and cruel curre,
I thinke he Ioue woulde also hurte he keepeth suche a sturre.

Mars willing graunteth hir request, his chare and horse he lent,
She mounts, and Irïs takes the raine, for guide with hir she went:
The goodly Genets cut the aire, they rather wish to flie,
And in a moment they are come vnto the heauen hie,
And found the mansion of the Gods, where Iris straight hir spedde
To dresse them wel, and there with meates immortal she them fed.

Then Venus found hir mother deare, and fell down in the place,
Halfe sounding, whome Dione doth lamenting there embrace,
And corteously doth thus entreate: Good daughter, whom I loue,
Whose hand hath bin so cruell bold of al the Gods aboue,
That dared deere thy tender fleshe? no worse they could haue vsde
The ranckest driuel, who hirselfe most filthie had abusde.

Diomede that rebell (quoth she) hath giuen me the gelpe,
When as I meant my tender sonne. Æneas for to helpe,
Else died he had, and nowe I see that Greeks not onely warre
With folke of Troy, but do in fight the Gods both hurte and scarre.

The worthy Goddesse Dione then this furious rage to stay,

A while to quiet at hir harme doth louely Venus pray.
My daughter sweete, content yourselfe, for many Gods there are,
Whome mortall men dispitefully haue wrongd with hatefull care,
But yet in time haue felt at full the guerdon of their faulte:
Ephalte, Otus, stout Olœus sonnes Mars God they did assault,
And so preuaild against the God, that thirteene moneths long,
They bound and kept him prisoner in prison sure and strong:
Where he had dyed by long abode, but that with pitie fraught
Euribea their mother in law Mercurius she besought
In fauour of the God distrest, who stale him in a braide,
And secretly conuayde him forth, without whose present ayde,
The fetters and the stinking aire had there consumde him quite,
His nature so diuine it was. Iuno for al hir might
On hir right breast was wounded sore, and stricken so did stand
By triple headed sheering shafte, ysent by Herculs hand.
What shal we say of Pluto blacke, who rules in eche behoofe
Th'infernall powers as onely God? hath he not had good proofe
Of Herculs darte, when as he was in Pilie country soile:
Among the murdred carcasses, where so receivde the foile
His Godhead, that if possibly a God could die or wast,
The wounde on shoulder which he caught had bin his vtas laste.
But to the lightsome mansion tho, of Ioue he hies amaine
To seeke a helpe there for his hurte, where Peon taketh paine,
His grieuous wounde he dresseth well, and quite doth heale the same:
O Hercules, vnhappy thou, too foolish and too blame,
Who feared not to deale in fight, and striue offensiuely
Against the Gods, who alwayes seeke reuenge assuredly.
But daughter trust this Greeke durst not haue hurt you any way,
But by Mineruas helpe, who willes you all the ill she may.
A good pore foole, who doth not knowe the man that doth contend
Against the Gods with enuious pride, muste haue a wretched end.
This onely faulte another day (at home) shall make him misse
His preatie babes to call him Dad, and there his knees to kisse.
He surely ought to thinke, if they, who be of greater force
Then you, would not reuenge your case, so driuen by remorce,
That your power can well suffise his punisher to be

In his owne lande, that is to say, by his wife Egialee:
Who waking out hir heauie sleepe, feeling the burning pricke
Of loues desire, to quench hir heate, some roag she shal not sticke
To tice vnto hir husbandes bed, and sporte with many a fit,
As merily as Cocke and Pie, he nothing wotting it.

To cheare hir daughter thus she saide, and softly drest the sore,
She swagde the paine, and Venus was more eased than before.

But when as Iuno and Minerue did see hir thus arayed,
In flouting wise, O Ioue they sayde, be you not ill apayed?
O holy father (quoth Pallas) of this ymery be,
Venus a Greeke to Troyan campe to bring there minding she
To giue to one whome wel she likte, in leading forth the man,
Hir hand with buckle of his belte (she hardly leaning an)
Is hurte, the tong hath thrust hir in, and then it may befall
Good cause to aske some ready helpe, the wound it is not small.

At this good iest the God of Gods smyleth with mery cheare,
And kindly came and spake hir thus: Venus my daughter deare,
It is not yours to rule an host, nor deale in broiles of warre,
But loue and mariages to make, for you they fitter are,
Meddle with them, your brother Mars to him leaue you the fight,
And to your sister Mineruà, as due to them of right,
In loue your office onely is, thus Ioue doth pleasaunt iest,
And talking so they to and fro, he sportes among the rest.

In the meane while Diomedes, Æneas he had slaine,
And misste but small, but Apollo defended him againe.
For the desire that then he had, the Troyan for to stay,
And gaine his goodly furniture, al iudgement tooke away,
Apollo thrice there guarded him, him thrice the Greeke did charge,
Apollo stil did strike aside his weapon and his targe:
The fourth time dead he had him downe, or layed him on the floure,
But that with grimme and griesly lookes Apoll doth threat & loure.

In hast retire I reade (quoth he) how trimme a man you are,
So sawcie with th'immortall Gods, and boldly to compare?
And henceforth this consider to, far different is the powre
Of men, who leades their liues on earth, and eke die euery houre,
From that of Gods immortall who and heauenly neuer dies.

Herewith the hastie Greeke, apace (wel fearde) away he flies.
Then Phœbus there out of the fight the Troyan tooke away,
And on the Citie wall he plaste him in the Temple gay,
Unto him consecrated, large, and sumptuously wrought,
As in a fortresse sacred much, and most assured thought:
Unto the end that Diana, and his sister Latone,
More carefully might help to heale his woūds, which causd his mone,
And straight the armies to abuse he vsde a Stratageme,
An image like vnto Enee himselfe (it so did seeme)
He did erect, about the which the bloudy gore did runne,
And round about the same, many a doubtie deede was done
By Knights of Greece, and Troyans both, the one their trauel spent
It to defend, it Greekes to spoile their might and forces bent.

When as Enee Apollo had in good sure safetie set,
Another way he helpeth, for, he mightie Mars doth get
By his great meanes in Troyans aide, and him he bourded thus:
O Mars thou God inuincible, Mars fell and furious,
O bloudie Mars with gastful lookes, gainst whom no batteld wal,
Nor armour tempred nere so well, can scarce resist at all:
What, can you suffer here this Greeke to braue throughout the hoste
And glorie thus? wil you not plague and scowre him to his coste
For this so sawcie his attempt? for he would make no stoppe
An enimie to be to Ioue, and ride vppon his toppe,
Who made no bones so ill t'array Venus thy sister here,
And hath prepard against me to, a mad man as he were.

Apollo ending thus his words, vpon the wall did rest,
And Mars the puissant God himselfe to battel ready prest.
He commes into the Troyan campe, presenting in the face,
And furniture, one Acamas, a mightie Prince of Thrace.
The ranckes he cheares, and comforts vp, namely King Priams sons:
His voice he lifteth vp and calles, disordred nowe who runs,
O valiant ympes, whome erst I tooke so worthy and so strong,
To see pour folke thus murdred here without your helpe, how long
Will yee forbeare? what, stay you till your Knights be beaten down,
And that your foes do come and fight at gates before your town?
What greater griefe (oh) can there be for you, than to behold

Enee a Troyan of suche price, so valiant and so bold,
Another Hector well esteemd in daunger here to ly,
And such a friend to rescue out not one of you will try?

These wordes made many Troyans shew good face & corage take,
Whereby Sarpedon worthy Knight to Hector thus he spake,
With choler seeming somewhat movde: O Hector sage and wise,
Where is the prowesse that sometimes extold was to the skies,
When thou didst boast that thy brethren, and thy allies alone
Could bid good welcome to the Greekes, and wel defend your owne
Without the force of straungers aide? where is thy great kinred?
Thy brethren, cousins, and adheres? surely they all are fledde,
I see not one, no, no, like Dogges, whom Lion seekes to teare,
They leaue thee here in daunger great, and runne away for feare.
They leaue not thee, but vs also, who here are come not strest
In thy quarrell to spend our bloud, and thro haue done our best.
To Troyan King I am no liege, ne with him kinred haue,
I haue no countrey lies so neare, which I neede seeke to saue.
Yet here I come from Licie lande, a countrey furre that lies,
Prouoked by thy great reporte, which famde is to the skies.
I there haue left my louing spouse, my babes, such good and golde,
Wherewith such men as want the same, greatly reioice they would.
I hazarding with most good will my life and state for thee,
I cannot nowe but maruaile muche: for why, alas I see
Thy friends and souldiors runne away, and I and mine to stand,
Thou holdst thy peace, who ought reuoke, & beare them hard in hand,
No more thus to abandon thee, declaring to them all
The mischiefe, wherein they and theirs is haply like to fall:
The which shal be as simple beasts ywrapped in the snare,
Their great and famous Citie spoild, ysackte, and pilled bare.
You better ought to minde this geare, and goe vnto the chiefe,
And tel them, that there yet remaines great hope of good releefe:
And that by stoutly standing to't, the victorie may be had:
So men of you will deeme right well, else iudge of you too bad.

Sarpedon thus prickte Hector on, the prince nothing replied,
But in his armor as he was from Chariot straight he hied,
And leaped downe, holding in hand of darts a goodly paire,

Which there he fiercely shakes, and doth vnto his folke repaire:
Where, with commaundment and request his bands he orders eft,
Who taking harte, forward aduaunce, to gain the place they left.
When Greekes the Troyans thus perceivde themselues in rancks to weaue,
Their crues they clappe togither close, thē surer to receaue,
And souldior like do ready make, to bide the fight they meane:
And euen as men out of the barne fanning their corne cleane,
Often by greatnesse of the winde the chaffe abroad that blowes,
The filth doth white the husbandmen, which out the corne goes:
The dust was likewise great, when as the Troyans neare appearde,
The souldiors and their armor all with dust were all besmeard.
Then did the cruel warre beginne with great and sorer tewe
Than erst before, they fight it out, and shieldes in peeces hewe.
Mars runneth vp and downe the fieldes, the Troyans he exhortes
In couert wise, and cheares them vp with speeche of sundry sortes.
Phœbus (quoth he) doth take your partes, and Pallas is your foe,
Wherefore some worthy deede of Armes, it you behooues to shoe.
The selfe same time Ænee reurnes all freshe into the field,
Apollo brought him in, whom when the Troyans whole behelde,
And not to do like as a man that hurt or maimed were,
But like a strong and valiant Knight, they greatly ginne to cheere.
At him they coulde not gaze their fill, some woulde haue talkte with him
But now the broile and bickering begon was very brimme:
Apollo, Mars, the Goddesse fond Contention tooke the partes
Of the good Troyans, enflaming to war their warlike hartes,
The valiant Knights the two Aiax on th'other partie doe it,
With Diomede and Vlysses they pray the Greekes stande to it,
The whiche obey: like men of war they stand and keepe their ground:
For as the cloudes the mountaines toppes do close & compasse rounde
Maugre the winds, by Ioue his meanes, who else no way abides
The blasts & blustring northern puffes, yt thrusts at hart their sides:
Likewise with stout and valiant minds the Greeks wel armed stand,
Seeing with them the worthiest Dukes of al the Greekish land.
And Agamemnon doth commaunde, where neede he thinketh moste,
And trauailes carefully about to order all the hoste.
O warlike Grecians (quoth he) tho, if euer men haue seene

Your warlike deeds performe them now, no lesse than they haue bin,
Take courage sirs, and with one mind now charge vppon your foes,
The souldior who esteemes his name, for suretie do suppose,
And for the same doth stirre his stumpes, more dangers dothe escape
Than cowards do, who from the fight to flee doe onely gape.
We sooner see goe to the backe, the dull and fearful foke,
Than hardie souldiors in the field, who wishe with foes to yoke.
The sprite, the which for honors sake hath not more liuely grace,
The body faints, and mated eke, to death it giueth place.

He with these wordes doth shewe the way, his Iaueline to his foes
He gyrdeth forth, and dead in field Deicoon ouerthrowes,
Deere friend vnto the great Ænee, through all the camp Troyene
So honord and esteemd, as he King Priams sonne had bene.
Not onely for his iolitie, and for his strength and might,
But that he alway stil would be the formost in the fight.
The Dart his massie Target doth and Baudricke thorowe beare,
So downe it goeth to his paunch, and dead he falleth there.

The selfe same time Æneas slue Crethon, Orsilochus:
Who had of the Citie Pheree to sire Deocleus,
Abounding both in powre and wealth, whose petigree they fetch
From Alphe brooke in Pilie land, so largely which doth stretch.
Orsilochus was Alphes sonne, a King of worthie name,
Who did beget Deocleus, a Prince of no lesse fame:
Of whome descended these two heires, Orsiloche and Crethone,
In feates of warre, in Greekish campe their betters was there none:
And chiefly for their times, who more their honors to encrease,
Had folowed harde euen to Troy Agamemn through the seas,
Supposing they it honor great as souldiors for to go
Under the guide of such a chiefe: as oft it happens so,
That two yong whelpes of Lions race, close in some corner by
The Forrest, fed by Lionesse who in the countrey nie
Spoiling their cattaile and their foldes, an Oxe they somtime slay,
Somtime an Horse, somtime a sheepe they kill and runne away,
Shall be at length yet ouertane, and by the sheepheards catcht,
They not bearing their harmes, who wel wil cause thē to be watcht.
Likewise Ænee couragious queld (gainst whom ther was no bootes)

The Gretians two, who fel like Pines ytournde vp by the rootes
By force of winde, then Menelau hereat doth greatly grieue
To see his friendes thus murdred here, whom he cōmes to relieue.
Through armed wel, in his right hand a Darte right bright he bare
Mars let him passe, that by Ænee his hand he murdered were.
Antilochus him folowes harde when as he forward went,
He thought the hazard was not small, nor he sufficient
Alone to make his partie good, which when Eneas saw,
Although he weelded wel in fight, himselfe he did withdraw.
To deale with two he daunger thought, no sooner he retires,
But that to draw the bodies forth the other two desires,
And gaue them to their fellowes there, and then to fight they gone,
In this conflict Pilemene fel, the king of Paphlagone.
With Mydon loyall guider, who his royal Chariot drivde,
The shoulder of the foresayde king there Menelaus clivde.
At Mydon mazde Antilochus a waightie stone did throw,
He crusht his arme, constrayning him the bridle to let go:
Beside this blow, he on his face gaue him a schochelade,
Wherby he fel downe to the ground islaine by his blade.
He fel not straight, the Palfreys did trayle him vpon the mould,
Antilochus til he them stayde, and led them where he would.

Then Hector prince by chance came by, right as the deed was done,
Seeing the good king thus distrest to waxe in heate begonne:
And therewith al he cries so loude, that euery Troyan leapes
That heard his voyce, and with good heart they follow him in heaps.

The furious Mars, and stoute Bellone, on them the charge do take
To martch before the Troyan bands, and dreadful noise do make.
Mars shaketh his redoubted launce, he neuer Hector left,
Sometimes before, sometimes behind he oftentimes doth shift,
In fine, it was a goodly thing a God to haue for guide.

Diomede seeing Mars to martch, for feare may not abide,
But did recule a forraine like, who ryding by the way
To some far land, doth finde a floud, whose bredth doth him affray,
He stopped is by the swift course, and surging so amaine,
That he his businesse leaues vndone, and home returnes againe,
Yea euen so the puissaunt Greeke his souldiours doth aduise,

Himselfe withdraweth from the fight, and spake them in this wise:
My friends quoth he, maruel no whit that Hector is so stout,
And prest himselfe to fight with you, and hence to driue you out.
With him to leade him in the fielde a guider God doth go,
Erst in humaine and mortall forme I Mars the God did know,
Who mans him throughly at the ful, wherfore sirs by my reade,
I would perswade you tarry time, and stay but for a bread.
Tourne not your backs but do retire, for doubt what happen might
Prouoking here the mightie Gods, who for the Troyans fight,
The Greekes a little leaue their ground, the Troyans hie as fast,
And Hector first of al the rest his iauelins he doth cast
Wherwith two warlike souldiours he doth slay, Menesthes strong
And Anchiale, whom from their chare on earth he layed along.

The stoute Aiax did pitie much their fal, the which he spied,
Wherfore his piersing dart he threw, wherwith Amphius dyed:
His armour coulde not beare the blow, but that his guts it gorde,
This Amphius was Selags sonne, of Pese the wealthy Lorde,
Come far to Troy in Priams ayde, who there doth leaue his course,
And sturdie Aiax seekes to spoyle his furniture by force.
But Troyans on his target threw so many darts at once,
The carcase they it tooke him fro, for all his mighty bones.
Sauing his launce, he nothing had, which he was faine to plucke
With both his hands the body out, so deepe in him it stucke.
This done, by Troyans put aback, himselfe away he wryde
Almost wel weary of the toyle, againe on th other side
By fortune hard and fate doth fall valiant Tlepoleme, sonne
To Hercules, with hardie harte, who forward there doth runne,
And puts himselfe in place to ioyne, with stout Sarpedon knight,
Who meeting both togither rounde, and readie to the fight,
These wordes Tlepoleme to him sayes before his dart he flings:
What waighty cause, what gret affairs, what need thee hither brings
Thou coward knight of none accompt, vnhappy here to dye?
Who told thee Ioue to be thy sire, they coaxt thee pretily
Thy faintnesse with his heauenly race doth greatly disagree:
Thinkst thou in valiaunce to approch Hercule my father he,
My louing sire, with Lions heart so hardie and so haute,

Who with sixe ships he brought from Greece, toke Ilion by assault,
To take reuenge of broken fayth of Laomedon tho,
Who promist on him in reward his horses to bestow?
Thy force and strength is far from his, and here before thy face
Thy Lycian souldiours are forehayde, and no man rues thy case.
What stead canst thou the Troyans stand? thou letst thy mē be hackt,
But al is one, for why? my launce to Hel shal send thee packt.

Sarpedon at his foolish threates doth moue and bash no whit,
He takes his tale out of his mouth, (quoth he) ful true is it,
That for the great abuse and fault to Hercules thy sire
They did, Troy it was sackt, and al hir buildings set on fire:
But as for thee, here dy thou shalt ymurdred by my hand,
To my renowme, and send thy soule to low and darksome land.

They make an end of wordes, their darts eche shakes with his good will,
To slay his foe, and so it fel, as either had his fill.
Sarpedons laūce stroke through the Greeke, who dead in field doth ly,
The Greeke his launce Sarpedon pierst in the sinister thy.
So deepe the steele stacke in the bone, Sarpedon it had kild,
He had not told who had him hurt, but Iupiter it nilde.

The souldiours when these two great Dukes on earth they thus saw layde
Themselues they ply, their proper prince apace they come to ayde.
The Lycian Lord they toke first vp, and brought him out the host,
In euil plight, and very faint, he so much bloud had lost.
As him they beare, the iaueline stil trayled vpon the ground,
They had no time there gently to plucke it out the wound.
The Greekes take Tlepoleme aside, they lay him in a nooke,

At this defaite and ouerthrow as Vlisses doth looke,
And saw Sarpedons safe retire, he doth the chaunce bewayle,
And doth forethinke which better is, the victor to assayle,
Or else to charge the Lycians, and them in pieces hew:
But following goddesse Pallas minde, he there doth them pursue.
Fate had not willd that Vlysses Sarpadons death should be,
Gods prouidence had kept it for a worthyer man than he.

But there in peeces he doth cut Alastor, Chronius,
Ceranes, Nomon, Alcander, Prytanes, Halius:
And but that valiant Hector came, he more had servde of trust,

But Hector hied to succour them, and in the ranckes he thrust.
Yea fearing with his armor bright the hardiest of the Greekes,
Sarpedon ioyeth this to see, and running down his cheekes
The trickling teares, thou Priams son (quoth he) I hartly pray,
Unto the Greekes in this distresse, oh leaue me not this day:
Cause me to Troy to be conuaide, there let me end my dayes,
Forsake me not, I wel do know I may no maner wayes
My Countrey see, and home returne to see my louing wife
Nor children cheerish, for I feele now ends my fading life.

The worthy Hector aunswerde not, among the Greekes he romes,
Them, who withstoode him for to send vnto their longest homes.

The Lycians on a moole-hill set the wounded Sarpedon,
The dart drawes out his friende and mate the faithful Pelagon,
He sounded in the plucking forth, his life it faded cleane,
With grones and sighes far fet, his breath by little comes againe,
Wherto the shadowe wel doth serue, and eke the open ayre,
Which coolly blew right in his face, as he lay dawing there.
Hector his arme and Mars the gods the Gretians in al steades
So foule affray, as they dare not once martch, or shew their heads.
They leaue their order and array, in field they turne their backes,
And to retire to shameful flight the Gretian souldiours packes.

Wel, let vs tel what Greekes were slaine by Hector in this broyle,
The valiaunt Theutras he was first, in fight who bare such coyle,
As he was wont to conquer stil, then their Orestes lay,
The cunning rider of great horsse, Threcus dide in the fray,
Stoute Helenus, who with the Greekes for knighthoode bare the bell,
Oenom, last Oresbius by Hectors handes he fel:
Oresbius a prince of power, with Sceptre and with Crowne,
The which right princely he did beare in Hile his proper towne:
His neyghbours all he did exceede in wealth, hauing his good
By Cephise lake in Beocie, wheras his Citie stoode.

Iuno seeing this wretched plight the which the Greekes were in,
Doth finde hir selfe beguilde, and chaft to Pallas doth begin:

Oh daughter of the mightie Ioue, what? nothing else but kil?
Is it agreed we al shal die? if so we suffer stil
This cruel Mars to foole so long, I see it very plaine,

The promise made to Menelau to haue Heleine againe
After the siege and sacke of Troy, shal turne vnto a iest,
And that his trauaile he shall loose, if longer here he rest.
Go we my wench, and let vs shew this dizarde here at ful,
What power and puissance we two haue, when vse the same we wul.

Dame Pallas she consented straight, and Iuno she doth hie
Forthwith to put hir horse in point, and to hir Chariot tye:
Againe the gorgeous Chariot trimde Hebe on th'other side,
As did belong thereto, whereon the Goddesse she must ride,
And then the wheeles she fastned fast, wel forgde of perfect golde,
Strong bound with brasse & yron nailes, wt spokes twice four ful told,
Of self-same bright and glittring brasse, yt naues of siluer mas,
The ends of steele with siluer beame as braue as cristal was.
The seate with goldsmithes worke bedaubde, & in such cunning wise,
As no man wist whether the worke or matter more to prise.
Minerua made hir readie while to dresse the chare they sought,
And off the puts hir right attire which she hir selfe had wrought.
She claspeth on the Curets stiffe which Ioue doth weare in fight,
And on hir shoulder she doth cast the mightie targe, in weight
That is so peasaunt, and so broade, enuironed with feare,
Contention, terror, braules, horror, and furie euery where,
With boldnesse, noyse, and gastful threates of horrible Gorgon,
The gastful dreadful monster, there the head was painted on,
Which frights al such as lokes therat, a heauie helmet she
Puts on hir heade, of gold most fine, with crests ycrested three,
Which would suffice to hap the heads, yea of so many folke,
As wel an hundred Cities hath, in fight if they should yoke.
Thus armde, she lightly leapeth vp the chaire with speare in hand,
Against the which (she angry) not the demi-gods can stand.
Dame Iuno of the tryed horsse in hand doth take the raynes,
To be the conductour and guide hir self wil take the paines.

They scoure so fast, to gates they come there of the Welkin large
Fast shut: as porters of the same the houres haue the charge,
And gouerne all the skie, and rule the hye Olympus eke,
And cloudes to cal togither too, and force them for to breake.

The houres to the goddesses do open readily,

And forth they let their coursers out, who passe the champiō skie,
They soone come to the hugie hill of the Olympus brim,
Where Ioue in throne doth gouerne it, and neere they draw to him.
And Iuno keeping still hir chare, thus tels him hir annoy:
My brother, and you husband mine, what pleasure or what ioy
Haue you to see thus Mars your son before Troy Greekes to kil
So cruelly without respect, to please the foolish wil
Of enuious Venus and Apoll, of force, what, must you cloke
This hateful and malitious part with faith and promise broke?
I pray thee greeue no whit at all this furie for to stay,
If I descende and do my best to chase him (hurt) away.
I am content answerd the God, but in your place I vise
For better end, that Pallas she do take the enterprise.
For Mars cannot defend himself against hir, nor resist,
For she shall often conquer him, and mate him if she list.

This answere liketh Iuno wel, she slakes the raynes and hies,
Hir coursers runne, and keepe the way betweene the earth, & skies,
They scoure aloft as far from vs, as men can wel discrie
A ship, which sayles aloofe in seas, from of some tower hie.
And thereabout the horsses keepe their way, which down discende,
And soon they came against the town, and down to Troy they bend.
They quickly fal vpon the ground, and down do set their feete,
Where cleare Scamander hir brother floud Simois doth meete.
At Simois there Iuno left hir chare and horses braue,
Who wel do tast the heauenly floud, and store of vitayles haue.
The Paragons like two white doues, and yet with valiaunt harts
Do martch to ye Greeks cāpe, with minde to play some worthy parts

Wher stout approued folk they finde, who spare no more hir foes,
Than Lions great, or wilde swine, which hungry a praying goes.

Iuno toke the habite on of Stentor Greekish knight,
Whose voyce was more than fiftie mens, crying with al their might:
O what dishonor and reproch, oh Greekes that of your shame
So smal account, vnhappy Dukes and princes yet in name,
But in effect more feareful much than simple seruing men,
If not, the vsage of you thus why do you suffer then?
When as Achilles sought with vs, they fled for feareful hart,

No Troyan stoute durst any way from gates of Troy depart,
They dreaded so his valiaunt launce, but now good God what hap.
They fight not only out their town, but kil, and down they clap
Us and our souldiours at our ships, thus cryed she amaine,
The goddesse great, wherwith reuivde their hardie hartes againe.
The prudent Pallas she againe meeteth Diomede right,
Wearie not only of the toyle, which he all day in fight
Had taken, but his mightie targe did make him sweate apace,
As he doth ply to shew himselfe a knight in euery place.
And more, the hurt he lately had, did put him to such paine,
As while he bled, leauing he could scantly himselfe sustaine
Against his chare, yet nerethelesse Minerua drew him nye,
And toucht the collers of his horse, and spake him curteously
Ful true it is, and as for me, it shal be in my creede
That Tydee that so odde a knight had neuer of his seede
A son so valiaunt as himselfe, he was but dapper he,
But aye so valiant and so wise, as often without me
He to the stoutst and strongst would begin the fight and fray,
And eyther bow them to his bent, or down in field them stay.
To warlike Thebanes did he not his courage wel declare
He once a legate sent to them, when after banket fare
(He seeing them carelesse ful of chat) with them begins to braule,
And to his glore and great renoume he ouerthrew them al?
And how? I tenderd him so much, in al his facts, I came
For to conduct him as a guide, as to thee oft I am,
And sometime put me in defence thy state and life to saue,
And worke on Troyans stoutest knights that thou ye triumph haue.
And yet as now thou wearie art, with sloth and dread distrest,
Among the valiaunt warlike folke no more I thinke it best
Thou name thy selfe as Tydes son: Diomede doth reply,
O dame impute not my retire (I craue it humbly)
To want of hart, nor blame me not: for sith I certaine know
Your presence here, of my retreate th'occasion I wil shew.
Neyther for feare nor fainted flesh, but wel in minde I had
Your counsel, which to take in hand against the Gods forbad.
Did you not warne me so, vnlesse on Venus tender foole?

100

And seeing now against vs here God Mars to deale his dole,
Am I blame worthy if I leaue and part the combat fro,
And do admonish all my friends that likewise they do so?

Quoth Pallas, friend, wel, make no bones, if so he come in place,
Be not afraide, but thrust to him, and lay him on the face,
Or any other God that shal afront himselfe on thee:
Mars is a wrangling craking wretche, a slauering Iacke is hee,
And worse, a lier: of his words he taketh little care:
No longer than this morning last, to me he said and sware,
He in the ayde of Greekish crues would come to fight and deale,
And like a fickle foole he fights here for the Troyan weale.
She wils Stenele come downe the chaire, she wishes for to try
How she can guide and take the raines and wil Diomede guy,

The Chariot began to bow with burden that it bare,
The Axeltree (though great) did bend vnder the creaking chare,
The goddesse for she wayed so much, and eke the champion good,
They go to trump and down to beate the raging Mars so wood.
And Pallas, (least she should be knowne) had pluckte hir face vpon
The helmet great halfe steele and brasse of th'infernal Pluton,

And when as Mars beheld them thus to come in such a hast,
A Greeke Etolian, Periphant, whom he to earth had cast,
Did leaue: this Periphant renoumde with best they did esteeme,
But Mars the warlike Greeke to slay, and take his spoyles doth meen.

And now at hād Mars shaketh straight his launce, a wound it made
Harmelesse, vnder the horsses neckes, it flyeth as a shade:
For it the goddesse turnde abacke, aduised wel, and wise
She guides the Dart with hir own hand, vnder the chare it flyes.

Diomede threw not so in vaine, for Mars his dart he felt
Which prest his belly with the steele that hit vnder his belt.
In bottom of his bulke it thrust so deepe entred the blow,
The stroke Dame Pallas for the Greeke diuinely did bestow.
She woteth wel to do the feate, and eft the speare regaine,
With his great wound and so straunge hurt, Mars cryeth out amaine.
His hideous voyce & fearful cry, his thundring bleate & rore,
Ten thousande men saulting a town coulde not haue thundred more.
Unto the Greekes and Troyans both, when in their eares it rusht

101

Full sodainely beginne to feare, and all for dread are whusht.

The sorrowful God surprisd with grief, & shame a thousand throes,
Most like a thicke and louring cloud to high Olympus goes.
Which in the cleare doth softly wast, when pirling wind doth beate
And makes it parte, and yeelds the earth beneath feele pleasant heat.
Unto the heauenly mansion come, with griefe and dolefull cheere
He sits by Ioue, shewing his wounde which bled, and spake him there:
Redoubted sire, I cannot tell whether your will it be,
To see the Gods and Goddesses as Cattes and Dogges agree,
For loue we onely beare to men, and for thy quarrell not,
Whose subiectes true we are: Thou haste a daughter ill begot.
So mischeuous, she nere is pleasd, but when she wrongs or spites,
A God, or Goddesse, when she lists, with pleasure she delites.
No God so mightie or so great, but iustly thee obayes,
But she, the frantike lawlesse Iyll vnpunishte goes hir wayes.
A cruell Greeke she forced hath this day the hande to wounde
Of Venus sister mine, and eke hath made hym keepe his grounde,
And forwarde come to foile and hurte me, as well see you may,
My Godhead almost had bin loste, but that I ranne away.
He so mee mangled had and coyld, and so my force decayde,
The heapes so great of Troyans dead, by them he me had layde,
Which he in gobbets there had cut: thus spake vnto his sire
God Mars, & shewde his shame & grief, which prickt & burnd like fire.
To whom eft Ioue: Thou fickle foole, so wicked and so ill,
Leaue thy complaints, with thy foule deedes, thy fathers eares to fil.
Thou art the most malitious God of all the Gods aboue,
Thy nature full of strife and guile, with cause whom least I loue.
Taking wholy after Iuno that fond and spitefull shrewe,
A iealous head, past helpe to mend, like thee, hirselfe doth shewe.
Of thy deepe wounde she causer is, I truly thee assure:
But, for thou art of both our blouds, my grace it shall procure
Thy to be healde: but thinke if thou so wicked art and wilde,
The fathers fauour thou shalt want, whiche from offending childe
He doth withdraw: it is long since I iustice did on thee,
For thy malitious wyckednesse and cankred crueltie.

Ioue doth commaund to heale the wound, Peon doth looke thereon,

102

And there so wel he doth his charge as he it heald anone.
And as full oft in Sommer time their labor men do leese
In putting curdes into the presse, whyche hardly then will cheese:
Th'immortalls hold of heauen much, from vs they differ far,
When as their bodyes haue a wound they sooner healed are.
Mars sounde, Hebe preparde sweet bains, with garmēts gay in hand,
Mars commeth forth in open Court, and there by Ioue doth stand.

Againe victorious Pallas she, with brauing Iuno pleasd,
To skies returne, for chasing Mars and wounding him, wel easd.

Finis quinti Libri.

The sixth Booke.

After the Gods had left the fight, the broile againe beganne
Among the Greekes and Troyans both, and nere so sore as than.
Many a slaying darte was seene on eche side in the fray,
That none coulde iudge the doubtfull end betweene them of that day.
In field so many corses fel, where Xanthus riuer flowes,
And Simois spreads hir bancks, where store of trees & herbage groes.

The worthy Aiax Telamon of his part was the furst,
The rampire sure of Greekishe campe, that Troyan order burst,
And to his souldiors maketh way that victors they may be:
One of the chiefe, a Thracian Prince in sight there murders he,
Hight Acamas: betweene the crest and helmet toppe, he strake
So iust, that hard vnto the braine the scull with brande he brake,
And in the forehead notchte him deepe, wherwith the grieuous paine
Of wounde so wide, with darksome death his eyes it did retaine.

103

And Axilus there Theuthras sonne, was slaine by the hands
Of Diomede, a souldior odde of all the Troyan bands.
His dwelling was Arisba towne, with walles wel closed rounde,
Where many a straunger he had lodgde, to whome did oft abounde
His curtesie to vse them well: but yet his vsage good
And gentle hart did not so boote, when in this plight he stoode,
That he might meete with friend or guest, to yeeld him helpe or aide:
The faithfull guider of hys horse along by him is laide,
Calesius his seruant there, yspitted through with wound,
To keepe him company, he falles flat groueling on the ground.

Euryalus bereft of life Opheltius, and eke
Dresus, and olde Bucolions sonnes he serued with the leeke.
They wist not how to saue themselues, the one Pedasus hight,
Both twinnes, the other Esopus, a well rynowmed Knight,
The gentle and the worthy Nais, called Nymph Abarbare,
Unto the saide Bucolion them secretly she bare:
At such time, when from Ilion he, vnto the mountaine came
To sporte himselfe, and to enioy the loue of beauties Dame,
Who then a simple shepehearde she, the fearney pasture on
Did keepe hir sheepe, he was the sonne of King Laomedon:
But leauing sire, and countrey both, aside their loue he laide,
Then caught with fierie sparke of loue of that so gentle maide.

In selfe same rancke Meneptoleme downe dingeth Astile deade,
Vlysses sworde doth at a blowe strike off Pidices head.
Areton is by Teucer hurte, and tumbles in his bloud:
Antilochus eke Nestors sonne, that forward souldiour good
Ful well doth knowe to do as muche to Abler, there he glides
His Iaueline, wherwith dead he dies, it shot through both his sides.

Agamemn seeyng them thus slaine, he forward thrusteth on,
And Elatus he doth fordoe, whose lyuing lay vppon
The pleasaunt bancke of Satnyon floud, whereas it was not small
In Pedase towne ciuile and riche, and stately plast withall.
And Philacus taking his flight, Leytus with death him charmes:
Euripilus seeing his friends doing suche feates of armes,
Doth shake his darte, and at the first (he needes not many blowes)
He doth Melanthius ouerretch, and dead him ouerthrowes.

104

Among the rest to shew himselfe desires Menelay,
He takes Adrestus there aliue, who then doth runne away:
But by ill lucke with Chariot so his horses braue did stumble
Against a stub of Iuniper, that downe it fast doth tumble:
Wherewith the beame full sore it brake, the coursers, who wel knew
Themselues at large, to Troy the towne in course amaine they flewe,
Leauing their Maister in the fielde: but Menelay, that faste
Doth follow on, steppes at an ynche, when downe he sees him caste,
To slay him with his loftie launce vpon him he doth flie,
But Troyan kissing there his knees, entreats him humblely.

Thou Atreus sonne, I you beseech, graunt vnto me I say
Pardon of this my wretched life, such raunsome wil I pay,
As you your selfe will thinke right great, if graunt my sute you wul:
My sire is riche, a house he hath with foyson stuffed full,
Of iewels, gold, yron, and brasse, which whole shall be your own,
And all he hathe me to redeeme, when well it shall be knowne
I am aliue, to gaine this wealth, your mercie graunt to me:
As captiue Menelaus then to take him did agree,
Thinking to giue him to his folke, vnto his shippe or tent
To leade him safe: A stay doth come that failes the mind he meant.
For the great Greeke Agamemnon came to the Market than
With his brother, he chast in rage, and thus to him beganne:
Thou coward great, what makes thy mind to pitie any whit
Or grieue for these false Troians here? haue they deserued it
Of thee at al? when in thy house as guests they harbourd ware,
Did they deserue so good a turne, as thus thou shouldst them spare?
It shall not boote, for all the broode in peeces shal be torne,
Yea ene the very sucking babes, and such as are not borne,
They die shall al the bitter death, by these, these handes of ours,
And passe the sworde, and in shorte time we shall enioy their toures.

The chieftaine Greeke with these his words turnd Menelaus so,
As to his councell he consents, this prisoner he doth go,
And thrusts and chases him away, Agamemn was not stanche,
He falles on him, and with a stripe he slayes him in the panche.
But for to plucke his Iaueline out, he forced was to stride
Upon the carcasse: in the while there Nestor hard beside,

105

Tending the fight, exhortes the Greekes, and thus to them he spoke:
O valiant friends you Mars his impes, couragious charging foke,
To gaine this victorie at hand sticke not to take some toile,
Giue once a lustie charge, set not your mindes vpon the spoile,
Til that you see them murdred al, your darts and launces file
Their corpses in before the pray, that yee after a while
The glorie had, them at your ease and pleasure ye may strippe,
Then shall we in our roomie keeles their wealthy treasure shippe.

These wordes enflamed so their harts, that victors they were than:
The Troyans put vnto the worse, vnto their Citie ranne,
And had forsaken cleane the field, but that King Priams sonne
Sage Helenus did keepe them backe, as they away did runne.
Who viewing well this cruel chase, to Hector there he hies,
And to Æneas, vnto whome, sith in you two it lies
(Quoth he) the leading and the charge of all our men and bands,
As two the expertst princes here, that with our faction stands:
My friends, in this defecte you ought this day some meanes prouide,
That it be easd, stay this reproche: what, stande and doe abide,
And shew your selues now diligent, do you our souldiors call
Togither here before the gates, and do exhort them all
Againe the battel to beginne, if so they loue their liues,
And will not be in peeces cut before their dolefull wiues,
Yea in their bosomes and their lappes, who seeing so their flight
Shall be ashamde, we in the while wil trauaile all our might
To stay them, though our forces are diminished too much,
It yet will boote, we thus constrainde, bycause our neede is such,
And as for thee O Hector thou, according to my reede,
Thou shalt to Troy to Hecuba our gentle mother speede,
And will hir for to call to hir the womens troupe eche one,
The chastest and the worthiest, and she with them to gone
Unto the Temple reuerent of sage and wise Minerue
Inuincible, with such habites, as beste she doth reserue
In all hir Courte, the richest stuffe, and chiefe elabourd geare
With simple and with lowly heart deuoutly let hir beare,
Them on the Goddesse heauenly knees with humble mind to lay,
With Orisons to promise hir with crouched vow to pay

106

Eche yeare a solempne sacrifice, hir fauour so to get,
Of Beeues twelue, or Bulles that yet to yoke were neuer set.
Which also let them bring with them, that it may please hir bend
To take in hand our babes and wiues, and people to defend,
As far as may be, keeping off from this Citie of ours,
The cruel dreadful Diomede: not al the Greekish powers
Togither set, as I beleeue, can do so much in fight
As he alone, I neuer sawe our folke in suche a plight
Forsake their ranckes, and so afeard, no for Achilles hee
Namde Thetis sonne, as I beheld them here away to flee,
By furie and by dreadfull actes of this redoubted Greeke,
Who to no other mortall man but to himselfe is leeke.

This was the prudent Helens minde, seeing before his eyes
The daunger that his friends were in: Hector to him agrees,
And downe he commeth from his chare, two gallant dartes he held,
Among the stoutest souldiors then forthwith himselfe he weld,
And like a stout and worthy head he willes them weld their swordes
Yet once: The Troyans fiercily stand at those his onely wordes.

The Grecians were constrained then to stay and leaue the chace,
And to recule, seeing them thus to shewe suche fearlesse face.
For they did feare some God frō skies was come down in their aide,
And made them turne eft to the fight in suche a sodaine braide:
Where with their courage Hector lauds, and gentelly them cheeres:
O forraine Knights and Citizens, my valiant friendly feeres,
(Quoth he) to shew your selues like men the present time it bindes,
To helpe the peril we are in, put to your warlike mindes:
Now shew the prowesse oft to me you promist to employ,
March on with hardie countnaunce nowe, while I do go to Troy
Our Ladies al, and our good Queene, and antient Dames t'entreat
To make their prayers to the Gods, and solempne vowes beheat,
That from this daunger it wil please their Godheads vs to shield.
The Prince of prowesse ending thus, there left them in the fielde,
To Troy he goes, his targe ytackte, with sable leather thong
Well hapte him rounde, from shoulders his vnto his heeles it hong.

Glaucus aduanced forth himselfe these things a doing thus,
Th'illustre and the worthy sonne of good Hippolochus,

107

There man to man to try himselfe, and shewe some deede of worth,
To whome the mightie warlike knight Diomede commeth forth:
But valiant Diomede at hand and wel disposd to fight,
Before they ioyne, dothe speake him thus: Thou worthy champion Knight
Among the rest a warlike one, a stout and sturdie sire,
That here wil come to deale with me, thy name I do desire,
(If so thou wilt) ful muche to knowe, for why, I haue not seene
Thee in the warre so forward erst, thou hardie art I weene,
And armed wel with hope I see, and surely thinkes to stand,
And to sustaine the waightie blowe of this my mightie hand:
Unhappy fathers I haue made ynow, their sonnes can tell,
Who hazarding with me the fight, their soules haue sent to Hel.
But seeing this thy haute attempte, I forst am to suppose
Thou art a God from hie come downe, or else, himselfe to loose
Some mortall man with simple sense: if so thou art a God,
Declare thy selfe, I wil giue place, and thou shalt haue the rod.

I wil not purchase to my selfe Licurgus danger so,
Who for hys rashnesse to the Gods, reward receiued tho
Of wretched life and paineful death. On the mountaine of Nyse,
It happened that Licurgus there the women did aduise
To doe to Bacchus seruice due, his festalls when they were
With slippes of Uine their heads vpon: but so he dothe them feare.
He following on, that eche constrainde the sacred Crowne they fall,
Whereat (good God) he doth reioyce and pleasures therewithall.
For why, the murderer with goade so sore them on did pricke,
And scoft his fil, and worse than that, he rashly doth not sticke
To minde disgrace, yea, to the God, whome rudely he dothe chace,
And thunders out aloude his threats, but Bacchus flies apace,
And hardly scapeth from his clawes, and forth he goes his wayes
To marine Thetis, who receiues him gently in the seas,
Yea trembling yet for feare to fall into the cruel powre
Of suche a gripe. At this offence ful sore the Gods do lowre,
And forthwith did reuenge the same, reauing Licurgus sight,
But for a time: not so content, to punish him aright
His life they ended wretchedly: If so thou please, this while
Tel me thy name, who was thy sire, and vse therein no guile.

108

And if thou art no God, but one that feedes with wine and bread,
Drawe nie, if thy desire it be here to be tumbled dead.

Then Glaucus boldly answerde him, and with a comely grace,
Dost thou enquire of my descent? quoth he, mankinde the race
Is fraile, and fading like the leaues, and hath no longer time:
For as we see the braunches greene, alway when happes the Prime,
Yclad with leaues, which Autumn winds down tumbles off the trees
With hard and hoarie frostes, wherewith their verdure they do leese,
And when the colde hath played his part, their hue againe they haue:
Ene so mankind to day aliue, to morrowe in his graue.
And if to day one yeelde his life, another commes as faste,
One dead, one borne, and so it commes the store it stil doth last.
But if you long to vnderstand my house, my stocke, and kinne,
Though almost al men knowe the same, and worthy it hath bin:
Yet harke, and I will tel the same. In Argos goodly land,
The whiche for feeding beares the name, there Ephyra doth stand,
A Citie of so great reporte whereas their Court they held
My parents good, and sceptres eke in Princely state did weld.
Of Eolus the first was sonne, the mightie Sisyphus,
Who did enioy such masse of wealth, and he begat Glaucus:
Of Glaucus came Bellerophon, such honor great that got,
To whome the Gods as singular, with liberall loue did lot
Beside the fauour and the shape, which happes to him alone,
Such force and strength, as to the like arriued neuer none.
That time a King Proetus hight in Greece did sceptre holde,
Whose wealth was great, vnder whose raigne th'immortal Gods so would
Bellerophon his tender yeares and youth with him he spends,
Who had his linage much in price: but there the King pretends
Gainst him, and to procure his death he after doth conspire:
Not willingly, but woode thereto by the wicked desire
Of Andia his wife, who then enflamde with whorish loue,
Could finde no meanes to haue hir will, nor yong mans fancie moue:
No, though she sued earnestly, lamented, whinde, and howlde,
Wherefore in moode she turnd to spite, when nothing gaine she could.
So that the vehement liking turnd to hate, yea, by and by,
One day she commes hir husband to with countnance like to die,

109

And spake him thus: choose of these two and thinke to do the one.
Either to die thy selfe, or else to slay Bellerophon.
Who gone about hath to assault thy honor, it to blot,
Meaning by force to rauish me, when as preuailed not
His fawning toyes and sewing tales, to end his fonde desire
Thus sets the trayterous iade the king with griefe and wroth a fire,
Who straight doth thinke to be reuengde, yet deemes not he it wel
Bycause he was one of his house, in house him there to quell,
He likes of treason in the case, to treason then he goes:
Malicious, false, and ful of guile he letters doth compose,
Which he vnto his father in law king Rheon sends away
The Lycian prince to deale herein, he doth king Rheon pray
And that without returne of word he cause the bearer die.
When as Proetus thus had writ, the yong man presently
He sendeth forth, he takes his way, with gods his guides he goes,
In Lyce they cause him to arriue, where head of Xanthus flowes,
Which floud the prouince watereth: At his first lighting there
The prince receivde him curteously, with ioy and ioyly cheare.
Nine days throughout right braue they feast, ye bāquets were not bad,
Nine chosen Beeues on th'alters layde, th'immortall Gods they had.
And all to welcome this new guest: And now when comth ye tenth,
The king then of Bellerophon to know the message menth:
And whether that he letters brought had from his son in law:
The packet false he toke the king, which hauing red, he saw
The treason and the deede deuisde, he faines and holds him stil,
Minding the letters whole effect at ful for to fulfil,
And for to kil the messenger, his force yet wil he say,
Against Chimere he him imployes that monster dire to slay,
The gastfulst thing that ere was seene: which beast ye Gods on hie,
To see reuengde the hateful facts of humaine trecherie,
Had formde by nature of such shape, ful hidious and ful rare.
The head and breast right Lion like, the midst the forme it bare
Of Goate, behind like Dragon broode, and more, from him there gone
Right terrible flames which forth he breathes. And yet Bellerophon
(Though fel he were as fel might be) the beast he doth assayle,
With fauour of the Gods, and of his wil he doth not fayle.

110

For after wearie toyle, in fielde the beast he stoutely slue,
That done, the Solymes down he hacks, and quite them ouerthrew.
Report so goes, him much it pleasde the Solymes to haue slaine,
And yet beside all this, the king commaundeth him agayne
To try with maine an Amazon, but stil he was so steelde
With heart so good, as victor he dead left them in the field.
At length to make an end of him, a bushment doth prouide
Of Lycians to set on him, harde by a fountaine side.
But al in vaine, for no not one of all the packed craft
Did once returne vnto their home, for murdered them he left.
Wherwith the King repents the guile, he stands amazed dum
And knoweth wel that from the Gods, the victorie did come,
Who knew him innocent, himself his deedes doth disalow,
With him for his own quiet he doth minde to keepe him now.
For his preferment him to giue his daughter wife to bee,
And halfe the whole of al his raigne, to ioyne sure amitie
The curteous virgin giuen him was, and for his place to dwel
The fertilst soyle, two sons he had of this faire Damosel,
A daughter eke, Isander first, the next a warlike knight
Hippolochus, Laodomie his daughter fayre she hight,
Whom Ioue did wish to haue to friend: with brand of loue did sweate
Diuine Sarpedon in hir wombe, himself he left hir great
But after this it was not long, but that Bellerophon
Did lose the fauour of the Gods and stirrde them euery one:
He hates himself, he companie flyes, he corners eke doth seeke
He wanders vp and down his grounds most mad and frantike like,
Therfore his fields are wandring calld, againe of very spight
God Mars his son Isander stayes a man of haughty might
To weelde in war both club and sword, the Solymes force him dye.
Againe, Diane as ruthlesly doth slay Laodomie.
Of al the three there rested but my sire Hippolochus,
Who Glaucus gaue me vnto name and hither sent me thus
In Troyan war with many a band here of his Countrey broode,
And willd me for to purchase price and prayse among the good,
Wherby not to degenerate mine auntient parents fro,
Whose great renowne Epira wals and Licie land doth know.

111

At your request now haue I tolde my name, my stocke, and race,
And what occasions any way haue brought me to this place.

Diomede at stoute Glaucus words long tentife care doth hold,
He doth reioyce and maruayle much at things that then he told.
His iaueline right he sticketh down with words ful curteously,
And friendly cheere he thus begins: redoubted sire quoth he,
Betweene your friends and mine long sith I see by your report
Was friendship deare, and great welcome, the which in euery sort
Posteritie we ought to keepe: Oeneus my grandsire
Lodgde twentie dayes Bellerophon, who styrrde not from his fire,
He vsing him in al respects like perfect friend and guest:
And at the time he shoulde depart, that friendship stil might last,
One friend vnto the other then a Princely present gaue,
Of the aliaunce to remaine as witnesse for to haue.
Oeneus gaue a girdle braue enricht with broydery,
Ipickt out of his arming house, of crimson purple die.
Bellerophon a gobblet round of gold ful bright he bare
To him againe, (which comming forth to war, wher now we are)
I left at home. As for my sire and also for your owne,
What proofe of friendship since they had, to me it is vnknowen,
I lost him in my childhoode I, when he with mightie power
In Thebes town did lose his life, where then he had the scoure
With many a Gretiā knights he brought. Sith so long time doth lay
The roote of friendship, I do iudge to let it not decay.
Wherby, if you should hap to come to Greekish pleasant coast,
You might your lodging take with me your faithful friende and host
For euermore. And I also passing your Countrey by,
Wil take your house, and you as host and friend assuredly.
And for a perfect token now of this accorde to smite,
If in this war we hap to meet, let vs two leaue the fight,
And turne elsewhere, for why me thinkes the neede it is not so,
We two to deale in doubtful marte hauing so many a foe
On euery side, with whom to ioyne: to cause the standers by
Hereafter not to thinke it much of this our amitie,
It good is we do make a chaunge, giue me (if so you please)
Your armour, and you shal haue mine, ful tough at al assayes,

112

With this they lighted and tooke hands, Diomede off him fro
His brasen Armour tooke, and it on Glaucus did bestowe.
Who straight gaue him his harneys braue of gold so riche and fine:
To make such chaunge al iudgement Ioue tooke from ye Lycians eyne.
For why, his sumptuous furniture was great, of value much,
It well was worth an hundred beeues, the price of it was such.
But, that which he receyude againe, to make a iust accompte,
And to esteeme it, to the worthe of bullockes nine did mount.

This while vnto the Citie comes the iollie Hector he,
Where at the gates in numbers great the women swarming be,
Demaunding diuers things of him, she asketh for her sonne,
She for her father deare, she what is with her brother done.
Another how her husbande fares: but he to all their call
To satisfies them any whit, doth aunswere nought at all,
But willes them pray vnto the Gods with sacrifice and teare
Now for the safetie of the towne, which greatly was to feare.

Frō thence to Priams sumptuous court, ye vertuous prince doth hie,
The pallace gaie with marble blacke is built full gorgeouslie.
In midst therof king Priamus did fiftie lodgings reare,
Unto his children and their wiues which onely lodgings were.
Twelue more against them he had built, which giue away he would
To great and loftie Lordes, the which his daughters marrie should.

Dame Hecuba his mother olde at th'entrie he doth meete
Going most courteous Laodice her daughter for to greete.
She staies, and takes him by the hand, and gently thus begunne:
Why leaue you thus your tired folke my Hector deerest sonne?
Goes our affaires now backward still? I feare it so alacke,
The Greekes are sure here at our walles, & Troyans goe to wracke,
Which makes you thus in hast to come, the mightie Ioue to pray
For their safegard: with me a while yet deerest sonne doe stay,
That I to you some pleasaunt wine may bring, and readie make,
Before you sacrifice shall doe, refreshing for to take
Unto your ouerhaled limmes, with toile and trauaile torne:
Good wine can much to strength ye wight, that wearie is and worne.
For feare I feeble waxe, no wine bring me quoth Hector he,
By to much drinke least of my selfe forgetfull I might be.

113

And ill it were a smered knight with bloud, with dust, and sweate
Not washt before, with prayers his the Gods for to entreate:
But mother mine, the dames of state in Troy assemble yee,
And other Citizens also, you first example bee.
Unto Mineruas temple goe, hir fauour do implore,
Bestow on hir the costliest roabe you haue in all your store.
Deuoutly lay it on hir knees, on prayers set your care,
Yearely behight twelue Buls of grease, that neuer yoked were.
That she these wretched people here in hyr tuition haue,
That she Diomede (of our folke in slaughter who doth raue)
Do keepe far off, and far aloufe our sacred turrets fro:
My brother Paris I will seeke, and wil him that he go
Unto the Campe, but of my word God knowes what wil betide.
Oh would to God, wheras he standes, the ground would open wide
To swallow him in deapth therof, the Gods haue giuen him life,
Sure to king Priams vtter ruine, or to his endlesse griefe,
And of vs all his children too, who else in fame and blisse
Might haue triumphed with the rest, my only wish it is
That of his latter end I here the carke it would me leaue,
That forceth now my heauie thought, and makes my hart to heaue.

With this the noble prince doth part, and Hecuba she bends
Unto hir lodging backe againe, and thence hir women sends
To go entreate the worthy dames, that they come to hir thyther.
She all bewept to chamber comes, wel sweete and deckt togither.
To wardrobe then, wheras were pilde of roabes no number smal,
Bewrought with needle Imagrie, of pretious stuffe them al
Which hyr tricke sonne sir Paris he, had brought from Sidon tho
With the faire Greeke, on Hecuba the same he did bestow:
Among them all the Queene chose one, for worke, the best yt might,
The balme in odour it did match, the star eke in his light
No brighter was then it of hue. Also she kept it layde
In bottome of hir coffer coucht, aboue most gorgeous wayde.
With heart deuoute than wayted on with numbers in a row,
Unto the Goddesse temple large wyth others she doth go.
In midst of all the pallace great no sooner there they came,
But that Theane Antenors wife did open them the same.

114

The dores of gold she doth vndoe, vnfolded, rich, and large
Of this gay Church by Troyans all as priest she had the charge.

Now thither come, the Dames in troupe with reared hands on hie
They make their vowes, they strike their brests, & howle wt piteous crye
And then the worthy Theano the royall roabe she laide
On Pallas knees with humble grace, and forthwith thus she prayde:
O chast Minerua, o clemencie diuine and sacred seene,
Of this fortresse and Troyan folke who gardaine sure hath bene,
The prayers I beseech thee heare, which we to thee commende,
In this thy house, that of our woes we once may haue an ende.
We pray thee that the stoutest Greeke (Diomedes is he)
Be beaten down at Scea gate, his launce eke broken be.
That done, vpon the aultar we our sacrifice wil do
Of oxen twelue, in thy seruice as many yearely too,
If so thou helpe vs at this plundge: this prayre she did addresse,
But Pallas to accept the same in sooth thought nothing lesse.

This while cōmes Hector to the place, where tricke sir Paris lay,
A cunning piece of building, yea both costly, rich, and gay,
Which Troyan maister builders had made vp in point deuise,
A court it had, where Kitchin, Hal, and Chambers round do rise.
Unto king Priams mansion chiefe it ioyned was at hand.
This valiaunt Prince with steeled launce he holding in his hand
Sixe foote in length with golden poynt, vnto the place doth draw
So sumptuous, where his brother he Alexander saw
Wel occupyed in deede of praise, his targe and armour bright
He furbushes his bow himselfe he rubs, and seemely dight.
Heleine sits by, amidst hir maydes, that they may cunning be
She studies, and forethinks some workes, that pretiest shew may she.

Then Hector thus his talke began frowning with moodie cheare:
What cause is there oh cursed thou that keepes thee idle here?
What tetishnesse thus to thy house doth make thee draw aback,
Sith wel thou knowst that for thy sake the Troyās go to wracke,
And sackt must needes this Citie be, who haue this war begun
Only for thee? thou seeing one, who from the field should run,
Oughtst to crie open shame on him, but now thou hidst thy head,
As ringleader and coward chiefe of all that ere was bred.

115

Go quickly now and do thy best, if so thou do desire
To saue the towne from spoyle and wast, and from the Greekish fire.

Tall Paris tho, hearing him chide so roughly in his moode,
O brother Hector answerde straight, sith of your meaning good
You moued are, yet please it you my scuse for to allow.
No pet nor wrath with any one retire doth make me now,
It is but only my mishap, to ease by time I thought
My griefe, & curteous Heleine here with me al means now wrought,
Perswading me with milde exhortes mine armour on to pul,
And for to leaue this idle fit, and surely so I wil,
It giues me this day should be mine, for victorie is so,
To day a friend it is to some, and yet to morrow foe.
Stay here a while til I be armde, or else go forward yee,
Straight at this geare, hard at their heeles you shal me busie see.

The valiant Hector these his words seemde nothing to regard,
Wherfore with milde and humble grace Heleine drew to him-ward:
Oh brother mine in law quoth she so worthy of the same,
(If I a wretched woman may of sister haue the name,
Who am no better than a dogge) when life I was assignde,
Unto some desart mountaine top would God some whirlewinde
Had cast me vp, or in the sea my carcase throwen would,
By ending life, this mischiefe all auoyded then I should:
But though that by the whole consent of all the Gods on hie,
The instrument of al the ils, must needes be none but I:
Yet ought I haue a better spouse of wisedome and of sight
To looke vnto his own affaires, that vnderstand he might
When one doth speake to his reproch, that to his blame doth fal,
But for to know his wealth or want this hath no sense at al.
And what so he shal take in hande, know wel shal end as il.
O noble, deare, and brother mine beseech you now I wil
Come in, sit downe here in this chaire, oh thorough grieued wight,
I wel perceyue and see in you the dolour of your spright,
For vs two caytiues you sustaine, for that we did offend:
The gods it calling to their mindes, do ordain wretched end,
Which shal be soong in euery rime, and roong in euery raigne.

Unto dame Heleins curteous words bold Hector sayth againe:

116

Though this proceede all of good wil, it cannot force me stay,
For things I haue now in my heade, call me another way,
And that I hast vnto the Campe to comfort and to cheere
Good Troyans all, who greatly wish (I know) to see me there.
And lady mine, you shal do wel to wil him arme apace,
And if he present follow me, he wisely in thys case
Shal do: or take me going forth: for now to see I go
My house, my sonne, my gentle spouse, for little do I know
Whether at wil another day it please the Gods on hie,
That I may see them once againe, or else this day I dye.

Ending his talke, his lodging to with pace he stalketh on,
Andromacha the princesse great he found that she was gone
Unto a tower with hir son, a nurse, and wayting mayde,
Where thinking on hir husbands broyles, forth tears amain she layd.

Unto the Maides quoth Hector then your mistresse where is she?
What, is not she now gone abroade some sister hirs to see,
Or to my good sisters there hir griefe to put away,
And so to passe the time with them? now sirs do quickly say,
Or with my mother at the vowes in that deuoutful crue,
Presenting Pallas sacrifice with them doth she ensue?

With Hecuba she is not gone, quoth one, sith you wil knowe,
Nor to hir iolly sisters she, alas she tenders so
Your (state oh Hector) that she swelts (she is to careful plaine)
For frantike like with hir sweete son she ran with might and maine,
Into the keepe, supposing that the Troyans lost the fight,
Eke in the iourney you had quaylde, and life had ended quite.

With this sir Hector tournes his steps, & then the streets he threeds,
And lanes, that faire and ample were, and forth apace he speedes
To Scea gate where bode the Campe, Andromacha by hap
Doth meete him right, hir deerest sonne, and eldest in hir lap,
Whom Hector cleapt Scamandrius, but Troyans otherwise
Astianax, as son to him, from whom their health did rise,
For so did right his name import, the Hector stoute this while
Doth herewith very pleasaunt ware, and smothly gan to smile.
Uiewing his son as cleare as star that cloudlesse heauen beares.
But then his wife with wayling great, and store of gushing teares,

117

With humble cheere drew to him nie, and thus hir tale began,
Clasping his hand: O to thine owne most hard vncurteous man,
Thy forwarde minde shall thee vndo in midst of flouring life:
Hast thou no pitie of this childe, ne yet of me thy wife?
Dost thou not see the dolefull end, that I pore wretche shall gaine,
If thou go aide now thy consorts, a widow to remaine?
The Greekes conspire against thee all, and trauel all they may,
They most do gape to haue thy bloud, but yet before that day,
O mercilesse deuide thou earth, and me deuoure aliue,
What ioy to me when thou art gone, or which way may I thriue?
What, is ther loue, or wiuely care with mine that match may make?
Shall I hereafter be content another spouse to take?
No, no, I that defie, no mirth can chaunce me so,
The whiche of thee can cause me let the sweete remembraunce go:
What, shall I to my parents trudge, of them to seeke reliefe?
What, out alas they all are dead: O hel and heauie griefe.
Diuine Achilles in his deedes, after that he had pilld
And borne away their treasures great, and had the ditches filld
Of Thebes, with the walles thereof, whose fame far strangers knew,
His warlike hands right cruelly in bloud he did imbrue
Both of my sire, and of his sonnes, who strong and valiant were,
The King my fathers armor yet he woulde not off him tere,
To cindres both he them consumde, and off he did not drawe
The furniture, for why, he stoode of mightie Gods in awe.
A Tombe to him he rearde, whereas vnder the braunches greene
To pleasure take and sporte themselues the Nimphs Orestiads beene,
Delighting there great store of Elmes be-planted they haue made
About the same, where they at ease may play them in the shade.
The father dead, his bow did force the seauen sonnes to yeelde,
He slue them downe in Cicilie encamped in the field.
My mother Queene with pensiuenesse and sorrow fully frought
Was captiue made, who foūd such means, & so by ransome wrought,
That she deliuered was at length, with manner fullie rare
Diana wrought against hir then, with bowe down dead hir bare.
O Hector deere, do nowe behold Andromacha hir case,
Of sire, of dame, of brother eke, and spouse thou haste the place,

118

I thee beseech this one request of mine may graunted be,
Haue pitie on this pretie boy, an orphane, if thou die,
Haue some regarde, and call to minde the wretched creature I,
Who life and widōhoode maye not haue, into this towre ascende
To keepe the same, and round about call souldiors to defend
The wall whereas it lyeth low: for foure times we haue seene
The Aiax twaine with many a Greeke, and also I do meene
With bold and doubtie Diomede, to force al what they can
To mount the same by hautie heart or Augure some set an.
These words dere wife, quoth Hector tho, which wil me thus to care,
Both day and night, such mind and thought still my companions are,
My head long sith hereon I set, yet nothing can I frame
That profite wil, I greatly feare that ay reprochful shame,
The which on me this wretched folke with open throate will cry
When absent from this warre I am, where I so wel do try:
My heart to alter from his wont it also doth disdaine,
It prickes me forth to purchase fame, that euer shal remaine.
I know right wel the time shal come, the Greeks wil take this town,
Priam, my parents, kinne and friends to death ybeaten downe,
My brothers al must passe the sworde: To see them so to dye
My sire, my dame, my brothren all, and nearest friendes them by,
I shal not grieue for them so much, as griefe for thee I haue,
And most, to thinke, that of some Greeke thou shalt become the slaue,
Who to his country shal thee leade to tease and tosse his wul,
He shal thee put from day to day to spinne, to picke and pull.
And in the midst of al the heat, from spring his water drawe,
Which needes must pinch thee at the heart, but Neede it hath no law.
And often shal the passers by say, Looke who yonder is,
The wife of valiant Hector loe, who in the field with his
Such fame and great renoume did get, whē Grecians compast round
The great and mightie town of Troy, and tare it to the grounde.
How great to heare my name rehearst shal then thy dolors be,
And that my helpe thou canst not haue eft to recouer thee,
But ere the waylings I wil heare of thee my captiue wife,
The earth shall hap this corpse of mine, and I wil lose my life.
With this the valiant prince doth hide his carke and inwarde griefe,

119

And out doth put his handes to take his sonne the pretie leefe,
A little pretie bulchion fat, seeing the dreadfull crest
And armor, cries and calls his nurse, and nouzels in hir breast.
With this the curteous parents they smile at the preatie grace
Of that the babe, and Hector he his sonne for to embrace,
Doth set aside his loftie helme, he him doth coll and kus,
With pleasant mind he holds him softe and formd his praiers thus.

O mightie Gods, ye soueraigne Lords, request this grant to me,
That once this boy triumphantly a doubtie man may be,
Among his folke as nowe I am: Also when I am dead,
Giue him the honor, that he may the Troyans guide and leade:
That men may say, when they shall see him prosper in such case,
Howe farre the sonne the father doth in deedes of armes surpasse.
And when the spoiles as conquerour from forraine foes he pull,
His mother she may see the same, hir ioy it may be full.

The child he giues his mother nowe, who takes it in hir hand,
She smiles therewith, yet in hir eyes the water ful doth stand.
He rues thereat, to hir he drawes hir sorowe to delay,
About the necke he takes hir fast, and thus beganne to say.
My dearest spouse these waylings leaue, and take not thus at heart
My death, thou knowest well ynough we al must hence departe.
No man can boast that he is free from death and from his blow,
For from the first day of our byrth to death we subiects goe.
And as for me, this body, who, and life shal part in twaine,
Shall pay full deare, and haue no cause to glorie of his gaine.
I shal not die before my time: Good wife for Gods sake goe
Home to thy house, be of good cheare, and leaue to greeue thee so,
Do passe the time to winde and reele, & with your maids to spinne,
Commaunde, and order take, that they good workewomen may bin.
And let vs men see to the fielde, and looke what needfull is,
And I (as alwayes) now to be the formost wil not misse.
With this from ground his helme he takes, & on his head it weares
Home goes Andromacha with sighes, and seas of sobbing teares.
When she vnto hir douse doth come she findeth weeping eyes,
The seruants al do sobbe and howle with shril and heauy cryes,

120

Be weeping Hector thus they say: On this odde knight alacke
We neuer shall set eyes againe, this day wil be his wracke.
Some fel and cruel Greeke this day shall worke his death & harme.
Paris againe makes no abode, he hasteth fast to arme,
He after Hector runneth nowe, he trusteth in his force,
And eke in his agilitie. And like vnto the horse,
That in the stable halter doth and headstall cracke in twaine,
And slippeth out the house apace into the fields amaine,
With many frisks and yerks behinde, his head doth cast aloft,
At last vnto some pleasant streame doth pace, and trotteth soft,
Therein to wash and play himselfe, and haply there doth finde
Some lustie Mare vpon the bancke t'assuage his raging minde:
Ene so sir Paris tall and tricke, in citie shewes ful braue,
Unto the sunne his Armes and targe the like for brightnesse haue.
As Hector left Andromacha, he meetes him in the teeth,
He going forth, he greeteth him, and thus beganne therewith:
O brother deare and eldest borne, m'abode deserueth blame
In staying nowe thus long, sith that you willd me haste the same.
All in good time quoth Hector then that doubtie Troyan he,
None can thee iustly giue reproch how worthy that he be,
When to the field thou setst thy mind, thou lustie art and light,
A vauntage great, but slowly oft thou drawest to the fight,
Ne wil not mend thy pace one whit, nor leaue one iote of will,
It grieues me most that so thou givst thy selfe to pleasure still.
And chiefly, when the Troyans they I see thy doings blame,
They byding many deadly brunts, do babble to thy shame.
Well, let vs go against these Greekes, our forces for to lay,
These brutes ful wel we may appease, if happly come the day.
Hauing our enimies put to flight, the condigne sacrifice
Unto the hie immortall Gods on Aultars they may rise.

Finis sexti Libri.

121

The seauenth Booke.

Nowe warlike Hector doth depart with Paris out the towne,
They willing both in armes to shewe some deede of great renowme.
And like as after stormie flawes that deeres the shipmen sore,
In deepest sea against the winde there striue with arme and ore,
God sends a present calme to cease that dreadfull tempest blast:
Euen so the Troyans ouerhaeld doe comfort at the last,
When as they sawe these brethren two marching before their sight,
Who, well they knewe sufficient were for to maintaine the fight,
They were no sooner come, but that they slaie two Greekish foes,
The stout Menesthius to the ground by Paris hand he goes,
In Arna towne he sceptre held, of king Areitho bred,
Who young, with faire and glassie eyes Philomedusa wed.
Hector with sharpe ypointed launce Ioneus doth slaie,
Twene curet, and his gorget both the steele it maketh waye.

Glaucus doth Iphinous ding he downe on earth doth fall,
The raines eke of his horse the blowe did force him leane withall.

The slaughter Pallas seeing nowe thus of these Grecians three,
And the confusion of the rest, which likely was to be,
Full moovde, and grievde to see the sight, vnto the Troyan towne
Descends from high Olympe, Phœbus that sawe hir comming downe,
(He sat vpon the wall, to viewe how ende the battaile shall,
Which in the fauour he doth wishe of Troy and Troyans all)
He finely cōmes vnto hir straight, quoth he vnder this Beeche
I count it best you rest your selfe, and thus beganne his speeche.

You daughter of the mightie God, shew me th'occasion why
You now are seene here in this place come downe so speedily,
Sure great affaires, or else some cause, which muche your minde it leekes,
The victorie from Troyans good to giue vnto the Greekes.

122

And is not that your meaning now, your purpose and intent
To see the Troyan towne destroyed, hir buildings all to rent?
It better were (in my aduise) this day to cease the warre,
And eft they may beginne their fields, and fights wherein they ar,
Till that such time the citie there to sacke and pillage goe,
Sith that you Gods with one remorce, of force will haue it so:

The Goddesse answerde then: Agreed, for so I meane aright,
Of purpose I descended downe to staie these folke from fight,
Wherefore seeke way to seuer now frō this daies warre these wights.
Apollo soothde: quoth he therto, of all these gallant knights
Let Hector bold march boldly on, and chalenge for to trie,
Yea man to man the stoutest foe, with him to liue or die.
This braue demaund will much amaze the stoutest of their bands,
And they will point some odde man out with him to mingle hands,
And thus this battaile shall haue end. Apollos saying theed
Unto his graue and learned skill, forthwith it was agreed.

Then sage and prudent Helenus, who there their secret knewe
By ghost diuine, with courteous wordes lowlie to Hector drewe.
Quoth he, my dearest brother now, to me thine eare attend,
And maruaile not, though to aduise, and euerie way I bend
My selfe t'aduaunce thy great renowme, sith brethren both we be,
I cannot chuse to doe my best, as duetie doth agree.
Cause Greekes and Troyans to retire with voice and courage hie,
Aduaunce thy selfe, if any Greeke will out this quarrell trie
Upon him, doe, for by the fates this day thou shalt not dye,
I haue it from the mightie Gods, whose councells cannot lye.

Hector right iolly marcheth on, out of the rancks he goes,
His launce full long in midst he held, he willes thē leaue their blowes,
He brings his squadrons backe againe, the shot he bids retire,
The Greekes stand fast, they order keepe, and newes they doe desire.
Agamemn eke to harken to, made Grecians to abide.

Both Pallas and Apollo then seeing on euerie side
The dartes to cease, vpon a Beeche of armes a mightie tree
The God and Goddesse they do sit, as Uulturs there they bee.
They doe delight such puissant cries in field to see so still.

The Bataillons yet soundly knit on grounde doe lie at will,

123

With fooles of warre at elbowes end, much like the Ocean waue,
Which working storme, not green, but black doth make ye colour haue fall,

Then Hector armde at euerie point thus spake vnto them all,
Hearke both ye Greekes & Troyan knights what to your wealth may
Betweene these campes the treaties sworne, & parts so firmly fast,
Imperfect are, of no effect, as none had euer past.
Ioue in this daunger hath vs lapt, n'accord he will allowe,
He doth determine in his minde, with malice he doth vowe,
He all a cruell sacrifice of vs doth meane to make,
As thus: that either you the Greekes our Troyan towne shall take,
Or that your iourney shall returne to you both voide and vaine,
Or hardly by vs Troyans set, quite beaten downe and slaine.
And now I knowe it verie well, that in your campe you haue
As to defend, so to assaile both souldiours fytte and braue,
And valiant men, single to me the strong and stoutest knight,
Let him nowe here his manhood trie, and cope with me in fight.
I will abide the man, and truth and faith I giue withall,
To which (if so it needefull is) I Ioue to witnesse call,
If victor of me for to be so luckie be his chaunce,
And in my bowels that he doe imbrewe his warlike launce
Take he my spoyles vnto his shippes, my bodie let it rest
Without outrage, let Troyans take it to the fierie feast.
Let them the ashes gather vp: And if him vnder foote
That I doe tread Apollo graunt, I craue no other boote
But that his harneys I may haue, to Ilion thether I,
In temple his a relique signe to set and hang on hie.
And for his carcase send I will, the Greekes they shall it haue,
Who in the shore of Hellespont thereon may reare his graue,
That if hereafter to this land a straunger take his way,
And with the tombe doe haply meete, full iustly he may say:
Here lies intombde the doughtie Greeke, whom Hector charging hard
Downe slue, although he shewde the part of knight of great regard.
For valure and for force: and loe, thus shall a forraine saye,
Whereby my fame and great renowne shall last for euer and aye.

This speech so stout and sodaine sayed yeelds all the troupe abasht,
Ech doubting to accept the fight, they blushing all are dasht.

124

Menelaus, who marked all, and how they stoode, he grewe
In furie great, he cut doth come, and sighes he deepely drewe.
O villaine Greekes (quoth he) in wordes ech proude & hardie speakes,
But come to deedes, you quaile alacke like faint and coward freakes.
O Greekes infamed too too much, what, Greekish men? not so,
But rather Greekish wiues, what shame and filthy speech will goe
Of you for this your cowardize? with hart not standing out
With Hector here to ioyne, for why, you daungers dreadfull doubt:
And without further mouing hence, that ye to earthy molde
Doe turne (your faults to plague) I pray or else to water cold.
And as for me, I will me arme, the combat I allowe,
With hardie minde I it accept, I knowe it well ynowe
The loftie Gods as best they please bestowe the victorie:
Thus Menelau doth blame his mates, and armour on doth tye.
And now at hand O Menelau was end of all thy toiles,
Thy death was sure in Hectors hands, whose skill in warlike broiles
And strength of arme surmounts thee farre, & but the Greekish kings
Had come and stayde thee, Agamemn, he by the hand thee wrings,
And much misliking this thy Acte, with rage quoth he thou asse,
Thou fondling thou, thinkst thou thy strength of force to bring to passe
To matche this doughtie Troyan here, to whom, of Greekish race
Not one, howe stoute so ere he be, dare boldly shewe his face?
Achilles no: he greatly doubtes with him in field the fraie.
Drawe backe and quiet keepe thy selfe, we shall finde out a way
To end this cause, we shall finde one shall make him stirre his stumps,
Though that a dreadlesse knight he be, and though in martiall iumps,
A souldior bold, nere tirde in warre, I hope right well that he
Shall thinke himselfe a happie man, if haplie so it be
Without his death this quarrell end: and that with humble hart
Upon his knees thanke God aboue, with life for to depart.
Agamemn Menelaus thus perswaded, and he stayde,
His gromes right glad their maister sawe, out daunger to be wayde,
And flocke about, his armor one, another takes his shield,
His weapons some, and by his bands he seeth him in the field.

Wherewith the reuerent Nestor graue stoode vp, & forth he drewe:
O great vnfitte reproch (quoth he) vnto this famous crue,

125

O what mishap, if at our home this dolefull newes be tolde?
Surely the Prince of Myrmidons Peleus that father olde,
And all his prouince fast will whine: he hath enquirde of me
Of fauour great, the names and race of meanest in degree.
Of all you here: but how abasht, how great shalbe his griefe,
When he shall heare your cowardise? it sure is my beliefe,
He clad with care, his prayer will vnto the Gods commend,
That ere he see the Greekes so foyld, of him they make an end.
I would the God Apollo, Ioue, and Pallas they would graunt
I were so young and lustie, as when able I did haunt
The warres, and in the battaile fought betweene the Archads stout
And Pyliens that auncient were, who tride the quarrell out
By citie Phee, vpon the floud that Iardan hath to name,
Whereas I shewde by perfect proofe my valure and my fame.
Among them there, then liued one that Ereuthalion hight,
Who on had put of Areithous the steeled armour bright.
I meane that Areithous that bare the great and massie club,
And therewith fighting, got such praise by force and weelding good,
That syrname he obtainde thereby of Clubber thorowe all,
Whom after, not by force, but sleight Lycurgus gaue the fall,
And slue him downe in strayted lane, where club he could not weeld,
Lycurge with dart did drawe him nye, & therwith through him threeld:
And dead he tooke his armor gaye, himselfe to shield and ayde
In all the byckerings that he had, and nere was ouerlayde,
As long as that he lyvde, and then to Ereuthalion
He them bequeathd, who bare himselfe as fierce as any Lion,
And often calld the Pyliens with man for man to trie,
With floutes ynowe, and when I sawe the pride of Arcadie
Th'abated mindes, the cowardize, and faintnesse of my pheeres,
I tooke in hand to shewe my worth for all my want in yeeres.
I tooke him vp, I layde him dead by grace of mightie God,
A maruaile great to see his corpse, a thing for hugenesse odde
Falling a long, I wish my youth and courage such, as tho
A champion then to match in fight the Troyans well should knowe.
And sith the hardiest all of Greece be present in this place,
If none of you defend this cause, I thinke it great disgrace.

126

The Greekish Lordes so prickt to quicke this good graue aged sire,
As of the greatest nine he made stand vp, with great desire
The combats hazarde for to proue: Agamemn first did rise,
Next Diomede, to conquer all which still hath bene his guise.
The Aiax twaine of like exploit, Idomene was the fift,
Merion eke, his maisters match in euerie martiall drift,
With whom was good Euripilus, the sonne of Euemon,
And with the rest stout Thoas rose the breede of Andremon,
Of purpose eche to be receyude, and Vlysses the slie,
Not to be thought to be agast or slacke in chiualrie.

Quoth Nestor herevpon (finding their boldened mindes to growe)
Renowmed Lordes, sith thus it stands, full well we all shall knowe
Who for this combat shalbe tane, cast lots, on whom it lights
That forth his bullet first doth come, with Hector him he fights,
With suretie, he that ouercōmes, immortall praise to take.

Ech of the nine with marke, abuise a Bullet for to make,
His Helmet in their lots to put Agamemnon doth lend.
The while the souldiors good of Greece their prayers thus attend
With reatched hands: O mightie Ioue graunt so it doe befall,
That first of doughtie Aiax he out come the lotting ball,
Or it the sonne of Tydees his, whose laude so loude doth ring,
Or else to please thee to bestowe this honor on our King,
Our captaine chiefe, and leader graue. Nestor doth often blunder
And shake the lotts within the helme, to part them more asunder,
His hand thrust in, the bullet first of Aiax forth he brings
So much desired, and Herault badde to carie it the Kings,
That they may knowe which of them all by fate appointed was
In this conflict to deale: he forth with bullet on doth passe
By ranke and ranke through all the field, he open doth it beare,
But yet vnknowne to Aiax bold till he approched were,
Who doth reioyce at so good lucke, the scripture when he read,
And downe he throwes it on the ground, and to the Kings he sayd
Thus, full right like a man of warre: My louing friends so deere,
You see that nowe I am the man, I pray you all to cheere:
My minde assures me that I shall as victor downe him strike,
And while I put mine armour on, you softly may beseeke

127

The hie Gods in my fauour now, and Troyans shall not neede
To heare your cries: what say I now? I surely doe not heede.
For pray you lowe, or out aloude, I doubtfull nothing deeme,
For if the breeding vp doe make men more of men esteeme,
If Countrey soile, if worthy race, doe mende the mindes of men,
With these three gifts so thorowly, sith I am furnishte then,
You shall not see me runne away, I will not turne my backe,
To princely blond what doth belong you shall not finde the lacke.

So spake the bold & manly Greeke, his friends with hart deuout
To Ioue for safetie of the man did powre their prayers out,
With vowes in many sundry sortes: but some that best perceavde:
The hazard great he entred on, their hartes to God they heavde,
And prayed thus: O mightie God, most great most good who stayes
On Ida hill beholding this, O Ioue who beares the swayes,
And rules all combats at thy will, this fauour graunt to day,
That this good Greeke of this conflict may bring the palme away.
Or if thou dost too great good minde vnto sir Hector owe,
Graunt end this strife, they both alyue with honor home may goe.

The Aiax strong himselfe doth arme in braue and brightsome brasse,
And forth he cōmes into the campe, in port and shewe he was
Like Mars the God, when he doth martch, he yet a smiling hath,
But that his smile a visage shewes inflamde and set to wrath,
With notice to his fellowes all he was their certaine forte:
His countenaunce stout, his sterne martch, whē they saw in such sort,
And so stiffe shaking of his launce, they doe beginne to ioye.
But to this combat he thus prest, now doubte the men of Troy,
Hector himselfe being agast, would haue retired sure,
But him they would a cowarde count, he did the strife procure.

Then Aiax hanging at his necke his huge and waightie targe,
Which towerwise to stoode aloft, so dreadfull and so large,
(He Tychius of late it forgde, with seuen folded hydes,
With stiffe, eke hard, and azerde steele be couerde it besides)
To Hector drawes: he shewe full great, and boldnesse on doth set,
Unto him there these were his wordes, wherwith he thus doth threat.

This day thou Hector well shalt knowe, of Greece the force & powre,
Thou wel shalt know what heds of knights we haue thee for to scoure

128

Achilles out, who keepes abourde, with armes who doth not mell,
Bicause of an vnhappie iarre betweene our chiefe which fell
And him: And here my selfe t'aduaunce among the rest thou seest,
And therefore now beginne, beginne if of the mynde you beest.

Hector hearing thus the Greeke, doth forthwith then replie,
What iollie Aiax are these wordes so arrogant and hie,
Most like a dame or prentise young gesse you to make me shrinke?
Sure long agoe what longs to warre I knowe, and so doe thinke,
And willing thereto giue my selfe, a charge I can abyde,
And charge I can, my massie shielde I knowe to beare, I ride
At hand, and further fight I knowe, I foote it when I please,
And all these knowe I howe to vse, when most they ayde or ease.
By sleights my foe I can sometime imbrewe with mortall blowe,
But you a man of valure much bicause I certaine knowe,
No cunning will I vse as nowe, but clap you on the Crowne,
With arme I will imploy my best therewith to plucke you downe.

With this doth Hector to him draw, his sturdie dart he shooke
So large in length, so stifely launcde, that forth the way it tooke
And pierced to the seuenth fold of that his buckler strong:
The toughe and steeled plate with all it teared all a long.

Aiax againe his stubborne staffe at Hector shaking flings,
With force so great, as through the bosse of Hectors targe it rings,
And further to his paunche doth passe, and Curet through doth glide,
No harme at all, a small at least the Troyan turnd aside:
Ech out againe his launce to plucke doth striue the best he can,
Like Lions fierce, inuincible, and grieslie bores they ranne
Together both: Hector doth thrust on targe, but all in vaine,
The strength therof doth beare it off, and turnes the poynt againe.
And Aiax blowe did likewise glaunce on Hectors shield aloft,
And peercde his necke, the purple bloud it trickled downe full soft.
So small a ticke he heedeth not, retyring from the grounde
He seekes and takes a coggle blacke, a mightie and a rounde.
Therewith on Aiax so doth lay, on target great it range,
In midst thereof the stone resounds, so soundly he it flange.
Aiax a greater farre doth ratch, and brawnly so doth cast
That he his bigge and bumpishe targe therwith in peeces brast.

133

The Troyan on his knees he sancke, perforce on earth he lay
With shield behapte, from whence to scape he knew no maner way,
But that Apollo sodainly ariueth in the place,
To yeeld a safetie to the man, and raise him in that case.

Then would they out haue bladed it their armor so to teare,
But them betweene the Heraults came, eche did a sceptre beare.

And Idee sage, the herault wise there thus in speach he brake:
Deere sonnes, leaue off this cruel strife, herein a breathing take,
To Ioue you both are deare, do end this deadly combate nowe,
And al the packe of mortall men you valiant doe allowe.
Lo here the might which bids you two to graunt to my request.
Quoth Aiax then, O Ideus thou wel and wisely sayest,
But I refuse, if Troyan here, who did vs al prouoke,
And me assaild, do not entreate this quarrel to reuoke,
And if he do, I do agree to graunt with al my hart.

Quoth Hector then, sith Gods on earth such honor thee impart,
That as of force, good gifts, and wit, so eke of mightie bone,
I do confesse of al the Greekes thou art the Knight alone.
On Gods name leaue this enterprise, againe we may beginne,
Another time we may it trie, who shal the honor winne.
The more, bicause the sunne is lowe, and night drawes nie at hand,
Whereby wel pleasd your mates wil be, & Greeks hereby that stād.
And I the dwellers al of Troy againe shall greatly glad,
And eke the dames, who deeply deerde, their prayers now haue had,
For me, I thinke it Aiax meete in chaunge we do bestow
Our presents now betweene vs both, that all the world may know,
And say to see our heate so colde: these two were lately foes,
And now great friends, their enmitie to faithful friendship groes.
With thys the prowest Hector gaue his bright and gallant blade,
With seemly sheath and belt so braue, so trimly which were made.
Againe to him doth Aiax reach the Bawdrike big he bare,
He pleasd therewith, and Aiax doth vnto his friends repaire.
And Hector to his Troyans commes, whome seeing safe and sound,
They ioy amayne, they dreaded he, had caught some mortal wound.
They vnto Troy do bring him all, and Aiax strong doth goe
Forthwith the Greekish faction on, victor with souldiors showe,

130

And in his tent he seeketh out Agamemnon the King,
Who chieftaine good, them al to feast commaunded euery thing.
To Ioue for fauor forthwith he doth sacrifice prepare,
A Bull of grease of fiue yeares olde the yoke that neuer bare.
Which straight was lead and offred vp, and off they plucke the hide,
And him in peeces al to cut, and them on spits they slide.
And al things fit, eche man drewe nie, to eate and feede his fil,
And so wel vsd, as when they left they liked al at will.

Agamemn dothe his champion muche extoll, and presents feate
Of price hym gaue, in witnesse of his force and prowesse greate.
When eche so muche had eate and drunke, as wel content they stood,
The Nestor olde, whose counsel graue was alwayes proued good,
(Which to declare his last aduise it lately servde them wel)
To Agamemnon and the Greeks his tale he thus doth tel:
Ye loftie Lordes and Princes great, ye are not to be taughte
Thys day how many Grecians are to death by weapon broughte.
Their bodies layed along the field, their soules to hel are hyed,
Some order must be tane herein, their buriall to prouide,
And for the same the war to cease, to morrow needes must we
To Carrs to ioine Moyles two to two, and also yokte muste be
A number great of Oxen to, the carcasses to beare
More nie the ships, and there with fire the same on heapes to reare.
I wish also that heede there be to saue the bones that burne,
To giue them to their children, if we haply home retourne.
And eke a common Monument a Trophee let vs build,
And more, oure vessals eke is beste from Troyans them to shielde,
(Least haply they vnhaply should in fight the better get)
We towers hie, and bulwarkes strong about them nie do set,
With ample gates and issues wide, the Chariots forth to goe,
And eke our squadrons with our bandes to passe out to and fro,
With trenches large and deepe before, with pales impaled strong,
To keepe vs from the Troyans charge, if haply with their throng
They should assaile vs where they are. Thus Nestor loud did chaūt,
And that his councell al the kings for good did willing graunt.
And Troyans to consulting come did greatly grow to muse,
There rose so many diuers mindes they know not which to chuse.

131

The Lordes and great men of the towne, and people many by,
Antenor thus hys tale beganne with voice and speeche on hie.

Giue eare ye Troyans I you pray, and forraine souldiors to,
Ye Citizens hearke what I wish and councell you to do:
Let Helene to hir husband home be sent with all the spoile,
The riches and the things of price were brought out Grecian soile,
The pacte and promise Paris made with othe, for to allowe,
For otherwise to plye the fielde against that concorde nowe,
I surely hope no good at all can hap vs in the end.
Sirs, thinke of this, the eare whereof I doe to you commend.

This said, Antenor takes his place, and downe therein he set,
And Paris doth in choller growe, with him he takes the pet,
And youthly thus doth answere him: Antenor wel you can
When so you list, giue sounde aduise, and are a pretie man,
To tel a tale, for Troyans good you practise can at full,
But your opinion now declares your senses lost or dull.
And thinke for truth the Gods haue tane (as you a dotarde ware)
From you your wittes: And as for me, I contrary declare
My selfe to that which you haue sayde, and haue determind plaine,
The Greekish Lady at no hand I wil hir leaue againe.
But for to end this strife, I will the treasure eft restore,
And iewels which I tooke in Greece, and with them thus much more:
The costliest in my house I haue, if so accept they wil,
These points of peace, and so content remaine contented still.
King Priam herevppon, a Prince of prudence bearing bell,
In councel graue, to al the rout he thus his tale did tell.
Ye Troyans and my other friendes hearke what I you aduise,
Your lodgings home go seeke ye al, sith now the night doth rise,
Your selues with meat repast I pray, and with your supper done
Regarde with heede your watch and warde, as they by course do run:
And in the morning shall there goe a Herault to the Greekes,
At length who shal to them declare what Alexander leekes
My sonne, and know their minde therein, and more a matter say
Which hardly they wil vs deny, that there may be a stay
Of warre awhile, that eche of vs in graue the bodyes slaine,
And burne the carcasses, for vs which dead abroade remaine:

136

And then we shall beginne to see who shall obtaine the price.
No sooner saide, but Troyans al obey him in a trice,
They to their supper do departe, some to the watch do hye,
And some their tyred limmes to reste on couches downe do lye.

Good Ide the herault in the morne to execute his charge,
Commes to the ship of Agamemn, within the vessell large,
Whereas he founde of Greekish Lordes the troup in councell fast,
Aloft the poupe to whome to say himselfe he thus doth cast.
Ye famous mightie Atreus heires, and al ye here togither,
Ye prudent hardie princes Greekes, King Priam sends me hither,
And all his worthy councell wise to shew vnto you al,
His Paris sonne (the onely cause for whom this warre doth fall,
Who rather should haue suffred death, than such a mischief wrought)
Is now content to yeelde againe the pray from Greece he brought.
And thereto offers for to put good portion of his owne.
But Troyans to persuade him much, who all are greatly growne
Dame Helene faire for to restore, their labor lost they take,
He will hir holde. Aduise nowe Lordes, what answere yee wil make,
That I to Troy returne the same, my king he eke demaundes,
If that of truce ye will allow, the bodies on the laundes,
Which dead do ly by slaughter of this late and last dayes warre,
In fitly graues and sepultures the same for to entarre.
Whiche done, the peace to haue an end, and with our yron to it,
To see who for the victorie by force in fight shal do it.

The Greekish Lordes the Herault heard, amazed nothing spake,
Til Diomede that noble Prince he thus the silence brake:
This offer must we not accept (quoth he) if that Helene
They would and al the wealth of Troy with hir restore againe,
Who doth not fully wel perceiue (if not a fondling babe)
That shortly al the Troyans hereshal be our vassals made,
The time at hand this vile reproch with vengeance due to pay:
Herewith they greatly laud the man, and loe what he do say.

Quoth Agamemn the herault to, thou hearst the Grecians minds,
As theirs, my answere is, my will gainst theirs it not repines.
As for the truce, it graunted is as thou thy self dost pray,
I may not crosse it, from the dead to keepe their graues away,

133

The hate it ought to be forgot when dead the person lyes,
Do you amasse the carcases which of your partie rise,
And burne, or burie as you list, and we wil do the same:
And for a witnesse of our faith, that it be voyde of blame,
O Ioue I do thee now inuoke, and Sceptre vp he throwes,
His royal one to heauens ward, a signe, true meaning showes.
The Herault good wel hearing al, to Troy with speede he hies,
And Troyans found at councel harde, who longde with loking eyes
His comming home, the answere brought th'assembly parts awaye,
And forward forth abrode they go, & in the fields they stray.
One number great doth seeke the slaine, another down doth hacke
The weedes, and faggots bind, & Greeks like minde they do not lack.
A whole day long you might haue seene the Greeks & Troyans plye
On worke they both and often meete no whit displeasauntly.

It pitie was in field to see them labourd so and toylde,
And hardly know their kinsfolks blee, with bloud they were so foyld.
But often washing them they found, and layd them on their chares,
And armour eke, with bitter teares & sighes that shewde their cares.

King Priam in a mightie flame did throw the Troyans slayne,
And subiects would not suffer more in mourning wise to plain.
So with the Greekes delt Agamemn, and more a masse did reare
Close in the night the slaughtered bones wherin they tumbled were
Not resting so, they round about their ships and nauie set
Many a strong and sturdie towre, & bulwarkes big they bet,
Gates hie and wide, as fit it was in souldiours to retire,
From battel come, or forth to go, to fight when they desire.
Without a gallant ditch they dig ful deepe, ful low and large,
With postes and pales renforced so, it hard was for to charge.

The Gods in peerelesse Pallace set of Ioue, this stirre espyed,
And maruelld much among thē where Neptune, who could not hide
His spite conceivde, these words did use: you God of gods alone,
O Ioue, in vowes, and sacrifise I careful now see none,
Nor yet to reare a worke of worth, no men I see to heede
The will of Gods, they at their hedes to cast it are agreede.
Dost thou not see these perulce Greekes, who vs besought no wayes
When as their toures they topt aloft, and rampires great did raise?

134

Their fame all Countreys thus shal fill, and of their buildings ring,
And walles by me and Phœbus built they down on ground shal ding,
Their name encreast, our labour lost, the Marine God thus spake,
Who often by his proper power doth force the earth to quake.

In anger Ioue straight answerd thus: what sayst thou Neptūe here,
A meaner God of right then you these doings ought to feare.
You are to great your glorie spreads as far as day doth start.
For these gay towers and trenches wide, when their hie ships depart
To Greece their Countrey to returne, their worke destroy and race,
Orewhelm it clean with sand, therof, that none may know the place.

The son straight after downe it drawes, and vp the night it gat,
And al things done, the Greekes at rest in their pauilions sat,
And many a beefe for supper slue, and there that instant tide
Diuers keeles full fraught with wine from Lemnos fat did ride.
Euneus, faire Hipsiphils son, to Iason which she bare,
For trafficke some and some to giue causde thither to repayre.
For of these new and pleasaunt wines, a thousand tuns he ful
Gaue to the chiefetaine of the war: the Greekes came down in scul,
And barter for the wine apace, in hauen where it lay,
Some brasse exchaungde, some yron, some hides, & prisoners some do paye.
Some bullockes from their heards do giue, and so they drink cōtent,
That all the night no iote they slept but it in cheering spent.
Againe the Troyans ful at wil possest what they disirde,
But Ioue he did them much amaze, the heauen so it firde
With thunder and with lightning flames, which al ye night did last,
Deuout his anger to appease, vpon the ground they cast
In sacrifice great store of wine (the time then calme and quiet)
They tend to Cabane at their ease, and sound in sleepe lye by it.

Finis Septimi Libri.

135

The eight Booke.

The morning with the ruddie hew on earth did shew his blee,
When Ioue the Prince of lightnings al, to counsels calleth he
In welkin bright ech mightie God, who set in order due,
And heedie all to hearke, thus Ioue into his tale he grew:
Ye troupe diuine giue eare to me, attend what now I wil,
Which hauing heard, none of you al be ye of minde so ill,
Whether he male or female be, to deeme to chaunge my doome,
Or crosse the same: who out the troupe shal go and leaue his roome,
The heauens who shal leaue I say in Greekes or Troyans aide,
Him catcht, wel bumbd I shal him bob, and send him ill apaide
With shame ynough vnto his home, and if I grow to spight,
I wil him tumble headlong down, and cause him for to light
Into the hollow dreadful hole, which Tartare men do tel,
Where Barathrum that gastful gulfe doth lye so low in hel
With yron gates: so far beneath, as earth from skie remaines,
That wel to al men it be knowen how large my power it raignes.
But if you long to feele my force, at pleasure you shal see it,
From hence to take a golden chaine vnto the earth agree it.
All get you down, your heauenly powers apply with tooth & nayle
To plucke me down or me to moue, you little should auayle,
In fine your toyle to nought would turne, but I, if that I lust
To drawe you to the welkin vp, in spite of you yee must
Amount aloft without my griefe, and with you at a pul
I eke would bring the massie earth, and seas of waters ful.
One ende in heauen I would tie, and let the other hang
That I the chiefe of God and man the knowledge better rang.

This threat and surly speech doth yeelde the Gods amazde & dum,

136

Til Pallas daughter vnto Ioue with this hir tale doth come:
O king of kings, great sire of Gods, whom eche and al obayes,
Long skil doth tel thy might to passe our forces many wayes:
But if some one do helpe the Greekes, it is not in disdaine
Or spite of thee, but pitie moues to see them dayly slaine.
Wel, sith with deede we may not ayde, please you it to deny
We counsayle giue, numbers to saue which by your furie die?
With pleasant countnaunce Ioue replyes: giue counsel to ye Greekes
My daughter deare, and fauour too as best your fancie likes,
I will at this time pleasure you, you shal no way be chid.

Then Ioue his mightie heauenly steedes vnto his chare doth bid
To tie, his golden roabes he takes, so bright and brauely wrought,
He mounteth vp, and to his hand the golden whip he rought,
His horse he beates, the ayre they cliue, aloft they skimme amaine,
Betweene the earth and welkin hie they treade a iolly trayne.
He plyes them, and so straight doth guide, vnto the mountaine top
Of Ide hight Gargarus cōmes, and there he makes them stop,
A place of pleasaunt pasture it, where waters sweete do spring,
Wild beasts great store, on this greene hil so likt for euery thing
A temple large of antique yeares was built, and sacred old
By Troyans to his godhead hie, where Ioue now stay he would.
Ambrosie for his horse he gets, and least it should be known
That he was come, he with a cloude hath quite them ouerthrown.

He from the height of mountain hie the champion low doth view,
The siegers, and besiegde he likes to see, who like do rue.
The more he thinkes vpon the men, he sees his might the more.

The Greekes hauing within their tentes repast themselues before,
Did not forget to arme them wel, their battailes out they draw,
And in ful seemely order martch, which when the Troyans saw,
And dinde they had, their bands they arme, their town they wil defēd
A handful they, but forst by need, theyr minds to valure bend.
Th'assayling Greeks for to resist, and countrey saue at neede,
And to protect their natiue soyle, and shield their patrie breede.
Their gates ful open wide they set, and out their cohorts hies,
Their horsemen and their footemen al, not without lofty cries.

And to the place of battel come, they to their tackle fling

137

With shield to shield, and dart to dart, and king doth ioyne wt king,
And souldiour vnto souldiour goes, most like stoute warlike wights
Here one doth fall, another here doth vanquish in their fights.
One grones along, another doth boast of his conquest won,
And in such slaughter rare, apace with bloud the fields do runne.
This murder from the morning lastes vntil the noone of day,
Both sides so soundly stroke it out, right doubtful was the fray.
Then Ioue to see, to whom should turne the victorie at last,
Theyr fortune good and eke aduerse in ballance he doth cast:
The Greekes on one side he doth put, and iustly for to way
The Troyans haue the other part, and lets the scales to play.
The Greekes mishap the Troyans much he straight & plainely foūd
For to surpasse, for theirs do moūt, the Greeks theirs draw to groūd.
Wherfore amongst the Greekes he flings his flash of burning lights
And sodainly with dread therof appalled were their sprights.
Idomene first his people leaues, and runs away apace,
The king of Creete, Agamemn flyes in field he turnes his face.
The Aiax twaine do stir their stumps, and take them to their flight,
Unto there tackle their do stand no Greekish prince or knight,
Saue Nestor sage, who so was forst, a horse of his that drew
Paris so right on head did hit, where first his top out grew.
The beast he fain would haue bin gone, he turnes, he rears, he thūps,
He reeleth with the mortal wound, he flings, he fars, he iumps.
The shaft so surely it was shot, it brake the braine vnto,
The man was forst the geares to cut, and so the horse t'vndo.

This while the mightie coursers tho, their maister Hector draw
To Nestor nere, who had bin dead, but that the Greeke him saw
He Diomede so much in fame, and came vnto his ayde,
And seeing wily Vlisses run, aloude to him he sayd:
Laertes son, whose cunning kend, and wile is knowne ful wide,
Why, whether now? Are feete thy fence? why dost thou not abide?
Hast thou no shame: no feare in flight on back some wound to haue?
Abide, abide with Nestor here, let vs thy person saue.

Vlisses heard he would not stay, vnto the ships he hies,
Yet Diomede Nestor to helpe amid the preasse he driues,
And come before his horse, he sayes, The youth of Greece doth lay

138

O Nestor greater toyle on thee, than age can beare away,
Hard for thy worne yeares t'abide, whose force thou seest to scant,
And forraine vigor earst enioyde the vitals now to want.
Thy chare, thy driuer, and thy seate, a tierd countenaunce shew,
Come down, mount vp my chariot too, to proue now in a throw
The swiftnesse great, the courage od of these my coursers gay,
Which late I conquerde from Ænee, our gromes shal lead away
Thy furniture, we two wil forth that Troy and Hector see
Yet once how weapons we can weeld, and souldiours what we be.

Th'old man agreed, and to the seate of Diomede doth come
In Sthenels place, whiche Sthenele goes, & takes erst Nestors rome,
Nestor a guider was, but then, Diomede was the knight,
Both passing forth, the doughtie Phrige, Hector to haue in fight,
A Hector, who no lesse desires to meete them in the teeth.
The mightie Greeke to dart he leaues, when Hector first he seeth.
The sturdie steeled staffe he throwes, but mist the man he ment,
The maister mist, in driuers wombe Enopeus deepe it bent.
He Thebes son, a man of price, a valiaunt man in deede,
The doughtie Hector grieued much to see his seruaunt bleede
Of so good count, and tumble dead, but there he lets him ly,
A like he seekes for force and mind, and to him by and by
Archiptoleme presents himselfe, the steedes he doth bestride,
The whip and raines he takes in hand and serues him for a guide.

At these two new and sodain haps strange slaughters did appeare,
Like lambes vnto their force and folde the Troyans do reteare,
And seeke their wals for their defence, the Greeks they grew so hot,
But Ioue straight ways his lightning flames wt thūder forth he shot,
That by him neere the warlike Greeke beheld the flame as't flasht,
His horse they quoke, from Nestors hands the raines are ready dasht,
His feare was such, wher wt (quoth he) perforce doth force vs now
O Diomede, to hie vs hence, the daunger see not you?
The glorie now the mighty God doth giue vnto our foe,
Another time on vs againe the same he wil bestow.
The minde of man it may not dare the gods for to withstand,
For greatest is of gods the might to rule it takes in hande.

O aged sire (quoth Diomede) thou nought but reason sayes,

139

I do agree, but yet lament, and grievd am diuers wayes,
When Hector commeth to my minde, who thus shal see me run,
Unto his mates hereafter may, extolling to the Sun
His valiauntnesse, say, to the ships the chase he hath me giuen,
All pitie past, I rather craue the earth it here were riuen,
And I therin were swallowed vp, alas quoth Nestor than,
Thinke you if Hector should report you for a cowardly man,
His tale it would be taken true? your sword in heapes hath slain
Too many of the warlike wights, and left their widowes playne.

Herewith his horses straight he turnes, & with ye Greeks doth flie,
And Hector with his souldiours fast doth after forward hie,
With clamors great: And Hector loude his speech doth thus begin,
When as they fled: oh Diomede esteemed who hath bin
Among the Greeks, yea een thy fil for valure and for fame,
At boord who fed stil of the beste, and first sat at the same,
Now like a hartlesse fem thou shalt be led in prisoner wise,
Make hast thou gay and glorious freke, dreadful with flaming eyes,
Beleeue no more our towers to scale, hope not to ship aborde
Our wiues, I Hector, only I sufficient shal afforde,
My force shal serue to stay the strength, and forth to make the pack,
And keepe thee from thy ships returne, and thee in peeces hacke.

At Hectors words the Greeke doth stay, he thinketh what to do,
To turne againe the spite to venge, or forward on to go,
Therby the daunger to auoyde, he thrice doth venter backe,
And thrice doth Ioue him eie, and down he lets the thunder cracke,
With lightning flame hard by his eare, a signe most sure and ful
The Troyans strong should haue the day, for so the Gods they wul.

Herewith aloude doth Hector crie his men to harten al:
O Troyans, Lycians, ye my friends, to who it doth befal
To be my fellow souldiours here, if euer men you be
Thinke now thereon, and shew like men your selues on the enemie.
I know ful wel we vanquishe shal, the losse it shal be theirs,
Their wals, their forts, whiche they haue made to saue them in their feares
By me shal soone be forced down, my horse with easye ships
Shal passe their dikes, and do attend when I am in their ships
To bring me fire to burne them vp, they may no more retyre,

140

I wil their lims and liues consume with smoke and smothering fire.

Thus Hector comforts vp his mates, and speaks his horse, Podarge
Æton, Xanthe, oh yee my steedes so swift with buttocks large,
Thou firie Lampus and diuine, for me that sweats and scuds,
Thinke on the cheare on you bestowes Andromacha my fuds
And louing wife, she careful doth with Wheat & Oates you feede,
With temper eke of pleasaunt wine, when as she seeth neede,
Needing as much to haue you drest, as on my selfe to tende,
She quirie is: aduaunce your force, your courses stoutly bend
To further now your maisters facts, that he do fange in field
The Nestor old, and from him take his famous bruted shield,
Report wherof doth reatch the skies, of pretious gold it is.
Of Diomede his cuyrasse to (he catcht) we shal not misse
So counted off, which Mulciber did forge: And al the night
The Greekish host all washt in sea you shal see take their flight.
And thinking for to do as much thus loftie Hector braues.
But Iuno hearing this discourse, so spitefully she raues,
Hir members quoke, Olimpus shoke, to Neptune straight she cōmes,
Art thou not grievd (quoth she) to see the Greeks hit on the thumbs,
And suffer in such sorie plight, who dayly sacrifice
Gay gifts and hosties vnto thee in Egues and Helice?
How canst thou without heauy cheare, support their heauy case
Thy fauour knowne, which I haue seen, that did their state embrace?
O Neptune if thou and the rest would once but say the word,
And from this slaughter them to keepe some fauour smal afforde,
It would be done, my husband Ioue for spite would strike and fare,
Yet least he might repent, depart from Ide he would not dare.

Thou frantike sot quoth Neptune tho, thinke not that I wil stur
Or speake against the mightie Ioue, whose power doth passe so fur,
To whom ech one ought to obey, he is to loftie he,
He is our king, our maister Lord, his vassals al we be.

Thus while ye Greeks are driuen back, and in the field defeated,
Their forts and trenches they do take, and doughtie Hector heated
Is Mars himself, the rampires so he forces them to gaine,
Betweene the ships and vtter fence they filled all the plaine.

141

Thus backe retird and cubberd vp, the Troyan stout had burnd
Their vessels, al the (God so would) if Iuno had not turnd
T'aduise the Greekes, for when she saw this flight and this disorder,
To put in Agamemnons mind their king to passe on forder,
With speede vnto the ships for aide. To nauie he doth drawe,
In hand a scarlet roabe he helde, the Adm'rall ship he sawe
Of the Ithaque king, to it he went, of other vessels moe
It stoode in midst, the place he chose most meete his minde to shoe.

On one side stoode sir Aiax tent, on th'other stoode Achill,
So guarded to withstand the force of such assault them will.

Agamemn come into the shippe, he mounts aloft to poupe,
He cries aloude: O Greekish kings, O wretched fainting troupe,
What shame and marke of infamie this day on Greece doth light?
Where is the proud & vaunting speech? where is the promise plight?
Where is the kilcow chatte become in Lemnos which you had
Upon your Alebenche, where you were so impudent and mad?
Then one of you would kil and eat fiue hundred Troyans full:
It was the cheere, it was the meate and wine you so did gull,
That made you braue and brag so much. I see the matter nowe,
Lo Hector come, our fort to sacke, and al our army cow,
Our Bastion eke and vs to burne. O Ioue thou father great,
What king of kings so as my selfe hast thou with care beset,
Deprivde of glore, with enuy fraught, and wronged to my paine,
Defrauded of the suretie sounde, wherewith I fedde in vaine,
When as m'oblations vow I did to please thee Ioue withall,
And Troy did thinke to lay ful lowe? I see I now muste fall
A pray into my enmies lap: thou soueraigne God yet graunt,
(If better grace we may not haue) fierce Hector do not daunt,
Nor cruel Troy our people here, but that they scape their swordes.

The chieftaine chiefe thus prayde for al, with teares he spake the wordes:
Ioue ful agreed to his request, his sighes did pitie moue,
Which he did yeeld for perishing folke, praying for their behoue.
For Augure sure an Egle commes, a calfe with talons tough
Of red Dere hinde he brings, and falles, which comforteth ynough
The whole Nobilitie of Greece, on Aultar downe it lights
In sacrifice of puissaunt Ioue, reuiuing muche their sprites.

142

And straight therewith forth make they head of thousands souldiors stout,
And valiant knights, Don Diomede forth first he sallies out
The forte with chare: On Troyan bands to trie and shewe his force,
To one he flies, one only blowe martyrde a Troyans corse,
Agelaus hight, Phadmon his sonne, whole armed for the warre,
Yet fled he fast from Diomede, his sight him so did scarre,
But through his chin his dart it flue, and through the Curet came,
His armor gaue a murmuring noise, he tumbling in the same.

Agamemnon, and Menelau his brother, Aiax twaine,
Princes of great exploite that were, Idomene in the traine,
With Merion his gallant guide, a man of courage braue,
Good Eurypile Euemons sonne, in company they haue,
Of al the Greekes a man of choice, these forth from forte do starte,
And on their foes do forward hie, them charging ouerthwarte.

Beside these eight, a ninth with them, a Greeke, one Teucer went,
He brother vnto Aiax was, his bowe he beareth bent,
His skil was good to make his best, and straight to shoote withall,
By subtile Arte his mortal woundes, did many Troyans thrall:
Under his brothers Target he himselfe did often hide,
And freely let his arrows flie, where he his vantage spide,
And hauing sped, to saue his life seekes out the Buckler bigge,
As doth the infant oftentimes, the little pretie twigge
When he doth see displeasaunt sighes, doth vnder garments creepe
Of Nurse, or mother deere, and there playes like himselfe bo peepe.
Wel, let vs tell those lost their liues this Archer lighted on.
Ocsilochus, he was the first, Detor, Amapaon,
Ophelest, Ormeyne, Lycophont, Chromius, Menalippe,
He thrild thē through with deadly wounds, they down to ground do tip.

Agamemns hart it leaps for ioy, his part when thus he plaide
The sturdie shot, to him he drawes, and cheerefully he sayde:
O noble wight and Prince of fame, whom I with honor due
Ought to regarde, I thee beseeche thy forward factes pursue:
Beside the praise men shal thee giue, when as thine aged sire
Thelemon heares of these exploites, he ioy shal, with desire,
And hope to see thee shortly home: I know, and not beguilde,
He doth thee honor and esteeme, though thou no lawfull childe,

143

I know that from thy Cradle vp, he did thee alwayes bring,
As lawful borne: I sweare to thee in promise of a king,
If euer I this Citie take, of al the gallant pray,
Next me shalt thou make choice, and at thy pleasure take away
A rich three footed Cawdron guilt, on thee I wil bestow
A Chariot with two goodly steedes, or else with thee to goe,
A Troyan faire, a Priams childe, or Dame of Citie breede
To vse in bed, and serue thee ay, if so thou be agreede.

Quoth Teucer tho, there is no neede, great king my wil to mend,
Ful oft I shoote, to noy the foe, my force and care I bend.
Eight valiant foes it is ful true my shaftes haue deadly slaine,
I were ful venged, if I could that mastiffe mad attaine.
He with these words doth plucke his bow, & sends his piercing steele,
To Hector straight, to broach the man, but harme he none doth feele:
But yet the shaft on Priams sonne Gorgythion it light,
Of sodaine cruel death he dyes, his pap it pierced right,
He was the sonne of Castianire the Goddesses so like,
A noble Nimphe, with hir good king in Thrace did mariage strike,
For beautie sake which od she had, and like the growing Poppy,
As wel for fruit as April shoures, doth leaue his head so loppy
In gardens fat: Gorgythion hurte loden with steele did helme him,
On shoulder layes his head, & dies with weaknesse which did whelm him.
The Greekish shot to Hector eft, his bow doth careful plucke,
But him he misste, his arrow yet vnder the teate it stucke
Of strong Archeptoleme, who falles: his squier thus to dye
Hector doth grieue to see, and downe he lighteth by and by,
And willeth Cebrion for to come, and take the guiders charge,
Which done, Hector a coggel heaues, a mightie and a large,
With dreadful voice to Teucer flies, Teucer from quiuer takes
A shafte againe, to slay a foe himselfe he ready makes,
And ready for to shoote, Hector did reatch him such a bang,
That downe he falles, and out his hands his bowe & arrows flang.
The forced stroke did force him so, the blow was deadly sent,
Aloft the breast the necke it hit, where downe the head is bent.
His brother Aiax ranne apace, when down he saw him doong,
To saue and to defend the man, the noble prince he floong,

144

And him with shield so wel did hap, as vp they tooke him there,
The wretched archers friends Menest, Alastor they do beare
Him in their armes straight to the ships, halfe gone for very paine.

The Troyans strong by mightie Ioue aided, yet once againe
Do force the Greekes to leaue the field, and so retyring eft
Their trenches, force, and forte to take, which they before had left.

Hector the formost leades the daunce, as fleshed mongrell great,
Trusting in strength and nimblenesse, the Lion beast doth heate,
Or wild swine in the forrest thicke, if either of them do cast
Or turne about to be reuengde, the cur he shiftes as faste,
Ful light he pincheth deepe their flancks, or hangs so at their thies,
As dye they must. So Hector he, doth chace his enimies,
Who leaue the field, and take to flight, if any lagge behinde,
With sword or lance he hits them home, with death of sundry kind.

The Greeks repulsed from their forts, from dikes and trēches flye,
With slaughter great confused al in bloudie death they dye.
Hard by their shippes at last they stay, eche comforting his mate,
To play the man, and to the Gods they pray for their estate.

This while the gastfull Hector he, with Mars his dreadfull eyes,
And flaming like the Gorgons lights, vpon the Greeks he flies,
And terror more doth put them in, he stirres, he castes aboute,
To looke howe he may cleane defeate, and breake the Greekish rout.
Then wrathfull Iuno grieued much, to see the valiant Greekes
So harde distrest, and doubting worse, Pallas she thus beseekes.

Of Ioue dearest daughter thou, canst thou this armie see
In danger such, without regarde to helpe th'extremitie?
Suffer shal we them al to quaile by this one Hectors hand,
So barbarous a slaughter man? looke in what case they stande.
Dost thou not see how to their shippes he hath them forced all,
And wil not cease, til in their bloudes he force them ech to fall?
Quoth Pallas then, I know your minde, I finde the matter well,
But this so hardie Hector hie, whose deedes are seene so fell,
And so muche to be wondred at, shal dye in countrey soyle,
But Ioue his wil to thinke to crosse nought follow woulde but foile.
I feare him much, his aukward spite against me oft is set,
Too much ingrate, the labor great, and paine he doth forget,

145

Which I for Hercules boote haue tane, his forces when to trie
Unto King Euristeus Court he went so willingly.
The trauailes truely which he tooke had mated oft the man,
But when he cryed, and when he wept, sir Ioue he praide me than
To hie to him, which oft I did, else be quite ouerthrowne
And tane had bene: if in those dayes I haply then had knowne,
What reckening he would make of me, in hell had holden binne
His Hercules for euer and aye, his conquest farre to winne,
So famous got of Cerberus, that grimme three headed curre,
The hellish floud that Styx is hight, he had not paste so furre,
But had bene staide ere there he came, in guerdon of my deedes,
He now for worthy recompence me hates and often chides,
For to allowe the sottish will of Thetis Ladie white,
Her vaine requests he needes must graunt, she flatters him so right
With humble speech, touching his bearde, his knees eke kissing lowe,
Achill hir sonne to set aloft and Greekes to ouerthrowe.
But well I knowe I shortly shall by Ioue be daughter taken,
And be againe his girle white, as nowe I am forsaken.
Your chare to hast if so you please now Iuno get you gon,
And I will hie vnto his house his armour to put on.

This Troyan I will make to feele what griefe or iolly glee
The guest shall get when me in warre against him he shall see.
And that I haue the puissance I, to worke him teene and care,
And make his subiects meate for dogs, and flying foules of th'aire,
To be reuengde. Minerua madde thus spake and Iuno steares
Right carefull for to put in poynt hir horses and their geares
And all the rytes to shining chare. But Pallas she doth leaue
Hir linnowe robes so delicate, which erst hir selfe did weaue,
And happes hir with ye cuirates tough, which Ioue in battaile weares:
So armd, the chariot light she leapes, a launce in hand she beares,
Wherewith the demi-gods she mates, in anger when she copes,
Unto hie heauen gates they come, which freely to them opes.

Of these gaie dores the houres they haue, the whole & onely charge,
Ech one a porter is, they rule also the heauens large.
Of cleare Olympe they regents are, the cloudes at becke they bring,
Or when they come, assoone againe away they force them for to fling.

146

When Ioue aloft he looketh vp, and sees the horses flie,
Which drewe the Goddesses, in heate against them he doth frie.
He sendeth Iris vnto them that readie winged wight:
My pursiuaunt with golden wings (quoth he) goe shew thee light,
Goe meete these two, and say from me they doe retire their pace,
Tell them I byd they doe not dare to come before my face,
Tell them they are two fondlings vaine, to thinke to breake my hest,
Tell them who list least to obey shall tast of little rest.
Their chariot gaie shall straight be burst, & beame from horses torne,
My lightning flames full stifly shot shall send them headlong borne
Downe to the earth, and in such plight, as (maugre all their skill)
In tenne yeeres long they shall not heale their such receaued yll.
And then shall Pallas know what shame she doth deserue, and shall,
To stirre against hir sire, Iuno I blame no whit at all,
She treadeth but hir wontrd trod, I know hir so accurst,
To labour my disquiet still she alwayes is the furst.

Iris his message to fulfill from Ida mount he skores,
And found them of the heauen hie then comming out the dores.
Whom whē he seeth, he resteth straight, quoth he, O frantick wights,
What fond & foolish sottish geare hath poisoned thus your sprightes,
To meane to aide the Greekes, and stirre against you Ioue his ire?
He doth forbyd you further passe vnlesse you doe desire
Een in a trice your chariot gaie to flie in peeces small,
And beame from horses burst, and you in dust and dirt to fall,
By sodaine clap of lightning flames so tumbling from the aire,
As tenne yeeres long of quiet rest shall not your health repaire,
That Pallas you doe know, that Ioue thy maister is and dad,
And as for Iuno, he well knowes she is so leudly bad.
She is no whit at all abasht, she alwayes takes delight
His purposes to contrarie, and that in his despight.
But Pallas be not stubborne then as dogge of currish kinde,
Striue not with him, vse not thy staffe against his will and minde,
Least thou offend thy sire too farre. Iris he flies his wayes,
And Iuno to Minerua turnes, and thus to hir she sayes:
Not to performe our mindes set downe what can be greater hell?
Yet sith that Ioue doth vs gainsay, I doe not thinke it well.

147

We should herein against him stand, nor for no worldly wight
Such painfull daunger for to take, his hie and heauenly might
Of their good hap or harme it shall at pleasure his dispose:
The steedes with bridle straight she turnes, & right to heauen goes.
The houres doe loose the coursers braue, and them to mangier tye,
The chariot they doe fitly place in roome appointed by.
Hard by the Gods in golden chaires the loftie Ladies sit,
Who hauing failde of their intent, they are in greeuous fit:
To welkin now eke Ioue is come, who is with honour due
Receavde of eche, assone as that of him they had a viewe.

His goodly steedes the Marine god full quickly he vnties,
Their furniture he shutteth vp, and then he hastie hies
Of Ioue the mightie seate to set, it readie at a looke,
He downe doth sit, but clapping downe the whole Olympus shooke.
Betweene Iuno and Pallas there in midst the God he sat,
No worde betweene them both they had, ne to the God doe chat.
But Ioue who well did know their thoughts in bitter choler was,
Ladies quoth he, whēce doth proceed your spite which thus doth passe?
Whence cōmes ye seeke ye Troyans harme, & neuer haue your fill,
Unlesse you see their vtter fall contrarie to my will?
My force sith that so great it is are you to learne to knowe
That neither you nor all the Gods and Goddesses in rowe
By force can make me chaunge my minde sith that my simple threate,
Doth make you quake with faces pale, & eke with trembling sweate:
What will you doe in bloudy marte so dreadfull to the sight,
When you shall feele my heauie fist inuincible in might:
Harke then, gainsay no more of you, I wishe you not to dare:
By happe if fondly ye oppugne my hie decrees that are,
Upon ye, ye shall feele to fall the scortching lightning flash,
Wherewith I thunder with my flames, & downe they shall you dash,
On earth to dwell, no meanes ye haue eft hether to returne,
Your chares and steedes in cinders quite and peeces it shall burne.
Hereat Minerua grones for griefe, hir hart it boiles with rage,
Yet still and coie she helde hir selfe, and furie doth asswage.
But Iuno takes the cause in hand, O crabbed Ioue quoth she,
What stirre is here? we well doe knowe your vassals all we be.

148

Your powre is odde, but if one would the Greekish armie aide,
Is it against you to rebell? why should it so be saide?
So great an host to see destroyde poore pittie makes vs rue,
But Iupiter to hir againe with wordes doth thus insue:

Their losse let it not trouble you, it double shall to morowe,
I will make Hector Troyan chiefe, to ding them with a sorowe,
And slaie them downe, not ceasing he to kill and driue them backe,
Unto their shippes, expecting nought but ruine, death, and wracke,
There fighting hard, and round beset about Patroclus bones,
Whō he shall slaie, wherby Achill shal yeeld his grieuous grones:
Seeing the slaughter of his friend, he shall in furie groe,
Him to reuenge, and giue them aide, he hastie on shall goe.
I will it so, and sith that fate to Greekes hath so assignde,
For you dame Iuno more I ioy, the more you haue repinde,
A gods name get you in the sea, or furthest earthlie felles,
Goe seeke Iapetus Saturne out, in darknesse where he dwelles.
Where neuer Phœbus shewes his face, nor no delight he takes
To heare the winds, trudge where you list, looke after you who makes
None shall you followe by my will, of you I doe not reake,
Your feumishe hart with poysoned hate is ready still to breake,
This was his speech, the Goddesse great full quiet lowe doth lout
The sterne God she greatly dreades, and of him stands in doubt.
This while the cleare & brightsome sunne to th'ocean takes his flight,
As is his wont, and all the earth the browne and sable night
Doth wholy hap and cloke about with his so darksome shade,
A night right welcome to the Greekes, but Troyans mad are made
Therwith. The gallaunt Hector drawes. & souldiors he commaundes
Backe from the shippes hard to the brooke, and cōmeth to the laundes,
Wheras that day with sorow great the slaughter was so bloudie,
There downe on foote they lighted straight in councell for to studie,
To whom Hector, who in right hand a mightie launce did holde
As royall mace, launce steeld and guilt, of feete large truely tolde
Eleuen full it was in length, with voice doth loudly call:
Ye Troyans stoute and straungers eke, I speake vnto you all,
Ye souldiors and ye citizens, good hope I did conceaue
This day, and sure I thought my selfe them all of life to reaue,

149

Their vessailes eke to haue destroyde, and as a conquerour
To haue returnd, but my intent I misse in euill houre,
Bicause the night so soone is come. Wherfore I thinke it best
Not hence to stirre, but here t'encampe and take our quiet rest.
Well, goe to then, let euerie one point here his station out,
With otes and barley bate your horse. And let another route
Hie vnto Troy, muttons and beeues readie for vs to make,
And others wine and bread to get let them the office take,
Some must before our supper to good store of fewell fell,
To kindle flames, which all the night may light vs gaily well,
The Greekes by sea may closely flie, which if they doe fulfill,
To charge them frankly in their flight, and cut their taile I will,
That their orethrowe example be to euery liuing wight,
That none doe dare to war with Troy, who well knowes howe to fight
And from the towne sith farre we be, her safetie we must heede,
The Heraults let them goe to Troy, and tell it is agreed
That all the youth and aged men the citie doe defend,
And on the walles doe make their watch, and Troyan women bend
Themselues to light the firie flame, to looke with carefull eyes
Our foes doe not surprise the towne by sault or otherwise:
As I haue saide let it be done, ech one his worke apply.
In morning further we shall talke, and doe accordingly.
I hope O worthy warriors mine, we end shall all these broiles
To morowe, and these furious curs shall by our manly toiles
Be hackt and hewde with great distresse, well, let vs all this night
Repose our selues, and at the peere and dawe of morning light
In battaile let vs raunge our bands, these furious foes to mate,
Then shall I see sir Diomede in what a souldiors state
He will be seene, and whether he me from his vessels puts,
Or whether I shall spoile him quite, my darts sent through his guts.
Full tryall he shall haue, whether he able can sustaine
One thrust of this my launce, I hope by me he shalbe slaine,
And many a friend full deare of his, who would him gladly saue,
If such a victorie I get, I certainly shall haue
Eternall fame, immortall praise I purchase shall therby,
I doe not thinke, but they to me will raise an aultar hye.

150

In witnesse of my prowesse great, as is to Pallas done
That Goddesse she, or to Phœbus that God and brightsome sunne.

This said, the Troyans him obey, their good and wearie steedes
Unloosde before, to chares againe they tie and forward yeedes,
Unto the towne, and quickly bring bread, wine and trinkets more,
The beeues and muttons were not fewe, they brought no scanted store:
Then in the midst of all the campe a thousand fires they light,
The flames and smoke wherof, the winde to heauen caries right.
And euen as men shall often see in faire and pleasaunt weather,
The Moone being cleare the skies aloft: (for light is so together,
As all the hilles, the vales, and plaines, with light as lightly showes
As in the day) wherby the heard, when vp his eyes he throwes,
He ioyeth in his cabbin poore: Een so from Troyan towne,
In night so pleasaunt and so still, the dwellers looking downe,
Reioyce to see the armie sit: who when their horse were drest,
And vnto Otes and pasture set, they goe to take their rest:
By euery fire iust fiftie men downe sittes, as best they may,
In hope of Greekes the morning next shalbe the latter day,

Finis Octaui Libri.

The ninth Booke.

The Troyans braue they placed thus, their watch with carefull heede:
For losse of field and fellowes slaine for griefe the Greekes they bleede.
For flight the feere, and fellow mate of chilling feare that nippes,
Had dastardlike with shame enough them driuen to their shippes.
And een as we full often see the pontique sea to growe,
When Boreas blasts or westerne gales frō Thracian moūtaines blow,

151

And make the bellowe so to bolne, as oft the brownish waues
From bottome of sir Neptunes sea aloft full hiely braues:
So were the Greekish princes sprites all troubled and to tost,
Yet of them all Agamemnon he, he was tormented most.
He willes the princes to entreate the Heraults all and some
(Not loude with Proclamations out) vnto his tent to come,
To them his purpose to declare. The Heraults they obayed,
And when ye kings the sommon heard, from him no whit they stayed.

Ech one set after his degree, with sad and ruthfull grace
Agamemn standeth vp, the teares fast trickling downe his face:
Euen as the fountaine water doth out springing from the stone
Bedewe the plaines, these were his words with sighes & doleful mone.

To deepely Ioue he doth me deere O all the Greekish Dukes,
And staies not yet, with sorowe more he further me rebukes.
He promisde me in fire and bloud this Troy I should it sacke,
(I maruaile much) my illsuccesse commaundes me from it backe,
And bids me leaue the enterprise and home to hast to Greece,
My honour lost, my fame forlorne, and host the greatest peece.
So pleaseth it the mightie Gods all force and might to mate,
Downe throwing strength of walles & men all heights he doth abate.
Sith so it be, I wish it not that we against him striue,
Lets get vs home, our paine we loose, here sure we cannot thriue.
Their chieftaine when the councell heard, long still they muet sat,
Till big and doughtie Diomede this matter aunsweres flat:
Thy want of skill O Atreus heire (quoth he) perswades me much
Unto thy words to aunswere now, thy speeches being such,
And to gainsay the same: therfore against me rage not nowe,
Nor any else, iust councell law the priuiledge doth allowe
That eche in councell shew his minde: I pray thee truely tell,
When hast thou seene this campe afraide or weakely so to mell
In charge, assault, or els Alarmes, as best it should now seeme
Our weapons for to leaue? dost thou so yll their heartes esteeme?
So small hope hast thou in their force, as for thy simple tong
The Troyan conquest we should leaue? it is too great a wrong.
These warlike bands so to despise. It skilleth not a flie,
It is thy want, my selfe the first I haue it suffred, I,

152

Thy thought of me of all this host well knoweth young and old,
With thee a coward counted I, and meeter for to scold,
Than in the daunger of the warres to venture in the same,
Occasion sith I haue to speake, I speake it to thy shame.
The heauenly Gods haue made thee chiefe, & sceptre for to beare,
And rule this host, stout manly minde in thee it is not there,
Nor counsaile sound, in warlike feats, which are the gifts of gaine,
Unto those points thou canst not come, nor thereto once attaine.
Wherfore take heede hence forth to braule or iniurie the Greekes:
And if to flie, and hie thee hence it so thy fansie leekes,
Get thee to sea, thy stuffe it lies right readie on the shore,
Soone to thy towne thou shalt be brought out trouble any more.
The other Greekes will here abide and willingly attend
The wished day, wherin we shall surprise Troy in the end.
And if that home likewise they will, not forcing any whyt
This high exployt, Esthenelus with me will tarie yet,
Nor leaue me till the end of all, assurde our comming hether
Unto the coastes directed was by Gods yea altogether.
This speech the Greeks they greatly praise of Tydees sonne the wise,
They doe commend his good aduise, wherwith doth Nestor rise
That prudent knight, & answers thus: O Diomede thy part
In bloudie warre right stout thou playst, in councell good thou art,
I must confesse of all the kings thou art the oddest, thou,
Of those thy yeares. Of al the campe I thinke no souldior now
Doth wish, or will a harmefull truce, yet all thou dost not touch,
Concerning this our question here more must be sayed much.
I, olde who am, and may be sire to all these mightie kings,
And eke to thee, will end the rest I hope to their likings,
And euen so, as none reproue my councell good and sound.
No viler or vnhappie man, or wicked can be found,
Nor more unworthy for to liue, than ciuill warre who loues.
To supper let vs get vs nowe, sith night so farre on shoues,
And stillie for to set the watch with bandes of youngest yeares,
Twene wall & trench to place them so, when Troyā crues appeares
To charge vs, they may notice giue: Agamemnon you ought
That all the Princes vnto you they be to supper brought:

153

(As I do thinke) you nothing want to feast them as you wul,
With pleasaunt wine of Thracian soile your tent is stuffed ful,
And as we sup discourse wil hap, and serue for councell eke
And helpe, in this so waightie cause we al our wits muste seeke.
For why, the enmy lyes at hand, it is a heauie thing
(God knowes) their fires to see, and heare them by our noses ring,
Loe here the night which wil vs saue, if prudent men we be,
But if we sleepe, then shal we fall, in handes of th'enimie.

When he had sayed, and they had heard, his wil it was obayde,
And Princes seauen vnto the watche do go right well arayde,
And souldiours they seuen hundred take, the first was Thrasimede
Duke Nestors sonne, and Creons heire, another Lacomede,
Ascalaphe was the thirde, the fourth was willing Merion,
Aphareus, Ialmen, and Deyphire, they forward passed on,
And made the number seauen vp, three knights right hard to daunt,
And wights not betterde like to be, where men come in their haunt.
These with their souldiors armed ful, with dartes and armor bright,
Tween wal and trench they set themselues, & tend the watch al night.
They fires make, some eate, some walke, no one of them doth sleepe,
With eyes they looke for them that come, and eares attentiue keepe.

On th'other side Agamemn he to supper brings the Lords,
They neyther thirst nor hunger feele, so wel he them afordes.
They supte, Nestor (whose councel graue of eche was knowne right wel
Unto the chieftaine of the warre he thus his tale did tell.

O worthy Prince, of none but you I am here for to say,
Sith you are poynted of these folke to beare the rule and sway:
Sith that the Gods haue gyuen you powre of all the Grecians here,
More counsaile and more stoutly minde in you there shoulde appeare
Than any other, which should enforce it selfe to giue good eare,
And counsaile take, and after good to execute it were.
And chiefly, when you are aduisde a thing that profite wil,
And honest is, then who can say by you proceedeth ill?
An other thing to counsaile you it moueth me againe,
Which ful to followe is your best, not contrary to faine
As erst you did, when raging wood in furie you did fret
Against Achill, and worse than that into youre shippes did fet

154

To his despite out of his tent the Bryse in gift he had,
A fauourite of al the Gods, the wrong it was too bad
To stirre a personage so greate. Wherefore we ought to studie,
If helpe may be, how to repayre this facte outragious moodie,
And quietly it to appease with presents gay and rich,
Or else by meanes of curteous speech and by entreatie miche.

Agamemnon thus answerd straight: O aged sire, no lesse
Where of thou hast accused me the fault I do confesse.
I can vouch no excuse at all, I fowlie fell and faild,
I do perceiue by the outrage the Greekes haue greatly quaild.
Ioue loues the man, and whom God loues, in camp where men are full,
Such one is worth a multitude of the vnbrideled scull,
Who hardly wil be rulde at al, but as I am the man
Uniustly who hath onely done, Ile proue all meanes I can
To mend the fault, I will bestow in guerdon for the facte
Great gallant gifts of loftie price out of my treasures pacte,
Which I wil name vnto you here, esteeme their price who can:
First seuen goodly Triuets large, which neuer were set an
The fire, ten talents eke right pure and fine of golden masse,
And twentie Caudrons burnishte braue of gloring shining brasse:
Twelue Coursers with their gorgeous barbs and furniture arayed,
Whose swiftnesse hath in wager beene in Greece ful dearly payed.
If so much wealth and coine he had, he shou'd not thinke he needs
As I haue got and gained eke by trauel of these steedes.
Eke seuen dames, whose femine race surpasse for countnaunce rare,
Right cunning in Embroderie: which fell vnto my share,
When Achill conquerd Lesbos Ile, and with them wil I yeelde
His Bryseis floure of Damsels al, as pure and vndefeeld,
As when the first was giuen me, I by my royal state
And sceptre which I holde, I sweare, I in no manner rate
Haue priuately dealt with the maide, she neuer in my couch
Did rest hir selfe, I neuer neare approchte hir once to touch,
As men are wont, when they alone themselues with women finde:
Lo here the wealthy gift to him by me is now assignde.
And if that fauoure do the Gods this enterprise begonne,
And that this Troy it may be tane, and it to sacke be done,

155

I do agree that of the spoile, top ful with brasse and golde
A mightie shippe he lade, and eke towne dames out twentie tolde
The fairest of the Troyans al (saue Helene) shall be his:
And to my country when I come, I truly wil not misse
So dearly to esteeme the man with honor vnbeguilde,
As I mine owne Orestes do, my deare and louing childe.
And if he mariage lifte to minde, I gladly wil him knowe
My sonne in lawe, on him I wil a daughter mine bestowe:
Take where he please, I three nowe haue which meeke & modest are,
Chrisoteme faire, wise Laodice, and she of honest care
Iphianas: wel, take he one, for dower it shall not skill,
I hope right wel she shal not blame my fatherly good wil,
(How great the match and princely is) for dower I haue prepard:
I seuen Cities wil bestow with walles right round reparde,
Wel stufte with wealth and people eke, fast by the sea of Pile,
That is to say, Enopa one, the second Cardamile,
Pheres diuine, Hira enclosd with goodly fruitful trees,
Pedasos, whose fat fertile earth with Uineyards wel agrees,
Egea with hir gallant seate, and Anthia so commended
For fruitful meades and pasture ground whiche cannot be amended.
And in these seuen so good townes such ciuil people liue,
As like a God they wil him hold, and presents to him giue
Of such their wealth they do possesse, with goods and body prest
T'obey his sceptre and his wil, as he is pleased best.
These gifts and these good turnes are his, if this agreement doe,
(Would Gods O valiant Achilles) our strifes were brought vnto
A quietnesse: let Pluto to thy deede suche fauour send,
That thou thy selfe no way refuse, but peace may haue the end,
Let Pluto graunt me so much grace, in yeares and wealth as I
Far passe Achill, so in like case my sute he not deny.

Then Nestor heeding wel his tale, his speeche againe doth vse,
Sir Atreus sonne these presents told Achill ought not refuse,
For great they are: wherefore prouide Embassadors to goe,
Three men sufficient I can choose, if they be pleased so.
The Phœnix good shal be the first, Schoolemaister his that was
Of late of the Embassade chiefe, and Aiax he shal passe

156

The second man, and eloquent Vlysses third shal be,
Whome Heraults two shal followe fast, Odius Eurybatee,
Two loyall wights: and fit it is for to confirme the deede,
To wash our hands: you Heraults hie, and water fetch with speede,
And you ye Greekes, (eche one aparte) doe Iupiter require,
That this legation come to passe, as we do all desire.
The heraults two to Princes handes the water out they skinke,
Who to the Gods their prayers make, & then the wine they drinke.
Therewith wel filld the Legates parte, whome Nestor plyeth still,
To set themselues to purchase home good answeare from Achill,
Ere they returne Vlysses chiefe his speeche to make the way,
So graue that is, and he therewith his courage to delay.

Thus went the pointed Princes forth, with care to be wel heard,
And lowly to the Marine God their prayers they prefarde,
That of the valiant Greeke the wrath so deepe and deadly placed,
To end the charge they now are in, more calmed be and raced.
Unto the vessels straight they come, and tents of Myrmidons,
In compasse wide and gay to sight, Achilles where he runnes,
And on the Uiole Ditties sings, in Musicke so delights
Of those the hie and loftie Gods, and worthy mortall wights.
This Uioles sweetnesse matchlesse was with beautie rare to see,
Wel painted ore with siluer head, was fine as fine might be,
The which was by Achilles wonne, when Thebes he did race,
I meane Thebes where Ætion did rule with princely mace,
Which Thebes was by him destroyde, no one there was that markte
His musicke there, saue Patroclus his harmonie who harkte.

These Princes when Achilles sawe, who long his friends had bin,
He would not faile to raise himself, and wondring doth beginne
To bid them welcome as he shoulde, Patroclus also rose,
And to receiue them puts himselfe: to speeche Achilles goes,
Right welcome be those my good friends, and Lords, who with good heart,
Do in my shippes come visite me, I take in most good part
The same, and though my wrath be great, you are no cause I say,
I you esteeme, I lovde, I loue, and loue you wil for ay.

Thus said, with curteous countnance he, doth bring them on to sit
One after one in sumptuous seats, be hangde with vellet fit:

157

The hugest cup he had, to bring Patroclus he did wil
To make them drinke, and wel the same with purest wine to fil,
For these (quoth he) here visite me, are knightes of valiaunt breede,
And more than that, my wishers wel, and very friends in deede.
His friends minde when Patroclus heard, he doth obey the same,
And more a caldron he doth take, it round about with flame
He doth beset, and in he puts of goate and mutton fat
The vmbles whole, with goodly chine of tender swine with that
Of one yeare fed, Antomedon and Achil they do cut
And brotch the rest, Patroclus while he to the fire doth put
Al smokelesse for to make it burne, the wood he couched fit,
Aptly to rost, the coales he spreades, and down he layes the spit,
Wheron the strokes of flesh were brotcht, and salt on them doth cast,
The meate to season, and to make it meeter for the tast.
Already thus, Patroclus bread out of a basket layde
He had in hand, and servde the borde, and sir Achilles prayd
When he had plast the Greekish Lords, yt they would fal to meate,
And to Vlisses face to face himself he chose his seate.
He bids Patroclus sacrifice eke to the gods their right,
Which done, they eate, they drink, and do with leasure great delight.

The good Phenix chiefe messenger, a silent noyse began
To warne Vlisses hauing supt, who knew what ment the man,
He takes the cup, and prayes Achil vnto him for to drinke,
O thou of Greekes the choice (quoth he) I now ful meete it thinke
The cause of our Embassade here (now we so wel haue farde)
Be open layde before your selfe, and by vs plaine declarde.
Though you with plentie haue vs fed, Agamemnon before
Hath feasted vs, but al this cheare, it cannot heale our sore,
For vs content, the present time some other thing requires
Than stil to feede, and on our meate to set our whole desires.
Our care it is vnto our case al careful to prouide,
And wisely to inuent some way the Troyan force t'abide,
And keepe our vessels from the fire, that we in heapes not dy,
Which no way we can shun at al, if haply you deny
To put in vre your mighty fist, and eke your selfe to decke
With minde and force from vs to hold the harme lyes on our neck.

158

So hard at hand our foes they be incamped by our side,
They ly vs by, they merry make, their fiers burning bide.
They vow they wil not enter Troy til al the Greekes beslaine,
And by their force defeated quite, yea in the ships. Againe,
And more their pride to set a gog, seene hath bin in their campe
A token sure of their great good, the lightning for to rampe
On the right hand. And Hector stoute now puffed vp aloft,
For victorie of yesterday, and in a suretie brought
Of Ioue his aide, doth nothing wish, but that the dawning come,
And then he meanes to burne our ships, and armie al and some
To ouerthrow, he is so braue, so furious, and so fel,
He reekes no whit of God or man, with smoke he wil vs quel.
This threate hath troubled much our sprites wt fear & chilling dreed,
In doubt that fate wil haue it so, and gods they haue agreed
That after long abode this host must wholy haue the gelpe,
And in this Country leaue our liues. Though you haue spaerd their helpe
Til now (and that although to late) now vp your forces pul,
Eft cal your hart for to protect this host of dolour ful.
Else, when we al shal haue the losse, your selfe wil grow right sad
To see your friends so many quailde, and that no care you had,
When neede there was, to saue their falles, it better were t'avoyde
This error great, now in their aide your selfe you soone imployde,
And also stayde this vtter ruine, which neuer can be holpen,
Friend mine, I wel do cal to minde what Peleus did open
To you, and gaue for sound aduice (movde by a fathers care
And tender loue) when to these parts you in your voyage ware.
And as I should and best I may, his words I wel remember,
That the performance of the same your minde it may wel tender:
Minerue the goddesse, (son quoth he) and Iuno both at once
Shal giue thee valiaunt heart ynough, with big and brawnie bones,
But thou with loue and modest port those gifts must beautifie,
And kepe thee from dissembling faulte, and filthy fraude defye,
Yeelde not thy minde vnto reuenge, and so of yong and old
You shal be much and hie esteemde, and loued as you would.
These were his words, thus in precept the good old man he gaue,
When you he sent, of this gay speech now little minde you haue.

159

Good friend (alas) do cancel cleane these discords and these iars,
Ful eft in friendship with the chiefe and captaine of these wars,
Who seeking now for thy good wil, by vs doth offer thee
(Which here I count) such goodly giftes, as rich and gorgeous be.
First seauen triuets new and round, ten talents next of golde,
And twentie caudrons bright of hue, twelue coursers fully told,
Who by their swiftnesse conquerde haue right many princes rich,
And as for golde and wealthy ware if one man had as much
As they haue purchast to their Lord, and gayned by their speede,
He might wel vaunt he were not poore, nor worldly muck to neede.
And further seuen ladies braue right od in needels skil
And beautie rare, which then he had, when Lesboes thou didst pill
With thy strong hand, thy Bryseis eke thou shalt againe receiue,
For whom he deepely sweares, vntoucht he doth hir person leaue,
And that the neuer saw his bed, nor he the mayde hath knowne
In pleasure, as the male and fem. Al this shal be your own,
These goodly gifts here shal you haue, this greement if you strike,
And if to sacke this mightie Troy the loftie gods it like,
And that we share the welthy spoyles, he wil that you lay on
And lade your largest ship with plate and gold, for you alone,
With twentie townish dames of choice, wel worthy such a Lord,
And when this war shal ended be, if so you list accord
To haunt his home and dwel with him you loue he shal as deare
As Orestes his only son, and if in minde you weare
To take a wife, of al his house, the choise yours freely is:
He daughters there doth three possesse, the first Chrisotenis
With yealow lockes, sage Laodice the second hath to name,
Iphianas the third is hight, who haue so great a fame
For vertues theirs, the fairst of three at pleasure choose you may,
And leade hir to their sire his home, and nothing for hir pay.
For he himselfe for dower wil of riches giue such store,
As neuer father daughter gaue such portion heretofore:
He means to put vnder your rule seuen great and goodly townes
Hard by the sea, which ful of folke with wealthy ware abownes.
Ciuile Enopa shal be one, and Cardamile so hight,
Pheres diuine, fruiteful Hira, Epea great of might,

160

With Anthia for pasture fat of all that beares the bel,
And Pedases for goodly vines is spoken of so wel.
You honorde in these townes shal be, and servde in euery case
Most like a God, where people wil vnder your loyal mace
And kingly iustice willing liue, lo, these the giftes they are,
That is the mends in lieu of fault you shal haue for your share.
If you these offers not regard, nor him that giues the same,
Haue you no pitie of your friends, nor nation here that came
Out your own land? haue you no wil these silly Greeks to ayde,
And helpe that quite they perish not? of whom it wil be sayde,
As to the gods; so are they bound Achilles vnto thee,
When they shal know that by thy meanes they are deliuerd free,
An act of praise, immortal fame for you to gaine therby.
Th'occasion eke it brings, that you with Hector now may trie,
Who doth so gayly vaunt and boast, (he puft is with such pride)
No Greeke in Campe to be his match that may him once abide.

When he the prudent Greeke had hearde, to answere thus he start,
Vlisses, that, I answere plaine I thinke it is my part,
That thou, nor any other else your selues hereafter set
By motions for to trouble me, more of me so to get.
What in my minde I haue set down most surely shal be done,
Who sayes one thing, and in his heart another course doth run,
As gates of Hel I do him hate, with all the might I may:
What I concluded haue to do here hearken what I say.

Unpossible the matter is, that Agamemnon king
For yee the Greekes or princes great, he may or can me bring
But once on heade my helmet set, sith who doth most desire
With al his force to ayde you al, I see to bad his hire,
And of a souldiour no more count, whose valure hie doth raigne,
Than of an hedgehog hid in tent or dastard coward swaine:
Who for his part shal more possesse of great and worthy spoyles,
And higher place, than who deserues most best with al his toyles.
I speake this for my selfe, who haue such toyle and trauel bid,
And many a night in war haue wakt, and neuer haue bin hid
From daunger great what so it were, and al for your behoufe,
With semblant care, as pretie birde doth busie flye aloofe

161

To seeke out meate to feede hir yong unfeatherde who do ly,
And nakt in nest, who haue no power the champaine ayre to try,
And far vnmeete to meate themselues: who doth not vnderstand
The sackes and fals of Cities great, and Ilands of this land
My nauale forces conquerde haue? twice sixe the chiefest thought
Eleauen in firme my sword hath spoyld, and in subiection broughte:
Of al the which the booties whole you al ful wel do know
Out saued none, your chiefe he had, which stil he did bestow
Where best he pleasde, and skild he was the greater part to hold,
But mine and other princes parts were minste and wel controlde.
Yet with our sharing pleased wel, and none more pleasd than I,
Nathlesse by cruel iniustice, malice and tirannie
Agamemnon hath spoyled me of that my pittaunce smal
Was giuen me, which yet I say, to me did wel befal:
The same esteeming very much only I lovde it deare,
Bryseis it was, wel his be she, and with hir let him cheare,
Answere me you, what cause hath fetcht so many Princes hither
Of Greece? And Agamemnon who he callde hath here togither
Such furniture of souldiours good? are they not in the field
The rauisht Heleine to regaine, & force them hir to yeeld?
Doth he and eke his brother weene of all that lead here liues,
That they in earth the od men are, which only loue their wiues?
Haue they a dome so blind and bad, to deeme ech worthy minde
Not to esteeme and honor much his loue or wife assignde?
For, as for me, I fride in loue of Bryseis worthy dame,
And hir regarded as my spouse a prisner though she came.
But now peruerting iustice al, your chiefetaine holds the lady,
And now I haue this wrong receivde, and fouly made a babie:
With sugred speech and fained words seekes he all meanes he may
To swaddle up the festred wound? it wil not be, nay, nay,
With you and other of the Greekes (if so he thinketh good,)
Let him go Counsel to forsee how now may be withstoode
This daunger deepe, wherin he is Lord, in what wretched plight
He hath you brought, loke you your selues by his own leud dispight.
What, shal his fort, his wal, his dikes, his pales, and trenches all
Defend you so, as Hector stoute shal not vpon you fal?

162

When I with you did vse the fielde and fought for your auayle,
He in his roades and skirmishes durst not so forward raile,
By Scea Troyan gate he fought, my force him kept in awe,
Once at the beech him with intent me to abide I saw,
But straight I made him take his heeles and safe he thought him not
Til vnto Troy he was arrivde, and therein safely got.
Sith al wherein I then did ioy is turned now to griefe,
And that my force with Hector his I wil not put in priefe,
In morning next I hope depart if winds do happie blow,
With sacrifice to Ioue performde, aborde when I do goe,
That he do fauour my returne, and in the loftie sea
Thou shalt Vlisses then behold my vessels tall in way,
The which from rocke, and wracke of sea if Neptune please to guide,
In three dayes space at Pthie coast my countrey I shal ride.
Some balazde deepe with blazing brasse, and yron bright of blee
And perfect gold, with other wealth and goods that pretious be:
Forgetting not the virgins gay, which I alone in war
Haue conquerd I, for Agamemn doth hold and me debar
From bootie which fel vnto me. Wherfore friend tel you must
In publike wise to all the Greekes my quarel it is iust,
And that they heede their chief not wrong them, as he hath done me,
For which I here protest, henceforth I wil him neuer see.
I thinke eke shamelesse though he be, and voyde of vertue sure,
Own conscience his should him forbid my presence to indure.
And if that forward he would presse, and mind to speake me too,
My furie maister should I not but mischiefe more him do.
Suffice it him he hath me wrongde, and that his own vnright
Doth hel him like a man forlorne, and out his sences quite,
And for the presents he presents, I them abhorre in minde,
The giftes and giuer I do hate as death in direst kind.
Not ten times, no, not twentie times much more than he doth offer,
If all he hath, with traffike whole he also ment to proffer
Of those two Cities, Thebes one, and Orchemene to name,
The Egiptian Thebes auntient town renoumde, I meane the same,
With people ful so stufly filde, where passeth out and in
Through gates an hundred of accompt, of diuerse sorts that bin

163

The ware and merchandise to see, two hundred cartes a daye
Out euery gate go loaden out, and forth are sent away.
And to be short, if al the sande and earthly gritte were tolde,
And offerd me, such masse of wealth content me surely nold:
It cannot be I should content, my wrath it cannot coole,
Til for his fault he iustly smart wherein he playde the foole.

You also seemed now to touch another point me thought,
That of his daughters one to spouse I should be therto brought,
Who he sayes, milde and modest be, if she (as he doth vaunt)
More faire than golden Venus were, and that it were to graunt
Hir chastitie and honour past dame Pallas in degree,
He may not hope my father in law that he may named be.
Let him in Greece of his own macke his daughter too to wed
Some other finde. As for my part, if, as the gods haue sed,
They do vouchsafe my comming home, by Peleus his ayde,
My wife she shal prouided be, and I in wedlocke stayde.
In Pthie and Achaia lands is many a wealthy king,
Who virgins in their houses haue, of which to my liking
And their contentment I may take, which course I follow wil,
In peace I count it best to liue, and vse my pleasure stil,
And not hereafter to my harme in weapons for to die
In floure of mine age, the gems, the wealth, and riches hie
In Troy that were, ere out of Greece with siege we girt it round,
The sacred goods to Phœbus vowde, and in his church are found,
May not suffise, if dead I were, my life for to restore,
Sheepe, Oxen, coursers great, triuets, like stuffe and many more
Once lost may eft soone yet be had, but soule from body parted,
Agayne into the bodie left shal neuer be insarted.
My mother Thetis tolde me once, die, die that needes I must,
To double fate my life is tied, thereo she bad me trust.
If I abide hir waging war, immortal fame I gaine,
But die I shal, if home I go, and do at home remaine,
Long life and happy dayes I haue, but spoylde of honour hie,
The safer part I meane to take, and further not to try.
I do suppose you shal do wel to follow me a righte,
Sith nought you gaine, and Troy to take the hope is vaded quite:

164

And chiefely seeing the Gods and Ioue so sound in their defence,
My friend Vlisse, and Aiax then away depart you hence,
Go tel the Greekes my answere now, and how I wil away,
Some other course and what to do let aged heads assay,
And so to feele since my offence what profit they do finde:
Here aged Phœnix in my tent this night shal stay behinde,
And in the morning home shal go with me, right cheeke by cheeke,
I meane not maugre his good wil, but if himselfe so leeke.

At this refusal stoute and sterne the kings amazed stand
And long abasht, but Phœnix graue the matter takes in hand,
The present daunger he forsees, which al the campe is in,
With trickling teare of earning minde this speech he doth begin:
Though you refuse oh noble prince the safetie of this host,
And that your wrath is so confirmde you needes wil leaue this cost,
Good Lord (deare son) how can you leaue your gouernour and guide,
My selfe who was appointed so when hither first you hide,
With you my Peleus plast I was, when forth he let you go,
T'instruct your youth, that you a prince of youth were gouernde so,
As what was fittst, you should performe, yea both in word and deede,
To make you a souldiour for the field and oratour at neede
A perfect one. The pliant youth and yeares that tender are
Can hardly reatch vnto those parts without a tutors care.
Likewise such giftes plast in a prince do much adorne the man,
Then I, who charge haue had of you, suppose you that I can
(O son) thus leaue you? no, no, though (whose counsels ay are true)
The hie and mighty gods should say they would againe renew
To youth my worne corpse by yeares, and put it in such plight,
When from my sire Amintors wrath perforce I toke my flight,
And him forsoke, and all the wealth which is in Hellade his,
Where then he raignde, for loue of one his anger grown is.
A damosel thewde and hewde as wel, his wife he lovde not so,
Wherat my mother spited much, and eke did iealous grow:
Who wel hir husbands loue perceivde, she dayly stil me prayde
With hands held vp importunate, to practise with the mayde
So far, that with hir I might lodge, that once the matter spyed,
My father would no more hir keepe, it cannot be denyed

165

I did the thing, my mothers will, whereat Amyntor wonders,
And fully fed with furious rage, his bitter curses thunders
Upon my head, inuoking loud the damned furies fel,
With hateful wordes bequeathing me the hatefull harmes of hel,
Among the which he prayde I might no father be of heire,
Or at the least no children haue, in bosome he to beare,
Or which of nursing he should reake: I soundly did beleeue,
That Pluto graunted to his plaint, whereat I did so greeue,
When I his malediction knewe, that I then leaue him would,
And not remaine within his house, happen what happen should.
My mates, my friends, my neighbors all, the dearest of my kinne,
My neare Allies when this they sawe, they seeke againe to winne
Most carefully my home abode, which sooner to obtaine,
To loftie Gods their vowes they make, to thē right down are slaine
Sheepe, beeues, and porkets great of grease, whereof they rost-meate make,
And feed therof, of pleasant wine their tipple in they take,
Which in his house the old man had, and eke thrice three lōg nights
The dores made faste, they keepe the watche, they stand with waked sprites
In order in the pallace court, and gates there out that goes:
But al their fires so highly light, their watch and ward they lose.
For stil the tenth night out I go, no watch nor maydes me hearde,
No groome perceiues my stealing forth, nor tooke thereof regarde.
Abroad I treade my country Bees, that large and fruitful be,
Where your good father found me out, and then receiued me.
And more, to shew his great good will which vnto me he bare,
He gaue me rule of Dolopie, and goods that wealthy ware,
Great store he trusted in my handes, with so muche fauour good,
Honor, and grace, as I had bin an infant of his bloude,
Euen then Achilles were you borne, wherfore I was desired
By Pelëus, the care to take your infancie required,
And it to gouerne, whych I did: your force whiche passeth all,
Your corpse most like the heauenly powres, of bones and bodie tall,
With me hath had the bringing vp, and grown to such an one.
Bycause I lovde you, so I did? No, not for that alone,
But you so dearly did me loue, that nothing was to name,
Which you woulde do at all, if I allowed not the same.

166

From me if you were cravde to sup, thereto you had no list,
They lost their paines, you wold not eate but what came out my fist.
To stil and please you when they woulde, they set you on my knee,
If nothing I would haue you eate, I muste your taster bee.
And ofte when you haue sipte the wine, y'haue layd it on my breast,
As doth the pretie babe, who in his nurses armes doth rest.
I al these paines most willing bid your selfe when as I servde,
I thought that I deprivde of childe, I was a sire reservde,
For bringing vp at least of you, (and I right oldely yearde)
A most sure stay I should haue bene, when feeblenesse appearde.
This short discourse (mine owne deare sonne) is onely you to pray
Your minde to temper, and to put this wreakful wrath away.
Th'immortal ghosts, who nature haue more noble much than man,
By men intreated to forgiue, they do both wil, and can,
And graunt requests of mortall wights: no fault so great to wit,
Which at the prayer of faultie folkes the Gods do not remit.
What, know good sonne that prayers are the daughters true of Ioue,
Who for to seeke sir Iniurie out, abroade about do roue,
They follow him, a stronger much and harder mate than they,
For Prayer is both halte and lame, and slowly riddeth way:
But Wrong a mightie monster is, in toile he holdeth tacke
He treades apace, and far behinde leaues Prayer at his backe:
But feeble Prayer folowing him, with pace by pace doth passe,
And if she come where as he is, and good accepting has
Of person she is brought vnto, she Ioue intreateth full
In his behalfe, and to his wish she doth him also pull.
If aukwardle the partie do of this wrong more account,
Ashamde eke she being denyde, to Gods aloft dothe mount,
And tels to them the whole at large, and prayes that Iniurie
May in his house a dweller be that did hir so deny.

Truly my sonne, your honor bids you to accept these Dames,
These presents muster much thereto, whose price the value frames.
If wilful so our chieftaine were, and madnesse suche him hent,
He would by gifts not seeke your grace, nor yet himselfe relent.
I durst not for the Greekes at al you councel or aduise
How great so ere the businesse were: but when before mine eyes

167

His large and liberal offer standes, and suite in suche a rate
For your good will, I thinke it good your furie did abate,
And that you nothing did refuse: how should you moued be
By prowesse here of these two kings, who in nobilitie
Passe al of Greece, and now are come, and you the message bear?
If nought to moue you herevnto but the demaunders were,
Their dignitie it asketh much, for which much should be done
Their good opinion to preserue, least that hereafter runne
Of you bad speeche, in terming you a proude disdainful one.
The Heroes olde of antique age, in time far past and gone,
If haply iarre with some they had, with time they were appeasd,
And bid content: yea many times the foe he was releasde,
And pardonde oft by gift and sute. Nowe to this purpose fit,
I minde a storie olde and true, which (if you so permit)
I will you tell, and you my friends. The Curetois they bended,
And fought with them of Etolie, who Calidon defended:
A sorer warre was neuer heard, they fought so stoutly well,
That many of th'inuaders dyde: but more inuaded fell.
The better that you knowe the cause of this the people slaine,
A little higher I must beginne. In Calidon did raigne
Onëus then a noble Prince, who of his fruits did giue
Eche yeare the first in sacrifice to such immortall liue.
And hap it did (it purposly, or he remembring not)
Diana chast was set at nought, hir offering was forgot.
Whereat hir indignation grewe, and so to punish him,
A wild Boare to his fields she sent a gastful and a grimme,
Which many mischiefes did him doe, his people downe he slewe,
His grounde for fruicts he fowlie spoild, and down his trees he threw:
Gay appletrees, and many ful with fruit and flower packte,
With whetted shearing pointed tuske, they torne lye and crackte,
The corne and crooked Uines he marres. Meleager the sonne
Of this good king, when as he sawe his countrey thus to runne
To hauocke, and his people to, to call the hunters rounde
To him he doth determine straight, with many a hunting hound
The dreadful beast to chace and kil, great troupes togither stocke,
Their forces prouing with this beast, do reatch him many a knocke.

168

But in the end, the wicked swine downe dead doth lye along,
His royall hand him felling downe, two nations great and strong
Do for the spoiles now growe to strife: the Curets claime it theirs,
As both of duty and desert. Of Etolie the heires
The same do chalenge to themselues: hereof doth grow the stur,
For this the cruell bitter warre, proceeded is so fur.

Thus Calidon besieged tho by crues of Curete lande,
A certaine time it is releevde by Meleagers hand,
And the besiegers durst not stirre: for al their number great,
They drad his deadly sword, wherewith he did them hardly treat.
But haply rage and furie (which do sharp the meekest minde,
And natures good of constant wights) in him their places finde,
They which did straight so swap him out, that he determines plaine
To lay his armor downe aside, and not to fight againe.
This warme and bitter wrath it grewe of strife, that so befell
With Althea his dame, bycause he did his brother quell:
She grievde, she howlde, she kist the earth, she prayde in Plutoes lap
To plague the fault, that he hir sonne may reape like deadly hap.

When as Meleager this heard, in dumpes he falles to spite,
He led at home an Hermites life, he would no more to fight:
His louing wife Cleopatra, of beautie wondrous rare
Accompanyed him, she daughter was of Marpyse Nimph so faire,
Belovde, and wonne by Phœbus god, gainst whom Idee hir make
(In sorrowe sowste and iealousie) did dare the combate take,
With bow in hand to cause him yeelde his spoile, but all in vaine
His force it would not fodge, whereby his wife he might regaine.
His kinred and the mother chiefe did many a teare let fall
Their woe to witnesse: newe they name and doe Alcion call
The rauishte fem. But for to come vnto my purpose first,
Meleager he resting stil, the enimies they thrust
When it they knewe vnto the sault, the Towres of Calidon
They batter, and at gates they thump, they put their forces on
To enter by all meanes they may, then of the wretched towne
The chiefest Lordes (in danger great to be al beaten downe)
Do throng and pray Meleagers helpe, but nothing could they do,
The Cleargie come, and vnto him pray for their Maisters too.

169

And offer at his choise great part of all their goodly landes,
His sire Oneus hopes to speede, and at his doore he standes,
He him intreats vpon his knees to let his anger passe,
And saue the Citie all forlorne, his suite not heard, alas.
With held vp handes his mother doth the like, his brethren eake,
And all his friends, yet list he not their wretched woe to wreake.
This while the foes past vp the walles, & forcst the towne by fight,
And crueltie none wanting was, that happes in such a sight.
His wife the grunting hearing then, and cries of those did yell,
The piteous fright, the flames, the folke and Citizens that fell:
To him she hastes with haire abroade, and teares she letteth fall.
Deare spouse (quoth she) this remnant saue (God knows) which is but small,
Both yoūg & old they die ye death, or weapons downe they lay,
If women any doe suruiue, they slaues are led away.
Meleager this hauing heard, his armour on he packt,
And full of furie forth he goes, the enemies he hackt,
Their crownes he pares, and citie saues, and yet was all his ayde
No whit to them so worthy thankes, bicause so long he stayde,
And for vnto the succour he of the Etoliens yed
Not at their suite, but as the toy did take him in the hed.

Oh God thee shield Achilles now to thinke vs so to vse,
And for to leaue vs in this brake, such meaning doe refuse.
To you what corsee would it be to see the enmies put
Our nauie to the wasting flame, and vs in peeces cut?
Then were your mightie strength to weake our cases to relieue,
A better way it were (my sonne) your forces for to prieue
To aide this wretched armie here, somewhat doth vrge the giftes,
And also that so hie renowme, which men so hiely liftes.
But if you doe forslowe the time to helpe in our defence,
Your succour slowe shall honour want, eke meede and recompence.

The ruler Phœnix here did end: Achill doth thus replie,
This honour now whereof you talke and bribes I neede not I,
The praise and glory me contents from God the which ariseth,
Who is reuenger of my wrong, his fauour me suffiseth.
Wherefore I yeeld me to his will, and will in all degrees,
As long as this my bodie here shall goe vppon my knees,

170

As long as life in limmes shall last the world whole shall knowe,
To aide the Greekes I will no foote out of my vessell goe.
And as for you (good Phœnix mine) heare what I say and marke,
Me thinke there is no reason you with all this stirre and carke
So earnestly should me intreate being your friend at full,
To please the mortalst foe I haue, and it to seeke you wull.
More reason much it were for you, your selfe a friend to showe,
To such I fauour, and therein your trauaile to bestowe:
And chieflie, sith we equalles are, and doe in friendship sound
Possesse as parteners all our goods, wherein we so abound.
These princes two they shall returne to Greekes my answer right,
But you shall lodge with me, your host I will be for this night.
The morning come, we will consult in iourney home to glyde,
Or will perhap perswade our selues here longer to abyde.

Therwith Patroclus gaue a nodde that they a bed do dight,
A trimme and sweete, wherein should rest the noble aged wight.
The worthy Aiax Telamon this heard, right well he knewe
They lost but time, it bootelesse was them further for to sewe.
Unto Vlysses, friend (quoth he) enough is done, away,
I see this matter will not doe, the kings who for vs stay,
Let vs goe tell our message here, least other they pretend:
This man is madde, he shamelesse is, his senses he doth bend
To pride, and recks no whit of friends, full set vpon his follie,
There haue bene many worthy men of minde and manners iollie,
Who borne haue most hainous factes by filthy foemeus deede,
Who children theirs and brethren neere haue deadly done to bleede,
Yet by entreatie haue forgiuen, what so th'offence hath beene.
Or else they haue accepted mendes, and willingly haue seene
In time the men who murthrers were. Achill, th'immortall Gods
Tweene you and those of courteous molde haue set a mightie oddes.
Who hauing suffred no great wrong, great losse, or death of kinne,
But onely one poore simple fem, and yet you lodge within
Your hart such rage, the gifts are sent seuen times more worth in price
The person selfe, such presents brings you for to please likewise,
As many men would much request, Achilles, doe aduise
Your selfe on this, I you beseech, and vs not so despise.

171

Of neighbourhood maintaine the right, which to vs all you owe,
Thinke on the state of vs are sent, your good friends aye you knowe.

Achilles thus an answere shapes: diuine Aiax (quoth he)
I doe allowe all that you say, and it of amitie
Proceedes I know, but when I minde my wrong had in this warre,
The choler grafted in my hart I can no way debarre,
And chiefly, when some me account as of a base exile,
Disdaining me, who of the whole is worthiest many a mile.
Friends without more adoe proceede, goe tell them all therefore,
I minded am not for the Greekes to trauaile any more.
At least, till by sir Hectors force, and Troyan souldiors I
In tents and shippes of Mirmidons behold the fire to flie,
And Greekes slaine round about my tent, yet Hector doth not dare
I thinke for feare so neere to come, his bane least thence he bare.
This sayd, ech of the noble sort doe take a goblet rounde,
And heaue it sipping to their heades, the wine they weakly sounde.
On earth the rest they throwe, to Gods, to whom they them cōmend,
Vlysse the wisest takes his leaue, and forth doth formost wend?
A goodly bed they then prepare, a mattresse, linnen soft,
Behong with curtines rounde about, a couerlet fine aloft.
Of woollen weaue, where Phœnix doth alone right soundly sleepe,
Straight after doth the valiaunt Greeke to stately cabban creepe
To take his rest: King Phorbas breede did come with him to be
In bed, (the King of Lesbos Ile) the faire Diomede
His mate, also to sport himselfe lies downe betweene his sheetes,
With Iphis gaie the same to sleepe, Patroclus with hir meetes,
The which Achilles did him giue when Scyros citie strong,
Was by his force put to the spoile, downe raste, and laide along.

The Princes soone to campe are come of Greekes from whence they went,
The councell they together finde still in the royall tent:
At their arriuall, eche presents in many a gorgeous cup
The wines to drinke, they welcomde are, and then they rising vp,
Doe offer place for them to sit, they long the whole to heare,
And of the substance of the cause they wishe they priuie were.
The chiefe then spake Vlysses thus: you glory of Greece that are,
Vlysses O thou noble he, a Gods name vs declare

172

Whether Achill our giftes will haue, what hope or comfort tell yee
Of our reliefe? doth he relent, or be in rage still will hee?
Sith truth you will (quoth Vlysses) his furie nothing dies,
But dayly growes to more and more, your presents he defies,
For your alliaunce he cares not, and last of all the rest
He bad vs bid you flie this worst, if so you thought it best,
And that the dawning next he would depart this countrey fro,
With like perswasion vnto vs that likewise we doe so,
Sith of this warre no end wil be, now brought to wretched plight,
And that the Gods to Phrigians aide, to vs haue death behight.
The Aiax hie and Heraults eke can witnesse well his minde,
If so they list, they heard the talke, Phœnix is staide behinde
By Achilles, he lodgeth there, and home with him he may,
Not by constraint, but if he please, so doth Achilles say.
The princes all of Greekish land, the whole assemblie quaild,
They stoode abasht whē this they heard, long while their speech it faild,
Not holding vp their heads they sat, till Diomede the Greeke
Of them so worthy of accompt the solempne silence breeke.
You must the marke Agamemnon, when legates you sent out
To offer giftes, and him intreate, he is too proude and stout,
And you haue set him more a gog with message sent to him,
He thinkes himselfe a iolly man, a goodly and a trimme.
Forget him sirs, let him goe home, or as it please him tarie,
And when the Gods haue heald his rage, which raging him doth carie,
He warre will when he sees his time, end we this cause in talke,
And to our meate and wonted rest a good lucke let vs walke,
In morning we in armour all will stand before our sailes,
Our horsemen and our chariots all, our footemen in their railes.
Your valure there Agamemnon force you your selfe to showe,
In former ranke let men you see Troyans to ouerthrowe,
This speech and councell well allowde the princes euerie one,
And to his Tent or ship to leape they all departed gone.

Finis noni Libri.

173

The tenth Booke.

The Greekish kings did drawe aborde, and downe to rest they lie,
But Agamemn for carefull griefe no sleepe came in his eye.
As oft is seene the stormes of haile great showres and thunder blowes,
The boistrous blasts, the lightning flames, when Ioue his flashes throwes,
Or when great bankes of snowe he sendes in countrey low that lies:
So out the Greekish Chieftaines breast the grones and sighings flies.
His heart doth quake, his dolefull sprite doth stand in heauie plight,
And chiefly, when on Troyans campe hard by he castes his sight:
Where he beholdes huge fires to flame, great cries, vnwonted noyce,
And round the quarters to resound, with flutes and hie Hawboixe.
Againe, when he doth turne his eye vnto his beaten bandes,
A sleepe, fordone, at point to fall into their enemies handes,
For griefe from head his haire he pulles, and armes he heaues aloft,
Intreating Ioue to pitie some his Godhead may be brought.

In this so sore conflict of minde what meetest is to take,
He thinkes it best to goe in hast the Nestor olde to wake,
His counsellour graue with him t'aduise, and councell good to seeke,
To thwart this daunger from his folke, which happen them is leeke.

He vp his wonted robes doth take, his shooes on feete he tide,
And from his shoulders downe doth hang a mightie Lions hyde,
A large and beautifull to see, on ground it trailes behinde,
A dart he tooke, and to his side his faulchon he doth binde.

The while this king doth beare himselfe lesse carefull not a whit,
Was Menelau, for feare and grief his eies he could not shit,
Calling to minde the perill great of such a masse of men,
In his reuenge who paste the sea to warre with the Troyen,
A nation stout and fierce in fight, in hope to gaine renowne,
His goodly Curets on he puts and Helmet on his crowne,

174

His backe a Lyberds skinne doth hap, and launce in hand he haes,
He straight doth goe right to the shippes Agamemnon to raase,
He founde him newly full attirde, he ioyes at Menelawes,
Who to him doth aduaunce himselfe, and thus his tale he drawes:

You brother mine and eldest borne, what meane you thus to thrust
Your selfe in armes? the Troyan campe this night abroade you must
Send out a spie to viewe it well, to get such one I doubt
To serue the turne, the charge belongs to one right bold and stout.
Him answerde Agamemnon thus: both you and I good brother
Doe greatly neede good sound aduise our people for to further,
And eke our nauie for to saue from Troyan sworde and fiers,
And most sith Ioue doth friend our foes, and leaues vs in the briers.
I neuer sawe, ne yet haue heard one man such partes to play
Of valiancie, as Hector hath vpon the Greekes this day.
He cōmes not of the Gods their line, yet flie we from his rage,
I leeue the Greekes will nere forget this fright in after age.
I thinke it best you straight doe goe vnto the Greekish nauie
To Aiax and the king of Creete, and tell them that now craue I
They will with speede to councell come, and I on th'other side
Procure will Nestor to the watch, for our state to prouide.
His sonne is captaine of the same ioynde with Meryon,
They both will doe what Nestor shall commaund for to be done.
Your minde performde quoth Menelau shall I returne againe,
Or will you that till they doe come, I doe with them remaine?

Doe you with them abide quoth he, least they doe misse the way,
The campe it is so full of crookes they likely are to straie.
I further thus doe counsaile you, when you the princes call,
Doe gently vse your wordes and soft, and name their names withall,
Their state recite and eke their race, and doe not stuntly talke,
Still with a lowe and courteous grace let there the speeches walke.
We both must yeelde our selues thereto, and arme vs to abide
Things much vnmeete, sith Ioue that God of vs doth so decide.

When Agamemnon well had schoold his brother, soft he hies,
And quickly cōmes into the Tent whereas king Nestor lies,
Unto the good olde man he cōmes, in bed he founde him laied,
His harneys bright, his helmet braue, his shield that waightie waied,

175

Two dartes withall lay hard him by, and eke his gorgeous belt,
Wherwith he girdes, when Greekes he leades, as on that age not felt.

Nestor hearing Agamemnon with stealing step to stalke
So nie his bed, liftes vp himselfe, and thus beginnes his talke
Leaning vpon his elbowe moovde: a gods name what art thou
That in the night thus romes in campe? to our ships who brings you?
Who sends you forth while others sleepe? some mulet doe you misse?
Or fellowes lost doe you enquire? what ho, say what it is,
Tell me what chaunce you hether sends at time so out of season,
If nought you lacke, say on your case out speech, else stay with reason.

O worthy king, O noble fame, of Greekes the glory odde,
I am vnhappie Agamemn in griefe and sorowe sodde,
Agamemnon, whom cruell Ioue orechargeth so with shame,
And vile reproche, that nought I hope but mischiefe to my name.
I to you come, for that I cannot rest in this estate,
The tender care of Greekes I haue makes me my bed to hate:
Such dread & shame take hold of me, my heart doth trembling quake,
My soule despaire doth whole assault, my feeble legges doe shake:
For griefe my wearie minde sustaines, this is the chiefest cause,
And eke you rest no more thon I: wherfore now let vs pause,
I you beseeche this folke to shield, let vs some way deuise
From wasting hand of Troyan foes, and therefore (friend) arise,
And if you please we will repaire whereas the watch they keepe,
And viewe if souldiors ouerhaeld with toile doe wearie sleepe.
Alas our enimies be at hand, and little doe we ken
Whether this night they will vs charge, what safetie haue we then?

King Nestor thus to him replies, thinke you that Ioue he will
So Hector friend, what Hector list that Ioue will it fulfill?
No, no I thinke that he himselfe is deerd and gallde at full,
He doubts Achill will leaue his pottes, and ioyne with you he wull.
But vp I will and follow you, eke you to be about
Call vp the cunning Vlysses, and Diomede the stout,
The curteous Meges, and Aiax the second Oilee cald,
In whom the prowesse of Grecian land so deepe and hie is stald.
O would to God some one did bid the Aiax great to sturre,
And Idomene, whose side large tents from vs are distaunt furre.

176

Why is not Menelaus here? hath he so little care,
He who should waite continually, and watching to repaire
With humble suite vnto the best, his eyes what can he close,
And of this warre leaue you the toile, which to such daunger groes?
For the good will I beare the man I bitterly must braule,
And with him chide, though him you loue, yea fall what will befall.

Thus answerd him Agamemnon, you worthy aged sire,
His slacknesse you to reprehend, you know is my desire.
No slouth or ignoraunce him holdes, him his assuraunce staies,
Sometimes which in my Actes he hath; the charge on me he laies.
In this he doth deserue no blame, but rather worthy praise,
To be imployde, well armde at full he first came me to raise,
To Aiax and our other friends I sent him out erst while,
Lets goe, they surely tarie vs, hard by the watch Bastile.
He hath them sayd they should not faile but to attend vs there:
If brother yours quoth Nestor tho so kindely doe him beare,
And carefull be as you doe tell, and if he bid and pray
With modestie, the Grecians all him serue will and obay,
As much as you, who is their chiefe, herewith his bed he leaues
Full soft, and on his royall weede and richly robes he heaues.
Fine shooes of picked leather out his foote he tieth vnder,
A scarlet mantell on he throwes, for cost to see, a wonder,
Of Lemster wooll the best it was, the workmanship was much,
A golden buckle made it fast, he in apparell such
In right hand takes his stubborne launce, to the pauilion
Of Vlysses forthwith he cōmes, him loude he calleth on,
And bids him rise, hearing the voyce of the good aged man,
He starteth out his sleepe, and vp to them he thus began:
Alone why goe you vp and downe in time so darke and still?
What lacke or daunger are you in? what is it that you will?
Laertes heire so wise (quoth he) of vs no maruaile thinke,
For verie plaine necessitie hath brought vs to hir brinke:
Come, let vs raise some other prince, and what is to be done,
Let vs consult, as howe to fight, or else away to runne.

When Vlysses had Nestor heard, on shoulder straight he throwes,
And hanges his target at his backe, and after them he goes:

177

There right against the tent they finde of Diomede the Greeke,
That mightie man, out which he stepte, his armor not to seeke,
For on it was, a mightie hyde of beefe him vnderlay,
For pillow to his head he had a Carpet new and gay.
His mates, his bands, his men of war, they sleepe him round about,
Their armor hangs them by, and as the lightning breaking out
Doth shine far off, so do the same their darts and bucklers by.

The Nestor old with noise ynough doth draw the Grecian nye,
His heele he touchte, and therewithall fault finding thus sayes he:
What, dost thou sleepe O Diomede descended of Tydee?
Asleepe are you, knowing our foes at hande to keepe suche charme,
And loud to chaunt it in the plains, wherein so thicke they swarme?
So wakde, thus answerde Diomede: Nestor, I greatly muse
How that your yeares can bide and beare such trauaile as you vse.
Why yeelde you stil your selfe to toile? haue you no youthful lads
To send about to call the kings, but Nestor stil he gads?
Yes sure I am, but your quicke sprite is neuer dull nor ydle,
Sound friend (quoth Nestor) what you say, as true is as the Byble.
I doubtie children haue, with men and subiects not a few,
Who zealous for my quiet rest themselues wil try and tewe,
And do what I shall wishe them doe: but for this vrgent bracke
Wherein I see vs and our folke, my helpe I can not slacke,
Wel knowing, that if presently we make not head with heede,
But slacke the time, we cannot holde, but downe we al must bleede.
My yeares if that you pitie so, on fellowship call yee
Aiax Oilee, with Meges eke, who sonne is of Philee,
Straight Diomede him clad with skinne of boisteous Lyon weare,
And forth he goes, forgetting not his staffe and loftie speare,
To the two Greekes he hyed him fast, and soone he founde them out,
And them entreates to come to him who ruleth all the rout.
The Princes straight and al the kings here named, meete at watch,
They finde the watchmen all awake, and none with slumber latche,
By course they liuely stand and hark, like souldiors fierce they fare,
As mastiffes, who for mightie flockes keepers appointed are,
Do carefull heede, the Lyons leape downe whirling from the rocke,
From wood, or field, for to assault the sheepe within the flocke,

178

The shepeheards plaste in quarters round about their seemely folde,
Deep scath in night least they receiue, hie noise tweene them is trold,
And slumber none from their regard one whit can make thē stoupe,
So careful more, if more may be, was al the Greekish troupe.
For sleepe was banishte from their eies, desire of watch augmented:
To whome did Nestor ioyfully, (when as he sawe thus tented
Their charge in hand) performe this speech: watch, watch my childrē deere,
Sleep not least yt our hateful foes shold now surprise vs heere,
And wreak on vs their spitefull teene, vs taking at vnwares,
For want of looking to the watch, full great then were our cares.
The Kings with him, he past ye trench, whē he these words had said,
And commeth straight vnto the place, which ful of morts was layde,
Where Hector had the day before so highly done in fight,
And bloudie victorie had prolongde vnto the dreadfull night.
There downe the gallant Princes sit low placed on the grounde,
To talke they fall, and Meryon, (whose match may not be founde
For valiantnesse) to councel him, and Thrasymede they call
That doubtie knight, next to the kings commended most of all.

Nestor the flowre of Knighthood then thus al did speake thē there,
Beloued friends of you who doth in mind the valor beare,
Whose hart and wisedom wil him serue the Troyan camp to view,
And seeke the meane to bring vs worde, that we may trust as true,
Whether they meane t'assaulte our ships, or fortifie the plaine,
And home to goe after they haue such Greekish number slaine?
Some captiue of the taile perhap the matter may him tell,
Or hearkning where they lye at rest, he may it heare ful wel.
And if to vs he safe returne, and do their purpose bring,
He wel may say he hath deservde, that we his fame do ring.
Beside in guerdon he shall haue rich gifts, and not a few,
Eche patrone of a ship shal giue a big blacke fatted Ewe
Yea with the Lambe, a gift in truth in price for to be had,
In banquets welcome shall he be, and al men of him glad.

He done, good space the hearers stayde, no answere they replyed,
Diomede loude before the kings thus to his tale he hied:
My burning heart doth bid me goe, and forth it prickes me on
In this hazarde to serue a spie, and doubtie champion,

179

And go I will, so I may haue with me a dreadlesse mate,
For in a case of so great waight the wit of one mans pate,
Is not so good as that of two, when one doth councel take
He forward feareth daunger none, him bolder doth it make.
But man alone, though stout and strong, yea resolute and wise,
At point sometime doth shrinke, to him doth feare and terror rise.
This offer great hearde of the kings so nobly by the Greeke,
The Aiax twaine wil followe him, they al wyl do the leek:
To liue and dye in all assayes with him wil Merion,
The gallant Thrasimede so craues, Menelau wil be one.
The wise Vlysses he doth sweare he wil the hazard proue,
Who far for wilie ingenie was all the Greekes aboue.
When Agamemnon from this cause did see they did not starte,
O friende quoth he as deare to me as is yea life or heart,
Sith now you see to followe you are ready al and some,
Choose one your self, who nearst wil stand, when you in dāger come,
Let neither shame nor bashfulnesse cause you right iudgement misse,
Choose not for lignage great, but who most sage and hardie is.
No greater harme coulde be, than worst to haue, and best to loose.
So sayde Agamemnon for feare he Menelau woulde choose,
Bycause his parentage was great, which eke his wealth did fit.
Sith (quoth he doubtie Greeke) to me the choise you do remit,
Should I forget Vlysses here, whose wisedome is so famed,
Whose minde in dangers none so great could euer yet be tamed,
Of whome (yea) al the loftie Gods preserue a care and heede,
And chiefly to direct his factes Minerua is agreede?
I thinke I with this noble minde the fiercest flames to flye,
I knowe the prudence is so great which in the man doth lye.

Chaunt not I pray you (quoth Vlysse) my factes, ne yet me blame
Before these Kings, my want and skil they knowe ful wel the same.
Lets goe, the night it runnes away, the stars are far agate:
The dawning straight wil bring the day, it groweth very late.

With this the two renoumed Greeks were armed by the Kings,
His sword vnweeldy Thrasimede to the stout Greeke he brings,
Two edged with point of perfect trampe, for he to hast the more
His shield and faulchon in his tent he left behinde therefore,

180

And without crest or plume at all his morian on doth pull,
Of bullish hyde, a yong mans weare, men do it call a scul.

Meryon to Vlysses giues his quiuer and his bowe,
A massie sworde, and for his head doth tricke attire bestowe,
Within of lether fitly framde, and it of fensiue tanne,
So set with wilde swines teeth without, as cut it nothing can,
Howe keene so ere the weapon be, and notwithstanding that
So stiffe it were, yet might one put within it wel his hat.

Antilochus ful long agoe it founde, as he begonne
To ransacke quite Ormenus house who was Amyntors sonne,
In Eleon where then it stoode, the shape so proper was,
That long who helde it noted stoode, he hight Amphidamas,
To warlike Molus he it gaue, who left it to his heire,
He ay it bare, to the trimme Greeke, and lent it now to weare.

Thus armd as I haue sayd, right soone they from the others wēt,
And to them in their way, Minerue a mightie Heron sent,
Who chanted loude his cries aloft, they wel might heare the voice,
But nothing see, bicause of might, yet greatly they reioice
At the good hap: Vlysses, who the Augure wel bewrayes,
Ful pleased is, to the Goddesse deuoutly thus he prayes.

Heare me dame Pallas breed of Ioue, who vouchsaues me to aide,
In daungers al, in toiles my guide, by whome I stil am stayed,
Graunt I returne with victorie, and that I glorie gaine,
That we two do atchieue some deede vnto the Troians paine.

Eke Diomede thus softly prayes, deuoutly as he may,
Bowe downe thine eare thou Goddesse milde, thou dame Tritonia,
Thou daughter deare belovde of Ioue, be thou my luckie guide,
As to my sire Tydee thou werte, when he in message hide
Embassador the Thebanes to, the Greekes and them t'agree,
At his returne he shewde himselfe right wel by meanes of thee.
O prudent Goddesse graunt to me such force and hardy hart,
As he then had, and so me guide, as out this cause I part,
My honor savde: In sacrifice I do thee here behight
Thy Altar on an Heiffer faire, on whome yoke neuer light,
I wil commaunde the hornes likewise shal be al ouer guilt,
And with good heart presented thee, if heare me now thou wilt.

181

Thus prayed both the noble Greekes, the goddesse bowde them to,
And graunted fully to them both what they wisht there to do.
Forth then they martch two Liōs like the bleeding corpse they tread
So grieuous was the Gretians losse, ore al the plaine they spread.
His people Hector lets not sleepe, the wise and grauest sort
He sommons to his tent, to whom he doth his minde report.
Who here (quoth) wil promise me my hest for to fulfil,
He shal be sure of honor due, reward him wel I wil,
He shal receiue of me I say, to recompence his paine
A chariot guided with two steedes the best, of Greekish traine,
I aske no more but that he go vnto the enmies nauye
Whether they meane to tarie vs that therof knowledge haue I,
If in their ships their wonted watch they kepe, or (as I gesse)
Thus cowed, they thinke to run their ways, when we heede nothing lesse,
This was his speech, but none that heard did answere to the same,

A Troyan in this counsel was that Dolon had to name,
The only son of Herald good that Eumades was cleapt,
To whom great masse of wealthy store was in his treasure heapt,
This Dolon was of ougly shape, but fit to do his deede,
Belovde of sire, the last of sixe that left was of the breede.
He heeding much the promise great that doughtie Hector told,
Straight standeth vp and thus begins: Hector stoute courage bolde
Doth force my minde to take in hand this voyage, and to bring
Word, whether that the Greeks wil stād, or forth to flight wil fling.
As chieftaine iust sweare by your mace you beare by princely lawes,
To giue me braue Achilles chare, and coursers it that drawes.
Dread not your noble enterprise, by me it shal not quaile,
I straight wil to the Greekish barkes, and there I wil not faile
To enter in, yea of the hiest, their secrets there to leare.

Quoth Hector then with sceptre vp aloft into the ayre,
Sith go thou wilt where I haue sayde, by thundring Ioue I vow,
None mount shal on those goodly steedes but only Dolon thou,
Ful iustly thou them conquer shalt, do them possesse therfore
A guerdon iust for thy desart: thus noble Hector swore
This Troyan to, but he periurde, he bad him forth to gang.
An old woulfes skin doth Dolon take, it down his back doth hang.

182

His bow hung on his shoulder bent, his mantel was aloft,
A Sallet new vpon his head, of hide of geate not soft:
For made it was yea for the proofe, a dart, it braue and bright,
In hand he takes, and deemes himselfe right souldiour like to fight.
Thus being armde, not to returne in hast he forward hies,
To much beguilde, if hope he haue euer to set his eyes
On Hector, much lesse on his sire, such way he rides amaine
That soone he entred was ful far into the champion plaine.
Vlisse then minding nothing else, but what he had to do,
Aloufe perceiuing Dolon come, spake thus Diomede to:
From Troyan campe behold a foe, a spie he for our foes,
Or some to spoile in battel plaine I gesse he surely goes.
We shall do wel to let him passe til to our ships he drawes,
We following hard at heeles, on him shal easily lay our pawes.
Yet take good heede, if he do straine to flie or runne awaye,
That we to force him to our ships do do the best we may,
Him driuing from the Troyan campe, where he wil thinke to go,
Him follow with your reaching staffe, and do your valure show.

Here both the Greekes amongst the slayne out of the way they got,
And spie and hearke after the spie, who goes a speedie trot.
When as they saw him so far of as moyles coupled in twaine
In trauel of the Oxen slow do space before them gaine:
They quickly out their ambush start, and fast vpon him come.
Dolon hearing the noyse they made, supposd them Troyans some
Pertakers with him who would be, his iourney staying so.

This while the Greekes approch so nie, as one a dart may thro,
But when he founde what men they were, he forward runs apace,
And the two Greekes do part themselues, and follow fast the trace.
And as you see two Greyhoundes course in wood a Hinde or Hare,
And lay so hard vnto the beastes that they their conquests are:
Euen so these valiant Greekes do chase this Troyan badly hapt,
Who could not scape, but wel he found himself stil more intrapt.
So fast did Dolon scoure away, that nere vnto the scoute
Of the Greekes watch he draweth nie, to Diomede the stoute
The goddesse Pallas doth encrease his strength and swiftnesse both,
That other should the honour haue (him taking) she was loth.

183

He with these words him ouertakes: I charge the for thy heade
No further passe for if thou do, my dart shal do thee deade.
And herewithal hard by his necke he made the same to fly,
And Dolon staide more colde than yee, he stoode so tremblingly,
That one full wel might heare his teeth togither so to shake:
The noble Greekes far out of breath do there the Troyan take,
Who letting fal whole flouds of teares doth open thus his voyce,
O warlike wights do saue my life, and at your proper choyce
I wil it buy, my sire with gold, with brasse and yron flowes,
And iewels great, which he wil giue, when he aliue me knowes,
And prisner in your handes to bee: Vlisse of wit so rare
Sayd, Troyan take you heart of grace, and put away this care,
And feare not death here of vs two, and tel me not to lye,
Deceiue me not in what I aske, nor in what know would I:
What enterprise haue you in hand, thus in the night to creepe
Unto our campe stil and alone when al men are asleepe?
Come you to seeke some carcase dead, that yesterday was slaine,
And it to spoyle, did Hector else bid you to take this paine?
Did he send you to spie his foes? by his commaundmente come yee
Or of your selfe? which of the two? the truth declare to me.
Quoth trembling dreadful Dolon tho, dead like in euery guise,
The hope that Hector put me in, it hath me made so wise,
That at his wil here come I am, wherof I finde I misse
To try the thing, he promist me, the chare of Achilles
And al that did belong thereto, so that I to him brought
From out your campe some certain newes, & whervpō you thought,
Whether you meant to take the sea, or to your tackle stand,
And chiefely if you kept your watch, and if your ships were mande

Quoth Vlisse with a smyling faint, by your own words I see
Your minde doth dreame on greater things than fit for your degree.
Those coursers are of nature such, no mortling may them guide
Their master, but, whom Ioue decreede should come out Thetis side.
Tel me I pray thee without guile, when Hector bad thee hie,
Where was the man? and he vnarmde where doth his armour lie
That is so famed ouer all? and also in what nooke
Do chariots his and coursers lodge, their trauel when they brooke?

184

What do his people lye a bed with toyle of battel tierd,
Or do they watch, and for to fight is it of them desirerd?
What wil they keepe the fields, and vs charge in the morning tide,
Or with their victorie to Troy wil they victorious ride?

Quoth Dolon I wil tel you true: when I came on my way,
The worthy Hector at the tombe of Ilus he did stay,
When with the greatst he did consult of matters meetest ware,
To ouerthrow his enimies it was his chiefest care.
As for the watch wherof you aske, sure Hector doth it wil,
But finally do his souldiours reack his minde for to fulfil,
They soundly sleepe. Some Troyans yet enforst are for their liues
The fires to light, for feare they lose their children, town, and wiues,
And nought but for pure neede they do. The strangers on them lay
The charge of al, their wiues far off, they sticke not so to say.
Vlisses further askes him thus: the forraines lodge they where,
The Troyans with, or by themselues? it would I gladly heare.

Unto this question which you aske, I truely wil you tel,
And where ech band is placed right: The Caries and Peones dwel,
The Caucons, Lelges, and Pelasges along the sea do ly,
On the other side to Thimbra hil the Lycians campe them by,
The Phrygians, Meons, Misians, but to what purpose now
Tel I by name the Troyans power? if thither go wil you,
Ful true you shal my speeches finde, the souldiours new from Thrace
Lye far vs off, their cariages and they do keepe their place:
Where Rhesus I their king did see and steedes of ferlie might,
In colour they do passe the snow his horses are so white,
As swift they are as is the winde, when Rhesus wil them ride,
His chare I saw of mettals two both fine and perfect tryde,
Composde of gold and siluer bright, his armor al of gold,
In al the earth is not the like, it straunge is to be told.
No liuing man I worthy thinke of worthy armour such,
For Ioue or for some other God I thinke of worthy armour much.
I hauing tolde you all you would, I humbly do you pray,
Leade me vnto your ships, or bound here let me ly I say,
And hastly go vnto our campe, and eyely do behold
If I in ought haue failed you, or not the truth haue told.

185

This speech Diomede (loking thwart) to the poore spie did giue,
Hope not to scape my hands I say, thou canst no longer liue,
Although of thee we learned haue some things for our behoofe,
I know if we should let thee go at libertie aloofe
Hereafter thou wouldst spie our campe, or else the same assault,
But as I may, if I thee kil, the Greekes thou shalt not fault.

Such were his words, but Dolon thought yet to entreate ye Greek,
And drew nie soft to touch his chin, and fauour to beseeke.
But in this thought he to his necke his sword so sowrely set,
That down he ouerthrew him dead, the cordes in pieces fet,
Wherwith the heade tumbles aside and murmurs in the fal:
His sallet then of geatish skin, his corslet fine withal
Of woluish heire, his bended bow and dart he taketh straight,
And to the welkin then Vlisse (heauing his hands on height)
The harneis held, to Pallas prayde with soft and silent voyce,

At this oblation here we bring oh goddesse do reioyce,
As worthyest of th'immortals all, and most of power and might,
To whom we ought al worthily vowes shape and aulters dight:
Offrings of due thy Godhead hie shal haue, graunt vs the grace
That we oh Lady, at this time may come where they of Thrace
Are sounde a sleepe, oh Ladie graunt that we those armours see,
Their goodly steedes and Chariot which, is of such golden blee.
His prayer when ended had the Greeke, eft vp his hands he holds,
Hie in the ayre, and on an heape the habites then he foldes,
And hangs them on a bow, and cuts a branch of Tamarin
A loftie arme, it sets for marke when they returned bin,
Their way the better for to finde, among the dead they passe,
And to the Thracians come at last as it determinde was,

In mightie rankes of numbers three them fast asleepe they found,
And by ech one his furniture lay closely on the ground.
Their stuffe, their harneis and theyr horse, were nere at hand to vse:
To sleepe in midst of all his men king Rhesus he did chuse,
His stout and startling steedes him by, and tyed to his chare
With strong and lasting geares at ful, they rich and chosen ware,

This order when Vlisses saw, sayd, loe the king (my mate)
And horsse wherof (when of the campe) our Dolon spake alate

186

Now more than euer must you striue, and put your force in vre,
Sallet on head, and sword in hand, for nought must not be sure.
Do one of two, vndo these steedes, and I these beastes wil kil,
Or take your sword and flye them too, and I vnloose them wil.

The goddesse Pallas did encrease the doughtie Greeke his sprites,
He slayes them dead on euery side, and them in pieces smites.
The place is purple with the bloud, the grunts and grones are harde
Of such as are in peeces cut, and by his weapon marde.
And as a raging Lion, who findes goats and sheepe at large,
Out hold and wandring vp and down (the shepheard frō his charge)
Doth fal thē on, & with his pawes thē teares, & takes theyr bloud:
Ene so the Greeke the Thracians slue, he nothing was withstoode.
Twice sixe his edged sword did passe, of morts the place is fillde,
The carcases Vlisse aside did draw as he them killde.
He made the way the wished steedes more willing that they wente,
Nor should not feare the dead to treade, nor doubt it what it ment.
The king for thirtenth Diomede out life to death doth swap
He sweetely slept, but (silly man) it was a deadly nap,
The which (assisted by Pallas) that night the Greeke him brought.
This while Vlisse t'vndo the steedes he on his office thought,
And hastly through the multitude he brings them as a riuer,
And with his boystrous stubborne bow he layes on many a sliuer,
For hast he had forgot the whip their way which makes them rid.
A little past, spying his friend, who by his businesse bid,
He whistled to him in his fiste, and wel the sound he knew,
Straight for to know what he should do Diomede to him drew.
As whether for to draw the chare which ful of armour lay,
It by the beame, or on his backe to bring it quite away,
Or else to tend to murder stil, or to returne him backe,
Of these three points the valiant Greeke did resolution lacke.
Wherwith his furthrer Pallas saide, the actes whiche done thou haste
Be pleased with, get thee away, that thou mayst come at last
Al dreadlesse safe vnto thy ships, thou mayst wel doubtsome stop.
And least some God the Troyan power should set vpon thy top.
Diomede to Vlisses cōmes, he hearing in this case
The counsaile good, ech mounts a steede right swift and fleete of pace,

187

Vlysses layde on with his bowe, he made them for to flie.

Againe Phœbus with siluer bow bestirres right carefullye
The Troyans for. For when he spide Minerua for to chat
With the stout Greeke, and folow him, he wroth did growe therat,
And at the damage lately done, to Troyans straight he hyes,
And wakes king Rhesus vncle there Hippocoon as he lyes,
His vncle and his counsellor greate, who when he vp did reare,
And did behold that (as before) the coursers were not there,
But couerd place with slaughtred men, he cries, he houles, he whines,
Condemne he doth the Thracian bands, for soone the losse he findes.
He Rhesus, Rhesus named oft, which was his nephewe deare,
And Prince so tenderly belovde. When as the campe did heare
His roarings loud, it moued all, and most of it did runne
Unto the place to view the news, and see what there was donne,
They maruel at the crueltie, and on the slaughter stare,
They say the Greekes for the exploite of too much courage ware.

When the two kings came to the place where they had slain ye spie,
Vlysses stopte, the other downe there lighted by and by
The bloudie habites him to reatch, which done, he mounts agen,
And shortly come vnto the shippes, where Greeks attend the men.
Among the Kings was Nestor first of al did heare a sound,
And knew they came, thus spake he them: Of folk of Greekish groūd
Ye sheepeheards yee, and of this campe so great the guiders graue,
Shal I vnto you tell a lye, and what in dreame I haue?
My minde doth wil me to beleeue before I see the thing,
A galloping of certaine horse deepe in mine eare doth ring.
O would to God our champions two were of such cunning sight,
As scaping daungers they could bring two goodly coursers light,
But much I dread these noble men haue had some deadly hap.
Scarce had he said, but the two Kings downe from their horses flap
Amongst them al: Eche one them greetes, good words vse euery man,
And aged Nestor of them al thus to Vlysse began:
O thou the glorie of our Greece, of honor worthy king,
Declare vnto me I you pray, these horses which you bring
So straunge for whitenesse of their blee, and like the sunnie raies,
What, hath some God them giuen you, or haue you any wayes

188

Won thē the Troians fro? long time with Troians I haue fought,
And of my valor shewde good proofe, for age I neuer sought
Me to withdrawe, nor yet to clime my shippes, me there to hide,
Yet in the war I neuer sawe two coursers of such hyde.
I thinke some of the lofty Gods right careful of your good
To you haue them a present sent: for Iupiter hath stoode
Wel knowne a friend vnto you both, and Pallas neuer quailing
Is forward alwayes at your hand, with fauour neuer failing.

O Nestor sage good Neleus sonne, such steeds and coursers od
Quoth Vlysses to mortall wight may easily giue some God,
When they rewarde wil any one their powre is more to giue,
Than man hath powre to aske and take, that here doth mortal liue.
King Rhesus dead not eft to fight them hither lately led,
This countrey to: As for the horse out Thracia they are bred.
His knife Diomedes hath thrust into king Rhesus throate,
And to twelue more him sleeping by: As for this bloudy coate
It was the garment of a spie, the which we did entrap,
He slaine when we had al he knewe, and thus you heare our hap.
The trenches deep the coursers passe, the kings come hard at heeles,
This happy gaine and voiage makes them al to ioy awheeles.
To the rich tent when Vlysse came of his companion mate,
He careful tyde his horses fast, and plaste them in such rate,
As placed were the gallaunt steedes of the stout Greeke in rancke,
And where with bread and foder both the Greek his own did frank,

He Dolons geare did on the poupe hie in his ship bestowe,
And mindes to Pallas sacrifice and seruice ay to owe.
And straight these two so valiant Greeks, through toile who soundly swet,
To wash and bath their wearie limmes into the sea they get,
And there so wel do rub their neckes, their backs, their legs, & thies,
As they are cleansed of the filth which on their bodies lies.
They neate and wel refreshed thus, to pleasant baines do goe,
And there with oile they nointed are without from top to toe.
They then to meate, and Pallas ayde they pray in humble wise,
And bolles of wine vpon the earth they powre in sacrifice.

Finis decimi Libri.