Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy A Poem Deuided into XVII. seuerall Cantons, intermixed with many pleasant Poeticall Tales. Concluding with an Vniuersall Chronicle from the Creation, untill these present Times. Written by Tho. Heywood |
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Canto. 12.
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 | Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy |  |
303
Canto. 12.
Argumentum
Achilles transformation: PalimedAccusd of Treason and condemnd to die:
After long battaile, honor Hector led
The boldest Argiue Champion to defie:
The Græcians storme to be so chalenged,
Hector and Aiax the fierce Combat try:
A Truce, a Banquet: at this pompous feast,
Queene Hellen is inuited a chiefe guest.
Arg. 2.
Deiademeias Loue, Vlisses Spleene,Two Princely husbands claime the Spartan Queen
1
Farre beit, I so much on Hector doate,To rob the aduerse part of any right,
I am not to the Troians so deuoate,
(Though thence deriu'd) that the least Argiue Knight
Should me accuse, or any passage coate,
Guilty of flattering loue, or partiall spight:
Loe to both parts we newtrall hate professe,
But equall loue, as we can euenly gesse.
304
2
I cannot flatter with smooth Virgils penOr giue Augustus more then he should haue,
(With Ouid) bestow Dieties on men,
And where he hates or loues, condemne or saue:
Blind Homer, how shall I excuse thee then;
That all the glory to Achilles gaue,
For wit and strength, to whom hast thou don wrong,
Vlisses was as wise, Aiax as strong.
3
If Hector with Achilles thou comparest,Or rather wouldst preferre the valiant Greeke
As he whose valour and esteeme was rarest,
Needs must I cast a blush vpon thy cheeke:
Because greàt Hector was thy foe, thou sparest
To speake of him, (his praise must be to seeke)
And all thy skeads Achilles Fame display,
Whom Hestor hath vn-horst twice in one day.
4
I must confesse Achilles highly blest,To haue a Homer in his Country borne,
Had Troy bred Homer, or had Greece possest
Renowned Hector, no Prince should haue worne
A wreath equall with his, Fame should inuest
The Troian hyest, maugre Enuies scorne:
Shew me the cause else, why to his disgrace,
Hector's the worthy? he hath lost the place?
5
Or how can this through Græcia be digested,A Troians Fame should with such Luster shine,
The generall bench of Iudgements hath inuested
The Troian Hector one amongst the nine,
Though Homer for Achilles hath protested,
Made his Fame Tower-lesse, and his birth Deuine:
Yet hath the world the Troian so respected,
Achilles is put by, Hector elected.
6
And reason too, for what Achilles wan,Was by the valour of his armed traine,
When Hector fought, he buckled man to man,
And by his proper hand lie thousands slaine,
305
And who first brought him to Scamander plaine,
My Muse sings next, Ihoue-borne my braine inspire,
Whilst I the Fate of Thetis sonne inquire.
7
Old Peleus yssue by the Seas faire Queene,Thetis in Lycomedes Court abides
Clad like a Girle (for such his youth was seene)
His warlike hand a Womanish distaffe guides,
A female shape obscures his Martiall spleene,
In stead of Cushes a long Kirtle hides
His warlike limbes, those armes mongst Virgins plaid,
That were indeed for Vulcans armor made.
8
The carefull Mother that pre-science hadBy Oracle, her sonne 'fore Troy should fall,
Seekes to preuent his Fate, and sends the Lad
Vnto the King of Sciros (being but small)
He passes for a Girle, so was he clad,
Such was his shape, gate, gesture, looke, and all:
And through the Court a generall voyce doth ronne,
Of Thetis daughter, not of Thetis sonne.
9
The King appoints him Bed-fellow to beWith faire Deiademeia his sole-Child,
So well the youthfull paire in bed agree,
That when Achilles laught, the Lady smild,
And when he honor'd, she would bend her knee,
With him she tasted ioy, or mirth exild:
His amorous gestures were to her a Lawe,
To keepe her actions and her lookes in awe.
10
Achilles growes, so doth the Lady too,And as their yeares increase, so their affection,
Custome and long continuance taught them doo
Pleasures to youth vnknowne (without direction)
Without suspicion, he may freely woo,
The opportunous night friends her complexion:
When in her Armes the Prince doth rudely rush
Night Curtens her and none can see her blush.
306
11
So long they vse this dalliance, the young LasseFeeles her brests swell, and her lanke belly grow,
(No maruell) by the Prince with childe she was,
Of him that wrought Troyes fatall ouerthrow;
Great Neptolemus who did surpasse
In Martiall prowesse, and laide Islium low:
Whilst these things are in processe, tis decreed
By Oracle, Troyes warres shall ill succeed.
12
For when th'inuasiue Greekes demaund th'euentThat in these expeditions shall betide,
Answere is them return'd, incontinent
Without Achilles, Troy shall swell with pride,
And therefore was Vlisses forthwith sent
With Diomed, to finde the Prince, denide
By Thetis, vnto whom was then reuealed
Her sonnes short date, (the cause she him concealed.)
13
The crafty Greeke the Mothers guile suspecting,To Lycomedes Court posts in disguise,
His weeds of state and Princely robes reiecting,
He Pedler-like attempts the enterprise,
He beares along bright glasses, faire reflecting
Cawles, Laces, Tyres, to please young Ladies eyes:
Besides these womens toyes, he beares along
A bright sword, and a Bow surpassing strong.
14
In the Court-hall he opens his faire packe,And twenty seuerall Ladies come to buy,
The Pedler needs not aske them what they lacke,
Not one, but with some trifle gluts her eye,
Achilles (hanging at the Pedlers backe,)
Spies a faire Bow, and by his Hamper lye
A rich caru'd sword, the strong Steele-bow he drew,
And shooke the sword, by which the Prince he knew.
15
Then closing with Æacides, perswadesThe valiant youth to suite him to his kind,
His loose effeminate habit he vpbraids,
Tels him what honors are to him assind,
307
And what renowne attends a valiant minde:
Which in his noble thoughts takes such Impression,
The Prince repents his former loose transgression.
16
He teares his feminine Vales, rends off his tyres,His golden Cawle and Fillet throwes aside,
and for his head, a Steele-wrought Caske desires,
That hand that did so late a spindle guide,
To brandish a bright luster'd sword aspires,
a sword that must in Hectors bloud be dyde:
His smooth Rebata from his necke he fals,
and to the Greeke, for a stiffe Gorget cals.
17
From his large Limbs th'Imbrodered Roabes hee shakes,and leapes out of his Garments with proude scorne,
In stead of which, he a rich Vaunt-brace takes,
Which buckling on, growes proud to see it worne,
The wanton Guirles first wonder what he makes,
With sword and armes (his Garments hauing torne:)
But when he frown'd, the Ladies grow affrayde
Of him so arm'd, with whom but late they playde.
18
But now Vlisses, Diomed, and he,Leaue (without leaue,) both Sciros and the King,
(Deiademeia most bewailde of thee)
Whose yssue in thy Wombe thou feelst to springe.
They pierce through Greece, whom when the Princes see,
To their arriue, they Oades and Cantons sing:
Praysing theyr Gods, that haue Achilles found,
Whose hand must lay Troy leauell with the ground.
19
This Thetis heating, that her royall sonnehad left his secure habit of a Woman,
and by Vlisses to the warres was won,
She for his safety doth her wits still sommon,
To Lemnian Vulcan she doth post-hast ronne,
Whose art in forging armes she knew not common:
at her be-heast, he for her Sonne did yeild,
a Speere-proofe-armour, and a Globe-like Shield.
308
20
What can a Mothers care gainst Fate preuaile?Not Vulcans Armour can defend his life,
When th'vnauoyded destinies assayle
against the Sisters bootlesse wee make strife,
Mortall preuention then of force must fayle,
In vaine then hast thou laboured (Peleus wife)
To guirt his body in a steely wall,
Since thy Achilles must by Paris fall.
21
No sooner was he borne, but the fayre QueenePlung'd him into the Sea, all saue the heele,
By which she held him fast, that which was seene
Beneath the waues, was wound-free against Steele,
Had she but drown'd her hand, the Prince had beene
Sword-proofe euen there, her nicenesse would not feele
The coldnesse of the waues, therefore that part
Was left vnarm'd, for Paris poysoned Dart.
22
Who therefore would against the Fates contend,By whom our elementall parts are swayde,
Since euery thing thats borne must haue his end,
and Nature still decayes what she hath made,
Tis Heauen, not Earth, that can our liues defend,
The hygh powers must in all things be obayd:
But leaue the fayre-foot Thetis, and proceede
To what the Campe hath against Troy decreed.
23
By this great discords monges the Græcians fall,Twixt Duke Palamides, and Mecenes King,
But no man knowes the byrth of this great brall,
Or from what Fountaine these dissentions spring,
Achilles thinkes his warlike meed too small,
He will not fight: nor Diomedes bring
His Men to battayle, while their Soueraigne head,
Is Nawlus sonne, the generall Palamed.
24
Whom some affirme, the amorous Paris slew,In euen Incounter of opposed hate,
But others say, gainst him Vlisses drew
Such points of Treason, as concern'd his fate,
309
Twixt whom and great Atrides fell debate
About the Soueraigne sway, enuies fire nurst
Long in their bosomes, into flashes burst,
25
The King of Ithaca marryed but newlyVnto the chastest Queene that hath beene crown'd,
When all the Grecian Kings appointed duly,
To make their meeting, and assemble round,
Gaue out he was turn'd Frantique, but not truely;
Which craft of his, the Son of Nawlus found:
For comming where Vlisses Plowd the Sand,
and steer'd the crooked Rafter with his hand.
26
Palumides iust in the Mad-mans way,Layd young Telemachus his first borne Son,
Which made the Greeke his yoaked teeme to stay,
and where his Issue lay, the place to shon,
Palumides discouers his delay,
Finds that his Lunacy by craft was don:
That whilst the Gracians were with Troy at strife,
He might at home sleepe with his constant wife.
27
In ill time did the Son of Nawlus this,The vengfull King rouz'd from so fayre a Bride,
who by this meanes now quite abandon'd is,
Doth in his bosome spleene and rank or hide,
and for the losse of euery amorous kisse,
Threatens a wide wound in the Princes side:
Oh treacherous Greeke! to want thy wife in Bed,
Must at Troyes siedge cost the great Generals hed.
28
Arnea was Sole-Daughter to the KingIcarius and faire Peribea his wife,
who feeles a young Babe in her VVombe to spring,
The Father when he knew th'Infant had life,
after conception: doubting some strange thing,
To Delphos hyes, where answers then were ryfe;
When th'Oracle thus spake, the princely Dame
Shall child one full of Honor, full of Shame.
310
29
A beauteous Maide the troubled Mother beares,The Father misinterprets Phœbus minde,
And to auoyde her shame his future feares
Commits her to the rage of Seas and Wind,
The Birds that bred of Meleagers teares,
Cald Meleagrides (by Nature kind:)
With their broad wings about the Cork-boat houer,
And from all stormes the beautious Infant couer.
30
And hauing nourisht her for a certaine space,Into the selfe-fame Port her Barke they driue,
Where the sad King without paternall grace,
First launcht it forth, and finding her aliue
Circled with Birds of Meleagers race,
Their melting harts against their furies striue:
They take the young Arnea from the Sea,
And call her of those Birds Penelope.
31
In beauty, stature, and in wit she growes,But when her Father findes her apt to marry,
Fearing the Oracle, whom still he knowes
Sooth in his words, perswades the dame to tarry,
A safer course to keepe her chast, he chose,
(Virginiti's a heauy loade to carry:)
And to deuise to haue her nobly sped,
At a high rate he sets her Maiden-head.
32
When all the Græcian Princes sought her grace,And lay their Crownes and Scepters at her feete,
Icarius leades them to a Martiall race,
where the young Kinges in hot incounter meete,
Aboue them all, Vlisses won chiefe place,
The shamefast Queene must her new Husband greete:
The bashfull modesty of this chast Dame,
The earefull Father did misconster: shame.
33
For woman-hood this Lady had no Peere,witnesse her many Suters in the time
Her Husband absent was, some twice ten yeare,
who though much woo'd (and in her youthfull prime)
311
Not the least taynt of any amorous cryme:
Though many Suters through her doores intruded,
They by her Bow and Web were all deluded.
33
Whether Vlisses breast doth malice shrowde,And being at full groath, now out it must;
Whether his loue to Agamemnon vowde,
Bred in the Nawlian Prince some great distrust;
Or whether great Palamides grew proude,
And in the Ballance of his awe vniust:
But the great Duke vnto the Barre he brings,
And there arraignes him by a Bench of Kings.
34
Vnto this royall Sessions men are brought,That sweate Palamides would Greece betray,
And that King Priam had by Factors wrought,
To make the Argiue Campe the Troyans pray,
The Generals priuate Tent is forthwith sought,
Where Bags of Troyan Coyne conceiled lay:
This euidence condems the Prince (betrayd)
For there that Gold before Vlisses layd.
35
And Agamemnon is againe restord,With whose election the late Truce expires,
The maimd are cur'd, the victors are ador'd,
The bodyes slaine, receiue the funerall fires,
The Obits on both sides are full deplord,
And eyther party the fayre field desires:
The great Atrides Martials his fayre hoast,
Who shine in Steele by the Sygean Coast.
36
Vpon the aduerse party, Hector leadesHis men to battaile, flanct with sleeues and winges,
His nimble Horsemen forrage round the Meads,
The maine well-fen'st with Skirts of Shafts and Slings,
In forehead of the battayle Hector treads,
This day the Generall ouer thirty Kings:
The charge is giuē, arm'd knights meet breast to breast
Striking bright starres out of each others Crest.
312
37
The doughty Greekes after their long tru'st ease,Are full of breath and vigor, they fight well,
The Troyans that but late droue to the seas
The scattred Camp, thinke likewise to excell,
Euen Ballan'st is the field, as the Scales please
who Victors be, who vanquisht none can tell?
On both sides some are conquer'd, some subdue,
And as the day increast, the conflict grew.
38
Broad breasted Diomed gainst Paris rides,and lifts him from his Saddle with his Speare,
The Prince, the Buttockes of his Horse bestrydes,
And hardly can the Troyan keepe him there,
Whilst Diomed his quicke remoue derides
Vnshaken, from the Prince he passes cleere:
Spurring from troope to troope, making intrusion,
Where the hot fight was growne to most confusion.
39
Now in his Chariot stands Achilles hy,And with his Speare before him, squadrons strowes,
Great Hectors puissance he longs to try,
Or some thats able to withstand his blowes,
And whilst whole troopes before his Chariot fly,
The raynes vpon his steedes white necke he throwes:
Calling for Hector: Hector, fore him stood,
His Chariot-steedes caparison'd in blood.
40
To whom Æacides, what ere thou beThat thus confronst me like the God of warre?
Know tis Achilles must thy life set free,
And tumble thee from thy triumphant Carre:
This said, a pointed Iauelin he lets flee,
Which Hector at his loose perceiu'd to iarre,
And tooke vpon his Targe: the Dart he cast,
Pierst nine Steele folds, and in the tenth stucke fast.
41
Helme-graced Hector started at this blow,And æmulous of great Achilles Fame,
Charg'd in his hand another dart to throw,
But first he sayes: Inquir'st thou Hectors name?
313
Hector thou seek'st, and loe I am the same:
His actiue arme his language doth pursue,
For with his latest word his Iauelen flew.
42
Well was it his Orbicular Targe was strong,Which Vulcan by deuine composure made,
Else had it stretcht the warlike Greeke along,
It hit against the Bosse, and there it stayde,
But with the force it brake the mighty thong
In which his massie shield about him plaide:
The affrighted Palfreyes with so great a stroke
Startle aside, and the proud Curbe reuoke.
43
Now when Achilles rousde himselfe, and sawIllustrate Hector in his Chariot stand,
Himselfe so basely, his hot Steedes withdraw,
As if he meant to charge some other band,
Thinkes in himselfe it is too great a flaw
To his cleere mettald fame, and with his hand
Wastes to Imperious Hector from a-far,
T'abide a second deadly shocke of warre.
44
Th'vndaueted Heroë, who already wonders,The brauing Greeke so quickly should retire,
And what strange fate their Brasse-bard chariots sunders,
Since both so ardently the fight desire,
Expects Achilles, who against him thunders,
VVhilst from the Flints his armed wheeles beate fire:
Now the two Chariot-driuers prooue their might,
The Prince with Prince, Horses with Horses fyght.
45
This six-fold Combat hath not lasted long,VVhen Archeptolemnus that guides the raines
Of Hectors Coach-Steedes, thinking them more stronge
Then those whom rough Antomedon constraines,
Lashes his fiery Palphreyes, hot and young,
Expert Antomedon his skill disdaines:
Yerkes his proud horse, whose fiersenesse he dares trust
Till their white foaming mouthes snowed all the dust.
314
46
The two sterne Champions mounted in theyr Carres,Confront each other with their armed Staues,
Whose points on eithers Vaunt-brace print deep scarres,
Sometimes they flourish them, with idle braues
Dart them sometimes (like Knights well seene in warr,)
But when they ioyne, they Combat with their Glaues:
Sometimes they grapple, sometimes they retire,
And at their meeting make their Helmes all fire.
47
The grim Æacides mad in his mind,The warlike Troyan should against him stand,
Inradg'd, his teeth against his teeth doth grinde,
And beates his Arm'd-breast with his Gauntlet hand,
About him through the field doth Hector winde,
His fayre-maynde Coursers haue so well been man'd:
That to retreat, or to assault the foe,
He at his will can checke, or make them goe.
48
Antomedon hath taught his Steeds like skill,For trauersing, he likewise takes the fielde,
His Iades are countermaunded by his will,
For with the Curbe they both rebell and yeild,
Theyr Milky foame vpon their breasts they spill,
Being parted thus: great Hector vaunts his Shield:
Achilles his: againe their Coursers meete,
And from the Earth beate Thunder with their feete.
49
In this rude Iustle is Achilles bruis'd,His high plumde Helme close to his Scull is batterd,
And he within his Chariot sits diffusde,
His Sword, his shield, his Darts about him scatterd,
Antomedon retraites, to haue excusde
His second shocke: and o're the plaines he clatterd:
his barbed teeme o're thousand Coarses flyes,
In whose Red-blood, his Chariot Naues he Dyes.
50
Great Hector scornes pursuit, nor takes he breath,But fals vpon the next Greeke that he finds,
And prints on him the bloudy stamp of death,
The long imprisoned soule his Sword vnbinds,
315
For Hector, th'obiect of all Noble minds:
But when he found himselfe from Hector straid,
The Prince doth base Antomedon vpbraid.
51
Who falling prostrate, sooths Achilles thus,Let not on me your deadly hate be grounded,
Not I from him, but Archeptolemus
Made way from me, for sure great Hectors wounded?
With you retyr'd the sonne of Priamus
On equal points: our rich-main'd Steeds haue bounded:
Ouer these plaines great Hector wel-nie dead,
By great Achilles, is to Troy-ward sped.
52
This calmes the wrathfull Greeke who else had soughtHis opposite amidst the slaughtering troopes,
Disioynd from him th'inraged else-where fought,
And where he reares his hand that Squadron stoopes,
His armed Chariot, midst their Phalany wrought
Horrid effusion, Troyes proud faction droopes
Beneath Achilles arme, nor can it yeild,
(Saue Hector) one to stand him in the field.
53
The Arch-Duke Agamemnon with his speareEncountred King Pandolus, till both bled,
King Thelamon prest to Sarpedon neare,
And with his blade he raught him on the hed,
By their rude force they both vnhorsed were,
Against Eurialus King Thesus sped,
Neither scape wound-free; Carras bare him well,
Gainst Scenetus, till from their Steeds both fell.
54
King Philomenes made Anthenor flye,King Rhemus with the King Philotas ran,
Before Vlisses doth Arastus lye,
Aiax this day hath slaughterd many a man,
King Priams Bastard sonnes themselues apply
In many a skirmish since the charge began:
Young Deiphebus and Æneas stand
Gainst Hupon, and the three-ag'd Nestors band.
316
55
Troylus and Diomed fiercely assaile,And brauely beat each other from their steeds,
Both resku'd by the prease, else without faile
There had bin fixt the period of their deeds,
Re-mounted Diomed breakes through the pale
Of his arm'd foes, and to his horse proceeds:
So Troylus hewes his passage through the rings
Of harnest foes, and to his Steed he springs.
56
Paris and Menelaus once more meet,And bring vnto the battaile fresh supplies,
With thundering strokes vpon their Helmes they greet,
Bretes the Admirall Hector defies:
Bretes that did command their blacke-stem'd Fleet,
Against him doth Priamides arise,
And with such violent rage vppon him sped,
That with one blow he cleft his Helme-deckt hed.
57
The Admirall thus dead, Hector desiresThe goodly Steed, from whom the Greeke was feld,
Which (as for deeds of honour he inquires)
The King Archilochus by chance beheld,
Who seeing Bretes dead, the wound admires,
His face lookt pale, his hart with anger sweld:
And with his sword he couets to make bleed
The Troian Prince, who still pursues the Steed.
58
Who storming to be troubled in the chace,Against the King Archilochus returnes,
Inraged Mars is figured in his face,
And in his lookes the eye of Gorgons burnes,
The Greekes blunt sword can scarce his Helmet race,
So weake a foe (inflamed Hector) scornes:
Vpon his Crest his Faulchion he lets fall,
And cleaues the Greeke, helme, body, armes and all.
59
The emulous son of Thetis, crost by chanceThe blacke goar'd field, and came to view this blow,
And mad in mind, against him charg'd his Lance,
In hope the towring Prince to ouerthrow,
285
His reeking sword, late crimson'd in the foe,
Both with remorslesse blowes, the Prince offend,
And his bruisd Shield about his arme they bend.
60
Had not his helmet beene of mettall pure,With Axes they had hewed it from his head,
But he that made it was an Arts-man sure,
Else had his braines bin on his harnesse spread,
Nor had he long bin able to indure
Such tedious battry, had not Fortune led
Paris, Æneas, Troylus and the rest,
To rescue valiant Hector, thus opprest.
61
At their approch the Achive bands retire,Whom to their Pallisadoes they pursue,
By this, in heauen ten thousand Lampes of fire
Shine through the ayre, and now both Hoasts withdrew,
The re-assembled Greekes Hector admire,
And mongst themselues into sad counsell grew:
Since not by force of Armes, by what sly traine,
The neuer-daunted Worthy may be slaine.
62
More honoured Hector, in his royall braineReuolues on milder thoughts, how bloud to saue:
It pitties him to see so many slaine,
And come to such a generall timelesse graue:
Then, that no more red bloud may Symois staine,
And change the coulour of her siluer waue,
He by a generall challenge will deuise,
For thousands safeties, one to Sacrifice.
63
Against all Greece hee'l flyng his hostile gage,And to a single Fight their Princes dare,
That two bolde Champions may the combat wage,
And in their mutuall Fury, thousands spare,
Meane time, blacke night, from th'vniuersall Stage
Of Earth, is cha'st and driuen: Now all prepare
For th'early Field, and with Apollo rise,
To shine in Armour by his rhadiant eies.
286
64
The Princes to the place where Hector layThrong in theyr Armes, and his command attend,
After they had tooke and giuen the time of day,
with him they to the aged King descend,
Before whom Hector briefly doth display
his purpost challenge, which they all commend,
For well his Father and his Brothers know,
Hector hath power t'incounter any foe.
65
The Sunne, vp the steepe Easterne hils clymes fast,Th'embattaild Greekes vpon the plaines appeare,
To them the faire-rankt Troians match in hast,
Within the reach of Hectors armed speare:
Both Hoasts attend the charge: when vnagast
The Prince first wasts, that all the Campo may heare,
Then leaning on his Iauelin, makes this boast,
Euen in the face of their assembled hoast.
66
You curled Greekes, that haue vnpeopled quiteThreescore vast Kingdomes of theyr ablest men,
To throng our fieldes with numbers infinite,
All hopelesse of theyr safe returne agen:
Among these sixty Kings that shine so bright
In burnisht Steele, vpon this sanguine Fen:
Can you select one boulder then the rest,
T'encounter armed Hector, Creast to Creast?
67
Or if your Princes be too weake a number,Can all those threescore Climats yeild one hand,
Amidst this world that coms our Realme to cumber,
That dares betweene these hoasts gainst Hector stand?
Or doe you all feare deaths eternall slumber?
As well your Kinges, as those of common band,
That with a braue, breath'd in so many eares,
No soule (more valiant then the rest) appeares.
68
If any of these Princes proue so freeHis prodigall life against ours to ingage,
Know by exposing his, whole thousands be
Sau'd from the spoyle of warres infernall rage:
287
That will spare Græcian blood, with him Ile wage
Equall contention: with my liues expence,
I will maintaine the Troians eminence.
69
A Prince shall meet that Prince: as neere allideTo thundering Ihoue as he thats best degreed,
If in his warlike Chariot he will ride,
I in my Chariot will confront his speed,
Match me these foure white Coursers Greece hath tride,
These faire Andromache doth mornely feed:
With her white hand with bread of purest wheat,
And waters them with Wine still when they eat.
70
Xanthus, Podargus, Lampus, Æthon deare,To Hector, you my armed Coach shall draw,
And in this fierce exposure shall appeare,
Before the best Steeds that the Sun ere saw,
But all Greece cannot match your swift Carrere,
Not Diomedes Steeds that fed on raw
And mangled limbes, that in their Mangers bleed,
Can equall you in courage or in speed.
71
Therefore Ile cease that oddes, and once againeLeauing the Kings to common men I turne,
Among such clusters growing on this plaine,
In no warme brest doth so much valor burne,
But shall so many shewers of blood still raine
On Symois banke: so many widdowes mourne
For their slaine Lords, so many Children cry
For their poore Fathers that heere slaughtred die.
72
If not for Loue of honour, in despaireMethinkes some one our puissance should accost,
For not two soules that heere assembled are,
Shall scape the fury of our Troian hoast,
Death and deuouring ruin shall not spare
One of your infinites, you are ingrost
All on destructions File, then let some Greeke
(Despairing life,) a death with honor seeke.
288
73
Yeilds our besieged Towne a Nobler spiritThen sixty assembled Kingdomes can produce?
That none dares enterpose his hostile merit,
But all put off this combat with excuse,
Among such infinites will none inherit
A name with vs? Feares Greece our hand shall sluce
Their Vniuersall blood? That feare can slaue
So many Legions with one Hectors braue?
74
I beg it of you Greekes, let some forth standTo try what puissance lyes in Hectors sword,
If I be foyl'd by his all-daring hand,
The Spartan Hellen shall be soone restord,
And all the spoyles brought from the fertile Land
Of Cytharæ made good, and he ador'd
With these ennobled armes, the sword and crest
Of Hector, Honors more then all the rest.
75
If I subdue your Champion: Greece in peaceShall ease our burden'd earth of this huge weight,
Hostility betweene our hoasts shall cease,
You with your men and armes your ships shall freight,
And from our bloud-stain'd soyle free this large prease,
So shall illustrate Hector reach his height:
When th'Vniuersall world hath vnderstood,
Hector gag'd his, to saue his Citties blood.
76
Oh, let it not in after times be saide,Twice thirty kingdomes could not one man finde,
Prince, Knight, or Swaine, durst equally inuade,
A Troian Prince in Armes, and height of mind,
Nor let succeeding time the Greekes vpbraide,
To heare such lofty spirits so soone declinde:
Behold, heere stand I to abide the rage
Of his arm'd hand, that dares but touch our gage.
77
These words thus breath'd, a generall showt is giuenThrough al the Troian army, which aspires
And strikes against the Marble floores of heauen,
Where fixed are ten thousand sparkling fires,
321
Rude tumult springes out of their strange desires:
A confusde murmur flyes along the shoare,
Which to the Troyans eares, the calme winds boare.
78
The eager Souldiers mutiny: Some say,Oh would the Kinges and Dukes were not in place,
Our Darts through Hectors Curace should make way,
But common-men must not the Peeres disgrace,
The rage-burnt Kinges their furies cannot stay,
They fixe their fyr'd eies in each others face:
Yet none presums the Gaunlet vp to take,
When thus the younger of th' Atrides spake.
79
Is it my lot all Grecia to excuse?Greece, that farre from these powers hath congregated?
Shall Pesant cowardise the Campe abuse,
Whilst Menelaus liues a King instated?
It shall not: what these Princes all refuse,
I will take vp, the cause shall be debated
Twixt me and Hector, for the generall hoast,
(And reason) since the cause concernes me most.
80
With that he ceasde the gage, when his great BrotherBlaming his rashnesse, makes him let it fall,
And now the warlike Kinges eying each other,
The Spartans wordes moou'd fury in them all,
Their shame and rage they can no longer smother,
About the Gauntlet they begin new brall:
Toward the ground nine royall Princes bend,
And for great Hectors gage at once contend.
81
The Archduke first: then great Andremons Sonne,Thoas, King Diomed, King Idomen,
Aiax the strong, surnamed Telamon,
Aiax Oleus: Eriphilus, and then
The warlike Ithacyan, that alwaies won
The praise for eloquence, boue other men:
Vlisses: King Meriones, all these
Stoope to the earth, and would the gauntlet cease.
322
82
T'appease their wrath, thus Nestor doth deuiseThree seuerall Lots into some Helme to throw,
And that bold Prince whose hand extracts the prize
Betweene the Armies to assault the foe,
The Lots are made, and all with ardent eyes,
Into the Generals Caske iniect them so:
Achilles was not there, till word was sent
Whose the Lot was (that day he kept his Tent.)
83
The souldiers that had prou'd great Hectors might,Pray to the Gods the Combats chance may fall
To Aiax Telamon, that he may fight
With Hector, for the Greekes in generall,
If not on warlike Aiax, it may light
On warlike Diomed, broad set, and tall:
Or if not these, yet to apprase his rage,
Great Agamemnon may the battaile wage.
84
The Heralds from the generals Helmet drewThe first Inscription, which being knowne, was laid
At Aiax foot, the Prince the Paper knew,
Glad of his Lot (as all the souldiers praid)
The Kings retyr'd, onely sterne Aiax grew
Neere to Dardanian Hector, nought dismaid;
Arm'd at all points, he struts vpon the plaine,
Like angry Mars, after an army slaine.
85
His shape was huge, his presence full of feare,An angry Tempest sat vpon his brow,
A Sanguine Plume doth from his Helme appeare,
Which double armes his backe, and seemes to bow
Beneath his Bases: arm'd with such a Speare,
His right hand was, that none can disallow:
Athwart his breast a purple Bawdricke fell,
Bearing a sword, which many had sent to hell.
86
The scabberd Crimson Veluet, richly embostAnd chap't with Gold: vpon the hilt was grau'd
The battaile of the Centaures who were lost
In that fierce warre, and whom the conflict sau'd,
323
A Citties prize, the bright Blade had bin lau'd
In many bosomes, many Princes bloods,
The handle was stucke round with Golden stoods.
87
The Pummell wayde a Talent, rarely wroughtWith Artfull Modules, on that curious round,
Grim Achelous with Alcides fought,
And there in all his Proteus shapes was found,
Thether the prize faire Deyaneyr was brought
And placst aloft; beneath her, those that sound
Vnto the dreadfull charge, with Clarious shrill,
Sit with swolne cheekes their lofty pipes to fill.
88
Such Art th'inchacer shewd, to mocke the eye,That some would thinke their Reeds did Musicke yeild:
There sat the King her Father Thron'd on hye,
With him his Peeres, and round about the field
Th'vnruly multitude still pressing nye
The bounded lists, to see their Champions weild
Their dreadfull Armes, and who the prise can win,
One with a Club arm'd, and a Lyons skin.
89
The other with his God-hood and his power,To change himselfe to shapes of strange disguise,
Sometimes he seemes a Dragon, to deuoure
His riuall Prince, who doth his Art dispise,
For on his head his Club fals like a Tower,
Next like a fire into his face he flies:
Ali which the Noble Champion cannot tame,
For with a Club he straight beats out the Flame.
90
Then like a grim mad-Bull the halfe-God raues,And with his hornes Alcides thinkes to gore,
But he contemning such inchaunted braues
Flyes to his head, and with his rude hands tore
One horne quite off (at this the Workman grieues)
The conquered Bull in falling seemes to rore:
Foure Nimphs discend from a faire sacred hill,
And this rich horne with Flowers and fruits they fill.
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91
Which of the horne of plenty still beares name,This and much more the hye-pris'd Pummell beares
A finer temper'd blade, or of more fame
By his proud side no Princely souldier weares:
With this arm'd Aiax to the combat came,
And singly to the Dardan Prince appeares:
On his left arme a ponderous Targe he bare,
Quilted with seuen Oxe-hides all Tan'd with haire.
92
Tycheus was the Currier drest those hides,Best of his trade that dwelt on Hyla then,
Accootred thus, strong Aiax with huge strides
Stalkes in the field before the best of men,
And fixing his bold foot, boldly h'abides
Confronting him: the Argiue army when
They saw the Salamine Prince beare him so prowd,
Their soules reioyc'st, their harts his lot allowd.
93
Priamides that neuer was affraide,Of ought (saue feare) his Combattant thus greets,
Oh thou whose presence to my soule is made
More pleasing then the most delicious sweets:
Let me pertake his name, who vndismaide
In such faire equipage great Hector greets:
For since mine eye first knew Apollos light,
I neuer saw a more accomplisht Knight.
94
Nor one whose presence better pleas'd mine eye,(Although my foe) Ile giue thee all thy dew,
If courage suite, by shape I can espy
No blemish in thee; either let me view
Thy open Helme, or else thy name discry,
When stormy Aiax vp his Beauer drew,
And thus reply'de: The Helmet I had on,
Obscur'd the face of Aiax Telamon.
95
And Coozin Hector, know I am the leastOf many that our spacious campe containes,
Who to thy fury dare oppose their Crest,
And on euen language charge thee on these plaines,
325
The strongest hate that in thy bosome raignes
Powre on my Shield, destruction be my share,
If with my Sword or Speare, I Hector spare.
96
Gramercies Cooze, the Troyan Heroë spake,Thou lou'st me best, to lay it soundly on,
These noble thoughts thy mixed byrth did take
From vs of Troy, and not from Telamon:
Our Dardan bloud thou in thy arme dost shake,
But when thou fearest: thy Mothers heate is gon:
And onely that remaines to chill thy hart
Which Troy disclaymes, and yeilds Greece as her part.
97
And would to Ihoue I knew where that blood ran,Vnto those Veines I would direct my Speare,
And those in which our Kindred first began,
My hate should spare, as blood to Hector deare:
Come Noble Aiax, beare thee like a man,
And one of Hectors Kinsmen, scorning feare:
(Feare) is a word in Troy not vnderstood,
A banisht exile from all Priams bloud.
98
More, I could wish that I might prooue my rageOn some, whose veine no Troyan moysture guides,
Thetis arm'd Son, whose heate we must asswage,
Tetydes, or the Elder of the Atrides,
Saue these liues, none can equall conflict wage
With Hector: but behold, our fury rides
On Horrors wings, our bloud is vp and hye,
Then guard thee Cooze, my Iauelin now must fly.
99
His words and speare together cleaue the ayre,The Golden-headed-staffe as lightning flew,
And like the swiftest Curror makes repayre
Whether t'was sent, and doth his message true,
Aiax huge shield hath interpos'd the bare,
Which Hectors agitagious still pursue:
Through sixe tough hydes, it pier'st without respect,
But the sharp point vpon the seauenth was check't.
326
100
Aiax then shakes his Iauelin, forth it flyes,And through the Plates of Hectors Target pierces,
The toughest Mettall that the Anuile tryes,
Must at his force relent: a thousand hierces
His rage hath fild, and now the Prince applies
His Vniuersall power, fury dispierces
Through all his veynes, which to one force vnited,
No wonder, Hector was so well requited.
101
The Combat is begun, which to descry,To their full vertues doth surpasse my skill,
Their blowes so swift are, they deceiue the eye,
The least of thousands are of power to kill,
At aduantagious places they soone spy,
Both seas and shores with their lowd strokes sound shrill:
Were neuer heard such blowes, so sound, so thicke,
Or seene such Wards, so cunning, and so quicke.
102
Such that saue Hector and blunt Aiax, noneOn Earth could equall, then much lesse exceed
These two Heroicke spirits, spent and gone,
To riuall them, no age the like can breed;
Nor maruell though these two exceld alone,
They being both deriu'd from God-like seed:
In whom th'Imperiall Dietyes contended,
In two such men, to haue two Hoasts defended.
103
Infinite Charges passe from eyther side,From eyther part their nimble Iauelins sing,
Both fixe their bold feet, and such stormes abide
As with their force tempestuous fury bring,
Euen till their Noble blouds the Verdure Dyde,
with Ecchoing rage, their vaulted Helmets ring:
Whose deafning Clangor from the field rebowne,
Through the best Arches of Troyes Marble Towne.
104
Their speares being shiuered in the empty ayre,The Truncheons swelling from their hands they take,
with interchange of heate, they madly fare,
Till the tough Oake euen to their Gauntlets brake,
327
For their bright Swords, their crack't staues they forsake,
Behold their wrastling Steeles contend on hye,
And tug for honor in the empty sky.
105
With lightning such as Ihoues Incensements breede,Swifter then thought, or sight, theyr furies meet;
Both seeming doubly arm'd with such quicke speede,
Theyr bright swords guard them round, frō head to feet,
Theyr trusty Armours stand them much in steed,
For with such wounding strokes theyr Caskes they greet,
So full of horror, that both armies wonder,
how Earth-bred men, shold make such Iouiall thunder.
106
The inuincible Dardanian with one stroke,Raught Aiax Beauer, and vnplum'd his hed,
The Steely Claspe (deuinely wrought) it broake,
Which in the Salmin Duke sterne fury bred,
Who striuing now the Dardan Prince to yoake,
His spleene and powerfull Sword together sped,
The point to Hectors breasted Armour flew,
And from his Bulke Vermillion drops it drew.
107
The Troian growes inflam'd, the Argiue proudTo see his bright Skeyne in such bloud Imbrude,
Th'Inuaders showte, and lift theyr cryes aloud,
To see their Champion with such power indude,
For this (great Hector) in his Soule hath vowde
Suddaine reuenge, he growes more fierce and rude:
His Sword plyde Aiax Helme, yet shining bright,
As Cyclops hammers on theyr Anuiles light.
108
So well t'was tempered, and his strength so hy,That his tough mettal'd Blade in pieces flew,
At selfe-same instant Aiax gan apply
His trusty steele, and close to Hector grew,
But as he thus pronoun'st (now Hector dy)
And heaues his arme aloft to make it true,
his Sword vpon his Caske fell as he spake,
And with the force close by the handle brake.
328
109
The Champions both disarmed saue their shields,First Hector with his eye doth round inquire,
And findes a scatter'd Rocke left in the fieldes,
Neuer till then remou'd, now all on fire,
To auenge his wonnd, what no man else could weild,
(His mind boue Mortall puisance gins t'aspyre:)
His puisant arme aduanceth at the last,
And the huge Masse he towards Aiax cast.
110
He takes it on his shield, but with the powerOf his comparelesse strength, the seauen tough Hides
were all to crusht and bruisd, he thinkes some Tower
Of arched stone from his high structure slides
Him to intombe aliue, and to deuour,
Downe droppes his Targe to earth, and he abides
Astonisht for a space, at length his eye
Glan'st on a young tall Oake that grew fast by.
111
VVhose sinnowy strings with shaking to and fro,He soone vnloos'd, and by the Earth vp teares,
And wauing boue his Helmet, with one blow
seekes to giue end to all the Dardans feares,
should it fall steddy, he should lye full low,
The threatning Oake still in the ayre appeares:
Menacing vengeance, but before it light,
Here breath my Muse, and cheere thy traueld sprite.
330
The end of the twelfth CANTO.
| Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy | |