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The Whole Works of Homer

Prince of Poetts: In his Iliads, and Odysses. Translated according to the Greeke. By Geo: Chapman

Chapman, George (1559?-1634)

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[THE ILIADS OF HOMER]

[THE ODYSSES OF HOMER]

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Omnia ab his; et in his sunt omnia: siue beati
Te decor cloquij, seu rerii pondera tangunt.
Angel Pol:

[THE ILIADS OF HOMER]

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The pagination of the source document has been followed.

To the Imortall Memorie, of the Incomparable Heroe, Henrye Prince of Wales.

Thy Toomb, Arms, Statue; All things fitt to fall
At foote of Deathe; And worship Funerall
Forme hath bestow'd: for Forme, is nought too deare:
Thy solid Uirtues yet: eternis'd here;
My bloode, and wasted spirritts haue onely founde
Com̄anded Cost And broke so riche a grounde.
(Not to interr: But make thee euer springe)
As Arms, Toombs, Statues: euerye Earthy Thinge
Shall fade and vanishe into fume before:
What lasts; thriues lest: yet welth of soule is poore;
And so tis kept: Not thy thrice sacred will
Sign'd with thy Deathe; moues any to fullfill
Thy Just bequests to me: Thow, dead then; I
Liue deade, for giuing thee Eternitie.

Ad Famam

To all Tymes future, This Tymes Marck extend:
Homer, No Patrone founde; Nor Chapman, freind:

Ignotus nimis omnibus;
Sat notus moritur sibi:

TO THE HIGH BORNE PRINCE OF MEN,

HENRIE THRICE Royall inheritor to the vnited kingdoms of Great Brittaine, &c.

Since perfect happinesse, by Princes sought,
Is not with birth, borne, nor Exchequers bought,
Nor followes in great Traines; nor is possest
VVith any outward State; but makes him blest
That gouernes inward; and beholdeth theare,
All his affections stand about him bare;
That by his power can send to Towre, and death,
All traitrous passions; marshalling beneath
His iustice, his meere will; and in his minde
Holds such a scepter, as can keepe confinde
His whole lifes actions in the royall bounds
Of Vertue and Religion; and their grounds
Takes-in, to sow his honours, his delights,
And complete empire. You should learne these rights
(Great Prince of men) by Princely presidents;
VVhich here, in all kinds, my true zeale presents
To furnish your youths ground worke, and first State;
And let you see, one Godlike man create
All sorts of worthiest men; to be contriu'd
In your worth onely; giuing him reuiu'd,
For whose life, Alexander would haue giuen
One of his kingdomes: who (as sent from heauen,
And thinking well, that so diuine a creature
VVould neuer more enrich the race of Nature)

Kept as his Crowne his workes; and thought them still
His Angels; in all power, to rule his will.
And would affirme that Homers poesie
Did more aduance his Asian victorie,
Then all his Armies. O! tis wondrous much
(Though nothing prisde) that the right vertuous touch
Of a well written soule, to vertue moues.
Nor haue we soules to purpose, if their loues
Of fitting obiects be not so inflam'd.
How much then, were this kingdomes maine soule maim'd,
To want this great inflamer of all powers
That moue in humane soules? All Realmes but yours,
Are honor'd with him; and hold blest that State
That haue his workes to reade and contemplate.
In which, Humanitie to her height is raisde;
VVhich all the world (yet, none enough) hath praisde.
Seas, earth, and heauen, he did in verse comprise;
Out-sung the Muses, and did equalise
Their king Apollo, being so farre from cause
Of Princes light thoughts, that their grauest lawes
May finde stuffe to be fashiond by his lines.
Through all the pompe of kingdomes still he shines,
And graceth all his gracers. Then let lie
Your Lutes, and Viols, and more loftily
Make the Heroiques of your Homer sung,
To Drums and Trumpets set his Angels tongue:
And with the Princely sport of Haukes you vse,
Behold the kingly flight of his high Muse:
And see how like the Phoenix she renues
Her age, and starrie feathers in your funne;
Thousands of yeares attending; euerie one
Blowing the holy fire, and throwing in
Their seasons, kingdomes, nations that haue bin
Subuerted in them; lawes, religions, all
Offerd to Change, and greedie Funerall;
Yet still your Homer lasting, liuing, raigning;
And proues, how firme Truth builds in Poets faining.

A Princes statue, or in Marble caru'd,
Or steele, or gold, and shrin'd (to be preseru'd)
Aloft on Pillars, or Pyramides;
Time into lowest ruines may depresse:
But, drawne with all his vertues in learn'd verse,
Fame shall resound them on Obliuions herse,
Till graues gaspe with her blasts, and dead men rise.
No gold can follow, where true Poesie flies.

Then let not this Diuinitie in earth
(Deare Prince) be sleighted, as she were the birth
Of idle Fancie; since she workes so hie:
Nor let her poore disposer (Learning) lie
Stil bed-rid. Both which, being in men defac't;
In men (with them) is Gods bright image rac't.
For, as the Sunne, and Moone, are figures giuen
Of his refulgent Deitie in Heauen:
So, Learning, and her Lightner, Poesie,
In earth present his fierie Maiestie.
Nor are Kings like him, since their Diademes
Thunder, and lighten, and proiect braue beames;
But since they his cleare vertues emulate;
In Truth and Iustice, imaging his State;
In Bountie, and Humanitie since they shine;
Then which, is nothing (like him) more diuine:
Not Fire, not Light; the Sunnes admired course;
The Rise, nor Set of Starres; nor all their force
In vs, and all this Cope beneath the Skie;
Nor great Existence, term'd his Treasurie.
Since not, for being greatest, he is blest;
But being Iust, and in all vertues best.

VVhat sets his Iustice, and his Truth, best forth,
(Best Prince) then vse best; which is Poesies worth.
For, as great Princes, well inform'd and deckt
VVith gracious vertue, giue more sure effect
To her perswasions, pleasures, reall worth,
Then all th' inferiour subiects she sets forth;
Since there, she shines at full; hath birth, wealth, state,

Power, fortune, honor, fit to eleuate
Her heauenly merits; and so fit they are
Since she was made for them, and they for her:
So, Truth, with Poesie grac't, is fairer farre,
More proper, mouing, chaste, and regular,
Then when she runnes away with vntruss't Prose;
Proportion, that doth orderly dispose
Her vertuous treasure, and is Queene of Graces;
In Poesie, decking her with choicest Phrases,
Figures and numbers: when loose Prose puts on
Plaine letter-habits; makes her trot, vpon
Dull earthly businesse (she being meere diuine:)
Holds her to homely Cates, and harsh hedge-wine,
That should drinke Poesies Nectar; euerie way
One made for other, as the Sunne and Day,
Princes and vertues. And, as in a spring,
The plyant water, mou'd with any thing
Let fall into it, puts her motion out
In perfect circles, that moue round about
The gentle fountaine, one another, raising:
So Truth, and Poesie worke; so Poesie blazing,
All subiects falne in her exhaustlesse fount,
VVorks most exactly; makes a true account
Of all things to her high discharges giuen,
Till all be circular, and round as heauen.

And lastly, great Prince, marke and pardon me;
As in a flourishing, and ripe fruite Tree,
Nature hath made the barke to saue the Bole;
The Bole, the sappe; the sappe, to decke the whole
VVith leaues and branches; they, to beare and shield
The vsefull fruite; the fruite it selfe to yeeld
Guard to the kernell, and for that all those
(Since out of that againe, the whole Tree growes:)
So, in our Tree of man, whose neruie Roote
Springs in his top; from thence euen to his foote,
There runnes a mutuall aide, through all his parts,

The soule.

All ioyn'd in one to serue his Queene of Arts.

In which, doth Poesie, like the kernell lie
Oscur'd; though her Promethean facultie
Can create men, and make euen death to liue;
For which she should liue honor'd; Kings should giue
Comfort and helpe to her, that she might still
Hold vp their spirits in vertue; make the will,
That gouernes in them, to the power conform'd;
The power to iustice; that the scandals, storm'd
Against the poore Dame, clear'd by your faire Grace,
Your Grace may shine the clearer. Her low place,
Not shewing her, the highest leaues obscure.
VVho raise her, raise themselues: and he sits sure,
VVhom her wing'd hand aduanceth; since on it
Eternitie doth (crowning Vertue) sit.
All whose poore seed, like violets in their beds,
Now grow with bosome-hung, and hidden heads.
For whom I must speake (though their Fate conuinces
Me, worst of Poets) to you, best of Princes.

By the most humble and faithfull implorer for all the graces to your highnesse eternised by your diuine Homer. Geo. Chapman.

AN ANAGRAM OF THE NAME OF OVR DRAD PRINCE, MY MOST Gracious and sacred Mœcænas;

HENRYE PRINCE OF VVALES OVR SVNN, HEYR, PEACE, LIFE.

Be to vs as thy great Name doth import,
(Prince of the people;) nor suppose it vaine,
That in this secret, and prophetique sort,
Thy Name and Noblest Title doth containe
So much right to vs; and as great a good.
Nature doth nothing vainly; much lesse Art
Perfecting Nature. No spirit in our blood,
But in our soules discourses beares a part.
What Nature giues at randon in the one,
In th' other, orderd, our diuine part serues.
Thou art not Heyr then, to our state alone;
But Svnn, Peace, Life. And what thy powre deserues
Of vs, and our good, in thy vtmost strife;
Shall make thee to thy selfe, Heyr, Svnn, Peace, Life.

TO THE SACRED FOVNTAINE OF PRINCES; SOLE EMPRESSE OF BEAVTIE AND VERTVE; ANNE, Queene of England, &c.

With whatsoeuer Honour we adorne
Your Royall issue; we must gratulate yow
Imperiall Soueraigne. Who of you is borne,
Is you; One Tree, make both the Bole, and Bow.
If it be honour then to ioyne you both
To such a powerfull worke, as shall defend
Both from foule Death, and Ages ougly Moth;
This is an Honor, that shall neuer end.
They know not vertue then, that know not what
The vertue of defending vertue is:
It comprehends the guard of all your State,
And ioynes your Greatnesse to as great a Blisse.
Shield vertue, and aduance her then, Great Queene;
And make this Booke your Glasse, to make it seene.

Your Maiesties in all subiection most humbly consecrate, Geo. Chapman.

TO THE READER.

Lest with foule hands you touch these holy Rites;
And with preiudicacies too prophane,
Passe Homer, in your other Poets sleights;
Wash here. In this Porch to his numerous Phane,
Heare ancient Oracles speake, and tell you whom
You haue to censure. First then Silius heare,
Who thrice was Consull in renowned Rome;
Whose verse (saith Martiall) nothing shall out-weare.
Silius Italicus. Lib. 13.

He, in Elysium, hauing cast his eye
Vpon the figure of a Youth, whose haire
With purple Ribands braided curiously,
Hung on his shoulders wondrous bright and faire;
Said, Virgine, What is he whose heauenly face
Shines past all others, as the Morne the Night;
Whom many maruelling soules, from place to place,
Pursue, and haunt, with sounds of such delight?
Whose countenance (wer't not in the Stygian shade)
Would make me, questionlesse, beleeue he were
A verie God. The learned Virgine made
This answer: If thou shouldst beleeue it here,
Thou shouldst not erre: he well deseru'd to be
Esteem'd a God; nor held his so-much breast
A little presence of the Deitie:
His verse comprisde earth, seas, starres, soules at rest:
In song, the Muses he did equalise;
In honor, Phœbus: he was onely soule;
Saw all things spher'd in Nature, without eyes,
And raisde your Troy vp to the starrie Pole.
Glad Scipio, viewing well this Prince of Ghosts,
Said, O if Fates would giue this Poet leaue,
To sing the acts done by the Romane Hoasts;
How much beyond, would future times receiue
The same facts, made by any other knowne?
O blest Æacides! to haue the grace
That out of such a mouth, thou shouldst be showne
To wondring Nations, as enricht the race
Of all times future, with what he did know:
Thy vertue, with his verse, shall euer grow.

Now heare an Angell sing our Poets Fame;
Whom Fate, for his diuine song, gaue that name.
Angelus Politianus, in Nutricia.

More liuing, then in old Demodocus,
Fame glories to waxe yong in Homers verse.
And as when bright Hyperion holds to vs
His golden Torch; we see the starres disperse,
And euery way flie heauen; the pallid Moone
Euen almost vanishing before his sight:
So with the dazling beames of Homers Sunne,
All other ancient Poets lose their light.
Whom when Apollo heard, out of his starre,
Singing the godlike Acts of honor'd men;
And equalling the actuall rage of warre,
With onely the diuine straines of his pen;
He stood amaz'd, and freely did confesse
Himselfe was equall'd in Mæonides.

Next, heare the graue and learned Plinie vse
His censure of our sacred Poets Muse.
Plin. Nat. hist. lib. 7. Cap 29.

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Turnd into verse; that no Prose may come neare Homer.

Whom shall we choose the glorie of all wits,
Held through so many sorts of discipline,
And such varietie of workes, and spirits;
But Grecian Homer? like whom none did shine,
For forme of worke and matter. And because
Our proud doome of him may stand iustified
By noblest iudgements; and receiue applause
In spite of enuie, and illiterate pride;
Great Macedon, amongst his matchlesse spoiles,
Tooke from rich Persia (on his Fortunes cast)
A Casket finding (full of precious oyles)
Form'd all of gold, with wealthy stones enchac't:
He tooke the oyles out; and his nearest friends
Askt, in what better guard it might be vsde?
All giuing their conceipts, to seuerall ends;
He answerd; His affections rather chusde
An vse quite opposite to all their kinds:
And Homers bookes should with that guard be seru'd;
That the most precious worke of all mens minds,
In the most precious place, might be preseru'd.

Idem. lib. 17. cap. 5. Idem. lib. 25. cap. 3.

The Fount of wit was Homer; Learnings Syre,
And gaue Antiquitie, her liuing fire.
Volumes of like praise, I could heape on this,
Of men more ancient, and more learn'd then these:
But since true Vertue, enough louely is

With her owne beauties; all the suffrages
Of others I omit; and would more faine
That Homer, for himselfe, should be belou'd
Who euerie sort of loue-worth did containe.
Which how I haue in my conuersion prou'd,
I must confesse, I hardly dare referre
To reading iudgements; since, so generally,
Custome hath made euen th' ablest Agents erre
In these translations; all so much apply

Of Translation, and the naturall difference of Dialects, necessarily to be obserued in it.

Their paines and cunnings, word for word to render
Their patient Authors; when they may as well,
Make fish with fowle, Camels with Whales engender;
Or their tongues speech, in other mouths compell.
For, euen as different a production
Aske Greeke and English; since as they in sounds,
And letters, shunne one forme, and vnison;
So haue their sense, and elegancie bounds
In their distinguisht natures, and require
Onely a iudgement to make both consent,
In sense and elocution; and aspire
As well to reach the spirit that was spent
In his exanple; as with arte to pierce
His Grammar, and etymologie of words.

Ironice.

But, as great Clerkes, can write no English verse;
Because (alas! great Clerks) English affords
(Say they) no height, nor copie; a rude toung,
(Since tis their Natiue): but in Greeke or Latine
Their writs are rare; for thence true Poesie sprong:
Though them (Truth knowes) they haue but skil to chat-in,
Compar'd with that they might say in their owne;
Since thither th' others full soule cannot make
The ample transmigration to be showne
In Nature-louing Poesie: So the brake
That those Translators sticke in, that affect
Their word-for-word traductions (where they lose
The free grace of their naturall Dialect
And shame their Authors, with a forced Glose)
I laugh to see; and yet as much abhorre

The necessarie nearenesse of translation to the example.

More licence from the words, then may expresse
Their full compression, and make cleare the Author.
From whose truth, if you thinke my feet digresse,
Because I vse needfull Periphrases;
Reade Valla, Hessus, that in Latine Prose,
And Verse conuert him; reade the Messines,
That into Tuscan turns him; and the Glose
Graue Salel makes in French, as he translates:
Which (for th' aforesaide reasons) all must doo;
And see that my conuersion much abates

The licence they take, and more showes him too:
Whose right, not all those great learn'd men haue done
(In some maine parts) that were his Commentars:
But (as the illustration of the Sunne
Should be attempted by the erring starres)
They fail'd to search his deepe, and treasurous hart.
The cause was, since they wanted the fit key

The power of nature, aboue Art in Poesie.

Of Nature, in their down-right strength of Art;
With Poesie, to open Poesie.
Which in my Poeme of the mysteries
Reueal'd in Homer, I will clearely proue.
Till whose neere birth, suspend your Calumnies,
And farre-wide imputations of selfe loue.
Tis further from me, then the worst that reades;
Professing me the worst of all that wright:
Yet what, in following one, that brauely leades,
The worst may show, let this proofe hold the light.
But grant it cleere: yet hath detraction got
My blinde side, in the forme, my verse puts on;
Much like a dung hill Mastife, that dares not
Assault the man he barkes at; but the stone
He throwes at him, takes in his eager iawes,
And spoyles his teeth because they cannot spoyle.
The long verse hath by proofe receiu'd applause
Beyond each other number: and the foile,
That squint-ey'd Enuie takes, is censur'd plaine.
For, this long Poeme askes this length of verse,
Which I my selfe ingenuously maintaine
Too long, our shorter Authors to reherse.

Our English language, aboue all others, for Rhythmicall Poesie.

And, for our tongue, that still is so empayr'd.
By trauailing linguists; I can proue it cleare,
That no tongue hath the Muses vtterance heyr'd
For verse, and that sweet Musique to the eare
Strooke out of rime, so naturally as this;
Our Monosyllables, so kindly fall
And meete, opposde in rime, as they did kisse:
French and Italian, most immetricall;
Their many syllables, in harsh Collision,
Fall as they brake their necks; their bastard Rimes
Saluting as they iustl'd in transition,
And set out teeth on edge; nor tunes, nor times
Kept in their falles. And me thinkes, their long words
Shew in short verse, as in a narrow place,
Two opposites should meet, with two-hand swords
Vnweildily, without or vse or grace.
Thus hauing rid the rubs, and strow'd these flowers
In our thrice sacred Homers English way;
What rests to make him, yet more worthy yours?

To cite more prayse of him, were meere delay
To your glad searches, for what those men found,
That gaue his praise, past all, so high a place:
Whose vertues were so many, and so cround,
By all consents, Diuine; that not to grace,
Or adde increase to them, the world doth need
Another Homer; but euen to rehearse
And number them: they did so much exceed;
Men thought him not a man; but that his verse
Some meere celestiall nature did adorne.
And all may well conclude, it could not be,
That for the place where any man was borne,
So long, and mortally, could disagree
So many Nations, as for Homer striu'd,
Vnlesse his spurre in them, had bene diuine.
Then end their strife, and loue him (thus reuiu'd)
As borne in England: see him ouer-shine
All other-Countrie Poets; and trust this,
That whose-soeuer Muse dares vse her wing
When his Muse flies, she will be truss't by his;
And show as if a Bernacle should spring
Beneath an Eagle. In none since was seene
A soule so full of heauen as earth's in him.
O! if our moderne Poesie had beene
As louely as the Ladie he did lymne,
What barbarous worldling, groueling after gaine,
Could vse her louely parts, with such rude hate,
As now she suffers vnder euery swaine?
Since then tis nought but her abuse and Fate,
That thus empaires her; what is this to her
As she is reall? or in naturall right?
But since in true Religion men should erre
As much as Poesie, should th' abuse excite
The like contempt of her Diuinitie?
And that her truth, and right saint sacred Merites,
In most liues, breed but reuerence formally;
What wonder is't if Poesie inherits
Much lesse obseruance; being but Agent for her,
And singer of her lawes, that others say?
Forth then ye Mowles, sonnes of the earth abhorre her;
Keepe still on in the durty vulgar way,
Till durt receiue your soules, to which ye vow;
And with your poison'd spirits bewitch our thrifts.
Ye cannot so despise vs as we you.
Not one of you, aboue his Mowlehill lifts
His earthy Minde; but, as a sort of beasts,
Kept by their Guardians, neuer care to heare
Their manly voices; but when, in their fists,

They breathe wild whistles; and the beasts rude eare
Heares their Curres barking; then by heapes they flie,
Headlong together: So men, beastly giuen,
The manly soules voice (sacred Poesie,
Whose Hymnes the Angels euer sing in heauen)
Contemne, and heare not: but when brutish noises
(For Gaine, Lust, Honour, in litigious Prose)
Are bellow'd-out, and cracke the barbarous voices
Of Turkish Stentors; O! ye leane to those,
Like itching Horse, to blockes, or high May-poles;
And breake nought but the wind of wealth, wealth, All
In all your Documents; your Asinine soules
(Proud of their burthens) feele not how they gall.
But as an Asse, that in a field of weeds
Affects a thistle, and falles fiercely to it;
That pricks, and gals him; yet he feeds, and bleeds;
Forbeares a while, and licks; but cannot woo it
To leaue the sharpnes; when (to wreake his smart)
He beates it with his foote; then backward kickes,
Because the Thistle gald his forward part;
Nor leaues till all be eate, for all the prickes;
Then falles to others with as hote a strife;
And in that honourable warre doth waste
The tall heate of his stomacke, and his life:
So, in this world of weeds, you worldlings taste
Your most-lou'd dainties; with such warre, buy peace;
Hunger for torment; vertue kicke for vice;
Cares, for your states, do with your states increase:
And though ye dreame ye feast in Paradise,
Yet Reasons Day-light, shewes ye at your meate
Asses at Thistles, bleeding as ye eate.

THE ILIADS OF HOMER

THE FIRST BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Apollos Priest to th' Argiue fleete doth bring
Gifts for his daughter, prisoner to the King;
For which, her tenderd freedome, he intreats.
But, being dismist, with contumelious threats,
At Phœbus hands, by vengefull prayer he seekes,
To haue a plague inflicted on the Greekes.
Which had, Achilles doth a Councell cite,
Emboldning Chalchas, in the Kings despite,
To tell the truth, why they were punisht so.
From hence their fierce and deadly strife did grow.
For wrong in which, Æacides so raues,

Æacides, sirname of Achilles being the grand child of Æacus.

That Goddesse Thetis, from her throne of waues,
(Ascending heauen) of Ioue assistance wonne,
To plague the Greekes, by absence of her Sonne:
And make the Generall himselfe repent,
To wrong so much his Armies Ornament.
This, found by Iuno, she with Ioue contends,
Till Vulcan, with heauens cup, the quarell ends.

Another Argument.

Alpha, the prayer of Chryses, sings:
The Armies plague: the strife of Kings.

Achilles banefull wrath resound, O Goddesse, that imposd,

His proposition and inuocation.

Infinite sorrowes on the Greekes; and many braue soules losd
From breasts Heroique: sent them farre, to that inuisible caue
That no light comforts: & their lims, to dogs & vultures gaue.
To all which, Ioues will gaue effect; from whom, first strife begunne,
Betwixt Atrides, king of men; and Thetis godlike Sonne.

Atrides sirname of Agamemnon; being son to Atreus. Eris the Goddes of contention. Narration.

What God gaue Eris their command, and op't that fighting veine?
Ioues, and Latonas Sonne; who fir'd, against the king of men,
For contumelie, showne his Priest; infectious sicknesse sent,
To plague the armie; and to death, by troopes, the souldiers went.
Occasiond thus; Chryses the Priest, came to the fleete, to buy
For presents of vnualued price, his daughters libertie.
The golden scepter, and the crowne, of Phœbus, in his hands
Proposing; and made suite to all, but most to the Commands

Agamemnon & Menelaus: called the Atrides being brothers, & both sonnes to Atreus.

Of both th' Atrides, who most rulde. Great Atreus sonnes (said he)
And all ye wel-grieu'd Greekes; the Gods whose habitations be
In heauenly houses, grace your powers, with Priams razed towne,

And grant ye happy conduct home: to winne which wisht renowne
Of Ioue, by honouring his sonne (farre-shooting Phœbus) daine

Chryses, the Priest of Apollo, to the Atrides, and other Greekes.

For these fit presents to dissolue, the ransomeable chaine
Of my lou'd daughters seruitude. The Greekes entirely gaue
Glad acclamations, for signe, that their desires would haue
The graue Priest reuerenc'd, and his gifts, of so much price embrac'd.
The Generall yet, bore no such mind, but viciously disgrac'd,
With violent termes, the Priest, and said: Doterd, auoid our fleete,

Agamemnons contumelious repulse of Chryses.

Where lingring be not found by me, nor thy returning feete
Let euer visite vs againe, lest nor thy Godheads crowne,
Nor scepter saue thee. Her thou seekst, I still will hold mine owne,
Till age defloure her. In our court, at Argos (farre transferd
From her lou'd countrie) she shall plie, her web, and see

See my bed made, it may be englisht: the word is αντιοωσαν, which signifies cōtra stantem; as standing of one side, opposite to another on the other side which yet others translate capessentem, & adornantem; which, since it showes best to a reader, I follow. The prayer of Chryses to Apollo.

prepard
(With all fit ornaments) my bed. Incense me then no more,
But, (if thou wilt be safe) be gone. This said, the sea-beate shore,
(Obeying his high will) the Priest, trod off with haste, and feare.
And walking silent, till he left, farre off his enemies eare;
Phœbus (faire-haird Latonas sonne) he stird vp, with a vow,
To this sterne purpose: Heare, thou God, that bear'st the siluer bow,
That Chrysa guard'st, rulest Tenedos, with strong hand, and the round
Of Cilla most diuine dost walke: O Smintheus, if crownd
With thankfull offerings thy rich Phane, I euer saw, or fir'd.
Fat thighs of oxen, and of goates, to thee: this grace desir'd
Vouchsafe to me: paines for my teares, let these rude Greekes repay,
Forc'd with thy arrowes. Thus he praid, and Phœbus heard him pray;
And vext at heart, downe from the tops, of steepe heauen stoopt; his bow
And quiuer couerd round; his hands, did on his shoulders throw;
And, of the angrie deitie, the arrowes as he mou'd
Ratl'd about him. Like the night, he rang'd the host, and rou'd
(Apart the fleete set:) terribly, with his hard-loosing hand
His siluer bow twang'd, and his shafts, did first, the Mules command,

Apollo sends the plague among the Greekes.

And swift hounds: then the Greekes themselues, his deadly arrowes shot.
The fires of death went neuer out, nine daies his shafts flew hot
About the armie, and the tenth, Achilles cald a court
Of all the Greeks: heauens

Iuno.

white-arm'd Queene, (who euery where cut short
Beholding her lou'd Greeks by death) suggested it: and he

Achilles to Agamemnon.

(All met in one) arose, and said: Atrides, Now I see
We must be wandering againe, flight must be still our stay,
(If flight can saue vs now) at once, sicknesse and battell lay
Such strong hand on vs. Let vs aske, some Prophet, Priest, or proue
Some dreame interpreter (for dreames, are often sent from Ioue)
Why Phœbus is so much incenst? If vnperformed vowes
He blames in vs; or Hecatombs; and if these knees he bowes
To death, may yeeld his graues no more; but offering all supply
Of sauours, burnt from lambes, and goates; auert his feruent eye,
And turne his temperate. Thus he sate; and then stood vp to them

Calchas the Prophet.

Chalcas, sirnam'd Thestorides, of Augures, the supreme:
He knew things present, past, to come; and rulde the Equinpage,

Of th' Argiue fleete to Ilion, for his Prophetique rage
Giuen by Apollo: who well seene, in th' ill they felt, proposd
This to Achilles: Ioues belou'd? would thy charge see disclosd,

Calchas to Achilles.

The secret of Apollos wrath? then couenant, and take oth,
To my discouerie; that with words, and powrefull actions both,
Thy strength will guard the truth, in me; because I well conceiue
That he whose Empire gouerns all, whom all the Grecians giue,
Confirm'd obedience, will be mou'd; and then you know the state,
Of him that moues him. When a king, hath once markt for his hate,
A man inferior; though that day, his wrath seemes to digest
Th' offence he takes; yet euermore, he rakes vp in his brest,
Brands of quicke anger; till reuenge, hath quencht to his desire,
The fire reserued. Tell me then, if, whatsoeuer, ire
Suggests, in hurt of me, to him; thy valour will preuent?

Achilles answerd; All thou know'st, speake, and be confident:

Achilles to Chalchas.

For by Apollo, Ioues belou'd (to whom, performing vowes,
O Calchas, for the state of Greece; thy spirit Prophetique showes
Skils that direct vs) not a man, of all these Grecians here,
(I liuing, and enioying the light, shot through this flowrie sphere)
Shall touch thee, with offensiue hands; though Agamemnon be
The man in question, that doth boast, the mightiest Emperie,
Of all our armie. Then tooke heart, the Prophet vnreprou'd,
And said: They are not vnpaid vowes; nor Hecatombs, that mou'd,
The God against vs: his offence, is for his Priest, empaird,

Calchas discouers to the Greekes the cause of their plague.

By Agamemnon; that refusd, the present he preferd,
And kept his daughter. This is cause, why heauens farre-darter darts,
These plagues amongst vs; and this still, will emptie in our hearts
His deathfull quiuer, vncontaind; till to her loued sire,
The blacke-eyd damsell be resign'd; no redemptorie hire,
Tooke for her freedome; not a gift; but all the ransome quit;
And she conuaide, with sacrifice; till her enfranchisd feete,
Treade Chrysa vnder: then the God (so pleasd) perhaps we may
Moue to remission. Thus he sate; and vp, the great in sway,
Heroique Agamemnon rose; eagerly bearing all:
His minds seate ouercast with fumes: an anger generall,
Fill'd all his faculties; his eyes, sparckl'd like kindling fire;
Which, sternly cast vpon the Priest, thus vented he, his ire;

Prophet of ill? For neuer good, came from thee towards me;

Agamemnon incenst, to Calchas

Not to a words worth: euermore, thou tookst delight to be
Offensiue in thy Auguries; which thou continuest still;
Now casting thy prophetique gall, and vouching all our ill
(Shot from Apollo,) is imposd; since I refusd the prise
Of faire Chryseis libertie; which would in no worth rise,
To my rate of her selfe; which moues, my vowes to haue her home;
Past Clytemnestra louing her; that grac't my nuptiall roome,
With her virginitie, and flowre. Nor aske her merits lesse,
For person, disposition, wit, and skill in housewiferie
And yet, for all this, she shall go; if more conducible

That course be, then her holding here. I rather wish the weale
Of my lou'd armie, then the death. Prouide yet, instantly,
Supplie for her, that I alone, of all our royaltie,
Lose not my winnings: tis not fit, ye see all, I lose mine
Forc't by another: see as well, some other may resigne,

Achilles to Agamemnon.

His Prise to me. To this, replied, the swift-foote God-like sonne
Of Thetis, thus: King of vs all, in all ambition;
Most couetouse of all that breath; why should the great-soul'd Greekes
Supply thy lost prise, out of theirs? not what thy auarice seekes,
Our common treasurie can find; so little it doth guard
Of what our rac'd towns, yeelded vs; of all which, most is shar'd,
And giuen our souldiers; which againe, to take into our hands
Were ignominious, and base. Now then, since God commands,
Part with thy most-lou'd prise to him: not any one of vs,
Exacts it of thee: yet we all, all losse thou sufferst thus,
Will treble; quadruple in gaine, when Iupiter bestowes
The sacke of well-wall'd Troy on vs; which by his word, he owes.

Agamemnon to Achilles.

Do not deceiue your selfe with wit, (he answerd) God-like man;
Though your good name may colour it; tis not your swift foote can
Out runne me here; nor shall the glosse, set on it, with the God,
Perswade me to my wrong. Woulst thou, maintaine in sure abode
Thine owne prise, and sleight me of mine? Resolue this: if our friends
(As fits in equitie, my worth) will right me with amends,
So rest it; otherwise my selfe, will enter personally
On thy prise; that of Ithacus, or Aiax, for supply;
Let him, on whom I enter, rage. But come we'le order these,
Hereafter, and in other place. Now put to sacred seas
Our blacke saile; in it rowers put, in it fit sacrifise;
And to these, I will make ascend, my so much enuied prise,
Bright-cheekt Chryseis. For conduct, of all which, we must chuse
A chiefe out of our counsellors; thy seruice we must vse,
Idomeneus; Aiax, thine, or thine, wise Ithacus;
Or thine, thou terriblest of men, thou sonne of Peleus;
Which fittest were, that thou mightst see, these holy acts performd,
For which thy cunning zeale so pleades; and he whose bow thus stormd

Achilles to Agamemnon.

For our offences, may be calmd. Achilles, with a frowne,
Thus answerd: O thou impudent! of no good but thine owne,
Euer respectfull; but of that, with all craft, couetous;
With what heart can a man attempt, a seruice dangerous,
Or at thy voice be spirited, to flie vpon a foe,
Thy mind thus wretched? For my selfe, I was not iniur'd so,
By any Troian, that my powers, should bid them any blowes;
In nothing beare they blame of me. Phthia, whose bosome flowes
With corne and people, neuer felt, empaire of her increase,
By their inuasion: hils enow, and farre-resounding seas,
Powre out their shades, and deepes, betweene: but thee thou frontlesse man,
We follow, and thy triumphs make, with bonfires of our bane:
Thine, and thy brothers vengeance sought (thou dogs eyes) of this Troy

By our exposd liues; whose deserts, thou neither dost employ,
With honour, nor with care. And now, thou threatst to force from me,
The fruite of my sweate, which the Greekes, gaue all; and though it be
(Compar'd with thy part, then snatcht vp) nothing: nor euer is,
At any sackt towne: but of fight, (the fetcher in of this)
My hands haue most share: in whose toyles, when I haue emptied me
Of all my forces; my amends, in liberalitie
(Though it be little) I accept, and turne pleasd to my tent:
And yet that little, thou esteemst, too great a continent
In thy incontinent auarice. For Phthya therefore now
My course is; since tis better farre, then here endure, that thou
Shouldst still be rauishing my right, draw my whole treasure drie;

And adde dishonor. He replied: If thy heart serue thee, flie:

Agamemnon to Achilles.

Stay not for my cause; others here, will aid, and honor me;
If not, yet Ioue I know, is sure; that counsellor is he
That I depend on: as for thee, of all our Ioue-kept kings,
Thou still art most my enemie: strifes, battels, bloodie things,
Make thy blood feasts still. But if strength, that these moods build vpon,
Flow in thy nerues; God gaue thee it; and so tis not thine owne,
But in his hands still: what then lifts, thy pride in this, so hie?
Home with thy fleete, and Myrmidons; vse there their Emperie,
Command not here: I weigh thee not; nor meane to magnifie
Thy rough hewne rages; but in stead, I thus farre threaten thee:
Since Phœbus needs will force from me, Chryseis; she shall go;
My ships, and friends, shall waft her home: but I will imitate so,
His pleasure; that mine owne shall take, in person, from thy tent
Bright-cheekt Briseis; and so tell, thy strength-how eminent
My powre is, being compar'd with thine: all other, making feare
To vaunt equalitie with me; or in this proud kind beare
Their beards against me. Thetis sonne, at this stood vext; his heart

Achilles angrie with Agamemnon.

Bristled his bosome, and two waies, drew his discursiue part;
If from his thigh, his sharpe sword drawne, he should make roome about
Atrides, person slaughtring him; or sit his anger out
And curb his spirit. While these thoughts, striu'd in his bloud and mind,
And he his sword drew: downe from heauen, Athenia

Pallas.

stoopt, and shind
About his temples; being sent, by th' Iuorie-wristed queene
Saturnia; who, out of her heart, had euer louing bene,
And carefull for the good of both. She stood behind, and tooke
Achilles by the yellow curles; and onely gaue her looke
To him apparance: not a man, of all the rest could see.
He, turning backe his eye; amaze, strooke euerie facultie;
Yet straight, he knew her, by her eyes; so terrible they were
Sparkling with ardor, and thus spake: Thou seed of Iupiter,

Achilles to Pallas.

Why com'st thou? to behold his pride, that bosts our Emperie?
Then witnesse, with it, my reuenge; and see that insolence die,
That liues to wrong me. She replied, I come from heauen to see

Pallas to Achilles.

Thy anger settled: if thy soule, will vse her soueraigntie,
In fit reflection. I am sent, from Iuno, whose affects,

Stand heartily inclind to both: Come, giue vs both respects,
And ceasse contention: draw no sword; vse words, and such as may
Be bitter to his pride, but iust; for trust in what I say,
A time shall come, when thrice the worth, of that he forceth now,
He shall propose for recompence, of these wrongs: therefore throw
Reines on thy passions, and serue vs. He answerd: Though my heart

Achilles Palladi, hoc est, rationi obsequitur.

Burne in iust anger; yet my soule, must conquer th' angrie part,
And yeeld you conquest. Who subdues, his earthly part for heauen,
Heauen to his prayres subdues his wish. This said, her charge was giuen,
Fit honor: in his siluer hilt, he held his able hand,
And forc't his broad sword vp; and vp, to heauen did reascend
Minerua, who in Ioues high roofe, that beares the rough shield, tooke
Her place with other deities. She gone, againe forsooke,
Patience his passion; and no more, his silence could confine

Achilles againe in furie;

His wrath, that this broad language gaue: Thou euer steep't in wine,
Dogs face? with heart, but of a Hart? that nor in th' open eye
Of fight, dar'st thrust into a prease; nor with our noblest, lie
In secret ambush. These works seeme, too full of death for thee;
Tis safer farre, in th' open host, to dare an iniurie,
To any crosser of thy lust. Thou subiect-eating king,
Base spirits thou gouernst; or this wrong, had bene the last fowle thing
Thou euer author'dst: yet I vow, and by a great oath sweare,
Euen by this scepter; that as this, neuer againe shall beare

This simile Virgil directly translates.

Greene leaues, or branches, nor increase, with any growth, his sise;
Nor did, since first it left the hils, and had his faculties
And ornaments bereft, with iron; which now to other end
Iudges of Greece beare; and their lawes, receiu'd from Ioue, defend;
(For which, my oath to thee is great.) So whensoeuer need
Shall burne with thirst of me, thy bost, no prayres shall euer breed
Affection in me, to their aid; though well deserued woes
Afflict thee for them; when to death, man-slaughtring Hector throwes
Whole troopes of them; and thou torment'st, thy vext mind with conceit
Of thy rude rage now: and his wrong, that most deseru'd the right
Of all thy armie. Thus he threw, his scepter gainst the ground,
With golden studs stucke; and tooke seate. Atrides breast was drownd
In rising choler. Vp to both, sweet-spoken Nestor stood,

Nestors age and eloquence.

The cunning Pylian Orator; whose tongue powrd foorth a flood
Of more-then-hony-sweet discourse: two ages were increast
Of diuerse-languag'd men; all borne, in his time, and deceast
In sacred Pylos, where he reignd, amongst the third-ag'd men:
He (well seene in the world) aduisd, and thus exprest it then.

Nestor to Achilles, and Agamemnon.

O Gods, our Greeke earth will be drownd, in iust teares; rapefull Troy,
Her king, and all his sonnes, will make, as iust a mocke, and ioy
Of these disiunctions; if of you, that all our host excell,
In counsell, and in skill of fight, they heare this: Come, repell
These yong mens passions: y'are not both, (put both your yeares in one)
So old as I: I liu'd long since, and was companion
With men superior to you both: who yet would euer heare,

My counsels with respect. My eyes, yet neuer witnesse were,

Decorum ab ætate.

Nor euer will be, of such men, as then delighted them;
Perithous, Exadius, and god-like Polypheme;
Ceneus, and Dryas, prince of men; Ægean Theseus.
A man, like heauens immortals formd; all, all most vigorous,
Of all men, that euen those daies bred; most vigorous men, and fought
With beasts most vigorous; mountain beasts, (for mē in strength were nought
Matcht with their forces) fought with them; and brauely fought them downe;
Yet euen with these men, I conuerst, being cald to the renowne
Of their societies, by their suites, from Pylos farre, to fight
In th' Asian kingdome; and I fought, to a degree of might
That helpt euen their mights; against such, as no man now would dare,
To meete in conflict; yet euen these, my counsels still would heare,
And with obedience, crowne my words. Giue you such palme to them;
Tis better, then to wreath your wraths. Atrides? giue not streame
To all thy powre, nor force his prise; but yeeld her still his owne,
As all men else do. Nor do thou, encounter with thy crowne
(Great sonne of Peleus) since no king, that euer Ioue allowd
Grace of a scepter, equals him. Suppose thy nerues endowd
With strength superior, and thy birth, a verie Goddesse gaue;
Yet he of force, is mightier; since, what his owne nerues haue
Is amplified, with iust command, of many other. King of men
Command thou then thy selfe; and I, with my prayres will obtaine,
Grace of Achilles, to subdue, his furie; whose parts are
Worth our intreatie; being chiefe checke, to all our ill in warre.

All this, good father (said the king) is comely, and good right;

Agamemnon to Nestor.

But this man breakes all such bounds; he, affects past all men height.
All would in his powre hold, all make, his subiects, giue to all
His hote will for their temperate law: all which he neuer shall
Perswade at my hands. If the Gods, haue giuen him the great stile
Of ablest souldier; made they that, his licence to reuile
Men with vile language? Thetis soone, preuented him, and said:

Fearefull and vile I might be thought, if the exactions laid

Achilles to Agamemnon.

By all meanes on me I should beare. Others command to this,
Thou shalt, not me; or if thou dost, farre my free spirit is
From seruing thy command. Beside, this I affirme (affoord
Impression of it in thy soule) I will not vse my sword
On thee, or any, for a wench: vniustly though thou tak'st
The thing thou gau'st; but all things else, that in my ship thou mak'st
Greedie suruey of, do not touch, without my leaue; or do
Adde that acts wrong to this; that these, may see that outrage too;
And then comes my part: then be sure, thy bloud vpon my lance,
Shall flow in vengeance. These high termes, these two at variance
Vsd to each other; left their seates, and after them arose

The Grecian councell dissolued.

The whole court. To his tents and ships, with friends and souldiers, goes
Angrie Achilles. Atreus sonne, the swift ship lancht, and put
Within it twentie chosen row'rs: within it likewise shut
The Hecatomb, t'appease the God. Then causd to come abord

Faire checkt Chryseis. For the chiefe, he in whom Pallas pourd

Chriseis sent to her father.

Her store of counsels, (Ithacus) aboord went last, and then
The moist waies of the sea they saild. And now the king of men
Bad all the hoast to sacrifice. They sacrific'd and, cast
The offall of all to the deepes: the angrie God they grac't
With perfect Hecatombs; some buls, some goates along the shore
Of the vnfruitfull sea, inflam'd. To heauen the thicke fumes bore
Enwrapped sauours. Thus though all, the politique king made shew
Respects to heauen; yet he himselfe, all that time did pursue
His owne affections. The late iarre, in which he thunderd threats
Against Achilles, still he fed, and his affections heats
Thus vented to Talthybius, and graue Eurybates
Heralds, and ministers of trust, to all his messages.

Agamemnon to Talthybius and Eurybates his Heralds.

Haste to Achilles tent, where take, Briseis hand, and bring
Her beauties to vs; if he faile, to yeeld her; say your king
Will come himselfe with multitudes, that shall the horribler
Make both his presence and your charge, that so he dares deferre.

This said, he sent them with a charge, of hard condition.
They went vnwillingly, and trod, the fruitlesse seas shore: soone
They reacht the nauie and the tents, in which the quarter lay
Of all the Myrmidons, and found, the chiefe Chiefe in their sway,
Set at his blacke barke in his tent. Nor was Achilles glad
To see their presence; nor themselues, in any glorie, had
Their message; but with reuerence stood, and fear'd th' offended king.
Askt not the dame; nor spake a word. He yet, well knowing the thing

Achilles Princely receipt of the Heralds.

That causd their coming; grac'd them thus: Heralds, ye men that beare
The messages of men and Gods; y'are welcome, come ye neare.
I nothing blame you, but your king; tis he, I know, doth send
You for Briseis; she is his. Patroclus? honourd friend,
Bring foorth the damsell; and these men, let leade her, to their Lord.
But, Heralds, be you witnesses, before the most ador'd;
Before vs mortals, and before, your most vngentle king,
Of what I suffer: that if warre, euer hereafter bring
My aide in question; to auert, any seuerest bane,
It brings on others; I am scusde, to keepe my aide in wane,
Since they mine honour. But your king, in tempting mischiefe, raues;
Nor sees at once, by present things, the future; how like waues,
Ils follow ils; iniustices, being neuer so secure
In present times; but after plagues, euen then, are seene as sure.
Which yet he sees not; and so sooths, his present lust; which checkt,
Would checke plagues future; and he might, in succouring right, protect
Such as fight for his right at fleete; they still in safetie fight,
That fight still iustly. This speech vsd, Patroclus did the rite

Briseis led to Agamemnon.

His friend commanded; and brought forth, Briseis from her tent;
Gaue her the heralds, and away, to th' Achiue ships they went:
She sad, and scarce for griefe, could go; her loue, all friends forsooke,
And wept for anger. To the shore, of th' old sea, he betooke
Himselfe alone; and casting forth, vpon the purple sea,

His wet eyes, and his hands to heauen, aduancing this sad plea,
Made to his mother: Mother, since, you brought me forth to breath,

Achilles to Thetis.

So short a life: Olympius, had good right to bequeath
My short life, honor; yet that right, he doth in no degree:
But lets Atrides do me shame, and force that prise from me
That all the Greekes gaue: this with teares, he vtterd, and she heard;
Set with her old sire, in his deepes; and instantly appeard,
Vp, from the gray sea, like a cloud: sate by his side, and said;

Why weepes my sonne? what grieues thee? speake; conceale not what hath laid

Thetis to Achilles.

Such hard hand on thee: let both know. He (sighing like a storme)
Replied: Thou dost know; why should I, things knowne; againe informe?

Achilles to Thetis.

We marcht to Thebs, the sacred towne, of king Eetion,
Sackt it, and brought to fleete the spoile, which euerie valiant sonne
Of Greece, indifferently shar'd. Atrides had for share,
Faire-cheekt Chryseis; after which, his priest, that shoots so farre,
Chryses, the faire Chryseis sire, arriu'd at th' Achiue fleete,
With infinite ransome; to redeeme, the deare imprison'd feete,
Of his faire daughter. In his hands, he held Apollos crowne,
And golden scepter; making suite, to euerie Grecian sonne,
But most, the sonnes of Atreus, (the others orderers)
Yet they least heard him; all the rest, receiu'd with reuerend eares,
The motion: both the Priest, and gifts, gracing; and holding worth
His wisht acceptance. Atreus sonne, yet (vext) commanded forth
With rude termes, Phœbus reuerend Priest: who, angrie, made retreat,
And prayd to Phœbus; in whose grace, he standing passing great,
Got his petition. The God, an ill shaft sent abrode,
That tumbl'd downe the Greekes in heapes. The host had no abode,
That was not visited; we askt, a Prophet that well knew
The cause of all; and from his lips, Apollos prophecies flew;
Telling his anger. First my selfe, exhorted to appease
The angerd God; which Atreus sonne, did at the heart displease.
And vp he stood, vsde threats, performd. The blacke-eyd Greeks sent home
Chryseis to her sire; and gaue, his God a Hecatome;
Then, for Briseis to my tents, Atrides Heralds came,
And tooke her, that the Greekes gaue, all. If then thy powres can frame
Wreake for thy sonne, affoord it; scale, Olympus, and implore
Ioue, (if by either word, or fact; thou euer didst restore
Ioy to his greeu'd heart) now to helpe. I oft haue heard thee vant
In court of Peleus; that alone, thy hand was conuersant,
In rescue from a cruell spoile, the blacke-clowd-gathering Ioue;
Whom other Godheads, would haue bound. (The powre whose pace doth moue
The round earth; heauens great Queene, and Pallas) to whose bands

Neptune, Iuno, and Pallas, confederates in the binding of Iupiter.

Thou cam'st with rescue; bringing vp, him with the hundred hands,
To great Olympus; whom the Gods, call Briaræus; men
Ægæon; who, his sire surpast, and was as strong againe;
And in that grace, sat glad, by Ioue; th' immortals stood dismaid

The fiction of Briaræus.

At his ascension; and gaue, free passage to his aid.
Of all this, tell Ioue; kneele to him; embrace his knee, and pray

(If Trois aide he will euer deigne) that now their forces may
Beate home the Greeks to fleete, and sea; embruing their retreat
In slaughter: their pains paying the wreake, of their proud Soueraigns heart:
And that farre-ruling king may know, from his poore souldiers harms,
His owne harme fals: his owne, and all, in mine; his best in arms.

Thetis to Achilles.

Her answer she powr'd out in teares: O me, my sonne (said she)
Why brought I vp, thy being at all; that brought thee forth to be
Sad subiect of so hard a fate? O would to heauen, that since,
Thy fate is little, and not long; thou mightst without offence,
And teares performe it. But to liue, thrall to so sterne a fate
As grants thee least life; and that least, so most vnfortunate,
Grieues me t'haue giuen thee any life. But what thou wishest now
(If Ioue will grant) ile vp, and aske. Olympus crownd with snow
Ile clime: but sit thou fast at fleete: renounce all warre, and feed
Thy heart with wrath, and hope of wreake: till which come, thou shalt need,

Iupiters feast with the Æthiops.

A little patience: Iupiter, went yesterday to feast
Amongst the blamelesse Æthiops, in th' Oceans deepned breast;
All Gods attending him: the twelfth, high heauen againe he sees,
And then his brasse-pau'd court Ile skale; cling to his powrefull knees,
And doubt not, but to winne thy wish. Thus made she her remoue,
And left wrath tyring on her sonne, for his enforced loue.

Nauigation to Chrysa.

Vlysses, with the Hecatomb, arriu'd at Chrysas shore:
And when, amids the hauens deepe mouth, they came to vse the oare,
They straite stroke saile, then rold them vp, and on the hatches threw.
The top mast, to the kelsine then, with haleyards downe they drew;
Then brought the ship to Port with oares, then forked anchor cast,
And gainst the violence of stormes, for drifting made her fast.

All come ashore, they all expos'd, the holy Hecatomb
To angrie Phœbus; and with it, Chryseis welcomd home:
Whom, to her sire, wise Ithacus, that did at th' altar stand,
For honour, led; and (spoken thus) resignd her to his hand:

Vlysses to Chryses.

Chryses, the mightie king of men (great Agamemnon) sends
Thy lou'd seed, by my hands, to thine; and to thy God commends
A Hecatomb, which my charge is, to sacrifice, and seeke
Our much-sigh-mixt-woe, his recure, inuokt by euerie Greeke.

Thus he resignd her, and her sire, receiu'd her, highly ioyd.
About the well-built altar then, they orderly emploide
The sacred offring. Washt their hands, tooke salt cakes, and the Priest
(With hands held vp to heauen) thus praid: O thou that all things seest,

Chryses prayer to Apollo for appeasing the plague.

Fautour of Chrysa, whose faire hand, doth guardfully dispose
Celestiall Cilla: gouerning, in all powre, Tenedos:
O heare thy Priest, and as thy hand, in free grace to my prayers
Shot feruent plague-shafts through the Greekes: now hearten their affaires,
With health renewd, and quite remoue, th' infection from their blood.

He praid; and to his prairs againe, the God propitious stood.
All, after prayre, cast on salt cakes; drew backe, kild, slaid the beeues,

The sacrifice.

Cut out, and dubd with fat their thighes, faire drest with doubled leaues;
And on them, all the sweet-breads prickt. The Priest, with small sere wood

Did sacrifice; powr'd on red wine, by whom the yong men stood,
And turnd (in fiue ranks) spits; on which, (the legs enough) they eate

The banquet.

The inwards; then in giggots cut, the other fit for meate;
And put to fire; which (rosted well) they drew; the labour done,
They seru'd the feast in; that fed all, to satisfaction.

Desire of meate, and wine, thus quencht, the youths crownd cups of wine
Drunke off, and fild againe to all. That day was held diuine;
And spent in Pæans to the Sunne; who heard with pleased eare;
When whose bright chariot stoopt to sea, and twilight hid the cleare;

The euening.

All, soundly on their cables slept, euen till the night was worne:
And when the Lady of the light, the rosie fingerd morne

The morning.

Rose from the hils: all fresh arose, and to the campe retir'd.
Apollo with a fore-right wind, their swelling barke inspir'd.
The top-mast hoisted; milke-white sailes, on his round breast they put;
The Misens strooted with the gale; the ship her course did cut,
So swiftly, that the parted waues, against her ribs did rore,
Which coming to the campe, they drew, aloft the sandie shore:
Where, laid on stocks, each souldier kept, his quarter, as before.

But Pelius sonne, swift-foote Achilles, at his swift ships sate,
Burning in wrath, nor euer came, to Councels of estate,
That make men honord: neuer trod, the fierce embattaild field,
But kept close, and his lou'd heart pin'd: what fight and cries could yeeld,
Thirsting, at all parts, to the hoast. And now since first he told
His wrongs to Thetis: twelue faire mornes, their ensignes did vnfold.
And then the euerliuing Gods, mounted Olympus; Ioue

Iupiter and the other Gods from the Aethiops.

First in ascension. Thetis then, remembred well to moue
Achilles motion: rose from sea, and by the mornes first light,
The great heauen, and Olympus climbd; where, in supremest height
Of all that many-headed hill, she saw the farre-seene sonne

Iupiter.

Of Saturne, set from all the rest, in his free seate alone:
Before whom (on her owne knees falne) the knees of Iupiter
Her left hand held, her right his chinne; and thus she did prefer
Her sonnes petition: Father Ioue, if euer I haue stood

Thetis prayer to Iupiter.

Aidfull to thee in word or worke: with this implored good
Requite my aide: renowne my sonne, since in so short a race,
(Past others) thou confin'st his life: an insolent disgrace
Is done him by the king of men: he forc't from him, a prise
Wonne with his sword. But thou, O Ioue, that art most strong, most wise,
Honour my sonne, for my sake; adde, strength to the Troians side
By his sides weaknesse, in his want: and see Troy amplifide
In conquest, so much, and so long, till Greece may giue againe
The glorie reft him; and the more, illustrate the free raigne
Of his wrongd honour. Ioue, at this, sate silent; not a word
In long space past him: Thetis still, hung on his knee; implor'd
The second time, his helpe, and said: Grant, or denie my suite,
Be free in what thou doest; I know, thou canst not sit thus mute,
For feare of any: speake, denie, that so I may be sure
Of all heauens Goddesses, tis I, that onely must endure.

Dishonor by thee. Iupiter, the great cloud-gatherer, grieu'd
With thought of what a world of griefes, this suite askt, being atchieu'd;

Ioue to Thetis.

Sweld, sigh'd, and answerd: Works of death, thou vrgest; O at this
Iuno will storme, and all my powers, inflame with contumelies.
Euer she wrangles, charging me, in eare of all the Gods,
That I am partiall still; that I, adde the displeasing oddes
Of my aide to the Ilians. Be gone then, lest she see:
Leaue thy request to my care: yet, that trust may hearten thee
With thy desires grant, and my powre, to giue it act, approue
How vaine her strife is: to thy praire, my eminent head shall moue,
Which is the great signe of my will, with all th' immortall states:
Irreuocable; neuer failes; neuer without the rates
Of all powers else: when my head bowes, all heads bow with it still;
As their first mouer; and giues powre, to any worke I will.

He said; and his blacke-ey-brows bent; aboue his deathlesse head,
Th' Ambrosian curls flowed; great heauen shooke, and both were seuered,
Their counsels broken. To the depth, of Neptunes kingdome, diu'd,
Thetis; from heauens height: Ioue arose; and all the Gods receiu'd,
(All rising from their thrones) their sire; attending to his court;
None sate, when he rose; none delaid, the furnishing his port,
Till he came neare: all met with him, and brought him to his throne.

Nor sate great Iuno ignorant, when she beheld, alone,
Old Nereus siluer-footed seed, with Ioue; that she had brought
Counsels to heauen; and straight her tongue, had teeth in it, that wrought

Iuno to Iupiter.

This sharpe inuectiue: Who was that, (thou craftiest counsellor
Of all the Gods) that so apart, some secret did implore?
Euer apart from me, thou lou'st, to counsell and decree,
Things of more close trust then thou thinkst, are fit t'impart to me:
What euer thou determin'st, I, must euer be denied

Iupiter to Iuno.

The knowledge of it, by thy will. To her speech, thus replied;
The Father, both of men, and Gods: Haue neuer hope to know,
My whole intentions; though my wife: it fits not, nor would show,
Well to thine owne thoughts: but what fits, thy womans eare to heare;
Woman, nor man, nor God, shall know, before it grace thine eare.
Yet, what apart from men and Gods, I please to know; forbeare
T'examine, or enquire of that. She with the cowes faire eyes

Iunos replie.

(Respected Iuno) this returnd: Austere king of the skies,
What hast thou vtterd? when did I, before this time, enquire,
Or sift thy counsels? passing close, you are still; your desire,
Is seru'd with such care, that I feare, you can scarce vouch the deed
That makes it publike; being seduc't, by this old sea-Gods seed,
That could so early vse her knees, embracing thine. I doubt,
The late act of thy bowed head, was for the working out,
Of some boone she askt; that her sonne, thy partiall hand would please

Ioue incenst.

With plaguing others. Wretch (said he) thy subtle ielousies,
Are still exploring: my designes, can neuer scape thine eye;
Which yet thou neuer canst preuent. Thy curiositie
Makes thee lesse car'd for, at my hands; and horrible the end

Shall make thy humor. If it be, what thy suspects intend,
What then? tis my free will it should: to which, let way be giuen,
With silence; curbe your tongue in time, lest all the Gods in heauen
Too few be, and too weake to helpe, thy punisht insolence,
When my inaccessible hands, shall fall on thee. The sence
Of this high threatning, made her feare; and silent she sate downe,
Humbling her great heart. All the Gods, in court of Ioue, did frowne
At this offence giuen: amongst whom, heauens famous Artizan,
Ephaistus, in his mothers care, this comely speech began:

A name of Vulcan.

Beleeue it, these words will breed wounds, beyond our powres to beare,
If thus for mortals ye fall out. Ye make a tumult here
That spoiles our banquet. Euermore, worst matters put downe best.
But mother, though your selfe be wise, yet let your sonne request
His wisdome audience. Giue good termes, to our lou'd father Ioue,
For feare he take offence againe; and our kind banquet proue
A wrathfull battell. If he will, the heauenly lightner can
Take you, and tosse you from your throne; his power Olympian
Is so surpassing. Soften then, with gentle speech his splene,
And drinke to him; I know his heart, will quickly downe againe.

This said, arising from his throne, in his lou'd mothers hand

Vulcan fils and giues the cup to Iuno.

He put the double handeld cup, and said: Come, do not stand
On these crosse humors: suffer, beare, though your great bosome grieue,
And lest blowes force you: all my aide, not able to relieue
Your hard condition; though these eyes, behold it, and this heart
Sorrow to thinke it; tis a taske, too dangerous to take part
Against Olympius. I my selfe, the proofe of this still feele;
When other Gods would faine haue helpt, he tooke me by the heele
And hurld me out of heauen: all day, I was in falling downe,

The fall of Vulcan.

At length in Lemnos I strooke earth; the likewise falling Sunne,
And I, together set: my life, almost set too; yet there
The Sintij cheard, and tooke me vp. This did to laughter cheare
White-wristed Iuno; who now tooke, the cup of him and smil'd.
The sweete-peace-making-draught went round; and lame Ephaistus fild

Vulcan skinker to the Gods.

Nectar, to all the other Gods. A laughter neuer left,
Shooke all the blessed deities, to see the lame so deft
At that cup seruice. All that day, euen till the Sunne went downe,
They banqueted, and had such cheere, as did their wishes crowne.
Nor had they musicke lesse diuine, Apollo there did touch

Apollo touches his harpe at the banquet, and the Muses sing to it.

His most sweete harpe; to which, with voice, the Muses pleasd as much.
But when the Suns faire light was set, each Godhead to his house
Addrest for sleepe, where euerie one, with art most curious
(By heauens great both-foote halting God) a seuerall roofe had built;
Euen he to sleepe went, by whose hand, heauen is with lightning guilt.
(High Ioue) where he had vsd to rest, when sweet sleepe seisd his eyes:
By him the golden-thron'd Queene slept: the Queene of deities.

The end of the first Booke.

THE SECOND BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Ioue cals a vision vp, from Somnus den;
To bid Atrides, muster vp his men.
The king (to Greekes dissembling his desire)
Perswades them to their countrie to retire.
By Pallas will, Vlysses stayes their flight;
And wise old Nestor, heartens them to fight.
They take their meate: which done, to armes they goes
And march in good array, against the foe.
So those of Troy, when Iris, from the skie,
Of Saturns sonne, performs the Ambassie.

Another Argument.

Beta, the dreame and Synod cites,
And catalogues the nauall knights.

The other Gods, and knights at armes, all night slept: onely Ioue,

Iupiter carefull in performing his vow to Thetis.

Sweet slumber seisd not; he discourst, how best he might approue
His vow made for Achilles grace, and make the Grecians find
His misse, in much death. Alwaies cast; this coūsel seru'd his mind
With most allowance: to dispatch, a harmefull dreame to greet
The king of men; and gaue this charge: Go, to the Achiue fleet,

Iupiter cals vp a vision.

(Pernicious dreame) and being arriu'd, in Agamemnons tent,
Deliuer truly all this charge; command him to conuent
His whole hoast arm'd, before these towres; for now Troys broad-waid towne
He shall take in: the heauen-housd Gods, are now indifferent growne,
Iunos request hath wonne them: Troy, now vnder imminent ils,
At all parts labours. This charge heard, the vision straight fulfils;
The ships reacht, and Atrides tent, in which he found him laid;
Diuine sleepe powrd about his powres. He stood aboue his head
Like Nestor (grac't, of old men, most) and this did intimate:

Sleepes the wise Atreus-tame-horse sonne? a counsellour of State,

The vision to Agamemnon.

Must not, the whole night, spend in sleepe; to whom the people are,
For guard committed; and whose life, stands bound to so much care.
Now heare me then, (Ioues messenger,) who, though farre off from thee,
Is neare thee yet; in ruth, and care: and giues command by me,
To arme thy whole hoast. Thy strong hand, the broad-waid towne of Troy,
Shall now take in: no more the Gods, dissentiously imploy
Their high-housd powers: Iunos suite, hath wonne them all to her;
And ill fates ouer-hang these towres, addrest by Iupiter.

Fixe in thy mind this; not forget, to giue it action, when
Sweet sleepe shall leaue thee. Thus he fled, and left the king of man

Agamemnon discourseth of his vision.

Repeating, in discourse, his dreame; and dreaming still, awake,
Of powre, not readie yet for act. O foole, he thought to take
In that next day, old Priams towne; not knowing what affaires
Ioue had in purpose; who prepar'd, (by strong fight) sighes and cares
For Greekes, and Troians. The dreame gone, his voice still murmured
About the kings cares: who sate vp, put on him, in his bed,
His silken inner weed; faire, new, and then in hast arose;
Cast on his ample mantle, tied, to his soft feet faire shoes;
His siluer-hilted sword he hung, about his shoulders, tooke
His fathers scepter, neuer staind: which then abroad he shooke,

The morning.

And went to fleete. And now great heauen, Goddesse Aurora, scall'd
To Ioue, and all Gods, bringing light. When Agamemnon call'd
His heralds, charging them aloud, to call to instant Court
The thicke-haird Greekes. The heralds call'd, the Greekes made quicke resort:
The Councell chiefly he composd, of old great minded men,
At Nestors ships, the Pylian king: all there assembled then,

Agamemnon.

Thus Atreus sonne begunne the Court: Heare friends, a dreame diuine,
Amids the calme night in my sleepe, did through my shut eyes shine,
Within my fantasie: his forme, did passing naturally
Resemble Nestor: such attire, a stature iust as hie.
He stood aboue my head; and words, thus fashiond, did relate.

Agamemnon tels his vision.

Sleepes the wise Atreus-tame-horse sonne? A counsellor of state
Must not, the whole night spend in sleepe; to whom the people are
For guard committed; and whose life, stands bound to so much care.
Now heare me then, (Ioues messenger,) who, though farre off from thee,
Is neare thee yet, in loue, and care: and giues command by me,
To arme thy whole hoast. Thy strong hand, the broad-waid towne of Troy,
Shall now take in: no more the Gods, dissentiously imploy
Their high-housd powres: Saturnias suite, hath wonne them all to her;
And ill fates ouer-hang these towres, addrest by Iupiter.
Fixe in thy mind this. This exprest, he tooke wing and away;
And sweet sleepe left me: let vs then, by all our meanes assay,
To arme our armie; I will first, (as farre as fits our right)
Trie their addictions, and command, with full-sail'd ships our flight:
Which if they yeeld to, oppose you. He sate; and vp arose
Nestor, of sandy Pylos, king: who, (willing to dispose
Their counsell to the publicke good) proposd this to the State:

Nestor to the Greekes.

Princes, and Counsellors of Greece? If any should relate
This vision, but the king himselfe; it might be held a tale,
And moue the rather our retraite: but since our Generall
Affirmes he saw it, hold it true; and all our best meanes make
To arme our armie. This speech vsde, he first the Councell brake;
The other scepter-bearing States, arose to, and obeyd
The peoples Rector. Being abroad, the earth was ouerlaid
With flockers to them, that came forth: as when, of frequent Bees

Simile.

Swarmes rise out of a hollow rocke, repairing the degrees

Of their egression endlesly; with euer rising new,
From forth their sweet nest: as their store, still as it faded, grew,
And neuer would ceasse sending forth, her clusters to the spring
They still crowd out so; this flocke here; that there, be labouring
The loaded flowres. So from the ships, and tents, the armies store,
Troopt to these Princes, and the Court; along th' vnmeasur'd shore:
Amongst whom, Ioues Ambassadresse, (Fame) in her vertue shin'd,

Fame, Ioues ambassadresse.

Exciting greedinesse to heare. The rabble thus inclin'd,
Hurried together; vprore seisd, the high Court; earth did grone
Beneath the setling multitude; tumult was there alone.
Thrise three voiciferous heralds rose, to checke the rout, and get
Eare to their Ioue-kept Gouernors; and instantly was set
That huge confusion; euery man, set fast, and clamor ceast:
Then stood diuine Atrides vp, and in his hand comprest
His scepter, th' elaborate worke, of fierie Mulciber:

The scepter of Agamemnon.

Who gaue it to Saturnian Ioue; Ioue to his messenger;
His messenger (Argicides,) to Pelops, skild in horse;
Pelops, to Atreus chiefe of men; he dying, gaue it course
To Prince Thyestes, rich in heards; Thyestes to the hand
Of Agamemnon renderd it, and with it, the command
Of many Iles, and Argos, all. On this he leaning, said:

O friends, great sonnes of Danaus, seruants of Mars; Ioue laid

Agamemnon to the Greekes.

A heauie curse on me, to vow, and binde it with the bent
Of his high forehead; that (this Troy, of all her people spent)
I should returne; yet now to mocke, our hopes, built on his vow:
And charge ingloriously my flight; when such an ouerthrow
Of braue friends, I haue authored. But to his mightiest will
We must submit vs; that hath raz't, and will be razing still,
Mens footsteps, from so many townes; because his power is most,
He will destroy most. But how vile, such, and so great an hoast,
Will shew to future times? that matcht, with lesser numbers farre,
We flie, not putting on the crowne, of our so long-held warre?
Of which, there yet appeares no end. Yet should our foes and we
Strike truce, and number both our powers; Troy taking all that be
Her arm'd inhabitants; and we, in tens should all sit downe
At our truce banquet: euerie ten, allow'd one of the towne
To fill his feast-cup; many tens, would their attendant want:
So much I must affirme, our power, exceeds th' inhabitant.
But their auxiliarie bands; those brandishers of speares,
(From many cities drawne) are they, that are our hinderers;
Not suffering well-raisd Troy to fall. Nine yeares are ended now,
Since Ioue our conquest vow'd, and now, our vessels rotten grow,
Our tackling failes, our wiues, yong sonnes, sit in their doores, and long
For our arriuall: yet the worke, that should haue wreakt our wrong,
And made vs welcome, lies vnwrought: Come then, as I bid, all
Obey, and flie to our lou'd home; for now, nor euer shall
Our vtmost, take in broad-waid Troy. This said, the multitude
Was all for home, and all men else, that what this would conclude

Had not discouerd. All the crowd, was shou'd about the shore;

Simile.

In sway, like rude, and raging waues, rowsd with the feruent blore
Of th' East, and South winds; when they breake, from Ioues clouds, and are borne
On rough backs of th' Icarian seas: or like a field of corne
High growne, that Zephyrs vehement gusts, bring easily vnderneath,
And make the stiffe-vp-bristl'd eares, do homage to his breath:
For euen so easily, with the breath, Atrides vsde, was swaid
The violent multitude. To fleet, with showts, and disaraid,
All rusht; and with a fogge of dust, their rude feete, dimd the day;
Each cried to other, cleanse our ships; come, lanch, aboord, away.
The clamor of the runners home, reacht heauen; and then past fate,
The Greekes had left Troy, had not then, the Goddesse of estate,

Iuno to Pallas.

Thus spoke to Pallas: O foule shame, thou vntam'd seed of Ioue,
Shall thus the seas broad backe be charg'd, with these our friends remoue?
Thus leauing Argiue Hellen here? thus Priam grac't? thus Troy?
In whose fields, farre from their lou'd owne, (for Hellens sake) the ioy,
And life of so much Grecian birth, is vanisht? take thy way
T'our brasse-arm'd people; speake them faire, let not a man obey
The charge now giuen, nor lanch one ship. She said, and Pallas did
As she commanded: from the tops, of heauens steepe hill she slid;
And straight, the Greekes swift ships, she reacht: Vlysses, (like to Ioue
In gifts of counsell) she found out; who, to that base remoue,
Stird not a foote, nor toucht a ship; but grieu'd at heart to see
That fault in others. To him close, the blue-eyd deitie
Made way, and said: Thou wisest Greeke, diuine Laertes sonne,
Thus flie ye homewards, to your ships, shall all thus headlong runne?
Glorie to Priam, thus ye leaue; glorie to all his friends,
If thus ye leaue her here; for whom, so many violent ends
Haue closd your Greeke eyes? and so farre, from their so loued homes
Go to these people, vse no stay; with faire termes ouercome
Their foule endeuour: not a man, a flying saile let hoice.

Thus spake she, and Vlysses knew, twas Pallas by her voice:
Ranne to the runners; cast from him, his mantle, which his man
And Herald, graue Eurybates, the Ithacensian
That follow'd him, tooke vp. Himselfe, to Agamemnon went;
His incorrupted scepter tooke; his scepter of descent;
And with it, went about the fleete. What Prince, or man of name,
He found flight-giuen; he would restraine, with words of gentlest blame;

Vlysses temper in restraining the flight.

Good sir, it fits not you to flie, or fare as one afraid;
You should not onely stay your selfe, but see the people staid.
You know not clearely (though you heard, the kings words) yet his mind,
He onely tries mens spirits now; and whom his trials find
Apt to this course, he will chastise. Nor you, nor I, heard all
He spake in councell: nor durst preasse, too neare our Generall,
Lest we incenst him to our hurt. The anger of a king
Is mightie; he is kept of Ioue, and from Ioue likewise spring
His honors; which, out of the loue, of wise Ioue, he enioyes.
Thus, he the best sort vsd; the worst, whose spirits brake out in noise,

He cudgeld with his scepter, chid, and said: Stay wretch, be still,
And heare thy betters; thou art base, and both in powre and skill
Poore and vnworthie; without name, in counsell, or in warre.
We must not all be kings: the rule, is most irregularre,
Where many rule; one Lord, one king, propose to thee; and he
To whom wise Saturns sonne hath giuen, both law, and Emperie,
To rule the publicke, is that king. Thus, ruling, he restrain'd
The hoast from flight: and then, againe, the Councell was maintain'd
With such a concourse, that the shore, rung with the tumult made;
As when the farre-resounding sea, doth in his rage inuade
His sandie confines; whose sides grone, with his inuolued waue,
And make his owne breast eccho sighes. All sate, and audience gaue;
Thersites onely would speake all. A most disorderd store
Of words, he foolishly powrd out; of which his mind held more
Then it could manage; any thing, with which he could procure
Laughter, he neuer could containe. He should haue yet bene sure
To touch no kings. T'oppose their states, becomes not iesters parts.
But he, the filthiest fellow was, of all that had deserts

Thersites description.

In Troyes braue siege: he was squint-eyd, and lame of either foote:
So crooke-backt, that he had no breast: sharpe headed, where did shoote
(Here and there sperst) thin mossie haire. He most of all enuide
Vlysses and Æacides, whom still his splene would chide;

Achilles.

Nor could the sacred king himselfe, auoid his saucie vaine,
Against whom, since he knew the Greekes, did vehement hates sustaine
(Being angrie for Achilles wrong) he cride out; railing thus:

Atrides? why complainst thou now? what wouldst thou more of vs?

Thersites to Agamemnon.

Thy tents are full of brasse, and dames; the choice of all are thine:
With whom, we must present thee first, when any townes resigne
To our inuasion. Wantst thou then (besides all this) more gold
From Troyes knights, to redeeme their sonnes? whom, to be dearely sold,
I, or some other Greeke, must take? or wouldst thou yet againe,
Force from some other Lord, his prise; to sooth the lusts that raigne
In thy encroching appetite? it fits no Prince to be
A Prince of ill, and gouerne vs; or leade our progenie
By rape to ruine. O base Greekes, deseruing infamie,
And ils eternall: Greekish girls, not Greekes ye are: Come, flie
Home with our ships; leaue this man here, to perish with his preys,
And trie if we helpt him, or not: he wrong'd a man that weys
Farre more then he himselfe in worth: he forc't from Thetis sonne,
And keepes his prise still: nor think I, that mightie man hath wonne
The stile of wrathfull worthily; he's soft, he's too remisse,
Or else Atrides, his had bene, thy last of iniuries.

Thus he the peoples Pastor chid; but straight stood vp to him
Diuine Vlysses; who with lookes, exceeding graue, and grim,

Vlysses to Thersites.

This bitter checke gaue: Ceasse, vaine foole, to vent thy railing vaine
On kings thus, though it serue thee well: nor thinke thou canst restraine,
With that thy railing facultie, their wils in least degree,
For not a worse, of all this hoast, came with our king then thee,

To Troys great siege: then do not take, into that mouth of thine,
The names of kings; much lesse reuile, the dignities that shine
In their supreme states; wresting thus, this motion for our home
To sooth thy cowardise; since our selues, yet know not what will come
Of these designments: if it be, our good, to stay, or go:
Nor is it that thou standst on; thou, reuil'st our Generall so,
Onely, because he hath so much, not giuen by such as thou,
But our Heroes. Therefore this, thy rude veine, makes me vow,
(Which shall be curiously obseru'd) if euer I shall heare
This madnesse from thy mouth againe, let not Vlysses beare
This head, nor be the father cald, of yong Telemachus;
If to thy nakednesse, I take, and strip thee not, and thus
Whip thee to fleete from Councell; send, with sharpe stripes, weeping hence,
This glory thou affectst to raile. This said, his insolence
He setl'd with his scepter; strooke, his backe and shoulders so,
That bloody wales rose; he shrunke round; and from his eyes did flow
Moist teares, and looking filthily, he sate, feard, smarted; dried
His blubberd cheekes; and all the preasse, (though grieu'd to be denied,
Their wisht retrait for home) yet laught, delightsomely, and spake
Either to other: O ye Gods, how infinitely take
Vlysses vertues in our good? author of Counsels, great
In ordering armies: how most well, this act became his heate
To beate from Councell this rude foole? I thinke his sawcie spirit
Hereafter will not let his tongue, abuse the soueraigne merit,
Exempt from such base tongues as his. Thus spake the people: then
The citie-razer, Ithacus, stood vp to speake againe,
Holding his Scepter. Close to him, gray-eyd Minerua stood;
And like a herald, silence causd, that all the Achiue brood
(From first to last) might heare and know, the counsell: when (inclind

Vlysses to Agamemnon and the people.

To all their good) Vlysses said: Atrides, now I find,
These men would render thee the shame, of all men; nor would pay,
Their owne vowes to thee, when they tooke, their free and honord way,
From Argos hither; that till Troy, were by their braue hands rac't,
They would not turne home; yet like babes, and widowes, now they hast
To that base refuge. Tis a spite, to see men melted so
In womanish changes. Though tis true, that if a man do go
Onely a moneth to sea, and leaue, his wife farre off, and he
Tortur'd with winters stormes, and tost, with a tumultuous sea,
Growes heauy, and would home; vs then, to whom the thrice three yeare
Hath fild his reuoluble orbe, since our arriuall here,
I blame not, to wish home, much more: yet all this time to stay
(Out of our iudgements) for our end; and now to take our way
Without it, were absurd and vile. Sustaine then friends, abide,
The time set to our obiect: trie, if Calchas prophecied
True of the time or not. We know, ye all can witnesse well
(Whom these late death-conferring-fates, haue faild to send to hell)
That when in Aulis, all our fleet, assembl'd with a freight
Of ils to Ilion, and her friends: beneath the faire growne height

A Platane bore, about a fount, whence christall water flow'd,
And neare our holy altar, we, vpon the Gods bestow'd
Accomplisht Hecatombs; and there, appear'd a huge portent,
A Dragon with a bloody skale, horride to sight, and sent
To light by great Olympius; which crawling from beneath
The Altar, to the Platane climbd; and ruthlesse crasht to death
A Sparrowes yong, in number eight, that in a top-bow lay
Hid vnder leaues: the dam the ninth, that houerd euery way,
Mourning her lou'd birth; till at length, the Serpent watching her,
Her wing caught, and deuourd her too. This dragon, Iupiter
(That brought him forth) turnd to a stone; and made a powrefull meane
To stirre our zeales vp, that admir'd, when of a fact so cleane
Of all ill as our sacrifice, so fearefull an ostent
Should be the issue. Calchas then, thus prophecied the euent;
Why are ye dumbe strooke, faire-haird Greekes? wise Ioue is he hath showne
This strange ostent to vs. Twas late, and passing lately done,
But that grace it foregoes to vs, for suffering all the state
Of his apparence, (being so slow) nor time shall end, nor fate.
As these eight Sparrowes, and the dam, (that made the ninth) were eate
By this sterne Serpent; so nine yeares, we are t'endure the heate
Of rauenous warre, and in the tenth, take in this broad-waid towne.

Thus he interpreted this signe; and all things haue their crowne
As he interpreted, till now. The rest then, to succeed,
Beleeue as certaine: stay we all, till that most glorious deed
Of taking this rich towne, our hands, are honord with. This said,
The Greekes gaue an vnmeasur'd shout; which backe the ships repaid
With terrible ecchoes, in applause, of that perswasion
Diuine Vlysses vsd; which yet, held no comparison
With Nestors next speech, which was this: O shamefull thing! ye talke

Nestor to the Greeks.

Like children all, that know not warre. In what aires region walke
Our oathes, and couenants? Now I see, the fit respects of men
Are vanisht quite; our right hands giuen, our faiths, our counsels vaine;
Our sacrifice with wine; all fled, in that prophaned flame
We made to bind all: for thus still, we vaine perswasions frame,
And striue to worke our end with words; not ioyning stratagemes
And hands together; though thus long, the powre of our extremes
Hath vrg'd vs to them. Atreus sonne? firme as at first howre stand:
Make good thy purpose; talke no more, in counsels, but command
In actiue field. Let two or three, that by themselues aduise,
Faint in their crowning; they are such, as are not truly wise.
They will for Argos, ere they know, if that which Ioue hath said
Be false or true. I tell them all, that high Ioue bowd his head
As first we went aboord our fleet, for signe we should confer
These Troians, their due fate and death; almightie Iupiter,
All that day darting forth his flames, in an vnmeasur'd light,
On our right hands; let therefore none, once dreame of coward flight,
Till (for his owne) some wife of Troy, he sleepes withall; the rape
Of Hellen wreaking; and our sighes, enforc't for her escape.

If any yet dare dote on home, let his dishonor'd hast
His blacke, and well-built barke but touch, that (as he first disgrac't
His countries spirit) fate, and death, may first his spirit let go.
But be thou wise (king) do not trust, thy selfe, but others. Know
I will not vse an abiect word: see all thy men arraid
In tribes and nations; that tribes, tribes; nations may nations aid:
Which doing, thou shalt know, what chiefs, what souldiers play the men;
And what the cowards: for they all, will fight in seuerall then,
(Easie for note.) And then shalt thou, if thou destroist not Troy,
Know if the prophecies defect, or men thou dost employ
In their approu'd arts, want in warre: or lacke of that braue heate
Fit for the ventrous spirits of Greece, was cause to thy defeate.

Agamemnon to Nestor.

To this the king of men replied; O father, all the sonnes
Of Greece thou conquerst, in the strife, of consultations.
I would to Ioue, Athenia, and Phœbus, I could make
(Of all) but ten such Counsellers; then instantly would shake
Kings Priams citie; by our hands, laid hold on, and laid wast.
But Ioue hath orderd I should grieue, and to that end hath cast
My life into debates, past end. My selfe, and Thetis sonne,
(Like girles) in words fought for a girle, and I th' offence begunne:
But if we euer talke as friends, Troys thus deferred fall
Shall neuer vexe vs more one houre. Come then, to victles all,
That strong Mars, all may bring to field; each man his lances steele
See sharpned well; his shield well lin'd, his horses meated well,
His chariot carefully made strong; that these affaires of death,
We all day may hold fiercely out: no man must rest, or breath.
The bosomes of our targatiers, must all be steept in sweate.
The lanciers arme, must fall dissolu'd; our charriot horse with heate
Must seeme to melt. But if I find, one souldier take the chase,
Or stirre from fight, or fight not still, fixt in his enemies face;
Or hid a shipboord: all the world, for force, nor price, shall saue
His hated life; but fowles, and dogs, be his abhorred graue.

Simile.

He said, and such a murmure rose, as on a loftie shore
The waues make, when the Southwind comes, and tumbles them before
Against a rocke, growne neare the strand, which diuersly beset
Is neuer free; but here and there, with varied vprores beat.

All rose then, rushing to the fleete, perfum'd their tents, and eate:
Each offring to th' immortall Gods, and praying to scape th' heate
Of warre and death. The king of men, an Oxe of fiue yeares spring
T'almightie Ioue slue: call'd the Peeres, first Nestor, then the king
Idomenæus: after them, th' Aiaces, and the sonne

Diomed.

Of Tydeus; Ithacus the sixth, in counsell Paragon
To Ioue himselfe. All these he bad, but at-a-martiall-crie.
Good Menelaus, since he saw, his brother busily
Employd at that time, would not stand, on inuitation,
But of himselfe came. All about, the offring ouerthrowne
Stood round, tooke salt-cakes, and the king, himselfe thus praid for all:

O Ioue, most great, most glorious, that in that starrie hall,

Sit'st drawing darke clouds vp to aire: let not the Sunne go downe,
Darknesse supplying it; till my hands, the Pallace, and the towne
Of Priam ouerthrow, and burne; the armes on Hectors brest
Diuiding; spoiling with my sword, thousands (in interest
Of his bad quarrell) laid by him, in dust, and eating earth.

He pray'd, Ioue heard him not, but made, more plentifull the birth
Of his sad toiles; yet tooke his gifts. Prayres past, cakes on they threw:
The Oxe then (to the altar drawne,) they kill'd, and from him drew
His hide: then cut him vp; his thighes (in two hewne) dubd with fat,
Prickt on the sweet-breads; and with wood, leauelesse, and kindl'd at
Apposed fire, they burne the thighes; which done, the inwards slit,
They broild on coales, and eate. The rest, in giggots cut, they spit,
Roast cunningly, draw, sit, and feast: nought lackt to leaue alaid
Each temperate appetite; which seru'd, Nestor began and said:

Atrides, most grac't king of men, now no more words allow,

Nestor to Agamemnon.

Nor more deferre the deed Ioue vowes. Let heralds summon now
The brasen-coted Greekes; and vs, range euerie where the host,
To stirre a strong warre quickly vp. This speech no sillable lost;
The high-voic't heralds, instantly, he charg'd to call to armes
The curld-head Greeks; they call'd; the Greeks, straight answerd their alarmes.
The Ioue-kept kings, about the king, all gatherd, with their aide
Rang'd all in tribes and nations. With them the gray-eyd maide
Great Ægis (Ioues bright shield) sustain'd, that can be neuer old;
Neuer corrupted, fring'd about, with serpents forg'd of gold,
As many as suffisde to make, an hundred fringes, worth
A hunderd oxen, euerie snake, all sprawling, all set forth
With wondrous spirit. Through the host, with this the Goddesse ranne
In furie, casting round her eyes; and furnisht euerie man
With strength; exciting all to armes, and fight incessant. None
Now lik't their lou'd homes like the warres. And as a fire vpon
A huge wood, on the heights of hils, that farre off hurles his light:
So the diuine brasse shin'd on these, thus thrusting on for fight;
Their splendor through the aire reacht heauen: and as about the flood
Caister, in an Asian meade, flockes of the airie brood,
(Cranes, Geese, or long-neckt Swans) here, there, proud of their pinions flie,
And in their fals lay out such throats, that with their spiritfull crie
The meddow shrikes againe: so here, these many nation'd men,
Flow'd ouer the Scamandrian field; from tents, and ships; the din
Was dreadfull, that the feete of men, and horse, beate out of earth.
And in the florishing meade they stood, thicke as the odorous birth
Of flowres, or leaues bred in the spring; or thicke as swarmes of flies
Throng then to ship-coates; when each swarme, his erring wing applies
To milke deawd on the milke maids pailes: all eagerly disposd,
To giue to ruine th' Ilians. And as in rude heapes closd
Though huge Goate-heards are at their food, the Goate-heards easly yet,
Sort into sundry heards; so here, the Chiefes in battell set,
Here tribes, here nations, ordring all. Amongst whom shin'd the king,
With eyes, like lightning-louing Ioue; his forehead answering,

In breast like Neptune; Mars in waste: and as goodly Bull
Most eminent of all a heard, most strong, most masterfull;
So Agamemnon, Ioue that day, made ouerheighten clere,
That heauen-bright armie; and preferd, to all th' Heroes there.

Inuocation.

Now tell me Muses, you that dwell, in heauenly roofes (for you
Are Goddesses; are present here, are wise, and all things know;
We onely trust the voyce of fame, know nothing:) who they were
That here were captains of the Greekes? Commanding Princes here,
The multitude exceed my song; though fitted to my choice
Ten tongues were, hardned pallats ten, a breast of brasse, a voyce
Infract, and trumplike: that great worke, vnlesse the seed of Ioue
(The deathlesse Muses) vndertake, maintaines a pitch aboue
All mortall powers. The Princes then, and nauie that did bring
Those so inenarrable troopes; and all their soyles, I sing.

The Catalogue of the Grecian ships and Captaines.

The Bœotian captaines.

Peneleus , and Leitus, all that Bœotia bred,
Arcesilaus, Clonius, and Prothoænor, led;
Th' inhabitants of Hyria, and stonie Aulida;
Schæne, Schole, the hilly Eteon, and holy Thespia;
Of Græa, and great Mycalesse, that hath the ample plaine;

The places in Bœotia.

Of Harma, and Ilesius, and all that did remaine,
In Erith, and in Eleon; in Hylen, Peteona,
In faire Ocalea, and the towne, well builded, Medeona;
Capas, Eutresis, Thisbe that, for Pigeons doth surpasse;
Of Coroneia, Harliart; that hath such store of grasse.
All those that in Plateæ dwelt, that Glissa did possesse;
And Hypothebs, whose wel-built wals, are rare and fellowlesse;
In rich Onchestus famous wood, to watrie Neptune vow'd;
And Arne, where the vine-trees are, with vigorous bunches bow'd:
With them that dwelt in Mydea, and Nissa most diuine.
All those whom vtmost Anthedon, did wealthily confine.
From all these coasts in generall, full fiftie saile were sent,

The nauie of the Bœotians fiftie.

And sixscore strong, Bœotian youths, in euerie burthen went.
But those who in Aspledon dwelt, and Mynian Orchomen;

Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sonnes of Mars.

God Mars his sonnes did leade (Ascalaphus, and Ialmen.)
Who in Azidon Astors house, did of Astioche come;
The bashfull Maide, as she went vp, into the higher roome,
The warre-god secretly comprest: in safe conduct of these,

Their nauie 30.

Did thirtie hollow-bottom'd barkes, diuide the wauie seas.

The Phocensian captains Schedius and Epistrophus.

Braue Schedius and Epistrophus, the Phocean captaines were,
Naubolida, Iphitus sonnes, all-proofe gainst any feare;
With them the Cyparisians went, and bold Pythonians,
Men of religious Chrysas soyle, and fat Daulidians:
Panopæans, Anemores, and fierce Hyampolists:
And those that dwell where Cephisus, casts vp his silken mists.

The men that faire Lylea held, neare the Cephisian spring,
All which did fortie sable barkes, to that designement bring;

Their fleet 40.

About th' entoyld Phocensian fleete, had these their saile assignde:
And neare to the sinister wing, the arm'd Bœotians shinde.

Aiax the lesse, Oileus sonne, the Locrians led to warre,

Aiax, Oielus, captaines of the Locrians.

Not like to Aiax Telamon, but lesser man by farre.
Little he was, and euer wore, a breastplate made of linne;
But for the manage of his lance, he generall praise did winne.
The dwellers of Caliarus, of Bessa, Opoen;

The towns of the Locrians.

The youths of Cynus, Scarphis, and, Augias, louely men;
Of Tarphis, and of Thronius, neare flood Boagrius fall;
Twise twentie martiall barkes of these, lesse Aiax saild withall.

Their nauie 40.

Who neare Eubœas blessed soile, their habitations had,
Strength-breathing Abants, who their seats, in sweet Eubœa made:

Eubœans and their townes.

The Astiæans rich in grapes, the men of Chalcida;
The Cerinths, bordring on the sea, of rich Eretria;
Of Dyons highly-seated towne; Charistus, and of Styre;
All these the Duke Alphenor led, a flame of Mars his fire;

Alphenor their Commander.

Surnam'd Chalcodontiades, the mightie Abants guide;
Swift men of foot, whose broad-set backes, their trailing haire did hide,
Well seene in fight, and soone could pierce, with farre extended darts
The breast plates of their enemies, and reach their dearest hearts.
Fortie blacke men of warre did saile, in this Alphenors charge.

Their fleet 40.

The souldiers that in Athens dwelt, a citie builded large,

The Athenians.

The people of Eristhius, whom Ioue-sprung Pallas fed:
And plentious-feeding Tellus brought, out of her flowrie bed:
Him, Pallas plac't in her rich Fane, and euerie ended yeare,
Of Buls and Lambes, th' Athenian youths, please him with offrings there.
Mightie Menestheus, Peteus sonne, had their deuided care:

Menestheus their Cheife.

For horsemen and for targatiers, none could with him compare:
Nor put them into better place, to hurt or to defend:
But Nestor (for he elder was) with him did sole contend:
With him came fiftie sable saile. And out of Salamine

Naues Attica 50.

Great Aiax brought twelue saile, that with, th' Athenians did combine.

Who did in fruitfull Argos dwell; or strong Hyrintha keepe:

The Salamines ioined with thē. Their leader Aiax Telamonius. Ships 12.

Hermion, or in Asinen, whose bosome is so deepe;
Træzena, Elion, Epidaire, where Bacchus crownes his head;
Egina, and Mazetas soyle, did follow Diomed.
And Sthenelus, the deare lou'd sonne, of famous Capaneus:

The Argiues Diomed their captaine with Sthenelus and Eurialus.

Together with Eurialus, heire of Mecistæus,
The king of Taleonides; past whom, in deeds of warre,
The famous souldier Diomed, of all was held by farre;
Fourescore blacke ships did follow these. The men faire Mycene held:

Their fleet 80. saile. The Myceneans. Their townes.

The wealthy Corinth, Cleon that, for beautious sight exceld:
Arathiræas louely seate, and in Ornias plaine,
And Sicyona, where at first, did king Adrastus raigne:
High seated Gonoessas towers, and Hyperisius;
That dwelt in fruitfull Pellenen, and in diuine Ægius:

With all the sea-side borderers, and wide Helices friends;

Agamemnon captaine. Ships 100.

To Agamemnon euerie towne, her natiue birth commends,
In double fiftie sable barks: with him a world of men
Most strong and full of valure went: and he in triumph then
Put on his most resplendent armes, since he did ouershine
The whole heroique host of Greece, in power of that designe.

The Lacedæmonians and their townes.

Who did in Lacedæmons rule, th' vnmeasur'd concaue hold:
High Phares, Spartas, Messes towers, for doues so much extold;
Bryseias and Augias grounds; strong Laa, Oetylon;
Amyclas, Helos harbor-towne, that Neptune beats vpon:

Menelaus captaine. Ships 60.

All these did Menelaus leade, (his brother that in cries
Of warre was famous) sixtie ships, conuaid these enemies,
To Troy in chiefe; because their king, was chiefly iniur'd there,
In Hellens rape; and did his best, to make them buy it deare.

The Pylians and their townes.

Who dwelt in Pylos sandie soyle, and Arene the faire;
In Thryon, neare Alphæus flood, and Aepy full of aire:
In Cyparisseus, Amphygen, and little Pteleon;
The towne where all the Iliots dwelt, and famous Doreon;
Where all the Muses (opposite, in strife of Poesie,

Thamyris depriued of sight and Poesie by the Muses.

To ancient Thamyris of Thrace) did vse him cruelly;
He coming from Eurytus court, the wise Oechalian king:
Because he proudly durst affirme, he could more sweetly sing,
Then that Pyerean race of Ioue; who (angrie with his vant)
Bereft his eye-sight, and his song, that did the eare enchant;
And of his skill to touch his Harpe, disfurnished his hand:

Nestor captaine. Ships 90.

All these in ninetie hollow keeles, graue Nestor did command.

The Arcadians and their towns.

The richly blest inhabitants of the Arcadian land
Below Cyllenes mount, that by, Epyrus tombe did stand;
Where dwell the bold neare-fighting men; who did in Phæneus liue:
And Orchomen, where flockes of sheepe, the shepheards clustering driue:
In Rypé and in Stratié, the faire Mantinean towne;
And strong Euispe, that for height, is euer weather-blowne;
Tegea, and in Stimphalus; Parrhasia strongly wall'd;

Agapenor their leader.

All these Alcæus sonne, to field (king Agapenor) call'd;

Ships 60.

In sixtie barks he brought them on, and euerie barke well mand,
With fierce Arcadians, skild to vse, the vtmost of a band.
King Agamemnon on these men, did well-built ships bestow,
To passe the gulfie purple sea, that did no sea rites know.

The Epians and their townes.

They who in Hermin, Buphrasis, and Elis did remaine,
What Oleus Cliffes, Alisius, and Myrfin did containe;

Ships 40.

Were led to warre by twise two Dukes, and each ten ships did bring,
Which many venterous Epyans, did serue for burthening.

Beneath Alphimacus his charge, and valiant Talphius,

Captaines Alphimachus, Talphius, Diores Polixenus.

Sonne of Euritus Actor, one; the other Cteatus;
Diores Amarincides, the other did imploy;
The fourth diuine Polixenus, Agastheuis his ioy:

Dulichiaus.

The king of faire Angeiades, who from Dulichians came,
And from Euchinaus sweet Iles, which hold their holy frame

By ample Elis region, Meges Phelides led:

Meges captaine.

Whom Duke Phyleus, Ioues belou'd, begat, and whilome fled
To large Dulychius for the wrath, that fir'd his fathers breast.
Twise twentie ships with Ebon sailes, were in his charge addrest.

Ships 40.

The war-like men of Cephale, and those of Ithaca,

The Cephaleans and their towns.

Wooddy Nerytus, and the men, of wet Crocilia:
Sharpe Ægilipha, Samos Ile, Zacynthus, sea-enclosd;
Epyrus, and the men that hold, the Continent opposd;
All these did wise Vlysses leade, in counsell Peere to Ioue:

Vlysses captaine. Ships. 12.

Twelue ships he brought, which in their course, vermilion sternes did moue.

Thoas, Andremons wel-spoke sonne, did guide th' Etolians well;

The Ætolians their captaines and townes. Thoas captaine.

Those that in Pleuron, Olenon, and strong Pylene dwell:
Great Calcis that by sea-side stands, and stony Calydon;
For now no more of Oeneus sonnes, suruiu'd; they all were gone:
No more his royall selfe did liue, no more his noble sonne,
The golden Meleager; now, their glasses all were run.
All things were left to him in charge, the Ætolians Chiefe he was,
And fortie ships to Troian warres, the seas with him did passe.

Ships. 40.

The royall souldier Idomen, did leade the Cretans stout:

The Cretans, their townes and Captaines.

The men of Gnossus, and the towne, Cortima, wall'd about.
Of Lictus and Myletus towres, of white Lycastus state,
Of Phestus and of Rhistias, the cities fortunate:
And all, the rest inhabiting, the hundred townes of Crete;

Idomeneus. A hundred cities in Crete. Ships 80.

Whom warre-like Idomen did leade, copartner in the fleete,
With kil-man Merion; eightie ships, with them did Troy inuade.

Tlepolemus Heraclides, right strong and bigly made,
Brought nine tall ships of warre from Rhodes, which hautie Rhodians mand,
Who dwelt in three disseuer'd parts, of that most pleasant land;
Which Lyndus and Ialissus were, and bright Camyrus, cald:
Tlepolemus commanded these, in battell vnappald:

Tlepolemus Cōmander of the Rhodians. Ships 9.

Whom faire Astioche brought forth, by force of Hercules;
Led out of Ephyr with his hand, from riuer Sellees;
When many townes of princely youths, he leueld with the ground.

Townes.

Tlepolem (in his fathers house, for building much renownd,
Brought vp to head-strong state of youth) his mothers brother slue,
The flowre of armes, Lycymnius, that somewhat aged grew:
Then straight he gathred him a fleete, assembling bands of men,
And fled by sea, to shun the threats, that were denounced then,
By other sonnes and nephewes of, th' Alciden fortitude.
He in his exile came to Rhodes, driuen in with tempests rude:
The Rhodians were distinct in tribes, and great with Ioue did stand,
The king of men and Gods, who gaue, much treasure to their land.

Nireus, out of Symas hauen, three wel-built barkes did bring;

The Symæans. Nireus their Chiefe, fairest of all the Greekes but Achilles. Ships 3.

Nireus faire Aglaias sonne, and Charopes the king:
Nireus was the fairest man, that to faire Ilion came,
Of all the Greekes, saue Peleus sonne; who past for generall frame.
But weake this was, not fit for warre, and therefore few did guide.

Who did in Cassus, Nisyrus, and Crapathus abide,

The Calydneiās and other Ilanders. Their Chiefe Phydippus and Antiphus. Ships 30.

In Co, Euripilus his towne, and in Calyduas soyles,
Phydippus and bold Antiphus, did guide to Troian toyles;
The sonnes of crowned Thessalus, deriu'd from Hercules,
Who went with thirtie hollow ships, well ordred to the seas.
Now will I sing the sackfull troopes, Pelasgian Argos held,

The Palasgians Thessal. Myrmidons.

That in deepe Alus, Alopé, and soft Trechina dweld;
In Pthya and in Hellade, where liue the louely dames,
The Myrmidons, Helenians, and Achiues, robd of Fames:

Achilles their Captaine. Ships 50.

All which the great Æcides, in fiftie ships did leade.
For, these forgat warres horride voice, because they lackt their head,
That would haue brought them brauely foorth; but now at fleete did lie,
That wind-like vser of his feet, faire Thetis progenie;
Wroth for bright-cheekt Bryseis losse; whom from Lyrnessus spoiles,
(His owne exploit) he brought away, as trophee of his toiles,
When that towne was depopulate; he sunke the Theban towres;
Myneta, and Epistrophus, he sent to Plutoes bowres,
Who came of king Euenus race, great Helepiades:
Yet now he idely liues enrag'd, but soone must leaue his ease.

Philacei, and their townes.

Of those that dwelt in Phylace, and flowrie Pyrrason
The wood of Ceres, and the soyle, that sheepe are fed vpon,
Iten and Antron, built by sea, and Pteleus full of grasse,

Protesilaus captaine.

Protesilaus while he liu'd, the worthie captaine was:
Whom now the sable earth detaines: his teare-torne faced spouse
He wofull left in Philace, and his halfe finisht house:
A fatall Dardane first his life, of all the Greekes, bereft,
As he was leaping from his ship; yet were his men vnleft
Without a Chiefe; for though they wisht, to haue no other man,
But good Protesilay their guide; Podarces yet began
To gouerne them, Iphitis sonne, the sonne of Philacus,
Most rich in sheepe, and brother to, short-liu'd Protesilaus:
Of yonger birth, lesse, and lesse strong; yet seru'd he to direct
The companies, that still did more, their ancient Duke affect.
Twise twentie Iettie sailes with him, the swelling streame did take.

Ships 40.

The Phereians and their townes.

But those that did in Pheres dwell, at the Bæbreian lake,
In Bæbe, and in Glaphira, Iaolcus builded faire:
In thrise sixe ships to Pergamus: did through the seas repaire,

Eumelus captaine. Ships. 11.

With old Admetes tender sonne, Eumelus, whom he bred,
Of Alcest Pelius fairest child, of all his femall seed.

The Methonians and their borderers.

The souldiers that before the siege, Methones vales did hold:
Thaumaciæ, flowrie Meliba, and Olison the cold,

Their chiefe, Philoctetes, left maimed at Lemnos.

Duke Philoctetes gouerned, in darts of finest sleight:
Seuen vessels in his charge conuaid, their honorable freight;
By fiftie rowers in a barke, most expext in the bow:
But he in sacred Lemnos lay, brought miserably low,
By torment of an vlcer growne, with Hydras poyson'd bloud:

Madam Oyleus base sonne, captaine in Philoct. place.

Whose sting was such, Greece left him there, in most impatient moode:
Yet thought they on him at his ship, and chusde to leade his men,
Medon, Oyleus bastard sonne, brought forth to him by Rheu.

From Thricce, bleake Ithomens cliffes, and haplesse Oechaly:

The Thriccians, Ithomeneians, and Oechalians, whose captaines were Podalirius and Machaon. Ships 30.

Eurites citie rul'd by him, in wilfull tyranny,
In charge of Esculapius sonnes, physition highly praisd:
Machaon, Podalirius, were thirtie vessels raisd:

Who neare Hiperias fountaine dwelt, and in Ormenius:

The Ormenians, with their borderers. Their captaine Euripilus. Ships40.

The snowy tops of Titannus, and in Asterius:
Euemons sonne Euripilus, did leade into the field:
Whose townes did fortie blacke-saild ships, to that encounter yeeld.

Who Gyrton, and Argissa held, Orthen and Elons seate,

Argissæans with their borderers. Meneptolemus their chiefe, and Leonteus. Ships 40.

And chalkie Oloossine, were led by Polypete;
The issue of Perithous, the sonne of Iupiter.
Him the Athenian Theseus friend, Hypodamy did beare;
When he the bristled sauages: did giue Ramnusia,
And draue them out of Pelius, as farre as Ethica.
He came not single, but with him, Leonteus, Corons sonne,
An arme of Mars; and Corons life, Ceneus seed begunne.
Twise twentie ships, attended these. Cuneus next did bring,
From Cyphus, twentie saile and two, the Enians following;

The Cyphians, Enians, Peræbians. Their chiefe Guneus. Ships 22.

And fierce Peræbi, that about, Dadones frozen mold,
Did plant their houses, and the men, that did the medowes hold,
Which Titoresius deckes with flowers, and his sweet current leades,
Into the bright Peneius, that hath the siluer heads.
Yet with his admirable streame, doth not his waues commixe;
But glides aloft on it like oyle: for tis the floud of Stix,
By which th' immortall Gods do sweare. Teuthredous honor'd birth

The Magnets. Prothous their chiefe. Ships 40.

Prothous led the Magnets forth, who neare the shadie earth,
Of Pelius, and Peneion, dwelt; fortie reuengefull saile
Did follow him; these were the Dukes, and Princes of auaile,
That came from Greece: but now the man, that ouershin'd them all;
Sing Muse: and their most famous Steeds, to my recitall call,
That both th' Atrides followed; faire Pheretiedes,
The brauest mares, did bring by much; Eumelius manag'd these:

Eumelius had the best mares of the armie.

Swift of their feete as birds of wings; both of one haire did shine,
Both of an age, both of a height, as measur'd by a line:
Whom siluer-bow'd Apollo bred, in the Pierean meade;
Both slicke and daintie, yet were both, in warre of wondrous dread.

Great Aiax Telamon for strength, past all the Peeres of warre,

Aiax Telamonius the strongest Greeke next Achilles. Achilles the best horse.

While vext Achilles was away: but he surpast him farre.
The horse that bore that faultlesse man, were likewise past compare:
Yet lay he at the crookt-stern'd ships, and furie was his fare,
For Atreus sonnes vngracious deed: his men yet pleasd their hearts,
With throwing of the holed stone; with hurling of their darts,
And shooting fairely on the shore. Their horse at chariots fed,
On greatest parsly, and on sedge, that in the fens is bred.
His Princes tents their chariots held, that richly couerd were.
His Princes, amorous of their Chiefe, walkt storming here and there,
About the host, and scorn'd to fight: their breaths, as they did passe,
Before them flew, as if a fire, fed on the trembling grasse.

Earth vnder-gron'd their high raisd feet, as when offended Ioue,
In Artme, Tiphoeus, with ratling thunder droue,
Beneath the earth: in Arime, men say the graue is still,
Where thunder tomb'd Typhoeus, and is a monstrous hill.
And as that thunder made earth grone, so gron'd it as they past,
They trode with such hard-set-downe steps, and so exceeding fast.

Iris to the Troians, from Ioue.

To Troy the rainbow-girded dame, right heauie newes relates,
From Ioue (as all to Councell drew, in Priams Pallace gates)
Resembling Priams sonne in voice, Polytes swift of feet:
In trust whereof (as Sentinell, to see when from the fleet,
The Grecians sallied) he was set, vpon the loftie brow
Of aged Esietes tombe, and this did Iris show;

Iris to Priam.

O Priam thou art alwaies pleasd, with indiscreet aduise:
And fram'st thy life to times of peace, when such a warre doth rise
As threats ineuitable spoyle; I neuer did behold
Such and so mightie troupes of men, who trample on the mold,
In number like Autumnus leaues, or like the marine sand:
All ready round about the walles, to vse a ruining hand.
Hector? I therefore charge thee most, this charge to vndertake:
A multitude remaine in Troy, will fight for Priams sake,
Of other lands and languages; let euerie leader then
Bring forth, well arm'd into the field, his seuerall bands of men.

Strong Hector knew, a deitie, gaue charge to this assay:
Dismist the Councell straight; like waues, clusters to armes do sway:
The ports are all wide open set: out rusht the troopes in swarmes,
Both horse and foote, the citie rung, with suddaine cryed alarmes.

Batieiæ tumulus

A Columne stands without the towne, that high his head doth raise,
A little distant, in a plaine, trod downe with diuers waies:
Which men do Batieia call, but the immortals name
Myrinnes famous sepulcher, the wondrous actiue dame.
Here were th' Auxiliarie bands, that came in Troyes defence,
Distinguisht vnder seuerall guides, of speciall excellence.

The Duke of all the Troian power, great helme-deckt Hector was:

Hector Generall of the Troians. The catalogue of other captaines. Dardans, and Æneas their captaine.

Which stood of many mightie men, well skild in darts of brasse:
Æneas of commixed seed (a goddesse with a man,
Anchises, with the Queene of loue:) the troopes Dardanian,
Led to the field; his louely Site, in Idas lower shade,
Begat him of sweet Cypridis; he solely was not made
Chiefe leader of the Dardan powers: Antenors valiant sonnes,

Archilocus. Acamas.

Archilochus, and Acamas, were ioyn'd companions.

Who in Zelia dwelt, beneath, the sacred foote of Ide,
That drinke of blacke Æsepus streame, and wealth made full of pride;

The Aphnij. Pandarus their leader.

(The Aphnij) Lycaons sonne, whom Phœbus gaue his bow,
(Prince Pandarus) did leade to field. Who Adrestinus owe,

(Apesus citie, Pitai, and mount Tereies)

Adrestians. Their Chiefe Adrestus and Amphius.

Adrestus, and stout Amphius led; who did their Sire displease,
(Merops Percosius) that exceld, all Troy in heauenly skill,
Of futures-searching prophesie: for much against his will,

His sonnes were agents in those armes: whom since they disobeyd;
The Fates, in letting slip their threds, their hastie valures staid.

Who in Porcotes, Practius; Arisbe did abide.

Percosians, Sestians, Abidens, Arisbæians, led by Asius.

Who Sestus and Abidus bred, Hyrtacides did guide:
Prince Asius Hyrtacides, that through great Selees force,
Brought from Arisba to that fight, the great and fierie horse.

Pyleus, and Hypotheus, the stout Pelasgians led,

The Pelasgians. Their chiefe, Hypotheus, and Pyleus.

Of them Larissas fruitfull soyle, before had nourished:
These were Pelasgian Pithus sonnes, sonne of Tentamidas.

The Thracian guides were Pyrous, and valiant Acamas.

The Thracians. Their chiefe Pyrous & Acamas. Euphemus Capt. of the Ciconians. Pyrechmes Commander of the Pæons.

Of all that the impetuous flood, of Hellespont enclosd,
Euphemus, the Ciconian troopes, in his command disposd;
Who from Trezenius Ceades, right nobly did descend.

Pyrechmes did the Peons rule, that crooked bowes do bend.
From Axius out of Amidon, he had them in command:
From Axius, whose most beautious streame, still ouerflowes the land.

Pylemen with the well arm'd heart, the Paphlagonians led,

Pylemē captain of the Paphlagonians.

From Enes, where the race of mules, fit for the plough is bred:
The men that broad Cytorus bounds, and Sesamus enfold,
About Parthenius loftie floud, in houses much extold;
From Cromna and Ægialus, the men that armes did beare,
And Eurithymus situate high, Pylemens soldiers were.

Epistrophus and Dius did, the Halizonians guide,

Halizonians, their captaine Epistrophus and Dius.

Far-fetcht from Alybe, where first, the siluer mines were tride.

Chronius, and Augur Eunomus, the Mysians did command,

The Mysians. Eunomus and Chronius.

Who could not with his auguries, the strength of death withstand;
But suffred it beneath the stroke, of great Æacides,
In Xanthus; where he made more soules, diue to the Stygian seas.

Phorcys and faire Ascanius, the Phrygians brought to warre;

The Phrygian. Their Chiefes Phorcis and Ascanius.

Well train'd for battell, and were come, out of Ascania farre.
With Methles, and with Antiphus (Pylemens sonnes) did fight,
The men of Mezon, whom the fenne, Gygæa brought to light.

And those Mæonians that beneath, the mountaine Tmolus sprong;

The Mæonians. Antiphus and Methles captaines. The Caribæ, and Milesians led by Amphimacus and Naustes.

The rude vnletterd Cariba, that barbarous were of tongue,
Did vnder Naustes colours march, and young Amphimachus,
(Nomyons famous sonnes) to whom, the mountaine Phthirorus,
That with the famous wood is crown'd; Miletus, Micales,
That hath so many loftie markes, for men that loue the seas;
The crooked armes Meander bow'd, with his so snakie flood,
Resign'd for conduct the choice youth, of all their martiall brood.
The foole Amphimachus, to field, brought gold to be his wracke;
Proude-girlelike that doth euer beare, her dowre vpon her backe;
Which wise Achilles markt; slue him, and tooke his gold in strife,
At Xanthus floud; so little death, did feare his golden life.

The Lycians whose Commanders were Sarpedon & Glaucus.

Sarpedon led the Lycians, and Glaucus vnreprou'd,
From Lycia and the gulfie flood, of Xanthus farre remou'd.

The end of the second Booke.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Paris (betwixt the Hoasts) to single fight
(Of all the Greekes) dares the most hardie knight:
King Menelaus, doth accept his braue,
Conditioning that he againe should haue
Faire Helena, with all she brought to Troy,
If he subdu'd; else Paris should enioy
Her, and her wealth, in peace. Conquest doth grant
Her deare wreath to the Grecian combattant;
But Venus, to her champions life doth yeeld
Safe rescue, and conueyes him from the field,
Into his chamber; and for Hellen sends;
Whom much, her louers foule disgrace offends;
Yet Venus, for him still makes good her charmes,
And ends the second combat in his armes.

Another Argument.

Gamma, the single fight doth sing
Twixt Paris, and the Spartan king.

When euery least Commanders will, best souldiers had obaide,
And both the hosts were rang'd for fight, the Troians would haue fraid
The Greeks with noises; crying out, in coming rudely on:
At all parts like the Cranes that fill, with harsh confusion,

The Troians compared to Cranes.

Of brutish clanges, all the aire: and in ridiculous warre,
(Eschuing the vnsufferd stormes, shot from the winters starre)
Visite the Ocean; and conferre, the Pygmei souldiers death.
The Greeks charg'd silent, and like men, bestow'd their thriftie breath

The silent assalt of the Greekes.

In strength of far-resounding blowes; still entertaining care
Of eithers rescue, when their strength, did their engagements dare.
And as vpon a hils steepe tops, the Southwind powres a cloud
To shepheards thanklesse; but by theeues, that loue the night, allowd;
A darknesse letting downe, that blinds, a stones cast off men eyes:
Such darknesse from the Greeks swift feet, (made all of dust) did rise.
But ere sterne conflict mixt both strengths, faire Paris stept before
The Troian host; athwart his backe, a Panthers hide he wore,
A crooked bow, and sword, and shooke, two brazen-headed darts;
With which (well arm'd) his tongue prouok't, the best of Grecian hearts
To stand with him in single fight. Whom, when the man wrong'd most
Of all the Greekes, so gloriously, saw stalke before the host;

As when a Lion is reioyc't (with hunger halfe forlorne)
That finds some sweet prey; (as a Hart, whose grace lies in his horne,
Or Syluane Goate) which he deuours, though neuer so pursu'd
With dogs and men; so Spartas king, exulted, when he view'd
The faire-fac'd Paris so exposde, to his so thirsted wreake,
Whereof his good cause made him sure. The Grecian front did breake,
And forth he rusht, at all parts arm'd: leapt from his chariot,
And royally prepar'd for charge. Which seene, cold terror shot

Paris flieth at sight of Menelaus.

The heart of Paris, who retir'd, as headlong from the king,
As in him, he had shund his death: and as a hilly spring,

Simile.

Presents a serpent to a man, full vnderneath his feete,
Her blew necke (swolne with poison) raisd, and her sting out, to greet
His heedlesse entrie: sodainely, his walke he altereth;
Starts backe amaz'd, is shooke with feare, and lookes as pale as death:
So Menelaus, Paris scar'd: so that diuine fac't foe,
Shrunke in his beauties. Which beheld, by Hector, he let go

Hector to Paris.

This bitter checke at him. Accurst, made but in beauties skorne;
Impostor, womans man! O heauen, that thou hadst neare bene borne,
Or (being so manlesse) neuer liu'd, to beare mans noblest state,
The nuptiall honor; which I wish, because it were a fate
Much better for thee, then this shame; this spectacle doth make
A man a monster: Harke how lowd, the Greekes laugh, who did take
Thy faire forme, for a continent, of parts as faire; a rape
Thou mad'st of Nature, like their Queene. No soule; an emptie shape
Takes vp thy being: yet, how spight, to euerie shade of good,
Fils it with ill? for as thou art, thou couldst collect a brood
Of others like thee: and farre hence, fetch ill enough to vs;
Euen to thy father: all these friends; make those foes mocke them thus,
In thee: for whose ridiculous sake, so seriously they lay,
All Greece, and Fate vpon their necks: O wretch! not dare to stay
Weake Menelaus? But twas well: for in him, thou hadst tried
What strength, lost beautie can infuse; and with the more griefe died,
To feele thou robdst a worthier man; to wrong a souldiers right.
Your Harps sweet touch, curld lockes, fine shape, and gifts so exquisite,
Giuen thee by Venus, would haue done, your fine Dames little good,
When bloud and dust had ruffled them; and had as little stood
Thy selfe in stead; but what thy care, of all these in thee flies,
We should inflict on thee our selues: infectious cowardise
(In thee) hath terrified our host; for which, thou well deseru'st
A coate of Tomb-stone, not of steele: in which, for forme thou seru'st.

Paris to Hector.

To this thus Paris spake, (for forme, that might inhabit heauen)
Hector? Because thy sharpe reproofe, is out of iustice giuen,
I take it well: but though thy heart (inur'd to these affrights
Cuts through them, as an axe through Oke; that, more vsd, more excites
The workmans facultie: whose art, can make the edge go farre;
Yet I (lesse practisd, then thy selfe, in these extremes of warre)
May well be pardond, though lesse bold; in these, your worth exceeds;
In others, mine: Nor is my mind, of lesse force to the deeds

Requir'd in warte; because my forme, more flowes in gifts of peace.
Reproach not therefore the kind gifts, of golden Cyprides;
All heau'ns gifts haue their worthie price; as little to be scorn'd,
As to be wonne with strength, wealth, state; with which, to be adorn'd,
Some man would change, state, wealth, or strength. But if your martiall heart
Wish me to make my challenge good, and hold it such a part
Of shame to giue it ouer thus; cause all the rest to rest;
And twixt both hosts, let Spartas king, and me performe our best,
For Hellen, and the wealth she brought: and he that ouercomes,
Or proues superiour any way, in all your equall doomes,
Let him enioy her vtmost wealth, keepe her, or take her home;
The rest strike leagues of endlesse date, and heartie friends become;
You dwelling safe in gleby Troy, the Greekes retire their force,
T'Achaia, that breeds fairest Dames: and Argos, fairest horse.

He said, and his amendsfull words, did Hector highly please;
Who rusht betwixt the fighting hoasts, and made the Troians cease,
By holding vp, in midst, his lance: the Grecians noted not
The signall he for parle vsde, but at him fiercely shot;
Hurld stones, and still were leuelling darts. At last, the king of men
(Great Agamemnon) cried alowd: Argiues? for shame containe:

Agamemnon restraines the fight against Hector. Hector to the Greekes and Troians.

Youths of Achaia? shoot no more; the faire-helm'd-Hector showes
As he desir'd to treate with vs. This said, all ceast from blowes;
And Hector spake to both the hosts: Troians? and hardie Greekes?
Heare now, what he that stird these warres, for their cessation seekes:
He bids vs all, and you disarme, that he alone may fight
With Menelaus, for vs all; for Hellen and her right,
With all the dowre she brought to Troy; and he that wins the day,
Or is, in all the art of armes, superiour any way;
The Queene, and all her sorts of wealth, let him at will enioy;
The rest strike truce; and let loue seale, firme leagues twixt Greece and Troy.

The Greeke host wondred at this Braue: silence flew euery where;
At last, spake Spartas warlike king: Now also giue me eare,

Menelaus to both the armies.

Whom griefe giues most cause of replie; I now haue hope to free
The Greekes and Troians of all ils, they haue sustaind for me
And Alexander, that was cause, I stretcht my splene so farre.
Of both then, which is nearest fate, let his death end the warre:
The rest immediatly retire, and greet all homes in peace.
Go then (to blesse your champion, and giue his powers successe)
Fetch for the Earth, and for the Sunne, (the Gods on whom ye call)
Two lambes, a blacke one and a white: a femall, and a male;
And we, another for our selues, will fetch, and kill to Ioue;
To signe which rites, bring Priams force; because we well approue,
His sonnes perfidious, enuious, (and out of practisd bane
To faith, when she beleeues in them) Ioues high truce may prophane,
All yong mens hearts, are still vnstaid: but in those wel-weigh'd deeds
An old man will consent to passe, things past, and what succeeds
He lookes into; that he may know, how best to make his way
Through both the fortunes of a fact: and will the worst obay.

(This granted,) A delightfull hope, both Greekes and Troians fed,
Of long'd-for rest, from those long toyles, their tedious warre had bred.
Their horses then in ranke they set, drawne from their chariots round;
Descend themselues, tooke off their armes, and plac't them on the ground,
Neare one another; for the space, twixt both the hosts was small.

Hector sendeth for Priam.

Hector two heralds sent to Troy, that they from thence might call
King Priam; and to bring the lambes, to rate the truce they swore.
But Agamemnon to the fleet, Talibibius sent before,
To fetch their lambe; who nothing slackt, the royall charge was giuen.

Iris to Hellen.

Iris the raine-bow then came downe, Ambassadresse from heauen,
To white arm'd Hellen; she assum'd, at euery part, the grace
Of Hellens last loues sisters shape; who had the highest place
In Hellens loue; and had to name, Laodice; most faire
Of all the daughters Priam had: and made the nuptiall paire,
With Helicaon; royall sproute, of old Antenors seed;
She found Queene Hellena at home, at worke about a weed,
Wou'n for her selfe: it shin'd like fire; was rich, and full of sise;
The worke of both sides being alike, in which she did comprise
The many labors, warlike Troy, and brasse-arm'd Greece endur'd,
For her faire sake, by cruell Mars, and his sterne friends procur'd.
Iris came in in ioyfull haste, and said: O come with me,
(Lou'd Nymph) and an admired sight, of Greekes and Troians see;
Who first on one another brought, a warre so full of teares,
(Euen thirstie of contentious warre) now euerie man forbeares,
And friendly by each other sits, each leaning on his shield;
Their long and shining lances pitcht, fast by them in the field.
Paris, and Spartas king alone, must take vp all the strife;
And he that conquers, onely call, faire Hellena his wife.

Thus spake the thousand colour'd Dame: and to her mind commends

Hellens desire to see her first husband & friends.

The ioy to see her first espousd, her natiue tow'rs, and friends;
Which stir'd a sweet desire in her, to serue the which, she hi'd:
Shadowed her graces with white veiles, and (though she tooke a pride
To set her thoughts at gaze, and see, in her cleare beauties flood
What choice of glorie swum to her, yet tender womanhood)
Season'd with teares, her ioyes to see, more ioyes the more offence:
And that perfection could not flow, from earthly excellence.

Thus went she forth, and tooke with her, her women most of name,
Æthra, Pitthaus louely birth: and Clymene, whom fame
Hath, for her faire eyes, memorisd. They reacht the Scæan towrs,
Where Priam sat to see the fight, with all his Counsellours,
Panthous, Lampus, Clitius, and stout Hycetaon,
Thimætes, wise Antenor, and profound Vcalegon:
All graue old men, and souldiers, they had bene, but for age

Old men, and their weake vtterance, most aptly compared to Grashoppers and their singing.

Now left the warres; yet Counsellors, they were exceeding sage.
And, as in well-growne woods, on trees, cold spinie Grashoppers
Sit chirping, and send voices out, that scarce can pierce our eares,

For softnesse, and their weake faint sounds: So (talking on the towre)
These Seniors of the people sate: who when they saw the powre

Of beautie, in the Queene ascend; euen those cold-spirited Peeres;
Those wise, and almost witherd men; found this heate in their yeares;

Hellens beautie moues euen the oldest.

That they were forc't (though whispering) to say; what man can blame
The Greekes, and Troians to endure, for so admir'd a Dame,
So many miseries, and so long? In her sweet countenance shine
Lookes like the Goddesses: and yet (though neuer so diuine)
Before we boast, vniustly still, of her enforced prise,
And iustly suffer for her sake, with all our progenies,
Labor, and ruine; let her go: the profit of our land,
Must passe the beautie. Thus, though these, could beare so fit a hand
On their affections; yet when all, their grauest powers were vsde;
They could not chuse but welcome her; and rather they accusde
The Gods, then beautie; for thus spake, the most fam'd king of Troy;
Come, loued daughter, sit by me, and take the worthy ioy

Priam cals Hellen to informe him of the Greeke Princes.

Of thy first husbands sight; old friends, and Princes neare allyed:
And name me some of these braue Greekes, so manly beautified.
Come: do not thinke, I lay the warres, endur'd by vs, on thee;
The Gods haue sent them, and the teares, in which they swumme to me.
Sit then, and name this goodly Greeke, so tall, and broadly spred,
Who then the rest, that stand by him, is higher by the head;
The brauest man I euer saw, and most maiesticall;
His onely presence, makes me thinke, him king amongst them all.

The fairest of her sexe replyed; Most reuerend fath'r in law:

Hellen to Priam

Most lou'd, most fear'd; would some ill death, had seizd me, when I saw
The first meane, why I wrong'd you thus; that I had neuer lost,
The sight of these my ancient friends; of him that lou'd me most;
Of my sole daughter, brothers both; with all those kindly mates,
Of one soyle, one age borne with me; though vnder different fates.
But these boones enuious starres denie; the memorie of these,
In sorrow pines those beauties now, that then did too much please;
Nor satisfie they your demand; to which I thus replie:
That's Agamemnon, (Atreus sonne) the great in Emperie;
A king, whom double royaltie, doth crowne, being great and good;
And one that was my brother in law, when I contain'd my blood,
And was more worthie; if at all, I might be said to be,
My Being, being lost so soone, in all that honour'd me?

The good old king admir'd, and said: O Atreus blessed sonne!

Priams admiration of Agamemnon.

Borne vnder ioyfull destinies, that hast the Empire wonne
Of such a world of Grecian youths, as I discouer here;
I once marcht into Phrygia, that many vines doth beare,
Where many Phrygians I beheld, well skild in vse of horse;
That of the two men, like two Gods, were the commanded force,
(Otrœus, and great Migdonus) who on Sangarius sands,
Set downe their tents; with whom my selfe (for my assistant bands)
Was numbred as a man in chiefe: the cause of warre was then,
Th' Amazon dames, that in their facts, affected to be men.
In all, there was a mightie powre, which yet did neuer rise,
To equall these Achaian youths, that haue the sable eyes.

Then (seeing Vlysses next) he said, Lou'd daughter what is he,
That lower then great Atreus sonne, seemes by the head to me?
Yet in his shoulders, and big breast, presents a broader show;
His armor lies vpon the earth: he vp and downe doth go,
To see his souldiers keepe their rankes, and ready haue their armes;
If, in this truce, they should be tried, by any false alarmes.
Much like a well growne Bel-weather, or feltred Ram he shewes,
That walkes before a wealthie flocke, of faire white-fleeced Ewes.

High Ioue, and Ledas fairest seed, to Priam thus replies:

Vlysses described

This is the old Laertes sonne, Vlysses, cald the wise;
Who, though vnfruitfull Ithaca, was made his nursing seate,
Yet knowes he euerie sort of sleight: and is in counsels great.

Antenor to Hellen by way of digression.

The wise Antenor answerd her; Tis true, renowmed dame;
For, some times past, wise Ithacus, to Troy a Legate came
With Menelaus, for your cause: to whom I gaue receit,
As guests; and welcom'd to my house, with all the loue I might.
I learn'd the wisdomes of their soules, and humors of their blood:
For when the Troian Councell met, and these together stood,
By height of his broad shoulders had, Atrides eminence;
Yet set, Vlysses did exceed, and bred more reuerence.
And when their counsels and their words, they woue in one; the speech
Of Atreus sonne was passing lowd, small, fast, yet did not reach
To much; being naturally borne, Laconicall: nor would
His humor lie for any thing; or was (like th' other) old.
But when the prudent Ithacus, did to his counsels rise,
He stood a little still, and fixt, vpon the earth his eyes;
His scepter mouing neither way, but held it formally,
Like one that vainely doth affect. Of wrathfull qualitie,

Vlysses wisdome admirably illustrated by similitude.

And franticke (rashly iudging him) you would haue said he was;
But when out of his ample breast, he gaue his great voice passe,
And words that flew about our eares, like drifts of winters snow;
None thenceforth, might contend with him; though nought admird for show.

The third man, aged Priam markt, was Aiax Telamon:
Of whom he askt; What Lord is that, so large of limme, and bone;
So raisd in height, that to his breast, I see there reacheth none?

To him the Goddesse of her sexe, the large veild Hellen said;

Aiax Telamon the Grecian bulwarke. Idomeneus king of Crete.

That Lord is Aiax Telamon, a Bulwarke in their aide.
On th' other side stands Idomen, in Crete of most command,
And round about his royall sides, his Cretane captaines stand.
Oft hath the warlike Spartan king, giuen hospitable due,
To him within our Lacene court, and all his retinue.
And now the other Achiue Dukes, I generally discerne;
All which I know; and all their names, could make thee quickly learne.
Two Princes of the people yet, I no where can behold;

Castor and Pollux brothers to Hellen.

Castor, the skilfull knight on horse, and Pollux vncontrold,
For all stand-fights, and force of hand; both at a burthen bred,
My naturall brothers: either here, they haue not followed,
From louely Sparta; or (arriu'd within the sea-borne fleet)

(In feare of infamie for me) in broad field shame to meet.

Nor so; for holy Tellus wombe, inclosd those worthy men,
In Sparta, their beloued soyle. The voicefull heralds then,

The heralds prepare for the compact.

The firme agreement of the Gods, through all the citie ring:
Two lambs, and spirit-refreshing wine (the fruit of earth) they bring,
Within a Goate-skin bottle closd; Idæus also brought
A massie glittering boll, and cups, that all of gold were wrought:
Which bearing to the king they cride; Sonne of Laomedon?

Idæus to Priamus.

Rise; for the wel-rode Peeres of Troy, and brasse-arm'd Greekes in one,
Send to thee, to descend to field, that they firme vowes may make;
For, Paris and the Spartan king, must fight for Hellens sake,
With long arm'd lances; and the man, that proues victorious,
The woman and the wealth she brought, shall follow to his house;
The rest knit friendship, and firme leagues; we safe in Troy shall dwell;
In Argos and Achaia they, that do in dames excell.

He said, and Priams aged ioints, with chilled feare did shake;
Yet instantly he bad his men, his chariot readie make.
Which soone they did, and he ascends: he takes the reines, and guide,
Antenor cals; who instantly, mounts to his royall side;
And through the Scæan ports, to field, the swift-foote horse they driue.
And when at them of Troy and Greece, the aged Lords arriue,
From horse, on Troyes well feeding soyle, twixt both the hosts they go.
When straight vp rose the king of men, vp rose Vlysses to;
The heralds in their richest cotes, repeate (as was the guise)
The true vowes of the Gods; term'd theirs, since made before their eyes.
Then in a cup of gold they mixe, the wine that each side brings;
And next, powre water on the hands, of both the kings of kings.
Which done, Atrides drew his knife, that euermore he put
Within the large sheath of his sword: with which, away he cut
The wooll from both fronts of the lambs, which (as a rite in vse
Of execration to their heads, that brake the plighted truce)
The heralds of both hosts did giue, the Peeres of both. And then
With hands and voice aduanc't to heauen, thus prayd the king of men:

O Ioue, that Ida dost protect, and hast the titles wonne,

Agamemnon himselfe prayes.

Most glorious, most inuincible; And thou all-seeing Sunne;
All-hearing, all-recomforting; floods? earth? and powers beneath?
That all the periuries of men, chastise euen after death;
Be witnesses, and see perform'd, the heartie vowes we make;
If Alexander shall the life, of Menelaus take,
He shall from henceforth Hellena, with all her wealth retaine;
And we will to our houshold Gods, hoyse saile, and home againe.
If by my honourd brothers hand, be Alexander slaine,
The Troians then, shall his forc't Queene, with all her wealth restore,
And pay conuenient fine to vs, and ours for euermore.
If Priam, and his sonnes denie, to pay this, thus agreed,
When Alexander shall be slaine; for that perfidious deed,
And for the fine, will I fight here, till dearely they repay
By death and ruine, the amends, that falshood keepes away.

The contract is confirmed.

This said, the throtes of both the lambs, cut with his royall knife;
He laid them panting on the earth, till (quite depriu'd of life)
The steele had robd them of their strength. Then golden cups they cround,
With wine out of a cisterne drawne: which powr'd vpon the ground,
They fell vpon their humble knees, to all the deities,
And thus pray'd one of both the hosts, that might do sacrifice;

Now one praies whose office was to do sacrifice.

O Iupiter, most high, most great, and all the deathlesse powers;
Who first shall dare to violate, the late sworne oaths of ours,
So let the bloods and braines of them, and all they shall produce,
Flow on the staind face of the earth; as now, this sacred iuice:
And let their wiues with bastardise, brand all their future race.
Thus praid they: but with wisht effects, their prayrs Ioue did not grace.

Priam to both hosts.

When Priam said; Lords of both hoasts? I can no longer stay,
To see my lou'd sonne trie his life; and so must take my way
To winde-exposed Ilion. Ioue yet and heauens high States,
Know onely, which of these must now, pay tribute to the Fates.

Priam and Antenor returne to Troy.

Thus putting in his coach the lambs, he mounts, and reines his horse;
Antenor to him; and to Troy, both take their speedie course.

Then Hector (Priams Martiall sonne) stept forth, and met the ground,

Hector and Vlysses measure the ground for the combat.

(With wise Vlysses) where the blowes, of combat must resound.
Which done, into a helme they put, two lots, to let them know,
Which of the combattants should first, his brasse-pil'd iaueline throw.
When, all the people standing by, with hands held vp to heauen,
Pray'd Ioue, the conquest might not be, by force or fortune giuen;
But that the man, who was in right, the author of most wrong,
Might feele his iustice; and no more, these tedious warres prolong;
But sinking to the house of death, leaue them (as long before)
Linkt fast in leagues of amitie, that might dissolue no more.

Hector shakes the helme, and Paris draws the lot to hurle first.

Then Hector shooke the helme that held, the equall doomes of chance;
Look't backe, and drew; and Paris first, had lot to hurle his lance.

The souldiers all sat downe enrank't, each by his armes and horse,
That then lay downe, and cool'd their hoofes. And now th' allotted course

He armes.

Bids faire-haird Hellens husband arme: who first makes fast his greaues,
With siluer buckles to his legs: then on his breast receiues
The curets that Lycaon wore, (his brother) but made fit
For his faire bodie: next, his sword, he tooke, and fastned it
(All damaskt) vnderneath his arme: his shield then, graue and great,
His shoulders wore: and on his head, his glorious helme he set;
Topt with a plume of horses haire, that horribly did dance,
And seem'd to threaten as he mou'd. At last he takes his lance,
Exceeding big, and full of weight; which he with ease could vse.

Menelaus arms

In like sort, Spartas warlike king, himselfe with armes indues.
Thus arm'd at either armie both, they both stood brauely in,
Possessing both hosts with amaze: they came so chin to chin;
And with such horrible aspects, each other did salute.

A faire large field was made for them: where wraths (for hugenesse) mute
And mutuall, made them mutually, at either shake their darts,

The combat.

Before they threw: then Paris first, with his long iaueline parts;

It smote Atrides orbie Targe: but ranne not through the brasse:
For in it (arming well the shield) the head reflected was.

Then did the second combattant, applie him to his speare:
Which ere he threw, he thus besought, almightie Iupiter:

O Ioue! vouchsafe me now reuenge, and that my enemie,

Menelaus prayeth to Ioue.

(For doing wrong so vndeseru'd) may pay deseruedly
The paines he forfeited; and let, these hands inflict those paines,
By conquering, I, by conquering dead, him on whom life complaines:
That any now, or any one, of all the brood of men
To liue hereafter, may with feare, from all offence abstaine,
(Much more from all such foule offence) to him that was his host,
And entertain'd him, as the man, whom he affected most.

This said, he shooke, and threw his lance; which strooke through Paris shield
And with the strength he gaue to it, it made the curets yeeld;
His coate of Maile, his breast and all: and draue his intrailes in,
In that low region, where the guts, in three small parts begin:
Yet he, in bowing of his breast, preuented sable death.
This taint he follow'd with his sword, drawne from a siluer sheath:
Which (lifting high) he strooke his helme, full where his plume did stand,
On which, it peece-meale brake, and fell, from his vnhappie hand.

Menelaus sword breaketh.

At which, he sighing stood, and star'd, vpon the ample skie,
And said, O Ioue, there is no God, giuen more illiberally

Menelaus at Iupiter.

To those that serue thee, then thy selfe; why haue I pray'd in vaine?
I hop't my hand should haue reueng'd, the wrongs I still sustaine
On him that did them; and still dares, their foule defence pursue;
And now my lance hath mist his end, my sword in shiuers flew,
And he scapes all. With this againe, he rusht vpon his guest,
And caught him by the horse-haire plume that dangl'd on his crest;
With thought, to drag him to the Greekes; which he had surely done,
And so (besides the victorie) had wondrous glorie wonne;
(Because the needle-painted lace, with which his helme was tied
Beneath his chin, and so about, his daintie throte implyed,
Had strangl'd him:) but that in time, the Cyprian seed of Ioue,
Did breake the string, with which was lin'd, that which the needle woue;
And was the tough thong of a Steere, and so the victors palme
Was (for so full a man at armes) onely an emptie helme.
That then he swong about his head, and cast among his friends;
Who scrambled, and took't vp with shouts. Againe then he intends,
To force the life blood of his foe, and ranne on him amaine,
With shaken iaueline; when the Queene, that louers loues, againe
Attended; and now rauisht him, from that encounter quite,

Venus rapture of Paris from Menelaus. This place Virgil imitateth.

With ease, and wondrous sodainly; for she (a Goddesse) might.
She hid him in a cloud of gold, and neuer made him knowne,
Till in his chamber, (fresh and sweet) she gently set him downe;
And went for Hellen, whom she found, in Scæas vtmost height;
To which, whole swarmes of citie Dames, had climb'd to see the sight.

To giue her errand good successe; she tooke on her the shape,

Venus like Græa to Hellen.

Of beldame Græa, who was brought, by Hellen in her rape,

From Lacedæmon, and had trust, in all her secrets still;
Being old, and had (of all her maids) the maine bent of her will;
And spun for her, her finest wooll; like her, loues Empresse came,
Puld Hellen by the heauenly veile, and softly said: Madame?
My Lord cals for you, you must needs, make all your kind haste home;
He's in your chamber, stayes, and longs; sits by your bed; pray come,
Tis richly made, and sweet; but he, more sweet; and lookes so cleare,
So fresh, and mouingly attir'd: that (seeing) you would sweare,
He came not from the dustie fight, but from a courtly dance,
Or would to dancing. This she made, a charme for dalliance;
Whose vertue Hellen felt, and knew (by her so radiant eyes,
White necke, and most enticing breasts) the deified disguise.

Hellen chideth Venus.

At which amaz'd, she answerd her: vnhappie Deitie?
Why lou'st thou still in these deceipts, to wrap my phantasie?
Or whether yet (of all the townes, giuen to their lust beside,
In Phrygia, or Mæonia) com'st thou to be my guide?
If there (of diuers languag'd men) thou hast (as here in Troy)
Some other friend, to be my shame? since here thy latest ioy,
By Menelaus now subdu'd; by him, shall I be borne
Home to his Court; and end my life, in triumphs of his scorne.
And to this end, would thy deceits, my wanton life allure.
Hence, go thy selfe to Priams sonne, and all the wayes abiure
Of Gods, or Godlike minded Dames, nor euer turne againe
Thy earth-affecting feet to heauen: but for his sake, sustaine
Toiles here: guard, grace him endlesly: till he requite thy grace,
By giuing thee my place with him: or take his seruants place,
If all dishonourable wayes, your fauours seeke to serue
His neuer-pleasd incontinence: I better will deserue,
Then serue his dotage now: what shame, were it for me to feed
This lust in him? all honour'd Dames, would hate me for the deed;
He leaues a womans loue so sham'd, and showes so base a mind;
To feele, nor my shame, nor his owne; griefes of a greater kind
Wound me, then such as can admit, such kind delights so soone.

The Goddesse (angrie, that past shame, her meere will was not done)

Venus terrifies Hellen.

Replied: Incense me not you wretch, lest (once incenst) I leaue
Thy curst life to as strange a hate, as yet it may receiue
A loue from me; and left I spread, through both hosts such despite,
For those plagues they haue felt for thee, that both abiure thee quite.
And (setting thee in midst of both) turne all their wraths on thee,
And dart thee dead: that such a death, may wreake thy wrong of me.

This strooke the faire Dame with such feare, it tooke her speech away;
And (shadowed in her snowy veile) she durst not but obay:
And yet (to shun the shame she fear'd) she vanisht vndescride
Of all the Troian Ladies there; for Venus was her guide.

Arriu'd at home; her women both, fell to their worke in hast;

Hellen followeth Venus from the port.

When she that was of all her sexe, the most diuinely grac't,
Ascended to a higher roome, though much against her will,
Where louely Alexander was, being led by Venus still.

The laughter-louing Dame discern'd, her mou'd mind, by her grace:
And (for her mirth sake) set a stoole, full before Paris face;

Venus mirth with Hellen.

Where she would needs haue Hellen sit: who (though she durst not chuse
But sit, yet) lookt away for all, the Goddesse powre could vse;
And vsd her tongue too, and to chide, whom Venus sooth'd so much;

Hellens bitter reproofe of Paris.

And chid too, in this bitter kind; And was thy cowardise such,
(So conquerd) to be seene aliue? O, would to God thy life
Had perisht by his worthy hand, to whom I first was wife.
Before this, thou wouldst glorifie, thy valour, and thy lance;
And, past my first Loues, boast them farre: Go once more, and aduance
Thy braues against his single power: this foile might fall by chance.
Poore conquerd man; twas such a chance, as I would not aduise,
Thy valour should prouoke againe: shun him thou most vnwise;
Lest next, thy spirit sent to hell, thy bodie be his prise.

He answerd; Pray thee woman ceasse, to chide and grieue me thus:

Paris to Hellen.

Disgraces will not euer last; looke on their end; on vs
Will other Gods, at other times, let fall the victors wreath,
As on him Pallas put it now. Shall our loue sinke beneath
The hate of fortune? In loues fire, let all hates vanish: Come,
Loue neuer so inflam'd my heart; no not, when (bringing home
Thy beauties so delicious prise) on Cranaes blest shore
I long'd for, and enioyd thee first. With this, he went before
She after, to the odorous bed. While these to pleasure yeeld,
Perplext Atrides, sauage-like, ran vp and downe the field,

Menelaus seeketh for Paris through the troopess

And euery thickest troope of Troy, and of their farre-cald aid,
Searcht for his foe; who could not be, by any eye betraid;
Nor out of friendship (out of doubt) did they conceale his sight;
All hated him so like their deaths, and ow'd him such despight.

At last thus spake the king of men: Heare me, ye men of Troy,

Agamemnon to both the armies.

Ye Dardans and the rest, whose powers, you in their aides employ;
The conquest on my brothers part, ye all discerne is cleare:
Do you then Argiue Hellena, with all her treasure here
Restore to vs, and pay the mulct, that by your vowes is due,
Yeeld vs an honourd recompence: and all that should accrue,
To our posterities, confirme; that when you render it,
Our acts here may be memorisd. This all Greekes else thought fit.

The end of the third Booke.

THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

The Gods in Counsell, at the last decree,
That famous Ilion, shall expugned be.
And, that their owne continued faults may proue,
The reasons that haue so incensed Ioue.
Minerua seekes with more offences done,
Against the lately immur'd Atreus sonne,
(A ground that clearest would make sene their sinne)
To haue the Lycian Pandarus beginne.
He (gainst the Truce with sacred couenants bound)
Giues Menelaus, a dishonour'd wound,
Machaon heales him. Agamemnon then,
To mortall warre incenseth all his men:
The battels ioyne, and in the heate of fight,
Cold death shuts many eyes in endlesse might.

Another Argument.

In Delta, is the Gods Assise,
The Truce is broke, warres freshly rise.

Within the faire-pau'd Court of Ioue, he and the Gods conferd,

The Gods in Counsel at Ioues Court. Hebe fils Nectar

About the sad euents of Troy; amongst whom ministerd,
Blest Hebe, Nectar. As they sate, and did Troyes towres behold;
They drank, and pledg'd each other round, in full crownd cups of gold.
The mirth, at whose feast, was begun, by great Saturnides,
In vrging a begun dislike, amongst the Goddesses.
But chiefly, in his solemne Queene, whose splene he was disposd
To tempt yet further; knowing well, what anger it inclosd.
And how wiues angers should be vsd. On which, (thus pleasd) he playd:

Two Goddesses there are, that still, giue Menelaus ayd:

Ioues mirth with his wife & daughter Pallas

And one that Paris loues. The two, that sit from vs so farre,
(Which Argiue Iuno is, and she, that rules in deeds of warre
No doubt are pleasd, to see how well, the late-seene-fight did frame.
And (yet vpon the aduerse part) the laughter-louing Dame,
Made her powre good too, for her friend. For though he were so neare,
The stroke of death, in th' others hopes, she tooke him from them cleare;
The conquest yet, is questionlesse, the martiall Spartan kings;
We must consult then, what euents, shall crowne these future things.
If warres, and combats, we shall still, with euen successes strike;
Or (as impartiall) friendship plant, on both parts. If ye like

The last, and that it will as well, delight, as meerely please
Your happie Deities: still let stand, old Priams towne in peace;
And let the Lacedæmon king, againe his Queene enioy.

As Pallas and heauens Queene sat close, complotting ill to Troy;
With silent murmures they receiu'd, this ill-lik't choice from Ioue
Gainst whom was Pallas much incenst, because the Queene of Loue,
Could not without his leaue relieue, in that late point of death,
The sonne of Priam, whom she loath'd; her wrath yet fought beneath
Her supreme wisedome, and was curb'd: but Iuno needs must ease
Her great heart, with her readie tongue, and said: What words are these

Iuno angry with Iupiter.

(Austere, and too much Saturns sonne?) why wouldst thou render still
My labours idle? and the sweat, of my industrious will,
Dishonor with so little power? My chariot horse are tir'd,
With posting to and fro, for Greece: and bringing banes desir'd,
To people-mustring Priamus, and his perfidious sonnes:
Yet thou protectst, and ioynst with them, whom each iust Deitie shuns.
Go on, but euer go resolu'd, all other Gods haue vow'd
To crosse thy partiall course for Troy, in all that makes it proud.

At this, the cloud-compelling Ioue, a farre fetcht fight let flie:

Iupiter to Iuno.

And said, Thou Furie, what offence, of such impietie,
Hath Priam or his sonnes done thee? that with so high a hate
Thou shouldst thus ceaslesly desire, to raze, and ruinate
So well a builded towne as Troy? I thinke (hadst thou the powre)
Thou wouldst the ports and farre-stretcht wals, flie ouer, and deuoure
Old Priam, and his issue quicke: and make all Troy thy feast;
And then at length I hope, thy wrath, and tired spleene would rest:
To which, run on thy chariot, that nought be found in me,
Of iust cause to our future iarres. In this yet strengthen thee,
And fixe it in thy memorie fast; that, if I entertaine
As peremptorie a desire, to leuell with the plaine,
A citie, where thy loued liue; stand not betwixt my ire,
And what it aimes at; but giue way, when thou hast thy desire,
Which now I grant thee willingly, although against my will.
For not beneath the ample Sunne, and heauens starre-bearing hill,

Troy most loued of Iupiter, of all other cities.

There is a towne of earthly men, so honour'd in my mind,
As sacred Troy, nor of earths kings, as Priam and his kind,
Who neuer let my altars lacke, rich feast of offrings slaine,
And their sweet sauours: for which grace, I honor them againe.

Drad Iuno, with the Cowes faire eyes, replyed; Three townes there are

Three cities deare to Iuno.

Of great and eminent respect, both in my loue and care,
Mycena, with the brode high waies, and Argos rich in horse;
And Sparta: all which three destroy, when thou enui'st their force;
I will not aid them, nor maligne, thy free and soueraigne will:
For if I should be enuious, and set against their ill,
I know my enuie were in vaine, since thou art mightier farre:
But we must giue each other leaue, and winke at eithers warre.
I likewise, must haue powre to crowne, my workes with wished end;

Her deadly hate to Troy.

Because I am a Deitie, and did from thence descend,

Whence thou thy selfe, and th' elder borne, wise Saturne was our Sire;
And thus there is a two-fold cause, that pleads for my desire;
Being sister, and am cald thy wife: And more, since thy command
Rules all Gods else; I claime therein, a like superiour hand.
All wrath before then, now remit, and mutually combine
In eithers Empire; I, thy rule, and thou illustrate mine.
So will the other Gods agree: and we shall all be strong.
And first, (for this late plot) with speed, let Pallas go among
The Troians; and some one of them, entice to breake the truce,
By offering in some treacherous wound, the honourd Greekes abuse.

The Father both of men and Gods, agreed, and Pallas sent,

Iupiter to Pallas

With these wing'd words, to both the hosts; Make all haste, and inuent
Some meane, by which the men of Troy, against the truce agreed,
May stirre the glorious Greekes to armes, with some inglorious deed.

Thus charg'd he her with haste, that did, before, in hast abound;

Pallas fals from heauen like a Comet.

Who cast her selfe from all the heights, with which steepe heauen is crownd:
And as Ioue, brandishing a starre (which men a Comet call)
Hurls out his curled haire abrode, that from his brand exhals
A thousand sparkes; to fleets at sea, and euerie mightie host,
(Of all presages and ill haps, a signe mistrusted most:)
So Pallas fell twixt both the Camps, and sodainly was lost;
When through the breasts of all that saw, she strooke a strong amaze,
With viewing, in her whole descent, her bright and ominous blaze.
When straight, one to another turn'd, and said; Now thundring Ioue
(Great Arbiter of peace, and armes) will either stablish loue
Amongst our nations: or renue, such warre, as neuer was.

Thus either armie did presage, when Pallas made her passe
Amongst the multitude of Troy; who now put on the grace
Of braue Laodocus; the flowre, of old Antenors race;
And sought for Lycian Pandarus; a man, that being bred
Out of a faithlesse familie, she thought, was fit to shed
The blood of any innocent, and breake the couenant sworne.
He was Lycaons sonne, whom Ioue, into a Wolfe did turne
For sacrificing of a child; and yet in armes renownd,
As one that was inculpable: him Pallas, standing, found,
And round about him, his strong troopes, that bore the shadie shields.
He brought them from Æsæpus flood, let through the Lycian fields:

Pallas to Pandaras, perswading him to breake the truce

Whom, standing neare, she whispred thus: Lycaons warlike sonne?
Shall I despaire at thy kind hands, to haue a fauour done?
Nor dar'st thou let an arrow flie, vpon the Spartan king?
It would be such a grace to Troy, and such a glorious thing,
That euerie man would giue his gift; but Alexanders hand
Would loade thee with them, if he could, discouer from his stand,
His foes pride strooke downe with thy shaft; and he himselfe ascend
The flaming heape of funerall: Come, shoote him (princely friend.)
But first inuoke the God of light, that in thy land was borne,
And is in archers art the best, that euer sheafe hath worne;
To whom a hundred first ew'd lambes, vow thou in holy fire,

When safe to sacred Zelias towres, thy zealous steps retire.

With this, the mad-gift-greedie man, Minerua did perswade;
Who instantly drew forth a bow, most admirably made

The description of Pandarus his bow.

Of th' antler of a iumping Goate, bred in a steepe vp land;
Which Archerlike (as long before, he tooke his hidden stand;
The Euicke, skipping from a rocke) into the breast he smote;
And headlong feld him from his cliffe. The forehead of the Gote,
Held out a wondrous goodly palme, that sixteene branches brought:
Of all which, (ioynd) an vsefull bow, a skilfull Bowyer wrought;
(Which pickt and polisht,) both the ends, he hid with hornes of gold.
And this bow (bent) he close laid downe, and bad his souldiers hold
Their shields before him; left the Greekes (discerning him) should rise
In tumults, ere the Spartan king, could be his arrowes prise.
Meane space, with all his care he chusd, and from his quiuer drew
An arrow, fetherd best for flight; and yet, that neuer flew;
Strong headed, and most apt to pierce; then tooke he vp his bow,
And nockt his shaft; the ground whence all, their future griefe did grow.
When (praying to his God the Sunne, that was in Lycia bred,
And king of Archers; promising, that he the blood would shed
Of full an hundred first fallen lambes, all offred to his name,
When to Zelias sacred wals, from rescu'd Troy he came)
He tooke his arrow by the nocke, and to his bended brest,
The Oxy sinew close he drew, euen till the pile did rest,

Virgil vseth these verses. Pandarus draught and shoote.

Vpon the bosome of the bow: and as that sauage prise,
His strength constraind into an Orb; (as if the wind did rise)
The coming of it made a noise; the sinew forged string
Did giue a mightie twang; and forth, the eager shaft did sing,
(Affecting speedinesse of flight) amongst the Achiue throng:
Nor were the blessed heauenly powres, vnmindfull of thy wrong,
O Menelaus; but in chiefe, Ioues seed the Pillager,

Menelaus hurt.

Stood close before, and slackt the force, the arrow did confer;
With as much care, and little hurt, As doth a mother vse,

Simile.

And keepe off from her babe, when sleepe, doth through his powers diffuse
His golden humor; and th' assaults, of rude and busie flies
She still checks with her carefull hand: for so the shaft she plies,
That on the buttons made of gold, which made his girdle fast,
And where his curets double were, the fall of it she plac't.
And thus much proofe she put it to: the buckle made of gold;
The belt it fastned, brauely wrought; his curets double fold;
And last, the charmed plate he wore, which helpt him more then all;
And gainst all darts, and shafts bestowd, was to his life a wall.
So (through all these) the vpper skin, the head did onely race,
Yet foorth the blood flow'd, which did much, his royall person grace;
And shew'd vpon his Iuorie skin, as doth a purple dye,
Laid (by a Dame of Caira, or louely Mæony)
On Iuorie; wrought in ornaments, to decke the cheeks of horse;
Which in her mariage roome must lie; whose beauties haue such force,
That they are wisht of many knights; but are such precious things,

That they are kept for horse that draw, the chariots of kings;
Which horse (so deckt) the chariotere, esteemes a grace to him:
Like these (in grace) the blood vpon, thy solid thighes did swim,
O Menelaus, downe thy calues, and ankles to the ground;
For nothing decks a souldier so, as doth an honour'd wound.
Yet (fearing he had far'd much worse) the haire stood vp on end
On Agamemnon, when he saw, so much blacke blood descend.
And stifned with the like dismay, was Menelaus to:
But (seeing th' arrowes stale without,) and that the head did go
No further then it might be seene, he cald his spirits againe:
Which Agamemnon marking not, (but thinking he was slaine)
He grip't his brother by the hand, and sigh't as he would breake:
Which sigh the whole host tooke from him, who thus at last did speake:

Agamemnons complaine and feare of his brothers hurt.

O dearest brother, is't for this? That thy death must be wrought,
Wrought I this truce? For this hast thou, the single combat fought
For all the armie of the Greekes? For this, hath Ilion sworne,
And trod all faith beneath their feet? Yet all this hath not worne
The right we challeng'd, out of force; this cannot render vaine
Our stricken right hand; sacred wine; nor all out offrings slaine.
For though Olympius be not quicke, in making good our ill,
He will be sure, as he is slow; and sharplier proue his will.
Their owne hands shall be ministers, of those plagues they despise:
Which shall their wiues and children reach, and all their progenies.
For both in mind, and soule, I know, that there shall come a day,
When Ilion, Priam, all his powre, shall quite be worne away;
When heauen-inhabiting Ioue shall shake, his fierie shield at all,
For this one mischiefe. This I know, the world cannot recall.
But, be all this; all my griefe still, for thee will be the same,
(Deare brother:) if thy life must here, put out his royall flame;
I shall to sandie Argos turne, with infamie, my face;
And all the Greekes will call for home: old Priam and his race
Will flame in glorie; Helena, vntoucht, be still their pray;
And thy bones in our enemies earth, our cursed fates shall lay;
Thy Sepulcher be troden downe; the pride of Troy desire,
(Insulting on it:) Thus, ô thus, let Agamemnons ire,
In all his acts, be expiate; as now he carries home
His idle armie, emptie ships; and leaues here ouercome
Good Menelaus. When this Braue, breakes in their hated breath;
Then let the broade earth swallow me, and take me quicke to death.

Menelaus to Agamemnon.

Nor shall this euer chance (said he,) and therefore be of cheare;
Lest all the armie (led by you,) your passions put in feare.
The arrow fell in no such place, as death could enter at;
My girdle, curets doubled here, and my most trusted plate,
Obiected all twixt me and death; the shaft scarce piercing one.

Agamemnon to Menelaus.

Good brother (said the king) I wish, it were no further gone;
For then our best in medicines skild, shall ope and search the wound;
Applying balmes to ease thy paines, and soone restore thee sound.
This said, diuine Talthybius, he cald, and bad him haste

Machaon (Æsculapius sonne, who most of men was grac't

Agamemnon sends Talthybius for Machaon

With Physicks soueraigne remedies) to come and lend his hand
To Menelaus; shot by one, well skild in the command
Of bow and arrowes; one of Troy, or of the Lycian aid;
Who much hath glorified our foe, and vs as much dismaid.

He heard, and hasted instantly; and cast his eyes about
The thickest squadrons of the Greekes, to find Machaon out.
He found him standing guarded well, with well-arm'd men of Thrace;
With whom he quickly ioynd, and said; Man of Apollos race?

Talthybius to Machaon.

Haste; for the king of men commands, to see a wound imprest,
In Menelaus (great in armes) by one instructed best
In th' art of archerie; of Troy, or of the Lycian bands,
That them with much renowne adornes; vs with dishonor brands.

Machaon much was mou'd with this, who with the herald flew
From troope to troope, alongst the host; and soone they came in view
Of hurt Atrides; circled round, with all the Grecian kings;
Who all gaue way; and straight he drawes, the shaft: which forth he brings

Machaon draws the arrow.

Without the forkes; the girdle then, plate, curets, off he pluckes,
And viewes the wound; when first from it, the clotterd blood he sucks;
Then medicines wondrously composd, the skilfull Leech applyed,
Which louing Chyron taught his Sire; he from his Sire had tryed.

While these were thus employd to ease, the Atrean martialist,
The Troians arm'd, and charg'd the Greekes; the Greekes arme and resist.

The Troians renew the fight.

Then not asleepe, nor maz'd with feare, nor shifting off the blowes,
You could behold the king of men; but in full speed he goes
To set a glorious fight on foote: and he examples this,
With toyling (like the worst) on foote; who therefore did dismisse

Agamemnon marshals his armie.

His brasse-arm'd chariot, and his steeds, with Ptolemæus sonne,
(Sonne of Pyraides) their guide, the good Eurymidon;
Yet (said the king) attend with them, lest wearinesse should seise
My lims, surcharg'd with ordering troopes, so thicke and vast as these.

Eurymidon then rein'd his horse, that trotted neighing by;
The king a foot-man, and so scowres, the squadrons orderly.

Those of his swiftly-mounted Greekes, that in their armes were fit,

Agamemnon to the Greekes.

Those he put on, with chearfull words, and bad them not remit
The least sparke of their forward spirits, because the Troians durst
Take these abhord aduantages; but let them do their wurst:
For they might be assur'd that Ioue, would patronise no lies;
And that, who with the breach of truce, would hurt their enemies,
With vultures should be torne themselues; that they should raze their towne:
Their wiues, and children at their breasts, led vassals to their owne.

But such as he beheld hang off, from that increasing fight;
Such would he bitterly rebuke, and with disgrace excite;
Base Argiues, blush ye not to stand, as made for Buts to darts?

Agamemnon to the negligent souldiers.

Why are ye thus discomfited, like Hinds that haue no harts?
Who wearied with a long-run field, are instantly embost,
Stand still, and in their beastly breasts, is all their courage lost:
And so stand you strooke with amaze, nor dare to strike a stroke.

Would ye the foe should nearer yet, your dastard splenes prouoke?
Euen where on Neptunes fomie shore, our nauies lie in sight?
To see if Ioue will hold your hands, and teach ye how to fight?

Thus he (commanding) rang'd the host; and (passing many a band)
He came to the Cretensian troopes, where all did armed stand,
About the martiall Idomen; who brauely stood before,
In vantguard of his troopes, and matcht, for strength a sauage Bore.
Meriones (his chariotere) the Rereguard bringing on:
Which seene to Atreus sonne, to him, it was a sight alone;
And Idomens confirmed mind, with these kind words he seekes;

Agamemnon to Idomen.

O Idomen! I euer lou'd, thy selfe past all the Greekes;
In warre, or any worke of peace; at table, euery where;
For when the best of Greece besides, mixe euer, at our cheere,
My good old ardent wine, with small; and our inferiour mates
Drinke euen that mixt wine measur'd too; thou drinkst without those rates
Our old wine, neate; and euermore, thy boll stands full like mine;
To drinke, still when, and what thou wilt. Then rowse that heart of thine;
And whatsoeuer heretofore, thou hast assum'd to be,
This day be greater. To the king, in this sort, answerd he;

Idomen to Agamemnon.

Atrides, what I euer seem'd, the same, at euerie part,
This day shall shew me at the full; and I will fit thy hart.
But thou shouldst rather cheare the rest, and tell them they in right
Of all good warre, must offer blowes, and should begin the fight.
(Since Troy first brake the holy truce) and not endure these braues,
To take wrong first, and then be dar'd, to the reuenge it craues.
Assuring them that Troy, in fate, must haue the worse at last;
Since first, and gainst a truce, they hurt; where they should haue embrac't.

This comfort, and aduice did fit, Atrides heart indeed,
Who still through new raisd swarmes of men, held his laborious speed:
And came where both th' Aiaces stood; whom like the last he found,
Arm'd, caskt, and readie for the fight. Behind them, hid the ground,
A cloud of foot, that seem'd to smoke. And as a Goteheard spies,

How the troopes of Aiax stood.

On some hils top, out of the Sea, a rainie vapour rise,
Driuen by the breath of Zephyrus, which (though farre off he rest)
Comes on as blacke as pitch, and brings, a tempest in his breast;
Whereat, he frighted, driues his heards, apace, into a den:
So (darkning earth, with darts and shields) shew'd these with all their men.

This sight, with like ioy fir'd the king, who thus let forth the flame,

Agamemnon to the Aiaces.

In crying out to both the Dukes: O you of equall name,
I must not cheare; nay, I disclaime, all my command of you,
Your selues command with such free minds, and make your souldiers shew,
As you, nor I led, but themselues. O would our father Ioue,
Minerua, and the God of light, would all our bodies moue
With such braue spirits as breathe in you: then Priams loftie towne
Should soone be taken by our hands, for euer ouerthrowne.

Then held he on to other troopes, and Nestor, next beheld,

Nestors art in ordering his souldiers.

(The subtle Pylian Orator) range vp and downe the field,
Embattelling his men at armes, and stirring all to blowes;

Points euerie legion out his Chiefe, and euery Chiefe he showes
The formes, and discipline of warre: yet his Commanders were
All expert, and renowmed men: Great Pelagon was there;
Alastor: manly Chromius; and Hemon, worth a Throne;
And Byas, that could armies leade: with these he first put on,
His horse troopes, with their chariots: his foote (of which he chusde
Many, the best and ablest men, and which he euer vsde,
As rampire to his generall powre) he in the Rere disposd.
The slouthfull, and the least of spirit, he in the midst inclosd;
That such as wanted noble wils, base need might force to stand.
His horse troopes (that the Vantgard had) he strictly did command
To ride their horses temperatly; to keepe their rankes, and shun
Confusion; lest their horsemanship, and courage made them run
(Too much presum'd on) much too farre: and (charging so alone)
Engage themselues, in th' enemies strength; where many fight with one.
Who his owne chariot leaues to range; let him not freely go,
But straight vnhorse him with a lance: for tis much better so.
And with this discipline (said he) this forme, these minds, this trust;
Our Ancestors haue, walles, and townes, laid leuell with the dust.

Thus prompt, and long inur'd to armes, this old man did exhort;
And this Atrides likewise tooke, in wondrous chearefull sort:
And said, O Father! would to heauen, that as thy mind remaines

Agamemnon to Nestor.

In wonted vigor; so thy knees, could vndergo our paines.
But age, that all men ouercomes, hath made his prise on thee;
Yet still I wish, that some young man, growne old in mind, might be
Put in proportion with thy yeares; and thy mind (young in age)
Be fitly answerd with his youth; that still where conflicts rage,
And young men vsd to thrust for fame, thy braue exampling hand,
Might double our young Grecian spirits, and grace our whole Command.

The old knight answer'd: I my selfe, could wish (O Atreus sonne)

Nestor to Agamemnon.

I were as young, as when I slue, braue Ereuthalion;
But Gods, at all times, giue not all, their gifts to mortall men.
If then I had the strength of youth, I mist the Counsels then,
That yeares now giue me; and now yeares, want that maine strength of youth;
Yet still my mind retaines her strength, (as you now said the sooth)
And would be, where that strength is vsd, affoording counsels sage,
To stirre youths minds vp; tis the grace, and office of our age;
Let yonger sinewes, Men sprong vp, whole ages after me,
And such as haue strength, vse it; and, as strong in honour be.

The king (all this while comforted) arriu'd next, where he found,
Well-rode Menestheus (Peteus sonne) stand still, inuirond round,
With his well-train'd Athenian troopes: and next to him he spide
The wise Vlysses, deedlesse too, and all his bands beside,
Of strong Cephalians; for as yet, th' alarme had not bene heard
In all their quarters, Greece, and Troy, were then so newly stird,
And then first mou'd (as they conceiu'd) and they so lookt about
To see both hoasts giue proofe of that, they yet had cause to doubt.

Atrides (seeing them stand so still) and spend their eyes at gaze,

Began to chide; And why (said he) dissolu'd thus, in a maze,

Agamemnon to Vlysses and Menestheus.

Thou sonne of Poteus, Ioue-nurst king; and thou in wicked sleight,
A cunning souldier, stand ye off? Expect ye that the fight
Should be by other men begun? tis fit the formost band
Should shew you there; you first should front, who first lifts vp his hand.
First you can heare, when I inuite, the Princes to a feast,
When first, most friendly, and at will, ye eate and drinke the best;
Yet in the fight, most willingly, ten troopes ye can behold
Take place before ye. Ithacus, at this his browes did fold,

Vlysses to Agamemnon.

And said, How hath thy violent tongue, broke through thy set of teeth?
To say that we are slacke in fight? and to the field of death
Looke others should enforce our way? when we were busied then,
(Euen when thou spak'st) against the foe, to cheare and leade our men.
But thy eyes shall be witnesses (if it content thy will;
And that (as thou pretendst) these cares, do so affect thee still)
The father of Telemachus (whom I esteeme so deare,
And to whom, as a Legacie, Ile leaue my deeds done here)
Euen with the formost band of Troy, hath his encounter dar'd;
And therefore are thy speeches vaine, and had bene better spar'd.

Agamemnon to Vlysses.

He smiling, since he saw him mou'd, recald his words, and said;
Most generous Laertes sonne, most wise of all our aid;
I neither do accuse thy worth, more then thy selfe may hold
Fit (that inferiours thinke not much (being slacke) to be controld;)
Nor take I on me thy command: for well I know thy mind
Knowes how sweet gentle counsels are; and that thou standst enclind
As I my selfe, for all our good. On then: if now we spake
What hath displeasd, another time, we full amends will make:
And Gods grant that thy vertue here, may proue so free, and braue,
That my reproofes may still be vaine, and thy deseruings graue.

Thus parted they, and forth he went, when he did leaning find
Against his chariot, neare his horse, him with the mightie mind,
Great Diomedes (Tydeus sonne) and Sthenelus, the seed
Of Capaneius; whom the king, seeing likewise out of deed,

Agamemnon chideth Diomed.

Thus cried he out on Diomed: O melin what a feare
The wise great warriour, Tydeus sonne, stands gazing euerie where,
For others to begin the fight? It was not Tydeus vse
To be so danted; whom his spirit, would euermore produce,
Before the formost of his friends, in these affaires of fright,
As they report that haue beheld, him labour in a fight.
For me, I neuer knew the man, nor in his presence came:
But excellent aboue the rest, he was in generall fame.

The historie of Tydeus.

And one renowm'd exploit of his, I am assur'd is true,
He came to the Mycenian Court, without armes, and did sue,
At Godlike Polinices hands, to haue some worthie aid,
To their designes, that gainst the wals, of sacred Thebes were laid.
He was great Polinices guest, and nobly entertaind:
And of the kind Mycenian state, what he requested gaind,
In meere consent: but when they should, the same in act approue,

(By some sinister prodigies, held out to them by Ioue,)
They were discourag'd; thence he went, and safely had his passe
Backe to Æsopus stood, renowm'd, for Bulrushes and grasse;
Yet, once more, their Ambassadour, the Grecian Peeres addresse,
Lord Tydeus to Eteocles: to whom being giuen accesse,
He found him feasting with a crew, of Cadmians in his hall;
Amongst whom, though an enemie, and onely one to all;
To all yet, he his challenge made, at euerie Martiall feate;
And easly foild all, since with him, Minerua was so great.
The ranke-rode Cadmians (much incenst, with their so foule disgrace)
Lodg'd ambuscados for their foe, in some well chosen place,
By which he was to make returne. Twise fiue and twentie men,
And two of them, great captaines too, the ambush did containe.
The names of those two men of rule, were Mæon, Hæmons sonne,
And Lycophontes, Keepe-field cald, the heire of Antophon,
By all men honord like the Gods: yet these and all their friends,
Were sent to hell by Tydeus hand, and had vntimely ends.
He trusting to the aid of Gods, reueald by Augurie;
Obeying which, one Chiefe he sau'd, and did his life apply,
To be the heauie messenger, of all the others deaths;
And that sad message (with his life) to Mæon he bequeaths;
So braue a knight was Tydeus: of whom a sonne is sprong,
Inferiour farre, in martiall deeds, though higher in his tongue.

All this, Tydides silent heard, aw'd by the reuerend king;
Which stung hote Sthenelus with wrath, who thus put forth his sting:

Atrides? when thou know'st the truth, speake what thy knowledge is,
And do not lie so; for I know, and I will bragge in this;

Sthenelus rough speech to Agamemnon.

That we are farre more able men, then both our fathers were;
We tooke the seuen-fold ported Thebes, when yet we had not there
So great helpe as our fathers had; and sought beneath a wall,
Sacred to Mars, by helpe of Ioue; and trusting to the fall
Of happie signes from other Gods, by whom we tooke the towne
Vntoucht; our fathers perishing there, by follies of their owne:
And therefore neuer more compare, our fathers worth with ours.

Tydides frownd at this, and said; Suppresse thine angers pow'rs,
(Good friend) and heare why I refrain'd: thou seest I am not mou'd

Diomed rebukes Sthenelus.

Against our Generall, since he did, but what his place behou'd,
Admonishing all Greekes to fight: for if Troy proue our prise,
The honor, and the ioy is his. If here our ruine lies,
The shame and griefe for that, as much, is his in greatest kinds.
As he then his charge, weigh we ours: which is our dantlesse minds.

Thus from his chariot (amply arm'd) he iumpt downe to the ground:
The armor of the angrie king, so horribly did sound,
It might haue made his brauest foe, let feate, take downe his braues.
And as when with the West-wind flawes, the sea thrusts vp her waues,

Simile.

One after other, thicke, and high, vpon the groning shores;
First, in her selfe, lowd (but opposd, with banks and Rocks) she rores,
And (all her backe in bristles set) spits euerie way her fome;

So (after Diomed) instantly, the field was ouercome

The silence of the Greeke fight.

With thicke impressions of the Greekes; and all the noise that grew
(Ordring and chearing vp their men) from onely leaders flew.
The rest went silently away, you could not heare a voice,
Nor would haue thought, in all their breasts, they had one in their choice;
Their silence vttering their awe, of them, that them contrould;
Which made ech man keep bright his arms, march, fight still where he should.

The Troians cōpared to Ewes.

The Troians (like a sort of Ewes, pend in a rich mans fold,
Close at his dore, till all be milkt; and neuer baaing hold,
Hearing the bleating of their lambs) did all their wide host fill,
With showts and clamors; nor obseru'd, one voice, one baaing still;
But shew'd mixt tongs from many a land; of men, cald to their aid:

Mars for the Troians, Pallas for the Greekes. Discord the sister of Mars. Virgil the same of Fame.

Rude Mars, had th' ordring of their spirits: of Greeks, the learned Maid.
But Terror follow'd both the hosts, and flight; and furious Strife,
The sister, and the mate of Mars, that spoile of humane life;
And neuer is her rage at rest; at first she is but small,
Yet after, (but a little fed) she growes so vast, and tall,
That while her feet moue here in earth, her forhead is in heauen.
And this was she, that made euen then, both hosts so deadly giuen.
Through euery troope she stalkt, and stird, rough sighes vp as she went:
But when in one field, both the foes, her furie did content;
And both came vnder reach of darts, then darts, and shields opposd
To darts and shields, strength answerd strength; then swords and targets closd
With swords and targets; both with pikes; and then did tumult rise
Vp to her height; then conquerors boasts, mixt with the conquerds cries,
Earth flow'd with blood. And as from hils, raine waters, headlong fall,
That all waies, eate huge Ruts, which, met, in one bed, fill a vall
With such a confluence of streames; that on the mountaine grounds
Farre off, in frighted shepheards eares, the bustling noise rebounds:
So grew their conflicts; and so shew'd, their scuffling to the eare;
With flight, and clamor, still commixt, and all effects of feare.

Antilochus slue Echepolus.

And first renowm'd Antilochus, slew (fighting in the face
Of all Achaias formost bands, with an vndanted grace)
Echepolus Thalysiades: he was an armed man;
Whom, on his haire-plum'd helmets crest, the dart first smote; then ran
Into his forehead, and there stucke; the steele pile making way
Quite through his skull; a hastie night, shut vp his latest day.
His fall was like a fight-rac't towre; like which, lying their dispred,
King Elephenor, (who was sonne to Chalcodon, and led
The valiant Abants) couetous; that he might first possesse
His armes, laid hands vpon his feet; hal'd him from the preasse

Elephenor drawing of the body of Echepolus is slaine by Agenor.

Of darts, and Iauelins hurld at him. The action of the king
When (great in heart) Agenor saw, he made his Iaueline sing
To th' others labor; and along, as he the trunke did wrest,
His side (at which he bore his shield, in bowing of his breast)
Lay naked, and receiu'd the lance; that made him lose his hold,
And life together; which in hope, of that he lost, he sold.
But for his sake the fight grew fierce; the Troians and their foe,

Like wolues, on one another rusht; and man for man it goes.

The next of name, that seru'd his fate; great Aiax Telamon,

Aiax slaies Simoysius.

Preferd so sadly; he was heire, to old Anthemion,
And deckt with all the flowre of youth: the fruit of which yet fled,
Before the honourd nuptiall torch, could light him to his bed,
His name was Symoisius; For, some few yeares before,
His mother walking downe the hill, of Ida, by the shore
Of Syluer Symois, to see, her parents flocks; with them,
She (feeling sodainely the paines, of child-birth) by the streame
Of that bright riuer brought him forth; and so (of Symois)
They cald him Symoisius. Sweet was that birth of his
To his kind parents; and his growth, did all their care employ;
And yet those rites of pietie, that should haue bene his ioy,
To pay their honourd yeares againe, in as affectionate sort,
He could not graciously performe, his sweet life was so short:
Cut off with mightie Aiax lance. For, as his spirit put on,
He strooke him at his breasts right pappe, quite through his shoulder bone;
And in the dust of earth he fell, that was the fruitfull soyle
Of his friends hopes; but where he sow'd, he buried all his toyle.
And as a Poplar shot aloft, set by a riuer side,

Simile.

In moist edge of a mightie fenne, his head in curls implide;
But all his bodie plaine and smooth: to which a Wheel-wright puts
The sharpe edge of his shining axe, and his soft timber cuts
From his innatiue roote; in hope, to hew out of his bole
The Fell'ffs, or out-parts of a wheele, that compasse in the whole;
To serue some goodly chariot; but (being bigge and sad,
And to be hal'd home through the bogs) the vsefull hope he had
Sticks there; and there the goodly plant, lies withring out his grace:
So lay, by Ioue-bred Aiax hand, Anthemions forward race.
Nor could through that vast fen of toiles, be drawne to serue the ends
Intended by his bodies pow'rs, nor cheare his aged friends.

But now the gay-arm'd Antiphus (a sonne of Priam) threw

Antiphus one of Priams sonnes.

His lance at Aiax through the preasse, which went by him, and flew
On Leucus, wise Vlysses friend; his groine it smote, as faine
He would haue drawne into his spoile, the carkasse of the slaine;
By which he fell, and that by him; it vext Vlysses heart;
Who thrust into the face of fight, well arm'd at euerie part,
Came close, and lookt about to find, an obiect worth his lance;
Which when the Troians saw him shake, and he so neare aduance,
All shrunke; he threw, and forth it shin'd: nor fell, but where it feld:
His friends griefe gaue it angrie powre, and deadly way it held

Democoon Priās base sonne slain by Vlysses.

Vpon Democoon, who was sprung, of Priams wanton force;
Came from Abydus, and was made, the maister of his horse.
Through both his temples strooke the dart, the wood of one side shewd,
The pile out of the other lookt, and so the earth he strewd,
With much sound of his weightie armes. Then backe the formost went,
Euen Hector yeelded; then the Greekes, gaue worthie clamors vent,
Effecting then their first dumbe powers; some drew the dead and spoild;

Some followed; that in open flight, Troy might confesse it foild.

Apollo excites the Troianus

.Apollo (angrie at the sight) from top of Ilion cride,
Turne head, ye well-rode Peeres of Troy, feed not the Grecians pride;
They are not charm'd against your points, of steele, nor Iron fram'd;
Nor fights the faire-haird Thetis sonne, but sits at fleet inflam'd.

So spake the dreadfull God from Troy. The Greekes, Ioues noblest seed,

Pallas encourageth the Greeks.

Encourag'd to keepe on the chace: and where fit spirit did need,
She gaue it, marching in the midst; Then flew the fatall howre
Backe on Diores, in returne, of Ilions sun-burnd powre;

Diores.

Diores Amarincides, whose right legs ankle bone,
And both the sinewes, with a sharpe, and handfull charging stone,

Piros.

Pirus Imbrasides did breake, that led the Thracian bands,
And came from Ænos; downe he fell, and vp he held his hands
To his lou'd friends; his spirit wingd, to flie out of his breast;
With which not satisfied, againe, Imbrasides addrest
His Iaueline at him, and so ript, his nauill, that the wound,
(As endlesly it shut his eyes) so (opend) on the ground,
It powr'd his entrailes. As his foe, went then suffisd away,
Thoas Ætolius threw a dart, that did his pile conuay
Aboue his nipple, through his lungs; when (quitting his sterne part)

Piros slaine by Thoas.

He closd with him; and from his breast, first drawing out his dart,
His sword flew in, and by the midst, it wip't his bellie out;
So tooke his life, but left his armes; his friends so flockt about,
And thrust forth lances of such length, before their slaughterd king;
Which though their foe were big and strong, and often brake the ring,
Forg'd of their lances; yet (enforc't) he left th' affected prise;
The Thracian, and Epeian Dukes, laid close with closed eyes,
By either other, drownd in dust; and round about the plaine
All hid with slaughterd carkasses; yet still did hotely raigne
The martiall planet; whose effects, had any eye beheld,
Free, and vnwounded (and were led, by Pallas through the field
To keepe of Iauelins, and suggest, the least fault could be found)
He could not reprehend the fight, so many strew'd the ground.

The end of the fourth Booke.

THE FIFTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

King Diomed (by Pallas spirit inspir'd,
With will and powre) is for his acts admir'd:
Meere men, and men deriu'd from Deities,
And Deities themselues, he terrifies;
Addes wounds to terrors: his inflamed lance
Drawes blood from Mars, and Venus: In a trance
He casts Æneas, with a weightie stone;
Apollo quickens him, and gets him gone:
Mars is recur'd by Pæon; but by Ioue
Rebuk't, for authoring breach of humane loue.

Another Argument.

In Epsilon, heauens blood is shed,
By sacred rage of Diomed.

Then Pallas breath'd in Tydeus sonne: to render whom supreame
To all the Greekes, at all his parts, she cast a hoter beame,

Pallas inspires and glorifies Diomed.

On his high mind; his body fild, with much superiour might,
And made his compleate armor cast, a farre more complete light.
From his bright helme and shield, did burne, a most vnwearied fire:
Like rich Autumnus golden lampe, whose brightnesse men admire,

This simile likewise Virgil learns of him.

Past all the other host of starres, when with his chearefull face,
Fresh washt in loftie Ocean waues, he doth the skies enchase.

To let whose glorie lose no sight, still Pallas made him turne,
Where tumult most exprest his powre, and where the fight did burne.

Dares Priest of Mulciber, or Vulcan.

An honest and a wealthie man, inhabited in Troy;
Dares the Priest of Mulciber, who two sons did enioy,
Idæus, and bold Phegeus, well seene in euerie fight:
These (singl'd from their troopes, and horst) assaild Mineruas knight,
Who rang'd from fight to fight, on foote; all hasting mutuall charge,

Idæus and Phegeus both against Diomed.

(And now drawne neare) first Phegeus threw, a iaueline swift and large:
Whose head the kings left shoulder tooke, but did no harme at all:
Then rusht he out a lance at him, that had no idle fall;
But in his breast stucke twixt the paps, and strooke him from his horse.

Phegeus slaine, Idæus flies.

Which sterne sight, when Idæus saw (distrustfull of his force
To saue his slaughterd brothers spoile) it made him headlong leape
From his faire chariot, and leaue all: yet had not scap't the heape
Of heauie funerall, if the God, great president of fire,
Had not (in sodaine clouds of smoke, and pittie of his Sire,

To leaue him vtterly vnheird) giuen safe passe to his feet.
He gone, Tydides sent he horse, and chariot to the fleet.

The Troians seeing Dares sonnes, one slaine, the other fled,
Were strooke amaz'd; the blew-eyd maide (to grace her Diomed
In giuing free way to his power) made this so ruthfull fact,
A fit aduantage to remoue, the warre-God out of act,
Who rag'd so on the Ilion side, she grip't his hand and said,

Pallas to Mars.

Mars, Mars, thou ruinor of men, that in the dust hast laid
So many cities, and with blood, thy Godhead dost disteine;
Now shall we ceasse to shew our breasts, as passionate as men,
And leaue the mixture of our hands? resigning Ioue his right
(As rector of the Gods) to giue, the glorie of the fight,
Where he affecteth? lest he force, what we should freely yeeld?
He held it fit, and went with her, from the tumultuous field,
Who set him in an hearby seate, on brode Scamanders shore.

Mars leaues the field, and Troy flies.

He gone, all Troy was gone with him, the Greekes draue all before,
And euerie Leader slue a man; but first the king of men
Deseru'd the honor of his name, and led the slaughter then,

Agamemnon slaies Odius

And slue a leader; one more huge, then any man he led;
Great Odius, Duke of Halizons; quite from his chariots head
He strooke him with a lance to earth, as first he flight addrest;
It tooke his forward-turned backe, and lookt out of his breast;
His huge trunke sounded, and his armes, did eccho the resound.

Idomenaus slaies Phæstus

Idomenaus to the death, did noble Phæstus wound,
The sonne of Mæon Borus, that, from cloddie Terna came;
Who (taking chariot) tooke his wound, and tumbl'd with the same
From his attempted seate; the lance, through his right shoulder strooke,
And horrid darknesse strooke through him: the spoile his souldiers tooke.

Menelaus slaies Scamandrius.

Atrides-Menelaus slue (as he before him fled)
Scamandrius, sonne of Strophins, that was a huntsman bred;
A skilfull huntsman, for his skill, Dianas selfe did teach;
And made him able with his dart, infallibly to reach
All sorts of subtlest sauages, which many a wooddie hill
Bred for him; and he much preseru'd, and all to shew his skill.
Yet, not the dart-delighting Queene, taught him to shun this dart;
Nor all his hitting so farre off, (the mastrie of his art:)
His backe receiu'd it, and he fell, vpon his breast withall:
His bodies ruine, and his armes, so sounded in his fall,
That his affrighted horse flew off, and left him, like his life.

Meriones slue Phereclus an excellent Architect.

Meriones slue Phereclus, whom she that nere was wife,
Yet Goddesse of good housewiues, held, in excellent respect,
For knowing all the wittie things, that grace an Architect;
And hauing pow'r to giue it all, the cunning vse of hand;
Harmonides his sire built ships, and made him vnderstand,
(With all the practise it requir'd) the frame of all that skill;
He built all Alexander ships, that authord all the ill
Of all the Troians and his owne, because he did not know
The Oracles, aduising Troy (for feare of ouerthrow)

To meddle with no sea affaire, but liue by tilling land;
This man Meriones surprisd, and draue his deadly hand
Through his right hip; the lances head, ran through the region
About the bladder, vnderneath, th' in-muscles, and the bone;
He (sighing) bow'd his knees to death, and sacrific'd to earth.

Phylides staid Pedaus flight; Antenors bastard birth:

Pedæus slain by Phylides.

Whom vertuous Theano his wife (to please her husband) kept
As tenderly as those she lou'd. Phylides neare him stept,
And in the fountaine of the nerues, did drench his feruent lance,
At his heads backe-part; and so farre, the sharpe head did aduance,
It cleft the Organe of his speech; and th' Iron (cold as death)
He tooke betwixt his grinning teeth, and gaue the aire his breath.

Eurypilus the much renowm'd, and great Euemons sonne,

Eurypilus slaies Hypsenor.

Diuine Hypsener slue, begot, by stout Dolopion,
And consecrate Scamanders Priest; he had a Gods regard,
Amongst the people: his hard flight, the Grecian followed hard;
Rusht in so close, that with his sword, he on his shoulder laid
A blow, that his armes brawne cut off; nor there his vigor staid,
But draue downe, and from off his wrist, it hewd his holy hand,
That gusht out blood, and downe it dropt, vpon the blushing sand;
Death, with his purple finger shut, and violent fate, his eyes.

Thus fought these, but distinguisht well; Tydides so implies
His furie, that you could not know, whose side had interest
In his free labours, Greece or Troy. But as a flood increast

Diomed compared to a torrent.

By violent and sodaine showres, let downe from hils, like hils
Melted in furie; swels, and fomes, and so he ouerfils
His naturall channell; that besides, both hedge and bridge resignes
To his rough confluence, farre spread: and lustie flourishing vines
Drownd in his outrage. Tydeus sonne, so ouer-ran the field,
Strew'd such as flourisht in his way: and made whole squadrons yeeld.

When Pandarus, Lycaons sonne, beheld his ruining hand,
With such resistlesse insolence, make lanes through euerie band:
He bent his gold-tipt bow of horne, and shot him rushing in,

Pandarus wounds Diomed

At his right shoulder; where his armes, were hollow; foorth did spin
The blood, and downe his curets ranne; then Pandarus cried out,
Ranke riding Troians, Now rush in: Now, now, I make no doubt,
Our brauest foe is markt for death, he cannot long sustaine
My violent shaft, if Ioues faire Sonne, did worthily constraine
My foot from Lycia: thus he brau'd, and yet his violent shaft
Strooke short with all his violence, Tydides life was saft;
Who yet withdrew himselfe, behind, his chariot and steeds,
And cald to Sthenelus; Come friend, my wounded shoulder needs
Thy hand to ease it of this shaft. He hasted from his seate
Before the coach, and drew the shaft: the purple wound did sweate,
And drowne his shirt of male in blood, and as it bled he praid:

Heare me, of Ioue Ægiochus, thou most vnconquerd maid,

Diomeds prayer to Pallas.

If euer in the cruell field, thou hast assistfull stood,
Or to my father, or my selfe, now loue, and do me good;

Giue him into my lances reach, that thus hath giuen a wound,
To him thou guardst; preuenting me, and brags that neuer more,
I shall behold the chearefull Sunne: thus did the king implore.
The Goddesse heard, came neare, and tooke, the wearinesse of fight
From all his nerues and lineaments, and made them fresh and light,

Pallas encourageth Diomed.

And said; Be bold, ô Diomed, in euerie combat shine,
The great shield-shaker Tydeus strength (that knight, that Sire of thine)
By my infusion breaths in thee. And from thy knowing mind,
I haue remou'd those erring mists, that made it lately blind,
That thou maist difference Gods from men: and therefore vse thy skill,
Against the tempting Deities, if any haue a will
To trie if thou presum'st of that, as thine, that flowes from them;
And so assum'st aboue thy right. Where thou discern'st a beame
Of any other heauenly power, then she that rules in loue,
That cals thee to the change of blowes; resist not, but remoue;
But if that Goddesse be so bold (since she first stird this warre)
Assault and marke her from the rest, with some infamous scarre.

The blew-eyd Goddesse vanished, and he was seene againe
Amongst the foremost; who before, though he were prompt and faine
To fight against the Troians powers; now, on his spirits were cald,

Diomed made thrise so strong as before by Pallas.

With thrise the vigor, Lion-like, that hath bene lately gald,
By some bold sheapheard in a field, where his curld flockes were laid;
Who tooke him as he leapt the fold; not slaine yet, but appaid,
With greater spirit; comes againe, and then the shepheard hides,
(The rather for the desolate place) and in his Coate abides;
His flockes left guardlesse; which amaz'd, shake and shrinke vp in heapes;
He (ruthlesse) freely takes his prey; and out againe he leapes:
So sprightly, fierce, victorious, the great Heroe flew
Vpon the Troians; and at once, he two Commanders slew;

Hyppenor and Astynous slaine by Diomed.

Hyppenor and Astynous, in one, his lance he fixt,
Full at the nipple of his breast: the other smote betwixt
The necke and shoulder with his sword; which was so well laid on,
It swept his arme and shoulder off. These left, he rusht vpon
Abbas, and Polyeidus, of old Eurydamas
The haplesse sonnes; who could by dreames, tell what would come to passe:
Yet, when his sonnes set forth to Troy, the old man could not read
By their dreames, what would chance to them, for both were stricken dead
By great Tydides: after these, he takes into his rage
Xanthus, and Thoon, Phenops sonnes, borne to him in his age;
The good old man, euen pin'd with yeares, and had not one sonne more
To heire his goods: yet Diomed, tooke both, and left him store
Of teares and sorowes in their steeds; since he could neuer see

Egregium παθος

His sonnes leaue those hote warres aliue: so, this the end must be
Of all his labours; what he heapt, to make his issue great,
Authoritie heird, and with her seed, fild his forgotten seate.

Simile of a Lyon otherwise applied then before.

Then snatcht he vp two Priamists, that in one chariot stood;
Echemon, and faire Chromius; as feeding in a wood
Oxen or steeres are; one of which, a Lyon leapes vpon,

Teares downe, and wrings in two his necke: so sternely Tydeus sonne
Threw from their chariot both these hopes, of old Dardanides:
Then tooke their armes, and sent their horse, to those that ride the seas.

Æneas (seeing the troopes thus tost) brake through the heate of fight,
And all the whizzing of the darts, to find the Lycian knight
Lycaons sonne: whom hauing found, he thus bespake the Peere:

O Pandarus, where's now thy bow? thy deathfull arrowes where?

Æneas to Pandarus.

In which no one in all our host, but giues the palme to thee;
Nor in the Sun-lou'd Lycian greenes, that breed our Archerie,
Liues any that exceeds thy selfe. Come lift thy hands to Ioue,
And send an arrow at this man (if but a man he proue,
That winnes such God-like victories; and now affects our host
With so much sorrow: since so much, of our best blood is lost
By his high valour;) I haue feare, some God in him doth threat,
Incenst for want of sacrifice; the wrath of God is great.

Lycaons famous sonne replyde; Great Counsellor of Troy,

Pandarus to Æneas.

This man so excellent in armes, I thinke is Tydeus ioy;
I know him by his fierie shield, by his bright three plum'd caske,
And by his horse; nor can I say, if or some God doth maske
In his apparance; or he be (whom I nam'd) Tydeus sonne:
But without God, the things he does (for certaine) are not done;
Some great Immortall, that conueyes, his shoulders in a clowd,
Goes by, and puts by euerie dart, at his bold breast bestowd;
Or lets it take with little hurt; for I my selfe let flie
A shaft that shot him through his armes, but had as good gone by:
Yet, which I gloriously affirm'd, had driuen him downe to hell.
Some God is angrie, and with me; for farre hence, where I dwell,
My horse and Chariots idle stand; with which some other way
I might repaire this shamefull misse: eleuen faire chariots stay
In old Lycaons Court; new made, new trimd, to haue bene gone;
Curtaind and Arrast vnder-foote, two horse to euery one,
That eate white Barly and blacke Otes, and do no good at all:
And these Lycaon, (that well knew, how these affaires would fall)
Charg'd (when I set downe this designe) I should command with here;
And gaue me many lessons more, all which much better were
Then any I tooke forth my selfe. The reason I laid downe,
Was, but the sparing of my horse; since in a sieged towne,
I thought our horse-meate would be scant; when they were vsd to haue
Their mangers full; so I left them, and like a lackey slaue
Am come to Ilion, confident, in nothing but my bow,
That nothing profits me; two shafts, I vainly did bestow
At two great Princes; but of both, my arrowes neither slew;
Nor this, nor Atreus yonger sonne: a little blood I drew,
That seru'd but to incense them more. In an vnhappie starre,
I therefore from my Armorie, haue drawne those tookes of warre:
That day, when for great Hectors sake, to amiable Troy
I came to leade the Troian bands. But if I euer ioy
(In safe returne) my Countries sight; my wiues, my lofty towres;

Let any stranger take this head, if to the firie powres,
This bow, these shafts, in peeces burst (by these hands) be not throwne;
Idle companions that they are, to me and my renowne.

Æneas to Pandarus.

Æneas said, Vse no such words; for, any other way
Then this, they shall not now be vsd: we first will both assay
This man with horse and chariot. Come then, ascend to me,
That thou maist trie our Troian horse, how skild in field they be;
And in pursuing those that flie, or flying, being pursude,
How excellent they are of foote: and these (if Ioue conclude)
The scape of Tydeus againe, and grace him with our flight)
Shall serue to bring vs safely off. Come, Ile be first shall fight:
Take thou these faire reines and this scourge; or (if thou wilt) fight thou,
And leaue the horses care to me. He answered, I will now

Pandarus fights and Æneas guideth the chariot.

Descend to fight; keepe thou the reines, and guide thy selfe thy horse;
Who with their wonted manager, will better wield the force
Of the impulsiue chariot, if we be driuen to flie,
Then with a stranger; vnder whom, they will be much more shye,
And (fearing my voice, wishing thine) grow restie, nor go on,
To beare vs off; but leaue engag'd, for mightie Tydeus sonne,
Themselues and vs; Then be thy part, thy one hou'd horses guide;
Ile make the fight; and with a dart, receiue his vtmost pride.

With this the gorgious chariot, both (thus prepar'd) ascend,
And make full way at Diomed; which noted by his friend;

Sthenelus to Diomed.

Mine owne most loued Mind (said he) two mightie men of warre
I see come with a purposd charge; one's he that hits so farre
With bow and shaft, Lycaons sonne: the other fames the brood
Of great Anchises, and the Queene, that rules in Amorous blood;
(Æneas excellent in armes) come vp and vse your steeds,
And looke not warre so in the face, left that desire that feeds
Thy great mind be the bane of it. This did with anger sting
The blood of Diomed, to see, his friend that chid the king
Before the fight, and then preferd, his ablesse, and his mind,

Diomed now finds time to make Sthenelus see better his late rebuke of Agamemnon.

To all his ancestors in fight, now come so farre behind:
Whom thus he answerd; Vrge no flight, you cannot please me so;
Nor is it honest in my mind, to feare a coming foe;
Or make a flight good, though with fight; my powers are yet entire,
And scorne the help-tire of a horse; I will not blow the fire
Of their hote valours with my flight; but cast vpon the blaze
This body borne vpon my knees: I entertaine amaze?
Minerua will not see that shame: and since they haue begun,
They shall not both elect their ends; and he that scapes shall runne;
Or stay and take the others fate: and this I leaue for thee;
If amply wise Athenia, giue both their liues to me,
Reine our horse to their chariot hard, and haue a speciall heed
To seise vpon Æneas steeds; that we may change their breed,
And make a Grecian race of them, that haue bene long of Troy;
For, these are bred of those braue beasts, which for the louely Boy,
That waits now on the cup of Ioue, Ioue, that farre-seeing God.

Gaue Tros the king in recompence: the best that euer trod
The sounding Center, vnderneath, the Morning and the Sunne.
Anchises stole the breed of them; for where their Sires did runne,
He closely put his Mares to them, and neuer made it knowne
To him that heird them, who was then, the king Laomedon.
Sixe horses had he of that race, of which himselfe kept foure,
And gaue the other two his sonne; and these are they that scoure
The field so brauely towards vs, expert in charge and flight:
If these we haue the power to take, our prize is exquisite,
And our renowne will farre exceed. While these were talking thus,
The fir'd horse brought th' assailants neare: and thus spake Pandarus;

Pandarus to Diomed.

Most suffering-minded Tydeus sonne, that hast of warre the art:
My shaft that strooke thee, slue thee not, I now will proue a dart:
This said, he shooke, and then he threw, a lance, aloft and large,
That in Tydides curets stucke, quite driuing through his targe;
Then braid he out so wild a voice, that all the field might heare;
Now haue I reacht thy root of life, and by thy death shall beare
Our praises chiefe prize from the field: Tydides, vndismaid,
Replide; Thou err'st, I am not toucht: but more charge will be laid
To both your liues before you part: at least the life of one
Shall satiate the throate of Mars; this said, his lance was gone:
Minerua led it to his face, which at his eye ranne in,
And as he stoopt, strooke through his iawes, his tongs roote, and his chinne.

Diomed slaies Pandarus.

Downe from the chariot he fell, his gay armes shin'd and rung,
The swift horse trembled, and his soule, for euer charm'd his tongue.

Æneas with his shield and lance, leapt swiftly to his friend,
Affraid the Greekes would force his trunke; and that he did defend,
Bold as a Lyon of his strength: he hid him with his shield,
Shooke round his lance, and horribly, did threaten all the field
With death, if any durst make in; Tydides raisd a stone,
With his one hand, of wondrous weight, and powr'd it mainly on
The hip of Anchisiades, wherein the ioynt doth moue

Æneas being sonne to Anchises.

The thigh, tis cald the huckle bone, which all in sherds it droue;
Brake both the nerues, and with the edge, cut all the flesh away:
It staggerd him vpon his knees, and made th' Heroe stay
His strooke-blind temples on his hand, his elbow on the earth;
And there this Prince of men had died, if she that gaue him birth,
(Kist by Anchises on the greene, where his faire oxen fed,
Ioues louing daughter) instantly, had not about him spred
Her soft embraces, and conuaid, within her heauenly vaile,

Venus takes off Æneas being wounded.

(Vsd as a rampier gainst all darts, that did so hote assaile)
Her deare-lou'd issue from the field: Then Sthenelus in hast,
(Remembring what his friend aduisd) from forth the preasse made fast
His owne horse to their chariot, and presently laid hand,
Vpon the louely-coated horse, Æneas did command;

The horse of Æneas made prise.

Which bringing (to the wondring Greekes) he did their guard commend
To his belou'd Deiphylus, who was his inward friend,
And (of his equals) one to whom, he had most honor showne;

That he might see them safe at fleete: then stept he to his owne,
With which he chearefully made in, to Tydeus mightie race;
He (madde with his great enemies rape) was hote in desperate chase
Of her that made it; with his lance (arm'd lesse with steele then spight)
Well knowing her no Deitie, that had to do in fight;
Minerua his great patronesse, nor she that raceth townes,
Bellona; but a Goddesse weake, and foe to mens renownes;
Her (through a world of fight) pursude, at last he ouer-tooke,
And (thrusting vp his ruthlesse lance) her heauenly veile he strooke,

Diomed wounds Venus.

(That euen the Graces wrought themselues, at her diuine command)
Quite through, and hurt the tender backe, of her delicious hand:
The rude point piercing through her palme; forth flow'd th' immortall blood,
(Blood, such as flowes in blessed Gods, that eate no humane food,
Nor drinke of our inflaming wine, and therefore bloodlesse are,
And cald immortals:) out she cried, and could no longer beare

Venus for anguish throweth away Æneas, whom Apollo receiues. Diomed to Venus.

Her lou'd sonne, whom she cast from her; and in a sable clowd
Phœbus (receiuing) hid him close, from all the Grecian crowd;
Lest some of them should find his death. Away flew Venus then,
And after her cried Diomed; Away thou spoile of men,
Though sprung from all-preseruing Ioue; These hote encounters leaue:
Is't not enough that fillie Dames, thy sorceries should deceiue,
Vnlesse thou thrust into the warre, and rob a souldiers right?
I thinke, a few of these assaults, will make thee feare the fight,
Where euer thou shalt heare it nam'd. She sighing, went her way
Extremely grieu'd, and with her griefes, her beauties did decay;

Iris rescues Venus.

And blacke her Iuorie bodie grew. Then from a dewy mist,
Brake swift-foot Iris to her aide, from all the darts that hist,
At her quicke rapture; and to Mars, they tooke their plaintife course,
And found him on the fights left hand; by him his speedie horse,
And huge lance, lying in a fogge: the Queene of all things faire,

Venus to Mars. χρυσαμπυκας, ητε εν ιππους.

Her loued brother on her knees, besought with instant prayre,
His golden-ribband-bound-man'd horse, to lend her vp to heauen,
For she was much grieu'd with a wound, a mortall man had giuen;
Tydides: that gainst Ioue himselfe, durst now aduance his arme.

He granted, and his chariot (perplext with her late harme)

Mars lends his horse to Venus.

She mounted, and her wagonnesse, was she that paints the aire;
The horse she reind, and with a scourge, importun'd their repaire,
That of themselues out-flew the wind, and quickly they ascend
Olympus, high seate of the Gods; th' horse knew their iournies end,
Stood still, and from their chariot, the windie footed Dame
Dissolu'd, and gaue them heauenly food; and to Dione came
Her wounded daughter; bent her knees; she kindly bad her stand;
With sweet embraces helpt her vp; strok't her with her soft hand;

Dione mother of Venus, to Venus.

Call'd kindly by her name; and askt, what God hath bene so rude,
(Sweet daughter) to chastise thee thus? as if thou wert pursude,
Euen to the act of some light sinne, and deprehended so?
For otherwise, each close escape, is in the Great let go.

Venus to Dione.

She answerd; Haughtie Tydeus sonne, hath bene so insolent;

Since he, whom most my heart esteemes, of all my lou'd descent,
I rescu'd from his bloodie hand: now battell is not giuen,
To any Troians by the Greekes; but by the Greekes to heauen.

She answerd, Daughter, thinke not much, though much it grieue thee: vse

Dione to Venus.

The patience, whereof many Gods, examples may produce,
In many bitter ils receiu'd; as well that men sustaine
By their inflictions; as by men, repaid to them againe.

Mars sufferd much more then thy selfe, by Ephialtes powre,

Mars bound in chaines by Otus and Ephialtes.

And Otus, Aloeus sonnes, who in a brazen towre,
(And in inextricable chaines) cast that warre-greedie God;
Where twise sixe months and one he liu'd, and there the period
Of his sad life perhaps had closd, if his kind step-dames eye,
Faire Erebæas had not seene, who told it Mercurie;
And he by stealth enfranchisd him, though he could scarce enioy
The benefite of franchisment, the chaines did so destroy
His vitall forces with their weight. So Iuno sufferd more,
When with a three-forkt arrowes head, Amphytrios sonne did gore
Her right breast, past all hope of cure. Pluto sustaind no lesse
By that selfe man; and by a shaft, of equall bitternesse,
Shot through his shoulder at hell gates; and there (amongst the dead,
Were he not deathlesse) he had died: but vp to heauen he fled
(Extremely tortur'd) for recure, which instantly he wonne
At Pæons hand, with soueraigne Balme; and this did Ioues great sonne.

Pæon Phisition to the Gods. επιφωνημα

Vnblest, great-high-deed-daring man, that car'd not doing ill;
That with his bow durst wound the Gods; but by Mineruas will,
Thy wound, the foolish Diomed, was so prophane to giue;
Not knowing he that fights with heauen, hath neuer long to liue;
And for this deed, he neuer shall, haue child about his knee
To call him father, coming home. Besides, heare this from me,
(Strength-trusting man) though thou be strong, and art in strength a towre;
Take heed a stronger meet thee not, and that a womans powre
Containes not that superiour strength; and lest that woman be
Adrastus daughter, and thy wife, the wise Ægiale,
When (from this houre not farre) she wakes, euen sighing with desire
To kindle our reuenge on thee, with her enamouring fire,
In choosing her some fresh young friend, and so drowne all thy fame,
Wonne here in warre, in her Court-peace, and in an opener shame.

This said, with both her hands she cleansd, the tender backe and palme
Of all the sacred blood they lost; and neuer vsing Balme,
The paine ceast, and the wound was cur'd, of this kind Queene of loue.

Iuno and Pallas seeing this, assaid to anger Ioue,
And quit his late made-mirth with them, about the louing Dame,
With some sharpe iest, in like sort built, vpon her present shame.
Grey-eyd Athenia began, and askt the Thunderer,

Pallas to Ioue.

If (nothing mouing him to wrath) she boldly might preferre
What she conceiu'd, to his conceipt: and (staying no reply)
She bade him view the Cyprian fruite, he lou'd so tenderly,
Whom she though hurt, and by this meanes, intending to suborne

Some other Ladie of the Greekes (whom louely veiles adorne)
To gratifie some other friend, of her much-loued Troy,

Scopticè.

As she embrac't and stird her blood, to the Venerean ioy,
The golden claspe those Grecian Dames, vpon their girdles weare,
Tooke hold of her delicious hand, and hurt it, she had feare.

Iuno to Venus.

The Thunderer smil'd, and cald to him, loues golden Arbitresse,
And told her, those rough workes of warre, were not for her accesse:
She should be making mariages, embracings, kisses, charmes;
Sterne Mars and Pallas had the charge, of those affaires in armes.

While these thus talkt, Tydides rage, still thirsted to atchieue
His prise vpon Anchises sonne; though well he did perceiue
The Sunne himselfe protected him: but his desires (inflam'd
With that great Troian Princes blood, and armes so highly fam'd)
Not that great God did reuerence. Thrise rusht he rudely on;
And thrise betwixt his darts and death, the Sunnes bright target shone:
But when vpon the fourth assault (much like a spirit) he flew,
The far-off-working Deitie, exceeding wrathfull grew,

Apollo to Diomed.

And askt him: What? Not yeeld to Gods? thy equals learne to know:
The race of God is farre aboue, men creeping here below.

This draue him to some small retreite; he would not tempt more neare
The wrath of him that strooke so farre; whose powre had now set cleare

Apollo beares Æneas to Troy.

Æneas from the stormie field, within the holy place
Of Pergamus; where, to the hope, of his so soueraigne grace
A goodly Temple was aduanc't; in whose large inmost part
He left him, and to his supply, enclin'd his mothers heart
(Latona) and the dart-pleasd Queene, who cur'd, and made him strong.

The siluer-bow'd-faire God, then threw, in the tumultuous throng,

The Image of Æneas.

An Image, that in stature, looke, and armes he did create
Like Venus sonne; for which the Greekes, and Troians made debate,
Laid lowd strokes on their Ox-hide shields, and bucklers easly borne:
Which error Phœbus pleasd to vrge, on Mars himselfe in scorne:

Apollo to Mars.

Mars, Mars, (said he) thou plague of men, smeard with the dust and blood
Of humanes, and their ruin'd wals; yet thinks thy God-head good,
To fright this Furie from the field? who next will fight with Ioue.
First, in a bold approch he hurt, the moist palme of thy Loue:
And next (as if he did affect, to haue a Deities powre)
He held out his assault on me. This said, the loftie towre
Of Pergamus he made his seate, and Mars did now excite
The Troian forces, in the forme, of him that led to fight
The Thracian troopes; swift Acamas. O Priams, sonnes (said he)

Mars like Acamas to the sons of Priam.

How long, the slaughter of your men, can ye sustaine to see?
Euen till they braue ye at your gates? Ye suffer beaten downe
Æneas, great Anchises sonne; whose prowesse we renowne
As much as Hectors: fetch him off, from this contentious prease.

With this, the strength and spirits of all, his courage did increase;

Sarpedon reproues Hector.

And yet Sarpedon seconds him, with this particular taunt
Of Hector; Hector? where, is thy vnthanfull vaunt,
And that huge strength on which it built? that thou, and thy allies,

With all thy brothers (without aid of vs or our supplies,
And troubling not a citizen) the Citie safe would hold:
In all which, friends, and brothers helps, I see not, nor am told
Of any one of their exploits; but (all held in dismay
Of Diomed; like a sort of dogs, that at a Lion bay,
And entertaine no spirit to pinch;) we (your assistants here)
Fight for the towne, as you helpt vs: and I (an aiding Peere,
No Citizen, euen out of care, that doth become a man,
For men and childrens liberties) adde all the aide I can:
Not out my particular cause; far hence my profit growes:
For far hence Asian Lycia lies, where gulfie Xanthus flowes:
And where my lou'd wife, infant sonne, and treasure nothing scant,
I left behind me, which I see, those men would haue, that want:
And therefore they that haue, would keepe; yet I (as I would lose
Their sure fruition) cheere my troupes, and with their liues propose
Mine owne life, both to generall fight, and to particular cope,
With this great souldier: though (I say) I entertaine no hope
To haue such gettings as the Greeks, nor feare to lose like Troy:
Yet thou (euen Hector) deedlesse standst, and car'st not to employ
Thy towne-borne friends; to bid them stand, to fight and saue their wines:
Lest as a Fowler casts his nets, vpon the silly liues
Of birds of all sorts; so the foe, your walls and houses hales,
(One with another) on all heads: or such as scape their fals,
Be made the prey and prize of them, (as willing ouerthrowne)
That hope not for you, with their force: and so this braue-built towne
Will proue a Chaos: that deserues, in thee so hote a care
As should consume thy dayes and nights, to hearten and prepare
Th' assistant Princes: pray their minds, to beare their far-brought toiles,
To giue them worth, with worthy fight; in victories and foiles
Still to be equall; and thy selfe (exampling them in all)
Need no reproofes nor spurs: all this, in thy free choice should fall.

This stung great Hectors heart: and yet, as euery generous mind.
Should silent beare a iust reproofe, and shew what good they find
In worthy counsels, by their ends, put into present deeds:
Not stomacke, nor be vainly sham'd: so Hectors spirit proceeds:
And from his Chariot (wholly arm'd) he iumpt vpon the sand:
On foote, so toiling through the hoast; a dart in either hand,
And all hands turn'd against the Greeks; the Greeks despisde their worst,
And (thickning their instructed powres) expected all they durst.

Then with the feet of horse and foote, the dust in clouds did rise.
And as in sacred floores of barnes, vpon corne-winowers flies

Simile from the husbandman, expressing notably.

The chaffe, driuen with an opposite wind, when yellow Ceres dites;
Which all the Diters feet, legs, armes, their heads and shoulders whites:
So lookt the Grecians gray with dust, that strooke the solide heauen,
Raisd from returning chariots, and troupes together driuen.
Each side stood to their labours firme: fierce Mars flew through the aire,
And gatherd darknesse from the sight: and with his best affaire,
Obeyd the pleasure of the Sunne, that weares the golden sword,

Who bad him raise the spirits of Troy, when Pallas ceast t'afford

Apollo brings Æneas from his Temple to field cured.

Her helping office, to the Greeks; and then his owne hands wrought;
Which (from his Phanes rich chancell, cur'd) the true Æneas brought,
And plac't him by his Peeres in field; who did (with ioy) admire,
To see him both aliue and safe, and all his powers entire:
Yet stood not sifting, how it chanc't: another sort of taske,
Then stirring th' idle siue of newes, did all their forces aske:
Inflam'd by Phœbus, harmfull Mars, and Eris, eagrer farre:
The Greekes had none to hearten them; their hearts rose with the warre;
But chiefly Diomed, Ithacus, and both th' Aiaces vsde
Stirring examples, and good words: their owne fames had infusde
Spirit enough into their blouds, to make them neither feare
The Troians force, nor Fate it selfe; but still expecting were
When most was done, what would be more; their ground they stil made goods;

Simile.

And (in their silence, and set powers) like faire still clouds they stood:
With which, Ioue crownes the tops of hils, in any quiet day,
When Boreas and the ruder winds (that vse to driue away
Aires duskie vapors, being loose, in many a whistling gale)
Are pleasingly bound vp and calme, and not a breath exhale;
So firmely stood the Greeks, nor fled, for all the Ilions ayd.

Atrides yet coasts through the troupes, confirming men so stayd:
O friends (said he) hold vp your minds; strength is but strength of will;
Reuerence each others good in fight, and shame at things done ill:
Where souldiers shew an honest shame, and loue of honour liues,
That ranks men with the first in fight; death fewer liueries giues
Then life; or then where Fames neglect, makes cow-herds fight at length:
Flight neither doth the bodie grace, nor shewes the mind hath strength.
He said; and swiftly through the troupes, a mortall Lance did send,
That reft a standard-bearers life, renownd Æneas friend;

Pergasides slain by Agamemnon.

Deicoon Pergasides, whom all the Troians lou'd,
As he were one of Priams sonnes; his mind was so approu'd
In alwayes fighting with the first: the Lance his target tooke,
Which could not interrupt the blow, that through it cleerly strooke,
And in his bellies rimme was sheath'd, beneath his girdle-stead;
He founded falling; and his armes, with him resounded, dead.

Orsilochus and Crethon slain by Æneas.

Then fell two Princes of the Greeks, by great Æneas ire,
Diocleus sonnes (Orsilochus, and Crethon) whose kind Sire
In brauely-builded Phæra dwelt; rich, and of sacred bloud;
He was descended lineally, from great Alphæus floud,
That broadly flowes through Pylos fields: Alphæus did beget

The pedigree of Orsilochus.

Orsilochus; who in the rule, of many men was set:
And that Orsilochus begat, the rich Diocleus:
Diocleus sire to Crethon was, and this Orsilochus:
Both these, arriu'd at mans estate, with both th' Atrides went,
To honor them in th' Ileon warres; and both were one way sent;
To death as well as Troy; for death, hid both in one blacke houre.

Simile.

As two yong Lions (with their dam, sustaind but to deuoure)
Bred on the tops of some steepe hill, and in the gloomie deepe

Of an inaccessible wood, rush out, and prey on sheepe,
Steeres, Oxen; and destroy mens stals, so long that they come short,
And by the Owners steele are slaine: in such vnhappie sort,
Fell these beneath Æneas powre. When Menelaus view'd
(Like two tall fir-trees) these two fall; their timelesse fals he rew'd;
And to the first fight, where they lay, a vengefull force he tooke;
His armes beat backe the Sunne in flames; a dreadfull Lance he shooke:
Mars put the furie in his mind, that by Æneas hands,
(Who was to make the slaughter good) he might haue strewd the sands.

Antilochus voluntary care of Menelaus, and their charge of Æneas.

Antilochus (old Nestors sonne) obseruing he was bent
To vrge a combat of such ods; and knowing the euent,
Being ill on his part, all their paines (alone sustaind for him)
Er'd from their end, made after hard, and tooke them in the trim
Of an encounter; both, their hands, and darts aduanc't, and shooke,
And both pitcht, in full stand of charge; when suddenly the looke
Of Anchisiades tooke note, of Nestors valiant sonne,
In full charge too; which two to one, made Venus issue shunne
The hote aduenture, though he were, a souldier well approu'd.
Then drew they off their slaughterd friends; who giuen to their belou'd,
They turnd where fight shewd deadliest hate; and there mixt with the dead
Pylemen, that the targatiers of Paphlagonia led,
A man like Mars; and with him fell, good Mydon that did guide
His chariot; Atymnus sonne. The Prince Pylemen died
By Menelaus; Nestors ioy, slue Mydon; one before,

Menelaus slayes Pylemen.

The other in the chariot: Atrides lance did gore
Pylemens shoulder, in the blade: Antilochus did force
A mightie stone vp from the earth, and (as he turnd his horse)
Strooke Mydons elbow in the midst: the reines of Iuorie

Antilochus slayes Myden.

Fell from his hands into the dust: Antilochus let flie,
His sword withall, and (rushing in) a blow so deadly layd
Vpon his temples, that he gron'd; tumbl'd to earth, and stayd
A mightie while preposterously (because the dust was deepe)
Vpon his necke and shoulders there, euen till his foe tooke keepe
Of his prisde horse, and made them stirre; and then he prostrate fell:
His horse Antilochus tooke home. When Hector had heard tell,

Hectors manner of assault.

(Amongst the vprore) of their deaths, he laid out all his voice,
And ran vpon the Greeks: behind, came many men of choice;
Before him marcht great Mars himselfe, matcht with his femall mate,
The drad Bellona: she brought on (to fight for mutuall Fate)
A tumult that was wilde, and mad: he shooke a horrid Lance,
And, now led Hector, and anon, behind would make the chance.

This sight, when great Tydides saw, his haire stood vp on end:
And him, whom all the skill and powre, of armes did late attend,
Now like a man in counsell poore, that (trauelling) goes amisse,

Simile.

And (hauing past a boundlesse plaine) not knowing where he is,
Comes on the sodaine, where he sees, a riuer rough, and raues
With his owne billowes rauished, into the king of waues;
Murmurs with fome, and frights him backe: so he, amazd, retirde,

And thus would make good his amaze; O friends, we all admirde
Great Hector, as one of himselfe, well-darting, bold in warre;
When some God guards him still from death, and makes him dare so farre;
Now Mars himselfe (formd like a man), is present in his rage:
And therefore, whatsoeuer cause, importunes you to wage
Warre with these Troians; neuer striue, but gently take your rod;
Lest in your bosomes, for a man, ye euer find a God.

As Greece retirde, the power of Troy, did much more forward prease;

Hector slaughters Menesthes and Anchialus. Aiax slayes Amphius Selages.

And Hector, two braue men of warre, sent to the fields of peace;
Menesthes, and Anchialus; one chariot bare them both:
Their fals made Aiax Telamon, ruthfull of heart, and wroth;
Who lightned out a lance, that smote, Amphius Selages,
That dwelt in Pædos; rich in lands, and did huge goods possesse:
But Fate, to Priam and his sonnes, conducted his supply:
The Iauelin on his girdle strooke, and pierced mortally
His bellies lower part; he fell; his armes had lookes so trim,
That Aiax needs would proue their spoile; the Troians powrd on him
Whole stormes of Lances, large, and sharpe: of which, a number stucke
In his rough shield; yet from the slaine, he did his Iauelin plucke:
But could not from his shoulders force, the armes he did affect;
The Troians, with such drifts of Darts, the body did protect:
And wisely Telamonius fear'd, their valorous defence;
So many, and so strong of hand, stood in, with such expence,
Of deadly prowesse; who repeld (though big, strong, bold he were)
The famous Aiax; and their friend, did from his rapture beare.

Thus this place, fild, with strength of fight, in th' armies other prease,
Tlepolemus, a tall big man, the sonne of Hercules,
A cruell destinie inspir'd, with strong desire to proue
Encounter with Sarpedons strength, the sonne of Cloudy Ioue;
Who, coming on, to that sterne end, had chosen him his foe:

Ioues son Sarpedon, and Tlepolemus his nephew son to Hercules, draw to encounter. Tlepolemus to Sarpedon.

Thus Ioues great Nephew, and his sonne, 'gainst one another go:
Tlepolemus (to make his end, more worth the will of Fate)
Began, as if he had her powre; and shewd the mortall state
Of too much confidence in man, with this superfluous Braue;
Sarpedon, what necessitie, or needlesse humor draue
Thy forme, to these warres? which in heart, I know thou doest abhorre;
A man not seene in deeds of armes, a Lycian counsellor;
They lie that call thee sonne to Ioue, since Ioue bred none so late;
The men of elder times were they, that his high powre begat,
Such men, as had Herculean force; my father Hercules
Was Ioues true issue; he was bold; his deeds did well expresse
They sprung out of a Lions heart: he whilome came to Troy,
(For horse that Iupiter gaue Tros, for Ganimed his boy)
With sixe ships onely and few men, and tore the Citie downe,
Left all her broad wayes desolate, and made the horse his owne:
For thee, thy mind is ill disposde, thy bodies powers are poore,
And therefore are thy troopes so weake: the souldier euermore
Followes the temper of his chiefe; and thou pull'st downe a side.

But say, thou art the sonne of Ioue; and hast thy meanes supplide,
With forces fitting his descent: the powers, that I compell,
Shall throw thee hence; and make thy head, run ope the gates of hell.

Ioues Lycian issue answerd him, Tlepolemus, tis true;

Sarpedon to Tlepolemus.

Thy father, holy Ilion, in that sort ouerthrew;
Th' iniustice of the king was cause, that where thy father had
Vsde good deseruings to his state, he quitted him with bad.
Hesyone, the ioy and grace, of king Laomedon,
Thy father rescude from a whale; and gaue to Telamon
In honourd Nuptials; Telamon, from whom your strongest Greeke
Boasts to haue issude; and this grace, might well expect the like:
Yet he gaue taunts for thanks, and kept, against his oath, his horse;
And therefore both thy fathers strength, and iustice might enforce
The wreake he tooke on Troy: but this, and thy cause differ farre;
Sonnes seldome heire their fathers worths; thou canst not make his warre:
What thou assum'st from him, is mine, to be on thee imposde.

With this, he threw an ashen dart; and then Tlepolemus losde
Another from his glorious hand: Both at one instant flew;
Both strooke, both wounded; from his necke, Sarpedons Iauelin drew

Sarpedon slaughters Tlepolemus.

The life-bloud of Tlepolemus; full in the midst it fell:
And what he threatned, th' other gaue; that darknesse, and that hell.
Sarpedons left thigh tooke the Lance; it pierc't the solide bone;

Himselfe sore hurt by Tlepolemus.

And with his raging head, ranne through; but Ioue preseru'd his sonne.
The dart yet vext him bitterly, which should haue bene puld out;
But none considerd then so much; so thicke came on the rout,
And fild each hand so full of cause, to plie his owne defence;
Twas held enough (both falne) that both, were nobly caried thence.

Vlysses knew the euents of both, and tooke it much to hart,
That his friends enemie should scape; and in a twofold part
His thoughts contended; if he should, pursue Sarpedons life,
Or take his friends wreake on his men. Fate did conclude this strife;

Vlysses valour.

By whom twas otherwise decreed, then that Vlysses steele
Should end Sarpedon. In this doubt, Minerva tooke the wheele
From fickle Chance; and made his mind, resolue to right his friend
With that bloud he could surest draw. Then did Reuenge extend
Her full powre on the multitude; Then did he neuer misse;
Alastor, Halius, Chromius, Noemon, Pritanis,
Alcander, and a number more, he slue, and more had slaine,
If Hector had not vnderstood; whose powre made in amaine,
And strooke feare through the Grecian troupes; but to Sarpedon gaue
Hope of full rescue; who thus cried, O Hector! helpe and saue

Sarpedon to Hector.

My body from the spoile of Greece; that to your loued towne,
My friends may see me borne; and then, let earth possesse her owne,
In this soyle, for whose sake I left, my countries; for no day
Shall euer shew me that againe; nor to my wife display
(And yong hope of my Name) the ioy, of my much thirsted sight:
All which, I left for Troy; for them, let Troy then do this right.

To all this Hector giues no word: but greedily he striues,

With all speed to repell the Greekes, and shed in floods their liues,
And left Sarpedon: but what face, soeuer he put on
Of following the common cause; he left this Prince alone
For his particular grudge; because, so late, he was so plaine
In his reproofe before the host, and that did he retaine;
How euer, for example sake, he would not shew it then;
And for his shame to, since twas iust. But good Sarpedons men
Venturd themselues, and forc't him off, and set him vnderneath
The goodly Beech of Iupiter, where now they did vnsheath
The Ashen lance: strong Pelagon, his friend, most lou'd, most true,

Sarpedon in a trance.

Enforc't it from his maimed thigh: with which his spirit flew,
And darknesse ouer-flew his eyes, yet with a gentle gale
That round about the dying Prince, coole Boreas did exhale,
He was reuiu'd, recomforted; that else had grieu'd and dyed.

All this time, flight draue to the fleet, the Argiues, who applyed
No weapon gainst the proud pursuite, nor euer turnd a head;
They knew so well that Mars pursude, and dreadfull Hector led.
Then who was first, who last, whose liues, the Iron Mars did seise,
And Priams Hector? Helenus, surnam'd Oenopides,
Good Tenthras, and Orestes, skild, in managing of horse;
Bold Oenomaus, and a man, renownd for martiall force,
Trechus, the great Ætolian Chiefe; Oresbius, that did weare
The gawdy Myter; studied wealth, extremely, and dwelt neare
Th' Athlantique lake Cephisides, in Hyla; by whose seate,
The good men of Bœotia dwelt. This slaughter grew so great,
It flew to heauen: Saturnia, discernd it, and cried out
To Pallas; O vnworthy sight? to see a field so fought,
And breake our words to Spartas king, that Ilion should be rac't,
And he returne reueng'd? when thus, we see his Greekes disgrac't
And beate the harmfull rage of Mars? Come, let vs vse our care
That we dishonor not our powers. Minerva was as yare
As she, at the despight of Troy. Her golden-bridl'd steeds,
Then Saturns daughter brought abrode; and Hebe, she proceeds
T'addresse her chariot; instantly, she giues it either wheele,

Iunos chariot.

Beam'd with eight Spokes of sounding brasse, the Axle-tree was steele;
The Felffes, incorruptible gold; their vpper bands, of brasse;
Their matter most vnuallued; their worke of wondrous grace.
The Naues in which the Spokes were driuen, were all with siluer bound;
The chariots seate, two hoopes of gold, and siluer, strengthned round;
Edg'd with a gold and siluer fringe; the beame that lookt before,
Was massie siluer; on whose top, geres all of gold it wore,
And golden Poitrils. Iuno mounts, and her hote horses rein'd,
That thirsted for contention, and still of peace complaind.

Minerua wrapt her in the robe, that curiously she woue.

Pallas armed.

With glorious colours, as she fate, on th' Azure floore of Ioue;
And wore the armes that he puts on, bent to the tearefull field:

Ægis (Ioues shield) described

About her brode-spred shoulders hung, his huge and horrid shield,
Fring'd round with euer-fighting Snakes; through it, was drawne to life

The miseries, and deaths of fight; in it frownd bloodie Strife;
In it shin'd sacred Fortitude; in it fell Pursuit flew;
In it the monster Gorgons head, in which (held out to view)
Were all the dire ostents of Ioue; on her big head she plac't
His foure-plum'd glittering caske of gold, so admirably vast,
It would a hundred garrisons, of souldiers comprehend.
Then to her shining chariot, her vigorous feet ascend:
And in her violent hand she takes, his graue, huge, solid lance,
With which the conquests of her wrath, she vseth to aduance,
And ouerturne whole fields of men; to shew she was the seed
Of him that thunders. Then heauens Queene (to vrge her horses speed)

The three Howrs Guardians of heauen gates.

Takes vp the scourge, and forth they flie; the ample gates of heauen
Rung, and flew open of themselues; the charge whereof is giuen
(With all Olympus, and the skie) to the distinguisht Howres,
That cleare, or hide it all in clowds; or powre it downe in showres.
This way their scourge-obeying horse, made haste, and soone they wonne
The top of all the topfull heauens, where aged Saturns sonne
Sate seuerd from the other Gods; then staid the white-arm'd Queene
Her steeds; and askt of Ioue, if Mars, did not incense his spleene
With his foule deeds; in ruining, so many, and so great
In the Command and grace of Greece, and in so rude a heate.
At which (she said) Apollo laught, and Venus; who still sue
To that mad God for violence, that neuer iustice knew;
For whose impietie she askt, if with his wished loue
Her selfe might free the field of him? He bade her rather moue
Athenia to the charge she sought, who vsd of old to be
The bane of Mars; and had as well, the gift of spoile as he.

This grace she slackt not, but her horse, scourg'd, that in nature flew
Betwixt the cope of starres and earth: And how farre at a view
A man into the purple Sea, may from a hill descrie:

How farre a heauenly horse took at one reach or stroke in galloping or running; wherein Homers mind is farre from being exprest in his Interpreters, al taking it for how far Deities were borne from the earth: when instātly they came downe to earth: το αστον οπιθρωατουοι, &c. tantum vno saltu conficiunt, vel, tantū subsultim progrediuntur deorum altizoni e qui, &c. vno, being vnderstood, and the horses swiftnes highly exprest. The sence otherwise is senslesse, and contradictorie.

So farre a high-neighing horse of heauen, at euerie iumpe would flie.

Arriu'd at Troy, where broke in curls, the two floods mixe their force,
(Scamander, and bright Simois) Saturnia staid her horse;
Tooke them from chariot; and a clowd, of mightie depth diffusd
About them; and the verdant bankes, of Symois produc'd
(In nature) what they

αμβροσιην is the originall word, which Scaliger taxeth, very learnediy, asking how the horse came by it on those bankes, when the text tels him Symois produced it: being willing to expresse by Hyperbole the delicacie of that soile. If not, I hope the Deities could euer command it.

eate in heauen. Then both the Goddesses
Marcht like a paire of timorous Doues, in hasting their accesse,
To th' Argiue succour. Being arriu'd, where both the most, and best
Were heapt together, (shewing all, like Lyons at a feast
Of new slaine carkasses; or Bores, beyond encounter strong.)
There found they Diomed; and there, midst all th' admiring throng,
Saturnia put on Stentors shape; that had a brazen voice,
And spake as lowd as fiftie men; like whom she made a noise,
And chid the Argiues; O ye Greekes, in name, and outward rite,
But Princes onely; not in act: what scandall? what despight
Vse ye to honor? all the time, the great Æacides
Was conuersant in armes; your foes, durst not a foote addresse
Without their ports; so much they feard, his lance that all controld;

And now they out-ray to your fleete. This did with shame make bold
The generall spirit and powre of Greece; when (with particular note
Of their disgrace) Athenia, made Tydeus issue hote.
She found him at his chariot, refreshing of his wound
Inflicted by slaine Pandarus; his sweat did so abound,
It much annoid him, vnderneath, the brode belt of his shield;
With which, and tired with his toile, his soule could hardly yeeld
His bodie motion. With his hand, he lifted vp the belt,
And wip't away that clotterd blood, the feruent wound did melt.
Minerua leand against his horse, and neare their withers laid

Pallas to Diomed.

Her sacred hand; then spake to him; Beleeue me Diomed,
Tydeus exampl'd not himselfe, in thee his sonne; not Great,
But yet he was a souldier; a man of so much heate,
That in his Ambassie for Thebes, when I forbad his mind
To be too ventrous; and when Feasts, his heart might haue declind
(With which they welcom'd him) he made, a challenge to the best,
And foild the best; I gaue him aide, because the rust of rest
(That would haue seisd another mind) he sufferd not; but vsd
The triall I made like a man; and their soft feasts refusd:
Yet when I set thee on, thou faint'st; I guard thee, charge, exhort,
That (I abetting thee) thou shouldst, be to the Greekes a Fort,
And a dismay to Ilion; yet thou obey'st in nought:

Diomed to Pallas.

Affraid, or slouthfull, or else both: henceforth, renounce all thought
That euer thou wert Tydeus sonne. He answerd her; I know
Thou art Ioues daughter, and for that, in all iust dutie owe
Thy speeches reuerence: yet affirme, ingenuously, that feare
Doth neither hold me spiritlesse, nor sloth. I onely beare
Thy charge in zealous memorie, that I should neuer warre
With any blessed Deitie, vnlesse (exceeding farre
The limits of her rule) the Queene, that gouerns Chamber sport
Should preasse to field; and her, thy will, enioynd my lance to hurt:
But he whose powre hath right in armes, I knew in person here
(Besides the Cyprian Deitie) and therefore did forbeare;
And here haue gatherd in retreit, these other Greekes you see

Pallas againe.

With note and reuerence of your charge. My dearest mind (said she)
What then was fit is chang'd: Tis true, Mars hath iust rule in warre,

What vniust warre in.

But iust warre; otherwise he raues, not fights; he's alterd farre;
He vow'd to Iuno and my selfe, that his aide should be vsd
Against the Troians, whom it guards; and therein he abusd
His rule in armes, infring'd his word, and made his warre vniust:
He is inconstant, impious, mad: Resolue then; firmly trust
My aide of thee against his worst, or any Deitie:
Adde scourge to thy free horse, charge home: he fights perfidiously.

This said; as that braue king, her knight, with his horse-guiding friend,
Were set before the chariot, (for signe he should descend,
That she might serue for wagonnesse) she pluckt the waggoner backe,
And vp into his feate she mounts: the Beechen tree did cracke
Beneath the burthen; and good cause, it bore so huge a thing:

A Goddesse so repleate with powre, and such a puissant king.

She snatcht the scourge vp and the reines, and shut her heauenly looke
In hels vast helme, from Mars his eyes: and full careere she tooke
At him, who then had newly slaine, the mightie Periphas,
Renown'd sonne to Ochesius; and farre the strongest was
Of all th' Ætolians; to whose spoile, the bloodie God was run:
But when this man-plague saw th' approch, of God-like Tydeus sonne;
He let his mightie Periphas lie, and in full charge he ran

The combat of Mars and Diomed.

At Diomed; and he at him; both neare; the God began,
And (thirstie of his blood) he throwes, a brazen lance, that beares
Full on the breast of Diomed, aboue the reines and geres;
But Pallas tooke it on her hand, and strooke the eager lance
Beneath the chariot: then the knight, of Pallas doth aduance,

Mars hurt by Diomed.

And cast a Iaueline off, at Mars; Minerua sent it on;
That (where his arming girdle girt) his bellie graz'd vpon,
Iust at the rim, and rancht the flesh: the lance againe he got,
But left the wound; that stung him so, he laid out such a throat,
As if nine or ten thousand men, had bray'd out all their breaths
In one confusion; hauing felt, as many sodaine deaths.
The rore made both the hosts amaz'd. Vp flew the God to heauen;
And with him, was through all the aire, as blacke a tincture driuen
(To Diomeds eyes) as when the earth, halfe chok't with smoking heate
Of gloomie clouds, that stifle men; and pitchie tempests threat,
Vsherd with horrid gusts of wind: with such blacke vapors plum'd,
Mars flew t'Olympus, and brode heauen; and there his place resum'd.

Mars fled to heauen.

Sadly he went and fate by Ioue, shew'd his immortall blood,
That from a mortall-man-made-wound, powrd such an impious flood;
And (weeping) powr'd out these complaints: O Father, stormst thou not

Mars to Iupiter.

To see vs take these wrongs from men extreme griefes we haue got
Euen by our owne deepe counsels held, for gratifying them;
And thou (our Councels President) conclud'st in this extreme
Of fighting euer; being ruld, by one that thou hast bred;
One neuer well, but doing ill; a girle so full of head,
That, though all other Gods obey, her mad moods must command
By thy indulgence; nor by word, nor any touch of hand
Correcting her; thy reason is, she is a sparke of thee,
And therefore she may kindle rage, in men, gainst Gods; and she
May make men hurt Gods; and those Gods, that are (besides) thy seed.
First in the palms height Cyprides; then runs the impious deed
On my hurt person: and could life, giue way to death in me;
Or had my feete not fetcht me off; heaps of mortalitie
Had kept me consort. Iupiter, with a contracted brow,
Thus answerd Mars: Thou many minds, inconstant changling thou;

Iupiter to Mars

Sit not complaining thus by me; whom most of all the Gods
(Inhabiting the starrie hill) I hate: no periods
Being set to thy contentions, brawles, fights, and pitching fields;
Iust of thy mother Iunos moods; stiffe-neckt, and neuer yeelds,
Though I correct her still, and chide; nor can forbeare offence,

Though to her sonne; this wound I know, tasts of her insolence;
But I will proue more naturall, thou shalt be cur'd, because
Thou com'st of me: but hadst thou bene, so crosse to sacred lawes,
Being borne to any other God; thou hadst bene throwne from heauen
Long since, as low as Tartarus, beneath the Giants driuen.

This said, he gaue his wound in charge, to Pæon, who applied
Such soueraigne medicines, that as soone, the paine was qualified,
And he recur'd; as nourishing milke, when runner is put in,
Runs all in heapes of tough thicke curd, though in his nature thin:
Euen so soone, his wounds parted sides, ran close in his recure;
For he (all deathlesse) could not long, the parts of death endure.

Hebe attires Mars.

Then Hebe bath'd, and put on him, fresh garments, and he sate
Exulting by his Sire againe, in top of all his state;
So (hauing from the spoiles of men, made his desir'd remoue)
Iuno and Pallas reascend, the starrie Court of Ioue.

The end of the fifth Booke.

THE SIXTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

The Gods now leauing an indifferent field,
The Greekes preuaile, the slaughterd Troians yeeld;
Hector (by Hellenus aduice) retires
In haste to Troy; and Hecuba, desires
To pray Minerua, to remoue from fight
The sonne of Tydeus, her affected knight;
And vow to her (for fauour of such price)
Twelue Oxen should be slaine in sacrifice.
In meane space, Glaucus and Tydides meete;
And either other, with remembrance greet
Of old Ioue twixt their fathers; which enclines
Their hearts to friendship; who change armes for signes
Of a continu'd loue for eithers life.
Hector, in his returne, meets with his wife;
And taking, in his armed armes, his sonne,
He prophecies the fall of Ilion.

Another Argument.

In Zeta, Hector Prophecies;
Prayes for his sonne: wils sacrifice.

The stern fight freed of all the Gods; conquest, with doubtful wings
Flew on their lances; euerie way, the restlesse field she flings,
Betwixt the floods of Symois, and Xanthus, that confin'd
All their affaires at Ilion, and round about them shin'd.
The first that weigh'd downe all the field, of one particular side,
Was Aiax, sonne of Telamon: who like a bulwarke plide
The Greekes protection, and of Troy, the knottie orders brake:
Held out a light to all the rest, and shew'd them how to make
Way to their conquest: he did wound, the strongest man of Thrace,
The tallest, and the biggest set, (Eussorian Acamas:)
His lance fell on his caskes plum'd top, in stooping; the fell head
Draue through his forehead to his iawes; his eyes Night shadowed.

Tydides slue Teuthranides, Axilus, that did dwell

Tydides, alias Diomed (being son to Tydeus.)

In faire Arisbas well-built towres, he had of wealth a Well,
And yet was kind and bountifull: he would a traueller pray
To be his guest; his friendly house, stood in the brode high way;
In which, he all sorts nobly vsd: yet none of them would stand,
Twixt him and death; but both himselfe, and he that had command
Of his faire horse, Calisius, fell liuelesse on the ground.
Euryalus; Opheltius, and Dresus dead did wound;

Nor ended there his fierie course, which he againe begins,
And ran to it succesfully, vpon a paire of twins,
Æsepus, and bold Pedasus, whom good Bucolion,
(That first cald father, though base borne, renowm'd Laomedon)
On Nais Abarbaræa got; a Nymph that (as she fed
Her curled flocks) Bucolion woo'd, and mixt in loue and bed.
Both these were spoild of armes, and life, by Mecistiades.

Then Polypates, for sterne death, Astialus did seise:
Vlysses slue Percofius: Teucer, Aretaon:
Antilochus (old Nestors joy) Ablerus: the great sonne
Of Atreus, and king of men, Elatus; whose abode
He held at vpper Pedasus, where Satnius riuer flow'd.
The great Heroe Leitus, staid Philacus in flight,
From further life: Eurypilus, Melanthius reft of light.

The brother to the king of men, Adrestus tooke aliue;
Whose horse, (affrighted with the flight) their driuer now did driue,
Amongst the low-growne Tamricke trees; and at an arme of one
The chariot in the draught-tree brake; the horse brake loose, and ron
The same way other flyers fled; contending all to towne:
Himselfe close at the chariot wheele, vpon his face was throwne,
And there lay flat, roll'd vp in dust: Atrides inwards draue;
And (holding at his breast his lance) Adrestus sought to saue
His head, by losing of his feet, and trusting to his knees:
On which, the same parts of the king, he hugs, and offers fees
Of worthie value for his life; and thus pleades their receipt:
Take me aliue, O Atreus sonne, and take a worthie weight

This Virgils imitates.

Of brasse, elaborate iron, and gold: a heape of precious things
Are in my fathers riches hid; which (when your seruant brings
Newes of my safetie to his eares) he largely will diuide
With your rare bounties: Atreus sonne, thought this the better side,
And meant to take it; being about, to send him safe to fleete:
Which when (farre off) his brother saw, he wing'd his royall feet,

Agamemnon to Menelaus.

And came in threatning, crying out; O soft heart? whats the cause
Thou spar'st these men thus? haue not they, obseru'd these gentle lawes
Of mild humanitie to thee, with mightie argument,
Why thou shouldst deale thus? In thy house? and with all president
Of honord guest rites entertaind? not one of them shall flie
A bitter end for it, from heauen; and much lesse (dotingly)
Scape our reuengefull fingers; all, euen th' infant in the wombe
Shall tast of what they merited, and haue no other tombe,
Then razed Ilion; nor their race, haue more fruite, then the dust.
This iust cause turnd his brothers mind, who violently thrust
The prisoner from him; in whose guts, the king of men imprest
His ashen lance; which (pitching downe, his foote vpon the brest,
Of him that vpwards fell) he drew; then Nestor spake to all:

Nestor to the Greekes.

O friends and household men of Mars, let not your pursuit fall
With those ye fell, for present spoile; nor (like the king of men)
Let any scape vnfeld: but on, dispatch them all; and then

Ye shall haue time enough to spoile. This made so strong their chace,
That all the Troians had bene housd, and neuer turnd a face,
Had not the Priamist Helenus (an Augure most of name)
Will'd Hector, and Æneas thus: Hector? Anchises fame?

Hellenus to Hector and Æneas

Since on your shoulders, with good cause, the weightie burthen lies
Of Troy and Lycia, (being both, of noblest faculties,
For counsell, strength of hand, and apt, to take chance at her best,
In euery turne she makes) stand fast, and suffer not the rest
(By any way searcht out for scape) to come within the ports:
Lest (fled into their wiues kind armes) they there be made the sports
Of the pursuing enemie: exhort and force your bands
To turne their faces: and while we, employ our ventur'd hands
(Though in a hard condition) to make the other stay:
Hector, go thou to Ilion, and our Queene mother pray,
To take the richest robe she hath; the same that's chiefly deare
To her Court fancie: with which Iemme, (assembling more to her,
Of Troys chiefe Matrones) let all go, (for feare of all our fates)
To Pallas temple: take the key, vnlocke the leauie gates;
Enter, and reach the highest towre, where her Palladium stands,
And on it put the precious veile, with pure, and reuerend hands:
And vow to her (besides the gift) a sacrificing stroke
Of twelue fat Heifers of a yeare, that neuer felt the yoke:
(Most answering to her maiden state) if she will pittie vs;
Our towne, our wiues, our yongest ioyes: and (him that plagues them thus)
Take from the conflict; Diomed, that Furie in a fight;
That true sonne of great Tydeus; that cunning Lord of Flight:
Whom I esteeme the strongest Greeke: for we haue neuer fled
Achilles (that is Prince of men, and whom a Goddesse bred)
Like him; his furie flies so high, and all mens wraths commands.

Hector intends his brothers will; but first through all his bands,
He made quicke way, encouraging, and all (to feare) affraide:
All turnd their heads and made Greece turne. Slaughter stood still dismaid,
On their parts; for they thought some God, falne from the vault of starres,
Was rusht into the Ilions aide, they made such dreadfull warres.

Thus Hector, toyling in the waues, and thrusting backe the flood

Hector to the Troians.

Of this ebb'd forces: thus takes leaue: So, so, now runs your blood
In his right current; Forwards now, Troians? and farre cald friends?
Awhile hold out, till for successe, to this your braue amends,
I haste to Ilion, and procure, our Counsellours, and wiues
To pray, and offer Hecatombs, for their states in our liues.

Then faire-helm'd Hector turnd to Troy, and (as he trode the field)

How Hector left the field.

The blacke Buls hide, that at his backe, he wore about his shield,
(In the extreme circumference) was with his gate so rockt,
That (being large) it (both at once) his necke and ankles knockt.

And now betwixt the hosts were met, Hippolochus braue sonne

The encounter of Diomed and Glaucus.

Glaucus, who (in his verie looke) hope of some wonder wonne:
And little Tydeus mightie heire: who seeing such a man
Offer the field; (for vsuall blowes) with wondrous words began.

Diomed to Glaucus.

What art thou (strongst of mortall men) that putst so farre before?
Whom these fights neuer shew'd mine eyes? they haue bene euermore
Sonnes of vnhappie parents borne, that came within the length
Of this Minerua-guided lance, and durst close with the strength
That she inspires in me. If heauen, be thy diuine abode,
And thou a Deitie; thus inform'd, no more, with any God
Will I change lances: the strong sonne, of Drias did not liue
Long after such a conflict dar'd, who godlesly did driue
Nisæus Nurses through the hill, made sacred to his name,
And cald Nisseius: with a goade, he puncht each furious dame,
And made them euery one cast downe, their greene and leauie speares.
This, t'homicide Lycurgus did; and those vngodly feares,
He put the Froes in, seisd their God. Euen Bacchus he did driue
From his Nisseius; who was faine (with huge exclaimes) to diue
Into the Ocean: Thetis there, in her bright bosome tooke
The flying Deities; who so feard, Lycurgus threats, he shooke:
For which, the freely-liuing Gods, so highly were incenst,
That Saturns great sonne strooke him blind, and with his life dispenc't
But small time after: all because, th' immortals lou'd him not:
Nor lou'd him, since he striu'd with them: and his end hath begot
Feare in my powres to fight with heauen: but if the fruits of earth
Nourish thy bodie, and thy life, be of our humane birth,
Come neare, that thou maist soone arriue, on that life-bounding shore,

Glaucus his worthie answer to Diomed: and his pedegree drawne euen from Sysiphus.

To which I see thee hoise such saile. Why dost thou so explore,
(Said Glaucus) of what race I am? when like the race of leaues
The race of man is, that deserues, no question; nor receiues
My being any other breath: The wind in Autumne strowes
The earth with old leaues; then the Spring, the woods with new endowes:
And so death scatters men on earth: so life puts out againe
Mans leauie issue: but my race, if (like the course of men)
Thou seekst in more particular termes: tis this; (to many knowne)

In midst of Argos, nurse of horse, there stands a walled towne

The historie of Bellerophon.

Ephyré, where the Mansion house, of Sysiphus did stand;
Of Sysiphus Æolides, most wise of all the land:
Glaucus was sonne to him, and he, begat Bellerophon,
Whose bodie heauen endued with strength, and put a beautie on,
Exceeding louely: Prætus yet, his cause of loue did hate,
And banisht him the towne: he might; he ruld the Argiue state:
The vertue of the one, Ioue plac't, beneath the others powre.
His exile grew, since he denied, to be the Paramour
Of faire Anteia, Prætus wife; who felt a raging fire
Of secret loue to him: but he, whom wisedome did inspire
As well as prudence (one of them, aduising him to shunne
The danger of a Princesse loue: the other, not to runne
Within the danger of the Gods: the act being simply ill)
Still entertaining thoughts diuine, subdu'd the earthly still.
She (rul'd by neither of his wits) preferd her lust to both;
And (false to Prætus) would seeme true, with this abhorr'd vntroth;

Prætus? or die thy selfe (said she) or let Bellerophon die;

Bellerophontis literæ Ad.Eras. This long speech many Critickes taxe as vntimely, being (as they take it) in the heate of fight. Hier Vidas (a late obseruer) beinge eagrest against Homer, whose ignorance in this, I cannot but note, and proue to you: for (besides the authority & office of a Poet, to vary and quicken his Poem with these episods, sometimes beyond the leasure of their actions) the Critick notes not how far his forerunner preuents his worst as far: and sets downe his speech, at the sodain & strāge turning of the Troian field, set on a litle before by Hector, and that so fiercely, it made an admiring stand amōg the Grecians, & therein gaue fit time for these great captaines to vtter their admirations: the whole field in that part being to stand like their Commanders. And then how full of decorum this gallant shew and speech was to sound vnderstandings, I leaue onely to such, and let our Criticks go cauill.

He vrg'd dishonour to thy bed: which since I did denie,
He thought his violence should grant, and sought thy shame by force.
The king, incenst with her report, resolu'd vpon her course;
But doubted, how it should be runne: he shund his death direct;
(Holding a way so neare, not safe) and plotted the effect,
By sending him with letters seald (that, opened, touch his life)
To Rheuns king of Lycia, and father to his wife.
He went, and happily he went: the Gods walkt all his way.
And being arriu'd in Lycia, where Xanthus doth display
The siluer ensignes of his waues: the king of that brode land
Receiu'd him, with a wondrous free, and honourable hand.
Nine daies he feasted him, and kild, an Oxe in euery day,
In thankfull sacrifice to heauen, for his faire guest; whose stay,
With rosie fingers, brought the world, the tenth wel-welcomd morne:
And then the king did moue to see, the letters he had borne
From his lou'd sonne in law; which seene, he wrought thus their conten's.
Chymara the inuincible, he sent him to conuince:
Sprung from no man, but meere diuine; a Lyons shape before,
Behind, a dragons, in the midst, a Gotes shagg'd forme she bore;
And flames of deadly feruencie, flew from her breath and eyes:
Yet her he slue, his confidence, in sacred prodigies
Renderd him victor. Then he gaue, his second conquest way,
Against the famous Solymi, when (he himselfe would say
Reporting it) he enterd on, a passing vigorous fight.
His third huge labour he approu'd, against a womans spight
That fild a field of Amazons: he ouercame them all.
Then set they on him slie Deceipt, when Force had such a fall;
An ambush of the strongest men, that spacious Lycia bred,
Was lodg'd for him; whom he lodg'd sure: they neuer raisd a head.

His deeds thus shewing him deriu'd, from some Celestiall race,
The king detaind, and made amends, with doing him the grace
Of his faire daughters Princely gift; and with her (for a dowre)
Gaue halfe his kingdome; and to this, the Lycians on did powre
More then was giuen to any king: a goodly planted field,
In some parts, thicke of groues, and woods: the rest, rich crops did yeeld.
This field, the Lycians futurely (of future wandrings there
And other errors of their Prince, in the vnhappie Rere
Of his sad life) the Errant cald: the Princesse brought him forth
Three children (whose ends grieu'd him more, the more they were of worth)
Isander, and Hippolochus, and faire Laodomy:
With whom, euen Iupiter himselfe, left heauen it selfe, to lie;
And had by her the man at armes, Sarpedon, cald diuine.
The Gods then left him (lest a man should in their glories shine)

Sarpedons birth

And set against him, for his sonne, Isandrus, (in a strife,
Against the valiant Solymi) Mars reft of light and life,
Laodamia (being enuied, of all the Goddesses)
The golden-bridle-handling Queene, the maiden Patronesse,

Slue with an arrow: and for this, he wandred euermore
Alone through his Aleian field; and fed vpon the core
Of his sad bosome: flying all, the loth'd consorts of men.
Yet had he one suruiu'd to him, of those three childeren;
Hippolochus, the root of me: who sent me here, with charge,
That I should alwaies beare me well, and my deserts enlarge
Beyond the vulgar: lest I sham'd, my race, that farre exceld
All that Ephyras famous towres, or ample Lycia held.
This is my stocke, and this am I. This cheard Tydides heart,
Who pitcht his speare downe; leand, and talkt, in this affectionate part.

Certesse (in thy great Ancetor, and in mine owne) thou art

Diomeds answer to Glaucus.

A guest of mine, right ancient; king Oeneus twentie daies
Detaind, with feasts, Bellerophon, whom all the world did praise:
Betwixt whom, mutuall gifts were giuen: my Grandsire gaue to thine,
A girdle of Phœnician worke, impurpl'd wondrous fine:
Thine gaue a two-neckt Iugge of gold, which though I vse not here,
Yet still it is my gemme at home. But if our fathers were
Familiar; or each other knew, I know not: since my sire
Left me a child, at siege of Thebes: where he left his lifes fire.
But let vs proue our Grandsires sonnes, and be each others guests:
To Lycia when I come, do thou, receiue thy friend with feasts:
Peloponnesus, with the like, shall thy wisht presence greet;
Meane space, shun we each other here, though in the preasse we meet:
There are enow of Troy beside, and men enough renownd,
To right my powres, whom euer heauen, shall let my lance confound:
So are there of the Greeks for thee: kill who thou canst: and now
For signe of amitie twixt vs, and that all these may know
We glorie in th' hospitious rites, our Grandsires did commend,
Change we our armes before them all. From horse then Both descend,
Ioyne hands, giue faith, and take; and then, did Iupiter

φρενας εχελετο Ζευς Mentem ademit Iup. the text hath it: which onely I alter of all Homers originall, since Plutarch against the Stoicks, excuses this supposed folly in Glaucus. Spond. likewise encouraging my alterations, which I vse for the loued and simple Nobility of the free exchange in Glaucus, contrarie to others that for the supposed folly in Glaucus, turnd his change into a Prouerb.

elate
The mind of Glaucus: who to shew, his reuerence to the state
Of vertue in his grandsires heart, and gratulate beside
The offer of so great a friend: exchang'd (in that good pride)

χρυσεα χαλκειων goldē or brazē

Curets of gold for those of brasse, that did on Diomed shine:
One of a hundred Oxens price, the other but of nine.

By this, had Hector reacht the ports, of Scæa, and the tow'rs:
About him flockt the wiues of Troy, the children, paramours,
Enquiring how their husbands did, their fathers, brothers, loues.

He stood not then to answer them, but said; It now behoues
Ye should go all t'implore the aide, of heauen, in a distresse
Of great effect, and imminent. Then hasted he accesse,
To Priams goodly builded Court; which round about was runne
With walking porches, galleries, to keepe off raine and Sunne;
Within, of one side, on a rew, of sundrie colourd stones,
Fiftie faire lodgings were built out, for Priams fiftie sonnes:
And for as faire sort of their wiues; and in the opposite view
Twelue lodgings of like stone, like height, were likewise built arew;

Priams Court.

Where, with their faire and vertuous wiues, twelue Princes, sons in law,

To honourable Priam, lay: And here met Hecuba
(The louing mother) her great sonne, and with her, needs must be
The fairest of her femall race, the bright Laodice.

Hecuba to Hector.

The Queene grip't hard her Hectors hand, and said; O worthiest sonne,
Why leau'st thou field? is't not because, the cursed nation
Afflict our countrimen and friends? they are their mones that moue
Thy mind to come and lift thy hands (in his high towre) to Ioue:
But stay a little, that my selfe, may fetch our sweetest wine,
To offer first to Iupiter: then that these ioynts of thine
May be refresht: for (wo is me) how thou art toyld and spent!
Thou for our cities generall state: thou, for our friends farre sent,
Must now the preasse of fight endure: now solitude to call
Vpon the name of Iupiter: thou onely for vs all.
But wine will something comfort thee: for to a man dismaid,
With carefull spirits; or too much, with labour ouerlaid,
Wine brings much rescue, strengthning much, the bodie and the mind.

The great Helme-mouer thus receiu'd, the authresse of his kind;

Hector to Hecuba.

My royall mother, bring no wine, lest rather it impaire,
Then helpe my strength; and make my mind, forgetfull of th' affaire
Committed to it. And (to poure, it out in sacrifice)
I feare; with vnwasht hands to serue, the pure-liu'd Deities;
Nor is it lawfull, thus imbrew'd, with blood, and dust; to proue
The will of heauen: or offer vowes, to clowd-compelling Ioue.
I onely come to vse your paines (assembling other Dames,
Matrons, and women honourd most, with high and vertuous names)
With wine and odors; and a robe, most ample, most of price;
And which is dearest in your loue, to offer sacrifice,
In Pallas temple: and to put, the precious robe ye beare,
On her Palladium; vowing all, twelue Oxen of a yeare,
Whose necks were neuer wrung with yoke; shall pay her Grace their liues,
If she will pittie our sieg'd towne; pittie our selues, our wiues;
Pittie our children; and remoue, from sacred Ilion,
The dreadfull souldier Diomed; and when your selues are gone
About this worke, my selfe will go, to call into the field,
(If he will heare me) Hellens loue; whom would the earth would yeeld,
And headlong take into her gulfe, euen quicke before mine eyes:
For then my heart, I hope, would cast, her lode of miseries;
Borne for the plague he hath bene borne, and bred to the deface
(By great Olympius) of Troy, our Sire, and all our race.

This said, graue Hecuba went home, and sent her maids about,
To bid the Matrones: she her selfe, descended, and searcht out
(Within a place that breath'd perfumes) the richest robe she had:
Which lay with many rich ones more, most curiously made,
By women of Sydonia; which Paris brought from thence,
Sailing the brode Sea, when he made, that voyage of offence,
In which he brought home Hellena. That robe, transferd so farre,
(That was the vndermost) she tooke; it glitterd like a starre;
And with it, went she to the Fane, with many Ladies more:

Amongst whom, faire cheekt Theano, vnlockt the folded dore;
Chaste Theano, Antenors wife, and of Cisseus race,
Sister to Hecuba, both borne, to that great king of Thrace.
Her, th' Ilions made Minerua Priest; and her they followed all,
Vp to the Temples highest towre; where, on their knees they fall;
Lift vp their hands, and fill the Fane, with Ladies pitious cries.

Theano Mineruas Priest, and Antenors wife, prayes to Pallas

Then louely Theano tooke the veile, and with it she implies
The great Palladium, praying thus; Goddesse of most renowne?
In all the heauen of Goddesses? great guardian of our towne?
Reuerend Mineruas? breake the lance, of Diomed; ceasse his grace;
Giue him to fall in shamefull flight, headlong, and on his face,
Before our ports of Ilion; that instantly we may,
Twelue vnyok't Oxen of a yeare, in this thy Temple slay
To thy sole honor; take their bloods, and banish our offence;
Accept Troyes zeale; her wiues, and saue, our infants innocence.

She praid, but Pallas would not grant. Meane space was Hector come
Where Alexanders lodgings were; that many a goodly roome
Had, built in them by Architects, of Troys most curious sort;
And were no lodgings, but a house; nor no house, but a Court;
Or had all these containd in them; and all within a towre,
Next Hectors lodgings and the kings. The lou'd of heauens chiefe powre,
(Hector) here entred. In his hand, a goodly lance he bore,
Ten cubits long; the brasen head, went shining in before;
Helpt with a burnisht ring of gold; he found his brother then
Amongst the women; yet prepar'd, to go amongst the men.
For in their chamber he was set, trimming his armes, his shield,
His curets, and was trying how, his crooked bow would yeeld
To his streight armes; amongst her maids, was set the Argiue Queene,
Commanding them in choisest workes. When Hectors eye had seene
His brother thus accompanied; and that he could not beare
The verie touching of his armes, but where the women were;
And when the time so needed men: right cunningly he chid,
That he might do it bitterly; his cowardise he hid
(That simply made him so retir'd) beneath an anger faind,

Hector dissembles the cowardise he finds in Paris, turning it, as if he chid him for his anger at the Troians for hating him being conquered by Menelaus: when it is for his effeminacie: which is all paraphrasticall in my translation.

In him, by Hector; for the hate, the citizens sustaind
Against him, for the foile he tooke, in their cause; and againe,
For all their generall foiles in his. So Hector seemes to plaine
Of his wrath to them, for their hate, and not his cowardise;
As that were it that shelterd him, in his effeminacies;
And kept him in that dangerous time, from their fit aid in fight:
For which he chid thus; Wretched man? so timelesse is thy spight,
That tis not honest; and their hate, is iust, gainst which it bends:
Warre burns about the towne for thee; for thee our slaughterd friends
Besiege Troy with their carkasses, on whose heapes our high wals
Are ouerlookt by enemies: the sad sounds of their fals
Without, are eccho'd with the cries, of wiues, and babes within;
And all for thee: and yet for them, thy honor cannot win
Head of thine anger: thou shouldst need, no spirit to stirre vp thine,

But thine should set the rest on fire; and with a rage diuine
Chastise impartially the best, that impiously forbeares:
Come forth, lest thy faire towers and Troy, be burnd about thine eares.

Paris acknowledg'd (as before) all iust that Hector spake;
Allowing iustice, though it were, for his iniustice sake:
And where his brother put a wrath, vpon him, by his art;
He takes it (for his honors sake,) as sprung out of his hart:
And rather would haue anger seeme, his fault, then cowardise:
And thus he answerd: Since with right, you ioynd checke with aduise,

Paris to Hector.

And I heare you; giue equall eare; It is not any spleene
Against the Towne (as you conceiue) that makes me so vnseene;
But sorrow for it: which to ease, and by discourse digest,
(Within my selfe) I liue so close: and yet, since men might wrest
My sad retreat, like you; my wife, (with her aduice) inclinde
This my addression to the field; which was mine owne free minde,
As well as th' instance of her words: for though the foyle were mine,
Conquest brings forth her wreaths by turnes: stay then this hast of thine,
But till I arme; and I am made, a consort for thee streight;
Or go, Ile ouertake thy haste. Hellen stood at receipt,
And tooke vp all great Hectors powers, t'attend her heauie words;

Hellens ruthfull complaint to Hector.

By which had Paris no reply; this vent her griefe affords:

Brother, (if I may call you so, that had bene better borne
A dog, then such a horride Dame, as all men curse and scorne;
A mischiefe maker, a man-plague) O would to God the day
That first gaue light to me, had bene, a whirlwind in my way,
And borne me to some desert hill, or hid me in the rage
Of earths most far-resounding seas; ere I should thus engage
The deare liues of so many friends: yet since the Gods haue beene
Helplesse foreseers of my plagues, they might haue likewise seene,
That he they put in yoke with me, to beare out their award,
Had bene a man of much more spirit; and, or had noblier dar'd
To shield mine honour with his deed; or with his mind had knowne
Much better the vpbraids of men; that so he might haue showne
(More like a man) some sence of griefe, for both my shame and his:
But he is senslesse, nor conceiues, what any manhood is;
Nor now, nor euer after will: and therefore hangs, I feare,
A plague aboue him. But come neare; good brother, rest you here,
Who (of the world of men) stands charg'd, with most vnrest for me,
(Vile wretch) and for my Louers wrong; on whom a destinie
So bitter is imposde by Ioue, that all succeeding times
Will put (to our vn-ended shames) in all mens mouthes our crimes.

He answerd: Hellen, do not seeke, to make me sit with thee:

Hector to Hellen.

I must not stay, though well I know, thy honourd loue of me:
My mind cals forth to aid our friends, in whom my absence breeds
Longings to see me: for whose sakes, importune thou, to deeds,
This man by all meanes, that your care, may make his owne make hast,
And meete me in the open towne, that all may see at last,
He minds his louer: I my selfe, will now go home, and see

My houshold, my deare wife, and sonne, that little hope of me.
For (sister) tis without my skill, if I shall euer more
Returne and see them; or to earth, her right in me restore:
The Gods may stoupe me by the Greekes. This said, he went to see
The vertuous Princesse, his true wife, white arm'd Andromache.
She (with her infant sonne, and maide) was climb'd the towre, about
The sight of him that sought for her, weeping and crying out.
Hector, not finding her at home, was going forth; retir'd;
Stood in the gate: her woman cald; and curiously enquir'd,
Where she was gone; bad tell him true, if she were gone to see
His sisters, or his brothers wiues? or whether she should be
At Temple with the other Dames, t'implore Mineruas ruth.

Her woman answerd; since he askt, and vrg'd so much the truth;
The truth was, she was neither gone, to see his brothers wiues,
His sisters, or t'implore the ruth, of Pallas on their liues;
But (she aduertisde of the bane, Troy sufferd; and how vast
Conquest had made her selfe, for Greece) like one distraught, made hast
To ample Ilion, with her sonne, and Nurse; and all the way
Mournd, and dissolu'd in teares for him. Then Hector made no stay;
But trod her path, and through the streets (magnificently built)
All the great Citie past, and came, where (seeing how bloud was spilt)
Andromache might see him come; who made as he would passe
The ports without saluting her, not knowing where she was:
She, with his sight, made breathlesse hast, to meet him: she, whose grace
Brought him, withall, so great a dowre; she that of all the race
Of king Aetion, onely liu'd: Aetion, whose house stood
Beneath the mountaine Placius, enuirond with the wood
Of Theban Hippoplace, being Court, to the Cilician land:
She ran to Hector, and with her (tender of heart and hand)
Her sonne, borne in his Nurses armes: when like a heauenly signe,
Compact of many golden starres, the princely child did shine;
Whom Hector cald Scamandrius; but whom the towne did name
Astianax; because his sire, did onely prop the same.
Hector (though griefe bereft his speech, yet) smil'd vpon his ioy:
Andromache cride out, mixt hands, and to the strength of Troy,

Andromaches passion to Hector.

Thus wept forth her affection: O noblest in desire;
Thy mind, inflam'd with others good, will set thy selfe on fire:
Nor pitiest thou thy sonne, nor wife, who must thy widdow be,
If now thou issue: all the field, will onely run on thee.
Better my shoulders vnderwent, the earth, then thy decease;
For then would earth beare ioyes no more: then comes the blacke increase
Of griefes (like Greeks on Ilion): Alas, what one suruiues
To be my refuge? one blacke day, bereft seuen brothers liues,

Thebes a most rich citie of Cilicia.

By sterne Achilles; by his hand, my father breath'd his last:
His high-wald rich Cilician Thebes, sackt by him, and laid wast;
The royall bodie yet he left, vnspoild: Religion charm'd
That act of spoile; and all in fire, he burnd him compleat arm'd;
Built ouer him a royall tombe: and to the monument

He left of him; Th' Orerdes (that are the high descent
Of Ægis-bearing Iupiter) another of their owne
Did adde to it, and set it round, with Elms; by which is showne
(In theirs) the barrennesse of death: yet might it serue beside
To shelter the sad Monument, from all the ruffinous pride
Of stormes and tempests, vsde to hurt, things of that noble kind:
The short life yet, my mother liu'd, he sau'd; and seru'd his mind
With all the riches of the Realme; which not enough esteemd,
He kept her prisoner; whom small time, but much more wealth redeemd:
And she in syluane Hyppoplace, Cilicia rul'd againe;
But soone was ouer-rul'd by death: Dianas chast disdaine
Gaue her a Lance, and tooke her life; yet all these gone from me,
Thou amply renderst all; thy life, makes still my father be;
My mother; brothers: and besides, thou art my husband too;
Most lou'd, most worthy. Pitie then (deare loue) and do not go;
For thou gone, all these go againe: pitie our common ioy,
Lest (of a fathers patronage, the bulwarke of all Troy)
Thou leau'st him a poore widdowes charge; stay, stay then, in this Towre,
And call vp to the wilde Fig-tree, all thy retired powre:
For there the wall is easiest scal'd, and firtest for surprise;
And there, th' Aiaces, Idomen, th' Atrides, Diomed, thrise
Haue both suruaid, and made attempt; I know not, if induc'd
By some wise Augure; or the fact, was naturally infusd
Into their wits, or courages. To this, great Hector said;

Hector to Andromache.

Be well assur'd wife, all these things, in my kind cares are waid:
But what a shame, and feare it is, to thinke how Troy would scorne
(Both in her husbands and her wiues, whom long-traind gownes adorne)
That I should cowardly flie off? The spirit I first did breath,
Did neuer teach me that; much lesse, since the contempt of death
Was settl'd in me; and my mind, knew what a Worthy was;
Whose office is, to leade in fight, and giue no danger passe
Without improuement. In this fire, must Hectors triall shine;
Here must his country, father, friends, be (in him) made diuine.
And such a stormy day shall come, in mind and soule I know,
When sacred Troy shall shed her towres, for teares of ouerthrow;
When Priam, all his birth and powre, shall in those teares be drownd.
But neither Troyes posteritie, so much my soule doth wound:
Priam, nor Hecuba her selfe, nor all my brothers woes
(Who though so many, and so good, must all be food for foes)
As thy sad state; when some rude Greeke, shall leade thee weeping hence;
These free dayes clouded; and a night, of captiue violence
Loding thy temples: out of which, thine eyes must neuer see;

The names of two fountaines: of which, one in Thessaly, the other neer Argos: or according to others, in Peloponnesus or Lacedæmon.

But spin the Greeke wiues, webs of taske; and their Fetch-water be,
To Argos, from Messeides, or cleare Hyperias spring:
Which (howsoeuer thou abhorst) Fate's such a shrewish thing,
She will be mistris: whose curst hands, when they shall crush out cries
From thy oppressions, (being beheld, by other enemies)
Thus they will nourish thy extremes: This dame was Hectors wife,

A man, that at the warres of Troy, did breath the worthiest life
Of all their armie. This againe, will rub thy fruitfull wounds,
To misse the man, that to thy bands, could giue such narrow bounds:
But that day shall not wound mine eyes; the solide heape of night
Shall interpose, and stop mine eares, against thy plaints, and plight.

This said, he reacht to take his sonne: who (of his armes afraid;
And then the horse-haire plume, with which, he was so ouerlaid,
Nodded so horribly) he clingd, backe to his nurse, and cride.
Laughter affected his great Sire; who dost, and laid aside
His fearfull Helme; that on the earth, cast round about it, light;
Then tooke and kist his louing sonne; and (ballancing his weight
In dancing him) these louing vowes, to liuing Ioue he vsde,

Hectors prayer for his sonne.

And all the other bench of Gods: O you that haue infusde
Soule to this Infant; now set downe, this blessing on his starre:
Let his renowne be cleare as mine; equall his strength in warre;
And make his reigne so strong in Troy, that yeares to come may yeeld
His facts this fame; (when rich in spoiles, he leaues the conquerd field
Sowne with his slaughters.) These high deeds, exceed his fathers worth:
And let this eccho'd praise supply, the comforts to come forth
Of his kind mother, with my life. This said; th' Heroicke Sire
Gaue him his mother; whose faire eyes, fresh streames of loues salt fire,
Billow'd on her soft cheekes, to heare, the last of Hectors speech;
In which his vowes comprisde the summe, of all he did beseech
In her wisht comfort. So she tooke, into her odorous brest,
Her husbands gift; who (mou'd to see, her heart so much opprest)
He dried her teares; and thus desir'd: Afflict me not (deare wife)
With these vaine griefes; He doth not liue, that can disioyne my life
And this firme bosome; but my Fate; and Fate, whose wings can flie?
Noble, ignoble, Fate controuls: once borne, the best must die:
Go home, and set thy houswifrie, on these extremes of thought;
And driue warre from them with thy maids; keepe them from doing nought:
These will be nothing: leaue the cares, of warre, to men, and mee;
In whom (of all the Ilion race) they take their high'st degree.

On went his helme; his Princesse home, halfe cold with kindly feares;
When euery feare, turnd backe her lookes; and euery looke shed teares.
Fo-slaughtering Hectors house, soone reacht, her many women there
Wept all to see her: in his life, great Hectors funerals were;
Neuer lookt any eye of theirs, to see their Lord safe home,
Scap't from the gripes and powers of Greece. And now was Paris come

Paris ouertakes Hector. His simile: high and expressiue: which Virgil almost word for word hath translated, 12 Æn.

From his high towres; who made no stay, when once he had put on
His richest armour; but flew forth: the flints he trod vpon
Sparkled with luster of his armes; his long-ebd spirits, now flowd
The higher, for their lower ebbe. And as a faire Steed, proud
With ful-giuen mangers; long tied vp, and now (his head-stall broke)
He breakes from stable, runnes the field, and with an ample stroke
Measures the center; neighs, and lifts, aloft his wanton head:
About his shoulders, shakes his Crest; and where he hath bene fed,
Or in some calme floud washt; or (stung, with his high plight) he flies

Amongst his femals; strength put forth; his beautie beautifies.
And like Lifes mirror, beares his gate: so Paris from the towre
Of loftie Pergamus came forth; he shewd a Sun-like powre
In cariage of his goodly parts, addrest now to the strife;
And found his noble brother neere, the place he left his wife;
Him (thus respected) he salutes; Right worthy, I haue feare

Paris to Hector.

That your so serious haste to field, my stay hath made forbeare;
And that I come not, as you wish. He answerd, Honourd man,

Hector to Paris.

Be confident; for not my selfe, nor any others can
Reproue in thee, the worke of fight; at least, not any such,
As is an equall iudge of things: for thou hast strength as much
As serues to execute a mind, very important: But
Thy strength too readily flies off: enough will is not put
To thy abilitie. My heart, is in my minds strife, sad,
When Troy (out of her much distresse, she and her friends haue had
By thy procurement) doth depraue, thy noblesse in mine eares:
But come, hereafter we shall calme, these hard conceits of theirs,
When (from their ports the foe expulst) high Ioue to them hath giuen
Wisht peace; and vs free sacrifice, to all the powers of heauen.

The end of the sixth Booke.

THE SEVENTH BOOK OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Hector, by Hellenus aduice doth seeke
Aduenturous combat on the boldest Greeke.
Nine Greeks stand vp, Acceptants euery one,
But lot selects strong Aiax Telamon.
Both, with high honor, stand th' important fight,
Till Heralds part them by approched night.
Lastly, they graue the dead: the Greeks erect
A mightie wall, their Name to protect;
Which angers Neptune. Ioue, by haplesse signes,
In depth of night, succeeding woes diuines.

Another Argument.

In Eta, Priams strongest sonne
Combats with Aiax Telamon.

This said; braue Hector through the ports, with Troyes bane-bringing Knight,

These next foure bookes haue not my last hand: & because the rest (for a time) will be sufficient to employ your censures, suspend them of these: spare not the other.

Made issue to th' insatiate field, resolu'd to feruent fight.
And as the weather-wielder sends, to Sea-men prosperous gales,
When with their sallow-polisht Oares, long lifted from their fals,
Their wearied armes, dissolu'd with toyle, can scarce strike one stroke more;
Like those sweet winds appear'd these Lords, to Troians tir'd before.
Then fell they to the works of death: by Paris valour fell
King Areithous haplesse sonne, that did in Arna dwell,
(Menesthius) whose renown'd Sire, a Club did euer beare,
And of Philomedusa gat (that had her eyes so cleare)
This slaughterd issue: Hectors dart, strooke Eioneus dead;
Beneath his good steele caske, it pierc't, aboue his gorget stead.
Glaucus (Hyppolochus his sonne) that led the Lycian crew,
Iphinous-Dexiades, with sodaine Iauelin slew,
As he was mounting to his horse: his shoulders tooke the speare;
And ere he sate, in tumbling downe, his powres dissolued were.

Pallas to the Grecian ayd: Apollo to the Troian.

When gray-eyd Pallas had perceiu'd, the Greekes so fall in fight;
From high Olympus top she stoopt, and did on Ilion light.
Apollo (to encounter her) to Pergamus did flie;
From whence he (looking to the field) wisht Troians victorie.

Apollo to Pallas

At Ioues broad Beech these godheads met; and first Ioues sonne obiects;
Why, burning in contention thus, do thy extreme affects
Conduct thee from our peacefull hill? is it to ouersway

The doubtfull victorie of fight, and giue the Greeks the day?
Thou neuer pitiest perishing Troy: yet now let me perswade,
That this day no more mortall wounds, may either side inuade.
Hereafter, till the end of Troy, they shall apply the fight,
Since your immortall wils resolue, to ouerturne it quite.

Pallas replide, It likes me well; for this came I from heauen:

Pallas to Apollo.

But to make either army ceasse, what order shall be giuen?
He said, We will direct the spirit, that burnes in Hectors brest,

His reply.

To challenge any Greeke to wounds, with single powers imprest;
Which Greeks (admiring) will accept; and make some one stand out,
So stout a challenge to receiue, with a defence as stout:
It is confirmd; and Hellenus (King Priams loued seed)

Hellenus Priams sonne, and a Prophet, to Hector.

By Augurie, discernd th' euent, that these two powres decreed.
And (greeting Hector) askt him this: Wilt thou be once aduisde?
I am thy brother, and thy life, with mine is euenly prisde;
Command the rest of Troy and Greece, to ceasse this publicke fight;
And what Greeke beares the greatest mind, to single strokes excite:
I promise thee that yet thy soule, shall not descend to fates;
So heard I thy suruiuall cast, by the celestiall States.
Hector, with glad allowance gaue, his brothers counsell eare;
And (fronting both the hoasts) aduanc't, iust in the midst, his speare.
The Troians instantly surceasse; the Greeks Atrides staid:
The God that beares the siluer Bow, and warres triumphant Maide,

The combat prepared.

On Ioues Beech, like two Vultures sat, pleasd to behold both parts,
Flow in, to heare; so sternly arm'd, with huge shields, helmes and darts.
And such fresh horror as you see, driuen through the wrinkled waues
By rising Zephyre, vnder whom, the sea growes blacke, and raues:

Simile.

Such did the hastie gathering troupes, of both hoasts make, to heare;
Whose tumult settl'd, twixt them both, thus spake the challenger:

Heare Troians, and ye well arm'd Greeks, what my strong mind (diffusde
Through all my spirits) commands me speake; Saturnius hath not vsde
His promist fauour for our truce, but (studying both our ils)
Will neuer ceasse till Mars, by you, his rauenous stomacke fils,
With ruin'd Troy; or we consume, your mightie Sea-borne fleet.
Since then, the Generall Peeres of Greece, in reach of one voice meete;

Hector, to both hoasts.

Amongst you all, whose breast includes, the most impulsiue mind,
Let him stand forth as combattant, by all the rest designde.
Before whom thus I call high Ioue, to witnesse of our strife;
If he, with home-thrust iron can reach, th' exposure of my life,
(Spoiling my armes) let him at will, conuey them to his tent;
But let my body be returnd; that Troys two-sext descent
May waste it in the funerall Pile: if I can slaughter him,
(Apollo honoring me so much) Ile spoile his conquerd lim,
And beare his armes to Ilion, where in Apollos shrine
Ile hang them, as my trophies due: his body Ile resigne
To be disposed by his friends, in flamie funerals,
And honourd with erected tombe, where Hellespontus fals
Into Egæum; and doth reach, euen to your nauall rode;

That when our beings, in the earth, shall hide their period;
Suruiuers, sailing the blacke sea, may thus his name renew:

Epitaphiū per anticipationem.

This is his monument, whose bloud, long since, did fates embrew;
Whom, passing farre in fortitude, illustrate Hector slew.
This shall posteritie report, and my fame neuer die.

This said, dumbe silence seiz'd them all; they shamed to denie,
And fear'd to vndertake. At last, did Menelaus speake,

Menelaus chides

Checkt their remisnesse, and so sigh'd, as if his heart would breake;
Aye me, but onely threatning Greeks, not worthy Grecian names:

O verè Phrygiæ, neque enim Phryges: saith his imitator.

This more and more, not to be borne, makes grow our huge defames,
If Hectors honorable proofe, be entertaind by none;
But you are earth and water all, which (symboliz'd in one)
Haue fram'd your faint vnfirie spirits: ye sit without your harts,
Grosly inglorious: but my selfe, will vse acceptiue darts,
And arme against him; though you thinke, I arme gainst too much ods:
But conquests garlands hang aloft, amongst th' immortall gods.

He arm'd, and gladly would haue fought: but (Menelaus) then,
By Hectors farre more strength, thy soule, had fled th' abodes of men;
Had not the kings of Greece stood vp, and thy attempt restraind;
And euen the king of men himselfe, that in such compasse raign'd;

Agamemnon wiser then his brother.

Who tooke him by the bold right hand, and sternly pluckt him backe:
Mad brother, tis no worke for thee, thou seekst thy wilfull wracke:
Containe though it despite thee much; nor for this strife engage
Thy person with a man more strong, and whom all feare t'enrage:
Yea whom Æacides himselfe, in men-renowning warre,
Makes doubt t'encounter: whose huge strength, surpasseth thine by farre;
Sit thou then by thy regiment; some other Greeke will rise
(Though he be dreadlesse, and no warre, will his desires suffice,
That makes this challenge to our strength) our valours to auow:
To whom, if he can scape with life, he will be glad to bow.

This drew his brother from his will, who yeelded, knowing it true,

Nestor to the Greeks.

And his glad souldiers tooke his armes: when Nestor did pursue
The same reproofe he set on foote; and thus supplide his turne:
What huge indignitie is this! how will our country mourne!
Old Peleus that good king will weepe: that worthy counsellor,
That trumpet of the Myrmidons, who much did aske me for
All men of name that went to Troy: with ioy he did enquire
Their valour and their towardnesse: and I made him admire.
But that ye all feare Hector now, if his graue eares shall heare,
How will he lift his hands to heauen, and pray that death may beare

O si præteritos referat mihi Iupiter annos, Qualis eram, &c.

His grieued soule into the deepe! O would to heauens great King,
Minerua and the God of light, that now my youthfull spring
Did flourish in my willing veines, as when at Phæas towres,
About the streames of Iardanus, my gather'd Pylean powres,
And dart-employed Arcadians fought, neere raging Celadon:
Amongst whom, first of all stood forth, great Erenthalion,
Who th' armes of Areithous wore (braue Areithous)
And (since he still fought with a club) sirnam'd Clauigerus;

All men, and faire-girt Ladies both, for honour cald him so:
He fought not with a keepe-off speare, or with a farre shot bow;
But with a massie club of iron, he brake through armed bands:
And yet Lycurgus was his death, but not with force of hands;
With sleight (encountring in a lane, where his club wanted sway)
He thrust him through his spacious waste, who fell, and vpwards lay;
In death not bowing his face to earth: his armes he did despoile;
Which iron, Mars bestowd on him: and those, in Mars his toile,
Lycurgus euer after wore; but when he aged grew,
Enforc't to keepe his peacefull house, their vse he did renew,
On mightie Erenthalions lims; his souldier, loued well;
And with these Armes he challeng'd all, that did in Armes excell:
All shooke and stood dismaid, none durst, his aduerse champion make;
Yet this same forward mind of mine, of choice, would vndertake
To fight with all his confidence; though yongest enemie
Of all the armie we conduct; yet I fought with him, I;
Minerua made me so renownd; and that most tall strong Peere
I slue; his big bulke lay on earth, extended here and there,
As it were couetous to spread, the center euery where.
O that my youth were now as fresh, and all my powers as sound;
Soone should bold Hector be impugn'd: yet you that most are crownd
With fortitude, of all our hoast; euen you, me thinkes are slow,
Not free, and set on fire with lust, t'encounter such a foe.

With this, nine royall Princes rose; Atrides for the first;

Nine Princes stand vp to answer Hector.

Then Diomed: th' Aiaces then, that did th' encounter thirst:
King Idomen and his consorts; Mars-like Meriones;
Euemons sonne, Euripilus; and Andremonides;
Whom all the Grecians Thoas cald; sprong of Andremons bloud;
And wise Vlysses; euery one, proposd, for combat stood.

Againe Gerenius Nestor spake; Let lots be drawne by all,
His hand shall helpe the wel-armd Greeks, on whom the lot doth fall;

Lots aduised by Nestor for the combattant.

And to his wish shall he be helpt, if he escape with life,
The harmfull danger-breathing fit, of this aduentrous strife.

Each markt his lot, and cast it in, to Agamemnons caske;
The souldiers praid, held vp their hands, and this of Ioue did aske,
(With eyes aduanc't to heauen): O Ioue, so leade the Heralds hand,
That Aiax or great Tydeus sonne, may our wisht champion stand:
Or else the King himselfe, that rules, the rich Mycenian land.

This said, old Nestor mixt the lots: the foremost lot suruaid,
With Aiax Telamon was sign'd; as all the souldiers praid;
One of the Heralds drew it forth, who brought and shewd it round,
Beginning at the right hand first, to all the most renownd:
None knowing it; euery man denide: but when he forth did passe,
To him which markt and cast it in, which famous Aiax was,
He stretcht his hand, and into it, the Herald put the lot,
Who (viewing it) th' inscription knew; the Duke denied not,
But ioyfully acknowledg'd it, and threw it at his feet;

The lot fals to Aiax.

And said, (O friends) the lot is mine, which to my soule is sweet;

100

For now I hope my fame shall rise, in noble Hectors fall.

He to the Greeks

But whilst I arme my selfe, do you, on great Saturnius call;
But silently, or to your selues, that not a Troian heare:
Or openly (if you thinke good) since none aliue we feare;
None with a will, if I will not, can my bold powers affright,
At least for plaine fierce swinge of strength, or want of skill in fight:
For I will well proue that my birth, and breed in Salamine,
Was not all consecrate to meate, or meere effects of wine.

This said, the wel-giuen souldiers prayed: vp went to heauen their eyne;
O Ioue, that Ida doest protect, most happie, most diuine;
Send victorie to Aiax side; fame; grace, his goodly lim:
Or (if thy loue, blesse Hectors life, and thou hast care of him)
Bestow on both, like power, like fame. This said, in bright armes shone
The good strong Aiax: who, when all, his warre attire was on,

Aiax armed, & his dreadful maner of approch to the combat.

Marcht like the hugely figur'd Mars, when angry Iupiter,
With strength, on people proud of strength, sends him forth to inferre
Wreakfull contention; and comes on, with presence full of feare;
So th' Achiue rampire, Telamon, did twixt the hoasts appeare:
Smil'd; yet of terrible aspect; on earth with ample pace,
He boldly stalkt, and shooke aloft, his dart, with deadly grace.
It did the Grecians good to see; but heartquakes shooke the ioynts
Of all the Troians; Hectors selfe, felt thoughts, with horrid points,
Tempt his bold bosome: but he now, must make no counterflight;
Nor (with his honour) now refuse, that had prouokt the fight.

The shield of Aiax, like a tower.

Aiax came neare; and like a towre, his shield his bosome bard;
The right side brasse, and seuen Oxe hides, within it quilted hard:

Tychius the currier. Hinc illud: Dominus clypei septemplicis Aiax.

Old Tychius the best currier, that did in Hyla dwell,
Did frame it for exceeding proofe, and wrought it wondrous well.
With this stood he to Hector close, and with this Braue began:
Now Hector thou shalt clearly know, thus meeting man to man,
What other leaders arme our hoast, besides great Thetis sonne:
Who, with his hardie Lions heart, hath armies ouerrunne.
But he lies at our crookt-sternd fleet, a Riuall with our King
In height of spirit; yet to Troy, he many knights did bring,
Coequall with Æacides; all able to sustaine
All thy bold challenge can import: begin then, words are vaine.

The Helme-grac't Hector answerd him; Renowned Telamon,

Hector to Aiax.

Prince of the souldiers came from Greece; assay not me like one,
Yong and immartiall, with great words, as to an Amazon dame;
I haue the habit of all fights; and know the bloudie frame
Of euery slaughter: I well know, the ready right hand charge;
I know the left, and euery sway, of my securefull targe;
I triumph in the crueltie, of fixed combat fight,
And manage horse to all designes; I thinke then with good right,
I may be confident as farre, as this my challenge goes,
Without being taxed with a vaunt, borne out with emptie showes.
But (being a souldier so renownd) I will not worke on thee,
With least aduantage of that skill, I know doth strengthen me;

101

And so with priuitie of sleight, winne that for which I striue:
But at thy best (euen open strength) if my endeuours thriue.

Thus sent he his long Iauelin forth; it strooke his foes huge shield,

The combat.

Neere to the vpper skirt of brasse, which was the eighth it held.
Sixe folds th' vntamed dart strooke through, and in the seuenth tough hide
The point was checkt: then Aiax threw: his angry Lance did glide
Quite through his bright orbicular targe, his curace, shirt of maile;
And did his manly stomacks mouth, with dangerous taint assaile:
But in the bowing of himselfe, blacke death too short did strike;
Then both to plucke their Iauelins forth, encountred Lion-like;
Whose bloudie violence is increast, by that raw food they eate:
Or Bores, whose strength, wilde nourishment, doth make so wondrous great.
Againe Priamides did wound, in midst, his shield of brasse,
Yet pierc't not through the vpper plate, the head reflected was:
But Aiax (following his Lance) smote through his target quite,
And stayd bold Hector rushing in; the Lance held way outright,
And hurt his necke; out gusht the bloud: yet Hector ceast not so,
But in his strong hand tooke a Flint (as he did backwards go)

Saxis pugnant.

Blacke, sharpe and big, layd in the field: the seuenfold targe it smit,
Full on the bosse; and round about, the brasse did ring with it.
But Aiax a farre greater stone, lift vp, and (wreathing round,
With all his bodie layd to it) he sent it forth to wound,
And gaue vnmeasur'd force to it; the round stone broke within

Hector strooke on his knees.

His rundled target: his lou'd knees, to languish did begin;
And he leand, stretcht out on his shield; but Phœbus raisd him streight.
Then had they layd on wounds with swords, in vse of closer fight;
Vnlesse the Heralds (messengers, of Gods and godlike men)
The one of Troy, the other Greece; had held betwixt them then
Imperiall scepters: when the one (Idæus, graue and wise)
Said to them; Now no more my sonnes: the Soueraigne of the skies
Doth loue you both; both souldiers are, all witnesse with good rīght:
But now night layes her mace on earth; tis good t'obey the night.

Idæus? (Telamon replide,) To Hector speake, not me:

Aiax to Idæus.

He that cald all our Achiue Peeres, to station fight, twas he;
If he first ceasse, I gladly yeeld: great Hector then began:

Aiax, since Ioue to thy big forme, made thee so strong a man,

Hector to Aiax.

And gaue thee skill to vse thy strength; so much, that for thy speare,
Thou art most excellent of Greece, now let vs fight forbeare:
Hereafter we shall warre againe, till Ioue our Herald be,
And grace with conquest, which he will; heauen yeelds to night, and we.
Go thou and comfort all thy Fleet; all friends and men of thine,
As I in Troy my fauourers; who in the Fane diuine

Hector giues Aiax a sword: Aiax, Hector a girdle. Both which gifts were afterward cause of both their deaths.

Haue offerd Orisons for me; and come, let vs impart
Some ensignes of our strife, to shew, each others suppled hart;
That men of Troy and Greece may say, Thus their high quarrell ends:
Those that encountring, were such foes, are now (being separate) friends.
He gaue a sword, whose handle was, with siluer studs through driuen,
Scabard and all, with hangers rich: By Telamon was giuen

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A faire well glossed purple waste. Thus Hector went to Troy,
And after him a multitude, fild with his safeties ioy;
Despairing he could euer scape, the puissant fortitude
And vnimpeached Aiax hands. The Greeks like ioy renude,
For their reputed victorie, and brought him to the King;

Sacrifice for victorie. Virgil imit.

Who to the great Saturnides, preferd an offering:
An Oxe that fed on fiue faire springs; they fleyd and quartred him,
And then (in peeces cut) on spits, they rosted euery lim:

Conuiuium á sacrificio. Nestor to the Greeks.

Which neatly drest, they drew it off: worke done, they fell to feast:
All had enough; but Telamon, the King fed past the rest,
With good large peeces of the chine. Thus, thirst and hunger staid,
Nestor (whose counsels late were best) vowes new, and first he said:
Atrides, and my other Lords, a sort of Greeks are dead,
Whose blacke bloud neare Scamanders streame, in humane Mars hath shed:
Their soules to hell descended are: it fits thee then our king,
To make our souldiers ceasse from warre; and by the dayes first spring
Let vs our selues, assembled all, the bodies beare to fire,
With Mules and Oxen neare our fleet; that when we home retire,
Each man may carrie, to the sonnes, of fathers slaughterd here,
Their honourd bones: one tombe for all, for euer let vs reare;
Circling the pile without the field: at which we will erect
Wals, and a raueling, that may safe, our fleet and vs protect.
And in them let vs fashion gates, solid and bard about,
Through which our horse and chariots, may well get in and out.
Without all, let vs dig a dike; so deepe it may auaile
Our forces gainst the charge of horse, and foote, that come t'assaile:
And thus th' attempts, that I see swell, in Troys proud heart, shall faile.

The Kings do his aduice approue: so Troy doth Court conuent,

Antenors counsell to the Troians.

At Priams gate, in th' Ilion tower, fearfull and turbulent.
Amongst all, wise Antenor spake: Troians and Dardan friends,
And Peeres assistants, giue good eare, to what my care commends
To your consents, for all our good: resolue, let vs restore
The Argiue Hellen, with her wealth, to him she had before:
We now defend but broken faiths. If therefore ye refuse,
No good euent can I expect, of all the warres we vse.

He ceast, and Alexander spake, husband to th' Argiue Queene;

Paris replies.

Antenor, to mine eares thy words, harsh and vngracious beene:
Thou canst vse better if thou wilt: but if these truly fit
Thy serious thoughts; the Gods, with age, haue reft thy grauer wit:
To war-like Troians I will speake; I clearly do denie
To yeeld my wife: but all her wealth, Ile render willingly,
What euer I from Argos brought; and vow to make it more;
Which I haue readie in my house, if peace I may restore.

Priam to the Troians.

Priam, sirnam'd Dardanides (godlike in counsels graue)
In his sonnes fauour well aduisde, this resolution gaue;
My royall friends of euery state, there is sufficient done,
For this late counsell we haue cald, in th' offer of my sonne;
Now then let all take needfull food; then let the watch be set,

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And euerie court of guard held strong: so when the morne doth wet
The high raisd battlements of Troy, Idæus shall be sent
To th' Argiue fleet, and Atreus sonnes, t'vnfold my sonnes intent,
From whose fact our contention springs: and (if they will) obtaine
Respit from heate of fight, till fire, consume our souldiers slaine:
And after, our most fatall warre, let vs importune still,
Till Ioue the conquest haue disposd, to his vnconquer'd will.

All heard, and did obey the king, and (in their quarters all,
That were to set the watch that night) did to their suppers fall.
Idæus in the morning went, and th' Achiue Peeres did find

Idæus to the Grecian fleet.

In counsell at Atrides ship: his audience was assignd:
And in the midst of all the kings, the vocall Herald said:

Atrides? my renowned king, and other kings his aid,

Idæus to the Greekes.

Propose by me, in their commands, the offers Paris makes,
(From whose ioy all our woes proceed) he Princely vndertakes
That all the wealth he brought from Greece (would he had died before)
He will (with other added wealth) for your amends restore:
But famous Menelaus wife, he still meanes to enioy,
Though he be vrg'd the contrarie, by all the Peeres of Troy.
And this besides, I haue in charge, that if it please you all;
They wish both sides may ceasse from warre, that rites of funerall
May on their bodies be performd, that in the fields lie slaine:
And after to the will of Fate, renue the fight againe.

All silence held at first: at last, Tydides made reply;

Diomed to Idæus

Let no man take the wealth, or Dame; for now a childs weake eye
May see the imminent blacke end, of Priams Emperie.

This sentence quicke, and briefly giuen, the Greeks did all admire:
Then said the King; Herald, thou hear'st, in him, the voice entire

Agamemnon to Idæus,

Of all our Peeres, to answer thee, for that of Priams sonne:
But, for our burning of the dead, by all meanes I am wonne
To satisfie thy king therein, without the slendrest gaine
Made of their spoiled carkasses; but freely (being slaine)
They shall be all consumd with fire: to witnesse which, I cite
High thundring Ioue, that is the king, of Iunos beds delight.

With this, he held his scepter vp, to all the skie thron'd powres:
And graue Idæus did returne, to sacred Ilions towres,
Where Ilians, and Dardanians, did still their counsels plie,
Expecting his returne: he came, and told his Legacie.
All, whirlewind like, assembled then: some, bodies to transport,
Some to hew trees: On th' other part, the Argiues did exhort
Their souldiers to the same affaires: then did the new fir'd Sunne
Smite the brode fields, ascending heauen, and th' Ocean smooth did runne:
When Greece and Troy mixt in such peace, you scarce could either know:
Then washt they off their blood and dust, and did warme teares bestow
Vpon the slaughterd, and in Carres, conueid them from the field:
Priam commanded none should mourne, but in still silence yeeld
Their honord carkasses to fire, and onely grieue in heart.
All burnd: to Troy, Troyes friends retire: to fleet, the Grecian part:

104

Yet doubtfull night obscur'd the earth, the day did not appeare:
When round about the funerall pile, the Grecians gatherd were;
The pile they circled with a tombe, and by it raisd a wall,
High towres to guard the fleet and them: and in the midst of all
They built strong gates, through which the horse, and chariots passage had:
Without the rampire a brode dike, long and profound they made,
On which they Pallesados pitcht; and thus the Grecians wrought.
Their huge workes in so little time, were to perfection brought,
That all Gods, by the Lightner set, the frame thereof admir'd;
Mongst whom, the earthquake-making God, this of their King enquir'd:

Neptune to Iupiter.

Father of Gods, will any man, of all earths grassie sphere,
Aske any of the Gods consents, to any actions there,
If thou wilt see the shag-haird Greekes, with headstrong labours frame
So huge a worke, and not to vs, due offrings first enflame?
As farre as white Auroras dewes, are sprinkled through the aire,
Fame will renowne the hands of Greece, for this diuine affaire:
Men will forget the sacred worke, the Sunne and I did raise,
For king Laomedon (bright Troy) and this will beare the praise.

Ioue to Neptune.

Ioue was extremely mou'd with him, and said: What words are these,
Thou mightie shaker of the earth, thou Lord of all the seas?
Some other God, of farre lesse powre, might hold conceipts dismaid,

The fortification that in the twelft Booke is razed.

With this rare Grecian stratageme, and thou rest well apaid;
For it will glorifie thy name, as farre as light extends:
Since, when these Greekes shall see againe, their natiue soile and friends,
(The bulwarke battred) thou maist quite, deuoure it with thy waues,
And couer (with thy fruitlesse sands) this fatall shore of graues:
That what their fierie industries, haue so diuinely wrought,
In raising it: in razing it, thy powre will proue it nought.

Thus spake the Gods among themselues: set was the feruent Sunne;
And now the great worke of the Greeks, was absolutely done.
Then slue they Oxen in their tents, and strength with food reuiu'd;

A fleete of wine of a thousand tun sent by Euneus king of Lēnos Iasons son.

When out of Lemnos a great fleete, of odorous wine arriu'd,
Sent by Euneus, Iasons sonne, borne of Hypsiphile.
The fleete containd a thousand tunne: which must transported be
To Atreus sons, as he gaue charge; whose merchandize it was.
The Greeks bought wine for shining steele, and some for sounding brasse;
Some for Oxe hides; for Oxen some, and some for prisoners.
A sumptuous banquet was prepar'd, and all that night the Peeres,
And faire-haird Greeks consum'd in feast: so Troians and their aide.
And all the night Ioue thunderd lowd: pale feare all thoughts dismaide.
While they were gluttonous in earth, Ioue wrought their banes in heauen:
They pourd full cups vpon the ground; and were to offrings driuen,
Instead of quaffings: and to drinke, none durst attempt, before
In solemne sacrifice they did, almightie Ioue adore.
Then to their rests they all repaird: bold zeale their feare bereau'd:
And sodaine sleepes refreshing gift, securely they receiu'd.

The end of the seuenth booke.

105

THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

When Ioue to all the Gods had giuen command,
That none, to either host, should helpfull stand;
To Ida he descends: and sees from thence
Iuno and Pallas haste the Greeks defence:
Whose purpose, his command by Iris giuen,
Doth interuent; then came the silent Euen;
When Hector chargde fires should consume the night.
Left Greeks in darkenesse tooke suspected flight.

Another Argument.

In Theta gods a Counsell haue,
Troyes conquest, glorious Hectors Braue.

The chearfull Ladie of the light, deckt in her saffron robe,

Periphrasis of the Morning.

Disperst her beames through euery part, of this enflowred globe,
When thundring Ioue a Court of Gods, assembled by his will,
In top of all the topfull heights, that crowne th' Olympian hill.
He spake, and all the Gods gaue eare: Heare how I stand inclind:

Ioue to the bench of Deities.

That God nor Goddesse may attempt, t'infringe my soueraigne mind:
But all giue suffrage; that with speed, I may these discords end.
What God soeuer I shall find, indeuour to defend
Or Troy or Greece, with wounds to heauen, he (sham'd) shall reascend;
Or (taking him with his offence) Ile cast him downe as deepe
As Tartarus (the brood of night) where Barathrum doth steepe
Torment in his profoundest sinks; where is the floore of brasse,

Virgil maketh this likewise his place, adding, Bis patet in præceps, tantum tenditq; sub vmbras, &c.

And gates of iron: the place, for depth, as farre doth hell surpasse,
As heauen (for height) exceeds the earth; then shall he know from thence,
How much my power past all the Gods, hath soueraigne eminence.
In danger it the whiles and see: let downe our golden chaine;
And, at it, let all Deities, their vtmost strengths constraine,

Homers golden chain.

To draw me to the earth from heauen: you neuer shall preuaile,
Though with your most contention, ye dare my state assaile:
But when my will shall be disposd, to draw you all to me;
Euen with the earth it selfe, and seas, ye shall enforced be.
Then will I to Olympus top, our vertuous-engine bind,
And by it euerie thing shall hang, by my command inclind:
So much I am supreme to Gods; to men supreme as much.
The Gods sat silent, and admir'd; his dreadfull speech was such.

106

At last, his blue-eyd daughter spake: O great Saturnides,

Pallas to Ioue.

O Father, ô heauens highest King; well know we the excesse
Of thy great power, compar'd with all: yet the bold Greekes estate
We needs must mourne, since they must fall, beneath so hard a fate:
For if thy graue command enioyne, we will abstaine from fight:
But to afford them such aduice, as may relieue their plight,
We will (with thy consent) be bold; that all may not sustaine
The fearefull burthen of thy wrath, and with their shames be slaine.

Ioue to Pallas.

He smil'd, and said; Be confident, thou art belou'd of me:
I speake not this with serious thoughts, but will be kind to thee.

Ioues horse.

This said, his brasse hou'd winged horse, he did to chariot bind,
Whose crests were fring'd with manes of gold, and golden garments shin'd
On his rich shoulders; in his hand, he tooke a golden scourge,
Diuinely fashiond, and with blowes, their willing speed did vrge,

Ioue descends to Ida.

Mid way betwixt the earth and heauen; to Ida then he came,
Abounding in delicious springs, and nurse of beasts vntame;
Where (on the mountaine Gargarus) men did a Fane erect
To his high name, and altars sweet; and there his horse he checkt;
Dissolu'd them from his chariot, and in a cloud of ieate
He couerd them, and on the top, tooke his triumphant seate;

Ioues prospect. Both hosts arme.

Beholding Priams famous towne, and all the Fleet of Greece,
The Greeks tooke breakfast speedily, and arm'd at euerie peece:
So Troians; who though fewer farre, yet all to fight tooke armes:
Dire need enforc't them, to auert, their wiues and childrens harmes.
All gates flew open, all the host, did issue, foote and horse,

The fight.

In mightie tumult: straite one place, adioynd each aduerse force:
Then shields with shields met, darts with darts, strength against strength opposd:
The bosse-pik't targets were thrust on, and thunderd as they closd
In mightie tumult; grone for grone, and breath for breath did breath:
Of men then slaine and to be slaine; earth flowd with fruits of death.
While the faire mornings beautie held, and day increast in height;
Their Iauelins mutually made death, transport an equall freight:

Anceps victoria The Meridian libra Iouis Aurea, Virg transtulit Macrobius 5.

But when the hote Meridian point, bright Phœbus did ascend,
Then Ioue his golden Ballances, did equally extend:
And of long-rest-conferring death, put in two bitter fates
For Troy and Greece he held the midst: the day of finall dates
Fell on the Greeks: the Greeks hard lots, sunke to the flowrie ground.
The Troians leapt as high as heauen, then did the claps resound,

Ioues thunder amongst the Grecians.

Of his fierce thunder; lightning leapt, amongst each Grecian troope:
The sight amaz'd them; pallid feare, made boldest stomacks stoope.
Then Idomen durst not abide; Atrides went his way,
And both th' Aiaces: Nestor yet, against his will did stay
(That graue Protector of the Greekes): for Paris with a dart
Enrag'd one of his chariot horse; he smote the vpper part
Of all his skull, euen where the haire, that made his foretop, sprung:
The hurt was deadly, and the paine, so sore the courser stung,
(Pierc't to the braine) he stampt and plung'd: one on another beares:
Entangled round about the beame; then Nestor cut the geres

107

With his new drawne authentique sword; meane while the firie horse
Of Hector brake into the preasse, with their bold rulers force:
Then good old Nestor had bene slaine, had Diomed not espied;

Diomed to Vlysses.

Who to Vlysses, as he fled, importunately cried;
Thou, that in counsels dost abound, O Laertiades,
Why flyest thou? why thus cowardlike, shunst thou the honourd prease?
Take heed thy backe take not a dart: stay, let vs both intend
To driue this cruell enemie, from our deare aged friend.

He spake: but warie Ithacus, would find no patient eare:

Vlysses flies and Diomed alone steps to the rescue of Nestor.

But fled forth right, euen to the fleet: yet though he single were,
Braue Diomed mixt amongst the fight, and stood before the steeds
Of old Neleides, whose estate, thus kingly he areeds:

O father, with these youths in fight, thou art vnequall plac't,
Thy willing sinewes are vnknit, graue age pursues thee fast,
And thy vnruly horse are slow; my chariot therefore vse,
And trie how readie Troian horse, can flie him that pursues;
Pursue the flier, and euery way, performe the varied fight:
I forc't them from Anchises sonne, well skild in cause of flight.
Then let my Squire leade hence thy horse: mine thou shalt guard, whilst I
(By thee aduanc't) assay the fight; that Hectors selfe may trie
If my lance dote with the defects, that faile best minds in age,
Or find the palsey in my hands, that doth thy life engage.

This, noble Nestor did accept; and Diomeds two friends,
Eurymedon, that valour loues; and Sthenelus, ascends,
Old Nestors coach: of Diomeds horse, Nestor the charge sustains
And Tydeus sonne tooke place of fight; Neleides held the rains,
And scourg'd the horse, who swiftly ran, direct in Hectors face,
Whom fierce Tydides brauely charg'd: but, he turnd from the chace,

Diomed charges Hector.

His iaueline Eniopeus smit, mightie Thebæus sonne,
And was great Hectors chariotere; it through his breast did runne,
Neare to his pappe; he fell to earth, backe flew his frighted horse;
His strength and soule were both dissolu'd. Hector had deepe remorse
Of his mishap: yet left he him, and for another sought;
Nor long his steeds did want a guide: for straight good fortune brought
Bold Archeptolemus, whose life, did from Iphytis spring;
He made him take the reines and mount: then soules were set on wing:
Then high exploits were vndergone, then Troians in their wals
Had bene infolded like meeke Lambs, had Ioue winkt at their fals;
Who hurld his horrid thunder forth, and made pale lightnings flie
Into the earth, before the horse, that Nestor did applie.
A dreadfull flash burnt through the aire, that sauourd sulphure-like,
Which downe before the chariot, the dazled horse did strike:
The faire reines fell from Nestors hand; who did (in feare) intreate
Renownd Tydides, into flight, to turne his furies heate.

Nestor to Diomed.

For knowest thou not, said he, our aide, is not supplide from Ioue?
This day he will giue fame to Troy, which when it fits his loue
We shall enioy; let no man tempt, his vnresisted will,
Though he exceed in gifts of strength: for he exceeds him still.

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Diomed to Nestor.

Father (replied the king) t'is true: but both my heart and soule
Are most extremely grieu'd to thinke, how Hector will controule
My valour with his vants in Troy: that I was terror-sicke
With his approch: which when he boasts, let earth deuoure me quicke.

Ah warlike Tydeus sonne (said he,) what needlesse words are these?

Nestor to Diomed.

Though Hector should report thee faint, and amorous of thy ease,
The Troians nor the Troian wiues, would neuer giue him trust,
Whose youthfull husbands thy free hand, hath smotherd so in dust.

This said, he turn'd his one-hou'd horse, to flight, and troope did take;
When Hector and his men with showts, did greedie pursute make,
And pour'd on darts, that made aire sigh: then Hector did exclame;
O Tydeus sonne, the kings of Greece, do most renowne thy name

Hectors braue to Diomed.

With highest place, feasts, and full cups; who now will do thee shame:
Thou shalt be like a woman vsd, and they will say; Depart
Immartiall minion, since to stand, Hector, thou hadst no hart:
Nor canst thou scale our turrets tops, nor leade the wiues to fleet
Of valiant men; that wifelike fear'st, my aduerse charge to meet.

This, two waies mou'd him; still to flie, or turne his horse and fight:
Thrise thrust he forward to assault; and euery time the fright
Of Ioues fell thunder draue him backe: which he proposd for signe
(To shew the change of victorie) Troians should victors shine.

Hector to his friends.

Then Hector comforted his men; All my aduentrous friends,
Be men, and of your famous strength, thinke of the honourd ends.
I know, beneuolent Iupiter, did by his becke professe
Conquest, and high renowne to me; and to the Greeks distresse.
O fooles, to raise such silly forts, not worth the least account,
Nor able to resist our force; with ease our horse may mount,
Quite ouer all their hollow dike: but when their fleet I reach,
Let Memorie to all the world, a famous bonfire teach:
For, I will all their ships inflame; with whose infestiue smoke
(Feare-shrunke and hidden neare their keels) the conquerd Greeks shall choke.

Then cherisht he his famous horse: O Xanthus, now, said he,

The names of Hectors horse.

And thou Podargus: Æthon to, and Lampus, deare to me;
Make me some worthy recompence, for so much choice of meate,
Giuen you by faire Andromache; bread of the purest wheate;

Vinum equis.

And with it (for your drinke) mixt wine, to make ye wished cheare,
Still seruing you before my selfe (her husband young and deare:)
Pursue and vse your swiftest speed, that we may take for prise
The shield of old Neleides, which Fame lifts to the skies;

Nestors shield al of gold.

Euen to the handles, telling it, to be of massie gold:
And from the shoulders let vs take, of Diomed the bold,
The royall curace Vulcan wrought, with art so exquisite.
These if we make our sacred spoile, I doubt not, but this Night,
Euen to their nauie to enforce, the Greekes vnturned flight.

This Iuno tooke in high disdaine; and made Olympus shake,
As she but stird within her throne; and thus to Neptune spake;

Iuno to Neptune.

O Neptune, what a spite is this? thou God so huge in power,
Afflicts it not thy honor'd heart, to see rude spoile deuoure

109

These Greekes that haue in Helice, and Aege, offred thee
So many and such wealthie gifts, let them the victors be;
If we that are the aids of Greece, would beate home these of Troy,
And hinder brode-eyd Ioues prowd will, it would abate his ioy.

He (angrie) told her, she was rash, and he would not be one,

Neptune to Iuno

Of all the rest, should striue with Ioue, whose power was matcht by none.
Whiles they conferd thus, all the space, the trench containd before,
(From that part of the fort that flankt, the nauie-anchoring shore)
Was fild with horse and targateirs, who there for refuge came,
By Mars-swift Hectors power engagde; Ioue gaue his strength the fame:
And he with spoilefull fire had burnt, the fleet: if Iunos grace
Had not inspirde the king himselfe, to run from place to place,
And stirre vp euerie souldiers powre, to some illustrous deed;
First visiting their leaders tents, his ample purple weed

Agamemnons labor in ranging his armie.

He wore, to shew all who he was; and did his station take
At wise Vlysses sable barkes, that did the battell make
Of all the fleet: from whence his speech, might with more ease be driuen
To Aiax and Achilles ships; to whose chiefe charge were giuen
The Vantguard and the Rereguard both: both for their force of hand,
And trustie bosomes. There arriu'd, thus vrg'd he to withstand
Th' insulting Troians: O what shame, ye emptie hearted Lords,

Agamemnons exprobration of the Greeks.

Is this to your admired formes? where are your glorious words?
In Lemnos vaunting you the best, of all the Grecian host?
We are the strongest men (ye said) we will command the most:
Eating most flesh of high hornd beeues, and drinking cups full crownd:
And euerie man a hundred foes, two hundred will confound:
Now all our strength, dar'd to our worst, one Hector cannot tame,
Who presently with horrid fire, will all our fleet inflame.
O Father Ioue, hath euer yet, thy most vnsuffred hand

Apostrophe ad Iouem.

Afflicted, with such spoile of soules, the king of any land?
And taken so much fame from him? when I did neuer faile
(Since vnder most vnhappie starres, this fleet was vnder saile)
Thy glorious altars, I protest; but aboue all the Gods,
Haue burnt fat thighs of beeues to thee; and praid to race th' abodes
Of rape-defending Ilions: yet grant (almightie Ioue)
One fauour, that we may at least, with life from hence remoue:
Not vnder such inglorious hands, the hands of death imploy,
And where Troy should be stoopt by Greece, let Greece fall vnder Troy.

To this euen weeping king, did Ioue, remorsefull audience giue,
And shooke great heauen to him, for signe, his men and he should liue:
Then quickly cast he off his hawke, the Eagle prince of aire,

Ioue casts off his Eagle on the Greeks right hand, that trust a Hinde calfe.

That perfects his vnspotted vowes; who seisd in her repaire
A sucking hinde calfe; which she trust, in her enforciue seeres,
And by Ioues altar let it fall, amongst th' amazed peeres,
Where the religious Achiue kings, with sacrifice did please
The authour of all Oracles, diuine Saturnides.

Now when they knew the bird of Ioue, they turnd couragious head:
When none (though many kings put on) could make his vaunt, he led

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Diomed.

Tydides to renewd assault: or issued first the dike,
Or first did fight: but farre the first, stone dead his lance did strike
Arm'd Agelaus; by descent, surnam'd Phradmonides;
He turn'd his readie horse to flight; and Diomeds lance did seise
His backe betwixt his shoulder blades, and lookt out at his brest;
He fell, and his armes rang his fall. Th' Atrides next addrest
Themselues to fight; th' Alaces next, with vehement strength endude:
Idomeneus and his friend, stout Merion, next pursude:
And after these Euripilus, Euemons honord race:
The ninth, with backward wreathed bow, had little Teucer place;

Teucer seruing vnder Aiax shield.

He still fought vnder Aiax shield; who sometimes held it by,
And then he lookt his obiect out, and let his arrow flie:
And whomsoeuer in the preasse, he wounded, him he slue;
Then vnder Aiax seuen-fold shield, he presently withdrew.
He far'd like an vnhappie child, that doth to mother run
For succour, when he knowes full well, he some shrewd turne hath done.
What Troians then were to their deaths, by Teucers shafts imprest?
Haplesse Orsylochus was first; Ormenius, Ophelest,
Detor, and hardie Cronius, and Lycophon diuine;
And Amopaon, that did spring, from Polyemons line,
And Menalippus: all on heapes, he tumbled to the ground.
The king reioyc't to see his shafts, the Phrygian ranks confound:

Agamemnon to Teucer.

Who straight came neare, and spake to him; O Teucer louely man,
Strike still so sure, and be a grace, to euerie Grecian;
And to thy father Telamon, who tooke thee kindly home,
(Although not by his wife, his sonne) and gaue thee foster roome,
Euen from thy childhood; then to him, though far from hence remou'd,
Make good fame reach; and to thy selfe, I vow what shall be prou'd:
If he that dreadfull Egis beares, and Pallas grant to me
Th' expugnance of wel-builded Troy, I first will honour thee,
Next to my selfe with some rich gift, and put it in thy hand:
A three-foot vessell, that for grace, in sacred Fanes doth stand:
Or two horse and a chariot, or else a louely Dame,
That may ascend on bed with thee, and amplifie thy name.

Teucer to Agamemnon.

Teucer right nobly answerd him: Why (most illustrate king)
I being thus forward of my selfe, dost thou adioyne a sting?
Without which, all the power I haue, I ceasse not to imploy:
For, from the place where we repulst, the Troians towards Troy,
I all the purple field haue strew'd, with one or other slaine:
Eight shafts I shot, with long steele heads, of which not one in vaine;
All were in youthfull bodies fixt, well skild in warres constraint:
Yet this wild dog, with all my aime, I haue no power to taint.
This said, another arrow forth, from his stiffe string he sent,
At Hector, whom he long'd to wound; but still amisse it went:
His shaft smit faire Gorgythion, of Priams princely race,
Who in Æpina was brought forth (a famous towne in Thrace)
By Castianira; that, for forme, was like celestiall breed.
And as a crimson Poppie flower, surcharged with his seed,

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And vernall humors falling thicke, declines his heauie brow;

Virg. in Pallante imitatus est.

So, of one side, his helmets weight, his fainting head did bow:
Yet Teucer would another shaft, at Hectors life dispose;
So faine, he such a marke would hit: but still besides it goes;
Apollo did auert the shaft: but Hectors charioteere
Bold Archeptolemus he smit, as he was rushing neere
To make the fight: to earth he fell, his swift horse backe did flie,
And there, were both his strength and soule, exilde eternally.
Huge griefe, for Hectors slaughterd friend, pincht-in his mightie mind:
Yet was he forc't to leaue him there, and his void place resignd
To his sad brother, that was by; Cebriones: whose eare
Receiuing Hectors charge, he straight, the weightie reines did beare;
And Hector, from his shining coach (with horrid voice) leapt on,

Hector with a stone at Teucer.

To wreake his friend on Teucers hand; and vp he tooke a stone,
With which he at the Archer ran; who, from his quiuer, drew
A sharpe-pild shaft, and nockt it sure: but, in great Hector flew,
With such fell speed, that in his draught, he his right shoulder strooke,
Where twixt his necke and breast, the ioynt, his natiue closure tooke:
The wound was wondrous full of death, his string in sunder flees;
His nummed hand fell strengthlesse downe, and he vpon his knees.
Aiax neglected not to aid, his brother thus deprest;
But came and saft him with his shield; and two more friends addrest
To be his aide, tooke him to fleet; Mecistius, Echius son,
And gay Alastor: Teucer sigh'd, for all his seruice done.

Then did Olympius, with fresh strength, the Troian powers reuiue;
Who to their trenches once againe, the troubled Greekes did driue.
Hector brought terror with his strength, and euer fought before:
As when some highly stomackt hound, that hunts a syluan Bore,
Or kingly Lion, loues the hanch, and pincheth oft behind,
Bold of his feet, and still obserues, the game, to turne inclind,
Not vtterly dissolu'd in flight: so Hector did pursue;
And whosoeuer was the last, he euer did subdue.
They fled, but when they had their dike, and Pallesados past,
(A number of them put to sword) at ships they staid at last:
Then mutuall exhortations flew, then all with hands and eyes,
Aduanc't to all the Gods, their plagues, wrung from them open cries.
Hector with his fowre rich-man'd horse, assaulting alwaies rode;

Hectors terrible aspect.

The eyes of Gorgon burnt in him, and warres vermilion God.
The Goddesse that all Goddesses (for snowie armes) out shin'd,
Thus spake to Pallas; to the Greeks, with gracious ruth inclin'd.

O Pallas, what a griefe is this? is all our succour past

Iuno to Pallas.

To these our perishing Grecian friends? at least withheld at last?
Euen now, when one mans violence, must make them perish all,
In satisfaction of a Fate, so full of funerall?
Hector Priamides now raues, no more to be indur'd;
That hath alreadie on the Greeks, so many harmes inur'd.

The Azure Goddesse answerd her; This man had surely found
His fortiude and life dissolu'd, euen on his fathers ground,

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By Grecian valour; if my Sire, infested with ill moods,
Did not so dote on these of Troy, too ielous of their bloods:
And euer, an vniust repulse, stands to my willing powres;
Little remembring what I did, in all the desperate howres
Of his affected Hercules: I euer rescued him,
In labours of Euristheus, vntoucht in life or lim:
When he (heauen knowes) with drowned eyes, lookt vp for helpe to heauen:
Which euer at command of Ioue, was by my supppliance giuen.
But had my wisdome reacht so farre, to know of this euent,
When to the solid-ported depths, of hell his sonne was sent,
To hale out hatefull Plutoes dog, from darksome Erebus,
He had not scap't the streames of Styx, so deepe and dangerous:
Yet Ioue hates me, and shews his loue, in doing Thetis will,
That kist his knees, and strok't his chin; praid, and importun'd still,
That he would honour with his aid, her cittie-razing sonne,
Displeasd Achilles: and for him, our friends are thus vndone.
But time shall come againe, when he (to do his friends some aid)
Will call me his Glaucopides; his sweet and blew-eyd maid.
Then harnesse thou thy horse for me, that his bright Pallace gates
I soone may enter, arming me, to order these debates:
And I will trie if Priams sonne, will still maintaine his cheare,
When in the crimson paths of warre, I dreadfully appeare;
For some prowd Troian shall be sure, to nourish dogs and foules,
And paue the shore with fat, and flesh, depriu'd of liues and soules.

Iuno prepar'd her horse, whose manes, Ribands of gold enlac't:

Pallas armes.

Pallas her partie coloured robe; on her bright shoulders cast,
Diuinely wrought with her owne hands, in th' entrie of her Sire:
Then put she, on her ample breast, her vnder-arming tire,
And on it her celestiall armes: the chariot streight she takes,
With her huge heauie violent lance, with which she slaughter makes

Iuno her waggonnesse.

Of armies, fatall to her wrath: Saturnia whipt her horse,
And heauen gates, guarded by the Howres, op't by their proper force:
Through which they flew. Whom when Ioue saw (set neare th' Idalian spring)
Highly displeasd: he Iris cald, that hath the golden wings,

Ioue to Iris.

And said; Flie Iris, turne them backe, let them not come at me:
Our meetings (seuerally disposd) will nothing gracious be.
Beneath their o'rethrowne chariot, Ile shiuer their prowd steeds:
Hurle downe themselues, their wagon breake, and for their stubborne deeds,
In ten whole yeares they shall not heale, the wounds I will impresse
With horrid thunder, that my maid, may know, when to addresse
Armes against her father. For my wife, she doth not so offend,
Tis but her vse to interrupt, what euer I intend.

Iris to heauen.

Iris, with this, left I das hils, and vp t'Olympus flew,
Met (neare heauen gates) the Goddesses, and thus their haste with-drew.

What course intend you? why are you, wrapt with your fancies storme?
Ioue likes not ye should aid the Greeks, but threats, and will performe,
To crush in peeces your swift horse, beneath their glorious yokes,
Hurle downe your selues, your chariot breake: and those impoysoned strokes

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His wounding thunder shall imprint, in your celestiall parts,
In ten full Springs ye shall not cure: that she that tames proud hearts
(Thy selfe, Minerua) may be taught, to know for what, and when,
Thou doest against thy father fight; for sometimes childeren
May with discretion plant themselues, against their fathers wils;
But not where humors onely rule, in works beyond their skils.
For, Iuno, she offends him not, nor vexeth him so much;
For, t'is her vse to crosse his will, her impudence is such.
The habite of offence in this, she onely doth contract,

Facile facit quod semper facit.

And so grieues or incenseth lesse, though nere the lesse her fact:
But thou most grieu'st him (dogged Dame) whom he rebukes in time,
Lest silence should peruert thy will, and pride too highly clime
In thy bold bosome (desperate girle) if seriously thou dare
Lift thy vnwieldie lance gainst Ioue, as thy pretences are.

She left them, and Saturnia said, Ay me thou seed of Ioue,

Iuno to Pallas.

By my aduice we will no more, vnfit contention moue
With Iupiter for mortall men; of whom, let this man die,
And that man liue, who euer he, pursues with destinie:
And let him (plotting all euents) dispose of either host,
As he thinks fittest for them both, and may become vs most.

Thus turnd she backe, and to the Howres, her rich man'd horse resign'd
Who them t'immortall mangers bound; the chariot they inclin'd
Beneath the Christall walls of heauen, and they in golden thrones
Consorted other Deities, repleate with passions.
Ioue, in his bright-wheeld chariot, his firie horse now beats,
Vp to Olympus; and aspir'd, the Gods eternall seats.
Great Neptune loosd his horse; his Carre, vpon the Altar plac't,
And heauenly-linnen Couerings, did round about it cast.
The farre-seer vsd his throne of gold: the vast Olympus shooke
Beneath his feete, his wife, and maid, apart their places tooke;
Nor any word afforded him: he knew their thoughts, and said;
Why do you thus torment your selues? you need not sit dismaid

Ioue to Iuno and Pallas.

With the long labours you haue vsd, in your victorious fight,
Destroying Troians: gainst whose liues, you heape such high despight.

Scopticé.

Ye should haue held your glorious course; for be assur'd, as farre
As all my powres (by all meanes vrg'd) could haue sustaind the warre:
Not all the host of Deities, should haue retir'd my hand,
From vowd inflictions on the Greeks: much lesse, you two withstand.
But you before you saw the fight, much lesse the slaughter there,
Had all your goodly lineaments, possest with shaking feare;
And neuer had your chariot borne, their charge to heauen againe:
But thunder should haue smit you both, had you one Troian slaine.

Both Goddesses let fall their chins, vpon their Iuorie breasts,
Set next to Ioue; contriuing still, afflicted Troyes vnrests:
Pallas for anger could not speake, Saturnia, contrarie,
Could not for anger hold her peace, but made this bold replie;

Not-to-be-suffred Iupiter, what needst thou still enforce

Iuno to Iupiter.

Thy matchlesse power? we know it well: But we must yeeld remorse

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To them that yeeld vs sacrifice: nor needst thou thus deride
Our kind obedience, nor our griefes, but beare our powers applide
To iust protection of the Greeks; that anger tombe not all
In Troyes foule gulfe of periurie, and let them stand, should fall.

Iupiter to Iuno.

Greeue not (said Ioue) at all done yet: for if thy faire eyes please,
This next red morning they shall see, the great Saturnides
Bring more destruction to the Greekes: and Hector shall not cease,
Till he haue rowsed from the Fleet, swift-foot Æacides:
In that day, when before their ships, for his Patroclus slaine,
The Greekes in great distresse shall fight; for so the Fates ordaine.
I weigh not thy displeased spleene; though to th' extremest bounds
Of earth and seas it carrie thee; where endlesse night confounds
Iapet, and my deiected Sire; who sit so farre beneath,
They neuer see the flying Sunne, nor heare the winds that breath,
Neare to profoundest Tartarus: nor thither if thou went,
Would I take pittie of thy moods, since none more impudent.

To this, she nothing did replie: and now Sols glorious light
Fell to the sea, and to the land, drew vp the drowsie night:
The Troians grieu'd at Phœbus fall, which all the Greeks desir'd:

The Night.

And sable night (so often wisht) to earths firme throne aspir'd.

Hector (intending to consult) neare to the gulfie flood
Farre from the Fleet; let to a place, pure, and exempt from blood,
The Troians forces: from their horse, all lighted, and did heare
Th' Oration Ioue-loud Hector made; who held a goodly speare,
Eleuen full cubits long; the head, was brasse, and did reflect
A wanton light before him still; it round about was deckt
With strong hoops of new burnisht gold. On this he leand, and said:

Heare me, my worthie friends of Troy, and you our honord aid;

Hector to his friends.

A little since, I had conceipt, we should haue made retreate,
By light of the inflamed fleet, with all the Greeks escheate;
But darknesse hath preuented vs; and safte, with speciall grace,
These Achiues, and their shore-hal'd fleet. Let vs then render place,
To sacred Night; our suppers dresse; and from our chariot free
Our faire-man'd horse, and meate them well: then let there conuoid be,
From forth the citie presently, Oxen, and well fed sheepe;

Vina parant animos.

Sweet wine, and bread; and fell much wood, that all night we may keepe
Plentie of fires, euen till the light, bring forth the louely morne;
And let their brightnesse glase the skies, that night may not suborne
The Greeks escape, if they, for flight, the seas brode backe would take;
At least they may not part with ease; but as retreit they make,
Each man may beare a wound with him, to cure when he comes home,
Made with a shaft or sharpned speare; and others feare to come,
With charge of lamentable warre, gainst souldiers bred in Troy.
Then let our Heralds, through the towne, their offices imploy,
To warne the youth, yet short of warre; and time-white fathers, past;
That in our god-built towres they see, strong courts of guard be plac't,
About the wals; and let our Dames, yet flourishing in yeares,
That (hauing beauties to keepe pure) are most inclin'd to feares

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(Since darknesse in distressefull times, more dreadfull is then light)
Make loftie fires in euery house: and thus, the dangerous night,
Held with strong watch; if th' enemie, haue ambuscadoes laid
Neare to ourwals (and therefore seeme, in flight the more dismaid,
Intending a surprise, while we, are all without the towne)
They euery way shall be impugn'd, to euery mans renowne.
Performe all this braue Troian friends: what now I haue to say,
Is all exprest; the chearfull morne, shall other things display;
It is my glorie (putting trust, in Ioue, and other Gods)
That I shall now expulse these dogs, fates sent to our abodes;
Who bring ostents of destinie, and blacke their threatning fleet.
But this night let vs hold strong guards: to morrow we will meet
(With fierce-made warre) before their ships; and Ile make knowne to all,
If strong Tydides, from their ships, can driue me to their wall,
Or I can pierce him with my sword; and force his bloudy spoile;
The wished morne shall shew his powre, if he can shun his foile,
I running on him with my Lance; I thinke when day ascends,
He shall lie wounded with the first, and by him many friends.
O that I were as sure to liue, immortall, and sustaine
No frailties, with increasing yeares, but euermore remaine
Ador'd like Pallas, or the Sunne; as all doubts die in me,
That heauens next light shall be the last, the Greekes shall euer see.

This speech all Troians did applaud; who from their traces losde
Their sweating horse; which seuerally with headstals they reposde,
And fastned by their chariots; when others brought from towne,
Fat sheepe and oxen, instantly; bread, wine; and hewed downe
Huge store of wood: the winds transferd, into the friendly skie,
Their suppers fauour; to the which, they sate delightfully,
And spent all night in open field; fires round about them shinde;
As when about the siluer Moone, when aire is free from winde,
And stars shine cleare; to whose sweete beames, high prospects, and the brows

Ignes Troianorū astris similes.

Of all steepe hils and pinnacles, thrust vp themselues for showes;
And euen the lowly vallies ioy, to glitter in their sight,
When the vnmeasur'd firmament, bursts to disclose her light,
And all the signes in heauen are seene, that glad the shepheards hart;
So many fires disclosde their beames, made by the Troian part,
Before the face of Ilion; and her bright turrets show'd.
A thousand courts of guard kept fires: and euery guard allow'd
Fiftie stout men, by whom their horse, eate oates and hard white corne,
And all did wilfully expect, the siluer-throned morne.

The end of the eighth Booke.

116

THE NINTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

To Agamemnon (vrging hopelesse flight)
Stand Diomed, and Nestor opposite:
By Nestors counsell, Legats are dismist,
To Thetis sonne, who still denies t'assist.

Another Argument.

Iota sings the Ambassie,
And great Achilles sterne replie.

So held the Troians sleeplesse guard; the Greeks to flight were giuen:
The feeble consort of cold feare (strangely infusde from heauen)
Griefe, not to be endur'd, did wound, all Greeks of greatest worth.
And as two laterall-sited winds (the West wind and the North)
Meete at the Thracian seas blacke breast; ioyne in a sodaine blore;
Tumble together the darke waues, and powre vpon the shore
A mightie deale of froth and weed, with which men manure ground:
So Ioue and Troy did driue the Greeks, and all their minds confound:
But Agamemnon most of all, was tortur'd at his heart,
Who to the voicefull Heralds went, and bad them cite, apart,
Each Grecian leader seuerally, not openly proclaime;
In which he labourd with the first: and all together came.
They sadly sate; the king arose, and pour'd out teares as fast
As from a loftie rocke, a spring, doth his blacke waters cast.

Agamemnon to the Greeks.

And deeply sighing, thus bespake, the Achiues; O my friends,
Princes and leaders of the Greeks; heauens aduerse king extends
His wrath, with too much detriment, to my so iust designe;
Since he hath often promist me, and bound it with the signe
Of his bent forehead, that this Troy, our vengefull hands should race,
And safe returne: yet now ingag'd, he plagues vs with disgrace;
When all our trust to him hath drawne, so much bloud from our friends.
My glorie, nor my brothers wreake, were the proposed ends,
For which he drew you to these toiles; but your whole countries shame,
Which had bene huge, to beare the rape, of so diuine a Dame,
Made in despite of our reuenge: and yet not that had mou'd
Our powres to these designes, if Ioue, had not our drifts approu'd;
Which since we see he did for bloud; tis desperate fight in vs
To striue with him; then let vs flie: tis flight he vrgeth thus.

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Long time still silence held them all; at last did Diomed rise:
Atrides, I am first must crosse, thy indiscreet aduise,

Diomed to Agamemnon: and takes fit time to answer his wrōg done by Agamemnon in the fourth booke.

As may become me, being a king, in this our martiall court.
Be not displeasd then: for thy selfe, didst broadly misreport
In open field my fortitude, and cald me faint and weake;
Yet I was silent, knowing the time; loth any rites to breake,
That appertaind thy publicke rule: yet all the Greekes knew well
(Of euery age) thou didst me wrong. As thou then didst refell
My valour first of all the hoast, as of a man dismaid:
So now, with fit occasion giuen, I first blame thee afraid.
Inconstant Saturnes son hath giuen, inconstant spirits to thee;
And with a scepter ouer all, an eminent degree:
But with a scepters soueraigne grace, the chiefe powre, Fortitude,
(To bridle thee) he thought not best, thy breast should be endude.
Vnhappie king, think'st thou the Greeks, are such a silly sort,
And so excessiue impotent, as thy weake words import?
If thy mind moue thee to be gone; the way is open, go:
Mycenian ships enow ride neare, that brought thee to this wo;
The rest of Greece will stay, nor stirre, till Troy be ouercome,
With full euersion; or if not, but (doters of their home)
Will put on wings to flie with thee; my selfe and Sthenelus
Will fight, till (trusting fauouring Ioue) we bring home Troy with vs.

This, all applauded, and admir'd, the spirit of Diomed;

Nestor approues Diomeds counsell, and goes further.

When Nestor (rising from the rest) his speech thus seconded:

Tydides, thou art (questionlesse) our strongest Greeke, in warre,
And grauest in thy counsels too, of all that equall are
In place with thee, and stand on strength; Nor is there any one
Can blame, or contradict thy speech: And yet thou hast not gone
So farre, but we must further go; th' art yong, and well mightst be
My yongest sonne, though still I yeeld, thy words had high degree
Of wisedome in them to our king; since well they did become
Their right in question, and refute, inglorious going home;
But I (well knowne thy senior far) will speake, and handle all
Yet to propose: which none shall checke; no not our Generall.
A hater of societie, vniust, and wilde is he,
That loues intestine warre; being stuft, with manlesse crueltie:
And therefore in perswading peace, and home-flight, we the lesse
May blame our Generall; as one lothe, to wrap in more distresse
His loued souldiers: but because, they brauely are resolu'd
To cast liues after toyles, before, they part in shame inuolu'd;
Prouide we for our honourd stay; obey blacke night, and fall
Now to our suppers; then appoint, our guards without the wall,
And in the bottome of the dike; which guards I wish may stand
Of our braue youth. And (Atreus son) since thou art in command
Before our other Kings, be first, in thy commands effect:
It well becomes thee; since tis both, what all thy Peeres expect;
And in the royall right of things, is no impaire to thee;
Nor shall it stand with lesse then right, that they inuited be

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To supper by thee; all thy tents, are amply stor'd with wine,

Vinum Thraciū.

Brought dayly in Greeke ships from Thrace; and to this grace of thine
All necessaries thou hast fit, and store of men to wait;
And many meeting there; thou maist, heare euery mans conceit,
And take the best: it much concernes, all Greekes to vse aduise
Of grauest nature; since, so neare, our ships, our enemies
Haue lighted such a sort of fires: with which, what man is ioyd?
Looke, how all beare themselues this night, so liue, or be destroyd.

All heard, and followd his aduice: there was appointed then

Seuen Captaines of the watch and their names.

Seuen Captaines of the watch, who forth, did march with all their men.
The first was famous Thrasymed, aduicefull Nestors sonne;
Ascalaphus and Ialmen, and mightie Merion;
Alphareus and Deipyrus, and louely Lycomed;
Old Creons ioy: These seuen bold Lords, an hundred souldiers led
In euery seuerd company; and euery man his pike:
Some placed on the rampires top, and some amidst the dike:
All fires made, and their suppers tooke: Atrides to his tent
Inuited all the Peeres of Greece; and food sufficient
Apposde before them; and the Peeres, apposde their hands to it.
Hunger and thirst being quickly quencht, to counsell still they sit.
And first spake Nestor, who they thought, of late, aduisde so well,
A father graue, and rightly wise, who thus his tale did tell.

Nestor to Agamemnon.

Most high Atrides, since in thee, I haue intent to end,
From thee will I begin my speech, to whom Ioue doth commend
The Empire of so many men, and puts into thy hand
A Scepter, and establisht lawes, that thou mayst well command
And counsell all men vnder thee. It therefore doth behoue
Thy selfe to speake most, since of all, thy speeches most will moue;
And yet to heare as well as speake: and then performe as well
A free iust counsell; in thee still, must sticke, what others tell.
For me; what in my iudgement stands, the most conuenient
I will aduise; and am assur'd, aduice more competent
Shall not be giuen: the generall proofe, that hath before bene made
Of what I speake, confirmes me still; and now may well perswade,
Because I could not then, yet ought, when thou (most royall King)
Euen from the tent, Achilles loue, didst violently bring,
Against my counsell, vrging thee, by all meanes to relent:
But you (obeying your high mind) would venture the euent,
Dishonoring our ablest Greeke, a man th' immortals grace:
Againe, yet let's deliberate, to make him now embrace
Affection to our generall good, and bring his force to field:
Both which, kind words and pleasing gifts, must make his vertues yeeld.

Agamemnon to Nestor.

O father (answered the King) my wrongs thou tell'st me right;
Mine owne offence, mine owne tongue grants; one man must stand in fight
For our whole armie; him I wrongd, him Ioue loues from his hart:
He shewes it in thus honoring him; who liuing thus apart,
Proues vs but number: for his want, makes all our weaknesse seene:
Yet after my confest offence, soothing my humorours spleene,

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Ile sweeten his affects againe, with presents infinite,
Which (to approue my firme intent) Ile openly recite;

Gifts offered to Achilles.

Seuen sacred Tripods free from fire, ten talents of fine gold,
Twentie bright caldrons, twelue yong horse, well shap't and well controld,
And victors too; for they haue wonne, the price at many a race:
That man should not be poore, that had, but what their winged pace
Hath added to my treasury; nor feele sweet golds defect.
Seuen Lesbian Ladies he shall haue, that were the most select,
And in their needles rarely skild: whom (when he tooke the towne
Of famous Lesbos) I did chuse; who wonne the chiefe renowne,
For beautie from their whole faire sexe; amongst whom Ile resigne
Faire Brysis; and I deeply sweare (for any fact of mine
That may discourage her receit) she is vntoucht, and rests
As he resign'd her. To these gifts (if Ioue to our requests
Vouchsafe performance, and affoord, the worke for which we waite;
Of winning Troy) with brasse and gold, he shall his nauie freight;
And (entring when we be at spoile) that princely hand of his
Shall chuse him twentie Troian Dames, excepting Tyndaris,
The fairest Pergamus infolds: and if we make retreat
To Argos (cald of all the world, the Nauill, or chiefe seat)
He shall become my sonne in law, and I will honour him
Euen as Orestes, my sole sonne, that doth in honours swim.
Three daughters in my wel-built court, vnmarried are, and faire;
Laodice, Chrysothemis, that hath the golden haire,
And Iphianassa: of all three, the worthiest let him take
All ioynturelesse, to Peleus Court: I will her ioyncture make;
And that so great, as neuer yet, did any maide preferre;
Seuen cities right magnificent, I will bestow on her:
Enope, and Cardamile; Hyra for herbes renownd;
The faire Æpæa, Pedasus, that doth with grapes abound:
Antæa, girded with greene meades: Phera, surnam'd Diuine;
All whose bright turrets, on the seas, in sandie Pylos shine:
Th' inhabitants in flockes and heards, are wondrous confluent;
Who like a God will honour him, and him with gifts present;
And to his throne will contribute, what tribute he will rate;
All this I gladly will performe, to pacifie his hate:
Let him be milde and tractable: tis for the God of ghosts
To be vnrul'd, implacable, and seeke the bloud of hoasts;
Whom therefore men do much abhorre: then let him yeeld to me;
I am his greater, being a King, and more in yeares then he.

Braue King (said Nestor) these rich gifts, must make him needs relent:

Nestor makes choice of Ambassadors to Achilles.

Chuse then fit legates instantly, to greete him at his Tent;
But stay, admit my choice of them; and let them strait be gone:
Ioue-loued Phœnix shall be chiefe; then Aiax Telamon,
And Prince Vlysses; and on them, let these two heralds wait,
Graue Odius and Euribates. Come Lords, take water strait,
Make pure your hands; and with sweet words, appease Achilles mind;
Which we will pray, the king of Gods, may gently make inclin'd.

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All lik't his speech, and on their hands, the Heralds water shed:
The youths, crownd cups of sacred wine, to all distributed:
But, hauing sacrific'd and drunke, to euerie mans content,
(With many notes by Nestor giuen) the Legats forwards went:
With courtship in fit gestures vsd, he did prepare them well,
But most Vlysses; for his grace, did not so much excell:
Such rites beseeme Ambassadors: and Nestor vrged these,
That their most honours might reflect, enrag'd Æacides.
They went along the shore, and praid, the God that earth doth bind
In brackish chaines, they might not faile, but bow his mightie mind.

The quarter of the Myrmidons, they reacht, and found him set

Achilles at his Harpe.

Delighted with his solemne harpe, which curiously was fret
With workes conceited, through the verge: the bawdricke that embrac't
His loftie necke, was siluer twist: this (when his hand laid waste

Achilles loue of Musicke. Himselfe sings the deeds of Heroes.

Actions citie) he did chuse, as his especiall prise,
And (louing sacred musicke well) made it his exercise:
To it he sung the glorious deeds, of great Heroes dead,
And his true mind, that practise faild, sweet contemplation fed.
With him alone, and opposite; all silent sat his friend,
Attentiue, and beholding him, who now his song did end.
Th' Ambassadors did forwards preasse, renown'd Vlysses led,
And stood in view: their sodaine sight, his admiration bred;
Who with his harpe and all arose: so did Menetius sonne
When he beheld them: their receipt, Achilles thus begun.

Achilles gentle receit of Vlysses, Aiax, &c.

Health to my Lords: right welcome men, assure your selues you be;
Though some necessitie I know, doth make you visite me,
Incenst with iust cause gainst the Greeks. This said, a seuerall seate
With purple cushions he set forth, and did their ease intreate:
And said, Now friend, our greatest bolle, with wine vnmixt, and neate,
Appose these Lords; and of the depth, let euerie man make proofe:
These are my best-esteemed friends, and vnderneath my roofe.

Principes ipsi seruilia munera obeunt, vt alibi.

Patroclus did his deare friends will: and he that did desire
To cheare the Lords (come faint from fight) set on a blasing fire
A great brasse pot, and into it, a chine of mutton put,
And fat Goates flesh: Antomedon, held, while he peeces cut
To rost and boile, right cunningly: then of a well fed swine,
A huge fat shoulder he cuts out, and spits it wondrous fine;
His good friend made a goodly fire: of which the force once past,
He laid the spit low, neare the coales, to make it browne at last:
Then sprinkled it with sacred salt, and tooke it from the rackes:
This rosted and on dresser set, his friend Patroclus takes
Bread in faire baskets; which set on, Achilles brought the meate;
And to diuinest Ithacus, tooke his opposed seate

Sacrifice before meate.

Vpon the bench: then did he will, his friend to sacrifice;
Who cast sweet incense in the fire, to all the Deities.
Thus fell they to their readie food: hunger and thirst allaid,
Aiax to Phenix made a signe, as if too long they staid,
Before they told their Legacie. Vlysses saw him winke,

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And (filling the great boule with wine) did to Achilles drinke.

Health to Achilles; but our plights, stand not in need of meate,

Vlysses oration.

Who late supt at Atrides tent, though for thy loue we eate
Of many things, whereof a part, would make a compleat feast:
Nor can we ioy in these kind rites, that haue our hearts opprest
(O Prince) with feare of vtter spoile: tis made a question now
If we can saue our fleet or not, vnlesse thy selfe endow
Thy powers with wonted fortitude: now Troy and her consorts,
Bold of thy want, haue pitcht their tents, close to our fleet and forts;
And made a firmament of fires; and now no more they say
Will they be prison'd in their wals, but force their violent way
Euen to our ships; and Ioue himselfe, hath with his lightnings showd
Their bold aduentures happie signes; and Hector growes so prowd
Of his huge strength, borne out by Ioue, that fearfully he raues;
Presuming neither men nor Gods, can interrupt his braues.
Wilde rage inuades him, and he prayes, that soone the sacred morne
Would light his furie; boasting then, our streamers shall be torne,
And all our nauall ornaments, fall by his conquering stroke;
Our ships shall burne, and we our selues, lie stifl'd in the smoke.
And I am seriously affraid, heauen will performe his threats;
And that tis fatall to vs all, farre from our natiue seates
To perish in victorious Troy: but rise, though it be late,
Deliuer the afflicted Greeks, from Troyes tumultuous hate.
It will hereafter be thy griefe, when no strength can suffise
To remedie th' effected threats, of our calamities;
Consider these affaires in time, while thou maist vse thy powre,
And haue the grace to turne, from Greece, fates vnrecouered houre.
O friend? thou knowest, thy royall Sire, forewarnd what should be done,
That day he sent thee from his Court, to honour Atreus sonne:
My sonne (said he) the victory, let Ioue and Pallas vse
At their high pleasures; but do thou, no honor'd meanes refuse
That may aduance her; in fit bounds, containe thy mightie mind;
Nor let the knowledge of thy strength, be factiously inclind,
Contriuing mischiefes; be to fame, and generall good profest;
The more will all sorts honour thee; Benignitie is best.
Thus charg'd thy sire, which thou forgetst: yet now those thoughts appease
That torture thy great spirit with wrath: which if thou wilt increase,
The King will merit it with gifts; (and if thou wilt giue eare)
Ile tell how much he offers thee, yet thou sitst angrie here.
Seuen Tripods that no fire must touch; twise ten pans fit for flame:
Ten talents of fine gold; twelue horse, that euer ouercame,
And brought huge prises from the field, with swiftnes of their feete:
That man should beare no poore account, nor want golds quickning sweete,
That had but what he won with them: seuen worthiest Lesbian Dames,
Renown'd for skill in houswifrie, and beare the soueraigne fames,
For beautie, from their generall sexe; which at thy ouerthrow
Of wel-built Lesbos he did chuse; and these he will bestow;
And with these, her he tooke from thee, whom (by his state since then)

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He sweares he toucht not, as faire Dames, vse to be toucht by men.
All these are readie for thee now: and if at length we take,
By helpes of Gods, this wealthie towne, thy ships shall burthen make
Of gold and brasse at thy desires, when we the spoile diuide:
And twentie beautious Troian Dames, thou shalt select beside,
(Next Hellen) the most beautifull; and (when return'd we be
To Argos) be his sonne in law: for he will honour thee
Like his Orestes, his sole sonne, maintaind in height of blisse:
Three daughters beautifie his Court, the faire Chrysothemis,
Laodice, and Iphianesse; of all, the fairest take
To Peleus thy graue fathers Court, and neuer ioynture make:
He will the iointure make himselfe, so great, as neuer Sire
Gaue to his daughters nuptials: seuen cities left entire;
Cardamile, and Euope, and Hyra full of flowers;
Anthæa, for sweet meadowes praisd; and Phera, deckt with towers;
The bright Epea; Pedassus, that doth God Bacchus please,
All on the the Sandie Pylos soyle, are seated neare the seas:
Th' inhabitants, in droues and flocks, exceeding wealthie be,
Who like a God with worthie gifts, will gladly honour thee;
And tribute of especiall rate, to thy high scepter pay:
All this he freely will performe, thy anger to allay.
But if thy hate to him be more, then his gifts may represse,
Yet pittie all the other Greeks, in such extreme distresse;
Who with religion honour thee: and to their desperate ill,
Thou shalt triumphant glorie bring; and Hector thou maist kill,
When pride makes him encounter thee: fild with a banefull sprite,
Who vaunts, our whole-fleet brought not one, equall to him in fight.

Achilles answers Vlysses Oration.

Swift-foot Æacides replide: Diuine Laertes sonne,
T'is requisite I should be short, and shew what place hath wonne
Thy serious speech: affirming nought, but what you shall approue
Establisht in my settled heart; that in the rest I moue
No murmure nor exception: for like hell mouth I loath,
Who holds not in his words and thoughts, one indistinguisht troth.
What fits the freenesse of my mind, my speech shall make displaid;
Nor Atreus sonne, nor all the Greeks, shall winne me to their aid:
Their suite is wretchedly enforc't, to free their owne despaires;
And my life neuer shall be hir'd, with thanklesse desperate praires:
For neuer had I benefite, that euer foild the foe;
Euen share hath he that keepes his tent, and he to field doth go;
With equall honour cowards die, and men most valiant:
The much performer, and the man, that can of nothing vant.
No ouerplus I euer found, when with my minds most strife,
To do them good, to dangerous fight, I haue exposd my life.
But euen as to vnfeatherd birds, the carefull dam brings meate,
Which when she hath bestow'd, her selfe, hath nothing left to eat:
So when my broken sleepes haue drawne, the nights t'extremest length;
And ended many bloodie daies, with still-employed strength,
To guard their weaknesse: and preserue, their wiues contents infract;

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I haue bene robd before their eyes; twelue cities I haue sackt,
Assaild by sea; eleuen by land, while this siege held at Troy:
And of all these, what was most deare, and most might crowne the ioy
Of Agamemnon, he enioyd; who here behind remaind:
Which when he tooke, a few he gaue, and many things retaind:
Other, to Optimates and Kings, he gaue, who hold them fast;
Yet mine he forceth; onely I, sit with my losse disgrac't.
But so he gaine a louely Dame, to be his beds delight,
It is enough; for what cause else, do Greeks and Troians fight?
Why brought he hither such an hoast? was it not for a Dame?
For faire-hair'd Hellen? and doth loue, alone the hearts inflame
Of the Atrides to their wiues, of all the men that moue?
Euery discreet and honest mind, cares for his priuate loue,
As much as they: as I my selfe, lou'd Brysis as my life,
Although my captiue; and had will, to take her for my wife:
Whom, since he forc't, preuenting me; in vaine he shall prolong
Hopes to appease me, that know well, the deepnesse of my wrong.
But good Vlysses, with thy selfe, and all you other Kings,
Let him take stomacke to repell, Troyes firie threatenings:
Much hath he done without my helpe; built him a goodly fort,
Cut a dike by it, pitcht with pales, broad, and of deepe import:
And cannot all these helpes represse, this kil-man Hectors fright?
When I was arm'd amongst the Greekes, he would not offer fight
Without the shadow of his wals; but to the Scæan ports,
Or to the holy Beech of Ioue, come backt, with his consorts;
Where once he stood my charge alone, and hardly made retreat;
And to make new proofe of our powers, the doubt is not so great.
To morrow then with sacrifice, perform'd t'imperiall Ioue
And all the Gods, Ile lanch my fleet, and all my men remoue;
Which (if thou wilt vse so thy sight, or think'st it worth respect)
In forehead of the morne thine eyes, shall see with sailes erect
Amidst the fishie Hellespont, helpt with laborious oares:
And if the sea-god send free saile, the fruitfull Pthian shores
Within three dayes we shall attaine; where I haue store of prise,
Left, when with preiudice I came, to these indignities;
There haue I gold as well as here, and store of ruddie brasse,
Dames slender, elegantly girt, and steele as bright as glasse;
These will I take as I retire, as shares I firmly saue;
Though Agamemnon be so base, to take the gifts he gaue.
Tell him all this, and openly; I on your honors charge,
That others may take shame to heare, his lusts command so large:
And if there yet remaine a man, he hopeth to deceiue,
(Being dide in endlesse impudence) that man may learne to leaue
His trust and Empire: but alas, though like a wolfe he be,
Shamelesse and rude; he durst not take, my prise, and looke on me.
I neuer will partake his works, nor counsels, as before;
He once deceiu'd, and iniur'd me, and he shall neuer more
Tie my affections with his words; enough is the increase

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Of one successe in his deceits; which let him ioy in peace,
And beare it to a wretched end; wise Ioue hath rest his braine,
To bring him plagues; and these his gifts, I (as my foes) disdaine:
Euen in the numnesse of calme death, I will reuengefull be,
Though ten or twentie times so much, he would bestow on me:
All he hath here, or any where; or Orchomen containes,
To which men bring their wealth for strength; or all the store remaines
In circuite of Ægyptian Thebes, where much hid treasure lies,
Whose wals containe an hundred ports, of so admir'd a size,
Two hundred souldiers may, afront, with horse and chariots passe.
Nor, would he amplifie all this, like sand, or dust, or grasse;
Should he reclaime me, till his wreake, payd me for all the paines,

The free and most ingenuous spirit of Achilles

That with his contumely burnd, like poison in my veines.
Nor shall his daughter be my wife, although she might contend
With golden Venus for her forme; or if she did transcend
Blew-eyd Minerua for her works: let him a Greeke select
Fit for her, and a greater King. For if the Gods protect
My safetie to my fathers court, he shall chuse me a wife.
Many faire Achiue Princesses, of vnimpeached life,
In Helle and in Pthia liue, whose Sires do cities hold,
Of whom I can haue whom I will. And more, an hundred fold,
My true mind in my countrie likes, to take a lawfull wife,
Then in another nation; and there delight my life
With those goods that my father got, much rather then die here.
Not all the wealth of wel-built Troy, possest when peace was there:
All that Apollos marble Fane, in stonie Pythos holds,
I value equall with the life, that my free breast infolds.
Sheepe, Oxen, Tripods, crest-deckt horse, though lost, may come againe:
But when the white guard of our teeth, no longer can containe
Our humane soule, away it flies; and once gone, neuer more
To her fraile mansion any man, can her lost powres restore.
And therefore since my mother-queene (fam'd for her siluer feet)
Told me two fates about my death, in my direction meet:
The one, that if I here remaine, t'assist our victorie,
My safe returne shall neuer liue, my fame shall neuer die:
If my returne obtaine successe, much of my fame decayes,
But death shall linger his approach, and I liue many dayes.
This being reueal'd, twere foolish pride, t'abridge my life for praise.
Then with my selfe, I will aduise, others to hoise their saile;
For, gainst the height of Ilion, you neuer shall preuaile:
Ioue with his band protecteth it, and makes the souldiers bold.
This tell the King in euery part: for so graue Legates should;
That they may better counsels vse, to saue their fleet and friends
By their owne valours; since this course, drown'd in my anger ends.
Phœnix may in my tent repose; and, in the morne, stere course
For Pthia, if he thinke it good; if not, Ile vse no force.

All wondred at his sterne reply; and Phœnix full of feares,
His words would be more weake then iust, supplide their wants with teares.

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If thy returne incline thee thus, (Peleus renowned ioy)
And thou wilt let our ships be burnd, with harmfull fire of Troy,

Phœnix Oration to Achilles.

Since thou art angrie, O my sonne; how shall I after be
Alone in these extremes of death, relinquished by thee?
I, whom thy royall father sent, as orderer of thy force,
When to Atrides from his Court, he left thee, for this course;
Yet young, and when in skill of armes, thou didst not so abound;
Nor hadst the habite of discourse, that makes men so renownd:
In all which, I was set by him, t'instruct thee as my sonne,
That thou mightst speake when speech was fit, and do, when deeds were done;
Not sit as dumbe, for want of words; idle, for skill to moue:
I would not then be left by thee; deare sonne, begot in loue;
No not if God would promise me; to raze the prints of time
Caru'd in my bosome, and my browes; and grace me with the prime
Of manly youth, as when at first, I left sweet Helles shore
Deckt with faire Dames, and fled the grudge, my angrie father bore;
Who was the faire Amyntor cald, surnam'd Ormenides:

Morem senum obseruat, qui de præteritis libenter solent meminisse.

And for a faire-haird harlots sake, that his affects could please,
Contemnd my mother his true wife; who ceaslesse vrged me
To vse his harlot Clytia, and still would claspe my knee
To do her will; that so my Sire, might turne his loue to hate
Of that lewde Dame; conuerting it, to comfort her estate.
At last, I was content to proue, to do my mother good,
And reconcile my fathers loue; who straight suspitious stood,
Pursuing me with many a curse, and to the Furies praide
No Dame might loue, nor bring me seed: the Deities obayd
That gouerne hell: infernall Ioue, and sterne Persephone.
Then durst I in no longer date, with my sterne father be:
Yet did my friends, and neare allies: enclose me with desires
Not to depart: kild sheepe, bores, beeues; rost them at solemne fires:
And from my fathers runs we drunke, exceeding store of wine.
Nine nights they guarded me by turns; their fires did ceaslesse shine,
One in the porch of his strong hall, and in the portall one,
Before my chamber: but when day, beneath the tenth night shone,
I brake my chambers thick-fram'd dores, and through the hals guard past,
Vnseene of any man or maide. Through Greece, then rich, and vast,
I fled to Pthia, nurse of sheepe: and came to Peleus Court,
Who entertaind me heartily, and in as gracious sort
As any Sire his onely sonne; borne when his strength is spent,
And blest with great possessions, to leaue to his descent.
He made me rich, and to my charge, did much command commend:
I dwelt in th' vtmost region, rich Pthiæ doth extend;
And gouernd the Dolopians; and made thee what thou art,
O thou that like the Gods art fram'd: since (dearest to my heart)
I vsde thee so, thou lou'dst none else; nor any where wouldst eate,
Till I had crownd my knee with theee, and karu'd thee tenderst meate,
And giuen thee wine so much, for loue, that in thy infancie
(Which still discretion must protect, and a continuall eye)

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My bosome louingly sustain'd; the wine thine could not beare:
Then, now my strength needs thine as much, be mine to thee as deare;
Much haue I sufferd for thy loue, much labour'd, wished much;
Thinking since I must haue no heire, (the Gods decrees are such)
I would adopt thy selfe my heire: to thee my heart did giue
What any Sire could giue his sonne; in thee I hop't to liue:
O mitigate hy mightie spirits: it fits not one that moues
The hearts of all, to liue vnmou'd, and succour hates, for loues:
The Gods themselues are flexible, whose vertues, honors, powers,
Are more then thine: yet they will bend, their breasts as we bend ours.
Perfumes, benigne deuotions, sauors of offrings burnd,
And holy rites, the engines are, with which their hearts are turnd,
By men that pray to them; whose faith, their sinnes haue falsified:

Prayers, how necessary and helpful: of shund or neglected, how wreakefull. Ioues daughters, and cald Litæ.

For, prayers are daughters of great Ioue; lame, wrinkled, ruddie eyd,
And euer following iniury; who (strong and sound of feet)
Flies through the world, afflicting men: Pray'rs yet obtaine their cure:
And whosoeuer reuerenceth, that seed of Ioue, is sure
To haue them heare, and helpe him too: but if he shall refuse,
And stand inflexible to them, they flie to Ioue, and vse
Their powres against him; that the wrongs, he doth to them, may fall
On his owne head, and pay those paines, whose cure he failes to call.

Then great Achilles honour thou, this sacred seed of Ioue,
And yeeld to them; since other men, of greatest minds they moue:
If Agamemnon would not giue, the selfe same gifts he vowes,
But offer other afterwards; and in his stil-bent browes
Entombe his honour and his word; I would not thus exhort
(With wrath appeasde) thy aide to Greece, though plagu'd in heauiest sort:
But, much he presently will giue; and after, yeeld the rest:
T'assure which, he hath sent to thee, the men thou louest best,
And most renownd of all the hoast, that they might soften thee:
Then let not both their paines and prayers, lost and despised be.
Before which, none could reprehend, the tumult of thy heart:
But now to rest inexpiate, were much too rude a part.
Of ancient worthies we haue heard, when they were more displeasde,
(To their high fames) with gifts and prayers, they haue bene still appeasde.
For instance, I remember well, a fact perform'd of old,

Another narration, de belle Ætolico.

Which to you all my friends Ile tell: The Curets warres did hold
With the well fought Etolians; where mutuall liues had end
About the citie Calidon; th' Etolians did defend
Their flourishing countrie; which to spoile, the Curets did contend.
Diana with the golden throne (with Oeneus much incenc't,
Since with his plenteous lands first fruits, she was not reuerenc't;
Yet other Gods, with Hecatombes, had feasts; and she alone,
(Great Ioues bright daughter) left vnseru'd; or by obliuion,
Or vndue knowledge of her dues) much hurt in heart she swore:
And she enrag'd, excited much: she sent a syluan Bore

Aper Calidonius

From their greene groues, with wounding tuskes, who vsually did spoile
King Oeneus fields: his loftie woods, layd prostrate on the soile;

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Rent by the roots, trees fresh, adornd, with fragrant apple flow'rs:
Which Meleager (Oeneus sonne) slue with assembled pow'rs
Of hunters, and of fiercest hounds; from many cities brought:
For, such he was, that with few liues, his death could not be bought;
Heapes of dead humanes, by his rage, the funerall piles applide:
Yet (slaine at last) the Goddesse stird, about his head, and hide
A wondrous tumult; and a warre, betwixt the Curets wrought
And braue Ætolians: all the while, fierce Meleager fought,
Ill far'd the Curets: neare the wals, none durst aduance his crest
Though they were many: but when wrath, inflam'd his hautie brest,
(Which oft the firme mind of the wise, with passion doth infest)
Since twixt his mother Queene and him, arose a deadly strife;
He left the Court, and priuately, liu'd with his lawfull wife:
Faire Cleopatra, femall birth, of bright Marpissas paine,
And of Idæus; who, of all, terrestriall men, did raigne
(At that time) king of fortitude; and, for Marpissas sake,
Gainst wanton Phœbus, king of flames, his bow in hand did take,
Since he had rauisht her, his ioy; whom her friends, after, gaue
The surname of Alcyone; because they could not saue
Their daughter from Alcyones Fate: in Cleopatras armes
Lay Meleager, feeding on, his anger for the harmes
His mother praid might fall on him; who, for her brother slaine
By Meleager, grieu'd, and praid, the Gods to wreake her paine,
With all the horror could be pour'd, vpon her furious birth:
Still knockt she, with her impious hands, the many-feeding earth,
To vrge sterne Pluto and his Queene, t'incline their vengefull eares;
Fell on her knees, and all her breast, dewd with her fierie teares
To make them massacre her sonne; whose wrath enrag'd her thus.
Erynnis (wandring through the aire) heard, out of Erebus,
Pray'rs, fit for her vnpleased mind; yet Meleager lay,
Obscurd in furie; then the bruit, of the tumultuous fray,
Rung through the turrets as they scal'd; then came the Ætolian Peeres,
To Meleager with low suits, to rise and free their feares:
Then sent they the chiefe Priests of Gods, with offered gifts t'attone
His differing furie; bad him chuse, in sweet-soild Calidon,
Of the most fat and yeeldie soile, what with an hundred steares,
Might in a hundred dayes be plowde; halfe, that rich vintage beares,
And halfe of naked earth to plow: yet yeelded not his ire.
Then to his loftie chamber dore, ascends his royall Sire
With ruthfull plaints: shooke the strong barres; then came his sisters cries,
His mother then, and all intreate: yet still more stiffe he lies:
His friends, most reuerend, most esteem'd; yet none impression tooke,
Till the high turrets where he lay, and his strong chamber shooke
With the inuading enemie: who now forc't dreadfull way
Along the cittie: then his wife (in pittifull dismay)
Besought him weeping: telling him, the miseries sustaind
By all the citizens, whose towne, the enemie had gaind;
Men slaughterd, children bondslaues made; sweet Ladies forc't with lust:

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Fires climing towres, and turning them, to heapes of fruitlesse dust.
These dangers softned his steele heart: vp the stout Prince arose,
Indude his bodie with rich armes, and freed th' Ætolians woes:
His smotherd anger giuing aire, which gifts did not asswage,
But his owne perill. And because, he did not dis-ingage
Their liues for gifts, their gifts he lost. But for my sake (deare friend)
Be not thou bent to see our plights, to these extremes descend,
Ere thou assist vs; be not so, by thy ill angell, turnd
From thine owne honor: it were shame, to see our nauie burnd,
And then come with thy timelesse aide. For offerd presents come,
And all the Greeks will honour thee, as of celestiall roome.
But if without these gifts thou fight, forc't by thy priuate woe,
Thou wilt be nothing so renown'd, though thou repell the foe.

Achilles to Phœnix.

Achilles answerd the last part, of this oration, thus:
Phœnix, renown'd and reuerend; the honors vrgde on vs
We need not; Ioue doth honor me, and to my safetie sees,
And will whiles I retaine a spirit, or can command my knees.
Then do not thou, with teares and woes, impassion my affects,
Becoming gracious to my foe: nor fits it the respects
Of thy vowd loue, to honor him, that hath dishonord me;
Lest such loose kindnesse lose his heart, that yet is firme to thee.
It were thy praise to hurt, with me, the hurter of my state;
Since halfe my honor and my Realme, thou maist participate.
Let these Lords then returne th' euent; and do thou here repose;
And when darke sleepe breakes with the day; our counsels shall disclose
The course of our returne or stay. This said, he with his eye
Made to his friend, a couert signe, to hasten instantly
A good soft bed, that the old Prince, soone as the Peeres were gone,
Might take his rest; when souldier-like, braue Aiax Telamon
Spake to Vlysses, as with thought; Achilles was not worth
The high direction of his speech; that stood so sternly forth,
Vnmou'd with th' Orators: and spake, not to appease
Pelides wrath, but to depart: his arguments were these:

High-issued Laertiades? let vs insist no more

Aiax souldier-like speech and fashion.

On his perswasion; I perceiue, the world would end before
Our speeches end, in this affaire: we must with vtmost haste
Returne his answer, though but bad: the Peeres are else-where plac't,
And will not rise till we returne; great Thetis sonne hath stor'd
Prowd wrath within him, as his wealth, and will not be implor'd;
Rude that he is; nor his friends loue, respects, do what they can:
Wherein past all, we honourd him. O vnremorsefull man!
Another for his brother slaine, another for his sonne,
Accepts of satisfaction: and he the deed hath done
Liues in belou'd societie, long after his amends;
To which, his foes high heart for gifts, with patience condescends:
But thee a wild and cruell spirit, the Gods for plague haue giuen,
And for one girle; of whose faire sexe, we come to offer seauen,
The most exempt for excellence, and many a better prise.

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Then put a sweet mind in thy breast, respect thy owne allies,
Though others make thee not remisse: a multitude we are,
Sprung of thy royall familie, and our supremest care
Is to be most familiar, and hold most loue with thee,
Of all the Greeks, how great an host, soeuer here there be.

He answerd; Noble Telamon, Prince of our souldiers here:

Achilles to Aiax

Out of thy heart I know thou speakst, and as thou holdst me deare:
But still as often as I thinke, how rudely I was vsd,
And like a stranger for all rites, fit for our good, refusd:
My heart doth swell against the man, that durst be so profane
To violate his sacred place: not for my priuate bane;
But since wrackt vertues generall lawes, he shamelesse did infringe:
For whose sake I will loose the reines, and giue mine anger swinge,
Without my wisedomes least impeach. He is a foole, and base,
That pitties vice-plagu'd minds, when paine, not loue of right giues place.
And therefore tell your king, my Lords, my iust wrath will not care
For all his cares: before my tents, and nauie charged are
By warlike Hector; making way, through flockes of Grecian liues,
Enlightned by their nauall fire: but when his rage arriues
About my tent, and sable barke, I doubt not but to shield
Them and my selfe: and make him flie, the there-strong bounded field.

This said, each one but kist the cup, and to the ships retir'd,
Vlysses first. Patroclus then, the men and maids requir'd
To make graue Phœnix bed with speed, and see he nothing lacks:
They straite obeyd; and thereon laid, the subtile fruite of flax,
And warme sheep-fels for couering: and there the old man slept,
Attending till the golden Morne, her vsuall station kept.
Achilles lay in th' inner roome, of his tent richly wrought;
And that faire Ladie by his side, that he from Lesbos brought,
Bright Diomeda, Phorbas seed: Patroclus did embrace
The beautious Iphis, giuen to him, when his bold friend did race
The loftie Syrus, that was kept, in Enyeius hold.

Now at the tent of Atreus sonne, each man with cups of gold

Agamemnon to Vlysses.

Receiu'd th' Ambassadors returnd; all clusterd neare to know
What newes they brought: which first the king, would haue Vlysses show.
Say most praise-worthie Ithacus; the Grecians great renowne,
Will he defend vs? or not yet, will his prowd stomacke downe?

Vlysses made replie; Not yet, will he appeased be,

Vlysses to Agamemnon.

But growes more wrathfull, prizing light, thy offerd gifts and thee;
And wils thee to consult with vs, and take some other course
To saue our armie and our fleete: and sayes, with all his force,
The morne shall light him on his way, to Pthias wished soile:
For neuer shall high-seated Troy, besackt with all our toile:
Ioue holds his hand twixt vs and it: the souldiers gather heart.
Thus he replies: which Aiax here, can equally impart,
And both these Heralds: Phœnix stayes, for so was his desire
To go with him, if he thought good; if not, he might retire.
All wondred he should be so sterne: at last bold Diomed spake:

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Diomed to Agamemnon.

Would God, Atrides, thy request, were yet to vndertake;
And all thy gifts vnofferd him, he's proud enough beside:
But this ambassage thou hast sent, will make him burst with pride.
But let vs suffer him to stay, or go at his desire:
Fight when his stomacke serues him best; or when Ioue shall inspire:
Meane while our watch being strongly held, let vs a little rest
After our food: strength liues by both; and vertue is their guest.
Then, when the rosie-fingerd Morne, holds out her siluer light,
Bring forth thy host, encourage all; and be thou first in fight.

The kings admir'd the fortitude, that so diuinely mou'd
The skilfull horseman Diomed; and his aduice approu'd:
Then with their nightly sacrifice, each toooke his seuerall tent;
Where all receiu'd the soueraigne gifts, soft Somnus did present.

The end of the ninth Booke.

131

THE TENTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Th' Atrides watching, wake the other Peeres:
And (in the Fort, consulting of their feares)
Two kings they send, most stout, and honord most,
For royall skowts, into the Troian host:
Who meeting Dolon (Hectors bribed Spie)
Take him; and learne, how all the Quarters lie.
He told them, in the Thracian regiment
Of rich king Rhesus, and his royall Tent;
Striuing for safetie; but they end his strife,
And rid poore Dolon, of a dangerous life.
Then with digressiue wyles, they vse their force
On Rhesus life, and take his sworne horse.

Another Argument.

Kappa the Night exploits applies;
Rhesus and Dolons tragedies.

The other Princes at their ships, soft fingerd sleepe did bind,
But not the Generall; Somnus silkes, bound not his laboring mind,

Agamemnons cares. These are the lightnings before snow, &c. that Scalligers Criticus so vnworthily taxeth; citing the place falsly, as in the 3. bookes annotations, &c.

That turnd, and returnd, many thoughts. And as quicke lightnings flie
From well-deckt-Iunos soueraigne, out of the thickned skie,
Preparing some exceeding raine, or haile, the fruite of cold:
Or downe-like Snow, that sodainly, makes all the fields looke old;
Or opes the gulfie mouth of warre, with his ensulphur'd hand
In dazling flashes, pour'd from clouds, on any punisht land:
So from Atrides troubled heart, through his darke sorowes, flew
Redoubled sighes: his intrailes shooke, as often as his view
Admir'd the multitude of fires, that gilt the Phrygian shade,
And heard the sounds of fifes, and shawmes, and tumults souldiers made.
But when he saw his fleet and host, kneele to his care and loue,
He rent his haire vp by the roots, as sacrifice to Ioue:
Burnt in his firie sighes, still breath'd, out of his royall heart;
And first thought good, to Nestors care, his sorowes to impart:
To trie if royall diligence, with his approu'd aduise,
Might fashion counsels, to preuent, their threatned miseries.

So vp he rose, attir'd himselfe, and to his strong feet tide

Agamemnons habite rising in the night. He wearing a Lions hide.

Rich shoes, and cast vpon his backe, a ruddie Lions hide,
So ample, it his ankles reacht: then tooke his royall speare.

Like him was Menelaus pierc't, with an industrious feare,

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Not sat sweet slumber on his eyes; lest bitter Fates should quite

Menelaus a Leopards.

The Greekes high fauours, that for him, resolu'd such endlesse fight.
And first a freckled Panthers hide, hid his brode backe athwart:
His head, his brasen helme did arme; his able hand his dart;
Then made he all his haste to raise, his brothers head as rare,
That he who most exceld in rule, might helpe t'effect his care.
He found him at his ships crookt-sterne, adorning him with armes;
Who ioyd to see his brothers spirits, awak't without alarmes:
Well weighing th' importance of the time. And first the yonger spake:

Why brother, are ye arming thus? is it to vndertake

Menelaus to Agamemnon.

The sending of some ventrous Greeke, t'explore the foes intent?
Alas I greatly feare, not one, will giue that worke consent,
Exposd alone to all the feares, that flow in gloomie night:
He that doth this, must know death well; in which ends euerie fright.

Brother (said he) in these affaires, we both must vse aduice;

Agamemnon to Menelaus.

Ioue is against vs, and accepts, great Hectors sacrifice;
For I haue neuer seene, nor heard, in one day, and by one,
So many high attempts well vrg'd, as Hectors power hath done
Against the haplesse sons of Greece: being chiefly deare to Ioue;
And without cause; being neither fruite, of any Godesse loue,
Nor helpfull God: and yet I feare, the deepnesse of his hand
Ere it be rac't out of our thoughts, will many yeares withstand.
But brother, hie thee to thy ships, and Idomen disease
With warklike Aiax: I will haste, to graue Nelcides;
Exhorting him to rise, and giue, the sacred watch command;
For they will specially embrace, incitement at his hand;
And now his sonne, their captaine is; and Idomens good friend
Bold Merion; to whose discharge, we did that charge commend.

Commandst thou then (his brother askt) that I shall tarrie here
Attending thy resolu'd approach, or else the message beare

Directions for commmand in wars extremity.

And quickly make returne to thee? He answerd: Rather stay,
Lest otherwise we faile to meete: for many a different way
Lies through our labyrinthian host; speake euer as you go;
Command strong watch; from Sire to sonne, vrge all t'obserue the foe;
Familiarly, and with their praise, exciting euerie eye;
Not with vnseason'd violence, or prowd authoritie.
We must our patience exercise, and worke, our selues with them,
Ioue in our births combin'd such care, to eithers Diadem.

Thus he dismist him, knowing well, his charge before he went,
Himselfe to Nestor, whom he found, in bed within his tent:

Nestors armes, and readinesse to vse them.

By him, his damaske curets hung, his shield, a paire of darts;
His shining caske, his arming waste: in these he led the hearts
Of his apt souldiers to sharpe warre, not yeelding to his yeares.
He quickly started from his bed, when to his watchfull eares
Vntimely feet told some approach: he tooke his lance in hand,
And spake to him; Ho, what art thou? that walk'st at midnight? stand;
Is any wanting at the guards? or lack'st thou any Peere?
Speake, come not silent towards me: say what intendst thou heare?

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He answerd, O Neleides, graue honour of our host:

Agamemnon to Nestor.

T'is Agamemnon thou maist know, whom Ioue afflicteth most
Of all the wretched men that liue; and will, whilst any breath
Giues motion to my toiled lims, and beares me vp from death.
I walke the round thus, since sweet sleepe, cannot inclose mine eyes,
Nor shut those Organs care breaks ope, for our calamities.
My feare is vehement for the Greeks: my heart (the fount of heate)
With his extreme affects, made cold; without my breast doth beate;
And therefore are my sinewes strooke, with trembling: euerie part
Of what my friends may feele, hath act, in my dispersed heart.
But if thou thinkst of any course, may to our good redound,
(Since neither thou thy selfe canst sleepe) come, walke with me the round;
In way whereof we may confer, and looke to euerie guard:
Lest watching long, and wearinesse, with labouring so hard,
Drowne their oppressed memories, of what they haue in charge.
The libertie we giue the foe, (alas) is ouer large;
Their campe is almost mixt with ours; and we haue forth no spies,
To learne their drifts; who may perchance, this night intend surprise.

Graue Nestor answerd: Worthie king, let good hearts beare our ill:

Nestor to Agamemnon

Ioue is not bound to perfect all, this busie Hectors will;
But I am confidently giuen, his thoughts are much dismaid
With feare, lest our distresse incite, Achilles to our aide:
And therefore will not tempt his fate, nor ours with further pride.
But I will gladly follow thee, and stirre vp more beside:
Tydides, famous for his lance; Vlysses, Telamon,
And bold Phyleus valiant heire: or else if any one
Would haste to call king Idomen, and Aiax, since their saile
Lie so remou'd; with much good speed, it might our haste auaile.
But (though he be our honord friend,) thy brother I will blame,
Not fearing if I anger thee: it is his vtter shame
He should commit all paines to thee, that should himselfe imploy,
Past all our Princes, in the care, and cure of our annoy;
And be so farre from needing spurres, to these his due respects,
He should apply our spirits himselfe, with pray'rs, and vrg'd affects.
Necessitie (a law to lawes, and not to be endur'd)
Makes proofe of all his faculties; not sound, if not inur'd.

Good father (said the king) sometimes, you know I haue desir'd

Agamemnons excuse of his brother.

You would improue his negligence, too oft to ease retir'd:
Nor is it for defect of spirit, or compasse of his braine,
But with obseruing my estate, he thinks, he should abstaine
Till I commanded, knowing my place: vnwilling to assume,
For being my brother, any thing, might proue he did presume.
But now he rose before me farre, and came, t'auoid delaies:
And I haue sent him for the man, your selfe desir'd to raise,
Come, we shall find them at the guards, we plac't before the fort:
For thither my direction was, they should with speed resort.

Why now (said Nestor) none will grudge, nor his iust rule withstand;
Examples make excitements strong, and sweeten a command.

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Thus put he on his arming trusse, faire shoes vpon his feet,
About him a mandilion, that did with buttons meet,
Of purple, large, and full of folds; curld with a warmefull nap;
A garment that gainst cold in nights, did souldiers vse to wrap:
Then tooke he his strong lance in hand; made sharpe with proued steele,
And went along the Grecian fleet. First at Vlysses keele,
He cald; to breake the silken fumes, that did his sences bind:
The voice through th' Organs of his eares, straight rung about his mind.

Vlysses to Agamemnon and Nestor. Nestor to Vlysses.

Forth came Vlysses, asking him; Why stirre ye thus so late?
Sustaine we such enforciue cause? He answerd, Our estate
Doth force this perturbation; vouchsafe it worthie friend,
And come, let vs excite one more, to counsell of some end
To our extremes, by fight, or flight. He, backe, and tooke his shield,

The manner of Diomeds lodging.

And both tooke course to Diomed; they found him laid in field
Farre from his tent: his armour by; about him was dispread
A ring of souldiers; euerie man, his shield beneath his head:
His speare fixt by him as he slept, the great end in the ground:
The point, that brisled the darke earth, cast a reflection round,
Like pallid lightnings throwne from Ioue; thus this Heroe lay,
And vnder him a big Oxe hide: his royall head had stay
On Arras hangings, rolled vp: whereon he slept so fast,

Nestor chideth Diomed.

That Nestor stird him with his foote, and chid to see him cast
In such deepe sleepe, in such deepe woes: and askt him why he spent
All night in sleepe, or did not heare, the Troians neare his tent?
Their Campe drawne close vpon their dike, small space twixt foes and foes?

Diomed to Nestor.

He, starting vp, said, Strange old man, that neuer tak'st repose;
Thou art too patient of our toile; haue we not men more yong,
To be imploid from king to king? thine age hath too much wrong.

Nestor to him. Note the life of these representations. επι ξυρου ιστατας ακμης. This went into a Prouerbe, vsed by Theocritus, in Dioscaris out of Homer.

Said like a king, replied the Sire: for I haue sonnes renownd;
And there are many other men, might go this toilesome round:
But you must see, imperious Need, hath all at her command:
Now on the eager razors edge, for life or death we stand.
Then go (thou art the yonger man,) and if thou loue my ease,
Call swift-foot Aiax vp thy selfe, and young Phyleides.

This said, he on his shoulders cast, a yellow Lions hide,
Big, and reacht earth; then tooke his speare; and Nestors will applide:
Raisd the Heroes, brought them both. All met, the round they went,
And found not any captaine there, asleepe or negligent:
But waking, and in armes, gaue eare, to euerie lowest sound.

Simile.

And as keene dogs, keepe sheepe in Cotes, or folds, of Hurdles bound:
And grin at euerie breach of aire, enuious of all that moues:
Still listning when the rauenous beast, stalks through the hilly groues.
Then men and dogs stand on their guards, and mightie tumults make,
Sleepe wanting weight to close one winke: so did the Captaines wake,
That kept the watch the whole sad night: all with intentiue eare
Conuerted to the enemies tents, that they might timely heare
If they were stirring to surprise: which Nestor ioyd to see.

Why so (deare sons) maintaine your watch; sleepe not a winke (said he)

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Rather then make your fames, the scorne, of Troian periurie.

Nestor to the Guards.

This said, he formost past the dike, the others seconded;
Euen all the kings that had bene cald, to counsell, from the bed:
And with them went Meriones, and Nestors famous sonne:
For both were cald by all the kings, to consultation.
Beyond the dike they chusde a place, neare as they could from blood;
Where yet appear'd the fals of some, and whence (the crimson flood
Of Grecian liues being pour'd on earth, by Hectors furious chace)
He made retreate, when night repour'd, grim darknesse in his face.
There sate they downe, and Nestor spake: O friends remaines not one,

Nestor to the Grecian Princes

That will relie on his bold mind, and view the campe alone,
Of the prowd Troians? to approue, if any stragling mate
He can surprise neare th' vtmost tents; or learne the briefe estate
Of their intentions for the time, and mixe like one of them
With their outguards, expiscating, if the renown'd extreme,
They force on vs, will serue their turnes; with glorie to retire,
Or still encampe thus farre from Troy? This may he well enquire,
And make a braue retreate vntoucht; and this would win him fame
Of all men canapied with heauen; and euerie man of name
In all this host shall honor him, with an enriching meed;
A blacke Ewe and her sucking Lambe, (rewards that now exceed
All other best possessions, in all mens choice requests)
And still be bidden by our kings, to kind and royall feasts.

All reuerenc't one anothers worth; and none would silence breake,
Lest worst should take best place of speech: at last did Diomed speake:

Diomed to Nestor.

Nestor, thou ask'st if no man here, haue heart so well inclin'd
To worke this stratageme on Troy: yes, I haue such a mind:
Yet if some other Prince would ioyne; more probable will be
The strengthned hope of our exploite: two may together see
(One going before another still) slie danger euerie way;
One spirit vpon another workes; and takes with firmer stay
The benefit of all his powers: for though one knew his course,
Yet might he well distrust himselfe; which th' other might enforce.

This offer euerie man assum'd, all would with Diomed go:
The two Ataces, Merion, and Menelaus too:
But Nestors sonne enforc't it much, and hardie Ithacus,
Who had to euerie ventrous deed, a mind as venturous.

Amongst all these, thus spake the king; Tydides, most belou'd;

The graue counsell of Agamemnon to Diomed.

Chuse thy associate worthily; a man the most approu'd
For vse and strength in these extremes. Many thou seest stand forth:
But chuse not thou by height of place, but by regard of worth;
Lest with thy nice respect of right, to any mans degree,
Thou wrongst thy venture, chusing one, least fit to ioyne with thee,
Although perhaps a greater king: this spake he with suspect,
That Diomed (for honors sake) his brother would select.

Then said Tydides; Since thou giu'st, my iudgement leaue to chuse,
How can it so much truth forget, Vlysses to refuse?

Diomeds choice of Vlysses.

That beares a mind so most exempt, and vigorous in th' effect

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Of all high labors, and a man, Pallas doth most respect?
We shall returne through burning fire, if I with him combine:
He sets strength in so true a course, with counsels so diuine.

Vlysses loth to be esteemd, a louer of his praise,

Vlysses modestie in accepting.

With such exceptions humbled him, as did him higher raise:
And said; Tydides praise me not, more then free truth will beare,
Nor yet empaire me: they are Greeks, that giue iudiciall eare.
But come, the morning hasts; the stars, are forward in their course,
Two parts of night are past; the third, is left t'imploy our force.

The explorators armed.

Now borrowed they, for haste, some armes: bold Thrasymedes lent
Aduentrous Diomed his sword, (his owne was at his tent)
His shield, and helme, tough and well tann'd, without or plume or crest,
And cald a murrion; archers heads, it vsed to inuest.
Meriones lent Ithacus, his quiuer and his bow;
His helmet fashiond of a hide: the workman did bestow
Much labour in it, quilting it, with bowstrings; and without,
With snowie tuskes of white-mouthd Bores, twas armed round about
Right cunningly: and in the midst, an arming cap was plac't,
That with the fixt ends of the tuskes, his head might not be rac't.
This (long since) by Antolycus, was brought from Eleon,
When he laid waste Amyntors house, that was Ormenus sonne.
In Scandia, to Cytherius, surnam'd Amphydamas,
Antolycus did giue this helme: he, when he feasted was
By honord Molus, gaue it him, as present of a guest:
Molus to his sonne Merion, did make it his bequest.

Augurium ex cantu Ardeæ.

With this Vlysses arm'd his head; and thus they (both addrest)
Tooke leaue of all the other kings: to them a glad ostent,
(As they were entring on their way) Minerua did present,
A Hernshaw consecrate to her; which they could ill discerne
Through sable night: but by her clange, they knew it was a Herne.

Vlysses inuoketh Pallas.

Vlysses ioy'd, and thus inuok't: Heare me great seed of Ioue,
That euer dost my labors grace, with presence of thy loue:
And all my motions dost attend; still loue me (sacred Dame)
Especially in this exploit, and so protect our fame,
We both may safely make retreate, and thriftily imploy
Out boldnesse in some great affaire, banefull to them of Troy.

Diomed to Pallas.

Then praid illustrate Diomed: Vouchsafe me likewise eare,
O thou vnconquerd Queene of armes: be with thy fauors neare,
As to my royall fathers steps, thou wentst a bountious guide,
When th' Achiues, and the Peeres of Thebes, he would haue pacifide,
Sent as the Greeks Ambassador, and left them at the flood
Of great Æsopus; whose retreat, thou mad'st to swim in blood
Of his enambusht enemies: and if thou so protect
My bold endeuours; to thy name, an Heiffer, most select,
That neuer yet was tam'd with yoke, brode fronted, one yeare old,
Ile burne in zealous sacrifice, and set the hornes in gold.

The Goddesse heard, and both the kings, their dreadlesse passage bore,
Through slaughter, slaughterd carkasses; armes; and discolord gore.

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Nor Hector let his Princes sleepe, but all to counsell cald:
And askt, What one is here will vow, and keepe it vnappald,

Hector to the Troians.

To haue a gift fit for his deed; a chariot and two horse,
That passe for speed the rest of Greece? what one dares take take this course,
For his renowne (besides his gifts) to mixe amongst the foe,
And learne if still they hold their guards? or with this ouerthrow
Determine flight, as being too weake, to hold vs longer warre?

All silent stood, at last stood forth, one Dolon, that did dare

Dolon offers to be explorator.

This dangerous worke; Eumedes heire, a Herald much renownd:
This Dolon did in gold and brasse, exceedingly abound;
But in his forme was quite deform'd; yet passing swift to run:
Amongst fiue sisters he was left, Eumedes onely son;
And he told Hector, his free heart, would vndertake t'explore
The Greeks intentions; but (said he) thou shalt be sworne before,
By this thy scepter, that the horse, of great Æacides
And his strong chariot, bound with brasse, thou wilt (before all these)
Resigne me as my valours prise: and so I rest vnmou'd
To be thy spie, and not returne, before I haue approu'd
(By venturing to Atrides ship, where their consults are held)
If they resolue still to resist; or flie, as quite expeld.

He put his scepter in his hand, and cald the thunders God

Hector sweares to Dolon.

(Saturnias husband to his oath, those horse should not be rode
By any other man then he; but he for euer ioy
(To his renowne) their seruices, for his good done to Troy.
Thus swore he, and forswore himselfe; yet made base Dolon bold:

Dolon armes.

Who on his shoulders hung his bow, and did about him fold
A white wolues hide; and with a helme, of weasels skins did arme
His weasels head; then tooke his dart, and neuer turnd to harme
The Greeks with their related drifts: but being past the troopes
Of horse and foote, he promptly runs; and as he runs he stoopes
To vndermine Achilles horse; Vlysses straight did see,
And said to Diomed; this man, makes footing towards thee,
Out of the tents; I know not well, if he be vsde as spie

Vlysses to Diomed.

Bent to our fleet; or come to rob, the slaughterd enemie.
But let vs suffer him to come, a little further on,
And then pursue him. If it chance, that we be ouergone
By his more swiftnesse; vrge him still, to run vpon our fleet,
And (lest he scape vs to the towne) still let thy Iaueline meet
With all his offers of retreate. Thus stept they from the plaine
Amongst the slaughterd carkasses; Dolon came on amaine,
Suspecting nothing; but once past, as farre as Mules outdraw
Oxen at plough; being both put on, neither admitted law,
To plow a deepe soild furrow forth; so farre was Dolon past;
Then they pursude, which he perceiu'd, and staid his speedlesse hast;
Subtly supposing Hector sent, to countermand his spie:
But in a Iauelins throw or lesse, he knew them enemie.
Then laid he on his nimble knees; and they pursude like wind.
As when a brace of greyhounds are, laid in, with Hare or Hind;

Simile.

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Close-mouth'd, and skild to make the best, of their industrious course;
Serue eithers turne, and set on hard; lose neither ground nor force:
So constantly did Tydeus sonne, and his towne-razing Peere,
Pursue this spie; still turning him, as he was winding neare
His couert: till he almost mixt, with their out-courts of guard.

Diomed to Dolon.

Then Pallas prompted Diomed, lest his due worths reward
Should be empaird, if any man, did vant he first did sheath
His sword in him, and he be cald, but second in his death:
Then spake he (threatning with his lance,) or stay, or this comes on,
And long thou canst not run, before, thou be by death out-gone.

This said, he threw his Iaueline forth: which mist, (as Diomed would)
Aboue his right arme making way; the pile stucke in the mould:
He staid and trembled, and his teeth, did chatter in his head.

Dolons surprise and offer.

They came in blowing, seisd him fast; he, weeping, offered
A wealthy ransome for his life, and told them he had brasse,
Much gold, and iron, that fit for vse, in many labours was;
From whose rich heapes his father would, a wondrous portion giue.
If, at the great Achaian fleet, he heard his sonne did liue.

Vlysses to Dolon.

Vlysses bad him cheare his heart. Thinke not of death, said he,
But tell vs true, why runst thou forth, when others sleeping be?
Is it to spoile the carkasses? or art thou choicely sent,
T'explore our drifts? or of thy selfe, seek'st thou some wisht euent?

Dolons answer.

He trembling answerd: Much reward, did Hectors oth propose,
And vrg'd me much against my will, t'indeuour to disclose,
If you determin'd still to stay, or bent your course for flight,
As all dismaid with your late foile, and wearied with the fight:
For which exploite, Pelides horse, and chariot, he did sweare
I onely euer should enioy. Vlysses smil'd to heare
So base a swaine haue any hope, so high a prise t'aspire;

Vlysses to Dolon.

And said, his labors did affect, a great and precious hire:
And that the horse Pelides rein'd, no mortall hand could vse
But he himselfe; whose matchlesse life, a Goddesse did produce.
But tell vs, and report but truth, where lefist thou Hector now?
Where are his armes? his famous horse? on whom doth he bestow
The watches charge? where sleepe the Kings? intend they still to lie
Thus neare encampt? or turne suffisd, with their late victorie?

Dolons relation.

All this, said he, Ile tell most true. At Ilos monument
Hector with all our Princes sits, t'aduise of this euent;
Who chuse that place remou'd, to shun, the rude confused sounds
The common souldiers throw about: but, for our watch, and rounds,
Whereof (braue Lord) thou mak'st demand; none orderly we keepe:
The Troians that haue roofes to saue, onely abandon sleepe,
And priuately without command, each other they exhort
To make preuention of the worst; and in this slender sort
Is watch, and guard maintaind with vs. Th' auxiliarie bands
Sleepe soundly, and commit their cares, into the Troians hands;
For they haue neither wiues with them, nor children to protect;
The lesse they need to care, the more, they succour dull neglect.

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But tell me (said wise Ithacus,) are all these forreine powres

Ithacus.

Appointed quarters by themselues, or else commixt with yours?

And this (said Dolon) too (my Lords,) Ile seriously vnfold:

Dolon.

The Pæons with the crooked bowes, and Cares, quarters hold
Next to the sea; the Leieges, and Caucons ioyn'd with them,
And braue Pelasgians; Thimbers meade, remou'd more from the streame,
Is quarter to the Licians; the loftie Mesian force;
The Phrygians and Meonians, that fight with armed horse.
But what need these particulars? if ye intend surprise
Of any in our Troian campe; the Thracian quarter lies
Vtmost of all, and vncommixt, with Troian regiments,
That keepe the voluntary watch: new pitcht are all their tents.
King Rhesus, Eioneus son, commands them; who hath steeds
More white then snow, huge, and well shap't; their firie pace exceeds

Virgilianum.

The winds in swiftnesse: these I saw: his Chariot is with gold
And pallid siluer richly fram'd, and wondrous to behold.
His great and golden armour is, not fit a man should weare;
But for immortall shoulders fram'd: come then, and quickly beare
Your happie prisoner to your fleet: or leaue him here fast bound
Till your well vrg'd and rich returne, proue my relation sound.

Tydides dreadfully replide: Thinke not of passage thus,

Diomeds sterne reply to Dolon.

Though of right acceptable newes, thou hast aduertisde vs;
Our hands are holds more strict then so: and should we set thee free
For offerd ransome; for this scape, thou still wouldst scouting be
About our ships; or do vs scathe, in plaine opposed armes;
But if I take thy life, no way, can we repent thy harmes.

With this, as Dolon reacht his hand, to vse a suppliants part,

Dolons slaughter by Diomed.

And stroke the beard of Diomed; he strooke his necke athwart,
With his forc't sword; and both the nerues, he did in sunder wound;
And suddenly his head, deceiu'd, fell speaking on the ground:
His wesels helme they tooke, his bow, his wolues skin, and his lance;
Which to Minerua, Ithacus, did zealously aduance
With lifted arme into the aire; and to her thus he spake;

Goddesse, triumph in thine owne spoiles: to thee we first will make

Vlysses offers Dolons armes to Pallas.

Our inuocations, of all powers, thron'd on th' Olympian hill;
Now to the Thracians, and their horse, and beds, conduct vs still.
With this, he hung them vp aloft, vpon a Tamricke bow,
As eyefull Trophies: and the sprigs, that did about it grow,
He proined from the leauie armes, to make it easier viewd,
When they should hastily retire, and be perhaps pursude.
Forth went they, through blacke bloud and armes; and presently aspir'd
The guardlesse Thracian regiment, fast bound with sleepe, and tir'd:
Their armes lay by, and triple rankes, they as they slept did keepe,
As they should watch and guard their king; who, in a fatall sleepe,
Lay in the midst; their charriot horse, as they coach fellowes were,
Fed by them; and the famous steeds, that did their Generall beare,
Stood next him, to the hinder part, of his rich chariot tied.
Vysses saw them first, and said: Tydides, I haue spied

Vlysses to Diomed.

140

The horse that Dolon (whom we slue) assur'd vs we should see:
Now vse thy strength; now idle armes, are most vnfit for thee:
Prise thou the horse; or kill the guard; and leaue the horse to me.

Minerua with the Azure eyes, breath'd strength into her King,
Who fild the tent with mixed death: the soules, he set on wing,
Issued in grones, and made aire swell, into her stormie floud:
Horror, and slaughter had one power; the earth did blush with bloud.
As when a hungrie Lion flies, with purpose to deuoure
On flocks vnkept, and on their liues, doth freely vse his power:
So Tydeus sonne assaild the foe; twelue soules before him flew;
Vlysses waited on his sword; and euer as he slew,
He drew them by their strengthlesse heeles, out of the horses sight;
That when he was to leade them forth, they should not with affright
Bogle, nor snore, in treading on, the bloudie carkases;
For being new come, they were vnusde, to such sterne sights as these.
Through foure ranks now did Diomed, the king himselfe attaine;

Diomed slaughters Rhesus king of Thrace.

Who (snoring in his sweetest sleepe) was like his souldiers slaine.
An ill dreame by Minerua sent, that night, stood by his head,
Which was Oenides royall sonne, vnconquer'd Diomed.

Meane while Vlysses loosd his horse; tooke all their raines in hand,
And led them forth: but Tydeus sonne, did in contention stand
With his great mind, to do some deed, of more audacitie;
If he should take the chariot, where his rich armes did lie,
And draw it by the beame away, or beare it on his backe;
Or if of more dull Thracian liues, he should their bosomes sacke.

In this contention with himselfe, Minerua did suggest,

Minerua to Diomed.

And bad him thinke of his retreate; lest from their tempted rest,
Some other God should stirre the foe, and send him backe dismaid.

He knew the voice; tooke horse, and fled; the Troians heauenly aid
(Apollo with the siluer bow) stood no blind sentinell
To their secure and drowsie hoast; but did discouer well
Minerua following Diomed; and angrie with his act,
The mightie hoast of Ilion, he entred; and awak't
The cousen germane of the king, a counsellor of Thrace,
Hopocoon; who when he rose; and saw the desert place
Where Rhesus horse did vse to stand, and th' other dismall harmes,

Alarmes amongest the Troians.

Men strugling with the pangs of death; he shriekt out thicke alarmes;
Cald Rhesus? Rhesus? but in vaine: then still, arme, arme, he cride:
The noise and tumult was extreme, on euery startled side
Of Troyes huge hoast; from whence in throngs, all gatherd and admir'd,
Who could performe such harmfull facts, and yet be safe retir'd.

Now, comming where they slue the scout, Vlysses stayd the steeds;
Tydides lighted, and the spoiles (hung on the Tamricke reeds)
He tooke and gaue to Ithacus; and vp he got againe;
Then flew they ioyfull to their fleet: Nestor did first attaine
The sounds the horse hoofes strooke through aire, and said; My royall Peeres?

Nestor to the Greeks.

Do I but dote? or say I true? me thinks about mine eares
The sounds of running horses beate. O would to God they were

141

Our friends thus soone returnd with spoiles: but I haue heartie feare,
Lest this high tumult of the foe, doth their distresse intend.
He scarce had spoke, when they were come: Both did from horse descend,
All, with embraces and sweet words, to heauen their worth did raise.
Then Nestor spake; Great Ithachus, euen heapt with Grecian praise;
How haue you made these horse your prise? pierc't you the dangerous host,
Where such gemmes stand? or did some God, your high attempts accost,
And honord you with this reward? why, they be like the Rayes
The Sunne effuseth. I haue mixt, with Troians all my daies;
And now, I hope you will not say, I alwaies lye abord
Though an old soldier I confesse: yet did all Troy afford
Neuer the like to any sence, that euer I possest;
But some good God, no doubt, hath met, and your high valours blest:
For he that shadowes heauen with clouds, loues both, as his delights:
And she that supples earth with blood, can not forbeare your sights.

Vlysses answerd, Honord Sire, the willing Gods can giue

Vlysses to Nestor.

Horse much more worth, then these men yeeld, since in more power they liue:
These horse are of the Thracian breed; their king Tydides slue,
And twelue of his most trusted guard: and of that meaner crew
A skowt for thirteenth man we kild, whom Hector sent to spie
The whole estate of our designes, if bent to fight or flie.

Thus (followed with whole troopes of friends,) they with applauses past
The spacious dike, and in the tent, of Diomed they plac't
The horse without contention, as his deseruings meed:
Which (with his other horse set vp) on yellow wheat did feed.
Poore Dolons spoiles Vlysses had; who shrin'd them on his sterne,
As trophies vow'd to her that sent, the good-aboding Herne.

Then entred they the meere maine sea, to cleanse their honord sweate
From off their feet, their thighes and neckes: and when their vehement heate
Was calm'd, and their swolne hearts refresht; more curious baths they vsd;
Where odorous and dissoluing Oyles, they through their lims diffusde.
Then, taking breakfast, a big boule, fild with the purest wine,
They offerd to the maiden Queene, that hath the azure eyne.

The end of the tenth Booke.

142

THE ELEVENTH BOOK OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Atrides and his other Peeres of name,
Leade forth their men; whom Eris doth inflame.
Hector (by Iris charge) takes deedlesse breath,
Whiles Agamemnon plies the worke of death:
Who with the first beares his imperiall head.
Himselfe, Vlysses, and King Diomed,
Euripylus, and Æsculapius sonne,
(Enforc't with wounds) the furious skirmish shun.
Which martiall sight, when great Achilles viewes,
A little his desire of fight renewes:
And forth he sends his friend, to bring him word
From old Neleides, what wounded Lord
He in his chariot from the skirmish brought:
Which was Machaon. Nestor then besought
He would perswade his friends to wreake their harmes,
Or come himselfe, dockt vp his dreadfull armes.

Another Argument.

Lambda presents the Generall,
In fight the worthiest man of all.

Avrora , out of restfull bed, did from bright Tython rise,
To bring each deathlesse essence light, and vse, to mortall eyes;
When Ioue sent Eris to the Greekes, sustaining in her hand
Sterne signes of her designes for warre: she tooke her horrid stand
Vpon Vlysses huge blacke Barke, that did at anchor ride,
Amidst the fleet; from whence her sounds, might ring on euery side;
Both to the tents of Telamon, and th' authors of their smarts;
Who held, for fortitude and force, the nauies vtmost parts.

The red-eyd Goddesse seated there, thunderd th' Orthian song,

Eris (contention) sings and excites the Grecians.

High, and with horror, through the eares, of all the Grecian throng;
Her verse with spirits inuincible, did all their breasts inspire;
Blew out all darknesse from their lims, and set their hearts on fire;
And presently was bitter warre, more sweet a thousand times
Then any choice in hollow keeles, to greet their natiue climes.

Agamemnon armes for the field.

Atrides summon'd all to armes; to armes himselfe disposde:
First on his legs he put bright Greaues, with siluer buttons closde;
Then with rich Curace arm'd his breast, which Cyniras bestow'd
To gratifie his royall guest; for euen to Cyprus flow'd

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Th' vnbounded fame of those designes, the Greeks proposde for Troy;
And therefore gaue he him those armes, and wisht his purpose ioy.
Ten rowes of azure mixt with blacke: twelue golden like the Sunne:
Twise ten of tin, in beaten paths, did through this armour runne.
Three serpents to the gorget crept, that like three rain-bowes shin'd,
Such as by Ioue are fixt in clouds, when wonders are diuin'd.
About his shoulders hung his sword; whereof the hollow hilt
Was fashion'd all with shining barres, exceeding richly gilt:
The scaberd was of siluer plate, with golden hangers grac't:
Then tooke he vp his weightie shield, that round about him cast
Defensiue shadowes: ten bright zones, of gold-affecting brasse
Were driuen about it; and of tin (as full of glosse as glasse)
Sweld twentie bosses out of it: in center of them all,
One of blacke mettall had engrauen (full of extreme appall)
An vgly Gorgon, compassed, with Terror and with Feare:
At it, a siluer Bawdricke hung, with which he vsde to beare
(Wound on his arme) his ample shield; and in it there was wouen
An azure Dragon, curl'd in folds; from whose one necke, was clouen
Three heads contorted in an orbe: then plac't he on his head
His foure-plum'd caske; and in his hands, two darts he managed,
Arm'd with bright steele, that blaz'd to heauen: then Iuno and the maide
That conquers Empires; trumpets seru'd, to summon out their aide,
In honor of the Generall: and on a sable cloud
(To bring them furious to the field) sate thundring out aloud.

Then all enioyn'd their charioteers, to ranke their chariot horse
Close to the dike: forth marcht the foot; whose front they did r'enforce
With some horse troupes: the battell then, was all of Charioteers,
Lin'd with light horse: but Iupiter, disturb'd this forme with feares;
And from aires vpper region, did bloudie vapors raine;
For sad ostent, much noble life, should ere their times be slaine.
The Troian hoast, at Ilus tombe, was in Battalia led
By Hector and Polydamas, and old Anchises seed,
Who God-like was esteem'd in Troy; by graue Antenors race,
Diuine Agenor, Polybus, vnmaried Acamas,
Proportion'd like the states of heauen: in front of all the field,
Troyes great Priamides did beare, his al-wayes-equall shield,
Still plying th' ordering of his power. And as amids the skie

Simile.

We sometimes see an ominous starre, blaze cleare and dreadfully,
Then run his golden head in clouds, and straight appeare againe:
So Hector otherwhiles did grace, the vaunt-guard, shining plaine;
Then in the rere-guard hid himselfe, and labour'd euery where,
To order and encourage all: his armor was so cleare,
And he applide each place so fast; that like a lightning throwne
Out of the shield of Iupiter, in euery eye he shone.
And as vpon a rich mans crop, of barley or of wheate,

Another comparison.

(Opposde for swiftnesse at their worke,) a sort of reapers sweate,
Beare downe the furrowes speedily, and thicke their handfuls fall:
So at the ioyning of the hoasts, ran Slaughter through them all;

144

None stoopt to any fainting thought, of foule inglorious flight,
But equall bore they vp their heads, and far'd like wolues in fight:
Sterne Eris, with such weeping fights, reioyc't to feed her eies;
Who onely shew'd her selfe in field, of all the Deities.
The other in Olympus tops, sate silent, and repin'd,
That Ioue to do the Troians grace, should beare so fixt a mind.
He car'd not, but (enthron'd apart) triumphant sat in sway

Ioues prospect.

Of his free power; and from his seate, tooke pleasure to display
The citie so adorn'd with towres, the sea with vessels fild;
The splendor of refulgent armes, the killer and the kild.
As long as bright Aurora rul'd, and sacred day increast,
So long their darts made mutuall wounds, and neither had the best:

Periphrasis of Noone.

But when in hill-enuiron'd vales, the timber-feller takes
A sharpe set stomacke to his meate, and dinner ready makes,
His sinewes fainting, and his spirits, become surcharg'd and dull;
Time of accustom'd ease arriu'd; his hands with labour full:
Then by their valours Greeks brake through, the Troian rankes, and chear'd
Their generall Squadrons through the hoast: then first of all appear'd
The person of the King himselfe; and then the Troians lost
Byanor, by his royall charge, a leader in the host:

Agamemnons slaughters.

Who being slaine, his chariotere (Oileus) did alight,
And stood in skirmish with the king; the king did deadly smite
His forehead with his eager lance, and through his helme it ranne,
Enforcing passage to his braine, quite through the hardned pan;
His braine mixt with his clotterd bloud, his body strewd the ground.

There left he them; and presently he other obiects found;
Isus and Antiphus, two sonnes, king Priam did beget;
One lawfull, th' other wantonly; both in one chariot met
Their royall foe; the baser borne, Isus was chariotere,

Achilles.

And famous Antiphus did fight: both which, king Peleus heire,
(Whilome in Ida keeping flocks) did deprehend and bind
With pliant Osiers; and for prize, them to their Sire resign'd.
Atrides with his well aim'd lance, smote Isus on the brest
Aboue the nipple; and his sword, a mortall wound imprest
Beneath the eare of Antiphus: downe from their horse they fell.
The king had seene the youths before, and now did know them well,
Remembring them the prisoners, of swift Æacides,
Who brought them to the sable fleet, from Idas foodie leas.

Simile.

And as a Lion hauing found, the furrow of a Hind,
Where she hath calu'd two little twins; at will and ease doth grind
Their ioynts snatcht in his sollide iawes; and crusheth into mist
Their tender liues; their dam (though neare) not able to resist;
But shooke with vehement feare her selfe, flies through the Oaken chace
From that fell sauage, drown'd in sweat; and seekes some couert place:
So when with most vnmatched strength, the Grecian Generall bent
Gainst these two Princes, none durst ayd, their natiue kings descent;
But fled themselues before the Greeks: and where these two were slaine,
Pysander and Hypolochus, (not able to restraine

145

Their head-strong horse, the silken reines, being from their hands let fall)
Were brought by their vnruly guides, before the Generall.
Antimachus begat them both; Antimachus that tooke
Rich guifts, and gold of Hellens loue; and would by no meanes brooke
Iust restitution should be made, of Menelaus wealth,
Bereft him, with his rauisht Queene, by

Paris.

Alexanders stealth.
Atrides, Lion-like did charge, his sonnes; who on their knees
Fell from their chariot, and besought, regard to their degrees;
Who, being Antimachus his sonnes, their father would affoord
A worthie ransome for their liues; who in his house did hoord
Much hidden treasure; brasse, and gold, and steele, wrought wondrous choise.
Thus wept they, vsing smoothing terms; and heard this rugged voice

Agamemnon to Pysander and Hippolochus.

Breath' from the vnrelenting king: If you be of the breed
Of stout Antimachus, that staid, the honorable deed
The other Peeres of Ilion, in counsell had decreed,
To render Hellen, and her wealth; and would haue basely slaine
My brother and wise Ithacus, Ambassadors, t'attaine
The most due motion: now receiue, wreake for his shamefull part.
This said, in poore Pysanders breast, he fixt his wreakfull dart;
Who vpward spread th' oppressed earth: his brother croucht for dread,
And as he lay, the angrie king, cut off his armes and head,
And let him like a football lie, for euerie man to spurne.
Then to th' extremest heate of fight, he did his valour turne,
And led a multitude of Greeks; where foote did foote subdue,
Horse slaughterd horse, Need featherd flight, the batterd center flew
In clouds of dust about their eares, raisd from the horses hooues,
That beat a thunder out of earth, as horrible as Ioues.
The king (perswading speedie chace) gaue his perswasions way
With his owne valour, slaughtring still: As in a stormie day,
In thicke-set woods a rauenous fire, wraps in his fierce repaire
The shaken trees, and by the rootes, doth tosse them into aire:
Euen so beneath Atrides sword, flew vp Troyes flying heeles:
Their horse drew emptie chariots, and sought their thundring wheeles
Some fresh directors through the field, where least the pursuite driues:
Thicke fell the Troians, much more sweet, to Vultures, then their wiues.

Then Ioue drew Hector from the darts, from dust, from death and blood,
And from the tumult: still the king, firme to the pursuite stood;
Till at old Ilus monument, in midst of all the field,
They reacht the wild Figtree, and long'd, to make their towne their shield.
Yet there they rested not; the king, still cride; Pursue, pursue,
And all his vnreproued hands, did blood and dust embrue.
But when they came to Sceas ports, and to the Beech of Ioue,
There made they stand; there euerie eye, fixt on each other, stroue
Who should outlooke his mate amaz'd: through all the field they fled.
And as a Lion, when the night, becomes most deafe and dead,

Simile.

Inuades Oxe heards, affrighting all, that he of one may wreake
His dreadfull hunger; and his necke, he first of all doth breake;
Then laps his blood and entrailes vp: so Agamemnon plide

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The manage of the Troian chace, and still the last man di'd;
The other fled; a number fell, by his imperiall hand:
Some groueling downwards from their horse: some vpwards strew'd the sand.
High was the furie of his lance: but hauing beat them close
Beneath their walls, the both worlds Sire, did now againe repose
On fountaine-flowing Idas tops, being newly slid from heauen,
And held a lightning in his hand: from thence this charge was giuen

Ioue to the Rainbow.

To Iris with the golden wings: Thaumantia, flie (said he)
And tell Troys Hector, that as long, as he enrag'd shall see
The souldier-louing Atreus sonne, amongst the formost fight,
Depopulating troopes of men: so long he must excite
Some other to resist the foe, and he no armes aduance:
But when he wounded takes his horse, attain'd with shaft or lance:
Then will I fill his arme with death, euen till he reach the Fleet,
And peacefull night treads busie day, beneath her sacred feet.

The wind-foot swift Thaumantia, obeyd, and vsd her wings
To famous Ilion, from the mount, enchaste with siluer springs:
And found in his bright chariot, the hardie Troian knight:
To whom she spake the words of Ioue, and vanisht from his sight.

He leapt vpon the sounding earth, and shooke his lengthfull dart,
And euerie where he breath'd exhorts, and stird vp euerie heart:
A dreadfull fight he set on foote, his souldiers straight turnd head:
The Greekes stood firme, in both the hoasts, the field was perfected.
But Agamemnon formost still, did all his side exceed:
And would not be the first in name, vnlesse the first in deed.

Now sing faire Presidents of verse, that in the heauens embowre,
Who first encountred with the king, of all the aduerse powre:
Iphydamas, Antenors sonne, ample and bigly set,
Brought vp in pasture-springing-Thrace, that doth soft sheepe beget:
In graue Cissæus noble house, that was his mothers Sire;
(Faire Theano) and when his breast, was heightned with the fire
Of gaisome youth; his grand-Sire gaue, his daughter to his loue:
Who straight his bridall chamber left; Fame, with affection stroue,
And made him furnish twelue faire ships, to lend faire Troy his hand.
His ships he in Percope left, and came to Troy by land:
And now he tried the fame of Greece, encountring with the king,
Who threw his royall lance and mist: Iphydamas did fling,
And strooke him on the arming waste, beneath his coate of brasse,
Which forc't him stay vpon his arme, so violent it was:
Yet pierc't it not his wel-wrought zone; but when the lazie head
Tried hardnesse with his siluer waste, it turnd againe like lead.
He follow'd, grasping the ground end: but with a Lions wile,
That wrests away a hunters staffe; he caught it by the pile,
And pluckt it from the casters hand; whom with his sword he strooke

Iphydamas stain by Agamemnon

Beneath the eare, and with his wound, his timelesse death he tooke:
He fell and slept an iron sleepe; wretched young man, he dide
Farre from his newly-married wife, in aide of forreine pride;
And saw no pleasure of his loue; yet was her ioynture great:

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An hundred Oxen gaue he her, and vow'd in his retreate
Two thousand head of sheepe and Goates, of which he store did leaue:
Much gaue he of his loues first fruits, and nothing did receiue.

When Coon (one that for his forme, might feast an amorous eye,
And elder brother of the slaine) beheld this tragedie:
Deepe sorrow sate vpon his eyes; and (standing laterally,
And to the Generall vndiscernd) his Iauelin he let flie:
That twixt his elbow and his wrist, transfixt his armelesse arme:
The bright head shin'd on th' other side. The vnexpected harme
Imprest some horror in the king: yet so he ceast not fight,
But rusht on Coon with his lance, who made what haste he might
(Seising his slaughterd brothers foote) to draw him from the field,
And cald the ablest to his aide; when vnder his round shield
The kings brasse Iauelin, as he drew, did strike him helplesse dead:
Who made Iphydamas the blocke, and cut off Coons head.

Thus vnder great Atrides arme, Antenors issue thriu'd,
And to suffise precisest fate, to Plutos mansion diu'd.
He with his lance, sword, mightie stones, pour'd his Heroicke wreake
On other Squadrons of the foe, whiles yet warme blood did breake
Through his cleft veines: but when the wound, was quite exhaust and crude;
The eager anguish did approue, his Princely fortitude.
As when most sharpe and bitter pangs, distract a labouring Dame;
Which the diuine Ilithiæ, that rule the painefull frame
Of humane chid-birth poure on her: th' Ilithiæ that are
The daughters of Saturnia: with whose extreme repaire
The woman in her trauell striues, to take the worst it giues:
With thought it must be, tis loues fruite, the end for which she liues;
The meane to make her selfe new borne: what comforts will redound:
So Agamemnon did sustaine, the torment of his wound.
Then tooke he chariot, and to Fleet, bad haste his chariotere;
But first pour'd out his highest voice, to purchase euerie eare:

Princes and Leaders of the Greekes, braue friends, now from our fleet

Agamemnon to the Greeke Princes.

Do you expell this bostrous sway: Ioue will not let me meet
Illustrate Hector, nor giue leaue, that I shall end the day
In fight against the Ilian power: my wound is in my way.

This said, his readie chariotere, did scourge his spritefull horse,
That freely to the sable fleet, performd their fierie course:
To beare their wounded Soueraigne, apart the Martiall thrust,
Sprinkling their powerfull breasts with foame, and snowing on the dust.

When Hector heard of his retreate, thus he for fame contends:

Hector to the Troians.

Troians, Dardanians, Lycians, all my close-fighting friends,
Thinke what it is to be renownd: be souldiers all of name:
Our strongest enemie is gone; Ioue vowes to do vs fame:
Then in the Grecian faces driue, your one-hou'd violent steeds,
And fare aboue their best, be best, and glorifie your deeds.

Thus as a dog-giuen Hunter sets, vpon a brace of Bores,
His white-toothd hounds: pufs, showts, breaths terms, & on his emprese pores,
All his wild art to make them pinch: so Hector vrg'd his host

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To charge the Greeks, and he himselfe, most bold, and actiue most:
He brake into the heate of fight: as when a tempest raues,
Stoops from the clouds, and all on heapes, doth cuffe the purple waues.

Who then was first, and last, he kild, when Ioue did grace his deed?

Whom Hector slue.

Asseus, and Antonous; Opys, and Clytus seed:
Prince Dolops, and the honord Sire, of sweet Euryalus:
(Opheltes) Agelaus next; and strong Hipponous:
Orus, Essymnus, all of name. The common souldiers fell,

Simile.

As when the hollow flood of aire, in Zephires cheeks doth swell,
And sparseth all the gatherd clouds, white Notus power did draw;
VVraps waues in waues, hurls vp the froath, beat with a vehement flaw:
So were the common souldiers wrackt, in troops, by Hectors hand.
Then ruine had enforc't such works, as no Greeks could withstand:
Then in their fleete they had bene housd, had not Laertes sonne
Stird vp the spirit of Diomed, with this impression.

Vlysses to Diomed.

Tydides, what do we sustaine, forgetting what we are?
Stand by me (dearest in my loue:) twere horrible impaire
For our two valours to endure, a customarie flight,
To leaue our nauie still ingag'd, and but by fits to fight.

He answerd; I am bent to stay, and any thing sustaine:

Diomeds answer to Vlysses.

But our delight to proue vs men, will proue but short and vaine;
For Ioue makes Troians instruments; and virtually then,
Wields arms himselfe: our crosse affaires, are not twixt men and men.

This said, Thimbræus with his lance, he tumbled from his horse;
Neare his left nipple wounding him: Vlysses did enforce
Faire Molion, minion to this king, that Diomed subdude:
Both sent they thence, till they returnd: who now the king pursude
And furrowed through the thickned troopes. As when two chaced Bores
Turne head gainst kennels of bold hounds, and race way through their gores:
So (turnd from flight) the forward kings, shew'd Troians backward death:
Nor fled the Greeks but by their wils, to get great Hector breath.

Vlysses and Diomeds slaughters.

Then tooke they horse and chariot, from two bold citie foes,
Merops Percosius mightie sonnes: their father could disclose,
Beyond all men, hid Auguries; and would not giue consent
To their egression to these wars: yet wilfully they went;
For Fates, that order sable death, enforc't their tragedies:
Tydides slue them with his lance, and made their armes his prise.

Hypporochus, and Hyppodus, Vlysses reft of light:
But Ioue, that out of Ida lookt, then equallisde the fight;
A Grecian for a Troian then, paide tribute to the Fates:
Yet royall Diomed slue one, euen in those euen debates,
That was of name more then the rest; Pæons renowned sonne,
The Prince Agastrophus: his lance, into his hip did run:
His Squire detaind his horse apart, that hindred him to flie;
Which he repented at his heart: yet did his feet applie
His scape with all the speed they had, alongst the formost bands;
And there his loued life dissolu'd. This, Hector vnderstands,
And rusht with clamor on the king; right soundly seconded

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With troupes of Troians: which perceiu'd, by famous Diomed;
The deepe conceit of Ioues high will, stifned his royall haire;
Who spake to neare-fought Ithachus; The fate of this affaire

Diomed to Vlysses.

Is bent to vs: come let vs stand, and bound his violence.
Thus threw he his long Iauelin forth; which smote his heads defence
Full on the top, yet pierc't no skin; brasse, tooke repulse with brasse;
His helme (with three folds made, and sharpe,) the gift of Phœbus was.
The blow made Hector take the troupe; sunke him vpon his hand,
And strooke him blind: the king pursude, before the formost band,
His darts recouerie: which he found, laid on the purple plaine:
By which time, Hector was reuiu'd, and taking horse againe,
Was farre commixt within his strength, and fled his darksome graue.
He followd with his thirstie lance, and this elusiue Braue:

Once more be thankfull to thy heeles, (proud dog) for thy escape:

Diomed insults on Hector.

Mischiefe sate neare thy bosome now; and now another rape
Hath thy Apollo made of thee, to whom thou well maist pray,
When through the singing of our darts, thou findst such guarded way:
But I shall meet with thee at length, and bring thy latest houre,
If with like fauour any God, be fautor of my powre:
Meane while, some other shall repay, what I suspend in thee.

This said, he set the wretched soule, of Pæons issue free;
Whom his late wound, not fully slue: but Priams amorous birth,

Paris at Diomed.

Against Tydides bent his bow, hid with a hill of earth;
Part of the ruinated tombe, for honor'd Ilus built:
And as the Curace of the slaine (engrauen and richly gilt)
Tydides from his breast had spoild, and from his shoulders raft,
His target and his solide helme, he shot; and his keene shaft
(That neuer flew from him in vaine) did naile vnto the ground
The kings right foot: the spleenfull knight, laught sweetly at the wound,
Crept from his couert, and triumpht: Now art thou maimd, said he,

Paris insults on Diomed.

And would to God my happie hand, had so much honor'd me,
To haue infixt it in thy breast, as deepe as in thy foote,
Euen to th' expulsure of thy soule: then blest had bene my shoote
Of all the Troians: who had then, breath'd from their long vnrests,
Who feare thee as the braying Goates, abhorre the king of beasts.

Vndanted Diomed replide: You Brauer, with your bow,

Diomeds reply.

You slick-hair'd louer: you that hunt, and fleere at wenches so:
Durst thou but stand in armes with me, thy silly archerie
Would giue thee little cause to vaunt: as little suffer I
In this same tall exploit of thine, perform'd when thou wert hid:
As if a woman or a child, that knew not what it did,
Had toucht my foote: a cowards steele, hath neuer any edge:
But mine (t'assure it sharpe) still layes, dead carkasses in pledge;
Touch it: it renders liuelesse straight: it strikes the fingers ends
Of haplesse widowes in their cheeks; and children blind of friends:
The subiect of it makes earth red; and aire with sighes inflames:
And leaues lims more embrac't with birds, then with enamour'd Dames.

Lance-fam'd Vlysses now came in, and stept before the king;

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Kneeld opposite, and drew the shaft: the eager paine did sting
Through all his bodie; straight he tooke, his royall chariot there,
And with direction to the fleete, did charge his chariotere.

Now was Vlysses desolate, feare made no friend remaine:

Vlysses to himselfe.

He thus spake to his mightie mind: What doth my state sustaine?
If I should flie this ods in feare, that thus comes clustring on,
Twere high dishonour: yet twere worse, to be surprisd alone:
Tis Ioue that driues the rest to flight: but thats a faint excuse;
Why do I tempt my mind so much? pale cowards fight refuse.
He that affects renowne in warre, must like a rocke be fixt;
Wound, or be wounded: valours truth, puts no respect betwixt.

In this contention with himselfe, in flew the shadie bands
Of targateres, who sieg'd him round, with mischiefe-filled hands.
As when a crew of gallants watch, the wild muse of a Bore;
Their dogs put after in full crie, be rusheth on before:
Whets, with his lather-making iawes, his crooked tuskes for blood:
And (holding firme his vsuall haunts) breakes through the deepned wood:
They charging, though his hote approch, be neuer so abhord:
So, to assaile the Ioue-lou'd Greeke, the Ilians did accord,
And he made through them: first he hurt, vpon his shoulder blade,
Deiops a blamelesse man at armes: then sent to endlesse shade

Socus wounds Vlysses.

Theon and Eunomus: and strooke, the strong Chersidamas,
As from his chariot he leapt downe, beneath his targe of brasse:
Who fell, and crawld vpon the earth, with his sustaining palmes,
And left the fight: nor yet his lance, left dealing Martiall almes:
But Socus brother by both sides, yong Carops did impresse:
Then Princely Socus to his aide, made brotherly accesse,
And (coming neare) spake in his charge; O great Laertes sonne,
Insatiate in slie stratagems, and labours neuer done:
This houre, or thou shalt boast to kill, the two Hypasides,
And prize their armes, or fall thy selfe, in my resolu'd accesse.

This said, he threw quite through his shield, his fell and well-driuen lance:
Which held way through his curaces, and on his ribs did glance:
Plowing the flesh alongst his sides: but Pallas did repell
All inward passage to his life. Vlysses knowing well
The wound vndeadly; (setting backe, his foote to forme his stand)
Thus spake to Socus: O thou wretch, thy death is in this hand:
That stay'st my victorie on Troy: and where thy charge was made
In doubtfull terms (or this or that) this shall thy life inuade.

This frighted Socus to retreate; and in his faint reuerse,
The lance betwixt his shoulders fell, and through his breast did perse:
Downe fell he sounding, and the king, thus playd with his misease:

Vlysses insultation.

O Socus, you that make by birth, the two Hypasides:
Now may your house and you perceiue, death can outflie the flier:
Ah wretch, thou canst not scape my vowes: old Hypasus thy sire,
Nor thy well honord mothers hands; in both which lies thy worth,
Shall close thy wretched eyes in death; but Vultures dig them forth,
And hide them with their darksome wings: but when Vlysses dies,

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Diuinest Greeks shall tombe my corse, with all their obsequies.

Now from his bodie and his shield, the violent lance he drew,
That Princely Socus had infixt: which drawne, a crimson dew
Fell from his bosome on the earth: the wound did dare him sore.
And when the furious Troians saw, Vlysses forced gore:
(Encouraging themselues in grosse) all his destruction vowd;
Then he retir'd, and summond aide: thrise showted he allowd,
(As did denote a man ingag'd:) thrise Menelaus care
Obseru'd his aid-suggesting voice: and Aiax being neare,
He told him of Vlysses showts, as if he were enclosd
From all assistance: and aduisd, their aids might be disposd
Against the Ring that circled him: lest, charg'd with troopes alone
(Though valiant) he might be opprest, whom Greece so built vpon.

He led, and Aiax seconded: they found their Ioue-lou'd king
Circled with foes. As when a den, of bloodie Lucerns cling
About a goodly palmed Hart, hurt with a hunters bow,
Whose scape, his nimble feet inforce, whilst his warme blood doth flow,
And his light knees haue power to moue: but (maistred of his wound,
Embost within a shadie hill) the Lucerns charge him round,
And teare his flesh; when instantly, fortune sends in the powres
Of some sterne Lion, with whose sight, they flie, and he deuours:
So charg'd the Ilians Ithacus, many and mightie men:
But then made Menelaus in, and horrid Aiax then,

Aiax and Menelaus to the rescue of Vlysses.

Bearing a target like a tower: close was his violent stand,
And euerie way the foe disperst; when, by the royall hand,
Kind Menelaus led away, the hurt Laertes sonne,
Till his faire squire had brought his horse: victorious Telamon
Still plied the foe, and put to sword, a young Priamides;
Doriclus, Priams bastard sonne: then did his lance impresse
Pandocus, and strong Pyrasus; Lysander and Palertes,
As when a torrent from the hils, swolne with Saturnian showres,
Fals on the fields; beares blasted Oakes, and witherd rosine flowres,
Loose weeds, and all dispersed filth, into the Oceans force:
So, matchlesse Aiax beat the field, and slaughterd men and horse.
Yet had not Hector heard of this, who fought on the left wing
Of all the host, neare those sweet herbs, Scamanders flood doth spring:
Where many foreheads trode the ground, and where the skirmish burnd
Neare Nestor, and king Idomen; where Hector ouerturnd
The Grecian squadrons; authoring, high seruice with his lance,
And skilfull manadge of his horse: nor yet the discrepance
He made in death betwixt the hosts, had made the Greeks retire,
If faire-haird Hellens second spouse, had not represt the fire
Of bold Machaons fortitude, who with a three-forkt head
In his right shoulder wounded him: then had the Grecians dread,
Lest in his strength declin'd, the foe, should slaughter their hurt friend:
Then Cretes king vrg'd Neleides, his chariot to ascend,
And getting neare him, take him in, and beare him to their tents;
A Surgeon is to be preferd, with physicke ornaments,

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Before a multitude: his life, giues hurt liues natiue bounds,
With sweet inspersion of fit balmes, and perfect search of wounds.

Thus spake the royall Idomen: Neleides obeyd,
And to his chariot presently, the wounded Greeke conuaid
The sonne of Esculapius, the great Phisition:
To fleet they flew. Cebriones, perceiu'd the slaughter done
By Aiax on the other troopes, and spake to Hector thus:

Whiles we encounter Grecians here, sterne Telamonius
Is yonder raging, turning vp, in heapes our horse and men:
I know him by his spacious shield: let vs turne chariot then
Where both of horse and foote the fight, most hotely is proposde,
In mutuall slaughters: harke, their throats, from cries are neuer closd.

This said, with his shrill scourge he strooke, the horse that fast ensude,
Stung with his lashes, tossing shields, and carkasses imbrude:
The chariot tree was drownd in blood, and th' arches by the seate,
Disperpled from the horses houes, and from the wheelebands beate.
Great Hector long'd to breake the rankes, and startle their close fight:
Who horribly amaz'd the Greeks, and plyed their suddaine fright
With busie weapons, euer wingd: his lance, sword, weightie stones:
Yet charg'd he other Leaders bands, not dreadfull Telamons,
With whom he wisely shund foule blowes: but Ioue (that weighs aboue
All humane pow'rs) to Aiax breast, diuine repressions droue,
And made him shun, who shund himselfe: he ceast from fight amaz'd:
Cast on his backe his seauen-fold shield, and round about him gaz'd,
Like one turnd wilde; lookt on himselfe, in his distract retreate:
Knee before knee did scarcely moue: as when from heards of Neate
Whole threaues of Bores and mungrils chace, a Lion skulking neare,
Loth he should taint the wel-prisd fat, of any stall-fed steere,
Consuming all the night in watch; he (greedie of his prey)
Oft thrusting on, is oft thrust off: so thicke the Iauelins play
On his bold charges, and so hote, the burning fire brands shine,
Which he (though horrible) abhors, about his glowing eyne;
And early his great heart retires: so Aiax from the foe,
For feare their fleet should be inflam'd: gainst his swolne heart did go.

Another simile expressing the maner of Aiax retreate.

As when a dull mill Asse comes neare, a goodly field of corne
Kept from the birds by childrens cries; the boyes are ouerborne
By his insensible approach, and simply he will eate:
About whom many wands are broke, and still the children beate;
And still the selfe-prouiding Asse, doth with their weaknesse beare,
Not stirring till his panch be full; and scarcely then will stere.

So the huge sonne of Telamon, amongst the Troians far'd;
Bore showers of darts vpon his shield, yet scornd to flie, as skar'd;
And so kept softlie on his way; nor would he mend his pace
For all their violent pursuits, that still did arme the chace
With singing lances: but at last, when their Cur-like presumes,
More vrg'd, the more forborne; his spirits, did ratifie their fumes,
And he reuokt his actiue strength; turnd head, and did repell
The horse troopes that were new made in: twixt whom the fight grew fell;

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And by degrees he stole retreate, yet with such puissant stay
That none could passe him to the fleet: in both the armies sway
He stood, and from strong hands receiu'd, sharpe Iauelins on his shield;
Where many stucke, throwne on before; many fell short in field,
Ere the white bodie they could reach; and stucke, as telling how
They purposd to haue pierc't his flesh: his perill pierced now
The eyes of Prince Eurypilus, Euemons famous sonne;
Who came close on, and with his dart, strooke Duke Apisaon,
Whose surname was Phausiades; euen to the concrete blood
That makes the liuer: on the earth, out gusht his vitall blood.
Eurypilus made in, and easd, his shoulders of his armes:
Which Paris seeing, he drew his bow, and wreakt in part the harmes
Of his good friend Phausiades: his arrow he let flie,
That smote Eurypilus, and brake, in his attainted thie:
Then tooke he troope, to shun blacke death, and to the flyers cride;

Eurypilus to the Greekes.

Princes, and Leaders of the Greeks, stand, and repulse the tide
Of this our honour-wracking chace; Aiax is drownd in darts,
I feare past scape: turne honord friends, helpe out his ventrous parts.
Thus spake the wounded Greeke; the sound, cast on their backs their shields,
And raisd their darts: to whose reliefe, Aiax his person wields:
Then stood he firmely with his friends, retiring their retire:
And thus both hosts indifferent ioynd, the fight grew hote as fire.

Now had Neleides sweating steeds, brought him and his hurt friend
Amongst their Fleet; Æacides, that wishly did intend
(Standing asterne his tall neckt ship) how deepe the skirmish drew
Amongst the Greeks; and with what ruth, the insecution grew:
Saw Nestor bring Machaon hurt, and from within did call
His friend Patroclus: who like Mars, in forme celestiall

Achilles to Patroclus.

Came forth with first sound of his voice (first spring of his decay)
And askt his Princely friends desire: Deare friend, said he, this day
I doubt not will enforce the Greeks, to swarme about my knees:
I see vnsufferd Need imployd, in their extremities.
Go sweet Patroclus and enquire, of old Neleides,
Whom he brought wounded from the fight: by his backe parts, I guesse
It is Machaon: but his face, I could not well descrie,
They past me in such earnest speed. Patroclus presently
Obeyd his friend, and ran to know. They now descended were,
And Nestors squire, Eurimidon, the horses did vngeare:
Themselues stood neare th' extremest shore, to let the gentle aire
Drie vp their sweat; then to the tent; where Hecamed the faire
Set chaires, and for the wounded Prince, a potion did prepare.

This Hecamed, by wars hard fate, fell to old Nestors share,
When Thetis sonne sackt Tenedos. She was the Princely seed
Of worthie king Arsynous, and by the Greeks decreed
The prize of Nestor: since all men, in counsell he surpast.
First, a faire table she apposd, of which, the feet were grac't
With blewish mettall, mixt with blacke: and on the same she put
A brasse fruit dish, in which she seru'd, a holsome Onion cut,

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For pittance to the potion, and honey newly wrought;
And bread, the fruite of sacred meale: then to the boord she brought
A right faire cup, with gold studs driuen; which Nestor did transfer
From Pylos; on whose swelling sides, foure handles fixed were;
And vpon euerie handle fate, a paire of doues of gold;
Some billing, and some pecking meate. Two gilt feet did vphold
The antique body: and withall, so weightie was the cup,
That being proposd brim full of wine, one scarse could lift it vp:
Yet Nestor drunke in it with ease, spite of his yeares respect.
In this the Goddesse-like faire Dame, a potion did confect
With good old wine of Pramnius; and scrap't into the wine
Cheese made of Goates milke; and on it, sperst flow'r exceeding fine:
In this sort for the wounded Lord, the potion she prepar'd,
And bad him drinke: for companie, with him old Nestor shar'd.

Thus physically quencht they thirst, and then their spirits reuiu'd
With pleasant conference. And now, Patroclus being arriu'd,
Made stay at th' entrie of the tent: old Nestor seeing it,
Rose, and receiu'd him by the hand, and faine would haue him sit.
He set that courtesie aside; excusing it with hast;
Since his much to be reuerenc't friend, sent him to know who past
(Wounded with him in chariot) so swiftly through the shore;
Whom now, said he, I see and know, and now can stay no more:
You know good father, our great friend, is apt to take offence:
Whose fierie temper will inflame, sometimes with innocence.

Nestor to Patroclus.

He answerd, When will Peleus sonne, some royall pittie show
On his thus wounded countrimen? Ah, is he yet to know
How much affliction tires our host? how our especiall aide
(Tainted with lances, at their tents) are miserably laide?
Vlysses, Diomed, our King, Euripylus, Machaon:
All hurt, and all our worthiest friends; yet no compassion
Can supple thy friends friendlesse breast. Doth he reserue his eye
Till our fleet burne, and we our selues, one after other die?
Alas, my forces are not now, as in my yonger life.
Oh would to God I had that strength, I vsed in the strife
Betwixt vs and the Elians, for Oxen to be driuen;
When Itumonius loftie soule, was by my valour giuen
As sacrifice to destinie; Hypporocus strong sonne,
That dwelt in Elis, and fought first, in our contention.
We forrag'd (as proclaimed foes) a wondrous wealthie boote;
And he, in rescue of his Herds, fell breathlesse at my foote.
All the Dorpe Bores with terror fled; our prey was rich and great,
Twise fiue and twentie flocks of sheepe; as many herds of neate;
As many goates, and nastie swine; a hundred fiftie mares
All sorrell, most with sucking foales; and these soone-monied wares,
We draue into Neileus towne, faire Pylos; all by night.
My fathers heart was glad to see, so much good fortune quite
The forward mind of his young sonne, that vsde my youth in deeds,
And would not smother it in moods. Now drew the Suns bright steeds

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Light from the hils; our heralds now, accited all that were
Endamag'd by the Elians; our Princes did appeare;
Our boote was parted; many men, th' Epeians much did owe,
That (being our neighbors) they did spoile; afflictions did so flow
On vs poore Pyleans though but few. In brake great Hercules
To our sad confines of late yeares, and wholly did suppresse
Our haplesse Princes: twice sixe sonnes, renownd Neleius bred;
Onely my selfe am left of all: the rest subdude and dead.
And this was it that made so proud, the base Epeian bands:
On their neare neighbors, being opprest, to lay iniurious hands,
A heard of Oxen for himselfe: a mightie flocke of sheepe,
My Syre selected; and made choice, of shepheards for their keep:
And from the generall spoyle, he culd, three hundred of the best:
The Elians ought him infinite, most plagu'd of all the rest.
Foure wager-winning horse he lost, and chariots interuented
Being led to an appointed race. The prize that was presented
Was a religious threefoote vrne: Augeas was the king,
That did detaine them, and dismist, their keeper sorrowing
For his lou'd charge, lost with foule words. Then both for words and deeds
My Sire being worthily incenst, thus iustly he proceeds
To satisfaction, in first choice, of all our wealthie prize:
And as he shar'd much, much he left, his subiects to suffise;
That none might be opprest with power, or want his portion due:
Thus for the publike good we shar'd. Then we to temples drue
Our complete citie: and to heauen, we thankfull rights did burne
For our rich conquest. The third day, ensuing our returne
The Elians flew on vs in heapes: their generall Leaders were
The two Moliones, two boyes, vntrained in the feare
Of horrid warre, or vse of strength. A certaine citie shines
Vpon a loftie Prominent; and in th' extreme confines
Of sandie Pylos, seated where, Alpheus flood doth run,
And cald Thryessa: this they sieg'd, and gladly would haue wun:
But (hauing past through all our fields) Minerua as our spie,
Fell from Olympus in the night, and arm'd vs instantly:
Nor mustred she vnwilling men, nor vnprepar'd for force.
My Sire yet, would not let me arme, but hid away my horse,
Esteeming me no souldier yet: yet shin'd I nothing lesse
Amongst our Gallants, though on foote; Mineruas mightinesse
Led me to fight, and made me beare, a souldiers worthie name.

There is a floud fals into sea, and his crookt course doth frame
Close to Arena, and is cald, bright Myniæus streame:
There made we halt: and there the Sun, cast many a glorious beame
On our bright armours; horse and foote, insea'd together there:
Then marcht we on: By fierie noone, we saw the sacred cleare
Of great Alphæus; where to Ioue, we did faire sacrifice:
And to the azure God that rules, the vnder-liquid skies:
We offerd vp a solemne Bull; a bull t'Alphæus name,
And to the blew eyd maid we burnd, a heifer neuer tame.

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Now was it night, we supt, and slept, about the flood in armes;
The foe laide hard siege to our towne, and shooke it with alarmes:
But for preuention of their splenes, a mightie worke of warre
Appeard behind them. For as soone, as Phœbus fierie Carre
Cast nights foule darknes from his wheeles (inuoking reuerend Ioue,
And the vnconquerd maide (his birth) we did th' euent approue,
And gaue them battell: first of all, I slue (the armie saw)
The mightie souldier Mulius, Angeus sonne in law;
And spoyld him of his one-hou'd horse: his eldest daughter was
Bright Agamede, that for skill, in simples did surpasse:
And knew as many kind of drugs, as earths brode center bred:
Him charg'd I with my brasse arm'd lance, the dust receiu'd him dead.
I (leaping to his chariot) amongst the formost prest:
And the great hearted Elyans, fled frighted, seeing their best
And lofti'st souldier taken downe, the Generall of their horse.
I follow'd like a blacke whirlwind, and did for prize enforce
Full fiftie chariots, euerie one, furnisht with two arm'd men;
Who eate the earth, slaine with my lance; and I had slaughterd then
The two young boyes, Moliones, if their world circling Sire,
(Great Neptune) had not saft their liues; and couered their retire
With vnpierc't clouds: then Ioue bestow'd a haughtie victorie
Vpon vs Pyleans. For so long, we did the chase apply,
Slaughtring and making spoile of armes; till sweet Buprasius soile,
Alesius, and Olenia, were fam'd with our recoile.
For there Minerua turnd our power: and there the last I slew;
As when our battell ioyn'd, the first: the Peleans then withdrew
To Pylos from Buprasius. Of all the Immortals then,
They most thankt Ioue for victorie; Nestor, the most of men.
Such was I euer, if I were, employd with other Peeres,
And I had honour of my youth, which dies not in my yeares.
But Great Achilles onely ioyes, habilitie of act
In his braue Prime, and doth not daine, t'impart it where tis lackt.
No doubt he will extremely mourne, long after that blacke howre,
Wherein our ruine shall be wrought, and rue his ruthlesse powre.
O friend, my memorie reuiues, the charge Menetius gaue
Thy towardnesse; when thou setst forth, to keepe out of the graue
Our wounded honour; I my selfe, and wise Vlysses were
Within the roome, where euerie word, then spoken we did heare:
For we were come to Peleus Court, as we did mustering passe
Through rich Achaia; where thy Sire, renownd Menetius was,
Thy selfe and great Æacides; when Peleus the King
To thunder-louing Ioue did burne, an Oxe for offering,
In his Court-yard: a cup of gold, crownd with red wine he held
On th' holy Incensorie pour'd. You, when the Oxe was feld,
Were dressing his diuided lims; we in the Portall stood.
Achilles seeing vs come so neare; his honorable blood,
Was strooke with a respectiue shame, rose, tooke vs by the hands,
Brought vs both in, and made vs sit, and vsde his kind commands,

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For seemely hospitable rights; which quickly were apposd.
Then (after needfulnesse of foode) I first of all disclosd
The royall cause of our repaire; mou'd you and your great friend,
To consort our renown'd designes: both straight did condescend;
Your fathers knew it, gaue consent, and graue instruction
To both your valours. Peleus charg'd, his most vnequald sonne,
To gouerne his victorious strength, and shine past all the rest
In honour, as in meere maine force. Then were thy partings blest
With deare aduices from thy Sire. My loued sonne, said he,
Achilles by his grace of birth, superiour is to thee,
And for his force more excellent; yet thou more ripe in yeares:
Then with sound counsels (ages fruits) imploy his honord yeares,
Command and ouerrule his moodes; his nature will obay
In any charge discreetly giuen, that doth his good assay.

Thus charg'd thy Sire, which thou forgetst; yet now at last approue
(With forced reference of these) th' attraction of his loue.
Who knowes if sacred influence, may blesse thy good intent,
And enter with thy gracious words, euen to his full consent?
The admonition of a friend, is sweet and vehement.
If any Oracle he shun, or if his mother Queene
Hath brought him some instinct from Ioue, that fortifies his spleene;
Let him resigne command to thee, of all his Myrmidons,
And yeeld by that meanes some repulse, to our confusions;
Adorning thee in his bright armes, that his resembled forme
May haply make thee thought himselfe, and calme his hostile storme:
That so a little we may ease, our ouercharged hands;
Draw some breath, not expire it all: the foe but faintly stands
Beneath his labours; and your charge, being fierce, and freshly giuen,
They easly from our tents and fleet, may to their walls be driuen.

This mou'd the good Patroclus mind, who made his vtmost haste,
T'informe his friend; and at the fleet, of Ithacus he past,
(At which there markets were disposd, counsels and martiall courts,
And where to th' Altars of the Gods, they made diuine resorts)
He met renownd Eurypilus, Euemons noble sonne
Halting; his thigh hurt with a shaft: the liquid sweate did run
Downe from his shoulders, and his browes: and from his raging wound
Forth flow'd his melancholy blood, yet still his mind was sound.
His sight, in kinde Patroclus breast, to sacred pittie turnd,
And (nothing more immartiall, for true ruth) thus he mournd;
Ah wretched progenie of Greece, Princes, deiected kings:
Was it your fates to nourish beasts, and serue the outcast wings
Of sauage Vultures here in Troy? Tell me, Euemons fame,
Do yet the Greeks withstand his force, whom yet no force can tame?
Or are they hopelesse throwne to death, by his resistlesse lance?
Diuine Patroclus (he replide) no more can Greece aduance
Defensiue weapons; but to fleet, they headlong must retire:
For those that to this howre haue held, our fleet from hostile fire,
And are the bulwarks of our host, lie wounded at their tents;

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And Troys vnuanquishable powre, still as it toiles augments.
But take me to thy blacke sternd ship, saue me, and from my thie
Cut out this arrow; and the blood, that is ingor'd and drie,
Wash with warme water from the wound: then gentle salues apply,
Which thou knowest best; thy Princely friend, hath taught thee surgerie;
Whom (of all Centaures the most iust) Chyron did institute:
Thus to thy honorable hands, my ease I prosecute,
Since our Physitians cannot helpe: Machaon at his tent
Needs a Physitian himselfe, being Leach and patient:
And Podalirius in the field, the sharpe conflict sustaines.
Strong Menetiades replide; How shall I ease thy paines?
What shall we do Eurypilus? I am to vse all haste,
To signifie to Thetis sonne, occurrents that haue past
At Nestors honorable suite: but be that worke atchieu'd,
When this is done, I will not leaue, thy torments vnrelieu'd.

This said, athwart his backe he cast, beneath his breast, his arme,
And nobly helpt him to his tent: his seruants seeing his harme,
Dispread Ox-hides vpon the earth, whereon Machaon lay:
Patroclus cut out the sharpe shaft, and clearely washt away
With luke-warme water the blacke blood: then twixt his hands he brusde
A sharpe and mitigatorie roote: which when he had insusde
Into the greene well-cleansed wound, the paines he felt before
Were well, and instantly allaid, the wound did bleed no more.

The end of the eleuenth Boooke.

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THE TWELFTH BOOK OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

The Troians at the trench, their powres engage,
Though greeted by a bird, of bad presage.
In fiue parts they diuide, their powre, to skale,
And Prince Sarpedon forceth downe the pale;
Great Hector from the Ports, teares out a stone,
And with so dead a strength, he sets it gone
At those brode gates the Grecians made to guard
Their tents and ships: that, broken, and vnbard,
They yeeld way to his powre; when all contend
To reach the ships: which all at last ascend.

Another Argument.

My, workes the Troians all the grace,
And doth the Grecian Fort deface.

Patroclus , thus emploid in cure, of hurt Eurypilus;
Both hosts are all for other wounds, doubly contentious;
One, all wayes labouring to expell; the other to inuade:
Nor could the brode dike of the Greeks, nor that strong wall they made
To guard their fleete, be long vnrac't; because it was not raisd,
By graue direction of the Gods; nor were their Deities praisd
(When they begun) with Hecatombes, that then they might be sure
(Their strength being season'd wel with heauēs) it should haue force t'endure;
And so, the safeguard of their fleete, and all their treasure there
Infallibly had bene confirm'd; when now, their bulwarks were
Not onely without powre of checke, to their assaulting foe
(Euen now, as soone as they were built) but apt to ouerthrow:
Such, as in verie little time, shall burie all their sight
And thought, that euer they were made: as long as the despight
Of great Æacides held vp, and Hector went not downe:
And that by those two meanes stood safe, king Priams sacred towne:
So long their rampire had some vse, (though now it gaue some way:)
But when Troyes best men sufferd Fate, and many Greeks did pay
Deare for their sufferance; then the rest, home to their countrie turnd,
The tenth yeare of their warres at Troy, and Troy was sackt and burnd.
And then the Gods fell to their Fort: then they their powres imploy
To ruine their worke, and left lesse, of that then they, of Troy.

Neptune and Phœbus ouerturne the Grecian rampire.

Neptune and Phœbus tumbl'd downe, from the Idalian hils,
An inundation of all floods, that thence the brode sea fils

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On their huge rampire; in one glut, all these together rorde,

The names of the riuers about Troy.

Rhesus, Heptaporus, Rhodius, Scamander, (the adorde)
Caresus, Simois, Grenicus, Æsepus: of them all,
Apollo open'd the rough mouths; and made their lustie fall
Rauish the dustie champian, where, many a helme and shield,
And halfe-god race of men were strew'd: and that all these might yeeld
Full tribute to the heauenly worke: Neptune and Phœbus wun
Ioue to vnburthen the blacke wombes, of clouds (fild by the Sun)
And poure them into all their streames, that quickly they might send
The huge wall swimming to the Sea. Nine dayes their lights did spend
To nights, in tempests; and when all, their vtmost depth had made,
Ioue, Phœbus, Neptune, all came downe, and all in state did wade
To ruine of that impious fort: Great Neptune went before,
Wrought with his trident, and the stones, trunkes, rootes of trees he tore
Out of the rampire: tost them all, into the Hellespont;
Euen all the prowd toile of the Greeks, with which they durst confront
The to-be-shunned Deities: and not a stone remaind,
Of all their huge foundations, all with the earth were plaind.
Which done; againe the Gods turnd backe, the siluer-flowing floods,
By that vast channell, through whose vaults, they pourd abrode their broods,
And couerd all the ample shore, againe with dustie sand:
And this the end was of that wall, where now so many a hand
Was emptied of stones and darts, contending to inuade;
Where Clamor spent so high a throate; and where the fell blowes made
The new-built woodden turrets grone. And here the Greeks were pent,
Tam'd with the Iron whip of Ioue: that terrors vehement
Shooke ouer them by Hectors hand, who was (in euerie thought)

Hector like a whirlwind, and Lion.

The terror-maister of the field, and like a whirlewind fought;
As fresh, as in his morns first charge. And as a sauage Bore
Or Lion, hunted long; at last, with hounds and hunters store,
Is compast round; they charge him close: and stand (as in a towre
They had inchac't him) pouring on, of darts an Iron showre:
His glorious heart yet, nought appald, and forcing forth his way:
Here ouerthrowes a troope, and there; a running ring doth stay
His vtter passage: when againe, that stay he ouerthrowes,
And then the whole field frees his rage: so Hector wearies blowes,
Runs out his charge vpon the Fort: and all his force would force
To passe the dike. Which being so deepe, they could not get their horse
To venter on: but trample, snore, and on the verie brinke,
To neigh with spirit, yet still stand off: nor would a humane thinke
The passage safe; or if it were, twas lesse safe for retreate,
The dike being euerie where so deep; and (where twas least deep) set
With stakes exceeding thicke, sharpe, strong, that horse could neuer passe;
Much lesse their chariots, after them: yet for the foote there was
Some hopefull seruice, which they wisht. Polydamas then spake;

Polydamas soūd counsell to Hector.

Hector, and all our friends of Troy, we indiscreetly make
Offer of passage with our horse: ye see the stakes, the wall,
Impossible for horse to take: not can men fight at all,

161

The place being streight, and much more apt, to let vs take our bane,
Then giue the enemie: and yet, if Ioue decree the wane
Of Grecian glory vtterly: and so bereaue their hearts,
That we may freely charge them thus, and then, will take our parts:
I would with all speed, wish th' assault: that vgly shame might shed
(Thus farre from home) these Grecians bloods. But if they once turne head,
And sallie on vs from their fleet, when in so deepe a dike
We shall lie struggling; not a man, of all our hoast is like
To liue, and carrie backe the newes: and therefore, be it thus:
Here leaue we horse, kept by our men, and all on foot let vs
Hold close together, and attend, the grace of Hectors guide;
And then they shall not beare our charge, our conquest shall be dide
In their liues purples. This aduice, pleasd Hector, for twas sound:
Who first obeyd it, and full arm'd, betooke him to the ground:
And then all left their chariots, when he was seene to leade;
Rushing about him, and gaue vp, each chariot and steed
To their directors to be kept, in all procinct of warre:
There, and on that side of the dike. And thus the rest prepare
Their onset: In fiue regiments, they all their powre diuide:
Each regiment allow'd three Chiefes; of all which, euen the pride,
Seru'd in great Hectors Regiment: for all were set on fire
(Their passage beaten through the wall) with hazardous desire,
That they might once, but fight at fleete. With Hector, Captaines were,
Polydamas, and Cebriones, who was his chariotere:
But Hector found that place a worse. Chiefes of the second band,
Were Paris, and Alcathous, Agenor. The command
The third strong Phalanx had, was giuen, to th' Augure Hellenus;
Deiphobus, that God-like man, and mightie Asius;
Euen Asius Hyrtacides, that from Arisba rode
The huge bay horse, and had his house, where riuer Selleës flowde.
The fourth charge, good Æneas led, and with him were combinde
Archelochus, and Acamas (Antenors dearest kinde)
And excellent at euerie fight. The fifth braue companie,
Sarpedon had to charge; who chusde, for his commands supply,
Asteropœus great in armes, and Glaucus; for both these
Were best of all men, but himselfe: but he was fellowlesse.

Thus fitted with their well wrought shields, downe the steepe dike they go;
And (thirstie of the walls assault) beleeue in ouerthrow:
Not doubting but with headlong fals, to tumble downe the Greeks,
From their blacke nauie: in which trust, all on; and no man seeks
To crosse Polydamas aduice, with any other course,
But Asius Hyrtacides, who (prowd of his bay horse)
Would not forsake them; nor his man, that was their manager,
(Foole that he was) but all to fleete: and little knew how neare
An ill death sat him, and a sure; and that he neuer more
Must looke on loftie Ilion: but lookes, and all, before,
Put on th' all-couering mist of Fate; that then did hang vpon
The lance of great

Idomenæus.

Deucalides: he fatally rusht on

162

The left hand way; by which the Greeks, with horse and chariot,
Came vsually from field to fleet: close to the gates he got,
Which both vnbard and ope he found; that so the easier might
An entrie be for any friend, that was behind in flight;
Yet not much easier for a foe: because there was a guard
Maintaind vpon it, past his thought; who still put for it hard,
Eagerly showting: and with him, were fiue more friends of name
That would not leaue him, though none else, would hunt that way for fame
(In their free choice) but he himselfe. Orestes, Iamenus,
And Acamas, Asiades, Thoon, Oenomaus,
Were those that followed Asius: within the gates they found
Two eminently valorous, that from the race renownd
Of the right valiant Lapithes, deriu'd their high descent.
Fierce Leonteus was the one, like Mars in detriment;

Such maketh Virgil Pandarus and Bitias.

The other mightie Polepæt, the great Pirithous sonne.
These stood within the loftie gates, and nothing more did shun,
The charge of Asius and his friends, then two high hill-bred Okes,
Well rooted in the binding earth, obey the airie strokes
Of wind and weather, standing firme, gainst euerie seasons spight:
Yet they poure on continued showts, and beare their shields vpright:
When in the meane space Polypæt, and Leonteus cheard
Their souldiers to the fleets defence: but when the rest had heard
The Troians in attempt to skale, Clamor and flight did flow
Amongst the Grecians: and then (the rest dismaid) these two
Met Asius entring; thrust him backe, and fought before their doores:
Nor far'd they then like Okes, that stood, but as a brace of Bores
Coucht in their owne bred hill, that heare, a sort of hunters showt
And hounds in hote traile coming on; then from their dens breake out,
Trauerse their force, and suffer not, in wildnesse of their way,
About them any plant to stand: but thickets, offering stay,
Breake through, and rend vp by the roots; whet gnashes into aire,
Which Tumult fils, with showts, hounds, horns, and all the hote affaire
Beates at their bosomes: so their armes, rung with assailing blowes;
And so they stird them in repulse, right well assur'd that those
Who were within, and on the wall, would adde their parts; who knew
They now fought for their tents, fleet, liues, and fame; and therefore threw
Stones from the wals and towres, as thicke, as when a drift wind shakes
Blacke-clouds in peeces, and plucks snow, in great and plumie flakes
From their soft bosomes, till the ground, be wholly cloth'd in white;
So earth was hid with stones and darts: darts from the Troian fight,
Stones from the Greeks, that on the helms, and bossie Troian shields
Kept such a rapping, it amaz'd, great Asius, who now yeelds
Sighes, beates his thighes: and in a rage, his fault to Ioue applies.

Asius neare his death blames Ioue for it.

O Ioue (said he) now cleare thou shew'st, thou art a friend to lies;
Pretending, in the flight of Greece, the making of it good,
To all their ruines: which I thought, could neuer be withstood,
Yet they, as yellow Waspes, or Bees (that hauing made their nest

Apta ad rem comparatio.

The gasping Cranny of a hill) when for a hunters feast,

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Hunters come hote and hungrie in; and dig for honny Comes:
They flie vpon them, strike and sting: and from their hollow homes
Will not be beaten, but defend, their labours fruite, and brood:
No more will these be from their port, but either lose their blood
(Although but two, against all vs) or be our prisoners made;
All this, to do his action grace, could not firme Ioue perswade,
Who for the generall counsell stood; and (gainst his singular braue)
Bestow'd on Hector that daies fame. Yet he, and these behaue
Themselues thus nobly at this port: but how at other ports,
And all alongst the stony wall, sole force, gainst force and forts,
Rag'd in contention twixt both hoasts: it were no easie thing,
(Had I the bosome of a God) to tune to life, and sing.
The Troians fought not of themselues, a fire from heauen was throwne
That ran amongst them, through the wall, meere added to their owne.
The Greeks held not their owne: weake griefe, went with her witherd hand,
And dipt it deepely in their spirits; since they could not command
Their forces to abide the field, whom harsh Necessitie
(To saue those ships should bring them home) and their good forts supply
Draue to th' expulsiue fight they made; and this might stoope them more
Then Need it selfe could eleuate: for euen Gods did deplore
Their dire estates, and all the Gods, that were their aids in war:
Who (though they could not cleare their plights) yet were their friends thus far,
Still to vphold the better sort: for then did Polepæt passe
A lance at Damasus, whose helme, was made with cheekes of brasse,
Yet had not proofe enough; the pyle, draue through it, and his skull;
His braine in blood drownd; and the man, so late so spiritfull,
Fell now quite spirit-lesse to earth. So emptied he the veines
Of Pylon, and Ormenus liues: and then Leonteus gaines
The lifes end of Hippomachus, Antimachus-his sonne;
His lance fell at his girdle stead, and with his end, begun
Another end: Leonteus, left him, and through the prease
(His keene sword drawne) ran desperatly, vpon Antiphates;
And liuelesse tumbled him to earth. Nor could all these liues quench
His fierie spirit, that his flame, in Menons blood did drench,
And rag'd vp, euen to Iamens, and yong Orestes life;
All heapt together, made their peace, in that red field of strife.
Whose faire armes while the victors spoild; the youth of Ilion
(Of which there seru'd the most and best) still boldly built vpon
The wisedome of Polydamas, and Hectors matchlesse strength;
And follow'd, fild with wondrous spirit; with wish, and hope at length
(The Greeks wall wun) to fire their fleet. But (hauing past the dike,
And willing now, to passe the wall) this prodigie did strike
Their hearts with some deliberate stay: A high-flowne-Eagle sorde
On their troopes left hand, and sustaind, a Dragon all engorde,
In her strong seres, of wondrous sise, and yet had no such checke
In life and spirit, but still she fought; and turning backe her necke
So stung the Eagles gorge, that downe, she cast her feruent prey,
Amongst the multitude; and tooke, vpon the winds, her way;

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Crying with anguish. When they saw, a branded Serpent sprawle
So full amongst them; from aboue, and from Ioues fowle let fall:
They tooke it an ostent from him; stood frighted; and their cause

Polydamas to Hector.

Polydamas thought iust, and spake, Hector, you know, applause
Of humour hath bene farre from me; nor fits it, or in warre,
Or in affaires of Court, a man, imploid in publicke care,
To blanch things further then their truth, or flatter any powre:
And therefore, for that simple course, your strength hath oft bene sowre
To me in counsels: yet againe, what shewes in my thoughts best,
I must discouer: let vs ceasse, and make their flight our rest
For this dayes honor; and not now, attempt the Grecian fleet;
For this (I feare) will be th' euent; the prodigie doth meet
So full with our affaire in hand. As this high flying fowle,
Vpon the left wing of our host, (implying our controwle)
Houerd aboue vs; and did trusse, within her golden seres
A Serpent so embrew'd, and bigge, which yet (in all her feares)
Kept life, and feruent spirit to fight, and wrought her owne release;
Nor did the Eagles Airie, feed: So though we thus farre prease
Vpon the Grecians; and perhaps, may ouerrune their wall,
Our high minds aiming at their fleet; and that we much appall
Their trussed spirits; yet are they, so Serpent-like disposd
That they will fight, though in our seres; and will at length be losd
With all our outcries; and the life, of many a Troian breast,
Shall with the Eagle flie, before, we carrie to our nest
Them, or their nauie: thus expounds, the Augure this ostent;
Whose depth he knowes; & these should feare. Hector, with countenance bent
Thus answerd him: Polydamas, your depth in augurie

Hector to Polydamas.

I like not; and know passing well, thou dost not satisfie
Thy selfe in this opinion: or if thou think'st it true,
Thy thoughts, the Gods blind; to aduise, and vrge that as our due,
That breakes our duties; and to Ioue, whose vow and signe to me
Is past directly for our speed: yet light-wingd birds must be
(By thy aduice) our Oracles, whose feathers little stay
My serious actions. What care I, if this, or th' other way
Their wild wings sway them: if the right, on which the Sunne doth rise,
Or, to the left hand, where he sets? Tis Ioues high counsell flies
With those wings, that shall beare vp vs: Ioues, that both earth and heauen,
Both men and Gods sustaines and rules: One augurie is giuen
To order all men, best of all; fight for thy countries right.
But why fearst thou our further charge? for though the dangerous fight
Strew all men here about the fleet, yet thou needst neuer feare
To beare their Fates; thy warie heart, will neuer trust thee, where
An enemies looke is; and yet fight: for, if thou dar'st abstaine,
Or whisper into any eare, an abstinence so vaine
As thou aduisest: neuer feare, that any foe shall take
Thy life from thee, for tis this lance. This said, all forwards make,
Himselfe the first: yet before him, exulting Clamor flew;
And thunder-louing-Iupiter, from loftie Ida blew

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A storme that vsherd their assault, and made them charge like him:
It draue directly on the fleet, a dust so fierce and dim,
That it amaz'd the Grecians: but was a grace diuine,
To Hector and his following troopes, who wholly did encline
To him, being now in grace with Ioue: and so put boldly on
To raze the rampire: in whose height, they fiercely set vpon
The Parrapets, and puld them downe, rac't euery formost fight;
And all the Butteresses of stone, that held their towers vpright;
They tore away, with Crowes of Iron; and hop't to ruine all.

The Greeks yet stood, and still repaird, the forefights of their wall
With hides of Oxen, and from thence, they pourd downe stones in showres
Vpon the vnderminers heads. Within the formost towres,
Both the Aiaces had command; who answer'd euerie part,
Th' assaulters, and their souldiers; represt, and put in heart:
Repairing valour as their wall: spake some faire, some reprou'd,
Who euer made not good his place: and thus they all sorts mou'd;

O countrimen, now need in aid, would haue excesse be spent:
The excellent must be admir'd; the meanest excellent;
The worst, do well: in changing warre, all should not be alike,
Nor any idle: which to know, fits all, lest Hector strike
Your minds with frights, as eares with threats, forward be all your hands,
Vrge one another: this doubt downe, that now betwixt vs stands,
Ioue will go with vs to their wals. To this effect, alow'd
Spake both the Princes: and as high (with this) th' expulsion flow'd.
And as in winter time, when Ioue, his cold-sharpe iauelines throwes

Simile.

Amongst vs mortals; and is mou'd, to white earth with his snowes:
(The winds asleepe) he freely poures, till highest Prominents,
Hill tops, low meddowes, and the fields, that crowne with most contents
The toiles of men: sea ports, and shores, are hid, and euerie place,
But floods (that snowes faire tender flakes, as their owne brood, embrace:)
So both sides couerd earth with stones, so both for life contend,
To shew their sharpnesse: through the wall, vprore stood vp an end.
Nor had great Hector and his friends, the rampire ouerrun,
If heauens great Counsellour, high Ioue, had not inflam'd his sonne
Sarpedon (like the forrests king, when he on Oxen flies)
Against the Grecians: his round targe, he to his arme applies
Brasse-leau'd without: and all within, thicke Oxe-bides quilted hard:
The verge naild round with rods of gold, and with two darts prepard;
He leades his people: as ye see, a mountaine Lion fare,
Long kept from prey: in forcing which, his high mind makes him dare,
Assault vpon the whole full fold: though guarded neuer so
With well-arm'd men, and eager dogs; away he will not go,
But venture on, and either snatch, a prey, or be a prey:
So far'd diuine Sarpedons mind, resolu'd to force his way
Through all the fore-fights, and the wall: yet since he did not see

Sarpedons speech to Glaucus, neuer equalled by any (in this kind) of all that haue written.

Others as great as he, in name, as great in mind as he:
He spake to Glaucus: Glaucus, say, why are we honord more
Then other men of Lycia, in place? with greater store

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Of meates and cups? with goodlier roofes? delightsome gardens? walks?
More lands, and better? so much wealth, that Court and countrie talks
Of vs, and our possessions; and euery way we go,
Gaze on vs as we were their Gods? this where we dwell, is so:
The shores of Xanthus ring of this; and shall not we exceed,
As much in merit, as in noise? Come, be we great in deed
As well as looke; shine not in gold, but in the flames of fight;
That so our neat-arm'd-Lycians, may say; See, these are right
Our kings, our Rulers; these deserue, to eate, and drinke the best;
These gouerne not ingloriously: these, thus exceed the rest,
Do more then they command to do. O friend, if keeping backe
Would keepe backe age from vs, and death; and that we might not wracke
In this lifes humane sea at all: but that deferring now
We shund death euer; nor would I, halfe this vaine valour show,
Nor glorifie a folly so, to wish thee to aduance:
But since we must go, though not here; and that, besides the chance
Proposd now, there are infinite fates, of other sort in death,
Which (neither to be fled nor scap't) a man must sinke beneath:
Come, trie we, if this sort be ours: and either render thus,
Glorie to others, or make them, resigne the like to vs.

Sarpedon and Glaucus charge together.

This motion, Glaucus shifted not, but (without words) obeyd;
Fore-right went both, a mightie troope, of Lycians followed.
Which, by Menestheus obseru'd; his haire stood vp on end,
For at the towre where he had charge, he saw Calamitie bend
Her horrid browes in their approch. He threw his looks about
The whole fights neare, to see what Chiefe, might helpe the miserie out
Of his poore souldiers, and beheld, where both th' Aiaces fought,
And Teucer, newly come from fleete: whom it would profit nought
To call, since Tumult on their helmes, shields, and vpon the ports
Laid such lowde claps; for euerie way, defences of all sorts
Were adding, as Troy tooke away; and Clamor flew so high
Her wings strooke heauen, and drownd all voice. The two Dukes yet so nigh
And at the offer of assault; he to th' Aiaces sent

Thoos sent to the Aiaces for aide by Menestheus.

Thoos the herald, with this charge: Run to the regiment
Of both th' Aiaces, and call Both, for both were better here,
Since here will slaughter, instantly; be more enforc't then there.
The Lycian Captaines this way make, who in the fights of stand,
Haue often shew'd much excellence: yet if laborious hand
Be there more needfull then I hope, at least afford vs some,
Let Aiax Telamonius, and th' Archer Teucer come.

The Herald hasted, and arriu'd; and both th' Aiaces told,
That Peteus noble sonne desir'd, their little labour would
Employ it selfe in succouring him. Both their supplies were best,
Since death assaild his quarter most: for on it fiercely prest
The well-prou'd mightie Lycian Chiefs. Yet if the seruice there
Allowd not both, he praid that one, part of his charge would beare,
And that was Aiax Telamon, with whom he wisht would come,
The Archer Teucer. Telamon, left instantly his roome

167

To strong Lycomedes, and will'd, Aiax Oiliades
With him to make vp his supply, and fill with courages
The Grecian hearts till his returne, which should be instantly
When he had well relieu'd his friend. With this, the companie
Of Teucer he tooke to his aide: Teucer, that did descend
(As Aiax did) from Telamon: with these two did attend
Pandion, that bore Teucers bow. When to Menestheus towre
They came, alongst the wall; they found, him, and his heartned powre
Toyling in making strong their fort. The Lycian Princes set
Blacke whirlwind-like, with both their powers, vpon the Parapet.
Aiax, and all, resisted them. Clamor amongst them rose:
The slaughter, Aiax led; who first, the last deare sight did close
Of strong Epicles, that was friend, to Ioues great Lycian sonne.
Amongst the high munition heape, a mightie marble stone
Lay highest, neare the Pinnacle; a stone of such a paise,
That one of this times strongest men, with both hands, could not raise:
Yet this did Aiax rowse, and throw; and all in sherds did driue
Epicles foure-topt caske and skull; who (as ye see one diue
In some deepe riuer) left his height; life left his bones withall.

Teucer shot Glaucus (rushing vp, yet higher on the wall)

Glaucus wounded by Teucer.

Where naked he discernd his arme, and made him steale retreat
From that hote seruice; lest some Greeke, with an insulting threat,
(Beholding it) might fright the rest. Sarpedon much was grieu'd,
At Glaucus parting, yet fought on; and his great heart relieu'd

Sarpedon reuengeth Glaucus.

A little with Alcmaons blood, surnam'd Thestorides,
Whose life he hurld out with his lance; which following through the prease,
He drew from him. Downe from the towre, Alcmaon dead it strooke;
His faire armes ringing out his death. Then fierce Sarpedon tooke
In his strong hand the battlement, and downe he tore it quite:
The wall stript naked, and brode way, for entrie and full fight,
He made the many. Against him, Aiax and Teucer made;
Teucer, the rich belt on his breast, did with a shaft inuade:
But Iupiter auerted death; who would not see his sonne
Die at the tailes of th' Achiue ships. Aiax did fetch his run,
And (with his lance) strooke through the targe, of that braue Lycian king;
Yet kept he it from further passe; nor did it any thing
Dismay his mind, although his men, stood off from that high way,
His valour made them; which he kept, and hop't that stormie day
Should euer make his glorie cleare. His mens fault thus he blam'd;
O Lycians, why are your hote spirits, so quickly disinflam'd?

Sarpedon to his souldiers.

Suppose me ablest of you all: tis hard for me alone,
To ruine such a wall as this; and make Confusion,
Way to their Nauie; lend your hands. What many can dispatch
One cannot thinke: the noble worke, of many, hath no match.

πλεονωνδε τον εγον αμεινον.

The wise kings iust rebuke did strike, a reuerence to his will
Through all his souldiers; all stood in; and gainst all th' Achiues still
Made strong their Squadrons; insomuch, that to the aduerse side
The worke shewd mightie; and the wall, when twas within descride,

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No easie seruice; yet the Greeks, could neither free their wall,
Of these braue Lycians, that held firme, the place they first did skale:
Nor could the Lycians from their fort, the sturdie Grecians driue,
Nor reach their fleet. But as two men, about the limits striue

Admiranda & pene inimitabilis comparatio (saith Spond.) and yet in the explication of it, he thinkes all superfluous but three words, ολιγω ενι χωρω exiguo in loco leauing out other words more expressiue with his old rule, vno pede. &c.

Of land that toucheth in a field; their measures in their hands,
They mete their parts out curiously, and either stiffely stands,
That so farre is his right in law; both hugely set on fire
About a passing little ground: so greedily aspire
Both these foes, to their seuerall ends; and all exhaust their most
About the verie battlements (for yet no more was lost.)

With sword, and fire they vext for them, their targes hugely round,
With Oxehides lin'd; and bucklers light, and many a ghastly wound
The sterne steele gaue, for that one prise; whereof though some receiu'd
Their portions on their naked backs; yet others were bereau'd
Of braue liues, face-turnd, through their shields: towres, bulwarks euery where
Were freckled with the blood of men; nor yet the Greeks did beare
Base back-turnd faces; nor their foes, would therefore be outfac't.

A simile superior to the other, in which, comparing mightiest things with meanest, & the meanest illustrating the mightiest: both meeting in one end of this lifes preseruatiō, and credit: our Hom is beyond comparison and admiration.

But as a Spinster poore and iust, ye sometimes see strait lac't
About the weighing of her web, who (carefull) hauing charge,
For which, she would prouide some meanes, is loth to be too large
In giuing, or in taking weight; but euer with her hand,
Is doing with the weights and wooll, till Both in iust paise stand:
So euenly stood it with these foes, till Ioue to Hector gaue
The turning of the skoles; who first, against the rampire draue;
And spake so lowd that all might heare: O stand not at the pale
(Braue Troian friends) but mend your hands: vp, and breake through the wall,

Hector to the Troians.

And make a bonfire of their fleet. All heard, and all in heapes
Got skaling ladders, and aloft. In meane space, Hector leapes
Vpon the port, from whose out-part, he tore a massie stone
Thicke downwards, vpward edg'd; it was so huge an one
That two vast

δυ αινερε δημου duo viri plebei.

yoemen of most strength (such as these times beget)
Could not from earth lift to a Cart: yet he did brandish it,
Alone (Saturnius made it light:) and swinging it as nought,
He came before the plankie gates, that all for strength were wrought,
And kept the Port: two fold they were, and with two rafters bard;
High, and strong lockt: he raisd the stone, bent to the hurle so hard,
And made it with so maine a strength, that all the gates did cracke;
The rafters left them, and the folds one from another brake:
The hinges peece-meale flew, and through, the feruent little rocke
Thundred a passage; with his weight, th' inwall his breast did knocke:
And in rusht Hector, fierce and grimme, as any stormie night;
His brasse armes, round about his breast, reflected terrible light.
Each arme held vp, held each a dart: his presence cald vp all
The dreadfull spirits his Being held, that to the threatned wall
None but the Gods might checke his way: his eyes were furnaces;
And thus he look't backe, cald in all: all fir'd their courages,
And in they flow'd: the Grecians fled, their fleet now, and their freight
Askt all their rescue: Greece went downe, Tumult was at his height.

The end of the twelfth Booke.

169

THE XIII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Neptune (in pittie of the Greeks hard plight)
Like Calchas, both th' Aiaces, doth excite
And others; to repell, the charging foe.
Idomeneus, brauely doth bestow
His kingly forces; and doth sacrifice
Othryoneus to the Destinies;
With diuers other. Faire Deiphobus,
And his prophetique brother Hellenus
Are wounded. But the great Priamides,
(Gathering his forces) hartens their addresse
Against the enemie; and then, the field,
A mightie death, on either side doth yeeld.

Another Argument.

The Greeks with Troyes bold powre dismaide,
Are chear'd by Neptunes secret aide.

Ioue helping Hector, and his host; thus close to th' Achiue fleet,
He let thē then their own strēgths try; & season there their sweet
With ceaslesse toils, and grieuances. For now he turnd his face,
Lookt down, & viewd the far-off land, of welrode mē in Thrace.
Of the renown'd milk-nourisht men, the Hippemolgians,
Long-liu'd; most iust, and innocent. And close-fought Mysians:
Nor turnd he any more to Troy, his euer-shining eyes:
Because he thought, not any one, of all the Deities;
(When his care left th' indifferent field) would aide on either side.
But this securitie in Ioue, the great Sea-Rector spide,
Who sate aloft, on th' vtmost top, of shadie Samothrace,
And viewd the fight. His chosen seate, stood in so braue a place,

Neptunes prospect.

That Priams cittie, th' Achiue ships, all Ida did appeare,
To his full view; who from the sea, was therefore seated there.
He tooke much ruth, to see the Greeks, by Troy, sustaine such ill,
And (mightily incenst with Ioue) stoopt strait from that steepe hill;
That shooke as he flew off: so hard, his parting prest the height.
The woods, and all the great hils neare, trembled beneath the weight
Of his immortall mouing feet: three steps he onely tooke,
Before he far-off Ægas reacht; but with the fourth, it shooke
With his drad entrie. In the depth, of those seas, he did hold
His bright and glorious pallace built, of neuer-rusting gold;
And there arriu'd, he put in Coach, his brazen-footed steeds,

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The horse of Neptune.

All golden man'd, and pac't with wings; and all in golden weeds
He cloth'd himselfe. The golden scourge, (most elegantly done)
He tooke, and mounted to his seate: and then the God begun
To driue his chariot through the waues. From whirlepits euery way
The whales exulted vnder him, and knew their king: the Sea
For ioy did open; and his horse, so swift, and lightly flew:
The vnder-axeltree of Brasse, no drop of water drew.
And thus, these deathlesse Coursers brought, their king to th' Achiue ships.

Twixt th' Imber Cliffs, and Tenedos, a certaine Cauerne creepes

Chorographia.

Into the deepe seas gulphie breast, and there th' earth-shaker staid
His forward steeds: tooke them from coach, and heauenly fodder laid
In reach before them. Their brasse houes, he girt with giues of gold
Not to be broken, nor dissolu'd; to make them firmely hold
A fit attendance on their king. Who went to th' Achiue host,

Neptune goes to the Greekes.

Which (like to tempests, or wild flames) the clustring Troians tost;
Insatiably valourous, in Hectors like command;
High sounding, and resounding shouts: for Hope chear'd euery hand
To make the Greek fleete now their prise, and all the Greeks destroy.
But Neptune (circler of the earth) with fresh heart did employ
The Grecian hands. In strength of voice, and body, he did take
Calchas resemblance, and (of all) th' Aiaces first bespake;

Neptune to the two Aiaces.

Who of themselues were free enough: Aiaces? you alone
Sustaine the common good of Greece, in euer putting on
The memorie of Fortitude: and flying shamefull Flight.
Elsewhere, the desperate hands of Troy, could giue me no affright,
The braue Greeks haue withstood their worst: but this our mightie wall
Being thus transcended by their powre; graue Feare doth much appall
My carefull spirits, lest we feele, some fatall mischiefe here;
Where Hector raging like a flame, doth in his charge appeare,
And boasts himselfe the best Gods sonne. Be you conceited so,
And fire so, more then humane spirits; that God may seeme to do
In your deeds: and with such thoughts chear'd, others to such exhort,
And such resistance: these great minds, will in as great a sort,
Strengthen your bodies, and force checke, to all great Hectors charge,
Though nere so spirit-like; and though Ioue still, (past himselfe) enlarge
His sacred actions. Thus he toucht, with his forckt scepters point
The brests of both; fild both their spirits, and made vp euery ioynt

Simile.

With powre responsiue: when hawk-like, swift, and set sharpe to flie,
That fiercely stooping from a rocke, inaccessible, and hie,
Cuts through a field, and sets a fowle, (not being of her kind)
Hard, and gets ground still: Neptune so, left these two; eithers mind
Beyond themselues raisd. Of both which, Oileus first discern'd

Aiax Oileus to Aiax Telamonius.

The masking Deitie: and said, Aiax? some God hath warn'd
Our powres to fight, and saue our fleet. He put on him the hew
Of th' Augure Calchas: by his pace (in leauing vs) I knew
(Without all question) twas a God: the Gods are easly knowne:
And in my tender brest I feele, a greater spirit blowne,
To execute affaires of fight: I find my hands so free

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To all high motion; and my feete, seeme featherd vnder me.

The two Aiaces to one another.

This, Telamonius thus receiu'd: So, to my thoughts, my hands
Burne with desire to tosse my lance; each foote beneath me stands
Bare on bright fire, to vse his speed: my heart is raisd so hie,
That to encounter Hectors selfe, I long insatiately.

While these thus talkt, as, ouer-ioyd, with studie for the fight,
(Which God had stird vp in their spirits) the same God did excite
The Greekes that were behind at fleet, refreshing their free hearts
And ioynts; being euen dissolu'd with toyle: and (seeing the desprate parts
Playd by the Troians, past their wall) Griefe strooke them; and their eyes
Sweat teares from vnder their sad lids: their instant destinies
Neuer supposing they could scape. But Neptune stepping in,
With ease stird vp the able troopes; and did at first begin
With Teucer, and Peneleus; th' Heroe Leitus;
Deipirus, Meriones, and yong Antilochus;
All expert in the deeds of armes: O youths of Greece (said he)

Neptune to the Greekes.

What change is this? In your braue fight, I onely lookt to see
Our fleets whole safetie; and if you, neglect the harmefull field;
Now shines the day, when Greece to Troy, must all her honours yeeld.
O griefe! so great a miracle, and horrible to sight,
As now I see; I neuer thought, could haue prophan'd the light:
The Troians braue vs at our ships, that haue bene heretofore,
Like faint and fearefull Deare in woods; distracted euermore
With euerie sound: and yet scape not, but proue the torne-vp fare
Of Lynces, Wolues, and Leopards; as neuer borne to warre:
Nor durst these Troians at first siege, in any least degree,
Expect your strength; or stand one shocke, of Grecian Chiualrie.
Yet now, farre from their walles they dare, fight at our fleet maintaine;
All by our Generals cowardise, that doth infect his men;
Who (still at ods with him) for that, will needs themselues neglect;
And suffer Slaughter in their ships. Suppose there was defect
(Beyond all question) in our king, to wrong Æacides;
And he, for his particular wreake, from all assistance cease:
We must not ceasse t'assist our selues. Forgiue our Generall then;

Good minded men apt to forgiue.

And quickly too: apt to forgiue, are all good minded men.
Yet you (quite voide of their good minds) giue good, in you quite lost,
For ill in others: though ye be, the worthiest of your host.
As old as I am, I would scorne, to fight with one that flies,
Or leaues the fight, as you do now. The Generall slothfull lies,
And you (though sloughtfull to) maintaine, with him, a fight of splene.
Out, out, I hate ye from my heart; ye rotten minded men.
In this, ye adde an ill thats worse, then all your sloths dislikes.
But as I know, to all your hearts, my reprehension strikes;
So thither let iust shame strike to; for while you stand still here,
A mightie fight swarms at your fleete, great Hector rageth there,
Hath burst the long barre and the gates. Thus Neptune rowsd these men;
And round about th' Aiaces did, their Phalanxes maintaine,
Their station firme; whom Mars himselfe, (had he amongst them gone)

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Could not disparage; nor Ioues Maide, that sets men fiercer on:
For now the best were chosen out, and they receiu'd th' aduance
Of Hector and his men so full, that lance, was lin'd with lance;
Shields, thickned with opposed shields; targets to targets nail'd:
Helmes stucke to helmes; and man to man, grew; they so close assail'd:
Plum'd caskes, were hang'd in eithers plumes: all ioyn'd so close their stands;
Their lances stood, thrust out so thicke, by such all-daring hands.
All bent their firme brests to the point; and made sad fight their ioy
Of both: Troy all in heapes strooke first, and Hector first of Troy.
And as a round peece of a rocke, which with a winters flood

Simile.

Is from his top torne; when a showre, powr'd from a bursten cloud,
Hath broke the naturall bond it held, within the rough steepe rocke;
And iumping, it flies downe the woods, resounding euerie shocke;
And on, vncheckt, it headlong leapes, till in a plaine it stay:
And then (though neuer so impeld) it stirs not any way.
So Hector, hereto throated threats, to go to sea in blood,
And reach the Grecian ships and tents; without being once withstood:
But when he fell into the strengths, the Grecians did maintaine,
And that they fought vpon the square, he stood as fetterd then.
And so, the aduerse sons of Greece, laid on with swords and darts,
(Whose both ends hurt) that they repeld, his worst; and he conuerts
His threats, by all meanes, to retreats; yet, made as he retir'd
Onely t'encourage those behind; and thus those men inspir'd:

Troians? Dardanians? Lycians? all warlike friends, stand close;

Hector to his friends.

The Greeks can neuer beare me long, though towre-like they oppose;
This lance (be sure) will be their spoile: if, euen the best of Gods,
(High-thundring Iunos husband) stirres, my spirite with true abodes.

With this, all strengths and minds he mou'd; but yong Deiphobus,

Deiphobus his valor.

(Old Priams sonne) amongst them all, was chiefly vertuous.
He bore before him his round shield; tript lightly through the prease,
At all parts couerd with his shield: And him Meriones
Charg'd with a glittring dart, that tooke, his bul-hide orbie shield,
Yet pierc't it not, but in the top, it selfe did peecemeale yeeld.

Deiphobus thrust forth his targe, and fear'd the broken ends
Of strong Meriones his lance, who now turnd to his friends;
The great Heroe, scorning much, by such a chance to part
With lance and conquest: forth he went, to fetch another dart
Left at his tent. The rest fought on, the Clamor heightned there

Teucers valor.

Was most vnmeasur'd; Teucer first, did flesh the Massacre,
And slue a goodly man at armes, the souldier Imbrius,
The sonne of Mentor, rich in horse; he dwelt at Pedasus
Before the sonnes of Greece sieg'd Troy; from whence he married
Medesicasté, one that sprung, of Priams bastard bed.
But when the Greeke ships, (double oar'd) arriu'd at Ilion,
To Ilion he returnd, and prou'd, beyond comparison
Amongst the Troians; he was lodg'd, with Priam, who held deare
His naturall sonnes no more then him; yet him, beneath the eare
The sonne of Telamon attain'd, and drew his lance. He fell

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As when, an Ash on some hils top, (it selfe topt wondrous well)

Simile.

The steele bewes downe, and he presents, his young leaues to the soyle:
So fell he, and his faire armes gron'd; which Teucer long'd to spoyle,
And in he ranne; and Hector in, who sent a shining lance
At Teucer; who (beholding it) slipt by, and gaue it chance
On Actors sonne Amphimachus, whose breast it strooke; and in
Flew Hector, at his sounding fall, with full intent to win
The tempting helmet from his head; but Aiax with a dart,
Reacht Hector at his rushing in, yet toucht not any part
About his bodie; it was hid, quite through with horrid brasse;
The bosse yet of his targe it tooke, whose firme stuffe staid the passe,
And he turnd safe from both the trunks: both which the Grecians bore
From off the field; Amphimachus, Menestheus did restore,
And Stichius, to th' Achaian strength: th' Aiaces (that were pleasd
Still most, with most hote seruices) on Troian Imbrius seasd:
And, as from sharply-bitten hounds, a brace of Lions force

Simile.

A new slaine Goate; and through the woods, beare in their iawes the corse
Aloft, lift vp into the aire: so, vp, into the skies
Bore both th' Aiaces, Imbrius; and made his armes their prise.

Yet (not content) Oileades, enrag'd, to see there dead
His much belou'd Amphimachus; he hewd off Imbrius head,
Which (swinging round) bowle-like he tost, amongst the Troian prease,
And full at Hectors feete it fell. Amphimachus decease
(Being nephew to the God of waues) much vext the Deities mind;
And to the ships and tents he marcht: yet more, to make inclinde
The Grecians, to the Troian bane. In hasting to which end,
Idomeneus met with him, returning from a friend,
Whose hamme late hurt, his men brought off; and hauing giuen command
To his Physitians for his cure, (much fir'd to put his hand
To Troyes repulse) he lef this tent. Him (like Andremons sonne,
Prince Thoas, that in Pleuron rulde, and loftie Calidon,
Th' Ætolian powres; and like a God, was of his subiects lou'd)
Neptune encountred: and but thus, his forward spirit mou'd.

Idomeneus, Prince of Crete? O whither now are fled

Neptune to Idomen

Those threats in thee, with which the rest, the Troians menaced?

O Thoas (he replide) no one, of all our host, stands now
In any question of reproofe (as I am let to know)
And why is my intelligence false? We all know how to fight,
And (Feare disanimating none) all do our knowledge right.
Nor can our harmes accuse our sloth; not one from worke we misse:
The great God onely workes our ill, whose pleasure now it is,
That farre from home, in hostile fields, and with inglorious fate,
Some Greeks should perish. But do thou, O Thoas (that of late
Hast prou'd a souldier, and was wont, where thou hast Sloth beheld,
To chide it, and exhort to paines) now hate to be repeld,
And set on all men. He replied, I would to heauen, that he
Who euer this day doth abstaine, from battell willinglie,
May neuer turne his face from Troy, but here become the prey

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And skorne of dogs. Come then, take armes, and let our kind assay
Ioyne both our forces: though but two, yet being both combinde,
The worke of many single hands, we may performe; we finde
That Vertue coaugmented thriues, in men of little minde:
But we, haue singly, matcht the great. This said, the God again
(With all his conflicts) visited, the ventrous fight of men.
The king turnd to his tent; rich armes, put on his brest, and toooke
Two darts in hand, and forth he flew; his haste on made him looke
Much like a fierie Meteor, with which, Ioues sulphrie hand
Opes heauen, and hurles about the aire, bright flashes, showing aland
Abodes; that euer run before, tempest, and plagues to men:
So, in his swift pace, shew'd his armes: he was encountred then
By his good friend Meriones, yet neare his tent; to whom
Thus spake the powre of Idomen: What reason makes thee come,
(Thou sonne of Molus, my most lou'd) thus leauing fight alone?
Is't for some wound? the Iauelins head, (still sticking in the bone)
Desir'st thou ease of? Bring'st thou newes? or what is it that brings
Thy presence hither? Be assur'd, my spirite needs no stings
To this hote conflict. Of my selfe, thou seest I come; and loth
For any tents loue, to deserue, the hatefull taint of Sloth.

He answerd, Onely for a dart, he that retreat did make,
(Were any left him at his tent:) for, that he had, he brake
On proud Deiphobus his shield. Is one dart all? (said he)
Take one and twentie, if thou like, for in my tent they be;
They stand there shining by the walls: I tooke them as my prise
From those false Troians I haue slaine. And this is not the guise
Of one that loues his tent, or fights, afarre off with his foe:
But since I loue fight, therefore doth, my martiall starre bestow
(Besides those darts) helmes, targets bost, and corslets, bright as day.

So I (said Merion) at my tent, and sable barke, may say,
I many Troian spoiles retaine: but now, not neare they be,
To serue me for my present vse; and therefore aske I thee.
Not that I lacke a fortitude, to store me with my owne:
For euer in the formost fights, that render men renowne,
I fight, when any fight doth stirre: and this perhaps, may well
Be hid to others, but thou know'st, and I to thee appeale.

I know (replide the king) how much, thou weigh'st in euerie worth,
What needst thou therefore vtter this? If we should now chuse forth
The worthiest men for ambushes, in all our fleet and host:
(For ambushes are seruices, that trie mens vertues most;
Since there, the fearefull and the firme, will, as they are, appeare:
The fearefull altering still his hue, and rests not any where;
Nor is his spirit capable, of th' ambush constancie,
But riseth, changeth still his place, and croucheth curiously
On his bent hanches; halfe his height, scarce seene aboue the ground,
For feare to be seene, yet must see: his heart with many a bound,
Offring to leape out of his breast, and (euer fearing death)
The coldnesse of it makes him gnash, and halfe shakes out his teeth.

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Where men of valour, neither feare, nor euer change their lookes,
From lodging th' ambush till it rise: buut since there must be strokes,
Wish to be quickly in their midst:) thy strength and hand in these,
Who should reproue? For if, farre off, or fighting in the prease,
Thou shouldst be wounded, I am sure, the dart that gaue the wound
Should not be drawne out of thy backe, or make thy necke the ground;
But meete thy bellie, or thy breast; in thrusting further yet
When thou art furthest, till the first, and before him thou get.
But on; like children, let not vs, stand bragging thus, but do;
Lest some heare, and past measure chide, that we stand still and wooe.
Go, chuse a better dart, and make, Mars yeeld a better chance.

This said, Mars-swift Meriones, with haste, a brazen lance
Tooke from his tent; and ouertooke (most carefull of the wars)
Idomeneus. And such two, in field, as harmfull Mars,
And Terror, his beloued sonne, that without terror fights;
And is of such strength, that in warre, the frighter he affrights;
When, out of Thrace, they both take armes, against th' Ephyran bands;
Or gainst the great-soul'd Phlegians: nor fauour their owne hands,
But giue the grace to others still. In such sort to the fight,
Marcht these two managers of men; in armours full of light.

And first spake Merion: On which part, (sonne of Deucalion)
Serues thy mind to inuade the fight? is't best to set vpon
The Troians in our battels aide, the right or left-hand wing,
For all parts I suppose employd. To this the Cretan king,
Thus answerd: In our nauies midst, are others that assist,
The two Aiaces, Teucer too; with shafts, the expertest
Of all the Grecians, and though small, is great in fights of stand.
And these (though huge he be of strengh) will serue to fill the hand
Of Hectors selfe, that Priamist, that studier for blowes:
It shall be cald a deed of height, for him (euen suffring throwes
For knocks still) to out labour them: and (bettring their tough hands)
Enflame our fleet: if Ioue himselfe, cast not his fier-brands
Amongst our nauie; that affaire, no man can bring to field:
Great Aiax Telamonius, to none aliue will yeeld,
That yeelds to death; and whose life takes, Ceres nutritions
That can be cut with any iron, or pasht with mightie stones.
Not to Æacides himselfe, he yeelds for combats set,
Though cleare he must giue place for pace, and free swinge of his feete.
Since then, the battell (being our place, of most care) is made good
By his high valour; let our aid, see all powres be withstood,
That charge the left wing: and to that, let vs direct our course,
Where quickly, feele we this hote foe, or make him feele our force.

This orderd; swift-Meriones, went, and forewent his king;
Till both arriu'd, where one enioynd: when in the Greeks left wing,
The Troians saw the Cretan king, like fire in fortitude;
And his attendant in bright armes, so gloriously indude,
Both chearing the sinister troopes: all at the king addrest,
And so the skirmish at their sternes, on both parts were increast:

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Simile.

That, as from hollow bustling winds, engenderd stormes arise,
When dust doth chiefly clog the waies, which vp into the skies
The wanton tempest rauisheth; begetting Night of Day;
So came together both the foes: both lusted to assay,
And worke with quicke steele, eithers death. Mans fierce Corruptresse Fight
Set vp her bristles in the field, with lances long and light,
Which thicke, fell foule on eithers face: the splendor of the steele,
In new skowrd curets, radiant caskes, and burnisht shields, did seele
Th' assailers eyes vp. He sustaind, a huge spirit that was glad
To see that labour, or in soule, that stood not stricken sad.

Thus these two disagreeing Gods, old Saturns mightie sonnes,
Afflicted these heroique men, with huge oppressions.
Ioue honouring Æacides, (to let the Greeks still trie
Their want without him) would bestow, (yet still) the victorie
On Hector, and the Troian powre; yet for Æacides,
And honor of his mother Queene, great Goddesse of the seas,
He would not let proude Ilion see, the Grecians quite destroid:
And therefore, from the hoarie deepe, he sufferd so imploid
Great Neptune in the Grecian aid; who grieu'd for them, and storm'd
Extremely at his brother Ioue. Yet both, one Goddesse form'd,
And one soile bred: but Iupiter, precedence tooke in birth,
And had more

The Empire of Ioue exceeded Neptunes (saith Pluto vpon this place) because he was more ancient, and excellent in knowledg and wisedome. And vpon this verse, viz.αλλα Ζευς προτερος, &c. sets downe this his most worthy to be noted opinion: viz. I thinke also that the blessednesse of eternall life, which God enioyes is this: that by any past time he forgets not notions presently apprehended; for other wise the knowledge & vnderstāding of things taken away; Immortality shold not be life, but Time, &c. Plut. de Iside & Osiride.

knowledge: for which cause, the other came not forth
Of his wet kingdome, but with care, of not being seene t'excite
The Grecian host, and like a man, appeard, and made the fight.
So these Gods made mens valours great; but equald them with warre
As harmefull, as their hearts were good; and stretcht those chaines as farre
On both sides as their lims could beate: in which they were inuolu'd
Past breach, or loosing; that their knees, might therefore be dissolu'd.
Then, though a halfe-gray man he were, Cretes soueraigne did excite
The Greeks to blowes; and flew vpon, the Troians, euen to flight:
For he, in sight of all the host, Othryoneus slew,
That from Cabesus, with the fame, of those warres, thither drew
His new-come forces, and requir'd, without respect of dowre,
Cassandra, fair'st of Priams race; assuring with his powre,
A mightie labour: to expell, in their despite from Troy
The sons of Greece. The king did vow, (that done) he should enioy
His goodliest daughter. He, (in trust, of that faire purchase) fought,
And at him threw the Cretan king, a lance, that singl'd out
This great assumer; whom it strooke, iust in his nauils stead;
His brazen curets helping nought, resignd him to the dead.
Then did the conquerour exclaime, and thus insulted then:

Othryoneus, I will praise, beyond all mortall men,
Thy liuing vertues; if thou wilt, now perfect the braue vow
Thou mad'st to Priam, for the wife, he promisd to bestow.
And where he should haue kept his word, there we assure thee here,

Idomens insultation on Othryoneus.

To giue thee for thy Princely wife, the fairest, and most deare,
Of our great Generals femall race, which from his Argiue hall,
We all will waite vpon to Troy; if with our aids, and all,

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Thou wilt but race this well-built towne. Come therefore, follow me,
That in our ships, we may conclude, this royall match with thee:
Ile be no iote worse then my word. With that he tooke his feete,
And dragg'd him through the feruent fight; In which, did Asius meete
The victor, to inflict reuenge. He came on foote before
His horse, that on his shoulders breath'd; so closely euermore
His coachman led them to his Lord: who held a huge desire
To strike the King, but he strooke first; and vnderneath his chin,

Asius slaine.

At his throats height, through th' other side, his eager lance draue in;
And downe he busl'd, like an Oake, a Poplar, or a Pine,
Hewne downe for shipwood, and so lay: his fall did so decline
The spirit of his chariotere; that lest he should incense
The victor to empaire his spoile, he durst not driue from thence
His horse and chariot: and so pleasd, with that respectiue part
Antilochus, that for his feare, he reacht him with a dart,

Antilochus slaughters the chariotere of Asius.

About his bellies midst; and downe, his sad corse fell beneath
The richly-builded chariot, there labouring out his breath.
The horse Antilochus tooke off; when, (grieu'd for this euent)
Deiphobus drew passing neare, and at the victor sent
A shining Iauelin; which he saw, and shund; with gathring round

Deiphobus at Antilochus, and kils Hypsenor.

His body, in his all-round shield; at whose top, with a sound,
It ouerflew; yet seising there, it did not idlely flie
From him that wing'd it; his strong hand, still draue it mortally
On Prince Hypsenor; it did pierce, his liuer, vnderneath
The veines it passeth: his shrunke knees, submitted him to death.
And then did lou'd-Deiphobus, miraculously vant:
Now Asius lies not vnreueng'd, nor doth his spirit want

Deiphobus his Braue.

The ioy I wish it; though it be, now entring the strong gate
Of mightie Pluto: since this hand, hath sent him downe a mate.

This glorie in him grieu'd the Greeks, and chiefly the great mind
Of martiall Antilochus; who, (though to griefe inclind)
He left not yet his friend, but ran, and hid him with his shield;
And to him came two louely friends, that freed him from the field:
Mecisteus, sonne of Echius; and the right nobly borne
Alastor, bearing him to fleet, and did extremely mourne.

Idomeneus suncke not yet, but held his nerues entire;
His mind much lesse deficient, being fed with firme desire
To hide more Troians in dim night, or sinke himselfe, in guard
Of his lou'd countrimen. And then, Alcathous prepar'd
Worke for his valour; offring fate, his owne destruction.
A great Heroe, and had grace, to be the loued sonne
Of Æsietes, sonne in law, to Prince Æneas Sire;
Hippodamia marrying: who most enflam'd the fire
Of her deare parents loue; and tooke, precedence in her birth,
Of all their daughters; and as much, exceeded in her worth
(For beautie answerd with her mind; and both, with housewiferie)
All the faire beautie of young Dames, that vsde her companie;
And therefore (being the worthiest Dame) the worthiest man did wed

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Of ample Troy. Him Neptune stoopt, beneath the royall force
Of Idomen; his sparkling eyes, deluding; and the course
Of his illustrious lineaments, so, out of nature bound,
That backe, nor forward, he could stirre: but (as he grew to ground
Stood like a pillar, or high tree, and neither mou'd, nor fear'd:
When strait the royall Cretans dart, in his mid breast appear'd;
It brake the curets that were proofe, to euerie other dart,
Yet now they cleft and rung; the lance, stucke shaking in his heart:
His heart with panting made it shake. But Mars did now remit
The greatnesse of it, and the king, now quitting the bragge fit
Of glorie in Deiphobus, thus terribly exclam'd:

Idomeneus to Deiphobus.

Deiphobus, now may we thinke, that we are euenly fam'd,
That three for one haue sent to Dis. But come, change blowes with me,
Thy vaunts for him thou slew'st were vaine: Come wretch, that thou maist see
What issue Ioue hath; Ioue begot, Minos, the strength of Crete:
Minos begot Deucalion; Deucalion did beget
Me Idomen now Cretas king, that here my ships haue brought,
To bring thy selfe, thy father, friends, all Ilions pompe to nought.

Deiphobus at two wayes stood, in doubt to call some one
(With some retreat) to be his aide, or trie the chance alone.
At last, the first seem'd best to him; and backe he went to call,
Anchises sonne to friend; who stood, in troope the last of all,

Æneas angrie being euer disgraced by Priā.

Where still he seru'd: which made him still, incense against the king,
That, being amongst his best, their Peere, he grac't not any thing
His wrong'd deserts. Deiphobus, spake to him, standing neare:

To him Deiphobus.

Æneas? Prince of Troians? if any touch appeare
Of glorie in thee: thou must now, assist thy sisters Lord,
And one, that to thy tendrest youth, did carefull guard afford,
Alcathous, whom Cretas king, hath chiefly slaine to thee;
His right most challenging thy hand: come therefore follow me.

This much excited his good mind, and set his heart on fire,
Against the Cretan: who child-like, dissolu'd not in his ire,

Simile.

But stood him firme: As when, in hils, a strength-relying Bore,
Alone, and hearing hunters come (whom Tumult flies before)
Vp thrusts his bristles, whets his tusks, sets fire on his red eyes,
And in his braue-prepar'd repulse, doth dogs and men despise.
So stood the famous for his lance; nor shund the coming charge
That resolute Æneas brought; yet (since the ods was large)
He cald, with good right, to his aide, war-skild Ascalaphus,

Idomeneus cals his friends to aid

Aphareus, Meriones, the strong Deipyrus,
And Nestors honorable sonne: Come neare, my friends (said he)
And adde your aids to me alone: Feare taints me worthilie,
Though firme I stand, and shew it not: Æneas great in fight,

Æneas yet a youth as Virgil makes him.

And one, that beares youth in his flowre, (that beares the greatest might
Comes on, with aime, direct at me: had I his youthfull lim
To beare my mind, he should yeeld Fame, or I would yeeld it him.

This said, all held, in many soules, one readie helpfull mind,
Clapt shields and shoulders, and stood close. Æneas (not inclind

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With more presumption then the king) cald aid as well as he:
Diuine Agenor; Hellens loue; who followd instantly,
And all their forces following them: as after Bellwethers
The whole flocks follow to their drinke; which sight the shepheard cheres.
Nor was Æneas ioy lesse mou'd, to see such troopes attend
His honord person; and all these, fought close about his friend.
But two of them, past all the rest, had strong desire to shed
The blood of either; Idomen, and Cythereas seed.

Æneas and Idomeneus in conflict.

Æneas first bestowd his lance, which th' other seeing, shund;
And that (throwne from an idle hand) stucke trembling in the ground.
But Idomens (discharg'd at him) had no such vaine successe,
Which Oenomaus entrailes found, in which it did impresse
His sharpe pile to his fall: his palms, tore his returning earth.
Idomeneus strait stept in, and pluckt his Iauelin forth,
But could not spoile his goodly armes, they prest him so with darts.
And now the long toile of the fight, had spent his vigorous parts,
And made them lesse apt to auoid, the foe that should aduance;
Or (when himselfe aduanc't againe) to run and fetch his lance.
And therefore in stiffe fights of stand, he spent the cruell day:
When (coming softly from the slaine) Deiphobus gaue way
To his brght Iauelin at the king, whom he could neuer brooke;
But then he lost his enuie too: his lance yet, deadly, tooke

Ascalaphus the sonne of Mars slaine by Æneas

Ascalaphus, the sonne of Mars; quite through his shoulder flew
The violent head, and downe he fell. Nor yet by all meanes knew
Wide throated Mars, his sonne was falne: but in Olympus top
Sad canapied with golden clouds. Ioues counsell had shut vp
Both him, and all the other Gods, from that times equall taske,
Which now about Ascalaphus, Strife set; his shining caske
Deiphobus had forc't from him: but instantly leapt in
Mars-swift Meriones, and strooke, with his long Iauelin,
The right arme of Deiphobus, which made his hand let fall

Deiphobus woūded by Meriones.

The sharp-topt helmet; the prest earth, resounding therewithall.
When, Vulture-like, Meriones, rusht in againe, and drew
(From out the low part of his arme) his Iauelin, and then flew
Backe to his friends. Deiphobus (faint with the bloods excesse
Falne from his wound) was carefully, conuaid out of the preasse
By his kind brother, by both sides, (Polites) till they gat
His horse and chariot, that were still, set fit for his retreate;
And bore him now to Ilion. The rest, fought fiercely on,
And set a mightie fight on foote. When next, Anchises sonne,
Aphareus Caletorides (that ran vpon him) strooke
Iust in the throate with his keene lance, and strait his head forsooke
His vpright cariage; and his shield, his helme, and all with him,
Fell to the earth: where ruinous death, made prise of euerie lim.

Antilochus (discouering well, that Thoons heart tooke checke)
Let flie, and cut the hollow veine, that runs vp to his necke,
Along his backe part, quite in twaine: downe in the dust he fell,
Vpwards, and with extended hands, bad all the world farewell.

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Antilochus rusht nimbly in; and (looking round) made prise
Of his faire armes; in which affaire, his round set enemies
Let flie their lances; thundering, on his aduanced targe,
But could not get his flesh: the God, that shakes the earth, tooke charge
Of Nestors sonne, and kept him safe: who neuer was away,
But still amongst the thickest foes, his busie lance did play;
Obseruing euer when he might, far-off, or neare, offend;
And watching Asius sonne, in prease, he spide him, and did send
(Close coming on) a dart at him, that smote in midst his shield;
In which, the sharpe head of the lance, the blew-hair'd God made yeeld,
Not pleasd to yeeld his pupils life; in whose shield, halfe the dart
Stucke like a trunchion, burnd with fire; on earth lay th' other part.
He seeing no better end of all, retir'd; in feare of worse;
But him, Meriones pursude; and his lance found full course
To th' others life: it wounded him; betwixt the priuie parts
And nauill; where (to wretched men, that wars most violent smarts
Must vndergo) wounds chiefly vexe. His dart, Meriones,
Pursude, and Adamas so striu'd, with it, and his misease,

Simile.

As doth a Bullocke puffe and storme; whom, in disdained bands,
The vpland heardsmen striue to cast: so (falne beneath the hands
Of his sterne foe) Asiades, did struggle, pant, and raue,
But no long time; for when the lance, was pluckt out, vp he gaue
His tortur'd soule. Then Troys turne came; when with a Thracian sword
The temples of Deipyrus, did Hellenus afford
So huge a blow; it strooke all light, out of his cloudie eyes,
And cleft his helmet; which a Greeke, (there fighting) made his prise,
(It fell so full beneath his feet.) Atrides grieu'd to see
That sight; and (threatning) shooke a lance, at Hellenus; and he
A bow, halfe drew, at him; at once, out flew both shaft and lance:
The shaft, Atrides curets strooke, and farre away did glance:

Hellenus wounded.

Atrides dart, of Hellenus, the thrust out bow-hand strooke,
And through the hand, stucke in the bow; Agenors hand did plucke
From forth the nailed prisoner, the Iauelin quickly out;
And fairely with a little wooll, enwrapping round about
The wounded hand; within a scarffe, he bore it; which his Squire
Had readie for him: yet the wound, would needs he should retire.

Pysander to reuenge his hurt, right on the King ran he;
A bloodie fate suggested him, to let him runne on thee
O

Scopticè.

Menelaus, that he might, by thee, in dangerous warre,
Be done to death. Both coming on, Atrides lance did erre:
Pisander strooke Atrides shield, that brake at point, the dart
Not running through; yet he reioyc't; as playing a victors part.
Atrides (drawing his faire sword) vpon Pisander flew:
Pisander, from beneath his shield, his goodly weapon drew;
Two-edg'd, with right sharpe steele, and long; the handle Oliue tree,
Well polisht; and to blowes they go; vpon the top strooke he
Atrides horse-hair'd-featherd helme; Atrides, on his brow
(Aboue th' extreme part of his nose) laid such a heauie blow,

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That all the bones crasht vnder it, and out his eyes did drop
Before his feete, in bloodie dust; he after, and shrunke vp
His dying bodie: which the foote, of his triumphing foe
Opened; and stood vpon his breast, and off his armes did go:
This insultation vsde the while: At length forsake our fleete,

Menelaus most ridiculous insultation.

(Thus ye false Troians) to whom warre, neuer enough is sweet:
Nor want ye more impieties; with which ye haue abusde
Me, (ye bold dogs) that your chiefe friends, so honourably vsde:
Nor feare you hospitable Ioue, that lets such thunders go:
But build vpon't, he will vnbuild, your towres, that clamber so;
For rauishing my goods, and wife, in flowre of all her yeares,
And without cause; nay when that faire, and liberall hand of hers
Had vsde you so most louingly; and now againe ye would,
Cast fire into our fleet, and kill, our Princes if ye could.
Go too, one day you will be curb'd (though neuer so ye thirst
Rude warre) by warre. O Father Ioue, they say thou art the first
In wisedome, of all Gods and men; yet all this comes from thee;
And still thou gratifiest these men, how lewd so ere they be;
Though neuer they be cloid with sinnes: nor can be satiate
(As good men should) with this vile warre. Satietie of state,
Satietie of sleepe and loue, Satietie of ease,
Of musicke, dancing, can find place; yet harsh warre still must please
Past all these pleasures, euen past these. They will be cloyd with these
Before their warre ioyes: neuer warre, giues Troy satieties.

This said, the bloody armes were off, and to his souldiers throwne,
He mixing in first fight againe: and then Harpalion,
(Kind King Pylemens sonne) gaue charge; who, to those warres of Troy,
His loued father followed; nor euer did enioy
His countries sight againe; he strooke, the targe of Atreus sonne
Full in the midst, his iauelins steele; yet had no powre to runne
The target through: nor had himselfe, the heart to fetch his lance,
But tooke him to his strength, and cast, on eueryside a glance,

Meriones slayes Harpalion.

Lest any his deare sides should dart: but Merion as he fled,
Sent after him a brazen lance, that ranne his eager head,
Through his right hippe, and all along, the bladders region,
Beneath the bone; it settl'd him, and set his spirit gone,
Amongst the hands of his best friends; and like a worme he lay,
Stretcht on the earth; which his blacke blood, embrewd and flow'd away,
His corse the Paphlagonians, did sadly waite vpon
(Reposd in his rich chariot) to sacred Ilion.
The king his father following, dissolu'd in kindly teares,
And no wreake sought for his slaine sonne. But, at his slaughterers
Incensed Paris spent a lance (since he had bene a guest,
To many Paphlagonians) and through the preasse it prest.
There was a certaine Augures sonne, that did for wealth excell,
And yet was honest; he was borne, and did at Corinth dwell:
Who (though he knew his harmefull fate) would needs his ship ascend;
His father (Polyidus) oft, would tell him, that his end

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Would either seise him at his house, vpon a sharpe disease;
Or else amongst the Grecian ships, by Troians slaine. Both these
Together he desir'd to shun; but the disease (at last,
And lingring death in it) he left, and warres quicke stroke embrac't:
The lance betwixt his eare and cheeke, ran in; and draue the mind
Of both those bitter fortunes out: Night strooke his whole powres blind.

Thus fought they like the spirit of fire, nor Ioue-lou'd Hector knew
How in the fleets left wing, the Greekes, his downe-put souldiers slew
Almost to victorie: the God, that shakes the earth, so well
Helpt with his owne strength, and the Greeks, so fiercely did impell.
Yet Hector made the first place good, where both the ports and wall,
(The thicke rancke of the Greeke shields broke) he enterd, and did skall,
Where on the gray seas shore, were drawne (the wall being there but sleight,)
Protesilaus ships, and those, of Aiax, where the fight
Of men and horse were sharpest set. There the Bæotian band,

By Iaons (for Ionians) he intends the Athenians.

Long-rob'd Iaones, Locrians, and (braue men of their hands)
The Phthian, and Epcian troopes, did spritefully assaile,
The God-like Hector rushing in; and yet could not preuaile
To his repulse, though choicest men, of Athens, there made head:

The names of the Captaines at the fight at the wall, and their souldiers.

Amongst whom, was Menesthius Chiefe; whom Phidias followed:
Stichius, and Bias, huge in strength. Th' Epeian troopes were led
By Meges, and Philides cares, Amphion, Dracius.
Before the Phthians, Medon marcht, and Meneptolemus;
And these (with the Bæotian powres) bore vp the fleets defence.
Otleus, by his brothers side, stood close, and would not thence

Simile, wherein the two Aiaces are compared to two draught oxen.

For any moment of that time: but as through fallow fields,
Blacke Oxen draw a well-ioyn'd plough, and either, euenly yeelds
His thriftie labour; all heads coucht, so close to earth, they plow
The fallow with their hornes, till out, the sweate begins to flow;
The stretcht yokes cracke, and yet at last, the furrow forth is driuen:
So toughly stood these to their taske, and made their worke as euen.

But Aiax Telamonius, had many helpfull men,
That when sweate ran about his knees, and labour flow'd, would then
Helpe beare his mightie seuen-fold shield: when swift Oileades

The Locrians which Oileus Aiax led, were all Archers.

The Locrians left, and would not make, those murthrous fights of prease,
Because they wore no bright steele caskes, nor bristl'd plumes for show,
Round shields, nor darts of solid Ash; but with the trustie bow,
And iackes, well quilted with soft wooll, they came to Troy, and were
(In their fit place) as confident, as those that fought so neare;
And reacht their foes so thicke with shafts, that these were they that brake
The Troian orders first; and then, the braue arm'd men did make
Good worke with their close fights before. Behind whom, hauing shot,
The Locrians hid still; and their foes, all thought of fight forgot;
With shewes of those farre striking shafts, their eyes were troubled so:
And then, assur'dly, from the ships, and tents, th' insulting foe,
Had miserably fled to Troy, had not Polydamas

Polydamas to Hector.

Thus spoke to Hector. Hector still, impossible tis to passe
Good counsell vpon you: but say, some God prefers thy deeds:

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In counsels wouldst thou passe vs too? In all things none exceeds.
To some, God giues the powre of warre; to some the sleight to dance;

Polydamas aduice to Hector.

To some, the art of instruments; some doth for voice aduance:
And that far-seeing God grants some, the wisedome of the minde,
Which no man can keepe to himselfe: that (though but few can finde)
Doth profite many, that preserues, the publique weale and state:
And that, who hath, he best can prise: but, for me, Ile relate
Onely my censure what's our best. The verie crowne of warre
Doth burne about thee; yet our men, when they haue reacht thus farre,
Suppose their valours crownd, and ceasse. A few still stir their feet,
And so a few with many fight; sperst thinly through the fleet.
Retire then, leaue speech to the route, and all thy Princes call;
That, here, in counsels of most weight, we may resolue of all.
If hauing likelihood to beleeue, that God wil conquest giue,
We shall charge through; or with this grace, make our retreate, and liue:
For (I must needs affirme) I feare, the debt of yesterday
(Since warre is such a God of change) the Grecians now will pay.
And since th' insatiate man of warre, remaines at fleet, if there
We tempt his safetie: no howre more, his hote soule can forbeare.

This sound stuffe Hector lik't, approu'd, iumpt from his chariot,
And said; Polydamas? make good, this place, and suffer not
One Prince to passe it; I myselfe, will there go, where you see

Hector for his goodly forme compared to a hill of snow.

Those friends in skirmish; and returne (when they haue heard from me,
Command, that your aduice obeys) with vtmost speed: this said,
With day-bright armes, white plume, white skarffe, his goodly lims arraid,
He parted from them, like a hill, remouing, all of snow:
And to the Troian Peres and Chiefes, he flew; to let them know
The Counsell of Polydamas. All turnd, and did reioyce;
To haste to Panthus gentle sonne, being cald by Hectors voyce.
Who (through the forefights making way) lookt for Deiophobus;
King Hellenus, Asiades, Hyrtasian Asius:
Of whom, some were not to be found, vnhurt, or vndeceast;
Some onely hurt, and gone from field. As further he addrest,
He found within the fights left wing, the faire-hair'd Hellens loue,
By all meanes mouing men to blowes; which could by no meanes moue
Hectors forbeareance; his friends misse, so put his powres in storme:

Hector chideth Paris.

But thus in wonted terms he chid: You, with the finest forme,
Impostor, womans man: Where are (in your care markt) all these?
Deiphobus, king Hellenus, Asius Hyrtacides?
Othryoneus, Acamas? now haughtie Ilion
Shakes to his lowest ground worke: now, iust ruine fals vpon
Thy head, past rescue. He replyed; Hector, why chid'st thou now
When I am guiltlesse? other times, there are for ease I know,
Then these; for she that brought thee forth, not vtterly left me
Without some portion of thy spirit, to make me brother thee.
But since thou first brought'st in thy force, to this our nauall fight:
I, and my friends, haue ceaslesse fought, to do thy seruice right.
But all those friends thou seek'st are slaine, excepting Hellenus,

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(Who parted wounded in his hand) and so Deiphobus;
Ioue yet auerted death from them. And now leade thou as farre
As thy great heart affects; all we, will second any warre
That thou endurest: And I hope, my owne strength is not lost,
Though least, Ile fight it to his best; nor further fights the most.

This calm'd hote Hectors spleene; and both, turnd where they saw the face
Of warre most fierce: and that was, where, their friends made good the place
About renowm'd Polydamas, and God-like Polyphet,
Palmus, Ascanius; Morus, that, Hippotion did beget;
And from Ascanias wealthie fields, but euen the day before
Arriu'd at Troy; that with their aide, they kindly might restore
Some kindnesse they receiu'd from thence: and in fierce fight with these,
Phalces and tall Orthæus stood, and bold Cebriones.
And then the doubt that in aduice, Polydamas disclosd,
To fight or flie, Ioue tooke away, and all to fight disposd.

Simile.

And as the floods of troubled aire, to pitchie stormes increase
That after thunder sweepes the fields, and rauish vp the seas,
Encountring with abhorred roares, when the engrossed waues
Boile into foame; and endlesly, one after other raues:
So rank't and guarded, th' Ilians marcht; some now, more now, and then

The Troian host, and Hector glorified.

More vpon more, in shining steele; now Captaines, then their men.
And Hector, like man-killing Mars, aduanc't before them all,
His huge round target before him, through thickn'd, like a wall,
With hides well coucht, with store of brasse; and on his temples shin'd
His bright helme, on which danc't his plume: and in this horrid kind,
(All hid within his worldlike shield) he euerie troope assaid
For entrie; that in his despite, stood firme, and vndismaid.
Which when he saw, and kept more off; Aiax came stalking then,
And thus prouokt him: O good man, why fright'st thou thus our men?

Aiax his speech to Hector, Scopticè.

Come nearer; not Arts want in warre, makes vs thus nauie-bound,
But Ioues direct scourge; his arm'd hand, makes our hands giue you ground:
Yet thou hop'st (of thy selfe) our spoile: but we haue likewise hands
To hold our owne, as you to spoile: and ere thy countermands
Stand good against our ransackt fleete; your hugely-peopl'd towne
Our hands shall take in; and her towres, from all their heights pull downe.
And I must tell thee, time drawes on, when, flying, thou shalt crie
To Ioue, and all the Gods, to make, thy faire-man'd horses flie
More swift then Falkons; that their hoofes, may rouse the dust, and beare
Thy bodie, hid, to Ilion. This said, his bold words were
Confirm'd, as soone as spoke; Ioues bird, the high flowne Eagle tooke
The right hand of their host, whose wings, high acclamations strooke,
From foorth the glad breasts of the Greeks. Then Hector made replie:

Hector to Aiax.

Vaine-spoken man, and glorious; what hast thou said? would I
As surely were the sonne of Ioue, and of great Iuno borne;
Adorn'd like Pallas, and the God, that lifts to earth the Morne;
As this day shall bring harmefull light, to all your host; and thou,
(If thou dar'st stand this lance) the earth, before the ships shalt strow,
Thy bosome torne vp; and the dogs, with all the fowle of Troy,

185

Be satiate with thy fat, and flesh. This said, with showting ioy
His first troopes follow'd; and the last, their showts with showts repeld:
Greece answerd all, nor could her spirits, from all shew rest conceald.
And to so infinite a height, all acclamations stroue,
They reacht the splendors, stucke about, the vnreacht throne of Ioue.

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The end of the thirteenth Booke.

189

THE XIIII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Atrides, to behold the skirmish, brings
Old Nestor, and the other wounded kings.
Iuno (receiuing of the Cyprian Dame
Her Ceston, whence her sweet enticements came)
Descends to Somnus, and gets him to bind
The powres of Ioue with sleepe, to free her mind.
Neptune assists the Greeks, and of the foe,
Slaughter inflicts a mightie ouerthrow.
Aiax, so sore, strikes Hector with a stone,
It makes him spit blood, and his sensesets gone.

Another Argument.

In X with sleepe, and bed, heauens Queene,
Euen Ioue himselfe, makes ouerseene.

Not wine, nor feasts, could lay their soft chaines on old Nestors eare

This first verse (after the first foure syllables) is to be read as one of our Tens.

To this high Clamor; who requir'd, Machaons thoughts to beare
His care in part, about the cause; for me thinke still (said he)
The crie increases. I must needs, the watch towre mount to see
Which way the flood of warre doth driue. Still drinke thou wine, and eate
Till faire-hair'd Hecamed hath giuen, a little water heate,
To cleanse the quitture from thy wound. This said, the goodly shield
Of war-like Thrasimed, his sonne, (who had his owne in field)
He tooke; snatcht vp a mightie lance; and so stept forth to view
Cause of that Clamor. Instantly, th' vnworthy cause he knew,
The Grecians wholly put in rout; the Troians rowting still,
Close at the Greeks backs, their wall rac't: the old man mournd this ill;
And as when, with vnwieldie waues, the great Sea forefeeles winds,

Simile.

That both waies murmure, and no way, her certaine current finds,
But pants and swels confusedly; here goes, and there will stay,
Till on it, aire casts one firme winde, and then it rolles away:
So stood old Nestor in debate, two thoughts at once on wing
In his discourse; if first to take, direct course to the King,
Or to the multitude in fight. At last, he did conclude
To visite Agamemnon first: meane time both hosts imbrewd
Their steele in one anothers blood, nought wrought their healths but harmes:
Swords, huge stones, double-headed darts, still thumping on their armes.
And now the Ioue-kept Kings, whose wounds, were yet in cure, did meet
Old Nestor, Diomed, Ithacus, and Atreus sonne, from fleet,

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Agamemnon, Vlysses, and Diomed wounded, go towards the field.

Bent for the fight, which was farre off, the ships being drawne to shore
On heapes at first, till all theire sterns, a wall was raisd before;
Which (though not great) it yet suffisd, to hide them, though their men
Were something streighted; for whose scope, in forme of battel then,
They drew them through the spacious shore, one by another still;
Till all the bosome of the Strand, their sable bulks did fill:
Euen till they tooke vp all the space, twixt both the Promontories.
These kings (like Nestor) in desire, to know for what those cries
Became so violent; came along (all leaning on their darts)
To see, though not of powre to fight; sad, and suspicious hearts

Agamemnon to Nestor.

Distempring them, and (meeting now, Nestor) the king in feare
Cried out, O Nestor our renowne? why shewes thy presence here?
The harmefull fight abandoned? now Hector will make good,
The threatning vow he made, (I feare) that till he had our blood,
And fir'd our fleet, he neuer more, would turne to Ilion.
Nor is it long, I see, before, his whole will, will be done.
O Gods, I now see all the Greeks, put on Achilles ire,
Against my honour; no meane left, to keepe our fleet from fire.

Nestor to Agamemnon.

He answerd; Tis an euident truth, not Ioue himselfe can now,
(With all the thunder in his hands) preuent our ouerthrow.
The wall we thought inuincible, and trusted more then Ioue;
Is scal'd, rac't, enterd, and our powres, (driuen vp) past breathing, proue
A most ineuitable fight: both slaughters so commixt,
That for your life, you cannot put, your diligent'st thought betwixt
The Greeks and Troians; and as close, their throates cleaue to the skie.
Consult we then (if that will serue;) for fight, aduise not I;
It fits not wounded men to fight. Atrides answerd him,
If such a wall, as cost the Greeks, so many a tired lim,

Agamemnons replie to Nestor, vrging flight.

And such a dike be past, and rac't, that (as your selfe said well)
We all esteemd inuincible, and would, past doubt repell
The world, from both our fleete and vs: it doth directly show,
That here Ioue vowes our shames, and deaths. I euermore did know
His hand from ours, when he helpt vs: and now I see as cleare
That (like the blessed Gods) he holds, our hated enemies deare;
Supports their armes, and pinnions ours. Conclude then, tis in vaine
To striue with him. Our ships drawne vp, now let vs lanch againe,
And keepe at anchor, till calme Night; that then (perhaps) our foes
May calme their stormes, and in that time, our scape we may dispose:
“It is not any shame to flie, from ill, although by night:
“Knowne ill, he better does that flies, then he it takes in fight.

Vlysses bitter answer to Agamemnon.

Vlysses frown'd on him, and said; Accurst, why talk'st thou thus?
Would thou hadst led some babarous host, and not commanded vs
Whom Ioue made souldiers from our youth, that age might scorne to flie
From any charge it vndertakes; and euery dazeled eye
The honord hand of warre might close. Thus wouldst thou leaue this towne
For which our many miseries felt, entitle it our owne?
Peace, lest some other Greeke giue eare, and heare a sentence such
As no mans pallate should prophane; at least, that knew how much

191

His owne right weigh'd, and being a Prince, and such a Prince as beares
Rule of so many Greeks as thou. This counsell lothes mine eares;
Let others toyle in fight and cries, and we so light of heeles
Vpon their verie noise, and grones, to hoise away our keeeles.
Thus we should fit the wish of Troy, that being something neare
The victorie, we giue it cleare: and we were sure to beare
A slaughter to the vtmost man: for no man will sustaine
A stroke, the fleete gone; but at that, looke still, and wish him slaine:
And therefore (Prince of men) be sure, thy censure is vnfit.

O Ithacus (replied the King) thy bitter termes haue smit
My heart in sunder. At no hand, gainst any Princes will
Do I command this; would to God, that any man of skill,

Agamemnon to Vlysses.

To giue a better counsell would; or old, or younger man:
My voice should gladly go with his. Then Diomed began.

The man not farre is, nor shall aske, much labour to bring in,

Diomed to Agamemnon and the rest.

That willingly would speake his thoughts, if spoken, they might win
Fit eare; and suffer no empaire, that I discouer them,
Being yongest of you: since, my Sire, that heir'd a Diadem,
May make my speech to Diadems, decent enough, though he
Lies in his sepulcher at Thebes. I bost this pedigree,

Diomeds pedigree.

Portheus, three famous sonnes begot, that in high Calidon,
And Pleuron kept, with state of kings, their habitation.
Agrius, Melas, and the third, the horseman Oeneus,
My fathers father, that exceld, in actions generous,
The other two: but these kept home, my father being driuen
With wandring, and aduentrous spirits; for so the king of heauen,
And th' other Gods, set downe their willes: and he to Argos came,
Where he begun the world, and dwelt; there marying a dame,
One of Adrastus femall race. He kept a royall house,
For he had great demeanes, good land, and (being industrious)
He planted many orchard grounds, about his house; and bred
Great store of sheepe. Besides all this, he was well qualited,
And past all Argiues for his speare: and these digressiue things
Are such as you may well endure; since (being deriu'd from kings,
And kings not poore, nor vertulesse) you cannot hold me base,
Nor scorne my words: which oft (though true) in meane men, meet disgrace.
How euer; they are these in short. Let vs be seene at fight,
And yeeld to strong Necessitie, though wounded; that our sight
May set those men on, that of late, haue to Achilles spleene
Bene too indulgent, and left blowes: but be we onely seene
Not come within the reach of darts; lest wound, on wound we lay:
(Which reuerend Nestors speech implide) and so farre him obay.

This counsell gladly all obseru'd; went on, Atrides led;
Nor Neptune this aduantage lost, but closely followed;
And like an aged man appear'd, t'Atrides; whose right hand

Neptune appears like an aged man to Agamemnon.

He seisd, and said; Atrides, this, doth passing fitly stand
With sterne Achilles wreakfull spirit; that he can stand a sterne
His ship; and both in fight and death, the Grecian bane discerne:

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Since, not in his breast glowes one sparke, of any humane mind;

Neptune to Agamemnon.

But, be that his owne bane; let God, by that losse make him find
How vile a thing he is: for know, the blest Gods haue not giuen
Thee euer ouer; but perhaps, the Troians may from heauen
Receiue that iustice. Nay tis sure, and thou shalt see their fals:
Your fleete soone freed; and for fights here, they glad to take their wals.
This said, he made knowne who he was, and parted with a crie,
As if ten thousand men had ioynd, in battaile then; so hie
His throate flew through the host: and so, this great earth-shaking God
Chear'd vp the Greeke hearts, that they wisht, their paines no period.

Saturnia from Olympus top, saw her great brother there,
And her great husbands brother too, exciting euery where
The glorious spirits of the Greeks; which, as she ioy'd to see:
So (on the fountfull Idas top) Ioues sight did disagree
With her contentment; since she fear'd, that his hand would descend,
And checke the sea-Gods practises. And this she did contend

Iuno prepares her selfe to deceiue Ioue.

How to preuent; which thus seem'd best: To decke her curiously,
And visite the Idalian hill, that so the Lightners eye
She might enamour with her lookes, and his high temples steepe
(Euen to his wisedome) in the kind, and golden iuyce of sleepe.
So tooke she chamber, which her sonne, the God of ferrary,
With firme doores made, being ioyned close, and with a priuie key,
That no God could command but Ioue; where (enterd) she made fast
The shining gates; and then vpon, her louely bodie cast
Ambrosia, that first made it cleare; and after, laid on it

Tethyomenon vnguentum.

An odorous, rich, and sacred oyle, that was so wondrous sweet,
That, euer, when it was but toucht, it sweetn'd heauen and earth.
Her body being cleansd with this, her Tresses she let forth,
And comb'd, (her combe dipt in the oyle) then wrapt them vp in curles:
And thus (her deathlesse head adornd) a heauenly veile she hurles
On her white shoulders; wrought by her, that rules in housewiferies,
Who woue it full of antique workes, of most diuine deuice.
And this, with goodly clasps of gold, she fastn'd to her breast:
Then with a girdle (whose rich sphere, a hunderd studs imprest)
She girt her small wast. In her eares (tenderly pierc't) she wore
Pearles, great, and orient: on her head, a wreath not worne before
Cast beames out like the Sunne. At last, she to her feete did tie
Faire shoes; and thus entire attir'd, she shin'd in open skie:
Cald the faire Paphian Queene apart, from th' other Gods, and said;

Iuno to Venus.

Lou'd daughter? should I aske a grace, should I, or be obeyd?
Or wouldst thou crosse me? being incenst, since I crosse thee, and take

Venus to Iuno.

The Greeks part, thy hand helping Troy? She answerd, That shall make
No difference in a different cause: aske (ancient Deitie)
What most contents thee; my mind stands, inclin'd as liberally,
To grant it, as thine owne to aske; prouided that it be
A fauour fit, and in my powre. She (giuen deceiptfully)
Thus said; Then giue me those two powres, with which both men and Gods
Thou vanquishest, Loue, and Desire. For now, the periods

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Of all the many-feeding earth, and the originall
Of all the gods, Oceanus; and Thetis, whom we call
Our mother, I am going to greet: they nurst me in their court,
And brought me vp; receiuing me, in most respectfull sort
From Phæa; when Ioue vnder earth, and the vnfruitfull seas
Cast Saturne. These I go to see, intending to appease
Iarres growne betwixt them, hauing long, abstaind from speech and bed;
Which iarres, could I so reconcile, that, in their angers stead
I could place loue; and so renew, their first societie;
I should their best lou'd be esteem'd, and honord endlesly.

She answerd, Tis not fit, nor iust, thy will should be denied,

Venus to Iuno.

Whom Ioue, in his embraces holds. This spoken, she vntied,
And from her odorous bosome tooke, her Ceston; in whose sphere
Were all enticements to delight, all Loues; all Longings were,
Kind conference; Faire speech, whose powre, the wisest doth enflame:
This, she resigning to her hands, thus vrg'd her by her name.

Receiue this bridle, thus faire wrought; and put it twixt thy brests:
Where all things, to be done, are done; and whatsoeuer rests
In thy desire, returne with it. The great-eyd Iuno smild,
And put it twixt her brests. Loues Queene, thus cunningly beguild,
To Ioues court flew. Saturnia, (straight stooping from heauens height)
Pieria, and Emathia, (those countries of delight)
Soone reacht, and to the snowy mounts, where Thracian souldiers dwell,
(Approaching) past their tops vntoucht. From Athos then she fell,
Past all the brode sea; and arriu'd, in Lemnos, at the towres,
Of god-like Thoas; where she met, the Prince of all mens powres,
Deaths brother, Sleepe; whose hand she tooke, and said; Thou king of men,

Iuno to Somnus.

Prince of the Gods too: if before, thou heardst my suites: againe
Giue helpefull eare, and through all times, Ile offer thanks to thee.
Lay slumber on Ioues fierie eyes: that I may comfort me
With his embraces. For which grace, Ile grace thee with a throne
Incorruptible, all of gold, and elegantly done
By Mulciber: to which, he forg'd, a footestoole for the ease
Of thy soft feete; when wine, and feasts, thy golden humours please.

Sweet Sleepe replyed; Saturnia, there liues not any god

Somnus to Iuno.

(Besides Ioue) but I would becalme: I, if it were the flood
That fathers all the Deities, the great Oceanus.
But Ioue we dare not come more neare, then he commandeth vs.
Now you command me, as you did, when Ioues great minded sonne,
Alcides (hauing sackt the towne, of stubborne Ilion)
Tooke saile from thence; when by your charge; I pour'd about Ioues mind
A pleasing slumber; calming him, till thou drau'st vp the wind,
In all his cruelties, to sea; that set his sonne ashore,
In Cous, farre from all his friends; which (waking) vext so sore
The supreme godhead, that he cast, the gods about the skie,
And me (aboue them all) he sought: whom he had vtterly
Hurld from the sparkling firmament; if all-gods-taming Night,
(Whom, flying, I besought for aid) had sufferd his despight,

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And not preseru'd me: but his wrath, with my offence dispenc't,
For feare t'offend her; and so ceast, though neuer so incenst:
And now another such escape, you wish I should prepare.

Iuno to Somnus.

She answerd; What hath thy deepe rest, to do with his deepe care?
As though Ioues loue to Ilion, in all degrees were such,
As twas to Hercules, his sonne? and so would storme as much
For their displeasure, as for his? away, I will remoue
Thy feare, with giuing thee the dame, that thou didst euer loue;
One of the faire young Graces borne, diuine Pasithae.

This started Somnus into ioy; who answerd, Sweare to me,
By those inuiolable springs, that feed the Stygian lake:
With one hand touch the nourishing earth; and in the other, take
The marble sea; that all the gods, of the infernall state,
Which circle Saturne, may to vs, be witnesses; and rate
What thou hast vow'd: that with all truth, thou wilt bestow on me,
The dame (I grant) I euer lou'd, diuine Pasithae.

The oath of Iuno to Somnus.

She swore, as he enioyn'd in all, and strengthend all his ioyes,
By naming all th' infernall gods, surnam'd the Titanois.

The oath thus taken, both tooke way, and made their quicke repaire
To Ida, from the towne, and Ile, all hid in liquid aire.
At Lecton first, they left the sea; and there, the land they trod:
The fountfull nurse of sauages, with all her woods did nod,
Beneath their feete: there Somnus staid, lest Ioues bright eye should see;

Somnus climes a firre tree.

And yet (that he might see to Ioue) he climb'd the goodliest tree
That all th' Idalian mountaine bred, and crownd her progenie:
A firre it was, that shot past aire, and kist the burning skie.
There sate he hid in his darke armes, and in the shape, withall,
Of that continuall prating bird, whom all the Deities call
Chalcis; but men Cymmindis name. Saturnia tript apace
Vp to the top of Gargarus, and shewd her heauenly face
To Iupiter; who saw, and lou'd; and with as hote a fire,
(Being curious in her tempting view) as when with first desire
(The pleasure of it being stolne) they mixt, in loue and bed.
And (gazing on her still) he said: Saturnia, what hath bred

Iupiter to Iuno.

This haste in thee, from our high court? and whither tends thy gate?
That voide of horse and chariot, fit for thy soueraigne state,

Iunos answer.

Thou lackiest here? Her studied fraude, replyed; My iourney now
Leaues state, and labours to do good. And where, in right I owe
All kindnesse to the Sire of gods; and our good mother Queene,
That nurst, and kept me curiously, in court, (since both haue bene
Long time at discord) my desire, is to attone their hearts;
And therefore go I now to see, those earths extremest parts;
For whose farre-seate, I spar'd my horse, the skaking of this hill,
And left them at the foote of it: for they must taste their fill
Of trauaile with me; that must draw, my coach, through earth and seas;
Whose farre-intended reach, respect, and care not to displease
Thy graces: made me not attempt, without thy gracious leaue.

The cloud-compelling god, her guile, in this sort did receiue;

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Iuno, thou shalt haue after leaue, but ere so farre thou stray,

Ioue inflamed with his loue to Iuno.

Conuert we our kind thoughts to loue; that now, doth euery way
Circle, with victorie, my powers: nor yet with any dame,
(Woman, or goddesse) did his fires, my bosome so enflame
As now, with thee: not when it lou'd, the parts so generous
Ixions wife had, that brought foorth, the wise Pyrithous;
Nor when the louely dame, Acrisius daughter stird
My amorous powres, that Perseus bote, to all men else preferd;
Nor when the dame that Phenix got, surprisd me with her sight;
Who, the diuine-soul'd Rhadamanth, and Minos brought to light;
Nor Semele, that bore to me, the ioy of mortall men,
The sprightly Bacchus; Nor the dame, that Thebes renowned then,
Alcmena, that bore Hercules; Latona, so renownd;
Queene Ceres, with the golden haire; nor thy faire eyes did wound,
My entrailes to such depth as now, with thirst of amorous ease.

The cunning dame seem'd much incenst, and said, what words are these,

Iunos modesty to Ioue in satisfying his loue.

Vnsufferable Saturns sonne? What? here? in Idas height?
Desir'st thou this? how fits it vs? or what if in the sight
Of any god, thy will were pleasd? that he, the rest might bring
To witnesse thy incontinence; t'were a dishonourd thing.
I would not shew my face in heauen, and rise from such a bed.
But if loue be so deare to thee, thou hast a chamber sted,
Which Vulcan purposely contriu'd, with all fit secrecie:
There sleepe at pleasure. He replyed; I feare not if the eye

Iupiter to Iuno.

Of either god, or man obserue; so thicke a cloude of gold
Ile cast about vs, that the Sunne, (who furthest can behold)
Shall neuer find vs. This resolu'd, into his kind embrace,
He tooke his wife: beneath them both, faire Tellus strewd the place

The bed of Iupiter and Iuno.

With fresh-sprung herbes, so soft, and thicke, that vp aloft it bore
Their heauenly bodies: with his leaues, did deawy Latus store
Th' Elysian mountaine; Saffron flowres, and Hyacinths helpt make
The sacred bed; and there they slept: when sodainly there brake,
A golden vapour out of aire, whence shining dewes did fall;
In which they wrapt them close, and slept, till Ioue was tam'd withall.

Meane space flew Somnus to the ships, found Neptune out, and said,

Somnus to Neptune.

Now, chearfully assist the Greeks, and giue them glorious head;
At least, a little, while Ioue sleepes; of whom through euery limme,
I pour'd darke sleepe; Saturnias loue, hath so illuded him.

This newes made Neptune more secure, in giuing Grecians heart;
And through the first fights, thus he stird, the men of most desert.

Yet, Grecians: shall we put our ships, and conquest in the hands,

Neptune to the Greekes.

Of Priams Hector, by our sloth? he thinks so, and commands,
With pride according; all because, Achilles keepes away.
Alas, as we were nought but him? we little need to stay
On his assistance, if we would, our owne strengths call to field,
And mutually maintaine repulse. Come on then, all men yeeld
To what I order; we that beare, best armes in all our host;
Whose heads sustaine the brightest helms; whose hands are bristl'd most

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With longest lances, let vs on: But stay, Ile leade you all;
Nor thinke I, but great Hectors spirits, will suffer some apall,
Though they be neuer so inspir'd: the ablest of vs then,
That on our shoulders worst shields beare, exchange with worser men
That fight with better. This proposd, all heard it, and obeyd:
The kings (euen those that sufferd wounds, Vlysses, Diomed,
And Agamemnon) heplt t'instruct, the complete army thus;
To good, gaue good armes; worse, to worse; yet none were mutinous.

Thus (arm'd with order) forth they flew, the great Earth-shaker led;
A long sword in his sinowy hand, which when he brandished,

Neptune leades the Greeks.

It lighten'd still: there was no law, for him, and it; poore men
Must quake before them. These thus man'd, illustrous Hector then
His hoast brought vp. The blew-hair'd god, and he, stretcht through the prease
A greiuous fight: when to the ships, and tents of Greece, the seas
Brake loose, and rag'd. But when they ioynd, the dreadfull Clamor rose
To such a height; as not the sea, when vp, the North-spirit blowes
Her raging billowes, bellowes so, against the beaten shore:
Nor such a rustling keeps a fire, driuen with violent blore,
Through woods that grow against a hill: nor so feruent strokes

Hector at Aiax.

Of almost-bursting winds resound, against a groue of Okes;
As did the clamor of these hoasts, when both the battels closd.
Of all which, noble Hector first, at Aiax breast disposd
His iauelin, since so right on him, the great-soul'd souldier bore;
Nor mist it, but the bawdricks both, that his brode bosome wore,
To hang his shield and sword, it strooke; both which, his flesh preseru'd:
Hector (disdaining that his lance, had thus, as good as sweru'd)

Aiax at Hector.

Trode to his strength; but going off, great Aiax with a stone,
(One, of the many props for ships, that there lay trampl'd on)
Strooke his brode breast, aboue his shield, iust vnderneath his throte;
And shooke him peecemeale. When the stone, sprung backe againe & smote
(Earth, like a whirlewind gathering dust, with whirring fiercely round,
For feruour of his vnspent strength, in setling on the ground:

Simile.

And, as when Ioues bolt, by the rootes, rends from the earth an Oke;
His sulphure casting with the blow, a strong, vnsauoury smoke;
And on the falne plant none dare looke, but with amazed eyes,

Hector ouerthrowne.

(Ioues thunder being no laughing game) so bowd strong Hectors thyes;
And so, with tost-vp heeles he fell: away, his lance he flung,
His round shield followd; then his helme; and out his armour rung.

The Greeks then showted, and ran in, and hop't to hale him off;
And therefore powr'd on darts, in stormes, to keepe his aide aloofe;
But none could hurt the peoples guide; nor stirre him from his ground:

Hector rescued.

Sarpedon, prince of Lycia; and Glaucus, so renownd,
Diuine Agenor, Venus sonne, and wise Polydamas
Rusht to his rescue, and the rest: no one, neglectiue was
Of Hectors safetie; all their shields, they coucht about him close;
Raisd him from earth, and (giuing him, in their kind armes repose)
From off the labour, caried him, to his rich chariot,
And bore him mourning towards Troy: but when the flood they got

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Of gulphy Xanthus, that was got, by deathlesse Iupiter;
There tooke they him from chariot, and all besprinkled there
His temples with the streame; he breath'd, lookt vp, assaid to rise,
And on his knees staid, spitting blood: againe then, closd his eyes,
And backs againe his body fell; the maine blow had not done
Yet with his spirit. When the Greeks, saw worthy Hector gone;
Then thought they of their worke; then charg'd, with much more chere the foe
And then (farre first) Oileades, began the ouerthrow;
He darted Satnius, Enops sonne, whom famous Nau bore,
(As she was keeping Enops flocks) on Satnius riuers shore:
And strooke him in his bellies rimme; who vpwards fell, and raisd
A mightie skirmish with his fall: and then Panthædes seisd
Prothenor Arcilicides, with his reuend'gfull speare,
On his right shoulder; strooke it through, and laid him breathlesse there.
For which he insolently bragd, and cryed out; Not a dart

Polydamas his insultation.

From great-soul'd Panthus sonne, I thinke, shall euer vainlier part;
But some Greeke bosome it shall take, and make him giue his ghost.
This bragge the Grecians stomackt much, but Telamonius most,
Who stood most neare Prothenors fall: and out he sent a lance,
Which Panthus sonne (declining) scap't, yeet tooke it to sad chance,
Archelochus, Antenors sonne, whom heauen did destinate
To that sterne end, twixt necke, and head, the iauelin wrought his fate,
And ran in at the vpper ioint, of all the backe long bone,
Cut both the nerues, and such a lode, of strength, laid Aiax on,
As, that small part, he seisd, outwaid, all th' vnder lims; and strooke
His heeles vp so, that head, and face, the earths possession tooke,
When all the low parts sprung in aire; and thus did Aiax quit
Panthædes Braue; Now, Panthus sonne, let thy prophetique wit,

Aiax insults in requitall of Polydamas.

Consider, and disclose a truth, if this man do not wey
Euen with Prothænor? I conceiue, no one of you will say,
That either he was base himselfe, or sprung of any base;
Antenors brother, or his sonne, he should be, by his face;
One of his race, past question, his likenesse shewes he is.

This spake he, knowing it well enough. The Troians storm'd at this,
And then slue Acamas (to saue, his brother yet ingag'd)
Bœotius, dragging him to spoile; and thus the Greeks enrag'd.

O Greeks? euen borne to beare our darts, yet euer breathing threats;
Not alwayes vnder teares, and toyles, ye see our fortune sweats;
But sometimes you drop vnder death: see now, your quicke among
Our dead, intranc't with my weake lance; to proue I haue, ere long
Reueng'd my brother: tis the wish, of euery honest man,
His brother slaine in Mars his field, may rest wreakt in his Phane.

This stird fresh enuie in the Greeks, but vrg'd Peneleus most,
Who hurld his lance at Acamas; he scap't: nor yet it lost
The force he gaue it, for it found, the flocke-rich Phorbas sonne,
Ilioneus, whose deare Sire, (past all in Ilion)
Was lou'd of Hermes, and enricht; and to him onely bore
His mother, this now slaughterd man. The dart did vndergore

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His eye-lid, by his eyes deare rootes; and out the apple fell,
The eye pierc't through: nor could the nerue, that staies the necke, repell
His strong-wing'd lance; but necke and all, gaue way, and downe he dropt.
Peneleus then vnsheath'd his sword, and from the shoulders chopt
His lucklesse head; which downe he threw; the helme still sticking on:
And still the lance, fixt in his eye; which, not to see, alone,
Contented him; but vp againe, he snatcht, and shewd it all;
With this sterne Braue; Ilians, relate, braue Ilioneus fall,
To his kind parents; that their roofes, their reares may ouerrunne;
For so the house of Promachus, and Alegenors sonne,
Must with his wiues eyes, ouerflow: she neuer seeing more
Her deare Lord, though we tell his death; when to our natiue shore,
We bring from ruin'd Troy our fleete, and men so long forgone.
This said, and seene, pale Feare possest, all those of Ilion:
And eu'ry man cast round his eye, to see, where Death was not,
That he might flie him. Let not then, his grac't hand be forgot,
(O Muses you that dwell in heauen) that first embrude the field,
With Troian spoile; when Neptune thus, had made their irons yeeld.

First Aiax Telamonius, the Mysian Captaine slew
Great Hyrtius Gyrtiades. Antilochus o'rethew
Phalces and Mermer, to their spoyle. Meriones gaue end,
To Moru and Hippotion. Teucer, to Fate did send,
Prothoon and Periphetes. Atrides Iauelin chac't
Duke Hyperenor; wounding him, in that part that is plac't
Betwixt the short ribs and the bones, that to the triple gut
Haue pertinence. The Iauelins head, did out his entrailes cut,
His forc't soule breaking through the wound: nights black hand closde his eies.

Aiax Oileus vertue for swiftnesse.

Then Aiax, great Oileus sonne, had diuers victories:
For when Saturnius sufferd flight; of all the Grecian race,
Not one with swiftnesse of his feete, could so enrich a chace.

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The end of the fourteenth Booke of Homers Iliads.

201

THE FIFTEENTH BOOK OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Ioue waking, and beholding Troy in flight,
Chides Iuno, and sends Iris to the fight,
To charge the sea-god, to forsake the field;
And Phœbus, to inuade it, with his shield,
Recouering Hectors broosde, and crased poures.
To field he goes, and makes new conquerours;
The Troians giuing now, the Grecians chace,
Euen to their fleete. Then Aiax turnes his face,
And feeds, with many Troian liues, his ire;
Who then brought brands to set the fleete on fire.

Another Argvment.

Ioue sees in, O, his ouersight,
Chides Iuno, Neptune cals from fight.

The Troians (beate past pale and dike, and numbers prostrate laide)
All got to chariot, feare-driuen all; and fear'd as men dismaide:
Then Ioue, on Idas top, awakt; rose from Saturnias side,
Stood vp, and lookt vpon the warre; and all inuerted, spide,
Since he had seene it, th' Ilians now, in rowt; the Greeks in fight:
King Neptune, with his long sword, Chiefe; great Hector put downe quite,
Laide flat in field, and with a crowne, of Princes compassed;
So stopt vp, that he scarce could breath; his minds sound habite fled,
And he still spitting blood. Indeed, his hurt was not set on
By one that was the weakest Greeke. But him Ioue lookt vpon
With eyes of pittie: on his wife, with horrible aspect;
To whom he said: O thou in ill, most cunning Architect

Iupiters wrath against Iuno.

All Arts, and comments that exceedst! not onely to enforce
Hector from fight; but with his men, to shew the Greeks a course.
I feare (as formerly) so now, these ils haue with thy hands,
Their first fruits sowne, and therefore could, lode all thy lims with bands.
Forgetst thou, when I hangd thee vp; how to thy feete I tyed
Two Anuils; golden manacles, on thy false wrists implied,
And let thee mercilesly hang, from our refined heauen
Euen to earths vapors; all the gods, in great Olympus, giuen
To mutinies about thee; yet, (though all stood staring on)
None durst dissolue thee; for these hands (had they but seisd vpon
Thy friend) had headlong throwne him off, from our star-bearing round,
Till he had tumbl'd out his breath; and peecemeale dasht the ground.

202

Nor was my angry spirit calm'd, so soone, for those foule seas,
On which (inducing Northerne flawes) thou shipwrack'dst Hercules,
And tost him to the Coon shore; that thou shouldst tempt againe
My wraths importance, when thou seest (besides) how grosly vaine,
My powres can make thy policies: for from their vtmost force,
I freed my sonne, and set him safe, in Argos, nurse of horse.
These I remember to thy thoughts, that thou mayst shun these sleights,
And know how badly bed-sports thriue, procur'd by base deceits.

This frighted the offending Queene, who, with this state, excusde

Iunoes oath in clearing her self to Iupiter.

Her kind vnkindnesse: Witnesse earth, and heauen, so farre diffusde:
Thou Flood, whose silent-gliding waues, the vnder ground doth beare,
(Which is the great'st, and grauest oath, that any god can sweare)
Thy sacred head; those secret ioyes, that our yong bed gaue forth,
(By which I neuer rashly swore) that he who shakes the earth,
Not by my counsell did this wrong, to Hector and his host;
But (pittying th' oppressed Greekes, their fleete being neerly lost)
Relieu'd their hard condition; yet vtterly impeld
By his free mind: which since I see, is so offensiue held,
To thy high pleasure, I will now, aduise him not to tread,
But where thy tempest-raising feete, (O Iupiter) shall leade.

Ioue laught to heare her so submisse; and said: My faire-eyd loue,

Iupiters charge to Iuno, and reconciliation.

If still thus thou and I were one, (in counsels held aboue)
Neptune would still, in word and fact, be ours, if not in heart;
If then thy tongue and heart agree, from hence to heauen depart,
To call the excellent in bowes; the Raine-bow, and the Sunne,
That both may visite both the hosts; the Grecian armie, one;
And that is Iris; let her haste, and make the sea-god cease,
T'assist the Greekes; and to his court, retire from warre, in peace.
Let Phœbus (on the Troian part) inspire with wonted powre
Great Hectors spirits: make his thoughts, forget the late sterne houre,
And all his anguish; setting on, his whole recouer'd man
To make good his late grace in fight, and hold in constant wane
The Grecian glories, till they fall, in flight before the fleete
Of vext Achilles; which extreme, will proue the meane to greete
Thee with thy wish: for then the eyes, of great Æacides,
(Made witnesse of the generall ill, that doth so neare him prease)
Will make his owne particular, looke out; and by degrees
Abate his wrath, that though himselfe, for no extremities
Will seeme reflected; yet his friend, may get of him the grace,
To helpe his countrey, in his Armes; and he shall make fit place,
For his full presence, with his death; which shall be well forerunne:
For I will first renowne his life, with slaughter of my sonne,
(Diuine Sarpedon) and his death, great Hectors powre shall wreake,
Ending his ends. Then at once, out shall the furie breake
Of fierce Achilles: and with that, the flight now felt, shall turne;
And then last, till in wrathfull flames, the long-sieg'd Ilion burne.
Mineruaes counsell shall become, graue meane, to this my will;
Which no god shall neglect, before, Achilles take his fill

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Of slaughter, for his slaughterd friend: euen Hectors slaughter, throwne
Vnder his anger; that these facts, may then make fully knowne
My vowes performance, made of late: and with my bowed head,
Confirm'd to Thetis, when her armes, embrac't my knees, and praid
That to her citie-racing sonne, I would all honour shew.

This heard, his charge she seem'd t'intend, and to Olympus flew.
But, as the mind of such a man, that hath a great way gone,

Simile.

And either knowing not his way; or then would let alone
His purposde iourney, is distract; and in his vexed mind
Resolues now not to go; now goes, still many wayes inclin'd:
So reuerend Iuno headlong flew, and 'gainst her stomacke striu'd.
For (being amongst th' immortall gods, in high heauen, soone arriu'd,
All rising, welcoming with cups, her litle absence thence)
She all their courtships ouerpast, with solemne negligence,
Saue that which faire-cheekt Themis shewd; and her kind cup she tooke:
For first, she ranne and met with her, and askt; What troubled looke

Themis to Iuno.

She brought to heauen? She thought (for truth) that Ioue had terrified
Her spirits strangely, since she went. The faire arm'd Queene replide:

That truth may easily be supposde, you (goddesse Themis) know

Iunoes reply.

His old seueritie and pride; but you bear't out with show,
And like the banquets arbiter, amongst th' Immortals fare,
Though well you heare amongst them all, how bad his actions are;
Nor are all here, nor any where, mortals, nor gods (I feare)
Entirely pleasd with what he does, though thus ye banquet here.

Thus tooke she place, displeasedly; the feast in generall,
Bewraying priuie splenes at Ioue; and then (to colour all)
She laught, but meerly from her lips: for, ouer her blacke browes
Her still-bent forehead was not cleer'd; yet this her passions throwes,
Brought forth in spight, being lately school'd; alas, what fooles are we?
That enuie Ioue? or that by act, word, thought, can fantasie,
Any resistance to his will? he sits farre off, nor cares,
Nor moues, but sayes he knowes his strength, to all degrees compares
His greatnesse, past all other gods: and that in fortitude,
And euery other godlike powre; he reignes, past all indude.
For which great eminence, all you Gods, what euer ill he does
Sustaine with patience: here is Mars, I thinke, not free from woes;
And yet he beares them like himselfe. The great God had a sonne,

Iunoes speech of purpose to incēse Mars Scopticé.

Whom he himselfe yet iustifies, one that from all men wonne,
Iust surname of their best belou'd, Ascalaphus; yet he
(By Ioues high grace to Troy) is slaine. Mars started horribly
(As Iuno knew he would) at this; beate, with his hurld out hands,
His brawnie thighes; cried out, and said: O you that haue commands
In these high temples, beare with me, if I reuenge the death
Of such a sonne; Ile to the fleete; and though I sinke beneath
The fate of being shot to hell, by Ioues fell thunder stone:
And lie all grim'd amongst the dead, with dust and bloud; my sonne,
Reuenge shall honour. Then he charg'd, Feare and Dismay to ioyne
His horse and chariot: he got armes, that ouer heauen did shine:

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And then a wrath, more great and graue, in Ioue had bene prepar'd
Against the gods, then Iuno causde; if Pallas had not car'd
More for the peace of heauen then Mars; who leapt out of her throne,
Rapt vp her helmet, lance, and shield, and made her Phanes porch grone,
With her egression to his stay: and thus his rage defers:

Pallas to Mars.

Furious, and foolish? th' art vndone; hast thou, for nought, thine eares?
Heard'st thou not Iuno, being arriu'd, from heauens great king but now?
Or wouldst thou he himselfe should rise (forc't with thy rage) to show,
The dreadfull powre she vrg'd in him, so iustly being stird?
Know (thou most impudent and mad) thy wrath had not inferd
Mischiefe to thee; but to vs all: his spirit had instantly
Left both the hosts, and turn'd his hands, to vprores in the skie.
Guiltie and guiltlesse, both to wracke, in his high rage had gone;
And therefore (as thou louest thy selfe) ceasse furie for thy sonne.
Another, farre exceeding him, in heart and strength of hand,
Or is, or will be shortly slaine. It were a worke would stand
Ioue in much trouble, to free all, from death, that would not die.

This threat, euen nail'd him to his throne, when heauens chiefe Maiestie,
Cald bright Apollo from his Phane; and Iris that had place
Of Internunciesse from the Gods; to whom she did the grace

Iuno to Apollo and Iris.

Of Iupiter, to this effect: It is Saturnius will,
That both, with vtmost speed, should stoope, to the Idalian hill,
To know his further pleasure, there. And this let me aduise,
When you arriue, and are in reach, of his refulgent eyes:
His pleasure heard, performe it all, of whatsoeuer kind.

Thus mou'd she backe, and vsde her throne. Those two outstript the wind,
And Ida (all enchac't with springs) they soone attaind, and found
Where farre-discerning Iupiter, in his repose, had crown'd
The browes of Gargarus, and wrapt, an odoriferous cloud
About his bosome. Coming neare, they stood; nor now he showd'
His angry countenance, since so soone, he saw they made th' accesse
That his lou'd wife enioyn'd. But first, the faire Ambassadresse,

Ioue to Iris.

He thus commanded; Iris, Go, to Neptune, and relate
Our pleasure truly, and at large; command him from the Fate
Of humane warre; and either greete, the gods societie,
Or the diuine sea, make his seate. If proudly he denie,
Let better counsels be his guides, then such as bid me warre,
And tempt my charge, though he be strong; for I am stronger farre,
And elder borne: nor let him dare, to boast euen state with me,
Whom all Gods else preferre in feare. This said: downe hasted she
From Idaes top to Ilion; and like a mightie snow,
Or gelide haile, that from the clouds, the Northerne spirit doth blow;
So fell the windie-footed Dame; and found with quicke repaire

Iris to Neptune.

The watrie God; to whom she said: God, with the sable haire,
I came from Ægis-bearing Ioue, to bid thee ceasse from fight,
And visite heauen, or th' ample seas; which, if in his despight,
Or disobedience, thou deniest; he threatens thee to come
(In opposite fight) to field himselfe: and therefore warnes thee home,

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His hands eschewing; since his powre, is farre superiour;
His birth before thee; and affirmes, thy lou'd heart should abhorre
To vaunt equalitie with him, whom euery deitie feares.

He answerd, O vnworthy thing! though he be great, he beares

Neptune to Iris, being incenst with Iupiter.

His tongue too proudly; that our selfe, borne to an equall share
Of state and freedome, he would force. Three brothers borne, we are,
To Saturne; Rhea brought vs forth: this Iupiter, and I,
And Pluto, god of vnder-grounds. The world indifferently

The rule proper to Iupiter.

Disposde betwixt vs; euery one his kingdome; I, the seas;
Pluto the blacke lot; Iupiter, the principalities

Neptune and Pluto being three brothers.

Of broad heauen; all the skie and clouds, was sorted out: the earth
And high Olympus, common are, and due to eithers birth.
Why then should I be aw'd by him? Content he his great heart,
With his third portion; and not thinke, to amplifie his part
With terrors of his stronger hands, on me, as if I were
The most ignoble of vs all: let him containe in feare,
His daughters and his sonnes, begot, by his owne person: this
Holds more conuenience: they must heare, these violent threats of his.

Shall I (said Iris) beare from thee, an answer so austere?
Or wilt thou change it? Changing minds, all noble natures beare:

Iris to Neptune:

And well thou know'st, these greatest borne, the Furies follow still.

He answerd: Iris, thy reply, keepes time, and shewes thy skill:

Neptune againe to Iris

O tis a most praise-worthy thing, when messengers can tell
(Besides their messages) such things, as fit th' occasion well.
But this much grieues my heart and soule, that being in powre and state
All wayes his equall, and so fixt, by one decree in fate,
He should to me, as vnder him, ill language giue, and chide;
Yet now (though still incenst) I yeeld, affirming this beside:
And I enforce it with a threat, that if without consent
Of me, Minerua, Mercurie; the Queene of regiment,
And Vulcan; he will either spare, high Ilion, or not race
Her turrets to the lowest stone; and (with both these) not grace
The Greekes, as victors absolute: informe him this from me;
His pride and my contempt shall liue, at endlesse enmitie.

This said, he left the Greeks, and rusht, into his watrie throne;
Much mist of all the th' heroicke host. When Ioue discern'd him gone,
Apolloes seruice he employd, and said: Lou'd Phœbus, go
To Hector: now th' earth-shaking god, hath taken sea, and so

Iupiter to Apollo

Shrunke from the horrors I denounc't; which standing, he, and all
The vnder-feated deities, that circle Saturnes fall,
Had heard of me in such a fight, as had gone hard for them.
But both for them and me, tis best, that thus they flie th' extreme,
That had not past vs without sweate. Now then, in thy hands take
My Adder-fring'd affrighting shield, which, with such terror shake,
That Feare may shake the Greekes to flight: besides this, adde thy care
(O Phœbus farre-off-shooting god) that this so sickly fare,
Of famous Hector be recur'd; and quickly so excite
His amplest powres, that all the Greeks, may grace him with their flight,

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Euen to their ships, and Hellespont; and then will I deuise
All words and facts againe for Greece, that largely may suffice,
To breathe them from their instant toiles. Thus from th' Idean height,
(Like ayres swift-pigeon-killer, stoupt, the far-shot God of light,

Apollo visits Hector.

And found great Hector, sitting vp, not stretcht vpon his bed;
Not wheasing with a stopt-vp spirit; not in cold sweates; but fed
With fresh and comfortable veines: but his mind, all his owne;
But round about him, all his friends, as well as euer knowne.
And this was with the mind of Ioue, that flew to him before
Apollo came; who (as he saw, no signe of any sore)
Askt (like a chearfull visitant) why in this sickly kind
(Great Hector) sitst thou so apart? can any griefe of mind,

Hector to Apollo

Inuade thy fortitude? He spake; but with a feeble voice:
O thou, the best of deities! why (since I thus reioyce
By thy so serious benefite) demandst thou (as in mirth,
And to my face) if I were ill? for (more then what thy worth
Must needs take note of) doth not Fame, from all mouthes fill thine eares;
That (as my hand at th' Achiue fleete, was making massacres
Of men, whom valiant Aiax led) his strength, strooke with a stone,
All powre of more hurt from my brest? my very soule was gone:
And once to day, I thought to see, the house of Dis and Death.

Apollo to Hector

Be strong (said he) for such a spirit, now sends the god of breath
From airie Ida, as shall runne, through, all Greeke spirits in thee;
Apollo with the golden sword, the cleare farre-seer, see,
Him, who betwixt death and thy life; twixt ruine and those towres,
Ere this day, oft hath held his shield. Come then, be all thy powres,
In wonted vigour: let thy knights, with all their horse assay
The Grecian fleete; my selfe will leade, and scoure so cleare the way,
That Flight shall leaue no Greeke a Rub. Thus instantly inspir'd
Were all his nerues with matchlesse strength; and then his friends he fir'd
Against their foes; when (to his eyes) his eares confirm'd the god.

Simile.

Then, as a goodly headed Hart, or Goate, bred in the wood,
A rout of country huntsmen chase, with all their hounds in crie;
The beast yet, or the shadie woods, or rocks excessiue hie,
Keepe safe; or our vnwieldie fates (that euen in hunters sway)
Barre them, the poore beasts pulling downe; when straight the clamorous fray,
Cals out a Lion, hugely man'd; and his abhorred view
Turnes headlong in vnturning flight (though ventrous) all the crew:
So hitherto the chasing Greeks, their slaughter dealt by troupes;
But, after Hector was beheld, range here and there; then stoupes
The boldest courage; then their heeles, tooke in their dropping harts,
And then spake Andremonides, a man of farre-best parts
Of all th' Ætolians, skild in darts; strenuous in fights of stand;
And one of whom few of the Greekes, could get the better hand,
(For Rhetorique) when they fought with words; with all which, being wise,

Andremonides to the Greekes.

Thus spake he to his Grecian friends: O mischiefe! now mine eyes
Discerne no litle miracle; Hector escapt from death,
And all recouerd, when all thought, his soule had sunke beneath

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The hands of Aiax: but some God, hath sau'd and freed againe,
Him that but now dissolu'd the knees, of many a Grecian.
And now I feare will weaken more; for not without the hand
Of him that thunders, can his powres, thus still the forefights stand;
Thus still triumphant: heare me then; our troupes in quicke retreate,
Let's draw vp to our fleete, and we, that boast our selues, the Great,
Stand firme, and trie, if these that raise, so high their charging darts,
May be resisted: I beleeue, euen this great heart of harts,
Will feare, himselfe to be too bold, in charging thorow vs.

They easely heard him, and obeyd, when all the generous
They cald t'encounter Hectors charge, and turn'd the common men
Backe to the fleete: and these were they, that brauely furnisht then
The fierce forefight; th' Aiaces both; the worthy Cretan king;
The Mars-like Meges; Merion, and Teucer. Vp then, bring
The Troian chiefes, their men in heapes; before whom (amply pac't)
Marcht Hector; and in front of him, Apollo, who had cast
About his bright aspect, a cloud; and did before him beare
Ioues huge and each-where shaggie shield; which (to containe in feare
Offending men) the god-smith gaue, to Ioue; with this he led
The Troian forces. The Greeks stood; a feruent clamor spred
The aire on both sides as they ioyn'd; out flew the shafts and darts,
Some falling short, but othersome, found buts in brests and harts.
As long as Phœbus held but out, his horrid shield, so long

Apolloes sight discomfits the Grecians.

The darts flew raging either way, and death grew both wayes strong.
But when the Greeks had seene his face, and who it was that shooke
The bristled targe, knew by his voice; then all their strengths forsooke
Their nerues and minds; and then looke how, a goodly herd of Neate,

Simile.

Or wealthy flocke of sheepe, being close, and dreadlesse at their meate,
In some blacke midnight, sodainly (and not a keeper neere)
A brace of horrid Beares rush in, and then flie here and there
The poore affrighted flocks or herds; So euery way disperst
The heartlesse Grecians: so the Sunne, their headstrong chace reuerst
To headlong flight; and that day raisde, with all grace, Hectors head.

Arcesilaus then he slue, and Stichius; Stichius led
Bœotias brazen-coted men: the other was the friend
Of mightie-soul'd Menestheus. Æneas brought to end,
Medon, and Iasus; Medon was, the brother (though but base)
Of swift Oileades; and dwelt, farre from his breeding place,
In Phylaca; the other led, th' Athenian bands: his Sire
Was Spelus, Bucolus his sonne. Mecistheus did expire
Beneath Polydamas his hand. Polites, Echius slew
Iust at the ioyning of the hosts. Agenor ouerthrew
Clonius. Bold Deiochus, felt Alexanders lance;
It strooke his shoulders vpper part, and did his head aduance
Quite through his brest, as from the fight, he turn'd him for retreat.

While these stood spoiling of the slaine, the Greeks found time to get
Beyond the dike, and th' vndik't pales: all scapes they gladly gain'd,
Till all had past the vtmost wall; Necessitie so raign'd.

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Then Hector cried out: Take no spoile, but rush on to the fleete;

Hector to his souldiers.

From whose assault (for spoile, or flight) if any man I meete,
He meets his death: nor in the fire, of holy funerall,
His brothers or his sisters hands, shall cast (within our wall)
His lothed body; but without, the throtes of dogs shall graue
His manlesse lims. This said; the scourge, his forward horses draue
Through euery order; and with him, all whipt their chariots on;
All threatningly, out thundering shouts, as earth were ouerthrowne.

Apollo leades the Troians.

Before them marcht Apollo still; and, as he marcht, digd downe,
(Without all labour) with his feete, the dike; till, with his owne,
He fild it to the top; and made, way, both for man and horse,
As broade and long, as with a lance (cast out to trie ones force)
A man could measure. Into this, they powr'd whole troupes as fast,
As numerous: Phœbus still, before, for all their hast,
Still shaking Ioues vnualewed shield, and held it vp to all.
And then, as he had chok't their dike, he tumbl'd downe their wall.

A simile, from how low things it may be taken, to expresse the highest.

And looke how easely any boy, vpon the sea-ebd shore,
Makes with a litle sand a toy, and cares for it no more;
But as he raisd it childishly, so in his wanton vaine,
Both with his hands and feete, he puls, and spurnes it downe againe:
So sleight, O Phœbus, thy hands made, of that huge Grecian toile;
And their late stand, so well resolu'd, as easely mad'st recoile.

Thus stood they driuen vp at their fleete, where each heard others thought,
Exhorted: passing humbly prayd: all, all the gods besought,
(With hands held vp to heauen) for helpe; 'mongst all, the good old man,
Graue Nestor (for his counsels cald, the Argiues guardian)
Fell on his aged knees, and prayd; and to the starrie host,
Stretcht out his hands for ayd to theirs; of all, thus mouing most:

Nestors prayer to Iupiter.

O father Ioue, if euer man, of all our host did burne
Fat thighes of oxen or of sheepe (for grace of safe returne)
In fruitfull Argos; and obtaind, the bowing of thy head,
For promise of his humble prayers: O now remember him,
(Thou meerly heauenly) and cleare vp, the foule browes of this dim
And cruell day; do not destroy, our zeale for Troian pride.
He prayd, and heauens great Counsellor, with store of thunder tride
His former grace good; and so heard, the old mans heartie prayres.
The Troians tooke Ioues signe for them; and powr'd out their affaires
In much more violence on the Greeks; and thought on nought but fight.

Simile.

And as a huge waue of a sea, swolne to his rudest height,
Breakes ouer both sides of a ship; being all vrg'd by the wind;

Intending they were puft vp by Apollo.

For that's it makes the waue so proud: in such a borne-vp kind,
The Troians ouergat the wall; and getting in their horse,
Fought close at fleete; which now the Greeks, ascended for their force.
Then from their chariots, they with darts; the Greeks with bead-hooks fought,
(Kept still aboord for nauall fights) their heads with iron wrought,
In hookes and pikes. Achilles friend, still while he saw the wall
That stood without their fleete, affoord, employment for them all,
Was neuer absent from the tent, of that man-louing Greeke,

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Late-hurt Eurypilus; but sate, and euery way did seeke
To spend the sharpe time of his wound, with all the ease he could,
In medicines, and in kind discourse: but when he might behold
The Troians past the wall; the Greekes, flight driuen, and all in cries;
Then cride he out, Cast downe his hands, and beate with griefe his thighes:
Then, O Eurypilus, (he cride) now all thy need of me,

Patroclus to Eurypilus.

Must beare my absence: now a worke, of more necessitie,
Cals hence; and I must hast to call, Achilles to the field:
Who knowes, but (God assisting me) my words may make him yeeld?
The motion of a friend is strong. His feete thus tooke him thence.
The rest yet stood their enemies firme; but all their violence
(Though Troy fought there with fewer men) lackt vigor to repell
Those fewer from their Nauies charge; and so, that charge as well
Lackt force to spoile their fleete, or tents. And as a shipwrights line

A diuine simile.

(Disposde by such a hand, as learn'd, from th' Artizan diuine,
The perfect practise of his Art) directs or guards so well
The nauall timber then in frame; that all the layd-on steele,
Can hew no further then may serue, to giue the timber th' end,
Fore-purposde by the skilfull wright: so both hosts did contend,
With such a line, or law applide, to what their steele would gaine.

At other ships fought other men, but Hector did maintaine
His quarrell firme at Aiax ship; and so did both employ,
About one vessell, all their toyle: nor could the one destroy
The ship with fire; nor force the man, nor that man yet get gone
The other from so neare his ship, for God had brought him on.

But now did Aiax with a dart, wound deadly in the brest,
Caletor, sonne of Clytius, as he with fire addrest

Aiax slaughters Caletor.

To burne the vessell; as he fell, the brand fell from his hand.

When Hector saw his sisters sonne, lie slaughterd in the sand,
He cald to all his friends, and prayd, they would not in that streight
Forsake his nephew, but maintaine, about his corse the fight,
And saue it from the spoile of Greece. Then sent he out a lance

Hector at Aiax.

At Aiax, in his nephewes wreake; which mist, but made the chance
On Lycophron Mastorides, that was the houshold friend
Of Aiax, borne in Cythera, whom Aiax did defend,

Hector missing Aiax, slayes his friend.

(Being fled to his protection) for killing of a man
Amongst the god-like Cytherans: the vengefull Iauelin ran
Quite through his head, aboue his eare, as he was standing by
His Fautor, then asterne his ship, from whence his soule did slie,
And to the earth his body fell: the haire stood vp an end
On Aiax; who to Teucer cald, (his brother) saying: Friend,
Our loued consort, whom we brought, from Cythera; and grac't,
So like our father; Hectors hand, hath made him breathe his last.
Where then are all thy death-borne shafts? and that vnuallewed bow
Apollo gaue thee? Teucer strait, his brothers thoughts did know,
Stood neare him, and dispatcht a shaft, amongst the Troian fight:
It strooke Pysenors goodly sonne, yong Clytus, the delight
Of the renowm'd Polydamas; the bridle in his hand,

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As he was labouring his horse, to please the high command
Of Hector, and his Tioian friends; and bring him, where the fight
Made greatest tumult. But his strife, for honour in their sight,
Wrought not what sight or wishes helpt; for turning backe his looke,
The hollow of his necke, the shaft, came singing on, and strooke,
And downe he fell; his horses backe, and hurried through the field
The emptie chariot. Panthus sonne, made all haste, and withheld
Their loose carier; disposing them, to Protiaons sonne,
Astinous; with speciall charge, to keepe them euer on,
And in his sight: so he againe, amongst the foremost went.

Teucer at Hector.

At Hector then another shaft, incensed Teucer sent;
Which, had it hit him, sure had hurt; and had it hurt him, slaine;
And had it slaine him, it had driuen, all those to Troy againe.

But Ioues mind was not sleeping now; it wak't to Hectors fame,
And Teucers infamie; himselfe (in Teucers deadly aime)

Ioue breakes Teucers bow.

His well-wrought string disseuering, that seru'd his brauest bow;
His shaft flew quite another way; his bow the earth did strow.
At all which, Teucer stood amaz'd, and to his brother cride,

Teucer to Aiax.

O prodigie! without all doubt, our Angell doth deride
The counsels of our fight; he brake, a string, my hands put on
This morning, and was newly made; and well might haue set gone
A hundred arrowes; and beside, he strooke out of my hand

Aiax to Teucer.

The bow Apollo gaue. He sayd, Then (good friend) do not stand
More on thy archerie, since God (preuenter of all grace,
Desir'd by Grecians) sleights it so. Take therefore in the place,
A good large lance; and on thy necke, a target cast, as bright;
With which, come fight thy selfe with some, and othersome excite,
That without labour at the least (though we proue worser men)
Troy may not brag it tooke our ships: come, mind our businesse then.

Teucer changeth his armes.

This said, he hasted to his tent; left there his shafts and bow,
And then his double, double shield, did on his shoulders throw;
Vpon his honor'd head he plac't, his helmet, thickly plum'd;
And then his strong, and well pilde lance, in his faire hand assum'd,
Return'd, and boldly tooke his place, by his great brothers side.

Hectors admiration of Ioues breaking Teucers bow.

When Hector saw his arrowes broke, out to his friends he cride,
O friends! be yet more comforted, I saw the hands of Ioue,
Breake the great Grecian archers shafts: tis easie to approue,
That Ioues powre is direct with men; as well in those set hie
Vpon the sodaine, as in those, deprest as sodainly:
And those not put in state at all: as now he takes away
Strength from the Greeks, and giues it vs; then vse it, and assay
With ioyn'd hands this approched fleete. If any brauely buy
His fame or fate, with wounds or death; in Ioues name let him die.
Who for his country suffers death, sustaines no shamefull thing:
His wife in honour shall suruiue, his progenie shall spring
In endlesse summers; and their roofes, with patrimonie swell;
And all this, though with all their freight, the Greeke ships we repell.

His friends thus cheer'd, on th' other part, strong Aiax stird his friends:

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O Greeks (said he) what shame is this, that no man more defends,

Aiax to the Greekes.

His fame and safetie; then to liue, and thus be forc't to shrinke:
Now either saue your fleet, or die; vnlesse ye vainly thinke,
That you can liue, and they destroy'd? perceiues not euery eare,
How Hector hartens vp his men? and hath his firebrands here,
Now ready to enflame our fleet? he doth not bid them dance;
That you may take your case, and see; but to the fight aduance.
No counsell can serue vs but this: to mixe both hands and harts
And beare vp close; tis better much, t'expose our vtmost parts
To one daies certaine life or death; then languish in a warre
So base as this; beate to our ships, by our inferiours farre.

Thus rowsd he vp their spirits and strengths: To work then, both sides went
When Hector, the Phocensian Dulce, to fields of darknesse sent;
Fierce Schedius, Perimedes sonne; which Aiax did requite,
With slaughter of Laodamas, that led the foote to fight,
And was Antenors famous sonne, Polydamas did end
Otus, surnam'd Cyllenius; whom Phydas made his friend;
Being chiefe of the Epeians Bands: whose fall, when Meges viewd,
He let flie at his fellers life; who (shrinking-in) eschew'd
The wel-aym'd lance: Apollos will, denied that Panthus sonne
Should fall amongst the foremost fights; the dart, the mid-brest wonne
Of Cræsmus; Meges wonne his armes. At Meges, Dolops then
Bestow'd his lance; he was the sonne, of Lampus, best of men:
And Lampus, of Laomedon, well skild in strength of mind;
He strooke Phylides shield quite through, whose curets, better lin'd
And hollow'd fitly, sau'd his life: Phyleus left him them,
Who from Epirus brought them home; on that part where the streme
Of famous Seléés doth runne; Euphetes did bestow
(Being guest with him) those wel-prou'd armes, to weare against the foe,
And now they sau'd his sonne from death. At Dolops, Meges threw
A speare well pilde; that strooke his caske, full in the height; off flew
His purple feather, newly made; and in the dust it fell.

While these thus striu'd for victorie; and eithers hope seru'd well;
Atrides came to Meges aide; and (hidden with his side)
Let loose a iauelin at his foe, that through his backe implied
His lustie head, euen past his breast; the ground receiu'd his weight.

While these made-in, to spoyle his armes; great Hector did excite,
All his allies to quicke reuenge; and first he wrought vpon
Strong Menalippus (that was sonne, to great Hycetaon)
With some reproofe. Before these warres, he in Percote fed
Clouen-footed Oxen; but did since, returne where he was bred;
Exceld amongst the Ilians, was much of Priam lou'd;
And in his court kept, as his sonne; him Hector thus reprou'd.

Thus Menalippus, shall our blood, accuse vs of neglect?

Hector to Menalippus.

Nor moues it thy lou'd heart (thus vrg'd) thy kinsman to protect?
Seest thou not, how they seeke his spoyle? Come, follow; now no more
Our fight must stand at length, but close: nor leaue the close, before
We close the latest eye of them; or they, the lowest stone

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Teare vp, and sacke the citizens, of loftie Ilion.
He led; he followd like a god: and then must Aiax needs
(As well as Hector) cheare his men; and thus their spirits he seeds:

Aiax to his souldiers, in imitation of Agamemnon, obserued by him before, vsing the same words.

Good friends bring but your selues to feele, the noble stings of shame,
For what ye suffer, and be men: respect each others fame;
For which, who striues, in shames fit feare; and puts on neare so farre,
Comes oftner off, then sticke engag'd: these fugitiues of warre,
Saue neither life, nor get renowne; nor beare more minds then sheepe.

This short speech fir'd them in his aide, his spirit toucht them deepe;
And turn'd them all before the fleet, into a wall of brasse:
To whose assault, Ioue stird their foes: and young Atrides was
Ioues instrument; who thus set on, the yong Antilochus:

Menelaus to Antilochus.

Antilochus, in all our host, there is not one of vs
More yong then thou; more swift of foote; nor (with both those) so strong.
O would thou wouldst then (for thou canst) one of this lustie throng,
That thus comes skipping out before, (whoeuer, any where)
Make sticke (for my sake) twixt both hosts, and leaue his bold blood there.

He said no sooner, and retir'd; but forth he rusht, before
The foremost fighters, yet his eye, did euery way explore
For doubt of ods; out flew his lance: the Troians did abstaine
While he was darting; yet his dart, he cast not off in vaine:

Antilochus slaughters Menalippus.

For Menalippus (that rare sonne) of great Hycetaon;
(As brauely he put foorth to fight) it fiercely flew vpon;
And, at the nipple of his breast, his breast, and life did part.

Simile.

And then, much like an eager hound, cast off at some yong Hart,
Hurt by the hunter; that had left, his couert then, but new,
The great-in-warre-Antilochus, (O Menalippus) flew
On thy torne bosome, for thy spoyle. But thy death could not lie
Hid to great Hector; who all haste, made to thee, and made flie
Antilochus; although in warre, he were at all parts skild:
But as some wild beast, hauing done, some shrewd turne, (either kild
The heardsman, or the heardsman dogge,) and skulks away before

A Simile suiting the other before to the life.

The gatherd multitude makes in: so Nestors sonne forbore,
But after him, with horrid cryes, both Hector and the rest
Showres of teare-thirstie lances powr'd; who hauing arm'd his brest
With all his friends, he turn'd it then. Then on the ships, all Troy,
Like raw-flesh-nourisht Lions rusht, and knew they did imploy
Their powres to perfect Ioues high will; who still their spirits enflam'd,
And quencht the Grecians; one, renownd; the other, often sham'd;
For Hectors glorie still he stood; and euer went about,
To make him cast the fleet such fire, as neuer should go out;
Heard Thetis foule petition; and wisht, in any wise,
The splendor of the burning ships, might satiate his eyes.
From him yet, the repulse was then, to be on Troy conferd,
The honor of it giuen the Greeks; which (thinking on) he stird
(With such addition of his spirit) the spirit Hector bore,
To burne the fleet; that of it selfe, was hote enough before.
But now he far'd like Mars himselfe, so brandishing his lance;

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As through the deepe shades of a wood, a raging fire should glance;
Held vp to all eyes by a wood; about his lips, a fome

Hectors horrible apparance.

Stood; as when th' Ocean is enrag'd; his eyes were ouercome
With feruour, and resembl'd flames; set off, by his darke browes:
And from his temples, his bright helme, abhorred lightnings throwes.
For Ioue, from foorth the sphere of starres, to his state, put his owne;
And all the blaze of both the hosts, confin'd, in him alone.
And all this was, since after this, he had not long to liue;
This lightning flew before his death: which Pallas was to giue,
(A small time thence, and now prepar'd) beneath the violence
Of great Pelides. In meane time, his present eminence,
Thought all things vnder it: and he, still where he saw the stands
Of greatest strength, and brauest arm'd, there he would proue his hands:
Or no where; offering to breake through But that past all his powre,
Although his will, were past all theirs; they stood him like a towre
Conioynd so firme: that as a rocke, exceeding high and great;
And standing neare the hoarie sea, beares many a boisterous threate
Of high-voic't winds, and billowes huge, belcht on it by the stormes;
So stood the Greeks great Hectors charge, nor stird their battellous formes.

He (guirt in fire, borne for the fleet) still rusht at euery troope;
And fell vpon it like a waue, high raisd, that then doth stoope

Simile.

Out from the clouds; grows as it stoops, with stormes; then downe doth come
And cuffe a ship; when all her sides, are hid in brackish fome;
Strong gales still raging in her sailes; her sailers minds dismaid,
Death being but little from their liues: so Ioue-like Hector fraid,
And plyde the Greeks; who knew not what, would chance, for all their guards.

And as the banefull king of beasts, leapt in to Oxen heards,

Simile.

Fed in the meddowes of a fenne, exceeding great; the beasts
In number infinite; mongst whom, (their heardsmen wanting breasts
To fight with Lions, for the price, of a blacke Oxes life,)
He here, and there iumps; first, and last, in his bloodthirstie strife,
Chac't and assaulted; and at length, downe in the midst goes one,
And all the rest, sperst through the fenne: so now, all Greece was gone.
So Hector (in a flight from heauen, vpon the Grecians cast)
Turnd all their backs; yet onely one, his deadly lance laid fast:
Braue Mycenæus Periphes, Cypræus dearest sonne;
Who, of the heauens Queene-lou'd-king, (great Eurysthæus) wonne
The grace, to greet in Ambassie, the strength of Hercules,
Was farre superiour to his sire; in feete, fight, noblenes
Of all the vertues; and all those, did such a wisedome guide,
As all Mycena could not match: and this man dignified,
(Stil making greater his renowne) the state of Priams sonne.
For his vnhappie hastie foote, as he addrest to runne,
Stucke in th' extreme ring of his shield, that to his ankles reacht;
And downe he vpwards fell, his fall, vp from the center fetcht
A huge sound, with his head, and helme; which Hector quickly spide;
Ranne in, and in his worthy breast, his lances head did hide;
And slue about him all his friends, who could not giue him aide:

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They grieu'd; and of his god-like foe, fled so extreme afraid.

And now, amongst the nearest ships, that first were drawne to shore,
The Greeks were driuen; beneath whose sides, behind them, and before;
And into them they powr'd themselues, and thence were driuen againe
Vp to their tents, and there they stood: not daring to maintaine
Their guards more outward; but betwixt, the bounds of Feare and Shame,
Chear'd still each other; when th' old man, that of the Grecian name,
Was cald the pillar; euery man, thus by his parents praid:

O friends, be men, and in your minds, let others shames be weigh'd;

Nestor to the Greekes.

Know you haue friends besides your selues; possessions, parents, wiues;
As well those that are dead to you, as those ye loue with liues;
All sharing still their good, or bad, with yours: by these I pray,
That are not present (and the more, should therefore make ye wey
Their misse of you, as yours of them) that you will brauely stand
And this forc't flight, you haue sustain'd, at length yet countermand.

Supplies of good words, thus supplide, the deeds and spirits of all;

Minerua cleares the darknes Ioue powred on the Grecian armie.

And so, at last Minerua clear'd, the cloud that Ioue let fall
Before their eyes: a mightie light, flew beaming euery way;
As well about their ships, as where, their darts did hotest play:
Then saw they Hector great in armes, and his associates;
As well all those, that then abstaind, as those that helpt the fates;
And all their owne fight at the fleete. Nor did it now content
Aiax, to keepe downe like the rest; he, vp the hatches went,
Stalkt here and there; and in his hand, a huge great beadhooke held,
Twelue cubits long, and full of Iron; And as a man well skild

A simile of Aiax managing the fight at the fleet.

In horse, made to the martiall race; when (of a number more)
He chuseth foure, and brings them foorth, to runne them all before
Swarmes of admiring citizens, amids their townes high-way;
And (in their full carier) he leapes, from one, to one; no stay
Enforc't on any; nor failes he, in either seate or leape:
So Aiax with his beadhooke leapt, nimbly from ship to ship,
As actiuely, commanding all; them in their men, as well
As men in them: most terribly, exhorting to repell;
To saue their nauie, and their tents. But Hector nothing needs
To stand on exhortations now, at home; he striues for deeds.

Simile of Hector

And looke how Ioues great Queene of birds, (sharpe set) lookes out for prey;
Knowes floods that nourish wild-wing'd fowles, and (from her airie way)
Beholds where Cranes, Swans, Cormorands, haue made their foody fall;
Darkens the riuer with her wings, and stoopes amongst them all:
So Hector flew amongst the Greekes, directing his command
(In chiefe) against one opposite ship; Ioue with a mightie hand
Still backing him, and all his men: and then againe there grew,
A bitter conflict at the fleet; you would haue said, none drew
A wearie breath, nor euer would; they layd so freshly on:
And this was it that fir'd them both; the Greeks did build vpon
No hope, but what the field would yeeld; flight, an impossible course.
The Troians all hope entertaind, that sword, and fire should force
Both ships, and liues, of all the Greekes; and thus, vnlike affects

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Bred like strenuitie in both. Great Hector still directs
His powres against the first neare ship. Twas that faire barke that brought
Protesilaus to those warres; and now, her selfe to nought,
With many Greeke and Troian liues; all spoyld about her spoyle:
One slue another desperately; and close the deadly toyle
Was pitcht on both parts: not a shaft, nor farre-of striking dart,
Was vsde through all: one fight fell out, of one despitefull hart;
Sharpe axes, twibils, two hand swords, and speares with two heads borne,
Were then the weapons; faire short swords, with sanguine hilts still worne,
Had vse in like sort; of which last, ye might haue numbers view'd,
Drop with dissolu'd armes from their hands; as many downright hew'd
From off their shoulders as they fought, their bawdricks cut in twaine:
And thus the blacke blood flow'd on earth, from souldiers hurt and slaine.

When Hector once had seisd the ship, he clapt his faire brode hand
Fast on the sterne, and held it there; and there gaue this command:

Hector seising Protesilaus ship, to the Troians.

Bring fire, and altogether showt; now Ioue hath drawne the veile
From such a day, as makes amends, for all his stormes of haile:
By whose blest light, we take those ships, that in despite of heauen
Tooke sea, and brought vs worlds of woe: all, since our Peeres were giuen
To such a lasinesse and feare; they would not let me end
Our lingring banes; and charge thus home; but keepe home, and defend.
And so they rul'd the men I led; but though Ioue then withheld
My naturall spirit: now by Ioue, tis freed; and thus impeld.

This more inflam'd them; in so much, that Aiax now, no more,

Aiax forced to withdraw himselfe from the fight.

Kept vp, he was so drownd in darts; a little he forbore
The hatches, to a seate beneath, of seuen foote long; but thought
It was impossible to scape; he sate yet, where he fought,
And hurld out lances thicke as haile, at all men that assaid
To fire the ship; with whom he found, his hands so ouerlaid,
That on his souldiers thus he cryed: O friends, fight I alone?
Expect ye more wals at your backes? townes rampir'd, here are none;
No citizens to take ye in; no helpe in any kind;
We are, I tell you, in Troys fields; haue nought but seas behind,
And foes before; farre, farre, from Greece; for shame, obey commands;
There is no mercie in the warres; your healthes lie in your hands.

Thus rag'd he, and powr'd out his darts: who euer he espied
Come neare the vessell, arm'd with fire, on his fierce dart he died;
All that pleasd Hector, made him mad: all, that his thanks would erne;
Of which twelue men, his most resolu'd, lay dead before his sterne.

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The end of the fifteenth Booke.

218

THE SIXTEENTH BOOK OF HOMERS ILIADS

The Argvment.

Achilles, at Patroclus suite, doth yeeld
His armes, and Myrmidons; which brought to field,
The Troians flie. Patroclus hath the grace
Of great Sarpedons death, strong of the race
Of Iupiter; he hauing slaine the horse
Of Thetis sonne, (fierce Pedasus,) the force
Of Hector doth reuenge, the much-ru'd end
Of most renown'd Sarpedon, on the friend
Of Thetides; first, by Euphorbus, harm'd
And by Apollos personall powre disarm'd.

Another Argument.

In πι, Patroclus beares the chance
Of death, imposd by Hectors lance.

Thus fighting for this well-built ship; Patroclus all that space
Stood by his friend, preparing words, to win the Greeks his grace
With powre of vncontained teares: and (like a fountaine pour'd
In blacke streams, frō a lofty rocke) the Greeks, so plagu'd, deplor'd.
Achilles (ruthfull for his teares) said: Wherefore weepes my friend

Achilles chides Patroclus for his teares.

So like a girle, who, though she sees, her mother cannot tend
Her childish humours, hangs on her, and would be taken vp;
Stil viewing her, with teare-drownd eyes, when she hath made her stoope.
To nothing liker, I can shape, thy so vnseemely teares;
What causeth them? hath any ill, sollicited thine eares,
Befalne my Myrmidons? or newes, from loued Phthia brought,
Told onely thee? lest I should grieue, and therefore thus hath wrought
On thy kind spirit? Actors sonne, the good Menœtius,
(Thy father) liues; and Peleus (mine) great sonne of Æacus,
Amongst his Myrmidons; whose deaths, in dutie we should mourne.
Or is it what the Greeks sustaine, that doth thy stomacke turne?
On whom (for their iniustice sake) plagues are so iustly laide?
Speake man, let both know eithers heart. Patroclus (sighing said)

O Peleus sonne, (thou strongest Greeke, by all degrees, that liues)

Patroclus answer to Achilles.

Still be not angrie; our sad state, such cause of pittie giues.
Our greatest Greeks lie at their ships, sore wounded; Ithachus,
King Agamemnon, Diomed, and good Eurypilus:
But these, much-medcine-knowing men (Physitions) can recure;
Thou yet vnmedcinable still; though thy wound, all endure.
Heauen blesse my bosome from such wrath, as thou sooth'st as thy blisse,

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(Vnprofitably vertuous) How shall our progenies,
Borne in thine age, enioy thine aide? when these friends in thy flowre
Thou leau'st to such vnworthy death? O idle, cruell powre;
Great Peleus neuer did beget, not Thetis, bring foorth thee;
Thou, from the blew sea, and her rockes, deriu'st thy pedegree.
What so declines thee? If thy mind, shuns any augurie,
Related by thy mother Queene, from heauens foreseeing eye,
And therefore thou forsak'st thy friends; let me go ease their mones
With those braue reliques of our host, thy mightie Myrmidons;
That I may bring to field more light, to Conquest then hath bene;
To which end grace me with thine armes, since any shadow seene
Of thy resemblance; all the powre, of periur'd Troy will flie,
And our so tired friends will breathe: our fresh-set-on supplie
Will easily driue their wearied off. Thus (foolish man) he su'd
For his sure death; of all whose speech, Achilles first renu'd
The last part, thus: O worthy friend, what haue thy speeches bene?

Achilles to Patroclus.

I shun the fight for Oracles? or what my mother Queene
Hath told from Ioue? I take no care, nor note of one such thing;
But this fit anger stings me still, that the insulting king,
Should from his equall take his right; since he exceeds in powre.
This, (still his wrong) is still my griefe; he tooke my Paramour
That all men gaue: and whom I wonne, by vertue of my speare,
That (for her) ouerturn'd a Towne. This rape he made of her,
And vsde me like a fugitiue; an Inmate in a towne,
That is no citie libertine, nor capable of their gowne.
But, beare we this, as out of date; tis past, nor must we still
Feed anger in our noblest parts; yet thus, I haue my will
As well as our great king of men; for I did euer vow,
Neuer to cast off my disdaine, till (as it fals out now)
Their misse of me, knockt at my fleet; and told me in their cries,
I was reueng'd, and had my wish, of all my enemies.
And so of this repeate enough: Take thou, my fame-blaz'd armes,
And my fight-thirstie Myrmidons, leade to these hote alarmes.
Whole clouds of Troians circle vs, with hatefull eminence:
The Greeks shut in a little shore; a sort of citizens
Skipping vpon them: all because, their prowd eyes do not see
The radiance of my helmet there, whose beames had instantly
Thrust backe, and all these ditches fild, with carrion of their flesh,
If Agamemnon had bene kind: where now, they fight as fresh,
As thus farre they had put at ease; and at our tents contend.
And may; for the repulsiue hand, of Diomed, doth not spend
His raging darts there, that their Death, could fright out of our fleet:
Nor from that head of enmitie, can my poore hearers meet
The voice of great Atrides now: now Hectors onely voyce,
Breakes all the aire, about both hosts; and with the very noise,
Bred by his lowd encouragements, his forces fill the field,
And fight the poore Achaians downe. But on; put thou my shield
Betwixt the fire-plague and our fleet: rush brauely on, and turne

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Warres tide as headlong on their throtes. No more let them aiourne
Our sweet-home-turning: but obserue, the charge I lay on thee
To each least point, that thy rul'd hand, may highly honour me;
And get such glorie from the Greeks, that they may send againe
My most sweet wench, and gifts to boote; when thou hast cast a raine
On these so head-strong citizens, and forc't them from our fleet.

Iupiter called the god of sounds for the chiefe sound his thunder.

With which grace, if the god of sounds, thy kind egression greet;
Retire, and be not tempted on (with pride, to see thy hand
Raine slaughterd carkasses on earth) to runne forth thy command
As farre as Ilion; lest the gods, that fauour Troy, come forth
To thy encounter; for the Sunne, much loues it; and my worth
(In what thou suffer'st) will be wrong'd, that I would let my friend
Assume an action of such weight, without me; and transcend
His friends prescription; do not then, affect a further fight,
Then I may strengthen: let the rest, (when thou hast done this right)
Performe the rest. O would to Ioue, thou Pallas, and thou Sunne,
That not a man housd vnderneath, those towres of Ilion,
Nor any one of all the Greeks, (how infinite a summe
Soeuer, altogether make) might liue vnouercome:
But onely we two (scaping death) might haue the thundring downe
Of euery stone, stucke in the wals, of this so sacred towne.

Thus spake they onely twixt themselues. And now the foe no more
Could Aiax stand, being so opprest, with all the iron store
The Troians powr'd on; with whose darts, and with Ioues will beside,
His powres were cloyd, and his bright helme, did deafning blowes abide;
His plume, and all head ornaments, could neuer hang in rest:
His arme yet laboured vp his shield; and, hauing done their best,
They could not stirre him from his stand; although he wrought it out
With short respirings, and with sweate; that ceaslesse flow'd about
His reeking lims: no least time giuen, to take in any breath;
Ill strengthned ill; when one was vp, another was beneath.

Now Muses, you that dwell in heauen, the dreadfull meane inspire
That first enforc't the Grecian fleete, to take in Troian fire:
First Hector with his huge brode sword, cut off, at setting on,
The head of Aiax Ashen lance; which Aiax seeing gone;
And that he shooke a headlesse speare (a little while vnware)
His warie spirits told him straight, the hand of heauen was there,
And trembl'd vnder his conceipt; which was, that twas Ioues deed:
Who, as he pold off his darts heads; so, sure he had decreed,
That all the counsels of their warre, he would polle off like it,
And giue the Troians victorie: so, trusted he his wit,
And left his darts. And then the ship, was heapt with horrid brands
Of kindling fire; which instantly, was seene through all the strands,
In vnextinguishible flames, that all the ship embrac't:
And then Achilles beate his thighes; cryed out, Patroclus, haste,
Make way with horse; I see at fleet, a fire of fearfull rage:
Arme, arme, lest all our fleet it fire, and all our powre engage;
Arme quickly, Ile bring vp the troopes. To these so dreadfull warres

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Patroclus, in Achilles armes, (enlightned all with starres,
And richly ameld) all haste made: he wore his sword, his shield,
His huge-plum'd helme; and two such speares, as he could nimbly wield.
But the most fam'd Achilles speare, big, solid, full of weight,
He onely left, of all his armes; for that, farre past the might
Of any Greeke to shake, but his; Achilles onely ire
Shooke that huge weapon; that was giuen, by Chyron to his fire,
Cut from the top of Pelion, to be Heroes deaths.
His steeds, Antomedon straight ioyn'd; like whom no man that breaths
(Next Peleus sonne) Patroclus lou'd; for like him, none so great

Automedon friend to Patroclus, and manager of Achilles horses.

He found, in faith, at euery fight, nor to out-looke a threat:
Antomedon did therefore guide (for him) Achilles steeds,
(Xanthus, and Balius swift as wind) begotten by the seeds
Of Zephyr, and the Harpie borne, Pordarge; in a meade
Close to the wauie Ocean, where that fierce Harpye feade.
Antomedon ioyn'd these before, and with the hindmost geres
He fastn'd famous Pedasus, whom, from the massakers
Made by Achilles, when he tooke, Eetions wealthie towne,
He brought; and (though of mortall race) yet gaue him the renowne
To follow his immortall horse. And now, before his tents,
Himselfe had seene his Myrmidons, in all habiliments
Of dreadfull warre: And when ye see (vpon a mountaine bred)

A simile most liuely expressiue.

A den of Wolues, (about whose hearts, vnmeasur'd strengths are fed)
New come from currie of a Stagge; their iawes all blood-besmeard;
And when from some blacke water-fount, they altogether herd;
There hauing plentifully lapt, with thin, and thrust out tongs,
The top and clearest of the spring; go belching from their lungs
The clotterd gore; looke dreadfully, and entertaine no dread,
Their bellies gaunt; all taken vp, with being so rawly fed:
Then say, that such, in strength, and looke, were great Achilles men,
Now orderd for the dreadfull fight: and so with all them then
Their Princes, and their Chiefes did show, about their Generals friend;
His friend, and all, about himselfe: who chiefly did intend

The powers Achilles brought to Troy.

Th' embattelling of horse, and foote. To that siege, held so long,
Twise fiue and twenty saile he brought; twise fiue and twentie strong
Of able men, was euery saile: fiue Colonels he made
Of all those forces, trustie men; and all of powre to leade,
But he, of powre, beyond them all. Menesthius was one,
That euer wore discolour'd armes; he was a riuers sonne
That fell from heauen, and good to drinke, was his delightfull streame:
His name, vnwearied Sperchius; he lou'd the louely dame
Faire Polydora, Peleus seed; and deare in Borus sight,
And she, to that celestiall flood, gaue this Menesthius light:
A woman, mixing with a god. Yet Borus bore the name
Of father to Menesthius: he marrying the dame,
And giuing her a mightie dowre; he was the kind descent
Of Perieris. The next man, renown'd with regiment,
Was strong Eudorus; brought to life, by one supposd a maide;

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Bright Polymela (Phylas seed;) but had the wanton plaid,
With Argus-killing Mercurie; who (fir'd with her faire eyes
As she was singing in the quire, of her that makes the cries
In clamorous hunting, and doth beare, the crooked bow of gold)
Stole to her bed, in that chaste roome, that Phebe chast did hold;
And gaue her that swift-warrelicke sonne, (Eudorus) brought to light

Eudorus borne as Polymela his mother was dancing.

As she was dancing: but as soone, as she that rules the plight
Of labouring women, easd her throwes; and shew'd her sonne the Sunne,
Strong Echelaus, Actors heire; woo'd earnestly, and wonne
Her second fauour, seeing her, with gifts of infinite prise;
And after brought her to his house; where, in his grandsires eyes,
(Old Phylas) Polymelas sonne, obtaind exceeding grace,
And found as carefull bringing vp, as of his naturall race

Memalides the third Collonell.

He had descended. The third chiefe, was faire Memalides
Pysandrus; who in skill of darts, obtaind supremest praise
Of all the Myrmidons, except, their Lords companion.

Phœnix the fourth, Alcimedon the fifth.

The fourth charge aged Phœnix had. The fifth, Alcimedon,
Sonne of Laereus, and much fam'd. All these digested thus
In fit place, by the mightie sonne, of royall Peleus;
This sterne remembrance he gaue all: You Myrmidons, (said he)

Achilles to his Myrmidons.

Lest any of you should forget, his threatnings vsde to me
In this place; and through all the time, that my iust anger raign'd;
Attempting me with bitter words, for being so restrain'd
(For my hote humour) from the fight: remember them, as these:
Thou cruell sonne of Peleus, whom she that rules the seas,
Did onely nourish with her gall; thou dost vngently hold
Our hands, against our wills, from fight; we will not be controld;
But take our ships and saile for home; before we loyter here,
And feed thy furie. These high words, exceeding often were
The threates, that in your mutinous troopes, ye vsde to me, for wrath
To be detaind so from the field: now then, your splenes may bath
In sweate of those great works ye wisht; now he that can employ
A generous heart, go fight, and fright, these bragging sonnes of Troy.

This set their minds, and strengths on fire; the speech enforcing well,
Being vsde in time; but being their kings, it much more did impell;

Simile.

And closer rusht-in all the troopes. And, as for buildings hie,
The Mazon layes his stones more thicke, against th' extremitie
Of wind and weather; and euen then, if any storme arise,
He thickens them the more for that; the present act so plies
His honest mind to make sure worke. So, for the high estate
This worke was brought to, these mens minds, (according to the rate)
Were raisd, and all their bodies ioyn'd: but there well-spoken king,
With his so timely-thought-on speech, more sharpe made valours sting;
And thickn'd so their targets bost; so all their helmets then;
That shields propt shields; helmes helmets knockt, and men encourag'd men.

Patroclus and Antomedon arme together.

Patroclus, and Antomedon, did arme before them all
Two bodies, with one mind inform'd; and then the Generall,
Betooke him to his priuate Tent, where (from a coffer wrought

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Most rich and curiously; and giuen, by Thetis, to be brought
In his owne ship, top-fild with vests; warme robes to checke cold wind;
And tapistries, all golden fring'd, and curl'd with thrumbs behind:
He tooke a most vnualewed boule, in which none dranke but he;

Achilles sacrifice for his friends safe returne.

Nor he, but to the deities; nor any deitie,
But Ioue himselfe was seru'd with that; and that he first did clense
With sulphure, then with fluences, of sweetest water rense.
Then washt his hands, and drew himselfe, a mightie boule of wine;
Which (standing midst the place enclosde, for seruices diuine,
And looking vp to heauen and Ioue, who saw him well) he pour'd
Vpon the place of sacrifice, and humbly thus implor'd:

Great Dodonæus, President, of cold Dodonaes towres;

Achilles innovation.

Diuine Pelasgicus, that dwell'st, farre hence; about whose bowres
Th' austere prophetique Selli dwell, that still sleepe on the ground,
Go bare, and neuer clense their feete: as I before haue found
Grace to my vowes, and hurt to Greece, so now my prayres intend.
I still stay in the gatherd fleete, but haue dismist my friend
Amongst my many Myrmidons, to danger of the dart.
O grant his valour my renowne; arme with my mind his hart,
That Hectors selfe may know, my friend, can worke in single warre;
And not then onely shew his hands, so hote and singular,
When my kind presence seconds him: but, fight he nere so well;
No further let him trust his fight: but when he shall repell
Clamor and Danger from our fleete, vouchsafe a safe retreate
To him and all his companies, with fames and armes compleate.

He prayd, and heauens great Counsellor, gaue satisfying care,
To one part of his orisons, but left the other there:
He let him free the fleete of foes, but safe retreate denide.
Achilles left that vtter part, where he his zeale applide;
And turn'd into his inner tent; made fast his cup; and then
Stood forth, and with his mind beheld, the foes fight and his men,
That follow'd his great minded friend, embattail'd, till they brake
With gallant spirit vpon the foe: And as fell waspes, that make

Simile.

Their dwellings in the broade high way; which foolish children vse
(Their cottages being neare their nests) to anger and abuse
With euer vexing them, and breed (to sooth their childish warre)
A common ill to many men; since if a traueller
(That would his iourneys end apply, and passe them vnassayd)
Come neare and vexe them, vpon him, the childrens faults are layd;
For on they flie, as he were such, and still defend their owne:
So far'd it with the feruent mind, of euery Myrmidon,
Who pour'd themselues out of their fleete, vpon their wanton foes,
That needs would stirre them, thrust so neare; and cause the ouerthrowes
Of many others that had else, bene neuer toucht by them,
Nor would haue toucht. Patroclus then, put his wind to the streame,

Patroclus to the Myrmidons.

And thus exhorted: Now my friends, remember you expresse
Your late-vrg'd vertue, and renowme, our great Æacides;
That he being strongst of all the Greeks, his eminence may dimme

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All others likewise in our strengths, that farre off imitate him.
And Agamemnon now may see, his fault as generall,
As his place high; dishonoring him, that so much honors all.

Thus made he sparkle their fresh fire, and on they rusht; the fleete
Fild full her hollow sides with sounds, that terribly did greete
Th' amazed Troians: and their eyes, did second their amaze,

The terror of Patroclus to the Troians.

When great Menatius sonne they saw, and his friends armor blaze;
All troupes stood troubl'd with conceit, that Peleus sonne was there;
His anger cast off at the ships; and each lookt euery where
For some authoritie to leade, the then prepared flight.
Patroclus greeted with a lance, the region where the fight
Made strongest tumult; neare the ship, Protesilaus brought,
And strooke Pyrechmen, who before, the faire-helmd Pæons fought,
Led from Amydon, neare whose wals, the broad stream'd Axius flowes.

Pyrechmen slain by Patroclus, and the ships rescued.

Through his right shoulder flew the dart, whose blow strooke all the blowes
In his powre, from his powrelesse arme; and downe he groning fell:
His men all flying (their Leader fled.) This one dart did repell
The whole guard plac't about the ship; whose fire extinct, halfe burn'd:
The Pæons left her; and full crie, to clamorous flight return'd.
Then spread the Greeks about their ships; triumphant tumult flow'd:

Simile.

And as from top of some steepe hill, the lightner strips a clowd,
And lets a great skie out from heauen; in whose delightsome light,
All prominent foreheads, forrests, towres, and temples cheare the sight:
So clear'd these Greeks, this Troian cloud; and at their ships and tents
Obtain'd a litle time to breathe, but found no present vents
To their inclusions; nor did Troy (though these Pæonians fled)
Lose any ground, but from this ship, they needfully turn'd head.

Then euery man, a man subdude; Patroclus in the thigh
Strooke Areilicus; his dart, the bone did breake, and flie
Quite through, and sunke him to the earth. Good Menelaus slew
Accomplisht Thoas, in whose breast (being nak'd) his lance he threw,
Aboue his shield, and freed his soule. Phylides (taking note
That bold Amphidus bent at him) preuented him, and smote
His thighes extreme part, where (of man) his fattest muscle lies,
The nerues torne with his lances pile, and darknesse closde his eyes.
Antilochus, Atymnius seizd, his steele lance did impresse
His first three guts, and loosd his life. At yong Nestorides,
Maris, Atymnius bother flew; and at him, Thrasimed,
(The brother to Antilochus) his eager Iauelins head,
The muscles of his arme cut out, and shiuer'd all the bone;
Night closde his eyes; his liuelesse corse, his brother fell vpon.
And so by two kind brothers hands, did two kind brothers bleed:
Both being diuine Sarpedons friends; and were the darting seed
Of Amisodarus, that kept, the bane of many men,
Abhord Chimæra; and such bane, now caught his childeren.
Aiax Oileades did take, Cleobulus aliue,
Inuading him, (staid by the prease) and at him then let driue,
With his short sword, that cut his necke; whose bloud warm'd all the steele:

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And cold Death, with a violent fate, his sable eyes did seele.
Peneleus and Lycon, cast, together off their darts;
Both mist, and both together then, went with their swords; in parts
The blade and hilt went, laying on, vpon the helmets height;
Peneleus sword caught Lycons necke, and cut it thorough quite.
His head hung by the very skin. The swift Meriones,
(Pursuing flying Acamas) iust as he got accesse
To horse and chariot, ouertooke, and tooke him such a blow
On his right shoulder, that he left his chariot, and did strow
The dustie earth; life left, his lims, and night his eyes possest.

Idomenæus his sterne dart, at Erymas addrest,
As (like to Acamas) he fled; it cut the sundry bones
Beneath his braine, betwixt his necke, and foreparts, and so runs
(Shaking his teeth out) through his mouth; his eyes all drown'd in blood:
So through his nostrils and his mouth (that now dart-open stood)
He breath'd his spirit. Thus had death, from euery Grecian Chiefe,
A Chiefe of Troy. For, as to Kids, or Lambes, their cruelst thiefe

Simile.

(The Wolfe) steales in; and when he sees, that by the shepheards sloth,
The dams are sperst about the hils; then serues his rauenous tooth
With ease, because his prey is weake: So seru'd the Greeks their foes,
Discerning well, how shrieking flight, did all their spirits dispose;
Their biding vertues quite forgot; And now the naturall splene
That Aiax bore to Hector, still, by all meanes would haue bene
Within his bosome with a dart: but he, that knew the warre,
(Well couer'd in a well-lin'd shield) did well perceiue how farre
The arrowes and the iauelins reacht, by being within their sounds
And ominous singings; and obseru'd, the there-inclining bounds
Of Conquest, in her aide of him, and so obeyd her change;
Tooke safest course for him and his, and stood to her as strange.
And as when Ioue intends a storme, he lets out of the starres

Simile.

From steepe Olympus, a blacke cloud, that all heauens splendor barres
From men on earth: so from the hearts, of all the Troian host,
All comfort lately found from Ioue, in flight and cries was lost.
Nor made they any faire retreat; Hectors vnruly horse,
Would needs retire him; and he left, engag'd his Troian force;
Forc't by the steepnesse of the dike, that in ill place they tooke,
And kept them that would faine haue gone. Their horses quite forsooke
A number of the Troian kings, and left them in the dike;
Their chariots in their foreteames broke. Patroclus then did strike
While steele was hote, and chear'd his friends; nor meant his enemies good:
Who when they once began to flie, each way receiu'd a flood,
And chok't themselues with drifts of dust. And now were clouds begot
Beneath the clouds; with flight, and noise; the horse neglected not
Their home intendments; and where rout, was busiest, there pour'd on
Patroclus most exhorts and threats; and then lay ouerthrowne
Numbers beneath their axle-trees, who (lying in flights streame)
Made th' after chariots iot and iumpe, in driuing ouer them.

Th' immortall horse Patroclus rode, did passe the dike with ease,

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And wisht the depth and danger more: and Menetiades
As great a spirit had to reach, retiring Hectors hast;
But his fleete horse had too much law, and fetcht him off too fast.

Simile.

And as in Autumne the blacke earth, is loden with the stormes,
That Ioue in gluts of raine poures downe; being angry with the formes
Of iugdement in authorisde men, that in their courts maintaine
(With violent office) wrested lawes, and (fearing gods, not men)
Exile all iustice; for whose faults, whole fields are ouerflowne,
And many valleys cut away, with torrents headlong throwne,
From neighbour mountaines; till the sea, receiue them, roring in;
And iudg'd mens labours then are vaine, plagu'd for their Iudges sin:
So now the foule defaults of some, all Troy were laid vpon:
So like those torrents toar'd they backe, to windie Ilion;
And so like tempests, blew the horse, with rauishing backe againe
Those hote assailants, all their workes, at fleete now rendred vaine.

Patroclus (when he had disperst, the formost Phalanxes)
Cald backe his forces to the fleete, and would not let them prease
(As they desir'd) too neare the towne; but twixt the ships and floud,
And their steepe rampire, his hand steept, Reuenge in seas of bloud.

Then Pronous was first that fell, beneath his fierie lance,
Which strooke his bare brest, neare his shield. The second, Thestors chance
(Old Enops sonne) did make himselfe; who shrinking, and set close
In his faire seate (euen with th' approch, Patroclus made) did lose
All manly courage; insomuch, that from his hands, his raines
Fell flowing downe; and his right iaw, Patroclus lance, attaines;
Strooke through his teeth, and there it stucke, and by it, to him drew
Dead Thestor to his chariot: it shewd, as when you view

Simile.

An Angler from some prominent rocke, draw with his line and hooke
A mightie fish out of the sea: for so the Greeke did plucke
The Troian gaping from his seate; his iawes op't with the dart;
Which when Patroclus drew, he fell; his life and brest did part.

Then rusht he on Eryalus, at whom he hurl'd a stone,
Which strake his head so in the midst, that two was made of one;
Two wayes it fell, cleft through his caske: and then Tlepolemus,
Epaltes, Damastorides, Euippus, Echius,
Ipheas, bold Amphoterus, and valiant Erymas,
And Polymelus (by his sire, surnam'd Argeadas)
He heapt vpon the much-fed earth. When Ioues most worthy sonne
(Diuine Sarpedon) saw these friends thus stayd, and others runne;

Sarpedon to the Lycians.

O shame! why flie ye, then he cride? now shew ye feete enow:
On, keepe your way; my selfe will meete, the man that startles you;
To make me vnderstand his name, that flants in conquest thus,
And hath so many able knees, so soone dissolu'd to vs.

Downe iumpt he from his chariot; downe leapt his foe as light:

Simile.

And as on some farre-looking rocke, a cast of Vultures fight,
Flie on each other, strike, and trusse, part, meete, and then sticke by,
Tug, both with crooked beakes, and seres; crie, fight; and fight, and cry:
So fiercely fought these angry kings, and shew'd as bitter gals.

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Ioue (turning eyes to his sterne fight) his wife and sister cals,

Ioue to Iuno about the fate of Sarpedon.

And (much mou'd for the Lycian Prince) said: O that to my sonne,
Fate, by this day, and man should cut, a thread so nobly spunne.
Two minds distract me; if I should, now rauish him from fight,
And set him safe in Lycia; or giue the Fates their right.

Austere Saturnius, (she replide) what vniust words are theise?

Iuno to Ioue

A mortall long since markt by Fate, wouldst thou immortalise?
Do; but by no god be approu'd; free him, and numbers more
(Sonnes of immortals) will liue free, that death must taste before
These gates of Ilion; euery god, will haue his sonne a god,
Or storme extremely. Giue him then, an honest period,
In braue fight, by Patroclus sword, if he be deare to thee,
And grieues thee, for his danger'd life: of which, when he is free,
Let Death and Somnus beare him hence; till Lycias naturall wombe
Receiue him from his brothers hands, and citizens; a Tombe
And columne raisd to him; this is, the honor of the dead.

She said; and her speech rul'd his powre: but in his safeties stead,
For sad ostent of his neare death, he steept his liuing name
In drops of blood, heauen swet for him, which earth drunke to his fame.

And now, as this high combat grew, to this too humble end;
Sarpedons death had this state more; twas vsherd by his friend,
And chariotere, braue Thrasimed; whom, in his bellies rim,
Patroclus wounded with his lance, and endlesse ended him.

And then another act of name, foreranne his princely fate;
His first lance missing, he let flie, a second that gaue date

Sarpedon kils Pedasus, one of Achilles horse.

Of violent death to Pedasus; who (as he ioy'd to die
By his so honorable hand) did (euen in dying) ney.

His ruine startl'd th' other steeds; the geres crackt, and the raines
Strappl'd his fellowes; whose mis-rule, Antomedon restraines,
By cutting the intangling geres; and so dissundering quite,
The braue-slaine Beast; when both the rest, obeyd, and went foreright:
And then the royall combattants, fought for the finall stroke,

The last encounter of Sarpedon and Patroclus.

When Lycias Generall mist againe; his high-raisde Iauelin tooke,
Aboue his shoulder, emptie way. But no such speedlesse flight
Patroclus let his speare performe, that on the breast did light,
Of his braue foe; where lifes strings close, about the solid hart,
Impressing a recurelesse wound; his knees then, left their part,
And let him fall; when like an Oke, a Poplar, or a Pine,
New feld by arts-men on the hils; he stretcht his forme diuine
Before his horse and chariot. And as a Lion leapes

Simile.

Vpon a goodly yellow Bull, driues all the herd in heapes;
And vnder his vnconquerd iawes, the braue beast sighing dies:
So sigh'd Sarpedon vnderneath, this prince of enemies;
Cald Glaucus to him (his deare friend,) and said: Now friend, thy hands

Sarpedon dying, to Glaucus his friend.

Much dutie owe to fight, and armes; now, for my loue, it stands
Thy heart in much hand to approue, that warre is harmefull; now
How actiue all thy forces are, this one houres act must show.
First call our Lycian Captaines vp, looke round, and bring vp all,

228

And all exhort, to stand like friends, about Sarpedons fall;
And spend thy selfe thy steele for me: for be assur'd, no day
Of all thy life, to thy last houre, can cleare thy blacke dismay
In woe and infamie for me; if I be taken hence,
Spoil'd of mine armes; and thy renowme, despoil'd of my defence.
Stand firme then, and confirme thy men. This said; the bounds of death
Concluded all sight to his eyes, and to his nosthrils breath.

Patroclus (though his guard was strong) forc't way through euery doubt:
Climb'd his high bosome with his foote, and pluckt his iauelin out;
And with it drew the filme and strings, of his yet panting hart;
And last, together with the pile, his princely soule did part.

His horse (spoil'd both of guide and king, thicke snoting, and amaz'd,
And apt to flight) the Myrmidons, made nimbly to, and seaz'd.

Glaucus, to heare his friend aske aide, of him past all the rest;

The sorrow of Glaucus for Sarpedon and praier to Phœbus.

(Though well he knew his wound vncur'd) Confusion fild his brest,
Not to haue good in any powre; and yet so much good will.
And (laying his hand vpon his wound, that pain'd him sharply still;
And was by Teucers hand set on, from their assail'd steepe wall,
In keeping hurt from other men) he did on Phœbus call
(The god of Medcines) for his cure: Thou king of cures (said he)
That art perhaps in Lycia, with her rich progenie,
Or here in Troy; but any where, since thou hast powre to heare;
O giue a hurt, and wofull man (as I am now) thine eare.
This arme sustaines a cruell wound, whose paines shoot euery way,
Afflict this shoulder, and this hand, and nothing long can stay,
A fluxe of blood still issuing; nor therefore can I stand
With any enemie in fight, nor hardly make my hand
Support my lance; and here lies dead, the worthiest of men;
Sarpedon, worthy sonne to Ioue; (whose power could yet abstaine
From all aide in this deadly need) giue thou then aide to me,
(O king of all aide to men hurt) asswage th' extremitie
Of this armes anguish; giue it strength, that by my president,
I may excite my men to blowes; and this dead corse preuent
Of further violence. He praid, and kind Apollo heard;
Allayd his anguish, and his wound, of all the blacke bloud clear'd,
That vext it so; infusde fresh powres, into his weakened mind,
And all his spirits flow'd with ioy, that Phœbus stood inclin'd
(In such quicke bountie) to his prayres. Then, as Sarpedon wild,
He cast about his greedie eye, and first of all instild
To all his Captaines, all the stings, that could inflame their fight,
For good Sarpedon. And from them, he stretcht his speedie pace,
T'Agenor, Hector, Venus sonne, and wise Polydamas;

Glaucus being cured, to Hector.

And (onely naming Hector) said: Hector, you now forget
Your poore auxiliarie friends, that in your toiles haue swet
Their friendlesse soules out, farre from home; Sarpedon, that sustain'd
With Iustice, and his vertues all, broade Lycia hath not gain'd
The like guard for his person here; for yonder dead he lies,
Beneath the great Patroclus lance: but come, let your supplies

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(Good friends) stand neare him: O disdaine, to see his corse defil'd
With Grecian furie; and his armes, by their oppressions spoil'd;
The Myrmidons are come enrag'd, that such a mightie boote
Of Greekes, Troys darts haue made at fleete. This said, from head to foote
Griefe strooke their powres, past patience, and not to be restrain'd,
To heare newes of Sarpedons death; who, though he appertain'd
To other cities; yet to theirs, he was the very Fort,
And led a mightie people there; of all whose better sort,
Himselfe was best. This made them runne, in flames vpon the foe;
The first man, Hector, to whose heart, Sarpedons death did go.

Patroclus stird the Grecian spirits; and first, th' Aiaces, thus:

Patroclus to the Grecians, and particularly to both the Aiaces.

Now brothers, be it deare to you, to fight, and succour vs,
As euer heretofore ye did, with men first excellent.
The man lies slaine, that first did scale, and raze the battlement,
That crown'd our wall; the Lycian Prince. But if we now shall adde
Force to his corse, and spoile his armes, a prise may more be had
Of many great ones, that for him, will put on to the death.

To this worke, these were prompt enough; and each side ordereth
Those Phalanxes that most had rate, of resolutions;
The Troians, and the Lycian powres; the Greeks, and Myrmidons.
These ranne together for the corse, and closde with horrid cries;
Their armours thundering with the claps, laid on about the prise.
And Ioue about th' impetuous broile, pernicious night powr'd out,
As long as for his loued sonne, pernicious Labour fought.

The first of Troy, the first Greekes foil'd, when, not the last indeed,
Amongst the Myrmidons was slaine: the great Aiacleus seed;
Diuine Epigeus, that before, had exercisde command
In faire Budæus; but because, he laid a bloudie hand
On his owne sisters valiant sonne; To Peleus, and his Queene,
He came for pardon, and obtain'd; His slaughter being the meane
He came to Troy, and so to this. He ventur'd euen to touch
The princely carkasse, when a stone, did more to him, by much;
(Sent out of able Hectors hand) it cut his skull in twaine,
And strooke him dead. Patroclus (grieu'd, to see his friend so slaine)
Before the foremost thrust himselfe: and as a Faulcon frayes

Simile.

A flocke of Stares or Caddesses; such feare brought his assayes
Amongst the Troians, and their friends; and (angry at the hart,
As well as grieu'd) for him so slaine: another stonie dart,
As good as Hectors, he let flie, that dusted in the necke
Of Sthenelaus; thrust his head, to earth first, and did breake
The nerues in sunder, with his fall; off fell the Troians too;
Euen Hectors selfe, and all as farre, as any man can throw,
(Prouokt for games, or in the warres, to shed an enemies soule)
A light, long dart. The first that turn'd, was he that did controule
The Targatiers of Lycia; Prince Glaucus, who to hell
Sent Bathyclæus, Chalcons sonne; he did in Hellas dwell,
And shin'd, for wealth and happinesse, amongst the Myrmidons;
His bosomes midst the Iauelin strooke, his fall gat earth with grones.

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The Greeks grieu'd, and the Troians ioy'd, for so renowm'd a man;
About whom stood the Grecians firme: and then the death began
On Troyes side by Meriones; he slue one great in warre,
Laogonus, Onetors sonne, the Priest of Iupiter,
Created in th' Idean hill. Betwixt his iaw and eare
The dart stucke fast, and loosde his soule; sad mists of Hate and Feare
Inuading him. Anchises sonne, dispatcht a brazen lance
At bold Meriones; and hop't, to make an equall chance
On him, with bold Laogonus; though vnder his broade shield
He lay so close. But he discern'd, and made his bodie yeeld,
So low, that ouer him it flew, and, trembling tooke the ground;
With which, Mars made it quench his thirst; and since the head could wound
No better bodie; and yet throwne, from nere the worse a hand;

Æneas iests at Meriones.

It turnd from earth, and lookt awrie. Æneas let it stand,
Much angrie at the vaine euent; and told Meriones,
He scap't but hardly; nor had cause, to hope for such successe
Another time; though well he knew, his dancing facultie,
By whose agilitie he scap't; for had his dart gone by
With any least touch, instantly, he had bene euer slaine.

Meriones to AEneas.

He answerd: Though thy strength be good, it cannot render vaine
The strength of others with thy iests; nor art thou so diuine,
But when my lance shall touch at thee, with equall speed to thine,
Death will share with it, thy lifes powres; thy confidence can shun
No more then mine, what his right claimes. Menatius noble sonne
Rebuk't Meriones, and said: What needst thou vse this speech?
Nor thy strength is approu'd with words, (good friend) nor can we reach
The bodie, nor make th' enemie yeeld, with these our counterbraues;
We must enforce the binding earth, to hold them in her graues.
If you will warre, Fight; will you speake? giue counsell; counsell, blowes
Are th' ends of warres, and words; talke here, the time in vaine bestowes.

He said, and led, and nothing lesse, for any thing he said,
(His speech being season'd with such right) the Worthy seconded.

Simile.

And then, as in a sounding vale, (neare neighbour to a hill)
Wood-fellers make a farre-heard noise, with chopping, chopping still,
And laying on, on blocks and trees: so they, on men laid lode,
And beate like noises into aire, both as they strooke and trod.
But (past their noise) so full of bloud, of dust, of darts, lay smit
Diuine Sarpedon, that a man, must haue an excellent wit,
That could but know him; and might faile: so from his vtmost head,
Euen to the low plants of his feete, his forme was altered.
All thrusting neare it euery way, as thicke as flies in spring,
That in a sheepe-cote (when new milke, assembles them) make wing,
And buzze about the top-full pailes: nor euer was the eye
Of Ioue auerted from the fight; he viewd, thought, ceaslesly,
And diuersly vpon the death, of great Achilles friend:
If Hector there (to wreake his sonne) should with his iauelin end
His life, and force away his armes, or still augment the field;
He then concluded, that the flight, of much more soule, should yeeld

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Achilles good friend more renowne; and that, euen to their gates
He should driue Hector and his host: and so disanimates
The mind of Hector, that he mounts, his chariot, and takes Flight
Vp with him, tempting all to her; affirming, his insight
Knew euidently, that the beame, of Ioues all-ordering scoles,
Was then in sinking on their side, surcharg'd with flockes of soules.

Then, not the noble Lycians staid, but left their slaughterd Lord
Amongst the corses common heape; for many more were pour'd
About, and on him; while Ioues hand, held out the bitter broile.
And now they spoil'd Sarpedons armes; and to the ships the spoile
Was sent by Menætiades. Then Ioue, thus charg'd the Sunne:

Haste, honor'd Phœbus, let no more, Greeke violence be done

Ioue to Phœbus.

To my Sarpedon; but his corse, of all the sable bloud
And iauelins purg'd; then carry him, farre hence to some cleare floud,
With whose waues wash, and then embalme, each thorough-cleansed lim,
With our Ambrosia; which perform'd, diuine weeds put on him:
And then to those swift mates, and twins, sweete Sleepe and Death commit
His princely person, that with speed, they both may carrie it
To wealthy Lycia; where his friends, and brothers will embrace,
And tombe it in some monument, as fits a Princes place.

Then flew Apollo to the fight, from the Idalian hill,

Apollo sends Sarpedons body by Sleep and Death to Lycia.

At all parts putting into act, his great Commanders will:
Drew all the darts, washt, balm'd the corse; which (deckt with ornament,
By Sleepe and Death, those featherd twins) he into Lycia sent

Patroclus then, Antomedon, commands to giue his steeds
Large raines, and all way to the chace: so madly he exceeds
The strict commission of his friend; which had he kept, had kept
A blacke death from him. But Ioues mind, hath euermore outstept
The mind of man; who both affrights, and takes the victorie
From any hardiest hand, with ease; which he can iustifie,
Though he himselfe commands him fight: as now, he put this chace
In Menætiades his mind. How much then weighs the grace
(Patroclus?) that Ioue giues thee now, in scoles put, with thy death?
Of all these great and famous men, the honorable breath.

Of which, Adrestus first he flue, and next Autonous;
Epistora, and Perimus; Pylartes, Elasus,
Swift Menalippus, Molius; all these were ouerthrowne

Patroclus scaling the wals of Troy, resisted by Phœbus.

By him, and all else, put in rout; and then proud Ilion
Had stoopt beneath his glorious hand: he rag'd so with his lance,
If Phœbus had not kept the towre, and helpt the Ilians,
Sustaining ill thoughts gainst the Prince. Thrice to the prominence
Of Troys steepe wall he brauely leapt: thrice Phœbus thrust him thence:
Obiecting his all-dazeling shield, with his resistlesse hand.
But fourthly, when (like one of heauen) he would haue stird his stand,
Apollo threatned him, and said; Ceasse, it exceeds thy fate

Apollo threatens Patraclus.

(Forward Patroclus) to expugne, with thy bold lance, this state;
Nor vnder great Achilles powres, (to thine superiour farre)
Lies Troyes graue ruine. When he spake, Patroclus left that warre:

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Leapt farre backe; and his anger shund. Hector detain'd his horse
Within the Scæan ports, in doubt, to put his personall force
Amongst the rout, and turne their heads, or shun in Troy the storme.

Apollo seeing his suspence, assum'd the goodly forme

Apollo in shape of Asius to Hector.

Of Hectors vnkle, Asius, the Phrygian Dymas sonne,
Who neare the deepe Sangarius, had habitation;
Being brother to the Troian Queene. His shape Apollo tooke;
And askt of Hector, why his spirit, so cleare the fight forsooke;
Affirming twas vnfit for him: and wisht his forces were
As much aboue his, as they mou'd, in an inferiour sphere:
He should (with shame to him) be gone; and so bad, driue away
Against Patroclus, to approue, if he that gaue them day,
Would giue the glorie of his death, to his preferred lance.
So left he him; and to the fight, did his bright head aduance,
Mixt with the multitude, and stird, foule Tumult for the foe.
Then Hector bad Cebriones, put on; himselfe let go
All other Greeks within his reach, and onely gaue command,
To front Patroclus. He at him; iumpt downe; his strong left hand
A Iauelin held; his right, a stone; a marble sharpe; and such
As his large hand had powre to gripe; and gaue it strength as much
As he could lie to: nor stood long, in feare of that huge man
That made against him; but full on, with his huge stone he ran
Discharg'd, and draue it twixt the browes, of bold Cebriones:
Nor could the thicke bone there prepar'd, extenuate so th' accesse,
But out it draue his broken eyes, which in the dust fell downe;
And he diu'd after; which conceit, of diuing, tooke the sonne
Of old Menætius, who thus plaid, vpon the others bane.

Patroclus iests at the fall of Cebriones.

O heauens! for truth, this Troian was, a passing actiue man;
With what exceeding ease he diues? as if at worke he were
Within the fishie seas. This man, alone would furnish cheare
For twentie men; though twere a storme; to leape out of a saile,
And gather oisters for them all; he does it here as well;
And there are many such in Troy. Thus iested he so neare
His owne graue death; and then made in, to spoile the Chariotere,
With such a Lions force, and fate; as (often ruining,
Stals of fat oxen) gets at length, a mortall wound to sting
His soule, out of that rauenous breast, that was so insolent;
And so his lifes blisse proues his bane: so deadly confident
Wert thou Patroclus, in pursuite, of good Cebriones,

A simile expressing Patroclus encounter and Hectors.

To whose defence now Hector leapt. The opposite addresse,
These masters of the crie in warre, now made, was of the kind
Of two fierce kings of beasts, opposd, in strife, about a Hind
Slaine on the forehead of a hill; both sharpe, and hungry set,
And to the Currie neuer came, but like two Deaths they met:
Nor these two entertain'd lesse mind, of mutuall preiudice,
About the bodie; close to which, when each had prest for prise,
Hector the head laid hand vpon; which once gript, neuer could
Be forc't from him; Patroclus then, vpon the feete got hold,

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And he pincht with as sure a naile: so both stood tugging there,
While all the rest, made eager fight, and grappl'd euery where.
And as the East and South wind striue, to make a loftie wood

Simile.

Bow to their greatnesse; barkie Elmes, wild Ashes, Beeches bowd
Euen with the earth; in whose thicke armes, the mightie vapors lie,
And tosse by turnes, all, either way; their leaues at randon flie,
Boughs murmure, and their bodies cracke; and with perpetuall din,
The Syluans falter, and the stormes, are neuer to begin:
So rag'd the fight; and all from Flight, pluckt her forgotten wings;
While some still stucke; still new wingd shafts, flew dancing from their strings;
Huge stones sent after, that did shake, the shields about the corse,
Who now (in dusts soft forehead stretcht) forgat his guiding horse.

As long as Phœbus turn'd his wheeles, about the midst of heauen,
So long the touch of eithers darts, the fals of both made euen:
But when his waine drew neare the West, the Greeks past measure were
The abler souldiers, and so swept, the Troian tumult cleare
From off the bodie; out of which, they drew the hurl'd-in darts;
And from his shoulders stript his armes; and then to more such parts
Patroclus turn'd his striuing thoughts, to do the Troians ill:
Thrice, like the god of warre, he charg'd; his voice as horrible:
And thrice nine those three charges slue; but in the fourth assay,
O then Patroclus, shew'd thy last; the dreadfull Sunne made way
Against that on-set; yet the Prince, discern'd no deitie;
He kept the prease so; and besides, obscur'd his glorious eye
With such felt darknesse. At his backe, he made a sodaine stand,
And twixt his necke and shoulders laid, downe-right with either hand,
A blow so weightie, that his eyes, a giddie darknesse tooke,
And from his head, his three-plum'd helme, the bounding violence shooke,
That rung beneath his horses hooues; and like a water-spout,
Was crusht together with the fall. The plumes that set it out,
All spatterd with blacke bloud and dust; when euer heretofore
It was a capitall offence, to haue, or dust, or gore
Defile a triple-feather'd helme; but on the head diuine,
And youthfull temples of their Prince, it vsde, vntoucht, to shine.
Yet now Ioue gaue it Hectors hands; the others death was neare.
Besides whose lost and filed helme, his huge long weightie speare,
Well bound with iron, in his hand, was shiuerd, and his shield
Fell from his shoulders to his feete; the bawdricke strewing the field.
His Curets left him, like the rest; and all this onely done
By great Apollo. Then his mind, tooke in confusion;
The vigorous knittings of his ioynts, dissolu'd; and (thus dismaid)
A Dardan (one of Panthus sons, and one that ouerlaid
All Troians, of his place, with darts, swift footing, skill, and force,
In noble horsmanship; and one, that tumbl'd from their horse,
One after other, twentie men: and when he did but learne
The art of warre; nay when he first, did in the field discerne
A horse and chariot of his guide: this man, with all these parts
(His name Euphorbus) comes behind, and twixt the shoulders darts

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Forlorne Patroclus, who yet liu'd, and th' other (getting forth
His Iauelin) tooke him to his strength; nor durst he stand the worth
Of thee Patroclus, though disarmd; who yet (discomfited
By Phœbus, and Euphorbus wound) the red heape of the dead
He now too late shund, and retir'd. When Hector saw him yeeld,
And knew he yeelded with a wound, he scour'd the armed field;
Came close vp to him, and both sides, strooke quite through with his lance;
He fell, and his most weightie fall, gaue fit tune to his chance.

Simile.

For which, all Greece extremely mourn'd. And as a mightie strife
About a little fount, begins, and riseth to the life
Of some fell Bore, resolu'd to drinke; when likewise to the spring
A Lion comes, alike disposde; the Bore thirsts, and his King;
Both proud, and both will first be seru'd; and then the Lion takes
Aduantage of his soueraigne strength; and th' other (fainting) makes
Resigne his thirst vp with his bloud: Patroclus (so enforc't
When he had forc't so much braue life) was, from his owne diuorc't.

Hectors insultation ouer Patroclus being wounded vnder him.

And thus his great Diuorcer brau'd; Patroclus, thy conceit,
Gaue thee th' euersion of our Troy; and to thy fleete a freight
Of Troian Ladies, their free liues, put all in bands by thee:
But (too much priser of thy selfe) all these are propt by me.
For these, haue my horse stretcht their hoofes, to this so long a warre;
And I (farre best of Troy in armes) keepe off from Troy as farre;
Euen to the last beame of my life, their necessary day.
And here (in place of vs and ours) on thee shall Vultures prey,
Poore wretch; nor shall thy mightie Friend, affoord thee any aid,
That gaue thy parting much deepe charge; And this perhaps he said;
Martiall Patroclus, turne not face, nor see my fleete before
The curets from great Hectors breast, all guilded with his gore,
Thou hew'st in peeces: if thus vaine, were his far-stretcht commands;
As vaine was thy heart to beleeue, his words lay in thy hands.

Patroclus languishing to Hector.

He languishing, replide: This proues, thy glory worse then vaine,
That when two gods haue giuen thy hands, what their powres did obtaine,
(They conquering, and they spoiling me, both of my armes and mind,
It being a worke of ease for them) thy soule should be so blind,
To ouersee their euident deeds, and take their powres to thee;
When, if the powres of twentie such, had dar'd t'encounter me,
My lance had strew'd earth with them all. Thou onely doest obtaine
A third place in my death; whom first, a harmfull fate hath slaine
Effected by Latonas sonne; second and first of men,
Euphorbus. And this one thing more, concernes thee; note it then:
Thou shalt not long suruiue thy selfe; nay, now Death cals for thee,
And violent fate; Achilles lance, shall make this good for me.

Thus death ioyn'd to his words, his end; his soule tooke instant wing,
And to the house that hath no lights, descended, sorrowing
For his sad fate, to leaue him yong, and in his ablest age.
He dead; yet Hector askt him why, in that prophetique rage,
He so forespake him? when none knew, but great Achilles might
Preuent his death; and on his lance, receiue his latest light.

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Thus, setting on his side his foote, he drew out of his wound,
His brazen lance, and vpwards cast, the body on the ground;
When quickly, while the dart was hote, he charg'd Automedon,

Hector charges on Antomedon for Achilles horses.

(Diuine guide of Achilles steeds) in great contention
To seise him to: but his so swift, and deathlesse horse, that fetch
Their gift to Peleus from the gods, soone rap't him, from his reach.

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The end of the sixteenth Booke.

237

THE XVII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

A Dreadfull sight, about Patroclus corse.
Euphorbus slaine, by Menelaus force.
Hector, in th' armour of Æacides.
Antilochus, relating the decease
O slaine Patroclus, to faire Thetis sonne.
The body from the striuing Toians wonne.
Th' Aiaces, making good the after field,
Make all the subiect that this booke doth yeeld.

Another Argument.

In Rho, the ventrous hosts maintaine
A slaughterous conflict, for the slaine.

Nor could his slaughter rest conceald, from Menelaus eare;
Who flew amongst the formost fights, & with his targe & speare
Circled the body: as much grieu'd, and with as tender heed
To keepe it theirs; as any damme, about her first-borne seed;
Not prouing what the paine of birth, would make the loue before;
Nor to pursue his first attaint, Euphorbus spirit forbore;
But seeing Menelaus chiefe, in rescue of the dead,

Euphorbus to Menelaus. This Euphorbus was be, that in Ouid, Pythagoras saith he was in the wars of Troy.

Assaid him thus: Atrides, ceasse, and leaue the slaughtered
With his embrew'd spoyle, to the man, that first, of all our state
And famous succours, in faire fight, made passage to his fate;
And therefore suffer me to weare, the good name I haue wonne
Amongst the Troians; left thy life, repay what his hath done.

O Iupiter (said he, incenst) Thou art no honest man

Menelaus to Euphorbus.

To baost, so past thy powre to do. Not any Lion can;
Nor spotted Leopard; nor Bore, (whose mind is mightiest
In powring furie from his strength) aduance so prowd a crest
As Panthus fighting progenie. But Hyperenors pride,
That ioy'd so little time his youth; when he so vilifide
My force in armes, and cald me worst, of all our cheualrie,
And stood my worst; might teach ye all, to shun this surcuidrie:
I thinke he came not safely home, to tell his wife his acts.
Nor lesse right of thy insolence, my equall fate exacts;
And will obtaine me, if thou stay'st; retire then, take aduise:
A foole sees nought, before tis done; and still too late is wise.

This mou'd not him, but to the worse; since it renew'd the sting,

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That his slaine brother shot in him; rememberd by the king,
To whom he answer'd: Thou shalt pay, for all the paines endur'd
By that slaine brother; all the wounds, sustaind for him, recur'd
With one, made in thy heart by me. Tis true, thou mad'st his wife
A heauie widow; when her ioyes, of wedlocke scarce had life;
And hurt'st our parents with his griefe; all which thou gloriest in:
Forespeaking so, thy death, that now, their griefes end shall begin.
To Panthus, and the snowy hand, of Phrontes, I will bring
Those armes, and that proud head of thine; and this laborious thing
Shall aske no long time to performe: nor be my words alone,
But their performance; Strength, and Fight, and Terror thus sets on.

This said, he strooke his all-round shield; nor shrunke that, but his lance

Euphorbus slain by Menelaus.

That turn'd head in it: then the king, assaid the second chance,
First praying to the king of gods, and his dart, entrie got
(The force much driuing backe his foe) in low part of his throte,
And ranne his necke through. Then fell pride, and he, and all with gore
His locks, that like the Graces were; and which he euer wore
In gold and siluer ribands wrapt; were piteously wet.

And, when alone, in some choice place, a husband-man hath set

Simile.

The young plant of an Oliue tree, whose roote being euer fed
With plentie of delicious springs; his branches brauely spred,
And all his fresh and louely head, growne curld with snowy flowres,
That dance, and florish with the winds, that are of gentlest powres:
But when a whirlewind (got aloft) stoopes, with a sodaine gale;
Teares from his head his tender curles, and tosseth therewithall
His fixt roote, from his hollow mines: it well presents the force
Of Spartas king; and so the Plant, Euphorbus, and his Corse.

He slaine; the king stript off his armes, and with their worthy prise,
(All fearing him) had clearely past: if heauens faire eye, of eyes,
Had not (in enuy of his acts) to his encounter stird
The Mars-like Hector; to whose powres, the rescue he preferd
Of those faire armes: and tooke the shape, of Mentas (Colonell
Of all the Cicones that neare, the Thracian Hebrus dwell)
Like him, he thus put forth his voice. Hector, thou scowr'st the field
In headstrong pursuite of those horse, that hardly are compeld
To take the draught of chariots, by any mortals hand.

Achilles.

The great grand child of Æacus, hath onely their command;
Whom an immortall mother bore: while thou attendst on these,

Patroclus, so called, of Menætius his father.

The young Atrides in defence, of Menætiades,
Hath slaine Euphorbus. Thus the god, tooke troope with men againe,
And Hector (heartily perplext) lookt round, and saw the slaine,
Still shedding riuers from his wound: and then tooke enuious view
Of braue Atrides with his spoyle; in way to whom he flew,

Note the manly & wise discourse of Menelaus with himselfe, seeing Hector aduancing towards him.

Like one of Vulcans quenchlesse flames: Atrides heard the crie
That euer vsherd him, and sigh'd, and said: O me, if I
Should leaue these goodly armes, and him, that here lies dead for me;
I feare I should offend the Greeks. If I should stay, and be
Alone with Hector and his men, I may be compast in;

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Some sleight or other they may vse. Many may quickly win
Their wils of one; and all Troy comes, euer where Hector leades.
But why (deare mind) dost thou thus talke? when men dare set their heads
Against the gods, (as sure they do, that fight with men they loue)
Straight one or other plague ensues: it cannot therefore moue
The grudge of any Greeke, that sees, I yeeld to Hector; he
Still fighting with a spirit from heauen. And yet if I could see
Braue Aiax; he and I, would stand, though gainst a god; and sure
Tis best I seeke him: and then see, if we two can procure
This Corses freedome through all these: a little then let rest
The body, and my mind be still; of two bads chuse the best.

In this discourse, the troopes of Troy, were in with him; and he
Made such a Lionlike retreate; as when the herdsmen see
The royall sauage; and come on, with men, dogs, cries, and speares,

Simile.

To cleare their horned stall; and then, the kingly heart he beares,
(With all his high disdaine) fals off: so, from this ods of aide
The golden-haird Atrides fled: and, in his strength, displaid
Vpon his left hand, him he wisht; extremely busied
About encouraging his men; to whom, an extreme dread
Apollo had infusde: the king, reacht Aiax instantly,
And said; Come friend, let vs two haste, and from the tyranny

Menelaus to Aiax.

Of Hector, free Patroclus corse. He strait, and gladly went;
And then was Hector haling of, the body, with intent
To spoile the shoulders of the head, and giue the dogs the rest;
(His armes he hauing prisde before.) When Aiax brought his brest
To barre all further spoyle; with that, he had sure, Hector thought
Twas best to satisfie his splene; which temper Aiax wrought
With his mere sight, and Hector fled: the armes he sent to Troy,
To make his citizens admire, and pray Ioue send him ioy.

Then Aiax gatherd to the corse, and hid it with his targe:
There setting downe as sure a foote, as (in the tender charge
Of his lou'd whelps) a Lion doth: two hundred hunters neare,

Simile.

To giue him onset; their more force, make him the more austere;
Drownes all their clamors in his rores; darts, dogs, doth all despise,
And lets his rough browes downe so low, they couer all his eyes.
So Aiax lookt, and stood, and stayd, for great Priamides.

When Glaucus Hippolochides, saw Aiax thus depresse

Glaucus vpbraids Hector.

The spirit of Hector: thus he chid; O goodly man at armes;
In Fight, a Paris; why should Fame, make thee fort gainst our harmes,
Being such a fugitiue? now marke, how well thy boasts defend,
Thy citie onely with her owne. Be sure, it shall descend,
To that proofe wholly. Not a man, of any Lycian ranke;
Shall strike one stroke more, for thy towne: for no mans gets a thanke,
Should he eternally fight here: nor any guard of thee.
How wilt thou (worthlesse that thou art) keepe off an enemie
From our poore souldiers, when their Prince, Sarpedon, guest and friend
To thee, (and most deseruedly) thou flew'st from in his end,
And left'st to all the lust of Greece? O gods, a man that was

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(In life) so huge a good to Troy; and to thee such a grace,
(In death) not kept by thee from dogs? if my friends will do well;
We'le take our shoulders from your walls, and let all sinke to hell:
As all will, were our faces turn'd. Did such a spirit breath
In all you Troians, as becomes, all men that fight beneath
Their countries standerd; you would see, that such as prop your cause
With like exposure of their liues, haue all the honour'd lawes
Of such a deare confederacie, kept to them to a thred:
As now ye might reprise the armes, Sarpedon forfeited,
By forfeit of your rights to him; would you but lend your hands,
And force Patroclus to your Troy? Ye know how deare he stands
In his loue, that of all the Greeks, is (for himselfe) farre best,
And leades the best, neare-fighting men: and therefore would (at least)
Redeeme Sarpedons armes: nay him, whom you haue likewise lost.
This body drawne to Ilion, would after draw, and cost
A greater ransome, if you pleasd: but Aiax startles you;
Tis his breast, barres this right to vs. His lookes are darts enow
To mixe great Hector with his men. And, not to blame ye are,
You chuse foes vnderneath your strengths; Aiax exceeds ye farre.

Hector to Glaucus.

Hector lookt passing sowre at this; and answerd, why dar'st thou,
(So vnder) talke aboue me so? O friend, I thought till now,
Thy wisdome was superiour, to all th' inhabitants
Of gleby Lycia; but now, impute apparent wants
To that discretion thy words shew; to say I lost my ground
For Aiax greatnesse: nor feare I, the field in combats drownd;
Nor force of chariots: but I feare, a powre much better seene,
In right of all warre, then all we: That god that holds betweene,
Our victorie and vs, his shield: lets conquest come and go
At his free pleasure; and with feare, conuerts her changes so
Vpon the strongest: men must fight, when his iust spirit impels,
Not their vaine glories. But come on, make thy steps parallels
To these of mine; and then be iudge, how deepe the worke will draw:
If then I spend the day in shifts? or thou canst giue such law
To thy detractiue speeches then? or if the Grecian host,
Holds any, that in pride of strength, holds vp his spirit most,
Whom (for the cariage of this Prince, that thou enforcest so)
I make not stoope in his defence. You, friends? ye heare and know,
How much it fits ye to make good, this Grecian I haue slaine,
For ransome of Ioues sonne, our friend; play then the worthy men,
Till I endue Achilles armes. This said, he left the fight,
And cald backe those that bore the armes; not yet without his sight,
In conuoy of them towards Troy. For them, he chang'd his owne;
Remou'd from where it rained teares, and sent them backe to towne.

Then put he on th' eternall armes, that the celestiall states
Gaue Peleus; Peleus being old, their vse appropriates
To his Achilles, that (like him) forsooke them not for age.
When he, whose Empire is in clouds, saw Hector bent to wage
Warre in diuine Achilles armes; he shooke his head, and said:

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Poore wretch, thy thoughts are farre from death; though he so neare hath laid

Ioues discourse with himselfe of Hector in the armes of Achilles

His ambush for thee. Thou putst on, those armes (as brauing him)
Whom others feare; hast slaine his friend, and from his youthfull lim,
Torne rudely off his heauenly armes; himselfe, being gentle, kind,
And valiant. Equall measure then, thy life in youth must find.
Yet since the iustice is so strickt, that not Andromache,
(In thy denied returne from fight) must euer take of thee
Those armes; in glory of thy acts: thou shalt haue that fraile blaze
Of excellence, that neighbours death: a strength euen to amaze.

To this, his sable browes did bow; and he made fit his lim
To those great armes; to fill which vp, the Warre god entred him;
Austere and terrible: his ioynts, and euery part extends
With strength and fortitude; and thus, to his admiring friends,
High Clamor brought him. He so shin'd, that all could thinke no lesse,
But he resembl'd euery way, great-soul'd Æacides.
Then, euery way he scowr'd the field; his Captaines calling on;
Asteropæus, Eunomus, (that foresaw all things done)
Glaucus, and Medon, Desinor, and strong Thersilochus;
Phorcis, and Mestheles, Obronius, and great Hippothous:
To all these, and their populous troopes; these, his excitements were:

Hector to his Captaines and soulders.

Heare vs, innumerable friends; neare-bordering nations, heare;
We haue not cald you from our townes, to fill our idle eye
With number of so many men, (no such vaine Emperie
Did euer ioy vs;) but to fight, and of our Troian wiues
With all their children, manfully, to saue the innocent liues.
In whose cares, we draw all our townes, of aiding souldiers drie,
With gifts, guards, victuall, all things fit; and hearten their supplie

The secret of warre.

With all like rights; and therefore now, let all sides set downe this,
Or liue, or perish: this, or warre, the speciall secret is.
In which most resolute designe, who euer beares to towne
Patroclus (laid dead to his hand) by winning the renowne
Of Aiax slaughter; the halfe spoyle, we wholly will impart

The promise of Hector if Patroclus body could be forced off to their part.

To his free vse; and to our selfe, the other halfe conuert:
And so the glory shall be shar'd; our selfe will haue no more
Then he shall shine in. This drew all, to bring abrode their store
Before the body: euery man, had hope it would be his,
And forc't from Aiax: Silly fooles, Aiax preuented this,
By raising rampiers to his friend, with halfe their carkasses.
And yet his humour was to rore, and feare: and now, no lesse
To startle Spartas king; to whom, he cried out: O my friend!
O Menelaus! now no hope, to get off; here's the end

Aiax to Menelaus.

Of all our labours: not so much, I feare to lose the Corse,
(For that's sure gone, the fowles of Troy, and dogs, will quickly force
That peece-meale) as I feare my head, and thine ô Atreus sonne;
Hector a cloud brings, will hide all; instant destruction
Grieuous, and heauie comes; ô call, our Peeres to aid vs; flie.

He hasted, and vide all his voice; sent farre, and nere his crie:
O Princes, chiefe lights of the Greeks; and you that publickly

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Eate with our Generall and me: all men of charge; O know,
Ioue giues both grace, and dignitie, to any that will show
Good minds, for onely good it selfe; though presently the eye
Of him that rules discerne him not. Tis hard for me t'espie
(Through all this smoke of burning fight) each Captaine in his place,
And call assistance to our need. Be then each others grace,
And freely follow each his next; disdaine to let the ioy
Of great Æacides be forc't, to feed the beasts of Troy.

His voyce was first heard and obeyd, by swift Oileades.
Idomeneus, and his mate, (renown'd Meriones)
Were seconds to Oileus sonne: but, of the rest, whose mind
Can lay vpon his voice the names, that after these combind,
In setting vp this fight on end? the Troians first gaue on;

Simile.

And as into the seas vast mouth, when mightie riuers run,
Their billowes, and the sea, resound; and all the vtter shore
Rebellowes (in her angry shocks) the seas repulsiue rore.
With such sounds gaue the Troians charge; so was their charge represt:
One mind fild all Greeks; good brasse shields, close coucht to euery brest:
And on their bright helmes Ioue powr'd downe, a mightie deale of night
To hide Patroclus. Whom aliue, and when he was the knight
Of that grand child of Æacus, Saturnius did not hate;
Nor dead, would see him dealt to dogs, and so did instigate
His fellowes, to his worthy guard. At first the Troians draue
The blacke-ey'd Grecians from the Corse; but not a blow they gaue
That came at death. A while they hung, about the bodies heeles,
The Greekes quite gone. But all that while, did Aiax whet the steeles
Of all his forces; that cut backe, way to the Corse againe.
Braue Aiax (that for forme, and fact, past all that did maintaine
The Grecian fame, next Thetis sonne;) now flew before the first:

Simile.

And as a sort of dogs, and youths, are by a Bore disperst
About a mountaine: so fled these, from mightie Aiax, all
That stood in conflict for the Corse. Who thought, no chance could fall
Betwixt them and the prise, at Troy. For bold Hippothous,
(Lethus, Pelasgus famous sonne) was so aduenturous,
That he would stand, to bore the Corse, about the ankle bone,
Where all the neruie fiuers meete, and ligaments in one,
That make the motion of those parts: through which he did conuay
The thong or bawdricke of his shield; and so was drawing away
All thanks from Hector, and his friends: but in their steed he drew
An ill that no man could auert: For Telamonius threw
A lance that strooke quite through his helme; his braine came leaping out:
Downe fell Letheides; and with him, the bodies hoisted foote.
Farre from Larissas soyle he fell; a little time allow'd
To his industrious spirits, to quit, the benefits bestow'd
By his kind parents. But his wreake, Priamides assaid,
And threw at Aiax; but his dart, (discouered) past, and staid
At Schedius, sonne of Iphitus: a man of ablest hand
Of all the strong Phocensians; and liu'd with great command,

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In Panopæus. The fell dart, fell through his channell bone;
Pierc't through his shoulders vpper part; and set his spirit gone.
When (after his) another flew; the same hand giuing wing
To martiall Phorcis startled soule, that was the after spring
Of Phænops seed: the iauelin strooke, his curets through, and tore
The bowels from the bellies midst. His fall made those before
Giue backe a little: Hectors selfe, enforc't to turne his face.
And then the Greeks bestow'd their showts, tooke vantage of the chace;
Drew off, and spoild Hippothous, and Phorcis of their armes;
And then ascended Ilion, had shaken with alarmes,
(Discouering th' impotence of Troy) euen past the will of Ioue;
And by the proper force of Greece: had Phœbus faild to moue
Æneas, in similitude, of Periphas (the sonne
Of graue Epytes) king at armes; and had good seruice done
To old Anchises; being wise, and euen with him in yeares.

Apollo disguised like Periphas to Æneas.

But (like this man) the farre-seene god, to Venus sonne appeares,
And askt him how he would maintaine, steepe Ilion in her height,
In spite of gods (as he presum'd) when men approu'd so sleight,
All his presumptions? and all theirs, that puft him with that pride,
Beleeuing in their proper strengths? and generally supplied
With such vnfrighted multitudes? But he well knew that Ioue,
(Besides their selfe conceipts sustaind, their forces with more loue
Then theirs of Greece; and yet all that, lackt power to hearten them.

Æneas knew the god, and said; It was a shame extreme

Aenas to the Troians.

That those of Greece should beate them so; and by their cowardise,
Not want of mans aide, nor the gods; and this (before his eyes)
A deitie stood, euen now, and voucht, affirming Ioue their aide.
And so bad Hector, and the rest, (to whom all this he said)
Turne head; and not, in that quicke ease, part with the Corse to Greece.

This said, before them all he flew; and all (as of a peece)
Against the Greeks flew. Venus sonne, Leocritus did end,
Sonne of Arisbas; and had place, of Lycomedes friend;
Whose fall he friendly pittied: and in reuenge, bestow'd
A lance, that Apisaon strooke, so sore, that straite he strow'd
The dustie center; it did sticke, in that congealed blood
That formes the liuer. Second man, he was of all that stood
In name for armes, amongst the troope, that from Pœonia came;
Asteropæus being the first: who was, in ruth, the fame
That Lycomedes was; like whom, he put forth for the wreake
Of his slaine friend: but wrought it not, because he could not breake
That bulwarke made of Grecian shields; and bristl'd wood of speares
Combin'd about the body slaine. Amongst whom Aiax beares
The greatest labour; euery way, exhorting to abide,
And no man flie the Corse a foote; nor breake their rankes in pride
Of any foremost daring spirit; but each foote hold his stand,

Aiax his souldierly command

And vse the closest fight they could. And this was the command
Of mightie Aiax: which obseru'd; they steept the earth in blood.
The Troians and their friends fell thicke. Nor all the Grecians stood.

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(Though farre the fewer suffred fate) for euer they had care
To shun confusion, and the toyle, that still oppresseth there.

So set they all the field on fire; with which you would haue thought,
The Sunne and Moone had bene put out, in such a smoke they fought
About the person of the Prince. But all the field beside
Fought vnderneath a lightsome heauen: the Sun was in his pride,
And such expansure of his beames, he thrust out of his throne,
That not a vapour durst appeare, in all that region:
No, not vpon the highest hill. There fought they still and breathd;
Shund danger; cast their darts aloofe; and not a sword vnsheathd.
The other plyde, it and the warre, and Night, plyde them as well:
The cruell steele afflicting all; the strongest did not dwell
Vnhurt within their iron roofes. Two men of speciall name,
Antilochus, and Thrasimed, were yet vnseru'd by Fame
With notice of Patroclus death: they thought him still aliue,
In foremost tumult: and might well: for (seeing their fellowes thriue
In no more comfortable sort, then Fight, and Death would yeeld)
They fought apart; for so their Sire, old Nestor, strictly wild,
Enioyning fight, more from the fleet: warre here increast his heate
The whole day long; continually, the labour, and the sweate,
The knees, calues, feete, hands, faces, smear'd, of men that Mars applide

An inimitable Simile.

About the good Achilles friend. And as a huge Oxe hide,
A Currier giues amongst his men, to supple, and extend
With oyle, till it be drunke withall; they tug, stretch out, and spend
Their oyle, and licour liberally, and chase the leather so,
That out they make a vapour breathe; and in their oyle doth go:
A number of them set on worke, and in an Orbe they pull;
That all waies, all parts of the hide, they may extend at full:
So here and there, did both parts hale, the Corse in little place,
And wrought it, alwaies, with their sweate; the Troians hop't for grace
To make it reach to Ilion; the Grecians to their fleet:
A cruell tumult they stird vp, and such, as should Mars see't;
(That horrid hurrier of men) or she that betters him,
Minerua, neuer so incenst; they could not disesteeme.
So banefull a Contention, did Ioue, that day extend
Of men and horse about the slaine. Of whom, his god-like friend
Had no instruction. So farre off, and vnderneath the wall
Of Troy, that conflict was maintaind: which was not thought at all
By great Achilles; since he charg'd, that hauing set his foote
Vpon the Ports, he would retire; well knowing Troy no boote
For his assaults, without himselfe; since not by him, as well,
He knew, it was to be subdu'd. His mother oft would tell
The mind of mightie Ioue therein; oft hearing it in heauen;
But of that great ill to his friend, was no instruction giuen
By carefull Thetis: by degrees, must ill euents be knowne.

The foes cleft one to other still, about the ouerthrowne.
His death, with death infected both. Euen priuate Greekes would say
Either to other; Twere a shame, for vs to go our way;

245

And let the Troians beare to Troy, the praise of such a prise:
Which let the blacke earth gaspe and drinke, our blood for sacrifise,
Before we suffer: tis an act, much lesse infortunate,
And then would those of Troy resolue; Though certainly our fate,

The common souldiers resolutions.

Will fell vs altogether here: of all not turne a face.
Thus either side, his fellowes strength, excited past his place;
And thus through all th' vnfruitfull aire, an iron sound ascended
Vp to the golden firmament; when strange affects contended,
In these immortall heauen-bred horse, of great Æacides;
Whom (once remou'd from forth the fight) a sodaine sense did seise
Of good Patroclus death; whose hands, they oft had vndergone;
And bitterly they wept for him: nor could Antomedon,
With any manage make them stirre; oft vse the scourge to them;
Oft vse his fairest speech; as oft, threats neuer so extreme;
They neither to the Hellespont, would beare him; nor the fight;

Simile.

But still as any tombe-stone layes, his neuer-stirred weight
On some good man, or womans graue, for rites of funerall:
So vnremoued stood these steeds; their heads to earth let fall,
And warme teares gushing from their eyes, with passionate desire,
Of their kind manager; their manes, that florisht with the fire
Of endlesse youth allotted them: fell through the yokie sphere,
Ruthfully rufl'd and defilde. Ioue saw their heauy cheare,
And (pittying them) spake to his mind; Poore wretched beasts (said he)
Why gaue we you t'a mortall king? when immortalitie,
And incapacitie of age, so dignifies your states?

Ioues discourse with himselfe of the wretched state of humanitie.

Was it to hast the miseries, pour'd out on humane fates?
Of all the miserabl'st things that breathe, and creepe on earth,
No one more wretched is then man. And for your deathlesse birth,
Hector must faile to make you prise: is't not enough he weares,
And glories vainly in those armes? your chariots, and rich geares,
(Besides you) are too much for him. Your knees and spirits againe
My care of you shall fill with strength; that so ye may sustaine
Antomedon, and beare him off. To Troy I still will giue
The grace of slaughter, till at fleet, their bloody feete arriue:
Till Phœbus drinke the Westerne sea; and sacred darknesse throwes,
Her sable mantle, twixt their points. Thus in the steeds he blowes
Excessiue spirit; and through the Greeks, and Ilians they rapt
The whirring chariot; shaking off, the crumbl'd center, wrapt
Amongst their tresses: and with them, Antomedon let flie
Amongst the Troians; making way, through all as frightfully,
As through a iangling flocke of Geese, a lordly Vulture beats;
Giuen way with shrikes, by euery Goose, that comes but neare his threats;
With such state fled he through the preasse, pursuing as he fled;
But made no slaughter; nor he could: alone being carried
Vpon the sacred chariot. How could he both works, do,
Direct his iauelin, and command, his fiery horses too?

At length, he came where he beheld, his friend Alcimedon,
That was the good Laercius, the sonne of Æmons sonne;

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Alcimedon to Automedon.

Who close came to his chariot side, and askt; What god is he,
That hath so robd thee of thy soule, to runne thus frantickly
Amongst these forefights, being alone? thy fighter being slaine,
And Hector glorying in his armes? he gaue these words againe:

Automedon to Alcimedon.

Alcimedon, what man is he? of all the Argiue race,
So able as thy selfe, to keepe, in vse of preasse, and pace
These deathlesse horse? himselfe being gone, that like the gods had th' art,
Of their high manage? therefore take, to thy command his part,
And ease me of the double charge, which thou hast blam'd with right.

He tooke the scourge and reines in hand, Antomedon the fight:

Hector to Æneas

Which Hector seeing, instantly (Æneas standing neare)
He told him, he discern'd the horse, that mere immortall were,
Addrest to fight, with coward guides; and therefore hop't to make
A rich prise of them; if his mind, would helpe to vndertake:
For those two could not stand their charge. He granted, and both cast
Drie solid hides vpon their neckes, exceeding soundly brast;
And forth they went, associate, with two more god-like men,
Aretus, and bold Chronius; nor made they question then
To prise the goodly crested horse, and safely send to hell
The soules of both their guardians: O fooles, that could not tell,
They could not worke out their returne, from fierce Antomedon
Without the liberall cost of blood; who first made Orizon
To father Ioue, and then was fild, with fortitude, and strength;
When (counselling Alcimedon, to keepe at no great length
The horse from him; but let them breathe, vpon his backe, because
He saw th' aduance that Hector made; whose furie had no lawes
Proposd to it, but both their liues, and those horse, made his prise,
Or his life theirs) he cald to friend, these well-approu'd supplies;

Automedon cals for aid to the Aiaces and Menelaus.

Th' Aiaces, and the Spartan king: and said, Come, Princes, leaue
A sure guard with the corse; and then, to your kind care receiue
Our threatned safeties; I discerne, the two chief props of Troy
Prepar'd against vs: But herein, what best men can enioy,

In the Greeke alwayes this phrase is vsed, not in the hands but εν γουνασι κειτα in the knees of the gods lies our helps &c.

Lies in the free knees of the gods; my dart shall leade ye all;
The sequell, to the care of Ioue, I leaue, what euer fall.

All this, spake good Antomedon; then, brandishing his lance,
He threw, and strooke Aretus shield, that gaue it enterance
Through all the steele, and (by his belt) his bellies inmost part
It pierc't, and all his trembling lims, gaue life vp to his dart.
Then Hector at Antomedon, a blazing lance let flie,
Whose flight he saw, and, falling flat, the compasse was too hie,
And made it sticke beyond in earth, th' extreme part burst, and there
Mars buried all his violence. The sword then, for the speare,
Had chang'd the conflict, had not haste, sent both th' Aiaies in,
(Both seruing close their fellowes call) who, where they did begin
There drew the end. Priamides, Æneas, Chronius,
(In doubt of what such aid might worke) left broken hearted thus,

Automedon insults.

Aretus to Antomedon, who spoild his armes, and said:
A little this reuiues my life, for him so lately dead,

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(Though by this nothing counteruail'd) And with this litle vent
Of inward griefe, he tooke the spoile; with which, he made ascent,
Vp to his Chariot; hands and feete, of bloudie staines so full,
That Lion-like he lookt, new turn'd, from tearing vp a Bull.

And now another bitter fight, about Patroclus grew;
Teare-thirstie, and of toile enough; which Pallas did renew,
Descending from the cope of starres, dismist by sharp-eyd Ioue,
To animate the Greeks; for now, inconstant change did moue
His mind from what he held of late: And as the purple bow,

Simile.

Ioue bends at mortals, when of warre, he will the signall show;
Or make it a presage of cold, in such tempestuous sort,
That men are of their labours easde, but labouring cattell hurt:
So Pallas in a purple cloud, inuolu'd her selfe, and went
Amongst the Grecians; stird vp all; but first encouragement
She breath'd in Atreus yonger sonne; and (for disguise) made choise
Of aged Phœnix shape; and spake, with his vnwearied voice.

O Menelaus, much defame, and equall heauinesse,

Pallas like Phœnix to Menelaus

Will touch at thee; if this true friend, of great Æacides,
Dogs teare beneath the Troian wals; and therefore beare thee well,
Toile through the host; and euery man, with all thy spirit, impell.

He answerd: O thou long-since borne? O Phœnix? that hast wonne

Menelaus to Pallas supposed Phœnix.

The honor'd foster-fathers name, of Thetis god-like sonne:
I would Minerua would but giue, strength to me; and but keepe
These busie darts off; I would then, make in indeed, and steepe
My income in their bloods, in aide, of good Patroclus; much
His death afflicts me; much: but yet, this Hectors grace is such
With Ioue; and such a fierie strength, and spirit he has, that still
His steele is killing, killing still. The kings so royall will,
Minerua ioy'd to heare; since she, did all the gods outgo
In his remembrance. For which grace, she kindly did bestow
Strength on his shoulders, and did fill, his knees as liberally
With swiftnesse, breathing in his breast, the courage of a flie.
Which loues to bite so, and doth beare, mans bloud so much good will,
That still (though beaten from a man) she flies vpon him still:
With such a courage Pallas fild, the blacke parts neare his hart;
And then he hasted to the slaine; cast off a shining dart;
And tooke one Podes, that was heire, to old Eetion,
A rich man, and a strenuous; and by the people done
Much honour; and by Hector too, being consort, and his guest;
And him the yellow-headed king, laid hold on at his waste;
In offering flight, his iron pile, strooke through him; downe he fell;
And vp Atrides drew his corse. Then Phœbus did impell
The spirit of Hector; Phœnops like, surnam'd Asiades,

Phœbus like Asiades to Hector.

Whom Hector vsde (of all his guests) with greatest friendlinesse;
And in Abydus stood his house; in whose forme, thus he spake:

Hector? what man of all the Greeks, will any terror make,
Of meeting thy strength any more; when thou art terrified
By Menelaus? who before, he slue thy friend, was tried,

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A passing easie souldier; where now (besides his end,
Imposde by him) he drawes him off (and not a man to friend)
From all the Troians. This friend is, Podes, Eetions sonne.

This hid him in a cloud of griefe; and set him formost on;
And then Ioue tooke his Snake-fring'd shield; and Ida couer'd all
With sulphurie clouds; from whence he let, abhorred lightnings fall,
And thunderd till the mountaine shooke: and with this dreadfull state,
He vsherd victorie to Troy; to Argos flight and fate.
Peneleus Bœotius, was he that formost fled,
Being wounded in his shoulders height; but there the lances head
Strooke lightly, glancing to his mouth, because it strooke him neare,
Throwne from Polydamas: Leitus, next left the fight in feare,
(Being hurt by Hector, in his hand) because he doubted sore
His hand, in wished fight with Troy, would hold his lance no more.

Idomeneus at Hector.

Idomeneus sent a dart, at Hector (rushing in,
And following Leitus) that strooke, his bosome, neare his chin,
And brake at top; the Ilians, for his escape did shout.
When Hector, at Deucalides, another lance sent out,
As in his chariot he stood; it mist him narrowly;
For (as it fell) Caranus draue, his speedie chariot by,
And tooke the Troian lance himselfe; he was the Chariotere
Of sterne Meriones; and first, on foote did seruice there,
Which well he left to gouerne horse; for sauing now his king,
With driuing twixt him and his death; though thence his owne did spring;
Which kept a mightie victorie, from Troy, in keeping death
From his great Soueraigne: the fierce dart, did enter him beneath
His eare, betwixt his iaw and it; draue downe, cut through his tongue,
And strooke his teeth out; from his hands, the horses raines he flung;
Which now Meriones receiu'd, as they bestrew'd the field,
And bad his Soueraigne scourge away; he saw that day would yeeld
No hope of victorie for them. He fear'd the same, and fled.

Nor from the mightie minded sonne, of Telamon, lay hid
(For all his clouds) high Ioue himselfe; nor from the Spartan king.
They saw him in the victorie, he still was varying
For Troy; for which sight, Aiax said: O heauens, what foole is he,
That sees not Ioues hand in the grace, now done our enemie?
Not any dart they touch, but takes; from whom soeuer throwne,

Aiax good counsell.

Valiant or coward; what he wants, Ioue addes; not any one
Wants his direction to strike sure; nor ours, to misse, as sure:
But come, let vs be sure of this, to put the best in vre
That lies in vs; which two-fold is; both to fetch off our friend,
And so to fetch him off, as we, may likeliest contend
To fetch our selues off; that our friends, suruiuing may haue right
In ioy of our secure retreat; as he that fell in fight,
Being kept as sure from further wrong: of which perhaps they doubt;
And looking this way, grieue for vs, not able to worke out
Our passe from this man-slaughterer, great Hector, and his hands,
That are too hote for men to touch; but that these thirstie sands,

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Before our fleete will be enforc't, to drinke our headlong death.
Which to preuent by all fit meanes, I would the parted breath
Of good Patroclus, to his friend, with speed imparted were
By some he loues: for I beleeue, no heauie messenger
Hath yet inform'd him; but alas, I see no man to send;
Both men and horse are hid in mists, that euery way descend.
O father Iupiter, do thou, the sonnes of Greece release
Of this felt darknesse; grace this day, with fit transparences;
And giue the eyes thou giu'st, their vse; destroy vs in the light,
And worke thy will with vs, since needs, thou wilt against vs fight.

This spake he weeping; and his teares, Saturnius pitie show'd,
Disperst the darknesse instantly, and drew away the clowd,
From whence it fell: the Sunne shin'd out, and all the host appear'd;
And then spake Aiax, (whose heard prayre, his spirits highly chear'd.

Braue Menelaus, looke about; and if thou canst descrie

Aiax to Menelaus.

Nestors Antilochus aliue, incite him instantly,
To tell Achilles, that his friend, most deare to him, is dead.

He said; nor Menelaus stucke, at any thing he said,
(As loth to do it) but he went; as from a Grasiers stall,
A Lion goes, when ouerlaid (with men, dogs, darts, and all

Simile.

Not easely losing a fat Oxe, but strong watch, all night held)
His teeth yet watering; oft he comes, and is as oft repeld;
The aduerse darts so thicke are pour'd, before his brow-hid eyes,
And burning firebrands; which for all, his great hearts heate, he flies,
And (grumbling) goes his way betimes: So from Patroclus went
Atrides, much against his mind; his doubts being vehement,
Lest (he gone from his guard) the rest, would leaue (for very feare)

Another direct scoffe at Menelaus.

The person to the spoile of Greece. And yet his guardians were,
Th' Aiaces, and Meriones, whom much, his care did presse,
And thus exhort; Aiaces both, and you Meriones:
Now let some true friend call to mind, the gentle and sweete nature

Menelaus to the Aiaces, like himselfe.

Of poore Patroclus; let him thinke, how kind to euery creature,
His heart was, liuing, though now dead. Thus vrg'd the faire-hair'd king,
And parted, casting round his eye. As when vpon her wing

Simile.

An Eagle is, whom men affirme, to haue the sharpest sight
Of all aires region of fowles; and though of mightie height,
Sees yet within her leauie forme, of humble shrubs, close laid
A light-foote Hare, which straight she stoupes, trusses, and strikes her dead:
So dead thou strook'st thy charge (O king,) through all warres thickets so
Thou look'dst, and swiftly found'st thy man; exhorting gainst the foe,
And heartning his plied men to blowes, vsde in the warres left wing:
To whom thou saidst; Thou god-lou'd man, come here, and heare a thing,
Which I wish neuer were to heare; I thinke euen thy eye sees
What a destruction God hath laid, vpon the sonnes of Greece;
And what a conquest he giues Troy; in which, the best of men
(Patroclus) lies exanimate; whose person, passing faine,
The Greeks would rescue, and beare home; and therefore giue thy speed
To his great friend, to proue if he, will do so good a deed,

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To fetch the naked person off; for Hectors shoulders weare

Antilochus grief for Patroclus.

His prised armes. Antilochus, was highly grieu'd to heare
This heauie newes; and stood surprisde, with stupid silence long;
His faire eyes standing full of teares; his voice so sweete and strong,
Stucke in his bosome; yet all this, wrought in him no neglect
Of what Atrides gaue in charge: but for that quicke effect,
He gaue Laodolus his armes, (his friend that had the guide
Of his swift horse) and then his knees, were speedily applide
In his sad message, which his eyes, told all the way in teares.

Another notable Ironia, expressing what Homer made of Menelaus.

Nor would thy generous heart assist, his sore-charg'd souldiers
(O Menelaus) in meane time, though left in much distresse;
Thou sentst them god-like Thrasimede, and mad'st thy kind regresse
Backe to Patroclus; where arriu'd, halfe breathlesse thou didst say
To both th' Aiaces this: I haue sent, this messenger away
To swift Achilles, who, I feare, will hardly helpe vs now,
(Though mad with Hector;) without armes, he cannot fight, ye know:
Let vs then thinke of some best meane, both how we may remoue
The bodie; and get off our selues, from this vociferous droue,
And fate of Troians. Brauely spoke, at all parts (Aiax said)
O glorious sonne of Atreus; take thou then straite the dead,
And thou Meriones. We two, of one mind, as one name,
Will backe ye soundly; and on vs, receiue the wild-fire flame,
That Hectors rage breathes after you, before it come at you.

This said, they tooke into their armes, the bodie; all the show

Menelaus and Meriones beare off the body of Patroclus.

That might be, made to those of Troy, at armes end bearing it.
Out shriekt the Troians, when they saw, the bodie borne to fleete;
And rusht on: As at any Bore, gasht with the hunters wounds,

Simile.

A kennell of the sharpest set, and forest bitten hounds,
Before their youthfull huntsmen haste; and eagerly a while
Pursue, as if they were assur'd, of their affected spoile;
But when the Sauage (in his strength, as confident as they)
Turnes head amongst them; backe they flie, and euery one his way:
So troope-meale Troy pursu'd a while, laying on with swords and darts;
But when th' Aiaces turn'd on them, and made their stand; their harts
Drunke from their faces all their blouds; and not a man sustain'd
The forechace, nor the after fight. And thus Greece nobly gain'd,
The person towards home: but thus, the changing warre was rackt
Out to a passing bloudie length: For as once put in act

Simile.

A fire inuading citie roofes, is sodainly engrost,
And made a wondrous mightie flame; in which is quickly lost
A house, long building; all the while, a boisterous gust of wind
Lumbring amongst it: So the Greekes (in bearing of their friend)
More and more foes drew: at their heeles, a tumult thundering still

Simile.

Of horse and foote. Yet, as when Mules, in haling from a hill
A beame or mast, through foule deepe way, well clapt and heartned, close
Lie to their labour, tug, and sweate, and passing hard it goes:
(Vrg'd by their driuers, to all hast) So dragg'd they on the corse;
Still both th' Aiaces at their backs; who backe still turn'd the force;

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Though after, it grew still the more; yet as a syluane hill
Thrusts backe a torrent, that hath kept, a narrow channell still,

Simile, illustrating the valour of both the Aiaces.

Till at his Oken breast it beates; but there a checke it takes,
That sends it ouer all the vale, with all the stirre it makes;
Nor can with all the confluence, breake through his rootie sides:
In no lesse firme and braue repulse, th' Aiaces curb'd the prides
Of all the Troians: yet all held, the pursuite in his strength;
Their chiefes being Hector, and the sonne, of Venus, who at length
Put all the youth of Greece besides, in most amazefull rout;
Forgetting all their fortitudes, distraught, and shrieking out;
A number of their rich armes lost, falne from them, here and there
About, and in the dike; and yet, the warre concludes not here.

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The end of the seuenteenth Booke.

254

THE XVIII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Achilles mournes, told of Patroclus end;
When Thetis doth from forth the sea ascend,
And comfort him; aduising to abstaine
From any fight, till her request could gaine
Fit armes of Vulcan. Iuno yet commands
To shew himselfe. And at the dike he stands
In sight of th' enemie; who with his sight
Flies; and a number perish in the flight.
Patroclus person (safe brought from the warres)
His souldiers wash. Vulcan the armes prepares.

Another Argument.

Sigma continues the alarmes,
And fashions the renowmed armes.

They fought still, like the rage of fire. And now Antilochus
Came to Æacides; whose mind, was much solicitous,
For that, which (as he fear'd) was falne. He found him neer the fleet
With vpright saile-yeards, vttering this, to his heroike conceit:
Ay me; why see the Greeks themselues, thus beaten from the field,

Achilles to himselfe concerning Patroclus.

And routed headlong to their fleet. O let not heauen yeeld
Effect to what my sad soule feares; that (as I was foretold)
The strongest Myrmidon, (next me) when I should still behold
The Sunnes faire light, must part with it. Past doubt, Menætius sonne
Is he on whom that fate is wrought; O wretch, to leaue vndone
What I commanded; that the fleete, once freed of hostile fire,
(Not meeting Hector) instantly, he should his powres retire.

As thus his troubl'd mind discourst, Antilochus appear'd,

Antilochus relates Patroclus death.

And told with teares the sad newes thus: My Lord, that must be heard,
Which would to heauen I might not tell; Menætius sonne lies dead;
And for his naked corse (his armes alreadie forfeited,
And worne by Hector) the debate, is now most vehement.

This said, Griefe darkned all his powres. With both his hands he rent

Achilles his rage

The blacke mould from the forced earth, and pour'd it on his head;
Smear'd all his louely face; his weeds (diuinely fashioned)
All filde and mangl'd; and himselfe, he threw vpon the shore;
Lay, as laid out for funerall. Then tumbl'd round, and tore
His gracious curles; his Ecstacie, he did so farre extend,
That all the Ladies wonne by him, and his now slaughterd friend,

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(Afflicted strangely for his plight) came shrieking from the tents,
And fell about him; beate their breasts; their tender lineaments
Dissolu'd with sorrow. And with them, wept Nestors warlike sonne,
Fell by him, holding his faire hands, in feare he would haue done
His person violence; his heart (extremely streightned) burn'd,
Beate, sweld, and sighd, as it would burst. So terribly he mourn'd;
That Thetis sitting in the deepes, of her old fathers seas;
Heard, and lamented. To her plaints, the bright Nereides
Flockt all; how many those darke gulfes, soeuer comprehend.
There Glance and Cymodoce, and Spyo did attend;
Nesæa and Cymothoa, and calme Amphithoe;
Thalia, Thoa, Panope, and swift Dynanime;
Actæa and Lymnoria; and Halia the faire,
Fam'd for the beautie of her eyes; Amathia for her haire;
Iæra, Proto, Clymene, and curl'd Dexamine;
Pherusa, Doris; and with these, the smooth Amphinome;
Chast Galathea so renowm'd; and Callianira came
With Doto and Orythia, to cheare the mournfull Dame;
Apseudes likewise visited; and Callianassa gaue
Her kind attendance; and with her, Agane grac't the Caue;
Nemertes, Mæra followed; Melita, Ianesse,
With Ianira, and the rest, of those Nereides,
That in the deepe seas make abode; all which together beate
Their dewie bosomes; and to all, thus Thetis did repeate
Her cause of mourning: Sisters, heare, how much the sorrowes wey,

Thetis to the Nereides.

Whose cries, now cald ye: haplesse I, brought forth vnhappily
The best of all the sonnes of men; who (like a well-set plant,
In best soiles) grew and flourished; and when his spirit did want
Employment for his youth and strength: I sent him with a fleete
To fight at Ilion; from whence, his fate-confined feete
Passe all my deitie to retire. The court of his high birth,
The glorious court of Peleus, must entertaine his worth,
Neuer hereafter. All the life, he hath to liue with me,
Must wast in sorrowes; and this sonne, I now am bent to see,
Being now afflicted with some griefe; not vsually graue;
Whose knowledge and recure I seeke. This said, she left her caue;
Which all left with her; swimming forth; the greene waues, as they swom,
Cleft with their bosomes, curld, and gaue, quicke way to Troy. Being come,
They all ascended; two and two; and trod the honor'd shore,
Till where the fleete of Myrmidons (drawne vp in heapes) it bore.
There stayd they at Achilles ship; and there did Thetis lay

Thetis to Achilles.

Her faire hand on her sonnes curl'd head, sigh'd, wept, and bad him say,
What griefe drew from his eyes those teares? conceale it not (said she)
Till this houre, thy vplifted hands, haue all things granted thee.
The Greeks (all thrust vp at their sternes) haue pour'd out teares enow;
And in them seene how much they misse, remission of thy vow.

He said, Tis true, Olympius, hath done me all that grace:

Achilles to Thetis.

But what ioy haue I of it all? when thus, thrusts in the place,

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Losse of my whole selfe, in my friend? whom, when his foe had slaine,
He spoil'd of those prophaned armes, that Peleus did obtaine
From heauens high powres, solemnizing, thy sacred nuptiall bands,
As th' onely present of them all; and fitted well their hands;
Being louely, radiant, maruellous; O would to heauen thy throne,
With these faire deities of the sea, thou still hadst sate vpon;
And Peleus had a mortall wife; since by his meanes is done
So much wrong to thy grieued mind; my death being set so soone,
And neuer suffering my returne, to grace of Peleus court;
Nor do I wish it; nor to liue, in any mans resort;
But onely that the crying bloud, for vengeance, of my friend,
Mangl'd by Hector, may be stild; his foes death paying his end.

Thetis to Achilles.

She weeping, said: That houre is neare, and thy deaths houre then nie;
Which in thy wish seru'd of thy foe, succeedeth instantly.

Achilles to Thetis.

And instantly it shall succeed, (he answerd) since my fate
Allow'd not to my will a powre, to rescue (ere the date
Of his late slaughter) my true friend. Farre from his friends he died;
Whose wrong therein my eyes had light, and right to see denied.
Yet now I neither light my selfe, nor haue so spent my light,
That either this friend or the rest, (in numbers infinite
Slaughterd by Hector) I can helpe; nor grace, with wisht repaire
To our deare country; but breathe here, vnprofitable aire,
And onely liue a lode to earth, with all my strength, though none
Of all the Grecians equall it. In counsell, many a one
Is my superiour; what I haue, no grace gets; what I want,
Disgraceth all. How then too soone, can hastiest death supplant
My fate-curst life? her instrument, to my indignitie,
Being that blacke fiend Contention; whom, would to God might die
To gods and men; and Anger too, that kindles tyrannie
In men most wise; being much more sweete, then liquid hony is
To men of powre, to satiate, their watchfull enmities;
And like a pliant fume it spreds, through all their breasts; as late
It stole sterne passage thorough mine; which he did instigate,
That is our Generall. But the fact, so long past, the effect
Must vanish with it, though both grieu'd; nor must we still respect
Our soothed humours; Need now takes, the rule of eithers mind.
And when the loser of my friend, his death in me shall find;
Let death take all. Send him, ye gods; Ile giue him my embrace;
Not Hercules himselfe shund death, though dearest in the grace
Of Iupiter; euen him, Fate stoopt, and Iunoes crueltie;
And if such Fate expect my life; where death strikes, I will lie.
Meane time I wish a good renowme, that these deepe-brested Dames
Of Ilion and Dardania, may, for th' extinguisht flames
Of their friends liues, with both their hands, wipe miserable teares
From their so curiously kept cheekes; and be the officers
To execute my sighs on Troy; when (seeing my long retreate
But gatherd strength, and giues my charge, an answerable heate)
They well may know twas I lay still; and that my being away,

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Presented all their happinesse. But any further stay,
(Which your much loue perhaps may wish) assay not to perswade;
All vowes are kept; all prayres heard; now, free way for fight is made.
The siluer-footed Dame replide: It fits thee well, my sonne,

Thetis to Achilles.

To keepe destruction from thy friends; but those faire armes are wonne
And worne by Hector, that should keepe, thy selfe in keeping them,
Though their fruition be but short; a long death being neare him,
Whose cruell glorie they are yet: by all meanes then forbeare
To tread the massacres of warre, till I againe appeare
From Mulciber with fit new armes; which, when thy eye shall see
The Sunne next rise, shall enter here, with his first beames and me.

Thus to her sisters of the sea, she turn'd, and bad them ope
The doores and deepes of Nereus; she, in Olympus top
Must visite Vulcan for new armes, to serue her wreakfull sonne;

Thetis and the Nymphs leaue Achilles.

And bad informe her father so, with all things further done.

This said, they vnderwent the sea, her selfe flew vp to heauen;
In meane space, to the Hellespont, and ships, the Greeks were driuen,
In shamefull rout; nor could they yet, from rage of Priams sonne,
Secure the dead of new assaults; both horse and men made on,
With such impression: thrice the feete, the hands of Hector seasd;
And thrice th' Aiaces thumpt him off. With whose repulse displeasd,
He wreakt his wrath vpon the troupes; then to the corse againe,
Made horrid turnings, crying out, of his repulsed men,
And would not quit him quite for death. A Lion almost steru'd,
Is not by vpland herdsmen driuen, from vrging to be seru'd
With more contention, then his strength, by those two of a name;
And had perhaps his much praisd will; if th' airie-footed dame
(Swift Iris) had not stoopt in hast, Ambassadresse from heauen,

Iris ambassadresse to Achilles from Iuno.

To Peleus sonne, to bid him arme; her message being giuen
By Iuno; kept from all the gods; she thus excited him:
Rise thou most terrible of men, and saue the precious lim
Of thy belou'd; in whose behalfe, the conflict now runnes hie
Before the fleete; the either host, fels other mutually;
These to retaine, those to obtaine; amongst whom, most of all
Is Hector prompt; hee's apt to drag, thy friend home; he your pall
Will make his shoulders; his head forc't; hee'l be most famous; rise,
No more lie idle; set the foe, a much more costly prise
Of thy friends value; then let dogs, make him a monument,
Where thy name will be grauen. He askt, What deitie hath sent
Thy presence hither? She repli'd; Saturnia; she alone,
Not high Ioue knowing; nor one god, that doth inhabite on
Snowie Olympus. He againe; How shall I set vpon
The worke of slaughter, when mine armes, are worne by Priams son?
How will my goddesse mother grieue, that bad I should not arme,
Till she brought armes from Mulciber? But should I do such harme
To her and dutie: who is he (but Aiax) that can vant
The fitting my brest with his armes? and he is conuersat
Amongst the first, in vse of his; and rampiers of the foe

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(Slaine neare Patroclus) builds to him. All this (said she) we know,
And wish, thou onely wouldst but show, thy person to the eyes
Of these hote Ilians, that (afraid, of further enterprise)
The Greeks may gaine some litle breath. She woo'd, and he was won,
And straite Minerua honor'd him; who Ioues shield clapt vpon
His mightie shoulders; and his head, girt with a cloud of gold,
That cast beames round about his browes. And as when armes enfold

Simile.

A citie in an Ile; from thence, a fume at first appeares,
(Being in the day) but when the Euen, her cloudie forehead reares,
Thicke show the fires, and vp they cast, their splendor, that men nie
Seeing their distresse, perhaps may set, ships out to their supply:
So (to shew such aid) from his head, a light rose, scaling heauen.
And forth the wall he stept and stood; nor brake the precept giuen
By his great mother (mixt in fight,) but sent abroad his voice,
Which Pallas farre off ecchoed; who did betwixt them hoise

Simile.

Shrill Tumult to a toplesse height. And as a voice is heard
With emulous affection, when any towne is spher'd
With siege of such a foe, as kils, mens minds; and for the towne
Makes sound his trumpet: so the voice, from Thetis issue throwne,
Won emulously th' eares of all. His brazen voice once heard,
The minds of all were startl'd so, they yeelded; and so feard
The faire-man'd horses, that they flew, backe, and their chariots turn'd,
Presaging in their augurous hearts, the labours that they mourn'd
A litle after; and their guides, a repercussiue dread
Tooke from the horrid radiance, of his refulgent head.
Which Pallas set on fire with grace. Thrice great Achilles spake;
And thrice (in heate of all the charge) the Troians started backe.
Twelue men, of greatest strength in Troy, left with their liues exhald,
Their chariots and their darts, to death, with his three summons cald.
And then the Grecians spritefully, drew from the darts the corse,
And hearst it, bearing it to fleete. His friends, with all remorse
Marching about it. His great friend, dissoluing then in teares,
To see his truly-lou'd return'd, so horst vpon an herse,
Whom with such horse and chariot, he set out safe and whole;
Now wounded with vnpittying steele, now sent without a soule,
Neuer againe to be restor'd, neuer receiu'd but so;
He follow'd mourning bitterly. The Sunne (yet farre to go)

Iuno commands the Sunne to go downe before his time.

Iuno commanded to go downe; who in his powres despight,
Sunke to the Ocean; ouer earth, dispersing sodaine Night.
And then the Greeks, and Troians both, gaue vp their horse and darts.
The Troians all to counsell call'd, ere they refresht their hearts
With any supper; nor would sit; they grew so stiffe with feare,
To see (so long from heauie fight) Æacides appeare.

Polydamas began to speake, who onely could discerne
Things future by things past; and was, vow'd friend to Hector; borne

Polydamas to Hector and the Troians.

In one night both; he thus aduisde: Consider well (my friends)
In this so great and sodaine change, that now it selfe extends;
What change is best for vs t'oppose. To this stands my command;

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Make now the towne our strength; not here, abide lights rosie hand;
Our wall being farre off, and our foe, (much greater) still as nere.
Till this foe came, I well was pleasde, to keepe our watches here;
My fit hope, of the fleetes surpise, enclin'd me so; but now,
Tis stronglier guarded; and (their strength, increast) we must allow
Our owne proportionate amends. I doubt exceedingly
That this indifferencie of fight, twixt vs and th' enemie;
And these bounds we prefixe to them; will nothing so confine,
Th' vncur'b mind of Æacides. The height of his designe
Aimes at our citie, and our wiues; and all barres in his way
(Being backt with lesse then wals) his powre, will scorne to make his stay;
And ouerrunne, as ouerseene; and not his obiect. Then
Let Troy be freely our retreate; lest being enforc't, our men
Twixt this, and that, be taken vp, by Vultures; who by night
May safe come off; it being a time, vntimely for his might
To spend at randome; that being sure. If next light shew vs here
To his assaults, each man will wish, that Troy his refuge were;
And then feele, what he heares not now. I would to heauen mine eare
Were free euen now of those complaints, that you must after heare,
If ye remoue not. If ye yeeld (though wearied with a fight)
So late and long; we shall haue strength, in counsell, and the night.
And (where we here haue no more force, then Need will force vs to,
And which must rise out of our nerues) high ports, towres, walls will do
What wants in vs. And in the morne, all arm'd vpon our towres;
We all will stand out to our foe. Twill trouble all his powres,
To come from fleet, and giue vs charge; when his high-crested horse,
His rage shall satiate with the toyle, of this, and that wayes course;
Vaine entrie seeking vnderneath, out well-defended wals;
And he be glad to turne to fleet, about his funerals.
For of his entrie here, at home; What mind will serue his thirst?
Or euer feed him with sackt Troy? the dogs shall eate him first.

At this speech, Hector bent his browes; and said, This makes not greate

Hectors angry reply to Polydamas.

Your grace with me, Polydamas; that argue for retreate
To Troys old prison; haue we not, enough of those towres yet?
And is not Troy, yet, charg'd enough, with impositions set
Vpon her citizens; to keepe, our men from spoyle, without?
But still we must impose, within? that houses, with our rout,
As well as purses, may be plagu'd? Before time, Priams towne
Traffickt with diuers-languag'd men; and all gaue the renowne
Of rich Troy to it; brasse, and gold, abounding: but her store
Is now from euery house exhaust; possessions euermore,
Are sold out into Phrygia, and louely Mæonie;
And haue bene, euer since Ioues wrath. And now his clemencie
Giues me the meane, to quit our want, with glorie; and conclude
The Greeks in sea-bords, and our seas; to slacke it, and extrude
His offerd bountie by our flight. Foole that thou art, bewray
This counsell to no common eare; for no man shall obay.
If any will, Ile checke his will. But what our selfe command,

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Let all obserue: take suppers all; keeepe watch of euery hand.
If any Troian haue some spoyle, that takes his too much care,
Make him dispose it publickly; tis better any fare
The better for him, then the Greeks. When light then deckes the skies,
Let all arme for a fierce assault. If great Achilles rise,
And will enforce our greater toyle; it may rise so to him;
On my backe, he shall find no wings; my spirit, shall force my lim
To stand his worst; and giue, or take; Mars is our common Lord,
And the desirous sword-mans life; he euer puts to sword.

This counsell gat applause of all; so much were all vnwise;
Minerua robd them of their braines, to like the ill aduice
The great man gaue; and leaue the good, since by the meaner giuen.
All tooke their suppers; but the Greeks, spent all the heauy Euen
About Patroclus mournfull rites; Pelides leading all
In all the formes of heauinesse: he, by his side did fall;
And his man-slaughtering hands imposd, into his oft-kist brest;

Simile.

Sighes, blew vp sighes: and Lion-like, grac't with a goodly crest,
That in his absence being robd, by hunters of his whelps,
Returnes to his so desolate den: and (for his wanted helps)
Beholding his vnlookt-for wants, flies roring backe againe;
Hunts the slie hunter; many a vale, resounding his disdaine.
So mourn'd Pelides, his late losse; so weightie were his mones,

Achilles to his Myrmidons.

Which (for their dumbe sounds) now gaue words, to all his Myrmidons.
O gods (said he) how vaine a vow, I made, (to cheare the mind)
Of sad Menætius, when his sonne, his hand to mine resign'd;
That high-towr'd Opus he should see; and leaue rac't Ilion,
With spoyle, and honor, euen with me? but Ioue vouchsafes to none,
Wisht passages to all his vowes; we both were destinate
To bloody one earth here in Troy; nor any more estate
In my returne, hath Peleus, or Thetis; but because,
I, last must vndergo the ground, Ile keepe no funerall lawes

Achilles to Patroclus body.

(O my Patroclus) for thy Corse; before I hither bring,
The armes of Hector, and his head, to thee for offering.
Twelue youths, the most renown'd of Troy, Ile sacrifise beside,
Before thy heape of funerall, to thee vnpacifide.
In meane time, by our crooked sternes, lye drawing teares from me;
And round about thy honour'd Corse, these dames of Dardanie,
And Ilion, with the ample breasts (whom our long speares, and powres,
And labours, purchast from the rich, and by-vs-ruind towres,
And cities strong, and populous, with diuers-languag'd men)
Shall kneele, and neither, day, nor night, be licenst to abstaine
From solemne watches; their toil'd eyes, held ope with endlesse teares.

This passion past; he gaue command, to his neare souldiers,
To put a Tripod to the fire, to cleanse the festred gore,
From off the person. They obeyd, and presently did powre
Fresh water in it; kindl'd wood, and with an instant flame,
The belly of the Tripod girt; till fires hote qualitie came
Vp to the water. Then they washt, and fild the mortall wound

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With wealthy oyle, of nine yeares old; then wrapt the body round,
In largenesse of a fine white sheete, and put it then in bed,
When all, watcht all night, with their Lord, and spent sighes on the dead.

Then Ioue askt Iuno, if at length, she had suffisde her splene;

Ioue to Iuno.

Achilles being wonne to armes? or if she had not bene
The naturall mother of the Greeks; she did so still preferre
Their quarrell? She incenst, askt why, he still was tanting her,
For doing good to those she lou'd? since man to man might show
Kind offices, though thrall to death; and though they did not know

Iuno to Ioue.

Halfe such deepe counsels, as disclosd; beneath her farre-seeing state:
She, reigning Queene of goddesses; and being ingenerate
Of one stocke with himselfe; besides, the state of being his wife;
And must her wrath, and ill to Troy, continue such a strife
From time to time, twixt him and her? This priuate speech they had;
And now the siluer-footed Queene, had her ascension made,

Thetis enters the Court of Vulcan.

To that incorruptible house, that starry golden court
Of fiery Vulcan; beautifull, amongst th' immortall sort.
Which yet the lame god built himselfe: she found him in a sweate,
About his bellowes; and in haste, had twentie Tripods beate,
To set for stooles about the sides, of his well-builded hall.
To whose feete, little wheeles of gold, he put, to go withall;
And enter his rich dining roome; alone, their motion free
And backe againe go out alone, miraculous to see.
And thus much he had done of them; yet handles were to adde;
For which he now was making studs. And while their fashion had
Employment of his skilfull hand; bright Thetis was come neare,
Whom first, faire well-haird Charis saw, that was nuptiall fere,
Of famous Vulcan; who, the hand, of Thetis tooke, and said;

Why, faire-train'd, lou'd, and honour'd Dame, are we thus visited

Charis the wife of Vulcan to Thetis.

By your kind presence? You I thinke, were neuer here before;
Come neare, that I may banquet you, and make you visite more.

She led her in, and in a chaire, of siluer (being the fruite
Of Vulcans hand) she made her sit: a footstoole, of a suite,
Apposing to her Cristall feete; and cald the god of fire
For Thetis was arriu'd (she said) and entertain'd desire,
Of some grace, that his art might grant. Thetis to me (said he)

Vulcan to Charis

Is mightie, and most reuerend, as one that nourisht me,
When Griefe consum'd me; being cast, from heauen, by want of shame
In my proud mother, who because, she brought me forth so lame,
Would haue me made away; and then, had I bene much distrest,
Had Thetis and Eurynome, in eithers siluer breast
Not rescu'd me. Eurynome, that to her father had
Reciprocall Oceanus; nine yeares with them I made
A number of well-arted things; round bracelets, buttons braue;
Whistles, and Carquenets: my forge, stood in a hollow Caue,
About which (murmuring with fome) th' vnmeasur'd Ocean
Was euer beating; my abode, knowne nor to god, nor man,
But Thetis, and Eurynome, and they would see me still:

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They were my louing guardians: now then the starry hill,
And our particular roofe thus grac't, with bright-hair'd Thetis here;
It fits me alwaies to repay, a recompence as deare
To her thoughts, as my life to me. Haste Charis, and appose
Some daintie guest-rites to our friend, while I my bellowes lose
From fire, and lay vp all my tooles. Then from an anuile rose
Th' vnweildy Monster; halted downe, and all awry he went.
He tooke his bellowes from the fire, and euery instrument
Lockt safe vp in a siluer chest. Then with a sponge he drest
His face all ouer, necke and hands, and all his hairie breast:
Put on his Cote, his Scepter tooke, and then went halting forth:

Vulcans attendants.

Handmaids of gold, attending him; resembling in all worth,
Liuing yong damzels; fild with minds, and wisedome, and were train'd
In all immortall ministrie; virtue, and voice contain'd,
And mou'd with voluntarie powres: and these still waited on
Their fierie Soueraigne; who (not apt, to walke) sate neare the throne
Of faire-hair'd Thetis; tooke her hand; and thus he courted her:

Vulcan to Thetis.

For what affaire, ô faire-train'd Queene, reuerend to me, and deare,
Is our Court honord with thy state? That hast not heretofore
Perform'd this kindnesse? Speake thy thoughts; thy suite can be no more,
Then my mind giues me charge to grant; can my powre get it wrought?
Or that it haue not onely powre, of onely act in thought?

Thetis to Vulcan.

She thus: O Vulcan, is there one, of all that are of heauen,
That in her neuer-quiet mind, Saturnius hath giuen
So much affliction as to me? whom onely he subiects
(Of all the Sea-Nymphs) to a man; and makes me beare th' affects
Of his fraile bed: and all against, the freedome of my will.
And he worne to his roote, with age: from him, another ill,
Ariseth to me; Iupiter, you know, hath giuen a sonne
(The excellenst of men) to me; whose education,
On my part, well hath answered, his owne worth; hauing growne,
As in a fruitfull soyle, a tree, that puts not vp alone,
His body to naked height; but ioyntly giues his growth
A thousand branches; yet to him, so short a life I brought,
That neuer I shall see him more, return'd to Peleus Court.
And all that short life he hath spent, in most vnhappy sort.
For first he wonne a worthy Dame, and had her by the hands
Of all the Grecians: yet this Dame, Atrides countermands:
For which, in-much disdaine he mourn'd, and almost pin'd away,
And yet, for this wrong, he receiu'd, some honor, I must say;
The Greeks being shut vp at their ships; not sufferd to aduance,
A head out of their batterd sternes; and mightie suppliance,
By all their graue men hath bene made, gifts, honors, all proposde
For his reflection; yet he still, kept close, and saw enclosde
Their whole host, in this generall plague. But now his friend put on
His armes; being sent by him to field, and many a Myrmidon
In conduct of him; all the day, they fought before the gates

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Of Scæa; and most certainly, that day had seene the dates,
Of all Troyes honors, in her dust; if Phœbus (hauing done
Much mischiefe more) the enuyed life, of good Menætius sonne,
Had not with partiall hands enforc't; and all the honor giuen
To Hector, who hath prisd his armes; and therefore I am driuen,
T'embrace thy knees, for new defence, to my lou'd sonne: ahlas,
His life prefixt, so short a date, had need spend that with grace.
A shield then for him, and a helme, faire greaues, and curets such,
As may renowne thy workmanship; and honor him as much;
I sue for, at thy famous hands. Be confident (said he)
Let these wants breed thy thoughts, no care; I would it lay in me,
To hide him from his heauy death; when Fate shall seeke for him;

Vulcan to Thetis

As well, as with renowned armes, to fit his goodly limme;
Which thy hands shall conuey to him; and all eyes shall admire:
See, and desire againe to see, thy satisfied desire.

This said, he left her there; and forth, did to his bellows go,
Apposde them to the fire againe, commanding them to blow.

Vulcan begins to forge armes for Achilles.

Through twenty holes made to his harth, at once blew twenty paire,
That fir'd his coles, sometimes with soft, sometimes with vehement ayre;
As he will'd, and his worke requir'd. Amids the flame he cast,
Tin, Siluer, precious Gold, and Brasse; and in the stocke he plac't,
A mightie anuile; his right hand, a weightie hammer held;
His left his tongs. And first he forg'd, a strong and spacious shield
Adornd with twenty seuerall hewes: about whose verge he beate,
A ring, three-fold and radiant; and on the backe he set,
A siluer handle; fiue-fold were, the equall lines he drew
About the whole circumference: in which, his hand did shew,
(Directed with a knowing mind) a rare varietie:
For in it he presented earth; in it, the sea, and skie:
In it, the-neuer-wearied Sunne; the Moone exactly round,
And all those starres, with which the browes, of ample heauen are crownd;
Orion, all the Pleiades; and those seuen Atlas got;
The close-beam'd Hyades. The Beare, surnam'd the Chariot,
That turnes about heauens axeltree; holds ope a constant eye
Vpon Orion; and, of all, the Cressets in the skie,
His golden forehead neuer bowes, to th' Ocean Emperie.

Two cities in the spacious shield, he built with goodly state,
Of diuerse-languag'd men: the one, did nuptials celebrate,

Two cities forged in Achilles armes

Obseruing at them, solemne feasts: the Brides from foorth their bowres
With torches, vsherd through the streets: a world of Paramours
Excited by them; youths, and maides, in louely circles danc't:
To whom the merrie Pipe, and Harpe, their spritely sounds aduanc't;
The matrones standing in their dores, admiring. Otherwhere,
A solemne Court of law was kept, where throngs of people were:
The case in question, was a fine, imposde on one, that slue
The friend of him that follow'd it, and for the fine did sue;
Which th' other pleaded he had paide. The aduerse part denied,

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And openly affirm'd he had, no penny satisfied.
Both put it to arbiterment; the people cryed twas best
For both parts; and th' Assistants too, gaue their doomes like the rest.
The Heralds made the people peace: the Seniors then did beare
The voicefull Heralds scepters, sate, within a sacred sphere
On polisht stones; and gaue by turnes, their sentence. In the Court
Two talents gold were cast, for him, that iugd'd in iustest sort.

The martiall citie in the shield of Achilles.

The other citie, other warres, employ'd as busily,
Two armies glittering in armes, of one confederacie,
Besieg'd it; and a parle had, with those within the towne;
Two wayes they stood resolu'd; to see, the citie ouerthrowne:
Or that the citizens should heape, in two parts all their wealth,
And giue them halfe. They neither lik't, but arm'd themselues by stealth:
Left all their old men, wiues, and boyes, behind, to man their wals;
And stole out to their enemies towne. The Queene of martials,
And Mars himselfe conducted them; both which being forg'd of gold,
Must needs haue golden furniture: and men might so behold,
They were presented deities. The people, Vulcan forg'd
Of meaner mettall. When they came, where that was to be vrg'd
For which they went; within a vale, close to a flood, whose streame
Vsde to giue all their cattell drinke; they there enambusht them:
And sent two scouts out to descrie, when th' enemies heards, and sheepe
Were setting out. They strait came forth, with two that vsde to keepe
Their passage alwayes; both which pip't, and went on merrily;
Nor dream'd of Ambuscados there. The Ambush then let flie;
Slue all their white fleec't sheepe, and neate, and by them laid their guard.
When those in siege before the towne, so strange an vprore heard.
Behind, amongst their flocks, and heards; (being then in counsell set)
They then start vp, tooke horse, and soone, their subtle enemie met;
Fought with them on the riuers shore, where both gaue mutuall blowes
With well pil'd darts. Amongst them all: peruerse Contention rose,
Amongst them Tumult was enrag'd: amongst them ruinous Fate,
Had her red-finger; some they tooke, in an vnhurt estate;
Some hurt; yet liuing; some quite slaine: and those they tug'd to them
By both the feete; strip't off and tooke, their weeds, with all the streame
Of blood vpon them; that their steeles, had manfully let out.
They far'd as men aliue indeed, drew dead indeed about.

To these, the fierie Artizan, did adde a new-ear'd field

A new eared field in the shield.

Lardge and thrice plowd; the soyle being soft, and of a wealthy yeeld,
And many men at plow he made, that draue earth here and there,
And turnd vp stitches orderly; at whose end when they were,
A fellow euer gaue their hands, full cups of luscious wine;
Which emptied, for another stitch, the earth they vndermine;
And long till th' vtmost bound be reacht, of all the ample Close:
The soyle turn'd vp behind the plow, all blacke like earth arose,
Though forg'd of nothing else but gold, and lay in show as light,
As if it had bene plowd indeed; miraculous to sight.

A field of corne.

There grew by this, a field of corne, high, ripe; where reapers wrought,

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And let thicke handfuls fall to earth; for which, some other brought
Bands, and made sheaues. Three binders stood, and tooke the handfuls reapt,
From boyes that gatherd quickly vp; and by them armefuls heapt.
Amongst these at a furrowes end, the king stood pleasd at heart;
Said no word, but his scepter shewd. And from him, much apart,
His haruest Bailiffes, vnderneath, an Oke, a feast prepar'd:
And hauing kild a mightie Oxe, stood there to see him shar'd;
Which women, for their haruest folks (then come to sup) had drest;
And many-white-wheate-cakes bestow'd, to make it vp feast.

He set neare this, a vine of gold; that crackt beneath the weight

A vine of gold.

Of bunches, blacke with being ripe, to keepe which, at the height,
A siluer raile ranne all along; and round about it flow'd
An azure mote; and to this guard, a quick-set was bestow'd
Of Tin, one onely path to all; by which the pressemen came
In time of vintage; youths, and maids, that bore not yet the flame
Of manly Hymen; baskets bore, of grapes, and mellow fruite.
A lad that sweetly toucht a harpe, to which his voice did suite,
Centerd the circles of that youth; all whose skill could not do
The wantons pleasure to their minds, that danc't, sung, whistl'd to.

A herd of Oxen then he caru'd, with high raisd heads; forg'd all

A heard of oxen

Of Gold and Tin (for colour mixt) and bellowing from their stall,
Rusht to their pastures, at a flood, that eccho'd all their throtes;
Exceeding swift, and full of reeds; and all in yellow cotes,
Foure heardsmen follow'd; after whom, nine Mastiues went. In head
Of all the heard, vpon a Bull, that deadly bellowed,
Two horrid Lions rampt, and seisd, and (tugg'd off) bellowing still,
Both men, and dogs came; yet they tore, the hide, and lapt their fill
Of blacke blood; and the entrailes eate. In vaine the men assayd,
To set their dogs on: none durst pinch, but curre-like stood and bayd
In both the faces of their kings; and all their onsets fled.

Then in a passing pleasant vale, the famous Artsman fed,

Flocks of sheepe.

(Vpon a goodly pasture ground) rich flocks, of white-fleec't sheepe;
Built stables, cottages, and cotes; that did the sheapheards keepe
From winde and weather. Next to these, he cut a dancing place,

A labyrinth.

All full of turnings; that was like, the admirable maze
For faire-hair'd Ariadne made, by cunning Dedalus;
And in it, youths, and virgins danc't; all yong and beautious,
And glewed in anothers palmes. Weeds that the winde did tosse,
The virgines wore: the youths, wouen cotes, that cast a faint dimme glosse,
Like that of oyle. Fresh garlands to, the virgines temples crownd;
The youths guilt swords wore, at their thighs; with siluer bawdricks bound:
Sometimes all wound close in a ring; to which as fast they spunne,
As any wheele a Turner makes, being tried how it will runne,
While he is set; and out againe, as full of speed, they wound;
Not one left fast, or breaking hands. A multitude stood round;
Delighted with their nimble sport: to end which two begun
(Mids all) a song, and turning sung, the sports conclusion.
All this he circl'd in the shield, with pouring round about

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(In all his rage) the Ocean, that it might neuer out.

This shield thus done, he forg'd for him, such curets, as out shin'd
The blaze of fire: a helmet then (through which no steele could find
Forc't passage) he composde, whose hue, a hundred colours tooke;
And in the crest, a plume of gold, that each breath stirr'd, he stucke.

All done; he all to Thetis brought, and held all vp to her;
She tooke them all, and lik't the hawke, (surnam'd the Osspringer)
From Vulcan to her mightie sonne; with that so glorious show,
Stoopt from the steepe Olympian hill, hid in eternall snow.

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The end of the eighteenth Booke.

THE XIX. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Thetis, presenting armour to her sonne;
He cals a Court, with full reflection
Of all his wrath. Takes of the king of men
Free-offerd gifts. All take their breakefast then;
He (onely fasting) Armes, and brings abrode,
The Grecian host. And (heairng the abode
Of his neare death by Xanthus prophecied)
The horse, for his so bold presage, doth chide.

Another Argument.

Ταυ giues the anger period
And great Achilles comes abrode.

The Morne arose, and from the Ocean, in her saffron to be,
Gaue light to all: as well to gods, as men of th' vnder globe.
Thetis stoopt home, and found the prostrate person of her sonne,

Thetis appeares To Achilles.

About his friend; still pouring out, himselfe in passion:
A number more, being heauy consorts to him in his cares.
Amongst them all, Thetis appear'd; and sacred comforters
Made those short words. Though we must grieue, yet beare it thus; (my son)
It was no man that prostrated, in this sad fashion
Thy dearest friend; it was a god, that first laid on his hand;
Whose will is law: the gods decrees, no humane must withstand.
Do thou embrace this Fabricke of a god; whose hand, before,
Nere forg'd the like; and such as yet, no humane shoulder wore.

Thus (setting downe;) The precious mettall of the armes was such,
That all the roome rung with the weight, of euery slendrest touch.
Cold tremblings tooke the Myrmidons; none durst sustaine, all fear'd
T'oppose their eyes: Achilles yet, as soone as they appear'd,

Achilles rapture at the sight of his armes.

Sterne Anger enterd. From his eyes (as if the day-starre rose)
A radiance terrifying men, did all the state enclose.
At length, he tooke into his hands, the rich gift of the god;
And (much pleasd, to behold the art, that in the shield he show'd)
He brake forth into this applause; O mother, these, right well,
Shew an immortall fingers touch; mans hand must neuer deale
With armes againe. Now I will arme; yet (that no honour make
My friend forgotten) I much feare, lest with the blowes of flies,
His brasse-inflicted wounds are filde; life gone; his person lies

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All apt to putrifaction. She bad him, doubt no harme,
Of those offences: she would care, to keepe the petulant swarme
Of flies (that vsually taint, the bodies of the slaine)
From his friends person: though a yeare, the earths top should sustaine
His slaughterd body, it should still, rest sound, and rather hold
A better state, then worse; since time, that death first made him cold:
And so bad call a Councell to, dispose of new alarmes,
Where (to the king, that was the Pastor of that flocke in armes)
He should depose all anger and, put on a fortitude
Fit for his armes. All this, his powres, with dreadfull strength indude.
She, with her faire hand, still'd into, the nostrils of his friend,
Red Nectar, and Ambrosia; with which she did defend
The Corse from putrifaction. He trod along the shore,

Achilles summōs all the Greeks to Counsell.

And summon'd all th' Heroique Greekes; with all that spent before
The time in exercise with him; the Maisters, Pilots to,
Victlers, and all; all when they saw, Achilles summon so,
Swarm'd to the Councell, hauing long, left the laborious wars.
To all these, came two halting kings, true seruitors of Mars,
Tydides, and wise Ithacus, both leaning on their speares:
Their wounds still painefull; and both these, sat first of all the Peeres.

The last come, was the king of men, sore wounded with the lance

Achilles first speaker in the Councell.

Of Coon Antenorides. All set, the first in vtterance,
Was Thetis sonne; who rose, and said; Atrides, had not this
Conferd most profite to vs both? when both our enmities
Consum'd vs so? and for a wench? whom, when I chusde for prise,
(In laying Lyrnessus ruin'd walls, amongst our victories)
I would to heauen (as first she set, her daintie foote abord)
Dianas hand had tumbl'd off, and with a iauelin gor'd.
For then, th' vnmeasurable earth, had not so thick bene gnawne,
(In deaths conulsions) by our friends; since my affects were drawne
To such distemper. To our foe, and to our foes chiefe friend
Our iarre brought profite: but the Greeks, will neuer giue an end
To thought of what it preiudic't them. Past things yet, past our aide;
Fit griefe, for what wrath rulde in them; must make th' amends repaid
With that necessitie of loue; that now forbids our ire;
Which I with free affects obey. Tis for the senslesse fire
Still to be burning, hauing stuffe; but men, must curbe rage still,
Being fram'd with voluntarie powres, as well to checke the will,
As giue it raines. Giue you then charge, that for our instant fight,
The Greeks may follow me to field; to trie if still the Night
Will beare out Troians at our ships. I hope there is some one,
Amongst their chiefe encouragers, will thanke me to be gone;
And bring his heart downe to his knees, in that submission.

The Greeks reioyc't, to heare the heart, of Peleus mightie sonne,
So quallified. And then the king (not rising from his throne,
For his late hurt) to get good eare; thus orderd his replie:

Agamemnon to the Princes of Greece.

Princes of Greece, your states shall suffer non indignitie;
If (being farre off) ye stand and heare; nor fits it such as stand,

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At greater distance, to disturbe, the counsell now in hand,
By vprore; in their too much care, of hearing. Some, of force,
Must lose some words: for, hard it is, in such a great concourse,
(Though hearers eares be nere so sharpe) to touch at all things spoke.
And in assemblies of such thrust, how can a man prouoke
Fit powre to heare, or leaue to speake? best auditors may there,
Lose fittest words; and the most vocall Orator, fit eare.
My maine end then, to satisfie, Pelides with replie,
My words shall prosecute. To him, my speech especially
Shall beare direction. Yet I wish, the court in generall,
Would giue fit eare; my speech shall need, attention of all.

Oft haue our Peeres of Greece, much blam'd, my forcing of the prise,
Due to Achilles; of which act, not I, but destinies,
And Ioue himselfe; and blacke Erynnis (that casts false mists still
Betwixt vs, and our actions done, both by her powre, and will)
Are authors: what could I do then? The very day, and howre,
Of our debate, that furie stole, in that act, on my powre.
And more; All things are done by strife: that ancient seed of Ioue
Ate, that hurts all, perfects all. Her feete, are soft; and moue

Ate the goddesse of contention.

Not on the earth; they beare her still, aloft men heads; and there,
The harmefull hurts them. Nor was I, alone her prisoner;
Ioue (best of men, and gods) hath bene. Not he himselfe hath gone
Beyond her fetters: no she made, a woman put them on.
For when Alcmena was to vent, the force of Hercules,
In well wall'd Thebes: thus Ioue triumpht; Heare gods, and goddesses,
The words, my ioyes vrg'd: In this day, Lucina (bringing paine,
To labouring women) shall produce, into the light of men,
A man, that all his neighbour kings, shall in his Empire hold;
And vant, that more then manly race, whose honor'd veines enfold
My eminent blood. Saturnia, conceiu'd a present sleight,
And vrg'd confirmance of his vant, t'infringe it; her conceipt,
In this sort vrg'd: Thou wilt not hold, thy word with this rare man;
Or if thou wilt, confirme it with, the oath Olympian;
That whosoeuer fals this day, betwixt a womans knees,
Of those mens stockes, that from thy blood, deriue their pedigrees
Shall all his neighbour townes command. Ioue (ignorant of fraude)

Iuno deceipt of Iupiter.

Tooke that great oth, which his great ill, gaue little cause t'applaude.
Downe from Olympus top, she stoopt; and quickly reacht the place
In Argos, where the famous wife, of Sthenelus (whose race
He fetch from Ioue, by Perseus) dwelt. She was but seuenths months gone
With issue; yet she brought it forth; Alcmenas matchlesse sonne
Delaide form light; Saturnia, represt the teeming throwes
Of his great mother. Vp to heauen, she mounts againe, and showes,
(In glorie) her deceipt to Ioue. Bright lightning Ioue (said she)
Now th' Argiues haue an Emperour; a sonne deriu'd from thee

Iunos insultatiō after her deceipt

Is borne to Persean Sthenelus; Eurystheus, his name;
Noble and worthy of the rule, thou swor'st to him. This came
Close to the heart of Iupiter; and Ate, that had wrought

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This anger by Saturnia, by her bright-haire he caught;
Held downe her head, and ouer her, made this infallible vow:
That neuer to the cope of starres, should reascend that brow,
Being so infortunate to all. Thus, swinging her about,
He cast her from the fierie heauen; who euer since thrust out
Her forkt sting, in th' affaires of men. Ioue euer since did grieue,
Since his deare issue Hercules, did by his vow atchieue,
Th' vniust toyles of Eurysteus: thus fares it now with me;
Since vnder Hectors violence, the Grecian progenie,
Fell so vnfitly by my splene; whose fals will euer sticke
In my grieu'd thoughts; my weaknesse yet, (Saturnius making sicke
The state my mind held) now recur'd, th' amends shall make euen weight
With my offence: and therefore rouse, thy spirits to the fight,
With all thy forces; all the gifts, proposde thee, at thy tent,
(Last day) by royall Ithacus, my officers shall present;
And (if it like thee) strike no stroke, (though neuer so on thornes
Thy mind stands to thy friends reuenge) till my command, adornes
Thy tents, and cofers, with such gifts, as well may let thee know,

Achilles his noble answer of Agamemnon.

How much I wish thee satisfied. He answerd, let thy vow,
(Renown'd Atrides) at thy will, be kept, (as iustice would)
Or keepe thy gifts, tis all in thee. The counsell now we hold,
Is for repairing our maine field, with all our fortitude.
My faire shew made, brookes no retreat; nor must delaies delude
Our deeds expectance. Yet vndone, the great worke is; all eyes
Must see Achilles in first fight, depeopling enemies;
As well as counsell it in court: that euery man set on;
May chuse his man, to imitate, my exercise vpon.

Vlysses to Achilles.

Vlysses answerd, do not yet, (thou man, made like the gods)
Take fasting men to field: suppose, that whatsoeuer ods,
It brings against them, with full men, thy boundlesse eminence,
Can amplie answer; yet refraine, to tempt a violence.
The conflict wearing out our men, was late, and held as long;
Wherein, though most, Ioue stood for Troy; he yet made our part strong
To beare that most. But twas to beare, and that breeds little heart.
Let wine and bread then adde to it: they helpe the twofold part,
The soule, and body in a man; both force, and fortitude.
All day men cannot fight, and fast; though neuer so indude
With minds to fight; for that supposde, there lurks yet secretly,
Thirst, hunger, in th' oppressed ioynts; which no mind can supply.
They take away a marchers knees. Mens bodyes throughly fed,
Their minds share with them in their strength; and (all day combatted)
One stirres not, till you call off all. Dismisse them then to meate,
And let Atrides tender here, in sight of all this seate,
The gifts he promist. Let him sweare, before vs all, and rise
To that oath; that he neuer toucht, in any wanton wise,
The Ladie he enforc't. Besides, that he remaines in mind
As chastly satisfied: not toucht, or priuily enclind
With future vantages. And last; tis fit he should approue

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All these rites, at a solemne feast, in honour of your loue;
That so you take no mangl'd law, for merites absolute.
And thus the honours you receiue, resoluing the pursuite
Of your friends quarrell, well will quit, your sorrow for your friend.
And thou Atrides in the tast, of so seuere an end;
Hereafter may on others hold, a iuster gouernment.
Nor will it ought empaire a king, to giue a sound content
To any subiect, soundly wrong'd. I ioy (replide the king)

Agamemnon to Vlysses.

O Laertiades, to heare, thy liberall counselling.
In which is all decorum kept; nor any point lackes touch,
That might be thought on, to conclude, a reconcilement, such
As fits example; and vs two. My mind yet makes me sweare,
Not your impulsion. And that mind, shall rest so kind and cleare,
That I will not forsweare to God. Let then Achilles stay,
(Though neuer so inflam'd for fight) and all men here I pray,
To stay, till from my tents these gifts, be brought here; and the truce,
At all parts finisht before all. And thou, of all I chuse,
(Diuine Vlysses) and command, to chuse of all your host,
Youths of most honour, to present, to him we honour most,
The gifts we late vow'd; and the Dames. Meane space, about our tents,
Talthybius shall prouide a Bore; to crowne these kind euents,
With thankfull sacrifice to Ioue, and to the God of light.

Achilles answerd: These affaires, will shew more requisite
(Great king of men) some other time, when our more free estates

Achilles to Vlysses.

Yeeld fit cessation from the warre; and when my splene abates.
But now (to all our shames besides) our friends by Hector slaine,
(And Ioue to friend) lie vnfetch off. Haste then, and meate your men;
Though I must still say: My command, would leade them fasting forth,
And all together feast, at night. Meate will be something worth,
When stomacks first haue made it way, with venting infamie,
(And other sorrowes late sustain'd) with long'd for wreakes, that lie
Heauie vpon them, for rights sake. Before which lode be got
From off my stomacke; meate nor drinke, I vow, shall downe my throte;
My friend being dead; who digd with wounds, & bor'd through both his feet,
Lies in the entrie of my tent; and in the teares doth fleete
Of his associates. Meate and drinke, haue litle merit then
To comfort me; but bloud and death, and deadly grones of men.

The great in counsels, yet made good, his former counsels thus:

Vlysses his reply.

O Peleus sonne, of all the Greeks, by much most valorous;
Better and mightier then my selfe; no little, with thy lance,
I yeeld thy worth; in wisedome yet, no lesse I dare aduance
My right aboue thee; since aboue, in yeares, and knowing more.
Let then thy mind rest in thy words; we quickly shall haue store,
And all sacietie of fight; whose steele heapes store of straw,
And litle corne vpon a floore; when Ioue (that doth withdraw,
And ioyne all battels) once begins, t'encline his ballances,
In which he weighs the liues of men. The Greeks you must not presse,
To mourning with the belly; death, hath nought to do with that,

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In healthfull men, that mourne for friends. His steele we stumble at,
And fall at, euery day you see, sufficient store, and fast.
What houre is it that any breathes? we must nor vse more hast
Then speed holds fit for our reuenge: nor should we mourne too much.
Who dead is, must be buried; mens patience should be such,
That one dayes mone should serue one man: the dead must end with Death,
And life last with what strengthens life. All those that held their breath
From death in fight, the more should eate, that so they may supply
Their fellowes that haue stucke in field; and fight incessantly.
Let none expect reply to this, nor stay; for this shall stand,
Or fall with some offence to him, that lookes for new command;
Who euer in dislike holds backe. All ioyne then; all things fit,
Allow'd for all; set on a charge; at all parts answering it.

This said, he chusde (for noblest youths, to beare the presents) these,

The names of those that caried the presents to Achilles.

The sonnes of Nestor; and with them, renowm'd Meriones.
Phylidas, Thoas, Lyoomed, and Meges, all which went
(And Menalippus following, Vlysses) to the tent
Of Agamemnon. He but spake; and with the word, the deed
Had ioynt effect: the fitnesse well, was answerd in the speed.

The presents, added to the Dame, the Generall did enforce,
Were twentie Caldrons, Tripods seuen, twelue yong and goodly horse:

The presents.

Seuen Ladies excellently seene, in all Mineruaes skill;
The eight Brisais, who had powre, to rauish euery will.
Twelue talents of the finest gold; all which Vlysses weyd,
And caried first; and after him, the other youths conueyd
The other presents; tenderd all, in face of all the Court.
Vp rose the King. Talthybius (whose voice had a report
Like to a god) cald to the rites; there, hauing brought the Bore,

Agamēnons attestation.

Atrides with his knife tooke sey, vpon the part before;
And lifting vp his sacred hands, to Ioue, to make his vowes;
Graue Silence strooke the compleate Court; when (casting his high browes,
Vp to the broad heauen) thus he spake: Now witnesse Iupiter,
(First, highest, and thou best of gods) thou Earth, that all doest beare;
Thou Sunne; ye Furies vnder earth, that euery soule torment,
Whom impious periury distaines; that nought incontinent,
In bed, or any other act, to any slendrest touch
Of my light vowes, hath wrong'd the Dame; and let my plagues be such,
As are inflicted by the gods, in all extremitie
On whomsoeuer periur'd men, if godlesse periurie
In least degree dishonor me. This said, the bristl'd throte
Of the submitted sacrifice, with ruthlesse steele he cut.
Which straight into the horie sea, Talthybius cast, to feed
The sea-borne nation. Then stood vp, the halfe-celestiall seed
Of faire-hair'd Thetis, strengthning thus, Atrides innocence.

Achilles to Iupiter.

O father Iupiter, from thee, descends the confluence
Of all mans ill; for now I see, the mightie king of men,
At no hand forc't away my prise; nor first inflam'd my splene,
With any set ill in himselfe; but thou, the king of gods,

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(Incenst with Greece) made that the meane to all their periods.
Which now, amend we, as we may; and giue all suffrages
To what wise Ithacus aduisde. Take breakfasts, and addresse
For instant conflict. Thus he raisd, the Court, and all tooke way
To seuerall ships. The Myrmidons, the presents did conuay
T'Achilles fleete; and in his tents, disposde them; doing grace,
Of seate, and all rites to the Dames. The horses put in place,
With others of Æacides. When (like Loues golden Queene)
Brisæis (all in ghastly wounds) had dead Patroclus seene;
She fell about him, shrieking out; and with her white hands tore
Her haire, breasts, radiant cheekes; and drown'd, in warme teares, did deplore
His cruell destinie. At length, she gat powre to expresse
Her violent passion; and thus spake, this-like-the goddesses.

O good Patroclus, to my life, the dearest grace, it had;

Brisæis complaint ouer the body of Patroclus.

I (wretched dame) departing hence, enforc't; and dying sad,
Left thee aliue, when thou hadst chear'd, my poore captiuitie;
And now return'd, I find thee dead; misery on miserie,
Euer increasing with my steps. The Lord to whom my Sire,
And dearest mother gaue my life, in nuptials; his lifes fire
I saw before our citie gates, extinguisht; and his fate,
Three of my worthy brothers liues, in one wombe generate,
Felt all, in that blake day of death. And when Achilles hand
Had slaine all these, and rac't the towne, Mynetes did command;
(All cause of neuer-ending griefes, presented) thou took'st all
On thy endeuour, to conuert, to ioy as Generall;
Affirming, he that hurt, should heale; and thou wouldst make thy friend
(Braue Captaine that thou wert) supply, my vowed husbands end;
And in rich Phthia celebrate, amongst his Myrmidons,
Our nuptiall banquets; for which grace, with these most worthy mones,
I neuer shall be satiate; thou euer being kind;
Euer delightsome; one sweete grace, fed still with one sweete mind.

Thus spake she weeping; and with her, did th' other Ladies mone,
Patroclus fortunes in pretext, but in sad truth their owne.

About Æacides himselfe, the kings of Greece were plac't,
Entreating him to food; and he, entreated them as fast,
(Still intermixing words and sighes) if any friend were there
Of all his dearest; they would ceasse, and offer him no cheare,
But his due sorrowes; for before, the Sunne had left that skie,
He would not eate; but of that day, sustaine th' extremitie.

Thus all the kings (in resolute griefe, and fasting) he dismist;
But both th' Atrides, Ithacus, and warres

Nestor.

old Martialist;
Idomenæus and his friend; and Phœnix; these remain'd
Endeuoring comfort; but no thought, of his vow'd woe restrain'd.
Nor could, till that dayes bloudie fight, had calm'd his bloud; he still
Rememberd something of his friend; whose good, was all his ill.
Their vrging meate, the diligent fashion of his friend renew'd,
In that excitement: thou (said he) when this speed was pursu'd
Against the Troians; euermore, apposedst in my tent,

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A pleasing breakfast; being so free, and sweetly diligent,
Thou mad'st all meate sweete. Then the warre, was tearefull to our foe,
But now to me; thy wounds so wound me, and thy ouerthrow.
For which my readie food I flie, and on thy longings feed.
Nothing could more afflict me: Fame, relating the foule deed
Of my deare fathers slaughter; bloud, drawne from my sole sonnes heart,
No more could wound me. Cursed man, that in this forrein part,
(For hatefull Hellen) my true loue; my countrey, Sire, and son,

Sycros was an Ile in the sea Ægeum, where Achilles himself was brought vp as well as his son

I thus should part with. Scyros now, giues education
(O Neoptelemus) to thee, (if liuing yet) from whence
I hop't (deare friend) thy longer life, (safely return'd from hence,
And my life quitting thine) had powre, to ship him home; and show
His yong eyes Phthia, subiects, court; my father being now
Dead, or most short-liu'd; troublous age, oppressing him, and feare
Still of my deaths newes. These sad words, he blew into the eare
Of euery visitant, with sighs; all eccho'd by the Peares,
Remembring who they left at home. All whose so humane teares
Ioue pitied: and since they all, would in the good of one

Ioue to Minerua

Be much reuiu'd; he thus bespake, Minerua: Thetis sonne,
(Now daughter) thou hast quite forgot. O, is Achilles care
Extinguisht in thee? prostrated, in most extreme ill fare,
He lies before his high-sail'd fleet, for his dead friend; the rest
Are strengthning them with meate; but he, lies desperatly opprest
With heartlesse fasting: Go thy wayes, and to his brest instill
Red Nectar and Ambrosia; that Fast procure no ill
To his neare enterprise. This spurre, he added to the free;
And like a Harpye (with a voice, that shriekes so dreadfully,
And feathers that like needles prickt) she stoopt through all the starres
Amongst the Grecians; all whose tents, were now fill'd for the warres.
Her setes strooke through Achilles tent; and closely she instill'd
Heauens most-to-be-desired feast, to his great breast; and fill'd
His sinewes with that sweete supply, for feare vnsauorie Fast
Should creepe into his knees. Her selfe, the skies againe enchac't.

The show of the army, setting forth vnder Achilles conduct.

The host set forth; and pour'd his steele waues, farre out of the fleete.
And as from aire; the frostie Northwind blowes a cold thicke sleete,
That dazels eyes; flakes after flakes, incessantly descending:
So thicke helmes, curets, ashen darts, and round shields, neuer ending,
Flow'd from the nauies hollow wombe: their splendors gaue heauens eye,
His beames againe; Earth laught to see, her face so like the skie.
Armes shin'd so hote; and she such clouds, made with the dust she cast,
She thunderd; feete of men and horse, importun'd her so fast.
In midst of all; diuine Achilles his faire person arm'd;
His teeth gnasth as he stood; his eyes, so full of fire, they warm'd.
Vnsufferd griefe and anger at, the Troians so combin'd.
His greaues first vsde, his goodly curets on his bosome shin'd;
His sword, his shield; that cast a brightnesse from it, like the Moone.
And as from sea, sailers discerne, a harmfull fire, let runne
By herdsmens faults, till all their stall, flies vp in wrastling flame;

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Which being on hils, is seene farre off; but being alone, none came
To giue it quench; at shore no neighbours; and at sea, their friends
Driuen off with tempests; such a fire, from his bright shield extends
His ominous radiance; and in heauen, imprest his feruent blaze.
His crested helmet, graue and high, had next triumphant place,
On his curl'd head: and like a starre, it cast a spurrie ray;
About which, a bright thickned bush, of golden haire, did play;
Which Vulcan forg'd him for his plume. Thus compleate arm'd, he tride
How fit they were: and if his motion could with ease abide
Their braue instruction; and so farre, they were from hindring it;
That to it they were nimble wings; and made so light his spirit,
That from the earth, the princely Captaine they tooke vp to aire.

Then from his armoury he drew, his lance, his fathers speare,
Huge, weightie, firme; that not a Greeke, but he himselfe alone
Knew how to shake; it grew vpon, the mountaine Pelion;
From whose height, Chiron hew'd it for, his Sire; and fatall twas
To great-soul'd men, of Peleus and Pelion, surnamed Pelias.

Then from the stable, their bright horse, Antomedon withdrawes,
And Alcymus. Put Poitrils on, and cast vpon their iawes,
Their bridles; hurling backe the raines, and hung them on the seate.
The faire scourge then Antomedon, takes vp, and vp doth get,
To guide the horse. The fights seate last, Achilles tooke behind;
Who lookt so arm'd, as if the Sunne, there falne from heauen had shin'd.

Achilles to his horses.

And terribly, thus charg'd his steeds. Xanthus, and Balius,
Seed of the Harpye; in the charge, ye vndertake of vs;
Discharge it not; as when Patroclus ye left dead in field.
But when with bloud, for this dayes fast obseru'd Reuenge, shall yeeld
Our heart sacietie; bring vs off. Thus since Achilles spake,
As if his aw'd steeds vnderstood: twas Iunoes will to make
Vocall the pallat of the one; who shaking his faire head,
(Which in his mane (let fall to earth) he almost buried)
Thus Xanthus spake: Ablest Achilles now (at least) our care

Xanthus the horse of Achi. to Achilles.

Shall bring thee off; but not farre hence, the fatall minutes are,
Of thy graue ruine. Nor shall we, be then to be reprou'd,
But mightiest Fate, and the great God. Nor was thy best belou'd
Spoil'd so of armes by our slow pace; or courages empaire;
The best of gods, Latonaes sonne, that weares the golden haire,
Gaue him his deaths wound; though the grace, he gaue to Hectors hand.
We, like the spirit of the West, that all spirits can command
For powre of wing, could runne him off: but thou thy selfe must go;
So Fate ordaines; God and a man, must giue thee ouerthrow.

This said, the Furies stopt his voice. Achilles farre in rage,

Achilles reply to Xanthus.

Thus answerd him: It fits not thee, thus proudly to presage
My ouerthrow; I know my selfe, it is my fate to fall
Thus farre from Phthia; yet that Fate, shall faile to vent her gall,
Till mine vent thousands. These words vsde, he fell to horrid deeds;
Gaue dreadfull signall; and forthright, made flie, his one-hou'd steeds.

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The end of the nineteenth Booke.

277

THE XX. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

By Ioues permission, all the gods descend
To aide on both parts. For the Greekes contend,
Iuno, Minerua, Neptune, Mulciber,
And Mercurie. The deities that prefer
The Troian part, are, Phœbus, Cyprides,
Phœbe, Latona, and the foe to Peace;

Mars.

With bright Scamander. Neptune in a mist
Preserues Æneas, (daring to resist
Achilles;) by whose hand, much skath is done;
Besides the slaughter of old Priams sonne,
(Yong Polydor) whose rescue, Hector makes;
Him (flying) Phœbus, to his rescue takes,
The rest (all shunning their importun'd fates)
Achilles beates, euen to the Ilian gates.

Another Argument.

In Ypsilon Strife stirres in heauen.
The dayes grace, to the Greekes is giuen.

The Greeks thus arm'd; and made insatiate, with desire of fight,
About thee, Peleus sonne; The foe, in ground of greatest height,
Stood opposite, rang'd. Then Ioue charg'd Themis, frō Olympus top
To call a court; she euery way, disperst, and summon'd vp
All deities; Not any floud (besides Oceanus)

Ioue summons all the deities to counsell.

But made apparance: not a Nymph (that arbours odorous,
The heads of flouds, and flowrie medowes make their sweete abodes)
Was absent there; but all at his court that is king of gods,
Assembl'd; and in lightsome seates, of admirable frame
(Perform'd for Ioue, by Vulcan) sate. Euen angry Neptune came;
Nor heard the goddesse with vnwilling eare; but with the rest,
Made free ascension from the sea; and did his state inuest
In midst of all: begun the counsell, and inquir'd of Ioue,
His reason for that session; and on what point did moue
His high intention for the foes; he thought the heate of warre,
Was then neare breaking out in flames. To him, the Thunderer:
Thou know'st this counsell by the rest, of those forepurposes,
That still inclin'd me; my cares still, must succour the distresse
Of Troy; though in the mouth of Fate; yet vow I, not to stirre
One step from off this top of heauen; but all th' affaire referre

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To any one. Here Ile hold state, and freely take the ioy
Of eithers fate: helpe whom ye please; for tis assur'd, that Troy,
Not one dayes conflict can sustaine, against Æacides,
If heauen oppose not. His meere lookes, threw darts enow, t'impresse
Their powres with trembling; but when blowes, sent from his fiery hand,
(Thrice beat by slaughter of his friend) shall come and countermand
Their former glories: we haue feare, that though Fate keepe their wall,
Hee'l ouerturne it. Then descend; and ceasse not till ye all
Adde all your aides; mixe earth and heauen, together with the fight
Achilles vrgeth. These his words, did such a warre excite,
As no mans powre could wrastle downe; the gods with parted harts,
Departed heauen, and made earth warre. To guide the Grecian darts,

The names of the gods partakers with either part.

Iuno and Pallas, with the god, that doth the earth embrace,
And most-for-mans-vse, Mercurie (whom good wise inwards grace)
Were partially, and all emploid; and with them halted downe
(Proud of his strength) lame Mulciber; his walkers quite misgrowne,
But made him tread exceeding sure. To aide the Ilian side,
The changeable in armes, went (Mars); and him accompanied
Diana, that delights in shafts; and Phœbus, neuer shorne;
And Aphrodite, laughter-pleasde; and she, of whom was borne
Still yong Apollo; and the floud, that runnes on golden sands
Bright Xanthus. All these aided Troy; and till these lent their hands,
The Grecians triumpht in the aide, Æacides did adde;
The Troians trembling with his sight; so gloriously clad,
He ouershin'd the field; and Mars, no harmfuller then he.
He bore the iron streame on cleare; but when Ioues high decree
Let fall the gods amongst their troupes; the field sweld, and the fight

Pallas.

Grew fierce and horrible. The Dame, that armies doth excite,
Thunderd with Clamor; sometimes set, at dike without the wall,
And sometimes on the bellowing shore. On th' other side, the Call
Of Mars to fight was terrible; he cried out, like a storme;
Set on the cities pinnacles; and there he would informe
Sometimes his heartnings; Other times, where Simois powres on
His siluer currant, at the foote, of high Callicolon.
And thus the blest gods, both sides vrg'd; they all stood in the mids,

The state of the preparation to the fight, when the gods were to encounter.

And brake Contention to the hosts. And ouer all their heads,
The gods king, in abhorred claps, his thunder rattl'd out.
Beneath them, Neptune tost the earth; the mountaines round about,
Bow'd with affright, and shooke their heads: Ioues hill, the earth quake felt;
(Steepe Ida) trembling at her rootes, and all her fountaines spilt:
Their browes all crannied. Troy did nod; the Grecian nauie plaid
(As on the sea): th' infernall king, that all things frayes, was fraid;
And leapt affrighted from his throne; cried out, lest ouer him
Neptune should rend in two the earth; and so his house so dim,
So lothsome, filthy, and abhord, of all the gods beside,
Should open, both to gods and men. Thus, all things shooke and cri'd,
When this blacke battell of the gods, was ioyning; thus arraied:

Gainst Neptune, Phœbus with wing'd shafts; gainst Mars the blew-eyd maid:

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Gainst Iuno, Phœbe, whose white hands, bore singing darts of gold;
Her side arm'd with a sheafe of shafts; and (by the birth twofold
Of bright Latona) sister twin, to him that shootes so farre;
Against Latona, Hermes stood (graue guard in peace and warre,
Of humane beings;) gainst the god, whose Empire is in fire;
The watry godhead; that great flood, to shew whose powre entire
In spoile as th' other: all his streame, on lurking whirlepits trod;
Xanthus, by gods; by men Scamander cald. Thus, god gainst god,
Enterd the field. Æacides, sustain'd a feruent mind
To cope with Hector; past all these, his spirit stood enclin'd,
To glut Mars with the bloud of him. And at Æacides,
Apollo set Anchises sonne. But first he did impresse,
A more then naturall strength in him; and made him feele th' excesse,

Apollo instigates Æneas to the encounter of Achilles, in shape of Lycaon.

Infusde from heauen. Lycaons shape, gaue show to his addresse,
(Old Priams sonne) and thus he spake: Thou counseller of Troy,
Where now flie out those threats, that late, put all our Peeres in ioy
Of thy fight with Æacides? Thy tongue once (steept in wine)

AEneas to Apollo.

Durst vant as much. He answerd him: But why wouldst thou incline
My powres gainst that proud enemie, and gainst my present heate?
I meane not now to bid him blowes; that feare sounds my retreate,
That heretofore discourag'd me: when after he had rac't
Lyrnesus, and strong Pedasus, his still breath'd furie chac't
Our oxen from th' Idæan hill, and set on me; but Ioue
Gaue strength and knees, and bore me off, that had not walkt aboue
This center now, but propt by him. Mineruaes hand (that held
A light to this her fauorite; whose beames, shew'd, and impeld
His powres to spoile) had ruin'd me. For these eares heard her crie:
Kill, kill the seed of Ilion; kill, th' Asian Lelegi.
Meere man then must not fight with him, that still hath gods to friend;
Auerting death on others darts; and giuing his no end,
But with the ends of men. If God, like Fortune in the fight,
Would giue my forces; not with ease, wing'd Victorie should light
On his proud shoulders; nor he scape, though all of brasse he bosts
His plight consisteth. He replide: Pray thou, those gods of hosts,
Whom he implores, as well as he; and his chance may be thine;
Thou cam'st of gods like him: the Queene, that reignes in Salamine,
Fame sounds, thy mother; he deriu'd, of lower deitie.
Old Nereus daughter bearing him; Beare then thy heart as hie,
And thy vnwearied steele as right; nor vtterly be beate
With onely crueltie of words; not proofe against a threat.

This strengthned him; and forth he rusht; nor could his strengthening flie,
White-wristed Iuno; nor his drifts. She, euery deitie
Of th' Achiue faction cald to her; and said: Ye must haue care

Iuno to the gods of Greece.

(Neptune and Pallas) for the frame, of this important warre
Ye vndertake here; Venus sonne (by Phœbus being impeld)
Runnes on Achilles; turne him backe; or see our friend vpheld
By one of vs. Let not the spirit of Æacides,
Be ouer-dar'd; but make him know, the mightiest deities

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Stand kind to him; and that the gods, protectors of these towres
That fight against Greece; and were here, before our eminent powres,
Beare no importance. And besides, that all we stoope from heauen
To curbe this fight, that no empaire, be to his person giuen
By any Troians, not their aides, while this day beares the Sunne;
Hereafter, all things that are wrapt, in his birth-threed, and spunne
By Parcas, (in that point of time, his mother gaue him aire)
He must sustaine. But if Report, performe not the repaire
Of all this to him, by the Voice, of some immortall state,
He may be fearfull, (if some god, should set on him) that Fate,
Makes him her minister. The gods, when they appeare to men,
And manifest their proper formes, are passing dreadfull then.

Neptune to Iuno

Neptune replide: Saturnia, at no time let your Care
Exceed your Reason; tis not fit. Where onely humanes are,
We must not mixe the hands of gods; our ods is too extreme.
Sit we by, in some place of height, where we may see to them,
And leaue the warres of men, to men. But if we see from thence,
Or Mars, or Phœbus, enter fight; or offer least offence
To Thetis sonne; not giuing free way to his conquering rage;
Then comes the conflict to our cates; we soone shall dis-engage
Achilles, and send them to heauen, to settle their abode
With Equals; flying vnder-strifes. This said, the blacke-hair'd god,
Led to the towre of of Hercules; built circular and hie
By Pallas and the Ilians, for fit securitie

Hercules.

To Ioues diuine sonne, gainst the Whale, that draue him from the shore,
To th' ample field. There Neptune sate, and all the gods that bore
The Greekes good meaning; casting all, thicke mantles made of clouds,
On their bright shoulders. Th' oppos'd gods, sate hid in other shrouds,
On top of steepe Callicolon; about thy golden sides,
O Phœbus, brandisher of darts; and thine, whose rage abides
No peace in cities. In this state, these gods in counsell sate;
All lingring purposde fight, to trie, who first would eleuate
His heauenly weapon. High-thron'd Ioue, cried out, to set them on;

Ioue sets on the other gods to fight.

Said; all the field was full of men; and that the earth did grone
With feete of proud encounterers, burn'd with the armes of men,
And barbed horse. Two champions, for both the armies then,
Met in their midst, prepar'd for blowes; diuine Æacides,
And Venus sonne; Æneas first, stept threatning forth the preasse,
His high helme nodding; and his breast, bard with a shadie shield,
And shooke his iauelin. Thetis sonne, did his part to the field,

Simile.

As when the harmfull king of beasts, (sore threatn'd to be slaine,
By all the countrie vp in armes) at first makes coy Disdaine
Prepare resistance; but at last, when any one hath led
Bold charge vpon him with his dart; he then turnes yawning head;
Fell Anger lathers in his iawes; his great heart swels; his sterne
Lasheth his strength vp; sides and thighes, wadl'd with stripes to learne
Their owne powre; his eyes glow; he rores; and in he leapes, to kill,
Secure of killing: So his powre, then rowsde vp to his will,

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Matchlesse Achilles, coming on, to meete Anchises sonne.
Both neare; Achilles thus enquir'd: Why standst thou thus alone,

Achilles to AEneas.

Thou sonne of Venus? cals thy heart, to change of blowes with me?
Sure Troyes whole kingdome is proposde; some one hath promist thee
The throne of Priam for my life; but Priams selfe is wise;
And (for my slaughter) not so mad, to make his throne thy prise.
Priam hath sonnes to second him. Is't then some peece of land,
Past others, fit to set and sow, that thy victorious band,
The Ilians offer for my head? I hope that prise will proue
No easie conquest: once, I thinke, my busie iauelin droue,
(With terror) those thoughts from your spleene. Retain'st thou not the time,
When single on th' Idæan hill, I tooke thee with the crime
Of Run-away? thy Oxen left? and when thou hadst no face,
That I could see; thy knees bereft, it, and Lyrnesus was
The maske for that. Then that maske too, I opened to the aire,
(By Ioue and Pallas helpe) and tooke, the free light from the faire;
Your Ladies bearing prisoners. But Ioue and th' other gods,
Then saft thee; yet againe I hope, they will not adde their ods,
To saue thy wants, as thou presum'st; retire then, aime not at
Troys throne by me; flie ere thy soule, flies; fooles are wise too late.

He answerd him: Hope not that words, can child-like terrifie

AEneas to Achilles.

My stroke-proofe breast; I well could speake, in this indecencie,
And vse tart termes; but we know well, what stocke vs both put out;
Too gentle to beare fruites so rude. Our parents ring about,
The worlds round bosome; and by fame, their dignities are blowne
To both our knowledges; by sight; neither, to either knowne;
Thine, to mine eyes; nor mine to thine. Fame sounds thy worthinesse
From famous Peleus; the sea Nymph, that hath the louely tresse,
(Thetis) thy mother; I my selfe, affirme my Sire to be
Great-soul'd Anchises; she that holds, the Paphian deitie,
My mother; and of these, this light, is now t'exhale the teares
For their lou'd issue; thee or me; childish, vnworthy dares,
Are not enough to part our powres; for if thy spirits want
Due excitation (by distrust, of that desert I vant)
To set vp all rests for my life; Ile lineally proue
(Which many will confirme) my race. First, cloud commanding Ioue

AEneas pedigree

Was sire to Dardanus, that built, Dardania; for the wals
Of sacred Ilion, spred not yet, these fields; those faire-built hals,
Of diuers languag'd men, not raisd; all then made populous
The foote of Idaes fountfull hill. This Ioue-got Dardanus,
Begot king Ericthonius; for wealth, past all compares,
Of liuing mortals; in his fens, he fed three thousand mares,
All neighing by their tender foles; of which, twice sixe were bred
By loftie Boreas; their dams, lou'd by him, as they fed;
He tooke the braue forme of a horse, that shooke an azure mane,
And slept with them. These twice fixe colts, had price, so swift they ranne
Vpon the top-ayles of corne-eares; nor bent them any whit.
And when the brode backe of the sea, their pleasure was to sit,

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The superficies of his waues, they slid vpon; their houes
Not dipt in danke sweate of his browes. Of Ericthonius loues
Sprang Tros, the king of Troians; Tros three yong princes bred,
Ilus, renowm'd Assaracus, and heauenly Ganymed,
The fairest youth of all that breath'd; whom (for his beauties loue)
The gods did rauish, to their state, to beare the cup to Ioue.
Ilus begot Laomedon; god-like Laomedon
Got Tithon, Priam, Clytius, Mars-like Hycetaon,
And Lampus. Great Assaracus, Capys begot; and he,
Anchises; Prince Anchises, me. King Priam, Hector; we
Sprang both of one high family. Thus, fortunate men giue birth;
But Ioue giues vertue; he augments; and he empaires the worth
Of all men; and his will, their Rule; he strong'st; all strength affoords;
Why then paint we (like dames) the face, of Conflict with our words?
Both may giue language, that a ship, driuen with a hundred ores,
Would ouer-burthen: a mans tongue, is voluble, and poures
Words out, of all sorts; euery way; such as you speake, you heare.
What then need we vie calumnies, like women that will weare
Their tongues out, being once incenst; and striue for strife, to part
(Being on their way) they trauell so: from words, words may auert;
From vertue, not; it is your steele (diuine Æacides)
Must proue my proofe, as mine shall yours. Thus amply did he ease

Æneas chargeth Achilles.

His great heart of his pedigree; and sharply sent away
A dart, that caught Achilles shield; and rung so, it did fray
The sonne of Thetis; his faire hand, farre-thrusting out his shield,
For feare the long lance had driuen through; O foole, to thinke twould yeeld;
And not to know, the gods firme gifts, want want, to yeeld so soone
To mens poore powres; the eager lance, had onely conquest wonne
Of two plates; and the shield had fiue; two forg'd of tin, two brasse,
One (that was center-plate) of gold, and that forbad the passe
Of Anchisiades his lance. Then sent Achilles forth

Achilles at AEneas.

His lance, that through the first fold strooke; where brasse of litle worth,
And no great proofe of hides was laid; through all which Pelias ranne
His iron head; and after it, his ashen body wanne
Passe to the earth, and there it stucke; his top on th' other side:
And hung the shield vp; which, hard downe, Æneas pluckt to hide
His breast from sword blowes; shrunke vp round, and in his heauie eye,
Was much griefe shadowed; much afraid, that Pelias stucke so nie.
Then prompt Achilles rushing in, his sword drew; and the field
Rung with his voice. Æneas now, left, and let hang his shield,
And (all distracted) vp he snatcht, a two mens strength of stone;
And either, at his shield or caske, he set it rudely gone,
Nor car'd where; so it strooke a place, that put on armes, for death;
But he (Achilles came so close) had doubtlesse sunke beneath,
His owne death, had not Neptune seene, and interposde the ods
Of his diuine powre; vttering this, to the Achaian gods:

Neptune to the other gods of Greece.

I grieue for this great hearted man; he will be sent to hell,
Euen instantly, by Peleus sonne, being onely mou'd to deale

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By Phœbus words: What foole is he? Phœbus did neuer meane,
To adde to his great words, his guard; against the ruine then
Summon'd against him: and what cause, hath he, to head him on
To others miseries? He being cleare, of any trespasse done
Against the Grecians? thankfull gifts, he oft hath giuen to vs;
Let vs then quit him; and withdraw, this combat; for if thus,
Achilles end him: Ioue will rage; since his escape in fate,
Is purposde; lest the progenie, of Dardanus take date;
Whom Ioue, past all his issue, lou'd, begot of mortall dames:

Homers prophecy of Æneas, to propagate the Troian race.

All Priams race he hates; and this, must propagate the names
Of Troians; and their sonnes sonnes rule, to all posteritie.

Saturnis said, make free your pleasure; saue, or let him die;
Pallas and I haue taken many, and most publique oathes,

Iuno to Neptune

That th' ill day neuer shall auert, her eye (red with our wroths)
From hated Troy: No, not when all, in studied fire she flames
The Greeke rage, blowing her last coale. This nothing turn'd his aimes
From present rescue: but through all, the whizzing speares he past;
And came where both were combatting; when instantly he cast,
A mist before Achilles eyes; drew from the earth, and shield,
His lance, and laid it at his feete: and then tooke vp, and held
Aloft, the light Anchises sonne; who past (with Neptunes force)
Whole orders of Heroes heads; and many a troope of horse
Leapt ouer, till the bounds he reacht, of all the feruent broyle,

Neptune to Aeneas.

Where all the Cancons quarters lay. Thus (farre freed from the toyle)
Neptune had time to vse these words: Æneas, who was he
Of all the gods, that did so much, neglect thy good, and thee,
To vrge thy fight with Thetis sonne? who, in immortall rates,
Is better, and more deare then thee? Hereafter, lest (past fates)
Hell be thy headlong home, retire; make bold stand neuer neare,
Where he aduanceth: but his fate, once satisfied; then beare,
A free, and full sayle: no Greeke else, shall end thee. This reueald;
He left him, and disperst the cloud, that all this act conceald
From vext Achilles: who againe, had cleare light from the skies;

Achilles admires the scape of Aeneas.

And (much disdaining the escape) said: O ye gods, mine eyes
Discouer miracles: my lance, submitted, and he gone
At whom I sent it, with desire, of his confusion?
Æneas sure was lou'd of heauen; I thought his vant from thence,
Had flow'd from glorie. Let him go, no more experience
Will his mind long for, of my hands: he flies them now so cleare:
Cheare then the Greeks, and others trie. Thus rang'd be euery where
The Grecian orders; euery man, (of which the most lookt on
To see their fresh Lord shake his lance) he thus put charge vpon:

Diuine Greeks, stand not thus at gaze; but man to man apply
Your seuerall valours: tis a taske, laide too vnequally
On me, left to so many men; one man opposde to all.
Not Mars, immortall and a god, not warres she Generall;
A field of so much fight could chace, and worke it out with blowes;
But what a man may execute, that all lims will expose,

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And all their strength to th' vtmost nerue (though now I lost some play,
By some strange miracle) no more, shall burne in vaine the day;
To any least beame; all this host, Ile ransacke, and haue hope,
Of all; not one (againe) will scape; whoeuer giues such scope
To his aduenture; and so neare; dares tempt, my angry lance.

Thus he excited. Hector then, as much striues to aduance,
The hearts of his men; adding threates, affirming he would stand,

Hector to his Ilians.

In combat with Æacides. Giue Feare (said he) no hand,
Of your great hearts, (braue Ilians) for Peleus talking Sonne;
Ile fight with any god with words; but when their speares put on,
The worke runs high; their strength exceeds, mortalitie so farre.
And they may make works crowne their words; which holds not in the warre
Achilles makes; his hands haue bounds; this word he shall make good,
And leaue another to the field: his worst shall be withstood,
With sole obiection of my selfe. Though in his hands he beare
A rage like fire; though fire it selfe, his raging fingers were;
And burning steele flew in his strength. Thus he incited his;

Phebus to Hector.

And they raisd lances, and to worke, with mixed courages;
And vp flew Clamor; but the heate, in Hector, Phœbus gaue
This temper: Do not meet (said he) in any single braue,
The man thou threatn'st, but in preasse; and in thy strength impeach
His violence; for farre off, or neare, his sword, or dart will reach.

The gods voice made a difference, in Hectors owne conceipt,
Betwixt his, and Achilles words; and gaue such ouerweight,
As weigh'd him backe into his strength, and curb'd his flying out.
At all threw fierce Æacides, and gaue a horrid shout.

Iphition slaine by Achilles.

The first of all he put to dart, was fierce Iphition;
Surnam'd Otryntides, whom Nais, the water Nymph made sonne
To towne-destroyer Otrynteus. Beneath the snowy hill,
Of Tmolus, in the wealthie towne, of Ide: at his will,
Were many able men at armes. He rushing in, tooke full,
Pelides lance, in his heads midst; that cleft, in two, his skull.
Achilles knew him, one much fam'd; and thus insulted then:

Th' art dead Otryntides, though cald, the terriblest of men;
Thy race runs at Gygæus lake, there thy inheritance lay,
Neare fishy Hillus; and the gulfs, of Hermus: but this day,
Remoues it to the fields of Troy. Thus left he Night to sease
His closed eyes, his body laid, in course of all the prease;
Which Grecian horse, broke with the strakes, naild to their chariot wheeles.

Demoleon slaine by Achilles.

Next (through the temples) the burst eyes, his deadly iauelin seeles
Of great-in-Troy Antenors sonne, renown'd Demoleon;
A mightie turner of a field. His ouerthrow, set gone
Hippodamas, who leapt from horse, and as he fled before
Æcides; his turned backe, he made fell Pelias gore,

Simile.

And forth he puft his flying soule; and as a tortur'd Bull;
(To Neptune brought for sacrifice) a troope of yongsters pull
Downe to the earth, and dragge him round, about the hallowed shore;
To please the watry deitie, with forcing him to rore;

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And forth he powres his vtmost throte. So bellow'd this slaine friend,
Of flying Ilion, with the breath, that gaue his being end.

Then rusht he on; and in his eye, had heauenly Polydore,
Old Priams sonne; whom last of all, his fruitfull Princesse bore;
And for his youth (being deare to him) the king forbad to fight.
Yet (hote of vnexperienc't blood, to shew how exquisite
He was of foote: for which of all, the fiftie sonnes he held
The speciall name.) He flew before, the first heate of the field;

Polydore slaine by Achilles.

Euen till he flew out breath and soule: which, through the backe, the lance
Of swift Achilles, put in ayre, and did his head aduance
Out at his nauill: on his knees, the poore Prince crying fell;
And gatherd with his tender hands, his entrailes; that did swell
Quite through the wide wound, till a cloud, as blacke as death, conceald
Their sight, and all the world from him. When Hector had beheld
His brother tumbl'd so to earth (his entrailes still in hand)
Darke sorrow ouercast his eyes; nor farre off could he stand
A minute longer: but like fire, he brake out of the throng;
Shooke his long lance, at Thetis sonne; And then came he along;

Achilles passion at the sight of Hector.

To feed th' encounter: O (said he) here comes the man that most,
Of all the world destroyes my minde: the man by whom I lost
My deare Patroclus; now not long, the crooked paths of warre,
Can yeeld vs any priuie scapes: Come, keepe not off so farre,
(He cryed to Hector) make the paine, of thy sure death as short,
As one, so desperate of his life, hath reason. In no sort,
This frighted Hector, who bore close: and said; Æacides,

Hector to Achilles.

Leaue threates for children; I haue powre, to thunder calumnies,
As well as others; and well know, thy strength superiour farre,
To that my nerues hold; but the gods, (not nerues) determine warre.
And yet (for nerues) there will be found, a strength of powre in mine,
To driue a lance home to thy life; my lance, as well as thine
Hath point, and sharpenesse, and tis this. Thus brandishing his speare,
He set it flying; which a breath, of Pallas, backe did beare

Pallas breathes backe Hectors loues throwne at Achilles.

From Thetis sonne, to Hectors selfe; and at his feet it fell.
Achilles vsde no dart; but close, flew in; and thought to deale
With no strokes, but of sure dispatch; but what with all his blood
He labor'd; Phœbus clear'd with ease, as being a god; and stood
For Hectors guard; as Pallas did, Æacides for thine.
He rapt him from him; and a cloud, of much Night cast betweene
His person, and the point opposde. Achilles then exclaim'd
O see, yet more gods are at worke; Apollos hand hath fram'd

Apollo rescues Hector.

(Dog that thou art) thy rescue now: to whom, go, pay the vowes
Thy safetie owes him; I shall vent, in time, those fatall blowes,
That yet beate in my heart, on thine; if any god remaine,
My equall fautor. In meane time, my anger must maintaine
His fire on other Ilians. Then laid he at his feet,
Great Demochus, Philetors, sonne; and Dryope did greet
With like encounter. Dardanus, and strong Laogonus,
(Wise Byas sonnes) he hurld from horse, of one, victorious

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With his close sword; the others life, he conquerd with his lance.

Then Tros, Alastors sonne made in, and sought to scape their chance,
With free submission. Downe he fell, and praid about his knees,
He would not kill him, but take ruth; as one that Destinies
Made to that purpose; being a man, borne in the selfe same yeare
That he himselfe was: O poore foole, to sue to him to beare
A ruthfull mind; he well might know, he could not fashion him,
In Ruths soft mould; he had no spirit, to brooke that interim
In his hote furie: he was none, of these remorsefull men;
Gentle, and affable: but fierce, at all times, and mad then.

He gladly would haue made a prayre, and still so hugg'd his knee,
He could not quit him: till at last, his sword was faine to free
His fetterd knees: that made a vent, for his white liuers blood,
That causd such pittifull affects: of which, it pour'd a flood
About his bosome; which it fild, euen till it drownd his eyes;
And all sense faild him. Forth then flew, this Prince of tragedies,
Who next, stoopt Mulius, euen to death, with his insatiate speare:
One eare it enterd, and made good, his passe to th' other eare.

Echeclus then, (Agenors sonne) he strooke betwixt the browes;
Whose blood set fire vpon his sword, that coold it till the throwes
Of his then labouring braine, let out, his soule to fixed sate,
And gaue cold entrie to blacke death. Deucalion then, had state
In these mens beings: where the nerues, about the elbow knit,
Downe to his hand his speares steele pierc't, and brought such paine to it,
As led Death ioyntly; whom he saw, before his fainting eyes;
And in his necke felt, with a stroke, laid on so; that off flies
His head: one of the twise twelue bones, that all the backe bone make,
Let out his marrow; when the head, he helme and all did take,
And hurl'd amongst the Ilians; the body stretcht on earth.

Rhigmus of fruitfull Thrace, next fell; he was the famous birth
Of Pireus: his bellies midsts, the lance tooke; whose sterne force,
Quite tumbl'd him from chariot. In turning backe the horse,
Their guider Areithous, receiu'd another lance,

Simile.

That threw him to his Lord. No end, was put to the mischance
Achilles enterd: But, as fire, falne in a flash from heauen;
Inflames the high-woods of drie hils; and with a storme is driuen,
Through all the Syluane deepes; and raues, till downe goes euery where
The smotherd hill: So euery way, Achilles and his speare
Consum'd the Champaine, the blacke earth, flow'd with the veines he tore.
And looke how Oxen, (yok't and driuen, about the circular floore,
Of some faire barne) treade sodainly, the thicke sheaues, thin of corne;

Simile.

And all the corne, consum'd with chaffe: so mixt and ouerborne,
Beneath Achilles one-hou'd horse, shields, speares, and men lay trod;
His axel-tree, and chariot wheeles, all spatterd with the blood
Hurl'd from the steeds houes, and the strakes. Thus to be magnified,
His most inaccessible hands, in humane blood he died.

The end of the twentieth Booke.

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THE XXI. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

In two parts, Troyes host parted; Thetis sonne,
One to Scamander, one to Ilion
Pursues. Twelue Lords he takes aliue, to end
In sacrifice, for vengeance to his friend.
Asteropæus, dies by his fierce hand,
And Priams sonne, Lycaon. Ouer land
The flood breakes: where, Achilles being engag'd,
Vulcan preserues him; and with spirit enrag'd,
Sets all the Champaine, and the Flood on fire;
Contention then, doth all the gods inspire.
Apollo, in Agenors shape, doth stay
Achilles furie; and by giuing way,
Makes him pursue; till the deceipt giues leaue,
That Troy, in safetie, might her freinds receiue.

Another Argument.

Phy, at the floods shore, doth expresse
The labours of Æacides.

And now they reacht, the goodly swelling channell of the flood,
Gulfe-eating Xanthus; whom Ioue mixt, with his immortall brood:
And there Achilles cleft the host, of Ilion: one side fell
On Xanthus, th' other on the towne: and that did he impell
The same way, that the last daies rage, put all the Greeks in rout,
When Hectors furie reign'd. These now, Achilles powr'd about
The scatterd field. To stay the flight, Saturnia cast before
Their hastie feete, a standing fogge; and then Flights violence bore
The other halfe full on the flood. The siluer-gulphed deepe
Receiu'd them with a mightie crie: the billowes vast and steepe,
Ror'd at their armours; which the shores, did round about resound:
This way, and that, they swum, and shriekt; as in the gulphs they drownd:
And as in fir'd fields, Locusts rise, as the vnwearied blaze

Simile.

Plies still their rising, till in swarmes, all rush as in amaze,
(For scape) into some neighbour flood: So, th' Achilleian stroke,
Here draue the foe. The gulfie flood, with men and horse did choke.

Then on the shore, the Worthy hid, and left his horrid lance
Amids the Tamriskes; and spritelike, did with his sword aduance,
Vp to the riuer; ill affaires, tooke vp his furious braine,
For Troyes engagements: euery way, he doubl'd slaine on slaine.

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A most vnmanly noise was made, with those he put to sword,
Of grones and outcries; the flood blusht, to be so much engor'd
With such base soules: And as small fish, the swift-finn'd Dolphin flie,

Simile.

Filling the deepe pits in the ports; on whose close strength they lie:
And there he swallowes them in sholes: So here, to rockes, and holes,
About the flood, the Troians fled; and there most lost their soules:
Euen till he tir'd his slaughterous arme. Twelue faire yong Princes then,
He chusde of all, to take aliue; to haue them freshly slaine
On that most solemne day of wreake, resolu'd on for his friend.
These led he trembling forth the flood; as fearefull of their end,
As any Hinde calues: all their hands, he pinnioned behind
With their owne girdles; worne vpon, their rich weeds; and resign'd
Their persons to his Myrmidons, to beare to fleete: and he
Plung'd in the streame againe; to take, more worke of Tragedie.
He met, then issuing the flood; with all intent of flight,
Lycaon, (Dardan Priams sonne;) whom lately in the night,

Achilles his strange encounter of Lycaon.

He had surprisde; as in a wood, of Priams, he had cut,
The greene armes of a wild figge tree; to make him spokes to put
In Naues of his new chariot. An ill then, all vnthought,
Stole on him in Achilles shape, who tooke him thence, and brought
To well-built Lemnos, selling him, to famous Iasons sonne:
From whom, a guest then, in his house; (Imbrius Ection)
Redeem'd at high rate, and sent home, t'Arisba; whence he fled,
And saw againe his fathers court: eleuen daies banquetted,
Amongst his friends; the twelfth god thrust, his haplesse head againe
In t'hands of sterne Æacides; who now must send him slaine,
To Plutos Court; and gainst his will. Him, when Achilles knew
Naked of helmet, shield, sword, lance; (all which for ease he threw
To earth, being ouercome with sweate; and labour wearying
His flying knees) he storm'd, and said; O heauen, a wondrous thing
Inuades mine eyes; those Ilians, that heretofore I slue,
Rise from the darke dead, quicke againe: this man, fate makes eschew
Her owne steele fingers: he was sold, in Lemnos; and the deepe
Of all Seas, twixt this Troy, and that (that many a man doth keepe
From his lou'd countrie) barres not him; Come then; he now shall tast
The head of Pelias; and trie, if steele will downe as fast
As other fortunes; or kind earth, can any surer seise
On his slie person; whose strong armes, haue held downe Hercules.

Lycaons feare to be seene of Achilles.

His thoughts thus mou'd, while he stood firme; to see if he, he spide,
Would offer flight, (which first he thought) but when he had descride,
He was descried, and flight was vaine; fearefull, he made more nie,
With purpose to embrace his knees; and now long'd much to flie
His blacke fate, and abhorred death, by coming in. His foe
Obseru'd all this; and vp he raisd, his lance, as he would throw;
And then Lycaon close ran in; fell on his breast, and tooke
Achilles knees; whose lance (on earth, now staid) did ouerlooke,
His still-turn'd backe; with thirst to glut, his sharpe point with the blood,
That lay so readie; but that thirst, Lycaons thirst withstood;

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To saue his blood, Achilles knee, in his one hand he knit;
His other held the long lance hard, and would not part with it:
But thus besought: I kisse thy knees, diuine Æacides:
Respect me, and my fortunes rue; I now present th' accesse

Lycaons ruthfull intercession to Achilles for his life.

Of a poore suppliant, for thy ruth: and I am one that is
Worthy thy ruth (ô Ioues belou'd.) First houre my miseries
Fell into any hand, twas thine: I tasted all my bread
By thy gift since: O since that houre, that thy surprisall led
From forth the faire wood, my sad feete; farre from my lou'd allies,
To famous Lemnos, where I found, an hundred Oxens prise
To make my ransome: for which now, I thrise the worth will raise.
This day, makes twelue since I arriu'd, in Ilion: many daies
Being spent before in sufferance: and now a cruell fate,
Thrusts me againe into thy hands. I should hant Ioue with hate,
That with such set malignitie, giues thee my life againe.
There were but two of vs, for whom, Laothoe sufferd paine,
(Laothoe, old Altes seed; Alte, whose pallace stood
In height of vpper Pedasus, neare Satnius siluer flood;
And rulde the warre-like Lelegi. Whose feed (as many more)
King Priam married, and begot, the godlike Polydor,
And me accurst: thou slaughterdst him: and now thy hand on me.
Will proue as mortall. I did thinke, when here I met with thee,
I could not scape thee; yet giue eare, and adde thy mind to it;
I told my birth to intimate, though one sire did beget;
Yet one wombe brought not into light, Hector (that slue thy friend)
And me. O do not kill me then; but let the wretched end
Of Polydor, excuse my life. For halfe our being bred
Brothers to Hector, he (halfe) paid, no more is forfeited.

Thus su'd he humbly; but he heard, with this austere replie:
Foole, vrge not ruth, nor price to me; till that solemnitie
Resolu'd on, for Patroclus death, pay all his rites to fate.
Till his death, I did grace to Troy; and many liues did rate
At price of ransome: but none now, of all the brood of Troy,
(Who euer Ioue throwes to my hands) shall any breath enioy,
That death can beate out; specially, that touch at Priams race.
Die, die, (my friend) what teares are these? what sad lookes spoile thy face?
Patroclus died, that farre past thee: nay seest thou not beside,
My selfe, euen I, a faire yong man, and rarely magnifide;
And (to my father, being a king) a mother haue, that sits
In ranke with goddesses; and yet, when thou hast spent thy spirits,
Death, and as violent a fate, must ouertake, euen me.
By twilight, morne-light, day, high noone; when euer Destinie
Sets on her man, to hurle a lance; or knit out of his string,
An arrow that must reach my life. This said, a languishing
Lycaons heart bent like his knees; yet left him strength t'aduance
Both hands for mercie, as he kneeld. His foe yet leaues his lance,
And forth his sword flies; which he hid, in furrow of a wound
Driuen through the ioynture of his necke; flat fell he on the ground,

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Stretcht with deaths pangs; and all the earth, embrew'd with timelesse blood.
Then gript Æacides his heele, and to the loftie flood
Flung (swinging) his vnpitied corse; to see it swim, and tosse
Vp on the rough waues: and said; Go, feed fat the fish with losse
Of thy left blood: they cleane will sucke, thy greene wounds; and this saues,
Thy mother teares vpon thy bed. Deepe Xanthus, on his waues,
Shall hoyse thee brauely to a tombe, that in her burly breast,
The sea shall open; where great fish, may keepe thy funerall feast
With thy white fat: and on the waues, dance at thy wedding fate,
Clad in blacke horror; keeping close, inaccessible state.

So perish Ilians, till we plucke, the browes of Ilion
Downe to her feete, you flying still: I flying still vpon,

The word in κεραιζων, which they translate cædens but properly signifies dissipans, ut boues infestis cornibus.

Thus in the rere; and (as my browes, were forckt, with rabid hornes)
Tosse ye together. This braue flood, that strengthens, and adornes
Your citie with his siluer gulfes; to whom, so many buls,
Your zeale hath offerd; which blinde zeale, his sacred current guls,
With casting chariots, and horse; quicke to his prayd-for aide;
Shall nothing profite: perish then, till cruell'st Death hath laide
All, at the red feet of Reuenge, for my slaine friend; and all
With whom the absence of my hands, made yours a festiuall.

This speech, great Xanthus more enrag'd; and made his spirit contend,
For meanes to shut vp, the o'pt vaine, against him; and defend
The Troians in it, from his plague. In meane time Peleus sonne,
(And now with that long lance he hid) for more blood, set vpon,
Asteropæus; the descent, of Pelagon; and he
Of brode-stream'd Axius, and the dame (of first natiuitie,
To all the daughters that renown'd, Acesamenus seed)
Bright Peribœa; whom the flood; (arm'd thicke with loftie reed)
Comprest. At her grandchild now went, Thetis great sonne; whose foe
Stood arm'd with two darts, being set on, by Xanthus; angerd so
For those youths blood, shed in his streame, by vengefull Thetis sonne,
Without all mercie. (Both being neare) great Thetides begunne

Achilles to Asteropæus.

With this high question. Of what race, art thou that dar'st oppose
Thy powre to mine thus? cursed wombs, they euer did disclose,

Asteropæus to Achilles.

That stood my anger. He reply'd, What makes thy furies heate,
Talke, and seeke Pedigrees? farre hence, lies my innatiue seate,
In rich Pœonia. My race, from brode-stream'd Axius, runs;
Axius, that giues earth purest drinke, of all the watrie sons
Of great Oceanus; and got, the famous for his speare,
Pelegonus, that fatherd me; and these Pœonians here,
Arm'd with long lances, here I leade: and here th' eleuenth faire light
Shines on vs, since we enterd Troy: Come now, (braue man) lets fight.

Thus spake he, threatning; and to him, Pelides made replie,
With shaken Pelias: but his foe, with two at once let flie;

Asteropæus with two darts at once at Achilles.

(For both his hands were dexterous:) one iauelin strooke the shield
Of Thetis sonne; but strooke not through (the gold (gods gift) repeld
The eager point:) the other lance, fell lightly, on the part
Of his faire right hands cubit; forth, the blacke blood spunne; the dart

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Glanc't ouer, fastening on the earth, and there his splene was spent,
That wisht the body. With which wish, Achilles, his lance sent,
That quite mist, and infixt it selfe, fast, in the steepe-vp shore.
Euen to the midst, it enterd it; himselfe then, fiercely bore
Vpon his enemie with his sword. His foe was tugging hard,
To get his lance out: thrise he pluckt; and thrise, sure Pelias bard
His wisht euulsion. The fourth plucke; he bow'd, and meant to breake
The Ashen plant; but (ere that act) Achilles sword, did checke
His bent powre, and brake out his soule. Full in the nauill stead

Asteropæus slaine by Achilles.

He ript his belly vp; and out, his entrailes fell; and dead
His breathlesse body: whence his armes, Achilles drew, and said:

Lie there, and proue it dangerous, to lift vp aduerse head,

Achilles to the body of Asteropæus.

Against Ioues sonnes; although a flood, were Ancetor to thee.
Thy vants vrg'd him; but I may vant, a higher pedigree,
(From Ioue himselfe:) king Peleus, was sonne to Æacus;
Infernall Æacus, to Ioue; and I, to Peleus.
Thunder-voic't Ioue, farre passeth floods; that onely murmures raise
With earth and water, as they runne, with tribute to the seas.
And his seede theirs exceeds as farre. A flood, a mightie flood
Rag'd nere thee now; but with no aide. Ioue must not be withstood.
King Achelous, yeelds to him; and great Oceanus;
Whence all floods; all the sea; all founts; wells; all deepes humorous,
Fetch their beginnings; yet euen he, feares Ioues flash, and the cracke
His thunder giues; when, out of heauen, it teares atwo his racke.

The racke, or motion of the clouds, for the clouds.

Thus, pluckt he from the shore, his lance; and left the waues to wash
The waue-sprung entrailes; about which, Fausens, and other fish,
Did shole, to nibble at the fat, which his sweet kidneyes hid.
This for himselfe; now to his men, (the-well-rode Peons) did
His rage contend. All which, cold Feare, shooke into flight, to see
Their Captaine slaine: at whose mazde flight (as much enrag'd) flew he.
And then fell all these, Thrasius, Mydon, Astypilus,
Great Ophelestes, Ænius, Mnesus, Thersilochus.
And on these, many more had falne; vnlesse the angry flood,
Had tooke the figure of a man; and in a whirlepit stood,

Xanthus out of a whirlepit to Achilles.

Thus speaking to Æacides. Past all, powre feeds thy will,
(Thou great grandchild of Æacus) and past all, th' art in ill.
And gods themselues, confederates; and Ioue (the best of gods)
All deaths giues thee: all places, not. Make my shores periods
To all shore seruice. In the field, let thy field acts run hie,
Not in my waters. My sweet streames, choake with mortalitie
Of men, slaine by thee. Carkasses, so glut me, that I faile
To powre into the sacred sea, my waues; yet still assaile
Thy cruell forces. Ceasse; amaze, affects me with thy rage,
Prince of the people. He reply'd; Shall thy command asswage

Achilles to Xanthus.

(Gulfe-fed Scamander) my free wrath? Ile neuer leaue pursude
Prowd Ilions slaughters; till this hand, in her fild walls conclude
Her flying forces; and hath tried, in single fight, the chance
Of warre with Hector; whose euent, with starke death, shall aduance

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One of our conquests. Thus againe, he like a Furie flew
Vpon the Troians: when the flood, his sad plaint did pursue,

Xanthus complains to Apollo.

To bright Apollo; telling him, he was too negligent
Of Ioues high charge; importuning, by all meanes vehement,
His helpe of Troy; till latest Euen, should her blacke shadowes poure,
On earths brode breast. In all his worst, Achilles yet from shore,
Leapt to his middest. Then sweld his waues, then rag'd, then boyld againe,
Against Achilles: vp flew all, and all the bodies slaine,
In all his deeps; (of which the heapes, made bridges, to his waues)
He belcht out; roring like a Bull The vnslaine, yet he saues,
In his blacke whirlepits, vast and deepe. A horrid bi low stood
About Achilles. On his shield, the violence of the flood
Beate so; it draue him backe, and tooke, his feet vp; his faire palme,
Enforc't to catcht into his stay, a brode, and loftie Elme,

Note the continued height, and admired expression of Achilles glorie.

Whose roots he tost vp with his hold; and tore vp all the shore,
With this then, he repeld the waues; and those thicke armes it bore,
He made a bridge to beare him off; (for all fell in) when he,
Forth from the channell threw himselfe. The rage did terrifie,
Euen his great spirit, and made him adde, wings to his swiftest feet,
And treade the land. And yet not there, the flood left his retreate,
But thrust his billowes after him; and blackt them all at top,
To make him feare, and flie his charge; and set the brode field ope
For Troy to scape in. He sprong out, a darts cast; but came on
Againe with a redoubl'd force: As when the swiftest flowne,
And strong'st of all fowles, (Ioues blacke Hawke) the huntresse stoopes vpon
A much lou'd Quarrie: So charg'd he; his armes with horror rung,
Against the blacke waues: yet againe, he was so vrg'd, he flung
His body from the flood, and fled. And after him againe,

Simile.

The waues flew roring: As a man, that finds a water vaine;
And from some blacke fount is to bring, his streames through plants & groues;
Goes with his Mattocke, and all checks, set to his course; remoues
When that runnes freely: vnder it, the pibbles all giue way,
And where it finds a fall, runnes swift: nor can the leader stay
His current then: Before himselfe, full pac't, it murmures on.
So, of Achilles, euermore, the strong flood vantage wonne;
(Though most deliuer) gods are still, aboue the powres of men.

As oft, as th' able godlike man, endeuour'd to maintaine
His charge on them, that kept the flood; (and charg'd as he would trie,
If all the gods, inhabiting, the brode vnreached skie,
Could dant his spirit,) so oft, still, the rude waues charg'd him round;
Rampt on his shoulders; from whose depth, his strength, & spirit would bound
Vp to the free aire, vext in soule. And now the vehement flood,
Made faint his knees: so ouerthwart, his waues were, they withstood
All the denyed dust, which he wisht; and now, was faine to crie;
Casting his eyes, to that brode heauen, that late he long'd to trie:

Achilles complaint to the gods in his extremitie.

And said, O Ioue, how am I left? No god vouchsafes to free
Me, miserable man; helpe now, and after torture me,
With any outrage. Would to heauen, Hector, (the mightiest

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Bred in this region) had imbrew'd, his iauelin in my breast;
That strong might fall by strong. Where now, weake waters luxurie,
Must make my death blush: one, heauen-borne, shall like a hog-herd die,
Drown'd in a durtie torrents rage. Yet none of you in heauen,
I blame for this: but she alone, by whom this life was giuen,
That now must die thus. She would still, delude me with her tales,
Affirming Phœbus shafts should end, within the Troian walls
My curst beginning. In this straight, Neptune and Pallas flew
To fetch him off. In mens shapes Both, close to his danger drew:
And, taking both, both hands, thus spake, the shaker of the world:

Pelides, do not stirre a foot; nor these waues, prowdly curld

Neptune to Achilles, Pallas and he rescuing him.

Against thy bold breast, feare a iote; thou hast vs two thy friends,
(Neptune and Pallas) Ioue himselfe, approuing th' aide we lend.
Tis nothing, as thou fearst with fate; she will not see thee drown'd:
This height shall soone downe; thine owne eyes, shall see it set aground.
Be rulde then, weele aduise thee well; take not thy hand away,
From putting all, indifferently, to all, that it can lay
Vpon the Troians; till the walles, of haughtie Ilion
Conclude all in a desperate flight: and when thou hast set gone,
The soule of Hector, turne to fleet: our hands shall plant a wreath
Of endlesse glorie, on thy browes. Thus, to the free from death,
Both made retreate. He (much impeld, by charge, the godheads gaue)
The field, that now was ouercome, with many a boundlesse waue,
He ouercame: on their wild breasts, they tost the carkasses,
And armes of many a slaughterd man. And now the winged knees,
Of this great Captaine, bore aloft: against the flood he flies
With full assault: nor could that god, make shrinke his rescu'd thies.
Nor shrunke the flood; but as his foe, grew powrefull, he grew mad:

Xanthus to Simois.

Thrust vp a billow to the skie, and cristall Simois bad
To his assistance: Simois, Hoe, brother, (out he cried)
Come, adde thy current, and resist, this man halfe deified;
Or Ilion he will pul downe straite; the Troians cannot stand
A minute longer. Come, assist; and instantly command
All fountaines in thy rule to rise; all torrents to make in,
And stuffe thy billowes; with whose height, engender such a din,
(With trees torne vp, and iustling stones) as so immane a man,
May shrinke beneath vs: whose powre thriues, do my powre all it can:
He dares things fitter for a god. But, nor his forme, nor force,
Nor glorious armes shall profit him: all which, and his dead corse,
I vow to rowle vp in my sands: Nay, burie in my mud:
Nay, in the very sincks of Troy: that, pour'd into my flood,
Shall make him drowning worke enough: and being drown'd, Ile set
A fort of such strong filth on him; that Greece shall neuer get
His bones from it. There, there shall stand, Achilles sepulcher;
And saue a buriall for his friends. This Furie did transferre
His high-ridg'd billowes on the Prince; roring with blood, and fome,
And carkasses. The crimson streame, did snatch into her wombe,
Surprisd Achilles; and her height, stood, held vp by the hand

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Of Ioue himselfe. Then Iuno cried, and cald (to countermand
This watry Deitie) the god, that holds command in fire;
Affraid left that gulf-stomackt flood, would satiate his desire

Iuno to Vulcan.

On great Achilles: Mulciber? my best-lou'd sonne? (she cried)
Rouse thee: for all the gods conceiue, this flood thus amplified,
Is raisd at thee; and shewes as if, his waues would drowne the skie,
And put out all the sphere of fire; haste, helpe thy Emperie:
Light flames, deepe as his pits. Our selfe, the West wind, and the South,
Will call out of the sea; and breathe, in eithers full-charg'd mouth
A storme, t'enrage thy fires gainst Troy; which shall (in one exhal'd)
Blow flames of sweate about their browes; and make their armors skald.
Go thou then, and (gainst these winds rise) make worke on Xanthus shore,
With setting all his trees on fire: and in his owne breast poure,
A feruor that shall make it burne; nor let faire words or threats
Auert thy furie, till I speake; and then, subdue the heates
Of all thy Blazes. Mulciber; prepar'd, a mightie fire,
First, in the field vsde: burning vp, the bodies, that the ire
Of great Achilles rest of soules: the quite-drown'd field it dried;
And shrunke the flood vp. And as fields, that haue bene long time cloide

Simile.

With catching wether; when their corne, lies on the gauill heape;
Are with a constant North wind dried; with which for comfort leape
Their hearts that sow'd them: So this field, was dride; the bodies burn'd;
And euen the flood into a fire, as bright as day was turn'd.
Elmes, willowes, tamrisks, were enflam'd; the lote trees; sea-grasse reeds,
And rushes, with the galingale rootes (of which abundance breeds
About the sweet flood) all were fir'd: the gliding fishes flew
Vpwards, in flames: the groueling Eeeles, crept vpright; all which slew

Xanthus out of a flaming whirlepit to Vulcan.

Wise Vulcans vnresisted spirit. The flood out of a flame,
Cried to him; Ceasse, ô Mulciber; no deitie can tame
Thy matchlesse virtue: nor would I, (since thou art thus hote) striue.
Ceasse then thy strife; let Thetis sonne, with all thy wisht hast, driue
Euen to their gates these Ilians; what toucheth me their aide,
Or this Contention? Thus in flames, the burning riuer prayde:

Simile.

And as a Caldron, vnderput, with store of fire; and wrought
With boyling of a well-fed Brawne, vp leapes his waue aloft;
Bauins of sere wood vrging it, and spending flames apace,
Till all the Caldron be engirt, with a consuming blaze.
So round this flood burn'd; and so sod, his sweete, and tortur'd streames;
Nor could flow forth, bound in the fumes, of Vulcans fierie beames.
Who (then not mou'd) his mothers ruth, by all his meanes he craues;
And askt, why Vulcan should inuade, and so torment his waues,
Past other floods? when his offence, rose not to such degree,
As that of other gods, for Troy: and that himselfe would free,
Her wrath to it, if she were pleasde; and prayd her, that her sonne
Might be reflected: adding this, that he would nere be wonne,
To helpe keepe off the ruinous day, in which all Troy should burne,
Fir'd by the Grecians. This vow heard; she charg'd her sonne to turne
His fierie spirits to their homes: and said, it was not fit,

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A god should suffer so, for men. Then Vulcan did remit
His so vnmeasur'd violence; and backe the pleasant flood
Ranne to his channell. Thus these gods, she made friends; th' other stood
At weightie difference; both sides ranne, together with a sound,
That Earth resounded; and great heauen, about did surrebound.

Ioue heard it, sitting on his hill; and laught to see the gods,
Buckle to armes like angry men: and (he pleasde with their ods)
They laid it freely. Of them all, thump-buckler Mars began;
And at Minerua with a lance, of braffe he headlong ran;

Mars against Minerua.

These vile words vshering his blowes: Thou, dog-flie, what's the cause,
Thou mak'st gods fight thus? thy huge heart, breakes all our peacefull lawes,
With thy insatiate shamelesnesse. Rememberst thou the houre,
When Diomed charg'd me? and by thee? and thou with all thy powre,
Took'st lance thy selfe; and in all sights, rusht on me with a wound?
Now vengeance fals on thee for all. This said, the shield fring'd round
With fighting Adders, borne by Ioue, that not to thunder yeelds,
He clapt his lance on; and this god, that with the bloud of fields,
Pollutes his godhead; that shield pierst, and hurt the armed Maid:
But backe she leapt; and with her strong, hand rapt a huge stone, laid
Aboue the Champaine; blacke and sharpe, that did in old time breake
Partitions to mens lands; And that, she dusted in the necke
Of that impetuous challenger. Downe to the earth he swayd,
And ouerlaid seuen Acres land: his haire was all berayd
With dust, and bloud mixt; and his armes, rung out. Minerua laught,
And thus insulted: O thou foole, yet hast thou not bene taught

Minerua insults ouer Mars.

To know mine eminence? thy strength, opposest thou to mine?
So pay thy mothers furies then; who for these aides of thine,
(Euer affoorded periur'd Troy; Greece euer left) takes spleene,
And vowes thee mischiefe. Thus she turn'd, her blew eyes, when Loues Queen
The hand of Mars tooke; and from earth, raisd him with thick-drawne breath,
His spirits not yet got vp againe. But from the prease of death,
Kind Aphrodite was his guide. Which, Iuno seeing, exclam'd:

Venus.

Pallas; see, Mars is helpt from field? Dog, flie, his rude tongue nam'd
Thy selfe euen now; but that his loue, that dog-flie will not leaue,
Her old confort. Vpon her; flie. Minerua did receaue
This excitation ioyfully; and at the Cyprian flew;
Strooke with her hard hand, her soft breast, a blow that ouerthrew

Mars and Venus ouerthrowne by Pallas.

Both her and Mars; and there, both lay together in broad field.
When thus she triumpht. So lie all, that any succours yeeld
To these false Troians, gainst the Greeks; so bold, and patient,
As Venus, (shunning charge of me); and no lesse impotent
Be all their aides, then hers to Mars: so short worke would be made
In our depopulating Troy (this hardiest to inuade,
Of all earths cities). At this wish, white-wristed Iuno smil'd.
Next, Neptune and Apollo stood, vpon the point of field;
And thus spake Neptune: Phœbus! come; why, at the lances end
Stand we two thus? twill be a shame, for vs to re-ascend
Ioues golden house, being thus in field; and not to fight. Begin;

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For tis no gracefull worke for me: thou hast the yonger chin;
I older, and know more. O foole! what a forgetfull heart
Thou bear'st about thee? to stand here, prest to take th' Ilian part,
And fight with me? Forgetst thou then, what we two; we alone
(Of all the gods) haue sufferd here? when proud Laomedon,
Enioyd our seruice, a whole yeare, for our agreed reward?
Ioue, in his sway would haue it so; and in that yeare I rear'd
This broad braue wall about this towne; that (being a worke of mine)
It might be inexpugnable. This seruice then, was thine,
In Ida (that so many hils, and curld-head forrests crowne)
To feed his oxen; crooked shankt, and headed like the Moone.
But when the much-ioy-bringing houres, brought terme for our reward;
The terrible Laomedon, dismist vs both, and scard
Our high deseruings; not alone, to hold our promist fee,
But giue vs threats too. Hands and feete, he swore to fetter thee,
And sell thee as a slaue; dismist, farre hence to forreine Iles;
Nay more, he would haue both our eares. His vowes breach, and reuiles,
Made vs part angry with him than; and doest thou gratulate now,
Such a kings subiects? or with vs, not their destruction vow,
Euen to their chast wiues, and their babes? He answerd, he might hold

Apollo to Neptune.

His wisedome litle; if with him (a god); for men he would
Maintaine contention: wretched men, that flourish for a time,
Like leaues; eate some of that, Earth yeelds; and giue Earth, in their prime,
Their whole selues for it. Quickly then, let vs flie fight for them;
Nor shew it offerd: let themselues, beare out their owne extreme.

Thus he retir'd, and fear'd to change, blowes with his vnkles hands;

Diana reproues Apollo for leauing the Troians

His sister thererefore chid him much, (the goddesse that commands
In games of hunting) and thus spake: Fliest thou? and leau'st the field
To Neptunes glorie? and no blowes? O foole! why doest thou wield
Thy idle bow? no more my eares, shall heare thee vant in skies,
Dares to meete Neptune; but Ile tell, thy cowards tongue, it lies.

He answerd nothing; yet Ioues wife, could put on no such raines;

Iuno to Diana.

But spake thus loosly: How dar'st thou, dog, whom no feares containes,
Encounter me? twill proue a match, of hard condition:
Though the great Ladie of the bow; and Ioue hath set thee downe,
For Lion of thy sexe; with gift, to slaughter any Dame
Thy proud will enuies; yet some Dames, will proue, th' hadst better tame
Wilde Lions vpon hils, then them. But if this question rests
Yet vnder iudgement, in thy thoughts; and that thy mind contests;
Ile make thee know it. Sodainly, with her left hand she catcht
Both Cynthias palmes, lockt fingers fast; and with her right, she snatcht
From her faire shoulders, her guilt bow; and (laughing) laid it on,
About her eares; and euery way, her turnings seisd vpon,
Till all her arrowes scatterd out; her quiuer emptied quite.

Simile.

And as a Doue, that (flying a Hauke) takes to some rocke her flight;
And in his hollow breasts sits safe; her fate, not yet to die:
So fled she mourning; and her bow, left there. Then Mercurie,
His opposite, thus vndertooke: Latona, at no hand,

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Will I bide combat; tis a worke, right dangerous to stand,
At difference with the wiues of Ioue; Go therefore, freely vant
Amongst the deities, th' hast subdu'd, and made thy combattant
Yeeld with plaine powre. She answer'd not, but gather'd vp the bow
And shafts falne from her daughters side, retiring. Vp did go
Diana to Ioues starrie hall; her incorrupted vaile
Trembling about her; so she shooke. Phœbus (lest Troy should faile
Before her Fate) flew to her wals; the other deities flew
Vp to Olympus; some enrag'd, some glad. Achilles slew
Both men and horse of Ilion. And as a citie fir'd,
Casts vp a heate, that purples heauen; Clamors and shriekes expir'd

Simile.

In euery corner; toile to all; to many, miserie;
Which fire, th' incensed gods let fall; Achilles so let flie,
Rage on the Troians; toiles and shriekes, as much by him imposde.
Old Priam in his sacred towre, stood; and the flight disclosde,
Of his forc't people; all in rout, and not a stroke return'd,
By fled Resistance. His eyes saw, in what a furie burnd
The sonne of Peleus; and downe, went weeping from the towre,

Priams amaze at Achilles.

To all the port-guards; and their Chiefes, told of his flying powre,
Commanding th' opening of the ports; but not to let their hands
Stirre from them; for Æacides, would poure in with his bands.
Destruction come; O shut them straight; when we are in (he praid);
For, not our walls I feare, will checke, this violent man. This said,
Off lifted they the barres; the ports, hal'd open, and they gaue
Safetie her entrie, with the host; which yet they could not saue,
Had not Apollo sallied out, and strooke Destruction
(Brought by Achilles in their neckes) backe; when they, right vpon
The ports bore all, drie, dustie, spent; and on their shoulders rode
Rabide Achilles with his lance; still Glorie being the gode
That prickt his Furie. Then the Greeks, high-ported Ilion
Had seiz'd; had not Apollo stird, Antenors famous sonne,
Diuine Agenor; and cast in, an vndertaking spirit

Agenor spirited by Apollo.

To his bold bosome; and himselfe, stood by to strengthen it,
And keepe the heauie hand of death, from breaking in. The god
Stood by him, leaning on a beach, and couer'd his abode
With night-like darknesse; yet for all, the spirit he inspir'd;
When that great citie-racers force, his thoughts strooke, he retir'd;
Stood, and went on; A world of doubts, still falling in his way,
When (angry with himselfe) he said: Why suffer I this stay,
In this so strong need to go on? If, like the rest, I flie;

Agenors discourse with himselfe.

Tis his best weapon to giue chace, being swift; and I should die
Like to a coward. If I stand, I fall too. These two wayes,
Please not my purpose; I would liue. What if I suffer these,
Still to be routed? and (my feete, affoording further length)
Passe all these fields of Ilion, till Idas syluane strength,
And steepe heights shroud me; and at Euen, refresh me in the flood,
And turne to Ilion? O my soule, why drown'st thou in the blood
Of these discourses? If this course, that talkes of further flight,

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I giue my feete; his feete more swift, haue more ods. Get be sight
Of that passe; I passe least; for pace, and length of pace, his thies
Will stand out all men. Meete him then; my steele hath faculties
Of powre to pierce him; his great breast, but one soule holds; and that
Death claimes his right in (all men say); but he holds speciall state

Ioues beautie serues all men all wayes.

In Ioues high bountie: that's past man, that euery way will hold;
And that serues all men, euery way. This last heart, made him bold,
To stand Achilles; and stird vp, a mightie mind to blowes.

Simile.

And as a Panther (hauing heard, the hounds traile) doth disclose
Her freckl'd forhead; and stares forth, from out some deepe-growne wood,
To trie what strength dares her abroad; and when her fierie blood
The hounds haue kindl'd; no quench serues, of loue to liue, or feare;
Though strooke, though wounded; though quite through, she feels the mortal speare;
But till the mans close strength she tries, or strowes earth with his dart;
She puts her strength out: So it far'd, with braue Agenors hart;
And till Achilles he had prou'd; no thoughts, no deeds, once stird
His fixed foote. To his broad breast, his round shield he preferd,
And vp his arme went, with his aime; his voice out, with this crie:
Thy hope is too great (Peleus sonne), this day to shew thine eye

Agenor to Achilles.

Troys Ilion at thy foote; O foole! the Greeks with much more woes,
More then are sufferd yet, must buy, great Ilions ouerthrowes.
We are within her many strong, that for our parents sakes,
Our wiues and children, will saue Troy; and thou (though he that makes
Thy name so terrible) shalt make, a sacrifice to her,
With thine owne ruines. Thus he threw; nor did his iauelin erre;
But strooke his foes leg, neare his knee; the feruent steele did ring
Against his tin greaues, and leapt backe. The fires strong-handed king,
Gaue vertue of repulse; and then, Æacides assail'd
Diuine Agenor; but in vaine; Apollos powre preuail'd,
And rapt Agenor from his reach; whom quietly he plac't
Without the skirmish; casting mists, to saue from being chac't,
His tenderd person; and (he gone) to giue his souldiers scape;
The deitie turn'd Achilles still, by putting on the shape
Of him he thirsted; euermore, he fed his eye, and fled;
And he with all his knees pursu'd. So cunningly he led;
That still he would be neare his reach, to draw his rage, with hope,
Farre from the conflict; To the flood, maintaining still the scope
Of his attraction. In meane time, the other frighted powres,
Came to the citie, comforted, when Troy, and all her towres,
Strooted with fillers; none would stand, to see who staid without,
Who scapt, and who came short; the ports, cleft to receiue the rout,
That pour'd it selfe in. Euery man, was for himselfe; Most fleete,
Most fortunate; who euer scapt, his head might thanke his feete.

The end of the one and twentieth Booke.

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THE XXII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

All Troians housd but Hector; onely he,
Keepes field, and vndergoes th' extremitie.
Æacides assaulting; Hector flies.
Minerua stayes him: he resists, and dies.
Achilles to his chariot doth enforce;
And to the nauall station, drags his corse.

Another Argument.

Hector (in Chi) to death is done,
By powre of Peleus angry sonne.

Thus (chac't like Hinds) the Ilians, tooke time to drinke and eate,
And to refresh them; getting off, the mingl'd dust and sweate;
And good strōg rāpires on in stead. The Greeks thē cast their shields
Aloft their shoulders; and now Fate, their neare inuasion yeelds
Of those tough wals. Her deadly hand, compelling Hectors stay
Before Troy at the Scæan ports. Achilles still made way
At Phœbus; who, his bright head turn'd; and askt: Why (Peleus sonne)

Apollo to Achilles.

Pursu'st thou (being a man) a god? thy rage hath neuer done.
Acknowledge not thine eyes my state? esteemes thy mind no more
Thy honor in the chase of Troy; but puts my chace before
Their vtter conquest? they are all, now housde in Ilion,
While thou hunt'st me. What wishest thou? my bloud will neuer runne
On thy proud iauelin. It is thou (repli'd Æacides)
That putst dishonor thus on me, (thou worst of deities)

Achilles to Apollo.

Thou turndst me from the walls, whose ports, had neuer entertaind
Numbers now enter'd; ouer whom, thy sauing hand hath raign'd,
And robd my honor. And all is, since all thy actions stand,
Past feare of reckoning: but held I, the measure in my hand,
It should affoord thee deare-bought scapes. Thus with elated spirits,
(Steed-like, that at Olympus games, weares garlands for his merits,
And rattles home his chariot, extending all his pride)
Achilles so parts with the god. When aged Priam spide
The great Greek come, (sphear'd round with beames, and show'ng as if the star,
Surnam'd Orions hound; that springs, in Autumne, and sends farre
His radiance through a world of starres; of all whose beames, his owne
Cast greatest splendor: the midnight, that renders them most showne,
Then being their foile; and on their points; cure-passing Feuers then,

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Come shaking downe, into the ioynts, of miserable men:
As this were falne to earth; and shot, along the field his raies,

Priams fright at the sight of Achilles.

Now towards Priam (when he saw, in great Æacides)
Out flew his tender voice in shriekes; and with raisde hands he smit
His reuerend head; then vp to heauen, he cast them; shewing it,
What plagues it sent him; Downe againe, then threw them to his sonne,
To make him shun them. He now stood, without steepe Ilion,
Thirsting the combat; and to him, thus miserably cride

Priam to Hector

The kind old king: O Hector! flie, this man, this homicide,
That strait will stroy thee. Hee's too strong; and would to heauen he were,
As strong in heauens loue as in mine; Vultures and dogs should teare
His prostrate carkasse; all my woes, quencht with his bloudy spirits.
He has robd me of many sonnes; and worthy; and their merits
Sold to farre Ilands. Two of them (aye me) I misse but now;
They are not enterd; nor stay here; Laothoe, O twas thou,
(O Queene of women) from whose wombe, they breath'd: O did the tents
Detaine them onely; brasse and gold, would purschase safe euents,
To their sad durance: tis within. Old Altes (yong in fame)
Gaue plentie fot his daughters dowre; but if they fed the flame
Of this mans furie, woe is me; woe to my wretched Queene.
But in our states woe, their two deaths, will nought at all be seene;
So thy life quit them: take the towne; retire (deare sonne) and saue
Troys husbands and her wiues; nor giue, thine owne life to the graue,
For this mans glorie: pitie me; me, wretch, so long aliue;
Whom in the doore of Age, Ioue keepes; that so he may depriue
My being, in Fortunes vtmost curse; to see the blackest thred
Of this lifes miseries; my sonnes slaine; my daughters rauished;
Their resting chambers sackt; their babes, torne from them, on their knees
Pleading for mercie; themselues dragd, to Grecian slaueries,
(And all this drawne through my red eyes.) Then last of all kneele I,
Alone, all helplesse, at my gates, before my enemie,
That (ruthlesse) giues me to my dogs: all the deformitie
Of age discouer'd; and all this, thy death (sought wilfully)
Will poure on me. A faire yong man, at all parts it beseemes,
(Being brauely slaine) to lie all gasht; and weare the worst extremes
Of warres most crueltie; no wound, of whatsoeuer ruth,
But is his ornament: but I, a man so farre from youth;
White head, white bearded, wrinkl'd, pin'd; all shames must shew the eye:
Liue; preuent this then; this most shame, of all mans miserie.

Thus wept the old king, and tore off, his white haire; yet all these
Retir'd not Hector. Hecuba, then fell vpon her knees;
Stript nak't her bosome, shew'd her breasts, and bad him reuerence them,
And pitie her: if euer she, had quieted his exclaime,
He would ceasse hers, and take the towne; not tempting the rude field,
When all had left it: thinke (said she) I gaue thee life to yeeld
My life reomfort; thy rich wife, shall haue no rites of thee,
Nor do thee rites: our teares shall pay, thy corse no obsequie,
Being rauisht from vs; Grecian dogs, nourisht, with what I nurst.

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Thus wept both these; and to his ruth, proposde the vtmost worst,
Of what could chance them; yet he staid. And now drew deadly neare,
Mightie Achilles; yet he still, kept deadly station there.
Looke how a Dragon, when she sees, a traueller bent vpon

A Simile expressing how Hector stood Achilles.

Her breeding den; her bosome fed, with fell contagion,
Gathers her forces, sits him firme, and at his nearest pace,
Wraps all her Cauerne in her folds, and thrusts a horrid face
Out at his entrie: Hector so, with vnextinguisht spirit,
Stood great Achilles; stird no foote; but at the prominent turret,
Bent to his bright shield, and resolu'd, to beare falne heauen on it.
Yet all this resolute abode, did not so truly fit
His free election; but be felt, a much more galling spurre
To the performance, with conceit, of what he should incurre,
Entring, like others; for this cause; to which, he thus gaue way.

O me, if I shall take the towne, Polydamas will lay
This flight, and all this death on me; who counseld me to leade

Hectors discourse

My powres to Troy: this last blacke night, when so I saw make head,
Incenst Achilles; I yet staid; though (past all doubt) that course
Had much more profited then mine; which, (being by so much worse,
As comes to all our flight, and death) my folly now I feare,
Hath bred this scandall; all our towne, now burnes my ominous eare
With whispering: Hectors selfe conceit, hath cast away his host.
And (this true) this extremitie, that I relie on most,
Is best for me; stay, and retire, with this mans life; or die
Here for our citie with renowme; since all else fled, but I.
And yet one way, cuts both these wayes; what if I hang my shield,
My helme and lance here, on these wals; and meete in humble field,
Renowm'd Achilles, offering him, Hellen, and all the wealth,
What euer in his hollow keeles, bore Alexanders stealth
For both th' Atrides? For the rest; what euer is possest
In all this citie, knowne, or hid, by oath shall be confest
Of all our citizens; of which, one halfe the Greeks shall haue;
One halfe themselues. But why (lou'd soule) would these suggestions saue
Thy state still in me? Ile not sue; nor would he grant; but I,
(Mine armes cast off) should be assur'd, a womans death to die.
To men of oke and rocke, no words; virgins and youths talke thus;
Virgins and youths, that loue, and wooe; there's other warre with vs:
What blowes and conflicts vrge, we crie; hates and defiances;
And with the garlands these trees beare, trie which hand Ioue will blesse.

These thoughts emploid his stay; and now, Achilles comes; now neare

Achilles dreadfull approch to Hector.

His Mars-like presence, terribly, came brandishing his speare;
His right arme shooke it; his bright armes, like day came glittering on,
Like fire-light, or the light of heauen, strot from the rising Sun.
This sight outwrought discourse; cold Feare, shooke Hector from his stand;
No more stay now; all ports were left; he fled in feare the hand
Of that Feare-master, who hauk-like, aires swiftest passenger,
That holds a timorous Doue in chaoe; and with command doth beare
His fierie onset: the Doue hasts; the Hauke comes whizzing on;

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This way, and that, he turnes, and winds, and cuffes the Pigeon;
And till he trusse it, his great spirit, layes hote charge on his wing:
So vrg'd Achilles, Hectors fright; so still, Feares point did sting
His troubl'd spirit; his knees wrought hard; along the wall he flew;
In that faire chariot way, that runnes, beneath the towre of view,
And Troys wilde fig-tree; till they reacht, where those two mother springs,

The pleasing description of two springs vnder the walls of Troy

Of deepe Scamander, pour'd abroad, their siluer murmurings.
One warme, and casts out fumes, as fire; the other, cold as snow,
Or haile dissolu'd. And when the Sunne, made ardent sommer glow,
There waters concrete cristall shin'd, neare which, were cisternes made,
All pau'd, and cleare; where Troian wiues, and their faire daughters had
Landrie for their fine linnen weeds; in times of cleanly Peace,
Before the Grecians brought their siege. These Captaines noted these;

Hectors flight from Achilles, and his chace of Hector.

One flying; th' other in pursuite; a strong man flew before;
A stronger follow'd him by farre, and close vp to him bore.
Both did their best; for neither now, ranne for a sacrifice;
Or for the sacrificers hide, (our runners vsuall prise)
These ranne for tame-horse Hectors soule. And as two running Steeds,
Backt in some set race for a game, that tries their swiftest speeds,
(A tripod, or a woman giuen, for some mans funerals):
Such speed made these men; and on foote, ranne

Vp and downe the wals, it is to be vnderstood.

thrice about the wals.

The gods beheld them; all much mou'd; and Ioue said: O ill sight!

Ioues griefe for Hector.

A man I loue much, I see forc't, in most vnworthy flight
About great Ilion; my heart grieues; he paid so many vowes,
With thighes of sacrificed beeues; both on the loftie browes
Of Ida, and in Ilions height. Consult we; shall we free
His life from death? or giue it now, t'Achilles victorie?

Pallas against Hectors preseruation.

Minerua answer'd: Alter Fate? one, long since markt for death,
Now take from death? do thou; but know, he still shall runne beneath,
Our other censures. Be it then, (replide the Thunderer)
My lou'd Tritonia, at thy will; in this I will preferre
Thy free intention; worke it all. Then stoopt she from the skie,
To this great combat. Peleus sonne, pursu'd incessantly

Simile.

Still-flying Hector: As a Hound, that hauing rouz'd a Hart,
Although he tappish ne're so oft; and euery shrubbie part,
Attempts for strength, and trembles in; the Hound doth still pursue
So close, that not a foote he failes; but hunts it still at view:
So plied Achilles, Hectors steps; as oft as he assail'd
The Dardan ports and towres for strength, (to fetch from thence some aid,
With winged shafts) so oft forc't he, amends of pace; and stept
Twixt him and all his hopes; and still, vpon the field he kept

A most ingenious Simile, vsed (as all our Homer besides) by Virgil, but this as a translator meerly.

His vtmost turnings to the towne. And yet, as in a dreame,
One thinkes he giues another chace; when such a fain'd extreame
Possesseth both; that he in chace, the chacer cannot flie;
Nor can the chacer get to hand, his flying enemie:
So, nor Achilles chace could reach, the flight of Hectors pace;
Nor Hectors flight enlarge it selfe, of swift Achilles chace.

But how chanc't this? how, all this time, could Hector beare the knees

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Of fierce Achilles, with his owne; and keepe off Destinies,
If Phœbus (for his last and best) through all that course had fail'd,
To adde his succours to his nerues? And (as his foe assail'd)
Neare, and within him, fed his scape. Achilles yet well knew,
His knees would fetch him; and gaue signes, to some friends (making shew
Of shooting at him) to forbeare, lest they detracted so
From his full glorie; in first wounds; and in the ouerthrow,
Make his hand last. But when they reacht, the fourth time, the two founts;
Then Ioue, his golden skoles weigh'd vp; and tooke the last accounts
Of Fate for Hector; putting in, for him, and Peleus sonne,
Two fates of bitter death; of which, high heauen receiu'd the one,
The other hell: so low declin'd, the light of Hectors life.
Then Phœbus left him, when warres Queene, came to resolue the strife,

Pallas to Achilles.

In th' others knowledge: Now (said she) Ioue-lou'd Æacides,
I hope at last to make Renowme, performe a braue accesse
To all the Grecians; we shall now, lay low this champions height;
Though neuer so insatiate, was his great heart of fight.
Nor must he scape our pursuite still; though at the feete of Ioue,
Apollo bowes into a sphere, soliciting more loue,
To his most fauour'd. Breath thee then, stand firme; my selfe will hast,
And hearten Hector to change blowes. She went, and he stood fast;
Lean'd on his lance; and much was ioy'd, that single strokes should trie
This fadging conflict. Then came close, the changed deitie,
To Hector, like Deiphobus, in shape, and voice; and said:

Pallas like Deiphobus to Hector

O brother, thou art too much vrg'd, to be thus combatted
About our owne wals; let vs stand, and force to a retreat
Th' insulting Chaser. Hector ioy'd, at this so kind deceit;
And said: O good Deiphobus, thy loue was most before

Hector to Pallas for Deiphobus.

(Of all my brothers) deare to me; but now, exceeding more
It costs me honor; that thus vrg'd, thou com'st to part the charge
Of my last fortunes; other friends, keepe towne, and leaue at large
My rackt endeuours. She replide: Good brother, tis most true;
One after other, King and Queene; and all our friends did sue
(Euen on their knees) to stay me there; such tremblings shake them all,
With this mans terror: but my mind, so grieu'd to see our wall
Girt with thy chases; that to death, I long'd to vrge thy stay.
Come, fight we, thirstie of his bloud; no more let's feare to lay
Cost on our lances; but approue, if bloudied with our spoiles,
He can beare glorie to their fleete, or shut vp all their toiles,
In his one sufferance on thy lance. With this deceit, she led;
And (both come neare) thus Hector spake: Thrice I haue compassed

Hector to Achilles.

This great towne (Peleus sonne) in flight, with auersation,
That out of Fate put off my steps; but now, all flight is flowne;
The short course set vp; death or life. Our resolutions yet,
Must shun all rudenesse; and the gods, before our valour set,
For vse of victorie; and they, being worthiest witnesses
Of all vowes; since they keepe vowes best; before their deities,
Let vowes of fit respect, passe both; when Conquest hath bestow'd

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Her wreath on either. Here I vow, no furie shall be show'd,
That is not manly, on thy corse; but, hauing spoil'd thy armes,
Resigne thy person; which sweare thou. These faire and temperate termes,
Farre fled Achilles; his browes bent; and out flew this reply.

Achilles sterne reply to Hector.

Hector, thou onely pestilence, in all mortalitie,
To my sere spirits; neuer set, the point twixt thee and me
Any conditions; but as farre, as men and Lions flie,
All termes of couenant; lambes and wolues: in so farre opposite state,
(Impossible for loue t'attone) stand we; till our soules satiate
The god of souldiers; do not dreame, that our disiunction can
Endure condition. Therefore now, all worth that fits a man,
Call to thee; all particular parts, that fit a souldier;
And they, all this include, (besides, the skill, and spirit of warre)
Hunger for slaughter; and a hate, that eates thy heart, to eate
Thy foes heart. This stirs; this supplies, in death, the killing heate;
And all this needst thou. No more flight; Pallas Athenia
Will quickly cast thee to my lance; now, now together draw
All griefes for vengeance; both in me, and all my friends late dead
That bled thee; raging with thy lance. This said, he brandished

Achilles first encounter with Hector.

His long lance; and away it sung: which, Hector giuing view,
Stoupt low, stood firme, (foreseeing it best) and quite it ouerflew,
Fastening on earth.

Pallas.

Athenia, drew it, and gaue her friend,
Vnseene of Hector. Hector then, thus spake: Thou want'st thy end,
(God-like Achilles:) now I see, thou hast not learn'd my fate,
Of Ioue at all; as thy high words, would brauely intimate;
Much tongue affects thee; cunning words, well serue thee to prepare
Thy blowes with threats, that mine might faint, with want of spirit to dare;
But my backe neuer turnes with breath; it was not borne to beare
Burthens of wounds; strike home, before; driue at my breast thy speare,
As mine at thine shall; and trie then, if heauens will fauor thee
With scape of my lance; O would Ioue, would take it after me,
And make thy bosome take it all; an easie end would crowne
Our difficult warres, were thy soule fled; thou most bane of our towne.

Hector at Achilles.

Thus flew his dart, toucht at the midst, of his vast shield, and flew
A huge way from it; but his heart, wrath enterd with the view
Of that hard scape; and heauie thoughts, strooke through him, when he spide
His brother vanisht; and no lance, beside left; out he cride,

Hectors amaze with the deceit of Pallas.

Deiphobus! another lance. Lance, nor Deiphobus
Stood neare his call. And then his mind, saw all things ominous,
And thus suggested: Woe is me; the gods haue cald, and I
Must meete Death here; Deiphobus, I well hop't had bene by,
With his white shield; but our strong wals, shield him; and this deceit
Flowes from Minerua; now, ô now, ill death comes; no more flight,
No more recouerie: O Ioue, this hath bene otherwise;
Thy bright sonne, and thy selfe, haue set, the Greeks a greater prise
Of Hectors bloud then now; of which, (euen iealous) you had care;
But Fate now conquers; I am hers; and yet, not she shall share
In my renowme; that life is left, to euery noble spirit;

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And that, some great deed shall beget; that all liues shall inherit.

Thus, forth his sword flew, sharpe and broad, and bore a deadly weight;
With which, he rusht in: And looke how, an Eagle from her height,

The last encounter of Achilles and Hector.

Stoopes to the rapture of a Lambe; or cuffes a timorous Hare:
So fell in Hector; and at him, Achilles; his minds fare,
Was fierce and mightie: his shield cast, a Sun-like radiance;
Helme nodded; and his foure plumes shooke; and when he raisde his lance,
Vp Hesperus rose, amongst th' euening starres. His bright and sparkling eies,
Lookt through the body of his foe; and sought through all that prise,
The next way to his thirsted life. Of all wayes, onely one
Appear'd to him; and thas was, where, th' vnequall winding bone,
That ioynes the shoulders and the necke, had place; and where there lay
The speeding way to death: and there, his quicke eye could display
The place it sought; euen through those armes, his friend Patroclus wore,
When Hector slue him. There he aim'd, and there his iauelin tore
Sterne passage quite through Hectors necke; yet mist it so his throte,
It gaue him powre to change some words; but downe to earth it got

Hector wounded to death. Achilles insultation.

His fainting bodie. Then triumpht, diuine Æacides;
Hector, (said he) thy heart supposde, that in my friends deceasse,
Thy life was safe; my absent arme, not car'd for: Foole! he left
One at the fleete, that better'd him; and he it is that reft
Thy strong knees thus; and now the dogs, and fowles, in foulest vse
Shall teare thee vp; thy corse exposde, to all the Greeks abuse.

He, fainting, said: Let me implore, euen by thy knees, and soule,

Hectors dying request to Achilles.

And thy great parents; do not see, a crueltie so foule
Inflicted on me; brasse and gold, receiue at any rate,
And quit my person; that the Peeres, and Ladies of our state,
May tombe it; and to sacred fire, turne thy prophane decrees.

Dog, (he replied) vrge not my ruth, by parents, soule, nor knees;

Achilles inflexibilitie.

I would to God that any rage, would let me eate thee raw,
Slic't into peeces; so beyond, the right of any law,
I tast thy merits; and beleeue, it flies the force of man,
To rescue thy head from the dogs. Giue all the gold they can;
If ten or twentie times so much, as friends would rate thy price,
Were tenderd here; with vowes of more; to buy the cruelties
I here haue vow'd; and after that, thy father with his gold
Would free thy selfe; all that should faile, to let thy mother hold
Solemnities of death with thee; and do thee such a grace,
To mourne thy whole corse on a bed; which peecemeale Ile deface
With fowles and dogs. He (dying) said: I (knowing thee well) foresaw
Thy now tried tyrannie; nor hop't, for any other law,
Of nature, or of nations: and that feare, forc't much more
Then death, my flight; which neuer toucht, at Hectors foote before.

Hectors prophecy of Achilles death

A soule of iron informes thee; marke, what vengeance th' equall fates
Will giue me of thee, for this rage; when in the Scæan gates,
Phœbus and Paris meete with thee. Thus deaths hand closde his eyes;
His soule flying his faire lims, to hell; mourning his destinies,
To part so with his youth and strength. Thus dead; thus Thetis sonne,

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His prophecie answer'd: Die thou now; when my short thred is spunne,
Ile beare it as the will of Ioue. This said, his brazen speare,
He drew, and stucke by: then his armes (that all embrewed were)
He spoil'd his shoulders off. Then all, the Greeks ran in to him,

The Greeks admiration of Hectors person being slaine.

To see his person; and admir'd, his terror-stirring lim:
Yet none stood by, that gaue no wound, to his so goodly forme;
When each to other said: O Ioue, he is not in the storme,
He came to fleete in, with his fire; he handles now more soft.

Achilles to the Grecians.

O friends, (said sterne Æacides) now that the gods haue brought
This man thus downe; Ile freely say, he brought more bane to Greece,
Then all his aiders. Trie we then, (thus arm'd at euery peece,
And girding all Troy with our host) if now their hearts will leaue
Their citie cleare; her cleare stay slaine; and all their liues receaue;
Or hold yet, Hector being no more. But why vse I a word
Of any act, but what concernes, my friend? dead, vndeplor'd,
Vnsepulcherd; he lies at fleete, vnthought on; neuer houre
Shall make his dead state, while the quicke, enioyes me; and this powre,
To moue these mouers. Though in hell, men say, that such as die,
Obliuion seiseth; yet in hell, in me shall Memorie
Hold all her formes still, of my friend. Now, (youths of Greece) to fleete
Beare we this body; Pæans sing; and all our nauie greete
With endlesse honor; we haue slaine, Hector, the period
Of all Troys glorie; to whose worth, all vow'd, as to a god.

Achilles tyranny to Hectors person, which we lay on his fury, and loue to his slaine friend, for whom himselfe liuing, sufferd so much.

This said; a worke, not worthy him, he set to: of both feete,
He bor'd the nerues through, from the heele, to th' ankle; and then knit
Both to his chariot, with a thong, of whitleather; his head
Trailing the center. Vp he got, to chariot; where he laid
The armes repurchac't; and scourg'd on, his horse, that freely flew.
A whirlewind made of startl'd dust, draue with them, as they drew;
With which were all his black-browne curls, knotted in heapes, and fil'd.
And there lay Troys late Gracious; by Iupiter exil'd
To all disgrace, in his owne land, and by his parents seene.

When (like her sonnes head) all with dust, Troys miserable Queene,
Distain'd her temples; plucking off, her honor'd haire; and tore
Her royall garments, shrieking out. In like kind, Priam bore
His sacred person; like a wretch, that neuer saw good day,
Broken, with outcries. About both, the people prostrate lay;

Priam and Hecubas miserable plight for Hector

Held downe with Clamor; all the towne, vail'd with a cloud of teares.
Ilion, with all his tops on fire, and all the massacres,
Left for the Greeks, could put on lookes, of no more ouerthrow
Then now fraid life. And yet the king, did all their lookes outshow.
The wretched people could not beare, his soueraigne wretchednesse,
Plaguing himselfe so; thrusting out, and praying all the preasse
To open him the Dardan ports; that he alone might fetch
His dearest sonne in; and (all fil'd, with tumbling) did beseech

Priam to his friend.

Each man by name, thus: Loued friends, be you content; let me
(Though much ye grieue) be that poore meane, to our sad remedie,
Now in our wishes; I will go, and pray this impious man,

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(Author of horrors) making proofe, if ages reuerence can
Excite his pitie. His owne sire, is old like me; and he,
That got him to our giefes; perhaps, may (for my likenesse) be
Meane for our ruth to him. Ahlas, you haue no cause of cares,
Compar'd with me; I, many sonnes, grac't, with their freshest yeares
Haue lost by him: and all their deaths, in slaughter of this one,
(Afflicted man) are doubl'd: this, will bitterly set gone
My soule to hell. O would to heauen, I could but hold him dead
In these pin'd armes: then teares, on teares, might fall, till all were shed
In common fortune. Now amaze, their naturall course doth stop,
And pricks a mad veine. Thus he mourn'd; and with him, all brake ope
Their store of sorrowes. The poore Queene, amongst the women wept,

Hecubas complaint for Hector.

Turn'd into anguish: O my sonne, (she cried out) why, still kept,
Patient of horrors, is my life, when thine is vanished?
My dayes thou glorifiedst; my nights, rung of some honour'd deed,
Done by thy virtues: ioy to me, profite to all our care.
All made a god of thee; and thou, mad'st them, all that they are.
Now vnder fate, now dead. These two, thus vented as they could,
Their sorrowes furnace. Hectors wife, not hauing yet bene told
So much, as of his stay without. She in her chamber close,
Sate at her Loome: a peece of worke, grac't with a both sides glosse,
Strew'd curiously with varied flowres, her pleasure was; her care,
To heate a Caldron for her Lord, to bath him, turn'd from warre:
Of which, she chiefe charge gaue her maides. Poore Dame, she little knew
How much her cares lackt of his case. But now the Clamor flew
Vp to her turret: then she shooke; her worke fell from her hand,
And vp she started, cald her maides; she needs must vnderstand
That ominous outcrie. Come (said she) I heare through all this crie
My mothers voyce shrieke; to my throte, my heart bounds; Ecstasie
Vtterly alters me: some fate, is neare the haplesse sonnes
Of fading Priam: would to god, my words suspicions
No eare had heard yet: O I feare, and that most heartily;
That with some stratageme, the sonne, of Peleus hath put by
The wall of Ilion, my Lord; and (trusty of his feet)
Obtaind the chase of him alone; and now the curious heate
Of his still desperate spirit is cool'd. It let him neuer keep
In guard of others; before all, his violent foote must step,
Or his place, forfeited he held. Thus furie-like she went,
Two women (as she will'd) at hand; and made her quicke ascent
Vp to the towre, and preasse of men; her spirit in vprore. Round
She cast her greedy eye, and saw, her Hector slaine, and bound
T'Achilles chariot; manlesly, dragg'd to the Grecian fleet.
Blacke night strooke through her; vnder her, Trance tooke away her feet,
And backe she shrunke, with such a sway; that off her head-tire flew;
Her Coronet, Call, Ribands, Vaile, that golden Venus threw
On her white shoulders; that high day, when warre-like Hector wonne
Her hand in nuptials, in the Court, of king Eetion;
And that great dowre, then giuen with her. About her, on their knees,

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Her husbands sisters, brothers wiues, fell round, and by degrees
Recouerd her. Then, when againe, her respirations found
Free passe, (her mind and spirit met) these thoughts her words did sound.

Andromaches complaint for Hector.

O Hector, O me cursed dame; both borne beneath one fate:
Thou here, I in Cilician Thebes; where Placus doth elate,
His shadie forehead, in the Court, where king Eetion,
(Haplesse) begot vnhappy me; which would he had not done,
To liue past thee: thou now art diu'd, to Putos gloomie throne,
Sunke through the couerts of the earth: I, in a hell of mone,
Left here thy widdow: one poore babe, borne to vnhappy both,
Whom thou leau'st helplesse, as he thee; he borne to all the wroth
Of woe, and labour. Lands left him, will others seise vpon:
The Orphan day, of all friends helps, robs euery mothers son.
An Orphan, all men suffer sad; his eyes stand still with teares.
Need tries his fathers friends; and failes. Of all his fauourers
If one the cup giues, tis not long; the wine he finds in it,
Scarce moists his palate: if he chance, to gaine the grace, to sit;
Suruiuing fathers sonnes repine; vse contumelies, strike,
Bid, leaue vs; where's thy fathers place? He (weeping with dislike)
Retires to me. To me, ahlas, Astyanax is he
Borne to these miseries. He that late, fed on his fathers knee,
To whom all knees bow'd; daintiest fare, apposde him; and when Sleepe
Lay on his temples, his cries still'd (his heart, euen laid in steepe,
Of all things precious) a soft bed; a carefull nurses armes
Tooke him to guardiance; but now, as huge a world of harmes,
Lies on his suffrance; now thou wantst, thy fathers hand to friend:
O my Astyanax, O my Lord; thy hand that did defend,
These gates of Ilion: these long walls, by thy arme, measur'd still,
Amply, and onely: yet at fleete, thy naked corse must fill
Vile wormes, when dogs are satiate; farre from thy parents care;
Farre from those funerall ornaments; that thy mind would prepare,

Andromache wrought many funerall ornaments for Hector before his death.

(So sodaine being the chance of armes) euer expecting death.
Which taske (though my heart would not serue, t'employ my hands beneath)
I made my women yet performe. Many, and much in price
Were those integuments they wrought, t'adorne thy Exequies:
Which, since they flie thy vse, thy Corse, not laid in their attire;
Thy sacrifice they shall be made; these hands in mischieuous fire
Shall vent their vanities. And yet, (being consecrate to thee)
They shall be kept for citizens; and their faire wiues, to see.

Thus spake shee weeping; all the dames, endeuouring to cheare
Her desert state; (fearing their owne) wept with her teare for teare.

The end of the two and twentieth Booke.

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THE XXIII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Achilles orders Iusts of exequies
For his Patroclus; and doth sacrifise
Twelue Troian Princes; most lou'd hounds and horse;
And other offerings, to the honour'd Corse.
He institutes, besides, a funerall game;
Where Diomed, for horse-race, wins the fame:
For foote, Vlysses; others otherwise
Striue, and obtaine: and end the exequies.

Another Argument.

Psi, sings the rites of the decease
Ordaind by great Æacides.

Thus mourn'd all Troy: but when at fleet, and Hellespontus shore,
The Greeks arriu'd, each to his ship: onely the Conqueror
Kept vndisperst his Myrmidons: and said, Lou'd countrimen,

Achilles to his Myrmidons.

Disioyne not we, chariots, and horse: but (bearing hard our reine)
With state of both; march soft, and close, and mourne about the corse:
Tis proper honour to the dead. Then take we out our horse;
When with our friends kinds woe, our hearts, haue felt delight to do
A virtuous soule right, and then sup. This said, all full of woe,
Circl'd the Corse. Achilles led, and thrise about him, close
All bore their goodly coted horse. Amongst all, Thetis rose,
And stirr'd vp a delight, in griefe; till all their armes with teares
And all the sands, were wet: so much, they lou'd that Lord of Feares.
Then to the center fell the Prince; and (putting in the breast)
Of his slaine friend, his slaughtring hands;) began to all the rest
Words to their teares. Reioyce (said he) O my Patroclus: Thou

Achilles to the person of Patroclus.

Courted by Dis now: now I pay, to thy late ouerthrow,
All my reuenges vow'd before; Hector lies slaughterd here
Dragd at my chariot; and our dogs, shall all in peeces teare
His hated lims. Twelue Troian youths, borne of their noblest straines,
I tooke aliue: and (yet enrag'd) will emptie all their vaines
Of vitall spirits; sacrifisde, before thy heape of fire.

This said, a worke vnworthy him, he put vpon his ire,
And trampl'd Hector vnder foote, at his friends feet. The rest
Disarm'd; tooke horse from chariot, and all to sleepe addrest,
At his blacke vessell. Infinite, were those that rested there.

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Himselfe yet sleepes not; now his spirits, were wrought about the chere,
Fit for so high a funerall. About the steele vsde then,
Oxen in heapes lay bellowing; preparing food for men.
Bleating of sheepe, and goates, fild aire; numbers of white-tooth'd swine,
(Swimming in fat) lay findging there: the person of the slaine
Was girt with slaughter. All this done, all the Greeke kings conuaid
Achilles to the king of men; his rage, not yet allaid,
For his Patroclus. Being arriu'd, at Agamemnons tent;
Himselfe bad Heralds put to fire, a Caldron; and present
The seruice of it to the Prince; to trie if they could win
His pleasure, to admit their paines, to cleanse the blood sok't in
About his conquering hands, and browes. Not, by the king of heauen

Achilles ouerhearing, vsed this abruption.

(He swore). The lawes of friendship damne, this false-heart licence giuen
To men that lose friends: not a drop, shall touch me till I put
Patroclus in the funerall pile; before these curles be cut;
His tombe erected. Tis the last, of all care, I shall take,
While I consort the carefull: yet, for your entreaties sake,
(And though I lothe food) I will eate: but early in the morne,
Atrides, vse your strict command, that lodes of wood be borne
To our design'd place; all that fits, to light home such a one,
As is to passe the shades of Death; that fire enough, set gone
His person quickly from our eyes; and our diuerted men
May plie their businesse. This all eares, did freely entertaine,
And found obseruance. Then they supt, with all things fit; and all
Repair'd to tents and rest. The friend, the shores maritimall,

Achilles retreate from company to the seas shore.

Sought for his bed, and found a place, faire, and vpon which plaide
The murmuring billowes. There, his lims, to rest, not sleepe, he laid,
Heauily sighing. Round about (silent, and not too neare)
Stood all his Myrmidons; when straite, (so ouer-labour'd were
His goodly lineaments, with chace, of Hector; that beyond
His resolution not to sleepe:) Sleepe cast his sodaine bond
Ouer his sense, and losde his care. Then, of his wretched friend,

Patroclus appeares to Achilles sleeping.

The soule appear'd; at euery part, the forme did comprehend
His likenesse; his faire eyes, his voice, his stature; euery weed
His person wore, it fantased; and stood aboue his head,
This sad speech vttering: Dost thou sleepe? Æacides, am I
Forgotten of thee? Being aliue, I found thy memorie
Euer respectfull: but now dead, thy dying loue abates.
Interre me quickly; enter me, in Plutoes iron gates;
For now, the soules (the shades) of men, fled from this being, beate
My spirit from rest; and stay, my much desir'd receipt
Amongst soules, plac't beyond the flood. Now euery way I erre
About this brode-dor'd house of Dis. O helpe then, to preferre
My soule yet further; here I mourne: but had the funerall fire
Consum'd my bodie; neuer more, my spirit should retire
From hels low region: from thence, soules neuer are retriu'd
To talke with friends here; nor shall I; a hatefull fate depriu'd
My being here; that at my birth, was fixt; and to such fate,

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Euen thou, ô god-like man, art markt; the deadly Ilion gate,
Must entertaine thy death. O then, I charge thee now, take care
That our bones part not: but as life, combinde in equall fare,
Our louing beings; so let Death. When, from Opuntas towres,
My father brought me, to your roofes, (since (gainst my will) my powres
Incenst, and indiscreet, at dice, slue faire Amphidamas)
Then Peleus entertaind me well; then in thy charge I was
By his iniunction, and thy loue: and therein, let me still
Receiue protection. Both our bones, prouide, in thy last Will,
That one Vrne may containe; and make, that vessell all of gold,
That Thetis gaue thee; that rich Vrne. This said; Sleepe ceast to hold

Achilles waking to the shade of Patroclus.

Achilles temples; and the shade, thus he receiu'd: O friend,
What needed these commands? my care, before, meant to commend
My bones to thine, and in that Vrne. Be sure, thy will is done.
A little stay yet, lets delight, with some full passion
Of woe enough; eithers affects, embrace we. Opening thus
His greedie armes; he felt no friend: like matter vaporous
The spirit vanisht vnder earth, and murmur'd in his stoope.
Achilles started; both his hands, he clapt, and lifted vp,
In this sort wondring; O ye gods, I see we haue a soule
In th' vnderdwellings; and a kind, of man-resembling idole:

Achilles his discourse with him selfe about the apparition of Patroclus shade.

The soules seate yet, all matter felt, staies with the carkasse here.
O friends, haplesse Patroclus soule, did all this night appeare,
Weeping, and making mone to me; commanding euery thing
That I intended towards him; so truly figuring
Himselfe at all parts, as was strange. This accident did turne
To much more sorrow; and begat, a greedinesse to mourne
In all that heard. When mourning thus, the rosie morne arose:

The morning.

And Agamemnon, through the tents, wak't all; and did dispose,
Both men and Mules for cariage, of matter for the fire.

Agamemnon sends out companies to fetch fewell for the funerall heape, of which company Meriones was Captaine.

Of all which worke, Meriones, (the Cretan soueraigns squire)
Was Captaine, and abrode they went. Wood-cutting tooles they bore;
Of all hands, and well-twisted cords. The Mules marcht all before.
Vp hill, and downe hill; ouerthwarts, and breake-necke clifts they past:
But when the fountfull Idas tops, they scal'd, with vtmost haste,
All fell vpon the high-hair'd Okes; and downe their curled browes
Fell bussing to the earth: and vp, went all the boles and bowes,
Bound to the Mules; and backe againe, they parted the harsh way
Amongst them, through the tangling shrubs; and long they thought the day,
Till in the plaine field all arriu'd: for all the woodmen bore
Logs on their neckes; Meriones, would haue it so: the shore
At last they reacht yet; and then, downe, their cariages they cast,
And sat vpon them; where the sonne, of Peleus had plac't,
The ground for his great sepulcher, and for his friends, in one.

They raisd a huge pile; and to armes, went euery Myrmidon,
Charg'd by Achilles; chariots, and horse were harnessed;
Fighters and charitoters got vp; and they, the sad march led:
A cloude of infinite foote behind. In midst of all was borne

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Patroclus person, by his Peeres: on him, were all heads shorne;
Euen till they couer'd him with curles. Next to him, marcht his friend
Embracing his cold necke, all sad; since now he was to send,
His dearest, to his endlesse home. Arriu'd all, where the wood,
Was heapt for funerall, they set downe. Apart Achilles stood;

Achilles cuts his haire ouer his friends body.

And when enough wood was heapt on, he cut his golden haire;
Long kept, for Sperchius, the flood; in hope of safe repaire
To Phthia, by that riuers powre, but now, left hopelesse thus,
(Enrag'd, and looking on the sea) he cried out: Sperchius;
In vaine, my fathers pietie, vow'd; (at my implor'd returne,
To my lou'd countrie) that these curls, should on thy shores be shorne.
Besides a sacred Hecatombe; and sacrifice beside,
Of fiftie Weathers; at those founts, where men haue edifide
A loftie temple; and perfum'd, an altar to thy name.
There vow'd he all these offerings; but fate preuents thy fame;
His hopes not suffering satisfied: and since, I neuer more
Shall see my lou'd soyle; my friends hands, shall to the Stygian shore
Conuey these Tresses. Thus he put, in his friends hands the haire.
And this bred fresh desire of mone; and in that sad affaire,
The Sunne had set amongst them all; had Thetis sonne not spoke

Achilles to Agamemnon.

Thus to Atrides: King of men, thy aide I still inuoke,
Since thy Command, all men still heare; dismisse thy souldiers now,
And let them victle; they haue mourn'd, sufficient; tis we owe
The dead this honour; and with vs, let all the Captaines stay.

This heard; Atrides instantly, the souldiers sent away;
The funerall officers remain'd, and heapt on matter still,
Till, of an hundred foote about, they made the funerall pile:
In whose hote height, they cast the Corse; and then they pour'd on teares.
Numbers of fat sheepe, and like store, of crooked-going steres,
They slue before the solemne fire: stript off their hides and drest.
Of which, Achilles tooke the fat; and couer'd the deceast
From head to foote: and round about, he made the officers pile
The beasts nak't bodyes; vessels full, of honey, and of oyle,
Pour'd in them, laide vpon a bere; and cast into the fire.
Foure goodly horse; and of nine hounds, two most in the desire
Of that great Prince, and trencher-fed; all fed that hungry flame.

Twelue Princes sacrifised on the funerall pile of Patroclus.

Twelue Troian Princes last stood foorth; yong, and of toward fame:
All which, (set on with wicked spirits) there strooke he, there he slew.
And to the iron strength of fire, their noble lims he threw.

Then breath'd his last sighes, and these words: Againe reioyce my friend,
Euen in the ioylesse depth of hell: now giue I complete end
To all my vowes. Alone thy life, sustain'd not violence;
Twelue Troian Princes waite on thee, and labour to incense
Thy glorious heape of funerall. Great Hector Ile excuse,
The dogs shall eate him. These high threates, perform'd not their abuse;
Ioues daughter, Venus, tooke the guard, of noble Hectors Corse,
And kept the dogs off: night, and day, applying soueraigne force
Of rosie balmes; that to the dogs, were horrible in tast:

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And with which she the body fild. Renowm'd Apollo cast
A cloude from heauen; lest with the Sunne, the nerues and lineaments
Might drie, and putrifie. And now, some powres denide consents
To this solemnitie: the fire, (for all the oyly fewell
It had iniected) would not burne; and then the louing Cruell
Studied for helpe, and standing off; inuokt the two faire winds
(Zephyr and Boreas) to affoord, the rage of both their kinds,
To aid his outrage. Precious gifts, his earnest zeale did vow,
Powr'd from a golden bowle much wine; and prayde them both to blow
That quickly, his friends Corse might burne; and that heapes sturdy breast
Embrace Consumption. Iris heard; The winds were at a feast;

Iris to the winds.

All in the Court of Zephyrus (that boisterous blowing aire)
Gather'd together. She that weares, the thousand-colourd haire,
Flew thither, standing in the porch. They (seeing her) all arose;
Cald to her; euery one desir'd: she would a while repose,
And eate with them. She answerd; No, no place of seate is here;
Retreate cals to the Ocean, and Æthiopia; where
A Hecatombe is offering now, to heauen: and there must I
Partake the feast of sacrifise; I come to signifie

The North and West wind flie to incense the funerall pile.

That Thetis sonne implores your aides (Princes of North and West)
With vowes of much faire sacrifise; if each, will set his breast
Against his heape of funerall, and make it quickly burne;
Patroclus lies there; whose deceasse, all the Achaians mourne.

She said, and parted; and out rusht, with an vnmeasur'd rore,
Those two winds, tumbling clouds in heapes; vshers to eithers blore.
And instantly they reacht the sea. Vp flew the waues; the gale
Was strong; reacht fruitfull Troy; and full, vpon the fire they fall.
The huge heape thunderd. All night long, from his chok't breast they blew
A liberall flame vp; and all night, swift-foote Achilles threw
Wine from a golden bowle, on earth; and steept the soyle in wine,
Still calling on Patroclus soule. No father could incline
More to a sonne most deare; nor more, mourne at his burned bones,
Then did the great Prince, to his friend, at his combustions;
Still creeping neare and neare the heape; still sighing, weeping still:

The morning.

But when the day starre look't abrode, and promist from his hill
Light, which the saffron morne made good, and sprinkl'd on the seas;
Then languisht the great pile; then sunke, the flames; and then calme Peace
Turn'd backe the rough winds to their homes, the Thracian billow rings
Their high retreate; rufl'd with cuffes, of their triumphant wings.

Pelides then forsooke the pile; and to his tired limme
Chusd place of rest; where laide, sweete sleepe, fell to his wish on him.
When all the kings guard (waiting then, perceiuing will to rise
In that great Session,) hurried in, and op't againe his eyes
With tumult of their troope, and haste. A little then he rear'd
His troubled person; sitting vp, and this affaire referd,
To wisht commandment of the kings; Atrides, and the rest

Achilles to Agamemnon and the other kings.

Of our Commanders generall, vouchsafe me this request
Before your parting: Giue in charge, the quenching with blacke wine,

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Of this heapes reliques; euery brand, the yellow fire made shine.
And then, let search Patroclus bones, distinguishing them well;
As well ye may; they kept the midst: the rest, at randome fell,
About th' extreme part of the pile; Mens bones, and horses mixt.
Being found, Ile finde an vrne of gold, t'enclose them; and betwixt
The aire and them; two kels of fat, lay on them; and to Rest
Commit them, till mine owne bones seale, our loue; my soule deceast.
The sepulcher, I haue not charg'd, to make of too much state;
But of a modell something meane: that you of yonger Fate,
(When I am gone) may amplifie; with such a bredth and height,
As fits your iudgements, and our worths. This charge receiu'd his weight
In all obseruance: first they quencht, with sable wine, the heape,
As farre as it had fed the flame. The ash fell wondrous deepe,
In which, his consorts, that his life, religiously lou'd,
Searcht, weeping, for his bones; which found, they conscionably prou'd
His will, made to Æacides; and what his loue did adde.
A golden vessell, double fat, containd them; all which (clad
In vailes of linnen, pure and rich) were solemnly conuaid
T'Achilles tent. The platforme then, about the pile they laid,
Of his fit sepulcher; and raisd, a heape of earth; and then
Offerd departure. But the Prince, retaind there still his men;
Employing them to fetch from fleete, rich Tripods for his games,
Caldrons, Horse, Mules, brode-headed Beeues, bright steele, & brighter dames.

The games for Patroclus funerall.

The best at horse race, he ordain'd, a Lady for his prise,
Generally praisefull; faire, and yong, and skild in housewiferies,
Of all kinds fitting; and withall, a Triuet, that enclosde
Twentie two measures roome, with eares. The next prise he proposde,
Was (that, which then had high respect) a mare of sixe yeares old,
Vnhandl'd; horsed with a mule: and readie to haue foald.
The third game, was a Caldron, new, faire, bright, and could for sise
Containe two measures. For the fourth, two talents quantities,
Of finest gold. The fift game was, a great new standing boule,
To set downe both waies. These brought in, Achilles then stood vp,
And said; Atrides, and my Lords, chiefe horsemen of our host,

Achilles to the Grecian kings.

These games expect ye. If my selfe, should interpose my most,
For our horse race; I make no doubt, but I should take againe
These gifts proposde. Ye all know well, of how diuine a straine
My horse are, and how eminent. Of Neptunes gift they are
To Peleus; and of his to me. My selfe then, will not share
In gifts giuen others; nor my steeds, breathe any spirit to shake
Their airie pasterns; so they mourne, for their kind guiders sake,
Late lost; that vsde with humorous oyle, to slick their loftie manes;
Cleare water hauing cleansd them first: and (his bane, being their banes)
Those loftie manes now strew the earth; their heads held shaken downe.
You then, that trust in chariots, and hope with horse to crowne
Your conquering temples; gird your selues; now fame and prise stretch for,
All that haue spirits. This fir'd all; the first competitor
Was king Eumelus; whom the Art, of horsemanship did grace,

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Sonne to Admetus. Next to him, rose Diomed to the race,
That vnder reines rul'd Troian horse; of late, forc't from the sonne
Of Lord Anchises; himselfe freed, of neare confusion
By Phœbus. Next to him set foorth, the yellow-headed king
Of Lacedæmon, Ioues high seed; and in his managing,
Podargus, and swift Æthe trod, steeds to the king of men.
Æthe, giuen by Echepolus; the Anchisiaden,
As bribe to free him from the warre, resolu'd for Ilion.
So Delicacie feasted him; whom Ioue bestow'd vpon
A mightie wealth; his dwelling was, in brode Sicyone.
Old Nestors sonne, Antilochus, was fourth for chiualrie
In this Contention: his faire horse, were of the Pylian breed,
And his old father (coming neare) inform'd him (for good speed)
With good Race notes; in which himselfe, could good instruction giue.

Antilochus, though yong thou art; yet thy graue virtues liue

Nestor to his son Antilochus giues instructions for the race with chariots.

Belou'd of Neptune, and of Ioue: their spirits haue taught thee all
The art of horsemanship; for which, the lesse thy merits fall
In need of doctrine. Well thy skill, can wield a chariot
In all fit turnings; yet thy horse, their slow feet handle not,
As fits thy manage; which makes me, cast doubts of thy successe.
I well know, all these are not seene, in art of this addresse,
More then thy selfe: their horses yet, superior are to thine,
For their parts: thine want speed to make, discharge of a designe
To please an Artist. But go on, shew but thy art and hart
At all points; and set them against, their horses, heart, and art;
Good Iudges will not see thee lose. A Carpenters desert
Stands more in cunning then in powre. A Pylote doth auert
His vessell from the rocke, and wracke, tost with the churlish winds,
By skill, not strength: so sorts it here; One chariotere that finds
Want of anothers powre in horse, must in his owne skill set
An ouerplus of that, to that; and so the proofe will get
Skill, that still rests within a man, more grace, then powre without.
He that in horse and chariots trusts, is often hurl'd about,
This way, and that, vnhandsomely; all heauen wide of his end.
He better skild, that rules worse horse, will all obseruance bend,
Right on the scope still of a Race; beare neare; know euer when to reine,
When giue reine, as his foe before, (well noted in his veine,
Of manage, and his steeds estate) presents occasion.
Ile giue thee instance now, as plaine, as if thou saw'st it done.
Here stands a drie stub of some tree, a cubite from the ground;
(Suppose the stub of Oake, or Larch; for either are so sound
That neither rots with wet) two stones, white (marke you) white for view

A Cōment might well be bestowed vpon this speech of Nestor.

Parted on either side the stub; and these lay where they drew
The way into a streight; the Race, betwixt both lying cleare.
Imagine them some monument, of one long since tomb'd there;
Or that they had bene lists of race, for men of former yeares;
As now the lists Achilles sets, may serue for charioteres
Many yeares hence. When neare to these, the race growes; then as right,

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Driue on them as thy eye can iudge; then lay thy bridles weight
Most of thy left side: thy right horse, then switching; all thy throte
(Spent in encouragments) giue him; and all the reine let flote
About his shoulders: thy neare horse, will yet be he that gaue
Thy skill the prise; and him reine so, his head may touch the Naue
Of thy left wheele: but then take care, thou runst not on the stone,
(With wracke of horse and chariot) which so thou bear'st vpon.
Shipwracke within the hauen auoide, by all meanes; that will breed
Others delight, and thee a shame. Be wise then, and take heed
(My lou'd sonne) get but to be first, at turning in the course;
He liues not that can cote thee then: not if he backt the horse
The gods bred, and Adrastus ow'd. Diuine Arions speed,
Could not outpace thee; or the horse, Laomedon did breed;
Whose race is famous, and fed here. Thus sat Neleiaes,

Nestors aged loue of speech, was here briefly noted.

When all that could be said, was said. And then Meriones
Set fiftly forth his faire-man'd horse. All leapt to chariot;
And euery man then for the start, cast in, his proper lot.
Achilles drew; Antilochus, the lot set foremost foorth;
Eumelus next; Atrides third; Meriones the fourth.
The fifth and last, was Diomed; farre first in excellence.
All stood in order, and the lists, Achilles fixt farre thence
In plaine field; and a seate ordain'd, fast by. In which he set

Phœnix chiefe iudge of the best deseruers in the race.

Renowmed Phœnix, that in grace, of Peleus was so great;
To see the race, and giue a truth, of all their passages.
All start together, scourg'd, and cried; and gaue their businesse
Study and order. Through the field, they held a winged pace.
Beneath the bosome of their steeds, a dust so dim'd the race:
It stood aboue their heads in clowds; or like to stormes amaz'd.
Manes flew like ensignes with the wind; the chariots sometime graz'd,
And sometimes iumpt vp to the aire; yet still sat fast the men:
Their spirits euen panting in their breasts, with feruour to obtaine.
But when they turn'd to fleet againe: then all mens skils were tride;
Then stretcht the pasternes of their steeds. Eumelus horse in pride
Still bore their Soueraigne. After them, came Diomeds coursers close,
Still apt to leape their chariot, and ready to repose
Vpon the shoulders of their king, their heads. His backe euen burn'd
With fire, that from their nostrils flew. And then, their Lord had turn'd
The race for him, or giuen it doubt, if Phœbus had not smit
The scourge out of his hands; and teares, of helplesse wrath with it,
From forth his eyes; to see his horse, for want of scourge, made slow;
And th' others (by Apollos helpe) with much more swiftnesse go.

Apollos spite, Pallas discern'd, and flew to Tydeus sonne;
His scourge reacht, and his horse made fresh. Then tooke her angry runne
At king Eumelus; brake his geres; his mares on both sides flew;
His draught tree fell to earth; and him, the tost vp chariot threw
Downe to the earth; his elbowes torne; his forehead, all his face
Strooke at the center; his speech lost. And then the turned race
Fell to Tydides: before all, his conquering horse he draue:

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And first he glitter'd in the race: diuine Athenia gaue
Strength to his horse, and fame to him. Next him, draue Spartas king.
Antilochus, his fathers horse, then vrg'd, with all his sting
Of scourge and voice. Runne low (said he) stretch out your lims, and flie.

Antilochus to his steeds.

With Diomeds horse, I bid not striue; nor with himselfe striue I.
Athenia wings his horse, and him, renowmes. Atrides steeds
Are they ye must not faile but reach; and soone, lest soone succeeds
The blot of all your fames: to yeeld, in swiftnesse to a mare:
To femall Æthe. Whats the cause (yet best that euer were)
That thus ye faile vs? Be assur'd, that Nestors loue ye lose
For euer if ye faile his sonne: through both your both sides goes
His hote steele, if ye suffer me, to bring the last prise home.
Haste, ouertake them instantly; we needs must ouercome.
This harsh way next vs: this my mind, will take; this I despise
For perill; this Ile creepe through; hard, the way to honor lies.
And that take I, and that shall yeeld. His horse by all this knew
He was not pleasde, and fear'd his voice; and for a while, they flew:
But straite, more cleare, appear'd the streight, Antilochus foresaw;
It was a gaspe the earth gaue, forc't, by humours, cold and raw,
Pour'd out of Winters watrie breast; met there, and cleauing deepe
All that neare passage to the lists. This Nestors sonne would keepe,
And left the rode way, being about; Atrides fear'd, and cride:

Menelaus in feare to follow Antilochus, who ye may see playd vpon him.

Antilochus! thy course is mad; containe thy horse; we ride
A way most dangerous; turne head, betime take larger field,
We shall be splitted. Nestors sonne, with much more scourge impeld
His horse, for this; as if not heard; and got as farre before,
As any youth can cast a quoyte; Atrides would no more;
He backe againe, for feare himselfe, his goodly chariot,
And horse together, strew'd the dust; in being so dustie hote,
Of thirsted conquest. But he chid, at parting, passing sore:

Antilochus (said he) a worse, then thee, earth neuer bore:

Menelaus chides Antilochus.

Farewell; we neuer thought thee wise, that were wise; but not so
Without othes, shall the wreath (be sure) crowne thy mad temples, Go.

Yet he bethought him, and went too; thus stirring vp his steeds:
Leaue me not last thus, nor stand vext; let these faile in the speeds
Of feet and knees; not you: shall these, these old iades, (past the flowre
Of youth, that you haue) passe you? This, the horse fear'd, and more powre
Put to their knees; straite getting ground. Both flew, and so the rest;
All came in smokes, like spirits; the Greeks, (set to fee who did best,
Without the race, aloft:) now made, a new discouerie,
Other then that they made at first; Idomeneus eye
Distinguisht all; he knew the voice, of Diomed; seeing a horse
Of speciall marke, of colour bay, and was the first in course;
His forehead putting forth a starre, round, like the Moone, and white.
Vp stood the Cretan, vttering this; Is it alone my sight,

Idomenæus the king of Crete first discouers the runners.

(Princes, and Captaines) that discernes, another leade the race,
With other horse, then led of late? Eumelus made most pace,
With his fleete mares; and he began, the flexure, as we thought.

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Now all the field I search, and find, no where his view; hath nought
Befalne amisse to him? perhaps, he hath not with successe
Perform'd his flexure: his reines lost, or seate, or with the tresse
His chariot faild him; and his mares, haue outraid with affright:
Stand vp, trie you your eyes; for mine, hold with the second sight.
This seemes to me, th' Etolian king; the Tydean Diomed.

Aiax Oileus angry with Idomeneus.

To you it seemes so, (rustickly) Aiax Oileus said;
Your words are suited to your eyes. Those mares leade still, that led;
Eumelus owes them: and he still, holds reines and place that did;
Not falne as you hop't: you must prate, before vs all, though last
In iudgement of all: y'are too old, your tongue goes still too fast;
You must not talke so. Here are those, that better thee, and looke
For first place in the censure. This, Idomeneus tooke

Idomeneus to Aiax.

In much disdaine; and thus replide: Thou best, in speeches worst;
Barbarous languag'd; others here, might haue reprou'd me first:
Not thou, vnfitst of all. I hold, a Tripode with thee here,
Or Caldron; and our Generall make, our equall arbiter,
Those horse are first; that when thou paist, thou then maist know. This fir'd
Oileades more; and more then words, this quarell had inspir'd,
Had not Achilles rose; and vsde, this pacifying speech.

No more: away with words in warre, it toucheth both with breach

Achilles pacifies Idomeneus and Aiax.

Of that which fits ye; your deserts, should others reprehend,
That giue such foule termes: sit ye still, the men themselues will end
The strife betwixt you instantly; and eithers owne lode beare,
On his owne shoulders. Then to both, the first horse will appeare,
And which is second. These words vsde, Tydides was at hand;
His horse ranne high, glanc't on the way, and vp they tost the sand,
Thicke on their Coachman; on their pace, their chariot deckt with gold
Swiftly attended; no wheele seene, nor wheeles print in the mould
Imprest behind them. These horse flew, a flight; not ranne a race.

Arriu'd; amids the lists they stood; sweate trickling downe apace

The runners arriue at the races end.

Their high manes, and their prominent breasts; and downe iumpt Diomed,
Laid vp his scorge aloft the seate; and straite his prise was led
Home to his tent: rough Sthenelus, laid quicke hand on the dame,
And handled Triuet, and sent both, home by his men. Next came
Antilochus, that wonne with wiles, not swiftnesse of his horse,
Precedence of the gold-lockt king; who yet maintaind the course
So close, that not the kings owne horse, gat more before the wheele
Of his rich chariot; that might still, the insecution feele
With the extreme haires of his taile: (and that sufficient close
Held to his leader: no great space, it let him interpose,
Considerd in so great a field.) Then Nestors wilie sonne
Gate of the king: now at his heeles, though at the breach he wonne
A quoytes cast of him; which the king, againe, at th' instant gaind.
Æthe, Agamemnonides, that was so richly maind,
Gat strength still, as she spent; which words, her worth had prou'd with deeds,
Had more ground bene allow'd the race; and coted farre, his steeds,
No question leauing for the prise. And now Meriones,

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A darts cast came behind the king; his horse of speed much lesse;
Himselfe lesse skild t'importune them; and giue a chariot wing.
Admetus sonne was last; whose plight, Achilles pittying,
Thus spake: Best man comes last; yet Right, must see his prise not least;

Achilles sentence.

The second, his deserts must beare; and Diomed the best.

He said, and all allow'd; and sure, the mare had bene his owne,
Had not Antilochus stood forth; and in his answer showne,

Antilochus to Achilles.

Good reason for his interest. Achilles, (he replied)
I should be angry with you much, to see this ratified.
Ought you to take from me my right? because his horse had wrong,
Himselfe being good? he should haue vsde (as good men do) his tongue,
In prayre to their powres that blesse good (not trusting to his owne)
Not to haue bene in this good, last. His chariot ouerthrowne,
O'rethrew not me; who's last? who's first? mens goodnesse, without these
Is not our question. If his good, you pitie yet; and please,
Princely to grace it; your tents hold, a goodly deale of gold,
Brasse, horse, sheepe, women; out of these, your bountie may be bold
To take a much more worthy prise, then my poore merit seekes,
And giue it here, before my face, and all these; that the Greekes
May glorifie your liberall hands. This prise, I will not yeeld;
Who beares this (whatsoeuer man) he beares a tried field.
His hand and mine must change some blowes. Achilles laught, and said:

If thy will be (Antilochus) Ile see Eumelus paid,
Out of my tents; Ile giue him th' armes, which late I conquerd in
Asteropæus; forg'd of brasse, and wau'd about with tin;
Twill be a present worthy him. This said, Automedon,
He sent for them. He went; and brought; and to Admetus sonne,
Achilles gaue them. He, well pleasde, receiu'd them. Then arose,
Wrong'd Menelaus, much incenst, with yong Antilochus.
He, bent to speake; a herald tooke, his Scepter, and gaue charge
Of silence to the other Greeks; then did the king enlarge
The spleene he prisoned; vttering this: Antilochus? till now,

Note Menelaus ridiculous speech for conclusion of his character.

We grant thee wise; but in this act, what wisedome vtter'st thou?
Thou hast disgrac't my vertue; wrong'd, my horse; preferring thine,
Much their inferiors; but go to, Princes; nor his, nor mine,
Iudge of with fauour; him, nor me; lest any Grecian vse
This scandall; Menelaus wonne, with Nestors sonnes abuse,
The prise in question; his horse worst; himselfe yet wanne the best,
By powre and greatnesse. Yet because, I would not thus contest,
To make parts taking; Ile be iudge; and I suppose, none here
Will blame my iudgement; Ile do right; Antilochus, come neare;
Come (noble gentleman) tis your place; sweare by th' earth circling god,
(Standing before your chariot, and horse; and that selfe rod,
With which you scourg'd them, in your hand) if both with will and wile,
You did not crosse my chariot. He thus did reconcile

Antilochus his ironicall reply.

Grace with his disgrace; and with wit, restor'd him to his wit;
Now craue I patience: ô king, what euer was vnfit,
Ascribe to much more youth in me, then you; you more in age,

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And more in excellence; know well, the outraies that engage
All yong mens actions; sharper wits, but duller wisedomes still
From vs flow, then from you; for which, curbe with your wisedome, will.
The prise I thought mine, I yeeld yours; and (if you please) a prise
Of greater value; to my tent, Ile send for, and suffise
Your will at full, and instantly; for in this point of time,
I rather wish to be enioyn'd, your fauors top to clime,

Ironicé

Then to be falling all my time, from height of such a grace;
(O Ioue-lou'd king) and of the gods, receiue a curse in place.

This said; he fetcht the prise to him; and it reioyc't him so;

This Simile likewise is meerly Ironicall.

That as corne-eares shine with the dew; yet hauing time to grow;
When fields set all their bristles vp: in such a ruffe wert thou,
(O Menelaus) answering thus; Antilochus, I now,
(Though I were angry) yeeld to thee; because I see th' hadst wit,
When I thought not; thy youth hath got, the mastery of thy spirit.
And yet for all this, tis more safe, not to abuse at all,

Menelaus to Antilochus.

Great men; then (ventring) trust to wit, to take vp what may fall.
For no man in our host beside, had easely calm'd my spleene,
Stird with like tempest. But thy selfe, hast a sustainer bene
Of much affliction in my cause: so thy good father too,
And so thy brother, at thy suite; I therefore let all go;
Giue thee the game here, though mine owne; that all these may discerne,
King Menelaus beares a mind, at no part, proud, or sterne.

The king thus calm'd, Antilochus, receiu'd; and gaue the steed
To lou'd Noemon, to leade thence; and then receiu'd beside
The caldron. Next, Meriones, for fourth game, was to haue
Two talents, gold. The fift (vnwonne) renowm'd Achilles gaue
To reuerend Nestor; being a boule, to set on either end,

Achilles his gift to Nestor.

Which through the preasse he caried him; Receiue (said he) old friend,
This gift, as funerall monument, of my deare friend deceast,
Whom neuer you must see againe; I make it his bequest
To you; as without any strife, obtaining it from all.
Your shoulders must not vndergo, the churlish whoorlbats fall;
Wrastling is past you; strife in darts; the footes celeritie;
Harsh age in his yeares fetters you; and honor sets you free.

Thus gaue he it; he tooke, and ioyd; but ere he thankt, he said;

Nestors glorie in the gift of Achilles.

Now sure my honorable sonne, in all points thou hast plaid
The comely Orator; no more, must I contend with nerues;
Feete faile, and hands; armes want that strength, that this, and that swinge serues
Vnder your shoulders. Would to heauen, I were so yong chind now,
And strength threw such a many of bones, to celebrate this show;
As when the Epians brought to fire (actiuely honoring thus)
King Amarynceas funerals, in faire Buprasius.
His sonnes put prises downe for him; where, not a man matcht me,
Of all the Epians; or the sonnes, of great-soul'd Ætolie;
No nor the Pilians themselues, my countrimen. I beate
Great Clydomedeus, Enops sonne, at buffets; at the feate
Of wrastling, I laid vnder me; one that against me rose,

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Ancæus cald Pleuronius. I made Ipiclus lose
The foot-game to me. At the speare, I conquer'd Polydore,
And strong Phyleus. Actors sonnes, (of all men) onely bore
The palme at horse race; conquering, with lashing on more horse,
And enuying my victorie, because (before their course)
All the best games were gone with me. These men were twins; one was
A most sure guide; a most sure guide. The other gaue the passe
With rod and mettle. This was then. But now, yong men must wage
These workes; and my ioynts vndergo, the sad defects of age.
Though then I was another man;

His desire of praise pants still.

at that time I exceld
Amongst th' heroes. But forth now, let th' other rites be held
For thy deceast friend: this thy gift, in all kind part I take;
And much it ioyes my heart, that still, for my true kindnesse sake,
You giue me memorie. You perceiue, in what fit grace I stand
Amongst the Grecians; and to theirs, you set your gracefull hand.
The gods giue ample recompence, of grace againe to thee,
For this, and all thy fauors. Thus, backe through the thrust draue he,

Another note of Nestors humor, not so much being to be plainly obserued in all these Iliads as in this booke.

When he had staid out all the praise, of old Neltides.

And now for buffets (that rough game) he orderd passages;
Proposing a laborious Mule, of sixe yeares old, vntam'd,
And fierce in handling; brought, and bound, in that place where they gam'd:
And to the conquerd, a round cup; both which, he thus proclames.

Atrides, and all friends of Greece, two men, for these two games;

Achilles proposes the game for buffets.

I bid stand forth; who best can strike, with high contracted fists,
(Apollo giuing him the wreath) know all about these lists,
Shall winne a Mule, patient of toyle? the vanquisht, this round cup.

This vtterd; Panopeus sonne, Epeus, straight stood vp;
A tall huge man; that to the naile, knew that rude sport of hand;
And (seising the tough mule) thus spake: Now let some other stand

Note the sharpnes of wit in our Homer, if where you looke not for it, you can find it

Forth for the cup; this Mule is mine; at cuffes I bost me best;
Is't not enough I am no souldier? who is worthiest
At all workes? none; not possible. At this yet, this I say,
And will performe this; who stands forth; Ile burst him; I will bray
His bones as in a mortar; fetch, surgeons enow, to take
His corse from vnder me. This speech, did all men silent make;
At last stood forth Euryalus; a man, god-like, and sonne
To king Mecisteus; the grand child, of honor'd Talaon.
He was so strong, that (coming once to Thebes, when Oedipus
Had like rites solemniz'd for him) he went victorious
From all the Thebanes. This rare man, Tydides would prepare;
Put on his girdle; oxehide cords, faire wrought; and spent much care,
That he might conquer; heartned him; and taught him trickes. Both drest
Fit for th' affaire; both forth were brought; then breast opposde to breast;
Fists against fists rose; and they ioynd; ratling of iawes was there;
Gnashing of teeth; and heauie blowes, dasht bloud out euery where.
At length, Epeus spide cleare way; rusht in; and such a blow
Draue vnderneath the others eare; that his neate lims did strow
The knockt earth; no more legs had he; But as a huge fish laid

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Neare to the cold-weed-gathering shore, is with a North flaw fraid;
Shootes backe; and in the blacke deepe hides: So lent against the ground,
Was foyl'd Euryalus; his strength, so hid in more profound
Deepes of Epeus; who tooke vp, th' intranc't Competitor;
About whom rusht a crowd of friends, that through the clusters bore
His faltring knees; he spitting vp, thicke clods of bloud; his head

Achilles puts downe prise for wrastlers.

Totterd of one side; his sence gone. When (to a by-place led)
Thither they brought him the round cup. Pelides then set forth
Prise for a wrastling; to the best, a triuet, that was worth
Twelue oxen, great, and fit for fire; the conquer'd was t'obtaine
A woman excellent in workes; her beautie, and her gaine,
Prisde at foure oxen. Vp he stood, and thus proclaim'd: Arise
You wrastlers, that will proue for these. Out stept the ample sise

Vlysses and Aiax wrastle.

Of mightie Aiax, huge in strength; to him, Laertes sonne,
That craftie one, as huge in sleight. Their ceremonie done,
Of making readie; forth they stept; catch elbowes with strong hands;

Simile.

And as the beames of some high house, cracke with a storme, yet stands
The house, being built by well-skild men: So crackt their backe bones wrincht
With horrid twitches. In their sides, armes, shoulders (all bepincht)
Ran thicke the wals, red with the bloud, ready to start out; both
Long'd for the conquest, and the prise; yet shewd no play; being loth
To lose both; nor could Ithacus, stirre Aiax; nor could he
Hale downe Vlysses; being more strong, then with mere strength to be
Hurl'd from all vantage of his sleight. Tir'd then, with tugging play;

Aiax to Vlysses.

Great Aiax Telamonius said: Thou wisest man; or lay
My face vp, or let me lay thine; let Ioue take care for these.
This said, he hoist him vp to aire, when Laertiades
His wiles forgat not; Aiax thigh, he strooke behind; and flat
He on his backe fell; on his breast, Vlysses. Wonderd at
Was this of all; all stood amaz'd. Then the-much-suffering-man
(Diuine Vlysses) at next close; the Telamonian
A litle raisde from earth; not quite; but with his knee implide
Lockt legs; and downe fell both on earth, close by each others side;
Both fil'd with dust; but starting vp, the third close they had made,
Had not Achilles selfe stood vp; restraining them, and bad;

Achilles parts Vlysses and Aiax.

No more tug one another thus, nor moyle your selues; receiue
Prise equall; conquest crownes ye both; the lists to others leaue.

Prises for runners.

They heard and yeelded willingly; brusht off the dust; and on
Put other vests. Pelides then, to those that swiftest runne,
Proposde another prise; a boule, beyond comparison
(Both for the sise and workmanship) past all the boules of earth;
It held fixe measures; siluer all; but had his speciall worth,
For workmanship; receiuing forme, from those ingenious men
Of Sydon: the Phœnicians, made choise; and brought it then,
Along the greene sea; giuing it, to Thoas; by degrees
It came t'Eunaus, Iasons sonne; who, yong Priamides,
(Lycaon) of Achilles friend, bought with it; and this, here,
Achilles made best game, for him, that best his feete could beare.

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For second, he proposde an Oxe; a huge one, and a fat;
And halfe a talent gold for last. These, thus he set them at.

Rise, you that will assay for these; forth stept Oileades;
Vlysses answerd; and the third, was one, esteem'd past these

Vlysses, Aiax Oileus and Antilochus for the Foot-race.

For footmanship; Antilochus. All rankt; Achilles show'd
The race-scope. From the start, they glid; Oileades bestow'd
His feete the swiftest; close to him, flew god-like Ithacus;
And as a Ladie at her loome, being yong and beauteous,

Simile.

Her silke-shittle close to her breast (with grace that doth inflame,
And her white hand) lifts quicke, and oft, in drawing from her frame
Her gentle thred; which she vnwinds, with euer at her brest,
Gracing her faire hand: So close still, and with such interest,
In all mens likings, Ithacus, vnwound, and spent the race
By him before; tooke out his steps, with putting in their place,
Promptly and gracefully his owne; sprinkl'd the dust before;
And clouded with his breath his head: so facilie he bore
His royall person, that he strooke, shoutes from the Greekes, with thirst,
That he should conquer; though he flew; yet come, come, ô come first,
Euer they cried to him; and this, euen his wise breast did moue,

Vlysses prayes to Minerua for speed.

To more desire of victorie; it made him pray, and proue,
Mineruas aide (his fautresse still): O goddesse, heare (said he)
And to my feete stoope with thy helpe; now happie Fautresse be.

She was; and light made all his lims; and now (both neare their crowne)
Minerua tript vp Aiax heeles, and headlong he fell downe,
Amids the ordure of the beasts, there negligently left,
Since they were slaine there; and by this, Mineruas friend bereft
Oileades of that rich bowle; and left his lips, nose, eyes,
Ruthfully smer'd. The fat oxe yet, he seisd for second prise,
Held by the horne, spit out the taile; and thus spake, all besmear'd:

O villanous chance! this Ithacus, so highly is indear'd
To his Minerua; that her hand, is euer in his deeds:

Aiax Oileus iests out his fall to the Greekes.

She, like his mother, nestles him; for from her it proceeds,
(I know) that I am vsde thus. This, all in light laughter cast;
Amongst whom, quicke Antilochus, laught out his coming last,
Thus wittily: Know, all my friends, that all times past, and now,

Antilochus likewise helpes out his coming last.

The gods most honour, most-liu'd men; Oileades ye know,
More old then I; but Ithacus, is of the formost race;
First generation of men. Giue the old man his grace;
They count him of the greene-hair'd eld; they may, or in his flowre;
For not our greatest flourisher, can equall him in powre,
Of foote-strife, but Æacides. Thus sooth'd he Thetis sonne;
Who thus accepted it: Well youth, your praises shall not runne,

Achilles to Antilochus.

.
With vnrewarded feete, on mine; your halfe a talents prise,
Ile make a whole one: take you sit. He tooke, and ioy'd. Then flies
Another game forth; Thetis sonne, set in the lists, a lance,
A shield, and helmet; being th' armes, Sarpedon did aduance
Against Patroclus; and he prisde. And thus he nam'd th' addresse:

Stand forth, two the most excellent, arm'd; and before all these,

Prise for the fighters armed.

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Giue mutuall onset, to the touch, and wound of eithers flesh;
Who first shall wound, through others armes, his blood appearing fresh;
Shall win this sword, siluerd, and hatcht; the blade is right of Thrace;
Asteropaus yeelded it. These armes shall part their grace,
With eithers valour; and the men, Ile liberally feast
At my pauilion. To this game, the first man that addrest,

Diomed and Aiax combat.

Was Aiax Telamonius; to him, king Diomed;
Both, in opposde parts of the preasse, full arm'd; both entered
The lists amids the multitude; put lookes on so austere,
And ioyn'd so roughly; that amaze, surprisde the Greeks, in feare
Of eithers mischiefe. Thrice they threw, their fierce darts; and closde thrice.
Then Aiax strooke through Diomeds shield, but did no preiudice;
His curets saft him. Diomeds dart, still ouer shoulders flew;
Still mounting with the spirit it bore. And now rough Aiax grew
So violent, that the Greeks cried: Hold; no more; let them no more
Giue equall prise to either; yet, the sword, proposde before,

Achilles proposes a game for hurling of the stone or boule.

For him did best; Achilles gaue, to Diomed. Then a stone,
(In fashion of a sphere) he show'd; of no inuention,
But naturall; onely melted through, with iron. Twas the boule,
That king Ection vsde to hurle: but he, bereft of soule,
By great Achilles; to the fleete, with store of other prise,
He brought it; and proposde it now; both for the exercise,
And prise it selfe. He stood, and said: Rise you that will approue
Your armes strengths now, in this braue strife: his vigor that can moue
This furthest; needs no game but this; for reach he nere so farre,
With large fields of his owne, in Greece; (and so needs for his Carre,
His Plow, or other tooles of thrift, much iron) Ile able this

Ironicé.

For fiue reuolued yeares; no need, shall vse his messages
To any towne, to furnish him; this onely boule shall yeeld
Iron enough, for all affaires. This said; to trie this field,
First Polypates issued; next Leontaus; third
Great Aiax; huge Epeus fourth. Yet he was first that stird
That myne of iron. Vp it went; and vp he tost it so,
That laughter tooke vp all the field. The next man that did throw,
Was Leonteus; Aiax third; who gaue it such a hand,
That farre past both their markes it flew. But now twas to be mann'd
By Polypetes; and as farre, as at an Oxe that strayes,
A herdsman can swing out his goade: so farre did he outraise
The stone past all men; all the field, rose in a shout to see't.
About him flockt his friends; and bore, the royall game to fleete.

Another game.

For Archerie, he then set forth, ten axes, edg'd two waies;
And ten of one edge. On the shore, farre off, he causd to raise
A ship-mast; to whose top they tied, a fearfull Doue by th' foote;
At which, all shot; the game put thus: He that the Doue could shoote,
Nor touch the string that fastn'd her; the two-edg'd tooles should beare
All to the fleete. Who toucht the string, and mist the Doue, should share
The one-edg'd axes. This proposde; king Teucers force arose;
And with him rose Meriones; and now lots must dispose

325

Their shooting first; both which, let fall, into a helme of brasse;
First Teucers came; and first he shot; and his crosse fortune was,
To shoote the string; the Doue vntoucht: Apollo did enuie
His skill; since not to him he vow'd (being god of archerie)
A first falne Lambe. The bitter shaft, yet cut in two the cord,
That downe fell; and the Doue aloft, vp to the Welkin soar'd.
The Greeks gaue shouts; Meriones, first made a heartie vow;
To sacrifice a first falne Lambe, to him that rules the Bow;
And then fell to his aime; his shaft, being ready nockt before.
He spide her in the clouds, that here, there, euery where did soare;
Yet at her height he reacht her side, strooke her quite through, and downe
The shaft fell at his feete; the Doue, the mast againe did crowne;
There hung the head; and all her plumes, were ruffl'd; she starke dead;
And there (farre off from him) she fell. The people wondered,
And stood astonisht. Th' Archer pleasd. Æacides then shewes
A long lance, and a caldron, new, engrail'd with twentie hewes;
Prisde at an Oxe. These games were shew'd, for men at darts; and then
Vp rose the Generall of all; vp rose the king of men:
Vp rose late-crown'd Meriones. Achilles (seeing the king
Do him this grace) preuents more deed; his royall offering
Thus interrupting; King of men, we well conceiue how farre
Thy worth, superiour is to all; how much most singular,
Thy powre is, and thy skill in darts; accept then this poore prise,
Without contention; and (your will, pleasde with what I aduise)
Affoord Meriones the lance. The king was nothing slow
To that fit grace; Achilles then, the brasse lance did bestow
On good Meriones. The king, his present would not saue;
But to renowm'd Talthybius, the goodly Caldron gaue.

The end of the three and twentieth Booke.

326

THE XXIIII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

The Argvment.

Ioue, entertaining care of Hectors corse;
Sends Thetis to her sonne, for his remorse;
And fit dismission of it. Iris then,
He sends to Priam; willing him to gaine
His sonne for ransome. He, by Hermes led,
Gets through Achilles guards; sleepes deepe, and dead,
Cast on them by his guide. When, with accesse,
And humble sute, made to AEacides,
He gaines the bodie; which to Troy he beares,
And buries it with feasts, buried in teares.

Another Argument.

Omega sings the exequies,
And Hectors redemptorie prise.

The games perform'd; the souldiers, wholly disperst to fleete;
Supper and sleepe, their onely care. Constant Achilles yet,
Wept for his friend; nor sleepe it selfe, that all things doth subdue,
Could touch at him. This way, and that, he turn'd, and did renue
His friends deare memorie; his grace, in managing his strength;
And his strengths greatnesse. How life rackt, into their vtmost length,
Griefes, battels, and the wraths of seas, in their ioynt sufferance.
Each thought of which, turn'd to a teare. Sometimes he would aduance
(In tumbling on the shore) his side; sometimes his face; then turne
Flat on his bosome; start vpright. Although he saw the morne
Shew sea and shore his extasie; he left not, till at last
Rage varied his distraction. Horse, chariot, in hast
He cald for; and (those ioyn'd) the corse, was to his chariot tide;
And thrice about the sepulcher, he made his Furie ride;
Dragging the person. All this past; in his pauilion
Rest seisd him; but with Hectors corse, his rage had neuer done;
Still suffering it t'oppresse the dust. Apollo yet, euen dead,
Pitied the Prince; and would not see, inhumane tyrannie fed,
With more pollution of his lims; and therefore couerd round
His person with his golden shield; that rude dogs might not wound
His manly lineaments (which threat, Achilles cruelly
Had vsde in furie). But now heauen, let fall a generall eye
Of pitie on him; the blest gods, perswaded Mercurie
(Their good obseruer) to his stealth; and euery deitie

327

Stood pleasd with it, Iuno except; Greene Neptune, and the Maide
Grac't with the blew eyes; all their hearts, stood hatefully appaid,
Long since; and held it, as at first, to Priam, Ilion,
And all his subiects, for the rape, of his licentious sonne,
Proud Paris, that despisde these dames, in their diuine accesse,
Made to his cottage; and praisd her, that his sad wantonnesse,
So costly nourisht. The twelfth morne, now shin'd on the delay
Of Hectors rescue; and then spake, the deitie of the day,

Apollo to the other gods.

Thus to th' immortals: Shamelesse gods; authors of ill ye are,
To suffer ill. Hath Hectors life, at all times show'd his care
Of all your rights; in burning thighs, of Beeues and Goates to you,
And are your cares no more of him? vouchsafe ye not euen now
(Euen dead) to keepe him? that his wife, his mother, and his sonne,
Father and subiects may be mou'd, to those deeds he hath done,
See'ng you preserue him that seru'd you; and sending to their hands
His person for the rites of fire? Achilles, that withstands
All helpe to others, you can helpe; one that hath neither hart
Nor soule within him, that will moue, or yeeld to any part,
That fits a man; but Lion-like; vplandish, and meere wilde;
Slaue to his pride; and all his nerues, being naturally compil'd
Of eminent strength; stalkes out and preyes, vpon a silly sheepe:
And so fares this man. That fit ruth, that now should draw so deepe
In all the world; being lost in him. And Shame (a qualitie

Shame a quality that hurts and helpes men exceedingly.

Of so much weight; that both it helpes, and hurts excessiuely,
Men in their manners) is not knowne; nor hath the powre to be
In this mans being. Other men, a greater losse then he,
Haue vndergone; a sonne, suppose, or brother of one wombe;
Yet, after dues of woes and teares, they bury in his tombe
All their deplorings. Fates haue giuen, to all that are true men,
True manly patience; but this man, so soothes his bloudy veine,
That no bloud serues it; he must haue, diuine-soul'd Hector bound
To his proud chariot; and danc't, in a most barbarous round,
About his lou'd friends sepulcher, when he is slaine: Tis vile,
And drawes no profit after it. But let him now awhile
Marke but our angers; his is spent; let all his strength take heed,
It tempts not our wraths; he begets, in this outragious deed,
The dull earth, with his furies hate. White-wristed Iuno said,
(Being much incenst) This doome is one, that thou wouldst haue obaid,
Thou bearer of the siluer bow) that we, in equall care
And honour should hold Hectors worth, with him that claimes a share
In our deseruings? Hector suckt, a mortall womans brest;
Æacides a goddesses? our selfe had interest,
Both in his infant nourishment, and bringing vp with state;
And to the humane Peleus, we gaue his bridall mate,
Because he had th' immortals loue. To celebrate the feast
Of their high nuptials; euery god, was glad to be a guest;
And thou fedst of his fathers cates; touching thy harpe, in grace
Of that beginning of our friend; whom thy perfidious face,

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(In his perfection) blusheth not, to match with Priam sonne;
O thou, that to betray, and shame, art still companion.

Ioue thus receiu'd her: Neuer giue, these brode termes to a god.

Ioue to Iuno.

Those two men shall not be compar'd; and yet, of all that trod
The well-pau'd Ilion, none so deare, to all the deities,
As Hector was, at least to me. For offrings most of prise,
His hands would neuer pretermit. Our altars euer stood,
Furnisht with banquets fitting vs; odors, and euery good,
Smokt in our temples; and for this, (foreseeing it) his fate,
We markt with honour, which must stand: but to giue stealth, estate,
In his deliuerance; shun we that; nor must we fauour one,
To shame another. Priuily, with wrong to Thetis sonne,
We must not worke out Hectors right. There is a ransome due,
And open course, by lawes of armes: in which, must humbly sue,
The friends of Hector. Which iust meane, if any god would stay,
And vse the other, twould not serue; for Thetis, night and day,
Is guardian to him. But would one, call Iris hither; I
Would giue directions, that for gifts, the Troian king should buy
His Hectors body; which the sonne, of Thetis shall resigne.

This said, his will was done; the Dame, that doth in vapours shine,
Dewie and thin, footed with stormes; iumpt to the sable seas
Twixt Samos, and sharpe Imbers cliffes; the lake gron'd with the presse
Of her rough feete; and (plummet-like, put in an oxes horne
That beares death to the raw-fed fish) she diu'd, and found forlorne

Iris to Thetis.

Thetis, lamenting her sonnes fate; who was in Troy to haue
(Farre from his countrey) his death seru'd. Close to her Iris stood,
And said; Rise Thetis: prudent Ioue (whose counsels thirst not blood)
Cals for thee. Thetis answerd her, with asking; Whats the cause
The great god cals? my sad powres fear'd, to breake th' immortall lawes,
In going, fil'd with griefes, to heauen. But he sets snares for none
With colourd counsels; not a word, of him, but shall be done.

She said, and tooke a sable vaile; a blacker neuer wore
A heauenly shoulder; and gaue way. Swift Iris swum before;
About both rowld the brackish waues. They tooke their banks and flew
Vp to Olympus, where they found, Saturnius (farre-of-view)
Spher'd with heauens-euerbeing states. Minerua rose, and gaue
Her place to Thetis, neare to Ioue; and Iuno did receiue
Her entry with a cup of gold; in which she dranke to her,
Grac't her with comfort; and the cup, to her hand did referre.
She dranke, resigning it. And then, the fire of men and gods,
Thus entertain'd her; Com'st thou vp, to these our blest abodes,
(Faire goddesse Thetis) yet art sad? and that in so high kind,
As passeth suffrance? this I know; and try'd thee, and now find
Thy will by mine rulde; which is rule, to all worlds gouernment.
Besides this triall yet; this cause, sent downe for thy ascent;
Nine dayes Contention hath bene held, amongst th' immortals here,
For Hectors person, and thy sonne; and some aduices were,
To haue our good spie Mercurie, steale from thy sonne the Corse:

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But that reproch I kept farre off; to keepe in future force,
Thy former loue, and reuerence. Haste then, and tell thy sonne,
The gods are angrie; and my selfe, take that wrong he hath done
To Hector, in worst part of all: the rather, since he still
Detaines his person. Charge him then, if he respect my will,
For any reason; to resigne, slaine Hector; I will send
Iris to Priam, to redeeme, his sonne; and recommend
Fit ransome to Achilles grace; in which right, he may ioy,
And end his vaine griefe. To this charge, bright Thetis did employ
Instant endeuour. From heauens tops, she reacht Achilles tent;
Found him still sighing; and some friends, with all their complements
Soothing his humour: othersome, with all contention
Dressing his dinner: all their paines, and skils consum'd vpon

Thetis to Achilles.

A huge wooll-bearer, slaughterd there. His reuerend mother then,
Came neare, tooke kindly his faire hand; and askt him: Deare sonne, when
Will sorrow leaue thee? How long time, wilt thou thus eate thy heart?
Fed with no other food, nor rest? twere good thou wouldst diuert
Thy friends loue, to some Ladie; cheare, thy spirits with such kind parts
As she can quit thy grace withall: the ioy of thy deserts,
I shall not long haue; death is neare, and thy all-conquering fate,
Whose haste thou must not haste with griefe; but vnderstand the state,
Of things belonging to thy life, which quickly order. I
Am sent from Ioue t'aduertise thee, that euery deitie
Is angry with thee, himselfe most; that rage, thus reigns in thee,
Still to keepe Hector. Quit him then; and for fit ransome free
His iniur'd person. He replied; Let him come that shall giue
The ransome; and the person take. Ioues pleasure must depriue
Men of all pleasures. This good speech, and many more, the sonne,
And mother vsde, in eare of all, the nauall Station.
And now to holy Ilion, Saturnius, Iris sent:
Go swiftfoote Iris, bid Troys king, beare fit gifts, and content

Ioues sends Iris to Priam.

Achilles for his sonnes release; but let him greet alone
The Grecian nauie; not a man, excepting such a one,
As may his horse and chariot guide: a herald, or one old,
Attending him; and let him take, his Hector. Be he bold,
Discourag'd, nor with death, nor feare; wise Mercurie shall guide
His passage, till the Prince be neare. And (he gone) let him ride
Resolu'd, euen in Achilles tent. He shall not touch the state
Of his high person; nor admit, the deadliest desperate
Of all about him. For (though fierce) he is not yet vnwise,
Nor inconsiderate; nor a man, past awe of deities:
But passing free, and curious, to do a suppliant grace.

This said, the Rainbow to her feet, tied whirlewinds, and the place
Reacht instantly: the heauie Court, Clamor, and Mourning fill'd.
The sonnes all set about the sire; and there stood Griefe, and still'd
Teares on their garments. In the midst, the old king sate: his weed
All wrinkl'd; head, and necke dust fil'd; the Princesses, his seed;
The Princesses, his sonnes faire wiues, all mourning by; the thought

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Of friends so many, and so good, (being turn'd so soone to nought
By Grecian hands) consum'd their youth; rain'd beautie from their eyes.

Iris came neare the king; her sight, shooke all his faculties;

Iris to Priam.

And therefore spake she loft, and said; Be glad Dardanides;
Of good occurrents, and none ill, am I Ambassadresse.
Ioue greets thee; who, in care (as much, as he is distant) daines
Eye to thy sorrowes, pitying thee. My ambassie containes
This charge to thee, from him; he wills, thou shouldst redeeme thy sonne;
Beare gifts t'Achilles, cheare him so: but visite him alone;
None but some herald let attend; thy mules and chariot,
To manage for thee. Feare, nor death, let dant thee; Ioue hath got
Hermes to guide thee; who as neare, to Thetis sonne as needs,
Shall guard thee: and being once with him; nor his, nor others deeds,

Ioues witnesse of Achilles.

Stand toucht with, he will all containe. Nor is he mad, nor vaine,
Nor impious; but with all his nerues, studious to entertaine,
One that submits, with all fit grace. Thus vanisht she like wind.

He mules and chariot cals: his sonnes, bids see them ioynd, and bind
A trunke behind it; he himselfe, downe to his wardrobe goes,
Built all of Cedar; highly rooft, and odoriferous;
That much stuffe, worth the sight containd. To him he cald his Queene,

Priam to Hecuba.

Thus greeting her: Come, haplesse dame; an Angell I haue seene,
Sent downe from Ioue; that bad me free, our deare sonne from the fleet,
With ransome pleasing to our foe; what holds thy iudgement meet?
My strength, and spirit, layes high charge, on all my being, to beare

Hecuba to Priam.

The Greeks worst, ventring through their host. The Queene cried out to heare
His ventrous purpose; and replyed: O whither now is fled,
The late discretion that renown'd, thy graue, and knowing head,
In forreine; and thine owne rulde realmes? that thus thou dar'st assay,
Sight of that man? in whose browes sticks, the horrible decay
Of sonnes so many, and so strong? thy heart is iron I thinke.
If this sterne man (whose thirst of blood, makes crueltie his drinke)
Take, or but see thee, thou art dead. He nothing pities woe,
Nor honours age. Without his sight, we haue enough to do,
To mourne with thought of him: keepe we, our Pallace, weepe we here;
Our sonne is past our helpes. Those throwes, that my deliuerers were,
Of his vnhappy lineaments; told me they should be torne
With blacke foote dogs. Almightie fate, that blacke howre he was borne
Spunne, in his springing thred that end; farre from his parents reach.
This bloodie fellow, then ordain'd, to be their meane: this wretch,
Whose stony liuer, would to heauen, I might deuoure; my teeth,
My sonnes Reuengers made. Curst Greeke, he gaue him not his death
Doing an ill worke; he alone, fought for his countrie; he
Fled not, nor fear'd, but stood his worst; and cursed policie
Was his vndoing. He replied, What euer was his end,
Is not our question; we must now, vse all meanes to defend
His end from scandall: from which act, disswade not my iust will;
Nor let me nourish in my house, a bird presaging ill
To my good actions: tis in vaine. Had any earthly spirit

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Giuen this suggestion: if our Priests, or Soothsayers, challenging merit
Of Prophets, I might hold it false; and be the rather mou'd
To keepe my Pallace; but these eares; and these selfe eyes approu'd
It was a goddesse, I will go; for not a word she spake,
I know was idle. If it were; and that my fate will make,
Quicke riddance of me at the fleet; kill me Achilles; Come;
When, getting to thee, I shall find, a happy dying roome,
On Hectors bosome; when enough, thirst of my teares finds there,
Quench to his feruour. This resolu'd, the works most faire, and deare,
Of his rich screenes, he brought abrode; twelue veiles wrought curiously;
Twelue plaine gownes; and as many suits, of wealthy tapistry;
As many mantles; horsemens coates; ten talents of fine gold;
Two Tripods; Caldrons foure; a bowle, whose value he did hold
Beyond all price; presented by, th' Ambassadors of Thrace.
The old king, nothing held too deare, to rescue from disgrace,
His gracious Hector. Forth he came. At entry of his Court,
The Troian citizens so prest; that this opprobrious sort,
Of checke he vsde; Hence cast-awayes; away ye impious crew;

Priam enraged against his citizens.

Are not your griefes enough at home? what come ye here to view?
Care ye for my griefes? would ye see; how miserable I am?
Ist not enough, imagine ye? ye might know ere ye came,
What such a sonnes losse weigh'd with me. But know this for your paines,
Your houses haue the weaker doores: the Greeks, will find their gaines
The easier for his losse, be sure: but ô Troy, ere I see
Thy ruine; let the doores of hell, receiue, and ruine me.

Thus, with his scepter set he on, the crowding citizens;
Who gaue backe, seeing him so vrge. And now he entertaines
His sonnes as roughly; Hellenus, Paris, Hippothous,
Pammon, diuine Agathones, renowm'd Deiphobus,
Aganus, and Antiphonus; and last, not least in armes,
The strong Polites. These nine sonnes, the violence of his harmes,
Helpt him to vent, in these sharpe termes: Haste you infamous brood,

Priam enraged against his sons.

And get my chariot; would to heauen, that all the abiect blood,
In all your veines, had Hector scusde: O me, accursed man,
All my good sonnes are gone; my light, the shades Cimmerian
Haue swallow'd from me: I haue lost, Mestor, surnam'd the faire;
Troilus, that readie knight at armes; that made his field repaire,
Euer so prompt and ioyfully. And Hector, amongst men,
Esteem'd a god; not from a mortals seed; but of th' eternall straine
He seem'd to all eyes. These are gone; you that suruiue, are base;
Liers, and common free booters: all faultie, not a grace
But in your heeles, in all your parts; dancing companions,
Ye all are excellent: Hence ye brats: loue ye to heare my mones?
Will ye not get my chariot? command it quickly; flie,
That I may perfect this deare worke. This all did terrifie;
And straite his mule-drawne chariot came, to which they fast did bind
The trunke with gifts: and then came forth, with an afflicted mind,
Old Hecuba. In her right hand, a bowle of gold she bore,

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With sweet wine crown'd; stood neare, and said; Receiue this, and implore
(With sacrificing it to Ioue) thy safe returne. I see
Thy mind likes still to go; though mine, dislikes it vtterly.
Pray to the blacke-cloud-gathering god, (Idæan Ioue) that viewes
All Troy, and all her miseries; that he will deine to vse,
His most lou'd bird, to ratifie, thy hopes; that her brode wing,
Spred on thy right hand; thou maist know, thy zealous offering
Accepted; and thy safe returne, confirm'd; but if he faile;
Faile thy intent, though neuer so, it labours to preuaile.

This I refuse not (he replide) for no faith is so great,
In Ioues high fauour; but it must, with held vp hands intreate.

This said; the chamber-maid that held, the Ewre, and Basin by,
He bad powre water on his hands; when looking to the skie,
He tooke the bowle; did sacrifice, and thus implor'd: O Ioue,

Priams prayer to Ioue.

From Ida vsing thy commands, in all deserts aboue
All other gods; vouchsafe me safe; and pitie in the sight
Of great Achilles: and for trust, to that wisht grace; excite
Thy swift-wing'd messenger, most strong; most of aires region lou'd,
To sore on my right hand; which sight, may firmely see approu'd
Thy former summons, and my speed. He prayd, and heauens king heard;
And instantly, cast from his fist, aires all commanding bird;
The blacke wing'd huntresse, perfectest, of all fowles; which gods call
Percuos; the Eagle. And how brode, the chamber nuptiall

Ioue to Mercury

Of any mightie man, hath dores; such breadth cast either wing;
Which now she vsde; and spred them wide, on right hand of the king.
All saw it, and reioyc't; and vp, to chariot he arose;
Draue foorth: the Portall, and the Porch, resounding as he goes.
His friends all follow'd him, and mourn'd; as if he went to die:
And bringing him past towne, to field; all left him: and the eye
Of Iupiter was then his guard; who pittied him, and vsde
These words to Hermes: Mercurie, thy helpe hath bene profusde,
Euer, with most grace, in consorts, of trauailers distrest;
Now consort Priam to the fleet: but so, that not the least
Suspicion of him be attaind, till at Achilles tent,
Thy conuoy hath arriu'd him safe. This charge incontinent,
He put in practise. To his feete, his featherd shoes he tide,
Immortall, and made all of gold; with which he vsde to ride
The rough sea; and th' vnmeasur'd earth; and equald in his pace,
The pufts of wind. Then tooke he vp, his rod, that hath the grace
To shut what eyes he lists, with sleep; and open them againe
In strongest trances. This he held; flew forth, and did attaine
To Troy, and Hellespontus straite: then, like a faire yong Prince,
First-downe chinn'd; and of such a grace, as makes his lookes conuince
Contending eyes to view him: forth, he went to meete the king.
He, hauing past the mightie tombe, of Ilus; watering
His Mules in Xanthus; the darke Euen, fell on the earth; and then
Idæus (guider of the Mules) discern'd this Grace of men;
And spake affraide to Priamus; Beware Dardanides,

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Our states aske counsell: I discerne, the dangerous accesse
Of some man neare vs; Now I feare, we perish. Is it best
To flie? or kisse his knees, and aske, his ruth of men distrest?

Confusion strooke the king, cold Feare, extremely quencht his vaines;
Vpright, vpon his languishing head, his haire stood; and the chaines
Of strong Amaze, bound all his powres. To both which, then came neare

Priams amaze

The Prince-turn'd Deitie; tooke his hand, and thus bespake the Peere:

To what place (father) driu'st thou out, through solitarie Night,

Mercurie appeares to him.

When others sleepe? giue not the Greeks, sufficient cause of fright,
To these late trauailes? being so neare, and such vow'd enemies?
Of all which; if with all this lode; any should cast his eyes
On thy aduentures; what would then, thy minde esteeme thy state?
Thy selfe old; and thy follower old? Resistance could not rate
At any value: As for me; be sure, I mind no harme
To thy graue person; but against, the hurt of others arme.
Mine owne lou'd father did not get, a greater loue in me
To his good; then thou dost to thine. He answerd: The degree

Priam to Mercurie.

Of danger in my course (faire sonne) is nothing lesse then that
Thou vrgest; but some gods faire hand, puts in, for my fate state,
That sends so sweete a Guardian, in this so sterne a Time
Of night, and danger, as thy selfe; that all grace in his prime,
Of body, and of beautie shew'st: all answerd with a mind
So knowing; that it cannot be, but of some blessed kind,
Thou art descended. Not vntrue (said Hermes) thy conceipt
In all this holds; but further truth, relate, if of such weight
As I conceiue thy cariage be? and that thy care conuaies
Thy goods of most price, to more guard? or go ye all your waies,
Frighted from holy Ilion? So excellent a sonne
As thou had'st, (being your speciall strength) falne to Destruction;
Whom no Greeke betterd for his sight? O what art thou (said he)
(Most worthy youth?) of what race borne? that thus recountst to me,
My wretched sonnes death with such truth? Now father (he replide)
You tempt me farre, in wondering how, the death was signifide
Of your diuine sonne, to a man, so mere a stranger here,
As you hold me: but I am one, that oft haue seene him beare
His person like a god, in field; and when in heapes he slew,
The Greeks, all routed to their fleet: his so victorious view,
Made me admire; not feele his hand; because Æacides
(Incenst) admitted not our fight; my selfe being of accesse
To his high person, seruing him; and both to Ilion
In one ship saild. Besides, by birth, I breathe a Myrmidon;
Polystor (cald the rich) my sire; declin'd with age like you.
Sixe sonnes he hath; and me a seuenth; and all those sixe liue now
In Phthia; since all casting lots, my chance did onely fall,
To follow hither. Now for walke, I left my Generall.
To morrow all the Sunne-burn'd Greeks, will circle Troy with armes;
The Princes rage to be withheld, so idlely; your alarmes
Not giuen halfe hote enough they thinke; and can containe no more.

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He answerd; If you serue the Prince, let me be bold t'implore
This grace of thee; and tell me true, lies Hector here at fleet,
Or haue the dogs his flesh? He said, Nor dogs, not fowle haue yet

Mercurie to Priam.

Toucht at his person: still he lies, at fleet, and in the tent
Of our great Captaine; who indeed, is much too negligent
Of his fit vsage: but though now, twelue dayes haue spent their heate
On his cold body; neither wormes, with any taint haue eate,
Nor putrifaction perisht it: yet euer when the Morne
Lifts her diuine light from the sea; vnmercifully borne
About Patroclus sepulcher; it beares his friends disdaine,
Bound to his chariot; but no Fits, of further outrage, raigne
In his distemper: you would muse, to see how deepe a dew,
Euen steepes the body, all the blood, washt off, no slenderst shew
Of gore, or quitture; but his wounds, all closde; though many were
Opened about him. Such a loue, the blest immortals beare,
Euen dead to thy deare sonne; because, his life shew'd loue to them.

He ioyfull answerd; O my sonne, it is a grace supreme,

Priam to Mercurie.

In any man, to serue the gods. And I must needs say this;
For no cause (hauing season fit) my Hectors hands would misse
Aduancement to the gods with gifts; and therefore do not they
Misse his remembrance after death. Now let an old man pray
Thy graces to receiue this cup, and keepe it for my loue;
Not leaue me till the gods and thee, haue made my prayres approue
Achilles pitie; by thy guide, brought to his Princely tent.

Hermes replide; You tempt me now, (old king) to a consent,

Hermes againe to Priam.

Farre from me; though youth aptly erres. I secretly receiue
Gifts, that I cannot brodely vouch? take graces that will giue
My Lord dishonour? or what he, knowes not? or will esteeme
Perhaps vnfit? such briberies, perhaps at first may seeme
Sweet, and secure; but futurely, they still proue sowre; and breed
Both feare, and danger. I could wish, thy graue affaires did need
My guide to Argos; either shipt, or lackying by thy side;
And would be studious in thy guard; so nothing could be tride,
But care in me, to keepe thee safe; for that I could excuse,
And vouch to all men. These words past, he put the deeds in vse,
For which Ioue sent him; vp he leapt, to Priams chariot,
Tooke scourge and reines, and blew in strength, to his free steeds; and got
The nauall towres and deepe dike strait. The guards were all at meat,
Those he enslumberd; op't the ports, and in he safely let
Old Priam, with his wealthy prise. Forthwith they reacht the Tent
Of great Achilles. Large, and high; and in his most ascent
A shaggie roofe of seedy reeds, mowne from the meades; a hall
Of state they made their king in it, and strengthned it withall,
Thicke with firre rafters; whose approch, was let in, by a dore
That had but one barre; but so bigge, that three men euermore
Raisd it, to shut; three fresh take downe: which yet Æacides
Would shut and ope himselfe. And this with farre more ease
Hermes set ope, entring the king; then leapt from horse, and said:

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Now know (old king) that, Mercurie (a god) hath giuen this aid
To thy endeuour, sent by Ioue; and now, away must I:
For men would enuy thy estate, to see a Deitie
Affect a man thus: enter thou, embrace Achilles knee;
And by his sire, sonne, mother pray, his ruth, and grace to thee.

This said; he high Olympus reacht, the king then left his coach

Priam enters Achilles tent.

To graue Idæus, and went on; made his resolu'd approach:
And enterd in a goodly roome; where, with his Princes sate
Ioue-lou'd Achilles, at their feast; two onely kept the state
Of his attendance, Alcymus, and Lord Automedon.
At Priams entrie; a great time, Achilles gaz'd vpon
His wonderd at approch; nor eate: the rest did nothing see,
While close he came vp; with his hands, fast holding the bent knee
Of Hectors conqueror; and kist, that large man-slaughtring hand,
That much blood from his sonnes had drawne; And as in some strange land,
And great mans house; a man is driuen, (with that abhorr'd dismay,

Simile.

That followes wilfull bloodshed still; his fortune being to slay
One, whose blood cries alowde for his) to pleade protection
In such a miserable plight, as frights the lookers on:
In such a stupefied estate, Achilles sate to see,
So vnexpected, so in night, and so incrediblie,
Old Priams entrie; all his friends, one on another star'd,
To see his strange lookes, seeing no cause. Thus Priam then prepar'd

Priam to Achilles.

His sonnes redemption: See in me, O godlike Thetis sonne,
Thy aged father; and perhaps, euen now being outrunne
With some of my woes; neighbour foes, (thou absent) taking time
To do him mischiefe; no meane left, to terrifie the crime
Of his oppression; yet he heares, thy graces still suruiue,
And ioyes to heare it; hoping still, to see thee safe arriue,
From ruin'd Troy: but I (curst man) of all my race, shall liue
To see none liuing. Fiftie sonnes, the Deities did giue,
My hopes to liue in; all aliue, when neare our trembling shore
The Greeke ships harbor'd; and one wombe, nineteene of those sons bore.
Now Mars, a number of their knees, hath strengthlesse left; and he
That was (of all) my onely ioy, and Troyes sole guard; by thee
(Late fighting for his countrey) slaine; whose tenderd person, now
I come to ransome. Infinite, is that I offer you,
My selfe conferring it; exposde, alone to all your oddes:
Onely imploring right of armes. Achilles, feare the gods,
Pitie an old man, like thy fire; different in onely this,
That I am wretcheder; and beare, that weight of miseries
That neuer man did: my curst lips, enforc't to kisse that hand
That slue my children. This mou'd teares; his fathers name did stand
(Mention'd by Priam) in much helpe, to his compassion;
And mou'd Æacides so much, he could not looke vpon
The weeping father. With his hand, he gently put away
His graue face; calme remission now, did mutually display
Her powre in eithers heauinesse; old Priam, to record

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His sonnes death; and his deaths man see, his teares, and bosome pour'd
Before Achilles. At his feete, he laid his reuerend head.
Achilles thoughts, now with his sire, now with his friend, were fed.
Betwixt both, Sorrow fild the the tent. But now Æacides,

Achilles remorse of Priam.

(Satiate at all parts, with the ruth, of their calamities)
Start vp, and vp he raisd the king. His milke-white head and beard,
With pittie he beheld, and said; Poore man, thy mind is scar'd,
With much affliction; how durst, thy person thus alone,
Venture on his sight, that hath slaine, so many a worthy sonne,
And so deare to thee? thy old heart, is made of iron; sit
And settle we our woes, though huge; for nothing profits it.
Cold mourning wastes but our liues heates. The gods haue destinate,
That wretched mortals must liue sad. Tis the immortall state
Of Deitie, that liues secure. Two Tunnes of gifts there lie
In Ioues gate; one of good, one ill, that our mortalitie,
Maintaine, spoile, order: which when Ioue, doth mixe to any man;
One while he frolicks, one while mourns. If of his mournfull Kan
A man drinks onely; onely wrongs, he doth expose him to.
Sad hunger, in th' abundant earth, doth tosse him to and froe,
Respected, nor of gods, nor men. The mixt cup Peleus dranke,
Euen from his birth, heauen blest his life; he liu'd not that could thanke
The gods for such rare benefits, as set foorth his estate.
He reign'd among his Myrmidons, most rich, most fortunate.
And (though a mortall) had his bed, deckt with a deathlesse Dame.
And yet with all this good, one ill, god mixt, that takes all name
From all that goodnesse; his Name now, (whose preseruation here,
Men count the crowne of their most good) not blest with powre to beare
One blossome, but my selfe: and I, shaken as soone as blowne.
Nor shall I liue to cheare his age, and giue nutrition
To him that nourisht me. Farre off, my rest is set in Troy,
To leaue thee restlesse, and thy seed. Thy selfe, that did enioy,
(As we haue heard) a happie life: what Lesbos doth containe,
(In times past being a blest mans seate:) what the vnmeasur'd maine
Of Hellespontus, Phrygia holds; are all said to adorne
Thy Empire; wealth, and sonnes enow: but when the gods did turne
Thy blest state to partake with bane; warre, and the bloods of men,
Circl'd thy citie, neuer cleare. Sit downe and suffer then;
Mourne not ineuitable things; thy teares can spring no deeds
To helpe theee, nor recall thy sonne: impacience euer breeds
Ill vpon ill; makes worst things worse; and therefore sit. He said,

Priam to Achilles.

Giue me no seate (great seed of Ioue) when yet vnransomed,
Hector lies ritelesse in thy tents: but daigne with vtmost speed
His resignation, that these eyes, may see his person freed;
And thy grace satisfied with gifts. Accept what I haue brought,
And turne to Phthia; tis enough, thy conquering hand hath fought,
Till Hector faltred vnder it; and Hectors father stood

Achilles angry with Priam.

With free humanitie safe. He frown'd, and said; Giue not my blood
Fresh cause of furie; I know well, I must resigne thy sonne;

337

Ioue by my mother vtterd it; and what besides is done,
I know as amply; and thy selfe, (old Priam) I know too.
Some god hath brought thee: for no man, durst vse a thought to go
On such a seruice; I haue guards; and I haue gates to stay
Easie accesses; do not then, presume thy will can sway,
Like Ioues will; and incense againe, my quencht blood; lest nor thou,
Nor Ioue gets the command of me. This made the old king bow,
And downe he sate in feate; the Prince, leapt like a Lion forth;
Automedon, and Alcymus, attending; all the worth
Brought for the body, they tooke downe, and brought in; and with it,
Idæus (herald to the king,) a cote embroderd yet,
And two rich cloakes, they left to hide, the person. Thetis sonne
Cald out his women, to annoint; and quickly ouerrunne
The Corse with water; lifting it, in priuate, to the coach;
Lest Priam saw; and his cold blood, embrac't a fierie touch,
Of anger, at the turpitude, prophaning it; and blew
Againe his wraths fire to his death. This done; his women threw
The cote and cloake on; but the Corse, Achilles owne hand laide
Vpon a bed; and with his friends; to chariot it conualde.
For which forc't grace (abhorring so, from his free mind) he wept;
Cried out for anger, and thus praide: O friend, do not except
Against this fauour to our foe (if in the deepe thou heare)
And that I giue him to his Sire; he gaue faire ransome; deare
In my obseruance, is Ioues will; and whatsoeuer part
Of all these gifts, by any meane, I fitly may conuert
To thy renowne here; and will there; it shall be pour'd vpon
Thy honour'd sepulcher. This said, he went, and what was done,
Told Priam, saying: Father, now, thy wils fit rites are pride,
Thy sonne is giuen vp; in the morne, thine eyes shall see him laid
Deckt in thy chariot, on his bed; in meane space, let vs eate.
The rich-hair'd Niobe, found thoughts, that made her take her meate;
Though twelue deare children she saw slaine: sixe daughters, sixe yong sons.
The sonnes, incenst Apollo slue: the maides confusions
Diana wrought; since Niobe, her merits durst compare
With great Latonas; arguing, that she did onely beare
Two children; and her selfe had twelue; For which, those onely two
Slue all her twelue; nine dayes they lay, steept in their blood: her woe
Found no friend, to afford them fire; Saturnius had turnd
Humanes to stones. The tenth day yet; the good celestials burnd
The trunkes themselues; and Niobe, when she was tyr'd with teares,
Fell to her foode; and now with rockes; and wilde hils mixt she beares
(In Sypilus) the gods wraths still; in that place, where tis said,
The Goddesse Fairies vse to dance, about the funerall bed
Of Achelous; where (though turn'd, with cold griefe, to a stone)
Heauen giues her heate enough to feele, what plague comparison
With his powers (made by earth) deserues: affect not then too farre
Without griefe, like a god, being a man; but for a mans life care,
And take fit foode: thou shalt haue time, beside to mourne thy sonne;

338

He shall be tearefull; thou being full; not here, but Ilion
Shall finde thee weeping roomes enow. He said, and so arose;
And causd a siluer-fleec't sheepe, kill'd; his friends skils did dispose
The fleaing, cutting of it vp; and coolely spitted it;
Rosted; and drew it artfully. Automedon as fit
Was for the reuerend Sewers place; and all the browne ioynts seru'd
On wicker vessell to the boord; Achilles owne hands keru'd;

Their mutuall obseruation of eithers fashion at the table.

And close they fell too. Hunger stancht; talke, and obseruing time
Was vsde, of all hands; Priam sate, amaz'd to see the prime
Of Thetis sonne; accomplisht so, with stature, lookes, and grace;
In which, the fashion of a god, he thought had chang'd his place.
Achilles fell to him as fast; admir'd as much his yeares;
(Told, in his graue, and good aspects;) his speech euen charm'd his eares:
So orderd; so materiall. With this food feasted too,
Old Priam spake thus: Now (Ioues seed) command that I may go,

Priam to Achilles.

And adde to this feast grace of rest: these lids nere closde mine eyes
Since vnder thy hands fled the soule, of my deare sonne; sighes, cries,
And woes; all vse from food, and sleepe, haue taken: the base courts
Of my sad Pallace, made my beds; where all the abiect sorts
Of sorrow, I haue varied; tumbl'd in dust, and hid;
No bit, no drop of sustenance toucht. Then did Achilles bid
His men and women see his bed, laid downe, and couered
With purple Blankets; and on them, an Arras Couerlid;
Wast costs of silke plush laying by. The women straite tooke lights,
And two beds made, with vtmost speed; and all the other rites
Their Lord nam'd, vsde; who pleasantly, the king in hand thus bore:

Achilles to Priam.

Good father, you must sleepe without; lest any Counsellor
Make his accesse in depth of night; as oft their industrie
Brings them t'impart our warre-affaires; of whom should any eye
Discerne your presence, his next steps, to Agamemnon flie;
And then shall I lose all these gifts. But go to, signifie,
(And that with truth) how many daies, you meane to keepe the state
Of Hectors funerals: because, so long would I rebate
Mine owne edge, set to sacke your towne; and all our host containe
From interruption of your rites. He answerd; If you meane

To suffer such rites to my sonne; you shall performe a part
Of most grace to me. But you know, with how dismaid a heart,
Our host tooke Troy; and how much Feare, will therefore apprehend
Their spirits to make out againe, so farre as we must send
For wood, to raise our heape of death; vnlesse I may assure,
That this your high grace will stand good; and make their passe secure;
Which if you seriously confirme; nine daies I meane to mourne;
The tenth, keepe funerall and feast: th' eleuenth raise, and adorne
My sonnes fit Sepulcher. The twelfth (if we must needs) weele fight.

Be it (replyed Æacides) do Hector all this right;
Ile hold warre backe those whole twelue daies: of which, to free all feare,
Take this my right hand. This confirm'd, the old king rested there.
His Herald lodg'd by him; and both, in forepart of the tent;

339

Achilles in an inmost roome, of wondrous ornament;
Whose side, bright-cheekt Briseis warm'd. Soft Sleepe tam'd gods and men;
All, but most vsefull Mercurie; Sleepe could not lay one chaine
On his quicke temples; taking care, for getting off againe
Engaged Priam, vndiscern'd, of those that did maintaine
The sacred watch. Aboue his head, he stood with this demand.

O father, sleep'st thou so secure, still lying in the hand
Of so much ill? and being dismist, by great Æacides?

Mercurie appeares to Priam in his sleepe.

Tis true, thou hast redeem'd the dead; but for thy lifes release
(Should Agamemnon heare thee here) three times the price now paide,
Thy sonnes hands must repay for thee. This said; the king (affraid)
Start from his sleepe; Idæus cald; and (for both) Mercurie
The horse, and mules, (before losde) ioyn'd, so soft and curiously,
That no eare heard; and through the host, draue; but when they drew
To gulphy Xanthus bright-wau'd streame, vp to Olympus flew
Industrious Mercurie. And now, the saffron morning rose;
Spreading her white robe ouer all, the world. When (full of woes)
They scourg'd on, with the Corse to Troy; from whence, no eye had seene
(Before Cassandra) their returne. She, (like loues golden Queene,
Ascending Pergamus) discern'd, her fathers person nie;
His Herald, and her brothers Corse; and then she cast this crie
Round about Troy; O Troians, if euer ye did greet
Hector, return'd from fight aliue; now, looke ye out, and meet

Cassandra to the Troians.

His ransom'd person. Then his worth, was all your cities ioy;
Now do it honour. Out all rusht; woman, nor man, in Troy
Was left: a most vnmeasur'd crie, tooke vp their voices. Close
To Scæas Ports they met the Corse; and to it, headlong goes
The reuerend mother; the deare wife; vpon it, strowe their haire,
And lie entranced. Round about, the people broke the aire
In lamentations; and all day, had staid the people there;
If Priam had not cryed; Giue way, giue me but leaue to beare
The body home; and mourne your fils. Then cleft the preasse; and gaue
Way to the chariot. To the Court, Herald Idæus draue,
Where on a rich bed they bestow'd, the honor'd person; round
Girt it with Singers; that the woe, with skillfull voices crownd.
A wofull Elegie they sung, wept singing, and the dames,
Sigh'd, as they sung: Andromache, the downeright prose-exclames

Andromaches lamentation for her husband.

Began to all; she on the necke, of slaughterd Hector fell
And cried out: O my husband! thou, in youth badst youth farewell,
Left'st me a widdow: thy sole sonne, an infant; our selues curst
In our birth, made him right our child; for all my care, that nurst
His infancie, will neuer giue, life to his youth; ere that,
Troy from her top, will be destroy'd; thou guardian of our state;
Thou euen of all her strength, the strength; thou that in care wert past
Her carefull mothers of their babes, being gone; how can she last?
Soone will the swolne fleete fill her wombe, with all their seruitude,
My selfe with them, and thou with me (deare sonne) in labours rude,
Shalt be emploid; sternely suruaid, by cruell Conquerors;

340

Or rage not (suffering life so long;) some one, whose hate abhorres

Andromaches lamentation for Hector.

Thy presence; (putting him in mind, of his sire slaine by thine;
His brother, sonne, or friend) shall worke, thy ruine before mine;
Tost from some towre; for many Greeks, haue eate earth from the hand
Of thy strong father: In sad fight, his spirit was too much mann'd;
And therefore mourne his people; we; thy Parents (my deare Lord)
For that, thou mak'st endure a woe; blacke, and to be abhorr'd.
Of all yet, thou hast left me worst; not dying in thy bed;
And reaching me thy last-raisd hand: in nothing counselled;
Nothing commanded by that powre, thou hadst of me; to do
Some deed for thy sake: O for these; neuer will end my woe;
Neuer my teares ceasse. Thus wept she; and all the Ladies closde,
Her passion with a generall shrieke. Then Hecuba disposde,

Hecubas lamentation.

Her thoughts in like words: O my sonne, of all mine, much most deare;
Deare, while thou liu'dst too, euen to gods: and after death they were
Carefull to saue thee. Being best; thou most wer't enuied;
My other sonnes, Achilles sold; but thee, he left not dead.
Imber and Samos; the false Ports, of Lemnos entertain'd
Their persons; thine, no Port but death; nor there, in rest remain'd,
Thy violated Corse; the Tombe, of his great friend was spher'd
With thy dragg'd person; yet from death, he was not therefore rer'd.
But (all his rage vsde) so the gods, haue tenderd thy dead state;
Thou liest as liuing; sweete and fresh, as he that felt the Fate
Of Phœbus holy shafts. These words, the Queene vsde for her mone;
And next her; Hellen held that state; of speech and passion.

O Hector, All my brothers more, were not so lou'd of me,

Hellens lamentation.

As thy most vertues. Not my Lord, I held so deare as thee;
That brought me hither; before which, I would I had bene brought
To ruine; for, what breeds that wish (which is the mischiefe wrought
By my accesse) yet neuer found, one harsh taunt; one words ill
From thy sweet cariage. Twenty yeares, do now their circles fill,
Since my arriuall; all which time, thou didst not onely beare
Thy selfe without checke; But all else, that my Lords brothers were;
Their sisters Lords; sisters themselues; the Queen my mother in law;
(The king being neuer but most milde) when thy mans spirits saw
Sowre, and reprochfull; it would still, reproue their bitternesse
With sweet words. And thy gentle soule. And therefore thy deceasse,
I truly mourne for; and my selfe, curse, as the wretched cause;
All brode Troy yeelding me not one; that any humane lawes
Of pitie, or forgiuenesse mou'd, t'entreate me humanely,
But onely thee; all else abhorr'd, me for my destinie.

Priam to the Troians.

These words, made euen the cōmons mourn; to whom the king said, Friends,
Now fetch wood for our funerall fire; nor feare the foe intends
Ambush, or any violence; Achilles gaue his word,
At my dismission; that twelue dayes, he would keepe sheath'd his sword,
And all mens else. Thus oxen, mules, in chariots straite they put;
Went forth; and an vnmeasur'd pile, of Syluane matter cut;
Nine daies emploide in cariage; but when the tenth morne shinde

341

On wretched mortals; then they brought, the-fit-to-be-diuin'd,
Forth to be burn'd: Troy swum in teares. Vpon the piles most height
They laid the person, and gaue fire; all day it burn'd; all night.
But when th' eleuenth morne let on earth, her rosie fingers shine,
The people flockt about the pile; and first, with blackish wine
Quencht all the flames. His brothers then, and friends, the snowy bones
Gatherd into an vrne of gold; still powring on their mones.
Then wrapt they in soft purple veiles, the rich vrne; digg'd a pit;
Grau'd it; ramb'd vp the graue with stones, and quickly built to it
A sepulcher. But while that worke, and all the funerall rites
Were in performance, guards were held, at all parts, dayes and nights,
For feare of false surprise before, they had imposde the crowne
To these solemnities. The tombe, aduanc't once, all the towne,
In Ioue-nurst Priams Court partooke, a passing sumptuous feast;
And so horse-taming Hectors rites, gaue vp his soule to Rest.

Thus farre the Ilian Ruines I haue laid
Open to English eyes. In which (repaid
With thine owne value;) go vnualu'd Booke
Liue, and be lou'd. If any enuious looke
Hurt thy cleare fame; learne that no state more hie
Attends on vertue, then pin'd Enuies eye.
Would thou wert worth it, that the best doth wound;
Which this Age feedes, and which the last shall bound.

342

FINIS.

TO THE RIGHT GRACIOVS and worthy, the Duke of Lennox.

Amongst th' Heroes of the VVorlds prime years,
Stand here, great Duke, & see thē shine about you:
Informe your princely minde and spirit by theirs,
And then, like them, liue euer; looke without you,
For subiects fit to vse your place, and grace:
VVhich throw about you, as the Sunne, his Raies;
In quickning, with their power, the dying Race
Of friendlesse Vertue; since they thus can raise
Their honor'd Raisers, to Eternitie.
None euer liu'd by Selfe-loue: Others good
Is th' obiect of our owne. They (liuing) die,
That burie in them selues their fortunes brood.
To this soule, then, your gracious count'nance giue;
That gaue, to such as you, such meanes to liue.

TO THE MOST GRAVE AND honored Temperer of Law, and Equitie, the Lord Chancelor, &c.

That Poesie is not so remou'd a thing
From graue administry of publike weales,
As these times take it; heare this Poet sing,
Most iudging Lord: and see how he reueales
The mysteries of Rule, and rules to guide
The life of Man, through all his choicest waies.
Nor be your timely paines the lesse applyed
For Poesies idle name; because her Raies
Haue shin'd through greatest Counsellors, and Kings.
Heare Royall Hermes sing th' Egyptian Lawes;
How Solon, Draco, Zoroastes sings
Their Lawes in verse: and let their iust applause
(By all the world giuen) yours (by vs) allow;
That, since you grace all vertue, honour you.

TO THE MOST WORTHIE Earle, Lord Treasurer, and Treasure of our Countrey, the Earle of Salisbvry, &c.

Vouchsafe, great Treasurer, to turne your eye,
And see the opening of a Grecian Mine;
VVhich, VVisedome long since made her Treasury;
And now her title doth to you resigne.
VVherein as th' Ocean walks not, with such waues,
The Round of this Realme, as your VVisedomes seas;
Nor, with his great eye, sees; his Marble, saues
Our State, like your Vlyssian policies:
So, none like Homer hath the VVorld enspher'd;
Earth, Seas, & heauen, fixt in his verse, and mouing;
VVhom all times wisest Men, haue held vnper'de;
And therfore would conclude with your approuing.
Then grace his spirit, that all wise men hath grac't,
And made things euer ffitting, euer last.

An Anagram.

Robert Cecyl, Earle of Salisburye.
Curb foes; thy care, is all our erly Be.

TO THE MOST HONOR'D RESTORER of ancient Nobilitie, both in blood and vertue, the Earle of Svffolke, &c.

Ioine, Noblest Earle, in giuing worthy grace,
To this great gracer of Nobilitie:
See here what sort of men, your honor'd place
Doth properly command; if Poesie
(Profest by them) were worthily exprest.
The grauest, wisest, greatest, need not, then,
Account that part of your command the least;
Nor them such idle, needlesse, worthlesse Men.
VVho can be worthier Men in publique weales,
Then those (at all parts) that prescrib'd the best?
That stird vp noblest vertues, holiest zeales;
And euermore haue liu'd as they profest?
A world of worthiest Men, see one create,
(Great Earle); whom no man since could imitate.

TO THE MOST NOBLE AND learned Earle, the Earle of Northamton, &c.

To you, most learned Earle, whose learning can
Reiect vnlearned Custome, and Embrace
The reall vertues of a worthie Man,
I prostrate this great Worthie, for your grace;
And pray that Poesies well-deseru'd ill Name
(Being such, as many moderne Poets make her)
May nought eclipse her cleare essentiall flame:
But as she shines here, so refuse or take her.
Nor do I hope; but euen your high affaires
May suffer intermixture with her view;
VVhere Wisedome fits her for the highest chaires;
And mindes, growne old, with cares of State, renew:
You then (great Earle) that in his owne tongue know
This king of Poets; see his English show.

TO THE MOST NOBLE, MY singular good Lord, the Earle of Arundell.

Stand by your noblest stocke; and euer grow
In loue, and grace of vertue most admir'd;
And we will pay the sacrifice we owe
Of prayre and honour, with all good desir'd
To your diuine soule; that shall euer liue
In height of all blisse prepar'd here beneath,
In that ingenuous and free grace you giue
To knowledge; onely Bulwarke against Death.
VVhose rare sustainers here, her powres sustaine
Hereafter. Such reciprocall effects
Meete in her vertues. VVhere the loue doth raigne,
The Act of knowledge crownes our intellects.
VVhere th' Act, nor Loue is, there, like beasts men die:
Not Life, but Time is their Eternitie.

TO THE LEARNED AND most noble Patrone of learning the Earle of Pembrooke, &c.

Aboue all others may your Honor shine;
As, past all others, your ingenuous beames
Exhale into your grace the forme diuine
Of godlike Learning; whose exiled streames
Runne to your succour, charg'd with all the wracke
Of sacred Vertue. Now the barbarous witch
(Foule Ignorance) sits charming of them backe
To their first Fountaine, in the great and rich;
Though our great Soueraigne counter-checke her charmes
(VVho in all learning, reignes so past example)
Yet (with her) Turkish Policie puts on armes,
To raze all knowledge in mans Christian Temple.
(You following yet our king) your guard redouble:
Pure are those streames, that these times cannot trouble.

TO THE RIGHT GRACIOVS Illustrator of vertue, and worthy of the fauour Royall, the Earle of Montgomrie.

There runs a blood, faire Earle, through your cleare vains
That well entitles you to all things Noble;
VVhich still the liuing Sydnian soule maintaines,
And your Names ancient Noblesse doth redouble:
For which I needs must tender to your Graces
This noblest worke of Man; as made your Right.
And though Ignoblesse, all such workes defaces
As tend to Learning, and the soules delight:
Yet since the sacred Penne doth testifie,
That Wisedome (which is Learnings naturall birth)
Is the cleare Mirror of Gods Maiestie,
And Image of his goodnesse here in earth;
If you the Daughter wish, respect the Mother:
One cannot be obtain'd, without the other.

TO THE MOST LEARNED and Noble Concluder of the Warres Arte, and the Muses, the Lord Lisle, &c.

Nor let my paines herein (long honor'd Lord)
Faile of your ancient Nobly-good respects;
Though obscure Fortune neuer would afford
My seruice show, till these thus late effects.
And though my poore deserts weigh'd neuer more
Then might keepe downe their worthlesse memorie
From your high thoughts (enricht with better store)
Yet yours, in me, are fixt eternally;
VVhich all my fit occasions well shall proue.
Meane space (with your most Noble Nephewes) daine
To shew your free and honorable loue
To this Greeke Poet, in his English vaine.
You cannot more the point of death controule;
Then to stand close by such a liuing soule.

TO THE GREAT AND VERTUOUS, the Countesse of Montgomrie.

Your Fame (great Lady) is so lowd resounded,
By your free Trumpet, my right worthy frend;
That, with it, all my forces stand confounded,
Arm'd, and disarm'd at once, to one iust end;
To honor and describe the blest consent
Twixt your high blood and soule, in vertues rare.
Of which, my friends praise is so eminent,
That I shall hardly like his Echo fare,
To render onely th' ends of his shrill Verse.
Besides; my Bounds are short; and I must, meerely,
My will to honour your rare parts, rehearse;
VVith more time, singing your renowme more clearely.
Meane-time, take Homer for my wants supply:
To whom adioyn'd, your Name shall neuer die.

TO THE HAPPY STARRE, DISCOUERED in our Sydneian Asterisme; comfort of learning, Sphere of all the vertues, the Lady VVrothe.

When all our other Starres set (in their skies)
To Vertue, and all honor of her kind;
That you (rare Lady) should so clearely rise,
Makes all the vertuous glorifie your mind.
And let true Reason, and Religion trie,
If it be Fancie, not iudiciall Right,
In you t'oppose the times Apostasie,
To take the soules part, and her sauing Light,
VVhile others blinde and burie both in Sense;
VVhen, tis the onely end, for which all liue.
And, could those soules, in whom it dies, dispense
As much with their Religion; they would giue
That as small grace. Then shun their course, faire Starre;
And still keepe your way, pure, and circular.

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE PATRONESSE and Grace of Uertue, the Countesse of Bedford.

To you, faire Patronesse, and Muse to Learning;
The Fount of learning and the Muses sends
This Cordiall for your vertues; and forewarning
To leaue no good, for th' ill the world commends.
Custome seduceth but the vulgar sort:
VVith whom, when Noblesse mixeth, she is vulgare;
The truly-Noble, still repaire their Fort,
VVith gracing good excitements, and gifts rare;
In which the narrow path, to Happinesse,
Is onely beaten. Vulgar pleasure sets
Nets for her selfe, in swinge of her excesse;
And beates her selfe there dead, ere free she gets.
Since pleasure then with pleasure still doth waste;
Still please with vertue Madame: That will last.

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND most toward Lord in all the Heroicall vertues, Vicount Cranborne, &c.

Neuer may honor'd expedition
In grace of Wisedome (first in this booke arm'd
VVith Ioues bright shield) be Nobly set vpon
By any other; but your spirit charm'd
In birth with Wisedomes vertues; may set downe
Foote with the formost. To which honor'd end
(Deare Lord) I could not but your name renowne
Amongst our other VVorthies; and commend
The grace of him that all things good hath grac't
To your faire count'nance. You shall neuer see
Valour, and vertue in such Tropicks plac't,
And mouing vp to immortalitie,
As in this worke. VVhat then, fits you so fairely,
As to see rarest deeds, and do as rarely?

TO THE MOST HONORD, AND Judiciall honorer of retired vertue, Vicount Rochester, &c.

You that in so great eminence, liue retir'd
(Rare Lord) approue your greatnesse cannot call
Your iudgement from the inward state requir'd
To blaze the outward; which doth neuer fall
In men by chance rais'd, but by merit still.
He seekes not state, that curbs it being found:
VVho seekes it not, neuer comes by it ill;
Nor ill can vse it. Spring then from this ground,
And let thy fruits be fauours done to Good,
As thy Good is adorn'd with royall fauours;
So shall pale Enuie famish with her food;
And thou spread further by thy vaine deprauours.
True Greatnesse cares not to be seene but thus;
And thus, aboue our felues, you honour vs.

TO THE RIGHT VALOROVS and virtuous Lord, the Earle of Sovth-hamton, &c.

In Choice of all our Countries Noblest spirits
(Borne slauisher barbarisme to conuince)
I could not but inuoke your honor'd Merits,
To follow the swift vertue of our Prince.
The cries of Vertue, and her Fortresse, Learning,
Brake earth, and to Elysium did descend,
To call vp Homer: who therein discerning
That his excitements, to their good, had end
(As being a Grecian) puts-on English armes;
And to the hardie Natures in these climes
Stikes-vp his high and spiritfull alarmes,
That they may cleare earth of those impious Crimes
VVhose conquest (though most faintly all apply)
You know (learn'd Earle) all liue for, and should die.

TO MY EXCEEDING GOOD Lord, the Earle of Svssex: with duty alwaies remembred to his honor'd Countesse.

You that haue made, in our great Princes Name
(At his high birth) his holy Christian vowes;
May witnesse now (to his eternall Fame)
How he performes them thus far: & stil growes
Aboue his birth in vertue; past his yeares,
In strength of Bountie, and great Fortitude.
Amongst this traine, then, of our choicest Peeres,
That follow him in chace of vices rude,
Summon'd by his great Herald Homers voice;
March you; and euer let your Familie
(In your vowes made for such a Prince) reioyce.
Your seruice to his State shall neuer die.
And, for my true obseruance, let this show,
No meanes escapes when I may honour you.

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND Heroicall, my singular good Lord, the Lord of VValden, &c.

Nor let the vulgar sway Opinion beares
(Rare Lord) that Poesies fauor shewes men vaine,
Ranke you amongst her sterne disfauourers;
She all things worthy fauour doth maintaine.
Vertue, in all things else, at best she betters;
Honour she heightens, and giues Life in Death;
She is the ornament, and soule of letters:
The worlds deceipt before her vanisheth.
Simple she is as Doues, like Serpents wise;
Sharpe, graue, and sacred: nought but things diuine,
And things diuining, fit her faculties;
(Accepting her as she is genuine.)
If she be vaine then, all things else are vile;
If vertuous, still be Patrone of her stile.

TO THE MOST TRVLY-NOBLE and Uertue-gracing Knight Sir Thomas Hovvard.

The true, and nothing-lesse-then sacred spirit
That moues your feete so farre from the prophane;
In skorne of Pride, and grace of humblest merit,
Shall fill your Names sphere; neuer seeing it wane.
It is so rare, in blood so high as yours
To entertaine the humble skill of Truth;
And put a vertuous end to all your powres;
That th' honor Age askes, we giue you in youth.
Your Youth hath wonne the maistrie of your Mind;
As Homer sings of his Antilochus,
The parallell of you in euery kind,
Valiant, and milde, and most ingenious.
Go on in Vertue, after Death and grow,
And shine like Ledas twins; my Lord and you.

Euer most humbly and faithfully deuoted to you, and all the rare Patrons of diuine Homer. Geo. Chapman.

TO THE RIGHT GRAVE AND noble Patrone of all the Vertues, Sir Edward Philips, maister of the Roles &c.

The Lord not by the house must haue his grace;
But by the Lord the house: Nor is a man
Any thing betterd by his eminent place;
But his place, by his merits. Neither can
Your last place here, make you lesse first in honor,
Then if you stood first. Perfect Honor euer
Vertue distinguishes; and takes vpon her
Not place but worth; which place abaseth neuer.
So much you know of this; so much you show,
In constant gracing, for it selfe, each Good,
That all Forme, but the matter which I owe
To your deserts, I still leaue vnderstood.
And if this first of workes, your grace you giue,
It shall not be the last shall make you liue.

[THE ODYSSES OF HOMER]

TO THE MOST WORTHILY HONORED, MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD, ROBERT, Earle of Somerset, Lord Chamberlaine, &c.

I Haue aduentured (Right Noble Earle) out of my vtmost, and euer-vowed seruice to your Vertues, to entitle their Merits to the Patronage of Homers English life: whose wisht naturall life, the great Macedon would haue protected, as the spirit of his Empire,

That he to his vnmeasur'd mightie Acts,
Might adde a Fame as vast; and their extracts,
In fires as bright, and endlesse as the starres,
His breast might breathe; and thunder out his warres.
But that great Monarks loue of fame and praise,
Receiues an enuious Cloud in our foule daies:
For since our Great ones, ceasse themselues to do
Deeds worth their praise; they hold it folly too,
To feed their praise in others. But what can
(Of all the gifts that are) be giuen to man,
More precious then Eternitie and Glorie,
Singing their praises, in vnsilenc't storie?
Which No blacke Day, No Nation, nor no Age;
No change of Time or Fortune, Force, nor Rage,

Shall euer race? All which, the Monarch knew,
Where Homer liu'd entitl'd, would ensew:
------Cuius de gurgite viuo

Ex Angeli Politiani Ambra.

Combibit ar canos vatum omnis turba furores, &c.
From whose deepe Fount of life, the thirstie rout
Of Thespian Prophets, haue lien sucking out
Their sacred rages. And as th' influent stone
Of Father Ioues great and laborious Sonne,
Lifts high the heauie Iron; and farre implies
The wide Orbs; that the Needle rectifies,
In vertuous guide of euery sea-driuen course,
To all aspiring, his one boundlesse force:
So from one Homer, all the holy fire,
That euer did the hidden heate inspire
In each true Muse, came cleerly sparkling downe,
And must for him, compose one flaming Crowne.

He, at Ioues Table set, fils out to vs,
Cups that repaire Age, sad and ruinous;
And giues it Built, of an eternall stand,
With his all-sinewie Odyssæan hand.
Shifts Time, and Fate; puts Death in Lifes free state;
And Life doth into Ages propagate.
He doth in Men, the Gods affects inflame;
His fuell Vertue, blowne by Praise and Fame:
And with the high soules, first impulsions driuen,
Breakes through rude Chaos, Earth, the Seas, and Heauen.
The Nerues of all things hid in Nature, lie
Naked before him; all their Harmonie
Tun'd to his Accents; that in Beasts breathe Minds.
What Fowles, what Floods, what Earth, what Aire, what Winds,
What fires Æthereall; what the Gods conclude
In all their Counsels, his Muse makes indude
With varied voices, that euen rockes haue mou'd.
And yet for all this, (naked Vertue lou'd)
Honors without her, he, as abiect, prises;
And foolish Fame, deriu'd from thence, despises.
When from the vulgar, taking glorious bound,
Vp to the Mountaine, where the Muse is crownd;

He sits and laughs, to see the iaded Rabble,
Toile to his hard heights, t'all accesse vnable. &c.

Thus far Angel. Politianus, for the most part translated.

And that your Lordship may in his Face, take view of his Mind: the first word of his Iliads, is μηνιν. wrath: the first word of his Odysses, ανδρα, Man: contracting in either word, his each workes Proposition. In one, Predominant Perturbation; in the other, ouer-ruling Wisedome: in one, the Bodies feruour and fashion of outward Fortitude, to all possible height of Heroicall Action; in the other, the Minds inward, constant, and vnconquerd Empire; vnbroken, vnalterd, with any most insolent, and tyrannous infliction. To many most soueraigne praises is this Poeme entitled; but to that Grace in chiefe, which sets on the Crowne, both of Poets and Orators; το τα μικρα, μεγαλως; και τα κοινα καινως: that is, Parua magnè dicere; peruulgata nouè; ieiuna plenè: To speake things litle, greatly; things commune, rarely; things barren and emptie, fruitfully and fully. The returne of a man into his Countrie, is his whole scope and obiect; which, in it selfe, your Lordship may well say, is ieiune and fruitlesse enough; affoording nothing feastfull, nothing magnificent. And yet euen this, doth the diuine inspiration, render vast, illustrous, and of miraculous composure. And for this (my Lord) is this Poeme preferred to his Iliads: for therein much magnificence, both of person and action, giues great aide to his industrie; but in this, are these helpes, exceeding sparing, or nothing; and yet is the Structure so elaborate, and pompous, that the poore plaine Ground worke (considered together) may seeme the naturally rich wombe to it, and produce it needfully. Much wonderd at therefore, is the Censure of Dionysius Longimus (a man otherwise affirmed, graue, and of elegant iudgement) comparing Homer in his Iliads, to the Sunne rising; in his Odysses, to his descent or setting. Or to the Ocean robd of his æsture; many tributorie flouds and riuers of excellent ornament, withheld from their obseruance. When this his worke so farre exceeds the Ocean, with all his Court and concourse; that all his Sea, is onely a seruiceable streame to it. Nor can it be compared to any One power to be named in nature; being an entirely wel-sorted and digested Confluence of all. Where the most solide and graue, is made as nimble and fluent, as the most airie and firie; the nimble and fluent, as firme and well bounded as the most graue and solid. And (taking all together) of so tender impression, and of such Command to the voice of the Muse; that they knocke heauen with her breath, and discouer their foundations as low as hell. Nor is this all-comprising Poesie, phantastique,

or meere fictiue; but the most material, and doctrinall illations of Truth; both for all manly information of Manners in the yong; all prescription of Iustice, and euen Christian pietie, in the most graue and high-gouernd. To illustrate both which, in both kinds, with all height of expression, the Poet creates both a Bodie and a Soule in them. Wherein, if the Bodie (being the letter, or historie) seemes fictiue, and beyond Possibilitie to bring into Act: the sence then and Allegorie (which is the Soule) is to be sought: which intends a more eminent expressure of Vertue, for her louelinesse; and of Vice for her vglinesse, in their seuerall effects; going beyond the life, then any Art within life, can possibly delineate. Why then is Fiction, to this end, so hatefull to our true Ignorants? Or why should a poore Chronicler of a Lord Maiors naked Truth, (that peraduenture will last his yeare) include more worth with our moderne wizerds, then Homer for his naked Vlysses, clad in eternall Fiction? But this Prozer Dionysius, and the rest of these graue, and reputatiuely learned, (that dare vndertake for their grauities, the headstrong censure of all things; and challenge the vnderstanding of these Toyes in their childhoods: when euen these childish vanities, retaine deepe and most necessarie learning enough in them, to make them children in their ages, and teach them while they liue) are not in these absolutely diuine Infusions, allowd either voice or relish: for, Qui Poeticas ad fores accedit, &c. (sayes the Diuine Philosopher) he that knocks at the Gates of the Muses; sine Musarum furore, is neither to be admitted entrie, nor a touch at their Thresholds: his opinion of entrie, ridiculous, and his presumption impious. Nor must Poets themselues (might I a litle insist on these contempts, not tempting too farre your Lordships Vlyssean patience) presume to these doores, without the truly genuine, and peculiar induction. There being in Poesie a twofold rapture, (or alienation of soule, as the aboue said Teacher termes it) one Insania, a disease of the mind, and a meere madnesse, by which the infected is thrust beneath all the degrees of humanitie: & ex homine, Brutum quodammodo redditur: (for which, poore Poesie, in this diseasd and impostorous age, is so barbarously vilified) the other is, Diuinus furor; by which the sound and diuinely healthfull, supra hominis naturam erigitur, & in Deum transit. One a perfection directly infused from God: the other an infection, obliquely and degenerately proceeding from man. Of the diuine Furie (my Lord) your Homer hath euer bene, both first and last Instance; being pronounced absolutely, τον σοφωτατον, και τον θειοτατον ποιητην; the most wise and most diuine

Poet. Against whom, whosoeuer shall open his prophane mouth, may worthily receiue answer, with this of his diuine defender; (Empedocles, Heraclitus, Protagoras, Epichar: &c. being of Homers part) τις ουν &c. who against such an Armie, and the Generall Homer dares attempt the assault, but he must be reputed ridiculous? And yet against this boast, and this inuincible Commander, shall we haue euery Besogne and foole a Leader. The common herd (I assure my self) readie to receiue it on their hornes. Their infected Leaders,

Such men, as sideling ride the ambling Muse;
Whose saddle is as frequent as the stuse.
Whose Raptures are in euery Pageant seene;
In euery Wassall rime, and Dancing greene:
When he that writes by any beame of Truth,
Must diue as deepe as he; past shallow youth.
Truth dwels in Gulphs, whose Deepes hide shades so rich,
That Night sits muffl'd there, in clouds of pitch:
More Darke then Nature made her; and requires
(To cleare her tough mists) Heauens great fire of fires;
To whom, the Sunne it selfe is but a Beame.
For sicke soules then (but rapt in foolish Dreame)
To wrestle with these Heau'n-strong mysteries;
What madnesse is it? when their light, serues eies
That are not worldly, in their least aspect;
But truly pure, and aime at Heauen, direct.
Yet these, none like; but what the brazen head
Blatters abroad; no sooner borne, but dead.

Holding then in eternal contempt (my Lord) those short-liued Bubbles; eternize your vertue and iudgement with the Grecian Monark; esteeming, not as the least of your New-yeares Presents,

Homer (three thousand yeares dead) now reuiu'd,
Euen from that dull Death, that in life he liu'd;
When none conceited him; none vnderstood,
That so much life, in so much death as blood
Conueys about it, could mixe. But when Death
Drunke vp the bloudie Mist, that humane breath
Pour'd round about him (Pouertie and Spight,
Thickning the haplesse vapor) then Truths light
Glimmerd about his Poeme: the pincht soule,

(Amidst the Mysteries it did enroule)
Brake powrefully abroad. And as we see
The Sunne all hid in clouds, at length'got free,
Through some forc't couert, ouer all the wayes,
Neare and beneath him, shootes his vented rayes
Farre off, and stickes them in some litle Glade;
All woods, fields, riuers, left besides in shade:
So your Apollo, from that world of light,
Closde in his Poems bodie; shot to sight
Some few forc't Beames; which neare him, were not seene,
(As in his life or countrie) Fate and Spleene,
Clouding their radiance; which when Death had clear'd;
To farre off Regions, his free beames appear'd:
In which, all stood and wonderd; striuing which,
His Birth and Rapture, should in right enrich.

Twelue Labours of your Thespian Hercules,
I now present your Lordship: Do but please
To lend Life meanes, till th' other Twelue receaue
Equall atchieuement; and let Death then reaue
My life now lost in our Patrician Loues,
That knocke heads with the herd: in whom there moues
One blood, one soule: both drownd in one set height
Of stupid Enuie, and meere popular Spight.
Whose loues, with no good, did my least veine fill;
And from their hates, I feare as little ill.
Their Bounties nourish not, when most they feed,
But where there is no Merit, or no Need:
Raine into riuers still; and are such showres,
As bubbles spring, and ouerflow the flowres.
Their worse parts, and worst men, their Best subornes,
Like winter Cowes, whose milke runnes to their hornes.
And as litigious Clients bookes of Law,
Cost infinitely; taste of all the Awe,
Bencht in our kingdomes Policie, Pietie, State;
Earne all their deepe explorings; satiate
All sorts there thrust together by the heart,
With thirst of wisedome, spent on either part:

Horrid examples made of Life and Death,
From their fine stuffe wouen: yet when once the breath
Of sentence leaues them, all their worth is drawne
As drie as dust; and weares like Cobweb Lawne:
So these men set a price vpon their worth,
That no man giues, but those that trot it forth,
Through Needs foule wayes; feed Humors, with all cost,
Though Iudgement sterues in them: Rout: State engrost
(At all Tabacco benches, solemne Tables,
Where all that crosse their Enuies, are their fables)
In their ranke faction: Shame, and Death approu'd
Fit Penance for their Opposites: none lou'd
But those that rub them: not a Reason heard,
That doth not sooth and glorifie their preferd
Bitter Opinions. When, would Truth resume
The cause to his hands; all would flie in fume
Before his sentence; since the innocent mind,
Iust God makes good; to whom their worst is wind.
For, that I freely all my Thoughts expresse,
My Conscience is my Thousand witnesses:
And to this stay, my constant Comforts vow;
You for the world I haue, or God for you.

Certaine ancient Greeke Epigrammes

Translated.

[All starres are drunke vp by the firie Sunne]

All starres are drunke vp by the firie Sunne;
And in so much a flame, lies shrunke the Moone::
Homers all-liu'd Name, all Names leaues in Death;
Whose splendor onely, Muses Bosomes breath.

Another.

[Heau'ns fires shall first fall darkn'd from his Sphere]

Heau'ns fires shall first fall darkn'd from his Sphere;
Graue Night, the light weed of the Day shall weare:
Fresh streames shall chace the Sea; tough Plowes shall teare
Her fishie bottomes: Men, in long date dead,
Shall rise, and liue; before Obliuion shed
Those still-greene leaues, that crowne great Homers head.

Another.

[The great Mæonides doth onely write]

The great Mæonides doth onely write;
And to him dictates, the great God of Light.

Another.

[Seuen kingdomes stroue, in which should swell the wombe]

Seuen kingdomes stroue, in which should swell the wombe
That bore great Homer; whom Fame freed from Tombe:
Argos, Chius, Pylos, Smyrna, Colophone;
The learn'd Athenian, and Vlyssean Throne.

Another.

[Art thou of Chius? No. Of Salamine?]

Art thou of Chius? No. Of Salamine?
As little. Was the Smyrnean Countrie thine?
Nor so. Which then? Was Cumas? Colophone?
Nor one, nor other. Art thou then of none,
That Fame proclames thee? None. Thy Reason call:
If I confesse of one, I anger all.

THE ODYSSES OF HOMER

THE FIRST BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

The Gods in counsaile sit, to call
Vlysses from Calypso's thrall;
And order their high pleasures, thus;
Gray Pallas, to Telemachus
(In Ithaca) her way addrest;
And did her heauenly lims inuest
In Menta's likenesse; that did raigne
King of the Taphians (in the Maine,
Whose rough waues neare Leucadia runne)
Aduising wise Vlysses sonne
To seeke his father; and addresse
His course to yong Tantalides
That gouern'd Sparta. Thus much said,
She shewd she was Heau'ns martiall Maid,
And vanisht from him. Next to this,
The Banquet of the wooers is.

Another.

Αλφα..

The Deities sit;
The Man retir'd:
Th' Ulyssean wit,
By Pallas fir'd.

The Man (O Muse) informe, that many a way,
Wound with his wisedome to his wished stay.

The information or fashion of an absolute man; and necessarie (or fatal) passage through many afflictions (according with the most sacred Letter) to his naturall hauen and countrey; is the whole argument, and scope of this inimitable, and miraculous Poeme. And therefore is the epithete πολυτροπον giuen him in the first verse: πολυτροπος signifying, Homo cuius ingenium velut per multas, & varias vias, vertitur in veram.

That wanderd wondrous farre, when, He, the towne
Of sacred Troy, had sackt, and shiuerd downe.
The cities of a world of nations,
With all their manners, mindes, and fashions
He saw and knew. At Sea felt many woes;
Much care sustaind, to saue from ouerthrowes
Himselfe, and friends, in their retreate for home.
But so, their fates, he could not ouercome,
Though much he thirsted it. O men vnwise,
They perisht by their owne impieties,
That in their hungers rapine would not shunne
The Oxen of the loftie-going Sunne:

Who therefore from their eyes, the day bereft
Of safe returne. These acts in some part left,
Tell vs, as others, deified seed of Ioue.

Now all the rest that austere Death out-stroue
At Troys long siege, at home safe anchor'd are,
Free from the malice both of sea and warre;
Onely Vlysses is denide accesse
To wife and home. The Grace of Goddesses
The reuerend Nymph Calypso did detaine
Him in her Caues: past all the race of men,
Enflam'd to make him her lou'd Lord and Spouse.
And when the Gods had destin'd that his house,
Which Ithaca on her rough bosome beares,
(The point of time wrought out by ambient yeares)
Should be his hauen; Contention still extends
Her enuie to him, euen amongst his friends.
All Gods tooke pitie on him: onely he
That girds Earth in the cincture of the sea,
Diuine Vlysses euer did enuie,
And made the fixt port of his birth to flie.

But he himselfe solemniz'd a retreate

Neptunes progresse to the Æthiopes

To th' Æthiops, farre dissunderd in their seate;
(In two parts parted; at the Sunnes descent,
And vnderneath his golden Orient,
The first and last of men) t'enioy their feast
Of buls and lambes, in Hecatombs addrest:
At which he sat, giuen ouer to Delight.

The other Gods, in heauens supreamest height
Were all in Councell met: To whom began
The mightie Father, both of God and man,
Discourse, inducing matter, that inclin'd
To wise Vlysses; calling to his mind

These notes following, I am inforced to insert, (since the word they containe, differ from all other translations) lest I be thought to erre, out of that ignorance, that may perhaps possesse my deprauer. αμυμονος translated in this place inculpabilis; and made the epithete of Ægisthus; is from the true sence of the word, as it is here to be vnderstood: which is quite contrary. As αντιθεος is to be expounded in some place Diuinus, or Deo similis; but in another (soone after) contrarius Deo. The person to whom the Epithete is giuen, giuing reason to distinguish it. And so ολοφρων, an Epithete giuen to Atlas, instantly following, in one place signifies Mente perniciosus: in the next, qui vniuersa mente gerit.

Faultfull Ægisthus, who to death was done,
By yong Orestes, Agamemnons sonne.
His memorie to the Immortals then,
Mou'd Ioue thus deeply: O how falsly, men
Accuse vs Gods, as authors of their ill,
When, by the bane their owne bad liues instill,
They suffer all the miseries of their states,
Past our inflictions, and beyond their fates.
As now Ægisthus, past his fate, did wed
The wife of Agamemnon; and (in dread
To suffer death himselfe) to shunne his ill,
Incurr'd it by the loose bent of his will,
In slaughtering Atrides in retreate.
Which, we foretold him, would so hardly set

To his murtherous purpose; sending Mercurie
(That slaughterd Argus) our considerate spie,
To giue him this charge: Do not wed his wife,
Nor murther him; for thou shalt buy his life,
With ransome of thine owne; imposde on thee
By his Orestes; when, in him shall be
Atrides selfe renewd; and but the prime
Of youths spring put abroad; in thirst to clime
His haughtie Fathers throne, by his high acts.
These words of Hermes, wrought not into facts
Ægisthus powres; good counsell he despisde,
And to that Good, his ill is sacrifisde.

Pallas (whose eyes did sparkle like the skies)

Pallas to Iupiter.

Answerd: O Sire! supreame of Deities;
Ægisthus past his Fate, and had desert
To warrant our infliction; and conuert
May all the paines, such impious men inflict
On innocent sufferers; to reuenge as strict,
Their owne hearts eating. But, that Ithacus
(Thus neuer meriting) should suffer thus;
I deeply suffer. His more pious mind
Diuides him from these fortunes. Though vnkind
I, Pietie to him, giuing him a fate,
More suffering then the most infortunate;
So long kept friendlesse, in a sea-girt soile,
Where the seas nauile is a syluarie Ile,
In which the Goddesse dwels, that doth deriue
Her birth from Atlas; who, of all aliue,
The motion and the fashion doth command,
With his

In this place is Atlas giuen the Epithete ολοφρων, which signifies qui vniuersa mente agitat, here giuen him, for the power the starres haue in all things. Yet this receiues other interpretation in other places, as aboue said.

wise mind, whose forces vnderstand
The inmost deepes and gulfes of all the seas:
Who (for his skill of things superiour) stayes
The two steepe Columnes that prop earth and heauen.
His daughter tis, who holds this

δυστηνος is here turned by others, infelix: in the generall collection: when it hath here a particular exposition, applied to expresse Vlysses desert errors. παρα το στηνον, vt fit, qui vix locum inuenire potest vbi consistat.

homelesse-driuen,
Still mourning with her. Euermore profuse
Of soft and winning speeches; that abuse
And make so

This is thus translated, the rather to expresse and approue the Allegorie driuen through the whole Odysses. Deciphering the intangling of the wisest in his affections: and the torments that breede in euery pious minde: to be thereby hindred to arriue so directly as he desires, at the proper and onely true naturall countrie of euery worthy man, whose hauen is heauen and the next life, to which, this life is but a sea, in continuall æsture and vexation. The words occasioning all this, are μαλακοις, λογοις: signifying, qui languide, & animo remisso rem aliquam gerit: which being the effect of Calypsos sweete words in Vlysses, is here applied passiuely to his owne sufferance of their operation.

languishingly, and possest
With so remisse a mind; her loued guest
Manage the action of his way for home.
Where he (though in affection ouercome)
In iudgement yet; more longs to shew his hopes,
His countries smoke leape from her chimney tops,

And death askes in her armes. Yet neuer shall
Thy lou'd heart be conuerted on his thrall,
(Austere Olympius:) did not euer he,
In ample Troy, thy altars gratifie?
And Grecians Fleete make in thy offerings swim?
O Ioue, why still then burnes thy wrath to him?

Iupiter to Pallas

The Cloud-assembler answerd: What words flie
(Bold daughter) from thy Pale of

ερκος οδοντων vid. vallum or claustrum dentium: which, for the better sound in our language, is here turned, Pale of Ivorie. The teeth being that rampier or pale, giuen vs by nature in that part, for restraint and compression of our speech, till the imagination, appetite and soule (that ought to rule in their examination, before their deliuerie) haue giuen worthy passe to them. The most graue and diuine Port, teaching therein, that not so much for the necessarie chewing of our sustenance, our teeth are giuen vs, as for their stay of our words, lest we vtter them rashly.

Ivorie?
As if I euer could cast from my care
Diuine Vlysses, who exceeds so farre
All men in wisedome? and so oft hath giuen
To all th' Immortals thron'd in ample heauen,
So great and sacred gifts? But his decrees,
That holds the earth in with his nimble knees,
Stand to Vlysses longings so extreme,
For taking from the God-foe Polypheme
His onely eye; a Cyclop, that excell'd
All other Cyclops: with whose burthen swell'd
The Nymph Thoosa; the diuine increase
Of Phorcis seed, a great God of the seas.
She mixt with Neptune in his hollow caues,
And bore this Cyclop to that God of waues.
For whose lost eye, th' Earth-shaker did not kill
Erring Vlysses; but reserues him still
In life for more death. But vse we our powres,
And round about vs cast these cares of ours,
All to discouer how we may preferre
His wisht retreate; and Neptune make forbeare
His sterne eye to him: since no one God can
In spite of all, preuaile, but gainst a man.

To this, this answer made the gray-eyd Maide:
Supreame of rulers, since so well apaide
The blessed Gods are all then, now, in thee
To limit wise Vlysses miserie;
And that you speake, as you referd to me
Prescription for the meanes; in this sort be
Their sacred order: let vs now addresse
With vtmost speed, our swift Argicides,

Calypso.

To tell the Nymph that beares the golden Tresse
In th' ile Ogygia, that tis our will
She should not stay our lou'd Vlysses still;
But suffer his returne: and then will I
To Ithaca, to make his sonne apply
His Sires inquest the more; infusing force
Into his soule, to summon the concourse
Of curld-head Greekes to counsaile: and deterre
Each wooer that hath bene the slaughterer
Of his fat sheepe and crooked-headed beeues,

From more wrong to his mother; and their leaues
Take in such termes, as fit deserts so great.
To Sparta then, and Pylos, where doth beate
Bright Amathus, the flood and epithete
To all that kingdome; my aduice shall send
The spirit-aduanc'd Prince, to the pious end
Of seeking his lost father; if he may
Receiue report from Fame, where rests his stay;
And make, besides, his owne successiue worth,
Knowne to the world; and set in action forth.

This said, her wingd shooes to her feete she tied,

The preparation of Pallas for Ithaca.

Formd all of gold, and all eternified;
That on the round earth, or the sea, sustaind
Her rauisht substance, swift as gusts of wind.
Then tooke she her strong Lance, with steele made keene,
Great, massie, actiue, that whole hoasts of men
(Though all Heroes) conquers; if her ire
Their wrongs inflame, backt by so great a Sire.
Downe from Olympus tops, she headlong diu'd;
And swift as thought, in Ithaca arriu'd,
Close at Vlysses gates; in whose first court,
She made her stand; and for her breasts support,

Pallas, like Mentas.

Leand on her iron Lance: her forme imprest
With Mentas likenesse, come, as being a guest.
There found she those proud wooers, that were then
Set on those Oxe-hides that themselues had slaine,
Before the gates; and all at dice were playing.
To them the heralds, and the rest obaying,
Fill'd wine and water; some, still as they plaid;
And some, for solemne suppers state, puruaid;
With porous sponges, clensing tables, seru'd
With much rich feast; of which to all they keru'd.

God-like Telemachus, amongst them sat,
Grieu'd much in mind; and in his heart begat
All representment of his absent Sire;
How (come from far-off parts) his spirits would fire
With those proud wooers sight, with slaughter parting
Their bold concourse; and to himselfe conuerting
The honors they vsurpt, his owne commanding.

In this discourse, he, first, saw Pallas standing
Vnbidden entrie: vp rose, and addrest
His pace right to her; angrie that a guest
Should stand so long at gate: and coming neare,
Her right hand tooke; tooke in his owne, her speare;
And thus saluted: Grace to your repaire,
(Faire guest) your welcome shall be likewise faire.
Enter, and (chear'd with feast) disclose th' intent
That causde your coming. This said; first he wept,

And Pallas followd. To a roome they came,
Steepe, and of state; the Iauelin of the Dame,
He set against a pillar, vast and hie,
Amidst a large and bright-kept Armorie,
Which was, besides, with woods of Lances grac'd,
Of his graue fathers. In a throne, he plac'd
The man-turnd Goddesse; vnder which was spred
A Carpet, rich, and of deuicefull thred;
A footstoole staying her feete; and by her chaire,
Another seate (all garnisht wondrous faire,
To rest, or sleepe on in the day) he set
Farre from the prease of wooers; lest at meate
The noise they still made, might offend his guest,
Disturbing him at banquet or at rest,
Euen to his combat, with that pride of theirs,
That kept no noble forme in their affaires.
And these he set farre from them, much the rather
To question freely of his absent father.

A Table fairely polisht then, was spread,
On which a reuerend officer set bread;
And other seruitors, all sorts of meate,
(Salads, and flesh, such as their haste could get)
Seru'd with obseruance in. And then the Sewre,
Prowr'd water from a great and golden Ewre,
That from their hands t'a silver Caldron ran;
Both washt, and seated close; the voicefull man
Fetcht cups of gold, and set by them; and round
Those cups with wine, with all endeuour crownd.

Then rusht in the rude wooers; themselues plac't;
The heralds water gaue; the maids in haste
Seru'd bread from baskets. When, of all prepar'd,
And set before them; the bold wooers shar'd;
Their Pages plying their cups, past the rest.
But lustie wooers must do more then feast;
For now (their hungers and their thirsts allaid)
They call'd for songs, and Dances. Those, they said,
Were th' ornaments of feast. The herald strait
A Harpe, caru'd full of artificiall sleight,
Thrust into Phemius (a learnd singers) hand,
Who, till he much was vrg'd, on termes did stand;
But after, plaid and sung with all his art.

Telemachus to Pallas.

Telemachus, to Pallas then (apart,
His eare inclining close, that none might heare)
In this sort said: My Guest, exceeding deare,
Will you not sit incenst, with what I say?
These are the cares these men take; feast and play:
Which easly they may vse, because they eate,
Free, and vnpunisht, of anothers meate.

And of a mans, whose white bones wasting lie
In some farre region, with th' incessancie
Of showres powr'd downe vpon them; lying ashore;
Or in the seas washt nak'd. Who, if he wore
Those bones with flesh, and life, and industrie;
And these, might here in Ithaca, set eye
On him returnd; they all would wish to be,
Either past other, in celeritie
Of feete and knees; and not contend t'exceed
In golden garments. But his vertues feed
The fate of ill death: nor is left to me
The least hope of his lifes recouerie;
No not, if any of the mortall race
Should tell me his returne; the chearfull face
Of his returnd day, neuer will appeare.
But tell me; and let Truth, your witnesse beare;
Who? and from whence you are? what cities birth?
What parents? In what vessell set you forth?
And with what mariners arriu'd you here?
I cannot thinke you a foote passenger.
Recount then to me all; to teach me well,
Fit vsage for your worth. And if it fell
In chance now first that you thus see vs here,
Or that in former passages you were
My fathers guest? For many men haue bene
Guests to my father. Studious of men,
His sociable nature euer was.
On him againe, the grey-eyd Maide did passe
This kind reply; Ile answer passing true,

Pallas to Telemachus.

All thou hast askt: My birth, his honour drew
From wise Anchialus. The name I beare,
Is Mentas, the commanding Ilander
Of all the Taphians, studious in the art
Of Nauigation. Hauing toucht this part
With ship and men; of purpose to maintaine
Course through the darke seas, t'other languag'd men.
And Temesis sustaines the cities name,
For which my ship is bound; made knowne by fame,
For rich in brasse; which my occasions need;
And therefore bring I shining steele in steed,
Which their vse wants; yet makes my vessels freight;
That neare a plowd field, rides at anchors weight,
Apart this citie, in the harbor calld
Rethrus, whose waues, with Neius woods are walld.
Thy Sire and I, were euer mutuall guests,
At eithers house, still interchanging feasts.
I glorie in it. Aske, when thou shalt see
Laertes, th' old Heroe, these of mee,

From the beginning. He, men say, no more
Visits the Citie; but will needs deplore
His sonnes beleeu'd losse, in a priuate field;
One old maide onely, at his hands to yeeld
Foode to his life, as oft as labour makes
His old limbs faint; which though he creepes, he takes
Along a fruitfull plaine, set all with vines,
Which, husbandman-like (though a King) he proines.
But now I come to be thy fathers guest;
I heare he wanders, while these wooers feast.
And (as th' Immortals prompt me at this houre)
Ile tell thee, out of a prophetique powre,
(Not as profest a Prophet, not cleare seene
At all times, what shall after chance to men)
What I conceiue, for this time, will be true:
The Gods inflictions keepe your Sire from you.
Diuine Vlysses, yet, abides not dead
Aboue earth, nor beneath; nor buried
In any seas, (as you did late conceiue)
But, with the broad sea sieg'd, is kept aliue
Within an Ile, by rude and vp-land men,
That in his spite, his passage home detaine.
Yet long it shall not be, before he tred
His countries deare earth; though solicited.
And held from his returne, with iron chaines.
For he hath wit to forge a world of traines,
And will, of all, be sure to make good one,
For his returne, so much relide vpon.
But tell me, and be true: Art thou indeed
So much

τοσος παις, Tantus filius. Pallas thus enforcing her question to stirre vp the son the more to the fathers worthinesse.

a sonne, as to be said the seed
Of Ithacus himselfe? Exceeding much
Thy forehead and faire eyes, at his forme touch:
For oftentimes we met, as you and I
Meete at this houre; before he did apply
His powres for Troy. When other Grecian States,
In hollow ships were his associates.
But since that time, mine eyes could neuer see
Renowmd Vlysses; nor met his with me.

Telemachus to Pallas.

The wise Telemachus againe replide:
You shall withall I know, be satisfide.
My mother, certaine, sayes I am his sonne:
I know not; nor was euer simply knowne
By any child, the sure truth of his Sire.
But would my veines had tooke in liuing fire
From some man happie, rather then one wise,
Whom age might see seizd, of what youth made prise.
But he, whoeuer of the mortall race
Is most vnblest, he holds my fathers place.

This, since you aske, I answer. She, againe:

The Gods sure did not make the future straine

Pallas to Telemachus.

Both of thy race and dayes, obscure to thee,
Since thou wert borne so of Penelope.
The stile may by thy after acts be wonne,
Of so great Sire, the high vndoubted sonne.

Say truth in this then: what's this feasting here?
What all this rout? Is all this nuptiall cheare?
Or else some friendly banquet made by thee?
For here no shots are, where all sharers be.
Past measure contumeliously, this crew
Fare through thy house; which should th' ingenuous view
Of any good or wise man come and find,
(Impietie seeing playd in euery kind)
He could not but through euery veine be mou'd.

Againe Telemachus: My guest much lou'd,
Since you demand and sift these sights so farre;
I grant twere fit, a house so regular,
Rich, and so faultlesse, once in gouernment,
Should still at all parts, the same forme present,
That gaue it glorie, while her Lord was here.
But now the Gods, that vs displeasure beare,
Haue otherwise appointed; and disgrace
My father most, of all the mortall race.
For whom I could not mourne so, were he dead,
Amongst his fellow Captaines slaughtered
By common enemie; or in the hands
Of his kind friends, had ended his commands;
After he had egregiously bestow'd
His powre and order in a warre so vow'd;
And to his tombe, all Greekes their grace had done;
That to all ages he might leaue his sonne
Immortall honor: but now Harpies haue
Digg'd in their gorges his abhorred graue.
Obscure, inglorious, Death hath made his end;
And me (for glories) to all griefes contend.
Nor shall I any more mourne him alone;
The Gods haue giuen me other cause of mone.
For looke how many Optimates remaine
In Samos, or the shoares Dulichian,
Shadie Zacynthus; or how many beare
Rule in the rough browes of this Iland here;
So many now, my mother and this house,
At all parts make defam'd and ruinous.
And she, her hatefull nuptials, nor denies,
Nor will dispatch their importunities:
Though she beholds them spoile still, as they feast,
All my free house yeelds: and the little rest

Of my dead Sire in me, perhaps intend
To bring, ere long, to some vntimely end.

This Pallas sigh'd, and answerd: O (said she)
Absent Vlysses is much mist by thee:
That on these shamelesse suiters he might lay
His wreakfull hands. Should he now come, and stay
In thy Courts first gates, armd with helme and shield,
And two such darts as I haue seene him wield,
When first I saw him in our Taphian Court,
Feasting, and doing his deserts disport;
When from Ephyrus he returnd by vs
From Ilius, sonne to Centaure Mermerus;
To whom he traueld through the watrie dreads,
For bane to poison his sharpe arrowes heads,
That death, but toucht, causde; which he would not giue,
Because he fear'd, the Gods that euer liue,
Would plague such death with death; and yet their feare
Was to my fathers bosome not so deare
As was thy fathers loue; (for what he sought,
My louing father found him, to a thought.)
If such as then, Vlysses might but meete
With these proud wooers; all were at his feete
But instant dead men; and their nuptials
Would proue as bitter as their dying galls.
But these things in the Gods knees are reposde,
If his returne shall see with wreake inclosde,
These in his house, or he returne no more.
And therefore I aduise thee to explore
All waies thy selfe, to set these wooers gone;
To which end giue me fit attention;
To morrow into solemne councell call
The Greeke Heroes; and declare to all
(The Gods being witnesse) what thy pleasure is:
Command to townes of their natiuities,
These frontlesse wooers. If thy mothers mind,
Stands to her second nuptials, so enclinde;
Returne she to her royall fathers towers,
Where th' one of these may wed her, and her dowers
Make rich, and such as may consort with grace,
So deare a daughter, of so great a race.
And thee I warne as well, (if thou as well
Wilt heare and follow) take thy best built saile,
With twentie owers mann'd, and haste t'enquire
Where the abode is of thy absent Sire;
If any can informe thee, or thine eare
From Ioue the fame of his retreate may heare;
(For chiefly Ioue giues all that honours men).

To Pylos first be thy addression then

To god-like Nestor. Thence, to Sparta, haste
To gold-lockt Menelaus, who was last
Of all the brasse-armd Greekes that saild from Troy.
And trie from both these, if thou canst enioy
Newes of thy Sires returnd life, any where,
Though sad thou sufferst in his search, a yeare.
If of his death thou hear'st, returne thou home;
And to his memorie erect a tombe:
Performing parent-rites, of feast and game,
Pompous, and such as best may fit his fame:
And then thy mother a fit husband giue.
These past, consider how thou maist depriue
Of worthlesse life, these wooers in thy house;
By open force, or proiects enginous.
Things childish fit not thee; th' art so no more:
Hast thou not heard, how all men did adore
Diuine Orestes, after he had slaine
Ægisthus, murthering by a trecherous traine
His famous father? Be then (my most lou'd)
Valiant and manly; euery way approu'd
As great as he. I see thy person fit,
Noble thy mind, and excellent thy wit;
All giuen thee, so to vse and manage here,
That euen past death they may their memories beare.
In meane time Ile descend to ship and men,
That much expect me. Be obseruant then
Of my aduice, and carefull to maintaine
In equall acts thy royall fathers raigne.

Telemachus replide: You ope (faire Guest)
A friends heart, in your speech; as well exprest,
As might a father serue t'informe his sonne:
All which, sure place haue in my memorie wonne.
Abide yet, though your voyage calls away;
That hauing bath'd; and dignifide your stay
With some more honour; you may yet beside,
Delight your mind, by being gratifide
With some rich Present, taken in your way;
That, as a Iewell, your respect may lay
Vp in your treasurie; bestowd by me,
As free friends vse to guests of such degree.

Detaine me not (said she) so much inclinde
To haste my voyage. What thy loued minde
Commands to giue; at my returne this way,
Bestow on me; that I directly may
Conuey it home; which (more of price to mee)
The more it askes my recompence to thee.

This said, away gray-eyd Minerua flew,
Like to a mounting Larke; and did endue

His mind with strength and boldnesse; and much more
Made him, his father long for, then before.
And weighing better who his guest might be,
He stood amaz'd, and thought a Deitie
Was there descended: to whose will he fram'd
His powres at all parts; and went, so inflam'd
Amongst the wooers; who were silent set,
To heare a Poet sing the sad retreat
The Greekes performd from Troy: which was from thence
Proclaimd by Pallas, paine of her offence.

When which diuine song, was perceiu'd to beare
That mournfull subiect, by the listning eare
Of wise Penelope (Icarius seed,
Who from an vpper roome had giu'n it heed)
Downe she descended by a winding staire;
Not solely; but the State, in her repaire,
Two Maides of Honour made. And when this Queene
Of women, stoopt so low, she might be seene
By all her wooers. In the doore, aloofe
(Entring the Hall, grac'd with a goodly roofe)
She stood, in shade of gracefull vailes implide
About her beauties: on her either side,
Her honor'd women. When, (to teares mou'd) thus
She chid the sacred Singer: Phemius,
You know a number more of these great deeds,
Of Gods and men (that are the sacred seeds
And proper subiects of a Poets song,
And those due pleasures that to men belong)
Besides these facts that furnish Trois retreate,
Sing one of those to these, that round your seate
They may with silence sit, and taste their wine:
But ceasle this song, that through these eares of mine,
Conuey deseru'd occasion to my heart
Of endlesse sorrowes; of which, the desert
In me, vnmeasur'd is, past all these men;
So endlesse is the memorie I retaine;
And so desertfull is that memorie
Of such a man, as hath a dignitie
So broad, it spreds it selfe through all the pride
Of Greece, and Argos. To the Queene, replide
Inspir'd Telemachus: Why thus enuies
My mother, him that fits

εριηρος αοιδος Cantor, cuius tam apta est societas hominibus.

societies
With so much harmonie, to let him please
His owne mind, in his will to honor these?
For these

ανδρασιν, αλφηστησιν. Αλφηστησιν is an Epithete proper to Poets, for their first finding out of Arts and documents tending to elocution and gouernment: inspired onely by Ioue; and are here called the first of men: since first they gaue rules to manly life: and haue their informatiō immediatly from Iove; (as Plato in Ιωνε witnesseth) The word deduced from αλφα, which is taken for him, qui primas teneat aliqua in re: And will αλφηστησιν then be sufficiently exprest with ingeniosis? then which, no exposition goes further.

ingenuous, and first sort of men,
That do immediatly from Ioue retaine

Their singing raptures; are by Ioue as well
Inspir'd with choice, of what their songs impell.
Ioues will is free in it; and therefore theirs;
Nor is this man to blame, that the repaires
The Greekes make homeward, sings: for his fresh Muse,
Men still most celebrate, that sings most newes.

And therefore in his note, your eares employ:
For, not Vlysses onely lost in Troy
The day of his returne; but numbers more,
The deadly ruines of his fortunes bore.
Go you then, In; and take your worke in hand;
Your web, and distaffe, and your maids command
To plie their fit worke. Words, to men are due,
And those reprouing counsels you pursue;
And most, to me, of all men; since I beare
The rule of all things, that are manag'd here.
She went amazd away; and in her heart,
Laid vp the wisedome Pallas did impart
To her lou'd sonne so lately; turnd againe
Vp to her chamber; and no more would raigne
In manly counsels. To her women, she
Applied her sway; and to the wooers, he
Began new orders; other spirits bewraid
Then those, in spite of which, the wooers swaid.
And (whiles his mothers teares, still washt her eies,
Till gray Minerua did those teares surprise
With timely sleepe; and that her woo'rs did rouse
Rude Tumult vp, through all the shadie house,
Disposde to sleepe because their widow was)
Telemachus, this new-giuen spirit did passe
On their old insolence: Ho! you that are
My mothers wooers! much too high ye beare

Telemachus in new termes with the wooers.

Your petulant spirits: sit; and while ye may
Enioy me in your banquets: see ye lay
These loud notes downe; nor do this man the wrong,
(Because my mother hath dislikt his song)
To grace her interruption: tis a thing
Honest, and honourd too, to heare one sing
Numbers so like the Gods in elegance,
As this man flowes in. By the mornes

ηωθεν, prima luce.

first light,
Ile call ye all before me, in a Court,
That I may cleerly banish your resort
With all your rudenesse, from these roofes of mine.
Away; and elsewhere in your feasts combine:
Consume your owne goods, and make mutuall feast
At eithers house. Or if ye still hold best,
And for your humors more suffised fill,
To feed, to spoile (because vnpunisht still)

On other findings: spoile; but here I call
Th' eternall Gods to witnesse, if it fall
In my wisht reach once, to be dealing wreakes,
(By Ioues high bountie) these your present checks,
To what I giue in charge, shall adde more reines
To my reuenge hereafter; and the paines
Ye then must suffer, shall passe all your pride,
Euer to see redrest, or qualifide.

At this, all bit their lips; and did admire
His words sent from him, with such phrase, and fire:
Which so much mou'd them; that Antinous
(Eupytheus sonne) cried out: Telemachus!
The Gods, I thinke, haue rapt thee to this height
Of elocution; and this great conceit
Of selfe-abilitie. We all may pray,
That Ioue inuest not in this kingdomes sway,
Thy forward forces; which I see put forth
A hote ambition in thee, for thy birth.

Vpon this answer of Telemachus; because it hath so sodain a change; and is so farre let down, frō his late height of heate; altering & tempering so cōmandingly, his affections; I thought not amisse to insert here Spondanus further Annotation, which is this: Prudenter Telemachus ioco, furorem Antinoi ac asperitatē emollijt. Nam ita dictū illius interpretatur vt existimetur censere iocose illa etiam ab Antinoo aduersum se pronunciata. Et primum Ironicè se Regem esse exoptat propter commoda quæ Reges solent comitari. Ne tamen invidiam in se ambitiones concitet, testatur se regnum Ithacæ non ambire, mortuo Vlysse, cum id alij possidere queant se longe præstantiores ac digniores: hoc vnum ait se moliri, vt propriarum ædium & bonorum solus sit dominus, ijs exclusis ac eiectis, qui vi illa occupare ac disperdere conantur.

Be not offended, (he replide) if I
Shall say, I would assume this emperie,
If Ioue gaue leaue. You are not he that sings,
The rule of kingdomes is the worst of things.
Nor is it ill, at all, to sway a throne:
A man may quickly gaine possession
Of mightie riches; make a wondrous prise
Set of his vertues; but the dignities
That decke a King, there are enough beside
In this circumfluous Ile, that want no pride
To thinke them worthy of; as yong as I,
And old as you are. An ascent so hie,
My thoughts affect not: dead is he that held
Desert of vertue to haue so exceld.
But of these turrets, I will take on me
To be the absolute King; and reigne as free
As did my father, ouer all, his hand
Left here, in this house, slaues to my command.

Eurymachus, the sonne of Polybus,
To this, made this reply: Telemachus!
The Girlond of this kingdome, let the knees
Of deitie runne for: but the faculties,
This house is seasd of, and the turrets here,
Thou shalt be Lord of; nor shall any beare
The least part of, of all thou doest possesse,
As long as this land is no wildernesse,
Nor rul'd by out-lawes). But giue these their passe,
And tell me (best of Princes) who he was

That guested here so late? from whence? and what
In any region bosted he his state?
His race? his countrie? Brought he any newes
Of thy returning Father? Or for dues
Of moneys to him, made he fit repaire?
How sodainly he rusht into the aire?
Nor would sustaine to stay, and make him knowne?
His Port shewd no debaucht companion.

He answerd: The returne of my lou'd Sire,
Is past all hope; and should rude Fame inspire
From any place, a flattring messenger,
With newes of his suruiuall; he should beare
No least beliefe off, from my desperate loue.
Which if a sacred Prophet should approue,
(Calld by my mother for her cares vnrest)
It should not moue me. For my late faire guest,
He was of old my Fathers: touching here
From Sea-girt Taphos; and for name doth beare
Mentas; the sonne of wise Anchialus;
And gouernes all the Taphians, studious
Of Nauigation. This he said: but knew
It was a Goddesse. These againe withdrew
To dances, and attraction of the song.
And while their pleasures did the time prolong,
The sable Euen descended; and did steepe
The lids of all men in desire of sleepe.

Telemachus, into a roome built hie,
Of his illustrous Court; and to the eie
Of circular prospect; to his bed ascended;
And in his mind, much weightie thought contended.
Before him, Euryclæa (that well knew
All the obseruance of a handmaids due,
Daughter to Opis Pysenorides)
Bore two bright torches. Who did so much please
Laërtes in her prime; that for the price
Of twentie Oxen, he made merchandize
Of her rare beauties; and Loues equall flame
To her he felt, as to his nuptiall Dame.
Yet neuer durst he mixe with her in bed;
So much the anger of his wife he fled.
She, now growne old, to yong Telemachus
Two torches bore; and was obsequious,
Past all his other maids; and did apply
Her seruice to him, from his infancie.
His wel-built chamber, reacht; she op't the dore;
He, on his bed sat. The soft weeds he wore,
Put off; and to the diligent old maid
Gaue all; who fitly all in thicke folds laid,

And hung them on a beame-pin neare the bed;
That round about was rich embrodered.
Then made she haste forth from him; and did bring
The doore together with a siluer ring;
And by a string, a barre to it did pull.
He, laid, and couerd well with curled wooll,
Wouen in silke quilts: all night emploid his minde
About the taske that Pallas had design'd.

Finis libri primi Hom. Odyss.

THE SECOND BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Telemachus to Court doth call:
The wooers; and commands them all
To leaue his house: and, taking then
From wise Minerua, ship and men;
And all things fit for him beside,
That Euryclæa could prouide
For sea-rites, till he found his Sire;
He hoists saile, when heauen stoopes his fire.

Another.

Βητα

The old Maids store
The voyage cheres;
The ship leaues shore,
Minerua steres.

Now when with rosie fingers, th' early borne,
And, throwne through all the aire, appear'd the morne;
Vlysses lou'd sonne from his bed appeard;
His weeds put on; and did about him gird
His sword, that thwart his shoulders hung; and tied
To his faire feete, faire shooes; and all parts plied
For speedie readinesse; who when he trod
The open earth, to men, shewd like a God.

The Heralds then, he strait charg'd to consort
The curld-head Greekes, with lowd calls to a Court.
They summon'd; th' other came, in vtmost haste;

The Greekes called to councell by Telemachus.

Who, all assembld, and in one heape plac't;
He likewse came to councell; and did beare
In his faire hand, his iron-headed speare:
Nor came alone; nor with men troopes prepar'd;
But two fleete dogs, made, both his traine, and Guard.
Pallas supplied with her high wisedomes grace,
(That all mens wants supplies) States painted face.
His entring presence, all men did admire;
Who tooke seate in the high throne of his Sire;
To which the graue Peeres gaue him reuerend way.
Amongst whom, an Ægyptian Heroe,
(Crooked with age, and full of skill) begun
The speech to all. Who had a loued sonne,
That with diuine Vlysses did ascend
His hollow fleete to Troy: to serue which end,

He kept faire horse, and was a man at Armes;
And in the cruell Cyclops sterne alarmes,
His life lost by him, in his hollow caue;
Whose entrailes open'd his abhorred graue;
And made of him (of all Vlysses traine)
His latest supper, being latest slaine.
His name was Antiphus. And this old man,
This crooked growne; this wise Ægyptian,
Had three sonnes more; of which, one riotous,
A wooer was, and calld Eurynomus;
The other two, tooke both, his owne wisht course.
Yet, both the best fates, weighd not downe the worse;
But left the old man mindfull still of mone;
Who, weeping, thus bespake the Session:

Heare, Ithacensians, all I fitly say;
Since our diuine Vlysses parting day
Neuer was councell calld, nor session;
And now, by whom is this thus vndergone?
Whom did Necessitie so much compell,
Of yong or old? Hath any one heard tell
Of any coming armie; that he thus now
May openly take boldnesse to auow?
First hauing heard it. Or will any here
Some motion for the publicke good preferre?
Some worth of note there is in this command;
And, me thinkes, it must be some good mans hand
That's put to it: that either hath direct
Meanes to assist; or, for his good affect,
Hopes to be happie in the proofe he makes;
And that, Ioue grant, what ere he vndertakes.

Telemachus (reioycing much to heare
The good hope, and opinion men did beare
Of his yong actions) no longer sat;
But longd t'approue, what this man pointed at;
And make his first proofe, in a cause so good:

Telemachus proposeth his estate to the Greekes.

And in the Councels chiefe place, vp he stood;
When strait, Pysenor (Herald to his Sire,
And learnd in counsels) felt his heart on fire,
To heare him speake; and put into his hand
The Scepter that his Father did command;
Then (to the old Ægyptian turnd) he spoke:

Father, not farre he is, that vndertooke
To call this councell; whom you soone shall know.
My selfe, whose wrongs, my griefes will make me show,
Am he that author'd this assembly here;
Nor haue I heard of any armie neare;
Of which, being first told, I might iterate;
Nor for the publicke good, can aught, relate;

Onely mine owne affaires all this procure,
That in my house a double ill endure;
One, hauing lost a Father so renownd,
Whose kind rule once, with your command was crownd:
The other is, what much more doth augment
His weightie losse, the ruine imminent
Of all my house by it, my goods all spent.
And of all this, the wooers, that are sonnes
To our chiefe Peeres, are the Confusions:
Importuning my Mothers mariage
Against her will; nor dares their blouds bold rage
Go to Icarius, her fathers Court,
That, his will askt, in kind and comely sort,
He may endow his daughter with a dowre;
And, she consenting, at his pleasures powre,
Dispose her to a man, that (thus behau'd)
May haue fit grace; and see her honor sau'd;
But these, in none but my house, all their liues
Resolue to spend; slaughtring my sheepe and beeues;
And with my fattest goates, lay feast on feast;
My generous wine, consuming as they list.
A world of things they spoile; here wanting one,
That like Vlysses, quickly, could set gone
These peace-plagues from his house, that spoile like warre.
Whom my powres are vnfit, to vrge so farre,
My selfe immartiall. But had I the powre,
My will should serue me, to exempt this houre
From out my life time. For past patience,
Base deeds are done here, that exceed defence
Of any honor. Falling is my house,
Which you should shame to see so ruinous.
Reuerence the censures, that all good men giue,
That dwell about you; and for feare to liue
Exposde to heauens wrath (that doth euer pay
Paines, for ioyes forfait) euen by Ioue I pray
Or Themis; both which, powres haue to restraine
Or gather Councels; that ye will abstaine
From further spoile; and let me onely waste
In that most wretched griefe I haue embrac't
For my lost Father. And though I am free
From meriting your outrage; yet, if he
(Good man) hath euer, with a hostile heart
Done ill to any Greeke; on me conuert
Your like hostilitie; and vengeance take
Of his ill, on my life; and all these, make
Ioyne in that iustice; but to see abusde
Those goods that do none ill, but being ill vsde,
Exceeds all right. Yet better tis for me,

My whole possessions, and my rents to see
Consum'd by you; then lose my life and all;
For on your rapine a reuenge may fall,
While I liue; and so long I may complaine
About the Citie; till my goods againe
(Oft askt) may be with all amends repaid.
But in the meane space, your mis-rule hath laid
Griefes on my bosome, that can onely speake,
And are denied the instant powre of wreake.

This said; his Scepter gainst the ground he threw,
And teares still'd from him; which mou'd all the crew:
The Court strooke silent; not a man did dare
To giue a word, that might offend his eare.
Antinous onely, in this sort replied:

Antinous to Telemachus.

High-spoken, and of spirit vnpacified;
How haue you sham'd vs, in this speech of yours?
Will you brand vs, for an offence not ours?
Your mother (first in craft) is first in cause.
Three yeares are past, and neare, the fourth now drawes,
Since first she mocked the Peeres Achaian.
All, she made hope, and promist euery man:
Sent for vs euer; left loues shew in nought;
But in her heart, conceald another thought.
Besides, (as curious in her craft) her loome
She with a web charg'd, hard to ouercome;

The wile of Penelope to her wooers.

And thus bespake vs: Youths that seeke my bed;
Since my diuine Spouse rests among the dead,
Hold on your suites, but till I end, at most
This funerall weed; lest what is done, be lost.
Besides, I purpose, that when th' austere fate
Of bitter death, shall take into his state,
Laertes the Heroe; it shall decke
His royall corse; since I should suffer checke
In ill report, of euery common dame,
If one so rich, should shew in death his shame.
This speech she vsde; and this did soone perswade
Our gentle mindes. But this, a worke she made

Telam Penelopes retexere, Prouerbium.

So hugely long; vndoing still in night
(By torches) all, she did by dayes broade light;
That three yeares her deceit, diu'd past our view;
And made vs thinke, that all she faind, was true.
But when the fourth yeare came; and those slie houres,
That still surprise at length, Dames craftiest powres;
One of her women, that knew all, disclosde
The secret to vs; that she still vnlosde
Her whole daies faire affaire, in depth of night.
And then, no further she could force her sleight,
But, of necessitie, her worke gaue end.

And thus, by me, doth euery other friend,
Professing loue to her, reply to thee;
That euen thy selfe, and all Greeks else may see,
That we offend not in our stay, but shee.
To free thy house then, send her to her Sire;
Commanding that her choice be left entire
To his election, and one settl'd will.
Nor let her vexe with her illusions still,
Her friends that woo her; standing on her wit;
Because wise Pallas hath giuen wiles to it,
So full of Art; and made her vnderstand
All workes, in faire skill of a Ladies hand.
But (for her working mind) we reade of none
Of all the old world; in which Greece hath showne
Her rarest peeces, that could equall her:
Tyro, Alcmena, and Mycena were
To hold comparison in no degree
(For solide braine) with wise Penelope.
And yet in her delayes of vs, she showes
No profits skill, with all the wit she owes;
For all this time, thy goods and victuals go
To vtter ruine; and shall euer so
While thus the Gods, her glorious mind dispose.
Glorie, her selfe may gaine; but thou shalt lose
Thy longings euen for necessary food;
For we will neuer go, where lies our good;
Nor any other where; till this delay
She puts on all, she quits with th' endlesse stay
Of some one of vs; that to all the rest
May giue free farewell with his nuptiall feast.

The wise yong Prince replide: Antinous!
I may by no meanes turne out of my house,

Telemachus to Antinous.

Her that hath brought me forth, and nourisht me.
Besides: if quicke or dead my Father be
In any region, yet abides in doubt.
And twill go hard, (my meanes being so runne out)
To tender to Icarius againe
(If he againe, my mother must maintaine
In her retreate) the dowre she brought with her.
And then, a double ill it will conferre,
Both from my Father, and from God, on me;
When (thrust out of her house) on her bent knee,
My Mother shall the horrid Furies raise
With imprecations: and all men dispraise
My part in her exposure. Neuer then
Will I performe this counsell. If your splene
Swell at my courses; once more I command
Your absence from my house. Some others hand

Charge with your banquets. On your owne goods eate;
And either other mutually intreate,
At either of your houses, with your feast.
But if ye still esteeme more sweete and best,

The word is κειρετ: κειρω signifying, insatiabili quadam edacitate voro.

Anothers spoile; so you still wreaklesse liue:
Gnaw (vermine-like) things sacred: no lawes giue
To your deuouring; it remaines that I
Inuoke each euer-liuing Deitie;
And vow if Ioue shall daigne in any date,
Powre of like paines, for pleasures so past rate;
From thenceforth looke, where ye haue reueld so,
Vnwreakt, your ruines, all shall vndergo.

Thus spake Telemachus, t'assure whose threat,

Auguriam.

Farre-seeing Ioue, vpon their pinions set
Two Eagles from the high browes of a hill;
That, mounted on the winds, together still
Their strokes extended. But arriuing now
Amidst the Councell; ouer euery brow,
Shooke their thicke wings; and (threatning deaths cold feares)
Their neckes and cheekes tore with their eager Seres.
Then, on the Courts right-hand away they flew,
Aboue both Court and Citie: with whose view
And studie what euents they might foretell,
The Councell into admiration fell.

Halitherses an Augur.

The old Heroe, Halitherses then,
The sonne of Nestor; that of all old men
(His Peeres in that Court) onely could foresee
By flight of fowles, mans fixed destinie;
Twixt them and their amaze, this interposde:

Heare (Ithacensians) all your doubts disclosde;
The wooers most are toucht in this ostent,
To whom are dangers great and imminent.
For now, not long more shall Vlysses beare
Lacke of his most lou'd; but fils some place neare,
Addressing to these wooers, Fate and Death.
And many more, this mischiefe menaceth
Of vs inhabiting this famous Ile.
Let vs consult yet, in this long forewhile,
How to our selues we may preuent this ill.
Let these men rest secure, and reuell still:
Though they might find it safer, if with vs
They would in time preuent what threats them thus:
Since not without sure triall, I foretell
These coming stormes; but know their issue well.
For to Vlysses, all things haue euent,
As I foretold him; when for Ilion went
The whole Greeke fleete together; and with them,
Th' abundant in all counsels, tooke the streame.

I told him, that when much ill he had past,
And all his men were lost; he should at last,
The twentith yeare turne home; to all vnknowne;
All which effects are to perfection growne.

Eurymachus, the sonne of Polybus,
Opposde this mans presage, and answerd thus:

Hence, Great in yeares; go, prophecie at home;

Eurymachus excepts against the prophecie.

Thy children teach to shun their ils to come.
In these, superiour farre to thee, am I.
A world of fowles beneath the Sunne-beames flie,
That are not fit t'enforme a prophecie.
Besides, Vlysses perisht long ago,
And would thy fates to thee had destin'd so;
Since so, thy so much prophecie had spar'd
Thy wronging of our rights; which for reward
Expected, home with thee, hath summon'd vs
Within the anger of Telemachus.
But this will I presage, which shall be true,
If any sparke of anger, chance t'ensue
Thy much old art, in these deepe Auguries,
In this yong man incensed by thy lies;
Euen to himselfe, his anger shall conferre
The greater anguish; and thine owne ends erre
From all their obiects: and besides, thine age
Shall feele a paine, to make thee curse presage,
With worthy cause, for it shall touch thee neare.
But I will soone giue end to all our feare,
Preuenting whatsoeuer chance can fall,
In my suite to the yong Prince, for vs all
To send his mother to her fathers house,
That he may sort her out a worthy spouse;
And such a dowre bestow, as may befit
One lou'd, to leaue her friends, and follow it.
Before which course be, I beleeue that none
Of all the Greekes will cease th' ambition
Of such a match. For, chance what can to vs,
We, no man feare; no not Telemachus,
Though ne're so greatly spoken. Nor care we
For any threats of austere prophecie
Which thou (old dotard) vantst of so in vaine.
And thus shalt thou in much more hate remaine;
For still the Gods shall beare their ill expence;
Nor euer be disposde by competence,
Till with her nuptials, she dismisse our suites.
Our whole liues dayes shall sow hopes for such fruites.
Her vertues we contend to; nor will go
To any other, be she neuer so
Worthy of vs, and all the worth we owe.

Telemachus to the wooers.

He answerd him: Eurymachus! and all
Ye generous wooers, now, in generall;
I see your braue resolues; and will no more
Make speech of these points; and much lesse, implore.
It is enough, that all the Grecians here,
And all the Gods besides, iust witnesse beare,
What friendly premonitions haue bene spent
On your forbearance; and their vaine euent.
Yet with my other friends, let loue preuaile
To fit me with a vessell, free of saile;
And twentie men; that may diuide to me
My readie passage through the yeelding sea.
For Sparta, and Amathoon Pylos shore
I now am bound; in purpose to explore
My long lackt Father; and to trie if Fame
(Or Ioue, most author of mans honourd name)
With his returne and life, may glad mine eare;
Though toild in that proofe, I sustaine a yeare.
If dead, I heare him, nor of more state; here
(Retir'd to my lou'd countrie) I will rere
A Sepulcher to him, and celebrate
Such royall parent-rites, as fits his state.
And then, my mother to a Spouse dispose.

This said, he sat; and to the rest, arose

Mentor for Telemachus.

Mentor, that was Vlysses chosen friend;
To whom, when he set forth, he did commend
His compleate family; and whom he willd
To see the mind of his old Sire fulfild;
All things conseruing safe, till his retreate;
Who (tender of his charge; and seeing so set
In sleight care of their King, his subiects there;
Suffering his sonne, so much contempt to beare)
Thus grauely, and with zeale to him began:

No more, let any Scepter-bearing man,
Beneuolent, or milde, or humane be;
Nor in his minde, forme acts of pietie,
But euer feed on blood; and facts vniust
Commit, euen to the full swinge of his lust;
Since of diuine Vlysses, no man now
Of all his subiects, any thought doth show.
All whom, he gouernd; and became to them
(Rather then one that wore a diadem)
A most indulgent father. But (for all
That can touch me) within no enuie fall
These insolent wooers; that in violent kind,
Commit things foule, by th' ill wit of the mind;
And with the hazard of their heads, deuoure
Vlysses house; since his returning houre,

They hold past hope. But it affects me much,
(Ye dull plebeians) that all this doth touch
Your free States nothing; who (strooke dumbe) afford
These wooers, not so much wreake as a word;
Though few, and you, with onely number might
Extinguish to them the prophaned light.

Euenors sonne (Liocritus) replide;

Liocritus to Mentor.

Mentor! the railer, made a foole with pride;
What language giu'st thou? that would quiet vs,
With putting vs in storme? exciting thus
The rout against vs? who, though more then we,
Should find it is no easie victorie
To driue men, habited in feast, from feasts;
No not if Ithacus himselfe, such guests
Should come and find so furnishing his Court,
And hope to force them from so sweete a fort.
His wife should little ioy in his arriue,
Though much she want, him: for, where she, aliue
Would hers enioy; there Death should claime his rights:
He must be conquerd, that with many fights.
Thou speakst vnfit things. To their labours then,
Disperse these people; and let these two men
(Mentor and Halitherses) that so boast,
From the beginning to haue gouernd most
In friendship of the Father; to the sonne
Confirme the course, he now affects to runne.
But my mind sayes, that if he would but vse
A little patience; he should here heare newes
Of all things that his wish would vnderstand;
But no good hope for, of the course in hand.

This said; the Councell rose; when euery Peere
And all the people, in dispersion were
To houses of their owne; the wooers yet
Made to Vlysses house their old retreat.

Telemachus, apart from all the prease,
Prepar'd to shore; and (in the aged seas,
His faire hands washt) did thus to Pallas pray:

Telemachus prayes to Pallas.

Heare me (O Goddesse) that but yesterday
Didst daigne accesse to me at home; and lay
Graue charge on me, to take ship, and enquire
Along the darke seas for mine absent Sire;
Which all the Greekes oppose; amongst whom, most
Those that are proud still at anothers cost,
Past measure, and the ciuill rights of men,
(My mothers wooers) my repulse maintaine.

Thus spake he praying; when close to him came
Pallas, resembling Mentor, both in frame
Of voice and person; and aduisde him thus:

Minerua in the person of Mentor exhorts to the voyage.

Those wooers well might know; Telemachus
Thou wilt not euer weake and childish be;
If to thee be instilld the facultie
Of mind and bodie, that thy Father grac't.
And if (like him) there be in thee enchac't
Vertue to giue words works, and works their end;
This voyage, that to them thou didst commend
Shall not so quickly, as they idly weene,
Be vaine, or giuen vp, for their opposite spleene.
But if Vlysses, nor Penelope
Were thy true parents; I then hope in thee
Of no more vrging thy attempt in hand;
For few, that rightly bred on both sides stand,
Are like their parents; many that are worse;
And most few, better. Those then that the nurse,
Or mother call true borne; yet are not so;
Like worthy Sires, much lesse are like to grow.
But thou shewst now, that in thee fades not quite
Thy Fathers wisedome; and that future light
Shall therefore shew thee farre from being vnwise,
Or toucht with staine of bastard cowardize.
Hope therefore sayes, that thou wilt to the end
Pursue the braue act, thou didst erst intend.
But for the foolish wooers, they bewray
They neither counsell haue, nor soule; since they
Are neither wise nor iust; and so must needs
Rest ignorant, how blacke aboue their heads
Fate houers, holding Death; that one sole day
Will make enough to make them all away.
For thee; the way thou wishest, shall no more
Flie thee a step; I that haue bene before
Thy Fathers friend; thine likewise now will be;
Prouide thy ship my selfe, and follow thee.
Go thou then home, and sooth each wooers vaine;
But vnder hand, fit all things for the Maine;
Wine, in as strong and sweete casks as you can;
And meale, the very marrow of a man;
Which put in good sure lether sacks; and see
That with sweete foode, sweete vessels still agree.
I, from the people, straite will presse for you
Free voluntaries; and (for ships) enow
Sea-circl'd Ithaca containes, both new
And old built; all which, Ile exactly view,
And chuse what one soeuer most doth please;
Which riggd, wee'l strait lanch, and assay the seas.

This spake Ioues daughter, Pallas; whose voice heard;
No more Telemachus her charge deferd;
But hasted home; and, sad at heart, did see

Amidst his Hall, th' insulting wooers flea
Goates, and rost swine. Mongst whom, Antinous
Carelesse, (discouering in Telemachus
His grudge to see them) laught; met; tooke his hand,
And said; High spoken! with the mind so mannd;

Antinous to Telemachus.

Come, do as we do; put not vp your spirits
With these low trifles; nor our louing merits,
In gall of any hatefull purpose, sleepe;
But eate egregiously, and drinke as deepe.
The things thou thinkst on, all, at full shall be
By th' Achiues thought on, and performd to thee:
Ship, and choise Oares, that in a trice will land
Thy hastie Fleete, on heau'nly Pylos sand;
And at the fame of thy illustrous Sire.

He answerd: Men whom Pride doth so inspire,

Telemachus answers.

Are no fit consorts for an humble guest;
Nor are constraind men, merrie at their feast.
Is't not enough, that all this time ye haue
Op't in your entrailes, my chiefe goods a graue?
And while I was a child, made me partake?
My now more growth, more grown my mind doth make:
And (hearing speake, more iudging men then you)
Perceiue how much I was misgouernd now.
I now will trie, if I can bring ye home
An ill Fate to consort you; if it come
From Pylos, or amongst the people, here.
But thither I resolue; and know that there
I shall not touch in vaine. Nor will I stay,
Though in a merchants ship I stere my way:
Which shewes in your sights best; since me ye know
Incapable of ship, or men to row.

This said; his hand he coily snatcht away
From forth Antinous hand. The rest, the day
Spent through the house with banquets; some with iests,
And some with railings, dignifying their feasts.
To whom, a iest-proud youth, the wit began:

Telemachus will kill vs euery man.
From Sparta, or the very Pylian sand,
He will raise aides to his impetuous hand.

The wit of the wooers vpon the purpose of Telemachus to seeke his Father.

O he affects it strangely! Or he meanes
To search Ephyras fat shores; and from thence
Bring deathfull poisons; which amongst our bow'ls
Will make a generall shipwracke of our soules.

Another said: Alas who knowes, but he
Once gone; and erring like his Sire at sea,
May perish like him, farre from aide of friends?
And so he makes vs worke; for all the ends
Left of his goods here, we shall share; the house

Left to his mother, and her chosen Spouse.

Thus they. While he a roome ascended, hie
And large, built by his Father; where did lie
Gold and brasse heapt vp; and in coffers were
Rich robes; great store of odorous oiles; and there
Stood Tuns of sweete old wines, along the wall;
Neate and diuine drinke, kept to cheare withall
Vlysses old heart, if he turnd againe
From labors fatall to him to sustaine.
The doores of Planke were; their close exquisite,
Kept with a double key; and day and night
A woman lockt within; and that was she,
Who all trust had for her sufficiencie.
Old Euryclea, (one of Opis race,
Sonne to Pisenor, and in passing grace

Telemachus to Euryclea.

With gray Minerua:) her, the Prince did call;
And said, Nurse! draw me the most sweete of all
The wine thou keepst; next that, which for my Sire,
Thy care reserues, in hope he shall retire.
Twelue vessels fill me forth, and stop them well.
Then into well-sewd sacks, of fine ground meale,
Powre twentie measures. Not to any one
But thou thy selfe, let this designe be knowne.
All this see got together; I, it all
In night will fetch off, when my mother shall
Ascend her high roome, and for sleepe prepare.
Sparta and Pylos, I must see, in care
To find my Father. Out Euryclea cried,

Eurycleas answer.

And askt with teares: Why is your mind applied
(Deare sonne) to this course? whither will you go?
So farre off leaue vs? and beloued so?
So onely? and the sole hope of your race?
Royall Vlysses, farre from the embrace
Of his kind countrie; in a land vnknowne
Is dead; and you (from your lou'd countrie gone)
The wooers will with some deceit assay
To your destruction; making then their prey
Of all your goods. Where, in your owne y'are strong,
Make sure abode. It fits not you so yong,
To suffer so much by the aged seas,
And erre in such a waylesse wildernesse.

Telemachus comforts Euryclea.

Be chear'd (lou'd nurse, said he) for not without
The will of God, go my attempts about.
Sweare therefore, not to wound my mothers eares
With word of this; before from heauen appeares
Th' eleuenth or twelfth light; or her selfe shall please
To aske of me; or heares me put to seas;
Lest her faire bodie, with her woe be wore.

To this, the great oath of the Gods, she swore;
Which, hauing sworne; and of it, euery due
Performd to full: to vessels, wine she drew;
And into well sewd sacks powr'd foodie meale;
In meane time he (with cunning to conceale
All thought of this from others) himselfe bore
In broade house, with the wooers, as before.

Then grey-eyd Pallas, other thoughts did owne;

The care of Minerua for Telemachus.

And (like Telemachus) trod through the Towne;
Commanding all his men, in th' euen to be
Aboord his ship. Againe then question'd she
Normon (fam'd for aged Phronius sonne)
About his ship; who, all things to be done,
Assur'd her freely should. The Sunne then set,
And sable shadowes slid through euery streete,
When forth they lancht; and soone aboord did bring
All Armes, and choice of euery needfull thing,
That fits a well-riggd ship. The Goddesse then
Stood in the Ports extreame part; where, her men
(Nobly appointed) thicke about her came,
Whose euery breast, she did with spirit enflame.
Yet still fresh proiects, laid the grey-eyd Dame.

Strait, to the house she hasted; and sweete sleepe
Powr'd on each wooer; which so laid in steepe
Their drowsie temples, that each brow did nod,
As all were drinking; and each hand his lode
(The cup) let fall. All start vp, and to bed;
Nor more would watch, when sleepe so surfeted
Their leaden ey-lids. Then did Pallas call
Telemachus, (in bodie, voice, and all
Resembling Mentor) from his natiue nest:
And said, that all his arm'd men were addrest
To vse their Oares; and all expected now
He should the spirit of a souldier show.
Come then (said she) no more let vs deferre
Our honor'd action. Then she tooke on her
A rauisht spirit, and led as she did leape;
And he her most haste, tooke out, step by step.

Arriu'd at sea, and ship; they found ashore
The souldiers, that their fashiond long haire wore;
To whom, the Prince said: Come, my friends; let's bring

Telemachus to his souldiers.

Our voyages prouision: euery thing
Is heapt together in our Court; and none
(No not my mother, nor her maids) but one
Knowes our intention. This exprest; he led;
The souldiers close together followed;
And all together brought aboord their store.
Aboord the Prince went; Pallas still before

Sat at the Sterne: he close to her; the men
Vp, hasted after. He, and Pallas then,
Put from the shore. His souldiers then he bad
See all their Armes fit; which they heard; and had.

Nauigatur.

A beechen Mast then, in the hollow base
They put, and hoisted; fixt it in his place
With cables; and with well-wreath'd halfers hoise
Their white sailes; which gray Pallas now employes
With full and fore-gales, through the darke deep maine.

κυμα πυρφυρεον:

The purple waues (so swift cut) roar'd againe
Against the ship sides, that now ranne, and plowd
The rugged seas vp. Then the men bestowd
Their Armes about the ship; and sacrifice
With crownd wine cups, to th' endlesse Deities,
They offerd vp. Of all yet thron'd aboue,
They most obseru'd the grey-eyd seed of Ioue:
Who from the euening, till the morning rose,
And all day long, their voyage did dispose.

Finis libri secundi Hom. Odyss.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Telemachus, and heau'ns wise Dame,

Pallas.

That neuer husband had, now came
To Nestor; who, his either guest
Receiu'd at the religious feast
He made to Neptune, on his shore.
And there told, what was done before
The Troian turrets; and the state
Of all the Greekes, since Ilions fate.
This booke, these three of greatest place,

Vid. Minerua, Nestor, & Telemachus.

Doth serue with many a varied grace.
(Which past); Minerua takes her leaue.
Whose state, when Nestor doth perceiue;
With sacrifice he makes it knowne,
Where many a pleasing rite is showne.
Which done, Telemachus had gaind
A chariot of him; who ordaind
Pisistratus, his sonne, his guide
To Sparta; and when starrie eyd
The ample heau'n began to be;
All house-rites to affoord them free
(In Pheris) Diocles did please;
His sirname Ortisochides.

Another.

Γαμμα

Vlysses sonne
With Nestor lies;
To Sparta gone,
Thence Pallas flies.

The Sunne now left the great and goodly Lake,
And to the firme heau'n, bright ascent did make,
To shine as well vpon the mortall birth,
Inhabiting the plowd life-giuing earth,
As on the euer tredders vpon Death.
And now to Pylos, that so garnisheth
Her selfe with buildings; old Neleus towne,
The Prince and Goddesse come; had strange sights showne;
For on the Marine shore, the people there
To Neptune, that the Azure lockes doth weare;
Beeues that were wholy blacke, gaue holy flame.
Nine seates of State they made to his high name;

And euery Seate set with fiue hundred men;
And each fiue hundred, was to furnish then
With nine blacke Oxen, euery sacred Seate.
These, of the entrailes onely, pleasd to eate;
And to the God enflam'd the fleshie thies.

By this time Pallas, with the sparkling eies,
And he she led, within the hauen bore:

Minerua to Telemachus.

Strooke saile, cast anchor, and trod both the shore.
She first; he after. Then said Pallas: Now
No more befits thee the least bashfull brow;
T'embolden which, this act is put on thee
To seeke thy Father, both at shore, and sea:
And learne in what Clime, he abides so close;
Or in the powre of what Fate doth repose.

Come then; go right to Nestor; let vs see,
If in his bosome any counsell be,
That may informe vs. Pray him not to trace
The common courtship; and to speake in grace
Of the Demander; but to tell the truth:
Which will delight him; and commend thy youth
For such preuention; for he loues no lies;
Nor will report them, being truly wise.

Telemachus to Minerua.

He answerd: Mentor! how alas shall I
Present my selfe? how greete his grauitie?
My youth by no meanes that ripe forme affords,
That can digest my minds instinct, in words
Wise, and beseeming th' eares of one so sage.
Youth of most hope, blush to vse words with Age.

She said: Thy mind will some conceit impresse,
And something God will prompt thy towardnesse.
For I suppose, thy birth and breeding too,
Were not in spite of what the Gods could do.

This said, she swiftly went before, and he
Her steps made guides, and followd instantly.
When soone they reacht the Pylian throngs and seates,
Where Nestor with his sonnes sate; and the meates
That for the feast seru'd; round about them were
Adherents dressing all their sacred cheare,
Being rost and boyld meates. When the Pylians saw
These strangers come: in thrust did all men draw

They are receiued as guests.

About their entrie. Tooke their hands, and praid
They both would sit. Their entrie first assaid
By Nestors sonne, Pisistratus. In grace
Of whose repaire, he gaue them honor'd place
Betwixt his Sire, and brother Thrasimed,
Who sate at feast, on soft Fels that were spred
Along the sea sands. Keru'd, and reacht to them
Parts of the inwards; and did make a streame

Of spritely wine, into a golden boule;
Which to Minerua, with a gentle soule
He gaue, and thus spake: Ere you eate, faire guest,
Inuoke the Seas King; of whose sacred feast,

The humanitie of Pisistratus to strangers.

Your trauell hither, makes ye partners now:
When (sacrificing, as becomes) bestow
This boule of sweete wine on your friend, that he
May likewise vse these rites of pietie:
For suppose, his youth doth prayers vse,
Since all men need the Gods. But you I chuse
First in this cups disposure; since his yeares
Seeme short of yours; who more like me appeares.
Thus gaue he her the cup of pleasant wine;
And since a wise and iust man did designe
The golden boule first to her free receit;
Euen to the Goddesse it did adde delight.
Who thus inuokt: Heare thou whose vast embrace
Enspheres the whole earth; nor disdaine thy grace

Mineruas grace.

To vs that aske it, in performing this:
To Nestor first, and these faire sonnes of his,
Vouchsafe all honor: and next them, bestow
On all these Pylians, that haue offerd now
This most renowmed Hecatomb to thee,
Remuneration fit for them, and free;
And lastly daigne Telemachus, and me,
(The worke performd, for whose effect we came)
Our safe returne, both with our ship and fame.
Thus praid she; and her selfe, her selfe obaid;
In th' end performing all for which she praid.
And now to pray, and do as she had done;
She gaue the faire round boule t'Vlysses sonne.

The meate then drest, and drawne, and seru'd t'each guest;
They celebrated a most sumptuous feast.
When (appetite to wine and food allaid)
Horse-taming Nestor then began, and said:

Now lifes desire is seru'd, as farre as fare;

Nestor to the strangers.

Time fits me to enquire, what guests these are.
Faire guests, what are ye? and for what Coast tries
Your ship the moist deepes? For fit merchandize,
Or rudely coast ye, like our men of prize?
The rough seas tempting; desperatly erring
The ill of others, in their good conferring?

The wise Prince, now his boldnesse did begin;
For Pallas selfe had hardned him within;
By this deuice of trauell to explore
His absent Father; which two Girlonds wore;
His good, by manage of his spirits; and then
To gaine him high grace, in th' accounts of men.

Telemachus answers.

O Nestor! still in whom Neleus liues!
And all the glorie of the Greeks suruiues;
You aske, from whence we are; and I relate:
From Ithaca (whose seate is situate
Where Neius the renowmed Mountaine reares
His haughtie forehead; and the honor beares
To be our Sea-marke) we assaid the waues;
The businesse I must tell; our owne good craues,
And not the publicke. I am come t'enquire,
If in the fame that best men doth inspire,
Of my most-suffering Father, I may heare
Some truth of his estate now; who did beare
The name (being ioynd in fight with you alone)
To euen with earth the height of Ilion.
Of all men else, that any name did beare,
And fought for Troy, the seuerall ends we heare;
But his death, Ioue keepes from the world vnknowne;
The certaine fame thereof, being told by none.
If on the Continent, by enemies slaine;
Or with the waues eat, of the rauenous Maine.
For his loue tis, that to your knees I sue;
That you would please, out of your owne cleare view,
T'assure his sad end; or say, if your eare
Hath heard of the vnhappie wanderer,
To too much sorrow, whom his mother bore.
You then, by all your bounties I implore,
(If euer to you, deed or word hath stood,
By my good Father promist, renderd good
Amongst the Troians; where ye both haue tried
The Grecian sufferance) that, in nought applied
To my respect or pitie, you will glose,
But vnclothd Truth, to my desires disclose.

Nestor to Telemachus.

O my much lou'd, (said he) since you renew
Remembrance of the miseries that grew
Vpon our still-in-strength-opposing Greece,
Amongst Troys people; I must touch a peece
Of all our woes there; either in the men
Achilles brought by sea, and led to gaine
About the Country; or in vs that fought
About the Citie, where to death were brought
All our chiefe men, as many as were there.
There Mars-like Aiax lies; Achilles there;
There the-in-counsell-like-the-Gods; his friend;

Patroclus.

There my deare sonne Antilochus tooke end;
Past measure swift of foote, and staid in fight.
A number more, that ils felt infinite:
Of which to reckon all, what mortall man
(If fiue or sixe yeares you should stay here) can

Serue such enquirie? You would backe againe,
Affected with vnsufferable paine,
Before you heard it. Nine yeares siegd we them,
With all the depth and sleight of stratagem
That could be thought. Ill knit to ill, past end:
Yet still they toild vs: nor would yet Ioue send
Rest to our labors: nor will scarcely yet.
But no man liu'd, that would in publicke set
His wisedome, by Vlysses policie,
(As thought his equall) so excessiuely
He stood superiour all wayes. If you be
His sonne indeed; mine eyes euen rauish me
To admiration. And in all consent,
Your speech puts on his speeches ornament.
Nor would one say, that one so yong could vse
(Vnlesse his sonne) a Rhetorique so profuse.
And while we liu'd together; he and I
Neuer in speech maintaind diuersitie:
Nor set in counsell: but (by one soule led)
With spirit and prudent counsell furnished
The Greeks at all houres: that with fairest course,
What best became them, they might put in force.
But when Troys high Towres, we had leueld thus;
We put to sea; and God diuided vs.
And then did Ioue, our sad retreat deuise;
For all the Greeks were neither iust nor wise;
And therefore many felt so sharpe a fate;
Sent from Mineruas most pernicious hate;
Whose mightie Father can do fearfull things.
By whose helpe she, betwixt the brother Kings
Let fall Contention: who in councell met

De Græcorum dissidio.

In vaine, and timelesse; when the Sunne was set;
And all the Greeks calld; that came chargd with wine.
Yet then the Kings would vtter their designe;
And why they summond. Menelaus, he
Put all in mind of home; and cried, To sea.
But Agamemnon stood on contraries;
Whose will was, they should stay and sacrifise
Whole Hecatombs to Pallas; to forgo
Her high wrath to them. Foole, that did not know
She would not so be wonne: for not with ease
Th' eternall Gods are turnd from what they please.
So they (diuided) on foule language stood.
The Greekes, in huge rout rose: their wine-heate bloud,
Two wayes affecting. And that nights sleepe too,
We turnd to studying either others wo.
When Ioue besides, made readie woes enow.
Morne came, we lancht; and in our ships did stow

Discors nauigatio Græcorum.

Our goods, and faire-girt women. Halfe our men
The peoples guide (Atrides) did containe;
And halfe (being now aboord) put forth to sea.
A most free gale gaue all ships prosperous way.
God settld then the huge whale-bearing lake;
And Tenedos we reacht; where, for times sake,
We did diuine rites to the Gods: but Ioue
(Inexorable still) bore yet no loue
To our returne; but did againe excite
A second sad Contention, that turnd quite
A great part of vs backe to sea againe;
Which were th' abundant in all counsels men,
(Your matchlesse Father) who, (to gratifie
The great Atrides) backe to him did flie.
But I fled all, with all that followd me;
Because I knew, God studied miserie,
To hurle amongst vs. With me likewise fled
Martiall Tidides. I, the men he led,
Gat to go with him. Winds our fleete did bring
To Lesbos, where the yellow-headed King
(Though late, yet) found vs; as we put to choise
A tedious voyage; if we saile should hoise
Aboue rough Chius (left on our left hand)
To th' Ile of Psiria; or that rugged land
Saile vnder; and for windie Mimas stere.
We askt of God, that some ostent might cleare
Our cloudie businesse: who gaue vs signe,
And charge, that all should (in a middle line)
The sea cut, for Eubœa; that with speed,
Our long-sustaind infortune might be freed.
Then did a whistling wind begin to rise,
And swiftly flew we through the fishie skies,
Till to Geræstus we in night were brought;
Where (through the broad sea, since we safe had wrought)
At Neptunes altars, many solid thies
Of slaughterd buls, we burnd for sacrifise.

The fourth day came, when Tydeus sonne did greete
The hauen of Argos, with his complete Fleete.
But I, for Pylos strait ster'd on my course,
Nor euer left the wind his fore right force,
Since God fore-sent it first. And thus I came
(Deare sonne) to Pylos, vninformd by fame;
Nor know one sau'd by Fate, or ouercome.
Whom I haue heard of since (set here at home)
As fits, thou shalt be taught, nought left vnshowne.

The expert speare-men; euery Myrmidon,
(Led by the braue heire of the mightie sould
Vnpeerd Achilles) safe of home got hold.

Safe Philoctetes, Pæans famous seed:
And safe Idomeneus; his men led
To his home, (Crete;) who fled the armed field;
Of whom, yet none, the sea from him withheld.

Atrides (you haue both heard, though ye be
His farre off dwellers) what an end had he,
Done by Ægisthus, to a bitter death;
Who miserably paid for forced breath;
Atrides leauing a good sonne, that dide
In bloud of that deceitfull parricide
His wreakfull sword. And thou my friend (as he
For this hath his fame) the like spirit in thee
Assume at all parts. Faire, and great I see
Thou art, in all hope; make it good to th' end;
That after-times, as much may thee commend.

He answerd: O thou greatest grace of Greece;

Telemachus Nestori.

Orestes made that wreake, his master peece;
And him the Greeks will giue, a master praise;
Verse finding him, to last all after daies.
And would to God, the Gods would fauour me
With his performance; that my iniurie,
Done by my mothers wooers, (being so foule)
I might reuenge vpon their euery soule.
Who (pressing me with contumelies) dare
Such things as past the powre of vtterance are.
But heauens great Powres, haue grac't my destinie
With no such honor. Both my Sire and I,
Are borne to suffer euerlastingly.

Because you name those wooers (Friend, said he)

Nestor Telemacho.

Report sayes, many such, in spite of thee,
(Wooing thy mother) in thy house commit
The ils thou nam'st. But say; proceedeth it
From will in thee, to beare so foule a foile;
Or from thy subiects hate, that wish thy spoile?
And will not aide thee, since their spirits relie
(Against thy rule) on some graue Augurie?
What know they, but at length thy Father may
Come; and with violence, their violence pay?
Or he alone; or all the Greeks with him?
But if Minerua now did so esteeme
Thee, as thy Father, in times past; whom, past
All measure, she, with glorious fauours grac't
Amongst the Troians, where we suffered so;
(O! I did neuer see, in such cleare show,
The Gods so grace a man, as she to him,
To all our eyes, appeard in all her trim)
If so, I say, she would be pleasd to loue,
And that her minds care, thou so much couldst moue,

As did thy Father; euery man of these,
Would lose in death their seeking mariages.

Telemachus.

O Father, (answerd he) you make amaze
Seise me throughout. Beyond the height of phrase
You raise expression; but twill neuer be,
That I shall moue, in any Deitie,
So blest an honour. Not by any meanes,
If Hope should prompt me, or blind Confidence,
(The God of Fooles), or euery Deitie
Should will it; for, tis past my destinie.

Minerua.

The burning-eyd Dame answerd: What a speech
Hath past the teeth-guard, Nature gaue to teach
Fit question of thy words before they flie?

Volente Deo, nihil est difficile

God easily can (when to a mortall eie
Hee's furthest off) a mortall satisfie:
And does, the more still. For thy car'd for Sire;
I rather wish, that I might home retire,
After my sufferance of a world of woes;
Farre off; and then my glad eyes might disclose
The day of my returne then strait retire,
And perish standing by my houshold fire.
As Agamemnon did; that lost his life,
By false Ægisthus, and his faller wife.

For Death to come at length, tis due to all;
Nor can the Gods themselues, when Fate shall call
Their most lou'd man, extend his vitall breath
Beyond the fixt bounds of abhorred Death.

Telemachus.

Mentor! (said he) let's dwell no more on this,
Although in vs, the sorrow pious is.
No such returne, as we wish, Fates bequeath
My erring Father; whom a present death,
The deathlesse haue decreed. Ile now vse speech
That tends to other purpose; and beseech
Instruction of graue Nestor; since he flowes
Past shore, in all experience; and knowes
The sleights and wisedomes; to whose heights aspire
Others, as well as my commended Sire;
Whom Fame reports to haue commanded three
Ages of men: and doth in sight to me
Shew like th' Immortals. Nestor! the renowne
Of old Neleius; make the cleare truth knowne,
How the most great in Empire, Atreus sonne,
Sustaind the act of his destruction.
Where then was Menelaus? how was it,
That false Ægisthus, being so farre vnfit
A match for him, could his death so enforce?
Was he not then in Argos? or his course
With men so left, to let a coward breathe

Spirit enough, to dare his brothers death?

Ile tell thee truth in all (faire sonne) said he:
Right well was this euent conceiu'd by thee.
If Menelaus in his brothers house,

Nestor Telemacho de Ægisthi adulterio.

Had found the idle liuer with his spouse,
(Arriu'd from Troy) he had not liu'd; nor dead
Had the diggd heape powrd on his lustfull head:
But fowles and dogs had torne him in the fields,
Farre off of Argos. Not a Dame it yeelds,
Had giuen him any teare; so foule his fact
Shewd euen to women. Vs Troys warres had rackt
To euery sinewes sufferance; while he

Ægisthus.

In Argos vplands liu'd; from those workes free.
And Agamemnons wife, with force of word
Flatterd and softn'd; who, at first abhord
A fact so infamous. The heau'nly Dame,
A good mind had; but was in blood too blame.
There was a Poet, to whose care, the King

αδιδος ανηρ.

His Queene committed; and in euery thing
(When he for Troy went) charg'd him to apply
Himselfe in all guard to her dignitie.
But when strong Fate, so wrapt-in her affects,
That she resolu'd to leaue her fit respects;
Into a desart Ile, her Guardian led,
(There left) the rapine of the Vultures fed.
Then brought he willing home his wills wonne prize;
On sacred Altars offerd many Thies:
Hung in the Gods Phanes many ornaments;
Garments and gold; that he the vast euents
Of such a labor, to his wish had brought,
As neither fell into his hope, nor thought.

At last, from Troy saild Spartas king and I,
Both, holding her vntoucht. And (that his eie
Might see no worse of her) when both were blowne
To sacred Sunius (of Mineruas towne
The goodly Promontorie) with his shafts seuere
Augur Apollo slue him that did stere
Atrides ship, as he the sterne did guide,
And she the full speed of her saile applide.
He was a man, that nations of men
Exceld in safe guide of a vessell; when
A tempest rusht in on the ruffld seas:
His name was Phrontis Onetorides.
And thus was Menelaus held from home,
Whose way he thirsted so to ouercome;
To giue his friend the earth, being his pursuite,
And all his exequies to execute.
But sailing still the wind-hewd seas, to reach

οινοπα ποντον: οινοψ cuius facies vinū representat

Some shore for fit performance; he did fetch
The steepe Mount of the Malians; and there
With open voice, offended Iupiter,
Proclaimd the voyage, his repugnant mind;
And powr'd the puffes out of a shreeking wind,
That nourisht billowes, heightned like to hils.
And with the Fleets diuision, fulfils
His hate proclaimd; vpon a part of Creete
Casting the Nauie; where the sea-waues meete
Rough Iardanus; and where the Cydons liue.

There is a Rocke, on which the Sea doth driue;
Bare, and all broken; on the confines set
Of Cortys; that the darke seas likewise fret;
And hither sent the South, a horrid drift
Of waues against the top, that was the left
Of that torne cliffe; as farre as Phastus Strand.
A litle stone, the great seas rage did stand.
The men here driuen, scapt hard the ships sore shocks;
The ships themselues being wrackt against the rocks;
Saue onely fiue, that blue fore-castles bore,
Which wind and water cast on Ægypts shore.
When he (there victling well, and store of gold
Aboord his ships brought) his wilde way did hold,
And t'other languag'd men, was forc't to rome.
Meane space Ægisthus made sad worke at home;
And slue his brother; forcing to his sway,

Agamemnonis interitus.

Atrides subiects; and did seuen yeares lay
His yoke vpon the rich Mycenean State.
But in the eight, (to his affrighting fate)

Orestes patrem vlciscitur.

Diuine Orestes home from Athens came;
And what his royall Father felt, the same
He made the false Ægisthus grone beneath:
Death euermore is the reward of Death.

Thus hauing slaine him; a sepulchrall feast
He made the Argiues, for his lustfull guest,
And for his mother, whom he did detest.
The selfe-same day, vpon him stole the King,
(Good at a martiall shout) and goods did bring,
As many as his freighted Fleete could beare.
But thou (my sonne) too long, by no meanes erre,
Thy goods left free for many a spoilfull guest;
Lest they consume some, and diuide the rest;
And thou (perhaps besides) thy voyage lose.
To Menelaus yet thy course dispose,
I wish and charge thee; who but late arriu'd,
From such a shore, and men; as to haue liu'd
In a returne from them; he neuer thought;
And whom, blacke whirlwinds violently brought

Within a sea so vast, that in a yeare
Not any fowle could passe it any where,
So huge and horrid was it. But go thou
With ship and men (or if thou pleasest now
To passe by land, there shall be brought for thee
Both horse and chariot; and thy guides shall be
My sonnes themselues) to Sparta, the diuine,
And to the King, whose locks like Amber shine.
Intreate the truth of him; nor loues he lies;
Wisedome in truth is; and hee's passing wise.

This said, the Sunne went downe, and vp rose Night,
When Pallas spake; O Father, all good right

Pallas Nestori.

Beare thy directions. But diuide we now
The sacrifises tongues; mixe wine; and vow
To Neptune, and the other euer blest;
That hauing sacrifisd, we may to rest.
The fit houre runnes now; light diues out of date;
At sacred feasts, we must not sit too late.

She said: They heard; the Herald water gaue;
The youths crownd cups with wine; and let all haue
Their equall shares; beginning from the cup,
Their parting banquet. All the Tongues cut vp;
The fire they gaue them; sacrifisde, and rose;
Wine, and diuine rites, vsde to each dispose;
Minerua and Telemachus desirde
They might to ship be, with his leaue, retirde.

He (mou'd with that) prouokt thus their abodes:
Now Ioue forbid, and all the long-liu'd Gods,
Your leauing me, to sleepe aboord a ship:
As I had drunke of poore Penias whip,
Euen to my nakednesse; and had nor sheete,
Nor couering in my house; that warme nor sweete
A guest, nor I my selfe, had meanes to sleepe;
Where I, both weeds and wealthy couerings keepe
For all my guests: nor shall Fame euer say,
The deare sonne of the man Vlysses, lay
All night a ship boord here; while my dayes shine;
Or in my Court, whiles any sonne of mine
Enioyes suruiuall: who shall guests receiue,
Whom euer, my house hath a nooke to leaue.

My much lou'd Father, (said Minerua) well
All this becomes thee. But perswade to dwell
This night with thee thy sonne Telemachus;
For more conuenient is the course for vs,
That he may follow to thy house, and rest.
And I may boord our blacke saile; that addrest
At all parts I may make our men; and cheare
All with my presence; since of all men there

I boast my selfe the senior; th' others are
Youths, that attend in free and friendly care,
Great-sould Telemachus; and are his peeres,
In fresh similitude of forme and yeeres.
For their confirmance, I will therefore now
Sleepe in our blacke Barke. But when Light shall shew
Her siluer forehead; I intend my way
Amongst the Caucons; men that are to pay
A debt to me, nor small, nor new. For this,
Take you him home; whom in the morne dismisse,
With chariot and your sonnes; and giue him horse
Ablest in strength, and of the speediest course.

Disparet Minerua.

This said; away she flew; formd like the fowle
Men call the Ossifrage; when euery soule

Nestor Telemacho.

Amaze inuaded: euen th' old man admir'd;
The youths hand tooke, and said: O most desir'd;
My hope sayes, thy proofe will no coward show,
Nor one vnskild in warre; when Deities now
So yong attend thee, and become thy guides:
Nor any of the heauen-housde States besides;
But Tritogenias selfe; the seed of Ioue;
The great in prey; that did in honor moue
So much about thy Father; amongst all
The Grecian armie. Fairest Queene, let fall
On me like fauours: giue me good renowne;
Which, as on me; on my lou'd wife, let downe,
And all my children. I will burne to thee
An Oxe right bred, brode headed, and yoke-free,
To no mans hand yet humbled. Him will I
(His hornes in gold hid) giue thy Deitie.

Thus praid he; and she heard; and home he led
His sonnes, and all his heapes of kindered;
Who entring his Court royall; euery one
He marshald in his seuerall seate and throne.
And euery one, so kindly come, he gaue
His sweet-wine cup; which none was let to haue
Before this leuenth yeare, landed him from Troy;
Which now the Butleresse had leaue t'employ.
Who therefore pierst it, and did giue it vent.
Of this, the old Duke did a cup present
To euery guest: made his maid many a praire
That weares the Shield fring'd with his nurses haire;
And gaue her sacrifise. With this rich wine
And food suffisde, Sleepe, all eyes did decline.
And all for home went: but his Court alone,
Telemachus, diuine Vlysses sonne,
Must make his lodging, or not please his heart.

A bed, all chequerd with elaborate Art,

Within a Portico, that rung like brasse,
He brought his guest to; and his bedfere was
Pisistratus, the martiall guide of men,
That liu'd, of all his sonnes, vnwed till then.
Himselfe lay in a by-roome, farre aboue,
His bed made by his barren wife, his loue.

The rosie-fingerd morne, no sooner shone,
But vp he rose, tooke aire, and sat vpon
A seate of white, and goodly polisht stone,
That such a glosse as richest ointments wore.
Before his high gates; where the Counsellor
That matcht the Gods (his Father) vsde to sit:
Who now (by Fate forc't) stoopt as low as it.
And here sate Nestor, holding in his hand
A Scepter; and about him round did stand
(As early vp) his sonnes troope; Perseus,
The God-like Thrasimed, and Aretus,
Echephron, Stratius; the sixt and last
Pisistratus; and by him (halfe embrac't
Still as they came) diuine Telemachus;
To these spake Nestor, old Gerenius:

Haste (loued sonnes) and do me a desire,

Nestoris filij patris iussu Mineruæ sacrum apparant.

That (first of all the Gods) I may aspire
To Pallas fauour; who vouchsaft to me,
At Neptunes feast, her sight so openly.
Let one to field go; and an Oxe with speed
Cause hither brought; which, let the Heardsman leade;
Another to my deare guests vessell go,
And all his souldiers bring, saue onely two.
A third, the Smith that works in gold, command
(Laertius) to attend; and lend his hand,
To plate the both hornes round about with gold;
The rest remaine here close. But first, see told
The maids within, that they prepare a feast;
Set seates through all the Court: see strait addrest
The purest water; and get fuell feld.

This said; not one, but in the seruice held
Officious hand. The Oxe came led from field;
The Souldiers troopt from ship; the Smith he came,

The forme of the Sacrifice.

And those tooles brought, that seru'd the actuall frame,
His Art conceiu'd; brought Anvile, hammers brought,
Faire tongs, and all, with which the gold was wrought.
Minerua likewise came, to set the Crowne
On that kind sacrifice, and mak't her owne.

Then th' old Knight Nestor gaue the Smith the gold,
With which he strait did both the hornes infold;
And trimm'd the Offering so, the Goddesse ioyd.
About which, thus were Nestors sonnes employd:

Diuine Echephron, and faire Stratius,
Held both the hornes: the water odorous
In which they washt, what to the rites was vowd,
Aretus (in a caldron, all bestrowd
With herbes and flowres) seru'd in from th' holy roome
Where all were drest; and whence the rites must come.
And after him, a hallowd virgin came,
That brought the barley cake, and blew the flame.
The axe, with which the Oxe should both be feld
And cut forth, Thrasimed stoodby and held.
Perseus the vessell held, that should retaine
The purple licour of the offering slaine.

Then washt, the pious Father: then the Cake
(Of barley, salt, and oile made) tooke, and brake.
Askt many a boone of Pallas; and the state
Of all the offering, did initiate.
In three parts cutting off the haire, and cast
Amidst the flame. All th' inuocation past,
And all the Cake broke; manly Thrasimed
Stood neare, and sure; and such a blow he laid
Aloft the offring; that to earth he sunke,
His neck-nerues sunderd, and his spirits shrunke.
Out shriekt the daughters, daughter in lawes, and wife
Of three-ag'd Nestor, (who had eldest life
Of Clymens daughters) chast Eurydice.
The Oxe on broad earth, then layd laterally,
They held, while Duke Pisistratus, the throte
Dissolu'd and set, the sable blood afflote;
And then the life the bones left. Instantly
They cut him vp; apart flew either Thie;
That with the fat they dubd, with art alone;
The throte-briske, and the sweet-bread pricking on.
Then Nestor broild them on the cole-turnd wood,
Powr'd blacke wine on; and by him yong men stood,
That spits fine-pointed held, on which (when burnd
The solid Thies were) they transfixt, and turnd
The inwards, cut in cantles: which (the meate
Vowd to the Gods, consum'd) they rost and eate.

In meane space, Polycaste (calld the faire,
Nestors yongst daughter) bath'd Vlysses heire;
Whom, hauing cleansd, and with rich balmes bespred;
She cast a white shirt quickly o're his head,
And then his weeds put on; when, forth he went,
And did the person of a God present.
Came, and by Nestor tooke his honourd seate,
This pastor of the people. Then, the meate
Of all the spare parts rosted; off they drew;
Sate, and fell to. But soone the temperate few,

Rose, and in golden bolles, filld others wine.
Till, when the rest felt thirst of feast decline;
Nestor his sonnes bad, fetch his high-man'd horse,
And them in chariot ioyne, to runne the course
The Prince resolu'd. Obaid, as soone as heard
Was Nestor by his sonnes; who strait prepar'd
Both horse and chariot. She that kept the store,
Both bread and wine, and all such viands more,
As should the feast of Ioue-fed Kings compose;
Pouruaid the voyage. To the rich Coach, rose
Vlysses sonne; and close to him ascended

Telemachus proficiscitur ad Menelaum.

The Duke Pisistratus; the reines intended,
And scourg'd, to force to field, who freely flew;
And left the Towne, that farre her splendor threw.
Both holding yoke, and shooke it all the day;
But now the Sunne set, darkning euery way,
When they to Pheris came; and in the house
Of Diocles (the sonne t'Ortilochus,
Whom flood Alpheus got) slept all that night:
Who gaue them each due hospitable rite.
But when the rosie-fingerd morne arose,
They went to Coach, and did their horse inclose;
Draue forth the fore-court, and the porch that yeelds
Each breath a sound; and to the fruitfull fields
Rode scourging still their willing flying Steeds;
Who strenuously performd their wonted speeds.
Their iourney ending iust when Sunne went downe;
And shadowes all wayes through the earth were throwne.

Finis libri tertij Hom. Odyss.

THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Receiu'd now, in the Spartan Court
Telemachus, preferres report
To Menelaus, of the throng
Of wooers with him, and their wrong.

Menelaus.

Atrides tels the Greekes retreate,
And doth a Prophecie repeate,
That Proteus made; by which he knew
His brothers death; and then doth shew
How with Calypso liu'd the fire
Of his yong guest. The woo'rs conspire
Their Princes death: whose trechery knowne,
Penelope in teares doth drowne.
Whom Pallas by a dreame doth cheare,
And in similitude appeare
Of faire Iphthima, knowne to be
The sister of Penelope.

Another.

Δελτα.

Here, of the Sire
The Sonne doth heare:
The woo'rs conspire;
The mothers feare.

Λακεδαιμονα κητωσσαν which is expounded Spartam amplam, or μεγαλην magnam: where κητ– signifies properly plurima cere nutrientem.

In Lacedamon now, the nurse of Whales,
These two arriu'd, and found at festiuals
(With mightie concourse) the renowmed King,
His sonne and daughter, ioyntly marrying.
Alectors daughter, he did giue his sonne
Strong Megapenthe; who his life begunne
By Menelaus bondmaid; whom he knew
In yeares. When Hellen could no more renew
In issue like diuine Hermione;
Who held in all faire forme, as high degree
As golden Venus. Her he married now
To great Achilles sonne; who was by vow
Betrothd to her at Troy. And thus the Gods
To constant loues, giue nuptiall periods.
Whose state here past, the Myrmidons rich towne
(Of which she shar'd in the Imperiall Crowne)
With horse and chariots he resign'd her to.
Meane space, the high huge house, with feast did flow

Of friends and neighbours, ioying with the King.
Amongst whom, did a heauenly Poet sing,
And touch his Harpe. Amongst whom likewise danc't
Two; who in that dumbe motion aduanc't,
Would prompt

μολπης εξαρχοντες Cantum auspicantes: of which place, the Critiks affirme, that saltatores motu suo indicant cantori, quo genere cantus saltaturi forent.

the Singer, what to sing and play.
All this time, in the vtter Court did stay,
With horse and chariot, Telemachus,
And Nestors noble sonne, Pisistratus.
Whom Eteoneus coming forth, descried,
And, being a seruant to the King, most tried
In care, and his respect; he ranne and cried:

The rapture of Eteoneus at sight of Telemachus and Pisistratus.

Guests! Ioue-kept Menelaus! two such men,
As are for forme, of high Saturnius straine.
Informe your pleasure, if we shall vnclose
Their horse from coach; or say, they must dispose
Their way to some such house, as may embrace
Their knowne arriuall, with more welcome grace?

He (angry) answerd, Thou didst neuer show
Thy selfe a foole (Beotides) till now;

Menelaus rebukes his seruāt for his doubt to entertaine guests worthy.

But now (as if turnd child) a childish speech
Vents thy vaine spirits. We our selues now reach
Our home, by much spent hospitalitie
Of other men; nor know, if Ioue will trie,
With other after wants, our state againe:
And therefore, from our feast, no more detaine
Those welcome guests; but take their Steeds from Coach,
And with attendance guide in their approach.

This said, he rusht abroad, and calld some more
Tried in such seruice; that together bore
Vp to the guests: and tooke their Steeds that swet
Beneath their yokes, from Coach. At mangers set,
Wheate and white barley gaue them mixt; and plac't
Their Chariot by a wall so cleare, it cast
A light quite thorough it. And then they led
Their guests to the diuine house; which so fed
Their eyes at all parts with illustrous sights,
That Admiration seisd them. Like the lights
The Sunne and Moone gaue; all the Pallace threw
A luster through it. Satiate with whose view,
Downe to the Kings most bright-kept Baths, they went;
Where handmaids did their seruices present:
Bath'd, balmd them; shirts, and well-napt weeds put on,
And by Atrides side, set each his throne.
Then did the handmaid royall, water bring,
And to a Lauer, rich and glittering,
Of massie gold, powr'd: which she plac't vpon
A siluer Caldron; into which, might runne
The water as they washt. Then set she neare

A polisht table; on which, all the cheare
The present could affoord; a reuerend Dame
That kept the Larder, set. A Cooke then came,
And diuers dishes, borne thence, seru'd againe;
Furnisht the boord with bolles of gold; and then
(His right hand giuen the guests) Atrides said,
Eate, and be chearfull; appetite allaid,
I long to aske, of what stocke ye descend;
For not from parents, whose race namelesse end,
We must deriue your ofspring. Men obscure,
Could get none such as you. The pourtraiture
Of Ioue-sustaind, and Scepter-bearing Kings,
Your either person, in his presence brings.
An Oxes fat chine, then they vp did lift,
And set before the guests; which was a gift,
Sent as an honor, to the Kings owne tast.
They saw yet, twas but to be eaten plac't,
And fell to it. But food and wines care past,
Telemachus thus prompted Nestors sonne;

Telemachus to Pisistratus, in obseruation of the house, not so much that he hartily admired it, as to please Menelaus, who he knew heard, though he seemd desirous he shold not heare.

(His eare close laying, to be heard of none)

Consider (thou whom most my mind esteemes)
The brasse-worke here, how rich it is in beames;
And how besides, it makes the whole house sound?
What gold, and amber, siluer, ivorie, round
Is wrought about it. Out of doubt, the Hall
Of Iupiter Olympius, hath of all
This state, the like. How many infinites,
Take vp to admiration, all mens sights?

Atrides ouer-heard; and said; Lou'd sonne,

Menelaus relates his trauels to his guests.

No mortall must affect contention
With Iove, whose dwellings are of endlesse date.
Perhaps (of men) some one may emulate,
(Or none) my house, or me. For I am one,
That many a graue extreme haue vndergone.
Much error felt by sea; and till th' eight yeare,
Had neuer stay; but wanderd farre and neare,
Cyprus, Phœnicia, and Sydonia;
And fetcht the farre off Æthiopia:
Reacht the Erembi of Arabia;
And Lybia, where, with hornes, Ewes yeane their Lambs:
Where euery full yeare, Ewes are three times dams.
Where neither King, nor shepheard; want comes neare
Of cheese, or flesh, or sweete milke. All the yeare
They euer milke their Ewes. And here while I
Errd, gathering meanes to liue: one, murtherously,
Vnwares, vnseene, bereft my brothers life;
Chiefly betraid by his abhorred wife.
So, hold I, (not enioying) what you see.

And of your Fathers (if they liuing be)
You must haue heard this: since my suffrings were
So great and famous. From this Pallace here,
(So rarely-well-built; furnished so well;
And substanced with such a precious deale
Of well-got treasure) banisht by the doome
Of Fate; and erring as I had no home.
And now I haue, and vse it; not to take
Th' entire delight it offers; but to make
Continuall wishes, that a triple part
Of all it holds, were wanting; so my heart
Were easde of sorrowes (taken for their deaths
That fell at Troy) by their reuiued breaths.
And thus sit I here, weeping, mourning still
Each least man lost; and sometimes make mine ill
(In paying iust teares for their losse) my ioy.
Sometimes I breathe my woes; for in annoy,
The pleasure soone admits satietie.
But all these mens wants, wet not so mine eie,
(Though much they moue me) as one sole mans misse;
For which, my sleepe and meate euen lothsome is,
In his renewd thought; since no Greeke hath wonne
Grace, for such labours, as Laërtes sonne
Hath wrought and sufferd: to himselfe, nought else

Intending Vlysses.

But future sorrowes forging: to me, hels
For his long absence; since I cannot know
If life or death detaine him: since such woe
For his loue, old Laertes, his wise wife,
And poore yong sonne sustaines; whom new with life,
He left as sirelesse. This speech; griefe to teares
(Powrd from the sonnes lids on the earth) his eares
(Told of the Father) did excite; who kept
His cheekes drie with his red weed, as he wept:
His both hands vsde therein. Atrides then
Began to know him; and did strife retaine,
If he should let, himselfe confesse his Sire,
Or with all fitting circumstance, enquire.

While this, his thoughts disputed; forth did shine,
(Like to the golden distaffe-deckt diuine)

Diana. Hellens reparance and ornament.

From her beds high and odoriferous roome,
Hellen. To whom (of an elaborate loome)
Adresta set a chaire: Alcyppe brought
A peece of Tapestrie, of fine wooll wrought.
Philo, a siluer Cabinet conferd:
(Giuen by Alcandra, Nuptially endeard
To Lord Polybius; whose abode in Thebes,
Th' Ægyptian citie was;) where wealth in heapes,
His famous house held: out of which did go

In gift t'Atrides, siluer bath-tubs two;
Two Tripods; and of fine gold, talents ten.
His wife did likewise send to Hellen then,
Faire gifts; a Distaffe that of gold was wrought;
And that rich Cabinet that Phylo brought;
Round, and with gold ribd; now of fine thred, full:
On which extended (crownd with finest wooll,
Of violet glosse) the golden Distaffe lay.

She tooke her State-chaire; and a foot-stooles stay

Hellen to Menelaus concerning the guests.

Had for her feete: and of her husband, thus
Askt to know all things: Is it knowne to vs,
(King Menelaus) whom these men commend
Themselues for; that our Court, now takes to friend?
I must affirme, (be I deceiu'd or no)
I neuer yet saw man nor woman so
Like one another, as this man is like
Vlysses sonne. With admiration strike
His lookes, my thoughts; that they should carrie now
Powre to perswade me thus; who did but know,
When newly he was borne, the forme they bore.
But tis his Fathers grace; whom more and more
His grace resembles; that makes me retaine
Thought, that he now, is like Telemachus then:
Left by his Sire, when Greece did vndertake
Troys bold warre, for my impudencies sake.

He answerd: Now wife, what you thinke, I know,
The true cast of his Fathers eye, doth show
In his eyes order. Both his head and haire,
His hands and feete, his very fathers are.
Of whom (so well rememberd) I should now
Acknowledge for me, his continnall flow
Of cares and perils: yet still patient.
But I should too much moue him, that doth vent
Such bitter teares for that which hath bene spoke;
Which (shunning soft shew) see how he would cloke;
And with his purple weed, his weepings hide.

Then Nestors sonne, Pisistratus replide:

Pisistratus tels who they are.

Great Pastor of the people; kept of God!
He is Vlysses sonne; but his abode
Not made before here; and he modest too;
He holds it an indignitie to do
A deed so vaine, to vse the boast of words,
Where your words are on wing; whose voice affords
Delight to vs, as if a God did breake
The aire amongst vs, and vouchsafe to speake.
But me, my father (old Duke Nestor) sent
To be his consort hither; his content,
Not to be heightned so, as with your sight.

In hope that therewith words and actions might
Informe his comforts from you; since he is
Extremely grieu'd and iniur'd, by the misse
Of his great Father; suffering euen at home.
And few friends found, to helpe him ouercome
His too weake sufferance, now his Sire is gone.
Amongst the people, not affoorded one
To checke the miseries, that mate him thus;
And this the state is of Telemachus.

O Gods (said he) how certaine, now, I see
My house enioyes that friends sonne, that for me

Menelaus ioy for Telemachus, and mone for Vlysses absence.

Hath vndergone so many willing fights?
Whom I resolu'd, past all the Grecian Knights,
To hold in loue; if our returne by seas,
The farre-off Thunderer did euer please
To grant our wishes. And to his respect,
A Pallace and a Citie to erect,
My vow had bound me. Whither bringing then
His riches, and his sonne, and all his men
From barren Ithaca, (some one sole Towne
Inhabited about him, batterd downe)
All should in Argos liue. And there would I
Ease him of rule; and take the Emperie
Of all on me. And often here would we
(Delighting, louing eithers companie)
Meete and conuerse; whom nothing should diuide,
Till deaths blacke veile did each all ouer hide.
But this perhaps had bene a meane to take
Euen God himselfe with enuie; who did make
Vlysses therefore onely the vnblest,
That should not reach his loued countries rest.

These woes made euery one with woe in loue;
Euen Argiue Hellen wept, (the seed of Ioue)
Vlysses sonne wept;

Menelaus.

Atreus sonne did weepe;
And Nestors sonne, his eyes in teares did steepe.
But his teares fell not from the present cloud,
That from Vlysses was exhal'd; but flowd

Pisistratus weeps with remēbrance of his brother Antilochus. Vid. Memnon.

From braue Antilochus rememberd due,
Whom the renowmd Sonne of the Morning slue.
Which yet he thus excusde: O Atreus sonne!
Old Nestor sayes, There liues not such a one
Amongst all mortals, as Atrides is,
For deathlesse wisedome. Tis a praise of his,
Still giuen in your remembrance; when at home
Our speech concernes you. Since then ouercome
You please to be, with sorrow euen to teares,
That are in wisedome so exempt from peres;
Vouchsafe the like effect in me excuse,

(If it be lawfull) I affect no vse
Of teares thus, after meales; at least, at night:
But when the morne brings forth, with teares, her light,
It shall not then empaire me to bestow
My teares on any worthies ouerthrow.
It is the onely right, that wretched men
Can do dead friends; to cut haire, and complaine.
But Death my brother tooke; whom none could call
The Grecian coward; you best knew of all.
I was not there, nor saw; but men report,
Antilochus exceld the common sort,
For footmanship, or for the Chariot race;
Or in the fight, for hardie hold of place.

O friend (said he) since thou hast spoken so,
At all parts, as one wise should say and do;
And like one, farre beyond thy selfe in yeares;
Thy words shall bounds be, to our former teares.
O he is questionlesse a right borne sonne,
That of his Father hath not onely wonne
The person, but the wisedome; and that Sire;
(Complete himselfe) that hath a sonne entire,
Ioue did not onely his full Fate adorne,
When he was wedded; but when he was borne.
As now Saturnius, through his lifes whole date,
Hath Nestors blisse raisd to as steepe a state:
Both in his age to keepe in peace his house;
And to haue children wise and valorous.

But let vs not forget our rere Feast thus;
Let some giue water here. Telemachus!
The morning shall yeeld time to you and me,
To do what fits; and reason mutually.
This said; the carefull seruant of the King;
(Asphalion) powr'd on, th' issue of the Spring;
And all to readie feast, set readie hand.

Hellens potion against Cares.

But Hellen now, on new deuice did stand;
Infusing strait a medcine to their wine,
That (drowning Cares and Angers) did decline
All thought of ill. Who drunke her cup, could shed
All that day, not a teare; no not if dead
That day his father or his mother were;
Not if his brother, child, or chiefest deare,
He should see murtherd then before his face.
Such vsefull medcines (onely borne in grace,
Of what was good) would Hellen euer haue.
And this Iuyce to her, Polydomma gaue
The wife of Thoon; an Ægyptian borne;
Whose rich earth, herbes of medicine do adorne
In great abundance. Many healthfull are,

And many banefull. Euery man is there
A good Physition, out of natures grace;
For all the nation sprung of Pæons race.

When Hellen then her medicine had infusde,
She bad powre wine to it; and this speech vsde:

Atrides, and these good mens sonnes; great Ioue

Hellen of Vlysses and the sacke of Troy.

Makes good and ill, one after other moue
In all things earthly: for he can do all.
The woes past therefore, he so late let fall;
The comforts he affoords vs, let vs take;
Feast, and with fit discourses, merrie make.
Nor will I other vse. As then our blood
Grieu'd for Vlysses, since he was so good;
Since he was good, let vs delight to heare
How good he was, and what his suffrings were.
Though euery fight, and euery suffring deed,
Patient Vlysses vnderwent; exceed
My womans powre to number, or to name.
But what he did, and sufferd, when he came
Amongst the Troians, (where ye Grecians all
Tooke part with sufferance) I in part can call
To your kind memories. How with ghastly wounds
Himselfe he mangl'd; and the Troian bounds
(Thrust thicke with enemies) aduentured on:
His royall shoulders, hauing cast vpon
Base abiect weeds, and enterd like a slaue.
Then (begger-like) he did of all men craue;
And such a wretch was, as the whole Greeke fleete
Brought not besides. And thus through euery streete
He crept discouering: of no one man knowne.
And yet through all this difference, I alone
Smok't his true person. Talkt with him. But he
Fled me with wiles still. Nor could we agree,
Till I disclaimd him quite. And so (as mou'd
With womanly remorse, of one that prou'd
So wretched an estate, what ere he were)
Wonne him to take my house. And yet euen there;
Till freely I (to make him doubtlesse) swore
A powrefull oath, to let him reach the shore
Of ships and tents, before Troy vnderstood;
I could not force on him his proper good.
But then I bath'd and sooth'd him, and he then
Confest, and told me all. And (hauing slaine
A number of the Troian guards) retirde,
And reacht the Fleete; for slight and force admirde.
Their husbands deaths by him, the Troian wiues
Shriekt for; but I made triumphs for their liues.
For then my heart conceiu'd, that once againe

I should reach home; and yet did still retaine
Woe for the slaughters, Venus made for me:
When both my husband, my Hermione,
And bridall roome, she robd of so much right;
And drew me from my countrie, with her sleight.
Though nothing vnder heauen, I here did need,
That could my Fancie, or my Beautie feed.

Menelaus to Hellen and his guests.

Her husband said: Wife! what you please to tell,
Is true at all parts, and becomes you well.
And I my selfe, that now may say, haue seene
The minds and manners of a world of men:
And great Heroes, measuring many a ground,
Haue neuer (by these eyes that light me) found
One, with a bosome, so to be belou'd,
As that in which, th' accomplisht spirit, mou'd
Of patient Vlysses. What (braue man)
He both did act, and suffer, when we wan
The towne of Ilion, in the braue-built horse,
When all we chiefe States of the Grecian force,
Were housde together; bringing Death and Fate
Amongst the Troians; you (wife) may relate.
For you, at last, came to vs; God that would
The Troians glorie giue; gaue charge you should
Approch the engine; and Deiphobus
(The god-like) followd. Thrice ye circl'd vs,
With full suruay of it; and often tried
The hollow crafts, that in it were implied.

Hellen counterfacted the wiues voices of those Kings of Greece, that were in the woodden horse, and calls their husbands.

When all the voices of their wiues in it
You tooke on you; with voice so like, and fit;
And euery man by name, so visited;
That I, Vlysses, and King Diomed,
(Set in the midst, and hearing how you calld)
Tydides, and my selfe, (as halfe appalld
With your remorcefull plaints) would, passing faine
Haue broke our silence; rather then againe
Endure, respectlesse, their so mouing cries.
But, Ithacus, our strongest fantasies
Containd within vs, from the slendrest noise,
And euery man there, sat without a voice.
Anticlus onely, would haue answerd thee:
But, his speech, Ithacus incessantly
With strong hand held in; till (Mineruas call,
Charging thee off) Vlysses sau'd vs all.

Telemachus to Menelaus.

Telemachus replide: Much greater is
My griefe, for hearing this high praise of his.
For all this doth not his sad death diuert;
Nor can, though in him swelld an iron heart.
Prepare, and leade then (if you please) to rest:

Sleepe (that we heare not) will content vs best.

Then Argive Hellen made her handmaid go,
And put faire bedding in the Portico;
Lay purple blankets on, Rugs warme and soft;

Itur ad lectum.

And cast an Arras couerlet aloft.

They torches tooke; made haste, and made the bed,
When both the guests were to their lodgings led,
Within a Portico, without the house.
Atrides, and his large-traine-wearing Spouse,
(The excellent of women) for the way,
In a retir'd receit, together lay.
The morne arose; the King rose, and put on
His royall weeds; his sharpe sword hung vpon
His ample shoulders; forth his chamber went,
And did the person of a God present.

Telemachus accosts him; who begun
Speech of his iourneys proposition.

And what (my yong Vlyssean Heroe)

Menelaus enquires the cause of his voyage.

Prouokt thee on the broad backe of the sea,
To visit Lacedæmon the Diuine?
Speake truth, Some publicke? or onely thine?

I come (said he) to heare, if any fame
Breath'd of my Father; to thy notice came.
My house is sackt; my fat workes of the field,
Are all destroid: my house doth nothing yeeld
But enemies; that kill my harmlesse sheepe,
And sinewie Oxen: nor will euer keepe
Their steeles without them. And these men are they,
That wooe my Mother; most inhumanely
Committing iniurie on iniurie.
To thy knees therefore I am come, t'attend
Relation of the sad and wretched end,
My erring Father felt: if witnest by
Your owne eyes; or the certaine newes that flie
From others knowledges. For, more then is
The vsuall heape of humane miseries,
His Mother bore him to. Vouchsafe me then
(Without all ruth of what I can sustaine)
The plaine and simple truth of all you know.
Let me beseech so much. If euer vow
Was made, and put in good effect to you
At Troy (where suffrance bred you so much smart)
Vpon my Father, good Vlysses part;
And quit it now to me (himselfe in youth)
Vnfolding onely the vnclosed truth.

He (deeply sighing) answerd him: O shame
That such poore vassals should affect the fame,
To share the ioyes of such a Worthies Bed!

As when a Hinde (her calues late farrowed
To giue sucke) enters the bold Lions den:
He, rootes of hils, and herbie vallies then
For food (there feeding) hunting: but at length
Returning to his Cauerne; giues his strength
The liues of both the mother and her brood,
In deaths indecent; so the wooers blood
Must pay Vlysses powres, as sharpe an end.
O would to Ioue, Apollo, and thy friend,
(The wise Minerua) that thy Father were
As once he was, when he his spirits did rere
Against Philomelides, in a fight
Performd in well-built Lesbos; where, downe-right
He strooke the earth with him; and gat a shout
Of all the Grecians. O, if now, full out
He were as then; and with the wooers cop't,
Short-liu'd they all were; and their nuptials, hop't
Would proue as desperate. But for thy demand,
Enforc't with prayrs; Ile let thee vnderstand
The truth directly; nor decline a thought;
Much lesse deceiue, or sooth thy search in ought.
But what the old, and still-true-spoken God,
That from the sea breathes oracles abroad,
Disclosde to me; to thee Ile all impart,
Nor hide one word from thy sollicitous heart.

Menelai nauigatio.

I was in Ægypt; where a mightie time,
The Gods detaind me: though my naturall clime,
I neuer so desir'd; because their homes
I did not greete, with perfect Hecatomes.
For they will put men euermore in mind,
How much their masterly commandments bind.

There is (besides) a certaine Iland, calld
Pharos, that with the high-wau'd sea is walld;
Iust against Ægypt; and so much remote,
As in a whole day, with a fore-gale smote,
A hollow ship can saile. And this Ile beares
A Port, most portly; where sea-passengers
Put in still for fresh water, and away
To sea againe. Yet here the Gods did stay
My Fleete, full twentie dayes: the winds (that are
Masters at sea) no prosprous puffe would spare,
To put vs off: and all my victles here,
Had quite corrupted; as my mens minds were;
Had not a certaine Goddesse giuen regard,
And pittide me in an estate so hard:
And twas Edothea, honourd Proteus seed,
That old sea-farer. Her mind I made bleed
With my compassion, when (walkt all alone,

From all my souldiers, that were euer gone
About the Ile on fishing, with hookes bent;
Hunger, their bellies, on her errand sent)
She came close to me; spake; and thus began:

Of all men, thou art the most foolish man,
Or slacke in businesse; or stayst here of choice;
And doest in all thy suffrances reioyce;
That thus long liu'st detaind here; and no end
Canst giue thy tarriance. Thou doest much offend
The minds of all thy fellowes. I replied:

Who euer thou art of the Deified,
I must affirme, that no way with my will,
I make abode here: but, it seemes, some ill
The Gods, inhabiting broad heauen, sustaine
Against my getting off. Informe me then,
(For Godheads all things know) what God is he
That stayes my passage, from the fishie sea?

Stranger (said she) Ile tell thee true: there liues
An old Sea-farer in these seas, that giues

Idothea to Menelaus.

A true solution of all secrets here.
Who, deathlesse Proteus is, th' Ægyptian Peere:
Who can the deepes of all the seas exquire;
Who Neptunes Priest is; and (they say) the Sire
That did beget me. Him, if any way
Thou couldst inveagle, he would cleare display
Thy course from hence; and how farre off doth lie
Thy voyages whole scope through Neptunes skie.
Informing thee (O God preseru'd) beside
(If thy desires would so be satisfide)
What euer good or ill hath got euent,
In all the time, thy long and hard course spent,
Since thy departure from thy house. This said;
Againe I answerd: Make the sleights displaid,
Thy Father vseth; lest his foresight see,
Or his foreknowledge taking note of me,
He flies the fixt place of his vsde abode;
Tis hard for man to countermine with God.

She strait replide: Ile vtter truth in all;
When heauens supremest height, the Sunne doth skall;

Idotheas counsell to take her father Proteus.

The old Sea-tell-truth leaues the deepes, and hides
Amidst a blacke storme, when the West wind chides;
In caues still sleeping. Round about him sleepe
(With short feete swimming forth the fomie deepe)
The Sea-calues (louely Halosydnes calld)
From whom a noisome odour is exhalld,
Got from the whirle-pooles, on whose earth they lie.
Here, when the morne illustrates all the skie,
Ile guide, and seate thee, in the fittest place,

For the performance thou hast now in chace.
In meane time, reach thy Fleete; and chuse out three
Of best exploit, to go as aides to thee.

The sleights of Proteus.

But now Ile shew thee all the old Gods sleights;
He first will number, and take all the sights
Of those, his guard, that on the shore arriues.
When hauing viewd, and told them forth by fiues;
He takes place in their midst, and there doth sleepe,
Like to a shepheard midst his flocke of sheepe.
In his first sleepe, call vp your hardiest cheare,
Vigor and violence, and hold him there,
In spite of all his striuings to be gone.
He then will turne himselfe to euery one
Of all things that in earth creepe and respire,
In water swim, or shine in heauenly fire.
Yet still hold you him firme; and much the more
Presse him from passing. But when, as before
(When sleepe first bound his powres) his forme ye see,
Then ceasse your force, and th' old Heroe free;
And then demand, which heauen-borne it may bee
That so afflicts you, hindring your retreate,
And free sea-passage to your natiue seate.

This said, she diu'd into the wauie seas;
And I my course did to my ships addresse,
That on the sands stucke; where arriu'd, we made
Our supper readie. Then th' Ambrosian shade
Of night fell on vs; and to sleepe we fell.
Rosie Aurora rose; we rose as well;
And three of them, on whom I most relied,
For firme at euery force; I chusde, and hied
Strait to the many-riuer-serued seas.
And all assistance, askt the Deities.

Meane time Edothea, the seas broad brest
Embrac't; and brought for me, and all my rest,
Foure of the sea-calues skins, but newly flead,
To worke a wile, which she had fashioned
Vpon her Father. Then (within the sand
A couert digging) when these Calues should land,
She sate expecting. We came close to her:
She plac't vs orderly; and made vs weare
Each one his Calues skin. But we then must passe
A huge exploit. The sea-calues sauour was
So passing sowre (they still being bred at seas)
It much afflicted vs: for who can please

Ironice.

To lie by one of these same sea-bred whales?
But she preserues vs; and to memorie calls
A rare commoditie: she fetcht to vs
Ambrosia, that an aire most odorous

Beares still about it; which she nointed round
Our either nosthrils; and in it quite drownd
The nastie whale-smell. Then the great euent,
The whole mornes date, with spirits patient
We lay expecting. When bright Noone did flame
Forth from the sea, in Sholes the sea-calues came,
And orderly, at last, lay downe and slept
Along the sands. And then th' old sea-god crept
From forth the deepes; and found his fat calues there:
Suruaid, and numberd; and came neuer neare
The craft we vsde; but told vs fiue for calues.
His temples then diseasd, with sleepe he salues;
And in rusht we, with an abhorred crie:
Cast all our hands about him manfully,
And then th' old Forger, all his formes began:
First was a Lion, with a mightie mane;
Then next a Dragon; a pide Panther then;
A vast Boare next; and sodainly did straine
All into water. Last, he was a tree,
Curld all at top, and shot vp to the skie.

We, with resolu'd hearts, held him firmly still,
When th' old one (held to streight for all his skill,

Proteus taken by Menelaus.

To extricate) gaue words, and questiond me:

Which of the Gods, O Atreus sonne, (said he)
Aduisde and taught thy fortitude this sleight,
To take and hold me thus, in my despight?
What asks thy wish now? I replide: Thou knowst:
Why doest thou aske? What wiles are these thou showst?
I haue within this Ile, bene held for winde
A wondrous time; and can by no meanes find
An end to my retention. It hath spent
The very heart in me. Giue thou then vent
To doubts thus bound in me, (ye Gods know all)
Which of the Godheads, doth so fowly fall
On my addression home, to stay me here?
Auert me from my way? The fishie cleare,
Barr'd to my passage? He replide: Of force
(If to thy home, thou wishest free recourse)
To Ioue, and all the other Deities,
Thou must exhibite solemne sacrifice;
And then the blacke sea for thee shall be cleare,
Till thy lou'd countries settl'd reach. But where
Aske these rites thy performance? Tis a fate
To thee and thy affaires appropriate,
That thou shalt neuer see thy friends, nor tred
Thy Countries earth; nor see inhabited
Thy so magnificent house; till thou make good
Thy voyage backe to the Ægyptian flood,

Whose waters fell from Ioue: and there hast giuen
To Ioue, and all Gods, housd in ample heauen,
Deuoted Hecatombs; and then free wayes
Shall open to thee; cleard of all delayes.

This told he; and me thought, he brake my heart,
In such a long and hard course to diuert
My hope for home; and charge my backe retreat,
As farre as Ægypt. I made answer yet:

Father, thy charge Ile perfect; but before,
Resolue me truly, if their naturall shore,
All those Greeks, and their ships, do safe enioy,
That Nestor and my selfe left, when from Troy
We first raisde saile? Or whether any died
At sea a death vnwisht? Or (satisfied)
When warre was past, by friends embrac't, in peace
Resign'd their spirits? He made answer: Cease
To aske so farre; it fits thee not to be
So cunning in thine owne calamitie.
Nor seeke to learne; what learnd, thou shouldst forget;
Mens knowledges haue proper limits set,
And should not prease into the mind of God.
But twill not long be (as my thoughts abode)
Before thou buy this curious skill with teares.
Many of those, whose states so tempt thine eares,
Are stoopt by Death; and many left aliue:
One chiefe of which, in strong hold doth suruiue,
Amidst the broad sea. Two, in their retreate,
Are done to death. I list not to repeate,
Who fell at Troy; thy selfe was there in fight.
But in returne, swift Aiax lost the light,
In his long-oard ship. Neptune yet a while,
Saft him vnwrackt: to the Gyræan Ile,

The wracke of Aiax Oileus.

A mightie Rocke remouing from his way.
And surely he had scapt the fatall day,
In spite of Pallas, if to that foule deed,
He in her Phane did, (when he rauished

Cassandra.

The Troian Prophetesse) he had not here
Adioynd an impious boast: that he would beare
(Despite the Gods) his ship safe through the waues
Then raisde against him. These his impious braues,
When Neptune heard; in his strong hand he tooke
His massie Trident; and so soundly strooke
The rocke Gyræan, that in two it cleft:
Of which, one fragment on the land he left;
The other fell into the troubld seas;
At which, first rusht Aiax Oileades,
And split his ship: and then himselfe aflote
Swum on the rough waues of the worlds vast mote;

Till hauing drunke a salt cup for his sinne,
There perisht he. Thy brother yet did winne
The wreath from Death, while in the waues they stroue,
Afflicted by the reuerend wife of Ioue.
But when the steepe Mount of the Malean shore,
He seemd to reach; a most tempestuous blore,
Farre to the fishie world, that sighes so sore,
Strait rauisht him againe; as farre away,
As to th' extreme bounds where the Agrians stay;
Where first Thirstes dwelt: but then his sonne
Ægisthus Thiestiades liu'd. This done,
When his returne vntoucht appeard againe;
Backe turnd the Gods the wind; and set him then
Hard by his house. Then, full of ioy, he left
His ship; and close t'his countrie earth he cleft;
Kist it, and wept for ioy: powrd teare on teare,
To set so wishedly his footing there.
But see: a Sentinell that all the yeare,
Craftie Ægisthus, in a watchtowre set
To spie his landing; for reward as great
As two gold talents; all his powres did call
To strict remembrance of his charge; and all
Discharg'd at first sight; which at first he cast
On Agamemnon; and, with all his hast,
Informd Ægisthus. He, an instant traine
Laid for his slaughter: Twentie chosen men
Of his Plebeians, he in ambush laid.
His other men, he charg'd to see puruaid
A Feast: and forth, with horse and chariots grac't,
He rode t'inuite him: but in heart embrac't
Horrible welcomes: and to death did bring,
With trecherous slaughter, the vnwary King.
Receiu'd him at a Feast; and (like an Oxe
Slaine at his manger) gaue him bits and knocks.

Agamemnons slaughter by Ægisthus trechery.

No one left of Atrides traine; nor one
Sau'd to Ægisthus; but himselfe alone:
All strowd together there, the bloudie Court.
This said: my soule he sunke with his report:
Flat on the sands I fell: teares spent their store;
I, light abhord: my heart would liue no more.

When drie of teares; and tir'd with tumbling there;
Th' old Tel-truth thus my danted spirits did cheare:

No more spend teares nor time, ô Atreus sonne;
With ceaslesse weeping, neuer wish was wonne.
Vse vttermost assay to reach thy home,
And all vnwares vpon the murtherer come,
(For torture) taking him thy selfe, aliue;
Or let Orestes, that should farre out-striue

Thee in fit vengeance, quickly quit the light
Of such a darke soule: and do thou the right
Of buriall to him, with a Funerall feast.

With these last words, I fortifide my breast;
In which againe, a generous spring began,
Of fitting comfort, as I was a man;
But, as a brother, I must euer mourne.
Yet forth I went; and told him the returne
Of these I knew: but he had nam'd a third,
Held on the broad sea; still with life inspir'd;
Whom I besought to know, though likewise dead,
And I must mourne alike. He answered:

He is Laertes sonne; whom I beheld
In Nymph Calypsos Pallace; who compeld
His stay with her: and since he could not see
His countrie earth, he mournd incessantly.
For he had neither ship, instruct with oares,
Nor men to fetch him from those stranger shores.
Where, leaue we him; and to thy selfe descend;
Whom, not in Argos, Fate nor Death shall end;
But the immortall ends of all the earth,
So rul'd by them, that order death by birth,

Elisian described.

(The fields Elisian) Fate to thee will giue:
Where Rhadamanthus rules; and where men liue
A neuer-troubld life: where snow, nor showres,
Nor irksome Winter spends his fruitlesse powres;
But from the Ocean, Zephyre still resumes
A constant breath, that all the fields perfumes.
Which, since thou marriedst Hellen, are thy hire;
And Ioue himselfe, is by her side thy Sire.

Proteus leaueth Menelaus.

This said; he diu'd the deepsome watrie heapes;
I, and my tried men, tooke vs to our ships;
And worlds of thoughts, I varied with my steps.

Arriu'd and shipt, the silent solemne Night,
And Sleepe bereft vs of our visuall light.
At morne, masts, sailes reard, we sate; left the shores,
And beate the fomie Ocean with our oares.

Againe then we, the Ioue-falne flood did fetch,
As farre as Ægypt: where we did beseech
The Gods with Hecatombs; whose angers ceast;
I toomb'd my brother, that I might be blest.

All rites performd; all haste I made for home;
And all the prosprous winds about were come;
I had the Pasport now of euery God,
And here closde all these labours period.

Here stay then, till th' eleuenth or twelfth daies light;
And Ile dismisse thee well; gifts exquisite
Preparing for thee: Chariot, horses three;

A Cup of curious frame to serue for thee,
To serue th' immortall Gods with sacrifice;
Mindfull of me, while all Sunnes light thy skies.

He answerd: Stay me not too long time here;

Telemachus to Menelaus.

Though I could sit, attending all the yeare:
Nor should my house, nor parents, with desire,
Take my affections from you; so on fire
With loue to heare you, are my thoughts: but so;
My Pylian friends, I shall afflict with wo,
Who mourne euen this stay. Whatsoeuer be
The gifts your Grace is to bestow on me;
Vouchsafe them such, as I may beare and saue,
For your sake euer. Horse, I list not haue,
To keepe in Ithaca: but leaue them here,
To your soiles dainties; where the broad fields beire
Sweet Cypers grasse; where men-fed Lote doth flow;
Where wheate-like Spelt; and wheate it selfe doth grow;
Where Barley, white, and spreading like a tree:

Ithaca described by Telemachus.

But Ithaca, hath neither ground to be
(For any length it comprehends) a race
To trie a horses speed: nor any place
To make him fat in: fitter farre to feed
A Cliffe-bred Goate, then raise or please a Steed.
Of all Iles, Ithaca doth least prouide,
Or meades to feed a horse, or wayes to ride.

He, smiling said: Of good bloud art thou (sonne):
What speech, so yong? what obseruation
Hast thou made of the world? I well am pleasde
To change my gifts to thee; as being confessd
Vnfit indeed: my store is such, I may.
Of all my house-gifts then, that vp I lay
For treasure there, I will bestow on thee
The fairest, and of greatest price to me.
I will bestow on thee a rich caru'd Cup
Of siluer all: but all the brims wrought vp
With finest gold: it was the onely thing
That the Heroicall Sydonian King
Presented to me, when we were to part
At his receit of me; and twas the Art
Of that great Artist, that of heauen is free;
And yet euen this, will I bestow on thee.

This speech thus ended; guests came, and did bring
Muttons (for Presents) to the God-like King:
And spirit-prompting wine, that strenuous makes.
Their Riband-wreathed wiues, brought fruit and cakes.

Thus, in this house, did these their Feast apply:

The wooer conspiracie against Telemachus.

And in Vlysses house, Actiuitie
The wooers practisde: Tossing of the Speare;

The Stone, and hurling: thus delighted, where
They exercisde such insolence before:
Euen in the Court, that wealthy pauements wore.
Antinous did still their strifes decide;
And he that was in person deifide
Eurymachus; both ring-leaders of all;
For in their vertues they were principall.

These, by Noemon (sonne to Phromius)
Were sided now; who made the question thus:

Antinous! does any friend here know,
When this Telemachus returnes? or no,
From sandie Pylos? He made bold to take
My ship with him: of which, I now should make
Fit vse my selfe; and saile in her as farre
As spacious Elis; where, of mine, there are
Twelue delicate Mares; and vnder their sides, go
Laborious Mules, that yet did neuer know
The yoke, nor labour: some of which should beare
The taming now, if I could fetch them there.
This speech, the rest admir'd; nor dreamd that he
Neleian Pylos, euer thought to see;
But was at field about his flocks suruay:
Or thought, his heardsmen held him so away.
Eupitheus sonne, Antinous, then replied:
When went he? or with what Traine dignified
Of his selected Ithaceusian youth?
Prest men, or Bond men were they? Tell the truth.
Could he effect this? let me truly know:
To gaine thy vessell, did he violence show,
And vsde her gainst thy will? or had her free,
When fitting question, he had made with thee?

Noemon answerd: I did freely giue
My vessell to him; who deserues to liue,
That would do other? when such men as he,
Did in distresse aske? he should churlish be,
That would denie him: Of our youth, the best
Amongst the people; to the interest
His charge did challenge in them; giuing way,
With all the tribute, all their powres could pay.
Their Captaine (as he tooke the ship) I knew;
Who Mentor was, or God. A deities shew,
Maskt in his likenesse. But to thinke twas he,
I much admire; for I did clearly see,
But yester morning, God-like Mentor here;
Yet, th' other euening, he tooke shipping there,
And went for Pylos. Thus went he for home,
And left the rest, with enuie ouercome:
Who sate; and pastime left. Eupitheus sonne

(Sad, and with rage, his entrailes ouerrunne)
His eyes like flames; thus interposde his speech.
Strange thing; an action of how proud a reach,

Antinous anger for the scape of Telemachus.

Is here committed by Telemachus?
A boy, a child; and we, a sort of vs,
Vowd gainst his voyage; yet admit it thus,
With ship, and choise youth of our people too?
But let him on; and all his mischiefe do;
Ioue shall conuert vpon himselfe his powres,
Before their ill presum'd, he brings on ours.
Prouide me then a ship, and twentie men
To giue her manage; that against again
He turnes for home; on th' Ithacensian seas,
Or Cliffie Samian; I may interprease;
Way-lay, and take him; and make all his craft,
Saile with his ruine, for his Father saf't.

This, all applauded; and gaue charge to do;
Rose, and to greete Vlysses house, did go.
But long time past not, ere Penelope
Had notice of their far-fetcht trecherie.
Medon the Herald told her; who had heard
Without the Hall, how they within conferd:
And hasted strait, to tell it to the Queene:
Who from the entrie, hauing Medon seene
Preuents him thus: Now Herald; what affaire
Intend the famous woo'rs, in your repaire?

Penelope to Medon.

To tell Vlysses maids, that they must ceasse
From doing our worke, and their banquets dresse?
I would to heauen, that (leauing wooing me,
Nor euer troubling other companie)
Here might the last Feast be, and most extreme,
That euer any shall addresse for them.
They neuer meete, but to consent in spoile,
And reape the free fruites of anothers toile.
O did they neuer, when they children were,
What to their Fathers, was Vlysses, heare?
Who neuer did gainst any one proceed,
With vniust vsage, or in word or deed?
Tis yet with other Kings, another right,
One to pursue with loue, another spight;
He still yet iust; nor would, though might deuoure;
Nor to the worst, did euer taste of powre.
But their vnruld acts, shew their minds estate:
Good turnes receiu'd once, thanks grow out of date.

Medon, the learn'd in wisedome, answerd her:
I wish (O Queene) that their ingratitudes were

Medon to Penelope relates the voyage of Telemachus.

Their worst ill towards you: but worse by farre,
And much more deadly their endeuours are;

Which Ioue will faile them in. Telemachus
Their purpose is (as he returnes to vs)
To giue their sharpe steeles in a cruell death:
Who now is gone to learne, if Fame can breathe
Newes of his Sire; and will the Pylian shore,
And sacred Sparta, in his search explore.

This newes dissolu'd to her both knees and heart,
Long silence held her, ere one word would part:
Her eyes stood full of teares; her small soft voice,
All late vse lost; that yet at last had choice
Of wonted words; which briefly thus she vsde:

Why left my sonne his mother? why refusde
His wit the solid shore, to trie the seas,
And put in ships the trust of his distresse?
That are at sea to men vnbridld horse,
And runne, past rule, their farre-engaged course,
Amidst a moisture, past all meane vnstaid?
No need compeld this: did he it, afraid
To liue and leaue posteritie his name?

I know not (he replide) if th' humor came
From current of his owne instinct, or flowd
From others instigations; but he vowd
Attempt to Pylos; or to see descried
His Sires returne, or know what death he died.

This said; he tooke him to Vlysses house
After the wooers; the Vlyssean Spouse
(Runne through with woes) let Torture seise her mind;
Nor, in her choice of state-chaires, stood enclin'd
To take her seate; but th' abiect threshold chose
Of her faire chamber, for her loth'd repose;
And mournd most wretch like. Round about her fell
Her handmaids, ioynd in a continuate yell.
From euery corner of the Pallace, all
Of all degrees, tun'd to her comforts fall
Their owne deiections: to whom, her complaint
She thus enforc't: The Gods beyond constraint
Of any measure, vrge these teares on me;
Nor was there euer Dame of my degree,
So past degree grieu'd. First, a Lord, so good,
That had such hardie spirits in his blood.
That all the vertues was adornd withall;
That all the Greeks did their Superiour call,
To part with thus, and lose. And now a sonne
So worthily belou'd, a course to runne
Beyond my knowledge; whom rude tempests haue

Penelope rebuketh her Ladies for not telling her of Telemachus.

Made farre from home, his most inglorious graue.
Vnhappie wenches, that no one of all,
(Though in the reach of euery one, must fall

His taking ship) sustaind the carefull mind,
To call me from my bed; who, this designd,
And most vowd course in him, had either staid,
(How much soeuer hasted) or dead laid
He should haue left me. Many a man I haue,
That would haue calld old Dolius my slaue,
(That keepes my Orchard, whom my Father gaue
At my departure) to haue runne, and told
Laertes this; to trie if he could hold
From running through the people; and from teares,
In telling them of these vowd murtherers;
That both diuine Vlysses hope, and his,
Resolue to end in their conspiracies.

His Nurse then, Euryclæas made reply:

Euryclæas pious comfort of Penelope.

Deare Soueraigne, let me with your owne hands die;
Or cast me off here; Ile not keepe from thee,
One word of what I know: He trusted me
With all his purpose; and I gaue him all
The bread and wine, for which he pleasd to call.
But then a mightie oath he made me sweare,
Not to report it to your royall eare,
Before the twelfth day either should appeare,
Or you should aske me, when you heard him gone.
Empaire not then your beauties with your mone,
But wash, and put vnteare-staind garments on:
Ascend your chamber, with your Ladies here;
And pray the seed of Goat-nurst Iupiter,
(Diuine Athenia) to preserue your sonne;
And she will saue him from confusion.
Th' old King, to whom your hopes stand so inclin'd,
For his graue counsels, you perhaps may find
Vnfit affected, for his ages sake.
But heauen-kings waxe not old; and therefore make
Fit pray'rs to them; for my thoughts neuer will
Beleeue the heauenly powres conceit so ill,
The seed of righteous Arcesiades,

Laertes sonne to Arcesius the son of Iupiter.

To end it vtterly; but still will please
In some place euermore, some one of them
To saue; and decke him with a Diadem:
Giue him possession of erected Towres,
And farre-stretcht fields, crownd all of fruits and flowres.
This easd her heart, and dride her humorous eies,
When hauing washt, and weeds of sacrifise:
(Pure, and vnstaind with her distrustfull teares)
Put on; (with all her women-ministers)
Vp to a chamber of most height, she rose;
And cakes of salt and barly did impose
Within a wicker basket; all which broke

In decent order; thus she did inuoke:

Penelope to Pallas.

Great Virgin of the Goat-preserued God;
If euer the inhabited abode
Of wise Vlysses, held the fatted Thies
Of sheepe and Oxen, made thy sacrifice
By his deuotion; heare me; nor forget
His pious seruices; but safe see set
His deare sonne, on these shores; and banish hence
These wooers, past all meane in insolence.

This said, she shriekt; and Pallas heard her praire.
The wooers broke with tumult all the aire
About the shadie house; and one of them,
Whose pride, his youth had made the more extreme,
Said; Now the many-wooer-honourd Queene,
Will surely satiate her delayfull spleene,
And one of vs, in instant nuptials take.
Poore Dame, she dreames not, what designe we make,
Vpon the life and slaughter of her sonne.

So said he; but so said, was not so done;

Antinous to the rest.

Whose arrogant spirit, in a vaunt so vaine,
Antinous chid; and said; For shame containe
These brauing speeches; who can tell who heares?
Are we not now in reach of others eares?
If our intentions please vs, let vs call
Our spirits vp to them, and let speeches fall.
By watchfull Danger, men must silent go:
What we resolue on, let's not say, but do.
This said; he chusde out twentie men, that bore
Best reckning with him; and to ship and shore,
All hasted; reacht the ship, lancht, raisd the mast;
Put sailes in; and with leather loopes made fast
The oares; Sailes hoisted; Armes their men did bring;
All giuing speed, and forme to euery thing.
Then to the high-deepes, their riggd vessell driuen,
They supt; expecting the approching Euen.

Meane space, Penelope her chamber kept,
And bed, and neither eate, nor dranke, nor slept;
Her strong thoughts wrought so on her blamelesse sonne;
Still in contention, if he should be done
To death; or scape the impious wooers designe.
Looke how a Lion, whom men-troopes combine
To hunt, and close him in a craftie ring;
Much varied thought conceiues; and feare doth sting
For vrgent danger: So far'd she, till sleepe,
All iuncture of her ioynts, and nerues did steepe
In his dissoluing humor. When (at rest)
Pallas her fauours varied; and addrest
An Idoll, that Iphthima did present

In structure of her euery lineament;

δεμας membrorum structura.

Great-sould Icarius daughter: whom, for Spouse
Eumelus tooke, that kept in Pheris house.
This, to diuine Vlysses house she sent,
To trie her best meane, how she might content
Mournfull Penelope; and make Relent
The strict addiction in her to deplore.
This Idoll (like a worme, that lesse or more,

παρα κληιδος Ιμαντηα. Ιμας, affectus curculionis significat quod longior & gracilior euaserit.

Contracts or straines her) did it selfe conuey,
Beyond the wards, or windings of the key,
Into the chamber; and aboue her head,
Her seate assuming, thus she comforted
Distrest Penelope. Doth sleepe thus sease
Thy powres, affected with so much disease?

Minerua sub Iphthimæ persona, solatur Penelopen in somnis.

The Gods, that nothing troubles, will not see
Thy teares nor griefes, in any least degree,
Sustaind with cause; for they will guard thy sonne,
Safe to his wisht, and natiue mansion;
Since he is no offender of their States;
And they to such, are firmer then their Fates.

The wise Penelope receiu'd her thus;

Penelope to the Dreame.

(Bound with a slumber most delicious,
And in the Port of dreames) O sister, why
Repaire you hither? since so farre off lie
Your house and houshold? You were neuer here
Before this houre; and would you now giue cheare
To my so many woes and miseries?
Affecting fitly all the faculties
My soule and mind hold: hauing lost before
A husband, that of all the vertues bore
The Palme amongst the Greeks; and whose renowne
So ample was, that Fame the sound hath blowne
Through Greece and Argos, to her very heart.
And now againe; a sonne that did conuert
My whole powres to his loue, by ship is gone.
A tender Plant, that yet was neuer growne
To labours taste, nor the commerce of men;
For whom, more then my husband I complaine;
And lest he should at any sufferance touch
(Or in the sea, or by the men so much
Estrang'd to him, that must his consorts be)
Feare and chill tremblings, shake each ioynt of me.
Besides: his danger sets on, foes profest
To way-lay his returne; that haue addrest
Plots for his death. The scarce-discerned Dreame,
Said: Be of comfort; nor feares so extreme,
Let thus dismay thee; thou hast such a mate
Attending thee, as some at any rate

Would wish to purchase; for her powre is great;
Minerua pities thy delights defeate:
Whose Grace hath sent me to foretell thee theese.

Penelope to the Idoll.

If thou (said she) be of the Goddesses,
And heardst her tell thee these; thou mayst as well
From her, tell all things else; daigne then to tell,
If yet the man, to all misfortunes borne,
(My husband) liues; and sees the Sunne adorne
The darksome earth; or hides his wretched head
In Plutos house, and liues amongst the dead?

I will not (she replide) my breath exhale,
In one continude, and perpetuall tale;
Liues he, or dies he. Tis a filthy vse,
To be in vaine and idle speech profuse.
This said; she through the key-hole of the dore
Vanisht againe into the open blore.
Icarius daughter started from her sleepe,
And Ioyes fresh humor, her lou'd brest did steepe:
When now so cleare, in that first watch of night,
She saw the seene dreame vanish from her fight.

The wooers (shipt) the seas moist waues did plie;
And thought the Prince, a haughtie death should die.
There lies a certaine Iland in the sea,
Twixt rockie Samos and rough Ithaca,
That cliffie is it selfe, and nothing great;
Yet holds conuenient hauens, that two wayes let
Ships in and out; calld Asteris: and there
The wooers hop't to make their massakere.

Finis libri quarti Hom, Odyss.

THE FIFTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

A Second Court, on Ioue attends;
Who, Hermes to Calypso sends;
Commanding her to cleare the wayes
Vlysses sought; and she obayes.
When Neptune saw Vlysses free,
And, so in safetie, plow the sea;
Enrag'd, he ruffles vp the waues,
And splits his ship. Leucothea saues
His person yet; as being a Dame,
Whose Godhead gouernd in the frame
Of those seas tempers. But the meane
By which she curbs dread Neptunes splene,
Is made a Iewell; which she takes
From off her head; and that she makes
Vlysses on his bosome weare,
About his necke, she ties it there:
And when he is with waues beset,
Bids weare it as an Amulet;
Commanding him, that not before
He toucht vpon Phæacias shore,
He should not part with it; but then
Returne it to the sea agein,
And cast it from him. He performes;
Yet after this, bides bitter stormes;
And in the rockes, sees Death engrau'd;
But on Phæacias shore is sau'd.

Another.

Ε.

Vlysses builds
A ship; and gaines
The Gassie fields;
Payes Neptune paines.

Avrora rose from high-borne Tithons Bed,
That men and Gods might be illustrated:
And then the Deities sate. Imperiall Ioue,
That makes the horrid murmure beate aboue,
Tooke place past all; whose height for euer springs
And from whom flowes th' eternall powre of things.

Then Pallas (mindfull of Vlysses) told
The many Cares, that in Calypsos hold,
He still sustaind; when he had felt before,
So much affliction, and such dangers more.

Pallas to the Gods.

O Father, (said she) and ye euer blest;
Giue neuer King hereafter, interest
In any aide of yours, by seruing you;
By being gentle, humane, iust; but grow
Rude, and for euer scornfull of your rights;
All iustice ordring by their appetites.
Since he that rul'd, as it in right behou'd,
That all his subiects, as his children lou'd,
Finds you so thoughtlesse of him, and his birth.
Thus men begin to say, ye rule in earth;
And grudge at what ye let him vndergo;
Who yet the least part of his sufferance know:
Thralld in an Iland; shipwrackt in his teares;
And in the fancies that Calypso beares,
Bound from his birthright; all his shipping gone;
And of his souldiers, not retaining one.
And now his most-lou'd Sonnes life doth inflame
Their slaughterous enuies; since his Fathers fame
He puts in pursuite; and is gone as farre
As sacred Pylos; and the singular
Dame-breeding Sparta. This, with this reply,

Ioue to Pallas.

The Cloud-assembler answerd: What words flie
Thine owne remembrance (daughter?) hast not thou
The counsell giuen thy selfe, that told thee how
Vlysses shall with his returne addresse
His wooers wrongs? And, for the safe accesse,
His Sonne shall make to his innatiue Port,
Do thou direct it, in as curious sort,
As thy wit serues thee: it obeys thy powers;
And in their ship returne the speedlesse wowers.

Then turnd he to his issue Mercurie,

Ioue to Mercury

And said: Thou hast made good our Ambassie
To th' other Statists; To the Nymph then now,
On whose faire head a tuft of gold doth grow;
Beare our true-spoken counsell; for retreat
Of patient Vlysses; who shall get
No aide from vs, nor any mortall man;
But in a

επι σχεδιης πολυδεσμου. in rate multis vinculis ligatus.

patcht-vp skiffe, (built as he can,
And suffering woes enow) the twentith day
At fruitfull Scheria, let him breathe his way,
With the Phæacians, that halfe Deities liue;
Who like a God will honour him; and giue
His wisedome clothes, and ship, and brasse, and gold,
More then for gaine of Troy he euer told;
Where, at the whole diuision of the prey,
If he a sauer were, or got away
Without a wound (if he should grudge) twas well;
But th' end shall crowne all; therefore Fate will deale

So well with him; to let him land, and see
His natiue earth, friends, house and family.

Thus charg'd he; nor Argicides denied;
But to his feete, his faire wingd shooes he tied;

Mercurij descriptio.

Ambrosian, golden; that in his command,
Put either sea, or the vnmeasur'd land,
With pace as speedie as a puft of wind.
Then vp his Rod went; with which he declin'd
The eyes of any waker, when he pleasd,
And any sleeper, when he wisht, diseasd.

This tooke; he stoopt Pierea; and thence
Glid through the aire; and Neptunes Confluence
Kist as he flew; and checkt the waues as light
As any Sea-mew, in her fishing flight,
Her thicke wings soucing in the sauorie seas.
Like her, he past a world of wildernesse;
But when the far-off Ile, he toucht; he went
Vp from the blue sea, to the Continent,
And reacht the ample Cauerne of the Queene;
Whom he within found; without, seldome seene.
A Sun-like fire vpon the harth did flame;

Descriptio specus Calypsus.

The matter precious, and diuine the frame;
Of Cedar cleft, and Incense was the Pile,
That breath'd an odour round about the Ile.
Her selfe was seated in an inner roome,
Whom sweetly sing he heard; and at her loome,
About a curious web; whose yarne she threw
In, with a golden shittle. A Groue grew
In endlesse spring about her Cauerne round;
With odorous Cypresse, Pines, and Poplars crownd,
Where Haulks, Sea-owles, and long-tongu'd Bittours bred;
And other birds their shadie pinions spred.
All Fowles maritimall; none roosted there,
But those whose labours in the waters were.
A Vine did all the hollow Caue embrace;
Still greene, yet still ripe bunches gaue it grace.
Foure Fountaines, one against another powrd
Their siluer streames; and medowes all enflowrd
With sweete Balme-gentle, and blue Violets hid,
That deckt the soft brests of each fragrant Mead.
Should any one (though he immortall were)
Arriue and see the sacred obiects there;
He would admire them, and be ouer-ioyd;
And so stood Hermes rauisht powres employd.

But hauing all admir'd, he enterd on
The ample Caue; nor could be seene vnknowne
Of great Calypso, (for all Deities are
Prompt in each others knowledge; though so farre

Seuerd in dwellings) but he could not see
Vlysses there within. Without was he
Set sad ashore; where twas his vse to view
Th' vnquiet sea; sigh'd, wept, and emptie drew
His heart of comfort. Plac't here in her throne
(That beames cast vp, to Admiration)
Diuine Calypso, question'd Hermes thus:

Calypso to Mercurie.

For what cause (deare, and much-esteem'd by vs,
Thou golden-rod-adorned Mercurie)
Arriu'st thou here? thou hast not vsde t'apply
Thy passage this way. Say, what euer be
Thy hearts desire, my mind commands it thee,
If in my meanes it lie, or powre of fact.
But first, what hospitable rights exact,
Come yet more neare, and take. This said, she set
A Table forth, and furnisht it with meate,
Such as the Gods taste; and seru'd in with it,
Vermilion Nectar. When with banquet, fit
He had confirmd his spirits; he thus exprest

Mercurie to Calypso.

His cause of coming: Thou hast made request
(Goddesse of Goddesses) to vnderstand
My cause of touch here: which thou shalt command,
And know with truth: Ioue causd my course to thee,
Against my will; for who would willingly
Lackey along so vast a lake of Brine?
Neare to no Citie; that the powres diuine
Receiues with solemne rites and Hecatombs?
But Ioues will euer, all law ouercomes;
No other God can crosse or make it void.
And he affirmes, that one, the most annoid
With woes and toiles, of all those men that fought
For Priams Citie; and to end hath brought
Nine yeares in the contention; is with thee.
For in the tenth yeare, when roy Victorie
Was wonne, to giue the Greeks the spoile of Troy;
Returne they did professe, but not enioy,
Since Pallas they incenst; and she, the waues
By all the winds powre, that blew ope their graues.
And there they rested. Onely this poore one,
This Coast, both winds and waues haue cast vpon:
Whom now forthwith he wils thee to dismisse;
Affirming that th' vnalterd destinies,
Not onely haue decreed, he shall not die
Apart his friends; but of Necessitie
Enioy their sights before those fatall houres,
His countrie earth reach, and erected Towres.

This strook, a loue-checkt horror through her powres;
When (naming him) she this reply did giue:

Insatiate are ye Gods, past all that liue,

Calypsos displeased reply to Mercurie.

In all things you affect; which still conuerts
Your powres to Enuies. It afflicts your hearts,
That any Goddesse should (as you obtaine
The vse of earthly Dames) enioy the men:
And most in open mariage. So ye far'd,
When the delicious-fingerd Morning shar'd
Orions bed: you easie-liuing States,
Could neuer satisfie your emulous hates;
Till in Ortygia, the precise-liu'd Dame
(Gold-thron'd Diana) on him rudely came,
And with her swift shafts slue him. And such paines,
(When rich-haird Ceres pleasd to giue the raines
To her affections; and the grace did yeeld
Of loue and bed amidst a three-cropt field,
To her Iasion) he paid angrie Ioue;
Who lost, no long time, notice of their loue;
But with a glowing lightning, was his death.
And now your enuies labour vnderneath
A mortals choice of mine; whose life, I tooke
To liberall safetie; when his ship, Ioue strooke
With red-hote flashes, peece-meale in the seas,
And all his friends and souldiers, succourlesse
Perisht but he. Him, cast vpon this coast
With blasts and billowes; I (in life giuen lost)
Preseru'd alone; lou'd, nourisht, and did vow
To make him deathlesse; and yet neuer grow
Crooked, or worne with age, his whole life long.
But since no reason may be made so strong,
To striue with Ioues will, or to make it vaine;
No not if all the other Gods should straine
Their powres against it; let his will be law;
So he affoord him fit meanes to withdraw,
(As he commands him) to the raging Maine:
But meanes from me, he neuer shall obtaine,
For my meanes yeeld, nor men, nor ship, nor oares,
To set him off, from my so enuied shores.
But if my counsell and goodwill can aide
His safe passe home, my best shall be assaid.

Vouchsafe it so, (said heauens Ambassador)
And daigne it quickly. By all meanes abhorre
T'incense Ioues wrath against thee; that with grace
He may hereafter, all thy wish embrace.

Thus tooke the Argus-killing God, his wings.

Mercurie leaues Calypso.

And since the reuerend Nymph, these awfull things
Receiu'd from Ioue; she to Vlysses went:
Whom she ashore found, drownd in discontent;
His eyes kept neuer drie, he did so mourne,

And waste his deare age, for his wisht returne.
Which still without the Caue he vsde to do,
Because he could not please the Goddesse so.
At night yet (forc't) together tooke their rest,
The willing Goddesse, and th' vnwilling Guest.
But he, all day in rockes, and on the shore
The vext sea viewd; and did his Fate deplore.
Him, now, the Goddesse (coming neare) bespake:

Calypso to Vlysses.

Vnhappie man; no more discomfort take,
For my constraint of thee; nor waste thine age;
I now will passing freely disengage
Thy irksome stay here. Come then, fell thee wood,
And build a ship, to saue thee from the flood.
Ile furnish thee with fresh waue; bread and wine,

Hunger.

Ruddie and sweet, that will the Piner pine;
Put garments on thee; giue thee winds foreright;
That euery way thy home-bent appetite
May safe attaine to it; if so it please
At all parts, all the heauen housd Deities!
That more in powre are, more in skill then I;
And more can iudge, what fits humanitie.

Vlysses to Calypso.

He stood amaz'd, at this strange change in her;
And said: O Goddesse! thy intents preferre
Some other proiect, then my parting hence;
Commanding things of too high consequence
For my performance. That my selfe should build
A ship of powre, my home assaies to shield
Against the great Sea, of such dread to passe;
Which not the best-built ship that euer was,
Will passe exulting; when such winds as Ioue
Can thunder vp, their trims and tacklings proue.
But could I build one, I would ne're aboord,
(Thy will opposde) nor (won) without thy word,
Giuen in the great oath of the Gods to me,
Not to beguile me in the least degree.

The Goddesse smilde; held hard his hand, and said:
O y'are a shrewdone; and so habited
In taking heed; thou knowst not what it is
To be vnwary; nor vse words amisse.
How hast thou charmd me, were I ne're so slie?

Calypsos oath.

Let earth know then; and heauen, so broad, so hie;
And th' vnder-sunke waues of th' infernall streame;
(Which is an oath, as terribly supreame,
As any God sweares) that I had no thought,
But stood with what I spake; nor would haue wrought,
Nor counseld any act, against thy good;
But euer diligently weighd, and stood
On those points in perswading thee; that I

Would vse my selfe in such extremitie.
For my mind simple is, and innocent;
Not giuen by cruell sleights to circumuent;
Nor beare I in my breast a heart of steele,
But with the Sufferer, willing sufferance feele.
This said; the Grace of Goddesses led home;
He tract her steps; and (to the Cauerne come)
In that rich Throne, whence Mercurie arose,
He sate. The Nymph her selfe did then appose
For food and beuridge to him; all best meate
And drinke, that mortals vse to taste and eate.
Then sate she opposite; and for her Feast,
Was Nectar and Ambrosia addrest
By handmaids to her. Both, what was prepar'd,
Did freely fall to. Hauing fitly far'd,
The Nymph Calypso this discourse began:

Ioue-bred Vlysses! many-witted man!
Still is thy home so wisht? so soone, away?
Be still of cheare, for all the worst I say;
But if thy soule knew what a summe of woes
For thee to cast vp, thy sterne Fares impose,
Ere to thy country earth thy hopes attaine;
Vndoubtedly thy choice would here remaine;
Keepe house with me, and be a liuer euer.
Which (me thinkes) should thy house and thee disseuer;

Calypsos promise of immortalitie to Vlysses.

Though for thy wife there, thou art set on fire;
And all thy dayes are spent in her desire;
And though it be no boast in me to say,
In forme and mind, I match her euery way.
Nor can it fit a mortall Dames compare,
T'affect those termes with vs, that deathlesse are.

The great in counsels, made her this reply:
Renowm'd, and to be reuerenc'd Deitie!
Let it not moue thee, that so much I vow
My comforts to my wife; though well I know
All cause my selfe, why wise Penelope
In wit is farre inferiour to thee;
In feature, stature, all the parts of show;
She being a mortall; an Immortall thou;
Old euer growing, and yet neuer old.
Yet her desire, shall all my dayes see told;
Adding the sight of my returning day,
And naturall home. If any God shall lay
His hand vpon me, as I passe the seas;
Ile beare the worst of what his hand shall please;
As hauing giuen me such a mind, as shall
The more still rise, the more his hand lets fall.
In warres and waues, my sufferings were not small.

I now haue sufferd much; as much before;
Hereafter let as much result, and more.

This said; the Sunne set; and earth shadowes gaue;
When these two (in an in-roome of the Caue,
Left to themselues) left Loue no rites vndone.
The early Morne vp; vp he rose; put on
His in and out-weed. She, her selfe inchaces
Amidst a white robe, full of all the Graces;
Ample, and pleated, thicke, like fishie skales.
A golden girdle then, her waste empales;
Her head, a veile decks; and abroad they come;
And now began Vlysses to go home.

A great Axe, first she gaue, that two wayes cut;
In which a faire wel-polisht helme was put,
That from an Oliue bough receiu'd his frame:
A plainer then. Then led she till they came
To loftie woods, that did the Ile confine.
The Firre tree, Poplar, and heauen-scaling Pine,
Had there their ofspring. Of which, those that were
Of driest matter, and grew longest there,
He chusde for lighter saile. This place, thus showne,
The Nymph turnd home. He fell to felling downe;
And twentie trees he stoopt, in litle space;
Plaind, vsde his Plumb; did all with artfull grace.
In meane time did Calypso wimbles bring.
He bor'd, closde, naild, and orderd euery thing;
And tooke how much a ship-wright will allow
A ship of burthen; (one that best doth know
What fits his Art) so large a Keele he cast.
Wrought vp her decks, and hatches, side-boords, mast;
With willow watlings armd her, to resist
The billowes outrage; added all she mist;
Sail-yards, and sterne for guide. The Nymph then brought
Linnen for sailes; which, with dispatch, he wrought.

This foure dayes worke (you will say) is too much for one man: and Plinie affirmes, that Hiero (a king of Sicilie) in fiue and forty dayes built two hundred and twentie ships, rigged them, and put to sea with them.

Gables, and halsters, tacklings. All the Frame
In foure dayes space, to full perfection came.
The fift day, they dismist him from the shore;
Weeds, neate, and odorous gaue him; victles store;
Wine, and strong waters, and a prosperous wind.
To which, Vlysses (fit to be diuin'd)
His sailes exposd, and hoised. Off he gat;
And chearfull was he. At the Sterne he sat,
And ster'd right artfully. No sleepe could seise
His ey-lids: he beheld the Pletades;
The Beare, surnam'd the Waine, that round doth moue
About Orion; and keepes still aboue
The billowie Ocean. The slow-setting starre,
Bootes calld, by some, the Waggonar.

Calypso warnd him, he his course should stere
Still to his left hand. Seuenteene dayes did cleare
The cloudie Nights command, in his moist way;
And by the eighteenth light, he might display
The shadie hils of the Phæacian shore;
For which, as to his next abode, he bore.
The countrie did a pretie figure yeeld,
And lookt from off the darke seas, like a shield.

Imperious Neptune (making his retreate
From th' Æthiopian earth; and taking seate
Vpon the mountaines of the Solymi;
From thence, farre off discouering) did descrie
Vlysses, his fields plowing. All on fire
The sight strait set his heart; and made desire
Of wreake runne ouer, it did boile so hie.
When (his head nodding) O impietie
(He cried out) now, the Gods inconstancie
Is most apparent; altring their designes
Since I the Æthiops saw: and here confines
To this Vlysses fate, his misery.
The great marke, on which all his hopes rely,
Lies in Phæacia. But I hope he shall
Feele woe at height, ere that dead calme befall.
This said; he (begging) gatherd clouds from land;
Frighted the seas vp; snatcht into his hand,

συναγειρω Mendicando colligo.

His horrid Trident; and aloft did tosse
(Of all the winds) all stormes he could engrosse.
All earth tooke into sea with clouds; grim Night
Fell tumbling headlong from the cope of Light.
The East and South winds iustld in the aire;
The violent Zephire, and North-making faire,
Rould vp the waues before them: and then, bent
Vlysses knees; then all his spirit was spent.
In which despaire, he thus spake: Woe is me!
What was I borne to? man of miserie?
Feare tels me now, that all the Goddesse said,
Truths selfe will author; that Fate would be paid
Griefes whole summe due from me, at sea, before
I reacht the deare touch of my countries shore.
With what clouds Ioue, heauens heightned forehead binds?
How tyrannize the wraths of all the winds?
How all the tops, he bottomes with the deepes?
And in the bottomes, all the tops he steepes?
Thus dreadfull is the presence of our death.
Thrice foure times blest were they that sunke beneath
Their Fates at Troy; and did to nought contend,
But to renowme Atrides with their end?
I would to God, my houre of death, and Fate,

That day had held the power to terminate;
When showres of darts, my life bore vndeprest,
About diuine Æacides deceast.
Then had I bene allotted to haue died,
By all the Greeks, with funerals glorified;
(Whence Death, encouraging good life, had growne)
Where now I die, by no man mournd, nor knowne.

This spoke; a huge waue tooke him by the head,
And hurld him o're-boord: ship and all it laid
Inuerted quite amidst the waues; but he
Farre off from her sprawld, strowd about the sea:
His Sterne still holding, broken off; his Mast
Burst in the midst: so horrible a blast
Of mixt winds strooke it. Sailes and saile-yards fell
Amongst the billowes; and himselfe did dwell
A long time vnder water: nor could get
In haste his head out: waue with waue so met
In his depression; and his garments too,
(Giuen by Calypso) gaue him much to do,
Hindring his swimming; yet he left not so
His drenched vessell, for the ouerthrow
Of her nor him; but gat at length againe
(Wrestling with Neptune) hold of her; and then
Sate in her Bulke, insulting ouer Death;
Which (with the salt streame, prest to stop his breath)
He scap't, and gaue the sea againe; to giue
To other men. His ship so striu'd to liue,
Floting at randon, cufft from waue to waue;
As you haue seene the Northwind when he draue
In Autumne, heapes of thorne-fed Grashoppers,
Hither and thither; one heape this way beares,
Another that; and makes them often meete
In his confusde gales; so Vlysses fleete,
The winds hurl'd vp and downe: now Boreas
Tost it to Notus, Notus gaue it passe
To Eurus; Eurus, Zephire made it pursue
The horrid Tennis. This sport calld the view
Of Cadmus daughter, with the narrow heele;
(Ino Leucothea) that first did feele
A mortall Dames desires; and had a tongue.
But now had th' honor to be nam'd among
The marine Godheads. She, with pitie saw
Vlysses iustl'd thus, from flaw to flaw;
And (like a Cormorand, in forme and flight)
Rose from a whirl-poole: on the ship did light,

Leucothea to Vlysses.

And thus bespeake him: Why is Neptune thus
In thy pursuite extremely furious,
Oppressing thee with such a world of ill,

Euen to thy death? He must not serue his will,
Though tis his studie. Let me then aduise,
As my thoughts serue; thou shalt not be vnwise
To leaue thy weeds and ship, to the commands
Of these rude winds; and worke out with thy hands,
Passe to Phæacia; where thy austere Fate,
Is to pursue thee with no more such hate.
Take here this Tablet, with this riband strung,
And see it still about thy bosome hung;
By whose eternall vertue, neuer feare
To suffer thus againe, nor perish here.
But when thou touchest with thy hand the shore,
Then take it from thy necke, nor weare it more;
But cast it farre off from the Continent,
And then thy person farre ashore present.

Thus gaue she him the Tablet; and againe
(Turnd to a Cormorand) diu'd past sight the Maine.

Patient Vlysses sighd at this; and stucke
In the conceit of such faire-spoken Lucke:

Vlysses stil suspicious of faire fortunes.

And said; Alas I must suspect euen this;
Lest any other of the Deities
Adde sleight to Neptunes force; to counsell me
To haue my vessell, and so farre off see
The shore I aime at. Not with thoughts too cleare
Will I obey her: but to me appeare
These counsels best; as long as I perceiue
My ship not quite dissolu'd, I will not leaue
The helpe she may affoord me; but abide,
And suffer all woes, till the worst be tride.
When she is split, Ile swim: no miracle can
Past neare and cleare meanes, moue a knowing man.

While this discourse emploid him, Neptune raisd
A huge, a high, and horrid sea, that seisd
Him and his ship, and tost them through the Lake;

Neptuni in Vlyssem inclementia.

As when the violent winds together take
Heapes of drie chaffe, and hurle them euery way;
So his long woodstacke, Neptune strooke astray.

Then did Vlysses mount on rib, perforce,
Like to a rider of a running horse,
To stay himselfe a time, while he might shift
His drenched weeds, that were Calypsos gift.
When putting strait, Leucotheas Amulet
About his necke; he all his forces set
To swim; and cast him prostrate to the seas.
When powrefull Neptune saw the ruthlesse prease
Of perils siege him thus; he mou'd his head,
And this betwixt him and his heart, he said:

So, now feele ils enow, and struggle so,

Till to your Ioue-lou'd Ilanders you row.
But my mind sayes, you will not so auoid
This last taske too, but be with sufferance cloid.

This said: his rich-man'd horse he mou'd; and reacht
His house at Ægas. But Minerua fetcht
The winds from sea; and all their wayes but one
Barrd to their passage; the bleake North alone
She set to blow; the rest, she charg'd to keepe
Their rages in; and bind themselues in sleepe.
But Boreas still flew high, to breake the seas,
Till Ioue-bred Ithacus, the more with ease,
The nauigation-skild Phæacian States
Might make his refuge; Death, and angrie Fates,
At length escaping. Two nights yet, and daies,
He spent in wrestling with the sable seas;
In which space, often did his heart propose
Death to his eyes. But when Aurora rose,
And threw the third light from her orient haire;
The winds grew calme, and cleare was all the aire;
Not one breath stirring. Then he might descrie
(Raisd by the high seas) cleare, the land was nie.

Simile.

And then, looke how to good sonnes that esteeme
Their fathers life deare, (after paines extreame,
Felt in some sicknesse, that hath held him long
Downe to his bed; and with affections strong,
Wasted his bodie; made his life his lode;
As being inflicted by some angrie God)
When on their praires, they see descend at length
Health from the heauens, clad all in spirit and strength;
The sight is precious: so, since here should end,
Vlysses toiles; which therein should extend
Health to his countrie, (held to him, his Sire)
And on which, long for him, Disease did tire.
And then besides, for his owne sake to see
The shores, the woods so neare; such ioy had he,
As those good sonnes for their recouerd Sire.
Then labourd feete and all parts, to aspire
To that wisht Continent; which, when as neare
He came, as Clamor might informe an eare;
He heard a sound beate from the sea-bred rocks,
Against which gaue a huge sea horrid shocks,
That belcht vpon the firme land, weeds and some;
With which were all things hid there; where no roome
Of fit capacitie was for any port;
Nor (from the sea) for any mans resort;
The shores, the rocks, and cliffes so prominent were.
O (said Vlysses then) now Iupiter
Hath giuen me sight of an vnhop't for shore,

(Though I haue wrought these seas so long, so sore)
Of rest yet, no place shewes the slendrest prints;
The rugged shore so bristl'd is with flints:
Against which, euery way the waues so flocke;
And all the shore shewes as one eminent rocke.
So neare which, tis so deepe, that not a sand
Is there, for any tired foote to stand:
Nor flie his death-fast following miseries,
Lest if he land, vpon him fore-right flies
A churlish waue, to crush him gainst a Cliffe;
Worse then vaine rendring, all his landing strife.
And should I swim to seeke a hauen elsewhere,
Or land, lesse way-beate; I may iustly feare
I shall be taken with a gale againe,
And cast a huge way off into the Maine.
And there, the great Earth-shaker (hauing seene
My so neare landing; and againe, his spleene
Forcing me to him) will some Whale send out,
(Of which a horrid number here about,
His Amphitrite breeds) to swallow me.
I well haue prou'd, with what malignitie
He treds my steps. While this discourse he held;
A curst Surge, gainst a cutting rocke impeld
His naked bodie, which it gasht and tore;
And had his bones broke, if but one sea more
Had cast him on it. But

Pallas.

she prompted him,
That neuer faild; and bad him no more swim
Still off and on; but boldly force the shore,
And hug the rocke, that him so rudely tore.
Which he, with both hands sigh'd and claspt; till past
The billowes rage was; which seap't; backe, so fast
The rocke repulst it, that it reft his hold
Sucking him from it, and farre backe he rould.
And as the Polypus, that (forc't from home
Amidst the soft sea; and neare rough land come
For shelter gainst the stormes that beate on her
At open sea, as she abroad doth erre)
A deale of grauill, and sharpe little stones,
Needfully gathers in her hollow bones:

Per asperiora vitare læuia.

So he forc't hither, (by the sharper ill,
Shunning the smoother) where he best hop't, still
The worst succeeded: for the cruell friend,
To which he clingd for succour, off did rend
From his broad hands, the soken flesh so sore,
That off he fell, and could sustaine no more.
Quite vnder water fell he; and, past Fate,
Haplesse Vlysses, there had lost the state
He held in life; if (still the grey-eyd Maid,

His wisedome prompting) he had not assaid
Another course; and ceast t'attempt that shore;
Swimming, and casting round his eye, t'explore
Some other shelter. Then, the mouth he found
Of faire Callicoes flood; whose shores were crownd
With most apt succors: Rocks so smooth, they seemd
Polisht of purpose: land that quite redeemd
With breathlesse couerts, th' others blasted shores.
The flood he knew; and thus in heart implores:
King of this Riuer! heare; what euer name
Makes thee inuokt: to thee I humbly frame
My flight from Neptunes furies; Reuerend is
To all the euer-liuing Deities,
What erring man soeuer seekes their aid.
To thy both flood and knees, a man dismaid
With varied sufferance sues. Yeeld then some rest
To him that is thy suppliant profest.

This (though but spoke in thought) the Godhead heard;
Her Current strait staid; and her thicke waues cleard
Before him, smooth'd her waters; and iust where
He praid, halfe drownd; entirely sau'd him there.

Then forth he came, his both knees faltring; both
His strong hands hanging downe; and all with froth
His cheeks and nosthrils flowing. Voice and breath
Spent to all vse; and downe he sunke to Death.

ωδες οδινω a partu doleo.

The sea had soakt his heart through: all his vaines,
His toiles had rackt, t'alabouring womans paines.
Dead wearie was he. But when breath did find
A passe reciprocall; and in his mind,
His spirit was recollected: vp he rose,
And from his necke did th' Amulet unlose
That Ino gaue him; which he hurld from him
To sea. It sounding fell; and backe did swim
With th' ebbing waters; till it strait arriu'd,
Where Inos faire hand, it againe receiu'd.
Then kist he th' humble earth; and on he goes,
Till bulrushes shewd place for his repose;
Where laid, he sigh'd, and thus said to his soule:
O me, what strange perplexities controule
The whole skill of thy powres, in this euent?
What feele I? if till Care-nurse Night be spent,
I watch amidst the flood; the seas chill breath,
And vegetant dewes, I feare will be my death:
So low brought with my labours. Towards day,
A passing sharpe aire euer breathes at sea.
If I the pitch of this next mountaine scale,
And shadie wood; and in some thicket fall
Into the hands of Sleepe: though there the cold

May well be checkt; and healthfull slumbers hold
Her sweete hand on my powres; all care allaid,
Yet there will beasts deuoure me. Best appaid
Doth that course make me yet; for there, some strife,
Strength, and my spirit, may make me make for life.
Which, though empaird, may yet be fresh applied,
Where perill, possible of escape is tried.
But he that fights with heauen, or with the sea,
To Indiscretion, addes Impietie.

Thus to the woods he hasted; which he found
Not farre from sea; but on farre-seeing ground;
Where two twin vnder-woods, he enterd on;
With Oliue trees, and oile-trees ouergrowne:
Through which, the moist force of the loud-voic't wind,
Did neuer beate; nor euer Phœbus shin'd;
Nor showre beate through; they grew so one in one;
And had, by turnes, their powre t'exclude the Sunne.
Here enterd our Vlysses; and a bed
Of leaues huge, and of huge abundance spred
With all his speed. Large he made it; for there,
For two or three men, ample Couerings were;
Such as might shield them from the Winters worst;
Though steele it breath'd; and blew as it would burst.

A metaphoricall Hyperbola, expressing the Winters extremitie of sharpnesse.

Patient Vlysses ioyd, that euer day
Shewd such a shelter. In the midst he lay,
Store of leaues heaping high on euery side.
And as in some out-field, a man doth hide
A kindld brand, to keepe the seed of fire;

Simile.

No neighbour dwelling neare; and his desire
Seru'd with selfe store; he else would aske of none;
But of his fore-spent sparks, rakes th' ashes on:
So this out-place, Vlysses thus receiues;
And thus nak't vertues seed, lies hid in leaues.
Yet Pallas made him sleepe, as soone as men
Whom Delicacies, all their flatteries daine.
And all that all his labours could comprise,
Quickly concluded, in his closed eies.

Finis libri quinti Hom. Odyss.

THE SIXTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Minerua in a vision stands
Before Nausicas; and commands
She to the flood her weeds should beare,
For now her Nuptiall day was neare.
Nausicas her charge obayes;
And then with other virgins playes.
Their sports make wak't Vlysses rise;
Walke to them, and beseech supplies
Of food and clothes. His naked sight
Puts th' other Maids, afraid, to flight.
Nausicas onely boldly stayes,
And gladly his desire obayes.
He (furnisht with her fauours showne)
Attends her, and the rest, to Towne.

Another.

Ζητα.

Here Oliue leaues
T'hide shame, began.
The Maide receiues
The naked man.

υπνω και καματω αρημενος Somno & labore afflictus. Sleep (καταχρηστικως) for the want of sleepe.

The much-sustaining, patient, heauenly Man,
Whom Toile and Sleepe had worne so weake and wan;
Thus wonne his rest. In meane space Pallas went
To the Phæacian citie; and descent
That first did broad Hyperias lands diuide,
Neare the vast Cyclops, men of monstrous pride.
That preyd on those Hyperians, since they were
Of greater powre; and therefore longer there
Diuine Nausithous dwelt not; but arose,
And did for Scheria, all his powres dispose:
Farre from ingenious Art-inuenting men.
But there did he erect a Citie then.
First, drew a wall round; then he houses builds;
And then a Temple to the Gods; the fields
Lastly diuiding. But he (stoopt by Fate)
Diu'd to th' infernals: and Alcinous sate
In his command: a man, the Gods did teach,
Commanding counsels. His house held the reach
Of grey Mineruas proiect; to prouide,
That great-sould Ithacus might be supplide

With all things fitting his returne. She went
Vp to the chamber, where the faire descent
Of great Alcinous slept. A maid, whose parts

Nausicaa.

In wit and beautie, wore diuine deserts.
Well deckt her chamber was: of which, the dore
Did seeme to lighten; such a glosse it bore
Betwixt the posts: and now flew ope, to find
The Goddesse entrie. Like a puft of wind
She reacht the Virgin bed. Neare which, there lay
Two maids; to whom, the Graces did conuay,
Figure, and manners. But aboue the head
Of bright Nausicaa, did Pallas tred
The subtle aire; and put the person on
Of Dymas daughter; from comparison
Exempt in businesse Nauall. Like his seed,
Minerua lookt now; whom one yeare did breed,

Intending Dymas daughter.

With bright Nausicaa; and who had gaind
Grace in her loue; yet on her thus complaind:

Nausicca! why bred thy mother one
So negligent, in rites so stood vpon
By other virgins? Thy faire garments lie
Neglected by thee; yet thy Nuptials nie.
When, rich in all attire, both thou shouldst be,
And garments giue to others honoring thee,
That leade thee to the Temple. Thy good name
Growes amongst men for these things; they enflame
Father, and reuerend Mother with delight.
Come; when the Day takes any winke from Night,
Let's to the riuer, and repurifie
Thy wedding garments: my societie
Shall freely serue thee, for thy speedier aid,
Because thou shalt no more stand on the Maid.
The best of all Phæacia wooe thy Grace,
Where thou wert bred, and ow'st thy selfe a race.
Vp, and stirre vp to thee thy honourd Sire,
To giue thee Mules and Coach; thee and thy tire;
Veiles, girdles, mantles, early to the flood,
To beare in state. It suites thy high-borne blood;
And farre more fits thee, then to foote so farre;
For far from towne thou knowst the Bath-founts are.

This said; away blue-eyd Minerua went
Vp to Olympus: the firme Continent,

Olympus described.

That beares in endlesse being, the deified kind;
That's neither souc't with showres, nor shooke with wind;
Nor chilld with snow; but where Serenitie flies,
Exempt from clouds; and euer-beamie skies
Circle the glittering hill. And all their daies,
Giue the delights of blessed Deitie praise.

And hither Pallas flew; and left the Maid,
When she had all that might excite her, said.
Strait rose the louely Morne, that vp did raise
Faire-veild Nausicaa; whose dreame, her praise
To Admiration tooke. Who no time spent
To giue the rapture of her vision vent,
To her lou'd parents: whom she found within.
Her mother set at fire, who had to spin
A Rocke, whose tincture with sea-purple shin'd;
Her maids about her. But she chanc't to find
Her Father going abroad: to Counsell calld
By his graue Senate. And to him, exhald

This familiar & neare wanton carriage of Nausicaa to her father, ioyned with that virgin modestie exprest in her after, is much prais'd by the grauest of Homers expositors; with her fathers louing allowance of it; knowing her shamefastnes and iudgement, would not let her exceed at any part. Which note in here inserted, not as if this were more worthy the obseruation than other euery where strewd flowers of precept; but because this more generally pleasing subiect may perhaps finde more fitnesse for the stay of most Readers.

Her smotherd bosome was. Lou'd Sire (said she)
Will you not now command a Coach for me?
Stately and complete? fit for me to beare
To wash at flood, the weeds I cannot weare
Before repurified? Your selfe it fits
To weare faire weeds; as euery man that sits
In place of counsell. And fiue sonnes you haue;
Two wed; three Bachelors; that must be braue
In euery dayes shift, that they may go dance;
For these three last, with these things must aduance
Their states in mariage: and who else but I
Their sister, should their dancing rites supply.

This generall cause she shewd; and would not name
Her mind of Nuptials to her Sire, for shame.
He vnderstood her yet; and thus replide:
Daughter! nor these, nor any grace beside,
I either will denie thee, or deferre,
Mules, nor a Coach, of state and circular,
Fitting at all parts. Go; my seruants shall
Serue thy desires, and thy command in all.

The seruants then (commanded) soone obaid;
Fetcht Coach, and Mules ioynd in it. Then the Maid
Brought from the chamber her rich weeds, and laid
All vp in Coach: in which, her mother plac't
A maund of victles, varied well in taste,
And other iunkets. Wine she likewise filld
Within a goat-skin bottle, and distilld
Sweete and moist oile into a golden Cruse,
Both for her daughters, and her handmaids vse;
To soften their bright bodies, when they rose
Clensd from their cold baths. Vp to Coach then goes
Th' obserued Maid: takes both the scourge and raines;
And to her side, her handmaid strait attaines.
Nor these alone, but other virgins grac't
The Nuptiall Chariot. The whole Beuie plac't;
Nausicaa scourgd to make the Coach Mules runne;

That neigh'd, and pac'd their vsuall speed; and soone,
Both maids and weeds, brought to the riuer side;
Where Baths for all the yeare, their vse supplide.
Whose waters were so pure, they would not staine;
But still ran faire forth; and did more remaine
Apt to purge staines; for that purg'd staine within,
Which, by the waters pure store, was not seen.

These (here arriu'd,) the Mules vncoacht, and draue
Vp to the gulphie riuers shore, that gaue
Sweet grasse to them. The maids from Coach then tooke
Their cloaths, and steept them in the sable brooke.
Then put them into springs, and trod them cleane,
With cleanly feet; aduentring wagers then,
Who should haue soonest, and most cleanly done.
When hauing throughly cleansd, they spred them on
The floods shore, all in order. And then, where
The waues the pibbles washt, and ground was cleare,
They bath'd themselues; and all with glittring oile,
Smooth'd their white skins: refreshing then their toile
With pleasant dinner, by the riuers side.
Yet still watcht when the Sunne, their cloaths had dride.
Till which time (hauing din'd) Nausicae
With other virgins, did at stool-ball play;
Their shoulder-reaching head-tires laying by.
Nausicae (with the wrists of Ivory)
The liking stroke strooke; singing first a song;
(As custome orderd) and amidst the throng,
Made such a shew; and so past all was seene;
As when the Chast-borne, Arrow-louing Queene,

Simile.

Along the mountaines gliding; either ouer
Spartan Taygetus, whose tops farre discouer;
Or Eurymanthus; in the wilde Bores chace;
Or swift-hou'd Hart; and with her, Ioues faire race
(The field Nymphs) sporting. Amongst whom, to see
How farre Diana had prioritie
(Though all were faire) for fairnesse; yet of all,
(As both by head and forhead being more tall)
Latona triumpht; since the dullest sight,
Might easly iudge, whom her paines brought to light;
Nausicaa so (whom neuer husband tam'd),
Aboue them all, in all the beauties flam'd.
But when they now made homewards, and araid;
Ordring their weeds, disorderd as they plaid;
Mules and Coach ready; then Minerua thought,
What meanes to wake Vlysses, might be wrought,
That he might see this louely sighted maid,
Whom she intended, should become his aid:
Bring him to Towne; and his returne aduance.

The pietie and wisedome of the Poet was such, that (agreeing with the sacred letter) not the least of things be makes come to passe, sine Numinis prouidentia. As Sponde well notes of him

Her meane was this, (though thought a stool-ball chance)
The Queene now (for the vpstroke) strooke the ball
Quite wide off th' other maids; and made it fall
Amidst the whirlpooles. At which, out shriekt all;
And with the shrieke, did wise Vlysses wake:
Who, sitting vp, was doubtfull who should make
That sodaine outcrie; and in mind, thus striu'de
On what a people am I now arriu'd?
At ciuill hospitable men, that feare
The Gods? or dwell iniurious mortals here?
Vniust, and churlish? like the female crie
Of youth it sounds. What are they? Nymphs bred hie,
On tops of hils? or in the founts of floods?
In herbie marshes? or in leauy woods?
Or are they high-spoke men, I now am neare?
Ile proue, and see. With this, the wary Peere
Crept forth the thicket; and an Oliue bough
Broke with his broad hand; which he did bestow
In couert of his nakednesse; and then,

Simile.

Put hastie head out: Looke how from his den,
A mountaine Lion lookes, that, all embrewd
With drops of trees; and weather-beaten hewd;
(Bold of his strength) goes on; and in his eye,
A burning fornace glowes; all bent to prey
On sheepe, or oxen; or the vpland Hart;
His belly charging him; and he must part
Stakes with the Heards-man, in his beasts attempt,
Euen where from rape, their strengths are most exempt:
So wet, so weather-beate, so stung with Need,
Euen to the home-fields of the countries breed,
Vlysses was to force forth his accesse,
Though meerly naked; and his sight did presse
The eyes of soft-haird virgins. Horrid was
His rough appearance to them: the hard passe
He had at sea, stucke by him. All in flight
The Virgins scatterd, frighted with this fight,
About the prominent windings of the flood.
All but Nausicaa fled; but she fast stood:
Pallas had put a boldnesse in her brest;
And in her faire lims, tender Feare comprest.
And still she stood him, as resolu'd to know
What man he was; or out of what should grow
His strange repaire to them. And here was he
Put to his wisedome; if her virgin knee,
He should be bold, but kneeling, to embrace;
Or keepe aloofe, and trie with words of grace,
In humblest suppliance, if he might obtaine
Some couer for his nakednes; and gaine

Her grace to shew and guide him to the Towne.
The last, he best thought, to be worth his owne,
In weighing both well: to keepe still aloofe,
And giue with soft words, his desires their proofe;
Lest pressing so neare, as to touch her knee,
He might incense her maiden modestie.
This faire and fil'd speech then, shewd this was he.

Let me beseech (O Queene) this truth of thee;
Are you of mortall, or the deified race?

Vlysses to Nausicaa.

If of the Gods, that th' ample heauens embrace;
I can resemble you to none aboue,
So neare as to the chast-borne birth of Ioue,
The beamie Cynthia. Her you full present,
In grace of euery God-like lineament;
Her goodly magnitude; and all th' addresse
You promise of her very perfectnesse.
If sprong of humanes, that inhabite earth;
Thrice blest are both the authors of your birth;
Thrice blest your brothers, that in your deserts,
Must, euen to rapture, beare delighted hearts;
To see so like the first trim of a tree,
Your forme adorne a dance. But most blest, he
Of all that breathe, that hath the gift t'engage
Your bright necke in the yoke of mariage;
And decke his house with your commanding merit.
I haue not seene a man of so much spirit.
Nor man, nor woman, I did euer see,
At all parts equall to the parts in thee.
T'enioy your sight, doth Admiration seise
My eie, and apprehensiue faculties.
Lately in Delos (with a charge of men
Arriu'd, that renderd me most wretched then,
Now making me thus naked) I beheld
The burthen of a Palme, whose issue sweld
About Apollos Phane; and that put on
A grace like thee; for Earth had neuer none
Of all her Syluane issue so adorn'd:
Into amaze my very soule was turnd,
To giue it obseruation; as now thee
To view (O Virgin) a stupiditie
Past admiration strikes me; ioynd with feare
To do a suppliants due, and prease so neare,
As to embrace thy knees. Nor is it strange;
For one of fresh and firmest spirit, would change
T'embrace so bright an obiect. But, for me,
A cruell habite of calamitie,
Prepar'd the strong impression thou hast made:
For this last Day did flie Nights twentith shade

Since I, at length, escapt the sable seas;
When in the meane time, th' vnrelenting prease
Of waues and sterne stormes, tost me vp and downe,
From th' Ile Ogygia: and now God hath throwne
My wracke on this shore; that perhaps I may
My miseries vary here: for yet their stay,
I feare, heauen hath not orderd: though before
These late afflictions, it hath lent me store.
O Queene, daine pitie then, since first to you
My Fate importunes my distresse to vow.
No other Dame, nor man, that this Earth owne,
And neighbour Citie, I haue seene or knowne.
The Towne then shew me; giue my nakednes
Some shroud to shelter it, if to these seas,
Linnen or woollen, you haue brought to clense.
God giue you, in requitall, all th' amends
Your heart can wish: a husband, family,
And good agreement: Nought beneath the skie,
More sweet, more worthy is, then firme consent
Of man and wife, in houshold gouernment.
It ioyes their wishers well; their enemies wounds;
But to themselues, the speciall good redounds.

Nausicaa to Vlysses.

She answerd: Stranger! I discerne in thee,
Not Sloth, nor Folly raignes; and yet I see,
Th' art poore and wretched. In which I conclude,
That Industry not wisedome make endude
Men with those gifts, that make them best to th' eie;
Ioue onely orders mans felicitie.
To good and bad, his pleasure fashions still,
The whole proportion of their good and ill.
And he perhaps hath formd this plight in thee,
Of which, thou must be patient, as he, free.
But after all thy wandrings, since thy way,
Both to our Earth, and neare our Citie, lay,
As being exposde to our cares to relieue;
Weeds, and what else, a humane hand should giue,
To one so suppliant, and tam'd with woe;
Thou shalt not want. Our Citie, I will show;
And tell our peoples name: This neighbor Towne,
And all this kingdome, the Phæacians owne.
And (since thou seemdst so faine, to know my birth;
And mad'st a question, if of heauen or earth)
This Earth hath bred me; and my Fathers name
Alcinous is; that in the powre and frame
Of this Iles rule, is supereminent.

Thus (passing him) she to the Virgins went.
And said: Giue stay, both to your feet and fright;
Why thus disperse ye, for a mans meere sight?

Esteeme you him a Cyclop, that long since
Made vse to prey vpon our Citizens?
This man, no moist man is; (nor watrish thing,

διερος βροτος. Cuivitalis vel sensualis humiditas inest. βροτος vt dicatur quasi ροτος.i.e. ον ροηων, quod nihil sit magis fluxum quam homo. ανηρ virili animo præditus, fortis, magnanimus. Nor are those affirmed to be men; qui seruile quidpiam & abiectum faciunt; vel, facere sustinent: according to this of Herodutos in Poly: πολλοι μεν ανθρωποι ειεν, ολιγοι δ' ανδρες. Many mens formes sustaine, but few are men.

That's euer flitting; euer rauishing
All it can compasse; and, like it, doth range
In rape of women; neuer staid in change)
This man is truly manly, wise, and staid;
In soule more rich; the more to sense decaid.
Who, nor will do, nor suffer to be done,
Acts leud and abiect; nor can such a one
Greete the Phæacians, with a mind enuious;
Deare to the Gods they are; and he is pious.
Besides, diuided from the world we are;
The outpart of it; billowes circulate
The sea reuoluing, round about our shore;
Nor is there any man, that enters more
Then our owne countrimen, with what is brought
From other countries. This man, minding nought
But his reliefe: a poore vnhappie wretch,
Wrackt here; and hath no other land to fetch.
Him now we must prouide for; from Ioue come
All strangers, and the needie of a home.

According to an other translator: Ab loue nam supplex pauper, procedit & hospes: Res breuis, at chara est, Magni quoque muneris instar. Which I cite to shew his good when he keepes him to the Originall; and neare in any degree expounds it.

Who any gift, though ne're so small it be,
Esteeme as great, and take it gratefully.
And therefore Virgins, giue the stranger food,
And wine; and see ye bath him in the flood;
Neare to some shore, to shelter most enclin'd;
To cold Bath-bathers, hurtfull is the wind.
Not onely rugged making th' outward skin,
But by his thin powres, pierceth parts within.

This said; their flight in a returne they set;
And did Vlysses with all grace entreate:
Shewd him a shore, wind-proofe, and full of shade:
By him a shirt, and vtter mantle laid.
A golden Iugge of liquid oile did adde;
Bad wash; and all things as Nausicaa bad.

Diuine Vlysses would not vse their aid;
But thus bespake them: Euery louely maid,

Vlysses modestie to the Virgins.

Let me entreate to stand a litle by;
That I alone the fresh flood may apply,

He taught their youths modestie, by his aged iudgment. As receiuing the custome of maids then vsed to that entertainment of men: not withstanding the modestie of that age, could not be corrupted inwardly, for those outward kind obseruation of guests and strangers, and was therefore priuiledged. It is easie to auoide shew: and those that most curiously auoid the outward construction, are euer most tainted with the inward corruption.

To clense my bosome of the sea-wrought brine.
And then vse oile; which long time did not shine
On my poore shoulders. Ile not wash in sight
Of faire-haird maidens. I should blush outright,
To bathe all bare by such a virgin light.

They mou'd, and musde, a man had so much grace;
And told their Mistris, what a man he was.

He clensd his broad-soild-shoulders; backe and head

Yet neuer tam'd. But now, had fome and weed,
Knit in the faire curles. Which dissolu'd; and he
Slickt all with sweet oile: the sweet charitie,
The vntoucht virgin shewd in his attire,
He cloth'd him with. Then Pallas put a fire,
More then before, into his sparkling eies;
His late soile set off, with his soone fresh guise.
His locks (clensd) curld the more; and matcht (in power
To please an eye) the Hyacinthian flower.
And as a workman, that can well combine
Siluer and gold; and make both striue to shine;
As being by Vulcan, and Minerua too,

Simile.

Taught how farre either may be vrg'd to go,
In strife of eminence; when worke sets forth
A worthy soule, to bodies of such worth;
No thought reprouing th' act, in any place;
Nor Art no debt to Natures liueliest grace:
So Pallas wrought in him, a grace as great,
From head to shoulders; and ashore did seate
His goodly presence. To which, such a guise
He shewd in going, that it rauisht eies.
All which (continude) as he sate apart;

Nausicaas admiration of Vlysses.

Nausicaas eye strooke wonder through her heart;
Who thus bespake her consorts: Heare me, you
Faire-wristed Virgins; this rare man (I know)
Treds not our country earth, against the will
Of some God, thron'd on the Olympian hill.
He shewd to me, till now, not worth the note;
But now he lookes, as he had Godhead got.
I would to heauen, my husband were no worse;
And would be calld no better; but the course
Of other husbands pleasd to dwell out here:
Obserue and serue him, with our vtmost cheare.

She said; they heard, and did. He drunke and eate
Like to a Harpy; hauing toucht no meate
A long before time. But Nausicaa now
Thought of the more grace, she did lately vow:
Had horse to Chariot ioynd; and vp she rose:
Vp chear'd her guest, and said: Guest, now dispose
Your selfe for Towne; that I may let you see
My Fathers Court; where all the Peeres will be
Of our Phæacian State. At all parts then,
Obserue to whom, and what place y'are t'attain;
Though I need vsher you with no aduice,
Since I suppose you absolutely wise.
While we the fields passe, and mens labours there;
So long (in these maids guides) directly beare
Vpon my Chariot (I must go before,

For cause that after comes: to which, this more
Be my induction) you shall then soone end
Your way to Towne; whose Towres you see ascend
To such a steepnesse. On whose either side,
A faire Port stands; to which is nothing wide
An enterers passage: on whose both hands ride

The Cities description so far forth as may in part induce her promist reason, why she tooke not Vlysses to coach with her.

Ships in faire harbors; which, once past, you win
The goodly market place, (that circles in
A Phane to Neptune, built of curious stone,
And passing ample) where munition,
Gables, and masts men make, and polisht oares;
For the Phæacians are not conquerors
By bowes nor quiuers; Oares, masts, ships they are,
With which they plow the sea, and wage their warre.
And now the cause comes, why I leade the way,
Not taking you to Coach. The men that sway
In worke of those tooles, that so fit our State,
Are rude Mechanicals; that rare and late
Worke in the market place; and those are they
Whose bitter tongues I shun; who strait would say,
(For these vile vulgars are extreamly proud,
And fouly languag'd) What, is he allowd
To coach it with Nausicaa? so large set,
And fairely fashiond? where were these two met?
He shall be sure her husband. She hath bene
Gadding in some place; and (of forraine men,
Fitting her fancie) kindly brought him home
In her owne ship. He must, of force, become
From some farre region; we haue no such man.
It may be (praying hard, when her heart ran
On some wisht husband) out of heauen, some God
Dropt in her lap; and there lies she at rode,
Her complete life time. But, in sooth, if she
Ranging abroad, a husband such as he,
Whom now we saw, laid hand on; she was wise,
For none of all our Nobles, are of prise
Enough for her: he must beyond-sea come,
That wins her high mind, and will haue her home.
Of our Peeres, many haue importun'd her,
Yet she will none. Thus these folks will conferre
Behind my backe; or (meeting) to my face,
The foule-mouth rout dare put home this disgrace.
And this would be reproches to my fame;
For euen my selfe, iust anger would enflame,
If any other virgin I should see
(Her parents liuing) keepe the companie
Of any man; to any end of loue,
Till open Nuptials should her act approue.

And therefore heare me guest; and take such way,
That you your selfe may compasse, in your stay,
Your quicke deduction, by my Fathers grace;
And meanes to reach the roote of all your race.

We shall, not farre out of our way to Towne,
A neuer-felld Groue find, that Poplars crowne;
To Pallas sacred, where a fountaine flowes;
And round about the Groue, a Medow growes;
In which, my Father holds a Mannor house;
Deckt all with Orchards, greene, and odorous;
As farre from Towne, as one may heare a shout.
There stay, and rest your foote paines; till full out
We reach the Citie. Where, when you may guesse
We are arriu'd, and enter our accesse
Within my Fathers Court: then put you on
For our Phæacian State; where, to be showne
My Fathers house, desire. Each infant there
Can bring you to it; and your selfe will cleare
Distinguish it from others: for no showes,
The Citie buildings make; compar'd with those
That King Alcinous seate doth celebrate.
In whose roofes, and the Court, (where men of state,
And suiters sit and stay) when you shall hide:
Strait passe it, entring further: where abide
My Mother, with her withdrawne houswiferies;
Who still sits in the fire-shine, and applies
Her Rocke, all purple, and of pompous show:
Her Chaire plac't gainst a Pillar: all arow
Her maids behind her set; and to her here,
My Fathers dining Throne lookes. Seated where
He powres his choice of wine in, like a God.
This view once past; for th' end of your abode,
Addresse suite to my Mother; that her meane,
May make the day of your redition seene.
And you may frolicke strait, though farre away
You are in distance from your wished stay.
For if she once be won to wish you well,
Your Hope may instantly your Pasport seale;
And thenceforth sure abide to see your friends,
Faire house, and all, to which your heart contends.

Not without some litle more of our omnisussicient Homers generall touch of the least fitnesse lying in his way, may this courtly discretion he describes in Nausicaa, be observed, if you please.

This said; she vsde her shining scourge, and lasht
Her Mules, that soone the shore left, where she washt;
And (knowing well the way) their pace was fleet,
And thicke they gatherd vp their nimble feet.
Which yet she temperd so; and vsde her scourge
With so much skill; as not to ouer-vrge
The foote behind; and make them straggle so,
From close societie. Firme together go

Vlysses and her maids. And now the Sunne
Sunke to the waters; when they all had wonne
The neuer-feld, and sound-exciting wood,
Sacred to Pallas: where the God-like good
Vlysses rested; and to Pallas praid:

Heare me, of Goate-kept Ioue, th' vnconquerd Maid;
Now throughly heare me; since in all the time

More of our Poets curious and sweet pietie:

Of all my wracke, my pray'rs could neuer clime
Thy far-off eares; when noisefull Neptune tost
Vpon his watry brissels, my imbost
And rock torne body: heare yet now, and daine
I may of the Phæacian State obtaine
Pitie, and grace. Thus praid he; and she heard:
By no meanes yet (exposde to fight) appear'd,
For feare t'offend her Vnkle; the supreme
Of all the

Neptune.

Sea-Gods; whose wrath still extreme
Stood to Vlysses; and would neuer cease,
Till with his Country shore, he crownd his peace.

Finis libri sexti Hom. Odyss.

THE SEVENTH BOOK OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Nausicaa arriues at Towne;
And then Vlysses. He makes knowne
His suite to Arete: who, view
Takes of his vesture, which she knew;
And asks him, from whose hands it came.
He tels, with all the haplesse frame
Of his affaires, in all the while,
Since he forsooke Calypsos Ile.

Another.

Ητα.

The honord minds,
And welcome things.
Vlysses finds,
In Scherias Kings.

Thus praid the wise, and God-obseruing Man.
The Maid, by free force of her Palfreys, wan
Accesse to Towne; and the renowmed Court,
Reacht of her Father; where, within the Port,
She staid her Coach; and round about her came
Her Brothers, (made as of immortall frame.)
Who yet disdaind not, for her loue, meane deeds;

Haec suit illius sæculi simplicitas: nam vel fraternus quoque Amor, tantus suit, vt labenter hanc redeunti charissimæ sorori, operam præstiterint. Spond.

But tooke from Coach her Mules, brought in her weeds.
And she ascends her chamber; where puruaid
A quicke fire was, by her old chamber-maid
Eurymedusa, th' Aperæan borne;
And brought by sea, from Aperæ, t'adorne
The Court of great Alcinous; because
He gaue to all, the blest Phæacians lawes;
And, like a heauen-borne Powre in speech, acquir'd
The peoples eares. To one then so admir'd,
Eurymedusa was esteemd no worse,
Then worth the gift: yet now growne old, was Nurse
To Ivory-armd Nausicaa; gaue heare
To all her fires, and drest her priuie meate.

Then rose Vlysses, and made way to Towne;
Which ere he reacht, a mightie mist was throwne
By Pallas round about him; in her Care,
Lest in the sway of enuies popular,
Some proud Phæacian might foule language passe,
Iustle him vp, and aske him what he was.

Entring the louely Towne yet: through the cloud

Vlysses, a Minerua in ædes Alcinoi perducitur, septus nebula.

Pallas appeard; and like a yong wench showd
Bearing a pitcher; Stood before him so,
As if obiected purposely to know
What there he needed; whom he questiond thus:

Know you not (daughter) where Alcinous,
That rules this Towne, dwels: I, a poore distrest
Meere stranger here; know none I may request,
To make this Court knowne to me. She replied:

Strange Father; I will see you satisfied.
In that request: my Father dwels, iust by
The house you seeke for; but go silently;
Nor aske, nor speake to any other; I
Shall be enough to shew your way: the men
That here inhabite, do not entertain:
With ready kindnesse, strangers; of what worth,
Or state soeuer: nor haue taken forth
Lessons of ciuill vsage, or respect
To men beyond them. They (vpon their powres
Of swift ships building) top the watry towres:
And Ioue hath giuen them ships, for saile so wrought,
They cut a fether, and command a thought.

νεες ωκειαι οσει naues veloces veluti penna, atque cogitatio.

This said; she vsherd him; and after, he
Trod in the swift steps of the Deitie.
The free-saild sea-men could not get a sight
Of our Vlysses, yet: though he foreright,
Both by their houses and their persons past:
Pallas about him, such a darknesse cast,
By her diuine powre, and her reuerend care,
She would not giue the Towne-borne, cause to stare.

He wonderd, as he past, to see the Ports;
The shipping in them; and for all resorts,
The goodly market steds; and Iles beside
For the Heroes; walls so large and wide;
Rampires so high, and of such strength withall;
It would with wonder, any eye appall.

At last they reacht the Court; and Pallas said:
Now, honourd stranger; I will see obaid
Your will, to shew our Rulers house; tis here;
Where you shall find, Kings celebrating cheare;
Enter amongst them; nor admit a feare;
More bold a man is, he preuailes the more;
Though man nor place, be euer saw before.

Your first shall find the Queene in Court, whose name
Is Arete: of parents borne, the same
That was the King her Spouse: their Pedigree

Arete the wife of Alcinous.

I can report: the great Earth-shaker, he
Of Peribœa, (that her sex out-shone,

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And yongest daughter was, t'Eurymedon;
Who of th' vnmeasur'd-minded Giants, swaid
Th' Imperiall Scepter; and the pride allaid

For the more perspicuitie of this pedigree, I haue here set down the Diagrā as Spondanus hath it. Neptune begat Nausithous of Peribœa. By Nausithous, Rhexenor, Alcinous, were begot. By Rhexenor, Arete the wife of her vnkle Alcinous.

Of men so impious, with cold death; and died
Himselfe soone after) got the magnified
In mind, Nausithous; who the kingdomes state
First held in supreame rule. Nausithous gat
Rhexenor, and Alcinous, now King:
Rhexenor (whose seed did no male fruite spring;
And whom the siluer-bow-glac't Phœbus slue
Yong in the Court) his shed blood did renew
In onely Arete; who now is Spouse
To him that rules the kingdome, in this house,
And is her Vnkle; King Alcinous.
Who honors her, past equall. She may boast
More honor of him, then the honord most

The honor of Arete (or vertue) alleg.

Of any wife in earth, can of her Lord;
How many more soeuer, Realmes affoord,
That keepe house vnder husbands. Yet no more
Her husband honors her, then her blest store
Of gracious children. All the Citie cast
Eyes on her, as a Goddesse; and giue taste
Of their affections to her, in their praires,
Still as she decks the streets. For all affaires,
Wrapt in contention, she dissolues to men.
Whom she affects, she wants no mind to deigne
Goodnesse enough. If her heart stand inclin'd
To your dispatch; hope all you wish to find;
Your friends, your longing family, and all,
That can within your most affections fall.

This said; away the grey-eyd Goddesse flew
Along th' vntamed sea. Left the louely hew,
Scheria presented. Out flew Marathon,
And ample-streeted Athens lighted on.
Where, to the house that casts so

thicke a shade,
Of Erectheus; she ingression made.

The Court of Alcinous.

Vlysses, to the loftie-builded Court
Of King Alcinous, made bold resort;
Yet in his heart cast many a thought, before
The brazen pauement of the rich Court, bore
His enterd person. Like heauens two maine Lights,
The roomes illustrated, both daies and nights.
On euery side stood firme a wall of brasse,
Euen from the threshold to the inmost passe;
Which bore a roofe vp, that all Saphire was;
The brazen thresholds both sides, did enfold
Siluer Pilasters, hung with gates of gold;
Whose Portall was of siluer; ouer which

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A golden Cornish did the front enrich.
On each side, Dogs of gold and siluer fram'd,
The houses Guard stood; which the Deitie (lam'd)

Vulcan.

With knowing inwards had inspir'd; and made,
That Death nor Age, should their estates inuade.

Along the wall, stood euery way a throne;
From th' entry to the Lobbie: euery one,
Cast ouer with a rich-wrought-cloth of state.
Beneath which, the Phæacian Princes sate
At wine and food; and feasted all the yeare.
Youths forg'd of gold, at euery table there,
Stood holding flaming torches; that, in night
Gaue through the house, each honourd Guest, his light.

And (to encounter feast with houswifry)
In one roome fiftie women did apply
Their seuerall tasks. Some, apple-colourd corne
Ground in faire Quernes; and some did spindles turne.
Some worke in loomes: no hand, least rest receiues;
But all had motion, apt, as Aspen leaues.
And from the weeds they woue, (so fast they laid,
And so thicke thrust together, thred by thred)
That th' oile (of which the wooll had drunke his fill)
Did with his moisture, in light dewes distill.

As much as the Phæacian men exceld
All other countrimen, in Art to build
A swift-saild ship: so much the women there,
For worke of webs, past other women were.
Past meane, by Pallas meanes, they vnderstood
The grace of good works; and had wits as good.

Without the Hall, and close vpon the Gate,
A goodly Orchard ground was situate,
Of neare ten Acres; about which, was led
A loftie Quickset. In it flourished
High and broad fruit trees, that Pomegranats bore;
Sweet Figs, Peares, Oliues, and a number more

Hortus Alcinoi memorabilis.

Most vsefull Plants, did there produce their store.
Whose fruits, the hardest Winter could not kill;
Nor hotest Summer wither. There was still
Fruite in his proper season, all the yeare.
Sweet Zephire breath'd vpon them, blasts that were
Of varied tempers: these, he made to beare
Ripe fruites: these blossomes: Peare grew after Peare;
Apple succeeded apple; Grape, the Grape;
Fig after Fig came; Time made neuer rape,
Of any daintie there. A spritely vine
Spred here his roote; whose fruite, a hote sun-shine
Made ripe betimes. Here grew another, greene.
Here, some were gathering; here, some pressing seene.

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A large-allotted seuerall, each fruite had;
And all th' adornd grounds, their apparance made,
In flowre and fruite, at which the King did aime,
To the precisest order he could claime.

Two Fountaines grac't the garden; of which, one
Powrd out a winding streame, that ouer-runne
The grounds for their vse chiefly: th' other went
Close by the loftie Pallace gate; and lent
The Citie his sweet benefit: and thus
The Gods the Court deckt of Alcinous.

Patient Vlysses stood a while at gaze;
But (hauing all obseru'd) made instant pace
Into the Court; where all the Peeres he found,
And Captaines of Phæacia; with Cups crownd,
Offring to sharp-eyd

Mercurie.

Hermes: to whom, last
They vsde to sacrifise; when Sleepe had cast
His inclination through their thoughts. But these,
Vlysses past; and forth went; nor their eies
Tooke note of him: for Pallas stopt the light
With mists about him; that, vnstaid, he might
First to Alcinous, and Arete,
Present his person; and, of both them, she
(By Pallas counsell) was to haue the grace
Of foremost greeting. Therefore his embrace,
He cast about her knee. And then off flew
The heauenly aire that hid him. When his view,
With silence and with Admiration strooke
The Court quite through: but thus he silence broake:

Diuine Rhexenors ofspring, Arete;

Areten, Vlysses supplex orat.

To thy most honourd husband, and to thee,
A man whom many labours haue distrest,
Is come for comfort; and to euery guest:
To all whom, heauen vouchsafe delightsome liues;
And after, to your issue that suruiues,
A good resignement of the Goods ye leaue;
With all the honor that your selues receiue
Amongst your people. Onely this of me,
Is the Ambition; that I may but see
(By your vouchsaft meanes; and betimes vouchsaft)
My country earth; since I haue long bin left
To labors, and to errors, barrd from end;
And farre from benefit of any friend.

He said no more; but left them dumbe with that;
Went to the harth, and in the ashes sat,
Aside the fire. At last their silence brake;
And Echinaus, th' old Heroe spake.
A man that all Phæacians past in yeares,
And in perswasiue eloquence, all the Peeres;

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Knew much, and vsde it well; and thus spake he:

Alcinous! it shewes not decently;

Echinaus to Alcinous.

Nor doth your honor, what you see, admit;
That this your guest, should thus abiectly fit:
His chaire the earth; the harth his cushion;
Ashes, as if apposde for food: a Throne
Adornd with due rites, stands you more in hand
To see his person plac't in; and command
That instantly your Heralds fill in wine;
That to the God that doth in lightnings shine,
We may do sacrifice: for he is there,
Where these his reuerend suppliants appeare.
Let what you haue within, be brought abroad,
To sup the stranger. All these would haue showd
This fit respect to him; but that they stay
For your precedence, that should grace the way.

When this had added to the well-inclin'd,
And sacred order of Alcinous mind;
Then, of the great in wit, the hand he seisd;
And from the ashes, his faire person raisd;
Aduanc't him to a well-adorned Throne;
And from his seate raisd his most loued sonne,
(Laodamas, that next himselfe was set)
To giue him place. The handmaid then did get
An Ewre of gold, with water fild; which plac't
Vpon a Caldron, all with siluer grac't)
She powrd out on their hands. And then was spred
A Table, which the Butler set with bread;
As others seru'd with other food, the boord;
In all the choise, the present could affoord.
Vlysses, meate and wine tooke; and then thus;
The King the Herald calld: Pontonous!
Serue wine through all the house; that all may pay
Rites to the Lightner, who is still in way
With humble suppliants; and them pursues,
With all benigne, and hospitable dues.

Pontonous, gaue act to all he willd,
And hony sweetnesse-giuing-minds-

The word that beares this long Epithete, is translated only dulce: which signifies more. μελεφρονα οινον εκιρνα: Vinum quod mellea dulcedine, animum perfundit, & oblectat.

wine filld;
Disposing it in cups for all to drinke.
All hauing drunke, what eithers heart could thinke
Fit for due sacrifice; Alcinous said:
Heare me, ye Dukes, that the Phæacians leade;
And you our Counsellors; that I may now
Discharge the charge, my mind suggests to you,
For this our guest: Feast past, and this nights sleepe;
Next morne (our Senate summond) we will keepe
Iusts, sacred to the Gods; and this our Guest
Receiue in solemne Court, with fitting Feast:

104

Then thinke of his returne; that vnder hand
Of our deduction; his naturall land
(Without more toile or care; and with delight;
And that soone giuen him; how farre hence dissite
Soeuer it can be) he may ascend;
And in the meane time, without wrong attend,

Ascent to his Countries shore.

Or other want; fit meanes to that ascent.
What, after, austere Fates, shall make th' euent
Of his lifes thred (now spinning, and began
When his paind mother, freed his roote of man)
He must endure in all kinds. If some God,

Eustathius will haue this comparison of the Phæacians with the Giants and Cyclops, to proceede out of the inueterate virulency of Antinous to the Cyclops, who were cause (as is before said) of their remoue from their country; & with great endeuour labors the approbation of it: but (vnder his peace) from the purpose: for the sence of the Poet is cleer, that the Cyclops & Giants being in part the issue of the Gods, and yet afterward their defiers, (as Polyp. hereafter dares professe) Antinous (out of bold and manly reason, euen to the face of one that might haue bin a God, for the past manly appearance he made there) would tell him, and the rest in him, that if they graced those Cyclops with their open appearance, that, thogh descended from them, durst yet denie them; they might much more do them the honor of their open presence that adored them.

Perhaps abides with vs, in his abode;
And other things will thinke vpon then we;
The Gods wils stand: who euer yet were free
Of their appearance to vs; when to them
We offerd Hecatombs, of fit esteem.
And would at feast sit with vs; euen where we
Orderd our Session. They would likewise be
Encountrers of vs, when in way, alone
About his fit affaires, went any one.
Nor let them cloke themselues in any care,
To do vs comfort; we as neare them are,
As are the Cyclops; or the impious race,
Of earthy Giants, that would heauen outface.

Vlysses answerd; Let some other doubt
Employ your thoughts, then what your words giue out;
Which intimate a kind of doubt, that I
Should shadow in this shape, a Deitie.
I beare no such least semblance; or in wit,
Vertue, or person. What may well befit
One of those mortals, whom you chiefly know,
Beares vp and downe, the burthen of the woe
Appropriate to poore man; giue that to me;
Of whose mones I sit, in the most degree;
And might say more; sustaining griefes that all
The Gods consent to: no one twixt their fall
And my vnpitied shoulders, letting downe
The least diuersion. Be the grace then showne,
To let me taste your free-giuen food, in peace:
Through greatest griefe, the belly must haue ease.
Worse then an enuious belly, nothing is.
It will command his strict Necessities,
Of men most grieu'd in body or in mind,
That are in health, and will not giue their kind,
A desperate wound. When most with cause I grieue,
It bids me still, Eate man, and drinke, and liue;
And this makes all forgot. What euer ill
I euer beare; it euer bids me fill.

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But this ease is but forc't, and will not last,
Till what the mind likes, be as well embrac't;
And therefore let me wish you would partake
In your late purpose; when the Morne shall make
Her next appearance; daigne me but the grace,
(Vnhappie man) that I may once embrace
My country earth: though I be still thrust at,
By ancient ils; yet make me but see that;
And then let life go. When (withall) I see
My high-rooft large house, lands and family.

This, all approu'd; and each, willd euery one;
Since he hath said so fairly; set him gone.

Feast past, and sacrifice; to sleepe, all vow
Their eies at eithers house. Vlysses now,
Was left here with Alcinous, and his Queene,
The all-lou'd Arete. The handmaids then
The vessell of the Banquet, tooke away.
When Arete set eye on his array;
Knew both his out, and vnderweed, which she
Made with her maids; and musde by what meanes he
Obtaind their wearing: which she made request
To know; and wings gaue to these speeches: Guest!
First let me aske, what, and from whence you are?

Arete to Vlysses.

And then, who grac't you with the weeds you weare?
Said you not lately, you had err'd at seas?
And thence arriu'd here? Laertides
To this, thus answerd: Tis a paine (O Queene)

Vlysses to Arete.

Still to be opening wounds wrought deepe and greene;
Of which, the Gods haue opened store in me;
Yet your will must be seru'd: Farre hence, at sea,
There lies an Ile, that beares Ogygias name;
Where Atlas daughter, the ingenious Dame,
Faire-haird Calypso liues: a Goddesse graue,
And with whom, men, nor Gods, societie haue.
Yet I (past man vnhappie) liu'd alone,
By heau'ns wrath forc't) her house companion.
For Ioue had with a feruent lightning cleft
My ship in twaine; and farre at blacke sea left
Me and my souldiers; all whose liues I lost.
I, in mine armes the keele tooke, and was tost
Nine dayes together vp from waue to waue.
The tenth grim Night, the angry Deities draue
Me and my wracke, on th' Ile, in which doth dwell
Dreadfull Calypso; who exactly well
Receiu'd and nourisht me; and promise made,
To make me deathlesse: nor should Age inuade
My powres with his deserts, through all my dayes.
All mou'd not me; and therefore, on her stayes,

106

Seuen yeares she made me lie: and there spent I
The long time; steeping in the miserie
Of ceaslesse teares, the Garments I did weare
From her faire hand. The eight reuolued yeare,
(Or by her chang'd mind; or by charge of Ioue)
She gaue prouokt way to my wisht remoue;
And in a many-ioynted ship, with wine,
(Daintie in sauour) bread, and weeds diuine;
Sign'd with a harmlesse and sweet wind, my passe.
Then, seuenteene dayes at sea, I homeward was;
And by the eighteenth, the darke hils appeard,
That your Earth thrusts vp. Much my heart was cheard;
(Vnhappie man) for that was but a beame;
To shew I yet, had agonies extreame,
To put in sufferance: which th' Earth-shaker sent;
Crossing my way, with tempests violent;
Vnmeasur'd seas vp-lifting: nor would giue
The billowes leaue, to let my vessell liue
The least time quiet: that euen sigh'd to beare
Their bitter outrage: which, at last, did teare
Her sides in peeces, set on by the winds.
I yet, through-swomme the waues, that your shore binds,
Till wind and water threw me vp to it;
When, coming forth, a ruthlesse billow smit
Against huge rocks, and an acceslesse shore
My mangl'd body. Backe againe I bore,
And swom till I was falne vpon a flood,
Whose shores, me thought, on good aduantage stood,
For my receit: rock-free, and fenc't from wind.
And this I put for, gathering vp my mind.
Then the diuine Night came; and tredding Earth,
Close by the flood, that had from Ioue her birth.
Within a thicket I reposde; when round
I ruffld vp falne leaues in heape; and found
(Let fall from heauen) a sleepe interminate.
And here, my heart (long time excruciate)
Amongst the leaues I rested all that night;
Euen till the morning and meridian light.
The Sunne declining then; delightsome sleepe,
No longer laid my temples in his steepe;
But forth I went, and on the shore might see
Your daughters maids play. Like a Deitie
She shin'd aboue them; and I praid to her:
And she, in disposition did prefer
Noblesse, and wisedome, no more low then might
Become the goodnesse of a Goddesse height.
Nor would you therefore hope (supposde distrest
As I was then, and old) to find the least

107

Of any Grace from her; being yonger farre.
With yong folkes, Wisedome makes her commerce rare.
Yet she in all abundance did bestow,
Both wine (that makes the

αιθοψ οινος, Vinum calefaciendi vim habens.

blood in humanes grow)
And food; and bath'd me in the flood; and gaue
The weeds to me, which now ye see me haue.
This, through my griefes I tell you; and tis true.

Alcinous answerd: Guest! my daughter knew
Least of what most you giue her; nor became
The course she tooke, to let, with euery Dame,
Your person lackey; nor hath with them brought
Your selfe home to; which first you had besought.

O blame her not (said he) Heroicall Lord;
Nor let me heare, against her worth, a word.
She faultlesse is; and wisht I would haue gone
With all her women home: but I alone
Would venture my receit here; hauing feare
And reuerend aw of accidents that were
Of likely issue: both your wrath to moue,
And to inflame the common peoples loue,
Of speaking ill: to which they soone giue place;
We men are all a most suspicious race.

My guest (said he) I vse not to be stird
To wrath too rashly; and where are preferd
To mens conceits, things that may both waies faile;
The noblest euer should the most preuaile.
Would Ioue our Father, Pallas, and the Sunne,
That (were you still as now, and could but runne
One Fate with me) you would my daughter wed,
And be my son-in-law; still vowd to leade
Your rest of life here. I, a house would giue,
And houshold goods; so freely you would liue,
Confin'd with vs: but gainst you will, shall none
Containe you here; since that were violence done
To Ioue our Father. For your passage home,
That you may well know, we can ouercome
So great a voyage; thus it shall succeed:
To morrow shall our men take all their heed
(While you securely sleepe) to see the seas
In calmest temper; and (if that will please)
Shew you your Country and your house ere night;
Though farre beyond Eubœa be that fight.
And this Eubœa (as our subiects say,
That haue bin there, and seene) is farre away
Farthest from vs, of all the parts they know.
And made the triall, when they helpt to row
The gold-lockt Rhadamanth; to giue him view
Of Earth-borne Tityus: whom their speeds did shew

108

(In that far-off Eubœa) the same day
They set from hence; and home made good their way,
With ease againe, and him they did conuay.
Which, I report to you, to let you see
How swift my ships are; and how matchlesly
My yong Phæacians, with their oares preuaile,
To beate the sea through, and assist a saile.

This cheard Vlysses; who in priuate praid:
I would to Ioue our Father, what he said,
He could performe at all parts; he should then
Be glorified for euer; and I gaine
My naturall Country. This discourse they had;
When faire-armd Arete, her handmaids bad
A bed make in the Portico; and plie
With cloaths; the Couering Tapestrie;
The Blankets purple. Wel-napt Wastcoates too,
To weare for more warmth. What these had to do,
They torches tooke, and did. The Bed puruaid;
They mou'd Vlysses for his rest; and said:

Come Guest, your Bed is fit; now frame to rest.
Motion of sleepe, was gracious to their Guest;
Which now he tooke profoundly; being laid
Within a loop-hole Towre, where was conuaid
The sounding Portico. The King tooke rest
In a retir'd part of the house; where drest
The Queene her selfe, a Bed, and Trundlebed;
And by her Lord, reposde her reuerend head.

Finis libri septimi Hom. Odyss.

109

THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

The Peeres of the Phæacian State,
A Councell call, to consolate
Vlysses, with all meanes for Home.
The Councell to a Banquet come.
Inuited by the king: which done;
Assaies for hurling of the stone,
The Youths make with the stranger king.
Demodecus, at feast, doth sing
Th' Adulterie of the God of Armes
With her that rules, in Amorous charmes.
And after, sings the entercourse
Of Acts about th' Epæan Horse.

Another.

Θητα

The Councels frame,
At fleete applied;
In strifes of Game,
Vlysses tried.

Now when the Rosie-fingerd morne arose;
The sacred powre Alcinous did dispose
Did likewise rise; and like him, left his Ease,
The Cittie-racer Laertiades.
The Councell at the Nauie was design'd;
To which Alcinous, with the sacred mind,
Came first of all. On polisht stones they sate
Neare to the Nauie. To increase the state,
Minerua tooke the heralds forme on her
That seru'd Alcinous; studious to prefer
Vlysses Suite for home. About the towne
She made quicke way; and fild with the renowne
Of that designe, the eares of euery man:

Pallas like the Herald.

Proclaiming thus; Peers Phæacensian!
And men of Councell: all haste to the Court;
To heare the stranger that made late resort
To king Alcinous: long time lost at Sea;
And is in person, like a Deitie.

This, all their powres set vp; and spirit instild;
And straight the Court and seas, with men were fild.
The whole State wonderd at Laertes Son
When they beheld him. Pallas put him on

110

A supernaturall, and heauenly dresse;
Enlarg'd him with a height, and goodlinesse
In breast, and shoulders; that he might appeare
Gracious, and graue, and reuerend; and beare
A perfect hand on his performance there,
In all the trials they resolu'd t'impose.

All met; and gatherd in attention close;

Alcinous exhorts the Phæacians to the beliefe of Vlysses.

Alcinous thus bespake them: Dukes, and Lords;
Heare me digest, my hearty thoughts in words:
This Stranger here whose trauels found my Court;
I know not; nor can tell if his resort
From East or West comes: But his suite is this;
That to his Countrey earth we would dismis
His hither-forced person; and doth beare
The minde to passe it vnder euery Peere:
Whom I prepare, and stirre vp; making knowne
My free desire of his deduction.
Nor shall there euer, any other man
That tries the goodnesse Phæacensian,
In me, and my Courts entertainement; stay
Mourning for passage, vnder least delay.
Come then; A ship into the sacred seas,
New-built, now lanch we; and from out our prease;
Chuse two and fiftie Youths; of all, the best
To vse an oare. All which, see straight imprest;
And in their Oare-bound seates. Let others hie
Home to our Court; commanding instantly
The solemne preparation of a feast;
In which, prouision may for any guest
Be made at my charge. Charge of these low things,
I giue our Youth. You Scepter-bearing kings,
Consort me home; and helpe with grace to vse
This guest of ours: no one man shall refuse.

Some other of you, haste, and call to vs
The sacred singer, graue Demodocus;
To whom hath God giuen, song that can excite
The heart of whom he listeth with delight.
This said, he led. The Scepter-bearers lent
Their free attendance; and with all speede, went
The herald for the sacred man in song.
Youths two and fiftie; chosen from the throng
Went, as was willd, to the vntam'd seas-shore;
Where come; they lancht the ship: the Mast it bore
Aduanc't, sailes hoised; euery seate, his Ore
Gaue with a lether thong: the deepe moist then
They further reacht. The drie streets flowd with men;
That troup't vp to the kings capacious Court.
Whose Porticos, were chok't with the resort:

111

Whose wals were hung with men: yong, old, thrust there,
In mighty concourse; for whose promist cheere
Alcinous slue twelue Sheepe; eight white-toothd Swine:
Two crook-hancht Beeues; which flead, and drest, diuine
The show was of so many a iocund Guest
All set together, at so set a feast.
To whose accomplisht state, the Herald then

Demodotus Poeta.

The louely Singer led; Who past all mean
The Muse affected; gaue him good, and ill;
His eies put out; but put in soule at will.
His place was giuen him, in a chaire, all grac't
With siluer studs, and gainst a Pillar plac't;
Where, as the Center to the State, he rests;
And round about, the circle of the Guests.
The Herald, on a Pinne, aboue his head
His soundfull harpe hung: to whose height, he led
His hand for taking of it downe at will.
A Boord set by, with food; and forth did fill
A Bowle of wine, to drinke at his desire.
The rest then, fell to feast; and when the fire
Of appetite was quencht: the Muse inflam'd
The sacred Singer. Of men highliest fam'd,
He sung the glories; and a Poeme pend,
That in applause, did ample heauen ascend.
Whose subiect was, the sterne contention

The contention of Achilles and Vlysses.

Betwixt Vlysses, and Great Thetis Sonne;
As, at a banket, sacred to the Gods
In dreadfull language, they exprest their ods.
When Agamemnon, sat reioyc't in soule
To heare the Greeke Peeres iarre, in termes so foule;
For Augur Phœbus, in presage had told
The king of men, (desirous to vnfold
The wars perplexed end; and being therefore gone
In heauenly Pythia, to the Porch of stone,)
That then the end, of all griefes should begin,
Twixt Greece, and Troy; when Greece (with strife to winne
That wisht conclusion) in her kings should iarre;
And pleade, if force, or wit must end the warre.

This braue contention did the Poet sing;
Expressing so the spleene of either king;
That his large purple weede, Vlysses held

Vlyssi mouetur fletus.

Before his face, and eies; since thence distilld
Teares vncontaind; which he obscur'd, in feare
To let th' obseruing Presence, note a teare.
But when his sacred song the meere Diuine
Had giuen an end; a Goblet crownd with wine
Vlysses (drying his wet eies) did seise;
And sacrifisde to those Gods that would please

112

The continued pietie of Vlysses through all places, times, and occasions.

T'inspire the Poet with a song so fit
To do him honour, and renowme his wit.
His teares then staid. But when againe began
(By all the kings desires) the mouing man;
Againe Vlysses, could not chuse but yeeld
To that soft passion: which againe, withheld,
He kept so cunningly from sight; that none
(Except Alcinous himselfe, alone)
Discern'd him mou'd so much. But he sat next;
And heard him deeply sigh. Which, his pretext
Could not keepe hid from him. Yet he conceal'd
His vtterance of it; and would haue it held
From all the rest. Brake off the song, and this
Said to those Ore-affecting Peeres of his:

Princes, and Peeres! we now are satiate
With sacred song, that fits a feast of state:
With wine, and food. Now then, to field, and try;
In all kinds our approu'd actiuity;
That this our Guest, may giue his friends to know
In his returne: that we, as little owe
To fights, and wrestlings, leaping, speede of race,
As these our Court-rites; and commend our grace
In all, to all superiour. Foorth he led
The Peeres and people, troup't vp to their head:
Nor must Demodocus be left within;
Whose harpe, the Herald hung vpon the pinne;
His hand, in his tooke; and abroad he brought
The heauenly Poet: out, the same way wrought
That did the Princes: and what they would see
With admiration, with his companie
They wisht to honour. To the place of Game
These throng'd; and after, routs of other came,
Of all sort, infinite. Of Youths that stroue,

Since the Phæacians were not only dwellers by sea, but studious also of sea qualities: their names seeme to vsurpe their faculties therein. All consisting of sea-faring signification, except Laodamas. As Acroneus, sūma seu extrema Navis pars. Ocyalus velox in mari. Elatreus, or Ελατηρ ελατηρος Remex. &c.

Many, and strong, rose to their trials loue.
Vp rose Acroneus, and Ocyalus;
Elatreus, Prymneus, and Anchyalus;
Nanteus, Eretmeus, Thoon, Proreus;
Pontaus, and the strong Amphialus,
Sonne to Tectonides, Polinius.
Vp rose to these, the great Euryalus;
In action like the homicide of warre.
Naubolides, that was for person farre
Past all the rest: but one he could not passe;
Nor any thought improue; Laodamas.
Vp Anabesinzus then arose;
And three sonnes of the Scepter state, and those;
Were Halius, and fore-praisde Laodamas;
And Clytonaus, like a God in grace.

113

These first the foote-game tride; and from the lists
Tooke start together. Vp the dust, in mists
They hurld about; as in their speede, they flew;
But Clytoneus, first, of all the crew
A Stiches length in any fallow field
Made good his pace; when where the Iudges yeeld
The prise, and praise, his glorious speed arriu'd.
Next, for the boistrous wrestling Game they striu'd;
At which, Euryalus, the rest outshone.
At leape, Amphialus. At the hollow stone
Elatreus exceld. At buffets, last,
Laodamas, the kings faire sonne surpast.

When all had striu'd in these assaies their fill;
Laodamas said; Come friends; let's proue what skill
This Stranger hath attaind to, in our sport;
Me thinks, he must be of the actiue sort.
His calues, thighs, hands, and well-knit shoulders show,
That Nature disposition did bestow
To fit with fact their forme. Nor wants he prime.
But sowre Affliction, made a mate with Time,
Makes Time the more seene. Nor imagine I,
A worse thing to enforce debilitie,
Then is the Sea: though nature ne're so strong
Knits one together. Nor conceiue you wrong,
(Replied Euryalus) but proue his blood
With what you question. In the midst then stood
Renowm'd Laodamas, and prou'd him thus;

Come (stranger Father) and assaie with vs

Laodamas vrgeth Vlysses to their sports.

Your powrs in these contentions: If your show
Be answerd with your worth, tis fit that you
Should know these conflicts: nor doth glorie stand
On any worth more, in a mans command,
Then to be strenuous, both of foote and hand:
Come then, make proofe with vs; discharge your mind
Of discontentments: for not farre behind
Comes your deduction. Ship is ready now;

The word is πομπη signifiing: deductio: qua transuehendum curamus cum qui nobiscum aliquandiu est versatus.

And men, and all things. Why (said he) dost thou
Mocke me Laodamas! and these strifes bind
My powrs to answer? I am more inclind
To cares, then conflict. Much sustaind I haue;
And still am suffering. I come here to craue
In your assemblies, meanes to be dismist,
And pray, both Kings, and subiects to assist.

Euryalus, an open brawle began;

Euryalus vpbraids Vlysses.

And said: I take you Sir, for no such man
As fits these honord strifes. A number more
Strange men there are, that I would chuse before.
To one that loues to lie a ship-boord much;

114

Or is the Prince of sailours; or to such
As traffique farre and neare, and nothing minde
But freight, and passage, and a foreright winde;
Or to a victler of a ship: or men

κερδεωνθ αρπαλεων.

That set vp all their powrs for rampant Gaine,
I can compare, or hold you like to be:
But, for a wrestler, or of qualitie
Fit for contentions noble; you abhor
From worth of any such competitor.

Vlysses angry.

Vlysses (frowning) answerd; Stranger! farre
Thy words are from the fashions regular
Of kinde, or honour. Thou art in thy guise
Like to a man, that authors iniuries.

αταθαλος Damnorum magnorum auctor.

I see, the Gods to all men, giue not all
Manly addiction; wisedome; words that fall
(Like dice) vpon the square still. Some man takes
Ill forme from parents; but God often makes
That fault of forme vp, with obseru'd repaire
Of pleasing speech: that makes him held for faire;
That makes him speake securely: makes him shine
In an assembly, with a grace diuine.
Men take delight, to see how euenly lie
His words asteepe, in honey modestie.
Another then, hath fashion like a God;
But in his language, he is foule, and broad:
And such art thou. A person faire is giuen;
But nothing else is in thee, sent from heauen.
For in thee lurkes, a base, and earthy soule
And t'hast compelld me, with a speech most foule
To be thus bitter. I am not vnseene
In these faire strifes, as thy words ouerweene:
But in the first ranke of the best I stand.
At least, I did, when youth and strength of hand
Made me thus confident: but now am worne
With woes, and labours; as a humane borne
To beare all anguish. Sufferd much I haue.
The warre of men, and the inhumane waue
Haue I driuen through at all parts: but with all
My waste in sufferance: what yet may fall
In my performance, at these strifes Ile trie;
Thy speech hath mou'd, and made my wrath runne hie.

This said; with robe, and all, he graspt a stone,
A little grauer then was euer throwne
By these Phæacians, in their wrestling rout;
More firme, more massie; which (turnd round about)
He hurried from him, with a hand so strong
It sung, and flew: and ouer all the throng
(That at the others markes stood) quite it went:

115

Yet downe fell all beneath it; fearing spent
The force that draue it flying from his hand,
As it a dart were, or a walking wand.
And, farre past all the markes of all the rest
His wing stole way. When Pallas straight imprest
A marke at fall of it; resembling then
One of the nauy-giuen Phæacian men;
And thus aduanc't Vlysses: One, (though blinde)
(O stranger!) groping, may thy stones fall finde;
For not amidst the rout of markes it fell,
But farre before all. Of thy worth, thinke well;
And stand in all strifes: no Phæacian here,
This bound, can either better or come nere.
Vlysses ioyd, to heare that one man yet
Vsde him benignly; and would Truth abet
In those contentions. And then, thus smooth
He tooke his speech downe: Reach me that now Youth,
You shall (and straight I thinke) haue one such more;
And one beyond it too. And now, whose Core
Stands sound, and great within him (since ye haue
Thus put my splene vp) come againe and braue
The Guest ye tempted, with such grosse disgrace:
At wrestling, buffets, whirlbat, speed of race.
At all, or either, I except at none,
But vrge the whole State of you; onely one
I will not challenge, in my forced boast,
And that's Laodamas; for hee's mine Host.

He names Laodamas onely for all the other brothers; since in his exception, the others enuies were curbd: for brothers either are or should be of one acceptation in all fit things. And Laodamas, he calles his host, being eldest son to Alcinous: the heire being euer the yong master; nor might he conueniently prefer Alcinous in his exception, since he stood not in competition at these contentions.

And who will fight, or wrangle with his friend?
Vnwise he is, and base, that will contend
With him that feedes him, in a forreigne place;
And takes all edge off, from his owne sought grace.
None else except I here; nor none despise;
But wish to know, and proue his faculties,
That dares appeare now. No strife ye can name
Am I vnskilld in; (reckon any game
Of all that are, as many as there are
In vse with men) for Archerie I dare
Affirme my selfe not meane. Of all a troupe
Ile make the first foe with mine arrow stoupe;
Though, with me ne're so many fellowes bend
Their bowes at markt men, and affect their end;
Onely was Philoctetes with his bow
Still my superiour; when we Greekes would show
Our Archerie against our foes of Troy:
But all that now by bread, fraile life enioy,
I farre hold my inferiours. Men of old
None now aliue, shall witnesse me so bold
To vant equality with such men as these;

116

Occhalian, Euritus, Hercules;
Who with their bowes, durst with the Gods contend.
And therefore caught Eurytus soone his end.
Nor did at home, in age, a reuerend man;

Apollo.

But by the Great incensed Delphian
Was shot to death, for daring competence
With him, in all an Archers excellence.
A Speare Ile hurle as farre, as any man
Shall shoote a shaft. How at a race I can
Bestirre my feete; I onely yeeld to Feare,
And doubt to meete with my superiour here.
So many seas, so too much haue misusde
My lims for race; and therefore haue diffusde
A dissolution through my loued knees.

The ingenuous and roiall speech of Alcinous to Vlysses.

This said, he stilld all talking properties;
Alcinous onely answerd: O my Guest
In good part take we, what you haue bene prest
With speech to answer. You would make appeare
Your vertues therefore, that will still shine where
Your onely looke is. Yet must this man giue
Your worth ill language; when, he does not liue
In sort of mortals (whence so ere he springs
That iudgement hath to speake becoming things)
That will depraue your vertues. Note then now
My speech, and what, my loue presents to you;
That you may tell Heroes, when you come
To banquet with your Wife, and Birth at home,
(Mindfull of our worth) what deseruings Ioue
Hath put on our parts likewise; in remoue
From Sire to Sonne, as an inherent grace
Kinde, and perpetuall. We must needs giue place
To other Countreymen; and freely yeeld
We are not blamelesse, in our fights of field;
Buffets, nor wrestlings: but in speede of feete;
And all the Equipage that fits a fleete,
We boast vs best. I or table euer spred
With neighbour feasts, for garments varied;
For Poesie, Musique, Dancing, Baths, and Beds.
And now, Phæacians, you that beare your heads
And feete with best grace, in enamouring dance;
Enflame our guest here; that he may aduance
Our worth past all the worlds, to his home friends;
As well for the vnmatcht grace, that commends
Your skills in footing of a dance; as theirs
That flie a race best. And so, all affaires,
At which we boast vs best; he best may trie;
As Sea-race, Land-race, Dance, and Poesie.
Some one, with instant speede to Court retire,

117

And fetch Demodocus, his soundfull lyre.

This said, the God-grac't king, and quicke resort
Pontonous made, for that faire harpe, to Court.

Nine of the lot-chusde publique Rulers rose,
That all in those contentions did dispose;
Commanding a most smooth ground, and a wide,
And all the people, in faire game, aside.

Then with the rich harpe, came Pontonous;
And in the midst, tooke place Demodocus.
About him then stood foorth, the choise yong men,
That on mans first youth, made fresh entrie then:

μαρμαρυγας πεδων μαρμαρυγη signifies splendor vibrans; a twinckd splendor: μαρμαρυοσιν Vibrare veluti radios solares.

Had Art to make their naturall motion sweete
And shooke a most diuine dance from their feete;
That twinckld Star-like; mou'd as swift, and fine,
And beate the aire so thinne, they made it shine.
Vlysses wonderd at it; but amazd
He stood in minde, to heare the dance so phras'd.

Ayre rarefied turns first.

For, as they danc't; Demodocus did sing,
The bright-crownd Venus loue, with Battailes king;
As first they closely mixt, in t'house of fire.
What worlds of gifts, wonne her to his desire;
Who then, the night-and-day-bed did defile
Of good king Vulcan. But in little while
The Sunne their mixture saw; and came, and told.
The bitter newes, did by his eares take hold
Of Vulcans heart. Then to his Forge he went;
And in his shrewd mind, deepe stuffe did inuent.
His mightie Anuile, in the stocke he put;
And forg'd a net, that none could loose, or cut;
That when it had them, it might hold them fast.
Which, hauing finisht, he made vtmost haste
Vp to the deare roome, where his wife he wowd:
And (madly wrath with Mars) he all bestrowd
The bed, and bed-posts: all the beame aboue
That crost the chamber; and a circle stroue,
Of his deuice, to wrap in all the roome.

The matter whereof none can see.

And twas as pure, as of a Spiders loome,
The woofe before tis wouen. No man nor God
Could set his eie on it: a sleight so odde,
His Art shewd in it. All his craft bespent
About the bed: he faind, as if he went

χρυσηνιος Αρης

To well-built Lemnos; his most loued towne,
Of all townes earthly. Nor left this vnknowne
To golden-bridle-vsing Mars; who kept
No blinde watch ouer him: but, seeing stept
His riuall so aside, he hasted home
With faire-wreath'd Venus loue stung; who was come
New from the Court of her most mightie Sire.

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Mars enterd; wrung her hand; and the retire
Her husband made to Lemnos told; and said;
Now (Loue) is Vulcan gone; let vs to bed,
Hee's for the barbarous Sintians. Well appaid
Was Venus with it; and afresh assaid
Their old encounter. Downe they went; and straight
About them clingd, the artificiall sleight
Of most wise Vulcan; and were so ensnar'd,
That neither they could stirre their course prepar'd,
In any lim about them; nor arise.
And then they knew, they could no more disguise
Their close conueiance; but lay, forc't, stone still.
Backe rusht the Both foote cook't; but straight in skill,
From his neare skout-hole turnd; nor euer went
To any Lemnos; but the sure euent
Left Phœbus to discouer, who told all.
Then, home hopt Vulcan, full of griefe, and gall;
Stood in the Portall, and cried out so hie;
That all the Gods heard. Father of the skie

Vulcans complaint.

And euery other deathlesse God (said he)
Come all, and a ridiculous obiect see;
And yet not sufferable neither; Come,
And witnesse, how when still I step from home,
(Lame that I am) Ioues daughter doth professe
To do me all the shamefull offices;
Indignities, despites, that can be thought;
And loues this all-things-making-come to nought
Since he is faire forsooth; foote-sound, and I
Tooke in my braine a little; leg'd awrie;
And no fault mine; but all my parents fault,
Who should not get, if mocke me, with my halt.
But see how fast they sleepe, while I, in mone,
Am onely made, an idle looker on.
One bed their turne serues; and it must be mine;
I thinke yet, I haue made their selfe-loues shine.
They shall no more wrong me, and none perceiue:
Nor will they sleepe together, I beleeue
With too hote haste againe. Thus both shall lie
In craft, and force; till the extremitie
Of all the dowre, I gaue her Sire (to gaine
A dogged set-fac't Girle, that will not staine
Her face with blushing, though she shame her head)
He paies me backe: She's faire, but was no maide.

While this long speech was making, all were come
To Vulcans wholie-brazen-founded home.
Earth-shaking Neptune; vsefull Mercurie,
And far-shot Phœbus. No She Deitie
For shame, would show there: all the giue-good Gods

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stood in the Portall; and past periods
Gaue length to laughters; all reioyc't to see
That which they said; that no impietie
Finds good successe at th' end. And now (said one)
The slow outgoes the swift. Lame Vulcan, knowne
To be the slowest of the Gods; outgoes
Mars the most swift; And this is that, which growes
To greatest iustice; that Adulteries sport
Obtain'd by craft, by craft of other sort,
(And lame craft too) is plagu'd, which grieues the more,
That sound lims turning lame; the lame,

Intending thē sound of foote; when they outgoe the soundest.

restore.

This speech amongst themselues they entertaind
When Phæbus, thus askt Hermes: Thus enchaind
Would'st thou be Hermes, to be thus disclosde?
Though, with thee, golden Venus were repos'de?

He soone gaue that an answer: O (said he
Thou king of Archers) would twere thus with me.
Though thrice so much shame; nay, though infinite
Were powrd about me; and that euery light
In great heauen shining, witnest all my harmes,
So golden Venus slumberd in mine Armes.

The Gods againe laught; euen the watry state
Wrung out a laughter: But propitiate
Was still for Mars, and praid the God of fire
He would dissolue him; offering the desire
He made to Ioue, to pay himselfe; and said,
All due debts, should be, by the Gods repaid.

Pay me, no words (said he) where deeds lend paine;
Wretched the words are, giuen for wretched men.
How shall I binde you in th' Immortals sight
If Mars be once loos'd; nor will pay his right?

Vulcan (said he) if Mars should flie, nor see

This is το, τα, μικρα, μεγαλως &c. Parua magne dicere; graue sentence out of lightest vapor.

Thy right repaid, it should be paid by me:
Your word, so giuen, I must accept (said he)
Which said; he loosd them: Mars then rusht from skie
And stoop't cold Thrace. The laughing Deity
For Cyprus was, and tooke her Paphian state
Where, She a Groue, ne're cut, hath consecrate:
All with Arabian odors fum'd; and hath
An Altar there, at which the Graces bathe,
And with immortall Balms besmooth her skin;
Fit for the blisse, Immortals solace in;
Deckt her in to-be-studied attire,
And apt to set beholders hearts on fire.

This sung the sacred Muse, whose notes and words
The dancers feete kept; as his hands his cords.
Vlysses, much was pleased, and all the crew:

This would the king haue varied with a new

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And pleasing measure; and performed by
Two, with whom none would striue in dancerie.
And those, his sonnes were; that must therefore dance
Alone; and onely to the harp aduance,
Without the words; And this sweete couple, was
Yong Halius, and diuine Laodamas:
Who danc't a Ball dance. Then the rich-wrought Ball,
(That Polybus had made, of purple all)
They tooke to hand: one threw it to the skie,
And then danc't backe; the other (capring hie)
Would surely catch it, ere his foote toucht ground;
And vp againe advanc't it; and so found
The other, cause of dance; and then did he
Dance lofty trickes; till next it came to be
His turne to catch; and serue the other still.
When they had kept it vp to eithers will;
They then danc't ground tricks; oft mixt hand in hand;
And did so gracefully their change command;
That all the other Youth that stood at pause,
With deafning shouts, gaue them the great applause.

Vlysses to Alcinous.

Then said Vlysses; O past all men here
Cleare, not in powre, but in desert as clere,
You said your dancers, did the world surpasse;
And they performe it, cleare, and to amaze.

This wonne Alcinous heart; and equall prise
He gaue Vlysses; saying; Matchlesse wise
(Princes, and Rulers) I perceiue our guest;
And therefore let our hospitable best
In fitting gifts be giuen him: twelue chiefe kings
There are that order all the glorious things
Of this our kingdome; and the thirteenth, I
Exist, as Crowne to all: let instantly
Be thirteene garments giuen him: and, of gold
Precious, and fine, a Talent. While we hold
This our assembly; be all fetcht, and giuen;
That to our feast prepar'd, as to his heauen
One guest may enter. And that nothing be
Left vnperformd, that fits his dignity;
Euryalus shall here conciliate
Himselfe, with words and gifts; since past our rate
He gaue bad language. This did all commend
And giue in charge; and euery king did send
His Herald for his gift. Euryalus
(Answering for his part) said; Alcinous!
Our chiefe of all; since you command, I will
To this our guest, by all meanes reconcile;
And giue him this entirely mettald sword:
The handle massie siluer; and the bord

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That giues it couer, all of Ivorie,
New, and in all kinds, worth his qualitie.

This put he strait into his hand, and said:
Frolicke, O Guest and Father; if words, fled,
Haue bene offensiue; let swift whirlwinds take,
And rauish them from thought. May all Gods make
Thy wifes sight good to thee; in quicke retreate
To all thy friends, and best-lou'd breeding seate;
Their long misse quitting with the greater ioy;
In whose sweet, vanish all thy worst annoy.

And frolicke thou, to all height, Friend (said he)
Which heauen confirme, with wisht felicitie.
Nor euer giue againe desire to thee,
Of this swords vse, which with affects so free,
In my reclaime, thou hast bestowd on me.

This said; athwart his shoulders he put on
The right faire sword; and then did set the Sunne.
When all the gifts were brought; which backe againe
(With King Alcinous, in all the traine)
Were by the honourd Heralds borne to Court;
Which his faire sonnes tooke; and from the resort
Laid by their reuerend Mother. Each his throne
Of all the Peeres (which yet were ouershone
In King Alcinous command) ascended:
Whom he, to passe as much in gifts contended;
And to his Queene, said: Wife! see brought me here
The fairest Cabinet I haue; and there
Impose a well-cleansd, in, and vtter weed;
A Caldron heate with water, that with speed
Our Guest well bath'd, and all his gifts made sure,
It may a ioyfull appetite procure
To his succeeding Feast; and make him heare
The Poets Hymne, with the securer eare.
To all which, I will adde my boll of gold,
In all frame curious, to make him hold
My memory alwaies deare; and sacrifise
With it at home, to all the Deities.

Then Arete, her maids charg'd to set on
A well-siz'd Caldron quickly. Which was done;
Cleare water powr'd in, flame made so entire,
It gilt the brasse, and made the water fire.
In meane space, from her chamber brought the Queene
A wealthy Cabinet, where (pure and cleane)
She put the garments, and the gold bestowd
By that free State: and then, the other vowd
By her Alcinous, and said: Now Guest
Make close and fast your gifts, lest when you rest
A ship-boord sweetly, in your way you meet

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Some losse, that lesse may make your next sleepe sweet.

This when Vlysses heard; all sure he made;
Enclosde and bound safe; for the sauing trade,
The Reuerend for her wisedome (Circe) had
In foreyeares taught him. Then the handmaid bad
His worth to bathing; which reioyc't his heart.
For since he did with his Calypso part,
He had no hote baths. None had fauourd him;
Nor bin so tender of his kingly lim.
But all the time he spent in her abode,
He liu'd respected, as he were a God.

Cleansd then and balmd; faire shirt, and robe put on;
Fresh come from bath, and to the Feasters gone;
Nausicaa, that from the Gods hands tooke
The soueraigne beautie of her blessed looke,
Stood by a well-caru'd Columne of the roome,
And through her eye, her heart was ouercome
With admiration of the Port imprest

Nausicaa enflamed with Vlysses.

In his aspect; and said: God saue you Guest!
Be chearfull, as in all the future state,
Your home will shew you, in your better Fate.
But yet, euen then, let this rememberd be,
Your lifes price, I lent, and you owe it me.

The varied in all counsels gaue reply:
Nausicaa! flowre of all this Empery!
So Iunos husband, that the strife for noise
Makes in the clouds, blesse me with strife of Ioyes,
In the desir'd day, that my house shall show,
As I, as I to a Goddesse, there shall vow,
To thy faire hand, that did my Being giue;
Which Ile acknowledge euery houre I liue.

This said; Alcinous plac't him by his side;
Then tooke they feast, and did in parts diuide
The seuerall dishes; filld out wine, and then

ραηροναοιδον, Poetam cuius hominibus digna est societas.

The striu'd-for, for his worth, of worthy men,
And reuerenc't of the State; Demodocus
Was brought in by the good Pontonous.
In midst of all the guests, they gaue him place,
Against a loftie Pillar; when, this grace
The grac't with wisedome did him. From the Chine
That stood before him of a white-tooth'd Swine,
(Being farre the daintiest ioynt) mixt through with fat,
He caru'd to him, and sent it where he sat,
By his old friend, the Herald; willing thus:
Herald! reach this to graue Demodocus;
Say, I salute him; and his worth embrace.
Poets deserue past all the humane race,
Reuerend respect and honor; since the Queene

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Of knowledge, and the supreme worth in men
(The Muse) informes them; and loues all their race.

This, reacht the Herald to him; who, the grace
Receiu'd encourag'd: which, when feast was spent,
Vlysses amplified to this ascent:

Demodocus! I must preferre you farre,
Past all your sort; if, or the Muse of warre,
Ioues daughter prompts you; (that the Greeks respects)
Or if the Sunne, that those of Troy affects.
For I haue heard you, since my coming, sing
The Fate of Greece, to an admired string.
How much our sufferance was; how much we wrought;
How much the actions rose to, when we fought.
So liuely forming, as you had bin there;
Or to some free relator, lent your eare.
Forth then, and sing the woodden horses frame,
Built by Epeus; by the martiall Dame,
Taught the whole Fabricke; which, by force of sleight,
Vlysses brought into the Cities height;
When he had stuft it with as many men,
As leueld loftie Ilion with the Plaine.
With all which, if you can as well enchant,
As with expression quicke and elegant,
You sung the rest; I will pronounce you cleare,
Inspir'd by God, past all that euer were.

This said; euen stird by God vp, he began;
And to his Song fell, past the forme of man;
Beginning where, the Greeks a ship-boord went,
And euery Chiefe, had set on fire his Tent.
When th' other Kings, in great Vlysses guide,
In Troys vast market place, the horse did hide:
From whence, the Troians, vp to Ilion drew
The dreadfull Engine. Where (sate all arew)
Their Kings about it: many counsels giuen,
How to dispose it. In three waies were driuen
Their whole distractions: first, if they should feele
The hollow woods heart, (searcht with piercing steele)
Or from the battlements (drawne higher yet)
Deiect it headlong; or, that counterfet,
So vast and nouell, set on sacred fire;
Vowd to appease each angerd Godheads ire.
On which opinion, they, thereafter, saw,
They then should haue resolu'd: th' vnalterd law
Of Fate presaging; that Troy then should end,
When th' hostile horse, she should receiue to friend;
For therein should the Grecian Kings lie hid,
To bring the Fate and death, they after did.

He sung besides, the Greeks eruption

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From those their hollow crafts; and horse forgone;
And how they made Depopulation tred
Beneath her feete, so high a Cities head.
In which affaire, he sung in other place,
That of that ambush, some man else did race
The Ilion Towres, then

Vlysses.

Laertiades;
But here he

As by the diuine fury directly inspired so, for Vlysses glory.

sung, that he alone did seise
(With Menelaus) the ascended roofe
Of Prince Deiphobus; and Mars-like proofe
Made of his valour: a most dreadfull fight,
Daring against him. And there vanquisht quite,
In litle time (by great Mineruas aid)
All Ilions remnant, and Troy leuell laid.
This the diuine Expressor, did so giue
Both act and passion, that he made it liue;
And to Vlysses facts did breathe a fire,

In that the slaughters he made, were exprest so liuely.

So deadly quickning, that it did inspire
Old death with life; and renderd life so sweet,
And passionate, that all there felt it fleet;
Which made him pitie his owne crueltie,
And put into that ruth, so pure an eie
Of humane frailtie; that to see a man
Could so reuiue from Death; yet no way can
Defend from death; his owne quicke powres it made
Feele there deaths horrors: and he felt life fade

τηκετο Οδυσσευς. τηκω, Metaph signifying, consumo, tabeseo.

In teares, his feeling braine swet: for in things
That moue past vtterance, teares ope all their springs.
Nor are there in the Powres, that all life beares,
More true interpreters of all, then teares.

Simile.

And as a Ladie mournes her sole-lou'd Lord,
That falne before his Citie, by the sword,
Fighting to rescue from a cruell Fate,
His towne and children; and, in dead estate
Yet panting, seeing him; wraps him in her armes,
Weeps, shriekes, and powres her health into his armes;
Lies on him, striuing to become his shield
From foes that still assaile him: speares impeld
Through backe and shoulders; by whose points embrude,
They raise and leade him into seruitude,
Labor and languor: for all which, the Dame
Eates downe her cheekes with teares, and feeds lifes flame
With miserable sufferanc: So this King,
Of teare-swet anguish, op't a boundlesse spring:
Nor yet was seene to any one man there,
But King Alcinous, who sate so neare,
He could not scape him: sighs (so chok't) so brake
From all his tempers, which the King did take
Both note, and graue respect of, and thus spake:

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Heare me, Phæacian Counsellers and Peeres;
And ceasse, Demodocus; perhaps all eares
Are not delighted with his song; for, euer
Since the diuine Muse sung, our Guest hath neuer
Containd from secret mournings. It may fall,
That something sung, he hath bin grieu'd withall,
As touching his particular. Forbeare;
That Feast may ioyntly comfort all hearts here;
And we may cheare our Guest vp; tis our best,
In all due honor. For our reuerend Guest,
Is all our celebration, gifts, and all,
His loue hath added to our Festiuall.
A Guest, and suppliant too; we should esteeme
Deare as our brother; one that doth but dreame
He hath a soule; or touch but at a mind
Deathlesse and manly; should stand so enclin'd.
Nor cloke you, longer, with your curious wit,
(Lou'd Guest) what euer we shall aske of it.
It now stands on your honest state to tell;
And therefore giue your name; nor more conceale,
What of your parents, and the Towne that beares
Name of your natiue; or of forreiners
That neare vs border, you are calld in fame.
There's no man liuing, walkes without a name;
Noble nor base; but had one from his birth;
Imposde as fit, as to be borne. What earth,
People, and citie, owne you? Giue to know:
Tell but our ships all, that your way must show;
For our ships know th' expressed minds of men;

This τερατολογια or affirmation of miracles, how impossible soeuer in these times assured, yet in those ages they were neither absurd nor strāge. Those inanimate things hauing (it seemd) certain Genij, in whose powers, they supposed, their ships faculties. As others haue affirmed Okes to haue sence of hearing: and so the ship of Argos was said to haue a Mast made of Dodoneæn Oke, that was vocall, and could speake.

And will so most intentiuely retaine
Their scopes appointed, that they neuer erre;
And yet vse neuer any man to stere:
Nor any Rudders haue, as others need.
They know mens thoughts; and whither tends their speed.
And there will set them. For you cannot name
A Citie to them; nor fat Soile, that Fame
Hath any notice giuen; but well they know,
And will flie to them, though they ebbe and flow,
In blackest clouds and nights; and neuer beare
Of any wracke or rocke, the slendrest feare.
But this I heard my Sire Nausithous say
Long since, that Neptune seeing vs conuay
So safely passengers of all degrees,
Was angry with vs; and vpon our seas,
A well-built ship we had (neare habor come,
From safe deduction of some stranger home)
Made in his flitting billowes, sticke stone still;
And dimm'd our Citie, like a mightie hill,

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With shade cast round about it. This report,
The old

Intending his father Nausithous.

King made; in which miraculous sort,
If God had done such things, or left vndone;
At his good pleasure be it. But now, on,
And truth relate vs; both whence you errd;
And to what Clime of men would be transferrd;
With all their faire Townes; be they, as they are;
If rude, vniust, and all irregular;
Or hospitable, bearing minds that please
The mightie Deitie. Which one of these
You would be set at, say; and you are there;
And therefore what afflicts you? why, to heare
The Fate of Greece and Ilion, mourne you so?
The Gods haue done it; as to all, they do
Destine destruction; that from thence may rise
A Poeme to instruct posterities.
Fell any kinsman before Ilion?
Some worthy Sire-in-law, or like-neare sonne?
Whom next our owne blood, and selfe-race we loue?
Or any friend perhaps, in whom did moue
A knowing soule, and no vnpleasing thing?
Since such a good one, is no vnderling
To any brother: for, what fits true friends,

True wisedome fits true friends.

True wisedome is, that blood and birth transcends.

Finis libri octaui Hom. Odyss.

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THE NINTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses here, is first made knowne;
Who tels the sterne contention,
His powres did gainst the Cicons trie;
And thence to the Lotophagie
Extends his conquest: and from them,
Assayes the Cyclop Polypheme;
And by the crafts, his wits apply,
He puts him out his onely eye.

Another.

Ιωτα

The strangely fed
Lotophagie.
The Cicons fled.
The Cyclops eye.

Vlysses thus resolu'd the Kings demands.
Alcinous! (in whom this Empire stands)
You should not of so naturall right disherit
Your princely feast, as take from it the spirit.
To heare a Poet, that in accent brings
The Gods brests downe; and breathes them as he sings,

He begins where Alcinous commanded Demodocus to end.

Is sweet, and sacred; nor can I conceiue,
In any common weale, what more doth giue
Note of the iust and blessed Empery,
Then to see Comfort vniuersally
Cheare vp the people. When in euery roofe,
She giues obseruers a most humane proofe
Of mens contents. To see a neighbours Feast
Adorne it through; and thereat, heare the breast
Of the diuine Muse; men in order set;
A wine-page waiting. Tables crownd with meate;

οινοχοος.

Set close to guests, that are to vse it skilld;
The Cup-boords furnisht; and the cups still filld.
This shewes (to my mind) most humanely faire.
Nor should you, for me, still the heauenly aire,
That stirrd my soule so; for I loue such teares,
As fall from fit notes; beaten through mine eares,
With repetitions of what heauen hath done;
And breake from heartie apprehension
Of God and goodnesse, though they shew my ill.
And therefore doth my mind excite me still,

128

To tell my bleeding mone; but much more now,
To serue your pleasure; that, to ouer-flow
My teares with such cause, may by sighs be driuen;
Though ne're so much plagu'd, I may seeme by heauen.

And now my name; which, way shall leade to all
My miseries after: that their sounds may fall
Through your eares also; and shew (hauing fled
So much affliction) first, who rests his head
In your embraces; when (so farre from home)
I knew not where t'obtaine it resting roome.

I am Vlysses Laertiades;
The feare of all the world for policies;
For which, my facts as high as heauen resound.
I dwell in Ithaca, Earths most renownd:

εινοσιφυλλον. quatientem seu agitantem frondes.

All ouer-shadow'd with the Shake-leafe hill
Tree-fam'd Neritus; whose neare confines fill
Ilands a number, well inhabited,
That vnder my obseruance taste their bread.

quȩdam quibus corpus alitur & vita sustentatur υλη appellantur.

Dulichius, Samos, and the full-of-food
Zacynthus, likewise grac't with store of wood.
But Ithaca, (though in the seas it lie)
Yet lies she so aloft, she casts her eye
Quite ouer all the neighbour Continent.
Farre Norward situate; and (being lent
But litle fauour of the Morne, and Sunne)
With barren rocks and cliffes is ouer-runne.
And yet of hardie youths, a Nurse of Name.
Nor could I see a Soile, where ere I came,
More sweete and wishfull. Yet, from hence was I
Withheld with horror, by the Deitie
Diuine Calypso, in her cauie house;
Enflam'd to make me her sole Lord and Spouse.
Circe Ææa too, (that knowing Dame,
Whose veines, the like affections did inflame)
Detaind me likewise. But to neithers loue,
Could I be tempted; which doth well approue;

Amor patriæ.

Nothing so sweete is as our countries earth,
And ioy of those, from whom we claime our birth.
Though roofes farre richer, we farre off possesse,
Yet (from our natiue) all our more, is lesse.

To which, as I contended, I will tell
The much-distrest-conferring-facts, that fell
By Ioues diuine preuention; since I set,
From ruin'd Troy, my first foote in retreat.

From Ilion, ill winds cast me on the Coast
The Cicons hold; where I emploid mine hoast
For Ismarus, a Citie, built iust by
My place of landing; of which, Victory

129

Made me expugner. I depeopl'd it,
Slue all the men, and did their wiues remit,
With much spoile taken; which we did diuide,
That none might need his part. I then applide
All speed for flight: but my command therein,
(Fooles that they were) could no obseruance win
Of many souldiers, who with spoile fed hie,
Would yet fill higher; and excessiuely
Fell to their wine; gaue slaughter on the shore,
Clouen-footed beeues and sheepe, in mightie store.
In meane space, Cicons did to Cicons crie;
When, of their nearest dwellers, instantly
Many and better souldiers made strong head,
That held the Continent, and managed
Their horse with high skill: on which they would fight,
When fittest cause seru'd; and againe alight,
(With soone seene vantage) and on foote contend.
Their concourse swift was, and had neuer end;
As thicke and sodaine twas, as flowres and leaues
Darke Spring discouers, when she Light receaues.
And then began the bitter Fate of Ioue

After Night, in the first of the Morning.

To alter vs vnhappie; which, euen stroue
To giue vs suffrance. At our Fleet we made
Enforced stand; and there did they inuade
Our thrust vp Forces: darts encountred darts,
With blowes on both sides: either making parts
Good vpon either, while the Morning shone,
And sacred Day her bright increase held on;
Though much out-matcht in number. But as soone
As Phœbus Westward fell, the Cicons wonne
Much hand of vs; sixe proued souldiers fell
(Of euery ship) the rest they did compell
To seeke of Flight escape from Death and Fate.

Thence (sad in heart) we saild: and yet our State
Was something chear'd; that (being ouer-matcht so much
In violent number) our retreate was such,
As sau'd so many. Our deare losse the lesse,
That they suruiu'd; so like for like successe.
Yet left we not the Coast, before we calld
Home to our country earth, the soules exhald,
Of all the friends, the Cicons ouercame.
Thrice calld we on them, by their seuerall name,
And then tooke leaue. Then from the angry North,

The ancient custome of calling home the dead.

Cloud-gathering Ioue, a dreadfull storme calld forth
Against our Nauie; couerd shore and all,
With gloomie vapors. Night did headlong fall
From frowning Heauen. And then hurld here and there
Was all our Nauie; the rude winds did teare,

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In three, in foure parts, all their sailes; and downe
Driuen vnder hatches were we, prest to drowne.
Vp rusht we yet againe; and with tough hand
(Two daies, two nights entoild) we gat nere land;
Labours and sorrowes, eating vp our minds.
The third cleare day yet, to more friendly winds
We masts aduanc't, we white sailes spred, and sate.
Forewinds, and guides, againe did iterate,
Our ease and home-hopes; which we cleare had reacht;
Had not, by chance, a sodaine North-wind fetcht,
With an extreame sea, quite about againe,
Our whole endeuours; and our course constraine
To giddie round; and with our bowd sailes greete
Dreadfull Maleia; calling backe our fleete,
As farre forth as Cythæra. Nine dayes more,
Aduerse winds tost me; and the tenth, the shore,
Where dwell the blossome-fed Lotophagie,
I fetcht: fresh water tooke in; instantly
Fell to our food aship-boord; and then sent
Two of my choice men to the Continent,
(Adding a third, a Herald) to discouer,
What sort of people were the Rulers ouer

The Lotophagie.

The land next to vs. Where, the first they met,
Were the Lotophagie; that made them eate
Their Country diet; and no ill intent,
Hid in their hearts to them: and yet th' euent,
To ill conuerted it; for, hauing eate
Their daintie viands; they did quite forget
(As all men else, that did but taste their feast)
Both country-men and country; nor addrest
Any returne, t'informe what sort of men
Made fixt abode there; but would needs maintaine,
Abode themselues there; and eate that food euer.
I made out after; and was faine to seuer
Th' enchanted knot; by forcing their retreate;
That striu'd, and wept, and would not leaue their meate
For heauen it selfe. But, dragging them to fleete;
I wrapt in sure bands, both their hands and feete,
And cast them vnder hatches; and away
Commanded all the rest, without least stay;
Lest they should taste the Lote too; and forget
With such strange raptures, their despisde retreate.

All then aboord, we beate the sea with Ores;
And still with sad hearts saild by out-way shores;
Till th' out-lawd Cyclops land we fetcht; a race

The idle Cyclops.

Of proud-liu'd loiterers, that neuer sow,
Nor put a plant in earth, nor vse a Plow;
But trust in God for all things; and their earth,

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(Vnsowne, vnplowd) giues euery of-spring birth,
That other lands haue. Wheate, and Barley; Vines
That beare in goodly Grapes, delicious wines;
And Ioue sends showres for all: no counsels there,
Nor counsellers, nor lawes; but all men beare
Their heads aloft on mountaines, and those steepe,
And on their tops too: and there, houses keepe
In vaultie Caues; their housholds gouernd all
By each mans law, imposde in seuerall;
Nor wife, nor child awd; but as he thinks good.
None for another caring. But there stood
Another litle Ile, well stor'd with wood,
Betwixt this and the entry; neither nie
The Cyclops Ile, nor yet farre off doth lie.
Mens want it sufferd; but the mens supplies,
The Goates made with their inarticulate cries.
Goates beyond number, this small Iland breeds,
So tame, that no accesse disturbs their feeds.
No hunters (that the tops of mountaines scale,
And rub through woods with toile) seeke them at all.
Nor is the soile with flocks fed downe, nor plowd;
Nor euer in it any seed was sowd.
Nor place the neighbour Cyclops their delights,
In braue Vermilion prow-deckt ships; nor wrights
Vsefull and skilfull, in such works, as need
Perfection to those trafficks, that exceed
Their naturall confines: to flie out and see
Cities of men; and take in, mutually
The prease of others; To themselues they liue,
And to their Iland, that enough would giue
A good inhabitant; and time of yeare
Obserue to all things Art could order there.
There, close vpon the sea, sweet medowes spring,
That yet of fresh streames want no watering
To their soft burthens: but of speciall yeeld,
Your vines would be there; and your common field,
But gentle worke make for your plow; yet beare
A loftie haruest when you came to sheare.
For passing fat the soile is. In it lies
A harbor so opportune, that no ties,
Halsers, or gables need; nor anchors cast.
Whom stormes put in there, are with stay embrac't;

The description of all these countries, haue admirable allegories, besides their artly and pleasing relation.

Or to their full wils safe; or winds aspire
To Pilots vses their more quicke desire.
At entry of the hauen, a siluer foord
Is from a rock-impressing fountaine powr'd,
All set with sable Poplars; and this Port
Were we arriu'd at, by the sweet resort

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Of some God guiding vs: for twas a night
So gastly darke, all Port was past our sight,
Clouds hid our ships, and would not let the Moone
Affoord a beame to vs; the whole Ile woune,
By not an eye of ours. None thought the Blore
That then was vp, shou'd waues against the shore,
That then to an vnmeasur'd height put on.
We still at sea esteemd vs, till alone
Our fleet put in it selfe. And then were strooke
Our gatherd sailes: our rest ashore we tooke,
And day expected. When the Morne gaue fire,
We rose, and walkt, and did the Ile admire.
The Nymphs, Ioues daughters, putting vp a heard
Of mountaine Goates to vs, to render cheard
My fellow souldiers. To our Fleet we flew;
Our crooked bowes tooke, long-pil'd darts, and drew
Our selues in three parts out; when, by the grace
That God vouch-saft, we made a gainfull chace.
Twelue ships we had, and euery ship had nine
Fat Goates allotted; ten onely mine.
Thus all that day, euen till the Sunne was set,
We sate and feasted; pleasant wine and meate,
Plenteously taking; for we had not spent
Our ruddie wine aship-boord: supplement
Of large sort, each man to his vessell drew,
When we the sacred Citie ouerthrew,
That held the Cicons. Now then saw we neare,
The Cyclops late-praisd Iland; and might heare
The murmure of their sheepe and goates; and see
Their smokes ascend. The Sunne then set, and we
(When Night succeeded) tooke our rest ashore.
And when the world the Mornings fauour wore,
I calld my friends to councell; charging them
To make stay there, while I tooke ship and streame,
With some associates; and explor'd what men
The neighbour Ile held: if of rude disdaine,
Churlish and tyrannous, or minds bewraid
Pious and hospitable. Thus much said,
I boorded, and commanded to ascend
My friends and souldiers, to put off, and lend
Way to our ship. They boorded, sate, and beate
The old sea forth, till we might see the seate,
The greatest Cyclop held for his abode;
Which was a deepe Caue, neare the common rode
Of ships that toucht there; thicke with Lawrels spred,
Where many sheepe and goates lay shadowed:
And neare to this, a Hall of torne-vp stone,
High built with Pines, that heauen and earth attone;

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And loftie-fronted Okes: in which kept house,
A man in shape, immane, and monsterous,
Fed all his flocks alone; nor would affoord
Commerce with men; but had a wit abhord;
His mind, his body answering. Nor was he
Like any man, that food could possibly
Enhance so hugely; but (beheld alone)
Shewd like a steepe hils top, all ouergrowne
With trees and brambles; litle thought had I
Of such vast obiects. When, arriu'd so nie;
Some of my lou'd friends, I made stay aboord,
To guard my ship; and twelue with me I shor'd,
The choice of all. I tooke besides along,
A Goat-skin flagon of wine, blacke and strong,
That Maro did present; Euantheus sonne,
And Priest to Phœbus; who had mansion
In Thracian Ismarus (the Towne I tooke)
He gaue it me; since I (with reuerence strooke,
Of his graue place, his wife and childrens good)
Freed all of violence. Amidst a wood
Sacred to Phœbus, stood his house; from whence
He fetcht me gifts of varied excellence;
Seuen talents of fine gold; a boll all fram'd
Of massie siluer. But his gift, most fam'd,
Was twelue great vessels, filld with such rich wine,
As was incorruptible, and diuine.
He kept it as his iewell, which none knew
But he himselfe, his wife, and he that drew.
It was so strong, that neuer any filld
A cup, where that was but by drops instilld,
And drunke it off; but twas before allaid
With twentie parts in water; yet so swaid
The spirit of that litle, that the whole,
A sacred odour breath'd about the boll.

Vinum Maroneum memorabile.

Had you the odour smelt, and sent it cast,
It would haue vext you to forbeare the taste.
But then (the taste gaind too) the spirit it wrought,
To dare things high, set vp an end my thought.

Of this, a huge great flagon full I bore,
And in a good large knapsacke, victles store;
And longd to see this heape of fortitude,
That so illiterate was, and vpland rude,
That lawes diuine nor humane he had learnd.
With speed we reacht the Cauerne, nor discernd
His presence there. His flocks he fed at field.

Entring his den; each thing beheld, did yeeld
Our admiration: shelues with cheeses heapt;
Sheds stuft with Lambs and Goates, distinctly kept;

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Distinct the biggest; the more meane distinct;
Distinct the yongest. And in their precinct
(Proper and placefull) stood the troughs and pailes,
In which he milkt; and what was giuen at meales,
Set vp a creaming: in the Euening still,
All scouring bright, as deaw vpon the hill.

Then were my fellowes instant to conuay
Kids, cheeses, lambs, aship boord; and away
Saile the salt billow. I thought best, not so,
But better otherwise; and first would know,
What guest-gifts he would spare me. Little knew
My friends, on whom they would haue preyd: his view
Prou'd after, that his inwards were too rough
For such bold vsage: we were bold enough,
In what I sufferd; which was there to stay;
Make fire and feed there, though beare none away.
There sate we, till we saw him feeding come,
And on his necke a burthen lugging home,
Most highly huge of Sere-wood; which the pile
That fed his fire, supplide all supper while.
Downe by his den he threw it; and vp rose
A tumult with the fall. Afraid, we close
Withdrew our selues, while he into a Caue
Of huge receit, his high-fed cattell draue,
All that he milkt; the males he left without
His loftie roofes, that all bestrowd about
With Rams and buck-goates were. And then a rocke
He lift aloft, that damd vp to his flocke,
The doore they enterd: twas so hard to wield,
That two and twentie Waggons, all foure-wheeld,
(Could they be loaded, and haue teames that were
Proportion'd to them) could not stirre it there.
Thus, making sure, he kneeld and milkt his Ewes,
And braying Goates, with all a milkers dues.
Then let in all their yong: then, quicke did dresse,
His halfe milke vp for cheese, and in a presse
Of wicker prest it; put in bolls the rest,
To drinke, and eate, and serue his supping feast.

All works dispatcht thus; he began his fire;
Which blowne, he saw vs; and did thus enquire:

Ho! Guests! what are ye? whence saile ye these seas?
Trafficke, or roue ye? and like theeues oppresse
Poore strange aduenturers; exposing so
Your soules to danger, and your liues to wo?

This vtterd he; when Feare front our hearts tooke
The very life; to be so thunder-strooke
With such a voice, and such a monster see.
But thus I answerd: Erring Grecians we,

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From Troy were turning homewards; but by force

This his relation of Agamemnon, and his glory & theirs for Troyes sacke, with the pietie of suppliants receit, to him that was so barbarous and impious, must be intended spoken by Vlysses, with supposition that his hearers wold note, still as he spake; how vaine they would shew to the Cyclops: who respected litle Agamemnon, or their valiant exploit against Troy, or the Gods themselues. For otherwise, the serious obseruatiō of the words (though good & graue, if spoken to another) want their intentional sharpnesse and life.

Of aduerse winds, in far-diuerted course,
Such vnknowne waies tooke, and on rude seas tost,
(As Ioue decreed) are cast vpon this Coast.
Of Agamemnon (famous Atreus sonne)
We boast our selues the souldiers; who hath wonne
Renowme that reacheth heauen; to ouerthrow
So great a Citie, and to ruine so,
So many nations. Yet at thy knees lie
Our prostrate bosomes; forc't with praires to trie,
If any hospitable right, or Boone
Of other nature, (such as haue bin wonne
By lawes of other houses) thou wilt giue.
Reuerence the Gods, thou greatst of all that liue.
We suppliants are; and hospitable Ioue
Poures wreake on all, whom praires want powre to moue:
And with their plagues, together will prouide,
That humble Guests shall haue their wants supplide.

He cruelly answerd: O thou foole (said he)
To come so farre, and to importune me
With any Gods feare, or obserued loue;
We Cyclops care not for your Goat-fed Ioue;
Nor other Blest ones; we are better farre.
To Ioue himselfe, dare I bid open warre;
To thee, and all thy fellowes, if I please.
But tell me: where's the ship, that by the seas
Hath brought thee hither? If farre off, or neare;
Informe me quickly. These his temptings were.
But I, too much knew, not to know his mind;
And craft, with craft paid; telling him the wind
(Thrust vp from Sea, by him that shakes the Shore)
Had dasht our ships against his rocks, and tore
Her ribs in peeces, close vpon his Coast;
And we from high wracke sau'd; the rest were lost.

He answerd nothing; but rusht in, and tooke
Two of my fellowes vp from earth, and strooke
Their braines against it. Like two whelps they flew
About his shoulders; and did all embrew
The blushing earth. No mountaine Lion tore
Two Lambs so sternly; lapt vp all their gore,
Gusht from their torne-vp bodies; lim by lim,
(Trembling with life yet) rauisht into him.
Both flesh and marrow-stuffed bones he eate,
And euen th' vncleansed entrails made his meate.
We weeping, cast our hands to heauen, to view,
A sight so horrid. Desperation flew
With all our after liues, to instant death,
In our beleeu'd destruction. But when breath,

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The fury of his appetite had got,
Because the gulfe his belly, reacht his throte;
Mans flesh, and Goates milke, laying laire on laire,
Till neare chokt vp, was all the passe for aire.
Along his den, amongst his cattell, downe
He rusht, and streakt him. When my mind was growne
Desperate, to step in; draw my sword, and part
His bosome, where the strings about the heart
Circle the Liuer, and adde strength of hand.
But that rash thought, More staid, did countermand;
For there we all had perisht, since it past
Our powres to lift aside a log so vast,
As barrd all outscape; and so sigh'd away
The thought all Night, expecting actiue Day.
Which come, he first of all, his fire enflames,
Then milks his Goates and Ewes; then to their dams
Lets in their yong; and wondrous orderly,
With manly haste, dispatcht his houswifery.
Then to his Breakfast, to which, other two
Of my poore friends went: which eate; out then go
His heards and fat flocks; lightly putting by
The churlish barre, and closde it instantly;
For both those works, with ease, as much he did,
As you would ope and shut your Quiuer lid.

With stormes of whistlings then, his flocks he draue
Vp to the mountaines; and occasion gaue
For me to vse my wits; which to their height,
I striu'd to skrew vp; that a vengeance might
By some meanes fall from thence; and Pallas now
Affoord a full eare to my neediest vow.
This then, my thoughts preferd: a huge club lay
Close by his milk-house, which was now in way
To drie, and season; being an Oliue tree
Which late he feld; and being greene, must be
Made lighter for his manage. Twas so vast,
That we resembl'd it to some fit Mast,
To serue a ship of burthen, that was driuen
With twentie Ores; and had a bignesse giuen,
To beare a huge sea. Full so thicke, so tall
We iudg'd this club; which I, in part, hewd small,
And cut a fathome off. The peece I gaue
Amongst my souldiers, to take downe, and shaue;
Which done, I sharpn'd it at top, and then
(Hardn'd in fire) I hid it in the den,
Within a nastie dunghill reeking there,
Thicke, and so moist, it issude euery where.
Then made I lots cast, by my friends to trie,
Whose fortune seru'd to dare the bor'd out eie

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Of that man-eater: and the lot did fall
On foure I wisht to make my aid, of all;
And I, the fift made, chosen like the rest.

Then came the Euen; and he came from the feast
Of his fat cattell; draue in all; nor kept
One male abroad: if, or his memory slept
By Gods direct will; or of purpose was
His driuing in of all then, doth surpasse
My comprehension. But he closde againe
The mightie barre; milkt, and did still maintaine
All other obseruation, as before.
His worke, all done; two of my souldiers more,
At once he snatcht vp; and to supper went.
Then dar'd I words to him, and did present
A boll of wine, with these words: Cyclop! take
A boll of wine from my hand, that may make
Way for the mans flesh thou hast eate; and show
What drinke our ship held; which in sacred vow,
I offer to thee; to take ruth on me
In my dismission home. Thy rages be
Now no more sufferable. How shall men
(Mad and inhumane that thou art) againe
Greet thy abode, and get thy actions grace,
If thus thou ragest, and eatst vp their race.

He tooke, and drunke; and vehemently ioyd
To taste the sweet cup; and againe employd
My flagons powre; entreating more, and said:
Good Guest, againe affoord my taste thy aid;
And let me know thy name; and quickly now;
That in thy recompence I may bestow
A hospitable gift on thy desert;
And such a one as shall reioyce thy heart;
For to the Cylops too, the gentle Earth
Beares generous wine; and Ioue augments her birth,
In store of such, with showres. But this rich wine,
Fell from the riuer that is meere diuine,
Of Nectar and Ambrosia. This againe
I gaue him; and againe; nor could the foole abstaine,
But drunke as often. When the noble Iuyce
Had wrought vpon his spirit; I then gaue vse
To fairer language; saying: Cylop! now
As thou demandst, Ile tell thee my name; do thou
Make good thy hospitable gift to me;
My name is No-Man; No-Man, each degree
Of friends, as well as parents, call my name.
He answerd, as his cruell soule became:
No-Man! Ile eate thee last of all thy friends;
And this is that, in which so much amends

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I vowd to thy deseruings; thus shall be
My hospitable gift, made good to thee.
This said; he vpwards fell; but then bent round
His fleshie necke; and Sleepe (with all crownes, crownd)
Subdude the Sauage. From his throte brake out
My wine, with mans flesh gobbets, like a spout;
When loded with his cups, he lay and snor'd.
And then tooke I the clubs end vp, and gor'd
The burning cole-heape, that the point might heate.
Confirmd my fellowes minds, lest Feare should let
Their vowd assay, and make them flie my aid.
Strait was the Oliue Leuer, I had laid
Amidst the huge fire, to get hardning, hot;
And glowd extremely, though twas greene; (which got
From forth the cinders) close about me stood
My hardie friends: but that which did the good,
Was Gods good inspiration, that gaue
A spirit beyond the spirit they vsde to haue:
Who tooke the Oliue sparre, made keene before,
And plung'd it in his eye: and vp I bore,
Bent to the top close; and helpt poure it in,

Simile.

With all my forces: And as you haue seene
A ship-wright bore a nauall beame; he oft
Thrusts at the Augurs Froofe; works still aloft;
And at the shanke, helpe others; with a cord
Wound round about, to make it sooner bor'd;
All plying the round still: So into his eye,
The firie stake, we labourd to imply.
Out gusht the blood that scalded; his eye-ball
Thrust out a flaming vapour, that scorcht all
His browes and eye-lids; his eye-strings did cracke,
As in, the sharpe and burning rafter brake.

Simile.

And as a Smith to harden any toole,
(Broad Axe, or Mattocke) in his Trough doth coole
The red-hote substance, that so feruent is,
It makes the cold waue strait to seethe and hisse:
So sod, and hizd his eye about the stake.
He roar'd withall; and all his Cauerne brake
In claps like thunder. We, did frighted flie,
Disperst in corners. He from forth his eie,
The fixed stake pluckt: after which, the blood
Flowd freshly forth; and, mad, he hurl'd the wood
About his houill. Out he then did crie
For other Cyclops, that in Cauernes by,
Vpon a windie Promontorie dwelld;
Who hearing how impetuously he yelld,
Rusht euery way about him; and enquir'd,
What ill afflicted him, that he expir'd

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Such horrid clamors; and in sacred Night,
To breake their sleepes so? Askt him, if his fright
Came from some mortall, that his flocks had driuen?
Or if by craft, or might, his death were giuen?
He answerd from his den; By craft, nor might,
No man hath giuen me death. They then said right;
If no man hurt thee, and thy selfe alone;
That which is done to thee, by Ioue is done.
And what great Ioue inflicts, no man can flie;
Pray to thy Father yet, a Deitie;

Neptune.

And proue, from him, if thou canst helpe acquire.

Thus spake they, leauing him. When all on fire,
My heart with ioy was; that so well my wit,
And name deceiu'd him; whom now paine did split;
And groning vp and downe, he groping tride,
To find the stone, which found, he put aside;
But in the doore sate, feeling if he could
(As his sheepe issude) on some man lay hold;
Esteeming me a foole, that could deuise
No stratageme to scape his grosse surprise.
But I, contending what I could inuent,
My friends and me, from death so imminent,
To get deliuerd: all my wiles I woue,
(Life being the subiect) and did this approue;
Fat fleecie Rams, most faire, and great, lay there,

Wooll of a violet colour.

That did a burthen like a Violet beare.
These (while this learn'd in villanie did sleepe)
I yokt with Osiers cut there, sheepe to sheepe;
Three in a ranke; and still the mid sheepe bore
A man about his belly: the two more,
Marcht on his each side for defence. I then,
Chusing my selfe the fairest of the den,
His fleecie belly vnder-crept; embrac't
His backe, and in his rich wooll wrapt me fast
With both my hands, arm'd with as fast a mind.
And thus each man hung, till the Morning shin'd;
Which come, he knew the houre, and let abroad
His male-flocks first: the females, vnmilkt stood
Bleating and braying; their full bags so sore,
With being vnemptied; but their shepheard more,
With being vnsighted; which was cause, his mind
Went not a milking. He (to wreake enclin'd)
The backs felt as they past, of those male dams:
(Grosse foole) beleeuing, we would ride his Rams.
Nor euer knew, that any of them bore
Vpon his belly, any man before.
The last Ram came to passe him, with his wooll,
And me together, loded to the full:

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For there did I hang: and that Ram he staid;
And me withall had in his hands; my head
Troubl'd the while, not causlesly, nor least.
This Ram he grop't, and talkt to: Lazie beast!
Why last art thou now? thou hast neuer vsde
To lag thus hindmost: but still first hast brusde
The tender blossome of a flowre; and held
State in thy steps, both to the flood and field:
First still at Fold, at Euen; now last remaine?
Doest thou not wish I had mine eye againe,
Which that abhord man No-Man did put out,
Assisted by his execrable rout,
When he had wrought me downe with wine? but he
Must not escape my wreake so cunningly.
I would to heauen thou knewst, and could but speake,
To tell me where he lurks now; I would breake
His braine about my Caue, strewd here and there,
To ease my heart of those foule ils, that were
Th' inflictions of a man, I prisde at nought.

Thus let he him abroad; when I (once brought
A litle from his hold) my selfe first losde,
And next, my friends. Then draue we, and disposde,
His strait-leggd fat fleece-bearers ouer land,
Euen till they all were in my ships command;
And to our lou'd friends, shewd our praid-for sight,
Escap't from death. But for our losse, outright
They brake in teares; which with a looke I staid,
And bad them take our Boote in. They obaid;
And vp we all went; sate, and vsde our Ores,
But hauing left as farre the sauage shores,
As one might heare a voice; we then might see
The Cyclop at the hauen; when instantly
I staid our Ores, and this insultance vsde:

Vlysses insults ouer the Cyclop.

Cyclop! thou shouldst not haue so much abusde
Thy monstrous forces, to oppose their least,
Against a man immartiall, and a guest;
And eate his fellowes: thou mightst know there were
Some ils behind (rude swaine) for thee to beare;
That feard not to deuoure thy goests, and breake
All lawes of humanes: Ioue sends therefore wreake,
And all the Gods, by me. This blew the more
His burning furie; when the top he tore
From off a huge Rocke; and so right a throw
Made at our ship, that iust before the Prow,
It ouerflew and fell: mist Mast and all
Exceeding litle; but about the fall,
So fierce a waue it raisd, that backe it bore
Our ship so farre, it almost toucht the shore.

141

A bead-hooke then (a far-extended one)
I snatcht vp, thrust hard, and so set vs gone
Some litle way; and strait commanded all
To helpe me with their Ores; on paine to fall
Againe on our confusion. But a signe,
I with my head made; and their Ores were mine,
In all performance. When we off were set,
(Then first, twice further) my heart was so great,
It would againe prouoke him: but my men
On all sides rusht about me, to containe;
And said: Vnhappie! why will you prouoke
A man so rude; that with so dead a stroke,
Giuen with his Rock-dart, made the sea thrust backe
Our ship so farre; and neare hand forc't our wracke?
Should he againe, but heare your voice resound,
And any word reach; thereby would be found
His Darts direction; which would, in his fall,
Crush peece-meale vs, quite split our ship and all;
So much dart weilds the monster. Thus vrg'd they
Impossible things, in feare; but I gaue way
To that wrath, which so long I held deprest,
(By great Necessitio conquerd) in my brest.

Cyclop! if any aske thee, who imposde

Vlysses continued insolence, no more to repeate what he said to the Cyclop, then to let his hearers know Epithetes, and estimation in the world.

Th' vnsightly blemish that thine eye enclosde;
Say that Vlysses (old Laertes sonne,
Whose seate is Ithaca; and who hath wonne
Surname of Citie-racer) bor'd it out.

At this, he braid so loud, that round about
He draue affrighted Ecchoes through the Aire;
And said: O beast! I was premonisht faire,
By aged Prophecie, in one that was
A great, and good man; this should come to passe;
And how tis prou'd now? Augur Telemus,
Surnam'd Eurymedes (that spent with vs
His age in Augurie; and did exceed
In all presage of Truth) said all this deed,
Should this euent take; author'd by the hand
Of one Vlysses; who I thought was mand
With great and goodly personage; and bore
A vertue answerable: and this shore
Should shake with weight of such a conqueror,
When now a weakling came, a dwarfie thing,
A thing of nothing; who yet wit did bring,
That brought supply to all; and with his wine,
Put out the flame, where all my light did shine.
Come, land againe, Vlysses! that my hand,
May Guest-rites giue thee; and the great command,
That Neptune hath at sea, I may conuert

142

To the deduction, where abides thy heart,
With my sollicitings; whose Sonne I am;
And whose fame boasts to beare my Fathers name.
Nor thinke my hurt offends me; for my Sire
Can soone repose in it the visuall fire,
At his free pleasure; which no powre beside
Can boast: of men, or of the Deifide.

I answerd: Would to God I could compell
Both life and soule from thee; and send to hell
Those spoiles of nature. Hardly Neptune then
Could cure thy hurt, and giue thee all again.

Polyphems imprecation against Vlysses.

Then flew fierce vowes to Neptune; both his hands
To starre-borne heauen cast: O thou that all lands
Girdst in thy ambient Circle; and in aire
Shak'st the curld Tresses of thy Saphire haire;
If I be thine, or thou maist iustly vant,
Thou art my Father: heare me now, and grant
That this Vlysses (old Laertes sonne,
That dwels in Ithaca; and name hath wonne
Of Citie-ruiner) may neuer reach
His naturall region. Or if to fetch,
That, and the sight of his faire roofes and friends,
Be fatall to him; let him that Amends
For all his miseries, long time and ill,
Smart for, and faile of: nor that Fate fulfill,
Till all his souldiers quite are cast away
In others ships. And when, at last, the day
Of his sole-landing, shall his dwelling show,
Let Detriment prepare him wrongs enow.

Thus praid he Neptune; who, his Sire appeard;
And all his praire, to euery syllable heard.
But then a Rocke, in size more amplified
Then first, he rauisht to him; and implied
A dismall strength in it; when (wheeld about)
He sent it after vs; nor flew it out
From any blind aime; for a litle passe
Beyond our Fore-decke, from the fall there was:
With which the sea, our ship gaue backe vpon,
And shrunke vp into billowes from the stone;
Our ship againe repelling, neare as neare
The shore as first. But then our Rowers were
(Being warnd, more armd) and stronglier stemd the flood
That bore backe on vs, till our ship made good
The other Iland, where our whole Fleet lay;
In which our friends lay mourning for our stay;
And euery minute lookt when we should land.
Where (now arriu'd) we drew vp to the sand;
The Cyclops sheepe diuiding, that none there

143

(Of all our priuates) might be wrung, and beare
Too much on powre. The Ram yet was alone,
By all my friends, made all my portion,
Aboue all others; and I made him then,
A sacrifice for me, and all my men,
To cloud-compelling Ioue, that all commands.

No occasion let passe to Vlysses pietie, in our Poets singular wit and wisedome.

To whom I burnd the Thighs: but my sad hands,
Receiu'd no grace from him; who studied how
To offer, men and fleete to Ouerthrow.

All day, till Sun-set yet, we sate and eate;
And liberall store tooke in, of wine and meate.
The Sunne then downe, and place resign'd to shade,
We slept; Morne came, my men I raisd, and made
All go aboord; weigh Anker, and away.
They boorded, sate and beate the aged sea;
And forth we made saile; sad for losse before,
And yet had comfort, since we lost no more.

Finis libri noni Hom. Odyss.

144

THE TENTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses now relates to vs.
The grace he had with AEolus,
Great Guardian of the hollow winds:
Which in a leather bag he binds,
And giues Vlysses; all but one,
Which Zephyre was; who filld alone
Vlysses sailes. The Bag once seene
(While he slept) by Vlysses men;
They thinking, it did gold inclose;
To find it all the winds did lose.
Who backe flew to their guard againe.
Forth saild he; and did next attaine
To where the Læstrigonians dwell.
Where he eleuen ships lost; and fell
On the AEæan coast; whose shore
He sends Eurylochus t'explore,
Diuiding with him halfe his men:
Who go, and turne no more againe;
(All saue Eurylochus, to swine
By Circe turnd.) Their stayes encline
Vlysses to their search; who got
Of Mercurie an Antidote,
(Which Moly was) gainst Circes charmes,
And so auoids his souldiers harmes.
A yeare with Circe all remaine,
And then their natiue formes regaine.
On vtter shores, a time they dwell,
While Ithacus descends to hell.

Another.

Καππα.

Great AEolus
And Circe, friends,
Finds Ithacus;
And Hell descends.

To the Æolian Iland we attaind,
That swumme about still on the sea; where raign'd
The God-lou'd Æolus Hippotydes.
A wall of steele it had; and in the seas,
A waue-beat-smooth-rocke, mou'd about the wall.
Twelue children, in his house imperiall,
Were borne to him: of which, sixe daughters were,
And sixe were sonnes, that youths sweet flowre did beare.

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His daughters, to his sonnes he gaue, as wiues;
Who spent in feastfull comforts all their liues;
Close seated by their Sire, and his graue Spouse.
Past number were the dishes, that the house
Made euer sauour; and still full the Hall;
As long as day shin'd; in the night-time, all
Slept with their chaste wiues. Each his faire caru'd bed
Most richly furnisht; and this life they led.

We reacht the Cittie, and faire roofes of these;
Where, a whole moneths time; all things that might please
The King vouchsaf't vs. Of great Troy enquir'd,
The Grecian fleete, and how the Greekes retir'd:
To all which, I gaue answer, as behou'd.

The fit time come; when I dismission mou'd;
He nothing would denie me, but addrest
My passe with such a bountie, as might best
Teach me contentment. For he did enfold
Within an Oxe hide, flead at nine yeares old,
All th' airie blasts, that were of stormie kinds.
Saturnius made him Steward of his winds;

Iupiter.

And gaue him powre, to raise and to asswage;
And these he gaue me, curbd thus of their rage.
Which in a glittering siluer band I bound
And hung vp in my ship: enclosd so round,
That no egression, any breath could find.
Onely he left abroad the Westerne wind;
To speede our ships and vs, with blasts secure.
But our securities, made all vnsure:
Nor could he consummate our course alone,
When all the rest had got egression.
Which thus succeeded. Nine whole daies and nights
We saild in safetie; and the tenth, the lights
Borne on our Countrey earth, we might descrie:
So neere we drew, and yet euen then fell I
(Being ouerwatcht) into a fatall sleepe:
For I would suffer no man else to keepe
The foote that rul'd my vessels course; to leade
The faster home. My friends then Enuy fed,

ποδα νηος He calles the Sterne, the foote of the ship.

About the bag I hung vp; and supposde,
That gold, and siluer, I had there enclosde,
As gift from Æolus. And said, O heauen!
What grace, and graue price, is by all men giuen
To our Commander? Whatsoeuer coast
Or towne, he comes to, how much he engrost
Of faire and precious prey, and brought from Troy?
We the same voiage went; and yet enioy
In our returne, these emptie hands for all.
This bag now, Æolus was so liberall

146

To make a Guest-gift to him. Let vatrie
Of what consists, the faire-bound Treasurie;
And how much gold, and siluer it containes.
Ill counsaile, present approbation gaines.
“They op't the bag, and out the vapours brake;
When instant tempest did our vessell take,
That bore vs backe to Sea; to mourne anew
Our absent Countrey. Vp amazd I flew,
And desperate things discourst; if I should cast
My selfe to ruine in the seas; or taste
Amongst the liuing more mone, and sustaine?
Silent, I did so; and lay hid againe
Beneath the hatches: while an ill winde tooke
My ships, backe to Æolia: my men strooke
With woe enough. We pumpt and landed then;
Tooke foode, for all this; and (of all my men,)
I tooke a Herald to me, and away
Went to the Court of Æolus; Where they
Were feasting still: he, wife and children set
Together close. We would not (at their meate)
Thrust in; but humbly on the threshold sat.
He then, amazd, my presence wonderd at;
And calld to me: Vlysses! how, thus backe
Art thou arriu'd here? what foule spirit brake
Into thy bosome to retire thee thus?
We thought we had deduction, curious
Giuen thee before; to reach thy shore and home:
Did it not like thee? I (euen ouercome
With worthy sorrow) answerd: My ill men
Haue done me mischiefe; and to them hath bene
My sleepe th' vnhappie motiue. But do you
(Dearest of friends) daigne succour to my vow:
Your powres command it. Thus endeuord I
With soft speech to repaire my misery.
The rest, with ruth, sat dumbe: but thus spake he;
Auant; and quickly quit my land of thee,
Thou worst of all that breathe; it fits not me
To conuoy, and take in, whom heauens expose.
Away, and with thee go, the worst of woes,
That seek'st my friendship, and the Gods thy foes.

Thus he dismist me, sighing; foorth we saild,
At heart afflicted: and now wholy faild
The minds my men sustaind: so spent they were
With toiling at their oares; and worse did beare
Their growing labours; that they causd their grought,
By selfe-willd follies; nor now, euer thought
To see their Countrey more. Six nights and daies
We saild; the seuenth, we saw faire Lamos raise

147

Her loftie Towres (The Lastrigonian State)
That beares her Ports, so farre disterminate.
Where

This place suffers different construction, in all the Commentors, (in which all erre from the mind of the Poet: as in a hundred other places (which yet I want time to approue) especially about εγγυς γαρ νυκτος, &c. Prope enim noctis & diei sunt viæ; (or similiter which εγγυς signifies) which they will haue to be vnderstood, that the daies in that region are long and the nights short; where Hom. intends, that the Equinoctiall is there: (for how else is the course of day and night neare or equall?) But therefore the nights-man hath his double hire, being as long about his charge as the other: and the night being more dangerous, &c. And if the day were so long, why should the nights man, be preferred in wages?

Shepheard, Shepheard calls out; he at home
Is calld out by the other that doth come
From charge abroad; and then goes he to sleepe,
The other issuing. He whose turne doth keepe
The Night obseruance, hath his double hire;
Since Day and Night, in equall length expire,
About that Region; and the Nights watch weigh'd
At twice the Daies ward; since the charge thats laid
Vpon the Nights-man (besides breach of sleepe)
Exceeds the Daies-mans: for one, oxen keepe,
The other sheepe. But when the hauen we found,
(Exceeding famous; and enuirond round
With one continuate rocke: which, so much bent,
That both ends almost met; so prominent
They were; and made, the hauens mouth passing streight)
Our whole fleete, in we got; in whole receipt
Our Ships lay anchord close: nor needed we
Feare harme on any

For being cast on the staies, as ships are by weather.

staies; Tranquillitie
So purely sate there: that waues great, nor small
Did euer rise to any height at all.
And yet would I, no entrie make; but staid
Alone without the hauen; and thence suruaid
From out a loftie watch-towre raised there,
The Countrie round about: nor any where
The worke of man or beast, appeard to me;
Onely a smoke from earth breake, I might see.
I then made choice of two; and added more,
A Herald for associate, to explore
What sort of men liu'd there. They went, and saw
A beaten way, through which, carts vsde to draw
Wood from the high hils, to the Towne; and met
A maid without the Port; about to get
Some neare spring-water. She, the daughter was
Of mightie Lastrigonian, Antiphas:
And to the cleare spring, cald Artacia, went;
To which the whole Towne, for their water sent.
To her they came, and askt who gouernd there?
And what the people, whom he orderd were?
She answerd not, but led them through the Port,
As making haste, to shew her fathers Court:
Where, enterd; they beheld (to their affright)
A woman like a mountaine top, in height.
Who rusht abroad; and from the Counsaile place
Cald home her horrid husband Antiphas.

Antiphas was king there.

Who (deadly minded) straight he snatcht vp one,
And fell to supper. Both the rest were gone;

148

And to the fleete came. Antiphas, a crie
Draue through the Citie; (which heard,) instantly
This way, and that, innumerable sorts,
Not men, but Gyants, issued through the Ports;
And mightie flints from rocks tore; which they threw
Amongst our ships; through which, an ill noise flew,
Of shiuerd ships, and life-expiring men,
That were, like fishes, by the monsters slaine,
And borne to sad feast. While they slaughterd these,
That were engag'd in all th' aduantages,
The close-mouth'd, and most dead-calme hauen could giue;
I (that without lay) made some meanes to liue;
My sword drew; cut my gables; and to oares
Set all my men; and, from the plagues, those shores
Let flie amongst vs, we made haste to flie;
My men, close working, as men loth to die.
My ship flew freely off; but theirs that lay
On heapes in harbors, could enforce no way
Through these sterne fates, that had engag'd them there.
Forth our sad remnant saild; yet still retaind,
The ioyes of men, that our poore few remaind,

Then to the Ile Ææa we attaind;
Where faire-haird, dreadfull, eloquent Circe raignd;
Æætas sister, both by Dame and Sire;
Both daughters to heauens man-enlightning fire;
And Perse, whom Oceanus begat.
The ship-fit Port here, soone we landed at:
Some God directing vs. Two daies; two nights,
We lay here pining in the fatall spights
Of toile and sorrow. But the next third day.
When faire Aurora had informd; quicke way
I made out of my ships my sword and lance
Tooke for my surer guide; and made aduance
Vp to a prospect, I assay to see
The works of men; or heare mortalitie
Expire a voice. When I had climb'd a height
Rough and right hardly accessible; I might
Behold from Circes house (that in a groue
Set thicke with trees, stood; a bright vapor moue.
I then grew

μερμαιρω Curiose cogito.

curious in my thought to trie

αιθοπα καπνον. αιθοψ signifiyng rutilus: by reason of the fire mixt with it. Fumus qui fit dom aliquid accenditur.

Some fit enquirie; when so spritely flie
I saw the yeallow smoke. But my discourse,
A first retiring to my ship gaue force
To giue my men their dinner, and to send,
(Before th' aduenture of my selfe) some friend.
Being neare my ship; of one so desolate
Some God had pittie, and would recreate
My woes a little, putting vp to me

149

A great and high-palmd Hart; that (fatallie,
Iust in my way it selfe, to taste a flood)
Was then descending: the Sunne heate had sure
Importun'd him, besides the temperature
His naturall heate gaue. Howsoeuer, I
Made vp to him, and let my Iauelin flie,
That strooke him through the mid-part of his chine;
And made him (braying) in the dust confine
His flying forces. Forth his spirit flew;
When I stept in, and from the deaths wound drew
My shrewdly-bitten lance; there let him lie
Till I, of cut-vp Osiers, did imply,
A With; a fathome long, with which, his feete
I made together, in a sure league meete;
Stoop't vnder him, and to my necke, I heau'd
The mightie burthen; of which, I receau'd
A good part on my lance: for else I could
By no meanes, with one hand alone, vphould
(Ioynd with one shoulder) such a deathfull lode.
And so, to both my shoulders, both hands stood
Needfull assistents: for it was a Deare
Goodly-wel-growne: when (coming something neare
Where rode my ships) I cast it downe, and rer'd
My friends with kind words; whom, by name I cheer'd,
In note particular, and said; See friends,
We will not yet to Plutos house, our ends
Shall not be hastend, though we be declind
In cause of comfort; till the day design'd
By Fates fixt finger. Come, as long as food
Or wine lasts in our ship; lets spirit our blood
And quit our care and hunger, both in one.

This said; they frolikt, came, and lookt vpon
With admiration, the huge bodied beast;
And when their first-seru'd eyes, had done their feast;
They washt, and made a to-be-striu'd-for meale,
In point of honour. On which all did dwell
The whole day long. And, to our venzons store,
We added wine till we could wish no more.

Sunne set, and darknesse vp; we slept, till light
Put darknesse downe: and then did I excite
My friends to

ερικυδεα δαιτα. The whole end of this counsaile was to perswade his souldiers to explore those parts: which he knew would proue a most vnpleasing motion to them: for their fellowes terrible entertainement with Antiphas, and Polyph and therefore he prepares the little he hath to say, with this long circumstance: implying a necessitie of that seruice, and necessary resolution to adde the triall of the euent, to their other aduentures.

counsaile, vttering this: Now, friends,
Affoord vnpassionate eare; though ill Fate lends,
So good cause to your passion; no man knowes
The reason whence, and how, the darknesse growes;
The reason, how the Morne is thus begunne:
The reason, how the Man-enlightning Sunne
Diues vnder earth: the reason how againe
He reres his golden head. Those counsailes then

150

That passe our comprehension, we must leaue
To him that knowes their causes; and receaue
Direction from him, in our acts, as farre
As he shall please to make them regular;
And stoope them to our reason. In our state,
What then behoues vs? Can we estimate
With all our counsailes, where we are? or know
(Without instruction, past our owne skils) how
(Put off from hence) to stere our course the more?
I thinke we can not. We must then explore
These parts for information; in which way
We thus farre are: last Morne I might display
(From off a high-raisd cliffe) an Iland lie
Girt with th' vnmeasur'd Sea; and is so nie
That in the midst I saw the smoke arise
Through tufts of trees. This rests then to aduise,
Who shall explore this. This strooke dead their hearts,
Remembring the most execrable parts
That Lastrigonian Antiphas had plaid:
And that foule Cyclop, that their fellowes braid
Betwixt his iawes; which mou'd them so; they cried.
But idle teares, had neuer wants supplied.
I, in two parts diuided all; and gaue
To either part his Captaine: I must haue
The charge of one; and one of God-like looke,
Eurylochus, the other. Lots we shooke,
(Put in a caske together,) which of vs
Should leade th' attempt; and twas Eurylochus.
He freely went; with two and twenty more:
All which, tooke leaue with teares; and our eyes wore
The same wet badge, of weake humanity.

Circes house.

These, in a dale, did Circes house descrie;
Of bright stone built, in a conspicuous way:
Before her gates; hill-wolues, and Lyons lay;
Which with her virtuous drugs, so tame she made;
That Wolfe, nor Lyon, would one man inuade
With any violence; but all arose;
Their huge long tailes wagd; and in fawnes would close,

Simile.

As louing dogs, when masters bring them home
Relicks of feast; in all obseruance, come
And sooth their entries, with their fawnes and bounds;
All guests, still bringing, some scraps for their hounds:
So, on these men, the Wolues, and Lyons rampt;
Their horrid paws set vp. Their spirits were dampt
To see such monstrous kindnesse; staid at gate,
And heard within, the Goddesse eleuate
A voice diuine, as at her web, she wrought,
Subtle, and glorious, and past earthly thought;

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As all the houswiferies of Deities are.
To heare a voice, so rauishingly rare;
Polites (one exceeding deare to me,
A Prince of men; and of no meane degree
In knowing vertue; in all Acts, whose mind

κεδνος Cuius animus curas prudentes versat.

Discreete cares all wayes, vsde to turne, and wind)
Was yet surprisd with it; and said; O friends,
Some one abides within here, that commends
The place to vs; and breathes a voice diuine;
As she some web wrought; or her spindles twine
She cherisht with her song: the pauement rings
With imitation of the tunes she sings;
Some woman, or some Goddesse tis; Assay
To see with knocking. Thus said he; and they
Both knockt, and calld; and straight her shining gates
She opened, issuing: bade them in, to cates.
Led, and (vnwise) they follow'd; all, but one
Which was Eurylochus; who stood alone
Without the gates; suspicious of a sleight;
They enterd, she made sit; and her deceit
She cloakt with Thrones; and goodly chaires of State;
Set hearby honey, and the delicate
Wine brought from Smyrna, to them; meale and cheese;
But harmefull venoms, she commixt with these;
That made their Countrey vanish from their thought.
Which, eate; she toucht them, with a rod that wrought
Their transformation, farre past humane wunts;
Swines snowts, swines bodies, tooke they, bristles, grunts;
But still retaind the soules they had before;
Which made them mourne their bodies change the more.
She shut them straight in sties; and gaue them meate
Oke-mast, and beech, and Cornell fruite, they eate,
Groueling like swine on earth, in fowlest sort.
Eurylochus, straight hasted the report
Of this his fellowes most remorcefull fate.
Came to the ships; but so excruciate
Was with his woe; he could not speake a word:
His eyes stood full of teares; which shew'd how stor'd,
His mind with mone remaind. We all admir'd;
Askt what had chanc't him, earnestly desir'd
He would resolue vs. At the last, our eyes,
Enflam'd in him, his fellowes memories:
And out his griefe burst thus; You wild; we went
Through those thicke woods you saw; when, a descent

Seeing them, he thought of his fellowes.

Shew'd vs a faire house, in a lightsome ground,
Where (at some worke) we heard a heauenly sound
Breath'd from a Goddesse, or a womans brest:
They knockt, she op't her bright gates; each, her guest

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Her faire inuitement made: nor would they stay,
(Fooles that they were) when she once led the way.
I enterd not, suspecting some deceit.
When all together vanisht; nor the sight
Of any one, (though long I lookt) mine eye
Could any way discouer. Instantly,

Vlysses mou'd for his souldiers. Eurylochus.

(My sword, and bow reacht) I bad shew the place,
When, downe he fell; did both my knees embrace,
And praid with teares thus; O thou kept of God,
Do not thy selfe lose; nor to that aboad
Leade others rashly; both thy selfe, and all
Thou ventur'st thither, I know well, must fall
In one sure ruine: with these few then flie;
We yet may shunne the others destinie.

I answerd him: Eurylochus! stay thou
And keepe the ship then; eate and drinke: I now
Will vndertake th' aduenture; there is cause
In great Necessities vnalterd lawes.
This said, I left both ship and seas; and on
Along the sacred vallies all alone
Went in discouery: till at last I came
Where, of the maine-medcine-making Dame
I saw the great house: where, encounterd me,

Vlysses encounters Mercurie.

The golden-rod sustaining Mercurie;
Euen entring Circes doores. He met me in
A yong mans likenesse, of the first-flowr'd chin,
Whose forme hath all the grace, of one so yong:
He first cald to me: then my hand, he wrung,
And said; Thou no-place-finding-for repose;
Whither, alone, by these hill-confines, goes
Thy erring foote? Th' art entring Circes house,
Where, (by her medcines, blacke, and sorcerous)
Thy souldiers all are shut, in well-armd sties,
And turnd to swine. Art thou arriu'd with prise
Fit for their ransomes? Thou com'st out no more
If once thou enterst. Like thy men before
Made to remaine here; But Ile guard thee free;
And saue thee in her spite: receiue of me
This faire and good receipt; with which, once arm'd;
Enter her roofes; for th' art to all proofe charm'd
Against the ill day: I will tell thee all
Her banefull counsaile. With a festiuall
Sheele first receiue thee; but will spice thy bread
With flowrie poysons: yet vnaltered
Shall thy firme forme be; for this remedy
Stands most approu'd, gainst all her Sorcery.
Which, thus particularly shunne: When she
Shall with her long rod strike thee; instantly

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Draw from thy thigh thy sword; and flie on her
As to her slaughter. She, (surprisde with feare
And loue) at first, will bid thee to her bed;
Nor say the Goddesse nay; that welcomed
Thou maist with all respect be; and procure
Thy fellowes freedomes. But before, make sure
Her fauours to thee; and the great oath take
With which the blessed Gods, assurance make
Of all they promise: that no preiudice
(By stripping thee of forme, and faculties)
She may so much as once attempt on thee.
This said, he gaue his Antidote to me;
Which from the earth he pluckt; and told me all
The vertue of it: With what Deities call

The herbe Moly which with Vlysses whole Narration, hath in chiefe an Allegoricall exposition. Notwithstanding I say with our Spondanus Credo in hoc vasto mundi ambitu extare res innumeras mirandæ facultatis; adeo, vt ne quidé isla quæ ad transformanda corpora pertinet, iure è mundo eximi possit, &c

The name it beares. And Moly they impose
For name to it. The roote is hard to loose
From hold of earth, by mortals: but Gods powre
Can all things do. Tis blacke, but beares a flowre
As white as milke. And thus flew Mercurie
Vp to immense Olympus, gliding by
The syluan Iland. I, made backe my way
To Circes house: my mind, of my assay
Much thought reuoluing. At her gates I staid
And cald: she heard, and her bright doores displaid;
Inuited, led; I followed in: but tract
With some distraction. In a Throne she plac't
My welcome person. Of a curious frame
Twas, and so bright; I sate as in a flame.
A foote-stoole added. In a golden boule
She then subornd a potion: in her soule,
Deformd things thinking: for amidst the wine
She mixt her man-transforming medicine:
Which when she saw I had deuourd; she then,
No more obseru'd me with her soothing vaine;
But strooke me with her rod, and, To her Sty,
Bad; out, away, and with thy fellowes lie.
I drew my sword, and charg'd her, as I ment
To take her life. When out she cri'd, and bent
Beneath my sword, her knees; embracing mine;
And (full of teares) said, Who? of what high line
Art thou the issue? whence? what shores sustaine
Thy natiue Citie? I amaz'd remaine
That drinking these my venomes, th' art not turnd.
Neuer drunke any this cup; but he mournd
In other likenesse; if it once had past
The iuorie bounders of his tongue, and taste.
All but thy selfe, are brutishly declind:
Thy breast holds firme yet, and vnchang'd thy mind:

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Thou canst be therefore, none else but the man
Of many virtues: Ithacensian,
Deepe-soul'd Vlysses: who, I oft was told,
By that slie God, that beares the rod of gold,
Was to arriue here, in retreat from Troy.
Sheath then thy sword, and let my bed enioy
So much a man; that when the bed we proue,
We may beleeue in one anothers loue.

I then: O Circe, why entreat'st thou me
To mixe in any humane league with thee;
When thou, my friends hast beasts turnd? and thy bed
Tenderst to me; that I might likewise leade
A beasts life with thee; softn'd, naked stript;
That in my blood, thy banes, may more be steept.
I neuer will ascend thy bed, before
I may affirme; that in heauens sight you swore
The great oath of the Gods; that all attempt
To do me ill, is from your thoughts exempt.

I said; she swore: when, all the oath-rites said,
I then ascended her adorned bed;
But thus prepar'd: foure handmaids seru'd her there;
That daughters to her siluer fountaines were,
To her bright-sea-obseruing sacred floods;
And to her vncut consecrated woods.
One deckt the Throne-tops, with rich clothes of state;
And did, with silkes, the foote-pace, consecrate.
Another, siluer tables set before
The pompous Throne; and golden dishes store
Seru'd in with seuerall feast. A third fild wine;
The fourth brought water, and made fewell shine
In ruddy fires; beneath a wombe of brasse.
Which heat, I bath'd; and odorous water was
Disperpled lightly, on my head, and necke;
That might my late, heart-hurting sorrowes checke
With the refreshing sweetnesse; and, for that,
Men sometimes, may be something delicate.
Bath'd, and adorn'd; she led me to a Throne
Of massie siluer; and of fashion.
Exceeding curious. A faire foote-stoole set;
Water apposde, and euery sort of meate
Set on th' elaborately polisht boord.
She wisht my taste emploid; but not a word
Would my eares taste, of taste: my mind had food
That must digest; eye meate would do me good.
Circe (obseruing, that I put no hand
To any banquet; hauing countermand
From weightier cares; the light cates could excuse)
Bowing her neare me; these wing'd words did vse:

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Why sits Vlysses, like one dumbe? his mind
Lessening with languors? Nor to food enclind;
Nor wine? Whence comes it? out of any feare
Of more illusion? You must needs forbeare
That wrongfull doubt, since you haue heard me sweare.

O Circe! (I replied) what man is he,
Awd with the rights of true humanitie,
That dares taste food or wine; before he sees
His friends redeem'd from their deformities?
If you be gentle, and indeed incline
To let me taste the comfort of your wine;
Dissolue the charmes, that their forc't formes encheine
And shew me here, my honord friends, like men.

This said, she left her Throne, and tooke her rod;
Went to her Stie, and let my men abroad,
Like swine of nine yeares old. They opposite stood;
Obseru'd their brutish forme; and look't for food;
When, with another medicine, (euery one
All ouer smeer'd) their bristles all were gone,
Produc't by malice of the other bane;
And euery one, afresh, lookt vp a man.
Both yonger then they were; of stature more;
And all their formes, much goodlier then before.
All knew me; clingd about me, and a cry
Of pleasing mourning, flew about so hie,
The horrid roofe resounded; and the Queene
Her selfe, was mou'd, to see our kinde so keene.
Who bad me now; bring ship and men ashore;
Our armes, and goods, in caues hid; and restore
My selfe to her, with all my other men.
I granted, went, and op't the weeping veine
In all my men; whose violent ioy to see
My safe returne, was passing kindly free
Of friendly teares, and miserably wept.
You haue not seene yong Heiffers (highly kept;
Filld full of daisies at the field, and driuen
Home to their houels; all so spritely giuen
That no roome can containe them; but about,
Bace by the Dams, and let their spirits out
In ceasselesse bleating) of more iocund plight
Then my kind friends, euen crying out with sight
Of my returne so doubted. Circl'd me
With all their welcomes, and as cheerfully
Disposde their rapt minds, as if there they saw
Their naturall Countrie, cliffie Ithaca;
And euen the roofes where they were bred and borne.
And vowd as much, with teares: O your returne
As much delights vs; as in you had come

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Our Countrie to vs, and our naturall home.
But what vnhappie fate hath reft our friends?
I gaue vnlookt for answer; That amends
Made for their mourning, bad them first of all.
Our ship ashore draw; then in Cauerns stall
Our foodie cattell, hide our mutuall prise;
And then (said I) attend me, that your eies,
In Circes sacred house, may see each friend,
Eating and drinking, banquets out of end.

They soone obeid; all but Eurylochus;
Who needes would stay them all; and counselld thus;

O wretches! whither will ye? why are you
Fond of your mischiefs? and such gladnesse show
For Circes house; that will transforme ye all
To Swine, or Wolues, or Lions? Neuer shall
Our heads get out; if once within we be,
But stay compelld by strong Necessitie.
So wrought the Cyclop, when t'his caue, our friends
This bold one, led on, and brought all their ends
By his one indiscretion. I, for this
Thought with my sword (that desperate head of his
Hewne from his necke) to gash vpon the ground
His mangld bodie, though my blood was bound
In neare alliance to him. But the rest
With humble suite containd me, and request,
That I would leaue him, with my ship alone;
And to the sacred Pallace leade them on.

I led them; nor Eurylochus would stay,
From their attendance on me: Our late fray
Strooke to his heart so. But meane time, my men,
In Circes house, were all, in seuerall baine
Studiously sweetn'd, smugd with oile, and deckt
With, in, and outweeds: and a feast secret
Seru'd in before them: at which, close we found
They all were set, cheer'd, and carousing round.
When (mutuall sight had, and all thought on) then

φρασαντο τε παντα Commemorabantque omnia. Intending all their miseries, escapes, and meetings:

Feast was forgotten; and the mone againe
About the house flew, driuen with wings of ioy.
But then spake Circe; Now, no more annoy:
I know my selfe, what woes by sea, and shore,
And men vniust, haue plagu'd enough before
Your iniur'd vertues: here then, feast as long;
And be as cheerfull, till ye grow as strong,
As when ye first forsooke your Countrie earth.
Ye now fare all, like exiles; not a mirth
Flasht in amongst ye, but is quericht againe
With still-renewd teares: though the beaten vaine
Of your distresses, should (me thinke) be now

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Benumb with sufferance. We did well allow
Her kind perswasions; and the whole yeare staid
In varied feast with her. When, now arraid
The world was with the Spring; and orbie houres
Had gone the round againe, through herbs and flowres,
The moneths absolu'd in order; till the daies
Had runne their full race, in Apollos raies;
My friends rememberd me of home; and said,
If euer Fate would signe my passe; delaid
It should be now no more. I heard them well;
Yet that day, spent in feast, till darknesse fell;
And sleepe, his virtues, through our vapours shed.
When I ascended, sacred Circes bed;
Implor'd my passe; and her performed vow
Which now, my soule vrg'd; and my souldiers now
Afflicted me with teares to get them gone.
All these I told her; and she answerd these;
Much-skilld Vlysses Laertiades!
Remaine no more, against your wils with me:
But take your free way: onely this must be
Perform'd before you stere your course for home;
You must the way to Pluto ouercome;
And sterne Persephone, to forme your passe,
By th' aged Theban Soule Tiresias;
The dark-browd Prophet: whose soule yet can see
Clearely, and firmely: graue Persephone,
(Euen dead) gaue him a mind; that he alone
Might sing Truths solide wisedome, and not one
Proue more then shade, in his comparison.

This broke my heart; I sunke into my bed;
Mourn'd, and would neuer more be comforted
With light, nor life. But hauing now exprest
My paines enough to her, in my vnrest,
That so I might prepare her ruth; and get
All I held fit, for an affaire so great;
I said; O Circe, who shall stere my course
To Plutos kingdome? Neuer ship had force
To make that voiage. The diuine in voice,
Said, Seeke no guide, raise you your Mast, and hoice
Your ships white sailes; and then, sit you at peace;
The fresh North spirit, shall waft ye through the seas.
But, hauing past th' Ocean, you shall see;
A little shore, that to Persephone
Puts vp a consecrated wood; where growes,
Tall Firres, and Sallowes, that their fruits soone loose:
Cast anchor in the gulphes: and go, alone
To Plutos darke house, where, to Acheron
Cocytus runnes, and Pyriphlegiton:

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Cocytus borne of Styx, and where a Rocke
Of both the met floods, beares the roring shocke,
The darke Heroe, (great Tiresias)
Now coming neare, (to gaine propitious passe)
Dig (of a cubit euery way) a pit;
And powre (to all that are deceast) in it
A solemne sacrifice. For which; first take
Honey and wine, and their commixtion make:
Then sweete wine, neate; and thirdly; water powre;
And lastly, adde to these, the whitest flowre:
Then vow to all the weake necks of the dead,
Offerings a number: and when thou shalt tread
The Ithacensian shore; to sacrifice
A Heifer neuer tam'd, and most of prise;
A pyle of all thy most-esteemed goods
Enflaming to the deare streames of their bloods:
And, in secret Rites, to Tiresias vow
A Ram cole blacke, at all parts, that doth flow
With fat, and fleece; and all thy flockes doth leade:

κλυτα εθνεα νεκρων Which is expounded Inclyta examina mortuorum. But κλυτος, in the Epithete of Plutos and by Analogie belongs to the dead, quod ad se omnes aduocet.

When the all-calling nation of the dead
Thou thus hast praid to; offer on the place,
A Ram and Ewe all blacke: being turn'd in face
To dreadfull Erebus; thy selfe aside
The floods shore walking. And then, gratified
With flocks of Soules, of Men, and Dames deceast,
Shall all thy pious Rites be. Straight, addrest
See then the offering that thy fellowes slew;
Flayd, and imposde in fire; and all thy Crew,
Pray to the state of either Deitie,
Graue Pluto, and seuere Persephone.
Then draw thy sword, stand firme; nor suffer one
Of all the faint shades, of the dead and gone,
T'approch the blood, till thou hast heard their king,
The wise Tiresias: who, thy offering
Will instantly do honour: thy home wayes,
And all the measure of them, by the seas
Amply vnfolding. This the Goddesse told;
And then, the morning in her Throne of gold,
Suruaid the vast world; by whose orient light,
The Nymph adorn'd me with attires as bright;
Her owne hands putting on, both shirt and weede,
Robes fine, and curious; and vpon my head,
An ornament that glitterd like a flame:
Girt me in gold; and forth betimes I came
Amongst my souldiers; rousd them all from sleepe;
And bad them now; no more obseruance keepe
Of ease, and feast; but straight, a shipboard fall,
For now the Goddesse had inform'd me all:

159

Their noble spirits agree'd; nor yet so cleare
Could I bring all off; but Elpenor there
His heedlesse life left: he was yongest man
Of all my company, and one that wanne
Least fame for armes; as little for his braine;
Who (too much steept in wine, and so made faine;
To get refreshing by the coole of sleepe;
Apart his fellowes; plung'd in vapors deepe;
And they as high in tumult of their way)
Sodainly wak't, and (quite out of the stay
A sober mind had giuen him) would descend
A huge long Ladder, forward; and an end
Fell from the very roofe; full pitching on
The dearest ioynt, his head was plac't vpon;
Which (quite dissolu'd,) let loose his soule to hell.
I, to the rest; and Circes meanes did tell
Of our returne (as crossing cleane the hope
I gaue them first) and said; You thinke the scope
Of our endeuours now, is straight for home,
No: Circe otherwise design'd; whose doome
Enioynd vs first, to greet the dreadfull house
Of Austere Pluto, and his glorious spouse;
To take the counsaile of Tiresias
(The reuerend Theban) to direct our passe.

This brake their hearts, and griefe made teare their haire
But griefe was neuer good, at great affaire.
It would haue way yet. We went wofull on
To ship and shore, where, was arriu'd as soone
Circe vnseene; a blacke Ewe, and a Ram,
Binding for sacrifice; and as she came
Vanisht againe, vnwitnest by our eyes;
Which grieu'd not vs, nor checkt our sacrifice;
For who would see God, loath to let vs see?
This way, or that bent; still his waies are free.

Finis decimi libri Hom. Odyss.

160

THE XI. BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses way to Hell appeares;
Where he, the graue Tiresias heares;
Enquires his owne, and others fates.
His mother sees, and th' after states,
In which, were held, by sad Decease
Heroes, and Heroesses;
A number, that at Troy wag'd warre;
As Aiax that was still at iarre
With Ithacus, for th' armes be lost;
And with the great Achilles Ghost.

Another.

Λαμβδα.

Vlysses here
Inuokes the dead;
The liues appeare,
Hereafter led.

Arriu'd now at our ship; we lancht, and set
Our Mast vp, put forth saile; and in did get
Our late-got Cattell. Vp our sailes, we went;

They mournd the euent before they knew it.

My wayward fellowes mourning now th' euent.
A good companion yet, a foreright wind;
Circe, (the excellent vtterer of her mind)
Supplied our murmuring consorts with, that was
Both speed, and guide to our aduenturous passe.
All day our sailes stood to the winds; and made
Our voiage prosprous. Sunne then set, and shade
All wayes obscuring: on the bounds we fell
Of deepe Oceanus; where people dwell
Whom a perpetuall cloud obscures outright:
To whom the cheerfull Sunne lends neuer light;
Nor when he mounts the star-sustaining heauen;
Nor when he stoopes earth, and sets vp the Euen:
But Night holds fixt wings, fetherd all with Banes,
Aboue those most vnblest Cimmerianes.
Here drew we vp our ship: our sheepe with-drew;
And walkt the shore till we attaind the view
Of that sad region Circe had foreshow'd;
And then the sacred offerings, to be vow'd,
Eurylochus, and Persimedes bore.
When I, my sword drew, and earths wombe did gore

161

Till I, a pit digg'd of a cubite round;
Which with the liquid sacrifice, we crown'd
First, honey mixt with wine; then, sweete wine neate;
Then water powr'd in; last the flowre of wheate.
Much I importun'd then, the weake-neckt dead,
And vowd, when I the barren soile should tread
Of cliffe Ithaca; amidst my hall
To kill a Heifer, my cleare best of all,
And giue in offering: on a Pile composd
Of all the choise goods, my whole house enclosd.
And to Tiresias, himselfe, alone
A sheepe cole-blacke, and the selectest one
Of all my flockes. When to the powres beneath,
The sacred nation, that suruiue with Death,
My prayrs, and vowes, had done deuotions fit;
I tooke the offrings, and vpon the pit
Bereft their liues. Out gusht the sable blood;
And round about me, fled out of the flood,
The Soules of the deceast. There cluster'd then,
Youths, and their wiues, much suffering aged men,
Soft tender virgins, that but new came there,
By timelesse death, and greene their sorrowes were.
There, men at Armes, with armors all embrew'd,
Wounded with lances, and with faulchions hew'd:
In numbers, vp and downe the ditch, did stalke;
And threw vnmeasur'd cries, about their walke;
So horrid that a bloodlesse feare surprisde,
My daunted spirits. Straight then, I aduisde
My friends to flay the slaughter'd sacrifice;
Put them in fire, and to the Deities;
Sterne Pluto, and Persephone, apply
Excitefull prayrs. Then drew I from my Thy,
My well-edg'd sword; stept in, and firmely stood
Betwixt the prease of shadowes, and the blood;
And would not suffer any one to dip
Within our offring, his vnsolide lip;
Before Tiresias, that did all controule.
The first that preast in, was Elpenors soule;
His body, in the broad-waid earth, as yet
Vnmournd vnburied by vs; since we swet
With other vrgent labours. Yet his smart,
I wept to see; and ru'd it from my heart;
Enquiring how, he could before me be,
That came by ship? He mourning, answerd me:
In Circes house; the spite some Spirit did beare;
And the vnspeakable good licour there
Hath bene my bane. For being to descend
A ladder much in height; I did not tend

162

My way well downe; but forwards made a proofe
To tread the rounds; and from the very roofe
Fell on my necke, and brake it. And this made
My soule thus visite this infernall shade.
And here, by them that next thy selfe are deare,
Thy Wife, and Father, that a little one
Gaue food to thee; and by thy onely Sonne
At home behind thee left, (Telemachus)
Do not depart by stealth, and leaue me thus,
Vnmourn'd, vnburied: lest neglected I
Bring on thy selfe, th' incensed Deitie.
I know, that saild from hence, thy ship must touch
On th' Ile Ææa; where vouchsafe thus much
(Good king) that, landed, thou wilt instantly,
Bestow on me, thy royall memory;
To this grace; that my body, armes and all,
May rest consum'd in fitie funerall.
And on the fomie shore, a Sepulchre
Erect to me; that after times may heare
Of one so haplesse. Let me these implore;

Misenus apud Virgilium, ingenti mole, &c.

And fixe vpon my Sepulcher, the Ore
With which aliue, I shooke the aged seas;
And had, of friends, the deare societies.

I told the wretched Soule, I would fulfill
And execute to th' vtmost point, his will;
And, all the time, we sadly talkt; I still
My sword aboue the blood held; when aside
The Idoll of my friend, still amplified
His plaint, as vp and downe, the shades he err'd.
Then, my deceased mothers Soule appeard;
Faire daughter of Antolicus, the Great;
Graue Anticlæa, Whom, when forth I set
For sacred Ilion, I had left aliue.
Her sight, much mou'd me; and to teares did driue
My note of her deceasse: and yet, not she
(Though in my ruth, she held the highest degree)
Would I admit to touch the sacred blood;
Till from Tiresias, I had vnderstood
What Circes told me. At the length did land,

Tiresias to Vlysses.

Theban Tiresias soule; and in his hand
Sustaind a golden Scepter, knew me well;
And said; O man vnhappy, why to hell
Admitst thou darke arriuall; and the light
The Sunne giues, leau'st; to haue the horrid sight
Of this blacke region, and the shadowes here?
Now sheath thy sharpe sword; and the pit forbeare.
That I the blood may taste; and then relate
The truth of those acts, that affect thy Fate.

163

I sheath'd my sword; and left the pit, till he
The blacke blood tasting, thus instructed me;
Renoum'd Vlysses! all vnaskt, I know
That all the cause of thy arriuall now,
Is to enquire thy wisht retreate, for home:
Which hardly God will let thee ouercome;
Since Neptune still will his opposure trie,
With all his laid vp anger, for the eye
His lou'd Sonne lost to thee. And yet through all
Thy suffring course, (which must be capitall)
If both thine owne affections, and thy friends
Thou wilt containe; when thy accesse ascends
The three-forckt Iland, hauing scap't the seas;
(Where ye shall find fed, on the flowrie leas,
Fat flocks, and Oxen; which the Sunne doth owne;
To whom are all things, as well heard as showne:
And neuer dare, one head of those to slay;
But hold, vnharmefull on, your wished way)
Though through enough affliction; yet secure
Your Fates shall land ye. But Presage saies sure,
If once ye spoile them; spoile to all thy friends;
Spoile to thy Fleete; and if the iustice ends
Short of thy selfe; it shall be long before,
And that length, forc't out, with inflictions store:
When, losing all thy fellowes, in a saile
Of forreigne built (when most thy Fates preuaile
In thy deliuerance) thus th' euent shall sort;
Thou shalt find shipwracke, raging in thy Port:
Proud men, thy goods consuming; and thy Wife
Vrging with gifts; giue charge vpon thy life.
But all these wrongs, Reuenge shall end to thee;
And force, or cunning, set with slaughter, free
Thy house of all thy spoilers. Yet againe,
Thou shalt a voyage make; and come to men
That know no Sea; nor ships, nor oares, that are
Wings to a ship; not mixe with any fare,

Men that neuer eate salt with their foode.

Salts sauorie vapor. Where thou first shalt land,
This cleare-giuen signe, shall let thee vnderstand,
That there those men remaine: assume ashore,
Vp to thy roiall shoulder, a ship oare;
With which, when thou shalt meete one on the way,
That will, in Countey admiration, say
What dost thou with that wanne, vpon thy necke?
There, fixe (that wanne) thy oare; and that shore decke
With sacred Rites to Neptune: slaughter there
A Ram, a Bull, and, (who for strength doth beare
The name of husband to a herd) a Bore.
And, coming home, vpon thy naturall shore,

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Giue pious Hecatombs, to all the Gods
(Degrees obseru'd). And then the Periods
Of all thy labors, in the peace shall end
Of easie death; which shall the lesse extend
His passion to thee; that thy foe, the Sea
Shall not enforce it, but Deaths victory,

γηρα υπο λιπαρω. Which all translate senectute sub molli. The Epithete λιπαρω, not of λιπαρος, viz. pinguit, or λιπαρως, pinguiter. But λιπαρως signifying flagitanter orando To which, pious age is euer altogether addicted.

Shall chance in onely-earnest-pray-vow'd age:
Obtaind at home, quite emptied of his rage;
Thy subiects round about thee, rich and blest:
And here hath Truth summ'd vp, thy vitall rest.

I answerd him; We will suppose all these
Decreed in Deity; let it likewise please
Tiresias to resolue me, why so neare
The blood and me, my mothers Soule doth beare;
And yet, nor word, nor looke, vouchsafe her Sonne?
Doth she not know me? No (said he) nor none
Of all these spirits, but my selfe alone;
Knowes any thing, till he shall taste the blood;
But whomsoeuer, you shall do that good,
He will the truth, of all you wish, vnfold;
Who, you enuy it to, will all withhold.

Thus said the kingly soule, and made retreate,
Amidst the inner parts of Plutos Seate,
When he had spoke thus, by diuine instinct:
Still I stood firme, till to the bloods precinct
My mother came, and drunke; and then she knew,
I was her Sonne; had passion to renew
Her naturall plaints; which thus she did pursew:
How is it, (O my Sonne) that you aliue,
This deadly-darksome region vnderdiue?
Twixt which, and earth, so many mighty seas,
And horrid currents, interpose their prease?
Oceanus, in chiefe; which none (vnlesse
More helpt then you) on foote now can transgresse.
A well built ship he needs, that ventures there:
Com'st thou from Troy but now? enforc't to erre
All this time with thy souldiers? Nor hast seene,
Ere this long day, thy Countrey, and thy Queene?

I answerd; That a necessary end
To this infernall state, made me contend;
That from the wise Tiresias Theban Soule,
I might, an Oracle, inuolu'd, vnrowle:
For I came nothing neare Achaia yet;
Nor on our lou'd earth, happy foote had set;
But (mishaps suffering) err'd from Coast to Coast;
Euer since first, the mighty Græcian hoast
Diuine Atrides, led to Ilion;
And I, his follower, to set warre vpon

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The rapefull Troyans: and so praid she would
The Fate of that vngentle death vnfould,
That forc't her thither: if some long disease;
Or that the Splene, of her that arrowes please,
(Diana, enuious of most eminent Dames)
Had made her th' obiect of her deadly aimes?
My Fathers state, and sonnes, I sought; if they
Kept still my goods? or they became the prey
Of any other, holding me no more
In powre of safe returne, or if my store
My wife had kept together, with her Sonne?
If she, her first mind held; or had bene wonne
By some chiefe Greciæn, from my loue, and bed?

All this she answerd; that Affliction fed
On her blood still at home; and that to griefe,
She all the dayes, and darknesse, of her life,
In teares, had consecrate. That none possest
My famous kingdomes Throne; but th' interest
My sonne had in it; still he held in peace.
A Court kept, like a Prince; and his increase
Spent in his subiects good; administring lawes
With iustice, and the generall applause
A king should merit; and all calld him king.
My Father, kept the vpland, labouring;
And shun'd the Citie: vsde no sumptuous beds;
Wonderd at furnitures; nor wealthy weeds;
But, in the Winter, strew'd about the fire
Lay with his slaues in ashes; his attire
Like to a beggers. When the Sommer came;
And Autumne all fruits ripend with his flame;
Where Grape-charg'd vines, made shadows most abound,
His couch with falne leaues, made vpon the ground:
And here lay he; his Sorrowes fruitfull state,
Increasing, as he faded, for my Fate.
And now, the part of age, that irksome is
Lay sadly on him. And that life of his,
She led, and perisht in; not slaughterd by
The Dame, that darts lou'd, and her archerie;
Nor, by disease inuaded, vast, and foule
That wasts the body, and sends out the soule
With shame and horror: onely in her mone,
For me, and my life; she consum'd her owne.

She thus; when I, had great desire to proue
My armes, the circle, where her soule did moue;
Thrice prou'd I, thrice she vanisht, like a sleepe;
Or fleeting shadow, which strooke much more deepe
The wounds, my woes made; and made, aske her why
She would my Loue to her embraces flie;

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And not vouchsafe, that euen in hell we might,
Pay pious Nature, her vnalterd right,
And giue Vexation here, her cruell fill?

Proserpina or Persephone.

Should not the Queene here, to augment the ill
Of euery sufferance (which her office is)
Enforce thy idoll, to affoord me this?

O Sonne (she answerd) of the race of men
The most vnhappy; our most equall Queene,
Will mocke no solide armes, with empty shade;
Nor suffer empty shades, againe t'inuade
Flesh, bones, and nerues: nor will defraud the fire
Of his last dues; that, soone as spirits expire,
And leaue the white bone, are his natiue right;
When, like a dreame, the soule assumes her flight.
The light then, of the liuing, with most haste
(O Sonne) contend to: this thy little taste
Of this state is enough; and all this life,
Will make a tale, fit, to be told thy wife.

The old Heroesses appeare to Vlysses.

This speech we had; when now repair'd to me
More female spirits; by Persephone,
Driuen on before her. All t'heroes wiues
And daughters, that, led there their second liues,
About the blacke blood throngd. Of whom, yet more
My mind impell'd me to enquire, before
I let them altogether taste the gore;
For then would all haue bene disperst, and gone,
Thicke as they came. I therefore, one by one
Let taste the pit: my sword drawne from my Thy
And stand betwixt them made; when, seuerally
All told their stockes. The first that quencht her fire,

Tyro,

Was Tyro, issu'd of a noble Sire.
She said she sprong from pure, Salmoneus bed;
And Cretheus, Sonne of Æolus did wed.
Yet the diuine flood Enipeus, lou'd,
Who much the most faire streame, of all floods mou'd.
Neare whose streames, Tyro walking: Neptune came,
Like Enipeus, and enioyd the Dame:
Like to a hill; the blew, and Snakie flood
Aboue th' immortall, and the mortall stood;
And hid them both; as both together lay,
Iust where his current, falles into the Sea.
Her virgine wast, dissolu'd, she slumberd then;
But when the God had done the worke of men,
Her faire hand gently wringing; thus he said;
Woman! Reioyce in our combined bed;
For when the yeare hath runne his circle, round
(Because the Gods loues, must in fruite abound)
My loue shall make (to cheere thy teeming mones)

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Thy one deare burthen, beare two famous Sonnes;
Loue well, and bring them vp: go home, and see
That, though of more ioy yet, I shall be free;
Thou dost not tell, to glorifie thy birth:
Thy Loue is Neptune shaker of the earth.
This said; he plung'd into the sea, and she
(Begot with child by him) the light let see
Great Pelias, and Neleus; that became
In Ioues great ministrie, of mighty fame.
Pelias, in broad Iolcus held his Throne,
Wealthy in cattell; th' other roiall Sonne
Rul'd sandy Pylos. To these, issue more
This Queene of women to her husband bore:
Aeson and Pheres, and Amythaon,
That for his fight on horsebacke, stoopt to none.

Next her, I saw admir'd Antiope

Antiope like Tyro.

Asopus daughter; who (as much as she
Boasted attraction, of great Neptunes loue)
Boasted to slumber in the armes of Ioue:
And two Sonnes likewise, at one burthen bore,
To that, her all-controlling Paramore:
Amphion, and faire Zethus; that first laid
Great Thebes foundations; and strong wals conuaid
About her turrets, that seuen Ports enclosde.
For though the Thebans, much in strength reposde,
Yet had not they, the strength to hold their owne,
Without the added aides, of wood, and stone.

Alcmena, next I saw; that famous wife

Alcmena.

Was to Amphytrio; and honor'd life
Gaue to the Lyon-hearted Hercules,
That was, of Ioues embrace, the great increase.

I saw besides, proud Cræons daughter there,

Megara.

Bright Megara; that nuptiall yoke did weare
With Ioues great Sonne; who neuer field did try,
But bore to him, the flowre of victory.

The mother then, of Oedipus, I saw,

Epicasta the mother of Oedipus.

Faire Epicasta; that beyond all law,
Her owne Sonne maried, ignorant of kind;
And, he (as darkly taken, in his mind)
His mother wedded, and his father slew;
Whose blind act, heauen exposde at length to view:
And he, in all-lou'd Thebes, the supreame state
With much mone manag'd; for the heauy Fate
The Gods laid on him. She made violent flight
To Plutos darke house, from the lothed light;
Beneath a steepe beame, strangl'd with a cord;
And left her Sonne, in life, paines as abhord,
As all the furies powr'd on her in hell.

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Chloris.

Then saw I Chloris, that did so excell
In answering beauties, that each part had all;
Great Neleus married her, when gifts not small,
Had wonne her fauour; term'd by name of dowre.
She was of all Amphions seed, the flowre;
(Amphion, calld Iasides, that then
Ruld strongly, Myniæan Orchomen)
And now his daughter rul'd the Pylean Throne;
Because her beauties Empire ouershone.
She brought her wise-awd husband, Neleus,
Nestor, much honord; Peryclimenus,
And Chromius; Sonnes, with soueraigne vertues grac't;
But after, brought a daughter that surpast;
Rare-beautied Pero, so for forme exact;
That Nature, to a miracle, was rackt,
In her perfections, blaz'd with th' eyes of men.
That made of all the Countries hearts, a chaine,
And drew them suiters to her. Which her Sire
Tooke vantage of; and (since he did aspire
To nothing more, then to the broad-browd herd
Of Oxen, which the common fame so rer'd,
Own'd by Iphiclus) not a man should be
His Peros husband, that from Phylace,
Those neuer-yet-driuen Oxen, could not driue:
Yet these; a strong hope held him to atchieue;
Because a Prophet that had neuer err'd,
Had said, that onely he should be prefer'd
To their possession. But the equall Fate
Of God, withstood his stealth: inextricate
Imprisoning Bands; and sturdy churlish Swaines
That were the Heardsmen; who withheld with chaines
The stealth attempter: which was onely he
That durst abet the Act with Prophecie;
None else would vndertake it; and he must:
The king would needs, a Prophet should be iust;
But when some daies and moneths, expired were,
And all the Houres had brought about the yeare;
The Prophet, did so satisfie the king
(Iphiclus; all his cunning questioning)
That he enfranchisde him; and (all worst done)
Ioues counsaile made, th' all-safe conclusion.

Læda.

Then saw I Læda (linkt in nuptiall chaine
With Tyndarus) to whom, she did sustaine
Sonnes much renowm'd for wisedome; Castor one,
That past, for vse of horse, comparison;
And Pollux, that exceld, in whirlbat fight;
Both these, the fruitfull Earth bore; while the light
Of life inspir'd them; After which, they found

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Such grace with Ioue, that both liu'd vnder ground,
By change of daies: life still did one sustaine,
While th' other died; the dead then, liu'd againe,
The liuing dying; both, of one selfe date,
Their liues and deaths made, by the Gods and Fate.

Iphemedia, after Læda came,

Iphemedia

That did deriue from Neptune too, the name
Of Father to two admirable Sonnes:
Life yet made short their admirations;
Who God-opposed Otus had to name,
And Ephialtes, farre in sound of Fame.
The prodigall Earth so fed them, that they grew
To most huge stature; and had fairest hew
Of all men, but Orion, vnder heauen;
At nine yeares old, nine cubits they were driuen
Abroad in breadth, and sprung nine fathomes hie.
They threatn'd to giue battell to the skie,
And all th' Immortals. They were setting on
Ossa vpon Olympus; and vpon
Steepe Ossa, leauie Pelius, that euen
They might a high-way make, with loftie heauen.
And had perhaps perform'd it, had they liu'd
Till they were Striplings. But Ioues Sonne depriu'd
Their lims of life; before th' age that begins
The flowre of youth; and should adorne their chins.

Phædra and Procris, with wise Minos flame,

Phædra and Procris.

(Bright Ariadne) to the offring came.
Whom whilom Theseus made his prise from Crete;
That Athens sacred soile, might kisse her feete.
But neuer could obtaine her virgin Flowre;
Till, in the Sea-girt Dia, Dians powre
Detain'd his homeward haste; where (in her Phane,
By Bacchus witnest) was the fatall wane
Of her prime Glorie. Mara, Clymene,

Mara and Clymene.

I witnest there; and loth'd Eryphile;
That honour'd gold more, then she lou'd her Spouse.

Amphiaraus was her husband: whō she betrayd to his ruine at Thebes, for gold taken of Adrastus her brother.

But all th' Heroesses in Plutos house,
That then encounterd me, exceeds my might
To name or number; and Ambrosian Night
Would quite be spent; when now the formall houres,
Present to Sleepe, our all-disposed powres.
If at my ship, or here, my home-made vow,
I leaue for fit grace, to the Gods and you.

This said; the silence his discourse had made,
With pleasure held still, through the houses shade.
When, white-arm'd Arete this speech began:
Phæacians! how appeares to you this man?
So goodly person'd, and so matcht with mind?

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My guest he is; but all you stand combin'd,
In the renowne he doth vs. Do not then
With carelesse haste dismisse him: nor the maine
Of his dispatch, to one so needie, maime;
The Gods free bountie, giues vs all iust claime
To goods enow. This speech, the oldest man
Of any other Phæacensian,
The graue Heroe, Echineus gaue
All approbation; saying: Friends! ye haue
The motion of the wise Queene; in such words,
As haue not mist the marke; with which, accords
My cleare opinion. But Alcinous,
In word and worke, must be our rule. He thus;
And then Alcinous said: This then must stand,
If while I liue, I rule in the command
Of this well-skild-in-Nauigation State.
Endure then (Guest) though most importunate
Be your affects for home. A litle stay
If your expectance beare; perhaps it may
Our gifts make more complete. The cares of all,
Your due deduction asks; but Principall
I am therein, the ruler. He replied:
Alcinous! the most duly glorified,
With rule of all; of all men; if you lay
Commandment on me, of a whole yeares stay;
So all the while, your preparations rise,
As well in gifts, as

Venustè & falsè dictum.

time: ye can deuise
No better wish for me; for I shall come
Much fuller handed, and more honourd home;
And dearer to my people: in whose loues,
The richer euermore the better proues.

He answerd: There is argude in your sight,
A worth that works not men for benefit,
Like Prollers or Impostors; of which crew,
The gentle blacke Earth feeds not vp a few;
Here and there wanderers, blanching tales and lies,
Of neither praise, nor vse: you moue our eies
With forme; our minds with matter, and our eares
With elegant oration; such as beares,
A musicke in the orderd historie
It layes before vs. Not Demodocus,
With sweeter straines hath vsde to sing to vs,
All the Greeke sorrowes, wept out in your owne.
But say; of all your worthy friends, were none
Obiected to your eyes; that Consorts were
To Ilion with you? and seru'd destinie there?
This Night is passing long, vnmeasur'd: none
Of all my houshold would to bed yet: On,

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Relate these wondrous things. Were I with you;
If you would tell me but your woes, as now,
Till the diuine Aurora shewd her head,
I should in no night relish thought of bed.

Most eminent King, (said he) Times, all must keepe;
There's time to speake much, time as much to sleepe.
But would you heare still, I will tell you still,
And vtter more, more miserable ill,
Of Friends then yet, that scap't the dismall warres,
And perisht homewards, and in houshold iarres.

Here he begins his other relatiō.

Wag'd by a wicked woman. The chaste

Proserpina.

Queene,
No sooner made these Ladie-ghosts vnseene,
(Here and there flitting) but mine eie-sight wonne
The Soule of Agamemnon, (Atreus sonne)
Sad; and about him, all his traine of friends,
That in Ægysthus house, endur'd their ends,
With his sterne Fortune. Hauing drunke the blood,
He knew me instantly; and forth a flood
Of springing teares gusht. Out he thrust his hands,
With will t'embrace me; but their old commands,
Flowd not about him; nor their weakest part.
I wept to see; and mon'd him from my heart.
And askt: O Agamemnon! King of men!
What sort of cruell death, hath renderd slaine
Thy royall person? Neptune, in thy Fleete?
Heauen, and his hellish billowes making meete,
Rowsing the winds? Or haue thy men by land
Done thee this ill; for vsing thy command,
Past their consents, in diminution
Of those full shares, their worths by lot had wonne,
Of sheepe or oxen? or of any towne?
In couetous strife, to make their rights, thine owne,
In men or women prisoners? He replied:
By none of these, in any right, I died;
But by Ægysthus, and my murtherous wife,
(Bid to a banquet at his house) my life
Hath thus bene reft me: to my slaughter led,
Like to an Oxe, pretended to be fed.
So miserably fell I; and with me,
My friends lay massacred: As when you see
At any rich mans nuptials, shot, or feast,
About his kitchin, white-tooth'd swine lie drest.
The slaughters of a world of men, thine eies,
Both priuate, and in prease of enemies,
Haue personally witnest; but this one,
Would all thy parts haue broken into mone:
To see how strewd about our Cups and Cates,
As Tables set with Feast, so we with Fates,

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All gasht and slaine, lay; all the floore embrude
With blood and braine. But that which most I ru'd,
Flew from the heauie voice, that Priams seed,
Cassandra breath'd; whom, she that wit doth feed
With banefull crafts, false Clytemnestra slew,
Close sitting by me; vp my hands I threw
From earth to heauen; and tumbling on my sword,
Gaue wretched life vp. When the most abhord,
By all her sexes shame, forsooke the roome;
Nor daind (though then so neare this heauie home)
To shut my lips, or close my broken eies.
Nothing so heapt is with impieties,
As such a woman, that would kill her Spouse,
That maried her a maid. When to my house
I brought her, hoping of her loue in heart,
To children, maids, and slaues. But she (in th' Art
Of onely mischiefe heartie) not alone
Cast on her selfe, this foule aspersion;
But louing Dames, hereafter, to their Lords
Will beare, for good deeds, her bad thoughts and words.

Alas (said I) that Ioue should hate the liues
Of Atreus seed, so highly for their wiues.
For Menelaus wife, a number fell;
For dangerous absence, thine sent thee to hell.

For this, (he answerd) Be not thou more kind
Then wise to thy wife; neuer, all thy mind
Let words expresse to her. Of all she knowes,
Curbs for the worst still, in thy selfe repose.
But thou by thy wifes wiles, shalt lose no blood;
Exceeding wise she is, and wise in good.
Icarius daughter, chaste Penelope,
We left a yong Bride; when for battell, we
Forsooke the Nuptiall peace; and at her brest,
Her first child sucking. Who, by this houre, blest,
Sits in the number of suruiuing men.
And his blisse, she hath, that she can containe;
And her blisse, thou hast, that she is so wise;
For, by her wisedome, thy returned eies
Shall see thy sonne; and he shall greete his Sire,
With fitting welcomes. When in my retire,
My wife denies mine eyes, my sonnes deare sight;
And, as from me, will take from him the light;
Before she addes one iust delight to life;
Or her false wit, one truth that sits a wife.
For her sake therefore, let my harmes aduise;
That though thy wife be ne're so chaste and wise,

This aduice he followed at his coming home.

Yet come not home to her in open view,
With any ship, or any personall shew.

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But take close shore disguisde: nor let her know;
For tis no world, to trust a woman now.
But what sayes Fame? Doth my Sonne yet suruiue,
In Orchomen, or Pylos? or doth liue
In Sparta, with his Vnkle? yet I see
Diuine Orestes is not here with me.

I answerd, asking: Why doth Atreus sonne:
Enquire of me? who yet arriu'd where none
Could giue to these newes any certaine wings?
And tis absurd, to tell vncertaine things.

Such sad speech past vs; and as thus we stood,
With kind teares rendring vnkind fortunes good;
Achilles and Patroclus Soule appear'd;
And his Soule, of whom neuer ill was heard,
The good Antilochus: and the Soule of him,
That all the Greeks past, both for force and lim,
Excepting the vnmatcht Æacides,
Illustrous Aiax. But the first of these,
That saw, acknowledg'd, and saluted me,
Was Thetis conquering Sonne, who (heauily

Achilles.

His state here taking) said: Vnworthy breath!
What act, yet mightier, imagineth
Thy ventrous spirit? How doest thou descend
These vnder regions: where the dead mans end,
Is to be lookt on? and his foolish shade?

I answerd him: I was induc'd t'inuade
These vnder parts, (most excellent of Greece)
To visite wise Tiresias, for aduice
Of vertue to direct my voyage home
To rugged Ithaca; since I could come
To note in no place, where Achaia stood;
And so liu'd euer, tortur'd with the blood
In mans vaine veines. Thou therefore (Thetis sonne)
Hast equald all, that euer yet haue wonne
The blisse the earth yeelds; or hereafter shall.
In life, thy eminence was ador'd of all,
Euen with the Gods. And now, euen dead, I see
Thy vertues propagate thy Emperie,
To a renewd life of command beneath;
So great Achilles triumphs ouer death.
This comfort of him, this encounter found;
Vrge not my death to me, nor rub that wound;
I rather wish, to liue in earth a Swaine,

Achilles of the new life.

Or serue a Swaine for hire, that scarce can gaine
Bread to sustaine him; then (that life once gone)
Of all the dead, sway the Imperiall thone.
But say; and of my Sonne, some comfort yeeld;
If he goes on, in first fights of the field;

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Or lurks for safetie in the obscure Rere?
Or of my Father, if thy royall eare
Hath bene aduertisde, that the Phthian Throne,
He still commands, as greatest Myrmidon?
Or that the Phthian and Thessalian rage,
(Now feete and hands are in the hold of Age)
Despise his Empire? Vnder those bright rayes,
In which, heauens feruour hurles about the dayes;
Must I no more shine his reuenger now;
Such as of old, the Ilion ouerthrow
Witnest my anger: th' vniuersall hoast,
Sending before me, to this shadie Coast,
In fight for Grecia. Could I now resort,
(But for some small time) to my Fathers Court;
In spirit and powre, as then: those men should find
My hands inaccessible; and of fire, my mind,
That durst, with all the numbers they are strong,
Vnseate his honour, and suborne his wrong.

This pitch still flew his spirit, though so low;
And this, I answerd thus: I do not know,
Of blamelesse Peleus, any least report;
But of your sonne, in all the vtmost sort,
I can informe your care with truth; and thus:

Vlysses report of Neoptolemus the son of Achilles.

From Scyros, princely Neoptolemus,
By Fleete, I conuaid to the Greeks; where he
Was Chiefe, at both parts: when our grauitie
Retir'd to councell; and our youth to fight.
In councell still (so firie was Conceit,
In his quicke apprehension of a cause)
That first he euer spake; nor past the lawes
Of any graue stay, in his greatest hast.
None would contend with him, that counseld last;
Vnlesse illustrous Nestor, he and I
Would sometimes put a friendly contrary,
On his opinion. In our fights, the prease
Of great or common, he would neuer sease;
But farre before fight euer. No man there,
For force, he forced. He was slaughterer
Of many a braue man, in most dreadfull fight.
But one and other, whom he reft of light,
(In Grecian succour) I can neither name,
Nor giue in number. The particular fame,
Of one mans slaughter yet, I must not passe;
Eurypilus Telephides he was,

This place (and a number more) is most miserably mistaken by all translators and commentors.

That fell beneath him; and with him, the falls
Of such huge men went, that they shewd like whales,
Rampir'd about him. Neoptolemus
Set him so sharply, for the sumptuous

175

Fauours of Mistresses, he saw him weare;
For past all doubt, his beauties had no peere,
Of all that mine eies noted; next to one,
And that was Memnon, Tithons Sun-like sonne.
Thus farre, for fight in publicke, may a tast
Giue of his eminence. How farre surpast
His spirit in priuate; where he was not seene;
Nor glorie could be said, to praise his spleene;
This close note, I excerpted. When we sate
Hid in Epæus horse; no Optimate
Of all the Greeks there, had the charge to ope
And shut the

The horse above said.

Stratageme, but I. My scope
To note then, each mans spirit, in a streight
Of so much danger; much the better might
Be hit by me, then others: as, prouokt,
I shifted place still; when, in some I smokt
Both priuie tremblings, and close vent of teares.
In him yet, not a soft conceit of theirs,
Could all my search see, either his wet eies
Plied still with wiping; or the goodly guise,
His person all waies put forth; in least part,
By any tremblings, shewd his toucht-at heart.
But euer he was vrging me to make
Way to their sally; by his signe to shake
His sword hid in his scabberd; or his Lance
Loded with iron, at me. No good chance,
His thoughts to Troy intended. In th' euent,
(High Troy depopulate) he made ascent
To his faire ship, with prise and treasure store:
Safe, and no touch, away with him he bore,
Of farre-off hurl'd Lance, or of close-fought sword,
Whose wounds, for fauours, Warre doth oft affoord;
Which he (though sought) mist, in warres closest wage;
In close fights, Mars doth neuer fight, but rage.

This made the soule of swift Achilles tred
A March of glorie, through the herbie meade;
For ioy to heare me so renowme his Sonne;
And vanisht stalking. But with passion
Stood th' other Soules strooke: and each told his bane.
Onely the spirit

Aiax the sonne of Telamon.

Telamonian
Kept farre off; angrie for the victorie
I wonne from him at Fleete; though Arbitrie
Of all a Court of warre, pronounc't it mine,
And Pallas selfe. Our prise were th' armes diuine,
Of great Æacides; proposde t'our fames
By his bright Mother, at his funerall Games.

Achilles. Thetis.

I wish to heauen, I ought not to haue wonne;
Since for those Armes, so high a head, so soone

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The base earth couerd. Aiax, that of all
The hoast of Greece, had person capitall,
And acts as eminent; excepting his,
Whose armes those were; in whom was nought amisse.
I tride the great Soule with soft words, and said:
Aiax! great sonne of Telamon; arraid
In all our glories! what? not dead resigne
Thy wrath for those curst Armes? The Powres diuine,
In them forg'd all our banes; in thine owne One;
In thy graue fall, our Towre was ouerthrowne.
We mourne (for euer maimd) for thee as much,
As for Achilles: nor thy wrong doth touch,

Iupiter.

In sentence, any, but Saturnius doome;
In whose hate, was the hoast of Greece become
A very horror. Who exprest it well,
In signing thy Fate, with this timelesse Hell.
Approch then (King of all the Grecian merit)
Represse thy great mind, and thy flamie spirit;
And giue the words I giue thee, worthy eare.

All this, no word drew from him; but lesse neare
The sterne Soule kept. To other Soules he fled;
And glid along the Riuer of the dead.
Though Anger mou'd him; yet he might haue spoke;
Since I to him. But my desires were strooke
With sight of other Soules. And then I saw

Minos

Minos, that ministred to Death a law;
And Ioues bright sonne was. He was set, and swaid
A golden Scepter; and to him did pleade
A sort of others, set about his Throne,
In Plutos wide-door'd house; when strait came on,

Orion.

Mightie Orion, who was hunting there,
The heards of those beasts he had slaughterd here,
In desart hils on earth. A Club he bore,
Entirely steele, whose vertues neuer wore.

Tityus.

Tityus I saw: to whom the glorious Earth
Opened her wombe, and gaue vnhappie birth;
Vpwards, and flat vpon the Pauement lay
His ample lims; that spred in their display,
Nine Acres compasse. On his bosome sat
Two Vultures, digging through his caule of fat,
Into his Liuer, with their crooked Beakes;
And each by turnes, the concrete entraile breakes,
(As Smiths their steele beate) set on either side.
Nor doth he euer labour to diuide
His Liuer and their Beakes; nor with his hand,
Offer them off: but suffers by command,
Of th' angrie Thunderer; offring to enforce,
His loue Latona in the close recourse,

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She vsde to Pytho, through the dancing land,
Smooth Panopæus. I saw likewise stand,
Vp to the chin, amidst a liquid lake,
Tormented Tantalus; yet could not slake
His burning thirst. Oft as his scornfull cup,
Th' old man would taste; so oft twas swallowd vp;
And all the blacke earth to his feete descried;
Diuine powre (plaguing him) the lake still dried.
About his head, on high trees, clustering, hung
Peares, Apples, Granets, Oliues, euer yong;
Delicious Figs, and many fruite trees more,
Of other burthen, whose alluring store,
When th' old Soule striu'd to pluck, the winds from sight,
In gloomie vapours, made them vanish quite.

There saw I Sisyphus, in infinite mone,

Sisyphus.

With both hands heauing vp a massie stone;
And on his tip-toes, racking all his height,
To wrest vp to a mountaine top, his freight;
When prest to rest it there (his nerues quite spent)
Downe rusht the deadly Quarrie: the euent
Of all his torture, new to raise againe;
To which, strait set his neuer-rested paine.
The sweate came gushing out from euery Pore;
And on his head a standing mist he wore;
Reeking from thence, as if a cloud of dust
Were raisd about it. Downe with these was thrust,
The Idoll of the force of Hercules.

Hercules.

But his firme selfe, did no such Fate oppresse;
He feasting liues amongst th' immortall States;
White-ankled Hebe, and himselfe, made mates,
In heauenly Nuptials. Hebe, Ioues deare race,
And Iunos; whom the golden Sandals grace.
About him flew the clamors of the dead,
Like Fowles; and still stoopt cuffing at his head.
He, with his Bow, like Night, stalkt vp and downe;
His shaft still nockt; and hurling round his frowne,
At those vext houerers, aiming at them still;
And still, as shooting out, desire to still.
A horrid Bawdricke, wore he thwart his brest;
The Thong all gold, in which were formes imprest,
Where Art and Miracle, drew equall breaths,
In Beares, Bores, Lions, Battels, Combats, Deaths.
Who wrought that worke, did neuer such before;
Nor so diuinely will do euer more.
Soone as he saw, he knew me; and gaue speech:
Sonne of Laertes; high in wisedomes reach;
And yet vnhappie wretch; for in this heart,
Of all exploits atchieu'd by thy desert,

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Thy worth but works out some sinister Fate.
As I in earth did. I was generate
By Ioue himselfe; and yet past meane, opprest
By one my farre inferiour; whose proud hest,
Imposde abhorred labours, on my hand.
Of all which, one was, to descend this Strand,
And hale the dog from thence. He could not thinke
An act that Danger could make deeper sinke;
And yet this depth I drew; and fetcht as hie,
As this was low, the dog. The Deitie,
Of sleight and wisedome, as of downe-right powre,
Both stoopt, and raisd, and made me Conquerour.

This said; he made descent againe as low
As Plutos Court; when I stood firme; for show
Of more Heroes, of the times before;
And might perhaps haue seene my wish of more;
(As Theseus and Pirithous, deriu'd
From rootes of Deitie) but before th' atchieu'd
Rare sight of these; the rank-soul'd multitude
In infinite flocks rose; venting sounds so rude,
That pale Feare tooke me, lest the Gorgons head
Rusht in amongst them; thrust vp, in my dread,
By grim Persephone. I therefore sent
My men before to ship; and after went.
Where, boorded, set, and lancht; th' Ocean waue,
Our Ores and forewinds, speedie passage gaue.

Finis libri vndecimi Hom. Odyss.

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THE XII. BOOKE OF HOMERS ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

He shewes from Hell his safe retreate,
To th' Ile Ææa, Circes seate.
And how he scapt the Sirens calls.
With th' erring Rockes, and waters falls,
That Scylla and Charybdis breake.
The Sunnes stolne Herds; and his sad wreake,
Both of Vlysses ship and men,
His owne head scaping scarce the paine.

Another.

Μυ.

The Rockes that errd;
The Sirens call;
The Sunnes stolne Herd;
The souldiers fall.

Ovr Ship now past the streights of th' Ocean flood;
She plowd the broad seas billowes; and made good,
The Ile Ææa, where the Pallace stands
Of th' early Riser, with the rosie hands,
Actiue Aurora; where she loues to dance;
And where the Sunne doth his prime beames aduance.
When here arriu'd; we drew her vp to land,
And trod our selues the resaluted sand:
Found on the shore, fit resting for the Night;
Slept, and expected the celestiall light.

Soone as the white-and-red-mixt-fingerd Dame,

Reditur ab inferis ad Circen.

Had guilt the mountaines with her Saffron flame;
I sent my men to Circes house before,
To fetch deceast Elpenor to the shore.

Strait swelld the high banks with feld heapes of trees;
And (full of teares) we did due Exequies
To our dead friend. (Whose Corse consum'd with fire,

Elpenor tumulatur.

And honourd Armes: whose Sepulcher entire;
And ouer that, a Columne raisd) his Ore,
Curiously caru'd (to his desire before)
Vpon the top of all his Tombe, we fixt.
Of all Rites fit, his Funerall Pile was mixt.

Nor was our safe ascent from hell, conceald
From Circes knowledge; nor so soone reueald,
But she was with vs, with her bread and food,
And ruddie wine, brought by her sacred brood

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Of woods and Fountaines. In the midst she stood,
And thus saluted vs: Vnhappie men,
That haue (inform'd with all your sences) bene
In Plutos dismall mansion. You shall die
Twice now; where others that Mortalitie,
In her faire armes, holds; shall but once decease.
But eate and drinke out all conceit of these;
And this day dedicate to food and wine;
The following Night to Sleepe. When next shall shine
The chearfull Morning; you shall proue the seas.
Your way, and euery act ye must addresse,
My knowledge of their order shall designe:
Lest with your owne bad counsels, ye encline
Euents as bad against ye; and sustaine
By sea and shore, the wofull ends that raigne
In wilfull actions. Thus did she aduise;
And, for the time, our Fortunes were so wise,
To follow wise directions. All that day
We sate and feasted. When his lower way,
The Sunne had enterd; and the Euen, the hie:
My friends slept on their Gables; she and I,
(Led by her faire hand, to a place apart,
By her well sorted) did to sleepe conuert
Our timed powres. When, all things Fate let fall
In our affaire, she askt; I told her all.
To which she answerd: These things thus tooke end:
And now to those that I informe, attend:
Which (you remembring) God himselfe shall be,
The blessed author of your memorie.

Circe præsagit futura pericula.

First, to the Sirens ye shall come, that taint
The minds of all men, whom they can acquaint

Sirenarum descriptio.

With their attractions. Whosoeuer shall
(For want of knowledge mou'd) but heare the call
Of any Siren: he will so despise
Both wife and children, for their sorceries,
That neuer home turnes his affections streame;
Nor they take ioy in him, nor he in them.
The Sirens will so soften with their song,
(Shrill, and in sensuall appetite so strong)
His loose affections, that he giues them head.
And then obserue: They sit amidst a meade;
And round about it runnes a hedge or wall
Of dead mens bones: their witherd skins and all,
Hung all along vpon it; and these men
Were such as they had fawnd into their Fen,
And then their skins hung on their hedge of bones.
Saile by them therefore; thy companions
Before hand causing to stop euery eare

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With sweete soft waxe so close; that none may heare
A note of all their charmings. Yet may you
(If you affect it) open eare allow
To trie their motion: but presume not so
To trust your iudgement; when your senses go
So loose about you; but giue straight command
To all your men, to bind you foote and hand,
Sure to the Mast; that you may safe approue
How strong in instigation to their loue
Their rapting tunes are. If so much they moue,
That, spite of all your reason, your will stands
To be enfranchisde, both of feete and hands;
Charge all your men before, to sleight your charge,
And rest so farre, from fearing to enlarge,
That much more sure they bind you. When your friends
Haue outsaild these: the danger that transcends
Rests not in any counsaile to preuent;
Vnlesse your owne mind, finds the tract and bent
Of that way, that auoids it. I can say
That in your course, there lies a twofold way;
The right of which, your owne, taught, present wit
And grace diuine, must prompt. In generall yet
Let this informe you: Neare these Sirens shore
Moue two steepe Rocks; at whose feete, lie and rore
The blacke seas cruell billowes: the blest Gods
Call them the Rouers. Their abhord abods
No bird can passe: no not the Doues

πελειας τρηρωνες Columbæ timidæ. What these Doues were, and the whole minde of this place: the Great Macedon asking Chiron Amphipolites, he answered, They were the Pleiades or seuen Stares. One of which (besides his proper imperfection, of being αμυδρος in adeo exilis, vel subobscurus, vt vix appareat) is vtterly obscured or let by these Rocks. Why then, or how, Ioue still supplied the lost one, that the number might be full: Athænaus falles to it, and helps the other out: Interpreting it to be affirmed of their perpetuall septenary number, though there appeared but sixe. But how lame and loathsome these Prozers shew in their affected expositions of the Poeticall Minde, this and an hundred others, spent in meere presumptuous guesse at this inaccessible Poet; I hope will make plaine enough to the most enuious of any thing done, besides their owne set censures, and most arrogant ouer weenings. In the 23. of the Iliads, (being Ψ) at the Games celebrated at Patroclus funerals, they tied to the top of a Mast, πελειαν τρηρωνα timidam Columbam, to shoote at for a game: so that (by these great mens aboue said expositions,) they shot at the Pleiades.

, whose feare
Sire Ioue so loues, that they are said to beare
Ambrosia to him; can their rauine scape;
But one of them, falles euer to the rape
Of those slie rocks. Yet Ioue, another still
Adds to the rest; that so may euer fill
The sacred number. Neuer ship could shunne
The nimble perill wing'd there; but did runne
With all her bulke, and bodies of her men
To vtter ruine. For the seas retaine
Not onely their outragious æsture there;
But fierce assistents, of particular feare,
And supernaturall mischiefe, they expire;
And those are whirlewinds of deuouring fire
Whisking about still. Th' Argiue ship, alone

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(Which bore the

ναυς πασιμελουσα &c. Nauis omnibus Curæ: the ship that hold the care of all men, or of all things: which our Critickes will needs restraine, omnib' heroib' Poetis omnibus, vel Historicis, when the care of all mens preseruatiō is affirmed to be the freight of it: as if Poets and Historians comprehended all things, when I scarce know any that makes them any part of their care. But this likewise is garbige good enough for the monster. Nor wil I tempt our spic't consciences with expressing the diuine mind it includes. Being afraid to affirme any good of poore Poesie, since no man gets any goods by it. And notwithstanding many of our bird-eyd starters at prophanation are for nothing so afraid of it; as that lest their galled consciences (scarce beleeuing the most reall truth, in approbation of their liues) should be rubbed with the confirmation of it, euen in these contemned vanities (as their impieties please to call them,) which by much more learned and pious then themselues, haue euer bene called the raptures of diuine inspiration. By which, Homo supra humanam naturam erigitur; & in Deum transit. Plat.

care of all men) got her gone,
Come from Areta. Yet perhaps euen she
Had wrackt at those Rocks; if the Deitie
That lies by Ioues side, had not lent her hand
To their transmission; since the man that mann'd
In chiefe that voyage, she, in chiefe did loue.
Of these two spitefull Rocks, the one doth shoue
Against the height of heauen, her pointed brow.
A blacke cloud binds it round, and neuer show
Lends to the sharp point: not the cleare blew skie
Lets euer view it. Not the Sommers eye;
Not feruent Autumnes. None, that Death could end
Could euer skale it; or if vp, descend.
Though twenty hands and feete he had for hold:
A polisht ice-like glibnesse doth enfold
The rocke so round, whose midst, a gloomie cell
Shrowds, so farre Westward, that it sees to hell.
From this, keepe you as farre, as from his bow
An able yong man can his shaft bestow.
For here, the

δεινον λελακϝια &c. Grauiter vocifer ans: as all, most vntruly translate it. As they do in the next verse, these words σκυλλακος νεογελης Catuli Leonis. No Lion being here dreamed of, nor any vociferation. δεινον λελακϝια signifying indignam, dissimilem, or horribilem vocem edens: But in what kind horribilem? Not for the grauitie or greatnesse of her voice, but for the vnworthy or disproportionable small whuling of it: she being in the vast frame of her body, as the very words πελωρ κακος signifie, monstrum ingens: whose disproportion and deformitie, is too Poetically (and therein elegantly) ordered, for fat and flat Prozers to comprehend. Nor could they make the Poets words serue their comprehension; and therefore they adde of their owne, ληχεο from whence λελακϝια is deriued, signifying crepo, or stridulé clamo. And σκυλλακος νεογελης, is to be expounded, caruli nuper or recens nati, not Leonis. But thus they botch and abuse the incomparable expressor: Because they knew not how otherwise to be monstrous enough themselues, to helpe out the Monster. Imagining so huge a great body, must needs haue a voice as huge; and then would not our Homer haue likened it to a Lions whelps voyce, but to the Lions owne: and all had bene much too little, to make a voyce answerable to her hugenesse. And therefore found our inimitable master, a new way to expresse her monstrous disproportion: performing it so, as there can be nihil supra. And I would faine learne of my learned Detractor, that will needs haue me onely translate out of the Latine, what Latine translation telles me this? or what Grecian hath euer found this and a hundred other such? Which may be some poore instance, or proofe of my Grecian faculty, as far as old Homer goes in his two simple Poems, but not a sillable further will my sillie spirit presume.

whuling Scylla, shrowds her face:
That breaths a voice, at all parts, no more base
Then are a newly-kitn'd kitlings cries;
Her selfe a monster yet, of boundlesse sise;
Whose sight would nothing please a mortals eies;
No nor the eyes of any God, if he
(Whom nought should fright) fell foule on her; and she
Her full shape shew'd. Twelue foule feete beare about
Her ougly bulke. Sixe huge long necks lookt out
Of her ranke shoulders: euery necke, doth let
A ghastly head out: euery head; three set
Thicke thrust together, of abhorred teeth;
And euery tooth stucke with a sable death.

She lurkes in midst of all her denne; and streakes
From out a ghastly whirle-poole, all her necks;
Where, (gloting round her rocke) to fish she falles;

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And vp rush Dolphins, Dogfish; somewhiles, Whales,
If got within her, when her rapine feeds;
For euer-groning Amphitrite breeds
About her whirlepoole, an vnmeasur'd store;
No Sea-man euer boasted touch of shore
That there toucht with his ship; but still she fed
Of him, and his. A man for euery head
Spoiling his ship of. You shall then descrie
The other humbler Rocke, that moues so nie,
Your dart may mete the distance. It receaues
A huge wilde Fig-tree, curl'd with ample leaues;
Beneath whose shades, diuine Charybdis sits
Supping the blacke deepes. Thrice a day her pits
She drinking all dry; and thrice a day againe,
All, vp she belches; banefull to sustaine.
When she is drinking, dare not neare her draught,
For not the force of Neptune, (if once caught)
Can force your freedome. Therefore in your strife
To scape Charybdis, labour all, for life
To row neare Scylla; for she will but haue
For her sixe heads, sixe men; and better saue
The rest, then all, make offerings to the waue.

This Neede she told me of my losse, when I
Desir'd to know, if that Necessitie
(When I had scap't Charybdis outrages)
My powres might not reuenge; though not redresse?
She answerd: O vnhappy! art thou yet
Enflam'd with warre? and thirst to drinke thy swet?
Not to the Gods giue vp, both Armes, and will?
She, deathlesse is, and that immortall ill
Graue, harsh, outragious, not to be subdu'd,
That men must suffer till they be renew'd.
Nor liues there any virtue that can flie
The vicious outrage of their crueltie.
Shouldst thou put Armes on, and approch the Rocke;
I feare, sixe more must expiate the shocke.
Sixe heads, sixe men aske still. Hoise saile, and flie;
And in thy flight, aloud, on Cratis crie
(Great Scyllas Mother, who, exposde to light
That bane of men;) and she will do such right
To thy obseruance, that she, downe will tread
Her daughters rage; nor let her shew a head.

From thenceforth then, for euer past her care;
Thou shalt ascend, the Ile Triangulare;
Where many Oxen of the Sunne are fed;
And fatted flocks. Of Oxen, fifty head
In euery herd feed; and their herds are seuen;
And of his fat flocks is their number, Euen.

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Increase they yeeld not, for they neuer die;
There euery shepherdesse, a Deitie.
Faire Phaethusa, and Lempetie,
The louely Nymphs are, that their Guardians be.
Who, to the daylights lofty-going flame
Had gracious birthright, from the heauenly Dame
Still yong Neara; who (brought forth and bred)
Farre off dismist them; to see duly fed
Their Fathers herds and flocks in Sicilie.
These herds, and flocks, if to the Deitie
Ye leaue, as sacred things, vntoucht; and on
Goe with all fit care of your home, alone,
(Though through some sufferance) you yet safe shall land
In wished Ithaca. But if impious hand
You lay on those herds to their hurts: I then
Presage sure ruine, to thy ship and men.
If thou escap'st thy selfe, extending home
Thy long'd for landing; thou shalt loded come
With store of losses, most exceeding late,
And not consorted with a saued mate.

This said; the golden-thron'd Aurora rose;
She, her way went, and I did mine dispose
Vp to my ship; weigh'd Anchor, and away.
When reuerend Circe; helpt vs to conuaie
Our vessell safe, by making well inclind
A Sea mans true companion, a forewind;
With which she filld our sailes, when, fitting all
Our Armes close by vs; I did sadly fall
To graue relation, what concernd in Fate
My friends to know, and told them that the state
Of our affaires successe, which Circe had
Presag'd to me alone, must yet be made
To one, nor onely two knowne; but to all:
That since their liues and deaths were left to fall
In their elections; they might life elect,
And giue what would preserue it, fit effect.

I first inform'd them, that we were to flie
The heauenly-singing Sirens harmony,
And flowre-adorned Medow. And that I
Had charge to heare their song; but fetterd fast
In bands, vnfauor'd, to th' erected Mast;
From whence, if I should pray; or vse command
To be enlarg'd; they should with much more band
Containe my struglings. This I simply told
To each particular; nor would withold
What most enioyn'd mine owne affections stay,
That theirs the rather might be taught t'obay.

In meane time, flew our ships; and straight we fetcht

185

The Sirens Ile; a spleenelesse wind, so stretcht
Her wings to waft vs, and so vrg'd our keele.
But hauing reacht this Ile, we could not feele
The least gaspe of it: it was striken dead,
And all the Sea, in prostrate slumber spread:
The Sirens diuell charm'd all. Vp then flew
My friends to worke; strooke saile, together drew,
And vnder hatches stowd them: sat, and plied
Their polisht oares; and did in curls diuide
The white-head waters. My part then came on;
A mighty waxen Cake, I set vpon;
Chopt it in fragments, with my sword; and wrought
With strong hand, euery peece, till all were soft.
The great powre of the Sunne, in such a beame
As then flew burning from his Diademe,
To liquefaction helpt vs. Orderlie,
I stopt their eares; and they, as faire did ply
My feete, and hands with cords; and to the Mast
With other halsers, made me soundly fast.

Then tooke they seate; and forth our passage strooke;
The fomie Sea, beneath their labour shooke.

Rowd on, in reach of an erected voice;
The Sirens soone tooke note, without our noice;
Tun'd those sweete accents, that made charmes so strong;
And these learn'd numbers, made the Sirens song:

Come here, thou, worthy of a world of praise;
That dost so high, the Grecian glory raise;
Vlysses! stay thy ship; and that song heare
That none past euer, but it bent his eare:
But left him rauish, and instructed more
By vs, then any, euer heard before.
For we know all things whatsoeuer were
In wide Troy labour'd; whatsoeuer there
The Grecians and the Troians both sustain'd;
By those high issues that the Gods ordain'd.
And whatsoeuer, all the earth can show
T'informe a knowledge of desert, we know.

This they gaue accent in the sweetest straine
That euer open'd an enamour'd vaine.
When, my constrain'd heart, needs would haue mine eare
Yet more delighted; force way forth, and heare.
To which end I commanded, with all signe
Sterne lookes could make (for not a ioynt of mine
Had powre to stirre) my friends to rise, and giue
My limbs free way. They freely striu'd to driue
Their ship still on. When (farre from will to lose)
Eurylochus, and Perimedes rose
To wrap me surer; and opprest me more

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With many a halser, then had vse before.
When, rowing on, without the reach of sound;
My friends vnstopt their eares; and me, vnbound;
And, that Ile quite we quitted. But againe
Fresh feares emploid vs. I beheld a maine
Of mighty billows, and a smoke ascend:
A horrid murmure hearing. Euery friend
Astonisht sat: from euery hand, his oare
Fell quite forsaken: with the dismall Rore
Where all things there made Echoes, stone still stood
Our ship it selfe: because the ghastly flood
Tooke all mens motions from her, in their owne:
I, through the ship went, labouring vp and downe
My friends recouerd spirits. One by one
I gaue good words, and said: That well were knowne
These ills to them before: I told them all;
And that these could not proue, more capitall
Then those the Cyclop blockt vs vp in; yet
My vertue, wit, and heauen-helpt Counsailes, set
Their freedomes open. I could not beleeue
But they rememberd it, and wisht them giue
My equall care, and meanes, now equall trust:
The strength they had, for stirring vp, they must
Rouze, and extend, to trie if Ioue had laid
His powres in theirs vp, and would adde his aid
To scape euen that death. In particular then
I told our Pylot, that past other men
He, most must beare firme spirits; since he swaid
The Continent, that all our spirits conuaid
In his whole guide of her. He saw there boile
The fierie whirlpooles; that to all our spoile
Inclosde a Rocke: without which, he must stere,
Or all our ruines stood concluded there.

All heard me, and obaid; and little knew
That, shunning that Rocke, sixe of them should rue
The wracke, another hid. For I conceal'd
The heauy wounds that neuer would be heal'd,
To be by Scylla opened; for their feare
Would then haue robd all, of all care to stere;
Or stirre an oare, and made them hide beneath:
When they, and all, had died an idle death.
But then, euen I forgot to shunne the harme
Circe forewarnd: who willd I should not arme,
Nor shew my selfe to Scylla, lest in vaine
I ventur'd life. Yet could not I containe
But arm'd at all parts; and two lances tooke:
Vp to the foredecke went, and thence did looke
That Rockie Scylla would haue first appear'd,

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And taken my life, with the friends I feard.

From thence yet, no place could afford her sight;
Though through the darke rocke, mine eye threw her light,
And ransackt all waies. I then tooke a streight
That gaue my selfe, and some few more receipt
Twixt Scylla, and Charybdis; whence we saw
How horridly Charybdis throat: did draw
The brackish sea vp, which, when all abroad
She spit againe out: neuer Caldron sod
With so much feruor, fed with all the store
That could enrage it. All the Rocke did rore
With troubl'd waters: round about the tops
Of all the steepe crags, flew the fomy drops.
But, when her draught, the sea and earth dissunderd,
The troubl'd bottoms turnd vp, and she thunderd;
Farre vnder shore, the swart sands naked lay.
Whose whole sterne sight, the startl'd blood did fray
From all our faces. And while we on her
Our eyes bestowd thus, to our ruines feare;
Sixe friends had Scylla snatcht out of our keele,
In whom, most losse, did force and virtue feele.
When looking to my ship, and lending eye
To see my friends estates, their heeles turnd hie,
And hands cast vp, I might discerne; and heare
Their calles to me for helpe, when now they were
To try me in their last extremities.
And as an Angler, medcine for surprise
Of little fish, sits powring from the rocks,
From out the crookt horne, of a fold-bred Oxe;
And then with his long Angle, hoists them hie
Vp to the Aire; then sleightly hurles them by,
When, helplesse sprauling on the land they lie:
So easely Scylla to her Rocke had rapt
My wofull friends; and so vnhelpt, entrapt
Strugling they lay beneath her violent rape;
Who in their tortures, desperate of escape;
Shriekt as she tore; and vp, their hands to me
Still threw for sweete life. I did neuer see
In all my sufferance ransacking the seas,
A spectacle so full of miseries.

Thus hauing fled these rocks (these cruell dames
Scylla, Charybdis.) where the king of flames
Hath offerings burnd to him; our ship put in
The Iland, that from all the earth doth winne
The Epithete, Faultlesse: where the broad of head
And famous Oxen, for the Sunne are fed,
With many fat flocks of that high-gone God.
Set in my ship, mine eare reacht, where we rod

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The bellowing of Oxen, and the bleate
Of fleecie sheepe; that in my memories seate
Put vp the formes, that late had bene imprest
By dread Ææan Circe; and the best
Of Soules, and Prophets, the blind Theban Seer;
The wise Tiresias, who was graue decreer
Of my returnes whole meanes. Of which, this one
In chiefe he vrg'd; that I should alwaies shunne
The Iland of the Man-delighting Sunne.
When, (sad at heart for our late losse) I praid
My friends to heare fit counsaile, (though dismaid
With all ill fortunes) which was giuen to me
By Circes, and Tiresias Prophecie;
That I should flie the Ile, where was ador'd
The Comfort of the world: for ills, abhorr'd
Were ambusht for vs there; and therefore, willd
They should put off, and leaue the Ile. This kill'd
Their tender spirits; when Eurylochus
A speech that vext me vtter'd; answering thus:

Cruell Vlysses! Since thy nerues abound
In strength, the more spent; and no toyles confound
Thy able lims, as all beate out of steele;
Thou ablest vs to, as vnapt to feele
The teeth of Labor, and the spoile of Sleepe,
And therefore still, wet wast vs in the deepe;
Nor let vs land to eate; but madly, now;
In Night, put forth, and leaue firme land to strow
The Sea with errors. All the rabide flight
Of winds that ruine ships, are bred in Night.
Who is it, that can keepe off cruell Death,
If suddainly should rush out th' angry breath
Of Notus, or the eager-spirited West?
That cuffe ships, dead; and do the Gods their best!
Serue black Night still, with shore, meate, sleepe, and ease;
And offer to the Morning for the seas.

This all the rest approu'd; and then knew I
That past all doubt, the diuell did apply
His slaughterous works. Nor would they be withheld;
I was but one; nor yeelded, but compell'd.
But all that might containe them, I assaid:
A sacred oath, on all their powres I laid;
That if with herds, or any richest flocks
We chanc't t'encounter; neither sheepe, nor Oxe
We once should touch; nor (for that constant ill
That followes folly) scorne aduice, and kill:
But quiet sit vs downe, and take such food
As the immortall Circe had bestowd.

They swore all this, in all seuerst sort;

189

And then we ancord, in the winding Port;
Neare a fresh Riuer, where the longd-for shore
They all flew out to; tooke in victles store;
And, being full, thought of their friends, and wept
Their losse by Scylla; weeping till they slept.

In Nights third part; when stars began to stoope;
The Cloud-assembler, put a Tempst vp.
A boistrous spirit he gaue it; draue out all
His flocks of clouds; and let such darknesse fall,
That Earth, and Seas for feare, to hide were driuen;
For, with his clouds, he thrust our Night from heauen.

At Morne, we drew our ships into a caue;
In which the Nymphs, that Phœbus cattaile draue;
Faire dancing Roomes had, and their seates of State.
I vrg'd my friends then, that to shunne their Fate,
They would obserue their oath; and take the food
Our ship afforded; nor attempt the blood
Of those faire Herds and Flocks; because they were,
That dreadfull Gods, that all could see, and heare.

They stood obseruant, and in that good mind
Had we bene gone: but so aduerse the wind
Stood to our passage, that we could not go.
For one whole moneth, perpetually did blow
Impetuous Notus; not a breaths repaire
But his, and Eurus, rul'd in all the Aire.
As long yet, as their ruddy wine, and bread
Stood out amongst them; so long, not a head
Of all those Oxen, fell in any strife
Amongst those students for the gut, and life.
But when their victles faild, they fell to prey:
Necessitie compell'd them then, to stray
In rape of fish, and fowle: what euer came.
In reach of hand or hooke; the bellies flame
Afflicted to it. I then, fell to praire;
And (making to a close Retreate, repaire
Free from, both friends, and winds) I washt my hands,
And all the Gods besought, that held commands
In liberall heauen; to yeeld some meane to stay
Their desperate hunger; and set vp the way
Of our returne restraind. The Gods, in steed
Of giuing what I prayd for, powre of deed;
A deedlesse sleepe, did on my lids distill,
For meane to worke vpon, my friends their fill.
For, whiles I slept, there wak't no meane to curb
Their headstrong wants; which he that did disturb
My rule, in chiefe, at all times; and was chiefe
To all the rest in counsaile to their griefe;
Knew well, and of, my present absence tooke

190

His fit aduantage; and their iron strooke
At highest heate. For (feeling their desire
In his owne Entrailes, to allay the fire
That Famine blew in them) he thus gaue way
To that affection: Heare what I shall say,
(Though words will stanch no hunger) euery death
To vs poore wretches, that draw temporall breath,
You know, is hatefull; but all know, to die
The Death of Famine, is a miserie
Past all Death loathsome. Let vs therefore take
The chiefe of this faire herd; and offerings make
To all the Deathlesse that in broad heauen liue;
And, in particular, vow, if we arriue
In naturall Ithaca, to strait erect
A Temple to the haughtie in aspect;
Rich, and magnificent, and all within
Decke it with Relicks many, and diuine.
If yet, he stands incenst, since we haue slaine
His high-browd herd; and therefore will sustaine
Desire to wracke our ship: he is but one;
And all the other Gods, that we attone
With our diuine Rites, will their suffrage giue
To our design'd returne, and let vs liue.
If not; and all take part, I rather craue
To serue with one sole Death, the yawning waue;
Then, in a desert Iland, lie and sterue;
And, with one pin'd life, many deaths obserue.

All cried, He counsailes nobly; and all speed
Made to their resolute driuing. For the feed
Of those coleblacke, faire, broad-browd, Sun-lou'd Beeues:
Had place, close by our ships. They tooke the liues
Of sence, most eminent. About their fall
Stood round, and to the States celestiall
Made solemne vowes: But, other Rites, their ship
Could not afford them; they did therefore strip
The curld-head Oke, of fresh yong leaues, to make
Supply of seruice for their Barly cake.
And, on the sacredly enflam'd, for wine
Powrd purest water; all the parts diuine
Spitting, and rosting: all the Rites beside
Orderly vsing. Then did light diuide
My low, and vpper lids; when, my repaire
Made neare my ship; I met the delicate ayre
Their rost exhal'd. Out instantly I cried;
And said, O Ioue, and all ye Deified,
Ye haue opprest me with a cruell sleepe;
While ye conferd on me, a losse as deepe
As Death descends to. To themselues, alone

191

My rude men, left vngouernd; they haue done
A deed so impious, (I stand well assur'd)
That you will not forgiue, though ye procur'd.

Then flew Lempetie, with the ample Robe,
Vp to her Father, with the golden Globe;
Ambassadresse, t'informe him, that my men
Had slaine his Oxen. Heart-incensed then;
He cried; Reuenge me (Father, and the rest
Both euer liuing, and for euer blest.)
Vlysses impious men, haue drawne the blood
Of those my Oxen, that it did me good
To looke on, walking, all my starrie round;
And when I trod earth, all with medowes crown'd
Without your full amends, Ile leaue heauen quite;
Dis, and the Dead, adorning with my light.

The Cloud-herd answerd; Son! thou shalt be ours,
And light those mortals, in that Mine of flowres;
My red hote flash, shall grase but on their ship,
And eate it, burning, in the boyling deepe.

This by Calypso, I was told, and she
Inform'd it, from the verger Mercurie.

Come to our ship; I chid, and told by name
Each man, how impiously he was to blame.
But chiding got no peace; the Beeues were slaine:
When straight the Gods, fore-went their following paine
With dire Ostents. The hides, the flesh had lost,
Crept, all before them. As the flesh did rost
It bellowd like the Oxe it selfe, aliue.
And yet my souldiers, did their dead Beeues driue
Through all these Prodigies, in daily feasts.
Sixe daies they banqueted, and slue fresh beasts,
And when the seuenth day, Ioue reduc't the wind
That all the moneth rag'd; and so in did bind
Our ship, and vs; was turnd, and calm'd; and we
Lancht, put vp Masts; Sailes hoised, and to Sea.

The Iland left so farre; that land no where;
But onely sea, and skie, had powre t'appeare;
Ioue fixt a cloud aboue our ship; so blacke
That all the sea it darkned. Yet from wracke
She ranne a good free time: till from the West
Came Zephyre ruffling forth; and put his breast
Out, in a singing tempest; so most vast,
It burst the Gables, that made sure our Mast;
Our Masts came tumbling downe: our cattell downe,
Rusht to the Pump: and by our Pylots crowne
The maine Mast, past his fall; pasht all his Skull,
And all this wracke, but one flaw, made at full.
Off from the Sterne, the Sternesman, diuing fell,

192

And from his sinews, flew his Soule to hell.
Together, all this time, Ioues Thunder chid;
And through, and through the ship, his lightning glid:
Till it embrac't her round: her bulke was filld
With nasty sulphur; and her men were killd:
Tumbl'd to Sea, like Sea-mews swumme about,
And there the date of their returne was out.

I tost from side to side still, till all broke
Her Ribs were with the storme: and she did choke
With let-in Surges; for, the Mast torne downe;
Tore her vp pecemeale; and for me to drowne
Left little vndissolu'd. But to the Mast
There was a lether Thong left; which I cast
About it, and the keele; and so sat tost
With banefull weather, till the West had lost
His stormy tyranny. And then arose
The South, that bred me more abhorred woes;
For backe againe his blasts expelld me, quite
On rauenous Charybdis. All that Night
I totter'd vp and downe, till Light, and I
At Scyllas Rocke encounterd; and the nie
Dreadfull Charybdis. As I draue on these,
I saw Charybdis, supping vp the seas;
And had gone vp together, if the tree
That bore the wilde figs, had not rescu'd me;
To which I leapt, and left my keele; and hie
Chambring vpon it, did as close imply
My brest about it, as a Reremouse could:
Yet, might my feete, on no stub fasten hold
To ease my hands: the roots were crept so low
Beneath the earth; and so aloft did grow
The far-spred armes, that (though good height I gat)
I could not reach them. To the maine Bole, flat
I therefore still must cling; till vp againe
She belcht my Mast, and after that, amaine
My keele came tumbling: so at length it chanc't,
To me, as to a Iudge; that long aduanc't
To iudge a sort of hote yong fellowes iarres,
At length time frees him from their ciuill warres;
When, glad, he riseth, and to dinner goes;
So time, at length, releast with ioyes my woes,
And from Charybdis mouth, appear'd my keele.
To which (my hand, now loosd; and now, my heele)
I altogether, with a huge noise, dropt;
Iust in her midst fell, where the Mast was propt;
And there rowd off, with owers of my hands.
God, and Mans Father, would not, from her sands
Let Scylla see me; for I then had died

193

That bitter death, that my poore friends supplied.

Nine Daies at Sea, I houer'd: the tenth Night
In th' Ile Ogygia, where about the bright
And right renoum'd Calypso, I was cast
By powre of Deitie; Where I liu'd embrac't
With Loue, and feasts. But why should I relate
Those kind occurrents? I should iterate
What I in part, to your chaste Queene and you
So late imparted. And for me to grow
A talker ouer of my tale againe,
Were past my free contentment to sustaine.

Finis duodecimi libri Hom. Odyss.

Opus nouem dierum.

Συν θεω.

195

THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses (shipt but in the Euen,
With all the Presents he was giuen;
And sleeping then) is set, next Morne
In full scope of his wisht returne
And treads unknown his Country shore
Whose search, so many winters wore.
The Ship (returning, and arriv'd
Against the City) is depriv'd
Of Forme; And all her motion gone,
Transform'd by Neptune to a stone.

Vlysses (let to know the Strand
Where the Phaecions made him Land)
Consults with Pallas, for his life
Of euery Woer of his Wife.
His Gifts, she hides within a Cave;
And him, into a man more Grave:
All hid in wrinkles, cracked, gray
Transform'd; who so, goes on his way.

Another

Νυ

Phaecia
Ulysses leaves:
Whom Ithaca
Unawares, receaves.

He said; And silence all their Tongues contain'd
(In admiration) when with pleasure claim'd
Their eares had long bene to him. At last brake
Alcinous silence; and in this sort spake
To th' Ithacensian, Laertes Sonne:
O Ithacus! (How ever over-runne
With former sufferings in your way for home)
Since 'twas, at last, your happy Fate to come
To my high-rooft, and Brasse-foundation'd house:
I hope, such speede, and passe auspicious
Our Loues shall yeeld you, that shall no more
VVander, nor suffer, homewards, as before.

You then, whoeuer, that are ever grac'st
VVith all choise of authoriz'd power, to tast

196

Such wine with me, as warmes the sacred Rage;
And is an

γερουσιος οινος quod pro Honorario senibus datur And because the worde so Englisht, hath no other to expresse it, sounding wel, & helping our language, it is here usde.

Honorarie giuen to Age.
With which, ye likewise, heare Diuinely sing
(In Honors praise) the Poet of the King:
I moue, by way of my command, to this;
That where, in an elaborate Chist there lies
A Present for our Guest: Attires of price;
And Gold, engrauen with infinite deuice:
I wish that each of vs should adde beside
A Tripod, and a Caldron amplified
With size, and Mettall of most rate, and great.
For we (in counsaile of taxation, met)
Will from our Subiects, gaine their worth againe;
Since 'tis vnequall one man should sustaine
A charge so waighty, being the grace of all;
VVhich, borne by many, is a waight but small.

Thus spake Alcinous, and pleas'd the rest;
VVhen each man clos'd, with home, & sleep, his feast
But when the colour-giuing light arose;
All, to the Ship, did

Intending in chiefe the Senators, with euery mans addition of gift.

all their speeds dispose;
And wealth (yt

ευηνορα χαλκον, Bene-honestos-faciens-æs.

honest men makes) broght with them.
All which; euen he, that wore the Diadem
Stow'd in the Ship himselfe, beneath the seats
The Rowers sate in; stooping, lest their lets
In any of their labors, he might proue
Then home he turn'd: and after him, did moue
The whole assembly to expected feast.
Amongst whom, he a sacrifice addrest,
And slue an Oxe, to weather-wielding Ioue;
Beneath whose Empire, all things are, and moue.

The thighs then rosting, they made glorious chere,
Delighted highly; and amongst them there,
The honor'd of the people vs'd his voice,
Diuine Demodocus. Yet through this choice
Of Cheere, and Musicke, had Vlysses still
An Eye directed to the Easterne hill,
To see Him rising, that illustrates all.
For now into his minde, a fire did fall
Of thirst for home: And as in hungry vow
To needfull food, a man at fixed Plow;
(To whom, the black Oxe all day long hath turn'd
The stubborne fallows up; his stomacke burn'd
VVith empty heate, and appetite to food;
His knees afflicted with his spirit-spent blood)
At length the long-expected Sun-set sees;
That he may sit to foode, and rest his knees:
So, to Vlysses, set the friendly light
The Sun affoorded, with as wish't a sight

197

VVho, straight bespake, that Ore-affecting State:
But did in chiefe, his speech appropriate
To him by Name, that with their Rule was crown'd.

Alcinous? Of all men, most renown'd,

Vlysses to Alcinous.

Dismisse me, with as safe passe, as you vow;
(Your offering past) and may the Gods to you
In all contentment, vse as full a hand:
For now, my landing heere, and stay shall stand
In all perfection with my hearts desire;
Both my so safe deduction to aspire,
And louing gifts; which, may the Gods to me,
As blest in vse make, as your acts are free:
Euen to the finding firme, in loue, and life,
VVith all desir'd euent, my friends, and wife.
VVhen, as my selfe shall liue delighted there;
May you, with your wiues, rest as happy here:
Your Sonnes and Daughters (in particular State)
With euery vertue rendred consummate:
And, in your generall Empire, may ill neuer
Approch your Land; but good your good quit euer.

This, all applauded, and all ioyntly cried;
Dismisse the Stranger: he hath dignified
With fit speech, his dismission. Then the King
Thus charg'd the Herrald: Fill for offering

Alcinous to the Herrald.

A bowl of wine: which through the whol large house
Dispose to all men; that propitious,
Our Father Ioue made, with our prayers; we may
Giue home our Guest, in full and wished way.

This said; Pontonous commixt a Bowle
Of such sweete wine, as did delight the soule:
VVhich making sacred to the blessed Gods,
That hold in broad heauen their supreame abodes;
God-like Vlysses, from his chaire arose,
And in the hands of th' Empresse, did impose
The all-round Cup: To whom (faire spoke) he saide;

Reioyce, O Queene, and be your ioyes repaide

Vlysses to Arete.

By heauen, for me, till age and death succeede;
Both which, inflict their most vnwelcome neede,
On Men and Dames, alike. And, first (for me)
I must from hence, to both: Liue you heere free;
And euer may, all liuing blessings spring;
Your ioy in Children, Subiects, and your King.

This saide, diuine Vlysses tooke his way:
Before whom, the vnalterable sway
Of King Alcinous virtue, did command
A Heralds fit attendance to the Strand
And Ship appointed. VVith him, likewise went
Handmaids, by Aretes iniunction sent.

198

One bore an Out and In-weede, faire and sweete;
The other an embroider'd Cabinet:
The third, had Bread to beare, and ruddy wine;
All which, (at Sea, and Ship arriu'd) resigne,
Their Freight confer'd. VVith faire attendants then,
The sheets and bedding of the Man of men,
VVithin a Cabin of the hollow Keele,
Spred, and made soft; that sleepe might sweetly seele
His restfull eyes; He enter'd, and his Bed,
In silence, tooke. The Rowers ordered
Themselues in seuerall seates: and then set gone
The Ship; the Gable from the hollow stone
Dissolu'd, and weigh'd vp: Altogether, close
Then beate the Sea. His lids, in sweete repose

The sound sleepe of Vlysses. Similitude.

Sleepe bound so fast, it scarse gaue way to breath;
Inexcitable, most deare, next of all to death.
And as amids a faire field, foure braue horse
Before a Chariot, stung into their course
With feruent lashes of the smarting Scourge;
That all their fire blowes high; and makes them vrge
To vtmost speede, the measure of their ground:
So bore the Ship aloft, her fiery Bound;
About whom rusht the billowes, blacke, and vast;
In which the Sea-roares burst. As firme as fast
She ply'd her Course yet: Nor her winged speede,
The Faulcou gentle, could for pace, exceede.
So cut she through the waues, and bore a Man,
Euen with the Gods, in counsailes; that began
And spent his former life, in all misease:
Battailes of men, and rude waues of the Seas;
Yet now, securely slept, forgetting all.
And when heauens brightest star, that first doth call
The early morning out, aduanc't her head;
Then, neere to Ithaca, the Billow-bred
Phæacian Ship approch't. There is a Port,

The description of Phorcys Hauen.

That th' aged Sea-God Phorcys makes his Fort:
Whose earth, the Ithacensian people owne.
In which, two Rockes inaccessible, are growne
Farre forth into the Sea; vvhose each strength binds
The boistrous waues in, from the high-flowne winds
On both the out-parts so, that all within
The well-built Ships, that once their harbour win
In his calme bosome; without Anchor, rest
Safe, and vnstir'd. From forth the hauens high crest,
Branch the well-brawn'd armes of an Oliue tree.
Beneath which, runs a Caue, from all Sun free;
Coole, and delightsome: Sacred to th' accesse
Of Nymphs, whose sur-names are the Naiades:

199

In which, flew humming Bees; in which lay throwne
Stone cups, Stone vessels, Shittles, all of stone;
With which, the Nymphs their purple Mantles woue:
In whose contexture, Art and wonder stroue.
In which, pure Springs perpetually ran;
To which, two entries were: the one for man,
(On which the North breath'd:) th' other, for the gods
(On which, the South:) and that, bore no abodes
For earthy men: But onely deathlesse feete
Had there free way. This Port, these men thoght meet
To Land Vlysses; being the first, they knew.
Drew then, their Ship in: but no further drew
Then halfe her bulke reach't: by such cunning hand
Her course was manag'd. Then her men tooke land;
And first, brought forth Vlysses: Bed, and all
That richly furnisht it; he still in thrall
Of all-subduing sleepe. Vpon the sand
They set him softly downe; and then, the Strand
They strew'd with all the goods he had, bestow'd
By the renown'd Phæacians; since he show'd
So much Minerua. At the Oliue roote
They drew them then in heape, most far from foote
Of any Trauailer: least, ere his eyes
Resum'd their charge, they might be others prize.

These, then turn'd home: nor was the seas supreme
Forgetful of his threats, for Polypheme
Bent at diuine Vlysses: yet would proue
(Ere their performance) the decree of Ioue.

Father! No more the Gods shall honor me,

Neptune to Iupiter.

Since men despise me; and those men that see
The

The Phæacians were descended Originally frō Neptune.

Light, in Linage of mine owne lou'd race.
I vow'd Vlysses, should before the grace
Of his returne, encounter woes enow
To make that purchase deare: yet, did not vow
Simply against it, since thy Brow had bent
To his reduction; in the fore-consent
Thou hadst vouchsaf't it: yet before, my minde
Hath full powre on him; the Phæacians finde
Their owne minds satisfaction, vvith his Passe:
So farre from suffering, what my pleasure was;
That ease, and softnesse, now is habited
In his secure brest: and his carelesse head,
Return'd in peace of sleepe to Ithaca.
The Brasse and Gold of rich Phæacia
Rocking his Temples. Garments richly wouen;
And worlds of Prize more, then was euer strouen
From all the conflicts he sustain'd at Troy,
If safe, he should his full share there, inioy.

200

Iupiter to Neptune.

The Showre-dissoluer answerd: VVhat a speech
Hath past thy Pallate, O thou great in Reach
Of wrackfull Empire? Farre the Gods remaine
From scorne of thee: For, 'twere a worke of paine
To prosecute, with ignonimies, One
That swaies our ablest, and most ancient Throne.
For men; If any so beneath in power,
Neglect thy high will: now, or any houre
That moues heereafter; take reuenge to thee;
Soothe all thy will, and be thy pleasure free.

VVhy then (said he) thou blacker of the fumes

Neptune to Iupiter.

That dimme the Sun; my licenst power resumes
Act from thy speech: but I obserue so much,
And feare thy pleasure, that I dare not touch
At any inclination of mine owne,
Till thy consenting influence be knowne.
But now; this curious-built Phæacian Ship,
Returning from her Conuoy, I will strip
Of all her fleeting matter; and to stone
Transforme and fixe it (iust when she hath gone
Her full time home; and iets before their prease
In all her trim) amids the Sable Seas.
That they may cease to conuoy strangers still,
VVhen they shall see, so like a mighty Hill
Their glory sticke before their Cities grace,
And my

αμφικαλυπτω. Superinijcio aliquid, tanquam tegmen seu operimentum.

hands cast a maske before her face.

O friend, (said Ioue) it shewes to me the best
Of al earths obiects; that their whole prease, drest
In all their wonder; neere their Towne shall stand
And stare vpon a Stone, so neere the Land,
So like a Ship, and dam vp all their lights,
As if a Mountaine interposde their sights.

VVhen Neptune heard this, he for Scheria went,
VVhence the Phæacians tooke their first descent.
VVhich when he reacht, and in her swiftest pride,
The water-treader, by the Cities side
Came cutting close; close he came swiftly on;
Tooke her in violent hand, and to a Stone
Turnd all her syluane substance. All below,
Firmd her with Rootes, & left her. This strange show
VVhen the Phæacians saw, they stupid stood,
And askt each other, who amids the flood
Could fixe their Ship so, in her full speed home?
And quite transparant, make her bulke become?

Thus talkt they; but were farre from knowing how

Alcinous tels his people how the Ship became a Stone.

These things had issue. VVhich their King did show,
And saide; O friends, the ancient Prophesies
My Father told to me, to all our eyes

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Are now in proofe: he saide, the time would come,
VVhen Neptune, for our safe conducting home
All sorts of Strangers (out of enuy fir'd)
Would meete our fairest Ship as she retir'd;
And all the goodly Shape, and speed we bost,
Should like a Mountaine stand before vs lost,
Amids the mouing waters; which we see
Perform'd in full end to our prophesie.
Heare then my counsaile, and obey me then:
Renounce henceforth our conuoy home of men;
Who euer shall heereafter greete our Towne.
And to th' offended Deities Renowne;
Twelue chosen Oxen let vs sacred make,
That he may pitty vs: and from vs take
This shady Mountaine. They, in feare, obaide;
Slew all the Beeues, and to the Godhead praide:
The Dukes and Princes, all ensphearing round
The sacred Altar. While whose Tops were croun'd,
Diuine Vlysses (on his Countries brest
Laid bound in sleepe) now rose out of his rest:
Nor (being so long remou'd) the Region knew.
(Besides which absence yet) Minerua threw
A cloud about him; to make strange the more
His safe arriuall: lest, vpon his Shore
He should make knowne his face, and vtter all
That might preuent, th' euent that was to fall.
VVhich she prepar'd so well, that not his wife
(Presented to him) should perceiue his life:
No Citizen, no Friend; till righteous Fate
Vpon the vvooers wrongs, were consummate.
Through which cloud, all things show'd now to the King
Of forreign fashion. The enflowred Spring,
Amongst the Trees there. The perpetuall waues;
The Rockes, that did more high their foreheads raise
To his Rapt eye, then naturally they did:
And all the Hauen, in which a man seem'd hid
From winde, & weather, when storms loudest chid.

He therefore, being risen, stood and viewd
His countrey earth: which (not perceiu'd) he rew'd:
And, striking with his hurld-downe hands his Thyes,
He mourn'd, and saide: O me! Againe where lyes
My desart way? To wrongfull men, and rude?
And with no Lawes of humane right indu'de?
Or are they humane, and of holy minds?
What fits my deede with these so many kinds
Of goods late giuen? VVhat, with my selfe, wil floods
And Errors do? I would to God; these Goods
Had rested with their Owners: and that I

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Had falne on Kings of more Regality,
To grace out my returne; that lou'd indeed,
And would haue giuen me Consorts of fit speed
To my distresses ending! But, as now
All knowledge flyes me, where I may bestow
My labour'd purchase. Heere they shall not stay,
Lest what I car'd for, others make their prey.
O Gods! I see, the great Phæacians then
VVere not all iust, and vnderstanding men;
That land me elsewhere then their vants pretended:
Assuring me, my countrey should see ended
My miseries told them: yet now, eate their vants.
O Ioue! great Guardian of poore Suppliants,
That others sees, and notes too; shutting in
All in thy plagues, that most presume on Sin,
Reuenge me on them. Let me number now
The goods they gaue, to giue my minde to know
If they haue stolne none, in their close retreat.

The goodly Caldrons then, and Tripods (set
In seuerall rankes from out the heape) he told.
His rich wrought garments too, and all his Gold:
And nothing lack't; and yet this Man did mourne,
The but supposd misse of his home returne.
And, creeping to the shore, with much complaint;

Minerua like a Shepheard (such as Kings sonnes vsde at those times to be) appears to Vlysses.

Minerua, (like a Shepheard, yong, and quaint,
As King sonnes are: a double Mantle cast
A'thwart his Shoulders, his faire goers grac'st
With fitted shooes; and in his hand, a Dart)
Appear'd to him, whose sight reioyc't his hart.
To whom he came, and saide: O Friend? Since first
I meete your fight heere: Be all good, the worst
That can ioyne our encounter: Fare you Faire;
Nor with aduerse minde, welcome my repaire:
But guard these goods of mine, and succour me.
As to a God, I offer prayers to thee,
And low accesse make, to thy loued knee.
Say truth, that I may know, what countrey then?
What commune people liue heere? And what men?
Some famous Isle is this? Or giues it vent
(Being neere the Sea) to some rich Continent?

Pallas to Vlysses.

She answer'd; Stranger, what so ere you are;
Y'are either foolish, or come passing farre,
That know not this Isle, and make that doubt, troble;
For 'tis not so exceedingly ignoble,
But passing many know it: and so many,
That, of all Nations, there abides not any,
From where the Morning rises, and the Sun;
To where the Euen, and Night their courses run,

203

But know this countrey. Rocky 'tis, and rough;
And so, for vse of horse vnapt enough:
Yet, with

λυπρος, I. Velut tristia, Ieiunaque natura.

sad Barrennesse not much infested,
Since clowds are heere in frequent raines digested,
And flowry dewes. The compasse is not great;
The little yet, well fild with wine, and wheat.
It feeds a Goat, and Oxe well; being still
Water'd with floods, that euer ouer-fill
VVith heauens continual showers: and woodded so,
It makes a Spring of all the kindes that grow.
And therefore, Stranger, the extended name
Of this Dominion, makes accesse by Fame,
From this extreame part of Achaia,
As farre as Ilion; and 'tis Ithaca.

This ioy'd him much, that so vnknowne a Land,
Turn'd to his countrey. Yet so wise a hand
He carried, euen of this ioy, flowne so hye,
That other end he put to his reply,
Then straight to shew that ioy, and lay abrode
His life to Strangers. Therefore, he bestowd
A veile on Truth: For euermore did winde
About his bosome, a most crafty minde,

Vlysses to Pallas.

VVhich thus his words shew'd. I haue farre at Sea,
In spacious Crete, heard speake of Ithaca;
Of which, my selfe (it seemes) now reach the shore,
VVith these my Fortunes; whose whole value more
I left in Crete amongst my children there;
From whence I flye, for being the slaughterer
Of royall Idomeus most loued Son;
Swift-foote Orsilochus, that could out-run
Profest men for the race. Yet him I slue,
Because he would depriue me of my due
In Troian prize: for which, I suffer'd so
(The rude waues piercing) the redoubled wo
Of minde and body, in the warres of men:
Nor did I gratifie his Father then
VVith any seruice; But, as well as he,
Sway'd in command of other Souldiery.
So, with a friend withdrawne, we way-laide him,
VVhen gloomy Night, the cope of heauen did dim,
And no man knew. But we (lodg'd close) he came,
And I put out, to him, his vitall flame.
VVhose slaughter, hauing author'd with my sword,
I instant flight made; and straight fell aboord
A Ship of the renown'd Phœnician State;
VVhen prayer, and pay, at a sufficient rate
Obtain'd my Passe, of men in her command:
VVhom I inioyn'd to set me on the land

204

Of Pylos, or of Elis, the diuine,
VVhere the Epeyans in great Empire shine.
But force of weather check't that course to them,
Though (loath to faile me) to their most extreme
They spent their willing pow'rs. But, forc't frō thence,
VVe err'd, and put in heere, with much expence
Of Care and Labour: and in dead of Night,
VVhen no man there, seru'd any appetite,
So much as with the Memory of food,
Though our estates exceeding Needy stood.
But, going ashore, we lay; when gentle sleepe
My weary pow'rs inuaded: and from Ship,
They fetching these my Riches, with iust hand
About me laide them: while vpon the sand
Sleepe bound my senses; and for Sydon, they
(Put off from hence) made saile: while heere I lay,
Left sad alone. The Goddesse laught, and tooke
His hand in hers; and with another looke,
(Assuming then the likenesse of a Dame,
Louely and goodly, expert in the frame
Of vertuous Huswiferies) she answerd thus.

Pallas to Vlysses.

He should be passing slie, and couetous

επικλοπες, furandi auidus.

Of stealth, in mens deceits, that coted thee,
In any craft; though any God should be
Ambitious to exceede in subtilty.

σχετλιε ποικιλομητα. varia & multiplicia habens consilia.

Thou still-wit-varying wretch! Insatiate
In ouer-reaches: Not secure thy state
Without these wiles? Though on thy Natiue shore
Thou setst safe footing? But vpon thy store
Of false words, still spend? That euen from thy byrth
Haue bene thy best friends? Come: our either worth
Is knowne to either: Thou, of Men, art far
(For words and counsailes) the most singular;
But I, aboue the Gods, in both, may bost
My still-tried Faculties. Yet thou hast lost
The knowledge euen of me: the seede of Ioue,
Pallas Athenia; that haue still out-stroue
In all thy Labors, their extremes; and stood
Thy sure guard euer: making all thy good,
Knowne to the good Phæacians, and receiu'd.
And now againe, I greete thee, to see weau'd
Fresh Counsailes for thee: and will take on me
The close reseruing of these goods for thee,
VVhich the renown'd Phæacian States bestow'd
At thy deduction homewards; Onely mou'd
VVith my, both spirit and counsell. All which grace
I now will amplifie, and tell what case
Thy houshold stands in; vttering all those paines,

205

That, of meere need, yet still must racke thy vaines;
Do thou then freely beare; Nor one word giue
To Man nor Dame, to shew thou yet dost liue:
But silent, suffer ouer all againe
Thy sorrowes past; and beare the wrongs of Men.

Goddesse (said he) vniust men, and vnwise,

Vlysses to Pallas.

That author iniuries, and vanities;
By vanities and wrongs, should rather be
Bound to this ill-abearing destiny,
Then iust, and wise men. VVhat delight hath heauen,
That liues vnhurt it selfe, to suffer giuen
Vp to all domage, those poore few that striue
To imitate it? and like the Deities liue?
But where you wonder, that I know you not
Through all your changes; that skill is not got
By sleight or Art: since thy most hard-hit face,
Is still distinguisht by thy free-giuen grace.
And therefore truly to acknowledge thee
In thy encounters, is a maistery
In men most knowing. For to all men, thou
Tak'st seuerall likenesse. All men thinke they know
Thee in their wits. But, since thy seeming view
Appeares to all; and yet thy truth, to few:
Through all thy changes, to discern thee right,
Askes chiefe Loue to thee; and inspired light.
But this, I surely know; that some yeares past,
I haue beene often with thy presence grac'st,
All time the sonnes of Greece wag'd warre at Troy:
But when Fates full houre, let our swords enioy
Our vowes, in sacke of Priams lofty Towne:
Our Ships all boorded; and when God had blowne
Our Fleete in sunder, I could neuer see
The seede of Ioue; Nor once distinguish thee
Boording my Ship, to take one woe from me.
But onely in my proper spirit inuolu'd,
Err'd, here and there quite slaine; til heauen dissolu'd
Me, and my ill: which chanc't not, till thy grace
By open speech confirm'd me; in a place
Fruitfull of people: where, in person, thou
Didst giue me guide, and all their City show;
And that was the renown'd, Phæacian earth.
Now then; euerr by the author of thy Birth,
Vouchsafe my doubt the Truth (for farre it flies
My thoughts; that thus should fall into thine eies
Conspicuous Ithaca: but feare I touch
At some farre Shore; and that thy wit is such,
Thou dost delude me) Is it sure the same,
Most honor'd earth, that beares my countries name?

206

I see (sayd she) thou wilt be euer thus,
In euery worldly good, incredulous.
And therefore, haue no more the power, to see
Fraile life more plagu'd with infelicity;
In one so eloquent, ingenious wise.
Another man, that so long miseries
Had kept from his lou'd home; and thus return'd
To see his house, wife, children, would haue burn'd
In headlong lust to visit. Yet t'enquire,
VVhat states they hold, affects not thy desire,
Till thou hast tried: If in thy wife, there be
A Sorrow, wasting dayes, and nights for thee,
In Louing teares: That then the fight may proue
A full reward, for eithers mutuall Loue.
But I would neuer, credit in you both
Least cause of sorrow; but well knew, the troth
Of this thine owne returne: though all thy Friends,
I knew, as well, should make returnlesse ends.
Yet would not crosse mine Vnkle Neptune so
To stand their safegard; since so high did go
His wrath, for thy extinction of the eye
Of his lou'd sonne. Come then, Ile show thee why
I call this Isle, thy Ithaca; To ground
Thy credit on my words: This haven is own'd
By th' aged Sea god Phorcys: in whose Brow,
This is the Oliue with the ample bow;
And heere close by, the pleasant-shaded Caue,
That to the Fount-Nymphs, th'Ithacensians gave
As Sacred to their pleasures heere doth run
The large, and couer'd den, where thou hast done
Hundreds of Offerings to the Naiades.
Here, Mount Nerytus shakes his curled Tresse
Of shady woods. This sayd, she cleer'd the clowd
That first deceyu'd his tyes; and all things show'd
His countrey to him. Glad he stood with fight
Of his lou'd Soile; and kist it, with delight.
And instantly, to all the Nymphs hee paide
(With hands held vp to heauen) these vowes, & said.

Ye Nymphs the Naiades, great seed of Ioue:
I had conceite, that neuer more should moue
Your sight, in these spheres of my erring eyes;
And therefore, in the fuller Sacrifice
Of my hearts gratitude; Reioyce till more
I pay your Names, in Offerings, as before.
VVhich heere I vow; If Ioues benigne descent
(The mighty Pillager) with life convent
My person home; and to my sau'd decease,
Of my lou'd sonnes sight; adde the sweet increase.

207

Be confident (saide Pallas) nor oppresse
Thy spirits with care of these performances;
But these thy fortunes, let vs straight repose
In this diuine Caues bosome, that may close
Reserue their value; and we then may see
How best to order other acts to thee.

Thus entred she the light-excluding Caue;
And through it, sought some inmost nooke to saue
The Gold, the great Brasse, & robes richly wrought,
Giuen to Vlysses. All which, in he brought;
Laid downe in heape; and she impos'd a stone
Close to the cauernes mouth. Then sat they on
The sacred Oliues roote, consulting how
To act th' insulting wooers ouerthrow.
VVhen Pallas saide; Examine how the means
That best may lay hand on the impudence
Of those proud wooers: that haue now three yeares
Thy Roofes rule swai'd; and bene bold Offerers
Of suite, and gifts, to thy renowned wife;
VVho for thy absence, all her desolate life,
Dissolues in teares till thy desir'd returne.
Yet all her wooers, while shee thus doth mourne
She holds in hope; and euery one affords
(In fore-sent message) promise. But her words
Beare other vtterance then her heart approves.

O Gods (said Ithacus) it now behoves
My Fate to end me, in the ill deceasse
That Agamemnon vnderwent, vnlesse
You tell me, and in time, their close intents.
Aduise then meanes, to the reueng'd euents
VVe both resolue on. Be thy selfe so kinde
To stand close to me; and but such a minde
Breath in my bosome, as when th'Ilion Fowres
VVe tore in Cinders. O if equall powres
Thou wouldst enflame, amids my Nerues as then,
I could encounter with three hundred men:
Thy onely selfe (great Goddesse) had to friend,
In those braue ardors thou wer't wont t'extend.

I will be strongly with thee, (answer'd she)
Nor must thou faile, but do thy part with me.
VVhen both whose pow'rs cōbine, I hope the bloods
And braines of some of these that waste thy goods
Shall strew thy goodly Pauements. Ioyne we then:
I first will render thee vnknowne to men.
And on thy solid Lineaments, make dry
Thy now smooth skin. Thy bright-brown curles imply
In hoary mattings: thy broad shoulders cloath

208

In such a cloake, as euery eye shall loath.
Thy bright eyes, bleare and wrinkle; and so change
Thy forme at all parts, that thou shalt be strange
To all the VVooers; thy yong sonne, and wife.
But, to thy Herdsman first present thy life;
That guards thy Swine, and wisheth well to thee;
That loues thy sonne, and wife Penelope.
Thy search shall finde him, set aside his Heard,
That are with tast-delighting Acornes rear'd:
And drinke the darke-deepe water of the Spring
Bright Arethusa; the most nourishing
Raiser of Heards. There stay, and (taking feate
Aside thy Heardsman) of the whole State, treate
Of home occurrents; while I make accesse

Σπαρτης καλλιγυναικα

To faire-dame breeding Sparta: for regresse
Of lou'd Telemachus: who went in quest
Of thy lou'd fame; and liu'd the welcome Guest
Of Menelaus. The much-knower saide:

Why wouldst not thou (in whose grave brest is bred
The Art to order all acts) tell in this
His error to him? Let those yeares of his
Amids the rude seas wander, and sustaine
The woes there raging? while vnworthy men
Deuoure his fortunes? Let not care extend.
Thy heart for him (saide she) my selfe did send
His person in thy search, to set his worth
(By good fame blowne) to such a distance forth.
Nor suffers he, in any least degree
The griefe you feare: but all variety
That Plenty can yeeld, in her quietst fare.
In Menelaus Court, doth sit and share.
In whose returne from home, the Wooers yet
Lay bloudy ambush; and a Ship haue set
To Sea, to intercept his life before
He touch againe his births attempted shore.
All which, my thoughts lay, they shall neuer do,
But rather, that the earth shall ouergo
Some one at least, of these Loue-making men;
By which thy goods, so much empaire sustain.
Thus vsing certaine secret words to him,
She toucht him with her rod; and euery lim
VVas hid all ouer with a wither'd skin:
His bright eies, blear'd; his brow curles, white & thin;
And all things did an aged man present.
Then (for his owne weeds) Shirt and coat, all rent;
Tann'd, and all sootied, with noisome smoke,
She put him on; and ouer all, a cloke

209

Made of a Stags huge hide: of which was worne
The haire quite off. A Scrip all patcht and torne,
Hung by a cord, oft broke, and knit againe,
And with a staffe did his old limbs sustaine.
Thus hauing both consulted of th' euent,
They parted both: and forth to Sparta went
The gray-ey'd Goddesse, to see all things done
That appertain'd to wise Vlysses sonne.

The End of the Thirteenth Booke of Homers Odysses.

210

THE FOVRTEENTH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses meets amids the Field
His Swaine Eumæus; who doth yeild
Kinde Guest rites to him; and relate
Occurrents of his wrong'd estate.

Another.

Ξι

Vlysses faines,
for his true Good:
His pious Swaines
faith vnderstood.

Bvt he, the rough way tooke from forth the Port,
Through woods, and hill tops, seeking the resort
Where Pallas said, diuine Eumæus liu'd:
Who, of the fortunes that were first atchieu'd
By God-like Ithacus, in household rights,
Had more true care then all his

προσυλος materiæ adhærens. Item, qui rebus Mundanis deditus est.

Prosylites.
He found him sitting in his Cottage dore;
VVhere he had rais'd to euery ayry Blore,
A Front of great height; and in such a place,
That round ye might behold: of circular grace
A walke so wound about it: which the Swain
(In absence of his farre-gone Soueraine)
Had built himselfe, without his Queenes supply,
Or old Laertes; to see safely lye
His housed herd. The inner part, he wrought
Of stones, that thither his owne labors brought;
Which with an hedge of Thorn he fenc't about,
And compast all the hedge, with pales cleft out
Of sable Oake; that here and there he fixt
Frequent and thicke. VVithin his yard, he mixt
Twelue Sties to lodge his Heard; and euery Sty
Had roome and vse, for fifty Swine to lye.
But those were females all. The male Swine slept
VVithout doores euer. Nor was their Herd kept

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Faire like the Females, since they suffer'd still
Great diminution: he being forc't to kill
And send the fattest to the dainty Feasts,
Affected by th' vngodly wooing guests.
Their number therefore, but three hundred were,
And sixty: By them, Mastiues as austere
As sauage beasts, lay euer. Their fierce straine
Bred by the Herdsman; a meere Prince of Men:
Their number, foure. Himselfe was then appli'de
In cutting forth a faire-hew'd Oxes hide,
To fit his feete with shooes. His seruants held
Guard of his Swine. Three, here and there, at field;
The fourth, he sent to City with a Sow,
VVhich must of force be offer'd to the Vow,
The VVoowers made to all society:
To serue which, still they did those Offrings ply.

υλακομωρος Ad latrandū fato quodam Natus.

The Fate-borne-Dogs-to-Barke, tooke sodaine view
Of Odyssaus; and vpon him flew
VVith open mouth. He (cunning, to appall
A fierce Dogs fury) from his hand let fall
His staffe to earth; and sat him carelesse downe.
And yet to him had one foule wrong bene showne
VVhere most his Right lay; had not instantly
The Herdsman let his hide fall; and his cry
(VVith frequent stones, flung at the dogges) repeld
This way, and that, their eager course they held:
VVhen through the entry past, he thus did mourne.

O Father! How soone, had you neere bene torne

Eumæus to Vlysses.

By these rude Dogges? whose hurt had branded me
VVith much neglect of you? But Deity
Hath giuen so many other sighes, and cares
To my attendant state: that well vnwares
You might be hurt for me: for heere I lie
Grieuing and mourning for the Maiestie
That God-like wonted to be ruling heere;
Since now, I fat his Swine, for others cheere:
VVhere he, perhaps, err's hungry vp and downe,
In Countries, Nations, Cities, all vnknowne.
If any where he liues yet; and doth see
The Sunnes sweet beames. But (Father) follow mee,
That (cheer'd with wine and foode) you may disclose
From whence you truly are; and all the woes
Your age is subiect to. This said, he led
Into his Cottage; and of Osiers, spred
A thickned hurdle; on whose top, he strow'd
A wilde Goats shaggy skin; and then bestow'd
His owne Couch on it, that was soft and great.

Vlysses ioy'd, to see him so entreat

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His vncouth Presence; saying, Ioue requite,
And all th' immortall Gods, with that delight
Thou most defir'st, thy kinde receite of me;
O Friend, to humane Hospitality.

Eumæus answer'd: Guest? If one much worse
Arriu'd here then thy selfe; it were a curse
To my poore meanes, to let a Stranger tast
Contempt, for fit food. Poore men, and vnplac'st
In free seats of their owne; are all from Ioue
Commended to our entertaining Loue.
But poore is th' entertainment I can giue;
Yet free, and louing. Of such men as liue
The liues of seruants, and are still in feare
Where yong Lords gouerne; this is all the cheare
They can affoord a Stranger. There was One
That vsde to manage, this now desart Throne:
To whom the Gods deny returne; that show'd
His curious fauour to me, and bestow'd
Possessions on me: A most wished wife,
A house, and portion; and a Seruants life,
Fit for the gift a gracious King should giue:
VVho still tooke pains himselfe; & God made thriue
His personall endeuour: and to me,
His worke the more increast; in which you see
I now am conuersant. And therefore much
His hand had help't me, had heauens wil beene such,
He might haue heere growne old. But he is gone,
And would to God the whole succession
Of Hellen might go with him; since for her
So many men di'de: whose Fate did confer
My Liege to Troy, in Agamemnons grace;
To spoile her People, and her Turrets race.

This said, his coate to him, he streight did gird;
And to his Sties went, that contain'd his Herd.
From whence, he tooke out two, slew both, and out
Both fairely vp. A fire enflam'd, and put
To spit the ioynts; which roasted well, he set
VVith spit and all to him, that he might eat
From thence his food, in all the sindging heat.
Yet dreg'd it first with Flowre: Then fil'd his Cup
VVith good sweet wine; Sate then, & cheard him vp.
Eate now (my guest) such leane Swine, as are meate
For vs poore Swaines: The fat, the wooers eate.
In whose minds, no shame, no remorse doth moue:
Though well they know, the blest Gods doe not loue
Vngodly actions; but respect the right,
And in the workes of pious men, delight.
But these are worse then impious; for those

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That vow t'iniustice, and professe them foes
To other Nations, enter on their Land;
And Iupiter (to shew his punishing hand
Vpon th' inuaded, for their pennance then)
Giues fauour to their foes (though wicked men)
To make their prey on them; who, hauing freight
Their ships with spoile enough, weigh ancor streight;
And each man to his house; (and yet euen these,
Doth powrefull feare, of Gods iust vengeance seize
Euen for that prize, in which they so reioyce)
But these men, knowing (hauing heard the voyce
Of God, by some meanes) that sad Death hath rest
The Ruler heere; will neuer suffer left
Their vniust wooing of his wife, nor take
Her often answere: and their owne Roofes make
Their fir retreats: But (since vncheck't, they may)
They therefore wil, make still his goods their pray,
Without all spare, or end. There is no day,
Nor night sent out from God, that euer they
Prophane with one beasts blood, or onely two,
But more make spoile of: and the wrongs they do
In meates excesse; to Wine as well extend;
VVhich as excessiuely, their ryots spend:
Yet still leaue store. For sure his meanes were great;
And no Heroe, that hath choisest seate
Vpon the fruitfull neighbour Continent;
Or in this Isle it selfe, so opulent
Was, as Vlysses: No, nor twenty such
Put altogether, did possesse so much.

VVhose Herds and Flockes Ile tell to euery Head:
Vpon the Continent, he daily fed

Vlysses Wealth.

Twelue Herds of Oxen; No lesse, Flockes of Sheepe;
As many Herds of Swine. Stals, large and steepe,
And equall sort of Goats: which Tenants there,
And his owne Sheepherds kept. Then fed he here,
Eleuen faire stalles of Goats; whose food hath yeilde
In the extreame part of a neighbor Field.
Each Stall, his Herdsman hath: An honest Swaine,
Yet euery one, must euery day sustaine
The load of one Beast, (the most fat, and best
Of all the Stall-fed) to the VVoers Feast.
And I (for my part) of the Swine I keepe
(VVith foure more Herdsmen) euery day, help steep
The VVooers appetites, in blood of one,
The most select, our choise can fall vpon.

To this; Vlysses gaue good eare, and fed;

Vlysses incurst against the wooers, with newes of their spoyle.

And drunke his wine; and vext; and rauished
His food for meere vexation. Seeds of ill

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His Stomacke sow'd, to heare his goods go still
Yo glut of wooers. But his dinner done,
And Stomacke fed to satisfaction:
He drunke a full Bowle, all of onely wine,
And gaue it to the Guardian of his Swine:
Who tooke it, and reioyc't. To whom he said;

O Friend, who is it that (so rich) hath paid
Price for thy seruice? Whose commended pow'r,
Thou sayst (to grace the Græcian Conquerour)
At Ilion perisht? Tell me; it may fall
I knew some such. The great God knowes, and all
The other deathlesse Godheads: if I can
(Farre hauing trauail'd) tell of such a man.

Eumæus answer'd: Father, neuer one
Of all the Strangers that haue touch't vpon
This Coast with his lifes Newes, could euer yet
Of Queene, or lou'd sonne, any credit get.
These Trauailers for cloathes, or for a meale;
At all aduentures, any lye will tell.
Nor do they trade for truth: not any man
That saw the people Ithacensian,
Of all their sort; and had the Queenes supplies,
Did euer tell her any newes, but lies.
She graciously receiues them yet; enquires
Of all she can: and all, in teares expires.
It is th' accustom'd Law, that women keepe.
Their husbands, elsewhere dead, at home to weepe.
But do thou, quickly Father, forge a Tale;
Some Coat, or cloake, to keepe thee warme withall,
Perhaps some one may yeeld thee: But for him,
Vultures and Dogges, haue torne from euery lim
His porous skin; and forth his soule is fled:
His coarse at Sea, to Fishes forfeited:
Or on the Shore, lies hid in heapes of sand;
And there hath he his ebbe: his Natiue Strand
With friends teares flowing. But to me, past all
VVere teares created: For I neuer shall
Finde so humane a royall Mayster more;
VVhat euer Sea, I seeke; what euer Shore.
Nay, to my Father, or my Mothers loue
Should I returne; by whom, I breath and moue,
Could I so much ioy offer; nor these eyes
(Though my desires sustaine extremities
For their sad absence) would so faine be blest
VVith sight of their liues, in my natiue Nest,
As with Vlysses dead: in whose last rest,
(O friend) my soule shall loue him. Hee's not here,
Nor do I name him like a Flatterer.

215

But as one thankfull for his Loue and care
To me a poore man; in the rich so rare.
And be he past all shores, where Sun can shine,
I will inuoke him as a soule diuine.

O Friend (sayd he) to say, and to beleeue
He cannot liue, doth too much license giue
To incredulity. For (not to speake
At needy randon; but my breath to breake
In sacred Oath) Vlysses shall returne.
And when his sight recomforts those that mourne,
In his owne roofes; then giue me cloake, and cote,
And garments worthy of a man of note.
Before which, though neede vrg'd me neuer so,
Ile not receiue a thred, but naked go.
No lesse I hate him then the gates of hell,
That poorenesse can force, an vntruth to tell.
Let Ioue then (heauens chiefe God) iust witnes beare,
And this thy hospitable Table heere;
Together with vnblam'd Vlysses house,
In which I finde receipt so gracious;
VVhat I affirm'd of him shall all be true.
This instant yeare, thine eyes euen heere shall view
Thy Lord Vlysses. Nay, ere this moneths end
(Return'd full home) he shall reuenge extend
To euery one, whose euer deed hath done
VVrong to his wife, and his illustrous Sonne.

O Father (he replied) ile neither giue
Thy newes reward; nor doth Vlysses liue.
But come; enough of this; let's drinke and eate,
And neuer more his memory repeate.
It greeues my heart to be remembred thus
By any one, of one so glorious.
But stand your oath, in your assertion strong,
And let Vlysses come, for whom I long:
For whom his wife; for whom his aged Sire;
For whom his Son, consumes his God-like fire;
VVhose chance I now must mourne, and euer shall.
VVhom when the Gods had brought to be as tall
As any vpright plant: and I had saide,
He would amongst a Court of men haue swaide
In counsailes; and for forme, haue bene admir'd
Euen with his Father: some God misinspir'd,
Or man tooke from him, his owne equall minde;
And past him for the Pylian Shore, to finde
His long-lost Father. In returne from whence,
The Wooers pride, way-layes his innocence;
That, of diuine Arcesius, all the race
May fade to Ithaca, and not the grace

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Of any Name, left to it. But leave we
His state, howeuer: if surpriz'd he be
Or if he scape. And may Saturnius hand
Protect him safely to his natiue Land.
Do you then (Father) shew your griefes, and cause
Of your arriuall heere; nor breake the hawes
That Truth prescribes you: but relate your name,
And of what race you are: your Fathers fame,
And natiue Cities: Ship and men vnfold,
That to this Isle convaid you: since I hold
Your heere arriuall, was not all by shore;
Nor that your feete, your aged person bore.

He answer'd him; Ile tell all strictly true,
If time, and foode, and wine enough acrue
Within your roofe to vs: that freely we
May sit and banquet: Let your businesse be
Discharg'd by others. For, when all is done,
I can not easly, while the yeare doth runne
His circle round, run ouer all the woes,
Beneath which (by the course the Gods dispose)
My sad age labours. First, Ile tell you then;
From ample Crete I fetch my native strain;
My Father wealthy; whose house, many a life
Brought forth and bred besides, by his true wife.
But me; a Bond-maid bore; his Concubine?
Yet tender'd was I, as his lawfull line
By him; of whose race, I my life profes
Castor, his name; surnam'd Hylacides
A man, in fore-times, by the Cretan State,
For goods, good children, and his fortunate
Successe in all acts; of no meane esteem.
But death-conferring Fates, haue banisht him
To Pluto's kingdome. After whom, his sons
By Lots diuided his possessions;
And gaue me passing little; yet bestow'd
A house on me: to which; my vertues woo'd
A wife from rich mens roofes; nor was borne low,
Nor last in fight, though all Nerues faile me now.
But I suppose, that you by thus much seene,
Know by the stubble, what the Corne hath bene.
For, past all doubt; affliction past all meane
Hath brought my age on: but, in seasons past;
Both Mars and Pallas, haue with boldnesse grac'st;
And Fortitude my fortunes; when I chus'd
Choise men for ambush, prest to haue produc'd
Ill to mine enemies; my too ventrous spirit,
Set neuer death before mine eyes, for merit.
But (farre the first aduanc't still) still I strooke

217

Dead with my Lance, whoeuer ouertooke
My speed of foot. Such was I then for warre.
But rusticke actions, euer fled me farre,
And houshold thrift, which breeds a famous race.
In Ore-driuen Ships, did I my pleasures place:
In Battailes, light Darts, Arrowes. Sad things all,
And into others thoughts, with horror fall.

But what God put into my minde: to me
I still esteem'd as my felicity.
As men, of seuerall Mettals are addrest;
So, seuerall formes are in their soules imprest.

Before the sonnes of Greece, set foot in Troy,
Nine times, in Chiefe, I did Command enioy
Of Men and Ships, against our forreigne foe;
And all I fitly wish't, succeeded so.
Yet, after this, I much exploit atchieu'd;
VVhen straight, my house in all possessions thriu'd.
Yet after that, I great, and Reuerend grew
Amongst the Cretans: till the Thunderer drew
Our Forces out, in his foe Troy decrees.
A hatefull seruice, that dissolu'd the knees
Of many a Soldier. And to this was I
And famous Idomene, enioyn'd t'apply
Our ships and pow'rs. Nor was there to be heard
One reason for deniall; so prefer'd
Was the vnreasonable peoples rumour.
Nine yeares we therefore fed the martiall humor;
And in the tenth (de-peopling Priams Towne)
We sail'd for home. But God had quickly blowne
Our Fleete in peeces; and to wretched mee,
The Counsailor Ioue, did much mishap decree.
For, onely one month, I had leave t'enioy
My wife, and children; and my goods t'employ.
But, after this, my minde for Egypt stoode;
When nine faire ships, I rig'd forth for the flood:
Mann'd them with noble soldiers: all things fit
For such a voyage, soone were won to it.
Yet sixe dayes after, staid my friends in feast;
VVhile I, in banquets to the Gods, addrest
Much sacred matter for their sacrifice.
The seauenth, we boorded; and the Northerne skies
Lent vs a franke, and passing prosperous gale,
Fore which, we bore as free and easie saile,
As we had back't a full and frolicke tide;
Nor felt one Ship misfortune for her pride;
But safe we sat, our Sailors and the winde
Consenting in our conuoy? When heaven shin'de
In sacred radiance of the fift faire day:

218

To sweetly-water'd Egypt reach't our way,
And there we anchor'd: where I charg'd my men
To stay aboord, and watch. Dismissing then
Some scouts, to get the hill-tops, and discouer,
They (to their owne intemperance giuen ouer)
Straight fell to forrage the rich fields; and thence
Enforce both wiues and infants, with th' expence
Of both their bloods. When straight the rumor flew
Vp to the City: (which heard) vp they drew
By daies first breake; and all the field was fild
VVith foot & horse; whose Armes did all things gild.
And then the Lightning-louing Deity, cast
A foule flight on my soldiers: nor stood fast
One man of all. About whom Mischiefe stood,
And with his stern steele, drew in streames the blood,
The greater part fed in their dissolute vaines:
The rest were sau'd, and made enthralled Swaines,
To all the basest vsages there bred.
And then, euen Ioue himselfe supplyed my head
VVith sauing counsaile; (though I wisht to dye,
And there in Egypt, with their slaughters lye,
So much griefe seiz'd me) but Ioue made me yield;
Dishelme my head, take from my necke, my shield:
Hurle from my hand my Lance, and to the troop
Of horse, the King led, instantly made vp;
Embrace, and kisse his knees; whom pitty won,
To giue me safety, and (to make me shun
The peoples outrage, that made in amaine,
All ioyntly fir'd, with thirst to see me slaine)
He tooke me to his Chariot, weeping home;
Himselfe with feare of Ioues wrath ouercome,
VVho yeelding soules receiues; and takes most ill
All such as well may saue, yet loue to kill.
Seuen yeares I soiourn'd heere, and measure gat,
In good abundance of th' Egyptian state:
For all would giue. But when th' eight yeare began:

Ανηρ απατηλεα ειδως, τρωκτης.

A knowing Fellow (that would gnaw a man
Like to a Vermine, with his hellish braine,
And many an honest soule, euen quicke had slaine;
VVhose name was Phœnix) close accosted me:
And with insinuations, such as he
Practis'd on others, my consent he gain'd
To go into Phœnicia; where remain'd
His house, and liuing. And with him I liu'd
A compleat yeare. But, when were all arriu'd
The months and daies: and that the yeare againe
VVas turning round; and euery seasons raigne
Renew'd vpon vs; we for Lybia went:

219

VVhen (still inuenting crafts to circumuent)
He made pretext, that I should onely go
And helpe conuey his freight; but thought not so:
For his intent was, to haue sold me there,
And made good gaine, for finding me a yeare.
Yet him I follow'd, though suspecting this:
For, being aboord his Ship, I must be his
Of strong Necessity. She ran the flood
(Driuen with a Northerne gale, right free, and good)
Amids the full streame, full on Crete. But then,
Ioue plotted death to him, and all his men.
For (put off quite from Crete, and so farre gone
That Shore was lost; and we set eye on none:
But all shew'd heauen and sea) aboue our Keele
Ioue pointed right, a cloud as blacke as hell:
Beneath which, all the sea hid; and from whence
Ioue thunder'd, as his hand would neuer thence.
And thicke into our Ship, he threw his flash:

ελελεχθων, qui terram rapido motu concutit.

That 'gainst a Rocke, or Flat, her Keele did dash
VVith headlong Rapture. Of the sulphure all
Her bulke did sauour; and her men let fall
Amids the Surges: on which, all lay tost
Like Sea-guls, round about her sides, and lost.
And so, God tooke, all home-returne from them.
But Ioue himselfe (though plung'd in that extream)
Recouer'd me, by thrusting on my hand
The Ships long Mast. And (that my life might stand
A little more vp) I embrac't it round;
And on the rude windes, thae did ruines sound,
Nine dayes we houer'd. In the tenth blacke night
A huge Sea cast me on Thesprotia's height:
VVhere the Heroe Phidon, that was chiefe
Of all the Thesprotes; gaue my wracke reliefe,
VVithout the price of that redemption
That Phœnix fish't for. VVhere the Kings lou'd son

απριατης sine emptioniseu redemptionis precie.

Came to me; tooke me by the hand, & led
Into his Court; my poore life surffetted
VVith cold and labour: and because my wrack
Chanc't on his Fathers Shore: he let not lack
My plight; or coate, or cloake, or any thing
Might cherish heate in me. And heere the King,
Said, he receiu'd Vlysses as his Guest;
Obseru'd him Friend-like; and his course addrest
Home to his country: shewing there to me
Vlysses goods. A very Treasure
Of Brasse, & Gold, & Steele of curious frame.
And to the tenth succession of his name
He laid vp wealth enough, to serue beside

220

In that Kings house; so hugely amplified
His treasure was. But from his Court, the King
Affirm'd him ship't, for the Dodonean Spring:
To heare, from out the high-hair'd Oake of Ioue,
Counsaile from him: for meanes to his remoue
To his lou'd country, whence so many a yeare
He had bene absent; If he should appeare
Disguisd, or manifest: and further swore
In his mid Court, at Sacrifice, before
These very eyes; that he had ready there
Both Ship and Souldiers, to attend and beare
Him to his country. But before; it chanc't
That a Thesprotean Ship, was to be lanch't
For the much-come-renown'd Dulichian Land:
In which, the King gaue to his men command
To take, and bring me vnder tender hand
To King Acastus. But, in ill designe
Of my poore life, did their desires combine;
So farre forth, as might euer keepe me vnder
In fortunes hands, and teare my state in sunder.
And when the water-treader, farre away
Had lost the Land: then plotted they the day
Of my long seruitude; and tooke from me
Both coate and cloake, and all things that might be
Grace in my habit; and in place, put on
These tatter'd rags, which now you see vpon
My wretched bosom. When heauens light took

At Sunne set.

sea,
They fetcht the Field-workes of faire Ithaca;
And in the arm'd Ship, with a wel-wreath'd cord
They streightly bound me, and did all disbord
To shore to supper, in contentious rout.
Yet straight, the Gods themselues, tooke from about
My pressed limbes the bands, with equall ease;
And I (my head in rags wrapt) tooke the Seas,
Descending by the smooth sterne; vsing then
My hands for Oares; and made from these bad men
Long way, in little time. At last, I fetcht
A goodly Groue of Okes; whose Shore I recht,
And cast me prostrate on it. When they knew
My thus-made-scape, about the Shores they flew:
But (soone not finding) held it not their best
To seeke me further; but return'd to rest
Aboord their Vessell. Me, the Gods lodg'd close,
Conducting me into the safe repose
A good mans stable yeelded. And thus, Fate
This poore houre added, to my liuing date.

O wretch of Guests (said he) thy Tale hath stirr'd
My minde to much ruth: both how thou hast err'd

221

And suffer'd hearing, in such good parts showne:
But what thy chang'd relation would make knowne
About Vlysses; I hold neither true,
Nor will beleeue: and what need'st thou pursue
A Lye so rashly? Since he sure is so
As I conceiue; for which, my skill shall go.
The safe returne my King lackes, cannot be;
He is so enuied of each Deity,
So cleere, so cruelly. For not in Troy
They gaue him end; nor let his Corpse enioy
The hands of Friends (which well they might haue done,
He manag'd armes to such perfection;
And should haue had his Sepulcher, and all;
And all the Greekes to grace his Funerall:
And this had giuen a glory to his Son
Through all times future.) But his head is run
Vnseene, vnhonor'd, into Harpies mawes.
For my part, Ile not meddle with the cause:
I liue a separate life, amongst my Swine;
Come at no Towne for any need of mine;
Vnlesse the

περιφρων

circularly witted Queene
(When any farre-come guest, is to be seene
That brings her newes) commands me bring a Brawn;
About which (all things being in question drawne,
That touch the King) they sit; and some are sad
For his long absence. Some againe, are glad
To waste his goods vnwreak't; all talking still.
But, as for me, I nourish't little will
T'enquire or question of him: since the man
That faign'd himselfe, the fled Etolian,
For slaughtering one, (through many Regions straid)
In my Stall (as his diuersory) staide.
VVhere well entreating him; he told me then,
Amongst the Cretans, with King Idomen,
He saw Vlysses; at his Ships repaire,
That had bene brush't with the enraged aire:
And that, in Summer, or in Autumne, sure
VVith all his braue friends, and rich furniture,
He would be heere: and nothing so, nor so.
But thou, an old man, taught with so much wo
As thou hast suffer'd, to be season'd true,
And brought by his fate; do not heere pursue
His gratulations, with thy cunning Lies.
Thou canst not soake so through my Faculties.
For I did neuer, either honor thee
Or giue thee loue, to bring these tales to me.
But in my feare of Hospitable Ioue
Thou didst to this passe, my affections moue.

222

You stand exceeding much incredulous,
(Reply'd Vlysses) to haue witnest thus
My word, and Oath; yet yeeld no trust at all.
But make we now a couenant here, and call
The dreadfull Gods to witnesse, that take seat
In large Olympus: if your Kings retreat
Proue made, euen hither; you shall furnish me
With cloake, and coate, and make my passage free
For lou'd Dulichius. If (as fits my vow)
Your King returne not; let your seruants throw
My old limbes headlong, from some rock most hye,
That other poore men may take feare to lye.

The Herdsman, that had gifts in him diuine,
Replied; O Guest, how shal this Fame of mine
And honest vertue, amongst men, remaine
Now, and heereafter, without worthy staine;
If I, that led thee to my Houell heere,
And made thee fitting hospitable cheere,
Should after kill thee; and thy loued minde
Force from thy bones? Or how should stand enclin'd
With any Faith, my will t'importune Ioue
In any prayer heereafter, for his loue?

Come, now 'tis supper's houre; and instant hast
My men wil make home: when our sweet repast
Wee'le taste together. This discourse they held
In mutual kinde; when from a neighbor field,
His Swine and Swine-herds came; who in their coats
Inclosd their Herds for sleepe: which, mighty throats
Laid out entring. Then, the God-like Swaine
His men enioyn'd thus: Bring me to be slaine
A chiefe Swine female, for my stranger Guest:
VVhen, altogether we wil take our Feast,
Refreshing now our spirits, that all day take
Paines in our Swines good: who may therfore make
For our paines with them all, amends with one;
Since others eate our Labors, and take none?
This said; his sharpe steele hew'd down wood, & they
A passing fat Swine hal'd out of the Sty,
Of fiue yeares old, which to the fire they put.
VVhen first Eumæus from the Front did out
The sacred haire, and cast it in the fire;
Then, pray'd to heauen: for stil, before desire
VVas seru'd with food, in their so rude abode,
Not the poore Swine-herd would forget the Gods.
Good soules they bore, how bad soeuer were
The habits, that their bodies parts did beare.
VVhen all, the deathlesse Deities besought,
That wise Vlysses might be safely brought

223

Home, to his house; then with a logge of Oke
Left lying by (high lifting it) a stroke
He gaue so deadly, it made life expire.
Then cut the rest, her throat; and all in fire
They hid and sindg'd her: cut her vp, and then,
The Maister tooke the office from the men,
VVho on the Altar did the parts impose
That seru'd for sacrifice: beginning close
About the belly; thorough which he went,
And (all the chiefe fat gathering) gaue it vent
(Part dreg'd with Flowre) into the sacred flame;
Then cut they vp the ioynts, and roasted them:
Drew all from spit, and seru'd in dishes all.
Then rose Eumæus, (who was General
In skill to guide each act, his fit euent)
And (all, in seuen parts cut) the first part went
To seruice of the Nymphs, and Mercury;
To whose names, he did Rites of piety
In vowes particular; and all the rest
He shar'd to euery one: but his lou'd Guest
He grac't with all the Chine; and of that King
To haue his heart chear'd, set vp euery string.
VVhich he obseruing saide; I would to Ioue
(Eumæus) thou liu'dst in his worthy loue
As great as mine; that giu'st to such a guest
As my poore selfe, of all thy goods the best.

Eumæus answer'd; Eate, vnhappy wretch,

θεος δε το μεν δωσει το δ'εασει.

And to what heere is, at thy pleasure reach.
This I haue; this thou want'st: thus God will giue,
Thus take away; in vs, and all that liue.

δυνατος γαρ απαντα.

To his wil's equall center, all things fall;
His minde he must haue, for he can do all.

Thus hauing eate, and to his wine descended;
Before he seru'd his owne thirst, he commended
The first vse of it, in fit sacrifice
(As of his meate) to all the Deities.
And to the City-racers hand, applide
The second cup; whose place was next his side:

Vlysses.

Mesaulius did distribute the meate,
(To which charge, was Eumæus solely set
In absence of Vlysses; by the Queene
And old Laertes) and this man had beene
Bought by Eumæus, with his faculties,
Employ'd then in the Taphian Merchandise.

But now; to food apposde, and order'd thus,
All fell. Desire suffic'd, Mesaulius
Did take away. For bed then next they were,
All throughly satisfied with compleat cheare.

224

Ζεθυρος αιεν εθυδρος.

The night then came; ill, and no Taper shind:
Ioue rain'd her whole date. Th' euer watry wind
Zephyre blew lowd; and Laertiades
(Approuing kinde Eumæus carefulnes
For his whole good) made farre about assay,
To get some cast-off Cassocke (least he lay
That rough night cold) of him, or any one
Of those his seruants: when he thus begun.

Heare me Eumæus, and my other friends;
Ile vse a speech that to my glory tends:
Since I haue drunke wine past my vsuall guise;
Strong Wine commands the Foole, and mones the wise;
Moues and impels him too, to sing and dance,
And breake in pleasant laughters; and (perchance)
Preferre a speech too, that were better in.
But when my spirits, once to speake begin,
I shall not then dissemble. Would to heauen,
I were as yong, and had my forces driuen
As close together, as when once our powres
VVe led to ambush, vnder th' Ilion Towres:
VVhere Ithacus, and Menelaus were
The two Commanders; when it pleas'd them there
To take my selfe for third; when to the Towne
And lofty wals we led, we couch't close downe
All arm'd, amids the Osiers, and the Reeds,
Which oftentimes th' ore-flowing Riuer feeds.
The cold night came; and th' Icy Northerne gale
Blew bleake vpon vs: after which, did fall
A snow so cold, it cut, as in it beate
A frozen water; which was all concrete
About our Shields like Cristall. All made faine
(Aboue our armes) to cloathe, and cloathe againe.
And so we made good shift (our shields beside
Clapt close vpon our cloathes) to rest and hide
From all discouery. But I (poore foole)
Left my weeds with my men, because so coole
I thought it could not proue: which thoght, my pride
A little strengthen'd; being loth to hide
A goodly glittering garment I had on.
And so I follow'd with my shield alone,
And that braue weed. But when the night nere ended
Her course on earth, and that the starres descended,
I iog'd Vlysses (who lay passing neare)
And spake to him, that had a nimble eare;
Assuring him, that long I could not lye
Amongst the liuing; for the feruencie
Of that sharpe night would kill me; since as then,
My euill Angell, made me with my men

225

Leaue all weeds, but a fine one. But I know
'Tis vaine to talke; here wants all remedy now.

This said; he bore that vnderstanding part
In his prompt spirit, that still show'd his Art
In Fight and counsell; saying (in a word,
And that low whisper'd) Peace, least you afford
Some Greeke, note of your softnes. No word more;
But made as if his sterne austerity, bore
My plight no pitty. Yet (as still he lay
His head reposing on his hand) gaue way
To this inuention; Heare me friends, a Dreame
(That was of some celestiall light a beame)
Stood in my sleepe before me: prompting me
VVith this fit notice: we are farre (saide he)
From out our Fleet. Let one go then, and try
If Agamemnon wil affoord supply
To what we now are strong. This stirr'd a speed
In Thoæs to th' affaire. Whose purple weede
He left for hast. Which then I tooke, and lay
In quiet after, til the dawne of day.

This shift Vlysses made for one in neede;
And would to heauen, that youth such spirit did feed
Now in my Nerues; and that my ioynts were knit,
VVith such a strength, as made me then held fit
To leade men with Vlysses. I should then
Seeme worth a weed, that fit's a herdsmans men:
For two respects, to gaine a thankfull frend;
And to a good mans neede, a good extend.

O Father (said Eumæus) thou hast showne
Good cause for vs, to giue thee good renowne:
Not vsing any word, that was not freed
From all least ill. Thou therefore, shalt not need
Or coate, or other thing, that aptly may
Beseeme a wretched suppliant, for defray
Of this nights neede. But when her golden throne
The Morne ascends, you must resume your owne:
For, heere you must not dreame of many weeds,
Or any change at all. VVe serue our needs,
As you do yours: One backe, one coate. But when
Vlysses loued sonne returnes, he then
Shal giue you coat and cassocke; and bestow
Your person where, your heart and soule is now.

This said, he rose, made neere the fire his bed,
VVhich all with Goats and Sheep-skins, he bespred.
All which, Vlysses with himselfe did line.
VVith whom, besides, he chang'd a gabberdine,
Thicke lin'd, and soft; which stil he made his shift,
VVhen he would dresse him gainst the horrid drift

226

Of Tempest; when deepe winters season blowes.
Nor pleasde it him to lye there with his Sowes,
But while Vlysses slept there: and close by
The other yonkers, he abroad would ly,
And therefore arm'd him. VVhich set cheerefull fare
Before Vlysses heart; to see such care
Of his goods taken; how farre off so euer
His fate, his person, and his wealth should seuer.
First then; a sharpe edg'd sword, he girt about
His well-spred shoulders; and (to shelter out
The sharpe VVest wind that blew) he put him on
A thick-lin'd Iacket; and yet cast vpon
All that, the large hide of a Goat, well fed.
A Lance then tooke he, with a keene steele head,
To be his keepe-off, both 'gainst Men and Dogges:
And thus went he to rest, with his male Hogges,
That still abroad lay, vnderneath a Rocke:
Shield to the North-winds euer eager shocke.

The End of the Fourteenth Booke of Homers Odysses.

227

THE FIFTEENTH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Minerua, to his Natiue seate
Exhorts Vlysses sonnes retreate,
In Bed, and waking. He receiues
Gifts of Atrides; and so leaues
The Spartan Court. And, going aboord
Doth fauourable way affoord
To Theoclymenus; that was
The Argiue Augure, and sought passe;
Fled for a slaughter he had done.

Eumæus tels Laertes son,
How he became his Fathers Man;
Being sold by the Phœnician
For some agreed on Faculties;
From forth the Syrian Isle, made prise.

Telemachus arriu'd at home,
Doth to Eumæus Cottage come.

Another.

Ο

From Sparta's strand
makes safe accesse
To his owne Land
Ulyssides

In Lacedæmon large, and apt for dances;

ευρυχορον In qua ampli vt pulchri chori duci posstit, vel ducuntur: which the vulgar translation turne therefore, latam, seu amplam.

Athenian Pallas, her accesse aduances
Vp to the great in soule, Vlysses seed,
Suggesting his returne, now fit for deed.
She found both him, and Nestors noble son
In bed; in front of that faire Mansion:
Nestorides surpriz'd with pleasing sleepe.
But, on the watch Vlysses sonne did keepe,
Sleepe could not enter; cares did so excite
His soule, through all the solitary night,
For his lou'd Father. To him (neere) she said:

Telemachus! Tis time that now were staid
Thy forreigne trauailes; since thy goods are free
For those proud men, that all will eate from thee:
Diuide thy whole possessions, and leaue
Thy too-late presence nothing to receiue.

228

Incite the shrill-voic't Menelaus then,
To send thee to thy Natiue seat agen;
VVhile thou mayst yet finde in her honor strong
Thy blamelesse Mother, 'gainst thy Father's wrong.
For both the Father, and the Brothers to
Of thy lou'd Mother, will not suffer so
Extended any more, her widdowes bed;
But make her now, her richest wooer wed,
Eurymachus: who chiefly may augment
Her gifts, and make her ioynture eminent.
And therefore hast thee; least in thy despight,
Thy house stand empty of thy Natiue right.
For well thou know'st what mind a woman beares,
The house of him, who euer she endeares
Her selfe in Nuptials to: she sees encreast,
The yssue of her first lou'd Lord deceast,
Forgotten quite, and neuer thought on more.
In thy returne then, the re-counted store
Thou find'st reseru'd; to thy most trusted Maid
Commit in guard, till heauens pow'rs haue puruaid
A wife in vertue, and in beauties grace
Of fit sort for thee, to supply her place.
And this note more Ile giue thee; which repose
In sure remembrance: The best sort of those,
That woo thy Mother, watchfull scouts addresse,
Both in the streights of th' Ithacensian Seas,
And dusty Samos; with intent t'inuade
And take thy life, ere thy returne be made.
VVhich yet, I thinke will faile: and some of them
That waste thy fortunes, taste of that extream
They plot for thee. But keepe off farre from shore,
And day and night saile: for, a fore-right blore
VVho euer of th' Immortals, that vow guard
And scape to thy returne, will see prepar'd.
As soone as thou arriu'st, dismisse to Towne
Thy Ship and Men: and first of all, make downe
To him that keepes thy Swine, and doth conceiue
A tender care to see thee well suruiue.
There sleepe; and send him to the Towne, to tell
The chast Penelope, that safe and well
Thou liu'st in his charge; and that Pylos sands
The place contain'd, from whence thy person Lands.

Thus she, to large Olympus, made ascent.
VVhen, with his heele, a little touch he lent
To Nestors son; whose sleepes sweet chain's he losde;
Bad rise, and see in Chariot inclosde
Their one-hoou'd horse; yt they might strait bee gone.

No such haste (he replied) night holds her throne,

229

And dims all way, to course of Chariot.
The Morne will soone get vp. Nor see forgot
The gifts with hast, that will, I know, be rich;
And put into our Coach with gracious speech,
By Lance-fam'd Menelaus. Not a Guest
Shall touch at his house, but shall store his brest
With fit mind of an hospitable man,
To last as long as any daylight can
His eyes re-comfort; in such gifts as he
Will proofes make of his hearty royalty.

He had no sooner said; but vp arose
Aurora, that the Golden hils repose.
And Menelaus (good at martiall cries)
From Hellens bed raisde, to his Guest applies
His first apparance. VVhose repaire made knowne
T'Vlysses lou'd sonne: On, his robe was throwne
About his gracious body: his cloake cast
Athwart his ample shoulders; and in hast
Abroad he went; and did the King accost.

Atrides, guarded with heauens deified hoste;

Telemachus to Menelaus.

Grant now remission to my Natiue right:

My minde now vrging mine owne houses sight.

Menel. answere

Nor will I stay (saide he) thy person long,
Since thy desires to go, are growne so strong.
I should my selfe be angry to sustein
The like detention, vrg'd by other men.
Who loues a guest past Meane, past Meane will hate;
The Meane is in all acts, beares the best estate.
A like ill 'tis, to thrust out such a guest,
As would not go; as to detaine the rest.
VVe should a guest loue, while he loue's to stay,
And when he like's not, giue him louing way.
Yet suffer so, that we may gifts impose
In Coach to thee. Which ere our hands enclose,
Thine eies shall see; lest else, our loues may glose.
Besides, Ile cause our women to prepare
VVhat our house yeelds; and meerely so much fare
As may suffise for health. Both, well will do;
Both for our honor, and our profit to.
And seruing strength with food, you after may
As much earth measure, as wil match the day.
If you will turne your course from sea, and go
Through Greece and Argos: (that my selfe may so
Keepe kinde way with thee) Ile ioyne horse, & guide
T'our humane Cities. Nor vngratifide
VVill any one remit vs: some one thing
VVill each present vs, that along may bring
Our passe with loue; and proue our vertues blaz'd:

230

A Caldron or a Tripod, richly braz'd.
Two Mules; a bowle of Gold, that hath his price
Heightn'd with Emblemes of some rare deuice.

αλεσον, poculum emblematis, & cælaturis ornatum.

The wise Prince answer'd: I would gladly go
Home, to mine owne; and see that gouern'd so
That I may keepe, what I for certaine hold.
Not hazard that, for onely hop't for Gold:
I left behind me, none, so all wayes fit
To giue it guard; as mine owne trust with it.
Besides, in this broad course which you propose;
My Father seeking; I my selfe may lose.

VVhen this, the shrill-voic't Menelaus heard;
He charg'd his Queene and Maids, to see prepar'd
Breakfast, of what the whole house held for best.
To him, rose Eteoneus from his rest;
VVhose dwelling was not farre off from the Court;
And his attendance, his command did sort,
VVith kindling fires, and furth'ring all the rost,
In act of whose charge heard, no time he lost.

Himselfe then, to an odorous roome descended,
VVhom Megapenthe, and his Queene attended.
Come to his treasury; a two-ear'd cup
He chusde of all, and made his Sonne beare vp
A Siluer bowle. The Queene then taking stand
Aside her Chist; where (by her owne faire hand
Lay Vests, of all hues wrought) She tooke out one
Most large, most Artfull: chiefly faire; and shone
Like to a Star; and lay of al, the last.

Then through the house, with eithers gift they past;
VVhen to Vlysses sonne, Atrides said:

Menelaus to Telemachus.

Telemachus: since so entirely swaid
Thy thoghts are, with thy vow'd return, now tender'd;
May Iuno's thundring husband, see it render'd
Perfect at all parts; action answering thought.
Of all the rich gifts, in my treasure, sought
I giue thee heere, the most in grace, and best.
A Bowle, but Siluer; yet the brims comprest
With Gold; whose fabricke his desert doth bring
From Vulcans hand. Presented by the King
And great Heroe of Sydonia's State;
VVhen at our parting he did consummate
His whole house keeping. This do thou command.

This said; he put the round Bowle in his hand;
And then, his strong son Megapenthe plac't
The Siluer cup before him; amply grac't
VVith worke, and luster. Hellen (standing by;
And in her hand, the Robe, her huswifery)
His name remembring, said: And I present

231

(Lou'd sonne) this gift to thee; the Monument
Of the so-many-loued Hellens hands:
VVhich, at the knitting of thy Nuptiall bands
Present thy wife. In meane space, may it ly
By thy lou'd Mother; but to me apply
Thy pleasure in it. And thus, take thy way
To thy faire house, and Countries wished stay.
Thus gaue she to his hands, the veile; and he,
The acceptation author'd ioyfully.
Which in the Chariots Chist, Pisistratus
Plac't with the rest, and held miraculous.

The yellow-headed King then, led them all,
To seates and Thrones plac't, in his spacious Hall.
The Hand-maid, water brought, and gaue it stream
From out a faire and golden Ewre to them.
From whose hands, to a siluer Caldron, fled
The troubl'd waue. A bright boord then she spred:
On which, another reuerend Dame set bread:
To which, more seruants, store of victuals seru'd.
Eteonæus was the man that keru'd;
And Megapenthe fil'd them all their wine.
All fed, and dranke; till all felt care decline
For those refreshings. Both the Guests did go
To horse, and coach; and forth the Portico
A little issu'd: When the yellow King
Brought wine himselfe: that, with an Offering
To all the Gods, they might their iourney take.
He stood before the Gods; and thus be spake.

Farewell yong Princes: to graue Nestors eare
This salutation from my gratitude beare:
That I professe in all our Ilion warres
He stood, a carefull Father to my cares.

To him the wise Vlyssides replied:
VVith all our vtmost shall be signified
(Ioue-kept Atrides) your right royall will:
And would to God, I could as wel fulfill
Mine owne mindes gratitude, for your free grace;
In telling to Vlysses, in the place
Of my returne; in what accomplish't kind
I haue obtain'd the office of a friend
At your deseruings: whose faire end you crowne
With gifts so many; and of such renowne.

His wish, that he might finde in his retreat
His Father safe return'd (to so repeat
The Kings loue to him) was saluted thus;
An Eagle rose; and in her Seres did trusse
A Goose, all white, & huge: A houshold one,
VVhich, men and women (crying out vpon)

232

Pursu'd: but she (being neere the guests) her flight
Made on their right hand; and kept still fore-right
Before their horses: which obseru'd by them,
The spirits in all their minds tooke ioyes extream;

Nestors sense to Menelaus His Ironicall question continuing still Homers Character of Menelaus.

VVhich Nestors son thus question'd: Ioue-kept King,
Yeild your graue thoughts, if this ostentfull thing
(This Eagle, and this Goose) touch vs, or you?

He put to study, and not knowing how
To giue fit answer; Hellen tooke on her
Th' ostents solution, and did this prefer.

Hellen dissolues the Ostent.

Heare me, and I will play the Prophets part,
As the immortals cast it in my heart;
And (as I thinke) will make the true sense knowne:
As this Ioues Bird, from out the Mountaines flowne
(Where was her Arie; and whence rose her race)
Trust vp this Goose, that from the house did grase;
So shall Vlysses (coming from the wilde
Of Seas and sufferings) reach, vnreconcil'd
His Natiue home: where euen this houre he is:
And on those house-fed woo'rs, those wrongs of his,
VVill shortly wreake, with all their miseries.

Telem to Hellen

O (said Telemachus) if Saturnian Ioue,
To my desires, thy deare presage approue;
VVhen I arriue, I will performe to thee
My daily vowes, as to a Deity.

This said; he vsde his scourge vppon the horse,
That through the City freely made their course
To Field; and all day, made that first speed, good.
But when the Sun-set, and Obscurenes stood
In each mans way; they ended their accesse
At Pheras, in the house of Diocles,
Sonne to Orsilochus, Alpheus seede;
VVho gaue them guest-rites: and sleeps naturall need
They that night seru'd there. VVhen Aurora rose,
They ioyn'd their horse: tooke coach, and did dispose
Their course for Pylos; whose high City soon
They reach't. Nor would Telemachus be woon
To Nestors house: and therefore order'd thus
His speech to Nestors son, Pisistratus;

Telem to Pisist.

How shall I win thy promise to a grace
That I must aske of thee? we both imbrace
The names of Bed-fellowes; and in that name
VVill glory as an Adiunct of our fame:
Our Fathers friendship: our owne equall age;
And our ioynt trauaile, may the more engage
Our mutuall concord. Do not then assay
(My God-lou'd friend) to leade me from my way,
To my neere Ship; but take a course direct

233

And leaue me there; least thy old Sires respect
In his

Ιεμεμος φιλεεν: Cupiens diligere.

desire to loue me) hinder so
My way for home, that haue such need to go.

This said; Nestorides held all discourse
In his kinde soule, how best he might enforce
Both promise and performance; which, at last
He vow'd to venture; and directly cast
His horse about, to fetch the Ship and Shore.
Where, come: His frends most louely gifts, he bore
Aboord the Ship; and in her hin-deck plac't
The vaile that Hellens curious hand had grac't;
And Menelaus Gold: and said, Away;
Nor let thy men, in any least date, stay:
But quite put off, ere I get home, and tell
The old Duke, you are past: for passing well
I know his minde, to so exceed all force
Of any pray'r; That he will stay your course:
Himselfe make hither, All your course call backe;
And when he hath you, haue no thought to racke
Him from his bounty; and to let you part
VVithout a Present: but be vext at heart
With both our pleadings; if we once but moue
The least repression of his fiery loue.

Thus took he coach: his faire-man'd steeds scourg'd on
Along the Pylian City: and anon
His Fathers Court reacht. VVhile Vlysses Sonne
Bad boord, and arme; which with a thought was done.

His Rowers set, and he rich Odors firing
In his hin-decke; for his secure retiring
To great

Pallas.

Athenia: To his Ship came flying
A Stranger, and a Prophet; as relying
On wished passage: hauing newly slaine
A man at Argos: yet his Races vaine
Flow'd from Melampus; who in former date
In Pylos liu'd, and had a huge estate.
But fled his countrey; and the punishing hand
Of great-soul'd Neleus, in a forreigne Land
From that most famous Mortall; hauing held
A world of riches: nor could be compeld
To render restitution in a yeare.
In meane space, liuing as close prisoner
In Court of Phylacus: and for the sake
Of Neleus daughter, mighty cares did take;
Together with a greeuous Languor sent
From graue

One of the Furies of hell.

Erynnis, that did much torment
His vexed conscience; yet his lifes expence
He scapt, and draue the loud-voic't Oxen thence,
To breed-sheepe Pylos; bringing vengeance thus

234

Her foule demerit, to great Neleus;
And to his Brothers house reduc't his wife:
Who yet from Pylos, did remoue his life
For feed-horse Argos; where his Fate set downe
A dwelling for him: and in much renowne
Made gouerne many Argiues: where, a Spouse
He tooke to him, and built a famous house.
There had he borne to him Antiphates,
And forcefull Mantius. To the first of these
VVas great Oiclæus borne: Oiclæus gate
Amphiaraus, that the popular State
Had all their health in: whom, euen from his heart
Ioue lou'd; and Phœbus in the whole desert
Of friendship hel'd him. Yet not blest so much
That Ages threshold, he did euer touch:
But lost his life, by

His wife betraid him for money.

Female bribery.
Yet two sonnes author'd his posterity;
Alcinaon, and renown'd Amphilochus.
Mantius had yssue; Polyphidius,
And Clytus: But Aurora rauish't him,
For excellence of his admired lim;
And interested him amongst the Gods.
His Brother knew, mens good and bad abods
The best of all men; after the decease
Of him that perish't in vnnaturall peace
At spacious Thebes. Apollo did inspire
His knowing soule with a Propheticke fire.
VVho (angry with his Father) tooke his way
To Hyperesia; where (making stay)
He prophesied to all men; and had there
A Sonne call'd Theoclymenus; who here
Came to Telemachus; and found abord
Himselfe at Sacrifice; whom in a word

Theoclymenus to Telemachus.

He thus saluted: O Friend, since I finde
Euen heere at Ship, a sacrificing minde
Informe your actions: By your sacrifice;
And by that worthy choise of Deities,
To whom you offer: by your selfe, and all,
These men that serue your course maritimall;
Tell one that askes, the truth: Nor giue it glose,
Both who, and whence you are? From what seed rose
Your royall person? And what Cities Tow'rs
Hold habitation, to your parents pow'rs?

He answer'd: Stranger! The sure truth is this;

Telemachus to Theoclymenus

I am of Ithaca; my Father is
(Or was) Vlysses: but austere death, now
Takes his state from him; whose euent to know,
(Himselfe being long away) I set forth thus

235

With ship and souldiers: Theoclymenus,
As freely said; And I to thee am fled
From forth my country; for a man strooke dead
By my vnhappy hand: who was with me
Of one selfe-Tribe; and of his pedigree
Are many Friends and Brothers: and the sway
Of Achiue Kindred, reacheth farre away.
From whom (because I feare their spleenes suborne
Blood, and blacke fate against me (being borne
To be a wandrer among forreigne men)
Make thy faire ship, my rescue; and sustein
My life from slaughter. Thy deseruings may
Performe that mercy: and to them I pray.

Nor will I barre (said he) thy will to make

Telem. Reply.

My meanes and equall ship, thy ayde: but take
(With what wee haue heere, in all friendly vse)
Thy life from any violence that pursues.

Thus tooke he in, his Lance; and it extended
Aloft the hatches; which himselfe ascended.
The Prince tooke seate at Sterne: on his right hand,
Set Theoclymenus; and gaue command
To all his men, to arme; and fee made fast
Amidst the hollow Keele, the Beechen Mast
VVith able halsers; hoise saile, lanch: which soone
He saw obay'd. And then his Ship did runne
A merry course: Blew-ey'd Minerua sent
A fore-right gale; tumultuous, vehement,
Along the aire; that her waies vtmost yeeld
The ship might make, and plough the brackish field.

Then set the Sun, and Night black't all the waies.
The ship (with Ioues wind wing'd) wher th' Epian swaies
Fetcht Pheras first: then Elis, the diuine;
And then for those Isles made, that Sea-ward shine,
For forme and sharpnesse, like a Lances head.
About which, lay the wooers ambushed.
On which he rush't, to try if he could scape
His plotted death; or serue Her treacherous Rape.

And now returne we to Eumæus Shed;
VVhere (at their foode with others marshalled)

The stories return to Eumæus

Vlysses, and his noble Herdsman sate;
To try if whose loues curious estate
Stood firme to his abode, or felt it fade;
And so would take each best cause to perswade
His Guest to Towne; Vlysses thus contends:

Heare me, Eumæus, and ye other Friends.
Next Morne, to Towne I couet to be gone,
To beg some others almes; not still charge one.
Aduise me well then; and as well prouide

236

I may be fitted with an honest guide.
For through the streets (since Need will haue it so)
Ile tread, to try if any will bestow
A dish of drinke on me, or bit of bread,
Till to Vlysses house I may be led.
And there Ile tell all-wise Penelope, newes:
Mix with the wooers pride; and (since they vse
To fare aboue the full) their hands excite
To some small Feast, from out their infinite:
For which, Ile waite, and play the Seruingman,
Fairely enough; command the most they can.
For I will tell thee; note me well, and heare,
That if the will be of heauens Messenger,
(VVho to the workes of men, of any sort
Can grace infuse, and glory) nothing short
Am I of him, that doth to most aspire
In any seruice: as to builde a Fire,
To cleaue sere wood: to roast, or boile their meat;
To waite at boord, mixe wine, or know the Neate;
Or any worke, in which the poore-cal'd worst,
To serue the rich-cal'd best, in Fate are forc't.

Eumeus to Vlysses.

He, angry with him, said; Alas poore Guest,
VVhy did this counsaile euer touch thy brest?
Thou seek'st thy vtter spoyle beyond all doubt,
If thou giu'st venture on the Wooers rout:
VVhose wrong and force, affects the Iron heauen.
Their light delights, are farre from being giuen
To such graue Seruitors. Youths richly trick't
In coats or Cassocks; Lockes diuinely slickt,
And lookes most rapting; euer haue the gift
To taste their crown'd cups, land full Trenchers shift.
Their Tables euer like their Glasses shine;
Loaded with bread, with varied flesh, and wine.
And thou? go thither? Stay: for heere do none
Grudge at thy presence: nor my selfe, nor one
Of all I feed. But when Vlysses sonne
Againe shall greet vs, he shall put thee on
Both coat and cassocke; and thy quicke retreat
Set, where thy heart and soule desire thy seat.

Vlysses answere to Eumæus.

Industrious Vlysses, gaue reply:
I still much wish, that heauens chiefe Deity
Lou'd thee, as I do; that hast easde my minde
Of woes and wandrings, neuer yet confin'de.
Nought is more wretched in a humane Race,
Then Countries want, and shift from place to place.
But for the banefull belly, men take care
Beyond good counsaile: whosoeuer are
In compasse of the wants it vndergoes,

237

By wandrings losses, or dependant woes.
Excuse me therefore, if I err'd at home:
VVhich since thou wilt make heere (as ouercome
VVith thy command for stay) Ile take on me
Cares appertaining to this place, like thee.
Does then Vlysses Sire, and Mother breath?
Both whom he left, in th' age next doore to death?
Or are they breathlesse, and descended where
The darke house is, that neuer day doth cleere?

Laertes liues (saide he) but euery howre
Beseecheth Ioue to take from him the powre

Eumæus answer to Vlysses

That ioynes his life and limbes: for with a mone
That breeds a meruaile, he laments his sonne
Depriu'd by death. And addes to that, another
Of no lesse depth; for that dead sonnes dead Mother:
VVhom he a Virgin wedded: which the more
Makes him lament her losse; and doth deplore
Yet more her misse, because her wombe the truer
Was to his braue sonne; and his slaughter slue her.
VVhich last loue to her, doth his life engage,
And makes him liue an vndigested age.
O! such a death she died, as neuer may
Seize any one, that heere beholds the day;
That either is to any man, a friend,
Or can a woman kill in such a kind.
As long as she had Being, I would be
A still Inquirer (since t'was deere to me,
Though death to her, to heare his name) when she
Heard of Vlysses: for I might be bold;
She brought me vp, and in her loue did hold
My life, compar'd with long-vail'd Ctimie,
Her yongest yssue (in some small degree
Her daughter yet prefer'd) a braue yong Dame.
But when of youth the dearely loued Flame

ηβην πολυηρατον, Peroptabilem pubem.

VVas lighted in vs; marriage did prefer
The maide to Samos; whence was sent for her
Infinite riches: when, the Queene bestow'd
A faire new suite, new shooes, and all; and vow'd
Me to the field. But passing loth to part,
As louing me, more then she lou'd her hart.
And these I want now; but their businesse growes
Vpon me daily. Which the Gods impose,
To whom I hold all; giue account to them,
For I see none, left to the Diadem,
That may dispose all better. So, I drinke
And eate of what is heere; and whom I think
VVorthy or reuerend, I haue giuen to still
These kinds of Guest-rites: for the houshold ill

238

(VVhich where the Queene is, ryots) takes her stil
From thought of these things. Nor is it delight
To heare from her plight; of or worke, or word;
The woo'rs spoyle all. But yet my men, will bord
Her sorrowes often, with discourse of all:
Eating and drinking of the Festiuall
That there is kept; and after bring to field
Such things as seruants make their pleasures yield.

Vlysses answere to Eumæus.

O me (Eumæus) saide Laertes sonne,
Hast thou then err'd so, of a little one?
(Like me?) From friends, and country? pray thee say,
(And say a Truth) doth vast Destruction lay
Her hand vpon the wide-way'd

Supposing him to dwel in a Citie.

Seat of men?
VVhere dwelt thy Sire, and reuerend Mother then?
That thou art spar'd there? Or else, set alone
In guard of Beeues, or Sheepe: Set th' enemy on;
Surprisde, and Shipt? transfer'd, and sold thee heere?
He that bought thee, paid well; yet bought not deere.

Eumæus relates his birth, &c.

Since thou enquir'st of that, my guest (said he)
Heare and be silent: and meane space, sit free
In vse of these cups, to thy most delights;

αθεσφατος

Vspeakable, in length now, are the Nights.
Those that affect sleepe yet; to sleepe haue leaue;
Those that affect to heare, their hearers giue.
But sleep not ere your houre; Much sleep doth grieue.
VVho euer lists to sleepe; Away to bed:
Together with the morning raise his head:
Together with his fellowes, breake his fast;
And then, his Lords Herd, driue to their repast.
VVe two, still in our Tabernacle heere,
Drinking & eating; will our bosomes cheere
VVith memories, and tales of our annoyes.
Betwixt his sorrowes, euery Humane ioyes.
He most, who most hath felt, and furthest err'd:
And now thy wil; to act, shall be preferr'd.

There is an Isle aboue Ortygia

Eumæus telles Vlysses how hee was bought and sold.

(If thou hast heard) they call it Syria;
VVhere, once a day, the Sun moues backwards still.
Tis not so great as good; for it doth fill
The fields with Oxen; fils them still with Sheepe;
Fils roofes with wine, & makes al Come there cheap:
No Dearth comes euer there; nor no Disease,
That doth, with hate, vs wretched mortals sease.
But when mens varied Nations, dwelling there
In any City, enter th' aged yeare:
The Siluer-bow-bearer (the Sun) and she,
That beares as much renowne for Archery;
Stoop with their painles shafts, & strike them dead,

239

As one would sleepe, and neuer keepe the bed.
In this Isle stand two Cities: betwixt whome
All things, that of the soiles fertility come,
In two parts are diuided. And both these,
My Father ruld; (Ctesius Ormenides)
A man, like the immortals. With these States,
The crosse-biting Phænissians, traffick't rates
Of infinit Merchandize, in ships brought there;
In which, they then, were held exempt from pere.

There dwelt within my Fathers house, a Dame
Borne a Phænissian; skilfull in the frame
Of Noble Huswiferies; right tall, and faire.
Her, the Phænissian great-wench-net-lai're,

πολυπαιπαλος. I. admodū vafer. Der. ex παλευω I. pertraho in retia & PAIS I. puella.

With sweet words circumuented, as she was
VVashing her Linnen. To his amorous passe
He brought her first, shor'd from his Ship to her;
To whom he did his whole life's loue prefer;
Which, of these brest-exposing Dames, the harts
Deceiues; though fashion'd of right honest parts.
He askt her after, VVhat she was? and whence?
She passing presently, the excellence
Told of her Fathers Turrets; and that she
Might boast her selfe, sprung from the Progeny
Of the rich Sydons: and the daughter was
Of the much-yeare-reuennew'd Arybas.
But, that the Taphian Pirats, made her prize,
As she return'd from her field-huswiferies:
Transfer'd her hither; and at that mans house
VVhere now she liu'd; for value precious
Sold her to th' Owner. He that stole her loue,
Bad her againe, to her births seate remoue,
To see the faire roofes of her friends againe;
Who still held state, and did the port maintaine,
Her selfe reported. She said, Be it so;
So you, and al that in your ship shall roe,
Sweare to returne me, in all safety hence.

All swore; th' Oath past, with euery consequence:
She bad, Be silent now; and not a word
Do you, or any of your friends afford,
Meeting me afterward in any way;
Or at the washing Fount; lest some display
Be made, and told the old man: and he then
Keepe me streight bound: To you, and to your men
The vtter ruine, plotting of your liues.
Keepe in firme thought then, euery word that striues
For dangerous vtterance: Haste your ships ful freight
Of what you Trafficke for; and let me streight
Know by some sent friend:

Intending the Ship.

She hath all in hold,

240

And (with my selfe) Ile bring thence all the gold
I can by all meanes finger: and beside,
Ile do my best, to see your freight supplide
VVith some wel-weighing burthen of mine owne.
For I bring vp, in house, a great mans sonne,
As crafty as my selfe; who will with me
Run euery way along; and I will be
His Leader, till your Ship hath made him sure.
He will an infinite great price procure
Transfer him to what languag'd men ye may.

This said; She gat her home, and there made stay
A whole yeare with vs; Goods of great auaile
Their Ship enriching. VVhich now, fit for saile:
They sent a Messenger t'informe the Dame.
And, to my fathers house a fellow came,
Full of Phænissian craft: that, to be sold
A Tablet bought; the body all of Gold,
The Verge, all Amber. This had ocular view,
Both by my honor'd Mother, and the crew
Of her house-handmaids, handl'd; and the price
Beat; askt, and promist. And while this deuice
Lay thus vpon the Forge: this Ieweller
Made priuy signes (by winkes and wiles) to her
That was his obiect; which she tooke, and he
(His signe seeing noted) hied to Ship. VVhen she
(My hand still taking, as she vsde to do
To walke abroad with her) conuai'd me so
Abroad with her; and in the Portico
Found cups, with tasted Viands; which the guests
That vsde to flocke about my Fathers feasts
Had left. They gone (some to the Counsaile Court;
Some to heare newes amongst the talking sort)
Her Theft, three bowles into her lap conuaid;
And forth she went. Nor was my wit so staid
To stay her, or my selfe. The Sun went downe,
And shadowes round about the world were flowne,
VVhen we came to the hauen; in which did ride
The swift Phænissian Ship; whose faire broad fide
They boorded straight: Tooke vs vp; And all went
Along the moyst waues. VVinde, Saturnius sent.
Six dayes, we day and night sayl'd: But vvhen Ioue
Put vp the seuenth day; She, that shafts

Diana.

doth loue,
Shot dead the woman; who into the pumpe
Like to a Dop-chicke, diu'd; and gaue a thumpe
In her sad setling. Forth they cast her then
To serue the Fish, and Sea-calues: no more Men.
But I was left there, with a heauy hart.
When, winde and water draue them quite apart

241

Their owne course, and on Ithaca they fell;
And there, poore me, did to Laertes sell:
And thus these eyes, the sight of this Isle prou'd.

Eumæus (he replyed) Thou much hast mou'd
The minde in me, with all things thou hast said,
And all the sufferance on thy bosome laid:
Bur (truly) to thy ill, hath Ioue ioyn'd good,
That one whose veines are seru'd with humane blood
Hath bought thy seruice; that giues competence
Of food, wine; cloth to thee. And sure th' expence
Of thy lifes date heere, is of good desart.
VVhose labours, not to thee alone, impart
Sufficient food and housing; but to me.
VVhere I, through many a heap't humanity
Haue hither err'd; where, though (like thee) not sold,
Not staid, like thee yet; nor nought needfull hold.

This mutuall speech they vsd; nor had they slept
Much time before; the much-nere-morning lept
To her faire throne. And now strooke saile, the men
That seru'd Telemachus; arriu'd iust then
Nere his lou'd shore: wher now they stoopt the Mast,
Made to the Port with Oares, and Anchor cast;
Made fast the Ship, and then ashore they went:
Drest supper, fil'd wine; when (their appetites spent)
Telemachus commanded, they should yield
The Ship to th' owner; while himselfe, at field
VVould see his shepherds: when light drew to end
He would his gifts see, and to Towne descend.
And in the morning, at a Feast bestow
Rewards for all their paines. And whither, now
(Said Theoclymenus) my loued Son
Shall I addresse my selfe? whose mansion,
Of all men, in this rough-hewne Isle, shall I
Direct my way to? Or go readily
To thy house, and thy Mother? He replied;
Another time, Ile see you satisfied
VVith my house entertainment: but as now,
You should encounter none that could bestow
Your fit entreaty; and (which lesse graue were)
You could not see my Mother, I not there.
For shee's no frequent obiect; but apart
Keepes from her wooers, woo'd with her desart,
Vp, in her chamber, at her Huswifery.
But Ile name one, to whom you shall apply
Direct repaire; and thats Eurymachus,
Renown'd descent, to wise Polybius:
A man whom th' Ithacensians looke on now,
As on a God: since he, of all that wow

242

Is farre superior man; and likest far
To wed my mother: and as circular
Be in that honor, as Vlysses was.
But heauen-housd Ioue knowes, the yet hidden passe
Of her disposure; and on them he may
A blacker sight bring, then her Nuptiall day.

As this he vtter'd; on his right hand flew
A Saker; sacred to the God of view:
That, in his Tallons trust, and plum'd a Doue;
The Feathers round about the Ship did roue,
And on Telemachus fell; whom th' Augure then
Tooke fast by th' hand; withdrew him from his men,

Theoclymenus to Telemachus.

And said; Telemachus; This Hawke is sent
From God; I knew it for a sure Ostent
VVhen first I saw it. Be you well assur'd,
There will no wooer be by heauen indur'd
To rule in Ithaca, aboue your Race:
But your pow'rs euer fill the Regall place.

Telemachus to Theoclymenus.

I wish to heauen (said he) thy word might stand;
Thou then shouldst soon acknowledge from my hand
Such gifts & friendship, as would make thee (Guest)
Met, and saluted, as no lesse then blest.

Tele. to Pyræus

This said; he call'd Pyræus (Clytus sonne)
His true associate; saying, Thou hast done
(Of all my Followers, to the Pylian shore)
My will, in chiefe, in other things; Once more,
Be chiefly good to me: take to thy house
This loued stranger; & be studious
T'embrace and greete him, with thy greatest fare,
Till I my selfe come, and take off thy care.

Pyræus reply.

The famous for his Lance saide; if your stay,
Take time for life heere; this mans care, Ile lay
On my performance; nor what fits a Guest,
Shall any penury with-hold his Feast.

Thus tooke he ship; bad them boord, and away.
They boorded; sate: but did their labour stay
Till he had deckt his feete, and reacht his Lance.
They to the City: he did straight aduance
Vp to his Sties; where Swine lay for him, store;
By whose sides did his honest Swine-herd snore:
Till his short eares, his longest Nights had ended:
And nothing worse, to both his Lords intended.

The End of the Fifteenth Booke of Homers Odysses.

243

THE SIXTEENTH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

The Prince at Field; he sends to Towne
Eumæus, to make truly knowne
His safe returne. By Pallas will,
Telemachus is giuen the skill
To know his Father. Those that lay
In Ambush, to prevent the way
Of yong Vlyssides, for home;
Retire, with anger ouercome.

Another.

Πι.

To his most deere,
Vlysses showes;
The wise Sun heere
his Father knowes.

Vlysses , and diuine Eumæus rose
Soone as the morning could her eyes vnclose:
Made fire; brake fast; And to their Pasture send
The gather'd Herds: on whom, their Swaines attend.
The selfe-tyre barking Dogs, all sawn'd vpon;
Nor bark't, at first sight of Vlysses son.
The whinings of their fawnings yet did greet
Vlysses eares; and sounds of certaine feet;
Who thus bespake Eumæus: Sure some friend,
Or one well knowne comes, that the Mastiues spend
Their mouths no lowder. Onely some one neare
They whine, and leape about; whose feete I heare.

Each word of this speech was not spent, before

Eumæus amaze and kinde welcome of Telemachus.

His Son stood in the entry of the dore.
Out-rusht amaz'd Eumæus: and let go
The cup to earth, that he had labor'd so,
Cleans'd for the neate wine: Did the Prince surprise,
Kist his faire forehead: Both his louely eyes,
Both his white hands; And tender teares distil'd.
There breath'd no kind soul'd Father, that was fild
Lesse with his sonnes embraces, that had liu'd
Ten yeares in farre-off earth; now new retriu'd,
His onely childe too, gotten in his age:
And for whose absence he had felt the rage

244

Of griefes vpon him; then for this diuin'd
So much for forme, was this diuine for mind:
VVho kist him through: who grew about him kissing,
As fresh from death scapt. Whō (so long time missing)
He wept for ioy, and said; Thou yet art come,
(Sweet light, sweet Sun-rise) to thy cloudy home.
O (neuer I look't) when once shipt away
For Pylos shores, to see thy turning day.
Come; enter lou'd Son; Let me feast my hart
VVith thy sweete sight; new come, so farre apart.
Nor when you liu'd at home, would you walk downe
Often enough heere, but staide still at Towne:
It pleas'd you then, to cast such forehand view
About your house, on that most

αιδηλον ομιλον, αιδηλος, of αιδης, Orcus, & signifies properly, tenebricosus, or infernalis: so that, perniciosus (which is the Latine translation) is not so fit as damned for that crew of dissolute wooers. The phrase being now vsde to all so licentious.

damned crew.

It shall be so then, Friend (saide he) but now
I come to glad mine eyes with thee, and know
If still my Mother, in her house remaine:
Or if some wooer hath aspir'd to gaine
Of her in Nuptials: for Vlysses bed,
By this, lies all with Spiders cobwebs spred,
In penury of him that should supply it.

She still (said he) holds her most constant quiet,
Aloft thine owne house, for the beds respect:
But for her Lords sad losse; sad nights and daies
Obscure her beauties, and corrupt their raies.

This said; Eumæus, tooke his brazen Speare;
And in he went: when, being enter'd neare
VVithin the stony threshold; From his seat,
His Father rose to him: who would not let
Th' old man remoue; but drew him backe and prest
VVith earnest termes his sitting; Saying, Guest;
Take heere your feate againe; we soone shall get
Within our owne house heere, some other seat:
Heere's one will fetch it. This said; downe againe
His Father sate: and to his sonne, his Swaine
Strew'd faire greene Osiers; and impos'd thereon
A good soft Sheepeskin, which made him a Throne.

Then he appos'd to them, his last-left Roste;
And in a wicker basket, bread engroste:
Fil'd luscious wine; and then tooke opposite seate
To the diuine Vlysses. VVhen the meate
Set there before them; all fell to, and eate.

VVhen they had fed; the Prince said, pray thee say,
Whence coms this guest? what seaman gaue him way
To this our Isle? I hope these feete of his
Could walke no water; who boasts he, he is?

Ile tell all truly Son: From ample Crete
He bosts himselfe; and sayes, his erring feete

245

Haue many Cities trod: And God was he
VVhose finger wrought in his infirmity.
But, to my Cottage, the last scape of his,
VVas from a Thesprots Ship. VVhat ere he is,
Ile giue him you: do what you please; His vant
Is, that he is (at most) a suppliant.

Eumæus, (said the Prince) To tell me this,
You haue afflicted my weake Faculties:
For how shall I receiue him to my house
VVith any safety; that suspitious
Of my yong forces (should I be assaide
With any sodaine violence) may want aide
To shield my selfe? Besides, if I go home,
My mother is with two doubts ouercome:
If she shall stay with me, and take fit care
For all such guests, as there seeke guestiue fare;
Her husbands bed respecting, and her fame
Amongst the people: Or her blood may frame
A liking to some wooer, such as best
May bed her in his house; not giuing lest.
And thus am I vnsure, of all meanes free
To vse a Guest there, fit for his degree.
But, being thy Guest; Ile be his supply,
For all weeds, such as mere necessity
Shall more then furnish: Fit him with a sword,
And set him where his heart would haue bene shor'd.
Or (if so pleasd) receiue him in thy Shed:
Ile send thee clothes, I vow; and all the bread
His wish would eate: that to thy men and thee
He be no burthen. But that I should be
His meane to my house; where a company
Of wrong-professing wooers, wildly liue;
I will in no sort author; lest they giue
Foule vse to him; and me, as grauely grieue.
For what great act can any one atchieue
Against a multitude? Although his minde
Retaine a courage of the greatest kinde?
For all minds haue not force in one degree.

Vlysses answer'd; O Friend, since 'tis free

Vlysses to Tele.

For any man, to change fit words with thee;
Ile freely speake. Me thinkes, a woluish powre
My heart puts on, to teare and to deuoure;
To heare your affirmation; that (in spite
Of what may fall on you, made opposite;
Being one of your proportion, birth, and age,
These wooers should in such iniustice rage.
VVhat should the cause be? Do you wilfully
Indure their spoile? Or hath your Empery

246

Bene such amongst your people; that, all gather
In troope, and one voice; (which euen God doth father)
And vow your hate so, that they suffer them?
Or blame your Kinsfolks faiths, before th' extream
Of your first stroke hath tried them? whom a man
When strifes, to blowes rise, trusts: though battel ran
In huge and high waues? would to heauen my spirit
Such youth breath'd, as the man that must inherit,
Yet neuer toucht Vlysses: or that he
(But wandring this way) would but come, and see
What my age could atchieue (and there is Fate
For Hope yet left; that he may recreate
His eyes with such an obiect.) This my head
Should any stranger strike off, if starke dead
I strooke not all: the house in open force
Entring with challenge. If their great concourse
Did ouer-lay me, being a man alone;
(VVhich you vrge for your selfe) be you that one.
I rather in mine owne house wish to dye
One death for all; then so indecently
See euermore, deeds worse then death applied;
Guests, wrōg'd with vile words, & blow-giuing pride:
The women-seruants dragg'd in filthy kind
About the faire house; and in corners blind
Made serue the rapes of Ruffins: Food deuour'd
Idely and rudely; wine exhaust, and pour'd
Through throats prophane; and all about a deed,
That's euer wooing, and will neuer speed.

Telemachus to his Father.

Ile tell you (Guest) most truly, saide his Son;
I do not thinke, that all my people ron
One hatefull course against me; Nor accuse
Kinsfolkes that I in strifes of weight, might vse:
But Ioue will haue it so: our Race alone,
(As if made singular) to one, and one
His hand confining. Onely to the King
(Ioue-bred Arcesius) did Laertes spring;
Onely to old Laertes did descend
Vlysses; onely to Vlysses end
Am I the Adiunct; whom he left so yong,
That from me, to him, neuer comfort sprong.
And to all these now (for their race) arise
Vp in their house, a brood of enemies.
As many as in these Isles bow mens knees;
Samos, Dulychius, and the rich in Trees
Zacynthus: Or in this rought Isles command,
So many suiters for the Nuptials stand,
That aske my Mother; and meane space, prefer
Their lusts to all spoile, that dishonor her.

247

Nor doth she (though she loaths) deny their suites;
Nor they denials take, though taste their fruites.
But all this time, the state of all things there
Their throats deuoure; and I must shortly beare
A part in all; and yet the periods
Of these designes, lye in the knees of Gods.
Of all Loues then, Eumæus; make quicke way
To wise Penelope; and to her, say
My safe returne from Pylos; and alone
Returne thou hither, hauing made it knowne.
Nor let (besides my Mother) any care
Partake thy Message; since a number beare
My safe returne displeasure. He replied;

I know, and comprehend you; you diuide,
Your minde with one that vnderstands you well.

Eum. to Telem.

But, all in one yet; may I not reueale
To th' old hard-fated

Laertes.

Arcesiades
Your safe returne? who through his whole distres
Felt for Vlysses, did not yet so grieue,
But with his houshold, he had will to liue;
And seru'd his appetite, with wine, and food;
Surueigh'd his husbandry, and did his blood
Some comforts fitting life: But since you tooke
Your ship for Pylos, he would neuer brooke,
Or wine, or food, they say; nor cast an eye
On any labour: but sits weeping by;
And sighing out his sorrowes, ceasselesse mones
Wasting his body, turn'd all skin and bones.

More sad newes still (said he) yet; mourne he still?
For if the rule of all mens workes be will,

Telem. to Eum.

And his will, his way goes: mine stands inclin'd
T'attend the home-turne of my

Intending his Father: whose returne, though hee were far frō knowing, or fully expecting: yet he desir'd to order all things as he were present.

neerer kind.
Do then, what I inioyne; which, giuen effect;
Erre not to field to him, but turne direct.
Entreating first my Mother, with most speed;
And all the secrecy that now serues Neede,
To send this way their store-house Guardian,
And she shall tell all to the aged

Intending to Laertes, all that Eumæus would haue told.

Man.

He tooke his shooes vp; put them on, and went.
Nor was his absence, hid from Ioues descent,
Diuine Minerua: who tooke straight, to view,
A goodly womans shape, that all workes knew:
And, standing in the entry, did prefer
Her sight t'Vlysses. But (though meeting her)
His sonne Telemachus, nor saw, nor knew:
The Gods cleere presences, are knowne to few.
Yet (with Vlysses) euen the Dogs did see,
And would not barke; but, whining louingly,

248

Pallas appeares to Vlysses.

Fled to the Stals farre side. VVhere She, her eine
Moou'd to Vlysses. He knew her designe,
And left the house, past the great Sheep-cotes wall,
And stood before her. She bad, Vtter all
Now to his sonne; nor keepe the least vnlosde:
That all the wooers deaths being now disposde,
They might approach the Towne; Affirming, she
Not long would faile, t'assist to victory.

Pallas restores Vlysses youth for a time.

This said; She laide her golden Rod on him;
And with his late-worne weeds grac't euery lim.
His body straitn'd, and his youth instill'd;
His fresh blood call'd vp: euery wrinkle fill'd
About his broken eyes; and on his chin
The browne haire spred. When his whole trim wrought in;
She yssu'd; and he enter'd to his sonne:
VVho stood amaz'd; & thought some God had done
His house that honor: turn'd away his eyes,

Telemachus to his Father.

And sayd; Now Guest, you grace another guise
Then suites your late shew; Other weeds you weare,
And other person. Of the starry spheare
You certainly present some deathlesse God.
Be pleasd, that to your here vouchsaf't abod
VVe may giue sacred rites, and offer Gold

Vlysses to Telē.

To do vs fauour. He replied: I hold
No deified state. VVhy put you thus on me
A Gods resemblance? I am onely he
That beares thy Fathers name: for whose lou'd sake,
Thy youth so grieues: whose absence makes thee take,
Such wrongs of men. Thus kist he him; nor could
Forbeare those teares, that in such mighty hold
He held before: still held, still yssuing euer.
And now (the shores once broke) the springtide neuer
Forbore earth from the cheekes he kist. His sonne,
(By all these violent arguments; not wonne
To credit him his Father) did deny
His kinde assumpt: and said, Some Deity

Tel. to Vlysses.

Fain'd that ioyes cause, to make him grieue the more:
Affirming, that no man, whoeuer wore
The garment of mortality, could take
(By any vtmost power, his soule could make)
Such change into it: since at so much will,
Not Ioue himselfe, could both remoue, and fill
Old age, with youth; and youth, with age so spoile
In such an instant. You wore all the soile
Of age but now, and were old: And but now
You beare that yong grace that the Gods indow

Vlys. to his sonne

Their heauen-borne formes withall. His father saide:
Telemachus? Admire, nor stand dismaide:

249

But know thy solid Father; since within,
He answeres all parts, that adorne his skin.
There shall no more Vlyssesses come heere.
I am the man, that now this twentith yeare
(Stil vnder sufferance of a world of ill)
My countrey earth, recouer: 'Tis the will
The Prey-professor Pallas puts in act;
VVho put me thus together; thus distract,
In aged pieces, as euen now you saw,
This youth now rendring. 'Tis within the law
Of her free pow'r. Sometimes to shew me pore;
Sometimes againe, thus amply to restore
My youth, and Ornaments; She still would please.
The Gods can raise, and throw men downe, with ease.

This said; he sat: when his Telemachus pour'd
Himselfe about him: Teares on teares, he shour'd:
And to desire of mone, increast the cloud:
Both wept & howl'd, & laide out shrieks more loud;
Then or the Bird-bone-breaking Eagle reres;
Or Brood-kind Vulture with the crooked Seres,
VVhen rusticke hands, their tender Aries draw,
Before they giue their wings their full-plum'd Law.
But miserably pour'd they from beneath
Their lids, their teares: while both their breasts did breath
As frequent cries: & to their feruent mone,
The light had left the skies; if first the sonne
Their dumbe mones had not vented, with demand
VVhat Ship it was, that gaue the naturall land
To his blest feet? He then, did likewise lay
Hand on his passion; and gaue these words way.

Ile tell thee truth, my sonne; The men that beare
Much fame for shipping, my Reducers were

Vlysses tels his sonne what ship he arriu'd in.

To long-wisht Ithaca; who each man els,
That greets their shore, giue passe to where he dwels.
The Phæacensian Peeres, in one nights date,
(VVhile I fast slept) fetcht th' Ithacensian state:
Grac't me with wealthy gifts: Brasse, store of Gold,
And Robes faire wrought: All which haue secret hold
In Caues, that by the Gods aduice, I chusde.
And now, Minerua's admonitions vsde
For this retreat; that we might heere dispose
In close Discourse, the slaughters of our foes.
Recount the number of the wooers then;
And let me know what name they hold with men:
That my minde, may cast ouer their estates
A curious measure; & conferre the rates
Of our two pow'rs, and theirs: to try; if we
Alone, may propagate to victory

250

Our bold encounters of them all, or proue
The kind assistance of some others loue.

Telem. to Vlys.

O Father (he replied) I oft haue heard
Your counsailes, and your force of hand prefer'd
To mighty glory: But your speeches now,
Your ventrous minde, exceeding mighty show.
Euen to amaze they moue me: for in right
Of no fitte counsaile, should be brought to fight,
Two men, 'gainst th' able faction of a throng.
No one two, no one ten; No twice ten strong
These wooers are: but more by much. For know,
That from Dulychius there are fifty two;
All choise yong men: and euery one of these
Six men attend. From Samos crost the Seas
Twice twelue young Gallants. From Zacynthus came
Twice ten. Of Ithaca, the best of name,
Twice six. Of all which, all the State they take,
A sacred Poet, and a Herald make.
Their delicacies, two (of speciall sort
In skill of banquets) serue. And all this port
If we shall dare t'encounter; all thrust vp
In one strong roofe: haue great care lest the cup
Your great mind thirsts, exceeding bitter taste;
And your retreat, commend not to your haste
Your great attempt; but make you say, you buy
Their prides reuenges, at a price too hy.
And therefore (if you could) t'were, well you thought
Of some assistent. Be your spirit wrought
In such a mans election, as may lend
His succours freely, and expresse a Friend.

Vlys. to Telem.

His Father answer'd: Let me aske of thee;
Heare me, consider; and then answer me.
Think'st thou if Pallas, and the King of skies
We had to Friend; would their sufficiencies
Make strong our part? Or that some other yet

Telemachus.

My thoughts must worke for? These (saide he) are set
Aloft the clouds; and are sound aydes indeed:
As pow'rs not onely, that these men exceed;
But beare of all men else the high command;
And hold, of Gods, an ouer-ruling hand.

Vlysses.

VVell then (said he) nor these shall seuer long
Their force and ours, in fights assur'd, and strong.
And then, twixt vs, and them, shall Mars prefer
His strength; to stand our great distinguisher;
When, in mine owne Roofes, I am forc't to blowes.
But when the day, shall first her fires disclose;
Go thou for home, and troope vp with the woo'rs;
Thy wil with theirs ioind; pow'r with their rude powrs

251

And after, shall the Herdsman guide to Towne
My steps; my person wholly ouer-growne
With all apparance of a poore old Swaine,
Heauy, and wretched. If their high disdaine
Of my vile presence; make them, my desert
Affect with contumelies; let thy loued heart
Beate in fixt confines of thy bosome still,
And see me suffer, patient of their ill.
I, though they drag me by the heeles, about
Mine owne free earth, and after hurle me out;
Do thou still suffer. Nay, though with their Darts
They beate, and bruise me; beare. But these foul parts
Perswade them to forbeare; and by their names
Cal all with kinde words: bidding, for their shames
Their pleasures cease. If yet they yeeld not way;
There breakes the first light of their fatall day.
In meane space, marke this: VVhen the chiefly wise
Minerua prompts me; Ile informe thine eies
VVith some giuen signe; & then, all th' armes that are
Aloft thy Roofe, in some neere roome prepare
For speediest vse. If those braue men enquire
Thy end in all; still rake vp all thy fire
In faire coole words: and say; I bring them downe
To scoure the smoke off; being so ouer-growne
That one would thinke, all fumes that euer were.
Breath'd since Vlysses losse, reflected here.
These are not like the armes, he left behinde
In way for Troy. Besides, Ioue prompts my minde
In their remoue apart thus, with this thought:
That, if in heighth of wine, there should bee wrought
Some harsh contention twixt you; this apt meane
To mutual bloodshed, may be taken cleane
From out your reach; and all the spoile preuented
Of present Feast: perhaps, euen then presented
My Mothers Nuptials, to your long kinde vowes.
Steele it selfe, ready; drawes a man to blowes.
Thus make their thoughts secure; to vs alone
Two Swords, two Darts; two shields left; wc see done
VVithin our readiest reach; that at our will
VVe may resume, and charge; And all their skil,
Pallas and Ioue, that all iust counsailes breath;
May darken, with securenesse, to their death.
And let me charge thee now, as thou art mine;
And as thy veines mine owne true blood combine:
Let (after this) none know Vlysses nere.
Not any one of all the houshold there;
Not here, the Herdsman: Not Laertes be
Made priuy: nor her selfe, Penelope.

252

But onely let thy selfe, and me worke out
The womens thoughts, of all things borne about
The wooers hearts: and then thy men approue,
To know who honors, who with reuerence loue
Our well-weigh'd Memories; and who is won
To faile thy fit right, though my onely Son.

Telemachus to his Father.

You teach (saide he) so punctually now,
As I knew nothing; nor were sprung from you.
I hope, heereafter, you shall better know
VVhat soule I beare; and that it doth not let
The least loose motion, passe his naturall seat.
But this course you propose, will proue, I feare,
Small profit to vs; and could wish your care
VVould weigh it better, as too farre about.
For Time will aske much, to the sifting out
Of each mans disposition, by his deeds.
And, in the meane time, euery wooer feeds
Beyond saciety; nor knowes how to spare.
The women yet, since they more easie are
For our enquiry; I would wish you try
VVho right your state, who do it iniury.
The men I would omit: and these things make
Your labour, after. But to vndertake
The wooers warre; I wish your vtmost speede,
Especially, if you could cheere the deed,
VVith some Oftent from Ioue. Thus (as the Sire
Consented to the Son) did heere expire
Their mutuall speech. And now the Ship was come
That brought the yong Prince, & his soldiers home.
The deepe Hauen (reacht) they drew the Ship ashore;
Tooke all their Armes out, and the rich Gifts bore
To Clitius house. But to Vlysses Court
They sent a Herald first, to make report
To wise Penelope, that safe at field
Her Son was left: yet since the Ship would yield
Most hast to her; he sent that first; and them
To comfort with his vtmost, the extream
He knew she suffer'd. At the Court, now met
The Herald, and the Herdsman; to repeat
One message to the Queene. Both whom (arriu'd
VVithin the gates:) Both to be formost striu'd
In that good Newes. The Herald, he for hast
Amongst the Maids bestow'd it; thinking plac'st
The Queene amongst them. Now (said he) O Queen,
Your lou'd Son is arriu'd. And then was seene
The Queene her selfe: To whom the herdsman tould
All that Telemachus inioyn'd he should.
All which discharg'd; his steps, he backe bestowes,

253

And left, both Court and City, for his Sowes.
The wooers then grew sad; soule-vext, and all
Made forth the Court. When, by the mighty wall,
They tooke their seuerall seate, before the gates;
To whom Eurymachus, initiates
Their vtter'd greeuance. O (sayd he) my Friends;

Eurymachus to the rest.

A worke right great begun, as proudly ends.
VVe said, Telemachus should neuer make
His voyage good; nor this shore euer take
For his returnes receipt: and yet we faile,
And he performes it. Come, let's man a Saile
The best in our election; and bestow
Such souldiers in her, as can swiftest row:
To tell our friends, that way-lay his retreat
'Tis safe perform'd: and make them quickly get
Their ship for Ithaca. This was not said,
Before Amphinomus in Port displaid
The ship arriu'd: her sailes then vnder stroke;
And Oares resum'd. VVhen laughing, thus he spoke:

Moue for no messenger: these men are come;

Amphinomus to the other wooers

Some God hath either told his turning home,
Or they themselues haue seene his ship gone by:
Had her in chase, and lost her. Instantly
They rose, and went to Port: found drawne to Land
The Ship; the souldiers taking Armes in hand.
The woo'rs themselues, to counsaile went, in throng:
And not a man besides, or old, or yong,
Let sit amongst them. Then Eupitheus Sonne
(Antinous) said: See what the Gods haue done:
They onely, haue deliuered from our ill
The men we way-laid; euery windy hill

Antinous to the Wooers.

Hath bin their watch-tow'n where by turns they stood
Continuall Sentinell. And we made good
Our worke as well: For (Sun, once set) we neuer
Slept winke ashore, all night; But made saile euer
This way, and that; euen till the morning kept
Her sacred Station; so to intercept
And take his life, for whom our ambush lay;
And yet hath God, to his returne giuen way.
But let vs prosecute with counsailes, here
His necessary death: nor any where
Let rest his safety; for if he suruiue,
Our sailes will neuer, in wisht Hauens arriue.
Since he is wise, hath soule, and counsaile to
To worke the people, who will neuer do
Our faction fauour. What we then intend
Against his person, giue we present end
Before he call a counsaile; which, beleeue

254

His spirit will hast, & point where it doth greeue:
Stand vp amongst them all, and vrge his death
Decreed amongst vs. Which complaint, will breath
A fire about their spleenes; and blow no praise
On our ill labours. Lest they therefore raise
Pow'r to exile vs from our Natiue earth,
And force our liues societies to the birth
Of forreigne countries: let our speeds preuent
His comming home, to this austere complaint;
(At field and farre from Towne, or in some way
Of narrow passage:) with his latest day
Shewne to his forward youth: his goods and lands,
Left to the free diuision of our hands:
The Moouables made al, his Mothers dowre,
And his who-euer, Fate affoords; the powre
To celebrate with her, sweet Hymeus rites.
Or if this please not; but your appetites
Stand to his safety, and to giue him seate
In his whole birth-right; let vs looke to eate
At his cost neuer more: but euery man
Haste to his home: and wed with whom he can
At home; and there, lay first about for dowre,
And then the woman giue his second powre
Of Nuptiall liking: And, for last, apply
His purpose, with most gifts, and destiny.

This, silence caus'd; whose breach, at last, begon
Amphinomus, the much renowned Son
Of Nisus, surnam'd Aretiades;
VVho from Dulychius (full of flowry Leas)
Led all the wooers; and in chiefe did please
The Queene with his discourse; because it grew

φρεσι αγαθησιν Bonis mentibus the plurall number vsed euer by Homer.

From rootes of those good mindes that did indue
His goodly person: who (exceeding wise)
Vs'd this speech: Friends, I neuer will aduise
The Princes death: for 'tis a damned thing
To put to death the yssue of a King.
First therefore, let's examine, what applause
The Gods will giue it. If the equall Lawes
Of Ioue approoue it, I my selfe will be
The man shall kill him; and this companie
Exhort to that minde: If the Gods remaine
Aduerse, and hate it; I aduise, refraine.

This said Amphinomus, and pleas'd them all:
VVhen all arose, and in Vlysses Hall
Tooke seate againe. Then, to the Queene was come
The wooers plot, to kill her sonne at home:
Since their abroad designe had mist successe.
The Herald Medon (who the whole addresse)

255

Knew of their counsailes) making the report.
The Goddesse of her sex, with her faire sort
Of louely women; at the large Hals dore
(Her bright cheekes clouded, with a veile shee wore)
Stood, and directed to Antinous
Her sharpe reproofe; which she digested thus:

Antinous? composde of iniury,

Penel. to Antin

Plotter of mischiefe? Though reports that flye
Amongst our Ithacensian people, say
That thou, of all that glory in their sway,
Art best in words and counsailes; Th' art not so.
Fond, busie fellow, why plott'st thou the wo
And slaughter of my Son? and dost not feare
The Presidents of suppliants? when the eare
Of Ioue stoopes to them? 'Tis vniust to do
Slaughter for slaughter; or pay woe, for wo:
Mischiefe for kindnesse; Death for life sought then,
Is an iniustice to be loath'd of men.
Serues not thy knowledge, to remember when
Thy Father fled to vs; who (mou'd to wrath
Against the Taphian the eues) pursu'd with scath
The guiltlesse Thesprots; in whose peoples feare,
Pursuing him for wreake, he landed here.
They after him, professing both their prize
Of all his chiefly valew'd Faculties,
And more priz'd life. Of all whose bloodiest ends
Vlysses curb'd them, though they were his frends.
Yet thou, like one that no Law will allow
The least true honor, eat'st his house vp now
That fed thy Father: woo'st for loue, his wife,
VVhom thus thou grieu'st; & seek'st her sole sons life.
Ceasse, I command thee; and command the rest,
To see all thought of these foule fashions ceast.

Eurymachus replyed; Be confident,

Eurym to Penel.

Thou all of wit made; the most fam'd descent
Of King Icarius: Free thy spirits of feare:
There liues not any one; nor shall liue here
Now, nor hereafter; while my life giues heat
And light to me on earth? that dares entreat
VVith any ill touch, thy well-loued Sonne;
But heere I vow, and heere will see it done,
His life shall staine my Lance. If on his knees
The City-racer,

Vlysses.

Laertiades,
Hath made me sit; put in my hand his foode,
And held his red wine to me: shall the bloode
Of his Telemachus, on my hand lay
The least pollution, that my life can stay?
No: I haue euer charg'd him not to feare

256

Deaths threat from any; And for that most deare
Loue of his Father, he shall euer be
Much the most lou'd, of all that liue to me.
Who kils a guiltlesse man, from Man may flye;
From God his searches, all escapes deny.

Thus cheer'd his words; but his affections still
Fear'd not to cherish soule intent to kill,
Euen him, whose life to all liues he prefer'd.

The Queene went vp; and to her loue appear'd
Her Lord so freshly; that she wept, till sleepe
(By Pallas forc't on her) her eyes did sleepe
In his sweet humor. When the Euen was come,
The God-like Herdsman reacht the whole way home.
Vlysses and his Son, for supper drest
A yeare-old Swine; and ere their Host and Guest
Had got their presence; Pallas had put by
With her faire rod, Vlysses royalty;
And render'd him, an aged man againe,
VVith all his vile Integuments; lest his Swaine
Should know him in his trim, & tell his Queene,
In these deepe secrets, being not deeply seene.

Telem. to Eum.

He seene; to him, the Prince these words did vse:
VVelcome diuine Eumaus; Now what newes
Imployes the City? Are the wooers come
Backe from their Scout dismaid? Or heere at home

Eum. to Telem.

VVill they againe attempt me? He replied,
These touch not my care; I was satisfied
To do, with most speed, what I went to do;
My message done, returne. And yet, not so
Came my newes first; a Herald (met with there)
Fore-stal'd my Tale, and told how safe you were.
Besides which meerely necessary thing;
What in my way chanc't, I may ouer bring,
Being what I know, and witnest with mine eyes.

Where the Hermæan Sepulcher doth rise
Aboue the City: I beheld take Port
A Ship; and in her, many a man of sort:
Her freight was shields and Lances; and, me thought
They were the wooers: but of knowledge, nought
Can therein tell you. The Prince smil'd, and knew
They were the wooers; casting secret view
Vpon his Father. But what they intended
Fled far the Herdsman: whose Swaines labors ended,
They drest the Supper; which, past want, was eat.
VVhen all desire suffic'd, of wine, and meat;
Of other humane wants, they tooke supplies
At Sleepes soft hand; who sweetly clos'd their eies.

The End of the xvi. Booke.

257

THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Telemachus return'd to Towne,
Makes to his curious mother knowne
In part, his Trauailes. After whome
Vlysses to the Court doth come,
In good Eumæus guide; and preast
To witnesse of the Wooers Feast.
Whom (though twice ten yeares did bestow
In farre off parts) his Dog doth know.

Another.

Ρω

Vlysses showes
through all disguise:
Whom his dog knowes;
who knowing dies.

Bvt when aires rosie birth (the Morne) arose,
Telemachus did for the Towne dispose
His early steps; and tooke to his command
His faire long Lance, well sorting with his hand.
Thus, parting with Eumaus: Now my friend,

Telem. to Eum.

I must to Towne; lest too farre I extend
My Mothers mone for me: who till her eyes
Mine owne eyes witnesse; varies teares and cries
Through all extreames. Do then this charge of mine,
And guide to Towne this haplesse guest of thine;
To beg else-where his further Festiuall:
Giue, they that please, I cannot giue to all:
Mine owne wants take vp for my selfe my paine.
If it incense him, he the worst shall gaine;
The louely truth I loue, and must be plaine.

Alas Friend (saide his Father) nor do I
Desire at all your further charity.
'Tis better beg in Cities, then in Fields,
And take the worst a beggers fortune yields.
Nor am I apt to stay in Swine-sties more
How euer: euer the great Chiefe before
The poore Rankes must, to euery step obay.

258

But goe; your man, in my command shall sway:
Anon yet to, by fauor; when your fires
Haue comforted the colde heat, age expires;
And when the Suns flame, hath besides corrected
The early aire abroad; not being protected
By these my bare weeds, from the mornings frost;
Which (since so much ground is to be engrost
By my poore feete as you report) may giue
Too violent charge, to th' heat by which I liue.

This saide; his Sonne went on, with spritely pace,
And to the wooers, studied little grace.
Arriu'd at home; he gaue his Iaueline stay
Against a lofty Pillar; and bold way
Made further in. When, hauing so farre gone
That he transcended, the fayre Porch of Stone;
The first by farre, that gaue his entry, eye
VVas Nurse Euryclea; who th' embrodery
Of Stooles there set; was giuing Cushions faire:
VVho ranne vpon him, and her rapt repaire
Shed teares for ioy. About him gather'd round
The other Maides; his head, and shoulders, croun'd
VVith kisses and embraces. From aboue
The Queene her selfe came, like the Queene of Loue;
Or bright Diana: Cast about her Sonne
Her kinde embraces: with effusion
Of louing teares; kist both his louely eyes,
His cheekes, and forehead; and gaue all supplies
With this entreaty: Welcome sweetest light;

Penel. to Telem.

I neuer had conceite, to set quicke sight
On thee thus soone; when thy lou'd fathers fame
As farre as Pylos, did thy spirit enflame:
In that search ventur'd all vnknowne to me.
O say, By what power cam'st thou now to be
Mine eyes deare obiect? He return'd reply,

Telem to his Mother.

Moue me not now: when you my scape descry
From iminent death; to thinke me fresh entrapt;
The fear'd wound rubbing, felt before I scap't.
Double not needlesse passion, on a heart
VVhose ioy so greene is, and so apt t'inuert:
But pure weeds putting on, ascend and take
Your women with you: that yee all may make
Vowes of full Hecatombs, in sacred fire
To all the God-heads; If their onely Sire
Vouchsafe reuenge of guest-rites wrong'd, which hee
Is to protect, as being their Deity.
My way shall be directed to the hall
Of common Concourse, that I thence may call
A stranger; who from off the Pylian shore

259

Came friendly with me; whom I sent before
VVith all my souldiers; but in chiefe did charge
Pyræus with him, wishing him t'enlarge
His loue to him, at home, in best affaire,
And vtmost honors, till mine owne repaire.

Her Son, thus spoken; his words could not beare
The wings too easely through her either eare:
But putting pure weeds on; made vowes entire
Of perfect Hecatombes, in sacred fire
To all the Deities; if their onely Sire
Vouchsaft reuenge of guest-rites, wrong'd; which he
VVas to protect, as being their Deity.

Her Son left house: In his faire hand, his Lance;
His dogs attending, and on euery glance
His lookes cast from them; Pallas put a grace
That made him seeme of the celestiall race.
Whom (come to concourse) euery man admir'd:
About him throng'd the wooers, and desir'd
All good to him in tongues; but in their hearts
Most deepe ils threatn'd, to his most deserts.
Of whose huge rout, once free; he cast glad eie
On some, that long before his infancie,
VVere with his Father, great, and gracious:
Graue Halytherses, Mentor, Antiphus;
To whom he went: tooke seate by them: And they
Enquir'd of all things, since his parting day.
To them Pyræus came, and brought his Guest
Along the City thither; whom nor lest,
The Prince respected; nor was long before
He rose and met him: The first word yet; bore

Pyræ. to Telem.

Pyræus from them both: whose haste, besought
The Prince to send his women, to see brought
The Gifts from his house, that Atrides gaue,
VVhich, his own roofes, he thought, wold better saue.

The wise Prince answer'd, I can scarse conceiue
The way to these workes. If the wooers reaue
By priuy Stratagem, my life at home:

Telem. to Pyræ.

I rather wish, Pyræus may become
The Maister of them, then the best of these.
But, if I sowe in their fields of excesse,
Slaughter, and ruine; then thy trust imploy,
And to me ioying, bring thou those with ioy.

This said; he brought home his grief-practisd Guest;
VVhere both put off, both oyl'd, and did inuest
Themselues in rich Robes; washt, and fate, and eate.
His Mother, in a faire chaire, taking seate
Directly opposite: her Loome applied;
VVho (when her Son and Guest, had satisfied

260

Penel. to Telem.

Their appetites with feast) said; O my Sonne,
You know, that euer since your Sire was wonne
To go in Agamemnons guide to Troy;
Attempting sleepe, I neuer did inioy
One nights good rest; but made my quiet bed
A Sea blowne vp with sighes; with teares still shed
Embrew'd and troubl'd: yet, though all your misse
In your late voyage, hath bene made for this,
That you might know th' abode your Father made.
You shun to tell me what successe you had.
Now then, before the insolent accesse
The wooers straight will force on vs; expresse
What you haue heard. I will (saide he) and true.

Telemachus briefly relates his voyage to his Mother.

VVe came to Pylos, where the studious due
That any Father could affoord his Son;
(But new arriu'd from some course he had ron
To an extreame length, in some voyage vow'd)
Nestor, the Pastor of the people, show'd
To me arriu'd, in turrets thrust vp hye;
VVhere not his braue Sons, were more lou'd then I.
Yet of th' vnconquer'd-euer-Sufferer
Vlysses; neuer he could set his eare
Aliue, or dead, from any earthy man.
But to the great Lacedemonian
(Atrides, famous for his Lance) he sent
VVith horse and Chariots; Me, to learne th' euent
From his Relation; where I had the view
Of Argiue Hellen, whose strong beauties drew
(By wils of Gods) so many Grecian States,
And Troians, vnder such laborious Fates.
Where Menelaus ask't me, what affaire
To Lacedemon, render'd my repaire.

Men to Telem.

I told him all the truth: who made reply;
O deed of most abhor'd indecency!
A sort of Impotents attempt his bed.
VVhose strength of minde, hath Cities leuelled?
As to a Lyons den, when any Hinde
Hath brought her yong Calues, to their rest inclinde;
When he is ranging hils, and hearby dales,
To make, of Feeders there, his Festiuals:
But turning to his luster; Calues, and Dam,
He shewes abhorr'd death, in his angers flame:
So (should Vlysses finde this rabble, housd
In his free Turrets, courting his espousd)
Foule death would fall them. O, I would to Ioue,
Phœbus, and Pallas, that (when he shall proue
The broad report of his exhausted store,
True with his eyes) his Nerues and Sinewes wore

261

That vigor then, that in the Lesbian Tow'rs
(Prouok't to wrastle with the iron powrs
Philomelides vanted) he approu'd;
VVhen, downe he hurl'd his Challenger, and mou'd
Huge shouts from all the Achiues then in view.
If, once come home, he all those forces drew
About him there to worke: they all were dead,
And should finde bitter his attempted bed.
But, what you aske and sue for, I (as far,
As I haue heard, the true-spoke Marinar)
VVill tell directly; nor delude your eare.
He told me, that an Island did enspheare
(In much discomfort) great Laertes sonne;
And that the Nymph Calypso (ouer-ronne
VVith his affection) kept him in her Caues,
Where men, nor Ship, of pow'r to brook the waues,
VVere neere his conuoy to his countries Shore;
And where her selfe, importun'd euermore
His quiet stay; which not obtain'd, by force,
She kept his person from all else recourse.

This told Atrides; which was all he knew;
Nor staid I more: but from the Gods there blew
A prosperous winde, that set me quickly heere.

This put his Mother, quite from all her cheere:

Theoclymenus to Penelope.

VVhen Theoclymenus the Augure, said:

O woman, honour'd with Vlysses bed:
Your Son, no doubt, knowes cleerely nothing more:
Heare me yet speake, that can the truth vncore;
Nor will be curious. Ioue then, witnesse beare,
And this thy Hospitable Table heere,
VVith this whole houshold of your blamelesse Lord;
That, at this houre, his royall feete are shor'd
On his lou'd countrey earth; and that euen heere
Comming, or creeping, he will see the cheere
These wooers make; and in his soules field, sow
Seeds, that shall thriue to all their ouerthrow.
This, set a ship-boord, I knew sorted thus,
And cried it out, to your Telemachus.

Penel. to Theoc.

Penelope replied; VVould this would proue;
You well should witnesse a most friendly loue,
And gifts such of me, as encountring Fame
Should greete you with, a blessed Mortals name.
This mutuall speech, past: all the wooers wore
Hurling the stone, and tossing of the Speare
Before the Pallace, in the paued Court:
VVhere other-whiles, their perulant resort
Sate plotting iniuries. But when the hower
Of Supper enter'd; and the feeding power

262

Brought sheepe from field, that fil'd vp euery way
VVith those that vsde to furnish that puruay;
Medon, the Herald (who of all the rest

Medon, the Herald cal of the Wooers to supper

Pleasd most the wooers, and at euery Feast
VVas euer neere) said; You whose kind consort
Make the faire branches of the Tree, our Court;
Grace it within now, and your Suppers take.
You that for health, and faire contentions sake
Wil please your minds; know, bodies must haue meat;
Play's worse them idlenesse, in times to eate.

This said; all left; came in; cast by, on Thrones
And Chaires, their garments. Their prouisions
VVere Sheepe, Swine, Goats; the chiefly great & fat.
Besides an Oxe, that from the Herd they gat.
And now, the King and Herdsman, from the field,
In good way were to Towne: Twixt whom was held
Some walking conference; which thus begun

Eumæ. to Vlyss.

The good Eumaus: Guest, your will was wun,
(Because the Prince commanded) to make way
Vp to the City; though I wisht your stay,
And to haue made you Guardian of my stall:
But I, in care and feare, of what might fall,
In after anger of the Prince; forbore.
The checkes of Princes, touch their subiects sore.
But make we hast, the day is neerely ended;
And cold ayres still, are in the Euen extended.

I know't (said he) consider all; your charge

Vlyss. to Eumæ.

Is giuen to one that vnderstands at large.
Haste then: heereafter, you shall leade the way;
Affoord your Staffe to, if it fit your stay,
That I may vse it; since you say, our passe
Is lesse friend to a weake foot, then it was.

Thus cast he on his necke, his nasty Scrip,
All patcht and torne: A cord that would not slip
For knots, and bracks, about the mouth of it,
Made serue the turne: and then his Swaine did fit
His forc't state with a staffe. Then plied they hard
Their way to towne: Their Cottage left in guard
To Swaines and Dogs. And now, Eumaus led
The King along: his garments to a thred
All bare, and burn'd; and he himselfe hard bore
Vpon his staffe, at all parts like a pore
And sad old begger. But when now they got
The rough high-way; their voyage wanted not

The washing Fount of the Citty.

Much, of the City: where a Fount they reacht,
From whence the Towne their choisest water fetcht,
That euer ouer-flow'd; and curious Art
VVas shewne about it: In which, three had part;

263

VVhose names, Neritus and Polyctor were,
And famous Ithacus. It had a Sphere
Of poplar, that ranne round about the wall;
And into it, a lofty Rocke let fall,
Continuall supply of coole cleare streame:
On whose top, to the Nymphs that were supreme
In those parts loues; a stately Altar rose;
VVhere euery Trauailer, did still impose
Deuoted sacrifice. At this fount, found
These silly Trauailers, a man renown'd
For guard of Goats, which now he had in guide;
VVhose huge-stor'd Herd, two herdsmen kept beside:
For all Herds it exceld; and bred a seed
For wooers onely. He was Delina seede,
And call'd Melanthius. VVho casting eye
One these two there, he chid them terribly:
And so past meane, that euen the wrethed fate,
Now on Vlysses, he did irritate.
His fume, to this effect, he did pursue:
VVhy so; tis now at all parts passing true,

Melanthius to Eumæus and Vlysses.

That ill leades ill: good euer more doth traine
VVith like, his like: VVhy thou unenuied Swaine,
VVhither dost thou leade this same victlesse Leager?
This bane of banquets; this most nasty begger?
VVhose sight doth make one sad, in so abhorres;
VVho with his standing in so many doores,
Hath broke his backe; and all his beggery tends
To beg base crusts, but to no manly ends;
As asking swords, or with actiuity
To get a Caldron. VVouldst thou giue him me,
To farme my Stable, or to sweepe my yarde,
And bring brouse to my kids; and that prefer'd,
He should be at my keeping for his paines,
To drinke as much whey as his thirsty veynos
VVould still be swilling (whey made all his fees)
His monstrous belly, would oppresse his knees.
But he hath learn'd to leade base life about;
And will not worke, but crouch among the rout;
For broken meate, to cram his bursten gut.
Yet this Ile say; and he will finde it put
In sure effect; that if he enters where
Vlysses roofes cast shade; the stooles will there
About his eares flye; all the hous wil throw;
And rub his ragged sides, with cuffes enow.

Past these reuiles; his manlesse rudenesse spurn'd
Diuine Vlysses; who, at no part turn'd
His face from him, but had his spirit fed
VVith these two thoghts; If he should strike him dead

264

VVith his bestowed staffe: or at his feete
Make his direct head, and the pauement meete.
But he bore all, and entertain'd a brest,
That in the strife of all extremes did rest.

Eumæus curseth Melan. for his rude vsage of Vlysses.

Eumæus, frowning on him; chid him yet:
And lifting vp his hands to heauen, he set
This bitter curse at him: O you that beare
Faire name to be the race of Iupiter,
Nymphes of these Fountaines! If Vlysses euer
Burn'd thighes to you; that hid in fat, did neuer
Faile your acceptance, of or Lambe, or Kid;
Grant this grace to me; let the man thus hid
Shine through his dark fate: make som God his guide;
That, to thee (Goat-herd) this same Pallats

Intending his fat Herd, kept onely for the wooers daintie Pallats.

pride,
Thou driu'st afore thee; he may come and make
The scatterings of the earth; and ouer-take
Thy wrongs, with forcing thee to euer erre
About the City, hunted by his feare.
And in the meane space, may some slothfull Swaines,
Let lowsie sicknesse gnaw thy Cattels Vaines.

Melan: answer to Eumæus.

O Gods! (replyed Melanthius) what a curse
Hath this dog barkt out; and can yet, do wurse?
This man, shall I haue giuen into my hands,
VVhen, in a well-built Ship, to farre-off Lands
I shall transport him: That (should I want here)
My sale of him, may finde me victels there.
And (for Vlysses) would to heauen, his ioy
The Siluer-bearing-bow-God, would destroy,
This day, within his house; as sure as he
The day of his returne shall neuer see?

This said, he left them, going silent on;
But he out-went them, and tooke straight vpon
The Pallace royall, which he enter'd straight;
Sat with the wooers, and his Trenchers fraight
The Keruers gaue him, of the flesh there vented:
But bread, the reuerend Buttleresse presented.
He tooke, against Eurymachus, his place;
VVho most of all the wooers, gaue him grace.
And now, Vlysses and his Swaine got nere:
VVhen, round about them, visited their eare
The hollow Harpes delicious-stricken string;
To which, did Phæmius (neere the wooers) sing.

Then, by the hand, Vlysses tooke his Swaine,
And saide, Eumaus? One may heere see plaine
(In many a grace) that

Vlysses.

Laertiades
Built heere these Turrets; and (mongst others these)
His whole Court arm'd, with such a goodly wall:
The Cornish, and the Cope, Maiesticall:

265

His double gates, and Turrets, built too strong
For force, or vertue, euer to expugne.
I know, the Feasters in it, now abound,
Their Cates cast such a sauour; and the sound
The Harpe giues, argues, an accomplisht Feast;
The Gods made Musicke, Banquets deerest Guest.

These things (said he) your skill may tell with ease,
Since you are grac't with greater knowledges.
But now, consult we, how these workes shall sort,
If you will first approch this praised Court,
And see these wooers (I remaining here)
Or I shall enter, and your selfe forbeare.
But be not you, too tedious in your stay
Lest thrust ye be, and buffeted away.
Braine hath no fence for blowes; looke too't I pray.

You speake to one that comprehends (said he)
Go you before; and heere, aduenture me.
I haue of old, bene vsde to cuffes and blowes;
My minde is hardn'd; hauing borne the throwes
Of many a soure euent, in waues, and wars;
Where knockes and buffets are no Forreinars.
And this same harmefull belly, by no meane,
The greatest Abstinent, can euer weane.
Men suffer much Bane, by the Bellies rage;
For whose sake, Ships in all their equipage
Are arm'd, and set out to th' vntamed Seas;
Their bulkes full fraught with ils to enemies.
Such speech they chang'd: when in the yeard there lay
A dogge, call'd Argus; which, before his way
Assum'd for Ilion; Vlysses bred;

Vlysses dog, called Argus.

Yet stood his pleasure then, in little sted;
(As being too yong) but growing to his grace,
Yong men made choise of him for euery Chace;
Or of their wilde Goats, of their Hares, or Harts.
But, his King gone; and he, now past his parts;
Lay all abiectly on the Stables store,
Before the Oxe-stall, and Mules stable dore,
To keepe the clothes, cast from the Pessants hands,
While they laide compasse on Vlysses Lands:
The Dog, with Tickes (vnlook't to) ouer-growne.
But, by this Dog, no sooner seene, but knowne
VVas wise Vlysses, who (new enter'd there)
Vp went his Dogs laide eares; and (comming nere)
Vp, he himselfe rose, fawn'd, and wag'd his Sterne;

The Dog dyed as soone as hee had seen Vlysses

Coucht close his eares, and lay so: Nor descerne
Could euermore his deere-lou'd Lord againe.
Vlysses saw it; nor had powre t'abstaine
From shedding tears: which (far-off seeing his Swain)

266

He dried from his sight cleane; to whom, he thus
His griefe dissembled: 'Tis miraculous,
That such a Dog as this, should haue his laire
On such a dunghill; for his forme is faire.
And yet, I know not, if there were in him
Good pace, or parts, for all his goodly lim.
Or he liu'd empty of those inward things,
As are those trencher-Beagles, tending Kings;
VVhom for their pleasures, or their glories sake,
Or fashion; they into their fauours take.

Eumæus Description of Vlysses Dogge.

This Dog (said he) was seruant to one dead
A huge time since. But if he bore his head
(For forme and quality) of such a hight,
As when Vlysses (bound for th' Ilion fight,
Or quickly after) left him: your rapt eyes
VVould then admire, to see him vse his Thyes,
In strength, and swiftnes. He would nothing flye,
Nor any thing let scape. If once his eye
Seiz'd any wilde beast, he knew straight his scent:
Go where he would, away with him he went.
Nor was there euer any Sauage stood
Amongst the thickets of the deepest wood
Long time before him, but he pull'd him downe;
As well by that true hunting to be showne
In such vaste couerts; as for speed of pace
In any open Lawne; For in deepe chace,
He was a passing wise, and well-nos'd Hound.
And yet is all this good in him vncroun'd
With any grace heere now. Nor he more fed
Then any errant Curre. His King is dead,
Farre from his country; and his seruants are
So negligent, they lend his Hound, no care.
Where Maysters rule not, but let Men alone;
You neuer there, see honest seruice done.
That Man's halfe vertue, Ioue takes quite away,
That once is Sun-burn'd with the seruile day.

This said; he enter'd the well-builded Towers,
Vp bearing right vpon the glorious wooers;
And left poore Argus dead. His Lords first sight,
Since that time twenty yeares, bereft his light.

Telemachus, did farre the first behould
Eumæus enter; and made signes he should
Come vp to him. He (noting) came, and tooke
On earth, his seate. And then, the Maister Cooke
Seru'd in more banquet: Of which; part he set
Before the wooers; part the Prince did get:
VVho sate alone; his Table plac't aside;
To which, the Herald did the bread diuide.

267

After Eumæus, enter'd straight the King,

Vlysses ruthfull fashion of entrie to his own Hal.

Like to a poore, and heauy aged thing:
Bore hard vpon his staffe; and was so clad,
As would haue made his meere beholder sad.
Vpon the Ashen floore, his limbes he spred;
And gainst a Cypresse threshold staid his head;
The tree wrought smooth, and in a line direct,
Tried by the Plumbe, and by the Architect.
The Prince then bad the Herdsman giue him bread,
The finest there: and see, that prostrated
At-all-parts-plight of his, giuen all the cheare
His hands could turne to: Take (saide he) and beare
These cates to him; and bid him beg of all
These wooers heere; and to their feastiuall
Beare vp with all the impudence he can;
Bashfull behauiour, fits no needy Man,

He heard, and did his will: Hold Guest (saide he)
Telemachus commends these cates to thee;
Bids thee beare vp, and all these woo'rs implore;
Wit must make Impudent, whom Fate makes pore.

O Ioue (said he) do my poore pray'rs the grace,
To make him blessed'st of the mortall race:
And euery thought now, in his generous heart,
To deeds that further my desires conuert.

Thus tooke he in, with hoth his hands, his store;
And in the vncouth Scrip that lay before
His ill-shod feete, repos'd it: whence he fed
All time the Musicke to the Feasters plaid.
Both ioyntly ending. Then began the woo'rs
To put in old act, their tumultuous pow'rs.
When Pallas standing close, did prompt her frend,
To proue how farre the bounties would extend
Of those proud wooers; so, to let him try,
Who most, who least, had learn'd humanity.
However, no thought toucht Mineruaes minde,
That any one should scape his wreake design'd.
He handsomly became all; crept about
To euery wooer; held a forc't hand out:
And all his worke, did in so like a way,
As he had practis'd begging many a day.
And though they knew, all beggers could do this,
Yet they admir'd it, as no deede of his;
Though farre from thought of other: vs'd expence
And pitty to him: who he was, and whence,
Enquiring mutually. Melanthius then:
Heare me, ye wooers of the farre-fam'd Queen,
About this begger: I haue seene before
This face of his; and know for certaine more:

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That this Swaine brought him hither. What he is,
Or whence he came, flies me. Reply to this
Antinous made; and mockt Eumæus thus.

O thou renowned Herdsman, why to vs
Brought'st thou this begger? Serues it not our hands,
That other Land-leapers, and Cormorands
(Prophane poore knaues) lye on vs, vnconducted,
But you must bring them? So amisse instructed
Art thou in course of thrift, as not to know
Thy Lords goods wrackt, in this their ouer-flow?
VVhich, thinkst thou nothing, that thou calst in these?

Eumæus answer'd; Though you may be wise,
You speak not wisely: VVho cals in a Guest
That is a guest himselfe? None cal to Feast
Other then men that are of publique vse:
Prophets, or Poets, whom the Gods produce;
Physitians for mens ils; or Architects.
Such men, the boundlesse earth affoords respects
Bounded in honour; and may call them wel:
But poore men, who cals? Who doth so excell
In others good, to do himselfe an ill?
But all Vlysses seruants haue bene still
Eye-sores in your waie, more then all that woo;
And cheefly I. But what care I, for you?
As long as these roofes, hold as thrals to none,
The wise Penelope, and her God-like Sonne.

Forbeare (said he) and leaue this tongues bold ill;
Antinous vses to be crossing still,
And giue sharpe words: his blood that humor beares,
To set men stil together by the eares.
But (turning then t'Antinous) O (saide he)
You entertaine a Fathers care of me;
To turne these eating guests out: Tis aduise
Of needful vse for my poore faculties.
But God doth not allow this: There must be
Some care of poore men, in humanitie.
What you your selues take; giue; I not enuy,
But giue command that hospitality
Be giuen al strangers: Nor shal my pow'rs feare,
If this mood in me, reach my Mothers eare;
Much lesse the seruants, that are heere to see
Vlysses house kept, in his old degree.
But you beare no such mind; your wits more cast
To fill your selfe, then let another rast.

Antinous answer'd him; Braue spoken man
VVhose minds free fire, see check't, no vertue can;
If all we wooers heere, would giue as much
As my minde serues; his

Intending Vlysses.

Larges should be such

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As would for three months serue his farre off way
From troubling your house, with more cause of stay.

This said; he tooke a stoole vp, that did rest
Beneath the boord, his spangled feete at feast:
And offer'd at him: But the rest, gaue all,
And fil'd his fulsome Scrip with Festiuall.
And so Vlysses for the present, was,
And for the future surnisht; and his passe
Bent to the doore, to eate. Yet could not leaue
Antinous so: but said; Do you to giue

Vlysses to Antin.

(Lou'd Lord) your presence, makes a shew to me;
As you not worst were of the company,
But best? and so much, that you seeme the King:
And therefore, you should giue some better thing,
Then bread, like others. I will spred your praise
Through all the wide world; that haue in my daies
Kept house my selfe; and trod the wealthy waies
Of other men, euen to the Title, Blest;
And often haue I giuen an erring Guest
(How meane so euer) to the vtmost gaine
Of what he wanted: kept whole troopes of men;
And had all other commings in; with which
Men liue so well, and gaine the fame of Rich.
Yet Ioue consum'd all: he would haue it so:
To which, his meane was this; he made me go
Farre off, for Egypt, in the rude consort
Of all-waies-wandring Pyrats; where, in Port
I bad my lou'd men, draw their Ships ashore,
And dwell amongst them: Sent out some t'explore
Vp to the Mountaines; who (intemperate,
And their inflam'd bloods, bent to satiate)
Forrag'd the rich fields; hal'd the women thence,
And vnwean'd children, with the foule expence
Both of their fames, and bloods. The cry then flew
Straight to the City; and the great fields grew
VVith horse, and foot; and flam'd with iron armes;
VVhen Ioue (that breaks the Thunder in Alarmes)
An ill flight cast amongst my men: Not one
Inspir'd with spirit, to stand, and turne vpon
The fierce pursuing foe: and therefore stood
Their ill fate thicke about them: some in blood,
And some in bondage: I oiles led by constraint
Fastning vpon them. Me, along they sent
To Cyprus, with a stranger Prince they met,
Dmetor Iasides; who th' Imperiall seat
Of that sweete Island, swaid in strong command;
And thus feele I heere, Needs contemned hand.

And what God sent (saide he) this suffering bane

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To vex our banquet? Stand off; nor prophane
My boord so boldly, lest I shew thee here,
Cyprus and Egypt, made more soure then there.
You are a sawcy set fac't Vagabond.
About with all you go; and they, beyond
Discretion giue thee, since they finde not heere
The least proportion set downe to their cheere.
But euery Fountaine hath his vnder floods;
It is no Bounty, to giue others goods.

O Gods (replied Vlysses) I see now,
You beare no soule, in this your goodly show;
Beggers at your boord, I perceiue, should get
Scarse salt from your hands, if thēselues broght meat:
Since, sitting where anothers boord is spread,
That flowes with feast; not to the broken bread
VVill your allowance reach. Nay then (said he,
And look't austerely) It so saucy be
Your suffer'd language, I suppose, that cleere
You shall not scape without some broken cheere.

Thus rapt he vp a stoole, with which he smit
The Kings right shoulder, 'twixt his necke, and it.
He stood him like a rocke: Antinous dart
Not stirr'd Vlysses: who, in his great hart
Deepe ils proiected; which, for time yet, close
He bound in silence; shooke his head, and went
Out to the Entry, where he then gaue vent
To his full scrip; sate on the earth, and eate,
And talk't still to the wooers: heare me yet
Ye wooers of the Queene. It neuer greeues
A man to take blowes, where for Sheepe, or Beeues,
Or other maine possessions, a man fights:
But for his harmefull belly, this man smites,
VVhose loue to many a man, breeds many a wo.
And if the poore haue Gods, and Furies to;
Before Antinous weare his Nuptiall wreath,
He shall be worne vpon the dart of death.

Harsh Guest (saide he) sit silent at your meate,
Or seeke your desperate plight some safer seate;
Lest by the hands, or heeles, youths drag your yeares,
And rend your rotten ragges about your eares.

This made the rest, as highly hate his folly,
As he had violated something holy.
VVhen one (euen of the proudest) thus began:
Thou dost not nobly, thus to play the man
On such an errant wretch: O ill dispos'd!
Perhaps some sacred God-head goes enclos'd
Euen in his abiect outside: For the Gods
Haue often visited these rich abods

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Like such poore stranger Pilgrims; since their pow'rs
(Being alwayes shapefull) glide through Townes and Tow'rs;
Obseruing as they passe stil, who they be
That piety loue, and who impiety.

This, all men said; But he held sayings cheape:
And all this time Telemachus did heape
Sorrow on sorrow, on his beating hart
To see his Father stricken; yet let part
No teare to earth, but shooke his head, and thought
As deepe as those ils, that were after wrought.

The Queen now hearing of her poore guests stroke;
Said to her Maid, (as to her wooer she spoke)
I wish the famous for his Bow, the Sun
VVould strike thy heart so. Her wish (thus begun)
Her Lady, faire Eurynome pursude
Her execration; and did thus conclude:
So may our vowes call downe from heauen, his end;
And let no one life of the rest, extend
His life till morning. O Eurynome
(Replied the Queene) may all Gods speake in thee:
For all the wooers, we should rate as foes;
Since all their weales, they place in others woes.
But this Antinous, we past all, should hate,
As one resembling blacke and cruell Fate.
A poor strange wretch; beg'd here, compel'd by need:
Askt all, and euery one gaue in his deed;
Fill'd his sad Scrip, and cal'd his heauy wants:
Onely this man, bestow'd vnmanly tants;
And with a cruell blow (his force let flye)
'Twixt necke and shoulders; shew'd his charity.
These minds (aboue) she and her Maids did show;
VVhile, at his scrip, Vlysses sate below.
In which time, she Eumæus call'd, and said:
Go, good Eumæus, and see soone conuaid
The stranger to me: Bid him come and take
My salutations for his welcomes sake;
And my desire serue, if he hath not heard
Or seene distrest Vlysses? who hath err'd
Like such a man; and therefore chance may fall,
He hath, by him bene met, and spoke withall.

O Queene (saide he) I wish to heauen, your eare
Were quit of this vnreuerend noise you heare
From these rude wooers; when I bring the guest:
Such words, your care, would let into your brest
As would delight it, to your very heart.
Three nights and dayes, I did my Roofe impart
To his fruition; (for he came to me
The first of all men, since he fled the Sea)

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And yet he had not giuen a perfect end
To his relation, of what woes did spend
The spight of Fate on him:

Simil: In which Vlysses is compared with a Poet, for the sweetnesse of his speech.

But as you see
A Singer, breathing out of Deity
Loue kindling lines; when all men seated nere,
Are rapt with endlesse thirst, to euer heare:
So sweetn'd he, my bosome, at my meate;
Affirming that Vlysses was in Crete,
VVhere first the memories of Minos were,
A Guest to him, there dwelling, then as deare
As his true Father: and from thence, came he
Tir'd on with sorrowes; tost from sea to sea;
To cast himselfe in dust, and tumble heere
At wooers feete, for blowes, and broken cheere.
But, of Vlysses (where the Thesprots dwell,
A wealthy people) Fame, he sayes, did tell
The still suruiuall: who his Natiue light
VVas bound for now; with treasure infinite.

Call him (sayd she) that he himselfe may say
This, ouer to me. We shall soone haue way
Giuen by the wooers: They, as well at Gate,
As set within doores, vse to recreate
Their high-fed spirits. As their humors leade,
They follow; and may well; for still they treade
Vncharg'd waies here; their own welth lying vnwasted
In poore-kept houses: onely something tasted
Their bread and wine is, by their houshold Swaines;
But they themselues, let loose continuall Reines
To our expences; making slaughter still
Of Sheepe, Goats, Oxen; feeding past their fill;
And vainly lauishing our richest wine.
All these extending past the sacred line.
For here liues no man, like Vlysses now
To curbe these ruines: But should he once show
His country light, his presence; He and his
VVould soone reuenge these wooers iniuries.

This said; about the house, in ecchoes, round,

Neezing a good Omen.

Her Sons strange Neesings made a horrid sound;
At which, the Queene yet laught, and said; Goe call
The stranger to me: Heardst thou not to all
My words last vtter'd, what a Neesing brake
From my Telemachus? From whence I make
This sure conclusion; That the death, and fate
Of euery wooer heere, is neere his date.
Call then the Guest; and if he tel as trew
VVhat I shal aske him; Cote, cloke all things new
These hands shal yeeld him. This said; down he went
And told Vlysses, that the Queene had sent

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To call him to her; that she might enquire
About her husband, what her sad desire
Vrg'd her to aske: and if she found him true,
Both cote, and cassocke (which he needed) new
Her hands would put on him; And that the Bread
VVhich now he begg'd amongst the commune tread;
Should freely feed his hunger now from her;
VVho, all he wisht, would to his wants prefer.

His answer was; I will with fit speed, tell
The whole truth to the Queene; For, passing well
I know her Lord; since he and I, haue shar'd
In equall sorrowes. But I much am scar'd
With this rude multitude of wooers here;
The rage of whose pride, smites heauens brazē sphere:
Of whose rout, when one strooke me for no fault;
Telemachus, nor none else, turn'd th' assault
From my poore shoulders. Therfore though she hast;
Beseech the Queene, her patience, will see past
The dayes broad light; and then, may she enquire.
'Tis but my closer preasing to the fire
In th' Euenings cold; because, my weeds, you know
Are passing thin: For I made bold to show
Their brackes to you, and pray'd your kinde supply.

He heard, and hasted; and met instantly
The Queene vpon the pauement in his way
Who askt; what? bringst thou not? What cause of stay
Finde his austere supposes? Takes he feare
Of th' vniust wooers? Or thus hard doth beare
On any other doubt the house obiects?
He does me wrong; and giues too nice respects
To his fear'd safety. He does right (said he)
And what he feares, should moue the policie
Of any wise one; taking care to shun
The violent wooers; He bids bide, til Sun
Hath hid his broad light: and, beleeue it, Queene,
T'will make your best course: since you two, vnseene
May passe th' encounter: you to speake more free;
And he, your eare gaine, lesse distractedly.

The Guest is wise (said she) and well doth giue
The right thought vse. Of all the men that liue,
Life serues none such, as these proud wooers are,
To giue a good man, cause to vse his care.

Thus (all agreed) amongst the wooers goes
Eumæus to the Prince; and (whispering close)
Said; Now, my Loue, my charge shall take vp me,
(Your goods, and mine) VVhat here is, you must see
In fit protection. But, in chiefe, regard
Your owne deere safegard; whose state, study hard,

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Lest sufferance seize you. Many a wicked thought
Conceale these wooers; whom iust Ioue see brought
To vtter ruine, ere it touch at vs.

So chance it, Friend (replyed Telemachus)
Your Beuer taken, go: in first of day
Come, and bring sacrifice, the best you may.
To me, and to th' immortals, be the care
Of whatsoeuer heere, the safeties are.

This said; he sate in his elaborate Throne.
Eumæus (fed to satisfaction)
Went to his charge; left both the Court and wals,
Full of secure, and fatall Festiuals.
In which, the wooers pleasures still would sway:
And now begun, the Euens nere-ending day.

The End of the Seauententh Booke of Homers Odysses.

257

THE EIGHTEENTH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

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

Another.

Σιγμα

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The buffet fight betwixt Vlysses and Irus:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eurynome.

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

But now Minerua other proiects laid;
And through Icarius

Penelope.

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

Venus.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eurym. courtship of the supposed Widdow Queene.

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

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

Penel. answer.

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

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

Vlysses words to his wife at parting.

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

284

Their life is death, that liue with others meat.

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

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

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

The wooers Gifts.

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

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

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

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

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

Vlysses to his wives women.

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

285

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

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

Melantho to Vlysses.

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

289

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

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

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

287

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

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

Telem. mockes the wooers, yet wins their praise.

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

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

This all approu'd; when Noble Mulius

288

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

The End of the Eighteenth Booke of Homers Odysses.

289

THE NINETEENTH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses and his Son, eschew
Offending of the Wooers view
With any Armour. His Birth's seate,
Vlysses tels his Queene, is Crete.
Euryclea the truth yet found,
Discouer'd by a scar-heal'd wound,
Which in Parnassus topi, a Bore
(Strooke by him in his Chace) did gore.

Another.

Ταυ

The King still hid
by what he said.
By what he did,
informes his maid.

Yet did Diuine Vlysses keepe his Roofe;
And with Minerua plotted still the proofe
Of al the wooers deaths. VVhen thus, his Son
He taught with these fore, counsailes: we must ron
A close course with these Armes, & lay them by.
And to the wooers make so faire a sky.
As it would neuer thunder. Let me then
(That you may wel retaine) repeate agen

Vlysses former counsaile to his Son, for disposing the Armes-repeated.

VVhat in Eumæus Cottage, I aduis'd.
If when they see your leysure exercis'd
In fetching downe your Armes: & aske what vse
Your minde will giue them: Say, 'tis their abuse
VVith smoke & rust, that makes you take them down;
This not being like the Armory well knowne
To be the leauings of Laertes Son,
Consorting the designe for Ilion.
Your eyes may see how much they are infected,
As all fires vapors, euersince, reflected
On those sole Armes. Besides, a grauer thought,
Ioue graues within you, lest (their spirits wrought
Aboue their pitch with wine) they might contend
At some high banquet, & to wounds transcend;

290

Their Feast inuerting; which, perhaps may be
Their Nuptiall feast, with wise Penelope.
The ready weapon when the bloud is vp,
Doubles the vprore, heightned by the Cup.
Wrath's meanes for Act; curbe all the wayes ye can;
As Loadstones draw the steele, so steele draw's Man.

Retaine these words; nor what is good, think thus
Receiu'd at second hand, superfluous.
The Sonne obeying; did Euryclea call,
And bad her shut (in the vtter Porches) all
The other women; till himselfe brought downe
His Fathers Armes, which all were ouer-growne
By his neglect, with rust: his Father gone,
And he too childish, to spend thoughts vpon
Those manly Implements; but he would now
Reforme those yong neglects; and th' armes bestow
Past reach of smoke. The louing Nurse replide;

I wish (O Son) your powers would once prouide
For wisedomes habit; See your houshold were
In thrifty mannage, and tend all things there.
But if these armes must downe; and euery Maide
Be shut in vtter roomes; who else should aide
Your worke with light? He answer'd; This my guest:
There shal not one in my house, tast my Feast,
(Or ioyne in my

χοινικος απτηται, They will needs turne this; Quadram (for Modium) gustet. Though the words beare no such signification: But giue a Prouerb than to vse, Repetition: which was, Hee shall not ioyn or make a spoke in the Nave of my chariot, or Chariot wheele, χοινικον, or, χοινικις signifying Modiolus Rotæ, and απτω Necto.

Naue) that shall ydlely liue,
How euer farre hence, he his home deriue.

He said, and his words stood; The doores she shut
Of that so wel-fill'd house; and th' other put
Their thoghts in act; Best Shields, Helmes, sharpned Lances
Brought downe; and Pallas before both, aduances
A golden Cresset, that did cast a Light,
As if the Day sate, in the Throne of Night.

VVhen (halfe amaz'd) the Prince said, O my Father,
Mine eyes, my soules pow'rs all in wonder gather:
For though the wals, and goodly wind-beames here,
All all these Pillars, that their heads, so rere,
And all of Firre; they seeme yet, all of fire.
Some God is surely with vs. His wise Sire,
Bad peace, and keepe the counsailes of the Gods;
Nor aske a word: These Pow'rs that vse abods
Aboue the starres, haue power from thence to shine
Through night, and all shades, to earths inmost Mine.
Go thou for sleepe; and leaue me here to wake
The women and the Queene; whose heart doth ake
To make enquiry for my selfe, of me.

He went to sleepe, where lights did endlesly
Burne in his Night-roomes: where he feasted Rest,
Til dayes faire weed, did all the world inuest.

291

Thus was diuine Vlysses left alone
VVith Pallas, plotting foule confusion
To all the wooers. Forth then came the Queene;
Phæbe, with golden Cytherea seene,
Her Port presented. Whom they set a Chaire
Aside the fire: The fashion circulate;
The substance Siluer, and rich Elephant;
VVhose Fabricke, did the cunning finger vant
Of great Icmalius: who besides, had done
A footstoole for her, that did sute her Throne:
On which, they cast an ample skin, to be
The Cushion, for her other Royalty.
And there she sate; about whom, came her Maids,
VVho brought vpon a Table store of Breads,
And Bolles, that with the wooers wine were cround.
The Embers then they cast vpon the ground
From out the Lampes, and other Fuell added;
That still, with cheereful flame, the sad house gladded.

Melantho, seeing still Vlysses there;
Thus she held out her spleene: Still stranger, here?
Thus late in night? To see what Ladies do?
Auant you wretch: hence; Go, without doores, go:
And quickly too, lest ye be sindg'd away
VVith burning fire-brands. He (thus seeing their fray
Continu'd by her with such spleene) replide;

Minion! What makes your angry blood thus chide
My presence still? Is it, because you see
I shine not in your wanton brauery?
But weare these rags? It fits the needy Fate
That makes me beg thus, of the commune state.
Such poore soules, and such beggers, yet are men;
And euen my meane meanes, means had to maintain
A wealthy house; and kept a manly prease;
VVas counted blessed; and the poore accesse
Of any Begger, did not scorne, but feede
VVith often hand: and any man of neede
Releeu'd as fitted: kept my seruants to,
Not few; but did with those additions go,
That call choise men, The Honest; who are stild
The rich, the great. But what such great ones build
Ioue oft puls downe, as thus he ruin'd me;
His will was such, which is his equity.
And therefore (woman) beare you fitting hand
On your behauiour, lest your spirit thus mann'd,
And cherisht with your beauties (when they wane)
Comes down: Your pride now, being then your bane.
And in the meane space, shun the present danger;
Lest your bold fashion, breed your Soueraigns anger.

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Or lest Vlysses come: of whom, euen yet
Hope finds some life in fate. Or, be his seat
Amongst the meerly ruin'd; yet his Sonne
(Whose lifes heate, Phœbus saues) is such a one,
As can discouer, who doth well deserue
Of any woman heere; His yeares, now serue.

The Queen gaue eare, & thus supprest the flame:
Thou quite without a brow; past female shame;
I heare thy monstrous boldnesse, which thy head
Shall pay me paines for. Thou hast heard it said,
And from my selfe too; and at euery part
Thy knowledge serues thee; that (to ease my hart
So punisht in thy witnesse) my desire
Dwelt on this Stranger; that I might enquire
My lost friends Beeing. But 'tis euer tride,
Both Man and God, are still forgot with Pride.
Eurynome! Bring heere this Guest a seat,
And Cushion on it; that we two, may treat
Of the affaire in question. Set it neare,
That I may softly speake, yet he well heare.

She did this little freely; and he sat
Close by the Queen; who askt him, Whence, & what
He was himselfe? And what th' inhabited place?
VVhere liu'd his parents? whence he fetcht his race?

Vlysses to his Queene.

O woman (he replyed) with whom, no man
That moues in earths vnbounded circle, can
Maintaine contention, for true honor geuen;
Whose fame, hath reacht the

ουρανον ευρην.

fairely flowing heauen.
VVho, like a neuer-ill-deseruing King,
That is well spoke of; First, for worshipping,
And striuing to resemble God, in Empire;
VVhose equall hand, impartially doth temper,
Greatnesse, and Goodnesse: To whom therefore, beares
The blacke earth, store of all graine; Trees conferres,
Cracking with burthen, Long-liu'd Herds creates;
All which, the Sea, with her sorts, emulates;
And all this feeds, beneath his powrefull hand,
Men, valiant, many, making strong his Land
With happy liues led; Nothing else, the cause
Of all these blessings, but well order'd Lawes;
Like such a King, are you; in Loue, in Fame,
And all the blisse that deifies a Dame.
And therefore, do not mixe this with a mone
So wretched, as is now in question.
Aske not my Race, nor Countrey; lest you fill
My heart yet fuller, with repeated ill:
For I must follow it, with many teares;
Though 'tis not seemly, to sit wounding eares

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In publique Roofes, with our particular life;
Times worst expence, is still-repeated Griefe.
I should be irkesome to your Ladies here:
And you your selfe would say, you vrg'd your eare
To what offends it: My still-broken eine,
Supposing wounded with your too much wine.

Stranger (said she) you feare your owne excesse,
With giuing me too great a noblenesse.
The Gods, my person, Beauty, Vertue to,
Long since subuerted; when the Ilion wo
The Greeke designe attempted. In which, went
My praise, and honor. In his gouernment
Had I deseru'd your vtmost grace; But now
Sinister Deity, makes dishonor woo
(In shew of grace) my ruine. All the Peres,
Syluane Zacynthus, and Dulychius Spheres,
Samos and Ithaca, strange strifes haue showne,
To win me; spending on me, all mine owne.
Will wed me, in my spite: And these are those;
That take from me, all vertue to dispose
Or Guest, or Suppliant: or take any course
Amongst my Heralds (that should all disburse)
To order any thing: Though I neede none
To giue me greefe at home; Abroad erres one
That my veins shrink for; whō, these (holding gone)
Their Nuptials hasten, and find me as slow.
Good spirits prompted me, to make a show
Of vndertaking a most curious taske,
That an vnmeasur'd space of time would aske;
VVhich, they enduring long, would often say,
VVhen ends thy worke? I soone had my delay;
And prai'd their stay: For though my Lord wer dead,
His Fathers life yet, matter ministred
That must imploy me: which, (to tell them true)
Was that great worke I nam'd. For now, nere drew
Laertes death; and on my hand did lye
His funerall Robe: whose end (being now so nye)
I must not leaue, and lose so much begun:
The rather, lest the Greeke Dames might be wun
To taxe mine honor; if a man so great
Should greet his graue, without his winding sheet.
Pride made them credulous; and I went on:
VVhen, whatsoeuer all the day had done,
I made the night helpe, to vndo againe;
Though oyle, and watch it cost, and equall paine.
Three yeares my wit secur'd me vndiscern'd:
Yet, when the fourth came, by my Maids discern'd
(False carelesse wenches) how they were deluded:

294

When (by my light descern'd) they all intruded;
Vs'd threatning words, and made me giue it end.
And then could I, to no more length extend
My linger'd Nuptials: Not a counsaile more
VVas to be stood vpon; my Parents bore
Continuall hand on me, to make me wed:
My Sonne grew angry, that so ruined
His goods were by them. He is now a man;
VVise in a great degree; and one that can
Himselfe, giue order to his houshold fare:
And Ioue, giue equal glory, to his care.
But thus you must not passe me: I must know,
(It may be, for more end) from whence doth grow
Your race, and you; For I suppose you, none
Sprung of old Oake, or iustl'd out of stone.

He answer'd; O Vlysses reuerend wife!
Yet hold you purpose to enquire my life?
Ile tell you, though it much afflict me more
Then all the sorrowes I haue felt before.
As worthily it may: since so long time,
As I haue wandred from my Natiue Clime,
Through humane Cities: and in sufferance stil:
To rip all wounds vp. (though, of all their ill
I touch but part) must actuate all their paine.
But, aske you still; Ile tell, though stil sustaine.

Vlyss fain'd relation of himself to his wife.

In middle of the sable Sea, there lies
An Isle, cal'd Crete; a rauisher of eyes:
Fruitfull, and mann'd with many an infinite store:
Where ninety Cities crowne the famous shore;
Mixt with all Languag'd men: There Greekes suruiue;
There the great-minded Eteocretans liue:
There the Dorensians, neuer out of war:
The Cydons there; and there the singular
Pelasgian people: There doth Gnossus stand,
That mighty City; where had most command
Great Ioues Disciple (Minos) who nine yeares
Conferr'd with Ioue: Both great familiares
In mutual counsailes. And this Minos Son,
(The mighty-minded King Deucalion):
VVas Sire to me, & royall Idomen,
VVho with Atrides, went to Ilion then,
My elder Brother, and the better man;
My name Aethon. At that time began
My knowledge of Vlysses; whom my home
Receiu'd with guest-rites. He was thither come
By force of weather, from the Malean coast
But new got off; where he the Nauy lost,
Then vnder saile for Troy; and wind-bound lay

295

Long in Amnisus; hardly got away
From horrid stormes, that made him anchor there,
In Hauens that sacred to Lucina were;
Dreadfull and dangerous. In whose bosome crept
Lucina's Cauerne. But in my roofe slept
Vlysses, shor'd in Crete: who first enquir'd
For royall Idomen; and much desir'd
To taste his guest-rites; since to him had bene
A welcome Guest my Brother Idomene.
The tenth, or, leuenth light, on Vlysses shin'de
In stay at Crete; attending then the winde
For threatn'd Ilion. All which time, my house
VVith loue and entertainments curious
Embrac't his person: though a number more
My hospitable roofes receiu'd before.
His men I likewise call'd; and from the store
Allow'd them meale, and heat-exciting wine;
And Oxen for their slaughter; to confine
In my free hand the vtmost of their need.
Twelue daies the Greeks staid, ere they got them freed;
A gale so bitter blew out of the North,
That none could stand on earth, being tumbled forth
By some sterne God. But on the thirteenth day
The tempest ceast, & then went Greekes their way.

Thus, many tales Vlysses told his wife,
At most, but painting; yet most like the life:
Of which, her heart, such sense took through hir eares,
It made her weepe, as she would turne to teares.
And as from off the Mountaines melts the snow,
Which Zephyres breath conceald; but was made flow
By hollow Eurus, which so fast poures downe,
That with their Torrent, flouds haue ouer-flowne:
So downe her faire cheekes, her kinde tears did glide;
Her mist Lord mourning, set so neere her side.

Vlysses much was mou'd to see her mourne,
VVhose eies yet stood as dry, as Iron, or Horne,
In his vntroubl'd lids; which, in his craft
Of bridling passion, he from issue saf't.

VVhen she had giuen her moane so many teares,
That now 'twas satiate: her yet louing feares
Askt thus much further: You haue thus farre tried
My loues credulity: But if gratified
VVith so long stay he was with you, you can
Describe what weede he wore; what kinde of man
Both he himselfe was, and what Followers
Obseru'd him there. Alas (sayd he) the yeares
Haue growne so many since (this making now
Their twentith reuolution) that my show

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Of these slight notes, will set my memory sore;
But (to my now remembrance) this he wore:

Vlysses discription of his apparell going for Troy.

A double purple Robe, drawne close before
With golden Buttons; pleated thicke, and bore
A facing, where a hundred colours shinde:
About the skirts, a Hound; A freckl'd Hinde
In full course hunted. On the fore-skirts yet,
He pincht, and pull'd her downe: when with hir feet,
And all her force, she struggl'd hard for flight.
VVhich had such life in Gold, that to the sight
It seem'd the Hinde it selfe for euery hiew;
The Hound and al, so answering the view,
That all admir'd all. I obseru'd beside
His inner weed, so rarely beautifide,
That dumbe amaze it bred; and was as thin,
As any dry and tender Onion skin:
As soft 'twas too, and glister'd like the Sun.
The women were to louing wonder wun
By him and by his weeds. But (by the way)
You must excuse me, that I cannot say
He brought this suite from home; or had it there
Sent for some Present; or perhaps elsewhere
Receiu'd it for his guest-gift: For your Lord
Had Friends not few: The Fleete did not afford
Many, that had not fewer. I bestow'd
A well-edg'd sword on him; a Robe that flow'd
In foulds, and fulnesse, and did reach his feete,
Of richest purple: Brought him to his Fleete,
VVith all my honor: And besides (to add
To all this sifted circumstance) he had
A Herald there; in height, a little more
Put from the earth: that thicker shoulders wore;
A swarth complexion, and a curled head;
His name Eurybates; and much in stead,
He stood your King, imploy'd in most command,
Since most of all, his minde could vnderstand.

VVhen all these signes she knew, for chiefly trew;
Desire of moane vpon her beauties grew:
And yet (euen that desire suffic'd) she said.

Till this (my Guest) a wretched state arraid
Your ill-vsd person: but from this houre forth,
You shalbe honor'd, and finde all the worth
That fits a friend. Those weeds these hands bestow'd
From out my wardrobe: those gold buttons sow'd
Before for closure, and for Ornament.
But neuer more, must his returne present
The person that gaue those adornments State.
And therefore, vnder an abhorred Fate

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VVas he induc't to feed the commune fame,
To visit vile Troy; I, too vile to name.

No more yet mourne (said he) nor thus see pinde
Your louely person: Weeping, wast's the Minde.
And yet I blame you not; for any Dame
That weds one yong, and brings to him, his name;
(VVhat euer man he is) will mourne his losse:
Much more respectfull then, must shew your woes,
That weepe thus for Vlysses; who (Fame saies)
Was equal with the Gods, in all his waies.
But where no cause is, there must be no mone:
And therefore heare me; my Relation
Shal lay the cleere truth naked to your view;
I heard amongst the Thesprots, for most trew,
That Lord Vlysses liu'd, and stood iust now
On his returne for home: That wealth did flow
In his possession; which, he made not knowne,
But begg'd amongst the people; since alone
He quite was left: for all his men were lost
In getting off, from the Trinacrian Coast;
Ioue and the Sun, was wroth with them, for rape
Made of his Oxen; and no man let scape
The rugged deepes of Neptune: Onely he
The Ships Keele onely keeping, was by Sea
Cast on the faire Phæacian Continent;
VVhere men suruiue, that are the Gods descent;
And like a God receiu'd him; gaue him heapes
Of wealthy gifts, and would conduct his steps
Themselues safe home: which, he might long ago
His pleasure make: but profit would not so.
He gather'd going, and had mighty store
Of Gold in safegard: so beyond the Shore
That commune sailes kept, his high flood of wit
Bore glorious top; and all the world, for it
Hath farre exceeded. All this Phadon told,
That doth the Scepter of Thesprotia hold:
VVho swore to me, in houshold sacrifice,
The Ship was lancht, and men to man the prise;
That soone should set him on his countrey earth:
Shew'd me the goods, enow to serue the birth,
That in the tenth age of his seed, shold spring;
Yet in his Court contain'd. But then the King
(Your husband) for Dodona was in way;
That from th' oraculous Oake, he might display
Ioues will; what course for home would best preuaile:
To come in pompe; or beare a secret saile.
But me, the King dispatcht in course before;
A Ship then bound for the Dulychian shore.

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So thus you see his safety, whom you mourne,
VVho now is passing neere; and his returne
No more will punish with delayes, but see
His friends, and country: All which truth to thee
Ile seale with sacred Oath. Be witnesse Ioue,
Thou first, and best, of all the Thron'd aboue;
And thou house of the great Laertes heire,
To whose high roofes, I tender my repaire;
That what I tell the Queene, euent shall crowne:
This yeare, Vlysses shall possesse his owne:
Nay, ere the next month ends, shall heere arriue;
Nay ere it enters, heere abide aliue.

O may this proue (saide she;) gifts, friendship, then
Should make your name the most renown'd of men.
But 'tis of me receiu'd; and must so sort,
That nor my Lord shall euer see his Court,
Nor you gaine your deduction thence; for now
The alter'd house doth no such man allow
As was Vlysses (if he euer were)
To entertaine a reuerend Passenger,
And giue him faire dismission. But (Maids) see
Ye bathe his feete; and then with Tapistry,
Best sheets, and blanquets, make his bed, and lay
Soft wascotes by him; that (lodg'd warme) he may
Euen till the golden-seated mornings ray,
Enioy good est; and then, with her first light,
Bathe, and giue almes; that cherisht appetite
He may apply within our Hall, and sit
Safe by Telemachus. Or if th' vnfit
And harmfull minde of any be so base
To greeue his age againe; let none giue grace
Of doing any deed, he shall command
(How wroth so euer) to his barbarous hand.
For how shall you (guest) know me for a Dame
That passe so far, nay, turne and winde the Fame
Of other Dames for wisedome, and the frame
Of houshold vsage; if your poore thin weeds
I let draw on you, want, and worser deeds;
That may, perhaps, cause heere your latest day?
The life of Man is short, and flyes away.
And if the Rulers selfe of housholds, be
Vngentle, studying inhumanity,
The rest proue worse. But he beares all the blame:
All men will, liuing, vow against his name,
Mischiefes, and miseries; And (dead) supply
VVith bitter Epitaphes, his memory.
But if himselfe be noble, (noble things
Doing, and knowing) all his Vnderlings

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VVill imitate his Noblesse; and all guests
Giue it, in many; many interests.
But (worthiest Queen, said he) where you command
Baths and rich beds for me, I scorne to stand
On such state now; nor euer thought it yet,
Since first I left the snowy hils of Crete.
VVhen once I fell a ship-boord, those thoughts fled;
I loue to take now (as long since) my bed:
Though I began the vse, with sleeplesse nights;
I, many a darknesse, with right homely rites
Haue spent ere this houre; & desir'd the Morne
Would come; and make sleepe to the world a scorne.
Nor run these dainty Bathes in my rude head;
Nor any handmaid (to your seruice bred)
Shal touch my ill-kept feete, vnlesse there liue
Some poore old drudge here, that hath learnd to giue
Old men good vsage; & no worke wil fly:
As hauing suffer'd ill, as much as I.
But if there liue, one such, in your command;
I wil not shame to giue my foot, her hand.

She gaue this answere: O my loued Guest,
There neuer enter'd these kinde Roofes, for rest,
Stranger or Friend, that so much wisedome laide
In gage for Guest-rites, as your lippes haue paide.
There liues an old maide in my charge, that knowes
The good you speake of, by her many woes;
That nourisht and brought vp, with curious care,
Th' vnhappy man, your old familiar:
Euen since his Mother let him view the light,
And oft hath felt in her weake armes, his weight.
And she (though now much weaker) shal apply
Her Maiden seruice, to your modesty.
Euryclea, rise; and wash the feete of one,
That is of one age with your Soueraigne gone.
Such hands, such feet hath, though of alter'd grace:
Much griefe in men, wil bring on change apace.

She (from her aged slumber wak't) did cleare
Her heauy eyes; and instantly (to heare
Her Soueraignes name) had worke enough to dry
Her cheekes from teares: and to his memory
These Mones did offer: O my Son (saide she)
I neuer can take greefe enough for thee;
VVhom Goodnes hurts; & whō, euen Ioues high spleen.
(Since thou art Ioue-like) hates the most of men.
For none hath offer'd him so many Thyes;
Nor such whole Hecatombes of sacrifice,
Fat, and selected, as thy zeale hath done;
For all, but praying that thy noble Sonne,

300

Thy happy age, might see at state of man.
And yet hath Ioue with Mists Cimmerean
Put out the light of his returning day.
And as your selfe (O Father) in your way
Tooke these faire roofes for hospitable rights,
Yet finde (for them) our dogged womens spights:
So he (in like course) being driuen to proofe
(Long time ere this) what such a royall Roofe
Would yeeld his miseries; found such vsage there.
And you (now flying the foule Language here,
And many a filthy fact of our faire Dames)
Fly me, like them; and put on causlesse shames
To let me clense your feet. For not the cause
The Queenes command yeelds, is the pow'r yt drawes
My will to wash your feete. But what I do,
Proceeds from her charge, and your reuerence to.
Since I, in soule, am stricken with a ruth
Of your distresses, and past

Intending with Trueth it selfe: not his shew onely.

show of truth.
Your strangenesse claiming little interest
In my affections: and yet many a Guest
Of poore condition, hath bene harbour'd here:
But neuer any, did so right appeare
Like King Vlysses, as your selfe; For state,
Both of your stature, voice, and very gate.

So all haue said (said he) that euer yet
Had the proportions of our figures met,
In their obseruances; so right, your eye,
Proues in your soule, your iudging faculty.

Thus tooke she vp a Caldron, brightly scour'd,
To clense his feete in: and into it, pour'd
Store of cold waue, which on the fire she set;
And therein bath'd (being temperatly heat)
Her Soueraigns feet. Who turnd him from the light;
Since sodainly, he doubted her conceit
(So rightly touching at his state before)
A scar now seeing on his foot, that bore
An old note to discerne him; might descry
The absolute truth; which (witnest by her eye)
VVas straite approu'd. He first receiu'd this sore,
As in Parnassus tops, a white tooth'd Bore
He stood in chace withall; who strooke him there,
At such time, as he liu'd a soiourner
VVith his grand Sire, Antolycus: who, th' Art
Of Theft and swearing (not out of the hart,
But by equiuocation) first adorn'd
Your witty man withall; and was suborn'd
By Ioues descent (ingenious Mereurie)
VVho did bestow it; since so many a Thie

301

Of Lambes, and Kids, he had on him bestow'd
In sacred flames; who therefore, when he vow'd
VVas euer with him. And this man impos'd
Vlysses name; the light being first disclos'd
To his first sight then; when his grand Sire came
To see the then preferrer of his fame,
His loued daughter. The first supper done,
Euryclea, put in his lap, her Sonne,
And pray'd him to bethinke, and giue his name;

Autolycus giues his Grand child Vlysses his name: from whence the Odysses is deriud Οδυσσευς, deriu'd of Οδυζομαι, ex Οδυνη factum: (signifying dolorem proprie corporis) nam ira ex dolore oritur.

Since that desire, did all desires inflame.

Daughter, and Son-in-Law (sayd he) let then
The name that I shall giue him, stand with men;
Since I arriu'd here, at the houre of paine,
In which, mine owne kinde entrailes did sustaine
Moane for my daughters, yet vnended throes:
And when so many mens and womens woes,
In ioynt compassion met, of humane birth,
Brought forth t'attend the many feeding earth;
Let Odysseus be his name, as one
Exposd to iust constraint of all mens mone.
VVhen heere at home, he is arriu'd at state
Of mans first youth; he shall initiate
His practisd feete, in trauaile made abrode;
And to Pernassus, where mine owne abode
And chiefe meanes lye; addresse his way, where I
VVill giue him from my opened treasury,
VVhat shall returne him well; and fit the Fame
Of one that had the honor of his name.

For these faire gifts he went, and found all grace
Of hands, and words, in him and all his race.
Amphithea (his Mothers mother) to
Applied her to his loue; withall, to do
In Grandames welcomes: both his faire eyes kist,
And browes; and then, commanded to assist
VVere all her sonnes, by their respected Sire,
In furnishing a Feast; whose eares did fire
Their minds with his command: who home straite led
A fiue-yeares-old-male Oxe; feld, slew, and flead:
Gather'd about him; cut him vp with Art;
Spitted, and roasted; and his euery part
Diuided orderly. So all the day
They spent in feast: No one man went his way
VVithout his fit fill. VVhen the Sun was set,
And darknesse rose, they slept; till dayes fire het
Th' enlightned earth: and then, on hunting went
Both Hounds, and all Autolycus descent.
In whose guide, did diuine Vlysses go;
Climb'd steepe Parnassus, on whose forehead grow

302

All syluan off springs round. And soone they rech't
The Concaues, whence ayrs sounding vapors fetcht
Their loud descent. As soone as any Sun
Had from the Ocean (where his waters run
In silent deepnesse) rais'd his golden head:
The early Huntsmen, all the hill had spread;
Their Hounds before them, on the searching Traile:
They neere, and euer eager to assaile.
Vlysses, brandishing a lengthfull Lance,
Of whose first flight, he long'd to proue the chance.

Then found they lodg'd a Bore, of bulke extreame,
In such a Queach, as neuer any beame
The Sun shot, pierc'st: Nor any passe, let finde
The moist impressions of the fiercest winde:
Nor any storme the sternest winter driues;
Such proofe it was: yet all within, lay leaues
In mighty thicknesse; and through all this, flew
The hounds loud mouthes. The sounds, the tumult threw;
And all together rouz'd the Bore, that rusht
Amongst their thickest: All his brissels, pusht
From forth his rough necke; and with flaming eyes
Stood close, and dar'd all. On which horrid prise
Vlysses first charg'd; whom, aboue the knee
The sauage strooke, and rac't it crookedly
Along the skin, yet neuer reacht the bone.
Vlysses Lance yet, through him, quite was throwne;
At his right shoulder entring: at his left,
The bright head passage to his keennesse cleft,
And shew'd his point gilt, with the gushing gore.
Downe in the dust fell the extended Bore,
And forth his life flew. To Vlysses, round
His Vnckle drew; who (wofull for his wound)
With all Art bound it vp; and with a charme
Staid straight the blood: went home, & when the harm
Receiu'd full cure; with gifts, and all euent
Of ioy, and loue; to his lou'd home, they sent
Their honor'd Nephew: whose returne, his Sire,
And reuerend Mother, tooke with ioyes entire:
Enquir'd all passages; all which, he gaue
In good relation: Nor of all, would saue
His wound from vtterance: By whose scar he came
To be discouered by this aged Dame.

VVhich, when she clensing felt, and noted well:
Downe from her Lap, into the Caldron, fell
His weighty foot, that made the Brasse resound:
Turn'd all aside, and on th' embrewed ground
Spilt all the water. Ioy and griefe together
Her brest inuaded: and of weeping weather

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Her eyes stood full: Her small voice, stucke within
Her part expressiue; till at length, his chin
She tooke, and spake to him: O Sonne (saide she)
Thou art Vlysses; nor canst other be:
Nor could I know thee yet, till all my King
I had gone ouer, with the warmed Spring.

Then look't she for the Queene, to tell her all;
And yet, knew nothing sure: thogh nought could fall
In compasse of all thoughts, to make her doubt.
Minerua, that distraction strooke throughout
Her minds rapt forces; that she might not tell.
Vlysses, noting yet her aptnesse well;
With one hand tooke her chin; and made all shew
Of fauour to her: with the other, drew
Her offer'd parting closer: Askt her why,
She, whose kinde breast had nurst so tenderly
His infant life; would now, his age destroy?
Though twenty yeares had held him from the ioy
Of his lou'd country. But, since onely she,
(God putting her in minde) now knew, 'twas he,
He charg'd her silence; and to let no eare
In all the Court more, know his being there:
Lest, if God gaue into his wreakfull hand
Th' insulting wooers liues: he did not stand
On any partiall respect with her,
Because his Nurse; and to the rest prefer
Her safety therefore; But when they should feele
His punishing finger, giue her equall steele.

What words (said she) flye your retentiue pow'rs?
You know, you locke your counsailes in your Tow'rs
In my firme bosome: and, that I am farre
From those loose frailties. Like an Iron barre
Or bolt of solidst stone, I will containe:
And tell you this besides; That if you gaine
By Gods good aide, the wooers liues in yours;
VVhat Dames are heere their shamelesse Paramours,
And haue done most dishonor to your worth,
My information, well shall paint you forth.

It shal not neede (saide he) my selfe will soone
(VVhile thus I maske heere) set on euery one
My sure obseruance of the worst, and best:
Be thou then silent, and leaue God the rest.

This said, the old Dame, for more water went;
The rest was all vpon the Pauement spent,
By knowne Vlysses foot. More brought (and he
Supplied besides with sweetest Oyntments) she
His seate drew neere the fire, to keepe him warme:
And, with his peec't rags, hiding close his harme:

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The Queene came neere, and said: Yet (guest) afford
Your further patience; till, but in a word
Ile tell my woes to you: For well I know,
That Rests sweet Houre, her soft foote orders now:
When all poore men, how much soeuer grieu'd,
VVould gladly get their wo-watcht pow'rs relieu'd.
But God hath giuen my griefe a heart so great,
It will not downe with rest. And so I set
My iudgement vp, to make it my delight.
All day I mourne; yet nothing let the right
I owe my charge, both in my worke and Maids;
And when the night brings rest to others aides,
I tosse my bed; Distresse with twenty points,
Slaught'ring the pow'rs that to my turning ioynts
Conuey the vitall heate. And as all night,
Pandareus daughter (poore Edone) sings,
Clad in the verdure of the yearly Springs;
VVhen she for Itylus, her loued Sonne
(By Zetus issue; in his madnesse, done
To cruell death) poures out her hourely mone,
And drawes the eares to her of euery one;
So flowes my mone, that cuts in two my minde,
And here and there, giues my discourse the winde;
Vncertain whether I shal with my Son,
Abide still heere, the safe possession
And guard of all goods: Reuerence to the bed
Of my lou'd Lord; and to my far-off spred
Fame with the people; putting still in vse;
Or follow any best Greeke I can chuse
To his fit house, with treasure infinite
VVon to his Nuptials. VVhile the infant plight
And want of iudgement kept my Son in guide;
He was not willing with my being a Bride,
Nor with my parting from his Court: But now
(Arriu'd at mans state) he would haue me vow
My loue to some one of my wooers heere,
And leaue his Court; offended that their cheere
Should so consume his free possessions.
To settle then a choice in these my mones,
Heare and expound a dreame, that did engraue
My sleeping fancy. Twenty Geese, I haue;
All which, me thought, mine eye saw tasting wheate
In water steep't, and ioy'd to see them eate.
VVhen straight, a crooke-beak't Eagle, from a hill,
Stoop't, and trust all their neckes, and all did kill;
VVhen (all left scatter'd on the Pauement there)
She tooke her wing vp, to the Gods faire sphere:
I, euen amid my Dreame, did weepe and mourne,

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To see the Eagle, with so shrew'd a turne,
Stoope my sad turrets; when, me thought there came
About my mournings, many a Grecian Dame
To cheere my sorrowes; in whose most extreame
The Hawke came back, and on the prominent beame
That crost my Chamber, fell; and vs'd to me
A humane voice, that sounded horribly;
And saide; Be confident, Icarius seed;
This is no dreame, but what shall chance indeed.
The Geese, the wooers are: the Eagle, I,
VVas heeretofore a Fowle: but now imply
Thy husbands Beeing; and am come to giue
The wooers death, that on my Treasure, liue.
With this, Sleepe left me; and my waking way
I tooke to try, if any violent prey
Were made of those my Fowles; which, well enough
I (as before) found feeding at their Trough,
Their yoted wheate. O woman (he replide)
Thy dreame can no interpretation bide,
But what the Eagle made, who was your Lord;
And saide, himselfe would sure effect afford
To what he told you; that confusion
To all the wooers should appeare; and none
Escape the Fate, and death, he had decreed.

She answer'd him: O Guest, these dreames exceede

The two parts of Dreames.

The Art of man t'interpret; and appere
Without all choise, or forme; nor euer were
Perform'd to all at all parts. But there are
To these light Dreames, that like thin vapors fare,
Two two-leau'd gates; the one of Iuory;
The other, Horne. Those dreames that Fantasie
Takes from the polisht Iuory Port, delude
The Dreamer euer, and no truth include:
Those that the glittering Horn-gate, lets abrode,
Do euermore, some certaine truth abode.
But this my dreame, I hold of no such sort
To flye from thence; yet, which soeuer Port
It had accesse from, it did highly please
My Son, and me. And this, my thoughts professe;
That Day that lights me from Vlysses Court,
Shall both my infamy, and curse consort.
I therefore purpose to propose them now
In strong Contention, Vlysses Bow;
Which he that easly drawes; and from his draft,
Shoots through twelue Axes (as he did his shaft,

The proposition of Vlysses Bow to the Wooers, determined by Penelope.

All set vp in a rowe; And from them all,
His stand-farre-off kept firme) my fortunes shall
Dispose; and take me to his house from hence,

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VVhere I was wed, a Maide; in confluence
Of feast and riches: such a Court heere then,
As I shall euer in my dreames reteine.

Do not (said he) deferre the gamefull prise,
But set to taske their importunities
With something else, then Nuptials: For your Lord
VVill to his Court and Kingdome be restor'd,
Before they thred those steeles, or draw his Bow.

O Guest (repli'de Penelope) would you
Thus sit, and please me with your speech; mine eares
VVould neuer let mine eye-lids close their Spheares;
But none can liue without the death of sleepe;
Th' Immortals, in our mortall memories keepe
Our ends, and deaths by sleepe; diuiding so,
(As by the Fate and portion of our wo)
Our times spent heere; to let vs nightly try,
That while we liue; as much as liue, we dye.
In which vse, I will to my bed ascend,
VVhich I bedeaw with teares, and sigh past end,
Through all my houres spent; since I lost my ioy,
For vile, lew'd, neuer-to-be-named Troy.
Yet there, Ile proue for sleepe, which take you here;
Or on the earth, if that your custome were;
Or haue a bed, dispos'd for warmer rest.
Thus left she with her Ladies, her old Guest:
Ascended her faire chamber, and her bed:
VVhose sight did euer duly make her shed
Teares for her Lord; which still her eyes did sleepe,
Till Pallas shut them with delightsome sleepe.

The End of the Nineteenth Booke of Homers Odysses.

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THE TWENTITH BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses, in the Wooers Beds,
Resoluing first, to kill the Maids;
That sentence giuing off; His care
For other Obiects doth prepare.

Another.

Υ

Ioues thunder chides;
but cheers the king;
The Wooers prides
discomfiting.

Vlysses in the Entry, laide his head,
And vader him, an Oxe-hide newly flead;
Aboue him Sheep fels store; & ouer those
Eurynome cast Mantles. His repose
VVould bring to sleepe yet; studying the ill
He wisht the wooers; who came by him still
VVith all their wenches; laughing, wantoning
In mutuall lightnesse, which his heart did sting;
Contending two wayes; if (all patience fled)
He should rush vp, and strike those Strumpets dead;
Or let that night be last, and take th' extreme
Of those proud wooers, that were so supreme
In pleasure of their high fed fantasies.
His heart did barke within him, to surprize
Their sports with spoiles: No fell shee Mastiue can
Amongst her whelpes, flye eagrer on a man
She doth not know; yet sents him something neare,
And faine would come to please her tooth and teare;
Then his disdaine, to see his Roofe so fil'de
VVith those fowle fashions: Grew within him wilde
To be in blood of them. But finding best
In his free iudgement, to let passion rest;
He chid his angry spirit, and beare his brest:
And said; Forbeare (my minde) and thinke on this:

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There hath bene time, when bitter agonies
Haue tried thy patience: Call to minde the day,
In which the Cyclop, which past manly sway
Of violent strength, deuour'd thy friends, thou then
Stoodst firmely bold, till from that hellish den
Thy wisedom broght thee off; whē nought but death
Thy thoughts resolu'd on. This discourse did breath
The fiery boundings of his heart, that still
Lay in that æsture; without end, his ill
Yet manly suffering. But from side to side
It made him tosse apace: you haue not tride
A fellow roasting of a Pig before
A hasty fire, (his belly yeelding store
Of fat, and blood) turne faster: labour more
To haue it roast, and would not haue it burne;
Then this, and that way, his vnrest made turne
His thoughts, and body; would not quench the fire,
And yet, not haue it heighten his desire
Past his discretion; and the fit enough
Of hast, and speed; that went to all the proofe
His well-laid plots, and his exploits requir'd;
Since he, but one, to all their deaths aspir'd.

Pallas appeares to Vlysses.

In this contention, Pallas stoop't from heauen;
Stood ouer him, and had her presence giuen
A womans forme; who sternly thus began:
Why thou most sowre, and wretched-fated man
Of all that breath! yet liest thou thus awake?
The house, in which thy cares so tosse and take
Thy quiet vp, is thine: thy wife is there;
And such a Son, as if thy wishes were
To be suffic'd with one; they could not mend.

Goddesse (said he) tis true; But I contend
To right their wrongs: and (though I bee but one)
To lay vnhelpt, and wreakfull hand vpon
This whole resort of impudents, that here
Their rude assemblies neuer will forbeare.
And yet a greater doubt imployes my care;
That if their slaughters, in my reaches are,
And I performe them; (Ioue and you not pleas'd)
How shall I flye their friends? & would stand seas'd
Of counsaile, to resolue this care in me.

Wretch (she replied) a friend of worse degree,
Might win thy credence: that a mortall were,
And vs'd to second thee; though nothing nere
So powerfull in performance, nor in care:
Yet I, a Goddesse, that haue still had share
In thy atchieuements, and thy persons guard,
Must still be doubted by thy Braine, so hard

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To credit any thing aboue thy powre,
And that must come from heauen; if euery houre
There be not personall apparance made,
And aide direct giuen, that may sense inuade.
Ile tell thee therefore cleerely: If there were
Of diuers languag'd men, an Army here
Of fifty Companies; all driuing hence
Thy Sheepe and Oxen, and with violence
Offer'd to charge vs, and besiedge vs round;
Thou shouldst their prey reprize, & them confound.
Let sleepe then seize thee: To keepe watch all Night,
Consumes the spirits, and makes dull the sight.
Thus pour'd the Goddesse sleepe into his eyes,
And re-ascended the Olympian skies.

VVhen care-and-lineament-resoluing sleepe,
Had laide his temples in his golden steepe;
His, wise-in-chast-wit-worthy-wife, did rise:
(First sitting vp in her soft bed) her eyes
Opened with teares, in care of her estate,
VVhich now, her friends resolu'd to terminate
To more delaies, and make her marry one.
Her silent teares (then ceast) her Orizon
This Queene of women to Diana made.

Reuerend Diana; let thy Darts inuade
My wofull bosome, and my life depriue,
Now at this instant; or soone after driue
My soule with Tempests forth, and giue it way
To those farre-off darke Vaults, where neuer day
Hath powre to shine; and let them cast it downe
Where refluent Oceanus doth crowne
His curled head; where Pluto's Orchard is,
And entrance to our after miseries.
As such sterne whirlewinds, rauisht to that streame,
Pandareus daughters, when the Gods to them
Had reft their parents; and them left alone
(Poore orphan children) in their Mansion.
VVhose desolate life, did loues sweet Queene incline
To nurse with pressed Milke, and sweetest wine;
VVhom Iuno deckt, beyond all other Dames
VVith wisedomes light, and beauties mouing flames:
VVhom Phæbe, goodlinesse of stature render'd,
And to whose faire hands, wise Minerua tender'd,
The Loome and Needle, in their vtmost skill.
And while Loues Empresse skal'd th' Olympian hill,
To beg of Lightning-louing Ioue (since hee
The meanes to all things knowes; and doth decree
Fortunes, infortunes, to the mortall Race)
For those poore virgins, the accomplisht grace

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Of sweetest Nuptials: The fierce Harpyes prey'd
On euery good, & miserable Maid;
And to the hatefull Furies, gaue them all
In horrid seruice. Yet, may such Fate fall
From steepe Olympus, on my loathed head;
Or faire-chair'd Phœbe, strike me instant dead:
That I may vndergo the gloomy Shore,
To visit great Vlysses soule; before
I sooth my idle blood, and wed a wurse.
And yet, beneath how desperate a curse
Do I liue now? It is an ill, that may
Be well indur'd, to mourne the whole long day;
So nights sweete sleepes (that make a man forget
Both bad, and good) in some degree would let
My thoughts leaue greeuing. But, both day and night,
Some cruell God, giues my sad memory sight.
This night (me thought) Vlysses grac't my bed
In all the goodly state, with which he led
The Grecian Army: which gaue ioyes extreame
To my distresse, esteeming it no dreame,
But true indeed: and that conceite I had,
That when I saw it false, I might be mad.
Such cruell Fates, command in my lifes guide.

By this, the mornings Orient, dewes had di'de
The earth in all her colours; when the King
In his sweet sleepe, suppos'd the sorrowing
That she vs'd waking in her plaintiffe bed
To be her mourning, standing by his head,
As hauing knowne him there. VVho straight arose,
And did againe within the Hall dispose
The Carpets and the Cushions, where before
They seru'd the seats. The Hide, without the dore
He carried backe; & then, with held vp hands,
He pray'd to him, that heauen & earth commands;

O Father Ioue; If through the moyst and dry
You (willing) brought me home; when misery
Had punisht me enough, by your free doomes;
Let some of these within those inner roomes,
(Startl'd with horror of some strange Ostent)
Come heere, & tell me, that great Ioue hath bent
Threatnings without, at some lewd men within.

To this his pray'r, Ioue shooke his sable chin,
And thunder'd from those pure clouds that (aboue
The breathing aire) in bright Olympus moue.
Diuine Vlysses ioy'd, to heare it rore.
Report of which, a woman Miller bore
Straight to his eares; For neere to him, there ground
Milles for his Corne, that twice six women found

311

Continuall motion, grinding Barley meale,
And wheat (mans Marrow.) Sleepe the eies did seale
Of all the other women: hauing done
Their vsuall taske; which yet, this Dame alone
Had scarse giuen end to; being of al the rest,
Least fit for labour. But when these sounds, prest
Her eares, aboue the rumbling of her Mill:
She let that stand, look't out; and heauens steepe-hill
Saw cleere, and temperate; which made her vnware
Of giuing any comfort to his care,
In that strange signe he pray'd for) thus inuoke.

O King of men, and Gods; a mighty stroke
Thy thundring hand laide, on the cope of starres;

The Miller-womans prayer to Ioue, in satisfaction of Vlysses prayer.

No cloud in all the aire; and therefore warres
Thou bidst to some men, in thy sure Ostent:
Performe to me (poore wretch) the maine euent,
And make this day, the last, and most extream,
In which the wooers pride shall solace them
With whoorish Banquets in Vlysses Roofe:
That, with sad toyle, to grinde them meale enough,
Haue quite dissolu'd my knees: vouchsafe then, now
Thy thunders may their latest Feast foreshow.

This was the Boone, Vlysses begg'd of Ioue;

Viz. That some from within, might issue; & witnesse in his hearing, some wreakefull Ostent to his enemies frō heauen

VVhich (with his Thunder) through his bosom droue
A ioy, that this vant breath'd: Why now these men
(Despite their pride) will Ioue make, pay me paine.

By this, had other Maids then those that lay,
Mixt with the wooers; made a fire like day,
Amidst the harth of the illustrious Hall:
And then the Prince, like a Celestiall
Rose from his bed; to his embalm'd feete, tied
Faire shooes: his sword about his breast applied;
Tooke to his hand his sharp-pil'd Lance, and met
Amidst the Entry, his old Nurse, that set
His hast, at sodaine stand; To whom he said:

O (my lou'd Nurse) with what grace haue you laid
And fed my guest heere? Could you so neglect
His age, to lodge him thus? Though all respect
I giue my Mothers wisedome, I must yet
Affirme, it fail'd in this: For she hath set
At much more price, a man of much lesse worth,
Without his persons note; and yet casts forth
With ignominious hands (for his Forme sake)
A man much better. Do not faulty make
(Good Son) the faultlesse. He was giuen his seat
Close to her side; and food, till he would eat.
VVine til his wish was seru'd: For she requir'd
His wants, and will'd him all things he desir'd.

312

Commanded her chiefe Maides to make his bed;
But he (as one whom sorrow onely fed
And all infortune) would not take his rest
In bed, and couerings, fit for any Guest;
But in the Entry, on an Oxes hide,
Neuer at Tanners; his old Limbes implide
In warme Sheep-fels; yet ouer all, we cast
A mantle, fitting, for a man more grac'st.

He tooke her answere: Left the house, and went
(Attended with his dogges) to sift th' euent
Of priuate Plots, betwixt him and his Sire
In commune counsaile. Then the crue entire
Of al the houshold Maids, (Euryclea) bad
Bestir them through the house; and see it clad
In all best Forme: gaue all their parts; and one
She set to furnish euery seate and Throne
VVith Needle-workes, and purple clothes of State;
Another set to scoure and cleanse the Plate:
Another, all the Tables to make proud
VVith porous Sponges: Others, she bestow'd
In all speed to the Spring, to fetch from thence
Fit store of water; all, at all expence
Of paines, she will'd to be: For this, to all
Should be a day of commune Festiuall;
And not a wooer now should seeke his home,
Else where then there; But all were bid to come
Exceeding early; and be rais'd to heauen,
With all the entertainment could be geuen.

They heard with greedy eares; and euery thing
Put straight in practise: Twenty to the Spring
Made speed for water; Many in the house
Tooke paines; and all, were both laborious
And skill'd in labour. Many fell to Fell
And cleaue their wood: & all did more then well.

Then troop't the lusty wooers in; and then
Came all from Spring. At their heeles, loaded men
VVith slaughter'd Brawnes: of all the Herd, the prize,
That had bene long fed vp in seuerall Sties.
Eumæus, and his men, conuei'd them there.
He (seeing now the King) began to chere,
And thus saluted him: How now, my Guest?
Haue yet your vertues found more interest
In these great wooers good respects? Or still
Pursue they you, with all their wonted ill?

I would to heauen, Eumæus (he replide)
The Deities once would take in hand their pride;
That such vnseemly fashions put in frame
In others Roofes, as shew no sparke of shame.

313

Thus these; and to these came Molanthius,
Great guardian of the most egregious
Rich wooers Herds, consisting all of Goats:
VVhich he, with two more draue, & made their coats
The sounding Forticos of that faire Court.
Melanthius (seeing the King) this former sort
Of vpland Language gaue: VVhat? still stay heere?
And dull these wooers with thy wretched cheere?
Not gone for euer, yet? why now I see
This strife of cuffes betwixt the beggery,
(That yesterday assaid, to get thee gone)
And thy more roguery, needs wil fall vpon
My hands to arbitrate. Thou wilt not hence
Till I set on thee: thy ragg'd impudence
Is so fast footed. Are there not beside
Other great Banquetants, but you must ride
At anchor stil with vs? He nothing said,
But thought of ill enough, and shooke his head.

Then came Philætius (a chiefe of men)
That to the wooers all-deuouring den
A barren Stere draue, and fat Goats, for they
In custome were, with Traffiquers by sea,
That who they would sent; and had vtterance there.
And for these likewise, the faire Porches were
Hurdles, and Sheep-pens, as in any Faire.
Philætius tooke note in his repaire,
Of seene Vlysses; being a man as well
Giuen to his minds vse as to buy & sell;
Or do the drudgery that the blood desir'd;
And (standing neere Eumæus) this enquir'd.
VVhat Guest is this, that makes our house of late
His entertainer? whence claimes he the state
His birth in this life holds? what Nation?
VVhat race? what country stands his speech vpon?
Ore hardly portion'd, by the terrible Fates.
The structure of his Lineaments relates
A Kings resemblance in his pompe of reigne
Euen thus, in these rags. But poore erring men
That haue no firme homes; but range here and there
As Need compels, God keepes in this earths sphere,
As vnder water: and this tune he sings,
VVhen he is spinning euen the cares of Kings.

Thus comming to him; with a kinde of feare
He tooke his hand; and touch't exceeding neare
VVith meere imagination of his worth)
This salutation he sent lowdly forth.

Health! Father stranger; in another world
Be rich and happy: though thou here art hurld

314

At feete of neuer such insulting Neede.
O Ioue, there liues no one God of thy seede
More ill to man, then thou. Thou tak'st no ruth
(VVhen thou thy selfe got him, in most truth:)
To wrap him in the straites of most distresse,
And in the curse of others wickednesse.
My browes haue swet to see it; and mine eyes
Broke all in teares; when this being still the guise
Of worthiest men, I haue but onely thought,
That downe to these ils, was Vlysses wrought;
And that (thus clad) euen he is error driuen,
If yet he liues, and sees the light of heauen.
But, if now dead, and in the house of hell,
O me! O good Vlysses! That my weale
Did euer wish: and when, but halfe a man
Amongst the people Cephalenian;
His bounty, to his Oxens charge preferr'd
One in that youth: which now, is growne a Herd
Vnspeakeable for number; and feede there
With their broad heads, as thicke, as of his eare
A Field of Corne is to a man: yet these,
Some men aduise me, that this noted prease
Of wooers may deuoure; and wish me driue
Vp to their Feasts with them; that neither giue
His Son respect, though in his owne free roofe;
Nor haue the wit to feare th' infallible proofe
Of heauenly vengeance: but make offer now
The long-lack't Kings possessions to bestow
In their selfe shares. Me thinkes, the minde in me
Doth turne as fast; as (in a stood, or Sea)
A raging whirlepit doth; to gather in
To fishy death, those swimmers in their sin.
Or feeds a motion as circulare
To driue my Herds away. But while the Son
Beares vp with life, t'were hainous wrong to ron
To other people with them; and to trust
Men of another earth: and yet more iust
It were to venture their Lawes; the maine right
Made stil their Maisters; then at home lose quite
Their right, and them; and sit and greeue to see
The wrong authoriz'd by their gluttonie.
And I had long since fled, and tried th' euent
VVith other proud Kings (since, more insolent
These are, then can be borne,) But that, euen stil
I had a hope, that this (though borne to ill)
VVould one day come from some coast, & their last
In his roofes strew, with ruines red, and vast.

Herdsman (said he) because thou art in show,

315

Nor lewd, nor indiscreete; and that I know
There rules in thee an vnderstanding soule,
Il'e take an oath, that in thee shall controule
All doubt of what I sweare: be witnesse, Ioue,
That swai'st the first Seate, of the thron'd aboue;
This hospitable Table; and this house;
That still holds title for the strenuous
Sonne of Laertes; that (if so you please)
Your eyes shall witnesse, Laertiades
Arriu'd at home; and all these men that raigne
In such excesses heere; shall heere lye slaine.

He answer'd: Stranger I would iust Ioue wold signe
What you haue sworne: in your eyes beams should shine
What powers I mannage; and how these my hands,
VVould rise and follow, where he first commands.

So said Eumæus: praying all the Sky
That wise Vlysses might arriue and trie.

Thus while they vow'd: the wooers sat as hard
On his Sons death: but had their counsels skar'd;
For on their left hand, did an Eaglefore;
And in her seres, a fearefull Pigeon bore;
VVhich seene; Amphinomus presa'gd: O friends,
Our Counsailes neuer will receiue their ends
In this mans slaughter: let vs therefore plie,
Our bloody feast, and make his Oxen die.

Thus came they in; cast off on seates, their cloakes;
And fell to giuing sacrificing strokes
Of Sheepe and Goates; the cheefely fat, and great;
Slew fed vp Swine, and from the Heard, a Neate.

The inwards (roasted,) they disposd'e betwixt
Their then obseruers; wine in Flaggons mixt.

The bolles Eumæus brought; Philætius, bread;
Melanthus fill'd the wine. Thus dranke and fed
The feastfull wooers. Then the Prince (in grace
Of his close proiect) did his Father place
Amids the paued Entrie; in a Seate
Seemelesse, and abiect: a small boord and meate
Of th' onely inwards. In a cup of gold
Yet sent him wine; and bad him now drinke bolde;
All his approches, he himselfe would free
Gainst all the wooers: Since he would not see
His Court made populare: but that his Sire
Built it to his vse. Therefore all the fire
Blowne in the wooers spleenes, he bad suppresse;
And that in hands, nor words they should digresse
From that set peace, his speech did then proclaime.
They bit their lips, and wondred at his aime
In that braue Language: when Antinous saide;

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Though this speech (Grecians) be a meere vpbraide;
Yet this time giue it passe: The will of Ioue
Forbids the violence of our hands, to moue;
But of our tongues, we keepe the motion free:
And therefore, if his further iollity
Tempt our encounter with his Braues, let's checke
His growing insolence: though pride to speake,
Fly passing high with him. The wise Prince made
No more spring of his speech, but let it fade.

The Feast that Euryclea spoke of before, returned vnto

And now the Heralds bore about the Towne
The sacred Hecatombe: to whose renowne
The faire-haird Greekes assembl'd; and beneath
Apollo's shady wood; the holy death
They put to fire; which (made enough) they drew;
Diuided all, that did in th' end accrew
To glorious satisfaction. Those that were
Disposers of the Feast, did equall cheere
Bestow on wretched Laertiades,
With all the wooers soules: It so did please
Telemachus to charge them: And, for these
Minerua would not see the malices
The wooers bore; too much contain'd that so
Vlysses mou'd heart, yet might higher, flow
In wreakfull anguish. There was wooing there
(Amongst the rest) a Gallant, that did beare
The name of one well learn'd, in iests prophane;
His name Ctesippus, borne a Samiane:
Who proud, because his Father was so rich,
Had so much confidence, as did bewitch
His heart with hope, to wed Vlysses wife;
And this man said: Heare me, my Lords, in strife
For this great widdow: This her guest did share
Euen feast with vs, with very comely care
Of him that order'd it: For tis not good
Nor equall, to depriue Gustes of their food;
And specially, what euer guest makes way
To that house where Telemachus doth sway.
And therefore, I will adde to his receipt,
A gift of very hospitable weight,
VVhich he may giue againe, to any Maide
That bath's his graue feete; and her paines see paide;
Or any seruant else, that the diuine
Vlysses lofty Battlements confine.

Thus snatcht he with a valiant hand, from out
The poore folkes commune basket a Neat, foot.
And threw it at Vlysses: who, his head,
Shrunke quietly aside; and let it shed
His malice on the wall. The suffering man

317

A laughter raising, most Sardinian
VVith scorne, and wrath mixt, at the Samian.
VVhom thus the Prince reprou'd; Your valour wan
Much grace Ctesippus; and hath eas'd your minde
VVith mighty profit: yet you see it finde
No marke it aim'd at; the poore strangers part
Himselfe made good enough, to scape your Dart.
But should I serue thee worthily, my Lance
Should strike thy heart through, & (in place t'aduance
Thy selfe in Nuptials with his wealth) thy Sire
Should make thy toomb heere; that the foolish fire
Of all such valors, may not dare to show
These foule indecencies to me. I now
Haue yeares to vnderstand my strength, and know
The good and bad of things; and am no more
At your large sufferance, to behold my store
Consum'd with patience: See my Cattell slaine,
My wine exhausted; and my Bread, in vaine
Spent on your license: For, to one then yong,
So many enemies were match too strong.
But let me neuer more, be witnesse to
Your hostile minds; Nor those base deeds ye do:
For, should ye kill me, in my offred wreake,
I wish it rather; and my death would speake
Much more good of me, then to liue and see,
Indignity, vpon indignity:
My Guests prouok't with bitter words and blowes;
My women seruants, dragg'd about my house
To lust, and rapture. This made silence seize
The house throughout; till Damastorides
At length the calme brake: and said; Friend, forbeare
To giue a iust speech a disdainfull eare:
The Guest no more touch, nor no seruant here.
My selfe, will to the Prince and Queene commend
A motion gratefull, if they please to lend
Gratefull receite: as long as any hope
Left wise Vlysses any passage ope
To his returne in our conceits; so long
The Queenes delayes to our demands stood strong
In cause, and reason; and our quarrels thus
With guests; the Queene, or her Telemachus;
Set neuer foote amongst our liberall Feast;
For should the King returne, though thought deceast,
It had bene gaine to vs, in finding him,
To lose his wife: But now, since nothing dim
The daies breakes out, that shewes he neuer more
Shall reach the deere touch of his countrey shore,
Sit by your Mother, in perswasion,

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That now it stands her honor much vpon
To choose the best of vs, and who giues most,
To go with him home. For so, all things lost
In sticking on our haunt so; you shall cleere
Recouer, in our no more concourse here:
Possesse your birth-right wholly; eate and drinke;
And neuer more on our disgraces thinke.

By Ioue, no Agelaus: For I sweare
By all my Fathers sorrowes; who doth erre
Farre off from Ithaca; or rests in death:
I am so farre from spending but my breath,
To make my Mother any more defer
Her wished Nuptials; That Ile counsaile her
To make her free choise: And besides, will giue
Large gifts to moue her. But I feare to driue,
Or charge her hence: For God will not giue way
To any such course, if I should assay.

At this, Minerua made for foolish ioy
The wooers mad; and rouz'd their late annoy
To such a laughter, as would neuer downe.
They laught with others cheeks; eate meat oreflowne
VVith their owne bloods: their eies stood full of teares
For violent ioyes: Their soules yet thought of feares:
VVhich Theoclymenus exprest, and said:

O wretches! Why? Sustaine ye (well apaid)
Your imminent ill? A night, with which Death sees;
Your heads, and faces, hides beneath your knees.
Shriekes burn about you: your eies, thrust out teares:
These fixed wals, and that maine Beame that beares
The whole house vp, in bloody torrents fall:
The Entry full of ghosts stands: Full the Hall
Of passengers to hel: And, vnder all
The dismall shades; The Sun sinkes from the Poles,
And troubl'd aire, poures bane about your soules.

They sweetly laught at this: Eurymachus
To mocks dispos'd, and saide; This new-come-t'vs
Is surely mad, conduct him forth to light
In th' open Market place: he thinkes 'tis night
Within the house. Eurymachus (said he)
I will not aske for any guide of thee:
I both my feete enioy; haue eares, and eies,
And no mad soule within me: and with these
Will I go forth the doores: because I know,
That imminent mischiefe must abide with you;
VVhich, not a man of all the wooers here
Shall flye, or scape. Ye all too highly beare
Your vncurb'd heads: Impieties ye commit,
And euery man affect, with formes vnfit.

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This said; he left the house, and tooke his way
Home to Pyram; who, as free as day,
Was of his welcome. When the wooers eyes
Chang'd lookes with one another, and (their guise
Of laughters, still held on) still eas'd their brests,
Of will to set the Prince against his guests:
Affirming, that of all the men aliue
He worst lucke had; and prou'd it worst to giue
Guests entertainment: For he had one there
A wandring Hunter out of prouendere,
An errant Begger euery way; yet thought
(He was so hungry) that he needed nought
But wine and Victuals: nor knew how to do,
Nor had a spirit to put a knowledge to;
But liu'd an idle burthen to the earth.

Another then stept vp; and would lay forth
His lips in phrophesie, thus: But (would he heare
His friends perswasions) he should finde it were
More profit for him, to put both abord
For the Sicilian people, that afford
These

ανδρα πηδητω

feete of men, good price: and this would bring
Good meanes for better guests. These words made wing
To his eares idlely: who had still his eye
Vpon his Father, looking feruently
When he would lay his long-withholding hand
On those proud wooers. And, within command!
Of all this speech that past, Icartus heire
(The wise Penelope) her royall chaire
Had plac't of purpose. Their high dinner then
With all pleas'd palates, these ridiculous men
Fell sweetly to: as ioying they had slaine
Such store of banquet. But there did not raigne
A bitterer banquet Planet in all heauen,
Then that which Pallas, had to that day driuen;
And, with her able friend now, meant t'appose;
Since they, till then, were in deserts so grose.

The End of the Twentith Booke of Homers Odysses.

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THE XXI. BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Penelope proposeth now,
To him that drawes Vlysses Bow
Her instant Nuptials. Ithacus,
Eumæus, and Philætius,
Giues charge for guarding of the Gates;
And he, his shaft shoots through the plates.

Another.

Φι

The Nuptiall vow,
and Game: reherst:
Drawne is the Bow,
the stooles are purst.

Pallas (the Goddesse with the sparkling eyes)
Excites Penelope, t'obiect the prise
(The Bow & bright steeles) to the wooers strength;
And here began the strife and blood at length.
She first ascended by a lofty staire,
Her vtmost chamber; of whose doore, her faire
And halfe transparent hand, receiu'd the Key,
Bright, brazen; bitted passing curiousty,
And at it hung a knob of Iuory.
And this did leade her, where was strongly kept
The treasure Royall; in whose store lay he ap't,
Gold, Brasse, and Steele, engrauen with infinite Art;
The crooked Bowe, and Arrowy quiuer, part
Of that rich Magazin. In the Quiuer, were
Arrowes a number; sharpe, and sighing gere.
The Bow was giuen by kinde Eurythides
(Iphitus, fashion'd like the Deities)
To yong Vlysses; when within the Roofe
Of wise Ortilocus, their passe had proofe
Of mutuall meeting in Messena; where
Vlysses claim'd a debt: To whose pay, were
The whole Messenian people bound; since they
From Ithaca, had forc't a wealthy prey
Of Sheepe, and Sheepherds. In their ships they thrust
Three hundred Sheepe together: for whose iust

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And instant rendry, old Laertes sent
Vlysses his Ambassador, that went
A long way in the Ambassie; yet then
Bore but the formost Prime, of yongest men.
His Father, sending first to that affaire
His grauest Counsailors, and then his heire.
Iphitus made his way there, hauing lost

Ιππους Δωδεκαθηλειαι Equas duodecem fœminæ

Twelue female horse; and Mules, commended most
For vse of burthen; which were after, cause
Of death, and Fate to him. For (past all Lawes
Of hospitality) Ioues mighty

Hercules.

Son
(Skill'd in great Acts) was his confusion
Close by his house; though at that time his guest:
Respecting neither the apposed Feast
And hospitable Table, that in loue
He set before him; nor the voyce of Ioue:
But, seizing first his Mares, he after slew
His host himselfe. From those Mares serch, now grew
Vlysses knowne t'Iphitus; who, that Bow
At their encounter, did in loue bestow,
Which great Eurytus hand, had borne before
(Iphitus Father) who (at deaths sad dore)
In his steepe Turrets, left it to his Son.
Vlysses gaue him a keene Faulchion,
And mighty Lance; and thus began they there
Their fatall Loues: For after, neuer were
Their mutuall Tables to each other knowne;
Because Ioues Son, th' vnworthy part had showne
Of slaughtering this God-like louing man,
Eurytus Son; who with that Bow began
And ended loue t'Vlysses: who, so deare
A gift esteem'd it, that he would not beare
In his black Fleete, that guest-rite to the war;
But, in fit memory of one so farre
In his affection; brought it home, and kept
His treasure with it; where till now it slept.

And now the Queene of women had intent
To giue it vse; and therefore made ascent
Vp all the staires height, to the chamber dore:
Whose shining leaues, two bright Pilasters bore
To such a Close, when both together went;
It would resist the Aire in their consent.
The Ring she tooke then, and did draw aside
A barre that ran within; and then implide
The Key into the Locke; which gaue a sound
(The Bolt then shooting) as in pasture ground
A Bull doth Low, and make the valleys ring:
So loud the Locke humm'd, when it loosd his Spring,

322

And ope the doores flew. In she went, along
The lofty chamber, that was boorded strong
With heart of Oake; which many yeares ago
The Architect did smooth and polish so,
That now as then, he made it freshly shine;
And tried the euennesse of it with a Line.

There stood in this roome, Presses that enclos'd
Robes odorferous; by which repos'd
The Bow was vpon pins: Nor from it farre
Hung the round Quiuer, glittering like a Starre;
Both which, her white extended hand tooke downe:
Then sate she low, and made her lap a Crowne
Of both those Reliques; which she wept to see,
And cried quite out with louing memory
Of her deare Lord: To whose worth, paying then
Kinde debts enow: She left; and to the men
Vow'd to her wooing, brought the crooked Bow,
And shaft-receiuing Quiuer, that did slow
With arrowes, beating sighes vp where they fell.
Then, with another Chist, repleate as well
VVith Games won by the King, of Steele and Brasse,
Her Maids attended. Past whom, making passe
To where her wooers were; She made her stay
Amids the faire Hall doore, and kept the ray
Of her bright count'nance hid with veyles so thin,
That though they seem'd t'expose, they let loue in;
Her Maids on both sides stood; and thus she spake.

Heare me, ye wooers, that a pleasure take
To do me sorrow, and my house inuade
To eate and drinke; as if 'twere onely made
To serue your Rapines: My Lord long away;
And you allow'd no colour for your stay
But his still absence; striuing who shall frame
Me for his wife; and (since 'tis made a game)
I heere propose diuine Vlysses Bow
For that great Maister-peece, to which ye vow.
He that can draw it, with least show to striue,
And through these twelue Ax-heads, an arrow driue;
Him will I follow, and this house forgo,
That nourisht me a Maid: now furnisht so
With all things fit; and which I so esteeme
That I shall still liue in it in my dream.
This said, she made Eumæus giue it them.
He tooke, and laide it by; and wept for wo,
And like him, wept Philætius; when the Bow
Of which his King was bearer, he beheld.
Their teares, Antinous manhood much reseld;
And said, Ye rustick fooles! that still each day

323

Your minds giue ouer to this vaine dismay,
VVhy weepe ye (wretches?) and the widdowes eyes
Tempt with renew'd thought; that would otherwise
Depose her sorrowes, since her Lord is dead,
And teares are idle? Sit, and eate your bread,
Nor whisper more a word; or get ye gone,
And weepe without doores: Let this Bow alone
To our out-matcht contention: For I feare,
The Bow will scarse yeeld draught to any heere.
Heere no such man liues, as Laertes Son
Amongst vs all: I knew him; Thought puts on
His lookes sight now, me thinkes thogh then a child.

Thus shew'd his words doubt, yet his hopes enstild
His strength, the stretcher of Vlysses string,
And his steeles piercer: But his shaft must sing
Through his piercst Pallat first; whom so he wrong'd
In his free roofe; and made the rest ill tongu'd
Against his vertues. Then the sacred heat
That spirited his Son, did further set
Their confidence on fire; and said: O Frends,
Ioue hath bereft my wits: The Queen intends
(Though I must grant her wise) ere long to leaue
Vlysses Court; and to her bed receaue,
Some other Lord: yet nowithstanding, I
Am forc't to laugh, and set my pleasures bye
Like one mad sicke. But wooers, since ye haue
An obiect for your trials now so braue,
As all the broad Achaian earth exceeds:
As sacred Pylos; as the Argiue breads,
As blacke Epyrus, as Mycena's birth;
And as the more-fam'd Ithacensian earth;
All which, your selues well know, and oft haue faide;
(For what neede hath my Mother of my aide
In her aduancement?) Tender no excuse,
For least delay; nor too much time profuse
In stay to draw this Bow; but draw it straight;
Shoot, and the steeles pierce: make all see how sleight
You make these poore barres, to so rich a prise.
No eagrer yet? Come on: My faculties
Shall try the Bowes strength, and the pierced steele:
I will not for my reuerend Mother feele
The sorrowes that I know will seize my heart,
To see her follow any, and depart
From her so long-held home: But first extend
The Bow and Arrow to their tender'd end.
For I am onely to succeede my Sire
In guard of his games; and let none aspire
To their besides possession. This said;

324

His purple Robe he cast off. By he laide
His well-edg'd sword; and first, a seuerall pit
He digg'd for euery Axe, and strengthen'd it
VVith earth, close ramm'd about it: On a rew
Set them of one height, by a Line he drew
Along the whole twelue; and so orderly
Did euery deed belonging (yet his eye
Neuer before beholding how 'twas done)
That in amaze rose all his lookers on.
Then stood he neere the doore, & prou'd to draw
The stubborne Bow: Thrice tried, & thrice gaue Law
To his vncrown'd attempts: the fourth assay
VVith all force offering, which a signe gaue stay
Giuen by his Father; though hee shew'd a minde
As if he stood right heartily inclinde
To perfect the exploite: when, all was done
In onely drift to set the wooers on.
His weaknesse yet confest; he said, O shame
I either shall be euer of no name,
But proue a wretch: Or else I am too yong,
And must not now presume on pow'rs so strong
As sinewes yet more growing, may ingraft,
To turne a man quite ouer with a shaft.
Besides, to men whose Nerues are best prepar'd;
All great Aduentures, at first proofe, are hard.
But come, you stronger men, attempt this Bow,
And let vs end our labour. Thus, below
A well-ioyn'd boord he laide it; and close by,
The brightly-headed shaft: then thron'd his Thie
Amidst his late-left seate. Antinous then
Bad all arise: but first, who did sustaine
The cups state euer; and did sacrifice
Before they eate still: and that man, bad rise,
Since on the others right hand he was plac't;
Because he held the right hands rising, grac't
VVith best successe still. This direction wun
Supreame applause; and first, rose Oenops Son
Liodes, that was Priest to all the rest,
Sate lowest with the Cup still, and their iest
Could neuer like; but euer was the man
That checkt their follies: and he now began
To taste the Bow: the sharpe shaft tooke, rug'd hard,
And held aloft: and till he quite had marr'd
His delicate tender fingers, could not stir
The churlish string: who therefore did refer
The game to others; saying, that same Bow
(In his presage) would proue the ouerthrow
Of many a chiefe man there: nor thought the Fate

325

VVas any whit austere; since Deaths short date
Were much the better taken; then long life
Without the ohiect of their amorous strife;
For whom they had burn'd out so many dayes
To finde still other, nothing but delayes
Obtaining in them: and affirm'd that now
Some hop't to haue her: but when that tough Bow
They all had tried, and seene the vtmost done,
They must rest pleasd to cease; and now some one
Of all their other faire veyl'd Grecian Dames
VVith gifts, and dow'r, and Hymeneal Flames;
Let her loue light to him, that most will giue,
And whom the Nuptiall destiny did driue.

Thus laid he on the well-ioyn'd polisht Bord
The Bow, and bright-pil't shaft; and then restor'd
His seate his right. To him, Antinous
Gaue bitter language, and reprou'd him thus.

VVhat words (Liodes) passe thy speeches guard?
That 'tis a worke to beare? And set so hard,
They set vp my disdaine: This Bow must end
The best of vs? since thy armes cannot lend
The string least motion? Thy Mothers throwes
Brought neuer forth thy armes, to draught of Bowes,
Or knitting shafts off. Though thou canst not draw
The sturdy Plant, thou art to vs no law.
Melanthius? Light a fire, and set thereat
A chaire and cushions; & that masse of fat
That lyes within, bring out; that we may set
Our Pages to this Bow, to see it heat
And suppl'd with the suet; and then wee
May giue it draught, and pay this great decree
Vtmost performance. He a mighty fire
Gaue instant flame, put into act th' entire
Command layd on him: Chaire and cushions set;
Laid on the Bow, which straight the Pages het,
Chaft, suppl'd with the Suet to their most;
And still was all their Vnctuous labour lost:
All wooers strengths, too indigent and pore
To draw that Bow: Antinous armes, it tore;
And great Eurymachus (the both cleere best)
Yet both it tir'd, and made them glad to rest.
Forth then went both the Swaines; and after them
Diuine Vlysses, when being past th' extreme
Of all the Gates; with winning words he tride
Their loues, and this askt: Shall my counsailes hide
Their depths from you? My mind would gladly know
If sodainly Vlysses had his Vow
Made good for home; and had some God to guide

326

His steps and strokes to, to wreak these wooers pride;
Would your aids ioyne on his part, or with theirs?
How stand your hearts affected? They made prayr's,
That some God would please, to returne their Lord;
He then should see, how farre they would affoord
Their liues for his. (He seeing their truth) replied;
I am your Lord; through many a sufferance tried,
Arriu'd now heere; whom twenty yeares haue held
From foorth my Country: yet are not conceal'd
From my sure knowledge; your desires to see
My safe returne. Of all the company
Now seruing heere besides; not one but you
Mine eare hath witnest willing to bestow
Their wishes of my life, so long held dead.
I therefore vow, (which shall be perfected)
That if God please, beneath my hand to leaue
These wooers liuelesse; ye shall both receiue
Wiues from that hand, and meanes; and neere to me
Haue houses built to you: and both shall be
As friends, and brothers to my onely Sonne.
And that ye well may know me; and be wonne
To that assurance: the infallible Signe
The white-tooth'd Bore gaue, this markt knee of mine
When in Parnassus, he was held in chase
By me, and by my famous Grandsires race;
Il'e let you see. Thus seuer'd he his weede
From that his wound; and euery word had deed
In their sure knowledges; VVhich made them cast,
Their armes about him; his broade brest imbrac't,
His necke and shoulders kist. And him, as well
Did those true powers of humane loue compell
To kisse their heads and hands; and to their mone
Had sent the free light of the cheerefull Sunne,
Had not Vlysses broke the ruth, and saide;

Cease teares, and sorrowes, lest wee proue displaide,
By some that issue from the house; and they
Relate to those within. Take each his way,
Not altogether in; but one by one;
First I, then you; and then see this be done:
The enuious wooers will by no meanes giue
The offer of the Bow, and Arrow leaue
To come at me; spight then their pride, do thou
(My good Eumæus) bring both shaft and Bow,
To my hands proofe; and charge the maides before;
That instantly, they shut in euery doore;
That they themselues, (if any tumult rise
Beneath my Roofes; by any that enuies,
My will to vndertake the Game) may gaine

325

No passage forth, but close at worke containe
With all free quiet; or at least, constrain'd.
And therefore (my Philætius) see maintain'd
(VVhen close the gates are shut) their closure fast;
To which end, be it thy sole worke to cast
Their chaines before them. This said, in he led;
Tooke first his seate, and then they seconded
His entry with their owne. Then tooke in hand
Eurymachus the Bow, made close his stand
Aside the fire; at whose heate, here and there
He warm'd and suppl'd it, yet could not stere
To any draught, the string, with all his Art;
And therefore, sweld in him his glorious heart;
Affirming; that himselfe, and all his friends
Had cause to greeue: Not onely that their ends
They mist in marriage (since enow besides
Kinde Grecian Dames, there liu'd to be their Brides
In Ithaca, and other bordering Townes)
But that to all times future, their renownes
VVould stand disparag'd, if Vlysses Bow
They could not drawe, and yet his wife would woo.

Antinous answer'd; That there could ensue
No shame at all to them: For well he knew,
That this day was kept holy to the Sunne
By all the City: and there should be done
No such prophane act; therefore bad, lay by
The Bow for that day: but the maistery
Of Axes that were set vp, still might stand;
Since that no labour was, not any hand
VVould offer to inuade Vlysses house,
To take, or touch with surreptitious
Or violent hand, what there was left for use.
He therefore bad the Cup-bearer infuse
VVine to the Bolles; that so, with sacrifice
They might let rest the shooting exercise;
And in the morning make Melanthius
The cheefe Goats of his Herd, that so the King
Of Bowes and Archers, they might burne the Thyes
For good successe; and then, attempt the prize.

The rest sate pleasd with this the Heralds straite
Pour'd water on their hands: each Page did waite
VVith his crown'd cup of wine: seru'd euery man
Till all were satisfied: and then began
Vlysses plot of his close purpose, thus:
Heare me, ye much renown'd Eurymachus,
And King Antinous, in cheefe; who well,
And with decorum sacred, doth compell
This dayes obseruance; and be let lay downe

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The Bow, all this light; giuing Gods their owne.
The mornings labour, God the more wil blesse,
And strength bestow, where he himselfe shall please.
Against which time, let me presume to pray
Your fauours, with the rest; that this assay,
May my olde armes prooue; trying if there lye
In my poore powers the same actiuity
That long since crown'd them: Or if needy fare
And desolate wandring, haue the web worne bare
Of my lifes thred at all parts; that no more
Can furnish these affaires as heeretofore.
This heat their spleens past measure; blown with fear,
Lest his loth'd temples, would the garland weare
Of that Bowes draught: Antinous vsing speech
To this sowre purpose: Thou most arrant wretch
Of all guests breathing; in no least degree
Grac't with a humane soule: It serues not thee
To feast in peace with vs; take equall share
Of what we reach to; sit, and all things heare
That we speake freely (which no begging guest
Did euer yet) but thou must make request
To mixe with vs in merit of the Queene.
But wine enflames thee; that hath euer beene
The bane of men: whoeuer yet would take
Th' excesse it offers; and the meane for sake.
Wine spoilde the Centaure great Eurytian,
In guest-rites, with the mighty-minded Son
Of bolde Ixion; in his way to warre,
Against the Lapithes; who driuen as farre
As madnesse, with the bold effects of wine;
Did outrage to his kinde hoast; and decline
Other Heroes from him, feasted there;
With so much anger, that they left their cheere,
And dragg'd him forth the fore-court; slit his nose,
Cropt both his eares; and in the ill dispose
His minde then sufferd; drew the fatall day
On his head, with his hoast. For thence the fray
Betwixt the Centaures, and the Lapithes
Had mortall act: but he for his excesse
In spoile of wine, far'd worst himselfe; As thou
For thy large cups, if thy armes draw the Bow,
My minde foretels shalt feane: for not a man
Of all our Consort, that in wisedome can
Boast any fit share, will take prayers then;
But to Echetus, the most sterne of men
A blacke Saile freight with thee; whose worst of ill,
Be sure is past all ransome. Sit then still;
Drinke temperately; and neuer more contend
With men your yongers. This, the Queene did end

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With her defence of him; and told his Foe
It was not faire, nor equall t'ouercrow
The poorest Guest her sonne pleas'd t'entertaine
In his free Turrets; with so proud a straine
Of threats, and brauings; asking if he thought
That if the stranger to his armes had brought
The stubborne Bow downe; he should marry her
And beare her home? And said, himselfe should erre
In no such hope; nor of them all the best
That greeu'd at any good, she did her guest,
Should banquet there; since it in no sort show'd
Noblesse in them, nor paid her, what she ow'd
Her owne free rule there. This Eurymachus
Confirm'd and saide; nor feeds it hope in vs
(Icarius daughter) to solemnize Rites
Of Nuptials with thee; Nor in noblest sights
It can shew comely; but to our respects
The rumor, both of sexes, and of Sects
Amongst the people, would breede shame, and feare,
Lest any worst Greeke said; See, men that were
Of meane deseruings, will presume t'aspire
To his wiues bed, whom all men did admire
For fame and merit; could not draw his Bow,
And yet his wife, had foolish pride to woo:
When straight an errant Begger comes and drawes
The Bow with ease, performing all the Lawes
The game beside contain'd; and this would thus,
Proue both indignity and shame to vs.

The Queene replied; The fame of men I see
Beares much price, in your great suppos'd degree;
Yet who can proue (amongst the people great)
That of one so esteem'd of them, the seat
Doth so defame and ruine? And beside,
With what right is this guest thus vilefied
In your high censures? when the man, in blood
Is well

Ευπηγης Bene compactus & coagmentatis.

composd, and great; his parents good.
And therefore giue the Bow to him, to try
His Birth and breeding by his Cheualry.
If his armes draw it; and that Phœbus stands
So great a glory to his strength, my hands
Shall adde this guerdon: Euery sort of weed,
A two-edg'd Sword and Lance, to keepe him freed
From Dogs and Men hereafter; and disinis
His worth to what place tends that heart of his.

Her sonne gaue answere; That it was a wrong
To his free sway, in all things that belong
To guard of that house, to demand the Bow
Of any wooer, and the vse bestow

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Vpon the stranger: For the Bow was his,
To giue or to with-hold: No maisteries
Of her proposing, giuing any power
T'empaire his right in things, for any wower;
Or any that rough Ithaca affords;
Any that Elis; of which, no mans words
Nor pow'rs should curbe him (stood he so enclin'd)
To see the Bow in absolute gift resign'd
To that his guest, to beare and vse at will:
And therefore bad his Mother keepe her still
Amongst her women, at her Rocke and Loome;
Bowes were for men: and this Bow did become
Past al mens, his disposure; since his Sire
Left it to him, and all the house entire.

She stood dismaid at this; and in her minde
His wise words laide vp; standing so inclinde
As he had will'd; with all her women, going
Vp to her chamber: there, her teares bestowing
(As euery night she did) on her lou'd Lord,
Til sleepe and Pallas, her fit rest restor'd.

The Bow, Eumæus tooke, and bore away;
Which vp in tumult, and almost in fray
Put all the wooers: One enquiring thus.

Whether Rogue? abiect? wilt thou beare from vs
That Bow proposd? Lay downe, or I protest
Thy dogs shal eate thee, that thou nourishest
To guard thy Swine: amongst whom (left of all)
Thy life shal leaue thee; if the Festiuall
VVe now obserue to Phœbus; may our zeales
Grace with his aide, and all the Deities else.

This threat made good Eumæus yeelde the Bow
To his late place, not knowing what might grow
From such a multitude. And then fell on
Telemachus with threats; and saide, Set gon
That Bow yet further: tis no seruants part
To serue too many Maisters: raise your hart
And beare it off, lest (though your yonger) yet
VVith stones I pelt you to the field with it.
If you and I close, I shal prooue too strong:
I wish, as much too hard for all this throng
The Gods would make me; I should quickly send
Some after, with iust sorrow to their end:
They waste my victles so, and ply my cup,
And do me such shrewd turnes still. This put vp
The wooers all in Laughters; and put downe
Their angers to him; that so late were growne
So graue and bloody, which resolu'd that feare
Of good Eumæus; who did take and beare

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The King the Bow; call'd Nurse, and bad her make
The doores all sure; that if mens tumults take
The eares of some within; they may not fly,
But keepe at worke still, close and silently.

These words put wings to her; and close she put
The chamber doore: The Court gates then were shut
By kind Philætius, who straight did go
From out the Hall; and in the Portico
Found laid, a Gable of a Ship, compos'd
Of spongy Bulrushes; with which hee clos'd
(In winding round about them) the Court gates:
Then tooke his place againe, to view the Fates
That quickly follow'd. When he came, he saw
Vlysses viewing, ere he tried to draw
The famous Bow; which euery way he mou'd;
Vp, and downe turning it: in which he prou'd
The plight it was in: fearing chiefly, lest
The hornes were eate with wormes, in so long rest.
But what his thoughts intended, turning so;
And keeping such a search about the Bow:
The wooers little knowing, fell to iest,
And said; Past doubt, he is a man profest
In Bowyers craft, and sees quite through the wood:
Or something (certaine) to be vnderstood
There is, in this his turning of it still:
A cunning Rogue he is, at any ill.

Then spake another proud one; Would to heauen
I might (at will) get Gold, till he hath geuen
That Bow his draught: with these sharp iests, did these
Delightsome woo'rs, their fatall humors please.
But when the wise Vlysses once had laide
His fingers on it; and to proofe suruaide
The stil sound plight it held: As one of skill
In song, and of the Harpe; doth at his will
In tuning of his Instrument; extend
A string out with his pin; touch all, and lend
To euery wel-wreath'd string, his perfect sound,
Strooke all togither: with such ease, drew round
The King, the Bow. Then twang'd he vp the string,
That, as a Swallow, in the aire doth sing
VVith no continu'd tune; but (pausing still)
Twinkes out her scatter'd voice in accents shrill;
So sharpe the string sung, when he gaue it touch,
Once hauing bent and drawne it. Which so much
Amaz'd the wooers, that their colours went
And came, most grieuously. And then, Ioue rent
The aire with thunder; which at heart did chere
The now-enough-sustaining Traueller.

332

That Ioue, againe, would his attempt enable.
Then tooke he into hand, from off the Table
The first drawne arrow; and a number more
Spent shortly on the wooers. But this One,
He measur'd by his arme (as if not knowne
The length were to him) nockt it then; and drew:
And through the Axes, at the first hole, flew
The steele-chardg'd arrow; which whē he had done,
He thus bespake the Prince: You haue not wonne
Disgrace yet by your Guest; for I haue strook
The marke I shot at; and no such toile tooke
In wearying the Bow, with fat and fire,
As did the wooers: yet reseru'd entire
(Thanke heauen) my strength is; & my selfe am tried,
No man to be so basely vilified
As these men pleas'd to thinke me. But, free way
Take that, and all their pleasures: and while Day
Holds her Torch to you; and the howre of feast
Hath now full date; giue banquet; and the rest
(Poeme and Harpe) that grace a wel-fill'd boorde.

This saide: he beckn'd to his Sonne; whose sword
He straight girt to him: tooke to hand his Lance,
And, compleate arm'd, did to his Sire aduance.

The End of the XXI. Booke of Homers Odysses.

333

THE XXII. BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

The Wooers in Mineruaes sight
Slaine by Vlysses; All the light
And lustfull Huswiues, by his Sonne
And seruants, are to slaughter done.

Another.

Χι.

The end of Pride,
& lawlesse Lust;
Is wretched tried,
with slaughters iust

The vpper rags, that wise Vlysses wore,
Cast off; he rusheth to the great Hall dore
With Bow and Quiuer full of shafts; wc downe
He pour'd before his feet; & thus made known
His true state to the wooers: This strife, thus
Hath harmlesse bene decided: Now for vs.
There rests another marke, more hard to hit,
And such as neuer man before hath smit;
VVhose full point likewise, my hands shall assay,
And try if Phœbus will giue me his day.

He said; and off his bitter Arrow thrust
Right, at Antinous; that strooke him iust
As he was lifting vp the Bolle; to show,
That 'twixt the cup, & lip, much ill may grow.
Death toucht not at his thoughts, at Feast: for who
VVould thinke, that he alone could perish so
Amongst so many? And he, best of all?
The Arrow in his throate tooke full his fall;
And thrust his head farre through the other side:
Downe fell his cup; downe he; downe all his pride.
Straight from his Nostrils gusht the humane gore:
And as he fell. his feete farre ouerbore
The feastfull Table; all the Rost, and Bread
About the house strew'd. VVhen his high-born head
The rest beheld so low, vp rusht they all,

334

And ransack't euery Corner of the Hall
For Shields and Darts: but all fled farre their reach;
Then fell they foule on him with terrible speach,
And told him, it should proue the deerest shaft
That euer past him; and that now was saf't
No shift for him, but sure and sodaine death:
For he had slaine a man, whose like did breath
In no part of the Kingdome: and that now
He should no more for Game, striue with his Bow,
But Vultures eate him there. These threats they spent;
Yet euery man beleeu'd, that sterne euent
Chanc't 'gainst the authors will: O Fooles, to thinke
That all their rest, had any cup to drinke,
But what their great Antinous began.

He (frowning) saide; Dogs, see in me the man
Ye all held dead at Troy: My house it is
That thus ye spoile; that thus your Luxuries
File with my womens rapes: in which, ye woo
The wife of one that liues; and no thought show
Of mans fit feare, or Gods: your present Fame,
Or any faire sence of your future name.
And therefore, present and eternal death
Shall end your base life, This made fresh feares breath
Their former boldnesse: euery man had eye
On all the meanes, and studied wayes to flye
So deepe deaths imminent. But, seeing none,
Eurymachus began with suppliant mone
To mooue his pitty, saying; If you be
This Iles Vlysses, we must all agree
In grant of your reproofes integrity.
The Greekes haue done you many a wrong at home;
At field as many: But of all, the summe
Lies heere contract in death: For onely he
Imposd the whole ill Offices that we
Are now made guilty of: and not so much
Sought his endeuours; or in thought did touch
At any Nuptials; but a greater thing
Employ'd his forces: For, to be our King
VVas his cheefe obiect: his sole plot it was
To kil your Son: which Ioues hand would not passe,
But set it to his owne most merited end.
In which, end your iust anger; nor extend
Your sterne wreake further: Spend your royal pow'rs
In milde ruth of your people; we are yours.
And whatsoeuer waste of wine; or food,
Our Liberties haue made; wee'le make all good
In restitutions: call a Court, and passe
A fine of twenty Oxen, Gold, and Brasse,

335

On euery Head; and raise your most rates still,
Till you are pleasd with your confessed fill:
VVhich if we faile to tender: all your wrath,
It shalbe iustice in our bloods to bathe.

Eurymachus (saide he) if you would giue
All that your Fathers hoord, to make ye liue;
And all that euer you your selues possesse,
Or shal by any industry increase:
I would not cease from slaughter, till your bloods
Had bought out your intemperance in my Goods.
It tests now for you, that you either fight
That will scape death, or make your way by flight:
In whose best choise, my thoughts conceiue, not one
Shall shun the death, your first hath vndergone.

This quite dissolu'd their knees: Eurymachus
Enforcing all their feares, yet counsail'd thus:

O Friends 'This man, now he hath got the Bow
And Quiuer by him, euer will bestow
His most inaccessible hands at vs
And neuer leaue, if we auoide him thus,
Til he hath strew'd the pauement with vs all:
And therefore, ioyne we swords, and on him fall
With Tables forc't vp; and borne in opposd
Against his sharpe shafts; when being round enclosd
By all our on-sets, we shall either take
His horrid person, or for safety make
His rage retire from out the Hall, and Gates:
And then, if he escape, wee'l make our states
Knowne to the City, by our generall cry:
And thus this man shal let his last shaft fly,
That euer his hand vanted. Thus he drew
His sharpe edg'd sword; and with a table, flew
In, on Vlysses with a terrible throte,
His fierce charge vrging. But Vlysses smote
The boord, and cleft it through, from end to end
Borne at his breast, and made his shaft extend
His sharp head to his Liuer: his broad breast
Pierc't at his Nipple: when, his hand releast
Forthwith his sword, that fel and kist the ground;
VVith cups and victles, lying scattered round
About the pauement: amongst which, his brow
Knockt the embrued earth; while in paines did flow
His vitall spirits, til his heeles shooke out
His feastful life; and hurl'd a Throne about,
That way-laide deaths convulsions in his feete;
When from his tender eyes, the light did fleet.

Then charg'd Amphinomus with his drawne blade
The glorious King, in purpose to haue made

336

His feete forsake the house: But his assay
The Prince preuented; and his Lance gaue way
Quite through his shoulder, at his backe: his brest
The fierce pile letting forth. His ruine, prest
Grones from the pauement; which his forhead strook.

Telemachus his long Lance then forsooke
(Left in Amphinomus) and to his Sire
Made fiery passe; not staying to acquire
His Lance againe; in doubt that while he drew
The fixed pile, some other might renew
Fierce charge vpon him; and his vnarm'd head
Cleaue with his back-drawne sword: for which he fled
Close to his Father; bad him arme, and he
Would bring him Shield and Iauelins instantly;
His owne head arming; more armes laying by
To serue the Swine-herd, and the Oxen-herd.
Valour well arm'd, is euer most preferd.

Run then (saide he) and come, before the last
Of these auxilliary shafts are past:
For feare, lest (left alone) they force my stand
From forth the Ports. He flew, and brought to hand
Eight Darts, foure Shields, 4. Helmes. His owne parts then
First put in armes, he furnisht both his men,
That to their King stood close. But he, as long
As he had shafts to friend, enough was strong
For all the wooers: and some one man still
He made make euen with earth. Till all, a hill
Had raisd in th' euen floor'd Hall. His last shaft spent,
He set his Bow against a beame, and went
To arme at all parts, while the other three
Kept off the wooers: who, vnarm'd, could be
No great assailants. In the well-built wall
A window was thrust out, at end of all
The houses Entry: on whose vtter side
There lay a way to Towne; and in it, wide
And two leau'd folds were forg'd, that gaue fit meane
For flyers out; and therefore, at it then
Vlysses plac't Eumæus in close guard:
One onely passe ope to it: which (prepar'd
In this sort by Vlysses, 'gainst all passe)
By Agelaus tardy memorie, was
In question call'd: who bad, some one ascend
At such a window; and bring straight to frend
The City with his clamor; that this man
Might quickly shoot his last. This, no one can
Make safe accesse to (saide Melanthius)
For 'tis too neere the Hals faire doores: whence thus
The man afflicts ye: For from thence, there lies

337

But one streight passage to it; that denies
Accesse to all; if any one man stand
(Being one of courage) and will countermand
Our offer to it. But I know a way
To bring you armes, from where the King doth lay
His whole munition: and, beleeue there is
No other place, to all the Armories
Both of himselfe and Sonne. This saide: a paire
Of lofty Staires he climb'd; and to th' affaire,
Twelue Shields, twelue Lances broght; as many casks,
VVith horse-haire Plumes; and set to bitter tasks
Both Son and Sire. Then shrunke Vlysses knees,
And his lou'd heart; when thus in armes he sees
So many wooers; and their shaken darts:
For then the worke shew'd, as it askt more parts
To safe performance: and he tolde his Sonne,
That or Melanthius, or his maides had done
A deed, that foule warre, to their hands conferd.

O Father (he replyed) tis I haue err'd
In this caus'd labour: I, and none, but I;
That left the doore ope, of your Armory.
But some (it seemes) hath set a sharper eye
On that important place: Eumæus! hast
And shut the doore; obseruing who hath past
To this false action: any maide; or One
That I suspect more; which is Dolius Sonne.

VVhile these spake thus; Melanthius went againe
For more faire armes; whom the renowned Swaine
Eumæus saw: and tolde Vlysses straight,
It was the hatefull man, that his conceite
Before suspected; who had done that ill:
And (being againe there) askt if he should kill
(If his power seru'd) or he should bring the Swaine
To him; t'inflict on him a seuerall paine
For euery forfeite, he had made his house.

He answer'd: I and my Telemachus
VVill heere containe these proud ones, in despite,
How much soeuer, these stolne armes excite
Their guilty courages; while you two take
Possession of the Chamber: the doores make
Sure at your backe: and then (surprising him)
His feete and hands binde; wrapping euery lim cast
In pliant chaines; and with a halter (cast
Aboue the winde-beame (at himselfe made fast)
Aloft the Column draw him: where aliue
He long may hang; and paines enow, depriue
His vexed life, before his death succeede.

338

This charge (soone heard) as soone they put to deed;
Stole on his stealth; and at the further end
Of all the chamber, saw him busily bend
His hands to more armes: when they (still at dore)
Watcht his returne. At last, he came, and bore
In one hand, a faire Helme: in th' other held
A broad, and ancient rusty-rested Shield,
That old Laertes in his youth had worne;
Of which, the cheeke-bands had with age bin torne.
They rusht vpon him, caught him by the haire,
And dragg'd him in againe: whom (crying out)
They cast vpon the pauement: wrapt about
With sure and pinching cords, both foote and hand;
And then (in full acte of their Kings command)
A pliant chaine bestow'd on him; and hal'd
His body vp the columne, till he scal'd
The highest wind-beame. Where, made firmly fast,
Eumæus on his iust infliction, past
This pleasurable cauill: Now you may,
All night keepe watch heere, and the earliest day
Discerne (being hung so high) to rouse from rest
Your dainty Cattle, to the wooers Feast.
There (as befits a man of meanes so faire)
Soft may you sleepe, nought vnder you but aire;
And so, long hang you. Thus they left him there,
Made fast the doore; and with Vlysses, were
All arm'd in th' instant. Then they all stood close;
Their minds fire breath'd in flames against their foes.
Foure in th' Entry fighting all alone;
VVhen from the Hall charg'd many a mighty one:

But to them then, Ioues seede (Minerua) came,
Resembling Mentor, both in voice and frame
Of manly person. Passing well apaide
Vlysses was; and saide, Now Mentor, aide
Gainst these odde mischiefes: call to memory now
My often good to thee; and that, we two
Of one yeares life are. Thus he said: but thought
It was Minerua, that had euer brought
To her side, safety. On the other part,
The wooers threatn'd: but the chiefe in heart
VVas Agelaus; who, to Mentor spake.

Mentor: Let no words of Vlysses make
Thy hand a fighter on his feeble side,
Gainst al vs wooers: for we firme abide
In this perswasion; That when Sire and Son
Our swords haue slaine, thy life is sure to ron
One fortune with them: what strange acts hast thou
Conceit to forme here: Thy head must bestow

339

The wreake of theirs, on vs: And when thy powrs
Are taken downe by these fierce steeles of ours;
All thy possessions, in doores, and without
Must raise on heape with his; and all thy rout
Of sons and daughters, in thy Turrets bleed
Wreake offerings to vs; and our Towne stand freed,
Of all charge with thy wife. Mineruaes heart
Was fir'd with these Braues: the approu'd desert
Of her Vlysses, chiding: saying, No more
Thy force nor fortitude, as heretofore
Will gaine thee glory. VVhen nine yeares at Troy,
VVhite-wristed Hellens rescue, did imploy
Thy armes and wisedome; still, and euer vsde
The bloods of thousands, through the field diffusde
By thy vaste valor; Priams broad-waide Towne
By thy graue parts, was sackt, and ouerthrowne:
And now, amongst thy people, and thy goods,
Against the wooers base and petulant bloods,
Stint'st thou thy valour? Rather mourning here,
Then manly fighting? Come Friend, Stand we nere,
And note my labour, that thou maist discerne
Amongst thy foes, how Mentors Nerues will erne
All thy old Bounties. This she spake, but staide
Her hand from giuing each-way-often-swaide
Vncertaine conquest, to his certaine vse;
But still would try, what selfe-pow'rs would produce
Both in the Father, and the glorious Son.

Then, on the wind-beame, that along did ron
The smoaky roofe; transform'd Minerua sat
Like to a Swallow; sometimes cuffing at
The swords and Lances, rushing from her seate;
And vp and downe the troubl'd house, did beate
Her wing at euery motion. And as she
Had rouz'd Vlysses; so, the enemy
Damastors sonne excited; Polybus,
Amphinomus, and Demoptolemus,
Eurynomus, and Polyctorides;
For these were men, that of the wooing prease
VVere most egregious, and the clearly best
In strength of hand, of all the desperate rest
That yet suruiu'd, and now fought for their soules;
VVhich straight, swift arrowes sent among the Fouls.
But first, Damastors sonne had more spare breath
To spend on their excitements, ere his death;
And saide, That now Vlysses would forbeare
His dismall hand, since Mentors spirit was there,
And blew vaine vants about Vlysses eares;
In whose trust, he would cease his Massacres,
Rest him, and put his friends huge boasts in proofe:

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And so was he beneath the Entries roofe
Left with Telemachus, and th' other two:
At whom (saide he) discharge no Darts: but thro
All at Vlysses, rousing his faint rest;
Whom if we slaughter, by our interest
In Ioues assistance, all the rest may yield
Our pow'rs no care, when he strowes once the field.

As he then will'd: they all at randon threw,
VVhere they supposd he rested; and then flew
Minerua after euery Dart, and made
Some strike the threshold; some the wals inuade:
Some beate the doores; and all acts rendred vaine
Their graue steele offer'd: which escap't, Againe
Came on Vlysses, saying; O that we,
The wooers troope, with our ioynt Archerie
Might so assaile; that where their spirits dream
On our deaths first, we first may slaughter them.

Thus the much sufferer said; and all let fly,
VVhen euerie man strooke dead his enemy:
Vlysses slaughtred Demoptolemus:
Euryades by yong Telemachus
His death encounter'd. Good Eumæus slew
Elatus; And Philætius ouerthrew
Pysander: all which, tore the paued floore
Vp with their teeth: The rest retir'd before
Their second charge, to inner roomes; and then
Vlysses follow'd: from the slaughter'd men
Their darts first drawing. While wc worke was done,
The wooers threw, with huge contention
To kill them all; when with her Swallow wing,
Minerua cufft; and made their Iauelins ring
Against the doores, and thresholds, as before:
Some yet did graze vpon their markes. One tore
The Princes wrist, which was Amphimedon;
Th' extreame part of the skin, but toucht vpon.
Ctesippus, ouer good Eumæus Shield
His shoulders top did taint; which yet did yield
The Lance free passe, and gaue his hurt the ground.

Againe then charg'd the wooers, and girt round
Vlysses with their Lances; who turn'd head,
And with his Iauelin strooke Eurydamas dead.
Telemachus, disliu'd Amphimedon;
Eumæus, Polybus; Philætius won
Ctesippus bosome with his dart, and said;
(In quittance of the Iesters part he plaid,
The Neats-foot hurling at Vlysses) Now
Great Sonne of Podytherses; you that vow
Your wit to bitter taunts; and loue to wound

341

The

φιλοκερτομος amans cor alicui scindere maledicentia.

heart of any with a iest; so crown'd
Your wit be with a laughter; neuer yeilding
To fooles in folly; but your glory building
On putting downe in fooling, spitting forth
Puft words at all sorts: Cease to scoffe at worth,
And leaue reuenge of vile words to the Gods,
Since their wits beare the sharper edge by ods:
And in the meane time, take the Dart I draue,
For that right hospitable foote you gaue
Diuine Vlysses, begging but his owne.

Thus spake the black-Ox-herdsman; & straight down
Vlysses strooke another with his Dart,
(Damastors son.) Telemachus did part
Iust in the midst, the belly of the faire
Euenors sonne; his fierce Pile taking aire
Out at his backe. Flat fell he on his face;
His whole browes knocking, and did marke the place.

And now, man-slaughtering Pallas tooke in hand
Her Snake-frindg'd shield, & on that beam took stand
In her true forme, where Swallow-like she sat.
And then, in this way of the house, and that:
The wooers (wounded at the heart with feare)
Fled the encounter: As in Pastures, where
Fat Herds of Oxen feede, about the field
(As if wilde madnesse their instincts impeld)
The high-fed Bullockes flye: whom in the Spring
(When dayes are long) Gadbees, or Breezes sting.

Vlysses and his sonne, the Flyers chac'st;
As when with crooked Beakes and Seres, a cast
Of hill-bred Eagles, cast off at some game,
That yet their strengths keepe; But (put vp) in flame
The Eagles stoopes; From which, along the field
The poore Foules make wing: this and that way yield
Their hard-flowne Pinions: Then, the clouds assay
For scape or shelter; their forlorne dismay
All spirit exhaling, all wings strength to carry
Their bodies forth; and (trust vp) to the Quarry
Their Faulconers ride in, and reioyce to see
Their Hawkes performe a flight so feruently;
So (in their flight) Vlysses with his Heire,
Did stoope and cuffe the wooers, that the aire
Broke in vaste sighes: whose heads, they shot & cleft;
The Pauement boyling with the soules they reft:

Liodes (running to Vlysses) toke
His knees; and thus did on his name inuoke:
Vlysses: Let me pray thee, to my place
Affoord the reuerence; and to me the grace:
That neuer did, or saide, to any Dame

342

Thy Court contain'd, or deede, or word to blame.
But others so affected, I haue made
Lay downe their insolence; and if the trade
They kept with wickednesse, haue made them still
Despise my speech, and vse their wonted ill;
They haue their penance by the stroke of death;
Which their desert, diuinely warranteth:
But I am Priest amongst them; and shall I,
That nought haue done worth death, amongst thē dy?
From thee, this Prouerbe then will men deriue;
Good turnes do neuer their meere deeds suruiue.

He (bending his displeased forehead) saide;
If you be Priest amongst them, as you pleade,
Yet you would marry; and with my wife too;
And haue descent by her: For all that woo
Wish to obtaine, which they should neuer doo
Dames husbands liuing. You must therefore pray
Of force, and oft in Court heere; that the day
Of my returne for home might neuer shine;
The death to me wish't, therefore shall be thine.

This said; he tooke a sword vp that was cast
From Agelaus, hauing strooke his last;
And on the Priests mid necke, he laide a stroke
That strooke his head off; tumbling as he spoke.

Then did the Poet Phœmius (whose sur-name
VVas call'd Terpiades; who thither came.
Forc't by the woo'rs) fly death; but being nere
The Courts great gate, he stood, and parted there
In two his counsailes; either to remoue
And take the Altar of Herceian Ioue;
(Made sacred to him; with a world of Art
Engrauen about it; where were wont t'impart
Laertes, and Vlysses, many a Thye
Of broad-brow'd Oxen to the Deity)
Or venture to Vlysses: claspe his knee,
And pray his ruth. The last was the decree
His choise resolu'd on. Twixt the royall Throne,
And that faire Table that the Bolle stood on
VVith which they sacrific'd; his Harpe he laide
Along the earth; the Kings knees hugg'd, and saide:

Vlysses! Let my prayers obtaine of thee
My sacred skils respect, and ruth to mee.
It will heereafter grieue thee to haue slaine
A Poet, that doth sing to Gods and men.
I, of my selfe am taught: for God alone,
All sorts of song hath in my bosome sowne:
And I, as to a God, will sing to thee;

343

Then do not thou deale like the Priest, with me.
Thine owne lou'd sonne Telemachus will say,
That not to beg heere; nor with willing way
Was my accesse to thy high Court addrest,
To giue the wooers my song after Feast;
But being many, and so much more strong;
They forc't me hither, and compell'd my Song.

This did the Princes sacred vertue heare;
And to the King his Father, said: Forbeare
To mixe the guiltlesse, with the guilties blood.
And with him likewise, let our mercies saue
Medon the Herald; that did still behaue
Himselfe with care of my good, from a childe;
If by Eumæus yet he be not kild;
Or by Philætius; nor your fury met,
While all this blood about the house it swet.

This Medon heard, as lying hid beneath
A Throne set neere; halfe dead with feare of death;
A new-flead Oxe-hide (as but there throwne by)
His serious shroud made he lying there, to fly.
But hearing this, he quickly left the Throne;
His Oxe-hide cast as quickly, and as soone
The Princes knees seiz'd: saying, O my loue,
I am not slaine; but heere aliue, and moue.
Abstaine your selfe; and do not see your Sire
Quench with my cold blood, the vnmeasur'd fire
That flames in his strength, making spoile of me,
His wraths right, for the wooers iniury.

Vlysses smil'd, and said; Be confident
This man hath sau'd, and made thee different;
To let thee know, and say, and others see,
Good life, is much more safe then villany.
Go then, sit free without, from death within:
This much renowned Singer, from the sin
Of these men likewise quit. Both rest you there,
While I my house purge, as it fits me here.

This saide, they went and tooke their seat without
At Ioues high Altar, looking round about,
Expecting still their slaughter: VVhen the King
Searcht round the Hall, to try lifes hidden wing
Made from more death. But all, laid prostrate there
In blood and gore he saw: whole sholes they were;
And lay as thicke, as in a hollow creake
VVithout the white Sea, when the Fishers breake
Their many-meshed Draught-net vp, there lye
Fish frisking on the Sands; and faine the dry
VVould for the wet change. But th' al-seeing beam
The Sun exhales, hath suckt their liues from them;

344

So, one by other, spraul'd the wooers there.
Vlysses, and his Son then, bid appeare
The Nurse Euryclea, to let her heare
His minde in something, fit for her affaire.

He op't the doore, and call'd; and said, Repaire
Graue Matron, long since borne; that art our Spy
To all this houses seruile huswifery:
My Father cals thee, to impart some thought
That askes thy action. His word, found in nought
Her slacke obseruance, who straight op't the dore
And enter'd to him; when himselfe before
Had left the Hall. But there, the King she view'd
Amongst the slaine, with blood and gore embrew'd:
And as a Lyon sculking all in Night,
Farre off in Pastures; and come home, all dight
In iawes and brest-lockes, with an Oxes blood,
New feasted on him, his lookes full of mood;
So look't Vlysses; all his hands and feete
Freckl'd with purple. When which sight did greete
The poore old woman (such workes being for eyes
Of no soft temper) out she brake in cries;
VVhose vent, though throughly opened; he yet closd,
Cal'd her more neere, and thus her plaints composd;
Forbeare; nor shrieke thus: But vent ioyes as loud;
It is no piety to bemone the proud:
Though ends befall them, mouing neere so much,
These are the portions of the Gods to such.
Mens owne impieties, in their instant act,
Sustaine their plagues; which are with stay but rackt.
But these men, Gods nor men had in esteeme:
Nor good, nor bad, had any sence in them.
Their liues directly ill, were therefore cause
That Death in these sterne formes, so deepely drawes.
Recount then to me, those licentious Dames,
That lost my honor, and their sexes shames.

Ile tell you truly (she replied,) There are
Twice fiue and twenty women here, that share
All worke amongst them; whom I taught to Spin,
And beare the iust bands that they suffer'd in:
Of all which, onely there were twelue, that gaue
Themselues to impudence, and light behaue;
Nor me respecting, nor herselfe (the Queene.)
And for your Son, he hath but lately bene
Of yeares to rule: Nor would his Mother beare
His Empire, where her womens labors were.
But let me go, and giue her notice now
Of your arriuall. Sure some God doth show
His hand vpon her, in this rest she takes,

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That all these vprores beares, and neuer wakes.
Nor wake her yet (said he) but cause to come
Those twelue light women, to this vtter roome.

She made all vtmost haste, to come and go,
And bring the women he had summon'd so.

Then, both his Swaines and Son, he bad, go call
The women to their aide, and cleere the Hall
Of those dead bodies: Clense each boord, & Throne
VVith werted Sponges: which, with fitnesse, done,
He bad take all the Strumpets, 'twixt the wall
Of his first Court; and that roome next the Hall;
In which, the vessell of the house were scour'd;
And in their bosomes sheath their euery sword,
Till all their soules were fled; and they had then,
Felt 'twas but paine to sport with lawlesse men.

This said; the women came, all drown'd in mone,
And weeping bitterly. But first, was done
The bearing thence the dead: all which, beneath
The Portico they stow'd, where death on death
They heap't together. Then tooke all, the paines
Vlysses will'd. His Sonne yet, and the Swaines
VVith paring-shouels wrought: The women bore
Their parings forth; and al the clotter'd gore.
The house then clensd, they brought the women out,
And put them in a roome, so wall'd about,
That no meanes seru'd their sad estates to flye.
Then saide Telemachus, These shall not dye
A death that lets out any wanton blood,
And vents the poison that gaue Lust her foode,
The body clensing; but a death that chokes
The breath, and all together, that prouokes
And seemes as Bellowes, to abhorred Lust;
That both on my head, pour'd depraues vniust,
And on my Mothers; scandaling the Court,
VVith men debaucht, in so abhorr'd a sort.

This said; a Halser of a ship they cast
About a crosse beame of the roofe; which fast
They made about their neckes, in twelue parts cut;
And hal'd them vp so high, they could not put
Their feete to any stay. As which was done
Looke how a Mauis, or a Pygeon
In any Groue, caught with a Sprindge, or Net;
VVith strugling Pinions 'gainst the ground doth beat
Her tender body; and that then-streight bed
Is sowre to that swindge, in which she was bred;
So striu'd these taken Birds, till euery one
Her pliant halter, had enforc't vpon
Her stubborne necke; and then aloft was haul'd

346

To wretched death. A little space they sprauld
Their feet fast mouing; but were quickly still.

Then fetcht they downe Melanthius, to fulfill
The equall execution; which was done.
In Portall of the Hall; and thus begun:
They first slit both his Nosethrils, cropt each eare;
His Members tugg'd off, which the dogges did teare,
And chop vp bleeding sweet; and while red hot
The vice-abhorring blood was; off they smote
His hands and feet, and there that worke had end:
Then washt they hands & feet, that blood had steind;
And tooke the house againe. And then the King
(Euryclea calling) bad her quickly bring
All ill-expelling Brimstone, and some fire,
That with perfumes cast, he might make entire
The houses first integrity in all.
And then his timely will was, she should call
Her Queene and Ladies; still yet charging her,
That all the Handmaids she should first confer.

She said, he spake as fitted; But before,
She held it fit to change the weeds he wore,
And she would others bring him: that not so
His faire broad shoulders might rest clad; and show
His person to his seruants, was too blame.

First bring me Fire, said he. She went, and came
VVith fire, & sulphure straight; with which the hall,
And of the huge house, all roomes capitall
He throughly sweetned. Then went Nurse to call
The Handmaid seruants downe; & vp she went
To tell the newes, and will'd them to present
Their seruice to their Soueraigne Downe they came,
Sustaining Torches all, and pour'd a flame
Of Loue, about their Lord: with welcomes home,
VVith huggings of his hands, with laborsome
Both heads and fore-heads, kisses, and embraces;
And plyed him so, with all their louing graces,
That teares and sighes, tooke vp his whole desire;
For now he knew their hearts to him entire.

The End of the XXII. Booke of Homers Odysses.

347

THE XXIII. BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

Vlysses to his wife is knowne:
A briefe sum of his Trauailes showne.
Himselfe, his Son, and Seruants go
T'approue the Wooers ouerthrow.

Another.

Ψι.

For all annoyes
sustain'd before;
The true wiues ioyes,
now made the more.

The seruants thus inform'd; the Matron goes
Vp, where the Queene was cast in such repose;
Affected with a feruent ioy to tell
VVhat all this time she did with paine conceale.
Her knees reuokt their first strength; and her feete
Were borne aboue the ground, with wings, to greete
The long-greeu'd Queene, with newes her King was come;
And (neere her) said: Wake, Leaue this withdrawne roome;
That now your eyes may see, at length, though late,
The man return'd, which all the heauy date
Your woes haue rackt out, you haue long'd to see:
Vlysses is come home, and hath set free
His Court of all your wooers; slaughtering all,
For wasting so his goods with Festiuall:
His house so vexing; and for violence done,
So all waies varied to his onely sonne.
She answer'd her; The Gods haue made thee mad;
Of whose pow'r now, thy pow'rs such proof haue had.
The Gods can blinde with follies, wisest eies,
And make men foolish, so to make them wise.
For they haue hurt euen thy graue braine, that bore
An vnderstanding spirit heretofore.
VVhy hast thou wak't me to more teares, when Mone
Hath turn'd my minde, with teares, into her owne?
Thy madnesse much more blamefull, that with lyes
Thy haste is loaden: and both robs mine eyes

348

Of most delightsome sleepe; and sleepe of them,
That now had bound me in his sweet extream,
T'embrace my lids, and close my vsuall Spheres.
I haue not slept so much this twenty yeares;
Since first my dearest sleeping-Mate was gone
For that too-ill-to-speake of, Ilion.
Hence, take your mad steps backe; if any Maid
Of all my traine besides, a part had plaid
So bold to wake, and tell mine eares such lies;
I had return'd her to her huswiferies
VVith good proofe of my wrath to such rude Dames;
But go your yeares haue sau'd their yonger blames.

She answer'd her: I nothing wrong your eare,
But tell the truth: your long-mist Lord is heere;
And, with the wooers slaughter, his owne hand
(In chiefe exploit) hath to his owne command
Reduc't his house; and that poore Guest was he,
That all those wooers, wrought such iniurie.
Telemachus had knowledge long ago
That 'twas his Father; but his wisedome so
Obseru'd his counsailes; to giue surer end
To that great worke, to which they did contend.

This call'd her spirits to their conceiuing places;
She sprung for ioy, from blames into embraces
Of her graue Nurse: wip't euery teare away
From her faire cheekes; and then began to say
What Nurse said, ouer thus; O Nurse, can this
Be true thou sayst? How could that hand of his
Alone, destroy so many? They would still
Troope all together. How could he then kill
Such numbers, so vnited? How? (said she)
I haue nor seene, nor heard; but certainly
The deed is done. VVe sate within, in feare;
The doores shut on vs: and from thence might heare
The sighes, and grones of euery man he slew;
But heard, nor saw more: till at length, there flew
Your sonnes voice to mine eare, that call'd to me,
And bad me then come foorth: and then I see
Vlysses standing in the midst of all
Your slaughtred wooers, heap't vp like a wall,
One on another, round about his side;
It would haue done you good to haue descride
Your conqu'ring lord; al smeard with blood & gore
So like a Lyon. Straight then, off they bore
The slaughtred carkasses; that now before
The fore-Court gates lye, one on other pilde.
And now your victor, all the Hall (defilde
VVith stinch of hot death) is perfuming round;

349

And with a mighty fire the harth hath crown'd.

Thus, all the death remou'd, and euery roome
Made sweet and sightly; that your selfe should come
His pleasure sent me. Come then, take you now
Your mutuall fils of comfort: Griefe, on you
Hath long, and many sufferings laid; which length,
VVhich many suffrings, nowe your vertuous strength
Of vncorrupted chastnesse, hath conferr'd
A happy end to. He that long hath err'd
Is safe arriu'd at home: his wife, his sonne
Found safe & good; all ill that hath bene done
On all the dooers heads (though long prolong'd)
His right hath wreak't, and in the place they wrong'd.

She answer'd: Do not you now laugh, and bost
As you had done some great act; seeing most
Into his Being: For, you know, he won
(Euen through his poore, and vile condition)
A kind of prompted thought; that there was plac't
Some vertue in him, fit to be embrac't
By all the house; but, most of all, by me
And by my Son, that was the progenie
Of both our loues. And yet it is not he,
For all the likely proofes ye plead to me:
Some God hath slaine the wooers, in disdaine
Of the abhorred pride, he saw so raigne
In those base workes they did: No man aliue;
Or good, or bad, whoeuer did arriue
At their abodes once, euer could obtaine
Regard of them: and therefore their so vaine
And vile deserts, haue found as vile an end.
But (for Vlysses) neuer will extend
His wisht returne to Greece: Nor he yet liues.

How strange a Queen are you? (said she) that giues
No truth your credit? That your husband, set
Close in his house at fire, can purchase yet
No faith of you; But that he still is farre
From any home of his? your wit's at warre
With all credulity euer; and yet now
Ile name a signe, shall force beleefe from you:
I bath'd him lately; and beheld the scar
That still remaines a marke too ocular
To leaue your heart yet blinded; and I then
Had run and told you: but his hand was feine
To close my lips from th' acclamation
My heart was breathing: and his wisedome won
My still retention, till he gaue me leaue,
And charge to tell you this. Now then, receaue
My life for gage of his returne; which take

352

In any cruell fashion; if I make
All this not cleere to you. Lou'd Nurse (said she)
Though many things thou knowst, yet these things be
Veil'd in the counsailes th' vncreated Gods
Haue long time maskt in: whose darke periods
Tis hard for thee to see into; But come,
Lets see my son; the slaine; and he by whom
They had their slaughter. This said, down they went;
When on the Queens part, diuers thoghts wer spent;
If (all this giuen no faith) she still should stand
Aloofe, and question more: Or his hugg'd hand,
And loued head, she should at first assay
With free-giuen kisses. VVhen her doubtfull way
Had past the stony pauement, she tooke seate
Against her husband, in the opposite heate
The fire then cast-vpon the other wall:
Himselfe, set by the Columne of the Hall;
His lookes cast downwards, and expected still,
VVhen her incredulous, and curious will
To shun ridiculous error, and the shame
To kisse a Husband, that was not the same,
VVould downe, and win enough faith from his sight.
She silent sate, and her perplexed plight
Amaze encounter'd: Sometimes, she stood cleare
He was her Husband: sometimes, the ill weare
His person had put on, transform'd him so,
That yet his stampe would hardly currant go.

Her son her strangenesse seeing blam'd her thus:
Mother, vngentle Mother! tyrannous!
In this too curious modesty you show;
Why sit you from my Father? Nor bestow
A word on me, t'enquire and cleere such doubt
As may perplexe you? Found man euer out
One other such a wife? That could forbeare
Her lou'd Lords welcome home, when twenty yeare
In infinite sufferance, he had spent apart:
No Flint so hard is, as a womans hart.

Son (she replied) Amaze containes my minde,
Nor can I speake, and vse the commune kind
Of those enquiries; nor sustaine to see
VVith opposite lookes, his countenance. If this be
My true Vlysses now return'd; there are
Tokens betwixt vs of more fitnesse farre
To giue me argument, he is my Lord;
And my assurance of him, may afford
My proofes of ioy for him, from all these eies
VVith more decorum; then obiect their guise
To publique notice. The much-Sufferer brake

353

In laughter out; and to his Son said; Take
Your Mother from the prease; that she may make
Her owne proofes of me, which perhaps may giue
More cause to the acknowledgements, that driue
Their shew thus off. But now, because I goe
So poorely clad, she takes disdaine to know
So loath'd a creature, for her loued Lord.
Let vs consult then, how we may accord
The Towne to our late action. Some one; slaine,
Hath made the all-left slaughterer of him, faine
To fly his friends and country. But our swords
Haue slaine a Cities most supportfull Lords;
The chiefe Peeres of the kingdome: therefore see
You vse wise meanes t'vphold your victorie.

See you to that good Father (saide the Son)
Whose counsailes haue the soueraigne glory won
From all men liuing. None will striue with you;
But with vnquestion'd Girlands grace your brow:
To whom, our whol alacrities we vow
In free attendance. Nor shall our hands leaue
Your onsets needy of supplies, to giue
All the effects that in our pow'rs can fall.
Then this (said he) to me seemes capitall
Of all choise courses: Bathe we first, and then
Attire we freshly: all our Maides and men
Enioyning likewise, to their best attire.
The sacred Singer then, let touch his Lire;
And go before vs all in gracefull dance,
That all without, to whose eares shal aduance
Our cheerefull accents, (or of Trauailers by,
Or firme inhabitants) solemnity
Of frolicke Nuptials may imagine heere.
And this, performe we; lest the massakere
Of all our wooers be divulg'd about
The ample City, ere our selues get out,
And greet my Father, in his Groue of Trees;
Where, after, we will proue what policies
Olympus shall suggest, to ouercome
Our latest toiles, and crowne our welcome home.

This all obey'd: Bath'd, put on fresh attire,
Both men and women did; Then tooke his Lire
The holy singer, and set thirst on fire
VVith songs, and faultlesse dances: all the Court
Rung with the footings, that the numerous sport
From iocund men drew, and faire-girdl'd Dames;
VVhich, (heard abroad) thus flew the cōmune fames:

This sure the day is, when the much woo'd Queen
Is richly wed; O wretch! That hath not beene

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So constant, as to keepe her ample house
Til th' vtmost houre, had brought her formost spouse.

Thus some conceiu'd, but little knew the thing.
And now, Eurynome had bath'd the King;
Smooth'd him with Oyles; and he, himselfe attir'd
In vestures royall. Her part then inspir'd
The Goddesse Pallas; deck't his head and face
With infinite beauties: gaue a goodly grace
Of stature to him: a much plumper plight
Through all his body breath'd; Curles soft, & bright
Adorn'd his head withall, and made it show,
As if the flowry Hyacinth did grow
In all his pride there: In the generall trim
Of euery locke, and euery curious lim.
Looke how a skilfull Artizan, well seene
In all Arts Metalline; as hauing beene
Taught by Minerua, and the God of fire,
Doth Gold, with Siluer mix so; that entire
They keepe their selfe distinction; and yet so,
That to the Siluer, from the Gold, doth flow
A much more artificiall luster then his owne;
And thereby to the Gold it selfe, is growne
A greater glory, then if wrought alone;
Both being stuck off, by eithers mixtion:
So did Minerua, hers and his combine;
He more in Her, She more in Him did shine.
Like an Immortall from the Bath, he rose:
And to his wife did all his grace dispose,
Encountring this her strangenesse: Cruell Dame
Of all that breathe; the Gods, past steele and flame
Haue made thee ruthlesse: Life retaines not one
Of all Dames else, that beares so ouer-growne
A minde with abstinence; as twenty yeares
To misse her husband, drown'd in woes, and teares;
And at his comming, keepe aloofe; and fare
As of his so long absence, and his care,
No sense had seisd her. Go Nurse, make a bed,
That I alone may sleepe; her heart is dead
To all reflection. To him, thus replied
The wise Penelope: Man, halfe deified;
'Tis not my fashion to be taken streight
With brauest men: Nor poorest, vse to sleight.
Your meane apparance made not me retire;
Nor this your rich shew, makes me now admire,
Nor moues at all: For what is all to me,
If not my husband? All his certainty
I knew at parting; but (so long apart)
The outward likenesse, holds no full desart

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For me to trust to. Go Nurse, see addrest
A soft bed for him; and the single rest
Himselfe affects so. Let it be the bed,
That stands within our Bridal Chamber-sted,
VVhich he himself made: Bring it forth from thence,
And see it furnisht with magnificence.

This said she, to assay him; and did stir
Euen his establisht patience; and to hir.
Whom thus he answerd: Woman! your words proue
My patience strangely: VVho is it can moue
My Bed out of his place? It shall oppresse
Earths greatest vnder-stander; and vnlesse,
Euen God himselfe come, that can easely grace
Men in their most skils, it shall hold his place.
For Man: he liues not, that (as not most skill'd,
So not most yong) shall easely make it yield.
If (building on the strength in which he flowes)
He addes both Leuers to, and Iron Crowes.
For, in the fixure of the Bed, is showne
A Maister-peece; a wonder: and 'twas done
By me, and none but me: and thus was wrought;
There was an Oliue tree, that had his grought
Amidst a hedge; and was of shadow, proud;
Fresh, and the prime age of his verdure show'd.
His leaues and armes so thicke, that to the eye
It shew'd a columne for solidity.
To this, had I a comprehension
To build my Bridall Bowre; which all of stone,
Thicke as the Tree of leaues, I raisde, and cast
A Roofe about it, nothing meanly grac'st;
Put glew'd doores to it, that op't Art enough.
Then, from the Oliue, euery broad-leau'd bough
I lopt away: then fell'd the Tree, and then
VVent ouer it, both with my Axe, and Plaine:
Both gouern'd by my Line. And then, I hew'd
My curious Bed-sted out; in which, I shew'd
Worke of no commune hand. All this, begon,
I could not leaue, till to perfection
My paines had brought it. Tooke my Wimble; bor'd
The holes, as fitted: and did last, afford
The varied Ornament; which shew'd no want
Of Siluer, Gold, and polisht Elephant.
An Oxe-hide Dide in purple, then I threw
Aboue the cords. And thus, to curious view
I hope I haue obiected honest signe,
To proue, I author nought that is not mine:
But, if my bed stand vnremou'd, or no,
O woman, passeth humane wit to know.
This sunk her knees & heart, to heare so true

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The signes she vrg'd; and first, did teares ensue
Her rapt assurance: Then she ran, and spread
Her armes about his necke; kist oft his head;
And thus the curious stay she made, excusde:

Vlysses! Be not angry, that I vsde
Such strange delayes to this; since heretofore
Your suffering wisedome, hath the Gyrland wore
From all that breath: and 'tis the Gods that thus
With mutuall misse, so long afflicting vs,
Haue causd my coynesse: To our youths, enuied
That wisht society, that should haue tied
Our youths and yeares together: and since now
Iudgement and Duty, should our age allow
As full ioyes therein, as in youth and blood:
See all yong anger, and reproofe withstood,
For not at first sight giuing vp my armes:
My heart still trembling, lest the false alarmes
That words oft strike vp, should ridiculize me.
Had Argiue Hellen knowne credulity
VVould bring such plagues with it; and her, againe
(As aucthresse of them all) with that foule staine
To her, and to her countrey; she had staid
Her loue and mixture from a strangers bed.
But God impell'd her to a shamelesse deede,
Because she had not in her selfe decreed
Before th' attempt; That, such acts still were shent,
As simply in themselues, as in th' euent.
By which, not onely she her selfe sustaines,
But we, for her fault, haue paid mutuall paines.
Yet now; since these signes of our certaine bed
You haue discouer'd, and distinguished
From all earths others: No one man but you,
Yet euer getting of it th' onely show;
Nor one, of all Dames, but myselfe, and she
My Father gaue; old Actors progenie:
(Who euer guarded to our selues, the dore
Of that thick-shaded chamber) I, no more
Will crosse your cleere perswasion: though, till now,
I stood too doubtfull, and austere to you.

These words of hers, so iustifying her stay,
Did more desire of ioyfull mone conuay
To his glad minde; then if at instant sight,
She had allow'd him, all his wishes right.
He wept for ioy, t'enioy a wife so fit
For his graue minde, that knew his depth of wit;
And held chaste vertue at a price so high.
And as sad men at Sea, when shore is nigh,
VVhich long their hearts haue wisht (their ship quite lost

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By Neptunes rigor; and they vext, and tost
Twixt winds & black waues, swimming for their liues;
A few escap't; and that few that suruiues
(All drencht in fome, and brine) craule vp to Land,
VVith ioy as much as they did worlds command;
So deare, to this wife, was her husbands sight;
Who still embrac't his necke; and had; (til light
Displaid her siluer Ensigne) if the Dame
That beares the blew sky, entermixt with flame
In her faire eyes, had not infixt her thought
On other ioyes, for loues so hardly brought
To long'd-for meeting: who th' extended night
VVith-held in long date; nor would let the light
Her wing-hoou'd horse ioyne; (Lempus, Phaeton)
Those euer Colts, that bring the morning on
To worldly men; But, in her golden chaire,
Downe to the Ocean, by her siluer haire
Bound her aspirings. Then Vlysses said;
O wife: Nor yet are my contentions staid;
A most vnmeasur'd labour, long and hard
Askes more performance; to it, being prepar'd
By graue Tiresias, when downe to hell
I made darke passage; that his skill might tell
My mens returne, and mine; But come, and now
Enioy the sweet rest that our Fates allow.

The place of rest is ready, (she replyed)
Your will at full serue, since the deified
Haue brought you, where your right is to command.
But since you know (God making vnderstand
Your searching mind) informe me, what must be
Your last set labour; Since 'twill fall to me
(I hope) to heare it after; tell me now:
The greatest pleasure is before to know.
Vnhappy? (said Vlysses) To what end
Importune you this labour? It will lend
Nor you, nor me, delight; but you shall know,
I was commanded, yet more to bestow
My yeares in trauaile; many Cities more
By Sea to visit: and when first, for shore
I left my shipping, I was will'd to take
A nauall Oare in hand; and with it make
My passage forth, till such strange men I met,
As knew no Sea, nor euer salt did eat
VVith any victles: who the purple beakes
Of Ships did neuer see: nor that which breakes
The waues in curles, which is a Fan-like Oare,
And serues as wings, with which a ship doth soare.
To let me know then, when I was arriu'd

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On that strange earth, where such a people liu'd.
He gaue me this for an vnfailing signe:
When any one, that tooke that Oare of mine
Borne on my shoulder, for a Corne-clense Fan,
I met ashore; and shew'd to be a man
Of that Lands labour: There had I command
To fixe mine Oare; and offer on that strand
T'imperiall Neptune (whom I must implore)
A Lambe, a Bull, and Sow-ascending Bore:
And then turne home; where all the other Gods
That in the broad heauen made secure abods,
I must solicite (all my curious heed
Giuen to the seuerall rites they haue decreed)
VVith holy Hecatombes: And then, at home
A gentle death should seize me, that would come
From out the Sea, and take me to his rest
In full ripe age; about me, liuing blest,
My louing people: To which (he presag'd)
The sequell of my fortunes were engag'd.

If then (saide she) the Gods will please t'impose
A happier Being to your fortunes close
Then went before; your hope giues comfort strength,
That life shall lend you better dayes at length.

VVhile this discourse spent mutual speech, the bed
Eurynome and Nurse had made; and spred
With richest Furniture; while Torches spent
Their parcell gilt thereon. To bed then went
The aged Nurse; and where their Soueraignes were,
Eurynome (the Chamber-maid) did beare
A Torch, and went before them to their rest:
To which she left them; and for hers addrest.
The King and Queene then, now (as newly wed)
Resum'd the old Lawes of th' embracing bed.

Telemachus, and both his Herdsmen, then
Dissolu'd the dances, both to Maids and men;
VVho in their shady roofes tooke timely sleepe.
The Bride, and Bridegroome, hauing ceast to keepe
Obserued Loue-ioyes; from their fit delight,
They turn'd to talke. The Queene then did recite
VVhat she had suffer'd by the hatefull rout
Of harmfull wooers, who had eate her out
So many Oxen, and so many Sheepe;
How many Tun of wine their drinking deepe
Had quite exhausted. Great Vlysses then,
VVhat euer slaughters he had made of men;
VVhat euer sorrowes he himselfe sustain'd,
Repeated amply; and her eares remain'd
VVith all delight, attentiue to their end.

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Nor would one winke sleepe, till he told her all;
Beginning where he gaue the Cacons fall.
From thence, his passe to the Lotophagie;
The Cyclops acts; the putting out his eye,
And wreake of all the Souldiers he had eate,
No least ruth shewne, to all they could entreate.
His way to Æolus; his prompt receit,
And kinde dismission: his inforc't retreate
By sodaine Tempest, to the fishy maine;
And quite distraction from his course againe.
His landing at the Læstrigonian Port,
VVhere ships and men, in miserable sort,
Met all their spoiles; his ship, and he, alone
Got off from the abhorr'd confusion.
His passe to Circe; her deceits, and Arts:
His thence descension to th' infernall parts:
His lifes course of the Thebane Prophet learn'd;
VVhere, all the slaughter'd Grecians he descern'd,
And loued Mother. His astonisht eare
VVith what the Syrens voices made him heare.
His scape from th' erring Rockes, which Scylla was,
And rough Charybdis; with the dangerous passe
Of all that toucht there: His Sicilian
Offence giuen to the Sun: His euery man
Destroy'd by thunder, vollied out of heauen,
That split his Ship; his owne endeuours driuen
To shift sor succours on th' Ogygian shore,
VVhere Nimph Calypso, such affection bore
To him in his arriuall: That with feast
She kept him in her Caues, and would haue blest
His welcome life, with an immortall state;
VVould he haue staid, and liu'd her Nuptiall mate:
All which, she neuer could perswade him to.
His passe to the Phæacians, spent in wo:
Their hearty welcome of him, as he were,
A God descended from the starry Sphere:
Their kinde dismission of him home, with Gold,
Brasse, Garments; all things his occasions would.

This last word vsde; sleepe seiz'd his weary eye,
That salues all care, to all mortality.
In meane space, Pallas, entertain'd intent,
That when Vlysses, thought enough time spent
In loue-ioyes with his wife; to raise the Day,
And make his graue occasions, call, away.
The Morning rose, and he; when thus he saide;
O Queene: Now satiate with afflictions, laide
On both our bosomes; (you oppressed heere
VVith cares for my returne; I, euery where

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By Ioue, and all the other Deities, tost
Euen till all hope of my returne was lost)
And both arriu'd at this sweet Hauen, our Bed;
Be your care vsde, to see administred
My house-possessions left. Those Sheepe that were
Consum'd in surfets by your wooers heere;
Ile forrage, to supply with some; and more,
The suffering Grecians shall be made restore,
Euen till our stalles receiue their wonted fill.

And now, to comfort my good Fathers ill
Long suffer'd for me: To the many-tree'd
And ample Vineyard grounds, it is decreed
In my next care, that I must haste, and see
His long'd-for presence. In the meane time, be
Your wisedome vsde; that since (the Sun ascended)
The fame will soone be through the Town extended,
Of those I heere haue slaine; your selfe (got close
Vp to your chamber) see you there repose,
Cheer'd with your women; and, nor looke afford
Without your Court; nor anie man, a word.

This said, he arm'd: To arms, both Son and Swain
His powre commanding; who did entertaine
His charge with spirit: Op't the gates, and out;
He leading all. And now was hurl'd about
Auroraes ruddie fire: through all whose light
Minerua led them, through the Towne, from sight.

The End of the XXIII. Booke of Homers Odysses.

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THE XXIIII. BOOKE OF Homers ODYSSES.

The Argvment.

By Mercury the Wooers soules
Are vsher'd to th' Infernall Pooles.
Vlysses, with Laertes met,
The people, are in uprore set
Against them, for the wooers ends:
Whom Pallas stayes, and renders Frends.

Another.

Ω

The vprores fire
the Peoples fall;
The Grandfire, Sire,
and Son, to all.

Cyllenian Hermes with his golden rod,
The wooers soules (that yet retain'd abod
Amids their bodies) call'd in dreadfull rout
Forth to th' Infernals; who came murmuring out.
And as amids the desolate retreate
Of some vaste Cauerne (made the sacred seate
Of austere spirits) Bats, with Brests, and wings
Claspe fast the wals; and each to other clings:
But, swept off from their couerts, vp they rise
And flye with murmures, in amazefull guise
About the cauerne: So these (grumbling) rose
And flockt together. Downe before them goes
None-hurting Mercury, to hels broad waies;
And straight to those streights, where the Ocean staies
His lofty current in calme deepes, they flew.
Then to the snowy rocke, they next withdrew;
And to the close of Phœbus orient gates:
The Nation then of Dreames; and then the states
Of those soules Idols, that the weary dead
Gaue vp in earth: which, in a flowry Mead
Had habitable situation.
And there they saw the soule of Thetis son;
Of good Patroclus; braue Antilochus,
And Aiax; the supremely strenuous
Of all the Greeke hoast, next Plebeian:
All which assembled about Maias son.

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And to them (after) came the mournfull Ghost
Of Agamemnon; with all those, he lost
In false Ægysthus Court. Achilles then
Beholding there, that mighty King of men:
Deplor'd his plight, and said: O Atreus Son!
Of all Heroes; all Opinion
Gaue thee, for Ioues most lou'd; since most command
Of all the Greekes, he gaue thy eminent hand
At siedge of Ilion, where we suffer'd so:
And is the issue this? That first in wo,
Sterne Fate did therefore set thy sequell downe?
None borne past others Fates, can passe his owne.
I wish to heauen, that in the heighth of all
Our pompe at Ilion, Fate had sign'd thy fall;
That all the Greekes might haue aduanc't to thee,
A famous Sepulcher; and Fame might see
Thy Son giuen honor, in thy honour'd end;
But now, a wretched death did Fate extend
To thy confusion, and thy Issues shame.

O Thetis Son (said he) the vitall flame
Extinct at Ilion, far from th' Argiue fields;
The stile of blessed, to thy vertue yields.
About thy fall, the best of Greece and Troy
VVere sacrific'd to slaughter: Thy iust ioy
Conceiu'd in battell, with some worth forgot,
In such a death, as great Apollo shot
At thy encounters: Thy braue person lay
Hid in a dusty whirlewinde, that made way
VVith humane breaths; spent in thy ruines state;
Thou great, wert greatly valew'd, in thy Fate.
All day we fought about thee; nor at all
Had ceast our conflict, had not Ioue let fall
A storme, that forc't off our vnwilling feete.
But, hauing brought thee from the fight, to fleete
Thy glorious person (bath'd and balm'd) we laide
Aloft a bed; and round about thee, paide
The Greekes warme teares, to thy deplor'd decease;
Quite danted, cutting all their curles increase.
Thy death draue a diuine voice through the Seas,
That started vp thy Mother from the waues;
And all the Marine Godheads, left their caues,
Consorting to our fleet, her rapt repaire:
The Greekes stood frighted, to see Sea, and Aire,
And Earth, combine so, in thy losses sence;
Had taken ship, and fled for euer thence,
If old-much-knowing-Nestor had not staide
Their rushing off: His counsailes hauing swaide
In all times former, with such cause, their courses;

363

Who bad containe themselues, and trust their forces;
For all they saw, was Thetis come from Sea,
VVith others of the watry progenie,
To see and mourne for her deceased Son.
VVhich staid the feares, that all to flight had won;
And round about thee stood th' old Sea-gods seedes,
VVretchedly mourning: their immortall weeds
Spreading vpon thee: all the sacred Nine
Of deathlesse Muses, paid thee dues diuine;
By varied turnes their heauenly voyces venting;
All in deepe passion for thy death consenting.
And then, of all our Army, not an eye
You could haue seene, vndrown'd in misery;
The mouing Muse, so rul'd in euery minde.
Full seuenteene dayes and nights, our teares confin'd
To celebration of thy mourned end;
Both men, and Gods, did in thy moane contend.
The eighteenth day, we spent about thy heape
Of dying fire: Blacke Oxen, fattest Sheepe
VVe slew, past number. Then the precious spoile
(Thy Corse) wee tooke vp, which with floods of oile
And pleasant Hony we embalm'd; and then
VVrapt thee in those Robes, that the Gods did raine:
In which, we gaue thee to the hallowed flame;
To which, a number of heroicall name,
All arm'd, came rushing in, in desperate plight;
As prest to sacrifice their vitall right
To thy dead ruines, while so bright they burn'd:
Both foote & horse brake in; and fought, & mourn'd
In infinite tumult. But when all the night
The rich flame lasted; and that wasted quite
Thy body was with the enamor'd fire;
VVe came in early Morne, and an entire
Collection made, of euery Iuorie bone;
VVhich washt in wine, and giuen fit vnction,
A two-ear'd Bolle of Gold thy Mother gaue,
By Bacchus giuen her; and did forme receaue
From Vulcans famous hand; which (O renown'd
Great Thetis Son) with thy faire bones, we crown'd;
Mixt with the Bones of

Patroclus

Mænetiades,
And braue Antilochus; who, in decease
Of thy Patroclus, was thy fauours Deere.
About thee then, a matchlesse Sepulchere,
The sacred hoast of the Achaians raisd
Vpon the Hellespont; where most it seisd
(For height, and conspicuity) the eies
Of liuing men, and their posterities.
Thy Mother then obtain'd the Gods consent

364

To institute an honor'd game, that spent
The best approuement of our Grecian Fames;
In whose praise, I must say, that many games
About Heroes Sepulchers, mine eyes
Haue seene perform'd: But these, bore off the prize
VVith myracles to me, from all before.
In which, thy Siluer-footed Mother, bore
The Institutions name; but thy desarts
(Being great with heauen) caus'd al the eminent parts.
And thus, through all the worst effects of Fate,
Achilles Fame, euen Death shall propagate:
VVhile any one, shall lend the light an eye,
Diuine Æacides shal neuer dye.
But wherein can these comforts be conceiu'd
As rights to me? when hauing quite atchieu'd
An end with safety, and with Conquest too
Of so vnmatcht a warre; what none could do
Of all our enemies there, at home, a Friend,
And VVife, haue giuen me inglorious end.

While these thus spake, the Argus-killing spy
Brought neere, Vlysses noble victory
To their renew'd discourse; in all the ends
The wooers suffer'd, and shew'd those his Frends.
VVhom now, amaze inuaded with the view,
And made giue backe: yet Agamemnon knew
Melanthius heyre, much-fam'd Amphimedon,
Who had in Ithaca, Guest-fauours shown
To great Atrides; who first spake, and saide:

Amphimedon: what sufferance hath bene laide
On your aliue parts, that hath made you make
This land of darknesse, the retreat you take?
So all together? All being like in yeeres?
Nor would a man haue choosd, of all the Peeres
A City honors, men to make a part
More strong for any obiect? Hath your smart
Bene felt from Neptune, being at Sea? His wrath,
The winds, and waues, exciting to your scath?
Or haue offensiue men imposd this Fate?
Your Oxen driuing; or your flockes estate?
Or for your City fighting, and your wiues,
Haue deaths vntimely, seiz'd your best-tim'd liues?
Informe me truly: I was once your Guest;
VVhen I, and Menelaus had profest
First armes for Ilion; and were come ashore
On Ithaca, with purpose to implore
Vlysses aide; that City-racing man,
In wreake of the adulterous Phrygian.
Retaine not you the time? A whole months date

365

We spent at Sea, in hope to instigate
In our arriuall, old Laertes Son;
VVhom (hardly yet) to our designe we won.

The Soule made answer: Worthiest King of men,
I well remember euery passage then
You now reduce to thought; and will relate
The truth, in whole forme, of our timelesse Fate.

VVe woo'd the wife of that long absent King;
VVho (though her second marriage, were a thing
Of most hate to her) she would yet deny
At no part our affections; nor comply
With any in performance: but decreed
In her delayes, the cruell Fates, we feed.
Her craft was this: She vndertooke to weaue
A Funerall garment, destin'd to receaue
The corse of old Laertes; being a taske
Of infinite labour, and which Time would aske.
In midst of whose attempt, she causd our stay
VVith this attraction: Youths! that come in way
Of honor'd Nuptials to me: Though my Lord
Abide amongst the dead; yet cease to bord
My choise for present Nuptials; and sustaine
(Lest what is past me, of this web, be vaine)
Till all receiue perfection: 'Tis a weede
Dispos'd, to wrap in, at his Funerall neede
The old Laertes: who (possessing much)
Would (in his want of rites as fitting) touch
My honor highly, with each vulgar Dame.
Thus spake she, and perswaded; and her Frame
All day she labour'd; her dayes worke not small;
But euery night time, she vnwrought it all.
Three yeares continuing this imperfect taske;
But when the fourth year came, her slights could mask
In no more couert; since her trusted Maid
Her whole deceite, to our true note betraid.
VVith which, surpriz'd, she could no more protract
Her workes perfection: but gaue end exact
To what remain'd: washt vp, and set thereon
A glosse so bright, that like the Sun and Moon
The whole worke shew'd together. And when now
Of meere necessity, her honour'd vow
She must make good to vs: ill fortune brought
Vlysses home; who yet, gaue none one thought
Of his arriuall; but far-off at field
Liu'd with his Herdsman: Nor his trust would yield
Note of his person; but liu'd there, as Guest;
Ragg'd as a begger, in that life profest.
At length, Telemachus left Pylos sank;

366

And with a Ship, fetcht soone his natiue Land.
When yet, not home he went: but laid his way
Vp to his Herdsman, where his Father lay;
And where, both laide our deaths. To town then bore
The Swine-herd, and his King; the Swaine before.
Telemachus, in other wayes, bestow'd
His course home first, t'associate vs that woo'd.
The Swaine, the King led after; who came on
Ragged and wretched, and still lean'd vpon
A borrow'd staffe. At length, he reacht his home;
VVhere (on the sodaine, and so wretched, come)
Nor we, nor much our elders, once did dreame
Of his returne there: but did wrongs extreame
Of words, and blowes to him: all which, he bore
VVith that old patience he had learn'd before.
But when the minde of Ioue had rais'd his owne;
His son and he, fetcht all their Armour downe;
Fast lockt the doores; and (to prepare their vse)
He will'd his wife (for first meane) to produce
His Bow to vs, to draw; of which, no one
Could stir the string: Himselfe yet, set vpon
The deadly strength it held; Drew all, with ease;
Shot through the steeles, and then began to sease
Our armelesse bosomes; striking first, the brest
Of King Antinous, and then the rest
In heapes turn'd ouer: hopefull of his end,
Because some God (he knew) stood firme his frend.
Nor prou'd it worse with him; but all in flood,
The Pauement straight, blusht with our vitall blood:
And thus our soules came heere; our bodies laid
Neglected in his roofes: no word conuaid
To any friend, to take vs home and giue
Our wounds fit balming; nor let such as liue
Entombe our deaths: and for our fortunes, shed
Those teares, and dead rites, that renowne the dead.

Atrides Ghost gaue answere; O blest Son
Of old Laertes, thou at length, hast won
With mighty vertue, thy vnmatched wife.
How good a knowledge: how vntoucht a life
Hath wife Penelope? How well she laide
Her husbands rights vp! whom she lou'd a Maid?
For which, her vertues shall extend applause
Beyond the circles fraile mortality drawes;
The deathlesse in this vale of death, comprising,
Her praise, in numbers, into infinites rising.
The daughter, Tyndarus begat, begot
No such chaste thoughts; but cut the virgin knot
That knit her spouse & her, with murtherous swords.

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For which, posterities shall put hatefull words
To notes of her: that all her Sex defam'd,
And for her ill, shall euen the good be blam'd.

To this effect, these, these digressions made
In hell; Earths darke, and euer-hiding shade.
Vlysses, and his Son (now past the Towne)
Soone reacht the field, elaborately growne
By old Laertes labour: when, with cares
For his lost Son, he left, all Court affaires;
And tooke to this rude vpland; which, with toile
He made a sweet and habitable soile:
VVhere stood a house to him; about which, ran
In turnings thicke, and Labyrinthian,
Poore Houels, where his necessary men
That did those workes (of pleasure to him then)
Might sit, and eate, and sleepe. In his owne house
An old Sicilian Dame liu'd; studious
To serue his sowre age with her cheerefull paines.

Then saide Vlysses to his Son, and Swaines;
Go you to Towne, and for your dinner kill
The best Swine ye can choose; my selfe will still
Stay with my father, and assay his eye,
If my acknowledg'd truth, it can descry;
Or that my long times trauaile, doth so change
My sight to him, that I appeare as strange.
Thus gaue he armes to them, and home he hied:
Vlysses to the fruitfull field, applied
His present place: nor found he Dolius there,
His sonnes, or any seruant, anywhere
In all that spacious ground; all gone from thence,
Were dragging bushes, to repaire a fence,
Old Dolius leading all. Vlysses found
His father farre aboue, in that faire ground,
Employd in proyning of a Plant: his weeds
All torne and tatter'd; fit for homely deeds,
But not for him. Vpon his legs he wore
Patcht boots, to guard him from the brambles gore:
His hands, had thorne-proofe hedging Mittens on,
His head a Goats-skin Caske: through all which shone
His heart giuen ouer, to abiectest mone.
Him, when Vlysses saw, consum'd with age,
And all the Ensignes on him, that the rage
Of griefe presented: he brake out in teares:
And (taking stand then, where a tree of Peares
Shot high his forehead ouer him) his minde
Had much contention. If to yeeld to kinde,
Make straight way to his father; kisse, embrace,
Tell his returne, and put on all the face

368

And fashion of his instant told returne,
Or stay th' impulsion; and the long day burne
Of his quite losse giuen, in his Fathers feare,
A little longer: trying first his cheare
With some free dalliance; th' earnest being so neare.

This course his choise preferr'd, and forth he went:
His Father then, his aged shoulders bent
Beneath what yeares had stoop't; about a Tree
Busily digging: O, old man (said he)
You want no skill, to dresse and decke your ground,
For all your Plants doth order'd distance bound:
No Apple, Peare, or Oliue, Fig, or Vine;
Nor any plat, or quarter, you confine
To grasse, or flow'rs, stands empty of your care,
Which shewes exact in each peculiare:
And yet (which let not moue you) you bestow
No care vpon your selfe; though to this show
Of outward irksomnesse, to what you are,
You labour with an inward froward care,
Which is your age; that should weare all without
More neate, and cherishing. I make no doubt
That any sloth you vse, procures your Lord
To let an old man, go so much abhord
In all his weeds; nor shines there in your looke
A fashion, and a goodlinesse, so tooke
VVith abiect qualities, to merit this
Nasty entreaty: Your resemblance is
A very Kings, and shines through this retreate.
You looke like one, that hauing washt, and eate,
Should sleepe securely, lying sweet, and neate.
It is the ground of Age, when cares abuse it,
To know life's end; and as 'tis sweet, so vse it.

But vtter truth, and tell; what Lord is he,
That rates your labour, and your liberty?
VVhose Orchard is it, that you husband thus?
Or quit me this doubt; For if Ithacus
This kingdome claimes for his: the man I found
At first arriuall heere, is hardly sound
Of braine, or ciuill; not induring stay,
To tell, nor heare me, my enquiry out
Of that my friend; if stil he bore about
His life and Being; or were diu'd to Death,
And in the house of him that harboureth
The soules of men. For once he liu'd my guest;
My Land and house retaining interest
In his abode there; where there soiourn'd none,
As guest, from any forreigne Region
Of more price with me. He deriu'd his race

369

From Ithaca; and said, his Father was
Laertes, surnam'd Arcesiades.
I had him home; and all the offices
Perform'd to him, that fitted any friend;
Whose proofe I did to wealthy gifts extend:
Seuen Talents, Gold; a Bolle all siluer, set
With pots of flowers: twelue robes, that had no pleat:
Twelue cloakes (or mantles) of delicious dye:
Twelue inner weeds: Twelue sutes of Tapistry
I gaue him likewise: women skill'd in vse
Of Loome, and Needle; freeing him to chuse
Foure the most faire. His Father (weeping) saide,

Stranger! The earth to which you are conuaide,
Is Ithaca; by such rude men possest,
Vniust and insolent, as first addrest
To your encounter; but the gifts you gaue
VVere giuen (alas) to the vngratefull graue.
If with his people, where you now arriue,
Your Fate had bene to finde your friend aliue,
You shold haue found like Guest-rites from his hand;
Like gifts, and kinde passe to your wished land.
But how long since, receiu'd you as your guest
Your Friend, my Son? who was th' nhappiest
Of all men breathing, if he were at all?
O borne, when Fates, and ill Aspects let fall
A cruell influence for him; Farre away
From Friends and Countrey; destin'd to alay
The Sea-bred appetites; or (left ashore)
To be by Fowles, and vpland Monsters tore.
His lifes kinde authors; nor his wealthy wife,
Bemoning (as behoou'd) his parted life:
Nor closing (as in honours course it lyes
To all men dead) in bed, his dying eyes.
But giue me knowledge of your name, and race:
What City bred you? VVhere the anchoring place
Your ship now rides at lies, that shor'd you here?
And where your men? Or if a passenger
In others Keeles you came; who (giuing Land
To your aduentures heere, some other Strand
To fetch in further course) haue left to vs
Your welcome presence? His reply was thus:

I am of Alybande, where I hold
My names chiefe house, to much renowne extold.
My Father Aphidantes; fam'd to spring
From Polypemon; the Molossian King:
My name, Eperitus. My taking land
On this faire Isle, was rul'd by the command
Of God, or Fortune: quite against consent

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Of my free purpose; that, in course was bent
For th' Isle Sicania. My Ship is held
Farre from the City, neere an ample field.
And for (Vlysses) since his passe from me
'Tis now fiue yeares. Vnblest by Destiny,
That all this time, hath had the Fate to erre:
Though, at his parting, good Birds did augure
His putting off, and on his right hand flew;
VVhich, to his passage, my affection drew:
His spirit ioyfull, and my hope was now
To guest with him, and see his hand bestow
Rights of our friendship. This, a cloud of griefe
Cast ouer all the forces of his life.
VVith both his hands, the burning dust he swept
Vp from the earth, which on his head he heapt,
And fetcht a sigh, as in it, life were broke:
VVhich greeu'd his Son, and gaue so smart a stroke
Vpon his nosethrils, with the inward stripe,
That vp the Veine rose there; and weeping ripe
He was, to see his Sire feele such woe
For his dissembl'd ioy; which now (let goe)
He sprung from earth, embrac't and kist his Sire:
And said; O Father: he, of whom y'enquire
Am I my selfe, that (from you, twenty yeares)
Is now return'd. But do not breake in teares;
For now, we must not formes of kinde maintaine,
But haste and guard the substance. I haue slaine
All my wiues wooers; so, reuenging now
Their wrong so long time suffer'd. Take not you
The comfort of my comming then, to heart
At this glad instant; but, in prou'd desert
Of your graue iudgement; giue mone, glad suspence,
And, on the sodaine, put this consequence
In act as absolute, as all time went
To ripening of your resolute assent.

All this haste made not his staide faith, so free
To trust his words; who said, If you are he,
Approue it by some signe. This scar then see
(Replied Vlysses) giuen me by the Bore
Slaine in Parnassus; I being sent before
By yours, and by my honour'd Mothers will,
To see your Sire Autolycus fulfill
The gifts he vow'd, at giuing of my Name.
Ile tel you too, the Trees (in goodly frame
Of this faire Orchard) that I askt of you
Being yet a childe; and follow'd, for your show
And name of euery Tree. You gaue me then
Of Figge-trees, forty; Apple-bearers, ten;
Peare-trees, thirteene; and fifty rankes of Vine;

371

Each one of which, a season did confine
For his best eating. Not a Grape did grow,
That grew not there, and had his heauy brow
When Ioues faire daughters (the all-ripening how'rs)
Gaue timely date to it. This charg'd the pow'rs
Both of his knees and heart, with such impression
Of sodaine comfort, that it gaue possession
Of all, to Trance: The signes were all so true;
And did the loue, that gaue them, so renue.
His cast his armes about his sonne, and sunke;
The circle, slipping to his feete. So shrunke
VVere all his ages forces, with the fire
Of his yong loue rekindl'd. The old Sire,
The Son tooke vp, quite liuelesse: But his breath
Againe respiring; and his soule from death
His bodies pow'rs recouering: Out he cried,
And said; O Iupiter! I now haue tried,
That still there liue in heauen, remembring Gods,
Of men that serue them; though the periods
They set to their apparances, are long
In best mens sufferings; yet, as sure, as strong
They are in comforts: be their strange delayes
Extended neuer so, from dayes to dayes.
Yet see the short ioyes, or the soone-mixt feares
Of helpes with-held by them, so many yeares:
For, if the wooers now, haue paide the paine
Due to their impious pleasures; Now, againe
Extreame feare takes me, lest we straight shall see
Th' Ithacensians here, in mutinie;
Their Messengers dispatcht, to win to friend
The Cephalenian Cities. Do not spend
Your thoughts on these cares (saide his suffering son)
But be of comfort; and see that course ron
That best, may shun the worst: Our house is nere;
Telemachus, and both his Herdsmen, there
To dresse our supper with their vtmost hast;
And thither haste we. This saide; Forth they past;
Came home, and found Telemachus, at feast
With both his Swaines: while who had done, all drest
VVith Baths, and Balmes, and royally arraid
The old King was, by his Sicilian Maid.
By whose side, Pallas stood; his crookt-age streitning;
His flesh more plumping; and his looks enlightning:
VVho yssuing then to view, his son admir'd
The Gods Aspects, into his forme inspir'd:
And said; O Father: certainly some God
By your addression in this state, hath stood;
More great, more reuerend, rendring you by farre,

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At all your parts, then of your selfe, you are.

I would to Ioue (said he) the Sun, and She
That beares Ioues shield, the state had stood with me,
That helpt me take in the wel-builded Tow'rs
Of strong Nericus (the Cephalian pow'rs
To that faire City, leading) two dayes past,
While with the wooers, thy conflict did last;
And I had then bene in the wooers wreake;
I should haue helpt thee so, to render weake
Their stubborne knees, that in thy ioyes desert,
Thy breast had bene too little for thy heart.

This said; and supper order'd by their men,
They sate to it; old Dolius entring then;
And with him (tyr'd with labour) his sonnes came,
Call'd by their Mother, the Sicilian dame
That brought them vp, and drest their Fathers fare.
As whose age grew; with it, encreast her care
To see him seru'd as fitted. VVhen (thus set)
These men beheld Vlysses there, at meate;
They knew him; and astonisht in the place,
Stood at his presence: who, with words of grace
Call'd to olde Dolius, saying; Come, and eate,
And banish all astonishment: your meate
Hath long bene ready; and our selues made stay,
Expecting euer, when your wished way
VVould reach amongst vs. This brought fiercely on
Old Dolius from his stand; who ran vpon
(VVith both his armes abroad) the King, and kist
Of both his rapt vp hands, the either wrist;
Thus welcomming his presence: O my Loue,
Your presence heere (for which all wishes stroue)
No one expected. Euen the Gods haue gone
In guide before you, to your mansion:
Welcom, and all ioyes, to your heart, contend.
Knowes yet Penelope? Or shall we send
Some one to tell her this? She knowes (said he)
VVhat need these troubles (Father) touch at thee?

Then came the Sonnes of Dolius; and againe
VVent ouer with their Fathers entertaine;
VVelcom'd, shooke hands; & then to feast sate down;
About which, while they sate; about the Towne
Fame flew, and shriek't about, the cruell death
And Fate, the wooers had sustain'd beneath
Vlysses roofes. All heard; together all,
From hence, and thence met, in Vlysses Hall,
Short-breath'd, and noisefull: Bore out all the dead
To instant buriall: while their deaths were spread
To other Neighbor-Cities, where they liu'd:

373

From whence, in swiftest Fisher-boats, arriu'd
Men to transfer them home. In meane space, here
The heauy Nobles, all in counsaile were;
Where (met in much heape) vp to all arose
Extremely-greeu'd Eupitheus; so to lose
His Son Antinous; who, first of all
By great Vlysses hand, had slaughtrous fall.
VVhose Father (weeping for him) saide; O Friends,
This man hath author'd workes of dismall ends;
Long since, conueying in his guide to Troy,
Good men, and many, that did ships employ:
All which are lost, and all their Souldiers dead;
And now, the best men Cephalenia bred
His hand hath slaughter'd. Go we then (before
His scape to Pylos, or the Elean Shore
VVhere rule the Epeans) 'gainst his horrid hand:
For we shall grieue, and infamy will brand
Our Fames for euer; if we see our Sons
And Brothers end in these confusions,
Reuenge left vninflicted. Nor will I
Enioy one dayes life more; But greeue, and die
VVith instant onset. Nor should you suruiue
To keepe a base, and beastly name aliue.
Haste then, let flight preuent vs. This with teares
His griefes aduisd, and made all sufferers
In his affliction. But by this, was come
Vp to the Counsaile, from Vlysses home
(VVhen sleep had left thē, which the slaughters there
And their selfe dangers, from their eyes, in feare
Had two nights intercepted) those two men,
That iust Vlysses sau'd out of the slaine;
VVhich Medon, and the sacred Singer were.
These stood amidst the Counsaile; and the feare
The slaughter had imprest, in eithers looke
Stucke stil so gastly; that amaze it strooke
Through euery there beholder: To whose eares
One thus enforc't, in his fright, cause of theirs:

Attend me Ithacensians; This sterne fact
Done by Vlysses, was not put in act
VVithout the Gods assistance; These selfe eies
Saw one of the immortall Deities
Close by Vlysses; Mentors forme put on
At euery part: and this sure Deity, shone
Now neere Vlysses, setting on his bold
And slaughterous spirit: Now, the points controll'd
Of all the wooers weapons; round about
The arm'd house whisking; in continuall rout
Their party putting, till in heapes they fell.

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This newes, new fears did through their spirits impel:
When Halitherses (honor'd Mastors sonne,
VVho of them all, saw onely what was done
Present, and future) the much-knowing man
And aged Heroe, this plaine course ran
Amongst their counsailes: Giue me likewise eare;
And let me tell ye, Friends; that these ils beare
On your malignant spleenes, their sad effects;
VVho, not what I perswaded, gaue respects:
Nor what the peoples Pastor (Mentor) saide;
That you should see your issues follies staid
In those soule courses; by their petulant life
The goods deuouring, scandaling the wife
Of no meane person; who (they still would say)
Could neuer more see his returning day:
VVhich yet, appearing now: now giue it trust,
And yeeld to my free counsailes: Do not thrust
Your owne safe persons, on the acts, your Sons
So deerely bought, lest their confusions
On your lou'd heads, your like addictions draw.

This stood so farre, from force of any Law
To curbe their loose attempts, that much the more
They rusht to wreake, and made rude tumult rore.
The greater part of all the Court arose:
Good counsaile could not ill defignes dispose.
Eupitheus was perswader of the course;
VVhich (compleate arm'd) they put in present force:
The rest, sate still in counsaile. These men met
Before the broad Towne, in a place they set
All girt in armes; Eupitheus choosing Chiefe
To all their follies, who put griefe to griefe;
And in his slaughter'd sons reuenge did burne.
But Fate gaue neuer feete to his returne;
Ordaining there his death. Then Pallas spake
To Ioue, her Father, with intent to make
His will, high Arbiter, of th' act design'd;
And askt of him, what his vnsearched mind
Held vndiscouer'd; If with Armes, and ill,
And graue encounter, he would first fulfill
His sacred purpose; or both parts combine
In peacefull friendship? He askt, why incline
These doubts, thy counsailes? Hast not thou decreed
That Ithacus should come, and giue his deed
The glory of reuenge, on these and theirs?
Performe thy will; the frame of these affaires
Haue this fit issue. When Vlysses hand
Hath reacht full wreake; his then renown'd command
Shall reigne for euer: Faithfull Truces strooke

375

'Twixt him, and all; For euery man shall brooke
His Sons and Brothers slaughters,;by our meane
To send Obliuion in; expugning cleane
The Character of enmity in all,
As in best Leagues before. Peace, Feastiuall,
“And Riches in abundance, be the state,
“That crownes the close of Wise Vlysses Fate.
This spurr'd the Free; who, from heauens Continent
To th' Ithacensian Isle, made straight descent.
Where (dinner past) Vlysses said; Some one
Looke out to see their neerenesse. Dolius sonne
Made present speed abroad, and saw them nie;
Ran backe, and told; Bad Arme; and instantlie
Were all in armes. Vlysses part, was foure;
And sixe more sons of Dolius: All his powre
Two onely more, which were his aged Sire,
And like-year'd Dolius, whose liues slaked fire;
All white had left their heads: yet, driuen by Neede,
Made Souldiers both, of necessary deede.
And now, all girt in armes; the Ports, set wide,
They sallied forth, Vlysses being their guide.
And to them, in the instant, Pallas came,
Informe and voice, like Mentor; who, a flame
Inspir'd of comfort in Vlysses hart
VVith her seene presence. To his Son, apart
He thus then spake; Now Son, your eyes shall see
(Expos'd in slaughterous fight) the enemy;
Against whom, who shall best serue, will be seene:
Disgrace not then your race, that yet hath beene
For force, and fortitude, the formost tried,
Of all earths off-springs. His true Son replied;
Your selfe shall see (lou'd Father) if you please,
That my deseruings shall in nought digresse
From best fame of our Races formost merit.
The old King sprung for ioy, to heare his spirit:
And said; O lou'd Immortals, what a day
Do your cleere bounties to my life display?
I ioy, past measure, to behold my Son
And Nephew, close in such contention
Of vertues martiall. Pallas (standing neere)
Said, O my Friend! Of all, supreamly deere
Seed of Arcesius; Pray to Ioue, and her
That rules in Armes, (his daughter) and a dart
(Spritefully brandisht) hurle at th' aduerse part.

This said, He pray'd; and she, a mighty force
Inspir'd within him; who gaue instant course
To his braue-brandisht Lance, which strook the brasse
That cheek't Eupitheus Caske; and thrust his passe

376

Quite through his head; who fell, & sounded falling;
His Armes, the sound againe, from earth recalling.

Vlysses, and his Son, rusht on before;
And with their both-way-headed Darts, did gore
Their enemies breasts so thicke, that all had gone
The way of slaughter, had not Pallas throwne
Her voice betwixt them, charging all to stay
And spare expence of blood. Her voice did fray
The blood so from their faces, that it left
A greenish palenesse. All their hands it reft
Of all their weapons; falling thence, to earth:
And to the commune Mother of their Birth
(The City) all fled, in desire, to saue
The liues yet left them. Then Vlysses gaue
A horrid shout; and like Ioues Eagle flew
In fiery pursuite, till Saturnius threw
His smoaking lightning twixt them; that had fall
Before Minerua: who then, out did call
Thus to Vlysses: Borne of Ioue! abstaine
From further bloodshed: Ioues hand in the slaine
Hath equall'd in their paines, their prides to thee;
Abstaine then, lest you moue the Deity.

Againe then, twixt both parts, the seed of Ioue
(Athenian Pallas) of all future loue
A league compos'd; and for her forme, tooke choice
Of Mentors likenesse; both in Limb, and Voice.

The End of the XXIIII. and last Booke of Homers Odysses.

So wrought diuine Vlysses through his woes:
So, croun'd the Light with him; His Mothers Throes;
As through his great Renowner, I haue wrought;
And my safe saile, to sacred Anchor brought.
Nor did the Argiue ship, more burthen feele,
That bore the Care of all men, in her Keele;
Then my aduenturous Barke: The Colchean Fleece,
Not halfe so precious, as this soule of Greece.
In whose songs I haue made our shores reioyce,
And Greeke it selfe veile, to our English voyce.
Yet this inestimable Pearle, wil all
Our Dunghil Chanticheres, but obuious call;
Each Moderne scraper, this Gem scratching by;

377

His Oate preferring far. Let such, let ly:
So scorne the stars the clouds; as true-soul'd men
Despise Deceiuers. For, as Clouds would faine
Obscure the Stars yet (Regions left below
With all their enuies) bar them but of show;
For they shine euer, and wil shine, when they
Dissolue in sinckes, make Mire, and temper Clay:
So puft Impostors (our Muse-vapours) striue,
With their selfe-blowne additions, to depriue
Men solid, of their full; though infinite short
They come in their compare; and false report
Of leuelling, or touching, at their light,
That still retaine their radiance, and cleere right;
And shal shine euer When, alas, one blast
Of least disgrace, teares downe th' Impostors Mast;
His Tops, and Tacklings; His whole Freight, and He
Confiscate to the Fishy Monarchy;
His trash, by foolish Fame bought now, from hence,
Giuen to serue Mackarell forth, and Frankincence.

Such then, and any; too soft-ey'd to see
Through workes so solid, any worth, so free
Of all the learn'd professions, as is fit
To praise at such price; let him thinke his wit
Too weake to rate it; rather then oppose
With his poore pow'rs, Ages, and Hosts of Foes.

To the Ruines of Troy, and Greece.

Troy rac't; Greece wrackt: who mournes? Ye both may bost;
Else th' Ilyads, and Odysses, had bene lost.

Ad Deum.

The onely true God, (betwixt whom and Me,
I onely bound my comforts; and agree
With all my actions) onely truly knowes,
And can iudge truly me, with all that goes
To all my Faculties. In whose free grace
And inspiration, I onely place
All meanes to know (with my meanes; Study, praire,
In, & from his word taken) staire by staire,
In all continual contentation, rising
To knowledge of his Truth; and practising

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His wil in it, with my sole Sauiours aide,
Guide, and enlightning: Nothing done, nor saide,
Nor thought that good is; but acknowledg'd by
His inclination, skill, and faculty.
By which, to finde the way out to his loue
Past all the worlds; the sphere is, where doth moue
My studies, prai'rs, and pow'rs: No pleasure taken
But sign'd by his: for which, my blood forsaken,
My soule I cleaue to: and what (in his blood
That hath redeem'd, cleans'd, taught her) fits her good.

Deo opt. Max. gloria.

FINIS.