The Whole Works of Homer :: :: University of Virginia Library

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.

117

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

118

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,

119

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.

120

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,

121

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)

122

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;

123

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

124

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.

125

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)

126

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;

127

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:

128

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.

129

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:

130

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.