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

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,

238

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;

239

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

240

(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:

241

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

242

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,

243

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.

244

(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;

246

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,

247

(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,

248

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,

249

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,

250

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;

251

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.