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Th'Inconstant Gods] It may be meant the Inconstant Goddesse Fortune, who was the Servant of the Gods, to whom was attributed the disposal of all sublunary things, she was painted with the horn of plenty in one hand, and a wheel in the other, by which was meant, her disposal of all earthly riches and the inconstancy of them:

Volat mobiles alis
Nec ulli prestat velox fortuna fidem.
Fortune flies with swift wings, nor doth
With any, fickle she, keep faith.
Sen. in Hippol.

She was painted, also blindfolded, as bestowing her favours either impartially, or promiscuously as Senec. in Hippol.

Res humanas ordine nullo
Fortuna regit, spargitq; manu
Munera Cæcâ.
Humane affaires w'thout order Fortune guides:
And with a blind hand all her gifts divides.

Or else,

------ Faciles dare summa deos, eademq; tueri Difficiles. ------
The Gods are prone great things to send,
But backward the same to defend.

The Great work of the Gods above] Neptune and Apollo, who induing humane shapes, were hired by Laomedon, to build the Walls of Troy, which being finished, he deny'd them their promis'd reward: The Gods angry at his perfidiousness and perjury afflicted the City, Neptune with inundations, Apollo with a pestilence: Laomedon Consulting the Oracle, it was answer'd, that the Gods could not be appeased, without they chose a Trojan Virgin by lot yearly, and exposed her to be devoured by a monstrous Whale: After many had run this fatal Chance, it fell at last on Hesione, Laomedons daughter, Hercules coming thither by chance, and seeing the Virgin bound to a rock, bargains with Laomedon to set her at liberty, and slay the Monster for his Horses begotten of divine seed: Hercules perform'd his part, but Laomedon denying him his reward, he returns afterwards with an army and sacked Troy, taking Priamus then a Child prisoner, but having slain Laomedon, he sets Priamus at liberty to enjoy his fathers Realm. Thus Ovid. Met. 11.

------ Apollo,
Cumq; Triden tigero tumidi genetore profundi
Mortalem induitur formam, Phrygiæq; Tyranne
Ædificat muros, pacto pro mœnibus auro, &c.
By Sands Translated thus. ------ Apollo,
Who with the father of the tumid main
Indues a mortal shape: and entertain
Themselves for unregarded Gold to build
The Phrygian Tyrants walls. That work fulfill'd
The King their promised reward denies, &c.

To whose assistance Came] Rhesus King of Thrace, whose horses had they drunk of the River Xanthe by Troy, (as the Oracle delivered) Troy had been invincible, but he was slain, and his horses taken before they came thither by Ulysses and Dromedes.

Tanais] put for Ister which falls (like Nile) into the Sea at 7 mouths.

And those that neer first see] Memnon with his Eastern Troops the Son of Tithon and Aurora Priamus's Nephew: slain by Achilles, whose ashes were converted to fowles.

Ovid. Met. 13. ------ Cum Memnonis arduus alto
Corruit igne rogus: ------
Atra favilla volat: glomerataq; Corpus in unum
Densatur, faciemq; Capit—&c.
Sands Translat. ------ When greedy flame, devour'd the funeral pile,
The flying, dying Sparkles joyntly grow
Into one body. Colour, form, life, spring
To it from fire, which levity doth wing,
First like a fowl, forthwith a Fowl indeed, &c.

Those too where with the Sea Tigris] The Troops that came with Memnon, about the Perfic Gulfe, where the swift river Tigris disimbokes it self.

And she that neighboured] Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons, slain by Achilles. See note third, upon the 5 Act.

A Thousand Ships] the number of the Grecian Fleet, when they first set out for Troy.

Cassandra] Priamus's daughter, whom Phœbus loving, Sued for her maidenhead, which she promised him on Condition that he would indue her with the gift of Prophesie, or foretelling things to come; which having granted her, She would no[illeg.] to her promise, which the deceived God seeing ad[illeg.] his former gift, that whatsoever she foretold, though never so true, should not, be Credited: Nor did the Trojans believe what she predicted till afterwards they found it true to their sorrow.

Tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris
Ora, dei jussu, non unquam Credita Teucris.
Virg. Æn. 2. Cassandra then, these future fates foretold,
Whom Trojans ne're believ'd, so Phœbus would.
Ogleby interpret.

With Child I this] Hecuba when she was with- Child of Paris, dreamed that she was delivered of a fire-brand,

Tis by my fire brand]

which proved true, in that he was the Cause of Troys destruction.

Diomedes] King of Ætolia, the Constant Companion of Ulysses in all his exploites: In stealing the horses of Rhesus and the Palladium of Troy, which could not be Conquer'd whilst that remained there.

False Sinon] He by whose Craft, the wooden horse was admitted into Troy, out of whose belly came the hidden Greeks, who surpriz'd the City by that Stratagem.

The murther of the King] Priamus slain by Pyrrhus at the Altar of Jupiter Hercius, which was in the Court, between the Entrance and the Hall, where the Kings use to be Crowned.

Helenus's wife] Andromach, who after Pyrrhus had taken Hermione from Orestes, was given to Helenus, who was Priamus's Son, and a great Prophet; So that the time is here anticipated by the Author.

Another doth Antenors Crave] Theano. Antenor was a Trojan Prince, who after Troys overthrow, fled to the Venetians: he built Padua.

In Imitation of mourners, as the manner of the Preficæ was, to knock their breasts, tear their dishevell'd tresses, and lament with groans and ejulations.

Ida's direful King] Paris, whose residence was on mount Ida, where whilst he kept sheep, the three Goddesses Juno, Pallas, Venus, presented themselves to him, making him the arbitrator of their strife for the Golden Ball, which he, despising the profer'd wisdom of Pallas, the Riches of Juno, adjudged to Venus, who had promis'd him the fairest Beauty in the world, which was Helena, whom she gave him in reward for his arbitration.

To Amyclas] A City in Laconia, where the Brothers of Helena, Castor and Pollux were born.

With mother Cybeles Sacred Pines] The Ship in which Paris went, being made of the Pines that grew on Mount Ida, a Mountain Sacred to Cybele, and where she was chiefly worshipped, from whence her Priests where Call'd Idæi-dactyli.

In the Sigean fields] The fields adjoyning to Troy, denominated from the promontorie Sigeum, by

which was the Sepulchre of Achilles.

O Queen lift up thy hand] after the manner of the Præficæ, which was the sign to begin their lamentations.

Your hair untye] Here is described the custome of those women hired to lament at funerals, they wore their hair disshevel'd, their necks and breasts bare, and striking their hands against them, made a fearful ejulation, and howling.

Hæ la crymis sparsêre deos, hæ pectora duro
Afflixêre solo: lacerasq; in limine sacro
Attonitæ fudere Comas: votisq; vocari
Assuetas crebris feriunt ululatibus aures.
------ Una madentes
Scissa genas, planctu liventes atra lacertos,
Nunc ait ô miseræ contundite pectora matres,
Nunc laniate Comas, &c.
Lucan. lib. 2. One weeps before the Gods; one her torn locks
Throws in the Sacred porch: another knocks
Her breast against the ground: the God whose ears
Were us'd to prayers, now only howlings hears:
------ But one there
Her plaint-bruis'd armes, and moysten'd cheeks did tear
Now now quoth she, oh Mothers teare your hair
Now beat your breasts—
Such was the manner of the ancients mourning fully described in his Chorus.

Make all the Rhætian Shores] A promontory of Troy, in which was the Sepulcher of Ajax Telamonius.

The Eccho found, In Mounts and Caves] Is the repercussion of the air against some rock or hill, or some

obvious body which repeats the dilated sound by reflection. But the Poets have feign'd it the effect of Love, whose Metamorphosis you may read in Ovid. lib. 3. She was a Nymph of the river Cephissus, who falling in Love with Narcissus, and being by him rejected pined her self with grief to a stone, her voyce onely remaining, &c.

------ In aere succus
Corporis omnis abit: vox tantum atq; ossa supersunt,
Vox manet: ossa ferunt lapidis traxisse figuram.
Inde latet sylvis, nulloq; in monte videtur:
Omnibus auditur, sonus est qui vivit in illa.
------ Her blood converts to air,
Nothing was left her but her voyce and bones:
The voyce remaines: the other turn'd to stones.
Conceal'd in words, in mountaines never found.
She's heard of all: and all is but a sound.
Sands.

Here 'tis said she is never found in Mountains, and that is because there is no obstacle, to strike back the air, but if you stand at a Convenient distance from the mountain (especially if there be any Caverns.) you will according to my author finde this vocal Nymphs habitation to be at the foot of the hill, or on the sides of the rock.

Our wounds do flow with blood fresh Torn] They did believe that humane blood was pleasing to the defunct, which made them not onely use these Præficæ to teare their breasts, but also the gladiators were brought into use, who unmercifully shed one anothers blood.

A Sconce for tyred Trojans] Hector might be well call'd the safeguard of Troy, for whilst he liv'd she was impregnable.

O lux Dardaniæ, spes O fidissima Tencrum.
Virg. O Dardan light! O Troy's chief Confidence.
Hector—Cum quo sua Troja sepulta est
Conduntur pariter qui periere simul.
Hector with whom Troy's sepulcher'd, they lye
Together now, who did together dye.

Twice lost old man] He was twice Captivated when a youth, and being lead into Greece, he was ransomed by his Sister Hesione.

Thou living but one ill sustain] That is, by the Death of Hector the Kings Son, now the King himself is slain.

And twice abode th'Herculean shaft] Without the arrows of Hercules, Troy could not have been conquer'd, they were fatal to Troy; Twice, that is this last time, and once before, when Hercules subdued it: See the 2 note of the first Act.

At great Joves Altar] See note 14. Act the first.

Ædibus in mediis, nudoq; sub ætheris axe.
Ingens ara fuit.
Virg. Amid'st the Court under heav'ns Canopy
An Altar stood, &c.

Thy Trunk] Jacet ingens littore Truncus
Avulsumque humeris caput, &c.
Vir. Æn. 2. His body lyeth on the shore without a head.
Here Virgil alludes to the fall of Pompey, whom our author follows.

Neither Atrides] Agamemnon and Menelaus both Sons to Atreus.

Mycene] A City of Peloponnesus, built by Perseus, in which Agamemnon the Captain general of the Greeks reigned.

In the shade of th'Elysian wood] The habitation of the blessed after death, some suppos'd it to be in the Sphere of the Moon, others placed it in the

Atlantic or Fortunate Islands, Homer in Spain, Plutarch in Brittain. It is supposed the Greeks borrowed their Elysium from the Egyptians, who came to the Knowledg of it by the Hebrews, so that it was answerable to their Paradise, where Pious Souls received all the joys and pleasures annexed to the other life. But the Poëts have described the pleasures of Elysium too sensually, it may be as Mahomet did his Paradise, not but that they knew better, but knowing that such sensual descriptions would soonest take with vulgar Capacities.

Devenere Locos lætos, & amæna vireta
Fortunatorum nemorum, sedesq; beatas.
Largior hic Campis æther, &c.
Virg. Ænei. 6. In joyful places they arriv'd at last,
And came to Groves where happy souls do rest,
In pleasant Greens the dwellings of the blest.
Here larger Skies did cloath the purple rayes
The field, &c.
Ogilvius.

Both to the war] when the Grecians lay at Aulis, a City of Bæotia ready to embarque themselves for Troy, Agamemnon by chance kill'd Diana's Stag; for which being wroth, she stay'd their progress with contrary winds, till Agamemnon was fain to appease her anger with the slaughter of his daughter Iphigenia on her Altar. For which Sacrifice, Ulysses was employ'd with his Craft to gain her from her mother, which he did, by beginning a Mariage betwixt her and Achilles. But when she was ready to be Sacrific'd,

Victa dea est, nubemque oculis objecit & inter
Officium, turbamq; sacri, vocesque precantum,
Supposita fertur mutasse Mycenida Cerva.
------ Dian' doth pity shew
Who o're their eyes a cloudy meteor threw;
And while they prosecute her rites and pray'd
Produc'd a hind to represent the Maid.
Ovid. Met. 12. From thence by the Goddess she was conveyed to Taurica, &c.

The Sacred Grove] on Ida Sacred to Cybele.

The Gods below] were Pluto, Proserpina, Minos, Æacus, Rathamanius. The Furies, Parcæ, Hecate and others.

Thessalian Prinee] Achilles.

The Great Ghost] which is meant either, because that Ghosts (as they held) appeared in a larger Size than their bodies, or it has respect to the Stature of Achilles, which they say was nine Cubits high.

The Proëm to Troys fatal fall] which was when he encounter'd with, and overcame Cisseus King of Thrace, father to Hecuba, and Telephus Prince of Mysia, who were coming to the aid of Troy.

Neptnnian Cycnus] He was Nephew to Neptune, and invulnerable, as Ovid, met. 12.

------ Removebitur omne
Tegminis officium, tamen indistrictus abibo.
------ Should I display
My naked breast, thy force could find no way.
Sand.

However Achilles after a long fight throtl'd him with his Knees, but his body was not to be found, being Converted into a Swan.

Slow Xanthus] A river by Troy called also Scamandrus.

Great Hector and Troy drawing on the ground]

when Achilles had slain Hector, he tyed him to his Chariot, and drew him round about the walls of Troy; and the tomb of Patroclus, one whom Hector had slain in Achilles Armour. He was kept inhumated 12 dayes, and was at length Ransom'd by Priamus. Homer Il. lib. 23.

Troy drawing on the ground] for when Achilles had slain Hector, he Cri'd out, I have overcome Troy; in that he was the onely defence and safeguard of the City.

A Chore of Tritons] Sea Monsters, whose upper parts were like men, their lower like fishes; They were the Trumpeters of Neptune, and at the Sound of their Concha, the Seas see their raging, and become Calm.

Cærulens Triton, cava buccina sumitur illi
Tum quoq;, ut ora dei madida rorantia barba
Contigit, & cecinit jussos inflata recessus,
Omnibus audita est telluris & æquoris undis,
Et quibus est undis audita Coërcuit omnes.
Ovid. Met. 1. Blew Triton his wreath'd Trumpet takes, and set
To his large mouth, he Sounded a retreat;
All Floods it heard that Earth or Ocean knew,
And all the Floods that heard the same withdrew.

Hymenæan] The Mariage Song, from Hymen the God of mariage, which the Grecians used to sing with the repetition of Hymenæe, as the Romanes did Thalassio.

Troy with the Earth did lay] See note 9 upon the second Act, Scene the first.

At Scyros] An Island in the Ægean Sea one of the Cyclades, and the Countrey of King Lycomedes: In this place Achilles was Conceal'd habited like a virgin,

and accompaning with Deidamia the Kings daughter, he got her with Child, by whom he had Pyrrhus: he was brought hither by his mother Thetis goddess of the Sea, because she had foreseen his fate before Troy, but he was drawn hence by the subtle perswasions of Ulysses.

Lesbos] An Island also in the Ægean, which Achilles overran before he joyn'd to the rest of the Greeks.

Nestor's years] A man very eloquent, who was at the Trojan wars, although he had liv'd.

Annos bis centum: tunc tertia vivitur ætas.
Two Ages, then he in the third did live.

Guiles and Guise] When she hid him, as in the second note.

Telephus The same knew how to wound and heal] Telephus the K. of Mysia denying Achilles passage through his Country, when he went to the wars of Troy, they incountered together, in which battle Telephus was wounded by Achilles, for which wound he could attain no remedy. Thereupon the Oracle being Consulted, it was answered, that he must seek the help from that which wounded him; being then reconcil'd to Achilles, he granted him some of the rust from that Speare with which he was wounded, which immediately cured his wound.

Thebes] A City in Cilicia the Country of

Ælion] The father of Andromach.

Lyrnessus] A City under the dition of Troy, and the Country of

Briseis] Otherwise Hippodamia, who after the taking of the City, fell by lot to Achilles.

And Chrysa Cause of strife to us] A City of Cilicia under the government of Mynes, the husband of Briseis, who was slain by Achilles: When this City was taken, Chrysis otherwise Astynome the daughter of Chryses, the

Priest of Apollo Smintheus, was taken away by Agamemnon, for whom her father with prayers and intreaties implored Agamemnon, but not prevailing, he sought aid of the God he Serv'd, who forthwith annoy'd the Grecians Camp with so great a pestilence, that Agamemnon was inforc'd to redeliver him his daughter, being perswaded to it by Achilles: But Agamemnon being enraged at the loss of his prize, forceably took Breseis from Achilles, which begat an implacable feud between those two Princes, insomuch that Achilles by no intreaties could be perswaded to the wars, till Patroclus whom he dearly lov'd was slain, in whose revenge he fought against Troy.

Famous Tenedos] An Island over against Troy, very famous before those wars.

------ Tenedos notissima famâ
Iusula, dives opum, Priami dum regna manebant.
------ Tenedos, the Isle well Known
By fame, and rich whilst Priam held the Crown.
Virg. Ænæid. 1.

Thracian flocks] It may be that the Greeks put their horses there to pasture, which they might take from Rhesus King of Thrace, which lay opposite to Tenedos.

Sacred Cilla] A Town in Cilicia, famous for the Fane of Apollo.

Caycus] A river of Mysia, running through the fields of Pergamus.

Memnon] See note 4, Act the first.

The Amazon] Penthesilea the Queen of the Amazons.

To Helen Immolate] that is for her sake rather than retard the fleet: See note first, second Act, Scene first.

Æacides] Achilles.

To light his Grave] The Ancients had a fond conceit that the Soul was inhumated with the body, therefore for her better getting forth to go to the Seat of the happy; they used to wish that the Earth might lye light upon them, for which there were many rites to the Diis Manibus performed, as the powring Milk, Hony, Wine, Oyle, and Flowers upon the Grave,

As also sacrificing of beasts: Nor was there a greater imprecation than that earth might lye heavy upon the Deceased.

Wilt always rob us of our Spoyls] As when he took Bryseis from her Father. See Note 12. on this Scene.

Thy Sute] When Achilles and he were fallen out to reconcile whom Vlysses endevoured.

A King of life bereave] Priamus whom he slew. See Note 14. Act 1.

Scyros] See Note 2. on this Scene.

No Brothers villany] That was Atreus the Father of Agamemnon, and Thyestes Atreus's Brother; Thyestes had forc'd the Wife of Atreus, for revenge. This Atreus roasted his Children, and put them before him to eat: At the sight of which horrid fact, the Sun was said to run back again towards the East.

Our Kin] Thetis Mother to Achilles.

By a Maid] See Note 2. on this Scene.

Æacus] The Grandfather of Achilles.

With Jove] The Father of Æacus, who was a Judge in Hell, and so Achilles Great grandfather.

Thou who didst see the Grecian Fleet lose] When the Navy lay wind-bound at Aulis, it was by his Oracles

that Iphigenia was sacrific'd, by whose death they had a permission to proceed. See Note I. Act 2. Scene 1.

Ionia] A Region of the lesser Asia between Caria and Æolis.

Souls the Bodies buried live?] Seneca according to the opinion of the Epicures, brings in the Chorus questioning the Immortality of the Soul, and making as if the Soul perishes with the Body, an impious and unwarrantable tenent.

When the next of kin shall close the Eyes] It was the custom of the Ancients, when any body was dying, for the next or neerest of kin to receive the last breath of the dying party into his mouth, and also to close his eyes being dead. Thus Anna did to the dying Dido her Sister.

------ Extremus si quis super halitus errat
Ore legam ------
Virg. Æneid. 4. And if that any breath be wandering found
My lips shall gather it.

The Funeral Fire] The Ancients did not inter the bodies of the dead, but burned them, because they were thereby made secure from the malice of their Enemies, who had formerly used to dig the humated bodies out of their graves, that they might revenge themselves upon the dead Corps. This Pile was called Pyra, built always in form of a Tabernacle.

Pegasean motion] That is, Swift, from Pegasus the winged Horse of Perseus, who arose out of the blood of Medusa by him slain; who when he took his flight to Heaven from Helicon rais'd the Rock with his foot, from whence sprung the Muses fountain Hippocrene.

Hecate] The Moon: from Εκατος, from shouting

or darting down her rayes. She was called also Dea triformis, Three form'd Goddess; because she was call'd in Hell Hecate, on the Earth Diana, in Heaven Luna; signifying the several Aspects of the Moon: Luna when she is full of light said to be in Heaven; Hecate when she is in the Change, that she affords us no light at all, then said to be in Hell; Diana when it is between the full and the new, then said to be on Earth.

The Stygian Lake] Hell on the region of Pluto. From Styx (which signifies Hateful) a river of Hell, had in great veneration by the gods themselves; and to swear by Styx was an inviolable oath, for whosoever of the gods brake it, was devested of Immortality, and kept from Nectar and Ambrosia a hundred yeers.

Boreas] The North-wind, whose nature is to dissipate clouds.

Time us and Chaos] They held that all things at the appointed time, the world and all, should be chang'd and turn'd into that confused mass it was at first, from whence it should spring again; and thus it should do vicissively for ever. This was the Stoicks Eternity.

Realm of Dis] Hell the Habitation of Pluto.

Tænarus] A Promontory of Laconia, where the Poets feign'd to be an entrance into Hell.

Cerberus] The three-headed Dog of Hell, who was the Porter at Pluto's Palace: He was drawn hence by Hercules, who no sooner saw light but he spu'd, from which vomit sprung the deadly Aconite, or Wolfe-bane.

When Achilles drew my Hector's limbs] See Note the 9. upon Act 2. Scene the 1.

Feign'd Achilles] Patroclus the Companion of

Achilles, who having indued his Armour, fought against Hector and was slain, Hector supposing he had slain Achilles.

This holy Seat] The Sepulchres or Domiciles of the Dead were always held sacred by the Ancients, and held a most heinous crime to violate them, and were therefore spared by the Enemies themselves. The Sepulchre was a kind of vault arch'd and roof'd within, where the urn or little chest which held the bones was placed, without, it was built with costly compartments and rare workmanship, and sometimes to a stupendious greatness.

Orestes the Son of Agamemnon.

Suffer what the Conqueror did] See Note 1. Act 2. Scene 1.

Mothers treacheries, yea wiles of goddesses, I have undone] Clytemnestra's when he got from her Iphigenia. See Note 1. Act. 2. Scene 1. And Thetis's, when he gain'd Achilles to the Wars. See Note 2. Act 2. Scene 2. And also Pallas's when he brought away her Palladium out of Troy.

Telemachus] The Son of Ulysses.

Pelasgians] Grecians, from Pelasgia a part of Greece adjoyning to Macedonia, which was so denominated from Pelasgus the Son of Jupiter.

Lightly on Hector spread] See Note 21. Act. 2. Scene 2.

So so he's caught] This Ulysses most cunningly feigns, the better to detect the Mothers fear, and by her sudden surprisal, judges that Astyanax is alive.

Thus Chalcas saith] This is also feigned by Ulysses, the better to arrive at the end of his project, which was

to gain Astyanax into his power; for as their Augur Chalcas had said, their ships could not be loosed from those shores, nor the Greeks return home, till Hector's Son was thrown from the top of a high tower.

Thy Ghosts] The Ancients gave divine honors to the manes of their friends, and chiefly worship'd their lares or houshold gods, above others.

That which you sold] Hector ransom'd by Priamus, as is shew'd before, Note 9. Act 2. Scene 1.

Of Deities your friends] Of Pallas who was helpful to the Greeks, and took part with them against the Trojans, when he took her Palladium.

Amazon] Queen Penthesilea, as before,

Menas] Agave the Daughter of Cadmus and Hermione, the Mother of Pentheus, who with other Bacchis frows tore her own Son to peices, because he despis'd their Rites.

Prima videt, prima est insano concita cursu,
Prima suum misso violavit Penthea Thyrso
Mater:—Membra viri manibus direpta nefandis.
His Mother frantickly first to him ran,
First through her own Son thrust her greedy spear,
And limb-meal him with cruel hands doth tear.
Ovid. Met. 3.

Thyrsus] The Insignis of Bacchus, it was a spear wreathed about with Vine and Ivy-leaves, which his Mænades or Priestesses carried about in his Orgia.

Chaste wife] Penelope, who continued chaste twenty yeers in her Husbands absence, notwithstanding the daily enticements of her woers.

The tears of her young Princely Heir. See Note 2. Act. 1.

More Faith express. See Note 2. Act. 1.

Alcides] Hercules.

Who Monsters by his strength subdu'd, broke Hells gates, returned thence] The Monsters were the hydra, a Snake with 7 heads, which as fast as he lopt off one, two sprung in the place of it. The Nemæan Lion, the Erymanthian Bore, the Cretian Bull, the Stymphalides vast Birds in Arcadia, the Hesperian Dragon, the three-bodied Geryon, the Centaures and divers others. He bound Cerberus the Dog of Hell. And as Ovid. Met. 7.

------ specus est tenebroso cæcus hiatu:
Et via declivis, per quam Tyrinthius heros
Cerberon attraxit nexis adamante catenis.
There is a blind steep Cave with foggy jaws,
Through which the bold Tirinthian Hero's strain'd
Drag'd Cerberus with adamant inchain'd.

He brought from Hell Alceste the Wife of King Admetus.

Hercules's Arrows.] See Note 12. on the 1. Chorus.

True the place] Where Hector had shew'd so many noble exploits, and where he was ignominiously and cruelly drag'd by Achilles about after he was slain.

Greeks too have fall'n] Iphiginia as before; Palamedes an Enemy to Vlysses, and by him circumvented and falfly accused, was ston'd to death before Troy: Ajax who in contention with him for the Armour of Vlysses, being overcome by his subtilty, slew himself.

Ovid. Met. 13.

Solemn Lustres] Which was every five year performed by the Romans, in purging their Armies by Sacrifices and the Censors registring at the just valuation of every Citizens estate, then they led about the Army a Bul, a Sow, and a Ram, and afterwards sacrificed them. At which times used to be performed the

Trojan Sport] Which also was yearly performed by all the choyce and noble Youths of Rome; it was the

running with the Spear, or Tilt and Turnament, brought by Ascanius the Son of Æneas out of Troy.

Hunc morem, hos cursus, atque hæc certamina primus
Ascanius longam muris cum cingeret Albam,
Rettulit, & priscos docuit celebrata Latinos.
Ascanius when long Alba he did frame,
Did first appoint this Custome, and this Game,
And th'ancient Latines taught to celebrate.
Virg. Æneid. 5.

Nor with swift feet dance] This was a Dance in complete harness, invented by Pyrrhus, and therefore called Pyrrhica saltatio, or the Pyrrhic Dance. By this means the Romans trained up their Youth that they might be inured to Arms in their tender years, and that by this Military Exercise they might come to gain a perfect command of their bodies, the better and more nimbly to defend themselves and annoy their Enemies. In this Dance they were excited by the

Warlike Strains] Of Curve trumpets, that is, Phrygian, which excited to War, and inflamed the mind to Battail, and Heroick exploits. There were three other sorts of Musick, which were the Lydian, which was fitted to cheer and exhilarate those who were dejected through grief. Doric which was grave, and pacified the Disturbances of the mind. Ionian which sharpen'd the wit, and excited the mind to contemplation of Cœlestial things. And lastly, the Æolian, which was requisite for those who were about to go to rest, conducing to the setling of the mind.

Hair rent off] It was accounted a great testification of their friendship to tear off their Hair, at the Funeral of their Friends, and to make it squallid, and to neglect the tying of it up.

His Ashes lick down] They used rather then the

Ashes of their Friends should come to any misfortune, to bury them safe in their own bowells, so Artemisia Queen of Halicarnassus serv'd the ashes of her Husband Mausolus, which she drunk mixed with Wine.

Gellius lib. 10.

Tempe] A pleasant Valley in Thessaly, watered with the River Peneus.

Phthia] the Country of Achilles, and the Myrmidons who went with him to the war of Troy, being a very valiant people, and at first sprung from Pismires, at the Vote of Æacus, which Jupiter granted because his land was laid wast by a Pestilence.

Ovid Met. 7. ------ parcum genus est, patiensq; laborum
Quæsitique tenax, & quod quæsita reservet.
------ A people given to spare
Patient of Labour: what they get, preserve.

Trachin.] A very stony Countrey by the Mount Oeta.

Jolcos] The Countrey of Jason who ventur'd for the Golden Fleece.

Or hundred citied Crete] An Island at the Mouth of the Ægean Sea famous for an hundred Cities, therefore called Εκατομπολις, now Candia.

Gortyne.] A Town in Crete.

Tricca] A Town in Thessaly.

Methony] A City in Thrace.

Oetian Woods] from the Mount Oeta where Hercules burnt himself.

Olenus] A Town of Elis, a Country of Greece, watered by the River Alpheus.

Pleuron Diana's Enemy] A City of Ætolia, the Country of Meleager, whose Father Oeneus, when he

had sacrificed to other Gods, and omitted the rites of Diana, she incensed, sent a great a Bore, who spoyl'd all the Country, but was slain at last by Meleagrus.

Troezen] A Maritimate of Peloponesus, the Country of Theseus.

Peleon] A Town of Thessalie, whose denomination is from the Mountain Peleon the Country of Protheus, a Grecian Captain against Troy.

The third Step] It is fabl'd, that when the great Gygantomachy was that they heaped one Mountain upon another to come at heaven, the first was Pelion, upon which they threw Ossa; the next was Olympus.

See Ovid. Met. 1.

Chiron] One of the Centaures, very skilful in Medicine and Chyrurgery, whose habitation was in this place, where he became the Schoolmaster to

The Cruel youth] Achilles, who learned of him Medicine, Musick and Horsemanship.

Carystos] An Island, one of the Cyclades noted for Marble.

Chalcis] A City of Eubæa divided from Aulis in Bæotia, by

Euripus the unquiet Sea] which ebbs and flowes seven times in the space of twenty four hours. Into this Sea Aristotle because he could not find out the cause, cast himself with

------ Quia Ego non possum capere te, tu capias me.
Because I cannot comprehend thee, do thou take me.

Echinæ] Or Echinides, small Islands right against the mouth of the River Achelous.

Gonvessa] A Town in Ætolia.

Enispæ] Islands in the Ægean.

Ptrithados] A Village by Attica, a Country of Grece.

Elusis] A City not far from Athens, from Elusius, who kindly received Ceres, when she sought after her Daughter Proserpina. Here her Sacrifices were yearly performed, called

Hidden rites] because they were performed in the Twy-light, with Torches, and only by Women, whose mysteries it was a great crime to blab, or reveal to any.

Salamin] An Island in the Eubæick Sea, opposite to Athens, the Country of Ajax Telamonius.

Calidonia] A City in Ætolia, where the Bore (mentioned note 11.) ranged.

Bessa and Scarphe] two Cities of Thessaly, by which runs the River Titaressus.

Pylus] A Town in the West of Peloponesus, the habitation of Nestor

Pharis] A City of Laconia.

Pisa] A City of Elis under the protection of Jove.

Elis] A Country of Greece, and also a Town in that Country, where the Olympic gains were celebrated every fifth year.

Sparta] The Country of Helena, a City in Peloponesus, renowned for the Laws of Lycurgus.

Argos] A City in Peloponesus hard by Athens, from which the Greecians were called Argolici.

Pelops Mycena] The Kingdome of Agamemnon, once under the Regiment of Pelops Son to Tantalus, from whom all that Region took its name Peloponesus, in which this City stood.

Nevitus] A Mountain in Ithaca.

Zacynthus] An Island under the Government of Ulysses.

Ithaca] The Country of Ulysses, an Island in the Ionian Sea, full of sharp rocks.

Dardanian House] from Dardanus the son of Jupiter and Electra, the founder of Troy, from whom as also the region about was call'd Dardauia.

Tethis] the Wife of Oceanus, the Ladies of the Sea, were the Sea Nymphs who attended upon her.

Thetis] was the Wife of Peleus, and the Mother of Achilles, a great Sea-Goddesse also, and could vary shapes at her pleasure.

See Ovid. Met. lib. 11.

Peleus] The Father of Achilles.

Nereus] The Son of Oceanus and Thetis, a Sea God, father to the Sea Nymphs of whom they were call'd Nereids.

The ruine, Pest, and Plague] she was the cause of the ruine and utter overthrow of famous Troy, and the losse of many noble Greecians, she was

------ Trojæ & patriæ Communis Erinnys.
Virg. Common Erinnys both to Greece and Troy.

Thy Husbands] Menelaus her former, from whom Paris ravish'd her, and Paris to whom she had been married.

Nuptial Taxes] It was the Custome of the Romans to use torches at their Weddings, from which a certain clammy liquor like Tar issued out; they were called Tedas from the tree Teda. They were five in number, which represented Jupiter, Juno, Venus, Suadela and Lucina, which were called the Nuptial or Conjugal powers, for the help they afforded the new married Couple.

Being Venus gift] See Note 18. Act. 1.

O Paris hand that thus so lightly stroke] Who had not wholly slain Achilles. For Achilles being drawn into Troy under the prext of marrying Polyxena was, slain by Paris.

A gay troop of Children] Some say she had 15, some say 22, others 50.

I only her call Childe] She had also Cassandra living, but she was not her companion, being the Priestess of Apollo, and so as it were none of hers. And therefore she was to be free from the lot, as not to have been accounted as among the spoyle, but she was alotted to Agamemnon.

Achilles Arms] That was to Vlysses, who had the Armour of Achilles in possession, being to him alotted by the Greeks, from Ajax Telamonius, which so enraged him that he slew himself.

Ovid. Met. 13.

North west wind] Corus in the Latin: a wind usual in the Sicilian Seas, which drives the waters on the Italian Coasts.

Phryxus for Helles drowning raves When that the golden fleeced Ram] Phryxus and Helle were the Children of Athamas King of Thebes and Nepheles: their Mother being dead, and Athamas having espoused Ino, she playing the usual pranks of a Step-mother, they were forc'd to fly, and taking a golden fleeced Ram which was given them by their Father, they adventured to swim over the narrow Freet between Europe and Asia upon his back; but Helle falling off, was drown'd, and so Christn'd those Waters with her name, which has ever since been called Hellespont. But Phryxus gaining safe to the shore, fled to the Father of Medea, to whom he gave this golden fleeced Ram, which occasioned the adventure of Jason and the Argonautes to fetch this Fleece, which they called Phryxeus from Phryxus.

Deucalion and Pyrrha] This Ogygian deluge hapned

a Thousand and five hundred yeers before the building of Rome, and overflowed a great part of Greece, Of which the Poets speak so large, that some have thought it that of Noah, when the whole world was submerg'd.

Ida High] Ida is a high Hill by Troy, the South part of which maketh a Promontory, and runneth into the Sea. In this place it was that Paris gave sentence for Venus. Of which before.

One Tower] So Ovid Met. 13.
Mittitur Astyanax, illis de turribus, unde
Pugnantem prose, proavitaque regna tuentem
Sæpe videre patrem, monstratum à matre solebat.
Astyanax thrown is from that Tow'r from whence
He had seen his Father, by his Mother shown,
Fight for his Kingdoms safety and his own.

What Colchian] Colchis was the Countrey of Medea, which, ever since she most inhumanely tore in peices her Brother Absertes, has been branded with the stigma of Cruell and Barbarous, yet Andromach complains (the people thereof) to be exceeded by the Greeks in Cruelty.

Barbarous Scyth] A people in the North abhorring Humanity, they neither Till nor Sow the ground, nor build Houses, Cities nor Towns, but all their riches lyeth in their Cattle, which they drive from place to place, carrying with them their Wives, Children, and all that they have in Wagons; for which they have the Epithetes of Barbarous and Wandering bestow'd upon them: They were the original of the Tartars or Tattars, which about the yeer of our Lord 1200 overran all Persia,

and began the Empire which they now hold in the East-part of the world.

Caspian Borderer] The Hyrcanians, which border upon the Caspian Sea, adjoyning to Scythia, who live as the Scythians do, barbarously, without laws or government.

Busiris] A most cruel and inhumane Tyrant, who used to immolate all his Guests to Jove, but laying wait for Hercules he was taken by him and slain.

Diomedes] A cruell King of Thrace, who fed his horses with mans flesh, but Hercules taking him gave him to be devoured by his own man eating horses.

Hermiona] The Daughter of Menelaus and Helena afterward ravish'd by Pyrrhus from Orestes, which was the occasion of his death.

The Earth would heavy make] See note 21. upon the second Scene of the second Act.

Sought all night] When the taking of Troy was, which was performed in the night, with a bloody rage, horrid tumult, confusion and slaughter. Leaving that City as Ovid describes it 15. Met.

------ sic magna fuit, censuq; virisq;
Perque decem potuit tantum dare sanguinis annos:
Nunc humiles veteres tantummodo Troja ruinas
Et pro divitiis Tumulos ostendit avorum.
Troy rich and powerful, which so proudly stood,
That could for ten years spend such streams of blood;
For buildings only, her old ruines shows;
For riches Tombs, which slaughter'd Sires inclose.

Thus Time and Fate, of the greatest and most flourishing Cities and Empires, as well as of the weakest and most perishable Creatures and things, has been