for to escape from thy handes hee is descended with his companie in the forme of lightening or tempest and thus thy strength is deceiued by his Science When Hercules vnderstood this that Athlas had said to him hee greatly maruelled of the science of Cacus and might not beleeue it Then for to know the trueth he tooke his clubbe and went vp through the smoke or fume vnto the top of the rocke seeking Cacus but hee found there neither beast nor man then he returned vnto Athlas and laughing confessed to him that hee had saide trueth and saide that he woulde make no pursuite after him forsomuch as hee was so gentleman-like escaped This day they passed ouer in speaking and communing of Cacus and of his father Vulcan The day following when the smoke and fume was gone and vanished away Hercules began to behold the country and sawe that it was commodious and fertile and to the end that there shoulde euer be remembraunce and memory of him hee founded there a citie which he named Terracone forasmuch as he gaue this countrey to the sonne of the king of Ancone and there hee made him dwell with his people and with them of Tyre Hercules after this foundation went to the cittie of Salamanque and forasmuch as it was wel inhabited and peopled hee would make there a solemne study and did make there in the earth a great round hole in maner of a studie and hee sette therein the seuen sciences liberall with many other bookes After he made them of the countrey to come thither for to study but they were so rude and dull that their wittes coulde not comprise any cunning of science And then forasmuch as Hercules woulde depart on his voiage and woulde also that this study were maintained he did make an Image or statue of gold vnto his semblance and likenesse Which hee did set vp on high in the middest of his studie vpon a piller and made so by his crafte and arte that all they that came before this image for to haue declaration of any science to all purposes and of all sciences the Image answered instructed and taught the schollers and studentes in such wise as it hadde been Hercules in his proper person The renowme of this studie was great in all the countrey And this studie dured after the time that saint Iames conuerted Spaine vnto the christian faith From Salamanque Hercules departed and went into Catalogne and founded there the citie of Barseloigne which is a right good citie And finally when he hadde accomplished all these thinges he sent Athlas home againe into his countrey but he held by him all his writers for he loued bookes aboue all the riches of the world After he woulde giue leaue vnto Phylotes for to returne vnto his countrey But Phylotes refused his congie and leaue and said to him that he would serue him all his life and that hee reputed his felicitie more great to be in his seruice then for to gouerne the countrey that fortune hadde put in his hand Hercules after this called Hispan and said to him Hispan I know thy wit and thy valiance I haue found thée alway wise and true Thou art a man of authoritie and well knowne in these Coastes I do now make and constitute thee to be king ouer all this Countrey and I doe giue vnto thee none other charge but to loue vertue and to ensue honouâ— and worship When Hispan heard the gift that Hercules made to him he fell downe at his feete and thanked him and after excused him of so great worship But Hercules said to him that he would that it should be so and deliuered to him a certain number of people of his company for to serue him After he made him to depart with great sighes and sorrow And Hispan went then by all the couÌ„tries that Hercules hadde conquered there from Gerion and Cacus And from thenceforth on the countrey was named Spaigne after his name Whereof I will nowe cease talking of this conquest of Spaigne and will come to speake of the deeds of armes that Hercules did in Lombardy and of the death of Cacus CHAP. XXIIII ¶ How Hercules fought against the eleuen Giantes of Cremona and how he vanquished them WHere be now the kings the emperours the souldans and the princes that men may speake of the vertuous liberalitie of them equall or like vnto that of Hercules The men at this day fight one against other and make mony conquests but they attribute them vnto their singular profite They resemble not Hercules that neuer fought but for the common weale of the worlde O noble Hercules For to follow pursue my matter When he made Hispan king of al the region of Hesperie that now is named Spaigne hee sent for his Oxen his kine and calues and after departed from Barselone and tooke his way into Lombardie he went so long on his iourny that he came nigh to the city of Cremona which is but a daies iourny froÌ„ Millane There were theÌ„ in this city xi giants great out of measure These eleuen giants were all brethren sonnes of Neâ—eâ— the sonne of Saturne And they called themselues all kings of this city They held all estate royal howbeit their rnoumes were but small litle that because they were théeues robbed their neighboâ—r and made them alwayes warre When then they knew that Hercules approched their citie anon they assembled their councell together and demanded the one the other if they should suffer Hercules for to enter into their citie All were of one opinion that they should not receiue him and that they woulde sende vnto him one of them which was named Nestor that he should not enter into Cremona vnlesse he first had vanquished in battell the eleuen brethren Nestor at the commandement of the giants departed from Cremona and went to Hercules whome he found with his litle armie but thrée mile from Cremona Then spake he to Hercules and sayde vnto him Sir I haue ten brethren kings of Cremona that haue sent mée vnto thée forasmuch as they be aduertised that thou entrest into their dominion and they charge thée by me that they will giue vnto thée no passage into Cremona vnlesse thou first ouercome them one after another in battel and therefore choose whether thou wilt haue the battell or els to returne againe and leaue this voyage I aduertise thée that they be all giants more great and more puissant then I am Sir knight answered Hercules I haue taken my way for to passe by Cremona let the giants knowe that Hercules hath intention to speake vnto them more neare as he that dreadeth not nor feareth their accustomed tyrannies which I must deliuer the world of by feats of armes And forasmuch as to the end that they presume not that I haue any doubt or dread of them in any maner yee shall say to them that I will not fight with them ten one after another but all at
is so doone the best way ought to be taken we counsell thée that thou leaue this Pallace and finde manner to issue out and wee shall follow thée and go with thée and search our aduentures in other lands for it shall be great paine by possibilitie euer to content and appease this people For it is so that the Corinthians be terrible to all men that they haue inhate and in despight Dardanus hearing these wordes beganne to sigh and considering that hee must depart from his Citie by his misdéede fault and desert hee smote himselfe on the brest and saide Ha fortune vnstedfast what is mee befall My hands be foule and filthie with the bloud of my lawfull brother The insurrcetion and the rebellion of my people hanging before mine eies it is force that I flée for to saue my life and purpose to liue of rauin and theft What mischance what euill happe is this Since it is so I yéeld me fugitise and shall go my way at all aduentures be it When the friendes of Dardanus had vnderstoode that hee was concluded and purposed to saue his life they ioyned to him and appointed togither that the next morning in the first breaking of the day they would departe from the Pallace and take the aduenture to passe by their enemies saying that if they might escape they would go to the riuage of the sea and take the kings barge And all they sware to helpe and companie each other vnto the death The night passed the day appeared and then Dardanus that had not rested that night to his pleasure but had watched with his armed men and were readie to take the aduenture that the gods and fortune would giue and send them issued out of the pallace and found the most part of his enemies asleepe he thrusted among the villaines and passed forth with little resistance that notwithstanding the waking Corinthians he came to his royall ship and tooke the sea and saued himselfe whereof the Corinthians had great sorrow When Dardanus sawe that he was so quit of the fauour of the Corinthians he went sailing by the sea and landed first at the port of the Citie of Samos being in Thrace there vitailed him and went to sea againe and arriued in Asia in a quarter where the land was ioyning to the sea of Hellespont And finding this land right good and fruitful for to enhabite he made there his habitation and there set the first stone of a right great citie that he beganne and after finished This Citie was that time named Dardane after the name of Dardanus but afterward it was called Troy Dardanus peopled and filled his Citie with men and women which he gate by swéetenesse and faire promises And the other part he conquered by force theft and pillage He made himselfe king of Dardane and ditched the Cittie about with great ditches After lōg time he passed out of this world and left a sonne of his wife Candama that was second king of Dardane This king was named Erutonius and raigned seauen yeare in augmenting and encreasing his Citie and people and at last came to the ende of his yeares And there reigned after him Troos his sonne This Troos was the third king of Dardane and was a strong man fierce and hardy in armes and increased greatly his seignoury and his Crowne insomuch as the Dardanians said that there was no king but Troyes and named them Troians And thus was Troy enhaunced more then all the Realmes of Greece so highly that the king Tantalus of Frigie had great enuie and gaue his heart and courage how he might anull and put downe the name of Troy that was his neighbour And began to assay to bring it downe as heereafter shall be said CHAP. VI. ¶ Of the great warre that was moued betweene the Pelagiens and Epiriens and how king Licaon of Pelagy was destroyed by Iupiter because of a man put to him to hostage which king Licaon did rost THe wise and subtill Virgine Minerue as saint Austen rehearseth shewed her selfe in this time by the stang or riuer called Triton by the greatnesse and subtiltie of her engine for she found the manner to forge and make armes And to this purpose Ouide rehearseth that she had foughten against a Giant named Pallas and slewe him by the flood of Triton In the same time that the armes were founden and the sciences of Minerue where practised by all the world a fierce discention engendred betwéene the Epiriens and the Pelagiens that after were named Archadians And héereof maketh mention Boccace in the fourth booke of the genealogy of gods Among the Pelagians raigned that time a king named Licaon eldest sonne of Titan. The Epiriens then enterprised vppon the Pelagiens and so made that a right great noyse arose and sourded For which cause they assailed each other by feats of armes so felonious and asyre that both parties suffered many foule mortall shoures When the wise men of Epire saw this warre so dissolute and that they of their partie had iniustly and vnrightfully vndertaken and begunne this warre they knowledged their fault and went to the king Lycaon bearing branches of Oliue in signification of peace and loue and him required that he would condiscend to accord and peace of both peoples Lycaon considering that his people had as much lost as woonne by this discention and that the battailes were perillous accorded to the Epitiens the peace by condition that they should deliuer him one of their most noble men such as he would demaūd for to be his seruant a space of time in token that they had vnrightfully engendred this discention The Epiriens consented to this condition and deliuered to king Lycaon in seruitude the most noble man among them and thus ended the warre The tearme and the time drewe ouer that the Epirien serued king Lycaon his due tyme and then when the time was expired the Epiriens assembled them togither and by deliberation of councell sent an Ambassade to Lycaon for to treate the deliuerance of the Epirien These Ambassadours departed from Epire and came to Pelage and shewed to the king howe their man had serued as long as hee was bound and required him that he would render and deliuer him and ratifie the peace to the ende that euer after that they might bee the more friends togither When Lycaon that was hardie of courage fierce and euill vnto all men and also vnto his owne people vnderstoode the wordes and requestes of the Epiriens hée had great sorrow and anger in himselfe and sayde to them with his mouth thinking contrarie with his heart that on the morrow hee would feast them and haue them to dinner and then he would doo like as they had demaunded With these wordes the Epiriens departed ioyously fro the presence of King Lycaon and on the morrow they came to the feast that was richlie ordayned and made for them in great plentiousnesse which was right fayre at the beginning and in
the assaulte they hadde great shieldes and large wherwith they couered them They dreaded no stroke of glayne ne sworde nor of stones they putte themselues into the myddest of the porte and there they gaue the assaulte where manye were deade on the one parte and on the other there were plentye of fighters in such wise that at the entrye there were manye Apuliens ouerthrowne and put backe for they were then hote and eager but after this when they hadde gotten lande Perseus and Danaus beganne to smyte so vnmeasurably vpon the Lybiens that they beate them downe without remedye nowe heere nowe there at the right side and at the left side all made red with theyr bloud Also Perseus gaue so great a stroke with his sword vnto Athlas that purposed to haue come and broken the rankes that neuer after Athlas had no hope nor durst not come among the strokes albeit that he was great strong and puissant Too much couetous of victorye were Perseus and Danaus and they of Naples the Libiens had not béene accustomed to finde so fierce and mortall armes as them of Perseus The king Athlas wist not what to saye he encouraged his people the best wise he could This notwithstanding hée sawe them beaten downe of his enimies without number and without measure and sawe further that they of Naples wan alway And when he had séene all this and also beheld that these men had vanquished the Quéene Medusa he iudged in himselfe that he was not puissant ynough to resist their strength and that the hardines of this battaile shoulde be to him more damageous then auailable so sounded he the retraite and fled not into his citie but into a right hie mountaine that was thereby and therefore say the poets that Athlas by the sight of the heade of Medusa was turned into a Mountaine And from thenceforth was this hill called Athlas and yet endureth the name vnto this daye And for as much as Athlas saued him there among the stones he foūded afterward a castele there where he dwelled vntil time of Hercules CHAP. XXXIIII ¶ How Perseus turned the king Athlas into a stone and how the Queen Auria wife of king Pricus waxed amorous of the Knight Bellerophon that refused her wherfore after he had much payne WHen Perseus and Danaus sawe Athlas and all his folke putte to flight first hée chased them vnto the Mountaine where they were turned into stones dying with their bloud the caues bushes wayes pathes And secondly when they hadde put them vnto vtter foyle as much as they coulde they drewe to the Citie whereof the gates were not shut nor kept with any man and entring in they found none but a little number of matrones and yong children which made a terrible great lamentation All the yong men and women were fled vnto the fields and had abandoned the Citie with their folke and goods When Perseus and Dardanus were within and sawe that it was abandoned to them and their people they tooke all that they founde and passed that night with great ioy gladnes making great cheare and thanking their goddes of their victorie that they had giuen to them And on the morrow Perseus made to be beaten downe the gates of this Citie after he commanded that euerie man should take his spoyle and when they were laden with all Perseus and Danaus went to the sea into their gallies and sailed forth leauing Athlas in the mountaine where he gaue him vnto the studie of Astronomie In this time Iupiter made aliance with king Troos by the meanes of Ganimedes and in signe of loue and friendship he gaue vnto Ilion a picture of gold which was set in the palace of Ilion as it shall be saide in the third booke And it was not long after that king Troos came to the course and end of his raigne and his obsequie was halowed and kept solemnely at Troy in great aboundance of teares And then Ilion was crowned king of the Citie where hee liued in ampliation and increasing of his seigniorie and lordship and wedded a noble Ladie of the citie of whom he receiued a son named Laomedon And for as much as I finde not that Ilion did any thing after his coronation nor made other thing saue that he finished and made his pallace I will speake henceforth of Laomedon his sonne that raigned after him And héere I will leaue the noble déeds of this Ili on and yet ere I write of Laomedon I will persue my matter of Perseus And for to come thereto I will recount an historye that fell after that Perseus had turned king Athlas into a mountaine In this time then that Perseus began to giue his life vnto right worthie déedes and works of noble fame Acrisius Grandfather of this Perseus and naturall father of Danae was put out of his kingdome and Realme and all the seignorie of Argos by a conspiration that Prycus his brother made against him And there was left vnto Acrisius of all his Realme no more but onely the tower of Dardain wherto he fled for refuge This Acrisius and Prycus were naturall sons of Abas lawfull sonne of Linceus that was only left aliue of the fiftie sonnes of Egistus by the mercie of his wife Hypermnestra daughter of Danaus Pricus then hauing vsurped from his brother Acrisius the seignorie of the Realme of Argos had a wife named Aurea that was so brought vp that of custome she had no delight but to liue in voluptuousnesse And on a day shée beheld among her seruants one so comely a knight that nature had nothing forgotten in him touching his bodie of whom she was enamoured Shee was yong and her husband Pricus was ancient in his demeanure conditions and much lesse desired carnall concupiscence then his wife did though they were both right neare one age This knight thus beloued hadde to name Bellerophon When Aurea had begunne to loue this knight she solicited him with her eyes and with her countenances drawing him to delight and fleshly lust But the true knight that had his heart firme and stable which perceiued well her countenance dissimuled and fained that he was blinde in this part And in the ende when the Ladie sawe that by countenance nor signe amorous that she shewed he employed him not once for to please her but fled her companie in the most euill wise that she might shee intended to turne her loue into hate and her faire countenances into fierce malice so enuenimed that for to make him die shée accused him before her husband the king Pricus saying that he would haue enforced her wherefore she required iustice instantly At this accusation made Bellerophon was present and being sore abashed and astonished at the beginning but hearing the Ladie speake at length he cleared himselfe and excused him saying Madame neuer please it vnto the gods that for to couer mine honour I do discouer the disworship and fault of another Let neuer man
the Castell where hée found foure knights that demaunded of him what he would haue Hercules answered that his will was for to speake to the king for certaine matters that touched him The foure knights not thinking but good brought Hercules within a great hall wherein were all the men of king Athlas assaying them with swords and axes forasmuch as they had heard say that they should go to warre and they were all armed When these knights had brought thither Hercules they gaue knowledge vnto the king that a strange giant asked after him and would not tell them the cause why Then Athlas went downe and found Hercules armed with his skinne of the lion and asked him what he was Then he answered and said hee was Hercules that hath conquered Philotes and the garden with the shéepe of thy daughters I am now come hither for to conquer thée with thy sciences Wherefore it behooueth thée that thou do to me obeysance and giue ouer to helpe the great Antheon mine enemie and that thou come to me And if thou wilt not do so arme thée hastily and defend thée with armes and that I demaund of thée and if thou wilt not consent thereto by loue I will make thée accord to it by force Athlas was excéedingly discouraged when he knew by the mouth of Hercules that it was he that had late conquered Philotes and had slaine the giant his fellow taken his shéepe and also newly had assayled by warre Antheon to whom he had promised to giue succours and also considered that he willed that he should yéeld him to him his heart then began in him to swell for anger and pride and in great rage he said to him O thou presumptuous Hercules how art thou so hardy to come alone before me thou that I may not loue Knowe thou that I haue had many a displeasure by thine outrage for Philotes was my right great friend and nowe thou art come to renue this displeasaunce and wilt that I should yéeld mée vnto thée that is not mine intention c. Athlas with these wordes went into a Chamber there fast by and commanded that euery man should arme him as they did Hercules had alway his eie vpon him to the end he should not escape him When he was armed he came against Hercules and chalenged him to the death After he gaue him a stroke with his sworde fiercely With the crie and with the stroke all they of the fortresse assayled Hercules Then Hercules put himselfe in defence and laide about mightily by the rigour of his club and with twelue strokes he slue twelue of his enemies After he hurt and wounded many other and spared long the blood of Athlas But in the end forasmuch as Athlas gaue great strokes to Hercules Hercules smote him vpon the helme without imploying of all his strength and gaue him a wound in the head that all astonied he bare him to the earth From that time forth they of the fortresse durst no more assaile Hercules nor they aduentured them not for to reskew nor to reléeue Athlas but fled thence out of the Castell and Hercules abode there alone with Athlas and the dead bodies So in the end when Hercules saw that they had giuen it ouer he tooke Athlas and made him to crie him mercie After he went into his studie and tooke all his bookes which he laded vpon a camel and after returned vnto Athlas and constrained him to follow him And when Hercules had done in the Castel all his pleasure he departed accompanied with Athlas and with his bookes and brought him downe to the sea side to the place where Philotes abode him c. When Philotes saw Hercules come with Athlas and his bookes he had great ioy and tooke acquaintance with Athlas who was so sorrowfull that hée might not speake and then they entred into theyr Galley and went vnto the go unto the warre of the great King of Lybia which requested instantly to have his succour Wherefore if ye will serve him in his Armie and be his souldier go up and yee shall find him in his Castle studying the science of Astronomie The Servant of King Atlas with these words went on his way and Hercules went up unto the Mountain and came to the Gate of the Castle where he found four Knights that demanded of him what he would have Hercules answered his will was to speak to the King for certain matters that concerned him The four Kts. thinking nothing but good brought Hercules within a great Hall wherein were all the men of King Atlas assaying them with Swords and Axes forasmuch as they had heard say that they should go to Wars and they were all armed When these Knights had brought Hercules thither they gave knowledge unto the King that a strange Gyant asked after him and would not tell them the cause why Then Atlas went down and found Hercules armed in a Lyons skin and asked him what he was then he answered he was Hercules that hath conquered Phylotes and the Gaâ—den with the Shéep of thy Daughters I am now come hither for to conquer thée with thy sciences Wherefore it behoveth thée that thou do to mée obeysance and give over to help the great Antheon mine enemie And if thou wilt not do so Arm thée hastily and defend thée with Arms and that I command thée If thou wilt not consent thereto by love I will make the accord thereto by force Atlas was excéedingly discouraged when he knew by the mouth of Hercules that it was he that had conquered Philotes and had slain the Gyant his fellow taken his shéep and also newly had assailed by Warre Antheon to whom hee had promised to give succour and also considered that he willed he should yéeld himself to him his heart then began to swell for anger and pride and in great rage he said to him O thou presumptuous Hercules how art thou so hardy as to come alone before mée thou that I may not love know thou that I have had many a displeasure by thy outrage for Philotes was my great friend and now thou art come to renew this displeasure and that I yeild mée unto thée is not my intention Atlas with these words went into a Chamber fast by and commanded that every man should arme him as they did Hercules had alwaies his eye upon him to the end that he should not escape him When he was armed he came against Hercules and challenged him After he gave him a stroke with his Sword fiercely With the cry and with the stroke all they of the Fortresse assailed Hercules Then he put himself in defence and laid about mightily by the rigour of his Club and with twelve strokes he slew twelve of his enemies After he wounded many other and spared long the blood of Atlas But in the end forasmuch as Atlas gave great strokes to Hercules Hercules smote him upon the Helme without imploying all his strength and gave
him a wound in the head that all astonied he bare him to the earth Then they of the Fortresse durst no more adventure to assaile Hercules neither durst they adventure to reléeve Aâ—las but fled thence out of the Castle and Hercules abode there alone with Atlas and the dead bodies So in the end when Hercules saw they had given it over he took Atlas and made him to cry him mercy Then he went into his study and took all his books which he laded upon a Camel and constrained Atlas to follow him And when Hercules had done in the Castle all his pleasure he departed accompanied with Atlas and with his books and brought him down to the Sea side to the place where Phylotes stayed for him When Phylotes saw Herc les come with Atlas and his books he had great ioy and took acquaintance with Atlas who was so sorrowful that he could not speak then they entred into their Galley and went unto the Sea Atlas was sorrowful and troubled with the wound he had in his head Hercules requested him instantly that he would teach him his science Atlas would in no wise do it at the beginning of his sorrow but when he had conversed and tarryed with Hercules as well for the bounty he saw in him as by the perswasion of Philotes which affirmed that Hercules was the most noble and vertuous man that ever was he began to teach him all his sciences wherein he learned and profited by quick and sharpe wit that he attained to all and that afterward he became the best Phylosopher and the most perfect Astronomer in all the world Thus studying Hercules returned with great honour into the Army of Affer and found at his coming that his Wife had brought forth a fair Son which the Egyptians had Crowned King of Egypt where hee raigned afterward and was called Dedon When Affer saw Atlas and knew how Hercules had vanquished him hee marvailed much of his prowesse which was so great and of his wisdome that attained to such high things But Hercules bent all his wit and study to learn the science In the mean while a little and a little the time passed and Antheon assembled a very great hoste and was all healed of his wounds and the Truce failed and expired whereat the Egyptians had great joy for they yet hoped to have victory of their enemies And the Lybians hoped to revenge them of the shame that Hercules had made them receive When the Truce was expired the day following Hercules made ready his battails of the one side and Antheon ordained his on the other side Antheon made thrée battails the first of twelve thousand fighting men the second of twenty thousand and the third battel of thirty thousand He then ordained himself King and chief Captain of the first battail in the second he ordained the King of Getulie to be Governour and in the third he made the King of Cothulie And then when he had well set them in array and trained them in a morning he made them to march joyously against his enemies expecting nothing but the hour when Hercules would charge them CHAP. XII How Hercules assembled his battaile against Antheon King of the Lybians which he put to flight and slew the King of Cothulie HErcules had made of his folk two battails the first whereof he conducted Affer and Theseus guided the other When he saw the Lybians march which made the greatest tumult and noyse in the world he went forth before and his Company followed Then began the Trumpets to sound and Tabours to make great noyse the cry was great they began sharpely the battaile whereof Hercules and Antheon made the assay by a swift course and with sharp Swords smote so sore together that Antheon brake his Sword and the Iron of the Sword of Hercules pierced the Shield of Antheon and his armes on his right side by which he had a wound where the blood sprang out Antheon was almost dead with sorrow when he felt the stroke and saw that his Sword had done but little to Hercules hée took his Sword and Hercules took his and they smote each other so hard that Hercules bare Antheon unto the earth with one stroke and had slain him had not the Lybians runne upon Hercules on all sides they gave him so great an assault that hée knew not to whom he might attend Then Hercules imployed his Sword upon the Lybians The Egyptians assembled them eagerly upon their enemies Antheon relieved himself all ashamed of his fall applying all his puissance and strength to revenge him not upon Hercules but upon them of his party This Antheon smote eagerly on the one side and Hercules on the other Antheon fought with great fiercenesse and anger and Hercules by Prowesse The fiercenesse of Antheon was great but the Prowesse of Hercules was so excessive great that the Lybians fled him and when they saw him they trembled for fear at this battel before the Sword of Hercules all bloody Then the great routs of the Lybians were sore afraid and kept no array he smote off heads and laid them down to the earth his folk that were destroyed by Antheon hee gathered together again He made such work that the Lybians had the worse and Antheon sent hastily to the King of Cothulie that hee should come to his help The King of Cothulie at the sending of Antheon departed wéening to have come to the skirmish but when Affer and Theseus saw him they went against him and hindred him Then began the fight so great and mortal that Theseus and Affer slew the King of Cothulie beat down his Banners his recognisances and his Cotuliens and smote so sore upon their bodies that they went back and were constrained to cry for help The King of Getulie séeing this evil adventure came unto Antheon reléeued himselfe all ashamed of his fall applied all his puissance and strength for to auenge him not vpon Hercules but vppon them of his partie This Antheon smote on the one side and Hercules on the the other Antheon fought by great fiercenesse and anger and Hercules by prowesse The fiercenesse of Antheon was great but the prowesse of Hercules was so excessiue great that the Libians fled him as the death and where they sawe him they trembled for great feare at this battaile before the sword of Hercules all bloudy Then the great routs of the Libians were sore afraide and kept none array he smote off heads and laide them downe to the earth his folke that were destroyed by Antheon he gathered togither againe He made such worke that the Libians had the worse and that Antheon sent hastily to the king of Cothulie that he should come to his helpe The king of Cothulie at the sending of Antheon departed wéening to haue come to the skirmish but when Affer and Theseus saw him stirre they went against him and letted him of his way And there beganne the fight so great and so
then he had done before whereof the cries arose so high there that Hercules then sighting on another side heard the cry and then hee ran thither at all aduenture And anon as he spied Cacus hee went before him and brake the prease and smote downe so sore that Cacus knew Hercules but hee durst not abide him but fled againe with euill hap And then the Greeks made a cry and a ioyfull noyse so that all the Castiliens fledde some heere and some there to the great hurt and losse of Cacus For of all his people there was left no more but 50 which saued theÌ„selues vpon the mount of Monchayo which stoode thereby But that was with great effusion of bloud of them of Castile that thought to haue mounted vp with the other that it séemed that there had been a great spring of bloud that the caues in the valley were replenished with bloud howbeit Cacus for to flie wel saued him selfe and fiftie of his men vppon the mountaines as the chronicles of Spaine rehearse When he was aboue and in sure peace he returned and looked downe to the foot of the hill and he saw there so many Castiliens that without number were dead or in daunger for to die hee hadde great sorrowe then at his heart not for pitie but for despite and for the danger that he sawe ready whereby hee must passe Anon after he sawe from farre in the champaigne and each quarter and place there all couered with them of his part and of their bloud Also he saw them that fled taken and brought to the handes of the other These things considered the desolation of his dominion and the punishment of his tyranny was to him euident he thoght then that Hercules would soone conquere all the country For they obeied him for his tyranny and not for naturall loue This notwithstanding he dispaired not albeit that he saw all the puissance of his men destroied by the clubbe of Hercules and knewe that hee might no more reigne in that countrey for all were slaine in the battaile and then hee returned vnto his Science And thus as sorrowfull as he was he entered into a house that he had there But first appointed twelue of his men to keepe the passage of this mount which was so straite and narrowe that there might go vp but one man at once When then Hercules and his men had put to death all their enemies Hercules began to assaile the rocke and to mount and go vppon the degrees or staires but then sodainly they that kept the passe cast vppon him great stones in so great aboundance that of force hee was constrained to descend When Hercules sawe that hee must withdraw him he obeied fortune but notwithstanding he made there a vowe that hee would neuer depart from the foot of the rocke vnto the time that he had constrained Cacus to descend rome downe by famine or otherwise This vow made Hercules came vnto the foote of the hil where battell and slaughter had been and made the place to bee made cleane and purged of the dead bodies and of the bloud of them that there lay dead After hee did make his tent of dewes and leaues and his bed of freshe grasse and commaunded that each man shoulde lodge there At that time the night came and the day fayled the Greeks were weary for that they had all day laboured in armes and woulde faine haue rest and made good cheere with that they had And after that they had ordeined and set their watche aswel for to keepe the coast as for to keepe the rocke that Cacus should not come downe they layd them downe vpon the grasse in such wise as they were accustomed when they were in war and so slept and passed that night On the morrow Hercules parted the hoast in twaine and sent Hispan with one of them into Arragon and Nauarre and hee abode there with the other Hispan in the name of Hercules was ioyfully receiued of the Nauarroys and of the Arragonoys And they made to him all obeysance acknowledging Hercules to be their Lord and the most vertuous prince that was in the West When Hispan had all subdued as is said hee returned vnto Hercules Hercules lay yet still before Monchaio and there held Cacus in such subiection that he might not issue Cacus and his folke were then in great want of vittaile and they wist not what to eate nor to drinke They deferred as long as they might hoping that Hercules woulde bée weary to be there so long But in the end when their vittaile failed and they saw that they muâ—t néeds aduenture themselues to come downe Cacus by his science made certaine secret things to go downe into their stomackes and after put thereto the fire and taught all the other to do so and then sodainly as they felt the fire issue out of their mouthes and the fume and smoke in such aboundance that it seemed all on a light fire then by the counsaile of Cacus they aduentured themselues to descend downe in running and casting fire and fume so impetously that Hercules and the Greeks thought that it had been a tempest of lightning of the heauen and had burnt the mountaine so they made him place for it was a thing for to make men sore abashed and thus they escaped the daunger of Hercules at that time For during all that day the rocke was full of smoke and fume that Cacus had made and the smoke was so material that it séemed darknes When Cacus and his folk were thus escaped and passed the hoste of Hercules and of the Greekes Hercules was then the most wise clerk that was in the world and all his pastimes hee emploied in study hee tooke his bookes and began to muse howe and by what reason hée was descended from the rocke he read and turned many leaues but all thing well considered hee found not that this fume came of naturall thinges wherof he had great maruel Then he sent for Athlas that alway was lodged behinde the hoste for to be solitary When Athlas was come he shewed him the smoke and fume that yet dured Then he told of the lightning that was passed by the hoste and demaunded of him his opinion Athlas knew incontinent the fume and answered to Hercules Certes my sonne thou art more sharpe in science then I for mine age may not attaine to so high things as thy youth Howbeit forasmuch as I know the growing of this thing long time past I will tell thee that I shal say thou shalt find true as I suppose Thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that this fume is a thing artificiall and made by the craft of Vulcan that was father of Cacus which was an excellent maister in this science and was the inuenter thereof he made certaine mountaines in Cicille to burne and shall alway continually burne vnto the end of the worlde Cacus which can the arte and craft of his father hath made this fume and
demaunded of Hercules if he would finish the battell without the caue Hercules answered that he was content With this aunswere Cacus tooke away the stone that shut the caue and went out and in going after him Hercules espied his kine that were dead in a corner and his oxen that were bounden by the mussels vnto a piller He was sory when he sawe his kine in that case Neuerthelesse hee passed forth and pursued Cacus that reached out his armes and made him ready and saide to him Thou cursed theefe thou hast done to me great displeasure to haue slaine my kine Yea cursed theefe thou thy selfe answered Cacus yet hast thou done to mee more displeasure to haue slaine my men and taken away my realmes Thou art onely culpable of the euill that I haue done and of the death of thy kine I would it pleased the Gods that I had thee as well in my mercy as I had them be thou sure that thou shouldest neuer take away realm from no man and now let vs dispatch our battaile At these wordes Hercules and Cacus smote each other right sore and with great fury so as their strokes cleaued to their harneis made a great noyse At this noise the king Euander and the Gréekes came to the battaile for to sée it which they made before the entry of the caue whereas were the thrée sisters passing desolate Cacus enforced him with all his puissance For he saw it was time then or neuer to shew and put forth all the force that he might Hee handled his axe right mightily and well was him need so to doe Hee was hard and boysterous he gaue many a stroke to Hercules And him seemed otherwhile that hee shoulde confound him vnto the déepe pit of the earth But Hercules on his side failed not though he had a strong party against him He was also strong at the combate and more strong then was good for the health of Cacus He smote neuer Cacus but he turned his eies in his head or made him stoup or knéele on the one side or the other or to go back shamefully This battaile by long during gréeued the beholders they so assailed eche other and fought hard on both sides Finally they did so much that they were driuen to rest them and that all their bodies swette all aboutes When Hercules sawe that yet was not the victory wonne and that the night approched he had great shame in himselfe that he had held so long battaile Then he began to lay on Cacus so hard and redoubled his strokes with such force vpon Cacus so fiercely that at last hee bare him downe to the ground all astonied and made him to loose his axe and then tooke off his helme The three sisters fledde then into a forrest named Oeta all ful of teares and cries Many Gréekes would haue gone after but Hercules made them to returne After hee called the king Euander and his folke and said to the king Sir lo here is he that was wont to trouble the Italians with secret murders couert theftes and vnknowne defiling of women Giue no more suspition to the Gods Lo here is the minister and doer of these trespasses I haue intention to punish him not only after his desert but vnto the death Euander answered to Hercules and said Prince excellent and worthy aboue all worthies and the most best accomplished of all men flourishing in armes What reuerence is to thée due thou deseruest not only humane reuerence but that reuerence that is of diuine nature I beléeue assuredly that thou art a God or the son of a God or els a man deisied Thou in especiall hast seene more in a moment then all the eyes in generall of all the Italians haue seene not in a whole yeare but in an hundred yeres O the bright resplendant sunne of noble men and faire shining with glorious feates and deedes how may wee thanke thee and giue thée land for thy desert in this great worke Thou by thy most excellent labour hast disburdened vs from darknesse and hast giuen vs light of cleerenesse thou hast effected more then the great troups and all the assemblies men of armes of Italians would haue béene able to do Thou hast gotten more triumph in chastising of this giant passing terrible theÌ„ we be able to reward thee for Truly if thou be not a god thou hast from the gods their singular grace I promise to thée in remembrance of this labour to build a solemne temple in my citie where thou shalt haue an altar and vpon the altar shall be thy representation of fine golde and the representation of this tyraunt in shewing how thou hast vanquished him to the end that our heires and successors in time comming may haue thereof knowlege During these wordes Cacus refreshed him who was astonied of the stroke that he had receiued and thought to haue fled but Hercules ranne after and caught holde of him and embraced him in his armes so hard that he could not stirre from him and brought him againe bare him vnto a deepe pit that was in the caue where he had cast in all ordures and filth Hercules came vnto this foule pit that the Gréekes had founde and put Cacus therein his head downward from on high vnto the ordure beneath Then the Italians came about the pit and cast so manie stones vpon him that he died there miserably Such was the end of the poore king Cacus he died in an hole full of ordure of stincking filth When the king Euander saw that hee was dead by the consent of Hercules hee made him to be drawen out of the pit and caused him to be born into his citie whereas Hercules was receiued so triumphantly that no man can rehearse The feast was great that night in the palace of king Euander and passed with great ioy On the morrow the king Euander caused to be set forth the body in the common view and sight of all the people and afterward ordeined certeine folke thereto â—it and meet to carie this miserable corps or body thorow all the cities where he had done harme and for to count and rehearse to them his life What shal I make long rehearsall When the body was shewed in the citie of king Euander they that had the gouernance thereof bare it into diuers places and alway they praised Hercules In remembrance of the nouelty of this victory the king Euander made to beginne the Temple that he had promised to Hercules required Hercules that he would abide there in that countrey vntill the time that his Temple shoulde be fully made and finished Hercules beheld how the king Euander did labour about building his temple with all diligence and agreed to his request forasmuch as him séemed that the Temple would be shortly made And some books say that long time before the god Mars had promised to Hercules that there should be a temple made vnto him and for that cause he was
sorrowfull wordes accomplished Hercules tooke his clubbe and cast it in the fire that was made readie for to make his sacrifice After hee gaue to Philotes his bowe and his arrowes and then hee praied him that he would recommend him to Yo le and to his friendes and then feeling that his life had no longer for to soiourne hee tooke leaue of Phylotes and then as all burnt and sodden hee laide him downe in the fire lifting his handes his eies vnto the heauen and there consummated the course of his glorious life WheÌ„ Phylotes saw the end of his maister Hercules hee burnt his body to ashes and kept those ashes in intention to beare them to the temple that the king Euander had caused to make After he departed from thence and returned into Licia greatly discomforted and with a great fountain of teares he recounted to Yo le and to his friends the pitious death of Hercules No man could recount the great sorow that Yo le made and they of Licia as well the studentes as rurall people All the world fell in teares in sighes and in bewailinges for his deathe So muche abounded Yo le in teares and weepinges that her heart was as drowned and forthwith departed her soule from the body by the bitter water of her wéeping Eche body cursed and spake shame of Deianira Finally Deianira aduertised by the fellow of Lycas of the mischiefe that was come by the shirt she fell in despaire and made many bewailinges and among all other she saide What haue I done Alas what haue I done The most notable man of men shining among the clerkes hee that trauersed the straunge coastes of the earth and hell hee that bodily conuersed among men and spiritually among the sun the moone and the starres and that sustained the circumference of the heauens is dead by my cause by my fault and without my fault He is dead by my fault for I haue sent to him the shirt that hath giuen to him the taste of death But this is without my fault for I knew nothing of the poison O mortall poison By me is he depriued of his life of whom I loued the life asmuch as I did mine owne Hee that bodily dwelled among the men heere on earth and spiritually aboue with the sunne the moone and celestiall bodies He that was the fountaine of Science by whom the Atheniens arrowsed and bedewed their wits and skils hee that made the monsters of the sea to tremble in their abismes and swallowes and destroied the monsters of hell He confounded the monsters of the earth the tyrantes hee corrected the insolent and proud he humbled and meeked The humble and meeke he enhaunsed and exalted He that made no treasour but of vertue he that subdued al the nations of the world and conquered theÌ„ with his club and he that if he had would by ambition of seignorie might haue attained to be king of the East of the West of the South and of the North of the seas and of the mountaines of all these hee might haue named him king and Lord by good right if hee had would Alas alas what am I owne â—â— all vnhappy time when so high and so mighty a prince is dead by my simplenesse he was the glorie of men There was neuer to him none like nor neuer shal be Ought I to liue after him Nay certes that shall I neuer doe For to the end that among the Ladies I be not shewed nor pointed with the finger and that I fall not into strangers handes for to bee punished forasmuch as I haue deserued shame and blame by this death I wil doe the vengeance on my selfe And with that she tooke a knife and saying I feele my selfe and knowe that I am innocent of the death of my Lord Hercules with the point of the knife she ended her desperate life Whereat Phylotes was all abashed and so were all they of Gréece that long wept and bewailed Hercules and his death And they of Athens bewailed him excéedingly some for his science and other for his vertues whereof I will now cease speaking beseeching her that is cause of this translation out of French into this simple and rude English that is to wit my right redoubted lady Margaret by the grace of God Duchesse of Burgoine and of Brabant Sister to my soueraigne Lord the king of England and of Fraunce c. that she wil receiue my rude labour acceptably and in good liking Thus endeth the second booke of the Collection of histories of Troy Which bookes were late translated into French out of Latine by the labour of the venerable person Raoulle Feure priest as afore is said and by me vnfit and vnworthy translated into this rude English by the commandement of my saide redoubted Lady Duchesse of Burgoine And forasmuch as I suppose the saide two books haue not been had before this time in our English language therfore I had the better wil to accomplish this said worke which worke was begunne in Bruges and continued in Gaunt and finished in Colein in the time of the troublous world and of the great diuisions béeing and reigning aswell in the realmes of England and Fraunce as in all other places vniuersally through the worlde that is to wit the yeare of our Lord a thousand foure hundred seuentie and one And as for the third booke which treateth of the generall and last destruction of Troy It needeth not to translate it into English forasmuch as that worshipfull and religious man Iohn Lidgate moonk of Burie did translate it but late after whose worke I feare to take vpon me that am not worthy to beare this penner and inke-horne after him to meddle at all in that worke But yet forasmuche as I am bound to obey and please my said ladies good grace and also that his worke is in rime and as farre as I knowe it is not had in prose in our tongue and also peraduenture hee translated it after some other authour then this is and forasmuch as diuers men bee of diuers desires some to reade in rime meeter and some in prose and also because that I haue now good leisure being in Coleine and hauing none other thing to doe at this time to eschew idlenesse mother of all vices I haue deliberated in my selfe for the contemplation of my said redoubted Lady to take this labour in hand by the sufferance and helpe of almightie God whom I meekly beseeche to giue me grace to accomplish it to the pleasure of her that that is causer thereof and that she receiue it in gree of me her faithfull true and most humble seruant c. The end of the second Booke ⧠The table for the second bookâ— of the Collection of the historoyes of Troy HOwe Hercules fought against threâ— Lyons in the forrest of Nemee and how he slew them and tooke their skin 〈◊〉 Chap. 1. pag. â—45 How Iuno sent Hercules into Egypt 〈◊〉 to bee slaine of the
the aire that was before verie cleere and faire beganne to waxe troublous and thicke and there beganne a right great tempest in the sea of winde of raine and of thunder insomuch that there was none so hardie but he had feare and we end to haue died for their shippes were cast by the sea the one here and the other there and they supposed none other for certaine but to haue béen drowned Then said Calcas to them that were with him that the cause of the tempest was forasmuch as Diana their Goddesse was wroth and angry against them because they departed from Athens and made to her no sacrifice and for to appease this wrath it behooued that the king Agamemnon sacrifice to her with his owne hand Iphiginie his daughter a young virgine and tender of age and that otherwise the tempest shoulde neuer ceasse And for to speed this sacrifice hée counselled to turne the nauy and to apply it to the I le of Andill where the temple of the Goddesse Diana was c. When the king Agamemnon vnderstoode this thing hée was all greeued and passing sorrowfull in his minde for he loued his daughter Iphigenie with great loue and on the other side hée was praied and required of all the other kinges and princes of Greece that hee woulde make no delay to this that was so great a matter or to withstand the sacrifice wherefore hee was vanquished by the saide Princes and for the loue of his countrey hee tooke his saide daughter Iphigenie and in the presence of great kinges and princes sacrificed her vnto the goddesse Diana and anon the tempest ceassed and the aire became neate and cléere and the sea well quieted and in tranquilitie and peace And then hee went againe into his ship and all the other in like maner drewe vppe their sailes and sailed before the winde so farre that they arriued at a port of the realme of Troy nigh vnto a Castell called Sarrabana Dares putteth not downe determinately what was the cause wherfore King the Agamemnon made his Sacrifice vnto Diana But Ouid in the twelfth booke of Methamorphose saith that it was Iphigenie his daughter as aboue is said And when they of the castle sawe the great Nauie at their porte they armed them and came vnto the porte weening to defend their land against the Gréekes and assailed them that then were come a land that were yet weary of the trauaile of the Sea But the Greekes issued anon out of their shippes in great plenty all armed and slew them and chased them vnto their Castle and killed them with flying and entered into the Castle with them and there put them all to death and tooke the booties and after beate downe the castle vnto the earth and then reentered into their ships againe and sailed so farre that they arriued at the port of Tenedon and there then they ancred their ships c. At this port was a passing strong Castle well peopled and full of great riches and was three mile from Troy When they of the castle saw the Greekes they ranne to armes and furnished their castle with good fighters and the other issued out and came vnto the porte where they found the Greeks that were then issued out of their ships all armed and great plentie and took all that they could finde Thus beganne the battaile betweene them right fierce and mortall and there were enough slain dead of both partes and manie mo of the Greekes then of the Troians But as soone as the great strength of the Greekes were landed the Troyans might no longer suffer nor abide but put them to flight some to the castle and the other fled vnto Troy Then the Greekes bestirred them and belaid the castle round about and assailed it on both sides and they within defended it passing well vpon the walles and slewe many by shotte and by Engines but the Greekes dressed their engines all about the castle and set their ladders vnto the walles and went vpon all sides and they within defended them valiauntly and made them fall down in their ditches some dead and some hurt But the Greekes that were so great in number sent alway new folke to the assault whereof they within were so wearie that they retired and went backe from their defence and then the Greekes entered by force into the castle and there slewe all them that they found without sparing of man or woman and tooke and pilled al that they found that was good and after beate downe the castle and the houses vnto the earth and put in the fire and burnt all vp And after they reentred into their shippes ioyous of their gaine that they had gotten in the Castle CHAP. VIII ¶ Howe the Greekes did send Diomedes and Vlisses vnto the king Priamus for to haue againe Helene and the prisoners and the aunswere that they hadde WHen the Greekes had destroied and beaten downe thus the Castle and edifices of Tenedon and of Sarrabana and that they refreshed them in the medow of Tenedon then Agamemnon that hadde the charge of all the hoste and to conduct it well as a good captaine ought to doe commaunded that al the bootie and gain of these two castles should be brought forth And so it was done anon as he had commaunded and he as a wise king distributed the gaine to each man after his desert and qualitie And after did cause to cry in all the hoste that all the noble men of the hoste should assemble them on the plaine of Tenedon before the king Agamemnon and when they were all come the king Agamemnon spake and said in this maner My friends and fellowes that be here now assembled for so iust a cause as each of you knoweth and in so great puissance that there is and shall be tidinges thereof in all the worlde yet how strong that the puissance bée that it please the Gods that it be without pride and felonie for it is so that of the sinne of pride grow all other vices and that the gods resist and withstand the insolent and proud people And therefore we ought to put away pride from our workes and in especiall in this worke here now and vse the right way of iustice to the end that no man may reprehend vs nor blame Ye know well that we be come thus farre for to take vengeance of the iniuries and the wronges that the king Priamus hath done to vs and we haue done to him now great hurt and damage Ye may well know for trueth that they haue assembled in the city of Troy great power for to defend them against vs and also the Citie is passing great and strong and ye know well that they be vpon their proper heritage that is a thing that doubleth their force and strength For ye may take example of the Crowe that otherwhile defendeth well her nest against the fawcon I say not these thinges for any doubt that I haue but that we shall
all ye kings princes and barons wee ought to render and yeeld thanks to the gods humbly and with deuout heart that our right hard enemie Hector hath suffered to be slaine by the hand of Achilles For as long as he was aliue we had neuer any hope to haue come to the better hand of our enemies What may the Troyans from hencefoorth hope or trust for but onely for their owne ouerthrow and we may in short time hope for the victorie vpon them And for as much as Achilles is grieuously hurt and may not goe to battell if ye thinke good whiles that yee maybe healed and the other also that be hurt of whom we haue many and also for to burie the dead bodies we will send to the king Priamus for to haue truce for two moneths The counsell seemed good to them and they sent anon to the king Priamus for truce and hee accorded it to them for two moneths During this truce Palamedes murmured againe at the seignorie of Agamemnon and as they were on a day all together Palamedes spake of this matter the king Agamemnon answered to him as sage in the presence of all the other and sayd vnto him Palamedes weenest thou that I haue great ioy of the seignorie that was giuen vnto me at the beginning and haue occupied to this present time for that it was not at my request neither haue I none auaile nor profit thereby but I haue great charge and breake many sléepes therefore to the end that by my negligence our hoste goe not to decline nor disworship and certes if had well suffised me to haue beene vnder the gouernment of another and I feare no man that may accuse mee that for any euill or negligence I haue failed in any thing And if thou gauest not thy consent vnto mine election thou needest not to dismay thereof for thou werest not as yet at that time come with the other but it was two yeeres after ere thou camest And therefore if wee shoulde haue abiden thy comming wee had beene at the Port of Athens And forasmuch as thou shalt not thinke that I haue ioy or pleasure of this office and am desirous to haue this honour I am content that another be chosen and am readie to giue consent with the most voices When Agamemnon had thus spoken there was no further procéeding that day in this matter And then at euen Agamemnon did make it to bee cried in all the hoste that ech man should be on the morrow betimes before his tent at the Parlement When it came to the morning that they were all assembled Agamemnon said to them My brethren and friends I haue had vnto this time the charge of this worke with great trauaile for to conduct it well in such wise that by the sufferance of the Gods I haue brought it vnto honor vnto this time And forasmuch as it is not lawfull that an Vniuersitie be ruled alway by one maister but that euery mā employ him to the best to his power and forsomuch as I haue conducted this hoste long time I will that wee doe choose another that may conduct it discreetly When Agamemnon had finished his wordes his saying pleased to euerie man and they chose Palamedes to bée their duke and gouernour and then hee went vnto his Tent. Achilles that lay sicke of his woundes was angry at the deposing of Agamemnon and said before al them that would heare it that Palamedes was nothing like vnto Agamemnon in witte and in discretion and that they ought not to change him for Palamedes but forasmuch as the people had consented he abode thereby also c. CHAP. XIX ¶ How the king Priamus issued to battaile for to auenge vpon the Greekes the death of his sonne Hector and of the prowesses that he did and of the anniuersary of the said Hector in which Achilles was surprised with the loue of Polixena the daughter of king Priamus in such wise that he might endure no rest WHen the the two monthes of the truce were past the king Priamus desiring to auenge the death of his sonne Hector ordeined with his owne person his battailes and sette in each battaile good conductors and hee himselfe went and lead with him fiue and twentie thousand of good knightes chosen of the best And Dares saith in his booke that there issued out of Troy that day an hundred and fiftie thousand men Deyphebus was the foremost and then Parie and after him came the king Priamus and Troylus Eneas Menon and Polidamas they went vnto the Tentes of the Greekes Palamedes had ordained his battailes Then began the battel great and mortall The king Priamus smote downe Palamedes in his comming and after smote vnto the greatest prease of the Greekes and slew many of them and beat them downe and did so much in armes in that day that with great paine woulde beleeue that a man so ancient and old might doe that he did that day The king Sarpedon of Troy assailed king Neoptolemus that was a passing strong knight and king Sarpedon was borne to the earth that defended him valiantly and gaue so great a stroke vnto king Neoptolemus that made him a great wound in his thigh Then came to the battaile the king of Perse that remounted the king Sarpedon with the aide of his folke Menelaus and the duke of Athens assailed the king of Perse and inclosed him and his people among them and slew the king of Perse and made the Troyans to recule by force there did the king Sarpedon great and woonderous matters of armes The king Priamus and his bastard sonnes that then followed him ceased not to slea the Greekes and there was none that day that did so much in armes as did the king Priamus for his sorrow his ire made his strength to grow Then the Greekes aduised them to take the way by which the Troyans should returne vnto their citie and they went thither in great number And when the Troyans reculed for to go into that place they found themselues in the middle of their enemies Then began mortall battel and there came vpon them the king Priamus with a great number of fighting men by a wing and Paris came crossing them with a great plentie of good fighters and he had great store of archers that slew many of the Greekes and hurted them and they did so well that by force the Greekes were driuen to recule to their Tentes And the Troyans reentered into their Citie and the king Priamus had the losse and worst of this battaile He sent to the Greekes to demaund truce and they agreed and accorded to him but we finde not howe long this truce endured c. Among these thinges the king Priamus did cause to cary by land the body of the king of Perse for to be buried in his countrey then was the weeping and sorrow great in Troy and in especiall of Paris that loued him exceedingly During this truce the anniuersary of