Nestors art iâ—… ordering his souldiers Embattelling his men at armes and stirring all to blowes Points euerie legion out his Chiefe and euery Chiefe he showes The formes and discipline of warre yet his Commanders were All expert and renowmed men Great Pelagon was there Alastor manly Chromius and Hemon worth a Throne And Byas that could armies leade with these he first put on His horse troopes with their chariots his foote of which he chusde Many the best and ablest men and which he euer vsde As rampire to his generall powre he in the Rere disposd The slouthfull and the least of spirit he in the midst inclosd That such as wanted noble wils base need might force to stand His horse troopes that the Vantgard had he strictly did command To ride their horses temperatly to keepe their rankes and shun Confusion lest their horsemanship and courage made them run Too much presum'd on much too farre and charging so alone Engage themselues in th' enemies strength where many fight with one Who his owne chariot leaues to range let him not freely go But straight vnhorse him with a lance for t is much better so And with this discipline said he this forme these minds this trust Our Ancestors haue walles and townes laid leuell with the dust Thus prompt and long inur'd to armes this old man did exhort And this Atrides likewise tooke in wondrous chearefull sort And said O Father would to heauen that as thy mind remaines Agamemnon to Nestor In wonted vigor so thy knees could vndergo our paines But age that all men ouercomes hath made his prise on thee Yet still I wish that some young man growne old in mind might be Put in proportion with thy yeares and thy mind young in age Be fitly answerd with his youth that still where conflicts rage And young men vsd to thrust for fame thy braue exampling hand Might double our young Grecian spirits and grace our whole Command The old knight answer'd I my selfe could wish O Atreus sonne Nestor to Agamemnon I were as young as when I slue braue Ereuâ—…halion But Gods at all times giue not all their gifts to mortall men If then I had the strength of youth I mist the Counsels then That yeares now giue me and now yeares want that maine strength of youth Yet still my mind retaines her strength as you now said the sooth And would be where that strength is vsd affoording counsels sage To stirre youths minds vp t is the grace and office of our age Let yonger sinewes Men sprong vp whole ages after me And such as haue strength vse it and as strong in honour be The king all this while comforted arriu'd next where he found Well-rode Menestheus Peteus sonne stand still inuirond round With his well-train'd Athenian troopes and next to him he spide The wise Vlysses deedlesse too and all his bands beside Of strong Cephalians for as yet th' alarme had not bene heard In all their quarters Greece and Troy were then so newly stird And then first mou'd as they conceiu'd and they so lookt about To see both hoasts giue proofe of that they yet had cause to doubt Atrides seeing them stand so still and spend their eyes at gaze Began to chide And why said he dissolu'd thus in a maze Thou sonne of Peteus Ioue-nurst king and thou in wicked sleight Agamemnon to Vlysses and Menestheuâ—… A cunning souldier stand ye off Expect ye that the fight Should be by other men begun t is fit the formost band Should shew you there you first should front who first lifts vp his hand First you can heare when I inuite the Princes to a feast When first most friendly and at will ye eate and drinke the best Yet in the fight most willingly ten troopes ye can behold Take place before ye Ithacus at this his browes did fold And said How hath thy violent tongue broke through thy set of teeth Vlysses to Agaâ—…emnon To say that we are slacke in fight and to the field of death Looke others should enforce our way when we were busied then Euen when thou spak'st against the foe to cheate and leade our men But thy eyes shall be witnesses if it content thy will And that as thou pretendst these cares do so affect thee still The father of Telemachâ—… whom I esteeme so deare And to whom as a Legacie I le leaue my deeds done here Euen with the formost band of Troy hath his encounter dar'd And therefore are thy speeches vaine and had bene better spar'd He smiling since he saw him mou'd recald his words and said Agamemnon to Vlysses Most generous Lâ—…ertes sonne most wise of all our aid I neither do accuse thy worth more then thy selfe may hold Fit that inferiours thinke not much being slacke to be controld Nor take I on me thy command for well I know thy mind Knowes how sweet gentle counsels are and that thou standst enclind As I my selfe for all our good On then if now we spake What hath displeasd another time we full amends will make And Gods grant that thy vertue here may proue so free and braue That my reproofes may still be vaine and thy deseruings graue Thus parted they and forth he went when he did leaning find Against his chariot neare his horse him with the mightie mind Great Diomedes Tydeus sonne and Sthenelus the seed Of Capaneius whom the king seeing likewise out of deed Thus cried he out on Diomed O melin what a feare Agamemnon chideth Diomed. The wise great warriour Tydeus sonne stands gazing euerie where For others to begin the fight It was not Tydeus vse To be so danted whom his spirit would euermore produce Before the formost of his friends in these affaires of fright As they report that haue beheld him labour in a fight For me I neuer knew the man nor in his presence came But excellent aboue the rest he was in generall fame And one renowm'd exploit of his I am assur'd is true The historie of Tydeus He came to the Mycenian Court without armes and did sue At Godlike Polinices hands to haue some worthie aid To their designes that gainst the wals of sacred Thebes were laid He was great Polinices guest and nobly entertaind And of the kind Mycenian state what he requested gaind In meere consent but when they should the same in act approue By some sinister prodigies held out to them by Ioâ—…e They were discourag'd thence he went and safely had his passe Backe to Aesopus flood renowm'd for Bulrushes and grasse Yet once more their Ambassadour the Grecian Peâ—…res addresse Lord Tydeus to Eteocles to whom being giuen accesse He found him feasting with a crew of Cadmians in his hall Amongst whom though an enemie and onely one to all To all yet he his challenge made at euerie Martiall feate And easly foild all since with him Minerâ—…a was so great The ranke-rode Cadmians much incenst with their so
aâ—…d boâ—… to Ilion In one ship saild Besides by birth I breathe a Myrmidon Polystor cald the rich my sire declin'd with age like you Sixe sonnes he hath and me a seuenth and all those sixe liue now In Phthia since all casting lots my chance did onely fall To follow hither Now for walke I left my Generall To morrow all the Sunne-burn'd Greeks will circle Troy with armes The Princes rage to be withheld so idlely your alarmes Not giuen halfe hote enough they thinke and can containe no more He answerd If you serue the Prince let me be bold t'implore This grace of thee and tell me true lies Hector here at fleet Or haue the dogs his flesh He said Nor dogs nor fowle haue yet Toucht at his person still he lies at fleet and in the tent Merâ—…rie to Priam. Of our great Captaine who indeed is much too negligent Of his fit vsage but though now twelue dayes haue spent their heate On his cold body neither wormes with any taint haue eate Nor putrifaction perisht it yet euer when the Morne Lifts her diuine light from the sea vnmercifully borne About Patroclus sepulcher it beares his friends disdaine Bound to his chariot but no Fits of further outrage raigne In his distemper you would muse to see how deepe a dew Euen steepes the body all the blood washt off no slenderst shew Of gore or quitture but his wounds all closde though many were Opened about him Such a loue the blest immortals beare Euen dead to thy deare sonne because his life shew'd loue to them He ioyfull answerd O my sonne it is a grace supreme Priam to â—…curie In any man to serue the gods And I must needs say this For no cause hauing season fit my Hectors hands would misse Aduancement to the gods with gifts and therefore do not they Misse his remembrance after death Now let an old man pray Thy graces to receiue this cup and keepe it for my loue Not leaue me till the gods and thee haue made my prayres approue Achilles pitie by thy guide brought to his Princely tent Hermes replidâ—… You tempt me now old king to a consent Farre from me though youth aptly erres I secretly receiue Hermes againe to Prâ—…am Gifts that I cannot brodely vouch take graces that will giue My Lord dishonour or what he knowes not or will esteeme Perhaps vnfit such briberies perhaps at first may seeme Sweet and secure but futurely they still proue sowre and breed Both feare and danger I could wish thy graue affaires did need My guide to Argos either shipt or lackying by thy side And would be studious in thy guard so nothing could be tride But care in me to keepe thee safe for that I could excuse And vouch to all men These words past he put the deeds in vse For which Ioue sent him vp he leapt to Priams chariot Tooke scourge and reines and blew in strength to his free steeds and got The nauall towres and deepe dike strait The guards were all at meat Those he enslumberd op't the ports and in he safely let Old Priam with his wealthy prise Forthwith they reacht the Tent Of great Achilles Large and high and in his most ascent A shaggie roofe of seedy reeds mowne fâ—…om the meades a hall Of state they made their king in it and strengthned it withall Thicke with firre rafters whose approch was let in by a dore That had but one barre but so bigge that three men euermore Raisd it to shut three fresh take downe which yet Aeacides Would shut and ope himselfe And this with farre more ease Hermes set ope entring the king then leapt from horse and said Now know old king that Mercurie a god hath giuen this aid To thy endeuour sent by Ioue and now away must I For men would enuy thy estate to see a Deitie Affect a man thus enter thou embrace Achilles knee And by his sire sonne mother pray his ruth and grace to thee This said he high Olympus reacht the king then left his coach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To graue Idaeus and went on made his resolu'd approach And enterd in a goodly roome where with his Princes sate Ioue-lou'd Achilles at their feast two onely kept the state Of his attendance Alcymus and Lord Automedon At Priams entrie a great time Achilles gaz'd vpon His wonderd at approch nor eate the rest did nothing see While close he came vp with his hands fast holding the bent knee Of Hectors conqueror and kist that large man-slaughtring hand That much blood from his sonnes had drawne And as in some strange land And great mans house a man is driuen with that abhorâ—…'d dismay Simile That followes wilfull bloodshed still his fortune being to slay One whose blood cries alowde for his to pleade protection In such a miserable plight as frights the lookers on In such a stupefied estate Achilles sate to see So vnexpected so in night and so incrediblie Old Priams entrie all his friends one on another star'd To see his strange lookes seeing no cause Thus Priam then prepar'd Priam to Achillâ—… His sonnes redemption See in me O godlike Thetis sonne Thy aged father and perhaps euen now being outrunne With some of my woes neighbour foes thou absent taking time To do him mischiefe no meane left to terrifie the crime Of his oppression yet he heares thy graces still suruiue And ioyes to heare it hoping still to see thee safe arriue From ruin'd Troy but I curst man of all my race shall liue To see none liuing Fiftie sonnes the Deities did giue My hopes to liue in all aliue when neare our trembling shore The Greeke ships harbor'd and one wombe nineteene of those sons bore Now Mars a number of their knees hath strengthlesse left and he That was of all my onely ioy and Troyes sole guard by thee Late fighting for his countrey slaine whose tenderd person now I come to ransome Infinite is that I offer you My selfe conferring it exposde alone to all your oddes Onely imploring right of armes Achilles feare the gods Pitie an old man like thy â—…ire different in onely this That I am wretcheder and beare that weight of miseries That neuer man did my curst lips enforc't to kisse that hand That slue my children This mou'd teares his fathers name did stand Mention'd by Priam in much helpe to his compasfion And mou'd Aeacides so much he could not looke vpon The weeping father With his hand he gently put away His graue face calme remission now did mutually display Her powre in eithers heauinesse old Priam to record His sonnes death and his deaths man see his teares and bosome pour'd Before Achilles At his feete he laid his reuerend head Achilles thoughts now with his sire now with his friend were fed Betwixt both Sorrow fild the the tent But now Aeacides Satiate at all parts with the ruth of their calamities Achilles remorse of Priaâ—… Start vp and vp he raisd
I had bene brought To ruine for what breeds that wish which is the mischiefe wrought By my accesse yet neuer found one harsh taunt one words ill From thy sweet cariage Twenty yeares do now their circles â—…ill Since my arriuall all which time thou didst not onely beare Thy selfe without checke But all else that my Lords brothers were Their sisters Lords sisters themselues the Queen my mother in law The king being neuer but most milde when thy mans spirits saw Sowre and reprochfull it would still reproue their bitternesse With sweet words And thy gentle soule And therefore thy deceasse I truly mourne for and my selfe curse as the wretched cause All brode Troy yeelding me not one that any humane lawes Of pitie or forgiuenesse mou'd t' entreate me humanely But onely thee all else abhorr'd me for my destinie These words made euen the coÌ„mons mourn to whom the king said Friends Priam to the Troians Now fetch wood for our funerall fire nor feare the foe intends Ambush or any violence Achilles gaue his word At my dismission that twelue dayes he would keepe sheath'd his sword And all mens else Thus oxen mules in chariots straite they put Went forth and an vnmeasur'd pile of Syluane matter cut Nine daies emploide in cariage but when the tenth morne shinde On wretched mortals then they brought the-fit-to-be-diuin'd Forth to be burn'd Troy swum in teares Vpon the piles most height They laid the person and gaue fire all day it burn'd all night But when th' eleuenth morne let on earth her rosie fingers shine The people flockt about the pile and first with blackish wine Quencht all the flames His brothers then and friends the snowy bones Gatherd into an vrne of gold still powring on their mones Then wrapt they in soft purple veiles the rich vrne digg'd a pit Grau'd it ramb'd vp the graue with stones and quickly built to it A sepulcher But while that worke and all the funerall rites Were in performance guards were held at all parts dayes and nights For feare of false surprise before they had imposde the crowne To these solemnities The tombe aduanc't once all the towne In Ioue-nurst Priams Court partooke a passing sumptuous feast And so horse-taming Hectors rites gaue vp his soule to Rest. Thus farre the Ilian Ruines I haue laid Open to English eyes In which repaid With thine owne value go vnualu'd Booke Liue and be lou'd If any enuious looke Hurt thy cleare fame learne that no state more hie Attends on vertue then pin'd Enuies eye Would thou wert worth it that the best doth wound Which this Age feedes and which the last shall bound THus with labour enough though with more comfort in the merits of my diuine Author I haue brought my translation of his Iliads to an end If either therein or in the harsh vtterance or matter of my Comment before I haue for haste scatterd with my burthen lesse then fifteene weekes being the whole time that the last twelue bookes translation stood me in I desire my present will and I doubt not hability if God giue life to reforme and perfect all heareafter may be ingenuouslly accepted for the absolute worke The rather considering the most learned with all their helpes and time haue bene so often and vnanswerably miserably taken halting In the meane time that most assistfull and vnspeakeable spirit by whose thrice sacred conduct and inspiration I haue finished this labour diffuse the fruitfull horne of his blessings through these goodnesse-thirsting watchings without which vtterly dry and bloodlesse is whatsoeuer Mortality soweth But where our most diligent Spondanus ends his worke with a prayer to be taken out of these Maeanders and Euripian riuers as he termes them of Ethnicke and prophane writers being quite contrarie to himselfe at the beginning I thrice humbly beseech the most deare and diuine mercie euer most incomparably preferring the great light of his truth in his direct and infallible Scriptures I may euer be enabled by resting wondring in his right comfortable shadowes in these to magnifie the clearenesse of his almighty apparance in the other And with this salutation of Poeâ—…ie giuen by our Spondanus in his Preface to these Iliads All haile Saint-sacred Poesie that vnder so much gall of fictioâ—… such abundance of honey doctrine hast hidden not reuealing them to the vnworthy worldly wouldst thou but so much make me that amongst thy Nâ—…uices I might be numbred no time should euer come neare my life that could make me forsake thee I will conclude with this my daily and nightly prayer learn'd of the most learned Symplicius Supplico tibi Domine Pater Dux rationis nostrae vt nostrae nobilitatis recordemur qua tu nos ornasti vt tu nobis praestò sis vt ijs qui per sese mouentur vt à corporis contagio brutorumque affectuum repurgemur eosque superemus regamus sicut decet pro instrumentis ijs vtamur Deinde vt nobis adiumento sis ad accuratam rationis nostrae correctionem coniunctionem cum ijs quae verè sunt per lucem veritatis Et tertium Saluatori supplex oro vt ab oculis animorum nostrorum caliginem prorsus abstergas vt quod apud Homerum est Norimus bene qui Deus aut mortalis habendus Amen FINIS TO THE RIGHT GRACIOVS and worthy the Duke of LENNOX AMongst th'Heroes of the VVorlds prime years Stand here great Duke see theÌ„ shine about you Informe your princely minde and spirit by theirs And then like them liue euer looke without you For subiects fit to vse your place and grace VVhich throw about you as the Sunne his Raies In quickning with their power the dying Race Offriendlesse Vertue since they thus can raise Their honor'd Raisers to Eternitie None euer liu'd by Selfe-loue Others good Is th' obiect of our owne They liuing die That burie in them selues their fortunes brood To this soule then your gracious count'nance giue That gaue to such as you such meanes to liue TO THE MOST GRAVE AND honored Temperer of Law and Equitie the Lord CHANCELOR c. THat Poesie is not so remou'd a thing From graue administry of publike weales As these times take it heare this Poet sing Most iudging Lord and see how he reueales The mysteries of Rule and rules to guide The life of Man through all his choicest waies Nor be your timely paines the lesse applyed For Poesies idle name because her Raies Haue shin'd through greatest Counsellors and Kings Heare Royall Hermes sing th' Egyptian Lawes How Solon Draco Zoroastes sings Their Lawes in verse and let their iust applause By all the world giuen yours by vs allow That since you grace all vertue honour you TO THE MOST WORTHIE Earle Lord Treasurer and Treasure of our Countrey the Earle of SALISBVRY c. VOuchsafe great Treasurer to turne your eye And see the opening of a Grecian Mine VVhich VVisedome long since made her Treasury And now her
THE ILIADS OF HOMER Prince of Poets Neuer before in any languag truely translated With a ComÌ„ent vppon some of his chiefe places Donne according to the Greeke By Geo Chapman At London printed for Nathaniell Butter William Hole sculp Qui Nil molitur Ineptè TO THE HIGH BORNE PRINCE OF MEN HENRIE THRICE Royall inheritor to the vnited kingdoms of Great BRITTAINE c. SInce perfect happinesse by Princes sought Is not with birth borne nor â—…xchequers bought Nor followes in great Traines nor is possest VVith any outward State but makes him blest That gouernes inward and beholdeth theare All his affections stand about him bare That by his power can send to Towre and death All traitrous passions marshalling beneath His iustice his meere will and in his minde Holds such a scepter as can keepe confinde His whole lifes actions in the royall bounds Of Vertue and Religion and their grounds Takes-in to sow his honours his delights And complete empire You should learne these rights Great Prince of men by Princely presidents VVhich here in all kinds my true zeale presents To furnish your youths groundworke and first State And let you see one Godlike man create All sorts of worthiest men to be contriu'd In your worth onely giuing him reuiu'd For whose life Alexander would haue giuen One of his kingdomes who as sent from heauen And thinking well that so diuine a creature VVould neuer more enrich the race of Nature Kept as his Crowne his workes and thought them still His Angels in all power to rule his will And would affirme that Homers poesie Did more aduance his Asian victorie Then all his Armies O! t is wondrous much Though nothing prisde that the right vertuous touch Of a well written foule to vertue moues Nor haue we soules to purpose if their loues Of fitting obiects be not so inflam'd How much then were this kingdomes maine soule maim'd To want this great inflamer of all powers That moue in humane soules All Realmes but yours Are honor'd with him and hold blest that State That haue his workes to reade and contemplate In which Humanitie to her height is raisde VVhich all the world yet none enough hath praisde Seas earth and heauen he did in verse comprise Out-sung the Muses and did equalise Their king Apollo being so farre from cause Of Princes light thoughts that their grauest lawes May finde stuffe to be fashiond by his lines Through all the pompe of kingdomes still he shines And graceth all his gracers Then let lie Your Lutes and Viols and more loftily Make the Heroiques of your Homer sung To Drums and Trumpets set his Angels tongue And with the Princely sport of Haukes you vse Behold the kingly flight of his high Muse And see how like the Phoenix she renues Her age and starrie feathers in your sunne Thousands of yeares attending euerie one Blowing the holy fire and throwing in Their seasons kingdomes nations that haue bin Subuerted in them lawes religions all Offerd to Change and greedie Funerall Yet still your Homer lasting liuing raigning And proues how firme Truth builds in Poets faining A Princes statue or in Marble caru'd Or steele or gold and shrin'd to be presâ—…d Aloft on Pillars or Pyramides Time into lowest ruines may depresse But drawne with all his vertues in learn'd verse Fame shall resound them on Obliuions herse Till graues gaspe with her blasts and dead men rise No gold can follow where true Poesie flies Then let not this Diuinitie in earth Deare Prince be sleighted as she were the birth Of idle Fancie since she workes so hie Nor let her poore disposer Learning lie Stil bed-rid Both which being in men defac't In men with them is Gods bright image rac't For as the Sunne and Moone are figures giuen Of his refulgent Deitie in Heauen So Learning and her Lightner Poesie In earth present his fierie Maiestie Nor are Kings like him since their Diademes Thunder and lighten and proiect braue beames But since they his cleare vertues emulate In Truth and Iustice imaging his State In Bountie and Humanitie since they shine Then which is nothing like him more diuine Not Fire not Light the Sunnes admired course The Rise nor Set of Starres nor all their force In vs and all this Cope beneath the Skie Nor great Existence term'd his Treasurie Since not for being greatest he is blest But being Iust and in all vertues best VVhat sets his Iustice and his Truth best forth Best Prince then vse best which is Poesies worth For as great Princes well inform'd and deckt VVith gracious vertue giue more sure effect To her perswasions pleasures reall worth Then all th' inferiour subiects she sets forth Since there she shines at full hath birth wealth state Power fortune honor fit to eleuate Her heauenly merits and so fit they are Since she was made for them and they for her So Truth with Poesie grac't is fairer farre More proper mouing chaste and regular Then when she runnes away with vntruss't Prose Proportion that doth orderly dispose Her vertuous treasure and is Queene of Graces In Poesie decking her with choicest Phrases Figures and numbers when loose Prose puts on Plaine letter-habits makes her trot vpon Dull earthly businesse she being meere diuine Holds her to homely Cates and harsh hedge-wine That should drinke Poesies Nectar euerie way One made for other as the Sunne and Day Princes and vertues And as in a spring The plyant water mou'd with any thing Let fall into it puts her motion out In perfect circles that moue round about The gentle fountaine one another raising So Truth and Poesie worke so Poesie blazing All subiects falne in her exhaustlesse fount VVorks most exactly makes a true account Of all things to her high discharges giuen Till all be circular and round as heauen And lastly great Prince marke and pardon me As in a flourishing and ripe fruite Tree Nature hath made the barke to saue the Bole The Bole the sappe the sappe to decke the whole VVith leaues and branches they to beare and shield The vsefull fruite the fruite it selfe to yeeld Guard to the kernell and for that all those Since out of that againe the whole Tree growes So in our Tree of man whose neruie Roote Springs in his top from thence euen to his foote There runnes a mutuall aide through all his parts All ioyn'd in one to serue his Queene of Arts. The soule In which doth Poesie like the kernell lie Oscur'd though her Promethean facultie Can create men and make euen death to liue For which she should liue honor'd Kings should giue Comfort and helpe to her that she might still Hold vp their spirits in vertue make the will That gouernes in them to the power conform'd The power to iustice that the scandals storm'd Against the poore Dame clear'd by your faire Grace Your Grace may shine the clearer Her low place Not shewing her the highest leaues obscure VVho raise her raise themselues and he sits
the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS. THE ARGVMENT PAris betwixt the Hoasts to single fight Of all the Greekes dares the most hardie knight King Menelaus doth accept his braue Conditioning that he againe should haue Faire Helena with all she brought to Troy If he subdu'd else Paris should enioy Her and her wealth in peace Conquest doth grant Her deare wreath to the Grecian combattant But Venus to her champions life doth yeeld Safe rescue and conueyes him from the field Into his chamber and for Hellen sends Whom much her louers foule disgrace offends Yet Venus for him still makes good her charmes And ends the second combat in his armes Another Argument Gamma the single fight doth sing Twixt Paris and the Spartan king WHen euery least Commanders will best souldiers had obaide And both the hosts were rang'd for fight the Troians would haue fraid The Greeks with noises crying out in coming rudely on At all parts like the Cranes that fill with harsh confusion The 〈◊〉 compared to Cranes Of brutish clanges all the aire and in ridiculous warre Eschuing the vnsufferd stormes shot from the winters starre Visite the Ocean and conferre the Pygmei souldiers death The silent assalt of the Greekes The Greeks charg'd silent and like men bestow'd their thriftie breath In strength of far-resounding blowes still entertaining care Of eithers rescue when their strength did their engagements dare And as vpon a hils steepe tops the Southwind powres a cloud To shepheards thanklesse but by theeues that loue the night allowd A darknesse letting downe that blinds a stones cast off men eyes Such darknesse from the Greeks swift feet made all of dust did rise But ere sterne conflict mixt both strengths faire Paris stept before The Troian host athwart his backe a Panthers hide he wore A crooked bow and sword and shooke two brazen-headed darts With which well arm'd his tongue prouok't the best of Grecian hearts To stand with him in single fight Whom when the man wrong'd most Of all the Greekes so gloriously saw stalke before the host As when a Lion is reioyc't with hunger halfe forlorne That finds some sweet prey as a Hart whose grace lies in his horne Or Syluane Goate which he deuours though neuer so pursu'd With dogs and men so Spartas king exulted when he view'd The faire-fac'd Paris so exposde to his so thirsted wreake Whereof his good cause made him sure The Grecian front did breake And forth he rusht at all parts arm'd leapt from his chariot And royally prepar'd for charge Which seene cold terror shot The heart of Paris who retir'd as headlong from the king Paris flieth at sight of Menelaus As in him he had shund his death and as a hilly spring Presents a serpent to a man full vnderneath his feete Simile Her blew necke swolne with poison raisd and her sting out to greet His heedlesse entrie sodainely his walke he altereth Starts backe amaz'd is shooke with feare and lookes as pale as death So Menelaus Paris scar'd so that diuine fac't foe Shrunke in his beauties Which beheld by Hector he let go This bitter checke at him Accurst made but in beauties skorne Hector to Paris Impostor womans man O heauen that thou hadst neare bene borne Or being so manlesse neuer liu'd to beare mans noblest state The nuptiall honor which I wish because it were a fate Much better for thee then this shame this spectacle doth make A man a monster Harke how lowd the Greekes laugh who did take Thy faire forme for a continent of parts as faire a rape Thou mad'st of Nature like their Queene No soule an emptie shape Takes vp thy being yet how spight to euerie shade of good Fils it with ill for as thou art thou couldst collect a brood Of others like thee and farre hence fetch ill enough to vs Euen to thy father all these friends make those foes mocke them thus In thee for whose ridiculous sake so seriously they lay All Greece and Fate vpon their necks O wretch not dare to stay Weake Menelaus But t was well for in him thou hadst tried What strength lost beautie can infuse and with the more griefe died To feele thou robdst a worthier man to wrong a souldiers right Your Haâ—…ps sweettouch curld lockes fine shape and gifts so exquisite Giuen thee by Venus would haue done your fine Dames little good When bloud and dust had ruffled them and had as little stood Thy selfe in stead but what thy care of all these in thee flies We should inflict on thee our selues infectious cowardise In thee hath terrified our host for which thou well deseru'st A coate of Tomb-stone not of steele in which for forme thou seru'st To this thus Paris spake for forme that might inhabit heauen Paris to Hector Hector Because thy sharpe reproofe is out of iustice giuen I take it well but though thy heart inuâ—…'d to these affrights Cuts through them as an axe through Oke that more vsd more excites The workmans facultie whose art can make the edge go farre Yet I lesse practisd then thy selfe in these extremes of warre May well be pardond though lesse bold in these your worth exceeds In others mine Nor is my mind of lesse force to the deeds Requir'd in warre because my forme more flowes in gifts of peace Reproach not therefore the kind gifts of golden Cyprides All heau'ns gifts haue their worthie price as little to bâ—… scorn'd As to be wonne with strength wealth state with which to be adorâ—…'d Some man would change state wealth or strength But if your â—…artiall heart Wish me to make my challenge good and hold it such a part Of shame to giue it ouer thus cause all â—…he rest to rest And twixt both hosts let Spartas king and me performe our best For Hellâ—…n and the wealth she brought and he that ouercomes Or proues superiour any way in all your equall doomes Let him enioy her vtmost wealth keepe her or take her home The rest strike leagues of endlesse date and heartie friends become You dwelling safe in gleby Troy the Greekes retire their force T'Achaia that breeds fairest Dames and Argos fairest horse He said and his amendsfull words did Hector highly please Who rusht betwixt the fighting hoasts and made the Troians cease By holding vp in midst his lance the Grecians noted not The signall he for parle vsde but at him fiercely shot Hurld stones and still were leuelling darts At last the king of men Great Agamemnon cried alowd Argiues for shame containe Agamemn on restraines the fight against Hector Youths of Achaia shoot no more the faire-helm'd Hector showes As he desir'd to treate with vs. This said all ceast from blowes And Hector spake to both the hosts Troians and hardie Greekes Hector to the Greekes and Troians Heare now what he that stird these warres for their cessation seekes He bids vs all and you disarme that he alone may fight With
Menelaus for vs all for Hellen and her right With all the dowre she brought to Troy and he that wins the day Or is in all the art of armes superiour any way The Queene and all her sorts of wealth let him at will enioy The rest strike truce and let loue seale firme leagues twixt Greece and Troy The Greâ—…ke host wondred at this Braue silence flew euery where At last spake Spartas warlike king Now also giue me eare Menelaus â—…o both the armies Whom griefe giues most cause of replie I now haue hope to free The Greekes and Troians of all ils they haue sustaind for me And Alexander that was cause I stretcht my spleâ—…e so farre Of both then which is nearest fate let his death end the warre The rest immediatly retire and greet all homes in peace Go then to blesse your champion and giue his powers successe Fetch for the Earth and for the Sunne the Gods on whom ye call Two lambes a blacke one and a white a femall and a male And we another for our selues will fetch and kill to Ioue To signe which rites bring 〈◊〉 force because we well approue His sonnes perfidious enuious and out of practisd bane To faith when she beleeues in them Ioues high truce may prophane All yong mens hearts are still vnstaid but in those wel-weigh'd deeds An old man will consent to passe things past and what succeeds He lookes into that he may know â—…ow best to make his way Through both the fortunes of a fact and will the worst obay This granted A delightfull hope both Greekes and Troians fed Of long'd for rest from those long toyles their tedious warre had bred Their horses then in ranke they set drawne from their chariots round Descend themselues tooke off their armes and plac't them on the ground Neare one another for the space twixt both the hosts wâ—…s small Hector two heralds sent to Troy that they from thence might call Hector sendeth for Priam. King Priam and to bring the lambes to rate the truce they swore But Agamemnon to the fleet Talthibius sent before To fetch their lambe who nothing slackt the royall charge was giuen a Iris the raine-bow then came downe Ambassadresâ—…e from heauen Iris to Hâ—…llen To white-arm'd Hellen she assum'd at euery part the grace Of Hellens last loues sisters shape who had the highest place In Hellens loue and had to name Laodice most faire Of all the daughters Priam had and made the nuptiall paire With Helicaon royall sproute of old Antenors seed She found Queene Hellena at home at worke about a weed Wou'n for her selfe it shin'd like fite was rich and full of sise The worke of both sides being alike in which she did comprise The many labors warlike Troy and brasse-arm'd Greece endur'd For her faire sake by cruell Mars and his sterne friends procur'd Iris came in in ioyfull haste and said O come with me Lou'd Nymph and an admired sight oâ—… Greekes and Troians see Who first on one another brought a warre so full of teares Euen thirstie of contentious warre now euerie man forbeares And friendly by each other sits each leaning on his shield Their long and shining lances pitcht fast by them in the field Paris and Spartas king alone must take vp all the strife And he that conquers onely call faire Hellena his wife Thus spake the thousand colour'd Dame and to her mind commends The ioy to see her first espousd her natiue tow'rs and friends â—…ellens 〈◊〉 to see her first husband friends Which stir'd a sweet desire in her to serue the which she hi'd Shadowed her graces with white veiles and though she tooke a pride To set her thoughts at gaze and see in her cleare beauties flood What choice of glorie swum to her yet tender womanhood Season'd with teares her ioyes to see more ioyes the more offence And that perfection could not flow from earthly excellence Thus went she forth and tooke with her her women most of name Aethra Pitthâ—…us louely birth and Clymene whom fame Hath for her faire eyes memorisd They reacht the Scaean towrs Where Priam sat to see the fight with all his Counsellours Panthous Lampus Clâ—…tius and stout Hycetaon Thimâ—…tes wise Antenor and profound Vealegâ—…n All graue old men and souldiers they had bene but for age Now 〈◊〉 the warres yet Counsellors they were exceeding sage Old men and their weake 〈◊〉 most 〈◊〉 compared to Grashoppers and their 〈◊〉 And as in well-growne woods on trees cold spinie Grashoppers Sit chirping and send voices out that scarce can pierce our eares b For softnesse and their weake faint sounds So talking on the towre These Seniors of the people sate who when they â—…aw the powre Of beauty in the Queene ascend even those cold-spirited Peeres Those wise and almost witherd men found this heate in their yeeres Hellens beautie moves even â—…he oldest That they were forc't though whispering to say what man can blame The Greeekes and Trojans to indure for so admir'd a Dame So many miseries and so long In her sweet countenance shine Lookes like the Goddesses and yet though never so divine Before we boast uniustly still of her enforced prise And iustly suffer for her sake with all our progenies Labour and ruine let her goe the profit of our land Must passe the beauty Thus though these could beare so fit a hand On their affections yet when all their gravest powers were usde They could not chuse but welcome her and rather they accusde The gods then beauty for thus spake the most fam'd King of Troy Priam cals Hellen to informe him of the Greek Princes Come loved daughter sit by me and take the worthy ioy Of thy first husbands sight old friends and Princes neare allyed And name me some of these brave Greekes so manly beautified Come doe not thinke I lay the warres endur'd by us on thee The gods have sent them and the teares in which they swumme to me Sit then and name this goodly Greeke so tall and broadly spred Who then the rest that stand by him is higher by the head The bravest man I ever saw and most maiesticall His onely presence makes me thinke him King amongst them all The fairest of her sexe replyed Most reverend fath'r in law Hellen to Priam Most lov'd most fear'd would some ill death had seisd me when I saw The first meane why I wrong'd you thus that I had never lost The sight of these my ancient friends of him that lov'd me most Of my sole daughter brothers both with all those kindely mates Of one soyle one age borne with me though under different fates But these boones envious starres deny the memory of these In sorrow pines those beauties now that then did too much please Nor satisfie they your demand to which I thus reply That 's Agamemnon Atreus sonne the great in 〈◊〉 A King whom double royaltie doth crowne being great and good And
sort Fell these beneath Aeneas powre When Menelaus view'd Like two tall fir-trees these two fall their timelesse fals he rew'd And to the first fight where they lay a vengefull force he tooke His armes beat backe the Sunne in flames a dreadfull Lance he shooke Mars put the furie in his mind that by Aeneas hands Who was to make the slaughter good he might haue strewd the sands Antilochus voluntary care of Menelaus and their charge of Aeneas Antilochus old Nestors sonne obseruing he was bent To vrge a combat of such ods and knowing the euent Being ill on his part all their paines alone sustaind for him Er'd from their end made after hard and tooke them in the trim Of an encounter both their hands and darts aduanc't and shooke And both pitcht in full stand of charge when suddenly the looke Of Anchisiades tooke note of Nestors valiant sonne In full charge too which two to one made Venus issue shunne The hote aduenture though he were a souldier well approu'd Then drew they off their slaughterd friends who giuen to their belou'd They turnd where fight shewd deadliest hate and there mixt with the dead Pylemen that the targatiers of Paphlagonia led A man like Mars and with him fell good Mydon that did guide His chariot Atymnus sonne The Prince Pylemen died Menelaus slayes Pylemen By Menelaus Nestors ioy slue Mydon one before The other in the chariot Atrides lance did gore Pylemens shoulder in the blade Antilochus did force A mightie stone vp from the earth and as he turnd his horse Antilochus slayes Myden Strooke Mydons elbow in the midst the reines of Iuorie Fell from his hands into the dust Antilochus let flie His sword withall and rushing in a blow so deadly layd Vpon his temples that he gron'd tumbl'd to earth and stayd A mightie while preposterously because the dust was deepe Vpon his necke and shoulders there euen till his foe tooke keepe Of his prisde horse and made them stirre and then he prostrate fell His horse Antilochus tooke home When Hector had heard tell Hectors manner of assault Amongst the vprore of their deaths he laid out all his voice And ran vpon the Greeks behind came many men of choice Before him marcht great Mars himselfe matcht with his femall mate The drad Bellona she brought on to fight for mutuall Fate A tumult that was wilde and mad he shooke a horrid Lance And now led Hector and anon behind would make the chance This sight when great Tydides saw his haire stood vp on end And him whom all the skill and powre of armes did late attend Now like a man in counsell poore that trauelling goes amisse Simile And hauing past a boundlesse plaine not knowing where he is Comes on the sodaine where he sees a riuer rough and raues With his owne billowes rauished into the king of waues Murmurs with fome and frights him backe so he amazd retirde And thus would make good his amaze O friends we all admirde Great Hector as one of himselfe well-darting bold in warre When some God guards him still from death and makes him dare so farre Now Mars himselfe formd like a man is present in his rage And therefore whatsoeuer cause importunes you to wage Warre with these Troians neuer striue but gently take your rod Lest in your bosomes for a man ye euer find a God As Greece retirde the power of Troy did much more forward prease And Hector two braue men of warre sent to the fields of peace Hector slaughters Menesthes and Anchialus Aiax slayes Amphius Selagâ—… Menesthes and Anchialus one chariot bare them both Their fals made Aiax Telamon ruthfull of heart and wroth Who lightned out a lance that smote Amphius Selages That dwelt in Paedos rich in lands and did huge goods possesse But Fate to Priam and his sonnes conducted his supply The Iauelin on his girdle strooke and pierced mortally His bellies lower part he fell his armes had lookes so trim That Aiax needs would proue their spoile the Troians powrd on him Whole stormes of Lances large and sharpe of which a number stucke In his rough shield yet from the slaine he did his Iauelin plucke But could not from his shoulders force the armes he did affect The Troians with such drifts of Darts the body did protect And wisely Telamonius fear'd their valorous defence So many and so strong of hand stood in with such expence Of deadly prowesse who repeld though big strong bold he were The famous Aiax and their friend did from his rapture beare Thus this place fild with strength of fight in th' armies other prease Tlepolemus a tall big man the sonne of Hercules A cruell destinie inspir'd with strong desire to proue Encounter with Sarpedons strength the sonne of Cloudy Ioue Who coming on to that sterne end had chosen him his foe Thus Ioues great Nephew and his sonne 'gainst one another go Ioues son Sarpedon and Tlepodemus his nephew son to Hercules draw to encounter Tlepodemus to Sarpedon Tlepolemus to make his end more worth the will of Fate Began as if he had her powre and shewd the mortall state Of too much confidence in man with this superfluous Braue Sarpedon what necessitie or needlesse humor draue Thy forme to these warres which in heart I know thou doest adhorre A man not seene in deeds of armes a Lycian counsellor They lie that call thee sonne to Ioue since Ioue bred none so late The men of elder times were they that his high powre begat Such men as had Herculean force my father Hercules Was Ioues true issue he was bold his deeds did well expresse They sprung out of a Lions heart he whilome came to Troy For horse that Iupiter gaue Tros for Ganimed his boy With sixe ships onely and few men and tore the Citie downe Left all her broad wayes desolate and made the horse his owne For thee thy mind is ill disposde thy bodies powers are poore And therefore are thy troopes so weake the souldier euermore Followes the temper of his chiefe and thou pull'st downe a side But say thou art the sonne of Ioue and hast thy meanes supplide With forces fitting his descent the powers that I compell Shall throw thee hence and make thy head run ope the gaâ—…es of bâ—…ll Ioues Lycian issue answerd him Tlepolemus t is true Sarpedon to 〈◊〉 Thy father holy Ilion in that sort ouerthrew Th' iniustice of the king was cause that where thy father had Vsde good deseruings to his state he quitted him with bad Hesyone the ioy and grace of king Laomedon Thy father rescude from a whale and gaue to Telamon In honourd Nuptials Telamon from whom your strongest Greeke Boasts to haue issude and this grace might well expect the like Yet he gaue taunts for thanks and kept against his oath his horse And therefore both thy fathers strength and iustice might enforce The wreake he tooke on Troy but this and
of old to be The bane of Mars and had as well the gift of spoile as he This grace she slackt not but her horse scourg'd that in nature flew Betwixt the cope of starres and earth And how farre at a view A man into the purple Sea may from a hill descrie * How farre â—… heauenly 〈◊〉 took at one reach or stroke in galloping or running wherein Homers â—…ind is farre from being exprest in his Inter pretors al taking it for how far Deities were borne from the earth when instaÌ„tly they came downe to earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. tantum vno saltu conficiunt vel tantuÌ„ subâ—…ulum progrediuntur deorum altizoni e qui c. vno be ing vnderstood and the horses swiftnes highly exprest The sence otherwise is senslesse and contradictorie So farre a high-neighing horse of heauen at euerie iumpe would flie Arriu'd at Troy where broke in cutls the two-floods mixe their force Scamander and bright Simois Saturnia staid her horse Tooke them from chariot and a clowd of mightie depth diffusd About them and the verdant bankes of Symois produc'd In nature what they * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ilus is the originall word which Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 learnedly asking how the horse came by it on those bankes when the text tels him 〈◊〉 produced it being willing to expresse by 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of that 〈◊〉 If not I hope the Dâ—…ities 〈◊〉 euer command it eate in heauen Then both the Goddesses Marcht like a paire of timorous Doues in hasting their accesse To th' Argiue succour Being arriu'd where both the most and best Were heapt together shewing all like Lyons at a feast Of new slaine carkasses or Bores beyond encounter strong There found they Diomed and there midst all th' admiring throng Saturnia put on Stentors shape that had a brazen voice And spake as lowd as fiftie men like whom she made a noise And chid the Argiues O ye Greekes in name and outward rite But Princes onely not in act what scandall what despight Vse ye to honor all the time the great Aeacides Was conuersant in armes your foes durst not a foote addrâ—…sse Without their ports so much they feard his lance that all controld And now they out-ray to your fleete This did with shame make bold The generall spirit and powre of Greece when with particular note Of their disgrace Athenia made Tydeus issue hote She found him at his chariot refreshing of his wound Inflicted by slaine Pandarus his sweat did so abound It much annoid him vnderneath the brode belt of his shield With which and tired with his toile his soule could hardly yeeld His bodie motion With his hand he lifted vp the belt And wip't away that clotterd blood the feruent wound did melt Minerua leand against his horse and neare their withers laid Her sacred hand then spake to him Beleeue me Diomed 〈◊〉 to Diâ—…med Tydeus exampl'd not himselfe in thee his sonne not Great But yet he was a souldier a man of so much heate That in his Ambassie for Thebes when I forbad his mind To be too ventrous and when Feasts his heart might haue declind With which they welcom'd him he made a challenge to the best And foild the best I gaue him aide because the rust of rest That would haue seisd another mind he sufferd not but vsd The triall I made like a man and their soft feasts refusd Yet when I set thee on thou faint'st I guard thee charge exhort That I abetting thee thou shouldst be to the Greekes a Fort And a dismay to Ilion yet thou obey'st in nought Affraid or slouthfull or else both henceforth renounce all thought Diomed to Palâ—… That euer thou wert Tydeus sonne He answerd her I know Thou art Ioues daughter and for that in all iust dutie owe Thy speeches reuerence yet affirme ingenuously that feare Doth neither hold me spiritlesse nor sloth I onely beare Thy charge in zealous memorie that I should neuer warre With any blessed Deitie vnlesse exceeding farre The limits of her rule the Queene that gouerns Chamber sport Should preasse to field and her thy will enioynd my lance to hurt But he whose powre hath right in armes I knew in person here Besides the Cyprian Deitie and therefore did forbeare And here haue gatherd in retreit these other Greekes you see With note and reuerence of your charge My dearest mind said she 〈◊〉 againe What then was fit is chang'd T is true Mars hath iust rule in warre But iust warre otherwise he raues not fights he 's alterd farre What 〈◊〉 wâ—…rre is He vow'd to Iuno and my selfe that his aide should be vsd Against the Troians whom it guards and therein he abusd His rule in armes infring'd his word and made his warre vniust He is inconstant impious mad Resolue then firmly trust My aide of thee against his worst or any Deitie Adde scourge to thy free horse charge home he fights perfidiously This said as that braue king her knight with his horse-guiding friend Were set before the chariot for signe he should descend That she might serue for wagonnesse she pluckt the waggoner backe And vp into his seate she mounts the Beechen tree did cracke Beneath the burthen and good cause it bore so huge a thing A Goddesse so repleate with powre and such a puissant king She snatcht the scourge vp and the reines and shut her heauenly looke In hels vast helme from Mars his eyes and full careere she tooke At him who then had newly slaine the mightie Periphas Renown'd sonne to Ochesius and farre the strongest was Of all th'Aetolians to whose spoile the bloodie God was run But when this man-plague saw th'approch of God-like Tydeus sonne He let his mightie Periphas lie and in full charge he ran The combâ—… of Mars and 〈◊〉 At Diomed and he at him both neare the God began And thirstie of his blood he throwes abrazen lance that beares Full on the breast of Diomed aboue the reines and geres But Pallas tooke it on her hand and strooke the eager lance Beneath the chariot then the knight of Pallas doth aduance And cast a Iaueline off at Mars Minerua sent it on Mars 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 That where his arming girdle girt his bellie graz'd vpon Iust at the rim and rancht the flesh the lance againe he got But left the wound that stung him so he laid out such a throat As if nine or ten thousand men had bray'd out all their breaths In one confusion hauing felt as many sodaine deaths The rore made both the hosts amaz'd Vp flew the God to heauen And with him was through all the aire as blacke a tincture driuen To Diomeds eyes as when the earth halfe chok't with smoking heate Of gloomie clouds that stifle men and pitchie tempests threat Vsherd with horrid gusts of wind with such blacke vapors plum'd Mars flew t' Olympus and brode heauen and there his place resum'd
out for Priams fiftie sonnes And for as faire sort of their wiues and in the opposite view Twelue lodgings of like stone like height were likewise built arew Where with their faire and vertuous wiues twelue Princes sons in law To honourable Priam lay And here met Hecubâ—… The louing mother her great sonne and with her needs must be The fairest of her femall race the bright Laodice 〈◊〉 to Hector The Queene grip't hard her Hectors hand and said O worthiest sonne Why leau'st thou field is' t not because the cursed nation Afflict our countrimen and friends they are their mones that moue Thy mind to come and lift thy hands in his high towre to Ioue But stay a little that my selfe may fetch our sweetest wine To offer first to Iupiter then that these ioynts of thine May be refresht for wo is me how thou art toyld and spent Thou for our cities generall state thou for our friends farre sent Must now the preasse of fight endure now solitude to call Vpon the name of Iupiter thou onely for vs all But wine will something comfort thee for to a man dismaid With carefull spirits or too much with labour ouerlaid Wine brings much rescue strengthning much the bodie and the mind The great Helme-mouer thus receiu'd the authresse of his kind Hector to 〈◊〉 My royall mother bring no wine lest rather it impaire Then helpe my strength and make my mind forgetfull of th' affaire Committed to it And to poure it out in sacrifice I feare with vnwasht hands to serue the pure-liu'd Deities Nor is it lawfull thus imbrew'd with blood and dust to proue The will of heauen or offer vowes to clowd-compelling Ioue I onely come to vse your paines assembling other Dames Matrons and women honourd most with high and vertuous names With wine and odors and a robe most ample most of price And which is dearest in your loue to offer sacrifice In Pallas temple and to put the precious robe ye beare On her Palladium vowing all twelue Oxen of a yeare Whose necks were neuer wrung with yoke shall pay her Grace their liues If she will pittie our sieg'd towne pittie our selues our wiues Pittie our children and remoue from sacred Ilion The dreadfull souldier Diomed and when your selues are gone About this worke my selfe will go to call into the field If he will heare me Hellens loue whom would the earth would yeeld And headlong take into her gulfe euen quicke before mine eyeâ—… For then my heart I hope would cast her lode of miseries Borne for the plague he hath bene borne and bred to the deface By great Olympius of Troy our Sire and all our race This said gâ—…aue Hecuba went home and sent her maids abouâ—… To bid the Matrones she her selfe descended and searcht out Within a place that breath'd perfumes the richest robe she had Which lay with many rich ones more most curiously made By women of Sydonia which Paris brought from thence Sailing the brode Sea when he made that voyage of offence In which he brought home Hellena That robe transferd so farre That was the vndermost she tooke it glitterd like a starre And with it went she to the Fane with many Ladies more Amongst whom faire cheekt Theanâ—… vnlockt the folded dore Chaste Theano Antenors wife and of Cisseus race Sister to Hecuba both borne to that great king of Thrace Her th Ilions made Mineruas Priest and her they followed all Vp to the Temples highest towre where on their knees they fall Lift vp their hands and fill the Fane with Ladies pitious cries Then louely Theano tooke the veile and with it she implies Theano Mineruas Priest and Antenors wife prayes to Pallaâ—… The great Palladium praying thus Goddesse of most renowne In all the heauen of Goddesses great guardian of our towne Reuerend Minerâ—…a breake the lance of Diomed ceasse his grace Giue him to fall in shamefull flight headlong and on his face Before our ports of Ilion that instantly we may Twelue vnyok't Oxen of a yeare in this thy Temple slay To thy sole honor take their bloods and banish our offence Accept Troyes zeale her wiues and saue our infants innocence She praid but Pallas would not grant Meane space was Hector come Where Alexanders lodgings were that many a goodly roome Had built in them by Architects of Troys most curious sort And were no lodgings but a house nor no house but a Court Or had all these containd in them and all within a towre Next Hectors lodgings and the kings The lou'd of heauens chiefe powre Hector here entred In his hand a goodly lance he bore Ten cubits long the brasen head went shining in before Helpt with a burnisht ring of gold he found his brother then Amongst the women yet prepar'd to go amongst the men For in their chamber he was set trimming his armes his shield His curets and was trying how his crooked bow would yeeld To his streight armes amongst her maids was set the Argiue Queene Commanding them in choisest workes When Hectors eye had seene His brother thus accompanied and that he could not beare The verie touching of his armes but where the women were And when the time so needed men right cunningly he chid That he might do it bitterly his cowardise he hid That simply made him so retir'd beneath an anger faind In him by Hector for the hate the citizens sustaind Hector dissembles the cowardise he finds in Parâ—… tâ—…rning it as if he chid him for his anger at the Troâ—…ns for hating him being conquered by Menelaus when it is for his effeminacie which is all paraphr asticall in my translation Against him for the foile he tooke in their cause and againe For all their generall foiles in his So Hector seemes to plaine Of his wrath to them for their hate and not his cowardise As that were it that shelterd him in his effeminacies And kept him in that dangerous time from their fit aid in fight For which he chid thus Wretched man so timelesse is thy spight That t is not honest and their hate is iust gainst which it bends Warre burns about the towne for thee for thee our flaughterd friends Besiege Troy with their carkasses on whose heapes our high wals Are ouerlookt by enemies the sad sounds of their fals Without are eccho'd with the cries of wines and babes within And all for thee and yet for them thy honor cannot win Head of thine anger thou shouldst need no spirit to stirre vp thine But thine should set the rest on fire and with a rage diuine Chastise impartially the best that impiously forbeares Come forth lest thy faire towers and Troy be burnd about thine eares Paris acknowledg'd as before all iust that Hector spake Allowing iustice though it were for his iniustice sake And wh ere his brother put a wrath vpon him by his art He takes it for his honors sake as sprung out of his hart And rather would haue anger
That day he sent thee from his Court to honour Atreus sonne My sonne said he the victory let Ioue and Pallas vse At their high pleasures but do thou no honor'd meanes refuse That may aduance her in fit bounds containe thy mightie mind Nor let the knowledge of thy strength be factiously inclind Contriuing mischiefes be to fame and generall good profest The more will all sorts honour thee Benignitie is best Thus charg'd thy sire which thou forgetst yet now those thoughts appease That torture thy great spirit with wrath which if thou wilt surcease The King will merit it with gifts and if thou wilt giue eare I le tell how much he offers thee yet thou sitst angrie here Seuen Tripods that no fire must touch twise ten pans fit for flame Ten talents of fine gold twelue horse that euer ouercame And brought huge prises from the field with swiftnes of their feete That man should beare no poore account nor want golds quickning sweete That had but what he won with them seuen worthiest Lesbian Dames Renown'd for skill in houfwifrie and beare the soueraigne fames For beautie from their generall sexe which at thy ouerthrow Of wel-built Lesbos he did chuse and these he will bestow And with these her he tooke from thee whom by his state since then He sweares he toucht not as faire Dames vse to be toucht by men All these are readie for thee now and if at length we take By helpes of Gods this wealthie towne thy ships shall burthen make Of gold and brasse at thy desires when we the spoile diuide And twentie beautious Troian Dames thou shalt select beside Next Hellen the most beautifull and when return'd we be To Argos be his sonne in law for he will honour thee Like his Oresles his sole sonne maintaind in height of blisse Three daughters beautifie his Court the faire Chrysothemis Laodice and Iphianesse of all the fairest take To Peleus thy graue fathers Court and neuer ioynture make He will the iointure make himselfe so great as neuer Sire Gaue to his daughters nuptials seuen cities left entire Cardamile and Enope and Hyra full of flowers Anthaea for sweet meadowes praisd and Phera deckt with towers The bright Epea Pedassus that doth God Bacchus please All on the the Sandie Pylos soyle are seated neare the seas Th' inhabitants in droues and flocks exceeding wealthie be Who like a God with worthie gifts will gladly honour thee And tribute of espâ—…iall rate to thy high scepter pay All this he freely will performe thy anger to allay But if thy hate to him be more then his gifts may represse Yet pittie all the other Greeks in such extreme distresse Who with religion honour thee and to their desperate ill Thou shalt triumphant glorie bring and Hector thou maist kill When pride makes him encounter thee fild with a banefull sprite Who vaunts our whole-fleet brought not one equall to him in fight Swift-foot Aeacides replide Diuine Laertes sonne Achilles answers Vlysses Oration T' is requisite I should be short and shew what place hath wonne Thy serious speech affirming nought but what you shall approue Establisht in my settled heart that in the rest I moue No murmure nor exception for like hell mouth I loath Who holds not in his words and thoughts one indistinguisht troth What fits the freenesse of my mind my speech shall make displaid Not Atreus sonne nor all the Grâ—…eks shall winne me to their aid Their suite is wretchedly enforc't to free their owne despaires And my life neuer shall be hir'd with thanklesse desperate praires For neuer had I benefite that euer foild the foe Euen share hath he that keepes his tent and he to field doth go With equall honour cowards die and men most valiant The mucâ—… performer and the man that can of noâ—…hing vant No ouerplus I euer found when with my minds most strife To do them good to dangerous fight I haue exposd my life But euen as to vnfeatherd birds the carefull dam brings meate Which when she hath bestow'd her selff hath nothing left to eat So when my broken sleepes haue drawne the nights t'extremest length And ended many bloodie daies with still-employed strength To guard their weaknesse and preserue their wiues contents infract I haue bene robd before their eyes twelue cities I haue sackt Assaild by sea eleuen by land while this siege held at Troy And of all these what was most deare and most might crowne the ioy Of Agamemnon he enioyd who here behind remaind Which when he tooke a few he gaue and many things retaind Other to Optimates and Kings he gaue who hold them fast Yet mine he forceth onely I sit with my losse disgrac't But so he gaine a louely Dame to be his beds delight It is enough for what cause else do Greeks and Troians fight Why brought he hither such an hoast was it not for a Dame For faire-hair'd Hellen and doth loue alone the hearts inflame Of the Atrides to their wiues of all the men that moue Euery discreet and honest mind cares for his priuate loue As much as they as I my selfe lou'd Brysis as my life Although my captiue and had will to take her for my wife Whom since he forc't preuenting me in vaine he shall prolong Hopes to appease me that know well the deepnesse of my wrong But good Vlysses with thy selfe and all you other Kings Let him take stomacke to repell Troyes firie threatenings Much hath he done without my helpe built him a goodly fort Cut a dike by it pitcht with pales broad and of deepe import And cannot all these helpes represse this kil-man Hectors fright When I was arm'd amongst the Greekes he would not offer fight Without the shadow of his wals but to the Scaean ports Or to the holy Beech of Ioue come backt with his consorts Where once he stood my charge alone and hardly made retreat And to make new proofe of our powers the doubt is not so great To morrow then with sacrifice perform'd t'imperiall Ioue And all the Gods I le lanch my fleet and all my men remoue Which if thou wilt vse so thy sight or think'st it worth respect In forehead of the morne thine eyes shall see with sailes erect Amidst the fishie Hellespont helpt with laborious oares And if the sea-god send free saile the fruitfull Pthian shores Within three dayes we shall attaine where I haue store of prise Left when with preiudice I came to these indignities There haue I gold as well as here and store of ruddie brasse Dames slender elegantly girt and steele as bright as glasse These will I take as I retire as shares I firmly saue Though Agamemnon be so base to take the gifts he gaue Tell him all this and openly I on your honors charge That others may take shame to heare his lusts command so large And if there yet remaine a man he hopeth to deceiue Being dide in endlesse impudence that man may learne to
on heapes doth cuffe the purple waues Who then was first and last he kild when Ioue did grace his deed Asseus and Autonous Opys and Clytus seed Whom Hector sâ—…ue Prince Dolops and the honord Sire of sweet Euryalus Opheltes Agelaus next and strong Hipponous Orus Essymnus all of name The common souldiers fell As when the hollow flood of aire in Zephires cheeks doth swell Simile And sparseth all the gatherd clouds white Notus power did draw VVraps waues in waues hurls vp the froath beat with a vehement flaw So were the common souldiers wrackt in troops by Hectors hand Then ruine had enforc't such works as no Greeks could withstand Then in their fleete they had bene housd had not Laertes sonne Stird vp the spirit of Diomed with this impression Tydides what do we sustaine forgetting what we are Vlysses to Diomed Stand by me dearest in my â—…oue t were horrible impaire For our two valours to endure a customarie flight To leaue our nauie still ingag'd and but by fits to fight He answerd I am bent to stay and any thing sustaine But our delight to proue vs men will proue but short and vaine Diomeds answer to Vlysses For Ioue makes Troians instruments and virtually then Wields arms himselfe our crosse affaires are not twixt men and men This said Thimbraeus with his â—…ance he tumbled from his horse Neare his left nipple wounding him Vlysses did enforce Faire Molion minion to this king that Diomed subdude Both sent they thence till they returnd who now the king pursude And furrowed through the thickned troopes As when two chaced Bores Turne head gainst kennels of bold hounds and race way through their gorâ—… So turnd from flight the forward kings shew'd Troians backward death Nor fled the Greeks but by their wils to get great Hector breath Then tooke they horse and chariot from two bold citie foes Vlysses and Diomeds sâ—…aughters Merops Percosius mightie sonnes their father could disclose Beyond all men hid Auguries and would not giue consent To their egression to these wars yet wilfully they went For Fates that order sable death enforc't their tragedies Tydides slue them with his lance and made their armes his prise Hypporochus and Hyppodus Vlysses reft of light But Ioue that out of Ida lookt then equallisde the fight A Grecian for a Troian then paide tribute to the Fates Yet royall Diomed slue one euen in those euen debates That was of name more then the rest Paeons renowned sonne The Prince Agastrophus his lance into his hip did run His Squire detaind his horse apart that hindred him to flie Which he repented at his heart yet did his feet applie His scape with all the speed they had alongst the formost bands And there his loued life dissolu'd This Hector vnderstands And rusht with clamor on the king right soundly seconded With troupes of Troiaâ—…s which perceiu'd by famous Dioâ—…d The deepe conceit of Ioâ—…es high will stifned his royall haire Who spake to neare-fought Ithachus The fate of this affaire Diâ—…d to Vlysses Is bent to vs come let vs stand and bound his violence Thus threw he his long Iauelin forth which smote his heads defence Full on the top yet pierc't no skin brasse tooke repulse with brasse His helme with three folds made and sharpe the gift of Phoebus was The blow made Hector take the troupe sunke him vpon his hand And strooke him blind the king pursude before the formost band His darts recouerie which he found laid on the purple plaine By which time Hector was reuiu'd and taking horse againe Was farre commixt within his strength and fled his darksome graue He followd with his thirstie lance and this elusiue Braue Once more be thankfull to thy heeles proud dog for thy escape Diomâ—…d insults on Hector Mischiefe sate neare thy bosome now and now another rape Hath thy Apollo made of thee to whom thou well maist pray When through the singing of our darts thou findst such guarded way But I shall meet with thee at length and bring thy latest houre If with like fauour any God be fautor of my powre Meane while some other shall repay what I suspend in thee This said he set the wretched soule of Pâ—…ns issue free Whom his late wound not fully slue but Priâ—…ms amorous birth Paris at Diomed Against Tydides bent his bow hid with a hill of earth Part of the ruinated tombe for honor'd Ilus built And as the Curace of the slaine engrauen and richly gilt Tydides from his breast had spoild and from his shoulders raft His target and his solide helme he shot and his keene shaft That neuer flew from him in vaine did naile vnto the ground The kings right foot the spleenfull knight laught sweetly at the wound Crept from his couert and triumpht Now art thou maimd said he Paris insults on Diomed. And would to God my happie hand had so much honor'd me To haue infixt it in thy breast as deepe as in thy foote Euen to th'expulsure of thy soule then blest had bene my shoote Of all the Troians who had then breath'd from their long vnrests Who feare thee as the braying Goates abhorre the king of beasts Vndanted Diomed replide You Brauer with your bow Diomeds reply You slick-hair'd louer you that hunt and fleere at wenches so Durst thou but stand in armes with me thy silly archerie Would giue thee little cause to vaunt as little suffer I In this same tall exploit of thine perform'd when thou wert hid As if a woman or a child that knew not what it did Had toucht my foote a cowards steele hath neuer any edge But mine t' assure it sharpe still layes dead carkasses in pledge Touch it it renders liuelesse straight it strikes the fingers ends Of haplesse widowes in their cheeks and children blind of friends The subiect of it makes earth red and aire with sighes inflames And leaues lims more embrac't with birds then with enamour'd Dames Lance-fam'd Vlysses now came in and stept before the king Kneeld opposite and drew the shaft the eager paine did sting Through all his bodie straight he tooke his royall chariot there And with direction to the fleete did charge his chariotere Now was Vlysses desolate feare made no friend remaine He thus spake to his mightie mind What doth my sâ—…ate sustaine Vlysses to himselfe If I should flie this ods in feare that thus comes cluâ—…ing on T were high dishonour yet t were worse to be surprisd alone T is Ioue that driues the rest to flight but that 's a faint excuse Why do I tempt my mind so much pale cowards fight refuse He that affects renowne in warre must like a rocke be fixt Wound or be wounded valours truth puts no respect betwixt In this contention with himselfe in flew the shadie bands Of targateres who sieg'd him round with mischiefe-filled hands As when a crew of gallants watch the wild muse
Lycia with her rich progeniâ—… Or here in Troy but any where since thou hast powre to heare O giue a hurt and wofull man as I am now thine eare This arme sustaines a cruell wound whose paines shoot euery way Afflict this shoulder and this hand and nothing long can stay A fluxe of blood still issuing nor therefore can I stand With any enemie in fight nor hardly make my hand Support my lance and here lies dead the worthiest of men Sarpedon worthy sonne to Ioue whose power could yet abstaine From all aide in this deadly need giue thou then aide to me O king of all aide to men hurt asswage th'extremitie Of this armes anguish giue it strength that by my president I may excite my men to blowes and this dead corse preuent Of further violence He praid and kind Apollo heard Allayd his anguish and his wound of all the blacke bloud clear'd That vext it so infusde fresh powres into his weakened mind And all his spirits flow'd with ioy that Phoebus stood inclin'd In such quicke bountie to his prayres Then as Sarpedon wild He cast about his greedie eye and first of all instild To all his Captaines all the stings that could inflame their fight For good Sarpedon And from them he stretcht his speedie pace T' Agenor Hector Venus sonne and wise Polydamas And onely naming Hector said Hector you now forget 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Hector Your poore auxiliarie friends that in your toiles haue swet Their friendlesse soules out farre from home Sarpedon that sustain'd With Iustice and his vertues all broade Lycia hath not gain'd The like guard for his person here for yonder dead he lies Beneath the great Patroclus lance but come let your supplies Good friends stand neare him O disdaine to see his corse defil'd With Grecian furie and his armes by their oppressions spoil'd The Myrmidons are come enrag'd that such a mightie boote Of Greekes Troys darts haue made at fleete This said from head to foote Griefe strooke their powres past patience and not to be restrain'd To heare newes of Sarpedons death who though he appertain'd To other cities yet to theirs he was the very Fort And led a mightie people there of all whose better sort Himselfe was best This made them runne in flames vpon the foe The first man Hector to whose heart Sarpedons death did go Patroclus stird the Grecian spirits and first th' Aiaces thus Patroclus to the Grecians and particularly to both the 〈◊〉 Now brothers be it deare to â—…ou to fight and succour vs As euer heretofore ye did wiâ—… men first excellent The man lies slaine that first did scale and raze the battlement That crown'd our wall the Lycian Prince But if we now shall adde Force to his corse and spoile his armes a prise may more be had Of many great ones that for him will put on to the death To this worke these were prompt enough and each side ordereth Those Phalanxes that most had rate of resolutions The Troiaâ—…s and the Lycian powres the Greeks and Myrmidoâ—…s These ranne together for the corse and closde with horrid cries Their armours thundering with the claps laid on about the prise And Ioue about th' impetuous broile pernicious night powr'd out As long as for his loued sonne pernicious Labour fought The first of Troy the first Greekes foil'd when not the last indeed Amongst the Myrmidons was slaine the great Aiacleus seed Diuine Epigeus that before had exercisde command In faire Budaeus but because he laid a bloudie hand On his owne sisters valiant sonne To Peleus and his Queene He came for pardon and obtain'd His slaughter being the meane He came to Troy and so to this He ventur'd euen to touch The princely carkasse when a stone did more to him by much Sent out of able Hectors hand it cut his skull in twaine And strooke him dead Patroclus grieu'd to see his friend so slaine Before the foremost thrust himselfe and as a Faulcon frayes Siâ—…ile A flocke of Stares or Caddesses such feare brought his assayes Amongst the Troians and their friends and angry at the hart As well as grieu'd for him so slaine another stonie dart As good as Hectors he let flie that dusted in the necke Of Sthenelaus thrust his head to earth first and did breake The nerues in sunder with his fall off fell the Troiaâ—…s too Euen Hectors selfe and all as farre as any man can throw Prouokt for games or in the warres to shed an enemies soule A light long dart The first that turn'd was he that did controule The Targatiers of Lycia Prince 〈◊〉 who to hell Sent Bathycleus Chalcoâ—…s sonne he did in Hellas dwell And shin'd for wealth and happinesse amongst the Myrmidons His bosomes midst the Iauelin strooke his fall gat earth with grones The Greeks grieu'd and the Troâ—…ns ioy'd for so renowm'd a man About whom stood the Grecians firme and then the death began On Troyes side by Meriones he slue one great in warre 〈◊〉 Onâ—…tors sonne the Priest of Iupiter Created in th'Idean hill Betwixt his iaw and eare The dart stucke fast and loosde his soule sad mists of Hate and Feare Inuading him Anchises sonne dispatcht a brazen lance At bold Meriones and hop't to make an equall chance On him with bold 〈◊〉 though vnder his broade shield He lay so close But he discern'd and made his bodie yeeld So low that ouer him it flew and trembling tooke the ground With which Mars made it quench his thirst and since the head could wound No better bodie and yet throwne from nere the worse a hand It turnd from earth and lookt awrie Aeneas let it stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Much angrie at the vaine euent and told Meriones He scap't but hardly nor had cause to hope for such successe Another time though well he knew his dancing facultie By whose agilitie he scap't for had his dart gone by With any least touch instantly he had bene euer slaine He answerd Though thy strength be good it cannot render vaine 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 The strength of others with thy iests nor art thou so diuine But when my lance shall touch at thee with equall spâ—…d to thine Death will share with it thy lifes powres thy confidence can shun No more then mine what his right claimes Menâ—…tius noble sonne Rebuk't Meriones and said What needst thou vse this speech Nor thy strength is approu'd with words good friend nor can we reach The bodie nor make th' enemie yeeld with these our counterbraues We must enforce the binding earth to hold them in her graues If you will warre Fight will you speake giue counsell counsell blowes Are th' ends of warres and words talke here the time in vaine bestowes He said and led and nothing lesse for any thing he said His speech being season'd with such right the Worthy seconded And then as in a sounding vale neare neighbour to a hill Simile Wood-fellers make a farre-heard noise with