cause them to march and the Calcedonians and Gréekes so sped them on an after dinner that they came and found their enemies and approched them so nigh that there was nothing to do but to smite and lay on Hercules had made two battailes one and the first with his people and the other with the Calcedonians When they came to the poynt to méete Hercules went to the Calcedonians and in the presence of the king sayde to them Lo héere yee may sée your enemies that sette little by you for they be come into your Lordshippe to assayle you I pray you that the great outrage of them abate not nor minish your courage Ye ought herein to haue the fiercenesse of a Lion the puissance of an Elephant and bée gréedie as a Griffon for to deliuer you without ende from the enmitie of king Achelous in kéeping your countrey your dominion your honour your treasures your wiues your children and that more is your liues Be ye then studious to doe well be ye inflamed with desire of vengeance be ye couetous to get worship and glorie If ye shew not your selues valiant at this time ye may not haue any thing but beggerie or seruitude to death for your enemies will doe vnto you all the euill of the world if they haue victory ouer you These wordes wrought in the hearts of the Calcedonians and gaue to them courage marueilously And all they with one right good will desired the battell When Hercules had finished his exhortation hee went to the battell for it was come to the point to fight Then were there great cries on the one side and on the other tabors trumpets clarions harnesse and weapons began to sound knights began to stirre at the entrie of the battell Hercules and the Greeks shot and drewe largely vpon their enemies and made Achelous all abashed forasmuch as hee hoped not to haue founde so great resistance with the Calcedonians Then they cast their eyes vpon the banner of Hercules and seeing the great Lion that was painted therein they began to imagine that there might be Hercules of whom was spoken thorowout all the world for his vertues and his strength When they were thus imagining the shot failed with great slaughter of them of the partie of Achelous When the shot was so failed Hercules tooke his sword went vp and downe among them of Achaie that were in thâ— first front of the battell of Achelous and there made an hole so great that the Calcedonians the Iconians wan vpon them at the first ioyning and made the other partie to recule and goe backe whereof Achelous had great sorrow and hee tooke to him twentie knights which were chosen and came ranged with them there where Hercules scattered and brake the battell of the Achaians There hee approoued his courage lustily This strong giant and his horsemen so valiantly fought that the Gréekes entring taried and abode and also Hercules for they died their swoordes and the earth with their bloud and beat downe many Iconians And there was the strife so great that men might sée nothing els but heades and armes flie into the fielde Hercules smote no stroke but it cost to Achelous the death of a man Achelous in like maner stroke for stroke smote down one of his enemies The residue of their folke did the best they could now before now behinde and yet might neuer the Achayans confound and put backe their aduersaries howbeit they were alway foure against one and the Iconians were in great number and they had alway fresh people and new In this maner the two puissaunces fought together more then foure houres Loue wrought sore there in Hercules and in Achelous both two made their swordes to flourish couered with bloud They met oft times and smote ech other but neuer durst Achelous abide before the sworde of Hercules for the horible strokes that hee sawe Hercules giue but he put him in the prease assoone as hée had smitten him or had angred him In this battaile Hercules did wonders and maruailes Oeneus tooke a great pleasure to beholde him and the Achayans had therein displeasure for they that saw him were no more assured to escape the death then he that faâ—leth the sword in his necke in the hand of a tyrant There receiued no manne a stroke of him but he abode in the place he made so great a slaughter that no man can well write it In the end king Oeneus with all his Calcedonians came to the battaile in his comming the Achayans receiued losse vpon losse and perill vpon perill The king Oeneus made many of his enemies to die Hercules shewed his puissance more and more by his well doing he put the Achayans all out of aray and after vnto flight and the losse of the field turned greatly vnto the damage of king Achelous for Hercules chased him shamefully into his shippes and made him to loose twelue thousand Achayans c. CHAP. XVI ¶ How Hercules put to the worst king Achelous and how he espoused Deianira AFter this victorie when Hercules sawe that the king Achelous saued himselfe by the sea he called the king Oeneus sayd to him that he would pursue his enemie that he would deliuer the world of him and after tooke an hundred of his chosen men and tooke leaue of the king Oeneus and went to the sea following after Achelous recommending him to Gorge to Deianira In this night Oeneus after the departing of Hercules returned into Calcedonie and tolde his wife and his daughters the high prowesse that Hercules had done in the battaile and how he had chased his enemies and how he was gone after with two hundred men The ladies Gorge and Deianara were right ioyous of the victorie but it grieued them sore that Hercules with so litle a company pursued Achelous and aboue all other Deianira was greatly vexed and grieued at the enterprise of Hercules so sore that she went into her chamber and was constrained to wéepe and not to haue ioy in heart vntill the returne of Hercules For to returne vnto the purpose touching Hercules when he was put to the pursuit of Achelous as is sayd he entred into his realme and followed him so nigh that hee was constrained to withdrawe himselfe in a right strong castle standing by the sea Hercules besieged Achelous in this castle When Achelous sawe that Hercules pursued him with so little a companie as with two hundred men onely hee called his friendes and his leaders of menne and among other things tolde them that it was a shame for them to suffer themselues to be besieged with so little a number of people They answered that he had sayd trueth and concluded that the same houre they woulde issue out and raise breake the siege and foorthwith they sounded to armes with short counsell It was not long after that they issued out of the castle but Hercules espied them and knewe that they came to the battell
heard the pittious wordes of his mother vnderstanding the newe tidings that shee saide and shewed him he beganne to frowne and sayde in this manner O pittie without pittie ought not my heart bee terrible angrie and restrained with pressours of sorrow whan it is force of that to mine hart this present heart issued of his blood and rootes be giuen in meate pasture for to staunche the disconuenable hunger of mine vnhonest desire These wordes accomplished Saturne was greatly displeased and full of renewing of sorrow dranke the drinke wéening that it had béene as his mother had done him to vnderstand and after went into his chamber and there beganne to bee greatly in melancholie and after that forth on he purposed and trowed to abstaine himselfe to pay his wife the dew debt of marriage But as there is no sorrow that ouerpasseth not by space of time he forgat this sorrow lying with his wife engendred another son which she saued like as Iupiter was saued notwithstanding that Saturn charged her to put him to death and this child was caried to Athenes where he was kept and nourished and named Nepune Yet after this he lay with his wife and engendred another son and a daughter which at time conuenable were borne and departed from their mother but at this time she tolde not of her son but hid it from Saturne which sonne was named Pluto and she did it to keepe in the parties of Thessaly that afterward was named hel And for to content her husband Saturne when shee was deliuered of these two children she sent to him her daughter which was called Galanta and she died in her tender yeares And thus of all these generations Saturne supposed that none had béene reserued but Iuno his daughter whome he went oftentimes to visite in Parthenie where he did it to be nourished with many noble virgins of her age and also many ancient gntlewomen to induce and teach them gentlenesse and vertue But of all them I will a while tarrie nowe and also of Iupiter Neptune and Pluto And now I will shew how Dardanus put his brother Iasius to death for couetousnesse to raigne in the Citie of Corinth and how he departed out of Corinth and how he set the first stone in the Citie of Dardane which afterward was named Troy CHAP. V. ¶ Howe after the death of King Corinthus of Corinth his two sonnes Dardanus and Iasius stroue who of them should haue the kingdome and how Dardanus slue his brother Iasius by treason wherefore hee must depart out of the countrey IN this time when Crete began to bee a Realme and a kingdome and was in possession of their first king the same time in the Citie of Corinth which stand in Naples reigned Corinthus their first king and Corinthus had to his wife one of the daughters of king Atlas of Libie named Electra They reigned togither and atchieued prosperously their life they left after them two sonnes whereof the one was named Dardanus and that other Iasius Some say that this Dardanus was sonne to Iupiter but Boccace trowed he was lawfull sonne of Corinthus as it appeareth in the sixt booke of the genealogie of gods Dardanus then and Iasius after the death of their father Corinthus and of their mother Electra woulde succéed in the realmes and in no wise they could accord Dardanus had a high and hautie courage and Iasius in likewise They argued and stroue togither the one against the other oftentimes of this matter and conspired and made secret menasses vnder couert in such wise that Dardanus on a day assembled all the people that he could get for to destroy his brother Iasius and his friends were then assembled in a secret place for to treate the peace and to sée how they might content and please Dardanus Whan Iasius sawe his brother come all in armes all his bloud beganne to change and séeing that his Brother was mooued and full of euill will déeming that this matter should turne to great mischiefe he cried and said Alas what auaileth for to speake and counsaile and séeke meanes of peace betwéene my brother and me we be betrayed lo héere is my brother that commeth vpon vs all in armes each man saue himselfe that may With these wordes Dardanus came in to the consistorie smote his brother vnto death and said Iasius thou maist not abstaine thy selfe from thy imaginations Thou hast enhaunsed thy selfe against me but now I shall make an end of thée Iasius fell downe dead among the feete of his friendes and their cloths were all besprent and be-bled with his bloud When the friendes of Iasius sawe this tyranny they saued themselues as well as they could to their power and fled from thence all enraged Then Dardanus returned to the royall Pallace and the friendes of Iasius gathered them and went to armes and made a noyse and murmur so great that in little space all the Citie was strangely troubled for the death of Iasius which was greatly in the grace and fauour of all the people of Corinth For when they had rehearsed the death of Iasius they tooke great sorrow and menaced Dardanus to death And forthwith in effect they assembled by great routs in the stréetes and said one to the other Alas now is dead the loue of Corinthus that had more amitie and loue to the common weale then Dardanus Let vs go and auenge his death Go wee and punish the malefactour let vs no longer tarrie we shall do a meritorie worke Who that euer doth iniustice and tyranny is not worthie to be chiefe and head of clemencie nor of iustice If we suffer a murderer to raigne ouer vs neuer shall there good come thereof Where the head is sicke and euill the members may not bee whole nor good Dardanus hath slaine his Brother Iasius wrongfully It is verie likelie that hee shall slea vs after his will Let vs take from him his puissance and let vs shew that we be men destroyers of vice and enemies vnto all them that séeke and engender tyranny in their courages Such were the clamours of the Corinthians by such noyse and semblable clamours they chafed themselues and in the end assembled in one place and were of ardent appetite to correct the malefactour Dardanus and his complices In this tempest and swelling furour they went to the Pallace where Dardanus had put himselfe for refuge but they founde the gates shutte and could not enter into it wherefore they besieged the place making a great noyse and so great stirre that Dardanus was abashed and anon hee assembled his friendes and asked them their counsell They answered and said that he and they were in great aduenture and perill and that the people so mooued might not lightly be appeased and for this they said to him saue thy selfe and vs also with thée Thou hast slaine thy brother Iasius whom the people loued maruailously for his benignitie the trespasse is great séeing it
infamye is it to you that the people and folke of euery other citie haue reigning ouer them kings noble men and vertuous and they be crowned by election for their vertuous déedes ye be different from them and all of another nature A Tyrant is your king a murtherer an vniust man a sinner worthy of infamous death and vnworthy for to be left aliue vppon the earth Consider yea consider vnder whose hand ye be and how nighe ye finde your selfe in maladye and perill of death When the head aketh all the other members suffer payne then ye may not be whole and sound What shall we now doo thinke ye and councell ye vs we come to you for refuge and to demaunde you how we ought to do and behaue vs against one that is so foule a king as is Lycaon Tell vs the very truth If ye confesse the truthe and that ye be louers of reason iustice and of equitie ye shall iudge and condemne him ye shall lay your handes and puissances in correction of him and so ye shal be râ—â— of his malice Anon as the Pelagiens vnderstoode of Iupiter that Lycaon their king had committed this vilanous crime also that he had presented to the Epiriens the body of their fréend so dead they being at table they condemned his sinne and murmured against him saying that they would no more be gouerned and norished vnder the rodde of so peruerse and infamous a tirant and said to the Epiriens that they would abide by them and stand theyr fréendes With these wordes Iupiter put himselfe among the Epiriens and by his hardinesse admonished them to conspire against their king With which conspiracion accorded all they of the Citie And the wordes of Iupiter were so agréeable to them and his maners that they put in his hande the death and destruction of their king Licaon And to the ende that he should trust and haue affiance in them they sent for their armes and habillementes of warre and armed them After they assembled aboute Iupiter and said to him that he should be their captaine and their conducter to achieue this sayde worke Iupiter being ioyous of so great an honour and woorship excused himselfe But his excusations had no place the Epiriens and the Pelagiens ordeyned and constituted him head ouer them And he being constituted in his dignitie set his people in order and after did them to marche toward the pallace They had not long gone on the way when they sawe King Lacaon issue out of his pallace with great company of his fréendes all armed as they that had bin aduertised of the sayd conspiratioÌ„ made against Lycaon and féeling that his enemies came for to assaile him for to shewe himselfe a man of fierce courage came against them wéening presumtuouslie for to haue ouercome them And anon as they began to approche they challenged ech other to the death without other councel And strongly moued they assembled to a battayle that was right meruailous sharpe Lycaon did set and lead his people in order against Iupiter They medled them hastely togither with little strife of wordes and with great strife of armour and strokes The strife cost much but in especiall to Lycaon for his people were lesse in puissance and myght then the men of Iupiter which were stronge and of greate enterprise so they fought and smote vpon the Pelagiens and caste them downe nowe héere nowe there so fiercelye and so vnmeasurablye that none might abyde that was there before them Amonge all other Iupiter did woonders and meruailes by his well doing he put Lychaon in a passing great distresse and noyance And in this great anoye he pursued passing fast for to haue come runne vpon him But when the false tyrant sawe him come and he sawe that Iupiter set his strokes so mightely that all them that he raught were smitten down to the earth and coÌ„founded then all his heart began to fayle him and went on the other side and he had not long abidden there when that Iupiter had vanquished and ouerthrowen the Pelagiens and made them to flée from the place before him like as it had bin the thunder of tempest In this maner when Lichaon sawe his complices and fellowship in such extremitie he fled himself not as a king but as a poore man out of comfort and hope so desolate as he durst take none of his complices with him to helpe him away nor to comfort him He doubted Iupiter as the death he so flying away as is said durst not enter his pallace but issued out of the citie and went vnto a great Forrest that was nighe by and from thence foorth he was a brygand and a théefe and for this cause the poets fayne that he was turned into a wolfe that is to saye he liued as a wolfe of praies and roberies Albeit to confirme this mutacion Leoncius rehearseth that Lichaon so flying as saide is fearing to be sued after of Iupiter to be put to death put himself in a riuer or a great lake and there saued himselfe where féeling that the water of that riuer had a singular propertie that is to wit that the men that putte themselues in that water should be turned into wolues for the terme of nine yeares and the nine yeares expired if they would put themselues in the water after that againe they should recouer againe their first likenesse And so it might well be doone for Lichaon put himselfe into the water and was transformed to a wolfe by space aboue saide and liued of theft and pillage in the woods and forrests wayting oft times how the Pelagiens gouerned themselues and in the end when he had accomplished his penaunce he returned into the riuer and tooke againe his mans forme and knowing that the citie of Pelage might neuer be recouered he returned poore and wretched vnto his father Titan of whom I will say a little and shall tell how Iupiter began to be amorous on Calisto daughter of the sayd Lycaon c. CHAP. VII ¶ How Iupiter after the discomsiture of King Lycaon transformed himselfe into shape of a religious woman waiting on the goddesse Diana for the loue of Calisto daughter of the said Lycaon and did with her his will AFter the discomfiture of King Lycaon which was transformed into shape of a wolfe and began to be a rauishour of the substance of men of the countrey eater of their children and murderer of wilde beastes that he oft times assayled by rage of hunger which constrained him to cherish and kéepe his miserable life when the Epiriens saw that Iupiter had vanquished their enimies and that he abode mayster in the place they brought him with great ioye and glorye to the Pallace and sought long Lycaon first in the place where the battayle had bin and after that in the chambers of the Pallace but they founde him not quicke nor dead nor coulde heare no tidings of him And it happened that as Iupiter sought him thus
and of the Epiriens all the worlde prayseth him and holdeth him one of the valiauntest men of the world he is my sonne I shall send to him and let him haue knowledge of the miserie that I am in by the Damosell that bare him vnto the Mountaine of Oson and shall require him of succour and I hope that he is a man of so hie courage and so fortunate that he shall succour her that hath done him that merite that is worthie to haue his succour and that saued him in his tender dayes and my heart telleth me that hee shall receyue by this tyding a right great ioy in knowledging the place of his natiuitte For more greater ioy hée may not haue come to him then to knowe that hee is the first sonne of the auncient house of Crete And this shal turne to him a soueraigne gladnesse when he shall see thal he is required to come and make the recouerance of his father and mother and of his countrey CHAP. X ¶ Howe Iupiter with the ayde of King Meliseus of Epire deliuered Saturne his father and Cibell his mother out of the prison of Titan and howe hee slue Titan in battaile WHen Saturne and Vesca had heard Cibel so speake Vesca sayd that her aduise was right good and Saturn was al astonied for he thought that Iupiter that he had séene at diuerse times with King Meiâ—seus should in no wise be his son so hardly hee could beléeue it and giue faith vnto the words of Cibell and said if Iupiter would succour him he were the man to do it and that he was content that Cibel shuld send to fetch him as she had sayde Then Cibell sent for the Damosell that knewe all the guiding of Iupiter and gaue her the charge to go vnto him and to dispatch this businesse This Damosell ioyous of this Ambassade departed secretlie and taryed not till shee came vnto the house of Meliseus and finding there Iupiter with the King after the reuerence made she addressed her spéech to Iupiter and saide to him Iupiter reioyce and bee glad I bring to thée tydings of gladnesse For among other sorrowes fortune that hath holde â—â—ee long time ignoraunt and not knowing the place of thy right noble natiuitie hath now certainly layde open the discouerture and knowledge of the same ignorance and will that thou knowe that thou art the first sonne and heyre of the King Saturne and of Dame Cibell The King Saturne thy father as euery man knoweth long since made an oath vnto his brother Titan that hee wouldâ— slea all his children males that should come of his séede for which cause the day of thy natiuitie he commaunded that thou shouldest be put to death but thy mother had pitie of thée and for to saue thy life she sent thée secretly vnto this house giuing thy father Saturne to vnderstand that she had done execution on thée And so for to eschue the furors of thy father thou hast béene here nourished all thy dayes and knowest not thy selfe what thou wert and nowe thou art certaine What ioy is this to thée certainly great And thou oughtest to go ioyously vnto thy father and mother presenting thy selfe vnto their grace if it were not that after these tydings of ioy I must néedes shewe vnto thée Iupiter other tydings and that is this Thy mother that hath saued thée thy vncle Titan holdeth her in pryson with Saturne for that that she hath nourished thée and hée hath ouercome and vanquished thy father in battaile latelie and taken from him his Realme and yet more hee will put them to death Wherefore they pray and require thée that thou haue pittie of them and that thou wilt employ thée to go and deliuer them out of the daunger that they be in at this day The King Meliseus and Iupiter hearing these tydings of the Damosell maruayled them right greatly and Iupiter was right ioyous when he had vnderstoode that he was sonne of King Saturne and on that other side he was sore vexed of the troubling of Crete and thanked the Damosell And after that he turned him vnto the king and said to him Sira yee may nowe knowe and vnderstande what I am and of what house as this Damosell witnesseth My father and my mother be in the hands of their enimies I pray you in their fauour that ye will helpe me to succor them and that we go hastily oppressing him that hath oppressed them I haue a singular hope and trust in fortune that she will helpe vs. Faire sonne aunswered Meliseus knowe that I haue more ioy in the recoueraunce of thy lynage then I can shew or make semblant of and in signe of this I promise to helpe thée asmuch as in me is possible And then Iupiter assured the Damosel and swore vnto her that he would put him in armes against Titan and had her returne vnto Saturne and Cibel and to comfort them in hope of right short succour The damosel departed from thence with the words of Iupiter and returned in to Crete and told vnto Saturne and Cibell all that she had doone Anon after the Damosell was departed Iupiter sent for Archas his sonne hastily with the Arcadiens and also sent for the Epiriens and the Parthenyens with them of the Citie of Analcre All these people loued Iupiter with great loue and came at his commaundement in great number of men of warre Iupiter welcomed them as wel as he could and told them the cause why he had sent for them and tolde them that he was Sonne vnto king Saturne After these things he did cause to be made ready all things that were necessarie vnto his Host and so they departed from the Citie of Oson with a right fayre companye of men of armes vnto the number of six thousand fighting men and so well sped that in short time he brought them within a mile nigh the Citie of Crete And there Iupiter would tary vpon the toppe of a Mountayne and called to him his sâ—â—â—e Archas that then had but thirtéene yeare of age but he was right wise and well bespoken and gaue him in charge that he should go into Crete to giue summons vnto the king Titan that he shuld go out of the Citie and deliuer to him his father Saturne with his mother Cibell The young Archas that was hardye and hadde his heart highe enhaunsed with the word of his father went vnto Crete to the King Titan to whome he gat him to be presented and sayd vnto him these wordes that folow Titan I come vnto thée in the obeysance of my father Iupiter first sonne of King Saturne that thou holdest in captiuitie He hath béene aduertised of oppression that thou hast doone in the personne of his Father and of his mother and the death of their sonnes he signifieth to thée by me that he is sonne of Saturne and that he is as much thine enemy as thou to hiâ— souiâ—â—â—art enemie Vpon which I thée â—â—â—non as
speake with me It is a small matter for his seruant to speake a word with me The king my father shall neuer know it it is no neede that he know all that shall fall but first shew to him how it is charged you vppon death that no man speake with me And make him promise and sweare that he shall kéepe this matter secret The Damosels and the olde woman ioyous of the answere of the maide went downe from the tower to the gate and finding Iupiter busie to open abroad and vnbinde his iewels the old woman said vnto him Faire sonne the king Iupiter hath found more grace héere in this place anenst the maide Danaes then all the men in the world Neuerthelesse ye must know that vpon paine of death it is to you forbidddn and to other by vs And wee be also charged vppon the same paine by the King Arcrisius that wée shall let no man liuing speake with her The commandement of the king is so great and your request is not little Certes we dare not bring you vnto her al thing considered For if it were knowen without faile we should be all put into the fire And peraduenture if ye were found héere within by the king that cometh often times hither he would put you to death Wherfore we pray you excuse vs against your maister At hearing of this answere Iupiter founde not that hee sought and then hee helde him more néere in dispaire then he did in hope but he remembred that a begger shuld not go away for once warning said vnto the old woman to the beginning of her answere Dame ye do wel if ye feare and dread the king which is to me no meruaile Yet his commaundement is not so strait but that ye may enlarge it if ye will he hath commanded that none shal speake with her The king Iupiter requireth that his seruant may saye to her certaine things in secrete touching her honour ye shall do that pleaseth you but in truth if ye accorde him his request the accord shall not be preiudiciall to you in anye thing For the king Iupiter is no pratler and knoweth so much of the worlde that vnto you he hadde not sent me if he hadde not founde me secrete And thus if ye will doo to him anye pleasure ye haue none excusacion reasonable None knoweth heereof but you and I. If I speake vnto the mayde by your consent who shall accuse vs it shall not be ye for that the matter toucheth you And it shall not be I nor the King Iupiter for certainly we had leuer die in sorrowfull death and also abide in greeuous payne c. Faire sonne answered the old woman ye speake so swéetely that we may not nor can giue vnto you the refuse of your request We dare well affye and trust in you Alas dame answered Iupiter doubt you When I shall fault against you or any other I wish to be smitten with the thunder and tempest I would verily that ye had the prerogatiue to know my inward thoughtes to the end that in iudging of my mind yee might be assured of mee not to haue by my cause any inconuenience With these words Iupiter drew to his will the olde woman and all the Damosels as well by his subtil language as by his riches For to vse short processe the olde woman accorded to Iupiter that he shall haue the grace to speake with the mayde and brought him before her with all his presents Iupiter had then more ioy then I can write And when he was thus aboue in the towre of Dardane in beholding the ample beauty of Danae his ioy doubled and he knew her well by her beautie and made vnto her reuerence saying Right noble accomplished damosell the king Iupiter saluteth you by me and sendeth vnto the women of this house of such goddes as fortune hath giuen to him if it be your pleasure they shall receiue them and after I will saye vnto you certayn things secrete which the king Iupiter your seruaunt hath charged me to faye vnto you My fréende answered Danae sauing your honour the King Iupiter is not my seruaunt but I my selfe am beholden to him and am his seruant and thanke him of his bounty it séemeth as he had reygned golde in this place It is acceptable to me that the women of this tower haue your presents And it pleaseth me well also to heare your charge to the ende that King Iupiter should not say that I were vnkinde c. The matrons and the Damosels were present at this answer Iupiter deliuered vnto them his Iewels which they receyued with great galdnes After that Danae tooke the messenger by the hand and led him a parte vnto the beddes side where she made him to leane by her And then when Iupiter founde himselfe all alone with Danae he sayde vnto her right noble Damosell I no more call you Damosell but Lady For ye are my lady and my only mystres which haue maystred mine heart and also haue ouercome me vnder the sownd and bruit of your glorious reports name For to aduertise you verily I am Iupiter of whome now I haue spoken to you at the presentation of the iewels and it is truth that it is not long fithen when I was in my Realme for to heare reported the maner how your Father helde you shutte in this Tower with litle good that maye accorde vnto your honoure as well for to gette your thanke and grace as for pittie wherewith I was mooued I haue deliberated in my heart to employe my selfe vnto your deliueraunce and also for to gette your grace And for to execute this deliberation I haue taken parte of my tresours and haue come hither to present them vnto your Damosels and so departed and of newe am comen again in hope to haue your loue whereof I am wel content and thanke mercy and fortune Alas madame if I be so hardy as for to haue put my self in the aduēture of my life for to shew the great loue that I haue to you Excuse me if I haue enterprised a thing so hie that I ne me holde worthie to attaine but in the affiance of fortune and insomuch as shée will fauour in this partie Madame then in consideration of my wordes ye may sée my life or my death and yee onely may lightly make the iudgement If your humilitie condiscend in the knowledge of pitie that I haue had of you exposing my selfe into the daunger where I might bee sure I am nowe nigh the ieopardie which ye may saue and if not I yéelde me your prisoner Certes the shining resplendissour of your renowmed beautie whereof the méede passeth the renowme and the triumph of your incomparable excellency hath enraged mine heart and brought me hither into the prison of your will Alas Madame behold and sée with your eyes full of swéetnesse and of clemencie mee which sée not at this tyme but languish for fault of rest in continuall
aduance himselfe by defaming another This knowing I will say the truth and if there bee any man that may worthily prooue this against me and ouercome me no blessing to my heart I will stand to the iudgement of all noble men that haue knowne my behauiour Alas ladie from whence is come this abusion for to charge me that I should haue willed to enforce you when or in what place was it doone or where be the witnesses of the crie that ye made at the affray where be the prooues that shall say that euer in my life I was with you alone It giueth me maruaile from what heart departed this dishonour that ye note in me and for what cause it is imagined against me for I will well that all the world know that I haue serued you truely and loyally and that I neuer thought dishonour vnto you nor vnto the king to whom I pray that he will take and make information vpon my liuing and to vnderstand in like wise yours And if it can be prooued and appeare that I haue trespassed that I may be punished but I pray also if I be founde innocent that I may haue spéedy absolution Syr said the Ladie that strongly was obstinate in her errour I make me partie against him If then I accuse him it is truth it ought not to demand witnesses of his follie In this case I am worth two witnesses for all the world knoweth that when an ill man will dishonour a woman he calleth no witnesses nor no prooues thereto but doth his damnable will the most secretly that in him is possible And so wéened Bellerophon to haue doone with mée wherefore I require sentence and iudgement of him With these wordes Pricus assembled his Councell and it was iudged that the ladie shoulde bee beléeued and that Bellerophon should bee culpable of death Then spake Pricus to Bellerophon and said Faire sonne thou knowest and hast found that I haue loued and nourished thée louingly thou vnderstandest the accusation of thy Ladie the case is so foule that it may not be purged by denying For if it were so the euill boyes and had fellowes would all day dishonour as many of our women as they could find In this case the Ladyes haue a prerogatiue for to be beléeued and néede not to bring forth witnesses And forasmuch as thy mistres hath vanquished thée and required iudgement of thy trespasse thou art condemned to die But forasmuch as before this time I haue had great loue vnto thée and that I knowe thée a valiant man of thy bodie I will mittigate and attemper this sentence in this wise that thou shalt go fight agaynst the Chymere of Sicill and if thou mayst ouercome and maister her I giue thée thy life and giue thée plaine absolution of all vpon condition that neuer after thou renue nor rehearse this trespasse Sir answered Bellerophon sith that fortune consents that I be attainted of any infelicitie and that the priuiledge of the Ladies take place and go aboue reason I had much leuer to be vanquished by wrong cause and euil then by iust and good cause and thanke you of the moderation of your iudgement and make vow here in your presence that in all haste I will go into Sicil to proue me against the Chimere and will sée if fortune will helpe me to get againe the life which she hath made me lose by your iudgement Then the noble knight departed and tooke leaue of the king of the ladies and damosels tooke also his armours and goods and made couenant and bargained with certaine marriners to bring him to Sicill When they were agréed he went to the sea with little companie and was euill at ease at his heart when hee sawe that Fortune was to him so contrarie yet hee comforted him selfe in his good quarrell and sayling on a daye on the Sea of Hellesponte his Marryners looked into the West and sawe come a right great floate of Shippes of warre which discomforted them so sorrowfully that it was wonder and they awooke Bellerophon that at that time slept and saide that they were but dead and cast away Bellerophon comforted his marriners the best wise hee could and told them that discomfort could not helpe them and as he was thus speaking a gallie of aduantage went out afore his fellowes and flying on the sea like vnto a bird adressed her vnto the ship wherein was Bellerophon and aborded it And who that will demaund what the name was of the gallie and what men were therin I wil say to them that this was Pegase and that Perseus was within it As soone as he might speake to the marriners that caried Bellerophon to Sicyll hee asked and demanded them what they were and into what region they would go When Bellerophon heard Perseus speake hee behelde his behauiour and countenance and iudged in himselfe that he was of a good house and said to him Certes sir I haue much great ioy for that I sée the ship and marriners be so well adressed and in so good readinesse as yours be for ye séeme well a knight of a noble house and therefore I tell you my case afterthat ye haue made your asking First then where ye enquired what we bee knowe ye that in Argos wee haue taken our birth And as to the second I answere you that we haue a purpose to go straight into Sicill to the which I am constrained by the rigour of a mortall iudgement cast vppon mee at the instance of a Ladye called Aurea that vniustly and vntruely hath complained vppon mee saying that I would haue enforced her This Ladye that I speake of is wife to king Prycus which newly and of late hath banished and exiled his Brother Acrisius out of his Realme and this King for to please and satisfie the accusations of his wife hath condemned mée to be put to death yet for the good and the acceptable seruice that I haue doone to him hée hath graunted me to liue if so it please the goddes that I may by possibilitie vanquish and ouercome a Chimere that is in Sicill vnto the which I go for to assay mee So I pray you that in our misfortune we be not let by you neither by none of your companie Valiant knight answered Perseus as it is true that the heart of a noble man taketh pitie and compassion in the distresse and passion of his equall the weighing of your case hath pearced mine heart with a charitable mercie and pitie by which yée may surely vnderstand not to haue by vs any hinderance during your infortunate life And for as much as the hearts of them that would be induced at calling to the déedes of Armes singularly delyte them in aduentures of great woorth and weight to get credite by I will accompanie you for two causes The first is to expose my selfe to the disputation and destruction of the Chimere if it happen that you ouercome her not which I suppose yée can not
fiercely that he made him stagger and go backe two paces Cerberus would haue auenged him of this stroke and smote vppon Theseus a stroke by so great force that if the noble knight had not turned backe Cerberus had borne and smitten him vnto the earth This stroke of Cerberus fell vpon the earth and entred therein and Theseus smote againe vpon his enemie which had the heart so great that he began to rore as an olde Lion and smote Theseus so fiercely with his sworde that hée all to brake his shéelde and all to frushed his helme that hée was all astonied at the stroke But alway Theseus abode in his place and then Cerberus would haue brought him vnto destruction following the euill aduenture of Pirothus if that fortune had not brought thither Hercules which came so fitly to reskew that Theseus knew not else how to saue him At this poynt when that Theseus was so astonished Hercules that was departed from the sea as is said came to stayres that were cut and made in the Rocke and beholding Theseus all couered with blood and Pyrothus dead hée beganne to descende downe crying to Theseus that he should not bée afeard nor take no dread When Cerberus sawe and heard Hercules he beganne to crie againe and rore and assayled eagerly for to be quite of him Theseus might no more howbéeit that hee was recomfortes with the voyce of Hercules but began to run now here and now there before Cerberus So much then hasted Hercules for to go downe the stayres or degrées in entring the place and as hastely as hée might he cryed to Cerberus and sayde to him Tyraunt cruell let the knight run and come to me thou hast put to death vpon the earth my good fréende Pyrothus whereof I am sorye certaine and if I may I will take vengeaunce on thée for him Cerberus hearing the sentence of Hercules ran no more after Theseus but taryed and behelde Hercules with a fierce looke and aunswered to him So weneth he to auenge his shame that so beléeueth I haue destroyed thy fellowe vnto the death and vnlesse thou excéede him in skill of armes and in bodylye strength an hundred folde double it is folye for thée to come hither For I am Cerberus the porter of hell he that at report of my name all the world trembleth Thus ending his answere Hercules was at the foote of the rocke and he had his club vpon his shoulder Cerberus came against him they smote each other lustily and thus they began a right hard battaile and then Theseus that was passing weary sat at one side by out of the way rested him in drying and clensing his woundes of the bloud that had come out of theÌ„ Hercules beheld then on the one side and séeing Theseus purging and clensing his profound and great woundes hée beganne to imploye the force of his strength and might by such meruaile that with a stroke that he gaue him vpon his helme vpon the right side hée made him to bowe and stowpe vnder his club and to knéele to the grouâ—d with his left knée and at the second stroke in pursuing him hastilye hée made his sworde to flye out of his handes and then he made him to fall on his armes to the grounde and with the thyrde stroke as Cerberus wéende to haue reléeued him and gotten his sworde Hercules smote him vpon the bodye that he made his head réele against a great stone that was thereby after that hée sprang vpon him and bounde his legges with the strength and force of his handes maulgre the giant he tare of the helme of his head and would haue slaine him but Theseus prayed him that he would not put him to death there and that he would bring him into Thessalonica for to die by the sentence of the Quéene Hypodamia c. Cerberus was not then put to death at the request of Theseus Notwithstanding Hercules bound his handes behind his backe and after he made him arise and tooke him by the beard and made him go vpon high on the rocke and there he laid him downe and bound his féete his hands and his necke togither in such wise that he might not nor durst not remooue When he had done so he went downe and entred into the gate of hell and leauing there Theseus hée went so farre that he found the pallace of King Pluto and there came into the same hall where Pluto was with Proserpina All they that were there maruayled at him when they saw him entred for they knew nothing of the ouercomming of Cerberus as they that left all the charge and keeping of their Citie to Cerberus without hauing any doubt or suspition and also they were so farre from the gate that they might not heare of the battaile nor knewe nothing what was befall to their porter Then when Hercules had founde Pluto and Proserpina hee had great ioy and knew by tokens and markes of them there béeing that it was hée he addressed him to Pluto and sayd Pluto by thy malice Sicil is now all full of wéeping and of teares for the rauishing of this Ladie which thou hast not willed to yéeld and render againe to her husband Orpheus I wote not what pleasure thou hast therein but I will say to thée that thou shalt receyue great displeasure in following the euill aduenture of Cerberus whom I haue vanquished and ouercome c. With these words Hercules lift vp his club and gaue such a stroke to Pluto that he ouerthrew him to the earth so that he moued neither hand nor foote When he had so beaten Pluto thinking that he had béene dead hée assayled all them that were there that made any murmur and put them all to death lightly with his club in the presence of Proserpina which trembled for feare Then he comforted Proserpina and sayd to her that he was come vnto that place for to deliuer her and for to bring her again to her mother and that she shuld boldly follow him Proserpina assured and resolued was comforted with these words of Hercules and followed him Hercules opened the hall and went out and Proserpina with him After he addressed him vnto the gate of the Pallace and it happened to him that he found there a right great companye of Cittizens that were aduertysed of this affray and they ran vpoÌ„ him vnmeasurably pursuing him to death When Hercules sawe that he willed Proserpina that she should get her a part After that he enhaunsed and lifted vp his club and began to skirmish with his enimies right vertuously and by so high prowesse that he couered all the entry of the Pallace with these miserable tyrauntes that he flewe smote downe and all forfrushed them and put to death more then foure hundred Finally he wrought so that the other fled and gaue it ouer and then when he saw his euil willers dead and scattered he tooke Proserpina by the hand and lead her out of the gate of
vnto armes with great courage and assayled all about the men of Lyncus There was a terrible battaile and many people gathered togither men women against their enemies In a little while all the citie was troubled When Hercules had put to death al them that he found in the close of his pallace excepting Lincus whom he put in the guard and kéeping of the Quéene Iuno and of many Gentlewomen that came vnto him then hée sprang into the stréetes and shewed his sword and smote downe right on all sides in skirmishing so mortally with the men of Lincus all about where he might finde them that by the helpe of them of Thebes he made them all to passe the sharpenesse and cutting of his sword And then was Thebes all glad and Hercules returned into the pallace vnto the place where the ladies kept Lincus Then Hercules sent for to breake vppe the doore of the chamber where Megara was in for as much as they could not finde the keyes for they that kept her were dead Megara then full of gladnesse came vnto her lord Hercules rose vp to her and would haue embraced her and kist her But Lincus that thought on nothing but for to do euill by the secret perswasion of Iuno turned him from it saying Hercules let be my concubine I haue taken my fleshly desires with her she is of mine acquaintance and the most luxurious ladie that euer I was acquainted withall When Megara heard the right great iniurie and wrong that the traitor charged hir with she fel backward for anger being furious without saying of any word Hercules was al full of anger and hote and full of great ire wéening that Lincus had said truth so he smote off the head of Lincus and with the same sword that he had slaine the traitor with he put to death Megara who was with childe Howbeit the Cronicles of Spaine tell that Hercules slew not his wife but that he put her into a religious house that he ordained in Thebes in the temple of Diana renouncing her companie and there it is saide that this was the first religion that euer was in Thebes These things accomplished in the one manner and in the other Hercules went forthwith and tooke out of prison Amphitrion and Philotes and departed from thence al angrie and sore gréeued so that at that time and long after he spake not and went his way at all aduenture accompanied with Theseus and Philotes with the great bewailing of them of Thebes which then after his departing crowned ouer them Layus the sonne of King Agenor of Assirie for as much as he had wedded the daughter of the king Creon named Iocasta CHAP. IX ¶ How Hercules put to death the King Laomedon and destroyed Troy the second time HErcules Theseus and Philotes departed from Thebes and went into many diuers lands séeking their aduentures And passing by Licie where Hercules was made king on a day they came into Miâ—imidonie vnto the pallace of the King Eson where Iason was which had enterprised for to saile to the I le of Colchos and made his things readie When Hercules had béene feasted of Iason and of Duke Peleus and that he knew of the enterprise that Iason would go and conquer the fléece of Gold hee vowed and promised that hee would accompanie him And if fortune would be with him he would aduenture to bring his enterprise vnto an end What shall I make long processe Iason and Hercules made readie a right good ship and went to the sea and renewed not their victuall till they came to the Port of Troy And then they renewed 〈◊〉 them at the port for the king Laomedon was then in Troy which had fortified maruailously the Cittie againe and knowing that there was landed at his Port a shippe full of Gréekes hee sent downe a man that commanded them rudely that they should departe thence and that he was enemie to the Gréekes Iason as Captaine of the armie answered coueteously the messenger of King Laomedon and prayed him that hee might haue victuals for his money The messenger answered him that hee should haue none there vnlesse they gat it with the sword Then Hercules might no longer tarie but sware to the Troyan that if he might returne from the voyage that he had enterprised that hee would yet once againe destroy Troy and that he would not leaue one stone vppon another With this conclusion Hercules and Iason departed from Troy by fortune they were brought to the port of Lemnos whereof was a woman Ladie and Quéene named Hypsyphyle which waxed amorous of Iason as it is conteined in the historie of Iason In this port of Lemnos Hercules was aduertised that thereby was a king named Phyneus which suffered himselfe to be goueruerned by an auaricious woman Phyneus had béene married to another woman before and had by her two sonnes These two sonnes were vnrightfully by their stepmother put to exile For to say the verie truth his second wife was so corrupted with auarice that she tooke from the King his riches and held greater state then he When Hercules had knowledge thereof hee went and spake to king Phyneus and to the Quéene and shewed to them their vices in so good maner and fashion that the two children were called back from their exile and that the king held his estate royall Then returned Hercules into Lemnos and tooke the sea with Iason and went into the â—â—e of Colâ—os where Iason by the learning and industrie of Medea conquered the shéepe with the fléece of gold which he bare with him into Gréece Then Hercules recommended greatlye Iason among his parentes and fréendes and told them of the right great vnkindnesse of the king Laomedon and how that hée hadde sworne for to destroye Troye for the rigor that the king Laomedon had doone vnto them They swore all togither with Hercules the destruction of Troye and concluded the day of theyr departure and after made ready theyr shippes and all that was necessary for them And then Hercules helde so well his couenant in theyr army that at the day concluded among them they entred into the sea and did so much trauaile that they landed at the porte of Troye with so great an host that Laomedon durst not forbid them the Porte Iason was at that tyme in a farre straunge countrey Hercules had with him many noble men And among all other there were with him the king Thelamon Aiax the duke Nâ—stor Castor Pollux Theseus and many kings and dukes At the landing of this porte which was of strong entrie Hercules that nothing doubted his enimies made to sownd and blowe vp trumpets and labours and made so great a noyse and stirre that the walles of Troy and of the Pallace redounded thereof and that Laomedon séeing out of one of his windowes the hoste of his enimies was a right great while in a thought whither he might go to battaile against them or no. It happened to
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
our aduersaries let vs now defend the port Auenge we our bloud auenge we our sorrow auenge we our damage it must needes be done c. In the meane while that Gerion encouraged thus his folke Hercules and his companie rowed so nigh the port that they were come to strokes smiting The Hesperiens cast vpon Hercules then round stones dartes with sharp yrons on the end speares and swordes Against this the Greekes tooke their shieldes and couered them and put them in deuoire for to winne the port But the casting of the Hesperiens was so mortall that it constrained their enemies to abide and not approche the porte They had at this port great aboundance of stones The Hesperiens kept well the entry more then three houres so that the Greeks coulde finde no way nor meane to remedy it At the end of three houres Hercules right sorrowfull to see his men troubled so thought he would enter into a little boat and aduenture himselfe alone to win the port Then he that doubted no stroke of any mortall man entered into the little boate and steared it himselfe with helpe of the winde which he had at his aduauntage and hoised vp the saile and putting all in aduenture as fast as he might he brought the boate vnto the port whither hee came by his hardinesse But this was at such time as he receiued more then a thousand strokes with stones and that his saile that stood ouer end by force of the winde was smitten full of holes and the cordes broken and the mast ouerthrowne and the boate well nigh filled with stones Notwithstanding all these thinges Hercules ceassed not at all from his enterprise but through he passed by al the strokes of his enemies He laboured so that hee tooke land and that he thrust himselfe among the Hesperiens and there he began to smite with his clubbe on the right side and on the left side endlong and ouerthwart with such aboundance of prowesse that all the place was red with their bloud and with their braines Theseus and Hispan and fiftie of the Greekes best armed by the example of Hercules tooke a light boat and aduentured themselues to winne the porte Hercules was euen at the mouth of the porte he saw Theseus come and for to make him haue passage he ran hither and thither and did so great hurt to the Hesperiens that without great danger they tooke land and sprang out of the boate Then was the assault hote and furious Gerion came to the landing of Theseus and fully three hundred of his men that followed him All they smote and layd vpon the Greeks and of the fiftie they slew ten When Theseus and Hispan saw that their heartes began to swell They encouraged themselues and piersed the assembly of Gerion and against one man that was slaine of theirs they slew fiftie of the Hesperians And there they vsed so their prowesses that they did there the greatest marueiles of the world by armes Gerion died for sorrow that he might not come to haue his will on the Gréekes hee and his men were eager as Tygres that had béene famished The Gréekes were very mighty and strong as Elephants their strokes were great they doubted neither death nor sworde but put all in aduenture The battell was strong and the Gréekes receiued many a wound alway Theseus and Hispan by their marueilous prowesses saued them from the death and made passage thorow a great prease where Hercules was Hercules that left not to smite was very glad when he saw Theseus and Hispan and their forty companions Their comming cost Gerion the death of a thousand men more for Hercules for to encourage his men and for to be to them an example of well doing he added to his déeds strength vpon strength and prowesse vpon prowesse confounding his enemies so dreadfully and terribly drawing them toward the sea that they that saw him wished that they had bin in their mothers wombs and in flying they were in such haste so distressed that they beat ech other into the sea and so they slew ech other themselues Then was Gerion smitten to the heart with great ire medled with impatience so hee put himselfe in the prease and smote not only vpon Hercules but also vpon the companions of Theseus he smote the first man vpon the helm so that he cleft his head vnto the téeth After he assailed another and bare him to the earth so astonied that he wist not where he was Consequently he made there a great assault suddenly on the Gréekes so that he died his sword with their bloud and that the Gréekes were constrained to make a huge great crie for to haue succours At this season the Gréeks that were left in the gallies entred into the port and tooke land easily When Hercules and his folke heard the crie that his men made he ran thither to the assault and made about them a newe noise great pitious Gerion knew anon that the noise came because of Hercules For he saw him come and smite in the thickest of the prease for to saue himselfe then he called to his folke and chéered them in encouraging and had there so great mishap that for one stroke that Hercules gaue him with his club by chance he was constrained to depart from the prease to withdraw him apart with them that were weary for to take his breath Gerion afterward fought to his extremitie and casting so his eies vppon the skirmish and fighting he saw the Greeks vpon the port prouiding them vnto the battaile After he saw how they put many of his men to the worst and that hee might not resist it al his losses came before his eyes and then he began to sigh and said with a dolorous heart alas what is the mutabilitie of fortune Flattering fortune what hast thou thought All the honor that thou hast giuen me here before redound now to my shame since thou hast sent and parted to me so many goodes wherefore hast thou sent to me Hercules this is the enemy of all my glory noâ—e queÌ„ched He from a shining hath brought me vnto a name all full of darknes At least if thou hast giuen him sufficient let him not come after me with his horrible deedes All my veines be replenished with furies my heart murdereth it selfe boyling with ire O what great mishap is this since it must needes be that I shal be vnfortunate I will verily die of the club that I haue seene my brother die with or I will take vengeance Gerion all out of his wit with these wordes put him in the prease crying Gerion Gerion for to make his men to courage theÌ„selues Thus crying seeking Hercules he put to death many Gréeks he was al furious so as his sword was died with the blood of his enemies In the end he came vnto Hercules with his sword so died he smote him sore Hercules was weary for without ceassing hee abode
In these prayers and lamentations Yo le abode vntill the dead of the night cursing Hercules saying that she had rather die then to loue or like him Thus disdaining the loue of Hercules without meate or drinke she passed the whole night The day next following Hercules returned vnto her and on a newe prayed her that she would be his wife saying without respite that she◠must needes agree thereto She was right sore displeasant of this request and excused herself in many fashions that were too long to rehearse at this time But at the end of the praiers and requestes of Hercules Loue inspired in such wise the gentlewoman that she vnderstoode well that Hercules was of the roote of noble father and mother wherefore shee accorded to doe his pleasure What shal I more say Yo le companied then with Hercules as his wife and they lay togither and they grewe acquainted each with other Loue then inrooted in their heartes so that their two willes were locked and put in one will Hercules forgot Deianira and Yo le forgat the death of her father and was so much enamoured on Hercules that she might rest in no place but that she must be alway with him O maruellous thing the rancour and the hate that Yo le had yesterday vnto Hercules is nowe sodainly turned into loue infallible For to speede the matter during yet the first dayes of the loue of Hercules and Yo le at the praier of Yo le Hercules gaue her sisters in marriage to certaine knightes of the Greekes and left them there to gouerne the countrey and the realme of Calidonie After he departed from thence and brought his oxen and his kine with him and sent againe the king Euander into his dominion thanking him of his company and of the honour that he had done to him Euander woulde gladly haue accompanied Hercules into Greece But Hercules would in no wise that he should haue the trauaile At last then Euander with great thankings of Hercules and of his armie departed and Hercules with his armie went vnto the sea and hee forgat not behinde him the fairest Yo le but hee loued her soueraignly All day he was with her and shee pleased him as much as shee might doubting more to loose his loue thē she was sory for the death of her father Then as they thus went by the sea maintaining to their power the amorous life Hercules encountered on a day nigh by an hauen and a good citie a gally of marchants Hercules made the galley to tarry and after called the maister and asked of him what countrey he was and from whence he came Certes sir answered the maister of the galley I departed late from the porte of Thrace that is hereby I see well that ye be a stranger and that yee know not the perill that ye be in wherefore I haue pitie of you and of your company and doe aduertise you and wish you that at the next hauen ye shal finde in no wise yee tary there for nothing that may befall you for al so truely as yée bée héere if ye go thither yee shall take harme for there is a king a tyrant the most cruell that is in all the world named Diomedes that holdeth vnder him tenne thousand théeues and hee maketh warre against all them that hée may find and hath a custome that he putteth men to ransome such as it pleaseth him and if they that hee putteth to such misery pay their raunsome hee letteth them go quiet and with that money and substance he nourisheth his théeues and his horses And if they cannot furnishe their raunsome He himself smiteth them to morsels and giueth them to his horses for to eate and deuoure But there is one thing good for you for this morning he is gone to the chase for to hunt in a forrest which is a foure mile from Thrace and with him there be an hundred of the strongest theeues that he hath And this knowe I of a trueth for I haue seene them depart not passing three houres ago c. CHAP. XXIX ¶ How Hercules fought against Diomedes in the forest of Thrace and how he made his horse to eate him HErcules hearing these wordes that the maister of the galley said to him and rehearsing the life of Diomedes was passing ioyous in his heart more then hee had béen since the death of the théef Cacus He had in him that valor that where he might know a monster or tyrant to be or any men molesting the weale thither hee went and such tyrants hee destroyed and to the ende that men should not say that he did such workes for couetise hee would neuer hold nor retain to his proper vse nothing of their goodes but all that hee conquered in such wise hee geue it vnto noble men and praised nor sought nothing but vertue He would not make his seignorie to grow nor be inlarged and take to himselfe realme vppon realme He was content with that that nature had giuen him And alway he woulde labour for the commonweale O noble heart O right well disposed courage O most vertuous painym there was none like to him of all them that were afore him nor after him For to holde on and go forward with my matter when the maister had aduertised him as afore is said that the tyrant Diomedes was gone on hunting into the forrest with his hundred théeues he enquired so much that the maister shewed him the situation of the forest by what way and maner hée might soonest come thither After this he gaue leaue to the maister to go his way That done he called his mariners and made them to séeke the place After hee assembled the Gréekes and told them that he would that they should abide him there and that he himselfe without delay would go into the forrest that the maister had shewed him to séeke Diomedes saying that he would neuer returne into Greece vntill the time that hee had deliuered the countrey of this tyrant Yo le began then to wéepe when she heard the enterprise of Hercules praied him tenderly wéeping that hee would leaue and depart from the hazard of so great perill Hercules tooke no regard nor héed to her praiers He deliuered to Phylotes his bowe his club and entered into a little galley finely made and light Which he guided by the helpe of Phylotes right nigh the place where hee would be and tooke land two bow shotte off from the forrest and so in setting foot on land he heard the cry and noise of the hunting and hadde thereof great ioy and said that he was well and where he would be He tooke then his club and left his bowe with Phylotes After he entered into the forrest and had not far ranged in the forrest when hee found Dyomedes and his hundred theeues Diomedes was the first that from far espied Hercules and knew that he was a stranger called to him and said Giant what is it that thou
shirt that hanged on the pearch and was drie and commaunded her that shée should folde it and winde it in a handkerchiefe At the commaundement of Deianira the damosell folded and wrapped the shirt But so doing she was serued with the poyson in such wise that she lost her speech and died anon after This notwithstanding Deianira that thought on nothing but for to come to her intention took the shirt and deliuered it to Lycas and charged him that he should beare it to Hercules praying him in her name that he would weare it Lycas that was ready to accomplish the will of his mistresse tooke the charge of the dolorous shirt and departed from thence and went into the mountaine whereas Hercules was and there hee found him in a forrest whereas was the temple of Diana Hercules hadde no man with him but Phylotes which made ready for him a great fire for to sacrifice an hart that Hercules had taken running at a course Lycas then finding Hercules in the temple hee kneeled downe lowe to him and said Sir here is a shirt that your waiting woman and seruaunt Deianira sendeth vnto you Shee recommendeth her humbly vnto your good grace and praieth you that ye will receiue this present in good part as from your wife Hercules was ioyous of these wordes and anon vnclotheth him for to doe on this cursed shirt Saying that verily she was his wife and that he woulde for her sake weare this shirt In doing on this shirt he felt a great dolour and paine in his bodie This notwithstanding he did on his other clothes aboue as hee that thought none euill When he was clothed and the shirt was warme his paine and sorrow grew more and more Then he began to thinke and knew anon that his maladie came of his shirt and feeling the pricking of the venim without long tarrying he tooke off his robe supposed to haue taken off his shirt from his backe and to haue rent it and spoiled it But he was not strong enough for to doe so for the shirt held so sore and cleaued so fast and terribly to his fleshe and was so fastened to his skin by the vigour of the sharpe poyson in such wise that hee tare out his flesh and bare away certaine péeces thereof when he would haue taken off his shirt c. Hercules knew then that hee was hurt and wounded to the death Death began to fight against him he began to resist by drawing of his shirt from his body with péeces of his flesh and of his bloud but al might not auaile He al to rent and tare his backe his thies his body vnto his entrailes and guttes his armes his shoulders vnto the bones and still his dolour and paine grewe and inlarged to be more and more Thus as he returned in the force of his great dolorous paine hee beheld Lycas and another fellow that he had brought with him that were all abashed of this aduenture Then he went to them and said vnto Lycas Thou cursed and vnhappie man what thing hath mooued thée to come hither vnder the false friendship of Deianira to bring me into the chaunce of this misfortune What thinkest thou that thou hast done Thou hast serued mee with a shirt intoxicate with mortall venim Who hath introduced thee to doe this thou must needes receiue thy desert And saying these wordes Hercules caught by the head poore Lycas that wist not what to say and threwe him against a rocke so fiersly that he to frushed and all to brake his bones and so slew him The fellow of Licas fledde and hid him in a bushe Phylotes was so afraid that hee will not what to do At the houre that Hercules was in this case much people came into the temple The entrailes of Hercules were troubled His bloud boyled in all his veines the poison pierced vnto his heart his sinowes shrunke and withdrewe them When he felt himselfe in this miserie and that death hasted his end by terrible paine as hee that coulde not take away the repugnance of his vertuous force striuing against the malice of venom hee began to runne ouer hill and ouer valey vp and downe the forrest and pulled vp the great trees and ouerthrew them After he began to rent off his shirt with the flesh that was sodden and broiled When he had long lead this life he returned vnto the temple all assured of death lift vp his hands and eies vnto the heauen and said Alas alas â—ust it be that fortune laugh at me for this miserable destinie comming of the accusation of mad ieâ—â—dulle and sorcerie of that woman that in the worlde I helde and reputed most wise and most vertuous O Deianira vnnaturall woman without wit without shame and without honour with an heart of a tyrant all besotted with iealousie how hast thou been able to contriue against me this fury and treason enuenomed false feminine will vnnatural out of rule and out of order thou hadst neuer so much honour and worship as thou now hast deserued blame not onely for thee alone but for all the women that do or euer shall be in the world For if it happen that kinges or princes acquaint them with ladies or gentlewomen for the multipliance of mankinde they will neuer haue credite nor affiance in their proper wiues O Deianira what hast thou done The women present and they that bee in the wombes of their mothers all shall spit at thée in thy face and shall curse thée without end for the reproche by thée turning vppon them infinite and men will haue dread for to be ferued with the like shirt c. Alas Deianira what shall Calcedonie nowe doe that glorified her in thy glory and put and set thee in the front of their honour as a carbuncle for the decking of their pretious thinges In stéede to set thee in the front they shall cast thee vnder féete and in steed to haue glory of thee they shall haue shame hereof they may not faile for by impietie and diuerse engines and by conspired and swollen crueltie thou hast conspired my death and hast broched and vnfolded not recurable misfortune for thée and me and for our friendes and kinsmen O Deianira thy malice as an vnhappie and most cursed serpent hath wrought this malicious and reprochfull murder Thy false ielousie hath more power to extermine my life then haue had all the monsters of the world By thine offence and by thy mischieuous sleight hid and couert where from I could not keepe mee I must die and passe out of this world Since it is so I thanke fortune and aske of the Gods no vengeance of thee but certes to the end it bee not said that the vanquisher of man he not vanquished by a woman I will not passe the bitter passage of death by thy mortall sorceâ—ies full of abhomination but by the fire that is neat and cleere and the most excellent of the elementes These dolorous and
was woonderfull angry and in his excéeding great ire gaue him such a stroke that he slew him and afterward sayd vnto him that he should go and say his villainous wordes to them that were dead such as he was woont to say to liuing men Then was Cedus passing sorrowfull for the death of his brother and admonished a thousand knights that he meant for to slay Hector and they assailed him anon and beat him off his horse and they cried to the king Cedus for to slay Hector And whē Hector perceiued that he gaue him such a stroke that he cut off his arme wherewith he fel for the anguish that hee felt and anon Hector slewe him Eneas slewe in this skirmish the king Amphymacus and then went togither all the most puissant of Greeks and assailed the Troyans and slew many of them and they went with so great force that they put the Troyans in a chase in the which Achilles slewe the king Philes whereof Hector had great sorrow and in his ire he slew the king Dalpme and the king Doreus and thus by the puissance of Hector the Troyans recouered the field and flewe many Greekes c. Then issued out of Troy the king Epistropus with three thousand knightes and they brake rankes and thrusted among the Greekes that reculed in their comming forasmuch as he brought with him a Sagittary the same that afore is made mention of This Sagittary was not armed but hee bare a strong bowe and a quiuer that was full of arrowes and shot strongly When the knightes of the Gréekes saw this maruellous beast they had no will to go forth and they that were afore began to withdraw them and went backe Among these thinges Hector slew Polixenes the noble duke that fought sore against him for by the strength of the Troyans the horror of the Sagittary the Greeks were driuen back to their tentes It happened that Diomedes before one of the tentes was assailed of the Sagittary and had this beast before him and the Troyans on his backe so that it behooued him there to shew his puissance The Sagittarie had then shot an arrow to him and Diomedes that was not well assured aduaunced him nigh vnto him gaue him so great a stroke with his sworde who was not armed that he slew him and that time it was past midday and then the Greekes recouered the field and made the Troyans to flee And then encountred Hector and Achilles and with force of their speares they fought both two and fell both to the earth And as Achilles was first remounted they supposed to haue lead away Galathe the good horse of Hector but Hector cried to his folke that they should not suffer him to leade him away Then they ran vpon Achilles and did so much that they recouered Galathe and rendred him to Hector that was right glad of him At this skirmish was Anthenor taken and sent to their tentes notwithstanding that Polidamas his sonne did maruailes of armes for to reskew him but he might not and thus they fought to great damage of the one party and of the other vntill the night parted them CHAP. XV. ¶ Of the truce that were betweene them after the which began battaile againe from Morne to Euen with great damage of that one partie and of that other but the Troyans lost more then the Greekes ON the morrow betime the Greekes sent Diomedes and Vlisses vnto the king Priamus for to haue truce for three monethes The king Priamus assembled his counsell vppon this thing and eache man agreed saue Hector that said that the Greekes fained that they woulde bury their dead bodies by cautele and they lacked vittaile and therefore required they truce to the end that during this time they puruey them of vittaile and we dayly wast ours whereof we may soone haue scarcitie howbeit he would not abide only by his intent against the opiniō of so many wise men but agreed with the other and the truce was accorded for three monethes This truce during the king Thoas was deliuered in the steed of Anthenor that they held prisoner whom they sent to the Troyans Calcas that by the commaundement of Apollo had left the Troyans hadde a passing faire daughter and wife named Briseyda Chancer in his booke that he made of Troylus named her Cresida for which daughter hee praied to king Agamemnon and to the other princes that they would require the king Priamus to send Briseyda to him They praied enough to king Priamus at the instance of Calcas but the Troyans blamed sore Calcas and called him euill and false traytor and worthy to die that hadde left his owne land and his naturall Lord for to go into the company of his mortall ennemies yet at the petition and earnest desire of the Greekes the king Priamus sent Briseyda to her Father The truce during Hector went on a day vnto the tents of the Greekes and Achilles behelde him gladly forasmuch as hee had neuer seen him vnarmed And at the request of Achilles Hector went into his Tent and as they spake togither of many thinges Achilles saide to Hector I haue great pleasure to see thee vnarmed forasmuch as I haue neuer seen thée before But yet I shal haue more pleasure when the day shall come that thou shalt die of my hand which thing I most desire For I knowe thee to be very strong and I haue oftentimes prooued it vnto the effusion of my bloud whereof I haue great anger and yet haue much more great sorrow forasmuch as thou slewest Patroclus him that I most loued of the worlde Then thou maiest beleeue for certain that before this yeare bee past his death shal be auenged vppon thee by my hand and also I wote well that thou desirest to slea mee Hector aunswered and saide Achilles if I desire thy death maruell thou nothing thereof forasmuch as thou deseruest to bee mine ennemie mortall thou art come into our land for to destroie mee and mine I will that thou knowe that thy wordes feare mee nothing at all but yet I haue hope that within two yeare if I liue and continue in health and my sworde faile mée not thou shalt die by the force and valor of mine handes not thou alonely but all the most greatest of the Gréeks for among you yee haue enterprised a great folly and it may none otherwise come to you thereby but death and I am assured that thou shalt die of mine hand ere I shal die by thine And if thou thinke that thou bee so strong that thou maiest defend thée against mee make it so that all the barons of thine hoste promise and accord that wee fight body against body and if it happen that thou vanquish me that my friendes and I shal be banished out of this realme and we shall leaue it vnto the Greekes and thereof I shall leaue good pledge And heerein thou maiest profite to many other that may run in great danger if
and I trow there is not left one at home of the men of Troy but that euery man is come to the battell and therefore if it please you now whiles that the Troyans be wearie to come to the battell ye shall get to you perpetuall memorie of worship and of glorie For by your prowesse you shal in little space haue all vanquished theÌ„ and they shall not dare to defend themselues against you they be so wearie Neuer would Achilles for the words of his varlet nor for the death of Ebes change his courage but dissembled all that he had seene heard for the great loue that he had to Polixene During these things the battell was right sharpe and endured vnto the night to the great damage of the Gréeks and the night parted them yet was not Deiphebus dead but hee drewe towardes his ende and when Paris and Troylus saw him in that sorrow they began to cry and make great sorrow And then Deyphebus opened a little his eies and demaunded of Paris with a féeble voice if he were dead that had slaine him And Paris saide to him yea Then Deyphebus did cause to drawe out the head of the speare with the truncheon and anon died Wherefore the Troyans made great sorrowe It is no néed to hold long talke of the sorrow that the king Priamus his father made nor his wife and his sister for it was too much and also for the death of the king Sarpedon Of the other partie the Greekes made great sorrow for the death of Palamedes and made his body to be buried worshipfully And as they that might not bee long without an head and gouernour by the counsell of the duke Nestor and of other Agamemnon was set againe in his dignitie as he was before The day following the Troyans early in the morning issued out of the citie in good order and the Greekes came against them Then began the battell mortall and there was great slaughter on both sides but it rained so much that day that the Greekes withdrew them to their Tentes and the Troyans followed after them but the raine was so great that they must needes leaue the battell and returne to their citie On the morrow betimes they began to fight and flew that day many barons of the Greekes and fought till the euen and so they fought the space of seuen daies continually where was great slaughter of the one and of the other And forasmuch as the Greekes might not suffer the stenche of the dead bodies they demaunded truce for two monethes which were graunted to them by king Priamus During this truce the king Agamemnon sent the duke Nestor Vlisses and Diomedes to speake to Achilles for to pray him and will him to come to the hoste for to defend theÌ„ against the Troyans that slew them maruellously When they were come vnto him he receiued them with great ioy And then Vlisses said vnto him Sir Achilles was it not by your agreement and also ours all this host to leaue our countrey and a ow yeare come running vpon king Priamus and haue destroyed him and his by force of armes do beat downe his â—itie From whence commeth this courage after so many hurts and damages as we haue receiued in this land by the Troyans that haue slaine so many kings and pâ—intes pilled and robbed our tents and burnt our shippes and we were now in hope to haue vanquished them alter that ye by your force and valour haue slaine Hector that was the true defender of the Troyans and also now that Deiphebus is dead the Troyans be there with put â—nder foot and after this day when ye haue gotten with great trauell to great worship and so good renowme will ye nowe loâ—se all at once and suffer your people to be slain â—uelly that ye haue so long defended with the effusion of your bloud Please it you from henceforth to enter â—oute kéepe your good renoume and defend your people that without you may not long defend them against your enemies to the ende that wee may come to the victorie by your prowesse by the which we hope to atteine and come to it Sir Vlisses sayde Achilles if wee be come into this land for these causes that ye haue declared wee may say that great folly was among vs that for the wife of one of vs that is to wit of sir Menelaus so many kings and so high princes bee put in perill of death Had it not béene much more wisedome for the noble Palamedes to haue abider in peace in his countrey then for to be slain here and other kings and princes in like maner Certes as the most great part of the world of noble menne be héere how assembled if they die here as many be already dead it must needes follow that the countreys shall be replenished and gouerned by villaines Hector that was so noble and so worthy is he not dead in like wise I may die shortly that am not so strong as he was And therfore in as much as ye require me to goe to battell so much paine and labour loose yee for I haue no more intention to put me any more in daunger and loue better to loose my renowme then my life for in the end there is no prowesse but it will be forgotten Nestor and Diomedes contended enough to drawe Achilles to their quarrels but they might neuer induce him to their purpose nor the wordes of Agamemnon neither And then he sayd to them that they shoulde make peace with the Troyans before that they were all slaine c. Then returned these thrée princes vnto Agamemnon and sayde to him all that they had found in Achilles and Agamemnon made it to bee knowen to the princes of the host whom he had assembled for this cause and demaunded of them their aduice Then stood vp Menelaus saying that it would be to vs now great shame to séeke peace with the Troyans since that Hector and Deiphebus bee dead and slaine and that by their death the Troyans repute them as vanquished and that without Achilles they shoulde well mainteine the warre against the Troyans To that answered Vlisses and Nestor and sayde that it was not maruell though Menelaus desired the warre for affection to recouer his wife and that Troy was not so disgarnished but that they had a newe Hector that was Troylus who was little lesse strong and woorthy then Hector And there was also another Deiphebus and that was Paris whom wee ought to doubt as much as the other and therefore they counselled the peace and to returne home againe to Gréece Then cried the false traitour Calcas which was traitour to the Troyans and sayd Ha noble men what thinke yee to doe against the commaundement of the gods haue not they promised to you the victory and will ye now leaue it Certes that should be great folly take againe courage to you fight ye against the Troyans more strongly then ye haue done
thereto with thy person And if thou wouldest haue béene contrary thereto and haue let it Helene had neuer seene the walles of Troy And now after this that they haue slaine all my children and done so much dammage and hurt ye counsell mee against honour to make peace with the Gréeks that haue so cruelly destroyed me Certes your counsell finisheth my life with great sorow and dishonour c. Of these wordes was Eneas exceedingly angrie and wroth and answered to the king wordes sharpe and pricking enough and departed he Anthenor from the king euill content And when they were gone the king began to weepe as hee that dreaded that they would deliuer the citie into the hands of the Greeks which would slay him incontinent Then he thought that he would make them die first and called to him Amphimacus and sayd to him Right deare sonne I am thy father we ought to support ech other vnto the death I know certeinly that Anthenor and Eneas contend for to slay vs by the Gréekes and to deliuer them this citie and therefore it should not be ill done to make them fall into the pitte that they haue made ready before ere they doe any such euill and I will tell thee in what maner To morrow at euen they will come to take counsell then thou shalt be ambushed here within and thou shalt haue with thee good knights and when they shall bee come thou shalt runne vppon them and slay them Amphimacus made answere vnto him and sayd that hee would so doe with a verie good will and albeit there were no more assembled at this counsell but the king and his sonne yet there is nothing so secret but otherwhile it is knowne Eneas knew wel the truth of this thing and it was not knowne by whom he knew it and anon hee and Anthenor and some other of their complices spake forth of the treason of the citie and there they swore each to other and then they said if they went more to counsaile to the king that they woulde go with great company of men of armes for Eneas was of the most noble of Troy and most rich next to the king and best of linage and might well compare to the king And Anthenor was also rich and puissant of friendes in the citie and their treason was such that they would haue deliuered the city in the handes of their enemies So as they and all they of their linage shoulde haue their liues and their goods saued and thereof they tooke good suretie of the Greekes Among these thinges the king Priamus sent for Anthenor and Eneas to come to counsell for to performe that thing that he hadde purposed but they came with a great company of men of armes and therefore the king sent Amphymacus that hee shoulde leaue off this enterprise The day following the king sent for all the Troians to councel and when they were assembled before him Eneas stood vp and willed all them to make peace with the Greekes to whom all the other accorded saue the king and then said to him Eneas Sir king wherefore consentest not thou with the other for will thou or will thou not we will treate for the peace and wil make it maugre thee When the king sawe that his contradiction might nothing auaile he had leauer consent with the other then for to be the cause of his destruction and then said he to Eneas Let it be made as ye shall thinke that it may bee most expedient to the peace and I will thinke wel of it Then by the counsel of them all Anthenor was chosen for to go to the Greekes and treat for the peace and the Troyans tooke branches of Palme in signe of peace and went vppon the walles of the Citie and shewed the signe vnto the Gréeks the which shewed well that they would entend to the peace And then was Anthenor retyred from the walles and let downe and was presented to the king Agamemnon And the king Agamemnon commised all the work to the king of Crete Diomedes and Vlisses and that all those thinges that these thrée kinges should decree with Anthenor all the Gréeks promised to hold it agreeable and sware it vpon their law c. When they were all foure assembled Anthenor replenished with furie promised to them to deliuer the citie by treason for to doe with it their will and pleasure so that they woulde saue him and Eneas and all their kinsmen and parentage and all them that they woulde choose and that Eneas should haue all his possessions without any losse These three kings of Greece swore to Anthenor that thus they would do and hold then said one to the other that this thing must be secret vnto the time it be brought about and to the end to keepe this treason more secret Anthenor praied to the Greekes that they would deliuer to him the king Cassilius that was a very auncient man for to go with him to Troy to the intent that he might be the better beleued and for that he knew the will of the Troians that is to weet if they woulde haue peace with the Greekes and also for to say to them the will and desire of the Greekes and then demaunded Anthenor the body of Penthesilea which the Gréeks agreed to them gladly After these thinges Anthenor and the king Cassilius entred into the citie and did to be knowne to the king their comming On the morrow betimes the king Priamus assembled al the Troians for to heare the answer of Anthenor the which saide to the king otherwise then hée founde making a long sermon for to couer his badde doing Where he spake long of the puissance of the Gréeks and of their truth in their promises and how they had holden the truce that they made lying before the citie had béen faithfully gouerned without breaking of them and after spake he of the feeblenesse of the Troyans of the daungers that they were in and in this time concluded that forthwith it were profitable to seeke peace and that they were come thereto and said it coulde not be vnlesse they gaue a great quantity of gold and siluer vnto the Greeks for to restore to them the great damages that they had in the warre And after they aduised the king the other each in himself for to employ him in this thing without any sparing And forasmuch said Anthenor as I cannot know at this time al their will I would that yee would let Eneas go with mee vnto them for to knowe better their will and to the end that they beleeue vs the better Euerie man allowed the words of Anthenor and then went he and Eneas to the Greeks and with them the king Cassilius When the counsel was finished and all done the king Priamus entred into his chamber began to wéep right gréeuously as he that perceiued wel the treason playned sore the death of his sons and the great damage that he