is compared and likened vnto Venus CHAP. XVIII ¶ How Achisius had a daughter named Danae the which he did cause to be shut in a tower for asmuch as he had an answere that she should haue a sonne the which should turne him into a stone IN those daies when Iupiter of Crete flourished in honor strength prowesse and valiance in the Citie of Argos reigned the right mightie king Acrisius that caused his daughter Danaes to be be shut and kept in a tower For to know the genealogie of this king Acrisius in this part it is to be noted that of Iupiter borne of Archade and of a damosel named Isis came a son named Epaphus this Epaphus engendred a son and a daughter the son was named Belus and reigned in a part of Egypt and the daughter had to name Libia diuelled in Affricque where she conceiued a son named Busiris that was an vnhumane tirant as shal be said hereafter in the déeds of Hercules Belus then engendred two sons Danaus and Egyptus Danaus had fiftie daughters and Egyptus had as many sons And these sons and daughters were conioyned together by marriage wéening Egyptus right well to haue married his sons but hee was deceiued of his weening for Danaus for enuie couetousnes to haue the succession made that by his daughters traiterously shuld be murthered all the fiftie sons of the said Egyptus the first night of their espousals as they slept And all they consented in this foule horrible crime of sin except one alone named Hypermnestra which had a stedfast heart of pittie for when shee should haue persecuted her husband Linceus shée saued his life mercifully and also conceiued of his seed a son that was named Abas that after was king of Argos and he engendred the king Acrisyus whereof is made mention in the beginning of this chapter These were the parents and progenitours of king Acrysius he was right puissant in riches but he named himselfe poore for he had no children but one daughter onely which he named Danaes and for to haue a sonne hee went day by day into the temples and oracles of the gods and there made prayers and sacrifices inough fastings almesses and other suffrages All these things might not helpe to bring to passe the accomplishment of his desire His wife came vnto her barraine yeares and hee was out of all hope to haue any childe male and then he comforted him in Danaes his daughter and set his loue so greatly on her that he had no pleasance but onely to be hold her and hee purposed that neuer man shoulde haue her but if it were the most noble and valliant man of the world But for as much as in this world is nothing perdurable this loue was of little enduring and that by the procuring of the king Acrysius for that the loue hee had in Danaes grew in ampliation of naturall ielousie hee went into the oracle of God Belus his olde Grand-father and searching what should be the destinie of his daughter he did cause him to be answered that of her should come a sonne that should turne him into a stone By this answere Acrysius beganne to fall from the great loue that he had to his daughter he returned sorrrowfull and pensiue into his house and became all melancolike without taking ioy or pleasure in any thing that he sawe His daughter was then yong hee sawe her often times otherwhile in crueltie and sometime in pittie The remorse of that that he looked to be transformed into a stone by him that by destinie should be borne of his daughter moued him to cruelty in such wise that often times he determined that he would put her to death and so to spoyle his bloud to the ende for to remedie his infortune But when hée had taken in his hand the sword wherewith he wéened to flea her nature beganne to meddle and put in her selfe betwéene them and from this crueltie made him to condiscend to pitie and put awaye his sword and let the sheading of her blood that was come of his owne bloud the which shoulde come vnto the succession of his crowne which his auncient progenitours had ordayned before c. For to saye the veritie this king Acrisius from thence foorth tooke his rest crossed with many sighes and could not be assured of himselfe His daughter grewe and became a woman shée was passing fayre and right comely Many kings and great earthly Lordes desired to haue her in mariage and would haue endowed her with noble Crownes But the king Acrisius refused all them that required her and imagined that his daughter for her great beautie might be taken awaye and rauished by which she might by aduenture haue a sonne that should turne him vnto a stone And to the ende to eschewe this perill and daunger he thought that hée would make a Tower the strongest in the world and that in the same Tower shoulde his daughter Danaes be closed and shut during her life without coming of any man to her for he was so ielous of her that he beléeued her not well when he sawe her In the ende 〈◊〉 sent for workemen and forgers of steele and of copper from all parties and brought them vnto a strong place 〈◊〉 enuyroned with waters where was no entrie but in one place When hée hadde brought thither all his workemen hée sayd to them that hée woulde haue a Tower made all of copper with a gate seuerall from the Tower to put in foure and twentie men of armes for to kéepe the Tower if it were néede The workemen bargayned with the king Acrisius to make the Tower and the gate and sette on hand to the worke the Tower was made in processe of time and then when all was achieued Acrisius brought thither his daughter without letting her knowe his intencion And as soone as she was in the Tower he sayd to her My only daughter it is come vnto my knowledge that in searching thy prosperitie to my god Belus I haue bin aduertised that of thée shall come a sonne which shall conuert and turne me into a stone Thou knowest that euery man naturally coueteth and desireth safely to liue in his life I loue thée passing well and nothing in the worlde so much excepting my life But certaine my life toucheth mee more néere to my heart then thy loue wherefore I séeking and requiring the remedies agaynst my predestinate infortune would neuer giue thée in marriage to any man that hath requyred or desired thée Also to the ende that generation discend not of thy bodie and that thou shouldest haue no knowledge of man during my life I haue made to bée framed this tower of copper and will that thou be closed and shut therein and that no man sée thée I pray thée my daughter accord thée vnto my will and desire and take patience in this place for to passe thy time I will prouide to accompanie thée with manie noble virgins that shall giue
the ende right foule and abhominable for when it came to the performing of the feast the king Lycaon rose from the Table and went vnto the Kitchen and there tooke the bodie of the Epirien his seruant that hée had murthered the same night and all rosted and sodden brought it in a great platter to the feast and presented it to the Epiriens saying lo here is the Epirien that hath serued mee which was cause of the eschuing of the ruine and perdition of Epire. I saide yesterday that I would deliuer him this day take him who so wil I discharge quit my hands froÌ„ him and will him no more All they that then were present as well his seruants as straungers as well Epiriens as Pelagiens had anon great horrour when they heard and vnderstoode the wordes of king Lycaon they had great shame and furor to beholde so shamefull and abhominable a worke and outrageous sinne and were so troubled that the blood went fro their faces and they laid their hands afore their eies as they that abhorred to beholde the poore martyr Epirien And there was no man wist what to say of the infamie of king Lycaon vnneth When the king saw them so troubled and that euery man began to frowne and grudge apart he left them and went from thence into his chamber and then euery man rose from the Table abhorring and eschewing the sent and sauour of the dead man and would haue departed and gone their way all confuse had not Iupiter the son of Saturne béene which the Epiriens had brought with them in their legation and Ambassage forasmuch as hée was a fayre childe amiable and gentle He then when hée sawe that euerie man drewe a part his way put himselfe in the middest of the Epiriens and began beganne his glorious enterprises and said to them in this wise O what is this Where is the blood of the Epiriens Are they banished out of hardinesse bée they exiled out of valour and of honestie Which be the Epiriens that by force will expose themselues to the vengeaunce of so foule and horrible a déede This case is not to bee borne And the terriblenesse of the tyrant Lycaon is not to be bettered when it bydeth vnpunished Ye sée that the Pelagians make semblance that they be euil apayed with him he must be punished I say as for me I shall neuer haue pleasure in my life till I sée him restrained of his tyrannie What time the Epiriens had conceiued the great courage of Iupiter that was so young of age they thanked their gods of that that they had brought him with them and said to him all with one voyce Childe blessed bee the wombe that bare thée and blessed bee the gods that foreséeing this iniurie and wrong to vs haue so inspired vs for to bring thée with vs. We had béene nowe without courage hardinesse and will to doo well and had not béene so hardie to haue taken any tearme of vengeaunce Thy wordes haue awaked and quickened our spirites which were deade and a sléepe and had passed by the counterpeysed infamie of the tyrant Lycaon Thy hardinesse hath made vs hardie thy valiancie hath made vs valiant and lâ—uers of valiancie and thy wisedome hath inlumined vs. In this case thou shalt be conductor and leader of this worke and commander and we shall obey vnto thée c. Iupiter answered and sayde worshipfull Lordes and sirs I am not wise inough to receyue the honour that yée do me nor my tender yeares shall not accept it Alway by fourme of counsell humbled vnder all correction I will well say to you that me thinketh expedient for to be doone If ye find no man say better then you shall do by my councell and aduise yee shall take this poore Epirien in the same estate that hee is deliuered to you and beare him vnto the common place of this Citie for it is this day Sabboth and holyday the Pelagians beene there in great number and multitude passing their time with diuerse playes and sports Then ye shall shew this poore dead man for it is sayde that the King is not well beloued with his owne people for his vnmanlie workes and this misdéed and trespasse is passing foule and pitious anon as they shall knowe what hee hath done by this foule worke ye shall well sée if they will take in this sinne pleasure or displeasure If pleasure then it were in vaine and follie for to speake thereof for this present time any more but wée must séeke remedie in our returne to Epire. If they take displeasure ye may plainly discouer your courages and prouoke and call them to purge this crime that is so cursed and I wéen that they shall right lightly intend to vs And for none amytie that is betwéene him and them he shall not dominere nor reigne ouer them by tyrany For he is not their naturall Lord but he is the sonne of Titan brother of Saturne And is not King by election but by force All they that heard Iupiter thus speake meruailed greatly of him and accorded them to his councell in such wise that no man contraryed it nor agayn sayde it And so sodainly they tooke the murdred Epirien and bare him to the common place and there they shewed him openly in euery mans sight When the Pelagiens saw this dead man of whome the skin was scorched the flesh rosted the knowes shronken and that the bones appeared by the ioyntures they assembled all about him in great number and casting their eyes vpon him they had so great horror abhominacion and abashment that their heartes trembled playning eche to other and many went away for compassion wept and araged trembling for anger And other tooke duste and powder and casted into the ayre in signe of sorrow cutting their clothes and saying lifting their hands on high O goddes almightie what people bée these Epiriens Haue they rosted a mannes body and haue brought it to fore vs What meane they are we eaters of mannes flesh or bring they it to vs to shewe the cruelty of their courage or come they for to eate this dead man among vs for to feare vs withall Iupiter there being awayting and laying his eares and seing with his eyes the maner of the Pellagiens and their countenaunces concerning that they condescended in the condemnacion and enimitie of him that wrought this piteous worke when he had heard their reasons and had séene their woondrings he adressed himselfe among them and said in this wise O ye men of Pelage meruaile you of this vnmanly and vnnaturall worke Haue ye not enough learned and knowen the tyrannies of your king Lycaon he hath murthred this man and this man is the Epirien that was deliuered to him at the treatie of the peace of you and of vs for to serue him Lo this is the guerdon and rewarde that he hath done to him He hath tirannised right euill and hath doone him euill for good O what great
that his enemies because of the succours that came to them were stronger then he was he found not in the resolution of his enterprise but dispaire and shamefull end and all discomforted he called his sonne and his principal friendes and demaunded them what was best to do They counselled him that hee should labour to saue himselfe and saide to him if he abode and attended the Troyans that would be cause of his destruction and of all them that were left of his people When Tantalus vnderstood this and knew that hee was desperate and nigh his shamefull ende and flight and aboue that that he might not extinguish and put downe the name of Troy hee tooke himselfe by the beard that was long and impatiently said smiting himselfe with his fist O cursed enuie thou didst promise mee of late to put Troy vnder my féete and hast made me to rise presumptuously against her Nowe sée I well the contrarie and that by mee Troy shall flourish and that more is by my cause her name shall growe and shall be enchaunsed and that all kings shall tremble before her in my sight and beholding O false traiterours fortune accursed be thou that I euer beléeued on thée These words finished hee saide to his son and to other of his councell that they should cause his people to withdraw a little and a little At last he commaunded that each man should saue himselfe and then they put them all to flight Ilion and Ganimedes tooke héede and ranne after and chased them out of the territories of Troy with great occison and slaughter of the people of the Frigiens And after that they had chased them they said that they had doone them shame inough and left worke and returned and came anon and met the king Troos their father that followed them which had great ioy when hée saw that they had quit them so well vpon his enemies by the good conduct of his two sonnes The ioy then that Troos made Ilion and Ganimedes after the battaile was great and of good loue Troos brought them again vnto Troy with great worship The Troyans men and women receiued them worshipfully blessed the womb that had borne them and the breasts that gaue them sucke These were two noble sons of the King of whom the names were borne into all the Marches there aboutes with so great a bruit and noyse that not onelie the neighbours of Troos came to make alliaunce with King Troos and the Troyans but there came also Kings of many far Countreys of the East which could not magnifie inough the puissance of the king and of the citie of Troy c. In these dayes when Troy shewed the rayes of her puissance and noblenesse through the vniuersall world Saturne late king of Crete sayled by the seas with little companie not as king and possessor of the realme but as banished and dispurueyed of all land and countrey so poore that he had no place to withdraw him to nor wist not whither to go but onely by desarts and by the depth of the sea When he had béene in this poynt a great while thinking without end how he might persecute his son Iupiter fortune brought him into the sea of Hellespont and then beholding about him he espyed and sawe Troy which was a Citie passing fayre and rich and of marueylous greatnesse And then what for to take him a little rest as for to put away his melancholie and for to reuittaile his shippe and people hee sayled and rowed into the Citie and landed at the port When the Troyans had seene the shippe of Saturne that was better and more of value then all the shippes that they had euer séene the maisters of the ships of Troy went hastily vnto the King Troos and said Sir bee of good cheare and make readie your house I assure you that there is come right now vnto your port the most rich ship that euer was séene on the sea and me séemeth this considered that in so noble a ship must be some noble or great earthly Lord that commeth vnto you c. Anon as king Troos heard these tidings of the maister mariner he desired to sée so fayre a shippe and accompanied with his two sonnes went for to sée at the port and to feast them of the straunge shippe This king Troos was courteous and honourable When he came vnto the port he found that Saturne made readie his shippe and disposed him for to go vnto the citie And séeing the ship he maruailed much for the vtensils that were within were richly made furthermore Saturne his companions were armed and had no mariners He beheld their behauiour at his comming and knew that they were men of warre right well in point so he thought in himselfe at the beginning for to arme himselfe and to send for the Troyans But afterward when hee had séene their little number and that no ship followed nor came after these strangers from the coast he changed his purpose viewed and approched vnto the ship and called Saturne that most best was arayed aboue the other and asked him what he sought both he and his fellows and from what nation they were and whence they came from And Saturne answered to him and saide Sir albeit I know not at what port I am arriued for as much as my heart giueth me that ye be courteous of your nature I will not hide nor couer any thing touching your request I was late king of Crete named Saturne now I am but Saturne for my sonne hath put me out sorrowfully so that of all the riches of all my people and all my goods temporall there is nothing left me but this onely ship that ye may sée Wherefore I pray you and require that it please you to direct mee to some Lord of this countrey to the end that I may require licence and leaue to enter into his lordship and to take that that shall be necessarie competently to the life of me and of my companie When king Troos heard the case of Saturne comprised in briefe words he saide to him by compassion King Saturne yee be welcome into the house of Troos in troth I haue great gréefe in my selfe of your first anoyance for your glorious renowme and for the goodnesse that is in you as often times I haue heard it recounted But with this anoyance two things gladde and ioye my heart the one procéeding of the accomplishment of desire for I haue desired manye dayes for to sée you and this desire is now accomplished in me and the other procéedeth of hope and in this part I saye to you that I king of this countrey haue intention to comfort and to councell you to my power and also to giue you so good ayde that ye shall correcte your sonne and shall punishe his personne in suche wise as it shall appertayne for his offence Saturne began to sighe and to take a lyttle comforte of the greate proffer and good chéere
Of this euill aduenture Thebes was right hastily aduertised Megara was gone vp vpon one of the high towers of the pallace and sawe and beheld the battaile and from that place she saw them of Thebes slaine without remedie and also turne their backs The sight of the beating downe of the king her father and the view of the slaughter of other made her to crie out and said Fortune Fortune what mischiefe is héere where is Hercules Alas where hast thou brought him Alas that he is not héere to defend the countrey of his natiuitie and for to kéepe his wife farre from annoy and for to put his hand and shoulders for to beare the great acts and deedes of this battaile When shee had saide this she fell in a swoune and so lay a great while Neuerthelesse the king Andromeda and Lincus followed so hastily them of Thebes that they entred the Citie with them And for as much as the Thebans were without head and put out of aray and that Amphitrion had so many wounds vpon him that all the members failed at this worke the vnhappie Lincus and Andromeda tooke the Citie and flewe all them that might beare armes except Amphitrion whome they found not in the heate After they went vp into the pallace and there they found Megara and Amphitrion in great desolation with many ladies and gentlewomen As soone then as Lincus had espied Megara she was so faire and pleasant that he became amorous of her and came to her and sayd Ladie wéepe no more Hercules the bastard sonne of Iupiter is gone into hell and there he is dead Ye haue béene wife of a man gotten in adulterie from henceforth ye shall be fellow and wife of a man legitimate and borne in lawfull mariage for I will wed you and will do you more good and pleasure then euer yee had Megara answered false traytour wéenest thou that I be so foolish as to giue fayth and credite to the words of the homicide of my father and to the enemie of my lord Hercules Knowe thou that I am his wife and that I will neuer haue other husband but him he is no bastard but sonne of my Lorde Amphitrion and the most noble man that is in all the world Ladie aunswered Lincus I am king of this Citie ye be now at my commaundement will ye or will ye not I shall do my will with you but I will put it in respite and in my sufferance till to morrowe After these wordes Lincus sent Megara into a Tower and made her to bée kept there After he sent Philotes into a lowe prison and finding there in bondage and miserie Priamus the sonne of king Laomedon he had pitie of him and sent him againe to Troy where hée was after receyued with great ioy of the Troyans c. CHAP. VIII ¶ How Hercules entered into Thebes in vnknowne habite and how he put to death the Giant Lincus and his complices and his wife Megara c. BY the sword of Lincus then and of Andromeda Thebes was troubled dolorously Lincus exercised there many tyrannies and wickednesses In this misfortune Andromeda departed and went to do his businesse leauing there Lincus with foure hundred men of warre for to kéepe the citie and to hold it in his obeysance Thus was taken vengeance of the Centaures In the time of this reuenge the Quéene Iuno came into Thebes and had great ioy when shee found it in desolation and full of widowes and orphelins and in the enemyes handes of Hercules then were great the teares and lamentations of Megara Amphitrion was nigh her who vnderstoode all her gréefes and comforted her Lincus came many tymes vnto her into the prison and requested her swéetly to haue her loue and that in the fayrest maner he could Yet his swéete and fayre wordes auayled not for hée found her constant and firme and alway kéeping inviolable her chastitie and gaue him many vertuous aunsweres whereof foloweth one which was the last and this Lincus thou hast now thy hand strong and hast conquered Thebes Fortune and ill hap hath giuen vnto thée the tyranny whereby thou hast enriched thy selfe with vices Thou hast furthermore the power for to commit on mée murther but thy power nor thy sinnes be not so strong nor of such might for to make my vertue to bow in two folde Megara alway bewailed Hercules she lamented so much on a day that shee became all rauished and in a traunce And that same day Hercules that was departed from Thessalonica a good while before made so his iourneys that hée entred into the realme of Thebes accompanied with many noble men And entring into these coasts hée found the countrey all destroyed And he had not gone farre when it was tolde him how Lincus was Lord of Thebes and how he had slaine in battaile the king Creon and had imprisoned Megara c. When Hercules had receyued these tydings he was replenished with great anger and sayd that he would auenge him if he might Then he clad him aboue his armors with a mantle and disguised himselfe as much as he might when he had so done he left there his fellowes and entred himselfe into Thebes vnknowne and passed through the gate and bare him so well that the Porters let him passe foorth and in likewise entred into the Pallace At the entry of the Pallace a souldiour came to Hercules and demaunded of him what he sought there Hercules cast away his mantel a farre and took his sword that was strong and without any worde hee gaue so great a stroke to the souldiour that was not armed that he cleft his head from the highest part downe to the ground Many other souldiours that were there séeing the stroke cried and béeing afrayed ran to their axes and clubs and some were of them that put forth themselues for to take Hercules but Hercules smote off their heads and beat them downe and then began to arise a great vprore and so great a noyse that Lincus heard it And thinking it had béene his porters that quarrelled hée came running downe all vnarmed for to make peace As soone as Hercules perceyued and saw him comming out of the hall he drew vnto him with his sword readie drawne in his hand crying Hercules Hercules and smote him so that he cut off the right arme and with the stroke he fell downe to the ground And after he smote vpon one and other that had no helmes on their heades nor habergions on theyr backes and then they knewe that it was Hercules Hée slew them so thicke that with the bloud that ranne downe was made a right great rushing as if it had béene a riuer Among these things the gentlewomen of Megara issued out of the pallace and went into the stréetes crying with high and cleere voyce that Hercules was come againe and that hee had slaine Lincus With these cryes all the Citie was mooued the good men olde and yong the widowes wiues and maides ranne
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
Hector approched when men should mourn fifteene daies in great sorrow and after shoulde hallow the great feast of the funerall as it was that time the guise and custome for kinges and Princes And then during the truce the Greekes went and came into the Citie safely and so did the Troyans vnto the Tentes of the Greekes Then Achilles had desire to go to Troy to see the Citie and the feast of the anniuersary of Hector whoÌ„ he had slaine and so he went all vnarmed vnto the temple of Apollo where as was the sepulture of Hector and he found there great plentie of men and women that were noble and wept made great sorow before the sepulture which Hector a man might see on all sides al whole in like maner as he was first by the vertue of that balme There was the queene Hecuba and Polixena her daughter that was passing faire with a great company of noble Ladies that had all their haire dispersed and hanging about their shoulders and made right maruellous sorrow And albeit that Polixena made so great sorrowe yet she lost nothing of her bewtie but seemed shewed her selfe so faire in all her members that nature formed neuer none more fairer c When Achilles had well aduised and seen Polixena he said in himselfe that hee had neuer seen so faire a woman nor better formed nor made with that she was one of the most noble women of the world Then was Achilles shot with the dart of loue that stroke him to the heart so maruellously that he could not cease to behold her and the more he beheld her the more he desired her He was so besotted on her that he thought on no other thing but abode in the temple vnto the euening as long as the queene was there and when she went out he conueied his eye vpon Polixena as farre as he might see her and this was the cause and the beginning of his mishappe In this sorrow Achilles returned vnto his tent and when he was laid to sleepe that night there came many things in his minde in his thought and he knew then the danger that Polixena had put him in and thought in himself that the most strong men of the world could not nor hadde not power to vanquish him but the only regard and sight of a fraile maide had vanquished and ouercome him and him séemed that there is no medicine in the world might heale him saue she Then he said my praier my strength nor my riches may nothing mooue her to haue pitie on me I wot neuer what diuell hath put mee in this daunger to loue her that hateth me so sore with mortall hate and by right good cause for I am come hither for to slea her kinne and cosins and now late haue slaine her noble brother Hector Certes I see no remedie since shee is the most noble and fairest of the world And then he turned him to the wall and fell in weeping and drowned himselfe in teares and of necessitie he must thinke how he might come to the loue of Polixene and so he couered and hid his courage as well as hée might CHAP. XX. ¶ How Achilles sent his secret messenger vnto Hecuba the queene of Troy for to request her daughter Polixena and of the answere and how for the loue of her the said Achilles assembled the hoste of the Greeks and counselled them to depart and haue peace with the Troyans THe night following as Achilles was laide on his bed and might not sleepe he thought that he would send betimes his messenger vnto the quéene Hecuba for to know if hee might finde with her that fauor that she would giue to him her daughter Polixena to wife and hee would doe so much for her that he would make the Greekes to raised thâ—ir sâ—â—ge and go againe into their countrey hastily and that peace should be made betweene them Thus as hee thought in the night he put in execution and so sent his true messenger vnto the queene for to require her daughter and said to her the promises that his Lord had commaunded him When the queene had vnderstood the wordes of the messenger she answered him discreetly notwithstanding that she hated Achilles more then any man of the worlde saying friend as much as in me is I am ready for to doe that thing that thy maister requireth of mée but so say vnto him that I may not doe this thing alone by myselfe but I will speake to my Lord and to Paris my sonne and thou shalt come to mee the third day againe and I will say to thée thine answere When the messenger heard the quéene so speake he returned vnto his Lord and saide to him all that he hadde found and thus began Achilles to haue hope to come to his intent The queene Hecuba went anon vnto the king Priamus her husband whereas Paris was and tolde to them all that Achilles had sent to her and then the king hanged downe his head and was so a long while without saying of any word and after said to his wife O how is it as mee thinketh a hard thing to receiue into friendship and amitie him that hath done to me so great offence that hath taken away the light of mine eies in slaying my deere sonne Hector and hath therein giuen hope to the Greekes to haue the victorie But yet for to eschew the more great peril to the end that mine other sonnes loose not their liues and that I may haue rest in mine olde daies I consent with you that he haue that he requireth alway foreseene that hee doe first that thing that he hath promised without any deception Paris agreed to this thing readily forasmuch as in the promises of Achilles was nothing spoken of Queene Hellene c. At the third day after Achilles sent againe his messenger vnto the queene and as soone as hee came before her she said to him I haue spoken to my husband and also to my sonne Paris of the request and also of the promise of thy Lord and they be content that this his re-request be agreed to him so as that he do first that thing that hee hath promised and so thou maiest say to him that hee may come to the chiefe and end of his desire if that he conduct wisely and secretly this thing asmuch as in him is The messenger tooke leaue of the queene and came anon to his maister and counted to him al that the quéene had said to him Then beganne Achilles greatly to thinke how he might performe this that he had promised to the king Priamus and that it was a greeuous thing to doe and that it was not all in his power But it is a proper vice vnto the foolish louers to promise things that are hard to bring about and difficile for to come to the effect of their loues And likewise glorified him Achilles that for his merites or for giuing his aide to the Greekes he
good intertainement In like manner did sundry Lordes that had béene exiled returne againe to their wiues and houses and enioyed their olde seigniories as many as had escaped the daunger of the sea CHAP. XXIX How Horestes sonne of King Agamemnon cruelly auenged himselfe of the death of his father And how king Vlysses after sundry perillous aduentures returned to his Country and kingdome THen Horestes the sonne of king Agamemnon who was twenty and foure yeares of age and had béene brought vp vnder king Idumeus was by the said Idumeus made knight at whose knighting was great feasting and sport Then Horestes prayed him that he would helpe him with his people to be auenged of the death of his father and to recouer his land againe Whereupon Idumeus deliuered to him a thousand armed men wise and hardie And Horestes gathered out of other places an other thousand so passing toward Michmas he went by Trasim where Forensis was Lorde and gouernour of whome he gat a hundred souldiers this did Forensis for the hatred that he bare to Egistus forasmuch as the saide Egistus hauing espoused his daughter forsooke her for the loue of Clitemnestra So he ioynd with Horestes to make war against Egistus This expedition was taken in hand at the beginning of the moneth of Mate When they came before Michmas those that kept the cittie would not yéelde it He then besieged it round for Horestes had aunswere from the gods that hée should be auenged of his mother with his owne handes albeit that she was fast closed within that fortified cittie Egistus was not al this time within the citie but was gone to procure aide and succours of men of warre from other places against the comming of Horestes his enemy by the instigation of his wife Clytemnestra When Horestes vnderstoode thereof he layed a great ambush of armed men to surprise Egistus in his return and therewith also layed fresh and hote assaults daily to the citie which being not wel fortified was by Horestes taken after fiftéene dayes siege who appointing his men to kéepe due watch and warde that none should goe out nor in at the gates went himselfe to the pallace royall where he tooke his mother committing her to safe prison and caused them to be apprehended that were any waâ— guiltie of the death of his father and that had rebelled against him The same day returned Egistus with his new aides thinking to haue gone vnto the rescue of the ciâ—ie but by the way he was taken by the ambush of Horestes who slew all his men and carried him to Horestes with his hands bound behind him On the morrowe after Horestes caused his mother Clytemnestra to bee brought before him starke naked with her handes bounde whome as soone as euer hee sawe hee ranne at her with his naked sworde and first hee cutte off her twoo pappes and after slew her and caused her body to be drawen into the fieldes and there to be left for dogges and the birds of the ayre to deuoure Then he made Egistus to be taken and stripped and to be drawen naked thorough the citie and after to be hanged And in like sort dealt he with those that were found to haue béene culpable of his fathers death This vengeance tooke Horestes for the death of good king Agamemnon his father Menelaus after sundry great perilles by sea at length arriued in Créete hauing with him Helene his wife who hearing of the death of his brother and how cruelly Horestes had putte his owne mother to the death was sore displeased with his nephew At that same time came to Menelaus all the greatest Lordes and Nobles of Gréece for whose sake all the Gréekes had suffered so much trouble and vexation From Créete Menelaus sailed to Michmas and tolde Horestes that he was not woorthy to be king or gouernour for that he had so cruelly put to death his owne mother Whereuppon Menelaus assembled at Athens all the chiefe nobles of Gréece to the end to depriue Horestes of his raigne and gouernement for the tyrannous murthering of his mother Horestes excused himselfe thereof saying the gods had appointed him to doe that which hee hadde done At this the duke of Athens rose vp and offered to bée champion in maintaining Horestes his cause gainst any that would withstand it by combate or otherwise which challenge of his being by no man accepted Horestes was iudged guiltlesse and was suffered still to enioy his kingdome But vpon this quarrell Horestes conceiued such mortall hatred against Menelaus his vncle that hée afterward bare great euill wil to him Notwithstanding king Idumeus came within a while to Michmas and so reconciled them each to other that Horestes tooke to wife Hermione the daughter of king Menelaus and of Helen Whereat Erigone the daughter of Egistus and of Clytemnestra had so great sorrow that she hanged herselfe being gréeued that Horestes prospered so well During these affaires Vlysses came into Créete with two Marchants shippes for he had lost all his own shippes and the chiefe of his goodes by rouers or pirates at the sea After which losse hée arriued by mishappe within the countrey of king Thelamon where he lost the residue of his goodes and they of the countrey would haue hanged him had it not béene that by his witte and cunning he escaped their handes After that hée arriued in the countrey of king Manlus who hated him for the death of his sonne Palamedes yet there he so handled the matter by his wit and industrie that he got out of their handes also In the end comming againe into Créete he was friendly intertained by king Idumeus who wondered to sée him in so poore a case demaunding him of all his aduentures and how he had sped since his departing from Troy To al which Vlysses replied shewing how many and howe great perilles he had passed by sea and how he had lost all his men and goodes that he brought with him from Troy King Idumeus had pittie on him when he heard these things and gaue him honourable and bountifull entertainement for as long as he would stay with him When he would néeds depart to returne into his owne countrey Idumeus gaue him two ships furnished with all things necessarie for his voyage and riches with him great plenty requesting him that hée would take his way homeward by the Countrey of king Alcinous to whome he should be very welcome c. Thus Vlysses departing from Créete came vnto king Kingdome But upon this quarrel Horestes conceived such mortal hatred against Menelaus his Vnkle that he afterwards bare great euil will to him Notwithstanding King Idumeus came within a while to Michmas and reconciled them each to other that Horestes took to wife Hermione the daughter of King Menelaus and of Helen Whereat Erigone the daughter of Egistus and of Clytemnestra had great sorrow that she hanged her self being grieved that Horestes prospered so well During these affairs Ulisses came into Creete with
she on a day called her deare sonne Saturne with Titan and other of the Countrey and there rehearsed and saide vnto them that her yong sonne Saturne should succéede and haue the heritages of her husband Titan hearing the will of his mother redoubled his sorrow it caused him to wéepe great plentie of teares and knéeled too fore his mother humbly and saide in in this wise Mother I am right infortunate when ye will that my right patrimonie be put from me and that naturally me ought to haue by right should be giuen from me and yet because that I am not so wel formed of members as my brother Saturne is which sorrow is to me passing noyous ye wil put from me my fortune and byrth which ye may not do by lawfull reason I am your first sonne ye haue nourished me with the substance of your blood as your childe borne in your bellie nine Moneths Also I am he that first dwelled and inhabited your feminine chambers none tofore me tooke there any seisin when I tooke that then ye gaue mée your due loue and sorted to me the succession of your heritages Then whence cometh this that ye nowe subuert and destroy that nature hath once ioyned giuen me euery mother is bounden to holde the conseruation of the right of her child Alas mother will ye make me bastard fro my right am I a bastard was not Vranus my father am not I he that ye were so glad for what time ye felt first that I was conceiued in the lawfull bed of my father your husband am I not be that ye bare and gaue mee sucke of your breastes and oftentimes kissed me that is to say in my tender dayes what tyme my members were soft and tender Ha mother acquit you ayeinst me as ye beholden and bounden by right and knowledge ye that I am Titan and for as much as I am lesse and not so well adressed as my brother Saturne so much yée ought the more desire my promotion and furthering When dame Vesca heard her sonne Titan speake so sadly and profoundly she had pittie on him yet the pitie was not of so high vertue that might surmount the great loue that was rooted betwéene her and Saturne and then she sayde to Titan her sonne Titan my sonne I denie not that thou tookest thy substance betwéene my sides and were brought into this world and know verily that I loue thée intirely and that I desire thy weale but it is so cleare and euident in euery mans sight that for the default loathlinesse and abhomination of thy members thou art not a man sufficient to defend thy fathers heritage with great labour and paine for if it happen that one man would make warre thou were not able to resist him what wouldest thou that I should do thy brother hath the loue of al the people for his beautie and his vertuous maners and euery man holdeth him in reuerence and thée in derision and scorne Be thou content thou shalt lacke nothing and if thou lacke speake to me and I shall remedie it but speake neuer no more to mee for the heritage for Saturne shall obtaine it by the fauour of his wisedome méekenesse and benignitie and also because the common sort iudgeth him and séeth that hee shall once bee the man whose life shall shine gloriously Titan was sort troubled of the words of his mother and he began to chaunge colour and waxe red hauing suspition to Saturne that hee had contriued this matter against him whereupon he drew him apart to him and saide Saturne the enuie that thou hast to raigne aboue me hath now ingendred in my heart thy mortall mischiefe whereof the hate shall endure vnto the mortall separation of thy life and of mine and of my children Thou knowest well that I am the eldest son of our father Vranus how art thou so hardy and presumptuous to inhaunce thy selfe aboue me by conspired imagination I will that thou knowe verily that like as thou hast conspired in my temporal domage semblably I shall conspire to thy eternal domage hurt And name me from henceforth thy mortall enemie When Saturne heard these burning and enflamed menasses of his brother Titan he excused himselfe and answered that he neuer thought in his life to come to the succession of their father nor neuer had imagined nor conspired it Then Vesca their mother Cibell and Ceres tooke the wordes fro Saturne and saide to Titan that his threatning to Saturne was for naught for he should raigne and be Lord and maister Titan full of felonie and more angrie then hée was too fore said plainly that he would not suffer it Saturne had a great part of the people that assisted him and gaue him fauour And Titan also had other on his side which began to murmure the one partie agaynst the other All the compapanie was sore troubled and began to thrust in and enployed them to cease the noyse and to accord Titan notwithstanding it was hard to doe for alway he would haue runne vpon Saturne if he had not béene hold and letted alway In the ende the wise men shewed Titan by great reason that he was the more féeble and that Saturne was more in the fauour of the people and that he would modere himselfe a little and sayde that he should agrée and graunt the raigne to Saturne by condition that if hee married he should be bound to put to death all his children males that should be begotten of his séede if he any had for the wele of both parties Vesca with her daughter and the auncient wise people accorded to Titan this condition and laboured so to Saturne that they brought them to the Temple of their god Mars that was in the citie of Oson whereof was Lord a mightie man called Milliseus and that afore the image of the god Mars Saturne swore that if him happed to marry and that hee had any children males hee would slea them all thus was Titan content that his brother shuld enioy the land of Crete the peace was made betwéen them both CHAP. II. ¶ How Saturne was crowned first King of Crete and how he found first diuers sciences wherefore the people held him in great honour as a God AFter the treatie made of the peace of Titan and Saturne Titan saw in himselfe that hee might not worshipfully abide and dwell being vnder his yonger brother had leuer go and search his aduentures in other places then to be thral to his yonger brother Hee tooke his wife his children and friendes and departed at all aduenture into diuers places where he found fortune so good and happy that by armes and strength he made himselfe king of many diuerse Realmes which hee departed vnto his chlldren and commised and ordained certaine espies to espie and waite if his brother Saturne married himselfe and if his wife brought foorth men children and whether hée put them to death During these saide things Saturne
that the King Troos made to him and he thanked him of so hie and ample offers and at the coming out of his shippe he b◠〈◊〉 him in his armes and kist his hande What shall I saye the King Troos brought him into his Pallace with all his men and feasted them as it appertayned for the loue of Saturne In likewise the people being aduertised of Saturne that it was he that found the maner of labouring of the earth of melting of metals and of sayling and rowing by Sea made so greate and plentifull feast at his comming that they coulde no more doo At that time during this feasting when Saturne felt him in the grace of the Troyans on a daye he called Troos and his two sonnes and addressed his words to them saying Lordes of Troye ye haue doone so much for me that I maye neuer deserue it but as I haue sayde to you my sonne is enhaunsed and lift vp aboue me and hath taken from me my Realme I intreate you as much as I may that ye will councell me what thing is most conuenient for me to doo And how I shall suffer and beare the iniury doon to me c. My brother aunswered the King Troos this is against nature for a sonne himselfe to rebell against his Father the sinne and crime is foule and worthy of reprehension for euery sonne is bounden by all lawes to serue worship dread and obey his Father And it is not reason that any man should approoue or hold with a sonne disobeysant Your sonne is in this condition cursed and right euill and I am of the opinion that ye shal not acquite you well vnlesse you do to your power to maister and ouercome his euill maners And to the end ye shall not excuse your euident harmes and losses when ye will I will deliuer you my sonne Ganimedes accompanied with twentie thousand Troyans that shall succour you vnto the death Or they shall sette you agayne in your royall tribunall Saturne was all recomforted when he knewe the loue that the King Troos shewed to him and after many thankes concluded that he would returne into Crete with Ganimedes and would begin againe the pitious warre of him and of his sonne And following this conclusion from thenceforth on he did cause 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—int the shipping of Troye and all things apperteyning and gathered togither men of armes with great puissance by the introduction of Ganimedes And when all the assembly had mustred and were gathered togither he tooke leaue of the king Troos and of Ilion and went to the sea and shipped all his manie and knowing the situations of the countreys by the seas he directed his hoste into the Sea Egee where as was Egeus sonne of Titan the greate pyrate which durst not haue to doo with them in no wise and from this sea of Egee he trauailed so much by diuerse iourneys that he came and arriued at the first porte and hauen of Crete CHAP. XXIIII ¶ How Saturne by the ayde of Ganimedes and of the Troyans returned into Crete to fight against Iupiter where he was ouercome and vanquished and Ganimedes taken AT that houre when Saturne arriued in Crete the sunne was turned into the west and on the heauen begaÌ„ to appeare the stars Saturne knewe the port and tooke land hoping to enter the country secretly and went a little way and there lodged his people in a place coÌ„uenieÌ„t made theÌ„ rest eate and drinke by the space of foure houres and then hée awooke the host and made the Troians arme them and enter into the Realme But they were not farre gone but anon after the sunne rysing and approaching a straight passage the espies and scowrers came vnto Saturne and Ganimedes hastily and tolde them that they had séene the King Iupiter right strongly accompanied which kept the passage Vpon this place it is to wit that when Iupiter was departed from Danae and from the Tower of Dardan and was come into Crete desiring to accomplish his promise to Danae hee did cause to assemble his men of warre concluding in himselfe that faithfully he would go fetch the fayre Danae and bring her into his Countrey by force of armes What shall I say more His armie was all readie and came the same night where on the morrow he hoped to haue departed but as hée was in his bed that night in his Citie of Parthenie tidings came to him of the arryuing of the Troyans Wherefore he was constrained by force to change his purpose of which he was right sorie and maruailous passing heauie This notwithstanding suddenly as these tydings were freshly brought vnto him he arose and tooke his men of armes that he had assembled and hastily brought them vnto the straight whereof aboue is written and there abode his enemies as wise well aduised And it is not to be forgotten that in this armie among his men was the king of Molosse which had late found the industrie and craft to tame and breake horses for to be ridden and to ride them And there was come he and his men to serue the king Iupiter for his good renowme accompanied with an hundred men that ran as the winde And for this cause they were called Centaures and these Centaures were so terrible and cruell that they doubted not the puissance of King nor of none other whatsoeuer they were For then to returne to the matter alreadie begun when Saturne knewe that the passage was kept and that Iupiter was then aduertised of his coÌ„ming he caused his host to stay and sayde vnto them My children it behooueth that this morning ye so do in Crete your deuoir not onely in mustring and shewing your courages but aboue all that ye bee redoubted and dread like the thunder Assure year selues of your quarrell Iupiter mine enemie is heere where he abydeth our comming to the battaile ordained if we will come to the ende of our enterprise it is necessarie that we draw thither Let me heare what ye will say Then thus answered Ganimedes we be come into Crete for to correct your sonne and to set you againe in your throne We will do that we may do by our power and fight fréely without doubting or feare And vnto the ende that no reproch be layde vnto vs I will sende and summon your sonne first or any swoorde be drawne or stroke smitten to the ende that he yéelde him vnto your obeysaunce and that he come and amende his misdéedes And then Ganimedes did call forth his Troians by consent of Saturne and set them in order of battaile and when he had so done he sent one of his auncient knights a noble man vnto Iupiter and gaue him charge to make the summons such as is sayde before The Troyan departed from the host at the commaundement of Ganimedes and did so much that hee was presented before Iupiter and said to him Iupiter thou oughtest to know that euery sonne oweth obeysance vnto his father thou dost
to get againe his sister Exione And howe Hector answered and of his good councell and how Paris declared to his father the visions and the promise of the Goddesse Venus c. WHen the king Priamus was thus acertained of the hate of the Greekes and by no farre meanes hee coulde recouer his sister hee was mooued with great ire and thought that hee would send a great Nauy into Greece for to hurt and damage the Greckes Alas king Priamus tell me what misaduenture is this that hath giuen to thée so great hardinesse of courage for to cast out thy selfe from thy wealth and rest Why mayest not thou refraine the first moouinges of thy courage albeit that it was not in thy puissance yet thou oughtest to haue and take good councell and aduise and to haue in thy minde that men say commonly Some man thinketh to reuenge his sorrow and he increaseth it It had been a more sure thing to thee to haue remembred the prouerbe that saith that hee that sitteth well let him not mooue Or els hee that is well at his ease let him keep therein All things may bée suffered saue wealth a man that goeth vpon plaine ground hath nothing to stumble at In this maner the aforesaid king Priamus thought long and after hee assembled on a day all his noble men in his pallace of Ilion and saide vnto them Ye know how by your councell Anthenor was sent into Greece for to recouer my sister Exione that by fair meanes Ye doe verie well know also howe that hee is returned and come backe and also what wronges and opprobries he hath found And me seemeth that the Gréeks make little account of the iniuries that they haue done vnto vs at the least they by their wordes repent them not but yet they menace vs more strongly then euer they did God forbid that euer it shoulde come vnto vs like as they menace vs. But I pray the gods to giue vs power to auenge vs to their losse And as for me me seemeth that we be more puissant and strong then they are and also we haue the most surest citie and the best furnished in the world and also we haue of great lordes verie great plentie alied to vs for to helpe and ayde vs at our need and I thinke for conclusion that we haue well the puissance for to dammage and hurt our enemies in many maners and valour to defend vs from them And so should it be good for to beginne to shew to them what puissance we haue to grieue them withall If ye thinke it good we will send our men secretly that shall do to them great dammage ere that they shall be readie for to defend themselues And for that ye ought euery one to employ your selues to take vengeance of these iniuries and that yee haue no doubt for any thing inasmuch as they had the first victorie for it happeneth often times that the conquerours be vanquished of them that were vanquished c. Then all they that were present allowed the aduise of the king and offered euery man by himselfe to employ themselues to the same with all the power they coulde whereat the king Priamus had great ioy And after that he had giuen them thankes he let euery man depart and go home to their owne houses excepting onely his sonnes legitimate and the bastardes whom hee held in his pallace and tolde to them his complaint of the Greekes with weeping teares in this maner My sonnes ye haue well in your memorie the death of your Grandfather the seruitude of your Aunt Exione that they holde by your life in manner of a common woman And you be so puissant me seemeth that reason should instruct you for to employ your selfe to reuenge this great iniurie and shame And if this mooue you not thereto yet yee ought to doe it to satisfie my will and pleasure for I am ready to die for sorrow and anguish which ye ought be bound for to remedie to your power that haue caused you so wel to be nourished and brought forth And thou Hector my right déere sonne that art the eldest of thy brethren the most wise and the most strong I pray thee first that thou enterprise to put in execution this my will And that thou be duke and prince of thy brethrē in this work and all the other will obey gladly vnto thee And in like maner shall all they doe of this realme for the great prowesse that they know in thée And know that from this day forth I discharge me of all this worke and put it vpon thée that art the most strong and mightie to maintain battels for I am auncient and olde and may not from henceforth helpe my selfe so well as I was wont to doe c. To these wordes aunswered Hector right soberly and sweetly saying my father and my right déere and Soueraigne Lord there is none of all your sonnes but that it séemeth to him a thing humane to desire vengeaunce of these iniuries and to vs that be of high noblenesse a litle iniurie ought to be great As it is so that the qualitie of the person groweth and diminisheth so ought the qualitie of the iniurie And if wee be desirous and haue appetite to take vengeance of our iniuries we forsake not nor leaue therein the nature of men for in like manner doe and vse the dumbe beastes to boo and nature it selfe teacheth and guideth them thereto My right déere Lord and father there is none of all your sonnes that ought more to desire the vengeaunce of the iniurie and death of our Lord and graundfather then I that am the eldest But I will if it please you that yée consider in this enterprise not only the beginning but also the middle and the end to what perill wee may come héereafter for otherwhile little profite some things well begunne that come to an euill end Then me thinketh that it is much more allowable for a man to absteine him for to beginne thinges whereof the endes bee dangerous and when of may come more euill men good for any thing is not said to be fortunate or happie vntill the time that it come vnto a good end I say not these thinges for anie euill meaning or cowardise but only to the end that ye beginne not a thing and specially that thing that yee haue in your heart to put in practise but that ye first be well counselled Ye knowe well that all Affricke and Europe bee subiectes vnto the Greekes How be they furnished with knights worthy hardy and rich right maruellous Cortes at this day the force and strength of vs here is not to be compared vnto them in force nor in valiance Wherefore if we begin the warre against them wee might lightly come to a mischieuous and shamefull end We that bee in so great rest and ease amongst our selues what shall we seeke for to trouble our prosperitie and welfare Exione is not of so high