BellorophoÌ„ and they held him for the most best accomplished knight that euer they sawe What shall I make long processe of this matter Perseus and Danaus searched this mountaine and went into the caues of the beastes but they found none And still sate Bellorophon vpon the rocke for he might not go for the hurt and brusing of his foote And then as the two Knightes had fetched a compasse and gon aboute the hill they returned to Bellorophon and then Perseus sayde to him My brother O how well art thou worthy to haue of me praysing and commentation thou hast this daye doone a good and holy worke by thy worthy behauiour thou hast gotten vnto thy name the crowne of glorious fame Thou hast passed the strayte way and passage of infortune from whence thou art issued cleare as the sunne And not onely thou haste laboured for thy weale and vtilitie but for the weale and proffit of this region For thou haste flayne the warders of the serpentes and the porters of the Lyons that kept this countrey inhabitable which shall from henceforward be inhabyted and occupied with people Bellorophon was all abashed when hée heard the glory that Perseus gaue vnto him by méekenes and humility that was in him And answered if there be anye worship in this worke that it shall turne as well vnto them as vnto him and they beganne to prayse each one another and they eate vpon this hil the same night after they had made sacrifice vnto their goddes And thither came all the Apulyens where they made great chéere Afterward they tooke all the skins of the Lyons and the heads of the serpentes that were dead in signe of victorie and laded them in theyr galies and they bare them with them into their galey with Bellorophon which might not go and finally they went vnto the sea and sayled and rowed toward the porte of Athames which was nigh by but when they thought to haue drawne vnto this porte sodainly there arose a tempest on the sea so great and hydeousâ— that they were constrayned to abandon them vnto the wind and passed foorth by the hauen and their fortune was such that they were brought into Sirie vpon the sea of Palestine And they came into the porte and hauen of Ioppe where reigned Amon and in Palestine reigned Cepheus and Phineus c. The same time that Perseus arriued there by meanes of this tempest the porte was full of men and women and children that it séemed that al the world had bin assembled Perseus came thither alone for his folke were dispersed vpon the sea some héere and some there in the galeis When the Siriens sawe him ariue by force of the winde they assembled in a great number about his flying horse And the king Amon séeing that it was loaden with the heads of lions he was sore abashed And for to know from whence was that galey come he enquired who was the maister At which inquisition answered Perseus and demaunded of the king curteously in what Countrey hée was arriued The King tolde him that hée was in Sirie and that the Realme appertayned to him When Perseus knewe that he spake to the king he sayde Syr I am descended vnto this porte by the disposition of fortune also my men be sore trauailed by the tempest of the sea that hath béene long troublous vnto them I require and pray thée that thou be content that I and they maye come a land héere for to refreshe vs. And if it happen in time comming that thou or any of thine haue â—éede of like courtesie in Naples which is the place of our dominion I promise thée by the promise and word of a noble man that the like merit thanke shal be reÌ„dred vnto thée The king answered noble knight there be so many spyes now adayes sayling by realmes and countreyes that a man may not well knowe to whome he maye aâ—â—y and trust This notwithstanding I see well by your behauiour that I trow that ye will not giue vs to vnderstand any other thing then truth I abandone to you all my countrey and pray you that ye will come and take pacience in my house and furthermore I councell you that ye depayte and come out of your shippe for if ye abide there long ye shall be in great perill For asmuch as we knowe certaynlye that into this porte will come anon a monster of the sea that shall deuoure a right fayre virgine and mayde which is héere by bounde vpon a stone for the cryme of her mother and by my sentence And if ye tarye héere till his coming it is to doubt that it shal be the worse for you Boccace in the genealogie of the goddes toucheth not otherwise the cause why this mayde was thus exposed to the monstre Wherefore I passe it ouer and who demaundeth the name of this mayde Boccace saythe that shée was named Andromeda When Perseus had vnderstoode that there was bounde this mayde he desired to see her for the meruailous iudgement that was giuen vpon her and arayed him with rich vestiments and cloathes and then issued out of the galey and tooke out also Bellerophon which might not yet help himself and after he went vnto Andromeda There were her parentes and cousins in great number which labored in sorow and great plentye of teares When Perseus sawe this mayde that was passing fayre in her degrée which neuer sawe her like or match he hadde pittie of her and sayde to himselfe that if hee might hée woulde delyuer her from this perill Then hée called her friendes and sayde vnto them in the presence of Amon I haue certainly great pittie and compassion of this so faire a damosel and also am amased how the goddes suffer and endure that she is so fortuned in her tender yeares If it so happened that she might haue any knight or noble man that would vnbinde her and for charitie expose his body against the monster for the loue of her should she be quite They aunswered yea Ah then said Perseus if I wold for her sake aduenture my selfe in this worke and if it so fortuned that I had the grace to ouercome and surmount the monster and for to put him to the foyle will ye be content that the mayde be my wife They aunswered yea yea And I promise you sayd Perseus and sweare that she hath found me a knight that shall put his body and life in ieopardye for her c. With this word Perseus sent to fetche his armes and after went to the Damosell and vnbound her from the stone and deliuered her to her friendes and kinsmen Saynt Augustine in the booke of the citie of God rehearseth that yet in the same porte is the stone that Andromeda was bounde vpon that they of Ioppe kept for a signe and memorye of the victorye that Perseus had of the monster All they that were there meruailed greatly at the enterprise of the knight and knowing the monster
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
to assayle their enemies Whilest these things were in parle in the citie Iupiter was in the fielde and made great chéere with Ixion and the Centaures and being set at supper vpon the ground al about a great stone Iupiter sent for to fetch Ganimedes and made him to sup with them Ganimedes was sore mooued and had in his heart great trouble yet he tooke a short refection with them for he felt right great ache and smarte in his woundes And there Iupiter commāned with him saying that he was the valiantest man that euer was séene among the most valiantest of Troy and for as much as he was in his mercye and that it was hée that late with his father descended into Crete where he had gladly planted his name in worshippe if fortune woulde haue suffered him therefore sayd he I will no more warre before Troye but I will enter agayne to morne into the Sea and will go and putte in execucion a thing that lyeth me nowe sore at hearte And will well that ye knowe that I haue intencion to go vnto the Realme of Argos vnto the Tower of Dardan for to deliuer according to my promise out of the same Tower the fayre Danae whome the King Acrisius holdeth fast shut in without any reason This conclusion pleased king Ixion and the Centaures for as much as they had heard speake of the Tower of Dardain and they thought well that the Argiens might not hold against their strength When that they had eaten they entred into their ships and thought among other things on the wounds of them that were hurt and also of Ganimedes And after they laide them downe on the straw to sléepe and about two houres before day they weighed anchor and departed so secretly that the Troyans had no knowledge thereof And on the morrow betimes when king Troos and Ilion issued out of Troy to battaile they ranged in good order and found no man to haue to do withall nor they could not sée nor perceiue their enemies on no coast of the sea for they had so farre sailed from the port that by that time they were out of sight Thus they had great sorrow maruailously and came vnto the place where the battaile had béene and buried the dead men But nowe I will leaue speaking of them and of Iupiter and will turne vnto the History of Danae CHAP. XXVIII ¶ How the king Arcrisus when he sawe his daughter with childe sent her to exile and put her in a little vessell into the sea at the aduenture of fortune c. THe noble Damosell Danae abode with child of the séede of Iupiter as it is said before After that Iupiter was returned into his countrey she abode passing long in hope that he would come to fetch her by strength of people and would leade her into his Realme as he vnto her had promised In this hope she mounted often times into high windowes of the tower and casting her eyes now hither now thither vpon the mountaines wayes and stréetes for to awarre if he came or that she might sée his men of armes and his people of warre and without end shée had alway her eares open to hearken if she might heare the Trumpets Tabours and Clarions This hope dured long vnto the last day that Iupiter had promised and sore she complained in this tyme of his abyding and sayde vnto her selfe that he would come But certes when euening was come of the day that he had set and hee was not come nor she heard no tydings of him when she sawe that hée came not and that the fruit of her bellie appeared she went downe from the window of the hie Tower and all surprised with dispayre to beholde her belly sayde poore belly I may no longer hide thée I haue couered thée vnto this time hoping the comming of Iupiter the day is come and past that he should haue come and there is no tidings of him Alas and hath he also forgotten me Where art thou Iupiter Art thou dead or aliue If thou be dead speake to mee in spirite in excusing thée of thy default Tell me what I shall do with thy séede And if thou be aliue what right euill aduenture holdeth thée Art thou wearie of me Of Danae of her that thou enforcedst by raining golde of her that thou so much desiredst Alas thou promisedst me thy loue and gauest it vnto me and I receyued the gift in good part and gaue vnto thée mine heart in like case and more then thou wéenest And what shall this be Iupiter my loue and friend Art thou of the nature of false men as hypocrites that go about to deceyue poore women and then leaue them in dishonour Alas thou art one verily thou hast brought me into perpetuall shame and hast abandoned and giuen me ouer O mischieuous man O false lier be thou cursed with thy riches and accursed be the houre that euer I saw thée I am for euer by thée put to shame and by thée mine ende approcheth I may no longer hide thy workes Where shall my childe become euery man shall sée and know my trespasse Alas my father shall put me to death I may not faile of it and as for death it shall not grieue me saue for the fruit that I beare yet shall I kéepe it as well as myselfe at all aduenure come what may come thereof c. In these and such like wordes Danae passed ouer this night without sléeping or rest from thenchforth she began to be all melancholious and tooke this so sore to heart that she fell into a right grieuous maladie When the maydens that nothing knew of this case saw her so euill disposed they signifyed it into the king Acrisius And then came the king to visit his daughter and betooke her to the cure of his Phisitians and cunning men and demaunded of them what maladie she had They answered him in the presence of Danae that she was great with childe and that in short time shée should be deliuered Danae answered that they fayled to say the truth and that she had neuer knowne man and denied her fact as much as in her was possible hoping alway to liue for she knewe well that her father would condemne her to death if he knewe that she were with child And about this all the maydens of the house striued with the mistresse saying that they had well and surely kept the tower that no man saue the king had spoken to her but if he were come inuisible since that they had receyued her into their gouernance Whereat the king was greatly abashed and sore wondered When the king heard these wordes and saw the state of his daughter he was sore troubled For by experience he sawe well and it appeared that Danae was with childe hée trusted and beléeued better the Phisitians then the excusations of the maydens and of his daughter And for to knowe the truth he sent all the maydens of the place into prison
for as much as they intended vnto vices that hold of earthly things Of these daughters one was named Medusa the other Euriale and the third Senno Medusa that was the eldest of all the other succéeded in the Empire and in the Realme And the Poets say that 〈◊〉 had the head of a Serpent giuing by this to vnderstand that shee was wonderfully wife and subtill After the death of King Porcus this Medusa gouerned mightly her Realme and maintained pyâ—â—es and men of warre and in hir beginning she occupied and haunted the sea of Europe at pleasure and with right great triumph And landing on a day at the port of Athens shee sent vnto king Neptune to require him that he would grant vnto her that she might enter into his Citie for to worship in the temple of the goddesse Pallas which was newly made Neptune did great honour vnto the Messengers of Medusa and accorded vnto her that shee should enter into his Citie and into the Temple vpon condition that she should haue none with her saue her damosels Whan Medusa heard the aunswere of king Neptune she concluded that shée would go into the temple where of was a great talke And she was accompanied with many Damosels so richly arayed that it was a gallant sight for to sée She entred into the Temple and into the citie and there she turned into stones not onely the men that beheld her but also the women and among all other especially a Quéene that was named Ida. By this it is to be vnderstood that this Medusa was of so excellent beautie and was so passing rich that all they that beheld her gaue themselues ouer wholly to couet her beautie and her riches And therefore write the poets that they were turned into stones For they that dispose theÌ„selues and giue them to the delightes of this worlde be lykened and compared vnto harde stones whereof maye no good come Thus then Medusa entring into Athens conuerted and turned manye men into stones in so much that Neptunus heard these tydings and desiring to sée thys Quéene hée went into the Temple where shée was in contemplation And hée hadde not long behelde her when hée felte himselfe so desirous of her and of her loue that hée sayde to himselfe that shée shoulde be his wife and that shée shoulde neuer escape him This Medusa was long space in contemplation during which Neptune desired her beautie more and more and his heart gaue him that he should obtaine his purpose And anon after that his heart had thus chéered him he a little paused considering the excellencie of her griefe and thought trauersed and arose in his minde that constrayned him to say these wordes that follow Alas in what matter in what sorrowe and in what right great and enflaming payne be they that be burning in loue by long space of time that I alreadye beginne to finde mée in so manye sighes and paynes that I wot not howe I maye in time come vnto this Ladye for to require her to be my wife She is shining in all beautie and in right aboundaunt riches This is it that I lacke She beholdeth me otherwhiles in her prayers it maye happen so well that loue may turne her heart for to make aliance betwixt her and me And what is this men say that loue hurteth no man but if it be by his eyes If the eyes be not made for to sée I will saye that my desire shall hap well Where am I where I am put me out Where is my hart where is my desire I know not what I thinke my thought may be abused and my abuse may well be reuersed myne eyes peraduenture thinke they see that they sée not Mine eares imagine to heare and yet they be deafe I finde my selfe in a great perplexity and very ataynder and yet more in a superfluous errour more then any man may haue For when I sée this Ladye more excellent then all other in beautie and riches reason telleth me that she is not come hither for me and when I behold that shée is alone without men in my Cittie who shall againe saye my will I will require her to be my wife after that she hath doone her deuotion and if shée accord to my request my labour shall doo well And if she gainsay and withstand it then I must vse force and authoritye royall Thus when Neptune came to this conclusion Medusâ— arose from her contemplation and looked right fayre Neptune went to her and did her reuerence and after prayd her that she would go to his royall pallace for to refresh her Medusa thanked him of his curtesie and sayde that she might not well tarye there at that time When Neptune vnderstoode that she was to returne without staying longer in his house nor in his Cittie hée was sore displeased in his heart yet hée helde her in parle and drewe her a parte and sayde vnto her chaunging coloure Madame I am sorye that ye refuse to take harbor in my house I am king of this Cittie the goddes haue not giuen to mée so great happe that I haue yet any wife any Lady or damosel it is so now happened that the gods and fortune haue enspired you to come hither Certes it is so that your right high beautie hath prepared the eye of my heart and hath made me so desirous of you that I giue vnto you heart body and goods and all that a louer may giue vnto his loue and Ladie or any king may giue Wherefore I pray you that ye will go vnto my pallace to the end that I may haue communication more secretly there and tell you of the right great loue that I haue to you Anon as Medusa vnderstood the requests of the king shee began to frowne and not willing to bee otherwise intreated she answered to him Syr king if it were so that mine heart desired acquaintance and communication with one man more then with another in truth if I so found me disposed I would holde my selfe right happie finding my selfe in the grace of your eyes but the matter goeth with me far otherwise I loue men as much one as another I haue a purpose to abide and continue in my virginity Ye be a king you haue giuen to me safe conduct for to performe my pilgrimage I desire you that ye holde you content and that ye beare your selfe in such wise as if yee had neuer seene me Madame saide Neptune how shall I do that ye say when my heart is all giuen vnto you Sir answered Medusa it behoueth first to know and after that to loue I haue tolde you here that I haue a purpose to abide a virgine what may it profit you to say that ye haue giuen me your heart these be but lost words Dame saide Neptune the Diamond shineth not till it be polished ye were neuer peraduenture desired nor requested of loue before now wherefore ye haue no more loue to one man then to another Therefore
folden as my Ladie hath hers me seemeth for truth that it is some euill creature which willeth euill will to my Ladie and that by her sorceryes constraineth her to sit as she doth If it be so I will deceiue her For one of you and I will go into the Temple fayning right ioyous and glad chéere and will thanke the goddesse Diana saying all on high that my Lady is deliuered of a faire son And then when that creature that alway is there and changeth her into diuerse formes haue heard our praysing if it be so that she will any ill to my lady I doubt not but she shall loose countenance and that all troubled shee shall depart thinking to haue fayled of her enchauntment And then if it be truth that I suppose my ladie may haue some maner of deliuerance from her paine c. The women during these words remembred them that they had séene in the Temple the woman and beasts that Galantis spake of and were of opinion that Galantis should do like as she had supposed Then Galantis and one of the women departed from the chamber and went to the temple and entring therein they sawe on the one side where the false old quéen sate as she was wont to do and had transformed herselfe into the guise and forme of a Cow They passed foorth by confidently without making any shewe of sorrow or other thing saue onely of ioy and when they were come before the alter they knéeled downe and ioyned their hands together and sayde Diana soueraigne goddesse thy name bee praised in heauen and in earth for thou hast giuen this houre to my Ladye Alcumena and helped her to bring foorth into this world the most the most fairest childe of the worlde With these words they rose vp and returned againe and as they went they sawe the cowe suddenly depart out of the Temple and ran vpon the fields and in the same time and instance Alcumena arose and was deliuered of two fayre sonnes before Galantis and her fellow were come into the Chamber When Galantis were come vnto Alcumena and found there two fayre sonnes which she had brought forth she was full of ioy for that she had be guyled and deceyued the false olde Iuno She told then vnto the Ladies and to Alcumena howe shée had séene the Cowe and howe shée was departed from the Temple and assured them that it was some euill person and that shee had holde Alcumena in this daunger by sorcerie The Ladies sent after to séeke the Cowe but they heard neuer after tydings of her and greatly alway they ioyed in the natiuitie of these two sonnes Of these twaine the one of them was great and right fayre and of excéeding excellencie and the other was little and feeble The great childe was the first that was borne and was named Hercules and the other had to name Ypecleus Hercules as some say was the sonne of Iupiter and well resembled and was like vnto him and Ypecleus was the sonne of Amphitrion The tidings of this natiuitie anon ran all about and all they that heard speake thereof made ioy and were glad thereof saue only Iuno For she had neuer ioy in her heart after that she had heard in the temple that Alcumena was deliuered and had brought forth a sonne She departed from the temple as is said in the forme of a Cow despising in her heart the goddesse Diana and was so troubled that she had neither wit nor vnderstanding and thus sorrowing when she was a little withdrawne from the Temple she tooke againe her own forme of a woman and went vpon the mountaine of Olympus there she waxed pensiue and beganne to think what she might do after she smote her self on the brest with her fist and said what auayleth me to be borne of the royall blood of Saturne What auaileth me my patrimonie of the world of golde what auaileth mee the diademe of Crete what auaileth me the sciences of the world that I haue learned by great studie and labour when the gods be against and contrarie to mee in all things The king my husband careth not for me nor setteth nought by mee no more in mine olde daies then he did in my youth O what destiny Fortune wilt thou neuer turne thy wheele Shall I alway suffer still tribulations and this paine Certes séeing thou fauourest me not and that I be holde that of all my desires there is not one that may attaine to effect all shame and vexation redoubleth in me and I am so put in dispayre that my misfortune must néedes be cause of shortning and lessning the naturall course of my dayes With these words she beheld the earth and not the heauen pawsed a while and after that said And am I not wel infortunate and borne in an euill houre My craft and sorcerie auaileth not against myne enemy Alcumena I haue fayled against her but certes I will prooue my selfe against her sonne to the ende that his mother may be my felow and hold me company to make sorrow For I will slea her sonne and by this meane for that she is a woman and a mother I shall giue her cause of anger gréefe and displeasance O cursed olde Vyrago conspyring then against the poore innocent then shée imagined that she would take two serpents charmed and coniured to worke the death of the son of her enemy and that shée would some night put them into his chamber to the ende that they should strangle him With this conclusion shee departed from the mountayne and returned into Crete There being she so laboured by her science that shee did assemble on a day secretly all the serpents of the countrey Shée was alone and well vnderstoode and knewe this marchandise When she had assembled them all shee chose two of the most felonous and most enuenimed and put them in her lap and bare them home and after waited a day when king Iupiter had gone into a farre voyage and then fayning that shee would go on some pilgrimage she departed alone from Crete and did so much that in disguised shape she came into the Castle of Arciancie The king Egeus of th ens and the king Euristens of Attique were at that time come into the castle to make good cheere and it was in the euening when Iuno entred When she was within shée made her selfe inuisible by her craft and sought all about to find the chamber wherein was the son of Alcumena She sought so long till she came to the doore of the chamber where there was a window open Shée went to the window and looked in and in the beholding shée saw two nourses and two sonnes whereof she was all abashed and beganne to muse much Thus as shée was pensife Alcumena came for to sée her sons and feasted them in such fashion that the olde Iuno perceiued and knew that both the two were her sonnes whereof she had great ioy For she concluded in her false and
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
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