their fell sight The great lion came first his haire standing vp hee was as high as an Olyphant great after that proportion and his head was twise as big as the head of a bull Hercules séeing them come tooke his sword and his clubbe that Philotes bare Philotes notwithstanding his prowesse was so sore afraide that hee went vppon the trée vnto the heard-man Hercules set his club vnto the tree and tooke his sword fast in his fists the lions at the appraching brayed in their throates Hercules smote one of them betwéene the eyes and bare him downe to the earth that hee sate vppon his buttockes The great lion thought to haue sprong vppon Hercules and to haue taken him in his clawes and made a terrible leape When Hercules sawe and knewe his intent he turned from him and smote at the third lyon which was light and nimble and strake with his sword so right and so firmelye into his throte that he raught him to the hart what-soeuer resistance that he made in biting of the sword and left it within his body in such wise that he fell downe dead When the two lyons sawe their felow so vsed they set their clawes on the earth and howled so yrously that it séemed that thunder had sprong out of their stomacks All the forest sownded thereof Hercules tooke his sword the two lyons approched of newe againe and ran vpon him with theyr pawes and hurte him so vnmeasurably that they loosed his armour their nailes entring into his fleshe and them they drew out al dyed with his bloud Hercules had his heart sore troubled when he felte his woundes that the Lyons had made then hee lifted vp his sworde and smote on one and other but the great Lyon had his skyn so hard that his sworde might no more enter therein then it might on a great stithy Thus began the battayle of the Lyons and of Hercules The little lyon was passing eager and fierce hee launched him foorth ofte times against Hercules and alwaye thought to haue hurt him with his clawes that cutted like a rasour but he launched so ofte that it was to his euill health and ease for Hercules among and after many strokes made to be deuided from his body the right legge very nigh by the shoulder and smote him downe by the féete of that other lyon that laye dead c. When Hercules sawe that he was deliuered of the two euil beastes and that he had no more to doo but with the great Lyon he began to haue an hope of good fortune He then had comfort in himselfe of the battaile which was strong to sustaine for the great lyon gaue him great strokes with his pawes and put him oft times in perill of death the sword of Hercules might neuer enter into the skin of the beast it was so hard The lyon tooke his sword betwéene his téeth and his nailes that with great paine he pulled and haled it from him Finally when he had long fought with his sword and knew well that thereby he might raise no bloud of the lion he would assay if his club were to him more profitable Then he tooke it and the first time that the Lion came vpon him hee gaue him a stroke with his club so great on his mouth that all the téeth brake and fell out before him The Lion féeling the stroke made a great maruailous howling so he lifted vp his pawes and thought to haue pulled downe Hercules But he fled the comming of the lion and the lion fell to the ground with so great fiercenesse of running and fayling of Hercules And when Hercules sawe that hee was fallen he leapt vppon him forthwith eagerly and beate him and held him with his hands about the throate so fast that hee brought his iawes out of their places out of ioynt and made his eies to flie out of his head and strangled him and so slew him In doing this déede or worke Hercules shewed a singular hardines and incredible force for he strangled with his hands a lion with the skin so hard that speares nor swords might not do any harme he put him to death by a wonderfull valiance and when hee had so done he went to the other that liued yet and all to brake and tare him as if it had beene a little lambe After he called Philotes to him and the pastor or heard-man that were maruailous ioyous and glad of so high a victorie And Hercules found the maner how to flea the Lions and tooke their skinnes by the helpe of the heardman When they had fleaed them it was night Hercules then demanded the heardman if there were any house or lodging thereby where hee might haue meate and drinke The heardman brought him to his house where they found prouision of meate and drinke wherewith the good man feasted Hercules to his power and he séemed that he was in paradise And thus Hercules passed the day and the night and forgat not to thinke on his wounds that were fell and smarted so that little or nought he slept that night This notwithstanding when the day appeared he tooke leaue of the heard-man and so departed and tooke his iourney for to go into Crete for to shew vnto the Quéene Iuno the thrée lions skinnes and for to thanke her of her good aduertisement CHAP. II. ¶ How Iuno sent Hercules into Egypt to be slaine of the tyrant Busire and how Hercules slew the tyrant against the hope and will of Iuno AT this time raigned in Egypt the king Busire the sonne of the Quéene of Libie and the land of Egypt was drie not fertile but barraine Busire for to remedie this called his Clearkes that held the science of Zoroastes and asked of them what he might do for the health of his Realme They asked counsell of the gods and had answere that they must sacrifice vnto them mans bloud When Busire that naturally was euill and that had neuer done good heard this answere he beganne to tyrannise more and more that was a tyrant before And beganne first with his people raking and plucking from the mothers their little children and from the men their wiues and from the wiues their husbands in burning and defiling the temples of Egypt with their bloud For all these homicides and slaughters the drouth ceased not but augmented and waxed more The Clearkes demanded their goddes the cause why they had no dewes of water nor raine from aboue They answered that they would not haue the iust bloud of Egypt but the strange blood which they shoulde take and make sacrifice thereof The goddes by this answere would haue in sacrifice the blood of Busire for he was strange in vertuous policie and farre from all good And the Clearkes vnderstood that they would haue the blood of strangers Busire aduertised of this answere ceased to persecute the blood of Egypt and turned his sword vpon the blood of strangers And made an Edict and statute that no straunger
put her out of the order and of her company AT this time began to rise in the mind of Iupiter many thoughts for the better he concluded in himself to returne to Pelage from whence he came And then for because that hee was displeased with himselfe for the enforsing of his Ladie dame Calisto by loue hee departed from the wood and so hasted on his way that hee was on the morne among the Epiriens in his first habite When the Epiriens sawe Iupiter come againe they made him right great chéere and great honor And the same day Iupiter fained him that he would go on hunting and so went and found means to speake with Calisto and required her that she would be his loue but she in no wise would assent to him He returned from the chase so gréeued that for to passe his melancholy he departed out of the country The fourth day following after that he ordained there folke that gouerned the people and returned into the house of king Melliseus who receiued him as his son and there he dwelled a long time without aduentures whereof any mention is made and also Calisto dwelled in peace a while and when she heard tell and vnderstood that Iupiter was gone she was passing ioyous for she had leuer haue him far then nigh alway the time passed the fruit of her wombe grew and the day came that Diana and Athalanta with other virgins perceiued that she was with child wherfore they assembled al in their Chapyter and called Calisto and then spake Diana to her and said Calisto my daughter thou hast done fornication with some man this fornication is not excusable The virgins of this place be sorie for thy sinne and haue abhomination of thy shame For this cause it is of force that thou departe out of this house thou shalt be no longer their fellow Thou hast made thy selfe worthie to depart by the breaking and loosing of thy virginitie Take thine array and go thy way into some place where then maist be deliuered of the fruit that resteth in thée for thou shalt no longer be héere within When Calisto heard the goddesse Diana and knew that she said truth great teares fel from her eies and wéeping by great aboundance excused her vpon Iupiter rehearsing the abuse and violence that she had Diana and the maidens had great maruaile of Iupiter that had them so deceiued Calisto cried her mercie right humbly and many times offered her selfe to the correction of the maidens This notwithstanding albeit that she was held excused they receiued her not to mercie She was condemned to go out of the cloyster and so much went the matter for t of that the poore religious woman departed from thence all bewept and so ashamed that she would not go to no towne citie nor house but in a déepe caue that she had seene afore time in the wood And first she made her prouision of hearbs and rootes for as much as the winter was comming After she entred into the caue and there she held her so lōg time as the beare holdeth him in his den wherefore the Arcadiens fayned that she was turned into a beare And it is not to be forgottē that during this time she was deliuered of a sonne which she named Archas. This child was great and huge of members Calisto nourished him among the wilde beastes with rootes fruites and hearbes and of the proper meates and prayes that the cruel and terrible beasts liued with and there was no beaste that did him any harme nor none was so hardie to do him any gréeuance And he was so cruel and fierces that at the age of seuen yeare as his mother angred or troubled him on a day he lifted vp himselfe against her and would haue slaine her In so much that Calisto was constrained to flée before him by the bushes and to issue out of the wood and go to Iupiter which at that time was in the citie of Pelage Are has pursued Calisto his mother vntill he came within the citie and so forth entred after her into the Pallace and held in his hands two great round stones When Calisto entred into the pallace by aduenture she encountred and mette with Iupiter whom she knew and she knéeled downe on the earth before him and required him with afrayed spirite that he would do her iustice of her sonne that would flea her Iupiter that nothing knewe Calisto for asmuch as she was euil clothed and halfe wilde and sauage behelde the chylde and made him be taken and after he demaunded Calisto what she was Sir said she I am ' Calisto that for thy sinne was long since banished out of my religion I haue had this childe of thy séede such as thou seest this is thy sonne I haue nourished him seuen yeares in the forrest among wilde beasts He now would slea me for asmuch as I haue angred him I pray shée saue my life When Iupiter heard these wordes of Calisto he was right glad and ioyous for it was sayd that she was dead and he comforted her the best wise he could After that he called Archas and made the peace betwéene him and his mother and did cause him to be clothed and reteyned him in his palace And thēceforth the same Archas gouerned him so wel and so wisely that at the prayer and request of the Pelagiens Archas was made king of the countrey CHAP. IX ¶ How Titan assayled by warre his brother Saturne for as much as he had not put to death all his Children males c. IN this time that the young Archas was crowned king of Pelage and that he named the Cytie Archadia after his name the king Saturne was so great and so puissaunt that for to ample and increase the splendor of his natiuity he named himselfe Saturne sonne of heauen and of earth But then as he began to study how and by what maner hée might exalt the splendour of his felicitie by diuine misteries fortune turned her backe to him warde And as there is nothing in earth that may abide and endure so it happend that Tytan was all acertained that the quene Cibell had diuerse men children that she did cause to be kepte secretly and so had saued their liues Boccace that recounteth this history in the fourth booke of the genealogie of the goddes sayth not by what meane Titan knewe this thing alwaye eyther by suspection or by enuy that he had of the glorye of Saturne his Brother or by secret aduertisement Vnder this colour he determined in his courage that he woulde assayle Saturne by armes and for this cause he did assemble on a daye al his sonnes and them required that they would ayde and helpe him to get the land of Crete saying that hée woulde make warre against Saturne his Brother and that by right and iuste tytle he had good cause for he had not put to death dyuerse men children that his wife Cibell had conceyued of his séede like as
and of the Epiriens all the worlde prayseth him and holdeth him one of the valiauntest men of the world he is my sonne I shall send to him and let him haue knowledge of the miserie that I am in by the Damosell that bare him vnto the Mountaine of Oson and shall require him of succour and I hope that he is a man of so hie courage and so fortunate that he shall succour her that hath done him that merite that is worthie to haue his succour and that saued him in his tender dayes and my heart telleth me that hee shall receyue by this tyding a right great ioy in knowledging the place of his natiuitte For more greater ioy hée may not haue come to him then to knowe that hee is the first sonne of the auncient house of Crete And this shal turne to him a soueraigne gladnesse when he shall see thal he is required to come and make the recouerance of his father and mother and of his countrey CHAP. X ¶ Howe Iupiter with the ayde of King Meliseus of Epire deliuered Saturne his father and Cibell his mother out of the prison of Titan and howe hee slue Titan in battaile WHen Saturne and Vesca had heard Cibel so speake Vesca sayd that her aduise was right good and Saturn was al astonied for he thought that Iupiter that he had séene at diuerse times with King Meiâ—seus should in no wise be his son so hardly hee could beléeue it and giue faith vnto the words of Cibell and said if Iupiter would succour him he were the man to do it and that he was content that Cibel shuld send to fetch him as she had sayde Then Cibell sent for the Damosell that knewe all the guiding of Iupiter and gaue her the charge to go vnto him and to dispatch this businesse This Damosell ioyous of this Ambassade departed secretlie and taryed not till shee came vnto the house of Meliseus and finding there Iupiter with the King after the reuerence made she addressed her spéech to Iupiter and saide to him Iupiter reioyce and bee glad I bring to thée tydings of gladnesse For among other sorrowes fortune that hath holde â—â—ee long time ignoraunt and not knowing the place of thy right noble natiuitie hath now certainly layde open the discouerture and knowledge of the same ignorance and will that thou knowe that thou art the first sonne and heyre of the King Saturne and of Dame Cibell The King Saturne thy father as euery man knoweth long since made an oath vnto his brother Titan that hee wouldâ— slea all his children males that should come of his séede for which cause the day of thy natiuitie he commaunded that thou shouldest be put to death but thy mother had pitie of thée and for to saue thy life she sent thée secretly vnto this house giuing thy father Saturne to vnderstand that she had done execution on thée And so for to eschue the furors of thy father thou hast béene here nourished all thy dayes and knowest not thy selfe what thou wert and nowe thou art certaine What ioy is this to thée certainly great And thou oughtest to go ioyously vnto thy father and mother presenting thy selfe vnto their grace if it were not that after these tydings of ioy I must néedes shewe vnto thée Iupiter other tydings and that is this Thy mother that hath saued thée thy vncle Titan holdeth her in pryson with Saturne for that that she hath nourished thée and hée hath ouercome and vanquished thy father in battaile latelie and taken from him his Realme and yet more hee will put them to death Wherefore they pray and require thée that thou haue pittie of them and that thou wilt employ thée to go and deliuer them out of the daunger that they be in at this day The King Meliseus and Iupiter hearing these tydings of the Damosell maruayled them right greatly and Iupiter was right ioyous when he had vnderstoode that he was sonne of King Saturne and on that other side he was sore vexed of the troubling of Crete and thanked the Damosell And after that he turned him vnto the king and said to him Sira yee may nowe knowe and vnderstande what I am and of what house as this Damosell witnesseth My father and my mother be in the hands of their enimies I pray you in their fauour that ye will helpe me to succor them and that we go hastily oppressing him that hath oppressed them I haue a singular hope and trust in fortune that she will helpe vs. Faire sonne aunswered Meliseus knowe that I haue more ioy in the recoueraunce of thy lynage then I can shew or make semblant of and in signe of this I promise to helpe thée asmuch as in me is possible And then Iupiter assured the Damosel and swore vnto her that he would put him in armes against Titan and had her returne vnto Saturne and Cibel and to comfort them in hope of right short succour The damosel departed from thence with the words of Iupiter and returned in to Crete and told vnto Saturne and Cibell all that she had doone Anon after the Damosell was departed Iupiter sent for Archas his sonne hastily with the Arcadiens and also sent for the Epiriens and the Parthenyens with them of the Citie of Analcre All these people loued Iupiter with great loue and came at his commaundement in great number of men of warre Iupiter welcomed them as wel as he could and told them the cause why he had sent for them and tolde them that he was Sonne vnto king Saturne After these things he did cause to be made ready all things that were necessarie vnto his Host and so they departed from the Citie of Oson with a right fayre companye of men of armes vnto the number of six thousand fighting men and so well sped that in short time he brought them within a mile nigh the Citie of Crete And there Iupiter would tary vpon the toppe of a Mountayne and called to him his sâ—â—â—e Archas that then had but thirtéene yeare of age but he was right wise and well bespoken and gaue him in charge that he should go into Crete to giue summons vnto the king Titan that he shuld go out of the Citie and deliuer to him his father Saturne with his mother Cibell The young Archas that was hardye and hadde his heart highe enhaunsed with the word of his father went vnto Crete to the King Titan to whome he gat him to be presented and sayd vnto him these wordes that folow Titan I come vnto thée in the obeysance of my father Iupiter first sonne of King Saturne that thou holdest in captiuitie He hath béene aduertised of oppression that thou hast doone in the personne of his Father and of his mother and the death of their sonnes he signifieth to thée by me that he is sonne of Saturne and that he is as much thine enemy as thou to hiâ— souiâ—â—â—art enemie Vpon which I thée â—â—â—non as
vnto thée all that thou canst or mayst thinke néedfull c. When the noble damosell Danae vnderstoode the will of her father she behelde the Tower of Copper made for to kéepe her shut fast there in And further when she considered that she should neuer marry during the life of her father the king she was sore troubled about these things and by great bitternesse with sorrowfull heart began to wéepe and said Alas my father am I borne vnder so vnhappie a constellation for to be a martyresse and prisoner not in the end of my yeares but in my young time not in a prison of stone or of cement but in a tower of Copper and Latton in such wise as I should dwell therein perpetually Thou interpretest euill the sentence of the God Belus saying that of me shall be borne a sonne that shall turne thée into a stone For by this sentence ought none other thing to be vnderstoode but that I shall haue a sonne that shall raigne after thée and shall turne thée into a stone That is to say that hee shall put thée into thy Sepulchre Beholde then what simplenesse shall it be to thée to beholde me thus enclosed and shut in this Tower My daughter answered Acrisius thou interpretest the Prognostication of our god Belus after that thée lyketh to thy ioy and profite It lyeth me sore on my heart that if thou haue a sonne he shall put me to death and that is my iudgement and feare Gainsay no more me I am thy father Lord and maister ouer thée thou shalt abide here either by loue or otherwise At this conclusion when Danae saw that she might not content her fearefull father as wise and sage as she was she agréed and accorded to do his pleasure yéelding to it with the mouth and not with the heart And then the king sent for virgins and also olde matrones in all the Realme about and deliuered his daughter vnto them for to accompanie serue and kéepe her and made them all to be shut and closed in with her After he tooke his leaue of them commaunding them vpō pain of death that they shuld not suffer any man to come and speake with his daughter without his witting and knowledge When he had thus done he returned into the Citie of Argos and assembled fortie strong women which he gaue wages and pay to and sent them to kéepe the gate and the entrie of the Tower And then spread the renowme of these things in so great a sound and noyse that all Grece was full of the tydings and there was no King ne Prince but that complained the losse of the youth of faire Danae then holden and named the most faire of al the Greekish maidens daughter of the king c. CHAP. XIX ¶ Howe Iupiter in guise of a messenger brought vnto the Tower of Dardan to the Damosels and to Danae many Iewels faigning that he came from Iupiter BY this Tower and by this meane Acrisius thought to ouercome his predestinate misfortune and was well eased that his Daughter was in so sure and safe a place All the world spake of her and of her Tower by compassion they complained her state and it was so much spoken of this cause that Iupiter had his eares full thereof and not onely his eares but also his heart for in hearing the recommendation of the excessiue perfection of this virgine Danae he was amorous of her greatly and desirously assoone as the mariage of him and Iuno had bin consummated And then he began with all his heart to thinke how and when or in what maner he might come to sée this Damosell Danae And so much he thought and studied in this matter that there was none other thing that hée woulde heare of nor no conferences of his men saue only of them that spake of the pryson of Danae And hée spake chéerefullye and talked with all diligence couetting instantly to be with her and that as well in the presence of Iuno as otherwise saying many times that he would that the Gods would giue him grace and power to bring this Damosell Danae out of the Tower c. By this meane and these spéeches Iuno was in doubte and began to feele the first sparkle of ielowsie casting infinite curses and maledictions vpon Danae and vpon all them that had sowen those tidings before her husband This shée shewed not only in couert and in her stomacke but more openly in the presence of her husbande shewing euidently that she had the attaint of ielously This notwithstanding Iupiter was neuerthelesse desirous for to sée Danae more then hée was before The maleditions ne curses might not let ne withdrawe his affections which grewe more and more In the end he found himself so rauished with her loue that there was no more continence found in him To conclude hée deuised intencions and conclusions and purposed to go vnto the guardiens and kéepers of the Damosell Danae and that he would beare vnto them so largely and so many owches of golde and Iewels with money of golde that hée would turne them with his giftes to accorde to him and let him enter into the tower of Danaes Then hée sente for the Iewellers that were woont to serue his father Saturne and made them make the most rich Iewels and Owches that were euer séene or thought When the workmen had made a part Iupiter tooke them and laded him therewith and euill cloathed like as he had béene a seruant he alone departed from Crete and drewe him to Argos the most secretlie that he might and so went and came séeking the Tower of Dardan Which he found in an euening and saw the wals shining and came vnto the gate where he found many of the matrones sitting at the doore for recreation c. When Iupiter was comen he saluted the Matrones and said vnto them Noble dames the good night come to you What Tower is this of so noble and so strong fashion Fayre sonne said the eldest of them ye be not of this Countrey forasmuch as ye knowe not the name of this Tower Know ye certainly that it is named the Tower of Dardain and this is the proper place that the king Acrisius hath caused to make for to keepe his daughter the virgin Danae in which is a Damosell so furnished with all vertues and honourable maners that her like is not in all this world But the poore maid is so much infortunate that her father Acrisius holdeth her in this Tower shut for that he hath an answere of his goddes that of his daughter Danae should bee borne a childe that should turne him into a stone This is cause wherefore we be and kéepe her that no man may conuerse with her in no fashiō And her father is the king Acrisius which is so sore smitten to the heart with iealousie that if he knew of your being here he would sende to destroy you And therefore withdrawe you and go foorth on your way
to Argos and betooke Danae in kéeping to other women and commaunded them vpon paine of death that they should tell him if she were or happened to be deliuered of childe or no. Within a certaine tyme when Danae sawe her in this case shée began to fall into wéeping The king Acrisius from this day forth came euery day to knowe how she did She wept without ceasing shée spake not but vnto her heart and shée bewayled her loue and complayned on Fortune sorrowfully But when she had laboured long in these wéepings and that her faire eyes were made great and red about fiftéene dayes before the time of her childing the beganne to remember the cause why she was put into the Tower And that the gods had prognosticated that she should haue a sonne that should bée king of Argos In this remembrance she was comforted a little and when the time came that nine months was expired she brought forth a passing faire sonne which the Ladyes and women receiued and named him Perseus And after that signified it vnto the king But at the birth of this childe she excused and put out of blame all the damosels and saide that they were all innocents of her fact Anon then as the king Acrisius knew the veritie of his Daughter and that she had a faire sonne he had in his heart more of sorrow then of ioy and condemned her to death indéede and commanded two of his mariners that they should take the mother and her childe and put them in a little Boate them both alone and that they should carrie them farre into the high sea that after should neuer man sée them nor haue knowledge of them The mariners durst not refuse the commaundement of the King but by his commandement they went vnto the Tower Dardane and tooke Danae and her sonne Perseus and said vnto the damosell al that that they had charge to do praying her humbly that shee would pardon them And this was about midnight when Danae vnderstood that shee should bée cast into the sea and her sonne with her Yet she had hope to escape this perill by the meane of the fortune of her son This notwithstanding the teares ran downe from her eyes and wéeping tenderly she tooke her leaue of the ladies and damosels that had her in kéeping and they let her be caried vpon the sea making complaint pitious bewailings When the mariners had brought hir vpon the sea they left her in a litle boat put in her lap Perseus her faire son And as hastily as they might they conducted her into the déepe sea without meate or drinke and without sterne or gouernaile and gaue her ouer to all windes Then was there many a teare wept among the mariners and Danae and Perseus the young childe The marriners bewailed with great compassion that they had to sée such a Damosell abandoned to perill of death Danae wept in considering the rigour of her father and the fault that Iupiter had done to her and also for the perill which she might not resist and Perseus wept for the blowing of the winde and for the grosse ayre of the sea that his tendernesse might not well suffer to endure In this fashion the Matrones returned to Argos and the right discomforted Damosell Danae went forth vpon the waues of the sea at the agréement and will of the windes The waues were right fearefull and lifted themselues into the ayre as Mountaynes the windes blewe by great stormes the little Boate was borne and cast vpon the waues and oftentymes Danae looked and supposed to haue perished but shée had alway hope in Fortune And so well it happened that in this aduersitie and trouble shée was cast into the Sea of Apulia or Naples And there shée was found by aduenture of a Fisher that for pitie and charitie tooke her into his Shippe and her sonne and brought her on lande forasmuch as hee sawe it was great néede At this time the noble Danae was as a deade bodie and halfe gone when the marriner had brought her a land the tooke a ring of gold that she ware on her finger and gaue it vnto the good man praying him that he would bring her into some house where shee might warme and cherish her with her childe for he was nigh dead for colde and was all in a traunce The marriner tooke the Golde Ring and brought the Damosell and the little childe into his house and made them a good fire and brought them meate and drinke As soone as Perseus felt the ayre of the fyre his heart came to him againe and he began to laugh on his mother When shee sawe that all her sorrowes turned to nought and she tooke hope of good fortune She then made ready and arayed her son and her colour came againe she did eate and drinke What shall I say the fisher behelde her and then séeing in her so much beautie that the like to her he sawe neuer none he went vnto the court of the king of Naples and tolde him his aduenture praysing so certaynly her beautie that the King sent hastely for to fetch her This King was named Pilonus and was sonne to the auncient Iupiter And when Danae was come before him sodaynlye he waxed amorous of her and demaunded her name her countrey and the cause why she was aduentured on the sea At beginning she excused her selfe of al these things vnwilling to tell all and began to wéepe When the King sawe that he comforted her and said to her that he would take her to his wife for her beautie and spake so fayre to her and so graciously that she tolde him al her life how she was daughter of the king Acrisius and how she was shutte in the tower and how Iupiter had deceyued her and how her father hadde put her in the sea What shall I say more when the King Pilonus heard all these fortunes of the damosell he had pitie on her and wedded her with great honour and did put to nurse Perseus and gat on her a sonne which was named Danaus but of this matter I will cease and turne again to the history of Iupiter c. CHAP. XXIX ¶ How Iupiter returning from Troy by sea encountred the great theefe Egeon which he fought with and ouercame and of the tidings that hee had of Danae whereof hee was passing sorrowfull WHen Iupiter was departed from Troy as afore is said he made his mariners to saile and row with all diligence for to withdraw from the port and for to approch Crete for he knew well that the time of his promise made to Danae was expired and that displeased him greatly that he might not amēd it His mariners did all that they could do by the space of a day naturall but the day being past there rose a tempest in the sea so terrible and out of measure that it bare many ships with their furniture vnder water brake their sternes and helmes and drowned all the
euill minde that she would strangle both two by the Serpents c. Alcumena departed from the chamber by the space of time and Iuno let the night waxe darke The nourses laide the children in their cradles to sléepe and they slept And after they layde themselues downe and slept leauing a Lampe burning in their Chamber Then when they were asléepe at that time that Iuno would accomplish her worke shee opened her lap and made to leape out the two serpenis charmed and enchaunted to worke the death of the two children and put them by an hole into the chamber When they were within they lifted vp their heads and smelling the two children made vnto them giuing the first assault vnto Ypecleus in such wise that they strangled him and there murthered him After the death of Ypecleus these two serpents came vnto the cradle of Hercules that was awake the same time When the Serpents were come to the cradle they went the one on the one side and the other on the other side and mounted on the Cradle but this was to their euill ease For as soone as they came vppe Hercules perceiued them and was afraied because they were fierce and dreadfull he then bestirred himselfe and his armes with such might and force that he brake the bonds in which he was wrapped and swadled and so laboured that hee had his armes and his hands at large and then when the serpents ranne vppon him hee put them backe by naturall strength and force many times and fought with them with his fists right long but at last when Hercules sawe that the serpents oppressed him more and more and ceassed not to assaile him he tooke in each hand one making a great crie and held them so fast and sore that he strangled both two The nourses awoke at the crie that Hercules made and arose vp hastily and went to the cradles for to see their children and they found Ypecleus dead and they found that Hercules held yet the two serpents in his hands Sodainly as they saw that maruaile they cried pitiously With that Iuno the false witch and sorceresse that had séene all fled her way sore troubled and terribly angrie at that that the serpents had not wrought and atchieued her purpose as well in Hercules as they had done in Ypecleus And Amphitrion with Alcumena awoke and came into the chamber where the two nurses were which made sorrowfull and pitious cries and entring therin they saw Hercules at the one side yet holding the Serpents and at the other side they beheld Ypecleus all swolen with venim and dead then déepe and gréeuous sorrowes came and entred into the bottome of their hearts Alcumena began to crie and wéepe by naturall pitie and Amphitrion was al afraide Many damosels and other folke came to the chamber which all were afeard to take away the Serpents for feare of hurt and there was none so hardy that durst approch to Hercules for the serpents that he held in his hands which were swolen with the venim Alway Hercules made no heauie nor worse cheere but laughed to one and other and was there in that case so long that phisitions and surgions came and by their science tooke from his hands these venimous beasts When Amphitrion sawe Hercules deliuered from the Serpents he recomforted Alcumena that was nigh dead for sorrow and made to burne and bury Ypecleus All they that were there had passing great maruaile of the power and strength of Hercules that was so young a childe and that he had soughten against the serpents and by excessiue strength and might had strangled them The night passed in the fashion and manner that I haue rehearsed On the morrow betime Amphitrion would shew and manifest this maruailous and glorious victorie wherefore he did cause to take Hercules and made him to be borne to Athens into the temple of the god Mars with the two serpents and he in person went accompanied with King Euristeus The false olde witch Iuno followed a farre after in a dissembled forme and shape When Amphitrion was come into the Temple he sent for King Egeus and assembled the people and after tooke Hercules presenting him vnto the god Mars thanking him of the victorie that he had sent to Hercules against the Serpents After this he lifted him vp and shewed Hercules vnto the people recounting and telling to them his maruaylous aduenture And thus when Hercules was shewed and put into the common view and sight of the people and that euery man gaue him laude and prayse the false olde Iuno being in the prease with other after that she had long beholden the noble childe that in all his members he resembled and was like to king Iupiter for to put Amphitrion in iealousie of his wife and for to make him to haue Hercules in suspition shée sayds vnto them that were about her Certes Amphitrion is a verie foole if he wéeneth and thinketh that Hercules is his Sonne Beholde the members of King Iupiter and the members of this Childe yée shall finde no difference This Childe and Iupiter bée both of one semblaunce and haue like fauours and shape And euerie man sayeth that this Childe is the Sonne of Iupiter and none other When this olde Iuno had sowen these cursed words she withdrew her apart out of the prease and tooke another shape to the end that she should not be known And then these words were sowne abrode and told forth of them that heard them in such wise that a great murmuring grew and arose touching Amphitrion And it was reported to him that men said so by aduertisement of the olde Iuno When Amphitrion heard these new tidings he beganne to behold the childe and in the beholding him thought verily that this childe had wholy the very semblance and likenesse of king Iupiter And then began to enter into his heart a right great griefe sorrow and thus after he entred into iealousie Yet he kept silence and made as good countenance as he might and could for to eschew the slaunder And anon after that the people were withdrawne he called the king Euristeus and prayed him that he would bring vp Hercules saying that neuer after he would sée him and that he beléeued verily that he was the sonne of Iupiter Euristeus comforted Amphitrion the best wise he could meaning to haue put this iealousie out of his minde but he could not What shall I make long rehearsall Euristeus enterprised to kéepe and nourish Hercules and made him to be borne into his house Amphitrion returned vnto Arciancie where he found Alcumena sore discomforted for these tydings which shée had receyued and for to excuse herselfe to Amphitrion and the false olde Quéene Iuno shée went vnto Crete Of which matter I will stay nowe and will come to speake of the first aduentures of Hercules CHAP. XXXIX ¶ How Hercules began the Olimpiades and how he waxed amorous of Megara the Daughter of the king of Thebes and how
him that as he was thus pensiue he beheld toward the market place and sawe there more then thirtie thousand armed men which enflamed his hearte in such wise that he went and did arme him and all his thoughtes and pensiuenesse put a parte came to his people whome he warned and desired to doo their part and deuoyr And after himself trusting in fortune issued out into the fielde in order of battayle with good conduct and although he supposed that Hercules was in the army landed at the Port whom he doubted he marched vnto his enemies which ioyed at his comming And then beganne the Troyans and the Gréekes a right hote skirmish with so great murther and manslaughter that at the ioyning there was many a man hurte Hercules fayled not to smite and trouble his enemies he cast his eies on high and saw the banner royall of Troy he fought and smote downe on the right side and on the left side and with his club he smote downe vnmeasurably that he came to the banner and finding there Laomedon that did maruailes of armes vpon the Gréekes he smote him with his club often times vpon his helme in such wise as he might not saue himselfe and that he pearced his club within his head and braine and with one stroke he slew him among plentie of Gréekes lying dead on the sea sand ending there his miserable life After hee smote vpon them that bare the banner and rent the banner and then were the Troyans all discomforted and cryed Let vs flie let vs flie And with this crie that was impetuous they beganne to retyre and go backe vnto the Citie wéening to saue themselues But the Gréekes spoyled them with the poynts of their swords and cuttings of their sharpe glaines so mortally that in sleaing and killing the most parte fell dead like as the tempest had runne among them They tooke the Cittie so troubled with the death of the King Laomedon that there was none or right little defence among them In entring into the gate of Troy Thelamon was the first man and Hercules was the second and then Hercules founde well the hée did right high chiualries Priamus was not at that time in Troy but he was gone into the East by the commaundement of King Laomedon after his returne from Thebes What shall I say fortune hauing cast downe the King Laomedon as is sayde by the strong hand of Hercules Besides that he put into Troy Hercules and his people which brought them all to the â—ewing of theyr swords They entred into Ilion and pilled it and after did trie hauocke vpon all the treasures of Troy In likewise they tooke Exiona the daughter of the King whom Hercules gaue vnto Thelamon requiring him to take her forasmuch as he was the first that entred the Citie And when they had taken all that they found good in Troy for a finall vengeance Hercules heat downe the Towers and buildings and put the fyre therein in such wise that there abode not a stone vppon an other c. CHAP. X. ¶ Howe Hercules and Affer assayled by battaile the Giant Antheon and how they vanquished him in battalle the first time AFter this generall destruction of Troy when the Gréekes were departed and Hercules had left them the Gréekes returned into Grece with great glorie and Hercules went by the Sea séeking his aduentures accompanied with Theseus and Philotes and it happened him that as he arriued at the port of Alexandria he found in this port a great armie When the Captaine of the armie saw him come to ankre he knew by the ensignes of Hercules that it was Hercules and for that he had heard him recommended aboue all maner men whatsoeuer they were then hee came vnto him all full of ioy and sayd to him Lord of noblenesse and treasure of vertue among the people most mightie and among the kings most resplendant in all glorious vertue I salute you and request you that I may be your seruaunt and friend And thus saying he was on his knées before Hercules and in signe of humilitie he kissed the earth When Hercules saw the salutation and the maner of the doing of this man he tooke him by the hand and lifting him vp froÌ„ the ground saluted him and after demaunded of him his name and to whom that army belonged that he sawe there He answered him that he was named Affer sonne of Madiane the sonne of Abraham and that in that army was none other captayne nor chéefe but himselfe and that the Egyptians had ordeyned him duke and leader of this hoste for to go into Libie for to destroye the countrey in vengeance of the euill and harmes that the tyraunt Busyre that was of Lybie hadde doone to them in suche wyse as hee well knew When Hercules had vnderstood the name and the affayres of Affer he tooke him for his fréend and sayd to him that he would accompanye him to conquer Libie After he thanked him and brought him into a right rich ship where he feasted him as much as to him was possible They had not long abiden there but they went vnto the sea with great gladnesse for the Egyptians were so ioyous and gladde to haue Hercules with them that they thought and beléeued verily that there might no mishappe nor euill come to them Hercules found in the said ship of Affer the wife and also the daughter of Affer This daughter had to name Echée she was the most faire gentlewoman of all the world and yong and fresh By the daily sight of her Hercules became amorous of her and required her to be his wife Echée answered that of her selfe she might not accord to his demand but she said if fortune giue mee so great a grace that I might be your wife I should haue more cause to thanke the gods then any wife liuing Hercules was right well content with the Damosell and by her perswasion called Affer and required him that hée woulde giue to him his Daughter to bee his Wife Affer thanked Hercules for that hée vouchedsafe to demaund his daughter he that was the most excellent of nobles and sayd to him that he should take her and doo with her his will and pleasure Hercules espowsed and wedded Echee by the consent of Affer and they lay togither paying the due debte of mariage in such wise that Echee conceyued of the séede of Hercules What shall I make long processe Hercules and Affer sayled so long that they found the porte of Lybye where nowe standeth Carthage and there they arriued and tooke land in a night which was cléere and after they entred hastely into the countrey and beséeged the Cittie of Lybie without resistance or gaynsaying In this Cittie was then a great giant named Antheon great aboue measure aboue other giants the most strong and the most conquering that was in all the partes of Europe and Libie Cirene Trypoly Mountaynes and all the Iles enhabited in these countries vnto the
Iles fortunate This king then aduertised of the coming of the Egiptians was passing angry and sware that neuer none of them should returne agayne into Egipt Assoone then as he might he did cause his men to arme them and issued out of the cittie with a great company of Libyans and had so great haste to runne vpon the Egiptians that he sette no order among his people whereof he tooke great harme for when he came to the battaile hée founde that Hercules had trayned his people and set them in two battailes of which he lead and conducted the first battaile It happend so that they of the sayde companye of Hercules by force of shot bare thēselues so valiantly and with strokes that they brought to death more then fiftéene hundred Lybiens When the shot fayled Antheon sprang into the greatest prease as the most valiant and supposed wel to haue skirmished with his enimies but anon as Hercules sawe him come hée layd hand on his club and put him foorth before and gaue him so great a stroke that he made his head to bow on the left side Antheon had his sword lifted vppe for to haue smitten Hercules when he receiued the stroke that Hercules gaue him by which his stroke was broken Neuerthelesse he said betwéene his téeth that he would auenge him so hee lifted vp his sword againe and smote Hercules so vehemently that with the stroke he brake his shield Then knew Hercules that the giant was a man of great strength This notwithstanding he smote him the second time with his club and thus Hercules and Antheon gaue each other so great strokes that there came betwéene them of the two parties Libians and Egyptians There was a great noyse of clinking of swords and sounding of the shields and helmes that were broken and halberds that were dismailed shieldes quartered and glaiues broken there was the bloud largely shed on both parties Hercules and Antheon were parted by force of the prease Antheon by great ire smote without ceasing vpon the fierce Egyptians Hercules all broke the helmes largely with his club and did with the Libians all his pleasure and brought so many to death with his club that in little time he passed throughout the whole power of king Antheon many times and in his way he couered the earth and the way that hée held all with dead Libians The first skirmish was strong and damageable to Antheon for against one Egyptian that he flew with his sword Hercules made die with his club ten Libians About Hercules was nothing but bloud Hercules made the mountaines redounde with cries the companies to tremble the Libians to flie and go backe and wan little gaine What shall I say more as long as the day endured he helde the battell in vigor and about the euening when Affer and Theseus came to the fight he bestirred himselfe in such fashion against Antheon that he made him flie all charged with horions and strokes and then in like wise fled after the Libians CHAP. XI ¶ How Hercules tooke king Athlas and how he beganne to studie the science of astronomie and the seauen liberall sciences WHen Hercules saw the Libians turne into flight he did cause to sounde the retrait for as much as it was late and with great glorie returned into the place that he had chosen for to holde his siege at His wife Echée came against him with open armes and be clipped and kissed him she holpe to vnarme him and brought him fresh water for to wash his face with and there was made right good chéere of all the Egyptians Contrary to this good chéere the Libians were in the Citie and made great sorrow for they had lost neare thirtie thousand men especially Antheon made simple cheare for he had good cause for Hercules had so beaten him with his club that hée might not helpe himselfe but went with great paine to bed and with sorrow sent for his Phisitions and Surgeons which came and visited him and founde him all bruised and saide to him that it would bee well neare a moneth ere they could heale him Antheon considering his case sent and desired of the Egyptians truce for the space of a moneth offering to them for to send them dayly a certaine number of cattell and a right great quantitie of victuals Then he made out his commaundements and sent vnto al the kings and princes that were his tributaries and also vnto his neighbours praying them that they wold come succor him with their men of arms in the most hasty wise that they might This truce so made Hercules began to remember thē that before time he had heard Philotes speak of a king that reigned thereby named Athlas and that he was the most wise man and cunningest of al the world and that he dwelt in a Castle standing on the top of a right high mountaine named Athlas after the name of the same king In this remembrance Hercules being couetous of the science of Athlas called Philotes and said to him that hee would go into the Realme of the king Athlas and that his intent was to séeke there his aduenture Philotes answered and saide that he could well leade and bring him into the Realme for he knew the countrey Then Hercules called Affer and Theseus and charged them that they shoulde alway make good watch And after tooke leaue of them and of his wife saying that he would hastily returne This done hée and thrée mariners with Philotes went vnto the sea in a gallie-finely made and light and sayled and rowed into the sea Mediterrane they had spéedie winde and readie and Fortune was good to them In little while they came vnto the straite of Gibraltar And then Philotes shewed vnto Hercules the mountaine and the castle where Athlas was at that time abyding When Hercules sawe the mountaine and the castle he went and tooke land ioyously after he tooke his clubbe and commanded Philotes and his marriners for to abide them there Then he went toward the mountaine and it happened that he met with a man that discended downe from the hil and he adressed him toward the said man for to heare some tydings and demanded him from whence hée came He said I come from the castle that ye may sée yonder on high Whither go ye said Hercules vnto the Citie of Mercelie answered the stranger the king Athlas to whom I am seruant hath sent me thither to publish his commandement vnto the Citizens that within sixe dayes they should be furnished with their armes for to accompanie him to go vnto the warre of the great king of Libie which requested instantly to haue his succours Wherefore if ye will serue him in this armie and be his souldiour go vp and ye shall finde him in his Castell studying the science of astronomie The seruaunt of King Athlas with these wordes went forth on his way and Hercules went vp into the mountaine and came to the gate of
sayd to him that Achelous demaunded of him if he would giue him his daughter and that if he would not giue her to him at this time he would molest and gréeue his countrey and would make him warre At this message Oeneus was troubled and answered the messenger that on the morrow he would giue him an answere All that day Oeneus was pensiue and sorry and abode alone and for to passe his melancholy he came to Hercules When Hercules sawe him so pensiue he adiured him in earnest wise that he should tell him the cause of his pensiuenes who tolde it him and sayde Lord Hercules since it pleaseth you to know of mine anoiance and gréefe I will anon tell you the cause There is hereby a king my neighboure named Achelous great and fierce and proude which many times hath required to haue to his wife Deyanira my daughter I haue not béene in will to accord the mariage for asmuch as I knowe this king a man of right euill life And for this cause I haue had many menaces of him and also this day his messenger is yet come againe to me and hath sayde to mée that if I giue him not my daughter at this time he will make mée war Certes Hercules if ye ye sée me pensiue it commeth to me by this occasion for I haue not yet giuen him his aunswere but I must giue it him to morrow Neuerthelesse I haue concluded in my selfe that I will not giue vnto him my daughter And now when I sée verily that by the refuse of my daughter it must néedes be that the war be open betwéene the aforesayde king Achelous and me know well that I am displeased for warre is the eternall desolation of the countrey perdition and wast of the people and of goods Sir said Hercules it is néedefull vnto a man that he take and beare all that fortune will As ye say warre is not increasing of people but dimunition yet by that extremitie it behooueth to passe It is expedient that a man reioyce in his right Right comforteth the courage of a man and the courage of a man comforted bringeth him often times to glorious victorie A brute beast disgarnished of reasonable wit fighteth for his hole and nest with his clawes with féete with his téeth and with his bill What shall a man sensible and endowed with wit and reason do with any assault and namely in his owne land and territorie Nature willeth and instructeth that where corporall force faileth vigour and vertue of courage worketh and that they fight for their countrey Take courage then in your right and say your intent vnto your enemies ye haue receiued mée worshipfully in my receiuing these tydings that be come I wil help you if it be neede and I suppose if Achelous assaile you he shall repent him With these words the king Oeneus comforted himselfe greatly and the day drewe ouer On the morrow Oeneus called the messenger of Achelous and said to him that he should come no more to demaund his daughter and that he was not minded to giue her to his maister and furthermore if he mooued warre against him for this cause hee had intention to defende himselfe vnto the death of the last man of his people The messenger returned with these words and tolde them to Achelous and all that hée found with him Achelous was euill content with king Oeneus and as hee that was ouermuch smitten with the loue of Deyanira beganne to assemble his men of armes in intention to make warre on king Oeneus and to take from him his Daughter Hercules was then in Calcedonie and often times he was with Deyanira in gracious conferences He found her so well adressed in all honest maners that all day he was the most part with her and in the night he did nought but dreame and thinke on her howbeit he sayd nothing to her that touched his amorous desires willing first to shewe there his power in armes It happened on a day he opened a window that was by the garden of Deyanira and casting his eyes downe he sawe Deyaninira that sate vppon a gréene place accompanied with many Ladyes and Gentlewomen Then hee set all his minde to contemplate the excessiue beautie of her After he desired her and in coueting and desiring said O Deyanira thou that hast not the prerogatiue to know the hearts and the thoughts of men if I should say to thée the tenth part of the loue and desire I haue to thée thou mightest not beléeue it I haue gone many a countrey and séene mannie a Realme and many a treasure I haue desired many a thing But of all for to come to my wished blisse I was neuer in so great thought as I am for to get thy grace The same houre that Hercules spake by himselfe Deyanira was not idle shee hadde Hercules in her minde and remembrance in hir heart then being rich in the points of loue sowen betwéene variations of hope and despayre was esprysed in all her veynes with the heate of that fire that burneth amorous hearts This fire burning was strong and very hard to quench or to couer the right pearcing sparkle Shée lay downe then vpon the grasse and beganne to say in her minde Alas Hercules what shall Deyanira do she may not come to attaine vnto your loue I was wont not long since not to daigne to behold a man and then said that neither Prince nor King should haue my loue Nowe I am all of another nature and desire no other thing but that I might bee your wife I haue supposed to haue remained and continued a stable virgin and I only was disdainer of men contrary to the requests and admonitions of the ladies these be nowe farre other tydings with these words she ceased a little and beganne to thinke on many other things At this point as she thought on Hercules and Hercules on her tydings came thither that Achelous was comming for to besiege the Citie by land and by sea and that he was very neare by For these tydings arose in the pallace a great murmuring that came to the eares of Hercules and of Deyanira their spirits were trauersed in such fashion that Hercules left to behold Deyanira and the damosell left to thinke on Hercules and both two went vnto the king Oeneus Anon as Hercules came vnto the king and that the King saw him he went against him and said to him that his enemies were verye neare the Citie Hercules answered ioyously that it behooueth to go feast them and willed that he put his people in armes At this answere of Hercules the king did sounde to armes and with this sound all Calcedonie was mooued and each man made him readie Hercules and his Gréekes were ready in a little space The Calcedonians assembled by great companies in the pallace When they were assembled the king and Hercules brought them into the field and Hercules put them in order that done he did
withhold my hand from smiting vppon thee and assay if thou be as subtill in armes as thou art subtill in language Poore foole said the serpent which was full of pride knowest not thou that by my part serpentine I haue infected all this countrey and I wil this day drinke thy bloud and deuour thy body wherefore make good watch and kéep thee well Without mo wordes Hercules enhaunsed his sworde for to haue smitten his aduersary but he could not so soon haste him but the serpent gaue him first two strokes one with his sword and the other with his taile wherewith he had almost smitten him down to the ground Yet Hercules abode standing with his sword that he had lifted vp he smote the monster vpon the helme with such strength that he al to frushed the helme and made him a wound in his head At this stroke that the Serpent felt he was full of furie and with his sword smote Hercules the second time vpon the helme with so great might that the sparkles and the fire flew out and the helme was broken Hercules that neuer before hadde receiued so great a stroke promised him that he would reuenge it and smote him right angerly Their strokes were great and deadly they smote eche other 〈◊〉 and they were both two of great courage But when fortune had enough cherished them both she turned against the Serpent so earnestly that after many strokes Hercules smote his sharp sword within the helme into his head and bare him downe dead vnto the earth Hercules had great ioy when he sawe the monster put to the foile he went for to fetch the king of Lerna with Deianira and his folke and brought them for to see the monster When he hadde shewed them the monster hée made a great fire and burned it and made sacrifice vnto the goddes And by the fire hee consumed the monster Hydre Wherefore there were giuen to him great and right high praises and thanks And he was brought to the Citie of Lerne with great glory of Ladies and of gentlewomen which conueied him vnto the kings pallace singing melodiously Deianira theÌ„ ioyed greatly in the triumphant victorie of her noble husband When Hercules had abidden there a while he departed and went to Athens where Theseus receiued him gloriously Then Hercules and Athlas held schoole in Athens forasmuch as they of Athens were quicke of capacitie and of wit and gaue themselues all to learn science and there they were a great while introducing and enforming them of Athens in philosophy and in astronomie And especially in astronomie Atlas profited in such wise that the students said that he sustained and bare the heauen on his shoulders O noble vertuous man When Hercules had spent some time there and studied so long that his doctrine had giuen light vnto the Athenians hee departed from thence with great bemoning and brought his wife vnto the citie of Licie And then hee was so greatly renowmed that from all the realmes of Greece there came dayly to him noble men and other for to profit in vertue in noblenesse in honour in armes in philosophy in astronomie and in all other perfection c. CHAP. XIX ¶ How Hercules went into Spaine and howe hee fought in the Sea against king Gerion and vanquished him and how he tooke the citie of Megidda and entred therein IN the time that Hercules flourished in vertue and that his name was borne from realme to realme by glorious renowme as the Chronicles of Spaine rehearse there was a king of the Citie of Megidda that standeth vppon the riuer of Gaudian which began to make his name to haue a great report by many bad misdeedes and tyrannies that no man coulde tell the third part This tyrant had to name Gerion he was king of Andalosâ—e and Destremadure and also of the mountains of Galicia and of Portingale The Poets faine of this tyrant that he had three heades forasmuch as he had two brethren great giantes the which were all of one nature and of one complexion and they were so vnited togither that al that the one would the other would and they were neuer in discord Gerion was the worst of them all Hee did cause to be made a temple in the Citie of Megidda and ordained that all they that were noble shoulde there haue their image and sepulture and that men shoulde make there the remembrances of al the men of name that he should flea to the end that there should be a memory of them in time comming What shall I say of his deedes he his brethren tyrannized not alonely vpon the strangers but also vpon his neighbours and had pittie on no man in such wise that he gat him an euil name and that the Affricanes whom they persecuted more then any other went for to complaine to Hercules by the commandement of Afer as to the soueraigne destroyer of tyrantes and of monsters and praied and required him greatly that hee woulde deliuer them out of this tribulation When Hercules vnderstoode the complaint of the Affricanes and was aduertised of the tyrannie that Gerion and his brethren vsed He enterprised for to go into Hesperie and promised to the Affricans that they shoulde haue right shortly lidings of him And after asked them of the state of king Afer And when they had tolde all that they knew they returned with great ioy into their countrey Hercules from thenceforth disposed him for to go into Hesperie wherefore his wife Deianira made great sorrow The renowne of this voiage was anonne spred in all the countrey In short time there came more men of armes into Licâ—e for to serue Hercules then he sent for he was so good bountifull and wise and also valiant and so free that he gaue a way all his spoiles wherefore euery man woulde follow him and good cause why for no man followed him nor serued him but that hee rewarded and enriched him in al wealth and worthinesse When then his army was readie hee tooke leaue of his wife Deianira and departed out of the realme of Licie Manie a teare was shed at his departing as well of Deianira as of his schollers that learned of him Theseus and Hispan Athlas and Philotes were with him During this voiage he studied oft times with Athlas and was neuer idle without doing somewhat that ought to be remembred Hee ariued in Affricke where hee found Afer which receiued him worshipfully From Affricke Hercules passed by the strait of Gybaltar and went into the Gades that now we call Galicia and peopled the countrey forasmuch as he found there good land and deliuered this people for to gouerne vnto a noble man named Phylistines This Phylistines as Bocace rehearseth in the genealogie of goddes was son of Phenis king of Phenycia And this Phenis was sonne of king Agenor son of king Belus Philistines then raigned in Galicia and was after named the Priest of Hercules forasmuch as when Hercules had vanquished
euen as well they will take them in the Citie as in the fieldes And if there be a robber or theefe in the countrey that will take them away I suppose I shall finde him and shall make Italy quite of him With these wordes Hercules sent his beastes into the pasture and there left them without any keepers The day passed ouer the night came In this night Cacus issued out of his caue and went into the countrey for to pill and rob if hee might finde any booty Thus as he that is vnhappy seeketh euill and in the end he is paid at once for his trespasses the vnhappy aduenture brought him into the medow where as pastured the oxen and kine of Hercules it was nigh the morning he had with him his three wiues Assoon as he saw the beasts by the light of the moone that shone cleere he knew them Anon he was all abashed and his bloud chaunged in his visage and not without cause for soon after his sorrows began to grow on him and came to the quicknesse of the heart that he could not speake His wiues seeing that he spake no worde and that hee beheld the beastes as all a wondred came to him and demaunded of him what hee â—iled Alas aunswered Cacus since it is so that yee must needes know I tell you for certaintie that all the sorrow of the worlde ariseth in my stomacke and enuironeth mine heart for I heere see the oxen of the triumph of mine ennemy Hercules and in beholding them I remember the losses that I haue had by him and the honours and worships that hee hath made mee for to loose and also the realmes that he hath taken away from me and the great misery that I am now in Hee must needes be hereby in some place Cursed be his comming for I wote not what to doe but in signe of vengeance I will slea his oxen and his kine When the three sisters had heard that Cacus so sorrowed they councelled him that hee shoulde not slea the beastes Saying that if he slewe them Hercules shoulde léese nothing for he shoulde eate them It were better saide his wife that ye take and leade away as many as ye may and bring them into our caue for if ye doe so Hercules shall haue losse and displeasure and ye shall haue pleasure and profite Cacus beleeued that his wife said to him yet hee looked in the medow al aboutes if any man had bin there to keepe them but hee found no man nor woman And then he came to the beasts and tooke eight of the best that he could chuse foure oxen and foure kine after hee bound them togither with a corde by the tailes and put the corde about his necke and drewe them so in that maner vnto his caue albeit that the beastes resisted strongly to go backward in that maner Cacus brought in this maner reculing and going backward al those beastes that hee stale to the end that no man should follow him by the traches of the feete of the beastes When he had put in his caue the beastes of Hercules as said is he shut the doore so well that a man should neuer haue knowne nor perceiued that there had been anie doore Then weening that he had been sure he laid him downe and slept Anon after the sunne rising and that it was day Hercules that desired much to heare tidings of his beastes arose vp and did so vse the matter that the king Euander brought him vnto the place whereas his oxen and kine were When they were come into the medow Hercules found that he lacked foure oxen and as many kine Whereat hee was sore troubled and for to knowe if the Gods had taken them or any théeues hadde stollen them he commaunded that they should séeke all about the medowe and sée if the traches or the printes of the féete of the beastes might be séene or found At this commandement one and other began to séek Some there were that looked toward the mount Auentin and founde the stepps and footing of the oxen but they thought by that footing that the beasts were descended from the mount for to come into the medowe When al they had sought long and saw that they found nothing they made their report vnto Hercules and saide to him that they coulde not perceiue on no side where these oxen were issued out and that on no side they coulde finde any signes nor tokens of beastes going out of the pasture But right now said one I haue found the steppes and feete of certaine oxen and kine that he descended from the mountaine into the medow When Hercules heard that from the mountaine were come oxeÌ„ into the medow he called Euander demanded him what people dwelles on the mountaine Euander said to him that thereon dwelled no man nor beast and that the mountaine was not inhabited Hercules woulde go to see the footing and went thither and hee thought well that thither might haue passed eight great beastes in that night for the traces of the feete were great and new Then hee woulde wete where they were become but hee found wel that the footing of the beasts took their end there as they pastured He was then right sore a maruelled forasmuch as there were no strange beastes and beganne to muse When he had a little paused he beheld the mount and said it must needes bee that the Gods haue rauished mine oxen or els that there is a théefe in this mountaine that is come and hath stollen them and hath led them away reculing backward But forasmuch as I haue lesse suspition of the Gods then of the theefe I will neuer depart from hence vntill the time that I haue searched this mountaine from one side to another for my heart iudgeth that the beastes be here c. With this conclusion Hercules did cause to take diuers calues that were there and made them to fast till noone During this while hee sent for his harneis and armes by Phylotes and armed and made him ready to fight Anon after midday as the calues beganne to crie and bleate for hunger he caused them then to be brought about the mountaine Thus as they passed by the place where the caue was and cried it happened that the kine that were in the caue heard them and answered crying so loud that the sound passed by the holes of the caue and came to the eares of the calues and also of Hercules and of other When Hercules heard the crie of his kine hee abode there his calues beganne to cry again but his kine cried no more for Cacus by the force of their cries was awaked and as he that alway doubted for to bee discouered rose vp and cut the throates of the kine The calues then naturally knowing their dammes cried very loud and bleated as they that desired the milke for to liue by Howbeit they coulde not so loud cry that their dammes aunswered them heereof maruelled much Hercules Then
and helde his peace and spake not of a great while and so did all the other Then arose vppe on his féete Troylus the yoongest sonne of king Priamus and beganne to speake in this manner O noble men and hardy how be ye abashed for the wordes of this coward priest here Is it not the custome of Priestes for to dread the battailes by pusillanimitie and for to loue good chéere and pleasures to fill their bellies with good wines and with good meats who is he that beléeueth that any man may know the things to come vnlesse the gods do shew it him by reuelation It is but follie for to tarie vpon this or to beléeue such things If Helenus be afrayd let him go into the Temple and sing the diuine Seruice and let the other take reuenge of their iniuries by strength and force of armes O right deare father and lord wherefore art thou so troubled for these wordes send thy shippes into Gréece and thy knights wise and hardie that may make requitall to the Gréekes for their iniuries that they haue done vnto vs. All they that heard Troylus thus speake allowed him saying that hee had very well spoken And thus they finished their parlement and went to dinner After dinner the king Priamus called Paris and Deiphebus and commaunded them expresly that they should goe into the parties of Pannonie hastily to fetch and assemble knightes wise and hardie for to take with them to Gréece And then that same day Paris and Deiphebus departed from the citie of Troy for to performe and accomplish the will of their father The day following the king assembled to counsel al the citizens of the citie of Troy and sayd vnto them after this maner O my louing friendes and true citizens ye all doe know notoriously howe the Gréeks by their pride and insolencie haue done to vs great wrongs and innumerable dammages as it is very well knowen in the al whole world And ye know also how they holde Exione my sister in seruitude wherefore I liue in great sorrow and also ye be remembred howe I sent Anthenor into Gréece that hath nothing done wherefore my sorrowe is doubled And forasmuch as by yron hee cured the woundes insanable I haue purposed to sende Paris my sonne with men of armes and puissance into Gréece for to inuade and assaile our enemies by strength and for to do them great damages and for to assay if they might take any noble ladie of Gréece and to send her into the city and that by the commutation of her I might get againe my sister Exione And forsomuch as I will not begin this thing but that it may come to your knowledge first I pray you that you say to mee your aduise for without you I will not procéed further therein forasmuch as it toucheth you all as well as me When the king had thus finished his spéeches and that ech man held himselfe silent a great while then stood vp a knight named Pantheus that was the sonne of Deuphrobe the Phylosopher and sayde O right noble king as I am your true seruant and vassaile I will declare to you my aduice in this matter also truely as a vassaile and subiect is bound to counsell his lord Ye haue had wel in knowledge Deuphrobe the great Phylosopher my father that liued whole and sounde more then nine score and tenne yeres and was so wise in Phylosophy that he knew the science of things to come hereafter he sayd vnto me many times and affirmed for trueth that if Paris your sonne went into Gréece for to take any noble ladie by violence that this noble citie should be destroyed and burnt vnto ashes by the Gréeks and that ye and all yours should be slaine cruelly And therfore right sage and wise king pleaseth if your noblenesse to heare my wordes and beléeue that the wise men haue sayd and be perswaded in that thing that ye may not loose by if ye leaue it whereof great sorrowes may ensue if ye perseuere in opinion Wherefore wil ye séeke to intrap the good estates of your rest and put your tranquillitie vnder the dangerous aduentures of fortune Leaue this and disswade your selfe if it please you from this folly and finish and end your life in rest happily and suffer not Paris to goe into Gréece in Armes And if ye will algase send ye another then Paris At these wordes of Pantheus grewe and arose great murmuring of the hearers Some reprooued the prophesies of Deuphrobe the Philosopher and some helde it for mockerie and a fable and they were of the greatest number insomuch that by the consent of the more part Paris was appointed for to go into Gréece with men of armes and the parliament finished each man went home into his house and to his place When this conclusion was known of Cassandra daughter of king Priamus she began to make so great sorrow as if she had been foolish or out of her right mind began to cry on high saying Ha ha right noble Citie of Troy what Faierie hath mooued thee to bee brought to such perils for which thou shalt in short times be beaten downe and thy high Towers be ouerthrown destroied vnto the ground Ha ha queene Hecuba for what sinne hast thou deserued the death of thy children which shal be cruell and horrible wherefore with holdest not thou Paris from going into Gréece which shal be cause of this euill aduenture And when she had so cried she went vnto her father the king and with weeping drowned in teares praied him that he woulde be perswaded for to leaue off his enterprise saying that she wist by her science the great euils and harmes that were comming by this meane But neither for the disswasions of Hector neither admonition nor warning of Cassandra the king woulde not change his purpose nor for Helenus his son nor Pantheus c. CHAP. III. ¶ Howe Paris and Deyphebus Eneas Anthenor and Polidamus were sent into Greece and howe they rauished Helene out of the temple of Venus with manie prisoners and richesse and brought them to Troy where Paris espoused the said Helene AT the entry of the moneth of May when the earth is attyred and adorned with diuers sloures Paris and Deiphebus returned from Panonie and brought with them thrée thousand knightes right hardy and wise Then they made readie two and twentie great shippes and charged and laide in them all that was conuenient for them Then the king Priamus called Eneas Anthenor and Polidamas that was the sonne of Anthenor and praied them and commaunded that they shoulde go into Greece with Paris and Deyphebus and they offered themselues to go with a good will And when they were all ready and assembled for to go into their shippes the king Priamus spake to them in this maner It needeth not to vse many wordes for yee knowe well enough for what cause I send you into Greece and howe well that I haue
and I trow there is not left one at home of the men of Troy but that euery man is come to the battell and therefore if it please you now whiles that the Troyans be wearie to come to the battell ye shall get to you perpetuall memorie of worship and of glorie For by your prowesse you shal in little space haue all vanquished theÌ„ and they shall not dare to defend themselues against you they be so wearie Neuer would Achilles for the words of his varlet nor for the death of Ebes change his courage but dissembled all that he had seene heard for the great loue that he had to Polixene During these things the battell was right sharpe and endured vnto the night to the great damage of the Gréeks and the night parted them yet was not Deiphebus dead but hee drewe towardes his ende and when Paris and Troylus saw him in that sorrow they began to cry and make great sorrow And then Deyphebus opened a little his eies and demaunded of Paris with a féeble voice if he were dead that had slaine him And Paris saide to him yea Then Deyphebus did cause to drawe out the head of the speare with the truncheon and anon died Wherefore the Troyans made great sorrowe It is no néed to hold long talke of the sorrow that the king Priamus his father made nor his wife and his sister for it was too much and also for the death of the king Sarpedon Of the other partie the Greekes made great sorrow for the death of Palamedes and made his body to be buried worshipfully And as they that might not bee long without an head and gouernour by the counsell of the duke Nestor and of other Agamemnon was set againe in his dignitie as he was before The day following the Troyans early in the morning issued out of the citie in good order and the Greekes came against them Then began the battell mortall and there was great slaughter on both sides but it rained so much that day that the Greekes withdrew them to their Tentes and the Troyans followed after them but the raine was so great that they must needes leaue the battell and returne to their citie On the morrow betimes they began to fight and flew that day many barons of the Greekes and fought till the euen and so they fought the space of seuen daies continually where was great slaughter of the one and of the other And forasmuch as the Greekes might not suffer the stenche of the dead bodies they demaunded truce for two monethes which were graunted to them by king Priamus During this truce the king Agamemnon sent the duke Nestor Vlisses and Diomedes to speake to Achilles for to pray him and will him to come to the hoste for to defend theÌ„ against the Troyans that slew them maruellously When they were come vnto him he receiued them with great ioy And then Vlisses said vnto him Sir Achilles was it not by your agreement and also ours all this host to leaue our countrey and a ow yeare come running vpon king Priamus and haue destroyed him and his by force of armes do beat downe his â—itie From whence commeth this courage after so many hurts and damages as we haue receiued in this land by the Troyans that haue slaine so many kings and pâ—intes pilled and robbed our tents and burnt our shippes and we were now in hope to haue vanquished them alter that ye by your force and valour haue slaine Hector that was the true defender of the Troyans and also now that Deiphebus is dead the Troyans be there with put â—nder foot and after this day when ye haue gotten with great trauell to great worship and so good renowme will ye nowe loâ—se all at once and suffer your people to be slain â—uelly that ye haue so long defended with the effusion of your bloud Please it you from henceforth to enter â—oute kéepe your good renoume and defend your people that without you may not long defend them against your enemies to the ende that wee may come to the victorie by your prowesse by the which we hope to atteine and come to it Sir Vlisses sayde Achilles if wee be come into this land for these causes that ye haue declared wee may say that great folly was among vs that for the wife of one of vs that is to wit of sir Menelaus so many kings and so high princes bee put in perill of death Had it not béene much more wisedome for the noble Palamedes to haue abider in peace in his countrey then for to be slain here and other kings and princes in like maner Certes as the most great part of the world of noble menne be héere how assembled if they die here as many be already dead it must needes follow that the countreys shall be replenished and gouerned by villaines Hector that was so noble and so worthy is he not dead in like wise I may die shortly that am not so strong as he was And therfore in as much as ye require me to goe to battell so much paine and labour loose yee for I haue no more intention to put me any more in daunger and loue better to loose my renowme then my life for in the end there is no prowesse but it will be forgotten Nestor and Diomedes contended enough to drawe Achilles to their quarrels but they might neuer induce him to their purpose nor the wordes of Agamemnon neither And then he sayd to them that they shoulde make peace with the Troyans before that they were all slaine c. Then returned these thrée princes vnto Agamemnon and sayde to him all that they had found in Achilles and Agamemnon made it to bee knowen to the princes of the host whom he had assembled for this cause and demaunded of them their aduice Then stood vp Menelaus saying that it would be to vs now great shame to séeke peace with the Troyans since that Hector and Deiphebus bee dead and slaine and that by their death the Troyans repute them as vanquished and that without Achilles they shoulde well mainteine the warre against the Troyans To that answered Vlisses and Nestor and sayde that it was not maruell though Menelaus desired the warre for affection to recouer his wife and that Troy was not so disgarnished but that they had a newe Hector that was Troylus who was little lesse strong and woorthy then Hector And there was also another Deiphebus and that was Paris whom wee ought to doubt as much as the other and therefore they counselled the peace and to returne home againe to Gréece Then cried the false traitour Calcas which was traitour to the Troyans and sayd Ha noble men what thinke yee to doe against the commaundement of the gods haue not they promised to you the victory and will ye now leaue it Certes that should be great folly take againe courage to you fight ye against the Troyans more strongly then ye haue done