You now are séene here in this place come downe so spéedily Sure great affaires or else some cause which muche your minde it léekes The victorie from Troyans good to giue vnto the Gréekes And is not that your meaning now your purpose and intent To sée the Troyan towne destroyed hir buildings all to rent It better were in my aduise this day to cease the warre And eft they may beginne their fields and fights wherein they ar Till that such time the citie there to sacke and pillage goe Sith that you Gods with one remorce of force will haue it so The Goddesse answerde then Agréed for so I meane aright Of purpose I descended downe to staie these folke from fight Wherefore séeke way to seuer now frō this daies warre these wights Apollo soothde quoth he therto of all these gallant knights Let Hector bold march boldly on and chalenge for to trie Yea man to man the stoutest foe with him to liue or die This braue demaund will much amaze the stoutest of their bands And they will point some odde man out with him to mingle hands And thus this battaile shall haue end Apollos saying théed Unto his graue and learned skill forthwith it was agréed Then sage and prudent Helenus who there their secret knewe By ghost diuine with courteous wordes lowlie to Hector drewe Quoth he my dearest brother now to me thine eare attend And maruaile not though to aduise and euerie way I bend My selfe t'aduaunce thy great renowme sith brethren both we be I cannot chuse to doe my best as duetie doth agrée Cause Gréekes and Troyans to retire with voice and courage hie Aduaunce thy selfe if any Gréeke will out this quarrell trie Upon him doe for by the fates this day thou shalt not dye I haue it from the mightie Gods whose councells cannot lye Hector right iolly marcheth on out of the rancks he goes His launce full long in midst he held he willes thē leaue their blowes He brings his squadrons backe againe the shot he bids retire The Gréekes stand fast they order kéepe and newes they doe desire Agamemn eke to harken to made Grecians to abide Both Pallas and Apollo then séeing on euerie side The dartes to cease vpon a Béeche of armes a mightie trée The God and Goddesse they doe sit as Uulturs there they bée They doe delight such puissant cries in field to sée so still The Bataillons yet soundly knit on ground doe lie at will With tooles of warre at elbowes end much like the Ocean waue Which working storme not gréen but black doth make y e colour haue Then Hector armde at euerie point thus spake vnto them all Hearke both ye Gréekes Troyan knights what to your wealth may fall Betwéene these campes the treaties sworne parts so firmly fast Imperfect are of no effect as none had euer past Ioue in this daunger hath vs lapt n'accord he will allowe He doth determine in his minde with malice he doth vowe He all a cruell sacrifice of vs doth meane to make As thus that either you the Gréekes our Troyan towne shall take Or that your iourney shall returne to you both voide and vaine Or hardly by vs Troyans set quite beaten downe and slaine And now I knowe it verie well that in your campe you haue As to defend so to assaile both souldiours fytte and braue And valiant men single to me the strong and stoutest knight Let him nowe here his manhood trie and cope with me in fight I will abide the man and truth and faith I giue withall To which if so it néedefull is I Ioue to witnesse call If victor of me for to be so luckie be his chaunce And in my bowels that he doe imbrewe his warlike launce Take he my spoyles vnto his shippes my bodie let it rest Without outrage let Troyans take it to the fierie feast Let them the ashes gather vp And if him vnder foote That I doe tread Apollo graunt I craue no other boote But that his harneys I may haue to Ilion thether I In temple his a relique signe to set and hang on hie And for his carcase send I will the Gréekes they shall it haue Who in the shore of Hellespont thereon may reare his graue That if hereafter to this land a straunger take his way And with the tombe doe haply méete full iustly he may say Here lies intombde the doughtie Gréeke whom Hector charging hard Downe slue although he shewde the part of knight of great regard For valure and for force and loe thus shall a forraine saye Whereby my fame and great renowme shall last for euer and aye This spéech so stunt and sodaine sayed yéelds all the troupe abasht Ech doubting to accept the fight they blushing all are dasht Menelaus who marked all and how they stoode he grewe In furie great he out doth come and sighes he déepely drewe O villaine Gréekes quoth he in wordes ech proude hardie speakes But come to déedes you quaile alacke like faint and coward freakes O Gréekes infamed tootoo much what Gréekish men not so But rather Gréekish wiues what shame and filthy spéech will goe Of you for this your cowardize with hart not standing out With Hector here to ioyne for why you daungers dreadfull doubt And without further mouing hence that ye to earthy molde Doe turne your faults to plague I pray or else to water cold And as for me I will me arme the combat I allowe With hardie minde I it accept I knowe it well ynowe The loftie Gods as best they please bestowe the victorie Thus Menelau doth blame his mates and armour on doth tye And now at hand O Menelau was end of all thy toiles Thy death was sure in Hectors hands whose skill in warlike brosles And strength of arme surmounts thée farre but the Gréekish kings Had come and stayde thée Agamemn he by the hand thée wrings And much misliking this thy Acte with rage quoth he thou asse Thou fondling thou thinkst thou thy strength of force to bring to passe To matche this doughtie Troyan here to whom of Gréekish race Net one howe stoute so ere he be dare boldly shewe his face Achilles no he greatly doubtes with him in field the fraie Drawe backe and quiet kéepe thy selfe we shall finde out a way To end this cause we shall finde one shall make him stirre his stumps Though that a dreadlesse knight he be and though in martiall iumps A souldior bold nere tirde in warre I hope right well that he Shall thinke himselfe a happie man if haplie so it be Without his death this quarrell end and that with humble hart Upon his knées thanke God aboue with life for to depart Agamemn Menelaus thus perswaded and he stayde His gromes right glad their maister sawe out daunger to be wayde And flocke about his armor one another takes his shield His weapons some and by his bands
he séeth him in the field Wherewith the reuerent Nestor graue stoode vp forth he drewe O great vnfitte reproch quoth he vnto this famous crue O what mishap if at our home this dolefull newes be tolde Surely the Prince of Myrmidons Peleus that father olde And all his prouince fast will whine he hath enquirde of me Of fauour great the names and race of meanest in degrée Of all you here but how abasht how great shalbe his griefe When he shall heare your cowardise it sure is my beliefe He clad with care his prayer will vnto the Gods commend That ere he sée the Gréekes so foyld of him they make an end I would the God Apollo Ioue and Pallas they would graunt I were so young and lustie as when able I did haunt The warres and in the battaile fought betwéene the Archads stout And Pyliens that auncient were who tride the quarrell out By citie Phee vpon the floud that Iardan hath to name Whereas I shewde by perfect proofe my valure and my fame Among them there then liued one that Ereuthalion hight Who on had put of Areithous the stéeled armour bright I meane that Areithous that bare the great and massie club And therewith fighting got such praise by force and wéelding good That syrname he obtainde thereby of Clubber thorowe all Whom after not by force but sleight Lycurgus gaue the fall And slue him downe in strayted lane where club he could not wéeld Lycurge with dart did drawe him nye therwith through him thréeld And dead he tooke his armor gaye himselfe to shield and ayde In all the byckerings that he had and nere was ouerlayde As long as that he lyvde and then to Ereuthalion He them bequeathd who bare himselfe as fierce as any Lion And often calld the Pyliens with man for man to trie With floutes ynowe and when I sawe the pride of Arcadie Th'abated mindes the cowardize and faintnesse of my phéeres I tooke in hand to shewe my worth for all my want in yéeres I tooke him vp I layde him dead by grace of mightie God A maruaile great to sée his corpse a thing for hugenesse odde Falling a long I wish my youth and courage such as tho A champion then to match in fight the Troyans well should knowe And sith the hardiest all of Gréece be present in this place If none of you defend this cause I thinke it great disgrace The Gréekish Lordes so prickt to quicke this good graue aged sire As of the greatest nine he made stand vp with great desire The combats hazarde for to proue Agamemn first did rise Next Diomede to conquer all which still hath bene his guise The Aiax twaine of like exploit Idomene was the â—…ift Merion eke his maisters match in euerie martiall drift With whom was good Euripilus the sonne of Euemon And with the rest stout Thoas rose the bréede of Andremon Of purpose eche to be receyude and Vlysses the slie Not to be thought to be agast or slacke in chiualrie Quoth Nestor herevpon finding their boldened mindes to growe Renowmed Lordes sith thus it stands full well we all shall knowe Who for this combat shalbe tane cast lots on whom it lights That forth his bullet first doth come with Hector him he fights With suretie he that ouercoÌ„mes immortall praise to take Ech of the nine with marke aduise a Bullet for to make His Helmet in their lots to put Agamemnon doth lend The while the souldiors good of Gréece their prayers thus attend With reatched hands O mightie Ioue graunt so it doe befall That first of doughtie Aiax he out come the lotting ball Or it the sonne of Tydees his whose laude so loude doth ring Or else to please thée to bestowe this honor on our King Our captaine chiefe and leader graue Nestor doth often blunder And shake the lotts within the helme to part them more asunder His hand thrust in the bullet first of Aiax forth he brings So much desired and Herault badde to carie it the Kings That they may knowe which of them all by fate appointed was In this conflict to deale he forth with bullet on doth passe By ranke and ranke through all the field he open doth it beare But yet vnknowne to Aiax bold till he approched were Who doth reioyce at so good lucke the scripture when he read And downe he throwes it on the ground and to the Kings he sayd Thus full right like a man of warre My louing friends so déere You sée that nowe I am the man I pray you all to chéere My minde assures me that I shall as victor downe him strike And while I put mine armour on you softly may beséeke The hie Gods in my fauour now and Troyans shall not néede To heare your cries what say I now I surely doe not héede For pray you lowe or out aloude I doubtfull nothing déeme For if the bréeding vp doe make men more of men estéeme If Countrey soile if worthy race doe mende the mindes of men With these thrée gifts so thorowly sith I am surnishte then You shall not sée me runne away I will not turne my backe To princely blond what doth belong you shall not finde the lacke So spake the bold manly Gréeke his friends with hart deuout To Ioue for safetie of the man did powre their prayers out With vowes in many sundry sortes but some that best perceavde The hazard great he entred on their hartes to God they heavde And prayed thus O mightie God most great most good who stayes On Ida hill beholding this O Ioue who beares the swayes And rules all combats at thy will this fauour graunt to day That this good Gréeke of this conflict may bring the palme away Or if thou dost too great good minde vnto sir Hector owe Graunt end this strife they both alyue with honor home may goe The Aiax strong himselfe doth arme in braue and brightsome brasse And forth he coÌ„mes into the campe in port and shewe he was Like Mars the God when he doth martch he yet a smiling hath But that his smile a visage shewes inflamde and set to wrath With notice to his fellowes all he was their certaine forte His countenaunce stout his sterne martch wheÌ„ they saw in such sort And so stiffe shaking of his launce they doe beginne to ioye But to this combat he thus prest now doubte the men of Troy Hector himselfe being agast would haue retired sure But him they would a cowarde count he did the strife procure Then Aiax hanging at his necke his huge and waightie targe Which towerwise so stoode aloft so dreadfull and so large He Tychius of late it forgde with seuen folded hydes With stiffe eke hard and azerde stéele he couerde it besides To Hector drawes he shewe full great and boldnesse on doth set Unto him there these were his wordes wherwith he thus doth threat This day thou Hector
â—…ankes and of his hornes beside By cunning workemanship was made a fine and proper bow Sixtéene pace the hornes were long ful hard it was I trow To make it serue to be shot in but erst the workmans craft Was so employde that now a bow they serâ—…de and shot a shaft And gorgeouser to make the bow appeare to all mens sight He hornde and tipt the ends right wel with beaten golde ful bright Then Pandarus without aboade drew out his bow to bende And that now of his enterprise none of them all should wende He causd his souldiours hap him wel with buckler and with targe Least that the wily subtile Gréekes might find his minde at large And sodaine broyle hys enterprise might let and turne to nought His bow in point an arrow he out of his quiuer cought Sure stéelde at end with piercing head and finely featherde wel Most fit by cruel wretched death an enimie to quell He nockes the shaft and then his vowes to Phoebus God doth make And him behights his pretie lambes if so his hast do take God place and proofe by Phoebus meanes his vow he thus ending With such a force he drew his bow as that he haâ—…lde the stryng To hys right pay and straight the head when as it euen stoode Hard with the backe he losde it quicke as 〈◊〉 sure and good Wherwith the bow with sturdye string when forth the shaft it â—…oong A clange so great and strong it gaue as wide abrode it roong 〈◊〉 The Gods as thenâ—…h Menelau they were not farre from thée It was no time Pallas hir selfe stoute armed there was she Of thy welfare hir selfe she shewed as careful as she coulde As when hir pretie sonne doth sléepe the tender mother would Haue good regard and charie eye least that the busie flye His tender flesh should bite or harme or come his visage nie Aâ—… ne with like care Mynerue did put by the mortall blow Yet stroke hys baâ—…dricke in the midst and it it pierced so The buckle great of massie gold which did his girdle tie Was pierst and through his Curats eke and stéeled head did flye And past so fur of the stoute Gréeke the flesh it thirled in And presently before them all the bloud was séene to spin Yea euen as on the â—…ie why 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Câ—…ry â—…ft Do worke the purple and â—…mbost with â—…yderie aloft To make the gallant gorgeous raines for coursers braue and gay Which for a king a decking is it is so rich aray The die was like and fairer much on the trimme Gretians flesh With scarlet bloud which by his thigh down to his héeles did desh The gâ—…eat Agamemnon with this so sore and sodaine shot Was grieued much the wound eke séeâ—…e the hurt man dolour got And colour chaundge he sighing sore his brother gay drew nie And toke him by the hande of Greekes most part then standing by He piteously begins his mone and thus he saith alas My only hope my brother deare who as assured was In assayling the Troyan freake shal it be now the meane That after this holy accorde thou couertly be slaine The oth before the Gods so sworne where it is now become Of these periured wicked folke can Gods iustice be mum Alas at rancour so much faynde I hope it wil not so For though the Gods do winke thereat a while and let it goe Yea though mens faults they séeme to slip at end they pay for all Great time 〈◊〉 doth cause the smart with rigor on them fal In time these â—…thy traytours shal so plagde be for their hire Themselues their sons and eke their wiues from the skies the firâ—… With hideous storme they shal behold to light vpon their pate I know ere long Troy shal to wracke Priam with his stafe Shal passe the 〈◊〉 Gods wrath which doth the déedes of al meÌ„ siâ—… Is now against him so stirde vp as theâ—…of is no shift But what mishap alas what griefe shal hap to be my share If I should 〈◊〉 you here behinde and death to be your fare With graue aâ—…cke in forraine land how wil all Greece cry out At my returne al Argos folke and Câ—…trey round about When they shal vâ—…erstand your death and they who with us are Shal they not set of their returne theiâ—…y â—…linde and care Shal they not leaue to Troyans false the luckie glorie at hand Shal they not leaue to vs the shame your carcase in this lande Which most me deaâ—…s shal they not leaue shal they not leaue Helleine Wherby hereafter to your tombe there shal came some Troyan And loubring on the grasse shall crie al puffed vp with pride To all Agamemns practises God graunt like ende betide God graunt the Gréekes here long abode may haue the like successe And after they maye hie them home with shame and wretchednesse The Troyan fierce he thus may chat then not to be aliue I do beséech th'immortal Gods but that the earth do cliue And swallow me Although the hurt did cause a grieuous paine Yet Menelau with chéereful looke thus aunswerde him againe And manlike to his brother sayde reioyce thou brother mine And courage take for wel thou maist by this mourning of thine Impute such feare in the Gréekes harts which eft they cannot flie I féele ful wel the blow is such therof I cannot die The golden buckle of my belt my Curet good I know Wherwith I armed am before hath surely stayde the blow My friendly brother would to God quoth Agamemnon he You were out of this daunger here and that it so might be You might be healed of this wound a surgeon good I wot Who should so wel attende you then that this your wounding got Which irkes you so he should delay this saide he causeth plod Taltibius to séeke the sonne of Esculape the God Macaon hight from bande to bande he willes the Herault prie Him out praying thither to him that he come by and by To visite Menelaus there his wound to search and féele Which one of Licie or of Troy hath forst by stroke of stéele In trayterous guile thinking to Gréekes there should redound therby Notorious shame to Troyans all to ioyful victorie So diligent Taltibius goes amidst the Campe that out At last he finds the Phisition enuironde rounde about With strength of souldiers which he brought from his great town of Trice Where horses plentie are whence by grasse great wealth doth rise His message to him he declares beséeching him that he Wyll come to Agamemn the king there Menelau to sée And careful to looke to his wounde he straight at the first dash Obeyes but yet the sodaine chaunce his minde doth greatly bash He coÌ„mes â—…d there on heapes he findes the Gréekish princes stande Loking for him with mindefull heartes the hurt to vnderstand The lech diuine strayght for his worke made all things very â—…tte And first the
before the Troyan bands and dreadful noise do make Mars shaketh his redoubted launce he neuer Hector left Sometimes before sometimes behind he oftentimes doth shift In fine it was a goodly thing a God to haue for guide Diomede séeing Mars to martch for feare may not abide But did recule a forraine like who ryding by the way To some far land doth finde a floud whose bredth doth him affray He stopped is by the swift course and surging so amaine That he his businesse leaues vndone and home returnes againe Pea euen so the puissaunt Gréeke his souldiours doth aduise Himselfe withdraweth from the sight and spake them in this wiâ—… My friends quoth he maruel no whit that Hector is so stout And prest himselfe to sight with you and hence to driue you out With him to leade him in the fielde a guider God doth go Erst in humaine and mortall forme I Mars the God did know Who mans him throughly at the ful wherfore sirs by my reade I would perswade you tarry time and stay but for a bread Tourne not your backs but do retire for doubt what happen migâ—… Prouoking here the mightie Gods who for the Troyans fight The Gréekes a little leaue their ground the Troyans hie as fast And Hector first of al the rest his iauelins he doth cast Wherwith two warlike souldiours he doth slay Menesthes strong And Anchiale whom from their chare on earth he layed along The stoute Aiax did pitie much their fal the which he spied Wherfore his piersing dart he threw wherwith Amphius dyed His armour coulde not beare the blow but that his guts it gorde This Amphius was Selags sonne of Pese the wealthy Lorde Come far to Troy in Priams ayde who there doth leaue his course And sturdie Aiax séekes to spoyle his furniture by force But Troyans on his target threw so many darts at once The carcase they it tooke him fro for all his mighty bones Sauing his launce he nothing had which he was faine to plucke With both his hands the body out so déepe in him it stucke This done by Troyans put aback himselfe away he wryde Almost wel weary of the toyle againe on th other side By fortune hard and fate doth fall valiant Tlepoleme sonne To Hercules with hardie harte who forward there doth runne And puts himselfe in place to ioyne with stout Sarpedon knight Who méeting both togither rounde and readie to the fight These wordes Tlepoleme to him sayes before his dart he flings What waighty cause what gret affairs what néed thée hither brings Thou coward knight of none accompt vnhappy here to dye Who told thée Ioue to be thy sire they coaxt thée pretily Thy faintnesse with his heauenly race doth greatly disagrée Thinkst thou in valiaunce to approch Hercule my father he My louing sire with Lions heart so hardie and so haute Who with sixe ships he brought from Greece toke Ilion by assault To take reuenge of broken fayth of Laomedon tho Who promist on him in reward his horses to bestow Thy force and strength is far from his and here before thy face Thy Lycian souldiours are forehayde and no man rues thy case What stead canst thou the Troyans stand thou letst thy meÌ„ be hackt But al is one for why my launce to Hel shal send thée packt Sarpedon at his foolish threates doth moue and bash no whit He takes his tale out of his mouth quoth he ful true is it That for the great abuse and fault to Hercules thy sire They did Troy it was sackt and al hir buildings set on fire But as for thée here dy thou shalt ymurdred by my hand To my renowme and send thy soule to low and darksome land They make an end of wordes their darts eche shakes with his good will To slay his foe and so it fel as either had his fill Sarpedons lauÌ„ce stroke through the Gréeke who dead in field doth ly The Gréeke his launce Sarpedon pierst in the sinister thy So déepe the stéele stacke in the bone Sarpedon it had kild â—…e had not told who had him hurt but Iupiter it nilde The souldiours when these two great Dukes on earth they thus saw layde Themselues they ply their proper prince apace they come to ayde The Lycian Lord they toke first vp and brought him out the host In euil plight and very faint he so much bloud had lost As him they beare the iaueline stil trayled vpon the ground They had no time there gently to plucke it out the wound The Gréekes take Tlepoleme aside they lay him in a nooke At this defaite and ouerthrow as Vlisses doth looke And saw Sarpedons safe retire he doth the chaunce bewayle And doth forethinke which better is the victor to assayle Or else to charge the Lycians and them in pieces hew But following goddesse Pallas minde he there doth them pursue Fate had not willd that Vlysses Sarpadons death should be Gods prouidence had kept it for a worthyer man than he But there in péeces he doth cut Alastor Chronius Ceranes Nomon Alcander Prytanes Halius And but that valiant Hector came he more had servde of trust But Hector hied to succour them and in the ranckes he thrust Yea fearing with his armor bright the hardiest of the Gréekes Sarpedon ioyeth this to sée and running down his chéekes The trickling teares thou Priams son quoth he I hartly pray Unto the Gréekes in this distresse oh leaue me not this day Cause me to Troy to be conuaide there let me end my dayes Forsake me not I wel do know I may no maner wayes My Countrey sée and home returne to sée my louing wife Nor children chéerish for I féele now ends my fading life The worthy Hector aunswerde not among the Gréekes he romes Them who withstoode him for to send vnto their longest homes The Lycians on a moole-hill set the wounded Sarpedon The dart drawes ont his friende and mate the faithful Pelagon He sounded in the plucking forth his life it faded cleane With grones and sighes far fet his breath by little comes againe Wherto the shadowe wel doth serue and eke the open ayre Which coolly blew right in his face as he lay dawing there Hector his arme and Mars the gods the Gretians in al steades So foule affray as they dare not once martch or shew their heads They leaue their order and array in field they turne their backes And to retire to shameful flight the Gretian souldiours packes Wel let vs tel what Gréekes were slaine by Hector in this broyle The valiaunt Theutras he was first in fight who bare such coyle As he was wont to conquer stil then their Orestes lay The cunning rider of great horsse Threcus dide in the fray Stoute Helenus who with the Gréekes for knighthoode bare the bell Oenom last Oresbius by Hectors handes he fel Oresbius a prince of power with Sceptre and with Crowne The which right princely he
passe the sworde To sée them so to dye My sire my dame my brothren all and nearest friendes them by I shal not grieue for them so much as griefe for thée I haue And most to thinke that of some Gréeke thou shalt become the slaue Who to his country shal thée leade to tease and tosse his wul He shal thée put from day to day to spinne to picke and pull And in the midst of al the heat from spring his water drawe Which néedes must pinch thée at the heart but Néede it hath no law And often shal the passers by say Looke who yonder is The wife of valiant Hector loe who in the field with his Such fame and great renoume did get wheÌ„ Grecians compast round The great and mightie town of Troy and tare it to the grounde How great to heare my name rehearst shal then thy dolors be And that my helpe thou canst not haue eft to recouer thée But ere the waylings I wil heare of thée my captiue wife The earth shall hay this corpse of mine and I wil lose my life With this the valiant prince doth hide his carke and inwarde griefe And out doth put his handes to take his sonne the pretie léese A little pretie bulchion fat séeing the dreadfull crest And armor cries and calls his nurse and nouzels in hir breast With this the curteous parents they smile at the preatie grace Of that the babe and Hector he his sonne for to embrace Doth set aside his loftie helme he him doth coil and kus With pleasant mind he holds him softe and formd his praiers thus O mightie Gods ye soueraigne Lords request this grant to me That once this boy triumphantly a doubtie man may be Among his folke as nowe I am Also when I am dead Giue him the honor that he may the Troyans guide and leade That men may say when they shall sée him prosper in such case Howe farre the sonne the father doth in déedes of armes surpasse And when the spoiles as conquerour from forraine foes he pull His mother she may sée the same hir ioy it may be full The child he giues his mother nowe who takes it in hir hand She smiles therewith yet in hir eyes the water ful doth stand He rues thereat to hir he drawes hir sorowe to delay About the necke he takes hir fast and thus beganne to say My dearest spouse these waylings leaue and take not thus at heart My death thou knowest well ynough we al must hence departe No man can boast that he is frée from death and from his blow For from the first day of our byrth to death we subiects goe And as for me this body who and life shal part in twaine Shall pay full deare and haue no cause to glorie of his gaine I shal not die before my time Good wife for Gods sake goe Home to thy house be of good cheare and leaue to gréeue thée so Do passe the time to winde and réele with your maids to spinne Commaunde and order take that they good workewomen may bin And let vs men sée to the fielde and looke what néedfull is And I as alwayes now to be the formost wil not misse With this from ground his helme he takes on his head it weares Home goes Andromacha with sighes and seas of sobbing teares When she vnto hir douse doth come she findeth wéeping eyes The seruants al do sobbe and howle with shril and heauy cryes Be wéeping Hector thus they say On this odde knight alacke We neuer shall set eyes againe this day wil be his wracke Some fel and cruel Gréeke this day shall worke his death harme Paris againe makes no abode he hasteth fast to arme He after Hector runneth nowe he trusteth in his force And eke in his agilitie And like vnto the horse That in the stable halter doth and headstall cracke in twaine And slippeth out the house apace into the fields amaine With many frisks and yerks behinde his head doth cast aloft At last vnto some pleasant streame doth pace and trotteth soft Therein to wash and play himselfe and haply there doth finde Some lustie Mare vpon the bancke t'assuage his raging minde Ene so sir Paris tall and tricke in citie shewes ful braue Unto the sunne his Armes and targe the like for brightnesse haue As Hector left Andromacha he méetes him in the téeth He going forth he gréeteth him and thus beganne therewith O brother deare and eldest borne mâ—…abode deserueth blame In staying nowe thus long sith that you willd me haste the same All in good time quoth Hector then that doubtie Troyan he None can thée iustly giue reproch how worthy that he be When to the field thou setst thy mind thou lustie art and light A vauntage great but slowly oft thou drawest to the fight Ne wil not mend thy pace one whit nor leaue one iote of will It grieues me most that so thou givst thy selfe to pleasure still And chiefly when the Troyans they I sée thy doings blame They byding many deadly brunts do babble to thy shame Well let vs go against these Gréekes our forces for to lay These brutes ful wel we may appease if happly come the day Hauing our enimies put to flight the condigne sacrifice Unto the hie immortall Gods on Aultars they may rise Finis sexti Libri ¶ The seauenth Booke NO we warlike Hector doth depart with Paris out the towne They willing both in armes to shewe some déede of great renowme And like as after stormie flawes that déeres the shipmen sore In déepest sea against the winde there striue with arme and ore God sends a present calme to cease that dreadfull tempest blast Euen so the Troyans ouerhaeld doe comfort at the last When as they sawe these brethren two marching before their sight Who well they knewe sufficient were for to maintaine the fight They were no sooner come but that they slaie two Gréekish foes The stout Menesthius to the ground by Paris hand he goes In Arna towne he sceptre held of king Areitho bred Who young with faire and glassie eyes Philomedusa wed Hector with sharpe ypointed launce Ioneus doth slaie Twene curet and his gorget both the stéele it maketh waye Glaucus doth Iphinous ding he downe on earth doth fall The raines eke of his horse the blowe did force him leane withall The slaughter Pallas séeing nowe thus of these Grecians thrée And the confusion of the rest which likely was to be Full moovde and grievde to sée the sight vnto the Troyan towne Descends from high Olympe Phoebus that sawe hir comming downe He sat vpon the wall to viewe how ende the battaile shall Which in the fauour he doth wishe of Troy and Troyans all He finely coÌ„mes vnto hir straight quoth he vnder this Béeche I count it best you rest your selfe and thus beganne his spéeche You daughter of the mightie God shew me th'occasion why
wealth they do possesse with goods and body prest T'obey his sceptre and his wil as he is pleased best These gifts and these good turnes are his if this agréement doe Would Gods O valiant Achilles our strifes were brought vnto A quietnesse let Pluto to thy déede suche fauour send That thou thy selfe no way refuse but peace may haue the end Let Pluto graunt me so much grace in yeares and wealth as I Far passe Achill so in like case my sute he not deny Then Nestor héeding wel his tale his spéeche againe doth vse Sir Atreus sonne these presents told Achill ought not refuse For great they are wherefore prouide Embassadors to goe Thrée men sufficient I can choose if they be pleased so The Phoenix good shal be the first Schoolemaister his that was Of late of the Embassade chiefe and Aiax he shal passe The second man and eloquent Vlysses third shal be Whome Heraults two shal followe fast Odius Eurybatee Two loyall wights and fit it is for to confirme the déede To wash our hands you Heraults hie and water fetch with spéede And you ye Gréekes eche one aparte doe Iupiter require That this legation come to passe as we do all desire The heraults two to Princes handes the water out they skinke Who to the Gods their prayers make then the wine they drinke Therewith wel filld the Legates parte whome Nestor plyeth still To set themselues to purchase home good answeare from Achill Ere they returne Vlysses chiefe his spéeche to make the way So graue that is and he there with his courage to delay Thus went the pointed Princes forth with care to be wel heard And lowly to the Marine God their prayers they prefarde That of the valiant Gréeke the wrath so déepe and deadly placed To end the charge they now are in more calmed be and raced Unto the vessels straight they come and tents of Myrmidons In compasse wide and gay to sight Achilles where he runnes And on the Uiole Ditties sings in Musicke so delights Of those the hie and loftie Gods and worthy mortall wights This Uioles swéetnesse matchlesse was with beautie rare to sée Wel painted ore with siluer head was fine as fine might be The which was by Achilles wonne when Thebes he did race I meane Thebes where Aetion did rule with princely â—…ace Which Thebes was by hiâ—… destroyde no one there was that markie His musicke there saue Patroclus his harmonie who harkte These Princes when Achilles sawe who long his friends had bin He would not faile to raise himself and wondring doth beginne To bid them welcome as he scoulde Patroclus also rose And to receiue them â—…ut himselfe to spéeche Achilles goes Right welcome â—…e those my good friends â—…d Lords who with good heart Do in my shippes come visite me I take in most good part The same and though my wrath be great you are no cause I say I you estéeme I lovde I loue and loue you wil for ay Thus said with â—…eons 〈◊〉 â—…re he doth bring them on to sit One after one in sumptuous seats be hangde with vellet fit The hugest cup he had to bring Patroclus he did wil To make them drinke and wel the same with purest wine to fil For these quoth he here visite me are knightes of valiaunt bréede And more than that my wishers wel and very friends in déede His friends minde when Patroclus heard he doth obey the same And more a raldron he doth take it round about with flame He doth beset and in he puts of goate and mutton fat The vmbles whole with goodly chine of tender swine with that Ofone yeare fed Antomedon and Achil they do cut And brotch the rest Patroclus while he to the fire doth put Al smokelesse for to make it burne the wood he couched fit Aptly to rost the coales he spreades and down he layes the spit Wheron the strokes of flesh were brotcht and salt on them doth cast The meate to season and to make it méeter for the tast Already thus Patroclus bread out of a basket layde He had in hand and servde the borde and sir Achilles prayd When he had plast the Gréekish Lords y t they would fal to meate And to Vlisses face to faâ—…e himself he chose his seate He bids Patroclus sacrifice eke to the gods their right Which done they eate they drink and do with leasure great delight The good Phenix chiefe messenger a silent noyse began To warne Vlisses hauing supt who knew what ment the man He takes the cup and prayes Achil vnto him for to drinke O thou of Gréekes the choice quoth he I now ful méete it thinke The cause of our Embassade here now we so wel haue farde Be open layde before your selfe and by vs plaine declarde Though you with plentie haue vs fed Agamemnon before Hath feasted vs but al this cheare it cannot heale our sore Nor vs content the present time some other thing requires Than stil to féede and on our meate to set our whole desires Our care it is vnto our case al careful to prouide And wisely to inâ—… some way the Troyan force t'abide And kéepe our vessels from the fire that we in heapes not dy Which no way we can shun at al if haply you deny To put in vre your mighty fist and eke your selfe to decke With minde and force from vs to hold the harme lyes on our neck So hard at hand our foes they be incamped by our side They ly vs by they merry make their fiers burning bide They vow they wil not enter Troy til al the Gréekes bestaine And by their force defeated quite yea in the ships Againe And more their pride to set a gog séene hath bin in their campe A token sure of their great good the lightning for to rampe On the right hand And Hector stoute now puffed vp aloft For victorie of yesterday and in a suretie brought Of Ioue his aide doth nothing wish but that the dawning come And then he meanes to burne our ships and armie al and some To ouerthrow he is so braue so furious and so fel He réekes no whit of God or man with smoke he wil vs quel This threate hath troubled'much our sprites w t fear chilling dréed In doubt that fate wil haue it so and gods they haue agréed That after long abode this host must wholy haue the gelpe And in this Country leaue our liues Though you haue spaerd their helpe Til now and that although to late now vp your forces pul Eft cal your hart for to protect this host of dolour ful Else when we al shal haue the losse your selfe wil grow right sad To sée your friends so many quailde and that no care you had When néede there'was to saue their falles it better were t'avoyde This error great now in their aide your selfe you soone imployde And also stâ—…yde this vtter ruine which neuer can
séene In time the men who murthrers were Achill th'immortall Gods Twéene you and those of courteous molde haue set a mightie oddes Who hauing suffred no great wrong great losse or death of kinne But onely one poore simple fem and yet you lodge within Your hart such rage the gifts are sent seuen times more worth in price The person selfe such presents brings you for to please likewise As many men would much request Achilles doe aduise Your selfe on this I you beséech and vs not so despise Of neighbourhood maintaine the right which to vs all you owe Thinke on the state of vs are sent your good friends aye you knowe Achilles thus an answere shapes diuine Aiax quoth he I doe allowe all that you say and it of amitie Procéedes I know but when I minde my wrong had in this warre The choler grafted in my hart I can no way debarre And chiefly when some me account as of a base exile Disdaining me who of the whole is worthiest many a mile Friends without more adoe procéede goe tell them all therefore I minded am not for the Gréekes to trauaile any more At least till by sir Hectors force and Troyan souldiors I In tents and shippes of Mirmidons behold the fire to flie And Gréekes slaine round about my tent yet Hector doth not dare I thinke for feare so néere to come his bane least thence he bare This sayd ech of the noble sort doe take a goblet rounde And heaue it sipping to their heades the wine they weakly sounde On earth the rest they throwe to Gods to whom they them cōmend Vlysse the wisest takes his leaue and forth doth formost wend A goodly bed they then prepare a mattresse linnen soft Behong with curtines rounde about a couerlet fine aloft Of woollen weaue where Phoenix doth alone right soundly sléepe Straight after doth the valiaunt Gréeke to stately cabban créepe To take his rest King Phorbas bréede did come with him to be In bed the King of Lesbos Ile the faire Diomede His mate also to sport himselfe lies downe betwéene his shéetes With Iphis gaie the same to sléepe Patroclus with hir méetes The which Achilles did him giue when Scyros citie strong Was by his force put to the spoile downe raste and laide along The Princes soone to campe are come of Gréekes from whence they went The councell they together finde still in the royall tent At their arriuall eche presents in many a gorgeous cup The wines to drinke they welcomde are and then they rising vp Doe offer place for them to sit they long the whole to heare And of the substance of the cause they wishe they priuie were The chiefe then spake Vlysses thus you glory of Gréece that are Vlysses O thou noble he a Gods name vs declare Whether Achill our giftes will haue what hope or comfort tell yée Of our reliefe doth he relent or be in rage still will hée Sith truth you will quoth Vlysses his furie nothing dies But dayly growes to more and more your presents he defies For your alliaunce he cares not and last of all the rest He bad vs bid you flie this worst if so you thought it best And that the dawning next he would depart this countrey fro With like perswasion vnto vs that likewise we doe so Sith of this warre no end wil be now brought to wretched plight And that the Gods to Phrigians aide to vs haue death behight The Aiax hie and Heraults eke can witnesse well his minde If so they list they heard the talke Phoenix is staide behinde By Achilles he lodgeth there and home with him he may Not by constraint but if he please so doth Achilles say The princes all of Gréekish land the whole assemblie quaild They stoode abasht whē this they heard long while their spéech it faild Not holding vp their heads they sat till Diomede the Gréeke Of them so worthy of accompt the solempne silence bréeke You mist the marke Agamemnon when legates you sent out To offer giftes and him intreate he is too proude and stout And you haue set him more a gog with message sent to him He thinkes himselfe a iolly man a goodly and a trimme Forget him sirs let him goe home or as it please him tarie And when the Gods haue heald his rage which raging him doth carie He warre will when he sées his time end we this cause in talke And to our meate and wonted rest a good lucke let vs walke In morning we in armour all will stand before our sailes Our horsemen and our chariots all our footemen in their railes Your valure there Agamemnon force you your selfe to showe In former ranke let men you sée Troyans to ouerthrowe This spéech and councell well allowde the princes euerie one And to his Tent or ship to leape they all departed gone Finis noni Libri ¶ The tenth Booke THe Gréekish kings did drawe aborde and downe to rest they lie But Agamemn for carefull griefe no sléepe came in his eye As oft is séene the stormes of haile great showres and thunder blowes The boistrous blasts the lightning flames when Ioue his flashes throwes Or when great bankes of snowe he sendes in countrey low that lies So out the Gréekish Chieftaines breast the groues and sighings flies His heart doth quake his dolefull sprite doth stand in heauie plight And chiefly when on Troyans campe hard by he castes his sight Where he beholdes huge fires to flame great cries vnwonted noyce And round the quarters to resound with flutes and hie Hawboixe Againe when he doth turne his eye vnto his beaten bandes A sléepe fordone at point to fall into their enemies handes For griefe from head his haire he pulles and armes he heaues aloft Intreating Ioue to pitie some his Godhead may be brought In this so sore conflict of minde what méetest is to take He thinkes it best to goe in hast the Nestor olde to wake His counsellour graue with him t'aduise and councell good to séeke To thwart this daunger from his folke which happen them is léeke He vp his wonted robes doth take his shooes on féete he tide And from his shoulders downe doth hang a mightie Lions hyde A large and beautifull to sée on ground it trailes be hinde A dart he tooke and to his side his faulchon he doth binde The while this king doth beare himselfe lesse carefull not a whit Was Menelau for feare and grief his eies he could not shit Calling to minde the perill great of such a masse of men In his reuenge who paste the sea to warre with the Troyen A nation stout and fierce in fight in hope to gaine renowne His goodly Curets on he puts and Helmet on his crowne His backe a Lyberds skinne doth hap and launce in hand he haes He straight doth goe right to the shippes Agamemnon to raase He founde him newly full attride he ioyes at