and she was the fairest mayde that was in her time and the best formed Many mo were within the towne and without during the fiege but these were the principall greatest of name And therfore Dares declareth the fashion of them and rehearseth not of the other CHAP. V. ¶ How the kinges dukes earles and Barons of Greece assembled al with their nauie before the citie of Athens for to come to Troy and how many shippes each man brought vnto the helpe of the king Menelaus WHen it came vnto the end of February that the winter was passed the kings and princes of all the prouinces of Greece assembled them togither at the porte of Athens for to go to Troy It is not in the remembraunce of any man since the beginning of the worlde that so many shippes and knights were assembled as there were at that time For first Agamemnon that was chiefe and prince of all the hoste of the Greekes brought from his realme of Michmas an hundred shippes full of armed knightes The king Menelaus his brother brought from his realme of Sparta fortie shippes Archelaus and Prothenor from the realme of Boecie fiftie shippes The Duke Ascalapus and the Earle Helmius from the prouince of Orconemy thirtie shippes The king Epistrophus and the king Sedius from the realme of Focide thirtie shippes and in his companie were the Duke Theuter Duke Amphimacus the Earle Polixene and the Earle Thebus and many other noble men The auncient duke Nestor for his prouince of Pilon fiftie shippes The king Thoas of Tholy fiftie ships The king Doxunois fiftie shippes The king Thelamon Thyleus sixe and thirtie shippes Polibetes and Amphimacus from his prouince of Calidonie two and thirtie shippes The king Idumeus and the king Mereon of Crete foure score and two shippes The king Vlisses of Trace two and fiftie shippes The Duke Tynelus from his Citie of Friges twelue shippes Prothocathus and Prothesilaus the dukes of Philaca brought with them two and fiftie shippes Collesis brought foure twentie ships from the realms of Cresome and then brought king Machaon and the king Pollydris his sonne three and thirtie shippes Achilles brought from his noble Citie of Phaces two and twentie shippes The king Thephalus brought from Rhodes two and thirtie shippes Eruphilus from Orchomenie two and fiftie shippes The duke Anthipus and the duke Amphimacus of Rusticane thirteene shippes The king Polibetes of Rithe and the duke Lopins his brother in lawe that hadde wedded his sister threescore and two shippes The king Diomedes of Arges foure score and two shippes and hadde in his companie Thelamus and Eurialus the king Poliphebus nine shippes the king Fureus thirteene shippes the king Prothoylus of Chemenense two and fiftie shippes The king Carpenor of Carpadie two and fiftie shippes Theorius of Breisse foure and twentie shippes The summe of kinges and dukes that were come thither were sixtie and nine And there assembled at the Port of Athens twelue hundred and foure and twentie shippes without comprising the ships of duke Palamedes the sonne of king Naulus that came after on with his estate as shall be saide hereafter c. CHAP. VI. ¶ How the Greekes sent Achilles vnto Delphos to the God Apollo for to know the end of their warre and howe hee found Calchas sent from the Troyans that went with him to Athens WHen the king and the Princes were thus assembled at the Port of Athens the king Agamemnon that was chiefe of all the hoste and taught alway to conduct this hoste orderly assembled vnto the counsell on a plaine without the Citie all the noble men of their hoste And when they were all assembled about him in seates that he had made he said to them in this maner O yee noble men that by one will and minde bee heere assembled in this hoste with so great puissance yee knewe verie well that it is not in the remembraunce of any man that he sawe euer so many noble men assembled for to achieue any worke nor so manie young knightes and actiue in armes for to assail◠their enemies Is not he then out of his minde that presumeth to raise himselfe against vs and to begin warre verily I doubt not but one of an hundred that is in this companie is sufficient enough to bring this worke to an end for which we be all assembled It is well knowne to each of you the great iniuries and the great damages that the Troyans haue done to vs wherefore wee haue iust cause to take vengeance by force of armes to the end that from henceforth they nor any other enterprise neuer against vs in any maner for if we should suffer such iniuries by dissimulation they might yet greeue vs more then they haue done And it is not the custome of the noble men of Gréece to let passe such wrongs in dissimulation therfore it shuld be to vs great shame that be so many and that haue assembled so great strength to dissemble in this quarrell and yet that more is there is no nation in the worlde but that breadeth our puissance saue onelie these foolishe people of Troy that by euil counsell haue mooued them against vs and also haue enterprised war vpon vs as first the king Laomedon that iniuried some of our people for little occasion wherefore hee receiued death for his reward and his citie was destroied and his people slaine and soone brought in seruitude where they he yet Certes it is not so difficile and hard to vs that hée more puissant to take vengeance on the Troians as it was to foure Princes of lesse puissance that came to get the better of them Forsomuch then as the Troyans knowe verily that we be assembled for to go vppon them and that they be strongly furnished with men of arms against our comming and of all such thinges as behooueth them for to defend them with it seemeth me good if it please you that ere wee depart from this port heere wée send into the Isle of Delphos our speciall messengers for to haue answere of our God Apollo of this that wee wil doe and enterprise Then was there none but hee allowed and approoued the wordes of Agamemnon and chose incontinent Achilles and Patroclus for to go into this I le to heare the answere of Apollo and anon they departed and went and came soone thither for the saide Isle is as it were in the middest of the Iles of Ciclades where Locana Enfanta Apollo and Diana be And there was a rich temple in the which the God of the Paynims was worshipped and gaue aunswere to the people of such things as they demaunded of him This Ile was first called Delos that is as much to say in Greeke as manifestation forasmuch as in this I le the Paynims sawe first the sun and the moone after the deluge and therefore they supposed that they hadde been borne there of their mother for Apollo is the Sunne and Diana is the Moone in their languag◠Some
that his enemies because of the succours that came to them were stronger then he was he found not in the resolution of his enterprise but dispaire and shamefull end and all discomforted he called his sonne and his principal friendes and demaunded them what was best to do They counselled him that hee should labour to saue himselfe and saide to him if he abode and attended the Troyans that would be cause of his destruction and of all them that were left of his people When Tantalus vnderstood this and knew that hee was desperate and nigh his shamefull ende and flight and aboue that that he might not extinguish and put downe the name of Troy hee tooke himselfe by the beard that was long and impatiently said smiting himselfe with his fist O cursed enuie thou didst promise mee of late to put Troy vnder my féete and hast made me to rise presumptuously against her Nowe sée I well the contrarie and that by mee Troy shall flourish and that more is by my cause her name shall growe and shall be enchaunsed and that all kings shall tremble before her in my sight and beholding O false traiterours fortune accursed be thou that I euer beléeued on thée These words finished hee saide to his son and to other of his councell that they should cause his people to withdraw a little and a little At last he commaunded that each man should saue himselfe and then they put them all to flight Ilion and Ganimedes tooke héede and ranne after and chased them out of the territories of Troy with great occison and slaughter of the people of the Frigiens And after that they had chased them they said that they had doone them shame inough and left worke and returned and came anon and met the king Troos their father that followed them which had great ioy when hée saw that they had quit them so well vpon his enemies by the good conduct of his two sonnes The ioy then that Troos made Ilion and Ganimedes after the battaile was great and of good loue Troos brought them again vnto Troy with great worship The Troyans men and women receiued them worshipfully blessed the womb that had borne them and the breasts that gaue them sucke These were two noble sons of the King of whom the names were borne into all the Marches there aboutes with so great a bruit and noyse that not onelie the neighbours of Troos came to make alliaunce with King Troos and the Troyans but there came also Kings of many far Countreys of the East which could not magnifie inough the puissance of the king and of the citie of Troy c. In these dayes when Troy shewed the rayes of her puissance and noblenesse through the vniuersall world Saturne late king of Crete sayled by the seas with little companie not as king and possessor of the realme but as banished and dispurueyed of all land and countrey so poore that he had no place to withdraw him to nor wist not whither to go but onely by desarts and by the depth of the sea When he had béene in this poynt a great while thinking without end how he might persecute his son Iupiter fortune brought him into the sea of Hellespont and then beholding about him he espyed and sawe Troy which was a Citie passing fayre and rich and of marueylous greatnesse And then what for to take him a little rest as for to put away his melancholie and for to reuittaile his shippe and people hee sayled and rowed into the Citie and landed at the port When the Troyans had seene the shippe of Saturne that was better and more of value then all the shippes that they had euer séene the maisters of the ships of Troy went hastily vnto the King Troos and said Sir bee of good cheare and make readie your house I assure you that there is come right now vnto your port the most rich ship that euer was séene on the sea and me séemeth this considered that in so noble a ship must be some noble or great earthly Lord that commeth vnto you c. Anon as king Troos heard these tidings of the maister mariner he desired to sée so fayre a shippe and accompanied with his two sonnes went for to sée at the port and to feast them of the straunge shippe This king Troos was courteous and honourable When he came vnto the port he found that Saturne made readie his shippe and disposed him for to go vnto the citie And séeing the ship he maruailed much for the vtensils that were within were richly made furthermore Saturne his companions were armed and had no mariners He beheld their behauiour at his comming and knew that they were men of warre right well in point so he thought in himselfe at the beginning for to arme himselfe and to send for the Troyans But afterward when hee had séene their little number and that no ship followed nor came after these strangers from the coast he changed his purpose viewed and approched vnto the ship and called Saturne that most best was arayed aboue the other and asked him what he sought both he and his fellows and from what nation they were and whence they came from And Saturne answered to him and saide Sir albeit I know not at what port I am arriued for as much as my heart giueth me that ye be courteous of your nature I will not hide nor couer any thing touching your request I was late king of Crete named Saturne now I am but Saturne for my sonne hath put me out sorrowfully so that of all the riches of all my people and all my goods temporall there is nothing left me but this onely ship that ye may sée Wherefore I pray you and require that it please you to direct mee to some Lord of this countrey to the end that I may require licence and leaue to enter into his lordship and to take that that shall be necessarie competently to the life of me and of my companie When king Troos heard the case of Saturne comprised in briefe words he saide to him by compassion King Saturne yee be welcome into the house of Troos in troth I haue great gréefe in my selfe of your first anoyance for your glorious renowme and for the goodnesse that is in you as often times I haue heard it recounted But with this anoyance two things gladde and ioye my heart the one procéeding of the accomplishment of desire for I haue desired manye dayes for to sée you and this desire is now accomplished in me and the other procéedeth of hope and in this part I saye to you that I king of this countrey haue intention to comfort and to councell you to my power and also to giue you so good ayde that ye shall correcte your sonne and shall punishe his personne in suche wise as it shall appertayne for his offence Saturne began to sighe and to take a lyttle comforte of the greate proffer and good chéere
the assaulte they hadde great shieldes and large wherwith they couered them They dreaded no stroke of glayne ne sworde nor of stones they putte themselues into the myddest of the porte and there they gaue the assaulte where manye were deade on the one parte and on the other there were plentye of fighters in such wise that at the entrye there were manye Apuliens ouerthrowne and put backe for they were then hote and eager but after this when they hadde gotten lande Perseus and Danaus beganne to smyte so vnmeasurably vpon the Lybiens that they beate them downe without remedye nowe heere nowe there at the right side and at the left side all made red with theyr bloud Also Perseus gaue so great a stroke with his sword vnto Athlas that purposed to haue come and broken the rankes that neuer after Athlas had no hope nor durst not come among the strokes albeit that he was great strong and puissant Too much couetous of victorye were Perseus and Danaus and they of Naples the Libiens had not béene accustomed to finde so fierce and mortall armes as them of Perseus The king Athlas wist not what to saye he encouraged his people the best wise he could This notwithstanding hée sawe them beaten downe of his enimies without number and without measure and sawe further that they of Naples wan alway And when he had séene all this and also beheld that these men had vanquished the Quéene Medusa he iudged in himselfe that he was not puissant ynough to resist their strength and that the hardines of this battaile shoulde be to him more damageous then auailable so sounded he the retraite and fled not into his citie but into a right hie mountaine that was thereby and therefore say the poets that Athlas by the sight of the heade of Medusa was turned into a Mountaine And from thenceforth was this hill called Athlas and yet endureth the name vnto this daye And for as much as Athlas saued him there among the stones he foūded afterward a castele there where he dwelled vntil time of Hercules CHAP. XXXIIII ¶ How Perseus turned the king Athlas into a stone and how the Queen Auria wife of king Pricus waxed amorous of the Knight Bellerophon that refused her wherfore after he had much payne WHen Perseus and Danaus sawe Athlas and all his folke putte to flight first hée chased them vnto the Mountaine where they were turned into stones dying with their bloud the caues bushes wayes pathes And secondly when they hadde put them vnto vtter foyle as much as they coulde they drewe to the Citie whereof the gates were not shut nor kept with any man and entring in they found none but a little number of matrones and yong children which made a terrible great lamentation All the yong men and women were fled vnto the fields and had abandoned the Citie with their folke and goods When Perseus and Dardanus were within and sawe that it was abandoned to them and their people they tooke all that they founde and passed that night with great ioy gladnes making great cheare and thanking their goddes of their victorie that they had giuen to them And on the morrow Perseus made to be beaten downe the gates of this Citie after he commanded that euerie man should take his spoyle and when they were laden with all Perseus and Danaus went to the sea into their gallies and sailed forth leauing Athlas in the mountaine where he gaue him vnto the studie of Astronomie In this time Iupiter made aliance with king Troos by the meanes of Ganimedes and in signe of loue and friendship he gaue vnto Ilion a picture of gold which was set in the palace of Ilion as it shall be saide in the third booke And it was not long after that king Troos came to the course and end of his raigne and his obsequie was halowed and kept solemnely at Troy in great aboundance of teares And then Ilion was crowned king of the Citie where hee liued in ampliation and increasing of his seigniorie and lordship and wedded a noble Ladie of the citie of whom he receiued a son named Laomedon And for as much as I finde not that Ilion did any thing after his coronation nor made other thing saue that he finished and made his pallace I will speake henceforth of Laomedon his sonne that raigned after him And héere I will leaue the noble déeds of this Ili on and yet ere I write of Laomedon I will persue my matter of Perseus And for to come thereto I will recount an historye that fell after that Perseus had turned king Athlas into a mountaine In this time then that Perseus began to giue his life vnto right worthie déedes and works of noble fame Acrisius Grandfather of this Perseus and naturall father of Danae was put out of his kingdome and Realme and all the seignorie of Argos by a conspiration that Prycus his brother made against him And there was left vnto Acrisius of all his Realme no more but onely the tower of Dardain wherto he fled for refuge This Acrisius and Prycus were naturall sons of Abas lawfull sonne of Linceus that was only left aliue of the fiftie sonnes of Egistus by the mercie of his wife Hypermnestra daughter of Danaus Pricus then hauing vsurped from his brother Acrisius the seignorie of the Realme of Argos had a wife named Aurea that was so brought vp that of custome she had no delight but to liue in voluptuousnesse And on a day shée beheld among her seruants one so comely a knight that nature had nothing forgotten in him touching his bodie of whom she was enamoured Shee was yong and her husband Pricus was ancient in his demeanure conditions and much lesse desired carnall concupiscence then his wife did though they were both right neare one age This knight thus beloued hadde to name Bellerophon When Aurea had begunne to loue this knight she solicited him with her eyes and with her countenances drawing him to delight and fleshly lust But the true knight that had his heart firme and stable which perceiued well her countenance dissimuled and fained that he was blinde in this part And in the ende when the Ladie sawe that by countenance nor signe amorous that she shewed he employed him not once for to please her but fled her companie in the most euill wise that she might shee intended to turne her loue into hate and her faire countenances into fierce malice so enuenimed that for to make him die shée accused him before her husband the king Pricus saying that he would haue enforced her wherefore she required iustice instantly At this accusation made Bellerophon was present and being sore abashed and astonished at the beginning but hearing the Ladie speake at length he cleared himselfe and excused him saying Madame neuer please it vnto the gods that for to couer mine honour I do discouer the disworship and fault of another Let neuer man
of the wedding of Pyrothus he disposed him to go thither By space of time he went foorth on his way and tooke Philotes with him and at all aduenture tooke with him his armor of the skin of the lion When Megara saw him depart she was sore troubled for his departing And the more for that that he tooke his armour with him for she thought if Hercules had heard speake of any great exploit he would go thither and endeuour himselfe to assay himselfe agaynst it With great sighs she looked after him as farre as shée might praying to the goddes that they would bring him shortly againe Hercules and Philotes went forth into the Countrey and as much as they might they hasted so their iourny that they came to Thessalonicque where they were receyued with great ioy of Pyrothus and of his friendes They found there a right great assembly of noble men Ladies and Gentlewomen Theseus and Iason were there The friends of Iason would that Iason shoulde bée made knight And for to do that they presented him to Hercules which gaue him the order of knighthood And Hercules said that he had séene in him a good beginning of a noble man and if he may liue he shall attaine one day to things right high and noble Among other things the day of wedding came the citie was all full of nobles the Centaures were there they were an C. Giants armed that ran as the wind which the king Ixion had got him in Thessaly of whoÌ„ some dwelled in Molose and the other in Aphyte a Citie of Epyre whereof was Quéene Hypodamia the Ladie and bride of the wedding There were many kings and princes of whom I haue not the names The quéene Hypodamia and Pyrothus were wedded together after their law When the time of the dinner was come they set the Ladie in the hall where was made a generall feast At this feast all the commers were amply serued with all maner of good wines and good meates in especiall the Centaures made passing good chéere and drunke so much of the strong wines that the principall captaine of all named Eurycus and some of the other had words togither and troubled the feast In this trouble they sought togither and cast each on other pots platters wines and meates so terribly that many of them were hurt and dead Then anon was the hall full of noyse Euricus and fiftie of his giants issued out of the prease and went to fetch their hardesse or armour When they were armed they entred into the hall and not content with the trouble that they had made albeit that Hercules and the other indeuored to appease them that slew each other they tooke the quéene Hypodamia and bare her out and rauished her and fled away with her When the Ladies saw this great outrage they cryed out all afraide The affraie was so great that Hercules Iason Pyrothus and Theseus ranne vnto them and when they knew that the Centaures had rauished the Lady at fewe words they went and armed them anon Hercules did on the skinne of the Lion and tooke his sword his bowe and his arrowes and then went after the giants without abiding for any other companie or person The giants were withdrawen vnder a trée and there they trained them in battaile as they that wist well and surely that the first that should come to them should be Hercules They hated Hercules secretly and had enuie at his glorie They swore all the death of Hercules and then when they were in these tearmes and spéeches Euricus espyed from farre Hercules and shewed him to his companie Hercules was all alone and came not a pace softly as a man but he came running as nimbly and swiftly as the hart runneth in the vally and it séemed that he flewe in the ayre The swiftnesse of Hercules abashed nor afrayde not the Centaures they were about foure score and they were all of great courages they tooke then their Speares Polaxes Swordes and other weapons of warre and some of the strongest of them were agaynst Hercules on the other side as soone as Hercules approched so nigh as hée might shoote at them he bent his bow and with an arrow he sâ—â—oâ—e a Centaure named Grineus in such wise that the arrow pearced the head entring by the visage and nayled and fastned his head vnto a trée that stoode behind him With the second arrow hée smote another Giant named Petreus in the breast through the armour that it went through his body With the third hée hurt Dorillas a terrible Giant and nayled his hand vnto his face and the arrowe entred with so great might as afore is sayde and made the hande to be fastned to his face of which stroke he was dead He shotte many mo arrowes then as long as hée had any and hée shotte none but with it hée hurt or slew one of the Gyants When his shotte was fayled the Giants béeing sore gréeued for that they had séene theyr fellowes die by the shotte and strong hande of Hercules they cryed vppon Hercules and enuyroned him on all sides Sisacus Pheotones Nessus Mincus Stilo Lodeuin and Piseon were the first that smote vppon Hercules with their Swoordes Hercules tooke hys Sword and came agaynst Pheotones that had a great Axe so great that it was a mans burthen Pheotones anon lift vp his great Axe and thought to haue smitten a mightie stroke vpon Hercules But Hercules that knew inough of the warre turned him from the stroke and so the great Axe fell downe to the ground And then suddainly Hercules caught that great axe and plucked it out of his hands and forthwith gaue him a stroke withall so great that he smote of his right arme with the shoulder c. Such was the beginning of the battaile of Hercules and of the Centaures Cilarus smote then Hercules behinde with all his might Piseon and Ledeuin smote him also both at one time notwithstanding Hercules was not once astonied therewith but running to Cilarus he gaue him a stroke with the axe so lustily on his helme that it entred into his body so that he ouerthrew the giant to the earth and he serued in likewise Piseon and Ledeuin Iason and Theseus put them then in the battaile and well proued theyr youth at their comming For to giue the other heart and courage Hercules thrusted into the greatest prease of the giants and so wrought with the axe that they cursed Pheotones that had brought them thither and all them that had gone about this matter In beating and smiting down all before them Hercules began then to séeke Hypodamia found her al bewept right beside and nighe Eurycus Then he spake to Euricus and said to him thou euil glutton thou hast this day troubled the feast and stolen the Lady of my fréende Pirothus and now anon I wil trouble thy spirit with this word he discharged his axe smote with-al Eurycus in such wise on the head
vnto armes with great courage and assayled all about the men of Lyncus There was a terrible battaile and many people gathered togither men women against their enemies In a little while all the citie was troubled When Hercules had put to death al them that he found in the close of his pallace excepting Lincus whom he put in the guard and kéeping of the Quéene Iuno and of many Gentlewomen that came vnto him then hée sprang into the stréetes and shewed his sword and smote downe right on all sides in skirmishing so mortally with the men of Lincus all about where he might finde them that by the helpe of them of Thebes he made them all to passe the sharpenesse and cutting of his sword And then was Thebes all glad and Hercules returned into the pallace vnto the place where the ladies kept Lincus Then Hercules sent for to breake vppe the doore of the chamber where Megara was in for as much as they could not finde the keyes for they that kept her were dead Megara then full of gladnesse came vnto her lord Hercules rose vp to her and would haue embraced her and kist her But Lincus that thought on nothing but for to do euill by the secret perswasion of Iuno turned him from it saying Hercules let be my concubine I haue taken my fleshly desires with her she is of mine acquaintance and the most luxurious ladie that euer I was acquainted withall When Megara heard the right great iniurie and wrong that the traitor charged hir with she fel backward for anger being furious without saying of any word Hercules was al full of anger and hote and full of great ire wéening that Lincus had said truth so he smote off the head of Lincus and with the same sword that he had slaine the traitor with he put to death Megara who was with childe Howbeit the Cronicles of Spaine tell that Hercules slew not his wife but that he put her into a religious house that he ordained in Thebes in the temple of Diana renouncing her companie and there it is saide that this was the first religion that euer was in Thebes These things accomplished in the one manner and in the other Hercules went forthwith and tooke out of prison Amphitrion and Philotes and departed from thence al angrie and sore gréeued so that at that time and long after he spake not and went his way at all aduenture accompanied with Theseus and Philotes with the great bewailing of them of Thebes which then after his departing crowned ouer them Layus the sonne of King Agenor of Assirie for as much as he had wedded the daughter of the king Creon named Iocasta CHAP. IX ¶ How Hercules put to death the King Laomedon and destroyed Troy the second time HErcules Theseus and Philotes departed from Thebes and went into many diuers lands séeking their aduentures And passing by Licie where Hercules was made king on a day they came into Miâ—imidonie vnto the pallace of the King Eson where Iason was which had enterprised for to saile to the I le of Colchos and made his things readie When Hercules had béene feasted of Iason and of Duke Peleus and that he knew of the enterprise that Iason would go and conquer the fléece of Gold hee vowed and promised that hee would accompanie him And if fortune would be with him he would aduenture to bring his enterprise vnto an end What shall I make long processe Iason and Hercules made readie a right good ship and went to the sea and renewed not their victuall till they came to the Port of Troy And then they renewed 〈◊〉 them at the port for the king Laomedon was then in Troy which had fortified maruailously the Cittie againe and knowing that there was landed at his Port a shippe full of Gréekes hee sent downe a man that commanded them rudely that they should departe thence and that he was enemie to the Gréekes Iason as Captaine of the armie answered coueteously the messenger of King Laomedon and prayed him that hee might haue victuals for his money The messenger answered him that hee should haue none there vnlesse they gat it with the sword Then Hercules might no longer tarie but sware to the Troyan that if he might returne from the voyage that he had enterprised that hee would yet once againe destroy Troy and that he would not leaue one stone vppon another With this conclusion Hercules and Iason departed from Troy by fortune they were brought to the port of Lemnos whereof was a woman Ladie and Quéene named Hypsyphyle which waxed amorous of Iason as it is conteined in the historie of Iason In this port of Lemnos Hercules was aduertised that thereby was a king named Phyneus which suffered himselfe to be goueruerned by an auaricious woman Phyneus had béene married to another woman before and had by her two sonnes These two sonnes were vnrightfully by their stepmother put to exile For to say the verie truth his second wife was so corrupted with auarice that she tooke from the King his riches and held greater state then he When Hercules had knowledge thereof hee went and spake to king Phyneus and to the Quéene and shewed to them their vices in so good maner and fashion that the two children were called back from their exile and that the king held his estate royall Then returned Hercules into Lemnos and tooke the sea with Iason and went into the â—â—e of Colâ—os where Iason by the learning and industrie of Medea conquered the shéepe with the fléece of gold which he bare with him into Gréece Then Hercules recommended greatlye Iason among his parentes and fréendes and told them of the right great vnkindnesse of the king Laomedon and how that hée hadde sworne for to destroye Troye for the rigor that the king Laomedon had doone vnto them They swore all togither with Hercules the destruction of Troye and concluded the day of theyr departure and after made ready theyr shippes and all that was necessary for them And then Hercules helde so well his couenant in theyr army that at the day concluded among them they entred into the sea and did so much trauaile that they landed at the porte of Troye with so great an host that Laomedon durst not forbid them the Porte Iason was at that tyme in a farre straunge countrey Hercules had with him many noble men And among all other there were with him the king Thelamon Aiax the duke Nâ—stor Castor Pollux Theseus and many kings and dukes At the landing of this porte which was of strong entrie Hercules that nothing doubted his enimies made to sownd and blowe vp trumpets and labours and made so great a noyse and stirre that the walles of Troy and of the Pallace redounded thereof and that Laomedon séeing out of one of his windowes the hoste of his enimies was a right great while in a thought whither he might go to battaile against them or no. It happened to
seekest in this forrest Hercules answered what art thou Diomedes saide I am the king of Thrace thou art entered into my Dominion without my leaue it displeaseth me and thou must be my prisoner wherefore yeeld thée to mée Hercules said then king since thou art Diomedes the king of Thrace thou art vndoubtedly the tyrant that I séeke And therefore I am not of purpose to yeeld mée without stroke smiting and especially to an euill théefe Know thou that I will defend me with this club with which I haue béen accustomed to destroy monsters and am in hope this day to make thy horses eate and deuour thy body like as thou hast taught and vsed them to eate thy prisoners When Diomedes heard the answere of Hercules hee tooke a great axe that one of his theeues bare after him and he lifted it vp threatning Hercules vnto the death and discharged so hard that if Hercules had not turned the stroke with his club he had béen in great perill Diomedes was of the greatnesse and stature of Hercules and had aboundance of strength and puissance When Hercules had receiued the stroke he lifted vp his club failed not to smite Diomedes for he gaue him such a stroke vpon the stomacke and so heauy that hee turned him vpside down from his horse and laid him all astonied in the field Then his hundred theeues bestirred them and assailed Hercules on all sides Some of them there were that recouered Diomedes set him on his horse the other shot at Hercules some brake their swordes on him All this impaired nothing the armes of Hercules His halberd and his helme were of fine stéele forged tempered hard He stood there among them like a mountaine When hée had suffered the first skirmishe and assault of the théeues for to shew to them with whom they fought he set vppon them and smote down right on all sides with such valor that sodainly he made the péeces of them flie into the wood and smote them down from their horses Diomedes was at that time risen and with great furie and discontentednesse with many of his complices came vnto the reskewe of his théeues whom Hercules vsed as he would And whiles that some assailed him before he came behind and smote him with his axe vpon his helme the stroke wherof was so great that the fire sprang out Diomedes had well thought to haue murdered Hercules yet Hercules mooued not for the stroke but a little bowed his head After this then he lift vp his clubbe and smote among the theeues and maugre them all in lesse then an houre he had so belaboured the yron about their backs that of the hundred hee slew sixty and the other hee al to brused and frushed and put to flight with Diomedes But Hercules running more swiftly then an horse among all other pursued Diomedes so nigh that hee raught him by the legge and pulled him downe from his horse and cast him downe against a tree vnto the earth After hee tooke him by the body and by maine force bare him vnto the place where the battaile had béen There he dishelmed him and vnarmed him with little resistance For Diomedes was then all to bruised and might not helpe himselfe and when he hadde him thus at his will hee bound him by the feete and by the handes After this hee assembled togither twentie horses of the théeues that ran dispersed in the wood and came to Diomedes and saide to him O thou cursed enemy that hast emploied all thy time in tyrannie and diddest neuer one good déed but all thy daies hast liued in multiplying of sinnes and vices and hast trobled the people by thefts praies irreparable and that hast nourished thy horses with mans flesh by this crueltie hadst supposed to haue made me to die Certes I will doe iustice vpon thée and will doe to thine euill person like as thou wouldest haue done to mine Then Hercules laid the tyrant in the middest of the horses which had great hunger and they anon deuoured him for they loued mans flesh And thus when Hercules had put the tyrant to death hee tooke his armes in signe of victory and returned vnto Phylotes that abode him Philotes hadde great ioy when hee sawe Hercules returne he enquired of him how he had done and howe hee had borne him And Hercules hid nor concealed nothing from him What shall I say with great ioy and gladnesse they returned vnto the Greekes and did cause to disancre their shippes and sailed for to arriue at the port or hauen of Thrace Then would Hercules make to bee known published in Thrace the death of king Diomedes Whereat was a great vproare This notwithstanding Hercules tooke to Philotes the armes of Diomedes and sent him into the citie for to summon them that gouerned it and for to yeeld it into his handes Philotes went into the pallace of Thrace and made to bee assembled them that then were principall in the Citie When they were assembled Phylotes did then open to them his charge and message and summoned the Thraciens that they shoulde deliuer their citie into the handes of Hercules Saying that Hercules was he that had put to death Diomedes for his euill liuing and for the loue of the common weale and that the citie could do no better but to receiue him at his comming for hée woulde not pill it but hee would only bring it to good pollicie When he had done this summons to the end that they should beleeue him he discouered and shewed vnto them the armes of Diomedes When the Thraciens heard Phylotes and sawe the armes of Diomedes some of the complices and companions of Diomedes and theeues were full of great rage and would haue taken the armes from Phylotes The other that were wise and notable men that many yeres had desired the end of their king seeing his armes knew assuredly that Diomedes was dead and full of ioy aunswered to Philotes Forasmuch as Hercules was a king of great renowne and wisedome and that he had done a worke of great merite in the death of Diomedes they would receiue him with good hart into the citie Without long discourses the Thraciens went vnto the gate and opened it Phylotes returned then vnto Hercules and tolde vnto him these tidinges Hercules and the Gréekes went out of their Gallies and entered into Thrace in space of time The Thraciens brought them vnto the pallace where were yet many theeues Hercules put all the theeues to death not in the same night but during the space of ten daies that he soiourned there He set the citie in good nature of pollicie He deliuered it from the euill théeues hee made iudges by election at the pleasure of the people And then when hee hadde done all these thinges hee departed from Thrace with great thanks as well of the old as of the yong Hée mounted vppon the Sea and after by succession of time without any aduenture to
daughter was named Cassandra and was a right noble Virgine adorned and learned with Sciences and knew thinges that were for to come And the third was named Polixena that was the fairest daughter and the best formed that was knowne in all the worlde Yet aboue these children heretofore rehearsed king Priamus had thirtie bastard sonnes by diuers women that were valiant knightes noble and hardy When then king Priamus was in a straunge Countrey hee was occupied and verie much imploied in the sense and profession of warre the Queene and her children were there with him The tidinges and newes came to him that the king Laomedon his father was slaine his Citie was destroied and his noble men were put to death their daughters brought in seruitude and also his sister Exione At these sorrowfull tidinges hee was greatly gréeued and wept aboundantly and made 〈◊〉 lamentations And anon incontinent her left his siege and finished his warre and returned hastily 〈…〉 and when hee found it so destroied he begâ—â—â— to make the most â—â—row of the world that 〈…〉 And after he had 〈…〉 sell to make againe the 〈◊〉 Then he beganne to â—â—â—â—â—ie the citie so great and so strong that he neuer ought to doubt his enemies did close it with right high walles and with great Towers of Marble The citie was so great that the circâ—â—se was 〈…〉 iourney And at that time in all the world was none so great nor noâ—e so faire nor so excellently compassed In this Citie were sixe principall gates of which the one was named Dardane the second Timbria the thâ—â—â— Helias the fourth Chetas the 〈◊〉 Troyen and the 〈◊〉 Antenorides These gates were right great and faâ—re and of strong defence And there were in the citie rich â—â—â—ces without number the fairest that euer were and the fairest houses rich and well compassed Also there were in many partes of the citie diuers faire places and pleasant for the citizens to sport and play in In this Citie were men of all Craftes and Marchauntes that went and came from all the partes of the world In the middle of the citie ranne a great riuer named Paucus which bare shippes and did bring great profite and solace vnto the inhabitantes When the Citie was thus made the king Priamus did cause to come all the people and inhabitauntes of the countrey there aboutes and made them dwell in the citie And there came so many that there was neuer 〈◊〉 â—â—ter furnished with people and with noble men and â—â—â—â—ns then it was There were found many gaâ—â—es and 〈…〉 richest Pallaces and strongest that euer was in all the world And it was of height fiue hundred pases besides the height of the Towers whereof was great plentie and so high that it séemed to them that sawe them from farre they raught vnto the heauen And in this riche pallace the king Priamus did make the richest hall that was at that time in the worlde within which was his rich Throne and the table whereupon hee did eate and held his estate among his Lordes and Barons and all that longed thereto was of gold and of siluer of pretious stones and of Iuorie In this hall at one corner was an altar of golde and pretious stones which was consecrated in the name and worship of Iupiter their God to which altar went men vp twentie degrees or steppes And vpon the altar was the Image of Iupiter of fifteene foote of height all beset and and arraied with pretious stones For in that God Iupiter was all the hope and trust of the king Priamus for to hold his raigne long and in all prosperitie c. When he sawe that he hadde so faire a Citie so strong and so well peopled and with that so rich of goodes hee beganne to take some displeasure at the wrongs that the Greekes had done vnto him and thought long howe hée might reuenge him Then hée assembled on a certaine day all his Barons and helde a riche Court. At this Court Hector his eldest sonne was not for hee was in the parties of Pannony on the affaires and certain works of his father forasmuch as Pannonie was subiect vnto the king Priamus When king Priamus saw all his folke assembled and gathered before him hee beganne to speake saying in this manner O men and true friends that bée partners of my great iniuries to mée done by the Greekes for so little a cause or trespasse Yée knowe howe the Greeks by their pride haue come into this countrey and haue slaine cruelly your parentes and friendes and also mine And how they haue taken and ledde away and holde in seruitude Exione my sister that is so faire and noble and yet they holde her as a common woman Ye knowe wel how they haue beaten downe and destroied this Citie ouerthrowne the walles the Pallaces and houses vnto the foundations and haue borne away the great riches whereof the Citie was full And for these things I think it should be reason that by the helpe of the Gods who resist those that bée insolent and proud wee altogither by a common accord shoulde take vengeance of these iniuries Ye know what Citie wee haue and howe it is peopled with good men of arms and fighters and garnished with all maner of goodes and riches Also ye know well the alliances that wee haue with many right great Lords that with good wil wil help vs if néede hee Wherefore me séemeth that it shoulde bée good for vs to reuenge vs of this shame But yet forasmuch as the aduentures of the warres be right doubtfull and daungerous and that no man knoweth what may come thereof albeit that the iniurie be great and that they hold my sister in so great dishonour yet will I not begin the warre But first if yée thinke good I will send of the most sage and prudent men that I haue to pray and require them that they render and yéeld againe my sister Exione and I will be content to pardon all the other iniuries c. When the king hadde thus finished his wordes all allowed and praised his aduise and it séemed to them good And then the king Priamus immediately called one of his Princes named Anthenor and earnestly desired him and vsed courteous and gentle perswasions that hée woulde enterprise this ambassage forthwith into Greece And Athenor with all humilitie aunswered him that hee was alwaies readie to doe his good pleasure Then was there a ship made ready and all that belongeth and was conuenient to bring Anthenor into Greece He entered into the shippe and his men and sailed so long that they arriued at the porte of Thessaly whereas was then by aduenture the king Peleus that receiued right ioyfully enough Anthenor and demaunded of him wherefore hee was come into those partes Anthenor answered to him in this maner Sir said he I am a messenger of the king Priamus that hath sent mee to you and hath commanded me to say to you and other that he is
well remembred of the great iniuries that yee and other haue done to him that for so little cause or occasion haue slaine his father destroied his citie and his people some dead and some in seruitude And yet that is worse to holde his sister foully as a concubin and yet at least he ought to haue wedded her And forasmuch as yée be a man of great witte and discretion the king my lord wisheth you and warneth you that from henceforth yee cease the rage and the great slaunders that may come for this cause that all good men ought to eschewe to their power that his sister be safely deliuered again to him and he will pardon the residue and wil hold it as a thing that neuer had happened c. When the king Peleus had heard Anthenor so speak hee chafed with him anon in great anger and ire and beganne to blame the king Priamus and said that his wit was light And after menaced Anthenor and commaunded him that he should go anon out of his land for if hee tarried long there hée woulde flea him with great tormentes Anthenor taried not long after but entered into his shippe without taking leaue of king Peleus and sailed so farre by the sea that he arriued at Salamine where the king Thelamon soiourned Then Anthenor went vnto him and declared to him the cause of his comming in this maner Sir said hee the king Priamus requesteth effectuously your noblenesse that his sister Exione whom ye holde in your seruice so foully ye would restore vnto him For it is not fitting nor seemly vnto your glorie nor renowne to vse so the daughter and sister of a king and that is issued of a more noble ligne then yée bée And in case that ye will restore to him his sister hee will hold all thinges as not done as well the damages as the dishonours that by you and other haue beene done vnto him When the king Thelamon hadde heard Anthenor so speake hee beganne to waxe passing angry and aunswered to him right fiersly saying My friend saide hee whatsoeuer thou bee I haue much maruaile of the simplenesse of thy king to whom I beare none amitie neyther he to mee And therefore I ought not to hearken vnto his praier nor request Thy king ought to knowe that I and other haue béen there for to reuenge an iniurie that his father Laomedon did late to some of our friendes And forasmuche as I then entered first into the citie of Troy with great trauaile effusion of my bloud Exione of whom thou speakest which is right faire was giuen vnto mée for the guerdon of my victorie for to do with her my will And forsomuch as shee is so well to my pleasure as shée that is of great beautie and replenished with all Sciences it is not to me so light a thing to render and deliuer againe a thing that is so faire and delightfull which I haue conquered with so great paine and daunger But thou shalt say to thy king that hée may neuer recouer her but by the point of the sword but as for me I repute thée for a foole that euer wouldest enterprise this message wherein lieth thy great perill for thou art come among people that vehemently hate thée and thy like therefore go thy way hastily out of this countrey For if thou abide any more here I will make thée die by cruell and hateful death c. When Anthenor heard Thelamon so speake hee entered right hastily into his ship and sailed so farre that hée arriued in Thessalie where the king Castor and the king Polux his brother soiourned Hée went a shore spéedily from his shippe and declared his message like as hée had done to the other And the king answered to him in great yre and said to him thus Friend what that thou art I will that thou knowe that wée thinke not to haue iniuried the king Priamus without cause for it is so that the king Laomedon his father then beganne the folly wherefore he was slaine For he wronged first certaine of the Nobles of Greece and therefore wee desire more the euill will of thy king Priamus then his good loue or peace And certes it séemeth well that he had not thée in anie good reckoning when hée sent thee hither to doe this message in this countrey wherefore I wishe thée see well that thou abide not here long for if thou go not incontinent thou shalt die villanously Then Anthenor departed without leaue and entered into his shippe and sailed till hee came to Pilon where the duke Nestor soiourned with a great company of noble men Anthenor went vnto him and saide that hee was messenger of the king Priamus and tolde and counted to him his message in such wise as hee hadde saide to the other before And if the other were angry this Nestor chafed in himselfe more against Anthenor and said to him Ha ha vile varlet who made thee so hardie for to say such thinges before me Certes if it were not that my noblenesse refraine me I woulde anon cause thy tongue to be plucked out of thy head and in despite of thy king I would by force of horse cause to draw thy members one from an other Go thy way hastily out of my sight or by my Gods I will cause to bee done all that I haue heere said c. Then Anthenor was all abashed at the horrible words of Duke Nestor and doubting the furie of his tyrannie returned vnto the Sea and sette him on his returne to Troy ward And hee hadde not been long on the Sea when a great tempest arose and the aire began to waxe darke and to raine and to thunder right maruellously and there rose great windes contrary and waxed thicke and horrible mistie and his shippe was borne on the waues one time high and another time lowe in great perill and there was not a man in the saide shippe but supposed to die and that made not speciall promises and vowes to their Gods and in these perilles were they three dayes and on the fourth day the tempest ceased and and the aire waxed all cléere and became peaceable Then they comforted themselues and sayled so farre that they came to the port of Troy and went straite to their Temples to giue then thankes to their Gods for that they hadde escaped so manie perilles as they hadde been in And after Anthenor went with a great companie of noble men before the king Priamus and when all the Barons were assembled and all the sonnes of the king present then Anthenor tolde all by order what hee had done in Gréece like as it is contained heretofore At these tidinges was king Priamus sore troubled and greeued for the opprobrious tauntes that they had offered to his messenger in Greece And then he had no more hope nor trust to recouer his sister CHAP. II. Howe the king Priamus assembled all his barons for to know whom hee might send into Greece for
cause for to auenge mee of the wronges that the Greekes haue done vnto vs But the principall cause is to recouer my sister Exione that liueth in so great thraldome And for to doe so yee ought to employ you wherefore I pray you and admonish you that ye bend all your endeuour and diligence that I may recouer my sister And be ye certaine if ye haue want of neede or succour I will succour you with so great a strength that the Greekes shal not be able to beare And I will that in this voiage ye hold Paris my sonne Duke and conductor of this battaile of Eneas and Anthenor After these wordes Paris and all the other tooke leaue of the king and entered into their shippes and hoysed vp sailes and recommended them to the guiding of Iupiter and Venus and sailed so farre by the deepe Sea that they arriuing in the partes of Greece in coasting the countrey it happened them on a daie that they mette a shippe in the which was one of the greatest kinges of Greece named Menelaus that went vnto the Citie of Epyre vnto the duke Nestor that had sent for him This Menelaus was brother of Agamēnon and was married vnto the quéene Helene that was the fairest Ladie in the world that men knew of in her time and she was sister of king Castor and Pollux that dwelled then togither in the citie of Samestare and nourishing with thē Hermione their néece daughter of the said Helene Menelaus made a little crosse his shippe and to turne out of the right way and so the one did not knowe the other And the Troyans sailed so farre that they arriued at the Isle of Cithar in Gréece and there they ancred their shippes and went a land In this I le was a temple of Venus passing auncient and of great beautie full of all richesse for the inhabitantes also of the countrey had their deuotion specially vnto Venus the Goddesse and kept and solemnized her feastes each yeare and shée gaue to them aunsweres of their demaundes Then when the Troyans were arriued they hallowed the most principall feast of Venus and for this cause were there assembled men and women of the countrey there about that made great cheere c. When Paris knew this feast he tooke his best clothes and did them on also the best faring and cleanliest men that he hadde and he went into the temple and entered therin by faire and pleasaunt maner and made his oblation and offering of golde and siluer with great liberalitie Then was Paris much beholden on all sides of them the were there for his beautie a for hee was one of the fairest knightes of the worlde and was so richly and so queintly clothed and docked that it gaue great pleasure vnto all them that behelde him and euery man desired to know what he was and whence hee came And they demaunded of the Troyans that told them that it was Paris sonne of king Priamus of Troy that was come into Greece by the commaundement of his father for to require amiably that they woulde render and yéeld againe Exione his sister that they had giuen to king Thelamon So farre went the tidinges of the comming of these Troyans and of their beautie and riche clothing that the queene Helene heard speake thereof and then alter the custome of women she had great desire to know by experience if it were trueth that she heard speake of and disposed her to go vnto the temple vnder the colour of deuotion for to accomplish her desire O howe great folly is it vnto honest women to will go oftentimes vnto the feastes and sportes of yong people that little or nothing doe there but muse and deuise howe they may come to their desire and care not what mischiefe may followe in body and in soule The ship should neuer perish if it abode alway in the porte and were not sent out into perils of the Sea It is a good thing and a pretious iewell to haue a good woman that holdeth her honestly in her house O howe great damage came vnto the Greekes and to the Troyans of this Citie that Helene went so lightly to see the Troyans that ought not so to doe and specially in the absence of her husband But as it is the custome of women to bee wilfull to bring their desire to the end Helene incontinent did make readie horse and all that was conuenient for to go vnto the temple and she did them to vnderstand that shée went for deuotion for this temple was not farre from the place where shee dwelled When all was readie and shee clothed in habite royall she rode with her company vnto the Isle of Cythar and entered into a vessell that brought her nigh to the temple where shee was receiued with great worship of them of the countrey as their Ladie Shee entered into the Temple right stately and made there her deuotions and her oblations with right great liberalitie c. When Paris knewe that the queene Helene that was wife of king Menelaus one of the most noble kings of Greece was come vnto this temple hée arraied him in the most gentlemanliest wise that hee coulde and his company and went into the temple for he had long time before heard speake of her great brauery And then as hée was come and sawe her hee was greatly surprised with her loue and beganne earnestly to beholde her and to desire to sée the fashion of her body that was so faire and well shapen in all thinges and in such wise that it seemed properly to them that sawe her that nature hadde made her to be beholden and séen for in her was nothing but that it serued to manifest all the beautie that might be found in a woman Wherefore Paris might not forbeare to beholde her saying in himselfe that he hadde neuer séene nor heard tell of any so faire and so well formed And as hee beheld her in likewise shee beheld him as many times and oft and her seemed that he was more fairer a great deale then hadde béen reported to her and still she saide in her selfe that shee neuer sawe man of so great beautie nor that pleased her so well to beholde and so she left all her deuotion and all other thoughts and gaue no héede nor respect to any thing saue onely for to beholde Paris When Paris knewe and sawe this hee had great ioy and beheld her sweetly more and more and she him By which sight they shewed enough of their desires the one to the other and thought diuerse times by what occasion they might speake togither And so long they beheld each other that by likelihoode Helene made a token or signe to Paris that hée approched to her and anon Paris sate downe beside her whiles that the people plaied in the temple and spake vnto her with a soft voice right sweetly and shee to him and declared each to other how they were surprised with the loue of the
came betime hee did cause to clothe her and array her the most honourably that he might and made her to sit vpon a Palfrey richly arraied and decked and so did hee other prisoners each after his degree and after hee went to horse backe himselfe and Doyphebus his brother Eneas Anthenor and Polydamus with a great company of noble men and accompanied the queene Helene and departed from Tnedon and went to Troy ward And there came against them without the town the king Priamus with a great company of noble men and receiued his children and his friendes with great ioy and after came to Helene and bowed rightly swéetly to her and did to her great ioy and worship And when they came nigh the citie they sound great store of people glad of their comming with many sortes of instrumentes of Musicke and in such ioy came vnto the Pallace of king Priamus and hee himselfe lighted downe and holpe Helene downe from her palfrey and â—â—d her by the hand vnto the Hall and there they made right great ioy all the night throughout all the Citie for these tidinges And then when it came vnto the morrow Paris by the agreement and consent of his father tooke Helene to his wife and wedded her in the temple of Pallace and therefore the feast was lengthened throughout all the citie and there was ioy that endured yet after eight dayes whole c. When Cassandra knew for trueth that Paris her brother had wedded Helene she beganne to make great sorrow to cry bray as a woman out of her wit said thus O vnhappy Troyans wherefore reioyce yee of the wedding of Paris whereof so many euils shall come and follow And wherefore sée not yee the death of your selues and of your sonnes that shal be slaine before your eyes and their husbandes before their wiues with great sorrow Ha ha noble citie of Troy how shalt thou bée destroied and put to nought Ha ha vnhappy mothers what sorrow shall ye see when yeé shall sée your little children taken and dismembred before you Ha ha Hecuba caitife and vnhappie where shalt thou take the water that thou shalt wéep for the death of thy children Ha ha people blinde and foolish why send not yée incontinent Helene home againe and yéeld her vnto her right husband before that the swordes of your enemies come and flea you with great sorrow Wéene ye that this prince the husband of Helene wil dwel at home without greeuous vengeance Certes that shal be your dolorous destruction and end Ha ha vnhappy Helene thou shalt doe vs much sorrow As Cassandra spake and cried thus with high voice and with great sorrow the king Priamus knewe it and did her to be taken prisoner and sent to her and did pray her that she would ceasse but shee would not And then hee commaunded that shee should bee fast shut in prison and in yrons where shée was kept many daies O what pitie was it that the Troyans beleeued not this warning and admonition For if they had beleeued it they hadde eschewed the right great enâ—â— that came after vnto them which shall bee tolde in tables and made plaine and manfest to them that will heare them vnto the ende of the worlde c. CHAP. III. How Menelaus was sore troubled for the rauishing of Helene his wife And how Castor and Pollux brethren of her pursued Paris in the sea and of their death and of the condition and maner of the Lordes as well Greekes as Troyans AS these thinges were done as is saide Menelaus that soiourned at Epyre with the Duke Nestor heard tell the trueth of the prise and taking of his wife and of his people whereat he was sore angry and much abashed and was so greeeued and sorrowfull that he fell to the ground in a sownd And then when he was come to himselfe againe hee beganne sore to complaine him and make the greatest sorrowe of the world And aboue all other thinges he was most sorie for his wife and bewailed her beautie and her solace and might by no way bee comforted When the duke Nestor heard say thereof hee came to him hastily and comforted him the most best wise he could for hee loued him with great loue But Menelaus could not leaue his sorrow but tooke his way vnto his countrey and the duke Nestor brought him on his way with a great compane of noble men He sent vnto the king Agamemnon his brother that he shoulde come and speake with him And also he sent vnto Castor Pollux the brothers of Helene that they shuld come also to him And anon as they had heard the message they came vnto him When Agamenon sawe his brother make such sorrow and heauinesse he said to him ah my brother wherefore hast thou such sorrow suppose that the cause be iust yet a wise man ought not to shew such semblance outward it causeth his friendes to be sorrowfull and his enemies to bee ioyous And therefore faine thy sorrow and alay thy rage and make semblance as though thou regardest nothing this that is befallen for by weeping nor by vsing of sorrowe thou maiest neuer come to honour nor vengeance but onely by the force of the naked sword thou shalt therfore awake thy courage and so shalt thou take reuenge of the harmes that bée done to thee Thou knowest what puissance we haue and what helpers and ayders we shall finde for to auenge vs for this iniury toucheth all the kinges and princes of Greece and assoone as wee shall require them of helpe there shall not be one but hee will helpe vs with all his power and then wee will go with great puissance before Troy and will slea our enemies and doe what wee list and wil destroy the Citie And if it happen that we may take Paris that is actor of these hurtes and illes we wil hang him and make him die an euill death Cease then thy sorrow and let vs make to be knowne to al the kings and princes of Greece this iniury and require them that they will helpe for to take vengeance Then was Menelaus recomforted with the wordes of his brother and anon they sent their letters vnto all the barons of Greece and at their sending they came all first Achilles Patroclus Diomedes and many other And assoone as they knew wherefore they were sent for they said that they would go to Troy with all their strength for to auenge this shame and recouer Helene So they chose them Agemenon chiefe and Prince of their hoste as he that was wise and prudent and of good councell Nowe it happened that the king Castor and the king Pollux that were brethren of the Queene Helene as soon as they heard say that their sister was rauished they entred into their shippes and went after the Troyans with a great company of men of armes for to see if they might recouer her On the third day that they were on the sea there rose so
Tetides was lord and king a iust man and a courteous In this land arriued Anthenor with a few shippes and rested on the side of a greater Ile that was nigh vnto the port He saw the countrey faire and full of woodes and of land and of fountaines and there he builded a citie to him and to his people and fortified it with walles and good towres And when the Troians knew thereof many went thither and dwelled there with Anthenor and the citie grew apace and was full of people and Anthenor gouerned him so wisely in this land that he was well in the grace of the king Tetides and was the second after the king in his realme and named his citie Cortiremetralum Cassandra that was left at Troy had great sorrow for the great mischiefes that were fallen to her friends and ceased not to weepe and waile and when shee hadde demeaned long her sorrow the Greekes demaunded her of their estate in their returning home of which she saide to them that they should suffer many paines and great perils ere they wer come into their countrey and after she said to Agamemnon that they of his owne house shoulde slea him So it happened to him after and to all the other like as Cassandra had deuised to them and said Of the king Thelamon were left two sons of two quéenes the eldest was named Hermicides of the queen Glausta and the other of the queene Thymissa had to name Anchisatus these two children nourished the king Theuter til they were great to beare armes Among these thinges Agamemnon and Menelaus demaunded leaue for to returne into their landes and the most great of the hoste gaue thē leaue being sore vexed forasmuch as they had been taken as suspect of the death of Thelamon with Vlisses which was stollen away like a theefe wherefore he shewed well that he was culpable of the death Thus these two brethren put them to the fea for to returne home and in the entrie of the Winter when the sea is most daungerous anon after the other Greekes entered into the Sea as fooles and euill aduised for the doubtes of the Sea and had their shippes all charged and laden with the richesse whereof they hadde spoiled the riche citie and realme of Troy and for the great desire that they had for to be at home in their countrey they beganne to returne thus in the middes of the Winter and set apart all daungers and perilles which fell vnto them About the houre of noone came a great tempest and surprised them sodainly with great thunder and raine with winde and with great waues of the sea that casted their shippes heere and there in the sea and brake their mastes and all to rent their sailes And when the night came which was long and darke the shippes left each other in sayling before the winde some in one place and some in another and many were burnt with lightening and thunder that fell vpon them and many were drowned and sunke into the Sea and they that were therein were dead and drowned and the great riches of Troy lost Oyleus Aiax that had xxxii shippes in this companie had all his ships burnt and perished and he himselfe by the force of his armes and legges all naked swimming came and arriued a land all swollen with the water that hee had drunken and lay a great while vpon the grauel more looking for death then life and anon after came other in likewise that were so saued with swimming which were discomforted in their mishap and vnhappinesse This mischiefe came to this Aiax forasmuch as he drew Cassandra out of the temple of Minerue And it happeneth oft time that many be punished for the sin and trespasse of one man c. CHAP. XXVIII ¶ How the king Naulus and Cetus his sonne did spoile on the sea manie shippes of the Greeks in their return for the death of his sonne Palamedes and of the death of the king Agamemnon and of the exile of Diomedes and of his calling backe by Egee his wife c. IN this time there was a king in Gréece named Naulus that was very riche and puissant and his realme stood vpon the side of the Sea of Greece toward the South In the which Sea were great rockes and high and many mountaines and hilles of sand which were right perillous The king was father of Palamedes that was slain before Troy and hadde yet a sonne named Cetus there was none in Gréece so rich nor so puissant a king Nowe were there some euill people there that coulde not be in ease without greeuing and annoying of other which made the said king Naulus to vnderstand and his son king Cetus that Palamedes was not slain in battaile so as the voice ranne but hee was slaine couertly by Vlisses and Diomedes Agamemnon and Menelaus had made and contriued a false letter wherein was contained that Palamedes would haue betraied the hoste of the Greekes whiles he was emperour of the hoste for a great quantitie of gold and they made this letter to bée put by the side of a knight that was slaine And then Vlisses treated in such wise with one of the secretaries of Palamedes for a great summe of money such as the Letters contained and this Secretarie by the induction of Vlisses put this summe of mony vnder the head of Palamedes whiles he slept And as soone as the secretarie had said to Vlisses that he had done then Vlisses slew this Secretary priuily and forthwith did so much that this letter came into the handes of the Greeks that read it and were all abashed when they saw in writing the treason and the summe contained in the same laide vnder his head They went then into his tent and found the trueth of this thing and woulde haue runne vppon Palamedes but he offered himselfe to defend it against whom soeuer woulde prooue it and so there was none that durst fight against him Then Vlisses did so much by his faire language that this thing was appeased and it seemed that it was best that Palamedes should abide in his dignitie After this thing thus appeased Vlisses and Diomedes on a day did Palamedes to vnderstand that they knew a pit wherein was much treasure and that they would that he hadde his part and that hee should go the night following When the night was come they went all three alone without more company and there offered Palamedes for to go down into the pit first and they said that they woulde followe and assoone as hee was within the other two cast stones vpon him so many that they slew him and after returned to their tentes priuily This thing said these men charged king Naulus and Cetus of the death of Palamedes and all was false Then the king and his sonne began earnestly to thinke how they might auenge them of the Greekes They knew well that the Greekes were vppon returne in the heart of the Winter and that they
heard the pittious wordes of his mother vnderstanding the newe tidings that shee saide and shewed him he beganne to frowne and sayde in this manner O pittie without pittie ought not my heart bee terrible angrie and restrained with pressours of sorrow whan it is force of that to mine hart this present heart issued of his blood and rootes be giuen in meate pasture for to staunche the disconuenable hunger of mine vnhonest desire These wordes accomplished Saturne was greatly displeased and full of renewing of sorrow dranke the drinke wéening that it had béene as his mother had done him to vnderstand and after went into his chamber and there beganne to bee greatly in melancholie and after that forth on he purposed and trowed to abstaine himselfe to pay his wife the dew debt of marriage But as there is no sorrow that ouerpasseth not by space of time he forgat this sorrow lying with his wife engendred another son which she saued like as Iupiter was saued notwithstanding that Saturn charged her to put him to death and this child was caried to Athenes where he was kept and nourished and named Nepune Yet after this he lay with his wife and engendred another son and a daughter which at time conuenable were borne and departed from their mother but at this time she tolde not of her son but hid it from Saturne which sonne was named Pluto and she did it to keepe in the parties of Thessaly that afterward was named hel And for to content her husband Saturne when shee was deliuered of these two children she sent to him her daughter which was called Galanta and she died in her tender yeares And thus of all these generations Saturne supposed that none had béene reserued but Iuno his daughter whome he went oftentimes to visite in Parthenie where he did it to be nourished with many noble virgins of her age and also many ancient gntlewomen to induce and teach them gentlenesse and vertue But of all them I will a while tarrie nowe and also of Iupiter Neptune and Pluto And now I will shew how Dardanus put his brother Iasius to death for couetousnesse to raigne in the Citie of Corinth and how he departed out of Corinth and how he set the first stone in the Citie of Dardane which afterward was named Troy CHAP. V. ¶ Howe after the death of King Corinthus of Corinth his two sonnes Dardanus and Iasius stroue who of them should haue the kingdome and how Dardanus slue his brother Iasius by treason wherefore hee must depart out of the countrey IN this time when Crete began to bee a Realme and a kingdome and was in possession of their first king the same time in the Citie of Corinth which stand in Naples reigned Corinthus their first king and Corinthus had to his wife one of the daughters of king Atlas of Libie named Electra They reigned togither and atchieued prosperously their life they left after them two sonnes whereof the one was named Dardanus and that other Iasius Some say that this Dardanus was sonne to Iupiter but Boccace trowed he was lawfull sonne of Corinthus as it appeareth in the sixt booke of the genealogie of gods Dardanus then and Iasius after the death of their father Corinthus and of their mother Electra woulde succéed in the realmes and in no wise they could accord Dardanus had a high and hautie courage and Iasius in likewise They argued and stroue togither the one against the other oftentimes of this matter and conspired and made secret menasses vnder couert in such wise that Dardanus on a day assembled all the people that he could get for to destroy his brother Iasius and his friends were then assembled in a secret place for to treate the peace and to sée how they might content and please Dardanus Whan Iasius sawe his brother come all in armes all his bloud beganne to change and séeing that his Brother was mooued and full of euill will déeming that this matter should turne to great mischiefe he cried and said Alas what auaileth for to speake and counsaile and séeke meanes of peace betwéene my brother and me we be betrayed lo héere is my brother that commeth vpon vs all in armes each man saue himselfe that may With these wordes Dardanus came in to the consistorie smote his brother vnto death and said Iasius thou maist not abstaine thy selfe from thy imaginations Thou hast enhaunsed thy selfe against me but now I shall make an end of thée Iasius fell downe dead among the feete of his friendes and their cloths were all besprent and be-bled with his bloud When the friendes of Iasius sawe this tyranny they saued themselues as well as they could to their power and fled from thence all enraged Then Dardanus returned to the royall Pallace and the friendes of Iasius gathered them and went to armes and made a noyse and murmur so great that in little space all the Citie was strangely troubled for the death of Iasius which was greatly in the grace and fauour of all the people of Corinth For when they had rehearsed the death of Iasius they tooke great sorrow and menaced Dardanus to death And forthwith in effect they assembled by great routs in the stréetes and said one to the other Alas now is dead the loue of Corinthus that had more amitie and loue to the common weale then Dardanus Let vs go and auenge his death Go wee and punish the malefactour let vs no longer tarrie we shall do a meritorie worke Who that euer doth iniustice and tyranny is not worthie to be chiefe and head of clemencie nor of iustice If we suffer a murderer to raigne ouer vs neuer shall there good come thereof Where the head is sicke and euill the members may not bee whole nor good Dardanus hath slaine his Brother Iasius wrongfully It is verie likelie that hee shall slea vs after his will Let vs take from him his puissance and let vs shew that we be men destroyers of vice and enemies vnto all them that séeke and engender tyranny in their courages Such were the clamours of the Corinthians by such noyse and semblable clamours they chafed themselues and in the end assembled in one place and were of ardent appetite to correct the malefactour Dardanus and his complices In this tempest and swelling furour they went to the Pallace where Dardanus had put himselfe for refuge but they founde the gates shutte and could not enter into it wherefore they besieged the place making a great noyse and so great stirre that Dardanus was abashed and anon hee assembled his friendes and asked them their counsell They answered and said that he and they were in great aduenture and perill and that the people so mooued might not lightly be appeased and for this they said to him saue thy selfe and vs also with thée Thou hast slaine thy brother Iasius whom the people loued maruailously for his benignitie the trespasse is great séeing it
is so doone the best way ought to be taken we counsell thée that thou leaue this Pallace and finde manner to issue out and wee shall follow thée and go with thée and search our aduentures in other lands for it shall be great paine by possibilitie euer to content and appease this people For it is so that the Corinthians be terrible to all men that they haue inhate and in despight Dardanus hearing these wordes beganne to sigh and considering that hee must depart from his Citie by his misdéede fault and desert hee smote himselfe on the brest and saide Ha fortune vnstedfast what is mee befall My hands be foule and filthie with the bloud of my lawfull brother The insurrcetion and the rebellion of my people hanging before mine eies it is force that I flée for to saue my life and purpose to liue of rauin and theft What mischance what euill happe is this Since it is so I yéeld me fugitise and shall go my way at all aduentures be it When the friendes of Dardanus had vnderstoode that hee was concluded and purposed to saue his life they ioyned to him and appointed togither that the next morning in the first breaking of the day they would departe from the Pallace and take the aduenture to passe by their enemies saying that if they might escape they would go to the riuage of the sea and take the kings barge And all they sware to helpe and companie each other vnto the death The night passed the day appeared and then Dardanus that had not rested that night to his pleasure but had watched with his armed men and were readie to take the aduenture that the gods and fortune would giue and send them issued out of the pallace and found the most part of his enemies asleepe he thrusted among the villaines and passed forth with little resistance that notwithstanding the waking Corinthians he came to his royall ship and tooke the sea and saued himselfe whereof the Corinthians had great sorrow When Dardanus sawe that he was so quit of the fauour of the Corinthians he went sailing by the sea and landed first at the port of the Citie of Samos being in Thrace there vitailed him and went to sea againe and arriued in Asia in a quarter where the land was ioyning to the sea of Hellespont And finding this land right good and fruitful for to enhabite he made there his habitation and there set the first stone of a right great citie that he beganne and after finished This Citie was that time named Dardane after the name of Dardanus but afterward it was called Troy Dardanus peopled and filled his Citie with men and women which he gate by swéetenesse and faire promises And the other part he conquered by force theft and pillage He made himselfe king of Dardane and ditched the Cittie about with great ditches After lōg time he passed out of this world and left a sonne of his wife Candama that was second king of Dardane This king was named Erutonius and raigned seauen yeare in augmenting and encreasing his Citie and people and at last came to the ende of his yeares And there reigned after him Troos his sonne This Troos was the third king of Dardane and was a strong man fierce and hardy in armes and increased greatly his seignoury and his Crowne insomuch as the Dardanians said that there was no king but Troyes and named them Troians And thus was Troy enhaunced more then all the Realmes of Greece so highly that the king Tantalus of Frigie had great enuie and gaue his heart and courage how he might anull and put downe the name of Troy that was his neighbour And began to assay to bring it downe as heereafter shall be said CHAP. VI. ¶ Of the great warre that was moued betweene the Pelagiens and Epiriens and how king Licaon of Pelagy was destroyed by Iupiter because of a man put to him to hostage which king Licaon did rost THe wise and subtill Virgine Minerue as saint Austen rehearseth shewed her selfe in this time by the stang or riuer called Triton by the greatnesse and subtiltie of her engine for she found the manner to forge and make armes And to this purpose Ouide rehearseth that she had foughten against a Giant named Pallas and slewe him by the flood of Triton In the same time that the armes were founden and the sciences of Minerue where practised by all the world a fierce discention engendred betwéene the Epiriens and the Pelagiens that after were named Archadians And héereof maketh mention Boccace in the fourth booke of the genealogy of gods Among the Pelagians raigned that time a king named Licaon eldest sonne of Titan. The Epiriens then enterprised vppon the Pelagiens and so made that a right great noyse arose and sourded For which cause they assailed each other by feats of armes so felonious and asyre that both parties suffered many foule mortall shoures When the wise men of Epire saw this warre so dissolute and that they of their partie had iniustly and vnrightfully vndertaken and begunne this warre they knowledged their fault and went to the king Lycaon bearing branches of Oliue in signification of peace and loue and him required that he would condiscend to accord and peace of both peoples Lycaon considering that his people had as much lost as woonne by this discention and that the battailes were perillous accorded to the Epitiens the peace by condition that they should deliuer him one of their most noble men such as he would demaūd for to be his seruant a space of time in token that they had vnrightfully engendred this discention The Epiriens consented to this condition and deliuered to king Lycaon in seruitude the most noble man among them and thus ended the warre The tearme and the time drewe ouer that the Epirien serued king Lycaon his due tyme and then when the time was expired the Epiriens assembled them togither and by deliberation of councell sent an Ambassade to Lycaon for to treate the deliuerance of the Epirien These Ambassadours departed from Epire and came to Pelage and shewed to the king howe their man had serued as long as hee was bound and required him that he would render and deliuer him and ratifie the peace to the ende that euer after that they might bee the more friends togither When Lycaon that was hardie of courage fierce and euill vnto all men and also vnto his owne people vnderstoode the wordes and requestes of the Epiriens hée had great sorrow and anger in himselfe and sayde to them with his mouth thinking contrarie with his heart that on the morrow hee would feast them and haue them to dinner and then he would doo like as they had demaunded With these wordes the Epiriens departed ioyously fro the presence of King Lycaon and on the morrow they came to the feast that was richlie ordayned and made for them in great plentiousnesse which was right fayre at the beginning and in
infamye is it to you that the people and folke of euery other citie haue reigning ouer them kings noble men and vertuous and they be crowned by election for their vertuous déedes ye be different from them and all of another nature A Tyrant is your king a murtherer an vniust man a sinner worthy of infamous death and vnworthy for to be left aliue vppon the earth Consider yea consider vnder whose hand ye be and how nighe ye finde your selfe in maladye and perill of death When the head aketh all the other members suffer payne then ye may not be whole and sound What shall we now doo thinke ye and councell ye vs we come to you for refuge and to demaunde you how we ought to do and behaue vs against one that is so foule a king as is Lycaon Tell vs the very truth If ye confesse the truthe and that ye be louers of reason iustice and of equitie ye shall iudge and condemne him ye shall lay your handes and puissances in correction of him and so ye shal be râ—â— of his malice Anon as the Pelagiens vnderstoode of Iupiter that Lycaon their king had committed this vilanous crime also that he had presented to the Epiriens the body of their fréend so dead they being at table they condemned his sinne and murmured against him saying that they would no more be gouerned and norished vnder the rodde of so peruerse and infamous a tirant and said to the Epiriens that they would abide by them and stand theyr fréendes With these wordes Iupiter put himselfe among the Epiriens and by his hardinesse admonished them to conspire against their king With which conspiracion accorded all they of the Citie And the wordes of Iupiter were so agréeable to them and his maners that they put in his hande the death and destruction of their king Licaon And to the ende that he should trust and haue affiance in them they sent for their armes and habillementes of warre and armed them After they assembled aboute Iupiter and said to him that he should be their captaine and their conducter to achieue this sayde worke Iupiter being ioyous of so great an honour and woorship excused himselfe But his excusations had no place the Epiriens and the Pelagiens ordeyned and constituted him head ouer them And he being constituted in his dignitie set his people in order and after did them to marche toward the pallace They had not long gone on the way when they sawe King Lacaon issue out of his pallace with great company of his fréendes all armed as they that had bin aduertised of the sayd conspiratioÌ„ made against Lycaon and féeling that his enemies came for to assaile him for to shewe himselfe a man of fierce courage came against them wéening presumtuouslie for to haue ouercome them And anon as they began to approche they challenged ech other to the death without other councel And strongly moued they assembled to a battayle that was right meruailous sharpe Lycaon did set and lead his people in order against Iupiter They medled them hastely togither with little strife of wordes and with great strife of armour and strokes The strife cost much but in especiall to Lycaon for his people were lesse in puissance and myght then the men of Iupiter which were stronge and of greate enterprise so they fought and smote vpon the Pelagiens and caste them downe nowe héere nowe there so fiercelye and so vnmeasurablye that none might abyde that was there before them Amonge all other Iupiter did woonders and meruailes by his well doing he put Lychaon in a passing great distresse and noyance And in this great anoye he pursued passing fast for to haue come runne vpon him But when the false tyrant sawe him come and he sawe that Iupiter set his strokes so mightely that all them that he raught were smitten down to the earth and coÌ„founded then all his heart began to fayle him and went on the other side and he had not long abidden there when that Iupiter had vanquished and ouerthrowen the Pelagiens and made them to flée from the place before him like as it had bin the thunder of tempest In this maner when Lichaon sawe his complices and fellowship in such extremitie he fled himself not as a king but as a poore man out of comfort and hope so desolate as he durst take none of his complices with him to helpe him away nor to comfort him He doubted Iupiter as the death he so flying away as is said durst not enter his pallace but issued out of the citie and went vnto a great Forrest that was nighe by and from thence foorth he was a brygand and a théefe and for this cause the poets fayne that he was turned into a wolfe that is to saye he liued as a wolfe of praies and roberies Albeit to confirme this mutacion Leoncius rehearseth that Lichaon so flying as saide is fearing to be sued after of Iupiter to be put to death put himself in a riuer or a great lake and there saued himselfe where féeling that the water of that riuer had a singular propertie that is to wit that the men that putte themselues in that water should be turned into wolues for the terme of nine yeares and the nine yeares expired if they would put themselues in the water after that againe they should recouer againe their first likenesse And so it might well be doone for Lichaon put himselfe into the water and was transformed to a wolfe by space aboue saide and liued of theft and pillage in the woods and forrests wayting oft times how the Pelagiens gouerned themselues and in the end when he had accomplished his penaunce he returned into the riuer and tooke againe his mans forme and knowing that the citie of Pelage might neuer be recouered he returned poore and wretched vnto his father Titan of whom I will say a little and shall tell how Iupiter began to be amorous on Calisto daughter of the sayd Lycaon c. CHAP. VII ¶ How Iupiter after the discomsiture of King Lycaon transformed himselfe into shape of a religious woman waiting on the goddesse Diana for the loue of Calisto daughter of the said Lycaon and did with her his will AFter the discomfiture of King Lycaon which was transformed into shape of a wolfe and began to be a rauishour of the substance of men of the countrey eater of their children and murderer of wilde beastes that he oft times assayled by rage of hunger which constrained him to cherish and kéepe his miserable life when the Epiriens saw that Iupiter had vanquished their enimies and that he abode mayster in the place they brought him with great ioye and glorye to the Pallace and sought long Lycaon first in the place where the battayle had bin and after that in the chambers of the Pallace but they founde him not quicke nor dead nor coulde heare no tidings of him And it happened that as Iupiter sought him thus
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
he had promised and sworne The children of Titan the one was Lycaon that at this time was no loÌ„ger wolf nor king of Arcadia another had to name Tiphon and was king of Sycilie and of Cipres the thyrd was called Briarius and was king of Nericos the fourth was named Ceon and was king of the I le of Cea the fifth was named Egeon king of the Sea Egee and of the I le desart and the sixt was named Eperion king of Plipheros When they had heard the will of their father that had purueyed them all these Realmes that hee had conquered after his departing out of Crete they desiring to please him and coueting the recoueraunce of their auncient heritages that were then of great renowme sayde to him as by one voyce that they were readie to accomplish his good pleasure and to go into Crete with armed hande and sware that they should constraine Saturne to séeke and fetch his sonnes and persecute them with his hand vnto death The olde Titan had in his heart great ioy when he behelde the frée and great courages of his sonnes And there they promised and sware togither that they all should imploy them to the recoueraunce of their heritages After which communication they ordayned in such wise that they gathered them togither at the port of Sicill and sent vnto their Lordships to assemble men of Armes and of warre They went and made such diligence and so exployted that there were assembled great armour and harnesse and much people at the sayd port And when the day was come they so desired to labour this matter that they departed from Sicill with a great host and tooke the Sea and so made their iourneys with good spéede that in fewe dayes they sayled vnto Crete at the port arriued and tooke land And then entring fiercely into the land they destroyed and wasted all afore them so cruelly and continued in their warre so mortally that they came vnto the Citie of Crete where King Saturne dwelled and was resident and then Saturne was aduertised of their comming and discent And Titan that might no further passe without battaile or assault sent to Saturne a letter whereof the tenour followeth O Saturne glutted with worldly he â—our and couetous of glorie for as much as thou art occupter of the seignorie that by right belongeth to me Titan thy Lord and elder brother furthermore because thou art falsâ—ie periured for thy wife hath diuerse men children that thou hast not put to death in like wise as thou wert bound knowe that I am come to take possession of thy kingdome not appertaining to thee but to me Wherefore come to mercie and méeke thy selfe to grace Or else make thée sure of thy person for if it be possible for me I will come and haue reason of thée When Saturne had read this letter as a man all amazed sent for his wife Cibell and tooke her apart and adiured and charged her to say the truth and tell him what shee had done with his children With this charge the poore Ladie chaunged colour and séeing that she was constrayned to say the truth shée saide Sir thou knowest that I am a woman the heart of a woman naturally doth workes of pitie Had not I béene in nature an abhominable monster if I should haue deuoured with my hande the children of my wombe where is that mother that will murther her children Certes my hand was neuer man-slear nor neuer shall be I haue erred against thy commaundement in the fauour of nature and since it must néedes be so I had leuer to bee murthered then a murtherer and to be named pitious then cruell for murther is crueltie appertaining to vnreasonable beastes and to tyrants and pitie is naturally appertaining to a woman And therefore I confesse to haue borne thrée sonnes conceyued of thy séede which I haue caused to bee nourished secretly but demaund me no further for where they bée they shall liue as long as it pleaseth fortune will Titan or not and there is no death whereof any woman may bée tormented with that shall make the places to bée discouered where they be Saturne hearing these wordes of his wife was so astonished that hée wist not what to aunswere Notwithstanding for the better he assembled all the wise men of his Citie and to them said My brethren and friends what is best to be done Titan my brother hath begunne warre in this Realme my wife hath confessed that shee hath receiued of mee three Sonnes which shee hath nourished in a straunge lande vnder the colour that I shoulde not flea them Titan assayleth mee What shall wee do Syr aunswered the wise men where force is enhaunced by ouer great presumption there must bee policie to conduct wiselie and to put the hande to withstande it Thou hast a strong Citie and fulfilled with great people thou art wise for to gouerne them put thy selfe in armes and take no regarde to the quarell of Titan. A man is not woorthie to bee a King but if it be in his vertue and gentle manners Crete was neuer Realme but nowe Titan hath béene all his lyfe inclined to vyces and is all wrapped in sinne in which purpose hee séeketh to come to thy Crowne If hee extoll himselfe thou must debase and put him downe This is the remedie helpe thy selfe and we shall helpe thee He that flyeth causeth his enemies to chase him Thus nowe it may not be eschewed but wee must withstande and assault our enemie and that couragiouslie For what a man may do this day let him not put it ouer till to morrow Arme thée then well and surely and assayle from thy Citie thine enemies If thou so do thou shewest thy courage to bée aduaunced greatly and not lightly to bée ouercome by any and so thou mayest abate somewhat their pride and presumption If thou behaue otherwise thy selfe and let them take their rest that shall bee matter and cause for to encourage them vpon which they will waxe proud hoping to come to their purpose which shall bee to thée more harming then auaylable For courage and hope oft tymes men say make men to attaine to become conquerours great and hie Notwithstanding thou art king thy will be accomplished and fulfilled Saturne aunswered and sayd Brethren and friends it were great shame to vs and our Citie if we suffered it to bée dissipate and destroyed It is of force that the warre be begunne and open and euerie man dispose him to saue his worship Titan assayleth mine honour and requireth my dishonour Since it must bée that of this matter the armes and warre bée iudges wee shall arme vs this houre and pursue the intertainment of the right good aduenture of Fortune that shall come to vs. And my heart telleth mee that as sodainlie as our enemies bee entered into this lande as sodainlie wee shall make them to go and issue out agayne With this answere all the wise and noble men of Crete tooke great
pleasure Then Saturne gaue the aunswere to the Messenger of Titan and sayde vnto him if Titan returned not within two houres that hee would come and take the battell agaynst him With this aunswere the Messenger returned to Titan and tolde him the intention of Saturne Titan swore then that hee woulde neuer turne backewarde till hee had attended and abiden the battaile Saturne was a man of great valour and hie will When the Messenger of Titan was departed hee made sownd to Armes at which sownd the young and olde armed them and made them readie What shall I make long processe in short tyme they were readie at the poynt and when Saturne sawe that his enemyes made no semblance to mooue hee went and ascended into his Chayre for in this tyme the Kings went to battaile in Chayres After hée issued out of his Cittie and raunged his people about him and anon after hee caused them to march agaynst his brother Titan c. As soone as the Titanoys saw the Saturniens come they were right glad and made themselues the greatest chéere of the world and moued themselues ioyously against them and with a great crie they had great shéelds of trée maces pollares and guisarmes of strange fashions and they were all on foote except Titan and his sons which as kings had their Curres and Chayres in which they were brought and carryed not by the force of horse but by the puissaunce of men They approched so nigh that they came to fighting and began to fall to worke then the archers of king Saturne began to draw and shoote and made the Tytanoys to stay and stand as long as their shot dured and slew and hurt many of them When the shot failed the Tytanoys that had great sorrow for to be so serued of the Saturnyens ordered themselues again and swore the one to the other that they wold be auenged and came forth and fought hand to hand in which they bestirred them so eagerly that for the noyse and dinne that their axes and guisarmes smote vppon their shieldes it séemed as it had béene thunder At the encountering then the battaile was right fell Lichaon Egeon Ceon Tiphon Encheladus were in the first front there was many a shield broken with the weight of clubs and polaxes and many heades broken Ceon and Tiphon at the beginning maintained themselues right valiantly and conducted their folke all within the battaile by the rigour of their strokes insomuch that whom they met of the Saturniens they beate them downe By their well doing they were knowen and doubted of their enemies insomuch that Saturn made his chaire to be led out of the way for the great bruit and noyse that they made about him There was great effusion of bloud for the Tytanoys did what they could to haue endured in their bruit and crie and the Saturniens with Saturne laboured for to abate it and breake it And so the comming of Saturne was cause of prowesse vpon prowesse and and of many one dead and they intended one and other so busily to their worke that the most part of the day they fought so that none might glorie for victorie nor be troubled for discomfiture But in the end when the Tytanoys sawe the sunne decline as couetous of glorie and of worshippe at one crie that Titan made vpon Saturne Lichaon and Egeon with many other enclosed about him he being from his company his chaire broken by force of polaxes and gaue him many wounds and finally they tooke him and brought many of the Saturnyens to death and ouerthrew them in discomfiture And that worse is they were so discouraged when they vnderstoode that Saturne was taken that they lost the vigors and strength of their hearts and the might of their armes turned their backs and fled all so out of order that the Titanoys entred with them into the Citie and tooke it and wanne it without any resistance beating downe the people with great murther of men women and of small children At this time men might sée the Ladies and Matrones of Crete take the dust and cast it into the ayre and runne by the stréetes nowe here and now there all without kerchiefes with theyr haire hanging about their heades casting away their attyre and their little Children crying after them The wise men of the Towne séemed out of their wittes and the Citie was so troubled that they might not be more Among all other Cibell Vesca and Ceres made great sorrow likewise without ceasing for Titan that neuer loued them came then into the pallace and put in prison Saturne and his wife and swore they should neuer depart thence till they had put to death all their sonnes that were come of them And furthermore Titan did cause himselfe to be crowned king of Crete So auailed not the infinite praiers and orisons that Dame Vesca made to Titan in the compassion of her sonne Saturne and of Cibell for theyr deliuerance nor the fayre speaking of Ceres nor the teares mooued of charitie were of no value The more praiers that they made vnto Titan the more found they him vncourteous fellon and hard hearted Hee did execute and put to death all them that helde or were appertaining to the partie of Saturne and by the space of foure dayes vexed and troubled Crete in robbing and shedding the bloud of the Citizens and he persecuted not onely the men but â—o women and children and tooke theyr goods and departes among them that helde on his partie When Vesca sawe all these things happen in the Citie and that her sonne Titan gouerned him so maliciouslie and alway woorse and woorse without any compassion on the people shée came to the prison where Saturne and Cibell were and said to them with a mouth voyding dolorous sighes Alas my children what will ye do What shall become of you How shall ye be saued The land of Crete is not only drowned by the teares and wéeping of your best friendes but with their blood and with the blood of their wiues and children And the heart of Titan is so terrible hard and indured that ye shall die here in miserable paine or ye must put your sonnes to death Since it is so it is better that they be put to death and that ye send to séeke them when for your life is none other remedie The anger of Cibell was right aspre and sharpe to heare the sorrowfull tydings insomuch that her heart fayled so as Saturne and her mother thought she would haue dyed When she was come againe to her selfe she cryed and said Ha my mother what say ye to vs Haue we so great paine for to kéepe our children and that wee should this houre abandon them to the death Shall I vse treason to my children that begin to flourish in right cleare fame That shall neuer be if it please the goddes I had leauer die Iupiter my sonne hath a great name and hath wonne the loue of the Pelagiens
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
warre and in haste he went and besieged the Citie of Paphos and tooke it with assault and put to sword and destruction all the fugitiues that he could finde and more ouer he spoyled Apollo of al hiâ— richeâ— and of his Lordshâ—â— leauing him so nakedly that he departed from Paphos not as a king but as a poore beggar and fortune was to him so contrarie that he was constrained to kéepe the shéepe of king Admetus of Thessaly In this place some men say that in the time that Iupiter beganne to mount in his reigne and to embrace honour Esculapius sonne of Apollo which was right expert in medicine and searching one day his aduentures as he went by a wood side hée sawe from farre where an hearde man with his little horne fought against the basilisque that of his nature slewe the people onely with his sight When Esculapius sawe this hee greatly meruailed and tarried and he had not long abiden but that the heardman had ouercome the basilisque and constrained him to withdraw him vpon a Rocke that was there nigh by Esculapius was all amazed with this thing so that he wist not what to say for he thought it was impossible for a man to ouercome one so mortall a beast Then when that the basilisque was withdrawne vpon the rocke Esculapius went hastily vnto the heardman and finding that he had on his head a chapellet or garland made of many diuerse hearbs and flowers he iudged incontinently that in this foresaide garland was an hearbe of such vertue that kept him from the death and also from the subtile venime of the basilisque Then he intreated so that the heardman or shepheard gaue him his chapellet or garland as ignorant of the vertue thereof and then the saide heardman went againe for to assaile the basilisque and sodainely with one proper sight of his eyes the poore shepheard fell dead vnto the earth Esculapius was then well assured that hee had well thought that in the chapellet was an hearbe that suffised to withstand against the malicious interication of the venemous eyes of beasts and with the saide chapellet he went to the Rocke and fought so against the basilisque that hee slew him Whereof hee had so great say that a heart aspiring to worship might haue no more When he had thus doone he went vnto the heardman and hauing pitie on him tooke all the heaths one after another wherof the chapellet was made and put them seuerally each by himselfe in his mouth And at last he touched onely the leaues of the vertuous hearbe and brused it in his mouth so putting it in the dead mans mouth sodainely he rose from death to life O maruailous vertue of an hearbe men reade that by the same hearbe Hippolitus which came vnto his death by the meanes of his stepmother who accused him falsely afterward was raised to life againe and after hee had beene long dead and drawne through bushes hedges mountaines thornes when his bodie was found and they that found him laide him in a meddow vpon a plat of hearbs like vnto the hearbe wherof is spoken before by vertue of the same his wounds were healed and his life was giuen and yeelded vnto him againe For to holde on the matter when Esculapius had raised the heardman or sheapheard hee tooke the hearbe and the basilisque and bare them vnto the Citie of Paphos telling his aduenture and from thenceforth he raised men from death to life by vertue of the hearbe and fought and ouercame basilisques And for this cause hee gat him so high a name that Iupiter was displeased at his glorie and vndertooke warre against him and slew him whereof his father Apollo tooke so great sorrow in himselfe that he enterprised the warre against Iupiter but Iupiter ouercame him and constrained him to such an extremitie that for to hiâ—e his name hee went and serued the king Admetus of Thessaly as is sayde before And thus when Iupiter had vanquished Apollo by one meane or by other he returned into Crete with great glory and found there Neptune and Pluto his brethren and Iuno his sister that made him good cheare This Iuno was the most beautifull woman and fairest maide in all the countrey After the returne of Iupiter she conuersed with him certaine space of time albeit they discouered not their mindes at this time And in processe of sinne Iuno returned into Partheny with the other virgins which she had bin nourishe with there abode in many thoughts and desires and made neuer other prayers vnto the gods but that they onely would giue here grace for to be wife vnto her brother And it is not to had forgotten that as she was strongly set in loue with her brother Iupiter as much or more was Iupiter firmely in loue with her For to see her onely after that he had sent home all his men of warre into their owne countreyes and that he had established his father Saturne in his seignorie and Lordship vnder the colour of deuotion he went often times into the Citie of Parthenie and tooke pleasure to be with her c. CHAP. XIII ¶ How Iupiter with great ioy spoused his sister Iuno And how the king Saturne beganne warre against Iupiter his sonne c. ANd as Iupiter was thus busie to solicite the virgin Iuno in the City Partheny for to haue the better occasion to abide there he builded a Temple and didst to be dedicated vnto his mother Cibel and at last did make an image or statue of a woman in royall attyre that gaue meate vnto many small images of little children in remembrance that she had saued the life to her children And when this temple was perfected made vnto the dedication Saturn Cibel togither came thither with all the nobles of the countrey and there made a great solemnitie that dured 15. daies in great gladnes And at this great feast and gladnes failed not Iupiter nor Iuno for about the ende of this solemnitie the nobles of the countrey treated their marriage and the priest of the temple of Cibell assured and betrothed them together And anon after in the same temple their spousals were made and celebrated with so great glorie ioy and triumph that it is not possible to be rehearsed And Iupiter and Iuno lay together and engendred a daughter that they named Phebe The Partheniens for memorie of this marriage founded there a temple wherein they set the image of Iuno in habite of a maide that married her And alway after that same day that Iupiter wedded Iuno they made in that temple an annyuersarie and a great feast which was helde in manner of a wedding After all these things Saturn returned into Crete and Pluto returned into a part of Thessaly where he founded the city of Helle wherof shall be spoken in the second booke and Neptune returned into Athens where the Atheniens made him king as well for his vertues as for that he was sonne of Saturne at that
a right great assemblie of men of armes and there was no man that could tell the cause wherefore CHAP. XV. ¶ How King Saturne with all his great host came before the Citie of Arcadia against Iupiter his sonne IT is to be thought that Iupiter had his heart right displeasant when he had receyued these tydings from his mother Cibel and although that she warned him by supposing as she that wist not verilye the will of the king yet when he considered that he was not sent for vnto his armie he doubted him and departed thence and sayd to his wife Iuno that he would go vnto Arcadia concluding in himselfe that by this meane he should sée the behauiour of his father and to what place he imployed his armie But he was not farre on his waye when he rested vpon a mountayne and looked behinde him that he sawe the Cittie of Partheny that anon was euyroned and full of the men of armes of king Saturne that gaue to him a great proofe of the aduertisement of his mother And for to sée what waye he bent his course he taryed still on the mountayne hauing his eyes alwayes vnto the Cittie And anon he sawe his father Saturne mounte into his Chayre and all his armye issue out at the same gate where he came from and tooke the same waye that he had taken And that gaue him verilye to vnderstand and knowe that his father sought him And so he departed from this mountaine and went to Arcadia and told vnto his sonne and to the Arcadiens the cause wherefore he was come and prayed them that they would furnish him with good armours to the ende he might defend their Citie if néede were c. The Arcadiens at the request of Iupiter made ready their armes and their citie and sent out espies vpon the way And anon after they were come from the Pallaice the espies affirmed to Iupiter and Archas that they had séene the champaine countrey and the wayes of Arcadia all full of men of armes Anon there was proclaimed in the Citie in the name of theyr soueraigne Lord Iupiter that euerie man should make good watch and kéepe his ward With this crye the Arcadiens armed them with helmets and armes of leather and went vpon the the walles and towers hauing in theyr handes Axes Swordes Guyfarmes Glayues and Maces And they had not long taried there when they sawe come from farre two men of Crete which came to the gate and asked of the porters if Iupiter were within The porter when he vnderstood what they asked answered them that Iupiter was in the Cittie and if they hadde to doo with him they should finde him in the Pallace where he passed the time with his sonne Archas and that hée was newly come vnto the towne to visit him When they of Crete heard this they were sore troubled for they sought him that they would not finde Notwithstanding they went in and passed foorth vp to the Pallace and there finding Iupiter with the nobles of Arcadia after the reuerence made one of them spake and sayde Syr we séeke thée and we haue no will to finde thée for wée come against our will to execute a commission by the which maye sooner come ruine trouble then peace to Crete and vs. Saturne thy father commaundeth thée that thou alone come speake with him he hath sought thée in all the places of Partheny His daughter Iuno thy wife not thinking euill hath ascertayned him that thou art come hither Hée is come after thée in armes and we knowe not what he thinketh to doo for was neuer so angry nor sorrowfull nor so fierce as he is now We be his seruauntes force hath constrayned vs in his obeysance and for this cause wil we thée to appeare in person before him this same houre all excusations set a part When Iupiter had considered and well pondered in his minde the adiournement or summons with his eyes full of teares hée made â—â—s aunswere and sayde thus I maruell of the right straunge demeanour of my father and peraduenture it is not without great cause His Realme is in peace I haue put and set him againe in his Realme he putteth himselfe in armes without my knowledge and nowe he sendeth for me that I shoulde alone come speake with him that is too straunge a thing vnto mee And hée behaueth himselfe not as hee ought to do for men ought to prayse them that haue deserued it and be of value I haue auayled him as much as his Realme is woorth and hee hath other tymes sent for mee to make warre I wote not nowe what euill will he hath or may haue to mee But here he is come with his armie where he hath nothing to do And being come he demaundeth nothing but me alonely All things considered and weighed I haue no reason for to obey his commaundement notwithstanding that hee is my Father forasmuch as the suspition is too much apparaunt But I am content if hee haue to do with mee to serue him and to come to him vppon condition that I shall bee accompanyed with all my friends that I can get and none otherwise The two Commissaryes with this worde returned vnto Saturne and tolde him the intention of Iupiter Saturne tooke right impaciently the aunswere of Iupiter and approached vnto Archadie and besieged it with great oathes making his auowe vnto his goddes that if hee may haue Iupiter hee with his handes would make sacrifice of him And then hee sent for his moste wise men and willed them that in fell menaces they should go summon the King Archas and the Archadiens to yéelde and deliuer him Iupiter declaring openlie and plainly that hee was more his enemie than his sonne The wise men departed from the Hoste at the commaundement of Saturne and did well theyr deuoier to summon the Archadians and sayde to the King and people of Archadie we bee come vnto you forasmuch as yee sustayne Iupiter whome the King Saturne holdeth for his enemy telling you if ye deliuer him vnto Saturne ye shall bee his friendes and if not hee doeth you to wit that ye doe kéepe you with good watch and warde for hee hath not in the worlde whom hee reputeth greater enemies than you c. By this commaundement knewe Iupiter that it was hée himselfe for whom Saturne made his armie The Archadiens assembled to councell without Iupiter and spake of this matter and made aunswere to the wise men of Crete howe they were bounden to serue Iupiter and howe they woulde kéepe him and liue and die with him agaynst all men aboue all other When the wise men had their aunswere they returned vnto Saturne and tolde him the aunswere of the Archadiens Anon hastilie sore chafed and enflaming with great yre hee commaunded that the Citie shoulde bée assayled Anon went to Armes they of Crete in such wise that they approched the walles and fortes And when the Archadiens sawe their enemies approch anon they sounded
to armes and came to the fight and plyed them to defend theyr walles with great courage Then was drawne and shot many an arrow and many a stone cast and manie beaten and hurt as well within as without Gunnes Bombards he great artillarie was none in this time in the Realmes Alway they of the Citie had well the craft to cast vppon theyr enemyes burning Brandes and Oiles and waters boyling with ashes And for to doo thus Iupiter had induced and taught the Archadien people men and women that when they of Crete came moste strong to the assaulte and supposing to haue entred the citie they were charged with fire Oyles and scalding waters that of force constrayned them to go back with great losse of people and to sound the retrait Saturne then taking the most sorrow of the world for that he might not obtaine his will for that by the walles laye more then foure hundred of his men dead returned into his Tente after the assault passing sorrowfull and desolate and had so great griefe at his heart that he could neither eate nor drinke But this notwithstanding he thought right well on his hurte people and went to their Tentes and did cause to minister medicines vnto them that were hurte c. CHAP. XVI ¶ How Iupiter sent his embassadours to his father Saturne for peace And how Saturne would not heare nor intende to peace c. THe Arcadiens were passing ioyous when they sawe and tooke héede how they of Crete ceased with shame theyr assaulte and after the assault and retrait of both sides alwaye Saturne applyed to heale and giue medicines vnto his hurte men The Arcadiens then assembled a councell and by great deliberation they sent seuen of their honourable councellours in ambassadge vnto Saturne of whome the one spake and sayd Saturne thou knowest and oughtest to know that euerie King ought to labour to liue in peace For the most fayre thing of the world is peace Peace norisheth profit by peace are prospered menne and children townes and Cities are vnited and knit togither by charytye and made as one by amorous communication By peace Realmes profite in beautifying and building fayre houses in labouring and earing the earth and in length of life By peace mens bodyes be whole and quyet and it is that thing that causeth a man to demaund soueraygntie O Saturne it séemeth that thou reckest not of this good vertue for reygning in peace and tranquillitie there is no king nor Prince that dare shewe him against thée Thou hast not onely troubled thy Realme but thou art abuser of warre For to haue peace a man ought to order and dispose to the warre Thou doest all otherwise and regardest not that thy son Iupiter hath deliuered thée from the bondes of thine other enimies and hath sette thy Diademe in a suerty of peace which thou might not do without him seest thou not that by making him warre thou canst not haue peace and that thou destroyest and breakest this peace seest thou not that this is thy sonne by warring against whome thou art a Monster in nature The fathers naturally do loue their children and the rude and brute beastes kéepe and holde this condition of nature Thou séekest and wouldest destroy the bloud of thy sonne And from whence commeth this vnnaturall appetyte Might it not satisfie thy cruell purpose and olde errour to thinke on the goodnes and benefit that thou hast receyued lately by his restoring thée to reigne bée thine interior rancours permanent Shall thy fantasies neuer cease Wilt thou be in age more foolish and simple then a childe The more that men growe in age the more be they wise Thou hast lesse knowledge now then thou haddest in thy wildest youth And from whence commeth this defaulte Is this by the heauenly Influence If it be thus where is reason where is equitie where is the loue of the father to the sonne knowest thou not that had not Iupiter thy sonne bin thou haddest bin yet in great darkenes languishing I signifie to thée as the aduocate of Iupiter that he loueth thée as his owne father and further more I praye thée that thou wilt be in peace And if thou will him no good yet at least will him no harme nor encombraunce I should soone yéeld to your demaund aunswered Saturne if the experience of the life of Iupiter came not to my sight Sée I not howe hée inhaunceth himselfe the most hee can Sée I not howe the people by his fayre and fawning woordes owe him more fauour then me Sée I not that he flyeth from mee If he be not culpable wherefore flyeth he He will say to the people that hee is innocent Say ye that he hath nothing done agaynst me I wote not howe the Archadiens take it but if I may once set my hande on them there was neuer so great a destruction as shall come vnto Archadie And I haue not as nowe anie purpose to depart from this place till I haue vtterly razed this Citie that is rebell agaynst mee and my commaundements Sir aunswered the Archadiens since that fayre spéech may not refraine thy passing great yre nor restrayne thy warre beware keepe thée well from vs and vs from thée for the matter shall take his ende by warre God spéede the right and fortune we will not long drawe foorth time it is concluded that the Archadiens and Iupiter will issue to morrow out of the Citie and if they finde any that assayle them they will defende theyr lyues This speech ended Saturne turned his backe to the Archadiens shaking his heade and the Archadiens returned into theyr Citie and rehearsed and tolde from the beginning to the ending all that they had done and by theyr report it was confirmed that the day following they shoulde issue out of the Citie in such wise as they had purposed among them c. Iupiter had great displeasure in himselfe for that hee sawe that his father was so grieued and would not bee content yet notwithstanding hee doubted not so much but that he tooke courage to him and sayde hee was more holden to kéepe his life then to obey the euill will of his Father that hated him at his birth This night passed ouer anon after that the sun cleared lighted the ayre about the thirde houre of the day Archas Iupiter and the men of warre of the Citie went into the field in good order and they were not so soone issued out of the gates but they were séene of the Saturniens that waited for them by the commandement of Saturne And then began each against other so great a crie and noyse that it resounded vnto the mountaines and walles And then they began to assaile the Archadiens by shot and stones so eagerly that when Iupiter sawe there was no other remedie but to fight hee put him forth foremost in the front before and so beganne to say to them that sought him crying with an high voyce to here is Iupiter each man
enemies enuenomed with mortall venom O Danae remember your selfe of me And thou fortune that hast succored me in al my affairs succour me in this present néed With this worde his complaint ceased and he gaue his minde so many sharp thoughtes that pearced his heart right pensiuely This thought was great and touching a right aduenturous enterprise When all was doone hée determined in himselfe to assay if he might come to the ende of his thought and arayed and clothed himselfe and went out of his chamber vnto the tower where he sawe the doore open to his séeming and finding it true that it was open hée went vp as softly as he could that he should not be heard and came so far that he came to the chamber of Danae wherof the doore was open in which chamber was a lampe burning Iupiter all full of gladnes put his head into the chamber to behold if the damosels had bin with Danae and when hée had beholden that there was none but that Danae was alone in her bed he aduentured him to go vnto her where he founde her sléeping and awooke her by kissing c. Danae was so sore abashed when she felt her selfe so kill that she crept within the bed Iupiter drewe néerer so that he discouered her face for to speake to her whereof shée being afrayd opened her eyes and when shée wist that it was Iupiter and that he was alone by her bed side she made a right great shrych and cry When Iupiter heard this cry he was much troubled neuerthelesse he purposed to aduenture turning her to him warde and comforting her by his swéete speaking he declared to her in the ende that it must néedes be that she must be his wife promising to come and to fetch her in short time And so long he helde her in such talke that he vnclothed himselfe and in speaking to her he sprang into the bed and laye by her side notwithstanding that she with sayd and wit-stoode it with all her might Then sayde the mayde that she was betrayed And wéeping tenderly she wende to haue fledde and did her beste to haue gone awaye But Iupiter tooke good héede and at the leape that she supposed to make caught and held her by the arme and made her to lye downe agayne and he clypt her and kiste her againe And so appeased her in such facion that she left her wéeping And on the morning when he rose vp from her he left her with child with a yong sonne What shall I say more Iupiter by this hardinesse atchieued his purpose and his will on fayre Danae and made the peace for his offence The night passed ouer and the day came that Iupiter must néedes arise and depart from her and then by necessitie constrayning him to kéepe the honour of Danae he arose and tooke his clothing trussed togither and returned into his Chamber where he went to bed and slept so fast and surely that he awooke not till the houre and time to go to dinner At this houre Danae asked where was the Messenger of king Iupiter and said that she would eate with him and that they should bring him vp into the Tower secretlie With the worde of Danae two Damosels went downe out of the Tower into the Chamber of Iupiter and finding him asléepe awooke him whereof he was amazed and ashamed For the Sunne was that tyme mounted hie And then he arose and arayed him hastily when he wist that Danae had sent for him to come speake with her And so came to her which began to waxe red and to loose her colour countenance when she saw him And the reuerence made they went and eate togither and made great cheare yet Danae was ashamed and was strongly surprised for the case that was happened to her and she might not abstaine to set her eyes on the beautie of Iupiter which also fayled not on his side to beholde her by so ardent desire that the eyes of the one and the other pearced each other oftentymes In this beholding they passed part of the tyme of the dinner When they had taken their refection Iupiter and Danae drewe them apart and helde a long parliament of their worke And it was concluded betwéene them that Iupiter should go into the Countrey and that he should returne thither with a certaine number of people for to take away the faire Danae And with this conclusion Iupiter departed and returned into Crete leauing Danae in the Tower of whome I will cease for this present and returne to speake how Tantalus the king of Frigie fought against the Troyans and had battaile against them which was the first battell that euer was in Troy CHAP. XXII ¶ How the King Tantalus of Frygy assayled by battaile the King Troos of Troy and how Ilion and Ganimedes his sonnes discomfited him in battayle WHen the King Troos had named his city Troy and was mounted and enhaunced in so hie renowme that the kings his neighbours as to his regarde were but in little reuerence and lesse glory many thus loosing their honours by his right great worshippe began to murmure against him in déede and in thought and among all other the King Tantalus of Frigie sonne of the Archadien Iupiter king of Attique tooke in right great despight the excellencie of Troos and considered agaynst him and made a great assemblye of men of armes and so departed out of his Realme with intencion to destroye and spil the King Troos and his Cittie of Troye This Tantalus had a sonne in his companye named Pelops and also left a sonne at home named Thiestes for as much as he was young And this Thiestes had a sonne since named Philistines the father of Menelaus that reygned in the time of the third destruction of Troy For to returne to our purpose then Tantalus behaued himselfe in such wise that he conducted and brought an host vpon the territorie of Troy and did smite downe and destroye all thing that was in theyr puissaunce vnto playne destruction Wherewith the crye and clamours of them that fledde was so great that in short tyme the King Troos was aduertised of it whereof hée was not affraid for he had the city wel garnished with people Also he made readie to resist his aduersaryes and that by such diligence that when he had heard the tydings in the morning in foure houres after he issued out of Troy with xxx thousand fighting men and drew vnto the place where the Frygiens were entred This noble king Troos had in his company two sonnes of whome the eldest was called Ilion to whome came downe from heauen the Palladium And the yoonger was called Ganimedes These two sonnes valiant and hardie came into the fielde and required theyr father Troos to departe his armie in two and that he would graunt to them his vawarde for to proue theyr might vppon theyr enimies Troos considering that by separatyon of his people they that were beaten or put backe might
to haue this victory ouer his enemy and that it was no néede to make pursuit after the vnhappie théeues Iupiter accorded to the same and entred againe into his ship with Ganimedes and Egeon and after made his mariners to take their course againe And alway he had in his memorie Danae It néedeth not to make long talke of these trauels and iourneyes and other aduentures Hée was a yeare long sayling by the sea and in the ende of the yeare he arriued in his Realme and there found foure hundred horses which they of Crete presented him to his welcome The Quéene Iuno his wife made great chéere for shée loued him with all her heart wherefore shee feasted him and them that presented to him the horses And hee put in prison Egeon and let Ganimedes go frée where hee would they loued then together euer after as two brethren When Iupiter had beene there thrée dayes hée tooke foure hundred of his men of the most puissant and made them Gentlemen and after made them Knights giuing to each of them one of his Horses and taught them and infourmed them the feates of armes after the discipline of Ixion and the Centaures And when they had doone this hee assembled a thousand Pietons or foote men and two hundred Archers and with the companie of them and of the Centaures and of the Knights hée departed from Crete fiftéene dayes after his returne and sent not for Pluto nor for Neptune and tooke his way vnto the Cittie of Argos meaning to haue taken away the fayre Danae But he had not farre gone when he encountred and met one of the Citizens of Argos a gentleman and worshipfull that recounted and tolde to him all the life of Danae for as much as hee demanded of him tidings And assured him on his life that the king Acrisius had set her on the sea for as much as she had brought forth a little sonne against his commandement When Iupiter heard the case and the misfortune of Danae he began to sorrow and sigh sore the sweate came into his face and teares into his eyes he called Ganimedes and Ixion and tolde them that his voyage was broken and that the king Acrisius had cast her into the sea for whom he made this armie Ganimedes and Ixion comforted him the best wise they could brought him again to Crete he helde him there solitarily a whyle and lay by his wife Iuno and Iuno and her Aunt Ceres made him good chéere oftentimes And so oft came Seres that once she asked the cause of his sorrowe He behelde the beautie of her for that she was alone he vsed the matter so that he had to doo with her and knewe her fleshly and that she conceiued of his séede a daughter and after he determined in his minde that he would go into Sicill and conquer the countrey delighting alwaye to occupie himselfe in feates of armes and taking leaue of the King Ixion and of the Centaures his shipping was made ready and he went to the sea and came into Sicill and conquered it vnto the I le of Lemnos And when he had so doone he went into Italy and came into the house of King Ianus which receyued him and made him great chéere and tolde him that his father Saturne was come newly for to dwel there by and that he was singularly loued of al the people for as much as he taught them to labour the vines and to sow corne Al the bloud chaunged in Iupiter when he hearde that Ianus spake to him of his father Saturne neuerthelesse he went for to sée him and sawe him and founde his Father making and founding a newe Cittie in the place where now stand the Capitoll of Roome And in such wise hée submitted him to his Father that Saturne tooke him to his grace and made peace with him and also accorded to him that he shoulde enioy from thenceforth his realme of Crete At the accord and making of this peace were the King Ianus and the King Euander and they dwelled the one nighe the other that is to wete Ianus in a Cittie called Laurence and Euander in a Cittie being nigh the mounte Auentin and so was there the king Italus of Syracuse that made in this time a newe Cittie named Albe vpon the riuer of Tybre All these kings made great chéere for the agréement of the father and the sonne And thus Iupiter abiding there he acquainted himself with the wife of king Euander named Nicostrate for asmuch as she was right expert in the science of nigromancie and in charmes and sorceries And of hir he learned this science Iupiter after this tooke leaue of her and of his father Saturne and of his neighbours and left there Saturne that was married againe vnto a woman called Philiris by whom he had a sonne called Picus that was father of king Famus husband of the quéene Fatua of whom Hercules was amorous as it shal be said in the second booke and returned into Crete and there found that his wife was deliuered of his sonne Vulcan and that his beloued Aunt Seres was deliuered of a daughter named Proserpina Wherof Iuno was right euill pleased and content and complained to Iupiter of the dishonour that he had done to her But Iupiter set nought thereby but laughed and was more ioyous of his daughter then of his sonne For his daughter was maruailous faire and Vulcan his sonne was foule and crooke-backed Notwithstanding for to liue in peace with Iuno he married Seres to another man named Siccam and gaue to them the Realme of Sicill and the Citie of Siracuse and sent them to dwell there with Proserpina And it was not long after that but hee sent his sonne Vulcan into the I le of Lemnos whom he betooke to be gouerned by thrée men named Berrotes Seropes and Pyragmon and kept him so well that he came to age and that he was a man of right noble minde and learned all sciences in especiall Nigromancie Geomancie and Pyromancie and made many meruailous things that be past credit to speake wherefore I will tarie now of him and of Iupiter And will treate of his sonne Perseus for as much of him came Alcumena CHAP. XXX ¶ How the Queene Medusa came to Athens to worship in the temple of the goddesse Pallas And how the king Neptunus waxed amorous of her and how she deceiued him IN this time when Iupiter dwelled peaceably king of Crete and that his sonne Vulcan waxed great and learned the craft of Nigromancie in the land of Hesperye there passed out of the world a king named Porcus a man of right great valour which the Hesperiens called god of the sea of Spaine anciently named Hesperie as is said This king left thrée daughters that had not but one eye as the Poets say that is to say their principall care was for the vanities of the worlde and therefore they were called Gorgons that is to say studious or louers of the earth
for as much as they intended vnto vices that hold of earthly things Of these daughters one was named Medusa the other Euriale and the third Senno Medusa that was the eldest of all the other succéeded in the Empire and in the Realme And the Poets say that 〈◊〉 had the head of a Serpent giuing by this to vnderstand that shee was wonderfully wife and subtill After the death of King Porcus this Medusa gouerned mightly her Realme and maintained pyâ—â—es and men of warre and in hir beginning she occupied and haunted the sea of Europe at pleasure and with right great triumph And landing on a day at the port of Athens shee sent vnto king Neptune to require him that he would grant vnto her that she might enter into his Citie for to worship in the temple of the goddesse Pallas which was newly made Neptune did great honour vnto the Messengers of Medusa and accorded vnto her that shee should enter into his Citie and into the Temple vpon condition that she should haue none with her saue her damosels Whan Medusa heard the aunswere of king Neptune she concluded that shée would go into the temple where of was a great talke And she was accompanied with many Damosels so richly arayed that it was a gallant sight for to sée She entred into the Temple and into the citie and there she turned into stones not onely the men that beheld her but also the women and among all other especially a Quéene that was named Ida. By this it is to be vnderstood that this Medusa was of so excellent beautie and was so passing rich that all they that beheld her gaue themselues ouer wholly to couet her beautie and her riches And therefore write the poets that they were turned into stones For they that dispose theÌ„selues and giue them to the delightes of this worlde be lykened and compared vnto harde stones whereof maye no good come Thus then Medusa entring into Athens conuerted and turned manye men into stones in so much that Neptunus heard these tydings and desiring to sée thys Quéene hée went into the Temple where shée was in contemplation And hée hadde not long behelde her when hée felte himselfe so desirous of her and of her loue that hée sayde to himselfe that shée shoulde be his wife and that shée shoulde neuer escape him This Medusa was long space in contemplation during which Neptune desired her beautie more and more and his heart gaue him that he should obtaine his purpose And anon after that his heart had thus chéered him he a little paused considering the excellencie of her griefe and thought trauersed and arose in his minde that constrayned him to say these wordes that follow Alas in what matter in what sorrowe and in what right great and enflaming payne be they that be burning in loue by long space of time that I alreadye beginne to finde mée in so manye sighes and paynes that I wot not howe I maye in time come vnto this Ladye for to require her to be my wife She is shining in all beautie and in right aboundaunt riches This is it that I lacke She beholdeth me otherwhiles in her prayers it maye happen so well that loue may turne her heart for to make aliance betwixt her and me And what is this men say that loue hurteth no man but if it be by his eyes If the eyes be not made for to sée I will saye that my desire shall hap well Where am I where I am put me out Where is my hart where is my desire I know not what I thinke my thought may be abused and my abuse may well be reuersed myne eyes peraduenture thinke they see that they sée not Mine eares imagine to heare and yet they be deafe I finde my selfe in a great perplexity and very ataynder and yet more in a superfluous errour more then any man may haue For when I sée this Ladye more excellent then all other in beautie and riches reason telleth me that she is not come hither for me and when I behold that shée is alone without men in my Cittie who shall againe saye my will I will require her to be my wife after that she hath doone her deuotion and if shée accord to my request my labour shall doo well And if she gainsay and withstand it then I must vse force and authoritye royall Thus when Neptune came to this conclusion Medusâ— arose from her contemplation and looked right fayre Neptune went to her and did her reuerence and after prayd her that she would go to his royall pallace for to refresh her Medusa thanked him of his curtesie and sayde that she might not well tarye there at that time When Neptune vnderstoode that she was to returne without staying longer in his house nor in his Cittie hée was sore displeased in his heart yet hée helde her in parle and drewe her a parte and sayde vnto her chaunging coloure Madame I am sorye that ye refuse to take harbor in my house I am king of this Cittie the goddes haue not giuen to mée so great happe that I haue yet any wife any Lady or damosel it is so now happened that the gods and fortune haue enspired you to come hither Certes it is so that your right high beautie hath prepared the eye of my heart and hath made me so desirous of you that I giue vnto you heart body and goods and all that a louer may giue vnto his loue and Ladie or any king may giue Wherefore I pray you that ye will go vnto my pallace to the end that I may haue communication more secretly there and tell you of the right great loue that I haue to you Anon as Medusa vnderstood the requests of the king shee began to frowne and not willing to bee otherwise intreated she answered to him Syr king if it were so that mine heart desired acquaintance and communication with one man more then with another in truth if I so found me disposed I would holde my selfe right happie finding my selfe in the grace of your eyes but the matter goeth with me far otherwise I loue men as much one as another I haue a purpose to abide and continue in my virginity Ye be a king you haue giuen to me safe conduct for to performe my pilgrimage I desire you that ye holde you content and that ye beare your selfe in such wise as if yee had neuer seene me Madame saide Neptune how shall I do that ye say when my heart is all giuen vnto you Sir answered Medusa it behoueth first to know and after that to loue I haue tolde you here that I haue a purpose to abide a virgine what may it profit you to say that ye haue giuen me your heart these be but lost words Dame saide Neptune the Diamond shineth not till it be polished ye were neuer peraduenture desired nor requested of loue before now wherefore ye haue no more loue to one man then to another Therefore
yée must vnderstand that acquaintance bréedeth loue and if ye will come and abide with me I make no doubts but that your minde will change and that ye will make a league with me Sir answered Medusa my will is vnchangeable Notwithstanding saide Neptune it must change be not abashed Sir answered Medusa I sée nothing that giueth me cause of abashment for I féele my heart firme and stable in his operations Ye be a King and haue giuen me safe conduct for to finishe my deuotion at the Temple of the goddesse of your Cittie Reason and honour should gouerne your courage Dame sayd Neptune if your beautie surmounted not the beautie of other women I would consent anon to your returne But when I conceyue in my minde you formed in so high a degrée of nature that nothing lacketh in you And further when I sée that the great goddesse Pallas hath enspyred you to come to this my Cittie reason maye haue no place howsoeuer it be by loue or by force ye shal be my wife for I had leuer die and run into al the dishonours of the world then for to fayle to haue your loue When Medusa that was wise had vnderstood the wordes of Neptune and sawe well that he was couragiously inflamed with her amorous desire and that she might not escape his power for her beautie vnlesse it were by an aduenture then she chaunged her haire into colours that is to saye that where force reygned shée wrought by subtiltie and sayde vnto the King Syr I knowe that ye be a great and puissante Lorde and that loue hath mooued you by force to take me to your wife Since your pleasure is such I am content to do all what shall please you in such wise as ye haue demaunded and that this same daye be made the mariage betwéene you and me but the more solemnly to halow the feaste of our wedding I requyre you of two things First that I maye returne vnto the porte to my people for to araye and dresse me with my costly Iewels for I maye not employe them to more great glorie then to vse this daye of my mariage And secondly that ye will cause to araye and adresse the ladyes of this citie for to receiue me as it appertayneth for I will that ye well knowe that in all the remnant of ladyes of the world ye shal not find any that haue more moueable goodes nor riches then I haue Neptune was then as one al rauished in ioy when he heard this answer of Medusa he thanked her for her swéete words and agréed to her to do in such wise as she had deuised And anon he sent againe this Medusa vnto the gallies hoping that she would returne againe to be his wife but when she by the subtiltie of her wit was deliuered againe at the port where Neptune had nothing to do in stead for to returne to the citie she caused to weigh ancres of al her ships and hoist saile and in all haste withdrew them from the port and in stead to array her investments nuptiall she tooke her arms and made all her men to arme them And thus she escaped from Neptune who was in great sorrow maruailously and in great anger saide that she had the head of a serpent and that her haires were turned into colours to the end to hide more graciously the malice of her heart he repeated the maner how she had deceiued and beguiled him c. Thus then escaped Medusa the hands of Neptune by the meane of her head serpentine Neptune abode conuerted and turned into a stone that is to say hauing his minde set on earthly affections and on the riches of Medusa and went not after her for as much as her power of men surmounted much all the power of Athens Of this thing ranne the renowme through all Greece And the beautie of Medusa was so commended that from those parts went euery day many knights to sée her and many of them were turned into stones and many lost their treasours innumemerable enforcing themselues by armes to conquer this Lady who withstood alway their assaults and indeuours and alway abode conquerour of them Medusa set nought by King nor Prince that would haue her to wife Shée was all set to get and gather the treasures of the world Whereas her father had béene very couetous yet was shée more couetous and comming againe from Athens into her owne Realme after shée hadde brought vnder subiection the Greekes that rebelled against her as is saide shée was so plunged in the déepe swallow of couetousnesse and auarice that shée made war against al her neighbours and conquered them constraining them to pay her yearly large tributes Whereby her estate and name arose and was so great that the fame thereof ran into many farre regions and among other in the Citie of Naples where reigned the king Pilonus as afore is sayd In the time that the renowne of Medusa was in this credite Perseus sonne of Danae and Iupiter was in the valour and prime of his strength and hee dayly required his mother and the king that they would giue him leaue to séek his aduenture When then Pilonus heard speake of the mightinesse of Medusa of her rapines and of her auarice he thought that his sonne in lawe should do a vertuous worke if hée might correct her so he told to Perseus that he would send him thither Perseus thanked him and sayde hée woulde employ thereto all his puissaunce Then the king Pilonus sent for men of Armes and made readie thirtie Gallyes for the armie of Perseus and dubbed him knight for the order of chiualrie began that time to be vsed in all the world And it was decréed that that same day Perseus should go to the sea And when the king had accomplished all the ceremonie to the case requyred in the Painims wise Perseus tooke leaue of the King Pilonus and of his mother Danae and of the damosels and right ioyously entred into his Galley afterward they weighed ancres and departed from the port of Naples with a great noyse of Tabors and Trumpets and with banner displayed and sayled into the déepe sea It was a good and faire sight to sée his departing There was many a teare wept euerie bodie loues Perseus for so much as hée was humble and courteous The Apuliens departed neuer as long as they might sée him and then after they returned home praying vnto the goddes that good and right happie might be the fortune of Perseus And the noble knight went by the sea and the coasts at all aduenture What shall I say he so hasted on his way that he came to Affricke that was named Libie at that time and there would haue refreshed him at a porte beside the strayte of Gybaltar where as was King Athlas the great Astrologyen But this King putte him from landing at this porte and came in armes against him and shewed by signe a farre off that he
against the king Athlas of Septe a mightie and puissant Giant PErseus at this discomfâ—ture pursued Medusa flying into her Citie and entred in with her and the most part of his people with him that failed him neuer to put to death all the men defensable that they found to the ende that no insurrection should be against them but they spared the blood of women and little children by the commaundement of Perseus And among the other as Perseus found Medusa that was hid in a Cisterne hée had pittie of her howbeit he smote off her heade And of the bloud that issued out there ingendered Pegasus the flying horse By the heade that Perseus smote off from Medusa is vnderstoode that hée tooke from her her Realme and depriued her of it and banished her poore and naked And by the flying horse that was ingendered of the blood issued from her head is vnderstoode that of her riches issuing of that Realme he founded and made a shippe named Pegase that is as much to say as good renowme and this ship was likened vnto an horse flying forasmuch as the good renowme of Perseus was then borne from region to region in such wise as vpon an horse flying And forasmuch as Perseus went in this ship into diuerse Countreys where he gate him a great name By this fashion Perseus conquered the head of Medusa and did make Pegase the most swift ship that was in all the world and abode there a certaine number of dayes séeking the treasures of Medusa and the riches on which she and her sister had set theyr delightes and theyr hearts There found Perseus stones precious and things maruaylous When his ship was made he filled it with precious ornaments and iewels and leauing in this Citie men for to gouerne and guide it he went to the Sea and tooke for his armes the armes of Medusa and rested not till he came to the port of the Citie where reigned Athlas saying that he would put him vnder and subdue him before he returned into his Countrey This Citie had to name Septe Athlas knew well the armes of Medusa and from as farre as he sawe Pegase the ship he knew the armes that were therein then he thought that Medusa had béene vanquished of these straungers and doubted sore their comming This notwithstanding he did put his men in armes and be wailed much Philotes his brother otherwise named Hesperus hee that kept the garden with Apples of golde with his daughters When his folke were armed he trained them vpon the port in good order and anon after came to the port and there he was assaulted with diuerse and sharpe conflicts Athlas was yong strong of bodie and puissant of people he defended him valiantly and kept the port with the poynt of his sworde so well that by his assault Perseus conquered nothing on him in two dayes that the assault endured but that was more by the strong nature of the port then by the strength of the sworde of the king Athlas Then when Perseus saw that he had not folke inough for to take this port he withdrew him into the déepe sea and sent into Naples vnto the king Pilonus halfe the treasures of Medusa signifying to him his hie aduenture and requiring him that he would send him a thousand souldiers The king and Danae had great ioy of these tydings and at the request of Perseus assembled fiftéene hundred fighting men which they sent into Libie with his owne son Danaus whom they ordained chiefe and captaine of the armie When Perseus saw come these fiftéene hundred fighting men from as far as he had spied them in the sea he know that it was flying succours that came to him and tooke his flying horse and went to méet them and found there Danaus his brother to whom he made the most great cheare of the world and entred into his shippe and there abode all that day feasting him And after when it came to be night hée commaunded his marriners that they should rowe and sayle toward Septe And they sayde to him that on tho morrow they would deliuer him at the port With that the Marriners laboured to do their best cunning so that after the night was past about the Sunne rysing they shewed to Perseus the hauen and port of Septe Then was Perseus full of great gladnesse and called Danaus and sayd to him my brother we be now come to the port where thou shalt get this day honour and worship if it please the gods for if the good aduenture helpe vs the honour shall appertaine vnto thée before me that durst not enterprise this alone by my puissance Oh then in the name of all our gods let vs employ here the head of Medusa for my minde giueth me aduise at this time that she shall turne into stones all them of this Region that is to vnderstand that by thée and thy men that by the meane of the riches of Medusa be come hither they of this Citie standing before vs will bee constrayned to abandon and giue ouer their port and flie betwéene the walles of stones of their Citie My brother aunswered Danaus I haue good daye and trust in fortune that shée will bée thy helper but for the honour and worship of this 〈◊〉 it shall not turne to my profite but vnto thine that afâ—â—◠〈◊〉 our of so honourable a worke and I desire nothing in this part but the name of a souldier for as thy souldier moued onely by the loue of our fraternitie I come for to serue thée And as for the riches of Medusa had they not come into Naples with thy right good fame these warriors had not come into Libie Then for conclusion it is to be saide if in this worke bée honour that it must turne vnto thy glorie and prayse but this notwithstanding I will not falâ—e thée but for thy loue and worship I will endeuour to the assault all that I maye and will serue and obey thée as my lord and naturall brother And I praye thée to tubbe and make me Knight With this word Perseus drew out his sword and gaue to Danaus the order of knighthoode and afterward commaunded that each man should furnish him with his armours and then made to display baners standers and penons and other cognisances and ensignes of war After he did cause to sound his trumpettes clarions and tabours and then prepared all his galeis and they set in right fayre and good order and sayled so much that he came to the port which was al ful and enuyroned with Libiens that were ready to cast on them speares dartes and stones For they of that countrey were right expert in the warre And to come a shore at this port there was a right great hurliburly and a very gréeuous conflict Perseus was in Pegase and assayled the Libiens at one ende and Danaus was in the galley and assayled them in likewise And they putte them both in the most daunger of
that time practysed togither the science of magike and nigromancye c. At this tyme Vulcan forged and wrought the thunders vnto Iupiter That is to say that he busied himselfe with smiting and troubling by fire and sworde the Realmes of his neighbours and the Poetes say and make many fables of him whereof néedeth to make no mention at this time Perseus then did great honour and worship vnto his father Iupiter and in likewise did Iupiter vnto Perseus And each told other and rehearsed their aduentures But when the obsequie was done of King Acrisius and Iupiter beheld and sawe Perseus so heauie that he could haue no ioy he returned into Crete vnto his wife Iuno and there he exercised himselfe in the science of Magicke And then when Perseus found himselfe alone in Argos and saw that he might recouer there no ioy he departed from thence and went vnto the citie of Misene but he raigned there not long forasmuch as the death of Acrisius renued alway and he could not put it out of his minde and so he departed thence and withdrewe him with a great host into the Orient where he gat and conquered by armes a great Countrey which he named Persia after his name and there founded the Citie called Persepolis after that he had vanquished and put to death Liberpater which made him warre And then when he had so done he purueied for his children in such wise that his two sonnes Alceus and Electrion with Amphitrion and Alcumena dwelled in Thebes and Brachman reigned in Persia Erictreus vpon the red sea and Stelenus in Misene But to speake of them all I will cease at this time and wil tell onely of Amphitrion and Alcumena that loued so well togither that they tooke day the one to wed the other And the cause that mooued me to write of these two is forasmuch as of Alcumena came Hercules who first destroyed Troy c. CHAP. XXXVIII ¶ How Iupiter lay with Alcumena and how Queene Iuno sent two serpentes for to slea Hercules and how Hercules strangled the two serpents IN this time when Iupiter came againe into Crete and that he with Vulcan his sonne and Iuno practised by theyr studye the scyence of Magike after that that Vulcan had forged the thunders of Iupiter Amphitrion wedded the fayre Alcumena in the Cittie of Thebes with great honour and also with great companye of Kings Quéenes and of Ladyes The feast of this wedding was great Iupiter the King of Crete and the Quéene Iuno were there During the feast Iupiter continually behelde Alcumena for her great beautie for Alcumena was the most fayre woman that euer was séene all his delight and all his busie care was in the beholding the ladyes He desired nothing but for to bée alwaye among the ladyes and alway had the eye vpon them But in the ende he behelde Alcumena most in especiall in whome he had a singular pleasure In the great aboundance of his sight he so sore fixed his eye on her excellencie that his heart beganne to be troubled in such wise that he was amorous and couetous of her loue In this his so greedye couetousnes and desiring he let passe the solemnitie of the wedding and returned into Crete but he had not long soiourned when the sayde couetousnes so wrought vehemently in him that on a day he began to speake of Alcumena in the presence of Iuno And sayd vnto Ganimedes his Esquire Ganimedes what séemeth you of the beautie of Alcumena Syr sayd the Esquire me thinketh she shineth in all manner excellencie of a Lady and for that to comprise all her vertues there is no king so great but that he might well séeme to be of allyance with one that is of lesse beautie then she is When the Quéene Iuno vnderstoode that Iupiter talked so much of Alcumena at that same time she was sore mooued with new ielousie For she had often times béene ielous of Iupiter and thought in her selfe that if she might she would cause to flie and put to death Alcumena After these spéeches Iupiter found himselfe sore intangled and ouercome with loue and for to ouermaister it and to let it passe hee tooke his bow and arrowes in purpose to go to the wood for to slea some wilde beast And went forth accompanied onely with Ganimedes but as soone as hee was issued out of the gate there came and met him one of the knights of Thebes and did reuerence vnto the king and sayde vnto him that the king Creon of Thebes sent him vnto him and required him that he would aide and helpe him to warre against the king of Thelipoly that had trespassed against him When the king Iupiter had heard the message of the king he was right ioyous of the request of the king of Thebes and tooke the knight by the hand and brought him to his pallace and there feasted him and made him right good chéere and after he saide that with right good heart and will he would succour and helpe the king Creon in his warre The knight of Thebes with this answer tooke leaue of king Iupiter returned vnto Thebes Where preparation and ordinance was made to go vnto Thelipoly It was not long after that the King Iupiter made his armie and hasted him as much as hée might that shortly she might come to the house of Thebes where hée hoped to finde Alcumena When all thing was ready he tooke his way and sped him in his iourney that he came to Thebes where he was right honourably and worthily receiued of the King the Quéene and of the ladye The king Iupiter at his comming forgat not to looke if he might sée Alcumena but hee sawe her not wherefore hée was in great gréefe and wist not what to do And he looked after Amphitrion but he could no where sée him whereat he was more abashed then he was before In this abashement he approched to King Creon and demaunded of him where Amphitrion was The King Creon answered him that he woulde shortlye come and that he assembled his men of armes at the Castle of Arciancie which he hadde giuen him This Castle stoode betweene Thebes and Athens vpon the riuer and was a passing fayre place and strong Anon as Iupiter had vnderstoode that king Creon had giuen Arciancie to Amphitrion he imagined soone that Alcumena was in that place and was in will to haue gon to that place if it had not béen that he dreaded the talking of the people and also he feared to make Amphitrion ielous This considered the king Iupiter abode in Thebes not well pleased for asmuch as hée might not sée Alcumena and passed there that time the best wise he coulde till Amphitrion other were come Then they departed from Thebes from the king Creon and went for to laye siege to the citie of Thellipolye accompanied with the king Iupiter and many other During the siege they of the citie assayled oft time by battayle againe their enemies but
they of Thebes had alwaye so good fortune that in the ende they of Thellipolye yéelded them in all poyntes to the will of king Creon and thus when the king of Thebes had ouercome and subdued the citie he returned vnto his countrey with great ioy c. When Amphitrion sawe that their enimies were ouercome and that there was no more perill he had great desire to go sée his wife Alcumena and for to hast him the more sooner to bee with her he departed from the hoste with leaue of the king accompanyed with an Esquire onely When king Iupiter sawe Amphitrion so departe vpon his waye he began to thinke and aduise him of a great subtilty for to come to his intent And he departed from the hoste with Ganimedes onely and as soone as hée was in the fielde on the waye they two being togither Iupiter entred into conference with Ganimedes and sayd to him Ganimedes I haue great affiance in you and more then in any man that liueth wherefore I will tell you priuily a thing secrete which I shall accomplish as I hope And ye must holde and kéepe it secret Truth it is that I am amorous terribly of dame Alcumena By no meane in the world I maye yet forget her nor put her from my desire She knoweth not the payne that for her loue aboundeth in me for I neuer was so hardie to discouer to her my case nor neuer durst shewe it to her for as much as I knowe her wise chaste and vertuous This considered thinking on this thing I féele and finde me full of troubles and confesse my follye for I am in a manner in dispayre nowe inasmuch as I had supposed to haue founde the like answere of loue in Alcumena But the sodaine departing of Amphitrion yet giueth me in a maner an hope for at the time that I sawe him departe from the hoste for to go sée his wife accompanyed with his Esquire I imagined that in all haste I would go vnto Arciancie by a more néere and shorter waye For I know the passage long since and that I would transfigure my selfe into the forme of Amphitrion and you into the forme of his Esquire for to go vnto Alcumena and to make her vnderstande that I were Amphitrion Ganimedes vpon this intention and purpose I am come on the way to go thither with you we must néedes win vpon Amphitrion this waye a night and daye and therefore lette vs go now merylye Mée thinketh that loue shall helpe me and when Alcumena shall sée me transformed into the shape of Amphitriō and you as his Esquire shée shal not be so wise to perceiue mine enchauntment Ganimedes hearkened right diligently to the wil and purpose of Iupiter and promised that he wold imploy him in this affaire as much as in him was possible and so they rode with good will and great desire the readiest way and in riding and going Iupiter went about his enchauntments and sped him so that he arriued in an euening at the Castell of Arciancie When he was there arriued he transfigured himselfe and Ganimedes in such wise as he had before purposed and then at the same houre that Alcumena slept and that each man was a bed they came to the Castell and so knocked at the gate that they awooke the porter The porter came to the windowe and looked downe beneath and sawe Iupiter and Ganimedes by the moon light him thought and séemed that it was Amphitrion and his esquire wherfore he opened the gate and receyued him in such wise as he would haue done his Lord Amphitrion After he brought him vnto the doore of the chamber wher Alcumena slept and awooke her saying that her lord was come After he returned to kéepe the gate by commaundement of Iupiter and Alcumena opened her Chamber vnto Iupiter which entered in with great ioy and at the entrie into this chamber Iupiter and Alcumena tooke each other in armes and kissed Alcumena thinking that it had béen Amphrition and when they were so beclipt eache in others armes Alcumena demaunded him from whence he came Iupiter answered and sayde he came from Thellepolys and that after the giuing ouer of the towne yéelding of their enemies he departed from the host for the loue of her accompanied onely with his esquier to come hastily to her Then Alcumena was wel content at the wordes of Iupiter and asked him if hee would eate or drinke Iupiter answered that he would nothing but go to bed with her What shall I say more hee lay with her and had that he desired the King Iupiter had neuer so great ioy in himselfe And going to bedward he had Ganimedes that he should go to the Chamber doore and abide there without And so Ganimedes departed from the Chamber and Iupiter approched to Alcumena with great loue and so cōplaised her in loue as much as his power might extend In this wise and by this fashion came Iupiter vnto the secrets and ioy of loue so that to acquaynt himselfe with this lady him séemed expedient for to enchant all them that dwell in the place And then he slept with Alcumena and after he arose and came to Ganimedes which kept the watch at the doore and tolde him that for to do this matter secretly he must enchant all them of that place in such wise that they should not awake vntill the comming of Amphitrion And he willed that he should go to the gate to waite if Amphitrion came And if it happen he said that he came by the day light I shall deliuer to you a powder that ye shall cast in the ayre agaynst him and this powder hath such vertue that it shall kéepe Amphitrion from approching this place as long as the day endureth And then when it is night and he knocke at the gate ye shall come to me and wee will open the gate and bring him to his wife and after that we will returne from hence The King Iupiter with these wordes wrought in his science and made his charmes and sorceries in such wise that all they that were in the place might not awake without a remedie agaynst his inchantment When hee had so done hee transformed Ganimedes into the likenesse of a Porter and appoynted him to kéepe the gate After hee returned into the Chamber of Alcumena and shut fast the windowes that no light might come in And after he went to bed and lay with the Ladie and awooke her and there spent all the residue of the night and all the day following taking his pleasure with her so long that he begate on her a right fayre sonne conceyued vnder the raigne of the best constellation of heauen In the ende when king Iupiter had béene with her a night and a day about the houre when the Sunne goeth downe into the West and that him séemed that Amphitrion should come he made by his science Alcumena for to sléepe After he rose vp and made himselfe in the form of
he shewed his strength in all maner of games and exercises THese tidings of this first aduenture of Hercules were anon spread through all the prouinces of Grece Some said he was a bastard and the sonne of Iupiter and so recounted Plautus in his first comedye and other held that he was the very sonne of Amphitrion and so recounteth Boccace in his booke of the genealogie of goddes But whose sonne so euer he was Euristeus had him in kéeping and did him to be nourished hardly and not tenderly without the cittie of Attique For the kings and the cittizens and dwellers in townes in this time made theyr children for to bee nourished out of good townes and made them for to lye vpon the bare earth and naked for to be more strong without entring into citties vntill the time they had power and strength to exercise armes Lycurgus had ordeyned this lawe and many other that followe First he ordeyned that the people shoulde obey theyr Prince and that the Prince shoulde be firme in iustice and liue soberly and that merchauntes shoulde do theyr merchaundise giuing one ware for an other without anye money and that each man shoulde aduenge him openly and that a yong man should haue in a yeare but one gowne and that one man shoulde not be more gallant nor quaint then another and that no man shoulde renew the memory of wrong passed and that men of armes should haue no wiues to the ende that they might be more eager and fierce in the warre and to content the fragilitie of men he ordeyned that nigh the hostes should bee certaine women common in places called Fornices whereof commeth fornication These were the lawes that the Greekes vsed in the tyme of the beginning and comming vp of Hercules And for to come againe to my purpose Hercules was nourished in an house that stoode in the plaine fields and was oftentymes put out into the raine and winde and lay the most part of that time vpon the earth witâ—out any other bed hée lay oftner so then vpon hay or dryed straw With this nourishment hée waxed and grew in all beautie strength and prudence he was humble courteous and gentle All good manners beganne to grow and shine in him he was sober in eating and in drinking he slept gladly on the fields he shotte and drewe the bow dayly When the king Egeus of Athens had heard speake of him he made to be nourished with him his sonne that was named Theseus Hercules and Theseus were both of one age and loued right well togither Theseus was strong and mightie and a fayre childe and hee had witte inough But Hercules passed him and shone as farre aboue him as the Sunne shineth aboue the starres When he was seuen yeares old he exercised wrastling and ouerthrewe and cast the greatest and the strongest that came to him Not one and one at once but fiue or sixe or as many as hee might set his hands on and did so great feates of strength that out of Thebes of Athens and of Atticque dayly came men women and children for to sée him The more and elder he grewe the more enforced he his strength When hée was ten yeare olde there might no man stand nor abide in his hand At thirtéene yeares of his age he beganne to handle and vse armes and of his proper motion he thought that he would go vp vnto the mount Olympus and there he would abide and aunswere all maner men thither comming by the space of fiftéene dayes and to receyue them in armes or in wrastling or at any other proofe or assay of strength and for to come to the effect of this enterprise he awayted a day when Euristeus came for to sée him and sayd to him Sir yée haue nourished me vnto this tyme like as I were your owne sonne if fortune were to me as contrary as nature I knowledge that I should be the most infortunate childe that euer was borne Some say that I am sonne to Iupiter and other say of Amphitrion howbeit I haue no father but you onely that haue nourished me with your substaunce Wherefore I yéelde vnto you as to my father and aduertise you how that I am purposed for to bée on the mount of Olympus in as short tyme as I well may and there I will abide all them that thither shall come fiftéene dayes fully togither and for to deale with them at the speare at swoorde at wrastling and at running alway foreséene that it bée by your licence and leaue and that it please you of your courtesse to giue to him that shall do best some prise to the ende for to encourage the hearts of noble men vnto valiancie that they might attaine to renowme Euristeus answered and sayd Hercules fayre sonne ye can requyre mée of nothing that is honest and worshipfull but I will hée thereto agreeable Yée bée young and yet ye be strong and puissaunt and I wote well there is no man that may endure agaynst you Since it is so that yée haue the will so to do I am right well content that ye make the proofe and shewe the strength of your youth and for to effect and bring this enterprise vnto your credite I will aray you as richly as if ye were my proper sonne My father aunswered Hercules I thanke you of this grace and kindnesse and since it is so your pleasure it behooueth you to choose a man of great vnderstanding and authoritie that shall go vnto all the Realmes of these Coasts for to shewe vnto the Kings Princes and Gentlemen the purpose and enterprise that I haue taken in hand Fayre sonne said Euristeus ye say truth ye shall make your letters contayning your intention and send them to me and then when I haue receyued them I will vse so good diligence that ye of reason shall be content After these spéeches and many other the king Euristeus went home and Hercules tooke inke and parchment and set him to write in letters the forme of a proclamation which he made that contained in this wise Gréeting be to all kings Princes Knights Gentlemen Ladies and Gentlewomen from the esquire vnknowne and well fortuned We let you haue knowledge that the first day of the moneth of May next following the esquire vnknowne will be on the mount Olympus for to shew himselfe in habilliments conuenient vnto armes at the pleasure of the gods and fortune and for to receiue all them that be of noble houses and name that will and shall come thither to trie maisteries in the maner that followeth In the beginning of the first thrée dayes hee will hold exercise of wrastling and he that shall do best by the iudgement of the iudges thereto commised shall win an Elephant of fine golde The fourth day he will runne a furlong or more against all them that will runne and hee that best runneth shall win a faire Courser At the fift and sixt dayes he will shoote with the hand bowe
his armes and after long wrastling he cast him to the earth in such wise that Philotes yéelded him seruaunte vnto Hercules and promysed him to serue him trulye all the residue of his lyfe and that he would beare his armes after him in all places where he should go Hercules receyued to mercy Philotes And then called Theseus and his companye who came and were right glad and ioyous of the victorye that he had obtained Then Hercules Philotes and all the other wente into the yle where they founde the daughters of Athlas greatlye discomforted for the death of the giant And for as much as Hercules hadde also conquered Philotes their kéeper Hercules and Philotes comforted the daughters the best wise they coulde and there the Greekes refreshed themselues the space of three dayes The fourth daye he tooke xxx rammes and xxx ewes and brought them into their ship after that they went to the sea without any harme doing in the I le for the loue of the gentle women they departed thence and went to the sea accompanyed with Philotes which was conquered by Hercules as is sayd and after loued Hercules well and truly serued him euer after But of theyr iourneys I will ceasse for this time and will speake of a monster of the sea that the goddes sent to Troy for to deuoure the faire Exione daughter to king Laomedon CHAP. XLI ¶ How Hercules fought at the Porte of Troy against a monster of the sea for the daughter of king Laomedon IN that time as Boccace rehearseth in his genealogie of goodes in the third chapter of the sixt booke Laomedon the King of Troy was busie to wall and fortifie his cittie with walles and towers to the end to make it more strong He was not well furnished with treasures nor with money For to accomplishe his desire he went vnto the temple of the gods of the sunne and of the sea that were passing rich and tooke all the money that he could find promising to pay it againe all at a certayne day and time set By the meane of this money he closed and fortified the citie of Troye with walles and towers The worke was costlye howbeit in litle time he finished it and it was not long after that the worke was finished but the day came in which Laomedon should paye and render vnto the temples of the gods the money that he had taken and borowed At which day the préestes of the temples came vnto Laomedon and demaunded him if he would tender the oblations and offrings that he had taken out of the temple Laomedon daigned not to speake to the préestes but sent them word shamefully that they should returne and kéepe their temples Wherefore he was afterward sore punished for in the same night after that he would not heare the priestes the great windes began to ryse and beate the one against the other and caused the sea to rise in such wise that it entred and went into the towne so far that it helde the stréetes full of water and drowned a great part of the towne Besides this in eight dayes following the sunne shone so ardently and gaue so great heate that the people durst not go into the ayre by day time and that dried the superfluity of the aboūdance of the water of the sea that was left whereof rose a corrupt and a mortal vapour that infected all the citie Whereof engendred so great a pestilence that the most parte of the Troyans were smitten to death by the great influence of the corrupt ayre By this pestilence they of Troy fell in great desolation the Cittizens men and women young and olde dyed without speaking sodainlye The father could not nor might not helpe his childe in necessitie nor the childe the father At this time reigned in Troy neither loue nor charitie for each man that might saue himselfe fled awaye for feare of this mortalitye and gaue ouer and left the Cittie and went to dwell in the fieldes and among all other the king Laomedon séeing the destruction of his realme went into the I le of Delphos vnto the temple of the god Apollo for to haue the councell of the god touching the health of his Cittie With Laomedon went the most noble and the most puissant men of Troye when they were come into the temple they put them in contemplation and deuotion before the idol and the diuell that was therein aunswered them and sayd The money which was taken out of the temples and not rendred and payde againe is cause of the maladie and vengeaunce of Troye And I doo all the Troians to wit that neuer shall Troye be quit of this maladye vnto the time that the sayd citie prouide to appease the gods in this wise that it is to wit that euerye moneth they must choose one of the virgins and maydens which must bée set on the sea side for to be deuoured by a monster that the gods shall sende thither and the sayde virgin shal be chosen by lot or aduenture And in this wise must the cittie do for to appease the goddes perpetually vntill the time that they finde one man that by his armes and by his might shall ouercome the said monster After these wordes and answeres Laomedon and the Troyans assembled to counsell vpon this matter and concluded that for the common weale and health of Troy they would put their virgins in that ieopardie and aduenture to the spoyling of the monster without any exception or reseruing Then they returned vnto Troy and tooke their virgins and cast lots among them and on her that the lot fell shée was taken and brought to the sea side and anon after was séene to come out of the déepes or swallow of the sea so great a tempest that the sea rose and was troubled The sea wrought and a right great floud of water lifted vp the monster by times out of the sea hee was as great as a whale or a hulk and then he tooke the virgin and swalowed her in and went away againe into the sea and from thence forth the pestilence ceased Thus was Troy deliuered from their sicknes and maladie by the oblation of their virgins that were offered vnto the monster from moneth to moneth and thus as is said their virgins were deliuered It hapned in the end of the moneth that the sorte or lot fell on one of the daughters of king Laomedon named Exiona this daughter was yong and faire and well beloued of all people When this lot was fallen on her shée was not onely bewailed and sorrowed of king Laomedon her father and of his son Pryamus and her sister Antigona and of her cofins and allyes but of al the people men women and children notwithstanding their wéepings nor the good renoume of her could not saue her shee was put to the disposing of the monster The noble virgin was ready to obey the king Laomedon and brought héereupon to the sea side accompanied with nobles ladies and
or maintaine the contrarie which offer Laomedon would not receiue Then Hercules required him that at the least he would deliuer him his horses that he had promised him for the victory of the monster Laomedon answered him that he would deliuer him none Wherefore said Hercules Laomedon answered for as much as it is my will and pleasure so to doo Ha false and vntrue king said Hercules thou withholdest mee the prise and reward of my labour and thou yéeldest me euill for good I sweare to thée by the puissance of all my gods that as I haue deliuered Troy perpetually by my club from the monster of the sea and consequently from the sword of pestilence in like sort and euen so by the same clubbe I will yéeld and render vnto Troy the pestilence or death and warre if the goddes giue mée the grace and I haue intention for to make the Troyans say that they were happie that died in the time of the pestilence that is past Hercules full of great ire departed with these words and left there the king Laomedon that set little store by that he had said to him for he trusted and put all his affiance in the strength of the walles of his Citie and hee thought that no man might anoy nor gréeue him And then Hercules went againe to his shippe and mounted on the sea with his club and his shéepe and with his fellow Theseus Philotes held himselfe well happie for to haue béene vanquished of one so valiant a man as Hercules was and he tooke on him the office for to beare his harnesse in all places where he went What shall I say from Troy vnto Thebes fell nothing worthie to be put in memorie that is of record In the ende he arriued in Greece and knew by some certain man there that the king Euristeus was in Thebes whereof hee had great ioy for he thought he saw the ladie Megara which hée deesired to sée by great desire He went then vnto Thebes where he was solemnly receiued of the king Creon which had him in great good account for his valiance One and other came and welcomed him he sent his shéepe and muttons vnto the king Euristeus by Philotes Philotes himselfe told and recounted how Hercules had conquered them and him also and how hée had slaine his giant at the passage Of these tidings was the king Euristeus passing ioyous and so were all they that were there or heard speake of it Euerie man glorified Hercules Ladyes and Gentlewomen came and welcomed him Among all other Megara fayled not shee came to Hercules and welcomed him and well became her to welcome and make him chéere For shée was wise and of good manners and certes her comming gaue more solace vnto Hercules then all the louings and praysings that were then giuen vnto him albeit that all the world praysed and exalted him for this voyage aboue all the Greekes And the shéepe were so desired that kings bought them for the weight of gold wherefore the Historiographers and Poets put this conquest in perpetuall memorie writing among his déedes in this wise Substulit mala aurea that is as much to say that hee bare away the muttons of gold for as much as they were estéemed at prise of the weight of gold For Mala in Gréeke is as much to say as shéepe in English or muttons in French and so recounteth Boccace in his genealogie of gods and so approueth Varro which writeth likewise in his Booke de Agricultura By this conquest the name of Hercules beganne to flie in heigth and excellencie The Poets haue fained vpon this Historie that the daughter of Athlas had a garden kept night and day by a serpent waking wherein grew Apples of gold and that Hercules slewe this serpent and gathered and bare away the Apples By this garden is vnderstood the Ile by the serpent waking the subtill giant commised to kéepe it that alway awooke at the passage And by the apples of gold be vnderstood the shéepe estéemed to the valour of the weight of fine gold After then this presentation made to Euristeus of the shéepe or muttons as each man maruailed of the prowesse of Hercules Philotes added and gaue to his ouercomer Hercules prayses vpon prayses and lauds vpon lauds and honour vpon honour For hearing kings and princes ladies and gentlewomen and seeing that Hercules held his peace at things whereof he might haue embraced honour and worship he declared from point to poynt his aduenture not credible of the monster of Troy and shewed the club wherewith he had put him to death but after that hee rehearsed the honour and grace that he had gotten in Troy and the wrong that Laomedon had done to him he said so much thereof that they enterprised all to go to warre vppon the king Laomedon for to take vengeance of the wrong that he had done to Hercules CHAP. XLIII ¶ How Hercules had battaile against the king Laomedon and how he vanquished and destroyed Troy the first time IT is not possible that my pen can write the grace and excellent renoume that Hercules gat in Greece at his coming from Troy The kings and the princes reputed themselues happie and fortunate for to haue their reigne in his time Amphitriō his father putatiue began to haue him in grace and came into Thebes to him His mother Alcumena came also and certes she fayled not to haue aboundance of ioy when she might set her eyes to sée her sonne which was so greatly renowmed The noble Lady had not séene him in long time before she sawe him tryumphe in honour in valiaunce and in prowesse annoyes griefs and displeasures that she had for him because that he was named the sonne of Iupiter whereof she helde her selfe innocent were then all forgotten and putte in oblyuion The feaste was great in Thebes for the loue of Hercules men spake not of any thing but of him and of his prowesse Creon Euristeus Egeus Amphitrion and many other assembled them togither and made theyr musters and assemblies for to go vnto Troy By space of time theyr army was ready and then they tooke their leaue and Hercules was made captaine of this armie He went to the sea accompanyed with the kings aboue said and ten thousand men all chosen for the nonce At the time conuenient the mariners disancred and went to sayle They sayled so long by theyr course without stay or letting that yet during theyr victualles they came on a daye into Frigie vnto a porte of a Cittie named Laryse being nigh to Tenadon This cittie was of the demeane of Troy for which cause the Greekes assayled it and tooke it by force of armes and after that ryfled it and tooke all that was therein And when they had spoyled it they wente to Tenadon which was a gentlemanly Cittye they assayled it and tooke it as they did the citie of Larise and they put therein the fire and burned it so that the ayre was
enflamed in such wise that it was séene in Troy how the Citie burned The assault of Tenadon dured not long for asmuch as the Troyans were not aduertised of their coming When they sawe the ayre so enflamed for to sée from what place the flame came they mounted and went vppon the high towres and buildings of Ilion and looking toward Tenadon sawe that the Cittie was all on a fire whereat they that sawe it were right sorye and greatlye abashed About this they looked into the sea and espyed then there the flote of the Greekes whereof they were more abashed then they were before And then without any longer tarying they descended and went down into the hall of King Laomedon and sayd to him Alas Syr what is best to bee doone the Greekes come vpon vs with aright great flote we haue seene them and know them The strong Hercules menaceth you for to destroy your cittie Certes I beléeue it is he For now for the beginning of the feast he hath burnt Tenadon and that is it that causeth the ayre to be full of fire The King Laomedon hearing this tyding began to sighe and tast of the euill and trespasse that hée had committed and doone against Hercules This notwithstanding for to giue courage vnto his men and to his sonne Pryamus that was at that time of the age of xx yeare he did cause to sound to Armes and made him ready and with his armes shewed a right fierce and hardy semblance This doone he armed Pryamus his sonne that neuer had bin in battaile before and dubbed him knight after hée tooke him by the hande and issued out of Ilion In issuing out he mette manye Troyans that tolde him that at his port were landed many Greekes that had destroyd Tenadon and vnlesse hée halted him they woulde soone take lande Laomedon with out speaking any worde passed foorth by them that had brought him these tidings and came to a place that was there by Ilion where he found mo then twentie thousand Troyans ready armed And séeing them he began to ioy in himselfe and called the principals sayd to them Lords ye be renowned in all the world by the high prowesse of your auncestours Before that Troy was walled they defended it with the sworde agaynst their enemies the renowmed king Iupiter of Crete could not get this Citie nor the Thessalonians by their warre might neuer subdue this Citie It is nowe happened this day that a new assemblie of enemies come vpon this Citie and as men say they haue put the fire in Tenadon let vs go receiue them couragiously and let vs make of them like as our fathers haue made with other c. When the Troyans had heard these wordes of theyr King they answered all that they would liue and die with him for the weale of the Citie and that they had intention to kéepe his honour and for to make growe their auncient glorie Without holding of long processe the King Laomedon did then display all his banners After he issued out of Troy setting and trayning his men in good order And then as he began to conduct and lead them foorth sodainly hée heard at the port a passing great noyse and bruite of Trumpettes Clarions and Tabours of the Greekes Then his bloud began to chafe then his haire of his heade began to stande vppe hée knewe that they were his enemyes and as soone as they knewe the Greekes without holding of any order nor measure they dislodged them and began to runne to the port one before an other When they approched the port they espyed the Greekes that landed with great forces Then they chalenged them vnto the death and ran vpon them sharpely The Greekes were furnished with good armours and put them to defence and began to skirmish the one with the other so vnmeasurably that in the aboording and méeting there were many dead and hurt Hercules was there among the Greekes He began to fight sharpely among the Troyans and had his club Certes he welcommed them in such wise that the most strongest of his enemies durst not abide him he fought fiercely in desire of reuengement in coueting of worship and to get him a name Lifting vp his hand he shewed to the Troyans his club and made them to féel the weight therof the strength of his arme and he labored so earnestly and did so valiantly that they that saw him doubted him more then death and sayd the one vnto the other behold Hercules but come not néere him It were folly so to do all that he reacheth he sleaeth and breaketh to péeces We do euill to fight against him this is the deliuerer from the terrible seruage and thraldom of Troy how should we resist his club whē the huge dreadfull monsters be by the same put to the foile c. Such were the words of the Troyans Hercules fought agaynst them fiercely he was stout and stable he went before all the Greekes followed him and tooke a pleasure to behold him The cry was great about him What shall I say he fought vntill the night and neuer ceased vntill the going downe of the Sunne and then the Troyans sounded the retrait and they departed both parties Laomedon put his sword into his sheath which was all bloody with Greekes blood and in likewise did Priamus his son They reentred into their Citie after the skirmish they concluded that on the morrow they would furnish their enemies with battell And the Greeks furnished them in the champaine and made good cheare for they had lost but litle of their people at their comming on land This night passed ouer when the day appeared to the Troyans and the Greekes each in his maner made him ready to the battell many of the Troyans would gladly haue broken this battell and prayed vnto king Laomedon that he would render and deliuer to Hercules the horses that he ought to him Laomedon would not do it but aunswered that he doubted nothing his enemies He had then about fifty thousand of fighting men all readie of these fiftie thousand he made two battailes one of twentie thousand and that he led himselfe and the other of thirtie thousand of which hée made Priamus captaine This done he issued out of Troy with twentie thousand fighting men and came vnto the fields entring vpon the Greekes c. When the Greekes espied king Laomedon comming they were full of ioy as they that were readie for to receyue them at the point of their speares and with hewing of their swords They had made of their host foure battailes In the first was Hercules And in the second was Amphitrion and Theseus And in the third was the king Creon and in the fourth was Euristeus Hercules then that had the first battaile marched when it was time agaynst the King Laomedon and he had foure auncient knights well appoynted in the feates of Armes that set and conducted his folke in array and order They marched so nigh the one
the companye of Pryamus and wist not where he was become c. At this enterméeting and skirmish Laomedon was out of the prease and refreshed him When he heard saye that his sonne Priamus was taken he was therefore passing sorowfull and had so great paine that the sweat came to his heart and from thence vnto all his members wherefore he went himselfe againe to battell halfe out of his mind the battell was then fell and enuenomed and there was most hard fighting But for to augment and increase the ouer-great sorrow of this Laomedon he found that his folke had the worse and losse and litle fought On the other side hée saw the horions and strokes of the Greekes so great and so vnmeasurable that his men were brought out of ranke and the arayes broken and charged with so heauy stookes of the heauy swords that they went and turned backe and began to flie and then when it came to the discomfiture Laomedon abode not with the last but entred againe into his Citie as hastily as he might The Greekes followed the Troyans eagerly and so nigh that they entred in with them with great effusion of blood Hercules was the first that wa◠the gate and as for the Greekes he was porter and put in all them that were of his knowledge Many Troyans passed by the cutting of the sword and many fled away by the fields and bushes When Laomedon saw that by force his Citie was taken and put in the hands and gouernance of the Greekes right sore discomforted and all in despaire he tooke his daughter Exione and Antigone and his most precious iewels and gemmes and fled away priuily thinking that his enemies woulde make there a right great destruction and pilling as they did For when Hercules had put his men within the Citie he let his men robbe and pill Thus the Troyans were persecuted The chanels were tempred with their blood The houses were beaten downe and the great riches were put into prayes and of all the goodes of the Citie there were left nothing whole but the pallace of Ilion whither the ladies and the maides were withdrawne Hercules would in no wise destroy this pallace forasmuch as the ladies made to him a request for to spare it At this prise Hercules sought long Laomedon in the pallace of Ilion and in all places of the citie but he could heare no tydings of him wherefore he was sore displeasant and when he had beaten downe the walles that had béene made with the money of the gods he departed thence and returned into Grece with great glorie And in this wise was Troy destroyed the first time Wherefore I will thus now make an ende of this first booke and will begin the second booke where shall be shewed how Troy was reedified how it was destroied the second time And how Priarnus raysed it and made it againe In continuing the noble labours of Hercules nowe new begun c. Thus endeth the first booke of the collection of the gathering togither of the histories of Troy The Table of the first Booke of the Collection of the Hystorie of Troy THe beginning of this Booke sheweth the genealogie of Saturne and of the couenant and promise that he made to his brother Titan and how he tooke in hand mortall warre against Iupiter his owne sonne Cap. 1. Pag. 1 How Saturne was crowned first king of Crete and how he found diuerse sciences wherefore the people helde him in great honour as a god cap. 2. pag. 6 How Saturne went to Delphos and had answere how hee should haue a sonne that should chase him out of his realm and how he maried him to his sister Sibell cap. 3. pag. 9 How Saturne had commaunded to slea Iupiter that was new borne and howe his mother Sibell sent him to king Meliseus where he was nourished cap 4. pa. 17 ¶ How after the death of King Corinthus of Corinth his two sons Dardanus and Iasius stroue which of them should haue the Kingdome and Dardanus slew his brother Iasius by treason wherefore he must departe out of the country Chap. 5. Page 21 Of the great warre that was mooued betweene the Pelagiens and the Epiriens and how King Lycaon of Pelage was destroyed by Iupiter because of a man put to him to hostage which king Licaon did roste Chap. 6. pa. 25. Howe Iupiter after the discomfiture of king Lycaon transformed himself in guise of a religious womā of the goddesse Diana for the loue of Calisto daughter of the sayd Licaon and did with her his will Chap. 7. pa 33. How Calisto for asmuch as she was with childe the goddesse Diana putte her out of the order of her companye Chap. 8. pa. 40. Howe Titan assayled by warre his Brother Saturne for asmuch as hee had not put to death all his children males Chap. 9. pag. 43. How Iupiter with ayde of King Meliseus of Egipt deliuered Saturne his father and Sibil his mother out of the prison of Titan and slew Titan in battaile Chap. 10. pa. 51. How Iupiter vanquished Titan in the field and cast him in the riuer Chap. 11. pa. 58 How Iupiter and Saturne reconciled them togither and how Iupiter by commaundement of his father went for to destroy the king Apollo of Paphos and of the medicine of Esculapius Chap. 12. pa. 59 How Iupiter with great ioy espoused his sister Iuno and how the King Saturne began warre against Iupiter his sonne Chap. 13. pa. 63 How they of Crete when they had heard the commaundement of Saturne were sore troubled and greeued and how they rose mooued themselues against Iupiter his sonne Chap. 14. pa. 66 Howe King Saturne with all his great hoste came before the citie of Arcadia against Iupiter c. chap. 15. page 68 How Iupiter sent his ambassadours to his father Saturne c. chap. 16. pa. 70 Howe Iupiter vanquished Saturne his father in battaile c. chap. 17. pa. 74 How Acrisius had a daughter named Danae the which he did put in a tower chap. 18. pa. 79 How Iupiter in the guise of a messenger brought vnto the towre of Dardane iewels c. chap. 19. pa. 83. How Iupiter in the guise of a messenger with many iewels came againe c. chap. 20. pa. 88 How Iupiter came from his chamber by night and lay in the tower of Dardane c. chap 21. pa. 97 How the king Tantalus of Frigie assayled by battaile the king Troos c. chap 22. pa. 102 How the king Troos chaced in battaile the king Tātalus c. chap. 23. pa. 106 How Saturne by the ayd of Ganimedes and of the Troyans returned into Crete c. chap. 24. pa. 111 How Iupiter againe discomfited king Saturne in battaile and Saturne was put to flight by the sea Chap. 25. pa. 117 How Iupiter after he had sacrificed the Eagle pursued the Troyans c. chap. 26. pa. 120 How the king Troos and Ilion his sonne made great sorrowe for Ganimedes
Madame I knowe and wote well that I haue enterprised a thing that I am vnfitte and not woorthie of This notwithstanding I abyde your mercie and require you that it may please you to receyue mée into your grace in such wyse that shortly I may sée the day of our marryage c. When Megara vnderstoode the words of her loue Hercules she in heart reioyced with great solace and much ioy notwithstanding she was abashed and all shamefast she aunswered thus Alas Hercules by what fortune finde I mee in the grace of so gentle a man as yée hée Your excessiue prowesse your glorious labors your resplendant vertues be so much of value that ye are worthie to haue to wife the floure of Ladies and the choise With these wordes the gentlewomen came there vnto them to beare their conferences of loue And saide vnto Megara that it was time for to withdraw her for to dine Megara sorrowfull of hastie departing and that she had no more space to reason with her loue that she might not atchieue her purpose by constraint toke leaue of Hercules went into the hall al ful fed with loue and Hercules abode in the garden glad ioyous of the swéet enswere that he had receiued When the Ladyes then had left Hercules in the garden as soone as they were gone Hercules assembled Euristeus and Amphitrion and sayd to them that he had great desire and will to bee married and prayed them that they would go to king Creon to know if he would giue him his daughter Megara They spake to king Creon of this marriage the king heard them speake right gladly for the matter pleased him and answered that he might no where better bestow his daughter then to the most noble man of the world Hercules whom he loued as his owne son which was so valiant and so noble and had no fellow like vnto him and that he was content to giue to him his daughter and all with her that hee would demand Euristeus and Amphitrion thanked the King of his curteous answere Megara and Hercules were sent for the king made them to troth-plyte each other with great ioy of both parties After this processe of time the day of the espousals and marriage was celebrated with glorie triumph honour and ioy What shall I say they lay together without more adoo and liued together right honestly Anon after the solemnitie of this marriage Hercules came to King Creon prayed him that he would dub and make him knight for as much as they of the realme of Iconie were come vnto him and had chosen him for to be king of their citie for his good renoume The king Creon ioyous of that that he was chosen for to be king of Iconie answered that hee would accomplish his desire but hee would that this should be done at a certaine day assigned saying that then he would make a right noble feast where men should ioust and turnoy and that he would cause to come thither all the Kings and the Princes of Grece Hercules accorded and agréed to the counsaile of the King and then the King sent his messengers vnto all the Kings of Grece and prayed them to hee at the chiualrie and dubbing knight of a noble man that shall hold a solemne sport at a day named and set for to aunswere all them that shall come to the ioustes The renowme of this foresayde feast was anon borne and knowne vnto all the reignes of Grece the prouision and ordinaunce was great in Thebes one and other disposed them for to be there the tyme passed and the day came many a king knight was come at that time to Thebes Theseus and Iason the sonne of King Eson were there amongst all other The kings made a great stirre and great pompous shewes about ten of the clocke before noone The king Creon went into the place that was ordained arayed and ready for the iousts At a corner in the same place there was a tent In this tent was Hercules all alone That same time the Ladies and gentlewomen went and mounted vppon the Scaffolds the iousters came into the place no man knew nor wist not who was this new knight What shall I say When the king Creon sawe that the knights were come in on all sydes and that the ladies were gone vpon the scaffoldes hée sent for Hercules and made him knight after their statutes And then Hercules mounted vpon his horse tooke his Speare and his Shéeld and chalenged them that were there to the end that each man should do his deuoyr And then one and other that desired to haue worship tooke their speares and ran agaynst Hercules and beganne a iousting that was right hote and sharpe Their speares were strong and brake not easily but they met often tymes and some were ouerthrowne and smitten downe off theyr horses They that might not ioust agaynst Hercules assayed each other like to like Iason and Theseus iousted oft times agaynst Hercules and Pirothus sonne of king Ixion in like wise All they that I name bare themselues right valiantly Notwithstanding aboue all other Hercules abode all men and no man might abide his strokes but he bare them all down except Iason which encountred him diuerse times and gaue him many great strokes Hercules bare downe Theseus to the earth and Pyrothus well neare fiftie strong knights He did shew so much valour that no man abode in the place but Iason and he And then he left and ceased the ioustes for the valiancie that Hercules found in Iason and euer after he had a speciall loue to him and tooke acquaintance of him and feasted him and made him great cheare At the end of this iousting knights ladies and gentlewomen went vnto the pallace There was Hercules made king of Iconie The feast was great and rich more then I can rehearse the strangers were greatly feasted and highly thanked in common What shall I make long processe When all the feast was passed with honour and glorie of Hercules and there was no more to do whereof any memorie is for to speake of Pirothus praied al them that were there to be at his wedding in Thessalonique at a certaine day named Each man promised him to go thither and bée thereat Euery man tooke leaue of Hercules when time was come of departing and each man returned into his Countrey and place and they could not inough maruaile of the glory abounding and likely to abound flourish and fructifie in Hercules which was very courteous and humble and was not proud for the grace that he had in temporall honour and renowme He was so vertuous that he was not the more high minded therfore nor enhaunced himselfe but the more méeked and submitted himselfe CHAP. III. ¶ How the Centaures rauished Hypodamia at the wedding of Pirothus and how Hercules recouered her againe and vanquished in battaile the Centaures FOr to continue our matter then when Hercules sawe approch the day
that he fell downe dead vnto the great gréefe and amasing of the other giants For in beholding the are dyed with the bloud of Curyens their captaine they were al abashed Then began Hercules to smite more and more vpon the giants there was none then so resolute but he was affraide nor none so hardy but he began to hide himselfe and tremble for feare His strokes were not to be born but he put his enimies out of araye and vnto flight Fynally with the helpe of Iason of Theseus and of Pirothus that were meruailous valiant they vanquished and chased them vnto a riuer where twelue of them saued themselues in passing and swimming ouer and all the remnaunt of them were persecuted vnto the death saue only Lyncus that Hercules helde prisoner for as much as at the discomfiture he prayed him of mercy and yéelded him vnto him Thus were the Centaures destroyed more by the strength ond hand of Hercules then by any other When Hercules had so fought that there were no mo of the Centaures vpon the place he and his fellowes returned vnto Hypodamia and brought her againe vnto the Cittie with great tryumphe What shall I say the Ladies recouered ioye by the recoueraunce of Hypodamia and renewed and beganne againe the feast that dured afterward eyght dayes right great and sumptuous c CHAP. V. ¶ How Pluto rauished Proserpina and how Orpheus went for her into hell and how the queene Ceres came vnto the wedding of Pirothus and how Theseus Pirothus fought with Cerberus porter of the sayd hell c. IN this time that is to wit a little before the wedding of Pyrothus as Pluto the king of Molose sonne of Saturne and brother of Iupiter sayled and went by sea séeking his aduentures so long hée sayled that he arriued in Sicill and hee founde there nigh by the waters side a right great assembly of Sicyliens that halowed the feast of their goddes When Pluto saw this feast he did arme twentie of his company vnder their robes or garmentes and went in this manner for to sée the feast for to wit if he might finde any booty This Pluto was the greatest théefe and the most lecherous man in all the world and had with him a Giant named Cerberus enough like vnto Pluto of conditions and of courage but he was much more stronger and more puissant of body All the other were great as giants and had learned nothing els but for to practise harme and mischéefe and could none otherwise doo WheÌ„ then the Sicilians sawe Pluto come and his fellowes they supposed that it had béene some of their neighboures that came for to sée theyr playes and sports for as much as they came clothed in theyr garmentes and sawe none of theyr armour nor harneis And they enforced them to sing and daunce But Certes their songs and theyr daunces were not continuing nor dured long for in coming vnto them there the king Pluto cast his eyes aside and sawe there the Quéene of that countrey that beheld the feaste and by her her daughter that made a garland of floures The mother was named Ceres and the daughter was called Proserpina was maried vnto a noble man named Orpheus that sate beside her and played on the Harpe This Proserpina was passing meruailous fayre Anon as Pluto had séene her he desired and coueted her and aduertised his folke secretlye of her and after came nigh vnto her that he set hands on her and layd her on his backe and bare her away When Orpheus and Ceres saw Proserpina so taken away they cryed out piteously and lamentably vnto Pluto With this crye the Sicilians left their feast and ran after Pluto in great number men and women hoping to haue reskewed Proserpina But when Cerberus and his complices sawe the vprore they drew out theyr swordes and shewed theyr armes and smote vpon them that approched them and sleaing them aboundantly they retyred and went vnto the port Maugre the Ciciliens and Orpheus They guided Pluto into his ship and after they entred and then disancred and carryed awaye Proserpina The Cicilians were then dispurueied of armes They coulde not withstand the taking away of Proserpina At the departing from the porte was made the most sharpe lamentation and sorrowe that could be Proserpina wept sore on the one side piteouslye and cryed right highe and loude Ceres on the other side with the Cicilians made no scarcitie of teares and Orpheus fayled not to furnishe his teares with déepe sighes for he loued Proserpina and she loued him also At their departing their hearts were brought to a hard and grieuous distresse with so great anguish that Proserpina fel downe in a sounde and Orpheus was so rauished with anger that he returned vnto his Pallace when he had lost the sight of Proserpina and held him close in his chamber with out speache two dayes At the ende of two dayes Ceres 〈◊〉 disâ—e Orphâ—â— that would neither eate nor drinke 〈◊〉 sayd in him that 〈◊〉 knew well the rauishour of her â—â—â—â—der that it was Pluto the king of Molose and thei 〈…〉 a part of Thessaly in a lowe and base Cittâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—ied Hâ—ll for as much as in this I le King 〈◊〉 complices old so much harme and euil that 〈◊〉 compared vnto dâ—â— is and theyr cittie was named Heâ—◠〈◊〉 Orpheus vnderstood that Proserpina was in heâ—â— he 〈◊〉 â—â—ile hope in himself and eate and dranke and made 〈◊〉 that he would neuer rest in place vnto the time that 〈◊〉 bin in Hell for to sée Proserpina After that he had eaten he sent for his marriners and bad them to make ready a ship When the ship was furnished with all that it behoued after the leadâ— and congâ—e taken of the Quéen Ceres in habi◠〈◊〉 he entred alone into his ship with his harpe and 〈◊〉 marriners to sayle foorth on the sea in such â—â—se that he arriued at one of the portes of Thessalie Orpheus went there a land and after he commaunded his Marriners that they should abide him in the same place vntill a certayne time that hée named After he departed and went from countrey to countrey so long for to dispatch his matter that hee came to the gate of hell which Cerberus kept and there hée beganne to playe on his harpe right swéetely and melodiously When Cerberus heard the sound of the harpe hâ—â— lifted vp his head on highe and came out of the gate for to know who was he that played so melodiouslye and by the sound of the harpe he found Orpheus and thinking that Pluto would gladly heare him for to reioyce Proserpina that alway wept he made him enter into the citie and brought him before the King Orpheus then began to play againe on his harpe When the King Pluto had heard him he tooke therein good pleasure and so did al they that were there by him Then Pluto sent for to séeke Proserpina When she was come and heard him play with his harpe
by his play she knew well that it was her husband then shée was sore abashed and whereas shée had sore wept before she kept as much more after Pluto was sorte for the sorrow that Proserpina made and saide to Orpheâ—s if hee could so play with his harpe that the ladie should cease her wéeping hee would giue him what hee would aske of him Orpheus promised and assured him that hee would doo it And Pluto sware to him that hee would hold and kéepe his promise if he so did And then Orpheus sette and tuned his harpe and played diuerse songs so swéetely that the infernall Ceberus and many other fell asléepe and also Proserpina by the meane of certaine tokens and signes that Orpheus made with his eyes ceased of her wéeping When Pluto sawe Proserpina so ceasing her wéeping hee was passing ioyous hee awoke then Cerberus and the other that slept after he spake to Orpheus and said to him that he had so well harped that no man could do better and that hee would that he should demand something and he would giue it him without any faile Orpheus hearing the words of Pluto had great perplexitie in himselfe for to knew what thing he might demand in the ende he sayde to him Sir I am Orpheus the husband of this ladie and for her loue I haue enterprised to come hither in this case nowe I pray and require you that yée will giue and render her againe to mee that I may bring her againe vnto her mother that dyeth for sorrowe When Pluto had heard the request that Orpheus had made hée was all amazed at the hardinesse that Orpheus had shewed how be it he answered to him Orpheus ye haue demanded of mee Proserpina she is the Ladie that I most loue of all the world Neuerthelesse for to accomplish the promise that I haue made to you take hir vpon condition that ye bring her out of this Citie without looking or beholding after or behinde you and if it happen that yee once looke behinde you ye shall loose her At this answere Orpheus was content and it séemed to him that his wife was as good as recouered or woonne hee and Proserpina passed ouer that night in good hope When the morning was come Pluto deliuered Proserpina to Orpheus on condition afore rehearsed Orpâ—â—â—nd Proserpina tooke leaue of king Pluto and thanâ—◠〈◊〉 after they went on their way but hee had not gone halfe way to the gate when Orpheus priuily looked behinde him for to sée if any man followed him and then hee found at his héeles Cerberus that tooke Proserpina away from him and yéelded and deliuered her againe vnto the king Orpheus séeing that by his vnhappinesse he had lost his wife beganne to curse the day that he was borne and came after and followed Proserpina and beganne againe to harpe and to offer great gifts for to recouer her againe but it was saide to him for conclusion that hee should neuer haue her againe and also that if he had vsed the feats of armes as he had the strings of the harpe he should haue died With this conclusion Orpheus departed from hell full of sorrow and anguish and returned into Sicill vnto the quéene Ceres telling to her his aduenture The quéene being acertained that her daughter was in hell as she that was aduertised that in Thessaly should be halowed the feast of the wedding of Pyrothus and that there were many knights of great name she went to the sea and came fitly to Thessalonica while the feast yet endured In approching the citie on an after noone as Pyrothus and Theseus were in the field they mether Her armie w s great The seus and Pirothus saluted her she saluted and gréeted them againe and after asked them the estate of the feast of the wedding They tolde and recounted her all After she demaunded of them if there were there no knights of great name and high enterprises when they vnderstoode that she enquired so farre they would knowe what she was and demaunded her name I am sayde she the Ladye Ceres of Sicill Then spake Theseus and sayde Madame ye bée welcome for what occasion demaunde you if in the feast be any knightes of enterprise I can well saye to you that there be truly but notwithstanding I doo wish you I praye you and also require that ye tell and declare vnto vs the cause why ye haue so demaunded c. Syr sayd the Ladye since it pleaseth you to enquire of mine estate so farre knowe ye for certayne that I haue made to you my demaunde for as muche as Pluto the King of Hell hath rauished my daughter Proserpina by which I am hurt vnto the death and I would fayne finde some knight that of his courtesie woulde imploye him for to get her againe and yéelde her to me and for to assaile the cursed tyrant who I pray the goddes may be damned and confounded euerlastingly for his demerits Wherefore I praye you if ye know any that wil to me be mercifull that it please you for charitie to direct me vnto him Madame aunswered Theseus be ye no more inquisitiue to finde such a knight as ye seeke for in the fauour of all Ladyes I wil be your knight in this worke and promise you vpon myne honour that I will transporte me into hell And the king Pluto shall neuer haue peace with me vnto the time that he hath restored your daughter When Pyrothus heard the enterprise of Theseus he began to breake of his words and sayd to him My brother what thinke you to doo when ye enterprise for to go into hell ye knowe not the boundes nor the situation of that place Hell standeth behinde the inner sea betwéene mountaines and rockes so high that the Cittizens that dwell therein be in continuall darkenes and shadowe and the Entrie is so difficult that it is impossible to come within the Cittie vnlesse the porter consent For here-be-foretime many haue gone thither that be there left and abiding there goeth no man thither that euer commeth againe It is right an hell and each man nameth it hell as well for the situation thereof in so darke and vnlightsome a place as for the inhumanytie and terriblenes of the inhabitants that wayte to doo euill and displeasure to all the world Theseus aunswered vnto Pyrothus and sayde There is nothing impossible vnto a valiant heart The King Pluto is cruell and strong his folke and people tyrannous His Cittie standeth in a Countrey enuyroned with mortall perills Notwithstanding certes the doubt and feare of these things shall neuer â—aunt nor withdrawe my courage but that I will doo my deuoir to atchiue this enterprise and will performe my promise or will haue reproche of all manner of Knightes A manne to kpeepe his owne honoure and worshippe ought not to doubte anye perill what soeuer it shoulde be c. When Pyrothus had heard the noble answer of Theseus he allowed it greatly and sayd
fiercely that he made him stagger and go backe two paces Cerberus would haue auenged him of this stroke and smote vppon Theseus a stroke by so great force that if the noble knight had not turned backe Cerberus had borne and smitten him vnto the earth This stroke of Cerberus fell vpon the earth and entred therein and Theseus smote againe vpon his enemie which had the heart so great that he began to rore as an olde Lion and smote Theseus so fiercely with his sworde that hée all to brake his shéelde and all to frushed his helme that hée was all astonied at the stroke But alway Theseus abode in his place and then Cerberus would haue brought him vnto destruction following the euill aduenture of Pirothus if that fortune had not brought thither Hercules which came so fitly to reskew that Theseus knew not else how to saue him At this poynt when that Theseus was so astonished Hercules that was departed from the sea as is said came to stayres that were cut and made in the Rocke and beholding Theseus all couered with blood and Pyrothus dead hée beganne to descende downe crying to Theseus that he should not bée afeard nor take no dread When Cerberus sawe and heard Hercules he beganne to crie againe and rore and assayled eagerly for to be quite of him Theseus might no more howbéeit that hee was recomfortes with the voyce of Hercules but began to run now here and now there before Cerberus So much then hasted Hercules for to go downe the stayres or degrées in entring the place and as hastely as hée might he cryed to Cerberus and sayde to him Tyraunt cruell let the knight run and come to me thou hast put to death vpon the earth my good fréende Pyrothus whereof I am sorye certaine and if I may I will take vengeaunce on thée for him Cerberus hearing the sentence of Hercules ran no more after Theseus but taryed and behelde Hercules with a fierce looke and aunswered to him So weneth he to auenge his shame that so beléeueth I haue destroyed thy fellowe vnto the death and vnlesse thou excéede him in skill of armes and in bodylye strength an hundred folde double it is folye for thée to come hither For I am Cerberus the porter of hell he that at report of my name all the world trembleth Thus ending his answere Hercules was at the foote of the rocke and he had his club vpon his shoulder Cerberus came against him they smote each other lustily and thus they began a right hard battaile and then Theseus that was passing weary sat at one side by out of the way rested him in drying and clensing his woundes of the bloud that had come out of theÌ„ Hercules beheld then on the one side and séeing Theseus purging and clensing his profound and great woundes hée beganne to imploye the force of his strength and might by such meruaile that with a stroke that he gaue him vpon his helme vpon the right side hée made him to bowe and stowpe vnder his club and to knéele to the grouâ—d with his left knée and at the second stroke in pursuing him hastilye hée made his sworde to flye out of his handes and then he made him to fall on his armes to the grounde and with the thyrde stroke as Cerberus wéende to haue reléeued him and gotten his sworde Hercules smote him vpon the bodye that he made his head réele against a great stone that was thereby after that hée sprang vpon him and bounde his legges with the strength and force of his handes maulgre the giant he tare of the helme of his head and would haue slaine him but Theseus prayed him that he would not put him to death there and that he would bring him into Thessalonica for to die by the sentence of the Quéene Hypodamia c. Cerberus was not then put to death at the request of Theseus Notwithstanding Hercules bound his handes behind his backe and after he made him arise and tooke him by the beard and made him go vpon high on the rocke and there he laid him downe and bound his féete his hands and his necke togither in such wise that he might not nor durst not remooue When he had done so he went downe and entred into the gate of hell and leauing there Theseus hée went so farre that he found the pallace of King Pluto and there came into the same hall where Pluto was with Proserpina All they that were there maruayled at him when they saw him entred for they knew nothing of the ouercomming of Cerberus as they that left all the charge and keeping of their Citie to Cerberus without hauing any doubt or suspition and also they were so farre from the gate that they might not heare of the battaile nor knewe nothing what was befall to their porter Then when Hercules had founde Pluto and Proserpina hee had great ioy and knew by tokens and markes of them there béeing that it was hée he addressed him to Pluto and sayd Pluto by thy malice Sicil is now all full of wéeping and of teares for the rauishing of this Ladie which thou hast not willed to yéeld and render againe to her husband Orpheus I wote not what pleasure thou hast therein but I will say to thée that thou shalt receyue great displeasure in following the euill aduenture of Cerberus whom I haue vanquished and ouercome c. With these words Hercules lift vp his club and gaue such a stroke to Pluto that he ouerthrew him to the earth so that he moued neither hand nor foote When he had so beaten Pluto thinking that he had béene dead hée assayled all them that were there that made any murmur and put them all to death lightly with his club in the presence of Proserpina which trembled for feare Then he comforted Proserpina and sayd to her that he was come vnto that place for to deliuer her and for to bring her again to her mother and that she shuld boldly follow him Proserpina assured and resolued was comforted with these words of Hercules and followed him Hercules opened the hall and went out and Proserpina with him After he addressed him vnto the gate of the Pallace and it happened to him that he found there a right great companye of Cittizens that were aduertysed of this affray and they ran vpoÌ„ him vnmeasurably pursuing him to death When Hercules sawe that he willed Proserpina that she should get her a part After that he enhaunsed and lifted vp his club and began to skirmish with his enimies right vertuously and by so high prowesse that he couered all the entry of the Pallace with these miserable tyrauntes that he flewe smote downe and all forfrushed them and put to death more then foure hundred Finally he wrought so that the other fled and gaue it ouer and then when he saw his euil willers dead and scattered he tooke Proserpina by the hand and lead her out of the gate of
the cittie Theseus that abode and taryed at this gate as is sayd greatly reioyced when he sawe Hercules come againe with Proserpina he arose and went against them and saluted the ladye and presented to Hercules a chayne of a diamond yron that he had founde at the gate and many prysoners bounde that Cerberus had bound withall Hercules vnbounde the prysoners and tooke the Chayne and bound Cerberus with all And when hee had buryed Pyrothus he departed from this hell and tooke his waye with Proserpina Theseus and Cerberus and without great adoo for to speake of made so his iourney that hee arriued there in Thessalonica and deliuered Proserpina to the quéene Ceres and to Hypodamia he presented Cerberus rehearsing to her and the Ladyes how he had slain Pyrothus Hypodamia had so great sorow for the death of Pyrothus that for to recount and tell it is not possible All they of Thessalie likewise made great mourning and sorrowe and sore bewayled their lord What shall I say for to reuenge his death Hypodamia did cause to binde Cerberus to a stake in the theater of the Cittie and there young and olde tormented and vexed him thrée dayes long continually drawing him by the bearde and spitting at him in the vysage and after slew him inhumainly and horriblye And then when Hercules and Theseus Ceres and Proserpina had taryed there a certayne space of time in comforting Hypodamia they tooke leaue togither and Hercules went accompanyed with Theseus towarde the cittie of Thebes But of him I wil now leaue talke and wil come to speake of the aduentures of Lyncus CHAP. VII ¶ How Andromeda deliuered Lycaon from his enimies and how he slew in battaile the king Creon and tooke the citie of Thebes c. WHen Philotes hadde receyued into his guard and kéeping Lyncus and Hercules was gone to the succours of Theseus and Pyrothus as before is sayd the mariners tooke theyr ship and went to the sea and sayled all that day with-out finding of any aduēture But on the morrow betime in the morning fortune that alwaye turneth without anye resting brought to them a great shippe that drewe his course vnto the same place that they came from Of this shippe or galley was Captayne and chéefe Andromedas King of Calcide This Andromedas was Cousen vnto Lyncus When he hadde espyed the shippe where Lyncus was in he made to rowe his gallie abroade and said that he would know what people were therein In approching the ship of Thebes Lincus beheld the gallie of Andromeda and knew it by the signes and flags that it bare In this knowledge Andromeda spake and demanded of the marriners to whom the shippe belonged Anon as Lincus saw and heard Andromeda hée brake the answere of the marriners and cryed to him all on high Andromeda lo héere thy friend Lincus If thou giue me no succour and helpe thou maist loose a great friend in me for I am a prisoner and Hercules hath sent me into Thebes Andromeda hearing Lincus had great anger for he loued well Lincus and called to them that brought him and said to them that they were all come vnto their death And also that they were vnder his ward Philotes and his folke were furnished with their armes and harnesse and made them all readie for to defend themselues and with little talke they of Calcide assayled Philotes and Philotes and his folke employed them at their defence The battaile was great and hard but the ill fortune and mishappe turned in such wise vppon the fellowes of Philotes that they were all slaine and dead Andromeda had two hundred men in his companie all robbers and théeues on the sea These théeues and robbers smote hard and fiercely vppon Philotes and all to hewed his armes striking and giuing to him many wounds and hée buried manie of them in the sea But their strong resistance profited them but little for in the ende he was taken and bound and Lincus was deliuered and vnbound from the bonds of Hercules Lincus had great ioy of his deliuerance he then thanked his good friend Andromeda After this he tolde him how he was taken and how Hercules had dissipated and destroyed the Centaures And among other he named many of his friends that were dead whereof Andromeda had so great ire and such displeasure that he sware incontinently that he would auenge it And that as Hercules had slaine his friend in like wise he would destroy his cousins and kinsmen Lincus tooke great pleasure to vnderstand the oath of Andromeda which would auenge the death of his kinsmen He said to him that Hercules was gone into hell And after demanded him how he would auenge him vpon the friends of Hercules and thereupon they were long thinking In the end when they had long taken aduice Andromeda concluded that hée would go assaile the Cittie of Thebes and if hée might gette it by assault hee would slea the king Creon and all them of his bloud With this conclusion came thither all the gallies of Andromeda which followed in whom he had eight thousand fighting men Andromeda made them to returne toward Thebes and as hastily as hee might hee entred into the Realme wasting and destroying the countrey by fire and by sword so terribly that the tidings came vnto the king Creon When the king Creon knewe the comming of the King Andromeda and that without defiance he made him warre he sounded to armes and assembled a great companie and knowing that Andromeda was come into a certaine place hee issued out of Thebes all armed and brought his people vpon his enemies that had great ioy of of their comming And then they sette them in order against them in such wise that they came to smiting of strokes The crie and noyse was great on both sides speares swords darts guisarmes arrowes and polaxes were put forth and sette a worke Many Nobles were were beaten downe and dead Lincus and Andromeda fought mortally the King Creon and Amphitrion fayled not there was bloud aboundance shed on the one side and on the other And the battaile was so cruell and sharpe then that in little while after Andromeda and his people gatte and wanne vppon them of Thebes and constrained them to retire and for to go backe whereof the king Creon had right great sorrow and wéening for to haue put his men againe in aray put himselfe in the greatest prease of the battaile where he fought mortally and made so great a slaughter and beating downe of his enemies that Lincus and Andromeda heard of the skirmish and then they came togither And as Lincus sawe the king Creon do maruailes of armes hee gaue him thrée strokes one after another and with the fourth stroke he all to brake his helme from his head and slew him whereof they of Thebes were sore afraide and disparred so that they were put to discomfiture and fled which flying Amphitrion might not remedie albeit that he was strong and of great courage
Of this euill aduenture Thebes was right hastily aduertised Megara was gone vp vpon one of the high towers of the pallace and sawe and beheld the battaile and from that place she saw them of Thebes slaine without remedie and also turne their backs The sight of the beating downe of the king her father and the view of the slaughter of other made her to crie out and said Fortune Fortune what mischiefe is héere where is Hercules Alas where hast thou brought him Alas that he is not héere to defend the countrey of his natiuitie and for to kéepe his wife farre from annoy and for to put his hand and shoulders for to beare the great acts and deedes of this battaile When shee had saide this she fell in a swoune and so lay a great while Neuerthelesse the king Andromeda and Lincus followed so hastily them of Thebes that they entred the Citie with them And for as much as the Thebans were without head and put out of aray and that Amphitrion had so many wounds vpon him that all the members failed at this worke the vnhappie Lincus and Andromeda tooke the Citie and flewe all them that might beare armes except Amphitrion whome they found not in the heate After they went vp into the pallace and there they found Megara and Amphitrion in great desolation with many ladies and gentlewomen As soone then as Lincus had espied Megara she was so faire and pleasant that he became amorous of her and came to her and sayd Ladie wéepe no more Hercules the bastard sonne of Iupiter is gone into hell and there he is dead Ye haue béene wife of a man gotten in adulterie from henceforth ye shall be fellow and wife of a man legitimate and borne in lawfull mariage for I will wed you and will do you more good and pleasure then euer yee had Megara answered false traytour wéenest thou that I be so foolish as to giue fayth and credite to the words of the homicide of my father and to the enemie of my lord Hercules Knowe thou that I am his wife and that I will neuer haue other husband but him he is no bastard but sonne of my Lorde Amphitrion and the most noble man that is in all the world Ladie aunswered Lincus I am king of this Citie ye be now at my commaundement will ye or will ye not I shall do my will with you but I will put it in respite and in my sufferance till to morrowe After these wordes Lincus sent Megara into a Tower and made her to bée kept there After he sent Philotes into a lowe prison and finding there in bondage and miserie Priamus the sonne of king Laomedon he had pitie of him and sent him againe to Troy where hée was after receyued with great ioy of the Troyans c. CHAP. VIII ¶ How Hercules entered into Thebes in vnknowne habite and how he put to death the Giant Lincus and his complices and his wife Megara c. BY the sword of Lincus then and of Andromeda Thebes was troubled dolorously Lincus exercised there many tyrannies and wickednesses In this misfortune Andromeda departed and went to do his businesse leauing there Lincus with foure hundred men of warre for to kéepe the citie and to hold it in his obeysance Thus was taken vengeance of the Centaures In the time of this reuenge the Quéene Iuno came into Thebes and had great ioy when shee found it in desolation and full of widowes and orphelins and in the enemyes handes of Hercules then were great the teares and lamentations of Megara Amphitrion was nigh her who vnderstoode all her gréefes and comforted her Lincus came many tymes vnto her into the prison and requested her swéetly to haue her loue and that in the fayrest maner he could Yet his swéete and fayre wordes auayled not for hée found her constant and firme and alway kéeping inviolable her chastitie and gaue him many vertuous aunsweres whereof foloweth one which was the last and this Lincus thou hast now thy hand strong and hast conquered Thebes Fortune and ill hap hath giuen vnto thée the tyranny whereby thou hast enriched thy selfe with vices Thou hast furthermore the power for to commit on mée murther but thy power nor thy sinnes be not so strong nor of such might for to make my vertue to bow in two folde Megara alway bewailed Hercules she lamented so much on a day that shee became all rauished and in a traunce And that same day Hercules that was departed from Thessalonica a good while before made so his iourneys that hée entred into the realme of Thebes accompanied with many noble men And entring into these coasts hée found the countrey all destroyed And he had not gone farre when it was tolde him how Lincus was Lord of Thebes and how he had slaine in battaile the king Creon and had imprisoned Megara c. When Hercules had receyued these tydings he was replenished with great anger and sayd that he would auenge him if he might Then he clad him aboue his armors with a mantle and disguised himselfe as much as he might when he had so done he left there his fellowes and entred himselfe into Thebes vnknowne and passed through the gate and bare him so well that the Porters let him passe foorth and in likewise entred into the Pallace At the entry of the Pallace a souldiour came to Hercules and demaunded of him what he sought there Hercules cast away his mantel a farre and took his sword that was strong and without any worde hee gaue so great a stroke to the souldiour that was not armed that he cleft his head from the highest part downe to the ground Many other souldiours that were there séeing the stroke cried and béeing afrayed ran to their axes and clubs and some were of them that put forth themselues for to take Hercules but Hercules smote off their heads and beat them downe and then began to arise a great vprore and so great a noyse that Lincus heard it And thinking it had béene his porters that quarrelled hée came running downe all vnarmed for to make peace As soone as Hercules perceyued and saw him comming out of the hall he drew vnto him with his sword readie drawne in his hand crying Hercules Hercules and smote him so that he cut off the right arme and with the stroke he fell downe to the ground And after he smote vpon one and other that had no helmes on their heades nor habergions on theyr backes and then they knewe that it was Hercules Hée slew them so thicke that with the bloud that ranne downe was made a right great rushing as if it had béene a riuer Among these things the gentlewomen of Megara issued out of the pallace and went into the stréetes crying with high and cleere voyce that Hercules was come againe and that hee had slaine Lincus With these cryes all the Citie was mooued the good men olde and yong the widowes wiues and maides ranne
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
mortall that Theseus and Affer slewe the king of Cothulie beate downe his banners his recognisances and his Cotuliens and smote so sore with the Iron vpon theyr bodies that they went backe and were constrained to crie after helpe The king of Getulie séeing this euill aduenture came vnto the reskew and found the Cothulians all discomforted At his comming the crye the noyse the tempest and strokes beganne to renew many a valiant act and manie a prowesse was shewes there Many shewed their vertue and strength and manie were slaine there Theseus did there maruailes but alway the Getulians helde them togither and fought against Theseus by the space of thrée houres and lost but few of their people vnto the time that Hercules brought them of the battel of king Antheon to discomfiture made them to flie to saue themselues with the Getulians that then discouraged themselues in such wise that after they had séene the battayle of king Antheon disranked and broken they might not lift vp their armes to defend them but were slayne by little and little and finally they were brought to so straight limits and boundes that they wist not where to saue them And then they fled out of the place dispersed by the fieldes and champaines without leaders guides or captaines And then Hercules put himselfe forth in the prease al before among them that fled first of the Libians so that he came to the gate of the cittie with them and there he began to smite so vnmeasurably that he put to death the Lybians flying thither and the porters and them that would resist him Also he made the Egiptians to enter into the town And Antheon séeing fortune against him in al points fled into his pallace not accompanied as a king but went at large in to the fields by the conduct of foure moores only that brought him into Mauritania after CHAP. XIII ¶ How Hercules fought againe against king Antheon and put him vnto the death BY this maner Hercules and the Egiptians entred into Lybie and subdued it by force of armes And Antheon was fled into Mauritania where he assembled new folke hastily They of Libie yéelded them al to the mercy of Hercules When Hercules had thus daunted them of Lybye and theyr neighbours séeing Antheon he made Affer king and named it after him Affrique and sayd that he fought not for his singular proffit couetousnes but for lyberalytie and for to enhaunce vertue O most valiant and noble Hercules there was neuer man borne among the paynims more liberall more noble nor more vertuous He would not be king of all the world he was liberall and imployed his conquest right well and wisely and gaue all gis gifts aduisedly When he had made Affer king he enquired what lawes they held and established among them the Sacrament of mariage For at that time the women were there all commune and when it happened that the women hadde children they gaue them to the men after their Phisiognomies and thus telleth Aristotle in his politikes Besides this sacrament Hercules ordeyned vnto the Affricans that they should hold the lawes of Gréece and by right wise and politique gouernment made the Affricans lyue reasonably and vertuously And aboue all other things he made them haue the order of mariage in great reuerence When Hercules had ordeined all this tydings came to him that Antheon was come againe to chase him with manye Moores that followed him Then he returned toward Antheon and the Moryans and there smote them downe with his club so deadly that he made it red with theyr bloud and slewe them all and put them to flight so cruelly that Antheon abode alone against Hercules and fought against him body to body by great strength and gaue him many strokes hard to beare But Hercules gaue to him so many and so large strokes that the Giant wist not how to saue him and wéened to haue fled But Hercules that ranne as swiftly as an horse ranne after him and embraced him in his armes with all his might and lifted him vppe into the ayer and bare him ouer the hoste of the Maurytanes And when hée came nighe vnto them hée cast him downe dispiteouslye to the earth that all to brused and forfrushed Antheon abode there dead And his death turned vnto the Moores so great abashement that they lost all theyr strength and puissaunce and were slayne by great excesse without remedy they lost there the king Antheō the king of Mauritane the king of Tingie and many other kings and all the honourable of the battaile for in the end they all fled in which flight was taken and subdued to the segnorie of Affrique the Citie of Mauritans CHAP. XIIII ¶ How Hercules and Theseus fought togither agaynst the two Damosels of Scythie c. IN remembrance of this victorie Hercules did make in the field a statue or image of a man sléeping in the place where he had put to death Antheon and there vnder hée did burie the bodie of Antheon And anon as the image which was made of the bone of an Elephant was set vp there the necke of the the image began to sound like as it had bene a man sléeping wherefore the Moores had afterward the sepulchre in great reuerence and worshipped the idoll After this statue thus accomplished by Hercules he went by Tingie and Ampeloste and by many other Countries and conquered all the countrey that now is called Affrique and gaue all to Affer and Affer returned into Libie and there he found Echée his wife dead by a grieuous sicknes wherfore he tooke made sorrow so great that it was maruell Then to forget this sorow he tooke leaue of king Affer and the Egyptians and had thought to haue departed thence but as he was in taking leaue a damosell strangely arayed came vnto him and said Lord of Libie the Quéene of Scythie Ladies of Egypt of Cappadocie and of Asie haue sent me vnto you which ladies haue conquered the said contries in taking vengeance of the misfortune of their husbands now late dead and haue abandoned their Countrey because of the great outrage that Vexores King of Egypt made in Scythie And as asmuch as ye be of the linage of the Egyptians they send to you that ye submit you vnto their obeysance for to do with you that that shall please them or else that ye come against them in battaile for to eschew the effusion of blood And they let you know that they haue good right to subdue you and that if there be among you two knights that agaynst two of them will do feates of armes to trie their liues they will deliuer to you two Ladyes in place conuenable vpon condition that if the Ladyes vanquish and ouercome you yee shall bée holden as vanquished and bée a◠their commaundement and if your men ouercome the Ladyes they shall bée reputed as ouercome and shall bée subiect vnto you Hercules hearing this gréeting and
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
armes where yet is seene the print of the handes of the giant shewe in what displeasure I haue been The cursed glutton giant bare mee vnto the depth of a déep valley where death approching by the stroke of your arrow that made him to fall down and he would neuer let me go vntill the last sigh of death Certes I haue suffered a great ieopardy but thankes bee to the goddes since I haue found you againe And know you verily that I am auenged of mine enemie whom I haue seene die miserably whereof I am all reioyced and glad againe CHAP. XVIII ¶ How Hercules fought against the serpent of the moore Lerna and slew him c. DEianira and Hercules kissed eache other by right great loue After Hercules went into the place where the giant lay dead forasmuch as hee found him depriued of his life he let him lie there to the beasts to the birdes and tooke his arrow that lay by him And this was the Arrow that Achilles was slaine with after in the temple of Phebus in Troy for the loue of Polixene Then Hercules and Deianira came againe to the riuer and Hercules set ouer his men and went frō that place into the citie of Lerna The king of this Citie did great honor to Hercules and receiued him as honourably as he could Among diuers talk Hercules demanded him of his tidings The king answered and said that he knew none other but that in a great pallace there dwelled abode a monster half man half serpent that destroied all his realme by common murder For he said that all the men women and children that this monster can finde he slaieth them with his taile that is inuenomed with his clawes armed he deuoureth and destroieth them with his téeth and there escapeth none And so it will come to passe that this countrey be desart for the labourers nor marchantes dare not go by the countrey with lesse companie then two hundred men and if they be lesse the monster assaileth them like as he hath done many other c. Hercules was passing glad and ioyous of these tidings and said to the king Sir I haue laboured yet hitherto for the common weale of manie realmes and yet haue I the will to perseuer and to doe the workes of vertue Know ye then since that I am here arriued I will doe somewhat for the weale of this countrey like as I haue done for many other And I haue intention for to put me in deuoire to morrowe on the way toward the monster and for to abide the aduenture to vanquishe him or to be vanquished of him This monster was called Hydre forasmuch as he dwelled in the waters When Deianira heard the enterprise of Hercules that he would go alone and abandon himselfe in so great perill shee began to weepe and make so great sorrowe that no man might apease her nor make her stint her wéeping Hercules comforted her the best wise he could Athlas Philotes comforted her in like maner and shewed to her the right high and glorious déedes of Hercules for to giue her hope in this aduenture All that might not helpe nor auaile she loued Hercules with all her heart with all her might and puissance She required him with her eies charged full of teares that he woulde abstaine him from so high an enterprise saying that it was no wisedome fo◠a man to expose himselfe to so euident terrible daungers and that the goddes had sent the monster into the country for to correct and chastise the people Notwithstanding that Hercules was very ardently in loue with her yet her teares that she wept nor her praiers nor her reasons can cause Hercules to breake his purpose for to enterprise this aduenture But on the morne earely he cloathed him and departed from Lerne and tooke his way toward the moore whereas was the monster This moore was long and thrée miles in compasse as the Chronicles of Spaine rehearse and all enuironed with fountaines that sprung out of the high mountaines In the middest of this plaine was a great lake or pond wherin dwelled the Hydre on dry land When then Hercules was come to this place the Hydre that neuer slep◠with both eies and that had alway the necke stretched on high and the eares open had anon espied him and sodainly came against him running with great force Hercules abode when he espied the maruellous monster and had great pleasure to see him he was ten foote of heigth and had as a long a taile he was foule and couered with haire he had his body armed and in his right hand held a naked sword and in the left hand he bare a shield Hercules thus beholding him suffered him to come to him Then the monster spake to him and saide poore giant whether goest thou behold this sworde sharply on both sides cutting yet was there neuer man that heard me speake but he died by the point of this sword Forasmuch as I am the most wise creature that euer nature made and that I am accustomed to make a question to such men as I finde and then to destroy them if they cannot aunswere thereto And forasmuch as I find not in my realm any but people as beastes and without vnderstanding I haue therefore destroied their bloud and so will I doe thine if thou canst not assoil a sophisme that I shal make to thee O thou man serpentine said Hercules thine eloquence thy prudence thy cruell sworde foule and polluted with infinite homicides make me nothing abashed ne discourage me I seeke thée and am come hither for to destroy thee And I will assaile not onely one of thy sophismes but as many as thou canst thinke and will that thou well know that if by force of my wit I assaile thy sophismes and fallacious argumentes I will doe vnto thee like as thou wouldest doe to mee and if it happen that thy science may not ouercome mee yet will I that that thou defend thee with armes and that thou kéepe thy life as well as thou canst c. With these wordes the monster made vnto Hercules seuen sophismes one after another all fallacious and subtill then when Hercules had giuen solution to one the monster replied by seuen argumentes Yet Hercules that was full of philosophie and expert in all science aunswered so substantially to all his fallacious argumentes that hee sette hm at a non-plus And for this cause the poets faine that this Hydre had seuen heades as it appeareth in the first tragedy of Seneca and say that when Hercules hadde smitten off one of his heades that seuen other heades came againe in the same place In the end then for to pursue this matter when Hercules had so disputed against the serpent that hee yéelded him to Hercules in such wise as he wist not what to say Hercules said to him Serpent inhumaine wee haue fought long enough with the tongue Take thy sworde I may no longer
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
the tyrants of Hesperie he fouÌ„ded there a temple which he held after in great reuerence Alway as Hercules peopled and inhabited this land hee did cause to bee made pillers or columnes high and maruellous great and set them vpon the sea and vppon euery piller or columne hee did make an image of hard stone in the semblance and likenesse of a knight like vnto Hercules all clad with the skin of a Lion And there was one of the images that held a table wherein was written with letters of gold Passe no further for to seeke land ne go for to conquer further any realms in the West for thou shalt find no more land c. The noble Hercules went then into the countrey whereas standeth now the citie of Siuil which was not then founded and found by his science that there shoulde be builded a citie of great renowme wherefore in memorie thereof he set vp in that place a pillar of hard stones and thereupon set an image holding in his hand written that said That there should be made one of the greatest Cities in the world This land of Galicia appertained to Gerion But then when Hercules had made this pillar aboue-said and set it whereas now standeth Siuill hee had a great will for to begin to build the citie for the couÌ„tray was passing good commodious But Athlas by the science of astronomy counselled him contrary shewing him by certaine signes that it was destinie that another should make the citie And therefore nigh the piller he did make a columne of white marble vpon which stoode the image of Hercules great rich that held one hand against the East wherin was written Here hath been Hercules And with the other hand he shewed the writing that the other image held These thinges accomplished Hercules departed from thence and left to inhabite and keepe the countrey eight hundred men of his of the countrey of Scithia that were strong and expert in armes and with good wil they abode there because the countrey was plentifull Then went Hercules by the banks of the sea into the last and furthermost part of Europe and sailed so farre that he entred into the riuer of Guadiana whereas the tyrant Gerion dwelled and abode in the Citie of Megidda The same time that Hercules entered into the riuer Gerion went vp to the top of an high towre where he might see all about the countrey for to espie if any person came vppon whom he might exrecise his tyrannie He had not bin long there when he beheld the riuer and saw the army of Hercules And seeing this armie he had great ioy for him seemed well that in all haste hee shoulde subdue and ouercome them Without other delay hee assembled his complices and sownded to armes Within a little while all his men that were ready and furnished with arms came vnto him for to know what he would when Gerion was all armed and ready for to go and enter into the battaile he declared to his people his intention after he entred into his gallies as hastily as he might and went from Megidda approching toward the Gréeks Thus rowing forth it hapned him that he met a little boat And from as farre as he sawe it come hee went against it and arested it In this boat were no mo then two mariners Hispan Gerion then called Hispan and demanded of him whither hee went what he was Certes sir answered Hispan I am a Greeke haue intention to go to the king Gerion that is nowe in his city of Megidda for to dispatch a message that I am charged with Messenger sayd the king if yée séeke Gerion yee néed for to go no further forth for I am he whom ye speake vnto Sir answered Hispan since that you be he to whom my message apperteineth I let you haue knowledge in the name of the vertuous Hercules that he is an enemy to your vices and for to correct your great and abominable trespasses and sinnes hée is come into your dominion Messenger answered Gerion how is Hercules so presumptuous as for to come vpoÌ„ me to take vpon him to correct my vices he wote litle with whom he hath to do go to him and tell him that he shall not be let to find me but it shall be too soone for his health and that I will feast him in such wise ere he escape mée as I haue béene accustomed to feast strangers Hispan departed with these words and returned vnto Hercules as hastily as he might and tolde him worde for word what Gerion had sayd vnto him and moreouer hée sayd that he would méete with him right soone all prepared and ready for to begin the battell When Hispan had finished his message the gallies of king Gerion appeared and were séene from farre Hercules and the Gréekes had great ioy and began a right great shouting in sounding trumpets fifes and tabours Gerion and his folke séeing and hearing their enemies they likewise beganne to shoute and to make a marueilous great noyse The aire was then filled with a right great and ioyfull noise In this vprore and outragious noyse the two hostes approched eche other At the approching was not spared darts nor round stones nor arrowes They of Hesperie had great aboundance of daries which they vsed and cast on the Gréekes as it had béene raine The cries redoubled on the one side and on the other so that there were many dead and hurt They were all men of warre ech man bare him valiantly and among all other Hercules hauing the bowe in hand slew as many of his enâ—mies as he shot arrowes The shot dured long When it failed they fought hand to hand Then beganne the battaile to be eagre and hard Gerion shewed himselfe a man boystrous and well expert in armes and put to death many Greekes but for one that he slew Hercules slew ten of the Hesperiens c. At the encounter that the Gallies made there were many hurt and strokes giuen Hercules tooke his clubbe and in smiting one of the Galies that thought to haue grapled and borded his galley hee strooke with so great force that he made it to cleaue asunder and that the water came in so sodainly that the most part of them that were in that galley were drowned and perished without stroke smiting After this Hercules came to another galley and there did he maruailes of armes all they that he raught with his club were dead or sore hurt Some he smote the braines out of the head and of other hee brake legges and armes It seemed to thunder with him hee did so bestir him that eche man fled from him and there was no man that withstoode him or durst abide him When hee sawe this hee put himselfe forth to exploite great affaires He leapt from gally to gally and made so great slaughters that his people by his good example abounded in valour of courage and puissance and the Hesperiens diminished lessened
and also they had so much damage that all thinges went against them And then Gerion cuÌ„sidering that he might not but lose and that fortune was an enemy vnto him he did sound a retrait and so left the battaile CHAP. XX. ¶ How Gerion assailed Hercules the second time before Megidda and how Hercules slewe his brethren and vanquished in his battailes constrained Gerion to flie c. WHen Hercules saw his enimies busie to withdraw them he sounded the retrait and forasmuch as it was nigh night and also because he had enclosed the Gallies of Gerion in such wise that they might not returne into his Citie without passing by him When the two armies were withdrawn Gerion in the darkest of al the night shipped went into the sea and went into the Citie of Valeritia whereof one of his brethren was king put him there in safetie in purpose to make the greatest army that he could to come vpoÌ„ Hercules Hercules after the retrait ankred his Gallies vpon the riuer of Gaudiana and passed there that night On the morrow when he saw that Gerion and his folke were fled were not vpon the sea within kenning he rowed vp into the city of Megidda There he tooke land and assailed fiercely the city The assault was eagre and sharp and the Megiddans defended themselues but they were so disfurnished of men of war that they might not hold it out but opened the towne to the Greekes and yeelded them al to the will of Hercules Thus was Hercules lord maister of the principal city that Gerion had he entred into it and the Greeks with him There had they good daieâ—â— the city was well prouided with vittaile Since they departed out of Greece they found no where so good fortune What shal I say Hercules held him there a space of time searching in what place he might finde Gerion During these things he went vnto the temple for to thank the gods In this temple were many Sepultures garnished with right faire maruellous histories Among all other there was one passing riche for the remembrance of Gerion was there as of a king of fine gold and he was enuironed with 30 kings whose heads were smitteÌ„ off Hercules abode at this sepulture and demaunded of the Citizens wherefore serued the statues images so rich A citizen said to him that there were the sepultures of the noble men of their realm and that the king Gerion had brought vp that custome to make these Sepultures for to haue remembrance of them that were valiant in arms Furthermore said that same man as soone as in this countrey a man hath put a noble maÌ„ to death then he doth to make a remeÌ„brance of that dead man on his sepulture And forasmuch as king Gerion in his time hath slain 30 kings he hath caused this sepulture to be made which you see meaning to be buried here in the end of his daies When Hercules heard this that the Citizen said he answered that he held himselfe happy that he had escaped the sword of such a tyrant that put so many kings to death and made his Orisons his praiers vnto the gods After this he returned to the pallace and there came vnto him the messenger of king Gerion that by the power of his maister commanded him to void the city and the realm or els to make good watch Hercules answered that he was entred into the realm also into the citie with strength of armes and that he would not go out therof vntil the time that one had taken from him his sword and arms by force of arms or vntil the time that he put the countrey in obeysance The messenger returned from Megidda with this answere vnto Gerion and told him what Hercules had answered him Gerion was with his two brethren they tooke the words of Hercules impatiently and sware that they would auenge them of him To make short worke they went to the sea with a great army of men of armes They rowed and sailed with all the strength they might vnto Megidda the winde and fortune suffered them in few daies to come and arriue at the port of Megidda And Hercules was aduertised of their comming who suffered theÌ„ to take land and let them rest that day that they came there they were fiftie thousand men At that time that they came a land it was late When they sawe that the Greekes made no defence at their landing they said one to another that they durst not come and fight with them And weening all to haue wonne aduantage they thereupon concluded that on the morrowe they woulde assaile the Citie right early Vppon this conclusion Gerion and his brethren purueied them of things appertaining to the assault and menaced greatly Hercules and his Greeks for to slea them villanously Hercules and his Greekes were then in Megidda thinking on their affaires not only in the intention for to defend them from their enemies but for to issue out the next day following and for to assaile them by battaile assoone as the night were passed Then a little before the sun rising on the morrow Hercules made two battails In the first hee put a thousand fighting men and enterprised to conduct them In the second hee put the residue of his armie and made Theseus captain of them After this when he hadde right well trained his people and set them in a right good order he admonished them to doe well their deuoire and had in minde to say to them certain things but he might not finish his spéech for that same time Gerion and his brethren their folk made their approches to assaile the citie and made so great a hurly burly and noise that all about it redounded c. When Hercules heard this vproare he did prepare opeÌ„ the gate for to behold sée what new thing was there And at the issuing out he saw his enemies that hasted them to come to the forts and walles with ladders and other Engines fit and necessary to make an assault Then hee began to laugh in himselfe and bad his men to follow him and he went straightway forth for to begin the skirmish And assoone as the porter had opened the gates Hercules marched vnto the Hesperiens bringing his club with him WheÌ„ Gerion saw Hercules come from far he knew him by his skin of the Lyon and by his club and shewed him to his brethren that maruelled of him because he came alone vpon them Luther is our mortal aduersary said Gerion he is full of pride and setteth little by vs Let vs assaile him al three and destroy him it is time al the gold of the world shal not saue him Hercules with these wordes came so nigh the three giantes that he might well speake vnto them and cried vnto them and saide yee euill tyrants lay downe your engines apperteining to assault it is now no time to assaile the citie but it behooueth you to dispose you
fighting by the space of 4. houres and had receiued vpon his arms so many strokes that no man could number them This notwithstanding hee fledde not at all from Gerion but came to him ioyfully and fought against him with so great force that all they that saw it maruelled and after many strokes smitten of Gerion and Hercules Hercules smote him one stroke so great that he al to brused Gerion and beate out the braines of his head and smote the helme vppon his shoulders so that he fell down dead among the dead men in such wise mangled that he abode there dead CHAP. XXII ¶ How Hercules founded the Citie of Corogne vppon the tombe of Gerion SVch was the end of the vnhappy life of Gerion the tyrant he died in like wise as the two brethren did by the club of Hercules When the Hesperiens saw him brought to that passe as for to taste the bitter morsel of death all left their armes All they bewailed sorrowfully the death of Gerion and fell all in despaire So that one staied still to be slaine other fled by desartes by mountaines by the bankes of the Sea and turned all backe in discomfiture When Hercules had espied them so disraied he thanked the Goddes and began for to pursue his enemies The pursuite dured vnto the Euen The Greekes filled the fieldes the mountaines and the waies by the Sea with the bloud of them that fled When the night was come Hercules and the Greeks withdrew them into the Gallies and did eate and drinke such as they had and made ioyfull cheere The hurt men were remembred and comforted with the victory and spoile The wearie men forgat the labour that they had done They rested them after their trauaile passed the night ouer When it was day on the morrow Hercules issued out of his galley And beholding the porte him seemed that a citie should stand well there and said that he would make one there and concluded to begin it Hee sent vnto all places where he wist that any people were thereaboutes and gaue to each man in knowledge that hee was minded to make a citie there and that the first person that woulde come to put hand thereto shoulde haue the gouernment thereof This thing was knowne in all Galicia Manie came thither but a woman named Corogne was the first that came And therefore Hercules gaue vnto her the ruling therof and made to begin the citie and named it Corogne in remembraunce of the victory that hee had there Vpon the body of Gerion he founded a towre and by his art composed and made a lampe burning continually day and night without putting of any thing thereto Which burned afterward by the space of 300. yere Moreouer vpon the pinacle or top of the towre hee made an image of copper looking into the sea and gaue him in his hand a looking glasse hauing such vertue that if it happened that any men of warre were on the sea meaning to doe anie harme to the city sodainly their army and their comming should appeare in this said looking glasse and that dured vnto the time of Nabuchodonozor who being aduertised of the propertie of the glasse filled his gallies with white things greene bowes and leaues that it seemed a wood and in the looking glasse appeared none other thing but a wood Whereby the Corogniens not knowing of any other thing then their glasse shewed to them furnished not them with men of armes like as they had been accustomed to do when their enemies came And thus Nabuchodonozor tooke the citie in a morning and destroied the looking glasse and the lampe When this towre was made Hercules caused then to come thither all the maids of the countrey willed them to make a solemne feast in remēbrance of the death of Gerion After he departed vnto Megidda where were presented to him 100. oxen of the fairest CHAP. XXIII ¶ How Hercules assailed the king Cacus and had battaile against him and ouercame him and how Cacus began to tyrannise in Italy c. AFter this conquest as Hercules intended to people and inhabite this new country tidinges came to him that in the Citie of Cartagene a king giant raigned named Cacus which was passing euil ful of tyranny and had slaine by his cursed dealing the kings of Aragon and of Nauarre their wiues and their children and possessed their seignories and also held in subiection all the countrey of Italy Hercules receiued right ioyously these tidinges and said that by the pleasure of the Gods hee will assay if hee may take vengeance of the death of the kinges of Arragon and of Nauarre Then he disposed him vnto this work and hauing an appetite to correct the king Cacus as soone as his armie might be ready he went vnto the realme of Castile whereas was the king Cacus in the cittie of Cartagene that stood beside a mountaine named Monachaio And hee passed by many realmes that did him obeisance for his vertuous renowme but when hee came to approche to Cartagene the king Cacus came against him without obeysance and in armes for he had been aduertised of his comming And as hee entred into the frontiers hee sent vnto him one of his knights that said to him these words that follow Hercules thou open tyraunt that hast thine heart greater then thy body and that wouldest assaile the heauens for to conquer them if the Gods had giuen thee winges for to flie as the birdes haue If thou seeke peace and loue vnto the king Cacus thy equall in condition and fortune I salute thee in his name and if thou come otherwise to him as his enemy I defie thée in his name And in no wise be thou so hardy as to enter into his countrey And if thou enter know thou that thou shalt find in Cacus and in the Castiliens so hard an encounter that from thy euill aduenture shall no man of thy company bée quit c. Knight aunswered Hercules whatsoeuer you bee you shewe not that you haue the heart of a noble man For it is a shame to all men and especially to a noble man to missay or speake euill of another man Ye haue called me an open tyrant and also ye haue compared mee vnto the tyrant Cacus I answere you to this article that I am no tyrant but a destroier of tyrantes and therefore yee shall returne againe vnto Cacus and signifie to him that I haue intention for to shew what hate I haue vnto tyrantes and that within few daies he may prooue vpon me the hard encounter whereof I haue now receiued the menaces With this aunswere the Castilien departed from the presence of Hercules and returned vnto the king Cacus and tolde him worde for worde what Hercules had saide to him When Cacus had heard all this he was abashed notwithstanding that hee was a strong Giant and a puissant and that he had neuer found a man stronger then he was himselfe for the renowme of
Hercules was then so great through the vniuersall worlde that the most strong and the most assured in armes and most fortunate doubted him and trembled hearing him speake of his deedes Howbeit Cacus tooke câ—urage in himself and in passing ouer abashment in the pâ—esence of his nobles he said Blessed be these next hasty daies that nature and fortune shal bring to vs for to make the proofe of our force and strength Nowe it behoueth that Castile and Sicille shew the force of their armes for to defend the king Cacus from the clawes of his enemies and it is of necessitie likewise that the king Cacus for his people display and put forth the vttermost of his strength Now go we on my brethren and friends wee be come to the warre The Greeks come vpon Castile without any quarrell let vs go against them and fight for our countrey the birdes fight one against the other for their nests and the dumbe beastes for their caues Nature leadeth them so for to doe If we haue the same nature the time is come that we ought to shew it c. When the Castiliens and the Aragonnoys that were there heard Cacus so speake they praised greatly his courage and answered all with one voice that they were ready to assaile their enemies With this answere the king did dislodge his hoast that he had there in the fieldes and went forth against Hercules the straitest way that hee could The king Cacus then went on the way desiring sore to finde Hercules Hercules on the other side came then against Cacus They went so long the one against the other that soone after they sawe each other nigh a place where Hercules founded after a citie which was named Terracene Assoone as they sawe each other they began to make great ioy and to make shoutes and cries After they trained them in order of battaile and marched the one against the other so hotely and sharply that they filled the aire in short space with shot of arrowes casting of stones and of dartes At the beginning of this battaile the Castiliens bare them valiantly and there were many of their part slaine more by hardinesse then for dread For they put themselues too farre forth And they doubted not the shot of the Greekes that shot on them so sore and so thicke that al the ground was made red with their bloud And the Castiliens which were so farre gone and sore chafed were driuen to resorte backe againe to their fellowes When king Cacus sawe his folke so sore bestead and heard that they reculed from the shotte of the Gréekes he hadde great sorrow in his heart and wist not what to doe for to entertaine and holde his battaile Some fledde and other reculed and went backe and other fell downe to the earth dead or sore hurt The battaile dured long in this point alway to the sorrow of king Cacus But in the end the shot of the Gréekes failed and the Castilians with Cacus recouered new strength in such sort that they came to fight hand to hand with swordes and that they shed and spread largely the bloud of them of Tyre and of Ancone which were in the first front of the battaile of Hercules The noise arose great there there were many shields broken and skinnes of Lyons cut in peeces There as Cacus approched it seemed that the tempest was he was great strong and fierce and outragious in smiting eche of his strokes was the death of a Greeke In the end hee did so much that the cries of them that were about him mounted so high in the aire that the Castiliens had well weend to haue woon all and beganne to make ioy for their good fortune in chasing the Greeks to the death but euen in like wise as a right cleere day is other while trobled by a darke black cloud so by the alone comming of Hercules that came then to the skirmish all their ioy was troubled and turned into mortal losse For the deadly arm of Hercules layd about him then so terribly that hee beate downe the Castiliens like as a mower with a sithe cutteth downe the grasse in a medowe When Cacus sawe Hercules so foundre and beate downe his men all the bloud in him chaunged Then his bloud so mooued as a couragious man he presented himself before the front of Hercules and smote him with his sword so sore and hard that he cleft his shield in two partes The Castiliens seeing the shield of Hercules flie by peeces thought anon that Cacus had slaine and put to death Hercules and then made a cry for ioy but it dureâ— not long for Hercules lift vp his armes with his club and smote Cacus vppon the top of his helme with such strength that it seemed to Cacus that he saw an hundred thousand candles or that he had been smitten down with the greatest rock of Spaine This notwithstaÌ„ding Cacus abode standing in his place and chalenged Hercules to death and smote him with all his might At this assailing the Castiliens hoping in the fortune of Cacus al they assailed Hercules Hercules was gone so farre among his enemies that he was alone from all his company When hee heard that Cacus threatned him to death and sawe that the Castiliens assailed him came to him from al sides he had his heart all filled with solace and abandoned the thicknesse and hardnesse of his skinne of the lion to the swordes of them all without reuenging him saue only against Cacus Thus began the battaile betweene Hercules and Cacus the strokes were great and fearefull without measure Cacus fought in the spirite of a tyraunt chafed and desired sore to ouercome Hercules for to tyrannise and triumph ouer him Hercules fought in a vertuous heart founded and nourished in vertue and as an enemy of vice hee assailed this vitious king Both two were great fearce and strong of great courage But certes when they hadde both tasted enough each other at length the strokes of Hercules were so great and so forcible that the shoulders of Cacus nor his head might not beare nor had the might to sustaine them So the end was such that after their battaile had dured two houres Cacus left him for hee might no more suffer him but fled and went his way c. When Hercules saw that Cacus fled hee meant not to follow after This notwithstanding for to haue the victory in this battell hee began to hew on the Castiliens Arragonoys and such other as he might finde for he left no man aliue before him yong nor old féeble nor strong Hispan the other of his side made their feates of armes to flourish and shine The battel was sharp for then the Greeks doubled redoubled their strokes and slew manie of their enemies In the end when Cacus had taken his breth he put him again into the middle at one side where his folk fled made theÌ„ to tary smiting and beating the Gréekes more terribly
for to escape from thy handes hee is descended with his companie in the forme of lightening or tempest and thus thy strength is deceiued by his Science When Hercules vnderstood this that Athlas had said to him hee greatly maruelled of the science of Cacus and might not beleeue it Then for to know the trueth he tooke his clubbe and went vp through the smoke or fume vnto the top of the rocke seeking Cacus but hee found there neither beast nor man then he returned vnto Athlas and laughing confessed to him that hee had saide trueth and saide that he woulde make no pursuite after him forsomuch as hee was so gentleman-like escaped This day they passed ouer in speaking and communing of Cacus and of his father Vulcan The day following when the smoke and fume was gone and vanished away Hercules began to behold the country and sawe that it was commodious and fertile and to the end that there shoulde euer be remembraunce and memory of him hee founded there a citie which he named Terracone forasmuch as he gaue this countrey to the sonne of the king of Ancone and there hee made him dwell with his people and with them of Tyre Hercules after this foundation went to the cittie of Salamanque and forasmuch as it was wel inhabited and peopled hee would make there a solemne study and did make there in the earth a great round hole in maner of a studie and hee sette therein the seuen sciences liberall with many other bookes After he made them of the countrey to come thither for to study but they were so rude and dull that their wittes coulde not comprise any cunning of science And then forasmuch as Hercules woulde depart on his voiage and woulde also that this study were maintained he did make an Image or statue of gold vnto his semblance and likenesse Which hee did set vp on high in the middest of his studie vpon a piller and made so by his crafte and arte that all they that came before this image for to haue declaration of any science to all purposes and of all sciences the Image answered instructed and taught the schollers and studentes in such wise as it hadde been Hercules in his proper person The renowme of this studie was great in all the countrey And this studie dured after the time that saint Iames conuerted Spaine vnto the christian faith From Salamanque Hercules departed and went into Catalogne and founded there the citie of Barseloigne which is a right good citie And finally when he hadde accomplished all these thinges he sent Athlas home againe into his countrey but he held by him all his writers for he loued bookes aboue all the riches of the world After he woulde giue leaue vnto Phylotes for to returne vnto his countrey But Phylotes refused his congie and leaue and said to him that he would serue him all his life and that hee reputed his felicitie more great to be in his seruice then for to gouerne the countrey that fortune hadde put in his hand Hercules after this called Hispan and said to him Hispan I know thy wit and thy valiance I haue found thée alway wise and true Thou art a man of authoritie and well knowne in these Coastes I do now make and constitute thee to be king ouer all this Countrey and I doe giue vnto thee none other charge but to loue vertue and to ensue honouâ— and worship When Hispan heard the gift that Hercules made to him he fell downe at his feete and thanked him and after excused him of so great worship But Hercules said to him that he would that it should be so and deliuered to him a certain number of people of his company for to serue him After he made him to depart with great sighes and sorrow And Hispan went then by all the couÌ„tries that Hercules hadde conquered there from Gerion and Cacus And from thenceforth on the countrey was named Spaigne after his name Whereof I will nowe cease talking of this conquest of Spaigne and will come to speake of the deeds of armes that Hercules did in Lombardy and of the death of Cacus CHAP. XXIIII ¶ How Hercules fought against the eleuen Giantes of Cremona and how he vanquished them WHere be now the kings the emperours the souldans and the princes that men may speake of the vertuous liberalitie of them equall or like vnto that of Hercules The men at this day fight one against other and make mony conquests but they attribute them vnto their singular profite They resemble not Hercules that neuer fought but for the common weale of the worlde O noble Hercules For to follow pursue my matter When he made Hispan king of al the region of Hesperie that now is named Spaigne hee sent for his Oxen his kine and calues and after departed from Barselone and tooke his way into Lombardie he went so long on his iourny that he came nigh to the city of Cremona which is but a daies iourny froÌ„ Millane There were theÌ„ in this city xi giants great out of measure These eleuen giants were all brethren sonnes of Neâ—eâ— the sonne of Saturne And they called themselues all kings of this city They held all estate royal howbeit their rnoumes were but small litle that because they were théeues robbed their neighboâ—r and made them alwayes warre When then they knew that Hercules approched their citie anon they assembled their councell together and demanded the one the other if they should suffer Hercules for to enter into their citie All were of one opinion that they should not receiue him and that they woulde sende vnto him one of them which was named Nestor that he should not enter into Cremona vnlesse he first had vanquished in battell the eleuen brethren Nestor at the commandement of the giants departed from Cremona and went to Hercules whome he found with his litle armie but thrée mile from Cremona Then spake he to Hercules and sayde vnto him Sir I haue ten brethren kings of Cremona that haue sent mée vnto thée forasmuch as they be aduertised that thou entrest into their dominion and they charge thée by me that they will giue vnto thée no passage into Cremona vnlesse thou first ouercome them one after another in battel and therefore choose whether thou wilt haue the battell or els to returne againe and leaue this voyage I aduertise thée that they be all giants more great and more puissant then I am Sir knight answered Hercules I haue taken my way for to passe by Cremona let the giants knowe that Hercules hath intention to speake vnto them more neare as he that dreadeth not nor feareth their accustomed tyrannies which I must deliuer the world of by feats of armes And forasmuch as to the end that they presume not that I haue any doubt or dread of them in any maner yee shall say to them that I will not fight with them ten one after another but all at
bloud of their brethren and for to haue worshippe of the battell And they sayde that they were infortunate séeing they might not ouercome one man alone nor match him In fighting they helped and comforted ech other and had all good courage But what profited them the great number of brethren and what auailed them their couragious strokes when they were approching their death Hercules was alway Hercules he reioiced much in the plentie of his enemies hee comforted himselfe in fortune fortune helped him hee did marueiles on all sides well could he fight and well defended he himselfe all that hee did was well done all that other did and indeuoured to do was nought worth notwithstanding that they were mighty and hardy But the lucke and good hap of Hercules was not to bee broken ne his clubbe coulde not bee foyled but hee triumphed and more was his puissance to susteine the furies of his aduersaries then their might was to charge him with their strokes O marueilous strength and might of a man His puissance was not of a man but of an elephant his skin of the lion séemed that it had bene tempered with quicke and hard stéele his body séemed more constant against the cutting swordes of all his ill willers then is an anuill against the strokes of many hammers or great sledges There was no stroke of his enemie that grieued him he tooke great pleasure in the battell séeing himselfe among so many giants He stil greatly reioyced and there was nothing grieuing him but the declining of the day which began to faile At this houre when the Sun withheld her rayes and turned into the West Hercules would make an end and spéede his battell The giants began to cease for to smite for from the morning vnto the euening they had fought without any ceasing and Hercules behaued himselfe in such wise smiting vppon one and other being about him harde and sharpely that it befell so that of some hée ouerthrew and brake helmets and heads and of other he brake armes and sides maruellously and gaue so many great strokes that finally he beat downe and to bruised them all except Nestor which fled away when he saw the discomfiture And therein did he wisely for all his brethren were there slaine by the hand of Hercules c. When they of Cremona sawe their Lordes dead they had soone made an end of their weeping and sorrowe for they had béene to them hard and troublesome At the end of this battell they assembled to councell when they sawe that Hercules had woonne the battaile and concluded together that they would yéeld themselues to Hercules and put themselues to his mercy With this conclusion they issued out of the gates in a great number and came vnto Hercules which was the conquerour of his enemies first they knéeled before him downe to the ground secondly they prayed and required of him mercy and thirdly they surrendered vnto him their city and their goods and sayd to him they woulde holde him for their lord during their liues Hercules that was pitifull and gentle vnto them that were méeke and humbled themselues receiued the Cremonians into his grace and made them to rise stand vp and after sent for them of his hoste When they were come he brought them into Cremona where great ioy was made vnto them for they were glad of the death of the giants And there was no man nor woman nor childe that thanked not the gods By this maner was Hercules king of Cremona and inriched with a new title of victory The first night that he entred into the city he rested him and his people and then were they well refreshed and right well feasted and serued with vitaile On the morrow he did cause to bring into the citie the bodies of the giants that were dead and did bury them worshipfully And after he founded vpon them a very great tower and high and vpon the tower he set xi images or statues of metall after the fashion of the giants that he had slaine in remembrance of his victorie After the edification of this tower Hercules left in Cremona folke for to gouerne them and departed thence for to goe further forth into the countrey He studied alway and was neuer idle he studied so much that he could make the fire artificiall aswell as Cacus and founde the remedies against the same What by armes and by his science he gate a very great glory and praising in Italie He went into many places and ouer all where he came or went men did him honour and reuerence What shall I make long processe with great good aduenture he went so farre that he came to a citie standing nigh the mount Auentin where reigned a king named Euander which receiued him solemnly It is to be noted that when Cacus fled from Monchayo as is sayd vnto this mount hée came into Italie all displeasant to haue lost his seignorie Then hee gaue leaue to depart from him to all his seruants and all despaired alone he went to the mount Auentin in an euening where he was constrained to withdraw himselfe for he doubted much Hercules When he was come aboue on this hill he found there a great caue and there he went in without supper and then he began to be discomforted greatly bitterly said Alas now am I exiled banished out of all my seignories lordships Now haue I no succour nor comfort of person I dare not name me king where I was wont by my name to make kings to trēble alas al is turned become vpside down I haue nothing to eat nor wote not where to lodge vnlesse it be with the beasts O poore king where so any man so vnhappy as I I am so infortunate and vnhappie that I dare not be séene nor knowen With these wordes he layd him downe vpon the bare ground and layed a stone vnder his head and with great paine and griefe fell asléepe which dured not long for his veines were strongly stirred his heart was not quiet and his body was right euilly susteined Anon he awoke went out of the caue for to looke if it were nigh day for the night troubled him and was to him too long But when he was come into the ayre he saw no day appeare nor starres nor moone shine but he found it all darke cloudy and thicke and saw all the region of the aire couered with clouds whereat he was greatly vexed and grieued Then he went into the caue againe not into the déepest but at the mouth thereof and there sorrowful and pensiue abode without any more sléeping till it was day When the day appeared Cacus issued out of the caue and went vp vnto the top of the hill and beganne to beholde and sée the countrey about The countrey séemed to him good and faire for to liue there After great pensiuenes and many thoughts he concluded in himselfe that he would abide there vnto the time that his fortune ceased
and would liue there of booties rapin and theft After he bethought himselfe that he would goe to king Pricus of Calidonie which was his cousin for to haue company to leade his wife with that he had chosen and that he would aske and demand in mariage one of his daughters With this conclusion he departed from the mount Auentin and tooke the way vnto Calidony going apace til he came thither Some say that Calidony is the countrey that we call Calabrie When Cacus was come to Calidonie king Prycus receiued him as it apperteined to a king forasmuch as he knew him and was of his linage and after demanded him of his tidings Cacus began to sigh when he saw that he must tell his mishappe and then told him and recounted from the beginning to the end howe Hercules had taken from him his realmes and how he hadde been besieged and how hee was escaped And forasmuch said he as I dare not abide in mine owne countrey I am come hither vnto you for refuge and to tell and count my sorrowes And I haue intention to holde mee on the mount Auentin in a Caue that is there vntill that time mine enemie Hercules shall depart from mine heritage and I will keepe mee there so secret that no man in the world shall haue knowledge thereof to the end that Hercules know it not forasmuch as he hath me in great hate and he hath more greater hap and fortune in armes then I haue And if hee knew that I were in any place I am certaine that hee woulde come thither for to destroy mee This considered I haue chosen this caue for to hide me as I haue said but forsomuch as I haue more sorrowe in feacute eling then my taste requireth it is so that the eyes of a man being in great trouble reioyce in the visage and fight of a woman for a woman is a gladnesse and comfort of a man Wherefore I require you and pray you that ye will giue mee to wife one of your daughters And if it please you so to doe certes ye shall doe to me great pleasure and the most friendship that I may haue for this present time The king Pricus answered and saide Cacus ye be come and descended of high gentlenesse and haue great lordship and seignory in Hesperie If fortune were against you this day your highnesse ought not therefore the worse to be esteemed At this day I haue foure daughters of whom the one is named Yo le Take whom it pleaseth you except Yo le for I will not yet marry her And if yee haue any will to make any army against Hercules tell it me plainly and I will succour you as a true friend Cacus was right well content with the aunswere of the king and thanked him saying that he would make no army for this season but hee woulde passe his time in the caue like as he had purposed and concluded Then the thrée daughters of king Pricus were sent for and Cacus choose one of them which hee wedded and after lay with her and abode there two daies At the end of two daies he would depart and tooke leaue of the king The king would haue deliuered vnto him tenne knightes and tenne Squires for to haue brought him on his way but he refused them and would none Then hee woulde haue deliuered to him certaine ladies and damsels but of all them he took none saue the two sisters of his wife which would by force go with him Thus then he departed from Calidonie accompanied with thrée sisters He was alway sorrowfull and pensiue and from that time forth thus being in impatience for his mishappe and casting out of his royaltie he beganne to runne out and bathed his axe in the bloud of the men women and children that he mette and put them al to death c. Cacus beganne to exercise the déeds of furie and of tyrannie as he was going vnto the mount Auentin Anon as he was come he entered into the caue the best wife he could with his wiues and the most secretly And of this place he made a nest of theft and a pit of sinnes For the first night that he had lodged his wiues he went into the village that stood there fast by beheld the fairest house where into he entered by a window that was open and slew all them that were therein and after tooke all the goodes asmuch as hee might beare vppon his shoulders and bare them into the caue wheras were his wiues CHAP. XXV ¶ How Cacus stole away the oxen and kine belonging to Hercules and how Hercules fought with him therefore and slew him IN the morning Cacus found a right great stone of marble which hee tooke and bare it vnto his caue and made therewith his dore The most part of that time Cacus held him in his caue and went neuer out but when he would doe harme or euill When hee went into the field as is said he slew al thē that he met He robbed euery man he defloured women hee burnt houses and townes and shortly spoiled and did so much harme in Italy that they that passed in the coūtrey supposed it to be destroied by the Gods and could not knowe whereof nor from whence came these persecutions that Cacus made vpon them For to returne then to our talke of Hercules he came vnto the citie of king Euander in the time that Cacus bedewed Italy with bloud of men and filled his caue with continuall stollen goodes After the comming of Hercules and of his men of armes his beefes or oxen were brought into the citie because the king Euander shoulde see them The king tooke great pleasure to behold and sée them for they were high and passing faire After that the king had séene them Hercules demanded of him whither hee might send for to pastour them for that night In trueth Sir saide Euander if yee will followe my councell yée shall let them abide in this Citie and not send them into the fieldes Wherefore said Hercules Euander aunswered and saide forasmuch as when we send out our beastes we knowe not where they become They haue beene stollen and driuen away and wee cannot knowe who be the robbers our seruauntes béen murdred the houses be burnt the people that should labour in the field be slaine the women and maidens bee violated and put to shame and wee cannot remedie it For wee cannot haue knowledge of the authours or doers thereof Wherefore some men say will auouch it that they be the Gods that thus punish vs for our sinnes Wherefore I pray you let your beasts abide in this citie to the end that they be not stollen Sir said Hercules ye recount and tel to me a great maruell I beleeue well that those things that ye say be very true But this notwithstanding since that the Gods haue saued them vnto this day they will keepe them yet if it please them For if they will haue them
demaunded of Hercules if he would finish the battell without the caue Hercules answered that he was content With this aunswere Cacus tooke away the stone that shut the caue and went out and in going after him Hercules espied his kine that were dead in a corner and his oxen that were bounden by the mussels vnto a piller He was sory when he sawe his kine in that case Neuerthelesse hee passed forth and pursued Cacus that reached out his armes and made him ready and saide to him Thou cursed theefe thou hast done to me great displeasure to haue slaine my kine Yea cursed theefe thou thy selfe answered Cacus yet hast thou done to mee more displeasure to haue slaine my men and taken away my realmes Thou art onely culpable of the euill that I haue done and of the death of thy kine I would it pleased the Gods that I had thee as well in my mercy as I had them be thou sure that thou shouldest neuer take away realm from no man and now let vs dispatch our battaile At these wordes Hercules and Cacus smote each other right sore and with great fury so as their strokes cleaued to their harneis made a great noyse At this noise the king Euander and the Gréekes came to the battaile for to sée it which they made before the entry of the caue whereas were the thrée sisters passing desolate Cacus enforced him with all his puissance For he saw it was time then or neuer to shew and put forth all the force that he might Hee handled his axe right mightily and well was him need so to doe Hee was hard and boysterous he gaue many a stroke to Hercules And him seemed otherwhile that hee shoulde confound him vnto the déepe pit of the earth But Hercules on his side failed not though he had a strong party against him He was also strong at the combate and more strong then was good for the health of Cacus He smote neuer Cacus but he turned his eies in his head or made him stoup or knéele on the one side or the other or to go back shamefully This battaile by long during gréeued the beholders they so assailed eche other and fought hard on both sides Finally they did so much that they were driuen to rest them and that all their bodies swette all aboutes When Hercules sawe that yet was not the victory wonne and that the night approched he had great shame in himselfe that he had held so long battaile Then he began to lay on Cacus so hard and redoubled his strokes with such force vpon Cacus so fiercely that at last hee bare him downe to the ground all astonied and made him to loose his axe and then tooke off his helme The three sisters fledde then into a forrest named Oeta all ful of teares and cries Many Gréekes would haue gone after but Hercules made them to returne After hee called the king Euander and his folke and said to the king Sir lo here is he that was wont to trouble the Italians with secret murders couert theftes and vnknowne defiling of women Giue no more suspition to the Gods Lo here is the minister and doer of these trespasses I haue intention to punish him not only after his desert but vnto the death Euander answered to Hercules and said Prince excellent and worthy aboue all worthies and the most best accomplished of all men flourishing in armes What reuerence is to thée due thou deseruest not only humane reuerence but that reuerence that is of diuine nature I beléeue assuredly that thou art a God or the son of a God or els a man deisied Thou in especiall hast seene more in a moment then all the eyes in generall of all the Italians haue seene not in a whole yeare but in an hundred yeres O the bright resplendant sunne of noble men and faire shining with glorious feates and deedes how may wee thanke thee and giue thée land for thy desert in this great worke Thou by thy most excellent labour hast disburdened vs from darknesse and hast giuen vs light of cleerenesse thou hast effected more then the great troups and all the assemblies men of armes of Italians would haue béene able to do Thou hast gotten more triumph in chastising of this giant passing terrible theÌ„ we be able to reward thee for Truly if thou be not a god thou hast from the gods their singular grace I promise to thée in remembrance of this labour to build a solemne temple in my citie where thou shalt haue an altar and vpon the altar shall be thy representation of fine golde and the representation of this tyraunt in shewing how thou hast vanquished him to the end that our heires and successors in time comming may haue thereof knowlege During these wordes Cacus refreshed him who was astonied of the stroke that he had receiued and thought to haue fled but Hercules ranne after and caught holde of him and embraced him in his armes so hard that he could not stirre from him and brought him againe bare him vnto a deepe pit that was in the caue where he had cast in all ordures and filth Hercules came vnto this foule pit that the Gréekes had founde and put Cacus therein his head downward from on high vnto the ordure beneath Then the Italians came about the pit and cast so manie stones vpon him that he died there miserably Such was the end of the poore king Cacus he died in an hole full of ordure of stincking filth When the king Euander saw that hee was dead by the consent of Hercules hee made him to be drawen out of the pit and caused him to be born into his citie whereas Hercules was receiued so triumphantly that no man can rehearse The feast was great that night in the palace of king Euander and passed with great ioy On the morrow the king Euander caused to be set forth the body in the common view and sight of all the people and afterward ordeined certeine folke thereto â—it and meet to carie this miserable corps or body thorow all the cities where he had done harme and for to count and rehearse to them his life What shal I make long rehearsall When the body was shewed in the citie of king Euander they that had the gouernance thereof bare it into diuers places and alway they praised Hercules In remembrance of the nouelty of this victory the king Euander made to beginne the Temple that he had promised to Hercules required Hercules that he would abide there in that countrey vntill the time that his Temple shoulde be fully made and finished Hercules beheld how the king Euander did labour about building his temple with all diligence and agreed to his request forasmuch as him séemed that the Temple would be shortly made And some books say that long time before the god Mars had promised to Hercules that there should be a temple made vnto him and for that cause he was
come into Italy for to wit if his destiny should happen or no. And when the Italians heard recount the birth of Hercules they beléeued better that he was the sonne of god Iupiter then of Amphitrion CHAP. XXVI ¶ How the queene of Laurentia grew inamored of Hercules and how the king Pricus came into Italie with a great hoste and sent to defie Hercules THe glorious déeds of Hercules were greatly recommended in Italy aswel for that he had vanquished the giants of Cremona as for the death of Cacus So great was his renoume that during the building of his temple all maner people came thither for to see him and did to him diuine honours naming him the sonne of god Iupiter The kings and the lords came to him for to giue him gifts and rich presents Among all other the quéene of Laurentia came thither from her citie with manie chaires and chariots filled and laden with iewels and presented them to Hercules Hercules receiued into his grace this quéene her presents and thanked her greatly This quéene had to name Facua and was wife of the king Fanus sonne of the king Pricus the sonne of Saturne she was yong fresh tender and full of lustinesse She had not séene king Fanus her husband in foure yere for he was gone into a farre countrey and was not in all this time come againe So it happened that after she first began to take héed of and beholde Hercules and to marke him well she began to desire his company and acquaintance and she loued him so sore and excéedingly that shée could not turne her eyes nor her thoughts vppon none other thing but vpon Hercules In the beholding séeing him she sayd in her heart that he was the most well fauouored man and proper without comparison that euer she saw and that of right men should giue him laud praise saying moreouer that her séemed that her heart was intangled with the fire of his loue many cogitations and thoughts ran in her minde Nowe was she awaked and quickned with a ioyous spirit eftsoone all pensiue She passed so the first day that she came in this maner with Hercules When she was gone away for to rest she layd her downe on a bed all clothed and there she began to thinke on the beautie of Hercules with so ardent desire that she could not absteine from wéeping sore wished after him whereof the end was such that after many imaginations about the gray morning she began to say vnto her selfe O fortune what man what priuie what king hast thou brought into this countrey This is not a king like other This is an image singular and like as if the gods had made him by nature to exceede and triumph aboue all her other subtill workes and labours All glory shineth in him not onely by his valiant prowesse but by his simple and sacred perfection of bodie to which may be made no comparison O cleere image among the nobles who is she séeing his eyes that with one onely sight will not haue her heart thorowly pearsed who is she that will not couet and desire his grace The most fortunate of al happie and well fortuned shall she be that may get his good will he is humble faire pleasant and laughing he is a treasure O deare treasure like as the golde passeth all other maner mettals in like sort he passeth all other works of nature in all prosperities how then shal I not loue him As long as I shall liue his name shall remaine written in my memory and his beauty shall not be forgotten but remaine for a memoriall eternall Great were then the praises that Facua vttered of Hercules she forgate anon the king Fanus and put him all in neglect for the loue of Hercules She was there a certaine space of time and alway thought on Hercules Hercules that thought nothing of her made vnto her no semblance nor signe of loue howbeit he talked oft times with her and with the wife of the king Euander named Carmenta The more he conferred with them the more was Facua in great paine by the inflaming of loue some time she lost her colour and countenance but certainly she couered it and hid it so well that no man tooke héede of it Then when she had bene there eight dayes bearing such grieuous paine she saw that Hercules could not perceiue the loue that shee had to him for to come to the end of her desire she came on a day to Hercules and humbly required him that he would come and take the paines to come to her house for to passe the time whiles the king Euander there finished his temple Hercules accorded and agreed vnto her request whereat she had very great ioy in her selfe They then disposed themselues for to goe vnto Laurencia and tooke leaue of the king Euander and of the queene and so tooke their way Thus then going Hercules was alway by the side of Facua who reasoned of many things by the way and alway Facua had her amorous eyes fixed on the view of Hercules that at last Hercules began to take heed and sayd to her softly thus Lady you doe me great worshippe to bring me into your house Alas sir answered Facua I do to you nothing but trouble you for I haue not the power to feast you and make you chéere as I fain would Lady said Hercules the good chéere that ye bestow on me is to me acceptable so that from henceforth ye bind mine heart for to bée willing to fulfill your will in such wise that there is nothing that ye desire but I will accomplish it at your commandement after my power as to anie the most best accomplished lady that is in the West part Facua with these wordes began to smile and answered Sir I haue nothing done for you and ye are not so beholding to me as ye say Howbeit I thanke you for your good worde And thereof I hold me right fortunate and happy for that the most worthy man of all â—en dayneth to accompany one so poore a lady as I am Lady answered Hercules I take not that to be attributed rightly to me to say that I am the most worthy of men for there haue béen many better then I am But certes the more ye speake the more ye make me your subiect And since you doe to mee so great honour I request you as much as I may that I may be your knight and that ye take power ouer mée to commaund me to doe your wil and pleasure Sir said Facua will ye that it be so Lady answered Hercules alas yea I will not commaund you said Facua but I will giue you ouer me asmuch seignorie and lordship as it shall please you to take Hercules with the same word would faine haue kissed the lady and had done it had it not béen for the worship of her which hee woulde keepe They had enough of other conferences From that day forth Hercules
intended to please the lady more then hée had done before And shortly hee acquainted himselfe so with her and she with him that they lay togither secretly And he begat on her a sonne that was named Latine which was afterward of great gouernment During these things whiles that Hercules and Facua had this good time in Laurencia tidinges came that the king Fanus was comming Facua that then began first to ioy in the loue of Hercules was passing sorie and heauy when she heard these tidings for shee firmly fixed her heart on Hercules Sodainly the teares all blubbered her eies And so wéeping she came into a chamber where as Hercules was then shée tooke him apart and said to him Alas my loue I shall die for sorrow Lady said Hercules wherefore Forsomuch said she as my husband the king Fanus commeth home It is full foure yeare since I heard of him I had supposed he had been dead but hee is not His herbingours and fourriers bee come before and say that he will suppe héere this day Alas what euil aduenture is this we must néedes now depart and our communication shall faile With this word the lady embraced Hercules and fell downe in a sowne in his lappe Hercules tooke her vp and comforted her the best wise he could and said to her that since it is so that shee was married it was reason that shee abode still with her husband Whatsoeuer Hercules said vnto the Ladie shee coulde not kéepe her from weeping nor bewailing her loue and her bewailinges were great In the end shee went into her chamber and dried her eyes and brake off her dolorous weeping asmuch as she could arraying and apparrelling her in such wise as if shee had been ioyous and glad of the comming of her husband who came soone after and entred into his citie with great triumph Hercules and Facua went against the king Fanus When the king Fanus saw Hercules hee did to him as much honour and worship as he could doe Forasmuch as he had heard say and was aduertised of the deeds of arms that he had done against the giants of Cremona and against Cacus and thanked him forsomuch as hee was come into his citie For conclusion Hercules abode there foure daies after that Fanus was come home on the fifth day hée considered that hee might no more enioy his loue and that he did nothing there but loose his time so he tooke leaue of the king Fanus and of the queene Facua and returned vnto the house of the king Euander where he held him and abode vnto the time that his temple was made and accomplished About the consummation of this temple an Herauld of Calidonie came to Hercules and signified to him that the king Pricus came against him with a great puissance of men of armes for to reuenge the bloud of Cacus his cousen and that he charged Hercules that he hadde without a cause and cruelly put to death one so noble a king as Cacus was and said to him moreouer that if he would mainteine the contrary on the morrow early he should finde the king Pricus in the same place where the bloud of king Cacus was shed and that there by mortall battell by puissance against puissance he would prooue it true that he said When Hercules had wel heard what the king Pricus had signified to him he had his heart all full of ioy and answered to the Herauld that the death that he had made Cacus to die was a worke of iustice and that vppon the quarrell hee woulde furnish by battell the king Pricus at the houre and place that hee had said After this aunswere thus made Hercules gaue vnto the Herauld has gowne that he ware and did him to be feasted right wel saying that he had brought him tidinges of pleasaunce When the herauld had had good chéere and wel feasted as Hercules had commanded He returned vnto the king Pricus tolde him what Hercules had answered to him and that he should haue on the morrow the battaile The king Pricus that supposed to haue wonne all by aduantage of multitude for he had in his hoste mo then thirty thousand men thanked the Gods of these tidinges and came and lodged him the same night nigh vnto the mount Auentin vpon the riuer of Tyber He made him readie then for to fight this battaile And likewise Hercules eche man on his side thought on his workes The night passed ouer and on the morrow as soone as it began to dawn the king Pricus Hercules began to sound their great tabours and with that sound their men put them in armes to be ready and after trained in battaile order And so they came both parties as well the one as the other into the same place where the bloud of king Cacus had béen shed c. CHAP. XXVII ¶ How Hercules fought against the king Pricus in battaile and how he fled into the Citie where Hercules alone slew him and many mo with him ABout fiue of the clocke in the morning Hercules and Pricus assembled at the battaile from as farre as Pricus sawe Hercules hee made a maruellous cry With this cry all the Calidoniens began to runne against Hercules and made so great a noise that it séemed that there was not people enough in all the world for them But certainly like as a small raine abateth or laieth downe a great winde in likewise Hercules alone laid downe their ouer great boasting and vproare For assoone as he sawe his enemies runne against him about a quarter of a mile off hee departed from his battaile that was well set in order and after that he hadde commaunded his folke that they shoulde not haste for nothing hee beganne to runne against the Calidoniens swiftly not like an horse but like an Hart that no man might ouertake The king Euander was all abashed for to sée in Hercules so great nimblenesse and swiftnesse Pricus and the Calidoniens when they sawe him mooue from the hoste they supposed that it had béen a horse or other beast In the end when Hercules was come nigh to them within the space of a bow shot they knewe that it was Hercules whereat they were sore abashed of his comming Pricus cried to haue set his men vppon him They shot arrowes and casted dartes and speares vpon Hercules against all the partes of his body neuertheles they coulde neuer pierce nor enter into the skinne of the Lion and he neuer rested till hee hadde accomplished his course thrusting him among his enemies so mightily that ouerthrowing all before him like as it hadde béen a tempest or thunder hee went into the midst of the hoste whereas there was the chiefe banner of the king Pricus Hercules abode and staied there but beganne to smite and lay on vpon the one side and the other and to die his sword with the bloud of the Calidoniens His sworde was so heauy that no man might endure it it
al to brused all that it raught It made the place red whereas the bloud of Cacus was shedde with bloud vppon bloud and with dead men vpon dead Then was not the shame and death of king Cacus auenged but augmented vppon the persons of his friendes in abundance of slaughter and of murther The crie arose greatly about Hercules he brake and all to rent the banners and the recognisances of the Calydoniens and of their conductors there was none so hardy but he draue him away and there was none so resolute but he was afraid and trembled All the best and hardiest fled before him Then hee made what spoile hee would with his enemies Theseus Euander and other came then vnto the battaile At this conflict there was many a speare broken many a halberd and many a helm broken and many a knight smitten in peeces The Calidoniens were in great number and there were many of them strong and mightie The battaile was right strong and mighty and fierce The king Pricus set formost before vppon the Gréekes and laboured with his hand right cheualrously And Hercules and Theseus did worthily and deseruing memory they ranne from ranck to rancke and brake the ranckes of their enemies They comforted and encouraged their men and shewed to them how they shoulde doe Their feates and deedes were so great that it is impossible to recount and tell for in little time they put their enemies in despaire What shall I say all the discomfiture was in the Calidoniens for by force of armes they abode vppon the fielde for the most part And then when the king Pricus saw that his people could no more fight and that he lost on all sides that fortune was against him in all points after hee had sore labored that he had néed of rest hee withdrew him out of the prease sounded a retrait and with the sound the Calidoniens turned back and fled after king Pricus When Hercules saw that the Calidoniens withdrew thēselues he made in like wise his Gréeks to withdraw them not for any need they had but for to shewe their emies that they woulde well that they shoulde rest them In this wise the battell ceased Hercules supposing that the Calidoniens would assemble on the morrowe when they had rested them but they withdrewe themselues some heere and some there The day passed the night came on then the king Pricus assembled his folke and shewed to them their losse and the strength and might of the Greekes and in especiall of Hercules After hee said to them that they could neuer conquer them and that they could no wiselier doe then to withdrawe them and to returne into their countrey The Calidoniens that dreaded Hercules more then the death or tempest or thunder of the heauen had great ioy when they vnderstood the will of king Pricus and answered all with one accord that they were ready to go forth on the way With this answer they concluded that they should leaue their tentes their cartes and armours for to go lightly and more secretly After this they tooke their way according to their conclusion faire and softly they went their way without making stir or noise and did trauel so much this night that on the morrow they were far from Hercules After this on the morrow when Hercules espied that they were fled he and his men pursued after swiftly howbeit they could not ouertake them For to spéede the matter the king Pricus returned into Calidonie Hercules pursued him into his citie which was strong with walles and besieged him During this siege there was neuer a Calidonien that durst come out Hercules oft times assaulted the citie but he lost his labour At length when he saw that he could not get ne win vpon his enemies he called his Gréeks and sayd to them that man that ventureth not winneth nothing We soiourne here without doing any thing worthy of memory Our enemies will not come against vs vnlesse we fetch them and thus we shal haue no end shortly we must all win or loose Wherfore I thinke it best that I disguise me and goe vnto the gate let the porters vnderstand that I haue an errand vnto the king and heereupon if I may enter I will goe vnto the king so deale if it be possible that he shall neuer assault me any more in battell And if it happen that I may so doe as I haue tolde you I will that ye assaile the citie assoone as I shall be within to the end that the Calidonians may haue to do with you aswell as with me and that I haue them not all at once vpon me When Theseus and Euander vnderstoode well what Hercules would do they answered that they were ready to obey all his commandements and that they would assault the citie after his saying Then Hercules arrayed himselfe like as he had béene an embassadour and Theseus the Gréeks disposed themselues to make the assault When al was ready Hercules departed and came knocked at the gate of Calidonie the porters looked out at a little window to see who knocked there and séeing that there was but one man in a long gowne they opened to him the gate and asked him what he would haue Hercules answered that he sought the king And what would ye with him said one of the porters Hercules sayd I would faine speake vnto his person and saying these wordes the porters sawe that Hercules was armed vnder the gowne and then at few wordes they cried vppon him and laid at him before and behinde saying that he was a traitor and that hee was come to espie the citie When Hercules saw him to set vpon by the porters he was there as he would be and had great ioy which hee couered vnder simple countenance and made at the beginning semblance that he would haue fled away and escaped but hée emploied so little of his strēgth that the porters brought him vnto the king Pricus which sate in the hall with his daughters and his princes presented him to him saying Sir lo heere is a traitour that is entered into your citie for to espie your power We haue taken him he said that he would speake vnto your person and hée is armed vnder his mantel as ye may sée it is a right euil token for a man desiring to speake to a king should in no wise be armed priuily nor couertly When the king vnderstood the accusation of the Porters whiles they spake hee beheld Hercules and knew him Whereat hee was so sore afraid that hee wist not what to say Hercules then bestirred himselfe and wrung himselfe out of the holding of the porters casting them downe to the ground so hard and so greeuously that they neuer after might reléeue themselues When the Calydoniens that were in the hall saw him so euill intreate the porters they threatned Hercules vnto the death and assailed him on all sides His gowne was
then anon rent off In bickering he receiued many a stroke and alway he defended himselfe without displaying of his power and of his strength as he that awaited for the tidings of the assault that was nigh The affray was great in the hall and in the citie on al partes the Calidoniens ranne to the pallace for to assaile Hercules King Pricus made him ready came with other vnto this fray Then was Hercules assailed fiercely but this assault was déere to the king for to his welcome Hercules came to the tabernacle that stoode vppon foure great barres of yron whereof hee tooke the one and beat downe the tabernacle After he lifted vp his arme with the bar and smote the king Pricus so vnmeasurably vpon the â—oâ— of his helmet that notwithstanding his strong harnesse and armours he all to beat him downe to the earth and smote him so sore broken and bruised that he fell downe dead betwéene his two porters At this time the crie arose great among the Calidonians Not alonely there but also in the citie for hee that kept the watch sounded to armes forasmuch as the Greeks assailed hastily the walles Calidony was then terribly troubled and the Calidonians wist not where to turne them whether to Hercules or to the assault All was full of heades armed aswell in the pallace as vppon the walles After this that Hercules had slaine the king Pricus he beganne to smite vppon his enemies and his strokes were great at ech stroke he slew two or three so as shortly he bare himselfe there a knightly that in little while hee couered all the pauement of the pallace with dead bodies of the Calidonians lying one vpon another without that any man might dammage his armor The Calidonians were of great courage and had great shame for that they might not ouercome Hercules that alone had done vpon them so great an exploit They assailed him with great courage and cast vpon him darts sharpe iauelines His armes and his shoulders bare all and he did so great things with his barre and gaue so great strokes that none of them might resist his strength The poore Calidonians came thither with great courage and desire for to reuenge the death of their king Hercules put so many to death that hee wist not where to set his foote but it must be vpon Calidonians Before the gate of the pallace was a pitifull noise of wéepings of cries that women and children made In the end when the Calidonians knew and perceiued the vertue the strength of Hercules and that they laboured in vaine they ceassed to assaile him and fled Then Hercules issued out of the pallace with his barre all couered with bloud Assoone as the Calidonians saw him they set vpon him passing furiously and assailed him anew they cast stones and darts vpon him they shotte arrowes on him aboundantly as they that were purueyed and awaited for his passage In this assault Hercules had much to suffer yet after receiuing moe strokes then canne be numbred he passed the watch that awaited to haue staine him and rested neuer till he came vnto the gate The Calidonians ranne then after him as men without dread of death and mightily swollen with pride and ire beganne on anew to smite vppon his shoulders and vpon his backe When Hercules saw that he turned his face vppon his euill willers and smote vppon them with his barre on the right side and on the left side so lustily that he died his barre with newe bloud and maugre his enemies he beat them downe and all to bruised them before him He made them then to recule and go backe more then fourtie pases and after came to the gate And the Calidonians pursued him againe but ere they came vpon him he all to brake bruised and to frushed the lockes and the wickets and doores of the gate and the Greekes assailed him with all their power and beate downe the draw bridge After he called the assailants and they came vnto him and with little resistance they entred the citie which was at that time with great slaughter of the Calidonians that would not yéeld themselues nor put themselues to mercy vntill the time that they saw their stréets and houses full of dead bodies c. CHAP. XXVIII ¶ How Hercules was enamoured on Yo le the daughter of king Pricus and how he required her of loue and how she accorded vnto him BY this maner was king Pricus slaine and his city taken by Hercules After the slaughter when the Calidoniens had huÌ„bled themselues Hercules and Theseus went to the pallace they came thither so fitly that they found the daughters of king Pricus with their ladies and gentlewomeÌ„ séeking the king among the dead bodies There were so manie dead bodies that they could not finde nor know him that they sought Hercules at his comming beganne to behold one and other and especially among al other hee cast his eie vppon Yo le the daughter of the king forasmuch as she was excellently glistering in beautie that in all the world was none like vnto her When hee had a little beheld her by a secret commaundement of loue hee drewe him vnto her wéening for to haue comforted her Anon as the right desolate gentlewoman saw Hercules approching vnto her she trembled for dread and fled vnto her chamber the ladies and the gentlewomen followed her and among them so did Hercules What shall I say hee entered into the chamber where she was and sate downe by her She thought to haue risen for to haue gone out of the way but he held her by her clothes and said vnto her Lady ye may not flie my companie Yo le spake then and said O miserable tyraunt what séekest thou me nowe for to trouble mee more Thou hast slaine my father let that suffice thee Madame answered Hercules if the king Pricus be dead it is reason that he be not much bewailed nor wept for he thinking for to auenge the death of the tyraunt Cacus came not long since for to assaile me in Italy saying that I had vnrightfully and without cause slaine him In maintaining the contrary I fought with him vppon this quarrell the battaile was not ended nor put to vtterance at that time for he withdrew himselfe with his people and came into this citie and I haue pursued him hastily albeit I coulde not ouertake him When I saw that I laide my siege about this citie he would not come to fight the battaile during my siege wherefore I haue this day willed to haue an end Fortune hath béen on my side and hath put you in my power Certes it must néedes be that without remedie ye be my lady and my loue for in séeing your singular beauty loue hath constrained me to be yours Then I pray you as affectuously as I may or can that yee cease your sorrow and that ye receiue mee as your friend and loue The more ye weep
tyrant Bulâ—â—â— of how Hercules slew the tyrant against the hope of â—â—no Chap. 2. â—â—â— How Hercules espoused Megara and howe hee 〈…〉 knight in Thebes Chap. 3. â—â—â— How the Centaures rauished Hypodamia at the wedding of Pyrothus and how Hercules recouered her agaâ—â—â—â— vanquished the Centaures in battaile Chap. 4. â—â—â— How Pluto rauished Proserpine and how Orpheus 〈◊〉 for her into hell and the queene Ceres came 〈◊〉 wedding of Pyrothus and Theseus and Pyrothâ—â— fought with Cerberus porter of the said hell Chap. 5. pag. 265 How Hercules found Pyrothus dead at hel gates and Theseus in danger and how Hercules vanquished Cerberus and howe hee conquered Proserpine from Plato Chap. 6. 27â— How Andromeda deliuered Lyncus from his enemies and how he slew in battaile the king Creon and tooke the citie of Thebes Chap. 7. 279 How Hercules entered into Thebes in an vnknowne habite â— bite and howâ— hee put to death the giant Lincus and his complices and his wife Megara Chap. 8 283 How Hercules put to death the king Laomedon and destroied Troie the second time Chap. 9. 287 How Hercules and Asser assailed by battell the giant Antheon and howe they vanquished him in battaile the first time Chap. 10. 291 How Hercules tooke the king Athlas and he studied astronomie and the seuen liberall sciences Chap. 11. 295 Howe Hercules assembled his battaile against Antheon king of the Libians whom he put to flight and howe he killed the king of Cothuly Chap. 12. 300 How Hercules fought againe against king Antheon and put him vnto death Chap. 13. 302 How Hercules and Theseus fought togither against the two damsels of Scithie Chap. 14. 304 Howe Hercules began to waxe amorous of Deianira and how Achelous and Hercules had battell the one against the other and how Achelous was vanquished Chap. 15 pag. 308 How Hercules put to foile the king Achelous and howe 〈◊〉 espoused Deianira Chap. 16. 323 How Nessus rauished Deianira from Hercules when hee passed with her ouer the riuer and how Hercules slew Nessus with an arrow Chap. 17. 328 Howe Hercules fought against the serpent of Palus of of Lerne and slew him Chap. 18. 331 How Hercules went into Spaine and fought on the Sea against king Gerion and vanquished him and how he took the citie of Megidda and entered therin Cha. 19. 336 How Gerion assailed Hercules the second time before Megidda and how Hercules slew his brethren and vanquished his armie and constrained Gerion to flee Chap. 20. 341 How Hercules pursued Gerion and howe hee went and vanquished him and put him to death at the port of Corogne Chap. 21. 349 How Hercules founded the Citie of the Corogne vppon the Tombe of Gerion Chap. 22. 352 How Hercules assailed the king Cacus and ouercame him and howe Cacus beganne to tyrannise in Italy Chap. 23. 354 How Hercules fought against the 11. giantes of Cremona and vanquished them chap. 24. 364 Howe Cacus stale away the oxen and kine of Hercules and how Hercules fought with him therefore and slew him chap. 25. 375 Howe the queene of Laurentia was enamoured of Hercules and howe king Pricus came into Italy with a great hoste and sent to defie Hercules chap. 26. 386 How Hercules fought against the king Pricus which fled into his citie where Hercules alone slew him and many mo with him chap 27. 392 Howe Hercules was enamoured on Yo le the daughter of king Pricus and required her of loue and she accorded vnto him chap 28. 399 How Hercules fought against Diomedes in the forrest of Thrace and howe hee made his horse to eate him Chap. 29. 405 How Deianira was full of sorrowe forasmuch as Hercules loued Yo le chap. 30. 411 How Deianira sent to Hercules a shirt enuenomed and how Hercules burnt himselfe in the fire of his sacrifice and how Deianira slew her selfe when she knewe that Hercules was dead by the meanes of her ignoraunce chap. 31. 419 FINIS ⧠In these two Bookes precedent we haue by the helpe of God treated of the two first destructions of Troy with the noble acts and deeds of the strong and puissant Hercules that vndertooke and did so many wonders that the wit and skill of all men may wel maruell And also how he slew the king Laomedon beate downe and put his citie of Troy to ruine Now in the third and last book God assisting we will tell how the said Citie was by Priamus son of the said king Laomedon reedified and repaired more strong and more fortified then euer it was before And afterward howe for the rauishment of of dame Helene wife of king Menelaus of Greece the said citie was totally destroied and Priamus with Hector and al his sons slain with nobles out of number as it shal appeare in the processe of the Chapters Imprinted at London by Valentine Simmes 1597. ¶ The third Booke of the destruction of Troy CHAP. I. ¶ How the king Priamus reedified the citie of Troy more strong then euer it was before and of his sonnes and daughters And how after manie councels he sent Anthenor and Polydamas into Greece for to demaund his sister Exione that Aiax maintained FOr to enter then into the matter ye haue heard heretofore of the second destruction of Troy howe Hercules had taken prisoner Priamus the sonne of king Laomedon and hadde put him in prison Howbeit Dares of Frigte saith that his father hadde senâ— him to mooue warre in a strange countrey where he hadde béen right-long wherefore hee was not at that discomfiture This Priamus had espoused and wedded a very noble Ladie daughter of Egyptius king of Thrace by whom he had fiue sonnes and three daughters of great beautie The first of the sonnes was named Hector the most worthy and best knight of the world The second sonne was named Paris and by surname Alexander the which was the fairest knight of the world and the best shooter and drawer of a bowe The third was called Deiphobus right hardie and discreete The fourth was named Heâ—enus a man of great science and knew all the artes liberall The fift and the last was called Troylus that was one of the best knights and puissant that was in his time Virgill recounteth that hee hadde two other sonnes by his wife of whom the one was named Polidorus This Polydorus was sent by king Priamus with great plentie of gold vnto a king his friend for to haue aid against the Greeks But this king seeing that king Priamus was in deadly strife against the Gréekes and also being moued with couetise slew Polydorus and buried him in an Isle of the Sea The other sonne was named Ganâ—medes whoÌ„ Iupiter stole away made him his bottle carrier in the steede of Hebe the daughter of Iuno whom hee put out of that saide office The eldest of the daughters of king Priamus was named Câ—eusa which was wife to Eneas and this Eneas was sonne of Anchyses and of Venus of Numidia The second
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
one and of the other and reasoned how they might come to the end of their desire And when they had spoken enough of their hote lâ—â—e Paris tooke leaue of her and issued out of the temple hee and his companie and Helene sent after him her eyes as farre as the might When Paris was come to his shippe he called to him the most noble and greatest of his companie and saide to him in this maner My friendes yee knowe well wherefore the king my father hath sent vs vnto Greece that is to wit for to recouer Exione his sister and if we may not recouer her that we should doe damage vnto the Gréeks We may not recouer Exione for shee is in ouer strong an hand and also it shoulde bée to our great daunger and damage since it is so that the king Thelamon that holdeth her and loueth her heartily is more puissant then we and is in his owne proper heritage Wée be nothing so puissant for to take in Greece any noble Citie the countrey is so full of people and of manie valiant folke Then mée séemeth good that the faire gift and notable that the Gods haue sent vnto vs we refuse not Wée sée in this I le come to that feast the most greatest citizens and the temple replenished with the most noble women of this prouince and also the queene Helene that is lady of this countrey and wife of king Menelaus This temple is also full of all riches if wee might take them aliue that bée in the Temple and bring them prisoners with vs and take the Gods that there bee of golde and of siluer wée shall haue conquered a great gaine and so may get other riches that wee may go fetch in some other places If ye thinke good I am of the opinion that now this night wée will enter into the temple all armed and â—ée will take men and women and all that we shall find and bring into our shippes and principally Helene for if wée may bring her into Troy the king Priamus may lightly enough haue againe his sister Exione for her therefore aduise you speedily what is best to bee done whiles the matter is hot and before they escape vs. Some of them blamed this thing and some allowed it and finally they concluded after manie councels that they would doe as Paris had deuised Now it hapned that when the night was come the Moone was nigh gone downe the Troyans armed them in the most secret wise that they coulde and left some of them for to keepe their shippes and the other went priuily vnto the Temple and entered therein so armed as they were and with little defence tooke all them that they found in the temple and all the riches that were therein And Paris with his owne hand tooke Helene and them of her companie and brought into their ships all the best and put them in sure guard and after returned to the bootie Then beganne the noyse passing great within the temple of the prisoners and of some that had leauer suffer to be slaine then for to bee taken prisoners The noise was heard farre in suche wise that they of the castle that stoode thereby heard it and incontinent they arose and armed them and came to assaile the Troyans as valiaunt as they were Then beganne the skirmish right fierse and mortall but the Troyans that were foure against one slew manie of them and the other fled and retired into their castle and then the Troyans tooke as much as they coulde finde of goodes and bare it vnto their shippes and entered into them and hoised vp their sailes and sailed so long that on the 7. day they came and ariued at the port of Troy their ships ful of good prisoners and of good riches and they abode at the port of Tenedon that was but 3 mile froÌ„ Troy and there were receiued with ioy And then Paris sent a proper messenger vnto his father the king Priamus to let him haue knowledge of his comming and of all that that hee had done in Gréece Of these tidings the king was greatly reioysed and commaunded in all the Citie to make a feast solemnly for these tidinges c. Whiles that Helene was with the other prisoners in the ship of Paris shée made great sorrow and ceassed not to wéepe nor to bewaile with great sighes her husband her brethren her daughter her countrey and her friends and was in so great sorrow that she left to eat and drink And Paris comforted her the most sweetly that he coulde but shee might not suffer to forbeare wéeping and then Paris said to her in this maner How Lady Wherefore make ye this sorrowe day and night without rest What man or woman is it that might long endure and suffer this Know not ye that this sorrow hurteth your health Yes verily lady yée make too much thereof Wherefore from henceforth I pray you to leaue and take rest for in this realme yée shall lacke nothing and no more shall those prisoners that yée will haue recommended and ye shal be the most renowmed lady of this Realme and the most riche and your meanie that bee héere shall want nothing To these wordes aunswered Helene to Paris in this manner I knowe well said thee that will I or I will not I must needs do as yée will since that I am your prisoner and if any good bee done to me and to the prisoners I hope the Gods shall thanke and reward them that so doe Ha ha saide Paris doubt you not for mee I will doe to you and them all that shall please you to commaund And then he took her by the hand and brought her into a more secret place and saide vnto her Madame thinke yee forasmuch as it hath pleased the Gods for to suffer you to bee brought by mée into this prouince and kingdome that yée be lost and vndone and that ye shall not bée more rich and more honoured then ye haue béen and that the Realme of Troy is not more riche then the Realme of Achay yes verily that it is Thinke yee that I will maintaine you dishonestly certes nay but will take you to my wife and so shall ye be more honoured then ye haue béene with your husband and more praised for your husband is not issued out of so noble a house as I am nor so valiant nor he loued you neuer so well as I will doe Therefore cease yée from henceforth to make such sorrow and beleeue me of this that I haue said to you Ha ha said shee who can abstaine her from making of sorrowe being in the state that I am in alas this case happened me neuer before but since it must be none otherwise sore vexed and greeued I will doe that thing which ye require of me forasmuch as I haue no abilitie to resist it Thus was Helene recomforted a little and Paris did please her to the vttermost of his power c. When the morrow
call this I le Ortigie forasmuch as the birdes that men call Ortiges in Englishe they bee Quailes were first séene there The Paynims gaue to Apollo diuers names after the diuers operations of the sunne In this temple was a great Image composed and made all of fine golde in the worship of God Apollo And albeit that the Image was deafe and dumbe yet euery where Idolatrie raigned in such wise at that time in the world that the diuell put him in the Image and gaue aunswere to the Paynims of the thinges that they demaunded of him And this did the diuell for to abuse the foolishe people that at that time beleeued that this Image was very God c. Vpon this part the authour declareth from whence came first Idolatry We finde in Historia ecclesiastica that when Herod was deceiued by the three kinges that returned not againe to him but worshipped our Lord Iesus Christ as is contained in the Gospel and afterward departed by another way c. that Herodes purposed to haue slaine the childe Iesus and therefore the glorious Virgins our Lady Saint Mary his mother and Ioseph bare him to Egypt And as soone as our Ladie entered into Egypt all the Idolles of Egypt fell downe to the earth all to be broken and bruised according to the prophesie of Esay that said thus Ascendet dominus in nubem leuem ingredietur Egyptum mouebuntur simulacra Egypte Shewing that at the comming of our sauiour Iesus Christ all Idolatry should haue an end And among the Iewes Ismael was the first that made an Idol and that was of earth And Promotheus made the first among the Paynims and taught other the maner howe to make them but the right beginning of Idolatry came of Belus king of Assirie that was father of king Ninus the which Belus when hee was dead his sonne Ninus did burie him in a rich sepulture and did make an Image of fine golde to the semblaunce and likenesse of his father for to haue consolation and memorie of him and worshipped him as his god and compelled his folke to worship him and anone an euill spirite entred within the Image and gaue to the people answers of their demaundes And thus by the example of him the painims made other in the worship of their friends and worshipped them and thus procéeded they in Idolatry and there were none but that they had their proper gods that gaue to them their aunswere of their demaundes by the deuise of the ennemy that so deceiued them and brought to damnation by the enuy that hée had and yet hath vppon the ligne of men that God made to fulfill the places of Paradise from whence hée was cast out for his pride into this horrour and darkenesse and after the daye of Iudgement to abide in Hell for euermore in the company of the damned men Whenas Achilles and Patroclus were arriued in the Isle of Delphos they went with great deuotion into the Temple of Apollo and there made their oblations with great liberalitie and demaunded of him aunswere of their affaires and workes Then aunswered Apollo with a lowe voice Achilles returne vnto the Gréekes that haue sent thée hither and say vnto them that it is to come and shall happen for certainetie that they shall goe safely to Troy and there they shall make many battels But in the tenth yéere they shal haue victorie and destroy the cittie and they shall slay the king Priamus his wife and his children and the most great of the countrey And there shall none escape saue they onely whome they will saue Of this aforesaide aunswer was Achilles passing ioyous And it chaunced whilest they were yet in this Temple that a Bishoppe of Troy named Calchas sonne of a man named Thistram which was a passing wise man entred into this Temple and he was sent also from the king Priamus for to haue aunswere of Apollo for them of Troy As he then had made his oblations and demaundes for them of Troy Apollo answered to him Calchas Calchas beware that thou returne not againe to Troy but go thou with Achilles vnto the Greekes and depart neuer from them for the Greekes shall haue victorie of the Troyans by the agreement of the Gods and thou shalt be to them right necessarie in counsell and in doctrine Anon as Calchas knew Achilles that was in the temple he approched to him and made acquaintance to him and accompanied togither by faith and othe they tolde each to other what the Idoll had said to them Whereof Achilles had great ioy and made right great cheere and countenance to Calchas and tooke him with him and sailed so long that they arriued at the port of Athens safely and when they issued out of their shippes Achilles tooke Calchas by the hand and presented him to the king Agamemnon and to other and tolde to them the trueth of the aunswere of Apollo How they shoulde haue victorie of the Troyans and how Apollo bad him that he shoulde not returne againe to Troy but hold him with the Greekes during the warre Of these tidings were the Gréeks greatly reioysed and made a solemne feast and receiued Calchas into their companie by faith and by othe and they promised him to reward him well and do him good c. CHAP. VI. How the Greekes with a great nauie went and sailed toward Troy and how they arriued at the Porte of Tenedon three mile from Troy which they conquered and beate downe to the earth AFter this feast that the Greekes hadde made for the good answeres of Apollo Calchas went in a morning in the company of Achilles and of Patroclus vnto the tent of Agamemnon where all the most nobles of the hoste were assembled and he saluted them right courteously saying O noble kinges and princes that be héere assembled for vengeance of the great iniuries to you done by the Troyans wherefore tarry ye now here after the Gods haue giuen their aunswere wéene yee not that the king Priamus hath his espies among you and that whiles ye soiourne hee furnisheth not his countrey and citie with vittaile with horses and with other necessaries Is not a great part of the Summer passed and ye haue yet nothing enterprised vpon your enemies Beware that ye be not vnkinde and ingrate at the aunswere of the Gods and that by your negligence they change not their aunswere into the contrary Therefore tary ye no longer but shippe you and your horse and go ye to the sea and ceasse not vntill the time that the promises of the Gods be accomplished And when Calchas had thus spoken each man saide that hée had well saide and spoken And then Agamemnon sent vnto all the hoste and commaunded with a trumpet that euery man shoulde make him readie to remooue And anon they entered into their shippes and disancred and drewe vp their sailes and went all vnto the Sea and they hadde not long sailed not passing a mile from Athens but
the aire that was before verie cleere and faire beganne to waxe troublous and thicke and there beganne a right great tempest in the sea of winde of raine and of thunder insomuch that there was none so hardie but he had feare and we end to haue died for their shippes were cast by the sea the one here and the other there and they supposed none other for certaine but to haue béen drowned Then said Calcas to them that were with him that the cause of the tempest was forasmuch as Diana their Goddesse was wroth and angry against them because they departed from Athens and made to her no sacrifice and for to appease this wrath it behooued that the king Agamemnon sacrifice to her with his owne hand Iphiginie his daughter a young virgine and tender of age and that otherwise the tempest shoulde neuer ceasse And for to speed this sacrifice hée counselled to turne the nauy and to apply it to the I le of Andill where the temple of the Goddesse Diana was c. When the king Agamemnon vnderstoode this thing hée was all greeued and passing sorrowfull in his minde for he loued his daughter Iphigenie with great loue and on the other side hée was praied and required of all the other kinges and princes of Greece that hee woulde make no delay to this that was so great a matter or to withstand the sacrifice wherefore hee was vanquished by the saide Princes and for the loue of his countrey hee tooke his saide daughter Iphigenie and in the presence of great kinges and princes sacrificed her vnto the goddesse Diana and anon the tempest ceassed and the aire became neate and cléere and the sea well quieted and in tranquilitie and peace And then hee went againe into his ship and all the other in like maner drewe vppe their sailes and sailed before the winde so farre that they arriued at a port of the realme of Troy nigh vnto a Castell called Sarrabana Dares putteth not downe determinately what was the cause wherfore King the Agamemnon made his Sacrifice vnto Diana But Ouid in the twelfth booke of Methamorphose saith that it was Iphigenie his daughter as aboue is said And when they of the castle sawe the great Nauie at their porte they armed them and came vnto the porte weening to defend their land against the Gréekes and assailed them that then were come a land that were yet weary of the trauaile of the Sea But the Greekes issued anon out of their shippes in great plenty all armed and slew them and chased them vnto their Castle and killed them with flying and entered into the Castle with them and there put them all to death and tooke the booties and after beate downe the castle vnto the earth and then reentered into their ships againe and sailed so farre that they arriued at the port of Tenedon and there then they ancred their ships c. At this port was a passing strong Castle well peopled and full of great riches and was three mile from Troy When they of the castle saw the Greekes they ranne to armes and furnished their castle with good fighters and the other issued out and came vnto the porte where they found the Greeks that were then issued out of their ships all armed and great plentie and took all that they could finde Thus beganne the battaile betweene them right fierce and mortall and there were enough slain dead of both partes and manie mo of the Greekes then of the Troians But as soone as the great strength of the Greekes were landed the Troyans might no longer suffer nor abide but put them to flight some to the castle and the other fled vnto Troy Then the Greekes bestirred them and belaid the castle round about and assailed it on both sides and they within defended it passing well vpon the walles and slewe many by shotte and by Engines but the Greekes dressed their engines all about the castle and set their ladders vnto the walles and went vpon all sides and they within defended them valiauntly and made them fall down in their ditches some dead and some hurt But the Greekes that were so great in number sent alway new folke to the assault whereof they within were so wearie that they retired and went backe from their defence and then the Greekes entered by force into the castle and there slewe all them that they found without sparing of man or woman and tooke and pilled al that they found that was good and after beate downe the castle and the houses vnto the earth and put in the fire and burnt all vp And after they reentred into their shippes ioyous of their gaine that they had gotten in the Castle CHAP. VIII ¶ Howe the Greekes did send Diomedes and Vlisses vnto the king Priamus for to haue againe Helene and the prisoners and the aunswere that they hadde WHen the Greekes had destroied and beaten downe thus the Castle and edifices of Tenedon and of Sarrabana and that they refreshed them in the medow of Tenedon then Agamemnon that hadde the charge of all the hoste and to conduct it well as a good captaine ought to doe commaunded that al the bootie and gain of these two castles should be brought forth And so it was done anon as he had commaunded and he as a wise king distributed the gaine to each man after his desert and qualitie And after did cause to cry in all the hoste that all the noble men of the hoste should assemble them on the plaine of Tenedon before the king Agamemnon and when they were all come the king Agamemnon spake and said in this maner My friends and fellowes that be here now assembled for so iust a cause as each of you knoweth and in so great puissance that there is and shall be tidinges thereof in all the worlde yet how strong that the puissance bée that it please the Gods that it be without pride and felonie for it is so that of the sinne of pride grow all other vices and that the gods resist and withstand the insolent and proud people And therefore we ought to put away pride from our workes and in especiall in this worke here now and vse the right way of iustice to the end that no man may reprehend vs nor blame Ye know well that we be come thus farre for to take vengeance of the iniuries and the wronges that the king Priamus hath done to vs and we haue done to him now great hurt and damage Ye may well know for trueth that they haue assembled in the city of Troy great power for to defend them against vs and also the Citie is passing great and strong and ye know well that they be vpon their proper heritage that is a thing that doubleth their force and strength For ye may take example of the Crowe that otherwhile defendeth well her nest against the fawcon I say not these thinges for any doubt that I haue but that we shall
haue victorie and that wee shall destroy their Citie albeit that it is strong but onely for our worship to the end that wee be recommended to haue conducted this worke by great discretion and without pride for oftentimes by our too hastie enterprise a thing of great waight without aduised councell may come to a mischieuous end Ye know well that it is long ago that the king Priamus did require vs by his special messengers that we shoulde render to him his sister Exione that by our hautinesse pride we would not deliuer her againe and if wee hadde deliuered and sent her home againe these euilles had neuer happned in the I le of Cythar as they now be And the queene Helene that is of the most noble of Gréece had neuer been rauished nor lead away and also we had not enterprised the paine nor the labour where we nowe be in And there is none of vs that knoweth what shal happen to him good or euil and therefore if ye seeme good that we might returne into our countrey without suffering of more paine with our honour and worshippe wee will send vnto the king Priamus our speciall messengers and bidde him to send and deliuer againe to vs Helene fréely and that he restore vnto vs the dammages that Paris hath done in the I le of Cythare for if he will so do our returne shal be honourable and we may no more aske of him by right And if he refuse this wee shall haue two things that shall fight for vs that is iustice and our true quarrell and our puissance excused and when men shall heare of our offers they will giue the wrong and blame to the Troyans and to vs the laud and praise and we shal be excused of all the dammages that wee shall doe to them after these offers Therefore aduise you among your selues what thing ye will doe Then were there some badde people that blamed this counsell and some allowed it and finally they concluded to do so as Agamemnon had sayde Then they chose for their messengers Diomedes and Vlisses for to goe to Troy and make their legation which tooke their horses and went incontinently thither and came to Troy about midday and they went straight to the Pallace of king Priamus and tooke their horses to kéepe at the gate and after went vp into the hall and in going vp they marueiled greatly of the rich works that they saw in all the pallace and specially of a tree that they sawe in a plaine the which was made by arte Mathematike marueilously composed and of great beautie for the tronchon or stocke beneath was no greater but of the greatnesse of a speare and was passing long and high and aboue had branches of golde and of siluer and leaues that spread ouer the pallace and saue a little it couered all and the fruite of the same tree was of diuers precious stones that gaue great light and brightnes and also did much please and delight them that beheld it They went so farre foorth that they came into the great hall where the king Priamus was accompanied with noble men And then without saluting the king nor the other Vlisses sayd vnto him in this maner King Priamus marueile nothing that we haue not saluted thee forasmuch as thou art our most mortall enemie The king Agamemnon from whome wee be messengers sendeth and commaundeth thee by vs that thou deliuer and send vnto him the queene Helen whom thou hast caused most vilely to bee rauished and taken from her husband and that thou make satisfaction for all the damages that Paris thy sonne hath done in Gréece and if thou so doe I suppose thou shalt shew thy selfe a wise man but if thou doe not beholde what euils may come vnto thee and thine for thou shalt die an euill death and all thy men and this noble and famous citie shall be destroyed When the king Priamus heard Vlisses thus speake he answered incontinently without demanding or asking any counsel I marueile greatly of these thy wordes that requirest of mee that thing that a man already vanquished and ouercome and one that might not defende himselfe no more with great paine would accord to thee I beleeue not that the Greeks haue such puissance to do that thing which thou hast sayd vnto me they require of me amends and I ought to demand the like of them Haue not they slaine my father and my brethren and lead away my sister in seruitude whome they daigne not to marrie honourably but to hold her and vse her as a common woman And for to haue her again I haue sent vnto them Anthenor and woulde haue pardoned them the surplus but yee knowe the villanies and menaces that they did vse towardes my messenger and therefore I ought not to heare anything that yee say vnto mee but had rather die valiantly then to agree to your request And let Agamemnon knowe that I desire neuer to haue peace nor loue with the Greeks that haue done to me so many displeasures And if it were not that ye be messengers I shoulde make you die an euill death Therefore goe ye your way anon for I may not beholde you without displeasure in mine heart Then beganne Diomedes to laugh for despight and sayde thus Ha king if without displeasure thou mayest not see vs that be but twaine then wilt thou not be without displeasure all the dayes of thy life for thou shalt see from hencefoorth before thine eyes great armies of Gréekes the which shall come before the citie and shall not cease for to assaile it continually against whom thou mayest not long defend thee but that thou and thine finally shall receiue bitter death Therefore thou shouldest take better counsell in thy doings if thou wert well aduised Then were there many Troyans that would haue runne vppon the Gréekes and drew their swordes for to haue slaine them But the king Priamus forbade them and sayd vnto them that they should let two fooles vtter their follie and that it was the nature of a foole to shew follie and to a wise man to suffer it Ha ha sir sayd Eneas what is that that yee say men must shewe to a foole his foolishnesse and truely if it were not in your presence this fellow that hath spoken so foolishly before you shoulde receiue his death by mine owne hande It apperteineth not vnto him to say vnto you such vile and venemous wordes nor menaces and therefore I aduise him that he goe his way quickly vnlesse he cease to speake foolishly Diomedes that of nothing was abashed answered to Eneas and sayd Whatsoeuer thou be thou shewest well by thy words that thou art right ill aduised and hote in thy wordes and I wish and desire that I may once finde thee in a place conuenient that I may rewarde thee for the wordes that thou hast spoken of me I see well that the king is fortunate and happie to haue such a counsailer as thou
other slew them flying there was a great crie of the hurt men and there was Achilles al died with the bloud of the Troyans that he hadde slaine and there was great slaughter at the entry into the Citie There sawe the fathers their children slaine before their eyes and the murther and the slaughter had been more great if Troylus Paris and Deiphebus had not come with a great companie fierce and new who came and issued out of the Citie resisted the Greekes and made the slaughter to ceasse and for that the night was nigh each man withdrew him into his place The Troyans kept close their Citie and did make good watch and Achilles with the Greeks returned to their Tentes with great glory who were not yet dressed but the king Agamemnon did cause to dresse them incontinent and made each man to take place meete after his estate And they that had no tentes nor pauilions lodged then vnder the leaues the best wise that they could both themselues and their horses and after ancred their shippes as well as they might and tooke out of them all that was necessary to them Thus made the Greekes their siege this night and set it before the Citie of Troy and made maruellous great fires in the hoste that made it as light as it had bin day So were they lodged a night togither and made right good watch although they hadde none assaultes this night and they hadde all the nightes Trumpets and Minstrels great plentie that Agamemnon ordained for to comfort the hoste And they rested this night all armed the best wise they could This was the first battel of the Gréeks and of the Troyans at their comming c. CHAP. XI ¶ Of the second battaile before Troy in the which were many Kinges and great Barons slaine by the worthy Hector and how the Troyans had been victorious of of their enemies had it not been for the praier of Thelamon Aiax coosin of Hector c. ANd when the night was passed Hector that hadde the charge of all them of the Citie ordered right early his battailes in a great plaine that was in the Citie and put in the first battaile two thousand good knightes which hee betooke to leade and conduct to twaine of his kinsmen that is to wit to Glaucon the sonne of the king of Licie and to Asiamolor his bastard brother and assigned to them the king Thesus of Trace and Archilogus his brother that was wise and valiant and made them to issue out of the gate named Dardan that stood against the hoste of the Gréeks in the second battaile he put three thousand good knightes and strong whom he tooke to conduct to the king Exampitus of Frigie to the king Alcanus that were knights of great strength and recommended them to the guard of the Goddes and made them issue out after the other in good order The third battaile hee betooke to Troilus his brother for to conduct wild three thousand knightes wise and hardie and saide to them at the departing My right deere brother my heart putteth me in doubt of thy great hardinesse wherefore I pray thee that thou gouern thée wisely in the battaile in such wise that thou enterprise not such things as thou maiest not atchieue and that thou put not thy body in daunger of death by ouermuch weening whereby thou mightest giue ioy to thine enemies and ours Go thy way in the name of the gods who conduct and kéepe thee from perill encumbrance Ha ha sir brother aunswered Troylus it néedeth you not to doubt of mee for I will doe that in mee is right as you haue commanded and then he went forth with his company after the other and bare in his shield three lions of golde Hector put in the fourth battell thrée thousand knights and seuen hundred whome hee tooke to conduct the king Huppon of Larissa This king Huppon was most strong of all the Troyans next Hector and had in his company a valiant knight a bastard brother of Hector wise hardie named Diamaicus The fifth battell Hector deliuered to conduct to the king of Cisaine with all his folke that were marueilous strong and great as giants and the same king bare in his shielde all azure without any difference And Hector put in commission in this battell Polidamas his bastard brother with this king and issued after the other The sixt battell lead the king Prenestus that had his people well instructed to shoot and draw the bow and went without armes to battell mounted vpon good light horses and Hector commised Deiphebus his brother to conduct them and they issued after the other With this battell ioyned Hector all the chiualrie of the realme of Agreste vnder the conduct of king Esdras and of king Philon. This king Philon hadde a marueilous chaire all of iuorie of gold and of siluer and of precious stones This chaire was drawen by two strong knights With these two kings Hector put Epitagoren his bastard brother they issued after the other The seuenth battell lead Eneas and a noble admiral named Eufrene and they went after the other The eight battell lead the king of Perse named Perses and Paris was chiefe and captaine and Hector prayed Paris his brother that hee would not assemble vnto the Greekes vnto the time that he came himselfe and that hee woulde follow him anon The much battell and the last lead Hector himselfe and tenne of his bastard brethren after him and all the best knightes of the citie chosen were in this battell to the number of fiue thousand c. Then when Hector was richly arrayed and armed with good harnesse and sure hee mounted vpon his horse named Galathe that was one of the most great strongest horse of the world And so armed and mounted he rode vnto the king his father and sayd vnto him Right deare father reteine with you a thousand and fiue hundred knightes and all the men of foote of this citie and holde you without before the sight of the Gréeks moue you not but if I send you word to the end if we haue necessitie that ye be our refuge And I will send you alway among my messengers that shall tell to you the state of the battell and take ye good heed and kéepe good guard that our enemies take not our citie by pollicie or treason And the king answered him My sonne I will doe all as thou hast sayde vnto me for next after the ayde and helpe of the gods thou art all my hope and trust and I haue no confidence but in the vertue of thine armes and in the great discretion of thy wit And I pray to the gods right humbly that they will keepe thee whole and sound and preserue thee from incombrance After these wordes Hector went forth after the other This Hector was very couragious strong and victorious in battaile and a right wise conductor of menne of armes His shield was all of golde and
their praiers but descended from the Pallace thus armed as he was and tooke his horse and would haue gone to battell But at the request of Andromeda the king Priamus came running anon and took him by the bridle and said to him so many thinges of one and other that hee made him to returne but in no wise hee woulde vnarme him Among all these thinges the battell was mortall of the Greekes and of the Troyans Diomedes and Troylus iousted togither and at the assembly they greeued each other and without faile each of them had slaine other if Menelaus had not come and parted them Then the king Miseres of Frigie beate Menelaus and hadde taken him when Eneas came and troubled them and woulde haue slaine him but the said Troilus deliuered them and slew many Greekes Then came the king Thelamon with three thousand fighting men and iousted in his comming against Polidamas and put him to the worse and vnhorsed him But Troylus succoured him made him to remount on his horse after came Paris and Achilles on the other side that smote among the Troians by so great force with the helpe of his people that he put them to the flight vnto the citie and in this chase Achilles slewe Margareton one of the bastardes of the king Priamus When Hector knewe that Achilles had slaine Margareton he had great sorrow and did anon lace on his helm and went to the battaile that his father knew not of and in his comming hee slew two noble dukes Greekes the duke Coriphus and the duke Bastidus and he thrusted into the greatest prease of the Greekes and slew as many as he could reach and the Greekes fled afore him that there was none so hardie that durst abide his strokes and â—hus the Troyans returned and slewe the Greekes on all sides Then the Greeks tooke Polydamas and had lead him away had not Hector béene which deliuered him and flewe many Gréekes Then an admirall of Gréece named Leocides assailed Hector and Hector slewe him anon When Achilles saw that Hector slewe thus the nobles of Gréece and so many other that it was marueile to beholde he thought that if Hector were not slaine the Gréekes should neuer haue victorie And forasmuch as he had slaine many kings and princes he ran vpon him marueilously and a noble duke of Gréece with him named Polyceus that was come for the loue of Achilles the wich had promised to giue to him his sister in marriage But Hector slew the same duke anon in the sight of Achilles Then Achilles wéening to auenge the death of Policeus assailed Hector by great ire but Hector cast to him a dart fiercely made him a wound in his thigh and then Achilles issued out of the battell and did binde vp his wound and tooke a great speare in purpose to stay Hector if he might meete him Among all these things Hector had taken a very noble baron of Gréece that was queintly and richly armed and for to leade him out of the hoste at his ease had cast his shielde behinde him at his backe and had left his breast discouered and as hee was in this point and tooke none heede of Achilles he came priuily vnto him and thrust his speare within his bodie and Hector fell downe dead to the grounde When the king Menon sawe Hector dead hee assailed Achilles by great ire and beate him downe to the grounde and hurt him grieuously and his men bare him into his tent vpon their shield Then for the death of Hector were al the Troyans discomfited and reentred into their citie bearing the bodie of Hector with great sorrow and lamentation CHAP. XVIII ¶ Of the rich sepulture of Hector and of the great lamentations and weepings that the Troyans made for his death and how Palamedes was chosen duke gouernour of the hoste of the Greeks WHen Hector was dead his body borne into the citie there is no tongue that could expresse the sorrow that was made in the citie generally of men and women and there was none but he had rather to haue lost his owne sonne then him and they sayd euery one that from thencefoorth they had lost all their hope and trust of defence and thus they demeaned right long their extreame griefe and sorrow The noble kings and princes bare the bodie vnto the pallace of Ilyon Their when the king Priamus saw him he fell downe in a swowne vpon the bodie and was as dead for sorrow that vnneth they coulde take him away by force There demeaned great sorrow all his brethren What might men say of the sorrow that his mother the Queene made and afterward his sister O what sorrowe made his wife certes there can no man expresse al the lamentations that there were made And forasmuch as the body might not long endure without corruption the king Priamus tooke counsell of many wise masters how they might keepe the bodie of Hector without corruption and without sepulture and then hee did cause to be made by their aduice and counsell a rich sepulture vpon foure pillars of golde lift vp on height vpon the which was made a marueilous rich Tabernacle of golde and of precious stones and on the foure corners of the Tabernacle were foure images of golde that hadde semblance of angels and aboue the Tabernacle there was a wonderfull great image of golde that was made after the semblance of Hector and had the visage turned toward the Greeks held a naked sworde that he menaced the Greekes with and there was in the middes of the Tabernacle a place voyd where the masters sate and put the bodie of Hector flesh and bones cladde in his best garments and robes and stood right vp on his feete and might endure a long time in that wise without corruption by a certaine deuice that the maisters had set on the sommet or toppe of the head of Hector that is to witte a vessell that had an hole in the bottome which vessel was all full of very fine balme and that distilled and dropped into a place aboue on his head and so spread downe into all the members of the bodie aswell within as without and they filled often times the vessell with balme And thus the bodie might not impaire for the great vertue of this balme And all the people that would see Hector they sawe him verily in like maner as hee had béene aliue To this sepulture the same maisters made a lampe of fine golde burning continually without going out or quenching and afterward they made a closure to the end that no man should approch nor goe vnto this Tabernacle without licence or leaue And in this Temple the king Priamus ordeined and set great plentie of priests for to pray vnto the gods without ceasing for his sonne Hector and gaue to them good rents Among these things the king Agamemnon assembled all the kings and most nobles of his hoste and sayde vnto them in this maner My friends
all ye kings princes and barons wee ought to render and yeeld thanks to the gods humbly and with deuout heart that our right hard enemie Hector hath suffered to be slaine by the hand of Achilles For as long as he was aliue we had neuer any hope to haue come to the better hand of our enemies What may the Troyans from hencefoorth hope or trust for but onely for their owne ouerthrow and we may in short time hope for the victorie vpon them And for as much as Achilles is grieuously hurt and may not goe to battell if ye thinke good whiles that yee maybe healed and the other also that be hurt of whom we haue many and also for to burie the dead bodies we will send to the king Priamus for to haue truce for two moneths The counsell seemed good to them and they sent anon to the king Priamus for truce and hee accorded it to them for two moneths During this truce Palamedes murmured againe at the seignorie of Agamemnon and as they were on a day all together Palamedes spake of this matter the king Agamemnon answered to him as sage in the presence of all the other and sayd vnto him Palamedes weenest thou that I haue great ioy of the seignorie that was giuen vnto me at the beginning and haue occupied to this present time for that it was not at my request neither haue I none auaile nor profit thereby but I haue great charge and breake many sléepes therefore to the end that by my negligence our hoste goe not to decline nor disworship and certes if had well suffised me to haue beene vnder the gouernment of another and I feare no man that may accuse mee that for any euill or negligence I haue failed in any thing And if thou gauest not thy consent vnto mine election thou needest not to dismay thereof for thou werest not as yet at that time come with the other but it was two yeeres after ere thou camest And therefore if wee shoulde haue abiden thy comming wee had beene at the Port of Athens And forasmuch as thou shalt not thinke that I haue ioy or pleasure of this office and am desirous to haue this honour I am content that another be chosen and am readie to giue consent with the most voices When Agamemnon had thus spoken there was no further procéeding that day in this matter And then at euen Agamemnon did make it to bee cried in all the hoste that ech man should be on the morrow betimes before his tent at the Parlement When it came to the morning that they were all assembled Agamemnon said to them My brethren and friends I haue had vnto this time the charge of this worke with great trauaile for to conduct it well in such wise that by the sufferance of the Gods I haue brought it vnto honor vnto this time And forasmuch as it is not lawfull that an Vniuersitie be ruled alway by one maister but that euery mā employ him to the best to his power and forsomuch as I haue conducted this hoste long time I will that wee doe choose another that may conduct it discreetly When Agamemnon had finished his wordes his saying pleased to euerie man and they chose Palamedes to bée their duke and gouernour and then hee went vnto his Tent. Achilles that lay sicke of his woundes was angry at the deposing of Agamemnon and said before al them that would heare it that Palamedes was nothing like vnto Agamemnon in witte and in discretion and that they ought not to change him for Palamedes but forasmuch as the people had consented he abode thereby also c. CHAP. XIX ¶ How the king Priamus issued to battaile for to auenge vpon the Greekes the death of his sonne Hector and of the prowesses that he did and of the anniuersary of the said Hector in which Achilles was surprised with the loue of Polixena the daughter of king Priamus in such wise that he might endure no rest WHen the the two monthes of the truce were past the king Priamus desiring to auenge the death of his sonne Hector ordeined with his owne person his battailes and sette in each battaile good conductors and hee himselfe went and lead with him fiue and twentie thousand of good knightes chosen of the best And Dares saith in his booke that there issued out of Troy that day an hundred and fiftie thousand men Deyphebus was the foremost and then Parie and after him came the king Priamus and Troylus Eneas Menon and Polidamas they went vnto the Tentes of the Greekes Palamedes had ordained his battailes Then began the battel great and mortall The king Priamus smote downe Palamedes in his comming and after smote vnto the greatest prease of the Greekes and slew many of them and beat them downe and did so much in armes in that day that with great paine woulde beleeue that a man so ancient and old might doe that he did that day The king Sarpedon of Troy assailed king Neoptolemus that was a passing strong knight and king Sarpedon was borne to the earth that defended him valiantly and gaue so great a stroke vnto king Neoptolemus that made him a great wound in his thigh Then came to the battaile the king of Perse that remounted the king Sarpedon with the aide of his folke Menelaus and the duke of Athens assailed the king of Perse and inclosed him and his people among them and slew the king of Perse and made the Troyans to recule by force there did the king Sarpedon great and woonderous matters of armes The king Priamus and his bastard sonnes that then followed him ceased not to slea the Greekes and there was none that day that did so much in armes as did the king Priamus for his sorrow his ire made his strength to grow Then the Greekes aduised them to take the way by which the Troyans should returne vnto their citie and they went thither in great number And when the Troyans reculed for to go into that place they found themselues in the middle of their enemies Then began mortall battel and there came vpon them the king Priamus with a great number of fighting men by a wing and Paris came crossing them with a great plentie of good fighters and he had great store of archers that slew many of the Greekes and hurted them and they did so well that by force the Greekes were driuen to recule to their Tentes And the Troyans reentered into their Citie and the king Priamus had the losse and worst of this battaile He sent to the Greekes to demaund truce and they agreed and accorded to him but we finde not howe long this truce endured c. Among these thinges the king Priamus did cause to cary by land the body of the king of Perse for to be buried in his countrey then was the weeping and sorrow great in Troy and in especiall of Paris that loued him exceedingly During this truce the anniuersary of
Hector approched when men should mourn fifteene daies in great sorrow and after shoulde hallow the great feast of the funerall as it was that time the guise and custome for kinges and Princes And then during the truce the Greekes went and came into the Citie safely and so did the Troyans vnto the Tentes of the Greekes Then Achilles had desire to go to Troy to see the Citie and the feast of the anniuersary of Hector whoÌ„ he had slaine and so he went all vnarmed vnto the temple of Apollo where as was the sepulture of Hector and he found there great plentie of men and women that were noble and wept made great sorow before the sepulture which Hector a man might see on all sides al whole in like maner as he was first by the vertue of that balme There was the queene Hecuba and Polixena her daughter that was passing faire with a great company of noble Ladies that had all their haire dispersed and hanging about their shoulders and made right maruellous sorrow And albeit that Polixena made so great sorrowe yet she lost nothing of her bewtie but seemed shewed her selfe so faire in all her members that nature formed neuer none more fairer c When Achilles had well aduised and seen Polixena he said in himselfe that hee had neuer seen so faire a woman nor better formed nor made with that she was one of the most noble women of the world Then was Achilles shot with the dart of loue that stroke him to the heart so maruellously that he could not cease to behold her and the more he beheld her the more he desired her He was so besotted on her that he thought on no other thing but abode in the temple vnto the euening as long as the queene was there and when she went out he conueied his eye vpon Polixena as farre as he might see her and this was the cause and the beginning of his mishappe In this sorrow Achilles returned vnto his tent and when he was laid to sleepe that night there came many things in his minde in his thought and he knew then the danger that Polixena had put him in and thought in himself that the most strong men of the world could not nor hadde not power to vanquish him but the only regard and sight of a fraile maide had vanquished and ouercome him and him séemed that there is no medicine in the world might heale him saue she Then he said my praier my strength nor my riches may nothing mooue her to haue pitie on me I wot neuer what diuell hath put mee in this daunger to loue her that hateth me so sore with mortall hate and by right good cause for I am come hither for to slea her kinne and cosins and now late haue slaine her noble brother Hector Certes I see no remedie since shee is the most noble and fairest of the world And then he turned him to the wall and fell in weeping and drowned himselfe in teares and of necessitie he must thinke how he might come to the loue of Polixene and so he couered and hid his courage as well as hée might CHAP. XX. ¶ How Achilles sent his secret messenger vnto Hecuba the queene of Troy for to request her daughter Polixena and of the answere and how for the loue of her the said Achilles assembled the hoste of the Greeks and counselled them to depart and haue peace with the Troyans THe night following as Achilles was laide on his bed and might not sleepe he thought that he would send betimes his messenger vnto the quéene Hecuba for to know if hee might finde with her that fauor that she would giue to him her daughter Polixena to wife and hee would doe so much for her that he would make the Greekes to raised thâ—ir sâ—â—ge and go againe into their countrey hastily and that peace should be made betweene them Thus as hee thought in the night he put in execution and so sent his true messenger vnto the queene for to require her daughter and said to her the promises that his Lord had commaunded him When the queene had vnderstood the wordes of the messenger she answered him discreetly notwithstanding that she hated Achilles more then any man of the worlde saying friend as much as in me is I am ready for to doe that thing that thy maister requireth of mée but so say vnto him that I may not doe this thing alone by myselfe but I will speake to my Lord and to Paris my sonne and thou shalt come to mee the third day againe and I will say to thée thine answere When the messenger heard the quéene so speake he returned vnto his Lord and saide to him all that he hadde found and thus began Achilles to haue hope to come to his intent The queene Hecuba went anon vnto the king Priamus her husband whereas Paris was and tolde to them all that Achilles had sent to her and then the king hanged downe his head and was so a long while without saying of any word and after said to his wife O how is it as mee thinketh a hard thing to receiue into friendship and amitie him that hath done to me so great offence that hath taken away the light of mine eies in slaying my deere sonne Hector and hath therein giuen hope to the Greekes to haue the victorie But yet for to eschew the more great peril to the end that mine other sonnes loose not their liues and that I may haue rest in mine olde daies I consent with you that he haue that he requireth alway foreseene that hee doe first that thing that he hath promised without any deception Paris agreed to this thing readily forasmuch as in the promises of Achilles was nothing spoken of Queene Hellene c. At the third day after Achilles sent againe his messenger vnto the queene and as soone as hee came before her she said to him I haue spoken to my husband and also to my sonne Paris of the request and also of the promise of thy Lord and they be content that this his re-request be agreed to him so as that he do first that thing that hee hath promised and so thou maiest say to him that hee may come to the chiefe and end of his desire if that he conduct wisely and secretly this thing asmuch as in him is The messenger tooke leaue of the queene and came anon to his maister and counted to him al that the quéene had said to him Then beganne Achilles greatly to thinke how he might performe this that he had promised to the king Priamus and that it was a greeuous thing to doe and that it was not all in his power But it is a proper vice vnto the foolish louers to promise things that are hard to bring about and difficile for to come to the effect of their loues And likewise glorified him Achilles that for his merites or for giuing his aide to the Greekes he
would make them to leaue their siege And then Achilles by the counsell of Palamedes assembled all the kinges and noble men of the hoste in parliament and said to them in this maner My friendes that be here assembled for to bring this warre to the end thinke yee not other while on your selues how by great rashnesse lightnesse and folly and for to recouer the wife of Menelaus we haue left our countreies and landes our wiues and our children and be come into this so straunge land where wee haue dispended the houres foolishly and put our bodies in daunger of death and in great infinite labour and since wee haue been come hither there be right many kinges and princes dead and I my self haue shed much of my bloud that neuer should haue happened if wee had not begunne this folly Helene is nothing of so great price that there behooueth to die for her so many noble men there bee enough in the worlde of as noble and as faire women as she is of whom Menelaus might haue one or two if hée would And it is not a light thing to ouercome the Troyans as they that haue a strong Citie and well furnished with good fighters on horse back and a foot and it ought to suffise to vs that we haue nowe slaine Hector and many other of their nobles by the which we might now returne with our honour and worship and if wee leaue Helene haue not we Exione to whome Helene may not compare in noblenesse Then arose the duke of Athens and the king Thoas and contraried strongly the wordes of Achilles and so did all the other and said that hee spake neither reason nor well Whereat Achilles had great sorrow and commaunded his Mirmydones that they shoulde not arme them any more against the Troyans that they shoulde giue no counsalle nor aide vnto the Greeks Among these thinges vittailes beganne to faile among the Gréekes and they had great famine Then assembled Palamedes al the most noble of the hoste to counsell and by their counsell was the king Agamemnon sent vnto the City of Messe to the king Thelephus that charged and laded his shippes with vittaile and came safely againe into the hoste of the Greekes where he was receiued with great ioy Among these thinges Palamedes did cause their shippes to be repaired to the end that they might be more readie if they had need c. CHAP. XXI ¶ Of the death of Deyphebus the sonne of king Priamus and how Paris slew Palamedes and how the Troyans draue backe the Greekes into their tentes and set fire on their shippes and how for all these thinges Achilles would not go to battaile for the loue of Polixene WHen the truce were passed they began to fight as they had been accustomed Deiphebus assailed in his comming the king Cressus of Greece and hee addressed to him gladly and iousted the one against the other but Deyphebus beate the king Cressus dead downe to the ground whereat the Greekes were sore troubled and put them to flight But Palamedes and Diomedes came with fiue and twentie thousand fighting men that resisted the Troyans with them was the noble king Thelamon Ayax that addressed him against Eufronius one of the bastard sonnes of the king Priamus smote him so hard that he beate him downe dead to the ground in sight of Deiphebus that in his great furie ranne vpon Thelamon and beate him and sore hurt him When Palamedes sawe the stroke hee tooke a great speare and addressed him to Deyphebus and smote him so hard in the brest that the speare entered into his body and the speare brake and the truncheon abode in the body of Deyphebus When Paris sawe his brother so hurt to the death hee tooke him and lead him vnto the gate of the Citie and tooke him to his men to keepe And as Deyphebus opened his eyes and saw Paris his brother he said to him Brother wilt thou let me descend into hell without auenging of my death I pray thee as earnestly as I may that ere this truncheon bee taken out of my body thou doe so much by thy hand that thou slay him that hath slaine me Paris promised him that he would doe his best and returned into the battell right angry for his brother and sayd in himselfe that hee desired no longer to liue but vntill hee had auenged the death of his brother and sought Palamedes all abouts and found him that he fought against the king Sarpedon that had assaied for to slay him and Palamedes defended himselfe valiantly and in his great fury gaue so great a stroke with his sworde to the king Sarpedon that he cut off his shoulder from the body and anon king Sarpedon fell downe dead Paris séeing the great damage that Palamedes did to them and how with his prowesse he had put the Troians to flight and ceased not to slay and smite downe alway he bent his strong bowe and aymed well at Palamedes at leasure and shot to him an arrow enuenimed and smote him in the throat and cut in two the maister veine and Palamedes fell downe dead to the earth for whose death the Gréekes made much sorrow and left the battell and went vnto their tents and there held a parle against the Troyans and defended them strongly Then descended the Troyans afoote and entred into some of their tents and tooke all that they found that good was Then Paris and Troylus went by a side way vnto the Port and did put fire into their ships and burnt so great plentie that men might sée the flame farre To the rescue of the ships came the king Thelamon with a great company of fighting men and beganne the battell horible so so that there was great killing slaughter on both sides and verely the ships had beene all burnt had it not beene for the prowesse of king Thelamon that did marueiles with his bodie for whatsoeuer he did there were more then fiue hundred ships burnt There was great slaughter of the Greeks many were hurt There was Ebes the sonne of the king of Trace sore hurt with a speare and bare the truncheon in his bodie in that point he went to the Tent of Achilles where hee rested him that day and had refused to goe to the battell for the loue that hee had to Polixene Ebes reproched greatly Achilles that he suffered so to destroy the people of his countrey and to die villainously and saying that he might well helpe them if he would And assoone as he had finished his words one tooke the truncheon out of his body and anon he fel down dead in the presence of Achilles Anon after came from the battell one of the varlets or seruants of Achilles and Achilles demaunded him tidings of the host Ha sir sayd he it is this day mishapped to our folke for the great multitude of Troyans that be come vpon them and they haue slaine all that they coulde â—éet with
he made the Greekes to go backe into their Tentes and alighted on foote and entered into the tentes and slewe them on all sides and there was so great a crie that the sounde came to Achilles that rested him in his Tent and demaunded of one of his seruauntes that was there what it was and he said to him that the Troyans had vanquished the Greekes and slewe them within their Tents which were no more able to defend them and thinke ye to be sure here said he nay ye shall see anon more then forty thousand Troyans that shall slea you vnarmed for at this time they haue slaine the most part of your Mirmidones and they cease not to slea them and there shall not abide one aliue but if they be succoured At these wordes Achilles did quake for yre and set behinde him the loue of Polixene and did arme him hastily and mounted on his horse and ranne all out enraged as a Lion and smote in among the Troyans and spoiled thē slewe and hurt them in such wise that anon his sworde was knowne and the bloud ran in the field all about as he went When Troylus knewe that Achilles fought with his sword he addressed him to him and gaue him so great a stroke that he made him a great wound and a deepe that he must needes cease many daies of comming to battaile Troylus was hurt also by the hand of Achilles but nothing so sore and both fel down to the ground and the battaile dured vntill the night and on the morrowe they beganne again and endured vnto the Euen And thus they fought sixe daies continually Wherefore there were many slaine on either part The king Priamus had great sorrowe of this that Achilles against his promise was come into the battaile and thought that he had giuen him to vnderstand a thing that was not but rather that hee meant for to deceiue him then otherwise and reproched his wife to beleeue so lightly him and Polixene sorrowed then enough for she was contented then to haue had Achilles to her husband Achilles among other thinges did heale his woundes during sixe monethes of truce that they had gotten which woundes Troylus had giuen him and he purposed to auenge him and that Troylus should die shamefully by his hand After these things the nineteenth battel began with great slaughter and afore that Achilles entered into the battaile he assembled his Mirmidones and praied them that they would intend to none other thing but to inclose Troylus and to hold him without flying till hee came and that he would not be farre from them And they promised him that they so would And he thronged into the battell And of the other side came Troylus that beganne to slea and beate downe al them that he raught and did so much that about midday he put the Gréeks to flight then the Mirmidones that were two thousand fighting men and had not forgot the commaundement of their Lord thrusted in among the Troyans and recouered the field And as they held them together and sought no man but Troylus they found him that hee fought strongly and was inclosed on all partes but he slew and wounded many And as he was all alone among them and had no man to succour him they slew his horse and hurt him in many places and plucked off his head his helme and his coife of yron and he defended him in the best manner he could Then came on Achilles when he sawe Troylus all naked and ran vpon him in a rage and smote off his head and cast it vnder the féete of his horse and tooke the body and bound it to the taile of his horse and so drew it after him throughout the host Oh what villanie was it to drawe so the sonne of so noble a king that was so worthy and so hardy Certes if anie noblenesse had béen in Achilles he would not haue doone this villanie When Paris knew that Achilles had thus villainously slaine Troylus he had great sorrow and so had Eneas and Polidamas and laboured to recouer his body but they might not for the great multitude of Gréekes that resisted them On the other part the king Menon died of sorow for the death of Troylus and assailed Achilles and said vnto him in reproch Ha ha euil traitour what crueltie hath mooued thée to bind to the taile of thy horse the sonne of so noble a Prince as the king Priamus is and to drawe him as hee were the most villaine of the world Certes thou shalt abide it and ranne vpon him and smote him so hard with his speare in his breast that he gaue him a great wound and after gaue him so many strokes with his sworde that hée beat him downe to the ground and then was the body of Troylus recouered with great paine The folk of Achilles relieued their Lord and set him againe on his horse and as soone as his strength came to him againe he came againe into the prease and encountered the king Menon and assailed him stoughtly and the king Menon defended him valiantly and did hurt Achilles in many places but there came so much people on the one side and of the other that they were parted then came the night on that parted them and made them to cease and they fought thus the space of seuen daies At the seuenth day when Achilles was healed of his woundes desiring to auenge him of the king Menon he saide to his folke that if they might encounter him they should hold him in close like as they did Troilus Then began the battaile right aspre Achilles and Menon fought togither and by great rage beate downe eche other a foote Then the Mirmidones enclosed him and tooke him by force that had no man to succour him Then Achilles seeing the king Menon in this daunger he ran vpon him and slew him with great torment but Menon gaue him before many great woundes whereof he lay long after Among these thinges Menelaus and Menesteus with a great companie of kinges and princes and many fighting men thrusted into the throng and put many Troyans to flight the which entered into their Citie with doing great mischiefe forasmuch as the Gréeks chased them so nigh that they slew and hurt many of them CHAP. XXIII How Paris by the perswasion of Hecuba his mother slew Achilles in the temple of Apollo and the son of duke Nestor and how Paris and Aiax slew each other in battaile FOr the death of Troilus the king Priamus his wife and his children and all the inhabitantes of the Citie made great sorrow maruelously and they saide all that since they had lost Hector Deyphebus and Troylus they had from thenceforth no more hope of their life then of their death The king Priamus demaunded truce and it was agreed and accorded by the Greekes during the which they did burie honourably the body of Troylus and the body of king Menon The queene might not be appeased nor
comforted for the death of her children and thought in many manner waies howe shee might be auenged on Achilles that thus had slaine her sonnes by cruel tyranny And finally she called Paris sore weeping and said to him secretly these wordes Right déere sonne thou knowest how this traitour Achilles hath slaine by treason thy brethren my children that were with thee the solace of my life And forasmuch as he hath so slaine them by treason me seemeth good and also iust and right that he be slaine by treason and I will tell thee how it shal be done The vnhappy man hath many times required mee to haue to his wife Polixene and I haue giuen to him good hope thereof I haue purposed to send to him my keeper of my signet and bid him come to speake to mee in the temple of Apollo and I will right deere sonne that thou be there in waite with a good company of knightes and then when he shall be come that ye run vpon him slea him that he escape not with his life Paris answered that he would doe this thing in such wise as she hadde deuised and thereupon hee assembled twenty good knightes in whom he affied him much and went forth into the Temple of Apollo Assoone as Achilles heard the messenger speake that came from the quéene Hecuba the foole being euil counselled tooke with him the sonne of duke Nestor they went both vnto the temple of Apollo and assoone as they were come Paris and his knightes ran vppon him and Paris cast at him three dartes wherewith hee hurt him sore Achilles drewe out his sworde that had no more armour and wrapped his arme with his mantell smote in among the knightes right fiersly and slewe seuen of them But in the end the son of duke Nestor Archilogus Achilles were both slain within the temple and forthwith Paris commanded that his body should be cast vnto the houndes and to the birds but at the request of Helenus they were put in a place before the temple for to be kept And the Troyans had then great ioy and saide they had no care of the Greekes ne set nought by them When Agamemnon knew therof he sent vnto the king Priamus for to haue the bodies for to burie them The king Priamus made them to bee deliuered and were borne downe to their tentes then arose a great sorrowe among the Greeks and said that they had all lost The duke Nestor might not be comforted for the death of his son and they made for Achilles a noble sepulture which by the consent of king Priamus was laide within the citie at the entry of the gate of Tymbre After these thinges the king assembled to his counsell all the nobles of the hoste and shewed to them how for the death of Achilles the most part of them were discomforted discouraged from the war and therefore demanded them if it were good to leaue the warre or to entertaine and hold it Then was there among them diuers opinions some allowed the warre and the other blamed it and at last they concluded al togither with one accord to maintain the warre saying If Achilles were failed yet for that shoulde not faile the promises of the Gods Then stood vp Ayax among them and saide If Achilles bee dead let vs send for his sonne whom the king Nicomedes his graund-sire nourisheth and teacheth the feates of armes for I trowe that without him wee may haue no victorie of the Troyans His counsell seemed good and by the agreement and will of euery man Menelaus was chosen to go fetch Neoptolomus sonne of Achilles that was named otherwise Pirrhus Among these thinges when that truce were failed the 16. day of Iune when the daies be at the longest of all the yeare the Troyans beganne the twentith battell against the Greekes that was right sharpe and hard this day went Ayax by great folly to battaile without armes and bare nothing but his sword The Troyans that had lost their best defenders were not then so hardy as they were woont to be but for to saue their liues they fought mightily Paris with all the people of Perse that were the best archers slew many Gréeks and the king Philomenus fought strongly and they of Paphlagony came on that slew many Gréekes and by force made them to recule Menesteus iousted against Polidamas and beate him right fiersly and ranne vpon him with his sworde and had taken or slaine him had not the king Philomenus deliuered him from his hands Ayax did this day maruels of armes thus vnarmed as hee was and slewe manie Troyans and was not yet hurt In the end he smote in among them of Perse that Paris lead and slewe many of them and made them to turne to flight When Paris saw his people thus slaine he shotte to Ayax an arrow enuenomed and raught him betweene the backe and the sides Ayax anon felt that he was hurt to the death and hée thought that hee would not die till he had auenged him on him that hadde slaine him and did so much that hee found Paris and saide to him thou hast slaine me with thine arrow but before that I die I will slea thee And also by thee and for thy cause be many noble men slaine And then he gaue him so great a stroke that he cut a two his face so deepe that he fell downe dead to the earth and Ayax fell downe after him The Troyans tooke the body of Paris with weeping teares and bare it vnto the Citie and they were followed vnto the gates The next night following Agamemnon made the hoste to approch neere to the Citie and there pight their Tents And the Troyans kept their walles day and night Then hadde the Troyans no more no hope of their liues when they sawe that all the sonnes of king Priamus were dead and there is no tongue that can expresse the lamentations that the king Priamus made and his wife and his daughters and the queene Helene for the death of Paris and aboue all other Helene made the most greatest sorrow The king did burie Paris in a right rich sepulture and set it in the Temple of Iuno honourably c. CHAP. XXIIII How the queen Penthesilea came from Amazonne with a thousand maydens to the succour of Troy and slew many Greekes and after was shee slaine by Pirrhus the sonne of Achilles THen two monethes during whole the gates of Troy were not opened and the Troyans did nothing but go in the Citie and lamented and sorrowed and the king Agamemnon did send oftentimes vnto the king Priamus that he shoulde send his men to battaile But the king Priamus fearing and greatly doubting his destruction would not doe it forasmuch as hee abode the succours of the queene of Amazone that was then on the waie for to come vnto the succours of the king Priamus Amazonne is a prouince where dwelled then none but women without men and they were
was so hurt that the truncheon of her speare abode within his bodie wherefore the crie arose greatly among the Greekes and they ranne vpon Penthesilea with great strength and brake the lase of her helme and then Pirrhus that in his great furie tooke none heede to his wound set not thereby that hee had the truncheon in his body but assailed strongly Penthesilea that had then her helme broken and shee weend to haue smitten him but Pirrhus raught her first gaue her so great a stroke with his sworde that hee cutte her arme off by the body whereof the saide Penthesilea fell downe dead to the earth and Pirrhus that was not yet content smote the body and cut it in two peeces and anon for the great effusion of bloud that ran from his wound he fell downe as dead among his people and they tooke him vp layed him vpon his shield and bare him into his tent Then the maidens of Penthesilea for to reuenge the death of their Quéene smote in among the Mirmidones by great furie and slew many and hurt but it profited but little to the Troyans as they that were but a few against a great multitude of Gréeks And so there were slaine of them of Troy that day in the battell more then tenne thousande men and the other withdrewe themselues into the citie for to saue themselues and shut closed fast their gates and had no more intention to issue out to battell against their enemies c. CHAP. XXV ¶ How Anthenor and Eneas spake together among them for to deliuer the citie vnto the Greeks by treason and did it vnder colour of peace and howe the king Priamus gainsayd them with some of his bastards by great and rude words THe Troyans had very great sorrowe when they sawe them in this distresse for they had no more hope to haue any succours from any place and they endeuoured to nothing but to keepe well their citie and to furnish them well with bitaile for they feared nor dreaded nought of any assault Among these things the Gréeks would haue cast to the dogs the bodie of Penthesilea forasmuch as she had slaine so many noble men of Gréece but Pirrus gainsayde it for the honour and credit of noblenesse and finally they concluded that they would cast it in a pond that was nie the citie Anchises with his sonne Eneas and Anthenor with his sonne Polidamas went to counsell together for to aduise them how they might haue their liues saued against the Gréekes and their goodes and rather than they woulde faile heereof they woulde betray the Citie Then they concluded that they shoulde speake vnto king Priamus and counsell him to take a peace and appointment with the Gréekes in restoring of Helene to her husband and the damages that Paris did in the I le of Citharis O if the king Priamus had beene so happy to haue doone this and had pleased the Gréekes at the beginning he had saued his life and his wifes life and the life of all his children and had saued all the Citie and the cittizens and had eschewed all the mischiefes that came to them afterward Therefore say men in a Prouerb that the concorde or peace soone taken is good for it is an hard thing to reappease such manner dammages to him that hath aduantage of the warre For with great paine would the Gréekes haue beene content that were thē at the better hand with these offers forasmuch as they had suffered so many hurtes and damages before Troy for them séemed well that they were at the point for to destroy the Citie and all the inhabitantes But the aforenamed traitours spake not of this matter but to the end that vnder colour of peace they might betray the citie if otherwise they might not saue their liues Then they went before the king Priamus and Amphimacus one of his bastard sonnes and spake there of this matter before many noble men of the Citie and aboue as king Priamus had heard them speake of purchasing of peace with the Gréekes he thought that they spake this thing by great fury and beganne to laugh saying to them that he would be aduised and take counsell first and then they spake vnto him in this manner If thou wilt heare our counsell vpon this thing marke what we shall say and if it please thée not vse the counsell of other The king saide that hee woulde well heare their counsell and would wéete what séemed them good saying vnto them What séemeth you good Then spake Anthenor saying King you may not dissemble but that you and yours be compassed with your ennemies who béene héere by your citie desiring your death and destruction and ye may not issue out there are more than fiftie kings that desire nothing but to destroy this Cittie and you and all them that dwell therein yée may no longer resist them neyther dare ye no more open your gates and thus we let vs then be inclosed héerein We ought of two euill things choose the lesse euill and therefore for to haue peace with the Gréekes if ye séeme good we will render Helene to Menelaus her husband since that Paris is dead and also restore the damage that Paris did doe to them in Gréece rather than we will suffer our selues to be put to the death c. At these wordes arose vp Amphymacus one of the bastard sonnes of king Priamus and reprooued egerly the wordes of Anthenor and saide vnto him what trust or hope may my Lorde my father and wée haue in thée since that thou oughtest to haue firme goodwill vnto him and to this citie and we sée that thus recreant thou oughtest to liue and die with vs and thou counsellest vs now to make peace with the Gréekes to our great dishonour and shame Truely before that the king shall doe that there shall die twenty thousand menne the thing that thou counsellest the king commeth of treason Many other iniurious wordes said Amphimacus to Anthenor and Eneas beganne to interrupt him saying Yée know well that we may not from hencefoorth goe to battell against the Gréekes and we dare no more open our gates wherefore it behoueth vs to finde meanes to haue peace with them Then the king Priamus with great ire saide to Anthenor and to Eneas haue yée not shame in your selues to speake so to mée Yée make me die with sorrow for all that I haue done hitherto I haue done it by your counsel Anthenor at thy return fro Gréece whither I sent thée to require my sister counselledst thou not me that I shoulde send Paris into Gréece for to endammage the Greekes And I had neuer taken vpon me for to haue mooued war against them had not thy false counsell beene which moued me to send thither And thou Eneas alas when I sent thee with Paris into Greece wast not thou principall of the counsell that Paris should rauish Helene and bring her into this realme and thou helpedst
thereto with thy person And if thou wouldest haue béene contrary thereto and haue let it Helene had neuer seene the walles of Troy And now after this that they haue slaine all my children and done so much dammage and hurt ye counsell mee against honour to make peace with the Gréeks that haue so cruelly destroyed me Certes your counsell finisheth my life with great sorow and dishonour c. Of these wordes was Eneas exceedingly angrie and wroth and answered to the king wordes sharpe and pricking enough and departed he Anthenor from the king euill content And when they were gone the king began to weepe as hee that dreaded that they would deliuer the citie into the hands of the Greeks which would slay him incontinent Then he thought that he would make them die first and called to him Amphimacus and sayd to him Right deare sonne I am thy father we ought to support ech other vnto the death I know certeinly that Anthenor and Eneas contend for to slay vs by the Gréekes and to deliuer them this citie and therefore it should not be ill done to make them fall into the pitte that they haue made ready before ere they doe any such euill and I will tell thee in what maner To morrow at euen they will come to take counsell then thou shalt be ambushed here within and thou shalt haue with thee good knights and when they shall bee come thou shalt runne vppon them and slay them Amphimacus made answere vnto him and sayd that hee would so doe with a verie good will and albeit there were no more assembled at this counsell but the king and his sonne yet there is nothing so secret but otherwhile it is knowne Eneas knew wel the truth of this thing and it was not knowne by whom he knew it and anon hee and Anthenor and some other of their complices spake forth of the treason of the citie and there they swore each to other and then they said if they went more to counsaile to the king that they woulde go with great company of men of armes for Eneas was of the most noble of Troy and most rich next to the king and best of linage and might well compare to the king And Anthenor was also rich and puissant of friendes in the citie and their treason was such that they would haue deliuered the city in the handes of their enemies So as they and all they of their linage shoulde haue their liues and their goods saued and thereof they tooke good suretie of the Greekes Among these thinges the king Priamus sent for Anthenor and Eneas to come to counsell for to performe that thing that he hadde purposed but they came with a great company of men of armes and therefore the king sent Amphymacus that hee shoulde leaue off this enterprise The day following the king sent for all the Troians to councel and when they were assembled before him Eneas stood vp and willed all them to make peace with the Greekes to whom all the other accorded saue the king and then said to him Eneas Sir king wherefore consentest not thou with the other for will thou or will thou not we will treate for the peace and wil make it maugre thee When the king sawe that his contradiction might nothing auaile he had leauer consent with the other then for to be the cause of his destruction and then said he to Eneas Let it be made as ye shall thinke that it may bee most expedient to the peace and I will thinke wel of it Then by the counsel of them all Anthenor was chosen for to go to the Greekes and treat for the peace and the Troyans tooke branches of Palme in signe of peace and went vppon the walles of the Citie and shewed the signe vnto the Gréeks the which shewed well that they would entend to the peace And then was Anthenor retyred from the walles and let downe and was presented to the king Agamemnon And the king Agamemnon commised all the work to the king of Crete Diomedes and Vlisses and that all those thinges that these thrée kinges should decree with Anthenor all the Gréeks promised to hold it agreeable and sware it vpon their law c. When they were all foure assembled Anthenor replenished with furie promised to them to deliuer the citie by treason for to doe with it their will and pleasure so that they woulde saue him and Eneas and all their kinsmen and parentage and all them that they woulde choose and that Eneas should haue all his possessions without any losse These three kings of Greece swore to Anthenor that thus they would do and hold then said one to the other that this thing must be secret vnto the time it be brought about and to the end to keepe this treason more secret Anthenor praied to the Greekes that they would deliuer to him the king Cassilius that was a very auncient man for to go with him to Troy to the intent that he might be the better beleued and for that he knew the will of the Troians that is to weet if they woulde haue peace with the Greekes and also for to say to them the will and desire of the Greekes and then demaunded Anthenor the body of Penthesilea which the Gréeks agreed to them gladly After these thinges Anthenor and the king Cassilius entred into the citie and did to be knowne to the king their comming On the morrow betimes the king Priamus assembled al the Troians for to heare the answer of Anthenor the which saide to the king otherwise then hée founde making a long sermon for to couer his badde doing Where he spake long of the puissance of the Gréeks and of their truth in their promises and how they had holden the truce that they made lying before the citie had béen faithfully gouerned without breaking of them and after spake he of the feeblenesse of the Troyans of the daungers that they were in and in this time concluded that forthwith it were profitable to seeke peace and that they were come thereto and said it coulde not be vnlesse they gaue a great quantity of gold and siluer vnto the Greeks for to restore to them the great damages that they had in the warre And after they aduised the king the other each in himself for to employ him in this thing without any sparing And forasmuch said Anthenor as I cannot know at this time al their will I would that yee would let Eneas go with mee vnto them for to knowe better their will and to the end that they beleeue vs the better Euerie man allowed the words of Anthenor and then went he and Eneas to the Greeks and with them the king Cassilius When the counsel was finished and all done the king Priamus entred into his chamber began to wéep right gréeuously as he that perceiued wel the treason playned sore the death of his sons and the great damage that he
bare and that worse is he must buy his peace of them that had done to him al this hurt and to giue them al the treasure that he had in long time gathered togither to become poore in his olde daies and yet hee is not sure of his life but must needs do the will of them that shal betray him On the other side when Helene knew that Anthenor shuld go to the Gréeks she praied him right effectuously that he wold make her peace with Menelaus her husband and that he would take pitie on her and he promised to her that he would do to his power When Eneas and Anthenor were come into the hoste of the Greekes they treated of their treason with the three kinges that the Greekes hadde commised and there they made the peace for Helen and tooke good suretie After their communication the Gréeks ordained that Diomedes and Vlysses shoulde goe with them to Troy and they went with them There was great ioy when they heard of their comming into their Cittie weening to the Troyans to haue had the peace they had so much desired On the morrow earely by the commaundement of the king Priamus all the Troyans were assembled at his pallace then spake Vlysses saying vnto them that the Gréekes demaunded two thinges that is to wéete restitution of their damages and great quantitie of gold and siluer and also they demaunded that Amphymacus shoulde bee banished for euer out of the Cittie of Troy without any trust euer to come in againe this purchased Anthenor for Amphymacus forasmuch as he had contraried him afore O how great peril it is to speake lightly in time of perturbation and sedition Then as they were all assembled in parleament they heard sodainely a maruellous crie at that Diomedes and Vlisses were in great feare that the people would haue slaine them then the other said that they would take these two kings in the steade of Amphymacus to the intent that hee should not be banished and yet there could no man know nor wéete from whence this noise came nor wherfore therefore they departed and euery man went into his place c. Then Anthenor drew apart Diomedes and Vlisses for to speake of their euill practises Then sayd vnto him Vlisses Wherefore tarriest thou so long and delayest to do that thou hast promised Anthenor answered sayd The gods doe know that Eneas and I attend to none other thing but to doe that we haue promised to you but there is a marueilous thing that hindreth vs and I will say to you what it is Certeinely when the king Ilion founded first the pallace of Ilion in this citie hee established in the name of Pallas a great temple in this Citie and when it was all ready and made sauing the tower a marueilous thing descended from the heauen and that stacke in the wall of the temple within the great altar and it hath bene there till this time and none may beare it away saue they that keepe it the matter is of tree or of wood but there is no man that knoweth of what wood nor howe it is so made but the goddesse Pallas that sent it thither gaue vnto this thing a great vertue that is this that as long as this sayde thing shall be within the temple or within the citie within the walles the Troyans may not loose their Citie nor the kings nor the heires and this is the thing that holdeth the Troyans in suretie and therefore they may the better keepe it And this thing hath to name Palladium forasmuch as the goddesse Pallas sent it Then sayd Diomedes If this thing be of such vertue as thou sayst we loose our labour Then sayde Anthenor that they ought nothing to dismay them for he and Eneas attended for to fulfill the promise for I haue but late spoken to the Priest that kéepeth it to the end that he may deliuer it by stealth and I haue sure trust that he shall deliuer it me for a great sum of golde that I promised him and assoone as I shal haue it I will send it to you out of the citie and then we shal performe that thing we haue promised to you and ere ye goe hence for to couer and hide our worke I will goe vnto the king Priamus and will let him to vnderstand that I haue spoke long to you to knowe what quantitie of golde ye demaunde and it was so effected as Anthenor had determined CHAP. XXVI ¶ Howe the traitour Anthenor bought of the Priest the Palladium and gaue it to Vlisses and of the horse of brasse that was by the Greekes brought to the temple of Pallas being full of men of armes and how the city of Troy was taken and burnt and the king Priamus slaine c. WHen Diomedes and Vlisses were returned into their hoste Anthenor went vnto the king Priamus and said to him that hee should assemble all his folke to counsell and when they were all come Anthenor saide to them that for to come to the peace of the Greekes they must needes pay twentie thousand mark of gold and that in good weight and asmuch of siluer and also an hundred thousand quarters of Wheate and this must be made ready within a certaine time and then when they haue this they shall giue suretie to holde the peace without any fraud or subtiltie There it was ordained how this summe should be leuied and whiles they were busie thereaboutes Anthenor went to the Priest that kept the Palladium the which Priest hadde to name Thoant and bare to him a great quantitie of golde and there were they two at counsaile Anthenor saide to him that hee shoulde take this summe of golde wherewith he shoulde bee rich all his life and that he shoulde giue to him the Palladium and that no man should knowe thereof for I haue saide hée great feare and as much dread as thou that anie man should knowe thereof And I will send it to Vlisses and hee shall beare the blame vppon him and euerie man shall say that Vlisses shall haue stollen it and wee shal be quit therof both two c. Thoant the priest resisted long the wordes of Anthenor but in the end for couetousnesse of the great summe of golde that Anthenor gaue vnto him he consented that he should take the Palladium and beare it away Then Anthenor tooke it anone and sent it vnto Vlysses the same night and after the voyce ranne among the people that Vlysses by his suttletie had taken and borne away the Palladium out of Troy O what treason was this of a Priest that loued better for couetousnesse to betray his citie than to leaue the golde that was giuen him Certes it is a fowle vice in a Priest the sinne of couetousnesse but few haue béene before this time and few be yet but they be attainted therewith whereof it is great pittie since it is so that auarice is the mother of all vices Whilest that the Troyans gathered
together their gold and siluer and put it in the Temple of Minerua to kéepe vnto the time that it was all collected it pleased them to offer and make sacrifice to their god Apollo and when they had slaine many beasts for their sacrifice and had put them vppon the Altare and had set fire vnto them for to burne them it happened that there came two very straunge maruailes the first was that the fire woulde not kindle nor burne for they beganne to make the fire more than tenne times and alwayes it quenched and might neuer burne the sacrifice The second myracle or maruell was when they had appointed the entrailes of the beasts for their sacrifice a great Eagle descended from the ayre crying greately and tooke with his féete the saide entrailes and bare them into the shippes of the Gréekes Of these two things were the Troyans sore abashed dismayed said that the gods were wroth with them Then demaunded they of Cassandra what these thinges signified and shée saide vnto them that the god Apollo was wroth with them for the effusion of the bloud of Achilles that was shedde wherewithall his Temple was defiled and violated this is the first and ye must goe fetch fire at the sepulture of Achilles and light your sacrifice therewith then will it quench no more and they did so and the sacrifice burnt cleare and for the second myracle she said to them that for certaine treason was made of the Cittie with the Gréekes When the Gréekes heard of these myracles they demaunded of Calcas what it signified and hee aunswered that the yéelding of the Cittie shoulde come shortely Amongest these things Calcas and Crisis the Priest counselled the Gréekes that they should make a great horse of brasse and that must be so great as might hold within it a thousand knights armed and they saide vnto them that it was the pleasure of the gods This horse was made by a passing wise maister as Appius was whose name was Sinon and hee made it so subtilly that no man might perceiue nor sée entrie nor issue but within it was easie to them that were closed therein for to issue when they would c. When the horse was fully made and the thousand knights therein by the counsel of Crisis they prayed the king Priamus that he woulde suffer this horse to enter into the cittie and that it might be set in the temple of Pallas forasmuch as they saide that they had made it in the honour of Pallas for a vowe that they had made for restitution of the Palladium which they had caused to be taken out of the same temple c. Among these things the Princes that were yet in Troy when they saw that the king had so fowly and so shamefully treated with the Gréekes they went out of Troy and tooke their men with them and the king Philomenus led no more but two hundred and fifty men and thréescore maidens of Amazonne that were left of a thousand that came with the Quéene Penthesilea and carried the bodie of her with them and trauelled so long that in the ende they came vnto their owne Countrey Then came the day that the Gréekes should sweare the peace fainedly vpon the plaine field vpon the sanctuaries King Priamus issued out of the cittie and his people and sware there each partie to holde the peace firmely from thence foorth on and Diomedes swore first for the Gréekes after when they had broken the peace that they had treated with Anthenor of that thing that they concluded after therefore they maintained that they were not forsworne by that colour as the prouerb sayth He that sweareth by a cautele or maliciously he by malice forsweareth himself After that Diomedes sware likewise all the kings and princes of Gréece and then the king Priamus and the Troyans swore in good faith as they that knew nothing of the great treason and after their othes thus made king Priamus deliuered Helene to Menelaus her husband and prayed him and other kings and princes of Gréece that they would pardon Helen without suffering to be done to her any iniury or hurt and they promised him fainedly that they would doe to her no wrong Then prayed the Gréekes that they might set the horse of brasse within the Temple of Pallas for the restitution of Palladium to the end that the goddesse Pallas might be to them friendly in their returne And as the king Priamus answered not therto Eneas and Anthenor said to him that it should be wel done and that it should be honour to the cittie Howbeit the king Priamus accorded it with euill will Then the Greekes receiued the golde and siluer and the wheate that was promised them and sent it and put into their shippes After these things they went all in maner of procession and in deuotion with their priests and beganne with strength of cordes to draw the horse of brasse vnto before the gate of the citie and forasmuch as by the gate it might not enter into the cittie it was so great therefore they brake the wall of the city in length and height in such wise as it entred within the towne the Troyans receiued it with great ioy but the custome of Fortune is such that great ioy endeth in heauinesse and in sorrow The Troyans made ioy of this horse wherein was closed their death and they knew nothing of it In this horse was a subtile man named Sinon that bare the keies of the horse for to open it When the Troyans were a sleepe and rested them in the night forthwith they issued out of the horse and gaue a token of fire to them that were in the fieldes to the end that they should come into the Citie for to put it all to destruction The same day the Greekes fained to go vnto Tenedon and said that they would receiue Helene and sette her in safetie because that the people should not run vpon her for the great euilles and hurtes that were fallen for her and thus they departed from the porte of Troy with their sailes drawne vp and came before the sunne going downe to Tenedon Then had the Troyans great ioy when they sawe the Greekes depart and they supped that euening with great gladnesse and the Greekes so soone as they were come to Tenedon they armed them in the euening and went stilly priuily toward Troy When the Troyans had well supped they wēt to bed for to sleepe Then Sinon opened the horse and went out and light this fire and shewed it to them that were without and anon without delay they that were in a waite entered into the Citie by the gate that was broken for to bring in the horse of brasse And the thousand knightes issued out and where they found the Troyans they slew them in their houses where they slept as they that thought nothing Thus entred the Greekes into the Citie and slewe men women and children without sparing of any and
tooke all that they found in their houses and slew so manie ere it was day that they had slaine more then twentie thousand They pilled and robbed the Temples and the cry arose to be horrible of them that they slew When the king Priamus heard the cry hee knew anon that Eneas and Anthenor had betraied him he arose then hastily and went into his temple of Apollo that was within his Pallace as he that had no more trust nor hope of his life and kneeled before the high altar Cassandra fled on the other side as one that had been out of her witte into the temple of Minerue weeping and demeaning great sorrowe and the other noble women abode still in the Pallace in weepinges and in teares When it came to the morrow the Greekes by the conduct of Eneas and of Anthenor that were open traytours vnto their Citie and also to their king and Lord came and entered into the Pallace of Ilion where they found no defence put to death all them that they found Then Pirrhus entred into the temple of Apollo found there the king Priamus abiding his death then he ranne vpon him with a naked sword in sight of Eneas and Anthenor that guided him he slew there the king Priamus before the high altar which was all be-bled with his bloud The queene Hecuba and Polixene fled and wist not whether to go and it happened that she met with Eneas and then said Hecuba to him in a great furie Ha a felon traitour from whence is come to thee so great crueltie that thou hast brought with thee them that haue slaine the king Priamus that hath done to thee so much good and hath set thee in magnificence and also hast betraied the countrey where thou were borne and the citie that thou oughtest to keepe at the least let it suffise thée and refraine thee now of thine intent and haue pitie of this vnhappie Polixene to the end that among so many euilles as thou hast done thou maiest haue grace to haue done one good deede as for to saue her from death before the Greekes slea her Eneas mooued with Pitie receiued Polixene in his guard and put her in a secret place Among these things king Thelamon set in the temple of Minerue in kéeping Andromeda the wife of Hector Cassandra whom he found there in Ilion and set the cittie on fire in all places and brent al the noble cittie except onely the houses of the traitors which were kept and reserued When the cittie of Troy was all brent king Agamemnon assembled al the most noble of Gréece in the temple of Minerue and when they were all assembled he required them of two things one was that they should hold their faith and trueth to the traitours the other that they should take good aduise to part the prey of the cittie The answer of the Gréekes was such that they would hold their faith to the traitors as for the first point and as to the second euery man should bring all the prey in common and there to part to ech man after his merite and desert Then spake Thelamon and said they should burne Helen for whom so much hurt and euill was come and that so many woorthy kings princes had died for And there was a great murmure hereupon that with great paine Agamemnon Vlysses and Menelaus might saue her But Vlysses with his faire spéech saide to them so much of diuerse things that they were content that Helene should haue no harme And then Agamemnon did so much to all the other that for his reward the daughter of king Priamus Cassandra was deliuered vnto him Whilest that the Gréekes held yet their parliament there came to them Eneas and Anthenor and aduertised them howe Helenus had alway blamed the Troyans of the enterprise that they made against the Gréekes and counselled them to put the body of Achilles in sepulture which they woulde haue giuen to the houndes and besought them therefore that they would saue his life and it was agréed and accorded to them And then Andromeda and Helenus intreated for the two sonnes of Hector which were saued albeit that Pirrhus was there against and debated it a litle but in the end hee agreed it and so the children were saued After this vproare they ordeined that all the noble women that were escaped from death should go whither they would freely or dwell there still if it pleased them And after these thinges done they purposed to depart from Troy but a great tempest beganne to arise that time that endured a moneth whole before they might go to the sea Then demaunded the Greeks of Calcas the cause of this trouble that endured so long and hee aunswered that the puissances infernals were not yet appeased for the effusion of the bloud of Achilles that was shed in the temple of Apollo for the loue of Polixene and for to appease the Gods it behooued to sacrifice Polixene for whom Achilles died Then Pirrhus enquired diligently where Polixene was become that was cause of the death of his father for there was no tidings whither she was aliue or dead Agamemnon demanded of Anthenor which said to him that he knew not where she was wherof he lied not and yet for to make an end of all his euilles he enquired so much that Polixene was found in prison in an olde auncient tower whereas she was put in and then he went thither and drew her out by force by her armes and presented her vnto the king Agamemnon which anon sent her to Pirrhus the which sent her to the sepulture of Achilles for to be slaine and as they led her there was no king nor prince but that he had great sorrow for to see so faire a figure of a woman to be lost and without that she had deserued it and they had deliuered her from the hand of Pirrhus if Calcas had not been that said alway that the tempest should not cease vnto the time that she were dead When the faire Polixene was before the sepulture of Achilles she excused her verie humbly of the death of Achilles and said that shee was much wroth and sory of his death and that the kinges and princes of Greece suffered her to die against iustice and without fault or trespasse yet that she had leauer haue the death then to liue with them that had taken away and slain al her friends And when shee had finished her wordes Pirrhus smote her with his sword in sight of the queene her mother and slew her cruelly and cut her all in peeces and cast them all about the sepulture of his father When Hecuba the queene sawe thus her faire daughter slaine shee fell downe in a â—woone and after went out of her wiâ— and became mad and beganne to runne as a vacabond and all enraged and assailed with her teeth and with her nailes all that she might come by and casted stones and and hurt many of
two Merchant-ships for he had lost all his own and the chief of his goods by Pyrats After which losses he arrived in the Country of King Thelamon where he lost the rest of his goods and they of that Country would have hanged him if hee had not by his cunning escaped their hands After that he arrived in the Country of K. Manlus who hated him for the death of his Son Palamedes yet there he so handled the matter by his industry that he got from thence At last coming again into Creete hee was kindly entertained by K. Idumeus who wondred to sée him in so poor a case demanding of all his adventures how he had speâ— since he last departed from Troy To which Vlisses replyed how great perils he had passed by Sea and how he had lost all his men and goods that he brought from Troy K. Idumeus had pity on him when he heard these things and gave him honourable entertainment as long as he would stay When hee would depart into his own Country Idumeus gave him two ships furnished with all things necessary for his voyage and with great plenty of riches requesting him that he would take his way bâ— the King Alcinous to whom he should be very welcome This Ulisses departing from Creet came unto K. Alcinous who received him joyfully and was much delighted with his communication There Vlisses told of Penelope his wife how many noble-men had requested her love yet none could obtain it but she still abode constant and how certain of his lands were unjustly detained from her during his absence the truth of which his Son Vlisses Thelamonious coming thither assured him thereof Whereupon Vlisses prayed Alcinous that he would accompany him to his Realm with a great company of armed men to help him again to his right To which Alcinous willingly agréed So they sailed by Sea and on a night arrived in his Country and coming to the houses of his enemies slew them all on the morrow after Ulisses came to his Pallace where he had Royal entertainment of all sorts of people but especially Penelope his wife made great joy for his coming which she had long desired His people then came from all places with many rich presents to welcome him home Great was the joy and most honourable the entertainment that Vlisses had at his return shewed him Then he dealt with King Alcinous that he gave to his Son Thelamonius his daughter Nausica to wife The wedding being celebrated with great solemnity Alcinous departed home again into his Country leaving Vlisses quietly possessed in his Realm CHAP. XXX Of the dealings of Pyrrhus after his return from Troy and how Horestes the Son of Agamemnon slew him at Delphos for that he had gotten away Hermione his Wife PYrrhus the Son of Achilles and of Dyadamis daughter of Lycomedes which Lycomedes was Son to Acastus an old King and greatly hated of Acastus his Grand-father by the mother side It is not recorded how this hatred grew But this Acastus having driven Peleus out of his Kingdome of Thessaly laid wait to have slain Pyrrhus in his returne from Troy Pyrrhus passing through many perils at Sea was driven by foul weather to cast most part of his riches hee brought from Troy into the Sea and arriving at Molosse he going ashore was given to understand that K. Peleus his Grandfather by the Father-side was exiled from his Kingdome by Acastus and that many Ships were hired to lye in wait to slay him whereat he was sore displeased King Peleus then knew not how to save himself because Philistines and Menalippus the two Sons of Acastus sought by all means to slay him In the end Peleus remembred him of an old building that stood half a mile from the City of Thessaly betwéen the Sea and the City this place was encompassed about with Rocks and walls having great Cellers under ground into which by a little hole grown over with bushes a man might go Into these Vaults King Peleus got him and there he abode until the return of his Nephew Pyrrhus from Troy by whose good help he trusted to avenge himself of his enemies 〈◊〉 whose coming he often went to look on the Sea coast When Pyrrhus with his Ships were landed he addressed himself to Thessalie against K. Acastus and the better to atchieve his purpose hée sent his two Secretaries the one called Crispus and the other Adrastus to one Assandrus a man of great honour in Thessalie which Assandrus was a great friend both to him and to Peleus for to have his counsel and help The Messengers having béen with Assandrus returned to Pyrrhus assuring him of his friendly ayd Whereupon Pyrrhus hoysed Sail and making towarde Thessalie they were by a sudden Tempest driven in at the Port â—epeliadim half a mile from Thessalie near about where Peleus kept in the Vaults Then Pyrrhus went ashore to rest himself and take fresh aire and by chance he went walking to the Cave where Peleus was hidden and passing along the bushes he fell into the hole where was the descent into the Cave where he found Peleus his Grandfather Peleus knowing him by his countenance for he resembled much his Father Achilles embraced him joyfully and made known unto him all his misfortunes and the wrongs that he had sustained by the means of Acastus and his Sons Tydings hereof came to Philistines and Menalippus the Sons of Acastus who were on hunting in a Forrest there by Then Pyrrhus apparrelled himself in beggerly apparrel and leaving his Grandfather with his Ships went alone with his sword into the Forrest where he met with Philistines and Menalippus who demanded of him what he was Pyrrhus said he was a Grecian that returning from Troy in company with 500. more had escaped his life from Ship-wrack and lost all that he had in the Sea being now driven to beg for his sustenance wherefore hee did beséech them if they had brought any victuals with them they would give him some thing to eat The two brethren said that he should abide with them which thing he granted Vpon this parley a great Hart came running by them at the â—â—ght whereof Menalippus put spurs to his Horse and followed on the chase and immediately Philistines alighting off his horse to rest himself Pyrrhus ran him thorow and slew him and Menalippus afterwards returning again was also slain by Pyrrhus Thus Pyrrhus slew his two Vnkles the brethren of Thetis the Mother of Achilles his Father Passing from thence hee met with Chinaras one of the houshold of Acastus of whom demanding where the K. Acastus was and understanding that he was hard by he slew Chinaras and going in haste to his ships he arrayed him in precious robes and so came back again to the Forrest and méeting with King Acastus the King asked him who he was I am said he one of the Sons of King Priamus of Troy who now am Prisoner to Pyrrhus Where is Pyrrhus said the King
digna mori re-amatur amori priori Reddita victori deliciisque thori FINIS The Table of the Third Book of the Destruction of TROY Chapters 1. HOw King Priamus re-edified the City of Troy more strong then ever it was before of his sons and daughters And how after many counsels he sent Anthenor and Polidamas into Greece to demand his sister Exione that Ajax kept Pages â— Chapters 2. How King Priamus assembled all his Barons to know who he might send to Greece to get again his sister Exione How Hector answered and of his good counsel how Paris declared to his Father the Vision of the Goddesse Venus Pages 9. Chapters 3. How Paris and Deiphebus Eneas Anthenor and Polidamas were sent into Greece and how they ravished Helen out of the Temple of Venus with many prisoners and riches and brought them to Troy where Paris eâ—poused Helen Pages 17 Chapters 4. How Menelaus was sore troubled 〈◊〉 the Ravishing of Helen his Wife And how her two Brethâ—â— Castor and Pollux pursued Paris in the Sea and of their deaths And of the condition and manner of the Lords as well Greeks as Trojans Pages 14 Chapters 5. How the Kings Dukes Earls and Barons of Greece assembled with their Navy before Athens to come to Troy and how many ships each man brought to help K. Menelaus Pages 28 Chapters 6. How the Greeks sent Achilles to Delphos to the God Apollo to know the end of their War and how he found Calchas sent from the Trojans that went with them to Athens Pages 29 Chapters 7. How the Greeks with a great Navy saild towards Troy and how they arrived at Tenedon three miles from Troy which they conquered and beat down to the earth Pages 3â— Chapters 8. How the Greeks did send Dyomedes and Vlisses again to K. Priams to have Helen and the Prisoners and of their answer Pages 35 Chapters 9. How Agamemnon assembled in councel the Greeks to have victuals And how they sent Achilles and Telephus to the Realm of Messe where they slew King Theutran in battel And how Telephus was made King And of the Kings that came to aid and help King Priamus Pages 39. Chapters 10. Of the coming of Duke Palamedes and how the Greeks departed from Tenedon by the counsel of Dyomedes and came and took Land before the City of Troy and how the Trojans received them in Battel right vigorously Pages 43 Chapters 11. Of the second battel before Troy where were many Kings and Barons slain by worthy Hector and how the Trojans had been victorious of their Enemies had it not been for the request of Thelamon Ajax Couzen of Hector Pages 48 Chapters 12. Of the first truce of two months and of the three battels between them in which Hector beat Achilles to the ground twice and after slew K. Prothenor and cut him in two Pages 58. Chapters 13. How the Greeks held Parliament how they might slay Hector how they returned to the fourth battel in which Paris and Menelaus encountred and brought King Thoas prisoner to Troy Pages 61. Chapters 14. How Priamus would have had King Thoas hanged and how they fought the fift battel in whâ—ch Hector slew three Kings and how Dyomedes slew the Sagitary Pages 63 Chapters 15. Of the Truce between them after which began battel again from morn to even with great damage to both parâ—ys but the Trojans lost more then the Greeks Pages 65 Chapters 16. How the Greeks and Trojans began the sixt Battel that dured thirty daies in which were many Kings and Princes slain on both sides and how Dyomedes smote down Troylus off his Horse and sent it to Briseyda his Love that received it gladly Pages 69 Chapters 17. How the Greeks and Trojans began the seventh battel that dured twelve daies and after began the eighth battel wherein Hector was slain by Achilles and they were driven back into their City by force to their great damage Pages 71 Chapters 18. Of the rich Sepulture of Hector and great lamentations and weepings the Trojans made for his death and how Palamedes was chosen Governour of the Host of the Greeks Pages 74 Chapters 19. How K. Priamus went to be revenged on the Greeks for the death of his Son Hector and of the Prowesses he did and of the Anniversary of Hector in which Achilles was surprised with the love of Polixena the daughter of King Priamus in such wise that he might endure no rest Pages 77. Chapters 20. How Achilles sent a secret Messenger 〈◊〉 Hecuba Queen of Troy to request her Daughter Poliâ—ena and the answer how for the love of her Achilles assembled the Host of the Greeks and caused them to depart and make peace with the Trojans Pages 79 Chapters 21. Of the death of Deiphebus the 〈◊〉 of Priamus and how Paris slew Palamedes and the 〈◊〉 chased the Greeks into their Tents and set fire on t◠〈…〉 and how Achilles would not go to battel for the love of Polixena Pages 82. Chapters 22. Of many battels that were fought on both sides and of a certain Truce of the death of 〈◊〉 â—roylus whom Achilles slew against his promise and dâ—â—w at his horse-tail through the Host how Achilles slew King Menon Pages 86. Chapters 23. How Paris by the perswasion of Hecuba his mother slew Achilles and the Son of Duke Nestor in the Temple of Apollo and how Paris and Ajax slew each 〈◊〉 in battel Pages 90 Chapters 24 How Queen Penthesilea came from â—â—azon with a thousand Maidens to the succour of Troy and slew many Greeks and after was slain by Pyrrhus the Son of Achilles Pages 93. Chapters 25 How Anthenor and Eneas consulted together to deliver the City unto the Greeks by Treason and did it under colour of peace and how King Priamus withstood them with some of his Bastards by great and rude words Pages 96 Chapters 26. How the Traitor Anthenor bought of the Priest the Palladium and gave it to Vlisses and of the Horse of Brasse that was by the Greeks brought to the Temple of Pallas being full of men of Arms and how the City of Troy was taken and burnt and the King Priamus slain c. Pages 103. Chapters 27. Of the dissention that was moved because of the Palladium between Thelamon and Vlisses and how Eneas and Anthenor were exiled out of Troy 〈◊〉 how the Greeks returned and of their adventures Pages 109. Chapters 28. How K. Naâ—lus and Câ—tus his Son did spoile many Ships of the Greeks in their return for the death of King Agamemnon and of the exile of Dyomedes and of his calling back Egee his wife Pages 113 Chapters 29. How Horestes 〈◊〉 of K. Agamemnon cruelly avenged himself for the death of his Father And how King Vlisses after sundry perillous adventures returned to his Country Pages 117. Chapters 30 Of the dealings of Pyrrhus after his return from Troy and how Horestes the Son of Agamemnon slew him at Delphos for that he had gotten away Herâ—â—one his Wife Pages 120 Chapters 31. Of a Vision that Ulisses had in his sleep and how Thelagonus the Son of Vlisses by Queen Circe came to seek Vlisses and slew him not knowing who he was Pages 124. FINIS
Ganimedes they yéelded vnto armes their deuoirs They did worshipfully deale with their bodies vnto their puissance without ende They wrought and fought with their enemies making their swords red in the bloud of the Cretians They followed with great force in such wise that they fought all that day otherwile afore and sometime behinde And it was so in the ende that when the sunne began to go downe Ganimedes thinking on his great losse and desiring to recouer his worship tooke a terrible and mighty axe and enflamed with right noble courage fought about the baner of the Eagle of gold where was the most strength and smote downe on the one side and other so vnmeasurasurably that his axe changed colour and he cried with an high voyce Troy Troy Iupiter had alway an eye on the banner When he heard the crie of Ganimedes and saw his behauiour he knew him whereof he had great ioy for he sought no man but him he gaue ouer the place where he was in and ioyously adressed him vnto him and saide O valiant Troyan thou hast shewed thy prowesse all the day and now thou manifestest and shewest thy selfe by great feats of armes and of great shouts Thou art onely he that I séeke among the valiants of Troy not onely that I presume to be more valiant in armes then thou but for as much as thou art he that hast assailed Crete and that I haue pursued thee hither Thou hast assailed and fought with me army against armie and nowe let vs fight body against body and he take it that may get it Ganimedes with this word lifted vp his axe and casting his eyes on Iupiter and thinking of that he had heard made him this answere Happie and fortunate king of Crete I know nowe that thou art worthy to haue grace of fortune and that thou art more wise then strong Thou séest that fortune is with thée neuerthelesse now thou enhaunsest not thy selfe aboue me I allow and prayse thée in as much as thou dost worship and honour to thine enemie and dispraisest him not but imaginest that hee hath courage at his heart know thou that thou dost thy selfe honour and worship For to disprayse and blame another man no man ought to aduance himselfe I would that it pleased the gods that thy father Saturn which is wandering on the sea were now here for it is mine intent that by his helpe we would haue reason of thée and I will come thereto if it be for me possible for I should be satisfied for all my hurts and losses if I might conquer and ouercome thée And without mo words Ganimedes let flie his axe and smote on Iupiter Iupiter couered him with his shield which was smitten in two peeces by the cutting of the axe and then Iupiter bestirred himselfe who all that day had abstained and spared from fight and the feats of armes and commanded his folke that they should let him alone with Ganimedes for as much as he was alone And nowe he defended himselfe against the axe of Ganimedes and be laboured him with his sword the most best wise that to him was possible Thus began the battaile of the two champions of Crede and of Troy They were both right expert to do the feats of armes their cries were high and fierce they smote each other fiercely eagerly the fire sprang out of their helmes by the might of their strokes But when fortune was on the part of Iupiter what might Ganimedes do His strokes were great and hee gaue vnto Ganimedes many wounds and indéede tooke away his axe by the meane of a great wound that he had in the right arme might haue put him to death if he would But for to make short processe when he had taken his weapon from him he had pitie on him and saued his life and caused him to be kept by foure Centaureâ—â— Anon after it began to waxe dark for the night tooke froÌ„ the day his light wherefore it behoued them to take their rest and leaue off fighting And so the Troyans withdrew them into theyr Citie and they of Crete vnto the port of the sea CHAP. XXVII ¶ How the King Troos and Ilion his son made great sorrow for Ganimedes for they wist not where he was becom And how Iupiter went to the sea for to go to Argos WHen Troos and Ilion were withdrawen they abode at the gate vnto the time that all the Troyans were come againe into the Citie as they that knew not where Ganimedes was become whome they sore desired to haue found All they that were in the battaile of the Troyans were entred and there was no man that coulde tell the King Troos where his sonne Ganimedes was or whether he was aliue or dead And when hée sawe that he hadde no more men left in the fielde he returned into his Pallace sorrowing and greatlye vexed and sent for them that were come againe from Crete and enquired of them of all the tydings and what they hadde doone with his sonne As touching his sonne they aunswered that in the euening hée was in the prease among his enemyes but they wist not what was become of him And as touching the tydings of Crete they tolde him how they had spedde in theyr Iourney against them and how the Eagle appeared vnto Iupiter and how they were ouercome by the strength of the centaures And how they wist not where Saturne was become These tydings gaue vnto the king Troos sorrowe vppon sorrowe and to Ilion also And the teares fell downe from theyr eyes and in speciall Ilion wept sore bewayling his brother in this manner Alas my brother alas Ganimedes where is become the glorie of Troye by the vnfortunate and vnhappy Saturne which hath failed there in thy néede At the least if thou hadst come againe we togither would haue doon our best to haue bin aueÌ„ged of this losse We would haue assayed our bodies by fraternall loue for to haue recouered thine honour How is it art thou perished by venturing what hard gréefe and sorrowe is thée befallen for to say all thy misaduenture and mishap is too preiudicial vnto the house of Troy Ilion faire sonne answered Troos for one aduersitie it behoueth not to be abashed in the warre in any wise but to haue firme courage War giueth this day victory to one and on the morne taketh it away and giueth it to another and so putteth each out A vertuous and a manly maÌ„ vnto his death ought not to be afraide If Ganimedes he dead in the battaile or if he be taken what remedy it is then expedient eyther to auenge his death or to succour him but our enemyes be in little number we will to morrow fight with them againe and let the gods doo their willes of vs. And if I faile herein I shall be quite discouraged Ilion and the nobles of Troy comforted them with these words of king Troos and confirmed his resolution for to go on the morne
to assayle their enemies Whilest these things were in parle in the citie Iupiter was in the fielde and made great chéere with Ixion and the Centaures and being set at supper vpon the ground al about a great stone Iupiter sent for to fetch Ganimedes and made him to sup with them Ganimedes was sore mooued and had in his heart great trouble yet he tooke a short refection with them for he felt right great ache and smarte in his woundes And there Iupiter commāned with him saying that he was the valiantest man that euer was séene among the most valiantest of Troy and for as much as he was in his mercye and that it was hée that late with his father descended into Crete where he had gladly planted his name in worshippe if fortune woulde haue suffered him therefore sayd he I will no more warre before Troye but I will enter agayne to morne into the Sea and will go and putte in execucion a thing that lyeth me nowe sore at hearte And will well that ye knowe that I haue intencion to go vnto the Realme of Argos vnto the Tower of Dardan for to deliuer according to my promise out of the same Tower the fayre Danae whome the King Acrisius holdeth fast shut in without any reason This conclusion pleased king Ixion and the Centaures for as much as they had heard speake of the Tower of Dardain and they thought well that the Argiens might not hold against their strength When that they had eaten they entred into their ships and thought among other things on the wounds of them that were hurt and also of Ganimedes And after they laide them downe on the straw to sléepe and about two houres before day they weighed anchor and departed so secretly that the Troyans had no knowledge thereof And on the morrow betimes when king Troos and Ilion issued out of Troy to battaile they ranged in good order and found no man to haue to do withall nor they could not sée nor perceiue their enemies on no coast of the sea for they had so farre sailed from the port that by that time they were out of sight Thus they had great sorrow maruailously and came vnto the place where the battaile had béene and buried the dead men But nowe I will leaue speaking of them and of Iupiter and will turne vnto the History of Danae CHAP. XXVIII ¶ How the king Arcrisus when he sawe his daughter with childe sent her to exile and put her in a little vessell into the sea at the aduenture of fortune c. THe noble Damosell Danae abode with child of the séede of Iupiter as it is said before After that Iupiter was returned into his countrey she abode passing long in hope that he would come to fetch her by strength of people and would leade her into his Realme as he vnto her had promised In this hope she mounted often times into high windowes of the tower and casting her eyes now hither now thither vpon the mountaines wayes and stréetes for to awarre if he came or that she might sée his men of armes and his people of warre and without end shée had alway her eares open to hearken if she might heare the Trumpets Tabours and Clarions This hope dured long vnto the last day that Iupiter had promised and sore she complained in this tyme of his abyding and sayde vnto her selfe that he would come But certes when euening was come of the day that he had set and hee was not come nor she heard no tydings of him when she sawe that hée came not and that the fruit of her bellie appeared she went downe from the window of the hie Tower and all surprised with dispayre to beholde her belly sayde poore belly I may no longer hide thée I haue couered thée vnto this time hoping the comming of Iupiter the day is come and past that he should haue come and there is no tidings of him Alas and hath he also forgotten me Where art thou Iupiter Art thou dead or aliue If thou be dead speake to mee in spirite in excusing thée of thy default Tell me what I shall do with thy séede And if thou be aliue what right euill aduenture holdeth thée Art thou wearie of me Of Danae of her that thou enforcedst by raining golde of her that thou so much desiredst Alas thou promisedst me thy loue and gauest it vnto me and I receyued the gift in good part and gaue vnto thée mine heart in like case and more then thou wéenest And what shall this be Iupiter my loue and friend Art thou of the nature of false men as hypocrites that go about to deceyue poore women and then leaue them in dishonour Alas thou art one verily thou hast brought me into perpetuall shame and hast abandoned and giuen me ouer O mischieuous man O false lier be thou cursed with thy riches and accursed be the houre that euer I saw thée I am for euer by thée put to shame and by thée mine ende approcheth I may no longer hide thy workes Where shall my childe become euery man shall sée and know my trespasse Alas my father shall put me to death I may not faile of it and as for death it shall not grieue me saue for the fruit that I beare yet shall I kéepe it as well as myselfe at all aduenure come what may come thereof c. In these and such like wordes Danae passed ouer this night without sléeping or rest from thenchforth she began to be all melancholious and tooke this so sore to heart that she fell into a right grieuous maladie When the maydens that nothing knew of this case saw her so euill disposed they signifyed it into the king Acrisius And then came the king to visit his daughter and betooke her to the cure of his Phisitians and cunning men and demaunded of them what maladie she had They answered him in the presence of Danae that she was great with childe and that in short time shée should be deliuered Danae answered that they fayled to say the truth and that she had neuer knowne man and denied her fact as much as in her was possible hoping alway to liue for she knewe well that her father would condemne her to death if he knewe that she were with child And about this all the maydens of the house striued with the mistresse saying that they had well and surely kept the tower that no man saue the king had spoken to her but if he were come inuisible since that they had receyued her into their gouernance Whereat the king was greatly abashed and sore wondered When the king heard these wordes and saw the state of his daughter he was sore troubled For by experience he sawe well and it appeared that Danae was with childe hée trusted and beléeued better the Phisitians then the excusations of the maydens and of his daughter And for to knowe the truth he sent all the maydens of the place into prison