in Tenedos and Chryse And unto whom Cylla great honour bears If thou accepted hast my Sacrifice Pay th' Argives with thy Arrows for my tears His Prayer was granted by the Deity Who with his Silver Bow and Arrows keen Descended from Olympus silently In likeness of the sable night unseen His Bow and Quiver both behinde him hang The Arrows chink as often as he jogs And as he shot the Bow was heard to twang And first his Arrows flew at Mules and Dogs But when the Plague into the Army came Perpetual was the fire of Funerals And so nine days continued the same Achilles on the tenth for counsel calls And Juno 't was that put it in his head Who for the Argive Army was afraid The Lords to Counsel being gathered Up stood Achilles and thus to them said We must I think Atrides run from hence Since War and Plague consume us both at once Let 's think on how to stay the Pestilence Or else at Troy resolve to leave our bones Let 's with some Priest or Prophet here advise That knows the pleasure of the Gods above Or some that at expounding Dreams are wise For also Dreams descend on men from Jove That we may from him know Apollo's minde If we for Sacrifice be in arrear Or if he will for Lambs and Goats be kinde And to destroy us from henceforth forbear Achill's then sat down and Chalchas rose That was of great renown for Augury And any thing was able to disclose That had been is or should hereafter be And guided had the Greeks to Ilium Achilles said he since you me command To tell you why this Plague is on us come Swear you will save me both with word and hand Of all the Greeks it will offend the best Who though his anger for a while he smother Will not I fear long time contented rest But will revenged be some time or other Chalchas reply'd Achilles do not fear But what the God has told you bring to light By Phoebus not a man shall hurt you here As long as I enjoy my life and sight Though Agamemnon be the man you dread Who is of all the Army most obey'd The Prophet by these words encouraged Said what before to say he was affraid 'T is not neglect of Vow or Sacrifice That doth the God Apollo thus displease But that we do his Priest so much despise As not his Child for â—ansome to release And more till she be to her Father sent And with a Hecatombe and Ransomless The anger of the God will not relent Nor will the Sickness ' mongst the people cease This said he sat The King look'd furiously And anger flaming stood upon his eyes While many black thoughts on his heart did lye And to the Prophet Chalchas thus replies Unlucky Prophet that didst never yet Good fortune prophecy to me but ill And ever with a mind against me set Inventest Prophecies to cross my Will And now again you fain would have it thought Because I would not let Chryseis go The Gifts refusing which her Father brought Therefore this Plague was sent amongst us now With Clytemnestra she may well contend For Person or for Beauty or for Art Yet so to send her home I do intend For of our loss I bear the greatest part But you must then some prize for me provide Shall no man unrewarded go but I This said Achilles to the King reply'd Atrides that on booty have your eye You know divided is or sold the prey Which never can resumed be again But send her home When we shall have sack'd Troy Your loss shall be repaid with triple gain No said Atrides that I never meant D' ye think 't is fit that you your shares retain And only mine unto the God be sent That unrewarded none but I remain I thought it reason th' Argives should collect Amongst themselves the value how they list And give it me before they did expect This Prize of mine should be by me dismist If they 'l do that 't is well If not I 'le go To your or Ajar or Ulysses tent And take his prize and right my self will so wherewith I think he will not be content But since there 's time enough to speak of this Let 's ready make a Ship with able Row'rs And th' Hecatombe to go with fair Chryseis And to direct one of the Counsellors Ajax Idomeneus Ulysses or Your self may go Achilles if you please And do the bus'ness you are pleading for And if you can th' offended God appease O impudence Achilles then reply'd What other of th' Achaeans willingly Will when you only for your self provide Go where you bid or fight with th' enemy Against the Trojans I no quarrel have In Pthia plundring they were never seen Nor ever thence my Kine or Horses drave Nor could the Sea and great Hills are between Only for yours and Menelaus sake To honour gain for you we came to Troy Whereof no notice Dogshead now you take But threaten me my prize to take away Which by my labour I have dearly bought And by th' Achaeans given me has been And when the City Troy we shall have got Your share will great mine little be therein For though my part be greatest in the pain Yet when unto division we come You will expect the greatest part o' th' gain And that with little I go weary home Then farewel Troy To Sea I 'le go again And back to Pthia Then it will be seen When you without me shall at Troy remain What Honour and what Riches you shall win Go when you will said Agamemnon fly I le not entreat you for my sake to stay When you are gone more honour'd shall be I Nor Jove I hope will with you go away In you I shall but loose an enemy That only loves to quarrel and to fight The Gods have giv'n you strength I not deny Go ' mongst your Myrmidons and use your might I care not for you nor your anger fear For after I have sent away Chryseis And satisfi'd the God I 'le not forbear To fetch away from you the fair Briseis And that by force For I would have you see How much to mine inferior is your might And others fear t' oppose themselves to me This swell'd Achilles choler to the height And made him study what to do were best To draw his Sword and Agamemnon kill Or take some time his anger to digest His Sword was drawn yet doubtful was his Will But Juno that of both of them took care Sent Pallas down who coming stood behind Achilles and laid hold upon his Hair Whereat Achilles wondring in his minde Turn'd back and by the terror of her eyes Knew her but by none else perceiv'd was she Come you said he to see the injuries That are by Agamemnon done to me So great O Goddess Pallas is his pride As I believe it cost him will his life I hither came Athena then reply'd To put an end to this
overturned was in every part As when upon the mountain an old Oak Is heâ—en about with keen steel to the heart And pli'd by Swains with many heavy blows It nods and every way it threatens round Till overcome with many wounds it bows And leisurely at last comes to the ground And here again it is evident that Virgil meant to compare the manner how Troy after many Battles and after the losses of many Cities conquer'd by the many Nations under Agememnon in a long War and thereby weak'ned and at last overthrown with a great Tree hewn round about and then falling by little and little leisurely So that neither these two Descriptions nor the two Comparisons can be compared together The Image of a man lying on the ground is one thing the Image of falling especially of a Kingdom is another This therefore gives no advantage to Virgil over Homer 'T is true that this Description of the Felling and Falling of a Tree is exceeding graceful But is it therefore more than Homer could have done if need had been Or is there no Description in Homer of somewhat else as good as this Yes and in many of our English Poets now alive If it then be lawful for Julius Scaliger to say that if Jupiter would have described the fall of a Tree he could not have mended this of Virgil it will be lawful for me to repeat an old Epigram of Antipater to the like purpose in favour of Homer The Writer of the famous Trojan War And of Ulysses Life O Jove make known Who whence he was for thine the Verses are And he would have us think they are his own The seventh and last commendation of an Heroick Poem consisteth in Amplitude and Variety and in this Homer exceedeth Virgil very much and that not by superfluity of words but by plenty of Heroick matter and multitude of Descriptions and Comparisons whereof Virgil hath translated but a small part into his Aeneads such as are the Images of Shipwracks Battles Single Combats Beauty Passions of the mind Sacrifices Entertainments and other things whereof Virgil abating what he borrows of Homer has scarce the twentieth part It is no wonder therefore if all the ancient Learned men both of Greece and Rome having given the first place in Poetry to Homer It is rather strange that two or three and of late time and but Learners of the Greek tongue should dare to contradict so many competent Judges both of Language and Discretion But howsoever I defend Homer I aim not thereby at any reflection upon the following Translation Why then did I write it Because I had nothing else to do Why publish it Because I thought it might take off my Adversaries from shewing their folly upon my more serious Writings and set them upon my Verses to shew their wisdom But why without Annotations Because I had no hope to do it better than it is already done by Mr. Ogilby T. HOBBES BOOKS Newly Printed For William Crook SCarron's Comical Romance Or a Facetious History of a Company of strowling Stage-players Interwoven with divers Choice Novels rare Adventures Amorous Intrigues Written Originally in French by the famous and Wittty Poet Monsieur Scarron and now turned into English Fol. price 6 s. A Letter about Liberty and Necessity Written to the Duke of Newcastle by Thomas Hobbes of Malmsbury with Observations upon it by Dr. Laney late Bishop of Ely 12o. price 8 d. A true Narrative of the Circumcision of the Great Turk Parthenissa that most Fam'd Romance in six Volumes compleat Composed by the Right Honourable the Earl of Orrery Fol. The Wrangling Lovers or the Invisible Mistriss a Comedy written by Mr. Ravenscroft and acted at the Duke's Theatre Printed 1677. Homer's ILIADS IN ENGLISH By THO. HOBBES of Malmsbury To which may be added Homer's ODYSSES Englished by the same Author LONDON Printed by J. C. for William Crook at the Green Dragon without Temple-bar 1676. THE CONTENTS LIB I. THe discontent and secession of Achilles LIB II. The Dream of Agamemnon The tempting of the Army and the Catalogue of Ships and Commanders LIB III. The Duel of Menelaus and Paris for the ending of the War LIB IV. The Articles broken by the Trojans And the first Battle LIB V. The first Battle continued wherein Pallas strengtheneth Diomedes to supply the absence of Achilles LIB VI. The first Battle yet continued The other Gods forbidden by Jove to assist LIB VII The Greeks enclose their Ships with a Wall and Ditch The Duel betwixt Hector and Ajax LIB VIII The second Battle and the Trojans stay all night in the Field LIB IX The Greeks deliberate of going home but are staid by Diomed and Nestor And Embassadors sent with Gifts to reconcile Achilles in vain LIB X. Encounter of the Scouts by night And the surprize of Rhesus LIB XI The third Fight Agamemnon wounded The Greeks beaten to their Camp Diomed Machaon Ulysses and Eurypylus wounded Patroclus is perswaded by Nestor to obtain of Achilles to be sent to the aid of the Greeks in Achilles his Armour LIB XII The fourth Fight Hector having enter'd the Argive Camp at the Ships LIB XIII Neptune encourageth the Greeks LIB XIV Juno by the help of Venus layeth Jove asleep whilst Neptune assisteth the Greeks LIB XV. Jupiter awakes and sends away Neptune Hector chaseth the Greeks again to their Ships and fireth one of them The Acts of Ajax Which is the fifth Battle LIB XVI The sixth Battle The Acts of Patroclus and his Death LIB XVII The seventh Battle about Patroclus his body LIB XVIII The grief of Achilles And new Armour made him by Vulcan LIB XIX Achilles reconciled to Agamemnon goes forth to Battle LIB XX. The eighth Battle and the Gods permitted to assist LIB XXI Achilles with great slaughter pursues the Trojans to Scamander and takes twelve alive to kill at Patroclus his Tomb. LIB XXII The death of Hector and lamentation in Troy LIB XXIII The Funeral-Games for Patroclus LIB XXIV The Redemption of Hector and his Funeral BOOKS Printed for William Crook at the Green Dragon without Temple-bar I. THe Compleat Vineyard or an excellent way for planting of Vines in England and how to make Wine of their Grapes By W. Hughs price 2 s. II. The Compleat Measurer or a new exact Way of Mensuration By Tho. Hammond price 1 s. III. Jesuites Morals Folio price 10 s. IV. Bacon's Natural History Folio price 8 s. V. Boccalins Parnassus Folio price 8 s. VI. Clarks Praxis Curiae Admiralitatis Octavo price 2 s. VII A Description of Candia with an account of the Siege and Surrender of it Octavo price 1 s. 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involves me in Disgracefully to send me home he seeks Although he told me I the Town should win And now when I have lost so many men It seems to play with men he takes delight What Towns has he destroy'd and will agen Destroy still more to exercise his might For both to us and our posterity 'T will be a great disgrace to go to Troy With so great multitudes and baffled be And nothing done again to come away If we and they should on a Truce agree And one by one they muster up their men And we should count how many tens we be And make one Trojan fill out wine for ten Many a Ten would want a man to skink So much in number we the Town exceed But when upon their many Aids I think I wonder less that we no better speed Nine Years are gone our Cordage spoil'd with rain Our Ships are rotted and our wives at home And Children dear expect us back again Nor know we of the War what will become Come then and all agree on what I say Let 's put to Sea and back t' Achaea flie We shall not win the Town although we slay This said the Army with applauses high Consented all save those that had been by In Counsel of the Princes of Achaea And moved were like to the billows high That rolled are by some great Wind at Sea Or as when in a field of well-grown Wheat The Ears encline by a sharp wâ—nd opprest So bow'd the heads in this Assembly great When their consent they to the King exprest Then going to the Ships cry'd Ha la la. Great dust they raised and encouraged Each other to the Sea his Ship to draw And cleans'd the way to th' water from each bed And streight unpropt their Ships and to the skie Went up the noise Then Juno sent away Pallas Pallas quoth she the Greeks will flie And Helen leave behind for whom at Troy So many of the Greeks their lives have lost And stay'd so long in vain before the Town And then will Priam and the Trojans boast Unless you quickly to the Ships go down Go quickly then try if you can prevail With hopeful words to slay them yet ashore And take away their sudden list to sail And let the Ships lye as they did before This said the Goddess leapt down to the ground From high Olympus and stood on the sand Where lay the Greeks Ulysses there she found Angry to see the people go from Land Ulysses said she do you mean to fly And here leave Helen after so much cost Of time and blood and shew your vanity And leave the Trojans of their Rape to boast Speak to each one try if you can prevail With hopeful words to stay them on the shore And take away this sudden list to sail And let the Ships lye where they lay before Ulysses then ran t' Agamemnons Tent And took his staff the mark of chief command And laying by his Cloak to th' Ships he went Amongst th' Acheans with that staff in 's hand And when he met with any Prince or Peer He gently said Fear does not you become You should not only you your self stay here But also others keep from flying home Atrides now did but the Argives try And those he sees most forward to be gone Shall find perhaps least favour in his eye For of the Secret Counsel you were none Deep rooted is the Anger of a King To whom high Jove committed has the Law And Justice left to his distributing But when a common man he bawling saw He bang'd him with his staff and roughly spake Be silent and hear what your betters say For who of you doth any notice take In Counsel or in Martial Array Let one be King we cannot all be Kings To whom Jove gave the Scepter and the Laws To rule for him Thus he the people brings Off from their purpose and to counsel draws Then to th' Assembly back again they pass'd With noise like that the Sea makes when it breaks Against the Shore and quiet were at last Thersites only standeth up and speaks One that to little purpose could say much And what he thought would make men laugh would say And for an ugly fellow none was such ' Mongst all the Argives that besieged Troy Lame of one leg he was and lookt asquint His shoulders at his breast together came His head went tapering up into a point With stragling and short hair upon the same Ulysses and Achilles most him haâ—ed For these two Princes he us'd most to chide And Agamemnon now aloud he rated And thereby anger'd all the Greeks beside What is' t Atrides said he stays you here Your Tent is full of Brass Women you have The best of all that by us taken were For alwaies unto you the choice we gave Or look you for more Gold that yet may come For ransome of some prisoner whom I Or other Greek shall take at Ilium Or for some young maid to keep privately But Kings ought not their private ease to buy With publick danger and a common woe Come women of Achaia let us fly And let him spend his gettings on the Foe For then how much we help him he will know That has a better than himself disgrac'd But that Achilles is to anger slow That injury of his had been his last This said Ulysses straightway to him went And with sour look and bitter language said Prater that to thy self seems eloquent How darest thou alone the King t' upbraid A greater Coward than thou art there 's none ' Mongst all the Greeks that came with us to Troy Else ' gainst the King thy tongue would not so run Thou seek'st-but an excuse to run away Because we know not how we shall come off As yet from Troy must you the King upbraid And at the Princes of the Army scoff As if they too much honour to him paid But I will tell you one thing and will do 't If here again I find you fooling thus Then from my Shoulders let my Head be cut Or let me loose my Son Telemachus If I not strip you naked to the skin And send you soundly beaten to the Ships With many stripes and ugly to be seen This said he basted him both back and â—hips Thersites shrug'd and wept sat down and â—ad His shoulders black and blew dy'd by the staff Look'd scurvily The people that were sad But just before now could not chuse but laugh And Oh said one t'another standing near Ulysses many handsome thing has done When we in Councel or in Battle were A better deed than this is he did none That has so silenced this railing knave And of his peevish humour stay'd the flood As he no more will dare the King to brave And then to speak Ulysses ready stood Where Pallas like a Crier did appear And standing by him silence did command That also they that sat far off might hear Then spake he with the
where the Spear went in his Life went out And suddenly he fell unto the ground And on his eyes sate darkness all about Put he that far the greater number flew The lesser Ajax was Oileus Son T was hard to scape when Ajax did pursue For of the Argives all he best could run ILIAD LIB XV. WHen flying they had past the Dirch and Wall They at the Horses and the Charret stay'd With loss of many men and looking pale And Jove awakt stood and the Field fury ay'd And saw the Greeks pursue and Trojans fly And Neptune with the Greeks and Hector laid Upon the Plain his Friends there sitting by And not a little of his Life affraid For gasping he scarce able was to draw His breath and blood abundance vomited Nor knew his friends When Jupiter him saw Offended his condition pityed And then on Juno fiercely lookt and said Juno I see all this is done by you And if you for it with a whip were paid 'T would be no more than for your work is due Have you forgot how once you swung i' th' Air And had two Anvils hanging at your fect Your hand with a Gold Chain ty'd to my Chair Though sorry were the other Gods to see 't Yet had I any seen but go about Your Manacles or Shackles to untye I from the Sill of Heav'n had thrown him out And strengthless made him on the earth to lye I was not so much griev'd for Hercules When Boreas set on by you arose As he went off from Troy enrag'd the Seas And at the last threw him ashore at Coos But I to Argos brought him safe again And this I now repeat that you may try Whether you likely are to lose or gain Abusing out familiarity This said the Goddess Juno struck with fear By Earth said she and Heaven about it spread By Styx which is our greatest Oath I swear And by your Life and By our Nuptial Bed I never did to Neptune speak a word To hurt the Trojans or the Greeks to aid But all he did was of his own accord By pity only and compassion sway'd And from henceforward I will him advise Seeing what way you lead the same to take Then Jupiter with favourable eyes On Juno lookt and thus unto her spake Fâ—â—â— if we were both one way inclin'd Neptune would quickly with us both comply Now if your words dissent not from your mind Go ' mongst the other Gods and presently Bid Iris and Apollo to me come For Iris unto Neptune I will send To bid him leave the Battle and go home to Hector and the Trojans I intend To send Apollo to give Hector might And cure him of his pain that he may lead The Trojans on and put the Greeks to flight That Thetis Son may see them scattered And he shall send Patroclus to the Field Who shall the Trojans rout and kill my Son Sopedon and himself shall then be kill'd By Hector's Spear And after that is done Achilles in revenge again shall fight And by his hand stout Hector shall be kill'd Under the Walls of Troy i' th' Trojans sight And beaten be the Trojans from the Field Till Troy by Pallas counsel taken be Nor till I have performed all I said To Thetis supplicating at my knee Let any God presume the Greeks to aid This said went Juno to Olympus high As when a man looks ore an ample Plain To any distance quickly goes his eye So swiftly Juno went with little pain And found the Gods at Wine together set And at her coming in they all stood up But Themis forward went and Juno met And to her hand delivered the Cup And said You look as if you frighted were By Jupiter for something But what is' t You know said Juno that he is severe And you shall hear the matter if you list Together with the other Gods though bad They will not all contented with it be But some of them will troubled be and sad And griev'd was she though speaking smilingly Then Juno went up to her Throne and sat And unto all the Gods spake angerly How mad said she or foolish are we that Are thinking how agen Jove's hands to tye Who careless and unmov'd on Ida Hill Knows his own strength and does our Plots despise And therefore what he sends be 't good or ill We 'll take it patiently if we be wise Nor must the God of War on Jove complain Or in Rebellion against him rise Because his Son Ascalaphus is slain At this with both his hands Mars clapt his Thighs And to the Gods above complaining sain Pardon me Gods I will revenge my Son And ' mongst the Argives go and give them aid Though I should lye amongst the dead Then on He puts his Armour and gives order to Terror and Flight his Charret to prepare And then there had been twice as much ado T' appease Joves anger ere it came to war If Pallas had not for the Gods afraid Pluckt off his Helmet and set up his Spear And pull'd his Buckler off and to him said Fool Bedlam What have you no Ears to hear You hear what news now Juno brings from Jove And if you care not though your self be lost Yet let the danger of us all you move For Jove will leave both Greek and Trojan Host And coming hither seize us one by one And never ask who guilty is or not Therefore give over vexing for your Son For better men than he by Gods begot â—â—ready here have been and shall be slain The Gods cannot preserve their Children all This said she brought Mars to his place again And Juno to their houses went to call 〈◊〉 and Phoebus You must go said she To Jove on Ida. What you are to do â—ou will by Jove himself informed be Asloon as you his Presence come into 〈◊〉 message done Juno resumes her place His and Phoebus down to Ida fly â—ad finding Jove stood still before his face Nor lookt he on them with an angry Eye â—or soon they did his Wives command obey Then speaking first to Iris Go said he To Neptune quickly tell him what I say Bid him no longer at the Battle be 〈◊〉 either go t' Olympus to the Gods Or to the Sea If he will neither do 〈◊〉 him consider if there be no odds As well in strength as age between us two 〈◊〉 knows that all the other Gods me fear And for my coming dareth not to stay 〈◊〉 strong as to himself he doth appear This said swift-footed Iris went her way â—â—om Ida hill and Jove without delay And swift as any Cloud before the Winds â—â—me down unto the Battle before Troy And there amongst the Argives Neptune finds â—nd going to his side I came said she To speak with you a word or two from Jove â—ou must not in the War a Party be He bids you go up to the Gods above 〈◊〉 down to th' Sea where lies your own command If you refuse he threatens you
Eurynome then took away All beauty from me when Ulysses went With Agamemnon to the Siege of Troy Such words afford me now but small content Call Hippodamia and Autonoe For why I am asham'd my self alone Amongst so many men in sight to be They shall go with me on each side me one But when th' old woman was gone out and staid Then Pallas pour'd sweet sleep upon her eyes And on her face a greater beauty laid And also made her limbs of larger fize And whiter than the purest Ivory Having so done the Goddess rise to th'Skies Her Maidens coming made a noise and she Awak'd and with her hand she strok'd her eyes I 've had said she a very gentle sleep O that Diana such a gentle death Would send me presently nor let me weep My life out nor with sorrow give me breath Sorrow for my dear Husband best of all The Grecian Princes and that said then down She goes to th'Porch before the door of th'Hall With her two Maids she would not go alone And so stood at the door within their sight But with her Scarf her Cheeks a little shaded A Maâ—d stood at her left hand and her right When she appear'd Love all their hearts invaded Her speech then to Telemachus sh'addrest Telemachus said she your Wit 's less now Than when you were a Boy 'T was then at best And backward more and more it seems to grow Now you are taâ—l and come to mans estate And ' counted are the best mens Sons among Of your discretion you begin t' abate Why else d' ye let your Stranger suffer wrong If you your Guests thus treat what think you can Men say of you that 's good or honourable You 'll be reproach'd and scorn'd of every man And taken for a man unhospitable Mother said he you well may angry be And yet I better know what 's good and ill Than heretofore But these men hinder me I cannot without help do all I will The Quarrel 'twixt my Guest and Irus was None of the Suiters act by chance it rose As they sate begging from some other cause And Irus only bare away the blows O Jupiter I wish and all the Gods That all your Suiters were in Irus case Who yonder sits like one that 's drunk and nods Either here right or in some other place Unable to go home I'enelope And her lov'd Son so talkt And then Eurymachus if all the Lords said he Which now through Argâ—s bear rule over men Should see you now more Suiters you 'ld have here For you do far all woman-kind surpass And come betime to taste of your good chear None such for fair and prudent ever was No no said she For wher Ulysses went With th' Argive Princes to the War of Troy The Immortal Gods took from me my content And with it all these Ornaments away Were he come home that took a care of me I should more honour have and beauty so But now I lead my life in misery The Gods some evil on me daily throw My Husband when he parted hence to fight For Agamemnon ' gainst the Trojans laid At taking leave on my left hand his right And all those words of counsel to me said Expect you cannot Wife that we that go Over the Sea unto the Siege of Troy Shall all come safe away The Trojans know How t' use the Dart and Bowe too as men say And are good Horsmen also and can see All their advantages in ranged field Therefore I know not what my luck will be Either to come again or to be kill'd My Father and my Mother I therefore To you commend to see them cherished As they are now or in my absence more And when Telemachus is grown then wed Take whom your self like best and leave this house This said he parts Ay me the time is come I must embrace a Marriage dious And I must leave this my most blessed home Suiters were wont when they a Woman woo'd Of noble Parentage to please her all They could and strive who most should do her good Mine daily eat and drink me up in th' Hall This said Ulysses was well pleas'd to see His Wife draw Presents from them and was glad And th'Wooers by her over reacht to be With her fine words when other thoughts she had Then said Antinous Penelopt Fair and wise Daughter of Icarius Beceive what e're by us shall offer'd be It is not good good Presents to refuse Yet till you chuse some one whom you think best To be your Husband we resolve to stay And be each one of us your constant Guest And never absent from your house a day And with Antinous they all agree Who her presented with a fair large rich And divers-colour'd Robe with four times three Buckles of pure and beaten Gold and which As many clasps of Gold had joyned fit Eurymachus his Present was a Chain Of Gold and Amber-Beads alternate It Shin'd bright as is the Sun-shine after rain Enrydamas two Pendants gave of which Each had three Gems and polisht very bright And both for Art and Workmanship were rich Reflecting to the eye a lovely light Pysandrus Son of Polycterides Gave her a costly Necklace All the rest With some good Gift endeavoured to please The fair and wise Penelope the best This done unto her Chamber up she went With her two Maids that did her Presents carry Th'Woo'rs with dancing and with merriment Their wonted pastime for the Ev'ning tarry The Ev'ning came and then the Lamps were lighted And Torches and the Fit-sâ—aves long lain dry Which to that purpose had with Tools been fitted And ready lay to light the Company The Lights the Maids took up by turns bore them Then said Ulysses Maidens if you please To save your pains I 'll bear the Light before them I 'm us'd to labour and can do 't with case Though they should stay and sit up till to morrow You may go up unto the Queen and there Sit and spin with her and divert her sorrow At this the Wenches'gan to laugh and jeer And one of them Melantho him revil'd With bitter words Her Father Dolius hight Penelope did treat her as her Child And in her company did take delight But yet she could not put away her grief The Wench was fair and too familiar was With Prince Eurymachus one of the chief Of all her Suiters And this woman ' t was And thus she said Sure Stranger thou art mad That wilt not here nor elsewhere go to bed Is it because thou too much â—ine hast had Or is' t a humour in thy nature bred To prate so boldly in such Company Thy Victory o're Irus may perhaps Have made thee wild A better man than he May chance to send thee hence with bloody chaps Ulysses looking sourly answered You Bitch Telemachus shall streight-way know These words He 'll cause thee to be tortured They fearing he would do 't away they go Ulysses ready stood
therefore now have felt the Heav'nly Rods And brought upon themselves untimely death But tell me Nurse-how many women be That me dishonour and do wickedness Fifty said she do serve Penelope And learn to work and wait no more nor less Of these there twelve be that are impudent And care not for me nor Penelope Telemachus was young the Government To him of Maids might not well trusted be But now I 'll to my Ladies Chamber go Where she 's asleep Some God has clos'd her eyes To tell her you are here But he said No First call those women who do me despise And have behav'd themselves dishonestly Euryclea obeys and and goes her way And call'd those women Come away said she Telemachus i' th' Hall does for you stay Mean while Ulysses call'd Telemachus Unto him and his faithful Servants two Trusty Eumaeus and Philoetius Hear me said he what I would have you do Make these lewd women carry hence the dead The Chairs and Tables in the Hall make clean And when that bus'ness they have finished Into the Court make them go forth agen Into that narrow place 'twixt th' house and hedge Till they forget the Suiters Venery Make them of your sharp Swords to feel the edge And for their stoln unclean delight to die Then came the women down into the Hall Wailing and tears abundantly they shed And presently unto their work they fall Into the Porch they carry out the dead Ulysses giving order standeth by Telemachus then and Philoetius Also Fumaeus do with shovels ply The Pavement dawb'd with blood and cleanse 〈◊〉 house Scraping together dust and blood and that The women also carry out adore But when this bus'ness now an end was at There rested for them yet one bus'ness more They brought them thence into the narrow place From whence there was no hope at all to fly You said Telemachus for the disgrace Done to me and my Mother must not die An honest death This having said he stretcht Between two Pillars high a great strong Rope That with their feet the ground could not be reacht Hung there they sprawl'd awhile but could not drop Then down they drag'd Melantheus and his Nose And Ears with cruel sleel from 's head they tear And brake his Arms and Legs with many blows And to the Dogs to eat they threw his Gear Their work now done they washt their hands feet And to Ulysses in the Hall they went Who having found the place not very sweet For Brimstone call'd to take away the scent Euryclea said he ferch Brimstone hither And Fire and also wake Penelope And bid her Maids come to me all together But hasten them to come Then answer'd she Dear Child 't is well said But first let me go And bring you better Cloaths a Coat and Vest These Rags become you not Then said he No. Bring me fire first and after do the rest Then Fire she brought and Brimstone presently Wherewith he aired both the Court and Hall The Nurse then up goes to the Rooms on high To call the Maids T' Ulysser they came all They weep and sob and all embrace Ulysses And kits his head and shoulders shake his hand And he again saluteth them with kisses Weeping for joy they all about him stand LIB XXIII TH' old woman to the upper Rooms ascended To wake Penelope and let her know Her Husband was return'd Her joy amended Much had her pace and well she ambled now And standing at her head Rise Child said she The Gods at last have granted you your wishes Come down into the Hall where you shall see The so long by you wisht-for man Ulysses The Suiters he has killed ev'ry one Who needs the Stewards of his house would be In despight of Telemachus his Son And live upon his Substance lavishly To her again Penelope thus spake The Goâ—â— Euryclea sure have made you mad The Gods can wise men fools and fools wise make The Gods have done you hurt more Wit you had You do me wrong that know how little sleep I have enjoyed since he went to Troy I never so well slept since but still weep And now you come and wake me with a toy Be gone if 't had been any Maid but you I should have sent her not well pleas'd away But to your age some more respect is due Go down again into the House you may Dear Child said she I mock not for 't is true Ulysses is i' th' house That Stranger 's he Telemachus and no man else him knew And known to others would not let him be Till they these proud and naughty men had kill'd Penelope then starting from the bed Embrac'd the Nurse her eye with tears were fill'd And as yet doubtful still she questioned Euryclea is all this true you say Is he indeed come home Be serious How could he the proud Suiters all destroy He being but one they many in the House Nor saw nor askr I but I heard the groans Of dying men for up we were all shut Within our doors and lockt up all at once And of our lives into a fear were put Till me your Son Telemachus call'd out To come t' Ulysses In the Hall he stood And there in heaps the slain lay him about That like a Lion stood besmear'd with blood You would have joy'd to see him Now they lie I' th' Court all in one heap But busie he Is airing of the house a great fire by And for to call you hither has sent me But come that in each other you may joy For now at last your wishes granted be Ulysses come your Son is past a Boy And their revenge upon the Woo'rs they see Nurse answered she triumph not out of season For to be glad to see him in the house You know there none is that have so much reason As I have and our Son Teâ—emachus But 't is not truth you tell me What you say Will come at last to nothing else but this It was some God that did the Suiters slay Hating the sight of what they did amiss There never man came to them that can boast He parted from them without injuries So by their wickedness their lives they lost Ulysses may have perisht for all this Euryclea to this again repli'd Dear Chid what words are these that from you come Ulysses stands i' th' Hall at the fires side And yet you say he never will come home But well I 'll tell you now a surer signe When I was washing of his legs and feet I saw where th'wound was giv'n him by the Swine And had then told you had he thought it meet But with his hand for that cause stopt my breath Come I will lay my life on 't willingly If it be false put me to cruel death To this Penelope did then reply The purpose of the Gods wire though you be You know not Nurse But I 'll go to my Son And there upon the place with him I 'll
unlucky strife From Heaven I hither was by Juno sent That loves you both and of you both takes care Drawing of Swords and Blood-shed to prevent But as for evil words you need not spare For the wrong done you he shall trebly pay Another time Hold then Your Sword forbear I must then said Achilles you obey Though wrong'd Who hears not Gods the Gods not hear This said his mighty Sword again he sheath'd And Pallas up unto Olympus flew Achilles still nothing but Choler breath'd And Agamemnon thus revil'd anew Dogs-face and Drunkard Coward that thou art That hat'st to lead the people out to fight Nor yet to lye in ambush hast the heart And painfully watch in the field all night But thou to take from other men their due Safe lying in the Camp more pleasure hast But fools they are that ruled are by you Or else this injury had been your last But this I 'le say and with an Oath make good Now by this Scepter which hath left behind The stock whereon it once grew in the wood And never more shall have nor leaf nor rind And by Achaean Princes now is born By whom Jove's Laws to th' People carried be You hear now what a great Oath I have sworn If ere the Achaeans shall have need of me And Agamemnon cannot them relieve When Hector fills the field with bodies slain And Agamemnon only for them grieve They my assistance wish for shall in vain This said Achilles threw the Scepter down That stuck all over was with Nails of Gold And Nestor rose of Pyle that wore the Crown Wise and sweet Orator and Captain old His words like Honey dropped from his tongue Two ages he in battle honour gain'd For all that while he youthful was and strong And with the third age now in Pyle he reign'd What grief t' Achaea coming is said he O Gods what joy to Priam and his Seed How glad will all the Trojans be to see You two that all the rest in pow'r exceed With your own hands shed one anothers blood I elder am do then as I advise For I conversed have with men as good That yet my counsel never did despise Perithous and Dryas were great men And Polyphemus and Exadius Such as for strength I ne'er shall see agen And so were Caeneus and Theseus The strongest of mankind were these and slew The strongest of wild beasts that haunt the Wood. These strong men I convers'd withal and knew And with them also I did what I cou'd With these no other could contend in fight Yet they from Pyle thought fit to call me forth Far off nor ever did my counsel slight Think not therefore my counsel nothing worth Atrides take not from him though you can The Damsel which the Greeks have given him Forbear the King Pelides For the man Whom Jove hath crown'd is made of Jove a limb Though you be strong and on a Goddess got Atrides is before you in command Atrides be but you to peace once brought T' appease Achilles I will take in hand Who is while we are lying here our Wall To this Atrides answered again I nothing can deny of this at all But he amongst us thinks he ought to raign And give the Law to all as he thinks fit But I am certain that shall never be He well can fight the Gods have granted it But they nere taught him words of infamy Then interrupting him Achilles said I were a Wretch and nothing worth indeed If I what ever you command obey'd I will no more to what you say take heed But this I tell you if you take away The Damsel which is mine by your own gift I do not mean for that to make a Fray Amongst the Greeks or once my hand to lift Fetch her your self Atrides but take heed Against my will you nothing else take there Try that th' Achaeans may see how you speed And how your black blood shall run down my Spear Thus in disorder the Assembly ends Achilles to his own Ships took his way Patroclus with him and his other friends And Agamemnon then without delay Lanched a Bark and in go Row'rs twice ten Aboard the Maid and th' Hecatombe they lay Ulysses went Commander of the men And swiftly then the Ship cuts out her way And then Atrides th' Army purify'd And threw into the Sea the Purgament Then sacrific'd o'th'sands by the Sea side A Hecatombe To Heaven went up the sent And busie were the people But the King Still on his quarrel with Achilles thought And how Briseis from his Tent to bring For what he threatn'd he had not forgot But sent Talthybius and Eurybates T' Achilles Tent to fetch Briseis thence Two publick servants of the King were these Ordain'd to carry his commandements If he refuse said he to let her go I 'le thither go my self with greater force And take her thence whether he will or no. Which angry as he is will vex him worse The Messengers though not well pleased went Unto the Fleet o' th' Myrmidons and there They found Achilles sitting by his Tent. Well pleas'd he was not And they silent were And stood still struck with fear and reverence Achilles seeing that spake first and said Come near To me you have done no offence Go you Patroclus and lead forth the Maid And give her to these men that they may be To Gods and Men and to th' unbridled man My Witnesses when they have need of me To save th' Achaeans which he never can For what can he devise of any worth Or how can he the Greeks in battle save This said Patroclus led Briseis forth And to Atrides Messengers her gave She with them went though much against her heart Achilles from his friends went off and pray'd And sitting with his face to th' Sea apart Weeping unto his Mother Thetis said Mother though Jove have given me so small A time of life I could contented be Had I not been dishonoured withal And forc'd to bear such open injury Thetis in th'inmost closets of the Deep Sat with the old God Nereus and heard And not enduring long to hear him weep Above the Sea like to a Mist appear'd And by him sat and stroak'd his head and said Why weep you Child What is' t that grieves you so Tell me speak out Of what are you afraid Come whatsoever 'tis let me it know Mother said he 't is not to you unknown When we took Thebe and had brought away The Captives and the Riches of the Town Chryseis fell t' Atrides for his prey And how her father Chryses came to th'Fleet With Ransome great his Daughter to redeem And having in his hands the Ensigns meet Which did his Priestly dignity beseem A Golden Scepter and a Crown of Bays Unto the Princes all made his request But to the two Atrides chiefly prays Who of the Argive Army were the best O Sons of Atreus may the Gods grant you A safe return from Troy