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
that the King Troos made to him and he thanked him of so hie and ample offers and at the coming out of his shippe he b◠〈◊〉 him in his armes and kist his hande What shall I saye the King Troos brought him into his Pallace with all his men and feasted them as it appertayned for the loue of Saturne In likewise the people being aduertised of Saturne that it was he that found the maner of labouring of the earth of melting of metals and of sayling and rowing by Sea made so greate and plentifull feast at his comming that they coulde no more doo At that time during this feasting when Saturne felt him in the grace of the Troyans on a daye he called Troos and his two sonnes and addressed his words to them saying Lordes of Troye ye haue doone so much for me that I maye neuer deserue it but as I haue sayde to you my sonne is enhaunsed and lift vp aboue me and hath taken from me my Realme I intreate you as much as I may that ye will councell me what thing is most conuenient for me to doo And how I shall suffer and beare the iniury doon to me c. My brother aunswered the King Troos this is against nature for a sonne himselfe to rebell against his Father the sinne and crime is foule and worthy of reprehension for euery sonne is bounden by all lawes to serue worship dread and obey his Father And it is not reason that any man should approoue or hold with a sonne disobeysant Your sonne is in this condition cursed and right euill and I am of the opinion that ye shal not acquite you well vnlesse you do to your power to maister and ouercome his euill maners And to the end ye shall not excuse your euident harmes and losses when ye will I will deliuer you my sonne Ganimedes accompanied with twentie thousand Troyans that shall succour you vnto the death Or they shall sette you agayne in your royall tribunall Saturne was all recomforted when he knewe the loue that the King Troos shewed to him and after many thankes concluded that he would returne into Crete with Ganimedes and would begin againe the pitious warre of him and of his sonne And following this conclusion from thenceforth on he did cause 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—int the shipping of Troye and all things apperteyning and gathered togither men of armes with great puissance by the introduction of Ganimedes And when all the assembly had mustred and were gathered togither he tooke leaue of the king Troos and of Ilion and went to the sea and shipped all his manie and knowing the situations of the countreys by the seas he directed his hoste into the Sea Egee where as was Egeus sonne of Titan the greate pyrate which durst not haue to doo with them in no wise and from this sea of Egee he trauailed so much by diuerse iourneys that he came and arriued at the first porte and hauen of Crete CHAP. XXIIII ¶ How Saturne by the ayde of Ganimedes and of the Troyans returned into Crete to fight against Iupiter where he was ouercome and vanquished and Ganimedes taken AT that houre when Saturne arriued in Crete the sunne was turned into the west and on the heauen begaÌ„ to appeare the stars Saturne knewe the port and tooke land hoping to enter the country secretly and went a little way and there lodged his people in a place coÌ„uenieÌ„t made theÌ„ rest eate and drinke by the space of foure houres and then hée awooke the host and made the Troians arme them and enter into the Realme But they were not farre gone but anon after the sunne rysing and approaching a straight passage the espies and scowrers came vnto Saturne and Ganimedes hastily and tolde them that they had séene the King Iupiter right strongly accompanied which kept the passage Vpon this place it is to wit that when Iupiter was departed from Danae and from the Tower of Dardan and was come into Crete desiring to accomplish his promise to Danae hee did cause to assemble his men of warre concluding in himselfe that faithfully he would go fetch the fayre Danae and bring her into his Countrey by force of armes What shall I say more His armie was all readie and came the same night where on the morrow he hoped to haue departed but as hée was in his bed that night in his Citie of Parthenie tidings came to him of the arryuing of the Troyans Wherefore he was constrained by force to change his purpose of which he was right sorie and maruailous passing heauie This notwithstanding suddenly as these tydings were freshly brought vnto him he arose and tooke his men of armes that he had assembled and hastily brought them vnto the straight whereof aboue is written and there abode his enemies as wise well aduised And it is not to be forgotten that in this armie among his men was the king of Molosse which had late found the industrie and craft to tame and breake horses for to be ridden and to ride them And there was come he and his men to serue the king Iupiter for his good renowme accompanied with an hundred men that ran as the winde And for this cause they were called Centaures and these Centaures were so terrible and cruell that they doubted not the puissance of King nor of none other whatsoeuer they were For then to returne to the matter alreadie begun when Saturne knewe that the passage was kept and that Iupiter was then aduertised of his coÌ„ming he caused his host to stay and sayde vnto them My children it behooueth that this morning ye so do in Crete your deuoir not onely in mustring and shewing your courages but aboue all that ye bee redoubted and dread like the thunder Assure year selues of your quarrell Iupiter mine enemie is heere where he abydeth our comming to the battaile ordained if we will come to the ende of our enterprise it is necessarie that we draw thither Let me heare what ye will say Then thus answered Ganimedes we be come into Crete for to correct your sonne and to set you againe in your throne We will do that we may do by our power and fight fréely without doubting or feare And vnto the ende that no reproch be layde vnto vs I will sende and summon your sonne first or any swoorde be drawne or stroke smitten to the ende that he yéelde him vnto your obeysaunce and that he come and amende his misdéedes And then Ganimedes did call forth his Troians by consent of Saturne and set them in order of battaile and when he had so done he sent one of his auncient knights a noble man vnto Iupiter and gaue him charge to make the summons such as is sayde before The Troyan departed from the host at the commaundement of Ganimedes and did so much that hee was presented before Iupiter and said to him Iupiter thou oughtest to know that euery sonne oweth obeysance vnto his father thou dost
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
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
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
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 lesse ye get and winne continual teares or wéepinges nor long lasting sighes may neuer raise your father againe The faire Yo le with these wordes was sore oppressed with hote contrary imaginations that her heart failed her It was a piteous thing to beholde howe her friend Hercules would haue taken her vp and susteined her betwéene his armes But a wise lady that had alway gouerned her came to him and said to him kneeling on her knees Sir I pray you in the name of all the Gods that ye will cease to speake to this poore damsell for this time She hath this day lost her father it must needs bée that nature acquite her Ye may do with her your owne pleasure if ye let her a little abide in her melancholie all shall be well if it please the Gods as well for you as for her At the request of the Lady Hercules was content to let her go for that time hee recommended Yo le vnto the Gods and went vnto Theseus for to passe his time with him but to the end that Yo le shoulde not go away nor escape he ordained twelue Gréekes to kéepe her and commaunded vpon pains of death that they should suffer no woman to issue out of the chamber without witting whither she went In this night Hercules did cause the dead bodies to be had out of the pallace and the place to be made cleane And also he ordeined that the body of the king Pricus should be put in the sepulture When these things were accōplished Hercules Theseus with their men of armes made good chéere with such as they found there and Yo le was neuer out of the remembrance of Hercules Yo le certainely at this time was so discomforted that it cannot be recounted The ladie that had her in gouernance trauelled right sore for to comfort and chéere her Then when Hercules had left her in the chamber as sayd is she had many words to her and among all other she sayd to her My daughter you wéepe too much Ha madame sayd Yo le how may I lesse do when shall I haue cause to wéepe and to waile if I haue not nowe My father is dead I haue lost him that most loued me of all the world I may loose no more ne no greater thing Ought not then my heart to be angry and sorrowfull My daughter sayd the lady I know well that ye haue the most apparant occasion of sorrowe that any woman may haue but since it must néeds be that you passe by this infortune what profite you your grieuous wéepings There may nothing procéed of them but augmentation of melancoly and hurting and appairing of your praised beautie Ye be now fallen into the hand of this prince This is a man worthy and noble aboue all other he loueth you ye ought to thanke the gods and to giue them praise for this grace For this is to you a good fortune and an hap in your mishap If ye will be ruled by me y◠shall take all this in good part Better it is to suffer one euil then two He thinketh ye ought to consider your estate And if ye consider it well ye shall indeuour you to forget it Madame sayd Yo le Alas and how may that be that I should haue loue or affinitie or familiaritie with him that hath done to mee so much harme He hath not taken onely from me a knight an vncle nor a cousin but mine onely proper father Let none speake to me thereof Hee is and shall be my mortall enemy as long as I liue and as long as he shal liue he shall haue no more of me for prayer promise nor for menace My daughter sayd the lady make not your selfe bond whereas you be free the effects and déeds of loue be subtill and sudden Loue is alway in his secret throne that can doe none other thing but humiliate and méeken the hard hearted and bow the strong So hard nor so strong a heart is not amongst the humaine creatures but that it is right soone humbled and made méeke when that it is his pleasure There is no tower so high but it may be beaten downe by subtill mining Neither is no winde so great nor so rigorous but it may be tempered There is no night so darke but that it is surmounted with the day Ye hate Hercules now but if you haue a while kept companie with him and haue had communication with him peraduenture you will loue him better then euer you loued your father your mother or any other of your linage And that I may proue by my selfe for I had my husband in so great hate first ere we loued together that I would faine haue séene him die a shamefull death Shortly after when we had begun to be acquainted one with another I loued him so stedfastly that if he had not beene with me day and night I had thought I should haue died for sorrow and griefe My daughter such be the chances of loue that often times I say after great hate commeth great loue The glory of Hercules is so cléere that your heart ought to be delighted therewith the conquest that he hath made in this citie shall be for you a singular preparation to all good Would you attaine to a more greater weale then for to be fellow or loue of him that is the subduer of kings the most best wel-faring man and the most triumphant in armes for to him is nothing vnpossible hee hath conquered the most part of the vniuersall world O my daughter reioyce you in fortune shut not the doore to prosperitie that commeth to you it is to be beléeued that the desolation of this citie hath bene deuised and ordeined by the parlement of the gods in fauor of you that are the paragon and none like vnto you of all the daughters of the kings for to giue you in marriage vnto this man By these wordes the faire Yo le had her stomacke surprised with sundry imaginations She rose then vp from that part and entred into her guardrobe whereas was the presentation of the goddesse Diana When she was come thither she knéeled downe in great humilitie before the image and in abounding of sighes and weeping as sore as shee had done any time of the day before shee sayd Goddesse of virgines what shall thy right simple seruant and handmayden doe Alas lighten mine hope beholde mine affection weigh my mishappe Send thine eyes into the secret of mine heart and sée the sorrow that I beare and in the fauour of virgines kéepe my bodie and preserue me frō the hand of him that would that I should be his wife Since that he had caused in me the roote of mortall hate which is not possible to be rooted out as nature iudgeth in mee for it is not possible that I may loue mine enemie I am therefore perswaded and it is trueth that the hate that I haue against this tyrant Hercules shal be euer abiding
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
and I trow there is not left one at home of the men of Troy but that euery man is come to the battell and therefore if it please you now whiles that the Troyans be wearie to come to the battell ye shall get to you perpetuall memorie of worship and of glorie For by your prowesse you shal in little space haue all vanquished theÌ„ and they shall not dare to defend themselues against you they be so wearie Neuer would Achilles for the words of his varlet nor for the death of Ebes change his courage but dissembled all that he had seene heard for the great loue that he had to Polixene During these things the battell was right sharpe and endured vnto the night to the great damage of the Gréeks and the night parted them yet was not Deiphebus dead but hee drewe towardes his ende and when Paris and Troylus saw him in that sorrow they began to cry and make great sorrow And then Deyphebus opened a little his eies and demaunded of Paris with a féeble voice if he were dead that had slaine him And Paris saide to him yea Then Deyphebus did cause to drawe out the head of the speare with the truncheon and anon died Wherefore the Troyans made great sorrowe It is no néed to hold long talke of the sorrow that the king Priamus his father made nor his wife and his sister for it was too much and also for the death of the king Sarpedon Of the other partie the Greekes made great sorrow for the death of Palamedes and made his body to be buried worshipfully And as they that might not bee long without an head and gouernour by the counsell of the duke Nestor and of other Agamemnon was set againe in his dignitie as he was before The day following the Troyans early in the morning issued out of the citie in good order and the Greekes came against them Then began the battell mortall and there was great slaughter on both sides but it rained so much that day that the Greekes withdrew them to their Tentes and the Troyans followed after them but the raine was so great that they must needes leaue the battell and returne to their citie On the morrow betimes they began to fight and flew that day many barons of the Greekes and fought till the euen and so they fought the space of seuen daies continually where was great slaughter of the one and of the other And forasmuch as the Greekes might not suffer the stenche of the dead bodies they demaunded truce for two monethes which were graunted to them by king Priamus During this truce the king Agamemnon sent the duke Nestor Vlisses and Diomedes to speake to Achilles for to pray him and will him to come to the hoste for to defend theÌ„ against the Troyans that slew them maruellously When they were come vnto him he receiued them with great ioy And then Vlisses said vnto him Sir Achilles was it not by your agreement and also ours all this host to leaue our countrey and a ow yeare come running vpon king Priamus and haue destroyed him and his by force of armes do beat downe his â—itie From whence commeth this courage after so many hurts and damages as we haue receiued in this land by the Troyans that haue slaine so many kings and pâ—intes pilled and robbed our tents and burnt our shippes and we were now in hope to haue vanquished them alter that ye by your force and valour haue slaine Hector that was the true defender of the Troyans and also now that Deiphebus is dead the Troyans be there with put â—nder foot and after this day when ye haue gotten with great trauell to great worship and so good renowme will ye nowe loâ—se all at once and suffer your people to be slain â—uelly that ye haue so long defended with the effusion of your bloud Please it you from henceforth to enter â—oute kéepe your good renoume and defend your people that without you may not long defend them against your enemies to the ende that wee may come to the victorie by your prowesse by the which we hope to atteine and come to it Sir Vlisses sayde Achilles if wee be come into this land for these causes that ye haue declared wee may say that great folly was among vs that for the wife of one of vs that is to wit of sir Menelaus so many kings and so high princes bee put in perill of death Had it not béene much more wisedome for the noble Palamedes to haue abider in peace in his countrey then for to be slain here and other kings and princes in like maner Certes as the most great part of the world of noble menne be héere how assembled if they die here as many be already dead it must needes follow that the countreys shall be replenished and gouerned by villaines Hector that was so noble and so worthy is he not dead in like wise I may die shortly that am not so strong as he was And therfore in as much as ye require me to goe to battell so much paine and labour loose yee for I haue no more intention to put me any more in daunger and loue better to loose my renowme then my life for in the end there is no prowesse but it will be forgotten Nestor and Diomedes contended enough to drawe Achilles to their quarrels but they might neuer induce him to their purpose nor the wordes of Agamemnon neither And then he sayd to them that they shoulde make peace with the Troyans before that they were all slaine c. Then returned these thrée princes vnto Agamemnon and sayde to him all that they had found in Achilles and Agamemnon made it to bee knowen to the princes of the host whom he had assembled for this cause and demaunded of them their aduice Then stood vp Menelaus saying that it would be to vs now great shame to séeke peace with the Troyans since that Hector and Deiphebus bee dead and slaine and that by their death the Troyans repute them as vanquished and that without Achilles they shoulde well mainteine the warre against the Troyans To that answered Vlisses and Nestor and sayde that it was not maruell though Menelaus desired the warre for affection to recouer his wife and that Troy was not so disgarnished but that they had a newe Hector that was Troylus who was little lesse strong and woorthy then Hector And there was also another Deiphebus and that was Paris whom wee ought to doubt as much as the other and therefore they counselled the peace and to returne home againe to Gréece Then cried the false traitour Calcas which was traitour to the Troyans and sayd Ha noble men what thinke yee to doe against the commaundement of the gods haue not they promised to you the victory and will ye now leaue it Certes that should be great folly take againe courage to you fight ye against the Troyans more strongly then ye haue done
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
her father howâ— Pirrhus for the loue of Andromache had forsakeÌ„ her requesting him that during the abode of Pirrhus at Delphos hee would come and kill Andromache and Laomedon her sonne At her request Menelaus came and with naked sword ran at Andromache who caught in her armes Laomedon her yoong sonne and ran into the city crying for ayde Vpon sight hereof the city rose in armes for to defend Andromache and her yoong sonne from the outrage and daughter wherupon Menelaus was forced to retire into his countrey without atchieuing his purpose When Horestes also vnderstoode of Pirrhus his being at Delphos hee went with all speed thither and meeting him slew him with his owne hands and caused him to be buried Shortly after this did Horestes recouer againe his wife and carried her into his owne Realme When Pirrhus was dead Peleus and Thetis tooke Andromache that was with child by Pirrhus with her litle sonne Laomedon and sent them into the citie of Molossa where Andromache was deliuered of a 〈…〉 sonne which she named Achilleides This 〈…〉 when he was growne to yeares holpe his brother Laomedon to bee king of Thessaly and willed that for his sake all the Troyans should be set frée Héere the storie saieth that the sister of king Menon which Menon Achilles slew before Troy and whome king Priamus buried by his sonne Troylus came in very â—â—â—tly apparell to Troy and opening her brothers sepulchre tooke out his bones which so soone as she had she with them vanished sodenly no man knew whither or which way And it is said that eyther shée was a Goddesse or the daughter of a Goddesse the Son of Vlisses had a Son by his Wife Nausica named Deiphebus After all these things accomplished Acastus went and buryed his two Sons in Thessaly by the consent of Pyrrhus and when Pyrrhus was promoted to his Royal dignity he became enamoâ—ed of Hermione daughter of Helen and wife to Horestes Hee be so courted and allured by so many enticements that he got her away from her Husband into Thessaly and took her to his wife Horestes was sore grieved at this injury yet he durst not assail him with battel in his own Realm but said he would ere long be avenged of this indignity assoon as time would serve shortly after that Pyrrhus went to Delphos to give thanks unto his God Apollo for the good successe he had obtained in Thessaly in revenging his Fathers death and getting the Kingdom and leaving in his Palace behind him Andromache sometime the wife of Hector and Laomedon her young Son in his absence it was found that Andromache was with Child by Pyrrhus whereat Hermione took displeasure and sent word to Menelaus her Father how Pyrrhus for the love of Andromache had forsaken her requesting him that during the abode of Pyrrhus at Delphos he would come and kill Andromache and Laomedon her Son At her request Menelaus came and with a sword ran at Andromache who caught in her arms Laomedon heâ— young Son and ran into the City crying for ayd Vpon sight hereof the City rose in arms to defend Andromache and her young Son from the slaughter whereupon Menelaus was forced to retire into his Country without atchieving his purpose When Horestes understood of Pyrrhus his being at Delphos he went with all spéed thither and slew him with his own hands Thus did Horestes recover again his wife and carried her into his own Realm When Pyrrhus was dead Peleus and Thetis took Andromache that was with Child by Pyrrhus with her little Son Laomedon and sent them to the City of Molossa where Andromache was delivered of a goodly Son which she named Achilleides This Achilleides when hee was grown to years holpe his Brother Laomedon to bee King of Thessaly and willed for his sake all the Trojans should be set frée Here the story saith that the sister of King Menon which Menon Achilles slew before Troy and whom King Priamus buried by his Son Troylus came in very costly apparel to Troy and opening her Brothers Sepulture took out his bones which so soon as she had she with them vanished suddenly no man knew which way And it is said that either it was a Goddesse or the Daughter of a Goddesse CHAP. XXXI 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 AS Vlisses was sléeping on his bed he saw a vision in which there séemed before him a wonderfull fair creature the most beautiful that ever he saw which he would fain have embraced but the Image would not suffer him And he going after it the Image asked him what he would have he answered that he was desirous to joyne with it in carnal copulation Then said the Image Oh a woful conjunction will this be for thereupon one of us must dye Moreover to him séemed that the Image held a Spear about the head was a pensil cunningly wrought all over with fishes And to him séemed that the Image departed away and said this sight betokneth destruction that shall happen to us two When Vlisses awaked he was troubled to think of his dream and being desirous to know what it might signifie he sent unto the Soothsayers of his Realm to enquire what this Vision might presage who having considered thereof said that his own Son should kill him Vpon this he fearing his Son caused him to be apprehended and surely kept Afterward he made him to dwell in a Castle that stood alone where with a few of his trusty Friends and Servants he spent the time and this Castle none might come unto but those few of his own retinue and they not to passe or re-passe but at certain times by a draw-bridge and a wicket the Castle being watred round about Now it had so fallen â—â—t before that in his return from Troy Vlisses had arrived in an Isle where Circe was Quéen and Governour which was the cunningest woman in the world in inchantment This Circe by her witchcraft made Vlisses stay with her a time at his returne and conceived by him a Son whom she named Thelagonus And about the time of Vlisses his dwelling in his Castle Thelagonus being grown to ripe years and being a stout young man would néeds know of his Mother who was his Father After much intreaty she told him who was his Father and where he did dwell Thelagonus very glad hereof and desiring to sée his Father travelled forthwith to Achaia and hearing where Uâ—isses dwelt he went thither and coming on a Monday morning he requested those that kept the bridge that they would let him go in to speak with Ulisses The Porters would by no means yeild therto but thrust him back churlishly whereat he taking displeasure struck one on the neck with his fist and beat him dead and seting upon the other cast them all off the Bridge whereupon they made a great
she on a day called her deare sonne Saturne with Titan and other of the Countrey and there rehearsed and saide vnto them that her yong sonne Saturne should succéede and haue the heritages of her husband Titan hearing the will of his mother redoubled his sorrow it caused him to wéepe great plentie of teares and knéeled too fore his mother humbly and saide in in this wise Mother I am right infortunate when ye will that my right patrimonie be put from me and that naturally me ought to haue by right should be giuen from me and yet because that I am not so wel formed of members as my brother Saturne is which sorrow is to me passing noyous ye wil put from me my fortune and byrth which ye may not do by lawfull reason I am your first sonne ye haue nourished me with the substance of your blood as your childe borne in your bellie nine Moneths Also I am he that first dwelled and inhabited your feminine chambers none tofore me tooke there any seisin when I tooke that then ye gaue mée your due loue and sorted to me the succession of your heritages Then whence cometh this that ye nowe subuert and destroy that nature hath once ioyned giuen me euery mother is bounden to holde the conseruation of the right of her child Alas mother will ye make me bastard fro my right am I a bastard was not Vranus my father am not I he that ye were so glad for what time ye felt first that I was conceiued in the lawfull bed of my father your husband am I not be that ye bare and gaue mee sucke of your breastes and oftentimes kissed me that is to say in my tender dayes what tyme my members were soft and tender Ha mother acquit you ayeinst me as ye beholden and bounden by right and knowledge ye that I am Titan and for as much as I am lesse and not so well adressed as my brother Saturne so much yée ought the more desire my promotion and furthering When dame Vesca heard her sonne Titan speake so sadly and profoundly she had pittie on him yet the pitie was not of so high vertue that might surmount the great loue that was rooted betwéene her and Saturne and then she sayde to Titan her sonne Titan my sonne I denie not that thou tookest thy substance betwéene my sides and were brought into this world and know verily that I loue thée intirely and that I desire thy weale but it is so cleare and euident in euery mans sight that for the default loathlinesse and abhomination of thy members thou art not a man sufficient to defend thy fathers heritage with great labour and paine for if it happen that one man would make warre thou were not able to resist him what wouldest thou that I should do thy brother hath the loue of al the people for his beautie and his vertuous maners and euery man holdeth him in reuerence and thée in derision and scorne Be thou content thou shalt lacke nothing and if thou lacke speake to me and I shall remedie it but speake neuer no more to mee for the heritage for Saturne shall obtaine it by the fauour of his wisedome méekenesse and benignitie and also because the common sort iudgeth him and séeth that hee shall once bee the man whose life shall shine gloriously Titan was sort troubled of the words of his mother and he began to chaunge colour and waxe red hauing suspition to Saturne that hee had contriued this matter against him whereupon he drew him apart to him and saide Saturne the enuie that thou hast to raigne aboue me hath now ingendred in my heart thy mortall mischiefe whereof the hate shall endure vnto the mortall separation of thy life and of mine and of my children Thou knowest well that I am the eldest son of our father Vranus how art thou so hardy and presumptuous to inhaunce thy selfe aboue me by conspired imagination I will that thou knowe verily that like as thou hast conspired in my temporal domage semblably I shall conspire to thy eternal domage hurt And name me from henceforth thy mortall enemie When Saturne heard these burning and enflamed menasses of his brother Titan he excused himselfe and answered that he neuer thought in his life to come to the succession of their father nor neuer had imagined nor conspired it Then Vesca their mother Cibell and Ceres tooke the wordes fro Saturne and saide to Titan that his threatning to Saturne was for naught for he should raigne and be Lord and maister Titan full of felonie and more angrie then hée was too fore said plainly that he would not suffer it Saturne had a great part of the people that assisted him and gaue him fauour And Titan also had other on his side which began to murmure the one partie agaynst the other All the compapanie was sore troubled and began to thrust in and enployed them to cease the noyse and to accord Titan notwithstanding it was hard to doe for alway he would haue runne vpon Saturne if he had not béene hold and letted alway In the ende the wise men shewed Titan by great reason that he was the more féeble and that Saturne was more in the fauour of the people and that he would modere himselfe a little and sayde that he should agrée and graunt the raigne to Saturne by condition that if hee married he should be bound to put to death all his children males that should be begotten of his séede if he any had for the wele of both parties Vesca with her daughter and the auncient wise people accorded to Titan this condition and laboured so to Saturne that they brought them to the Temple of their god Mars that was in the citie of Oson whereof was Lord a mightie man called Milliseus and that afore the image of the god Mars Saturne swore that if him happed to marry and that hee had any children males hee would slea them all thus was Titan content that his brother shuld enioy the land of Crete the peace was made betwéen them both CHAP. II. ¶ How Saturne was crowned first King of Crete and how he found first diuers sciences wherefore the people held him in great honour as a God AFter the treatie made of the peace of Titan and Saturne Titan saw in himselfe that hee might not worshipfully abide and dwell being vnder his yonger brother had leuer go and search his aduentures in other places then to be thral to his yonger brother Hee tooke his wife his children and friendes and departed at all aduenture into diuers places where he found fortune so good and happy that by armes and strength he made himselfe king of many diuerse Realmes which hee departed vnto his chlldren and commised and ordained certaine espies to espie and waite if his brother Saturne married himselfe and if his wife brought foorth men children and whether hée put them to death During these saide things Saturne
that my sonne be borne a liue certaine he shall be put to death for it is better that he die a childe then he should waxe a man and waxe rebell against me and enhaunce himself aboue me by his malice insurrection or otherwise In this will and resolution this sorrowful Saturne returned into his house continuing in this estate and sorrowfull sighs melancholious fantasies in such wise that Cibel durst not come into his presence nor could not get of him a ioyous sight wherefore he got him a surname of sorrow and was named Saturne the triste or sorrowfull And it was so that when he had bin in his house a certain space and saw the day approch that his wife should be deliuered of child for to execute his sorowful courage he called his wife and said Dame it is so apparant that shortly thou shalt be deliuered of the fruit of thy wombe if thou be deliuered of a sonne I commaund thée vpon pain of death that thou slea him and that thou send me his heart And when Cibell heard these wordes and this rigorous and vnnaturall violence and will anon she fell to the ground in a sowne for her legs failed her And in the reléeuing of the sowne shee knéeled before the féete of Saturne and said on this wise Sir hast thou no shame that wilt bee husband of a woman murdering her owne child I thée require of mercy and grace beséeching thée to haue regard that I am thy wife and haue the heart of a woman and not of a tyrant or a murtherer Dame answered Saturne require me no more of things touching this matter it is iudged by a foreséene and counterpeysed sentence that if thou haue a son he shall bee dead for I haue promised and sworne so to my brother Titan and aboue this I haue answere of the god Apollo that in thy wombe is a sonne that shall cast me out of this realme and therefore sée that at his birth he be dead as deare as thou louest thy life and also as I haue said send me his heart medled with wine that I may drinke it And how sir answered Cibell knowest thou not that I am a woman and by proper and singular inclination I haue a verie loue to small children and must giue them to eate and suck O wéenest thou that I haue an heart so hard as for to foile my hands with the blood of my son I pray and require thée to reuoke thy sentence and be pitious to thy wife and generation Thou art wise after the iudgement of thy people In this partie thou shewest thy selfe not good for by thy oath thou art not bounden nor holden to slea thy sonne séeing it is truth that all oathes made agaynst good maners ought not to be holden For to slea thy sonne it is a villaine case contrarie to honour reason pittie equitie and iustice It is sinne against nature agaynst vertue and against all good maners Then thy oath for to slea thy sonne is nought and thou oughtest anull it thou art king and that vpon paine of death forviddest thy people to make murther or homicide By this thou that art myrrour example to other oughtest to be content and appease thy selfe And me séemeth on that other side that thou interpretest and construest euill the sentence of god Apollo saying that I haue in my wombe a sonne that shall put thée out of thy kingdome For by this it ought to be vnderstand that the sonne that I beare shall ouerliue thée and put thée so out of thy kingdome that is to say into thy Sepulchre the day that thou shalt depart out of this worlde And if this may not appease thée if it so happen that I haue a sonne thou maist do him to be kept in a strong Tower and there to set such warde vpon him that he shall neuer bee of power to enhaunce himselfe against thée Saturn had then the heart passing great that for semblable compassion Vesca the mother Cibell and Ceres wept and gaue out great plentie of teares and in like wise all the assistants that were in the place wept out of measure aboundantly yet neuerthelesse it might not soft nor attemper the hard commaundement of king Saturne But in conclusion he sayd to Cibell that she should no more procure the respite of the life of his son but he should be dead and she also with him if she did not his commaundement With sorrowfull conclusion Cibell departed from thence all in a traunce halfe dead and casting abroade her armes and hands with great excesse of teares that ran like a riuer from her tender eyen entred into a Tower her mother that desolate Ladie following her She being in her chamber for frushed and all distempered with sorrow began to trauell anon was deliuered of a daughter and of a son The daughter was borne before the sonne and was sent by Ceres and borne to nourish into the Citie of Parthenie and was named Iuno and the son began to laugh at comming out of his mothers wombe and was named Iupiter When Cibell and Vesca sawe the childe laugh their teares began to grow double and they had not taken great regard and héed to the child what time Cibell all angrie and corrupt with wanhope with a sigh and féeble spirite said to her mother Ha my mother what pitious case shall this bée now giue me a sharpe cutting knife and I shall murther my sonne by vnnaturall errour against my will And after this villainous déed for my absolution of the great sinne I shall murther my selfe also And this is my full purpose for after so cruell a déede and worke notwithstanding any excusation I neuer will longer liue The mother of Cibell was then al bewept and greatly dismaid when she heard the aire of the tender mouth of her daughter redound in her eares of so hard a crueltie she being all afraid said to her my daughter what thinkst thou to do art thou enraged out of thy wit or foolish My mother answered Cibell yea verily I am verily as you say enraged out of my wit and foolish and yet more I am furious woode Make me no longer to languish Giue me the cursed mortall knife forged in an euill houre for of force I must obey the king Saturne your right welbeloued sonne my right redoubted husband that hath commandement ouer me and will shamefully put me to death if I accomplish not and fulfill his commaundement in the death of his sonne which he hath charged me to slea Anon as Vesca considered that her daughter sayd and in the errour that she was in she tooke the child that was in her armes and plucked it from her by force and alway the childe laughed When Cibell sawe her sonne in the armes of her mother as a woman enraged and out of her wit shée began to crie that she should slea the childe or giue it her againe or else she would arise out of her bed
is compared and likened vnto Venus CHAP. XVIII ¶ How Achisius had a daughter named Danae the which he did cause to be shut in a tower for asmuch as he had an answere that she should haue a sonne the which should turne him into a stone IN those daies when Iupiter of Crete flourished in honor strength prowesse and valiance in the Citie of Argos reigned the right mightie king Acrisius that caused his daughter Danaes to be be shut and kept in a tower For to know the genealogie of this king Acrisius in this part it is to be noted that of Iupiter borne of Archade and of a damosel named Isis came a son named Epaphus this Epaphus engendred a son and a daughter the son was named Belus and reigned in a part of Egypt and the daughter had to name Libia diuelled in Affricque where she conceiued a son named Busiris that was an vnhumane tirant as shal be said hereafter in the déeds of Hercules Belus then engendred two sons Danaus and Egyptus Danaus had fiftie daughters and Egyptus had as many sons And these sons and daughters were conioyned together by marriage wéening Egyptus right well to haue married his sons but hee was deceiued of his weening for Danaus for enuie couetousnes to haue the succession made that by his daughters traiterously shuld be murthered all the fiftie sons of the said Egyptus the first night of their espousals as they slept And all they consented in this foule horrible crime of sin except one alone named Hypermnestra which had a stedfast heart of pittie for when shee should haue persecuted her husband Linceus shée saued his life mercifully and also conceiued of his seed a son that was named Abas that after was king of Argos and he engendred the king Acrisyus whereof is made mention in the beginning of this chapter These were the parents and progenitours of king Acrysius he was right puissant in riches but he named himselfe poore for he had no children but one daughter onely which he named Danaes and for to haue a sonne hee went day by day into the temples and oracles of the gods and there made prayers and sacrifices inough fastings almesses and other suffrages All these things might not helpe to bring to passe the accomplishment of his desire His wife came vnto her barraine yeares and hee was out of all hope to haue any childe male and then he comforted him in Danaes his daughter and set his loue so greatly on her that he had no pleasance but onely to be hold her and hee purposed that neuer man shoulde haue her but if it were the most noble and valliant man of the world But for as much as in this world is nothing perdurable this loue was of little enduring and that by the procuring of the king Acrysius for that the loue hee had in Danaes grew in ampliation of naturall ielousie hee went into the oracle of God Belus his olde Grand-father and searching what should be the destinie of his daughter he did cause him to be answered that of her should come a sonne that should turne him into a stone By this answere Acrysius beganne to fall from the great loue that he had to his daughter he returned sorrrowfull and pensiue into his house and became all melancolike without taking ioy or pleasure in any thing that he sawe His daughter was then yong hee sawe her often times otherwhile in crueltie and sometime in pittie The remorse of that that he looked to be transformed into a stone by him that by destinie should be borne of his daughter moued him to cruelty in such wise that often times he determined that he would put her to death and so to spoyle his bloud to the ende for to remedie his infortune But when hée had taken in his hand the sword wherewith he wéened to flea her nature beganne to meddle and put in her selfe betwéene them and from this crueltie made him to condiscend to pitie and put awaye his sword and let the sheading of her blood that was come of his owne bloud the which shoulde come vnto the succession of his crowne which his auncient progenitours had ordayned before c. For to saye the veritie this king Acrisius from thence foorth tooke his rest crossed with many sighes and could not be assured of himselfe His daughter grewe and became a woman shée was passing fayre and right comely Many kings and great earthly Lordes desired to haue her in mariage and would haue endowed her with noble Crownes But the king Acrisius refused all them that required her and imagined that his daughter for her great beautie might be taken awaye and rauished by which she might by aduenture haue a sonne that should turne him vnto a stone And to the ende to eschewe this perill and daunger he thought that hée would make a Tower the strongest in the world and that in the same Tower shoulde his daughter Danaes be closed and shut during her life without coming of any man to her for he was so ielous of her that he beléeued her not well when he sawe her In the ende 〈◊〉 sent for workemen and forgers of steele and of copper from all parties and brought them vnto a strong place 〈◊〉 enuyroned with waters where was no entrie but in one place When hée hadde brought thither all his workemen hée sayd to them that hée woulde haue a Tower made all of copper with a gate seuerall from the Tower to put in foure and twentie men of armes for to kéepe the Tower if it were néede The workemen bargayned with the king Acrisius to make the Tower and the gate and sette on hand to the worke the Tower was made in processe of time and then when all was achieued Acrisius brought thither his daughter without letting her knowe his intencion And as soone as she was in the Tower he sayd to her My only daughter it is come vnto my knowledge that in searching thy prosperitie to my god Belus I haue bin aduertised that of thée shall come a sonne which shall conuert and turne me into a stone Thou knowest that euery man naturally coueteth and desireth safely to liue in his life I loue thée passing well and nothing in the worlde so much excepting my life But certaine my life toucheth mee more néere to my heart then thy loue wherefore I séeking and requiring the remedies agaynst my predestinate infortune would neuer giue thée in marriage to any man that hath requyred or desired thée Also to the ende that generation discend not of thy bodie and that thou shouldest haue no knowledge of man during my life I haue made to bée framed this tower of copper and will that thou be closed and shut therein and that no man sée thée I pray thée my daughter accord thée vnto my will and desire and take patience in this place for to passe thy time I will prouide to accompanie thée with manie noble virgins that shall giue
vnto thée all that thou canst or mayst thinke néedfull c. When the noble damosell Danae vnderstoode the will of her father she behelde the Tower of Copper made for to kéepe her shut fast there in And further when she considered that she should neuer marry during the life of her father the king she was sore troubled about these things and by great bitternesse with sorrowfull heart began to wéepe and said Alas my father am I borne vnder so vnhappie a constellation for to be a martyresse and prisoner not in the end of my yeares but in my young time not in a prison of stone or of cement but in a tower of Copper and Latton in such wise as I should dwell therein perpetually Thou interpretest euill the sentence of the God Belus saying that of me shall be borne a sonne that shall turne thée into a stone For by this sentence ought none other thing to be vnderstoode but that I shall haue a sonne that shall raigne after thée and shall turne thée into a stone That is to say that hee shall put thée into thy Sepulchre Beholde then what simplenesse shall it be to thée to beholde me thus enclosed and shut in this Tower My daughter answered Acrisius thou interpretest the Prognostication of our god Belus after that thée lyketh to thy ioy and profite It lyeth me sore on my heart that if thou haue a sonne he shall put me to death and that is my iudgement and feare Gainsay no more me I am thy father Lord and maister ouer thée thou shalt abide here either by loue or otherwise At this conclusion when Danae saw that she might not content her fearefull father as wise and sage as she was she agréed and accorded to do his pleasure yéelding to it with the mouth and not with the heart And then the king sent for virgins and also olde matrones in all the Realme about and deliuered his daughter vnto them for to accompanie serue and kéepe her and made them all to be shut and closed in with her After he tooke his leaue of them commaunding them vpō pain of death that they shuld not suffer any man to come and speake with his daughter without his witting and knowledge When he had thus done he returned into the Citie of Argos and assembled fortie strong women which he gaue wages and pay to and sent them to kéepe the gate and the entrie of the Tower And then spread the renowme of these things in so great a sound and noyse that all Grece was full of the tydings and there was no King ne Prince but that complained the losse of the youth of faire Danae then holden and named the most faire of al the Greekish maidens daughter of the king c. CHAP. XIX ¶ Howe Iupiter in guise of a messenger brought vnto the Tower of Dardan to the Damosels and to Danae many Iewels faigning that he came from Iupiter BY this Tower and by this meane Acrisius thought to ouercome his predestinate misfortune and was well eased that his Daughter was in so sure and safe a place All the world spake of her and of her Tower by compassion they complained her state and it was so much spoken of this cause that Iupiter had his eares full thereof and not onely his eares but also his heart for in hearing the recommendation of the excessiue perfection of this virgine Danae he was amorous of her greatly and desirously assoone as the mariage of him and Iuno had bin consummated And then he began with all his heart to thinke how and when or in what maner he might come to sée this Damosell Danae And so much he thought and studied in this matter that there was none other thing that hée woulde heare of nor no conferences of his men saue only of them that spake of the pryson of Danae And hée spake chéerefullye and talked with all diligence couetting instantly to be with her and that as well in the presence of Iuno as otherwise saying many times that he would that the Gods would giue him grace and power to bring this Damosell Danae out of the Tower c. By this meane and these spéeches Iuno was in doubte and began to feele the first sparkle of ielowsie casting infinite curses and maledictions vpon Danae and vpon all them that had sowen those tidings before her husband This shée shewed not only in couert and in her stomacke but more openly in the presence of her husbande shewing euidently that she had the attaint of ielously This notwithstanding Iupiter was neuerthelesse desirous for to sée Danae more then hée was before The maleditions ne curses might not let ne withdrawe his affections which grewe more and more In the end he found himself so rauished with her loue that there was no more continence found in him To conclude hée deuised intencions and conclusions and purposed to go vnto the guardiens and kéepers of the Damosell Danae and that he would beare vnto them so largely and so many owches of golde and Iewels with money of golde that hée would turne them with his giftes to accorde to him and let him enter into the tower of Danaes Then hée sente for the Iewellers that were woont to serue his father Saturne and made them make the most rich Iewels and Owches that were euer séene or thought When the workmen had made a part Iupiter tooke them and laded him therewith and euill cloathed like as he had béene a seruant he alone departed from Crete and drewe him to Argos the most secretlie that he might and so went and came séeking the Tower of Dardan Which he found in an euening and saw the wals shining and came vnto the gate where he found many of the matrones sitting at the doore for recreation c. When Iupiter was comen he saluted the Matrones and said vnto them Noble dames the good night come to you What Tower is this of so noble and so strong fashion Fayre sonne said the eldest of them ye be not of this Countrey forasmuch as ye knowe not the name of this Tower Know ye certainly that it is named the Tower of Dardain and this is the proper place that the king Acrisius hath caused to make for to keepe his daughter the virgin Danae in which is a Damosell so furnished with all vertues and honourable maners that her like is not in all this world But the poore maid is so much infortunate that her father Acrisius holdeth her in this Tower shut for that he hath an answere of his goddes that of his daughter Danae should bee borne a childe that should turne him into a stone This is cause wherefore we be and kéepe her that no man may conuerse with her in no fashiō And her father is the king Acrisius which is so sore smitten to the heart with iealousie that if he knew of your being here he would sende to destroy you And therefore withdrawe you and go foorth on your way
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
they iudged him to be but dead alowing his hardines that to them séemed was too great One and other spake of this matter Perseus armed him ioyously When he was armed he came to Andromeda and kiss her taking leaue of her and sayd fayre mayde praye ye vnto the goddes for your champion that for your loue submitteth himselfe vnto the perill of death to the ende that by your onely meane I maye come vnto the enioying of loue and that we togither maye be ioyned in maryage which I buye at the price of my life Noble Knight aunswered the mayde I am more beholding to you then to all my kinsmen and fréendes Knowe ye that if my prayers may obtayne of the goddes ye shall returne safe from this enterpryse Then Perseus wente before the stone and Andromeda knéeled with great humilitie with both her knées vpon the earth in calling on her gods to help her champion and there were many matrones vpon the banke of the Sea that for compassion put them in contemplation and by this example of them all the Siriens beganne to pray for the prosperitie of the Knight excepting onely the king Phineus which prayed for his death And that for this cause for as much as before the iudgement giuen on Andromeda hée had fianced and betrothed him to her So had he wished that the monster had deuoured Perseus to the ende that the mariage of him and of her might haue béene ended What shall I say more When Perseus had so put himselfe foorth by the stone he looked towarde the sea and helde in his hande a good and passing strong sworde and he had not long behelde the situation and taken leasure to sée the place when there sprang out of a swalow or depth of the sea a monster so great and so horrible and so dreadfull that it séemed that he had béene made for to destroy all the worlde hee was rough and went on foure féete like a beast and his forme was so disfigured that none wist whereto he might be likened When then the Syriens sawe him put his head out of the déepe there was none so well assured but he trembled for feare And many were so afrayed that they fled into their houses and reentred into their Citie This notwithstanding Perseus as soone as he sawe him rise vp he came to him as hardie and right well assured and smote him with the poynt of his sworde so full vpon the right eye that on that side he made him blinde whereof the monster felt so great paine that he came out of the Sea with open mouth and thought to haue swallowed Perseus And Perseus went backe a little and put his sworde betwéene his iawes into his throate so farre foorth that he could not draw it out againe and so of force it abode in his throate more then foure foote At the second stroke the monster made a maruaslous crie lifting vp his head and wéening to haue cast out the péece of the sworde which abode in his throate but it would not bée Alwaye the monster assayled Perseus and wéend to haue swalowed him into his throate and Perseus alwaye stroke at him with his sword and put him at defence and smote alway at his throte and about nigh his other eye and so well intended the worke that after he had giuen him many woundes he made him blynde on the left eye like as hée did on the right eye And then as the monster went héere and there and made many walkes without séeing or knowing where he went pursuing his enemy Perseus gaue him manye woundes searching his heart and at the last he founde it And finallye he bestirred him so that he pearsed the heart with which stroke he made him to fall downe dead CHAP. XXXVI ¶ How Phineus would haue had Andromeda and how Perseus answered him that she should be his wife PAssing ioyous and astonied were the Syryens when they sawe the good fortun of Perseus and sayd one to an other that such a knight ought to be praysed aboue al other men The king Amon tooke great pleasure to sée his dealing séeing the monster labouring in his death hée went downe to him embracing him and said Sir the gods gouerne thy fortune and since they haue receyued thée in their fauour and grace there is none that may anoy thée in a good houre were thou héere arriued demaunde what thou wilt and I will cause thée to haue it Syr aunswered Perseus I haue preserued from death the Damosel I desire none other thing but her O valiant Knight sayde Phineus that was there awaighting thou doost much gloryfye thy selfe for thou hast gotten in a halfe day more honor then an other knight shal get in an hundred yeare And greatly thou oughtest to be commended But beware that the beautie of this mayd deceiue thée not know thou that I haue betrothed her and by right she ought to be my wife Many dayes bee gon and expyred since that in the presence of our bishop we promised to take each other in mariage This misfortune is after come to her thou haste reléeued her and wouldst therefore haue her The beginning is fayre but the ende is foule And if it so happe that thou do me wrong I let thée know that I will not suffer it for in this coūtrey I am a King haue great puissance al the glory that thou hast gotten shal be héere quenched Wherefore I praye thée that thou forbeare in this case and that thou suffer me to take that is mine and take thou that that belongeth to thée During these wordes Perseus looked towardes the Sea and saw from farre his galyes comming the one after the other directing them towarde this porte Whereof he hadde right great ioy and sayde vnto Phyneus King I make no doubt that thy power is great in this countrey but knowe thou right well that I knowe no man liuing that shall cause me to leaue that belongeth to me When I came hither I found this mayde condemned vnto death At that time shée was all abandoned to the death I haue saued her and I saye to thée that shée is mine and thou oughtest to haue no regard to any promise that she hath made to thée or to any other And so I haue intention that she shal be my wife And if thou wilt Combate and fight for her assemble thy power and make thée ready in thy battaile Lo héere come my galies readye for to receiue thée and although I haue not people ynough yet I haue in my cofers the most parte of the treasors of Medusa for to send for men of armes in al places where I may get them When Phineus considered this answer and knew that hée was the Knight that hadde vanquished Medusa whereof the renoume was greate and ran through out the whole worlde hée coulde none otherwise aunswere to Perseus but that hee might do his pleasure All the kinsmen of Andromeda were angrie with Phineus for his
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
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
In these prayers and lamentations Yo le abode vntill the dead of the night cursing Hercules saying that she had rather die then to loue or like him Thus disdaining the loue of Hercules without meate or drinke she passed the whole night The day next following Hercules returned vnto her and on a newe prayed her that she would be his wife saying without respite that she◠must needes agree thereto She was right sore displeasant of this request and excused herself in many fashions that were too long to rehearse at this time But at the end of the praiers and requestes of Hercules Loue inspired in such wise the gentlewoman that she vnderstoode well that Hercules was of the roote of noble father and mother wherefore shee accorded to doe his pleasure What shal I more say Yo le companied then with Hercules as his wife and they lay togither and they grewe acquainted each with other Loue then inrooted in their heartes so that their two willes were locked and put in one will Hercules forgot Deianira and Yo le forgat the death of her father and was so much enamoured on Hercules that she might rest in no place but that she must be alway with him O maruellous thing the rancour and the hate that Yo le had yesterday vnto Hercules is nowe sodainly turned into loue infallible For to speede the matter during yet the first dayes of the loue of Hercules and Yo le at the praier of Yo le Hercules gaue her sisters in marriage to certaine knightes of the Greekes and left them there to gouerne the countrey and the realme of Calidonie After he departed from thence and brought his oxen and his kine with him and sent againe the king Euander into his dominion thanking him of his company and of the honour that he had done to him Euander woulde gladly haue accompanied Hercules into Greece But Hercules would in no wise that he should haue the trauaile At last then Euander with great thankings of Hercules and of his armie departed and Hercules with his armie went vnto the sea and hee forgat not behinde him the fairest Yo le but hee loued her soueraignly All day he was with her and shee pleased him as much as shee might doubting more to loose his loue thē she was sory for the death of her father Then as they thus went by the sea maintaining to their power the amorous life Hercules encountered on a day nigh by an hauen and a good citie a gally of marchants Hercules made the galley to tarry and after called the maister and asked of him what countrey he was and from whence he came Certes sir answered the maister of the galley I departed late from the porte of Thrace that is hereby I see well that ye be a stranger and that yee know not the perill that ye be in wherefore I haue pitie of you and of your company and doe aduertise you and wish you that at the next hauen ye shal finde in no wise yee tary there for nothing that may befall you for al so truely as yée bée héere if ye go thither yee shall take harme for there is a king a tyrant the most cruell that is in all the world named Diomedes that holdeth vnder him tenne thousand théeues and hee maketh warre against all them that hée may find and hath a custome that he putteth men to ransome such as it pleaseth him and if they that hee putteth to such misery pay their raunsome hee letteth them go quiet and with that money and substance he nourisheth his théeues and his horses And if they cannot furnishe their raunsome He himself smiteth them to morsels and giueth them to his horses for to eate and deuoure But there is one thing good for you for this morning he is gone to the chase for to hunt in a forrest which is a foure mile from Thrace and with him there be an hundred of the strongest theeues that he hath And this knowe I of a trueth for I haue seene them depart not passing three houres ago c. CHAP. XXIX ¶ How Hercules fought against Diomedes in the forest of Thrace and how he made his horse to eate him HErcules hearing these wordes that the maister of the galley said to him and rehearsing the life of Diomedes was passing ioyous in his heart more then hee had béen since the death of the théef Cacus He had in him that valor that where he might know a monster or tyrant to be or any men molesting the weale thither hee went and such tyrants hee destroyed and to the ende that men should not say that he did such workes for couetise hee would neuer hold nor retain to his proper vse nothing of their goodes but all that hee conquered in such wise hee geue it vnto noble men and praised nor sought nothing but vertue He would not make his seignorie to grow nor be inlarged and take to himselfe realme vppon realme He was content with that that nature had giuen him And alway he woulde labour for the commonweale O noble heart O right well disposed courage O most vertuous painym there was none like to him of all them that were afore him nor after him For to holde on and go forward with my matter when the maister had aduertised him as afore is said that the tyrant Diomedes was gone on hunting into the forrest with his hundred théeues he enquired so much that the maister shewed him the situation of the forest by what way and maner hée might soonest come thither After this he gaue leaue to the maister to go his way That done he called his mariners and made them to séeke the place After hee assembled the Gréekes and told them that he would that they should abide him there and that he himselfe without delay would go into the forrest that the maister had shewed him to séeke Diomedes saying that he would neuer returne into Greece vntill the time that hee had deliuered the countrey of this tyrant Yo le began then to wéepe when she heard the enterprise of Hercules praied him tenderly wéeping that hee would leaue and depart from the hazard of so great perill Hercules tooke no regard nor héed to her praiers He deliuered to Phylotes his bowe his club and entered into a little galley finely made and light Which he guided by the helpe of Phylotes right nigh the place where hee would be and tooke land two bow shotte off from the forrest and so in setting foot on land he heard the cry and noise of the hunting and hadde thereof great ioy and said that he was well and where he would be He tooke then his club and left his bowe with Phylotes After he entered into the forrest and had not far ranged in the forrest when hee found Dyomedes and his hundred theeues Diomedes was the first that from far espied Hercules and knew that he was a stranger called to him and said Giant what is it that thou
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
flesh Since the beginning of our aliance vnto this day I haue had all the dayes and nights such paines for you and borne and suffered them But alas all these things are but little in comparison of the paines that I now suffer and endure forasmuch as ye maintein strange women and a woman of all folly May she be called the mother of your childrē by whom the sparcles of foule renoume shall abide with you With this spot or vice is my paine redoubled and it pearceth my soule I am troubled with the dishonour of your ample highnesse The people say that ye are made as a woman and liue after the guise and maner of a woman and spin on the rocke where yee were woont to strangle lions with your hands ye◠leaue the exercise of armes and to be knowen in farre countreyes and realmes in shewing your vertue like as you were wont to do for the only company of the caitife Yo le that holdeth and abuseth you O cursed company and foule abuse Speake to me Hercules if the right high and mightie men that thou hast vanquished as Diomedes of Thrace Antheon of Libie Busire of Egypt Gerion of Spaine and Cacus the great thiefe saw thee thus holden to do nought for the beautie of a daughter that soone shall passe what would they say Certes they would not repute them woorthie to be vanquished of thee and would shewe and point at thee with their fingers as at a man shamed and made like a woman liuing in the lappe of a woman O how strong is Yo le when her handes that are not woorthie nor meet to threed a needle hath taken thy clubbe and brandished thy swoord wherewith thou hast put in feare all the earth Alas Hercules haue you not in remembrance that in your childhood lying in your cradle ye slew the two serpents You being a childe were a man and now when you haue beene a man are you become a woman or a childe This is the worke of a woman to holde himselfe alway with a woman or it is the deede of a childe for to enamour himselfe on a woman of follie The trueth must be sayd you began better then you end your last deedes aunswere not the first your labours shall neuer be aunswerable nor woorthie your praisings nor your lands For all the commendation praising is in the end Whosoeuer he be that beginneth a worke whereof the beginning is faire the end foule all is lost Surely Hercules when I beholde the glorious beginning that vertue made in you and see that you now be vitious all my strength faileth and mine armes fall downe as a woman in a trance or a swoune and without spirit and it may not séeme to me true that those armes that bare away by force the shéepe from the garden belonging to the daughters of Athlas may fall into so great a fault as for to embrace and beclip fleshly another wife then his owne This notwithstanding I am assured of a trueth that you hold not caitife Yo le as a caitife but as your owne wife not in prison but at her pleasure in chamber finely be decked and in bedde curteined and hanged not disguised and secretly as many holde their concubines but openly and with shamelesse face shewing herselfe right glorious to the people as that she may so do lawfully For she holdeth you prisoner and caitife and she hath put the fetters about your necke by her Italian iuglings shifts whereof I haue great shame in my selfe But as for the amendment I will discharge my minde I cannot better it but pray to the gods that they will puruey for remedie CHAP. XXXI ¶ How Deianira sent to Hercules a shirt enuenimed and howe Hercules burned himselfe in the fire of his sacrifice and how Deianira slewe herselfe when shee knew that Hercules was dead by the meanes of her ignorance c. WHen Hercules had read this letter he vnderstood well what it conteined and was smitten with remorse of conscience By this remorse he vnderstood that vertue was stained in him he was then very pensiue and so much depriued from all pleasure that none durst come to him in a great while and space saue onely they that brought to him meate and drinke Neither Yo le durst not go to him Licas that had brought this letter was there waiting and attending the answere long No man could know whereof procéeded the pensiuenesse of Hercules nor the cause why hee withdrew himselfe from the people In the end when Hercules had bene long pensiue and had thought vpon all his affaires and what he had to doe for to withdraw himselfe and to get himselfe from Yo le he departed from his chamber on a day saying that hee would go and make sacrifice to the god Apollo vpon the mount named Oeta and commanded and forbade vppon paine of death that no man should follow him except Phylotes By aduenture as he issued out of his pallace accompanied onely with Phylotes for to go vpon the mount he met Licas Licas made to him reuerence and demanded of him if it pleased him any thing to send to Deianira Hercules answered to Licas that he would go make his sacrifice to the god Apollo and that at his returne and comming againe he would go vnto her or els he would send vnto her With this word Hercules and Phylotes passed foorth and went on their pilgrimage And Licas returned vnto Deianira and tolde to her the ioyfull tidings that he had receiued of Hercules and also what life Hercules had lead since the day and the houre that he had presented to him her letter Deianira all comforted with these good tidings went into her chamber and thanked the gods and fortune Anon after she beganne to thinke on her estate and thus thinking she remembred her of the poison that Nessus had giuen her being at the point of death how she had kept it in one of her coffers and forthwith incontinently she opened the coffer and tooke the cursed poison and one of the shirts of Hercules and as shee that imagined by the vertue of the poison to draw againe to her the loue of Hercules like as Nessus had sayde vnto her shée made the shirt to be boiled with the poison and gaue the charge thereof to one of her women When the shirt was boiled enough the woman tooke the vessell and set it to coole After she tooke out the shirt openly and wrong it but she could not so soone haue wrung it but the fire sprang in hir handes so vehemently that as shee cast it vppon a pearch to drie shee fell downe dead In processe of time Deianira desiring to haue the shirt and seeing the woman that hadde charge thereof brought it not shée went into the chamber where the shirt had béen boiled and found the woma◠dead whereof she had great maruaile Neuerthelesse shee passed the death lightly and by one of her damsels shée made take the
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
before and cease not til ye haue the victory that the gods haue promised to you And then with the wordes of the sayd Calcas the Gréeks tooke heart to them saying verely that they would mainteine the war against the Troyans whether Achilles holpe them or not and that for him they would not leaue CHAP. XXII ¶ Of many battels that were made on the one side and on the other to their both great damage and of certeine truce and of the death of the noble Troylus that Achilles slew against his promise and drew him at his horse taile through out the hoste and how Achilles slew the king Menon c. WHen the truce of two moneths was passed they began to fight in battell right sharpely There did Troylus marueiles of armes for to reuenge the death of his brother Dares sayeth in his booke that hee slewe that day a thousand knights and the Greeks fledde before him and the battell endured vnto the night that parted them the day following the foureteenth battell beganne hard and sharpe There did Diomedes marueiles of armes and slew many Troyans and hurt them and addressed himselfe against Troylus one time that smote him so harde that he beate him downe to the earth and sore hurt him and reproched him of the loue of Briseida Then the Gréeks ranne with great strength and tooke Diomedes vp bare him vpon his shield vnto his tent Menelaus that sawe Diomedes so beaten adressed himselfe against Troylus but Troylus that had yet his speare whole smote him so hard that hee beate him downe to the earth sore hurt and was borne into his tent by his men vppon his shield Then Agamēnon assembled all his strength and thrust in among the Troyans and slew many but Troylus came against him and smote him downe off his horse but hee was anon remounted by the helpe of his folke Thus finished the battell that day and Agamemnon sent for to haue truce for six moneths which were agréed and accorded by king Priamus Howbeit it seemed to some of his councell that he should not grant them for so long Among these things Briseida against the will of her father went for to sée Diomedes that lay sore hurt in his tent and shee knew well that Troylus that was her loue had so hurt him Then returned into her minde many purposes and in the end she saw that she might neuer recouer Troylus and therefore assoone as Diomedes were whole she would giue to him her loue without longer tarrying Among these things the king Agamemnon transported him vnto the tent of Achilles in the company of duke Nestor and Achilles receiued them with great ioy and Agamemnon prayed him that he would come forth to the battell and suffer no more their people thus to be slaine But Achilles woulde neuer stirre vp his courage for his words yet forasmuch as he loued Agamemnon he agréed and consented that his men should go to battel without him whereof Agamemnon Nestor gaue him great thanks after they had thanked him he returned into their tēts When the truce were passed Agamemnon ordeined his people to battell and Achilles sent to him his Mirmidones clad marked with a red signe for to be knowen Then began the battell hard and sharpe to the great damage of both partes There Troylus beate downe the duke of Athens and slew many of the Mirmidones and hurt and fought thus till the night parted them On the morrow betimes began the battell sharpe mortall the king Philomenus Polidamas tooke the king Thoas and had lead him away had not the Mirmidones rescued him Then Troylus smote in among them and slew many and hurt them but they deliuered to him a great assault and slewe his horse and woulde haue taken him Then Paris and his bastard brethren smote in among them and brake their ranks and put Troylus againe on his horse then was there a fierce fight there slew the Mirmidones Emargeron one of the bastards of king Priamus of Troy whereof Troylus had great sorrow and by the ayde of his people smote in among them and slewe and hurt many but they defended themselues valiantly and helde together and Troylus ceased not to grieue them to enter among them often times Then came to the battell Agamemnon Menelaus Thelamon Vlisses and Diomedes with all their people and began a hote skirmish There the Greekes did make the Troyans to suffer much paine but Troylus succoured them valiantly and put himselfe alway where most need was and slewe and beat downe all that he founde and did so much by his prowesse that the Greekes fledde into their Tents and Thelamon defended valiantly made them to recouer the fielde by his prowesse This was the sixteenth battell in the which died many knightes of both sides Troylus ceased not to grieue the Mirmidones and there was none so puissaunt nor so strong that might endure against him and hee did so much that hee put the Gréeks to flight and tooke an hundred noble men that he brought into the citie When the battell was finished against the euen the Mirmidones returned vnto the Tent of Achilles there was founde many of them hurt and there were an hundred of them dead whereof Achilles had much sorrowe and when it was night he went to bed and there he had many thoughts and purposed once to go to the battell for to reuenge the death of his men and another time hee thought on the beautie of Polixene and thought that if he went hee should loose her loue for euer and that the king Priamus and his wife woulde holde him for a deceiuer for he had promised them that hee would helpe no more the Greekes and when he said in himselfe that hee had sent his men vnto their aide and in this thought Achilles had béen many daies and that the day came that the seuenteenth battaile began beeing verie much horrible that dured by seuen daies continually wherin were many Greekes slaine Agamemnon required truce but the Troyans agreed no longer the truce but till they hadde buried their dead bodies and when those daies were pas sed the eighteenth battaile began right aspire and fiers Menelaus and Paris iousted togither and beate well each other Polidamas and Vlisses fought togither a great while and Menesteus beate downe Eneas with iousting The king Phylomenus beate Agamemnon and had sore hurt him if Thelamon had not come on that smote to ground Philomenus sore wounded Archilogus the sonne of duke Nestor assailed one of the bastardes of king Priamus named Brum and smote him so hard with his speare that hee bare him downe to the ground and slew him Whereof the Troyans had great sorrow and aboue all other Troylus was angry that smote in among the Greekes and had put them to flight hadde not the Mirmidones haue been that resisted him And therefore Troylus smote in among them and slewe so many and beate downe and did so much that
must passe by his realme And then the king Naulus did crie in all his realme that men shoulde make great fires euery night vpon the mountains that stood by the sea side And this did he to the end that when the Greekes shoulde see the fire by night they shoulde come thither weening to finde good hauen and if they came they should find hard rocks and mountaines of sand And so they shoulde not escape without death It was thus done as Naulus had deuised there were nigh two hundreth ships of the Gréeks broken against the rocks and all they that were therein were drowned When the other shippes that followed them heard the noyse of the shippes that so were broken and the câ—â—e of them that were drowned they turned on the other boord and made to seawarde and saued themselues Of them that escaped were Agamemnon Menelaus Diomedes and some other that shall bee named hereafter Cetus that otherwise was called Pellus had great sorrow when hee knew that Agamemnon was escaped and then he thought long how he might auenge himself When hee was come home and was ariued in his owne land he wrote a letter to Clitemnestra the wife of Agamemnon and this letter conteined that for certaine Agamemnon her husbande had espoused one of the daughters of king Priamus and that he loued her greatly and brought her with him into his countrey for to make her Quéene and to put out Clitemnestra or to slay her and therefore Cetus aduertised her to the end that she might prouide for her selfe Clitemnestra anon beléeued these letters and thanked Cetus enough and thought that she would auenge her of her husband This Clitemnestra in the absence of her husband loued a man named Egistus by whom she had a daughter named Erigona she loued more her loue Egistus then euer shee did her husband though he was come of lowe bloud But it is the custom of a woman that doth amisse to take one to her of lesse value than her husband is Shée had treated with Egistus that the first night that Agamemnon shoulde lie with her he should runne vpon him and slea him This thing was done in like manner as shée had purposed and Agamemnon was slaine and laide in the earth and anone after Clytemnestra tooke to husband her loue Egistus king of Michmas Agamemnon thus slaine had a sonne of this Clytemnestra that was named Horestes a yong childe which Calcibus his cousine had in kéeping and tooke him from his mother to the end that she should not slea him and after sent him to the king of Créete Idumeus that was his vncle And he had great ioy of him and so had his wife Tharasis also that loued him as much as Clytemnestra her daughter that had no more children but her and she was a faire yong maide Thus as Cetus had written to Clytemnestra the wife of Agamemnon in like manner he wrote to the wife of Diomedes named Egée who was daughter of the king Polimites of Arsimens and sister of Assandrus that returned from Troy with Diomedes his brother in lawe So it happened in their returning that they went into the land of king Thelephus which was euil content and went against them with a great company of men of armes and assailed them and they defended them strongly And Assandrus slew many of the knightes of Thelephus wherof he had great sorrow and was angry and tooke a great speare addressed him against Assandrus with so great force that he smote him to the earth and slew him Diomedes to auenge the death of his brother in law slewe many knightes of Thelephus and recouered the bodie of Assandrus with great trouble and paine and bare it into his shippe Thus died Assandrus but it was not so reported to Egée his siâ—ter but it was tolde her that Diomedes her husband had slaine him to haue all the seignorie of Archimens whereof Assandrus had the one halfe against his sister Egée Of these tidings and of them that Cetus had written Egée was angry with Diomedes her husband wrought so with her people that they promised her they would no more receiue Diomedes for their lord Thus when Diomedes returned his wife ne his folk would receiue him but banished him out of the countrey of Archimens for euer Then happened he to arriue in Salamine where king Theuter brother of king Thelamon was This king heard say that Diomedes was culpable of the death of his brother with Vlysses wherevpon he commaunded that Diomedes shoulde be taken But Diomedes hearing thereof fledde thence King Demophon and king Athamas being arriued in their landes were banished by semblable manner Then arriued they in the land of Duke Nestor which receiued them with great ioy These two kings purposed to goe into their lands with men of armes and take vengeance on their people But Duke Nestor blamed them thereof and counselled them that they should first send to them to admonish them to receiue them for their Lords and promise to them great franchises and liberties Thus did they as Nestor had counselled them and it was not long after but that their people receiued them as aforesaid While Eneas abode in Troy to repaire his shippes he indured many assaults of his neighbours that would haue taken as a prey all the remnant of the Troyans And forasmuch as he might not abide there longer then his terme assigned vnto him by the Gréekes he assembled the Troyans and councelled them that they should send and séeke Diomedes to be their king and said vnto them he would come willingly forasmuch as he was driuen out of his countrey and he was both wise and valiant So they sent for to séeke Diomedes and found him who came foorthwith and found the Troyans besieged by their neighbour nations Eneas then prepared to the battel in which Diomedes bare himselfe so valiantly that he tooke away prisoners and hanged many as théeues In the fift battell he behaued himselfe so that he gat the vpper hand altogither of his ennemies and conquered them all so as there were none of his neighbours that durst assaile the Troyans During these things the nauie of Eneas was ready wherevpon he tooke shipping with Anchises his father and being at sea they resolued to go and seeke an habitation where the gods and fortune would assigne During their aduentures at sea many perils happened and rouing at randon this way and that way they sayled by Hellespont and thence passing arriued at Tuskane in Italie from whence sayling they came to Carthage and thence againe to Italie The storie whereof who lift to peruse let him reade Virgil. When Egea the wife of Diomedes knew that the Troyans had intertained Diomedes and that he had discomfited their ennemies shée doubted that Diomedes would also take vengeaunce on her Then she councelled with her people and by their aduise she sent for him to come vnto her who came with a good will and had
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