infamye is it to you that the people and folke of euery other citie haue reigning ouer them kings noble men and vertuous and they be crowned by election for their vertuous déedes ye be different from them and all of another nature A Tyrant is your king a murtherer an vniust man a sinner worthy of infamous death and vnworthy for to be left aliue vppon the earth Consider yea consider vnder whose hand ye be and how nighe ye finde your selfe in maladye and perill of death When the head aketh all the other members suffer payne then ye may not be whole and sound What shall we now doo thinke ye and councell ye vs we come to you for refuge and to demaunde you how we ought to do and behaue vs against one that is so foule a king as is Lycaon Tell vs the very truth If ye confesse the truthe and that ye be louers of reason iustice and of equitie ye shall iudge and condemne him ye shall lay your handes and puissances in correction of him and so ye shal be râ—â— of his malice Anon as the Pelagiens vnderstoode of Iupiter that Lycaon their king had committed this vilanous crime also that he had presented to the Epiriens the body of their fréend so dead they being at table they condemned his sinne and murmured against him saying that they would no more be gouerned and norished vnder the rodde of so peruerse and infamous a tirant and said to the Epiriens that they would abide by them and stand theyr fréendes With these wordes Iupiter put himselfe among the Epiriens and by his hardinesse admonished them to conspire against their king With which conspiracion accorded all they of the Citie And the wordes of Iupiter were so agréeable to them and his maners that they put in his hande the death and destruction of their king Licaon And to the ende that he should trust and haue affiance in them they sent for their armes and habillementes of warre and armed them After they assembled aboute Iupiter and said to him that he should be their captaine and their conducter to achieue this sayde worke Iupiter being ioyous of so great an honour and woorship excused himselfe But his excusations had no place the Epiriens and the Pelagiens ordeyned and constituted him head ouer them And he being constituted in his dignitie set his people in order and after did them to marche toward the pallace They had not long gone on the way when they sawe King Lacaon issue out of his pallace with great company of his fréendes all armed as they that had bin aduertised of the sayd conspiratioÌ„ made against Lycaon and féeling that his enemies came for to assaile him for to shewe himselfe a man of fierce courage came against them wéening presumtuouslie for to haue ouercome them And anon as they began to approche they challenged ech other to the death without other councel And strongly moued they assembled to a battayle that was right meruailous sharpe Lycaon did set and lead his people in order against Iupiter They medled them hastely togither with little strife of wordes and with great strife of armour and strokes The strife cost much but in especiall to Lycaon for his people were lesse in puissance and myght then the men of Iupiter which were stronge and of greate enterprise so they fought and smote vpon the Pelagiens and caste them downe nowe héere nowe there so fiercelye and so vnmeasurablye that none might abyde that was there before them Amonge all other Iupiter did woonders and meruailes by his well doing he put Lychaon in a passing great distresse and noyance And in this great anoye he pursued passing fast for to haue come runne vpon him But when the false tyrant sawe him come and he sawe that Iupiter set his strokes so mightely that all them that he raught were smitten down to the earth and coÌ„founded then all his heart began to fayle him and went on the other side and he had not long abidden there when that Iupiter had vanquished and ouerthrowen the Pelagiens and made them to flée from the place before him like as it had bin the thunder of tempest In this maner when Lichaon sawe his complices and fellowship in such extremitie he fled himself not as a king but as a poore man out of comfort and hope so desolate as he durst take none of his complices with him to helpe him away nor to comfort him He doubted Iupiter as the death he so flying away as is said durst not enter his pallace but issued out of the citie and went vnto a great Forrest that was nighe by and from thence foorth he was a brygand and a théefe and for this cause the poets fayne that he was turned into a wolfe that is to saye he liued as a wolfe of praies and roberies Albeit to confirme this mutacion Leoncius rehearseth that Lichaon so flying as saide is fearing to be sued after of Iupiter to be put to death put himself in a riuer or a great lake and there saued himselfe where féeling that the water of that riuer had a singular propertie that is to wit that the men that putte themselues in that water should be turned into wolues for the terme of nine yeares and the nine yeares expired if they would put themselues in the water after that againe they should recouer againe their first likenesse And so it might well be doone for Lichaon put himselfe into the water and was transformed to a wolfe by space aboue saide and liued of theft and pillage in the woods and forrests wayting oft times how the Pelagiens gouerned themselues and in the end when he had accomplished his penaunce he returned into the riuer and tooke againe his mans forme and knowing that the citie of Pelage might neuer be recouered he returned poore and wretched vnto his father Titan of whom I will say a little and shall tell how Iupiter began to be amorous on Calisto daughter of the sayd Lycaon c. CHAP. VII ¶ How Iupiter after the discomsiture of King Lycaon transformed himselfe into shape of a religious woman waiting on the goddesse Diana for the loue of Calisto daughter of the said Lycaon and did with her his will AFter the discomfiture of King Lycaon which was transformed into shape of a wolfe and began to be a rauishour of the substance of men of the countrey eater of their children and murderer of wilde beastes that he oft times assayled by rage of hunger which constrained him to cherish and kéepe his miserable life when the Epiriens saw that Iupiter had vanquished their enimies and that he abode mayster in the place they brought him with great ioye and glorye to the Pallace and sought long Lycaon first in the place where the battayle had bin and after that in the chambers of the Pallace but they founde him not quicke nor dead nor coulde heare no tidings of him And it happened that as Iupiter sought him thus
his armes and after long wrastling he cast him to the earth in such wise that Philotes yéelded him seruaunte vnto Hercules and promysed him to serue him trulye all the residue of his lyfe and that he would beare his armes after him in all places where he should go Hercules receyued to mercy Philotes And then called Theseus and his companye who came and were right glad and ioyous of the victorye that he had obtained Then Hercules Philotes and all the other wente into the yle where they founde the daughters of Athlas greatlye discomforted for the death of the giant And for as much as Hercules hadde also conquered Philotes their kéeper Hercules and Philotes comforted the daughters the best wise they coulde and there the Greekes refreshed themselues the space of three dayes The fourth daye he tooke xxx rammes and xxx ewes and brought them into their ship after that they went to the sea without any harme doing in the I le for the loue of the gentle women they departed thence and went to the sea accompanyed with Philotes which was conquered by Hercules as is sayd and after loued Hercules well and truly serued him euer after But of theyr iourneys I will ceasse for this time and will speake of a monster of the sea that the goddes sent to Troy for to deuoure the faire Exione daughter to king Laomedon CHAP. XLI ¶ How Hercules fought at the Porte of Troy against a monster of the sea for the daughter of king Laomedon IN that time as Boccace rehearseth in his genealogie of goodes in the third chapter of the sixt booke Laomedon the King of Troy was busie to wall and fortifie his cittie with walles and towers to the end to make it more strong He was not well furnished with treasures nor with money For to accomplishe his desire he went vnto the temple of the gods of the sunne and of the sea that were passing rich and tooke all the money that he could find promising to pay it againe all at a certayne day and time set By the meane of this money he closed and fortified the citie of Troye with walles and towers The worke was costlye howbeit in litle time he finished it and it was not long after that the worke was finished but the day came in which Laomedon should paye and render vnto the temples of the gods the money that he had taken and borowed At which day the préestes of the temples came vnto Laomedon and demaunded him if he would tender the oblations and offrings that he had taken out of the temple Laomedon daigned not to speake to the préestes but sent them word shamefully that they should returne and kéepe their temples Wherefore he was afterward sore punished for in the same night after that he would not heare the priestes the great windes began to ryse and beate the one against the other and caused the sea to rise in such wise that it entred and went into the towne so far that it helde the stréetes full of water and drowned a great part of the towne Besides this in eight dayes following the sunne shone so ardently and gaue so great heate that the people durst not go into the ayre by day time and that dried the superfluity of the aboūdance of the water of the sea that was left whereof rose a corrupt and a mortal vapour that infected all the citie Whereof engendred so great a pestilence that the most parte of the Troyans were smitten to death by the great influence of the corrupt ayre By this pestilence they of Troy fell in great desolation the Cittizens men and women young and olde dyed without speaking sodainlye The father could not nor might not helpe his childe in necessitie nor the childe the father At this time reigned in Troy neither loue nor charitie for each man that might saue himselfe fled awaye for feare of this mortalitye and gaue ouer and left the Cittie and went to dwell in the fieldes and among all other the king Laomedon séeing the destruction of his realme went into the I le of Delphos vnto the temple of the god Apollo for to haue the councell of the god touching the health of his Cittie With Laomedon went the most noble and the most puissant men of Troye when they were come into the temple they put them in contemplation and deuotion before the idol and the diuell that was therein aunswered them and sayd The money which was taken out of the temples and not rendred and payde againe is cause of the maladie and vengeaunce of Troye And I doo all the Troians to wit that neuer shall Troye be quit of this maladye vnto the time that the sayd citie prouide to appease the gods in this wise that it is to wit that euerye moneth they must choose one of the virgins and maydens which must bée set on the sea side for to be deuoured by a monster that the gods shall sende thither and the sayde virgin shal be chosen by lot or aduenture And in this wise must the cittie do for to appease the goddes perpetually vntill the time that they finde one man that by his armes and by his might shall ouercome the said monster After these wordes and answeres Laomedon and the Troyans assembled to counsell vpon this matter and concluded that for the common weale and health of Troy they would put their virgins in that ieopardie and aduenture to the spoyling of the monster without any exception or reseruing Then they returned vnto Troy and tooke their virgins and cast lots among them and on her that the lot fell shée was taken and brought to the sea side and anon after was séene to come out of the déepes or swallow of the sea so great a tempest that the sea rose and was troubled The sea wrought and a right great floud of water lifted vp the monster by times out of the sea hee was as great as a whale or a hulk and then he tooke the virgin and swalowed her in and went away againe into the sea and from thence forth the pestilence ceased Thus was Troy deliuered from their sicknes and maladie by the oblation of their virgins that were offered vnto the monster from moneth to moneth and thus as is said their virgins were deliuered It hapned in the end of the moneth that the sorte or lot fell on one of the daughters of king Laomedon named Exiona this daughter was yong and faire and well beloued of all people When this lot was fallen on her shée was not onely bewailed and sorrowed of king Laomedon her father and of his son Pryamus and her sister Antigona and of her cofins and allyes but of al the people men women and children notwithstanding their wéepings nor the good renoume of her could not saue her shee was put to the disposing of the monster The noble virgin was ready to obey the king Laomedon and brought héereupon to the sea side accompanied with nobles ladies and
gentle women with a great traine of Troyans citizens and marchants all which made sorrow for her What shall I say at the instant that she was thus brought thither Hercules at aduenture arriued at the port of Troy with his muttons and hée willing to refresh him there made to cast his ancres out and going out and taking land he beheld on the one side and saw the Troians wéeping and bewailing Exiona in casting abroad their armes and wringing their hands that he had pitie to see it And he desiring to know what them ailed put himselfe into the prease and sawe there where they bound the faire Exiona in the rout attired with royall attire all discoloured and ful of teares as shée that expected nothing but the death Hercules mooued with compassion to the damosell adressed his language vnto king Laomedon for as much as it séemed that aboue all them that were in the place hee was a man of authoritie and demanded him wherefore that the damosel was there bound Laomedon cast his eies al be wept on him and was all abashed to sée his greatnesse and his beautie neuerthelesse he answered him what art thou that art so hardie to demand me of my misfortune which is to all common in Troy Sir said Hercules I am a stranger and I loue the worship and honour of Ladies and there is no thing that I might do for them but I would do it vnto my power and for as much as I sée this Gentlewoman thus intreated in the fauour of all Ladies I haue asked of you the cause and I will know it or put my selfe in aduenture for to die with her And therefore I demand yet again what trespasse or sinne hath shee done that these men thus binde her My sonne answered Laomedon I sée well that ye hée ignorant and know not the reasons and the cause wherefore my daughter is here abandoned there is no man but he may wel know it for she shall die for the safetie and health of Troy and I will tell you how we be come thereto The gods of the sea and of the sunne haue plagued and greeued Troy with a right great pestilence that tooke his beginning with a superaboundance of the sea whereby the stréetes of Troy were full in euerie place of water After this deluge and flood the time was maruailously and outragiously hote by the great heate of the sunne whereby this sea was dried vp Of this drinesse or drouth engendred a vapor infected and of this vapour insued a pestilence And for to resist this pestilence I haue béen at the oracle of the god Apollo where I haue had answer for to appease the gods and to cease the pestilence the goddes of the sunne and of the sea will that from moneth to moneth be taken in Troy one of the virgins by sorte or lottte for to be exposed and offred in this place vnto a monster of the sea The Troyans were content to fulfil the will of the goddes and I with them We haue cast our lottes vpon our virgins whereof many be swalowed and deuoured by the monster and now the sort or lotte is fallen on my daughter will she or not she must needes obey and appease the goodes After her shall come an other there is no remedy and this shal endure vpon the virgins of Troy perpetually for it is the desteny that Troye shall neuer be quite of this right hard seruitude and thraldom vntill the time that they haue found a man that alone shall vanquish and ouercome the foresaide monster by his puissance and prowesse which will be impossible for because that it is true that all the men of the greatest cittie of the world can not finde any way to vanquish him he is so great and dreadfull And these things considered demaund me no more my daughter shall dye for the common weale of the place of her natiuitie She was borne in a good houre when the goddes will that by lotte and this fortune she be to them offred Syr answered Hercules trulye I thinke vnder heauen is no citie so bond and thrall as yours is howbeit it ought to be vnderstoode that the goddes will not suffer that this malediction shal holde and endure continually Ye must liue in hope If fortune and the goddes will do me that grace that I might vanquishe and ouercome the monster and make Troye frée from this seruitude what reward would ye giue me Trulye sayde Laomedon I thinke not that it be possible that ye should vanquishe the monster Who is he that will expose him to so great a follye Hercules answered vnto a valiant hearte is nothing impossible If I tryumphe vpon the monster and saue thy daughter what reward shall I haue Laomedon answered If thou mayst do that thou sayest I haue two horses the best that be in all the world which I loue as well as halfe my realme I will giue them to thée as to the best knight of knightes and as to the most hardiest of hardye Sir sayde Hercules it is enough to me and it suffiseth mée to haue the two horses Let me alone with your daughter I haue a trust and hope that this daye I shall labour for the weale of Troy and that I shall fraunchise and make free the virgins and maidens of this citie But I pray you if there be in your citie any great barre of yron or of metal that ye wil send for to fetch it to me for to defend me with all The King Laomedon and the Troyans were all abashed when they sawe the enterprise that Hercules had made and at the wordes of Hercules the King remembred him of a great club of yron that laye at the entrie of his pallace of Ilion that was so heauie that the strongest man of Troye had enough to doo to lay it on his shoulder He sente for it and presented it to Hercules and Hercules lifted it vp as it had béene a little glayue Philotes and Theseus were present at all these things Hercules tooke leaue of them and at the prease and recommended him vnto theyr prayers and foorth with all the Sea began to rore terribly Laomedon and the Ladyes and they that were there tooke leaue of Exione and of Hercules and recommended them vnto the mercye of the goddes and went vpon the downes for to sée the ende Thus abode Exione alone and all dispayred vpon the grauell with Hercules who knéeled downe on his knées vpon the grauell turning his face vnto the East and made his prayers vnto the God that made the monsters and terrible beastes requyring him that he would giue him force strength and vertue of power for to deliuer Exione from her misfortune of the monster This oryson accomplished Hercules entred into a little boate that Exione was in and anon after the Sea roring more and more grewe and arose in such wise that the boate floted and was lifted vp and borne by diuers waues After this in great troubling of
winde when the sea was risen in great aboundance of waters Hercules and the Troyans saw comming the great horrible and vnmeasurable monster bringing with him a tempest so terrible that it séemed that all the monsters of hell had béene with him He made the waues to redouble hâ—deously he lift him vp aboue the water and put out his mosell vnto his shoulders so that by the swallowing of the water sprang out of his mouth great flouds of the sea and mounted so high that it séemed that it had béene a gulte that had pearsed the cloudes For to say the very truth of this monster he was so horrible and fearefull that onely for to looke and behold it the most hardie and resolute of Troy trembled for feare as a leafe on a trée This notwithstanding Hercules was nothing afearde but alway he comfor Exiona that fell downe as dead Hee tooke his club the monster came by the boate and cast his mosell vnto Exiona wéening to haue swallowed her in as he had done the other virgins afore Hercules kept her for he smote him so vehemently vppon the mosell that hee gaue him a right great wound so sore and heauie to beare that hee made him to go backe and recule into the bottome of the sea Then in the falling of the monster into the sea the waues arose high into the aire whereby Hercules and Exiona were all wet with the washing and sprinckling of the waues their boat was borne with the waues vpon a bancke of sand where the sea was so low that the monster might not well swim with his ease vnto them The monster alway swam after them and comming nigh to them lifted vp his head and in the lifting vp there issued out of his throate so great aboundance of the water of the sea that the boate was full of water and sunke in such wise that Hercules was in the sea vnto the great of his thighs and Exiona stoode in the water vnto the middle Anone as Hercules saw him in this case he had great displeasure in himselfe more for the paine and gréefe that Exione had then for the dread that he himselfe had The king Laomedon Theseus and Philotes and all other supposed then that Hercules and the damosell without redemption had béene deuoured of the monster The monster then séeking his pray leapt agaynst Exione with a terrible waue Hercules had his club readie on his necke and awayted nothing but the monster desiring to auenge him of the displeasure that he had and that he would haue done to him he then discharged his club on his head so mightily that the barre entred therein and the blood sprang out Then was the monster more wood vpon Hercules so he ceased the assault of the damosel and assailed Hercules and alway as hée lifted his head out of the water he disgorged vpon the valiant champion great floods of the sea But this notwithstanding he could not do so much harme vnto Hercules but that Hercules did much worse to him Hercules folowed him with his club and made him to sinke againe into the bottome of the sea by the huge weight of his strokes The battell endured long betwéene Hercules and the monster If the monster might once haue touched Hercules he would at one mouthfull haue deuoured or swallowed him in He had a wide and a great throte out of measure he made a great noyse and cry he was fierce in exercising his fury But Hercules fought with him boystrously and held the virgine by him and for what thing that euer the monster did he could not so suddenly lift vp his head out of the water but that with one stroke of his club he was driuen backe alway vnto the bottome of the sea What shall I say Hercules was oft tymes in perill for to be drowned The perill was great and more then I can rehearse Fortune was with him and the damosell so that he fought and beate the monster valiantly and so endeuoured in smiting continually on his mozell and on his head that the sea withdrew and tooke from him the spirite of life and then he all to brused his braine and so vanquished him and slue him And after when the Sea was withdrawne and farre ebbed hée tooke Exiona by the hand and brought her vpon the ditch and deliuered her vnto her father the king Laomedon CHAP. XLII ¶ How Laomedon shut Hercules out of Troy and how Hercules sware that he would auenge him WHen the king Laomedon saw his daughter thus deliuered from the monster and Troy made quit from the dangers he bowed and thanked greatly Hercules after he came to the sea side accompanied with Hercules Theseus Philotes and with the Troyans And went for to sée and behold the monster that was so great that thrée hundred horses might not moue him from the place where he was One and other looked for to see the strokes that Hercules gaue him and they could not sée all But at that they saw they maruailed for Hercules hadde broken bones that it séemed not possible to breake and they had founde the head hurt in so manie places that with great paine they could knowe whether hée had a head or none Of this high and incredible victorie the Troyans reioysed maruailously and had Hercules more in grace then any man in the world When they had séene and behelde the monster inough they departed thence and brought Hercules into Troy They came not so soone vnto the pallace but they founde Exiona clothed with newe aray and vestements And as for Hercules all that he had vpon him was wet and nothing drie The king Laomedon would haue had him to haue changed his habites and would haue giuen him newe But the valiant Esquire refused it all saying that he had béene accustomed not to bee alway well a◠〈◊〉 ease In this estate then Laomedon brought Hercules 〈◊〉 Troy vnto the castle of Ilion and his Greekes with hiâ— and feasted them as it appertained Hercules and his Greekes were foure dayes triumphant in Ilion During these foure dayes the Troyans went out in great routs for to sée the monster and gaue so great saud and prayse to Hercules that Laomedon had enuie thereat doubting that the people would loue better Hercules then him Hee thereupon sent Hercules and his folke out of the towne for to hunt and as soone as they were out of Troy hee drew vp the bridge and shut the gates against him When Hercules thought for to haue entred Laomedon spake to him and saide to him from farre that hee had mooued by conspiration the Citie against him and that hee would no more receiue him into the Towne Hercules was passing wroth when he vnderstood the accusation of Laomedon and answered him that neuer in his life hee had thought any villany to him whereof he charged and offered himselfe to proue himselfe cleare by battaile in the field and to aduenture his bodie against thirtie other that would say
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
went vnto Thebes and Hercules drewe him to Athens right pensife and thinking much on his Ladie and sore desiring to sée her hee went in the companie of Euristeus vnto Athens where they feasted them foure dayes long At the fourth daye tidings came that vnto the Port and Hauen were come strange folke by fortune which were clothed in right pleasant robes and garments When the King Euristeus heard these tydings he sent anon to fetch these strangers to him and asked them from whence they were they answered him that they were of the West and of the region of Hesperie Where is the region of Hesperie sayd Euristeus and what maner Countrey is it Verily aunswered one of them I trowe that in all the worlde is no better Countrey for there is aboundance of all things that bée necessarie to mans life and I can tell to you that in the places of our dwelling and where we haue our haunt there bée manie Iles lying about the furthest partes of Mauree beyond Ampolesie where growe all the best things that men can thinke and there is a king named Philotes sonne in lawe to a King named Athlas which be the generation of Greekes and it is not to be vnremembred how that the King Philotes accompanied with the daughters of king Aihlas found late an I le right pleasant as was his aduenture This I le is all plaine without mountaine or valley it is in such wise as is a Garden all gréene and there be therein so many shéepe and muttons that it is maruaile which be kept and chéerished there as diligently as if they were of fine Golde Of these muttons that I speake of wée haue our robes and gownes made wée and they that may haue them must buy them at a great price of Golde Wée eate the flesh and cloath vs with the skins And know ye for certaine that into this I le is but one entrie and he entreth not therein that would for the King Philotes and an other Giant which be wise and subtill and maruaylously strong alway kéepe the entrie of the I le and alway the one waketh while the other sléepeth Certes sayd Euristeus by that that I vnderstoode of you the I le that yée speake of is of great excellencie This Philotes that yée make mention of what man is this King Philotes The straunger aunswered and sayde that he is the most redoubted and dread king of the West partes hée is a Giant that by his force and strength hath conquered the I le with the shéepe and hath put out them that dwelled and inhabited there before He is so strong that it is but late ago that he sayde if hée might find a man more strong and puissant then he is hée would neuer after beare armes to fight in battaile during the life of that other The king Egeus then gaue leaue to the strangers to depart from his presence and commaunded that no man should let them in their returning toward theyr Countrey and they went and departed Euristeus abode with Egeus and Euristeus came to Hercules and Theseus and wished by a great desire to haue of those muttons saying to them that he would that it had cost him as much Golde as a payre of muttons weigh and that he had a Ramme and an Ewe for to ingender in his Countrey In that time were no shéep in Greece When Hercules had heard the desire of King Euristeus sodainly he sayd to him Sir ye haue a desire to haue a payre of muttons appertayning to the daughters of Athlas by the conquest and armes of the strong Giant Philotes I promise you here for truth vpon my gentlenesse that by this day thrée wéekes I will depart by water or by land for to fetch and get them and that I will neuer returne into Greece vntill the time that I haue found the Ile and that I shall oppose my selfe agaynst the Giants that kéepe it and will assay if I can get the I le from them like as Philotes hath gotten it from other When the king Euristeus had vnderstoode the enterprise that Hercules made he was passing sorie for he loued Hercules as much as hée had béene his owne son He disswaded him from that enterprise wéening to haue broken it but Hercules aunswered so wisely and so discréetly that Euristeus was content to suffer him to go vnto this aduenture and Theseus with him The renowne of this voyage was spred anon in all the Countrey Egeus and Euristeus made readie for their two sonnes a right good Gally and wel furnished it with all maner thing The Galley and all other habiliments were all ready in good time At the end of thrée wéekes they went to the sea and with them right many noble Greekes rowed so foorth till they came into the déepe Sea where they sayled and rowed many dayes without finding of any aduenture to speake of For at that time the Sea was but little vsed neyther of théeues nor yet of marchants What shall I say their maister or pilot in processe of time brought them to Hespery that afterward was named Spaine and there sought so long the I le with the shéepe that at last they arriued there at the place The Giant that was appointed to kéepe the entrie and the ward of the I le slept not at that time when the Gréekes landed He then issued out of his house and came all armed vnto the strayte passage where might no man go vp but one at once and he cryed to the Gréekes saying Sirs what séeke yée here Hercules aunswered we séeke the muttons that bée in this I le for to carrie some of them into Greece The Giant aunswered haue ye money inough if ye haue so ye shall haue inough Howe sayd Hercules shall we not haue them otherwise No sayd the Giant Then sayd Hercules at the least let vs haue them at the price that yee haue gotten them for Howe said the Giant The King Philotes hath conquered with his sworde the I le and the muttons Hercules answered mine intention is in likewise to conquere the I le from him If ye will defend it haste you ye shal haue the battell against me or else let me haue the Ile that I may do therein in my will Anon as the Giant had vnderstoode the conclusion of Hercules he made him ready to defend the place and blewe a great Horne that was there hanging on a tree At sownding of the Horne the daughters of Athlas awaked Philotes and tolde him that some were there to get the place and that the Giant had blowen the horne Philotes with those wordes rose vp and found that Hercules by force had put backe his Giant that excepting Philotes was the moste subtile man of armes in all Hesperie he was so sore abashed that hée beganne to sigh and be sorie but this notwithstanding hée had not long abode there when Hercules smote the giant on the right shoulder with such strength and force that the
Iles fortunate This king then aduertised of the coming of the Egiptians was passing angry and sware that neuer none of them should returne agayne into Egipt Assoone then as he might he did cause his men to arme them and issued out of the cittie with a great company of Libyans and had so great haste to runne vpon the Egiptians that he sette no order among his people whereof he tooke great harme for when he came to the battaile hée founde that Hercules had trayned his people and set them in two battailes of which he lead and conducted the first battaile It happend so that they of the sayde companye of Hercules by force of shot bare thēselues so valiantly and with strokes that they brought to death more then fiftéene hundred Lybiens When the shot fayled Antheon sprang into the greatest prease as the most valiant and supposed wel to haue skirmished with his enimies but anon as Hercules sawe him come hée layd hand on his club and put him foorth before and gaue him so great a stroke that he made his head to bow on the left side Antheon had his sword lifted vppe for to haue smitten Hercules when he receiued the stroke that Hercules gaue him by which his stroke was broken Neuerthelesse he said betwéene his téeth that he would auenge him so hee lifted vp his sword againe and smote Hercules so vehemently that with the stroke he brake his shield Then knew Hercules that the giant was a man of great strength This notwithstanding he smote him the second time with his club and thus Hercules and Antheon gaue each other so great strokes that there came betwéene them of the two parties Libians and Egyptians There was a great noyse of clinking of swords and sounding of the shields and helmes that were broken and halberds that were dismailed shieldes quartered and glaiues broken there was the bloud largely shed on both parties Hercules and Antheon were parted by force of the prease Antheon by great ire smote without ceasing vpon the fierce Egyptians Hercules all broke the helmes largely with his club and did with the Libians all his pleasure and brought so many to death with his club that in little time he passed throughout the whole power of king Antheon many times and in his way he couered the earth and the way that hée held all with dead Libians The first skirmish was strong and damageable to Antheon for against one Egyptian that he flew with his sword Hercules made die with his club ten Libians About Hercules was nothing but bloud Hercules made the mountaines redounde with cries the companies to tremble the Libians to flie and go backe and wan little gaine What shall I say more as long as the day endured he helde the battell in vigor and about the euening when Affer and Theseus came to the fight he bestirred himselfe in such fashion against Antheon that he made him flie all charged with horions and strokes and then in like wise fled after the Libians CHAP. XI ¶ How Hercules tooke king Athlas and how he beganne to studie the science of astronomie and the seauen liberall sciences WHen Hercules saw the Libians turne into flight he did cause to sounde the retrait for as much as it was late and with great glorie returned into the place that he had chosen for to holde his siege at His wife Echée came against him with open armes and be clipped and kissed him she holpe to vnarme him and brought him fresh water for to wash his face with and there was made right good chéere of all the Egyptians Contrary to this good chéere the Libians were in the Citie and made great sorrow for they had lost neare thirtie thousand men especially Antheon made simple cheare for he had good cause for Hercules had so beaten him with his club that hée might not helpe himselfe but went with great paine to bed and with sorrow sent for his Phisitions and Surgeons which came and visited him and founde him all bruised and saide to him that it would bee well neare a moneth ere they could heale him Antheon considering his case sent and desired of the Egyptians truce for the space of a moneth offering to them for to send them dayly a certaine number of cattell and a right great quantitie of victuals Then he made out his commaundements and sent vnto al the kings and princes that were his tributaries and also vnto his neighbours praying them that they wold come succor him with their men of arms in the most hasty wise that they might This truce so made Hercules began to remember thē that before time he had heard Philotes speak of a king that reigned thereby named Athlas and that he was the most wise man and cunningest of al the world and that he dwelt in a Castle standing on the top of a right high mountaine named Athlas after the name of the same king In this remembrance Hercules being couetous of the science of Athlas called Philotes and said to him that hee would go into the Realme of the king Athlas and that his intent was to séeke there his aduenture Philotes answered and saide that he could well leade and bring him into the Realme for he knew the countrey Then Hercules called Affer and Theseus and charged them that they shoulde alway make good watch And after tooke leaue of them and of his wife saying that he would hastily returne This done hée and thrée mariners with Philotes went vnto the sea in a gallie-finely made and light and sayled and rowed into the sea Mediterrane they had spéedie winde and readie and Fortune was good to them In little while they came vnto the straite of Gibraltar And then Philotes shewed vnto Hercules the mountaine and the castle where Athlas was at that time abyding When Hercules sawe the mountaine and the castle he went and tooke land ioyously after he tooke his clubbe and commanded Philotes and his marriners for to abide them there Then he went toward the mountaine and it happened that he met with a man that discended downe from the hil and he adressed him toward the said man for to heare some tydings and demanded him from whence hée came He said I come from the castle that ye may sée yonder on high Whither go ye said Hercules vnto the Citie of Mercelie answered the stranger the king Athlas to whom I am seruant hath sent me thither to publish his commandement vnto the Citizens that within sixe dayes they should be furnished with their armes for to accompanie him to go vnto the warre of the great king of Libie which requested instantly to haue his succours Wherefore if ye will serue him in this armie and be his souldiour go vp and ye shall finde him in his Castell studying the science of astronomie The seruaunt of King Athlas with these wordes went forth on his way and Hercules went vp into the mountaine and came to the gate of
abode not long after that he had subdued this realme but he departed and returned into Calcedonie as hastily as he might for to sée Deianira and there he was receiued with so great glory ioy triumph that no man can rehearse ne write The Poets report and write this conquest that Hercules made vpon Achelous faining that Achelous fought first in guise of a man and that then he was vanquished after he changed himselfe in a guise of a serpent This is to be vnderstood in subtilnesse and in malice as he did in assailing Hercules by night To conclude hée fought in the guise of a bull and that Hercules brake his one horne that is to be vnderstoode that at the last Achelous was fierce as a bull for hee died well nigh for pride sorrow that he was taken and that Hercules brake his horn that is to be vnderstood that he brake his realme and destroyed it CHAP. XVII ¶ How Nessus tooke Deianira from Hercules when hee passed with her ouer the riuer and how Hercules slew Nessus with an arrow GReat was the feast then that the king Oeneus made for the victories that Hercules had atchieued vpon king Achelous For he doubted him passing sore Hercules at his comming presented to him Achelous his realme and sayd to him that he should haue it without any refuse The king Oeneus sent king Achelous into exile and held himselfe greatly bounden and beholden to Hercules whō he honoured marueilously Then Hercules tooke to his heart againe right amorous conceits and also in like maner did Deianira she had souereigne ioy to see Hercules and desired none other thing but for to see him What shall I make long processe when Hercules had béene there a space he required king Oeneus that he would giue him his daughter to wife Oeneus with right good will agréed and accorded to him and Deianira consented with better will The wedding was solemnized pompously and solemnely and they went to bedde and lay together And soone after when Hercules sawe that his father in lawe had his realme in peace he tooke leaue of the king Oeneus and departed from Calcedonie with Deianira and his people for to goe by land into his realm of Iconie Hercules had alway in his iourney Deianira by him he loued her excéedingly had great solace in her beauty and if he had not studied with Athlas he could not haue absteined him from beholding her beauty In passing the time pleasantly in the maner that folke do that be new maried Hercules iourneyed so farre that he came to a quarter of Thessaly where the riuer of Hebenus runneth and arriued on this riuer which was déepe and broad running impetously and had neither bridge nor plancke to passe ouer but there was a Centaure named Nessus that spent there his life by the meanes of a little boate in the which he carried the people ouer the riuer c. When Hercules had found this passenger Nessus he came to him and demaunded of him howe he and his folk might passe the riuer Nessus that knew Hercules since the time that he had vanquished his fellowes at the wedding of Pyrothus aunswered to him that hee might not passe the riuer but by his little bote And if hee woulde passe hee would with a good will doe him the pleasure to set him ouer Hercules thanked Nessus And forasmuch as he saw that the bote was but litle and that the time was disposed to raine he would that Deyanira and her damsels shoulde passe first Deyanira and her maidens entred into the bote When they were therein Nessus rowed and in the rowing he beheld Deyanira and hee looked on her so much that her beautie rauished him For as soone as he was come ouer on the other side he took Deianira and said that she shoulde be his wife and then catching hold on her he tooke her on his shoulders and bare her away wherefore Deianira and her damselles made great cries And Hercules seeing that the olde giant bare away Deianira which he would resist to his power bent his bowe and shotte an arrowe vpon the giant with so great might and cunning that he smote him on the right side vnto the heart and gaue him the deaths wound The bowe of Hercules was so great and strong that no man could bend it but himself Nessus when as by his wound that Hercules gaue him he began to féele the approching of death and to suffer sharpe anguish alway he ran a great while after vnto a valley where he fell downe and considering that his life had no recouery hee emploied the end of his life to imagine howe hee might doe displeasure to Hercules and remembred that hee had terrible poyson about him and mortall and said to Deianira by great malice Ladie the loue of you hath caused me to receiue the death which me displeaseth not so sore as doth that cruel Hercules shall enioy you which are worthy to haue a worthy man Hercules is no true husband but the vntruest to his wife that euer was And forasmuch as I haue singular pitie of you and that your beautie constraineth me to doe you pleasure I will giue you heere a pretious thing and hauing such vertue that if ye boyle it with one of the shirtes of Hercules with the bloud that runneth out of my wound and if that ye giue the shirt to Hercules and that he weare it he shal neuer after loue other woman ne lady but you And with these wordes the giant tooke the poison and tempered it with his bloud wound it in a linnen cloth and gaue it to Deianira The foolish Deianira giuing credence to the giant tooke the poyson The giant charged her that no man shuld touch it bare saying that then it woulde loose his vertue after the touching and with that he gaue vp his ghost and died pitiously and Deianira escaped from his handes purposing that shee woulde kéep that poison secretly at all aduenture for to helpe her self if it were néed In the mean while that these things befell betwéene Deianira and the giant Hercules was not in heartes ease for Deianira for he was in great distresse when he saw Nessus beare away his wife Assoone as he had smitten him on the right side with his arrow as is said he vnclothed himselfe and cast his gown his harnesse and club ouer the water by great strength and after he started into the water and swamme ouer vnto the other side and then as he put on his raiment Deianira again accompanied with her damsels that followed her came to the riuer furnished with the cursed poyson When Hercules sawe Deianira returne hee imagined anon that he had slaine the giant and went against her and demaunded where the traitor was Deianira aunswered not at the first to this demaund but saide to him alas my Lord in what perill haue I been what oppression what dispaire of ioy hath oppressed mine heart The traches of mine
the tyrants of Hesperie he fouÌ„ded there a temple which he held after in great reuerence Alway as Hercules peopled and inhabited this land hee did cause to bee made pillers or columnes high and maruellous great and set them vpon the sea and vppon euery piller or columne hee did make an image of hard stone in the semblance and likenesse of a knight like vnto Hercules all clad with the skin of a Lion And there was one of the images that held a table wherein was written with letters of gold Passe no further for to seeke land ne go for to conquer further any realms in the West for thou shalt find no more land c. The noble Hercules went then into the countrey whereas standeth now the citie of Siuil which was not then founded and found by his science that there shoulde be builded a citie of great renowme wherefore in memorie thereof he set vp in that place a pillar of hard stones and thereupon set an image holding in his hand written that said That there should be made one of the greatest Cities in the world This land of Galicia appertained to Gerion But then when Hercules had made this pillar aboue-said and set it whereas now standeth Siuill hee had a great will for to begin to build the citie for the couÌ„tray was passing good commodious But Athlas by the science of astronomy counselled him contrary shewing him by certaine signes that it was destinie that another should make the citie And therefore nigh the piller he did make a columne of white marble vpon which stoode the image of Hercules great rich that held one hand against the East wherin was written Here hath been Hercules And with the other hand he shewed the writing that the other image held These thinges accomplished Hercules departed from thence and left to inhabite and keepe the countrey eight hundred men of his of the countrey of Scithia that were strong and expert in armes and with good wil they abode there because the countrey was plentifull Then went Hercules by the banks of the sea into the last and furthermost part of Europe and sailed so farre that he entred into the riuer of Guadiana whereas the tyrant Gerion dwelled and abode in the Citie of Megidda The same time that Hercules entered into the riuer Gerion went vp to the top of an high towre where he might see all about the countrey for to espie if any person came vppon whom he might exrecise his tyrannie He had not bin long there when he beheld the riuer and saw the army of Hercules And seeing this armie he had great ioy for him seemed well that in all haste hee shoulde subdue and ouercome them Without other delay hee assembled his complices and sownded to armes Within a little while all his men that were ready and furnished with arms came vnto him for to know what he would when Gerion was all armed and ready for to go and enter into the battaile he declared to his people his intention after he entred into his gallies as hastily as he might and went from Megidda approching toward the Gréeks Thus rowing forth it hapned him that he met a little boat And from as farre as he sawe it come hee went against it and arested it In this boat were no mo then two mariners Hispan Gerion then called Hispan and demanded of him whither hee went what he was Certes sir answered Hispan I am a Greeke haue intention to go to the king Gerion that is nowe in his city of Megidda for to dispatch a message that I am charged with Messenger sayd the king if yée séeke Gerion yee néed for to go no further forth for I am he whom ye speake vnto Sir answered Hispan since that you be he to whom my message apperteineth I let you haue knowledge in the name of the vertuous Hercules that he is an enemy to your vices and for to correct your great and abominable trespasses and sinnes hée is come into your dominion Messenger answered Gerion how is Hercules so presumptuous as for to come vpoÌ„ me to take vpon him to correct my vices he wote litle with whom he hath to do go to him and tell him that he shall not be let to find me but it shall be too soone for his health and that I will feast him in such wise ere he escape mée as I haue béene accustomed to feast strangers Hispan departed with these words and returned vnto Hercules as hastily as he might and tolde him worde for word what Gerion had sayd vnto him and moreouer hée sayd that he would méete with him right soone all prepared and ready for to begin the battell When Hispan had finished his message the gallies of king Gerion appeared and were séene from farre Hercules and the Gréekes had great ioy and began a right great shouting in sounding trumpets fifes and tabours Gerion and his folke séeing and hearing their enemies they likewise beganne to shoute and to make a marueilous great noyse The aire was then filled with a right great and ioyfull noise In this vprore and outragious noyse the two hostes approched eche other At the approching was not spared darts nor round stones nor arrowes They of Hesperie had great aboundance of daries which they vsed and cast on the Gréekes as it had béene raine The cries redoubled on the one side and on the other so that there were many dead and hurt They were all men of warre ech man bare him valiantly and among all other Hercules hauing the bowe in hand slew as many of his enâ—mies as he shot arrowes The shot dured long When it failed they fought hand to hand Then beganne the battaile to be eagre and hard Gerion shewed himselfe a man boystrous and well expert in armes and put to death many Greekes but for one that he slew Hercules slew ten of the Hesperiens c. At the encounter that the Gallies made there were many hurt and strokes giuen Hercules tooke his clubbe and in smiting one of the Galies that thought to haue grapled and borded his galley hee strooke with so great force that he made it to cleaue asunder and that the water came in so sodainly that the most part of them that were in that galley were drowned and perished without stroke smiting After this Hercules came to another galley and there did he maruailes of armes all they that he raught with his club were dead or sore hurt Some he smote the braines out of the head and of other hee brake legges and armes It seemed to thunder with him hee did so bestir him that eche man fled from him and there was no man that withstoode him or durst abide him When hee sawe this hee put himselfe forth to exploite great affaires He leapt from gally to gally and made so great slaughters that his people by his good example abounded in valour of courage and puissance and the Hesperiens diminished lessened
came betime hee did cause to clothe her and array her the most honourably that he might and made her to sit vpon a Palfrey richly arraied and decked and so did hee other prisoners each after his degree and after hee went to horse backe himselfe and Doyphebus his brother Eneas Anthenor and Polydamus with a great company of noble men and accompanied the queene Helene and departed from Tnedon and went to Troy ward And there came against them without the town the king Priamus with a great company of noble men and receiued his children and his friendes with great ioy and after came to Helene and bowed rightly swéetly to her and did to her great ioy and worship And when they came nigh the citie they sound great store of people glad of their comming with many sortes of instrumentes of Musicke and in such ioy came vnto the Pallace of king Priamus and hee himselfe lighted downe and holpe Helene downe from her palfrey and â—â—d her by the hand vnto the Hall and there they made right great ioy all the night throughout all the Citie for these tidinges And then when it came vnto the morrow Paris by the agreement and consent of his father tooke Helene to his wife and wedded her in the temple of Pallace and therefore the feast was lengthened throughout all the citie and there was ioy that endured yet after eight dayes whole c. When Cassandra knew for trueth that Paris her brother had wedded Helene she beganne to make great sorrow to cry bray as a woman out of her wit said thus O vnhappy Troyans wherefore reioyce yee of the wedding of Paris whereof so many euils shall come and follow And wherefore sée not yee the death of your selues and of your sonnes that shal be slaine before your eyes and their husbandes before their wiues with great sorrow Ha ha noble citie of Troy how shalt thou bée destroied and put to nought Ha ha vnhappy mothers what sorrow shall ye see when yeé shall sée your little children taken and dismembred before you Ha ha Hecuba caitife and vnhappie where shalt thou take the water that thou shalt wéep for the death of thy children Ha ha people blinde and foolish why send not yée incontinent Helene home againe and yéeld her vnto her right husband before that the swordes of your enemies come and flea you with great sorrow Wéene ye that this prince the husband of Helene wil dwel at home without greeuous vengeance Certes that shal be your dolorous destruction and end Ha ha vnhappy Helene thou shalt doe vs much sorrow As Cassandra spake and cried thus with high voice and with great sorrow the king Priamus knewe it and did her to be taken prisoner and sent to her and did pray her that she would ceasse but shee would not And then hee commaunded that shee should bee fast shut in prison and in yrons where shée was kept many daies O what pitie was it that the Troyans beleeued not this warning and admonition For if they had beleeued it they hadde eschewed the right great enâ—â— that came after vnto them which shall bee tolde in tables and made plaine and manfest to them that will heare them vnto the ende of the worlde c. CHAP. III. How Menelaus was sore troubled for the rauishing of Helene his wife And how Castor and Pollux brethren of her pursued Paris in the sea and of their death and of the condition and maner of the Lordes as well Greekes as Troyans AS these thinges were done as is saide Menelaus that soiourned at Epyre with the Duke Nestor heard tell the trueth of the prise and taking of his wife and of his people whereat he was sore angry and much abashed and was so greeeued and sorrowfull that he fell to the ground in a sownd And then when he was come to himselfe againe hee beganne sore to complaine him and make the greatest sorrowe of the world And aboue all other thinges he was most sorie for his wife and bewailed her beautie and her solace and might by no way bee comforted When the duke Nestor heard say thereof hee came to him hastily and comforted him the most best wise he could for hee loued him with great loue But Menelaus could not leaue his sorrow but tooke his way vnto his countrey and the duke Nestor brought him on his way with a great compane of noble men He sent vnto the king Agamemnon his brother that he shoulde come and speake with him And also he sent vnto Castor Pollux the brothers of Helene that they shuld come also to him And anon as they had heard the message they came vnto him When Agamenon sawe his brother make such sorrow and heauinesse he said to him ah my brother wherefore hast thou such sorrow suppose that the cause be iust yet a wise man ought not to shew such semblance outward it causeth his friendes to be sorrowfull and his enemies to bee ioyous And therefore faine thy sorrow and alay thy rage and make semblance as though thou regardest nothing this that is befallen for by weeping nor by vsing of sorrowe thou maiest neuer come to honour nor vengeance but onely by the force of the naked sword thou shalt therfore awake thy courage and so shalt thou take reuenge of the harmes that bée done to thee Thou knowest what puissance we haue and what helpers and ayders we shall finde for to auenge vs for this iniury toucheth all the kinges and princes of Greece and assoone as wee shall require them of helpe there shall not be one but hee will helpe vs with all his power and then wee will go with great puissance before Troy and will slea our enemies and doe what wee list and wil destroy the Citie And if it happen that we may take Paris that is actor of these hurtes and illes we wil hang him and make him die an euill death Cease then thy sorrow and let vs make to be knowne to al the kings and princes of Greece this iniury and require them that they will helpe for to take vengeance Then was Menelaus recomforted with the wordes of his brother and anon they sent their letters vnto all the barons of Greece and at their sending they came all first Achilles Patroclus Diomedes and many other And assoone as they knew wherefore they were sent for they said that they would go to Troy with all their strength for to auenge this shame and recouer Helene So they chose them Agemenon chiefe and Prince of their hoste as he that was wise and prudent and of good councell Nowe it happened that the king Castor and the king Pollux that were brethren of the Queene Helene as soon as they heard say that their sister was rauished they entred into their shippes and went after the Troyans with a great company of men of armes for to see if they might recouer her On the third day that they were on the sea there rose so
Tetides was lord and king a iust man and a courteous In this land arriued Anthenor with a few shippes and rested on the side of a greater Ile that was nigh vnto the port He saw the countrey faire and full of woodes and of land and of fountaines and there he builded a citie to him and to his people and fortified it with walles and good towres And when the Troians knew thereof many went thither and dwelled there with Anthenor and the citie grew apace and was full of people and Anthenor gouerned him so wisely in this land that he was well in the grace of the king Tetides and was the second after the king in his realme and named his citie Cortiremetralum Cassandra that was left at Troy had great sorrow for the great mischiefes that were fallen to her friends and ceased not to weepe and waile and when shee hadde demeaned long her sorrow the Greekes demaunded her of their estate in their returning home of which she saide to them that they should suffer many paines and great perils ere they wer come into their countrey and after she said to Agamemnon that they of his owne house shoulde slea him So it happened to him after and to all the other like as Cassandra had deuised to them and said Of the king Thelamon were left two sons of two quéenes the eldest was named Hermicides of the queen Glausta and the other of the queene Thymissa had to name Anchisatus these two children nourished the king Theuter til they were great to beare armes Among these thinges Agamemnon and Menelaus demaunded leaue for to returne into their landes and the most great of the hoste gaue thē leaue being sore vexed forasmuch as they had been taken as suspect of the death of Thelamon with Vlisses which was stollen away like a theefe wherefore he shewed well that he was culpable of the death Thus these two brethren put them to the fea for to returne home and in the entrie of the Winter when the sea is most daungerous anon after the other Greekes entered into the Sea as fooles and euill aduised for the doubtes of the Sea and had their shippes all charged and laden with the richesse whereof they hadde spoiled the riche citie and realme of Troy and for the great desire that they had for to be at home in their countrey they beganne to returne thus in the middes of the Winter and set apart all daungers and perilles which fell vnto them About the houre of noone came a great tempest and surprised them sodainly with great thunder and raine with winde and with great waues of the sea that casted their shippes heere and there in the sea and brake their mastes and all to rent their sailes And when the night came which was long and darke the shippes left each other in sayling before the winde some in one place and some in another and many were burnt with lightening and thunder that fell vpon them and many were drowned and sunke into the Sea and they that were therein were dead and drowned and the great riches of Troy lost Oyleus Aiax that had xxxii shippes in this companie had all his ships burnt and perished and he himselfe by the force of his armes and legges all naked swimming came and arriued a land all swollen with the water that hee had drunken and lay a great while vpon the grauel more looking for death then life and anon after came other in likewise that were so saued with swimming which were discomforted in their mishap and vnhappinesse This mischiefe came to this Aiax forasmuch as he drew Cassandra out of the temple of Minerue And it happeneth oft time that many be punished for the sin and trespasse of one man c. CHAP. XXVIII ¶ How the king Naulus and Cetus his sonne did spoile on the sea manie shippes of the Greeks in their return for the death of his sonne Palamedes and of the death of the king Agamemnon and of the exile of Diomedes and of his calling backe by Egee his wife c. IN this time there was a king in Gréece named Naulus that was very riche and puissant and his realme stood vpon the side of the Sea of Greece toward the South In the which Sea were great rockes and high and many mountaines and hilles of sand which were right perillous The king was father of Palamedes that was slain before Troy and hadde yet a sonne named Cetus there was none in Gréece so rich nor so puissant a king Nowe were there some euill people there that coulde not be in ease without greeuing and annoying of other which made the said king Naulus to vnderstand and his son king Cetus that Palamedes was not slain in battaile so as the voice ranne but hee was slaine couertly by Vlisses and Diomedes Agamemnon and Menelaus had made and contriued a false letter wherein was contained that Palamedes would haue betraied the hoste of the Greekes whiles he was emperour of the hoste for a great quantitie of gold and they made this letter to bée put by the side of a knight that was slaine And then Vlisses treated in such wise with one of the secretaries of Palamedes for a great summe of money such as the Letters contained and this Secretarie by the induction of Vlisses put this summe of mony vnder the head of Palamedes whiles he slept And as soone as the secretarie had said to Vlisses that he had done then Vlisses slew this Secretary priuily and forthwith did so much that this letter came into the handes of the Greeks that read it and were all abashed when they saw in writing the treason and the summe contained in the same laide vnder his head They went then into his tent and found the trueth of this thing and woulde haue runne vppon Palamedes but he offered himselfe to defend it against whom soeuer woulde prooue it and so there was none that durst fight against him Then Vlisses did so much by his faire language that this thing was appeased and it seemed that it was best that Palamedes should abide in his dignitie After this thing thus appeased Vlisses and Diomedes on a day did Palamedes to vnderstand that they knew a pit wherein was much treasure and that they would that he hadde his part and that hee should go the night following When the night was come they went all three alone without more company and there offered Palamedes for to go down into the pit first and they said that they woulde followe and assoone as hee was within the other two cast stones vpon him so many that they slew him and after returned to their tentes priuily This thing said these men charged king Naulus and Cetus of the death of Palamedes and all was false Then the king and his sonne began earnestly to thinke how they might auenge them of the Greekes They knew well that the Greekes were vppon returne in the heart of the Winter and that they
to Argos and betooke Danae in kéeping to other women and commaunded them vpon paine of death that they should tell him if she were or happened to be deliuered of childe or no. Within a certaine tyme when Danae sawe her in this case shée began to fall into wéeping The king Acrisius from this day forth came euery day to knowe how she did She wept without ceasing shée spake not but vnto her heart and shée bewayled her loue and complayned on Fortune sorrowfully But when she had laboured long in these wéepings and that her faire eyes were made great and red about fiftéene dayes before the time of her childing the beganne to remember the cause why she was put into the Tower And that the gods had prognosticated that she should haue a sonne that should bée king of Argos In this remembrance she was comforted a little and when the time came that nine months was expired she brought forth a passing faire sonne which the Ladyes and women receiued and named him Perseus And after that signified it vnto the king But at the birth of this childe she excused and put out of blame all the damosels and saide that they were all innocents of her fact Anon then as the king Acrisius knew the veritie of his Daughter and that she had a faire sonne he had in his heart more of sorrow then of ioy and condemned her to death indéede and commanded two of his mariners that they should take the mother and her childe and put them in a little Boate them both alone and that they should carrie them farre into the high sea that after should neuer man sée them nor haue knowledge of them The mariners durst not refuse the commaundement of the King but by his commandement they went vnto the Tower Dardane and tooke Danae and her sonne Perseus and said vnto the damosell al that that they had charge to do praying her humbly that shee would pardon them And this was about midnight when Danae vnderstood that shee should bée cast into the sea and her sonne with her Yet she had hope to escape this perill by the meane of the fortune of her son This notwithstanding the teares ran downe from her eyes and wéeping tenderly she tooke her leaue of the ladies and damosels that had her in kéeping and they let her be caried vpon the sea making complaint pitious bewailings When the mariners had brought hir vpon the sea they left her in a litle boat put in her lap Perseus her faire son And as hastily as they might they conducted her into the déepe sea without meate or drinke and without sterne or gouernaile and gaue her ouer to all windes Then was there many a teare wept among the mariners and Danae and Perseus the young childe The marriners bewailed with great compassion that they had to sée such a Damosell abandoned to perill of death Danae wept in considering the rigour of her father and the fault that Iupiter had done to her and also for the perill which she might not resist and Perseus wept for the blowing of the winde and for the grosse ayre of the sea that his tendernesse might not well suffer to endure In this fashion the Matrones returned to Argos and the right discomforted Damosell Danae went forth vpon the waues of the sea at the agréement and will of the windes The waues were right fearefull and lifted themselues into the ayre as Mountaynes the windes blewe by great stormes the little Boate was borne and cast vpon the waues and oftentymes Danae looked and supposed to haue perished but shée had alway hope in Fortune And so well it happened that in this aduersitie and trouble shée was cast into the Sea of Apulia or Naples And there shée was found by aduenture of a Fisher that for pitie and charitie tooke her into his Shippe and her sonne and brought her on lande forasmuch as hee sawe it was great néede At this time the noble Danae was as a deade bodie and halfe gone when the marriner had brought her a land the tooke a ring of gold that she ware on her finger and gaue it vnto the good man praying him that he would bring her into some house where shee might warme and cherish her with her childe for he was nigh dead for colde and was all in a traunce The marriner tooke the Golde Ring and brought the Damosell and the little childe into his house and made them a good fire and brought them meate and drinke As soone as Perseus felt the ayre of the fyre his heart came to him againe and he began to laugh on his mother When shee sawe that all her sorrowes turned to nought and she tooke hope of good fortune She then made ready and arayed her son and her colour came againe she did eate and drinke What shall I say the fisher behelde her and then séeing in her so much beautie that the like to her he sawe neuer none he went vnto the court of the king of Naples and tolde him his aduenture praysing so certaynly her beautie that the King sent hastely for to fetch her This King was named Pilonus and was sonne to the auncient Iupiter And when Danae was come before him sodaynlye he waxed amorous of her and demaunded her name her countrey and the cause why she was aduentured on the sea At beginning she excused her selfe of al these things vnwilling to tell all and began to wéepe When the King sawe that he comforted her and said to her that he would take her to his wife for her beautie and spake so fayre to her and so graciously that she tolde him al her life how she was daughter of the king Acrisius and how she was shutte in the tower and how Iupiter had deceyued her and how her father hadde put her in the sea What shall I say more when the King Pilonus heard all these fortunes of the damosell he had pitie on her and wedded her with great honour and did put to nurse Perseus and gat on her a sonne which was named Danaus but of this matter I will cease and turne again to the history of Iupiter c. CHAP. XXIX ¶ How Iupiter returning from Troy by sea encountred the great theefe Egeon which he fought with and ouercame and of the tidings that hee had of Danae whereof hee was passing sorrowfull WHen Iupiter was departed from Troy as afore is said he made his mariners to saile and row with all diligence for to withdraw from the port and for to approch Crete for he knew well that the time of his promise made to Danae was expired and that displeased him greatly that he might not amēd it His mariners did all that they could do by the space of a day naturall but the day being past there rose a tempest in the sea so terrible and out of measure that it bare many ships with their furniture vnder water brake their sternes and helmes and drowned all the
ships sauing onely that ship where Iupiter was in wherefore he wept outragiously The tempest dured two dayes and two nights They saw not that time in the hauen sunne nor moone nor starres Iupiter and they that were with him thought neuer to haue died other death yet they escaped the death and tooke land on the third day when the tempest was ceased not in Crete nor in the sea of Europe but in the Ocean so far that they knew not the language of them that inhabited the port where they came to ancre When Iupiter and his people sawe the strangenesse of the people dwelling in this port and their maner of doing they knew that they were farre from their region and then was Iupiter discomfited in such wise that he wished that he had not bene there nor come on the sea forasmuch as he knew well that he might not accomplish his promise made vnto Danae his Loue. Hee made many great bewaylings touching this matter and more then I can say and also complained for his men that he had lost in the storme and tempest as well as he complained for the default of his promise But when his companions that is to wit Ixion and the Centaures and Ganimedes had refreshed them and vittailed them and had well put all things in point and had taken all things necessarie for their ship they weighed anchor and departed from the port tooke their way into the East and so laboured day by day and moneth vpon moneth that they entred into the sea Egee And they had not long sailed when Egeon the great theefe and rouer which held at his will all this sea then they disankred from the port of the I le of Desert and accompanied with sixe gallies and with a thousand men of armes came before Iupiter prouiding them to battaile in purpose to haue destroyed them When Iupiter and the Centaures saw the behauiour of the théefe they knew straightway that they might not faile of battel saying each to other they would defend themselues vnto the death they had not long held parliament among them but they furnished them with their armes and displayed the banner with the Eagle of gold And in the displaying they made a great ioy as they had beene in paradise At this time had Ganimedes his wounds healed When he saw that each man prepared him to fight sauing hee which was prisoner hee came and knéeled downe on his knées before Iupiter and required him right humbly that he would commaund to deliuer him his harnesse for to help to maintaine his worship and also to defend his life promising to do his true deuoir Iupiter tooke vp Ganimedes when hée saw him submit himselfe and began to set his loue on him in such wise that it endured vnto the death and that more is he made that his harnesse and armes were yéelded to him saying that from thenceforth they would be brethren and fellowes in armes And Ganimedes answered to him that he would alway abide and dwell his seruant During these spéeches Egeon and his galleis borded the ship of Iupiter and fought with them hardly Egeon was in the front before as captaine Iupiter beheld him and knew him by his armes that he bare and yet that any stroke was smitten he called to him and sayd Théefe and rouer and pyrate how darest thou pursue to death him that made thée tremble and flie before him at the battaile of Crete by séeing of his sword dyed and made red with the bloud of the vnhappye Tytanoys Beholde and see mee I am Iupiter the mortall enemy of all thy linage Thou in likewise art my enemy and now art come to battaile against me It maye be well sayde that we shall run each vpon other by great force and that this conflict shal be right damageable for thée or for mée and let the goddes doo their pleasure When Egeon vnderstoode what Iupiter had sayde to him and that he was the destroyer of his linage he had his heart so incensed with yre and impacience that he could not answer one word And grenning with his téeth he began to smyte so hard toward Iupiter that if the stroke of the axe that he smit had bin right there had neuer bin remedy of his life But Iupiter knew the feates of war and when he saw the stroke come he auoyded it and lifted vp his sword and charged it vpon Egeon so surely that he could not auoide the stroke which was so forcible that he was so astonied as it made him fall downe vpon the plankes of the galley Then made the pyrates and théeues a greate crye and fell vpon Iupiter and his fellowes Ganimedes helde his axe in his handes and was not then ydle he fought and wrought valyantlye after his power and so did the Centaures The skirmishe was great and many were deade not of the partye of Iupiter but of the partye of the pyrates and then laboured the Centaures so that they dyed theyr galleyes with the bloud of theyr enemies And that the pyrates albeit they were tenne againste one coulde not nor might not abyde before them c. Thus began the mortall battaile of the pyrates and of the Centaures when the one Galley had fought as long as they might an other came on This Iupiter and Ganimedes had inough to do to fight and they fayled not what to do for the more they smote the more displeasure had the pyrates Each of their strokes was the death of a pyrate In processe of time Egeon came againe into the prease dismayed and fulfilled with impatience he put himselfe forth to fight in the most strength all desperately to winne all or to loose all At this time the battaile was so terrible and so deadly that al the Gallies closed the Ship of Iupiter and smote on it but this was to their mishap and ilfare for the most part of them were slaine and then Ganimedes and Iupiter entered into the galley of king Egeon where he fought so sore on the one side and the other for enuie who should do best that of all them that were within there was not left one man but he was slaine or cast into the sea excepting onely Egeon which Iupiter tooke with his hands and bound him with an hundred chaines of yron c. With these chaines of yron Egeon had a custome for to bind his prisoners vntill the time they had done his will When the pyrats sawe the mischiefe that came vpon them and that their maister was ouercome and bound with the chaines that he was woont to torment the prisoners withal they intended to saue themselues and withdrew them from the ship of Iupiter saying that those that they had fought withall were no men but diuels and that they were vnhappie that came vnto their hands Iupiter had but one ship The pyrates dispersed abroad one here another there And when the Centaures sawe that they sayde to Iupiter that it ought to suffice