Nowe warlike Hector doth depart with Paris out the towne,
They willing both in armes to shewe some deede of great renowme.
And like as after stormie flawes that deeres the shipmen sore,
In deepest sea against the winde there striue with arme and ore,
God sends a present calme to cease that dreadfull tempest blast:
Euen so the Troyans ouerhaeld doe comfort at the last,
When as they sawe these brethren two marching before their sight,
Who, well they knewe sufficient were for to maintaine the fight,
They were no sooner come, but that they slaie two Greekish foes,
The stout Menesthius to the ground by Paris hand he goes,
In Arna towne he sceptre held, of king Areitho bred,
Who young, with faire and glassie eyes Philomedusa wed.
Hector with sharpe ypointed launce Ioneus doth slaie,
Twene curet, and his gorget both the steele it maketh waye.
Glaucus doth Iphinous ding he downe on earth doth fall,
The raines eke of his horse the blowe did force him leane withall.
The slaughter Pallas seeing nowe thus of these Grecians three,
And the confusion of the rest, which likely was to be,
Full moovde, and grievde to see the sight, vnto the Troyan towne
Descends from high Olympe, Phoebus that sawe hir comming downe,
(He sat vpon the wall, to viewe how ende the battaile shall,
Which in the fauour he doth wishe of Troy and Troyans all)
He finely comes vnto hir straight, quoth he vnder this Beeche
I count it best you rest your selfe, and thus beganne his speeche.
You daughter of the mightie God, shew me th'occasion why
You now are seene here in this place come downe so speedily,
Sure great affaires, or else some cause, which muche your minde it leekes,
The victorie from Troyans good to giue vnto the Greekes.
And is not that your meaning now, your purpose and intent
To see the Troyan towne destroyed, hir buildings all to rent?
It better were (in my aduise) this day to cease the warre,
And eft they may beginne their fields, and fights wherein they ar,
Till that such time the citie there to sacke and pillage goe,
Sith that you Gods with one remorce, of force will haue it so:
The Goddesse answerde then: Agreed, for so I meane aright,
Of purpose I descended downe to staie these folke from fight,
Wherefore seeke way to seuer now fro this daies warre these wights.
Apollo soothde: quoth he therto, of all these gallant knights
Let Hector bold march boldly on, and chalenge for to trie,
Yea man to man the stoutest foe, with him to liue or die.
This braue demaund will much amaze the stoutest of their bands,
And they will point some odde man out with him to mingle hands,
And thus this battaile shall haue end. Apollos saying theed
Unto his graue and learned skill, forthwith it was agreed.
Then sage and prudent Helenus, who there their secret knewe
By ghost diuine, with courteous wordes lowlie to Hector drewe.
Quoth he, my dearest brother now, to me thine eare attend,
And maruaile not, though to aduise, and euerie way I bend
My selfe t'aduaunce thy great renowme, sith brethren both we be,
I cannot chuse to doe my best, as duetie doth agree.
Cause Greekes and Troyans to retire with voice and courage hie,
Aduaunce thy selfe, if any Greeke will out this quarrell trie
Upon him, doe, for by the fates this day thou shalt not dye,
I haue it from the mightie Gods, whose councells cannot lye.
Hector right iolly marcheth on, out of the rancks he goes,
His launce full long in midst he held, he willes the leaue their blowes,
He brings his squadrons backe againe, the shot he bids retire,
The Greekes stand fast, they order keepe, and newes they doe desire.
Agamemn eke to harken to, made Grecians to abide.
Both Pallas and Apollo then seeing on euerie side
The dartes to cease, vpon a Beeche of armes a mightie tree
The God and Goddesse they do sit, as Uulturs there they bee.
They doe delight such puissant cries in field to see so still.
The Bataillons yet soundly knit on grounde doe lie at will,
With fooles of warre at elbowes end, much like the Ocean waue,
Which working storme, not green, but black doth make ye colour haue fall,
Then Hector armde at euerie point thus spake vnto them all,
Hearke both ye Greekes & Troyan knights what to your wealth may
Betweene these campes the treaties sworne, & parts so firmly fast,
Imperfect are, of no effect, as none had euer past.
Ioue in this daunger hath vs lapt, n'accord he will allowe,
He doth determine in his minde, with malice he doth vowe,
He all a cruell sacrifice of vs doth meane to make,
As thus: that either you the Greekes our Troyan towne shall take,
Or that your iourney shall returne to you both voide and vaine,
Or hardly by vs Troyans set, quite beaten downe and slaine.
And now I knowe it verie well, that in your campe you haue
As to defend, so to assaile both souldiours fytte and braue,
And valiant men, single to me the strong and stoutest knight,
Let him nowe here his manhood trie, and cope with me in fight.
I will abide the man, and truth and faith I giue withall,
To which (if so it needefull is) I Ioue to witnesse call,
If victor of me for to be so luckie be his chaunce,
And in my bowels that he doe imbrewe his warlike launce
Take he my spoyles vnto his shippes, my bodie let it rest
Without outrage, let Troyans take it to the fierie feast.
Let them the ashes gather vp: And if him vnder foote
That I doe tread Apollo graunt, I craue no other boote
But that his harneys I may haue, to Ilion thether I,
In temple his a relique signe to set and hang on hie.
And for his carcase send I will, the Greekes they shall it haue,
Who in the shore of Hellespont thereon may reare his graue,
That if hereafter to this land a straunger take his way,
And with the tombe doe haply meete, full iustly he may say:
Here lies intombde the doughtie Greeke, whom Hector charging hard
Downe slue, although he shewde the part of knight of great regard.
For valure and for force: and loe, thus shall a forraine saye,
Whereby my fame and great renowne shall last for euer and aye.
This speech so stout and sodaine sayed yeelds all the troupe abasht,
Ech doubting to accept the fight, they blushing all are dasht.
Menelaus, who marked all, and how they stoode, he grewe
In furie great, he cut doth come, and sighes he deepely drewe.
O villaine Greekes (quoth he) in wordes ech proude & hardie speakes,
But come to deedes, you quaile alacke like faint and coward freakes.
O Greekes infamed too too much, what, Greekish men? not so,
But rather Greekish wiues, what shame and filthy speech will goe
Of you for this your cowardize? with hart not standing out
With Hector here to ioyne, for why, you daungers dreadfull doubt:
And without further mouing hence, that ye to earthy molde
Doe turne (your faults to plague) I pray or else to water cold.
And as for me, I will me arme, the combat I allowe,
With hardie minde I it accept, I knowe it well ynowe
The loftie Gods as best they please bestowe the victorie:
Thus Menelau doth blame his mates, and armour on doth tye.
And now at hand O Menelau was end of all thy toiles,
Thy death was sure in Hectors hands, whose skill in warlike broiles
And strength of arme surmounts thee farre, & but the Greekish kings
Had come and stayde thee, Agamemn, he by the hand thee wrings,
And much misliking this thy Acte, with rage quoth he thou asse,
Thou fondling thou, thinkst thou thy strength of force to bring to passe
To matche this doughtie Troyan here, to whom, of Greekish race
Not one, howe stoute so ere he be, dare boldly shewe his face?
Achilles no: he greatly doubtes with him in field the fraie.
Drawe backe and quiet keepe thy selfe, we shall finde out a way
To end this cause, we shall finde one shall make him stirre his stumps,
Though that a dreadlesse knight he be, and though in martiall iumps,
A souldior bold, nere tirde in warre, I hope right well that he
Shall thinke himselfe a happie man, if haplie so it be
Without his death this quarrell end: and that with humble hart
Upon his knees thanke God aboue, with life for to depart.
Agamemn Menelaus thus perswaded, and he stayde,
His gromes right glad their maister sawe, out daunger to be wayde,
And flocke about, his armor one, another takes his shield,
His weapons some, and by his bands he seeth him in the field.
Wherewith the reuerent Nestor graue stoode vp, & forth he drewe:
O great vnfitte reproch (quoth he) vnto this famous crue,
O what mishap, if at our home this dolefull newes be tolde?
Surely the Prince of Myrmidons Peleus that father olde,
And all his prouince fast will whine: he hath enquirde of me
Of fauour great, the names and race of meanest in degree.
Of all you here: but how abasht, how great shalbe his griefe,
When he shall heare your cowardise? it sure is my beliefe,
He clad with care, his prayer will vnto the Gods commend,
That ere he see the Greekes so foyld, of him they make an end.
I would the God Apollo, Ioue, and Pallas they would graunt
I were so young and lustie, as when able I did haunt
The warres, and in the battaile fought betweene the Archads stout
And Pyliens that auncient were, who tride the quarrell out
By citie Phee, vpon the floud that Iardan hath to name,
Whereas I shewde by perfect proofe my valure and my fame.
Among them there, then liued one that Ereuthalion hight,
Who on had put of Areithous the steeled armour bright.
I meane that Areithous that bare the great and massie club,
And therewith fighting, got such praise by force and weelding good,
That syrname he obtainde thereby of Clubber thorowe all,
Whom after, not by force, but sleight Lycurgus gaue the fall,
And slue him downe in strayted lane, where club he could not weeld,
Lycurge with dart did drawe him nye, & therwith through him threeld:
And dead he tooke his armor gaye, himselfe to shield and ayde
In all the byckerings that he had, and nere was ouerlayde,
As long as that he lyvde, and then to Ereuthalion
He them bequeathd, who bare himselfe as fierce as any Lion,
And often calld the Pyliens with man for man to trie,
With floutes ynowe, and when I sawe the pride of Arcadie
Th'abated mindes, the cowardize, and faintnesse of my pheeres,
I tooke in hand to shewe my worth for all my want in yeeres.
I tooke him vp, I layde him dead by grace of mightie God,
A maruaile great to see his corpse, a thing for hugenesse odde
Falling a long, I wish my youth and courage such, as tho
A champion then to match in fight the Troyans well should knowe.
And sith the hardiest all of Greece be present in this place,
If none of you defend this cause, I thinke it great disgrace.
The Greekish Lordes so prickt to quicke this good graue aged sire,
As of the greatest nine he made stand vp, with great desire
The combats hazarde for to proue: Agamemn first did rise,
Next Diomede, to conquer all which still hath bene his guise.
The Aiax twaine of like exploit, Idomene was the fift,
Merion eke, his maisters match in euerie martiall drift,
With whom was good Euripilus, the sonne of Euemon,
And with the rest stout Thoas rose the breede of Andremon,
Of purpose eche to be receyude, and Vlysses the slie,
Not to be thought to be agast or slacke in chiualrie.
Quoth Nestor herevpon (finding their boldened mindes to growe)
Renowmed Lordes, sith thus it stands, full well we all shall knowe
Who for this combat shalbe tane, cast lots, on whom it lights
That forth his bullet first doth come, with Hector him he fights,
With suretie, he that ouercomes, immortall praise to take.
Ech of the nine with marke, abuise a Bullet for to make,
His Helmet in their lots to put Agamemnon doth lend.
The while the souldiors good of Greece their prayers thus attend
With reatched hands: O mightie Ioue graunt so it doe befall,
That first of doughtie Aiax he out come the lotting ball,
Or it the sonne of Tydees his, whose laude so loude doth ring,
Or else to please thee to bestowe this honor on our King,
Our captaine chiefe, and leader graue. Nestor doth often blunder
And shake the lotts within the helme, to part them more asunder,
His hand thrust in, the bullet first of Aiax forth he brings
So much desired, and Herault badde to carie it the Kings,
That they may knowe which of them all by fate appointed was
In this conflict to deale: he forth with bullet on doth passe
By ranke and ranke through all the field, he open doth it beare,
But yet vnknowne to Aiax bold till he approched were,
Who doth reioyce at so good lucke, the scripture when he read,
And downe he throwes it on the ground, and to the Kings he sayd
Thus, full right like a man of warre: My louing friends so deere,
You see that nowe I am the man, I pray you all to cheere:
My minde assures me that I shall as victor downe him strike,
And while I put mine armour on, you softly may beseeke
The hie Gods in my fauour now, and Troyans shall not neede
To heare your cries: what say I now? I surely doe not heede.
For pray you lowe, or out aloude, I doubtfull nothing deeme,
For if the breeding vp doe make men more of men esteeme,
If Countrey soile, if worthy race, doe mende the mindes of men,
With these three gifts so thorowly, sith I am furnishte then,
You shall not see me runne away, I will not turne my backe,
To princely blond what doth belong you shall not finde the lacke.
So spake the bold & manly Greeke, his friends with hart deuout
To Ioue for safetie of the man did powre their prayers out,
With vowes in many sundry sortes: but some that best perceavde:
The hazard great he entred on, their hartes to God they heavde,
And prayed thus: O mightie God, most great most good who stayes
On Ida hill beholding this, O Ioue who beares the swayes,
And rules all combats at thy will, this fauour graunt to day,
That this good Greeke of this conflict may bring the palme away.
Or if thou dost too great good minde vnto sir Hector owe,
Graunt end this strife, they both alyue with honor home may goe.
The Aiax strong himselfe doth arme in braue and brightsome brasse,
And forth he comes into the campe, in port and shewe he was
Like Mars the God, when he doth martch, he yet a smiling hath,
But that his smile a visage shewes inflamde and set to wrath,
With notice to his fellowes all he was their certaine forte:
His countenaunce stout, his sterne martch, whe they saw in such sort,
And so stiffe shaking of his launce, they doe beginne to ioye.
But to this combat he thus prest, now doubte the men of Troy,
Hector himselfe being agast, would haue retired sure,
But him they would a cowarde count, he did the strife procure.
Then Aiax hanging at his necke his huge and waightie targe,
Which towerwise to stoode aloft, so dreadfull and so large,
(He Tychius of late it forgde, with seuen folded hydes,
With stiffe, eke hard, and azerde steele be couerde it besides)
To Hector drawes: he shewe full great, and boldnesse on doth set,
Unto him there these were his wordes, wherwith he thus doth threat.
This day thou Hector well shalt knowe, of Greece the force & powre,
Thou wel shalt know what heds of knights we haue thee for to scoure
Achilles out, who keepes abourde, with armes who doth not mell,
Bicause of an vnhappie iarre betweene our chiefe which fell
And him: And here my selfe t'aduaunce among the rest thou seest,
And therefore now beginne, beginne if of the mynde you beest.
Hector hearing thus the Greeke, doth forthwith then replie,
What iollie Aiax are these wordes so arrogant and hie,
Most like a dame or prentise young gesse you to make me shrinke?
Sure long agoe what longs to warre I knowe, and so doe thinke,
And willing thereto giue my selfe, a charge I can abyde,
And charge I can, my massie shielde I knowe to beare, I ride
At hand, and further fight I knowe, I foote it when I please,
And all these knowe I howe to vse, when most they ayde or ease.
By sleights my foe I can sometime imbrewe with mortall blowe,
But you a man of valure much bicause I certaine knowe,
No cunning will I vse as nowe, but clap you on the Crowne,
With arme I will imploy my best therewith to plucke you downe.
With this doth Hector to him draw, his sturdie dart he shooke
So large in length, so stifely launcde, that forth the way it tooke
And pierced to the seuenth fold of that his buckler strong:
The toughe and steeled plate with all it teared all a long.
Aiax againe his stubborne staffe at Hector shaking flings,
With force so great, as through the bosse of Hectors targe it rings,
And further to his paunche doth passe, and Curet through doth glide,
No harme at all, a small at least the Troyan turnd aside:
Ech out againe his launce to plucke doth striue the best he can,
Like Lions fierce, inuincible, and grieslie bores they ranne
Together both: Hector doth thrust on targe, but all in vaine,
The strength therof doth beare it off, and turnes the poynt againe.
And Aiax blowe did likewise glaunce on Hectors shield aloft,
And peercde his necke, the purple bloud it trickled downe full soft.
So small a ticke he heedeth not, retyring from the grounde
He seekes and takes a coggle blacke, a mightie and a rounde.
Therewith on Aiax so doth lay, on target great it range,
In midst thereof the stone resounds, so soundly he it flange.
Aiax a greater farre doth ratch, and brawnly so doth cast
That he his bigge and bumpishe targe therwith in peeces brast.
The Troyan on his knees he sancke, perforce on earth he lay
With shield behapte, from whence to scape he knew no maner way,
But that Apollo sodainly ariueth in the place,
To yeeld a safetie to the man, and raise him in that case.
Then would they out haue bladed it their armor so to teare,
But them betweene the Heraults came, eche did a sceptre beare.
And Idee sage, the herault wise there thus in speach he brake:
Deere sonnes, leaue off this cruel strife, herein a breathing take,
To Ioue you both are deare, do end this deadly combate nowe,
And al the packe of mortall men you valiant doe allowe.
Lo here the might which bids you two to graunt to my request.
Quoth Aiax then, O Ideus thou wel and wisely sayest,
But I refuse, if Troyan here, who did vs al prouoke,
And me assaild, do not entreate this quarrel to reuoke,
And if he do, I do agree to graunt with al my hart.
Quoth Hector then, sith Gods on earth such honor thee impart,
That as of force, good gifts, and wit, so eke of mightie bone,
I do confesse of al the Greekes thou art the Knight alone.
On Gods name leaue this enterprise, againe we may beginne,
Another time we may it trie, who shal the honor winne.
The more, bicause the sunne is lowe, and night drawes nie at hand,
Whereby wel pleasd your mates wil be, & Greeks hereby that stad.
And I the dwellers al of Troy againe shall greatly glad,
And eke the dames, who deeply deerde, their prayers now haue had,
For me, I thinke it Aiax meete in chaunge we do bestow
Our presents now betweene vs both, that all the world may know,
And say to see our heate so colde: these two were lately foes,
And now great friends, their enmitie to faithful friendship groes.
With thys the prowest Hector gaue his bright and gallant blade,
With seemly sheath and belt so braue, so trimly which were made.
Againe to him doth Aiax reach the Bawdrike big he bare,
He pleasd therewith, and Aiax doth vnto his friends repaire.
And Hector to his Troyans commes, whome seeing safe and sound,
They ioy amayne, they dreaded he, had caught some mortal wound.
They vnto Troy do bring him all, and Aiax strong doth goe
Forthwith the Greekish faction on, victor with souldiors showe,
And in his tent he seeketh out Agamemnon the King,
Who chieftaine good, them al to feast commaunded euery thing.
To Ioue for fauor forthwith he doth sacrifice prepare,
A Bull of grease of fiue yeares olde the yoke that neuer bare.
Which straight was lead and offred vp, and off they plucke the hide,
And him in peeces al to cut, and them on spits they slide.
And al things fit, eche man drewe nie, to eate and feede his fil,
And so wel vsd, as when they left they liked al at will.
Agamemn dothe his champion muche extoll, and presents feate
Of price hym gaue, in witnesse of his force and prowesse greate.
When eche so muche had eate and drunke, as wel content they stood,
The Nestor olde, whose counsel graue was alwayes proued good,
(Which to declare his last aduise it lately servde them wel)
To Agamemnon and the Greeks his tale he thus doth tel:
Ye loftie Lordes and Princes great, ye are not to be taughte
Thys day how many Grecians are to death by weapon broughte.
Their bodies layed along the field, their soules to hel are hyed,
Some order must be tane herein, their buriall to prouide,
And for the same the war to cease, to morrow needes must we
To Carrs to ioine Moyles two to two, and also yokte muste be
A number great of Oxen to, the carcasses to beare
More nie the ships, and there with fire the same on heapes to reare.
I wish also that heede there be to saue the bones that burne,
To giue them to their children, if we haply home retourne.
And eke a common Monument a Trophee let vs build,
And more, oure vessals eke is beste from Troyans them to shielde,
(Least haply they vnhaply should in fight the better get)
We towers hie, and bulwarkes strong about them nie do set,
With ample gates and issues wide, the Chariots forth to goe,
And eke our squadrons with our bandes to passe out to and fro,
With trenches large and deepe before, with pales impaled strong,
To keepe vs from the Troyans charge, if haply with their throng
They should assaile vs where they are. Thus Nestor loud did chaut,
And that his councell al the kings for good did willing graunt.
And Troyans to consulting come did greatly grow to muse,
There rose so many diuers mindes they know not which to chuse.
The Lordes and great men of the towne, and people many by,
Antenor thus hys tale beganne with voice and speeche on hie.
Giue eare ye Troyans I you pray, and forraine souldiors to,
Ye Citizens hearke what I wish and councell you to do:
Let Helene to hir husband home be sent with all the spoile,
The riches and the things of price were brought out Grecian soile,
The pacte and promise Paris made with othe, for to allowe,
For otherwise to plye the fielde against that concorde nowe,
I surely hope no good at all can hap vs in the end.
Sirs, thinke of this, the eare whereof I doe to you commend.
This said, Antenor takes his place, and downe therein he set,
And Paris doth in choller growe, with him he takes the pet,
And youthly thus doth answere him: Antenor wel you can
When so you list, giue sounde aduise, and are a pretie man,
To tel a tale, for Troyans good you practise can at full,
But your opinion now declares your senses lost or dull.
And thinke for truth the Gods haue tane (as you a dotarde ware)
From you your wittes: And as for me, I contrary declare
My selfe to that which you haue sayde, and haue determind plaine,
The Greekish Lady at no hand I wil hir leaue againe.
But for to end this strife, I will the treasure eft restore,
And iewels which I tooke in Greece, and with them thus much more:
The costliest in my house I haue, if so accept they wil,
These points of peace, and so content remaine contented still.
King Priam herevppon, a Prince of prudence bearing bell,
In councel graue, to al the rout he thus his tale did tell.
Ye Troyans and my other friendes hearke what I you aduise,
Your lodgings home go seeke ye al, sith now the night doth rise,
Your selues with meat repast I pray, and with your supper done
Regarde with heede your watch and warde, as they by course do run:
And in the morning shall there goe a Herault to the Greekes,
At length who shal to them declare what Alexander leekes
My sonne, and know their minde therein, and more a matter say
Which hardly they wil vs deny, that there may be a stay
Of warre awhile, that eche of vs in graue the bodyes slaine,
And burne the carcasses, for vs which dead abroade remaine:
And then we shall beginne to see who shall obtaine the price.
No sooner saide, but Troyans al obey him in a trice,
They to their supper do departe, some to the watch do hye,
And some their tyred limmes to reste on couches downe do lye.
Good Ide the herault in the morne to execute his charge,
Commes to the ship of Agamemn, within the vessell large,
Whereas he founde of Greekish Lordes the troup in councell fast,
Aloft the poupe to whome to say himselfe he thus doth cast.
Ye famous mightie Atreus heires, and al ye here togither,
Ye prudent hardie princes Greekes, King Priam sends me hither,
And all his worthy councell wise to shew vnto you al,
His Paris sonne (the onely cause for whom this warre doth fall,
Who rather should haue suffred death, than such a mischief wrought)
Is now content to yeelde againe the pray from Greece he brought.
And thereto offers for to put good portion of his owne.
But Troyans to persuade him much, who all are greatly growne
Dame Helene faire for to restore, their labor lost they take,
He will hir holde. Aduise nowe Lordes, what answere yee wil make,
That I to Troy returne the same, my king he eke demaundes,
If that of truce ye will allow, the bodies on the laundes,
Which dead do ly by slaughter of this late and last dayes warre,
In fitly graues and sepultures the same for to entarre.
Whiche done, the peace to haue an end, and with our yron to it,
To see who for the victorie by force in fight shal do it.
The Greekish Lordes the Herault heard, amazed nothing spake,
Til Diomede that noble Prince he thus the silence brake:
This offer must we not accept (quoth he) if that Helene
They would and al the wealth of Troy with hir restore againe,
Who doth not fully wel perceiue (if not a fondling babe)
That shortly al the Troyans hereshal be our vassals made,
The time at hand this vile reproch with vengeance due to pay:
Herewith they greatly laud the man, and loe what he do say.
Quoth Agamemn the herault to, thou hearst the Grecians minds,
As theirs, my answere is, my will gainst theirs it not repines.
As for the truce, it graunted is as thou thy self dost pray,
I may not crosse it, from the dead to keepe their graues away,
The hate it ought to be forgot when dead the person lyes,
Do you amasse the carcases which of your partie rise,
And burne, or burie as you list, and we wil do the same:
And for a witnesse of our faith, that it be voyde of blame,
O Ioue I do thee now inuoke, and Sceptre vp he throwes,
His royal one to heauens ward, a signe, true meaning showes.
The Herault good wel hearing al, to Troy with speede he hies,
And Troyans found at councel harde, who longde with loking eyes
His comming home, the answere brought th'assembly parts awaye,
And forward forth abrode they go, & in the fields they stray.
One number great doth seeke the slaine, another down doth hacke
The weedes, and faggots bind, & Greeks like minde they do not lack.
A whole day long you might haue seene the Greeks & Troyans plye
On worke they both and often meete no whit displeasauntly.
It pitie was in field to see them labourd so and toylde,
And hardly know their kinsfolks blee, with bloud they were so foyld.
But often washing them they found, and layd them on their chares,
And armour eke, with bitter teares & sighes that shewde their cares.
King Priam in a mightie flame did throw the Troyans slayne,
And subiects would not suffer more in mourning wise to plain.
So with the Greekes delt Agamemn, and more a masse did reare
Close in the night the slaughtered bones wherin they tumbled were
Not resting so, they round about their ships and nauie set
Many a strong and sturdie towre, & bulwarkes big they bet,
Gates hie and wide, as fit it was in souldiours to retire,
From battel come, or forth to go, to fight when they desire.
Without a gallant ditch they dig ful deepe, ful low and large,
With postes and pales renforced so, it hard was for to charge.
The Gods in peerelesse Pallace set of Ioue, this stirre espyed,
And maruelld much among the where Neptune, who could not hide
His spite conceivde, these words did use: you God of gods alone,
O Ioue, in vowes, and sacrifise I careful now see none,
Nor yet to reare a worke of worth, no men I see to heede
The will of Gods, they at their hedes to cast it are agreede.
Dost thou not see these perulce Greekes, who vs besought no wayes
When as their toures they topt aloft, and rampires great did raise?
Their fame all Countreys thus shal fill, and of their buildings ring,
And walles by me and Phoebus built they down on ground shal ding,
Their name encreast, our labour lost, the Marine God thus spake,
Who often by his proper power doth force the earth to quake.
In anger Ioue straight answerd thus: what sayst thou Neptue here,
A meaner God of right then you these doings ought to feare.
You are to great your glorie spreads as far as day doth start.
For these gay towers and trenches wide, when their hie ships depart
To Greece their Countrey to returne, their worke destroy and race,
Orewhelm it clean with sand, therof, that none may know the place.
The son straight after downe it drawes, and vp the night it gat,
And al things done, the Greekes at rest in their pauilions sat,
And many a beefe for supper slue, and there that instant tide
Diuers keeles full fraught with wine from Lemnos fat did ride.
Euneus, faire Hipsiphils son, to Iason which she bare,
For trafficke some and some to giue causde thither to repayre.
For of these new and pleasaunt wines, a thousand tuns he ful
Gaue to the chiefetaine of the war: the Greekes came down in scul,
And barter for the wine apace, in hauen where it lay,
Some brasse exchaungde, some yron, some hides, & prisoners some do paye.
Some bullockes from their heards do giue, and so they drink cotent,
That all the night no iote they slept but it in cheering spent.
Againe the Troyans ful at wil possest what they disirde,
But Ioue he did them much amaze, the heauen so it firde
With thunder and with lightning flames, which al ye night did last,
Deuout his anger to appease, vpon the ground they cast
In sacrifice great store of wine (the time then calme and quiet)
They tend to Cabane at their ease, and sound in sleepe lye by it.

Finis Septimi Libri