Polytropy

From The Iliads of Homer prince of poets (as typeset by Early English Books Online)

Neuer before in any languag truely translated. With a co[m]ment vppon some of his chiefe places; donne according to the Greeke by Geo: Chapman.

THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

THe chearfull Ladie of the light, deckt in her saffron robe,*
Disperst her beames through euery part, of this enflowred globe,
When thundring Ioue a Court of Gods, assembled by his will,
In top of all the topfull heights, that crowne th’Olympian hill.
He spake, and all the Gods gaue eare: Heare how I stand inclind:*
That God nor Goddesse may attempt, t’infringe my soueraigne mind:
But all giue suffrage; that with speed, I may these discords end.
What God soeuer I shall find, indeuour to defend
Or Troy or Greece, with wounds to heauen, he (sham’d) shall reascend;
Or (taking him with his offence) Ile cast him downe as deepe
As Tartarus (the brood of night) where Barathrum doth steepe*
Torment in his profoundest sinks; where is the floore of brasse,
And gates of iron: the place, for depth, as farre doth hell surpasse,
As heauen (for height) exceeds the earth; then shall he know from thence,
How much my power past all the Gods, hath soueraigne eminence.
Indanger it the whiles and see: let downe our golden chaine;
And, at it, let all Deities, their vtmost strengths constraine,
To draw me to the earth from heauen: you neuer shall preuaile,
Though with your most contention, ye dare my state assaile:
But when my will shall be disposd, to draw you all to me;
Euen with the earth it selfe, and seas, ye shall enforced be.
Then will I to Olympus top, our vertuous engine bind,
And by it euerie thing shall hang, by my command inclind:
So much I am supreme to Gods; to men supreme as much.
The Gods sat silent, and admir’d; his dreadfull speech was such.Page 106
At last, his blue-eyd daughter spake: O great Saturnides,
O Father, ô heauens highest King; well know we the excesse*
Of thy great power, compar’d with all: yet the bold Greekes estate
We needs must mourne, since they must fall, beneath fo hard a fate:
For if thy graue command enioyne, we will abstaine from fight:
But to afford them such aduice, as may relieue their plight,
We will (with thy consent) be bold; that all may not sustaine
The fearefull burthen of thy wrath, and with their shames be slaine.
He smil’d, and said; Be confident, thou art belou’d of me:*
I speake not this with serious thoughts, but will be kind to thee.
This said, his brasse hou’d winged horse, he did to chariot bind,*
Whose crests were fring’d with manes of gold, and golden garments shin’d
On his rich shoulders; in his hand, he tooke a golden scourge,
Diuinely fashiond, and with blowes, their willing speed did vrge,
Mid way betwixt the earth and heauen; to Ida then he came,*
Abounding in delicious springs, and nurse of beasts vntame;
Where (on the mountaine Gargarus) men did a Fane erect
To his high name, and altars sweet; and there his horse he checkt;
Dissolu’d them from his chariot, and in a cloud of ieate
He couerd them, and on the top, tooke his triumphant seate;
Beholding Priams famous towne, and all the Fleet of Greece,*
The Greeks tooke breakfast speedily, and arm’d at euerie peece:
So Troians; who though fewer farre, yet all to fight tooke armes:
Dire need enforc’t them, to auert, their wiues and childrens harmes.
All gates flew open, all the host, did issue, foote and horse,
In mightie tumult: straite one place, adioynd each aduerse force:*
Then shields with shields met, darts with darts, strength against strength op∣posd:
The bosse-pik’t targets were thrust on, and thunderd as they closd
In mightie tumult; grone for grone, and breath for breath did breath:
Of men then slaine and to be slaine; earth flowd with fruits of death.
While the faire mornings beautie held, and day increast in height;
Their Iauelins mutually made death, transport an equall freight:
But when the hote Meridian point, bright Phoebus did ascend,*
Then Ioue his golden Ballances, did equally extend:
And of long-rest-conferring death, put in two bitter fates
For Troy and Greece he held the midst: the day of finall dates
Fell on the Greeks: the Greeks hard lots, sunke to the flowrie ground.
The Troians leapt as high as heauen, then did the claps resound,
Of his fierce thunder; lightning leapt, amongst each Grecian troope:*
The sight amaz’d them; pallid feare, made boldest stomacks stoope.
Then Idomen durst not abide; Atrides went his way,
And both th’Aiaces: Nestor yet, against his will did stay
(That graue Protector of the Greekes): for Paris with a dart
Enrag’d one of his chariot horse; he smote the vpper part
Of all his skull, euen where the haire, that made his foretop, sprung:
The hurt was deadly, and the paine, so sore the courser stung,
(Pierc’t to the braine) he stampt and plung’d: one on another beares:
Entangled round about the beame; then Nestor cut the geresPage 107
With his new drawne authentique sword; meane while the firie horse
Of Hector brake into the preasse, with their bold rulers force:
Then good old Nestor had bene slaine, had Diomed not espied;*
Who to Vlysses, as he fled, importunately cried;
Thou, that in counsels dost abound, O Laertiades,
Why flyest thou? why thus cowardlike, shunst thou the honourd prease?
Take heed thy backe take not a dart: stay, let vs both intend
To driue this cruell enemie, from our deare aged friend.
He spake: but warie Ithacus, would find no patient eare:*
But fled forth right, euen to the fleet: yet though he single were,
Braue Diomed mixt amongst the fight, and stood before the steeds
Of old Neleides, whose estate, thus kingly he areeds:
O father, with these youths in fight, thou art vnequall plac’t,
Thy willing sinewes are vnknit, graue age pursues thee fast,
And thy vnruly horse are slow; my chariot therefore vse,
And trie how readie Troian horse, can flie him that pursues;
Pursue the flier, and euery way, performe the varied fight:
I forc’t them from Anchises sonne, well skild in cause of flight.
Then let my Squire leade hence thy horse: mine thou shalt guard, whilst I
(By thee aduanc’t) assay the fight; that Hectors selfe may trie
If my lance dote with the defects, that faile best minds in age,
Or find the palsey in my hands, that doth thy life engage.
This, noble Nestor did accept; and Diomeds two friends,
Eurymedon, that valour loues; and Sthenelus, ascends,
Old Nestors coach: of Diomeds horse, Nestor the charge sustains
And Tydeus sonne tooke place of fight; Neleides held the rains,
And scourg’d the horse, who swiftly ran, direct in Hectors face,*
Whom fierce Tydides brauely charg’d: but, he turnd from the chace,
His iaueline Eniopeus smit, mightie Thebaeus sonne,
And was great Hectors chariotere; it through his breast did runne,
Neare to his pappe; he fell to earth, backe flew his frighted horse;
His strength and soule were both dissolu’d: Hector had deepe remorse
Of his mishap: yet left he him, and for another sought;
Nor long his steeds did want a guide: for straight good fortune brought
Bold Archeptolemus, whose life, did from Iphytis spring;
He made him take the reines and mount: then soules were set on wing:
Then high exploits were vndergone, then Troians in their wals
Had bene infolded like meeke Lambs, had Ioue winkt at their fals;
Who hurld his horrid thunder forth, and made pale lightnings flie
Into the earth, before the horse, that Nestor did applie.
A dreadfull flash burnt through the aire, that sauourd sulphure-like,
Which downe before the chariot, the dazled horse did strike:
The faire reines fell from Nestors hand; who did (in feare) intreate
Renownd Tydides, into flight, to turne his furies heate.*
For knowest thou not, said he, our aide, is not supplide from Ioue?
This day he will giue fame to Troy, which when it fits his loue
We shall enioy; let no man tempt, his vnresisted will,
Though he exceed in gifts of strength: for he exceeds him still.Page 108
Father (replied the king) t’is true: but both my heart and soule*
Are most extremely grieu’d to thinke, how Hector will controule
My valour with his vants in Troy: that I was terror-sicke
With his approch: which when he boasts, let earth deuoure me quicke.
Ah warlike Tydeus sonne (said he,) what needlesse words are these?*
Though Hector should report thee faint, and amorous of thy ease,
The Troians nor the Troian wiues, would neuer giue him trust,
Whose youthfull husbands thy free hand, hath smotherd so in dust.
This said, he turn’d his one-hou’d horse, to flight, and troope did take;
When Hector and his men with showts, did greedie pursute make,
And pour’d on darts, that made aire sigh: then Hector did exclame;
O Tydeus sonne, the kings of Greece, do most renowne thy name*
With highest place, feasts, and full cups; who now will do thee shame:
Thou shalt be like a woman vsd, and they will say; Depart
Immartiall minion, since to stand, Hector, thou hadst no hart:
Nor canst thou scale our turrets tops, nor leade the wiues to fleet
Of valiant men; that wifelike fear’st, my aduerse charge to meet.
This, two waies mou’d him; still to flie, or turne his horse and fight:
Thrise thrust he forward to assault; and euery time the fright
Of Ioues fell thunder draue him backe: which he proposd for signe
(To shew the change of victorie) Troians should victors shine.
Then Hector comforted his men; All my aduentrous friends,*
Be men, and of your famous strength, thinke of the honourd ends.
I know, beneuolent Iupiter, did by his becke professe
Conquest, and high renowne to me; and to the Greeks distresse.
O fooles, to raise such silly forts, not worth the least account,
Nor able to resist our force; with ease our horse may mount,
Quite ouer all their hollow dike: but when their fleet I reach,
Let Memorie to all the world, a famous bonfire teach:
For, I will all their ships inflame; with whose infestiue smoke
(Feare-shrunke and hidden neare their keels) the conquerd Greeks shall choke.
Then cherisht he his famous horse: O Xanthus, now, said he,*
And thou Podargus: Aethon to, and Lampus, deare to me;
Make me some worthy recompence, for so much choice of meate,
Giuen you by faire Andromache; bread of the purest wheate;
And with it (for your drinke) mixt wine, to make ye wished cheare,*
Still seruing you before my selfe (her husband young and deare:)
Pursue and vse your swiftest speed, that we may take for prise
The shield of old Neleides, which Fame lifts to the skies;*
Euen to the handles, telling it, to be of massie gold:
And from the shoulders let vs take, of Diomed the bold,
The royall curace Vulcan wrought, with art so exquisite.
These if we make our sacred spoile, I doubt not, but this Night,
Euen to their nauie to enforce, the Greekes vnturned flight.
This Iuno tooke in high disdaine; and made Olympus shake,
As she but stird within her throne; and thus to Neptune spake;
O Neptune, what a spite is this? thou God so huge in power,*
Afflicts it not thy honor’d heart, to see rude spoile deuourePage 109
These Greekes that haue in Helice, and Aege, offred thee
So many and such wealthie gifts, let them the victors be;
If we that are the aids of Greece, would beate home these of Troy,
And hinder brode-eyd Ioues prowd will, it would abate his ioy.*
He (angrie) told her, she was rash, and he would not be one,
Of all the rest, should striue with Ioue, whose power was matcht by none.
Whiles they conferd thus, all the space, the trench containd before,
(From that part of the fort that flankt, the nauie-anchoring shore)
Was fild with horse and targateirs, who there for refuge came,
By Mars-swift Hectors power engagde; Ioue gaue his strength the fame:
And he with spoilefull fire had burnt, the fleet: if Iunos grace
Had not inspirde the king himselfe, to run from place to place,
And stirre vp euerie souldiers powre, to some illustrous deed;*
First visiting their leaders tents, his ample purple weed
He wore, to shew all who he was; and did his station take
At wise Vlysses sable barkes, that did the battell make
Of all the fleet: from whence his speech, might with more ease be driuen
To Aiax and Achilles ships; to whose chiefe charge were giuen
The Vantguard and the Rereguard both: both for their force of hand,
And trustie bosomes. There arriu’d, thus vrg’d he to withstand*
Th’insulting Troians: O what shame, ye emptie hearted Lords,
Is this to your admired formes? where are your glorious words?
In Lemnos vaunting you the best, of all the Grecian host?
We are the strongest men (ye said) we will command the most:
Eating most flesh of high hornd beeues, and drinking cups full crownd:
And euerie man a hundred foes, two hundred will confound:
Now all our strength, dar’d to our worst, one Hector cannot tame,
Who presently with horrid fire, will all our fleet inflame.*
O Father Ioue, hath euer yet, thy most vnsuffred hand
Afflicted, with such spoile of soules, the king of any land?
And taken so much fame from him? when I did neuer faile
(Since vnder most vnhappie starres, this fleet was vnder saile)
Thy glorious altars, I protest; but aboue all the Gods,
Haue burnt fat thighs of beeues to thee; and praid to race th’abodes
Of rape-defending Ilions: yet grant (almightie Ioue)
One fauour, that we may at least, with life from hence remoue:
Not vnder such inglorious hands, the hands of death imploy,
And where Troy should be stoopt by Greece, let Greece fall vnder Troy.
To this euen weeping king, did Ioue, remorsefull audience giue,
And shooke great heauen to him, for signe, his men and he should liue:
Then quickly cast he off his hawke, the Eagle prince of aire,*
That perfects his vnspotted vowes; who seisd in her repaire
A sucking hinde calfe; which she trust, in her enforciue seeres,
And by Ioues altar let it fall, amongst th’amazed peeres,
Where the religious Achiue kings, with sacrifice did please
The authour of all Oracles, diuine Saturnides.
Now when they knew the bird of Ioue, they turnd couragious head:
When none (though many kings put on) could make his vaunt, he ledPage 110
Tydides to renewd assault: or issued first the dike,*
Or first did fight: but farre the first, stone dead his lance did strike
Arm’d Agelaus; by descent, surnam’d Phradmonides;
He turn’d his readie horse to flight; and Diomeds lance did seise
His backe betwixt his shoulder blades, and lookt out at his brest;
He fell, and his armes rang his fall. Th’Atrides next addrest
Themselues to fight; th’Aiaces next, with vehement strength endude:
Idomeneus and his friend, stout Merion, next pursude:
And after these Euripilus, Euemons honord [r]ace:
The ninth, with backward wreathed bow, had little Teucer place;
He still fought vnder Aiax shield; who sometimes held it by,*
And then he lookt his obiect out, and let his arrow flie:
And whomsoeuer in the preasse, he wounded, him he slue;
Then vnder Aiax seuen-fold shield, he presently withdrew.
He far’d like an vnhappie child, that doth to mother run
For succour, when he knowes full well, he some shrewd turne hath done.
What Troians then were to their deaths, by Teucers shafts imprest?
Haplesse Orsylochus was first; Ormenus, Ophelest,
Detor, and hardie Cronius, and Lycophon diuine;
And Amopaon, that did spring, from Polyemons line,
And Menalippus: all on heapes, he tumbled to the ground.
The king reioyc’t to see his shafts, the Phrygian ranks confound:
Who straight came neare, and spake to him; O Teucer louely man,*
Strike still so sure, and be a grace, to euerie Grecian;
And to thy father Telamon, who tooke thee kindly home,
(Although not by his wife, his sonne) and gaue thee foster roome,
Euen from thy childhood; then to him, though far from hence remou’d,
Make good fame reach; and to thy selfe, I vow what shall be prou’d:
If he that dreadfull Egis beares, and Pallas grant to me
Th’expugnance of wel-builded Troy, I first will honour thee,
Next to my selfe with some rich gift, and put it in thy hand:
A three-foot vessell, that for grace, in sacred Fanes doth stand:
Or two horse and a chariot, or else a louely Dame,
That may ascend on bed with thee, and amplifie thy name.
Teucer right nobly answerd him: Why (most illustrate king)*
I being thus forward of my selfe, dost thou adioyne a sting?
Without which, all the power I haue, I ceasse not to imploy:
For, from the place where we repulst, the Troians towards Troy,
I all the purple field haue strew’d, with one or other slaine:
Eight shafts I shot, with long steele heads, of which not one in vaine;
All were in youthfull bodies fixt, well skild in warres constraint:
Yet this wild dog, with all my aime, I haue no power to taint.
This said, another arrow forth, from his stiffe string he sent,
At Hector, whom he long’d to wound; but still amisse it went:
His shaft smit faire Gorgythion, of Priams princely race,
Who in Aepina was brought forth (a famous towne in Thrace)
By Castianira; that, for forme, was like celestiall breed.
And as a crimson Poppie flower, surcharged with his seed,Page 111
And vernall humors falling thicke, declines his heauie brow;*
So, of one side, his helmets weight, his fainting head did bow:
Yet Teucer would another shaft, at Hectors life dispose;
So faine, he such a marke would hit: but still besides it goes;
Apollo did auert the shaft: but Hectors charioteere
Bold Archeptolemus he smit, as he was rushing neere
To make the fight: to earth he fell, his swift horse backe did flie,
And there, were both his strength and soule, exilde eternally.
Huge griefe, for Hectors slaughterd friend, pincht-in his mightie mind:
Yet was he forc’t to leaue him there, and his void place resignd
To his sad brother, that was by; Cebriones: whose eare
Receiuing Hectors charge, he straight, the weightie reines did beare;
And Hector, from his shining coach (with horrid voice) leapt on,*
To wreake his friend on Teucers hand; and vp he tooke a stone,
With which he at the Archer ran; who, from his quiuer, drew
A sharpe-pild shaft, and nockt it sure: but, in great Hector flew,
With such fell speed, that in his draught, he his right shoulder strooke,
Where twixt his necke and breast, the ioynt, his natiue closure tooke:
The wound was wondrous full of death, his string in sunder flees;
His nummed hand fell strengthlesse downe, and he vpon his knees.
Aiax neglected not to aid, his brother thus deprest;
But came and saft him with his shield; and two more friends addrest
To be his aide, tooke him to fleet; Mecistius, Echius son,
And gay Alastor: Teucer sigh’d, for all his seruice done.
Then did Olympius, with fresh strength, the Troian powers reuiue;
Who to their trenches once againe, the troubled Greekes did driue.
Hector brought terror with his strength, and euer fought before:
As when some highly stomackt hound, that hunts a syluan Bore,
Or kingly Lion, loues the hanch, and pincheth oft behind,
Bold of his feet, and still obserues, the game, to turne inclind,
Not vtterly dissolu’d in flight: so Hector did pursue;
And whosoeuer was the last, he euer did subdue.
They fled, but when they had their dike, and Pallesados past,
(A number of them put to sword) at ships they staid at last:
Then mutuall exhortations flew, then all with hands and eyes,
Aduanc’t to all the Gods, their plagues, wrung from them open cries.
Hector with his fowre rich-man’d horse, assaulting alwaies rode;*
The eyes of Gorgon burnt in him, and warres vermilion God.
The Goddesse that all Goddesses (for snowie armes) out shin’d,
Thus spake to Pallas; to the Greeks, with gracious ruth inclin’d.
O Pallas, what a griefe is this? is all our succour past*
To these our perishing Grecian friends? at least withheld at last?
Eu[e]n now, when one mans violence, must make them perish all,
Insatisfaction of a Fate, so full of funerall?
Hector Priamides now raues, no more to be indur’d;
That hath alreadie on the Greeks, so many harmes inur’d.
The Azure Goddesse answerd her; This man had surely found
His fortiude and life dissolu’d, euen on his fathers ground,Page 112
By Grecian valour; if my Sire, infested with ill moods,
Did not so dote on these of Troy, too ielous of their bloods:
And euer, an vniust repulse, stands to my willing powres;
Little remembring what I did, in all the desperate howres
Of his affected Hercules: I euer rescued him,
In labours of Euristheus, vntoucht in life or lim:
When he (heauen knowes) with drowned eyes, lookt vp for helpe to heauen:
Which euer at command of Ioue, was by my supppliance giuen.
But had my wisdome reacht so farre, to know of this euent,
When to the solid-ported depths, of hell his sonne was sent,
To hale out hatefull Plutoes dog, from darksome Erebus,
He had not scap’t the streames of Styx, so deepe and dangerous:
Yet Ioue hates me, and shews his loue, in doing Thetis will,
That kist his knees, and strok’t his chin; praid, and importun’d still,
That he would honour with his aid, her cittie-razing sonne,
Displeasd Achilles: and for him, our friends are thus vndone.
But time shall come againe, when he (to do his friends some aid)
Will call me his Glaucopides; his sweet and blew-eyd maid.
Then harnesse thou thy horse for me, that his bright Pallace ga[t]es
I soone may enter, arming me, to order these debates:
And I will trie if Priams sonne, will still maintaine his cheare,
When in the crimson paths of warre, I dreadfully appeare;
For some prowd Troian shall be sure, to nourish dogs and soules,
And paue the shore with fat, and flesh, depriu’d of liues and soules.
Iuno prepar’d her horse, whose manes, Ribands of gold enlac’t:
Pallas her partie coloured robe; on her bright shoulders cast,*
Diuinely wrought with her owne hands, in th’entrie of her Sire:
Then put she, on her ample breast, her vnder-arming tire,
And on it her celestiall armes: the chariot streight she takes,
With her huge heauie violent lance, with which she slaughter makes
Of armies, fatall to her wrath: Saturnia whipt her horse,*
And heauen gates, guarded by the Howres, op’t by their proper force:
Through which they flew. Whom when Ioue saw (set neare th’Idalian spring)
Highly displeasd: he Iris cald, that hath the golden wings,
And said; Flie Iris, turne them backe, let them not come at me:*
Our meetings (seuerally disposd) will nothing gracious be.
Beneath their o’rethrowne chariot, Ile shiuer their prowd steeds:
Hu[r]le downe themselues, their wagon breake, and for their stubborne deeds,
In ten whole yeares they shall not heale, the wounds I will impresse
With horrid thunder; that my maid, may know, when to addresse
Armes against her father. For my wife, she doth not so offend,
T’is but her vse to interrupt, what euer I intend.
Iris, with this, left Idas hils, and vp t’Olympus flew,*
Met (neare heauen gates) the Goddesses, and thus their haste with-drew.
What course intend you? why are you, wrapt with your fancies storme?
Ioue likes not ye should aid the Greeks, but threats, and will performe,
To crush in peeces your swift horse, beneath their glorious yokes,
Hurle downe your selues, your chariot breake: and those impoysoned strokesPage 113
His wounding thunder shall imprint, in your celestiall parts,
In ten full Springs ye shall not cure: that she that tames proud hearts
(Thy selfe, Minerua) may be taught, to know for what, and when,
Thou doest against thy father fight; for sometimes childeren
May with discretion plant themselues, against their fathers wils;
But not where humors onely rule, in works beyond their skils,
For, Iuno, she offends him not, nor vexeth him so much;
For, t’is her vse to crosse his will, her impudence is such.*
The habite of offence in this, she onely doth contract,
And so grieues or incenseth lesse, though nere the lesse her fact:
But thou most grieu’st him (dogged Dame) whom he rebukes in time,
Lest silence should peruert thy will, and pride too highly clime
In thy bold bosome (desperate girle) if seriously thou dare
Lift thy vnwieldie lance gainst Ioue, as thy pretences are.
She left them, and Saturnia said, Ay me thou seed of Ioue,*
By my aduice we will no more, vnfit contention moue
With Iupiter for mortall men; of whom, let this man die,
And that man liue, who euer he, pursues with destinie:
And let him (plotting all euents) dispose of either host,
As he thinks fittest for them both, and may become vs most.
Thus turnd she backe, and to the Howres, her rich man’d horse resign’d
Who them t’immortall mangers bound; the chariot they inclin’d
Beneath the Christall walls of heauen, and they in golden thrones
Consorted other Deities, repleate with passions.
Ioue, in his bright-wheeld chariot, his firie horse now beats,
Vp to Olympus; and aspir’d, the Gods eternall seats.
Great Neptune loosd his horse; his Carre, vpon the Altar plac’t,
And heauenly-linnen Couerings, did round about it cast.
The farre-seer vsd his throne of gold: the vast Olympus shooke
Beneath his feete, his wife, and maid, apart their places tooke;
Nor any word afforded him: he knew their thoughts, and said;*
Why do you thus torment your selues? you need not sit dismaid
With the long labours you haue vsd, in your victorious fight,
Destroying Troians: gainst whose liues, you heape such high despight.*
Ye should haue held your glorious course; for be assur’d, as farre
As all my powres (by all meanes vrg’d) could haue sustaind the warre:
Not all the host of Deities, should haue retir’d my hand,
From vowd inflictions on the Greeks: much lesse, you two withstand.
But you before you saw the fight, much lesse the slaughter there,
Had all your goodly lineaments, possest with shaking feare;
And neuer had your chariot borne, their charge to heauen againe:
But thunder should haue smit you both, had you one Troian slaine.
Both Goddesses let fall their chins, vpon their Iuorie breasts,
Set next to Ioue; contriuing still, afflicted Troyes vnrests:
Pallas for anger could not speake, Saturnia, contrarie,
Could not for anger hold her peace, but made this bold replie;
Not-to-be-suffred Iupiter, what needst thou still enforce*
Thy matchlesse power? we know it well: But we must yeeld remorsePage 114
To them that yeeld vs sacrifice: nor needst thou thus deride
Our kind obedience, nor our griefes, but beare our powers applide
To iust protection of the Greeks; that anger tombe not all
In Troyes foule gulfe of periurie, and let them stand, should fall.
Greeue not (said Ioue) at all done yet: for if thy faire eyes please,*
This next red morning they shall see, the great Saturnides
Bring more destruction to the Greekes: and Hector shall not cease,
Till he haue rowsed from the Fleet, swift-foot Aeacides:
In that day, when before their ships, for his Patroclus slaine,
The Greekes in great distresse shall fight; for so the Fates ordaine.
I weigh not thy displeased spleene; though to th’extremest bounds
Of earth and seas it carrie thee; where endlesse night confounds
Iapet, and my deiected Sire; who sit so farre beneath,
They neuer see the flying Sunne, nor heare the winds that breath,
Neare to profoundest Tartarus: nor thither if thou went,
Would I take pittie of thy moods, since none more impudent.
To this, she nothing did replie: and now Sols glorious light
Fell to the sea, and to the land, drew vp the drowsie night:
The Troians grieu’d at Phoebus fall, which all the Greeks desir’d:*
And sable night (so often wisht) to earths firme throne aspir’d.
Hector (intending to consult) neare to the gulfie flood
Farre from the Fleet; led to a place, pure, and exempt from blood,
The Troians forces: from their horse, all lighted, and did heare
Th’Oration Ioue-lou’d Hector made; who held a goodly speare,
Eleuen full cubits long; the head, was brasse, and did reflect
A wanton light before him still; it round about was deckt
With strong hoops of new burnisht gold. On this he leand, and said:
Heare me, my worthie friends of Troy, and you our honord aid;*
A little since, I had conceipt, we should haue made retreate,
By light of the inflamed fleet, with all the Greeks escheate;
But darknesse hath preuented vs; and safte, with speciall grace,
These Achiues, and their shore-hal’d fleet. Let vs then render place,
To sacred Night; our suppers dress[e]; and from our chariot free
Our faire-man’d horse, and meate them well: then let there conuoid be,
From forth the citie presently, Oxen, and well fed sheepe;
Sweet wine, and bread; and fell much wood, that all night we may keepe*
Plentie of fires, euen till the light, bring forth the louely morne;
And let their brightnesse glase the skies, that night may not suborne
The Greeks escape, if they, for flight, the seas brode backe would take;
At least they may not part with ease; but as retreit they make,
Each man may beare a wound with him, to cure when he comes home,
Made with a shaft or sharpned speare; and others feare to come,
With charge of lamentable warre, gainst souldiers bred in Troy.
Then let our Heralds, through the towne, their offices imploy,
To warne the youth, yet short of warre; and time-white fathers, past;
That in our god-built towres they see, strong courts of guard be plac’t,
About the wals; and let our Dames, yet flourishing in yeares,
That (hauing beauties to keepe pure) are most inclin’d to fearesPage 115
(Since darknesse in distressefull times, more dreadfull is then light)
Make loftie fires in euery house: and thus, the dangerous night,
Held with strong watch; if th’enemie, haue ambuscadoes laid
Neare to our wals (and therefore seeme, in flight the more dismaid,
Intending a surprise, while we, are all without the towne)
They euery way shall be impugn’d, to euery mans renowne.
Performe all this braue Troian friends: what now I haue to say,
Is all exprest; the chearfull morne, shall other things display;
It is my glorie (putting trust, in Ioue, and other Gods)
That I shall now expulse these dogs, fates sent to our abodes;
Who bring ostents of destinie, and blacke their threatning fleet.
But this night let vs hold strong guards: to morrow we will meet,
(With fierce-made warre) before their ships; and Ile make knowne to all,
If strong Tydides, from their ships, can driue me to their wall,
Or I can pierce him with my sword; and force his bloudy spoile;
The wished morne shall shew his powre, if he can shun his foile,
I running on him with my Lance; I thinke when day ascends,
He shall lie wounded with the first, and by him many friends.
O that I were as sure to liue, immortall, and sustaine
No frailties, with increasing yeares, but euermore remaine
Ador’d like Pallas, or the Sunne; as all doubts die in me,
That heauens next light shall be the last, the Greekes shall euer see.
This speech all Troians did applaud; who from their traces losde
Their sweating horse; which seuerally with headstals they reposde,
And fastned by their chariots; when others brought from towne,
Fat sheepe and oxen, instantly; bread, wine; and hewed downe
Huge store of wood: the winds transferd, into the friendly skie,
Their suppers sauour; to the which, they sate delightfully,
And spent all night in open field; fires round about them shinde;
As when about the siluer Moone, when aire is free from winde,
And stars shine cleare; to whose sweete beames, high prospects, and the brows*
Of all steepe hils and pinnacles, thrust vp themselues for showes;
And euen the lowly vallies ioy, to glitter in their sight,
When the vnmeasur’d firmament, bursts to disclose her light,
And all the signes in heauen are seene, that glad the shepheards hart;
So many fires disclosde their beames, made by the Troian part,
Before the face of Ilion; and her bright turrets show’d.
A thousand courts of guard kept fires: and euery guard allow’d
Fiftie stout men, by whom their horse, eate oates and hard white corne,
And all did wilfully expect, the siluer-throned morne.