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 FIFTH BOOKE OF HOMERS ILIADS.

THen Pallas breath’d in Tydeus sonne: to render whom supreame*
To all the Greekes, at all his parts, she cast a hoter beame,
On his high mind; his body fild, with much superiour might,
And made his compleate armor cast, a farre more complete light.
From his bright helme and shield, did burne, a most vnwearied fire:*
Like rich Autumnus golden lampe, whose brightnesse men admire,
Past all the other host of starres, when with his chearefull face,
Fresh washt in loftie Ocean waues, he doth the skies enchase.
To let whose glorie lose no sight, still Pallas made him turne,
Where tumult most exprest his powre, and where the fight did burne.*
An honest and a wealthie man, inhabited in Troy;
Dares the Priest of Mulciber, who two sons did enioy,
Idaeus, and bold Phegeus, well seene in euerie fight:
These (singl’d from their troopes, and horst) assaild Mineruas knight,*
Who rang’d from fight to fight, on foote; all hasting mutuall charge,
(And now drawne neare) first Phegeus threw, a iaueline swift and large:
Whose head the kings left shoulder tooke, but did no harme at all:
Then rusht he out a lance at him, that had no idle fall;
But in his breast stucke twixt the paps, and strooke him from his horse.*
Which sterne sight, when Idaeus saw (distrustfull of his force
To saue his slaughterd brothers spoile) it made him headlong leape
From his faire chariot, and leaue all: yet had not scap’t the heape
Of heauie funerall, if the God, great president of fire,
Had not (in sodaine clouds of smoke, and pittie of his Sire,
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To leaue him vtterly vnheird) giuen safe passe to his feet.
He gone, Tydides sent the horse, and chariot to the fleet.
The Troians seeing Dares sonnes, one slaine, the other fled,
Were strooke amaz’d; the blew-eyd maide (to grace her Diomed
In giuing free way to his power) made this so ruthfull sact,
A fit aduantage to remoue, the warre-God out of act,
Who rag’d so on the Ilion side; she grip’t his hand and said,
Mars, Mars, thou ruinor of men, that in the dust hast laid*
So many cities, and with blood, thy Godhead dost disteine;
Now shall we ceasse to shew our breasts, as passionate as men,
And leaue the mixture of our hands? resigning Ioue his right
(As rector of the Gods) to giue, the glorie of the fight,
Where he affecteth? lest he force, what we should freely yeeld?
He held it fit, and went with her, from the tumultuous field,
Who set him in an hearby seate, on brode Scamanders shore.*
He gone, all Troy was gone with him, the Greekes draue all before,
And euerie Leader slue a man; but first the king of men
Deseru’d the honor of his name, and led the slaughter then,*
And slue a Leader; one more huge, then any man he led;
Great Odius, Duke of Halizons; quite from his chariots head
He strooke him with a lance to earth, as first he flight addrest;
It tooke his forward-turned backe, and lookt out of his breast;
His huge trunke sounded, and his armes, did eccho the resound.
Idomenaeus to the death, did noble Phaestus wound,*
The sonne of Maeon Borus, that, from cloddie Terna came;
Who (taking chariot) tooke his wound, and tumbl’d with the same
From his attempted seate; the lance, through his right shoulder strooke,
And horrid darknesse strooke through him: the spoile his souldiers tooke.
Atrides-Menelaus slue (as he before him fled)*
Scamandrius, sonne of Strophius, that was a huntsman bred;
A skilfull huntsman, for his skill, Dianas selfe did teach;
And made him able with his dart, infallibly to reach
All sorts of subtlest sauages, which many a wooddie hill
Bred for him; and he much preseru’d, and all to shew his skill.
Yet, not the dart-delighting Queene, taught him to shun this dart;
Nor all his hitting so farre off, (the mastrie of his art:)
His backe receiu’d it, and he fell, vpon his breast withall:
His bodies ruine, and his armes, so sounded in his fall,
That his affrighted horse flew off, and left him, like his life.
Meriones [s]lue Phereclus, whom she that nere was wife,*
Yet Goddesse of good housewiues, held, in excellent respect,
For knowing all the wittie things, that grace an Architect;
And hauing pow’r to giue it all, the cunning vse of hand;
Harmonides his sire built ships, and made him vnderstand,
(With all the practise it requir’d) the frame of all that skill;
He built all Alexanders ships, that au[t]hord all the ill
Of all the Troians and his owne, because he did not know
The Oracles, aduising Troy (for feare of ouerthrow)
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To meddle with no sea affaire, but liue by tilling land;
This man Meriones surprisd, and draue his deadly hand
Through his right hip; the lances head, ran through the region
About the bladder, vnderneath, th’in-muscles, and the bone;
He (sighing) bow’d his knees to death, and sacrific’d to earth.
Phylides staid Pedaeus flight; Antenors bastard birth:*
Whom vertuous Theano his wife (to please her husband) kept
As tenderly as those she lou’d. Phylides neare him stept,
And in the fountaine of the nerues, did drench his feruent lance,
At his heads backe-part; and so farre, the sharpe head did aduance,
It cleft the Organe of his speech; and th’Iron (cold as death)
He tooke betwixt his grinning teeth, and gaue the aire his breath.*
Eurypilus the much renowm’d, and great Euemons sonne,
Diuine Hypsenor slue, begot, by stout Dolopion,
And consecrate Scamanders Priest; he had a Gods regard,
Amongst the people: his hard flight, the Grecian followed hard;
Rusht in so close, that with his sword, he on his shoulder laid
A blow, that his armes brawne cut off; nor there his vigor staid,
But draue downe, and from off his wrist, it hewd his holy hand,
That gusht out blood, and downe it dropt, vpon the blushing sand;
Death, with his purple finger shut, and violent fate, his eyes.
Thus fought these, but distinguisht well; Tydides so implies
His furie, that you could not know, whose side had interest*
In his free labours, Greece or Troy. But as a flood increast
By violent and sodaine showres, let downe from hils, like hils
Melted in furie; swels, and fomes, and so he ouerfils
His naturall channell; that besides, both hedge and bridge resignes
To his rough confluence, farre spread: and lustie flourishing vines
Drownd in his outrage. Tydeus sonne, so ouer-ran the field,
Strew’d such as flourisht in his way: and made whole squadrons yeeld.
When Pandarus, Lycaons sonne, beheld his ruining hand,
With such resistlesse insolence, make lanes through euerie band:
He bent his gold-tipt bow of horne, and shot him rushing in,*
At his right shoulder; where his armes, were hollow; foorth did spin
The blood, and downe his curets ranne; then Pandarus cried out,
Ranke riding Troians, Now rush in: Now, now, I make no doubt,
Our brauest foe is markt for death, he cannot long sustaine
My violent shaft, if Ioues faire Sonne, did worthily constraine
My foot from Lycia: thus he brau’d, and yet his violent sha[f]t
Strooke short with all his violence, Tydides life was saft;
Who yet withdrew himselfe, behind, his chariot and steeds,
And cald to Sthenelus; Come friend, my wounded shoulder needs
Thy hand to ease it of this shaft. He hasted from his seate
Before the coach, and drew the shaft: the purple wound did sweate,
And drowne his shirt of male in blood, and as it bled he praid:
Heare me, of Ioue Aegiochus, thou most vnconquerd maid,*
If euer in the cruell field, thou hast assistfull stood,
Or to my father, or my selfe, now loue, and do me good;
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Giue him into my lances reach, that thus hath giuen a wound,
To him thou guardst; preuenting me, and brags that neuer more,
I shall behold the chearefull Sunne: thus did the king implore.
The Goddesse heard, came neare, and tooke, the wearinesse of fight
From all his nerues and lineaments, and made them fresh and light,*
And said; Be bold, ô Diomed, in euerie combat shine,
The great shield-shaker Tydeus strength (that knight, that Sire of thine)
By my infusion breaths in thee. And from thy knowing mind,
I haue remou’d those erring mists, that made it lately blind,
That thou maist difference Gods from men: and therefore vse thy skill,
Against the tempting Deities, if any haue a will
To trie if thou presum’st of that, as thine, that flowes from them;
And so assum’st aboue thy right. Where thou discern’st a beame
Of any other heauenly power, then she that rules in loue,
That cals thee to the change of blowes; resist not, but remoue;
But if that Goddesse be so bold (since she first stird this warre)
Assault and marke her from the rest, with some infamous scarre.
The blew-eyd Goddesse vanished, and he was seene againe
Amongst the foremost; who before, though he were prompt and faine
To fight against the Troians powers; now, on his spirits were cald,
With thrise the vigor, Lion-like, that hath bene lately gald,*
By some bold sheapheard in a field, where his curld flockes were laid;
Who tooke him as he leapt the fold; not slaine yet, but appaid,
With greater spirit; comes againe, and then the shepheard hides,
(The rather for the desolate place) and in his Coate abides;
His flockes left guardlesse; which amaz’d, shake and shrinke vp in heapes;
He (ruthlesse) freely takes his prey; and out againe he leapes:
So sprightly, fierce, victorious, the great Heroe flew
Vpon the Troians; and at once, he two Commanders slew;
Hyppenor and Astynous, in one, his lance he fixt,*
Full at the nipple of his breast: the other smote betwixt
The necke and shoulder with his sword; which was so well laid on,
It swept his arme and shoulder off. These left, he rusht vpon
Abbas, and Polyeidus, of old Eurydamas
The haplesse sonnes; who could by dreames, tell what would come to passe:
Yet, when his sonnes set forth to Troy, the old man could not read
By their dreames, what would chance to them, for both were stricken dead
By great Tydides: after these, he takes into his rage
Xanthus, and Thoon, Phenops sonnes, borne to him in his age;
The good old man, euen pin’d with yeares, and had not one sonne more
To heire his goods: yet Diomed, tooke both, and left him store
Of teares and sorowes in their steeds; since he could neuer see
His sonnes leaue those hote warres aliue: so, this the end must be*
Of all his labours; what he heapt, to make his issue great,
Authoritie heird, and with her seed, fild his forgotten seate.
Then snatcht he vp two Priamists, that in one chariot stood;*
Echemon, and faire Chromius; as feeding in a wood
Oxen or steeres are; one of which, a Lyon leapes vpon,
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Teares downe, and wrings in two his necke: so sternely Tydeus sonne
Threw from their chariot both these hopes, of old Dardanides:
Then tooke their armes, and sent their horse, to those that ride the seas.
Aeneas (seeing the troopes thus tost) brake through the heate of [f]ight,
And all the whizzing of the darts, to find the Lycian knight
Lycaons sonne: whom hauing found, he thus bespake the Peere:
O Pandarus, where’s now thy bow? thy deathfull arrowes where?*
In which no one in all our host, but giues the palme to thee;
Nor in the Sun-lou’d Lycian greenes, that breed our Archerie,
Liues any that exceeds thy selfe. Come lift thy hands to Ioue,
And send an arrow at this man (if but a man he proue,
That winnes such God-like victories; and now affects our host
With so much sorrow: since so much, of our best blood is lost
By his high valour;) I haue feare, some God in him doth threat,
Incenst for want of sacrifice; the wrath of God is great.
Lycaons famous sonne replyde; Great Counsellor of Troy,*
This man so excellent in armes, I thinke is Tydeus ioy;
I know him by his fierie shield, by his bright three plum’d caske,
And by his horse; nor can I say, if or some God doth maske
In his apparance; or he be (whom I nam’d) Tydeus sonne:
But without God, the things he does (for certaine) are not done;
Some great Immortall, that conueyes, his shoulders in a clowd,
Goes by, and puts by euerie dart, at his bold breast bestowd;
Or lets it take with little hurt[;] for I my selfe let flie
A shaft that shot him through his armes, but had as good gone by:
Yet, which I gloriously affirm’d, had driuen him downe to hell.
Some God is angrie, and with me; for farre hence, where I dwell,
My horse and Chariots idle stand; with which some other way
I might repaire this shamefull misse: eleuen faire chariots stay
In old Lycaons Court; new made, new trimd, to haue bene gone;
Curtaind and Arrast vnder-foote, two horse to euery one,
That eate white Barly and blacke Otes, and do no good at all:
And these Lycaon, (that well knew, how these affaires would fall)
Charg’d (when I set downe this designe) I should command with here;
And gaue me many lessons more, all which much better were
Then any I tooke forth my selfe. The reason I laid downe,
Was, but the sparing of my horse; since in a sieged towne,
I thought our horse-meate would be scant; when they were vsd to haue
Their mangers full; so I left them, and like a lackey slaue
Am come to Ilion, confident, in nothing but my bow,
That nothing profits me; two shafts, I vainly did bestow
At two great Princes; but of both, my arrowes neither slew;
Nor this, nor Atreus yonger sonne: a little blood I drew,
That seru’d but to incense them more. In an vnhappie starre,
I therefore from my Armorie, haue drawne those tooles of warre:
That day, when for great Hectors sake, to amiable Troy
I came to leade the Troian bands. But if I euer ioy
(In safe returne) my Countries sight; my wiues, my lofty towres;
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Let any stranger take this head, if to the firie powres,
This bow, these shafts, in peeces burst (by these hands) be not throwne;
Idle companions that they are, to me and my renowne.
Aeneas said, Vse no such words; for, any other way*
Then this, they shall not now be vsd: we first will both assay
This man with horse and chariot. Come then, ascend to me,
That thou maist trie our Troian horse, how skild in field they be;
And in pursuing those that flie, or flying, being pursude,
How excellent they are of foote: and these (if Ioue conclude)
The scape of Tydeus againe, and grace him with our flight)
Shall serue to bring vs safely off. Come, Ile be first shall fight:
Take thou these faire reines and this scourge; or (if thou wilt) fight thou,
And leaue the horses care to me. He answered, I will now
Descend to fight; keepe thou the reines, and guide thy selfe thy horse;
Who with their wonted manager, will better wield the force*
Of the impulsiue chariot, if we be driuen to flie,
Then with a stranger; vnder whom, they will be much more shye,
And (fearing my voice, wishing thine) grow restie, nor go on,
To beare vs off; but leaue engag’d, for mightie Tydeus sonne,
Themselues and vs; Then be thy part, thy one hou’d horses guide;
Ile make the fight: and with a dart, receiue his vtmost pride.
With this the gorgious chariot, both (thus prepar’d) ascend,
And make full way at Diomed; which noted by his friend;
Mine owne most loued Mind (said he) two mightie men of warre*
I see come with a purposd charge; one’s he that hits so farre
With bow and shaft, Lycaons sonne: the other fames the brood
Of great Anchises, and the Queene, that rules in Amorous blood;
(Aeneas excellent in armes) come vp and vse your steeds,
And looke not warre so in the face, lest that desire that feeds
Thy great mind be the bane of it. This did with anger sting
The blood of Diomed, to see, his friend that chid the king
Before the fight, and then preferd, his ablesse, and his mind,
To all his ancestors in fight, now come so farre behind:*
Whom thus he answerd; Vrge no flight, you cannot please me so;
Nor is it honest in my mind, to feare a coming foe;
Or make a flight good, though with fight; my powers are yet entire,
And scorne the help-tire of a horse; I will not blow the fire
Of their ho[t]e valours with my flight; but cast vpon the blaze
This body borne vpon my knees: I entertaine amaze?
Minerua will not see that shame: and since they haue begun,
They shall not both elect their ends; and he that scapes shall runne;
Or stay and take the others fate: and this I leaue for thee;
If amply wise Athenia, giue both their liues to me,
Reine our horse to their chariot hard, and haue a speciall heed
To seise vpon Aeneas steeds; that we may change their breed,
And make a Grecian race of them, that haue bene long of Troy;
For, these are bred of those braue beasts, which for the louely Boy,
That waits now on the cup of Ioue, Ioue, that farre-seeing God.
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Gaue Tros the king in recompence: the best that euer trod
The sounding Center, vnderneath, the Morning and the Sunne.
Anchises stole the breed of them; for where their Sires did runne,
He closely put his Mares to them, and neuer made it knowne
To him that heird them, who was then, the king Laomedon.
Sixe horses had he of that race, of which himselfe kept foure,
And gaue the other two his sonne; and these are they that scoure
The field so brauely towards vs, expert in charge and flight:
If these we haue the power to take, our prize is exquisite,
And our renowne will farre exceed. While these were talking thus,
The fir’d horse brought th’ assailants neare: and thus spake Pandarus;*
Most suffering-minded Tydeus sonne, that hast of warre the art:
My shaft that strooke thee, slue thee not, I now will proue a dart:
This said, he shooke, and then he threw, a lance, aloft and large,
That in Tydides curets stucke, quite driuing through his targe;
Then braid he out so wild a voice, that all the field might heare;
Now haue I reacht thy root of life, and by thy death shall beare
Our praises chiefe prize from the field: Tydides, vndismaid,
Replide; Thou err’st, I am not toucht: but more charge will be laid
To both your liues before you part: at least the life of one
Shall satiate the throate of Mars; this said, his lance was gone:
Minerua led it to his face, which at his eye ranne in,
And as he stoopt, strooke through his iawes, his tongs roote, and his chinne.*
Downe from the chariot he fell, his gay armes shin’d and rung,
The swift horse trembled, and his soule, for euer charm’d his tongue.
Aeneas with his shield and lance, leapt swiftly to his friend,
Affraid the Greekes would force his trunke; and that he did defend,
Bold as a Lyon of his strength: he hid him with his shield,
Shooke round his lance, and horribly, did threaten all the field
With death, if any durst make in; Tydides raisd a stone,
With his one hand, of wondrous weight, and powr’d it mainly on
The hip of Anchisiades, wherein the ioynt doth moue*
The thigh, tis cald the huckle bone, which all in sherds it droue;
Brake both the nerues, and with the edge, cut all the flesh away:
It staggerd him vpon his knees, and made th’ Heroe stay
His strooke-blind temples on his hand, his elbow on the earth;
And there this Prince of men had died, if she that gaue him birth,
(Kist by Anchises on the greene, where his faire oxen fed,
Ioues louing daughter) instantly, had not about him spred
Her soft embraces, and conuaid, within her heauenly vaile,*
(Vsd as a rampier gainst all darts, that did so hote assaile)
Her deare-lou’d issue from the field: Then Sthenelus in hast,
(Remembring what his friend aduisd) from forth the preasse made fast
His owne horse to their chariot, and presently laid hand,
Vpon the louely-coated horse, Aeneas did command;*
Which bringing (to the wondring Greekes) he did their guard commend
To his belou’d Deiphylus, who was his inward friend,
And (of his equals) one to whom, he had most honor showne[,]
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That he might see them safe at fleete: then stept he to his owne,
With which he chearefully made in, to Tydeus mightie race;
He (madde with his great enemies rape) was hote in desperate chase
Of her that made it; with his lance (arm’d lesse with steele then spight)
Well knowing her no Deitie, that had to do in fight;
Minerua his great patronesse, nor she that raceth townes,
Bellona; but a Goddesse weake, and foe to mens renownes;
Her (through a world of fight) pursude, at last he ouer-tooke,
And (thrusting vp his ruthlesse lance) her heauenly veile he strooke,
(That euen the Graces wrought themselues, at her diuine command)*
Quite through, and hurt the tender backe, of her delicious hand:
The rude point piercing through her palme; forth flow’d th’immortall blood,
(Blood, such as flowes in blessed Gods, that eate no humane food,
Nor drinke of our inflaming wine, and therefore bloodlesse are,
And cald immortals:) out she cried, and could no longer beare
Her lou’d sonne, whom she cast from her; and in a sable clowd*
Phoebus (receiuing) hid him close, from all the Grecian crowd;
Lest some of them should find his death. Away flew Venus then,
And after her cried Diomed; Away thou spoile of men,
Though sprung from all-preseruing Ioue; These hote encounters leaue:*
Is’t not enough that sillie Dames, thy sorceries should deceiue,
Vnlesse thou thrust into the warre, and rob a souldiers right?
I thinke, a few of these assaults, will make thee feare the fight,
Where euer thou shalt heare it nam’d. She sighing, went her way
Extremely grieu’d, and with her griefes, her beauties did decay;
And blacke her Iuorie bodie grew. Then from a dewy mist,*
Brake swift-foot Iris to her aide, from all the darts that hist,
At her quicke rapture; and to Mars, they tooke their plaintife course,
And found him on the fights left hand; by him his speedie horse,
And huge lance, lying in a fogge: the Queene of all things faire,*
Her loued brother on her knees, besought with instant prayre,*
His golden-ribband bound-man’d horse, to lend her vp to heauen,
For she was much grieu’d with a wound, a mortall man had giuen;
Tydides: that gainst Ioue himselfe, durst now aduance his arme.
He granted, and his chariot (perplext with her late harme)*
She mounted, and her wagonnesse, was she that paints the aire;
The horse she reind, and with a scourge, importun’d their repaire,
That of themselues out-flew the wind, and quickly they ascend
Olympus, high seate of the Gods; th’horse knew their iournies end,
Stood still, and from their chariot, the windie footed Dame
Dissolu’d, and gaue them heauenly food; and to Dione came
Her wounded daughter; bent her knees; she kindly bad her stand;
With sweet embraces helpt her vp; strok’t her with her soft hand;
Call’d kindly by her name; and askt, what God hath bene so rude,*
(Sweet daughter) to chastise thee thus? as if thou wert pursude,
Euen to the act of some light sinne, and deprehended so?
For otherwise, each close escape, is in the Great let go.
She answerd; Haughtie Tydeus sonne, hath bene so insolent;*
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Since he, whom most my heart esteemes, of all my lou’d descent,
I rescu’d from his bloodie hand: now battell is not giuen,
To any Troians by the Greekes; but by the Greekes to heauen.
She answerd, Daughter, thinke not much, though much it grieue th[ee: use]*
The patience, whereof many Gods, examples may produce,
In many bitter ils receiu’d; as well that men sustaine
By their inflictions; as by men, repaid to them again[e].
Mars sufferd much more then thy selfe, by Ephialtes powre,*
And Otus, Aloeus sonnes, who in a brazen towre,
(And in inextricable chaines) cast that warre-greedie God;
Where twise sixe months and one he liu’d, and there the period
Of his sad life perhaps had closd, if his kind step-dames eye,
Faire Erebaea had not seene, who told it Mercurie;
And he by stealth enfranchisd him, though he could scarce enioy
The benefite of franchisment, the chaines did so destroy
His vitall forces with their weight. So Iuno sufferd more,
When with a three-forkt arrowes head, Ampbytrios sonne did gore
Her right breast, past all hope of cure. Pluto sustaind no lesse
By that selfe man; and by a shaft, of equall bitternesse,
Shot through his shoulder at hell gates; and there (amongst the dead,
Were he not deathlesse) he had died: but vp to heauen he fled
(Extremely tortur’d) for recure, which instantly he wonne
At Paeons hand, with soueraigne Balme; and this did Ioues great sonne.*
Vnblest, great-high-deed-daring man, that car’d not doing ill;*
That with his bow durst wound the Gods; but by Mineruas will,
Thy wound, the foolish Diomed, was so prophane to giue;
Not knowing he that fights with heauen, hath neuer long to liue;
And for this deed, he neuer shall, haue child about his knee
To call him father, coming home. Besides, heare this from me,
(Strength-trusting man) though thou be strong, and art in strength a towre;
Take heed a stronger meet thee not, and that a womans powre
Containes not that superiour strength; and lest that woman be
Adrastus daughter, and thy wife, the wise Aegiale,
When (from this houre not farre) she wakes, euen sighing with desire
To kindle our reuenge on thee, with her enamouring fire,
In choosing her some fresh young friend, and so drowne all thy fame,
Wonne here in warre, in her Court-peace, and in an opener shame.
This said, with both her hands she cleansd, the tender backe and palme
Of all the sacred blood they lost; and neuer vsing Balme,
The paine ceast, and the wound was cur’d, of this kind Queene of loue.
Iuno and Pallas seeing this, assaid to anger Ioue,
And quit his late made-mirth with them, about the louing Dame,
With some sharpeiest, in like sort built, vpon her present shame.
Grey-eyd Athenia began, and askt the Thunderer,*
If (nothing mouing him to wrath) she boldly might preferre
What she conceiu’d, to his conceipt: and (staying no reply)
She bade him view the Cyprian fruite, he lou’d so tenderly,
Whom she though hurt, and by this meanes, intending to suborne
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Some other Ladie of the Greekes (whom louely veiles adorne)
To gratifie some other friend, of her much-loued Troy,
As she embrac’t and stird her blood, to the Venerean ioy,*
The golden claspe those Grecian Dames, vpon their girdles weare,
Tooke hold of her delicious hand, and hurt it, she had feare.
The Thunderer smil’d, and cald to him, loues golden Arbitresse,*
And told her, those rough workes of warre, were not for her accesse:
She should be making mariages, embracings, kisses, charmes;
Sterne Mars and Pallas had the charge, of those affaires in armes.
While these thus talkt, Tydides rage, still thirsted to atchieue
His prise vpon Anchises sonne; though well he did perceiue
The Sunne himselfe protected him: but his desires (inflam’d
With that great Troian Princes blood, and armes so highly fam’d)
Not that great God did reuerence. Thrise rusht he rudely on;
And thrise betwixt his darts and death, the Sunnes bright target shone:
But when vpon the fourth assault (much like a spirit) he flew,
The far-off-working Deitie, exceeding wrathfull grew,
And askt him: What? Not yeeld to Gods? thy equals learne to know:*
The race of Gods is farre aboue, men creeping here below.
This draue him to some small retreite; he would not tempt more neare
The wrath of him that strooke so farre; whose powre had now set cleare*
Aeneas from the stormie field, within the holy place
Of Pergamus; where, to the hope, of his so soueraigne grace
A goodly Temple was aduanc’t; in whose large inmost part
He left him, and to his supply, enclin’d his mothers heart
(Latona) and the dart-pleasd Queene, who cur’d, and made him strong.
The siluer-bow’d-faire God, then threw, in the tumultuous throng,
An Image, that in stature, looke, and armes he did create*
Like Venus sonne; for which the Greekes, and Troians made debate,
Laid lowd strokes on their Ox-hide shields, and bucklers easly borne:
Which error Phoebus pleasd to vrge, on Mars himselfe in scorne:
Mars, Mars, (said he) thou plague of men, smeard with the dust and blood*
Of humanes, and their ruin’d wals; yet thinks thy God-head good,
To fright this Furie from the field? who next will fight with Ioue.
First, in a bold approch he hurt, the moist palme of thy Loue:
And next (as if he did affect, to haue a Deities powre)
He held out his assault on me. This said, the loftie towre
Of Pergamus he made his seate, and Mars did now excite
The Troian forces, in the forme, of him that led to fight
The Thracian troopes; swift Acamas. O Priams sonnes (said he)
How long, the slaughter of your men, can ye sustaine to see?*
Euen till they braue ye at your gates? Ye suffer beaten downe
Aeneas, great Anchises sonne; whose prowesse we renowne
As much as Hectors: fetch him off, from this contentious prease.
With this, the strength and spirits of all, his courage did increase;
And yet Sarpedon seconds him, with this particular taunt*
Of noble Hector; Hector? where, is thy vnthanfull vaunt,
And that huge strength on which it built? that thou, and thy allies,
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With all thy brothers (without aid of vs or our supplies,
And troubling not a citizen) the Citie safe would hold:
In all which, friends, and brothers helps, I see not, nor am told
Of any one of their exploits; but (all held in dismay
Of Diomed; like a sort of dogs, that at a Lion bay,
And entertaine no spirit to pinch;) we (your assistants here)
Fight for the towne, as you helpt vs: and I (an aiding Peere,
No Citizen, euen out of care, that doth become a man,
For men and childrens liberties) adde all the aide I can:
Not out of my particular cause; far hence my profit growes:
For far hence Asian Lycia lies, where gulfie Xanthus flowes:
And where my lou’d wife, infant sonne, and treasure nothing scant,
I left behind me, which I see, those men would haue, that want:
And therefore they that haue, would keepe; yet I (as I would lose
Their sure fruition) cheere my troupes, and with their liues propose
Mine owne life, both to generall fight, and to particular cope,
With this great souldier: though (I say) I entertaine no hope
To haue such gettings as the Greeks, nor feare to lose like Troy:
Yet thou (euen Hector) deedlesse standst, and car’st not to employ
Thy towne-borne friends; to bid them stand, to fight and saue their wiues:
Lest as a Fowler casts his nets, vpon the silly liues
Of birds of all sorts; so the foe, your walls and houses hales,
(One with another) on all heads: or such as scape their fals,
Be made the prey and prize of them, (as willing ouerthrowne)
That hope not for you, with their force: and so this braue-built towne
Will proue a Chaos: that deserues, in thee so hote a care
As should consume thy dayes and nights, to hearten and prepare
Th’assistant Princes: pray their minds, to beare their far-brought toiles,
To giue them worth, with worthy fight; in victories and foiles
Still to be equall; and thy selfe (exampling them in all)
Need no reproofes nor spurs: all this, in thy free choice should fall.
This stung great Hectors heart: and yet, as euery generous mind
Should silent beare a iust reproofe, and shew what good they find
In worthy counsels, by their ends, put into present deeds:
Not stomacke, nor be vainly sham’d: so Hectors spirit proceeds:
And from his Chariot (wholly arm’d) he iumpt vpon the sand:
On foote, so toiling through the hoast; a dart in either hand,
And all hands turn’d against the Greeks; the Greeks despisde their worst,
And (thickning their instructed powres) expected all they durst.
Then with the feet of horse and foote, the dust in clouds did rise.
And as in sacred floores of barnes, vpon corne-winowers flies
The chaffe, driuen with an opposite wind, when yellow Ceres dites;*
Which all the Diters feet, legs, armes, their heads and shoulders whites:
So lookt the Grecians gray with dust, that strooke the solide heauen,
Raisd from returning chariots, and troupes together driuen.
Each side stood to their labours firme: fierce Mars flew through the aire,
And gatherd darknesse from the fight: and with his best affaire,
Obeyd the pleasure of the Sunne, that weares the golden sword,
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Who bad him raise the spirits of Troy, when Pallas ceast t’afford
Her helping office, to the Greeks; and then his owne hands wrought;*
Which (from his Phanes rich chancell, cur’d) the true Aeneas brought,
And plac’t him by his Peeres in field; who did (with ioy) admire,
To see him both aliue and safe, and all his powers entire:
Yet stood not sifting, how it chanc’t: another sort of taske,
Then stirring th’idle siue of newes, did all their forces aske:
Inflam’d by Phaebus, harmfull Mars, and Eris, eagrer farre:
The Greekes had none to hearten them; their hearts rose with the warre;
But chiefly Diomed, Ithacus, and both th’Aiaces vsde
Stirring examples, and good words: their owne fames had infusde
Spirit enough into their blouds, to make them neither feare
The Troians force, nor Fate it selfe; but still expecting were
When most was done, what would be more; their ground they stil made good;
And (in their silence, and set powers) like faire still clouds they stood:*
With which, Ioue crownes the tops of hils, in any quiet day,
When Boreas and the ruder winds (that vse to driue away
Aires duskie vapors, being loose, in many a whistling gale)
Are pleasingly bound vp and calme, and not a breath exhale;
So firmely stood the Greeks, nor fled, for all the Ilions ayd.
Atrides yet coasts through the troupes, confirming men so stayd:
O friends (said he) hold vp your minds; strength is but strength of will;
Reuerence each others good in fight, and shame at things done ill:
Where souldiers shew an honest shame, and loue of honour liues,
That ranks men with the first in fight; death fewer liueries giues
Then life; or then where Fames neglect, makes cow-herds fight at length:
Flight neither doth the bodie grace, nor shewes the mind hath strength.
He said; and swiftly through the troupes, a mortall Lance did send,
That reft a standard-bearers life, renownd Aeneas friend;
Deicoon Pergasides, whom all the Troians lou’d,*
As he were one of Priams sonnes; his mind was so approu’d
In alwayes fighting with the first: the Lance his target tooke,
Which could not interrupt the blow, that through it cleerly strooke,
And in his bellies rimme was sheath’d, beneath his girdle-stead;
He sounded falling; and his armes, with him resounded, dead.
Then fell two Princes of the Greeks, by great Aeneas ire,*
Diocleus sonnes (Orsilochus, and Crethon) whose kind Sire
In brauely-builded Phaera dwelt; rich, and of sacred bloud;
He was descended lineally, from great Alphaus floud,
That broadly flowes through Pylos fields: Alphaeus did beget*
Orsilochus; who in the rule, of many men was set:
And that Orsilochus begat, the rich Diocleus:
Diocleus sire to Crethon was, and this Orsilochus:
Both these, arriu’d at mans estate, with both th’Atrides went,
To honor them in th’Ilton warres; and both were one way sent;
To death as well as Troy; for death, hid both in one blacke houre.
As two yong Lions (with their dam, sustaind but to deuoure)*
Bred on the tops of some steepe hill, and in the gloomie deepe
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Of an inaccessible wood, rush out, and prey on sheepe,
Steeres, Oxen; and destroy mens stals, so long that they come short,
And by the Owners steele are slaine: in such vnhappie sort,
Fell these beneath Aeneas powre. When Menelaus view’d
(Like two tall fir-trees) these two fall; their timelesse fals he rew’d;
And to the first fight, where they lay, a vengefull force he tooke;
His armes beat backe the Sunne in flames; a dreadfull Lance he shooke:
Mars put the furie in his mind, that by Aeneas hands,
(Who was to make the slaughter good) he might haue strewd the sands.*
Antilochus (old Nestors sonne) obseruing he was bent
To vrge a combat of such ods; and knowing the euent,
Being ill on his part, all their paines (alone sustaind for him)
Er’d from their end, made after hard, and tooke them in the trim
Of an encounter; both, their hands, and darts aduanc’t, and shooke,
And both pitcht, in full stand of charge; when suddenly the looke
Of Anchisiades tooke note, of Nestors valiant sonne,
In full charge too; which two to one, made Venus issue shunne
The hote aduenture, though he were, a souldier well approu’d.
Then drew they off their slaughterd friends; who giuen to their belou’d,
They turnd where fight shewd deadliest hate; and there mixt with the dead
Pylemen, that the targatiers of Paphlagonia led,
A man like Mars; and with him fell, good Mydon that did guide
His chariot; Atymnus sonne. The Prince Pylemen died*
By Menelaus; Nestors ioy, slue Mydon; one before,
The other in the chariot: Atrides lance did gore
Pylemens shoulder, in the blade: Antilochus did force
A mightie stone vp from the earth, and (as he turnd his horse)*
Strooke Mydons elbow in the midst: the reines of Iuorie
Fell from his hands into the dust: Antilochus let flie,
His sword withall, and (rushing in) a blow so deadly layd
Vpon his temples, that he gron’d; tumbl’d to earth, and stayd
A mightie while preposterously (because the dust was deepe)
Vpon his necke and shoulders there, euen till his foe tooke keepe
Of his prisde horse, and made them stirre; and then he prostrate fell:
His horse Antilochus tooke home. When Hector had heard tell,*
(Amongst the vprore) of their deaths, he laid out all his voice,
And ran vpon the Greeks: behind, came many men of choice;
Before him marcht great Mars himselfe, matcht with his femall mate,
The drad Bellona: she brought on (to fight for mutuall Fate)
A tumult that was wilde, and mad: he shooke a horrid Lance,
And, now led Hector, and anon, behind would make the chance.
This sight, when great Tydides saw, his haire stood vp on end:
And him, whom all the skill and powre, of armes did late attend,
Now like a man in counsell poore, that (trauelling) goes amisse,*
And (hauing past a boundlesse plaine) not knowing where he is,
Comes on the sodaine, where he sees, a riuer rough, and raues
With his owne billowes rauished, into the king of waues;
Murmurs with fome, and frights him backe: so he, amazd, retirde,
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And thus would make good his amaze; O friends, we all admirde
Great Hector, as one of himselfe, well-darting, bold in warre;
When some God guards him still from death, and makes him dare so farre;
Now Mars himselfe (formd like a man), is present in his rage:
And therefore, whatsoeuer cause, importunes you to wage
Warre with these Troians; neuer striue, but gently take your rod;
Lest in your bosomes, for a man, ye euer find a God.
As Greece retirde, the power of Troy, did much more forward prease;
And Hector, two braue men of warre, sent to the fields of peace;*
Menesthes, and Anchialus; one chariot bare them both:
Their fals made Aiax Telamon, ruthfull of heart, and wroth;
Who lightned out a lance, that smote, Amphius Selages,
That dwelt in Paedos; rich in lands, and did huge goods possesse:
But Fate, to Priam and his sonnes, conducted his supply:
The Iauelin on his girdle strooke, and pierced mortally
His bellies lower part; he fell; his armes had lookes so trim,
That Aiax needs would proue their spoile; the Troians powrd on him
Whole stormes of Lances, large, and sharpe: of which, a number stucke
In his rough shield; yet from the slaine, he did his Iauelin plucke:
But could not from his shoulders force, the armes he did affect;
The Troians, with such drifts of Darts, the body did protect:
And wisely Telamonius fear’d, their valorous defence;
So many, and so strong of hand, stood in, with such expence,
Of deadly prowesse; who repeld (though big, strong, bold he were)
The famous Aiax; and their friend, did from his rapture beare.
Thus this place, fild with strength of fight, in th’armies other prease,
Tlepolemus, a tall big man, the sonne of Hercules,
A cruell destinie inspir’d, with strong desire to proue
Encounter with Sarpedons strength, the sonne of Cloudy Ioue;
Who, coming on, to that sterne end, had chosen him his foe:
Thus Ioues great Nephew, and his sonne, ’gainst one another go:*
Tlepolemus (to make his end, more worth the will of Fate)
Began, as if he had her powre; and shewd the mortall state
Of too much confidence in man, with this superfluous Braue;
Sarpedon, what necessitie, or needlesse humor draue
Thy forme, to these warres? which in heart, I know thou doest adhorre;
A man not seene in deeds of armes, a Lycian counsellor;
They lie that call thee sonne to Ioue, since Ioue bred none so late;
The men of elder times were they, that his high powre begat,
Such men, as had Herculean force; my father Hercules
Was Ioues true issue; he was bold; his deeds did well expresse
They sprung out of a Lions heart: he whilome came to Troy,
(For horse that Iupiter gaue Tros, for Ganimed his boy)
With sixe ships onely and few men, and tore the Citie downe,
Left all her broad wayes desolate, and made the horse his owne:
For thee, thy mind is ill disposde, thy bodies powers are poore,
And therefore are thy troopes so weake: the souldier euermore
Followes the temper of his chiefe; and thou pull’st downe a side.
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But say, thou art the sonne of Ioue; and hast thy meanes supplide,
With forces fitting his descent: the powers, that I compell,
Shall throw thee hence; and make thy head, run ope the ga[t]es of [h][e]ll.
Ioues Lycian issue answerd him, Tlepolemus, tis true;*
Thy father, holy Ilion, in that sort ouerthrew;
Th’iniustice of the king was cause, that where thy father had
Vsde good deseruings to his state, he quitted him with bad.
Hesyone, the ioy and grace, of king Laomedon,
Thy father rescude from a whale; and gaue to Telamon
In honourd Nuptials; Telamon, from whom your strongest Greeke
Boasts to haue issude; and this grace, might well expect the like:
Yet he gaue taunts for thanks, and kept, against his oath, his horse;
And therefore both thy fathers strength, and iustice might enforce
The wreake he tooke on Troy: but this, and thy cause differ farre;
Sonnes seldome heire their fathers worths; thou canst not make his warre:
What thou assum’st from him, is mine, to be on thee imposde.
With this, he threw an ashen dart; and then Tlepolemus losde
Another from his glorious hand: Both at one instant flew;
Both strooke, both wounded; from his necke, Sarpedons Iauelin drew*
The life-bloud of Tlepolemus; full in the midst it fell:
And what he threatned, th’other gaue; that darknesse, and that hell.
Sarpedons left thigh tooke the Lance; it pierc’t the solide bone;*
And with his raging head, ranne through; but Ioue preseru’d his sonne.
The dart yet vext him bitterly, which should haue bene puld out;
But none considerd then so much; so thicke came on the rout,
And fild each hand so full of cause, to plie his owne defence;
Twas held enough (both falne) that both, were nobly caried thence.
Vlysses knew the euents of both, and tooke it much to hart,
That his friends enemie should scape; and in a twofold part
His thoughts contended; if he should, pursue Sarpedons life,
Or take his friends wreake on his men. Fate did conclude this strife;
By whom twas otherwise decreed, then that Vlysses steele*
Should end Sarpedon. In this doubt, Minerua tooke the wheele
From fickle Chance; and made his mind, resolue to right his friend
With that bloud he could surest draw. Then did Reuenge extend
Her full powre on the multitude; Then did he neuer misse;
Alastor, Halius, Chromius, Noemon, Pritanis,
Alcander, and a number more, he slue, and more had slaine,
If Hector had not vnderstood; whose powre made in amaine,
And strooke feare through the Grecian troupes; but to Sarpedon gaue
Hope of full rescue; who thus cried, O Hector! helpe and saue*
My body from the spoile of Greece; that to your loued towne,
My friends may see me borne; and then, let earth possesse her owne,
In this soyle, for whose sake I left, my countries; for no day
Shall euer shew me that againe; nor to my wife display
(And yong hope of my Name) the ioy, of my much thirsted sight:
All which, I left for Troy; for them, let Troy then do this right.
To all this Hector giues no word: but greedily he striues,
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With all speed to repell the Greekes, and shed in floods their liues,
And left Sarpedon: but what face, soeuer he put on
Of following the common cause; he left this Prince alone
For his particular grudge; because, so late, he was so plaine
In his reproofe before the host, and that did he retaine;
How euer, for example sake, he would not shew it then;
And for his shame to, since twas iust. But good Sarpedons men
Venturd themselues, and forc’t him off, and set him vnderneath
The goodly Beech of Iupiter, where now they did vnsheath
The Ashen lance: strong Pelagon, his friend, most lou’d, most true,
Enforc’t it from his maimed thigh: with which his spirit flew,*
And darknesse ouer-flew his eyes, yet with a gentle gale
That round about the dying Prince, coole Boreas did exhale,
He was reuiu’d, recomforted; that else had grieu’d and dyed.
All this time, flight draue to the fleet, the Argiues, who applyed
No weapon gainst the proud pursuite, nor euer turnd a head;
They knew so well that Mars pursude, and dreadfull Hector led.
Then who was first, who last, whose liues, the Iron Mars did seise,
And Priams Hector? Helenus, surnam’d Oenopides,
Good [Teuthras], and Orestes, skild, in managing of horse;
Bold Oenomaus, and a man, renownd for martiall force,
Trechus, the great Aetolian Chiefe; Oresbius, that did weare
The gawdy Myter; studied wealth, extremely, and dwelt neare
Th’ Athlantique lake Cephisides, in Hyla; by whose seate,
The good men of Boeotia dwelt. This slaughter grew so great,
It flew to heauen: Saturnia, discernd it, and cried out
To Pallas; O vnworthy sight? to see a field so fought,
And breake our words to Spartas king, that Ilion should be rac’[t],
And he returne reueng’d? when thus, we see his Greekes disgrac’t
And beare the harmfull rage of Mars? Come, let vs vse our care
That we dishonor not our powers. Minerua was as yare
As she, at the despight of Troy. Her golden-bridl’d steeds,
Then Saturns daughter brought abrode; and Hebe, she proceeds
T’addresse her chariot; instantly, she giues it either wheele,
Beam’d with eight Spokes of sounding brasse, the Axle-tree was steele;*
The Felffes, incorruptible gold; their vpper bands, of brasse;
Their matter most vnuallued; their worke of wondrous grace.
The Naues in which the Spokes were driuen, were all with siluer bound;
The chariots seate, two hoopes of gold, and siluer, strengthned round;
Edg’d with a gold and siluer fringe; the beame that lookt before,
Was massie siluer; on whose top, geres all of gold it wore,
And golden Poitrils. I[u]no mounts, and her ho[t]e horses rein’d,
That thirsted for contention, and still of peace complaind.
Minerua wrapt her in the robe, that curiously she woue
With glorious colours, as she sate, on th’Azure floore of Ioue;*
And wore the armes that he puts on, bent to the tearefull field:
About her brode-spred shoulders hung, his huge and horrid shield,*
Fring’d round with euer-fighting Snakes; through it, was drawne to life
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The miseries, and deaths of fight; in it frownd bloodie Strife;
In it shin’d sacred Fortitude; in it fell Pursuit flew;
In it the monster Gorgons head, in which (held out to view)
Were all the dire ostents of Ioue; on her big head she plac’t
His foure-plum’d glittering caske of gold, so admirably vast,
It would a hundred garrisons, of souldiers comprehend.
Then to her shining chariot, her vigorous feet ascend:
And in her violent hand she takes, his graue, huge, solid lance,
With which the conquests of her wrath, she vseth to aduance,
And ouerturne whole fields of men; to shew she was the seed
Of him that thunders. Then heauens Queene (to vrge her horses speed)*
Takes vp the scourge, and forth they flie; the ample gates of heauen
Rung, and flew open of themselues; the charge whereof is giuen
(With all Olympus, and the skie) to the distinguisht Howres,
That cleare, or hide it all in clowds; or powre it downe in showres.
This way their scourge-obeying horse, made haste, and soone they wonne
The top of all the topfull heauens, where aged Saturns sonne
Sate seuerd from the other Gods; then staid the white-arm’d Queene
Her steeds; and askt of Ioue, if Mars, did not incense his spleene
With his foule deeds; in ruining, so many, and so great
In the Command and grace of Greece, and in so rude a heate.
At which (she said) Apollo laught, and Venus; who still sue
To that mad God for violence, that neuer iustice knew;
For whose impietie she askt, if with his wished loue
Her selfe might free the field of him? He bade her rather moue
Athenia to the charge she sought, who vsd of old to be
The bane of Mars; and had as well, the gift of spoile as he.
This grace she slackt not, but her horse, scourg’d, that in nature flew
Betwixt the cope of starres and earth: And how farre at a view
A man into the purple Sea, may from a hill descrie:
* So farre a high-neighing horse of heauen, at euerie iumpe would flie.
Arriu’d at Troy, where broke in cutls, the two-floods mixe their force,
(Scamander, and bright Simois) Saturnia staid her horse;
Tooke them from chariot; and a clowd, of mightie depth diffusd
About them; and the verdant bankes, of Symois produc’d
(In nature) what they* eate in heauen. Then both the Goddesses
Marcht like a paire of timorous Doues, in hasting their accesse,
To th’ Argiue succour. Being arriu’d, where both the most, and best
Were heapt together, (shewing all, like Lyons at a feast
Of new slaine carkasses; or Bores, beyond encounter strong.)
There found they Diomed; and there, midst all th’admiring throng,
Saturnia put on Stentors shape; that had a brazen voice,
And spake as lowd as fiftie men; like whom she made a noise,
And chid the Argiues; O ye Greekes, in name, and outward rite,
But Princes onely; not in act: what scandall? what despight
Vse ye to honor? all the time, the great Aeacides
Was conuersant in armes; your foes, durst not a foote addr[e]sse
Without their ports; so much they feard, his lance that all controld;
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And now they out-ray to your fleete. This did with shame make bold
The generall spirit and powre of Greece; when (with particular note
Of their disgrace) Athenia, made Tydeus issue hote.
She found him at his chariot, refreshing of his wound
Inflicted by slaine Pandarus; his sweat did so abound,
It much annoid him, vnderneath, the brode belt of his shield;
With which, and tired with his toile, his soule could hardly yeeld
His bodie motion. With his hand, he lifted vp the belt,
And wip’t away that clotterd blood, the feruent wound did melt.
Minerua leand against his horse, and neare their withers laid
Her sacred hand; then spake to him; Beleeue me Diomed,*
Tydeus exampl’d not himselfe, in thee his sonne; not Great,
But yet he was a souldier; a man of so much heate,
That in his Ambassie for Thebes, when I forbad his mind
To be too ventrous; and when Feasts, his heart might haue declind
(With which they welcom’d him) he made, a challenge to the best,
And foild the best; I gaue him aide, because the rust of rest
(That would haue seisd another mind) he sufferd not; but vsd
The triall I made like a man; and their soft feasts refusd:
Yet when I set thee on, thou faint’st; I guard thee, charge, exhort,
That (I abetting thee) thou shouldst, be to the Greekes a Fort,
And a dismay to Ilion; yet thou obey’st in nought:
Affraid, or slouthfull, or else both: henceforth, renounce all thought*
That euer thou wert Tydeus sonne. He answerd her; I know
Thou art Ioues daughter, and for that, in all iust dutie owe
Thy speeches reuerence: yet affirme, ingenuously, that feare
Doth neither hold me spiritlesse, nor sloth. I onely beare
Thy charge in zealous memorie, that I should neuer warre
With any blessed Deitie, vnlesse (exceeding farre
The limits of her rule) the Queene, that gouerns Chamber sport
Should preasse to field; and her, thy will, enioynd my lance to hurt:
But he whose powre hath right in armes, I knew in person here
(Besides the Cyprian Deitie) and therefore did forbeare;
And here haue gatherd in retreit, these other Greekes you see
With note and reuerence of your charge. My dearest mind (said she)*
What then was fit is chang’d: Tis true, Mars hath iust rule in warre,
But iust warre; otherwise he raues, not fights; he’s alterd farre;*
He vow’d to Iuno and my selfe, that his aide should be vsd
Against the Troians, whom it guards; and therein he abusd
His rule in armes, infring’d his word, and made his warre vniust:
He is inconstant, impious, mad: Resolue then; firmly trust
My aide of thee against his worst, or any Deitie:
Adde scourge to thy free horse, charge home: he fights perfidiously.
This said; as that braue king, her knight, with his horse-guiding friend,
Were set before the chariot, (for signe he should descend,
That she might serue for wagonnesse) she pluckt the waggoner backe,
And vp into his seate she mounts: the Beechen tree did cracke
Beneath the burthen; and good cause, it bore so huge a thing:
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A Goddesse so repleate with powre, and such a puissant king.
She snatcht the scourge vp and the reines, and shut her heauenly looke
In hels vast helme, from Mars his eyes: and full careere she tooke
At him, who then had newly slaine, the mightie Periphas,
Renown’d sonne to Ochesius; and farre the strongest was
Of all th’Aetolians; to whose spoile, the bloodie God was run:
But when this man-plague saw th’approch, of God-like Tydeus sonne;
He let his mightie Periphas lie, and in full charge he ran*
At Diomed; and he at him; both neare; the God began,
And (thirstie of his blood) he throwes, abrazen lance, that beares
Full on the breast of Diomed, aboue the reines and geres;
But Pallas tooke it on her hand, and strooke the eager lance
Beneath the chariot: then the knight, of Pallas doth aduance,
And cast a Iaueline off, at Mars; Minerua sent it on;*
That (where his arming girdle girt) his bellie graz’d vpon,
Iust at the rim, and rancht the flesh: the lance againe he got,
But left the wound; that stung him so, he laid out such a throat,
As if nine or ten thousand men, had bray’d out all their breaths
In one confusion; hauing felt, as many sodaine deaths.
The rore made both the hosts amaz’d. Vp flew the God to heauen;
And with him, was through all the aire, as blacke a tincture driuen
(To Diomeds eyes) as when the earth, halfe chok’t with smoking heate
Of gloomie clouds, that stifle men; and pitchie tempests threat,
Vsherd with horrid gusts of wind: with such blacke vapors plum’d,
Mars flew t’Olympus, and brode heauen; and there his place resum’d.*
Sadly he went and sate by Ioue, shew’d his immortall blood,
That from a mortall-man-made-wound, powrd such an impious flood;
And (weeping) powr’d out these complaints: O Father, stormst thou not*
To see vs take these wrongs from men? extreme griefes we haue got
Euen by our owne deepe counsels held, for gratifying them;
And thou (our Councels President) conclud’st in this extreme
Of fighting euer; being ruld, by one that thou hast bred;
One neuer well, but doing ill; a girle so full of head,
That, though all other Gods obey, her mad moods must command
By thy indulgence; nor by word, nor any touch of hand
Correcting her; thy reason is, she is a sparke of thee,
And therefore she may kindle rage, in men, gainst Gods; and she
May make men hurt Gods; and those Gods, that are (besides) thy seed.
First in the palms height Cyprides; then runs the impious deed
On my hurt person: and could life, giue way to death in me;
Or had my feete not fetcht me off; heaps of mortalitie
Had kept me consort. Iupiter, with a contracted brow,
Thus answerd Mars: Thou many minds, inconstant changling thou;*
Sit not complaining thus by me; whom most of all the Gods
(Inhabiting the starrie hill) I hate: no periods
Being set to thy contentions, brawles, fights, and pitching fields;
Iust of thy mother Iunos moods; stiffe-neckt, and neuer yeelds,
Though I correct her still, and chide; nor can forbeare offence,
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Though to her sonne; this wound I know, tasts of her insolence;
But I will proue more naturall, thou shalt be cur’d, because
Thou com’st of me: but hadst thou bene, so crosse to sacred lawes,
Being borne to any other God; thou hadst bene throwne from heauen
Long since, as low as Tartarus, beneath the Giants driuen.
This said, he gaue his wound in charge, to P[ae]on, who applied
Such soueraigne medicines, that as soone, the paine was qualified,
And he recur’d; as nourishing milke, when runnet is put in,
Runs all in heapes of tough thicke curd, though in his nature thin:
Euen so soone, his wounds parted sides, ran close in his recure;
For he (all deathlesse) could not long, the parts of death endure.
Then Hebe bath’d, and put on him, fresh garments, and he sate*
Exulting by his Sire againe, in top of all his state;
So (hauing from the spoiles of men, made his desir’d remoue)
Iuno and Pallas reascend, the starrie Court of Ioue.

Corrections and visible changes:

1. bidirectional single quotes (‘) changed to right single quotes (’)
2. Pages 78 and 79 were numbered 68 and 69
3. line 651 had b for the h of hell (other letters in brackets above were noted as missing)