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 SEVENTH BOOK OF HOMERS ILIADS.

THis said; braue Hector through the ports, with Troyes bane-bringing Knight,
Made issue to th’insatiate field, resolu’d to feruent fight.*
And as the weather-wielder sends, to Sea-men prosperous gales,
When with their sallow-polisht Oares, long lifted from their fals,
Their wearied armes, dissolu’d with [to]yle, can scarce strike one stroke more;
Like those sweet winds appear’d these Lords, to Troians tir’d before.
Then fell they to the works of death: by Paris valour fell
King A[r]eithous haplesse sonne, that did in Arna dwell,
(Menestbius) whose renown’d Si[r]e, a Club did euer beare,
And of Philomedusa gat (that had her eyes so cleare)
This slaughterd issue: Hectors dart, strooke Eioneus dead;
Beneath his good steele caske, it pierc’t, aboue his gorget stead.
Glaucus (Hyppolochus his sonne) that led the Lycian crew,
Iphinous-Dexiades, with sodaine Iauelin slew,
As he was mounting to his horse: his shoulders tooke the speare;
And ere he sate, in tumbling downe, his powres dissolued were.
When gray-eyd Pallas had perceiu’d, the Greekes so fall in fight;*
From high Olympus top she stoopt, and did on Ilion light.
Apollo (to encounter her) to Pergamus did flie;
From whence he (looking to the field) wisht Troians victorie.*
At Ioues broad Beech these godheads met; and first Ioues sonne obiects;
Why, burning in contention thus, do thy extreme affects
Conduct thee from our peacefull hill? is it to ouerswayPage 97
The doubtfull victorie of fight, and giue the Greeks the day?
Thou neuer pitiest perishing Troy: yet now let me perswade,
That this day no more mortall wounds, may either side inuade.
Hereafter, till the end of Troy, they shall apply the fight,
Since your immortall wils resolue, to ouerturne it quite.
Pallas replide, It likes me well; for this came I from heauen:*
But to make either army ceasse, what order shall be giuen?
He said, We will direct the spirit, that burnes in Hectors brest,*
To challenge any Greeke to wounds, with single powers imprest;
Which Greeks (admiring) will accept; and make some one stand out,
So stout a challenge to receiue, with a defence as stout:
It is confirmd; and Hellenus (King Priams loued seed)*
By Augurie, discernd th’euent, that these two powres decreed.
And (greeting Hector) askt him this: Wilt thou be once aduisde?
I am thy brother, and thy life, with mine is euenly prisde;
Command the rest of Troy and Greece, to ceasse this publicke fight;
And what Greeke beares the greatest mind, to single strokes excite:
I promise thee that yet thy soule, shall not descend to fates;
So heard I thy suruiuall cast, by the celestiall States.
Hector, with glad allowance gaue, his brothers counsell eare;
And (fronting both the hoasts) aduanc’t, iust in the midst, his speare.
The Troians instantly surceasse; the Greeks Atrides staid:
The God that beares the siluer Bow, and warres triumphant Maide,*
On Ioues Beech, like two Vultures sat, pleasd to behold both parts,
Flow in, to heare; so sternly arm’d, with huge shields, helmes and darts.
And such fresh horror as you see, driuen through the wrinkled waues
B[y] rising Zephyre, vnder whom, the sea growes blacke, and raues:*
Such did the hastie gathering troupes, of both hoasts make, to heare;
Whose tumult settl’d, twixt them both, thus spake the challenger:
Heare Troians, and ye well arm’d Greeks, what my strong mind (diffusde
T[h]rough all my spirits) commands me speake; Saturnius hath not vsde
His promist fauour for our truce, but (studying both our ils)
Will neuer ceasse till Mars, by you, his rauenous stomacke fils,
With ruin’d Troy; or we consume, your mightie Sea-borne fleet.
Sin[c]e then, the Generall Peeres of Greece, in reach of one voice meete;
Am[o]ngst you all, whose breast includes, the most impulsiue mind,*
Let him stand forth as combat[t]ant, by all the rest designde.
[Before] whom thus I call high Ioue, to witnesse of our strife;
I[f] he, with home-thrust iron can reach, th’exposure of my life,
(Spoiling my armes) let him at will, conuey them to his tent;
But let my body be returnd; that Troys two-sext descent
May waste it in the funerall Pile: if I can slaughter him,
(Apollo honoring me so much) Ile spoile his conquerd lim,
And beare his armes to Ilion, where in Apollos shrine
Ile hang them, as my trophies due: his body Ile resigne
To be disposed by his friends, in flamie funerals,
And honourd with erected tombe, where Hellespontus fals
Into Egaeum; and doth reach, euen to your nauall rode;Page 96〈1 page duplicate〉Page 97〈1 page duplicate〉Page 98
That when our beings, in the earth, shall hide their period;
Suruiuers, sailing the blacke sea, may thus his name renew:
This is his monument, whose bloud, long since, did fates embrew;*
Whom, passing farre in fortitude, illustrate Hector slew.
This shall posteritie report, and my fame neuer die.
This said, dumbe silence seiz’d them all; they shamed to denie,
And fear’d to vndertake. At last, did Menelaus speake,
Checkt their remisnesse, and so sigh’d, as if his heart would breake;*
Aye me, but onely threatning Greeks, not worthy Grecian names:
This more and more, not to be borne, makes grow our huge defames,*
If Hectors honorable proofe, be entertaind by none;
But you are earth and water all, which (symboliz’d in one)
Haue fram’d your faint vnfirie spirits: ye sit without your harts,
Grosly inglorious: but my selfe, will vse acceptiue darts,
And arme against him; though you thinke, I arme gainst too much ods:
But conquests garlands hang aloft, amongst th’immortall gods.
He arm’d, and gladly would haue fought: but (Menelaus) then,
By Hectors farre more strength, thy soule, had fled th’abodes of men;
Had not the kings of Greece stood vp, and thy attempt restraind;
And euen the king of men himselfe, that in such compasse raign’d;
Who tooke him by the bold right hand, and sternly pluckt him backe:*
Mad brother, tis no worke for thee, thou seekst thy wilfull wracke:
Containe though it despite thee much; nor for this strife engage
Thy person with a man more strong, and whom all feare t’enrage:
Yea whom Aeacides himselfe, in men-renowning warre,
Makes doubt t’encounter: whose huge strength, surpasseth thine by farre;
Sit thou then by thy regiment; some other Greeke will rise
(Though he be dreadlesse, and no warre, will his desires suffice,
That makes this challenge to our strength) our valours to auow:
To whom, if he can scape with life, he will be glad to bow.
This drew his brother from his will, who yeelded, knowing it true,
And his glad souldiers tooke his armes: when Nestor did pursue*
The same reproofe he set on foote; and thus supplide his turne:
What huge indignitie is this! how will our country mourne!
Old Peleus that good king will weepe: that worthy counsellor,
That trumpet of the Myrmidons, who much did aske me for
All men of name that went to Troy: with ioy he did enquire
Their valour and their towardnesse: and I made him admire.
But that ye all feare Hector now, if his graue eares shall heare,
How will he lift his hands to heauen, and pray that death may beare
His grieued soule into the deepe! O would to heauens great King,*
Minerua and the God of light, that now my youthfull spring
Did flourish in my willing veines, as when at Phaeas towres,
About the streames of Iardanu[s], my gather’d Pylean powres,
And dart-employed Arcadians fought, neere raging Celadon:
Amongst whom, first of all stood forth, great Ereuthalion,
Who th’armes of Arcithous wore (braue Are[t]hous)
And (since he still fought with a club) sirnam’d Clauigerus;Page 99
All men, and faire-girt Ladies both, for honour cald him so:
He fought not with a keepe-off speare, or with a farre shot bow;
But with a massie club of iron, he brake through armed bands:
And yet Lycurgus was his death, but not with force of hands;
With sleight (encountring in a lane, where his club wanted sway)
He thrust him through his spacious waste, who fell, and vpwards lay;
In death not bowing his face to earth: his armes he did despoile;
Which iron, Mars bestowd on him: and those, in Mars his toile,
Lycurgus euer after wore; but when he aged grew,
Enforc’t to keepe his peacefull house, their vse he did renew,
On mightie Ereuthalions lims; his souldier, loued well;
And with these Armes he challeng’d all, that did in Armes excell:
All shooke and stood dismaid, none durst, his aduerse champion make;
Yet this same forward mind of mine, of choice, would vndertake
To fight with all his confidence; though yongest enemie
Of all the armie we conduct; yet I fought with him, I;
Minerua made me so renownd; and that most tall strong Peere
I slue; his big bulke lay on earth, extended here and there,
As it were couetous to spread, the center euery where.
O that my youth were now as fresh, and all my powers as sound;
Soone should bold Hector be impugn’d: yet you that most are crownd
With fortitude, of all our hoast; euen you, me thinkes are slow,
Not free, and set on fire with lust, t’encounter such a foe.
With this, nine royall Princes rose; Atrides for the first;*
Then Diomed: th’Aiaces then, that did th’encounter thirst:
King Idomen and his consorts; Mars-like Meriones;
Euemons sonne, Euripilus; and Andremonides;
Whom all the Grecians Thoas cald; sprong of Andremons bloud;
And wise Vlysses; euery one, proposd, for combat stood.
Againe Gerenius Nestor spake; Let lots be drawne by all,
His hand shall helpe the wel-armd Greeks, on whom the lot doth fall;*
And to his wish shall he be helpt, if he escape with life,
The harmfull danger-breathing fit, of this aduentrous strife.
Each markt his lot, and cast it in, to Agamemnons caske;
The souldiers praid, held vp their hands, and this of Ioue did aske,
(With eyes aduanc’t to heauen): O Ioue, so leade the Heralds hand,
That Aiax or great Tydeus sonne, may our wisht champion stand:
Or else the King himselfe, that rules, the rich Mycenian land.
This said, old Nestor mixt the lots: the foremost lot suruaid,
With Aiax Telamon was sign’d; as all the souldiers praid;
One of the Heralds drew it forth, who brought and shewd it round,
Beginning at the right hand first, to all the most renownd:
None knowing it; euery man denide: but when he forth did passe,
To him which markt and cast it in, which famous Aiax was,
He stretcht his hand, and into it, the Herald put the lot,
Who (viewing it) th’inscription knew; the Duke denied not,
But ioyfully acknowledg’d it, and threw it at his feet;
And said, (O friends) the lot is mine, which to my soule is sweet;*Page 100
For now I hope my fame shall rise, in noble Hectors fall.
But whilst I arme my selfe, do you, on great Saturnius call;*
But silently, or to your selues, that not a Troian heare:
Or openly (if you thinke good) since none aliue we feare;
None with a will, if I will not, can my bold powers affright,
At least for plaine fierce swinge of strength, or want of skill in fight:
For I will well proue that my birth, and breed in Salamine,
Was not all consecrate to meate, or meere effects of wine.
This said, the wel-giuen souldiers prayed: vp went to heauen their eyne;
O Ioue, that Ida doest protect, most happie, most diuine;
Send victorie to Aiax side; fame; grace, his goodly lim:
Or (if thy loue, blesse Hectors life, and thou hast care of him)
Bestow on both, like power, like fame. This said, in bright armes shone
The good strong Aiax: who, when all, his warre attire was on,
Marcht like the hugely figur’d Mars, when angry Iupiter,*
With strength, on people proud of strength, sends him forth to inferre
Wreakfull contention; and comes on, with presence full of feare;
So th’Achiue rampire, Telamon, did twixt the hoasts appeare;
Smil’d; yet of terrible aspect; on earth with ample pace,
He boldly stalkt, and shooke aloft, his dart, with deadly grace.
It did the Grecians good to see; but heart quakes shooke the ioynts
Of all the Troians; Hectors selfe, felt thoughts, with horrid points,
Tempt his bold bosome: but he now, must make no counterflight;
Nor (with his honour) now refuse, that had prouokt the fight.*
Aiax came neare; and like a towre, his shield his bosome bard;
The right side brasse, and seuen Oxe hides, within it quilted hard:
Old Tychius the best currier, that did in Hyla dwell,*
Did frame it for exceeding proofe, and wrought it wondrous well.*
With this stood he to Hector close, and with this Braue began:
Now Hector thou shalt clearly know, thus meeting man to man,
What other leaders arme our hoast, besides great Thetis sonne:
Who, with his hardie Lions heart, hath armies ouerrunne.
But he lies at our crookt-sternd fleet, a Riuall with our King
In height of spirit; yet to Troy, he many knights did bring,
Coequall with Aeacides; all able to sustaine
All thy bold challenge can import: begin then, words are vaine.
The Helme-grac’t Hector answerd him; Renowned Telamon,*
Prince of the souldiers came from Greece; assay not me like one,
Yong and immartiall, with great words, as to an Amazon dame;
I haue the habit of all fights; and know the bloudie frame
Of euery slaughter: I well know, the ready right hand charge;
I know the left, and euery sway, of my securefull targe;
I triumph in the crueltie, of fixed combat fight,
And manage horse to all designes; I thinke then with good right,
I may be confident as farre, as this my challenge goes,
Without being taxed with a vaunt, borne out with emptie showes.
But (being a souldier so renownd) I will not worke on thee,
With least aduantage of that skill, I know doth strengthen me;Page 101
And so with priuitie of sleight, winne that for which I striue:
But at thy best (euen open strength) if my endeuours thriue.
Thus sent he his long Iauelin forth; it strooke his foes huge shield,*
Neere to the vpper skirt of brasse, which was the eighth it held.
Sixe folds th’vntamed dart strooke through, and in the seuenth tough hide
The point was checkt: then Aiax threw: his angry Lance did glide
Quite through his bright orbicular targe, his curace, shirt of maile;
And did his manly stomacks mouth, with dangerous taint assaile:
But in the bowing of himselfe, blacke death too short did strike;
Then both to plucke their Iauelins forth, encountred Lion-like;
Whose bloudie violence is increast, by that raw food they eate:
Or Bores, whose strength, wilde nourishment, doth make so wondrous great.
Againe Priamides did wound, in midst, his shield of brasse,
Yet pierc’t not through the vpper plate, the head reflected was:
But Aiax (following his Lance) smote through his target quite,
And stayd bold Hector rushing in; the Lance held way outright,
And hurt his necke; out gusht the bloud: yet Hector ceast not so,
But in his strong hand tooke a Flint (as he did backwards go)*
Blacke, sharpe and big, layd in the field: the seuenfold targe it smit,
Full on the bosse; and round about, the brasse did ring with it.
But Aiax a farre greater stone, lift vp, and (wreathing round,
With all his bodie layd to it) he sent it forth to wound,
And gaue vnmeasur’d force to it; the round stone broke within*
His rundled target: his lou’d knees, to languish did begin;
And he leand, stretcht out on his shield; but Phoebus raisd him streight.
Then had they layd on wounds with swords, in vse of closer fight;
Vnlesse the Heralds (messengers, of Gods and godlike men)
The one of Troy, the other Greece; had held betwixt them then
Imperiall scepters: when the one (Idaeus, graue and wise)
Said to them; Now no more my sonnes: the Soueraigne of the skies
Doth loue you both; both souldiers are, all witnesse with good right:
But now night layes her mace on earth; tis good t’obey the night.
Idaeus? (Telamon replide,) To Hector speake, not me:*
He that cald all our Achiue Peeres, to station fight, twas he;
If he first ceasse, I gladly yeeld: great Hector then began:
Aiax, since Ioue to thy big forme, made thee so strong a man,*
And gaue thee skill to vse thy strength; so much, that for thy speare,
Thou art most excellent of Greece, now let vs fight forbeare:
Hereafter we shall warre againe, till Ioue our Herald be,
And grace with conquest, which he will; heauen yeelds to night, and we.
Go thou and comfort all thy Fleet; all friends and men of thine,
As I in Troy my fauourers; who in the Fane diuine*
Haue offerd Orisons for me; and come, let vs impart
Some ensignes of our strife, to shew, each others suppled hart;
That men of Troy and Greece may say, Thus their high quarrell ends:
Those that encountring, were such foes, are now (being separate) friends.
He gaue a sword, whose handle was, with siluer studs through driuen,
Scabard and all, with hangers rich: By Telamon was giuenPage 102
A faire well glossed purple waste. Thus Hector went to Troy,
And after him a multitude, fild with his safeties ioy;
Despairing he could euer scape, the puissant fortitude
And vnimpeached Aiax hands. The Greeks like ioy renude,
For their reputed victorie, and brought him to the King;
Who to the great Saturnides, preferd an offering:*
An Oxe that fed on fiue faire springs; they fleyd and quartred him,
And then (in peeces cut) on spits, they rosted euery lim:
Which neatly drest, they drew it off: worke done, they fell to feast:*
All had enough; but Telamon, the King fed past the rest,*
With good large peeces of the chine. Thus, thirst and hunger staid,
Nestor (whose counsels late were best) vowes new, and first he said:
Atrides, and my other Lords, a sort of Greeks are dead,
Whose blacke bloud neare Scamanders streame, inhumane Mars hath shed:
Their soules to hell descended are: it fits thee then our king,
To make our souldiers ceasse from warre; and by the dayes first spring
Let vs our selues, assembled all, the bodies beare to fire,
With Mules and Oxen neare our fleet; that when we home retire,
Each man may carrie, to the sonnes, of fathers slaughterd here,
Their honourd bones: one tombe for all, foreuer let vs reare;
Circling the pile without the field: at which we will erect
Wals, and a raueling, that may safe, our fleet and vs protect.
And in them let vs fashion gates, solid and bard about,
Through which our horse and chariots, may well get in and out.
Without all, let vs dig a dike; so deepe it may auaile
Our forces gainst the charge of horse, and foote, that come t’assaile:
And thus th’attempts, that I see swell, in Troys proud heart, shall faile.
The Kings do his aduice approue: so Troy doth Court conuent,
At Priams gate, in th’Ilion tower, fearfull and turbulent.*
Amongst all, wise Antenor spake: Troians and Dardan friends,
And Peeres assistants, giue good eare, to what my care commends
To your consents, for all our good: resolue, let vs restore
The Argiue Hellen, with her wealth, to him she had before:
We now defend but broken faiths. If therefore ye refuse,
No good euent can I expect, of all the warres we vse.
He ceast, and Alexander spake, husband to th’Argiue Queene;*
Antenor, to mine eares thy words, harsh and vngracious beene:
Thou canst vse better if thou wilt: but if these truly fit
Thy serious thoughts; the Gods, with age, haue reft thy grauer wit:
To war-like Troians I will speake; I clearly do denie
To yeeld my wife: but all her wealth, Ile render willingly,
What euer I from Argos brought; and vow to make it more;
Which I haue readie in my house, if peace I may r[e]store.
Priam, sirnam’d Dardanides (godlike in counsels graue)*
In his sonnes fauour well aduisde, this resolution gaue;
My royall friends of euery state, there is sufficient done,
For this late counsell we haue cald, in th’offer of my sonne;
Now then let all take needfull food; then let the watch be set,Page 103
And euerie court of guard held strong: so when the morne doth wet
The high raisd battlements of Troy, Idaeus shall be sent
To th’Argiue fleet, and Atreus sonnes, t’vnfold my sonnes intent,
From whose fact our contention springs: and (if they will) obtaine
Respit from heate of fight, till fire, consume our souldiers slaine:
And after, our most fatall warre, let vs importune still,
Till Ioue the conquest haue disposd, to his vnconquer’d will.
All heard, and did obey the king, and (in their quarters all,
That were to set the watch that night) did to their suppers fall.*
Idaeus in the morning went, and th’Achiue Peeres did find
In counsell at Atrides ship: his audience was assignd:
And in the midst of all the kings, the vocall Herald said:*
Atrides! my renowned king, and other kings his aid,
Propose by me, in their commands, the offers Paris makes,
(From whose ioy all our woes proceed) he Princely vndertakes
That all the wealth he brought from Greece (would he had died before)
He will (with other added wealth) for your amends restore:
But famous Menelaus wife, he still meanes to enioy,
Though he be vrg’d the contrarie, by all the Peeres of Troy.
And this besides, I haue in charge, that if it please you all;
They wish both sides may ceasse from warre, that rites of funerall
May on their bodies be performd, that in the fields lie slaine:
And after to the will of Fate, renue the fight againe.
All silence held at first: at last, Tydides made reply;*
Let no man take the wealth, or Dame; for now a childs weake eye
May see the imminent blacke end, of Priams Emperie.
This sentence quicke, and briefly giuen, the Greeks did all admire:
Then said the King; Herald, thou hear’st, in him, the voice entire*
Of all our Peeres, to answer thee, for that of Priams sonne:
But, for our burning of the dead, by all meanes I am wonne
To satisfie thy king therein, without the slendrest gaine
Made of their spoiled carkasses; but freely (being slaine)
They shall be all consumd with fire: to witnesse which, I cite
High thundring Ioue, that is the king, of Iunos beds delight.
With this, he held his scepter vp, to all the skie thron’d powres:
And graue Idaeus did returne, to sacred Ilions towres,
Where Ilians, and Dardanians, did still their counsels plie,
Expecting his returne: he came, and told his Legacie.
All, whirlewind like, assembled then: some, bodies to transport,
Some to hew trees: On th’other part, the Argiues did exhort
Their souldiers to the same affaires: then did the new fir’d Sunne
Smite the brode fields, ascending heauen, aud th’Ocean smooth did runne:
When Greece and Troy mixt in such peace, you scarce could either know:
Then washt they off their blood and dust, and did warme teares bestow
Vpon the slaughterd, and in Carres, conueid them from the field:
Priam commanded none should mourne, but in still silence yeeld
Their honord carkasses to fire, and onely grieue in heart.
All burnd: to Troy, Troyes friends retire: to fleet, the Grecian part:Page 104
Yet doubtfull night obscur’d the earth, the day did not appeare:
When round about the funerall pile, the Grecians gatherd were;
The pile they circled with a tombe, and by it raisd a wall,
High towres to guard the fleet and them: and in the midst of all
They built strong gates, through which the horse, and chariots passage had:
Without the rampire a brode dike, long and profound they made,
On which they Pallesados pitcht; and thus the Grecians wrought.
Their huge workes in so little time, were to perfection brought,
That all Gods, by the Lightner set, the frame thereof admir’d;
Mongst whom, the earthquake-making God, this of their King enquir’d:
Father of Gods, will any man, of all earths grassie sphere,*
Aske any of the Gods consents, to any actions there,
If thou wilt see the shag-haird Greekes, with headstrong labours frame
So huge a worke, and not to vs, due offrings first enflame?
As farre as white Auroras dewes, are sprinkled through the aire,
Fame will renowne the hands of Greece, for this diuine affaire:
Men will forget the sacred worke, the Sunne and I did raise,
For king Laomedon (bright Troy) and this will beare the praise.
Ioue was extremely mou’d with him, and said: What words are these,*
Thou mightie shaker of the earth, thou Lord of all the seas?
Some other God, of farre lesse powre, might hold conceipts dismaid,
With this rare Grecian stratageme, and thou rest well apaid;*
For it will glorifie thy name, as farre as light extends:
Since, when these Greekes shall see againe, their natiue soile and friends,
(The bulwarke battred) thou maist quite, deuoure it with thy waues,
And couer (with thy fruitlesse sands) this fatall shore of graues:
That what their fierie industries, haue so diuinely wrought,
In raising it: in razing it, thy powre will proue it nought.
Thus spake the Gods among themselues: set was the feruent Sunne;
And now the great worke of the Greeks, was absolutely done.
Then slue they Oxen in their tents, and strength with food reuiu’d;
When out of Lemnos a great fleete, of odorous wine arriu’d,*
Sent by Euneus, Iasons sonne, borne of Hypsiphile.
The fleete containd a thousand tunne: which must transported be
To Atreus sons, as he gaue charge; whose merchandize it was.
The Greeks bought wine for shining steele, and some for sounding brasse;
Some for Oxe hides; for Oxen some, and some for prisoners.
A sumptuous banquet was prepar’d, and all that night the Peeres,
And faire-haird Greeks consum’d in feast: so Troians and their aide.
And all the night Ioue thunderd lowd: pale feare all thoughts dismaide.
While they were gluttonous in earth, Ioue wrought their banes in heauen:
They pourd full cups vpon the ground; and were to offrings driuen,
In stead of quaffings: and to drinke, none durst attempt, before
In solemne sacrifice they did, almightie Ioue adore.
Then to their rests they all repaird: bold zeale their feare bereau’d:
And sodaine sleepes refreshing gift, securely they receiu’d.

Corrections:

• Line 60: combatrant in the copy text
• Line 324: ? to !