Book VI

The Gods to neither side assistance yield,
But on his own hand each mans fortune lies.
Now here now there they skirmish in the field
Betwixt the Streams Xanthus and Simoeis.
And first great Ajax killed Acamas,
And for his fellows opened a door
For slaughter 'mongst the Files and Ranks to pass,
And caus'd thereby the loss of many more.
And by Tydides Axylus was slain,
That at Arisbe dwelt near the High-way,
Rich, and the Greeks did often entertain.
But none of them would save him in the Fray.
For slain he was by Diomedes there.
Together with his Squire Calestus,
That by him sat and w[…]s his Charioteer.
Euryalus then slew Opheltius
And Dresus. After Pedasus he runs
And Aesepus sons of Bucalion,
Who by Abarbar[…]a had two Sons,
But he for Father had Laomedon.
And th'eldest was, but not in Wedlock got.
And Twins the Sons were of Bucalion.
But from Euryalus they scaped not,
Nor long they lay there with their Armour on.
Then Polypoetes by Astyalus,
Pidytes by Ulysses, and by Teuc.
Er Areton, and by Antilochus
Ablerus, by Atrides Elateus
Was slain, that the Pedasians led
From the delightful Bank of Satnius.
And Leitus Phila[…]us slew as he fled.
Enrypylus then slew Melanthius.
And then Adrestus taken was alive
By Menelaus. For his Horses frighted,
Whilst to the Town they labour'd to arrive,
Upon two Branches of a Tree they lighted,
And brake the Charret pole off at the head.
The Horses loose away ran tow'rd the Town,
As did the rest that from the Battle fled.
Adrestus headlong from the Seat fell down,
And by him with a Spear Atrides stood.
Adrestus then laies hold upon his Knee.
Save me, said he, my Ransome will be good.
At any rate I shall redeemed be.
My Father wants nor Iron, nor Brass, nor Gold,
And any thing to set me free will give,
When he of my condition shall be told,
And that I am your prisoner and live.
This said, Atrides was thereto enclin'd,
And ready for to send him to the Ships.
But Agamemnon came and chang'd his mind
Before he had confirm'd it with his lips.
Brother, said he, what makes you be so kind
To any of these men? Is it because
You did at home the Trojans faithful find,
And that they had well served Menelaus?
No, no, we must no quarter give at Troy,
Nor spare the Child yet in his Mothers womb,
But utterly the Nation destroy,
And pluck up by the root proud Ilium.
Then Menelaus pity'd him no more,
But violently push'd him from his Knee,
Wherewith he backward tumbled ore and ore,
And soon by Agamemnon slain was he.
Then Nestor to the Greeks with voice as high
As he could raise it, cried out, Let none
Yet on the Spoil and Booty set his eye,
But follow killing now, plunder anon.
The dead will stay till back again we come.
The Greeks by Nestor thus encouraged,
Had chas'd the Trojans unto Ilium.
But that by Helenus was hindered.
For standing near to Hector and Aeneas,
Since all the work, said he, lyes on your hand,
And you in Fight and Counsel chiefly please
Both Lycians and Trojans, make them stand.
About them go, and put your selves between
The Gates and them, lest followed by the Foe
They should be by their loving Wives there seen,
And th'Argives stand triumphing in our woe.
And when you once have them encouraged,
Aenaeas and my self will with them stay,
And fight against the Greeks, though wearied.
But Hector to the Town go you away,
And bid your and my Mother take with her
The eldest Trojan Matrons, and make haste
To Pallas Temple, and present her there
With the best Robe she has; and having plac't
It on her Knee, vow to her Deity
(If she protect our Wives and Children will
And City from this raging Enemy,
And take off Diomed) that you will kill
Twelve Heifers at her Altar. For in fight
He has the great Achilles much outdone,
Who never did the Trojans thus affright,
Although they say he is a Goddess Son.
Then Hector armed leapt down to the ground,
And with two Spears about the Army goes,
Courage inspiring to the Trojans round,
And streight they turn'd their Faces to the Foes.
The Greeks retiring then no longer fought.
Some God from Heav'n descended was they thought,
And t'Hector and the Trojans aid had brought.
Then Hector to the Trojans cried out,
Trojans and Aids, said he, be sure to stay
And play the men, whilst I to Ilium
Return, and cause them to the Gods to pray,
And to them sacrifice an Hecatomb.
And as he walkt the edges of his Shield
By turns his Ankle and his Neck did smi[…]e.
Tydides then and Glaucus on the field
Met one another, and prepar'd to fight.
Tydides speaking first, Brave man, said he,
Who are you? Let me know your Name and Race,
That dares so boldly thus advance on me.
I never yet in Battle saw your Face.
Men mortal to provoke me thus none dare,
But they whose Parents are condemn'd to wo.
But if some God come down from Heaven you are,
Do what you will I'll not return a blow.
Licurgus Son of Dryas chas'd the Train
Of Bacchus with a Goad at Nyssa, where
The Maenades threw from them on the plain
Their Ivy twined slaves, and fled for fear;
Bacchus himself leapt into Thetis lap,
Trembling and frighted, and the Goddess kind
Receiv'd him and defended from mishap.
But for this act Jove struck Licurgus blind,
Who dy'd soon after. For the Gods above
All hated him. And that's the cause that I
Dare not the anger of the Gods to move.
But if thou mortal art, come near and die.
O brave Tydides (Glaucus answer'd then)
To what end serves it you to know my race?
As with green leaves, so fareth it with men;
Some fall with wind, others grow in their place.
But since you ask me (though it be well known)
My pedegree at large I shall you tell.
Within a Creek of Argos stands a Town
Call'd Ephyre. There Sisyphus did dwell.
The subtile Sisyphus who Glaucus got.
Glaucus the Father of Bellerophon,
Than whom a fairer person there was not,
Nor valianter in all the Land, not one.
But Praetus sought to take away his Life.
For so enamour'd of him was the Queen
Anteia, who of Praetus was the Wi[…]e,
That she a Suiter to him oft had been.
But still in vain. For he would not consent.
The fury of her Love then turn'd to Hate.
And spitefully, she to her Husband went,
And weeping bitterly down by him sate,
And to him said, O King, resolve to dy
Your self, or else Bellerophon to kill,
For he attempted has my Chastity,
And would have ly'n with me against my will.
The King incens'd, to kill him did intend,
But loath to do it there, he thought it better
Unto the King of Lycia him to send
(Who was Anteia's Father) with a Letter,
Wherein he had declar'd his cruel mind,
And many waies to bring it to effect.
He ignorant of what was then design'd,
The Kings commandement did not neglect.
To Lycia he went, and coming thither,
In favour with the Gods, was honoured
And treated like a God nine days together.
O'th' tenth his Letter he delivered.
The Letter read, the King him first imploy'd
The terrible Chimaera to assail,
That by the Monster he might be destroy'd.
A Lions Head it had and Dragons Tail,
And in the midst the Body of a Goat;
A flame of burning fire was its Breath.
Bellerophon with this foul Monster fought,
And put it (by the aid o'th' Gods) to death.
The next Adventure that he set him on
Was th'Expedition 'gainst the Solymi.
The third when from the Amazons he won
(Those Martial Females) a great Victory.
And as he came from thence the King had laid
An Ambush for him on the way in vain,
Of choicest Lycians whom he destroy'd,
That not a man of them return'd again.
The King receiv'd him then, believing now
That he descended was of Heavenly Race,
And gave him half his Pow'r and Land enough,
And with his Daughters Marriage did him grace.
Bellerophon by her had Children three,
Two Sons, Isandrus and Hippolochus,
And one fair Daughter call'd Laodamie,
On whom by Jove Sarpedon gotten was.
Her Father by the Gods forsaken then
Liv'd up and down in the Alean Plain,
And shun'd the conversation of men.
At Solym Battle was Isander slain.
But of Hippolochus the Son am I,
And he of Noble Ancestors descended.
To Troy he sent me, and especially
Unto me th'Honour of my Race commended,
Than which in Ephyre none Nobler is,
Nor in the Land of Lycia more renown'd.
And Diomedes joyful to hear this
Turn'd his Spears point and stuck it in the ground,
And to him kindly spake. There is, said he,
Between your Ancestors and mine of old
A mutual bond of Hospitality.
Bellerophon, as I have oft been told,
Was by my Grandsire Oeneus freely treated,
And stayed with him twenty days and nights,
And when again he from his house retreated,
They Tokens gave of Hospitable Rites;
Oeneus to him a Belt most glorious,
Bellerophon to him a Golden Cup.
Which I not with me brought, but in my house
When I came thence I safely left lockt up.
My Father I remember not. For he
Left me too young when last he went from home.
Henc[…] forth my Guest in Argos you must be,
I yours in Lycia, when I thither come.
Mean t[…]me let's one anothers Spear decline;
For many Trojans more I have to kill,
Unless I crost be by some Pow'r divine.
And of the Achaeans kill you whom you will.
And that our Friendship may the more appear,
I will present you with these Arms of mine;
And you to me present the Arms you wear.
This said, they lighted and their hands did joyn.
But Glaucus surely here bewitched was,
Or cursed by the Gods, that had forgot
His Arms were Gold, and Diomed's but Brass.
An hundred his, nine Beeves the other bought.
Hector was now come to the Scaean Gates.
To him the Trojan Wives and Daughters run
To ask their Husbands and their Brothers Fates,
But to those questions he answer'd none.
But to the Temples bad them go and pray,
Inquire no more for what you will lament.
Then to the Royal Palace went his way.
For great the danger was and imminent.
On every side within were Galleries
Magnificent, of square well-plained Stones,
With Fifty Lodgings for the Families
(One by another) of King Priam's Sons.
And for his Daughters twelve Appartments were
(In the same Court, but on the other side)
To lodge his Sons in Law when they were there,
Of the same Stone in like form beautifi'd.
Here Hecuba, as she conducted home
Laodice her beautifullest Daughter,
Met her Son Hector that was newly come
In dusty bloody Armour from the Slaughter.
And took him by the hand, and to him said,
Why come you from the fight? Have we the worst,
And you come to sollicite Jove for aid,
And after that is done to quench your thirst?
A little Wine will much the strength sustain
Of one that labour'd has as you have done.
No, no, from Wine (said he) I must abstain,
Lest I forget and leave my work undone.
Besides, to Jove I dare not offer Wine
With bloody hands, lest I should him incense.
But, Mother, go you to Minerva's shrine
With other Ladies, and with Frankincense;
And of the Robes in your perfumed Chest
Take with you that which in your judgment is
Amongst them all the largest and the best,
And lay it down upon the Goddess knees.
And vow that at her Altar you will kill
Twelve yearling Heisers of the best you have,
If at your Prayer condescend she will
Your Children with your selves and Troy to save,
And from the Fight this Diomed remove.
To th' Temple presently go you away.
But I to Paris now must go, and prove
If he th'advice I give him will obey.
Then Hecuba into the Chamber came
Where many divers-colour'd Vestures lay,
The work of many a Sidonian Dame,
Which then from Sidon Paris brought to Troy,
When thither he from Sparta Helen brought.
Of these, to give the Goddess, she took one
The largest and most curiously wrought,
And that like to a Star in Heaven shone.
And when unto the Temple come they were,
Theano opened the door; for she
(Antenor's Wife) was Pallas Priest. And there
She took the Robe, and laid it on her Knee.
Then prayed she (whilst with a mighty cry
They to the Goddess lifted up their hands.)
Pallas (said she) Daughter of Jove most high,
In whose protection ev'ry City stands,
Great Pallas, break the Spear of Diomed,
And overthrow him at the Scaean gate,
That at thy Altar may be offered
Twelve yearling Heisers; and commiserate
The Wives and Children and the state of Troy.
Thus prayed they; But Pallas would not hear.
To th'House of Paris Hector went away
That was unto his own and Priams near,
Built by himself the Citadel within,
With all the Art the Trojans understood.
There Hector with his Spear in hand went in,
That was in length eleven Cubits good,
And pointed at the Head with polisht Brass,
Fastned into the staff with a Gold Ring.
Busy about his Armour Paris was,
And Helen work to th' Maids distributing.
Here Hector Paris chid. Is this, said he,
The fittest time to manifest your spite
Against the Trojans, when the Enemy
Under our Walls is killing them in fight?
When none but you the cause is of the War
And Tumult, which surrounds the Town of Troy.
I think it would become you better far
To rate those men that from the Battle stay.
Brother, said Paris, What you say is right.
But hear me too. I stayed not behind
Because I to the Trojans bear a spite,
But from their Slanders to avert my mind.
And now my Wife too has persuaded me,
Who of my self was ready to be gone.
Not sure to any side is Victory.
Stay only while I put my Armour on.
Or go. I'll follow you and find you out.
Thus he. But Hector to it nothing said.
And to be gone his Face he turn'd about.
But Helen saw about to speak, and staid.
Brother (said she) though I unworthy am
To call you so, I would I had been thrown
Into the Sea the same day that I came
Into the world, so many shames to own.
Or that this Husband sensible had been,
As men of Honour should be of ill fame;
But that's not now, nor ever will be seen,
He one day will (I fear) repent the same.
But Brother (pra'ye) sit down and rest a while,
That with the toil of Battle weary are;
The cause whereof am I the Woman vile,
That with me brought to Troy this cruel War.
Unlucky day that brought me first acquainted
With Alexander to our Infamy,
Which through the world hereafter will be chanted,
And make us loathsom to posterity.
Helen (said Hector) now I cannot stay,
The Trojans of my presence stand in need.
But bid you Alexander come away
While I am in the Town, and that with speed.
For hence unto my house I must go home
To see my Wife, my Child and Family,
An't may be never back again shall come,
But by the hands of the Achaeans dye.
This said, home Hector went, and there was told
His Wife Andromache at home was not.
For with the Nurse the Battle to behold,
Into the Tow'r on Scaea Gate was got.
Then Hector of the women askt again,
Is she gone to some Sister or some Brother?
Or to the Goddess Temple in the Train
Of those that thither waited on my Mother?
To this one of the Women said again,
She neither went to Sister nor to Brother,
Nor to the Goddess Temple, in the Train
Of those that thither waited on your Mother.
But when I know not who inform'd her had
That th'Argives did the Trojans overpower,
With her young Son and Nurse as one that's mad
Ran to the Gate, and up into the Tower.
Then back went Hector passing the same Streets
Through which he went when he came from the fight,
Where in the way Andromache he meets
That now was running home in great affright.
The Daughter she was of Eetion,
Who of Cilicia the Scepter carried,
And dwelt at Thebe in Hypoplacion.
But unto noble Hector she was married.
Now Hector met her with their little Boy
That in the Nurses arms was carried,
And like a Star upon her bosome lay
His beautiful and shining golden Head.
Scamandrius he called was by Hector,
Astyanax he named was in Troy.
Because his Father was their sole Protector,
The people from his Honour nam'd the Boy.
Then Hector smiling look'd upon his Son.
And to him weeping said Andromache,
My Dear, You'll by your courage be undone,
And this your Son a wretched Orphan be.
The Greeks at once on you alone will fall,
And then a woful Widow shall be I,
And have no comfort in the world at all,
But live in misery and wish to die.
Father or Mother they have left me none,
For by the great Achilles he was slain
When he the goodly Town of Thebe won.
But from disarming him he did refrain.
Together with his Arms he did him burn,
And with such Rites as did a Prince become.
And having put his Ashes in an Urn
Bury'd the same, and ore it rais'd a Tomb.
The Mountain-Nymphs Daughters of Jupiter
Planted about it many Elmen-trees.
My seven Brothers all were killed there.
In one day by Achilles slain were these,
As they defending were their Kine and Sheep.
My Mother with the Booty he brought hither,
And her he at the Ships did pris'ner keep
Until her friends her Ransome had sent thither.
Then to her Country back they sent my Mother,
Who shortly after there fell sick and di'd.
Now Hector you my Father are and Brother,
Husband and Mother. In you I confide.
For pities sake then on this Turret stay,
Lest Fatherless your Son, I Widow be.
And set your armed people in array,
And those that aid you at the Sycamore-tree,
Where to the City easiest is th' access.
For there it was the Argives thrice fell on
Led by Idomeneus, and th'Ajaxes,
The two Atrides, and Tydeus Son.
Whether they had some God for their Director,
Or had observ'd some weakness in the place
I know not. And to this replyed Hector,
Dear Wife, this might be done. But what disgrace
Shall I be in? How will the Trojans scoff
Both Men and Women, and deride my fear,
If on the Tow'r they saw me standing off
When others fighting with the Argives were?
Besides by Nature I am framed so,
I am not able to abstain from sight,
But must be 'mongst the foremost, when the Foe
Invades my Fathers Honour in my sight.
And yet I know the evil day will come,
That Priam and his people perish must,
And utterly destroy'd be Ilium,
And all her stately Buildings lye in dust.
Yet am not griev'd so much to think upon
The sate of Troy, of Priam, of my Mother,
Or all my Brothers, as for you alone
When by a proud Achaean one or other
You drag'd are weeping into Slavery,
And when t'Achaea he has brought you home,
To fetch in water you imploy'd shall be,
And made to labour at anothers Loom.
And one that sees you weeping, there will say,
This Woman was the Noble Hectors Bride,
The bravest man of all that fought for Troy,
And of your tears bring back again the Tide.
But dead may I be first and buried
Before I see you drag'd or hear you cry.
And when he thus had said, his arms he spread
The Child to take, who terrifi'd thereby,
And unacquainted with a glittering Crest
And Horses Mayn that nodding at it hung,
Turn'd his face crying to the Nurses breast,
And with his little arms close to her clung.
Which made his Father and his Mother smile.
Then Hector on the ground his Helmet laid,
And took the Child and dandled him a while,
And then to Jove and all the Gods he pray'd.
O Jove and gods, Grant that this Son of mine
No less in Troy may honour'd be than I,
Nor from his Fathers vertue ere decline,
But hold the reins of Ilium steadily.
That men may say when he hath slain his Foe,
And bringeth with him home his Spoil to Troy,
In Battle he his Father doth out do,
And fill his loving Mothers heart with joy,
This said, he gave the Child t'Andromache,
Which she receiving hug'd, and laugh'd and cry'd.
Which Hector with compassion did see,
And thus with gentle words his Wife did chide.
Dear Wife, do not afflict your self for me.
No man can die before his hour is come;
And when 'tis come, put off it cannot be
By weak nor strong. Therefore I pra'ye go home,
And tend your work, and give your Women theirs,
And sit still at your Spindle and your Loom,
And leave to men these Martial affairs,
And me that have the charge of Ilium.
Then up he takes his Helmet and departs,
And homewards she; but often turn'd her head.
At home with grief she fill'd her womens hearts,
And made them mourn for Hector not yet dead.
Nor Paris at his house did longer stay
Than he must needs his Armour to put on,
And up and down the streets went every way,
To see if he could Hector light upon.
As when a Horse i'th' Stable pampered,
And used to be washed in the River
His Headstal breaks, or be delivered
From that which held him by what means soever;
Then proudly he sets up his Tail and Head,
And bears the Plain, and with the wind he makes
His Mane play in the air dishevelled,
Then to the Pasture known the way he takes:
So from his house went Paris through the Streets
With shining Arms, and Courage at his heart;
And quickly with his valiant brother meets,
Turning from where he and his wife did part.
And first to Hector Paris thus began.
Brother I fear I've made you stay too long.
No (he reply'd) your courage no man can
Accuse, but such as mean to do you wrong.
But when you, out of humour, will not fight,
The Trojans that much suffer for your sake
Speak all the ill they can of you in spight.
Which when I hear, it makes my heart to ake.
But now let's go. If ere the Pow'rs Divine
Displace th'Achaean Host, and give us Peace,
That freely to them we may offer Wine,
Your quarrel with the Trojans soon will cease.