Then straight he gather'd him a fleet, assembling bands of men, And fled by sea, to shun the threats that were denounced then By other sons and nephews of th' Alciden fortitude. He in his exile came to Rhodes, driven in with tempests rude. The Rhodians were distinct in tribes, and great with Jove did stand, The King of men and Gods, who gave much treasure to their land. Nireus out of Syma's haven three wellbuilt barks did bring; Nirëus, fair Aglaia's son, and Charopes the king; Nireus was the fairest man that to fair Ilion came Of all the Greeks, save Peleus' son, who pass'd for general frame; But weak this was, not fit for war, and therefore few did guide. Who did in Cassus, Nisyrus, and Crapathus abide, [soils, In Co, Eurypylus his town, and in Calydna's Phidippus and bold Antiphus did guide to Trojan toils (The sons of crowned Thessalus, derived from Hercules), Who went with thirty hollow ships wellorder'd to the seas. Now will I sing the sackful troops Pelasgian Argos held, That in deep Alus, Alope, and soft Trechina dwell'd, In Phthia, and in Hellade where live the lovely dames, The Myrmidons, Hellenians, and Achives, robb'd of fames; All which the great did lead. acides in fifty ships For these forgat war's horrid voice, because they lack'd their head That would have brought them bravely forth; but now at fleet did lie That wind-like user of his feet, fair Thetis' progeny, Wroth for bright-cheek'd Briseis' loss, When that town was depopulate; he sunk Who came of king Evenus' race, great Yet now he idly lives enraged, but soon must leave his ease. Of those that dwelt in Phylace, and flowery Pyrason The wood of Ceres, and the soil that sheep are fed upon Iton, and Antron built by sea, and Pteleus full of grass, Protesilaus, while he lived, the worthy captain was, Whom now the sable earth detains; his tear torn-faced spouse He woful left in Phylace, and his halffinish'd house; A fatal Dardan first his life, of all the Greeks, bereft, As he was leaping from his ship; yet were his men unleft Without a chief; for though they wish'd to have no other man But good Protesilaus their guide, Podarces yet began To govern them (Iphitis' son, the son of Phylacus), Most rich in sheep, and brother to shortlived Protesilaus, Of younger birth, less, and less strong; yet served he to direct The companies, that still did more their ancient duke affect. Twice-twenty jetty sails with him the swelling stream did take. But those that did in Pheres dwell, at the Boebeian lake, In Bobe, and in Glaphyra, Iaolcus builded fair, In thrice six ships to Pergamus did through the seas repair, With old Admetus' tender son, Eumelus, whom he bred Of Alcest, Pelius' fairest child of all his female seed. The soldiers that before the siege Methone's vales did hold, Thaumacie, flowery Meliboe, and Olison the cold, Duke Philoctetes governed, in darts of finest sleight; Seven vessels in his charge convey'd their honourable freight, 35609 [bow; By fifty rowers in a bark, most expert in the But he in sacred Lemnos lay, brought miserably low By torment of an ulcer grown with Hydra's poison'd blood, Whose sting was such, Greece left him there in most impatient mood; Yet thought they on him at his ship, and choosed, to lead his men, Medon, Oileus' bastard son, brought forth to him by Rhen. From Trica, bleak Ithomen's cliffs, and hapless Oechaly, Eurytus city, ruled by him in wilful tyranny, In charge of Esculapius' sons, physician highly praised, Machaon, Podalirius, were thirty vessels raised. Who near Hyperia's fountain dwelt, and in Ormenius, The snowy tops of Titanus, and in Asterius, Evemon's son, Eurypylus, did lead into the field; Whose towns did forty black-sail'd ships to that encounter yield. Who Gyrton, and Argissa, held, Orthen, and Elon's seat, And chalky Oloössone, were led by Polypote, The issue of Pirithous, the son of Jupiter. Him the Athenian Theseus' friend Hippodamy did bear, When he the bristled savages did give Ramnusia, And drove them out of Pelius, as far as Ethica. He came not single, but with him Leonteus, Coron's son, An arm of Mars, and Coron's life Cenëus' seed begun. Twice twenty ships attended these. Guneus next did bring From Cyphus twenty sail and two; the Enians following; And fierce Peræbi, that about Dodone's frozen mould Did plant their houses; and the men that did the meadows hold, Which Titaresius decks with flowers, and his sweet current leads Into the bright Peneïus, that hath the silver heads : Yet with his admirable stream doth not his waves commix, But glides aloft on it like oil; for 'tis the flood of Styx, By which th' immortal Gods do swear. Teuthredon's honour'd birth, Prothous, led the Magnets forth, who near the shady earth Of Pelius, and Peneïon, dwelt; forty revengeful sail Did follow him. These were the dukes and princes of avail That came from Greece. But now the man, that overshined them all, Sing, Muse; and their most famous steeds to my recital call, That both th' Atrides followed. Fair Pheretiades The bravest mares did bring by much; Eumelius managed these, Swift of their feet as birds of wings, both of one hair did shine, Both of an age, both of a height, as measured by a line, Whom silver-bow'd Apollo bred in the Pierian mead, Both slick and dainty, yet were both in war of wondrous dread. Great Ajax Telamon for strength pass'd all the peers of war, While vex'd Achilles was away; but he surpass'd him far. The horse that bore that faultless man were likewise past compare; Yet lay he at the crook'd-stern'd ships, and fury was his fare, For Atreus' son's ungracious deed; his men yet pleased their hearts With throwing of the holed stone, with hurling of their darts, And shooting fairly on the shore; their horse at chariots fed On greatest parsley, and on sedge that in the fens is bred. His princes' tents their chariots held, that richly cover'd were; His princes, amorous of their chief, walk'd storming here and there About the host, and scorn'd to fight; their breaths as they did pass Before them flew, as if a fire fed on the trembling grass; Earth under-groan'd their high raised feet, [drove as when offended Jove, In Arime, Typhoeus with rattling thunder Beneath the earth; in Arime, men say, the grave is still, Where thunder-tomb'd Typhoeus, and is a monstrous hill; And as that thunder made earth groan, so groan'd it as they past, They trod with such hard-set-down steps, and so exceeding fast. To Troy the rainbow-girded Dame right heavy news relates From Jove, as all to council drew in Priam's palace-gates, Resembling Priam's son in voice, Polites, swift of feet; In trust whereof, as sentinel, to see when from the fleet The Grecians sallied, he was set upon the lofty brow Of aged Æsyetes' tomb; and this did Iris show: "O Priam, thou art always pleased with And framest thy life to times of peace, behold I never did Such and so mighty troops of men, who trample on the mould In number like Autumnus' leaves, or like the marine sand, All ready round about the walls to use a ruining hand. Hector, I therefore charge thee most, this A multitude remain in Troy, will fight for Of other lands and languages; let every Bring forth well-arm'd into the field his several bands of men." Strong Hector knew a Deity gave charge to this assay, Dismiss'd the council straight; like waves, clusters to arms do sway; The ports are all wide open set; out rush'd the troops in swarms, Both horse and foot; the city rung with sudden-cried alarms. A column stands without the town, that high his head doth raise, A little distant, in a plain trod down with divers ways, Which men do Batieia call, but the Immortals name Myrine's famous sepulchre, the wondrous active dame. Here were the auxiliary bands, that came in Troy's defence, Distinguish'd under several guides of special excellence. The duke of all the Trojan power great Which stood of many mighty men well- Led to the field; his lovely sire in Ida's Begat him of sweet Cyprides; he solely Chief leader of the Dardan powers, Ante- Who in Zelia dwelt beneath the sacred That drink of black The Aphnii, Lycaon's son, whom Phœbus Prince Pandarus, did lead to field. Who Apesus' city, Pityæ, and mount Tereies, (Merops Percosius, that excell'd all Troy in heavenly skill Of futures-searching prophecy) for, much against his will, His sons were agents in those arms; whom since they disobey'd, The fates, in letting slip their threads, their hasty valours stay'd. Who in Percotes, Practius, Arisba, did abide, [did guide; Who Sestus and Abydus bred, Hyrtacides Prince Asius Hyrtacides, that, through great Selees' force, Brought from Arisba to that fight the great and fiery horse. Pylæus, and Hippothous, the stout Pelasgians led, [nourished: Of them Larissa's fruitful soil before had These were Pelasgian Pithus' sons, son of Teutamidas. [valiant Acamas, The Thracian guides were Pirous, and Of all that the impetuous flood of Hellespont enclosed. Euphemus, the Ciconian troops, in his command disposed, Who from Troezenius-Ceades right nobly did descend. Pyræchmes did the Pæons rule, that crooked bows do bend; From Axius, out of Amydon, he had them in command, From Axius, whose most beauteous stream Pylæmen with the well-arm'd heart, the From Enes, where the race of mules fit for The men that broad Cytorus' bounds, and And Erythinus situate high, Pylæmen's Epistrophus and Dius did the Halizonians guide, Far-fetch'd from Alybe, where first the silver mines were tried. Chromis, and augur Eunomus, he Mysians did command, sepus' stream, and Who could not with his auguries the strength of death withstand, wealth made full of pride, But suffer'd it beneath the stroke of great In Xanthus; where he made more souls Phorcys, and fair Ascanius, the Phrygians brought to war, Well train'd for battle, and were come out of Ascania far. With Methles, and with Antiphus (Pylæmen's sons) did fight The men of Meïon, whom the fen Gygæa brought to light, And those Meionians that beneath the mountain Tmolus sprung. That with the famous wood is crown'd, That hath so many lofty marks for men The crooked arms Mæander bow'd with his so snaky flood, Resign'd for conduct the choice youth of all their martial brood. The fool Amphimachus, to field, brought gold to be his wrack, Proud-girllike that doth ever bear her dower upon her back; Which wise Achilles mark'd, slew him, and took his gold in strife, The rude unletter'd Caribæ, that bar- At Xanthus' flood; so little Death did fear barous were of tongue, Did under Naustes' colours march, and young Amphimachus his golden life. Sarpedon led the Lycians, and Glaucus unreproved, (Nomion's famous sons), to whom, the From Lycia, and the gulfy flood of Xanmountain Phthirorus, thus far removed. COMMENTARIUS. 1 'Hore ëovea, &c. Sicut examina pro- | best learned that ever were, come to the deunt apum frequentium, &c. In this field for Homer; hiding all other poets simile Virgil (using the like in imitation) is preferred to Homer; with what reason I pray you see. Their ends are different; Homer intending to express the infinite multitude of soldiers everywhere dispersing; Virgil, the diligence of builders. Virgil's simile is this: I. Æneid : Now compare this with Homer's, but in my translation; and judge if, to both their ends, there be any such betterness in Virgil's, but that the reverence of the scholar, due to the master (even in these his maligners), might well have contained their lame censures of the poetical fury from these unmannerly and hateful comparisons. Especially, since Virgil hath nothing of his own, but only elocution; his invention, matter, and form, being all Homer's; which laid by a man, that which he addeth is only the work of a woman, to netify and polish. Nor do I, alas, but the foremost rank of the most ancient and under his ensign. Hate not me then, but them; to whom, before my book, I refer you. But much the rather I insist on the former simile; for the word idadòv, catervatim, or confertim, which is noted by Spondanus to contain all the anódoσis, reddition, or application of the comparison, and is nothing so. For though it be all the reddition Homer expresseth, yet he intends two special parts in the application more, which he leaves to his judicial reader's understanding, as he doth in all his other similes; since a man may pervially (or, as he passeth) discern all that is to be understood. And here, besides the throngs of soldiers expressed in the swarms of bees, he intimates the infinite number in those throngs or companies, issuing from fleet so ceaselessly that there appeared almost no end of their issue; and thirdly, the everywhere dispersing themselves. But Spondanus would excuse Homer for expressing no more of his application, with affirming it impossible that the thing compared, and the comparison, should answer in all parts; and therefore alleges the vulgar understanding of a simile, which is as gross as it is vulgar, that a similitude must uno pede semper claudicare. His reason for it is as absurd as the rest; which is this, Si ea inter se omnino responderent, falleret illud axioma, feratio, or clamor, though some will have nullum simile est idem; as though the it pugna, ex consequenti, because fights are general application of the compared and often made with clamour. But in bello the comparison would make them anything strenuus (unless it be ironically taken) is more the same, or all one; more than the here strained beyond sufferance, and is to swarms of bees and the throng of soldiers be expounded vociferatione bonus Meneare all one or the same; for answering most laus; which agreeth with that part of his aptly. But that a simile must needs halt character in the next book, that telleth his of one foot still showeth how lame vulgar manner of utterance or voice, which is tradition is, especially in her censure of aλà dɩyéws, valde stridulè, or arguto cum poesy. For who at first sight will not stridore, Ayews being commonly and most conceive it absurd to make a simile, which properly taken in the worse part, and serves to the illustration and ornament of signifieth shrilly, or noisefully, squeaking; a poem, lame of a foot, and idle? The howsoever in the vulgar conversion it is in incredible violence suffered by Homer in that place most grossly abused. To the all the rest of his most inimitable similes, consideration whereof, being of much being expressed in his place, will abun-importance, I refer you in his place, and dantly prove the stupidity of this tradition; in the meantime show you, that, in this and how injuriously short his interpreters first and next verse, Homer (speaking must needs come of him in his strait and scoptically) breaks open the fountain of deep places, when in his open and fair his ridiculous humour following, never by passages they halt and hang back so. any interpreter understood, or touched at, being yet the most ingenious conceited person that any man can show in any heroical poem, or in any comic poet. And that you may something perceive him before you read to him in his several places, I will, as I can in haste, give you him here together as Homer at all parts presents him-viz., simple, well-meaning, standing still affectedly on telling truth, small, and shrill-voiced (not sweet, or eloquent, as some most against the hair would have him), short spoken, after his country the Laconical manner, yet speaking thick and fast, industrious in the field, and willing to be employed, and (being mollis bellator himself) set still to call to every hard service the hardiest; even by the wit of Ajax played upon, about whom he would still be diligent, and what he wanted of the martial fury and faculty himself, that he would be bold to supply out of Ajax, Ajax and he, to any for blows; Antilochus and he for wit (Antilochus, old Nestor's son, a most ingenious, valiant, and excellently formed person); sometimes valiant, or daring (as what coward is not?) sometimes falling upon sentence and good matter in his speeches (as what meanest capacity doth not?) Nor useth our most inimitable imitator of nature this cross and deformed mixture of his parts, more to colour and avoid too broad a taxation of so eminent a person, than to follow the true life of nature, being often, or always, expressed so disparent in her creatures. And therefore the decorum that some poor critics 2 Tòv pèv ápíndov Oĥkev Oeòs, &c. hunc quidem clarum (or illustrem) fecit Deus, as it is by all translated; wherein I note the strange abuse (as I apprehend it) of the word apignos, beginning here, and continuing wheresoever it is found in these Iliads. It is by the transition of 5 into & in derivation, according to the Doric; for which cause our interpreters will needs have Homer intend ȧpiondos, which is clarus or illustris, when he himself saith άpignos, which is a compound of apt, which is valde, and Sýλos, and signifies, quem valde æmulamur, or valde amulandus, according to Scapula. But because nos is mort authentically expounded, impetus mentis ad cultum divinum, that exposition I follow in this place, and expound ròv μèv ȧpíšnλov Oĥkev | Oeos, hunc quidem magnum impulsum ad cultum divinum fecit Deus; because he turned so suddenly and miraculously the dragon to a stone. To make it apídnλov, and say clarum or illustrem fecit Deus qui ostendit, or ostenderat, which follows in the verse, and saith thus much in our tongue, God that showed this, made it clear, is very little more than, God that showed this, showed it. One way it observes the word (betwixt which, and the other, you see what great difference) and is fair, full, grave; the other alters the original, and is ugly, empty, idle. * Αυτόματος δὲ οἱ ἦλθε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος, &c. Spontaneus autem ei venit voce bonus Menelaus; and some say bello strenuus Menelaus, which is far estranged from the mind of our Homer, Bon signifying voci |