When all their rejoicings were ended, the nobles are summoned to a council in the tent of Agamemnon. Calchas came with Achilles and (fol. 71 b.) When all were silent he spoke thus: "Ye nobles! Kings, Dukes, and Earls! have you not brought your forces together to attack Troy? The xi Boke. How the Grekys sailet fro 4548 4552 4556 EVERY wegh, þat will wete of pere werke more, Listen a litle, & leng here a while : Let vs karpe of thies kynges or we cayre ferre. And the day with deuocioun dryuen to pe end, tente. pai hailset pat hynde & hertely hym welcommyt, And sithen to sit all somyn þai yode Among po kynges in company, as paire course felle. 4560 When all the pepull were pesit, pe presens full still, Calcas to the kynges carpes thies wordes :- 4564 Erles & other men onest of astate, hat are aioynet to pis Journey with ioynyng of wer! 4568 And are opunly your enmys, & euermore you noies? Why tary ye so tomly, & turnys not furthe? Why then do ye tarry so long? pere-as all thing is ordant, hit angris to abide, It is foolish to 4572 Or tary ouer a tyme, when tulkes ben redy. wait when all are ready. Besides, there may be some traitors among you, who may Ne hope ye not highly, pat here are sum fals, 4576 his fenyond fare is forthcryng to hom, To assemble on yche syde soudiours ynogh, wenge. Ye shuld haue soght to pe Cité sone oponone ! 4584 And monythes full meuyt of þe mylde aire, Of seasonable sailyng of pe salt water, Syn winter was went & windes were lithe; 4588 3eforus with softe wyndes soberly blew, Planettes in the pure aire pullishet full clene, your deeds. you. (fol. 72 a.) Why lose all this 4592 When ye might soberly haue sailet, & set on time? your fos, And haue flayet the freikes with your felle hast? When tythandes hade ben tolde of soche a tore Hit wold haue noyet hom anon þe nombur to here. 4596 Thoche tarying ouer tyme turnys hom to ioy, And hertis hom highly to hold you for faint. A sudden attack would have struck terror into your enemies: but this delay only emboldens them. Book XI. Your gods will not fulfil their Ne hope ye not hertely pe hest of your goddes promise of success 4600 But if ye tary ouer tyme pai tene hom pereat, if ye tarry they will turn against you. Therefore take heart; haste to And in case to be contrary cast your auentur ; worse. perfore hefe vp your hertis; hast you to saile; sea, and follow to 4604 Sette furthe to pe se; sitte no lengur. your foes. Rest no longer." The counsel of Calchas is accepted, and Agamemnon orders that the fleet be made ready to sail. The fleet departs from Athens, (fol. 72 b.) The wind rises; the clouds are overcast; darkness comes down, with thunder and lightning, and a fierce rain. Has harnes ouer hacche; highes in ancer; Syn your goddes haue it grauntid pe gre shalbe yours, 4608 Highes you in haste, houes here no lengur. Iche buerne to be boune at the blast of a trumpe: 4616 And dryue on pe depe se pe doughti comaundet. All the company enclinet, cairyn to ship; Cachyn in cables, knyt vp hor ancres; Sesit vp hor sailes in a sad hast; 4620 Richet pere rapes, rapit vnto see. Hokit out of hauyn, all the hepe somyn A STORME ON THE SE. When sodenly the softe aire vnsoberly rose; Wyndes full wodely walt vp the ythes; 4628 Wex merke as the mydnighte mystes full thicke; Thunret in the thestur throly with all; A STORM AT SEA. With a launchant laite lightonyd the water; Book XI. 151 4632 The storme was full stithe with mony stout The waves rise windes, Hit walt vp the wilde se vppon wan hilles. All drede for to drowne with dryft of the se; 4636 And in perell were put all the proude kynges. Then Calcas the curset, pat come out of Troy, To the worthy pere were warpit anon :— "The cause of our care I know it right well : 4640 The goddes is greuyt, þat we are gon fro At honourable Attens,-auntrus Diana : ffor we soght notto sacrifice, hir seluyn is wrothe, And has wroght vs þis wedur: þat wete I for sothe. 4644 My counsell is kyndly, kythe if ye list, 4648 Our Emperour, hym owne selfe, offeraund to make. Be ho plesid with prayers & other pure giftes, And we haue wedur at our wille, & our way holde." like hills; and all are in terror of their lives. Calchas declares it is the wrath of the gods; and counsels that the fleet be steered into Aulis, in order that Agamemnon may appease Diana. The advice of Calchas is followed, and the 4652 pen keppit was the counsell of Calcas belyue. Into Awlida pe yle, to honour Diana, 4656 þat was fast by the flete but a forlonge. Turnyt to the Temple, taried no Lengur; 4660 With Sacrifice full solempne & mony sad giftes, fleet is steered Agamemnon (fol. 73 a.) Book XI. the storm abates. The fleet sails to the coast of Troy, and casts anchor under the castle of Saracbla. The garrison attempts to drive off the Greeks: but in vain. The Greeks swarm to the shore; defeat the Trojans; (To kepe, to receive,-to admit.) capture the castle; pillage and destroy it. (fol. 73 b.) 4668 Then the se wex sober, sesit the wyndis; 4680 4684 The troiens pai tokyn & tirnyt to dethe, 4692 4696 Tokyn the tresure; turnyt into hauyn. When pis castell was caght, kylled the pepull, |