A STORY OF HERCULES.

OFF ERCULES.

288 There was honerable Ercules egur of wille,
As poyetes haue pricked of his prise fader:
He was getton of a god on a gret lady,

bat ajoinet was Iobeter to his iuste nome,
292 And his moder full mylde Almena was clepid :
She was wyffe as I wene to worthy Amphitrio.
This Ercules euermore egur & nobill,

The worde of his werkes thurghe þe worlde

sprange:

296 So mony groundes he for-justede & of ioy broght,
That no tung might hom telle pþof it tyme hade.
Hit is tolde in his tyme, wo pat trawe lyst,
In his hastines he highyt vnto helle yates,
300 A pre hedet hounde in his honnd coght,

That was keper of the close of pat curset In:
So dang he þat dog with dynt of his wappon,
þat þe warlag was wete of his wan atter,

304 And thurgh voidyng of venym with vomettes

grete,

Mony prouyns and perties were put out of helle.
All pat poites haue pricket of his prise dedis,
I haue no tome for to telle ne tary no lengur.
308 But pe wonders þat he wroght in his world here,

In yche cuntré ben knowen vnder Criste euyn.
Tow pyllers he pight in a place lowe,

Vppon Gades groundes, þat he gotton hade:
312 Too whiche pyllers priste as prouyt is before,
The mighty Massidon Kyng maister of All,
The Emperour Alexaunder Aunterid to come :
He wan all the world & at his wille aght.

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A hiatus occurs here in the MS. of perhaps two or three pages. The extent of the obvious gap at the beginning of Book II. was not suspected, till it was ascertained that the work was a translation from Guido de Colonna. The following extracts, from the Strasburg edition, 1489, continue the story.

Book I.

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Hercules, son of
Jupiter and
Alcmene, wife of
Amphitryon,

who dragged the three-headed dog Cerberus from hell,

and set up two

pillars at Gades, which were called the Pillars of Hercules.

Obtenta ergo a rege Peleo Iason nauigandi licentia nova sulcat maria cum Hercule et suis complicibus navi nova cujus vela dum secundus ventus imbuit et ejus inflat afflatus loca Thesalie cognita deserit valde cito et ad incognita maris loca citius dissilit velocissimo cursu suo. Multis itaque diebus ac noctibus navigantibus illis sub ducto Thesalici Philotete eis discrete notantibus stellarum cursum visibilium existentium juxta polum majoris urse scilicet et minoris que nunquam occidunt. ** Noverat enim Philotetes stellarum cursus et motum si aliquis est in illis tanquam ille qui causa navigationis erat multum expertus. et imo aura secunda perflante tamdiu recto remige navigavit donec ad oras phrigias regni Trojani videlicet pertinentias nova navis applicuit in portum scilicet qui tunc dicebatur ab incolis Simoenta.

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Liber Secundus.

De Grecis applicantibus in pertinencias Troja, et de Laomedonta rege licentiante Iasonem et Herculem de locis illis.

Greci autem maris fatigatione lassati ut pervenerunt in terram in ipsam descendere quietis causa sitienti animo moliuntur et descendentes ibidem recentes aquas a fontibus hauriunt et ibidem pro majoris refrigerationis gratia moram per dies aliquos statuerunt non ut incolis molestiam inferre disponerent nec nociuis dispendiis eos ledere aliquatenus attemptarent. Sed invida fatorum series quæ semper quiete viventibus est molesta ab inopinatis insidiis sine causa inimicitiarum et scandali causas traxit propter quas tante cladis diffusa lues orbem terrarum infecerit ut tot reges et principes bellicosa nece succumberent et tanta et talis civitas qualis extitit magna Troja versa fuisset in cinerem tot viduatis mulieribus viris suis orbatis parentibus et tot pueris et tot puellis et demum jugo servitutis addictis.

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Subsequenter describit historia quod Iasone et Hercule cum suis in portu quiescentibus Simoente de eis ad Laomedontam regem Trojanum fama pervenit, quod gens quædam Trojanis incognita scilicet gens græcorum novo remigi Frigias partes intravit exploratura forte archana regni Trojani vel potius Troja provinciam vastatura. Erat autem diebus illis Troja

THEIR RECEPTION BY LAOMEDON.

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non tantæ magnitudinis qualis fuit postmodum de novo firmata, et in ea regnabit tunc rex predictus Laomedon nomine qui sumpto damnoso consilio quod utinam non fuisset legatum suum in comitia multorum ad Iasonem destinavit; quo ad Iasonem veniente legationem suum explicat in hæc verba. Rex Laomedon hujus regni dominus de adventu vestro valde miratur quare terram suam intravistis ab eo licentia non obtenta cujus est intentio sub tranquilla pace eam tenere; hoc instantissime unbidden. They mandat vobis ut incontinente debeatis terram ejus exire ita must depart the quod adveniente die sequenti sciat vos ab omnibus terræ suæ very next day, or be attacked and finibus recessisse; quod si mandatorum suorum sentiet vos conspoiled. temptores pro certo noveritis ipsum jubere suis in offensionem vestram irruere et depopulationem rerum et vestrarum finale dispendium personarum. Postquam Iason totam seriem legationis audivit totus in ira et dolore cordis exacerbatus intrinsecus antequam ad legationis dicta verba mutuata retorqueret, conversus ad suos sic locutus est eis. Laomedon rex hujus regni dominus mirabilis dedecoris injuriam nobis infert cum absque alicujus offensionis causa nos ejici a sua terra mandavit. Itaque si eum regia nobilitas animasset nos mandare debuisset honorari. Nam si casus similis illum in Græciam adduxisset scivisset sibi illatum a Græcis non dedecus sed ho

Laomedon would have been otherwise treated in

norem. Sed ex quo magis sibi dedecus quam honor applausit, Greece;-will yet nos etiam applaudimus ut illi et ab ejus regni finibus recedamus dearly abide his cum posset contingere et leve sit quod ejus enormæ consilium unseemly consit carissimo pretio redempturus. Deinde continuatis verbis duct. conversus ad nuntium dixit, Amice! legationis tuæ verba diligenter audivimus et dona quæ per regem tuum nobis more nobilium sunt transmissa recepimus sicut decet, deos nostros in dei veritate testamur non ex proposito terram tui regis intrasse ut offensam ingereremus in aliquem more predonio violentiam illaturi. Sed cum ad remotiores partes conferre nos nuperrime intendamus necessitas in hunc locum divertere necessario nos

He turns to the envoy:-they had

not come to do barm; necessity had forced them

to land; they would forthwith

coegit. Dic ergo regi tuo nos de sua terra sine mora postposita recessuros scituro pro certo quod etsi non per nos poterit forte per alios qui presentem injuriam nobis illatam audierint non lucra sed pressuras et dampna infallibiliter obtinere. Hercules vero verbis Iasonis non contentus regis nuncio refudit hæc verba. Amice quisquis es secure referas regi tuo quod ad plus die crastina de terræ suæ statione penitus discedemus, sed sequentis tertii anni dies non erit exitura dic illi quam nos videbit si vivet in terram suam velit nolit anchoras injecisse et de danda nobis tunc recedendi licentia non erit sibi plena libertas cum talis litis ad presens inchoaverit questionem quod priusquam de eo possit superare victoriam ignominiosi dedecoris pondere depremetur. Cujus regis nuncius respondendo sic dixit. Turpe satis est et nobili et precipue strenuo minarum sagittas immittere nec mihi qui sum missus, est commissum a rege ut erga vos litigiosis verbis insistam. Dixi vobis quæ mihi commissa fuerunt, si sapienter agere placet vobis do consilium bonum ut ab hac terra recedere non sit grave priusquam possitis incurrere graviora, cum leve non sit personas perdere quæ se possunt consilio salubri tueri. Et post hæc a Græcis petita licentia suum remeavit ad regem.

Book II.

King Laomedon
sends a mes-

senger, who tells
the king's surprise
at the entrance
of strangers

within his realm

Jason, thoroughly enraged,addresses his companions; comments on the

insulting dismissal.

be gone-others might avenge

their ill treatment. Hercules adds his say. "Friend, tell your king, we go to-morrow,

but not a day of the third year

hence will pass ere, if living, he shall see us anchor on his shores, with no power

then to bid us go or stay."

The envoy replies,-it is

base to threatennot sent to bandy

words, he had delivered his message, and

would counsel

them to depart in peace ere worse happened.

He returns to the king.

Iason vero et Hercules nulla mora protracta Philotete vocato jubet anchoram a mari subtrahi et omnia colligere quæ in terram adduxerant causa quietis. Sciebant enim si voluissent in Phrigios insultare non esse eis in congressu pares vel equales in viribus nec in potentia fortiores. Ergo Argon ascendunt et elevatis velis diis ducibus Frigia deserunt littora et sulcantes maria ventis afflantibus prosperis non post multos dies in Colcos insulam salvi perveniunt et desideratum feliciter portum intrant. In insula igitur Colcos erat tunc temporis quædam civitas nomine Iaconites caput regni pro sua magnitudine constituta.

316 That was Jocund and Joly and Jacomede' hight,
Hit was pe souerayne Citie of the Soyle euer,
Of lenght & largenes louely to see,
Well wallit for werre, watrit aboute.

320 Grete toures full toure all þe toune vmbe,

Well bilde all aboute, & mony buernes In, With proude pals of prise & palys full noble. There was the souerayne Cytie of Shetes pe kyng, 324 With his baronage bolde & buernes full noble ; Mony Knightes in his courtte & company grete. Ther were fyldes full faire fast þere besyde, With grete medoes & grene, goodly to showe, 328 With all odour of herbis pat on vrthe springes;

332

The bourderis about abasshet with leuys,

With shotes of shire wode shene to beholde :

Grete greues full grene, grecfull of dere,
Wilde bestes to wale was pere enow:
Herdes at pe hond ay by holte sydes,
Vppon laundes pai lay likyng to see.
Vmbe the sercle of the Citie was sothely A playne,
336 ffull of floures fresshe fret on þe grounde,
With lefs-ales vppon lofte lustie and faire,
ffolke to refresshe for faintyng of hete,

With voiders vnder vines for violent sonnes. 340 There was wellit to wale water full nobill,

In yche place of the playne with plentius stremes,

1 Probably for Ea, the capital cf Colchis.

THE ARGONAUTS AT COLCHIS.

With a swonghe and a swetnes sweppit on pe

grounde,

And all fowles in ffether fell pere vppon, 344 ffor to reckon by right put to ryuer haunttes. Small briddes aboue in pe bright leuys

With shrikes full shrille in the shire bowes;
The noise was full noble of notes to here,
348 Thurgh myrth & melody made vppon lofte.
To this souerayne Citie pat yet was olofte,
Jason [a]ioynid and his iust fferis,
Steppit vp to a streite streght on his gate.
352 As þai past on the payment pe pepull beheld,
Haden wonder of the weghes, & wilfulde desyre
To know of pere comyng and the cause wete,
hat were so rially arait & a rowte gay.
356 So faire freikes vppon fote was ferly to se,
So
zonge and so yepe, 3ynerus of wille,
ffolke fraynide fast at tho fre buernes,
Of what cuntre pai come & the cause why.
360 Was no wegh þat A word warpid hom too,
But sewid furthe to the sale of Chethes the kyng:
pai bowet to the brode yate or pai bide wold.
The Kyng of his curtessy Kayres hom vnto,
364 Silet furthe of his Citie seriaunttes hym with,
Mony stalworth in stoure as his astate wold;
Than he fongid po freikes with a fine chere,
With hailsyng of hed bare, haspyng in armys,
368 And led hom furthe lyuely into a large halle,
Gaid vp by a grese all of gray marbill,

Into a chamber full choise (chefe) on pere way,
hat proudly was painted with pure gold ouer,

372 And pan sylen to sitte vppon silke wedis, Hadyn wyn for to wale & wordes ynow.

JASON

Then Jason to pe Just King (Joyuely) can say

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Book II.

All around might be heard the murmur of streams and the songs of birds.

(fol. 7 b.)

As Jason and his company are on their way to the palace,

the people wondering ask them whence an why they have come.

King Eetes welcomes them to his palace.

(MS. has "chese.")

(MS. has "Joynt ly."'s