CALCHAS TO THE GREEKS. Is not the cause of your comyng with company grete, To turne vuto Troy, þat you tenit has, 4568 And are opunly your enmys, & euermore you noies ? Why tary ye so tomly, & turnys not furthe? Book XI. 149 Why then do ye tarry so long? bere-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 forthoryng to hom, To assemble on yche syde soudiours ynogh, And fret hom with fryndes pere fos to withstond, wenge. Ye shuld haue soght to pe Cité sone oponone ! Mony wekes are went & pis wale somur, 4584 And monythes full meuyt of pe mylde aire, Of seasonable sailyng of þe salt water, Syn winter was went & windes were lithe; The course of the colde see calmyt with all, 4588 3eforus with softe wyndes soberly blew, Planettes in the pure aire pullishet full clene, your fos, And haue flayet the freikes with your felle hast? pepull, 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. your deeds. This delay allows him to collect his allies to withstand you. 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 sea, and follow to your foes. Rest no longer." The counsel of orders that the 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. And in case to be contrary cast your auentur ; worse. perfore hefe vp your hertis; hast you to saile; 4604 Sette furthe to pe se; sitte no lengur. Has harnes ouer hacche; highes in ancer; 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; 4644 My counsell is kyndly, kythe if ye list, make. Be ho plesid with prayers & other pure giftes, And we haue wedur at our wille, & our way holde." 4652 pen keppit was the counsell of Calcas belyue. 4656 þat was fast by the flete but a forlonge. Agamynon in grete hast gird to the lond, 4660 With Sacrifice full solempne & mony sad giftes, 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 fleet is steered into Aulis. Agamemnon sacrifices to Diana, and (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.) Then the se wex sober, sesit the wyndis; 4668 And pere hyt into hauyn as hom happe felle, 4672 Vnder a castell of pe cuntre, pat cald was Saracbla. There pai fastnet the flete & the furse shippes, Cachit hom with cables & castyng of ancres, And logget hom to lenge in pat le hauyn. 4676 The kepars of the castell caghten pere armys, Wentten out wightly the water to kepe; Bowet to the bonke in hor bright geire. To put of pat pepull pristly pai wend, 4684 The troiens pai tokyn & tirnyt to dethe, 4696 Tokyn the tresure; turnyt into hauyn. When pis castell was caght, kylled the pepull, TENEDOS ASSAULTED. And all the shalkes to ship with the shene godes, pai past fro pat port with pillage pai hade, 4700 And turnyt vnto tenydon, taryt no lengur. pere arof all the rowte with pere Ranke shippes, Cast ancres with cables pat kene were of byt; 4704 ffestnet with fuerse Ropis the flete in pe hauyn; And buskit vnto banke, the boldist ay first. At this tenydon truly was a tried castell, Book XI. 153 The fleet then sails to Tenedos, where there was a strong castle, Wele wroght for the werre with walles full well garrisoned stronge; 4708 Evyn fild full of folke, fuerse men & noble, Arait hom full radly, right to the werre. 4716 Wenton out wightly wale men of armys, and supplied. The Trojans turn out to defend their castle against the And bateld hom on the banke as hom best thught. Greeks, who had When the Grekes were gethurt & to ground comen, Mony fightyng folke in a fuerse nowmbur, Oppresset hom with payne & preset pereafter; 4728 ffought full felly, and fele were pere pai slayne: Of the Troiens pat tyme tynt were þe mo. now landed. |