Book XXVIII.

that Priam has now no means

to prevent them, nor hope of

succour.

Amphimachus declares Antenor a traitor:

Therefore, of two 11280 be les euyll forto laite, and leng þer-vppon;

evils choose the

less:

make peace with the enemy.

Er we degh in this daunger, & to dol passe, Let vs proffer hom pes & hor prise qwene; þat myld vnto menelay, as make to restore, 11284 pat myche dere has vs done for hir dede one,

(fol. 172 b.)

that 20,000 men shall fall before such advice be followed.

Eneas declares

they have failed in war, and must now try peace.

Haue in this holde fro harmys to were;
11272 Ne so derfe of oure dedis on dayes fro now,
Any port fforto pas, or to put opyn;
Ne sechis no socour, ne no sad helpe
30W
Of no lede vppon lyue fro no lond straunge;
11276 Ne no conford to cache of no kyngis once.

Syn 3our sones ar slayn, & 3our sure helpes,
And 3our pupull all perichit vnto pale deth;
Syn vs cheuys this chaunse of a choise febill,

Syn Paris, hire pure loue, is pertid of lyue, þat hir walt as his wyf, qwil wirdis hym demyt." ben Amphimacus fursly vppon fote rose, 11288 A nobill sone naturyll of þe nayt brether, Wrathit at his wordis, & wightly he sayde To pe traytur full tit, all in tru wyse :— "Qwat hope may we haue of pi helpe now,

11292 þat þi kyng and his cumpany castyn to dissayue ;

bi cité and pi sib-men settis by-hynd,

pat pou loue schuld with lewté, and þi lyf

spend?

Now we se pe be set on a sliper ground, 11296 Of pi fotyng to faile, and pi faith breke,

And þi nome, þat was nobill, noiet for euer. ffull hard is pe heryng of þi high wordis, And the tale, pat pou tellis, of þi trist feble. 11300 xxti M. full thro shall in threpe end,

Er hit pas to the plyt þi purpos is in. ffor no luff hit is, lelly, pou lappis thies tales, But for treason & trayn, trust we non other." 11304 Eneas efter pis egurly said,

Refraynit Amphimacus of his frike wille:

THE TRAITORS REPROVED BY PRIAM.

"Agaynes the grekes to go, vs gaynes no more, To no fight in the feld, ne oure fos mete, 11308 Ne to pas of pis place, ne no port opun.

Hit nedis vs another way now for to laite, And proffer hom pes oure pepull to saue.” The kyng at his karping cast was in Ire, 11312 To Eneas & Antenor Egurly said :

11316 Syn I did neuer dede, duly to tell,

Ne plainly no purpos put vnto ende;

Ne neuer comynd in þis case vnknowing to

Priam reproves them, and replies, that he had never moved in the

"How may ye pus meane you with malis, for matter without

their advice:

shame!

Youre dedis me dullis, & dos out of hope;

And all coldes my comford, by cause of your
willes.

you;

And ay wroght by your wittes, witnes your-
seluyn.

11320 Truly, Antenor, þes tales you knowes : When pi-selfe for Exiona soght into grese, Made on a message in mene fro vs all,

And come fro pat countre vnto court home, 11324 Thy councell was kenely kyddest of other, That Paris by purpos shuld pas ouer the se The grekes to greue, and get if he might Sum lady of the londe, & lede into troye. 11328 The cast, ne the couytise, come not of me,

In pes & prosperitie to put me to wer,
But of falsyng & flatery with pi fer cast,
And pi curset counsell, þat comburt vs ofte.
11332 And pou, Eneas also, angardly fast,

Of all buernes in pis burgh byset perfore,
When pou passit with Paris tho parties vnto,
And ertyd hym egurly Elan to bryng,

11336 Hade pou counceld the contrary, & comynd hit

pan,

369

Book XXVIII.

that Antenor had been one of the most urgent for the raid into Greece:

that Æneas had been one of the most active in carrying it out:

(fol. 173 a.)

Book XXVIII.

therefore, their present counsel was the vilest treason; and would not follow it.

Æneas replies with much

anger:

the council is

broken up.

The grief of
Priam:

he resolves to cut off the traitors.

They must fall into the pit they have digged for their king.

Amphimachus is instructed to assassinate them:

Shuld neuer lady of pat lede vnto pis lond

comyn.

And now, after the dethe & deire of

my

dere

sones,

Thou rises as a rebell to my ranke harmys! 11340 Syche counsell, as pou kythes, kepe I none of, hat will lede me to losse, & my lond hoole : Neuer of shame to be shunt when shalke is on lyue."

Eneas with envy egurly Rose,

11344 And kantly to pe kyng karpis agayne;

Mony wordis in wrathe warpes full loude:
And so parted the prise all in pale angur.

HERE THE KYNG COUNSELD HIS SON TO SLE ENEAS AND
ANTENOR.

The prise kyng Priam was prickit with sorow,
11348 And myche water he weppit of his wale ene;
ffor he se hit him-seluyn, the sorow was the more,
The trayn of po traytours, pat truly were fals.
He purpost hym plainly, for perell to come,
11352 Tho faitours with falsyng to fonge yf he might.
He said to his son, on a sad wise,
Amphymake, the fre pat hym faith aght:-
"Dere sun, I haue doute pat dethe vs depart,
11356 pat of lyue & of loue are lappit to-gedur!

Syn I am fourmyt pi fader, & pou my fre child, Let us suffer our-self with sufferaunce of goddes. I wotte hit full wele, thies wicked men bothe 11360 Haue purpost hom plainly to perisshe our londes, Our cité to sell, & our-selfe alse.

Hit is nedefull for noy, pat neghis on hond,

þat þai droppe in the dike pai deghit have for vs. 11364 I haue takon intent po traytours to sle,

Er þai begyle vs with gawdis, & ger vs to degh.
To morn when po men are meuyt to counsell,

ANTENOR AND ENEAS ARE WARNED.

I will pou be wise, & wirke as I bid:
11368 Kepe ye in couert with knightes a few,
Of ledis, þat vs loues, of lewté to forther;
Kacche hom pan kenly, & bryng hom to ground."
He assentid full sone the sagh to perfourme,
11372 And to kepe hit as in councell kenely assurit.
But oftsythes hit is sene, & sum men hath feld,
þat spokyn is in speciall, spredes o fer.

In yche company is comynly a claterer of
mowthe,

11376 pat no councell can kepe, ne no close talis.

11380 pat knew of hor cast, & comynt to-gedur.

warned:

To pes traytours was told the entent of pe kyng, The traitors are
On what wise in this world, no writ me declaris.
hai assemblit full sone of assent other,

11384 If euer the souerain hym-self sent for hom efte.
This Eneas, of abell men was angardly grete,
Of kyn and of cosyns, & kydmen of strenght:
He hade fryndes full fele, fild of all goodis,
11388 And as plentuus of pepull as Priam hym-seluyn.

Antenor also was abill of fryndes,
Large of aliaunce, louet within:

All sweire pai, full swiftly, vpon swete haloues, and resolve to
Neuer to councell to come, but in cleane armes,
With a pouer of pepull purpos perfore,

go to the council
with an armed

escort.

A Riche mon of Renttes, Relikes ynow,

11392 And fele of affynité, þat folowet hym after.

371

Book XXVIII.

(fol. 173 b.)

he consents.

Hom-seluyn to saue & hor sad fryndes,

Hor renttes, hor Riches, hor relikes also,

11396 ffor daunger, or deire, depely assurit.

Thies curset of pe case hade comynt with the They had already

engaged to betray

the city.

grekes,

Pan the kyng vnto councell comaund hom bothe, Priam calls a

council:

To appere in his presens pat purpos to end,
ffor to trete of a trew qwill the tyme hade,

Book XXVIII.

Eneas advises the citizens to

sue for peace:

(fol. 174 a.)

The assassination 11404 And sent to his son to ses at þat tyme.

is delayed.

The next day anone, the noble kyng Priam
Somond all the cité somyn to appere,

To carpe of a councell, & kyth hym hor wit, 11408 And to mell in the mater with his men all.

When thei comyn were to courtte, this curset
Eneas

ignorant of the treason, they assent.

Priam, finding he cannot prevent the treaty, submits.

Antenor is chosen to treat with the Greeks.

11400 And to dere hom with dethe, yf destany wold.
pan pai comyn to be kyng with company grete,
Of armyt men all somen, abill to fight.
This Priam persayuet of the prise hoge,

fferkit vppon fote and to pe folke said :— "Now, sirs, hit is sothely, me semes, for þe best 11412 ffor to proffer hom pes, and purvey perfore." All his citizens, sothely, assentid perwith,

ffor þai knew not the caste of the curset chefe. The kyng to the komyns carpit agayne;

11416 To put of pat purpos he paynet hym sore.
Eneas with Envy egurly saide :-

"Sir kyng, of this case carpe pou no ferre! We wull treate of a trew, I tell the for sothe,

11420 Whether pou will, or pou wilnot, wit pou forsothe!"

Than Priam persayuit all the pepull hertis,

And feld well hit fortherit not the freike to

with-stond:

Hym was leuer to the ledis lelly assent,

11424 Than grucche pere agayne, & greue hym pe farre.
He said hom full soberly with a sore hert,
"Dos of pis dede as you dere thinke,
I assent for my-selfe, and sadly afferme."

11428 pan þai comynd in the cas, castyn hor wittes, And with charge of pat choise erend chosyn Antenor,

As grettist by agrement, with the grekes to trete,
And pursew for pes: this purpos pai tokyn.