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, pat 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 pe worlde sprange: 296 So mony groundes he for-justede & of ioy broght, That was keper of the close of pat curset In: 308 grete, Mony prouyns and perties were put out of helle. 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: F Book I. Hercules, son of Jupiter and who dragged the three-headed dog Cerberus from hell, and set up two pillars at Gades, which were called the Pillars of Hercules. Book I. Jason allowed to Obtenta ergo a rege Pelco 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 ducta 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. The Greeks, tired of the sea, eagerly land, refresh harming the News brought to arrival of strangers come to spy out the land. Troy not then so great as latterly. 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. 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 * * * * * Book II. King Laomedon sends a mes senger, who tells the king's surprise at the entrance within his realm of strangers unbidden. They must depart the very next day, or be attacked ard spoiled. Jason, thoroughly enraged, addresses his companions; comments on the 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 mandat vobis ut incontinente debeatis terram ejus exire ita quod adveniente die sequenti sciat vos ab omnibus terræ suæ finibus recessisse ; quod si mandatorum suorum sentiet vos contemptores 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 insulting disregni dominus mirabilis dedecoris injuriam nobis infert cum missal. 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 Laomedon would adduxisset scivisset sibi illatum a Græcis non dedecus sed ho- 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 He turns to the 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 might avenge coegit. Dic ergo regi tuo nos de sua terra sine mora postposita their ill treatment. recessuros scituro pro certo quod etsi non per nos poterit forte Hercules adds his say. "Friend, per alios qui presentem injuriam nobis illatam audierint non tell your king, we lucra sed pressuras et dampna infallibiliter obtinere. Hercules go to-morrow, vero verbis Iasonis non contentus regis nuncio refudit hæc but not a day of verba. Amice quisquis es secure referas regi tuo quod ad plus the third year 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 dede. coris 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. envoy:-they had not come to do harm; necessity had forced them to land; they would forthwith be gone-others 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. Book II. Jason and Hercules forthwith weigh anchor; knowing that they could not cope with the Phrygians, they set sail, and soon reach their desired haven-the island of Colchos. 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. (fol. 7 a.) Jason arrives at The city was well walled and watered great towers all round: well built and populous. Around it lay fair fields and great meadows, girt with trees and abounding with deer. 316 That was Jocund and Joly and Jacomede' hight, Hit was þe souerayne Citie of the Soyle euer, Of lenght & largenes louely to see, 320 324 Well wallit for werre, watrit aboute. Vppon laundes þai lay likyng to see. Vmbe the sercle of the Citie was sothely A playne, With lefs-ales vppon lofte lustie and faire, 1 Probably for a, the capital of Colchis. With a swonghe and a swetnes sweppit on þe grounde, And all fowles in ffether fell pere vppon, 344 ffor to reckon by right pat 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. So faire freikes vppon fote was ferly to se, So 30nge and so yepe, zynerus 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, 356 But sewid furthe to the sale of Chethes the kyng: þai 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, 368 Mony stalworth in stoure as his astate wold; 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 and why they have come. King Eetes welcomes them to his palace. Into a chamber full choise (chefe) on þere way, (MS. has "chese.") 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 ly." (MS. has "Jont |