THE ANSWER OF CASTOR AND POLLUX. pure brothir: 1904 Come to Acaxon pere Castor was lord, He salut po semly all with sad wordys, Of the dole and the dethe of his dere fader,- 1920 Of his message by mowthe as I mynt ere. 1924 His fader vs forset with his fowle wille, Did hething and harme to our hede Rewmes; We wrekit vs with woundis & pe wegh slogh, Did our lykyng in his londe as vs leue thoght. 1928 Qwerfore vs qwemes noght now his qwaint speche ; We fors not his frendship, ne fere of his hate. Book V. Achaia to visit 63 Castor & Pollux. He arrives at their court, salutes them, and relates the terms of Priam's message. Castor replies ; "That Laomedon having forced them to war, they slew him and ravaged his country. That they desire. not Priam's friendship and Ne charge noght his chateryng, thogh he chide dread not his hate. euer. 1932 He loues þe full litull, lede, as me think, To make pe pis message for to mele here: And pou hardly no hede of pi hele toke, Ne thy lyfe was not lefe ne lusty, it semys, 1936 When pou entrid our Ile pis erende to beire. That his master loves him little, since he sent him on such a inessage: (fol. 32 b.) Book V. that he shall die if he depart not immediately." He then sails for and goes to the court of Nestor. He states his message as he best could. Nestor foaming with rage, answers, But loke pat no lettyng ger pe lenge here, He turnyt hym tyte with outen tale more, Wound vp full wightly all his wale Ancres, Braid vp a brode saile, hade brethe at his wille, ffore enon to Philon with his feris all: Aroue pere full radly, rest in a hauyn, 1948 pere Nestor the noble Duke was negh at his With a company clene in his close halle. Euyn fairly by fourme, as I firste said. 1956 And walt at his wordes into wode yre ; He frothet for folle, and his face chaunget; Fool and servant of the devil, how dare you come into my presence with such words. (fol. 33 a.) In spite of your king, I should THE ONSWARE OF NESTOR TO ANTENOR. "Thou sot with vnsell, seruand of o pe werst! How durst pou so dernly pis dede vndertake, To appere in my presens with so proude wordes, 1964 þat myn eris shuld negh the noise of pi speche? But for noy of my nobilte & my nome gret, I shuld tere out þi tunge and þi tethe euyn, And chop purghe pi chekes for chateryng so high: : 1968 Spede the to spille in spite of þi kynge, A STORM AT SEA. To be hurlet with horses vpon hard stones, And drawen as a dog & to dethe broght:Brittonet pi body into bare qwarters, 1972 And caste vnto curres as caren to ete. Sile furth of my sight in a sad haste: And pou tary in þis towne, or any tide lenge, hou shalt haue pat I hete & pou hence worth." Antenor arghet with austerne wordes, 1976 Hade doute of the Duke & of his dethe fere, A stithe man to the stere hade, & a stoute wynde, A TEMPAST ON DE SEE. There a tempest hom toke on þe torres hegh: 1984 A rak and a royde wynde rose in hor saile, A myst & a merkenes was meruell to se; With a routond rayn ruthe to be holde, Thonret full throly with a thicke haile; 1988 With a leuenyng light as a low fyre, Blaset all the brode see as it bren wold. The flode with a felle cours flowet on hepis, 1992 So wode were the waghes & pe wilde ythes, : As qwo clymbe at a clyffe, or a clent hille,— 2000 Besoght vnto sainttes & to sere goddes; With knelyng & crie to pere kynd halowes, Book V. 65 drag you with horses over the hard stones, and hang you like a dog." Autenor, afraid of his life, fled to his ship. With a stout breeze he set sail. The wind becomes furious ;-mist, dark less, rain and hail, thunder and lightning. The sea flows on heaps like hills. The ship shoots up and down. (fol. 33 b.) All on board cry to saints and gods.. pre dayes proly pai prappit with stormys, 2004 Euer in point for to perysshe in the pale stremys; With daunger and drede duret vnder hacche, ffor wete of pe waghes þat wastis ouer hed. Stormes were stille, Stremes abated, 2012 þai kairen to be cordis, knitten vp þe saile, Kachyn on kyndly, & paire course held ; Euper buerne all bare, on pere best wise, 2020 As pai heghly hade het in þe hegh stormes. When pai hade melit with pere mowmettes & Perfourmet pere pilgramage, prayers and all, 2024 To the palis of prise of priam the kyng, Among Lordys full light & oper les peopull, 2028 When pe souerain was set þat þe soile aght, And rekont by row all pere rogh speche ;— 2032 The proude wordis & pe prise of Pelleus the kyng; The tene & the torfor of Telamon after; RESULT OF THE EMBASSY. 2036 With the fere and the fare of his fell chere ; As it was said to hym selfe, euyn with sad wordes. Book V. (fol. 34 a.) When the king had heard his story, 67 2044 Neuer to haue hir at home, pen his hert chaunget, he determines to And put hym in purpas no pease for to make. make no peace with his enemies. |