The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.
Leo, Archipresbyter, 10th cent., Skeat, Walter W. (Walter William), 1835-1912.
Page 115
Dublin
"I, alexander, eldest · ayr out of grece,*. [Epistola.]
Þe son of Philip þe fers · & of hys faire lady,
Honored olimphades · þe oddest vnder heuen,
2008
To þe, sir darius, on þi dese · þis ditez I write.
For I am send, be þe sure · mony sere lettres,
And nomely now on new tyme · fro my awne kithes,
. . . . .
All oþer-wyse to wirke · þen my wille liked.
2013
Bot þis I werne, or I wende · & will at þou knaw,
Þat for no drede I withdraw · þe dow of þi pryde,*. [MS. proyde, or peryde (like per in piper, l. 2023); read pryde.]
For basyng ne for bobas · ne for breme wordes,
2016
Bot for to Se þat is Seke · my awne Semelych Modre. [folio 21a]
Bot wete þou wele þis, I-wisse · in a wale tyme,
Fra þat I fraysted haue þe fare · of my faire lady,
I sall þe seche with a soume · of seggez enarmed,
2020
One oste to ney vs to newyn · & all of new knyghtez.
And for þe sake of þi sede · þou send with þi writte,
Lo, here a purse full of piper · my power to ken,
To se þi-selfe a similitude · how all þees softe granes
2024
So vnder-put [be] all þe pake · of þis pete cornez."
Thys pistyll to þe persens · he with þis peper takys,
Partes pristly to þaim · mony proude gyftez,
And þai haue laughten þair leue · & þe lettrez fangett,
2028
And passyd vnto perse · þe prince it to shewe.
Then alexander · with hys atell Dukez,
Rachez hym radly to ride · & remevez hys ostez,
Fro þe streme of struma · he moved & stilly murnez,
2032
And mefez on toward masydon · hys moder to viset.
He ayers toward araby · & armyd þar he fyndez
A duke of Darius þe kyng · þat drafe hym agayns,
A Pere owt of perse · & prince of hys hoste,
2036
A maister man of þe marche · amonta was callyd.
He girdez in with a gyn · þe grekes assaylez,
Page 117
And with alexander all þe day · asperly feghtez,
Marres of þe masidons · mightfull knyghtez,
2040
Dynges downe of þe dukez · deres þaim vnfaire,
Fro morne vnto mirke nyght · manly þai feghtyn,
Slew downe on ather syde · seges owt of nowmbre.
Began in þe gray day · when þe gleme spronge,
2044
And so to þe sett of þe son · sessyd þai neuer.
þus iij dayes in a thraw · þai threpyd euerelike;
So lang, says þe line · lastyd þe batell,
Slyke showrez of shire blode · of shenderet bernes,
2048
Þat folez faired in flosshez · to þe fete-lakez;
So sture & styff was þe stoure · þe story me telles,
Þat for sorow of þat fight · þe son of heuen
Lost hase is clarite · & hys clepys sufers,
2052
For bale to Blissh on blod · þat on þe bent flowes. [folio 21b]
With þat owr gomes owt of grece · gerdyn vp þair hertes,
And fellyd fele in þe feld · feyle of þis oþer,
Þe power owt of perse · in parteez mony
2056
Sweyd sleghtly downe · slayn of þair blonkes.
And when sir Darius duke*. [MS. ye duke; but ye is subpuncted.] · þis dedes bihaldyn,
Amonta þe mightfull · hys men þen he fannges,
And vneth limpyd hym þe lyfe · þe line me recordes,
2060
And fro hys faes with A few folke · þe feld he deuodes.
And suche a passe, þen says þe prose · to perse he rydez,
Þat ȝit þe some sendesman · he in þe sale fyndez,
At fro þe streme of strema · was on stedes wysett
2064
Fro alexander & hys hoste · with hys athell pistyll.
And ȝitt sir darius on þe dese · on þis dytes awysez,
Held þis lettre in hys loue · & at þe ledes franes,
What he sayd of þaes sedes · þat he þaim send hed.
2068
And þai*. [MS. þai hym, but hym is subpuncted.] swyftly hym sware · & sothly hym tald:
"The kyng þaim kacht,"*. [MS. katht.] quod þe knyghtes · "& on þe kirnels bote,
And wele he gessed be þe granes · your gomes er softe,
Page 119
Bot on*. [MS. ony, corrected to on.] thynge, he sayd,*. [he sayd repeated; but once expuncted.] he sawgh · þat solast hym mekyll,
2072
Thai wer bot softe, he supposyd · for so þe sede preved."
Þen pullys hym vp þe prouude gome*. [Above the line in MS.] · & on þe peper tastez,
Sayd, als it toke hym be þe tong · "hys tulkes wer fell,
For, be hys knyghtez als kene · as me þe corne shewys,
All þe werld is to wake · hys wrothe to wit-stande."
2077
The worthy man amonta · þan mellys þir wordes,
Sayd, "he ledes bot a lityll · lord, be your lefe;
Thai er bot few at hym folows · of feghtand bernes,
2080
Bot more forcer on a feld · felle neuer of moder.
For I my-selfe with a soume · set hym agayns,
With þe persens prouude · a pake out of nowmbre,
Mo þen hys awne meynȝe · be full fyue thousand,*. [Victoria con|tra amontam ducem darij.]
2084
And ȝit vs fell all be fere · þe faynter to worth;
For þai he*. [Read haue.] hedit of owr athellys · & a [hepe] woundett,
And fey fallyn in þe feld · mony ferce Erelez,
Betyn Done owr Bachelers · my Barons all distroyd, [folio 22a]
2088
And a selly soume of my knyghte[s] · in þe feld slayne.
Wheþer thre*. [The r is above the line in MS.] days out-þorow · thraly we feyten,
Drafe dyntes derfe · deltyn & token,
And ȝit þe lawest at þe last · vs limpyd to be,
2092
Bot vnneth saued I my-selue · vnslayne of þair handes.
Bot trewly, sir," quod þe duke · "grete tresour me thynke
At alexander þe athell · for all was he maister,
Auancyd with wictory · & vengyd on hys enmys,
2096
Was neuer þe helder of a haw · [his] hert full of pride.
For mekely ilke moderson · hys awne men & othre,
Als wele þe pure persens · as þe prouude grekez,
All þe doghty be-dene · þat was dede he Commandez
2100
To geder þaim vp ilke grome · & þaim in graue bring."
Now alexander & hys oste · armyd on he rydez,
And sone into cesyll · he with hys segez enters,
Page 121
2103
Thare sere citez of þai sydez · to hym-selfe was ȝoldyn,
And saugeours hym to sewe · seuentene thousand.
Þan ȝode he ouer into an Ile · Yssanna was haten,
And þat was ȝapely hym ȝefen · & yolden belyfe.
2107
Than vp he clam to a clyffe · þat to þe clowdez semyd,
Þe towre of taure to token · þe tretes it calles;
þar fand he tembret on þe top · & tyldit vp a cyte,
The proud towne of persipoll · & to þe place goys.
þar saw he selcouthez sere · as sayn me þe writtes,
2112
The musys of musik & þar merke · how it was made frist.
Þan ayrez he into asy · & ay as he fonndez,
All þe citez of þo sydez · he sesez þam ilkon,
So fares he forth to frige · an-other fair yle,
2116
And one of hys olde goddes · honours in a temple.
Þen faryd he forth to a flume · fyue cubettes of brede,
Scamandra þe skyr flode · þe scripture it neues.
2119
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Then mefes home to masidon · with hys mony princez,
And mendyd of hir maledy · [his] moder he fyndez,
A lite dayes with hir he lenges · & of hir lyve ioys,
2128
And grathes hym þan with hys gynge · & agayn fonndez. [folio 22b]
He passed on toward perse · & pyth doun hys tentes
Besyde a burgh þat þe buke · bandara calles.
Þen fell to þaim freshly · þe folke of þe cite,
2132
And barred bremely at a brush · þe foure brod ȝates.
Then caches þe kyng hys knyghtez · vmbelappes þe wallez,
Page 123
And settes vp a sawte · to þe towne sydes;
But for þe cite was vnsure · þe segez within
2136
Might noght þe barettes abyde · of seggez enarmed.
Þen callyd þai to þe kyng · "sir Conquerour," & sayd:
"We steke noght our ȝates · your strenth to defende,
Bot for þe drede of sir dary · þe derfe Emperour,
2140
Lest, hed we heldit to your hest · he hed vs eft wastyd."
"Ȝa, warpez þaim vp," quod þe wye*. [MS. wyez.] · "& wyde opyn settes,
. . . . .
For when I done haue with Darius · & my dede fenyshyd,
Than sall I tell you my tale · how it sall tyde after."
2145
So babyst þaim þe bald kyng · with hys breme wordez,
That þai vnȝarked hym þe yatez · & yeld hym þe kees.
Thus þe burght of bandra · he with hys bernes takes,
2148
To lache & lefe qwat hym lyst · & lendez on forþer.
Þan wendes he to a wale towne · was worthyly haldyn,
And Come so to cadypolez · ane oþer kyd cite,
So to þe water of wynter · als it þe writte calles.
2152
Thare negh was fey for defaute · enfamyshyd hys oste,
Knyghtez kest vp a cry · & kenely þaim meane;
Sayd: "lo, oure folez bene in fere · for fodeles to dye;"
Plenys more þe perty · & pety of þair blonkez
2156
Þan of þe sorow of þaim selfe · be þe seuent dele.
"What aylez you nowe?" quod alexander · to hys athell Dukez,
"My barons & my baratours · biggest on erth,
That hase þe angers of armes · ay to now sofferd;
2160
Wheþer euer your hertes · for horse-fleshez abaytez?
May we noght lympe, if ony lyfe · leng in our brestes,
To couer be case at a cleke · coursours a thouusand?
And yf vs demyd be þe dome · to dye all at ones,
2164
Þan standes in stede noght of A stra · all our styffe stedes.
For-þi*. [The i above the line in MS.] I rede," quod þe renke · "We rydyn on Forþer, [folio 23a] Page 125
And passe we to som oþer place · where plente is in,
Thare we may fang at þe full · þe fode at vs wantes,
2168
And bath our folk & owr folez · fyll þaire wambes."
2168*
Then prekys he forth with hys princez · to suche a place wendes,
Luctus it þe lettre · & þe line calles;
Thare as hys saugeours hase fondyn · þe fulth of þe vitale,
Bath to bern & to blonke · byde whils he liked.
2172
When he was fulle þar & fed · he flittes hys ostez,
To tergarontes he tiȝt · þar telde was a mynster;
Pyȝt doun hys pauvilons · & passyd to þe temple,
Sir appolyn to adoure · & oþer alde goddez,
2176
To offre in þat oratory · with honour in he wendes,
And of som sperete to spire · how he spede suld.
Bott on ȝacora hym sayd · a semlych Nonn,*. [So in MS.]
2179
þar was none oþer answer · bot ane oþer day to abyde.
Þan drafe hym for[th] þe dere kyng · &, on þe day after,
He soght into þe sinagoge · & sacrifice makez,
And appolyne als belyue · hym aukwardly answers,
'Sir ercules þis emperour' · hym euer onon clepys.
2184
Than alexander all in ire · angerly spekys:
"Now fynde I wele," quod þe freke · "þat false er þi wordes,
For þou nevens a new name · þat I neuer hight;
And þou a god," quod þe gome · "þat is grete Ioy!"
2188
Then sekys he forth with a soume · & to a cyte wendes,
Þat Ilke towne hight tebea · þe tretez so it calles,
And þar he biddez all þe burgh · þat foure bald knyghtez
Suld be lett with hym wende · & in hys werys lenge.
2192
Þen tenyd þe tebe folke · & tit to þe ȝatez,
And withstode his strenth · & strode to þe walles,
Bad hym buske on belyue · & abyde þar no langer;
2195
For if he dyd, withowtyn dowte · þe dede þai hight hym.
Þan fangez vp þe fele kyng · a ful fenyd laughter,
Page 127
Sayd, "ȝe of tebe er triest · & thethiest on erth,
Off all þe seges vnder sun · þat citesyns er called;
Most heyly ye be auancett · & hight in hert.*. [Catchword—in hert; wrongly.]
2200
And now so ȝope men as ȝe · ȝates Hase stoken, [folio 23b]
Me & my proudest of my princez · ȝe do profre were;
And þat ȝe so will, I-wys · wondre me thynke,
2203
For þus wald neuer þat ȝe wroght · worschip of armes.
It contrarys knyghthod · ye knawe wele your-seluen,
To any wight wereour · in walles hym to close.
For he þat kyd is & kene · & couates hym a name,
Will fersly feght in þe feld · hys faymen ayayns."
2208
And alexander als belyfe · all vmbe þe cyte,
Mase iiij Mille*. [Read thousand, which is intended by this contraction for Lat. mille.] to fonde · with flanes & bowes,
Byddes þame to bend vp · & brathly with arowez
To wound þe wyes within · þat on þe wallez hoved.
2212
And two thouusand be tale · he tytely Commandez,
Of wele busked bernes · in brenes & in plates,
All þe sydes of þe cite · þat sichus had bigged,
And amphion, þe athell kemp · anone to distroye.
2216
And iiij Mille*. [Read thousand, which is intended by this contraction for Lat. mille.] he fonge · to fyre þe iiij ȝates,
Bot thre Mille*. [Read thousand, which is intended by this contraction for Lat. mille.] of thra men · to thraw with engynez.
Hym-self with slengers & slyke · he somned*. [Or soumed.] a menȝe,
To heyd & to help hys hynes · if any harme limpyd.
2220
Now er is seges all sett · & þe saute neghed,
Were wakned be-twene · werblet trompez;
Our peple with pavyce · presen to withowt,
Halez vp hemp cordez · hurlett owt arows;
2224
Oþer athells of armes · alblastrez benden,
Whirres owt qwarels · wappyd thrugh males.
Som with gunnez of þe grekys · gyrdyn vp stones,
To tene þe tebet folke · þat on þe toure fighten;
2228
Som bradyn oure þe barres · in blysnand wedes,
And faire fest on a fyre · all þe foure ȝates;
Page 129
Þat all þe burgh at a brayde · was on a blasse kyndlett,
And þo þat sunde wer vnslayne · as seges þaim ȝolden.
Than was withowt in þe ost · als þe buke tellys,
2233
A syre, þat sicistreus*. [Or sicisterus.] · was seget to name,
A mery man, a messyngere · þat manly was Ioynet*. [Read Ioyed.] [folio 24a]
To see þe cite be so sone · shendit to brandes.
2236
Ane-oþer athell vnder hand · þat Hisman was callyd,
One maister of musike · a man of þe cite,
Ayrez hym to Alexander · & in hys hert wepys,
2239
Als wha sa, "Prince, of your place · som pite ȝe haue."
Then lokys þe lord to þe led · sayd, "lettred berne,
Whare to fenys þou þis fare · for-with my eghen I see?"
"Sir Conquerour," quod þis clerk · "your*. [MS. pore.] corage to bynde,
And in riddyng of our riche towne · your reuth for to calle."
2244
Than was þe wale kyng wroght · & wittily Commandes
To bete into þe bare erth · all þe burgh walles;
And when all kyndlett was on colez · & castyn vppon hepys,
Than ayrez he on with hys ost · more worship to wyn.
2248
A gentilman full ioyles · þen iornays hym after,
Folows þe folke ay on fote · as þe faire ryden,
A sege of þe same cite · þat syre was & maister,
That callyd was clytomacus · to cry after socour,
2252
Hys ledes þat left wer on-lyue · a lyte of þe cite.
Then askyd þai at sir Apolyn · all with a stevyn,
"Yf it worth sall to wy · whil þe world standes,
2255
Oure burgh ayayn to be beld · þat brytynd is to noght?"
Than galez þar god þaim ayayn · & þus-gates he spekes:
"The tulke þat teld mon your town · sall teld vp & rerre,
Sall thre tymez haue þe tro · of some kynne gamez
Off were or of wristylyng · for so hase werdez shapyn.
2260
And when þat worship is won · within a wale tyme,
Than sall he sett vp [him] selfe · þe cite als beforne."
Page 131
Thus answers þaim þis old god · & ossus on þis wyse,
And þai als fayne, all þe flote · als foule is on morne.
2264
Than Ayrez hym on sir Alexander · with hys athell Princez,
To þe castell of corinthy · he commys with hys ostez,
With þe peres of þai partez · to play on þe towrez,
Als all þe syres of þat sydez · hem-selfe hed required.
2268
The multitude Wher to muche · oF men for to reken, [folio 24b]
That wer þar semblyd & set · þat feght to be-hold.
Quod alexander als belyue · to all þat þar stodyn:
"What gome sall þis gamen · begyn vpon first?"
2272
Then commes furth Clytomacus · & to þe kyng sweres,
The tulke owt of tebe · I tald you beforne;
"If it your mekyll mageste · might any thyng please,
I wald to wakyn oure welth · now wrastyll a turne."
2276
Þen makes þe prince hym a place · & prestly hym maches,
And he hym grydes to þe grund · & þe gre wynnez.
"Now fathfully, quod þe feyle kyng · "þus fall þou thrisse,
Thu sall be crownyd, or I go · for kyddest of gamme."
Þen ȝode he eftsons to · & hys euen castes,
2281
Thrynges to þe thryd tyme · & þe thro wynnes.
And þen Commandes þe kyng · a croune on heued,
Als for þe fee of þe play · piȝt-full of stanes;
2284
Then byde hym bedels belyfe: · 'breue vs þi name.'
"Sirs, be my soght," quod þe seghe · "siteles*. [I. e. city-less; so also town-less in line 2288.] I hyght."
"Whi so, my worthy wristiller?" · þe wale kyng sayd,
"How tydes it þe at tounles · þi to-name is called?"
2288
"My louely Lord," quod þe lede · & law he declynes,
"Before ȝe Come suche · & þe crowne wered,
I hed a cyte my-self · & seges enowe;
And syne ȝe aught þis empyre · & I am depriued."
2292
Then trowyd trewly þe kyng · at tebet he neuynd,
And Bedels & bailȝais · he bad a-none crye,
Page 133
Before hys peple so pert · & hym þe power grauntez
To set hys cite vp agayn · & of hym-self hald.
2296
Þan passys he to a prouud toun · platea was haten,
þar was stiȝlet one strasagera · þat was a styffe Prince,
Dose hym in with hys Dukes · to Dicnas*. [Read Dianas.] temple,
And fand a pure prophett · apparelt in wales.
2300
And als sone as sho hym see · sho sayd þees wordes:
"Welcom, wye, þat þe werld · sall wynne with þi handes."
Þe secund day before þe sun · he þat cite weLdit, [folio 25a]
To þe temple he tight · tithanndez to herken.
2304
"What is*. [Written above the line in MS.] þi will," quod [the] woman, "sir, to witt · & how þou me franes;
For þou lossez all þi Lordschips · within a lityll dayes."
"What & hase þu ossed to alexander · þus aydom wordes,
And me þus? vnably · þinē habet þou werys."
2308
"Nay, tene þe noght, for trewly · þus tyde bus it nedes."
And so it worthed, for in a wrath · þe wale kyng swyth
Hym of hys principalite depriues · & þen þe Prince fondes
Anone vnto athens & on · of þe athell Planettes;*. [So in MS.; but corruptly.]
2312
And þai sayd, saire suld he sike · bot he þe cite ȝelde.
And alexander with hys ost · þen ayres on ferþer,
Attellys hym toward þe terme · & of þe tene heres,
2315
And such a word he þaim wayffez · be writte fro hym-seluen.
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