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.

                                
                                  Bot quilk as first of ȝow foundis · a fote vs agayne,
                                
                                  Sall neuir deuoide my dedeyne · ne my derfe ire.
                                  Line 2424 
                                
                                  And ȝe at wickid ere within · ay wickidly ȝe thinke;
                                
                                  For as þe grayne is in þe grape · growis þe frutis.
                                
                                  Þe Tebies tulkid [Sic; perhaps for tukkid.]  vs with tene · a-tired þam in armes, [folio 42a] 
                                
                                  Ȝit rad for all þaire rebelte · resayued þai þaire medis.
                                
                                  And for Strasagera þe stoute · ȝe stithli me blamed,
                                
                                  Þare as he gilt me agayns · & I him gradid haue,
                                  Line 2430 
                                
                                  I wrate to ȝow at me to wayue · be ten wyse clerkis;
                                
                                  Ȝe kest out comaundmentis · ȝe knew noȝt my strenth.
                                
                                  I miȝt a-coupe of þat cause · if I it kythe wald;
                                  Line 2433 
                                
                                  Bot I for-geue ȝow all þe gilt · & greues me na mare.
                                
                                  For-þi bees glad now, all þe gingis · ȝe sall na gref haue,
                                
                                  Þe diuinour [MS. duinour.]  domestyne · for ȝe his domes held."
                                  Line 2436 
                                
                                  Fra þai consayued had þe clause · & construed þe lettir,
                                
                                  Þai ware þe meriest modirsons · on morne miȝt [Added in the margin.]  ryse.
                                
                                  ¶ Now fonndis furth þe fell kyng · & flittis with his ostes,
                                
                                  Lendis him to Lacedoyne · a litill fra þe cite,
                                  Line 2440 
                                
                                  With-out þe burȝe on a banke · he bildis his tentis,
                                
                                  And þare him-selfe with a somme · in a sege le[n]gis.
                                
                                  Þe ledis out of Lacedone · belyue þam asemble,
                                  Line 2443 
                                
                                  Said, "bow we neuir to his bode · for bale apon erth,
                                
                                  Ne lat vs neuir be sa lethire · at we like worthe
                                
                                  To þam of Ateynes · it is oure opyn schame;
                                
                                  For þai ware baist of his bost · bredid for noȝt;
                                
                                  Bot be we kniȝtly & kene · oure corage to schew."
                                  Line 2448 
                                
                                  With þat þai ȝarkid to þe ȝatis · & ȝode to þe wallis,
                                
                                  Sum in Iopons, sum in Iesserantis · sum Ioyned all in platis.
                                
                                  A grayne of þe grete see · þaim aboute glidis;
                                
                                  For-þi buskis þam þe burgh · a bataill with-out,
                                  Line 2452 
                                
                                  Preses furth at posternes · in-to þe porte wyndis,
                                
                                  Schalkis scott in-to shipis · all in shire mailes;
                                
                                  Archars with arows · with attrid barbis,

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Title: 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.
Canvas: Page 140
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society, by N. Trübner & co.,; 1886.
Subject terms: Alexander, -- the Great, -- 356-323 B.C. -- Romances.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/apa1967.0001.001
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Full citation: "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." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/apa1967.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 23, 2025.

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.

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