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.

                                
                                  With-outen bachelers on blonkis · & bowmen on fote,
                                
                                  Foure hundreth Olyfants in-fere · folowid him enarmi[d],
                                
                                  With ilkane bunden on his bake · a borden castell,
                                
                                  And thretty tulkis in ilk toure · tired in platis.
                                  Line 3603 
                                
                                  Oure mey-he [MS. be before.]  out of Messedone · quen þai so many saȝe, [folio 62a] 
                                
                                  Þan ware þai storbet of þat stoure · so was þe stythe Persyns.
                                
                                  All þe athils of sir Alexander · was arȝed in þaire hertis
                                
                                  To mache with sike a multitude · of men & of bestis.
                                
                                  Þan was þir chiftans chosen · cheualous kniȝtis
                                  Line 3608 
                                
                                  Þat buskid ware on bathe halfe · þe bataill to rewle.
                                
                                  With þat þai tuke vp þe trumpis · be thretty at anes,
                                
                                  A-grydis grymly to-gedir · þe grekes & barbres.
                                
                                  Sire Alexander was armed · & askis his stede
                                  Line 3612 
                                
                                  Þat was þe bald bocifalon · & on his bake worthes;
                                
                                  Mare þan a stanecast at a count · be-fore [MS. be before.]  his kniȝtis all
                                
                                  He standis vp in his stereps · in starand maylis.
                                
                                  Þe men out of Medy · he mas, & of Pers,
                                  Line 3616 
                                
                                  To enverom alle þe vaward · of all þe vile yndes,
                                
                                  And he was graythid [with] a ging · of grekis kniȝtis
                                
                                  And maistres out [of] Messedone · þis meyhe [Read meynhe.]  to helpe.
                                
                                  Þe pepill out of Persye · ware petusly woundid
                                  Line 3620 
                                
                                  Of Olifauntis ouir all · with horrible hurtis;
                                
                                  All at vnweried a-way · wynnes in þe stoundis
                                
                                  Durst neuir his face to his faes · eft on fold bide.
                                
                                  Sire Alexander him a-visis · & ames in his wittis
                                  Line 3624 
                                
                                  How he miȝt bring it a-boute · þire bestis to devoide;
                                
                                  And mas to beete all of bras · as bernes it ware,
                                
                                  And full of glorand gledis · þaim to þe gorge fillis;
                                
                                  Ane instrument all of iren · þare ymage to bere,
                                  Line 3628 
                                
                                  Was compast on carte-wise · & cursoures þaim dreȝe.
                                
                                  Þire Olifantis of ynde · quen þai þare-on waite,
                                
                                  Þai wend þai ware wees · & wyndis þaim agayn
                                
                                  To drepe þaim as þaire first did · disclosid þai þe chaviles,

                                  Line 3632

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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 211
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 24, 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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