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 þe selcuthest soume · þat semblid was euire.
                                  Line 1244 
                                
                                  Slik a mynd vn-to [to added in margin.]  me · ware meruaill to reken,
                                
                                  Thretti thousand in thede · of thra men of armes,
                                
                                  Slike as was buskest on blonkes · in brenys & platis,
                                
                                  And othire folawand on fote · fele with-outen nounbre.
                                
                                  Þe multitude was sa mekill · as mynes vs þe writtis,
                                
                                  Of wees & of wild horsis · & wapened prenys,
                                
                                  Sa stithe a steuyn in þe stoure · of stedis & ellis,
                                
                                  As it was semand to siȝt · as all þe soyle trymblid.
                                  Line 1252 
                                
                                  Þan ware þe Messedones amayd · quen þa see [see added in margin.]  sa many;
                                
                                  Sire Meliager [was] in gret mynd · a man out to sende
                                
                                  To ser Alexander belyue · þaire allire maister,
                                  Line 1255 
                                
                                  To come & help with his here · or þai to hande ȝode.
                                
                                  Þare was nane þat was glad · þat message to gange,
                                
                                  Bot ilka lathire & othire · to leue þaire frynde,
                                
                                  Fest þar forward in-fere · þat fewe at þai ware,
                                
                                  To do as driȝten wald deme · & dyi all to-gedire;
                                  Line 1260 
                                
                                  To telle þaire torfere entyre · it taryed me swythe. [folio 22a] 
                                
                                  Bot so þe mode Meliager · & his men feȝtis,
                                
                                  Þat ser Beritinus þe bald · þai bretned to dethe,
                                
                                  And Sampson on þis side · was slay þar-agaynys.
                                  Line 1264 
                                
                                  Þen mournes all þe Messedones · & maynten him ȝerne,
                                
                                  Makis þar mane for þat man · & many othire noble,
                                
                                  For maistris & mynistris · menere & grettir,
                                  Line 1267 
                                
                                  Þat was in morsels magged · & martrid a hundreth.
                                
                                  And þat left ware on lyfe · bot a litill meȝne,
                                
                                  Ware als malstrid [Sic.]  & mased · & matid of þaire strenthes,
                                
                                  Sa waike & so wyndles · & wery for-foȝten,
                                  Line 1271 
                                
                                  Þat þai were will in þis werd · qwat þai worthe suld.
                                
                                  Sire Meliager & othire maa · mayned were sare,
                                
                                  All be-bled & to-brissid · þat neȝe þar breth failes,
                                
                                  Þai were sa feble & sa faynt · & full of þaim-selfe,
                                
                                  Þat all in fere was in fourme · þe fild for to ȝeld.
                                  Line 1276 
                                
                                  Þan aires him forth Arestes · was augrily wondid,
                                
                                  To Alexander onone · þas auntirs him tellis,

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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 66
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
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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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