Euphues his censure to Philautus wherein is presented a philosophicall combat betweene Hector and Achylles, discouering in foure discourses, interlaced with diuerse delightfull tragedies, the vertues necessary to be incident in euery gentleman: had in question at the siege of Troy betwixt sondry Grecian and Troian lords: especially debated to discouer the perfection of a souldier. ... Robertus Greene, in artibus magister.

¶ Achilles Tragedie. Index animi liberalitas.

IN the Citty of Athens (famous through the world for Philosophers and Souldiers) amongst the Senators •• for the state of the City was Aristocratia, there ruled as chiefe (honored generally for his good partes) one Roxan∣der, chosen by the consent of the Senate Dictator in the warres, this b••ing ele••ted Captaine, was so fauored by for∣tune, as hee neuer waged batta••le wherein hee remayned not victor•• in so much as the fame of his happy successe was a warrant to the Athenians of their safty. Of stature hee was small, of meane courage, no man greatly lettered: but to ••ecompence these defects, he was of such exceeding boun∣ty and liberalitie to all men, but especially to his souldiers, that his very countenance was sufficient to incourage th•• most bash••ull coward to the combat: For the Athenians by

their law gaue all the spoiles gotten in warres to the Cap∣tayne, onely appointing to the souldiers their ordinary pay: but Roxander, as he triumphed in many ••ictories, neuer in∣rich••d him selfe, but equally imparted the treasures of the enemy amongst the souldiers according to their deserts: be∣ing of such a liberall minde towardes them that prof••ssed martiall discipline, that at his owne charges hee founded hospitalls for such as were maimed in the warres, that their reliefe might ad a glorie to his renowne: G••uing dowries to the daughters of such as were slaine, and in peace being a father to all them ouer whom hee had bene a Captain•• in warres. Enuy the secret enemy of honor, grudging as well at his vertues as his fortunes, brought him in as deepe hate with the Senators, as hee was in fauour with the soul∣diers: for they suspecting that hee ment by this liberality to insinu••te into the hearts of the commons, and to steale a∣way the mindes of the popular sorte, so to plant him selfe as sole gouernour: (the only thing they feared, least their Aristocracie should be reduced to a Monarchy) by a penall law called Ostracisme, founde fault with his aspyring and so did not onely confiscate his goods, but condemne him for ••uer into exile: Roxander hauing the sentence of his va∣nishment pronounced, thinking fortune ment to gi••e him a check, thought as roughly to deale with hir, and therefore put vp hir abuse with patience, smiling, that when the s••nat had prised the inven••orie of his goods, the summe amoun∣ted not to so much as would discharge his passage into Sy∣cilia, whither hee was banished. But the souldiers and popular sort, hearing of this iniury, as men furious, gotte them to armes, and in great multitude flocked to the doore of the senate house, where they swore to reueng the wronge offered to Roxander: The Senates and censors with o∣ther officers of the Citty, sought by threats and other per∣swasions to appease them: but in vayne, till that Roxan∣der preferring the quiet of his country before his owne pri∣uate welfare, standing vpon the staiers, descending from the councell chamber, pacified them with this briefe Oration.

Citizens of Athens, famous through all Greece for your dutifull obedience in peace, and resolute indeuors in wars: accounted the presidents of perfect subiects, by manifesting reuerence to such as the gods haue placed as gods to go∣uerne men, I meane the graue and wise S••nators: what madnes hath incensed your mindes? what fury hath forced this vproare? what meanes the noyse of armour, & the wea∣pons as fearefull obiect in such a peaceable time, vnlesse de∣sirous to seeke your owne ruine, you intend a ciuill mutiny, th•• fall of your selues, and the fatall mishap of your posteri∣ty? what doo you want? who hath offred wronge? are not the Senators set to minister Iustice? an•• with that before hee could vtter any more wordes they cried out: wée swere to keepe thee from banishment, and haue sworne to reuenge thy in••ury, whom we loue more then all the Senators. Af∣ter the noyse was so ceased that hee might be heard, Roxan∣der went forward in his speach: if it be•• for mee (woorthy Cityz••ns) you haue taken armour in seeking to grace mee with your fauour, you pinch mee with dishonor: in coue∣ting my lib••rty, you bring mee within the bondage of infa∣my: The Senate hath past iudgement against mee in iu∣stice, and I content to brooke the penalty of the lawe with patience: offences must bee punished, and punishments borne with quiet, not with reuenge: Haue I lyued forty yeare a duetifull subiect in Athens, and shall I now by your meanes bee accounted a mutinous rebell? no, louing coun∣trymen: if euer my deserts haue bene such, as yée thinke mee your friend, lay away your weapons, returne euery man to his owne house, so shall Roxander account you his friend••••; otherwise, for euer take you as his enemies. No sooner had hee spoken these wordes, but euery man peacea∣bly, though sorrowfully, went home to his house: and hee within three dayes sayled poore, and dismissed into Syci∣lia. Roxander had not lyued long in exile, but a quarrell grew betwéene the Thebans and the Athenians, about the deflowring of a maide of Athens: wherevpon, as enuy stir∣reth vppe a secret grudge soone to reuenge, the Athenians

by aduice of the Senate, mustred their men, leauied a great hoast, ouer whom there was appointed sir wise and graue Senators, the youngest of which ha•• bene before tymes Dictator, to haue the conduct of the army, and ouer them all as Generall was placed Clytomaches, a man of inuincible valour and fortitude, stored thus with men and munition, with wise and valiant Chieftaines, they passed on towards Thebes: by the way giuing assault to a strong and riche citty called Lis••um, the souldiers thinking to finde in Cly∣tomaches Roxanders liberality, so suriously gaue onset, that in short time, and without any great losse they scaled the walles, and almost put all to the edge of the swoord, the Souldiers thus couragiously hauing entr••d combat, and won the conquest as before time they had done, entring into euery house to fetch out the spoile, generall proclama∣tion was made that no man vppon paine of death shoulde take one penny, but that euery one should returne to the campe, which so amaz••d and discourag••d y^e mercenary men, that with hartlesse groanes they went stragling to the tents: the Senators entring the houses and possessing such spoyle, that they sent home Waggons laden with treasure to A∣thens: After thus they had sackt the Citty, the Thebans hearing of this victory, gathering their forces togither, mar∣ched on to meete them, and in a plaine not farre ••rom Lisi∣um gaue them the incounter, with such desire to reuenge, as the Athenians were forced a little to retier: but Clytoma∣ches, whose courage no perill could daunt, incouraged his men, and for proo••e of his owne resolution, was formost in the v••warde, laying on such blowes, as he gaue witnes how willing hée was to be victor: the Senators likewise with e∣loquent phrases sought to incourage: but to small purpose, for the souldiers warely retiring, neuer stoode stroke till they harbored them selues within the City, where rampiring vp the Gates like cowardes, they dishonored the forg••tten fame and honour of Athens: The Thebans, whose téeth were set on edge with this repulse, layed leagar to the wals and compassing the cit••y with a double trench, thought ei∣ther

to make them issue out to the battayle, or els to force them yéeld by famyne: the souldiers carelesse, and heartlesse, would scarse make defence on the walles, which the Sena∣tors séeing, one of them stepped vp, and calling them all in∣to the market made them this oration.

Worthy Citizens and Souldiers of Athens, shall wee bee such cowardes as to measure our thoughtes by the fa∣uours of fortune, or resemble those bad hounds, that at the first fault giue ouer the chase, shall the fo••le of a little skir∣mish affright those mindes that hetherto haue bene inuinci∣ble? shall dishonor teare the Lawrell from our heads which we haue worne for so many triumphes? shall the Thebans who haue euer feared our forces, holde vs begirt as bond∣slaues within a citty? shall y^• towne which of late we sub∣dued, bee a harbour for our selues against the enemy? shall I say the world canonize our cowardize in y^• Records of in∣famy, that hetherto hath imblazed our fame with restlesse prayses? No souldiers, and fellow companions in armes & in fortunes, let this checke be a spur to reuenge, let vs thirst with a passionate desire till with conquest or an honorable death we winne the glorie wée haue lost: our siluer haires, weakened in many forepassed battailes ended, to the honor of the Athenians, although they might bee warrauntes of rest, shall not priuiledge vs from hazarding our selues a∣midst the thickest of our enemies: so that incouraged, and as m••n resolued to die, or within the field you will with vs is∣sue out to put these vnskilfull Thebans from their trenches. The souldiers (so had y^e discourteous couetize•• quatted their courage) as men not hearing, slipt away murmuring, as malecon••ent: which Clitomaches espying, drawing foorth his sw••od, cried out vnto them: how are you besotted soul∣d••ers of ••thens? why are your cares inchaunted that the wisedome of the Senate is holden friuolous? For shame seeke not after dishonor; behold, Clitomaches your captaine will bee the first man that shall enter the trench of the ene∣my; t••is sword, this hand, this heart companions shall for∣gard you, as more willing to die, then to brooke this discre∣dit,

and if you be so obstinate, take this blade and sacrifice my bloode, that dying I may shunne that shame which for our ••owardice is like to light on our heades: in vayne did Clitomaches crie out, for the souldiers went their way, and as melancholy men sat stragling and full of dumps in the streets: longe had they not bene thus béelegard•• but that newes was brought to Roxander what mishap had fallen on his country: hée whom iniury nor death could not with∣hold from wishing well to Athens, rather determined to hazard his life by breaking the Ostracisme in returning from exile, then to bee thought a fearefull and base mynded cowarde: passing therefore with as much spéede as might bee from Sicilia in poore and vnknowen attier, he landed in the Promontorie of Lisium, within thrée leagues of the Campe: where hee had not wandred halfe a myle, but by the scowts, he was taken prysoner, and caried to the Senat•• of Thebes, who thinking that Roxander was banished, tooke him for a poore Sicilian, (as hee fayned him self) & suf∣f••ed him to remayne quiet with frée libertie to passe and re∣passe at his liberty. Roxander continuing thus amongst the Thebans, hearing that the Citty began to want victu∣ales, and how the Souldiers mutynous, were about to de∣liuer vp the City, despight of the Senate vpon composition: late in an euening getting close to the walles, called to the watch and told them hee had a letter to deliuer from Rox∣ander to the souldiers of Athens: why villa••e (quoth the watchman) thou art mad, Roxander is banished: Truth (quoth hée) but returned, and taken prysoner by the The∣bans, who to morrow by eight of the Clocke shall suffer death, if hee be not set free: for confirmation of my words deliuer this letter to his Sonne, who knowing his fathers hand, may both reade it and witnesse it to the Souldiers: the watchman hearing such sensible reasons to perswade him, tooke the letter; and Roxander secretly stoale again•• to the Campe: No sooner did the morning starre & blushing Aurora begin to course hir selfe from the bed of Ti••an•• but ••he watchman hied with the letter into the City, and sought

out Roxanders sonne, who was of no better account then a mercenary souldier, and to him imparted the whole mat∣ter: who receiuing the letter, ••ound that it was his fathers writing: wherevpon, taking the watchman with him, cal∣ling the Souldiers by sounde of a Trumpet, to the market place: hee discoursed vnto them, first whose sonne hée was: secondly what had past the last night betwéene the watch∣man and an vnknowen man, of his fathers imprisonment, and the speedines of his death: for proofe whereof hee red them the letter as foloweth.

Roxanders Letter.

THe distresse of my countrey bruted into Sicilia, where I liued poore and exiled, such was the eare I had of the common wealth, as I choose rather to die by breaking the law of the Ostracisme, then to bée counted slack in attemp∣ting what I might for the benefit af Athens. Honors are not tied to times, nor courage to places: Death is sweeter then discontent, and more glorious is it to perish in wishing well to Athens, then in lying quiet in Sicilia: The The∣bans haue ouercome, that greeues mee not, sith it is but a braue of Fortune, whose fauours are inconstaunt, whose frownes are momētany, whose check is the step to good hap. The Athenians are vanquished; what of this? men are sub∣iect to the pleasures of oportunities, their actions haue not alwaies prosperity fauorable: time changeth: and more ho∣nor is gotten in a moment, than hath bene lost in a moneth. The Athenians are rampired as cowardes within walles: this (country men) pincheth Roxander at the heart, that famous Athens, renowned Athens, Athens that was the chieftaine of Gréece for warlike att••mpts, should be stained with dishonor and cowardize: yea, countrymen and soul∣diers, Roxander in bands in the hands of his enemies, rea∣dy to die, greeueth at this disgrace, and blusheth more to heare the Thebans call you cowards, then to heare them pronounce the sentence of death: Once worthy souldiers

you sought to frée mée from the handes of the Senat which were my friendes: now seeke to rid mée from the Thebans my foes, and your enemies, who intend to kill Roxander, onely because hee is Roxander: whose liberality was ••he cause of your fauours. This if I obtaine, I only in recom∣pence, promise to bee thankfull. Farewell.

Roxander the friend to Athens.

NO sooner had his sonne red the letter, but that the soul∣diers showted at the very name of Roxander, & pul∣ling his sonne from y^e place where he stoode, made him their Captaine. The Senators h••aring this alarum, were dri∣uen into a maze, till one of y^• Captaines discoursed to them from point to point, the forerehearsed premisses: whereat being astonied, cōming in with Clitomaches into the mar∣ket place, they found the Souldiers in armes, and in aray ready to march towardes the gate of the Citty. Clitoma∣che•• willing to stay thē that they might not issue out with∣out aduice, could not preuayle: but breaking downe th•• rampiers as mad men crying, Roxander, liberall Roxan∣der, th••y issued out, litle lookt for of the Thebans: who not∣withstanding, standing within their trenches in defence, the Athenians so valiantly gaue y^• onset, that in a desperate ma∣ner as in •• contemnning death, they ran vpon the pikes, & presently discomfit••d th••enemy with such a s••aughter, as not one was left aliue to carry newes to Thebes of their losse: the ret••aite sounded, Roxander presented him selfe, whom with such louing submission th••y receiu••d and he returning such lowly t••anks to the Souldiers, that they calling to re∣m••mbrance, ••irst the iniury the Senators offered Roxan∣der in his banishment, and their wronge at the sack of Li∣sium, for deuision of spoyle, that like men haunted with a f••rie, running into the City, b••fore Roxander could know the c••use of the hurly burly, th••y so••ght out the Senators

and Clitomaches, and put them to the edge of the swoord, presenting their heads to Roxander, who with teares dis∣alowing their disobedience, and with threats s••••wing him selfe discontent, was nothstanding, maugre his teeth crea∣ted againe Dictator, in which estate hee liued long after in Athens.

Achilles Tragedie ••nded, ag••d Priamus standing vp, gaue his verdite vppon their discourse in this manner. Al∣though, worthie Grecians, I am not called to bee a Iudge in this controuersie, yet friendly and freely let mee say that such a perfect diuision of qualities, or rather vertues, necessa∣ry and incident in a souldier, hath bin so liuely pourtraied, and figured foorth in such comely collours, as it is hard to censure whether of them holds the supremacy: for wisdome being the meanes doo dispose the army in his due order, and to haue an in-sight by pollycie to preuent what the enemy can intend, yet is but a shadowe drawne with a pensell, vnlesse fortitude & courage perfourme that in action, which hath bene purposed and determined by wisedome: neyther can these two haue longe continuance, and good successe, ex∣cept liberality, as a linck to knit these two in their forces, presents the mindes of the souldiers captiuate by their Cap∣taines bounty: then of these premisses wée may conclud••, that none can come to y^e perfection of a souldier, vnlesse he be both wise, valiant, and liberall: With this graue censure of Priamus, th••y res••ed all cont••nted, except the Ladi••s, who seeing Phoebus so fast d••clining to the West, hastened on Achilles to depart: he s••ttered with the loue of Polixena, woulde willingly haue p••rswaded a nightly rest at Troy, but that his thoughts would haue bene discerned: to pr••uent therefore ••ll occasions of suspition, hee made has••e, so that taking his leaue of Priam••s, Hector, & the rest of the kings and Pry••ces resident at Troi••, mounting vpon Horse he•• went with I••higenia and the Ladies to their pauilions.

••te domum Satur••, venit Hesp••rus: Ite Capell••.