The .xvii. chapter.
Here Bochas maketh an exclamation vpon the dethe of Alcibiades.
OFatal sustren which span y• lyues thred,
So short a term, why did ye determin▪
To suffre him brenne among the coles rede?
Ye were to hasty to breke and vntwyne
His web of knighthod yt so clere dyd shyne,
And cast of noblesse his beames out so cleare,
Alas that euer he fyll in your daungere,
Out on Stix and on Attropose,
That haue of malyce slayn so good a knyght
Out on you thre that kepe your selfe so close
Doughters ycalled of the derke night:
And thou Letū that queyntest eke the lyght,
Of Alcibiades, myrrour & l••tern,
To speke in knighthod, how men shuld them gouerne.
Yeslee the worthy, and wretches ye do spare,
Thercites lyueth Hector is slayne in dede,
Your funeral smokes maketh relmes so bare
To race vp Cedris their braunches may nat sprede
Ye pul the laurer, ye make y• firs sede,
Ful lytel thanke in kyngdoms ye deserue,
Caytiues to fostre and do the worthy sterue.
Alcibiades is passed into fate,
Light of knighthod lyeth clipsed in the shade
The Parcas susterne to soone set hys date,
Of his high noblesse to make the laurer fade:
Lacedemonois of his dethe wer glad,
Funerall fyre his body hath dyffied,
For hygh prowesse his soule stellifyed.
¶ Lenuoye
ALas this tragedy doth my hert to blede
My pen quaketh of ruth and of pyte,
In my writyng, whan that I take hede
To se the straunge fearfull dyuersyte
Of all worldly vusure felycite:
Howe from their sees shortli to comprehend,
Froward fortune doth princes down discend
Alcibiades of corage and of manhed
As is rehersed (in bokes ye may se)
Of genltylnes, and of goodly heed,
Of semelynes, of fredom, and of bounte
Of hygh prudence, and magnanymite,
Was most famous as auctours him cōmed,
yet from hys seate fortune made him discend.
All the people both of Perce and Mede,
Whyle he gouerned Athenes the cyte
Stode in his daūger and gan his sworde to drede
And al that were rebel to his countre
He chastised them in their most cruelte:
But whan his fame gan hyghest vp tascend,
From her whele fortune made him discend.
Murdre & treson, with prudent frendlihede,
Outward fayre chere, couert iniquite,
Plesaunt in speche, and vnder that falshede
Houyshed out sharpe tayled lyke a bee,
Songe of Sirenes to drown men in the see,
In one combyned their malyce can extend,
To cause princes from their sees discend.
Noble princes that se so much and rede,
Remembring storyes of antiquite,
Afore prouidyng that treason not procede:
Be aye moste dredfull in hygh prosperyte,