Kitabı oku: «The Æneid of Virgil Translated Into Scottish Verse», sayfa 4

CAP. X

 
Quhou that Venus, all perrelis to seclude,
Send Cupide in Ascaneus similitude.
 

 
In the meyn tyme, Venus a sle wile socht,
By new consait in hir mynd quhou scho mocht,
In forme and vissage of sweit Ascaneus tho
Transformyt, send hir awin son Cupido,
To beir thir presandis, so that the amorus queyn
He mycht inflambe, within hir banys greyn
The hoyt fyre of lufe to kyndill and steir:
For in hir mynd scho had a maner feir
Of this lynnage waverand and ontrew,
Tyrrhyanys dowbill tongit weill sche knew;
Of cruell Juno the dreid brynt hir inwart,
With mony thocht ran hastely tyll hir hart.
Onto the weyngit god of luf, but weir,
For thy scho spak, and said on this maner;
O thou my child, my strenth and my gret mycht,
O thou my son, quhilk only art so wight
That thou the dartis of Jupiter dar ganestand,
Quharwith he slew Typhon, the fell gyand,
To the I cum, to the I seik, quod sche,
Lawly askyn thy power and supple.
Quhat wys thy broder Eneas, but dowt,
Is blawyn and warpit euery cost about,
Of wykkit Juno throu the cruell invy,
All this to the is manifest, weill wait I;
For quhen I wepit tharfor, thow murnyt also.
Now hym withhaldis the Phenycian Dido,
And culȝeis hym with slekit wordis sle;
Bot to quhat fyne, richt sair it dredis me,
Sall turn this plesand gestnyng in Cartage,
Quhilk is the burgh of Juno; for in hir rage
As is begun the mater sall not remane.
Quharfor I ombethynk me of a trane,
This queyn first forto cawch in luffis lace,
And so with flambe of amouris till enbrace,
That by na mycht tharfra scho may remove,
Bot strangly sall with me Eneas lufe.
Hark my consait, quhat wys this may be done:
The rial child Ascaneus full sone,
On quham maist is my thocht, grathis to pas,
At command of his fader Eneas,
To the cyte of Cartage, and gyftis seir
Tursis with hym of the ald Troian geir,
Quhilk fra the storm of sey is left ontynt,
And from the fyre remanys ȝit onbrynt;
Hym sall I sownd slepand steill away,
And hyde apon the hight of Citheray,
Or in Idalium my hallowit schaw,
That our dissait he nowder persave ne knaw,
Nor onprovisitly cum thidder, thocht he mycht.
Tak thou his lyknes, na mair bot a nycht,
Forto begile queyn Dido of Cartage;
My child, cleith the with ȝon kend childis vissage,
So that quhen scho all blythast haldis the
Into hir skyrt perchance, or on hir kne,
At hir fest ryall sittand at the tabill,
Amang danceis and wynys amyabill,
And gan the forto hals and to enbrace,
Kyssand sweitly thi quhyte nek and thi face,
Than may thou slely thi vennamus ardent fyre
Of fraudfull luf amyd hir breste inspyre.
The God of lufe obeys hastely
Hys moderis wordis, and laid his weyngis by,
And blythly steppis furth lyke Iulus.
Bot Venus to this ilke Ascaneus
The sweit vapour of plesand sleip and rest
On all the membris of his body kest,
And softly the goddes in hyr lap hym bair
Amyd hyr schaw of Idalium, quhar
Tendir mariolyne and sweit flowris tharout
With thar dulce smell hym schaddowit rownd about.
 

CAP. XI

 
Of the banket, and of the gret deray,
And quhou Cupyd inflambis the lady gay.
 

 
Now passys furth Cupyd, full diligent
Fortyll obey hys moderis commandment,
Berand with hym the kyngly gyftis scheyn,
Quhilkis suldbe present to the ryall queyn,
Blythly followyng hys ledar Achates.
And as thai come, the quene was set at des
Vndir hir gloryus stentit capitale;
Amang provd tapetis and mych rych apparale
Hir place scho tuke, as was the gys that tyde,
Ourspred with gold amyd a beddis syde.
Abuf all othir the fader Eneas,
And syne ȝong gallandis of Troy, to mete set was,
Apon rich beddis sydis, per ordour,
Ourspred with carpettis of the fyne purpour.
To wesch thar handis seruandis brocht watir cleir,
Syne breyd in baskettis, eftyr thar maner,
With soft serviatis to mak thar handis cleyn.
Fyfty damycellis tharin seruyt the queyn,
Quhilkis bair the cure eftir thar ordour haill,
On purvyance of howshald and vittaill,
To graith the chalmeris, and the fyris beld.
Ane hundreth madynnys had scho ȝong of eld,
And elyke mony of the sam age ȝong swanys,
The cowrsis and the mesys, for the nanys,
To set on burdis, sik as we call seweris,
And to fill cowpys, goblettis and eweris.
And mayratour, the Tyrryanys halely
At the blith ȝettis flokkis to the maniory;
And as thai come, thai war down set onone
On brusyt or payntit tapetis eueryone.
Thai mervellit the rich gyftis of Eneas;
Apon Ascaneus feill awondrit was,
The schynand vissage of the God Cupyte,
And hys dissemblit slekit wordis quhite,
The precyus mantill and quent garmond also:
Bot principaly the fey onsylly Dydo,
For the myscheif to cum predestinat,
Mycht not refreyn nor satisfy hir consait,
Bot ardently behaldis all on steir,
Now lykand weill the child, and now the geir.
As Cupyd hyngis about Eneas hals,
Enbrasit in armys, fenȝeand luf full fals,
By semlant as he his fader had beyn,
Full slely than he blent apon the queyn.
Scho, with hir sycht and all hir mynd, rycht thar,
Hym to behald, sat musand in a stayr;
Sumtyme onwar hym in hir bosum held sche,
Mysknawand, allace! by fals subtilite,
Quhou the gret god of luf, with all hys mycht,
Wachit forto dissave hir, wofull wight:
Bot he, remembring on his moderis command,
The mynd of Sycheus, hir first husband,
Furth of hir thocht peys and peys begouth dryve,
And with scharp amouris of the man alyve
Gan hir dolf spreit forto preveyn and steir,
Had beyn dysvsit fra luf that mony ȝeir.
Eftyr the first pawse, and that cowrs neir gane,
And voduris and fat trunschuris away tane,
The goblettis gret with myghty wynys in hy
Thai fill, and coverit set in by and by.
Than rays the noys quhill dynnyt rufe and wallis,
So thik the vocis fleys throu the large hallys.
From the gilt sparris hang down mony a lycht,
The flambe of torchis venquyst the dyrk nycht.
The queyn than askis of gold, for the nanys,
A weghty cowp, set all with precyus stanys,
Bad fill it full of the rych Ypocras,
Into the quhilk gret Belus accustomyt was
To drynk vmquhile, and fra hym euery kyng
Discend of hys genology and ofspring.
And, quhen silens was maid our all the hall,
O Jupiter, quod scho, on the we call,
For this rayson, that by wys men is said,
To gestis thou grantis the herbry glaid;
We the beseik, this day be fortunabill
To ws Tyrryanys, happy and agreabill
To strangearis cummyn fra Troy on thar vayage,
In tyme cummyng remembrance of our vsage
To our successioun and posterite;
The gevar of glaidnes, Bachus, heir mot be,
And gentil Juno to ws fauorabill and meik;
And ȝou, myne awyn Tyrryanys, I command eik
Hallow this fest with blythnes and with joy,
Bair frendly falloschip to thir noblis of Troy.
This beand said, the cowpe with the rich wyne
Apon the burd scho blyssit, and eftir syne
With hir lyp first tharof tuke bot a taist,
And, carpand blythly, gaif it Bythyus in haist.
He merely ressavis the remand tays,
All owt he drank, and quhelmyt the gold on his face:
Syne al the nobillis tharof drank abowt;
I wil nocht say that ilkman playt cop owt.
Bot on his gylt harp berdyt Jopas,
Playand the gestis of the gret Atlas,
The monys change and oblique cowrs sang he,
And quhy the son eclipsis, as we se;
Quharof mankynd is maid he schew ful plane,
Quharof bestis, and quhat engendris rayn,
Quharof cummys thundir and fyry levyn;
The rany Hyades, quhilk ar the sternys sevyn,
And eik Arcturus, quhilk we cal the laid stern,
The dowbill Vrsys weil couth he decern;
And quhy the son, into the wyntir tyde,
Hastis in the sey sa fast his hede to hyde;
Quhy makis the nycht that tyme sa large delay,
And in somyr quhy sa lang is the day.
The gyld and ryot Tyrryanys dowblit for joy,
Syne the rerd followit of the ȝonkeris of Troy:
Onhappy Dido alsso set all hir mycht
With sermondis seir forto prolong the nycht,
The langsum lufe drynkand inwart ful cald.
Full mony demand of Priam speir scho wald,
And questionys seir twichyng Hector alswa;
Now with quhais armour the son of Aurora
Come to the sege; and now inquir wald sche
Quhat kynd hors Diomede had in the melle;
Quhou large of statur was fers Achillis.
Haue done, my gentill gest, sone tell ws this
Per ordour, says scho, fra the begynnyng, all
The dissait of the Grekis, and the fall
Of ȝour pepill, and of Troy the rewyne;
Thi wandring be the way thou schaw ws syne;
For now the sevynt symmyr hyddir careis the,
Wilsum, and errant, throu euery land and see.
 

CAP. XII

 
Eneas first excusys hym, and syne
Addressis to rehers Troys rewyne.
 

 
Thai cessit all atanys incontinent,
With mouthis clos, and vissage takand tent.
Prince Eneas, from the hie bed, with that,
Into hys sege ryall quhar he sat,
Begouth and sayd: Thi desyre, Lady, is
Renewing of ontellabill sorow, I wys;
To schaw how Grekis dyd spulȝe and distroy
The gret ryches and lamentabill realm of Troy:
And huge mysery quhilk I thar beheld,
Quharof my self a gret part bayr and feld:
Quhat Myrmydon or Gregion Dolopes,
Or knycht wageour to cruel Vlixes,
Sik materis to rehers or ȝit to heir,
Mycht thame conteyn fra weping mony a teir?
And now the hevin ourquhelmys the donk nycht,
Quhen the declynyng of the sternys brycht
To sleip and rest perswadis our appetite:
Bot sen thou hast sic plesour and delyte
To knaw our chancis, and fal of Troy in weyr,
And schortly the last end tharof wald heir,
Albeit my spreit abhorris, and doith grys,
Tharon forto remember, and oft sys
Murnand eschewis tharfra with gret dyseys,
Ȝit than I sal begyn ȝow forto pleys.
 

THE PROLOUG OF THE SECUND BUKE

 
Dyrk beyn my muse with dolorus armony.
Melpomene, on the wald clerkis call
Fortill compyle this dedly Tragedy,
Twiching of Troy the subuersioun and fall;
Bot sen I follow the Poete principall,
Quhat nedis purches fenȝeit termys new?
God grant me grace hym dyngly to ensew!
 
 
The drery fait with terys lamentabill
Of Troys sege wydequhar our all is song;
Bot followand Virgil, gif my wit war abill,
Ane othir wys now sall that bell be rong
Than euer was tofor hard in our tong.
Saturn, thou auld fader of malancoly,
Thyne is the cuyr my wofull pen to gy.
 
 
Harkis, Ladeis, ȝour bewte was the caws;
Harkis, Knychtis, the wod fury of Mart;
Wys men, attendis mony sorofull claws;
And, ȝe dyssavouris, reid heir ȝour proper art;
And fynaly, to specify euery part,
Heir verifeit is that proverbe teching so,
All erdly glaidnes fynysith with wo.
 

THE SECUND BUKE OF ENEADOS

CAP. I

 
Quhou the Grekis withdrew thame of the raid,
And of the mekill subtile hors thai maid.
 

 
The Grekis chiftanys, irkit of the weir
Bypast or than sa mony langsum ȝeir,
And oft rebutyt by fatale destany,
Ane huge hors, lyke ane gret hil, in hy
Craftely thai wrocht in wirschip of Pallas;
Of sawyn beche the ribbis forgyt was;
Fenȝeand ane oblacioune, as it had be
For prosper returnyng hame in thair cuntre:
The voce this wys throu owt the cite woyk.
Of choys men syne, walit by cut, thai tuke
A gret numbyr, and hyd in bylgis dern
Within that best, in mony huge cavern;
Schortly, the belly was stuffit euery deill
Ful of knychtis armyt in plait of steill.
Thair standis into the sycht of Troy ane ile,
Weil knawin by name, hecht Tenedos vmquhile,
Myghty of gudis quhil Priamus ryng sa stude;
Now is it bot a fyrth in the sey flude,
A raid onsikkyr for schip or ballyngare.
In desert costis of this iland thar
The Grekis thame ful secretly withdrew;
We wenyng thame hame passit and adew,
And, with gude wynd, of Myce the realm had socht.
Quharfor al thai of Troy, blyth as thai mocht,
Thair langsum duyl and murnyng dyd away,
Kest vp the portis and yschit furth to play,
The Grekis tentis desyrus forto se,
And voyd placis quhar thai war wont tobe,
The cost and strandis left desert al cleyn.
Heir stude the army of Dolopeis, sum wald meyn,
Cruel Achil heir stentit his pailȝeon;
Quhar stude the navy, lo the place ȝonder down;
Heir the ostis war wont to joyn in feild.
And sum, wondring, the scaithfull gyft beheld
Suldbe offerit to the onweddit Pallas,
Thai mervellit fast the hors samekil was:
Bot Tymetes exortis first of all
It forto leid and draw within the wall,
And forto set it in the cheif palyce;
Quhidder for dissait, I not, or for malyce,
Or destany of Troy wald sa suldbe.
Bot Capis than, with are othir menȝe
Quhilk bettir avys thar myndis set apon,
Bad cast or drown into the sey onone
That suspek presand of the Grekis dissait,
Or kyndill tharvndir flambe of fyris hait,
Or forto rype that holkit huge belly,
And the hyd hyrnys to sers and weil espy.
Quhat nedis mair? the onstabill common voce
Diuidit was in mony seir purpos.
Quhen thidder come befor thame al onone,
Followand a gret rowt, the prest Laocon
From the cheif tempil rynnand in ful gret hy;
On far, O wrachit pepil, gan he cry,
Quhou gret wodnes is this at ȝe now meyn,
Ȝour ennymyis away salit gif ȝe weyn,
Or gif ȝe traist ony Grekis gyftis be
Withowt dissait, falshed and subtelte!
Knaw ȝe na bettir the quent Vlixes slycht?
Owder in this tre ar Grekis closit ful rycht,
Or this engyne is byggit to our skaith,
To wach our wallis and our byggynys bath,
Or to confound and ourquhelm our cite;
Thar lurkis sum falshed tharin, trastis me;
Lippyn nocht, Troianys, I pray ȝou, in this hors;
Quhow euer it be, I dreid the Grekis fors,
And thame that sendis this gyft always I feir.
Thus sayand, with al his strenth a gret speir
At the syde of that bysnyng best threw he,
And in jonyngis of the thrawyn wame of tre
Festynnyt the lance, that trymlyng gan to schaik;
The braid belly schudderit, and with the straik
The boys cavys sowndit and maid a dyn.
And had nocht beyn that owder his wit was thyn,
Or than the fatis of goddis war contrary,
He had assayt, but ony langar tary,
Hyd Grekis covert with irne to haue rent owt;
Than suld thou, Troy, haue standyn ȝit, but dowt,
And the prowd palyce of Kyng Priamus
Suld haue remanyt ȝit ful gloryus.
 

CAP. II

 
The takyng of the tresonabill Synon,
And of hys fenȝeit wordis mony one.
 

 
Lo, the ilk tyme, harland onto the kyng
Troiane hyrdis with gret clamour dyd bryng
A ȝong man, baith his handis behynd his bak
Hard bundyn, that wilfully forto be tak
Rendrit hym self, onknawyn the caws quhy,
Forto perform his deid mair secretly;
By stowt curage reddy to athir of tway,
Owder to bryng hys slycht to gude assay,
Or faillyng tharof, dowtles reddy to de
Les than to Grekis he oppynnyt the cite.
On ather part hym to behald atanys
Fast flokkis about a multitude ȝong Troianys,
Byssy to knak and pul the presoneir.
Now the dissait of Grekis may ȝe heir,
And all thar falshed lern by this a slycht.
For, alsso fast in myddis of al our sycht
As that drery onarmyt wyght was stad,
And with eyn blent about, semyng ful rad,
Behaldand Troiane rowtis on athir hand,
Alace, quod he, wald God some erd, or sand,
Or sum salt sey dyd swelly me alyve!
Quhat other thing now restis to me catyve,
Quhamto sal nevir amang Grekis agane
A place be fundyn suythly to remane?
And maratour, Troianys, offendyt eik,
To sched my blude by paynful deth dois seik.
With this regrait our hartis sterit to piete,
All molestatioune cessit and lattyn be,
We hym exort rehers, and tobe bald,
Of quhat lynnage he was, and quhat he wald,
And to ramembir, gude hope of ferm supple
Happynnys oft to presoneris in captiuite.
He, at the last, this fenȝeit dreid dyd away,
And on this wys onone begouth to say;
Forsuyth, Schir kyng, I sal, quhat euer betyde,
Grant to the all the verite, and nocht hyde,
Nor, be na ways, me lyst nocht to deny
That of the Grekis menȝe ane am I.
Thys principaly I wald thou vndyrstude;
Thocht frawart fortoun miserabill and bayr of gude
Has maid Synon, sche sal nocht mak hym als,
Quhat euer he says, nowder lear nor fals.
Gyf euer onto ȝour eris come the name,
The hie wirschip, and the renownyt fame
Of Palamedes, from Belus blude discend,
Quham Grekis by fals traysoun, as weil is kend,
Throw corrupt witnes stanyt to ded, but les,
For he the weir forbad and procurit pes;
Now murn thai for his dede; and with hym heir
In falloschip, my puyr fader in weir
Send me of ȝouth, as to hym neir of blude.
Quhil in prosperite of the realm he stude,
And Grekis ryng by counsale was rewlit wysly,
Sum name of wyrschip and autorite bair I:
Bot efter that by envy and haitrent
Of the fals flechand Vlixes sa quent,
I iape not, for that I say weyll I knaw;
Fra he was slane, allace, and brocht of daw,
Dolorus my lyfe I led in sturt and pane,
Hevyly weyand my innocent frende thus slane.
Ses couth I nocht, bot in my franacy,
Gyf euer I happit my tyme forto espy,
And victour haue returnyt onto Arge,
I hecht to be revengit: with wordis large
Thus I prouokit scharp feid and malyce baith.
To me this was fyrst apperans of skaith.
From thens fordwart, Vlixes mair and mayr
With new crymys begouth affray me sair,
And dangerus rumour amang the commonys hedis
Skalit and sew of me in diuers stedis,
And, knawyng hym self gylty, by hys consait
Grathit hys wapynys of slycht and fals dissait;
Nor cessit he neuer his purpos to persew
Quhil the solysting of Calcas I mycht rew:
Bot quharto tell I or rehersis this,
That be na ways displesis ȝou, I wys?
Quhy tary I my deth? and ȝe lyst, stryke;
Gyf that ȝe favour all the Grekis elyke,
This is enewch at ȝe haue hard of me:
Now haist my pane, sen algatis I mon de.
Vlixes, quhilk is kyng of Ithacy,
Wald it war swa, and with gret price wald by
My deth Agamemnon als, and Menalay.
Than hastit we, and brynt to heir hym say,
Desyrus all the maner forto heir,
Mysknawyng the gret iniquiteis seir
And sle craftis of Grekis in euery deid.
He quakand than, as it had bene for dreid,
Begouth forto tell furth the remanent,
Sayand on this wys, with ful dissemlyt entent:
The Grekis oft in purpos war and will
To fle from Troy and leif it standand still,
And, wery of thar lang weir, pas away;
Wald God swa thai had done syne mony a day!
The seys rage and storm thame stoppit oft,
And from thar passage the north wynd onsoft
Held thame abak, in angwys and in feir;
And principaly now, sen this hors was heir
Of hattyr gestis beldit vp, but dowt,
The stormy clowdis our al the ayr gan rowt.
We, dowtyng heiron, send the preste Erypilus
Answer to seik at the tempill of Phebus,
And from the secret oratory, suyth to sayn,
Thir soroful tythyngis he ws brocht agane:
With blude and by the slauchtir of a maid,
Grekis, ȝe mesyt the wyndis first, he said,
Quhen that ȝe come of Troy to the cuntre;
Ȝour haym passage by blude mon fundyn be,
And haue ȝour askyn by deth of a Gregyoun.
Quhen to the commonys eris ran the sown
Of thir wordis, with myndis affrayit, atanys
The cauld dreid ran in throu thar banys,
For feir quhamto was schape this destanye,
Or quho it was Apollo desyrit to die.
Vlixes than, amang thame, with gret dyn,
Calcas the gret dyvynour has brocht in,
And bissely at hym inquiris he,
By respons of the goddis, quha suld de.
Than mony ane demyt to me, ful rycht,
The cruel wraik of that dissaitful slycht,
And quyetly persavit how it wald wend.
This Calcas held his tong ten days to end,
Kepand secret and cloys al his entent,
Refusyng with his word ony to schent,
Or to pronunce the deth of ony wyght:
Skars at the last, throu gret clamour and slyght
Of Vlixes constrenyt, but mair abaid,
As was devisit, the laith word furth braid,
And me adiudgit to send to the altare.
Tharto alhail the Grekis assentit are,
And sufferit glaidly so the mater pas;
Quhar as tofor eueryane tobasyt was
For hym selwyn, tho blyth was page and knycht
The chance returnyt on a catyfe wyght.
Cummyn was the duylful day that doith me grys,
Quhen that of me suld be maid sacryfyce,
With salt meldir, as weil the gyis is kend,
Abowt my heide a garland or a bend.
I grant that from the deth my self I fred,
The bandis I brast, and fast away syne fled
Ontil a muddy marras, quhar, the dyrk nycht,
Amang the rysp and redis out of sycht
Full law I lurkit, quhil vp salys drew thai,
Gif thai perchance be ȝit passit away.
Now restis thar na hope; allace, fell me!
My natyve cuntre sal I neuer se,
Nor deir childryng, nor fader weil belovit,
Quham, as I traist, the Grekis, all ammovit
For myne eschaping, turment sal with pane;
Thai, saykles wyghtis, sal for my gilt be slane.
Quharfor, Schir king, be the hie goddis abufe,
And thar mychtis that trewth best knawis and lufe,
And by the faith onfylit, and leil lawte,
Gyf it with mortale folkis may fundyn be,
Haue rewth and piete on sa feil harmys smart,
And tak compassioune in thi gentill hart;
Apon my wrechit sawle haue sum mercy
That gyltles sufferis sik dyseys wrangwisly.
 

CAP. III

 
Ȝyt of the traytowris fals controvyt slycht,
That was belevit, allace! with euery wyght.
 

 
Pardon and lyfe to thir terys geif we,
Quod Priamus, and mercy grantis fre.
And, first of all, the mannykillis and hard bandis
Chargit he lows of this ilk manis handis;
With frendly wordis syne thus onto hym said,
Quhat evir thou art, beis mery and glaid,
Forȝet the Grekis that lost ar and away,
From thens fordwart thou salbe owris, perfay.
Bot schaw trewly this a thing I inquer,
Onto quhat fyne this huge hors was heir,
Of sa gret statur beldit vp on hie:
Quha wrocht the wark? quhat may it signyfie?
Quhat is it? ane offerand of sum halynes?
Or sum engyne of batale? as I ges,
Said Priamus. Bot than the tother wight,
Ful weil instrukit of Grekis art and slycht,
Lowsit and laitly fred of al his bandis,
Onto the starnys hevit vp his handis:
O ȝhe, quod he, euerlestand lampis brycht,
And ȝour dyvyne power and ȝour gret mycht,
That aucht not beyn forsworn, I testefy;
And ȝou altaris, and cruel swordis, quham I
Am eschapit, and al ȝou goddis wys
Quhais garlandis bair I as ȝour sacryfys,
Leiffull is now to brek, but mair abaid,
The sworn promys that I to Grekis maid;
Leiffull is eik tha pepill fortil hait,
And schaw furth planely al at euer I wait,
Thar hyd slycht als to rype furth to the grund:
To na cuntre nor lawis am I bund.
Sa mot thou, Troy, quham I sal salue fra skayth,
Kepe me thy promys and thi lawte baith,
As I sal schaw the verite ilke deill,
And for my lyfe sal rendir ȝou a gret weill.
The Grekis trast and comfort, mony ȝheris,
From the begynnyng of thir mortale weris,
On Pallas help stude haill this towne to get:
Bot efter that Thedeus, wareit get,
With Vlixes, fyndar of wykkytnes,
The fatale rellyk of Palladium, I ges,
Furth of hir tempill, and the hallowit hald,
To reif away forsabilly war so bald,
And sla the wachis of the cheif castell,
The haly ymage, grysly forto tell,
Pollute and fylit, and with thar bludy handis
Hir vyrgyne valis and blissit godly garlandis
Presumyt twich; sen syne has euermair
Bakwart of Grekis the hope went and weilfair;
Thar mychtis and thar strenthis feblit fast:
So frawart thame hir mynd this god hes kast
That with na dowtsum takynnys, ma than twa,
Hir greif furth schew this ilke Trytonia.
Skarsly the statw was in thar tempill vpset,
Quhen all hir membris bittir terys swet;
Hir eyn glowit as ony gleid for ire,
Quharfra thar flaw mony sparkis of fyre;
A teyrful thing, and wonderfull to tell;
Thrys schynyng down on the grond scho fell,
Hyr targe trymlyng, and schakyng fast hir speir.
Onone, al most ȝe wend to sey infeir,
Cryis Calcas, nor Grekis instrument
Of Troy the wallis sal neuer hurt ne rent,
Les than agane the land of Arge be socht,
With alkyn portage quhilk was hydder brocht
In barge or bilgeit ballyngare our see:
The goddes mon be mesit als, quod he.
And now, set thai, with this ilke wynd, haue socht
Thar land of Grece or Myce, this is thar thocht,
To graith thar armour and wapynnys by and by,
And, with supple of goddis in cumpany,
In haist forto return agane our see;
Or ȝe beyn war, apon ȝou will thai be.
Thus al per ordour declaris thame Calcas,
At quhais monicioun als vp biggit was
This bustuus form, in lyknes of a hors,
For Palladium, and to appeis the fors
Of the goddes, and into recompens
Of thar wrachit and dolorus offens.
And mairatour, of sa huge quantite
Calcas commandis beld this statw of tre,
Thus large and gret, weil neir the hevyn on hycht,
So at the portis it ne entyr myght,
Nor ȝit be brocht within ȝour wallys wyde,
Nor ȝour pepill favour, help, nor gyde
Eftir the auld relligioun and vsage.
For gif ȝour handis had violet, in ȝour rage,
This haly presand of the god Mynerve,
Gret wraik suld follow that al suld ȝe sterve,
Priamus ryng distroyit, and al ȝour pelf;
Quhilk destany goddis turn rather in hym self!
Bot gif this ilk statw, standis heir wrocht,
War with ȝour handis into the cite brocht,
Than schew he that the pepil of Asya,
But ony obstakill, in fell batale suld ga,
Bet down the townys of Arge that regioun,
And the sam fait happyn our successioune.
By sik wylis and slychtis, mony one,
Of fals controvit and maynsworn Synone,
The mater is belevit with all it heris;
And takyn ar, by dissait and fenȝeit teris,
Tha pepil quham the son of Thedeus,
Nor fers Achilles, clepit Larysseus,
Nor Grece ten ȝheris in batale mycht ourcum,
Nor ȝit the thousand schippis al and sum.