Complete Works of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

by Henry Howard

Lo! in my dream before mine eyes, methought,

  With rueful chere I saw where Hector stood,

  (Out of whose eyes there gushed streams of tears)

  Drawn at a car as he of late had been, 345

  Distained with bloody dust, whose feet were bowln

  With the strait cords wherewith they hailed him.

  Ay me, what one? that Hector how unlike,

  Which erst return’d clad with Achilles’ spoils;

  Or when he threw into the Greekish ships 350

  The Trojan flame! so was his beard defiled,

  His crisped locks all clust’red with his blood,

  With all such wounds, as many he received

  About the walls of that his native town.

  Whom frankly thus methought I spake unto, 355

  With bitter tears and doleful deadly voice:

  ‘O Troyan light! O only hope of thine!

  What lets so long thee staid? or from what coasts,

  Our most desired Hector, dost thou come?

  Whom, after slaughter of thy many friends, 360

  And travail of the people, and thy town,

  All-wearied lord! how gladly we behold.

  What sorry chance hath stain’d thy lively face?

  Or why see I these wounds, alas! so wide?’

  He answer’d nought, nor in my vain demands 365

  Abode; but from the bottom of his breast

  Sighing he said: ‘Flee, flee, O Goddess’ son!

  And save thee from the fury of this flame.

  Our en’mies now are masters of the walls;

  And Troyè town now falleth from the top. 370

  Sufficeth that is done for Priam’s reign.

  If force might serve to succour Troyè town,

  This right hand well might have been her defence.

  But Troyè now commendeth to thy charge

  Her holy reliques, and her privy Gods. 375

  Them join to thee, as fellows of thy fate.

  Large walls rear thou for them: for so thou shalt,

  After time spent in th’ overwand’red flood.’

  This said, he brought forth Vesta in his hands;

  Her fillets eke, and everlasting flame. 380

  In this mean while with diverse plaint, the town

  Throughout was spread; and louder more and more

  The din resounded: with rattling of arms,

  Although mine old Father Anchises’ house

  Removed stood, with shadow hid of trees, 385

  I waked: therewith to the house-top I clamb,

  And hark’ning stood I: like as when the flame

  Lights in the corn, by drift of boisterous wind;

  Or the swift stream that driveth from the hill,

  Roots up the fields, and presseth the ripe corn, 390

  And ploughed ground, and overwhelms the grove:

  The silly herdman all astonnied stands,

  From the high rock while he doth hear the sound.

  Then the Greeks’ faith, then their deceit appeared.

  Of Deiphobus the palace large and great 395

  Fell to the ground, all overspread with flash.

  His next neighbour Ucalegon afire:

  The Sygean seas did glister all with flame.

  Up sprang the cry of men, and trumpets blast.

  Then, as distraught, I did my armour on; 400

  Ne could I tell yet whereto arms avail’d.

  But with our feres to throng out from the press

  Toward the tower, our hearts brent with desire.

  Wrath prick’d us forth; and unto us it seemed

  A seemly thing to die, arm’d in the field. 405

  Wherewith Panthus scap’d from the Greekish darts,

  Otreus’ son, Phœbus’ priest, brought in hand

  The sacred reliques, and the vanquish’d Gods:

  And in his hand his little nephew led;

  And thus, as phren’tic, to our gates he ran. 410

  ‘Panthus,’ quod I, ‘in what estate stand we?

  Or for refuge what fortress shall we take?’

  Scarce spake I this, when wailing thus he said:

  ‘The latter day, and fate of Troy is come;

  The which no plaint, or prayer may avail. 415

  Troyans we were; and Troyè was sometime,

  And of great fame the Teucrian glory erst:

  Fierce Jove to Greece hath now transposed all.

  The Greeks are lords over this fired town.

  Yonder huge horse that stands amid our walls 420

  Sheds armed men: and Sinon, victor now,

  With scorn of us doth set all things on flame.

  And, rushed in at our unfolded gates,

  Are thousands mo’ than ever came from Greece.

  And some with weapons watch the narrow streets; 425

  With bright swords drawn, to slaughter ready bent

  And scarce the watches of the gate began

  Them to defend, and with blind fight resist.’

  Through Panthus’ words, and lightning of the Gods,

  Amid the flame and arms ran I in press, 430

  As fury guided me, and whereas I had heard

  The cry greatest that made the air resound.

  Into our band then fell old Iphytus,

  And Rypheus, that met us by moonlight;

  Dymas and Hypanis joining to our side, 435

  With young Chorebus, Mygdonius’ son;

  Which in those days at Troy did arrive,

  (Burning with rage of dame Cassandra’s love)

  In Priam’s aid, and rescue of his town.

  Unhappy he! that would no credit give 440

  Unto his spouse’s words of prophecy.

  Whom when I saw, assembled in such wise,

  So desperately the battle to desire;

  Then furthermore thus said I unto them:

  ‘O! ye young men, of courage stout in vain! 445

  For nought ye strive to save the burning town.

  What cruel fortune hath betid, ye see!

  The Gods out of the temples all are fled,

  Through whose might long this empire was maintain’d:

  Their altars eke are left both waste and void. 450

  But if your will be bent with me to prove

  That uttermost, that now may us befall;

  Then let us die, and run amid our foes.

  To vanquish’d folk, despair is only hope.’

  With this the young men’s courage did increase; 455

  And through the dark, like to the ravening wolves

  Whom raging fury of their empty maws

  Drives from their den, leaving with hungry throat

  Their whelps behind; among our foes we ran,

  Upon their swords, unto apparent death; 460

  Holding alway the chief street of the town,

  Cover’d with the close shadows of the night.

  Who can express the slaughter of that night?

  Or tell the number of the corpses slain?

  Or can in tears bewail them worthily? 465

  The ancient famous city falleth down,

  That many years did hold such seignory.

  With senseless bodies every street is spread,

  Each palace, and sacred porch of the gods.

  Nor yet alone the Troyan blood was shed. 470

  Manhood ofttimes into the vanquish’d breast

  Returns, whereby some victors Greeks are slain.

  Cruel complaints, and terror everywhere,

  And plenty of grisly pictures of death.

  And first with us Androgeus there met, 475

  Fellowed with a swarming rout of Greeks,

  Deeming us, unware, of that fellowship,

  With friendly words whom thus he call’d unto:

  ‘Haste ye, my friends! what sloth hath tarried you?

  Your feres now sack and spoil the burning Troy: 480

  From the tall ships were ye but newly come?’

  When he had
said, and heard no answer made

  To him again, whereto he might give trust;

  Finding himself chanced amid his foes,

  ‘Maz’d he withdrew his foot back with his word: 485

  Like him that wand’ring in the bushes thick,

  Treads on the adder with his reckless foot,

  Reared for wrath, swelling her speckled neck,

  Dismay’d, gives back all suddenly for fear:

  Androgeus so, fear’d of that sight, stept back, 490

  And we ‘gan rush amid the thickest rout;

  When, here and there we did them overthrow,

  Stricken with dread, unskilful of the place.

  Our first labour thus lucked well with us.

  Chorebus then, encouraged by this chance, 495

  Rejoicing said: ‘Hold forth the way of health,

  My feres, that hap and manhood hath us taught.

  Change we our shields; the Greeks’ arms do we on

  Craft or manhood with foes what recks it which:

  The slain to us their armour they shall yield.’ 500

  And with that word Androgeus’ crested helm

  And the rich arms of his shield did he on;

  A Greekish sword he girded by his side:

  Like gladly Dimas and Ripheus did:

  The whole youth ‘gan them clad in the new spoils. 505

  Mingled with Greeks, for no good luck to us,

  We went, and gave many onsets that night,

  And many a Greek we sent to Pluto’s court.

  Other there fled and hasted to their ships,

  And to their coasts of safeguard ran again. 510

  And some there were for shameful cowardry,

  Clamb up again unto the hugy horse,

  And did them hide in his well knowen womb.

  Ay me! bootless it is for any wight

  To hope on aught against will of the gods. 515

  Lo! where Cassandra, Priam’s daughter dear,

  From Pallas’ church was drawn with sparkled tress,

  Lifting in vain her flaming eyen to heaven;

  Her eyen, for fast her tender wrists were bound.

  Which sight Chorebus raging could not bear, 520

  Reckless of death, but thrust amid the throng;

  And after we through thickest of the swords.

  Here were we first y-batter’d with the darts

  Of our own feres, from the high temples’ top;

  Whereby of us great slaughter did ensue, 525

  Mistaken by our Greekish arms and crests.

  Then flock’d the Greeks moved with wrath and ire,

  Of the virgin from them so rescued.

  The fell Ajax; and either Atrides,

  And the great band cleped the Dolopes. 530

  As wrestling winds, out of dispersed whirl

  Befight themselves, the west with southern blast,

  And gladsome east proud of Aurora’s horse;

  The woods do whiz; and foamy Nereus

  Raging in fury, with three forked mace 535

  From bottom’s depth doth welter up the seas;

  So came the Greeks. And such, as by deceit

  We sparkled erst in shadow of the night,

  And drave about our town, appeared first:

  Our feigned shields and weapons then they found, 540

  And, by sound, our discording voice they knew.

  We went to wreck with number overlaid.

  And by the hand of Peneleus first

  Chorebus fell before the altar dead

  Of armed Pallas; and Rhipheus eke, 545

  The justest man among the Troians all,

  And he that best observed equity.

  But otherwise it pleased now the Gods.

  There Hypanis, and Dymas, both were slain;

  Through pierced with the weapons of their feres. 550

  Nor thee, Panthus, when thou wast overthrown,

  Pity, nor zeal of good devotion,

  Nor habit yet of Phœbus hid from scath.

  Ye Troyan ashes! and last flames of mine!

  I call in witness, that at your last fall 555

  I fled no stroke of any Greekish sword.

  And if the fates would I had fallen in fight,

  That with my hand I did deserve it well.

  With this from thence I was recoiled back

  With Iphytus and Pelias alone. 560

  Iphytus weak, and feeble all for age;

  Pelias lamed by Ulysses’ hand.

  To Priam’s palace cry did call us then.

  Here was the fight right hideous to behold;

  As though there had no battle been but there, 565

  Or slaughter made elsewhere throughout the town.

  A fight of rage and fury there we saw.

  The Greeks toward the palace rushed fast,

  And cover’d with engines the gates beset,

  And reared up ladders against the walls; 570

  Under the windows scaling by their steps,

  Fenced with shields in their left hands, whereon

  They did receive the darts; while their right hands

  Griped for hold th’ embattle of the wall.

  The Troyans on the other part rend down 575

  The turrets high, and eke the palace roof;

  With such weapons they shope them to defend,

  Seeing all lost, now at the point of death.

  The gilt spars, and the beams then threw they down;

  Of old fathers the proud and royal works. 580

  And with drawn swords some did beset the gates,

  Which they did watch, and keep in routs full thick.

  Our sprites restor’d to rescue the king’s house,

  To help them, and to give the vanquish’d strength.

  A postern with a blind wicket there was, 585

  A common trade to pass through Priam’s house;

  On the back side whereof waste houses stood:

  Which way eft-sithes, while that our kingdom dured,

  Th’ infortunate Andromache alone

  Resorted to the parents of her make; 590

  With young Astyanax, his grandsire to see.

  Here passed I up to the highest tower,

  From whence the wretched Troyans did throw down

  Darts, spent in waste. Unto a turret then

  We stept, the which stood in a place aloft, 595

  The top whereof did reach well near the stars;

  Where we were wont all Troyè to behold,

  The Greekish navy, and their tents also.

  With instruments of iron gan we pick,

  To seek where we might find the joining shrunk 600

  From that high seat; which we razed, and threw down:

  Which falling, gave forthwith a rushing sound,

  And large in breadth on Greekish routs it light.

  But soon another sort stept in their stead;

  No stone unthrown, nor yet no dart uncast. 605

  Before the gate stood Pyrrhus in the porch

  Rejoicing in his darts, with glittering arms.

  Like to th’ adder with venemous herbès fed,

  Whom cold winter all bolne, hid under ground;

  And shining bright, when she her slough had slung, 610

  Her slipper back doth roll, with forked tongue

  And raised breast, lift up against the sun.

  With that together came great Periphas;

  Automedon eke, that guided had some time

  Achilles’ horse, now Pyrrhus armour bare; 615

  And eke with him the warlike Scyrian youth

  Assail’d the house; and threw flame to the top.

  And he an axe before the foremost raught,

  Wherewith he ‘gan the strong gates hew, and break;

  From whence he beat the staples out of brass, 620

  He brake the bars, and through the timber pierc’d

  So large a hole, whereby they might discern

  The house, the court, the secr
et chambers eke

  Of Priamus, and ancient kings of Troy;

  And armed foes in th’ entry of the gate. 625

  But the palace within confounded was,

  With wailing, and with rueful shrieks and cries;

  The hollow halls did howl of women’s plaint:

  The clamour strake up to the golden stars.

  The ‘fray’d mothers, wand’ring through the wide house, 630

  Embracing pillars, did them hold and kiss.

  Pyrrhus assaileth with his father’s might;

  Whom the closures ne keepers might hold out.

  With often pushed ram the gate did shake;

  The posts beat down, removed from their hooks: 635

  By force they made the way, and th’ entry brake.

  And now the Greeks let in, the foremost slew:

  And the large palace with soldiers ‘gan to fill.

  Not so fiercely doth overflow the fields

  The foaming flood, that breaks out of his banks; 640

  Whose rage of waters bears away what heaps

  Stand in his way, the cotes, and eke the herds.

  As in th’ entry of slaughter furious

  I saw Pyrrhus, and either Atrides.

  There Hecuba I saw, with a hundred mo’ 645

  Of her sons’ wives, and Priam at the altar,

  Sprinkling with blood his flame of sacrifice.

  Fifty bed-chambers of his children’s wives,

  With loss of so great hope of his offspring,

  The pillars eke proudly beset with gold, 650

  And with the spoils of other nations,

  Fell to the ground: and what so that with flame

  Untouched was, the Greeks did all possess.

  Percase you would ask what was Priam’s fate?

  When of his taken town he saw the chance, 655

  And the gates of his palace beaten down,

  His foes amid his secret chambers eke:

  Th’ old man in vain did on his shoulders then,

  Trembling for age, his cuirass long disused:

  His bootless sword he girded him about; 660

  And ran amid his foes, ready to die.

  Amid the court, under the heaven, all bare,

  A great altar there stood, by which there grew

  An old laurel tree, bowing thereunto,

  Which with his shadow did embrace the gods. 665

  Here Hecuba, with her young daughters all

  About the altar swarmed were in vain;

  Like doves, that flock together in the storm,

  The statues of the Gods embracing fast.

  But when she saw Priam had taken there 670

  His armour, like as though he had been young:

  ‘What furious thought my wretched spouse,’ quod she,

  ‘Did move thee now such weapons for to wield?

  Why hastest thou? This time doth not require

  Such succour, ne yet such defenders now: 675