Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/345

 Encounter once was overpast, our emnyes never durst Give battell in the open feeld, but hild themselves within Theyr walles and bulwarks till the tyme the tenth yeere did begin, Now what didst thou of all that whyle, that canst doo nought but streeke? Or to what purpose servedst thou? For if thou my deedes seeke, I practysd sundry pollycies to trappe our foes unware: I fortifyde our Camp with trench which heretofore lay bare: I hartned our companions with a quiet mynd to beare The longnesse of the weery warre: I taught us how wee were Bothe to bee fed and furnished: and to and fro I went To places where the Counsell thought most meete I should bee sent. Behold the king deceyved in his dreame by false pretence Of Joves commaundement, bade us rayse our seedge and get us hence. The author of his dooing so may well bee his defence. Now Ajax should have letted this, and calld them backe ageine To sacke the towne of Troy. He should have fought with myght and maine. Why did he not restreyne them when they ready were to go? Why tooke he not his swoord in hand? why gave he not as tho Sum counsell for the fleeting folk to follow at the brunt? In fayth it had a tryfle beene to him that ay is woont Such vaunting in his mouth to have. But he himself did fly As well as others. I did see, and was ashamed, I, To see thee when thou fledst, and didst prepare so cowardly To sayle away. And thereuppon I thus aloud did cry: What meene yee, sirs? what madnesse dooth you move to go to shippe And suffer Troy as good as tane, thus out of hand to slippe? What else this tenth yeere beare yee home than shame? with such like woord And other, (which the eloquence of sorrowe did avoord,) I brought them from theyr flying shippes. Then Agamemnon calld Toogither all the capteines who with feare were yit appalld. But Ajax durst not then once creake. Yit durst Thersites bee So bold as rayle uppon the kings, and he was payd by mee For playing so the sawcye Jacke. Then stood I on my toes And to my fearefull countrymen gave hart ageinst theyr foes. And shed new courage in theyr mynds through talk that fro mee goes. From that tyme foorth what ever thing hath valeantly atcheeved By this good fellow beene, is myne, whoo him from flyght repreeved.