Page:The Defence of Poesie - Sidney (1595).djvu/46

 ther such like meetings, to haue songs of their ancestors valure, which that right souldierlike nation, think one of the chiefest kindlers of braue courage. The incomperable Lacedemonians, did not onelie carrie that kinde of Musicke euer with them to the field, but euen at home, as such songs were made, so were they all content to be singers of them: when the lustie men were to tell what they did, the old men what they had done, and the yoong what they would doo. And where a man may say that Pindare many times praiseth highly Victories of small moment, rather matters of sport then vertue, as it may be answered, it was the fault of the Poet, and not of the Poetrie; so indeed the chiefe fault was, in the time and custome of the Greekes, who set those toyes at so high a price, that Phillip of Macedon reckoned a horse-race wonne at Olympus, among his three fearefull felicities. But as the vnimitable Pindare often did, so is that kind most capable and most fit, to awake the thoughts from the sleepe of idlenesse, to embrace honourable enterprises. Their rests the Heroicall, whose verie name I thinke should daunt all backbiters. For by what conceit can a tongue bee directed to speake euil of that which draweth with him no lesse champions then Achilles, Cirus, Aeneas, Turnus, Tideus, Rinaldo, who doeth not onely teache and mooue to a truth, but teacheth and mooueth to the most high and excellent truth: who maketh magnanimitie and iustice, shine through all mistie fearefulnesse and foggie desires. Who if the say-