The Crowne of All Homers Workes/Batraxomyomaxia

by Homer

For other versions of this work, see Batrachomyomachia.

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BATRAXOMYOMAXIA.

ntring the fields, first let my Vowes call on
The Muses whole Quire out of Helicon
Into my Heart; for such a Poems sake,
As lately I did in my Tables take,
And put into report, vpon my knees.
A fight so fierce, as might in all degrees
Fit Mars himselfe, and his tumultuous hand,
Glorying to dart to th'eares of euery land
Of all the a ^[1]voice-deuided; And to show
How brauely did both Froggs and Mise bestow
In glorious fight their forces; euen the deedes
Daring to imitate of earths Giant-seedes.
Thus then, men talkt; this seede the strife begat:
The Mouse, once drie; and scap't the dangerous Cat;
Drench't in the neighbour lake, her tender berde,
To taste the sweetnesse of the waue it rer'de.
The farre-fam'de Fen-affecter (seeing him) said;
Ho? Stranger? what are you? And whence, that tred
This shore of ours? who brought you forth? replie,
What truth may witnesse, lest I finde, you lie.
If worth fruition of my loue, and me;
Ile haue thee home; and Hospitalitie
Of feast, and gift; good and magnificent
Bestow on thee: For all this Confluent
Resounds my Royaltie; my Name, the great
In blowne-vp count'nances; and lookes of threat,
^[2]Physignathus; ador'd of all Frogs here
All their daies durance; And the Empire beare
Of all their Beings. Mine owne Beeing, begot
By royall ^[3]Peleus; mixt in nuptiall knot,
With faire ^[4]Hydromedusa; On the Bounds
Nere which ^[5]Eridanus, his Race resounds.
And Thee, mine Eie, makes my Conceipt enclinde
To reckon powerfull, both in forme, and Minde:
A Scepter-bearer; And past others farre,
Aduanc't in all the fiery Fights of warre.
Come then, Thy race, to my renowne commend.
The Mouse made answer; why enquires my friend?
For what so well, know men and Deities,
And all the wing'd affecters of the skies?
^[6]Psycharpax, I am calld; ^[7]Troxartes seede;
Surnam'de the Mighty-Minded: She that free'd
Mine eies from darknesse; was ^[8]Lichomyle,
King ^[9]Pternotroctes Daughter; shewing me
Within an aged houell, the young light:
Fed me with figges, and nuts; and all the height
Of varied viands. But vnfolde the cause,
Why, 'gainst similitudes most equall lawes
(Obseru'd in friendship) thou makst me thy friend?
Thy life, the waters only helpe t'extend.
Mine, whatsoeuer, men are vs'd to eat,
Takes part with them, at shore: their purest cheat,
Thrice boulted, kneaded, and subdu'd in past,
In cleane round kymnels; cannot be so fast
From my approches kept; but in I eat:
Nor Cheesecakes full, of finest Indian wheat,
That ^[10]Crustie-weedes weare, large as Ladies traines:
^[11] Lyurings, (white-skind as Ladies:) nor the straines
Of prest milke, renneted; Nor collups cut,
Fresh from the flitch: Nor iunkets such as put
Palats diuine in Appetite: nor any
Of all mens delicates; thought ne're so many
Their Cookes deuise them, who each dish see deckt
With all the dainties^[12] all strange soiles affect.
Yet am I not so sensuall, to flie
Of fields embattaild, the most fiery crie:
But rush out strait; and with the first in sight,
Mixe in aduenture: No man with affright
Can daunt my forces; though his bodie bee
Of neuer so immense a quantitie.
But making vp, euen to his bed, accesse;
His fingers ends dare with my teeth compresse:
His feet taint likewise; and so soft sease both,
They shall not tast Th'Impression of a tooth.
Sweet sleepe shall holde his owne, in euery eie
Where my tooth takes his tartest libertie:
But two there are, that alwaies, far and neare
Extremely still, controule my force with feare;
(The Cat, and Night-Hawke) who much skathe confer
On all the Outraies, where for food I erre.
Together with the ^[13]streights-still-keeping Trap;
Where lurkes deceiptfull and set-spleend Mishap.
But most of all the Cat constraines my feare;
Being euer apt t'assault me euery where:
For by that hole, that hope saies, I shall scape,
At that hole euer, she commits my Rape.
The best is yet, I eat no pot-herb grasse,
Nor Raddishes; nor Coloquintida's:
Nor Still-greene; Beetes, nor Parsley: which you make
Your dainties still, that liue vpon the lake.
The Frog replide: Stranger? your boasts creepe all
Vpon their bellies; though to our liues fall;
Much more miraculous meates, by lake and land:
Ioue tendring our liues with a twofold hand;
Enabling vs to leape ashore for food,
And hide vs strait in our retreatfull flood:
Which if your will serue; you may proue with ease.
Ile take you on my shoulders: which fast sease,
If safe arriuall at my house y'intend.
He stoopt; and thither spritelie did ascend,
Clasping his golden necke, that easie seat
Gaue to his sallie: who was iocund yet;
Seeing the safe harbors of the King so nere;
And he, a swimmer so exempt from Pere.
But when he sunke into the purple waue;
He mournd extremely; and did much depraue
Vnprofitable penitence: His haire
Tore by the roots vp, labord for the aire,
With his feet fetcht vp to his belly, close:
His heart within him, panted out repose,
For th'insolent plight, in which his state did stand:
Sigh'd bitterly, and long'd to greete the land,
Forc't by the dire Neede, of his freezing feare.
First on the waters, he his taile did stere
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Like to a Sterne: then drew it like an ore,
Still praying the Gods to set him safe ashore:
Yet sunke he midst the red waues, more and more,
And laid a throat out, to his vtmost height:
Yet in forc'd speech, he made his perill sleight;
And thus his glorie with his grieuance stroue;
Not in such choice state was the charge of loue
Borne by the Bull; when to the Cretane shore
He swumme Europa through the wauie rore;
As this Frog ferries me; His pallid brest
Brauely aduancing; and his verdant crest
(Submitted to my seat) made my support,
Through his white waters, to his royall Court.
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$But on the sudden did apparance make
An horrid spectacle; a water-snake
Thrusting his freckeld necke aboue the lake.
Which (seene to both) away Physignathus
Diu'd to his deepes; as no way conscious
Of whom, he left to perish in his lake;
But shunn'd blacke fate himselfe; and let him take
The blackest of it: who amids the Fenn
Swumme with his brest vp; hands held vp in vaine,
Cried Peepe, and perisht: sunke the waters oft,
And often with his sprawlings, came aloft;
Yet no way kept downe deaths relentlesse force:
But (full of water) made an heauie Corse.
Before he perisht yet, he threatned thus;
Thou lurk'st not yet from heauen (Physignathus)
Though yet thou hid'st here, that hast cast from thee
(As from a Rocke,) the shipwrackt life of mee.
Though thou thy selfe, no better was than I
(O worst of things) at any facultie;
Wrastling or race: but for thy perfidie
In this my wracke; Ioue beares a wreakefull eie:
And to the Hoast of Mise, thou paines shalt pay
Past all euasion. This, his life let say,
And left him to the waters. Him beheld,
^[14]Lichopinax; plac't in the pleasing fielde:
Who shrick't extremely; ranne and told the Mise;
Who, hauing heard his watry destinies;
Pernicious anger pierst the hearts of all;
And then their Heralds, forth they sent to call
A councell early, at Troxartes house,
Sad father of this fatall shipwrack't Mouse:
Whose dead Corpse, vpwards swum along the lake;
Nor yet (poore wretch) could be enforc'd to make
The shore, his harbour; but the mid-Maine swum:
When now (all haste made) with first morne did come
All to set councell; in which, first rais'd head,
Troxartes, angrie for his sonne; and said;
O Friends, though I alone may seeme to beare
All the infortune; yet may all mette here
Account it their case. But tis true, I am
In chiefe vnhappy; that a triple flame
Of life, feele put forth, in three famous sonnes;
The first, the chiefe in our confusions
(The Cat) made rape of; caught without his hole:
The second; Man, made with a cruell soule,
Brought to his ruine, with a new-found sleight;
And a most woodden engine of deceipt,
They terme a Trap; mere ^[15]Murthresse of our Mise.
The last that in my loue held speciall prise,
And his rare mothers; this Physignathus
(With false pretext of wafting to his house;)
Strangl'd in chiefe deepes, of his bloudy streame.
Come then; haste all, and issue out on them,
Our bodies deckt, in our Dedalean armes.
This said; his words thrust all vp in alarmes;
And Mars himselfe, that serues the cure of war;
Made all in their Appropriats circular.
First on each leg, the greene shales of a Beane,
They clos'd for Bootes; that sat ^[16]exceeding cleane:
The shales they broke ope, Bootehaling by night,
And eat the beanes: Their Iacks; Art exquisite
Had showne in them; being Cats-skins, euery where
Quilted with quills: Their fencefull bucklers were,
The middle rounds of Can'sticks; but their speare
A huge long Needle was; that could not beare
The braine of any; but be Mars his owne
Mortall inuention. Their heads arming Crowne
Was vessel to the kirnell of a nut:
And thus the Mise, their powers in armour put.
This, the frogs hearing; From the water, all
Issue to one place; and a councell call
Of wicked war; consulting what should be
Cause to this murmure, and strange mutinie.
While this was question'd; neere them made his stand
An Herald with a Scepter in his hand,
(^[17]Embasichytrus calld) that fetcht his kinde,
From ^[18]Tyroglyphus, with the mightie minde;
Denouncing ill-nam'd war, in these high termes;
O Frogs? the Mise, sends threats to you of armes
And bid me bid ye Battell; and fixt fight;
Their eies all wounded with Psycharpax sight,
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Floting your waters, whom your king hath kild.
And therefore all prepare for force of field,
You that are best borne, whosoeuer held.
This said; he seuer'd; his speech firing th'eares
Of all the Mise; but frees'd the Frogs with feares,
Themselues conceiting guiltie; whom the King
Thus answer'd (rising.) Friends? I did not bring
Psycharpax to his end; He, wantoning
Vpon our waters, practising to swimme,
^[19]Ap'te vs, and drown'd; without my sight of him.
And yet these worst of Vermine, accuse me
Though no way guiltie. Come, consider we
How we may ruine these deceiptfull Mise.
For my part; I giue voice to this aduise;
As seeming fittest to direct our deeds.
Our bodies decking with our arming weeds;
Let all our Powr's stand rais'd in steep'st repose
Of all our shore; that when they charge vs close;
We may the helms snatch off, from all so deckt,
Daring our onset; and them all direct
Downe to our waters. Who not knowing the sleight
To diue our soft deeps, may be strangl'd streight;
And we triumphing, may a Trophey rere,
Of all the Mise, that we haue slaughter'd here.
These words put all in armes; and mallow leaues
They drew vpon their leggs, for arming ^[20]Greaues.
Their Curets; broad greene Beetes; their bucklers were
Good thick-leau'd Cabbadge; proofe gainst any spe're.
Their speares, sharpe Bullrushes; of which, were all
Fitted with long ones. Their parts Capitall
They hid in subtle Cockleshels from blowes.
And thus, all arm'd; the steepest shores they chose,
T'encamp themselues; where lance with lance, they lin'd;
And brandisht brauelie; each Frogg full of Minde.
Then Ioue calld all Gods, in his flaming Throne
And shewd all, all this preparation
For resolute warre. These able soldiers,
Many, and great; all shaking lengthfull spe'res:
In shew like Centaures; or the Gyants Host.
When (sweethe smiling,) he enquir'd who, most
Of all th'Immortalls, pleas'd to adde their aide
To Froggs or Mise: and thus to Pallas said;
O daughter? Must not you, needs aid these Mise?
That with the Odors, and meate sacrifice
Vs'd in your Temple, endlesse triumphs make;
And serue you, for your sacred victles sake?
Pallas repli'd; O Father, neuer I
Will aid the Mise, in anie miserie.
So many mischiefes by them, I haue found;
^[21]Eating the Cotten, that my distaffs crown'd;
My lamps still banting, to deuoure the oyle.
But that which most my minde eates, is their spoile
Made of a veile, that me in much did stand:
On which, bestowing an elaborate hand;
A fine woofe working; of as pure a thredd;
Such holes therein, their Petulancies fed;
That, putting it to darning; when't'was done;
The darner, a most deare paie stood vpon
For his so deare paines; laid downe instantlie;
^[22]Or (to forbeare) exacted vsurie.
So, borrowing from my Phane, the weed I woue;
I can by no meanes, th'vsurous darner, moue
To let me haue the mantle to restore.
And this is it, that rubs the angrie sore
Of my offence tooke, at these petulant Mise.
Nor will I yeeld, the Froggs wants, my supplies,
For their infirme mindes; that no confines keepe;
For I, from warre retir'd; and wanting sleepe;
All lept ashore in tumult; nor would staie
Till one winck seas'd myne eyes: and so I laie
Sleeplesse, and pain'de with headach; till first light
The Cock had crow'd vp. Therefore, to the fight
Let no God goe assistent; lest a lance
Wound whosoeuer offers to aduance;
Or wishes but their aid; that skorne all foes;
Should any Gods accesse, their spirits oppose.
Sit we then pleas'd, to see from heauen, their fight.
She said; and all Gods ioin'd in her delight.
And now, both Hosts, to one field drew the iarre;
Both Heralds bearing the ostents of warre.
And then the ^[23]wine-Gnats, that shrill Trumpets sound
Terriblie rung out, the encounter, round.
Ioue thundred; all heauen, sad warrs signe resounded.
And first, ^[24]Hypsiboas,^[25]Lychenor wounded,
Standing th'impression of the first in fight.
His lance did, in his Lyuers midsts alight,
Along his bellie. Downe he fell; his face,
His fall on that part swaid; and all the grace
Of his soft hayre, fil'd with disgracefull dust.
Then ^[26]Troglodytes, his thick iaueline thrust
In ^[27]Pelions bosome; bearing him to ground:
Whom sad death seas'd; his soule flew through his wound.
^[28]Sentlæus next, Embasichytros slew;
His heart through thrusting: then ^[29]Artophagus threw
His lance at ^[30]Polyphon; and strooke him quite
Through his midd-bellie: downe he fell vpright:
And from his fayre limms, took his soule her flight.
^[31]Lymnocharis beholding Polyphon
Thus done to death; did with as round a stone
As that the mill turnes; Troglodytes wound
Neare his mid-neck; ere he his onset found:
Whose eyes, sad darknes seas'd. ^[32]Lychenor cast
A flying dart off, and his ayme so plac't
Vpon Lymnocharis; that ^[33] Sure he thought
The wound he wisht him: nor vntruely wrought
The dire successe; for through his Lyuer flew
The fatall lance; which when ^[34]Crambaphagus knew;
Downe the deepe waues neare shore; he, diuing, fled;
But fled not fate so; the sterne enimie fed
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Death with his life in diuing: neuer more
The ayre he drew in; his Vermilian gore
Staind all the waters; and along the shore
He lay extended; his fat entrailes laie
(By his small guts impulsion) breaking waie
Out at his wound. ^[35]Lymnisius, neare the shore
Destroid Tyroglyphus: which frighted sore
The soule of ^[36]Calaminth; seeing comming on
(For wreake) ^[37]Pternoglyphus: who got him gon
With large leapes to the lake; his Target throwne
Into the waters. ^[38]Hydrocharis slew
King ^[39]Pternophagus, at whose throte he threw
A huge stone; strooke it high; and beate his braine
Out at his nostrills: earth blusht, with the staine
His blood made on her bosom. For next Prise;
Lichopinax, to death did sacrifice
^[40]Borborocœtes faultlesse faculties;
His lance enforc't it; darknes clos'd his eyes.
On which when ^[41]Brassophagus, cast his looke;
^[42]Cnisodioctes, by the heeles he tooke;
Dragg'd him to fenn, from off his natiue ground;
Then seas'd his throte, and souc't him, till he droun'd.
But now; Psycharpax wreakes his fellows deaths;
And in the bosome of ^[43]Pelusius sheathes,
(In center of his Lyuer) his bright lance:
He fel before the Author of the chance;
His soule to hell fled. Which ^[44]Pelobates
Taking sad note of; wreakefully did sease
His hands gripe full of mudd; and all besmear'd;
His forhead with it so; that scarce appeard
The light to him. Which certainely incenst
His fierie splene: who, with his wreake dispenst
No point of tyme; but rer'd with his strong hand
A stone so massie, it opprest the land;
And hurld it at him; when, below the knee
It strooke his right legge so impetuouslie;
It peece-meale brake it; be the dust did sease,
Vpwards euerted. But ^[45]Craugasides
Reuendg'd his death; and at his enimie
Dischardg'd a dart; that did his point implie
In his mid-bellie. All the sharp-pil'de speare
Got after in; and did before it beare
His vniuersall entrailes to the earth,
Soone as his swolne hand, gaue his iaueline birth.
^[46]Sitophagus, beholding the sad sight,
Set on the shore; went halting from the fight,
Vext with his wounds extremelie. And to make
Waie from extreme fate, lept into the lake.
Troxartes strooke, in th'insteps vpper part,
Physignathus; who, (priuie to the smart
His wound imparted) with his vtmost hast
Lept to the lake, and fled. Troxartes cast
His eye vpon the foe that fell before;
And, (see'ng him halfe-liu'de) long'd againe to gore
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$His gutlesse bosome; and (to kill him quite)
Ranne fiercely at him. Which ^[47]Prassæus sight
Tooke instant note of; and the first in fight
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Thrust desp'rate way through; casting, his keene lance
Off at Troxartes; whose shield turn'd th'aduance
The sharpe head made: & checkt the mortall chance.
Amongst the Mise fought, an Egregiouse
Young spring all; and a close-encountring Mouse:
Pure ^[48]Artepibulus his deare descent:
A Prince that Mars himselfe shewd, where he went
(Call'd ^[49]Meridarpax.) Of so huge a might;
That onely He still, dominer'd in fight,
Of all the Mouse-Host. He aduancing close
Vp to the Lake; past all the rest arose
In glorious obiect; and made vant that He
Came to depopulate all the progenie
Of Froggs, affected with the lance of warre.
And certainely; he had put on as farre
As he aduanc't his vant; (he was indude
With so vnmatcht a force, and fortitude)
Had not the Father, both of Gods and Men
Instantly knowne it; and the Froggs (euen then
Giuen vp to ruine) rescude with remorse.
Who, (his head mouing,) thus began discourse:
No meane amaze, affects me to behold
Prince Meridarpax, rage so vncontrold,
In thirst of Frogg-blood; all along the lake:
Come therefore still; and all addression make;
Dispatching Pallas, with tumultuous Mars,
Downe to the field, to make him leaue the wars:
How ^[50]Potently soeuer he be said,
Where he attempts once; to vphold his head.
Mars answered; O Ioue; neither she nor I
(With both our aides) can keepe depopulacie
From off the Froggs. And therefore arme we all;
Euen thy lance letting brandish to his call
From off the field: that from the field withdrew
The Titanois; the Titanois that slew;
Though most exempt from match, of all earths seedes
So great and so inaccessible deeds
It hath proclaim'd to men; bound hand and foot,
The vast Enceladus; and rac't by th'root
The race of vpland Gyants. This speech past;
Saturnius, a smoking lightening cast
Amongst the armies; thundring then so sore,
That with a rapting circumflexe, he bore
All huge heauen ouer. But the terrible ire,
Of his dart, sent abroad, all wrapt in fire,
(Which certainely, his very finger was)
Amazde both Mise and Froggs. Yet soone let passe
Was all this by the Mise: who, much the more;
Burnd in desire t'exterminate the store
Of all those lance-lou'd souldiers. Which, had beene;
If, from Olympus, Ioues eye had not seene
The Froggs with pittie; and with instant speede
Sent them assistents. Who (ere any heede
Was giuen to their approch) came crawling on
With ^[51]Anuiles on their backs; that (beat vpon
Neuer so much) are neuer wearied, yet:
Crook-pawd; and wrested on, with foule clouen feet:
^[52]Tongues in their mouths: Brick-backt, all ouer bone,
Broade-shoulderd; whence a ruddie yellow shone.
Distorted, and small thigh'd: had eyes that saw
Out at their bosomes. Twice foure feet did draw
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$About their bodies. Strong neckt; whence did rise
Two heads; nor could to any hand be Prise.
They call them Lobsters; that eat from the Mise,
Their tailes; their feet; and hands; and wrested all
Their lances from them so; that cold Appall
The wretches put in rout, past all returne.
And now the Fount of light forbore to burne
Aboue the earth. When (which mens lawes commend)
Our Battaile, in one daie, tooke absolute end.

 

The end of Homers Battaile of Frogges and Mise.

 

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1. ⟨Intending men: being divided from all other creatures by the voice, ωεροψ, being a periphrasis, signifying voce divisus, of μειρω divido, and οψ οπὸς vox.⟩
2. Φυσιγναθος, Genas & buccas inflans.
3. Πηλεύς, qui ex luto nascitur.
4. Ὕδρομέδυσα. Aquarum regina.
5. The river Po, in Italy.
6. Ψυχάρπαξ. Gather-crum, or lavish-crum.
7. Shear-crust.
8. Lick-mill.
9. Bacon-flitch-devourer, or gnawer.
10. Τανυπεπλος Extenso & promisso Peplo amictus. A metaphor taken from ladies veiles, or trains, and therefore their names are here added.
11. Ηπατα λευκοχὶτωνα Livering puddings white skin'd.
12. Παντοδαποῑσιν. Whose common exposition is only carijs, when it properly signifies, ex omni solo.
13. Στενόεσσαν, of στενος, Augustus.
14. Lick-dish.
15. Ολείτειρα interfectrix perditrix.
16. Ευ τ᾽ ἀσκήσαντες ab ασκεα elaborate concinno.
17. Enter-pot, or Search-pot.
18. Cheese-miner. Qui caseum rodendo cavat.
19. Μιμουμενος Aping or imitating us.
20. Boots of warre.
21. Στέμματα, Laνas, eo quad colus cingant seu coronent. Which our learned sect translate eating the crowns that Pallas wore.
22. Τόκος, Partus, et id quod partu edidit mater. Metap. hìc appellatur fœnus quod ex usurâ ad nos redit.
23. Κώνωφ. culex vinarius.
24. Loud-mouth.
25. Kitchen-vessel licker.
26. Hole-dweller, Qui foramina subit.
27. Mud-borne.
28. Beet-devourer.
29. The great bread-eater.
30. The great Noise maker, shrill or bigg-voic'd.
31. The lake-louer.
32. Qui lambit culinaria vasa.
33. Τιτύσκομαι intentissime dirigo, ut certum ictum inferam.
34. The cabbage-eater.
35. Paludis incola. Lake-liuer.
36. Qui in calaminthâ, herbâ palustri habitat.
37. Bacon-eater.
38. Qui Aquis delectatur.
39. Collup-deuourer.
40. Mudd-sleeper.
41. Leeke or scallion louer.
42. Kitchin smell haunter, or hunter.
43. Fenstalker.
44. Qui per lutum it.
45. Vociferator.
46. Eate-corne.
47. Scallian-deuourer.
48. Bread-betraier.
49. Scrap or broken-meat-eater.
50. Κρατερός validus seu potens in retinendo.
51. Νωτακμονες Incudes ferentes, or anvil backed. Α᾿κμωε. Incus, dicta per sycopen, quasi nullis ictibus fatigetur.
52. Ψαλιδοστμοις Forcipem in ore habens.