ABSTRACT
A wise man by words briefe, well urgde, a large intention learnes. Now let us yield to night, take foode, and set without the fort Upon our wel-rais'd trench the watch, which to the youngest sort I give in charge: Atrides then, thou that art generall King, Bid all thy Princes to a Feast, t'is fit in everie thing, Leade thou in bountie as in Power ... Hunger and thirst being quickly quencht, to counsaile still they sit. And first spake Nestor, whom they thought of late advysde so well; A father grave and rightly-wise, who thus his tale did tell:
Most high Atrides, since in thee I have intent to end, From thee will I begin my speech, to whom Jove doth commend The impyre of so many men, and puts into thy hand A scepter, and the use oflawes, that thou mayst well command; It therefore doth behove thy self, of all to speake the best, And so to heare that sound advyse may be with use imprest In thy conceipt by others given: be rulde still as obayde; First marke, and then thy judgement forme of whatsoever saide: For me, what in my judgement stands the most convenient I will advyse, and am assurde advice more competent Shall not be given: the generall proofe, that hath before bene made Of what I speake, confirmes me still, and now may well perswade: Because I could not then, yet ought, when thou (most royall King) Even from his tent, Achilles love didst violentlie bring, Against my counsaill urdging thee by all meanes to relent: But you, obaying your high minde, would venter the event, Dishonoring our ablest Greeke, a man th'immortall[s] grace And so oppose yourself to Jove, and his high forme deface, For which he staynes and blots us out, with our owne bloud in dust: Even now yet let us seeke redresse, we see that needs we must Confesse to Jove, and to our friend fitt compensation yield, Whom fayre sweete speech and royall gifts, must supple for the field.
