To
the
most
honored
Earle
,
Earle
Marshall
.
SPondanus
,
one
of
the
most
desertfull
Commentars
of
Homer
,
cals
all
sorts
of
all
men
learned
to
be
iudicial
beholders
of
this
more
then
Artificiall
and
no
lesse
then
Diuine
Rapture
;
then
which
nothing
can
be
imagined
more
full
of
soule
and
humaine
extraction
:
for
what
is
here
prefigurde
by
our
miraculous
Artist
,
but
the
vniuersall
world
,
which
being
so
spatious
and
almost
vnmeasurable
,
one
circlet
of
a
Shield
representes
and
imbraceth
?
In
it
heauen
turnes
,
the
starres
shine
,
the
earth
is
enflowred
,
the
sea
swelles
and
rageth
,
Citties
are
built
:
one
in
the
happinesse
and
sweetnesse
of
peace
,
the
other
in
open
warre
&
the
terrors
of
ambush
&c.
And
all
these
so
liuely
proposde
,
as
not
without
reason
many
in
times
past
haue
belieued
,
that
all
these
thinges
haue
in
them
a
kind
of
voluntarie
motion
:
euen
as
those
Tripods
of
Vulcan
,
and
that
Dedalian
Venus
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
;
nor
can
I
be
resolu'd
that
their
opinions
be
sufficiently
refuted
by
Aristonicus
,
for
so
are
all
things
here
described
,
by
our
diuinest
Poet
,
as
if
they
consisted
not
of
hard
and
solid
mettals
,
but
of
a
truely
,
liuing
,
and
mouing
soule
:
The
ground
of
his
inuention
he
shews
out
of
Eustathius
:
intending
by
the
Orbiguitie
of
the
Shield
,
the
roundnesse
of
the
world
:
by
the
foure
mettalles
,
the
foure
elementes
:
viz.
by
gold
fire
:
by
brasse
earth
for
the
hardnes
:
by
Tinne
water
,
for
the
softnes
,
and
inclination
to
fluxure
:
by
siluer
,
Aire
,
for
the
grosnes
&
obscuritie
of
the
mettal
before
it
be
refind
.
That
which
he
cals
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
,
he
vnderstands
the
Zodiack
,
which
is
said
to
be
triple
for
the
latitude
it
contains
,
&
shining
by
reason
of
the
perpetual
course
of
the
Sun
made
in
that
circle
,
by
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
the
Axletree
,
about
which
heauen
hath
his
motion
&c.
Nor
do
I
deny
(
saith
Spondanus
)
Eneas
arms
to
be
forged
,
with
an
exceeding
height
of
wit
by
Virgil
,
but
comparde
with
these
of
Homer
,
they
are
nothing
.
And
this
is
it
(
most
honorde
)
that
maketh
me
thus
sodainely
translate
this
Shield
of
Achilles
,
for
since
my
publication
of
the
other
seuen
bookes
,
comparison
hath
beene
made
betweene
Virgill
and
Homer
:
who
can
be
comparde
in
nothing
with
more
decysall
&
cutting
of
all
argument
,
then
in
these
two
Shieldes
;
and
whosoeuer
shall
reade
Homer
throughly
and
worthily
,
will
know
the
question
comes
from
a
superficiall
and
too
vnripe
a
reader
:
for
Homers
Poems
were
writ
from
a
free
furie
,
an
absolute
&
full
soule
:
Virgils
out
of
a
courtly
,
laborious
,
and
altogether
imitatorie
spirit
:
not
a
Simile
hee
hath
but
is
Homers
:
not
an
inuention
,
person
,
or
disposition
,
but
is
wholly
or
originally
built
vpon
Homericall
foundations
,
and
in
many
places
hath
the
verie
wordes
Homer
vseth
:
besides
,
where
Virgill
hath
had
no
more
plentifull
and
liberall
a
wit
,
then
to
frame
twelue
imperfect
bookes
of
the
troubles
and
trauailes
of
Aeneas
:
Homer
hath
of
as
little
subiect
finisht
eight
&
fortie
perfect
:
and
that
the
triuiall
obiection
may
be
answerd
,
that
not
the
number
of
bookes
,
but
the
nature
and
excellence
of
the
worke
commends
it
:
All
Homers
bookes
are
such
as
haue
beene
presidents
euer
since
of
all
sortes
of
Poems
:
imitating
none
,
nor
euer
worthily
imitated
of
any
:
yet
would
I
not
be
thought
so
ill
created
as
to
bee
a
malicious
detracter
of
so
admired
a
Poet
as
Virgill
,
but
a
true
iustifier
of
Homer
,
who
must
not
bee
read
for
a
few
lynes
with
leaues
turned
ouer
caprichiously
in
dismembred
fractions
,
but
throughout
;
the
whole
drift
,
weight
&
height
of
his
workes
set
before
the
apprehsiue
eyes
of
his
iudge
.
The
maiestie
he
enthrones
and
the
spirit
he
infuseth
into
the
scope
of
his
worke
so
farre
outshining
Virgill
,
that
his
skirmishes
are
but
meere
scramblings
of
boyes
to
Homers
;
the
silken
body
of
Virgils
muse
curiously
arest
in
guilt
and
embrodered
siluer
,
but
Homers
in
plaine
massie
and
vnualued
gold
:
not
onely
all
learning
,
gouernment
,
and
wisedome
being
deduc't
as
from
a
bottomlesse
fountaine
from
him
;
but
all
wit
,
elegancie
,
disposition
and
iudgement
.
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
&c.
Homer
(
saith
Plato
)
was
the
Prince
and
maister
of
all
prayses
and
vertues
:
the
Emperour
of
wise
men
:
an
host
of
men
against
any
deprauer
in
any
principle
he
held
.
All
the
ancient
and
lately
learned
haue
had
him
in
equall
estimation
.
And
for
anie
to
be
now
contrarilie
affected
,
it
must
needes
proceed
from
a
meere
want
onnesse
of
witte
:
an
Idle
vnthriftie
spirit
:
wilfull
because
they
may
choose
whether
they
will
think
otherwise
or
not
,
&
haue
power
and
fortune
enough
to
liue
like
true
men
without
truth
,
or
els
they
must
presume
of
puritanicall
inspiration
,
to
haue
that
with
delicacie
&
squemishnes
,
which
others
with
as
good
means
,
ten
times
more
time
,
and
ten
thousand
times
more
labour
could
neuer
conceiue
.
But
some
will
conuey
their
imperfections
vnder
his
Greeke
Shield
,
and
from
thence
bestowe
bitter
arrowes
against
the
traduction
,
affirming
their
want
of
admiration
grows
from
defect
of
our
language
,
not
able
to
expresse
the
coppie
and
elegancie
of
the
originall
:
but
this
easie
and
traditionall
pretext
hides
them
not
enough
:
for
how
full
of
height
and
roundnesse
soeuer
Greeke
be
aboue
English
,
yet
is
there
no
depth
of
conconceipt
triumphing
in
it
,
but
as
in
a
meere
admirer
it
may
bee
imagined
;
so
in
a
sufficient
translator
it
may
be
exprest
.
And
Homer
that
hath
his
chiefe
holinesse
of
estimation
,
for
matter
and
instruction
,
would
scorne
to
haue
his
supreame
worthinesse
glosing
in
his
courtshippe
and
priuiledge
of
tongue
.
And
if
Italian
,
French
&
Spanish
,
haue
not
made
it
daintie
,
nor
thought
it
any
presumption
to
turne
him
into
their
languages
,
but
a
fit
and
honorable
labour
and
(
in
respect
of
their
countries
profit
and
their
poesies
credit
)
●●●ost
necessarie
,
what
curious
,
proud
,
and
poore
shamefastnesse
should
let
an
English
muse
to
traduce
him
,
when
the
language
she
workes
withall
is
more
conformable
,
fluent
,
and
expressiue
;
which
I
would
your
Lordship
would
commaunde
mee
to
proue
against
all
our
whippers
of
their
owne
complement
in
their
countries
dialect
.
O
what
peeuish
ingratitude
and
most
vnreasonable
scorne
of
our selues
we
commit
,
to
bee
so
extrauagant
and
forreignely
witted
,
to
honour
and
imitate
that
in
a
strange
tongue
,
which
wee
condemne
and
contemne
in
our
natiue
?
for
if
the
substance
of
the
Poets
will
be
exprest
and
his
sentence
and
sence
rendred
with
truth
and
elocution
,
hee
that
takes
iudiciall
pleasure
in
him
in
Greeke
,
cannot
beare
so
rough
a
browe
to
him
in
English
,
to
entombe
his
acceptance
in
austeritie
.
But
thou
soule-blind
Scalliger
,
that
neuer
hadst
any
thing
but
place
,
time
and
termes
,
to
paint
thy
proficiencie
in
learning
,
nor
euer
writest
any
thing
of
thine
owne
impotent
braine
,
but
thy
onely
impalsied
diminution
of
Homer
(
which
I
may
sweare
was
the
absolute
inspiration
of
thine
owne
ridiculous
Genius
)
neuer
didst
thou
more
palpably
damn
thy
drossy
spirit
in
al
thy
all
countries-exploded
filcheries
,
which
are
so
grossely
illiterate
,
that
no
man
will
vouchsafe
their
refutation
,
then
in
thy
sencelesse
reprehensions
of
Homer
;
whose
spirit
flew
asmuch
aboue
thy
groueling
capacitie
,
as
heauen
moues
aboue
Barathrum
:
but
as
none
will
vouchsafe
repetition
nor
answere
of
thy
other
vnmanly
fooleries
:
no
more
will
I
of
these
,
my
Epistle
being
too
tedious
to
your
Lo:
besides
,
and
no
mans
iudgement
seruing
better
,
(
if
your
high
affaires
could
admit
their
diligent
perusall
)
then
your
Lo:
to
refute
and
reiect
him
.
But
alas
Homer
is
not
now
to
bee
lift
vp
by
my
weake
arme
,
more
then
he
is
now
deprest
by
more
feeble
oppositions
,
if
any
feele
not
their
conceiptes
so
rauisht
with
the
eminent
beauties
of
his
ascentiall
muse
,
as
the
greatest
men
of
all
sorts
and
of
all
ages
haue
beene
.
Their
most
modest
course
is
,
(
vnlesse
they
will
be
powerfully
insolent
)
to
ascribe
the
defect
to
their
apprehension
,
because
they
read
him
but
sleightly
,
not
in
his
surmised
frugalitie
of
obiect
,
that
really
and
most
feastfully
powres
out
himselfe
in
right
diuine
occasion
.
But
the
chiefe
and
vnanswerable
meane
to
his
generall
and
iust
acceptance
,
must
be
your
Lo.
high
and
of
all
men
expected
president
,
without
which
hee
must
like
a
poore
snayle
,
pull
in
his
English
hornes
,
that
out
of
all
other
languages
(
in
regard
of
the
countries
affection
,
and
royaltie
of
his
Patrones
)
hath
appeard
like
an
Angell
from
a
clowde
,
or
the
world
out
of
Chaos
.
When
no
language
can
make
comparison
of
him
with
ours
if
he
be
worthily
conuerted
;
wherein
before
he
should
haue
beene
borne
so
lame
and
defectiue
,
as
the
French
midwife
hath
brought
him
forth
,
he
had
neuer
made
question
how
your
Lo.
would
accept
him
:
and
yet
haue
two
of
their
Kings
,
embraced
him
,
as
a
wealthy
ornament
to
their
studies
,
and
the
main
battayle
of
their
armies
.
If
then
your
bountie
would
do
me
but
the
grace
to
conferre
my
vnhappie
labours
with
theirs
so
successefull
&
commended
(
your
iudgement
seruing
you
much
better
then
your
leysure
&
yet
your
leisure
in
thinges
honourable
being
to
bee
inforced
by
your
iudgement
)
no
malitious
&
dishonorable
whisperer
,
that
comes
armed
with
an
army
of
authority
and
state
against
harmeles
&
armeles
vertue
,
could
wrest
your
wonted
impression
so
much
from
it self
,
to
reiect
(
with
imitation
of
tiranous
contempt
any
affection
so
zealous
&
able
in
this
kind
to
honor
your
estate
as
mine
.
Onely
kings
&
princes
haue
been
Homers
Patrones
,
amongst
whom
Ptolomie
wold
say
,
he
that
had
sleight
handes
to
entertayne
Homer
,
had
as
sleight
braines
to
rule
his
common
wealth
.
And
an
vsuall
seueritie
he
vsed
,
but
a
most
rationall
(
how
precise
and
ridiculous
soeuer
it
may
seeme
to
men
made
of
ridiculous
matter
)
that
in
reuerence
of
the
pietie
and
perfect
humanitie
he
taught
;
whosoeuer
writ
or
committed
any
proud
detraction
against
Homer
(
as
euen
so
much
a
man
wanted
not
his
malitious
deprauers
)
hee
put
him
with
torments
to
extreamest
death
.
O
high
and
magically
raysed
prospect
,
from
whence
a
true
eye
may
see
meanes
to
the
absolute
redresse
,
or
much
to
be
wished
extenuation
,
of
all
the
vnmanly
degeneracies
now
tyranysing
amongst
vs
:
for
if
that
which
teacheth
happinesse
and
hath
vnpainefull
corosiues
in
it
,
(
being
entertayned
and
obserued
)
to
eate
out
the
hart
of
that
raging
vlcer
,
which
like
a
Lernean
Fen
of
corruption
furnaceth
the
vniuersall
sighes
and
complaintes
,
of
this
transposed
world
;
were
seriously
,
and
as
with
armed
garrisons
defended
and
hartned
;
that
which
engenders
&
disperseth
,
that
wilfull
pestilence
,
would
bee
purged
and
extirpate
:
but
that
which
teacheth
,
being
ouerturned
,
that
which
is
taught
is
consequently
subiect
to
euersion
:
and
if
the
honour
,
happinesse
and
preseruation
of
true
humanitie
consist
in
obseruing
the
lawes
fit
for
mans
dignitie
;
and
that
the
elaborate
prescription
of
those
lawes
must
of
necessitie
be
authorised
,
fauoured
and
defended
before
any
obseruation
can
succeed
:
is
it
vnreasonable
,
to
punish
the
contempt
of
that
mouing
prescription
with
one
mans
death
,
when
at
the
heeles
of
it
followes
common
neglect
of
obseruation
,
and
in
the
necke
of
it
,
an
vniuersall
ruine
?
This
my
Lord
I
enforce
only
to
interrupt
in
others
that
may
reade
this
vnsauorie
stuffe
,
the
too
open
mouthd
damnation
of
royall
&
vertuous
Ptolomies
seueritie
.
For
to
digest
,
transforme
and
sweat
a
mans
soule
into
rules
and
attractions
to
societie
;
such
as
are
fashiond
and
temperd
with
her
exact
and
long
laborde
contention
of
studie
;
in
which
she
tosseth
with
her
impertiall
discourse
before
her
,
all
cause
of
fantasticall
obiections
and
reproofes
;
and
without
which
she
were
as
wise
as
the
greatest
number
of
detractors
that
shall
presume
to
censure
her
;
and
yet
by
their
flash
and
insolent
castigations
to
bee
sleighted
and
turnde
ouer
their
miserably
vaine
tongues
in
an
instant
;
is
an
iniurie
worthy
no
lesse
penaltie
then
Ptolomie
inflicted
.
To
take
away
the
heeles
of
which
running
prophanation
.
I
hope
your
Lo.
honourable
countenance
will
be
as
the
Vnicorns
horne
,
to
leade
the
way
to
English
Homers
yet
poysoned
fountaine
:
for
till
that
fauour
be
vouchsafed
,
the
herde
will
neuer
drinke
,
since
the
venemous
galles
of
some
of
their
fellowes
haue
infected
it
,
whom
alas
I
pittie
.
Thus
confidently
affirming
your
name
and
dignities
shall
neuer
bee
more
honored
in
a
poore
booke
then
in
English
Homer
,
I
cease
to
afflict
your
Lordshippe
with
my
tedious
dedicatories
,
and
to
still
sacred
Homers
spirit
through
a
language
so
fitte
and
so
fauourles
;
humbly
presenting
your
Achilleian
vertues
with
Achilles
Shield
;
wishing
as
it
is
much
more
admirable
and
diuine
,
so
it
were
as
many
times
more
rich
,
then
the
Shield
the
Cardinall
pawnd
at
Anwerp
.
By
him
that
wisheth
all
the
degrees
of
iudgement
,
and
honour
,
to
attend
your
deserts
to
the
highest
,
George
Chapman
.
To
the
vnderstander
.
YOu
are
not
euery
bodie
,
to
you
(
as
to
one
of
my
very
few
friends
)
I
may
be
bold
to
vtter
my
minde
,
nor
is
it
more
empaire
to
an
honest
and
absolute
mans
sufficiencie
to
haue
few
friendes
,
then
to
an
Homericall
Poeme
to
haue
few
commenders
;
for
neyther
doe
common
dispositions
keepe
fitte
or
plausible
consort
with
iudiciall
and
simple
honestie
,
nor
are
idle
capacities
comprehensible
of
an
elaborate
Poeme
.
My
Epistle
dedicatorie
before
my
seuen
bookes
,
is
accounted
darke
and
too
much
laboured
:
for
the
darkenes
there
is
nothing
good
or
bad
,
hard
or
softe
,
darke
or
perspicuous
but
in
respect
,
&
in
respect
of
mens
light
,
sleight
,
or
enuious
perusalles
(
to
whose
loose
capacities
any
worke
worthily
composde
is
knit
with
a
riddle
)
&
that
the
stile
is
materiall
flowing
,
&
not
ranke
,
it
may
perhaps
seeme
darke
,
to
ranke
riders
or
readers
,
that
haue
no
more
soules
then
burbolts
:
but
to
your
comprehension
&
in
it selfe
,
I
know
it
is
not
.
For
the
affected
labour
bestowed
in
it
,
I
protest
two
morninges
both
ended
it
and
the
Readers
Epistle
:
but
the
truth
is
,
my
desire
&
strange
disposition
in
all
thinges
I
write
,
is
to
set
downe
vncommon
,
and
most
profitable
coherents
for
the
time
:
yet
further
remoued
from
abhorde
affectation
,
then
from
the
most
popular
and
cold
disgestion
.
And
I
euer
imagine
that
as
Italian
&
French
Poems
to
our
studious
linguistes
,
win
much
of
their
discountryed
affection
,
as
well
because
the
vnderstanding
of
forreigne
tongues
is
sweete
to
their
apprehension
,
as
that
the
matter
&
inuention
is
pleasing
,
so
my
farre
fetcht
,
and
as
it
were
beyond
sea
manner
of
writing
,
if
they
would
take
as
much
paines
for
their
poore
countrimen
as
for
a
proud
stranger
when
they
once
vnderstand
it
,
should
be
much
more
gracious
to
their
choice
conceiptes
,
then
a
discourse
that
fals
naked
before
them
,
and
hath
nothing
but
what
mixeth
it selfe
with
ordinarie
table
talke
.
For
my
varietie
of
new
wordes
,
I
haue
none
Inckepot
I
am
sure
you
know
,
but
such
as
I
giue
pasport
with
such
authoritie
,
so
significant
and
not
ill
sounding
,
that
if
my
countrey
language
were
an
vsurer
,
or
a
man
of
this
age
speaking
it
,
hee
would
thanke
mee
for
enriching
him
:
Why
alas
will
my
young
mayster
the
reader
affect
nothing
common
,
and
yet
like
nothing
extraordinarie
?
Swaggering
is
a
new
worde
amongst
them
,
and
rounde
headed
custome
giues
it
priuiledge
with
much
imitation
,
being
created
as
it
were
by
a
naturall
Prosopopeia
without
etimologie
or
deriuation
;
and
why
may
not
an
elegancie
authentically
deriued
,
&
as
I
may
say
of
the
vpper
house
,
bee
entertayned
as
well
in
their
lower
consultation
with
authoritie
of
Arte
,
as
their
owne
forgeries
lickt
vp
by
nature
?
All
tongues
haue
inricht
themselues
from
their
originall
(
onely
the
Hebrew
&
Greeke
which
are
not
spoken
amongst
vs
)
with
good
neighbourly
borrowing
,
and
as
with
infusion
of
fresh
ayre
,
and
nourishment
of
newe
blood
in
their
still
growing
bodies
,
&
why
may
not
ours
?
Chaucer
(
by
whom
we
will
needes
authorise
our
true
english
)
had
more
newe
wordes
for
his
time
then
any
man
needes
to
deuise
now
.
And
therefore
for
currant
wits
to
crie
from
standing
braines
,
like
a
broode
of
Frogs
from
a
ditch
,
to
haue
the
ceaselesse
flowing
riuer
of
our
tongue
turnde
into
their
Frogpoole
,
is
a
song
farre
from
their
arrogation
of
sweetnes
,
&
a
sin
wold
soone
bring
the
plague
of
barbarisme
amongst
vs
;
which
in
faith
needes
not
bee
hastned
with
defences
of
his
ignorant
furtherers
,
since
it
comes
with
mealemouth'd
toleration
too
sauagely
vpon
vs
.
To
be
short
;
since
I
had
the
reward
of
my
labours
in
their
consummation
,
and
the
chiefe
pleasure
of
them
in
mine
owne
profit
,
no
young
preiudicate
or
castigatorie
braine
hath
reason
to
thinke
I
stande
trembling
vnder
the
ayry
stroke
of
his
feuerie
censure
,
or
that
I
did
euer
expect
any
flowing
applause
from
his
drie
fingers
;
but
the
satisfaction
and
delight
that
might
probably
redound
to
euerie
true
louer
of
vertue
I
set
in
the
seat
of
mine
owne
profit
and
contentment
;
and
if
there
be
any
one
in
whome
this
successe
is
enflowred
,
a
few
sprigges
of
it
shall
bee
my
garland
.
Since
then
this
neuer
equald
Poet
is
to
bee
vnderstood
,
and
so
full
of
gouernment
and
direction
to
all
estates
;
sterne
anger
and
the
affrights
of
warre
,
bearing
the
mayne
face
of
his
subiect
;
soldiers
shall
neuer
spende
their
idle
howres
more
profitablie
,
then
with
his
studious
and
industrious
perusall
;
in
whose
honors
his
deserts
are
infinite
:
Counsellors
haue
neuer
better
oracles
then
his
lines
:
fathers
haue
no
morales
so
profitable
for
their
children
,
as
his
counsailes
:
nor
shal
they
euer
giue
them
more
honord
iniunctions
,
then
to
learne
Homer
without
book
,
that
being
continually
conuersant
in
him
,
his
height
may
descend
to
their
capacities
,
and
his
substance
proue
their
worthiest
riches
.
Husbands
,
wiues
,
louers
,
friends
,
and
allies
,
hauing
in
him
mirrors
for
all
their
duties
;
all
sortes
of
which
concourse
and
societie
in
other
more
happy
ages
,
haue
in
steed
of
sonnets
&
lasciuious
ballades
,
sung
his
Iliades
.
Let
the
length
of
the
verse
neuer
discourage
your
endeuours
:
for
talke
our
quidditicall
Italianistes
of
what
proportion
soeuer
their
strooting
lips
affect
;
vnlesse
it
be
in
these
coopplets
,
into
which
I
haue
hastely
translated
this
Shield
,
they
shall
neuer
doe
Homer
so
much
right
,
in
any
octaues
,
canzons
,
canzonets
,
or
with
whatsoeuer
fustian
Epigraphes
they
shall
entitle
their
measures
.
Onely
the
extreame
false
printing
troubles
my
conscience
,
for
feare
of
your
deserued
discouragement
in
the
empaire
of
our
Poets
sweetnes
;
whose
generall
diuinitie
of
spirit
,
clad
in
my
willing
labours
(
enuious
of
none
nor
detracting
any
)
I
commit
to
your
good
nature
and
solid
capacitie
.