Why not, I can’t help myself: Caledonian = Thersites, Eliezer = Agamemnon
Thersites only clamourâd in the throng,
Loquacious, loud, and turbulent of tongue:
Awed by no shame, by no respect controllâd,
In scandal busy, in reproaches bold:
With witty malice studious to defame,
Scorn all his joy, and laughter all his aim:â
But chief he gloried with licentious style
To lash the great, and monarchs to revile.
…
Sharp was his voice; which in the shrillest tone,
Thus with injurious taunts attackâd the throne.
Whateâer our master craves submit we must,
Plagued with his pride, or punishâd for his lust.
Oh women of Achaia; men no more!
Hence let us fly, and let him waste his store
In loves and pleasures on the Phrygian shore.
We may be wanted on some busy day,
When Hector comes: so great Achilles may:
From him he forced the prize we jointly gave,
From him, the fierce, the fearless, and the brave:
And durst he, as he ought, resent that wrong,
This mighty tyrant were no tyrant long.â
…
âPeace, factious monster, born to vex the state,
With wrangling talents formâd for foul debate:
Curb that impetuous tongue, nor rashly vain,
And singly mad, asperse the sovereign reign.
Have we not known thee, slave! of all our host,
The man who acts the least, upbraids the most?
…
Expel the council where our princes meet,
And send thee scourged and howling through the fleet.â
Why not, I can’t help myself: Caledonian = Thersites, Eliezer = Agamemnon
Thersites only clamourâd in the throng,
Loquacious, loud, and turbulent of tongue:
Awed by no shame, by no respect controllâd,
In scandal busy, in reproaches bold:
With witty malice studious to defame,
Scorn all his joy, and laughter all his aim:â
But chief he gloried with licentious style
To lash the great, and monarchs to revile.
…
Sharp was his voice; which in the shrillest tone,
Thus with injurious taunts attackâd the throne.
Whateâer our master craves submit we must,
Plagued with his pride, or punishâd for his lust.
Oh women of Achaia; men no more!
Hence let us fly, and let him waste his store
In loves and pleasures on the Phrygian shore.
We may be wanted on some busy day,
When Hector comes: so great Achilles may:
From him he forced the prize we jointly gave,
From him, the fierce, the fearless, and the brave:
And durst he, as he ought, resent that wrong,
This mighty tyrant were no tyrant long.â
…
âPeace, factious monster, born to vex the state,
With wrangling talents formâd for foul debate:
Curb that impetuous tongue, nor rashly vain,
And singly mad, asperse the sovereign reign.
Have we not known thee, slave! of all our host,
The man who acts the least, upbraids the most?
…
Expel the council where our princes meet,
And send thee scourged and howling through the fleet.â