LXXXI.
Hate Calcas and his false disseytes,
Off whome the infynyte malicis
Betrayeth many reaumes expres[[482]];
Off wordly pepyll þer is no wers.
Calcas was a sootyl clerke of the cete of Troye,[[483]] and, whan Kyng Priante knew that the Grekes come opon hym with a grete oste, he sent Calcas into Delphos to wete of the god Appolonie[[484]] how the werre shulde fortvne. But after that the god hade aunsweryd, the which seide [that] after .x. yere the Grekes shulde haue the victorie, Calcas turned towarde the Grekes and aqwaynttyd hym with Achilles, the which was comme into |f. 61.| Delphos for the same cause, and with hym he went to the Grekes, whome he helpid for to cownsel ayens his owen cete and ofte tymes disturbed the pes betwyne the Grekys and the Troyens. And becawse he was a traytore, it is seide to the goode knyghte that he shulde hate sich evill sotell pepyll, ffor theyre traysones so done be willes may hurte gretly reaumes and empires and all maner of pepyll. Therefor Platon seith, “A soothel[[485]] enemy, though he be poore and not myghty, may greue more than a ennemy myghty and ryche vnknowyn.”
Calcas, the which shuld be hatyd, may be vnderstonden that the good speryte shulde hate all fraudelous malice ayens his neyghburgh, for he shulde in no wyse consent thertoo. For Seynt Jerom seith that a traytoure will not be sowpled, neythir for familiarite off felachep ne for homlynes of mete and drynke ne for grace of seruyce ne for plente off benefices. Off this vice seith Seynt Poule the aposstell, [“Erunt homines cupidi, elati, superbi, proditores, tumidi”].[[486]]