Achilles'
“spear, Is able with the change to kill and cure,— Like to,”
2 HENRY VI., v. 1. 100.
Telephus having been wounded by Achilles, could be cured only by the rust scraped
from the spear which had caused the wound: the particulars of his story (related with some
variations) may be found in the mythological writers.
“Così od' io che soleva la lancia
D' Achille, e del suo padre, esser cagione
Prima di trista, e poi di buona mancia.”
Dante, Inferno, C. xxxi. 4. “And fell in speche of Telephus the king,
And of Achilles for his queinte spere,
For he coude with it bothe hele and dere,”
Chaucer, The Squieres Tale, v. 10552, ed. Tyrwhitt. Tasso has “Ahi crudo Amor! ch' egualmente n' ancide
L' assenzio e'l mel che tu fra noi dispensi;
E d' ogni tempo egualmente mortali
Vengon da te le medicine e i mali.” Gerus., C. iv. 92; which Fairfax chooses to render thus, “Cupids deepe riuers haue their shallow fordes;
His griefes bring ioyes, his losses recompences;
He breedes the sore, and cures vs of the paine:
Achilles' lance that wounds and heales againe.”)
D' Achille, e del suo padre, esser cagione
Prima di trista, e poi di buona mancia.”
Dante, Inferno, C. xxxi. 4. “And fell in speche of Telephus the king,
And of Achilles for his queinte spere,
For he coude with it bothe hele and dere,”
Chaucer, The Squieres Tale, v. 10552, ed. Tyrwhitt. Tasso has “Ahi crudo Amor! ch' egualmente n' ancide
L' assenzio e'l mel che tu fra noi dispensi;
E d' ogni tempo egualmente mortali
Vengon da te le medicine e i mali.” Gerus., C. iv. 92; which Fairfax chooses to render thus, “Cupids deepe riuers haue their shallow fordes;
His griefes bring ioyes, his losses recompences;
He breedes the sore, and cures vs of the paine:
Achilles' lance that wounds and heales againe.”)
