Penny Dreadfuls, 1602 · page 59 of 400
Penny Dreadful Cover — page 59: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Running Verse Narrative This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be a classical or legendary narrative work (possibly early modern rather than Victorian penny dreadful, based on typography and language). The text recounts a battle involving Hercules against giants, specifically Geron and his brothers. The verse describes Hercules meeting three giants at the gates, fighting them in combat where he kills two, then enlists other knights and heroes (Theseus, Hippolytus, and others named) to join the battle. The passage concludes with Hercules pursuing the retreating Geron and his men to the shore, where Geron calls his friends to fight, declaring it is "time to live or die."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“ 7: : e . > 4 - : 4 4 é f ? § “ a 4 . r Jun Lak * y * * 7 + thi 5 i ae at ae PA ni 7 Ae +t. ’ » | Tharallthe force of sficahisfuriecouldnotbarre. = In Gadira when Hercales his Pillers reared had, | | The which(our wefterne world not knowne)men farther liad forbad; a Then with viGtorious fhips he fets on Gerons chafed Fleet: a And fecondly at Megida did either armie meete. Theare Geron with his brothers twaine the Citie did befer, And fcornefull ye aduance themfelues as men notto be met. - Prouiding therefore murall workes,they threaten hot affaule: Whileft Hercules contrarie watres vnto his fouldiers taught. The Gates wide opned,out he comes vnto the Giants three, Your men,he faid,are well at worke, well met are alfo wee. This lefle then monfter more than man,a Fiende in humane thape The Spanyard faid,is he from whom I made fo hard efcape. : Yet hardlicr fhale dion now efcape,faid Hercules,and than Betweene them foure(three to one)A cruell fight began. _ And euery of the Giants thought himfelfe an ouer-match To Hercules who almoft gaue to one a quicke difpatch, | The fecond he difpatchtindeed,who fell his lateft fall, _ Then thoufands came to refcue them yeat,one,he fights gainft all: | Till 7hefewswith the otherknights did march their Armie out, a _ Andioyneto him,their Foes with them,and all make battaile Roiie: Pe) Then Gerions brother fights againe,andbothdidbatheinblod, It was no fighting where they tought, or ftanding where they flod. King Aeleus,T hefeus,Hifpan,and Philoctes did no lefle : Butfoueraignly the fonne of Jove bettird him in the prefle. The Giant Gerons brother,then by him did breath his laft, | And Geron did retire his men into their Gallies faft, But where they land,theare Hercu/es wonne landing, though he pat The Pikes, with{tanding thoufand Swords, & warding thoufand flings, ; Himfelfe alone, ere that hismentofighton Shorehe brings, Then Geron,curfing heauen and earth sbeftirreye friends he cridey 2 wow! is the timeto live or = ny. badbetide, yond 004 v * Comicyzooksscom