=237=, 84-95. =I over-tooke . . . the Earle of Oxford.= The subject of this remarkable encomium was Edward de Vere (1550-1604), seventeenth Earl of Oxford. He was educated at Cambridge, and from an early age became a prominent figure at the Court of Elizabeth, who, it was said in 1573, "delighteth more in his personage, and his dancing and valiantness, than any other." In 1575 he paid a visit to Italy, and it is apparently to an episode on his return journey in the spring of 1576 that reference is made here, and in the following lines. The portrait here drawn of him is too flattering, as he was violent in temper and extravagant, but the Earl's literary gifts merited the praise of Chapman. Puttenham and Meres speak highly of him as a writer of comedy, and Webbe pays a tribute to his excellence in "the rare devises of poetry." Over twenty of his lyrics survive, chiefly in anthologies. =237=, 95-103. =being offer'd . . . quit.= The _Duke Cassimere_ here spoken of was John Casimir, Count Palatine, who in the autumn of 1575 entered into alliance with the Huguenots and invaded France, but, after suffering a check at the hands of the Duke of Guise, made a truce and retired. The incident here spoken of apparently took place in the spring of the next year (cf. the previous note). Why, however, does Chapman introduce it here, and how did he know of it? Can he, immediately after leaving Oxford, which he entered, according to Wood, "in 1574 or thereabouts," have gone in Oxford's train to the Continent? =238=, 112. =a Sir John Smith.= Though alluded to in so contemptuous a way, this Sir John Smith appears to be the noted soldier of fortune, diplomatist, and military writer, who lived from about 1534 to 1607. After serving for many years in continental armies, in 1574 he became an agent of the English government, and took part in various diplomatic missions. In 1590 he published "Certain Discourses concerning the formes and effects of divers sorts of Weapons" and dedicated the work to the English nobility, whom he calls in one part of his "proeme" the "verie eyes, eares and language of the king, and the bodie of the watch, and redresse of the Commonwealth." Hence perhaps the allusion in l. 113 to "common Nobles fashions." =238-9=, 127-41. =If you would Consull be . . . no thought?= A translation of the _Discourses_ of Epictetus, bk. IV, x, 20-22. =238-9=, 129-30. =gloryfying Plebeians, Kissing Patricians hands.= Epictetus has simply, τὰς χεῖρας καταφιλῆσαι. =239=, 134. =sit for the whole tribunall.= A mistranslation of ἐρὶ βῆμα καθίσαι, i. e. "sit on the tribunal." =239=, 138-9. =And to be voide . . . constancie.= An obscure rendering of ὑπὲρ ἀπαθείας οὖν, ὑπὲρ ἀταραξίας. _For constancie_ = for the sake of tranquillity of mind.