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useful man. Joan Van OlJenbarueveldt was a lawyer, distinguished by 

 his wisdom, patriotism, and moderation. His services led the nation 

 through the war of independence, supported them under the presidency 

 of William, and guided them even when Maurice was the Stadtholder. 

 Whether it was the consequence of faction, or, as some say, the envy 

 of Prince Maurice, this grey-headed lawyer was accused of high treason, 

 having, it was alleged, received from the Spanish government a bribe 

 to betray his people. The accusation was false ; yet, after forty years 

 of services to his country, he was publicly beheaded, amid the savage 

 applause of a licentious mob. The dread of popular displeasure 

 silenced all censure, but the event was not lost to the mind of Vondel. 

 Greatly incensed at these democratic excesses, he composed satires, in 

 which he most bitterly inveighed against this atrocious act. These 

 satires were not published tUl many years after they were composed. 

 But, not satisfied with this, he undertook to place his sentiments 

 before the public in the form of a drama ; and as it would have been 

 dangerous to expose himself to the fuiy of the people, he concealed 

 the object of his drama under the colour of an ancient event. At a 

 later period of his life he himself furnished annotations, sho^\'iug who 

 were the personages he had represented. The subject chosen for this 

 purpose was the life of Palamedes, whose lamentable end is weU known 

 to the classical scholar. It is thus represented by Vondel. Palamedes, 

 the son of Nauplius, king of Eubea, had, by his wisdom, obtained such 

 influence among the Greek princes that nothing was undertaken with- 

 out his advice ; and in the expedition against Troy he was unanimously 

 appointed general and leader. When Ulysses feigned madness, and was 

 ploughing the beach in order to avoid being called to take part in the 

 expedition, Palamedes detected the cunning by laying his young son 

 Telemachus before the plough. The father suddenly stopped fearing 

 lest he should hurt his child. From that time Ulysses directed all his 

 endeavours to effect the ruin of Palamedes, in which, he was joined by 

 Agamemnon and Calchas, who had long since been jealous of his 

 influence. They spread reports of treason, forged a letter in which 

 Priam offered him a bribe ; and Ulysses, having hidden some gold coins 

 under his tent, which afterwards were brought forward as conclusive 

 proof of his guilt, Palamedes was convicted of high treason and put to 

 death. Many of the ancient authors lament his death. Virgil says — 



Fando aliquod si forte tuas jiei'venit ad aures, 



Belidae nomen Palamodis et iuclyta fama 



Gloi'ia : quern falsa sub proditione Pelasgi 



Insontem infando indicio, quia bella vetabat 



Deniisere neci : uimc cassimi himine lugeiit. 



