and by a thousand such unworthy submissions endeavours to make me question his Mothers Faith which I should have done did I not know one of the greatest vices is to suspect she hadany for in a long succession of years there were none legitimate of our Line till the degenerate Perolla but with their milk suck'd a hatred for that of Blacius's but he had no sooner gotten his health and lost his liberty but more joyful of the last than of the first he quits Salapia without paying me the duty of a visit which was the pretence of his coming thither and his impiety not being yet come to the height of attempting my Life with his own hand he endeavours it obliquely by taking up Arms for the Romans against the Carthaginians in whose party I was so engag'd that he could not prosecute their overthrow and effect it without involving me in their ruine and when the great Hannibal had justly censur'd Blacius to death for his pactice with the Romans Perolla that I might not suspect the first service he did him was by accident but design engages all such of his friends as he could seduce and with them employs his Sword and Life to redeem my greatest enemies in which attempt as you have heard he had a success proportionate to his desires and after that Blacius was found out and brought to the Scaffold there to receive the punishment of his offences lest I might yet doubt he lov'd his Enemies as much as he hated his Father he voluntarily embraces Death to justify that Truth Judge Sir if ever there were a higher injury than this and if by it my hatred be not as just as great for in this one action he destroys that Life he knew maugre all his ingratitude I yet lov'd best to preserve his whom I hated most but he was preserv'd from death by Izadora's Tears Izadora I say one of Blacius Family which had he had any generosity he should rather have suffer'd than ow'd his deliverance to such a Deliverer For my part the cause of his safety took away all my joyes for the effect and made me celebrate his preservation in Tears but though Hannibal pardon'd his life yet he kept him in prison where he had still retain'd him had not the generous Maharbal given him his liberty which he had no sooner obtain'd than he employes it by bearing Arms under the Romans for his destruction that gave it him but perhaps he will say he redeem'd that fault by giving Maharbal his life to which I answer that was no satisfaction for the old Crime but the acting of a new one for he was only treacherous to his friends to repair his ingratitude to his Enemies and thereby committed one sin to act another he makes the publique pay for his particular fault and redeems his own unworthiness by depriving the party he serv'd of so considerable a prisoner besides what happen'd was but an accident but his taking up Arms was a design Thus you see those actions he most glories in being diligently enquir'd into are found contrary to what they appear'd and if his best performances are crimes what are then his others He was an earnest persecutor of Hannibal my greatest friend while he continu'd in Italy all my perswasions and Prayers not being able to hinder him so much as from acting against him in his person and as if the knowledge of the affection I pay'd that great General were a sufficient cause to creat Perolla's hatred for him he left his own Countrey and his Izadora too to prosecute him under Scipio in Africk and at that famous Battel at Zama a thousand times ventur'd his own life to deprive Hannibal of his and though he alledges that he preserved him when he might have acted his destruction yet I shall beseech you to consider he is but his own Witness and whether it be likely he would have neglected that opportunity had it been offer'd which he has since sought out over all the world and never declin'd whilst there was any possibility of finding it He was not only content to injure me in my Friend but does it too in my Enemy and that I might not doubt his perseverance in his former courses by stealing away Izadora in which Sin every accessary is a principal he violates both Humane and Divine Laws and rather elects the committing of so high a crime than that I should want testimonies of so proportionate a Truth â—y by his own confession would have Married her and joyn'd those two Blouds together that never till then were united but when they ran from Wounds and mingled on the ground and would thereby have ty'd my Hand from revenge or forâ—'d me to act it thorough my only Son Lastly and that I hope will not prove in your judgement inferior to any when your victorious Arms had struck such a terror into our Citizens that we were going to present you our Keys and Liberties he by his unfortunate perswasion and example made them take up Arms and forâ—'d you to purchase your Victory by Blood reduc'd his Countrey and Friends to a fatal subjection or death or to owe to their Deliverance to a Mercy they have so highly offended that they are unworthy of it but if you execute the rigor of War upon us and that your Justice involves Perolla in the publique Fate I shall then find my happiness in my destruction and more commend Fortune in revenging me upon him than be displeas'd at her for my own and Salapia's ruine Spartacus and all the assistants were infinitely surpriz'd at so strange a reasoning and request But my Prince put a silence to the general murmur by inviting Blacius to speak who thus obey'd him I attest the gods said he lifting his Eyes and his Hands to the place of their residence that from the time Perolla preserv'd my life it has been my misfortune for if ever since I deriv'd any joy from this Woman pointing at Izadora 't was only learning by my own sufferings in her want of Duty what Pacuvius's were in his Sons immitating her crime but because she has told her own story with so much Art that it may induce you to consider my resentments as an injustice I shall briefly give you a true Comment upon it I confess she had my Command to cherish and esteem him that preserv'd my life but she had it not to give those retributions to Perolla That ignorance which I believe procur'd my safety procur'd that injunction I found him my Friend when I gave him my affection but she knew him my Enemy when she gave him hers Observe too I beseech you how confident this young man was of having it when the argument he us'd to make her declare that Truth was only if she avow'd it not he would kill her Fathers Enemy that which was a just motive to silence her Flame was his inducement to invite her to disclose it in which one action she doubly injur'd me
of my friends or my interceeding with him Then without staying for her consent lest she should reject the first proffer of my service I went immediately blushing and trembling to my Father who then came in and besought him to employ his power with Orodes in a cause so worthy his solliciting and the Kings concession Moneses who was always inclin'd to actions of this quality so powerfully perswaded Arsaces to grant the fair Parthenissa's request that he did it You may easily imagine I received no small contentment in this little service especially when after I had begg'd her to accept it as an earnest of what I was confin'd to pay her methought her blushes plac'd a true interpretation on my meaning But after that little disorder was past whether to disguise it or out of a true sence of what she was then going to say I cannot tell but I can that her answer was My obligation to you Sir is so extreme great that it makes me almost question the Kings justice or my Fathers merits which needed so powerful an intercession I had no leisure to reply for Arsaces retir'd into his Cabinet and she to her own house whither I desir'd to wait on her but she would permit me to do so no farther than to her Chariot I withdrew my self immediately after to my own Appartment and passed the rest of the day with some impatience longing for a Darkness equal to that which began to diffuse it self over my Thoughts that I might the more uninterruptedly entertain them As soon as I was a-bed instead of that rest I usually took I found mine was disturbed by a throng of Assailants But Parthenissa's beauty had assum'd so transcendent an Empire over my memory that my reflections on it almost suppressed all others which made me begin to imagine it was Love by my then resenting what I had heard of it I must confess this did somewhat surprise me for my Governor had imbued me with so bad a character of that passion he being a Stoick that I fear'd it almost as much as I admir'd Parthenissa which made me call into my memory all those Antidotes he had given me As the poorness of submitting to a Sex the Gods had given ours the Authority over The vast troubles in purchasing our desires The smallness commonly of the value if obtain'd or the natural Inconstancy of Women which by depriving us of a known felicity renders the loss greater That by the definition of Love the Chase is a greater happiness than the Quarry For Love is a desire and we never desire that which we enjoy therefore with the fruition the Love ceases so that the best of Love is to be ill but to be well again Who would be a Votary to that Passion Many other arguments my memory would have furnisht me withal had not the growing Idea of Parthenissa's beauty made them vanish and then my Reason taking her Defence furnisht me with these Answers That the Precedency that our Sex had over hers was rather an Assumption of our own than a Concession of the Gods for amongst those Creatures which purely observe the Dictates of Nature and can neither Lie nor Dissemble the Feminine Sex is courted by the Masculine or if the Divine Law gave the last preheminence over the first yet the Law of Custom did suspend it That the consideration of troubles to a mind capable of so high a Design as the adoring of Parthenissa should rather inflame than diminish the courage In what darkness had the World liv'd if difficulty had not rather added to than suppress'd the Desires of generous undertakings As for the smallness of the value if obtain'd that is not the fault of Love but of Choice That Inconstancy is not hereditary to the Sex the examples of Lucretia and many others sufficiently evidencing that is not their Nature but their Vice That it would be a difficult thing to perswade a man who might grow rich out of that desire from an apprehension that if he became poor again his loss would be the more unsupportable And lastly to Loves being a desire which ceaseth with fruition we might as justly say that a Merchant which courts Wealth and makes his life his trouble to obtain it when he has his end may as properly be call'd poor as an enjoying Lover by fruition ceases to be one for when he once has the possession so many unfancy'd joyes disclose themselves that they afford sufficient nourishment to preserve if not increase the fire and the desire of the continuance of that happiness does still maintain Love if Love were only a desire For Fruition is not like lighting that vanishes so soon as it appears but as the Elizian Joyes whose greatness consists in the duration so that Love is better in the Quarry than in the Chase yet the latter is a happiness too onely as the means but Fruition perfects happiness as the end I tell you these little Reasonings not that I esteem them worthy your attention but to acquaint you with Parthenissa's power since to captivate a heart that had no aversion to Love is as common as to subdue one so prepossest with a prejudicate opinion of it was onely fit for Parthenissa's Beauty in which all virtues were so evident that I needed not the help of time but of sight to disclose them I will not trouble you any more in telling you how long it was before I did submit since at last I was necessitated to it and had no sooner resolv'd there was no mean between my misery and her favour but I apply'd my self to all wayes I imagin'd might render me the least unworthy of it And to shew how much the Gods contributed to the growth of this passion there fell out after many revolutions an accident even when my sufferings must have disclos'd what I had brought my words to conceal which did not onely acquaint her with the greatness of my flame but did also inspire her with one which has since proved so fatal to us both There was an Ancient custom in Parthia to celebrate the Anniversary of the Kings Coronation with all the shews of magnificence and joy which the Art or Affections of the people could invent and because the Parthians were ever esteem'd the Warlik'st Nation in the whole World to continue that just reputation they declin'd all those effeminacies which are so predominant in other Courts and absolutely addicted themselves to such Martial exercises as are nothing less pleasing and delightful than the others and yet fit and prepare men more for the real use of Arms and Acquisition of Glory 'T was this practice which made the youth about the Court to publish over all Asia a solemn Tilting where such as had any skill and courage were invited to shew them by divers Heralds expresly sent into all the Kingdoms of the East And though this was more upon Gallantry than any other score and that the Laws of it extended only to breaking of
uncapable of doing so again but by my obedince either your cruelty must have been as great as your Beauty or my sufferings would have far more troubl'd you then this one breach of your commands I perceive reply'd Parthenissa that you counterfeit an ignorance onely to extort a knowledge which is fitter for my blushes to assure you than my words but to evidence how great a power the Princess Lindadory has over me I do not only command you to live but shall judge of your passion by your obedience and reward it so too Alas Madam I reply'd must I then derive my Felicity from a third person and must the Means lessen the End To which Parthenissa presently answer'd Your scruples are much greater than their cause which intirely to remove I conjure you endeavour Recovery which effected I am confident I shall soon give that to your Merit which I now say I do to your Sisters Commands If I reply'd I must expect that Blessing by that Title onely from this moment I renounce all hope of it and therefore if you are not resolv'd of your self to confer it on me I beseech you let me dye otherwise you may be cruel in thinking not to be so Madam said Lindadora I beg you to receive these importunate effects as coming from a noble Cause a Love so perfect that nothing but a retribution which is so can confer on it any quiet and since you have thus far proceeded let not Words divert you when the Action does not but by assuring him you will be favourable preserve a life which I dare justify is wholly yours and as wholly depends upon what you shall now speak I know not reply'd Parthenissa pulling down her Veil to conceal her Blushes what to say but if what I have already spoken do not satisfy what you are pleas'd to undertake I will confirm Divine Parthenissa said I printing my burning Lips upon her Hand I desire no more and may Torments equal to your Hate if such could be found out fall on me if ever passion was so pure as mine or shall prove so constant After a thousand assurances of my Joy and Fidelity we heard Moneses knock at the door which occasion'd Parthenissa and Lindadory to retire softly the same way they came for we thought it not fit he should then know any thing of our affairs As soon as they were gone he came in and having enquired of my health which he found to be somewhat better'd he went away again In brief my speedy recovery being enjoyn'd me as an evincement of the greatness of my Flame I was so willing to embrace any thing might advance it that in a short time my wounds were fully heal'd and then every day I gave the fair Parthenissa so many new confirmations of my Passion that at last she assur'd me of hers I can truly affirm never two Hearts were more perfectly united than ours And if at any time so many perfections made my Desires rebel against my Reason she immediately supprest them with Reason which was not onely an argument of the vastness of her wit but of the proportionate power she had over me But why do I name the Felicities we possest in those glorious days when they were so short that the time that I have been telling you of them seems to me to be longer than they themselves were and when they do but serve to add unto miseries which are but too great already and are any other way uncapable of accession Fortune which has been always ingenious to persecute me no sooner acquainted me with the blessing of Parthenissa's Conversation then she sever'd me from it For there happened a difference betwixt Arsaces and Artabazus the King of Armenia concerning the bounds of their Kingdoms and as it is ordinary amongst Monarchs which are above the Laws to have immediate recourse to their Swords and make them both plead and determine their dispute so did they and by it engag'd all the Gallantry of both their Kingdoms I was ambitious to do something that might give me an interest in Parthenissa by my Actions and therefore resolved to undertake the Voyage I waited on her to acquaint her with my design and found her alone in her Cabinet as she confest to me afterwards preparing Arguments to divert me from that War which she apprehended my Honor would engage me in but I interrupted her thoughts by telling her Madam the joy of your Affection makes these Wars the way to Glory troublesome for Love delights in none but what it self creates Truly Artabanes she said you can shew me no greater nor pleasanter effects of your Flame than in observing what you now speak since in this one action we give and receive assurances of each others passion for I have sufficient proofs of yours when your Honour cannot vanquish your Love and when you care not to satisfy the World so I be pleas'd And you of mine when the highest condition that of your Glory cannot be of sufficient force to make your absence tollerable Alas Madam I reply'd how miserable am I then that must plead your Commands and make use of Arguments which if they prevail banish me from my Felicity and if they do not make me unworthy of it But since inevitably I must fall into one of these misfortunes I had rather embrace the first which though it make me perfectly wretched yet 't will extenuate your choice unto the World by evincing that the Man you elected to honour with your Affection valued not the hazarding of his life to merit it and since to the further manifestation of that Truth he dare expose himself to the miseries of absence who can suspect he will decline any other proof of it I now perceive said she Artabanes that you onely hitherto pretended a perfect Love for one that is so confines it self to the Object loved and makes the satisfying of it it 's onely end Alas had I stood upon these Niceties and not more consider'd you than the World you had never taken my Heart by Assault but by Siege To which I reply'd 'T is not onely Madam to please the World but to establish my Felicity in the Future for this War will every day create new occasions for my Rivals to purchase Glory and knowing your Justice to be equal to your other Perfections I would not by my idleness provoke yours so much to make me miserable But then it may be you will answer your inclination leads you to honour me with your esteem more than any other but I beseech you Madam consider how weak a Title that will appear when manifested Vertue shall come in competition with it No fair Parthenissa give me leave to act upon this Stage where I will do such things that if Merit could claim an interest in you you should be mine by right and I will no longer own the great opinion you have of me to your Goodness but your Justice Cruel Artabanes said Parthenissa have all
were so great that whereas in other affairs the ignorance of things hinders us from describing them here the knowledge of them produc'd the same effect In brief our Passions so increast that we thought all conversation but our own was as troublesome as that was pleasing and therefore studied how to be private without discovering that Flame which we at least as much endeavor'd to preserve so till a fit opportunity were offer'd to move Artabazus to unite our hearts by an Hymenaeal tye as firmly as they were already join'd by sympathy and inclination One morning whilst the Sun was yet but rising I waited upon my Princess into a Garden of Pleasure contiguous to the Palace and adorn'd with all that Nature and Art was capable of there the Company separating themselves to take that divertisement which was most agreeable to their fancies Altezeera and I by degres left those that waited on us and entring to an earnest discourse we engag'd our selves unawares into a little Wilderness in the center whereof was a spring whose water was receiv'd into a Cistern of Alabaster which was held by a statue of a Nymph cut in white Marble There we might perceive a Gentleman whose postures as well as actions exprest his troubles and though we could not discover his face yet we might his tears running down it into the Cistern and in such abundance as if the Fountain and his eies strove which should most load the fair Nymphs Arms. Such an unexpected accident had made us desire to learn the cause of it and fetching a small compass by the help of some Orange Trees we came so near that without being seen we might see him and hear him and as his mind was exceedingly agitated so we were not long in expectation till we heard him fetch a deep sigh and then casting up his eyes to Heaven cry'd out Miserable Amidor for 't was he indeed shall not the Divinity which dwells upon her face thy friendship nor his engagements suppress thy Passion Shall the highest Beauty make thee commit a resembling Crime O no rather than interrupt so pure a Love deprive thy self of Life and by a gloririous Death settle their quiet and confer on thy self thine own Then he paus'd awhile and suddenly striking his hand upon his breast he sigh'd and said O it cannot be her eyes inspire no Flames which reason can extinguish he knows their power is not to be resisted and being instructed with the cause if he be reasonable he cannot blame the effect and if he be not he is not worthy of thy friendship but alas thou talkest as if he were the onely obstacle when thy own defects will perhaps more fight against thee than thy fidelity unto thy friend or thy Mistresses to him Then weeping awhile he continu'd What shall the apprehension of ill make thee as miserable as the real ill Fie Amidor can a courage capable of loving her be capable of fear No 't is not in thy nature nor thy custom to apprehend but this timerousness is the effect of thy treachery to thy friend and since the gods so punish the thoughts of wickedness how much more will they the wickedness it self Cast away then so criminal a Passion or if that be impossible at least by concealing of it so torment thy self that if before or after thy death they discover it they may rather pity than condemn thee Having so said he borrow'd some of that water he had given the Nymph and having washt his eyes that they might not betray what he resolv'd to keep secret he went away but not in a greater trouble than he left Altezeera and I in for we found by his discourse that the object of his Love was to the object of his friends and that his friendship and affection were the causes of so noble and sad a conflict But we could not sufficiently admire his resolution which we esteem'd so generous that we assur'd our selves a reward equal to his virtue would crown it and being both much concern'd in him we determin'd by a curious inspection into all his actions to discover who they were that caus'd his disorder but if that course did not succeed then by acquainting him with what we knew engage him to tell us what we were ignorant of that we might employ our selves the better to serve him In this design we return'd to the Palace where we found that many of the Inhabitants of Artaxata had petition'd to Artabazus to commiserate their condition since by their wants they were reduc'd to such misery that if by some means a Peace were not concluded with Celindus or the Siege rais'd they must yield to him rather than to Famine The perusal of this Paper much perplext the King as well from the consideration of his Subjects wants as the knowledge of their impudence and the fear of their treachery but before he made them any return he consulted with those about him who were all except Crasolis of opinion that a mild answer should be given them and by kind usage and assurances of a speedy remedy to all their grievances endeavor to keep them within the limits of their duty But Crasolis whom we too apparently suspected was a friend to Celindus represented that under the formal humility of a Petition there might be treachery conceal'd that the not suppressing of such insolent demands in their very birth would authorize their growth that lenity insuch a case would appear fear and that would introduce a ruine That if on the other side a vigorous remedy were apply'd it would not onely extinguish the first sedition but deter the people from a second and therefore he was of opinion that some of the chiefest contrivers of the Petition should be instantly executed in the Court of the Palace Thus Crasolis would have rais'd the Kings Enemies within the Walls as well as without that Celindus might make use of the disorder yet he would have that pass for his courage and honesty which indeed was his treachery But the moderate advice took place and the people upon the Kings engagement of soon remedying their miseries return'd with blessings for him whose ruine was design'd by Crasolis in their petitioning The night which succeeded this day was not half spent when the advancing of Celindus's Army to Storm Artaxata the second time gave us a hot alarum but being advertis'd of his design he found us prepar'd to oppose it Perhaps he thought that darkness would be more favourable to his Arms than light that his Men not seeing the danger would go more resolutely on it or that the enterprize would be more formidable unto us when obscurity the ingenderer of confusion was join'd to the horror of an Assault But my dear Artabanes I will not so much trespass on your Civility as to particularize all the accidents which happen'd in that bloody Night it shall suffice to tell you that after the Town was won and lost three times we at last remained the
miseries proportionate to her crimes O no those charms would melt thy anger into pity rather kill thy Rival nobly and shew by his destruction how much she has mis-chosen then fly into some Desart where thou shalt never hear again th' enchanting name of Parthenissa and in the horror of some silent Grove pine away thy life as a Pennance for having believ'd any of her sex could prove constant My distractions were so high that it was day e'r I could elect any resolution yet in the end I assum'd this last as finding it fittest for my resentment and despair and immediately calling Simander I commanded him with secresie and without dispute to carry a Paper I gave him to Surena and tell him I expected him in the Eastern Meddow near the sacred Grove The Challenge contain'd these words ARTABANES to SVRENA TO possess Parthenissa 't is not enough to have her declare she loves you but you must dispute the Conquest with your Sword and by that Tryal prove whether the gods will be as favourable to you as her infidelity In a word my death must secure your Affections and yours must revenge me on your perfidious Mistriss and though her inconstancy render her unworthy my Resentments yet your addresses to her after you knew of mine renders you worthy of my revenge Simander immediately suspected what it was but not imagining the cause began to make some question for which I took him up so short that I put a silence to all his doubts and sent him away to perform what I had commanded then dressing my self I took one of my best Horses for 't is the custom in Parthia for all Men of quality to fight on Horseback and went to the place appointed where I had not long been but Simander came and acquainted me that Surena would be with me instantly These words were hardly deliver'd when I might perceive him that sent them onely attended by one of his Servants I had not the patience to delay my revenge by any expostulation but drawing my sword and galloping up to him bade him defend himself The first encounter he gave me a slight hurt upon the Bridle-hand and I him in his right Arm and after a few passages for the gaining of the Crupper I won his and ran my Sword through him up to the Hilt with which he fell and going to repeat my thrust the remembrance of his excellent Sister stopt my hand and made me tell him That which I have done though it be too little for my resentments yet it is too much for Zephalinda's Brother for which Relation I give thee thy life If reply'd Surena thou payst Zephalinda any affection evince it in taking that little I have left she is so generous she had rather hear I am dead than live by my Enemies Mercy therefore I conjure thee by those wrongs thou sayst I have done thee and by thy affection to my Sister finish what thy good fortune has so far advanc'd and by one wound more end those torments my being vanquisht will throw upon me and secure thy love to Parthenissa which whilst I live will be unsafe Why said I dost thou by that name tempt my fury and revive an anger whose justice is declar'd in thy defeat farewell for I dare not trust my self with my resentments Ending these words I turn'd to Surena's Servant and bade him have a care of his Master Then going to my own I told him come Simander since death refuses to ease my misery I will seek some other cure and commanding him to follow I gallopt away whether my Fortune would conduct me and continu'd moving till towards night where coming into a Grove whose unfrequentedness was fit for my melancholly as well as safety for I was loath Parthenissa should satisfy her Eyes with my Execution I lighted off my Horse and giving him to Simander I flung my self upon the Grass and there began to consider the sad condition I was in which was so much the more so by how much my happiness had been so lately great Parthenissa's inconstancy appear'd so odious that I could not have the patience to think on her nor it But that which caus'd indeed my real grief was the unworthy return my sad condition forc'd me to make the fair Zephalinda who for all her gallantry and friendship had no other payment but the neglect of her Affection and the murther of her Brother These thoughts were more insupportable than my own misfortunes and that which brought an accession to mine was that my actions of Ingratitude would be as apparent as my sorrows for them would be the contrary After a thousand reflections of this quality I resolv'd at last to write to her and finding no Ink more proper for the occasion than some Bloud which ran from a slight hurt I made use of it and writ these few words ARTABANES to the Princess ZEPHALINDA 'T Is in bloud that I have offended you Madam and 't is in bloud that your pardon is begg'd by the miserable Artabanes whose Love and Hatred to Parthenissa were ordain'd to make him equally injurious to your quiet I must confess it had been more suitable to my despair as well as friendship to have fallen by Surena's Sword and so have merited your pity rather than to have been necessitated to implore your Mercy But great gods to what a strait did you reduce me To dye had been the triumph of my Enemy and to kill makes the trouble of my Friend the first rendring me unfortunate the latter guilty But since those Powers which create our destinies has made the last of these mine I am resolv'd to take some such forlorn course that though you cannot commend the past actions yet you shall the future sufferings I will inflict upon the Criminal Artabanes I writ another Letter to Arsaces wherein I told him that I was almost as much troubl'd to draw my sword against his Favourite as at the cause of it that I had injur'd his Laws to avoid doing the like unto his Judgement which might have receiv'd some blemish by his electing one to revenge a publique affront that wanted courage to resent a private one of the highest nature that though by this action I had render'd my self uncapable of serving him yet by declining it I had made my self unworthy of that honour so that of two crimes I elected but the least And since the gods by Surena's defeat declar'd him guilty I could not believe that he which bore their Image would be of a different opinion I folded these two Letters in a third to my generous friend the Prince Sillaces to whose care I commended Lindadory and all things else I had any concern for and from whom I begg'd a thousand pardons for not having acquainted him at first with the cause of those miseries which forc'd me to a voluntary and eternal banishment Whilst our Horses were taking that refreshment which their hard travel requir'd I was disputing what
commanded him instantly to be put into Chains and kept with his other common Slaves Great gods when I saw those hands loaden with Irons which if virtue had been a title to Empire should have sway'd the Scepters of the World What did not my fury suggest in me I curst a million of times Parthenissa's inconstancy that had cast my dear Master into miseries almost as great as his virtue and condemned with many imprecations the weakness of Pompey's which the desire of an unworthy Citizen could soon destroy at last I was resolv'd to acquaint our Tyrant with my Princes quality and birth and by the assurance of an excessive Ransom free him from that Captivity his unjust Fate had flung him into But then the consideration of those sacred Oaths Artabanes had extorted from me never to reveal that secret but by his consent supprest my resolution and made me take up that of endeavouring to perswade him to it himself or else to give me his permission for it Therefore taking my opportunity I begg'd him with a stream of Tears that he would not by any obstinate silence undergo so low a destiny but by acquainting Batiatus with his quality procure a civil usage till his Ransom came That then he would return into Parthia there having obtain'd a pardon for Surena's death evince to Parthenissa by a carriage void of all trouble how easily he could divest himself of his Passion when she could throw off her Constancy that it was her virtue not her beauty onely he ador'd and since she could decline the first he could as easily the latter Hold thy peace Simander said my Prince interrupting me do not add unto my miseries by thy impious discourse of Parthenissa she is yet the highest thing in my esteem for I am upon better consideration apter to believe 't was some defects she found in me than any which were in her that made her recall the blessed joy of her affection and so that which thou termest inconstancy may be her Justice No no Simander he continu'd since the gods have profest themselves so much my adversaries tie not thy fortune unto the most wretched of men I have some Jewels that scapt the Pirates take them and buy thy freedom then return into thy Countrey where I shall pray thou may'st enjoy a felicity equal to thy virtue and let me alone to wrestle with my misfortunes for I had far rather perish in this miserable Prison and under the weight of these Chains than see Parthenissa scorn my Flame or by her embraces recompence any others By this thou may'st in some sort guess at the greatness of my torments when slavery is a comparative happiness My Prince had no sooner done speaking than flinging my self at his feet I told him Oh Sir Have all my miseries not yet obtain'd your leave to bear a share in your misfortunes Can you speak to me of felicity when you are loaden with Irons Alas What fault have I committed that you should esteem me worthy the misery of liberty I attest the gods that the sence of your torments create the greatest I endure and that I can drown my own by the consideration of yours whose liberty I would joyfully purchase by the loss of my own eternally Therefore Sir I continu'd embracing of his knees I conjure you by your virtue and those services which I hope I shall live to pay you and by that Parthenissa whom you do yet so highly reverence do not banish me from the glory of suffering with you nor have so low an opinion of my fidelity as to think any thing but death shall separate me from you To which Artabanes reply'd That his knowledge of my affection for him and not his diffidence of it made him press me to return into Parthia but since I assur'd him to be near his person was a higher satisfaction he granted my request though it were to the augmentation of his misery which he profest to me was much increast by the share I had in it I had scarce kist his hands as an acknowledgement of his favour and my joy but Batiatus came in who commanded his Chains to be taken off that he might be the fitter for that employment to which next morning he design'd him then he selected some twenty of the ablest Slaves who together with Artabanes were set apart for Gladiators and then went away The Gladiators as the Romans call them are certain Captives who are kept to fight at sharp one against another in Amphitheaters for their Masters or the Peoples pastime which sort of Combats always ends at least with the loss of much Bloud and oftentimes with the lives of the Actors As soon as my Prince learn'd by some of the other Slaves what he was destin'd to he curst a hundred times his ignorance of the Roman Customs that had sav'd Batiatus's life for certainly had he known the cause why his Chains were taken off he had employed them to kill the Commander of it But after having walked two or three turns with looks and actions expressing his just resentments he at last desir'd his fellow-prisoners silence and attention which being easily obtain'd he spoke to them much to this purpose Friends and Companions in misery That Fortune has made us Slaves is her fault that we should continue so will be ours since a quiet submission to her cruelty tacitely acknowledges we deserve it and makes that which is an effect of her blindess appear a confession of her justice You have assur'd me often that you are all Gentlemen that Title obliges you sooner to wear death's Livery than Batiatus's let us therefore by some gallant attempt shew how worthy we were of Liberty or by dying handsomely how unworthy we are of Chains Death is the worst can befal us yet it is a comparative happiness to our present condition If the gods do not favour our endeavours but take from us all those ways that lead to freedom they do thereby invite us to kill our selves which to perform is not to sin but to obey them To move us to this you see to what the cruel Batiatus designs us let us therefore resolve to morrow when we are upon the Theatre Arm'd to make use of our Swords to a contrary action to that for which they were given us and since they delight in Bloud let us make them surfet of it by employing our lives which they destin'd for their pleasure unto their punishment This is the way if we cannot reach our liberty yet at least to reach revenge which will be as pleasing as the Irons we now wear are insupportable My Prince had no sooner done speaking than Canitius one of the chiefest amongst the Slaves reply'd That he was sorry such powerful inducements were laid down to invite them to that action since their undertaking of it now would rather appear to proceed from their judgement than their inclinations That he so well understood the hearts of his companions he durst engage
attend The Salapians who expected a quite contrary entertainment after many expressions of their joy and gratitude reply'd That if upon their return they could not perswade their Citizens to yield unto so generous a Conqueror that yet at least upon their Ramparts they would confirm the good opinion he had of their Courages and either make his Victory worthy that name or his defeat the more excusable by their resistance Spartacus extremely pleas'd with this promise assur'd them that he would in very few days summon them of their promise and observe if they would satisfy this last engagement as punctually as they had their first which if they did he would confess in giving them their freedom he had more oblig'd himself than them These young Men being come to Salapia so magnify'd my Prince unto Perolla that he knew not whether the misfortune was greater in having so much Virtue 〈◊〉 his Enemy or the happiness in having so ample an occasion of glory Two days were past in light skirmishes whilst our preparations for an Assault were perfected The third an hour before 't was light our Army advanc'd and every Division having receiv'd their Orders began a furious Storm which was receiv'd with an equal Resolution Six hours together the business was disputed without any apparent advantage on either side and every place fill'd with Horror and Blood Death being given and receiv'd in a thousand several ways at last Canitius who had the Command of all the Germans in the Army planted one of our Ensignes upon the Walls but was so suddainly repulst that before my Prince could have time to commend his courage he had cause to pity the misfortune of it Nine of our several Commanders had the same fate that day aswell in their resolutions as misfortunes and Spartacus perceiving that they at last fought rather by Duty than Inclination sounded a Retreat which was so readily obey'd that the Enemy found it rather proceeded from apprehension than discipline and therefore fell so briskly in our Rear that it had endanger'd all the Army had not my Prince in Person with 500 of the resolutest Men made head against them and though he stopt the execution and at last made them retire yet it was so leasurely and in such good order that their Retreat appear'd rather their Election than their Necessity Spartacus having doubl'd his Guards and taken strict Order for the rendring ineffectual of all Sallies return'd to his Tent more unsatisfy'd with the repulse than with the loss where all those Officers whose wound permitted them and who had that fatal day escap't Perolla's Sword came to justify themselves professing that they were not more troubl'd at their disgrace than desirous the next morning to repair it and manifest by their Victory that the suspension of it proceeded from their want of Fortune not of Courage or by their death shew whose Soldiers they were That their affront by a joynt concurrence of all their observations proceeded from Perolla who was ubiquitary and knew no certain Post but where there was the certain'st danger which he courted with an eagerness as great as his success Many other expressions they made to vindicate the affront and to shew how willing they were to repair it which would be too tedious to relate and to which my Prince reply'd that he was as much satisfy'd with the sence they had of their misfortune as troubled at the occasion of it that according to their desires the next morning he would again storm the Town and help them to vindicate their Credits or bear a share with them in their failer and in pursuance of that resolution commanded them back to their several charges with Orders as soon as the day dawn'd that they should begin again the Storm that the Enemy if overcome might acknowledge by the not altering the Assailants nor the order of the Assault that it was their Fortune onely had suspended their destructions The Officers by many expressions having thank'd Spartacus for so high a Compliment plac'd upon their Courages were retiring when there came in news that Granicus with most of those others which we thought had been kill'd by the Salapians were coming to my Prince who extreamly surpriz'd at the accident sent for them in Granicus therefore with Sixscore of his companions immediately presented himself and told him after the Assault Sir was ended Perolla commanded all the Prisoners to be brought unto him and having learn'd that I was of the most considerable quality amongst them addrest himself unto me and spoke to this effect That liberty which both you and your companions have lost by my fortune I here again restore you and for your Ransome I shall onely desire you to tell the generous Spartacus I am exceedingly troubled that he has so much cause to look upon this action as an expression of Gratitude and not of that Affection his Gallantry has created me and though his usage to the Salapians he sent me expects this as a just retribution yet the high opinion I have of his Vertue was no way an inferior motive tell him besides that those whose wounds will not permit them to go off with you shall receive an entertainment which shall speak the opinion I have of their General that their healths and Liberties shall be the same thing and that I almost think it a misfortune to defend my Countrey since by it I am necessitated to be his Enemy This high Generosity had so powerful an influence on my Prince that had not his Honor been so deeply engag'd he had rais'd the Siege and would have thought it more Glorious to decline fighting against so gallant and civil an Enemy than to have conquer'd him but that Tyrant which binds us to follow other Mens opinions more than our own forc't him to continue his former designe of storming Salapia next morning and I dare truly affirm the desire he had of taking so considerable a place was more prevalent with him out of an expectation that thereby he might evince himself worthy Perolla's friendship and find an occasion to oblige him than any other consideration whatsoever which lest the fury of his Soldiers might prevent he assur'd those that could save the generous Perolla's life should have a more considerable reward than his Ransome The day no sooner appear'd but Castus began the Assault on the East side of the City and Canitius with his Germans on the West where Spartacus himself was who perceiving many of his Men kill'd and the rest extreamly shaken to avoid the precedent days fate took up his own Colours and cryed out Those that love their Honour or their General let them follow me then marching a round pace thorough Canitius's Men that were flying he came against a cloud of Arrows to the foot of the Wall where erecting some Scaling-Ladders he resolutely and successfully climb'd up and after a bloudy dispute beat off the Defendants and planted that Colours he had in his hand upon
contrary nature to what has been hitherto common to his Family You must excuse me said Izadora if I believe he would prefer his duty before any other consideration but I would not a little rejoyce at the contrary for since his hatred to our Family is his crime I would have his love to one of it prove his punishment Ah Madam I reply'd are you then determin'd to be cruel Must Perolla have so hard a Fate that because his birth was unhappy his life must be so too Shall his misfortune in being Pacuvius's son be esteem'd his fault and shall a Sin he derives from his Father be more prevalent to create your hatred than the service he has pay'd Blacius be to produce a contrary effect My Passion in this discourse transported me so far that Izadora interrupted me by saying The words which you now speak Sir would induce me to believe that you are Perolla rather than his friend Yes Madam I reply'd casting down my Eyes and trembling all over I do confess I am Perolla and though at first I design'd not to acquaint you who I was till my actions had in some degree qualifi'd your aversion to my blood yet I find you have so transcendent an influence over me that I could no more conceal my Name than my Passion This overture gives you power equal to your desire of being reveng'd on our unfortunate Family But remember fair Izadora that 't is cruelty not justice to ruine one who is so far from resisting that he yields to your mercy Whilst I was making this declaration I could plainly read the trouble of her mind in her looks sometimes methought they inclin'd to mercy and then instantly they appear'd the contrary at last my suspence vanish'd by Izadora's saying I could gladly wish I had continu'd still in ignorance of your condition since my knowledge of it reduces me either to betray Blacius or Perolla by discovering or concealing him Madam I reply'd he keeping of my name secret is not of much importance for if you now receive my Flame I shall embrace all dangers and care not who knows me when I bear the glorious title of Izadora's Servant and if you reject it 't will be an obligation to let your Father know who I am since I may hope from his resentments and hatred that cure my deplorable condition will so abundantly want Izadora as she since assur'd me was offended that I had the confidence in so short a time to desire an acception of my affectionâ— that she answer'd me briskly Pacuvius's son who is an enemy to our Family must not here expect to be cur'd of any other wounds than those he receiv'd in defending the chief of it and though your presumption merits my highest revenge yet the consideration of what you have done for Blacius will make me preserve your life in not disclosing who you are She had no sooner done speaking but she rose up and was going out of my Chamber when I cry'd out to her Stay fair Izadora and see my life depends not on your silence but on your approving my passion which though you have so cruelly rejected yet you shall find I have so much a higher concernment for all your interests than my own that I will wash away in my Blood my presumption and unfortunate extraction and since you have declar'd Perolla to be your Enemy you shall perceive I will use him at that rate Izadora at these passionate expressions turn'd about again but when she saw me pulling off my plaisters and tearing my wounds she ran to my Bed-side and falling on her knees with a throng of sighs and tears she begg'd me not to be my own executioner and if any words she had spoken were the unfortunate cause of so fatal an effect she would recall them What need I tell you more generous Spartacus than that my despair was the way to my felicity and that my design of killing my self preserv'd my life by obtaining the fair Izadora's permission of making my addresses to her But to lessen this excess of joy I suspected for a while that my apprehension of being unfortunate had like to have made me really so and the way I had chosen to end my misery had almost created it for in my despair I had so increast the danger of my wounds by using them as I thought my condition then requir'd that though the Chirurgions came hastily to bind them up yet they could not undertake for my life till they saw what operation that dressing would have and to free me from all noise that I might take a little sleep Izadora was desir'd to withdraw which before she did she came to my Bed-side and told me softly I hope what I have already done has divested you of all thoughts of violence on your life if it has not remember that you cannot make any attempts against it but I shall consider them as offer'd at mine Madam I reply d kissing her hand with transports what you have done and what you have spoken shall make me cherish as much as even now I did detest it and since 't is so glorious to merit your care you cannot suspect it shall be deny'd mine She was not long gone out of my Chamber when Blacius came home and coming to see me he was inform'd my condition was such that his visit would rather proveâ— trouble than a civility which made him defer his design but he went directly to Izadora's Chamber to learn the cause of my disorder for he was told she had not stirr'd out of mine since his going abroad and that no other had been witness of my actions His fair daughter was somewhat perplex'd at the question but she assur'd him to the best of her observation it proceeded from a sudden distemper wherein she told him the truth and yet conceal'd it from him The next morning the Chirurgions found the wounds of my Body which held a strict sympathy with those of my Mind so hopeful that Blacius was present when they were drest exprest an infinite satisfaction and indeed entertain'd me with such transcendent care and civility that had I ow'd my usage to his knowledge and not to his ignorance of me I had been in a felicity worthy of envy But his affairs calling him away his place was supply'd by Izadora who acquainted me that those Murtherers I had kill'd had been for certain hir'd by Pacuvius to make away Blacius and that one of them as he lay weltring in his Blood confest it to him which was the cause of his going out that night so late that the examinations might have been taken by one of the Magistrates but at their coming the party was found dead Ah Madam I reply'd how I apprehend my Fathers attempts will be as cruel to his own son as the performance would have prov'd to his Enemy and that what he intended for the destruction of Blacius will cause Perolla's for it is but just that the daughter should right
Magins was put to death to please Hannibal I made use of it in Pettely to raise him enemies If Blacius life was attempted I preserv'd it by the hazard of my own and if Capua was deliver'd up to the Carthagineans I became to him that did it from a Son an Enemy and so wedded my Countreys quarrel that thereby Hannibal lost more Men than perhaps the taking that great City would have cost him I must confess reply'd Blacius you have done much for me and for the Romans and upon both those scores you have receiv'd no unfruitful return since for those services you did our Empire I preserve you not without an eminent hazard from the knowledge of the enemies of it and for what you have done my particular I suspend those resentments which your Fathers treachery highly invites me to execute and because my debt to you is a Life as I think nothing can be a sufficient payment but an obligation of the same nature so after your receiving that satisfaction I can be no longer esteem'd indebted to you Sir I answer'd if you will tye your self to what your last words now profest I shall as highly approve of your proceeding as of my own happiness but your silencing of your own resentments and the concealing me from the Carthagineans is no preservation unless you permit me also to be a servant to the fair Izadora That is the onely means to save my life and without it all the other you can mention will be rather miseries than favours neither can a man say that he preserves his Enemies life because he exempts him from the Sword or Poyson if at last he makes him dyesome other way what you have promis'd only frees me from two ways of ruine to cast me into a third that is more certain and painful than either No no Sir I continu'd if you banish me from Izadora the highest effects of yours or Hannibal's hatred will be pleasing and cut me from those languishing torments your refusal will create I have already told you said Blacius that you must not expect Izadora who I will sooner marry to her Grave than to any enemy of your Family but because you shall have no occasion of condemning me of cruelty I will truly state those obligations you pretend to have conferr'd on me and those I have really plac'd on you I acknowledge you sav'd my life and `t is likely I deriv'd that obligation from your ignorance but I did preserve yours after my knowledge of you had you the invitations of oppressed innocency to procure me your assistance I had a just revenge to disswade me from pardoning you and yet did it The glory of your action was your reward but the mercy of mine may probably prove my punishment besides what you did for me was no more favour than to draw me out of a danger wherein you had cast me for I had not needed the assistance of one of your Family had not the treachery of the chief of it been the occasion so that you can never mention the obligation you did me without discovering your Fathers infamy As you sav'd me from murthering so you hindr'd Pacuvius from being a murtherer You preserv'd my life from being a sacrifice to violence but by it you hinder'd your Fathers from being one to Justice and whilst you onely defeated him of his revenge you exempted him both from the guilt and punishment of of it so that you have oblig'd Pacuvius more than me And since you pleaded that anothers crime ought not to be accounted yours so your Virtues ought not to be attributed to your Family to which I am so irreconcileable an Enemy that it lies not in the power of any one of it to reconcile me to it No young man he continu'd after what I have done you cannot condemn me of ingratitude without practising your self what you would blame in me Sir I reply'd though I believe I could answer all your objections yet the means I must take to clear those already mentioned will create a greater than any I shall confute which is my disputing against you but if all those arguments you use be to prove your denying me Izadora is not an effect of your ingratitude but your justice I will abundantly confess it and declare besides if you fancy otherwise you do as great a wrong to me as you do to my Felicity in refusing my passionate desires I had no sooner ended those words but that Blacius calling the fair Izadora who had been present at all this dispute and in whose face you might have known the several tempers of it told her I am glad Perolla acknowledges my depriving him of his happiness is an action of Justice I hope then no man can condemn my revenge when Justice concurs with my inclination to confer it on me I do therefore Izadora conjure thee by whose wrongs his Family has done ours by thy Uncle Magius Bloud which Pacuvius sacrific'd to his hatred by thy Fathers life which he would have destroyed upon the same score and by the glory of so sitting a revenge scorn his Flame and let him find in thy hatred the punishment of his Fathers to all thy Family At this cruel command the perfect Izadora became white as innocence and after her disorder was a little past casting down her eyes to the ground she thus reply'd Alas Sir your commands are come too late for before I knew who he was I gave him so large at Empire over me that 't is impossible to recall it neither when I consider him bath'd in bloud for your preservation rejoycing at his wounds because they hinder'd you from any that were dangerous losing his Father to preserve his Fathers enemy and when you assur'd me you would judge of my affection to you by that I should pay him I cannot repent what I have done my friendship for Perolla is deriv'd from my obedience to you and my gratitude to him who can then condemn a production from such noble causes beside he has nothing that 's enemy to us but his name his actions are not for by them I enjoy a Father Can you then have so low an opinion of my resentments as to believe any consideration can make me hate the giver of so great a blessing if then my affection for him be a sin you will I hope pardon it by the knowledge of what occasions it I do therefore Sir conjure you by that precious life you owe his gallantry by the Bloud of Magius he has so generously reveng'd by those services he has paid our Empire and by the glory you will purchase by vanquishing your Enemy as you term him without revenge permit Perolla to divest you of that prejudicate opinion you have for all his Family or to assume a confidence by his repeated services to remove that high aversion you have for his unfortunate extraction Though these words in themselves were strangely moving yet they were deliver'd with an action
that you will not perform your engagement to him that shall reveal who was Blacius's Deliverer and therefore I shall make no scruple to acknowledge that it was I and the reward that I expect for this discovery is that you will suppress all thâ—â—e cruel thoughts you have taken up against the fair Izadora who through an excess of duty condemns her self to free her Father You that have been just Sir to your Enemies will not now I hope be the contrary to your self especially when the subject you are to employ your virtue on merits adoration sooner than Pardon and whose only crime is her Charity Instead then of so unfit a victim to appease your fury I offer that Perolla who had at Capua depriv'd you of life if his Sword had prov'd the more fortunate and had not his Fathers Tears and Dissimulation preserv'd you Who at Pettely rais'd his reputation by the destruction of 10000 Affricans who at Cassilinum made you send Blanks where you had denyed any conditions Who by the destroying of 25000 of Allies and Soldiers forc'd from you the Samnites Lucanians and Appulians who took that Cassilinum by storm which you only won by Famine in a word I present you that Perolla who was not only content to offend you in all these particulars but came even into your Head-Quarters and in the Center of your Army broke open your Prisons kill'd your Guards restor'd your Capital Enemy to his freedom and was now come to have stopt the progress of your revenge upon him by owning the action and by tying you unless you would violate your Faith to give me his life for the reward of this discovery which I had too effected had not his generous Daughter by her own confession necessitated me to imploy that Petition for her safety which I had designed for her Fathers Gods into what confusions did this resolute acknowledgement cast me into That death which I was prepared to suffer appeared far more supportable than this action of Perolla's for it reduced me either to imploy my request for my Fathers and so lose my friends Life or if I preserv'd Perolla's I must lose Blacius's and that which was an aggravation to this misery was that by what was done already I was necessitated to survive the loss of one of them unless I would prove my own executioner Alas how sad a conflict had I betwixt my Duty and my Affection Nature pleading for the one and Gratitude for the other What said I to my self wilt thou destroy thy Father to save his Enemy wilt thou not preserve that Life that gave thee thine wilt thou satisfy thy debts with thy Fathers Bloud and shall the tyes of Friendship be more prevalent than those of Nature But on the other side shall the name of Father make thee act that which will render thee unworthy that relation shall that breath which even now Perolla gave thee be employed to save anothers life by the ruine of his Unfortunate Izadora hast thou no way to perform thy duty but by a murther and hast thou no no way to perform thy gratitude but by a Paricide must the satisfaction of thy gratitude be the ruine of thy Father and must the satisfaction of thy duty be the loss of thy Friend must to be grateful and ungrateful prove an equal crime and must the paying of one debt render thee uncapable of paying the other I take the gods to witness that I would joyfully put an end to this fatal dispute but that of my life and have embrac'd that fate with a satisfaction equal to that of Martyrs who know their punishment is but the way unto their Glory but the time was so pressing that I was necessitated to spend what remained not in complaints but resolutions therefore I thus continu'd Perolla came to preserve Blacius though my unfortunate duty made him change his design and that generosity which once made my Father to esteem his life his misfortune because his Enemy conferr'd it on him though only by his courage will make a repetition of that favour create a higher trouble in him when the purchase of his safety is his Enemies voluntary death his Virtue doubtless will make him decline an obligation where what makes him receive it deprives him of all power to express his resentments for it 'T is but just too that that life which has so often preserv'd Blacius's should now be preserv'd by his Yes yes Izadora let Perolla find his safety from one of that Family in which he hath hitherto found his misery act now thy Fathers part and upon the score of his Virtue perform that for Perolla whose effects may demonstrate their cause and let him find now thou art in Blacius's room that that cruelty thou didst condemn in him thou wilt not practise for him and in this one action show what thy Fathers resentments should be and what thine own are Then when this debt is discharged satisfy thy own as generously and by ending thy life with his that gave it thee convince him and the World that as thou valu'st thy life short of thy duty which shouldst thou any longer enjoy would bring that truth in question and make that relish of self-interest which is of a contrary quality But alas I continued how will Perolla resent this proceeding he 'll alledge that what thou termest Gratitude is Cruelty that the way thou tak'st to save his life is the certainst means to lose it and that instead of repairing Blacius's injuries thou art more injurious far than he These and a world of such thy Friend will object against thee to which thou hast no reply but that thy Fate having invironed thee with excess of miseries thou electest those that to thy judgement are the least and that thou hadst rather dye by acting what may merit his esteem than live in a contrary unhappiness Whilst I was thus debating and had fixt upon this resolution Perolla was all the while conjuring Hannibal to observe his Promise and to make him the object of his Cruelty so he made me that of his Justice and in order to this told the Carthaginians such reasons that I apprehended nothing more than he would find his destruction in his Eloquence and so raise his enemies fury that he would sacrifice the violation of his Oaths and Faith to his revenge In this fear I interrupted him from proceeding by addressing my self in these terms to the Carthaginian Sir If I have been thus long silent you will I hope pardon it when you know that a dispute betwixt Gratitude and Nature was the occasion in the end the first has been victorious but to make it so I was necessitated to act my Fathers part who I know is too generous to let Perolla suffer for him when by his own sufferings he may hinder his and 't were too much wrong to the generosity of Perolla's action not to let it instruct my Fathers to an imitation of it These words too fully
I have observed as great an opposer of my Felicity as of my Conquests and thereby too create as many Enemies as Soldiers in my Army yet I will observe your Orders Yes Madam I give Perolla's life to your commands and I give you Blacius's without them who for having bestowed so great a perfection on the World merits rather my esteem than revenge My zeal to your service stays not in that dull method of only obeying what you command it lays hold on that which it thinks is your Will without the revealing it I could not have the patience to let him proceed his Words and Actions were too generous to delay my acknowledgements for them which I exprest prostrate at his feet in the most moving and humble manner I was capable of I will not Sir said Izadora trouble you with the repetition of them though they were so satisfactory to him to whom they were addrest that as an acknowledgement of it he went immediately himself unbound both Blacius and Perolla and presented them to me with an humility so far beyond his practise that the standers by admir'd as much as I was pleas'd at it But to obscure this joy some of Pacuvius's friends seeing the danger his generous Son had been in went to his House to inform him of it for he out of gallantry would not be present at his Enemies death though he had Hannibal's example to authorize that action As soon as he had notice of it he went with so great haste to the place of Execution that those which saw it thought that his affection and not his hatred was the cause of it The croud about the Scaffold was so great that it was with much difficulty and with an often repeating of his name to which all paid a deep respect that he got at last to Hannibal and it was just at that instant that the Carthaginian had unbound Perolla and given him to me Pacuvius was suddenly informed of all that happened which every one assured themselves would render him a large sharer in the general joy but alas he soon put them out of that belief by thus speaking to Hannibal I were Sir unworthy the friendship of so great a Conqueror did I value any relation above it 't is upon that principle that I have detested Perolla who hates as much your Person as your Glory and if I hitherto conceal'd that horrid attempt against you which he himself has now publisht 't was not Because he was my Son but out of a belief that I might convert him for I knew a courage which was capable in so green an age to attempt so bold and high a design which was more advantageous to you to be gained than destroyed but since that valour the gods have given him has been imployed to ruine what it should have advanc'd I am come to implore your justice against one who is as much an Enemy to nature as to Carthage punish him for intending your destruction in a place where not to have sacrific'd himself for you had been as great a sin Yes Sir punish him for designing your death and punish me in him not onely for concealing but likewise for not revenging it and let one execution repair both our crimes you see generous Hâ—nnibal how I contemn my own interest when yours comes in competition with it which I imbrace with such a concern that I had rather extinguish my Family than continue it by leaving so great a stain upon your Justice and danger to your person as the saving of Perolla will amount unto Besides Sir shall that courage which hitherto found nothing so easie as to conquer leave the blemish behind it of having been vanquisht by the eyes only of one of our enemies shall the Romans derive their Triumph from a Sex which never merited higher than your pitty 〈◊〉 such a pleading Desire as Revenge and such a Virtue as Justice be supprest by an unworthy passion which like madness none believe they ever were possest with when they 'r cur'd of it Let not Sir I beseech you the cause of your disorders be worse than the effects but by a generous Conquest over your self shew you are capable to vanquish all obstacles and let your enemies in that very action which they esteemed would prove your shame find an argument that you are invincible so he that can overcome Hâ—nnibal cannot but be thought to do the like to Rome and all the World The Carthaginian who knew no other cause of Pacuvius's hatred to his Son than what he had alledged not only upon that account excus'd his passion and expressions but replyed had I not already given Perolla's life to the fair Izadora's commands I now had bestowed it on Pacuius's generosity and find in what he alledges more cause to suppress than to creat my Revenge He that could sacrifice the hopes of his posterity for my interest had too much misplac'd his friendship if for a return to it I would not silence a Revenge especially when the acting it will prove the destruction of so generous a Family in which my misfortune is the onely fault of any one of it for Perolla wants not Virtue but I the felicity to merit it and though he continued with a smile you upbraid me with being vanquisht yet I cannot but acknowledge I am more pleased in this defeat than with all my former victories I have too this satisfaction that I was never conquered but by a Sex which the gods themselves could not resist who if they can for their subjection produce thus much beauty they carry their justification in the cause of their fault if it be one so that I commit none unless it be one to imitate those we adore I will not particularize all the dispute betwixt them since it serves but to acquaint you that Hannibal remained unshaken in what he had done and then came to me and told me I should Madam with the lives of Blacius and Perolla have given you too their liberties were it not that the grant of the first of these has been too great an exasperation to my Army to increase it at the same time by the last I will therefore hope for your pardon if I obey you but by degrees since otherwise I might hazard the losing of a power which is not so dear to me upon any score as out of a confidence it may serve you yet still for your sake they shall have no other Prisons but their Lodgings and as soon as I have fashioned my Officers to approve of their liberty I shall restore it to them with as much joy as I have lost my own Though this hard Declaration however moderated both by reasons and civilities did extreamly perplex me yet I only begg'd him to shorten their sufferings as much as might be and to perfect what he had so generously begun for I durst not be too earnest on so tender a subject lest it might create his suspitions that my love as much
well as safest for it produces Admiration where the other does Envy Alas said Oristes how ingenuous you are to invent Arguments to cousen your self and as if Izadora deluded you not fast enongh you contribute to her design Take heed reply'd Perolla of what you say for I can hardly believe him virtuous that thinks she is not This made Oristes perceive that to destroy my generous Friends good opinion of me he must decline arguments and employ demonstrations which made him say Though I find I shall create your anger by acquainting you with what I lately discover'd yet I had rather hazard the losing of your friendship by an action which will render me worthy of it than continue it by a silence which my own Couscience will more severely punish than you can Yes yes Perolla I am determin'd since to cure your disease I must shew you the deformity of it to instruct you with a truth that had not my sight been a witness of I should never have credited in a word 't is that with these Eyes I lately saw her give such large proofs of her passion to Hannibal that not only I suspect her Constancy but her Vertue At these barbarous words all Perolla's temper abandon'd him and in its room he entertain'd a rage so unresistable that forgetting all the formerties of friendship he flung himself upon the false Oristes and having cast him at his feet and there drawn out the wretches own Ponyard he held it to his breast and cry'd out to him Traytor that under the habit of a friend thinkst to shrowd thy self from the punishment of an Enemy and from a crime the Devils would tremble but to hear know that in accusing Izadora's Virtue thou hast justify'd her and by undertaking to make her guilty hast prov'd thy self so Do not think that because I have lost my Liberty I have lost my Courage nor that the apprehension of Hannibal's resentments shall hinder me from acting mine no no could he inflict on me torments as great as those thou merit'st I would endure them all rather than thy impiety should escape them unreveng'd for that Divine Justice which has made me from a Prisoner a Judge and hast furnish'd me with Power as well as Will to punish thee would not have so arm'd my Hand if it had not ordain'd thy death should appease that sacred Virtue thy life has so highly injur'd Whilst Perolla wai thus speaking the falfe Oristes lay as if he had already receiv'd the reward of his infidelity but when he perceiv'd his resolution and that he was going to act it he cry'd out Hold generous Perolla and if I beg this small suspension of Life 't is only to let you know who 't is you destroy 't is your faithful'st Friend and now I have told you that Truth act your resentments for since you have withdrawn your friendship they will be rather effects of your goodness than your revenge and the gods who know my innocency are so just as to render that which makes my life my misfortune the cure of the latter by the ending of the former Though I know well reply'd Perolla all thou now say'st is but a continuation of thy wickedness and that these words are spoken because thou hast found I am sooner vanquish'd with dissembling than resistance yet I give thee thy Life not as a mercy but a punishment for the horror of having injur'd so fair an Innocence will be a greater torment than that death from which I now exempt thee Rise then he continu'd and be gone but if ever again thou present'st thy self before me thou wilt kindle a fire which nothing but thy bloud can extinguish I will obey you said the perfiduous Oristes in hope that by so painful an obedience you will discover a friendship and innocency which your passion hinders you now from seeing and if by my sufferings I can shew you your error I shall never deplore them Then saluting Perolla with a great humility he went from him with a greater joy ' having escap'd a Death which he could not think he had more strangely avoided than he had justly deserved it I know said Izadora that 't were but just to decline a while the prosecuting the rest of my Story to declaim upon this generous part of it but I know too Perolla's virtue would be as much offended with such a gratitude as I was pleas'd with the cause of it Perolla who for so obliging a Civility esteem'd it necessary to make his fair Mistriss a return told her If you had a design Madam to have made this performance pass in the generous Spartacus opinion for an action of Merit you should not then have shew'd him the perfect Izadora for in her Beauty she carries her Justification and to suspect that Vice can dwell in so much brightness is to be ignorant of its Nature and to commit a folly as high as Oristes wickedness Izadora by a reply of the same quality repaid her Lovers Compliment and thus reassum'd her discourse As soon as the false Agent was gone from Perolla he went and acquainted the Carthaginian with his ill success from whose rage he had like to have receiv'd an usage as ill as that which Perolla's Justice had near imposed on him for he had rais'd his expectation to such a height that it made the fall the more insupportable but at last Hannibal perceiving that Oristes was unfortunate and not faulty at least as to him he was contented to tell him that he must not expect his favour till he had gain'd him mine that it was too the sensiblest way of obliging him as well as of revenging that so fresh and high affront that their Interest being now joyn'd he would not despair but that he wou'd project some new design for the obtaining of his desires which if it succeeded should make him acknowledge that whosoever made Hannibal happy could not doubt the being made so by him Thereupon Oristes having first assur'd him that no particular interest of his own could bring any accession to that zeal he had already for his satisfaction and that he would employ all his faculties to the settlement of it withdrew himself to meditate on what he determin'd to practice But it is high time to inform you that the Carthaginian though he constantly visited me had yet in reliance on Oristes promises declin'd making any overtures of his passion lest my replies might have provok'd him beyond his temper and made him disclose a fallacy which with admirable patience and sagacity he had so long continu'd but now seeing those hopes were vanisht he resolv'd to renew his addresses and to that end came to see me where finding me alone which my humour and condition made me often elect he without any of those civilities which he usually practis'd told me That long silence Madam which your Commands have made me observe the violence of my Passion makes me break which is arriv'd to such a height
Agreement as soon as they see a probability of building their Fortune by the ruine of their Faith they do thereby instruct the Romans to reduce them to a condition of not being able to violate a Peace before they grant them one But continued Scipio all this I speak to Carthage and not to Hannibal to whose desires I will give what I will deny my own judgment and that is Peace provided that my first Concessions be the Articles of it and that an equal satisfaction be made for those injuries we have sustained by their Infidelity I am not come Hannibal reply'd to cheapen a Peace I come to offer what I esteem just and as I have done it at first word so I will not recede from my first overture if thou esteemest it unreasonable the god of Battels must be our Judge 'T is to him then Scipio briskly reply'd I refer our difference who I believe thou wilt find more untractable than I am for he cannot be a god if he favor an Army which comes more loaden with Inâ—idelity than Arms and from whom Victory will flie lest she be thought as blind as Fortune Then the Consul laying by his serious looks told the Carthaginian smiling But if at my return to my Army every one be as well satisfied with this conclusion as a Gentleman that commands those Horse pointing to his Guards I shall find as general a joy at the assurance of a Battel as at the possession of a Victory and if every Soldier had his resolution and design Hannibal would not avoid his particular Fate whatever the Gods determined of the publick Who is this said the Carthaginian that is so great an Enemy to Peace and to Hannibal 'T is Perolla said the Consul Oh Gods the Aâ—rican reply'd what strange accident makes him abandon his Izadora But may I not generous Scipio by your favor be satisfied from his own mouth Yes said the Consul I will send him to you but first I must exactan engagement from you and then the like from him that whatever your discourses be you shall pass no farther I do Hannibal answer'd faithfully promise it for since I am certain in so short a time to have so many thousand witnesses of my revenge I would not confine the sight of it to so few This confidence said Scipio I will leave Perolla to answer who immediately shall meet you then taking leave of Hannibal he told him Remember Carthage pulls down her own destiny by decliming a Peace which she implor'd with tears and when I ask no other satisfaction for their treachery but to restore what they took from us by it Remember said the Carthaginian 't was Citizens not Soldiers which beg'd made and broke the Peace and 't is Hannibal you have now to deal with who intending to keep his bargain will make it accordingly and has offered you what before next Sun does set you will repent you have declin'd The Consul would not hear this reply but came immediately where I waited for him and there told me the publick transactions and my Rivals desire which he gave me leave to satisfie but first engaged me to the same conditions Hannibal had submitted unto which having faithfully promis'd I gallopt to the place where he attended me and where truly I was receiv'd by that great man with a civility and countenance which had nothing of an Enemy and Rival I saluâ—ed him with an high respect and with an humility proportionable to the difference of our qualities but I could not suspend that just hatred I had contracted against his barbarous usage to a perfection greater than that sin which the seeing him so infinitely increast that had I not remember'd my engagement to Scipio I had then either ended our differences or my life but whil'st I was in those thoughts they were interrupted by Hannibals telling me Is then Perolla your Hate greater than your Love that you abandon your Mistriss to prosecute your Rival Or has that high justice of Izadora's which esteem'd Hannibal unworthy of her taken up the same belief of you Sir I reply'd that affection which I confess is an injustice for the fair Izadora to confer on any man forces me to seek out the high interrupter of it which yet is no argument that my desire of revenge is greater than my flame for the cause being alwayes more noble than the effect my passion which makes me endeavor to vindicate the object of it cannot be esteem'd less great than that which it forces me unto neither could I by any one action render my self more unworthy the beatitude of Izadora's Love than in not declining my joys to revenge her wrongs which to effect I will fling my self into dangers as high as those pleasures I have lately abandonâ—d Ah young man said Hannibal thou art as little sensible of as worthy thy felicity Canst thou possess Izadora's Love and think of any thing besides Were I in thy blest condition nor Revenge Empire or Glory should one minute separate me from a felicity which I could not render my self more unworthy of than by abandoning nay I would quarrel with any thought which should interpose much more remove me from it but since thou â—ast left all to follow thy Revenge if thou hast the courage to act it to morrow I 'll present thee the occasion Oh Gods I cry'd out if I have the courage to act it Alas he that did not want it to vindicate an injur'd Empire will not certainly when 't is to right a perfection as far above an Empire as she is any thing else that 's mortal Yes Hannibal thou shalt find a heart that 's fill'd with so divine an image cannot be capable of so low a sin as Fear but on the contrary 't will inspire me with resolution enough to seek thee out even in the center of thy Troops I will said Hannibal spare thee that pains thou shalt find me at the head of them where I will more handsomly punish those miseries thy better stars have cast upon me and by thy death before 200000 witnesses evince thou hadst more Fortune than Merit in thy Love and by destroying the object of Izadora's flame punish her ingratitude to mine Do but I reply'd assault my life in so generous a way I will excuse thy attempt upon it by Oristes and never implore a greater certainty for the punishment of thy Crimes than to have thee defend them with thy Sword The apprehension I had continu'd Perolla that my passion might transport me beyond my promise made me after having again summon'd Hannibal of his engagement gallop away to the Consul who I found by an excess of civility was become the Captain of my Guards as I had been of his he made me too that generous Compliment and after I had by an humility resembling the cause of it exprest my gratitude I inform'd him as we were returning to the Camp what had past betwixt my Rival and me whilst he was
you is a real truth and is only in design to preserve you from a sin the very thought whereof doth make me tremble You must pardon me Perolla said Flamminius interrupting me if I cannot raise my Faith so far above my reason Alas I reply'd I must of necessity be oblig'd only to your Faith for your doubts are of so sad a nature that if reason and demonstration only must remove them the very performance which does it will render you uncapable of making any advantage by their suppression and the knowledge of your mistake No Perolla said Flamminius I have not been so rude an admirer of Izadora as not before now to have convinc'd her that I prefer my obedience before my death and when to manifest that reality I had almost made use of a demonstration I would not again return to life left her enjoyning me it might have proceeded from her Duty or her present pity till she had faithfully engag'd her self to permit my death when she would no longer my Passion so that having given her the power when she has the will to be free from my Flame I cannot consider you now but as your own and not Izador's Agent Alas Flamminius I answer'd that which you build upon the Cause of your Confidence will be of our Misery and her ruine for the engagement Izadora gave you the invitation to which was your virtue with the condition you were in when she gave it you and her fear of what you may do by what you have done makes her elect her own Death rather than avoid it by yours so that what you chose to evince your respect by turns to a Tyranny but let her generosity instruct yours and remember it can be but virtuous to imitate Izadora You make me said Flamminius happy whether I do or do not credit you for if the latter by my choice there is nothing since I spoke with you that troubles me and con-sequently I am in joyes of hopes till those of fruition converts them into greater and if the former I must be convinc'd that Izadora loves Flamminius better than her self but yet he continu'd were I assur'd so fatal a proof must certify that Truth I should be less unfortunate in her hate than her esteem besides he continu'd preparing himself to leave me Izadora knowing her death will be so far from preventing that it will but accellerate mine I must again Perolla beg your pardon for not crediting your vows which you may grant with the less reluctancy since my unbelief is with reason and against my self Then I reply'd staying him and drawing my Ponyard which was all the Arms I had then about me you must either oblige me so much as not to let me live to see you restor'd to a better opinion of me by so black an Experiment or you must not live to be Izadora's death which were I not certain your intended Nuptials would prove I had rather make use of my hand against my self than Flamminius Since said he unsheathing his Ponyard which was a Weapon all Gentlemen constantly wore in those times you will force me to dispute Izadora by my Arms as well as by my Services I make no question but to prove as successful in the first as I have been in the last We had no more words after those but ran furiously at each other my thrust was more fortunate than Flamminius's for though his entered my right side yet meeting with a Rib and glauncing on it it gave me but a large flesh wound whereas mine past through and through his body a little above his heart and our Weapons being not long we were constrain'd to close in which I had the fortune to fling him down and disarm him but perceiving by the great Spring of blood which issu'd from his wound that I had at least for awhile hinder'd his Marriage presenting him his Ponyard I implor'd his forgiveness for what I had done beg'd him to be satisfi'd by my being able to have success against him that I had the better cause and besought him not to implore that life I gave him and Izadora had preserved for his ruine and for mine since he would hereafter know how near she was to sacrifice her own for his and that I would ever be of a resembling resolution Flamminius made me some answer which I could not hear for having effected my design though in the most unfortunate way I thought it high time to retire lest a longer continuance in so dangerous a place might rob me of the fruits of my Victory I was but newly gone out of the Room when occasion'd by the curiosity of some that had listen'd at the door whil'st we were fighting I heard all the house in an alarm and was scarce half way out of it but that I found my self in a narrow Entry assaulted by four with Swords who cry'd out Kill Kill the Murtherer of Flamminius one of those was so hot in his fury that running at me he stumbled and fell at my feet and by his fall choaking up the passage I had time to take away his Sword with which for awhile I retreated safe against the rest but as soon as I was come into a more spacious place not only the other three came all upon me but most of that crowd which were invited to this Marriage and Blacius at the head of them so that I had certainly there receiv'd my Fate had not those two Friends I formerly specified with Strato relieved me who suspecting my design had continu'd about the house ready to answer all alarms and this they did so vigorously that having worsted some that oppos'd their entrance they join'd me in my greatest danger and crying out Courage Perolla by their voyces and their performances had restor'd me mine though I had lost it The name of Perolla made Blacius discover what my disguise had conceal'd and the affront but more the Actor of it so transported him that striking at me with all his force and I defending his blow with my Ponyard his Sword fell out of his hand which snatching up I presented it him by the hilt and beg'd him not to employ his Arms against a life that I was perpetually ready to sacrifice for his service Blacius was so extremely surpriz'd at the loss of his Sword and at the manner of his recovering it that I had time to leave him in his astonishment But I ow'd it to the Valor of the Gentleman with whom I had that discourse at my first coming into the Room where the Ball was dancing who learning by the publick noise that I was Perolla and pardoning my attempt on Flamminius as to my resentments did preserve my life by cutting off another Gentlemans hand that was coming behind me to have taken it away whil'st I was restoring Blacius his Arms. With this generous additional assistance I recover'd the Street-gate where I found by the care of my two Friends so powerful a recruit that had
transcends it I hope a part of it will be manifested in forgiving a Confidenc which is impos'd and not sought and has indeed no title to your Mercy but that is great enough for it which though infinite cannot exceed the Ioy with which it will be receiv'd nor the Truth which presumes Madam to tell you that I am Your most Humble most Faithful And most obedient Servant PARTHENISSA THE THIRD PART BOOK I. THE News which the Priest of Venus brought to his Superior and Symander was very true for whilest the last was acquainting the first with his generous Princes Adventures he himself as has been related was retir'd into a solitude which that morning he had discover'd where by Fortunes giving him some ease the better to enable him to support her longer cruelties he was fallen into a slumber and though his cares were so unusually civil as not to interrupt it yet it was suddenly by a noise of Horses and clashing of Swords and Arms which reach'd his ear which invited him to take his Horse and gallop to the place from whence this Alarm came to learn the subject of it the continuance of the noise and the swiftness of his Horse faithfully and suddenly bâ—ought him to see a Combat which struck him both with admiration and anger the first was caus'd by a single Valor which could not be but transcendent since it had such an Admirer and the last was occasion'd by six armed men which endeavor'd to destroy the possessor of it who to sell his life at a rate worthy so high a purchase and to make his Enemies deplore the destruction of so great a Courage or the effects of it had already kill'd two of them with blows that struck as great a terror into the rest as the very example of those deaths but finding at last that his Courage might be worsted by though not yield to his Enemies numbers he was retir'd to a little Thicket that shelter'd him behind and his Horse being kill'd in the retreat defended his right side doing him service even after death 't was in this little fortification and posture Artabanes found him and there being no greater invitation to his generous mind for the relieving of virtue than to find it in distress he instantly took up one of the dead mens Helmets to join himself to the opprest stranger who as he was coming full speed towards him thinking the now wearer of the Helmet as much his Enemy as he that had so lately worn it cry'd out to Artabanes Make haste make haste and help those whose hearts are as ill as their cause and who need relie on their number since they cannot on their quarrel Our Hero esteem'd it more handsom and necessary to shew the generous Stranger his error by his actions than words and at his first strokes so abundantly did it that he which he reliev'd thought his mistake a greater misfortune than that which he had now more than hopes to be freed from and indeed Artabanes perform'd things so far above his strength though not himself that three of the surviving four left the Stranger to employ their Swords against an Enemy who they concluded would render the odds as needful as it was dispoportionate but the valiant Stranger finding he had to deal but with one and that his relief might endanger the Bestower of it suddenly abandon'd his intrenchment and as suddenly made his Adversary abandon his life but his Horse he made use of to assist his unknown Friends who was already in a condition not to need it for he had killed one of the three and the other two perceiving how powerful an addition was coming endeavor'd in their Horses feet to find a security they despaired of from their own hands Artabanes and the Stranger followed them awhile but finding more difficulty in the Chace than the Quarry merited and that the way they had taken to avoid their resentments rendered them unworthy of them they gave over the pursuit and then the Stranger having with as much grace as civility beg'd a Pardon from Artabanes for a mistake created by the Arms he had on told him Though my life is rather a misfortune than the contrary yet my obligation to my Deliverer is nothing inferior and what my miseries made me desirous to lose though not in so unhandsom a way my gratitude now obliges me to preserve since I esteem the giver of my lite has too great a share and title in it to dispole of it without him Aâ—tabanes extremely satisfied with so obligaing a civility told the maker of it I have generous Stranger as little title to your life as to your relief and if by drawing my Sword in your quarrel I have done any thing it deserves rather your resentment than your thanks since I have contributed but to a Victory that was certain without my assistance and under a pretence of serving you â—ob'd you in part of a glory which your courage only had won Were not your performance the Stranger reply'd of a quality that manifests you injure your actions when you decline their merit I might as easily evince that Truth as acknowledge it and if you refuse that Present I offer you as having receiv'd it from you I shall esteem your declining it as high a misfortune as any that has made me esteem my life so If said Artabanes there be any obligation in what I have done it wholly reflects upon me that have more obliged my self than you in serving so prodigal a gratitude but he continu'd perceiving some blood dropping from the Stangers wounds as well as from his own let us not lose the benefits of your safety by disputing who you deriv'd it from and though I am a Stranger in these Parts as well as you and as much your Equal in misery as you are my Superior in those virtues of which that ought not to be the reward yet I can offer you a retirement till your health or business invites you to prosecute your journey I am reply'd the Stranger so miserable a creature that nothing can increase my being so but the belief that you are a more and though I accept of your civility till my wounds be healed yet I must beg your pardon if I first learn from whom I receiv'd them Are you said Artabanes yet ignorant of that Yes said the Stranger and cannot fancy any that knows me and are my Enemies can be so much mistaken in their revenge as to think killing me is any 'T was such discourses as these that brought them where the marks of their Courages and Victory lay where the Stranger pulling off all the Murtherers Helmets to learn if he knew any of them found himself as ignorant in their faces as in the cause of their malice yet one of them by the benefit of the Air and by the turning of his Body faintly open'd his eyes and being ask'd of the Stranger who 't was that had invited them to so unfortunate
an operation on me that my misery appearing more transcendent than my Princes for awhile he suspended the sad reflections on his own to consider mine but after that through pity or goodness he had given me leave by his silence to utter a throng of sighs and complaints he told me Consider Artavasdes what my griefs are when thine have so strange an influence those that afflict thee are thy misfortunes those that do me are my faults thou hast that consolation that the gods have made thee miserable I have that torment that I made my self so and consequently must consider the cause of my misfortune as great a one as the effect Alas Sir I reply'd that which you alledge for an Argument to console me is an aggravation of my misfortunes for the Actions of the gods are more just than those of men and they having inflicted mine 't is a more pregnant testimony I have merited them than that you have those you have drawn upon your self when I consider the wayes how mine are impos'd I cannot hope they will end since that expectation must be grounded on no less an impossibility than the justice of the gods but the wayes in which yours are inflicted carry their comfort with them for had you been guilty you should not have been your own Punisher and not being so you cannot doubt of your relief but by injuring the highest powers as much as your hopes Were there said Artabazus but as much truth as art in this Argument I might be flatter'd into a belief that I am as innocent as miserable but when the gods make us become our own executioners 't is so much a mark of being guilty that then to doubt it is to have a higher title to our punishment Yet I reply'd we seldom see that Humane Justice which is a Copy of ' the Divine does execute a Criminal by a Criminal But Sir I continu'd let us not contribute to our own misfortunes by so long disputing whose are the greatest rather let us seek out a retiring since by what you have told me I fear this will prove no safe one Alas the King answer'd that we should flie is not more requisite than it is impossible since for ought I see you are as destitute of Horses as I am No Sir I reply'd I have two not far from hence which we will make use of as for Philanax I know he would lose much more hazard his life to preserve his Kings Yes said that faithful servant 't is my inclination as much as duty and next the spending of it in your service the best fortune it can aspire unto is to lose it in it Artabazus embrac'd him for his Loyalty and gave him assurances that if ever he return'd to his former fortune he would build his in so plentiful a way that he should acknowledge he had found his interest in his duty Then turning to me he said But now Artavasdes we are fitted for our journey whither shall we direct it Thospia which is the only honest and secure retreat I can rely on has a way to it as hazardous as continuing here Ah Sir I reply'd why does your memory or suspitions do the gallant Governor of Artemita the Province belonging to it so much wrong you will find that could he rejoyce in any of your misfortunes he would in this which will afford him so ample an evincement of his Affection and Loyalty 'T was said Artabazus neither my memory nor suspitions but I fear my reason that made me not look on Phanasder with the same faith that you do for Crassolis whose judgment if forming opinions is as great as his honesty in communicating them to me has given me so bad and perhaps so just a character of him that I should as soon put my self in Zenaxtus's hands as his Oh gods I cry'd out is it possible that Crassolis could so much bewitch your reason as to make you consider your servants as your enemies and they as your friends Believe me Sir I will make that dissembler appear what he is in the woâ—st extreme as Phanasder will shew himself in the best with whom you shall find a Sanctuary as inviolable as his faith and for which I do engage you both mine and my life Upon your score Artabazus reply'd I will venture what I would not on my own neither would I give my retiring to Phanasder that name were I as confident of his Loyalty as of his that made me suspect it Sir said I going to our Horses this is a time fitter to flie from a Traytor than prove one but I will be contented to wear that name if I do not evince that Crassolis does it already Then commanding Philanax to go meet the rest of my servants and return with them to Artemita which afterwards he did through many dangers and then brought us word how the faithful Governor was put to death in torments as great as his fidelity for not discovering to the Rebels where the King was conceal'd Artabazus and I by very unfrequented wayes and by as great diligence as good fortune in three dayes arrived there also but never was there a more melancholy and silent journey for after I had acquainted my King with all my Adventures since my imprisonment his griefs were so obliging that they gave me the liberty without interruption of entertaining my own where to find a remedy for them appear'd as difficult as the torment which thereby I incur'd We had not been an hour in Phanasder's Government when he who was gone to beat up one of the Enemies quarters return'd with success and presented Artabazus with the Keys of Artemita and with the lives of 200 of his Enemies I cannot express with what assiduousness and zeal he served his Prince you may learn them better by their effects than description which were that they wholly converted Artabazus's suspitions into as great a confidence and made him acknowledge he had injur'd the best of his Subjects when he thought Phanasder was not so who having first resign'd his own magnificent house to the King receiv'd the honour of his orders and doubled his care and guards came to visit and acquaint me that by a Prisoner of quality that day taken he was assur'd that to extinguish all difficulties between Zenaxtus Partisans and Tygranes the latter had engag'd himself within two days to give Altezeera to Palisdes who either to satisfie his ambition his passion or his doubts commanded all his Party to keep their houses till he were in possession of what might invite them with honour and safety to take the field I am then I cryed out a creature as far above being capable of more misery as of relief Sir said Phanasder I would not have told you so fatal an intelligence had not my hopes of relieving your sorrow been as great as the certainty that this would create it Alas generous Friend I reply'd my reason cannot so much yield to hope as to afford me
there being only the River Araxis betwixt both Armies But to abuse your patience as little as I can without disobedience I will omit my Princesses joyes at my late return and success and her contrary pafsions for my then separation which too appear the more unfortunate since the cause of it was to oppose the Conquerors of the world for that title the Romans gave themselves and their performances did almost confirm with Forces too that were so diminisht by a former success that they could hardly expect any in the future But what consol'd me in this Expedition was if I were successful my joyes would be no longer protracted and if I were not I resolv'd my life should not 'T was with these thoughts and resolutions I advanced towards Phanasder whose numbers I found as much diminisht by sickness as they could have been by a defeat so that the conjunction of both our Forces did not compose as great a Body as mine did before Zenaxtus's defeat or his before the mortality but that which caused our admiration was that though Pompey knew our weakness yet he made no advantage of it by any attempts but alas our admiration was cured by our grief for not many dayes after Artabazus with a small Train came to the Camp and told me that all the higher Armenia was in a general flame which he had sent my father to quench with Forces risen in haste and that his intelligence of Artaxata's intended revolt upon the least misfortune had made him esteem my weak Army a securer Sanctuary than that City Oh gods Sir I hastily cry'd out if Artaxata be no Sanctuary for Artabazus how could he esteem it one for Altezeera I have said Artabazus neither esteem'd it one for Altezeera neither left her there she is gone to Thospia with Anexander who were he not concern'd in her safety for his Kings sake I believe he would be for his Sons Those words made me blush and the former made me know that Pompey had lay'n quiet till this new combustion might by a diversion facilitate his entry That same day therefore because we hourly expected the Romans advance a Council was call'd in which Crassolis who attended the King assisted his opinion was to determine all by Battel not by Treaty since the latter could not possibly cement the fractions but by the Kings yielding much to the Prince which concessions would be a dangerous President would be termed by the Armenians a submission and would invite Tygranes unto future Revolts by the first proving so successful who being too reflected on as a Successor to the Crown the multitude which commonly consider their own benefit and not the right might in the future incline to him who according to the course of nature was probably longest able to reward or punish them That a victory against the Romans would be one too against the Rebels who never had taken up Arms had not they thought those of the Romans would have exempted them from making any use of their own that the cause of the revolt being taken away the effect of consequence would follow and if the gods had decreed our ruine 't was more like Armenians to fall by the Sword than by Submission without which he durst as he said lose his life if ever Pompey would treat This advice Phanasder and I oppos'd not only because 't was his and consequently we might think it the worst but because too it was really so and esteem'd so generally by all the Council who concur'd in my reasons which were That if the revolted follow'd the fortune of the Romans by having an external Peace we should have an internal one also That all the faithful Armenian Militia were almost destroyed by Civil and Foreign Wars by Successes and by Mortalities That not only the Rebels within but the Romans and Parthians without were all pulling on her fate That she had never more Enemies and less power to resist them That nothing but a Peace could avoid the former and restore the latter That it was better to yield something than lose all That time might procure a return of those concessions or enable us to retake them That by a present Peace we should if there were in the future an occasion of War make it when the Romans Tygranes's greatest help would not be in a readiness to afford him any That by making a Peace Artabazus would make Tygranes his Subject but by a War he would make him his equal and perhaps his Superior That thereby the Roman and Parthian Arms which were ready to invade Armenia would leave her in a quiet security by being employ'd one against another and that if a Peace were refus'd after an offer of reasonable terms we had thereby made the gods our friends and invited them to punish an enemy who was guided by the rule of Power and not of Justice I know not whether Artabazus fear or judgment made him declin Crassolis's advice to follow the Councels but I know the next morning he sent a Herald to Pompey to offer a Parley which he absolutely declin'd without Artabazus would submit himself as conquer'd and to his mercy yield that part of Armenia on the East of Euphrates to Tygranes and pay a yearly Homage for the residue to the Roman Empire Though my resentment at so barbarous a message was great yet it could not transcend my Kings fears who valuing Pompey's power by his insolency in apprehension of the former told me there was no way but to submit it unto the latter Never never Sir I cry'd out shall Artabazus whil'st I wear a Sword unking himself let the gods do it if that misfortune be writ in the Book of Fate and though I esteem'd it fit to Treat with the Romans because their Army was the greater yet now I am absolutely against it their unjust and insolent demands having at least equal'd our Forces 't is more glorious to dyeat the head of 2000 Gentlemen than to live with the Title of a King without the power and to let our succeeding Story 's register that Artabazus was the first that dismember'd his Kingdom and the onely man that was conquer'd in it The King esteem'd what I said to be fitter for his commendation than his practice and the false Crassolis perceiving the Father was ready to give as much by Fear as the Son could win by Battel upon the second sitting of the Council which was to fix upon a positive Answer for Pompey he was as absolutely for a Treaty as at the first he had been for a War and so proportion'd his Reasons to his Princes Apprehensions that he determin'd to put himself into the Roman mercy when the Presidents of some Kings of the Gaules and of the Africans demonstrated they had none Phanasder and I at this resolution beg'd Artabazus's permission for our selves and Anexander to retire unto our Governments that by seemingly becoming Rebels to his Authority we might preserve some Forces to maintain and
my gratitude Oh gods continu'd Artavasdes you only know my transports at those ravishing words which were no sooner spoke than I prostrated my self at my Kings feet embrac'd his knees and told him ah Sir I beseech you do not mention reward or gratitude when you do the Princess Altezeera nor so much wrong the blessing of your gift as to term it a recompence since it is so far above manifesting you are grateful that by it I am render'd uncapable of ever being so Great gods I cry'd out lessen my felicity by some affâ—iction left I do not long possess it Yes Artavasdes my King reply'd you shall possess Altezeera your not demanding her increases your Title to her and I find my self as much ty'd to this gratitude by your humility as by your services but to limit that joy whose greatness you apprehend may destroy it self and to shew how soon the gods have granted what you so earnestly implor'd you must a while suspend the fruition to act that which may induce my Kingdom to esteem me as just in conferring my Sister on you as I do therein esteem my self Thereupon commanding me to rise he gave me a Letter from Annexander to him and another directed to me both which I read and found they contain'd that he had been receiv'd at Rome with a magnificer 〈◊〉 which testify'd his welcome but in the highest of his negotiating the gods had struck him with a lingring sickness which most of the Physitians assur'd him would be astedious as irrecoverable that therefore he implor'd that I might be sent if Armenia were in peace with Power and Instructions to perfect the Treaty in case he ended his life before it and commanded me to do him the last office of closing his Eyes or if I came too late for that duty yet at least to celebrate his Funerals Consider I beseech you how sad an influence this unfortunate Pacquet had on me and how in one moment the gods convinc'd me that neither joy nor grief could destroy me I should for ever have acknowledg'd the confining my felicity by 〈◊〉 and the qualifying my sorrow by happiness had been their providence if since I had not found it their cruelty for they made me able to conquer those extreams but to preserve me for greater what need I tell you more than that my duty to my King my Countrey and my Father made me pass an engagement to undertake the voyage and to mittigate the cause and trouble of it Artabazus by many assurances accompany'd by as many vows told me at my return I should be establish'd in a felicity which he long'd as much to confer on me as I could to possess it I omitted to acquaint you there was another Letter to Lindesia from Anexander who receiv'd the news of her Husbands sickness with a constancy that render'd her unworthy the affliction but as soon as I retir'd from Artabazus I went to my Princess who perceiving so high a sadness in my Face was so much a friend to my passion as to believe nothing but a misfortune in it could have created so large a one and in that Faith ask'd me whether he Brother had been so unjust as to esteem his allyance a greater reward than my services merited I was infinitely asham'd at this question and that I should be capable of so transcendent a melancholly having my felicity granted as to induce my Princess to suspect it had been deny'd In this perplexity I continu'd in a silence that increas'd her doubts but as soon as I was able to suppress them I did by acquainting her what had past betwixt my King and me and how that I was never so near my Blessing and yet never was so like to be distant from it This separation and Anexander's danger the fair Altezeera concluded was very sensible since the joy of Artabazus Grant could not intirely console me which induc'd her to suspend her own affâ—ictions for Anexander's condition to lessen mine that by the knowledge of hers could not but receive a large accession But when she came to discourse upon my absence and to bring reasons to qualify the hardness of it alas they were so far from bearing that name or from producing that effect that her esteeming they were so or that they could be thought so by me created a greater misery than she endeavour'd to silence But the necessity of my journey to Rome either as a Son or as a Subject made me more firm in my resolution of undertaking it than Altezeera's not appearing sensible of it and though perhaps she lessen'd her disorder that it might have a resembling operation on mine yet it produc'd a contrary effect and made me tell her she had more Fortitude than Love But though I apprehended nothing more than leaving my Princess yet for three days during which my dispatch was making I did nothing when I was out of her company but wait upon my King to hasten it the evening of the last day coming to his Chamber I found him writing and in great perlexities sometimes blotting out what he had written then flinging away his Pen and tearing his Paper I was something surpriz'd at this but at last turning his looks by chance where I was he seem'd as much surpriz'd at my having seen his disorder as I was at it but having somewhat compos'd himself he call'd me to him and told me smiling Artavasdes it may be you do as much wonder at that little fury I am in as you will at the cause which I will tell you not only that you may remove it but be convinc'd that I have nothing of reserve from my Brother for that name I will henceforth give you Know then that what Altezeera's Eyes have acted in you another Lady's have in me and though by many vows I have profest to have now a Passion only for her yet as an argument of her Power or distrust she will receive no satisfaction but of a Letter to my abandon'd Mistriss that I have deserted her and of another to her self that I only adore her which hard sentence I was obeying when you came in but having never been blest with a fortunate expression I found my self more troubl'd to act my obedience than to undertake it and since you are so happily present I will make use of your stile that my Mistriss may be as much satisfy'd with it as with my passion I was more perplext to obey his commands than to learn them for I was not ignorant Artabazus was addicted to a Passion which if plac'd upon a perfect object for a legitimate end deserves a nobler name but knowing that the Flames of Kings are apter to consume virtue than cherish it I was unwilling to shew my ignorance in a cause which I too much detested to serve at so dear a rate and therefore excus'd my self of the former by the latter but Artabazus was so pressing that at length being more vanquish'd by his importunities
sweltering in a Sea of Bloud which the Parthians no sooner observ'd at the foot of the breach than in that rage the loss of their Prince inspir'd they were going to increase it by that of their King who was so struck with Pacorus's last words and actions that it dispell'd all his fury which had no sooner resign'd its place to Grief Reason and Nature than in those dictates they inspir'd without considering the mutiny of his own Soldiers or the danger of the Armenian he clamber'd up the breach and cast himself on the pale and bloudy Body of his generous Son and by Tears and a million of as pregnant testimonies of his conversion acquainted Pacorus with it so timely too that the least delay had render'd his change as fruitless as `twas real for Pacorus finding after the amazement of his Fall that he was prevented of his intent drew out a conceal'd Ponyard which he was going to sheath in his Heart had not Orodes by molifying his own preserv'd his Sons Great gods continu'd Falintus could I tell you these changes which then happen'd which were as great as suddain I might fill you with that wonder which did all that were present and truly when you consider this mutation the more you do it the stranger you will find it the Father and the Son came to take Tygranocerta the first instead of winning the Town looses both it and his Son and the last both his Father and his liberty and yet commands where he has lost it Artabazus and Altezeera find their Protector in their Enemy Arsaces loses his Army because he will lose his Son ye at last finds his satisfaction in their disobedience Pacorus does the like and learns this truth from thence that Affection is a stronger tye upon Soldiers than Duty and the unhappiness that all the Parthians lov'd another better than their King he finds Death the way to Life and Danger to Safety Th' Armenians who did fear to see Orides within their Walls see it now without any and that breach they intended he should never enter but by their deaths they see him do it with satisfaction Arsaces who had the Armenians at his mercy finds himself at theirs and finds himself so without any apprehension but for the death of him whose life was so lately his greatest The breach which was the Scene of the general dispute is now of the reconciliation and if the Armenians and Parthians had any desires they were mutual for Pacorus's recovery and against Arsaces's relapse So strange an alteration drew Artabazus and Altezeera thither whose presence contributed more to the generous Patients recovery than the Chirurgions Aâ—t by which nevertheless they assur'd the impatient Kings if no new acceâ—s happen'd they would restore him to that health he had so meritoriously lost There 't was that Arsaces saw Altezeera and by that sight what Nature had pardon'd in his Son then reason did 'T was thought awhile by Orodes's silence and first contemplation that the influence of the Princesses Eyes would have run in a Bloud but it seems he was but so far in the way of Love as Admiration which he soon left by the reflection on a Beauty in Parthia who had so large an ascendant over him and so just a one too that his inconstancy could not be more a fault than a punishment These words made the poor Artabanes by a deep sigh acknowledge a truth which he determin'd eternally to deplore but his generous friend to make his attention divert his melancholly thus continu'd his Relation But the calm in Tygranocerta could hardly transcend the storm in Pacorus's Camp which Phraates affaulted with much resolution and found as much in his opposition but if in that day he gave proofs of a large courage he did of as large a cruelty shewing all those which submitted to his mercy that he had none The faithful Labienus endeavouring to force a passage to the relief of his Prince almost found his ruine in his Duty for being pierc'd with two Darts he was at length taken prisoner and the cruel Phraates to punish the fidelity of his Life had given Orders to deprive him of it which was happily prevented by an Express from Arsaces who sent to end those differences in the Camp which he had put a period to in the Town that being but a consequence of this The bloudy Phraates receiv'd the command of his being so no longer and the cause of it with amazement repenting he had shed so much Bloud only because he could shed no more for he esteem'd the difference between his Father and his Brother irreconcileable and by his actions evinc'd that was his Faith which when he found 't was an erroneous one he began by a thousand formal contritions to manifest a Repentance which he neither had nor was capable of and which he counterfeited so that he discover'd he did so But continu'd Falintus the apprehensions I had that Arsaces was guilty of a resembling Crime made me propound to Arbazus the detaining of him now we had the power which I said the gods gave us to raise in us the Will This proposal I fortify'd by never having engag'd our Faiths for the contrary that his change was rather from Passion than Virtue That not being the latter it would soon expire that by having him in our hands we had our safeties too and so good a tye upon the Parthians that we might derive it from our selves and not from their Mercy And that we had wherewithal upon their retiring to gratify the Son by restoring the Father I had too said Falintus to my self as strong a reason as all these together which yet I durst not mention I mean the apprehension that if Orodes were at liberty the Princess Altezeera would be the condition of the peace which being inform'd my King was intent upon though that should the rather have induc'd me to motion it yet it did to silence it since it might have render'd me suspected and that my former allegations were for you not him But Artabazus absolutely declin'd this overture either through Fear or Virtue but indeed all his Arguments for his so doing relish'd of the latter But continu'd Falintus why do I dwell so long upon this subject as if it were to one who were little enough concern'd in it to be delighted with it 'T is too much that you know after Arsaces and Pacorus had had some private discourse accompany'd with passionate gestures and that the Father had kist and embrac'd the Son he took leave of Artabazus and Altezeera in words which resented of nothing but Friendship and Peace and begg'd the last to give him good account of a Son which he entirely left to her dispose and from whom only they both expected his recovery After these civilities were finish'd he descended the same way he came up and was receiv'd with more shouts from his Army which attended him at the foot of the breach for leaving
had divested her self of that but she did so of the other and either to sympathize with or please her Servant assum'd her Beauty and Health as fast as he did his But the fair Theoxcena either to satisfy her affection or her doubts went to visit the Princess and Regeliza being then gone to pay one to Artabazus who of late was so taken with her company that many thought it was with her none of Altezeera's other women had either the confidence or the command to deny her an admission When she came in Altezeera was newly fall'n into a slumber which Theoxcena consider'd as so conducing to her health that on that score she deny'd her self the honor of her conversation without any reluctancy and in expectation of it went to a window in the Chamber which afforded a diverting prospect Not above half an hour was expir'd when Regeliza return'd and being ignorant the Princess was asleep by her coming in interrupted it Altezeera knowing 't was Regeliza open'd the Curtains and no sooner saw Theoxcena who was presenting her self to her than shutting them hastily again she cry'd out oh gods Regeliza is not it Theoxcena which I see Yes Madam said the fair Theoxcena somewhat surpriz'd 't is she who has acquainted you with her rudeness that she might with her affection which could relish of no quiet till she were satisfy'd of a health for which she has so great and so just concerns Alas Madam Altezeera coldly reply'd if you have any concerns in mine I shall beg you to manifest them by denying me any more the honor of your visits which will be a way more conducing to that end than any other you can elect 'T were almost as hard to fancy as describe Theoxcena's astonishment the lowest effect it produc'd was an amazed silence which Regeliza observing drew her aside and begg'd her to impute it rather to a suddain and disorder'd wakeing or indeed to any thing sooner than a decrease of her affection in which too she would be a friend both to Altezeera and to Justice But Theoxcena who ascrib'd it to the reliques of that distaste Regeliza had inform'd her of or to her infringing the general Orders which prohibited any visits went again to the Princess Bed-side and told her since the crime Madam of waiting on you is esteem'd greater than the duty which invited me to it I shall henceforward content my self to enquire of your health at a less offensive distance and no more pay you my visits by intrusion but obedience Altezeera having only told her she would esteem it a great obligation she withdrew her self Regeliza waiting on her to her Chariot and making by the way many excuses which sufficiently manifested themselves to be what they were I ommitted to tell you that the next day after the dispute betwixt Phraates and Labienus the first of them hearing of a reconciliation as strange as 't was either unexpected or undesir'd sent to visit Pacorus to implore a forgiveness for an action which because 't was against him he consider'd as a crime though it were a duty and which he might the easilier grant since in his very offence he might read something for his justification for in manifesting he lov'd a King more than a Brother it evinc'd how good a Subject he would prove when he became one by Pacorus's right to the succession But Sir said Falintus to me after a short silence you must now prepare your self to receive an intelligence that I hope will verify the Fiction of Achilles's Launce which not only had the power to give a wound but to cure it too Yes Sir the gods gave Altezeera her health but she employ'd it to so ill an end that we esteem'd her sickness a less misfortune and if Theoxcena by her strange usage had some cause to suspect she was distracted when she kept her Chamber we had much more to believe she was so when she left it since the first action she then did solemnly to promise her self to Pacorus Yet Artabazus impos'd this restriction on the Grant that their Nuptials should not be celebrated in Armenia nor till the Parthians were retir'd lest that which she intended as a gift might look like a constraint and that the Armenians might be consol'd in the loss of such a friend by being freed from so many Enemies If Sir continu'd Falintus you esteem this a loss do but reflect on the cause of it and you can no longer think it one which opinion I have so justly assum'd that for your relief I will not conjure you to make use of your Fortitude but your Reason only Great gods I cry'd out all pale and trembling is it possible then Falintus that Altezeera can be false and that Fear not Love should create her sin Must that which creates it be as great an offence to Virtue as me unjust Heavens I continu'd could you give none the greatest will to ruine me but her that had the greatest power to do it And did you raise me to the highest hopes but to make my despair resembling Alas Falintus I must summon Death and not Reason for my cure since the latter in this occasion does with me as it does in the misteries of Divinity it may confound but cannot help Neither has the reflection on her constancy the power to do it for I find that more my misfortune than her fault and what satisfaction can it prove that she had no imperfection but what was only one to me her crime is not that she wants loveliness but Love and her new Conquest cannot more certainly evince the former than my death must unavoidably the latter If Sir reply'd Falintus 't was Altezeera and not the Crown of Armenia you ambition'd Ah Friend I cry'd out interrupting him may the gods continue me in as great torments as they have cast me into if ever I ambition'd any Crown but one of Mirtles so it were of Altezeera's putting on and having lost the hopes of that Crown if I do not contemn all others as much as she does my Passion Then Sir continu'd Falintus in my opinion your Case is not so desperate as your thoughts suggest for in that very performance in which she has taken away your hopes she has given you some since she that has been once inconstant may be thought with probability to prove so again I but Falintus I reply'd you say she is in a manner married to Pacorus 'T is true said Falintus but that mistery in Nuptials of two being one is oftner visible to Faith than Sence and was there never yet a Wife was kind to any but her Husband Great gods I cry'd out starting up and laying my hand upon my Sword that any but a Friend durst say this and that a Friend should No no Falintus the way you take will give me rather Horror than Love for I should hate her more for being so kind than so unconstant though I am an Enemy unto her I am
not only his interest in it but in the Kingdom and not to be an Enemy to Tygrane's Quiet and his own voluntarily confined himself in Parthia It was long before we knew what created such ungrounded jealousies in our King and so strange a way of suppressing them in his Uncle but now the Mystery is as visible as his dissembling that has so long hindered it from being so Merinzor the first Prince of the Blood after Moneses aspired by Art and Sin to acquire that preheminence which Nature had denied him and having by admirable insinuations made Tygranes as much his Subject by inclination as he was his by duty he so successfully represented to him the danger of having the next and certain Heir by Tygrane's aversion or disability for Women to be in the Government or Kingdom that at length the King by some usages which neither were consistent with Monese's quality or disposition necessitated your generous Father to an Exilement This was no sooner effected on which Merinzor's designs were founded than he appears publickly the Favourite of his King yet so artificially that many believed his condition but from thence bore date whereas some others though indeed but very few concluded Monese's Banishment was an effect of his having been so before Merinzor as Tygranes has since told me assured him he might now Reign by no Law but his Will since the discontented had no head to give their Body and that Moneses by being kept out of Media would be deprived of anticipating his Title to the Crown of it but to leave as little to Fortune as the nature of humane things would admit he humbly begged his King's permission to allow him in publick to be an earnest Solicitor for your Father's return which as he said would insinuate him in all the Designs that would be laid to effect it and consequently enable him to prevent them The deluded Tygranes condescended to this by which concession Merinzor not only cast the odium of Monese's Banishment entirely on the King but also acquired to himself those of your Father's Friends who had not wit enough to discover Merinzor was his Enemy whereby many designs for his restauration became unfruitful and by the frequent Execution of the Conspirators so weakened his Party that now there are scarcely enough left to act a design though not prevented by Intelligence My Fortune or my suspitions kept me out of all those unsuccessful Plots and thereby I find my self and some few Friends who I had acquainted with and made approve of my jealousies in a posture able to serve our generous Prince for not only this City but Ecbatan Cyrapolis and Europus are in the power of those who are resolved they cannot more justly employ theirs than against Merinzor and for Moneses and Artabbanes But Sir continued Zenophon Tygranes being convinc'd that your Father being removed all causes of his Fears were so too abandoned himself so absolutely to those vices which unlimited power is aptest to inspire that partly those exorbitant disorders but more particularly his assuming to himself Monese's Banishment from whence all our miseries took their original has so alienated his Subjects Affections that Merinzor by obliging all by permitting Tygranes to oblige none and by a seemingly soliciting your Father's return having gained those Hearts he made his King lose began lately so much to unvizard his designs that I discovered and disclosed them to Tygranes but I had much difficulty to free my self from being thought dishonest for endeavouring to evince Merinzor was so which I had not effected had not the gods concerned in the discovery of so black an ingratitude miraculously evidenced it For the Court being then at Ecbatan there came a Packet to Merinzor out of Parthia but the day before he was gone to a House of Pleasure not above 200 Furlongs off where under a pretence of passing away his Time he employed it in gaining of Partizans and in establishing a fortune for himself which should ruine his King's The belief I had that in that Packet there was something of concernment and the knowledg I had that it lay not in the Power of inferences but of demonstrations to make Tygranes revoke that unlimited Authority he had so fatally trusted his Favourite with made me determine to hazard my own ruine to prevent my King's I say hazard my own ruine for if in that Packet I resolved to open there had been nothing which might have apologiz'd for my doing it by my inclinations to your Family and Merinzor's Power I could not have avoided resenting the most violent effects of it In brief I seiz'd upon those letters and having by the admirable Art of a Secretary of mine decypher'd them I found they came from Surena and discovered palpably a strong and dangerous conspiracy which was partly to be acted by some Parthian Forces that Prince had promised him I believe Sir continued Zenophon you are not ignorant of Surena's Person and Power with Arsaces which hinders me from giving you a Character of either Alas reply'd Artabbanes I am but too-perfectly instructed in the latter which has cost me so many troubles that 't is no small one to remember them but I will another time give you their relation in the mean while I shall beseech you to continue yours After said Zenophon I had so successfully disclos'd what Tygranes not I disbeliev'd immediately I presented him with what he found a misfortune then to know but had found it a greater to have longer ignor'd Never did I see so sudden and so strange an alteration that in his looks was much inferiour to that in his Government for he perceived 't was not now by the Title but the Virtues of a King that he must continue one and that Merinzor had but for a time cast away his fears that afterwards he might eternally cast him out of his Throne Tygranes in Tears told me this truth and many an other and by great favours convinc'd me his gratitude for my faithfulness and vigilance was proportionate to them I told him 't was not enough to discover Merinzor's infidelity but he must prevent it that nothing was more conducive to that end than without any respite to place men of high fidelity and no less resolution in the principal Towns which would not only hinder Merinzor's possessing them but deter his Partizans from a conjunction with him by so prejudicial and pregnant an evincement that his Conspiracy was disclosed and partly prevented that if yet the despair of Merinzor's Faction flung them into Arms yet the possession of the Towns would so protract the time that before all of them were lost He might raise an Army not only to recover them again but to punish those that necessitated him to do it That one of the best advantages in a Civil War was to secure the Cities they being not only Sanctuaries for small Numbers against great but the Banks and Magazines of a Kingdom and without which the Countrey
and succesfully tried that duelling seem'd to be one of his recreations The great affront he had that day received in his person and the higher he thought he received in his Mistris made him with a loud voice tell me Callimmachus could I have fancied you would have given the prize of this days Tilting to any but the fair Irene I had by my Sword hindred you from acting that Crime and her from enduring it but since I find you guilty thereof I cannot but punish what I should have prevented which I would have done in a privater way could I have supprest my resentments so long And yet it is but just that the injury being before so many thousand witnesses the reparation should be the like I had no sooner heard these words then saluting Monyma and the rest of the Ladies I descended from the Scaffold and having flung off my Armour as Diocles had done his I told him That which I confess my Fortune has given me over all the rest my Courage has given me over thee which I am come by a repeated experiment to convince thee of and to let thee feel I have been much more just in paying the prize to Monyma than thou hast been in presuming to own thy self a Servant to the fair Irene At the end of these words we drew out our Swords and observing that not only all the Ladies but the Magistrates of the City were coming to part us we ran at each other with as much fury as if our Mistresses had not only been the beholders but were to have been the reward of the combat My thrust was more fortunate than his for it pierced him through the body but his only pierced my left arm so that in the close having flung him down and disarmed him I bid him ask his life He told me since it had been so unsuccessful 't was not worth the pains My resentment being a little over I told him Though thou wouldst perswade me by representing thy life is not worth the asking that it is hardly worth the taking yet I believe it much more considerable and therefore for Monyma and Irene's sake I give it thee by this time these two beauties with many others as also Telamon and the Magistrates were come who forthwith caused both our wounds to be dress'd and because mine was in my Arm the Chyrurgeons sent for a scarf to support it in which staying for too long the fair Irene took off a rich one she had on and bid them make use of that this sight wounded Diocles more than my Sword had done which taking notice of I told Irene that he wanted it more than I and though it were strangely obliging to me yet it might prove more so to him whose condition made intercessions for him by his being uncapable of making any for himself Irene immediately either pitying Diocles or to be revenged on me permitted me to present it to him which he refused saying He never willingly received a favour from an Enemy nor would not his Mistrisse's derived from such a mediation and conveyed by such a hand This rudeness made me repent my civility and I believe revenge it by wearing what he had declined I will exempt you continued Callimmachus from the relation of Monyma's little Triumph from Telamon's discontent at my quarrel from his trouble at my wound and his care of my recovery which was much earlier than that of Diocles who languish'd above a year before he was able to pay a visit to Irene and to beg her pardon that he had so ill defended her right During all which time I was so assiduous in my addresses to Monyma that I had pregnant cause to believe they had not been fruitless The fair Irene also had contracted so strict a friendship with her that she became her confident and at length my advocate from whose intercession I received more than I could have expected from any one so that now my greatest fears were from Telamon who always manifested so inveterate an aversion to my Love and one day so expresly prohibited my continuing it that not being able to divest my self of it I was necessitated to carry it with so much secrecy that Irene and at last Monyma her self began to think that was my design which indeed was my punishment I had not the confidence to acquaint her with what made me so rarely visit her but when ever I got the opportunity of paying her that duty I was so passionate in my expressions and looks that I hoped my actions would acquaint her with what I durst not which I esteemed the least unhandsom way of disclosing my misfortune and of evidencing my constancy But whether she did not or would not understand this way of proceeding she not only began to use me at a rate which might manifest a less concernment for me than she had once honoured me with but also conjur'd Irene to decline interceding for a person who declined interceding for himself This that obliging friend informed me of which occasioned a violent dispute between my duty to Telamon and that I owed the fair Monyma in which though they could not vanquish each other yet they vanquish'd me and cast me into so deep a melancholly that the last admired it and the first did pity it Irene concluding there was something of mysterious in this resolved to break those conâ—inements Monyma had imposed on her and to know of me what occasioned my sadness and then to impart it unto her In this resolve she so artificially ordered things that once in the Temple which was the only place I visited she conjur'd me to acquaint her with the occasion of my change and grief which she only asked that she might contribute to the cure of it So generous a proceeding from a person which I knew was so made me resolve to be rather known unfortunate than to be believed guilty I therefore fully informed her with what strict prohibitions Telamon had made me of ever visiting Monyma again which had occasioned my seeming coldness but had really so punish'd it that it had produced those visible effects she so obligingly deplored and endeavoured to remove I had not in so publick a place leisure to say more or she than that the next day in the same place and hour I should meet her again This command the succeeding morning I observed and had not been long in the Temple but Irene came into it and whilst others were imploy'd in their devotions she told me as I kneeled by her that Monyma was neither worthy of my Love nor her friendship for she was so unwise and so unkind as not to believe the too great truth I had told her and she had told Monyma who thought 't was but a design to cloud my change and passion for her self and therefore that I must no more make use of her solicitations since they were so far from acting that cure that they made the disease This information
accordingly provide my self for that appointed hour To be short after he had with some impatience waited for his Keeper's Return some hours beyond the prefixed Time his Chamber-door was hastily open'd and instead of his Keeper a rude Stranger came to him and told him his whole Design was discovered and the Manager of it put to a painful Death for his intended Treachery and that since he and I so unworthily abused that Liberty the Kings had allowed us we should suffer for that Offence I being now confined positively to my Chamber with new and more numerous Guards and he being expresly sent to keep him from the hopes of any new design This which this Officer told Rebadates was too true for the unhappy Keeper sounding the inclinations of one whose help he was to need in my escape did it so uncircumspectly that he discover'd his own which the other went and revealed to the two Kings who punished the Keeper with death and confined us to our Chambers with Guards too numerous and too faithful to be deceived or corrupted I did indeed with much more trouble endure the being denied the Happiness of waiting on Mithridatia than my loss of liberty or the narrow limits I was confined unto But one evening when I was in a deep sadness for Mithridatia's and my own Condition Nicomedes alone came into my Chamber and having lock'd the door after him he told me I am come Callimachus to act a thing which possibly you will wonder at and possibly you would more wonder at if you were acquainted with the cause for I come to restore you to your Liberty and that which lately Mithridates's great Officers and which is much more the Princess Statira's Commands could not prevail with me to do I now perform of my Self without any consideration but that of obliging so worthy a Person and perhaps of saving him too But I doubt I have said too much in those last words at Midnight therefore fit your self to follow Ostanes the Officer that now Guards you who will bring you a Disguise by which he will safely conduct you to a Vessel in a small Creek which has Orders to carry you where ever you will go All that I ask of you is that you keep an inviolable Secrecy concerning the means of your Escape Let it always be believed an effect of your having corrupted the Fidelity of Ostanes who is one I intirely Trust and much Esteem and whom I recommend to your Favour till I may again by some fortunate Accident openly restore him to mine I confess continued Callimachus few Accidents in all my Life surprised me more than this and the longer I reflected on it and every circumstance of it the more cause I had still to continue that Reflection I told Nicomedes so much and after by many Acknowledgments I had endeavour'd to exalt the Gallantry of this Action and the gratitude I had for it I said unto him Generous Prince though after what you have done there might seem nothing left for me to do but to endeavour by continued Services to pay you some part of my vast Debt yet I must by an humble Request add unto and increase it 'T is that you will pardon me if as soon as my hands are free I use them against you or else that you will not restore me to a Liberty which I must forthwith imploy against the Giver of it For whilst you keep the Princess Statira a Prisoner I must as certainly be your Enemy as in all things else I will be your Servant When I told you the King of Bythinia reply'd That I would set you at Liberty I told you too I exacted nothing of you but your Silence neither after the Declaration you now make me do I expect any thing else but a Grant of that which I desired of you before This said I is a Gallantry worthy of Nicomedes and this is a higher Favour than his free Breaking of my Imprisonment and therefore Loads me with a greater Trouble than by it he has freed me from A Trouble which shall never cease but with my Life unless by some retributions as eminent and signal as the Sense I have of your Generosity I be inabled to act my Gratitude for it That silence you injoyn me I vow Religiously to observe and by my kindness to Ostanes I shall indeavour to make him endure his absence from you as little inconveniently as may be and in some degree convince him by the respect I shall pay the Subject how highly I esteem my self indebted to his Prince Of whom also I will not beg to know why such a Secrecy is injoyned me because I perceive that ought to be as much a Secret to me as from whose obligingness I owe my Deliverance ought to be to every one else Though Sir I must assure you 't is no small Trouble to me being so deeply in your Debt to be prohibited from publickly acknowledging it till I shall be so happy as to pay it But Sir since this Action when known to the Princess Statira will I hope procure you her Thanks for it which will be no ill Reward of it though it will not at all diminish my Score May I not beg your Permission before I go to tell her of my going and from whom I derive that Liberty that in her Acknowledgments to you you may have cause never to repent what you have done to me if my own unhappy Condition should not allow me the satisfaction of doing any thing by way of Retribution for my self I am sorry Callimachus Nicomedes reply'd That you should ask me any thing I should deny you But I hope when you remember that for above twenty Days you have been kept with such strictness that you have not been permitted to see any one nor to be seen by any should you just before your Escape have that Freedom allow'd you by me for it cannot be by any other it might raise a suspition by what means you obtain'd it and by destroying that end for which I have desired so perfect a Secrecy from you draw a greater inconvenience upon me than I believe could I acquaint you with it you would have me run into But to omit nothing for your satisfaction I will possibly contrive some way before the hour of your departure whereby you may acquaint the Princess with it and receive her Commands before you leave her though neither She her self nor the Person imploy'd between you must upon any terms know I have the least hand in or so much as knowledg of your Escape Perhaps continued Nicomedes one Day I may live to tell you Why I have thus dealt with you But if such a thing should never happen oblige me in believing there was reason for it As soon as he had done speaking he immediately withdrew and with as little Noise as he had made when he came in leaving me not so full of wonder at the Action and the Circumstances
engaged to perform their Contract and to serve the Pontick King in his first Naval Ingagement But then by solemn Oath they tyed themselves the next day to return whatever their Success was and to obey whatever their Superiours should enjoyn who they hoped by this short Peace would assume thoughts of a perpetual one and by their Absence might be invited to extinguish that Flame which their Presence did but kindle and animate That therefore they were come not only to implore my pardon for their having been absent but to beg my permission to return that they might therein satisfie their Oaths to their gods and their Duties to their Chiefs After I had acquainted them with my trouble for their absence and for the cause of it I began to endeavour to make them sensible that even by their Vows they were confined to see one Engagement more for this that was past they had rather heard of than seen That our Fleets which had engaged were so shatter'd that without their help we could not continue the Siege of the Island till it was reduced which to effect we were to employ half of our number to transport at once the Prince Atafernes's Army since to Land it in parts were to expose it to the Army there who by that worst proceeding might soon repair on the Land what they had lost on the Sea I did not omit to add to these Motives all those others which I thought might engage them But pleading their Oaths to the gods and their Superiours as soon as the first Engagement was over and binding themselves to me by the most Sacred Vows they could make as soon as their domestick differences were ended by the Sword or by Agreement they would immediately return to Mithridates's Service if called and face the Island for five days before they returned which was a competent time to transport the Prince's Army into it Not being able to prevail for more I accepted so much and forthwith sent an Express to the King to acquaint him with our Success and at what at Rate we had bought it I likewise employed another Express to the generous Atafernes with an account of all things and how that in two days I intended to bring into the Bay of Nicomedia so many of his Father's Fleet as would transport into the Island Forces enough to Conquer it and that I would leave the residue of the Fleet with the Cilician and Phoenician Navies to block it up in the mean time that none in it might get out of it and no new Supplies might be received into it By that time I had informed these Resolutions and dispatched these Expresses the Barge I had sent with the Trumpet returned and he brought me this Letter Ariobarzanes King of Cappadocia to Callimachus Admiral of the Pontick Fleet. I Had now returned you the dead Body of the King of Cyprus if two Noblemen his Subjects and my Prisoners had not begg'd it of me that they might perform the Cyprian Funeral-solemnities due unto his Quality and after that carry it to receive the like Obsequies in his own Countrey for which end I have given them their own Liberty and their own Galley with my Pass to return to Cyprus as soon as these intended Ceremonies are finished here and that his Corps is Embalmed I acknowledg your great Civility in sending me news of Nicomedes being alive which yet does therefore hinder me from being able to dispose of so considerable a Prisoner as the Prince Pharnaces is But for the Princess Statira as it was always against my will she was detained Women being neither the Cause nor the continuance of our War so I shall willingly exchange her and all the Prisoners with her for Nicomedes Who I am confident in your judgment and in her Fathers also will be a sufficient Ransom for the King of Bithynia if he does not recover of his Wounds And if he do you may with reason expect from his justice without a bargain what ever he esteems this Exchange will fall short of the value of his Liberty The gods continued Callimachus only knew my transports at the reading of this Letter For had the King of Cappadocia demanded for the Princess not only Nicomedes but also Callimachus and the whole Fleet he commanded he had in raptures of Joy delivered them up to Ariobarzanes and esteemed that Purchase too low a Price for the honour of her Redemption I therefore immediately accepted of his offer on the Conditions he proposed and having received his assurance of delivering the Princess on his receiving Nicomedes I forthwith sent that generous King to the Island in his own Galley lest his removal might have been at once painful and dangerous to him and as some small Evidence how disadvantageous an Agreement I thought my Enemies had made for themselves I cast their Admiral-Galley into the bargain And I did with all my Fleets accompany the King of Bithynia towards his Port. And having attended him as far as with safety I might and paid him all the Sea-honours I was capable of which yet-his Condition made him ignorant he had received I then cast Anchor and in impatiencies above description waited for the arrival of the Princess to whom I had order'd the Fleets to pay Submissions and Honours which they never had before presented to any Admiral Whilst this ambition'd happiness was expected in Raptures due unto it or rather short of it I perused a Letter brought me by my Trumpeter from those two Cyprian Noblemen to whom Ariobarzanes had given their King's Body who therein did acquaint me That the necessary Honours due by their Laws to their King 's Embalming would consume at least thirty days by which time they desired if any occassions called me elsewhere I would appoint all the remainder of the Cyprian Fleet to be where now they Anchor'd to receive their King's Body and to attend it into Cyprus to the Tomb of his Predecessors My Trumpeter also told me That he learned Ariobarzanes having as totally defeated our right Wing as I had his left had determined by a new Combat to have forced from me my Success or increased it but that the then appearing of the Fleets of the Cilicians and Phoenicians which they knew was not for their assistance they having then all the help they could expect But chiefly the Cappadocian King 's Wounds which he dissembled till their effects then reveal'd them and a large Leak his Admiral-Galley had received made him retire with the glory of that Victory he had obtained over the Cyprians That he had seen the Body of Ascanius wept over by all his Subjects which were Prisoners who in the greatest of their Griefs had evidenced the greatness of their Loves Whilst my Trumpeter was entertaining me with these Relations I perceived a Magnificent Barge appear from the Shore I concluded the Princess Statira was in it and having drawn up my Fleet in a Cressent to receive her leaving them in that