and make accoumpte of her as Mother to you bothe and be contente with her entertainemente Thus muche saide he and Theagenes did so either for that he was ouerwhelmed with the skorne of those thinges which happed to him contrary to his hope or els for that in suche cause he was contente to take any lodginge in good parte I thinke he would haue taken héede to him selfe if he had suspected what tragicall and intollerable thinges that lodginge woulde haue procured them to their great harme But then the Fortune whiche gouerned their affayres when it had refreshed them well a fewe howers and geuen them leaue to be merry one daie suddainely ioyued thereto heauy and terrible thinges and brought them into their enimies hande in manner as if they shoulde haue yéelded them selues to be bounde Makinge them prysoners vnder colour of courteous intertainement without any knowledge of that whiche shoulde happe to them afterwarde Suche folly and in manner blindnesse dothe the wanderinge life caste before theire eies who trauell through straunge and vnknowen Countries When they came vnto the Deputies house and wente through the sumptuous entries whiche were greater higher then might beséeme any priuate mans estate furnished with the Princes garde and the other Courtly route the whole Pallaice woondred and was troubled seinge theire present Fortune so farre to excell Yet for al that they followed Cibele who comforted them many waies and badde them be of good chéere promised that they should haue excellente good lucke At length when shée had brought them into a parlour wherein dwelt an olde woomen whiche was farre from the noise of the Courte sittinge by them alone without more company saide thus my Children I knowe that you take this griefe and sorrowe wherein you be nowe of the deathe of the Prieste Calasiris whom for good cause you honoured as your Father Mary it is requisite that beside this you tell me what you be and of whence for that you be Grecians I vnderstande and it may appeare also by that whiche is in you that you be of good Parentage for so comely countenaunce and elegant bewty is a manifest token of hie bloude but I pray you tell me of what Country in Greece and Cittie you be and how you happened to trauell hither for that I desire to heare the same for your commoditie and may certifie my Mistresse Arsace therof also who is Sister of the greate Kinge and wife of Oroondates chiefe Deputie a Louer of Greekes al handsomnesse and very liberall to straungers to the intent you may come into her sight in suche Honorable sorte as your estate shal require You shal tel it to a wooman who is not vtterly your enimie for I my selfe am a Grecian borne in Lesbos surnamed of the Cittie wherein I was borne brought hither Captiue yet haue I had better Fortune here then in mine owne Countrie For I serue my Mistresse in all matters so that without me shée doth nothinge but breathe and liue I am her minde I am her eares to be shorte I am all to bringe her acquainted with good and honest menne Theagenes comparinge that whiche Cibele saide with that whiche Arsace did the daie before and thinkinge howe wantonly with steady eies continually shée behelde him so that her beckes declared scante a chaste minde whereby he gathered small good would ensewe and now beinge ready to saie somewhat to the Olde wooman Cariclia saide softely to him in his eare in your talke remember your Sister I praie After he perceiued what shée meante by that shée saide to him he gaue suche answeare Mother you know that we be Greekes already Then knowe this further that wée be Brother and Sister who takinge our viage to séeke our Parentes taken prisoners by Pyrates haue had woorse lucke then they by fallinge into crueller mens handes Whereafter wée were robbed of all our ritches which was muche scante wée escapinge with our liues by the good will of God mette with the noble Calasiris came with him hither in minde to passe y e reste of our life here but now are as ye sée foresaken of al men lefte quite alone haue loste him who séemed was in déede a Father to vs with our other Parentes suche is our estate As for the courteous and gentle entertainement whiche wée haue at your hande wée geue you therfore very harty thankes and you shal doo vs more pleasure if you procure vs a dwellinge alone from other company deferringe the courtesie whereof you talked But now that is to acquainte vs with Arsace and neuer bringe a straunge bannished and restlesse life into so excellente hie Fortune for you knowe wel yenoughe that friendshippe and acquaintaunce ought to be betwéene suche as are of one condition When he had saide thus Cibele coulde not rule her selfe but gaue manifest tokens by the chéerefulnesse of her countenaunce that shée was very gladde to heare the names of Brother and Sister thinkinge then surely that Cariclia should be no impediment to Arsaces disportes and saide O bewtiful yonge man you wil not saie thus of Arsace when you haue tried her fashions for shée is conformable to al Fortune and is readier to healpe them who vnwoorthy to theire estate haue had mishappe And althoughe shée be a Persian yet in her nature shée imitateth the Greekes much reioicinge in those who comme from thence and is woonderfully delighted with their companye and manners Wherefore be you of good chéere for that you shal be adourned with al honoure that maie happen to a man and youre Sister shalbe of her familiare and neare acquaintaunce but I muste tel her too what be your names After shée had hearde them saie Theagenes and Cariclia shée badde them tarry there a while and shée ranne to Arsace geuinge charge to the doore kéeper which also was an Olde woman that shée shoulde let no man comme in nor suffer the yonge folkes to goe any whither abroade no said shée not if your Sonne Achamenes comme for he wente out a litle while after you were gonne to the Churche to dresse his eie whiche yet is sommewhat soare No ê™ shée not if he comme but locke the doore and kéeping the Baye with you saie I haue carried it awaie And so it happened For Cibele was scante gonne foorthe so soone as that they beinge alone ministred to Theagenes and Cariclia good time to lamente and remember their olde ill happes so that they both in manner with one minde yea and almoste with the same woordes bewayled eche other oft cried shée ô Theagenes ô Cariclia oft saide he What Fortune haue wée ê™ he In what case are wée saide shee And at euery woorde they imbraced ehch other and when they had wepte a while then fel they to kissinge againe Laste of al when they thoughte vpon Calasiris they bewayled him with teares but espectally Cariclia because by longer space of time shée had tried his loue and
⧠AN AETHIOpian Historie written in Greeke by Helidorus very vvittie and pleasaunt Englished by Thomas Vnderdoune With the Argumente of euery Booke sette before the whole VVoorke Jmprinted at London by Henrie VVykes for Fraunces Goldocke dwellinge in Powles Churcheyarde at the signe of the greene Dragon TO THE RIGHT HOnorable Edward Deuiere Lord Boulbecke Earle of Oxenford Lord greate Chamberlayne of Englande Thomas Vnderdowne wisheth longe and blessed life with encrease of Honour AS they somewhat be more precise than I righte Honorable Earle whiche woulde haue noble menne and suche as beare sway and rule in the weale Publike to be in all manner of Sciences greate Artistes and altogether Bookishe so doo I farre dissent from them that woulde contrarily haue them vtterly vnlettered and flatte idiotes for the Bookishe man busily attendinge his owne study cannot carefully yenough tender the state For suche is the propertie of knowledge that it breadeth a contempt of all other thinges in respect of it selfe As for the ignorant it is moste euident and plaine that he can haue no manner of Gouernance or skill of Regiment in his heade The Greekes in all manner of knowledge and Learninge did farre surmounte the Romanes but the Romanes in administringe their state in warlike factes and in common sense were muche their Superiours for the Greekes were wedded to theire learninge alone the Romanes content with a mediocritie applied them selues to greater thinges I doo not denie but that in many matters I meane matters of learninge a Noble man ought to haue a sight but to be to muche addicted that waye I thinke is not good Now of all knowledge fitte for a Noble Gentelman I suppose the knowledge of Histories is moste seeminge For furtheringe whereof I haue Englished a passing fine and wittie Historie written in Greeke by Heliodorus and for righte good cause consecrated the same to your Honorable Lordshippe For such vertues be in your Honour so hautie courage ioined with great skill suche sufficiency in learning so good nature and common sense that in your Honour is I thinke expressed the right patterne of a Noble Gentelman whiche in my head I haue conceiued It nothinge did dismay me or for that I was not knowen to your Honour neither maye it seeme any rashe attempte for that cause For suche is the force of vertue that shee maketh vs to loue not onely our owne Countrie men by sight vnknowen but also Straungers whiche by Lande and Sea be seuered from vs. Therefore I beseeche your Honour fauourably to accepte this my small trauaile in translatinge Heliodorus whome if I haue so well translated as he is woorthy I am perswaded that your Honour will like very well of Sure I am that of other translatours he hath benne dedicated to mighty Kinges and Princes Therefore accept my good will Honorable Earle and if opportunitie shall serue hereafter there shall greater thinges appeare vnder your Honours name Almighty God geue you increase of Honour and keepe and defende you for euer and euer Your Honours moste humble to commaunde Thomas Vnderdowne The Contentes of the firste Booke In it is declared the takinge of Theagenes and Cariclia by Thiamis Captaine of the Theeues of Aegipte and how they were brought into their Countrie whiche is called the Pasture where in Thiamis his house they fell acquainted with Cnemon a Grecian who telleth an excellent tale of his estate After this is declared the takinge of Thyamis by Mitranes and the burninge of the Ilande and this did Nausicles by a greate summe of monye procure Mitranes Captayne of the watches to doo because Thermutes one of Thiamis his men had taken from him a Louer of his named Thisbe whiche he brought from Athens The Contentes of the Seconde Booke In this seconde Booke is contained the councelles of Theagenes and Cariclia and the iourney of Cnemon and Thermutes to seeke Thiamis And howe by composition Cnemon came to Chemmis where he mette with Calasiris very sorowfull who telleth him a notable tale of his owne ill happe and annexeth thereto the beginninge of the story of the whole Booke howe Caricles came by Cariclia and howe Theagenes was sente out of Thessalia to perfourme the Funerall of Pirrhus Achilles his Sonne The Contentes of the Thirde Booke In the thirde Booke is contained the maner of the Funeralles and howe Theagenes fell in Loue with Cariclia and shee with him and the moane that Caricles made for her to Calasiris The Contentes of the Fourthe Booke In this fourthe Booke is contayned the victory of Theagenes againste Ormenes and how by councell of Calasiris he tooke Cariclia away and what adoo was thereaboute in Delphi The Contentes of the fifthe Booke In this fifthe Booke is conteined the seperation of Theagenes and Cariclia and howe that Nausicles the Merchante gotte her of Mitranes in steede of Thysbe and after he had brought her to his house he desired Calasiris to tell him the Story of her and Theagenes who prosequuteth it so farre vntill he commeth to the great Slaughter wherof mention is made in the firste Booke The Contentes of the sixte Booke The sixte Booke conteineth the Marriage of Cnemon to Nausiclia Nausicles Daughter and the viage of Calasiris and Cariclia to seeke Theagenes at Bessa where they heare of an olde woman that the Inhabitantes therof had slaine Mitranes and rescued Thiamis and Theagenes and were gonne with them to Memphis to helpe Thiamis to recouer againe his Priestehoode The same olde woman that tolde them this tale was a VVitche and shewed before them parte of her cunninge by raisinge againe her owne Sonne and after in their sighte receiued suche ende as all her former life had deserued The Contentes of the seuenth Booke In the seuenthe Booke is sette foorthe the Battaile betweene the twoo Brethren Thiamis and Petosiris for the Priesthoode and howe the ende was made betweene them by theire Father Calasiris At this Battaile Cariclia founde her Theagenes againe Arsace falleth in loue with Theagenes and is almoste madde for desire towarde him Calasiris dyeth and his Sonne Thiamis succeedeth him Achemenes is Espoused to Cariclia but he is defeated of the Marriage by Theagenes The Contentes of the eighte Booke This Booke conteineth the warre and cause thereof betweene Hidaspes Kinge of Aethiopia and Oroondates Lieutenante of Aegypte Also the complainte that Achemenes made to Oroondates of Arsace with a commendation of Cariclia and Theagenes to him who sendeth for them Bagoas one of his Eunuches But before he came Theagenes was sore tormented because he would not consent to Arsaces vnlawful desire Cariclia also because shee was thought to hinder Arsaces pourpose should haue bene priuily poysoned by Cybele Arsaces Bawde but the mischiefe fell vpon her selfe Mary Cariclia was accused therefore and should haue benne burned but is woonderfully deliuered by vertue of a Pretious stoane called Pantarbe Then commeth Bagoas and taketh them away for sorrowe wherof Arsace hangeth her selfe After this Bagoas and they fall
a Goddesse woulde a Goddesse kisse a dead man with suche compassion they determined therefore with them selues that it was best to take harte of grace and goe knowe what the matter was in déede When they had therefore encouraged eche other a little they ranne downe and founde the Mayde busie in dressinge the younge mannes woundes and cominge behinde her sodainely stoode still and durste neither speake nor doo any thing more for there liues WheÌ„ shée harde the sounde of somewhat aboute her and their shadowes before her eies shée lifted her selfe vp a litle and looked backe but stouped againe straight no whitte abashed to sée the Théeues in harnes but applied her selfe onely to binde vp his woundes that lay before her Sutche is the force of earnest desire and true loue it despiseth all outwarde chaunces be thei pleasant or otherwise onely beholdinge that whiche it loueth and thereaboute bestoweth all diligence and trauell But when the Théeues passed by and stoode before her and séemed that they would enterprise somewhat shée lifted her self vp againe and beholdinge them blacke coloured euell fauoured said if ê™ shée you be the Spirites of those who are slaine here you trouble vs wrongfully for moste of you were slaine with yoâ—â— owne handes As for vs if we flewe any we did it 〈◊〉 in our owne defence to repelle the violence whiche was profered to my Virginitie but if you be men aliue it séemeth you are Théeues as maie be déemed by the time you come in you maie doo vs a pleasure to ridde vs from these presente miseries and by deathe to finishe this our vnhappie Tragedie Thus did shée sorrowfully lamente but they not vnderstandinge what shée saide leafte them there accountinge their owne inuÌ„rmitie a sufficient garde to kéepe them and hasted to the Shippe and brought out that whiche was in the same euery man bearinge out as muche as he could of Gould Siluer Precious stoanes and Silke not regarding other thinges whereof therein was great stoare And when they thought they had enough and there was suche plentye as mighte séeme to satisfie the Théeues desire layinge their praye on the shoare fell to diuision of the same not accordinge to the woorthe and value of that they had but contented them selues with equalitie of waight As for the yonge Man the Mayde thei would take order for them afterward In the meane time an other companie of Théeues wherof twoo Horsemen were Captaines came towarde them whiche thing as soone as those sawe that had benne there before not of courage to sturre against theÌ„ ranne away as fast as thei could without taking with theÌ„ any parte of the Praye that they might geue their enemie no occasion to pursue them For they were in number but tenne and those who came vppon them were thrée times as many And nowe was the Mayde a prisoner againe but yet not in durance at all The Robbers although they hasted to the spoyle yet partely bicause they knewe not what those thinges signified whiche they sawe and partely also for feare staied them selues a while thinkinge that the former slaughter had benne made by the Théeues that had benne there before But when they behelde the Mayde though straungly yet séemely apparailled whiche despised those daungers that hanged ouer her head as though they had benne none and altogeather imployed her trauell to ease the yonge Mans woundes tooke his gréefe as heauily as her owne sorowe they were not onely stroken with her beawtie and hawtines of minde but wonderfully moued with the cumlines of the wounded Mans person Suche was the séemelines of his countenance and talenesse of his stature euen as he laye along afore them For by this time was he a little amended and his personage had recouered his olde handsomenesse againe At length after they had behelde them a good while and he drewe neare who was theire Maister he laide hande on the Mayde and bad her arise and folowe him Shée although shée vnderstoode not what he saide yet coniecturinge what he willed her to doo drewe the yonge Man with her otherwise shée woulde not onely not departe from him but pointinge with a knife to her harte threatned that shée woulde kill her selfe if they carried them not bothe togeathers Which thinge when the Maister partly by her talke but more plainely by her gesture vnderstoode hoping also to vse his further helpe in great affaires if he might recouer his health againe alighted himself from his Horse coÌ„maunded his hranesbearer likewise so to doo sette his prisoners on them Commaundinge the rest when they had gathered vp the praye to folowe them him selfe like a lackie ranne by theire side and staied them vpright if by meanes of their infirmitie they were in daunger to fal Surely this déede was not without muche glorie for he who was their Maister waited vppon them and he who tooke them prisoners was contente to serue them Suche is the appearance of very Nobilitie and the force of cumlines which canne subdue the disposition of Théeues and bringe vnder the wilde and sauage When they had gone aboute a sixtene furlonges by the Sea side they turned downe straight to the foote of the Hill and left the Sea on their right hande And hauing gone ouer the toppe of the said Hill they hasted to a Poole that laye on the other side thereof the maner whereof was thus The whole place is called the Pasture of the Egyptians about the whiche is a lowe Valeye which receiueth certaine exundations of Nylus by meanes whereof it becommeth a Poole and is in the midste very deape aboute the brimmes whereof are marishes or sennes For looke as the shoare is to the Sea suche is the fennes to euery greate Poole In that place haue the Théeues of Egypte howe many so euer they bée their common Wealthe And for as much as there is but a litle land without the water some liue in smal Cotages other in Boates that they vse as wel for theire house as also for passage ouer the Poole In these doo theire women serue them and if néede require be also brought to bedde When a Childe is borne firste they let him sucke his mothers milke awhyle but after thei féede him with Fishes taken in the Lake and rosted in the hoate Sunne And when they perceiue that he beginnes to goe they tie a corde about his legges and suâ—him but onely to goe aboute the Boate teachinge him euen at the first after a new fashion to goe by a haulter And thus what rudesbie so euer is borne and bred in the Poole accounteth the same his countrie and a sufficient defence for the saftie of Théeues And for that cause all suche people come thether very faste for they all doo vse the water in stéede of a wall Moreouer the great plenty of Réede that groweth there in the moorie grounde is in manner as good as a Bulwarke vnto them For by deuisinge many crooked comberous waies
thorough which the passages to them by ofte vse are very easy but to others harde they haue made it a sure defence that by no sodeine inuasion they maye be endamaged And thus muche as touchinge the Lake and those Roges that inhabite the same About the sunne setting commeth home theire Captaine with all his retinew Then tooke they the yonge couple froÌ„ their Horses and laide their praye aboorde Certaine Boates and the reste of the Robbers that taried at home whiche was a greate sorte ranne to méete the Captaine from out euery parte of the Fenne and welcomed him as if he had benne theire Kinge But when they considered the multitude of the spoyles that they had wonne and sawe the beawtie of the Mayde to be so heauenly a thinge they geassed that their companions had robbed some Churche that they had brought awaie the Prieste of the Goddes or rather the liuely picture of the Goddesse her selfe And this they coniectured to the Mayde bicause they knewe not what had benne donne And therefore they gratulated theire Captaine in hartie wise for his valiante exploite and so brought him into his owne house whiche was an Ilande farre from the reste separated to his onely vse and a fewe other who moste commonly vsed to kéepe him company Whither after he was broughte he commaunded the other to departe euery man to his owne house charginge them the nexte daie all to wayte vppon him Him selfe with a fewe other that taried with him after they had made a shorte supper deliuered the yonge folkes to the custodie of a Grecian whome he had taken a fewe daies before that he might be their Interpreter lettinge them haue a corner of his owne house not farre from his lodginge with commaundemente as wel diligently to sée the wounded yonge Man as curiously to looke to the Mayde that shée by no meanes shoulde be anoyed But he what with his former trauel the daie before and also with care of his present affaires fell a fléepe And when al was whist in the marishe and euery man at reste the Maide tooke that occasion and absence of men to be a fyt time to lament and waile and the rather for that in the night shée coulde neither sée or heare any thinge that might comforte her but contrariewise moue her to sorowe when therefore with her selfe secretely shée had wailed alone for shée was by the Captaines commaundement separated from companie and layde in a simple bedde and wept very bitterly Apollo saide shée howe much more gréeuous punishement doest thou take of vs then wée haue deserued Hast thou not benne sufficiently reuenged on vs with that that is paste For as much as wée are farre from our friendes and kinsfolkes and that we were taken by Pyrates and subiecte to sixe hundred daungers more by Sea but that nowe againe we muste on the lande fall into the handes of Théeues and Robbers beside who knoweth wither any thinge worse is like to light vppon vs when wilt thou make an ende if in deathe that shalbe voide of Iniurie Oh that deathe woulde like me well but rather then any man shoulde filthely knowe me whiche Theagenes neuer did truely with halter I woulde ende my life referringe my selfe pure and chaste as hitherto I haue donne euen vnto deathe and thereby gaine a bewtifull Epitaphe for my singuler Virginitie and no Iudge shalbe so cruell as thou While shée spake thus Theagenes willed her to be contente and saide Mine owne deare harte and onely ioye Eariclea sease youre mourninge I knowe you haue iuste cause to complaine but in youre thus dooinge you displease God a greate deale more then you thinke neither haue wée néede to prouoke God to wrathe but rather to praye for that whiche is mightier muste with Praiers and not with accusacion be appeased You geue me in déede good Counsell ê™ shée but I praye thée tell me howe you fare Better saide he then I did yesternight since this yonge man trimmed my wouÌ„des wherby the burninge heate of them is wel cooled Yea ê™ he who had the charge to looke to them in the morning you shal sée they shalbe in better case for I wil prouide suche an hearbe for you that within thrée dressinges shal heale vp your wounde And this I haue proued trewe by experience for if any that were vnder this Capitaine since I was taken prisoner in any conflict happened to be wounded he neuer néeded many daies to be cured For that I am greatly moued with your estate you néede not maruell at al for you séeme to be in as ill case as I I haue the more compassion on you for that you be Grecians because also I my selfe am a Grecian borne A Grecian Oh immortal God cried they out sodenly for ioie a Grecian in déede bothe tongue countrie Hereafter we trust to haue some respite from our mishaps But what must wée calle you saide Theagenes Cnemon answeared he Of what parte of Greece saide Theagenes Of Athens answeared he And howe came you here saide Theagenes Peace I praie you ê™ he aske me that questioÌ„ no more let vs leaue that to such as write Tragedies Neither at this time woulde I gladly encrease your sorrowes with repeting mine besides that the night is so farre spent that the reste would not serue to tell you the same and wée haue greate néede to take reste and sléepe after our greate trauel But when they would not cease but were stil very instant to haue me tel the same accompting it a greate comforte to heare any man haue as ill lucke as they had them selues Cnemon beganne in this sorte My Fathers name was Aristippus he was borne in Athens one of the vpper Senate as riche as any Comoner in the Cittie he after the decease of my Mother applied his minde to Marrie againe thinkinge it an vnreasonable thinge for me his onely Sonnes sake still to be of an vncertaine and doubtful minde He dothe therfore bringe home a little woman somewhat fine but passinge malicious named Demeneta as soone as shée was Maried shée reclaimed my Father al to her owne lure made him doo what shée liste entising the olde Man with her bewtie was very curiouse in many other pointes for if any woman euer knew how to make a man madde of her shée was better skilled in that Arte then any man woulde thinke but especially when my Father wente foorthe shée would be sorrowfull and renne to him when he came home and blame him mutche for his longe tarriynge and not sticke to tell him that shée woulde haue died if he had taried neuer so little longer At euery woorde woulde shée imbrace him and moiste her kisses with teares with whiche meanes my Father was so bewitched that he neuer was well but when he either had her in his Armes or els looked vppon her aboue all other shée woulde haue mée in her sighte as if I hadde benne her owne Sonne by this meanes also makinge
hitherto liued with you and not geuen any special honour to my selfe more then to any of the common sorte But whether monye were to be deuided I euer loued equalitie or prisoners solde I alwaies brought the summe foorth to you accomptinge it the office of him that wil rule well to doo moste him selfe and take equal parte of that is gotten as others of the prisoners doo suche as were stronge I euer Iudged to you and the feble sorte I solde to make money of I neuer did wronge to wemen for suche as were of good Parentage I suffered to departe either redéemed with monie or els for pittie of theire ill happe and suche as were of inferiour cōdition whom not onely the Lawe of Armes made prisoners but also theire continuall vse had taught to serue I distributed to euery one of you to doo you seruice At this time of al the spoiles I craue one thing onely of you this straunge Maide whom although I might géeue vnto my selfe I thought ▪ I should doo better to take her with al your consentes For it is a foolishe thinge by constraininge a Captiue to séeme to doo any thinge contrary to his frendes pleasure Wherefore I craue this good tourne at youre handes not for nought but rewardinge you againe in suche sorte that of all the other bootie I will haue no parte at all for séeinge the Prophetical sorte of men despiseth the common sorte of wemen I haue decreed to make her my companion not for pleasure so muche as to haue issue by her and therefore am contente to rehearse to you the causes that moue me thus to doo Firste shée séemeth to be of a good Parentage whiche a man maie easily gheasse by the Ritches founde aboute her Secondely for that shée is nothinge broken with these aduersities but euen nowe also of a hawtie stomake againste Fortune Lastly I sée shée is of an excellente nature and good disposition by diuers argumentes for shée doothe not onely passe all other in bewtie and modestie of countenaunce but also moueth all suche as looke vppon her to a certaine kinde of grauitie and shall shée not therefore leaue behinde her a woorthie estimation of her selfe and whiche is especially aboue all that is spoken to be considered shée séemeth to be the Priest of somme Goddesse For euen in her aduersitie shée accompteth it an intollerable and heynous offence to leaue of her sacred stoole and Lawrel garlande Can there be therefore any Marriage oh you that be presente more méete then that a man beinge a Prophete shoulde Martie one consecrated to somme God All they that were presente approued his saieinges and praied the Goddes to géeue him ioye of his Marriage Whiche thinge when he hearde he saide to them againe I thanke you all but in mine opinion it shall not be amisse if aboute this matter wée enquire the Maydes minde for if I liste to vse mine owne authoritie my will were sufficiente because it is a néedelesse thinge to aske theire good will whome a man maie constraine But in this case séeinge wée intreate of a lawefull Marriage it is conuenient to be donne with bothe consentes and so turninge his talke to them asked the Mayde howe shée liked that whiche was propounded as touchinge her Marriage therewithal willed them to declare what they were and where they were borne But shée castinge her eies to the grounde firste after a good season lifted vp her head as though shée had premeditated somewhat and therewithall looking vpon Thyamis and with the brightnes of her bewtie abasshed him more then euer shée did before for by the inwarde cogitation of her minde her chéekes became more redde then accustomably they were and her eies were very earnestly bente vpon him spake thus by Cnemon her Interpreter It were more méete that my brother Theagenes here shoulde haue tolde this tale for mine opinion is that a woman ought to kéepe silence and a man emongest men shoulde make answeare But séeinge you haue geuen me leaue to speake it is an especiall token of your courtesie that you rather meane by perswasion to attempte that whiche is iuste then by force to compell and the rather because that which hath benne spoken most touched me I am constrained to passe these bondes I prescribed my selfe to answeare to the Victors question in so greate an assembly of men We were borne in Ionia and are come of a Noble house of Ephesus When wée came to the age of fouretiene yéeres by the Lawe whiche calleth suche to the office of Priesthoode I was made Prieste to Diana this my brother to Apollo But for asmuche as this honour lasted but for a yéere and oure time was expired we prepared to goo to Deles with our sacred attyre and there to make certaine Plaies and to géeue ouer our Priesthoode according to the manner of our Auncesters And for this cause was our Shippe loden with Golde Siluer goodly Apparel and other necessaries asmuch as were sufficient for the expences of the same and to make the people a publike feaste thus we losed out of the Hauen but our Parentes for that they were olde and feared the daungerousnes of the viage taried at home but many of the other Citezens some in our shippe somme other in shippes of theire owne came to accompanie vs. After we had ended the greatest parte of our viage a tempest suddainely arose and a vehement winde with feareful blastes mouing great waues of the Sea caused vs to leaue our determined Iourney and the gouernour ouercomen with the greatnes of the daunger gaue ouer the gouernement within a while after comminge out of the Hulke committed the rule thereof to Fortune Then were wée driuen with the winde seuen daies and seuen nightes at laste wée were caste vpon the shoore where in you founde vs and sawe the greate slaughter in which place the Marriners as wée were bankettinge for ioye vnlooked for deliuery assaulted vs and for our ritches sought to destroie vs but they were all slaine not without the destruction of oure Fréendes and acquaintaunce and wée onely miserable Creatures which woulde God had not happened obtained the Victorie But séeinge it is thus we haue good cause in this pointe to accompte our selues happy bicause somme God hathe brought vs into your handes where those who feared deathe haue nowe space to thinke on Marriage Whiche surely I wil not refuse For that the Captaine should be iudged woorthy the Victors bedde doothe not onely passe all other felicitie but that a Pristes Sonne shal marrie a woman cōsecrated to the Goddes séemeth not to be done without the singular forefight and prouidence of God I therefore craue but one thing onely at thy hand Thyamis suffer me firste as soone as I shal come to my Cittie or any place where is an Altare or Church sacred to Appollo to surrendre mine office and the tokens thereof This might be donne very commodiously
mouinge any whitte stoode quakinge in a greate admiration Therewithal Theagenes came some what to him selfe began to conceiue somme better hope in his minde comforted Cnemon whose harte nowe failed him and desired him in all haste to carrie him to Cariclia A while after when Cnemon came sommewhat to him selfe againe he looked more aduisedly on her It was Thisbe in déede and knew also the Swoorde that laie by her by the Hiltes to be Thyamis his whiche he for angre and haste lefte in the wounde Laste of all he sawe a little scrowle hange at her breaste whiche he tooke awaie and would faine haue readde it but Theagenes would not lette him but laie on him very earnestly saieinge lette vs firste receiue my swéete harte leaste euen nowe also somme God beguile vs as for these thinges wée maie know them hereafter Cnemon was contente and so takinge the Letter in his hande and the Swoorde also wente in to Cariclia who crepinge bothe on handes and féete to the light ranne to Theagenes hanged aboute his necke nowe Theagenes thou arte restoared to me againe saide shée Thou liuest mine owne Cariclia ê™ he oftentimes At length they fell suddainely to the grounde holdinge either other in their Armes without vtteringe any woorde except a little murmuringe and it lacked but a litle that they were not bothe deade For many times too muche gladnes is turned to sorrowe and immoderate pleasure hath ingendred gréefe whereof our selues are the causes As also these preserued coÌ„trary to their hope and opinion were in perill vntill Cnemon takinge a little water in his handes sprinkled it on their faces and rubbinge their nostrelles caused them to comme to them selues againe When they perceiued that they were so familiarly embraced and on grounde they starte vp suddainely and blushed but especially Cariclia because of Cnemon who had séene these thinges and desired him to pardon them He smilinge a little and willinge to turne their mindes to some mirthe In mine opinion saide he or any mans elles who hath before wrastled with loue and hath pleasantly yéelded thereunto ineuitable chance therof moderately these thinges are muche prayse woorthie But Theagenes I could by no meanes commende that wherof I also was ashamed when I sawe you shamefully embrace a strange woman and one to whome you were bounde by no bonde of fréendshippe for al that I boldely affirmed your dearest frende was aliue safe Cnemon ê™ Theagenes accuse me not to Cariclia whome in an others body I bewailed thinkinge her who was slaine to haue benne this wenche But forasmuche as the good will of God hath nowe declared that I was in so doinge beguiled remeÌ„ber I praie you your owne cowardenes in asmuche as firste you deplored my case in the suddaine knowledge of her who laie there and though you had a swoorde by your side yet you like a stoute and valiant warrioure were afraide of a woman and shée deade nolesse then if the Goddes had benne in presence Hereat they smiled a little but not without teares as it happeneth to men in suche miserie After Cariclia had staied a little and scratchinge her chéeke vnder her eare I iudge saide shée her happy who soeuer shée was whom Theagenes lamented and kissed also as Cnemon reporteth but excepte you thinke that I am in Ialoufie I woulde gladly knowe what happy woman that was for whiche were woorthy Theagenes teares If you can tell me and by what erroure you kissed her in stéede of me Suerly said he you wil wonder at it greatly for Cnemon saith it was that cunninge Player of the Harpe whiche was Thisbe the deuiser of the wyles against him and Demeneta Herewith Cariclia afraide asked him how is it like that shée should come out of y e middest of Greece as of set pourpose into the farthest parte of Egypte or howe is it possible that when we came hither wée sawe her not As touching this saide Cnemon I haue nothing to saie But thus much I hearde of her After that Demeneta preuented with her crafte had caste her selfe into the ditche and my Father had opened the mater to the people he at the firste obteined pardon and was altogeather busied that he might gette leaue of the people to restoare me againe and make preparation to séeke me Thisbe nowe bicause of his busines hauinge little to doo and banketting without care coÌ„tinually set as it were at sale both her selfe and her arte and in asmuche as shée passed Arsmoe in grace cunning play bothe in quicke fingering and also swéete singinge to her Intrumente shée perceiued not that she gotte thereby woorship enuie and emulation conioyned with singuler indignation chiefely for that shée was beloued of a certaine Marchaunt of Mancratia named Nansicles who despised Arsmoe with whom he accoÌ„panied before for al that while shée songe her chéekes swelled and were vnséemely with staringe eies almost leauinge their accustomed place Wherefore Arsmoe swellinge with anger and emulation came to Demenetas kinsfolkes and tolde them the whole maner of the whiles that Thisbe vsed againste her whereof somme shée suspected and Thisbe had tolde her other some for the familiar acquaintance which was bitwéene them When therefore Demenetas kinsfolkes came togeather to haue my Father condemned and had procured the most eloquente Oratours with greate Summes of mony to accuse him they saide that Demeneta was killed without Iudgement and not conuicted and that the Adulterie was pretended to colour the murther and therefore they required to haue the Adulterer either quicke or deade or at leste to knowe his name Laste of all that Thisbe might be brought to examination which when my Father had promised coulde not perfourme for she had prouided that before the daie of Iudgemente was assigned and wente her waie with the Marchaunt as they had appointed the people takinge the mater in euill parte Iudged him not the killer in as muche as he had tolde the mater plainely as it was donne but he helped to the death of Demeneta and mine vniuste bannishmente exiled him out of his Countrie and confiscated al his goodes and this commoditie gotte he by his seconde Marriage But the moste wicked Thisbe who is slaine in my sight sayled from Athens for that cause And thus muche ouely coulde I knowe whiche Anticles tolde me in Egma with whom I sayled twice into Aegypt of purpose if I might finde her in Mancratia to bring her backe to Athens and-deliuer my Father from suche suspitions and accusations as were laide against him and take reuenge of her for all the mischieues that shée did vnto vs and hereof in your presence I make enquirie Nowe as touchinge the cause of my comminge hither the manner thereof and the daungers that I suffered in this space you shal hereafter knowe But howe and by whom Thisbe was slaine in this Denne wée shall haue néede perhappes of some Oracle to tel vs. Neuerthelesse if you will let vs looke vpon the
Letter whiche wée founde in her bosome it maie be that wée shall learne sommewhat beside this in it They were content and he openinge it beganne to reade as foloweth To Cnemon my Maister Thisbe his enimie and reuenger Firste I tel you of the deathe of Demeneta whiche for your sake I deuised againste her the manner howe I brought it to passe if you doo Ransome me I wil tell you betwixte vs twoo Vnderstande that I was taken by one of the Théeues that are of this crewe and haue benne here tenne daies already he saithe that he is the Captaines Harnesbearer but he will not géeue me leaue so muche as to looke abroade and thus he pounished me as he saithe for the loue he hathe towarde me but as farre as I can geather it is leste somme man els should take mée from him Yet for all that by the benefite of the same God I sawe you my Maister yesterdaie and knewe you and haue therefore sente this Letter to you by an olde woman my bedfellowe charginge her to deliuer â–ª it to a bewtifull yonge man beinge a Grecian the Captaines friende Redéeme me I praie thée out of the handes of the Théefe and entertaine your Handmaide and if you will preserue her knowing this first that when so euer I offended against you I was constrained to doo it but in that I reuenged you of your enimie I did it of mine owne frée will but if your anger be so gréeuous againste me that it will not be asswaged vse it towarde me as you shall thinke good so that I maie be in your hande I care not if I die for I couet muche better to be slaine of your handes and to be buried after the manner of the Greekes then to leade a life more gréeuous then deathe or els to susteine suche Barbarous Loue as is more intollerable theÌ„ the hatred of Athens And thus spake Thisbe in her Letter But Cnemon saide Thisbe as reason is thou arte slaine and thy selfe art messenger to tell vs of thy miseries making declaration of them by thine owne deathe Thus hathe the Reuenger as now maie it appeare driuing thée ouer all the worlde not withdrawen her scourge before shée made me whom thou haste iniuried although liuinge in Aegypte to be y e beholder of thy pounishment But what mischiefe was that whiche thou diddest deuise againste me as by thy Letters it maie appeare whiche Fortune woulde not let thée bringe to ende Verily euen nowe also I muche mistruste thée and am in great doubte leste the death of Demeneta be but a tale and that bothe they beguiled me who tolde me of the same and that thou art come by Sea out of Greece to make in Aegypte another Tragedy of mée Will you not leaue saide Theagenes to be too valiant and feare the Shadowes Spirites of deade folkes For you cannot obiecte and saie that shée hather either beguiled me or deceiued my sight séeinge that I haue no parte in this plaie But be sure Cnemon that this body is deade and therefore haue you no cause to doubte But who did you this good turne in killinge her or how shée was brought hither or when I my selfe am in greate maruill As for the reste saide Cnemon I cannot tell But surely Thyamis slewe her as by the sworde whiche laie by her beinge deade wée maie ghesse For I knowe it to be his by the Hilt of Iuory wherein is an Aegle grauen Tell me therfore saide Theagenes how when wherefore he killed her How can I tel you aunsweared Cnemon For this Caue hathe not made me a Soothsaier as doothe Apolloes Churche or those that enter into Trophonius Denne which rapte with Diuine furie doo proficie When Theagenes and Cariclia hearde this suddainely lamentinge O Pitho O Delphi cried they wherewith Cnemon was abashed and wiste not what they had conceiued by the name of Pitho and thus were they occupied But Thermutis Thyamis Harnesbearer after he beinge wounded had escaped the battail and sailed to lande when nighte came he gotte a loose Boate and hasted to goe to the Iland Thisbe whom he tooke a fewe daies before froÌ„ Mansicles a Marchant in a narrowe waie at the side of the Hill But after the broile began and the enimies approched when Thyamis sente him to fetche the Sacrifice to the Goddes he desiringe to place her without the daunger of weapons and to kéepe her for him selfe in safety put her priuily into the Caue and for haste lefte her but in the entrie thereof In which place as shée at the first was lefte partly for feare of the present perilles partly for that shée knew not the waies that wente into the bottome of the Caue Thyamis finding her in stéede of Cariclia slewe her To her therefore Thermutis made haste after he escaped out of the battaile as soone as he was landed in the Ilande he ranne to the Tabernacles where beside asshes he founde nothinge But findinge at length the mouthe of the Caue by the stoane and the reade if any were left on fiere he ranne downe in great haste and called Thisbe by name whom after he founde deade and standinge a good while without mouinge in a greate studie at length hearinge out of the inner partes of the Caue a certaine noyse and sounde for Theagenes and Cnemon were yet in talke he straight déemed that they had slaine her was therefore much troubled in his mind could not wel tel what to doo For the Barbarous angre and fearcenesse whiche is naturally grafted in Théeues kindled the more for that he was nowe beguiled of his loue moued him to set vpon them whome he déemed to be the Authours of that murther but for that he neither had armour nor weapoÌ„ he was constrained whither he would or no to be quiet he thought it good therfore not to come vpon them as an enimie at the firste but if he could get any Armour then to set on them after When he had thus determined he came to Theagenes and loked about with eies frowning and terribly bent so that with his contenance he plainely bewraied the inwarde cogitation of his minde They séeinge a man comme in vppon them suddainely soare wounded naked and with a blouddy face behaued not them selues all alike but Cariclia ranne into a corner of the Caue fearinge perhappes to looke vpon a man so deformed and naked Cnemon séeinge Thermutes contrary to his expectation and knowinge him well mistrustinge that he woulde enterprise sommewhat helde his peace and stepped backe But that sight did not so muche feare Theagenes as moue him to wrath who drewe his sword and made as though he woulde strike him if he sturred and bad him stande or els ê™ he thou shalte knowe the price of thy comminge and the cause is for that I knowe thée not nor why thou commest Thermutis came neare him and spake him faire hauinge rather respecte to the
presente time then for that he was accustomed so to doo and desired Cnemon to be his friende and sayde that he had deserued to be holpen at his hande bicause he neuer had donne him wronge and had ben his companion the daie before and that he came to them as to his friendes Cnemon was moued with his woordes and comming to him helped him vp for he helde Theagenes by the knées and enquired of him where Thyamis was he tolde him euery thinge howe he fought with his enimies howe he wente into the thickest presse of them and neither feared his owne safetie nor their healche howe he slewe euery man that came within his reache but him selfe was garded and compassed about and straight charge giuen that euery man shoulde for beare Thyamis But what became of him at length he coulde not tell I gréenously wounded ê™ he swomme to lande and at this time am comme into the Caue to seeke Thisbe And there with they asked him what he had to doo with Thisbe or howe he came by her Thermutis then tolde them also howe he tooke her from certaine Merchantes and howe he loued her wonderfully and keapt her priuily in his owne Tabernacle and before the comming of the enimies put her into this Caue and that he now founde her staine by some whom he knewe not but he woulde be gladde to vnderstande why and for what occasion it was donne Cnemon herewith desirous to deliuer him selfe quickly from all suspition Thyamis killed her saide he therewith for proufe he shewed him the sworde whiche they founde by her when shée was slaine which as soone as Thermutis sawe blouddy and almoste warme with the late slaughter and knew that it was Thyamis sworde in déede fetching a great sighe from the bottome of his hart not knowing what was donne further wente out of the Denne and sayde neuer a woorde and comminge to the deade body and laieinge his heade on her breaste O Thisbe saide he ofte but nothinge els repeatinge the name onely and within a while his sences faylinge him he fell on sléepe Theagenes Cariclia and Cnemon beganne to thinke of their owne businesse and séemed as thoughe they woulde consulte thereof but their manifolde miseries passed the greatenesse of their calamities presente and the vncertainetie of that whiche was to come did hinder darken the reasonable parte of the minde so that they looked one vpon an other and euery one looked what his fellowe woulde saie as touchinge their present state after this their hope faylinge them they woulde caste their eies to the grounde and with sorrowfull sighes and gréeuous mourninges lift them vp againe at length Cnemon laied him selfe on the grounde Theagenes satte downe on a stoane and Cariclia leaned on him and striued a great while to ouercomme fléepe for desire to consider sommewhat of theire presente affaires but they with sorrowe and labour much abated although against their willes were constrained to obey nature and out of their greate heauinesse they fell into a pleasant sléepe Thus was the reasonable parte of the minde of force constrained to agrée with the affection of the body But after they had slumbred a while so that their eies were yet scante shut Cariclia who laie there with them had a marueilous dreame this it was shée thought A man with a roughe head terrible scowlinge eyes and bloudy handes pulled out one of her eyes herewith shée suddianely cried out faieinge that shée had loste one of her eyes called for Theagenes who straight was at hande and did bewaile her harme as if in his sléepe he had felt the same But she put her hande to her face and felte euery where for that eye which was loste and as soone as she knewe it was a dreame it is a dreame Theagenes saide shée I haue mine eie come hither and feare not Theagenes was herewith well pleased and as méete is ê™ he you haue your eyes as bright as Sunne beames But what ailed you or why were you so afraide An ill fauoured frowarde fellowe ê™ shée nothinge fearing your inuincible strength came to me as I leaned on your knées with a sworde in his hande in suche sorte that verily I thought he had pluckt out my right eye And I woulde to God saide shée it had ben so in déede rather then appeared to me in my sléepe God defende saide he and sende vs better lucke I wishe it saide shée bicause it were better for me to loose bothe mine eies then to be sorrowful for the losse of you Surely I am soare afraide leste you be mente by this dreame whom I estéeme as mine eye my life and al my ritches Not so saide Cnemon for he hearde al beinge waked at the firste crie of Cariclia it séemeth to me y t your dreame shoulde meane an other thinge therefore tell me whether your Parentes be aliue shée sayde yea if euer they were aliue Then Iudge sayde he that your Father is deade and that I geather by this for as muche as wée knowe that our Parentes be the cause and Authoures of our life and that wée sée the light of daie Wherefore by good reason dreames doo liken our Father Mother to a payre of eyes for as muche as they be the cause aswell of the sight as of that maie be séene This is much saide Cariclia but God graunte that this be rather true then the other and that your interpretation preuaile I be called the false Prophete These thinges shal thus come to passe no doubt sayde Cnemon therefore you must be tontent there with but wée in déede séeme to dreame trifling thus longe about dreames and fansies without any consideration of our owne businesse the rather séeinge that this Aegyptian he meant Thermutis is absent and be wayleth his breathlesse Loue. Theagenes answeared him and saide Cnemon for as muche as some God hathe ioyned you to vs made you partaker of our calamities Let vs heare your aduice first for you are skilled in these Countries and vnderstande their tongue well and wée are not so méete to consult of that which is necessary for y t wée are drowned with greater dangers Cnemon therfore musing a litle spake thus Which of vs is in greater miserie I cannot tel for I am sure that God hathe layde calamities ynough vpon my backe also But for that you bid me as the elder to geue mine aduise as touching the present case this is my minde This Ilande as you sée is deserte hathe no man in it but vs moreouer of Siluer and Gould Precious apparel here is great stoare For of suche thinges Thyamis his companions haue taken much as wel from vs as also from others hath layed it here but as for Corne other thinges whereby our life may be maintained there is not one whitte Wée are in daunger therfore if we tarrie here longe either to perish for foode or with the returne
it were vnder the grounde but woulde thence also appeare fearinge leaste her estate should be knowen and so shée killed and I brought in trouble therefore I sewed that I might be sente in Ambassadge to y e Deputie of Aegypte and obtained wherefore I come and bringe her with me desirous to sette her busines in good order And now muste I vtter to him the cause of mine Ambassadge for he hath appointed this daie for the hearinge of me As touching the Mayde I commende her to you and the Goddes who haue hitherto conserued her vpon such conditions as you are bounde by Othe to perfourme That is that you wil vse her as a Frée woman and marrye her to a Frée man as you receiue her at my hande or rather of her Mother who hathe so leafte her I hope that you wil perfourme al thinges whereof we haue commoned aswel by credite of your othe as also by trust y e I haue in your maners whiche I haue by many daies experienced to be very Greekishe in déede Thus much I had to say to you before I executed my cōmission as concerninge mine Ambassadge as for other secresies belonging to the maide I wil tel you them to morow in more ample wise if you wil mete with me about Isis temple I did as he requested and caried the maide muffled to mine owne house and vsed her very honorably that daie comfortinge her with many faire meanes gaue God greate thankes for her from that time hitherto accoumpting meaning her my daughter The next daie I went to Isis Temple as I had appointed with the stranger and after I had walked there a greate while alone and sawe him not I wente to the Deputies house inquired whether any man sawe the Legate of Ethiopia The one tolde me that he was gonne or rather dryuen homeward the last day before Sunne sette for that the Deputie thretned to kyll hym if presently he departed not I asked him the cause for that quoth he by his Ambassadge he willed him not to meddle with y e mines out of which the Smaradges were digged as those y t appertained to Ethiopia I came home againe much greued like one that had had some greate mishap because I coulde not knowe any thynge as touchynge the mayde neither whence shée was or who were her Parentes Maruaile not thereat saide Cnemon interpretinge him for I my selfe take it heauily that I cannot knowe it nowe yet perhaps I shal knowe it hereafter You shal in déede saide Calasiris But nowe wil I telle you what Caricles saide more After I came into my house quoth he the maide came foorth to méete me but saide nothinge bicause shée coulde not yet speake Greeke yet shée tooke me by the hande and made me good chéere with her countenance I marueiled that euen as good Grayehoundes doo fawne vpon euery one though they haue but litle acquaintance with them so shée quickly perceiued my good wil towarde her and did imbrace me as if I had benne her Father I determined therefore not to tarry longer in Catadupi leste some spite of the Goddes shoulde depriue me of my other Daughter too and so comminge by Boate dawne alonge Nilus to the Sea I gotte a Shippe sailed home now in this my Daughter with me this Daughter I saie surnamed also by my name for whose sake I leade scant a quiet life And beside other thinges wherein shée is better then I could wishe shée learned the Greke tongue in so shorte space came to perfite age with suche spéede as if shée had benne a péerelesse branche and so farre passed al other in excellente bewtie that al mennes eies as wel strangers as Greekes were set on her To be shorte whersoeuer she was either in the Tēples or at Publike exercises or in the places of Commō resort shée tourned al mens mindes and countenaunces vnto her as if shée had benne the Image of somme God lately framed And althoughe shée be suche a one yet shée gréeueth me soare Shée hathe bidden Marriage farewel and determine the to liue a Maiden stil and so becomming Dianas seruant for the moste parte appliethe her selfe to huntinge and doothe practise shootinge For my parte I set litle by my life who hoped to marrye her to my Nephew my Sisters Sonne a courteous younge man wel mannered and faire spoken but I can neither by praier nor promise nor force of Argumente perswade her thereto but that whiche greueth me moste is that as the Prouerbe saithe shée vsethe mine owne Fethers againste me and addethe greate experience and many reasons to proue that shée hath chosen the beste kinde of life commending Virginitie with immortal praise and placing it in Heauen by the Goddes callethe it immaculate vnspotted and vncorrupted as for Loue Venus disporte and euery Ceremonie that apperteineth to Marriage shée vtterly dispraisethe In this matter I require your helpe and therfore nowe I hauinge good occasion whiche hathe in a manner profered it selfe to me vse a longer tale then néede requirethe Doo thus muche for me good Calasiris vse somme pointe of your wisedome though it be by Inchantemente to perswade her either by woorde or déede to knowe her owne nature and to consider that shée is borne of a woman This you can doo if you wil. For shée disdaineth not to talke with men for that shée hath bene commonly brought vp amonge them And shée dwelleth in the same house with you here I meane within the circuite and compasse of this Temple Despise not mine humble Prayers and suffer me not to liue in mine age without children and comforte and hope of any to succéede me This I beséech you to doo for Apolloes sake and all the Goddes of your owne Countrie I wepte when I harde this Cnemon because he him selfe not without teares thus humbly besought me and promised to doo what I coulde for him in this pointe While wée yet talked of these matters one came to vs in haste and tolde vs that the Captaine of the Aenians ambassadge was at the gate and made prouision and therefore desired the Prieste to come awaie and beginne the Sacrifice I asked Caricles what those Aenians were and what holy message theirs was and what sacrifice they made The Aenians saide he is the noblest parte of Thessalia and right Gréeke whiche fetche theire petigrée from Deucalion and stretch to the borders of Malia their chiefe Cittie is Hipala so called as they saie because it is Mistres and ruler of the reste but as other thinke for that it is cituate vnder the Hill Oeta This Sacrifice the Aenians sende to Pirrhus Achilles sonne euery fourthe yéere at suche time as the feaste Agon is kepte to Apollo whiche is now as you knowe for here was he killed at the very Aultars of Apollo by guile of Orestes Agamemnons Sonne This message is donne more honorably then any of the reste because the Captaine saithe he is one
of Achilles line By chaunce I mette with him too daies agoo and there semeth verily to appeare in him somewhat woorthy those that come of Achilles bloude suche is the comelinesse of his person and talenes of stature that it may easily proue he was borne of somme Goddesse I marueiled how they beinge Aenians did saie they came of Achilles bloude because the Egyptian Poete Homer safeth that he was borne in Phthia The yonge man and the reste of the Aenians saie plainely that he is their progenitoure and that Thetis was maried to Peleus out of Malia that in olde time Phthia was there aboutes and that who so euer beside them doo chalenge the noble man for his valiaunt actes saie vntruely For his parte he proueth him selfe to be of Achilles bloude by an other reason for that Menesthius his Grandfather who was the Sonne of Sperchius and Polidora Peleus daughter which went with Achilles amonge the noble Captaines to Troye and because he was his Kinsman was one of the chiefest Captaines of the Mirmidones And although he him selfe be very neare on euery side to Achilles and ioyne him to the Aenians yet he accoumpteth these funeralles to Pirrhus for a moste assured proufe whiche all the Thessalians as he saith haue graunted to them bearinge them witnesse that they be the nexte of his bloude I enuy them not Caricles ê™ I whether they chalenge this to them selues vntruely or it be so in déede But I praie you sende for y t Captaine in for I desire muche to sée him Caricles was content Therewith entered in a yonge man of Achilles courage in déede who in countenaunce and stomake appeared no lesse with a streight necke hie forehedded with his heare in comely sorte rebendinge downe his nose and nosthrilles wide inoughe to take breathe whiche is a token of courage strength his eies not very greye but greye and blacke whiche made him looke somewhat fiercely yet very amiably not muche vnlike the Sea whiche is newe calmed after a boysterous tempest After he had saluted vs as the maner was and we him againe it is time saide he to doo Sacrifice to the God that wée may finishe the Noble mans rightes the pompe thereto belonginge by times let it be so saide Caricles and as he rose he tolde me softly you shall sée Cariclia to daie if you haue not séene her before for shée muste be at the pompe and Funeralles of Neoptolemus by custome I had séene the maide before Cnemon and done Sacrifice with her and shée woulde enquire of me of our holy customes and ordinances Yet I saide nothinge to him waytinge to sée what woulde come hereof and so we wente to the Temple bothe togeather For all thinges that belonged to the Sacrifices were made readie by the Thessalians Assoone as we came to the Aulter and the yonge man beganne to doo the Sacrifice hauinge leaue firste of the Prieste Phthia saide thus Yee men of Delphi singe of her and Goddes ofspringe prayse VVho nowe in grace beginnes to growe but fame shal ende her daies VVho leauinge these my Temples here and passinge surginge streames Shall come at length to Countrie scortche with Phebus blasinge beames VVhere they as recompences due that vertues rare doo gaine In time to come ere it belonge white Miters shal obtaine After the God had saide thus those that stoode by caste many doubtes but knewe not what that answeare shoulde meane Euery man had his seuerall exposition as he desired so he coniectured yet coulde none attaine to the true meaninge thereof for Oracles and dreames are for the moste parte vnderstoode when they be come to passe And although the menne of Delphos were in amaze for that was saide yet they hasted to goo to this gorgeous solemnitie not caringe to make any diligent enquirie of the answeare whiche was geuen Here endeth the Seconde Booke The Thirde Booke AFter the Pompe and Funerall was ended Nay Father ê™ Cnemon interruptinge him it is not donne yet seinge your talke hath not made me also a looker thereon But you slippe from me who desire wonderfully to beholde the whole order thereof no lesse then one who as the Prouerbe is came after a feast in as mutche as you haue but opened the Theater and straight shutte it vp againe Cnemon saide Calasiris I woulde not trouble you with suche impertinent matters as you doo nowe desire but would haue brought you to the principall pointes of my tale and that whiche you desired at firste But because you desire by the waie to be a looker hereupon hereby you declare your selfe to be an Athenian I will briefly declare to you the brauerie thereof as wel for it selfe because it is famous as also for certaine thinges that happened thereat The Hecatombe wente before suche menne as were but lately entered into the Holy Ministerie leadde the same eche one had a white garment knitte aboute them their right hande and arme with their breast naked and a Polaxe therein All the Oxen were blacke but very lustie wagginge their heades and liftinge them vp a little they had euen hornes parte whereof was gilded other had Garlandes of flowers vpon them their legges were somewhat crooked their throtes hanged beneath their knées and there were so many as woulde make a iuste Hecatombe in déede After these folowed a greate sorte of other offeringes euery kinde of beastes was leadde by it selfe in order alone with an instrumente that appointed when with what they shoulde beginne These beastes and their leaders did certaine virgines of Thessalia standinge in a ringe with their heare loose aboute their eares intertayne The Maides were deuided into twoo companies those who were in the firste carried flowers and fruite The other caried in baskettes other fine knackes and perfumes and filled all the place with pleasant odor they caried not these thinges in their handes but on their heades for that they helde their handes forwarde backwarde that they might the more easily bothe goe and daunce They receiued their Songe of an other coÌ„panie for it was the duetie of these to singe the whole Hymne In the Songe was Thetis praysed and Peleus then their Sonne and after his after these Cnemon what Cnemon ê™ Cnemon Now Father yée take from me the pleasantest parte of this tale as though you woulde make me a beholder onely of that that was done in this Royalite not a hearer also You shal heare it said Calasiris séeing it pleaseth you this was y e Songe O Nereus God in surginge Seas we prayse thy Daughter deare VVhom Peleus at commaundemente of Joue did make his feare Thou arte our Lady Venus braue in Sea a glimsinge Starre VVho thee Achilles did bringe foorthe a very Mars in VVarre And Captaine good vnto the Greekes thy glorie scales the skyes To thee did thy redheaded VVife cause Pirrhus rough to rise The Troians vtter ouerthrowe but staie to Greekishe hoste Be
iudge her disease by the beatinge of her pulse whiche declareth as I gheasse the state of the harte after he had felte her pulse a good while and had looked oft vpon euery parte of her he saide Caricles you haue brought vs hither in vaine for Phisicke can doo her no good O God saide I why saie you so muste my Daughter die without all hope of recouerie Make not suche adoo saide he but heare me and so when wée were in a corner that neither the Maide nor any other could heare vs he saide Our Arte dothe professe the curinge of distempered bodies not principally of the diseased minde but then when it is afflicted with the bodie so that when that is healed then is it also cured The Mayde in déede is diseased but not in bodie for no humour aboundeth the head ache gréeueth her not no ague burneth her nor any parte or parcelles of her body is gréeued accoumpt this and nothinge els to be true I hartely prayed him if he perceiued any thing by her to vtter it to me Dothe not the Mayde know ê™ he that Loue is an affection and manifest gréefe of the minde Doo you not sée that her eies be swollen and looketh euery waie and is pale in her face but findeth no faulte with her harte beside this shée raueth and vttereth what so euer cometh into her minde watcheth without cause At a woorde shée hath sodainely loste the moisture of her bodie and iuste amplitude thereof You must Caricles if it be possible finde her out a man and when he had saide thus he departed I come in haste to you my Sauiour and God whom both I and shée doo acknowledge to be onely hable to doo vs a good turne For when I desired her ofte and diuerse waies besought her to tell me what shée ailed shée made me this answeare that shée knewe not what disease shée had mary shée knew that none could healpe her but Calasiris and therefore shée desired me to call you to her Whereby I chiefely gheassed that your wisedome had brought her vnder Can you saide I to him tell as well whome shée loueth as that shée is in Loue No by Apollo saide he For how or by what meanes should I know that Mary I woulde aboue all thinges that shée loued Alcamenes my Sisters Sonne whom as muche as lieth in me I haue appointed to be her Husbande You maie saide I trie and bring him in and shewe him to her He liked my Counsell well and wente his waie When he mette me the nexte time in the middle of the Towne where greate resorte was you shall heare saide he a pitifull thinge my Daughter séemeth to be out of her wittes suche a strange infirmitie hath shée I brought in Alcamenes as you badde me and shewed him her very freashly apparailed shée as though shée had séene Gorgons head or some more fearefull thinge cried with a lowde voice and turned her countenance to the other parte of the chamber and put her hande to her throte in stéede of an halter and threatned that shée woulde kille her selfe bounde it with an Othe too if wée dispatched not our selues out of the chamber quickely Wée wente from her in lesse while then shée spake the woordes for what shoulde wée doo seinge so fearefull a sighte Nowe I come to beséeche you againe that you will neither suffer her to perishe nor me to be frustrate of my pourpose O Caricles saide I you saide truely that your Daughter was madde for shée is moued with the multitude that I haue burdened her with whiche are not of the least but suche as should force her to doo that whiche shée abhorred as well by nature as determination of minde But I suppose that some God taketh an him to hinder this businesse and to striue with my ministers Wherefore it is time that you shewe me her safetie whiche you saide was founde with her with the other Iewels I am afraide leaste that be inchanted and wrought with such thinges as doo nowe exasperate her minde by reason that somme Enimie had ordeined this for her as soone as shée was borne that shée shoulde be estraunged from all loue and die without Issue He allowed that I saide within a while after he brought me the same wherein were Aethiopian Letters not common but suche as the Princes vse whiche are like the Letters that the Aegyptians vse in theire Holy affaires as I readde it ouer I founde suche thinges written therein Persina Quéene of the Aethiopians to her Daughter onely in sorrowe by what name so euer shée shalbe called doothe write in haste this Lamentation conteined herein as her laste gifte I was astonied Cnemon when I hearde Persinas name yet I readde that whiche folowed whiche was thus My Daughter the Sunne beinge Authoure of our stocke is witnesse that for no misdéede I haue caste thée foorthe and concealed thée from thy Father Hydaspes sighte yet my Daughter I would haue my selfe excused to thée if thou happen to liue and to him who shal finde thée if God procure any and to al menne and therefore I declare the cause of thy Exposition The greatest of al our Goddes are the Sunne and Bacchus The noblest nexte to these are Perseus Andromeda and Memnon after them Those who haue by Succession edified and finished the Kinges Palaice haue portraied there many thinges that they did as for the dwellinge houses and Galleries they haue sette diuerse Images and Noble actes of theires in them but all the bedde chambers are garnished with Pictures containinge the Loue of Perseus and Andromeda in one of them after Hidaspes had benne Married to me tenne yéeres and wée had neuer a childe wée happened to reste after dinner in the SuÌ„mer for that wée were heauy a fléepe at which time your Father had to doo with mée swearinge that by a dreame he was commaunded so to doo and I by and by perceiued my selfe with Childe All the time after vntill I was deliuered was kepte Holy Sacrifices of thankes geuinge were offered to the Goddes for that the Kinge hoped to haue one nowe to succéede him in his Kingdome But thou werte borne white whiche colour is strange amonge the Ethiopians I knewe the reason because I looked vpon the picture of Andromeda naked while my Husbande had to doo with me for then he firste brought her from the rocke had by mishappe ingendred presently a thinge like to her yet I determined to ridde my selfe of shamefull deathe countinge it certaine that thy colour woulde procure me to be accused of Adulterie and that none woulde beléeue me when I tolde them the cause and to committe thée to the vnstablenesse of Fortune whiche is a great deale rather to be wished then present deathe or to be called a bastarde And tellinge my Husband that thou werte straight dead I haue priuely laide thée forthe with the greatest Kitches that I had for a rewarde
to him that shall finde thée and take thée vp And besides that I haue furnished thée with other thinges I haue wrapped thée in this blankette wherein is conteined the summe of bothe our Estates whiche I haue written with teares and bloude that I haue shedde for thée by reason that I bare thée and fell into muche sorrowe for thée at one and the same time But ô my swéete Childe and but for a small while my Daughter if thou liue remember thy Noble parentage and loue Chastitie whiche is the Character and marke of womanly vertue and Princely minde folowe thy Parentes by keepinge the same Aboue all thinges remember that thou séeke for a certaine Kinge amonge the Iewelles that are aboute thée whiche thy Father gaue me when wée were firste made sure in the hoope whereof is a Princely posie the stoane is a Pantarbe of secréete vertue consecrated in the place where it is sette These thinges haue I saide to thée inuentinge my writinge to this vse sithe that God had taken from me the Habilitie to tell thée them to thy face whiche as they maie be voide of no effecte with litle laboure so may they be profitable hereafter For no man knoweth the vncertainetie of Fortune To be shorte that I haue written if thou liue shalbe tokens to thée my bewtifull Daughter in vaine whiche by thy bewtie procurest my blame of thy birthe But if thou die whiche God graunt I neuer heare they shal serue to burie thée After I had redde this Cnemon I knewe what shée was and marueiled greatly at the gouernance of the Goddes and was full of pleasure and sorrowe and altogeather newely affected wéepinge and laughinge at ones my minde nowe became gladde for the knowinge of that whereof I was ignorant before and for remembringe that whiche was answeared by the Oracle but very muche troubled for that which was to come and had greate pitie and compassion of the life of man as a thinge very vnstable and weake and bendinge euery waie whiche I knewe them firste by the happe of Cariclia For I thought of many thinges of what Parentes shée was come whose Childe shée was thought to be howe farre shée was from her Countrie and was now called Daughter by a false name whereas shée had loste her naturall Countrie soyle and royall bloude of Aethiopia To make fewe woordes I was a greate while in studie for that I had good cause to haue pitie and bewaile her state passed and yet durst not commende that whiche was to come vntill pluckinge vp my harte I concluded that nowe it was not good to delaie the matter but with spéede to execute that I had begone And when I came to Cariclia I founde her alone altogeather weried with loue and striuinge to withstande her fancie Mary her body was muche afflicted by reason that it yéelded to her infirmitie and shée was not hable with any force to withstande the violence thereof After I had then farre put them awaie who were with her and gaue them charge that they shoulde make no noyse in maner as if I had made some Prayers and inuocations aboute the Mayde I saide to her Now is the time come Cariclia for so you promised yesterdaie to tell me your griefe not to conceale it any longer from a man that loueth you hartely and also can knowe it though you holde your tongue shée tooke me by the hand and kissed it and therewithal shée wepte And saide wise Calasiris graunte me this fauour firste suffer me to holde my peace be vnhappie in as muche as you will séeme to knowe my disease all readie and to account auoyded ignominie my gaine by concealinge that whiche to suffer is euill but to vtter woorse Although mine increasinge disease dothe muche gréeue mée yet that gréeueth me more that at the firste I ouercame it not but am yéelded vnto Loue whiche by hearinge onely dothe defile the honorable name of Virginitie With that I comforted her and saide My Daughter you doo wel for twoo causes to conceale your estate For I haue no néede to knowe that againe whiche by my skill I knewe before And not without cause you blushe to vtter that whiche it becometh wéemen to keepe secrete But bicause thou haste ones tasted of Loue and Theagenes hath subdewed thée for thus am I by diuine inspiration informed know that neither thou arte alone nor the first that hath benne thus affected but many other Noble wemen and many Maidens if you consider other thinges very chaste haue tasted hereof as well as you For Loue is the greatest of the Goddes and is saide also sometime to ouercome the Goddes them selues But nowe consider howe presently you may beste order your businesse in as much as at the firste not to be in Loue is a kinde of happinesse but wheÌ„ you are taken to vse it moderately it is a point of excellente wisedome which thinge you may well doo if you wil beléeue me by puttinge awaie the filthy name of luste and imbracinge the lawfull bande of weddinge and turninge your disease into Matrimonie After I had saide thus Cnemon shée was in a great swelte and it was euident that shée was gladde of that shée hearde and greately in feare and muche troubled for that shée hoped at length shée waxed redde to thinke in what maner shée was taken After shée had stayed a while Father saide shée you doo tell me of Mariage and bidde me imbrace that as thought it were plaine that either my Father woulde be contente therewith or mine enemy séeke that As for the yonge man saide I it is out of doubte For he is more in Loue then you beinge moued with like meanes so to doo by reason that bothe your mindes as is like at the firste sight knewe others excellencie and fell into like affection and I my selfe haue made his Loue the more to doo you a pleasure But he that is supposed to be your Father prouideth you an other Husbande Alcamenes whome you knowe well yenough Lette him ê™ shée rather séeke to late him in his graue then Marry him to me Either Theagenes shall haue me or that whiche is destinied to all men shall receiue me But I prayeyou tell me how you knowe that Caricles is not my Father in déede but supposed so to be By this fascia saide I and therewithal I shewed it her Where had you that or howe came you by it saide shée for after he had receiued me in Egypte of him who brought me vp he brought me hither I knowe not how and tooke that from me and keapte it in a Cheste that by continuance of time it might not be spoyled Howe I came by it saide I you shall heare afterwarde But tell me presently if you can tel what is contayned therein when shée tolde me that shée coulde not tell it declareth saide I your Parentes your Countrie and all your Fortune At laste for that
prepared for vs The God that hathe charge of me hath me nowe alone and without my Husbande Alas wretch that I am I meane him that by name onely is my Husbande Cnemon daunceth and is married Theagenes is abroade and perhappes a Prisoner and in Holde and if he be aliue Fortune is sommewhat gentle Nausiclia hathe a Husbande and is seperated from me who vntill this nighte laste paste laie with me onely Cariclia is alone and forsaken of al. I am not for al this offended with her Fortune ô ye Goddes and Heauenly Powers but praie that they maie haue their hartes desire but at our Fortune that ye be not so fauourable vnto vs as to them You haue drawen our acte of suche a lengthe as it now passeth al sense But why doo I complaine of the miseries which the Gods sende vs let the rest also be fulfilled vntil they be pleased But ô Theagenes ô care onely pleasante to me if thou be dead I heare thereof which God grante I neuer doo I wil deferre no time to be with thée for this time I offer this Funerals to thée therewithal shée pulled of her Heare laied it on her bedde poure out these Libations out of y e eies which thou louest so déerely then shee moysted her Bed with her teares But if thou be wel as thou of good righte oughtest to be come sléepe with me appearinge to me in thy shape yet spare me spare me thine owne Mayde I saie and vse me not after the guise of married folkes and haue not to doo with me no not in my sléepe beholde I imbrace thée and thinke that thou arte here and lookest vpon mée And as shée had spoken thus shée caste her selfe grouelinge on her Bedde and sore sighinge and pitifully mourninge shée clasped her armes harde togeather vntil a certaine amasednesse and dazeling caste as it were a miste before her vnderstandinge parte of the minde and brought her asléepe and helde her til it was lighte daie Wherfore Calasiris marueiled that he saw her not as he was woont to doo in searchinge for her came to her Chamber where knockinge sommewhat harde and callinge alowde Cariclia waked her at lengthe Shée was abasshed at that suddaine calle and came as shée was attyred and vnbolted the doore to lette in the Olde man Who séeinge her Heare disordered and her Garmentes cutte before her breaste with her eies ful of water vnderstoode the cause and when he had broughte her to her Bedde againe and had caused her to attyre her selfe cast a Cloke vpoÌ„ her he saide for shame Cariclia what arraye is this why doo you vexe your selfe so sore without ceasing why yéelde you to all chaunces without reason Surely nowe I knowe you not whom till nowe I euer knewe to be of excellente courage and very modest Wil not you leaue of from this woonderful madnesse Wil you not thinke that you are borne mortal that is to saie an vnsteadye thinge bendinge for euery light occasion sundrie waies Haue pitie on vs my Daughter I saie haue pitie if not for your own sake yet for Theagenes cause who desireth to liue with none but you and accoumpteth it a vantage that you are aliue Cariclia blusshed when shée hearde him speake thus and after shée had held her peace a great while and Calasiris desired her to geue him somme answeare shée saide Father you haue good cause to chide but perhappes I deserue pardon for neither any common or straunge desire hathe forced me vnhappy Creature to doo this but pure aud chaste Loue that I beare to a man although he neuer touched me y t is Theagenes who maketh me thus sadde because he is not here with me I am the more afraide also for that I caÌ„not knowe whether he be aliue or not As touchinge this matter saide Calasiris be of good chéere and thinke that he is aliue and one whom the Goddes haue appointed to liue with you if wée muste geue any credite to that whiche the Oracle hath foreshewed vs. Wée muste also beléeue him who tolde vs yesterdaie that Thyamis tooke him prysoner as he was carried towarde Memphis and if he be taken without doubte he is wel for as muche as there hath benne acquaintaunce and familiaritie betwixte theÌ„ before Wherefore wée ought not to staie but goe to Bessa and séeke you for Theagenes and I for my Sonne for you haue heard ere now that Thyamis is my Sonne Then was Cariclia in great thought and saide If Thyamis be your Sonne in déede then are wée in woorse case then euer wée were Calasiris marueiled hereat and asked her why You know ê™ shee howe I became prisoner to the Heardmen where the vnhappy bewty with whiche I am indewed forced Thyamis to Loue me and it is to be feared least if he finde vs as we make inquiry and sée me remembringe that I am shée who dalied and draue of with diuerse disceiptfull promises the Mariage whiche he meante to make with me that he wil take me and by force compell me to finishe the same God defende sayde Calasiris that the vehemency of his luste should be suche that the same should disdaine his Fathers countenaunce and not represse his licencious desire if any such moue him But for all that why cannot you inuent some deuise to delude that whiche you stande so in doubte of for you are very diligent and crafty also to make shiftes and delaies against them that séeke to haue you Cariclia was sommewhat mery with these woordes and answeared whether you speake this in earnest or in ieste lette it passe for this time But I will tell you the waye that Theagenes and I deuised but Fortune woulde not let vs put it in practise because it was very good For when necessitie forced vs to leaue the Iland of y e Heardmen it pleased vs to change our apparell and wander aboute in the Villages and good Townes ragged like beggers Wherfore if it please you lette vs counterfeite this habite and playe the beggers so shall wée not be so muche in daunger of those who would our harme For in suche a case by pouerty wée shalbe more safe for commonly it is rather pittied then enuied and thus shal wée gette our dayly sustenaunce more easily For al thinges are more déerely solde to Straungers whiche haue néede to buie and knowe not the manner of the Country but will be fréely geuen to suche as begge Calasiris praised her deuise made haste to be gonne therefore the nexte day after they came to Nausicles and Cnemon and tolde them when thy were determined to departe thei set forwarde but tooke no Horse with them though one were profered them nor suffered any man to beare them company saue that Nausicles and Cnemon and the reste of the house broughte them on theire waye Nausiclia also wente with them crauinge so muche of her Father for that the Loue shée bare to Cariclia was more then
Battaile at Bessa Then Thyamis commaunded his Souldiers at a parte of the walle to laye aside their Armoure and after their continuall trauell to take some ease and he determined to laie siege to the Cittie The Townes menne whiche were before afrayde of a great Army when they sawe there were so fewe from the walles dispisinge thē by and by gathered the fewe Archers and Horsemenne whiche were lefte in Garrison in the Towne and the reste of the Citizens also tooke suche weapons as came to their handes and determined to goe foorthe fight with them againste the will of a wise and noble man in the Towne who saide that although it happened the deputy to be at the Warre in Ethiopia yet the matter ought to be brought before Arsace his wife that the Souldiers whiche were in the Cittie might be the rediar to defende the same And because he séemed to speake well they wente all to the Kinges Pallaice wherein the Deputies lodge in the Kinges absence Arsace was a bewtifull woman and of tale stature singuler wisedome to doo any thinge and of a stoute stomake for the Noblenesse of her birthe as is like would be in her that is Sister to the great Kinge yet for her vnlawful and dissolute luste shée was not without reprehension and blame And beside other factes shée was in a manner parte of the cause of Thyamis bannishmente when he was constrained to forsake Memphis For presently after Calasiris wente priuily from Memphis for that whiche was tolde him by the Goddes of his Sonnes and coulde not be founde so that it was thought he was deade Thyamis as his elder Sonne was called to the Office of Priesthoode and as he was dooinge sacrifice publikely at his first entry into Isis Churche Arsace seinge him to be a proper yongue man and of good age for that he was the handsomest man in that company best attyred caste many wanton lookes and dishonest countenaunces at him Whiche Thyamis regarded no whitte bothe for that he was of nature very honest and well instructed from a childe and perhappes that whiche shée did was further fetched then that he perceiued it or he thought perhappes shée did it for some other pourpose for that he was altogeather busted aboute his Sacrifices But his brother Petosiris who before enuied that his Brother shoulde be Prieste and had wel marked Arsaces allurementes tooke her vnlawful intisementes for a good occasion to endamage his Brother Wherefore he came to Oroondates secretely and tolde him not onely her desire but that Thyamis also had made the matche with her adding that very falsely He suffered him selfe easily to be perswaded for suspition that he had conceiued of Arsace yet he molested her not either for that he could not manifestly conuince her or els thought it beste to conceale and wincke at it for reuerence and honour that he bare to the Bloud Royall But he tolde Thyamis plainely neuer ceased to threaten to kill him vntill he put him to exile and placed his Brother Petosiris in his roume but this was donne before At that time when the whole multitude came on heapes to her house and certified her of the comminge of theyr enemies and besought her that shée woulde géeue commaundement that the Souldiers should be in a readinesse answeared that shée would not lightly so doo for because shée knewe not of what force her enimies were nor what they were nor whence they came nor for what occasion It was therefore beste firste to goe on the walles and sée all their ordinaunces and then prouide such thinges as shalbe thought cōuenient They thought shée saide wel and wente euery man to the walles there by Arsaces commaundement was a tente of purple silke garnished with Golde pitched and shée her selfe very costly arrayed came and satte in a hie seate with her Garde about her glisteringe in gilte armoure shée helde out her Mace in token of a peaceable Parlamente and commaūded the Captaines of their enimies to approche neare to the Walles After Theagenes and Thyamis elected of the Army came all armed saue theire heades and stoode vnder the wall the Heraulte at Armes saide vnto them Arsace wife of Oroondates chiefe Deputie and Sister to the greate Kinge asketh what you are what your meaninge is and wherefore you are so bolde to comme hither They answeared that they were of Bessa but of him selfe spake Thiamis what he was and that wronged his Brother Petosiris and Oroondates and depriued craftily of his Priestehoode was broughte to be restoared againe by the Bessians and if he mighte recouer the Priestes Office then shoulde it be Peace and the people of Bessa returne home againe without any more harme dooinge If not he meante to committe the matter to the iudgemente of Warre and force of Armes and that Arsace had good cause if shée remembred that whiche was paste to take reuenge of Petosiris for the falsehedde he practised againste her and the vntrue occasions that he laied againste her to Oroondates whereby he broughte her into suspition of vile and vnlawful dealinge with her Husbande and caused him to be bannished by his subtile and craftie meanes All the Cittie of Memphis was troubled with these woordes When they knewe Thiamis and the cause of his bannishmente whiche when he was bannished none of them knewe and denied al that he had saide to be trewe but Arsace of al other was moste troubled so that a whole storme of thoughtes in a manner ouerwhelmed her for shée was soare incensed againste Petosiris and callinge to minde that whiche was paste deuised with her selfe howe shée mighte be reuenged Then beholdinge Thiamis and after him Theagenes was diuersly affected to them both to the one by callinge to minde her olde loue but in the other shée founde occasion of newe and that more earnest loue so that those that stoode by her mighte wel perceiue the troublesome carefulnesse of her minde yet for al this when shée had pawsed a while and came to her selfe not muche vnlike one who is recouered of the Holy Euil shée saide thus Good menne surely you were not wel deuised to take this Warre in hande for you haue nowe brought as well al the people of Bessa as also your selues beinge youthfull yonge menne and therewithall bewtifull of good parentage as may be gheassed into apparent perill for the Théeues quarrell in as muche as if wée woulde fight with you you were not hable to sustaine the firste assaulte of our force For the greate Kinges estate is not brought to so lowe an ebbe but that you may be inclosed of the leauinges of the Army which is behinde him in the Cittie though the Deputie him selfe be away but in mine opinion the whole powers on bothe sides néede not to be troubled and it is better seinge that the quarrell is priuate and not common that it be priuately ended and so be finished as the Goddes shal appointe
repented afterwarde suche a stomake as this I haue greater experience in these Venerious affaires then you This white head that you sée hath benne at many suche Banquettes but I neuer knew any so violent and vncureable as you At laste shée spake to Cariclia for shée was necessarily compelled to saie this in her presence my Daughter perswade this thy Brother also whom I know not how to terme This wilbe for your auaile too you shall not be loued the weight of a heare the lesse of her therefore you shal haue Ritches yenough shée will prouide to marry you wealthely whiche thinges are to be wished for of those who be in happy estate and not of straungers and 〈◊〉 as presently are in great pouertie Cariclia looked vpon her frowningly and with burninge eies saide It were to be wished also and were very wel too for euery bodie that good Arsace had no suche infirmitie but if shée haue to vse it discretely But séeinge that suche a humaine chaunce hathe happened vnto her and shée is ouercommed as you saie I woulde counsel Theagenes my selfe not to refuse the facte if he maie doo it without daunger least that his déede through folly may bréede him harme and her no good if this come to lighte and the Deputie happe to know of so shameful a thinge Cibele leapte for ioye when shee hearde this and imbracinge kissinge Cariclia saide My Daughter thou doest very well that thou haste pittie vpon a wooman like thy selfe and séekest for the safety of thy Brother but thou needest not doubt hereof for that the Sunne as the Prouerbe is shal not know thereof Lette me alone for this time sayde Theagenes and geue me leaue to consider hereupon and herewith Cibele wente out and as soone as shée was gonne Cariclia saide thus Theagenes God geueth vs suche successe wherein is more aduersitie harbored then our outwarde felicitie can conteruaile which thinge seinge it is so it is the pointe of wise menne to turne their il happes as muche as they maie to better whether therfore you be in minde to doo this déede or not I cannot tell Although I would not be greatly against it if there were no other waie to preserue vs but if you doo déeme that a filthy acte as honesty and duety would you should whiche is requested of you faine your selfe to be contented and with fayre woordes féeding the barbarous woomans desire cutte of the same with delayes and lette her liue in hope leaste in her rage shée put some cruell deuise in practise againste vs. For it is like by the grace of God that space of time may prouide some remedy for this but in any wise Theagenes beware that you fall not out of your consideration into the filthinesse of the facte Theagenes smiled hereat a little and saide I perceiue you are not without Ialousie woomens natural disease no not in aduersitie but be sure I cannot faine any suche thinge for to saie and doo vnhonest thinges are bothe almoste alike dishonest And that Arsace may be out of hope to obtaine bringeth an other commoditie with it that shée wil cease to trouble vs any more If I must suffer any thinge as well Fortune as also the constant opinion of my minde haue inured me ere now many times to take what so euer shal happen Then thinke ê™ Cariclia that so you shall bringe vs into greate mischiefe and therewith shée helde her tongue While they considered of these matters Cibele wente to Arsace and incouraged her to looke for better successe and that Theagenes was contente whiche donne shée came into the parlour alone and saide nothinge that night but exhorted Cariclia diuerse waies whom at the firste shée made her beddefellowe to healpe her in this case and in the morninge shée asked Theagenes what he meante to doo He gaue her a plaine deniall willed her neuer to looke for any suche thing at his hande With which answeare shée wente heauâ—â—y to Arsace where shée made reporte of Theagenes stoutenesse Arsace commaunded to breake his necke and wente into her Chamber and vexed her selfe cruelly on her Bedde The Olde wooman Cibele was no sooner in the Parlour but her Sonne Achemenes séeinge her sadde and wéepinge asked her Mother what mishap is befallen Are there any il newes come Are there any il tidinges comme from the Campe Haue our enimies in this warre the vpper hande of our Lorde Oroondates And many suche questions he moued Tushe ê™ shée thy pratinge is to no effecte This saide shée made haste to be gonne but he woulde not let her alone but wente after her and takinge her by the hande besoughte her that shée woulde tel her Sonne the cause of her griefe Then shée tooke him by the hande and leadde him aside into a parte of the Orchyarde saide I woulde neuer haue declared mine owne my Mistresse harmes to any other man But séeinge shée is in perill and I in daunger of my life for I knowe that Arsaces maddenesse wil fall in my necke I am constrained to tel you if happily you can helpe her any thinge who conceiued and bare you into the worlde and nourished you with these Breastes Our Mistresse doth loue the yonge man which is in our House not with tollerable or vsual Loue but so that shée is almoste madde therewith about whom shée I hopinge to spéede wel as wée would loste our labour hence came al courtesies manifold good wil toward y e strauÌ„gers But now séeing the yonge man like a foole and cruel felowe whiche wil not be ruled hathe refused to doo as wée woulde haue him I thinke shée wil not liue and I looke to be slaine and in this case are wée nowe If then thou causte helpe me any thinge doo it if not yet when thy Mother is deade sée that her Deathe Kites be duely finished What rewarde shal I haue Mother saide he for I haue no leasure to boaste my selfe or with longe circumstances to promise you any helpe séeinge you be in suche and so desperate a case Looke for what so euer you wil for shée hathe made you her chiefe Cuppe bearer for my sake already and if thou haue any higher Office in thy heade tel me As for the Ritches that thou shal haue in recompence if thou saue her vnhappy Creature of them shalbe no number Mother ê™ he I perceiued as muche a good while agoe but I saide nothinge and looked euer what would comme of it But I care for no honour nor regarde any Ritches but if shée wil geue me the Mayde whiche is called Theagenes Sister to wife shée shal haue her hartes desire For Mother I loue that Mayde without measure Wherefore seinge our Mistresse knoweth by her owne case what kinde and how great a griefe loue is shée hath good cause to healpe him who is sicke of that disease also seinge further he promiseth her so good lucke Haue no doubt saide Cibele for our Mistresse wil
he is ouercomme with liberalitie But what was the matter that you were so false I was false to you answeared he but trewe to mine owne Prince Then ê™ Hidaspes what pounishmente thinke you that you haue deserued seing that you are ouercome Suche as my Prince oughte to take ê™ he of any of your Captaines that had kepte their allegeance to you Truly saide he he woulde commende him and sende him awaie highly rewarded if he be a true Kinge and not a Tyrante and is desirous that other men by his example shoulde doo the like But Sir saide Hidaspes you saie that you be faithful but will not confesse that you plaied the foole in aduenturinge to matche so many score thousandes He answeared I did not foolishly perhaps seinge I considered my Princes nature who doth more pounish the cowardly Souldier then rewarde the valiaunt man I determined therfore to ioine with you doo some woonderful thinge contrary to the opinion of men as the like occasion of well doinge dothe oft happen in warre or if I hapned to escape that I might haue a good excuse because I remitted nothinge that I ought to haue donne When Hidaspes hearde him saye thus he praysed him greatly and sente him to Siene and gaue the Chirurgians charge to looke very well to him Him selfe also entred the Towne with certaine picked men of his Armie and all the menne of what sorte or age soeuer they were of the Cittie mette him and caste vpon him his Armie Garlandes and Flowers suche as grewe aboute Nylus and commended him greately for his notable Victory As soone as he came into the Towne ridinge vpon an Elephant in stéede of a Charriot he busied his minde aboute the seruice of the Goddes and sacred thinges and asked of the Driginall of the feastes of Nylus and if they could she we him any straunge thinge woorthy to be looked on They shewed him a déepe well whiche shewed the manner of Nylus like vnto that at Memphis made of hewed frée stoone wherein were lines drawen an ell one from an other into the whiche the water of Nilus brought vnder the earthe by a springe and fallinge into these lines declareth to the Inhabitauntes the Ebbes and Fluddes of Nylus by the number of the Figures whiche bare or couered doo plainely tell the risinge and fallinge of the water thereof They shewed him also the strykes of Dialles whiche made no shadowe because the Sunne aboute Midsomer at Siene goinge directly ouer the pointe thereof geueth no shadowe and by the like reason it shineth vpon the water whiche is in the bottome of theire welles Hidaspes maruailed not at this as a thinge straunge to him for he sawe the like at Meroe but when they talked of theire feaste and praysed Nylus woonderfully callinge him the summe and Author of al fruitefulnesse the vpholder of the vpper Egypte and Father and maker of y e inferiour which bringeth euery yéere a newe inued thether whereof the Grecians call it Nylus and telleth them the course of the yéere by flowing in Sommer and ebbinge in Autume and the Flowres whiche growe in it in the spring time and the broode of the Crocodiles and saide that Nilus was nothinge els but the yéere Whiche opinion also the name approued for if you deuide the Letters contained therein into vnities if thei be put togeather will make thrée hundred sixtie and fiue and so many there be daies in the yéere To be shorte when they added thereunto y e properties of the flowers and beastes that bréede thereaboute Hidaspes saide This tale doth not only belonge to Egypte but Aethiopia also And séeing that Aethiopia bringeth this Floud to you whether it be a God as you thinke or a mingle mangle of al other Flouddes you haue good cause to honour that whiche is the Mother of your God Wée doo so saide the Priestes as wel for other causes as that it hath geuen vs a preseruour and a God When Hidaspes tolde them that they ought to prayse reasonably he entred into Siene and solaced him selfe in the other parte of the daye in Banquetinge with the chiefe Lordes of Aethiopia and the Priestes of Siene he gaue leaue to his Army to doo so too There were great heardes of beastes flockes of Shéepe many Goates and Swine whereof the Sienians gaue some to the Armie and some they solde The next daie after Hidaspes sittinge in his Royall Throne deuided to his Army the Cattel Horses and al the other booty as well that whiche he had in the Towne as that he wonne in the fielde accordinge as euery man had deserued When he was come to him that tooke Oroondates Hidaspes saide to him aske what thon wilte for thy labour He answeared I néede aske nothinge ô Kinge but will be contente with that I haue if you be pleased there with whiche I tooke from Oroondates and saued him according to your commaundement and therewith shewed him the Deputies Dagger sette with pretious stoanes of great valewe and woonderful much woorthe so that somme of those that stoode by cried out it was too muche for a pryuate man and a Iewell more fitte for the Kinge Thereat Hidaspes smiled a litle and saide what can be more méete for a Kinge then that I shoulde be of suche courage of minde that I am not mooued with his couetousnesse but despise the same beside the Lawe of Armes geueth the victor leaue to take what so euer he findeth aboute his prysoners body wherefore wée geue him leaue to kéepe that whiche he might haue concealed and wée neuer the wiser After him came they who tooke Theagenes and Cariclia and saide ô Kinge our booty is not Golde nor precious stoanes whiche is little woorthe in Aethiopia are caste aboute by heapes in the Kinges Palaice but wée bringe you a yonge Man and a Mayde Brother and Sister borne in Greece whiche except your grace are the talest and fayrest Creatures in the world wherefore wée craue that wée may be partakers also of your large liberality and bounty well remembred saide Hidaspes for when you brought them to me then I looked vpon them sleightly wherefore let some man bringe them hither streight and the other prysoners also They were brought out of hande for that one ranne foorthe to the impedimentes without the walles and tolde the kéepers that they shoulde bringe them to the Kinge foorthwith They asked one of their kéepers whole Father was a Greeke whither they should be carried He answered that Kinge Hidaspes would sée them and therewith as soone they hearde Hidaspes named they cried out the Goddes be our comforte because till then they were afraide leaste any other had Reigned Then saide Theagenes softely to Cariclia now my harte you shall tell the Kinge of our affayres séeinge Hidaspes reigneth whom you haue told me oft was your Father Cariclia answeared My déere great businesse must be donne with great circumspectioÌ„ For it is necessary
greater maters then this for I am not only one of this Countrie borne but of the Bloud Roial Hidaspes despised her woordes turned away as though they had ben to no pourpose Then ê™ shée Father leaue of thus to despise refuse your owne Daughter Therwith the Kinge not onely despised her but waxed very wrothe accoumpting that iudgemente a greate scorne intollerable wronge saide Sisimithres the reste how longe shal shée abuse my ouer great pacience Is not the mayde starke mad who of singulare boldenesse with lies séeketh t auoide deathe and saith shée is my Daughter as if it were in a Comedy and this but of a desperate minde and fonde deuised matter For my parte as you knowe I neuer had so good lucke as to haue a Childe onely ones it was tolde me that I had one but I loste her by and by Wherefore lette me carrye her awaye that shée delaye the Sacrifice no longer No man shall carrye me awaye Cariclia sayde excepte the Iudges commaunde and you youre selfe are iudged nowe and doo not iudge nor determine Perhaps ô King the Lawe suffereth you to kill Straungers but neither this Lawe nor the Lawe of nature will that you kill your owne Children for the Goddes shal proue this daie that you are my Father though you say naie Euery controuersie in Lawe ô Kinge standeth vpoÌ„ twoo pointes especially that is to saie proofe by writinges and confirmation by witnesses I wil bringe bothe to proue that I am your Daughter for a witnesse I will bringe none of common sorte but him selfe the Iudge for the Iudges opinion maketh greatly on his side that pleadeth any matter And I will laie before you a writinge whiche shal tell you bothe mine and your estate As soone as shée had saide this shée tooke her Fascia that shée carried aboute her and vnfoulded it and gaue it to Persina As soone as shée sawe it shée was straight so amased that she coulde saie neuer a woorde and looked a great while vpoÌ„ that whiche was written therein and the mayde togeather so that for feare shée trembled and sweate sore and was gladde of that shée sawe mary shée was muche troubled with the suddainnesse of the chaunce which hapned in suche sorte as no man would beleue it Beside this shée feared if it were opened leaste Hidaspes would suspecte somewhat and be too light of beliefe or angry and perhappes pounishe her in so much that Hidaspes seing her so amazed saide Wooman what meaneth this Dothe ought contained in this writinge thus trouble thée O Kinge my Lorde and Husbande ê™ shée I haue nothinge to saie thereto but take it and reade it your selfe the same shal teache you well yenough and as soone as shée had geuen it him shée satte downe againe very sadde When Hidaspes had it had called the Gymnosophistae to reade it with him he ranne ouer the same and marueiled muche thereat him selfe and perceiued well that Sisimithres was abashed and that sixe huÌ„dred thoughtes arose in his minde so that he looked oft vpon the Fascia and oft vpon the Mayde When he had readde all was throughly instructed aswel of her exposition as the cause thereof he saide I knowe well that I had a Daughter whiche for all that it was tolde me shée was deade and Persina saide so her selfe also to me yet now I know that shée was sente abreade to séeke her Fortune But who was he that tooke her vp saued her and nourished her thus or who was he that carried her into Egypte Was he taken with her to be shorte howe may I knowe that this is she and whether that which was caste foorthe be not deade and some man when he hapned to finde this would abuse his good lucke and geue them to this Maide and make her playe this parte and so scorne the greate desire that wée haue to haue a Childe by suborninge some chaungelinge and couloringe the truthe with this Fascia To this Sisimithres answeared I can resolue you of your firste doubte for I am he that tooke her vp and kepte her secretely and carried her into Egypt when you sente me Embassadour thither You knowe well yenough that wée maie not lie And I knowe this Fascia whiche is written with the letters of the Kinges of Aethiopia Wherefore wée néede not doubte that it was deuised any where els and you haue good cause to know it because it is written with Persinas hande But there were other tokens also that I gaue to him who receiued her of me whiche was a Greeke and by séeminge a good and honest man I haue them also saide Cariclia and so shewed them the Iuelles with which sight Persina was more astonied then shée was before And when Hidaspes asked her what they were and whether shée knewe any of them Gaue him none other answeare but that shée knew them mary it was better to make further triall of these thinges at home Then was Hidaspes troubled againe and almost beside him selfe but Cariclia saide these tokens my Mother gaue me but this Kinge is yours then shée shewed him the Pantarbe Hidaspes knewe it for he gaue it to Persina when he was betrothed to her and saide these tokens be very good and mine owne but yet I know not that you haue them as my Daughter haue not come by them by any other meanes For to omitte other thinges your colour is strange and the like is not séene in Aethiopia Shée was white too saide Sisimithres that I brought vp and the terme of yéeres dothe well agrée with the age of this Mayde for that the time of the exposition was seuentiene yéeres agone and shée is seuentiene yéeres olde more her eies wil prooue no lesse and all the habite of her bodie is like her that I sawe at that time Sisimithres ê™ Hidaspes you haue saide very well rather haue defended this cause as an Aduocate then satte vpon it in Iudgement but beware that while you goe aboute to take awaye parte of this doubte you charge not my wife with a very harde matter How is it possible by reason that seinge wée be bothe Aethiopians shoulde begette a white Childe Sisimithres then looked aside vpon him and smilinge scornefully saide I cannot tell what ayleth you that you presently be thus affected that you obiecte this Patrocinie to me as a facte woorthy blame whiche I thinke I ought not to neglect For wée call him the beste iudge whiche is a Patrone and defender of equitie but why doo I not rather defende you then the Mayde seinge that I haue proued you to be a Father by the healpe of the Goddes And should I now despise her whom I haue kepte for you from her Cradell But thinke as you will of vs wée passe not a pointe For wée liue not to please other menne but séeke to contente our owne consciences with onely honesty and mere equitie As touchinge your question of her colour
the Herault asked him whether all shoulde comme togeather or orderly euery Nation by it selfe Lette euery one comme orderly ê™ he that I may honour euery man as he deserues Therefore ê™ the Heraulte shal Meroebus your Brothers Sonne come first who came euen nowe but he tarrieth till the Souldiers that be aboute vs doo make him roume Thou dolte ê™ Hidaspes why diddest not thou tell me of him presently seeing thou knowest that he was no Legate but a King and my Brothers Sonne that deceased but late whom I haue placed in his Throne and by adoption haue made mine owne heyre too All this I knâ—we ô Kinge saide Harmonias but I thought it beste to tarry a time for if a Heraulte haue néede to doo any thinge especially he ought to tarry and waite for opportunitie of time Pardon me therefore I beseche you if I durst not be so bolde as to breake of the pleasant talke that you had with the Quéenes Let him come therefore now saide the Kinge He wente as he was commaunded and came by and by againe with his charge Then came Meroebus a tale proper yonge man at that time comminge to mans estate for he was seuentiene yéeres olde and hier then all other that were there and had a comely crewe of goodly fellowes that wayted vpon him and the Aethiopian Army with greate admiration and reuerence made him ready waie Neither did Hidaspes tarry in his seate but arose to welcome him and imbraced him with a Fatherly affection and sette him beside him and takinge him by the right hande saide My Sonne you come in good time you shall beside celebration of this solemne Sacrifice with me for my Victory be Royally Married For our Goddes and the Founders of our stocke and the other Heauenly personages haue prouided me of a Daughter belike whiche shal be your wife The secresies whereof you shal know hereafter at this time if you haue ought to doo with the people vnder youre dominion tell me Meroebus when he hearde of a wife what for ioye and shame coulde not hide him selfe so in his blacke colour but that men mighte perceiue that he blushed and after he had staied a while he saide thus Father the other Legates that come wil geue you of the beste and most pretious thinges that growe in there Countries but I because you haue ben valiant in Battaile declared your excellente manhoode in noble Exploytes haue thought it good to geue you a like gift hereunto and therfore I geue you a man so wel practised in bloudsheadde and warre that there can none be founde whiche dareth to haue to doo with him in wrastlinge and fighte with plummettes of Leade and in all manner of other exercises so sturdy that no man is hable to withstande his strengthe Therwith he badde the man come foorthe He stepte out and fell downe before Hidaspes and was of suche stature beinge a man of the olde makinge that when he stouped to kisse the Kinges knée he was as highe almoste as those that stoode aboute him This donne he tarried not til he was commaunded but put of his apparel and stoode naked and made a chalenge againste al that woulde come either with weapon or with hande After the Kinge sawe that none woulde come foorth though he had made diuers proclamations he said You shal haue a gifte of vs like youre selfe And then he commaunded to fetche an olde Elephante which was very greate When the beast was broughte he receiued it gladly and the people suddainely fel in a greate laughter beinge wel pleased with the Kinges ciuilitie mary after they had laughed and iested yenough it séemed they were ashamed of their facte After him came the Embassadoures that the Seres sente and brought to him twoo garmentes one Purple and an other White the yarne whereof was spunne of the Spiders that bréede in their Country After these giftes were receiued and they had desired the Kinge that suche of their Countrie men as were condemned in his prison might be deliuered and had obteined their sute the Embassadours of Arabia foelix came and offered to him odoriferous leaues bothe of Oliues Cinamon and other swéete sauours that growe in Arabia woorthe many talentes so that euery place was ful of swéete odours After these came they of Trogloditis and broughte Golde and a couple of Gryphes with Bridles of Golde on their heades Then came the Bleminges which carried bowes and arrowes made of Dragons boanes and saide Wée bringe you ô Kinge such giftes as are not in value equal to the other yet was there good accoumpte made of them as you can saie your selfe at the floudde in Battaile against the Persians They are ê™ Hidaspes more woorth then other of greater price for these are the cause why the other are brought vs and then he badde them tel him what they requested When they desired to haue theire tribute abated he released them of all fourtiene yéeres This donne when all were come that had any Message to doo and were as well or better rewarded then theire giftes deserued Laste there came the Legates of the Axiomitae who paied no tributes but were his Confederates and in League with him wherefore they reioiced with him for his prosperous and luckye viage and broughte him giftes too and emonge other a beaste of woonderful and rare nature as bigge as a Camel whose colour was spotted and vpon his skinne there was like scales his latter parte was very lowe and Lionlike but his shoulders foreféete and breste were far beyonde the proportion of his other members his necke was slender and though the reste of his body was greate yet was his throate very small his heade was in fascion like a Camels heade but it was not paste twise so bigge as the Lybian Ostriches heade wherein he rowled his eies terribly as if there had benne in them somme redde leade His gate was neuer changed but wente not like no beaste either of the earthe or water but he moued his legges on either side bothe at ones so that he moued his right legges and lefte legges not in order nor one after an other but all his halfe body with either of them He was so tame and gentell to be dealte with all by vse that he would be ruled of his kéeper with a litle coarde and rather followe his will then the line he was tied in as soone as the beaste was brought in sight al the people were afraide and suddainely called it of the fascion and principal partes of his body Cameloperdalis and it made a greate araye in al the place aboute the whiche the men stoode For suche a chaunce befell at the Aultare of the Moone stoode twoo Bullockes and at the Aultare of the Sunne foure white Horses to be Sacrificed when the Monstrous and straunge beaste came in sight they were as sore troubled and afraide as if they had séene a sprite and one of the
thou good Pirrhus vnto vs a fauourable ghoste VVho here in graue intombed liest in Phebus sacred grounde Bowe downe thine eare to t'holy Limmes that we to thee doo sounde And this our Cittie suffer not in any feare to bee Of thee and Thetis is our songe Thetis al hayle to thee Thus was the songe made Cnemon as farre as I remember and there was so good order in the songe the measure of their dauncinge agreed so wel to the sounde of the instrument that the eies neglected that thei sawe in comparison of that they hearde those that stoode by would folowe the Maides that passed on as though they had benne constrained with the pleasantnesse of theire songe vntill the lusty youthes with their Captaine appeared the sight whereof was better then al that they had séene before The whole nuÌ„ber of these youthes was fiftie whiche was deuided into twise fiue twentie in a manner garded their Captaine who rode in the middest of them Their Bootes wrought with Purple Lether were foulded finely alitle aboue their ancles Their clokes were buttened with Buttons of Golde before their breastes and were laide on with rownde blewe Buttons downe vnto the nethermoste hemme Their Horses came all out of Thessalia whiche also shewed by their pleasaunt countenaunces the good Pasturage of their Countrie They fomed on their brideles as though they thought scorne of such as rode on theÌ„ yet they turned very readily as theire Riders woulde haue them Their Sadels and the reste of their Harnesse was so beset with Siluer and Golde that in this point the yonge menne séemed to striue who shoulde be brauest But Cnemon those who were present did so despise and passe these menne thus apparailed and looke on the Captaine Theagenes on whom was my care that all whiche shewed before very bright was nowe darkened as it had benne with some passinge lightninge Suche brightnesse did his sight bringe vnto vs in as muche as he was on Horsebacke also with a Speare of Ashe pointed with stéele in his hande he had no Helmet on but was bare headed His cloke was of Purple wrought with Golde wherein was the battaile of the Centaures and Lapithes on the Button of his cloke was Pallas pictured bearing a Shilde before her breaste wherein was Gorgons head The comelinesse and commendation of that which was donne was sommewhat increased by the easy blowinge of the winde Whiche moued his heare about his necke parting it before his forehead and made his cloke waue and the nether partes thereof to couer the backe buttockes of his Horse You woulde haue saide that his Horse did knowe the bewtie of his Maister and that he beinge very faire him selfe did beare a passinge séemely man he rained so and with priked vp eares he tossed his heade and rowled his eies fiercely and praunsed leapte in so fine sorte When he had the raines a litle at will he woulde set forewarde couragiously and turne about on bothe sides beate the grounde with the tippes of his houfes lightly and moderate his fiercenesse with the pleasantnesse of his Pace Eche man was amazed thereat and gaue the yonge man the principal praise as wel for his courage as also for bewtie and comelinesse of personage At a woorde the common sorte of women and suche as coulde not moderate theire affections caste Apples Floures vpon him by that meanes as might be geassed séekinge to get his fauoure For they were al of this opinion that there could be no humaine shape whiche coulde surmounte the séemelinesse of Theagenes But after that Aurora with rosiall fingers as saithe Homer appeared and the bewtifull and wise Cariclia came out of Dianas Temple Then I perceiued that Theagenes coulde be conquered but so farre conquered as the natural séemelinesse of womans bewtie hath the more and greater force at first to bringe vnder For shée was carried in a Chariot drawen with a yoke of white Oxen shée had on a purple Gowne downe to her foote spangled with Golde Shée was girded with a girdel in making wherof the woorkeman bestowed al his craft in y t he neuer made the like before nor hable to frame such an other after For he tied twoo Dragons tayles behinde her backe bitwéene her shoulders bringing further their contrarie neckes vnder her pappes with an artificiall knotte sufferinge bothe theire heades to hange downe after it was fastened aboute her You woulde haue saide that the Serpentes did not séeme to créepe but crepte in déede They were not feareful with their terrible lookes but séemed as though they had ben wantonly a sléepe As touchinge their matter they were Golde but in colour blewe For the Golde by arte was made blacke that blacke and blewe might in déede represente the sharpenesse and diuersitie of scales and suche was the Maides Girdel Her heare was neither al bounde vp nor al loose but the moste parte thereof that grewe behinde hanged ouer her shoulders that whiche grewe from the crowne of her head downewarde to her forehead being yealowe coloured was crowned with a Garlande of yonge Lawrell whiche did not suffer the whole to be blowen more then was séemely with the vehemencie of the winde In her leafte hande shee bare a gilted Bowe and a quiuer of Arowes hanged on her right shoulder and in her other hande shée bare a Taper burning and although she were so attyred yet there came greater lighte from her eies then from the Taper Those same are Theagenes and Cariclia in déede saide Cnemon Calasiris thinkinge that he had spied them somewhere asked him and where be they shewe me them for Goddes sake Me thought Father ê™ he I sawe them beinge not here you haue described them so wel and as I my selfe remember wel I haue séene them I cannot tell quoth he whether you sawe them so attyred as at that time al Greece and the sonne him selfe did sée them So faire and so happie were they as menne had felicitie yenough if they were like him and wéemen if they were like her For they counted it an immortal thinge to be suche a couple Although the people of that CouÌ„trie rather praised the yong man and the Thessalians the Maide bothe praising that wonderfully whiche they neuer sawe before For a newe countenance and seldome séene doothe more moue the minde then that wherewith wée are dayly acquainted But oh delectable deceite O acceptable opinion howe didest thou comfort me Cnemon wheÌ„ I hoped that thou haddest séene my deare ChildreÌ„ wouldest haue shewed me them But thou goest aboute vtterly to deceiue me For whereas you promised me at the firste that they would come by by and had for rewarde of so dooinge obteined of me this tale of them yet cannot you shews me them although the eueninge approche it be darke night Be contente quothe he and feare not for they wil come without doubt Perhaps there is some let that they come