she had really the power of life and death over my Illustrious friend You speak not seriously Laelius answered she blushing and I think you doubt not but your friend would soon be in perfect health if my cares could effect any thing for in your choosing me for your friend continued she you ought so to know I am any of sufficient goodness as to believe that these kind of reproaches cannot be cast upon me but with injustice What I have spoken Madam replied I was in the greatest seriousness possible and the accident you beheld here not long since leaves no room for the doubt of it But Madam proceeded I the sequel of it will be much more lamentable unless you give Scipio some testimonies of that goodnes you say you make profession of you wil see him die infallibly within a few dayes and you will also assuredly see grief will cause me to follow him So that Madam you must either prepare your self to behold that misery or admit the declaration of the most respectful passion that ever was resented Aemilia perceiving I spoke with an air that sufficiently intimated the correspondence of my words thoughts and remembring likewise the extream danger wherein she had seen Scipio appeared a little mollifi'd but she did not wholly yield and would not promise me to permit Scipio to speak of his passion to her For I wonder Laelius said she you should be so instant with me as you are since a friend is much more obliged to cure his friend of a weakness he observed in him then a Virgin is to hearken to things which seemliness forbids her to suffer Neither does seemliness prohibit you to suffer the passion of my friend answered I nor is that passion a weakness since you Madam are the person that have excited it and given it birth in a heart perfectly illustrious But Madam continued I not to lose time answer me but in the name of the Gods answer favourably Will you suffer Scipio to love you or will you suffer him to die Alas Laelius replied she why do you please your self in afflicting me and wherefore do you porpound things to me which I ought not to hear much less consider which to choose But Laelius continued she perceiving her answer deeply affected me to shew you that I am good I will my self go offer my friendship to Scipio I will withal desire his and intreat him to chase away all other sentiments that he pretends to have for me And accordingly after these words this fair person without expecting any answer went to Scipio and having a while beheld him with blushing and silence because she immediately observed a thousand tokens of his passion in his countenance I come said she to him to desire a favour of you Scipio but in the name of the Gods do not refuse it to me Ah! Madam answered the passionate Scipio why do you not forthwith command the person that of all the world owes you the most implicite and perfect obedience Nevertheless I will not tell you replied she what I desire to obtain of you unless you first promise to grant it These words gave Scipio some suspitions so that he mused upon them a little aâ—ter which suddenly resolving speak it Madam said she and if you command me not to cease loving you without doubt you shall be obeyed Well Scipio answered she if I desire you should love me would you do that which Ah! Madam interrupted he impatiently why do you make a question so cruel to me of such matters Command Madam command added he transported with his love and if the business be about serving you I will do things as infirm as I am that shall astonish all the earth I require none of those great things of you answered she I come onely to request you to act with moderation and to cause you to change the tumultuous sentiments you have for me into those of friendship In a word Scipio I come my self to desire your friendship and to offer you mine I will none of your friendship interrupted he roughly no Madam I will none of your friendship I had rather die the unhappiest of all men and die your lover then live with a general esteem then live with all the honour and glory that can be wished and live no more but your friend Yes Madam I shall love you during my life with the same ardency I do I should even increase the violence of my passion if it were possibly to be augmented and I consider all that love you not in the same measure as stupid people without pleasure without honour and without life Yes Madam added he again I esteem them such as I have said and if friendship could subsist between two rivalls I should have already wished a thousand and a thousand times that Laelius loved you as I do for me thinks he spends a languishing and shamefull life because he lives without love for you These passionate words extreamly confused the faire person that heard them as she told me afterwards for she considered that the Illustrious Lover who uttered them was the person of the world that best merited her esteem For besides youth goodliness of person greatness of courage charmes of wit and generosity of mind which she observed in Scipio she considered also that this Heroe had not been reduced to the extremity wherein she beheld him but only by having shewed her and that if he was upon the point to expire it was only through the violence of his love to her which he had not declared but in the most respectfull manner that can be imagined But this severe Lady retaining still some remainder of scruple in her heart which prohibited entry to a certain tenderness which she felt was seising on it she answered her Illustrious Lover that she could no longer suffer such discourse Alas Madam replied he sadly adde also that 't is their pleasure that I should not live In sincerity Scipio said she to him perceiving his griefe would make an end of that little strength was left him after the agitations I told you of you have no reason to afflict your selfe as you do and I conceive you would be injust if you would oblige me to suffer the passion you say you have after having taken the liberty to refuse a friendship I offered you my selfe which perhaps no other would have refused I do not pretend Madam answered he with a lower and weaker voice to oblige you to any thing whatsoever not so much as to have any regret for my death which you are about to be the cause of Yes Madam I betake my selfe to die since you will have it so and did I not fear to loose the respect I owe you by making you see fatall objects I would at this moment leave of what is applied to my wounds in order to preserving my life Scipio ened these last words with so familiar accent and in so languishing a manner that Aemylia perceived
had leagu'd it self to my enemies party contrary to the Treaty which had been made whereby the Saguntines were obliged to bear themselves neuters in which Madam the resentment I have shewn ha's been just and honourable and you ought not to have any against me seeing it was not possible I should disoblige you at such time as I had not the honour to know you But ever since I received that happiness I have acted after a manner wholly contrary I have pardoned all the Saguntines I have changed my hatred towards that people into amity and so have not acted against you but onely during the time I was not capable of offending you Therefore be pleased divine Princess to have compassion on me and do something for a Prince who would do all for you and who demands nothing added he with a transport worthy of Hannibal that you should render him happy till he hath rendred you the Soveraign of the world After these words my Master awaited the answer of Thomira who could not well resolve to speak till at length finding her self obliged thereunto My Lord answered she I am constrained to acknowledge that it is very difficult to consider the great qualities you are master of and to receive the affects of your generosity without much resentment and even added she blushing without conceiving an esteem of them and being glad you were pleased to manifest them towards me But My Lord I conjure you with all my soul to contain your selfe within that esteem and not to pass further but renounce that weakness which may in some measure soile the glory of Hannibal and perhaps will onely serve to render you unhappy if it be true that your happiness depends upon Thomira For if the Prince Edescon be yet amongst the living you ought to expect nothing from me he it is on whom I depend and to him onely it is requisite that you address But if his death proceeded she sighing hath rendred me Mistress of my own inclinations I cannot favourably yeeld my self to a Prince who hath caused me such a loss Ah! Madam interrupted he being desperate by these last words If it were so I should be an innocent cause of it and you could not be at all equitable in punishing me for a contingence which I would have bought off at the price of my life Scarce had my Master pronounced these words but the Prince of Celtiberla and Alorca entered into the Chamber of Thomira and soon after also Hanno leading Nadalia in his hand After Lucius had discharged and received the civilities usual in these occasions How do you Nadalia said the Princess to this young beauty presume to come into the presence of a person whom you have incensed I acknowledge Madam answered she you have reason to be incensed against me if you have any to be so against such persons that suffer and that for your sake But you may discharge your choler if you please pursued she with her usual pleasantries against me and add one unhappiness to another as if the poor Nadalta had not suffered enough during the time that she hath been deprived of the honour of seeing you If you had suffered as you say replyed the Princess you might soon have given your self a remedy Sincerely Madam I have suffered very much said Nadalia but to tell you the naked truth I have not suffered so much as I believ'd I should have done for I have had some divertisement in beholding Attanes's Troops march away In truth replyed the Princess smiling you have had a strange kind of pleasure How Madam said this lovely Virgin this pleasure is greater then you imagine not for that I am of the humour of those Ladies who croud to see the arrival of Souldiers for I should find no pleasure therein unless they came as the prince Lucius did into Saguntum but I should have the same forwardness to see them march away and methinks there is nothing more agreeable then to behold the departure of an Army Nevertheless it is true that I have quitted this pleasure to come to a greater You are then far from having one unhappiness upon another answered the Princess since you do not forsake one pleasure but to come to a new You may judge of the greatness of it replyed she when you are assured that it gave me absolute contentment even at such time as I was absent from you and although it were shared between the Prince Lucius and me yet it is true added she soothingly that it was not comparably great to that which I receive at this present I do not doubt answered the Princess obligingly but you receive satisfaction at the present since you have the goodness to receive it when you give me greater Alas Madam cryed Nadalia I am able to give nothing to a fair and great Princess as you are and I do not expect so much as divertisements You are too modest replyed the Princess but I presume the prince Lucius will inform me what satisfaction it is you have shared with him Lucius proceeded she addressing to the Prince of Celtiberia have you had the same pleasure with Nadalia Yes Madam answered he since we spoke of nothing but of you I am perfectly obliged to you replyed the Princess but she pronounced these few words with a kind of air so sweet and charming that my Master was awakened from a profound amusement whereinto the conversation he had made a little before had plunged him In the mean time Nadalia according to her agreeable humour told the Princess that she was not so much obliged to the prince of Celtiberia as she imagined for 't is I proceeded she smiling who am the cause that he spoke longer concerning you then he would otherwise have done having induced him thereunto by a promise that our next discourse should be of the princess of the Ilargetes How fair Nadalia answered my Master take care to what you say and do not aggrandize the obligation when you go about to diminish it for pursued he you make shew that a Lover took pleasure in speaking concerning the princess of Castulon although it appears that that discourse did defer another which he was to make afterwards concerning the person whom he loved so that the prince Lucius found her discourse agreeable which most other Lovers would have esteemed troublesome and tedions It is true My Lord answered the fair Virgin that I have not spoken according to the rigour of verity but it is also true that in this particular my little experience serves to excuse me Nevertheless I may possibly conceive that that which in your apprehension represents that discourse troublesome may render it extreamly agreeable For seeing I promised to the prince Lucius to speak concerning the Princess of the Ilergetes provided he would first do so of the princess of Castulon I may say that that promise was the cause of the discourse that he made me of her and that the inducement being pleasing the
Their repast was compleatly magnificent and after a short conversation Aemilia was accompanied to her Chamber and Nadalia to hers by Palmira into which the Princess entered and caused Laelius to enter too Who knowing the intentions of these two fait persons and Aemilia's pleasure that Nadalia should hear the particularities of her life seated himself down by them And though this famous Roman was term'd among others by the names of the wise and knowing yet he understood so well how to accommode his knovvledg and vvisdom that he did not appear less gallant and debonair among the Ladies then he vvas othervvhere a Warrier politick and virtuous He began his relation in these vvords addressing it to Palmira onely as Nadalia had entreated him to do The History of SCIPIO and AEMILIA EXpect not Madam to hear in the beginning of my Discourse that kind of Proem which they generally use vvho are to recount a History They are vvont to promise great matters to gain the attention of those that hear them they pick out high words to shew their excellent wit and never fail to excuse themselves that their eloquence is short of the subject they are to treat of For my part Madam I account it not material for me to make use of these Artifices for besides that I believe that the names of Scipio and Aemilia promise at first all that can be imagin'd great I conceive it would be needless for me to take pains to win the attention of a Princess who without doubt would not have commanded me to speak if she intended not to listen to what I have to say As for high language Madam I presume you will readily dispense with me for besides that it shews some violence and enforcement in him that uses it yet it too much takes up the hearers who oftentimes heedlesly let important matters pass by and even some which being necessary to the body of the History it is impossible afterwards to dis-intricate adventures But Madam I shall yet less serve my self of the excuses which I now condemn'd for to tell you things as I apprehend them if I were eloquent I should be so far from being sorry that my eloquence were short of the subject that I speak of that I would repress it in case it offer'd to lift up it self and keep it under as I may so speak to the end there might be nothing in my discourse that might divert part of an attention which I would have wholly bestow'd on the things I should speak and not on the words I made use of to express them For what can be heard more satisfactory to the mind and capable to fill it with excellent Idea's then the relation I am going to make whether you consider that greatness of birth in the persons I am to speak of or admire the rare qualities of their bodies and minds or be affected with the sentiments of an heroick soul or lastly desire to hear surprising events related which seem destinated onely to cause revolutions in the lives of extraordinary persons But Madam lest you should apprehend me guilty of the fault I decry it behoves me to enter upon the matter and to let you know that Scipio is of the Illustrious race of the Cornelii which has always bin so fruitful in great men that 't is not without cause the sir-name of Scipio has bin given them which signifies in our language a Prop or stay since assuredly the Cornelii hath ever supported our Republick and defended it couragiously against all the enemies that have attaqued it Nevertheless I may say since all the world believes and publishes it that the Illustrious Scipio has yet a higher descent and is Son of the great Gods For you have heard I imagine that Iupiter was seen under the form of a great Dragon in the Chamber of the Mother of this Illustrious Roman as 't is reported he was sometimes seen in that of Olympias the mother of Alexander And that which may in some measure perswade us that Scipio is the son of Iupiter or at least as worthy to be so as the famous King of Macedonia is that Scipio is extreamly pious endued with all virtues and blemished with no defect that being not born upon the Throne he is risen by his virtue to the supream authority which he possesses that he has already done things in Europe and Africa which will astonish posterity and that if he happens to defeat Hannibal in a decisive battel he will have done more then ever Alexander did There is yet a difference between these two great men which is that the King of Macedonia would peremptorily have had the whole world treated him as the Son of Iupiter and on the contrary the whole world would have treated Scipio in that manner if himself had not opposed it It is true this famous Roman has taken no extream care to root this belief absolutely out of the minds of people but it has only bin out of respect to the glory of Rome for he believ'd the Souldiers would fight with a higher confidence if they conceiv'd they fought under a Son of Iupiter and would take themselves to be invincible when they beheld a Demy-God in the head of them But Madam intending only to speak of Scipio as of a great man and the Son of Publius Scipio who lost his life gloriously in Spain at the winning of a great field I shall omit to tell you of the prodigies that were seen at Rome on the day of his birth which caused us to presage good fortune to our Common-wealth and of those that were also observ'd at Carthage which had a contrary effect For 't is reported that the day on which Scipio was born according to the supputation that has bin made of it the Tongue of Land on which Carthage is built was perceiv'd to tremble and that Eagles were seen entring into the houses of the Suffetii who as you know have the same authority in Carthage that the Consuls have in Rome But for that all these Prodigies which are nothing but extraordinary signs of things not common would not much divert you I shall prefer to tell you things more essential to Scipio and which will certainly be more agreeable and pleasing to you After having spoken of the house of the Cornelii it may seem convenient before further proceeding in my relation to say something of that of the Aemilii being as well to recount to you the life of the Illustrious Aemilia as that of the Grand Scipio The first therefore that bore the name of Aemilius was according to an opinion sufficiently authentick a Son of the famous Pythagoras named Marcus to whom the name of Aemilius was given by reason of his eloquence This Marcus after the death of his Illustrious Father who as all the world knows came out of Greece into Italy went to inhabitate at Rome where he establisht the Aemilis But Madam there is yet something more of Grandeur in the
had then no cause to neglect his life or rather because he thought to find more sweetness in thinking on Aemilia especially at the same time he conceived she was receiving the information of his innocence As he was musing upon this with extream satisfaction our Host entered into our Chamber with a countenance which shewed sufficiently he had not succeeded well in the Commission enjoyn'd him Scipio was at first so surpris'd at it that he seemed struck dumb with amazement but he was very sensibly afflicted when he was told Claudia would receive no message nor hear any thing from him and that she was gone to offer Varro both her house and all kind of assistance How cryed he is it possible that Claudia would hear nothing that Scipio sent to tell her and that she is gone to offer both her house and all sort of assistance to Varro who betrayes hers to Varro who at the same time that he receives her civilities has designed to carry away her adorable daughter But Varro thy falsehood shall soon be discovered continued he as if Varro had bin present and things shall soon be told Claudia in thy presence which shall prove thy attempt and Titus's infidelity Yes Varro added he thy crime shall soon be known thy accuser shall be a witnesse that both saw and heard thee and who shall so exactly lay open the circumstances of thy perfidiousness that thou shall not dare to disown it though thou seest thy self accus'd by a slave and a slave of thine enemy and thy rival As Scipio ended these words he that he had sent to call the slave he was speaking of entered our Chamber and told him he could not find that slave nor so much as hear any tydings of him Scipio had no sooner heard these words but lifting up his eyes to heaven compleat my destruction cruel destiny cryed he and seek not out such terrible and extraordinary means to increase the greatness of my misery He had no time to proceed further for the Chyrurgions hastned to represent to him the danger into which this agitation would cast him I have no more rules to observe interrupted he impatiently your assistance is no longer necessary to me and the wounds you endeavour to cure afford the least part of the pains that I resent But Scipio said I to him not to suffer him to abandon himself to dispair the injustice of Claudia will not injure for ever and we shall without doubt find means to make her Ah! Laelius interrupted he speak not I beseech you as you do accuse not Claudia I conjure you if you see your friend die yet at least add not to all his torments that of hearing you term the Mother of the adorable Aemilia unjust I am not capable of your virtue replied I roughly if I esteem it heroical I also esteem it inhumane and I conceive there is nothing more lawful for a miserable person then complaint Well Laelius answered he sadly let us pitty our selves but I beseech you let us impute all we suffer to my unhappiness and not accuse a person to whom we owe an infinite respect I shall have as much respect as you please replied I yet at least suffer me to tell you that after the esteem you have acquired and the gallant actions you have atchiev'd Claudia has too lightly given credit to what was suggested to her to your prejudice Alas Laelius answered he sighing it must be believed that the esteem you mention is ill grounded if yet it be true that I have gain'd any and that what I have done hitherto is little considerable since a person who cannot be deceived in her judgement has not bin sufficiently prepossess'd in favour of me to be able to resist the first assaults of calumnie I might have a thousand things to alledge replied I for you and against Claudia but I will not continue a discourse which I see is prejudicial to your health Let us speak I beseech you Laelius said he let us speak of my unhappiness without accusing Claudia of it and without taking heed to a health which deserves no longer to be cared for I answered nothing to whatever he spoke afterwards But he was transported to call me cruel friend and to press me with the most affecting language he could use in which nevertheless I resisted him and refus'd to the most illustrious friend that ever was the sole thing I ought not to have granted him Yet my silence caused not his agitations to cease absolutely he still complained against that strange medley of infelicities that befell him he set his thoughts a thousand and a thousand times upon the glorious beauty of Aemilia to render himself more unhappy in thinking afterwards on the injustice which had injur'd him in the mind of that divine person Thus Madam this illustrious Lover would neither listen to the Chyrurgions entreaties nor mine and was tormented the rest of the night with such violent troubles that the next morning the Chyrurgions began to affirm there would be no hope of his recovery if the violence of his inquietudes dured some hours longer But while he was in this deplorable condition and no body was permitted to enter into our Chamber one came to whisper me in the ear that Claudia desired to see him if it might be without disturbance Claudia desires to see Scipio answered I Alas tell me whither or no you know her so well as not be deceived before you speak further 'T is she answered the messenger and I know her so well that I can assure you of it and tell you moreover that an Inhabitant of Ostia leads her and that she is follow'd by Aemilia and two or three of her attendants Go then said I to him and cause her to come hither and in the mean time addressing to Scipio whom I would prepare for the joy he was to receive lest being suddenly surpris'd he might undergo some more vehement agitation by a contrast in his heart surprising between a joy that would offer to enter into it and a deep sorrow that would dispute its admission But Madam all I could do was unprofitable For besides that I had not time to speak much Scipio was so little dispos'd to believe he was upon the point to receive the visit I speak of that Claudia entered before he believed it really It would be difficult indeed Madam to express to you the condition this Illustrious sick person then was in for he had no sooner cast his eyes on the fair person that followed Claudia but he seem'd like a man that were on a suddain brought into the rayes of the Sun after a long continuance in the obscurity of a Dungeon He began to behold Aemilia with so much intentness that he forgot as I knew afterwards both the treasons of Varro and your honour which he received from Claudia He did not so much as remember the wounds he had upon him and the condition they had brought him to in
less by reason of the wounds he has receiv'd then of love He could not finish what he intended to say love was the last word he pronounced which I believe he could not have reacht to if there had not been infinite sweetness in pronouncing it before the person beloved In brief Madam my illustrious friend fell into a swound by having spoken after a too passionate manner for the pittiful condition into which he was reduc'd by a great loss of blood follow'd with a thousand violent agitations and the denyal of Aemilia to hear him though it was after a manner extreamly civil did not a little contribute thereunto That fair person was so affected with this accident that she immediately made a great shreek and testified as much sorrow as amazement After which turning towards us as Claudia was hastning to see what the matter was Ah! Madam said she to her Scipio is dead Scipio dead cryed Claudia and I together O Gods continued I casting up mine eyes to heaven with the greatest sorrow that ever I resented can you suffer Scipio to perish in so unjust a quarrel Will you suffer so admirable a life to be extinguished in its beginning and can you think it enough to shew to the earth but transiently a Haro whom it seem'd you had destinated for the most memorable exploits by the grand qualities you so liberally favoured him with I continued thus to bewail the infelicity of my friend and beseech the Gods for his preservation not being then able to assist him saving by vows and prayers And indeed the Gods in a short space restored him to us whether it were that they would not a work which they had so excusably framed should be of so little continuance or would not withdraw so great a prop from the City of Rome which they protect with a goodness of which all the world has seen indubitable testimonies during the war which Hannibal brought into Italy So the Chyrurgions recovered this Illustrious person though with extream difficulty who opened his eyes at last after severall cordials and began to give us some hope But when he became capable of well discerning the objects that were about his bed he assumed new vigour by perceiving the lovely eyes of Aemilia were wet and that apparently some tears had dropt from them And indeed Claudia and Aemilia could not without weeping behold such a person as Scipio in so great a danger and even dying for their quarrel to whom they had so great obligations and as yet given him no tokens of the gratitude they pretended to testifie to him Wherefore they went not forth of our Chamber till they had seen Scipio in as good a condition as he was in at their coming to him though Claudia insisted no more to have us carried to her house because the Chyrurgions judg'd it unfitting Assoon as they were gone Madam Scipio related to me the discourse he had with Aemilia and then told me he believ'd the remedies appli'd to him would be unprofitable since it did not please Aemilia he fhould live I cannot Scipio interrupted I suffer this your injustice and without doubt you would not speak in this manner if you had seen the grief of that fair person I oberved well answered he that by all appearance she had shed some tears But Laelius this does not fully satisfie me because most certainly she believed she bestowed them on my death Should what you say be true replied I have you any reason to conclude she would not have you live since your seeming death caused her to weep Ah! Laelius answered he do not deceive your self but believe there is a great difference between these two respects for it is usual enough to be effected with the death of any whatsoever But it does not often happen that any persons interess themselves to contribute towards the contented life of others who are indifferent to them So that Laelius added he though he saw I could not approve his speaking Aemilia forbidding me to speak to her of my passion forbids me also to live for to tell you in a word what I think since I know you desire I should not speak much it is an undoubted truth that 't is impossible I should live without loving Aemilia or that I should live without speaking to her of it and if she has not the goodness to suffer me to do so then take your measures accordingly added he either to preserve my life or to prepare your self to see me separated from you by a death which will without doubt be cruel to me for more then one cause The Gods will preserve us from that unhappiness replyed I and I believe moreover Aemilia will never consent to the loss of an Illustrious Roman whose crime consists onely in declaring to her that one of the most worthy persons of the world dyes for love of her but for a love so respectful that he presumes not to discover it but tremblingly and when he is upon the point to dye of the wounds which he has lately received for her having embraced her interests in the most generous manner that can be imagin'd No no Scipio she is too reasonable to carry her cruelty so far as you apprehend and I pass higher and believe she is not displeased that you love her but for that she make profession of a scrupulous virtue she judges it not becoming to listen to a Declaration of love without endeavouring to impose you silence out of decency But according to the knowledge I have of her I believe she would have strangely ill-heated any other besides you For Ladies of great quality and eminent virtue are very difficult in admitting such discourse as we are speaking of for that they will not their hearts should be attaqued by any being determin'd to dispose of them only according to the pleasure of the persons to whom nature has made them subject Nevertheless I despair not of success for you with Aemilia and if you will promise me to yield to all things for the promoting of your cure I promise you I will act not unprosperously with the person you love Ah! Laelius if you would I have done Scipio interrupted I and I cannot suffer you to speak longer These last words caused my dear friend to be silent who was more apprehensive of displeasing me then injuring his own health and afterwards suffer'd any course to be taken for his cure Not long after Madam an occasion of serving my friend with Aemilia presented it self For Claudia her self visited us and daily came to see in what condition we were though she had sent twice or thrice before for the same cause So that as she was pleas'd from time to time to give such orders concerning us as were necessary her adorable daughter often remain'd near my bed not venturing to approach that of Scipio alone Whereby it was easie for me to take my time to speak to that fair person and to let her know that