love be hardlie dealt withal by for certainly there is never a Ladie in all my Court who would not glorie in having wonn his heart and moreover I have not observed that he hath applied himself to converse with any one in particular yet doubtleslie Philoxypes is in Love Sir said I be not so resolute in your assertion till you have stronger proofes thereof and till you may at least conjectture who it is he is in love withall The King began then to number over all the Ladies of the Court one by one found not any one of them that he was likelie to be in Love withall He then began to walk not saying one word soon after I saw some colour com in his face and presently me thought he was much disquieted Leontydas said he you know more then you will tell me Sir said I I have said nothing but truth unto your Majestie For in fine Phyloxypes his Ambition is satisfied he hath no enemies that I know of and if I be not deceived the fairest Ladies of the Court have no great power over him Ah! Leontydas said he you conceal the truth from me but I know it without your telling Yes Leontydas said he Philoxypes doth Love and so love as doubtleslie he is much afflicted thereat and which he will withstand and overcome were not my thought true he would not make his passion so great a secret But good Gods said he how unfortunate am I and to what strange extremitie am I reduced for in fine Leontydas said he confess the truth Phyloxypes mauger himself is become my rival and his grief for it is the cause of his melanchollie Ah! Sir said I not having leasure to think of what I said I know not the cause of Philoxypes his melanchollie but I very well know he is not in Love with Princess Aretephile and that he too much respects your Majestie to suffer such a thought enter his brest Think well Leontydas said he on what you say you assure me you know not the cause of Phyloxypes his melanchollie and yet you know he is not my rivall once more Leontydas if you know the business let me know it or if you know it not confess my suspitions are well grounded and fear not for all this that I wish any harm to Phyloxypes on the contrarie I shal be beholden to him for it I was extreamly troubled to hear the King talk thus for without violating what we hold most sacred I could not reveal Philoxypes his secret which he had made me swear above a hundred times not to do To consent likewise that the King should suspect him to be his Rivall me thought it was a business of too great importance to leave him in that opinion but the more I perswaded him to the contrarie the more firmly did he believe it No said he I am cause of mine own misfortune and of Phylxoipes his misfortune too t is I who made him visit Aretephile more then any other t is mine own hand that hath enthrall'd him and t is I who am the cause of all his sufferings For said he I easilie comprehend he seeks out all this solitariness onely to rid him of this passion nay I have observed that of late he hath been troubled as oft as I have spoken to him to speak to Aretephile that he hath shun'd such Commissions as much as he could and I am too much perswaded that he hath argued the business stifly with himself and I am the onely cause of what he suffers Good gods said he how great is my misfortune there is not any one man in all my Kingdom whom I should not hate if he were my rival unless it be he and there is not any Ladie in the Court in whose Love he would not have been happie except Aretaphile But Sir said I again I protest unto you he is not in love with her and I protest to you replied he expressing an extream grief that Philoxypes is my Rival for were it not so he would not conceal his passion from me The respect he bears to you said I ought to hinder him from so doing if he were in Love No no replied he you shall no longer abuse me and I am equally perswaded of Philoxypes his love of his innocencie and of my misfortune For in fine that the man in the world that I love best should fall in Love with the oneliest Ladie that I can Love and that I should see my self cruelly necessitated either to forsake Aretaphile or to see Philoxypes die it is an unsufferable adventure Sir I beseech you said I expect till she hath once more seen Phyloxypes and have absolutelie commanded him to discover his heart unto her before you resolve on any thing and if you please I will bring him hither to morrow morning No no replied the King you shall not stir out of the Pallace this day nor shall you see Phyloxypes before me In effect this Prince gave one of his servants charge over me and commanded me to withdraw into a Chamber which was appointed for me in the Pallace 'T would be too difficult a thing to represent unto you my vexation and the Kings disquiet since to tell you true he had as much friendship for Philoxypes as Love for Aretaphile Who ever saw said he for he himself told it afterwards an adventure like to mine I have a Rival whom I must love in despight of me and who gives me more occasion to love him for the affection he bears to my Mistress then for all the service he ever did me and then for all the good Offices he hath done me to her it being certain that I need onely look upon him to see what he suffers in my consideration and that I need onely consider what life he leads to see how much I am beholden to him I observe in his eies a melancholly which makes me apprehend his death and I seein all his actions visible signs of his love to Aretaphile and of his respect to me What shall I do said he shall I seem not to know this passion and let Philoxypes die But t is no longer time to conceal what I think since Leontidas knows it Leontidas who is so much his confident and shares so deeply in his friendship shall I also tel Philoxypes that I know his love and not complain of him and if I should complain how weak a succor would this be I should peradventure hasten his hour of death by making him dispair But shall I quit Aretaphile and let my friendship exceed my Love Philoxypes his passion is unjust but passions are not voluntarie and he hath done what ever he could or ought to have done since not being able to keep from loving he hath yet kept from making his love known and hath rather chosen to hazard his life by his respectfull silence then to preserve it by making his passion known which he knows will displease me The King past the night
in this manner very unquietly sometimes he was agitated with anger and hatred not knowing whom he hated or on whom he desired to be revenged sometimes he did a little blame Philoxypes for not having at the very first acquainted him with his passion sometime he betook himself to Aretaphiles beauty but at last he blamed himself Then suddainly considering the pittifull condition into which Phyloxypes was brought and what an unhappy life he led his heart was so touched with compassion as he did almost love his pretended Rival better then his Mistress He then called to minde how that all the favours he had received from her had been husbanded and obtained by Phyloxipes his means He past the next morning in like perplexitie and strange irresolutions at last having dined somewhat early he went well accompanied to lie that night at Claria not affording me any opportunitie to give any notice thereof to Philoxypes for he into whose custodie I was given thinking it had been for some business of another nature treated me as a prisoner of the State and would not give me the least libertie The king commanded me to follow him so as I came with him to Claria he not having spoken one word all the way long but musing still on his adventure But when we were come thither Phyloxipes's people told the King that their Master was not at home and that according to his custom he was walked out all alone The King informed himself carefully of one of his servants who had a long time waited on him whether he knew not the cause of his Masters melancholly this servant who loved his Master dearly that he might make use of the honour the King did him in speaking to him said Sir I know not what my master ayles but this I know that if your Majestie out of your goodness finde not some means to cure him of the Melancholly which possesseth him he will certainly not live long For he eats little hardly sleeps at all does nothing but sigh cannot endure that one should speak to him about busines wanders whole daies in the fields and I once heard him cry out when he little thought I did so Good gods what would the King say if he saw how great my sadness is and how hardly would he guess at the cause of my death In fine Sir said this man with tears almost in his eyes I know not what to say but I am very certain your Majesty will lose the faithfullest of all your servants if you lose the Prince my Master Whilest this man spake thus I was strangely in pain for I saw all that he said tended to confirm the King in his Opinion I was much the better for beckning unto him he never looked on me so intent was he to what he said The King on his part sighed and having left the other well Leontidas you will not have it that Philoxypes is in Love nor that it is Aretaphile whom he loves Sir said I I confess I am stil of that belief and I would your Majesty could resolve to be so too O Unfortunate Philoxypes cried the King not answering me how sad is this distemper and how unfortunat am I my self that I cannot absolutely cure thee of the Malladie that possesseth thee I would then have gone to finde out Phyloxypes that I might acquaint him with the Kings sense before he saw him but the King would not suffer me but making the way be shewn unto him which Philoxypes most usually went we went directly towards the head of Claria Philoxypes was this mean while gone to Cleanthes his house where the face of affairs was a little altered for Policrita-knowing that her condition was not what she believed it to be Philoxypes his desert had made a further advancement in her heart then formerly neither could she so well hide her affection but that Cleanthes and Megisto were much to their grief aware thereof Yet was Philopyxes ne're a whit the more happie for Policrite having tane a Fancie to make tryal of his affection by an appearing indifferency did very carefully conceal from him the affection shee had for him And in truth that very day that the King came to Claria where we mist of Phyloxypes she had caused as much trouble in him as admiration For being gone to her and having found her at the root of a a tree where shee was designing out a corner of the countrey which pleased her he began to entertain her with his passion and to tell her how it grew still more violent upon him Sir said she if I may be permitted to do so I should tell you That if you desire to win my good esteem you should do better to tell me that your passion grows every day more moderate for to tell you the truth I do somewhat apprehend these extravagant passions which I have heard spoken of and which they say does disorder reason makes men lose the respect they ow to virtue though it inhabite in a Cottage and which occasion a hundred strange things the very hearing whereof causeth horror Therefore Sir if you would oblige me you will satisfie your self with telling me you have affection enough for me to wish if it were possible that Fortune had been more propitious to me that I had been born of a higher condition then I am or at least this not being so I might rest content with my own condition without envying others To love you with indifferencie said Philoxypes who acquainted me afterwards with this their conversation your beautie should be indifferent your virtue and discretion should be so also in fine that inexpressable Charm which I finde in every of your words looks and actions ought not to inchant me as it doth But divine Policrite apprehend nothing from the violence of my passion for the stronger it is the fuller of respect shall I be and the more obedient to your will Sir said She if what you say be true speak no more thereof I beseech you for not comprehending that I may lawfully give you any part of my affection mee thinks I ought intreat you to entertain me no longer with yours But Divine Policrita said he for whom do you reserve that Glorious affection which you cruelly affirm I shall never enjoy At these words she blusht and modestly bowing down her eyes I reserve it said she for our woods fields rocks and fountains whereof Sir said shee smilingly I think you will not be jealous I shall not be jealous of them said hee but I shall envy them and I shall not easily endure that you should love things to my prejudice which cannot love you again But cruel maid will you say nothing to me of more obliging and forgoing the Court as J do for love of you and renouncing what ever is in the world except it be Policrite is it possible you should not deal with me a little less severely J do not desire you to love me say onely that you are
Kings discourse felt two contrary agitations at the same time he was grieved to finde his odd opinion and joyed that he knew not the true cause of his love as he thought he had done And believing that he might easily disabuse him in a thing so false as the former was he resolved to continue the concealment of his true passion The King then had no sooner said what I have told you but Philoxypes stepping back a little said what Sir does your Majesty suspect me of so much boldness as to be your Rivall Confess said the King for I know your misfortune hath been such as not to be able to resist Aretaphiles charms But Phyloxipes I blame you not for it t was I that first made tryall thereof I know how inevitable they are you have done more then I my self should have done it may be had I your part to play I should have betrayed my master instead of resolving to die of grief and sorrow as you have done for my sake Thus Phyloxypes I am not displeased with you for loving Aretaphile Sir said Phyloxypes to witness unto you that I am not in love with her I promise you never to see her more nor yet ever to come within Paphos or at least never to speak to that Princess I very well know said the King your Generosity rather leads you to resolve on death rather then to be failing in your duty But Philoxypes to the end you may not object unto me That I have done nothing to vanquish my self I am come to stay at Claria as well as you that I may endeavor to cure my self of this passion and to yeild up Aretaphile to you You on your side shall do the like and he that is first cured shall surrender his part in her to the other But my dear Phyloxypes said he you are yet more unhappy then you think for for when I should cease to love Aretaphile you would not have wonn her heart you know how ambitious she is that her soul is onely sensible of greatness and when I should have yeilded up my mistress to you unless I should also yeild my Crown unto you you would not winne much upon her inclination But in fine said he not affording Philoxypes leasure to answer him if I yeild up Aretaphile to you it will not be hard for me to yeild you up my Crown And in a word I will not be upbraided with your death I will do what I can to cure my self to the end that you may cure your self and if we can neither of us cure our selves we will at least die together Sir said Philoxypes I vow by whatsoever I hold most sacred and most holy that I have not the least pretence to the Princess Aretaphile What then said the King who did not believe him is the cause of your retreat and Melancholly I confess Sir I was a hundred and a hundred times ready to break my word which I had past to Philoxypes but seeing the trouble he was in end that in fine he could not resolve to all the King the truth I with held whilst Phyloxypes answered That what his Majestie did command did not deserve his curiositie and that he could not tell it him Being by this time late we returned to Claria where the King spoke still after the same manner to Philoxypes as Philoxypes did also to him Having found a moment of time to entertain Philoxypes alone I would have perswaded him to have acquainted the King with the truth but he could never resolve to do so saying it would be sufficient to let him see he was not in love with Aretaphile if he should never see her more This mean while the more obstinacie and grief the King found in Philoxypes the more did he compassionate him and the more he laboured to overcome his own passion And to this purpose he stayed eight daies at Claria all which time Philoxypes readie to go mad as well in consideration of the Kings opinion and more for that he could not get to see Polycryte I do not think the King would so soon have left this retiredness had he not been advertised that an Ambassador from Amasis King of Egypt was come to Paphos which forc't him to return But Philoxypes do he what he could must needs go along with him No said the King I will not see Aretaphile without seeing you at the same time The Melancholy which I shall see in your eyes must be to me an antidote against the Charms which I shall see in hers We went then to Paphos but good gods how little delightfull was the Court then and how much troubled did the Ambassador finde the King who was three daies without seeing Aretaphile and Philoxypes being in unimaginable pain for the abovesaid reasons seemed to grow still more melancholy whereat the King was still more and more afflicted Ambitious Aretaphile was this mean while not without her perplexity as well by reason of the Kings journey to Claria as that he came not to visite her and for that shee heard he was returned wonderfully sad But at last the King desirous stil to confirm himself in his belief brought Philoxypes with him to Princess Aretaphile hoping to discover his passion better there then in any other place Philoxypes who thought there was no better means to undeceive the King then in leting him see that he took no pleasure in looking upon this Princess was stil careful to look another way but that which he did to dis-deceive the King did the more deceive him for said he to himself unfortunate Philoxypes cannot indure the sight of her whom he loves and whom he will not love He accused himself then of too much inhumanity in exposing him to so great a punishment and seeing how strangely perplext he was his visit was not long This mean while he having during this visit eyed his pretended Rivall as much as his mistress and having been much disquiet the Princess was not much satisfied with his conversation and knew not whereunto to attribute the cause of the change which she saw in him At his coming forth he said a thousand obliging things to Philoxypes and Philoxypes made as many protestations to him of his being unconcerned in Aretaphile But at last that I may shorten my discourse as much as I may Philoxypes being persecuted by the Kings conceit anger'd at Cleanthes discourse much afflicted at what Policryte had said and much more that he could see her no more and that he durst not return to Claria fell dangerously sick all the Physitions gave up their opinions that unless some cure were found for his Melancholy he would infaliblie die The feaver continued seven daies upon him very violently during which time the King was greatly disconsolate and during which time I had tane a little journey to Amathuse about some business that I had there for I think if I had been at Paphos I should have had much adoe to have kept
did redouble his grief in as much as for that he seemed concerned in any thing which belonged to Policrite and that this slave appeared to him worthy of such good fortune as that in losing him hee lost almost all hopes of ever discovering where Policrite was He forbare not notwithstanding to have watch kept for a while to see whether any bodie should come to that rural Cottage or no but at last wearie of wearying out his people he dispenced with their further trouble therein and abandoned his fortune absolutely to the guidance of the gods As he was one daie in this sad mood Solon came to Claria hee was at first much joied to hear a name he so dearlie loved but considering what an alteration there was in him since he had seen him and how confounded he should bee to acknowledge his weakness to him though he knew that lawful love was not a passion to which Solon had declared himself an enemy this joy suffered a little allay He went notwithstanding with much eagerness to meet him but sadness having so deeply seised upon his heart and eyes the satisfaction which he received to see the famous Solon was so inward as there hardly appeared any sign thereof in his countenance Solon no sooner saw him but he observed his melancholy and Philoxypes on his part looking on Solon in stead of the peacefull physiognomy and that chearful and pleasing aspect which he had wont to have in his eyes he seemed to see a great deal of sorrow The first complements being over and Philoxypes having brought Solon to his chamber Sir said he the sight of you would surely much rejoyce me did I not see some signs of sorrow in you of which I must needs request to know the cause Noble Prince reply'd Solon I should have prevented you and have desired to know the cause of your melancholy before having afforded you leasure to inform your self of mine But I confesse unto you the Law-giver of Athens is not at present in a condition of prescribing Laws unto himself and that the sorrow I feel is stronger then my reason Philoxypes embracing him then straitly conjured him to tell him the reason thereof and desired him to believe he would do all that laie in his power to comfort him But Sir said he I thought that Philosophie had been a salve to you against all the misfortunes of life and that sorrow was a thing unknown to Solon to whom whole Greece gives the name of wise Philosophie said this famous Athenian is a vain-glorious art which boasts of governing in places wherein she hath no great power she may doubtlesly said he teach men to bee vertuous make them know whole nature teach them how to discourse and give them Laws and Precepts for the government of Kingdoms and Common-wealths Nay she may oft times make us overcome our passions but when an equitable feeling which nature gives us is to be overcome believe me Philoxypes the same Philosophy which hath sometimes made us lose Crownes without change of countenance or which hath made us not stick to refuse them is weak in lesse eminent occasions And in my particular I may say I have beene thrice in my life time abandoned by her though peradventure I have been assisted by her upon an hundred difficult occasions But yet said Philoxypes shall I not know vvhat 't is that afflicts you It very well behoves that I tell it you said Solon since 't is from you alone that I can expect any help I will not repeat unto you said he the so many particulars of my fortune which formerly I have acquainted you withal for I believe you have not forgot them but that you may perfectly know the cause of my grief I must howsoever take the rise of my discourse afar off and tell you some circumstances of my life which you have not yet known You know I never believed that marriage was incompetible with Philosophy and true Wisdome as Thales that famous Milesian did imagine you know likewise that I married a personage of great worth and understanding by whom I had children who died soon after they were born one onely son excepted whom I have bred up carefully intending to make him worthie of that noble bloud whence he is descended He was about 14 or 15 years old when I vvas at Milet about some affairs of mine where I visited wise Thales who was one of my very good friends He civily reproacht me with my weakness and said I did sufficiently witness my indulgencie to love by a little image of Cupid which I one day consecrated to that Deitie and placed in the park belonging to the Academie there vvhere they who run vvith the sacred Torch are wont to assemble themselves Passing from one thing to another we spake of the happiness and of the misfortunes of marriage and thus our discourse varying as it oft fals out from our first subject wee spoke of news and other such like matters Presently after Thales feigning to have some order to give to one of his folk about his own affairs rose to speak to him in his ear and came and took his place again Not long after I might see a stranger come whom I knew not vvho told him he was come from Athâ—ns not above ten daies ago Prest by the natural desire of curiositie to know whether there was nothing of new befaln in my Countrey since my departure thence I askt him whether he knew any thing of considerable there or no No said he save onely that the day I came away on I saw the Funeral observed of a young youth of the best rank vvhereat all the people of note in the Town vvere present and vvere very sensible of the sorrow this childs death vvould cause in his Father vvho vvas not then at Athens I confess when I heard him speak thus my colour changed fearing my son might be concerned vvhich made mee ask him whether he knew not the name of that unfortunate Father I have forgot it said he but I know hee is a man of great integritie and who is much esteemed of in that place I confesse Sir that since Philosophy teacheth sinceritie as well as modestie I thought I might be the man spoken of was willing to know the truth without offence to good manners his name doubtlesly said I was not Solon pardon me said he his name came just to my memory as you pronounced it To what end serves it to deny it I could not heare so sad news vvithout sorrow and that so great as Thales pitied me and jesting at my weakness asked me whether it were advantageous for a wise man to marry or no Putting himself thereby in a condition to have studied Philosophie for others not being able to make use thereof himself After this he told mee there was not one word true of all that this man had said that he had not so much as been at Athens of a long time and that