whether it do enuie his countreymen but if it be â—arried a little out of his countrey it yéeldeth a swéete and odoriferous sauour this is the Indian flower which is commonly called the blacke rose vppon this Elephants do féede in those countries as Oxen do of grasse amongst vs wherfore béeing fed with so swéet meat they cannot choose but sâ—nd forth a swéete breath After Charmides had ended his discourse not suffering vs to go farre for hee which is wounded with loue is burned with his heate and cannot find a remedie for his gréefe tooke Menelaus by the hand and said I do verily perceiue that thou art Clitiphon his good friend by those things which thou hast done for him wherfore thou shalt not find me worse I would therfore haue you giue him thanks as from me which you may easily do for in so doing you shall restore health againe to my soule for Leucippe hath wounded me preserue thou my life and for these thy good turnes héere I giue thée these fiftiâ— péeces of gold Leucippe shall haue as much as she will demaund Then said Menelaus I pray you take your money againe and giue it to them who sell their good turnes and will do nothing except they be hired I since that you haue accounted of me as your friend I will do my endeuor that you shall know you did not amisse when you receiued me into your friendship which when he had said he came to me and told me all that Charmides had saide wherefore we began now to thinke with our selues what were best to be done herein in the end we concluded to deceiue him for wee could not denie him for feare least hee should haue vsed violence vppon vs neyther could wee escape away because all places thereabouts were beset rounde with théeues and hee also had so many Souldiours about him Therefore a little while after Menelaus went vnto Charmides saying that hee had concluded the matter shewing how that at the first she was very obstinate but when I had mooued her with petitions telling her of your kindnesse shewed vnto her shee granted me my requestes but yet shee intreated this one thing which you must needes graunt that shee may haue leaue to go to Alexandria for that is the place where shee was borne and her friendes do dwell there Then said Charmides thou dost demaund of me this which can hardly be graunted for in war who would deferre to fulfill his desire is there any man which now is about to ioyne battell which is sure of the victorie when there are so many passages ready which leade to death request you this of fortune that I may returne safe from the warre and nowe at this time am I about to fight with these théeues but there is another battell sought in my heart the armed Souldiour doth assayle me with his Bowe and arrowes I am ouercome and heereby wounded with his darts wherefore send for a Phisition for me spéedily for the wound doth waxe gréene and when I am readye to sende fire amongst mine enemies loue hath sette my heart on fire with his torches First therefore Menelaus quench â—his fire and it is the signe of best lucke first to encounter amorously with his loue then to ioyne battell with the enemies let Venus sende mee vnto Mars Then sayde Menelaus you your selfe may sée what a hard matter it is to doo it that her louer which is nowe present should not know Then said Charmides this may quickly be doone for we may sende Clitiphon some other way But Menelaus séeing Charmides wonderfull learnest of his loue fearing least hee would doo mée some iniurie diuised a very good course saying will you knowe the cause indéede why you shoulde stay the Mayde beganne yesternight to bee in her flowers wherefore then shee must abstaine from a man wherefore sayde Charmides I will stay thrée or foure dayes vntill shee bée well againe I hope by that time her monethes will cease in the meane time shee shall doo that which she may shée shall sitte in my sight and kisse me and talke with mee for I do delight to heare her speake to take her by the hande and to touch her soft bodie for these are some easements to a wounded minde What may not a man kisse her nowe I know that cannot hurte her flowers which when Menelaus returning from him had tolde mee at his last wordes I could not choose but exclaime wishing rather to die then any one should enioy her kisses then which nothing is more swéete pleasant and delightfull For with venerean sports a man may be satisfied neither is it any thing worth if you take away kissing kisses haue no ende neither do bring satietie or make a man loath them but are alwaies fresh And there are moreouer thrée most excellent things which come from the mouth her breath voyce and kisses and the lippes which in kissing do touch one another do yéeld that pleasure which riseth form the fountaine of the mind Beléeue mee Menelaus for in necessitie I am not ashamed to reueale any secrets I my selfe haue neuer hadde any thing of Leucippe but kisses shee as yet is a Uirgin neither can bée made a Wife but by kissing which if any man striue to take away from mée hee first shall take away my Soule While I am aliue none shall robbe me of this felicitie wherefore sayd Menelaus wee haue néede of good and spéedie counsell for a louer so long as hee is in hope to obtaine hée beareth all things patiently for hee doth conceiue in his mind the very possession of that which he would But if all his hope be taken away then his desire changed he striued to take away the hinderance in the means season while we were thus consulting togither there came one running in to vs hastily who seemed by his countenance to bee somwhat frighted told vs y e Leucippe fell downe in a swound turning vp her eies as if she were dead but when we came to her and demanded of her what had hapned to her she rising vp came towards me looking vpon me with sower countenance strooke me vpoÌ„ the chéeke with her fist spurned Menelaus with her féete who went about to hold her wherefore we perceiuing she had fallen sicke the impatience of the gréefe forced her to a fit of madnesse we went about to hold her but she withstood vs and wrastled with vs a great while hauing no regard to couer her hiddeÌ„ parts wherfore a great tumult arose in our lodging so that Charmides hearing of it came running to vs to know what the matter was at first he looked vpon Menelaus very sternely thinking that wee had gone about some knauerie to beguile him but afterwardes when hee sawe the truth his minde was changed greatly lamenting this mishap But Leucippe the cords being brought was bound vpon her bed which when I sawe her tender handes were tyed with such hard ropes most of them being gone
index of the wounde from which being touched dooth flowe whole streames of bloud so the mind being wounded with the sharpe poynt of some ill nâ—wes dooth not instantly gape neyther doo the teares immediately come foorth which is as it were the bloud of the wounded heart but after that the tooth of sorrow hath somewhat touched it then is the minde rent asunder and the teares hauing made passage for their streame through the eyes doo flowe abundantly for my minde so soone as it was strooken with the spéech of him that reported the death of Leucippe as it were with a dart beganne after a little space to breathe from griefe and make passage for the teares Then sayd I what feare was this which allured me with so short ioy who shewed Leucippe to me that shée might be the cause of newe calamities vnto mée what because I coulde not satisfie my eyes with beholding by which alone I was happie or if I did beholde I was not filled with sight all my pleasure beeing like vnto a dreame O wretched man that I am for whom howe often haste thou died Leucippe shall I neuer cease from wéeping I thinke not for I sée a newe death commeth vpon one anothers backe but fortune before this time hath mocked me with her calamities but this I sée is no spoâ—â—ng matter After what meanes was Leucippe taken awaye before in those other suppposed deathes I hadde euer some comfort left first thy whole body thy head being taken awaye which I buried but now thou hast died a double death both of bodye and soule togither whaâ— hath it auailed thée to haue escaped the daunger of théeues twice if that this receiuing of Melites be the taking of thée away from me Why did I so often kisse the author of of thy death Why did I so swéetely embrace her and bestowe vppon her my first fruites of Venus before I gaue them to thée As I was thus complaining with my selfe Clinias came in whom I certified of the whole matter But said hée bée of good courage who knoweth whither â—he be aliue againe hath not shée béene often dead and yet reuiued Why then doest thou thus rashly disquiet and vexe thy selfe you may meditate of it at your leysure when you knowe certainely that shée is deade indéede You séeme to ieste with mee sayde I for howe can you knowe it more apparantlye surelie I doo thinke I haue founde a happie waye to death and it is such a one that Melite also shall not escape frée For I had deeréede as you knowe if so the destenies woulde suffer mée to wash awaye this obiected cryme of adultery by iudgement But newe I purpose to take a quite contrary course I will acknowledge the crime saying that I and Melite burning in loue togither did hire this miscreant priuily to murder Leucippe so shée shal suffer worthy punishment and I will leaue my lothsome life the gods wil grant al things I hope to fal out more happily What sayde Clinias dare you vndertake so filthy a facte committed and confesse her death which was your onely loue then said I There is nothing dishonest which bringeth shame and confusion to the enemie I beeing in this case not long after there came one to deliuer this man accused of the false murther who sayd he was appointed by the Archontes and that hee shoulde bée brought to aunswere those things which shoulde bée obiected against him In the meane time Clinias and Satyrus comforted mée and perswaded me aâ—so not to confesse any thing in iudgement as I hadde decréed But they the next day hired a house and there dwelt in that that they might not be séene in companie with Melite the next day I was brought into the Court and where Thersander was present with a great apparance hauing brought no lesse then ten lawyers to plead his cause neither I being readie to die would go about to sue for Melites defence After that they had made an ende of theyr argument and licence was graunted to mee to speake all these sayd I which haue pleaded for Thersander and Melite haue declared nothing but méere toyes you shall heare mee faithfully and dilligently declare the whole matter as it is I hadde a friende sometimes borne at Byzantium her name was Leucippe which I did thinke to haue perished for shee was violently taken from mee by the Aegyptian pyrates after it so chanced I fell in companie with Melite at Alexandria with whome growing into better acquaintance I came from thence hither where I found Leucippe seruing Sosthenes chéefe steward of Thersanders landes but howe Sosthenes could receiue a frée woman into bondage or what familiaritie hee hadde with the Pyrates I leaue to your gentle consideration Melite after shee perceiued that I hadde recouered my olde loue againe fearing least I shoulde settle my minde vppon her tooke counsell to make her awaie which I also allowed for why shoulde I denie it and when shee had promised to make me Lorde of all her wealth I hired a damned pesant to murther her promising him a hundreth péeces of Gold so he hauing committed the fact fled away neither since that time did I euer heare of him But loue séeing himselfe thus troubled suffered me not to go long vnreuenged for knowing the mayde was murthered being charged with an euill conscience I neuer ceased to wéepe since that time but nowe being burned with the desire of her I do loue her dead neither do I accuse my selfe for any other cause but that I would haue you send me thither where my louer is since that in your presence I am a murtherer and desire to die I cannot endure to liue any longer which when they had heard me apparantly confesse were amazed at the vnlooked for issue of the matter but especially Melite The lawyers which defended Thersanders cause when they heard that cryed out for ioy but they of Melites side did examine her if the cause were thus certaine But she being wonderfully distempered denied vtterly some things other things she granted and of purpose very closely she séemed to confesse but what I had told of Leucippe she verily affirmed that all was most true except her death wherefore when her spéech agréed with my confession they which defended Melite came so into suspition of her as that they were vncertain what spéech they should vse to defend her But Clinias when there was a great cry and tumult risen stood vp in the middle giue me leaue said he to speake a little since the iudgement is now to be giuen of his life which when he had obtained he wept saying O you men of Ephesus doo not rashly condemne this young man to death which you sée is desirous to die which is the onely easing of mischiefes to miserable men he hath taken vpon him the impious fact of wicked men that suffering punishment hee might finde some refuge for his aduersities I will declare to you in few words as breefe as
Therfore this one thing especially I exhort you to do that you endeuor by all meanes to bring it so to passe that she may think she is beloued of you soone after wil she imitate you but how may these de done which you tell me I pray thée instruct me better what I may do for you before this time haue sacrificed at Loues altars and haue béen a scholer in his scholes and know well howe to behaue your selfe in these matters for I am altogither ignorant a more nouice in loues affaires and one who neuer sawe his colours displayed before Then answered Clinias you néed not take such paines to learne this of others for Cupid himselfe herein will be your maister for euen as litle infants whoÌ„ no man teacheth to suck yet they by themselues do learne naturally do know norishment to be in their mothers dugs so yong men being first with child of loue haue néede of no maister to instruct them to bring forth but if griefe torment you the length of time do cause any necessitie although that this bee your first deliuery yet you shall not erre in any thing for this God himselfe will take vpon him to play the Midwife as time and occasion shall affoord so must you apply your talke but aboue all things take héed of vnchast and immodest dealings but vse the matter so with silence as that by your action they might conceiue your meaning For yong men and maids are affected with like modesty and although they be desirous of copulation yet they wold not séeme to haue any talke concerning such matters for why they thinke dishonestie in the words but they who haue bin well experienced in mens matters holde it no disgrace to talke more amply of such a subiect but virgins knowing the first assayes of their louers to procéed for cause of triall by some pleasant actions do séeme to shew their willingnesse to them wherefore if in words at first you wold haue her to try dame Venus sports that spéech will offend her eares for she will blush and vtterly denie your requests and take them as a great indignitie and disgrace offred to her neither at first will she grant because she may not séeme to yéeld of her owne accord but in the end when she hath perceiued how â—long with your petitions you haue knocked at the posterne of her heart then will she séeme more mollified and yéeld her selfe more tractable to your desires but not so much that you might thinke she is wholy woon already but then you must begin to vse some merry familiar toyes betwéene you and when oportunitie liketh you best requite her kindnesse with a kisse for the kisse of a louer to a willing wench is a silent woing but to an vnwilling is in stéed of an humble petition But yet although she were loth to refuse this your kindnesse she wil séeme with a litle violence to resist that by an opinion of necessitie this might séeme to excuse her maydenly modestie And although she do resist yet enforce her not but in resâ—â—â—â—ng marke how she doth behaue her selfe for in this matter you had néed to be circumspect and if you perceiue that she remaine stil in her accustomed guise vse no violence but thinke that as yet shée is not perswaded and if that you would haue her more tractable to your hand dissemble the matter cunningly nor rashly do not you go about to marre your whole match Then said I thou hast helped mee wonderfully O Clinias in my procéedings and I do not doubt but that the matter wil go forward as you would wish but I am greatly affraid lest this new happinesse be a beginning of further mishaps and cast me into a more burning fire wherefore if this my griefe should daily encrease what should I do or whither should I turn me I cannot haue her to my wife because my father hath appointed alreadie another to supply that place neither is she a forreiner or deformed neither as it is with Charicles doth my father sell me to her but he doth giue me his own daughter the most bewtiful creature aliue except Leucippe but I now am blind and cannot iudge of her excellent fauour which truly doth deserue to be commended for I do sée nothing but Leucippe and surely at this time I am betwéene two contraries for the vehemency of loue and the commandements of my father doo draw my minde almost a sunder who shall decide this controuersie necessitie doth striue with nature my minde deare father is willing to obey the might of the aduersary withstaÌ„deth me he doth shewe my torments to the Iudge he is here ready with his arrowes holding firebrands in his hands argueth my case I will yéelde vnto you father but alas I am compassed round with a scorching fire Thus did we dispute togither of the god of Loue and his behests when on a suddaine one of Charicles playfellowes came hastily running in presaging some ill newes by his countenance so that Clinias in a maze cried out Sure some harme is happened to Charicles he had scant sayd so but the messenger told that Charicles was dead with which message Clinias was so astonied that like vnto one strooken with lightening his voyce and sences fayled him and presently fell into a swoune but the boy telling forward his tale said hée got vpon your horse Clinias and at first spurred him gently but when he had ridden two or thrée courses about he stayed and rayned him vppe wiping his face all dropping downe with sweate and as hee was standing thus behold a suddaine noise arose behinde him wherewith the horse béeing afraide gaue a mightie Iumpe began to runne headlong about biting of his bit writhing of his necke shaking of his maine incensed with feare was caried violentle euery where his foreféete prauncing forwarde his hinderféet striuing to ouertake the former hastened his course and droue him the faster forward the poore boy in this contention was tossed vp and downe like vnto a floting ship in the mainâ— sea tossed on the waues with a mightie tempest thus was he vnhappy boye shaked vppe from the heade to the tayle from this side to that now euery minute readie to fall at length when he could hold the raynes no longer hée then gaue himselfe to the custody of fortune but the horse béeing violentye caried went ranging abroad leauing the beaten way and ran into a wood where he dashed the poore child against a trée as a bullet is cast out of the mouth of a roaring cannon with such force fel he out of the saddell his face was deformed with so many woundes as there were sharpe knags on the stocke which fearing not to kil pearsed to the bones his body was tangled in the bridell and was laid in the very high way to death but the horse was so astonied at y e fall that he could run no further and being thus hindred from his flight he
might not be séene Béeing placed in this order they went forward to méete Charmides desiring him that he would take pittie on theyr olde age and spare theyr whole Cittie promising that they would giue him a hundreth talents of gold priuatly and as many men if he would cease to besiege their citie which hee might send vnto the gouernour of Aegypt as spoyles taken in war All which they would haue done if hee would haue accepted of the condition but Charmides hauing heard what they could say would not graunt them their requests wherefore said the olde men if you will not haue pittie vpon vs we must indure this miserie patiently and if that wee shall die slay vs heere before our Cittie walles that in our fathers habitations where we had our beginning there also we may make our end hauing this citie to be our tombes and we our selues will be the authâ—urs of our own death When Charmides heard this he dismissed his army sending them backe againe to their tents Now the théeues had layd certaine spies which did see all that was doone to whome it was giuen in charge that as soone as they saw the enemies comming breaking downe the banke of the riuer they should let the water in vpon them for there are diuers ditches made with high bankes which do keepe in the Water of Nilus y t it shall not ouerflow vntill time require which when they will let the Water round about they plucke downe the bankes wherefore the spies séeing them come neere plucked downe the bankes so that the Water began to ouerflow amaine and in an instant the old men got themselues away the yong men which dragd their weapons behind them beganne to rush vpon them the Waters increased and waxed so high that all the marishes were ouerflowen so that it seemed a little Sea This assault beeing giuen thus on the sodaine they slewe all which they mette but first they dispatched Charmides the other souldiours were in such an amaze they knowe not what to do the darts came so thicke vppon them that they were nowe in despaire of succour flie they coulde not the straights were so narrow and offer violence to them they were not able the Water now came vppe to their middle wherefore many astonished with feare stood still expecting their death others striuing to go forward were borne downe with the force of the Water some indeuouring to flie away stucke fast in the mud the waters beeing ouerflowen tooke away the vse of their bucklers neither could one tel which was the field or which the marish for he which thought he was vppon the field running apace stucke fast in the sâ—ime and pursued was taken of his enemies and he which was in the marish supposing he had beene vpon the firme land and making quicke spéede was drowned in some hole without doubt this was a new kinde of misfortune and shipwracke by sea when as round about there was not a ship to be séene neither was it so straunge but euen ouercomming humane cogitation in the water was fought a battaile by land and on the land was suffred shipwracke The théeues being now aloft with this successe began to vaunt and brag thinking how that they had gotten the victorie by valour not by deceit or ambushes for the nature of the Aegyptian is that in aduersitie hee is of no courage but in prosperitie hée plucketh vp his heart again so that he is euer in the extremes for either he cowardly yéeldeth or else doth proudly dominere Ten daies were now expired since Leucippe fel into her madnesse which did not séeme to cease any thing at all wherefore one day as she was in a sléepe shée spake verie earnestly these words For they cause Gorgias did I fall madde which I hearing assoone as it was day I told to Menelaus thinking with my selfe whether there were any in the Towne which was called Gorgias Whilest I went downe out of my lodging there met me a certaine yoong man which after he had saluted me spake to me in this maner I am the preseruer of thée and thy wife wherefore being amazed what said I art thou Gorgias He answered no but I am Chaerea Gorgias was he which was the cause of her mishap then I being more astonished then before what mishap said I or what is this Gorgias Tell me I pray you what these sayings do meane Then said he this Gorgias was an Aegyptian souldier which now is dead for he was one of the first which was slain of the théeues he was in loue with your wife and when by nature he was giuen to sorceries hee made an amorous Potion and perswaded your Aegyptian seruaunt that hee should mingle it with Leucippes drinke but so it came to passe that he made the Potion stronger then he should and in stead to make her loue he made her madde all this Gorgias seruant tolde mee yesternight which escaped out of the same warre where his maister was slaine and it séemeth to be most likely that by the sacred Destinies decrée hee was saued aliue for your sakes Thus hauing ended he demaunded of me foure péeces of gold promising it I would giue him so much he woulde presently restore her to her health saying that he had a medicine nowe readie mingled which would cure the former disease But beside this rewarde sayde I I will giue thée immortall thankes for this thy good turne but first send for this man which you talked off So he departed from me but I comming home did giue my Aegiptian seruant his desert striking him three or foure times vpon the face with threatning words I asked of him what that was which he mingled and gaue to Leucippe and for what cause she fell mad wherwithall he being affraid declared all to me as Chaerea hadde spoken before We procured him therefore to be shut vp in prison In the meane time Chaerea returned with Gorgias maÌ„ to whom I presently payed the money saying I pray you marke this of me and heare my opinion héerein you knowe that the potion was the cause of all this mishappe wherefore I doo not thinke it good that her belly béeing once infected with drugges you go about to distemper it with the like But procéede on forwarde and shewe me what is in your medicine and make it ready while I doo stand by which if you shall bring to passe I wil giue you both well double my reward Then sayde the Seruant you doo séeme to feare not without a cause But those things which are to be prouided are edible and common and I my selfe will eate as much of them before as I will giue vnto her And immediately they went and bought euerie thing and before mée they pund them and being diuided into two parts this first said he will I drinke this other part I will giue to the maide which after she hath dronk she will sléepe all the night when morning commeth she will both be fréed of her
to bed and she also leauing the middle of her supper rose vp and followed me I being new come into my chamber fayned my self to be very sicke But she coÌ„ming to me said wherfore dost thou do this or why dost thou go about to despise me we now are come from the sea and arriued at Ephesus where y e place was appointed for the mariage What day still shall we expect howe long shall wee imitate them which doo lye in some holie place you offer me great store of water but will not let mee drinke thereof Shall I sit so long by the riuer side and yet not quench my thirst Thus my marriage is like the banquet of Tantalus Which when she had said wéeping most pitifully she cast her head into my bosome insomuch that I was wonderfully gréeued to sée it neither did I know what to doo because she séemed to complaine not without a cause yet I answered her thus I do call my countrey goddes to witnesse my most deare Melite that I do endeuour most earnestly to fulfill thy desire but I know not what euill this is which hath happened to me for I haue fallen sodainly into a sicknesse and you know that they who haue not their health and do giue themselues to Venus sports do labour in vaine and as I spake I wiped away the teares which ran downe her chéekes swearing a great oath that when I was recouered I would do whatsoeuer she would impose vpon me by this meanes I pacified the womans minde which was alreadie incensed The next day Melite sent for those maides to whome she had committed Leucippe to bee accompanied withall and demaunded of them how Leucippe did behaue her selfe about her worke they answered that she omitted nothing which was appointed for her to be done wherefore shée caused her to be brought vnto her who assoone as she was come thou knowest said Melite what curtesie I haue shewed thée and to repeate ouer my manifolde kindnesse euer bestowed on thée I thinke it superfluous wherfore I request of thée nothing but this that thou wouldest requite me againe in those things which I know are in thy power to doo I doo heare it reported that your Theslalian women doo so allure their Louers with inchauntments and sorceries that they doo wholly cast their mindes â—â—om all other women and to burne with such a desire of them that they doo thinke them alone to be their onely felicitie since therefore that thou art a Thessalian borne I would willingly intreat thy helpe herein The young Gentleman which I sawe walking with you yesternight said Leucippe you say is your husband for so she had learned of one of her fellowes what husband sayd Melite truly I haue neuer had more to do with him then with this stone but euermore he telleth me of one dead Leucippe for so I think he doth call her whom neither eating drinking nor sléeping he can forget for his sake did I stay foure moneths at Alexandria requesting entreating promising and ouerpassing nothing which might serue to allure him but as if hée were iron a stocke or any such thing which wanteth sence he neglecteth my prayers neither doth he obey time almost granting me this one thing that I should onely enioy the sight of him I do call Lady Venus her selfe to witnesse that I haue bene in bed with him fiue nights and haue risen vp againe no otherwise then if I had lyen with an Eunuche so that I séeme to be beloued of an Image who doth not enioy his louer but by sight wherfore I as a woman do request of thée a woman that thou wouldst bring me some remedie against this proude mind of his Leucippe hauing heard this was wonderful glad when she knew that I had frustrated all Melites hope saying that she would go into the Country to gather hearbes to make this medicine Melite being now encouraged againe with a new hope cast all her care aside for the expecting of happie things although we do not enioy their presence doth delight vs much But I which was ignorant of all this which had passed betwéene them behaued my selfe toward her after the accustomed maner cogitating with my selfe how I might deceiue Melite the night to come and talke with Leucippe neither do I think that she went into y e couÌ„try for any other cause but onely to conferre with her self and returne in the euening In the meane season while the Coach was harnised for Leucippe and we scarce had sat downe to supper there was heard a great tumult and suddaine concourse at the gate presently one of the seruants being out of breath with haste came running in and tolde vs that Thersander was aliue and at the doore this man was Melites husband whom she thought to be drowned his ship suffering shipwracke and this fame did come of some of his owne seruants which then were with him in his voyage who séeing the ship dashed asunder against a Rocke thought that he also had perished there Scarse had she seruant brought vp this newes but Thersander folowing him came immediately into the parlour and hastened towards me to take me for he had heard at his verie comming all thinges which could be reported of me Melite although strooken with this suddaine chaunce yet she went to imbrace her husband but he thrust her back with great violence and casting his eies vpon me said What is this the adulterer and violently rushing vpon me being wonderfull wroth strooke me a blow vpon the face then he plucked me by the haire and casting me to the ground he did beate me with a cudgell I being amazed at this suddaine violence did neither aske him what he was neyther why he did strike me nor durst offer to speake a word vnto him but I thinking with my self vpon the matter as it was indéed although I could resist yet fearing to do it I besought him with prayers to cease of beating me at length he weary with striking left of and I weary also with intreating arose vp but what art thou said I or wherefore hast thou thus shamefully misused me but he being more incensed because I replied againe laid hands vpon me and called for bondes and setters wherewith hauing bound me he cast me into a close chamber and as I was going it so fel out that the letter which Leucippe sent to me fell out of my bosome and Melite tooke it vp priuily not long after when she was alone she read it and hauing found Leucippes name was certified of the whole matter and therewithall she was astonished yet she did not beléeue that she was the same which we found in the Country because she neuer heard that Leucippe was restored to life againe But hauing read ouer the letter and cogitated vpon it she perceiued the truth more apparantly then being oppressed with bashfulnesse and anger with loue and slaundering she beganne to be drawne into diuers opinions for both she feared her husband and
prouided all things which were necessary for our flight part of that potion wherewithall Cynops was cast into a sleepe Satyrus reserued and whilest he serued vs at supper he gaue it to Panthia in a glasse wherefore the table being taken away euery one went to his owne chamber but Panthia féeling the potion to worke caused vs to make more hast wherfore Satyrus gaue vnto Leucippes bedfellow of the same potion whom hee did faine to be in loue withall Moreouer he gaue some of it to the Porter which made him instantly to sléepe in the meane season Clinias stood without the doores with a Coach ready furnished expecting our comming after all were fast a sléepe about the first watch of the night with all silence we departed out of the house locking the doores fast againe and laying the keyes vnder the doore Satyrus led Leucippe forth by the hand and by very good chance Cynops which did accustome to watch vs was sent foorth a Towne of an arrant wherefore hauing departed thus out of the house we came thither where Clinias stayed for vs wée were in number sixe I and Leucippe Satyrus Clinias and his two men after we were gotten vp we directed our course toward Sydon the other part of the night being spent wee came vnto a citie which was Berytium where hoping to find a ship readie to saile from thence neither did our expectation deceiue vs for assoone as we came into the hauen we founde a ship readie to launch foorth and we went into it before we asked of them whither they went all our necessary thinges beeing brought into the ship we were euen now about to sayle foorth when Lucifer began to appeare Then did we know that we sayled towards Alexandria a most famous Cittie of Aegypt Then did I begin to reioyce that we were thus safely come to sea the shippe scant out of the hauen and new entering into the maine Ocean after that a fit winde serued vs there began to arise a great noyse of the Saylers in the shippe first drawing of the Cables the noyse of the maister exhorting them then was the crosse peece brought foorth the Saileyard hung vp the Sayles readie to be hoysed vp the Anchors plucked vp the hauen being left we began to sayle foorth a prosperous iourny the lande did séeme to go backe from the shippe as if that it did saile it selfe then was there a great reioycing and clapping of handes throughout all the shippe and many prayers bestowed on the Gods praying them to send a prosperous nauigation In the meane while the winde increased the saile was full and the ship sailing very safe there was by chance in the same ship a yoong man sitting by vs which because it was now dinner time very curteously inuited vs that we also would eate with him wherefore when Satyrus had made readie that which hée prouided for vs we did eate togither in common making our selues both partakers of our dinner and talke also when I began thus I pray you sir what country-man are you and what is your name Then answered he I am an Aegyptian borne my name is Menelaus but by your leaue may I demaund the same of you Then quoth I my name is Clitiphon his Clinias both Phaenicians by birth And if it please you sir first to declare vnto vs the cause of this your trauaile we also will recompence you with the like Then said Menelaus the summe of this my nauigation is vngratefull loue and an vnfortunate hunting from which although I did diuers times earnestly exhort him yet I could not preuaile wherefore when he would not obey my gentle admonitions I also did then accompany him in hunting and vpon a day when both of vs went foorth on horseback we discoursed of many seuerall kinds of hunting but of all I commended to him the hunting of the Hare and such little beasts and so long as he pursued such game I was wel satisfied in mind but when by chance a wilde â—ore rushed forth of the woods which he séeing being nothing afraide weÌ„t to méete him and wilfully did run vpon him I stil crying stay stay hold your horse or else you are slaine the boore did séeme to be of such a huge bignesse when séeing him comming vppon him ran also forward to méete him and both of them did violently rush one vpon another which when I saw I was sodainely astonied with feare fearing least the boore should get vnderneath him fling down his horse I cast a dart which I had at him it so chanced I would that chance had neuer bin the boy ran by receiued the wound but in what case do you think I was in then and if at that instant there was any life in me it was euen like vnto those who at euery moment are about to giue vp the ghost and that which was most to be gréeued my hand which cast the dart being helde forth was presently benummed as hauing a due reward for so an vnluckie chance as it were hating of it selfe for being author of so vile a death wherefore the parents of the boy accused me in the court as principall of his death which I did not denie and I willingly liked of their accusation which if they had not brought I wold haue sacrificed to his soule wherfore I iudged my selfe worthy to die but the iudges moued with pittie banished me for the space of thrée yeares which time being passed I now am returned into my countrey againe while that Menelaus did recount these strange misfortunes not much vnlike to the hard chance of Patroclus Clinias being put into remeÌ„brance of his beloued Charicles could not chuse but wéepe wherfore said Menelaus what doo you wéepe for my misfortune or whether are you banished also for the like mishap theÌ„ Clinias not without many â—iâ—he repeated y e hard hap of Chaâ—icles and the horse after whom also I recounted my History But when I saw Menelaus very sad by the remembrance oâ— his gréefes and Clinias also weeping for the death of his Charicles being destrous to wipe away both their sorrowes I began a discourse mingled with an amorous delight for Leucippe was then absent who imediately before went into a more close place of the ship to take a nap turning my self to them I smiled Clinias said I for the most part in argument ouercometh me and euen now for he desireth to inueigh against women as his maner is he may do it the better because hee hath found a like companion of his loue what is the cause why so many are in loue with boyes surely I my selfe cannot tell neither sée any cause why Then answered Menelaus what is it not I pray you better then the loue of women boyes are more perfect then women and their beautie is of more force to delight y e senses with pleasure But I pray you quoth I how is it more vehement what for because as soone as it appeareth
enioyed the victorie deliuering her from the bondes whome in presence there of all the Countrey and her parentes hée married and this was the picture of Andromeda It remaineth now that I declare the Historie of Prometheus as it was liuely drawne in the other Table There was first drawne Prometheus bounde in chaines vpon the toppe of a stéepe Rocke Then Hercules holding a Bowe and Arrowes in his handes the Eagle did féede on the bowels of Prometheus which with her beake striking vppon his belly and plucking out his entrailes making the wounde still the greater vntill shée had found his lyuer which being deuoured yet did growe againe vppon his hippes did shée stand which griping with her talents caused the blood to issue foorth like streames out of a Fountaine wherefore hée being in most gréeuous torment turning the other side did renewe his owne paine for the farther off the lyuer sunke downe the déeper shee strooke into his belly Hée séemed to grieue with this exceeding torment for he did plucke vppe his browes pull in his lips grind his téeth and if you had seene the picture you would haue pittied shewing to you as it were the patterne it selfe of all griefe Prometheus being thus loaden with miserie Hercules came to ayde him who putting an arrowe into his bow and leuelling at this blood-sucking tortorer séemed to drawe the string to his very breast Prometheus being now full of feare and hope sometimes looked vpon his wound sometimes vpon Hercules hoping to end this cruell torment ere long But when we had stayed there two dayes and had béene well refreshed after our great daungers wée hired an Aegiptian shippe for we had alittle money left and we directed our course towards Alexandria from the Riuer Nilus determining there to leade our life hoping that it might so come to passe that we might find out some of our olde fréendes againe When we had sayled on forward a good way we heard a great noise of an vprore in a towne néere by behold our stearman as affraide was about to go backe againe But vpon a suddaine all the shore was full of wilde and Sauadge men they were all of a great stature of colour somewhat blacke not like the Aegiptians but almost of the same hewe as the Indians are of for the most parte their heades were vncouered their féete were little their bodies bigge and grosse their spéeche barbarous Wherefore the Maister of the shippe stayed his course saying we are all vndoone the riuer was but narrowe and foure of the théeues comming towards vs in a little boate quickly landed vs and tooke away all our money and whatsoeuer else was in the shippe which they thought woorth the carriage then they bound euery one of vs and layde vs in holde saying that the next daye wee shoulde be caried to their King for so these théeues called their Prince who did lie two or thrée dayes iourney from that place where we were taken as we vnderstoode by them which were taken with vs. In the meane season the night came on we as we were lay bound our kéepers also were fast a sléepe I then as much as it was lawfull for me to doo began to lament â—he hard misfortune of Leucippe and meditating with my selfe gréeued greatly in minde because I was the sole cause shée happened into such calamities neither durst I mourn or wéepe openlye but softly to my selfe O gods or deuills wheresoeuer you be and heare haue we offended so much that wee haue deserued to bee oppressed with so many calamities in so short time You haue cast vs heare amongst the Aegiptian théeues who are inexorrable and will be mooued with no petitions But the Grecian robbers haue béen mooued by praiers and haue taken pittie on their captiues For fine spéeche oftentimes doth mooue men to pittie and the tongue which is the intreater for the gréefe of the minde doth often mooue the angry mindes of the hearers But how shall wee praye to them what oath maye wee giue howe can a man yéeld a more pleasant spéeche to perswade then the songs of the maremaydes but that is not meant by murthering villaines I may now praye by beckenings and gesture of my hands for they cannot vnderstand my spéeche O gréeuous calamities O hard misfortunes but yet although my mishaps are greater then all mens opinions I will lesse lament them But O Leucippe with what mouth shall I complaine of thée with what eyes shall I wéepe O most constant in kéeping thy faith O most kinde towardes an vnhappie louer behold the magnificent preparations for your marriage a prison for your chamber the ground for your bedde ropes and fetters for your bracelets and Iewels and in stéede of Himeneus merry hymnes wéeping waylings and lamentations O sea we haue thanked thée in vaine and I cannot chuse nowe but reprehende thy benignitie because thou hast dealt more gently with those whom thou didst cast away theÌ„ with vs for whilest thou hast saued vs thou hast tormented vs more cruelly enuying y t we shuld dy any other kind of death then perish by the hands of the théeues thus did I lament with my self but that which is proper to greatest daÌ„gers I could not doo to shedde teares For in the meanest mishaps teares doo flow most abundantly and with the authors of mishap doo execute the place of praier and petition and they doo lighten the gréefe as the swelling of boyles when they are broken for they do flye in abundance leauing the eyes for griefe meeting them ready to come forth sayeth their last and take them with him to the lower part of the heart Wherefore leauing theyr course in the eyes they do run downe to the heart and there doo augment his gréefe Then turning to Leucippe which sate altogither silent wherefore sayd I my most swéete Leucippe art thou thus silent and sayest nothing to me Because sayd shée O Clittiphon my voice first â—ayled me then my breath whilst we sate thus talking the day began to appeare and there came into vs a strange fellow I knowe not what hee was hauing long shaged haire grim of visage and sternely began to behold vs being brought thither vpon a wild horse with a thick mane bare hauing no couerings neither trappings vppon him for such were the théeues horses this fellow was sent from the king to sée if there were any captiue mayde taken whome he should carry back with him for a sacrifice to be offered for the good successe of armie Then did the kéeper cast his eyes vpon Leucippe But she catching me in her armes and cleauing tome began to cry out and lament but one of the theéeues caryed her away by violence another did beate me the while Then setting her vppon a horse they caried her away kéeping vs vntill more fitter occasion did fall out to send vs but after we had gone a furlong or two on of our iourney there was heard a suddaine noise of trumpets drummes and flutes
goddes beholde such sacrifices from heauen and not consume them with fire But now O Leucippe take these sacrifices worthy of thy ghost when I had said so I tooke my sword and being in despair setting it to my throate I was now about to giue me my deadly wound but behold I saw two men running in hast towardes me for the Moone did shine bright wherfore I staied my hand thinking they had bene théeues I wished rather to be slaine by them but comming somewhat nearer vnto me they showted with a loud voice for they were Satyrus and Menelaus Hauing noted them well I gessed them to be my friendes by their gesture in comming but so farre was it from me to shewe them any kinde of entertainment that I wished rather to dye then beholde them the crueltie of these mischances had so rent my heart They tooke me by the right hand and did striue to take away my sword from me But I cried out no by the immortall goddes do not enuy this my happie death or rather the remedie of my sorrowe For Leucippe being thus taken away from me what Antidatory is now left to preserue my safetie will you then go about to plucke my sword from my handes knowing that the sting of griefe hath pearced to the quicke and grated me at the verie heart what will not you haue me die an immortall death Then answered Menelaus if you would kill your selfe for no other cause then this then by Hercules you may very well cast away your sword for Leucippe is aliue and will be here to reproue this your womanish condition But I casting mine eyes sternely vpon him saide Can you sée me tormented with so great mishaps and laugh at me Ah remember Iupiter Hospitalis Then hee tumbling downe the graue with his foote said Go too Leucippe witnesse your self whether you be aliue or no since Clitiphon will not beléeue me Scant had he ended his words when the Sepulchre began to moue three or foure times and I heard a slender voyce comming from the bottome thereof wherefore being astonied with feare I looked gasily vpon Menelaus thinking that he had bene skilfull in the Magicke art he tooke away the graue stone and presently Leucippe arose looking with a dreadfull and fearefull countenance her belly was cut vp from the bottome to the top her bowels being all taken away and looking vpon me fell vpon my face and embraced me I also took her in my armes and sate downe vpon the ground Being now throughly come to my selfe againe I asked Menelaus what the cause was why he would not tell me how this had happened what is not this Leucippe which I sée which I hold which I heare speake it is she what visions then were those which I did beholde yesternight surely either that was a diuellish illusion or this is a dreame Then said he you shall sée that in an instant she will recouer her entrailes againe and the wounde of her brest will be whole againe and no skarre will be séen Couer you your face and to this O Proserpina I do call vpon thée wherfore beléeuing him I did sée he began to speak and to do strange things and while he was speaking hee tooke away from Leucippes belly those things wherewith he deceiued the théeues restoring her into her former shape hée commaunded me boldly to looke vpon her But I being very fearefull thinking Proserpina her selfe had bene there I vncouered my face where I did behold my Leucippe frée from any wound then greatly wondring at this straunge miracle saide I O deare Menelaus if thou bee minister to any god I pray thée tel me where we are for what do these mean which I do behold Then said Leucippe I pray thée Menelaus do not holde him in admiration any longer but delcare to him the meanes wherewith these traiterous Rouers were deceiued Then said Menelaus thou knowest Clitiphon that I am an Aegyptian as I told you before when we were in the shippe the most of my liuing lyeth here in this Towne where with the Gouernours I am very well acquainted For when we suffered shipwracke togither the water brought me to the shores of Aegypt the théeues which were gouernors of that Towne tooke me togither with Satyrus wherefore they brought vs to their Captaine but because many of them knew me they deliuered me from bondes and bad me be of good courage and promised also that they would helpe in whatsoeuer was in their powers to doo Then I requested them also to let Satyrus to goe frèe which they did willingly graunt In the meane season it was reuealed to them by an Oracle that hée should sacrifice a virgine and offer it vp as an oblation vppon their Altars and taste togither of the liuer and bowels of her which was dedicated but they should bury the bodie and go backe againe hoping that this sacrifice woulde hinder the comming of the enemies what remaineth I pray thée Satyrus declare Then saide Satyrus when as I was brought a captiue to the armie and was certified of the misfortune of Leucippe gréeuing for her hard mischaunce I wept requesting Menelaus that he would preserue her safe wherin I know not what God it was which was so fauourable to vs. The day before these sacrifice should be we sate downe vpon the shoare heauie and full of sorrow thinking what we should best do in this matter the theeues hauing espyed a ship wandring and floting about the coast made violence vpon her the marriners within knowing them to be théeues striued to go back yet al in vaine for when they sawe that they could not retire they beganne stoutly to resist In that ship there were certaine stage-plaiers who accustomed to play Homers fables in theaters who with the rest of his companions adorning themselues as they do when they play vpon a stage beganne to offer force vppon the theeues and for a short space they did well endure but with a fresh supplie came in ayde many fishboates of théeues who imediatly sunke the ship al the men were put to the sword there was a certaine chest amongst other fardels which floted about whereof they did not know but onely Menelaus and I wherefore we priuily conueied it away hoping some treasure to be laide therein we priuily opened it wherein wee found a cloake and a knife whose handle was foure handfull broade the blade was three fingers broad when Menelaus had wrenched by chaunce vnawares the knife slipt forth as long as the handle was which there lay couered like to a case and turning it the other way the blade againe ranne vp and was hidden in the handle when wee thought that those players did vse to make fained wounds vpon the stage Then said I to Menelaus if now you will do your good will to saue her you shall see the Gods wil lend vs their ayde and we may preserue the maide aliue and satisfie the theeues expectations the manner I wil declare how it
me neare vnto Charmides house wherein assoone as I came I tooke her in my armes kissed her determining to abstaine no longer from my desire But when I sawe my enterprise went not forward how long saide I shall wee want the frutes of Venus Doo not you sée how many daungers in so short space haue fallen out vnlooked for for we haue suffered shipwracke fell into the théeues hands and lastly you were offered in stéede of a sacrifice wherefore while we are in safetie let vs not refuse a fit occasion offered before some greater mishap do fall out Then said Leucippe but yet it may not be lawfull for when I was offered vpon the aultar as a sacrifice I greatly lamented my misfortune and in my dreame Diana séemed to appeare vnto me saying doo not wéepe for thou shalt not die I my selfe will helpe thée kéepe thou as yet thy virginitie vntil I shall otherwise appoint thée for thou shalt marry none but Clitiphon I although I did gréeuously take this delay yet I reioyced with the hope of the thing to come and when she had made mention of her vision I did remember also that I had dreamed to the like effect for the night before me thought I was in Venus temple and there standing alone I did beholde an image erected before mee and when I had approached neare to say my prayers I shut the doore and being troubled in minde there appeared a thing to me in shape of a woman which saide that as yet it was not lawfull for me to enter into the temple but if that I would stay a little space it should come to passe that the doores would open of theyr owne accord and also that I should be created a Priest vnto the goddesse this therefore I tolde Leucippe neyther did I striue to offer her violence any more but thinking vppon her dreame I was somewhat heauie in minde In the meane season Charmides who was euer desirous to sée Leucippe hauing a fit occasion seruing him for the purpose sent for vs both bechance certaine fishermen of the Towne had taken a beast in the Riuer a spectacle not vnworthie to bee séene the Aegyptians did call it the Horse of Nilus and truly his back head belly and feete are like to another Horse sauing that his hoofe is clouen in bignesse of bodie he is like to an Oxe hee hath a short tayle and full of haire all the other partes of his bodie being without his head is rounde and great his iawes almost like to a Horse his nosthrils somewhat broad and breathing foorth a fiery kind of smoke as it were the breath of a furnace the widenesse of his mouth reached to both his temples his téeth were crooked made altogither both in forme and standing like to a horse Charmides inuited vs to see this beast Leucippe was there also togither with vs earnestly we did behold the beasâ— but he whose mind was occupied about an other matter neuer cast his eyes from Leucippe Therefore we iudged him to be in loue with her and because he would haue vs stay the longer there that hee might the more satisfie himselfe with the sight of her he began to finde some discourses and first hee did declare vnto vs the nature of the beast and the maner of taking him saying that it was a most rauenous creature how that he wold deuour a whole field of corne neither is he caught without a prettie wile for y e hunters marking in what place he accustometh to lye to dig a pit and couer it with turfes and réeds laying vnder it a little coale made of boords whose doores are open to the height of the pitte then hiding themselues vntill he fell in they rush vpon a sodaine and shut the doores of the little house and so is taken which else by no meanes could bee caught because he is of so great a strength hee is most strong in euery part of his body but his skin is so hard that it cannot be pearced with Iron and worthily may he be called the Egyptian Elephant wherupon Menelaus demanded of Charmides to eâ—presse the nature of them who answered I haue heard report of them which are the curious searchers of theyr nature to affirme their qualities aboue all creatures to be most admired And that I will not suffer you to be ignorant heerein any longer know that she is of a long life and doth keepe the séede of her belly ten yeeres before shee bee deliuered of it and when this time is past she bringeth forth her yong of large proportion and for this cause I thinke that he is of so huge mightie body and inuincible strength and a most long life for it is reported that he liueth longer then the crowes which Hesiode writeth of The iaw of an Elephant is like the head of a Bull and if you saw his mouth you would thinke he had two hornes growing therin which are his fore téeth from betwéene which commeth downe a long snout which is in forme and fashion like vnto a shaulme by this he taketh his meat and sustenance and whatsoeuer is throwne to him he will eate it with conueighing it into his snout if it be good hee bringeth it downe into his mouth but if it be bad hee giueth it to his mâ—ster there sitteth vpon his backe a Moore which is his horseman he doth fawne and feare and doth vnderstand any which speake vnto him and doth suffer himselfe to be beaten with an Iron rodde which is in stéede of a whip and I doo remember that once I did beholde a strange fight a Graecian once lying down ioyned his head to the ElephaÌ„ts who without any resistance stryked his head with his snout wherein I meruailed at the boldnesse of the man and the gentlenesse of the beast but the Graeâ—ian answered that he first did giue him foode to eate before he would open his mouth and breath forth the pleasant breath of the Indian spices which he did vse to do to take away the head-ach But the Elephant which knoweth the cure which he doth effect doth first denie his aide vntill he haue receiued his sustenance like vnto a proude Phisition which first will haue his foe before he minister any thing to his patient but taking first his reward he will thanke you holding open his mouth vntill you be cured knowing wel that he had sold this swéete odour Then said I how commeth it to passe that so deformed a creature hath so swéete a sauour Of his meate said Charmides whereof hee féedeth the countrey of the Indians is very neere the sunne and they be the first people which inhabite the East and do féele the force of his beaâ—â—s more hot In Greece therâ— groweth a flower which in India is not a flower but a blossom such as those which grow vpon trées as it groweth it hath no sauour neither is in any estimation whether because it will giue no pleasure where it is knowen or
Alas what shall I do now what a bride would fortune giue me now whose dead carcase is not wholly giuen vnto me Then said Clinias it is not time for thée to complaine now but rather consider with thy selfe whether it bee better to returne into thy countrey or stay héere neither saide I liketh me at this time for with what face can I looke vpon him from whose house I fled away in such manner wherefore it remaineth now that I depart hence before any of my friends come to make enquirie for me As wee were conferring thus together Menelaus and Satyrus came in and after he had imbraced Clinias Satyrus turned him to me saying A fit occasion serueth you now therefore bee aduised before you let it passe and héere dispose of all your affaires taking the counsell of your friendes before rashly you enterprise any thing let Clinias bée your iudge therein Venus surely doth fauour you and perhaps you will little account of that which shee hath bountifully bestowed vpon you There is therefore an Ephesian woman lodging in this Citie of rare beautie and singular behauiour which is taken in loue with you so extreamely that if shee bee frustrated of her desire it is thought that she will fall madde For comlinesse and grace you would thinke her a goddesse her name is Melite very welthie and not yet come to her ripe yéeres which very lately lost her husband in shipwracke and and she doth wish that you would be hir Lord not her husband and to you shee will giue both her selfe and her wealth for your sake shee hath stayed heere two moneths and requesteth that you would go backe with her to Ephesus but you despise her neither do I know the cause thereof except Leucippe be raised from death againe then said Climas Satyrus séemeth to giue thée good counsell For why shouldest thou say since beautie riches and loue doo offer themselues vnto thée whereby all things do abound to enioy pleasure to the necessary vse of the life and to gette a good name in the Countrey that is not to bee accounted the least fauours are graunted thée by a goddesse therefore I wish thee to followe Satyrus his counsell and satisfie the will of the goddesse Then I sighing said Go to leade me whether soeuer you will since Clinias wil haue it so but is this woman so importunate that shee will haue all things dispatched before shee come to Ephesus I sware when I lost Leucippe that heere neuer any shoulde haue my Uirginitie Which when Satyrus hadde heard he immediatly went to Melite to carrie her this happy newes which when she heard shee fell downe astonished for veri◠ioy not long after hee returned againe earnestly entreating mee this night to goe thither to supper that wee might make a beginning of our marriage wherefore attyring my my selfe I came to Melites house who as soone as shee sawe mee ranne presently to meete me receiuing mee with many kinde embracings and sweete kisses Shee truely was both comely and faire her very body did carrie such a maiestie as if that she hadde béene Venus her selfe her colour and her chéekes was so pure and perfect that you would not say it were smered with painting but as it were mingled with bloud and milke her haire was thicke and did hang downe in curled lockes like Iewels of golde wherefore it delighted me much to beholde her in the meane season a sumptuous supper was prepared and beeing sette vppon the table wee sate downe But Melite did take a little of euery thing which was sette downe féeding of nought but loue earnestly with fixed eyes did beholde mee For there is nothing so pleasant or delightfull vnto louers as to beholde the thing which they loue for loue possessing the whole heart doth stoppe the passage for the foode But the pleasure which is receiued by the fight sending downe by the eyes into the minde remaineth there and doth steadfastly imprint the image of the thing séene as it were in the glasse of the minde for the flowing it selfe of beautie by hidden beames piercing to the heart doth ingraue the forme of the thing beloued Which when I marked I pray you said I why doo not you also eate of those delicates which you haue prepared Truely you séeme to mée as if you were a painted guest Then answered shee what meate can bee more daintie what wine more precious then your sight With these words embracing mee in her armes shee kissed mee then often repeated this Thou art my ioy my foode and whole delight And after the matter fell out after this manner when night came shee was very earnest with me to lodge there that night but when as I had repeated to her that which before I had spoken to Satyrus although very hardly yet at length shee lette mee go vppon this condition that the next day I should méete her in this Temple and there wee should determine the matter before the Goddesse Wherefore the next day at the time appointed I went with Menelaus and Clinias and there we did sweare I also tooke my oath that I loued her as sincerely as euer I did Leucippe before shee likewise did sweare that I should bee her husband and shee would make mee Lorde of all her substance all which was confirmed there betweene vs but the nuptials should not bee selemnized before wee came to Ephesus and that there as I had sworne before Melite should succéede in Leucippes place Afterwarde we went home to her House where as before a magnificent supper was prouided for that was called the nuptiall feast but the rest wee did deferre vntill we came to Ephesus As wee were at Supper some merrie conceit came vnto Melites minde which made her leaue her melancholy lookes When euery one hadde wished vs a prosperous marriage shée whispered in my eare saying As tombes are built in vain for them whose dead bodyes are not to be found to be buried so do I sée my marriage to be prouided for me and in this madnes did shee slilie rest with me wherefore a prosperous winde seruing vs fit we hastened to our ship and hoysing vp sayle wee left Alexandria Menelaus followed vs to the shoare and hauing taken his leaue and wished a prosperous nauigation he departed from vs. He was a most curteous yong man and most trully friend who for our departure shed many teares and wee also béeing not able to refraine from dooing the like Clinias thinking it a gréefe to depart from me went with me to Ephesus where hee staide so long vntill all his affaires went well with him in his owne countrey but our shippe sailed forward with a prosperous course and night comming on euerie man went to his chamber appoynted but Melite embracing me betwéene her armes beganne to kisse me and to repeate her marriage saying now haue we passed Leucippes bonds and come to our appointed ende this is the day decréed wherfore should wee deferre it vntill wee come
citie Then hauing giuen certain instructions about her husbandrie for which cause chéefely shee came thither she returned in her coach home to the Citie when supper was brought in we sate downe but Satyrus séemed by his countenance to haue some weighty matter to speake vnto me priuily made a signe to me to rise wherefore I fained as though I went to exonerate my belly I came forth but Satyrus saying not a word gaue me a letter which being sealed before I could breake it open a chill colde did shiuer through my bones for the letter was written with Leucippes hande after this manner Leucippe to her maister Clitiphou sendeth salutations DO not maruel though I cal you maister for with what other name I should call you I know not since you are my mistresses Husbande although you doo not very well know the great troubles which I haue suffered for your sake yet I thought it necessarie to certifie you of a few things for your sake I left my mother and vndertooke with you a voiage for your cause I was a sacrifice and after fell into the hands of pyrates I suffered shipwracke and also I suffered another kinde of death for your sake also I was bound in iron chaines I caried a spade I digged the ground and was scourged that you might become another womans husband and I another mans wife but I pray the gods forbid it I haue indured these calamities with a valiant minde but you not hurt free from wounds go about to solace your selfe with new marriages But if you thinke I deserue any thanks at all for these mishaps which I haue suffered request your wife that I may be set free as shee hath promised and pay her the money which Sosthenes laide out for me and because I am not farre from Byzantium take care that I may be carried thither and if you do not beleeue me thinke that my troubles are satisfied with this one thing Fare well The gods send you ioy of your new marriage These do I write vnto you being yet a Virgin WHen I had read the letter my minde was distracted into a thousand parts I did burne in loue waxe pale and sometime maruailed otherwhiles I did beleeue the letters being perplexed betwéene feare and ioy Then said I to Satyrus what hast thou brought this letter to mée from hell or what do these meane What is Leucippe aliue Yea said Satyrus and that is she which you saw bound in the countrey but the cutting of her haire hath so disguised her that she can scant be knowne of any why dost thou saide I fill mine eares with such good newes and will not shew mee my chéefest felicitie Be silent said Satyrus and dissemble the matter cunningly least you cast vs all away before some more surer counsell be had in the matter you sée that this is the chéefest woman in the citie and almost madde for your loue and we are now betwéene the two nettes destitute of all hope I cannot saide I for a delight and pleasure is spread throughout al the vaines of my body the letter doth expostulate with me Wherefore I red ouer the letter againe and answered in particular euery thing as if she had bin present being now absent Thou speakest to me O most swéet Leucippe and where thou didst write this thou hast suffred all these misfortunes for my sake I must néedes confesse I was the author of all these thy miseries but when I came to these words which contained the reproches and hard measure offred to her of Softhenes I wept as bitterly as if I had stood by séene them For y e cogitations turning the very edge of y e mind to those things which are signified in the paper doth represent to y e mind those things which are written no otherwise theÌ„ if they wer opposite before the eyes But when shée obiected my mariage a blushing red did couer all my face as if I had béen taken in manifest adulterie the very letters had mooued me so farre Then turning to Satyrus I cryed Alas what shall I doo what excuse shall I vse now Satyrus We are now takeÌ„ manifestly Leucippe knoweth all and I pray god her loue do not begin to be turned into hatred But I would willingly know how she escaped safe the pyrates hands whose carcase y t was which wée buried TheÌ„ sayd Satyrus she will tell you all at more leysure but necessity biddeth you to write back pacifie her for I did sweare y t willingly you would not marry Melite what hast thou tolde that I am maried now thou hast vndoone me for as yet all the whole cittie is ignorant of my mariage Moreouer I do sweare by Hercules and my good fortune that I am not maried to her Then said Satyrus I hope sir you doo but iest as though it is not manifestly knowne that you haue bin in bed togither But I know said I that I speak of greater knowledge for Melite hath not enioyed mee according to her will But first tell mée what I shuld write for this change hath wonderfully mooued me so much as y t I know not what I may do Then said Satyrus I am not wiser then you therefore beginne to write loue will indite the rest but dispatch as soone as you can and haue very great care what you set down wherefore I wrote a letter after this forme Clitiphon to Leucippe sendeth salutations AL health to my deare mistresse Leucippe For I present do behold you present but by your letters as though you were absent The selfe-same thing doth make me happy and wretched But if omitting all other things thou wiâ—t looke into the truth of the matter making no preiudice of me you shaâ—l find that my virginitie if there be any virginitie of men hath followed your example but if for a wroÌ„g cause you begin to hate me I earnestly beseech you that you would change your opinion For I do promise as the gods be my helpers that it will come to passe that you shall verily knowe that I am in no fault Farwell And let me vnderstand from you that you be fauourable to me THe letters being writteÌ„ and sealed vp I gaue theÌ„ to Satirus to conuey requesting him to speake no more of me theÌ„ becommed him being thus full of pleasure sorrow I returned to supper but it came into my minde how that Melite would not let me depart that night because the marriage was not full finished betwéene vs neither could it be that Leucippe being found I should once looke vpon another Wherefore I determined to set my couÌ„tenance so as y t she might knew my mind to be changed and least she should enforce my promise for I fained that I had caught a shaking with a cold Melite although she perceiued that I went about to séeke an occasion because I would not kéepe my promise yet she could not openly conuince me Wherefore not hauing supped I rose vp â—o go
also could not chuse but be angry with the letter but loue was opposed against her anger that hauing aide of slaunder at length gotte the victorie wherefore when night was come Thersander went to a friendes house of his in the Cittie but Melite went to the man who had the custody of me hauing talked with him she came in to mée the other Seruants not knowing but onely two whom she had appointed to stay at the doore vntill her returne again and hauing found me lying vpon the grounde and comming neere to mee although shee coulde not speake all her mind at that instant yet her countenance did séeme to deliuer it saying O vnhappie woman that I am and borne first to my owne perdition which also do so much desire that which I cannot attaine O more then mad which loue him that despiseth me which being tormented with gréefe doo take pitie vpon him which is light affected yet I cannot cease to loue the author of these so many my mishappes against me there is both a man and a woman conspiring wherof the one doth scorne me the other is gone to gather hearbes yet could not I know before that I craued aide of my veriest enemie Hauing spoken thus incensed with furie she flung it into my face which when I vnderstood I was astonied and cast down my head as if I hadde béene guilty of some hainous crime But she beganne still to lament and wéepe crying out Alas alas what shal be come of me affliected with so many calamities for thy sake I lost my husbande neyther yet could I enioy thée but shortly also I shall loose thy sight which alone is graunted to me And moreouer for thy cause my husband hateth and detesteth me accusing me of adulterie and that with him with whom I neuer receiued any delight or pleasure so much shame reproch hath happened to me Other womeÌ„ by their dishonesty can reape their pleasure but I alone without pleasure haue gotteÌ„ reproch and shame ignominie O trecher O barbarian O thou Clitiphon more cruell then pirates more hard hearted then tyrants canst thou finde in thy heart to sée a weake woman burning in thy loue and so cruelly tormented and cannot thou take pittie on her since thou also art in loue Doest thou not feare the wrath of Cupid Doest thou not care for his firebrandes and secret misteries art not thou moued so pittie with these teares which these eyes haue shed so aboundantly wherwithall euen very robbers will be mooued to compassion what were not my prayers of force to persweade thée to embrace mée or to do that which I haue long desired did neither the oportunitie of the time serue had neither my embracings or dalliance any force to mooue Moreouer that which was the most reprochfull of all abandoning my kissing embracing and toying as if you were nothing affected towards me I pray you what is this but a shadowe of mariage you did not ly with one which was past child bearing who did refuse your kindnesse but with a yong one a louing and another perhappes will say faire and beautifull O thou Eunuch O thou gelding O despiser of beautie Now do I beséeche the immortall goddes that al thing may fall out contrary to thy desires that the three sisters may conspire to crosse thée which thou now doost prepars against mée Thus did Melite speak not without teares then did she held her peace a litle assoone as she saw y t I replied nothing cast mine eies vpon the ground her mind being changed she begaÌ„ to vtter these words What I haue hitherto spoken swéet youth choler grief forced me thereunto but now loue constraineth me to speake Howe could I be angry or cast such reproaches vpon thée when as I was all in a heate the very fire did possesse the inward parts of any body Now at the leÌ„gth obey I do not desire many days or perpetual mariage which thou hast hitherto prolonged the more vnfortunate I one only accoÌ„panying is sufficieÌ„t so litle ayd will driue away so great a wouÌ„d Come therfore extinguish this fire a litle whatsoeuer I haue spokeÌ„ more sharply against thée pardoÌ„ me since it is incideÌ„t to passioÌ„s it caÌ„not otherwise be but she y t loueth vnhappily must raue sometimes neither do I forget how filthy a cause I plead But yet I am not ashamed to declare the secrets of loue To some Cupids dartes are not felt and the wounds of louers are made knowne to none but those which are in loue this day remaineth yet wherein I pray thée performe thy promise Remember Isis and doo not séeme litle to regard that oath which thou swarest in her Temple but if thou wouldest performs thy promise as it was confirmed by oathes betwéene vs I would not care for a thousand Thersanders But because Leucippe cannot be found by any meanes I would wish you to marry some other although that al things séeme to offer warre against me and the very dead are risen from their graues O sea thou hast preserued a Sayler but by preseruing him thou hast cast him into greater daungers two dead persons are reuiued again to my perdition as though one Leucippe were not sufficient but let her liue so that Clitiphon do not liue in sorrow Who can endure this that wicked Thersander should returne now and I standing by to strike thee and could not helpe thée As yet good goddes all thy face is full of blew wales I thinke Thersander was blind But now O maister Clitiphon for thou alone doest possesse my heart I begge this one thing that thou wouldst giue me now the first and last thing which I will craue of thée this little delay seemes longer to me then many dayes so neither you haue lost your Leucippe neither she dyed a false death doo not neglect my loue for whose cause when amongst other commodities yet thou shalt haue Leucippe restored againe vnto thée had not I loued thée and brought thée hither thou wouâ—dst yet haue thought thy Leucippe to haue bin dead Moreouer you are to thanke fortune for this kindnesse as a man did vpon a time who hauing founde a great treasure in the earth honoured the place where he found it consecrating an altar offring of sacrifices he crowned the earth Thou doest not onely giue me no thankes for finding thy treasure with me but also doest despise the author of this thy good turne Thinke that for my sake loue did speake to thée in this maner O Clitiphon graunt me this one thing which am standerd bearer to thée in thy warre that Melite doo not depart from thée vntouched it is my fire which burneth her wherefore Clitiphon obey the commaundements of thy God since thou wilt that I shall looke to all thy other affaires I will deliuer thée from bands although Thersander would not haue it so and I will adorne a chamber for thee wherein thou shalt liue as long as thou
hast deliuered the adulterer thou hast set him frée from his bondes thou hast sent him out of the house why doest not thou follow him why doest thou stay heere rather follow thy louer that thou maist beholde him bounde in more stronger chaines Then said Melite what adulterer do you meane are you well in your wits which talke thus vainly If you wil lay aside your choler heare what I shal say you may easily know the truth This one thing I request you that you would shew your self an equal iudge and casting slaunder out of your eares placing reason in stéed of anger I pray you listen to my tale This man is neither an adulterer nor my husbaÌ„d he is a Phaenician born in Tyrus inferior to none of y e country As he sailed fortune séemed to frown vpoÌ„ him for his ship was split his merchandice all lost in shipwrack which wheÌ„ I heard being moued with the misfortune of the man being also mindful of you I entertained him thinking with my self that it might so fal out that you also might wander abroad and some woman would take pittie vpon your aduersitie and if indéed you hadde perished in the waters as it was reported abroad doo not thinke then that I did amisse if I succoured all such as suffered shipwracke How many doo you thinke I haue relieued which haue endured the violence of the Sea what number do you belieue I haue buried which haue perished in the water and if I could get but a boord of some broken ship which came to land I would take it vp saying Perhaps my Thersander was carried in this shippe Of those which haue escaped the daunger of the sea he is one and the last whom when I offred what other thing did I doo then be obedient vnto you he sayled as you did and therefore deare husband I pittied his mishappe as a picture of yours Now doo you knowe after what order I brought him hither Moreouer he did bewaile the death of his wife whome hée thought to haue perished although she did not whom I know not who it was which did certifie me that she was aliue and did lodge at our Steward Sosthenes his house And the matter was found out thus for going into the Countrey we found a woman which bewayling and making great mone followed me you know where Sosthenes dwelleth she is with him in the Countrey you may demaund of him of all things concerning her at your pleasure if you can finde I haue not spoken the truth in any thing then shall you accuse me of adultery lawfully Thus spake Melite faining as though she had not heard of the rape of Leucippe determining also in her minde that if Thersander had gone about to haue knowne the truth of the matter she would haue brought the seruants to witnesse with whom she went that morning into the Country that now she can be found in no place neither did she moue this enquiry of Leucippe to him for any other intent then y t she would haue him belieue y e rest to be true which she had spoken and althogh she séemed to answer euery thing oppositly inough yet she wold infer this also and y â— swéet husband I wold not haue you thinke that these are fables remeÌ„ber how I led my life while we liued togither wherfore you do wrong me to think amisse of me now This report of the yong man procéeded to his honour because the cause was not knowne to many why I did receiue him into familiaritie and if a man must beléeue fame were not you thought to be drowned in the sea for flaunder and fame are two mischiefes propinquall to wit because this her daughter is more sharpe thâ—n a sword more hoter then fire and more apter then the Maremayde to perswade shee is more voluble then water more swifter then the wind more quicker then the lightening wherefore the spéech which is vttered with slaunder flyeth in manner of an arrow which woundeth him being absent against whom it is sent for hee which heareth and easilie beleeueth beeing incensed with anger doth rage against him which is wounded but fame procéeding from such a wound is manifold and dispersed into diuers places and being driuen with the winde of the spéech and being kept vp with the feathers of the tongue is carried round about euery where and falleth into their eares which she méeteth These two plagues haue coÌ„spired against me the same do now possesse your mind and driue my spéeches from your eares which when Melite had said tooke Thersander by the hand and would haue kissed it but hee mooued with the likelyhood of her words remitted his anger conceiued for that which she had reported of Leucippe agréeing with Sosthenes wordes which he had signified to him before did take away all suspition from him yet he would not beléeue all for a slaunder being once crept into ones mind will very hardly be rooted out But Thersander hearing that the maid which he loued was my wife was wonderfully troubled in minde and conceiued more hatred against me saying that he would enquire if the matter were so as he hadde heard Being thus disquieted he went to bed alone Melite â—ow being sore gréeued because she could not performe that which she had promised to mee but Sosthenes hauing dismissed Thersander requesting him to be absent a while hee came againe to Leucippe promising her many things and pretending some happinesse to her by his countenance hee hadde her be of good courage saying All things Lacaena will fall out prosporously Thersander is so farre in loue with you that he is readie to goe madde perhappes hée will marry you and I woulde you should knowe it is by my helpe alone which did commende the rarenesse of your excellent bewtie vnto him aboue all measure I fastened this conceyt in his verie marrowe wherefore leaue off this wéeping and be of good cheare and sacrifice to Venus for this felicitie besides haue care you remember mée then sayd Leucippe God graunt that such happinesse euer come to thée as thou hast reported vnto mée But Sosthenes little suspecting that shée mocked him thinking shée spake from her heart sayd I will recount to thée the estate and wealth of Thersander that thou maist knowe thou hast greater cause to reioyce Therefore know this for certaintie that hée is Melites husband which you sawe héere in the Countrey and the chéefest in birth amongest the Ionians whose stocke surpasseth his wealth but his gentlenesse excelleth all his riches Moreouer what should I talke of his age Thou seest that hée is a young man and bewtifull which two things women chiefely desire Héere Leucippe could not endure Sosthenes to prate any longer saying How long thou most infamous tempter wilt thou procéede to defile my eares with this thy vncleane talke What care I for Thersander let him bee fayre for Melite rich for his Countrey curteous and couragious to them which haue néede of his
me to take holde of me and stay me but I ran as if I had wings at my féete At length as I was thus running there came one to me I knowe not what hee was which tooke me by the hande and woulde haue brought mée backe but being now more bolde I withstood them wherfore they would haue carried me to the prison In the meane while the priest and Clinias were at hande but Clinias speaking first sayd whither lead you the man he neuer did the murther whereof he is condemned Sostratus spake vnto them to the same effect séeing that hee was her father whome they thought to be slain They which were there present vnderstanding the matter reioyced greatly and extolled with prayses the Godhead of Diana and standing about me they forbade me to be carried to prison The kéepers when as the lawe would not quit me to go frée would not let mee loose vntill a priest at the request of Sostratus promised to be my suretie wherefore beeing loosed of my setters I ranne with as much spéede as I could to the temple Sostratus following me but I know not whether with like ioy being certainly assured that there is no courser so swift whom fame cannot ouerrunne for â—he flying before vs hastening running apace certified Leucippe of the comming of her father wherefore running forth of the temple as fast as she could she imbraced her father casting her eyes vpon me which although I was constrained by reason of Sostratus presence not to embrace her yet I neuer cast mine eyes from her countenance so with lookes we did salute one another The eight Booke The Contents In the last Booke is to be seene the false accusations of Thersander who for a iust rewarde was banished his countrey Clitiphon was freed and afterwarde happily marryed to his beloued Leucippe with many other descriptions happening in the same as the description of the Pipe of Pan and the fountaine of Styx BUt Thersander whilest that we were talking together in the Temple bringing his witnesses with him followed after with great spéede and turning himselfe to the Priest cryed out with a lowde voyce saying Thou hast done vniustly before these which are héere present I speake it which hast deliuered one from bondes which is condemned by the lawe Moreouer thou hast hidden this my bondslaue aâ— impudent and vnchast thing and almost out of her wittes for the companie of men thou hast kept her close in thy Cell which I would verie willinglie knowe with what right thou canst maintaine it Then I hearing him call Leucippe immodest and vnchast was woonderfully mooued in my minde and not bearing these contumelions wordes he scant hauing ended his speach thou sayd I art thrise more seruile madde and immodest Leucippe is a frée woman a virgin and woorthie of a Goddesse What sayde hée dare you prate Sir béeing bound and condemned And with as great force as he could he stroÌ„ke me twice vpon the face that streameâ— of blood gushed out of my nose and striking me the third time his hand dashed against my téeth and hauing hurt his fingers with a great grone he plucked backe his hand so that my téeth seemed to reuenge the iniury which was offered to my nose But he for the griefe of the hurt effeminately like a woman wept then he ceased to strike me againe But I séeing his finger hurt complaining of violence offered to me there I filled the temple with a great clamour whither shall we flie the violence of thâ—se grosse heads what gods shall we worship after Diana for we are beaten in the temples and we are strooken before the sacred altars of the goddesse In desart places where no witnesses are such facts are committed but thou before the gods themselues doest exercise thy authoritie and when as the stately temples of the goddesse are a refuge for the innocent I being guilflesse haue receiued a wound before her presence who can deny therefore but that these blowes were giuen to Diana and when he could not be content with words he gaue me wounds such as are giuen in warres and hath defiled the flore with mens blood Who euer sacrificed so vnto Diana of Ephesus That is the lawe among the Barbarians the Scythians and them which inhabite the mountaine Taurus to sacrifice to Diana with mens blood Thou hast done as if Ionia were Scythia and Ephesus Taurica but why doest not thou drawe thy sword vpon me neither hast thou néed to drawe it since thy hands supply the vse therof While I did thus lament with my selfe a great concourse was made and all the people came round about me and many beganne to blame the man others exclaimed of his impuritie then said the Priest are not you ashamed thus publikely in the temple to behaue your selfe Wherefore said I with a good courage thus you sée O men of Ephesus how I am vsed which am a frée man and a Denizen of no base Citie I had almost perished being brought into hazard of my life except the slaunders of this wicked man being land open Diana by her holy godhed had now deliuered me out of his hands now haue I néed to go out of the temple and wash my face neither is it lawfull we do it here lest the holie water should be defiled with polluted blood In the meane season Thersander when as hee was thrust out of the temple by many as he was going he spoke thus to himselfe Thou art nowe condemned in thine owne cause neither long after shalt thou be vnpunished the pipe shall make triall of this harlot which counterfeiteth her virginitie After he was gone I went forâ—h and washed my face but when supper time was come one of the priestes inuited vs to his house but I being guiltie of those things which Sostratus had reported durst not looke him in the face Leucippe also for shame looked vpon the ground so that the supper séemed to be sorrowfull at length Bacchus did remoue away our shame for hee is the author of libertie and then the priest turning to Sostratus said Why I pray you doo not you shew vnto vs the order of your warre wherein I delight to heare of your worthie stratagems for pleasant discourses well agrée with wine Then Sostratus taking the occasion to speake said what I did was of no great valour and therfore not worthy the rehearsal my name is Sostratus my countrey Byzantium I am vncle to this youth father to this maid the rest O Clitiphon declare now what soeuer they be for if any aduersitie hath happened to me it is not to be giuen to thée but to fortune then I repeated all things in order which hadde hapned to me after I fled from Tyrus First my scaping shipwracke our landing at Aegypt the théeues the rape of Leucippe the counterfeit cutting of her belly at the altar the craftines of Menelaus the loue of Charmides the medicine of Chaerea the rapine of the Pyrates the wound in my
what was meant by the head which was cut off froÌ„ the body y t your father also may know it for this alone is wanting Then said she The woman which you saw was slaine was one of them which sell apples and peares by the sea shore whom they got into their ship promisâ—ng hir that they would marry her vnto one of the marriners but after that they had gotten me hoysing vp their sayles and plying their cares when they saw how neare they were pursued they plucked off my apparell and put it on her backe apparelling mee likewise in hers And hauing thus attired her they placed her vpoÌ„ the top of the hinder end of the ship that she might be séene of them which pursued her and there they cut off her head the bodie as you saw they floong into the sea but the head they kept a little space in the ship But wheÌ„ they perceyued that no bodie pursued them they cast it out also I do not certainly knowe for what intent they tooke in that woman except that as it happened to mee afterward that they would sell her but she was slaine in my stead that the pursuers might be deceyued thinking that they could gaine the more by the sale of mée then of her There did I beholde Chaerea which was the authour and counsellor of her death to suffer worthy punishment For when as the other pyrates denied that he should inioy mée alone because that he had taken that other woman and slaine her which perhaps might haue béene againe to them said that I should be sold and the money equally distributed amongest them but he defending his owne cause denied saying that he agréed with them before that hée should take her for his priuate profite alone and not to the common vtilitie but one of them which stoode behind him hearing him thus wrongfully chalenging me alone tooke his swoord and stroke off his head and so suffering iust punishment for his rape was cast into the sea Two dayes after being carried I know not whither the pyrats solde me to a merchant who receyuing his money againe sold me to Sosthenes Then said Sostratus since that you my children haue reported your mishaps heare of me what happened to Calligone Clitiphon his sister at home that I may not go frée alone without declaring something but I hearing my sisters name did listen more attentiuely speake sayde I father when you please so that you say she liueth Then he rehearsed all as I had shewed before the Oracle as well the sacrifice as the shippe and the maner of her rape adding moreouer that when Callisthenes perceiued she was not his daughter although he knew that the matter went forth otherwise then he thought yet he ceased not to loue her but casting himselfe downe at her féete he spake to her in this sort O mistresse do not think me to be a pyrate or such a wicked person I am borne of a noble house in Byzantium and will giue place to none in birth loue constrained me to lay after the maner of théeues these ambushes for you but thinke me henceforward your seruant And first I giue to you my self and willingly also bestow on you all my wealth and substance which neuer your father would haue imparted to you I will abstaine as long as you will from violating of your virginitie With these words and many other more apter to perswade for he was of comely personage and in talke very pleasant and earnest to moue he woonne the maid to his owne desire And after he returned to Byzantium he indowed her with most of his liuing he atired her richly with goold and precious stones and many other iewels which are requisite to the adorning of a woman And as shée was a virgin when he tooke her away so he suffered her to continue before he had promised but hée himselfe in handling many matters he haued himselfe verie gently courteously and ciuilly and vppon a suddaine there was a newe reformation of the man for be did giue place to his elders and readie he was to salute whom soeuer hee met when before hee was a great spender of his good his former riot was turned into libertie To conclude he dealt so wisely in all his affayres that all men maruelled that of a suddaine from so lauish hée was become so thriftie he alwayes loued me and I likewise had a good opinion of him thinking that this excessiue prodigalitie did father shewe a bountifulnesse of nature then any intemperaunce in the man remembring what was sayde once of Themistocles that when hée was verie dissolute in his youth yet in the ende hée excelled all the Athenians in wisedome and fortiâ—ude wherefore it repented mée that I had denyed him my daughter when he would haue had her into marryage for hee did giue me great honour calling mée father and béeing armed he accompanyed me through the Market place neither did his minde abhorre from martiall affayres for when hée was a horseman hee behaued himselfe couragiously so that in those intemperate yong yeares in valour and chiualrie hée séemed to excell But câ—mming to mans estate when his strength increased in his bodie his cheifest desire was to follow millitarie affayres to profite the common wealth with his suâ—staunce wherefore he was created generall of the aâ—mie with mée whereby hee wan great honour willing to obey me in all things After wée had gotten the vicâ—orie â—uer â—ur enemyes the Gods assisting vs wée returned to Byzantâ—um I came hither to giue thankes to the Gods hée went to sacrifice to Hercules at Tyrus But first Callisthenes tooke mee by the hande and tolde mee all what hée had done for Calligones sake wherefore my father sayde the cause of these things which 〈◊〉 hee in â—ur youth is the fierie heate of those years but what 〈◊〉 afterwards are doone with discretion and iudgement wh 〈◊〉 sayde Callisthenes to me I haue kept her a Uirgin yet especially in tyme of warre when no man then by his good wiâ—â— will let slippe such occasions to his pleasure wherefore now I determine to carrie her to Tyrus to her father and there according to the lawes to marrie her if that I can get his good will it will bee well but if hee bee frowarde and will not let him take his daughter againe a virgin as â—he was when I tooke her which when I haue married I wil endew her with a large patrimonie wherefore since al things haue fallen out so well contrarie to Thersanders expectations I haue determined first to go to Bizantium and from thence to failâ— to Tyrus When he hâ—â— made an ende of his tale wee went euery man to bed as we did before The next day Clinias returned vnto â—s and certified vs now that Thersander was fled away Wee stayed there thrée dayes for our appâ—rance did last so long then we went againe to the prince and hâ—uing recited the lawes wherby he found that Thersander had no cause of iust accusation against vs we departed and taking ship with a gentle gale of winde we came to Byzaantium where we finished our long desired marriages Then we sayled to Tyrus â—â—ither when Calisthenes was come two dayes before we found â—y father offering sacrifice the next day for my sisters mariage â—â—â—â—fore we also were present that we might be partakers of the same requesting the gods to graunt our mariages to be happy and fortunate where we agreed to stay vpon this condition that winter being past we should returne againe to Byzantium FINIS