what shée was as thoughe they had benne Tokens from Alcamenes Then mette I with Theagenes and asked him where those were who were the Dooers of the Roialtie aforsaide The Maides quoth he are gonne awaie before that thei maie take the easier iournies and the yonge menne wil tarry no longer but make much adoo and greate prouision to returne to their Conntrie When I knewe this I tolde him what he should both saie to them and doo him selfe and gaue him charge that he should waite vntil I gaue him a Token what he shoulde doo And so I leafte him and wente to the Temple of Apollo to praie the God that he woulde instructe me as concerninge my flighte with the yonge couple But the God was quicker then any man would thinke who helpeth those that doo their businesse accordinge to his wil although he be not called vpon oftentimes preuentinge theire praiers with the readinesse of his good wil as euen then it happened that he preuented my question with the answeare and did in déede declare his helpe and pleasure For as much as a certaine voice staied me as I wente by to a Prophetesse and was very careful for the perfourmance of that I determined whiche saide you maie make haste when the strangers calle you who at that time with the noyse of Shames made a Banquette in the honoure of Hercules I wente not so faste after I hearde this for I might not goe paste when God had called me After I had with Frankensence perfumed offered water they séemed to woonder at the coste of my Oblations yet for al that they desired me to take parte of theire Banquette I did so after I sate downe on a Benche whiche they had strewed with Myrte Lawrel for strangers and had eaten such meate as I was accustomed to doo I said vnto theÌ„ good felowes I thanke you for my goo chéere But I am vtterly ignorante of your Demeanour wherefore it is time that ye tel me what ye are and whence ye comme For it is an vnséemely and very rude thinge that those who haue donne Sacrifice and Banquetted togeather and made holy meate at the beginninge of their friendeship should departe without either knowinge others affaires Then they tolde me that they were Merchauntes of Tyros in Phoenicia and that they sailed to Carthage in Aphrique with a Shippe fraughted with Merchandyse of India Aethiopia and Phoenicia At this time we make a Banquette to Hercules of Tyros for a Victorie which we haue gotten in as muche as this yonge man pointing to him that sate before me gotte the beste game at Wrastlinge whereby he hathe proued that a Tyrian maie gette the Victorie in the middest of the Greekes For he after wée had sayled paste Malea and by force of Tempeste were constrained to lande at the Ilande of the people of Cephalem sware vnto vs by this our Countrie God that in his sléepe it was tolde him he shoulde obtaine the Victory in these sportes of Apollo And when he had perswaded vs to turne from our intended course and lande here he made proufe by déede that his Prophecie was true So that nowe he is denounced a famous Conquerour that was but late a Marchante who also as a thankes geuinge for his victorie dothe this Sacrifice to the God who was his Conductor And to morowe if the winde serue wée will leaue this coaste Haue you determined this in déede saide I Yea verily answeared they you shall then if you please haue my company For I haue a viage into Sicilia for a certaine cause and you sailynge into Aphryke muste passe by it You shall be welcome ê™ they if you will for wée suppose wée shal want no commoditie if wée haue with vs a Wise man and a Grecian and suche a one as by experience may be proued that he is wel beloued of the Goddes I would saide I to them if you will graunte me but one daie to make my prouision You shall haue to morrowe ê™ they on condition that aboute night you wilbe at the Sea For wée commonly sayle by night for that the windes that come then from the earthe doo calmely fill our sayles I made bargayne that I woulde doo so bindinge them firste by Othe that they should not departe before their promised time was expired And so I lefte them there yet pipinge and dauncinge after the manner of the Assyrans sometime leapinge alofte sometime bendinge their bodyes downewarde and like suche as were inspired with some God writhinge them selues Then wente I to Cariclia and founde her holdinge in her lappe the Iewels whiche Caricles gaue her and earnestly vewed them After I wente to Theagenes and when I had tolde them bothe what they shoulde doo and when I wente to mine owne lodgyng diligently consideringe of that which should be done The nexte daie thus did thei About midnight wheÌ„ al the Cittie was faste asléepe a crewe of armed yonge men came to the house of Cariclia the Captayne of this amorous warre was Theagenes who taught his youthes after their braue Pompe to plaie the Souldiers They suddainely made those afrayde which perceiued a little with their greate clamour classhynge of their armour so that with greate lighte they brake into her house liftinge the doore aside easily for that it was prouided before it shoulde not be very harde barred and tooke her awaie wel prepared for that shée knew hereof before and with good will suffered this assaulte and caried a greate deale of stuffe suche as the Mayde commaunded them away also After they came out of the house they sounded a warlike crie and made a terrible noyse with their Harnesse and so passed through the Cittie and caste the Inhabitantes thereof into a woonderful feare by reason that they had chosen the night for none other pourpose but that they might be the more feared So that Pernassus gaue an Eccho backe to their noyse After they were gone out of the Cittie as faste as they coulde they hied them on Horsebacke into the Mountaines of Locrus and Oeta But Theagenes and Cariclia as was before concluded foresooke the Thessalians and came to me priuily and fell bothe in greate feare at my féete and still cried saue vs Father Cariclia saide no more but helde downe her heade as though shée were ashamed of that shée had donne But Theagenes saide more Calasiris saue vs beinge Strangers and bannished our Countries depriued of all our Friendes that amonge them all wée might winne our selues Saue our bodies hereafter committed to Fortune whiche also are made bonde to chaste Loue. Saue vs by our owne accorde bannished yet glad thereof and suche as haue sette all their sauegarde on you I was moued herewith and after I had wepte rather with my harte then mine eies so that the yonge folkes perceiued it not yet it eased my griefe I comforted and imboldened them At a woorde I badde them hope for a luckie ende in that this
affection towarde thée but shée woulde make them aunsweare that it was a greater griefe to her then that by any comfortable woordes it might be asswaged and that fewe of them knewe what a coresey it was to her hart and when shée came againe to her selfe shée woulde muche accuse Thisbe in that shée had not serued her well Oh howe ready arte thou woulde shée saie to doo mischiefe who haste not nowe helped me in my loue but rather caused me to lose in the turninge of an hande my moste ioye neither grauntedst thou me any time to chaunge my minde and therewith gaue manifeste tokens that shée woulde doo her somme harme Shée percesuinge her to be very wrothe and almoste ouercomme with sorrowe prepared to doo somme greate mischiefe to her beinge set on aswel with angre as loue determined to preueÌ„t her and by beguilinge her to prouide for her owne safetie Wherefore shée entred in to her and saide what a doo is this Misters And why doo you accuse thus your mayde for my parte I haue alwaies heretofore donne and euen now also did as you commaunded me If any thing happened not accordinge to your minde you muste ascribe that to Fortune and if nowe also you will commaunde me to diuise somme remedy for your present sorrow you shall easily perceiue you shall not wante my good will What remedy replied she is there possible to be founde séeinge he who canne doo the same is by distance of place separated from me and the vnhoped for lenitie of those that gaue sentence of him hathe killed me For if he had benne stoaned then also in one had benne quenched deade the blasinge flames of my burninge desire For that whose hope is paste is taken from the harte that whiche is looked for no more causeth gréeued mindes to intermit all manner of sorrowe Nowe me thinketh I sée him and in his bannishement heare him how he casteth in my téethe the vniust guiles that I ensnared him with as a thinge shamefully donne so that I blusshe to speake to him sommetime me thinketh he commes towarde me and I shall enioye him sommetime I determined to goe towarde him in what coaste of the worlde so euer he be Theise thinges sette me on fire theise thinges made me madde But oh yée Goddes I haue as I deserue for why did I not rather with good wil speake to winne him then by crafte to compell him Why did I not rather humbly praye him then like an enimie persecute him He woulde not take me at the firste and by good reason for I was an other mannes He feared to defile his Fathers bedde but happely either by time he might be allured to be more gentill vnto me But I rude and cruell as thoughe I loued no man and had authoritie to compell him bicause he obeyed me not at the firste and for that he despised Demeneta whom in bewtie he farre excelled haue committed an heynous crime but O my Thisbe what remedie is that whiche thou wouldeste me or what is easy Misters ê™ shée many menne thinke that Cnemon is gonne out of the Cittie and Lande of Athens as he was iudged to doo But I knowe well ynoughe who haue searched all thinges narrowely for your sake that he kéepethe him selfe secretely in a certaine place before the Cittie You haue hearde of one Arsmoe I knowe well shée that plaiethe so well on the Virginalles with her he liethe for the Mayde after his miserie tooke him in promised to goe awaie with him and kéepeth him at her house vntill shée canne prouide all thinges ready for her iourney Oh happy Arsmoe sayde Demeneta bothe for the former acquaintaunce which shée had with Cnemon and for the bannishment whiche shée shall haue with him but what doo theise thinges touche vs muche Misters sayde shée I will saie I loue Cnemon and wil desire Arsmoe with whom I haue benne well acquainted a greate while by reason of my arte that shée woulde in her stéede suffer me to lie with him one nighte Whiche if I shall obtaine it shalbe youres and he shall thinke you to be Arsmoe and in her place shal you be with him and I will prouide for that also that when he hathe drunke a little he shal goe to bedde and if you gette that you desire then shall it be beste for you to géeue ouer your loue For in many the firste experimente hathe quenched suche earnest desire for the séede of loue wherewith wée prosecute any thinge is to haue ynough thereof but if this desire shall then also remaine whiche God forbidde then shall wée make as the Prouerbe saithe a newe viage and speake a newe waie in the meane time let vs apply that whiche the presente oportunitie permitteth Demeneta allowed and praysed this well and praied her not to slake this determination at all Shée craued of hir Misters but one daie to bringe this aboute shée went to Arsmoe and asked her if shée knewe not Teledemus shée aunsweared yes Lette vs haue a chamber I praie you quoth she for I haue promised him this night that he shall come firste and I will followe as soone as I haue brought my Misters to bedde This donne shée wente to Aristippus into the countrie and saide to him thus Maister I come to you to accuse my selfe and ready to take suche pounishemente at your hande as your discretion shall thinke good By me haue you loste yours Sonne not willinge in déede so to doo yet of truthe an healper to the same For when I perceiued my Misters liued not well but was iniurious to your bedde fearinge not onely my selfe if the mater came to lighte by any other for kéepinge her counsell shoulde haue some shrewde tourne but especially sorrowefull for your mishappe whoe for louinge youre wife so interely shoulde haue suche recompence daringe not my selfe came one nighte that no man shoulde knowe thereof and secretely made you priuie to the same tolde to my yonge Maister that there was one who vsed to plaie the harlot with my Mistris he thinking that then there had bene one with her in bedde for he was vexed before by her as you knowe wel ynoughs takinge his swoorde in his hande very angrie and not estéeminge that I saide then there was none but thinkinge that I had repented me of bewraieinge the same ranne like a madde maÌ„ to your beddes side what folowed you knowe now is the time that you maie cleare your selfe of your Sonne though he be in bannishement and maie take reuenge on vs bothe who haue donne you wronge I wil shewe you this night Demeneta whiche maketh the mater a greate deale more heynous lieinge with her Friende in an other mans house without the Cittie If saide Aristippus thou wilte shewe me this I I will make thée frée and my selfe should reuiue againe if I were reuenged of mine enemie I haue benne greued aboute the same in my conscience a greate while yet
looked backe for him that pursued him not And when he had luste to sléepe he woulde refraine for that he woulde not sléepe longer then néede required Laste of all he séemed to be angry with the night and thought that it was longer then any other was As soone as with greate desire he sawe the daie firste he cut of so muche of his heare as he had let growe that he might be like vnto the Théeues to the intent that those who mette him should not trouble nor suspecte him For the Théeues beside other thinges that they doo whereby they maie séeme more fearefull let their heare growe so longe that al men lothe it which they shake hanginge on their shoulders knowinge very well that longe heare maketh them more acceptable whiche are in Loue but Théeues more terrible When therefore Cnemon had cutte of so muche of his heare as woulde make him séeme the more trimme and not be thought one of the Théeues he made haste to goo to Chemmis where he appointed to méete with Theagenes And beinge now come to Nylus and ready to passe ouer he spied an Olde man walkinge on the banke vp and downe who séemed to communicate somme of his cogitations with the fludde he had longe heare after a holy facioÌ„ but a very white roughe bearde somewhat loÌ„ge his Cloke and other Apparell like a Grecian Cnemon therefore staied a little but when the Olde man passed vp and downe diuerse times and séemed not to sée any man by him he was in suche a muse sure cogitation he came before him and saide al Hayle Sir I cannot ê™ he for that Fortune will not so Whereat Cnemon marueiled and saide are you a Greeke or what Countrie man els Neither a Greeke answeared he nor any other Countrieman but of this Countrie an Aegyptian How then happeneth it saide Cnemon that in your apparaile you imitate the Greekes My miseries sayde he haue changed this handsome apparayle for others Cnemon maruailed that any man coulde trimme decke him selfe for any mishappes and faine woulde haue knowen the cause or manner thereof You cause me saide the Olde man to remember many troubles and doo also moue by them a wonderfull grudginge againste your selfe but whether be you goinge or from whence come you or how happeth it that you speake Greeke in Aegypte That were a merie ieste in déede saide Cnemon in as much as you first asked me wil tel me no part of your estate yet you woulde know of me mine I am well pleased ê™ the Olde man for that you séeme to be a Grecian and some Fortune as I ghesse hath traÌ„sformed you into an other Figure also Beside that you so earnestly desire to heare in what state I am Surely my gréefe desireth to be vttered if I had not happened on you I thinke I shoulde haue tolde it to these Réedes accordinge to the tale Lette vs therefore leaue these bankes of Nylus and Nylus it selfe too neither is the border of this banke fitte to tell a longe tale in sithe that it is subiecte to the vehemente heate of the Southe Sunne Let vs therefore goo to the village that wée sée ouer against vs if you haue no greater businesse there shall you be my geste not in mine owne house but in a very good mans who hath entertained me in aduersitie In his house shall you heare all my Fortune if you will and in like manner you shall tell me yours Contente saide Cnemon For if I had not mette with you I muste haue gonne to this village to tarrie by appointment for some of my companions they tooke a Boate then wherof there was great stoare ready to transporte any man for hyre and came into the Towne and so into the house wherein this Olde man was hosted the good man of the house was not at home but his daughter now Marriageable the other Maides as many as were at home entertained them very courteously intreated the Olde man as he had benne their Father For so I thinke their Maister had commaunded One washed their legges and sweapte the duste from vnder their féete another made their bedde and prouided a softe lodginge for them an other brought in the potte and made a fire another couered the Table sette wheateÌ„ breade thereon diuers other kindes of fruytes Whereat Cnemon maruailed saide Father perhaps wée are comme into Iupiter hospitalis house wée are so muche regarded and that with so good minde Not into Iupiter saide he but into suche a mans as knoweth Iupiter hospitalis and the Patrone of suche as be in aduersitie well For sometime he leadeth his life in trauaile Marchandise and hath séene many Citties and knoweth the manners and facions of diuers Nations For which cause it is like that he entertained me into his house wandring trauelinge a fewe daies agoo aboute as also he hath donne many moe others What trauell Father saide Cnemon is it which you speake of I am saide â—e in this place berefte of my Children and knowe the misdooers wel but cannot be reuenged wherfore I with waylinge bewéepe my sorrowe like a Byrde whose nest a Dragon pulleth downe and deuoureth her yonge before her face and is afraide to come nighe neither can shée flie awaie at suche controuersie is loue and sorrowe in her but makinge greate noyse flieth aboute the miserable stéepe and powreth in vaine her Motherlike and humble teares into those cruell eares who haue of Nature benne taught no mercie Will you therefore saide Cnemon tell me howe and when you had this cruell happe Hereafter saide he I wil. Now it is time to looke to our bellies to whiche Homer hauinge respecte not without good consideration called it pernitious for that in comparison thereof al thinges els were counted little woorthe But firste accordinge to the wisedome of the Aegyptians let vs doo sacrifice to the immortal Goddes for nothinge shall euer cause me to breake this custome Neither shall any greife be so greate whiche shall cause me to put the remembrance and seruice of God out of my minde when he had saide thus he powred a litle cleane water out of a viall and saide I doo Sacrifice to the Goddes of this Countrie to the Goddes of Greece to Apollo of Delphos and beside to Theagenes and Cariclia good and honest Creatures for as muche as I make these Goddes also and therewithal he wepte as though he woulde doo an other Sacrifice to them beside with sorowfull teares When Cnemon hearde this he was abashed and looked earnestly on the Olde man rounde aboute What saie you ê™ he be Theagenes and Cariclia your children in déede They are my children saide he borne without a Mother For the Goddes haue made them my children by chance and caused me to be sorowfull for them so that I haue a naturall affection of minde towarde them by which they haue estéemed me as
matter was begonne by the will and Counsell of the Goddes As for me ê™ I I will goo and dispatche the reste of our businesse But tarry you me in this place and take diligent héede that no man espie you When I had saide thus I went backe but Cariclia caught me by the coate and helde me faste and sayde What Father this beginninge is vniuste or rather Trayterous if you will departe and leaue me alone with Theagenes and will not consider howe vnméete a man a Louer is to be a kéeper if that be in his power to enioye whiche he loueth and wante suche as may make him ashamed thereof For I thinke that he is rather incensed when he seeth that which he desireth without any defense before his face Wherefore I will not let you departe before as well for the time present but rather for that whiche is to come I maie be sure by Theagenes Othe that he shall not fleashly haue to doo with me vntill I haue recouered my Countrie and Parentes or if the Goddes be not content herewith at least vntill I by mine owne frée will be content he shall Marrie me Otherwise neuer After I harde what shée had saide I woondered and was determined it should be so and made a little fire vpon an Aultare and burned Incense Theagenes sware sayinge that he had wronge for that the faithe which he had determined in his minde to kéepe was taken away by reason of an Othe and that he coulde not prayse that will whiche was forced by a greater power yet for all that he tooke his Othe by Apollo of Delphos and Diana by Venus her selfe and all Lawes that he woulde doo all thinges in suche sorte as Cariclia would haue him This and many other thinges they concluded betwéene them selues callinge the Gods witnesses thereto I comminge as faste as I could to Caricles founde all his house on a hurlyburly and sory because the Ministers were now come to him and had tolde him of the takinge awaie of the Mayde and the Citizens came by heapes stoode rounde about him while he sorowed at a woorde what for ignorance of that was done wante of counsell for that was to come they were at their wittes endes There beganne I with my bigge voyce to thunder and saye Yée vnhappy people howe longe will ye sitte still dombe like stockes as though your courage were also taken awaie with ill Fortune Why doo you not in Armoure pursue your enemies wil you not take and punishe them who haue donne you this wronge It is in vaine perhappes sayde Caricles to striue any longer with this present Fortune For I vnderstande perfitely that I am thus punished for the anger of the Goddes whiche was foreshewed me since I wente in an vnlucky time into the priuie Chappell and sawe there that whiche was not lawfull to be séene that therefore I should lose that I sette moste stoare by But there is no impediment as the Prouerbe is that shoulde let vs to fight with the Goddes if wée knewe whom to pursue or him who hath donne vs this mischiefe That is sayde I Theagenes the Thessalian the yonge men whiche were with him whom you praysed so muche and made my friende And so you maie yet finde some man in the Cittie who hath till this time stayed here wherefore arise call the people to Councell so was it donne The Captaines appointed a méetinge by Trumpet proclayminge the same in the Cittie the people straight came together the Theater was made a Courte by night Caricles came foorth and fallinge suddainely awéepinge beganne to saie thus Perhappes ye menne of Delphi suppose consideringe the greatnesse of my miseries that I come hither and haue gathered this multitude of people to vtter mine owne mishappes vnto you But it is not so For although I suffer ofte such thinges as may be compared with deathe it selfe and at this present time my house is desolate and destroyed by the Goddes solitary and robbed of those that I helde moste déere in whoes companie and pleasant behauiour I contented my selfe yet the common frustration and vaine hope of al doothe comforte me alitle and causeth me to suffer who promiseth to finde my Daughter againe whiche thinge in déede maie be donne but the Cittie moueth me more which I desire and looke shalbe Victorious firste and take reuenge of those that haue wronged it Excepte these Thessalian youthes haue taken awaie our loftie courages and iuste wrathe whiche wée shoulde receiue for our Countrie and Countrie Goddes For that whiche is moste intollerable a fewe dauncinge Boyes sente about a Sacred message doo depart after they haue wasted the most Noble Cittie of Greece and haue taken out of Apolloes Churche the moste Pretious Iewell thereof Cariclia which also was my Life O implacable and too obstinate anger of God towarde vs Firste as you al knowe it killed my natural Daughter at the daie of her Marriage and her Mother also with the griefe that shée tooke for her Deathe and bannished me from my Natiue Countrie But all this was tollerable after I had founde Cariclia Cariclia was my life my hope and staie of my stocke Cariclia onely was my comforte and as I maie terme her mine increase whiche also this miserie what so euer it be that nowe came vpon me hathe taken from me Neither hathe it donne this simply or by chaunce but as it accustomably triumphethe ouer me with moste crueltie it hathe taken her euen almost from her Husbande in as muche as the daie of Wedding was already spreadde abroade amonge you all As he spake thus and fel quite from the mater into sorrowinge Hegesias the Captaine badde him be contente and get him awaie and said you that be here Caricles shal haue time yenoughe to lamente hereafter But let vs not be drowned with his sorrowe nor carried awaie vnaduisedly with his teares as with a greate streame of water letting passe al due occasion whiche as it is in al thinges so in Warre it is of most force For nowe if wée pursue as soone as wée shal diminishe this Companie there is some hope that we shal ouertake our enimies which now trauel without care for that they knowe we be vnprouided But if wée stil lamentinge or rather wailinge like wéemen shal geue them longer time that they escape with our tarryinge we shal deserue nothinge but to be scorned and that of the yonge menne them selues whiche I saie ought to be hanged as soone as they be taken and somme of them ignominiously dealt withal so that their pounishmente also redounde to theire Families This maie easily be donne if wée shal moue the Thessalians to displeasure againste these that be fledde and their posteritie by forbiddinge theÌ„ to doo any more this Holy Legation and due Funeralles of the Noble man whiche wée had decreed shoulde be donne of the coste of the common Treasurie After all this was praysed of the people
very commodiously so that they make the Sea easie to be sayled and promise good spéede to Merchauntes and my businesse doo call me as it were a Trumpette into Greece you shal doo very well if you tell me your minde that I may order my businesse to suche ende as I may pleasure you After this Calasiris pausinge a while saide Nausicles God send you a good viage and Mercury who geueth the gaine Neptune geuinge quiet passage beare you company and be your Guides and make euery Hauen a good Harbour to you and euery Cittie easie for you to trade in and desirous of Merchauntes because you haue intertained vs so friendly while we haue benne with you and now wée minde to departe doo suffer vs to goe so gently obseruinge in euery pointe the Lawes of Hospitalitie and Friendshippe As for vs although it grieue vs greatly to departe from you and your house whiche you haue caused vs to take for our owne yet wée must néedes goe séeke those whom wée holde moste déere and this is Cariclias determination and mine Mary what Cnemon is minded to doo and whether he will trauell with vs to doo vs pleasure or hath appointed to doo any thinge els lette him saie him selfe Cnemon was willinge to answeare this and as he was aboute to speake he sighed sore and the teares whiche trickled suddainely downe his chéekes stopped his tongue vntil at length comming to him selfe againe he saide with a sorrowfull voice Oh humaine estate moste vnstable and full of all manner of changes what stoare of mishappes haste thou shewed as well in me as many other Thou haste depriued me of my Kinsfolkes and Fathers house thou haste bannished me from my Countrie and Natiue Cittie whiche I accompt most déere thou haste brought me into Egypt and that I leaue to speake of many mishappes by the way haste brought me into the handes of the Théeues called Heardmen and there shewed me a little hope of good Fortune by acquaintinge me with menne who though they were in misery yet were they Greekes with whom I thought to liue all the reste of my life But thou séemest to take this from me againe whither shal I turne my selfe or what shall I doo shal I leaue Cariclia who hath not yet founde Theagenes that is vntollerable and may not be donne shal I goe with her to séeke him if wée were sure to finde him it were well donne to take paynes in hope of a happy ende but if that whiche is to come be vncertaine and wée happe to fall into greater sorrowe no man can tell where my trauell shall ende But what if I craue pardon of you and the Goddes of friendshippe and nowe at length make mention of returninge into my Countrie and Family Seinge that Nausicles in so good time by the prouidence of the Goddes as I thinke saithe that he will sayle into Greece least if my Father die in mine absence our house be left without an heyre For although I shal liue in penury yet that there should be somme lefte of our stocke by me is a thinge very honest for it selfe to be desired But oh Cariclia I would be excused to you especially and I craue pardon at your hande and praye you to shewe me thus muche fauour lette me goe with you to Bessa and I will desire Nausicles to tarry for me a little while although he make great haste And if I deliuer you there to Theagenes let me be counted one that hath wel kepte that he deliuered to me Whereby I may haue better hope also to spéede well afterwarde séeinge wée parted so well But if we fayle of him there whiche God forbidde laye no faulte in me for that I leaue you not alone but with Calasiris your good Father who also will sée to you very well Cariclia perceiued by many Signes that Cnemon was in Loue with Nausicles Daughter for a Louers eye is very quicke to espie an other who is like affected and that also Nausicles wente aboute by that whiche he spake to make a marriage entised Cnemon diuersly iudgeinge him also to be no méete Companion for their company and woulde breade suspition also made him answeare Doo as it pleaseth you and I geue you hartie thankes for that you haue donne to vs already and confesse my selfe to be in youre debte As for the time to comme it is not néedeful that you should haue any care of our businesse nor be in daūger in other mennes matters againste your will But God sende you well to recouer your Countrie Cittie and house and make not light of Nausicles nor of the profer he maketh As for me and Calasiris wée wil contende so longe with al that whiche shal happen to vs vntil wée shal finde an ende of our trauel and althoughe no man beare vs felwshippe yet I truste the Goddes wil be our companions With this spake Nausicles The Goddes sende Cariclia her hartes desire and beare her companye as shée hathe praied and graunte that shée maie recouer her Kinsfolkes in as much as shée is of so noble courage and excellente wisedome and to you Cnemon be no longer sorrowful for that you cannot carry Thisbe with you to Athens for that you haue me who haue carried her from thence so craftely for I am that Merchante of Naucratia Thisbes Louer and if you will be ruled by mine aduice you shal gaine a greate Summe of Money and recouer your Countrie and House very wel by my conducte and if you liste to take a wife you shal haue my Daughter Nausiclia and a greate Dowrie with her and I wil thinke that shée hathe so muche as shée maye looke for at your hande because I knowe of what Kinred and House you be comme Cnemon made no staie at this but tooke that whiche before he desired and was nowe perswaded contrary to his expectation and saide Al that you promise me I accepte with al my harte And therwithal he gaue him his hande and Nausicles affianced and deliuered his Daughter to him and commaundinge the Songe vsually songe at Marriages to be songe beganne to daunce first him selfe for makinge so suddaine a marriage of that prepared Banquette Al the reste celebrated the marriage with dauncinge and singinge so that al the House was lighted with suche Candles as are vsed at Weddinges But Cariclia departinge from the reste wente into her Chamber and boltinge the Doore because that none shoulde trouble her vntied and caste abroade her Heare as if shée had benne in a rage and cuttinge her Apparel saide Wel let vs also daunce in the honour of the God who hathe care ouer vs in suche sorte as our estate requireth Lette vs singe teares vnto him and daunce with Lamentations Let the darkenesse resounde of the obscure nighte nowe this Candle is out be iudge of that I meane to doo what a House hathe it made for our sake what a marriage Bedde hathe it
that whiche séemed to be drie at the toppe there was muche wetnesse whiche as well deceiued men as Horses So they passed their time twoo or thrée daies and in token of peace the people of Siene sette open their gates and the Aethiopians laide a side theire Armoure And so was there a truce yet came they not togeather neither was there kepte watche and warde with either of them But they that were in the Cittie gaue them selues to pastime pleasure for then it hapned that the hiest feast that the Egyptians haue fel which is kept holy aboute midsomer at what time the Floudde encreasde and it is honoured more then al other for this cause The Egyptians faine Nylus to be a God and the greatest of al ▪ Gods equal to Heauē because he watereth their Countrie without Clowdes or Raine that commeth out of the Apre and thus dothe he euery yéere without faile as wel as if it shoulde raine And this is the common sortes opinion But the cause why they gaue him so Diuine honoure is because they thinke that the mixture of moyste and drie is the especial cause of the beginninge and continuaunce of mannes life as for the other Elementes they depende vpon these and are where so euer these be and they deeme that moisture procéedeth from Nylus and driues from the Earthe but this euery man knoweth also Mary their Diuines saie that the Earthe is Isis and Nylus Osiris geuinge to either a newe name Therefore the Goddesse is very desirous of his companie and reioiseth when he is with her but lowreth when he is absent as if some vnhappy blaste by lightninge had touched her This tale haue the skilful men in Natures secretes diuised because as I thinke they woulde not make prophane personnes priuie of the secresies conteined therein but they instructe those that are desirous to knowe these priuities in their vestery by Candell lighte And lette this suffise to be spoken at this time by the leaue of the Gods as for the greate secretes they shall not be reueled for reuerence sake Nowe let vs procéede with that whiche was donne aboute Siene orderly When the feast of Nylus was come the inhabitantes fel to killing of Beastes and to doo Sacrifice and for al that their bodies were busied with theire presente perilles yet theire mindes as muche as they might were godly disposed Oroondates waytinge his time when the Sienians were faste a sléepe after theire feastinge conueyed his Army priuily out for he had secretely geuen the Persians warninge before at what howre and whiche gate he woulde goe foorthe Euery decurion was charged to leaue all their Horses and other Cattell behinde that they mighte not trouble them in their way nor make a noyse whereby that they did should be discouered but euery man to take his Armoure and a Boorde or Planke vnder his arme When they were comme togeather as he had commaunded he caste the boordes that euery man carried ouerthwart the Ose and laide them in suche sorte that one touched another and so conducted ouer his Army with little paine and great spéede as if there had benne a bridge for that they who came after deliuered theire boordes to them that wente before When he came to lande he went priuily by the Aethiopians who suspected nothinge lesse nor kepte watche any longer but sleapte soundly as fast as his breathe woulde geue him leaue wente to Eliphantina and was lette in by by for that the twoo Persians whiche were sente from Siene as was appointed wayted for his comminge euery nighte and when they hearde theire watche woorde they sette open the gates When it was daye the people of Siene firste knew of this escape suspectinge the same for that euery man missed the Persian that was Lodged in his house and coulde not heare of them and by the bridge whiche they sawe before the Towne Then was the Cittie in great feare againe and looked for grieuous punishment for this seconde iniury because they had shewed them selues so vnfaithfull to let the Persians escape after they had founde suche clemency at the Aethiopians handes Wherefore they determined euery man to goe out of the Cittie and yéelde them selues to the Aethiopians and by Othe to confirme their ignoraunce if happely they may mooue them to pitie When all of euery age were come togeather and had taken bowes in their handes to declare their lowlinesse and humilitie and with Tapers burninge carried all their Goddes and holy Images in tooken of peace were come ouer that brydge to the Aethiopians they fell vpon their knées and sate a farre of gaue all at once a sorrowfull lamentable crie crauinge in humble sorte the forgeuenesse of their offence and to obteine it the rather they laied their Infantes before them sufferinge them to goe whither they woulde so asswaginge the wrathe of the Aethiopians with their age whiche was without suspition and blame Those children for feare ranne from theire Parentes and Nources with a woonderful crie somme crepte in the waie whiche wente towarde the Aethiopians Hoste other laie and cried whiche coulde not speake perfitely and would haue made any man to take compassion vpon them because Fortune euen in them printed out an humble estate When Hidaspes sawe this he thoughte that they craued mercye in more earnest sorte then they did before and therefore sente one to knowe what they woulde haue and howe it happened that they ranne out alone and not the Persians with them They tolde him all the Persians Flight their Innocency the Hie Feaste of the Coūtrie and howe that they priuily slipte awaie while they were busie in the seruice of their God and when thei had banqueted and were fallen asléepe Whereas perhappes if they had sente them without Armour they shoulde not haue ben hable to haue staied them beinge armed When Hidaspes hearde this he suspected as the trothe was in déede that Oroondates would doo sommewhat to entrap and hurte him Wherfore he sent onely for the Priestes when he had woorshipped the Goddes of greatest price he asked them if they coulde infourme him of any thinge that they meante to doo and whither they were gonne and where in was their greatest truste They answeared that they knewe nothinge certainely mary they déemed that he was gonne to Eliphantina where the chiefe strengthe of his Armye laie and that Oroondates beste truste was in his Barde Horses When they had saide thus thei desired him to goe into y e Towne as his owne and to take from them all his displeasure But Hidaspes would not enter into it at that time yet he sente thither twoo Troupes of Armed men to sée whether there were any guile as he suspected if not that they shoulde be a Garrison to defende the Cittie this donne he sent away the people of Siene with gentle promises and went him selfe forwarde with his Army either to receiue the Persians if they set vpon him or if they would