and am well pleas'd to find my opinion not erroneous and lest you should believe her a mean Person that hath engaged so great a Prince to this long Narration I shall let you know before I give a more ample Relation of my life that I was born a Princess and am lawful Queen to one of the most puissant and Rich Empires of the world At these words Tyridates rose from his Chair and making an obeisance as low as the verge of her Robe demanded pardon for the faults his Ignorance had committed the fair Queen made him the same excuses and when they had allow'd some time for this Discourse Tyridates being return'd by the Queens intreaty to his Seat thus pursu'd his Story I was born under an unfortunate Planet and those which consulted the Stars at my Nativity did all find me menaced by most malicious influences especially the Mathematician Thrasillus who before his Youth had done blooming had acquir'd a great reputation in that Science and does at this day pass for one of the Worlds living Wonders he saw me in Armenia which I visited in one of my unfortunate Voyages after he had perused some lines in my Hand and Face and been inform'd of the day and hour of my Birth he foretold my Miseries should not end but with my Life that neither should long continue that I was threatned with a Death which should be neither Violent nor Natural but participating something of both In my first Childhood I was nourished in the King my Fathers Court with a great number of Brothers of which I was the youngest Pacorus and Phraates being 16 or 18 years elder than I. I was not 8 years old when my Brothers the Princes Pacorus and Labienus broke into the Territories of Asia that obeyed the Roman People defeated Saxa and swel'd with their lucky success ravaged Cilicia with a part of Syria it may be you have heard of the progress they have made in so short a time But the end was much different for the following year they were defeated and unluckily slain by the Roman Army commanded by Ventidius Lievtenant to Antonius After the death of Pacorus the Prince Phraates my Brother not much short of his Age being already married succeeded to the Helm of the Parthian affairs for the King our Father beginning to stoop under his years desired the Comforts of a Calm Age and to be releas'd of the Troubles which his Youth had sustain'd At my tenth year the King sent me to a little City upon our Frontier where usually the Parthian Royal Infants were educated and there the Prince Pacorus had learn'd part of his Exercises I took some pains at mine with a success fruitful enough to content my Tutors and after I had there imployed about four years time and began to think of being called home to my Fathers Court I understood it had been lately dyed with bloud and that bloud Royal newly drawn from my poor murthered Brothers this Act hath been too well known to all the world for the honour of Arsacides whose name to all ages will stand blotted with eternal Obloquy the cruel and ambitious Phraates unworthy of the Race and Memory of Arsaces desirous to make sure of that Authority which he feared his Brothers might one day find means to disturb caused them to be barbarously slain and the aged King our Father for making his grief appear in his just complaints and declaiming against his detestable Inhumanity in some terms that displeas'd provoked him to compleat the Horror of this Age and the Infamy of Royal Dignity by the addition of Parricide thus punishing no other Crime in his murder'd Father than the giving life to that Cut-throat of him and all his Off-spring I had shar'd the same Fate with my Brethren if he that was dispatch'd with the bloudy Commission to the City where I was had not been touched with the sense of vertue and a respect due to the Extraction of Kings In stead of executing Phraates command he sav'd me from his Cruelty and having inform'd me in few words of my Brother 's deplorable Murther for that of the King my Father was not yet perpetrated with the charge he had given him But Arsanes said he will sooner choose a thousand ways to perish than consent to dip his hands in his Masters Bloud let us save our selves Young Prince and evade the dire design of that savage Monster that would destroy us I intirely resigned my self up to his conduct and being followed by my Governour with five or six Servants that were willing to run my Fortune I got to Horse and though I had scarce attained to 14 years I exposed my self to the hardship of a painful Journey uncertain to save a life which I never yet could own with comfort Thus I first grew miserable and began at an early age to inure my self to Banishment and thus I have learn'd to hope no better than to finish my disgrace and my dayes together Arsanes first conducted me to the Court of Armenia where the King keeping no very friendly correspondence with Phraates and not willing in his behalf to violate the right of Nations received me into his protection In that Court I enjoyed some Tranquility Besides what the King allowed me Arsanes had brought a quantity of Jewels valued at about a thousand Talents which the King my Father to whom he disclos'd the design he had to save me had given him at his departure but Fortune soon shew'd how much my repose displeased her by the Calamities that befell the good King that had given me shelter who most unfortunately fell with all his Family into the hands of Antony her Enemy and was led bound to Queen Cleopatra who some time after with most barbarous Inhumanity caus'd his head to be struck off This Disaster which doubtless you have heard being important enough to spread over the whole Earth sent me to seek another Sanctuary which Arsanes would needs have to be the Court of Media betwixt whose King and the King Orodes there was some alliance there I found the retreat I desired and staid two or three years In that time there happened the ruine of Antony and Cleopatra the establishment of Augustus Caesar in the Roman Empire and many other Revolutions in which the whole World was concerned The cruel Phraates often sent to demand me of the Median King but could never dispose him to put me into his hands yet after he had made many Incursions upon his Territories he at last obtain'd his promise to protect me no longer At Praaspa the Capital City of Media I receiv'd his Orders to retire colour'd with divers excusive reasons which laid the blame upon Necessity From whence I went into Bithynia where I was received by the old King Pharnaces who for two years time treated me with Humanity enough but at last the baseness of his nature shew'd it self And indeed what faith could I hope for from a disloyal wretch that
time since we have either seen or heard of him that we have acted hitherto as if there were no such person in the World His beginning discovered him not to be unworthy the blood of Anthony and all things in him were great enough to rescue him from the oblivion of his neerest relations But before I acquaint you with the first beginnings of his life and the strange accident whereby we lost him I shall tell you what condition the unfortunate Anthony left his family in when he dyed though I doubt not but you have heard somthing of it from Alexander I am easily perswaded Sister you are not to learn how that Anthony left seven children by three wives by Fulvia who was the first Antillus and Julius Antonius by Octavia Caesar's Sister the two Princesses Agrippina and Antonia and by Queen Cleopatra Alexander Ptolomey and my self For the two daughters by Octavia and for us the issue of Cleopatra we all had our education together in the house of that Vertuous Princesse with all the civilities and kindnesses that could be expected from a most affectionate mother and as to the two children of Fulvia Antillus was killed not long after the death of our Father by Caesar's Souldiers his fate having proved not unlike that of our Brother Caesarion whose first eruptions and the great inclinations he discovered raised some jealousie of him in Augustus who for that reason took away his life and Julius Antonius was provided for as we were by the indulgent Octavia and not long after possessed of the house of Fulvia and all the estate belonging thereto with an addition of somewhat out of Anthony's To be short his condition was such that he needed not envy the fortunes of any Roman whatsoever and though he had not those Kingdoms at his disposal which had been at his Father's yet did he keep up our house in the greatest lustre it ever was in before the death of Julius Caesar and before Anthony and Augustus made themselves Masters of the Empire He was elder than Alexander and my self by seven or eight years insomuch that within a short time after our misfortune and while we were yet brought up as children by Octavia he was numbred among the young Princes that pretended to employments and opportunities of acquiring fame He was certainly born to all the noblest and greatest endowments and though he were not so fair as Alexander yet had he a high and majestick look was of a proper stature and wanted not any of those advantages either of body or mind which could rationally be wished in him With this his inclinations were absolutely noble he was wholly disposed to the acquisitions of vertue and an earnest suitor to those opportunities which lead a man to glory We cannot indeed complain but that he expressed as great affection towards us as we could expect from a Brother and him a vertuous one but in regard we were of several venter's lived in several houses nay that ours was in some sort divided between him and us and that even among the kindred of Fulvia there was no small aversion for the name of Cleopatra certain it is that our familiarity was so much the lesse with him and that he concerned himself lesse in our Affairs than if our family had not been dis-united which is the reason that you have had so little mention made of him in the first beginnings of the life of Alexander and mine Whence yet I would not have it thought as I told you that we can reproach Julius Antonius with any backwardnesse to do all the civilities and good offices we could expect from his friendship but that when any great emergencies interven'd he was no longer among us and it is upon that account that I have been destitute of his assistances in all those occasions which the love of Coriolanus hath furnished me with to make use of them and of which I have already made you a relation You have I question not understood from Alexander as also from me all the particularities of our youngery ears but to give you an account of Julius Antonius I am to tell you that after he had attained perfection in all those exercises that are proper to persons of his birth he was no sooner arrived to an age fit to bear arms but he sought out the wars with much earnestnesse and ingaging himself in the armies of Dalmatia Pannonia as also that which Marcus Crassus conducted against the Basternes and having gone through all employments and charges suitable to his age with all the good success imaginable he acquired a noble same and gave the World ground to conceive as glorious hopes of him as of any other whatsoever Being after several years spent in travel returned to Rome he setled there and was honoured by all nay wanted not from Caesar himself more then ordinary expressions of esteem and affection He was at first established at the Court among persons of the highest rank so far that onely Marcellus and the children of Livia particularly favoured by Caesar seemed by reason of the advantage of their fortune to aim at higher pretences His expence was noble and magnificent his disposition inclined to do civilities and to oblige and his whole deportment such as all the World approved and were satisfied with Accordingly he soon got him a great number of friends and those onely excepted whom the divisions of Rome and the distractions of the Triumvirate had made irreconcileable enemies to our house there were very few of the Roman Nobility who had not a particular esteem for him and courted not his friendship When he went to Augustus's Palace he was attended by a gallant retinue of young Gentlemen In all publick shews and all Assemblies that met either at the Empresses or at the young Princesse Julia's he alwayes had the general acclamations and it was already the ordinary talk in Rome that if Fortune were any thing favourable to him he would raise the house of Anthony to the height of lustre it had been in some few years before But it was not the pleasure of the gods he should continue long in that condition and the quiet that he himself lost after a very strange manner proved the occasion of our losing of him to our no small grief Now Sister shall you hear something which you will haply be astonished at as to the parallel you will find there is between the fate of Alexander and that of Antonius whence you will haply imagine that fortune treating them as Brothers would needs have some conformity between their adventures Among those exercises of the body he was most addicted to Antonius was the greatest lover of hunting and used it very often To that end being gone adays journy from Rome on the Tusculum side where the Country is very pleasant and very fit for that kind of divertisement he passed away certain dayes there with abundance of satisfaction The last of those he intended to bestow on that
Diligence and having gained that Victory with the slaughter of 50000 of his Enemies and the loss of but fifty of his own Souldiers he was return'd to Rome where he had made three Triumphal Entries the fame of these great deeds pleasingly flatter'd the Soul of Cleopatra and she dismissed all her anxieties with a confidence that such a man could not be capable of infidelity In the mean time no longer able to hide the swelling fruit of her Womb and unwilling to contract the ill opinion of her Subjects she was constrain'd openly to declare the truth of her Marriage and instead of the shame and confusion her Fear suspected from that Discovery she found her Aegyptians possessed with new joy in the expectation of such a King from her Loins as might prove a perfect Copy of Caesar and Cleopatra The Queen was brought to Bed in Alexandria almost at the same that Caesar made his Entry into Rome of a Son not only worthy of his Father and Mother but of all that the most fruitful hope should conceive never did the light salute a thing so beautiful the Astrologers never knew a Birth so advantagious for this Royal Infant immediately became the admiration and delight of all that saw it but because his Childhood was but the spring to that lustre which hath since appeared in him with riper advantages I will not stay upon the beginnings of his Life because they are of less importance By a general consent he was call'd Caesario and we all hop'd that though there was little difference between his and his Fathers Name there would be yet less in their qualities and the greatness of their actions the Queen took a marvellous care of his Education and made the whole world to be searched for the most expert and knowing persons in all Sciences and Exercises wherein he was to be instructed when his Age permitted him and though I did but weakly merit that Honour and a better choice might have been made among the Aegyptians she was pleased to make me his Governour for my Father was too old for that employment and only desired it for my self In the mean time the Queen whatever consolation she tasted in the enjoyment of her Son was galled with bitter grief seeing there appear'd no proof of Caesars promise Not long after she understood he had given the last blow to that War by the defeat of Pompey's Sons that in Rome he had usurped the Soveraign Authority and forced a Master upon that proud City the imperious Mistris of so many Kings and so large a part of the Universe Then her hopes began to swell with the expectation of his Promise and Caesar by frequent Letters endeavour'd to confirm them excusing his absence from her delights with very specious Reasons which for a time appeased her but when she saw a whole year wasted and yet no haste made to accomplish his Vow she began to lose her patience and complain of his infidelity yet before she thought fit to make her resentments speak lowder she sent my Father Apollodorus to Caesar as well because he was the faithfullest of her Servants as that in his presence Caesar espoused her and might therefore better than any other reproach the violation of his word This Voyage of my Fathers proved ineffectual yet when Caesar saw him he hugg'd him in his Arms entertain'd him nobly gave him rich Presents and often mentioned the Queen with dear resentments of affection but could afford him no other reasons for his delay than what he had written to Cleopatra He protested that so soon as he had felt himself sit sure upon his Imperial Throne he would accomplish his promise but in that condition while his Monarchy was yet infant feeble and staggering he found it not safe to enterprize any thing against the consent of the People and Senate whom he had already exasperated with imposing his Yoke Cleopatra was contented for a time to flatter her self with the likelihood of these excuses but in fine after her patience had learned another Lesson as tedious as the first she broke into reproaches against him gave her self up to the sway of a just passion and probably was hatching thoughts to make it known in some deadly blow when news came that Heaven had revenged her and that her faithless Caesar was murdered in the Senate-house with twenty three wounds by those that he thought his dearest friends This report fell like a Clap of Thunder upon her spirit and all her Choler could not disswade her from receiving it at first as the greatest blow that Heaven and Fortune could contribute to her overthrow She solemniz'd this loss with a deluge of tears and such actions as could best express most passion and would possibly have abandoned her self to grief if the last marks of Coesar's ingratitude had not brought her comfort for she learn'd that a little before his death he had adopted his Nephew Octavius who is now the great Augustus Caesar for his Son declar'd him his Heir and oblig'd him to take his Name and Dignity without making the least mention of his Son Caesario or Cleopatra This last assurance the Queen received of her Husbands ingrateful disesteem kindled a despite that dry'd up all her tears and shewed her cause to rejoyce in the same death she so lately bewailed however she ceas'd to bemoan his loss in publick though she rendered to Caesar's memory the Funeral Honours which she believed due as to her lawful Husband but her resentments against the Father descended not to the Son for she nourished the little Caesario with as dear indulgence as if his Father had been still faithful and remembring that perjur'd as he was he had been the greatest of all men in his face she beheld the Image of his mighty Sire as another dawning of her Comfort To him her resolutions intended the Crown of Aegypt and though the Aegyptians perceiving the Ptolomean Race was almost extinct did oft petition her to make choice of another Husband she alwaies denied their entreaties and at last so won upon them by her mild and prudent Government as they were content to approve her Design of passing the rest of her Life in Widowhood Alas how happy had the poor Queen been had she held her resolution she had avoided those famous misfortunes that made so much noise in the World and her miseries with the lamentable Catastrophe of her Life had not forc'd tears from her rudest Enemies Sir I suppose you know that a few years after Julius Caesar's death the unfortunate Antony having shar'd the Empire of the world with young Caesar since called Augustus and with him reveng'd the murder of their Predecessor by the defeat of the Conspirators and by that bloody Triumvirat which produc'd such fatal effects in Rome passing through Cilicia to make war upon the Partbians he summon'd Cleopatra to appear before him and because the Queen was too weak to resist the puissance of that great Master of half
the Prince with you and two of our men gallop on afore to the Forest of Agria thrust your selves into the thickest part of it and there expect my coming up with good newes the rest of the day I will try to abuse our Enemies and if Heaven favour my intentions hinder their further pursuit of us If you see me not come back to you some time to day at night pursue your voyage under the conduct of the Gods who will not abandon you I said no more and without giving him time to answer made him speed away with the Prince and the two that were to follow them one of which because of known fidelity carried the Jewels and Gold the Queen had given us Coesario who had a most docile ingenuity absolutely obeyed my will and made no scruple to follow Neander because I counselled it I could not see him part so suddenly without letting fall some tears as a tribute to my fearful incertainty of ever seeing him again And in the mean time turning to those that staid with me My Friends said I we are betray'd our enemies are within a hundred paces of us Rodon stays behind to make discovery of them And behold the Traytor shewing them Acetes see the Villain that hath sold us has the confidence to stay among us At these words I flew at him with my Sword in my hand but was prevented by two of my Companions that stepp'd before him as he was preparing to fly and with two blows threw him dead at our Horses feet Rodons Son whom I caused to stay with us though he would gladly have followed the Prince who as I told you was of an equal Age and Stature to him and had much in his looks that over-top'd his Condition beheld the death of Acetes with astonishment when approaching to him and taking him by the Arms I shewed him the Romans that were advancing to us a good swift trot We are all dead men said I if we do not deceive our Enemies by making you pass for the Prince Caesario the personating this Dignity will save your life for if the Romans take you for the Son of Caesar they will onely content themselves to lead you prisoner to their Emperour if you tender your own and our lives favour this just deceit The fear of death had so seiz'd the Youth as it disposed him to follow my fatal counsel which I had scarce ended when the Romans were upon us and spreading themselves upon the Plain began to inviron us and shut up the passage to our flight I then perceiv'd the danger at hand I had exposed my self to and had well fore-seen it before the attempt But the Gods can witness that I felt no regret to hazard my Life for my Prince's Safety that there came no other care to my thoughts but for him and his Conservation At a sign I made to my Companions we all threw our selves from our Horses and putting our knees to the ground we encompassed the Son of Rodon whom I had only caus'd to keep his Saddle The Romans who ran upon us with an impetuous haste perceiving us in that suppliant posture were staid by the command of their Captain attending his Orders without offering a blow but so soon as my voice could be heard Ah! whatever you be cryed I if we have merited your anger turn your weapons upon us onely and sparc great Caesars Son Sacrifice us to your rage if we have offended but give our Prince his life These words with our submissive action turn'd the Roman Swords fatal to the innocent son of Rodon from our throats for the Captain approaching to him with his drawn Sword For you said he we give you your lives but 't is this same Son of Caesar we only seek to take At these words making his way through us he ran the youth through the body with his Sword just as he was about to speak and probably to tell him he was not Caesars Son I cannot remember that poor young man's unripe fall without the sense of some remorse for my own treachery but my Lord it was otherwise impossibe to save our Prince and since one must perish it was but just that the Son of that Traytor should be Sacrific'd to his Fathers Treachery besides I had indeed conceiv'd a hope if hope could shape it self in so short a time that the Romans would forbear the cruelty of his Murder and only content themselves to lead him to their Emperor in the mean time I cast my self upon his body and the better to abuse our Enemies I made my complaints swell to as high a tide as I should have let fall upon the Corps of our own true Prince The Roman Commander being a man of quality as good fortune would have it was touch'd at my piety and protested to me that he had executed Caesars command with regret He oppos'd himself against many of his men that would have cut off the Youths head to present it to the Emperor and told him they might assure him of the truth without exercising that inhumanity upon the Son of Julius Caesar nevertheless at their solicitation he demanded the Jewels which Cleopatra had given us but I reply'd they were in the hands of one of our Companions called Rodon whom we had not seen all that day and that I believed that it was he that had betray'd us At this the Soldiers fell to threaten and began to search us but they sound little about us and their Captain remembring his name was Rodon who in effect betray'd us and knowing the Emperor had design'd him the Jewels as a price of his Treason easily believ'd that he was gone away with them and desiring he should rather possess them by that Title than as the gift of Caesar commanded them to un-hand us restore us our Horses and set us at liberty to retire where we pleas'd And thus his Men marching after him they left us about the unfortunate Son of Rodon upon whom I continued still my Laments When our Enemies were Marched out of sight after we had covered the body of that innocent Youth with a little Earth and indeed contribuuted some true tears to his destiny we remounted our Horses exalted with our happy success beyond expression and followed the track of our true Prince See My Lord what has passed about Caesario's supposed Death they were abus'd that believed he was ever in the hands of Octavius for I dare assure you he never saw him and that if he did consult upon what was to be done with him and resolv'd to put him to Death as you related by advice of Arrius the Philosopher it must either be while Rodon's Messenger was with him or before while the War was hot between him and Anthony during which 't is true he had oft solicited us to deliver the young Prince into his hands or put him to death Two hours after we had thus escaped our Enemies we arrived at the Forrest of
which you want At these words he spurr'd away from the company and Britomarus hastily following with a fierce joy they soon lost the sight of the Assembly Yea they were loath to stay near it and the Prince unwilling to be interrupted in the first assay of his Manhood ran on about fifty or sixty Furlongs further till they came into a Valley where none could discover them There Caesario stop'd finding the place commodious and turning again towards Britomarus We will go no further said he let us give our Horses a little breath and then end our difference Britomarus his courage was so high flown as it would permit him to make no answer and suffering his Horse to breath a while he beheld the Prince with eyes that spoke nought but defiance The age of both was equal their stature little different and this the first time that either had worn Arms they had both Javelins in their right hands and Swords at their left their Horses were both good both chosen for the solemn exercise of that day scarce had they patience to give them leisure to breath when after a loud defiance they lanced their Javelins at one another with a force so impetuous as scarce was ever more fury shown by any of the rudest hands that ever were inur'd to the trade of War which they then but began to practise their Javelins were both shivered upon their Shields into a thousand pieces and the young Combatants passed by one another without the least staggering in their seats but they soon return'd with their drawn Swords as yet unused to this imployment and advancing them in the air with an action bravely menacing turning their Horses heads they flew the second time at one another more eagerly than before the first blows drew blood and the second made two deep wounds Britomarus was run through the left Arm and Caesario in the Thigh Never did two young Lions see their own bloud drop from the Hunters Spear with a rage more violent than that of my Prince and the ambitious Britomarus They equally breathed vengeance and victory and rushed together with so lavish a fury that if the Gods like them had forsook the care of their lives their practice in Arms had there begun and ended together They had each received another slight wound when my Prince coming close up laid hold on Britomarus his Arm and he not refusing to close with a like intention streightly ingaged him in his and thus locking one another in friendless embrace and putting spurs to their Horses they fell both to the Earth where they began to rowl o're each other with a most dreadful fury sometimes one was uppermost and then the other yet neither could keep the Mastery but in this strugling they lost so much bloud that at last both rising by a joynt consent they were scarce able to hold their Swords however in that staggering condition they fell to fresh blows and doubtless would have ended their Combate and possibly both their lives for as yet there appear'd no advantage on either side when we happily arriv'd to stop the mischief Their sudden departure had given us some outrage We were far from suspecting Britomarus his rashness but as faithfull care would seldom suffer me to keep my Eye from my Prince I had no sooner learn'd in what manner he departed but without stay mounting my Horse I ran after him with all the company I could engage and we came as I told you in a happy time to part these young Combatants whom we found in an estate that spake our arrival very necessary So soon as Caesario saw me he even sob'd with grief to see himself interrupted and suspecting not without likelihood that we would do Britomarus some outrage he put himself before him in a posture of defence and crying out to me as I first came in Father said he as you tender my life do not hurt Britomarus it was I that first assail'd him I compell'd him to defend himself and I will rather suffer death than him to he injur'd I will defend my self as well as I can said the fierce young man for it is not fit I should hold it of you having done my utmost to take away yours These generous and gallant words on both sides gave us new wonder in the mean time having taken care according to my Prince his desire that Britomarus should not suffer we hastily lighted from our Horses and ran to the two Combatants just as they were ready to fall to the ground with weakness I snatch'd my Prince in my Arms and wetted his face with my tears but whilst I was helping him on Horseback and getting up my self behind him he desired the same office might be done to Britomarus and not only content to take that care for him he made Neander get up in my place and sent me before to the King to beg the young man's Pardon and to protest that he would never come in his presence till he had granted it I obey'd his command but found it not so easie a task to reverse the Kings resolution who had absolutely designed Britomarus for punishment but at last he granted mercy upon condition that so soon as his wounds were healed he should leave the Court and never more return upon forfeit of his life In the mean time my Prince was conducted to his Lodgings presently put to bed and searched by Chirurgions his wounds were found not dangerous only the loss of bloud had done him the greatest miscief and after the application of some necessary Remedies they enjoyned him a silent repose without any disturbance till the next day In the mean time the bruit of his generous gallantry spread it self in a moment and the relation of Britomarus himself to his friends of the bravery and nobleness of his behaviour filled the whole Court with admiration Oh how gladly I drank up his Praises from every mouth how sweetly was my fear and displeasure vanquished that his wounds had given me the gentleness and grandeur of that first action made me gladly conclude him worthy to be what he was and though I blamed the Prince for that passage to prevent future hazards by the like yet I did it in such terms as gave him a clear discovery that I could not disapprove it So soon as the Chirurgions would permit him to be seen the King came to visit him and after he had exprest the interest he took in his recovery with words full of affection he fell a commending that action as indeed it merited and yet in some sort gently blam'd him by the consequence of an intreaty no more with so careless a valour to hazard the Son of Caesar and Cleopatra against a man of Britomarus condition The King was scarce parted from him when by his own orders the Princess his Daughter came to visit him but at that sight his joy was so excessive as his wounds had like to have broke loose and by the change
and if the latter does not rise from a root in our nature it often springs from the womb of an irregular ambition which usurping the throne of the will excites all thoughts that are the legitimate race of Reason and shuts the eyes of those that are possessed with this Devil upon every consideration that Piety Justice and Honour it self can represent to their intoxicated judgement the proofs of the truth are but too conspicuous in our Family and if I derive some glory from a birth that has few equals in the world I have received shame enough from the cruelties of him that gave it to convince me that he has left me no cause to boast my extraction The King Phraates my Father was born with qualities great enough and in the first bloomings of his youth and given such hopes of his future bravery as made him pass in the opinion of men for an equal to his generous brother the Prince Pacorus who fell in the flower of his age under the Roman arms after he had made them know by divers memorable advantages that they were not invincible The old King Orodes my Grandfather after the death of Pacorus ignorant of his destiny had transplanted his chief affection upon Phraates then the eldest of divers Brothers and with it resign'd the entire management of all State-affairs to his disposal he had been married some years before and I had already liv'd about six or seven when his greedy desire to Reign alone and remove that fear of a Rival in ambition transported him to that horrible piece of cruelty which report has told to the whole world you know it but too well Madam that the cruel Phraates to make the Crown sit fast which his bloody jealousie told him did but tremble upon his head while so many of his Brothers lived put them all to death only Tyridates the youngest then absent from court who being spared by the mistaken piety of him that was sent to be his assassin has since wandered from Court to court begging sanctuary against the inhumane persecutions of his Brother The Queen who had received this truth from the mouth of Tyridates was yet resolved not to trouble the stream of her relation by interposing what she knew and deeming it requisite to keep the news of her Unkle till the closure of her story and then impart or reserve it as discretion counselled she lent a silent attention to the sequel The cruelty of Phraates pursu'd Elisa could not so quench its thirst with the blood of his Brothers but the old King Orodes whose long life seem'd to tire the expectation of his heir compleated the Sacrifice to his jealous ambition and lost it by the horrid command of his own Son I confess I am willing to contract the relation of this unnatural act in as few words as will barely serve to tell it and indeed could be content to leave it intirely out if my design to draw you the perfect pourtraiture of my life could allow it Phraates having thus secur'd his Throne by hewing down the stock with all the royal branches that grew near it began to play the Prudent as well as the Paricide to preserve his acquest the terrour of his arms made a quick distribution of its self among his Neighbour Princes and the bad success of Anthony who with a part of the Roman puissance brought the War into our Country where he lost his whole Army and with much ado sav'd himself by a shameful retreat struck a general fear through all those that probably might nurse any thoughts of attempting the Crown of Parthia In the mean time I was trained up by the Queen my Mother whose inclinations were ever sweet and vertuous with a very discreet care and that good Princess perceiving docility enough in my Spirit forgot not to season my education with all other sage lessons that might frame me a disposition suitable to her intentions her affections told her that I had not played the truant in the School of Vertue and by the help of that blindness which is the usual disease of a Parents indulgence fancying some qualities within me which I dare not pretend to in me she stored up all her love all her delight After me that was the Eldest of all her Children she had divers others of both sexes but the Gods perhaps to punish Phraates by the misfortunes of his Fathers family cut them all off in the dawning of their infancy and of five or six Brothers that succeeded me at several births scarce one of them attain'd to a full years age before they were laid in their little Sepulchres This mishap of our house rendered me more considerable and a short time after the Queen though still in the flower of her age going over child-bearing I was regarded by the Parthians as the presumptive Inheritrix of that weighty Crown 'T is true the King had a Bastard Son that was called Vonones but he did not behold him with an eye that designed his succession and though he fail'd not to endeavour the gaining of a faction that might prop his pretences he was generally known to be born within the Marriage of the King and could therefore hatch no apparent hope of being declared legitimate I will not trifle with your patience so much to give you the account of my Infancy but stepping over the Prologue of my life wherein there befel me nothing memorable I shall only tell you I had worn out fourteen years of it when my Father invaded Media the hatred had been long hereditary betwixt the Kings of that Country and those that wore the Crown of Parthia and though they had taken breath in some intervals of Peace since the fall of the unfortunate Anthony and the coming of Augustus to the Empire they were still ready to obey the beck of every trivial occasion to pick a new quarrel which they both embraced with their old animosity Phraates complained that at the Median Kings solicitation Cleopatra had murthered his Ally the King of Armenia and though he that did it was since dead and his Heir succeeded to the Throne he thought he might justly entail his revenge upon the Son since Fate would not suffer the Father to stand the shock of it and the new King of Media not less eager than he to revive the quarrel whereto his young courage was whetted by divers reasons on his side there broke out a cruel and bloody War betwixt them The beginnings were very doubtful much blood spilt on both sides in divers Encounters and some Battels wherein Fortune seemed to stand in a study on which side she should list her smiles At length after a years uncertainty wherein she had kept the ballance equal she apparently lean'd to the Parthian party and the King my Father swollen with some late successes began to advance towards the heart of Media carrying ruine and desolation to all places where he waved his Ensigns divers blows had been given
extent than the limits of a Chamber strongly grated with Iron my two Squires came presently to serve me in my imprisonment but Narcissus kept himself close both because he was an Armenian and so would have been worse used than servants that were strangers and also because being at liberty he continued in a condition to do me greater services than if he had been in prison with me I know not well generous Cleomedon how to express to you what my thoughts were at that time the fear of Death did not much intimidate me and Heaven had given me courage enough to meet it in all its most horrible appearances but having at that time no misfortunes in my life which might make me hate it and on the contrary having seen my self a few moments before in a most glorious condition and the fairest hopes in the world I could not be deprived of them so suddenly without regret nor change the favours of Artemisa for a common prison from whence according to Artaxus his threatnings I could not hope to come but only to my death Being young as I was and in a flourishing condition of life these thoughts were hard of digestion and I could not think that possibly within a few days I should lose my head in publick and draw the people of Armenia to the spectacle of my death without losing some part of my constancy and yielding to something that favoured of youth and the infirmity of nature but again when I reflected upon the cause for which I suffered and that I came to think that it was for Artemisa's sake only that I saw my self exposed to this danger I found a sweet consolation in that thought I would suffer more yet for Artemisa said I if it were possible and it ought to be indifferent to me which way I part with my life for her which I have given her without condition But if I were sensible of some grief which was almost entirely grounded upon the regret I had to quit Artemisa the Princess as I have been informed since was so much afflicted at my misfortune that she could hardly bear it with any moderation She loved me before this disgrace as well out of a remembrance of our former affections which continued deeply engraved in her mind as out of an acknowledgement which she believed was due to what I had undertaken for her but after the arrival of this unlucky accident and that she saw me fallen into great danger upon her occasion the moderate affection she had for me before was changed into a violent passion and as she naturally had as generous inclinations as any person in the World so she believed her self obliged not only to love me better than before and to engage all her credit for my safety but to perish her self if she could not divert my destruction No Leuoippe said she to that faithful Trustee of her most secret thoughts I make no difficulty to confess before thee and will confess before the whole World if need be that now I love Alexander more than my self and that Artaxus could not redouble the affection I had for him with more violence than by the effects of his cruelty one hour of imprisonment one moment of danger hath gained more for Alexander upon my spirit than a year of service could have done and I cannot think that he is in prison for love of me and that for my love only he is possibly upon the point to satiate the rage of his enemy without acknowledging by bestowing my heart upon him that I cannot pay him so much as a part of what I owe him Let us dispose our selves therefore to render him part of what he hath done for us let us not permit our selves to be reproached that after we had drawn him into danger by our former amity and the command we laid upon him in our infancy we have basely and ungratefully abandoned him let us try all manner of ways for his safety and if they be all unsuccessful let us perish couragisly with him and not dream of living without him seeing we are not permitted to live with him as we had resolved Upon this design she began to set all manner of Engines at work for my safety and the first thing she did was to send her most faithful servants post to advertise Augustus of my misfortune and to interess Octavia Marcellus and all my nearest friends in procuring my liberty and because they were uncertain which way to take because of a rumour that had passed some days for current that Augustus was departed from Rome to make his progress through the Provinces of Asia which are under the obedience of our Empire she sent divers persons several ways with the like commission but this way to save me was too long by reason of the hast they made to frame my process and the Princess desiring to essay all other means gained with all the address she could possibly all those of the Armenian Court that had the most power over the Kings inclinations to oblige them to sweeten him and divert him from the fatal design he had against me She endeavoured most of all to gain those who had the charge of guarding me working this effect by her caresses to the chief of them and her presents to those of inferiour condition In all these businesses she made use of the address and the fidelity of Narcissus whom she had known a long time and though he kept himself concealed part of the day yet when he was in less danger of being discovered he employed himself in those commissions she gave him with wonderful care and affection In the mean time Artaxus resolved or rather continued in the resolution he had already taken to put me to death and besides his will was to an ignominy to the punishment and to make the head of Cleopatra's son to be publickly cut off by the hand of the Executioner as by the command of that Queen Artibasus had received the like or little different usage in Alexander He proposed his design to some persons of his councel not to govern himself by their advice but to acquaint them with his will the greatest part of his Counsellors either out of a repugnance which they really had against this cruelty or out of respect of Artemisa who had solicited them before in my behalf endeavoured to divert him from this resolution and represented to him that he would render himself odious to all the world by shedding innocent blood and putting to death one of the greatest Princes of the Universe for anothers fault that he would put himself in danger to draw upon him many powerful enemies and in particular Augustus who as they were informed loved me and supported me no less than those who were nearest to him that he ought not to be too hasty in an action of this importance which without doubt would cause a late and unprofitable repentance They used many more arguments besides capable to
to the passion of an inhumane brother and Cleopatra that Cleopatra which by her cruelty authorized Artaxu 's shall never accuse me amongst the shades below for approving against her blood of the revenging of the injury which she did to our family She spake some other words besides after which having employed all the rest of the day almost in seeking unprofitably for some expedients for my assistance at last she abandoned her self to desperate resolutions All this while I was in prison where about the end of the day my sentence was pronounced to me and I was advertised to prepare my self for death the terrible countenances of those that brought me this news could not refrain from shewing some signs of compassion and according to their report they found something extraordinary in my face which made them regret my destiny I will not tell you that I received this sad intelligence without being troubled at it and whatsoever courage Heaven bestows upon a man when his mind is not prepossessed with despair it is a difficult thing for him to endure the face of an horrible and shameful death without astonishment and trouble I was young and more happy in the affection of Artemisa than I had confidence to wish and in a likelyhood to improve my life to the best advantages these reasons without doubt made me find death of a more hard digestion than usually it is to those whose misfortunes smooth the face of it I confess I was troubled and that I had a combat with nature wherein reason at first did not prevail without some difficulty and I could not dispose my self without regret to abandon my hopes but yet after I had yielded a little to humane frailty I was sooner resolved than many persons very timorous would have been and at last I made use of my courage to let my enemies know that all the ill they could do me was not capable to cast me down After I began to speak O Cleopatra said I 't is just that since I have received my life from you I should render it back for the reparation of your faults And afterwards turning my self towards them that had brought me news of my death Artaxus said I doth very vigorously revenge the death of his father and hath taken a great deal of pains and run a great many hazards for his own satisfaction but tell him that he should have taken his course by way of arms both against Anthony and the deceased King of the Medes for the liberty or the revenge of his Father and that this which he now takes upon me can neither repair the baseness he hath committed in suffering this injury for the time past nor give me so much regret for my death as to oblige me to be beholding to him for my life if he should be in the humour to give it me yet let him know that his cruelty shall not remain unpunished and that I shall leave persons behind me who shall more nobly and more generously call him to accompt for this offence I sent them back with these words and staying with those of my ordinary guard I began by little to surmount all the difficulties that I found in this passage Night was come on when the Keeper that was wont to give me Artemisa's Letters by the means he was accustomed to use presented me with the last which she had written an hour before and with the Letter he gave me a little Vessel wrapped up in a paper the little necessity I had at that time to dissemble my affairs made be presently open the Letter and at the sight of those dear Characters which I immediately kissed not being able to forbear some tears O Artemisa said I 't is just that your goodness should continue as long as my life but after my death wish you a repose which may never be crossed by any remembrance of Alexander and after I had given some kisses more to this precious writing I read these words The Princess Artemisa to Prince Alexander YOu must die my dear Alexander and I would not send you this news but that I am resolved to die with you all my hopes are extinguished Artaxus is inexorable and I see my self at last reduced to that deplorable condition I so much feared Let us die since Heaven hath so decreed it but let us not suffer Artaxus and the People of Armenia to glut their eyes with the cruel spectacle By this poison that I send you you may avoid the shame they intend you and I have kept as much for my self to avoid the shame I should have to survive you Adieu my dear Alexander and if by my death I do not acquit my self of what I owe to yours let your affection supply that defect and believe that if my life were far more precious I should have given it you with all my heart There was hardly any need either of dagger or poison to take away my life at the reading of this Letter and I was so struck to the heart that grief alone wanted but a little of immediately contenting the rage of my Enemies these last testimonies of Artemisa's unmoveable affection rendred me the most happy of men but they made me find some regret too in my death which without doubt I should not have done if she had not loved me and seeing her as she sent me word in a resolution to die I was seased with so violent a displeasure at it that there was no room for comfort in my soul I took the Vessel wherein the poison she sent me was and delivered it to Tideus to prepare it in a potion receiving this present from Artemisa with a great deal of satisfaction as likely to free me from the shame wherein a great part of the punishment to which I was destinied did consist After I had sufficiently tormented my self at the Princesses design wherein I found sufficient reason to die desperate if I should not divert her from it I desired to give her the last assurances of my fidelity in a Letter which I wrote unto her in these terms Prince Alexander to the Princess Artemisa I Am ready to die my dear Princess and I part from this life without any other regret than of quitting you for ever I shall die but half if you preserve that part of me which I leave you and death it self cannot take from you but I shall die twice and the most cruel death that can be imagined if you suffer me to part in that fear whereinto your fatal resolution hath put me I have dearly received the present you sent me but I conjure to employ the remainder for other uses than for the destruction of the most perfect Master piece of the Gods a loss so inconsiderable as mine should not give a Princess of your quality occasions of despair and you cannot conceive a thought of it without rendring my end full of horrour and giving me greater resentments against your cruelty than against
after a great deal of pains taken with him Tyridates opened his eyes which he turned every way in such a manner as caused those that stood about him to judge sadly of it Marcellus called him by his name divers times and seeing that he did not answer him but with dying looks Tyridates said he to him will you not call to mind that you are a man and more than that that you are a man of courage Afflictions may touch you but they should not make you lose either your knowledge or your reason Tyridates made no reply to these words of Marcellus but only after he had tumbled a few turns upon the bed like a person full of agony opening his mouth to give passage to a voice interrupted with sobs O Mariamne said he you are dead and more than that 't is Tyridates who hath hastened your death this was it that remained to conclude his deplorable destiny with an end conformable to the beginnings of his calamities and it was not aggravation enough to the last misfortunes of Tyridates that Mariamne should die but that Mariamne should die for Tyridates his fault I have brought you to your Grave O Queen whom I have so religiously adored and I have not a life precious enough to sacrifice to your memory in change for yours He sâ—opt at these words and recollected himself to receive the favourable death which he desired and whereof he already felt the approaches whilst Marcellus endeavoured to divert his grief Tyridates had no more ears for his discourse nor eyes for the objects which presented themselves before him nor thoughts for things of this world Never possibly did Love produce a more excellent and more marvellous effect than it wrought in this Prince and by the means of his love alone his grief served him in stead of a Sword Poyson Precipices and without requiring any external help death which was desired by him and is to be wished for by unfortunate Men like him offered it self to his assistance and presented it self to him at a time when he received it with a joy which in appearance could have no residence in his soul He perceived the approach of it and took notice of it and giving it entertainment worthy of the good office it did him O death said he with a lower and more feeble voice than ordinary O death how willingly do I receive thee and though I ought possibly to refuse thy help at a time when some remainder of life is necessary to me to tear out the soul of Mariamne's Executioner with mine own hands yet how dear is thy succour and thy coming favourable to me O Mariamne continued he a little after receive this soul which I render you as the only reparation I can make you for having contributed to your death It takes its flight towards you unworthy as it is to present its self before you and in what condition soever you be the purity of yours will never be offended by the last gift I make you of it These were the last words he spake and a little after grief giving its last assaults seized upon his heart in such a manner that that part which lives first and dies last was not capable of sustaining the functions necessary for the conservation of life He only looked a farewell to Marcellus and Arsanes and a little after his eyes were covered with darkness his speech failed him and all his strength having totally forsaken him he remained cold and pale between Arsanes his arms not in a swoon like those whereinto he had formerly fallen but really dead a death which being neither violent nor natural but participating of both did punctually accomplish Thrasillus his prediction a death which freed him for ever from the more tedious and cruel deaths which he had incessantly found in the memory of Mariamne Happy Man in his destiny that he did not survive the person for whom he had only lived and glorious in his end for having given in his death so brave an example of the most pure and real passion that ever any soul was enflamed withall The End of the Fifth Part. HYMEN'S PRAELUDIA OR Love's Master-Piece PART VI. LIB I. ARGUMENT Cornelius Gallus Pretor of Egypt is deeply taken with Candace's Beauty He taketh an opportunity to discover his affection which she receives with much inward trouble and outward coldness The coming of Elisa breaks off their discourse Elisa acquaints Candace with her dream and she gives her her thoughts upon it Walking together in the Garden of the Palace they over-hear the complaints of a fair Slave that attended upon Elisa Their curiosity prompts them to a farther discovery and upon their request she relates the story of her life She speaks her name Olympia and her self Daughter to Adallas King of Thrace Her own Brother falls in love with her and discovers his incestuous desires which she entertains with horror and amazement She opposes his passion with all the strength of Vertue and Reason but in vain She acquaints her Father with it who sharply reproves him and resolves to dispose of her but is prevented by death The young Adallas succeeding in the Kingdom armed his solicitations with authority and threatens to compel his Sister to marry him She with a small retinue flies from Byzantium WHilst Love produced these sad effects at the gates of Alexandria his powers were no less imployed in the City and the ancient Palace of the Ptolomies that Tyrant God found in the two Princesses which Fortune had committed to the care and custody of the Pretor of Egypt a fit subject to exercise himself upon These two admirable Persons from the very first day of their acquaintance had contracted such an amity as had left nothing reserved in their souls and if by the charming conservation of the Queen of Ethiopia the fair Princess of the Parthians could not repress that smarting grief which the loss of her brave but unfortunate Artaban had rendred master of her heart yet 't was certain that in the sweetness which she found in the affection which she had conceived for so extraordinary a person as Candace was she relished some sort of consolation and gave place too to some shadow of hope induced thereto by the discourse which the fair Queen made her of the marvellous events of Fortune and the appearances which might in some sort flatter her with a belief of Artaban's safety Candace's cares though not slight ones were yet more moderate than Elisa's sadness and the remembrance which was fresh in her mind that she had seen her dear Caesario a few dayes before dissipated the greatest part of her grief and she was a thousand times more satisfied to see her beloved Prince escaped from the dangers wherein she had left him at her departure from Meroe than she could be afflicted at the loss of her Dominions or with the other effects of her misfortune which would have produced greater resentments in any other spirit but
might displease me or discover our intelligence neither would he receive any thing that the King offered him for his Conduct and to put him into Equipage and I was not troubled at it remembring that I had seen him have a Picture Case which he had formerly received from the King his Father with the Pourtraicture of that Prince enriched with Diamonds of a great value which would yield him above Thirty Talents at the first Town he came to though he sold them for half their worth The King by the refusal he made of his assistance confirmed himself in the belief he had That he was of no mean extraction and that thought rendred him the more suspitious and redoubtable to him and yet he confessed in his presence that it was his misfortune to observe in a man whom he neither could nor ought to love all the qualities that might attract both love and admiration I will not tell you how Ariobarzanes resented our separation for we had not the liberty to speak together but for my part my fair Princesses I confess I was so sensible of it that I had no room for comfort in my Soul and it was no small redoubling of my greif to see my self in a condition and in a place where I could no way discover it and where I was obliged to a cruel and rigorous constraint I ventured for all that once more to write some words to Ariobarzanes by that means which I formerly made use of and having taken my time as before though with a little more trouble and fear I was so continually afraid to expose him to some danger I gave him opportunity to read these few words engraved upon the same Plank and with the same Bodkin which had rendred us the former Office Wait as I do upon the leasure of Heaven for some change in our Fortune endeavour it if you can without exposing your self but be sure you do not make your self known and if you cannot see me without putting your life in danger in the Name of the Gods never see me more I could not write these last words without shedding some tears and Ariobarzanes could not read them without having need of all his constancy to dissemble his grief He presently blotted out that which I had writ and added these few words below I will love you to my Grave I will see you again whatsoever befalls and I shall expose nothing that is mine when in seeing you I shall only hazard that life which I have devoted to you It being somewhat difficult to grave upon the Wood we could not write longer Letters and after I had blotted out this last I would not venture any more for fear that at last we might have been surprized Nevertheless I found opportunity to let Ericia speak with him and she being much less observed than I it being no strange matter that upon the acquaintance which they had contracted in the time which they had been together they should have some Discourse she took her time to assure him from me of the firmness of my affection and to protest to him That though I was not resolved ever to bestow my self upon him upon my own single motion in assuming a liberty which would be condemned by persons of my Birth yet for all that I would do all that possibly I could never to be any ones else but his and I would govern my self so in that design that he should never have any cause to accuse me She told him That as for his part he might take any course that his affection and prudence should direct him to and provided he did not hazard his life too rashly I had so good an opinion of him as to commit to his conduct whatsoever might concern me but above all he should keep himself from being known to be a Kings Son and be assured that the equality of our conditions rendring him more suspicious and redoubtable to Adallas would be infallibly fatal to him Ariobarzanes received these Testimonies of my affection with great expressions of content and comfort and after that he had loaded Ericia with a thousand protestations of eternal fidelity Assure my Princess added he That no difficulty no fear of death shall be able to deprive her of one moment of my life that I will live to serve her that I will see her again and find out wayes for her to make me happy if her goodness continues favourable to me Let her never fear my Conduct as young and as passionate as I am I will manage her interests in that manner that she shall never receive any displeasure upon that account In the mean time my good and generous Ericia keep her still if you can possibly in these inclinations of pity which she hath for me and represent to her if you please that she cannot forget her faithful Ariobarzanes without committing a cruelty which the gods will never pardon he made her divers other very passionnate Discourses till he thought the length of their Conversation might make it be suspected Ericia tenderly affected me with the Report she made me of it and it was easie for Adallas to perswade himself more and more by the sadness which he observed in my countenance that the departure of Ariamenes did not leave me without displeasure In the mean time we drew near to the Isle of Cyprus and the City of Carpasia which was the nearest Port. The King made us go ashoar and caused himself to be carried out of the Vessel to one of the Houses in the City but he was minded to see Ariobarzanes gone first and when the Prince took his leave of him Farewell Ariamenes said he Accuse my misfortune and not my ingratitude that I cannot be thy Friend and be sure to remember that we must never meet again and that Thrace is a Country fatal to thy life whither thou must never come but with a resolution to lose it I know it Sir said Ariamenes and I shall remember it without doubt but if we ever do see another again it may possibly be in such a manner that the second view may be as welcome to thee as the first Adallas possibly did not understand these last words at least he made him no Reply neither did Ariobarzanes give him time to do it but having taken his leave of me with a profound Reverence which Adallas's presence could not hinder him from expressing to me he turned his back and all alone and on foot he took a different way from that which we went I confess that I was as sensible of this separation as if I had lost one half of my self but I was forced to dissemble my grief by a cruel constraint and I could not so easily do it but that Adallas found occasion in the changing of my countenance to make me divers reproaches We went to the City where without discovering our selves we were well lodged and there the Kings Chyrurgions took care of his recovery You will
in the hands of the gods and that he ought not to dispose so confidently of that which he will do after the Victory and yet his threatings shall not hinder me from praying to the gods for the prosperity of his Arms and the interest of my Countrey but let him consider more than twice what will be the event of the design which he hath against Ariamenes 's life and let him expect if he treats him ill to draw upon himself a greater and more puissant Enemy than Merodates is I will not trouble you with the Relation of my fears and inquietudes but to abridge this Narration I will pass to Adallas's Camp and will tell you that the King my Brother seeing his Forces augmented and those of his Enemy weakned thought himself strong enough to give him Battel and his passion depriving him in part of his ordinary rationality and hindring him from foreseeing all the consequences that might happen thereupon he dared Merodates to an Encounter and marched out of his Camp to advance towards him Merodates being a very valiant and well experienced Captain and who might with less hazzard give Battel in his Enemies Countrey than if he had been in his own joyfully accepted of it and marched to meet Adallas in the best order that can be imagined I will not entertain you either with the preparations or the particulars of that dayes Action having too little skill in War to be able to give you a pertinent Account I will only tell you that after both Princes had provided on either side whatsoever they thought necessary for their advantage they gave Battel The Engagement was cruel and doubtful the Commanders and Souldiers did wonders and disputed the advantage with the effusion of a great deal of blood and the death of divers thousands of men But at last the same Fortune which had accompanied Merodates in the two former Battels attended him likewise in the third and about the end of the day our Troops turning their backs abandoned the Victory to him and the liberty of their King Who scorning to owe his safety to a base flight and fighting with a great deal of Valor was thrown to the ground and taken Prisoner with divers of his Souldiers who were resolved to be Companions of his destiny Behold the success of the proud and insolent Propositions of men and behold this ingrateful and audacious Prince who a few hours before hasting as he thought to a Victory only to go and sheath his Sword in the bosome of his Benefactor saw himself the same day a Prisoner to his Enemy and to such an Enemy who to confirm his Conquest which was but ill-assured so long as the lawful King of Thrace was living was very likely to make use of the same designs against him which he had against Ariamenes and might do it with so much the more Justice because that in putting him to death he should only destroy an Enemy whom a Conqueror could not in policy permit to live and not the Deliverer and Defender of his State and life I do not doubt but that the unfortunate Adallas made these reflections in his imprisonment and was cruelly tormented with Sorrow Fear and Repentance Yet Merodates treated him very civilly and though the greatest Polititians about him counselled him to send him out of the World as soon as might be and represented to him that after his death he need not feare any opposition in Thrace where otherwise he could never hope to be quiet as long as Adallas was living yet he was not forward to frame any such resolution but believed that the death of a great King was not of so small a consequence to be so suddenly and so easily resolved upon Besides in gaining the Victory he had lost almost as many men as we and his Forces not being in a condition to make a hot pursuit gave time to ours to retire under the conduct of some of their Commanders who led them back towards Bizantium in good order This consideration making Merodates judge that as yet he was not absolute Master of Thrace especially as long as Ariamenes whose Valor he was too well acquainted with and whose confinement he had heard of was in the service of his Enemy hindred him from determining what to do with him and contented himself at present to keep him in secure Custody causing him to be served like a Prince in his condition He had the curiosity to see him the same day that he was taken and though in other things he carried himself very modestly towards him yet he could not forbear to tell him That the gods had punished him for two Crimes wherewith his Reputation was very much blemished in the eye of the world which were his unjust and irrational love to his Sister and his ingratitude towards his Benefactor and to these words added he You were much to blame to deprive your self in a time of necessity of such an assistance as you had received from the Valor of Ariamenes had it not been for him I had been long since Master of Thrace and if he had commanded your Troops this day I durst not have promised my self that I should have been Victorious The King being full of grief and confusion gave no Answer to Merodates's words wherein he knew there was a great deal of Justice and Truth and Merodates not desiring to make any insolent use of his Fortune did not importune him any farther In the mean time my fair Princesses you may partly conjecture what my thoughts were when this News was brought to Bizantium and how my Soul was divided between the passions which assaulted it 'T is certain that I was sorry to hear of the defeat of our men the loss of a Kingdom which in all probability was upon the brink of ruine and the Captivity of a Prince who though he had not those intentions for me which he ought was nevertheless my Brother and my King The gods are my witnesses that I was very much afflicted at his misfortune and ours but they will pardon me and you too my princesses if I confess to you That the repugnance which I had against Adallas's love the resentment wherein I did very much interesâ— my self of his ingratitude to Ariamenes and theâ— sear I was in for Ariobarzanes's life did so suspend the judgment I should have made of my Fortune that certainly I did not bestow all the tears I should have done upon the calamity of our Family and which at another time without doubt I should have shed I could not think with my self that the King my Brother was a Prisoner to his Enemies and in great danger of his life that the Affairs of the Kingdome were in an undone condition and that we were in all probability upon the point of seeing our selves exposed to the miseries of Tyranny and Captivity without being sensible of a great deal of displeasure But upon the other side I could not conceive that I was
fatal to Ariamenes as to Merodates and consider once more that it will be in thine own power without injuring thy Reputation to be the Friend of Merodates revenger upon Adallas and possessor of Olympia This was Merodates's Letter which Ariobarzanes readd with some astonishment and found it very different from what he expected It was written with a great deal of Artifice and likelihood of Truth and Merodates had forgotten nothing which probably might move a man very much injured and very amorous All the reason in the World seemed to be upon his side and certainly there were but few men whom this hope of becoming possessor of a person beloved by such wayes as his just resentment might in some sort save his honour would not have caused to waver and it may be have absolutely convinced but the vertue of Ariobarzanes was very remote from this Proposition and neither all his resentment against the Brother nor all his love to the Sister kept him one moment unresolved what in point of Duty to do He gave the Letter smiling to some of his Officers which were near him See said he what opinion they have of us and with what Arms they would encounter with us In the mean time he returned an Answer to Merodates which as I take it was in these Terms Prince Ariamenes to Merodates Prince of Chersonesus IF thou hadst really valued my Courage thou would'st not have ventured upon the Proposion which thou hast made me and 't is but a bad Testimony of thy Amity and Esteem to counsel me to baseness When thou didst detest Ingratitude and bemoan my Disgrace thou didst follow the motions of thy Vertue but without doubt thou wert not guided by that when thou didst propose to me to betray a People who have absolutely committed themselves and their destiny to my Conduct If I would be revenged upon Adallas it should not be whil'st he is a Prisoner and if I would pretend to the possession of Olympia it should not be by unworthy meaus if it please the gods that I shall obtain her she will be much more gloriously acquired by me when I shall have restored to her Family the Crown of her Ancestors when I shall have chased her Enemies out of her Countrey and when I shall have brought back her Brother with Freedom and Victory than when by a base Treason I shall have dishonoured all the Actions of my life and rendred my self unworthy of her Esteem I thank thee for the Dignities which thou offerest me but if thou knewest me thou wouldst possibly understand that the Prince of Chersonesus hath no Dignities in his power that are worth Ariamenes 's acceptance Yet I will not disdain thy Amity when I may receive it without Reproach and possibly thou wilt judge me more worthy of it than thou didst before when thou shalt have seen me in the Field near enough to take an exact knowledge of me This was the use that Ariobarzanes made of Merodates's offers and the next day according to the deliberation which he had formerly taken he dislodged his Troops to march towards the Town where the King was kept Prisoner As he had no design to conceal his march so it was presently taken notice of by Merodates and being it was not Merodates's intention to suffer that place to be taken which he knew was not strong enough to endure the first Assault he discamped his Army and marched to meet Ariamenes His Troops were stronger still than ours and composed of men better versed in War than those which we had drawn out from amongst the Citizens of Bizantium and this was that which easily diposed him to a Battel not believing that Ariamenes as valiant as he was could stop the course of his Victories and Fortune The Armies having not far to march before they met were quickly one in sight of another and then it was that their valiant Generals employed their utmost cares to facilitate the Victory Neither of them forgot any thing that might conduce thereunto and I understood afterwards that Ariamenes having ranged his men in such an order as my incapacity doth not permit me to describe made a speech to them with so much Eloquence and Gallantry that he inspired them with a more than natural ardor and animated them by his Discourse and Example to attempts beyond his expectation I cannot inform you of the particulars of that Battel which possibly was the most bloody and the best disputed that was ever fought between two Armies of their strength Above eight long hours the Success continued doubtful and uncertain and in that time the Troops on either side were almost absolutely defeated The Generals were extreamly valiant and their Souldiers seconded them with all their power Merodates's men had an advantage over ours by reason of the Number of those who were drawn out of Bizantium who being a great deal less used to War than the rest much weakned our Party But the brave Ariamenes did so well supply their default and did so encourage them both by his words and his great Actions that he made them do that which could hardly have been expected from Veteran Souldiers and in fine confirmed them in the resolution to suffer themselves to be cut in pieces or to purchase that day the peace and repose of their Countrey Alas how much blood did these gallant resolutions of both Parties cause to be shed on either side and how many deaths made that day famous in the memory of the Thracians A great part of the day was spent when at last that Fortune which had so inseparably accompanied Merodates against Adallas and Eurimedes began to give ground before Ariamenes and by the prodigious efforts of that young Prince the remainder of the Troops of Chersonesus began by little and little to give way to ours and looked as if they were about to quit the Victory Merodates perceiving â—t and being filled with despair at the knowledge of it did things above beleife to recover the advantage we had gotten and to preserve that which the precedent Battels had acquired him He rode from rank to rank with a Martial countenance and by his ardent endeavours turned his Forces more than once upon ours with such an impetuosity as made the event of Battel a long time doubtful Ariamenes who had fought for him all that day as much as the Functions of his charge could permit him having percieved him and taken notice of him by several marks charged up to him with an exclamation and an action which discovered him to his Enemy and when he was near enough to be understood by him Merodates cryed he there is blood enough shed spare that which remains of thy Party if thou can st possibly and let us finish the destiny of this day in our own persons Thou shalt see by that proof whether I be worthy of thy Amity or not and thou wilt not dishonour thy Arms in employing them against a Prince whose Birth is
retain public demonstrations of that happiness which so many reasons commanded him to conceal he made a thousand passionate Discourses and as he loved with as much violence as ever any did so all that his love produced was violent like it self but if his joy was immoderate at the first view of his happiness it became more compleat when he perceived that he was not only dearly loved by Menalippa but that he had need of a spirit firm and solid to require a Princess born with a true generosity and uncapable of any artifice At last through the sympathy of their humors and the force of their destinies their affection became so strong as to justifie the opinion of those who believe that the love proceeding from inclination is more powerful than that of acknowledgement and obligation you will see by the sequel of this Discourse that this is true and may thence conclude that there was never a more strong love contracted than between these two illustrious persons Menalippa inâ—irely opened her heart to Alcimedon and this happy Prince read there his happiness with extasies his love increased daily by the fresh graces he received from the Princess and although they extended no further than the honour of kissing her hand yet he found so many charms in the Action and those words by which she daily established his happiness that he scarce believed there could be a compleater Bliss yet he was sometimes perplexit to think what the knowledge of Alcamenes would produce against the Fortune of Alcimedon and Menalippa justified his fears a few dayes after when in a converse they had together having hearkned with her ordinary bounty to the protestations made of his fidelity Alcimedon said she whatever promise I have made to favour your Designs in case you prove faithful and true yet that which you call your happiness is not intirely in my hands and although I hope the Queen my Mother will yield much to my choice yet it is certain that in the disposition of Menalippa she will follow her first resolutions to give me only to him that shall most powerfully advance the King of Scythia's Ruine and were I not confident of your Valor from which I hope in this occasion much more than from all the other pretenders whatsoever affection I have entertained for you I should not think my self obliged to my promise but as I know that in this War we are to expect nothing but Wonders from you you need not doubt a favourable success and I am more troubled at the danger you must expose your self to for the love of me against those redoubtable Enemies than comforted by the advantages you may carry away This Discourse troubled Alcamenes though he long since expected it and being prepared he quickly recollected himself and did all he could that the Princess might not observe the disorder in his face Madam said he I am not ignorant of the conditions that engage those who aspire to the glory of serving you and you ought not to doubt since my heart is yours without reserve but that I will also espouse your resentments and I will not only serve you in your Design against Scythia with ardor and fidelity but I dare promise you above all those who ingage in this War for your Service that I will serve you with success and will put the Crown of Scythia upon your Head This promise may seem extravagant in the condition you see me but when I shall be better known I hope you will expect the performance with some confidence there is a great deal of presumption in my Discourse yet to drive it to the highest point I promise my Princess never to demand the possession of Menalippa till I have Crowned her Queen of Scythia Whil'st Alcamenes spake Menalippa beheld him attentively and being unable to accuse a man of vain boldness and presumption whom she knew of a true and solid vertue was ignorant what judgment to make on this hardy Proposition and the conditions wherewith he bounded his own good Fortune his great confidence in promising things so great perswaded her of the grandure of his condition and calling to her thoughts all the powerful Princes of the Earth to find Alcimedon amongst them Alcamenes only being excepted in the Number not imagining that Prince would unnecessarily expose himself to too manifest danger or that he against whom the Queen her Mother arm'd the whole Earth should come and submit himself to the power of his implacable Enemies Having kept silence a good while and then beholding Alcimedon with a smile You promise things difficult enough said she but I will distrust neither your power not intention I will only say that in case you prosper not in your Design of making me Queen of Scythia I will not bind you so rigorously to the conditions your self hath put to your pretences and will not for the Crown of Scythia lose the affection I bear to Alcimedon yet you have given me an occasion to call to mind the Oracle by the conformity I find between it and your promise for the Queen my Mother having consulted with the most famous of the Earth concerning her Design of revenging the King my Fathers death they have all unanimously answered That the Conquest of Scythia was reserved for Menalippa and that Menalippa should be one day Queen of Scythia You need not doubt that the Queen received great satisfaction from this answer of the gods and I believe that this hope is as great an incendiary to the War as the vengeance she breathes against the King of Scythia Alcamenes hearkned attentively to these words and instead of fearing the success of this War he saw his hopes increas'd and believed that the gods promised not the Crown of Scythia to Menalippa but by her Marriage with Alcamenes he again confirmed the promise he had made and Menalippa protested with incomparable bounty that she desired not so much the Crown of Scythia as she feared the death of Alcimedon having Martial Enemies to encounter a King valiant and experienced and against the young Prince Alcamenes his Sonne who had the Repute of one of the most Valiant men upon Earth But whil'st Alcimedon enjoyed this felicity he had the displeasure continually to see his Rivals and was obliged even before his face to permit Merodates Phrataphernes Euardes and Orosmanes publickly to proclaim their affections to his Princess 'T is true the cold reception she gave them did minister some comfort to his spirit and if the need she had of their assistance did seem to smooth her brow with a pleasing aspect 't was with such a visible constraint that Alcimedon had not any cause to harbour the least umbrage of discontent she alwayes testified more esteem to Merodates than the rest viewing him as a Prince whose vertue and courage claimed every ones respect but she confin'd her resentments to this esteem without permitting him any place in her amity Alcimedon by the appearances of his
death by a thrust through the body and these three victories cost the terrible young man but so many blows But it was not in his heart nor yet in his countenance that the victory wrought its ordinary effects making it visibly appear that what heightned the insolence and hopes of his companions filled him with grief shame and confâ—sion He had stay'd a little time in expectation of another Adversary when accordingly there is one brought into the Arena upon whose appearance Quintilius Varus who knew him and had sent both him and the other to the Overscers of the Gladiators crying out aloud to the Emperour told him that Combat would be very pleasant for that the Gladiator last come in was little if at all inferiour in point of valour to his companion That discourse of Varus obliged those that were the more attentive to these sights to take more particular notice of the last and they found that as to his person the other had not much the advantage of him though he discovered less fierceness and that there seemed to be a greater mildness both in his eyes and countenance They were in many things much like one the other especially in their faces though it might be thought the latter was seven or eight years elder then his companion The young man no sooner saw him appear but lifting up his eyes to Heaven with an action full of grief and resentment O ye Gods cryed he O malicious Fortune is it possible you can reduce us to such deplorable extremities With which words there broke forth at his eyes a rivolet of tears Nor seemed there to be less grief and tenderness in him that was newly come in who after he had by certain words proceeding from the height of passion charged Heaven with the strangenesse of their misfortune both casting away their Swords and Bucklers upon the sand mutually embraced each other with so much affection and accompanyed their caresses with words so pressing that the most hard-hearted present were moved to compassion thereat It was the general imagination of the spectators that they should be deprived the pleasure they expected from the engagement of those two valiant Gladiators And indeed the King of Scythia Agrippa Artaban Ariobarzanes Philadelph Drusus and divers other who were mov'd to compassion at what they had seen were intreating the Emperor that those two men whom they thought worthy a better fortune might be spared when those who had the oversight of the Shows out of a design to divert the company by another kind of engagement let forth out of those places where they were kept for that purpose a Tygre one of the greatest and most furious that ever came out of Hyrcania Those that concerned themselves in the misfortune of those two men were extreamly troubled at the sight of that dreadfull creature nay Augustus himself mov'd thereat as others was not well pleased to see them exposed to that new danger But he had not time to considâ—r what course was fittest to be taken for their safety and the approaches of that terrible enemy having interrupted the embraces of the two Gladiators they both ran to their Swords and presented themselves to the furious beast with a resolution that discover'd they were not to be danted by any kind of danger but in that action they expressed no less the greatness of their Friendship then that of their Courage either of them being desirous to put himself before his companion so to expose himself to all the danger for the safety of his Friend Let me alone said the elder of the two that came last suffer me over-confident young man to have some part in the actions of this day Thou hast spilt bloud enough already and I would say thou hast gained glory enough had the occasion been but honourable Let me intreat thee by all our Friendship to keep back and hazard not in my sight a life I value much beyond my own The fierce young man would have made some reply and their contestation would haply have lasted longer if the pressing occasion had permitted it but the Tygre was ready to fasten on the former who put her off with his Buckler and with his Sword had made agreat gap in her side The fury of the cruel beast was augmented by the wound but instead of being reveng'd on him that gave it she turned towards his companion who immediatly cast himself before his Friends and was so fortunate as to cut off one of its unmercifull claws That done the Victory prov'd so much the less difficult to the two valiant men and after they had avoided the last attempts of the cruel Animal by two blows which they gave it both at the same time they laid it along on the sand breathing its last The enterprize being over they ran one to another with equal tenderness to see if they were wounded and having spent some little time in new embraces accompany'd with tears the younger of a sudden lifting up his head which till then he had not so much as turned towards the Assembly and addressing himself to the Emperour Caesar said he to him with a gesture heightned by a noble fierceness thou thinkâ—st it a great glory to expose to thy Gladiators and thy savage Beasts Princes who have not any way deserved such misfortune and those such as are not inferiour to thee either in birth or vertue Consummate consummate thy cruelty and find out some death or other for those who are not desirous to live after the shame thou hast exposed them to It may be our deaths were but requisit in order to thy safety and the quiet of the Romanes to whom this indignity makes us irreconcileable enemies And if Fortune once restore me the fortune she hath deprived me of I promise to the revenging Gods Rivers of Roman bloud to wash off the stain of that unworthy bloud thou hast occasioned me to spill this day These words though proceeding from a strange confidence and threats were so far from incensing the Emperour that they wrought in him much compassion and raised in him a certain remorse and confusion so that the mediations of those Princes who at the same time begged the liberty of those two persons was more then necessary to obtain it He with a gesture of his hand silenc'd the noise that was among the Spectators whereupon addressing his discourse to the valiant young man who had spoken tâ— him If thou art of such birth as thou pretendest said he to him I condemn with much grief the treatment thou hast receiv'd nay if thou wert not thou deservest for thy valour the Liberty which I now give you both The Gods are my witnesses and you also are convinced in your thoughts that both your names and fortunes were unknown to me and that I could not by any discovery discern you from ordinary Gladiators among whom it sometimes happens that there are persons of great courage and handsomeness of body This want of
sollicitation of Augustus was to be omitted as to that particular and that it was by the death of Coriolanus that Cleopatra must be gained to be Tiberius's and that on the otherside it was a shame to her not to dispatch out of the way an enemy who had twice brought her Son to death's door as it were in her arms She communicated her design to Tiberius but he approved it not for besides that though he were of a cruel and revengful nature he was a person of much courage and dreaded she shame it was by such wayes to compass the death of a man who had treated him so generously he could not imagine that his death would any way facilitate his possession of Cleopatra and calling to mind that the pretended infidelity of that Prince whence he might better have hoped it had not been able to produce that effect on his behalf he was perswaded his death would occasion the contrary and raise in that Princess the highest resentment and greatest aversion that could be against him Upon these reasons which he urged to the Empress he intreated her not to prosecute the death of Coriolanus but rather by solliciting for his life to procure him to possession of Cleopatra and to have a Message sent to that Princess by order from the Emperour That if she would marry Tiberius she should save the life of Coriolanus which otherwise would be assuredly lost Livia found some probability in that Proposition and having that very day started it to the Emperour she so managed the influence she had over him that he was content Cleopatra should have the choice of either Coriolanus's death or a marriage with Tiberius This resolution was hardly taken when Prince Marcellus comes into the Emperour's Closet Livia upon his coming in went away and as all the thoughts of that young Prince were taken up with the safety of his Friend so he never appear'd before the Emperor but he renewed his sollicitations on his behalf The Emperour who till then had put him off with cruel menaces against the Son of Juba heard him at that time with more patience then ordinary and when he had given over speaking I shall for your sake Marcellus said he to him do that which otherwise I should not have done for that insolent person by whom I have been so highly affronted and though I have protested that no consideration should prevail with me to spare his life yet is there one way left to you to save him which you are not to neglect since it is all you are to expect in a word his life is in the hands of Cleopatra she may save it if she will marry with Tiberius If it be dear to her she may do her inclinations so much violence as to save it if that be not a motive strong enough to oblige he she can blame none but her self nor regret the loss of it with any justice Be your self the Messenger of this news to her and use the influence you have over her to dispose her thereto since it is the only means you have to save a person for whom though my greatest enemy you pretend so much Friendship Marcellus was at such a loss at the Emperour's discourse that he knew not what to say insomuch that having looked on him a while without making any answer And is this said he to him at last all the favour you do me for Coriolanus It is greater replied the Emperor then should be slighted as being contrary to the resolution I had taken and the protestations I had made not to grant it any man I know not my Lord replyed the Prince very coldly whom you have done it to not certainly to the Friends of Coriolanus The favour you now offer would be more cruel to him then the death you threaten him with and Tiberius who cannot suffer him to live but upon so hard a condition should remember that he gave him his life without any You will pardon me if I make not this Proposition to Cleopatra it is too much at a distance with the respect I have for her and the assurance I have of her courage and vertue But if I can prevail with you no further on the behalf of a Friend whose admirable endowments are adored by all the world one from whom you have received considerable services and whose misfortunes I have my self aggravated through the cruel artifices of his enemies I shall resolve my Lord to die with him and leave you absolutely free to bestow on Tiberius to whom you sacrifice him the favours you had design'd for me With which words he went out of the Closet and left the Emperour partly troubled and partly incensed at what he had said but still constant to his resolution against Coriolanus Nor was he ever the more mov'd at the intreaties of Julia who came into the Closet as soon as Marcellus was departed though she employed all her interest and eloquence on the behalf of Coriolanus and Caesaria as well upon the desires of Cleopatra Candace and Marcellus as out of her own inclination and the compassion she had for the misfortunes of those two Princes The generous Octavia came not long after and renewed the sollicitations she daily used to the same effect but what affection and respect soever the Emperour might have for her yet could not all her meditation prevail ought with him insomuch that the Princess who was acquainted with his inflexible humor was afraid not without reason it would go hard with Coriolanus That very day the Emperor sent Sempronius to the Princess Cleopatra to acquaint her with his resolution and the means she had to save the King of Mauritania life if she would accept of it The respect which the presence of Cleopatra forced on all that saw her obliged Sempronius to deliver his message with greatest mildness he could but at last he gave her to understand that it was onely by her marriage with Tiberius that she could save Coriolanus's life The Daughter of Anthony entertained this discourse of Sempronius with her ordinary constancy and moderation and when he had said all he could to perswade her I expected said she to him that the Emperour would not have imployed his Authority to force me to a marriage with Tiberius as relying on the promise he had made me and the Oath he had taken to forbear You see Madam sayes Sempronius to her that he doth not herein employ his Authority since he leaves you at liberty and offers you as an acknowledgement of your compliance toward him the life of an enemy whom he had resolved to sacrifice to his just resentments His resentments replied the Princess are not haply so just in the apprehensions of all the world as they are in yours and there are few persons condemn the King of Mauritania 's maintaining his pretensions against his Rival by his valour as he ever did and not by base artifices or question whether he may not with justice
countenances and by their silence It is true Artaban or rather Pompey you it was that Cornelia brought into the world and you it was whom we received into our Arms for want of persons more experienced in that employment you are the true Son and since the Gods have so thought fit the only Son that remains of a Father who in the thirtieth year of his age had triumphed in Rome over Europe Asia and Africa of a Father who master to Kings and the terrour of all the Powers in the Universe and of a Father who certainly had died the most great and glorious of all men that ever were had he died before the battel of Pharsalia I could not among all mankind have furnished you with a more illustrious Father nor better recompence the modesty you have had to content your self with a Father so little worthy of so great a Son Thus Madam continued he addressing himself to the Queen have I given you an accompt of Artaban's birth it is that which is most important in my discourse the rest I shall pass over with as much brevity as I can possibly I shall not trouble you with an account of all the caresses which that passionate Mother entertained her Son with and those expressions of love and tenderness which upon the sight of the Son the memory of his Father put into her mouth and shall only tell you that having by my means got Nurses for the Child we gave out that he was my Wifes Son whom Cornelia oblig'd to keep her bed to give the report the more credit At last when she had recovered health and strength and found her self in a condition to endure the Sea with her Son though it much troubled her to be forced to that extremity she prepared her self for her departure with a design to take refuge among those who were yet remaining of the great Pompey's party among whom Scipio her Father King Juba and Cato had a considerable strength left but about this time news came to her of their fatal overthrow and how that those three great men in whom consisted all the remainder of her hopes had been defeated by Julius Caesar that Scipio her Father had killed himself with his own hands and King Juba would needs force his death from those of Petreius and that Cato was retired to Utica not indeed with any hope to maintain it against the Conquerour but to die gloriously in it This cruel news extremely heightned her afflictions and putting her to the saddest sufferings that a single person was capaple of opened in her a new source of tears which many dayes could not dry up At last being forced to take some resolution she took it suitably to her fortune and bethought her self to retire to a solitary house which she had not far from Alba and to spend the rest of her dayes in lamentations and sollitude but considering withal that Caesar's design being openly to make himself the peaceable Master of the Empire there could be no security for the Children of Pompey and that it was already reported he was already upon his march towards Spain in pursuit of Cneius and Sextus the two Sons of Pompey who notwithstanding the tenderness of their age were retired thither and raising Forces there she thought it not safe to have her Son about her in any place where he might be discovered and was afraid to expose him to the sea while yet but young The disturbance she conceiv'd hereat made her suspend for some days but at last having resolved what to do and calling me and my Wife to her in whom she had a more than ordinary confidence Had I not an experience said she to us of your vertue and fidelity during the time you both lived with Pompey and my self I should not trust you with what is most dear to me after the death of my illustrious Husband nor should I be easily induced after the demonstrations I have received of your affection to part with either of you upon a less occasion than that of preserving my Son In fine Briton in fine Herennia it is to you both that I commend the young Pompey and it is by your care that I hope his life and liberty will be preserved find out some place in the Island where you may for some time retire where among such persons as shall see him he may pass for your Son and where I would gladly stay my self while I lived did I not think my abode here might bring him into some danger and at last discover him to his Enemies If you do not think your selves safe in this place by reason of the abode we have made here already take some other as soon as the Child shall be in a condition to endure the Sea and if you understand during that time that Fortune is any thing more favourable to his Brothers in Spain then it was to his Father in Thessaly you may carry him thither and recommend him to their protection In the mean time I shall expect an account of my Sons education desiring you to bring him up in all vertuous sentiments that may raise his soul to a resemblance of the great Pompey but above all if you have any respect to the confidence I repose in you let him be still brought up in a belief that he is your Son and acquaint him not that he is descended from Pompey till you receive my permission to do it or that I am departed this world For as no doubt he will have a courage suitable to the blood which runs in his veins that is that of Pompey and Scipio 's so will the knowledge of it engage him in enterprises which will infallibly prove his destruction nay though he saw his party ruined yet would it be hard for him to dissemble so glorious an extraction To these words Cornelia added many other after which she made us solemnly swear that we would never discover to her Son what birth he was of till we had her leave to do it or that he arrived to a fortune great enough not to disclaim it Whereupon she gave us the best part of what Gold and Jewels she had and left us such a quantity thereof as would not only relieve our necessities but make us live in a considerable high condition She fastened about her Sons neck a golden chain a small box in the form of a Medal which Artaban I think hath never opened as being ignorant of the secret of it which is known only to me and may very much contribute to the confirmation of my discourse He knows how much I have recommended the careful keeping of it to him and having intreated him to do it by all the affection he had for me I never desired him to forbear the opening of it because he never thought it might be opened and that it seemed to be one piece as an ordinary Medal In find Madam what should I say more Cornelia having said all the affection