vacancy being only left for the inside of their Thighs that â—ar next to their Horse Such is the Fabrick thereof that it repels all manner of Darts or Spears From the Foot there was an Iron Boot that at the Knee joined curiously with the Armour In the same manner they also Armed their Horses securing their Legs while their Head to their Crest is entirely Armed a Covering of Iron Plates thrown over his Back falling down on each side to his Flank yet so loose as not to incumber his going while it gave him protection The Man being thus equipp'd and as it were cast in Armour is lifted up upon his Horse not being able by reason of the weight to mount himself When the Fight is begun giving the Reins to his Horse and clapping Spurs to them he rusheth upon the Enemy as it were a Tempest The Pike near to the part where a long Steel Blade comes out is fasten'd to the Horses Neck by which means it is supported it is also hung at the other end by Thongs to the Horses Shoulder in such manner as not to hinder but assist the Hand of the Person that directs it So that by the Horses motion the force is encreased by which means two or three at a time are often born upon the Point The Deputy being thus provided and his Forces drawn up in this manner left the River on his Back being much less in number than the Enemy which served him for a Wall to keep him from being surrounded Hydaspes on the other side thus order'd his Battel Against the Persians and Medes in the Right Wing he placed his Souldiers from Meroe skilful in standing Fight as also the Troglodytae with those of the Neighbouring Country from which Cinnamon is brought in light Arms and swift of foot to engage the Adversaries Left Wing But understanding the Persians middle Ranks to be their chief strength he opposed to them himself with Elephants bearing Towers joining to them the Blemmii and Seri with Instructions what to do when they were engaged When Signals on both sides were given by the Persians with Trumpets by the AEthiopians with Hammers and Kettle-drums Oroondates encouraging his Party led them on Hydaspâ—s commanded his Men to advance slowly at first that the Elephants might keep up with them and also that the Persian Horse in the middle might be disorder'd before the whole Bodies were join'd When they were now within the Cast of a Dart and the Blemmi perceiv'd the Bard Horse of the Enemy to come on fiercely they observ'd what had been commanded by Hydaspes the Seri being left to guard the Elephants they made up speedily before the rest against the Bard Horse who thought them distracted being so few in number to set upon a Party so well Armed The Persians likewise spurred up faster to take advantage of their rashness not doubting to dispatch them at the first Encounter Then the Blemmi when they were come hand to hand as it were at one sign sunk down all together setting one Knee to the ground and putting their Heads and Backs under the Horses Bellies receiv'd no harm but from their treading sometimes upon them But they perform'd what was beyond all expectation stabbing the Bard Horse up into their Bellies which part alone was unarm'd Wherefore not a few were cast off by their Horses enraged with their wounds whom the Blemmi stabb'd as they lay on the ground on the inside of their Thighs For the Persian Cataphract is so incumbred with Armour that he cannot stir when once dismounted Those that kept their Saddles were carry'd directly upon the Seri who on their approach retreated behind their Elephants whose vast Bodies served them for a Bulwark By this means there was great Slaughter made of the Horse insomuch that they were almost utterly cut oâ—f For the Horses frighten'd with the sight of the Elephants leaped and started some flying out one way and some another putting their own party into disorder They that sat upon the Elephants six Archers being allotted to each Tower whereof each Beast carry'd two shot so fast from thence that their Arrows seem'd a Cloud and so exactly aim'd that they generally wounded the Persians in the Eyes who accordingly ran confusedly one amongst another All that were born forward against their wills by the mettle of their Steeds came directly upon the Elephants They were therefore thus consumed being partly trodden down by the Elephants partly cut down by the Sâ—â—i making Excursions from behind their Elephants as it were from an Ambuscade The few that escaped went oâ—â— without any memorable performance and not the least hurt done to the Elephants Those Beasts are clad in Iron when they go to War beside the natural hardness of their Skin overgrown with a tough Scurf or Scale too firm for any Spear to pierce All being at length put to Rout the Deputy himself fled at last most shamefully on a Nysaean Horse leaving his Chariot behind him However those that were of his Left Wing were yet ignorant hereof and stood stoutly to their work though receiving more Wounds than they gave sustaining all difficulties For the Troops from the Cinnamon Region with whom they encountred pressed them very hard and reduced them to the last Distress flying off whensoever the others came on far out-stripping them yet shooting back and wounding as they fled But as the others Retreated came furiously again upon them galling their Flanks with Slings and little Darts all which were notwithstanding Mortal the Piles being dipped in Serpents Blood They bear a round Cover on their Heads stuck through with Arrows the shaft end whereof is placed next their Heads the Pile even to the Feathers coming out above Thus every one marches clattering to fight exposing a naked Body to the Foe Crowned as it were with Arrows which have no Iron on their Points nor have any need of it By reason that they are made of a Dragons Back-bone an ell in length the natural hardness whereof being sharpen'd at one end serves for a point from whence the Greeks call such kind of Arrows Bones The AEgyptians notwithstanding stood a long time to it joining their Shields together and sustaining showers of Darts though they were impatient of War yet now either glorying in contempt of Death or fearing the punishment of Revolters But when they knew the Cataphracts the chief hope and strength of their Battel were fled the very Persians and Deputy himself withdrawn without any signal performance save some small damage done to the Meroenses but much more receiv'd even they at last gave over the Conflict and turned their Backs Hydaspes beholding the Victory from a Tower raised high on an Elephant sent after the Chasers to bid them abstain from slaughter but to take as many alive as they could especially Oroondatâ—s For the AEthâ—opians stretching their Wings in circular form took in so vast a compass as wholly to enclose the Pâ—rsians leaving only one passage open
How well Iâ— take these Fears said she that torment you for my sake since they make me know in the extremity of our Adversities your Affection is the same it was but assure your self Theagenes if I had not carried it thus we should not at this time have had the freedom to confer together for to be wilful and to run a contrary course to the deâ—ires of one more powerful than our selves begets but a stronger opposition whilst yeilding words applied to the motion of the Will presently appeaseth the first heat and by the sweetness of a Promise lays the Appetite to sleep forasmuch as they that love after a gross rustick way if at the first essay they get consent they think they have done enough and making sure they shall enjoy the content they wish their Spirit is in more repose and goes floating in their hope This Consideration made me yield to Thyamis in words only commending the Sequel to the Gods and the Genius that from the beginning hath taken our chaste Love into his Patronage oftentimes a day or two put off hath been greatly advantageous to the miserable and brâ—ught means of safety when no humane Prudence could work it therefore for the present I deferred him avoiding a Certainty for an Vncertainty but we must do this artificially and conceal it as a slight at the Weapon from our Enemies even from Knemon for though he be full of Courtesie and hath done many Favours for us and is as we are a Grecian yet he is as we are a Captive and therefore if occasion should be offered more likely to gratifie his Conqueror than us the Conquered for neither the time of his Acquaintance nor his being our Countreyman are sufficient Pledges to us of his Fidelity and therefore if at any time he touches at our Affairs you must deny the Truth for the Lye is not evil that does good to the Author and no hurt to the Hearer As Chariclea was discoursing thus Knemon entred all in a sweat and manifesting a great perturbation by his countenance Here Theagenes take this Herb he said and apply it to your Woundsâ— we must prepare our selves for greater hurts Theagenes praying him to speak plain The consideration of the time said he will not let you hear me out for it is to be feared the effect will prevent my Words but follow me you and Chariclea and so led them both to Thyamis whom he found busied in furbishing an Armour and sharpning the point of a Javelin This is to the purpose said Knemon that you have your Arms so near you put them on presently and command every one to do the like for I have discovered such a cloud of enemies coming as I never saw before they are not far off for having descried them from the top of the Hill where I was gathering Herbs I have brought you the News with all the speed I could and in traversing the Lake I have given warning to your Men to be in a readiness for their defence Thyamis hearing this suddenly started up and demanded where Chariclea was as fearing more for her than for himself and Knemon having shewed her standing at the Door Go said Thyamis in his ear take her with thee into the Cave where we conceal our Treasure and when thou hast conveyed her down and covered the mouth of the Cave with the Stone that useth to lie upon it pr'ythee Friend return with all celerity mean time we will give order for the Fight then he commanded his Page to seek him a fat Beast that having sacrificed to the Gods Protectors of the Place they might joyn Battel This while Knemon doing his Commands led away Chariclea that sighed and lamented and at every step she went turned back her eyes towards Theagenes at length they came to the Cave where Knemon immediatly carried her down The Place was not a work of Nature as we see many both above and under the ground but it was a Vault wrought out of the Rock by the industry of the AEgyptian Thieves and imitating Nature artificially hollowed to contain their Spoyls the Entry was narrow and obscure and conveyed into a little Cell the Threshold Stone whereof was a Door that opened and shut easily and gave another passage for descent into the Cave when necessity required within it were cut many Trenches and Meanders that went turning of either side sometimes alone sometimes mixing together like the Roots of Trees till they came to the bottom and there they end in a large and spacious Plain whereinto enters a little Light by certain clefts and crannies in the Earth above Knemon that by practice knew the turnings having brought Chariclea to the bottom endeavoured to comfort her the best he could assuring her he and Theagenes would come and see her soon at Night and that he would not suffer him to fight nor come within the danger and so he left her not able to speak one Word but fainting as if she had been struck to death and deprived of her Soul in her Theagenes and closing up the Cave could not himself refrain from weeping both that he should be forced to execute so hard a Command and in compassion of her Fortune whom he had almost buried alive and sealed up in Night and Darkness the perfectest Workmanship of Nature then he made haste to Thyamis whom he found compleatly armed and with his Oration exciting those that were about him for standing in the midst of them he said My Companions in Arms I do not think it needful to trouble you with many Words you need no admonition War is your Trade and now the Enemy is so near us he cuts off Discourse he comes upon us to force our Trenches with his Sword and we must answer him in his own Language I have nothing else to say but that now you are not only to defend your Wives and Children which hath been Motive sufficient for others to fight to the last man though if we be Conquerors such small things and many of greater moment will be in our power but your Lives are now at stake for the War among Thieves was never ended by Treaty nor secured by League but the Survivors must be Conquerors and the Conquered must die therefore let us go to 't and let him that dies his Weapon deepest in our Enemies Blood be thought the bravest Man Having thus said Thyamis looked about him for his Page and often called him by his Name Thermutis and not seeing him appear cursing and threatning him he hastned to the Boat The Battel was now begun and he might see the Enemy make himself Master of the Borders of the Lake for he had set fire upon their Cabbins and their Boats and so made them transport the Flame about the Fens that devouring the great quantity of the Reed dazzled the Eyes of the Inhabitants with insufferable Light whilst the Noise and Tumult deafned their Ears all Cruelties of War were seen and heard the
Lakists striving to make good the Place but the others falling upon them unawares and oppressing them with Multitudes slew easily those they â—ound on Land and overwhelmed those within the Lake in their Boats and Cabbins whence the Air was filled with horrible Cries both of those that defended themselves upon the Water and those that fought by Land and the Lake was stain'd all over in the Blood of dying persons that fell at one time both by Fire and Water When Thyamis saw and heard this he remembred his Dream how he had seen the Goddess Isis and her Temple all on fire and full of Sacrifices and observing his Vision was thus far brought to pass he began to make another explication of the rest Having thou shalt not have her forasmuch as she shall be ravish'd from thee by the fury of this War and that he shoâ—ld kill â—er yet â—e should not hurt her that is he should destroy her with his Sword and not by Rape To conclude rating the Goddess as fraudulent and injurious charging her that she had abus'd and mockt him and not being able to endure with patience that any other should enjoy Chariclea he commanded his men to retire a little and to hold the Enemy in play a while only with skirmishing and some few Salliesâ— which as they were intrenched might resist the forces of greater multitudes whilst he would go and find Thermutis and offer Vows and Sacrifices to their presidiary Gods and so forbidding any man to follow him he departed as towards his Tent but took his way to the Cave Oh how hard it is to turn a Barbarian from that he hath once resolved in his Soul for aâ—soon as they fall to despair of their own safety it is their custom presently to kill their dearest Friends either believing they shall live together after death or desiring to take them out of their enemies power and to free them from all injuries for these Reasons Thyamis forgetting all his own Affairs and though he was at that present encompast with Enemy-Troops that had taken him as in Nets furiously transported with Love and Jealousie he entred the Cave where calling as loud as he could and speaking some Words in the AEgyptian Tongue he heard a Womâ—n answer him in Greek and the sound of her Voyce leading him to the place where she was he put his left hand about her Neck and with his right drawing his Sword ran her through the Body under the left Breast wherewith the poor Woman fell down dead breathing but one sigh that brake her Heart-strings Presently Thyamis went out letting fall the Stone upon the Entry of the Cave and for her Epitaph seeming to write upon it with his tears adding these Words Alas poor Maid these are the Nâ—ptial Gifts I present thee And so returning to his Men he found their Battel quite disordered and ready to fly frighted with the Enemies Approach and on the other side seeing Thermutis that brought him a Beast to imolate he chid him and told him he had already ofâ—ered the fairest Sacrifice of the world and so entred into his Bark with him onlâ— one more to row for the Boats they have here can carry no more being wrought out of the Body but of one thick Tâ—ee by their rude Shipwrights Theagenes and Knemon imbarked together in another and the rest in the like manner and when they had coasted the Island a great way they ceased rowing and disposed their Boats in front of their Battalion as attending the shock of their Enemies but assoon as they approached the Herdsmen of the Island were so far from the courage to sustain the first Assault upon the Water that they presently cast about and fled not daring to endure the very sound of the Alarum Theagenes and Knemon retired themselves softly after the rest but Fear did not make them turn their backs only Thyamis held it unworthy to give ground and not desiring to survive Chariclea he prest into the midst of his Enemies and as he was fighting amongst them one cried out This is Thyamis every man now look to his Charge so immediately wheeling in a Ring about him they inclosed him with their Boats but he stoutly holding out wounded some with his Javelin and killed others The Fight was worthy of admiration in all the multitude of his Foes no man opposed or drew a Sword against him but every one did his best to take him alive he resisted a great while but at last his Javelin was beaten out of his hand and then his Foes pressed in upon him being also at that instant deprived of the succour of his Page that had stood to him bravely but at that time had newly received as was thought a mortal Wound and casting himself into the Lake swimming with much difficulty had recovered Land no one taking the pains to follow him for having Thyamis in their power they esteemed it to be an absolute Victory Yet notwithstanding the loss of many of their Fellows they more rejoyced to have him alive that slew them than they sorrowed for their Friends and Kinsmens Deaths so insatiable are the covetous hearts of Thieves preferring Gain before their Lives and having no end in the holy Name of Friendship and Consanguinity but to get by them it was the case of these Thieves for they were the same that before out of their fear of Thyamis and his Men had â—led from the Heracliotick Arm of Nilus who stomacking to be deprived of other mens Goods as if they were their own had gathered together their Companions and called in the Neighbour Villages offering them equal shares and chusing them for their Captains to conduct the Expedition But the Cause of their taking Thyamis was this he had at Memphis a Brother named Petosiris who having by his plots dispossessed his Brother of the Dignity of Chief Priest against the Laws and Institutions of the Countrey for he was his younger Brother and hearing that he was the Captain of these Thieves he feared Thyamis would take time to chase him out of his usurped Honour and discover his perfidiousness also he desired to take away the ill opinion that many had conceived of him that he had killed his Brother because it appeared not where he was therefore sending Messengers to the Villages of the Thieves he proposed a great Sum of Money and so many Castles to any one that would take him alive so as these Thieves charmed with the hope of such a Profit even in the heat of Blood and War did not forget their Promise but after he was discovered took him alive though many died for it Being thus seized of Thyamis they rowed to Land putting him in Irons and appointing half of their Troops to guard him who vexing at his Fortune upbraided them of Cowardise for not daring to take him with their Swords bearing his imprisonment with more indignation and less patience than if it had been Death it self the rest of them returned
what we meant to do I told him what was done for the present was by his advice we do endeavour to avoid the practices that are contrived against us and I pray the Gods for the good and charitable Offices we have received in your House to have you always in their protection This last favour let me intreat you to do for us that you will pass over into the Island of Ithaca and make a Sacrifice for us to Vlysses to pray him that he will mitigate his wrath towards us for our disdain and contempt of him as he imagines for so he taxed me in my Sleep this Night Tyrrhâ—nus promised to perform it and so brought us down to the Water side weeping abundantly and praying the Gods to send us a good Voyage and favourable Winds to wast us to the place where we did wish to be Why should I trouble you with many words By the time the Morning Star appear'd we were lanched into the Main the Saylors being at first exceedingly against it but in the end they were perswaded by the Tyrian Merchant telling them he fled from a Pirate that lay in wait for them and he spake truly and knew not for his meaning was to make a lye But the Wind was so full against us the Tempest waxed so great and the Waves swelled in that horrid sort as that it was a thousand to one our Ship had perished but in the end we came by the Lee of a certain Promontory in the Isle of Candy having firsâ— lost the half of our Rudder and a great part of our Sail-yards being broke and blown over-board therefore we thought it best to stay some days in that Island to new rigg our Ship and recreate our selves this done we were all commanded to reimbarque upon the First Day of the New Moon after her Conjunction with the Sun Being Lanched forth upon the Main again the West Winds of the Spring now sweetly breathing the Patron Night and Day directed his Course to the Coast of Africa for he said We might cross the Sea directly by a Line if the Wind changed not But that which most moved him to speed his Voyage was to gain some Road or Port because afar off he descryed a Pirate's Galley that came full in his Poop for said he From the time we loosed from the Promontory of Candy he hath always followed our Track and constantly sailed as if he were bound for the same place and I have often observed he made the same turns with us having many times the better to discover him expresly declined my Vessel from her course Some were moved at these words encouraging their fellows to prepare for their defence and somâ— there were neglected them saying It was ordinary for the lesser Bottoms to follow the course of a great Ship as believing it to be guided by a more Experimented Pilot the Day passed on in this dispute and it was about the hour the Labourer returns weary with his Travel having newly loosed his Oxen and now the overtoiled Wind began to languish and diminishing by little and little in the end it had no force at all so as the breath it spent upon our Sails served only to shufle them together not at all to blow us on briefly it setled into a Calm as if it had set with the Sun or to speak more properly as if it would accommodate it self to their design that chased us because our Sails being more large than theirs and by consequence requiring the more Wind. But as soon as this tranquillity of the Heavens had smoothed the Seas the Galley was come up to us sooner than I can speak it for as I believe all that were within her put their Hands to the Oars their Vessel also being light and nimble of it self when they were very near us a Zacynthian Passenger in our Ship cryed to us Friends we are all undone this is a Pirate I know the Galley of Trachinus At the report of this News a sudden fear seized our whole Ship and in a Calm we had a Tempest riâ—ing in tumult Crys Tears and running up and down some running under the Hatches some standing upon the Decks animating the rest to endure the Fight and there were some would have got into the Long-boat and fled till by their two long delay the Fight surprized them within the Ship forceing them to remain and to take in their Hands what they could find to defend themselves Theagenes full of Courage burned with desire of the Battel â—ut Chariclea and I with our Imbraces hindred him from attempting any thing she vowing Death should not separate him from her but the same Sword should give her the like wounds and make her an equal sharer in his Misfortune But I after I understood our Enemy was Trachinus prepared some Sleights might afterwards do us good service which fell out as I expected For the Pirates approaching circled about our Ship to make tryal if it were possible to take her without Blood therefore they did attacque us but still rowing about us they would neither suffer us to go forward nor backward Briefly it seemed as if they had Besieged us and would compel us to render our selves upon composition O poor unfortunate Men said they what Blindness hath seized your Spirits and why are you so deprived of Judgment as thus to precipitate your selves into the danger of an evitable Death by attempting to resist invincible Forces to which yours are nothing it is yet in your choice to be dealt humanly withal we permit you all that will to take your Long-boat and save your selves These were their Propositions but those of our Ship so long as they fought only in words and saw no Blood were daring and resolute and said they would stand to it to the last Man But after one of the bolder Pirates had boarded us putting all he met to the Sword and teaching us that the Ceremonies of War were Death and Slaughter the rest of his Company immediately leaping after him then the Phoenicians began to repent their Courage and falling at his Feet beseeched him to shew mercy to them and they were ready to obey all his Commandments and although the Pirates were now flesht and began to please themselves in Murder for the sight of Blood doth irritate and excite the Spirit nevertheless by the Command of Trachinus beyond all Expectation he pardoned the Supplicants and made a Peace under â—uch conditions as were more cruel than the War it self for he ordained they should depart the Ship with no more but the Cloths they had on making it Death to him that should do otherwise But it seems there is nothing more precious to a Man than Life which was the cause these Phoenician Merchants having now lost the hope of all the Riches in the Ship as if they had lost nothing but rather gain'd and made an excellent Voyage did strive who should first get into the Boat and every one was