the old Partricians that took our examples of high and sublime vertue from the ancient Roman Discipline could find nothing Recorded of the Fabricii Camilli and Scipio's which they began not to remark with admiration in the first actions of young Coriolanus besides his prompt inclination to great attempts he constantly show'd such a natural horror of oppression and injustice as it was observ'd he never cherish'd a greater contempt of danger nor a more ardent love of glory than pitty of anothers misfortune and even slighting of his proper interests to give relief and comfort to the miserable A thousand times I have heard him though scarce arriv'd at his thirteenth year beg of his Governors in the heat of a most pressing importunity to lead him to that famous War wag'd between those two great Competitors Antony and Octavius Caesar since call'd Augustus and sigh at the recital of those great actions because he was not permitted to venture for some of the glory These right marks of a perfect greatness gave him the hearts and esteem of all that knew him and with them purchas'd that of Augustus for if his first inclinations had not been crossed in their Progress by anothers Interest and by such accidents as have since arriv'd his hopes need not have aim'd at less advantage in his Patronage than they might have done in the great Julius his Unkle that went before him all the noblest Romans made vows in his favour for this excellent young Prince who with a sweet generous and obliging behaviour which he maintained even at the price of his dearest Interests a charming conversation link'd to the lovely advantage of a most handsome face and feature with that admirable grace that shined in all his actions took into the affections and respect of all persons that were friends to vertue His gallant deportment in publick Spectacles drew admiration both from Senate and People and before he had fully reached his fourteenth year he wone the prize in all those exercises wherein valour or wit were called to try their strength besides other disputes wherein his age might adventure for repute He was scarce fifteen when Caesar after the defeat and disastrous fate of Anthony and Cleopatra return'd a Triumphant Conqueror to Rome where he made himself sole Monarch of the Empire which that puissant Rival in ambition had so dangerously disputed Upon this occasion my Prince appear'd among those that went out to meet the Emperor in a gallant garb all those that beheld him clad in a habit whose riches lent some assistance to the charms of his natural beauty mounted upon a brave Horse which he managed with a matchless grace and dexterity at the head of a Troop of young Gentlemen much of his own age gave him a loud applause and cry'd he was not only worthy to be their Commander but would one day deserve larger fortunes than those to which his birth intituled him and the Emperor himself swoln as he was at that grand prosperity and glorious Estate to which he was newly mounted staid his stately progress to Caress embrace and give him such praises as the young Princes modesty could not accept without blushes The Triumph of Augustus was the proudest that Rome ever saw and it seem'd that all the Pomp upon Earth was assembled to make a Master-piece of glory for one man I will not trouble you with the description of what I believe you have often receiv'd from better hands but content my self only to tell you that the greatest beauty of the Triumph appeared at the third day in the two preceding Caesar only shew'd the spoils of some barbarous People and represented his victory at Actium but at the last he triumphed over Egypt and Cleopatra I shall forbear to describe that immense profusion of Riches and prodigious number of Captives which helped to compose that show for my eyes as well as those of the people let all the rest go to stay themselves upon that stately Chariot wherein was drawn the lively Protraiture of Queen Cleepatra represented in that posture as she stretched out her arm to the Asp expecting the fatal benefit from his poysonous tooth the visage of that great Queen appeared so full of Majesty as the pitiful spectacle drew tears of compassion from the better part of the Spectators but if the sight of her Image tenderly touch'd such hearts as were capable of pity the living appearance of those children she had by Antony which were seated at the feet of their Mothers Effigies wrought effects no less moving The young Alexander and his Sister Cleopatra then about ten years of age were plac'd upon a seat of equal height and their Brother Ptolomee younger by one year then they a degree under them Never did Mortal eye converse with any thing so fair as these little Illustrious Captives which almost unty'd the gaze of all Rome from other objects to fasten them there with extraordinary attention Their years were not so few to dispense with the apprehension of their own misfortune which easily made it self known in the sad composure of their garb and in making the Crimson rose only keep the field in their faces Alexander and Cleopatra were attir'd in the same habits of Apollo and Diana which the unlucky vanity of their Parents had formerly caused them to appear in and had not their present condition destroy'd that belief they might have passed in the Spectators opinion for the Divinities they represented the rays that environ'd the head of the little Cleopatra rather seem'd to proceed from her eyes than exterior dress and if Shame and Modesty had not directed their beams downward she would even have out-shin'd that Goddess whose figure she had borrowed Antony had been a most beautiful Prince and Cleopatra such as Nature would have bungl'd in their off-spring had she made their features fall short of wonder and indeed this young Princess had not borrowed all that was excellent in both but surpass'd them in most apparent advantages she had the Queen her Mothers mouth with all the bewitching features of her Face but a complexion beyond comparison more white and delicate in the shine of her blew eyes sweetness and Majesty plaid together her hair was much brighter than her Mothers and as much darker than Antonies in fine it would then have been a difficult task for the quaintest invention to find out praises for her shape and beauty but time has since compleated them to such a height of perfection as it would pose the skilfullest wish to follow any thing more accomplished I would say more upon this subject if your own eyes had not taken too exact a perusal of these rarities to need my course discription Oh what wonders did my young Prince take in at that view how powerfully did it wake him out of some melancholy thoughts into which he was plunged by that resemblance of his own Destiny he had beheld the two first days Magnificence with an indifferent eye those
well as his I am able to affirm as a constant Witness that never forsook him he had no more hand in any part of the action than if he had then been at Rome onely amusing himself with political maxims how to govern the Provinces and preserve the Cities in obedience that we have reduced while my Master at the head of his Army did the business of the War making new brooks of barbarous blood run through Campania The Enemies had two renowned Captains among them he that led the Asturians was called Sillo and Theopistus commanded the Cantabrians They had many flying bodies besides rang'd under several Lieutenants which were placed as necessity advised in divers parts of the Provinces where they might best distress the Romans their Cities were universally up in Arms fortified with strong Garrisons and furnish'd with abundance of Victuals all their streights and passes upon Rivers defended with so much strength and caution as it appeared no petty enterprise no contemptible task to tame this warlike people Yet the threats of these difficulties instead of discouraging enflamed the heart of the fierce young Prince with an eager desire of forcing from those fair occasions an improvement of his Glory and joyning to his admirable valour and incredible prudence if compared with his years he began to act in that War both by Conduct and Execution like another Hannibal or a Julius Caesar never did any thing appear so beautiful as my brave Prince in the functions of his charge and when his head was in a Casque that noble and warlike mind was so highly advantaged by the grace he used in his command as his Enemies themselves had not power to behold him without affection the first time he presented himself to their view was upon the bank of a little River where Theopistus appeared in person at the head of above 30000 Combatants the River was narrow but scarce fordable which kept the Armies from joyning and forced them for a long time to fight at a distance with no other weapons than Arrows till my Master knowing the advantage of the Romans consisted in a closer Combat and not in those wooden shours whereby the Barbarians might happily dispute the Victory with danger to his party after he had sought the fittest place he spurred his Horse into the water and like another Alexander at the passages of Granicus both by words and example encouraged a part of his Cavalry to keep him company in the danger and thus sometimes fording sometimes swimming their Horses they gained the opposite bank The Cantabrians amazed at so prodigious a daring had not courage enough left them to stand the Encounter and my Master taking advantage of the disorder wherein fear and wonder had shuffled them gave his Enemies a hot charge and his own Souldiers time to pass the River with greater facility than before which still came up with such fresh supplies to his succour as at last he totally routed their Army and carried so entire a victory as more than 15000 Barbarians were left dead upon the spot The first loss struck such a terror into the Enemy as made them mannage their quarrel with more Caution A few days after they thought they had gotten an occasion to revenge the last slaughter by our total ruine and indeed they put us in great danger for my Prince sitting down with his Army before a Town called Tilloe built upon a Marsh and made by its Situation almost inaccessible the Enemies two Generals having rallied and rais'd all the Forces they could make came up with an admirable diligence in two great bodies incamped themselves at our backs and shut us up between the City the Marsh and their two Armies leaving no passage free unless we could cut out the way through one of their gross bodies My Master presently perceived what an Error his Ignorance in the Country had made him incur but loath to give his Souldiers time to perceive their disadvantage and receive a terrour that might give the Enemies the victory to save his men he resolv'd to raise the Siege and judging the design more fit for the favourite of darkness than light having caus'd the Troops and Legions to be ready to march about midnight and giving all necessary orders to the Officers he sent two or three hundred men to give an Allarm at Theopistus Quarters and when the Enemies believ'd the danger bent it self that way and he suddenly broke with all his Forces upon Sillo's Army threw down all that stood in his way and by his Example we charg'd so vigorously as assisted by our sudden surpizal and the fire we threw about into all the Quarters of their Camp and the nights darkness which increas'd the terrour we put them to such a general rout as after we had killed about 10000 Barbarians we passed through their Camp upon the necks of the rest which were left covered with Carkasses and blood and made good our retreat scarce with the loss of 600 men to the top of a Mountain where we incamped before day whose new-born light made us quickly understand our selves in a condition to present them battel This brave piece of service pass'd for a miracle among the Barbarians and so fearfully astonisht them as in stead of marching in Battel against us they rose up with their Army and directed their March through the City they went and encamp'd on the other side the Marsh A few days after my Master re-inforcing his numbers with the supplies of 8000 Foot and 4000 Horse which Carisius had sent him he re-attaqu'd the City so vigorously as in spight of the Enemies Army that lay at the Gates on the other side and fortified it with numbers necessary for defence within six days time we carried it by storm and marched toward the Enemy with so much Courage and Confidence as it took away theirs and obliged them to a timorous retreat into such places whose Situation hindred us from forcing them to fight I contract the recital of these things in as narrow a volume as possible for should I tie my relation to every particular it would cost more time than I have now to lay out upon the whole Discourse While these things pass'd at the Camp Fame daily carried intelligence of my Masters grand actions to every Romane ear which brought as much joy to Marcellus and the rest of his friends as despight to Livia and the whole faction of Tiberius the Princess Cleopatra who drave a more peculiar Interest in his glory than the rest forgot not to acknowledge her particular satisfaction and to that purpose she answered all his Letters but my memory too weak to retain them I only preserved some of the shortest and especially that which she wrought upon intelligence of his victory I last related I believe the words differed not much from these The Princess Cleopatra to the valiant Juba Coriolanus Prince of Mauritania TO gain great Battels against the Valiantest people in Europe to
had been of his Party and was then a Companion of his Fortune at the end of their repast regarding him with a visage that breathed nought but Death Petreius said he 't is fit we dye to preserve our liberty for if we stay on earth but a few days we shall have no power left to put by the shame is prepared us I demand no other proof of thy affection but Death from thy hands and as my Fortune is now stated I cannot receive a greater from thy Friendship Here stab this breast pursu'd he presenting his naked bosom pierce this heart which the Arms of our Enemies have unluckily spared and make a KING fall by thy friendly hand whose courage scorned to bow under the fortune of a puissant Enemy He mingled these words with some others so pressing that Petreius could not refuse the fatal courtesie but without farther delay ran him through with his own sword the King not so much as turning his eye aside nor letting fall the least action unbecomming the grandeur of his spirit Petreius when he had seen him breath his last turned the same point against his own breast and throwing himself upon it with all his force fell dead at his feet thus were the festival Ornaments discoloured with Royal blood and thus did this great King catch up the shield of of death to defend himself from ignominy A few days after the victorious Caesar rendered himself Master of both the Realms and with them of the Queen his spouses liberty whom he designed for one of the principal Ornaments of his Triumph she was gone some months with child when the King her Husband lost his life and was brought to bed of the Prince my Master two days after her arrival at Rome whither Caesar sent her two months before he made his triumphal entry Thus was my Prince begotten free and the Son of a King but born a slave and between his Conception and Birth happen'd that deplorable revolution of his Fortune Some days after his Birth he was carried along as one of the most remarkable Ornaments of Caesar's Triumph happy in his misfortune that as yet he understood not the shame they made him suffer being then of an age incapable of resenting the loss of his Crowns his brave Father or the death of the Queen his Mother who resigned her life a few days after she had disclosed the little Heir of her misfortunes to the World But there wanted not persons that took care of his bringing up for the great Caesar from whom the disastrous fate of his Parents had drawn some compassion caus'd him to be brought up at Rome in the garb of a Kings Son and bestowed such a particular care upon him that scarce any of his neerest kindred in that high swoln prosperity was trained to a braver Education I will yet say further and believe I shall not injure truth in affirming that the losses of his estate were in part repaired by the gallant Education he receiv'd among the Romans wherein that tender age escaping the impression of the Affrican customs and the Company of such persons which falling far short of the Romans politeness might have given him a taste of the Barbarian his excellent nature contributed such marvellous assistance to the care of those that were ordained to form him that before his age could promise it he became as accomplished in all requisites of a Prince as wish could fancy and rarely skil'd in every undertaking to which his vertuous inclination carried him In his earliest Infancy Caesar would often cause him to be brought into his presence and observing that someehing Majestick and Heroical was already risen with that morning of his excellent beauty he let him get ground in his affections to that degree as one day he broke into an earnest protestation that if the little Juba for at his birth they gave him his Father's name seconded those hopes he had already begun he would restore him the Crowns of his Ancestors but he took special care to mould him to the Roman fashion and deface all such unpolished manners as his inclinations might possibly borrow from his Affrican blood Besides to fortifie the friendship he would have him bear to the Republick he gave him a Roman name and because he was brought up in the Martian Family illustrious among the Patricians and derived from the famous Coriolanus whose valour survived him in so glorious a reputation he would have the young Prince called by his name that the appellation of Juba which sounded harsh and barbarous to a Roman ear might be covered with that of Coriolanus In all likelyhood the affection and bounty of that great Dictator would not here have stopped and doubtless the Prince had gathered the fruits of those promises if Death had not robbed him of that Protector or rather that Father before he attained to his fourth year an age that hardly rendered him capable to dream of those hopes were given him That man the greatest that ever liv'd was murder'd in the Senate-house by the ingrateful conspiracy of those that his own generosity and nobleness had rais'd from their knees all the world knew it self interessed in the loss of him who had made himself Master of it with his Sword yet held it in so gentle a subjection After Caesar's death the little Coriolanus for so was always called wanted no protection for the Senate succeeding Caesar in his Patronage took up that care of him which his death had let fall and trained him up with the Sons of divers Kings that were Friends and Alleys to Rome without making the least difference in their Expence or Equipage though their Fathers had still their Crowns in possession Divers children of noble Exteaction and an equal age descended from the families of Roman Knights were placed in his Service of which number I was appointed one and as I was always brought up near his person so his affection did me the honour to take me nearest to his heart During those cruel and dismal disorders of my Country that bloody Civil War which revenge kindled for Caesars murder the prodigious effects of that horrible Triumvirat which overflowed Rome with the blood of her noblest Citizens and that famous contest betwixt Antony and Octavius Coesar the young Prince grew up with a success miraculous Never did Eye behold a youth of those years handle his Arms with so great a grace or perform any Bodily Exercise his Tutors taught him with a dexterity comparable to his his propension led him with so much advantage to the study of Sciences as he became so learnedly vers'd in Astrology and Philosophy so critically skilled in all kind of History as the World could scarce afford another to match him and for Eloquence that famous Orator that lost his life in the heat of the Triumvirat by the cruel command of Antony could hardly challenge preheminence nor had he qualities disproportioned to these rare endowments of body and mind so that
attempt and one Evening meeting with her in the Empresses Chamber where the Emperour with divers of the noblest Romans were likewise present he aborded her in a gallant fashion and a graceful garb onely peculiar to himself Fair Princess said he aloud our Destinies carry a near resemblance would to Heaven our thoughts did so and that you could as freely own the designe I have to make my self yours as I have hugg'd the passion that compells me to adore you These words were pronounced with an Ayre so hardy and yet so agreeable as they got a plausive admiration of all the over-hearers the young Princess was not then instructed by experience how she ought to receive such language yet Innocence did not so blind apprehension but that she perceiv'd something in it extraordinary which made her onely blush him an answer but the Empress who had over-heard this Courtship repeated it aloud to the Emperour and they both gave it an approbation that augmented the Princes confidence This quickly became the discourse of the whole Court and the general opinion voted that there could not be a pair more fitly coupled than the Son of Juba and the Daughter of Cleopatra that their hopes were matches their Birth and Fortunes equal and that none could come nearer the graces of young Cleopatra's Wit and Beauty than the noble shape and accomplished qualities of young Coriolanus This discourse which quickly flew through all Rome marvellously favour'd the beginnings of my Princes passions and imbarquing himself as it were with an universal consent his hopes were incourag'd to aspire at a happier success than at first they durst propose Thus he openly listed himself in the service of that Princess and employed those advantages which her youth allowed him freely to insinuate his affection and leave impressions upon her spirit which in a riper age would not easily have enter'd it his endeavours wrought so happily as if he had not yet perfectly taught her how to love at least he had used her to endure the protestations of his and oblig'd her to a liking and esteem of his qualities that made her to prefer him before all those that came near her Indeed the sole merit of my Prince by those rare endowments that garnish'd his body and mind might well have wrought that effect but to these he added an assiduity of respect and complacence which mightily assisted his desert and prudently considering that his condition would not always last in that estate and perceiving by some marks his observation had shewed him that the Princess with an accrescent of years would raise her behaviour to a more haughty severity than her youth could yet apprehend requisite he resolved to prepossess her heart as much as possible level those difficulties while time invited and strive to weaken that Enemy which he knew would one day combat him This conduct is not ordinary in a Person of sixteen years but at that green Age he had a gray Discretion which brought all men to their wonder that remarked it In the mean time he endeavour'd to delight her with a thousand actions of gallantry and as he had a most inventive wit and an active body in all sorts of exercises he daily made Matches with young Romans of his own Age either for Courses on Horse-back or Combats in the List besides divers other agreeable spectacles which were ordinarily presented in the Cirque in all which the young Prince behaved himself with such a winning bravery as insensibly gained the hearts of all that knew him but he was not the onely man was destin'd to serve that fair Princess for young as she was that rising Sun in her beauty was already ador'd by the most illustrious Romans two young Princes were struck at once with her beauty and Fortune could not raise him up two mightier Rivals upon Earth they were Marcellus and Tiberius the former as I have told you Son of the vertuous Princess Octavia Wife to Antony and Sister to Augustus and of Marcellus whose Widow she was when Antonius espoused her and the other Son to the Empress Livia and her first Huband Drusus They were bred up with equal hopes and favour but of conditions very different Marcellus had a spirit repleat with sweetness freedom and generosity a Courage noble and propense to great undertakings and a person compleat and becoming in every action Tiberius with a handsom shape indeed had a grand Courage but withall a Spirit so maliciously subtile and known even at that age so skil'd in dissimulation as the oldest Courtiers were scarce capable of the like My Master was link'd to Marcellus in the bonds of a strict amity and the conformity of their inclinations easily taught them how to love one another but with Tiberius he liv'd in a fashion very different end only contented himself to consider him as the Emperors Son in Law without the tye of any particular affection One day young Cleopatra wallking in that stately Garden that belonged to the Palace with the Princess Julia Daughter to the Emperor a Lady of a florid beauty and a lively flowing wit whom the Emperor had designed for his Nephew young Marcellus to pull the knot of his alliance straighter and confirm the People to whom Marcellus was infinitely dear in their hopes to see him one day plac'd upon his Uncles Throne these two Princesses had walked a while in the great Alley that verg'd upon the River Tiber when they saw my Prince and young Marcellus who had been seeking them appear at one end of it though Marcellus did but slightly mask his love to Cleopatra from his friends yet his knowledge of the Emperors intention made him tender in publick a Courtly respect to Julia though all the sympathy and inclination he had for her were only personated in a bare complyance which then obliged him to proffer his addresses The Prince of Mauritania was ravished to see him thus engaged because it lent him the liberty of breathieg his amorous thoughts to Cleopatra and that fair Princess whose esteem was as just to his worth as her age would allow gave him a glad reception and leuding him her hand they walked at a sit distance from Julia and Marcellus She began but then to enter her twelfth year and my Prince was something more than sixteen but indeed their knowledge had much out-run their age He entertained her a while with some discourses of divertisement and in sequel hinted by the presence of the other couple succeeded thus to his purpose Would to Heavens my Princess said he I could promise my self as much interest in your breast as Marcellus has in Julia's I know not answer'd the Princess what you desire of me but I believe Julia cannot think better of Marcellus than I do of you 't is a greater kindness of my Fortune replyed Coriolanus than Reason could encourage me to hope I cannot be unsatisfied at this Declaration without injustice but would you permit me to unlock my
either side from what concerns my Masters life I will therefore contract the particulars and only tell you that every thing was disposed for the celebration of these sports the people were rank'd according to the customary order the Emperor plac'd on one side with the most considerable persons of the Senate and the Empress on the other with all the Princesses and noblest Roman Ladies when my Prince enter'd the Cirk armed and mounted very gallantly all his Armour offer'd the eye a mingled splendour of Gold and Jewels and the hand of Art had so curiously embellish'd the materials as it would long have kept the assistants gazing if the grace of him that bore him had not beckn'd their looks to a more delightful attention his Cask was shaded with twenty white feathers and through his Visour which was then half up there appear'd a face so noble and so amiably fierce as all the Spectators beheld it with respect and almost all their hearts voted in his favour but the acclamations of the people could take but little hold of his thoughts and despising all sorts of other objects he sent his eyes in search of the Princess whom they found seated at the Empress feet by the Princess Octavia's side where she shin'd like some great Star whose Master-light had half obscur'd the rest of the Celestial Spangles attracted the eyes of Rome and busied all mens thoughts with a just wonder at her beauty when I saw her in that estate I confess I was dazled as well as the rest and pos'd to find any thing strange in the effects which that marvel of beauty produc'd in my Masters spirit After he had spent some time in gazing upon her with all the affections of a Man that had lost his heart he was obliged to retire to another side and put himself in the head of his Troops after the example of Tiberius Marcellus Agrippa young Alexander and his Brother who already began to mingle themselves in those Exercises with the other Captains which were then preparing to begin the sports Never was any thing seen more pompous than Marcellus and his brave Mine had the help of all the Ornaments and advantages that the Roman Curiosity could invent nor was Tiberius behind him in the pride of Garb and Equipage he was Jewel'd all over with a marvellous profusion his Habit Casque and Armour were starr'd with a thousand flames which dazled all the Spectators opticks but for his most precious and remarkable ornament his Shoulders were covered with that fair Scarf which my Prince had seen Cleopatra wear the night before and the same which gave occasion to the discourse recited my Master no sooner saw but he knew it and that knowledge suddenly stabb'd it self through his heart with a mortal surprisal an universal shivering presently ran through all his Members and in one moment overthrew the force of his Reason he stood and gaz'd a while holding his Arms a-cross in the posture of a man that was Planet-struck upon that cruel object when the sound of the Trumpets which made the Amphitheatre eccho call'd him back to himself and made him demand a resolution of his spirit the first that presented it self to his incensed thoughts was to fly upon Tiberius and snatch away his life in the sight of the Emperor and all the Romans and change the Combat which was only design'd to wear the harmless livery of delight into a Crimson complexion but these tempestuous thoughts to which the first motions of his fury hurried him began already to overblow in his mind they were oppos'd with some remains of reason but more over-power'd with the fear of offending Cleopatra than any other consideration he had some thoughts publickly to reproach that Princess with the injustice she had done him but respect had still strength enough left to defer the effect of that resolution the last which he clos'd with was to retire from those sports where he had now neither force nor courage to appear like himself and take fresh advice of his thoughts without the interruption of so many spectators These deep Cogitations that suspended his sense and motion had swallow'd so much time as all the Troops had already chang'd their places and begun to joyn in the Exercise only his stood still in its place attending his order and example to move the young Alexander who was of his side had often call'd to him when taking him gently by the Arm My Lord said I do you not perceive that ours is the only Troop that is not Marched This brought him to himself and regarding him with a visage wholly chang'd Let us go Emilius said he I can do no more At these words after he had intreated Alexander to take his place he crowded through his own Squadron and leaning upon my shoulder retir'd towards one of the Gates Tiberius whose interest still kept an eye upon my Masters actions perceived him when he parted and taking commission from his haughty pride newly swoln with this present prosperity to brave him What Coriolanus cry'd he do you retreat do you quit the Lists These words had like to have put my Master past all consideration and provok'd him to a percipitate assault of that Rival with his Sword in his hand who had taken so much insolence from that advantage but a reserve of Judgment did then hold the hands of his passion and only turning towards him with a furious look and a pair of eyes that flamed with rage 'T is not to thee said he that I quit the Lists but to those marks of thy Fortune which thou art not worthy to bear and which I shall possibly find a time to make thee resign with thy life to boot I believe Tiberius who had turned his head another way did not well understand these last words but they were clearly over-heard by divers persons of his own party that might easily carry them to his ear and to that purpose my Master spoke them 'T is not unlikely interrupted Tyridates that they might be concealed by the discretion of those that heard them lest they should incense the Emperour with somenting a quarrel betwixt persons so considerable as your Master and Tiberius I am of the same belief reply'd Emilius In the mean time Sir let me intreat you would not think it strange it I a little amplifie some particulars that are not the most important in my Masters life though not altogether so trivial but you may possibly judge them worthy of your attention HYMEN'S PRAELUDIA OR Love's Master-Piece PART II. LIB II. ARGUMENT Coriolanus by an improvement of his jealous mistake and the receipt of an angry answer from Cleopatra falls into a desperate feaver Marcellus unridles Tiberius 's Plot cures the Malady and reconciles the Lovers Julia loosely deserts Marcellus and displaces her affection upon Corolianus her levity divides the friends till Coriolanus clears the suspition The enquiry of their fate from Trasillus begets an open Quarrel 'twixt him
entire confidence and an absolute power to the disposal and management of his care If Tyribasus by the cunning continuance of his dissimulation had not already strangled all the suspicions I had of him I had opposed all my power against that absolute Authority the King left him and Cleomedon would never have suffered me to stay under the guard of a person so suspected but in all his actions both before his Nubian expedition in his departure and at his return he treated me with a coldness so incompatible with affection as I easily believed there was not so much as one single root of it left alive in his Spirit The King having left this order at Meroe disposed himself to depart with Caesario in his company whom neither he nor I were then any longer willing to detain from the war not that his absence since I lov'd him as dearly as decency would allow did not deeply perplex me but seeing the King my Father was going to expose his own person to the hazards of the War I thought I should sin too much against Caesario's vertue to keep the passage ' gainst him in his way to glory or detain him with me where now he could not stay with any safety to his credit he wasted divers whole days in the repetition of his passionate adiews and if he made me a thousand vows of preserving an invincible and immortal fidelity I requited him with a thousand assurances that I would ever prefer him till death divorced us before all the rest of mankind The day of that cruel separation being arrived I took leave of the King and Cleomedon of me with all the sincerity and tenderest proofs that were ever exprest by affection and the parting with both assaulted my Soul in several places with a grief so violent as receiving the Kings last embraces I was like to fall at his feet in a swoond timerously gathering an unlucky Augury from the exquisite sense of those redoublings of affection the King who perceiving it endeavoured to sweeten my apprehensions with some comfortable words but they were not strong enough to put my griefs to flight nor banish those prophetick fears from my Soul which staid there by the Authority not only of known but undiscovered causes Cleomedon gave me the first adiew and perceiving the rest of the company while he was taking his leave to be all so busied about the King as none were near enough to over-hear him It 's impossible Madam said he I should carry my self away from your presence without a torment too violent for my face to dissemble but I will learn to cashier a large part of my woes if your compassion gives comfort and allows me to hope that neither time absence nor any of those accidents that may cross our Fortune shall ever have power to exercise your tyranny upon that priviledge I hold of your bounty For that said I you have my promise and shall ever know me as inviolable in the observance of it as I hope to find you Loyal and Religious in performing the Vows you have made That confidence said he creates me happiness that infinitely transcends my merit and I hope to carry your beautiful Image into places where it must infallibly gather the bays of a glorious victory I cannot borrow meaner hopes said I from my opinion of valour but among all those dangers you intend to brave do not tye your self so strictly to the thoughts that you are Caesar 's Son to forget the propriety Candace has in you After these words he kissed my hand and having taken his last leave he left me to the King who came with open arms to bid me farewel I had a face overflow'd with tears which might well fetch their pedigree in the common opinion from no other fountain than the Kings departure and those that stole into the flood for Cleomedon's sake ran along with the rest as if they had started from the same source though if I may say it without offending the Laws of a filial piety they out-swelled the rest in number I saw them both mount their horses and really Cleomedon for in that my opinion was the legitimate child of truth and no Way led astray by the Bias of affection appeared in a posture so Heroick as might kindle envy even in those souls to whom nature had lavished the greatest advantages He was that day covered with arms that were rather designed for Parade than service and that was the first time the Roman Eagle was seen to display her wings and proudly erect her two heads amidst the Gold and Jewels that adorned his Casque and Shield Near the imperial Eagle appeared a young one that with a bold wing and open eyes seemed to strain his pinions against the Sun to prove his descent legitimate with these words The worthy Son of such a Father Caesario had only added the Eaglet and Motto to the ancient devise having received those fair Arms at his departure from Alexandria as a gift from the Queen his Mother in whose custody they were left by Julius Caesar after they had faithfully served him in most of those dangerous battels that got him the greatest name among men Under these beautiful Arms the young Warrior advantagiously mounted appeared so fierce and yet so noble as endeared him to the affection and respect of every soul that beheld him but I doat too much upon his Description and indeed Madam to comprehend it right 't is but fit his Pourtraiture should be limned as well to the life in your imagination as my heart has drawn it upon it self This young Heroe marching by the Kings side and circled with the general applause of all the Ethiopians went out of the City and left me half busied in a cloud of sad and fearful apprehensions behind him Tyribasus whom the Physitians had forbidden to ride staid some time with me in the City and implored a great part of it in striving to confute and divert my melancholly thoughts with a face so seriously honest that none could ever think it belonged to a man that was linked to any other interest than the service of his Master I did not then refuse his Converse in which he was so far from uttering a word as he did not so much as mingle one look of love and I was grown so confident in a blind opinion that he had totally disbanded all his passionate follies that displeased me as I began to interess my self in the return of his health and was glad to see his colour and strength coming to their usual vivacity In the mean time you need not doubt but my thoughts were entirely tyed to the remembrance of what I loved and if I sent any vows to Heaven for the King my Fathers safety you will easily believe I forgot not to mention Caesario's whose image was pourtraid so lively in my heart by the innocent skill of a chast affection as the vast distance betwixt us was utterly
nothing less than your pardon as a just debt to those merits that made me guilty my Artaban as he lies in his watry grave is now more glorious than ever since a Princess has thought him worthy of her precious tears whose compassion is able to change the condition of the miserable and sweeten the very gall of fortunes malice Thus did Elisa wind up the clew of her story and Candace had scarce patience to stay the finishing when she tenderly pressed her between her arms and making some affectionate kisses speak the prologue to what followed 'T is true my fair Princess said she your misfortunes are capable of ingendring an equal grief to yours not only in the tender and unpractised heart of a young Princess but even stagger the surest-footed constancy in the firmest and best fortified souls yet all this granted I cannot recunt my opinion that the valiant Artaban may still be among the living the place where he fell into the Sea as I guess by your recital is near the shoar since it cannot be far from that where I fired the Vessel and forsook the thought of a possibility to escape the danger Madam why might not heaven send him succour as well as me especially since experience makes it no wonder to see persons overcome and survive greater perils than the same you saw him assault so fiercely Ah Madam replyed Elisa with a gesture wherein sorrow had apparelled it self in sweetness how deeply am I obliged to your generous compassion and how well-pleased with the knowledge that to flatter my grief you are contented to shape me out some comfort which is not the workmanship of your own opinion however it be in obedience to you I am willing to wait for some extraordinary favour from Heaven and make room in my soul for a few of my banished hopes to come home again which I could not entertain without a previous consideration how hard it is for your excellent judgment to mistake They had amplified these civilities if Gallus returning from the dispatch of some affairs that detained him that whole day had not come into the chamber and interrupted the progress his presence broke off the Dialogue and as well during the time of their repast as the rest of that evening which he passed away in the Ladies company they only entertained him with discourses of indifferent things till the night came of age to send them to their several Couches the Ladies were very loath to part though their separation was to last no longer than the next morning We will leave them for a few days in possession of those mutual sweets they tasted in each others society to follow the track of Caesario whom we left in pursuit of the Pirat Zenodorus The end of the third Part. HYMEN'S PRAELUDIA OR Love's Master-Piece PART IV. LIB I. ARGUMENT Caesario pursuing Candace 's Ravisher meets with his Brother Alexander in the company of a fair Lady mistakes him for Zenodorus and defies him to a Combat but having lost much blood in a former fight he falls from his horse He is courteously taken up by Alexander and his company carried to their Mansion there by the help of Chirurgions he recovers his spirits and after some mutual indearments Alexander gives him the History of his life He gives a relation of the infant-affections between him and the Armenian Princess Artemisa in the Egyptian Court The ruine of Anthony and Cleopatra part them Artemisa is sent into Armenia Alexander to Rome where he is nobly educated He accompanies Tiberius in his Dalmatian Expedition where he contracts an intimate amity with a Noble Armenian called Artamenes who shews him Artemisa 's Picture and acquaints him with his unsuccessful love to that Princess The sight of that Picture renews Alexander 's former flames and engages him to visit the Armenian Court Artamenes dies of his wounds received in the battel After which Alexander privately takes a voyage into Armenia and there by the assistance of Narcissus now his Squire he gets a sight of the Princess under the borrowed name of Alcippus a pretended Servant to Artamenes He gives her an account of his death which she receives with pity and grief She entertains Alcippus into her service she suspects his quality and at last he discovers himself to be Alexander THE valiant Son of Caesar ran after Candace's Ravisher with a fury fleet as the wings of Lightning and the swiftness of his course was such as he scarce left any print of his horses feet upon the sand the loss of blood that ran along his arms from two or three deep wounds in purple streams to the earth had much infeebled him but neither his grief nor weakness had power to retard his pursuit and a deeper wound than any of those he received from the arms of his Enemies still forcibly detein'd some spirits that would fain have sawm down those rivulets of his blood with the rest that were already gone yet he sadly felt them steal away by degrees but if he regretted their loss it was rather because they withdrew their forces from the succour of his Princess than the conservation of his life and in the heat of his carreer lifting his eyes to heaven with a bewitching plea for aid in his very action Gods said he Gods that in extreamest perils have reach'd me rescue with a miraculous hand do but respite your decrees and either preserve or restore forces to this languishing body sufficient for Candace's relief and then without a farther reprieve dispose of my destiny as you have ordained it but do not increase your severity with a counterfeit mercy and after when unprepar'd with expectation you have shewed her to me and snatched her back again like lightning do not blast the blooms of your divine goodness let me not be mocked with a seeming bounty and lose her the same moment you gave her back again The Deities did not listen when he utter'd this ardent prayer and his angry fortune decreed it that by reason that part of the coast was cover'd with a great quantity of sand he soon lost the track of Zenodorus horses and quitting himself to the insensible direction of Chance and the providence of those Divinities he invok'd he struck into a tall Wood that lay in the way which presented more likelihood of refuge to a thief in his view than any of the adjacent places the roads were fair and beaten the first he saw was his indifferent choice and he ran upon it for a great many furlongs as if he had been loath his horse should tread upon any thing but air he warm'd the winds as he rode with a thousand sighs and the woods got the name of his beloved by heart which in imitation of him they Ecchoed round in loud repetitions he could not keep any patience when he considered the fantastick tricks of his fortune Candace cry'd he must the same minute be a witness to thy restauration and ravishment
other object he felt his grief and anguish too weak to take off his eyes from the deep study of some old Ideas which that young face by the help of a natural instinct awaked in his memory Eteocles not exempted from such thoughts as these being got on horseback near the young unknown fell greedily to examine his features or rather to devour them at the eyes which observed by Caesario confirmed his opinion that he had not mistaken that face when his conjectures told him 't was not a total stranger to his knowledge As they were taking the glad account of these thoughts which yet they had not mutually imparted they arrived at the house where the young Gallant and the Lady were attended by some domestick Servants who in obedience to their commands received the Son of Caesar with a grand respect and served him with a great deal of care and affection he had not been long in bed before some Chirurgions they had sent for to the City arrived and presently searcht his wounds which they found very great but not mortal owning no other danger of the Princes life than what might be imputed to his loss of blood the two fair ones gave a glad welcome to these hopes of Caesario's recovery and imposed a care upon themselves to see him diligently served with all circumspection He was no sooner left alone with Eteocles but he asked him a hundred questions in a throng and whatever caution that loyal servant intended for his Masters health he could have no quiet till he had related all that befel the Queen since he first trusted her to his charge till her last surptizal it was well Eteocles had not seen the face of Zenodorus nor known it was he that carried Candace away for if the Prince had understood that she was faln again into the same rude hands that had stormed her honour so violently not all his wounds and weakness could have kept him from presently spending the miserable remains of his life to the last sigh in her succour he first began to hunt for comfort in the height of his unconquered courage capable to make good his defiance against the cruellest attacques of Fortune thence did his thoughts recur to the memory of those perils which Heaven against all appearing possibility had so often helped him to overcome and from this last consideration he learned to trust some hopes of Candace's safety to the same goodness besides these the anguish of his wounds did a little dull the sense of his inward sufferings and at last his Feaver became so violent as it scarce left him any judgement to reason with his misfortunes this inforced his obedience to the Chirurgions orders and the good Eteocles more passionately desirous of his Masters dure than he that wanted it that might oblige him silence resolved to answer him no more while some of the first days past away in this manner his beautiful entertainers discreetly paid him their visits at such seasons when their courtesie might not disturb him so shon as the remission of his malady gave them leave to see and discourse with him oftner they let fall no occasion to be civil and there were very few hours in the day wherein either the fair Lady or the handsome stranger were not still by his bed-side to keep him company without discerning the reason they felt a secret impulse of extraordinary affection one towards another and if in the manly and majestick mind of Caesars Son the noble youth met charms that taught respect and ingaged affection Caesario made himself acquainted with some resemblances in his that besides the obligation he received had got a very kind entertaiment in his heart they were both pain'd with an equal desire to know each other but because he had already try'd it upon Eteocles in vain discretion bridled the young mans curiosity and Caesario contented himself to be indebted to him for his life without naming a request that might oppress his civility yet at last he could not over-master some motions of tenderness that carried him beyond circumspection and as his suspitions were stronger and his conjectures grounded upon clearer appearances than any the unknown could frame to excuse his curiosity he was the first that ventured to put his desire into words and one day perceiving him near his bed where he still carefully rendered him such offices as are seldom found in so young a friendship after his eye had seriously perused his face Sir said he 't is just I should content my self with the knowledge that my life has lately been the gift of your nobleness without steping farther into fresh obligations or hastily exacting younger proofs of your bounty especially being newly laden with others so great and weighty but besides that Natures law injoyns all mankind to court the acquaintance of those that have ingag'd us methinks I see somewhat in your person that by a particular interest has inflamed me with another kind of curiosity than I ever yet resented if therefore my request be not too unwellcome pray let me know to whom I am indebted for my life and yet I had rather sit down unsatisfied than ever offer you the trouble of changing any resolution to keep your self concealed The young Cavalier that burned with an equal desire to Caesario's tenderly embrac'd that occasion to content him and willing to ingage the Prince by the insinuation of a free confidence to a requital by a like discovery Sir said he I shall not offend truth in affirming that I never felt a stronger passion in my life than to obtain the same favour from your self you demand for besides that I have taken an impression from your looks of something in you that is very great and sublime methinks I descry some resemblances there that time has not totally wiped away from my memory which do equally beget and awake within me the sense of a high respect and a tender love to your person I shall gladly know when you are pleased to reveal it for whose sake it is I have so suddenly conceived them in the mean time for you I shall get an easie victory upon my repugnance in breaking the design to keep my self concealed from other persons I am called Alexander Son to the infortunate Antony and the great Queen Cleopatera and born in the first year of their marriage at the same birth with my Sister the Princess Cleopatra Caesario confirmed by these words that had not guess'd awry was almost extasy'd with an intemperate joy and all those passionate workings of the soul that ever bubled the secret sympathy of blood at such encounters did then powerfully possess themselves of his with an excess of tenderness prompted then by the ripened beauties of his dear brother at the same moment did he call to mind what they were in their blossoms while they were brought up together in their age of Innocence at the Court of Alexandria nor had a ten years seperation spread
reproachest me from this weakness which hath not permitted me to go and seek with thee that tranquility which thou enjoyest but if thou beest not cruel do not accuse me for having abandoned thee out of any remainders of love of life but believe that I am so little in love with it since I lost thee that I am ready to give willingly the remains of it to be reunited to thee Upon this thought divers Tragical resolutions presented themselves to her and passing from this remembrance to the former part of her dream where the God of the Sea promised her that she should see her Artaban again at the Tomb of a Faithful Lover Yet continued she 't is no small comfort to Elisa that she may see again at the Tomb him whom she believed was buried in the intrals of the Fishes I do not doubt but that my Artaban hath been faithful to his Elisa and since I have not been permitted to close his eyes and to receive his last breath I could not God of the Seas receive from thee in reparation of the cruel outrage thou hast done me in bringing this loved body to the shore and in giving me the means to enclose my self in the same Tomb with my faithful Lover I willingly flie to the Tomb that is consecrated for Elisa and as Artaban himself is the grave wherein my affections are buried so I will not avoid the occasion of enclosing my self with him in the same Tomb upon the shore of Alexandria Whilst Elisa uttered these sad words in a condition which might move the most insensible hearts to pity the brightness of the approaching day began to spread it self about her Chamber and at the noise of some words which she pronounced aloud and some sobs that accompanied them a young Slave whom with divers others Cornelius had given to her to serve her as he had given many likewise to the Queen of Ethiopia drawing near her bed asked her with a great deal of care if she were not well and if she wanted any thing Elisa being quite buried in the sad thoughts which possessed her heard not the Slaves words and instead of answering of her resuming her discourse with many sighs Ah dear Image of that I love continued she return again to me for a few moments and since that by the cruelty of my destiny I am condemned never to see thee more but by illusion make these illusions last as long as the deplorable life thou hast left me These words pronounced with a tone of voice which might have made a passage into the most obdurate souls pierced deep into the mind of the Slave who heard them and she possibly being not ignorant of the effects of that passion which was the cause of Elisa's greatest misfortunes her compassion made her presently interess her self in the grief of a person whom her admirable parts made her serve already with a great deal of inclination Ah! said she with a sigh as profound as Elisa's could be as far as I can judge both Love and Fortune exercise their powers every where and those which till now complained of the Tyranny may find companions throughout the whole World She had possibly enlarged her self in the meditation if Elisa not being able to take repose in any posture had not turned her self that way and seeing her by her Bed-side whereof the Curtain was a little drawn The Princess was a little surprized to see her there so early and having taken notice that it was neither Urinoe nor Cephisa she asked her with a great deal of sweetness what occasion had brought her thither 'T is my desire to serve you Madam answered the Slave and I have heard some complaints from your mouth which made me fear that you were indisposed Alas replyed the desolate Princess how can you apply any remedy to my indisposition and how unprofitably are your officious cares employed in the comfort of so unfortunate a person As for the diseases of the mind answered the Slave reason time and the assistance of Heaven may remedy them and there are possibly Madam some as unfortunate as your self who make their reason act for their consolation and expect from Time and Heaven the sweetning of their Miseries Since the time that Cornelius had bestowed this Slave upon the Princess she had taken no notice of her but hearing her speak in this manner with an accent which relished something of a more than vulgar sweetness she cast her eyes upon her face and viewed her with some attention Elisa's eyes were troubled with the tears which she had shed and there was not yet light enough in that part of the Chamber that she might discern particular objects but if Elisa could not particularly observe the features of the Slaves countenance she saw that she was of a very handsome proportion and that in her eyes as dull and languishing as they were there sparkled something very lively and very bright she was moved with some greater consideration for her than people ordinarily have for Slaves and answering her discourse with more attention than could probably be expected from the excess of her grief They which can make use of their reason in calamities of the same nature with mine said she to her have left it a command over their spirit which such disasters as mine are wont to destroy and I doubt very much that reason hath not strength enough to take away all sensibility in misfortunes wherein all hope of remedies either from the assistance of men or the succour of Heaven is quite extinguished It would be too much to require at Reason's hand replyed the Slave to expect from that that it should render us insensible of those misfortunes wherein all hope hath quite deserted us but after we have yielded to that resentment part of that which humane infirmity cannot deny it we shall find without doubt in the assistance of reason part of what we have lost together with our hopes and since it pleaser you Madam out of an excess to goodness to permit a poor Slave to enter into discourse with you I will take liberty to tell you that in the greatest calamities we partly find some remedy and consolation in our selves and that we help to exasperate or sweeten them by the constancy wherewith we support them and certainly Vertue would signifie little in us if we did not make use of it in afflictions and as it serves in prosperity to make us receive good success without pride and insolence so likewise in adversity it ought to make us support disgraces without diminution of courage Whether we have drawn these miseries upon us by our faults or whether they fall upon us by our own faults or whether they fall upon us from Heaven which for reasons hidden from our weak understanding is pleased to try or exercise us In either case we can onely have recourse to patience in relation to the calamities which we deserve or to resignation in respect of
began to enter into the Woods where the shade and coolness was more agreeable than in the beginning of their walk 'T was in this place that the way turned a little from the Sea and betwixt the Wood and the shore there were divers houses built and amongst them there was that wherein the unfortunate Tiridates made his last abode Clitie who had taken upon her the care of finding it out did not fail to take notice of an Alley which fronted the Rode and advertised the Princesses that this was the place which they sought for but the better to conceal their Design they thought it fit to pass on and continue their walk an hour longer with an intention to return the same way and to execute their resolution as they came back Candace could hardly prevail so far upon her impatience but she knew of what importance it was to her to be careful in concealing whatsoever concerned Cesario The business was done as she desired and after they had spent almost an hour upon the same Rode she caused the Chariot to turn about and returned the same way Clitie took exact notice of the path and as the Princesses after they had made the Chariot to stay were deliberating whether they should go to the house or send Clitie to enquire News of Prince Tiridates they saw one of the Officers of that poor Prince coming from the house whom Clitie knew immediatly having seen him with his Master during the short abode she had made at that house When he was come near to the Chariot and Clitie had called to him he knew her and the Queen her Mistriss too and as according to the effect which merit ordinarily produces he had taken as great a share as he was capable of in the displeasure of his Master for the Queen being carried away so he was joyful to see her in that place and in a condition conformable to a person of Quality The Queen having caused him to come close to the Chariot that the might speak to him without being over-heard by the Cavaliers who guarded the Chariot and who out of respect and their Masters order kept themselves at a distance Friend said she Wilt thou tell us no News of the Prince thy Master and whether we may be permitted to give him a Visit and to have a moments Discourse with him The afflicted Servant instead of returning an Answer to these words let fall abundance of tears and a little after forcing himself to speak Ah! Madam said he with a voyce interrupted with sobs Tiridates is dead he expired two dayes since in that unfortunate house which you see before you and that love wherein he hath been engaged for divers years hath brought him at last to his Grave Candace was struck with this Discourse as with a Thunder-clap and resented the death of this poor Prince with a very violent grief Elisa who had never seen him not being able to resist the force of blood and having much esteemed her Uncle upon the Relation she had heard of his vertue was very nearly touched with this News and joyned her tears with those which the fair Queen of Ethiopia shed in abundance for a Prince to whom she was beholding for her life and whose merit was very considerable to her Ah! Madam said Candace to the fair Elisa turning sadly towards her If you know how worthy this Prince was of your amity and how deplorable his loss is to all those persons that were acquainted with him I assure my self that you would bestow a great many tears upon him Doubtless I ought to do so answered Elisa but they have been so usual with me of late that the poor Prince would be little obliged to me for those I should shed for his loss Upon these words they continued a great while without speaking whil'st the desolate Servant repeated succinctly to them what Arsanes had reported concerning Mariamnes's death and the sudden and the sad effect which it wrought upon the amorous spirit of Tiridates Oh! Example cryed the fair Queen at this lamentable Relation of the most firm and real love that ever heart was inflamed with Oh Fidelity pure and entire to the very end poor Prince And upon these words pity made the two Princesses redouble their weeping with so much violence that for a long time they were not able to speak When they had recovered the use of their speech they enquired of the Servant how his body was disposed of and in what place they intended to render him the honours of a Funeral At this instant said the Servant Arsanes who was the Princes's Governor and whom we obey since his death is employed in one of the Chambers of the house in causing his body to be imbalmed to be carried into Parthia to be interred in the Tomb of the Arsacides and those parts which could not endure the Voyage for fear of corruption are lately laid in a Tomb which we are a raising for him about Five hundred paces hence upon the shore where Prince Marcellus who was present at his death would have us leave this Monument of the loss of our Prince Madam said the afflicted Elisa to the Queen I should not have Courage enough to go and see the body of the Prince my Uncle and I am very sensible that I could not see it without a great deal of emotion and some fear But if you think good I should be willing to visit the Tomb which they are erecting for him upon the shore and to render there to his Manes the last Devoirs they can expect from the Arsacides You have reason said Candace not to be willing to go into the house where all objects would be very doleful and where considering our visit would be useless too there is no need that we should shew our selves to the persons that may be there We may with more facility and handsomness go visit the Tomb as you desire and I will willingly bear you Company thither Upon these words they caused themselves to be conducted that way which Tiridates's Servant guided them and passing by the side of the House they had not gone Five hundred paces but they saw the Tomb and the persons that were employed about it Arsanes had sent for Workmen from the City the day before and because the work was plain and without curiosity 't was almost finished 'T was a Tomb of fair stone without any workmanship and upon it a Pyramid of the height of a man upon which they had newly fixed an Epitaph upon a Copper-plate The Princesses alighted before they approached that doleful place and taking one another by the hand they advanced towards the Tomb on foot They which were still at work about it being moved with respect at the sight of those Beauties and being advertised by Tiridates's Servant retired to their quarter to leave the place free to the Princesses who falling upon their knees washed the cold stone with those tears which this sad object
Artaban and ' twice in the same day we recommenced the Combat which was interrupted in Ethiopia Artaban said Elisa to him intermingling with their Discourse If you value my friendship and desire that I should esteem you you shall not only not be any longer an Enemy to a Prince who serves the Queen Candace but you shall contract as great an Amity with him as there is between this great Queen and I and you shall seek for opportunities to serve him with as much ardor as I have for the interests of the Princess whom he loves Artaban continued some moments without making a Reply and then upon a sudden resuming the Discourse Madam said he to Elisa the Prince of whom you speak doth so worthly deserve the esteem and the affection which you would create in me for him that 't was by the means of my misfortune only that the occasions which I thought I had to complain of him joining themselves to a natural repignance without reason and foundation made me resist the inclination which his Vertue â—ight have wrought for him in all the men of the World besides But though I had been a great deal more sensibly injured the declaration of your Will is so powerful over my spirit and the cause that gave birth to my first resentments hath so long ceased that I shall render to you without any repugnance the obedience which is due to you and to that Prince whatsoever he can expect from the most faithful of his Friends and the man who is best acquainted with his Uertue of any in the World These words proceeding from the mouth of a man who could not be suspected of any want of sincerity and freedom gave a great deal of satisfaction to the two Princesses and Candace turning towards him with a countenance that expressed her contentment I receive in Cleomedon 's stead said she a considerable Amity as that of the great Artaban ought to be and I promise you in the behalf of that absent Prince that he shall answer it with a freedom equal to yours Though he be absent replied Artaban I believe he is not very far off and if he got off from our Combat and from that we had afterwards against the Pyrats in such a condition as I did I believe he could not make any long Voyage But added he speaking to the two Princesses you know possibly where he is and in the mean time I cannot sufficiently wonder at the Fortune which hath brought you two together and in so small a time hath joined you in so firm a friendship You shall understand that at leasure said Elisa but in the mean while 't is as just that we should know from you by what miracle you are escaped from the Waves wherein my eyes beheld you entombed and where we had great reason to think that we had lost you for ever Artaban was about to return her an Answer when at first they heard a noise of Horses and afterwards turning about their Heads they saw a Body of Thirty or Forty Cavaliers who passed along the shore and marched towards Alexandria The Commander of this Troop had his Head unarmed and only covered with a little Bonnet shaded with a black Plume of Feathers the rest of his body was clad in Armor as were all the persons of his Retinue At the sight of the Ladies he left his Troop and turning a little out of the way where he left it he galloped towards the place where they were and he was no sooner come to them but having cast his eyes upon Elisa and immediately knowing her he remained so ravished at this incounter that for some moments he could not either by Action or Discourse express the perturbations of his Soul At last dissipating his astonishment O gods cryed he Behold behold her whom I seek for all the World over Having finished these words he threw himself hastily from his Horse and ran to the Princess of the Parthians Elisa at the first was surprized with his Action but she was a great deal more surprized and Artaban too when casting their eyes upon the mans face they knew him to be Tigranes King of the Medes Never was astonishment like to that of the fair Princess when she saw before her eyes a Prince whose sight after she had given him such great causes of resentment could not but be very formidable to her the man to whom the King her Father had given his consent the man that had espoused her by his Ambassadors and expected her in his own Dominions as his lawful Spouse and the same man whose Ambassadors she sent disgracefully back after that she was forcibly taken from their Conduct and had declared her intentions to them 'T is certain that at the sight of a Prince so highly offended and whom Elisa could not look upon but as a cruel Enemy the Princess was more like to one dead than alive and had not so much power as to stir out of the place where she was nor to utter one word 'T was at that moment that she took notice of the instability of Fortune seeing that when she thought her self redevable to her for the life of her Artaban upon whose death she had bestowed so many tears and when she was about to wipe away her sorrows by an unexpected felicity and to tast of an agreeable change in her condition she saw her self at the same time precipitated into the greatest miseries she could apprehend and fallen again into the hands of a man whom she was more afraid of than all the dangers to which she had been exposed to avoid him and under which neither Artaban's nor her own life could be otherwise than hateful to her Tigranes plainly perceived her strong surprize and not being ignorant of the cause of it he did not seem much troubled at it The usage he had received from the Princess did certainly give him matter of resentment enough but having a great deal of respect and love for her he believed that 't was not fit to make any uncivil use of this incounter nor intimidate Elisa's spirit by a rough demeanor towards her and so aggravate the grief which probably she might be sensible of for this effect of her bad Fortune He smoothed his countenance as much as possibly he could and he had no great difficulty to mollifie himself before a Beauty which might have wrought the same effect upon Tygers neither did he need to look far for humility before those eyes which might humble the proudest hearts In fine reflecting a great deal more upon his present happiness than upon all his past misfortunes he seemed to express in his countenance the change of his condition and accosting Elisa with an Action full of the marks of respect Be not astonished Madam said he to her at the meeting of a Prince whose Duty towards you nothing can dispense with 'T is not a Barbarian 't is not an Enemy that you have met and though the
and that time had a little reduced me out of my astonishment beholding Antonia with eyes from whence not withstanding all my constancy tears prevented the first word I would have said Well Sister said I what think you of this adventure And what judge you of the Caprices of my miserable Fortune I say replied Antonia that I was never more surprized in my lise and my spirit is so intangled with what I have seen that I know not what judgment to make thereon But at last added I with much pain If the Encounter of the King of Mauritania be not an effect of Chance what think you doth he come to seek with us And what may be the design of so much pain and agitation which we saw in his words and actions Is it feigned Is it Repentance And lastly What conformity hath these things with the Treason he hath committed It will be difficult replied Antonia for me to comprehend any thing but unless I am mistaken I observed in the face actions and words of Coriolanus such a confidence which a criminal spirit is uncapable of and so many Marks of a true passion that I know not how to reconcile what I have seen with what I have heard of his Infidelity for if we grant that he may dissemble his countenance and words yet wherefore hath he left his Kingdom and taken so long a Voyage to seek you And what appearance is there that he would leave an Estate as yet little setled and to whose Conversation his presence was absolutely necessary that he would commit himself to the Mercy of the Seas and run into the hands of his implacable Enemies if he had no passion for you What you say hath therein some veri-simility said I but Sister we have not learn't his Crime by simple suspitions or conjectures and our knowledge thereof is of such a nature that nothing can disprove it and if we owe this meeting to design rather than hazard and that Juba hath really left his Kingdom to see me which he could not do without putting his life and his Estate in danger that which I can believe as most likely and most advantagious for him is that having done violence to the love he bare me that he might obtain the Alliance of Cesar which he thought more advantagious than that of the house of Anthony and having learn't the bad success of his design and the injurious refusal which the Emperor made of the Princess Julia desparring of Julia he is returned to Cleopatra and being unable to obtain Julia he had rather have the person and it may be the Alliance of Cleopatra than of an African This is really my thought and the only one I can have upon this Encounter to which Antonia convinced so well as I of Coriolanus's Infidelity was constrained to submit finding none more likely only she blamed me for not giving him a longer Audience believing that by a little further Discourse we might have been resolved in all our doubts Since that day my thoughts to my misfortune were more strongly fastned to the remembrance of Coriolanus than before and I protest I looked upon him with less resentment and more tenderness than before being unable to behold a prince whom once I so dearly loved with all the marks of his former passion upon his face and in his Discourses without feeling some motions in a heart which had too much weakness for him O sight how fatal hast thou been to that little repose which I forced to settle it self in my Soul and how difficult hath it been since for me to efface then the least Characters of this interview Were I waking or were I sleeping the Idea presented it self alwayes before me nor could I without some consolation recollect the amorous and passionate words of that Prince nor could I without some grief and perhaps not without some Repentance recollect my rigorous Reply by which I supposed I had banish't him for ever Alas would I sometimes say Is it possible that all the World is deceived And that Coriolanus is as innocent in effect as he would appear and that the destiny of Cleopatra is changed But alas all my hopes are quite rooted up and this ungrateful man hath been so unpitiful in his ungratitude that he hath taken away even the least doubt wherewith I was permitted to flatter my self Such Discourses and others of the like Nature took up my whole time during Cesar's Voyage with whom in a few dayes after we departed from Syracuse and visited Grecia and part of Asia Upon Sea and Land it was all one with me and my pitiless grief kept me perpetual Company so well in Asia as in Europe And it is certain that they have received a very sensible increase through ill success of Coriolanus's Affairs and what reason soever I have to be little interessed therein yet could I not hear that in his absence he had lost his Kingdom without a double affliction his Subjects who under so valiant a Leader would doubtless have braved the Forces of the whole Empire and had formerly under his Conduct appeared more than men made less resistance now than women under the Roman Arms and were most easily reduced under the Dominion of Augustus I imagined to increase my affliction my self to have been the cause of this fatal absence of Coriolanus's and though I could not comprehend what should hinder his return into Africa having had time enough to go thither and defend his State yet I believed my self partly to have been the cause of his misfortune and that belief most cruelly redoubled my misfortunes Ah! Son of Juba have I often said I have alwayes feared that the gods would punish thee for thy Crime but I call them to witness that I never wished it and that I cannot see thee dispoyled of thy Kingdom possibly a wandring Vagabond without any assured retreat without deploring thy misfortune and interessing my self more therein than my ungratitude deserveth My just resentments are satisfied to see the troubled with some remorse and punish't by a vain Repentance and it is upon thy heart not upon thy fortune that I would be revenged In these sad imployments I travelled with Cesar whom I saw every day and the Empress also who knowing the Emperors intentions appeared nothing sharp towards me for my ill treating Tiberius neither opposed she the birth of her Sons the young Drusus passion for my Sister Antonia to wards whom he began to shew great testimonies of a vertuous affection we received the knowledge thereof with satisfaction as well for the present Fortune of the Sons of Livia as for the Noble qualities of that young Prince who really possessed all that could render a man accomplish't He testified a sensible Repentance for the pretences he formerly had to Julia and finding in Antonia a humor quite different from that of Cesars Daughter and with an excellent beauty a spirit full of prudence and sweetness and a marvellous vertue he
I perceive there is between her sentiments and thine that it is upon thy account and to enjoy thee that she slights me as conceiving her fortune will be much better with Caesars Nephew a person destined for the Empire of the Universe then with a beggarly dispossessed Prince whom Fortune hath not left any thing but his sword And yet as contemptible and as wretched as I am I would not resign the interest I have in her to Tiberius while I had one drop of bloud left in my veines and I would wander all over the World but I would find him and take away his life did I but once imagine that Clcopatra were designed for him But for thee who didst sometimes quit the pretentions thou hadst to her to me I find in my self a complyance for thee suitable to so great an obligation and if I cannot look on thy fortune without dying I will be so far from being any way thy hindrance that I shall haply by my death remove out of thy way the greatest obstacle which any other but thy self could have met with in such a business This was the discourse of Coriolanus and notwithstanding the cruel prejudice whereby some that were concerned in it were possessed yet had it that influence upon their spirits that it was impossible for them to conceal the discoveries of their sympathy Marcellus who was a person of an excellent good nature could not dissemble it and doing himself a certain violence to expresse what he felt within him Coriolanus said he to the Prince how far soever I ought to be perswaded of thy infidelity yet have I not so great an a version for thee but that I would spend the best part of my blood might it contribute any thing to thy justification and if thy proceeding had been such as to leave us any thing to doubt of thou hadst found an advocate in my heart that would have maintained thy innocence against all the World to the last minute of my life But Coriolanus thou wert not pleased to afford us that comfort and hast taken such a course to have thy crime noised through the whole Roman Empire that unlesse we had been without the limits of it banished into the most remote parts of the earth it was impossible we should be ignorant thereof Ask the most inconsiderable person among the Romans what the infidelity of Coriolanus was and by what means it broke forth and then ask Caesar ask all the Romans nay Cleopatra her self whether I have betrayed thee or whether from the day that for thy sake I have disengaged my self from the affection I had for her I ever looked on her otherwise then as a Sister or minded any mans interests as to her but thine Do not therefore charge either her or me with any basen ess since there hath happened no change in our sentiments and that when we both accuse thee with a departure from thy former thoughts and the infidelity thou hast committed against us infer not that I have quitted Julia for Cleopatra or that Cleopatra shunning Coriolanus as a monster of ingratitude hath looked on the Empire or Marcellus or indeed any other person that thou canst any way reproach her with Coriolanus being out of all patience at this discourse rises up of a sudden and coming to Marcellus in an excess of passion I am satisfied said he to him that what thou saist is true but thou must either run me through this heart with thy sword or expect to see me fall upon the point of my own after the example of the King of Armenia or let me understand at last what this infidelity is which is so well known to all the World and unknown onely to the person that hath committed it I have nothing in particular to acquaint thee withal replies Marcellus but it was ever my opinion that was apparant to the eyes of all the World carryed crime enough in it to deny thee the thought of innocence and that thou needest not expresse thy self more plainly both to Cleopatra and Marcellus then by sending plenipotentiary Ambassadours to Caesar with credentialls under the great Seal of Mauritania to demand of him the Princesse Julia in marriage and thereupon to do him homage for thy Kingdom Who I cries out the Prince at this discourse of Marcellus have I sent Ambassadours to Caesar to demand Julia of him and to do him homage for my Dominions T is true Coriolanus saies the Princesse Cleopatra who had been silent all the time t is true Coriolanus you did send them and if we had not seen them our selves with their credential letters in form and with full power we should hardly have been perswaded to a thing so improbable Theocles one of the most eminent of your Subjects was the chief person of that Embassy and he came along with Volusius to Rome at his return out of Mauritania There was nothing omitted in that affair either as to solemnity or form and if it wrought not the effect you expected it should it hath raised in the heart of your friend and that very justly the resentment he hath discovered to you and in that of the unfortunate Cleopatra a grief which will bring her to the grave Cleopatra having thus disburtnened her thoughts by this discourse Camilla whom the vertue of that Prince had ever obliged to side with him perceiving he was mute and immoveable at these reproaches comes to him and in few words acquainted him more at large with the cause of his misfortune and the truth how all things were managed between Volusius and his Ambassadours The son of Juba no lesse cast down at this discourse then if he had been struck with a thunder-bolt stood still for a good space of time looking still about him as if it had been to seek for some either to witness his innocence or make good the charge put in against him At last dispelling his astonishment and feâ—ring his sâ—lence might be thought an argument of his guilt he comes nearer to Cleopatra and setting one knâ—e to the ground Madam said he to her I humbly crave your pardon for my having charged you with any thing unjustly I should have known that you are just in all things and thence have inferred that your change could not proceed but from a cause suitable thereto I might haply not without reason hope it from your goodness and the friendship of Marcellus that you would have proved my advocate to your self and plead my cause against the artifices and designes of my enemies And this it was not hard for you to take notice of since there was little likelihood I should so much court the allyance and friendship of Caesar when I was possessed of the throne of my Ancestors having slighted it in a time when I had no favour or fortune to hope for but from him alone or that I should voluntarily offer him the homage of my kingdomes after I had conquered them by open war and
hours in the Princesses Wardâ—obe whence he never came but at such hours as there must needs be notice taken of him Cleopatra having wiped her eies looking on Marcellus with a very serious countenance I know not brother said she to him whether you dare trust me as far as you wou'd Volusius But if the late dissatisfactions which you have expressed your self to be in as to Julia proceed meerly from those secret interviews which she hath been suspected to have had with Theocles they are very unjust and besides that the Princesse coming to understand it after your departure hath sufficiently cleared her self in my presence as also by the acknowledgments of Marcella and Antonia your Sisters who spent those two nights with her I can for my own part assure you that during the representation of all this pretended infidelity of Coriolanus she expressed nothing but a very great displeasure and indignation against him I should have acquainted you with as much had you not been gone from Rome without taking any leave from us and must further let you know that according to my apprehensions of it you cannot any longer justly charge with lightnesse a Princesse who in your absence though she had reason to take it very much amisse hath ever expressed a firm and faithfull affection towards you At these words of Cleopatra Marcellus who reposed no small confidence in any thing came from her seemed to put on another countenance and looking on her with an action wherein she might discover the change they had wrought in his heart Ah Sister said he to her how much does the assurance of a person such as you are fortifie that of Volusius and what sufferings and afflictions had I avoided if I had been acquainted with what I now hear from your mouth and which I cannot but give credit to by reason of the authority which you have over my belief with as much confidence as if I had it from the relation of Volusius For my relation replyed Volusius you have no more reason to suspect it as to this particular then you do as to the other truths which you have received from me and if you will but afford me your patient audience to the end you you shall find that considering the interest which makes me speak it is impossible I should entertain you with any thing but what is true The Princesse and the Prince having upon those words expressed their readiness to give him the attention he desired he thereupon reassumed his discourse whereof Marcellus hearkened to the sequele with much more serenity of thoughts then he had done to the former part When Tiberius first engaged me with Theocles to be instrumental in the cheat he had resolved to put upon you my readiness to be drawn in proceeded not so much from the dissatisfactory resentments I had conceived against the King of Mauritania as the necessity I then stood in of his assistance to be readmitted into favour with Augustus and the expectation he put me into of the protection of Livia his own and that of all his friends for the recovery of my Fortunes which I had lost with the government of Mauritania He put me into some hopes that by the recommendations of Livia I might be entrusted with other employments not inferiour or less considerable then that nay haply with the same again if the Emperour brought that Kingdom under subjection He performed these promises he had made to me in some part and as I have told you he made my peace with Caesar before he got me to do any thing in the design wherein I was to serve him But when he perceived that the artifices he had made use of answered not his expectation and that though they had proved so fortunate as to satisfie you both of the infidelity of Coriolanus and consequently destroy or divert the affection you have had for that Prince yet would not that diversion prove any way advantageous to himself nor raise in the Princesses heart those inclinations which were lost as to Coriolanus he immediately grew cold not minding my concernments at all or the great hopes he had not long before put me into I was sensible of that change of dis disposition by many circumstances and took notice of it with no small dissatisfaction However at the first I took all things with abundance of patience as not thinking it very strange that the distraction Tiberius was in which was such as made him lesse careful of himself might well make him reflect but little on his friends and that considering with himself what little possibility he was in to gain your affections Madam at a time where he was in a manner confident not to meet with any difficulty as having no Rival to ballance his addresses to you his humour seemed to be somewhat changed from what it was and discovered some remission of that earnestness which he had before expressed to do me all the favours I could expect from him But when I saw that his coldnesse encreased more and more and that the Empress did me not any good office with Caesar I began to be troubled and to give entertainment to that remorse which ever attends guilt when a man reaps not the benefit which had encouraged him to the commission of a crime However Tiberius thought fit out of policy to flatter me still with some slight remainders of hope and held it no prudence to make an absolute breach with me out of a fear that the discontent I might conceive thereat should engage me to discover the truth of what had past Upon these considerations was it that he being prodigal enough of his kindness and caresses when there is any thing of concernment to himself entertained me with civilities such as in appearance where the most obliging in the World But I perceived that in effect he thought but little of me and minded me no more then as a complice in the base trick he had put upon you and one that he could gladly have wished out of the World so to be rid of a fear of being sometime or other betrayed His carriage was not the same towards Theocles and knowing him to be a person of mischievous inclinations and one fit to be put upon any enterprise he had held him in a very fair correspondence to be made use of in a design he had and to be employed as I have told you to perswade Prince Marcellus that the Princess Julia treated privately with him upon the negotiation he was sent thither upon from Coriolanus When the Emperour had sent him an order â—o leave Rome he sent him to a house of his own within a daies journey from the City and there kept him secretly till the time of his departure which was within few daies after You know how he left Rome in a manner alone without any attendance and went his waies so obscurely that it was not known what design he was gone upon nor what way
an impression of grief which made the body feel some part of the indisposition of the mind insomuch that she was no sooner retir'd with Emilia but she was put into a bed with a violent Fever and for some days after was in some danger I have been inform'd that the danger she was in as to point of life such as not a little alarm'd her Friends seem'd to be very welcome to her and that seeing her self fallen into a misfortune which she look'd on no otherwise then a crime she thought her self unworthy to live and was desirous to see the period of her life that she might see the end of a Passion which in her judgement eclipsed all the glory of it and must have darkned her memory with shame and confusion Her indisposition therefore producing in her mind an effect wholly contrary to what it was wont to do in other persons brought her a double satisfaction partly through the supply she expected from it against the grief she was o'rburthened with partly by reason of the convenience she derived from it to humor her melancholy thoughts without the disturbance of conversation and company and the opportunity she had to disguise the diseases of her mind with the appearances of those of her body Hence came it that during her sickness she admitted few visits and unless it were those whom she must of necessity see onely Emilia had access to her And whereas she was the onely person she admitted into the Cabinet of her most secret apprehensions to her alone was it that she made her complaints and disburthened her affliction and of her alone did she expect an an abatement thereof You now see said she to her you now see me reduced to the condition I have so often wished my self in ever since that insupportable misfortune befel me which hath blasted all the lustre of my days and wherewith you onely are acquainted You see Death which onely can furnish us with necessary remedies comes in to my assistance according to my wishes and the need I stood in of him and I hope that by his means you will be delivered from the shame which you may suffer through either my weakness or want of courage The insolent Youth who triumphs over my heart and all the glory of my life shall never know his victory and shall not have the satisfaction either to laugh at my weakness or hug himself in his own revenge This life which continued had exposed me to such miscarriages as might have discovered to him my misfortune and his own advantage now draws towards its period and it is already grown too insupportable and odious to me not to entertain the approaches of Death without abundance of comfort O Tullia had it been the good pleasure of the Gods to shorten thy unfortunate thread but some few moneths before thou hadst dy'd in the height of an unblemished Glory But thou wouldest not haply have wanted some desires do live whereas now thou are ready to lose it with a satisfaction equal to what other persons are sensible of in the Meridian of their best fortunes To this effect was the discourse she made to Emilia who out of the sincere Friendship she had for her dissolved into tears to hear her speak and forbore not to make those remonstrances to her which she thought any way likely to divert her from that aversion which seemed to have for life But her discourses wrought little on the apprehensions of Tullia and whereas notwithstanding the greatness of her courage the wound she had received gall'd the very bottom of her heart she could not put out of her thoughts nor indeed forbear to speak of him that had given it her Ah my dear Emilia said she looking on her with a certain insinuation of passion could the cruel adversary but have guessed at the true cause of the accident that 's befallen me how confident and fiery had he been and if I mistake not his humour how insolently would he have trampled on a wretch against whom he is exasperated for the disgrace of Julius Antonius With what scorn would he have aggravated my unhappiness had he but known the advantage my cruel Destiny had given him over my heart with what presumption would he not have looked on this deplorable change of my humour and fortuneâ— I am of opinion said Emilia to comfort her that he would be have himself much otherwise and that if he were satisfied of the affection you have for him I do not think but he would be sensible thereof Ah my dear Emilia replies the Daughter of Cicero flatter me not by telling me that which abates nothing of my grief I am very confident that Ptolomey neither loves me nor ever will love me while he lives but you have heard it from me already and shall find me affirming it to the last gasp That though I were really lov'd by him yet would his affection contribute nothing to my content that I should slight it as I have done that of his Brother and that he should sooner come to the knowledge of my death then of the true sentiments I have for him Not that the pure hatred I have for his House obliges me to this kind of procedure or that I have not as much reason to hate the son of Cleopatra as the son of Fulvia but my precedent actions are the rule whereby I regulate the subsequent and that since I have dealt as I did with Julius Antonius I ought to continue my constancy to the end and die rather then remit any thing of it These were her ordinary discourses the real expressions of her apprehensions at that time but not long after what resistance soever she could make against that which she called weakness she could not forbear falling into it So that looking on Emilia with an aspect not discovering any mark of that violence which she had but so lately expressed Emilia said she to her I desire you by all the Friendship that hath past between us to tell me without any flattery a thing I very much long to know I which cannot ask without confusion Did you observe how Ptolomey entertain'd the accident that happen'd to me for his sake and while I lay panting for breath betweens your arms and in his presence saw you in his countenance any mark of grief or compassion seemed he to be any way mov'd at so sad a spectacle or did he make a reflection upon it like that of his companion whose countenance upon the first opening of my eyes I perceived bathed in tears Emilia could not tell her truly that Ptolomey had seemed moved thereat as I was and yet she as much as lay in her power disguised his insensibility and endeavoured to represent with the greatest advantage the service which the Prince had done her upon that occasion though proceeding from pure civility Though Tullia could not absolutely beleive what she said yet for some small time she hearkned with
body and perhaps there never was Lady in whose disposition there was such a noble emulation of mildness courage serenity and solid and sincere vertue Her Mother from whom she had her education was a very vertuous Princess and dead about a year before our coming to Segestes's Court. With all the instructions tending to the cultivation of that excellency of Wit and Understanding Nature had bestowed on her she had entertained all the noble impressions which might be instill'd into her by the best examples and such inquisition into the Sciences as was consistent with her Sex Never was there any guilty of a greater evenness and moderation or exercised a greater justice both towards her self and others and that expressed a more vivacity prudence and freedom of behaviour in a word she was in all respects such that the persons most hard to be humoured would not easily have found any thing which they could with reason condemn either in her sentiments or her carriage She was so young when we came to her Fathers Court that all her excellent qualities had not had the time to break forth to her advantage as they have done since but she was already such as I was dazled and astonish'd at and young Arminius whose apprehensions of things were much beyond his age not only approved his Fathers design and thought the Princesse such as he could wish her that he might without any violence to himself comply with his Fathers desires but he found her so amiable attractive in all things that notwithstanding the tenderness of his years he fell passionately in love with her upon his first coming thither His heart being in all things open to me he immediately acquainted me with his passion such as he felt it in himself and whereas there was all the reason in the world I should approve it I gave him all the encouragement I could to prosecute it Never haply was there an affection begun under a more happy Omen nor with greater hopes All things seemed to further it Clearchus was extreamly satisfied at the news of it Segestes beheld the first overtures of it with abundance of joy and Ismenia who was the onely person Arminius might fear was so perswasible and so compliant to the disposal of her Father that it was not much questioned but she would submit to what he so much approved and desired On the other side Arminius was such as to his person that there was ground enoughto hope his inclinations would be suitable to his duty and that she would without any aversion entertain a Lover designed her by her Father Accordingly things came to pass as was expected but whereas this part of the story is not that which most requires your attention I shall slightly pass over it to the relation of things of greater consequence telling you onely by the way that Ismenia entertained the discoveries of Arminius's affection without any mark of repugnance that she could not disapprove any thing in the passion of a Prince who with her Fathers consent was one day to be her Husband and in consequence to this the excellent qualities of Arminius both as to body and mind working that effect in her which it was hoped they should she gave us ground to conclude as much as could be expected from the tenderness of her age that she would not be insensible of the passion she had raised in another and for which she might entertain sentiments not onely innocent but such as were approved and desired by Segestes and his people She entertained the first discourses which Arminius made to her upon that occasion with a prudence infinitely above what might be expected from her age and onely gave him to understand that she had for the disposal of her Father a respect that should oblige her to submit thereto without repugnance but it was with such a grace as more violently enflamed the heart of young Arminius and his passion encreasing upon the daily discoveries he made of the admirable and amiable qualities of the Princess became at last so violent that I was my self much astonished at it and could hardly comprehend that in the heart of a person so young so earnest a passion could find place especially one attended by whatever occasion the greatest dis-enjoyments and disturbances Certain it is that while Arminius could content himself onely with the compliance which he expected Ismenia should have for the will of her Father he had all the reason in the world to be satisfied by the readiness he found in the disposition of that discreet Princess absolutely to conform her self to those things which she thought her self in duty oblig'd to do But when he would have pressed her further and trouble the serenity of her soâ—l by raising in it a passion suitable to his own he found it a business of much difficulty and such as engaged him in great inconveniences The inclinations of Ismenia were in such a calm as it was not easie to raise any tempest in and as she was willing to submit to reason so did she as violently oppose what she thought exceeded it or was at ever so little distance from a severe reservedness and modesty So that while Arminius desired onely to be well received and and to derive from her words and actions an assurance that she had no aversion either for his person or the design of Segestes he was the happiest man in the world but when he would engage her into a Love equal to what he felt himself he found it a hard attempt and it was a long time ere he could move that constant solid disposition out of its ordinary temper I being the onely person to whom he made all his complaints was acquainted with all his disturbances even to his most secret thoughts and it was from me that he deriv'd all comfort and encouragment when I represented things so to him as to perswade him that what he attributed to Ismenia's severity and rigour proceeded onely from her modesty and that he should be very glad to find so much prudence and caution in the person he was to marry But one day being engag'd in some such discourse to him not receiving it as I expected he should have done Uncle said he to me it is not necessary Ismenia should do any thing to satisfie me as to her modesty and vertue I do not in the least doubt of it nor shall while I live but I should very much desire to be assured she hath an affection for me as being not so forward to marry Ismenia as desirous to be lov'd by her and to see her do that out of affection which she does out of duty and compliance But do you not observe said I to him by her behaviour towards you that she obeys without any repugnance and consequently that that very desire of doing what she thinks her duty is the effect of some inclinations in her to endeavour your satisfaction since they proceed from her with so
much freedom I must confess replyed Arminius that I was at first as kindly received by Ismenia as a man design'd by her Father to be her Husband could expect to be from a discreet and modest Princess as she is but is it not very strange that during the space of a whole year that I have spent here wherein she hath upon all occasions received the discoveries of a violent and respect full affection I should now find my self in the same condition I was in the first day when upon my arrival in this Court I was brought to her by Segestes that I could never yet by any action of hers satisfie my self that her heart was any way moved at the addresses of a Lover whom she sees languishing and consuming himself and that she should abate nothing of her serenity and enjoyments even while I am ready to die at her feet and suffer for her sake what another would think absolutely insupportable For in fine imagine not that I now consider the interests of our Provinces or the design of Clearchus to secure the future tranquility thereof by a Marriage I minded that while I acted onely upon the account of duty and obedience and during that time I was in the same posture Ismenia is in now and had before ever I saw her the same sentiments which she now hath for me But since that by the sight of her and the observance I have made of her adorable endowments my passion hath overmaster'd all other considerations I desire not onely to be entertain'd by her without any repugnance but expect if it be possible to be lov'd by her as preferring the conquest of her heart before the soveraignty of all Germany These were the sentiment of young Arminius for the fair and not much sensible Ismenia and being one day alone with her a freedom he was pemitted at any time after a conversation whereby he was confirm'd in the opinion he had that he was not happy to his desires Is it possible said he to her with an action wholly passionate that so many expressions of my affection which you may easily have distinguish'd from the compliance I have for the will of Clearchus should prevail nothing on a heart which by your own acknowledgment was not prepossessed any inclination opposite to my happiness and shall I ever find you such as you expressed your self upon my first addresses to you What reason have you to complain replies the Princess after a manner naturally chearfull and much taking in her and from what action of mine do you take occasion to charge me as you do if I have not been hitherto awanting as to any thing you might rationally desire of me You are indeed replies Arminius with a sigh very dutifull towards Segestes but you have no affection for Arminius and it is the love of Ismenia for Arminius that I am much more desirous to see then the obedience of Ismenia towards Segestes There is in that word Love reply'd the Princesse somewhat that speaks more freedom then may stand with the modesty of our Sex and there is in that passion something too irregular to be consistent with prudence But if you may be satisfied with a more moderate affection such as might be expected from a disposition somewhat regulated and directed by reason I do not think you have any ground to complain nor confound a voluntary obedience with a forc'd duty Ah fair Ismenia replyed the amorous Arminius what a small distance is there between that moderate affection wherewith you would recompence a Violent passion and insensibility it self nay cruelty and what injustice is it in you to imagine that a Love such as that I have for you a Love that allows me not the least enjoyment of my life can be satisfied with a simple acknowledgment of it such as raises not the least disquiet in your soul What Arminius said Ismenia to him smiling is it then your design to disturb my quiet and you think it a great argument of the sincerity of your Love to wish I may be deprived of that tranquility wherein I place all the happiness of my life No question replied Arminius but I should wish you were more sensible of the love I have for you then you seem to be as conceiving that though your quiet were a little disturbed by such a sympathy you would not be ever the more unfortunate though you made me thereby the most fortunate man in the world They often had discourses to this purpose and contestations of this nature but at last after much suffering after much sighing the love of Arminius the merit of his person and the remonstrances of Segestes overcame that calm of Ismenia's disposition and made way for so much affection in her for Arminius as he could desire from such a person as Ismenia He had the satisfaction not without excessive delight and transportation to find himself sincerely loved and to be assured it was no longer out of pure compliance but out of the force of an earnest and solid affection that Ismenia consented to his happiness She loved him tenderly and being of a nature full of sincerity and noble freedome she made a real discovery of her sentiments to him and absolutely satisfied him that he had in the heart whereof he so much condemned the calmness and indifference the place he was so much desirous of But though she freely acknowledged what thoughts she had for him yet did she still behave her self with so much prudence circumspection and reservedness that from even the commands of Segestes who was extreamly pleased to see the Union of those two hearts she took not the encouragement to grant Arminius even the lightest favours she might have done He sometimes took it very heavily but he found his comfort in the respect he had for her Vertue and thought himself happy both in the good success he already had and what he was for the future in expectation of Thus stood his affairs when I took my leave of him having been called home by Clearchus to oppose the advance of some Romane Forces who were come into the Territories of some of our Neighbour-Princes and contrary to the Treaty which had been concluded several years before made irruptions into our Frontiers The Prince who was then â—n some indisposition of body was pleased I should command our Forces and gave me order to march out against the enemy and it was upon these occasions if I may presume to say so so much of my self that I gained some reputation through the many advantages which Fortune the gallantry of the men I commanded gave me In a word those of our Neighbours who had sided with the Romans nay the Romans themselves were in many engagements defeated and upon the banks of Visurgis I gained a Victory over the Forces commanded by Sulpitius with the loss of his side of above ten thousand men killed upon the place which success made the name of Inguiomer famous