no proffers of his company but entreated him that e're they set saile thence he would order him to be set somewhere ashore Some further complements past between them but at last the King remembring where he was to goe and impatient to see the Princesse put a period to the discourse and having left the unknown to his rest which he seemed very much to want he went to the chamber where Cleopatra was He came to her with a countenance wherein through the Love it discovered was visible some part of the discontent he was in and not able to dissemble the occasion of it All things Madam said he to her are contrary to me all things oppose me while you are against me nay the winds themselves which seem to depend of another power than yours will never turn to do me any service while I am hatefull in your sight You may thence also infer replied the Princesse the injustice of your designes since that where there is a want of the assistance of men the very Elements fight against you We must not alwaies replied Artaxus measure the justice of the intentions by the easinesse of the obstacles which we meet within the execution of them and if you lay that down as a generall rule without any exception you must consequently reconcile Fortune and Vertue who are seldome found to be very great Friends I am of your mind as to that replies the Princesse and if Fortune did take part with justice and afford her assistances to vertue 't is out of all question that you had been e're this punished for the violence you do me or at least I should not be your Captive Ah Madam saies the King of Armenia do not call her my captive who her self hath me in chaines and disposes of me with a soveraign power I pray give me leave onely to dispose of my self saies Cleopatra interrupting him since that there 's no Law in the world that gives you any power over me The Lawes of Nations replies Artaxus are of much lesse authority than those of Love and it is onely to these latter that men such as we are that like so many stars of the greatest magnitude are of the highest quality ought to submit themselves By this law of Love whatever my passion puts me upon is justifiable and all that I could alleadge as concerning the affronts and injuries I have received from your house hath much lesse of argument in it than this imperious reason It was with no small trouble that Cleopatra endured not onely the discourse but even the presence of the King of Armenia and notwithstanding her reservednesse no question but she had treated him with a great deale of scorn and contempt had it not been out of a consideration of Artemisa whose condition pitied her no lesse than her owne and a conceit withall that there was no way to keep Artaxus within the bounds of civility and respect but by an excesse of patience Supper was brought them in and the King to expresse his complyance permitted them to eat alone as knowing they would look on it as a favour and endeavouring by such behaviour to dissemble the resolution he had taken to make use of his power when he were gotten off a little further from a Countrey where he was not over-confident of the safety of his prize He spent some part of the night in discourses of the same nature with the precedent and when he thought it time to leave the Princesses to their rest he withdrew into his own chamber and before he lay down gave order that a good strong guard should be set in the ship to prevent all designes the Princesses might have to get away in the dark The two Princesses passed away this night as they had done the precedent save that they were in a much greater feare of their sudden departure than before if it were not prevented by some unexpected assistance from heaven and the kindnesse of the winds which did them all the favour they could Artaxus tormented with his Love and a fear of loosing his beautifull prize could sleep but little The unknown person disburthened himself of frequent sighs which were heard by some in the vessel that were nearest him And Zenodorus bursting almost with grief and rage for the losses he had received had much adoe to find any rest The day hardly began to appear when upon the first dawning of it those who were upon the watch discovered a vessell which being gotten somewhat neer them while the darknesse was not yet dissipated made all the saile she could towards them as having a very good wind that indeed in a manner forced them upon the shore They immediately gave the alarme and all being prepared and in expectation of an engagement with the other ship all that were able to bear armes took them and came up upon the deck in order to a fight There were much more armes in the ship than were requisite for the number of men that were in her insomuch that the Sea-men who minded onely the conduct of the ship could not as she then lay be any way employed as being in such a posture as they were loath to quit by reason of the advantage of the place which was so advantageous that the enemy could not assault them but by one onely side Zenodorus and Megacles having put all into armes and there being as I told you but one side to make good they fortified it with men and put it into such a posture of defence that it was as defensible as if they had had a far greater number of men This charge did Zenodorus and Megacles take upon them because of the wounds which the King had received not long before whereby he was still a little indisposed and would fain have had him kept his bed but he would by no meanes take their advice by reason of the great concernment which he had to make his party good and accordingly starting out of his bed upon the first alarme he called for armes and came up upon the deck in the posture of a man that wanted not either courage or confidence Zenodorus and Megacles walked up and down the ship putting all things into good order and Artaxus shewing himself among his own people in a posture of fighting personally with them endeavoured to encourage them as well by example as by words He omitted nothing of all that he thought might any waies animate them to fight and promiseth them extraordinary rewards if they behaved themselves gallantly and came off with honour During all this time the other vessell drew nearer and nearer and when it was come within a competent distance Zenodorus discovered by the flag that it was one of those ships that belonged to the Praetor Cornelius and which ordinarily lay in the port of Alexandria This discovery exasperated him not a little as calling to mind the wounds he had received and the great losses he had suffered by the same enemies
hostility You have granted the Unknown Lover what you had denyed Kings that were professed Lovers and though he be obliged for this good Fortune to the name of Livia for which you have had so much respect yet is he much more engaged for it to his own industry and the confidence he had to effect his design You will pardon me that I have entertained you in so poor a place since I acknowledge I cannot conceave any noble enough to receave you and cannot wish you any other then that Heart which you saw burning this day in the publick sacrifice I have made thereof to you In a word my Fortune whatever it may be hath been envyed this day by all that is great and eminent in the Empire whence I derive a certain hope that it will one day be envyed by all that shall think themselves the most fortunate in the World I cannot said I having made an end of reading the letter but acknowledge that this man what ever he may be is an extraordinary Gallant a great wit and inexpressibly magnificent I grant you all that replyed Antonia but you must anknowledge withall that there is a certain spice of extravagance in his design and that all the pains he takes will amount to nothing That I cannot tell you replyed I nay methinks I already perceave he hath effected some part of his intentions for in that he hath declared to you at the beginning that there is no other reason of his recourse to this artifice then to induce you to endure the name of Love and to reconcile you to that passion which you avoid as a Monster because you are not acquainted with it you must needs acknowledge that he hath already prevailed with you to endure not onely the discourse but all the expressions of it much beyond what you had suffered in all your life before and in a word that you have held a greater correspondence with love since you first entertained the addresses of this one Vnknown Servant then you did upon those of all the rest put together Ah Sister replies Antonia very roundly what inclinations do I derive from what you say to hate him the more and yet how true is that which you have observed and I must with shame acknowledge it to be such But if it be possible I will remedy it one way or other What remedy can you think of said I to her while you are kept in this ignorance This man is haply of such a nature that he will not discover himself while he lives and though we may very well from the transcendency of his thoughts and attempts infer the greatnesse of his birth yet may it not possibly be such as may furnish him with confidence enough to declare himself Since we are fallen into this discourse Sister saies Antonia I am to acquaint you that not many dayes since I found in one of my Gloves another Letter which I purposely forbore to shew you by reason of some discontent that you were in that day concerning Tiberius but kept it nevertheless that it might be communicated to you for you know that I mind them only in order to your diversion No said I to her smiling t is because you would have me no further acquainted with your secrets at which words perceaving she had found the Letter I took it from her and read out of it these words To the Princesse ANTONIA THough my name ought to be concealed from my Princesse till such time as she hath pardoned me the injury I have done her to prevent all suspicions that may be conceaved against an unknown person yet is it lawful for me to let her know and I ought to do it in order to my justification though it may be with some prejudice to my modesty and reservednesse that my person is not disliked by those whom I have addred my self to that I am not without some esteem or without some name in the World and that my birth and fortune are such as whence I may well derive an encouragement to serve her In fine my love is that which she might most disapprove in me after the protestations she hath made her self that the person was not hateful and from this defect it is that I hope for greater advantages then I can expect from either birth or fortunes This letter furnished us with more matter of discourse and imagination then all the rest but at last having done all we could we resolved not to trouble our selves any further and to expect with patience what might be the consequences of that adventure Ptolomey to whom I had given one of the letters had made it his businesse to enquire all about whether there were any such hand among those persons of quality and never could meet with any that came neer it Marcellus had done the like but to as little purpose All that passed before had made no great noise but the Galley occasioned abundance of discourse insomuch that for many dayes after the talk of all Companies was of the magnificent Galley of Antonia The King of Cappadocia taking occasion to make a modest complaint to her upon her refusal of the boat which he had provided for her told her she had very much reason to slight that when she expected another that was so magnificent But Antonia satisfied him as much as lay in her power telling him that it was not for its sumptuousnesse that she had preferred that Galley before his boat nor yet out of any other consideration then that it had been proffered her in the Empresse's name from whom she neither could nor ought to have refused it Archelaus a Prince of a disposition easie to be pleased was satisfied with that answer but could do no lesse withal then conceave abundance of jealousie against that Unknown Lover whose presents were preferred before his and resolved to do all that lay in his power to discover him Mithridates was as earnest in the same design as the other and though he had been slighted by Antonia in such manner that notwithstanding his great confidence he durst hardly open his lips before her to entertain her with any thing of his love after the discovery he had once made to her thereof yet was not his passion quite smothered nor his jealousie inferiour to that of Archelaus Being therefore both unfortunate and their loves encouraged by little hope jealousie had not produced in them its ordinary effect amongst Rivals and had left in them friendship enough to visit one the other and to communicate part of what they thought one to another so that having mutually acquainted one another with the desires they had to discover who that Unknown Lover might be who had made such signal demonstrations of his gallantry towards Antonia they resolved to joyne their endeavours to that purpose and not to leave any thing unattempted to find out the truth Many dayes past ere any one came wherein they could discover any thing though
could yet could she not wish his death nor endure the very thought that he should die for want of assistance 'T was for this reason that she aggravated his infidelity before Artaxus purposely to make him the lesse odious in his sight and to divert what after such a discovery he might well fear from the exasperated Armenian The Prince was not all this while come to himself and while Megacles was very busie and took a great deale of paines about him one of the Armenians being come neer him and viewing him with a countenance swelled with indignation instead of the assistance you afford this man said he with so much care and tendernesse we should do well to run our swords into his breast This is the very man that killed our companions not many daies since when we carried away the Princesses and besides the lineaments of his face which I easily call to mind again I have found about his bed the armes of my Brother whom he unmereifully killed in my presence This was the discourse of the Barbarian who could not but discover the malicious design he had against the Princes life when Megacles hearing it and having authority over him gave him such a look as upon which he immediately took occasion to be gone with some threatning gestures that sufficiently argued his resentment of it At last upon the application of severall remedies the King of Mauritania opens his eies and became sensible and having gotten up he scattered his scaring and extravagant lookes on all those that were about him and finding Megacles one of the neerest him and one that made it most his businesse to assist him he looked on him a while in such a manner as if he would expresse thereby how sensible he was of his compassion and good offices yet were displeased at him for them Will you ever be said he to him the cruellest enemy I have by taking so much trouble upon you as you do for the preservation of my life and should you not rather have suffered me to die since you are one of those that carried away Cleopatra Charge me not said Megacles to him speaking very low with a crime I have not committed and confound not those who do things out of a consideration of the duty they owe their Masters with those that serve them in their most unjust and irregular passions Coriolanus thought it not fit to make him any answer and perceiving he had recovered his strength again he gets up and looking about for Cleopatra he found her sitting in the same place where she had continued ever since they had given over fighting This second sight of her had almost put him into the same condition he had been in before and reflecting on the disservice he had done her by opposing her deliverance and liberty the grief he conceived thereat was so great that he found it no small difficulty to support it And yet he thought that as things stood his onely course was to muster up all his courage and to summon all his vertue to his assistance and after the short reflection of a few minutes thinking himself in a better condition that he met with Cleopatra in that posture than that he should have lost her for ever he took the best heart he could and with a slow pace such as argued the smallnesse of his confidence he goes towards the place where Cleopatra was still set She saw him coming towards her and her indignation against Coriolanus being greater upon the recovery of himself than her pity had been before she could not endure he should come neer her and giving a look sufficiently discovering her displeasure Stay there barbarous man said she to him and come not any more neer a woman whom thy continuall treacheries expose to so many misfortunes What canst thou hence forward expect from me and what further mischiefe canst thou imagine yet to do me after thou hast bestowed me on the King of Armenia That Prince inhumane as he is and though the greatest enemy of our house hath not betraied me as thou hast and I am much inclined to believe that he would not give me to any other as thou with so much basenesse dost Leave me therefore quietly to him since that it is on him that thou hast bestowed me even with the hazard of thy own life and aggravate not my afflictions with thy abominable presence This heart which so unfortunately received for thee those impressions whereof it should have been insensible for any other favoured thee and argued on thy behalfe seeking out something by way of justification for thee while thou wert in armes for Artaxus against Cleopatra Do not therefore think it much to afford her that comfort which she may derive from thy eternall absence since thou hast for ever deprived her of all hope of any other and imagine not that after I have cleared my thoughts of the image of an unconstant man they can ever entertain that of Artaxus for whom no doubt but thou art come to speake The dejected and almost desperate Coriolanus leaning against one of the Masts hearkened to this violent discourse of Cleopatra having not the courage to make her any answer and the Princesse attributing his silence to the confusion he might conceive at the horrour of his crime was the more enflamed into indignation insomuch that she could not forbear to discover it in further reproaches Tell me cruell man said she to him by what offence had I so far incensed thee as to deserve the unworthy treatment I receive at thy hands and if I were no longer worthy the affection thou wert pleased sometime to afford me and which had wrought all the pleasure and felicity of my life by what action or by what defect am I become so odious to thee as that thou must needs sacrifice my liberty life and enjoyments to the most inhumane of all mankind to him whom of all men I should look on as the most detestable Or if this proceed not from any hatred which I know not how I should have deserved at thy hands upon what account of friendship or interest couldst thou do Artaxus a service so disconsonant to the precedent actions of thy life and to that vertue which thou hadst sometimes the reputation to practise Wert thou restored to the throne of thy Predecessors by the means of any assistances from the King of Armenia or wert thou so deeply engaged to him that thou couldst not any way disengage thy self but by presenting him with that which thou hast sometime preferred before the Empire of the Universe Thus did the disconsolate daughter of Anthony discourse while the King of Armenia and all those that were about him gave so much ear to what she said that they had not any of them the power to interrupt her and the Prince overwhelmed with grief and confusion at the apparent justice of her reproaches suffered the torrent of them to wast it self without offering to oppose it
at your feet added he coming neer her ready to defend you against him to the last drop of my bloud and it may be in a condition yet to give him his death in the midâ—t of all his men if he does not resign up to me what is mine and restore you to that liberty against which I have so unfortunately fought Artaxus had hitherto with a great deal of patience hearkened to all the discourse that had past between Coriolanus and Cleopatra and was content to hear the Princesse charge him with cruelty and declare that he was odious in her sight but at this last discourse of the Prince of Mauritania he thought his temerity and confidence insupportable and accordingly looked on him with a malicious and scornful smile Coriolanus said he to him I have passed by the first affronts I have received from thy presumption out of a consideration of the service thou hast done me and I have given thee leave to speak against my concernments with too much liberty because thou hadst defended them with abundance of valour but now I perceive thy temerity knows no limits so that it will be hard for me to observe those bounds which I had proposed to my self upon the first reflections I had made on the assistance I have received from thee and the esteem I have conceived for thy person Artaxus replyed the valiant Mauritanian looking on him very fiercely there cannot be any such thing as a mutual esteem between us and if my actions have raised any such in thee towards me haply not without reason thine cannot possibly have the same effect upon me Besides it cannot be expected we should be any longer Friends not only because thou keepest Cleopatra as a captive but also because thou lovest her For the service thou hast received from me thou art soon diâ—engaged as well by the regret and affliction it is to me that I have done it thee as by the little intention I should have had to do it had I known thee to be him that carryed away Cleopatra and for the good office which I received from thy people when they took me out of the water I have sufficiently requited it by exposing my life for their defence We are therefore upon equal terms as to point of obligation we are equal as to that of extraction and if we are unequal as to fortune it is in the power of Heaven who protects justice against oppression and iniquity to make our forces and conditions equal and to put me once more into such a way as that I may be able to deliver Cleopatra If it be the pleasure of fortune that I perish in the design expect not thou ever the more that she will be long at thy disposal nor indeed canst thou be ignorant that the whole Empire is at this present in arms against thee and that when thou hast brought the Princesse into Armenia thou wilt be soon followed thither by the most dreadfull forces of the Universe who will destroy all that lies before them by fire and sword upon so just a quarrel The Armenian King was silent all this while as if his astonishment was no lesse now at the confidence of Coriolanus then it had been not long before at his valour and thereupon giving him a look wherein he sufficiently discovered his indignation Thou speakest to me said he to him with as little respect as thou wouldst haply do if thou wert in the head of a hundred thousand men but there is it may be some flaw in thy memory and thou hast quite forgotten that thou art alone and without arms in my ship in the midst of all my men and that thou art already obliged to me for the life which thou hast enjoyed upon my courtesie ever since that moment wherein thou gavest me the first occasion of displeasure From this very indulgence Cleopatra might infer so much as might oblige her to quit the opinion she hath conceived of my cruelty and there are few Kings in the World who having an absolute power such as mine is would have suffered so much from any man and not have cast him into the sea I shall cast my self into the sea of my own accord replyed the Prince of Mauritania when the misfortunes of my life prove so insupportable as to advise me to put a Period thereto but thou wilt find that to cast me into the sea against my will is not an attempt so easie in the execution as thou conceivest it And though thou hast a great number of men about thee yet am I confident that the most daring among them will bethink him more than once what he hath to do ere he attempt it and though they should forget all respect to the royal character which I bear as well as thy self they are better acquainted with the mettal my sword is made of then to come over-confidently too neer the point of it Artaxus had his hand ready on the hilt of his sword and by his own example was going to oblige all his men to fall upon the King of Mauritania who securing himself with a buckler expected them with an undaunted courage when Zenodorus having recovered himself of his fall and the lethargy occasioned thereby and being come up to him told him that the wind was turned and was very good for their departure thence and that it was their best course to weigh anchor and be gone from a coast where they must expect to be assaulted again if they stayed there any time Artaxus overjoyed at that happy change of weather gave order to hoise up saile and that they should make what hast they could out of the river But now was it that Coriolanus made them know what he was and turning toward Cleopatra who heard that order of Artaxus as she would have the sentence of death passed against her I beseech you Madam said he to her be pleased to receive this last service from me without any repugnance and be assured by the death which I am soon to suffer for your sake what correspondence there hath been between me and the King of Armenia I do not suspect you guilty of any replyed the disconsolate Princesse and notwithstanding the unconstancy you have been guilty of towards me I am better satisfied as well of the noblenesse of your bloud as of that of your courage then to make a hard judgement of you in things where there is any one circumstance that makes any way for your advantage But how inconstant soever you may be added she rising from the place where she sate I am far from desiring your death and I shall never give way you should receive it in my sight if I can hinder it Coriolanus had not heard those last words and seeing too men somewhat neer him doing something in order to the departure of the vessel he thrust away the neerest to him with such force that he had turned him over-board into the sea and with his sword cleft
the others head into two pieces Upon this spectacle Artaxus perceiving it was not safe to dally any longer and repenting he had not fallen upon him sooner cryed out to his men to hasten to cut off that temerarious person and when he saw himself fortified by those that came about him he advanced along with them with his sword drawn towards the Prince of Mauritania But Cleopatra came and stood before him and speaking to him much more mildly than ever she had done before Artaxus said she to him if ever in thy life thou wilt do an action which I may take kindly at thy hands attempt not the life of Coriolanus and remember the assistance thou hast received from him without which I had been out of thy power and thou thy self haply out of the World What you desire of me Madam replies the King of Armenia is a thing out of my power to grant besides that Coriolanus himself who unworthily abusing the respect I have for you sticks not to murder my men before my face is not desirous of that life which you so much beg for him And yet I shall not take it away from him that I may at length begin to do something that pleases you and though he be my Rival and that one so much the more to be feared for that he is much in your favour yet shall I permit him to live and give him leave to depart immediately out of the ship and go his waies whither it shall please fortune to dispose of him If there be any favour in this replies the Mauritanian it were done to thy self and not to me nor indeed do I make the least doubt of it but that thou wouldst be very glad I were once out of thy ship but thou art not guilty of so much vanity as to imagine I will go hence without the Princesse Cleopatra and therefore resolve immediately either to restore her to liberty or to give me my death and withall to defend thy own life which I doubt not but I shall even in the midst of all thy men put once more into danger Alas for death cries out Artaxus being grown furious to the highest degree thou shalt without much difficulty find it at my hands and here I now sacrifice thee to my resentment and my love both as a temerarious enemy and an insoleâ—t Rival With this Rhodomantade having not the patience to give any further ear either to his words or the cries of Cleopatra whom he caused to be taken away by force from between their arms he began to make towards the Prince who having got to a place whence he could not be assaulted but onely before covering his left arm with a buckler and brandiâ—â—g his dreadful sword with the right expected him in such a posture as spoke him a person whom no danger could frighten Artaxus was both valiant and daring but besides that he was not absolutely recovered of his wounds and felt himself a little too weak to engage in a combat the great actions he had seen him do that day against the enemy that would have rescued Cleopatra made him look on that enterprize with some distrust and accordingly was not much displeased to see the stoutest of his men expose themselves before him to that danger Zenodorus followed by the rest of his companions and some of the Armenians animated by him whose Brother the valiant Prince had killed some daies before was the first that would venture to come on Megacles not able to divert this misfortune would not however have any hand in the crime and holding his armes acrosse at the other end of the ship did all that lay in his power to perswade to stay with him such of the Armenians as had most affection for him Aristus who was the first that offered at the King of Mauritania was also the first that paid for his confidence for having made a blow at the Prince and he putting it off with his buckler he received another from him by way of exchange which taking him in the throat cut off the passage of his respiration For the bloud issuing out of his wound in thick clots choaked him within a few minutes and after he had staggered some paces backwards spreading his arms asunder he fell down and breathed out his last at the King of Armenia's feet Had Cleopatra delighted in revenge and that a bloudy revenge here she might with no small pleasure have looked on this victime which the Prince sacrificed to her since it was this man that had seized her and carried her in his armes into the ship This sudden dispatching of Aristus did a little cool the courage of his companions but it withall animated them to revenge him and the King who had loved Aristus very dearly being extreamly grieved at his fall cryed out to his men to take heart and would have been in the head of them had he been in his absolute strength and if some of his own who would not have him to hazard his life had not stood in his way But this they did partly out of a desire to please him and the fear they were in at the sight of Coriolanus's dreadful sword and partly out of a certain repugnance they felt in themselves to put to death a valiant Prince who not long before had so generously hazarded his life for their safety Those that were the most forward to second Aristus met with a destiny not much different from his and he who was so violent to be revenged for his brothers death coming on a little too rashly lost his resentments with his life by a thrust which for want of arms found a way into his belly and which made him fall down into a rivulet of his own bloud The deaths of these two men made their companions more circumspect and more fearful of the length of Coriolanus's sword The valiant Prince looking on them with a certain contempt and frightning them the more by menacing gestures It is not so easie a matter said he to them as you conceived it to take away a mans life who knows how to defend it the advantage of number and arms does not alwaies bring victory with it and if I dy this day as it is possible I may by your hands if the gods have so disposed of me I hope I shall not dy unrevenged Having said these words to them he kept his former posture that is stood close to the ships side to avoid being set upon behind and warding off the blowes which were made at him with his buckler he looked like lightning on his enemies and when any one of them instigated either by shame or the cries of Artaxus grew more daring then his companions he neglected not either time or occasion to make him repent his forwardnesse and alwaies directed his sword so fortunately and with such force and execution that it ever proved either the messenger of death or some cruell wound At last Zenodorus to whom
had observed that her affections were absolutely devoted to him and that she had all aversion that could be for â—igranes he could not but raise his thoughts to a certain confidence that all the hindrance he might fear from that Rival would not be able to injure his Fortune The protection which Agrippa had put him in hopes of amounted to so much as to win him into a belief that Caesar would not any way oppose him and the constancy he had perceived in Elisa towards him though she were not naturally guilty of too much forwardnesse made him imagine that though all the world should be against him yet was his happinesse so surely grounded on the affection of his Princesse that nothing could shake it Amidst these imaginations wherein it might be said he placed a certain felicity his greatest disquiet was that he wanted the sight and presence of his Elisa for some few houres and the impatience he was in to see her again made him look on that one night and a peice of the next day as if it had been a year so triviall seemed to him the consideration of his rest in comparison of that of his Love But if his reflections troubled and interrupted his sleep that of the great Agrippa might be said to be subject to greater distraction For the passion he had for Elisa having already arrived to its full strength and being come to such a height as that all the force of his understanding and discourse was not able to oppose it the effects it had wrought in his soule were accordingly so violent that he could expect no other issue thereof but perpetuall and inevitable disquiet And though it had been meerly out of the consideration of his own vertue which would not suffer him to deny the doing of a good action when an opportunity offered it self to do it that he had protected Artaban against the armes and power of Tygranes and purely out of generosity had taken his part rather than that of the King of the Medes yet was it not in his power to forbear looking on him as his Rivall and that not as a Rivall out of favour and slighted as Tygranes was but as one much esteemed by Elisa and consequently as the only person that had been so fortunate as to engage her affections He had it seems that very day observed very evident demonstrations of the mutuall respects that passed between them And whereas on the other side the revolutions which had happened in the Kingdome of the Parthians and that of the Medes by the valour and conduct of Artaban were of such consequence as that they were knowne all over the world in like manner his inclinations for Elisa and the ingratitude of Phraates made no small noise among the Romanes and by that meanes was come to the eares of Agrippa so that when he looked on Artaban he must needs consider him as that person who of all men was the most likely and most able to crosse him in his love or rather as the only man that could ruine all his pretences This consideration made him sigh for very griefe and if his vertue had not been so great no question but he had repented him of the assistance he had given him but having withall a great and gallant soule and all his resentments conformable to the noble fame he had acquired he could not be troubled that he had done what he ought to have done and thought it sufficient onely to quarrell at the crossenesse of his Fortune without being guilty of a wish that should any way derogate from his vertue Nay he was not able to conceive any aversion for such a Rivall and those excellent qualities which might oblige him to fear Artaban were no lesse powerfull in obliging him to love him as representing to him that he might by the same means deserve the friendship of Agrippa as he had obtained the love of Elisa And yet all this hindered not but that he wished himself loved by Elisa and all the great vertue he was master of could not oppose in him a desire so naturall to those that Love nor prevaile with him to quit Elisa to Artaban though he were very much in her favour and not unworthy her affections He was satisfied that how earnest soever he might be to gain her love all his endeavours would prove ineffectuall and yet his passion exasperated by that kind of despair seemed to grow more and more powerfull and to seate it self in his soule with more empire and authority From this therefore he concluded that it was impossible for him to give over loving Elisa and thereupon resolved to do all that lay in his power to force her inclinations from Artabanâ— and to give a check to the favour she was pleased to afford him But in regard that all his thoughts were comformable to honour and generosity and out of a consideration that he could not without prejudice to both disturb a noble affection grounded on extraordinary Services and that between persons that had cast themselves under his protection in a place where he had all power in his own hands and where in all likelihood he could not make use of his authority without a certain kind of tyranny he sought but a meane to reconcile his Love to his Vertue and to manage the former without prejudice to the latter Upon these reflections he resolved to dispute the businesse fairly with Artaban without any advantage as to matter of power and to strive with him for the heart of Elisa by desert and services and not make use of his credit in the Empire or the authority of Caesar Being confirmed daily more and more in that resolution What injury said he do I do Artaban by being desirous to engage with him in a combat wherein all the advantage is of his side And what quarrell can be justly have against me when I shall with no other force than that of Love assault a heart already delivered up to his disposall and that a heart favourably prepossessed for him with all that may make him happy to my prejudice I am not engaged to him either upon any account of Friendship or obligation and therefore see no reason that should perswade me tamely to sit down in my own misery out of a fear of thwarting his happinesse There are few persons haply that have such a command of their inclinations as to confine themselves to those rules which I propose to my selfe and it is in Love rather than policy and to gain the possession of what a man most affects rather than to gain a kingdome that it is lawfull to employ all armes and to make use of all manner of forces And yet to avoid the reproach I might make to my selfe of having abused my Fortune against persons to whom it is contrary I will by no means make use of Augustus's favour or the power I have in the Empire but shall be content to be unhappy while I live
as the magnificent house of the Ptolomey's but that also where the unfortunate Anthony and the deplorable Cleopatra had lost their lives with the Empire not to mention thousands of other sad circumstances which at the same time pressed into their memory Cornelius had so ordered things that Olympia and Arsinoe Ariobarzanes and Philadelph as also Tigranes and Artaban were not lodged within the Palace because that had been reserved for the Emperour and the Empresse who were to come thither within two daies and how spacious soever it might be the Emperours retinue was so great that there would be but little lodging to spare for other persons But for the Princesse Cleopatra Cornelius thought it not fit to lodge her out of the Palace but had appointed her certain rooms within that which had been designed for Octavia And Candace either to leave the more room for the Empresse or that she could not be without the company of Elisa was upon the desires of that Princesse gone along with her and had left her lodgings void so that Cornelius finding none more convenient for the Princesse Cleopatra changed his former resolution and disposed of her into the place which before had been taken up by the Queen of Ethiopia When the two Princesses were alighted out of the Chariots they met at the bottom of the staires with Elisa Candace Olympia and Arsinoe with Ariobarzanes and Philadelph coming to meet them Agrippa immediately shewed Elisa and Candace to Cleopatra to whom he had spoken of them before in the Chariot and those two Princesses coming up close to her she saluted them with sentiments not much different from that admiration which they expressed at the sight of her divine beauty She knew Elisa to be sole heir to the Empire of the Parthians and looked on Candace as a Prince of the royal progeny of Ethiopia and accordingly made the return of civility to both which upon the sight of their countenances they might have chalenged from all the World and at the same time Artemisa saluted Olympia who knowing her to be Sister to Ariobarzanes was through a forwardnesse of affection come up to her Artemisa entertained with very much civility the effects of an affection whereof she yet knew not the cause But when after she had disengaged her self out of her embraces and received those of Candace and Elisa whom she first met in her way she was going towards Arsinoe who stretched out her arms with a cordial friendship to entertain her and at the same time cast her eie on her countenance as also on that of Ariobarzanes who stood close by her she was seized by such an astonishment that had it not been for Artaban who was not ignorant of the cause thereof and came forward purposely to hold her up she had fallen all along on the ground In the mean time Arsinoe kissed her and embraced her with much tendernesse yet was not able to bring her to her self nor make her apprehend that what she saw was real Whereupon Ariobarzanes after he had saluted Cleopatra whom Agrippa had acquainted with his name as also with that of Arsinoe taking Artemisa out of his Sisters hands after he had begged the pardon of those great Princesses to acquit himself of the civilities he ought his Sister saluted her at last with all the demonstrations of an affectionate friendship and perceiving that that Princesse astonished at the unexpectednesse of the interview could not be recovered out of her amazement What Sister said he to her will you not know Arsinoe and Ariobarzanes Artemisa with much ado coming at last to her self again and looking on them one after another for some time before she would venture to speak Alasse said she at length I very well see the countenances of Ariobarzanes and Arsinoe but I question whether I may trust my eies so far and I find it no smal difficulty to be satisfied whether they are their shades that present themselves to me after their death so wel known throughout all Asia or whether they appear really before me and without any illusion Assure your self Sister replyed at the same time Ariobarzanes and Arsinoe you see us really and you may embrace us without any fear since we are truely living and have not been dead but in the opinion of men Artaban who stood neer Artemisa gave her further satisfaction as to that truth acquainting her her in few words how they had both escaped shipwrack and when the Princesse was convinced and that the caresses of her brother and Sister had dispelled all her doubts she in the first place gave way to certain tears which a tender joy would needs adde to those which the death of Artaxus still forced out into her face And then instead of returning the caresses she had received from Ariobarzanes suitably to their ancient familiarity she cast her self on her knees before him and taking him by the hand and bathing it with her tears Since it is certain said she to him that you are Ariobarzanes alive and that I am now absolutely at your disposal be pleased to pardon the unfortunate Artemisa what too too justifiable a gratitude hath obliged her to do for the safety of Alexander she embraces your knees to obtain that favour at your hands and she hopes the gods have not restored you to life to raise in you a severe and an inexorable judge of my actions Ariobarzanes astonished at the deportment of Artemisa from whom he expected those caresses that spoke more familiarity raised her up with much ado and discovering how much he was surprised at it in all his looks Sister said he to her I apprehend not what you mean by this kind of behaviour towards me and besides that the crime you charge your self with deserves rather to be commended then blamed and that I should have done no lesse my self for the safety of Alexander it is to the King our Brother and not to me that this submission is due from you If it be due to my King replies Artemisa it is to my King that I make this submission and since I am the first of your Subjects that hath demanded any favour at your hands I am also the first that brings you the news that you are King of Armenia These words put Ariobarzanes to such a losse that he had not the power to make any present reply thereto and during the silence he kept by reason of the astonishment he was in Agrippa assuming the discourse acquainted him with the particulars of Artaxus his death as he had not long before understood them from Cleopatra and in the relation he made thereof he forgot not to insist very much upon this that his death was purely the effect of his own rage and exasperation and that his enemies had been so far from contributing any thing thereto that they endeavoured all they could to prevent it Artaxus haâ— no doubt been a very inhuman Prince one for whom it could not be expected
notwithstanding her palenesse she could observe the tracks of an admirable Beauty and a most amiable kind of Majesty And thereupon having entertained her embraces with abundance of affection Be pleased Madam said she to her to charge the faults you now find me guilty of upon my ignorance as conceaving that one who within these few minutes knew not whether Ariobarzanes and Arsinoe were in the World could not have learned whom they are obliged to for their lives nor understood the particular respects due from her to your self Olympia made answer to this discourse of Artemisa with a civility suitable to that of the other and the King of Armenia engaging himself in their conversation addressing himself not long after to Olympia and looking on her with eies full of love and a deportment which by reason of the present occasion of his sadnesse was somewhat more serious then ordinary Madam said he to her when I was so desirous of a Crown to present you with the gods are my witnesses that it was my hope I should have arrived to it by some other way then that whereby it is now fallen to me and that I should have chosen rather to passe away my life with a private fortune then aspired to the Throne by the death of the King my Brother But since it hath pleased those celestial powers whose decrees are irresistible so to dispose of me as that I am come to the possession of the Crown of my Ancestors give me leave to offer it to you as I would offer you that of the Universe were it in my power and be you pleased to receive it from your faithful Ariamenes as a thing of greater value then it is and yet as what he conceaves a thousand times lesse dear and lesse glorious then the chains he hath worn and shall wear for your sake to the last minute of his life Olympia entertained this discourse of Ariobarzanes with a deportment suitable to his that spoke it and looking on him with a countenance which in some measure discovered the present state of her thoughts My Lord said she to him I have looked on you with so much esteem even while you were without a Crown that that which you have now received can hardly adde any thing to what you were in my account before I receive it with all heartinesse and submission because that with the Crown I am confident you will bestow on me the Prince that is to wear it and without the person of Ariobarzanes I could easily contemn all the Crownes and Scepters of the Universe I cannot bestow Ariobarzanes upon you replied the Prince because he is yours ever since the day he ceased to be his own and consequently it is not in my power to make you that present but I might well offer you the crown because that it is within this houre that it came to my disposall and that till then I was not in a condition or capacity to make you any offer thereof and so I in some measure make your satisfaction for the injury I did you in depriving you almost of all hopes of a dignity which you could not have missed elsewhere and which you slighted for your Ariamenes He entertained her with a many other things that discovered the greatest kindnesse and sense of obligation that might be whereto the fair Princesse answered with the same generosity and their discourse might have continued yet some while on the same subject had it not been interrupted by Prince Philadelph And what shall become of me said he to Ariobarzanes shall I make no advantage of that influence which the change of your condition gives you over my fortunes And will you offer me nothing now that you can do all things after you had offered me so much when all my hopes consisted meerly in the good inclinations you had for me Assure your self replied the King of Armenia that one of the greatest advantages I shall hope to make of my new dignity is that I may be able to do you the civility I ought and though you have indeed but too great an interest already in Arsinoe yet if you have that distrust of her disposition that you imagine she stands in need of a Brothers consent to make her absolutely yours I should heartily with that consent part with the crown I have received could I think that present might contribute any thing to your satisfaction Philadelph received this discourse of the King of Armenia's with the markes of both a satisfaction and a resentment that were indeed extraordinary and immediately thereupon casting himself at the feet of his amiable Delia and notwithstanding her resistance kissing one of her fair hands with the ordinary sallies of his affection entertained her with abundance of discourse consonant to those demonstrations of Love which she had received from him in Cilicia Alexander was in the same termes with Artemisa and Ariobarzanes being also in the same humour with Olympia these six fortunate persons after so many stormes which a malicious fortune had raised against them finding themselves safely arrived at the so much wished for port celebrated their happinesse by all the obliging expressions which they might derive from such an excesse of joy But being mutually ignorant of the fortunes of those persons that were so dear to them and particularly Artemisa who knew nothing of that of Ariobarzanes and had not understood some part of those of Arsinoe and that there were a many particulars in that of Artemisa and Alexander that were unknown to Ariobarzanes and Arsinoe they would needs be informed one of another and thought fit to spend that day in the relations of their adventures To do this they would observe a certain order and Alexander and Artemisa being extreamly desirous to understand those of Ariobarzanes and Olympia they were accordingly the first satisfied with this provisoe that Alexander Arsinoe and Philadelph should afterward give them an account at large of what of their fortune was not as then come to their knowledge Artaban coming into the room while they were thus engaged and being very kindly entertained by all those illustrious persons that were present diverted them not from the resolution they had taken And being a person they might well trust with their concernments he hearkened not without much satisfaction to a many things whereof as having had an imperfect account of them before he was very much pleased with the relation and would needs sup with that noble company and spend his time in it till the houre assigned him by Candace In the mean time the Princesse Cleopatra stirred not out of her own chamber where she had with her Elisa and Candace and assoon as the Princes were departed the roome the two Princesses imagining not without reason that Cleopatra might stand in need of rest took their leaves of her and went to their own lodgings which were close by Cleopatra upon their importunity laid her self upon the bed and rested for an houre
passe he hath those Friends who will never have any thing of fortune to dispose of which they shall not divide with him and will disclaim all they can pretend to in the world if all be not common among them For his fatall resolutions we must endeavour to divert him from them and since that he is not far from this place hovering hereabouts in hopes to meet with Tiberius I am in some confidence that seeking him out diligently he may be met with That care ought to be mine and I accordingly take it upon me and in order to that designe I immediately take my leave of you with this protestation that I will never returne while I live till I have met with Coriolanus till I have obtained his pardon for the injuries I have done him till I have acquainted him what favourable apprehensions you have for him and have brought him to those termes wherein you would have him The fair daughter of Anthony being extreamly eased and comforted by these kind profâ—ers and expressions of Marcellus would have made him some reply when Queen Candace and Elisa came into the room and immediately after the Princesse Artemisa attended by Alexander Assoon as this company was come in Marcellus who was out of all patience to put the designe he had undertaken in execution withdrew without speaking ought to any one and so that the Princesse her self could not otherwise than by a cast of her countenance expresse how infinitely she thought her self obliged to him for those good intentions of his Though she had wiped her eies yet could she not hinder but that the three Princesses perceived she had been a-weeping and in regard they all had a very great affection for her and that Candace and Artemisa did not look on her otherwise than as an admirable Sister and the Princesse of the Parthians as a person whose incomparable perfections had powerfully forced her heart and inclinations towards her they discovered a certain emulation in expressing how much they were troubled for the grief she was in whereof they saw the markes very fresh in her countenance and with much precipitation would needs know the reason of it Cleopatra returned them many thanks for those kind demonstrations of their affection and after she had in few words expressed the resentments she had thereof turning to the Princesse Artemisa who was more particularly acquainted with the passages of her life than the other two and had sometime seen Coriolanus and pleaded very much on his behalf and conceiving she might safely tell her what it was that lay so heavy on her heart even before the two other Princesses whom she had not the least suspicion of and who were informed though somewhat more confusedly of the most important adventures had happened to her Ah Sister said she to her yet not without a little violence to keep in the teares that would otherwise have accompanied her words Ah Sister how much were you in the right when you maintained against me that Coriolanus was not inconstant and with how much reason did you take his part against an over-credulous person and one whom her imprudent credulity hath made guilty of irreparable miscarriages 'T is very certain Sister he is innocent and hath been cleared even by those that were the authors of the calumny raised against him All the crime and all the remorse doth now absolutely fall to my share and if you have made any discoveries of grief in my countenance it was the effect of those just regrets which I could not but conceive thereat Artemisa seemed to be very much moved at this discourse and made answer to the Princesse with very much earnestnesse But I pray Sister said she to her what certainty have you of the newes you tell me what stronger arguments can you have received of it than those you might have derived from the discourses and actions of Coriolanus himself and in a word what is it that hath so strangely convinced you of a thing whereof you would not before admit of any satisfaction Candace and Elisa who among other remarkeable adventures of Coriolanus had also heard of the pretended infidelity laid to his charge thought themselves concerned in his justification no lesse than Artemisa was and Alexander who had ever had a very great friendship for the person and abundance of respect for the vertue of that Prince seemed to be no lesse desirous to understand the truth of that businesse The faire Cleopatra thought it but justice to satisfie them all and perceiving there were onely those persons in the chamber she gave them a brief relation of all she had heard from Volusius insisting more particularly on those passages that were of greater consequence So that having by that discourse satisfied the noble company present of the innocency of Coriolanus they were all extreamly troubled to understand what a deplorable condition that Prince was reduced to and the sad resolutions he had taken thereupon The gods have the praise cries out the Princesse Artemisa for that they have been pleased to confirme a truth which I have ever maintained and whereof all vertuous persons were obliged to wish a perfect discovery I had ever observed in all the actions and words of that great Prince what remorse never permits in guilty Soules and I would have hazarded my life upon the confidence I had of his innocency The Queen of Ethiopia and the faire Elisa discovered for the vindicatâ—â—n of Coriolanus a joy and satisfaction not inferiour to that oâ— Artemisa though he was as to his person utterly unknown to Elisa and that Candace had not seen him but for some few minutes in the combat wherein he had fought with Artaban against the companions of the Pirate Zenodorus But Alexander was absolutely over-joyed as well out of a consideration of his Sister as that of a Prince whom he had ever infinitely esteemed and having understood from his Sister the designe which Marcellus was engaged in to find him out and so to divert him from his tragicall resolutions he proffered to go along with him and intreated Artemisa to give him leave to accompany Marcellus in so noble an enterprise Artemisa was content he should though she could not look on his departure without some regret so that Alexander immediately went out of the room with an intention to find out Marcellus and to joine endeavours with him to recover Coriolanus out of his despaire and to rescue that Prince out of the danger which he might fall into by coming too near so powerfull an enemy as Caesar was The three Princesses remaining still with Cleopatra endeavoured to perswade her out of a grief whereto she seemed to be inclined beyond all reason or moderation and to convince her that she ought â—o be more satisfied with her condition as it now stood then as iâ— was some daies before since that the cause of her most just anâ— sensible grief was taken away To which when she would represent to them how it troubled her to the very heart that she had treated with so much rigour a faithfull and innocent Prince and had brought him from a throne into which he had recovered himself to the wretched condition he then was in Candace assuming the discourse Madam said she to her the very regrett you discover for your harsh treatment of the King of Mauritania is no doubt reparation enough to him and there needs no more to satisfie him and all the world than to consider the apparences whereby you were deceived and which might indeed have deceived the most subtle and circumspect persons upon earth And for his condition in respect of Fortune which you seem to bewaile so much besides what you may promise your self from the Friendship which Marcellus hath for him I dare proffer you both in Ethiopia not onely sanctuary but absolute and soveraigne Authority For when the Prince whom you know shall once come to raigne there as I am much in hopes he will I am confident he will not think it much to divide with you the power he shall have there aud think it not impossible but that with the assistances of his men and person he may put Coriolanus into a condition to get once more into a throne which he had made a shift to recover without the helpes of his Friends Cleopatra made answer to this obliging discourse of Candace with the greatest acknowledgments that could be embracing her with the greatest affection imaginable And the Priâ—cesse of the Parthians who could not make her so absolute a proâ—â—er in the dominions of her Father till they were fallen under her power made a protestation to her that if ever it should please the gods that she had the soveraignty there she might assure her self of no lesse autority in her dominions than in those of Candace The incomparable daughter of Anthony was not without reason very much raised up and elevated by the discourse and proffers of those fair Princesses and they would thereupon have fallen into a long conversation if Agrippa had not come into the room after he had before sent in his desires of admission Being come in he told them that by a letter he had received from Caesar he understood that he would be the next day at Alexandria that all things were putting in order for his entertainment though he had not sent any notice that he expected a more then ordinary reception He told Elisa in particular that the King of Media was gone to meet him the day before and that he was just getting on horseback with the same intention attended by all the Roman Nobility that came along with him to Alexandria Whereupon hâ— took leave of them and particularly of Elisa by a passionate look as â—aving not in that company the opportunity of a more private conâ—ersation FINIS