and Nobility did live that the young Cyrus was educated Amongst us all private men do breed their children with as much care as if they were to be all Kings and are perswaded that to be men and to be virtuous are terms inseparable Cyrus coming out of a poor uncouth shepheards Cottage unto this most famous and learned Academy it was a wonder that nature should furnish him with as much prudence and wisedom as if he had been brought up here from his Cradle He had for his Tutors in vertue the wisest which could be cull'd out of the Old Doctors Active young men for the exercise of his body and a younger sort for his recreation which were well educated in all virtuous qualities Great care was had to prevent all sorts of vicious persons from coming about him lest they should chance to corrupt his own naturall sweet inclinations for they knew well that if the soul of a Prince who must rule over a People be once poysoned the people also will be infected though here he saw none but examples of goodnesse and vertue Moderation Liberality Justice Valour and all the vertues were so eminent in him and got him so much applause among the Persians that they extol'd him as a Childe sent from Heaven rather to instruct then be instructed by them But I fear Sir that I have already transgressed my limits and by consequence abused your Patience especially those Persians which hear me because perhaps they know these things better then I my self My Master lived in this Quality until his sixteenth year of Age And then Fortune began to offer him opportunities of discovering the greatnesse and generosity of his soul both in his words and Acts And to put in practice that greatnesse of spirit which his youth did promise you remember Sir how Harpagus was banished by the King of Medes for not exactly obeying his commands in putting to death this young Cyrus This exile had formerly been of great power in Medea being so in such favour with the King as he made him Governour in one of his greatest Provinces This man did endeavour to reconcile himself unto Astiages but all in vain he was in this discontent forced to travel from Court to Court to finde out protection and relief from those Princes which were enemies unto the King of Medes and being some certain daies disguised in Persipolis found out an opportunity to discover himself His habit was Persian he mingled himself among the multitude which waited upon the Prince to hunt and having the language of the Countrey passable enough he was not known to be a stranger Cyrus was lively and active at the sports and none are lesse tyred or more bold and forward at these sports then he either in following the Chase or assaulting the wilde Beast at a Bay He drew a bow threw a dart and used a sword admirable well he was alwaies victor in the publique games and bore away the prize but to return to Harpagus he did follow Cyrus very close at this great hunting whereof I spoke and waited upon him so near when the Prince followed a wilde bore so eagerly and fast through the thick of the Forrest lest he should lose sight of the bore as none of all the Persians was able to follow only Harpagus Cyrus overtook this wilde Beast bent his bow and shot an arrow through his heart After this Victory whereof Harpagus only was a witnesse he sat down and rested himself until some of his own servants came in upon a bank close by a little brook which ran across the Forrest in that place In all these chases it is the custome of the Countrey for Hunters to carry a Bow a Quiver a Sword and two Javelins This gallant young Hunter wore them all and his Buckler also for them also they use in hunting as well as wars Ys he was thus sitting Harpagus drew near him Cyrus who had not yet seen him took him for a Persian began to shew him the Prize and cried out I have killed him I have killed him but Harpagus kneeling upon the ground told him that he knew how he might obtain a more glorious victory then this The Prince thinking the man had discovered some greater Bore then this which he had killed rose up and asked him heartily whether he should go to get this victory Into the head of an Army of thirty thousand men answered Harpagus which I come to offer unto you so that if you please to accept of it you may make your self Lord of a Kingdom Cyrus astonished at his words lookt upon him more earnestly then before and supposing he had seen him formerly Who are you said he that make this gallant offer I cannot yet think my self worthy of it since my valour was never tried against any but Bear Bores Lions and Tigers I am Sir said he one that is sent by the gods to tender you a brave opportunity of getting immortall glory If all be true you say said Cyrus shew me the way I must take and let it be as difficult as it can be I will follow it with all alacrity I have already told you Sir said Harpagus you must repair unto the head of an Army of Thirty thousand men which wait for your commands and to conquer when you bid them It becomes not him to command replied Cyrus who hath not yet learnt how to obey it is far fitter I should be their Companion then their Generall But I pray you Noble Stranger whom I think I have seen before though not remember you tell me where this Army is and who they are also who is the Enemy and what the Kingdom you would have me conquer Sir answered Harpagus I am not at all unreasonable in my desires when I wish your assistance against a King who hath basely broken the Laws of humanity against a Prince who is both the Love and Wonder of all which know him A King I say who hath acted against Nature Reason and Justice who by an ill governed ambitious jealousie would against all humanity or conscience take away the life of such a Prince in whose behalf I now salute you It is in the Behalf of a hopefull young innocent Prince and against such an unnaturall unworthy King I desire to animate you It neerly concerns your own honour to condescend unto my desires Your desire answered Cyrus is too full of justice to be denied And not to keep me any longer from this Army which you desire I should repair unto Inform me who is this barbarous King and who is the injured Prince for I do much wonder since I have been so carefully informed of all the prime passages of the world I should not guesse at them both Sir then answered Harpagus you are the Prince which owes revenge Yes said Cyrus And by whom Noble Stranger can I be injured I who have hardly yet begun to live I who ever since I first breathed have been rockt in a Cradle
came to ask leave that they might rebuild the Temple my father commanded all the Inhabitants of Miletus to bring all the provisions of corn that were in the Town and to set them down in the publick place of sale where the Embassadours of Lidia were to pass which being done according to his command and the Embassadours making a report of what they had seen unto their Master they caused him absolutely to despair of ever overcoming my father and since they saw the Milesians themselves were able to make war with four Kings at once they offered them very advantageous and glorious conditions of peace Alliattes then caused two Temples in lieu of one to be rebuilt and afterwards recovering his health he became a very intimate friend of my fathers who since that pacification was a very quiet Possessor of his Dominions notwithstanding the several secret factions which he knew was amongst his Subjects for he was very constant bold and politick one that made every one to fear him and one who defeated all manner of conspiracies against him This being the state of things he lived a long time in great tranquility and Miletus was questionless one of the most magnificent Towns of all Cairo I was then about the age of thirteen or fourteen and a natural Son unto the Prince my father called Alexidesmus was some seventeen or eighteen years of age since he was the son of a Concubine whom my father did highly affect he loved him exceeding well and educated him with the same care he did me Since the Princess my mother died when I was very young and the Prince my father did enfranchise and marry that mother of Alexidesmus that illegitimate Prince had a powerful upholder which I was deprived of for that woman was of a witty and subtle spirit and one that was capable of any thing about the same time it was that the wise Thales so famous every where returned from his long voyage cut of Egypt where Solon was then Resident and he took so great affection unto me as I can well boast without any vanity that I am beholding unto his sapient precepts for that little vertue which I have had I made as good use of them as I ought doubtless I should not have been so unfortunate as I am for he always read so many lessons against love and against marriage unto me that had I followed his advice I should at least have prevented one part of my misery The principal rule which he taught for the order of life was never to do that thing which we would condemn in another But though he taught me the lesson over and over an hundred times yet did I not keep close unto his document for though I have often condemned others for suffering themselves to be so far captivated by beauty as to lose their tranquility I my self am so deeply plunged in the snares of love that I even lost my reason But since the miseries of my fortune did precede those of my love it is therefore fit I first tell you Sir that Melasia so was the mother of Alexidesmus called whom my father had married since the death of my mother did project a marriage for her Son with a Milesian Lady who was extream rich and of high quality This at the first seemed very strange unto the world for every one thought that I ought to be first thought upon But yet since the Prince my father did favour the designe none durst make the least murmur and Alexidesmus continued his address without any obstacle for though this Lady whose name was Leonia whose father was dead and she at the disposition of her mother had no fancie unto Alexidesmus yet she concealed it by the command of her mother and indeed if it be lawful to speak sincerely of a man who was the causer of all my misery Alexidesmus was far from amiable for he had the violent humours of my father but he wanted his wit his resolution and an hundred other good qualities which he was owner of on the contrary he was extreamly cholerick cruel ambitious weak and bold both together as for his person it was reasonable handsom and there was a great difference between his body and his mind yet since Melasia had the heart of the Prince her Husband at command he would not see the faults of her Son or at least seemed as if he knew them not for he was continually cherishing and flattering him up and made no distinction between me and him though I dare boldly affirm I was free from many vices which they winked at in him The mother of Leonia was Sister unto the Prince of Phoceus whose Son as I told you before my father killed at the last battel against the King of Lidia so that in her heart she hated our house yet notwithstanding the Prince of Phoceus being all ambition he sent heâ— word that if she could so contrive it that Alexidesmus should raign and I disinherited that then she should consent unto this match but otherwise not so much as to think upon it This Lady being ambitious as well as her Brother and holding a great correspondencie with Melasia did so cunningly break the business unto her that there was no question but to find a sutable compliance between two women of one and the same disposition both of then did quickly understand the desires of each other since the same ambition did enflame them so that no longer hiding the matter they plotted together how they might make Alexidesmus Raign and concluded to bring it about though at the rate of many crimes committed Whilest things were thus transacting the Prince my Father finished that good strong Cittadel in Miletus and I was continually busied either in my exercises or in the conversation of Thales or else diverting my self in such delights as were fit for a Prince of my age I carried my self with all civility to wards Melasia and Alexidesmus but I do ingeniously confess that my aversion to them both was so great that I had much ado to dissemble it All this while the marriage of Leonea went slowly on for since the Prince of Phoceus would see some appearance of his hopes before he would consent unto it his Sister whose name was Philodicea did cunningly protract it neither could he bring it about soone because they of Prienna being forced to declare War against Policrates Prince of Samos who would needs be King of the Sea and fight with all he met my father thought that is common policy he was bound to oppose this new Soveraignty since he had a good pretence unto it and set forth a great Nevy of Ships of which he was constrained to make me Admiral because he could not handsomely do otherwise since he would not go himself in person unto this War Not but that I was very young for such an employment being then but fifteen years of age but since my Lievtenant General was a man of great experience he
unto Families and not the Fathers and the Mother of Arpalice being exceeding rich declared by her testament that she should marry Menecrates adding that her intention was that he should have the greatest part of her estate if her daughter would not marry him It may very well be said that Arpalice was never Mistris of her self since she was engaged before she had either reason or discretion Menecrates was then four years of age and Arpalice seven when every one said unto them that they were destined to live together and that they were so fast nothing could ever part them but before I acquaint you how they lived together I must tell you what the manner of living is in our Town All the world knows that Licia in generall is a mountainous Country very craggy and uneven and very barren in many places therefore you may imagine perhaps that those who inhabit there will smell of the rudenesse of their Country But there being some land in Licia exceedingly fertile it may be said there are as gallant compleat men there as any is in the world Also the Metropolis of our Country which is called Patara is one of the most famous Towns in all Asia not onely for its beauty but also for the magnificent Temple of Apollo whose Oracle is so famous and many Strangers resort thither to consult with it Also many come out of curiosity to see that famed mountain of Chimera This Mountain I say whom the renowned Bellerophon rendered famous whose top is full of Lions middle of wild Goats and bottome Serpents so that many Strangers resorting unto Patara it is most pleasant living there Moreover though the Government of our Country be in the manner of a Republique yet a King of a Court may be seen there as well as in a Monarchicall state For there is a President of the Councell whose authority is so great that he wants onely the name of being Soveraign of all Licia So that all the Offices of State being in his dispose he is as much courted and as much honour done him as if he were absolute King So that their way of living is much more pleasant then in other Republiques where every one is divided into severall Factions and the contrary the authority of one man attracting together all the compleat Gallants of a State into one Town and after into one house this questionlesse makes society most agreeable and spirits more polite it being the source of all delights and gallantry And I can assure you we had the advantage to live in a time when there were more compleat men in Licia then of three ages before This is the place fair Doralisa where Arpalice was educated and lived all her time I shall not need to tell you what shee now is for it is apparent she is one of the greatest Beauties in the world You may see shee has been ever fair not like one of those beauties who make people beleeve they use enchantments and who after they have been ugly in their infancy become fair in six moneths yet Arpalice did not onely promise beauty in her most tender years but abundance of spirit a spirit so gallant so high so noble so passionate for liberty and such an enemy to all subjection and constraint that I have heard say a hundred times a pleasure commanded did lose the pleasure of it You may imagine therefore that nothing could fall out more opposite to her humour then to be engaged at seven years of age to marry Menecrates not but that he was exceedingly handsome but though he had been the handsomest man upon earth yet he would never have got the heart of Arpalice out of his reason also that she did not chuse him and truly I think another thing did much disunion the spirits of these two persons which was that Menecrates was of an imperious nature and an enemy to any thing that crossed his inclination so that it may be said that Arpalice loved liberty and Menecrates loved licentious-nesse But to return unto the beginning of their lives be pleased to know that Lycaste and her brother who were the Tutors of Arpalice and Parmenides did think themselves obliged to see the last will of Arpalices Father and mother executed so that they used all their endeavours to incline the heart of this young Lady to love Menecrates on the other side the friends of this pretended lover did so expresly command him to court his young mistrisse that being not at an age to disobey them he was continually with her at least at such times when he was not busied with his Tutors who taught him such things as one of his quality ought to learne and they saw one another so oft that it may be said they saw one another too often to love The three first years both of them being very young it was not observed that there was any stronge aversion in the heart of Arpalice towards Menecrates nor any great affection in the heart of Menecrates towards Arpalice But alwaies doing as their Parents bad them Menecrates send a thousand pritty knacks for tokens unto Arpalice which she received very civilly more for the love of the things then the sender if they danced or walked it was alwaies together and they never enjoyed any pleasures asunder yet this lasted not long for Menecrates being seaven years elder then Arpalice when he was eighteen she but eleaven so that having lost his Father he began to live after some mode and to use her like a child entred into the world with all the liberty of a young man of an impetuous spirit Yet his designe was to marry Arpalice to keep her in hand with some trivial tokens but in such a negligent manner that as young as she was she took notice of it and slighted him However be pleased to know that Menecrates having no mind to lose Arpalices estate contracted an intimate friendship with Parmenides for he concurring in age he loved the brother better then the sister Also there was a sympathy of humors between them but though he had screwed himself into his affection yet he did not neglect Arpalice Thus did he swim in all delights and pleasures and believed himself as some fort of men use to do who though they be married yet make a profession of Courtship and Gallantry When he was in any of his Gallantries either he would not come before Arpalices window or if he did it was so late that she should not see him if she were at any meeting he took her out to dance not above once or twice at the most and then would leave her to go and talke with some other whom his heart more liked All the advises of his mother and friends were in vain when they told him that Apalice had more wit then years that he did ill to use her so that he would move her unto an aversion which indeed he did for all his care was to please himselfe
began to reassume his first despair Afterward when he viewed the Tower and observed how the Sea and the Fire did wholly inviron it and that happily his Princess might be in it then he changed his apprehensions and gave order that those Troops which came to destroy the Town should now preserve it and help to extinguish the flames Artamenes being in no disposition to go back again sent Feraulas to take Command of his Men and to march speedily after him Coming neer the Town they found the Air very fiery hot and heard such hideous noise that none but Artamenes himself would enter the roaring of the Sea the rumbling of the Winde the flashing of the flames all these added to the horrid noise of whole houses tumbling which were shaken into heaps of earth the lamentable complaint of living and the cruel cryes of dying men all these dismal dinns which were answered by an Eccho from the Mountains did make a most mournfull and horrid harmony if I may call a sound so full of sad confusion a harmony But all this could not divert the intentions of Artemenes For he being now neer the Town and all his men drawn up in a body he addressed himself and spake unto them in these winning words Imagin my fellow Souldiers that it is I which is in that Tower that it is I my self who am at the very brink of perishing between fire and water and that it is I whom you come to save Or to express my self a little better Imagin a say that your King your Princess your wives your fathers and your children were all enclosed within this Tower and with Artamenes ready to perish let all these dear relations rowse up your spirits unto a gallant deportment you must my Companions do as never yet was done you must destroy your enemies and yet you must save them you must fight against them with one hand and save them with the other In summe you must attempt all manner of wayes to preserve that Princess who may be your Queen and deserves to be so of the whole world After this Chrisantes Araspes Aglatidas and Hidaspes who had each of them the Command of a thousand Men came unto Artamenes to receive their ultimate Orders Feraulas was admitted unto Councel who was no mean agent in the business who also had transacted for Intelligence within Sinope and unto whom Artucas had promised to deliver up a Port of the Town that same night Feraulas gave his vote that it were expedient to proceed in the very same manner as if the Town were not on fire and without any further Inquisition to march straight unto the Gate by Mars his Temple because said he if perchance this accident has not put the whole Town into a generall disorder we may perhaps find resistance at any other place it being alwayes a Custom upon such accidents to double their Guards least the fire should proceed from some design of their enemies whereas on the contrary if you proceed this way we are sure to finde no opposition for if Artucas and his Complices be not all consum'd in fire we shall certainly have their assistance and although they should be all perished yet we are certain to finde none in that place to obstruct our passage This advice was good and sounded all reason Afterwards it was put to the Question What Course was most Commodious whereby to gain the foot of the Tower Aglatidas observed the fire to cease on that side of the Gate because the Ships being sooner consumed then the houses it must therefore consequently follow that the fire must soonest cease there also therefore he conceived it the most convenient course to take the way of the Port because then they should have but one side to guard and because that also this way was the easiest to go unto the foot of the Tower Artamenes who thought each minute an age till he was there would contradict nothing least he should lose time he marched himself first and gave command through the Army to divulge it about the Town how he had no other design in coming thither but to preserve the Princess inducing the People thereby to refuse resistance and not impede his plot They all begin to march Feraulas guided Artemenes who was like the rest on foot unto the Gate by Mars his Temple and there they found him whom they sought for who was in such despair of Artamenes coming for this sad sight had much retarded him that he was careless whether he threw himself into the flames or lived any longer He no sooner spied them he long'd for but he caus'd the Gates immediatly to fly open The Guards at the place were very thin for maugre his commands most of his men ran away to see in what condition the fire had left their houses their wives their fathers and their children so that they found no great difficulty in becoming masters of that Guard yet they found enough to do in defending themselves from fire Artamenes in marching through the inflamed streets exposed himself unto extraordinary danger and was many times in hazard to being overwhelmed with falling fiery houses though the object was terrible to him when he was without the Town yet it seemed much more horrid when he was within they marched with Swords in their right hands and Bucklers in their left they had hotter service in preserving themselves from burning coals which continually tumbled upon their heads then from the Darts of their enemies Upon the unexpected arrivall of Artamenes all they who surviv'd within the Town did begin to double their lamentations and amazement Many of the Grandees who before were busie in quenching the fire of their own houses did quit that charitable office and endeavoured to muster into Arms to make some resistance but alas neither Arms nor Captains nor Souldiers nor any thing fit for opposition can be found in so confus'd a disorder In some places men were pulling down their own houses to preserve their neighbors others threw their Plate their Jewels and their richest things out at windowes in hopes thereby of saving something Mothers without any care of goods or houses or any thing might be seen running about the streets with hair burned off their heads and nothing left unless in either arm a Childe In short the sight was so sad and terrible that if Artamenes had not been so transported as he was with vehemency of passion doubtless he would have stopt his course to have succoured them so worthy were they of pity and so sensible was he of their misery Nevertheless he marched on the report of his Arrivall was every where divulged Aribees the Governour of Sinope who used his endeavours to prevent the fires catching hold of the Tower and who upon this occasion had rallied most of the men and Souldiers which surviv'd was at his wits end and involved into such anxieties of minde that he knew not whether was most expedient to fight Artamenes
of Artamenes his most glorious descent It will suffice to say his Name is Cyrus and derived from the illustrious Race of Persides This is enough to inform you that there is not one more Noble in the world Cyrus hath this advantage above others that he is Soveraign of a people if it befit a Persian to say it amongst whom Virtue is loved and vice abhorred with such disgust that it dares not appear unless under a cloak of Virtue Artamenes moreover for so I will call him yet has the glory to be subject unto a Prince and Princess whose Applauds fills the story of all Nations so that he derives nothing from them but what is most Noble and Heroicque Now since the History of the King of Medes does much conduce to the cleering of my relation I shall be forced to fetch far off a foundation to build the rest of my discourse upon Be pleased to remember how the Ancient Kings of Assiria became Lords of all higher Asia and how the wise and famous Deiocus Sonne of Phraortes did incite his Countrymen to rebell against their Tyrant Kings and after he had got the Soveraignty of the Medes into his own Power restor'd it into the hands of a Mede again You know Sir that this Great and Generous Prince was Lineally descended from the Ancient Kings of Medes and that it was he who ordained such excellent Laws who built the stately Town of Ecbatane and who reduced under his obedience all the state of his Ancestors which were the Brussians the Paratecenians the Struchatians the Arisentines and the Budiens After Deiocus who raigned fifty three years Phaortes his Sonne inherited the Crown and raigned so peaceably as if the Assirians had never usurped But being not content to sit quietly in the Throne of his Predecessors he began to make war against the Persian a People so rusted with more then a whole age of Peace that they finding themselves assaulted by a most Martiall People accustomed to conquer and to prevent the utter desolation of their Country complied with them and Peace was so concluded that the two Crowns of Persia and Media were inseperably interested so that as often as Phraortes should stand in need of their Assistance they were obliged to lend it Here Sir was the first Connexion of the Medes with the Persians I need not relate how Phraortes swel'd with ambition pronounced war against the King of Assiria who slept securely in a downy bed of Peace within his own Dominions Nor how after he had raigned two and twenty years and besieging the Town of Minos perished in the attempt Nor how after his death Ciaxares his Sonne the first of that Name among the Kings of Medes succeeded in the Kingdom nor how Fortune was sometimes a friend and sometimes a fo unto this Prince for I know you are not ignorant how in giving Battle to the Libians when he was at the very point of being victorious it became so accidentally dark upon a sudden that it was impossible for him to continue fight and finish his almost gotten victory You know also that in besieging the Town of Minos of which we spake before intending to revenge the death of his Father Phraortes who was killed before this Town and being at the very point of taking it Medeas King of the Scythians appeared with an Army of a hundred thousand men within shot of his Camp You know also how this King lost the Battle unto the Scythians and his Empire with it but got again into the Throne for this Invasion of the Scythians lasted not above eight and twenty years You know also that this Ciaxares not changing his Resentments with his fortunes revived the warre with the King of Assiria and at last became Master of the Town of Minos Then Sir you know how this first Ciaxares was Father unto Astiages whom he left a quiet Inheritor of his Dominions but as this Prince was born in a turbulent time so I beleeve that the restless spirit of the Father was transmigrated into the soul of the Sonne and imprinted such Melancholy thoughts in this Prince his Sonne as caused him to passe his life with much inquietude and was partly a cause of all those thwartings in Artamenes his fortunes He was married very young and in a manner doubtless extraordinary though out of my memory The Battle which the King his father lost unto Aliattes King of Lydia by reason of that obscurity which blinded both Armies was a cause of this marriage for after so strange an accident the King of Medes consulted with the Priests and Aliattes went unto the Temple of Diana at Ephesus which by reason of the Oracles there was grown in great repute These Princes were told by the Priests and by the Oracle of Diana that the Gods did express by this remarkable sign they were not pleased with the warre but that they ought to resolve upon termes of Peace The King of Sicily who was a mediator in the matter did so negotiate between them that the King of Lydia who had but one Daughter Sister of Craessus should marry her unto Astiages the Sonne of his enemy So you may collect by this that the marriage which was made up so soon after the warre of Lydia gave me some say cause to say that this Prince born when the Starres had such tumultuous influence received from them such troublesome Inclinations As for his Raign Sir because it is so late since it ended it would be superfluous to relate it Let it suffice to tell you how he knowing that none of his Predecessors ever since the Famous Deiocus had enjoyed their Kingdom in Peace therefore he alwayes stood upon his guard and feared some Revolt You know Sir that he had by the Queen his wife and sister of Craessus Ciaxares who now raigns and retains the invincible Artamenes prisoner You know also that he had one Daughter called Mandana an admirable Beauty of great virtue and wisdome That long since the Queen his wife died and with her all his affections to any other so that he would never marry more Since this losse all his thoughts are upon his young Sonne Ciaxares and his young fair Daughter Mandana endeavouring to keep himself peaceable within his own limits without any attempts upon his Neighbours And though he had the good fortune never to be in any considerable actuall warre yet he had to be in continuall preparations for it sometimes against his antient enemy the King of Assiria sometimes against his Allies and sometimes against his own Subjects yet for all these inquietudes which his perpetual turbulencies did procure him his Court held up the proudest head in all Asia For as you know the Medes were alwayes addicted to Magnificence and Pleasures Astiages especially who was most of all devoted unto all manner of Diversions of his Melancholy and pensive cogitations Ecbatane was the fittest seat for it of all places in the world This Prince therefore ever
out of the Temple so soon as the rest but stayed at her private Prayers after the King The People knowing her custom retired and left her at her devotion Artamenes did not so for he went not out as long as she stayed The young stranger was no forwarder to go out then he but stood alwayes before Mandana The Sacrificer with whom my Master had discoursed three days since found him out among the presse and being willing to do him any favour as a stranger who travelled out of Curiosity and as a man whose deportment and converse had much pleased him he came unto him and told him in a low voice that if he would have a little patience he might hear the Princess speak as she went out of the Temple for said he I have a Petition unto her Artamenes being much ravished with this happy accident thanked him very civilly for his kinde offer and prepared himself for this happinesse which he did not so soon expect The young stranger over-hearing this pressed after very boldly The Princess being ready to depart as she was at the gate of the Temple the Sacrificer went unto her my Master following him and the young stranger following both The Priest did most humbly beseech her that she would be pleased to mediate unto the King her Father that during these ensuing wars he would have a care for the preservation of the Temples For Madam said he the gods are the gods of all Nations Cappadocia hath Altars as well as the King of Pont and as victory inclines unto one side enemies must not be taught how to commit Sacrilege nor by example of others draw upon themselvs the anger of incensed gods The Princess conceiving his desire just did thank the Priest and assured him she would have a particular care that no disorder in the Temples should be used as heretofore had been in the war between the Scythians in Medea and Assiria And that she would move her father to it in the best manner she could But Grave Thiamis said she to him for that was his Name Be you sure to pray unto the gods for Peace which is the best way to preserve your Temples for my part I shall not be at rest as long as the war lasts and I confess that I prefer a peace before a victory Therefore pray uncessantly unto the gods that they would be pleased to change the heart of the King of Pont and that they would direct the heart of the King my Father to preferre the safety of his Subjects in generall before his particular glory After these words the Princess went away and left Artamenes in a wonder at her beauty and wisedom For though she had spoken little yet he found much purity of expression much spirit much complacence and goodnesse in the sense of her words In short Sir the state of Artamenes was incurable and though I had been able to have eased him yet he would not hear me But when we were returned to the Town and I had considered the matter more seriously I found no such great danger in it as at the first I did apprehend for who knows thought I whether it be not the pleasure of the gods by this innocent way in spight of all the prudence of Astiages and all his fears to bring Artamenes unto the Persian Crown and to make him Lord of all Asia Can it be imagined that the Divine Powers who never act against reason have foreshewed all these prodigious portents unto the Magi concerning Cyrus in vain Did they not expose him to the danger of being devoured by Lions and Tigers yet did they not miraculously save him Have they not most divinely accomplished him Have they not infused great thoughts and inclinations into him and Have they not conducted him through several Nations without a stop Did they not preserve him from the danger of that cruel combat with the Pirate Did they not bring him by Tempest amidst his enemies and landed him at Sinope Did they not bring him in the nick of time to be a Spectator when a sacrifice of thanks was offering for his death Have not the gods cast him into love of her who offered it Have they done all these wonderful things I say to destroy him no no It is impossible Had not the gods destin'd him unto some greater Fortune they would have suffered him to perish by Tygers and wilde beasts in the house of Mithridates or have let him perish at Sea or kil'd him in some civil combat or else this Port on which we were blown might have been a Rock Moreover I conceived it impossible that Artamenes should ever be taken for Cyrus because the Cappadocians do seldome or never come into Persia I remember that the last time Ciaxares sent thither his Embassadour was a Medean and I know when he returned he came not to this Court but went unto Ecbatan so that of all the places in the world which I can think of this Court seems to be least dangerous for him I cannot imagine which way Astiages can come to know that Artamenes is Cyrus or if he should it may well be thought he would not treat that Prince ill who is in Arms for the interest of Ciaxares his son neither can it be thought that Ciaxares will so much dishonour himself as to be so full of fears as his father Whereas if he were in any other Court or if he should be discovered in that other Court then Astiages would suppose him to be cajolling and inciting his enemies against him and would contrive all possible waies to destroy him As long as Astiages lives Cyrus cannot be more safe then in the Cappadocian Army since the beginning of his Travels he is more changed then can be credited so that it will be very difficult for those who saw him at Ecbatan to know him again or for those who saw him since in Persia for then he was very young and very little 'T is true Feraulas and I who lived in some considerable rank at Persipolis may chance come to be known But we can easily put it off by saying that we changed Masters after the shipwrack of Cyrus Besides all this may not Fortune be trusted with any thing Moreover who knows but that Love is the only necessary Passion whereby to attain unto glory Ambition in so young a heart as his cannot retain its violent and harsh desires so long as to adde victory unto victory yet since the Genius of this age is so much devoted unto pleasures there is not a more delectable humour in the world to make the most rugged and difficult things seem feasible and easie then Love Moreover since Artamenes is so amiable and extraordinary handsome who knows but the Princess may love him as well as he loves her And it may be certainly concluded that since he is hated unknown he will never be loved if he were known to be Cyrus These reasons Sir moved me to give some
the King of Saces Father of Prince Mazares who has suffered shipwrack where I dare say of my self that in a little time I got some honour But after his wars were ended and peace was established throughout all Asia I was compelled after two years spent among the Saceans and in my Travels to return unto Ecbatan which as you know is one of the goodliest most magnificent and most delightfull places in the world I arrived there some few daies after Astiages received news of the death of young Cyrus son to the King of Persia and the Princess his daughter Then I know you have been Sir so long in Cappadocia as you cannot be ignorant of all the passages in Medea of the menaces of the gods of the fears and frights of Astiages and of the joy which he conceived for that security which all Asia hoped for by the death of that Prince who as men say did promise mighty matters unto the world I came then to the Court in a time of great jollity and feasting and there I staid a while with all delight imaginable The King never hunted but I was with him There was never any meeting of Ladies but I was sure to be there I wore rich clothes and recreated my self in the pleasant walks And as you know there is not a more delightful place upon Earth then the Kings Palace and Gardens at Ecbatan so there was not one day which did not afford me fresh delights The King was pleased to take more notice of me then I deserved I got the love of all the young Gallants in the Court and if I durst say it there was none of the Ladies which did hate me for as my design was generall to please all so it had been a hard matter to have displeased any one in particular Thus did I enjoy my youth and liberty with abundance of satisfaction Whenas Artambaces who as perhaps you know had heretofore been in love with the Queen of Persia before she was married unto Cambises Father of Cyrus of whom I speak and who going from the Court upon that occasion was afterwards married in the Province of Arisantine unto the daughter of a great Prince in that Countrey and who went away from Ecbatan and carried with him his only daughter about fifteen years of age whom he loved extreamly and who doubtless did deserve as much It chanced so at that time being glutted with variety of pleasures and weary of the tumultuous court I took Horse being waited upon by only one servant to go and enjoy my solitude at a fair House which my Father had some thirty miles from Ecbatan I departed very melancholy and lumpish not knowing any cause for it at all my design being only to recreate my self in viewing the Pictures Statues Gardens Grotts and Fountains about my Fathers House that thereby I might make my conversation more pleasant at my return to the Town But alas Sir little did I think what would hap unto me in this Voyage I have often wondred since at the pains which I took to captivate my self and how I found out a way which lead me into such a Labyrinth of trouble as hath disquieted all my life When I came into a great high way a hundred paces of the Castle I saw a chariot overturn'd which was quite broken in peeces the magnificence of it did tell me that it belonged unto some person of quality but since there was no Grooms about this Chariot of whom I could enquire I went on being come unto the first Gate of the Castle the Porter who opened the Gate told me that Artambaces whose Name and Quality I knew very well coming from the Countrey to Ecbatan had the misfortune to break one of his Chariots and seeing he could travell no further that day desired to stay there that night whilest his Chariot was repaired The Porter told no more then that Artambaces was there but mentioned not a word of Hermanista his wife or Amestris his daughter So after I had given order for the best entertainment possible I went straight into the Garden where I was told he was But Sir I was much amazed when crossing a Quarter in the Garden I saw in a green Arbour the fairest Lady that ever eye did look upon and whom I did not know at all for Amestris had never been at Court This beauty was no less surpris'd to see me then I to meet her in that place For she thinking there had been none in the house but Servants she little expected there one of my Garb It was very hot and she had none with her but one of her women she had pulled off her Cypress wherein she used to cover her fair neck and being bare armed she lay negligently upon a bed of green grass her head lying upon the knees of that woman which was with her I no sooner saw her but I stopt and as soon as ever she perceived me she started up and put on her Cypress we both did blush at the passage but certainly it was out of different apprehensions modesty causing that in her which Love did in me For Sir the first minute of this fatal view was the first minute of my Passion yet notwithstanding all my unparallel'd astonishment and wonder I saluted the adored Amestris with much devotion and beginning discourse Madam said I to let her know who I was I did not think to finde such fair and pleasing company in my Fathers House and if I had known that such an one as you had been in the Arbour the reverence I owe unto such as you seem to be though I think there is not such another in the world would have taught me better manners then to disturb your rest Sir answered she it belongs to me to desire pardon for interrupting the pleasure of your solitude which it seems you came to take in this pleasant place But Sir said she in beginning to walk on It is my Fathers part to make excuses for the freedom which he took upon him to lodge with you to night since an unexpected peece of luck did force him to it Seeing then that her design was to conduct me to her Father I presented her my hand and easily observed by this first address that she had a desire to make me know who she was for there appeared in all her actions so much gallantry spirit and modesty as I saw she was Mistress of as much Soul as Beauty Madam said I conducting her and answering unto what she said it is a great happiness to be interrupted by such an one as you and I think there is no reasonable man who would not for such a blessedness not only quit his solitude but the Court also with all its magnificence and pleasures I alwaies lookt for Flattery said she smiling out of Ecbatan and perhaps I shall well enough defend my self against it here but I do confess unto you that I do fear it a little here where I did
not think to be assaulted When you came into the Arbor where I was I was commending unto my woman whom you saw with me the innocency of these woods and the honest simplicity of our Countrey but for ought I see the dominion of Flattery extends it self further then I imagined since there is no safety for humility and modesty within thirty miles of Ecbatan If you should Madam replied I forbid all those praises which without doubt the Court will pay you then certainly you must forbid your own knowledge and be ignorant that you are the fairest beauty in the world By this time we were approached so near Artambaces and Hermanista his wife as in lieu of her answer she told him who I was and obliged me as was fit to present my Complement unto them they made many excuses for the freedom which they had taken I professed that my Father was much obliged unto them for it and that for my own particular I took it for an infinite honour they answered me with the like civility and their conversation stood too much upon Ceremony so dangerous it is to stay long in the Countrey from the Court After this they began to commend the hansomeness of the Gardens and Fountains And Amestris did like the beauty of the place so well that she could not beleeve Ecbatan had any place could please her better although she heard many wonderfull reports of it Artambaces enquired concerning Court-news and was satisfied in a hundred things whereof he was ignorant before because they happened since his departure I had the happiness to finde a great disposition in Artambaces and Hermanistra to affect me As for Amestris I was well satisfied to finde some hopes that she woule not hate me And since she was of an excellent judgement knowing there was much difference between the Court and the Countrey-Tone she would speak but little and with much moderation being resolved to reserve her self until such time as Ecbatan had a little glossed her before she would suffer her charming soul to shine And it was a secret which many who come out of the Countrey unto the Court may make good use of if they desire to get esteem there for their manners customes and fashions are so contrary that let these new comers do what they can they will run into many absurdities if they talk much and the more they expose themselves the more they become ridiculous Amestris therefore kept her first conversation very reserved but yet it was impossible to hide those rare qualities wherewith she was adorned During one day and a half that Artambaces staied at my Fathers house I gazed so long upon the splendour of Amestris Beauty as I was dazled I wondred at the cleanness of her accent the sweetness of her expression with what a naturall eloquence she spoke I admired also at the solidity of her judgement the gallantry of her spirit the quickness of her wit the complacence of her humour and the charms of her discretion in reserving her self During the time that these welcome guests were there I studied all the diversions I could devise to entertain them I carried them to hunt in a Park which was behinde the Garden I led them into all the shady Walks in the heat of the day where what with the Singing of the Birds the noise of the Fountains the curiosity of the flowry Borders the Statues and Pictures in the Galleries and my converse I gave some satisfaction to these illustrious persons who assured me they thought themselves welcome After then Sir I had treated them with all the magnificence I could possible they resolved to depart but it was not in my power to stay there any longer though I came with intentions to stay seven or eight daies I told Artambaces I would be his guide and go to blaze the apparition of that bright Star unto the Court pointing at Amestris she blusht at the phrase and replied without pride or affectation The Chariot being put into order we parted I took Horse and kept continually on that side where Amestris did sit and all the way I did as I did the first minute I saw her to wit look upon her and adore her with so much delight and satisfaction as I thought it impossible there should be so many vexations in Love was talked of My eyes my heart my thoughts my soul and all was upon Amestris But all this while I found my self so tranquil and so pleasingly contented that I beleeved this kinde of Love which I bore unto this excellent beauty was no other then such as men use to have unto all beautifull objects I did finde that I had nothing else in any admiration and as I know that I had never seen any thing so beautifull so I wondred not at any thing else I did infinitely joy to see her to have the honour to be near her and hear her speak Thus did we pass on the time and the way from my Fathers house until we came at Ecbatan During which intervall I acquainted Amestris with all the delights and diversions of the Court She asked what Ladies had the Empire in matter of beauty and who were esteemed the best wits And a hundred such Questions as these which Artambaces or Hermanista or Amestris do put unto me She knew the Court before she came there at last we arrived at Ecbatan and went unto the ancient Palace of Artambaces which is one of the fairest there I suppose Sir that you do well remember how this famous Town hath seven wals one within another that the battlements for distinguishment are all of severall heights And to make the object more magnificent unto the eye of those who behold them they are painted all with severall colours those of the sirst were white those of the second height black those of the third red the fourth blue the fifth orange the sixth silvered and the seventh gilt And Sir be pleased to know that within the circuit of this last wall was the Palace of the King of Medes ever since the famous Deiocus did build these proud wals and within the circuit of that wall next it were the Palaces of those persons which were of the highest quality The Palace of Artambaces was between the wall with golden battlement and that with silver and as chance would have it my Fathers joyned unto it As we were arrived at the gate of Artambaces Palace there we found a great number of his ancient friends who there expected him so that I could not present my hand unto my adored Amestris to conduct her unto her chamber because that great number of men which were there stept in before and presented themselves unto Hermanista and her Untill now Sir my soul was all joy and love that dangerous Serpent was lurked so close under those pleasing flowers that I did not discover its sting But from the first minute of my thoughts to part from Amestris and to take my leave of
them in truth I cannot think they could have set so slight a value upon my words neither do I think I can pardon them I do beleeve Madam replied Martesia that there is some hidden cause in the businesse which is not understood and which perhaps would justifie them if you knew it for certainly they are men of souls and high judgement and men also who much reverence you But they have afforded me very ill testimonies of it replied the Princesse very sharply and I intend to let them see I am sensible of the injuries But you are also sensible of their good deeds and being so what will become of all their brave services replied Martesia But Martesia I would fain know said the Princesse to her what I ought to think of the boldnesse of Artamenes and Philidaspes and know which of them was the first Assaulter The event of the Combate tells me that Artamenes had the better of it but nothing tells me which of them was most culpable I think Madam replied Martesia who was alone with her in her closet that both of them may without in justice be blamed for did you not entreat them both to love one another Yes replied the Princesse but though neither of them can be innocent yet it is probable they are not both of them equally culpable and that is it which I would precisely know not but that I think Artamenes is lesse in fault And why Madam do you think so answered Martesia since you have no more proofs for the one then the other I know not replied the Princesse but I do more suspect the hastie violent humour of Philidaspes has failed in his respects unto me sooner then the wise temper of Artamenes moreover added she the victory which Artamenes got over him is an infallible mark of the justnesse of his cause Indeed said she blushing though I cannot tell for what reasons yet I cannot chuse but wish Artamenes be found lesse culpable then Philidaspes and I should be very glad that a man who has so much obliged should give me no cause of complaint It is very true answered Martesia that Artamenes is a man incomparable and one whose merits does doubtlesse deserve a higher esteem then any other But Madam added she what should be the reason that a man of such extraordinary vertues should conceal his Quality and place of birth It is to be beleeved said the Princesse blushing that his Quality is equall to his carriage for if it were not he would never conceal it But said Martesia what brought him to this Court and why stays he here for I hear say he never asked any thing of the King Never any thing answered the Princesse but onely leave to fight against enemies yet said she his services have not been small nor all his actions meanly glorious and here this great Princesse began to repeat what my Master had done in the first Battell when he preserved the King her fathers life out of the hands of his enemies who had inviron'd him with danger The prodigious advantages that he got above all others The wonderfull Combat wherein he remained the only Conquerer of two hundred enemies How he erected a glorious Trophe The Combat which he had with Artanus The taking of Cerasia The Battles that he won against the King of Pontus The remarkable Arms which he wore to make himself better known unto those who conspired against his life The poor simple Arms which he made choise of to conceal himself from those who had order to spare his life His generous behaviour unto those valiant souldiers which would not yeeld their Bucklers and of his rendring them their money again And also all his other Gallantries which she remembred as freshly and precisely as if they were done but yesterday and yet after all these said she to Martesia there appears not the least Ambition in his minde and I neither know what brought him hither what he stayes for nor what he aims at not but that the King my father would do very much for him but upon the whole matter his services are infinitely above all recompences and this is the reason Martesia why I wish him more innocent then Philidaspes And although Philidaspes be a man of a high soul and excellent spirit also in divers occasions hath done good service yet there is a great difference between them The turbulent humour of Philidaspes does not please me moreover I think him more Ambitious and fuller of self ends then Artamenes After this manner Sir was the first discourse of him Mean while as the king did pardon these two illustrious Offenders the Princess would not make her resentments of them to appear so that she sent to know how they did Philidaspes was a long time very ill and his life in some doubt but my Masters wounds were never in any danger and within three weeks after the fight he presented himself unto the King and Princesse to thank the first for his grace towards him and the second for interceding in his behalf She was then in her closet and none but her women with her so that as Artamenes did addresse himself to give her thanks and acknowledge the favour Think not said she to him though I did beg your pardon that I my self in particular did consent unto it no Artamenes said she in a more imperious Tone It is onely the King hath pardoned you but Mandana is yet displeased If to die at your feet answered Artamenes would give you that satisfaction I am most ready to do it But Madam what 's the crime I have committed How can that man who does reverence you with as much devotion as he does the Gods possibly offend you Pray tell me then said she to him whether it was not a neglect in your duty to slight my request as you did when I desired you to live peaceably with Philidaspes But Madam said he you also desired Philidaspes to live peaceably with Artamenes 'T is true said she and I intend not to justifie him by accusing of you I would onely know which of you is more or lesse culpable then the other Indeed I know not that my self replied Artamenes and changing colour the ground of our quarrell is so dubious that we did not explain it one to another nor perhaps ever shall Did you know one another demanded the Princesse before you came hither No Madam answered Artamenes our acquaintance and our aversion began together at this Court and almost at the very same minute But Madam it befits not me to ask what moved you to desire that I should love Philidaspes It is the duty of Artamenes onely to ask pardon for not obeying you As I seldom use to make unjust requests replied she so I am not used to be denied and I did not think that Artamenes and Philidaspes would have been the first My Master seeing the Princesse angry was most extreamly sensible of it Ah Madam said he to her if I
between him and me And Philadicea who saw that her daughter would be most unhappy in the person of her husband yet her ambition was her comfort and she continually pressed Melasia to move the Prince unto a Declaration in behalf of Alexidesmus telling her that it was easily done and that there did need no more but to publish unto the world that she was his first legitimate wife and that the Princess my Mother was never so and so by consequence Alexidesmus being the elder it was his Right to Raign and also to tell the Prince my Father that it was expedient to see it setled so whilest he lived Melasia promised she would and indeed did move my Father unto it but he would never give her a direct answer so that her spirit being exasperated she consulted with Anthemius The Prince of Phocius also came again to Milete to consult afresh with the said Anthemius and Melasia and the result of the Councels was to poyson my Father during my absence and cause Alexidesmus to be proclaimed Soveraign The Prince of Phocius said further that he made no question but I had many friends yet since I was not in the Town they would not be over violent in my behalf and to prevent the worst he said he would cause a good strong party to enter into Milete secretly Anthemius wished it otherwise because he desired to introduce Liberty upon the death of the Prince yet he durst not openly oppose it lest he should render himself suspected and discover the plot which he hatched in his heart The wise Thales though very busie at his study yet had intelligence that some plot or other was in agitation so that hearing of a Ship which the Prince my Father sent with Ammunition he writ a short Letter unto me wherein he intimated that my presence was very necessary at Milete but since he could not imagine at what end the pernitious plots of Melasia Philodicea the prince of Phocius and Anthemius did aym he writ no more unto me hoping that I would come time enough to disperse all factions In the mean while the four persons did almost all of them transact by several principles for the prince of Phocius did principally aym at revange Melasia and Philodicea sought to satisfie their ambition and Anthemius aimed at the Liberty of his Country But Sir why should I trouble you thus long with the miseries of my house To be short therefore let me tell you that Melasia poysoned my Father and published a Declaration by which Alexidesmus was acknowledged for his Successor The prince of Phocius was in Milete with a commanding power Anthemius acknowledged Alexidesmus for his Prince and after his example others also Those friends I had in Town would have taken up Arms the people in general murmured but the party of Anthemius and Phocius had the sword in their hands and were the stronger When I arrived at Milete they would not permit me entrance and since my Navy had been much weather-beaten I was in the most pitiful condition that ever was Prince But sending about two hour after to know the reason Alexidesmus sent me a counterfeit Declaration which he had forged in my Fathers name and as soon as it was dark the wise Thales did let me understand the truth of all things by a fisher-man who came by water So that in one day I heard of my Fathers death the loss of my Dominion the Treason of my Brother and Revolt of my Subjects and all this without any power to help it My Ships were much torn I was not in a condition to attempt any thing having not men enough to attempt any thing against Milete either by Sea or Land nor knew I well how to get away from the Town considering the disorder which this affront had infused into my Fleet. The wise Thales did further send me his advice and conjored me not to ruine my Country for my own private Interest but to stay until time my friends the debanchedness of Alexidesmus and the Gods did revenge my quarrel and re-establish me in my Dominions for without all doubt the Gods were so just as they would in fit time punish my enemies and recompence my vertue if I were so patient as to make good use of my misfortune When I first received this advice I did much wonder at it and I confess it was something difficult to follow it so follow it so that it was necessity rather then choyce which made me follow his counsel However the Sea being very serene although my Ships were in a very bad condition yet I endeavored to put in at one of the next Islands and there to accommodate my self yet did secretly send a Declaration into Milete by which I let all my Subjects know that the pretended Declaration of the Prince my Father was forged and that Alexidesmus was not only a Rebel and an Usurper but that Melasia his Mother poysoned her husband purposely to make her son to raign Since this Crime was horrid in the highest degree every one would not believe it but imagined that it was only my politique scandal to render them the more odious But since misfortunes seldom come alone I was no sooner in the open Sea but a tempestuous storm began to sise and within two hours all my Fleet was dispersed The angry Billows wafted some of my Ships into the very Port of Milete dashed others against the Rocks and split them some sunk into the bottomless Abyss and I only with three Ships remained strugling with the wind and waves I thought a hundred times that it was impossible but I must needs perish and I did as often render thanks unto the Gods that I was not to survive my misfortunes But against my wish it was my fate to live and after a whole day and nights most dismal Tempest I was cast upon the Isle of Chios where I landed and was permitted only to reaccommodate my Ships for since those Islanders did know of the Alteration in Milete they were afraid that if they should harbor me long in their Ports then the Mileteans might have a pretence of War against them And thus Sir I found the proverb true That those find the fewest places of retreat who stand most in need of them and unfortunate men seldom find sanctuaries from those who are not so themselves It was in vain to stay in hopes that any of my Ships would return for whether they all perished or were driven by the Tempest far off or forsook me and returned to Milete I know not but I am sure I never heard any news of them Two only of those three which remained were fit to sail and the third was no sooner ready but I resolved for Lestos to try whether that friendship which I had contracted with Tisander son unto sage Pittacus Prince of Mitibines would entertain me in spite of my misfortunes This generous Friend recive me with abundance of kindness and induced the Prince his
all the joyes and miseries of your life as I have acquainted you with mine Indeed I did consent answered she that Pherenice should acquaint you and therefore your curiosity shall be satisfied without reviving such things in my memory as I wish I could quite eradicate Why then said Cyrus and addressed himself to the Princess Araminta do you not urge the promise Sir replied she till now I have not had the opportunity for it was but this morning at our return from the Temple that the Queen did make this promise Then it is fit I should absent my self replied Cyrus lest I should hinder you from what you desire for indeed I dare not presume to ask the favour not but that I have a great desire to hear the passion of the illustrious Abradates discoursed of that I might compare his with my own but I know the duty which I owe unto a great Princess and therefore will not be too pressing to know her secrets Truly Sir replied Panthea with a modest smile I am not very free in imparting them yet I am most willing you should know the whole story of my life and it does in some sort concern me that you be acquainted with that innocent passion which yet possesseth the heart of Abradates and my own therefore when you have any hours of leisure Sir she who was appointed to satisfie the curiosity of the Princess Araminta shall satisfie yours also Methinks Madam replied that Princess that without the expence of any more time in talk of things indifferent it could not be better imployed then in satisfying the desires of the illustrious Cyrus and my self Since it is my resolution to do any thing which shall please you answered Panthea you may imploy the time as you please provided I be not present Then the Princess Araminta rising up said that she would carry Cyrus into her Chamber who without any further opposition presented his hand to conduct her thither Panthea did blush as much at their salutes as if some crime which she had committed were going to be related But considering seriously it would be advantageous unto her that Cyrus were better acquainted with the vertue of Abradates she sent her woman who was to relate the story of her life with the Princess Araminta she was one of good quality and wit and who had alwayes been a confident of her secrets In the mean while Cleonice and Ismeni stayed with Panthea unto whom Araspes and Ligdamis after they had accompanied Cyrus to the Chamber of Araminta returned Araminta being conducted by this Prince and followed by Pherenice and Hesionida she was no sooner in her Chamber but desiring Cyrus to sit down and placing Pherenice over against her she desired her to begin the story and not to conceal from them the least thought of Panthea and Abradates After Pherenice had in a complement desired pardon unto her deficiency to make such a relation she began thus The History of ABRADATES and of PANTHEA THe honor which I have had to be educated with the Queen of Susiana and the happiness which I have had to be ever loved of her enables me with any difficulty to let you know all the particulars of her life the beginning of which was much freer from disasterous adventures then was the sequel I shall not need Madam to speak of her high birth for you know that the Prince of Clasomena her father was of an extraction so illustrious that the bloud of Croessus was not more The Princess her mother was also descended from a great house but she lost her so young that she cannot remember she ever saw her 't is true that this Princess was educated by one that was Sister unto the Prince her father and lived with him under whom she was as well educated as she could hope to be under the Princess her mother Baselina for so was the sister unto the Prince of Clasomena called was a Lady of a high spirit and great vertue who since she had lost her Husband when she was very young would never marry again She had been fair and Courtly and though she was as compleat in all vertue as any Lady of her Quality was capable of yet was she not of the too too austere Sect She would say that one must be young once in their life and it was much better to be of a young disposition at fifteen then at fifty so that the Prince her brother wholly referring the education of his daughter unto her she allowed her an honest freedome without any rigid hand of severity over her which course did produce in her a more early and riper wit then others of her age were accustomed to have so that at twelve years of age the Princess of Clasomena did behave her self with as much discretion and judgment as if she had been compleatly twenty As for her beauty I need not enter into any Elogies of it since you may very well conclude what it was by what it is yet let me say thus much that her beauty did at the very first appear and she was most admirably fair from her very Cradle her disposition though something serious yet was ever complaysant and sweet so that joyning a perfect goodness unto one of the purest wits upon earth and unto one of the greatest beauties of all Lidia it may easily be imagined that the Princess of Clasomena did attract the admiration of all the world Some glimps of her beauty and wit did sparkle throughout all the Town for in her passage from infancy to the age of reason indulgent cares to please her made all the women amiable and the men compleat Being both handsom and free she was adored by all that came neer her and all those also who heard of those rare qualities wherewith she was adorned so that the fame of this Princess did in a very short time spread over all those Provinces which bordered upon that over which her Father was Soveraign Cleonice whom you see here may easily induce you to imagine that she was not amiable only in Clasomena for the truth is all strangers stayed there with abundance of delight and did confess there was not so much wit and politness to be found in any Town of all Asia as in that Residence in Clasomena became more delightful a little while after Cleonice went to dwell at Ephesus because then many strangers of great quality came thither and stayed a long while amongst which some were most compleat men who made society most dilectable and took away from Clasomena that defect which was found in all the Provinces and petty Courts there which was that every day none but the same faces were to be seen One thing did sometimes much perplex the Princess Baselina which was that there was not one man in all the principality of her brother who was a fit match for her Neice so that all those who saw her were such as durst only admire her or at the least durst
him yet by no means would she receive them but pressed him still to tell her how he got so much riches and asking him further how after this he could return to be a Shepheard Give me leave said he unto her to begin my answer where you ended and to tell you that I am a Shepheard because you are a Shepheardesse and when you leave being so I will then cast away my Crook and for all the rest said he seeing mee coming towards them you may know them from the mouth of Miris As I heard these last words I asked Timareta after I had saluted her what it was I should tell her and she telling me I made a relation of our voyage but since I was to acquaint Timareta with the valour of Sesostris he would needs impose silence upon me but seeing he could not he rose up and went to Edisea who was coming towards us so I made an exact relation of all his acts how great a reputation he had gotten under the name of Psammetites and which way he came by the medall but whilst I related all these things I perceived such joy in the eyes of Timareta as plainly appeared Sesostris was not a little in her favour In the mean time Sir what assurances soever Edisea gave this amorous Shepheard that Amenophis had changed his mind and promised at parting that at his returne he would give him full satisfaction yet he had a mistrust in all these faire words and if Timareta had not been as wise as faire Sesostris had certainly carried her away out of the Isle before the returne of Amenophis but she was so angry at the very first motion of it that he never durst think of it afterwards for she continued three whole daies and would not speak unto him though he courted her with all imaginable plausibility yet after a thousand petitions for a pardon and as many promises to submitt totally unto her will Sesostris made his peace and resolved according to the orders of this fair Shepheardesse to rest quiet untill the return of Amenophis so that after this reconcilement wherein I was a mediator they lived together without the lest jarre unlesse only such as are essentiall redintegrations of love as are every day both in and out a hundred times yet was their tranquillity much molested by the death of Edisea who being gone Timareta had no reasonable conversation but in the company of Sesostris Traseas doubtlesse was a man of much spirit and was much civilized by the long communication of Amenophis Nicetis his wife was also a little more sociable by the company of Edisea but for all that they were nothing suitable to the youth and aire of Timareta and therefore having no other agreeable company she was the more joyed in that of Sesostris yet ever with much reservednesse making it appeare that she would give her selfe no more liberty then Edisea her governesse would were she living yet this reservednesse had nothing in it but modesty without any rigour or severity so that after all teares were dried up for the death of Edisea Sesostris was without any inquietudes but to see Amenophis returned not and because he thought the longer his absence was the more was his happinesse deferred But Sir his longing expectations of Amenophis were all in vaine for he was faln into a desperate Adventure For be pleased to know Sir that as he was going to the places where all the Officers of that faction which he had raised were covered he was so unfortunate as in going through the Town of Nea which is in the Province of Thebes and where there was a sedition raised that Amenophis and his servant chanced to be in the midst of this Tumult against their wills In the mean time as ill lucke was one of the principall men of the Town was hurt and was so near Amenophis and his servant that they with many others were taken as authors of this sedition the party of the hurt man prevailing against the other Thus was Amenophis and his servant a long while prisoners for being strangers they had no support Amenophis not daring to make use of any his friends in Thebes since those who were masters of this Town were for Amasis So than he was forced to trust onely unto his innocency But those who were reall Criminals and were taken with him they had kindred and friends in the Town they were released and the innocent more closly kept in their Prison Yet could they not proceed unto judgement against them because they would first see of him who prosecuted against them being in his bed it was long before they could be certain whether he would mend or end live or die so that the punishment being to be more or lesse rigorous according to the event Amenophis and his servant were kept Prisoners not being able or daring if they could to apply themselves unto any Amenophis was extream grieved at one thing for he found that he had lost Ladices letter to Amasis in the Tumult by meanes of which he hoped hereafter to make Sesostris and Timareta known and which he would needs carry with him both because he would by it justifie himself unto his friends and because he would not trust it any where but where he was himself But whilst he was in this pittiful Condition the Nile did swell afterwards returned again within its ordinary bankes as alwaies it used towards Winter Heracleon drawing his Forces out of the winter Garrisons did suppresse those which revolted and almost quite defeated them so that they were forced all to retreat into Thebes Yet Heracleon could not besiege them but contented himself with being Master of the field and have by this action obtained greater favour with the King This happy successe perswading Amasis that his best course to keep the People in their obedience was to shew himself in all his Provinces and to Perambulate all his Kingdom he began to go from Town to Town to win their spirits and to imprint a new Respect And that his voyage might seeme onely a Progresse of Peace the King would have all his Court with him at last Sir he came to Elephantine and hee was no sooner there but the imperfection and weaknesse of his eyes did so augment that hee thought he should have quite lost his sight but that which did most affright him was a terrible apparition which he then saw I am confident it was rather one of those mysterious dreams which sometimes foretells men of future accident then a reall apparition however it it was Amasis said that when he awaked one night an hour before day he saw or at least thought he saw a gloomy light by the help of which he perceived the Ghost of Apriez and distinctly saw the wounds he received when he was most barbarously massacred The body was all bloody and disfigured but the great amazementâ— of all was to see following the dead King the Princesse Ladice in a great
Timaretta Cyrus and Doralisa who after some short preamble to excuse his imperfections in the Narration of his history he began it most elegantly in Greek which all his Auditors did understand admirably well Palmis and Cyrus desiring him to address his Speech unto Timaretta The History of ELISA THough I know very well Madam that persons of your Quality are ignorant of nothing which passeth in the Courts of Kings who most remote from their own yet I may in reason think that an African Princess will take some pleasure in hearing exactly related the manners and customs of one of the most considerable Kingdoms in all Asia Also since the History which I am to relate cannot be very well understood before I give you an Idea of our Court and the manners used I conceive it better first to make a general description of it before I come unto the particular persons vvhereof it is composed and vvho are interested in the adventure which I am to relate I must therefore tell you Madam hovv that since the Phenicians vvere almost the first people of Asia vvho exposed themselves unto long Voyages at Sea and established the greatest Commerce amongst his Meighbour Nations they abounded in riches much more then others and consequently it may be very rightly said that their delights their luxury their voluptuousness and their magnificence vvere more abundant amongst them then any other people not but that this State hath been shrevvdly shaken several times One vvhile by the commotion vvhich the Phenicâ—ans made concerning the Daughter of the King of Argas Another time by the Rebellion vvhich those of Crete made at Tire concerning the King of Phenicia's Daughter Sometimes by the division of Pigmation and Did 〈…〉 and by the flight of that Princess And another time by the general Rebellion of all the Phenician Pesants who intirely subverted the Government But at the last maugre all these revolutions of Fortune this Kingdom hath of late recovered its first splendor and the Cities of Tire and Sidon which may both of them be termed the Metropolitans of this Estate are certainly two of the goodliest most magnificent and richest Towns in the World either in respect of their scituations or the beauty of their buildings or their great traffique in Purples wherewith they cloath the Kings of the earth and are an ornament of the World Moreover as there is nothing which contributes more unto the perfection of Arts then Riches nor which more readily attracts all strangers who have any excellencies then abundance It may very well be said that one might find all Greece in Phenicia since certainly there were the Workmen of all those famous Towns So that by this means the buildings in Tire and Sidon were not only most stately but most regularly built the Painters there were good the Ingravers excellent and the Musique comparably charming unto the Lidian The Ladies were not only fair but they were also stately ingenuous and apt in every thing they attempted to learn there being not one Woman amongst the Phenician people who did not excel in some work or other either for the ornaments of Women of high quality or for the use of the Temple As for the Court there I may well say and not say too much that it is the most compleat in the World The lives they lead are doubtless most pleasant especially because Merits there before Birth are promoted to the highest Ranks The converse of Ladies is there allowed but yet in such a Medium of liberty as is equally void both of two much ceremony or any incivility Dancings Walkings and Musique are the ordinary recreations of that Court Discourse is the chief business of all those who have any Spirits and especially of Ladies unto whom there is daily resort and who are the dispensors of the glory and reputation of all compleat men for whosoever hath not the approbation of four or five Ladies can never hope to pretend unto any universal esteem As for the men it may be said there are of all sorts And indeed there are some men of great quality whose merits are infinitely above their quality And there are also some who have nothing to boast of but their quality There are some whose glory consists in the magnificence of their Train and richness of their cloaths And there are others whose glory is only in their own virtues And doubtless there are another sort of men of an insupportable vain-glory But to speak generally there is a kind of such a Spirit of Politeness that raigns in the Court as renders it most delightful and which produceth an incredible number of most compleat men and that which makes them so is because the men of Quality in Phenicia scorn to be ignorant in all sorts of Sciences and are not as in some other Courts where they imagine that if a man know how to use a Sword may be allowed to be ignorant in all things else But on the contrary there 's not a man of any condition in our Court who is not able to judg of the rarest works or at least who does not strive to honour himself by honouring those who are more knowing then himself This Madam was the condition of our Court when that most admired Lady of whom I am to discourse came into the World and this is that same which it is at this day It requisite I tell you Madam before I begin to speak of this most excellent person that the late King of Phenicia who hath a great part in the beginning of this History was a Prince who merited the name of a great Conquerour making himself most eminent upon a hundred several occasions and having purchased the reputation of extraordinary valour but being born under a more amorous constellation then ever any of his condition was It may very well be said that he joyed more in the Conquests of his Love then he did in those of Mars He had an universal civility unto all of that Sex which made him generally loved And his Spirit being infused unto all the Courtiers every man under his Raign had all Ladies in a high esteem and Veneration Also I assure you the Gods could never have sent this person into the world of whom I am to speak in an age disposed to adore her Beauty admire her Spirit and reverence her Virtue as in this Now Madam I shall tell you that this incomparable Lady whose name was Elisa is of a very Noble Family and hath this advantage to be born in great abundance of wealth for her Father whose name was Straton was extream rich This man was of Spirit enough but it was a Spirit of ambition and for the world He was of a hot and lively temper who loved all manner of pleasures and who was never content unless his house were filled with all the Grandure of the Court he kept an open and plentiful Table his house was the Rendezvouz of pleasures either in Walkings Musiques or
face that is imaginable It cannot be sayd her face is ovall or that it is round but such a just proportion of parts as both those kind of faces can give unto an exact beauty Her mouth was the handsomest that ever eye beheld for it was not onely well made and her lips were not only that lovely Carnation which animates beauty but it had an unexpressible Charm which would perswade you though you looked only upon that part that she must of necessity be eloquent and that she had abundance of wit there being such a kind of little Dimples at the corners of her mouth and such a kind of sprighly smiling and melancholy together which alwayes appeared and forced every one to beleive what she sayd But Madam now I have made an imperfect description of Cleonisbe's Stature Mine Complexion Hair Face and Mouth how shall I describe her Eyes yet since I am engaged to describe them as well as I can I must tell you that they are black great sparkling and sweet indeed they are so sprightly quick so wonderous modest and so sweetly passionate that they inspire love in the very hearts of all Beholders Moreover they are not such Eyes as use to a certain tumultuous stirring in them as will not suffer one to judge of them because they are continually changing Objects But on the contrary though they be very quick and lively and though she have most penetrating looks with them yet are they all sweetness and tranquility Whatsoever she looks upon she looks upon it applicatively and without abandoning her extream modesty which is inseparable from all her Actions she never casts her Eyes off those who speak unto her and by consequence doth suffer one to look and admire those million of Charms which are in them for indeed there appeares in them a miscellany of Wit Spirit Love Languishing Modesty Passion Vivacity Virtue Goodness Mirth Melancholy Beauty and Charms So that Madam if you joyn such Eyes as I have described unto all the rest of her Superlative Excellencies which I have related unto such a buxom Plumpness as usually is in youth you may easily beleive that people who had three daies of tempest together seen the Image of death about them were pleasingly ravished to see the admired Cleonisbe on the Deck of her Bark I cannot think that those of the Isle of Cyprus who saw Venus in that Magnificent Shell which was both her Cradle and her Ship did more admire her then we Cleonisbe She was that day dressed after the African mode to wit her hair half loose part wherof was brayded with Ribbons of lively Colours behind her head her Gown which was of Carnation and white was of a very pleasing Fashion and Gallant which without hiding the Comliness of her stature was very Majesticall The Claspes of this Gown was Lockets of Diamonds all before and likewise about her shoulders Her Sleeves were half turned up and shewed the hair hands and armes of the wearer as well as her Neck about which was a rich Carcanet of Diamonds covered with a thin Tiffany To add somthing more of Gallantry unto this little Maritine Triumph Round about the Tent in which Cleonisbe was were set green boughs whose Odor reached us before we came unto the Bark there might be seen a thousand branches of Orange Trees full of Flowres mingled with branches of Myrrh Jessemine and such as making a Canopy over Cleonisbie's head did perfume the Ayre This miscellany of Leaves of Flowers of Diamonds and other rich Ornaments did make a most admirable and pleasing Object In the mean time though we were very attentive in beholding Cleonisbe yet we observed that there was many handsom Ladies with her and among the men there was one who seemed to be of high quality both by his port and by his habit and also by the Carriage of Cleonisbe towards him I beseech you Madam pardon me for being so tedious in relating how Cleonisbe appeared unto me the first time I saw her I wil now acquaint you with Passages in the Bark of Cleonisbe and tell you that the Cock-boat going before us as soon as it came neer enough for the Prince of Phoceus to see and be seen he saluted her with all possible Reverence After which Hipomenes carrying him into the Bark he carryed him unto this Princess who received him with much Civility You see here Madam sayd he unto her in Greek an unfortunate Prince who gives you hearty thanks for keeping all the people of a great City from perishing For I am most confident that it is your presence which calmed the incensed Waves and caused the storms to cease which would have ruin'd us And Madam after my thanks for saving the lives of so many miserable Souls and innocent Persons I beseech you out of your goodness preserve them by obtaining from the King your Father an entrance into his Ports for our weather-beaten Ships that he would be pleased to lend an Eare unto the cause of our Exile unto a relation of our miseries that he would afford us some comfort in our extremities and fulfill the promises of a great goddesse Sir replyed Cleonisbe I am so glad to find an occasion of helping the miserable especially such unfortunates as your selfe that I have much ado to say I am sorry for your diasters since they give me a fit occasion of doing you a good office and of letting you know that our Nation is not so barbarous as it is believed to be In the mean time since I understand by Hipomenes that there are Ladies in your Ship I bseech you let us go and take them into my Barque since a place wherein they were like to have perished cannot be pleasing unto them And when we have taken them in you may send orders unto your Fleet to shelter themselves amongst these Islands untill I have presented you unto the King my Father and obtained your desires from him for let me tell you Sir once more that I do hold it so glorious to do all the good that one is able as I am confident that I shall be more joyed in protecting you then my Protection can be profitable to you Oh Madam replyed the Prince of Phoceus and looked upon her with admiration is it possible to find such a person as your selfe in the remotest parts of the Earth Can fame be so injurious as not to make you known unto Greece and maugre the huge Sea which separates make you adored Those who taught me the Grecian Language replyed she and smiled did also teach me that Credite is not alway to be given unto the flatteries of your Nation and therefore waving your Commendations I will heare no more of them from a man who questionless is most knowing in all things since he is of that Country where the ignorance that reigns in ours is banished After this Cleonisbe seeing the Prince of Phoceus his ship was neer she commanded her Barque to meet and entreated that
lament him I have done it my self Madam replied Cyrus and have extreamly pittied the sad destiny of so great a Prince and I thank the Gods with all my heart that though he hath been my Rival and my Enemy yet that you Madam cannot charge me with his death And I assure you Madam that if I could revive him though with the same Love unto the Princess Mandana yet I should joyfully do it to cease your sorrows and stop your tears But Madam said he being forced by the violence of his love Why did you not bring the Princess Mandana with you That I might have been obliged unto the Prince Intaphernes and the Prince Atergatis for delivering her as I am for setting you at liberty Alas Sir replied she I need not answer this question but after I have commended your generosity in lamenting the death of your Enemy I must tell you that the Princess Mandana is now guarded with so much exactness that there is no delivering her but by the overthrow of Thomiris yet she is waited upon with much respect and she knows so well how to make her Ravishers fear her that the Prince Ariantes trembles as oft as he comes neer her and speaks unto her as humbly as if she were not in his power But Sir pursued she the news of taking the Fort of Sauromates hath extreamly amazed the Queen of Massagettes and if the Prince Ariantes had not been wounded it had been ere now besieged but that Prince being unable to act by reason of his wounds I believe the design is deferred for some certain daies After this Sir I must needs maugre my sorrow tell you of the Prince Intaphernes and the Prince Atergatis their generosity who knowing that those who conducted me were carrying me unto Arsamones a mortal Enemy unto the King my Brother did fight them and brought me unto you Sir When you know them well replied Cyrus you will finde that you are more obliged unto them then you imagine for as you are a Debtor unto them for your liberty so are you unto the Prince Atergatis for the liberty of Spitridates When one hath done no more then what was their duty to be done replied that Prince there is no obligations owing and by the same reason added Intaphernes I do declare that since I have done no more then what I ought to have done I cannot pretend unto any right of obligation However it be said Cyrus you will give us leave to think what we please But Madam added he I can stay no longer before I tell you that we expect the Prince Spitridates his being here very shortly Do you know Sir replied Araminta and both blush'd and sigh'd where that unfortunate Prince is I do not directly know in what place he is Madam replied Cyrus I know he will arrive here ere long and that he was at a Port in Cholcides when the Prince Tigranes did write unto the Princess Onesile and so I know he will ere long have the happiness of seeing you After this Sir Cyrus asked Intaphernes and Atergatis in what place they met this Princess And after they answered that they found her as she was passing over the river he asked Araminta whether the two Princesses which Arsamones gave as Hostages unto Thomiris were come or no To which she answered as she had before Intaphernes and Atergatis that they arrived the day before she came away and that she was extreamly sorry she could not obtain so much leave as to see the Princess of Bythinia whom she had long loved After this Cyrus told her that though the unfortunate King her Brother had only left her the Title of a Queen yet he would treat her as Queen in possession of those two Kingdoms which he had lost For Madam said he unto her I know that the Prince Spitridates will restore them to you and I am sure he will never enjoy the usurpation of Arsamones but as soon as he comes here will treat you as Queen of Pontus though his Father possess the Kingdom And Madam if it be the pleasure of fortune that I shall deliver Mandana Arsamones shall render Justice unto such as it is due unto Araminta charmed with the civility of Cyrus did answer him with as much generosity and spirit and with as much sorrow as generosity After which Cyrus ordered that she should be waited upon unto a stately Tent and to stay there until Boats were ready to convey her unto the Town where Onesile was where she might be more conveniently and safe At the first though Araminta did infinitely esteem that Princess yet when it was proposed to be with her she could hardly consent unto it because she was Sister in Law unto Phraartes but Cyrus satisfying her that this Princess did highly condemn the violence of Phraartes and that Tigranes was a dear friend unto Spitridates and a great Enemy unto his Brother for carrying her away she was well contented to be with her Also she seeing but two wayes to chuse either to stay in an Army or to stay with a most virtuous Princess she quickly resolved with her self and was conducted by Chrisantes unto her the day following Cyrus first sending to acquaint Onesile with the King of Pontus his death and with the death of Phraartes also with the arrival of Araminta to the end she might know how she ought to receive her The meeting of these two Princesses was very tender and they spoke so excellently unto each other as it was most evident they had both of them as much judgment as spirit and as much virtue as judgment In the mean time the Bridg being repaired and Cyrus being ready to go out of his Tent he resolved to pass over with all possible speed all such provisions as were requisite during his march and to disencamp as soon as they were over giving several orders for a continual supply of subsistance for his Army So that being to depart within two daies he resolved to imploy one of them upon a Visit unto the Queen of Pontus and to bid adieu unto the Princess of Armenia Since Cyrus loved the company of Anacharsis very well he obliged him unto this visit with him So that Cyrus setting out betimes in the morning accompanied with that renowned Scithean Indatherses Araspes Ligdamis Aglatidas Menesiphiles and Chersias it was early when he arrived Since Araminta was in mourning and moreover since he would treat her as a Queen he went first unto her and afterwards unto the Princess Onesile But he took no notice at his entrance that Anacharsis did not follow him but stayed at the bottom of the stairs with a stranger 'T is true as soon as he was in Araminta's Chamber he missed him and asked for him But Chersias telling him that he stayed with a man who seemed to have much business with him he went on with his visit and did ingage himself so deep in talk of Mandana with Araminta that he forgot Anacharsis
such a one is merry as many men do for certainly there are a thousand petty observations to be made which make a great difference in tempers which seem not opposite yet that it is which makes the resemblance true For as all women who have great gray and sweet eyes do not resemble one another so there are a million of persons of whom the same things may also be said which yet do not resemble one another neither in their minds nor faces and therefore as I sayd before it is requisite to have the art of putting a difference between the melanchollick and the serious and between the diverting and the merry when one will draw such a picture as requires neither pensills nor colours I perceive by what you say replyed Onesile that when you have shewed us the picture of Sapho I shall know her better than I do my self Though I have the advantage to know that admirable Lady replyed Cyrus yet I am confident that you will know her better by Democides than I do To spend no time in commending the painter who must draw this fine peice said Spitridates I beseech you oblige him to begin his work Araminta seconding Spitridates Democedes began his relation addressing his speech unto the Queen of Pontus THE HISTORY OF SAPHO SINCE it is very naturall for every one to commend such things in which themselves have interests I think Madam it will plead my excuse if in commending the admirable Sapho I also commend her country because it is my own and if in observing unto you all the advantages of her birth I tell you that she was born in one of the most delectable places in the world The very truth is Madam The Isle of Lesbos is both so pleasant and so fertile as the Egean sea hath none comparable unto it This Isle is bigg enough in some places to make one think it is joyned to the Continent but it is none of those which are so mountanous as they seem to be only a huge masse of rocks in the midst of the sea Nor is it like some of those which having no rising ground in them seem alwayes exposed unto fury of the waves which inviron them But on the contrary the Isle of Lesbos can boast of all the varieties which any great kingdome joyned to the continent can produce For towards the East it hath mountains and great woods and towards the West meadows and pleasant plaines The aire there is pure and healthy the goodness of the ground produceth plenty commerce is great and free and the Continent so neer towards Phrygia that in two houres one may when they please see a forraigne Court Moreover Mytilene the Metropolis is so excellently well built and hath two such goodly ports that strangers admire them and find much delight in staying there This Madam is the place of Sapho's birth The wise Pittacus is the Prince of it and attracts an infinite number of accomplished men He had a son called Tysander a man the most rarely qualified in the world and who did contribute much to the pleasure of the place yet since it is long since he dyed I shall speak no more of him though he was one of Saphoes Adorers Now Madam after I have acquainted you with the place of her birth I will say somthing of her quality she was the daughter of a man of note called Scamandogenes of so noble a race that no family in Mytilene could shew a longer or more unquestionable pedegree Sapho again had the advantage to be the daughter unto a Father and Mother who were persons of great spirits and virtue but she was so unfortunate as to loose them so soon as she received from them only her first inclinations unto goodness for she was but six years of age when they dyed t is true they left her under the tuition of a Cousin who had all requisite qualities for the education of a young person and they left her an estate much below her ment yet enough not to stand in need unto any nay more to appear very decent and handsomely in the woâ—ld Yet she had a brother called Charaxes who was left very rich For Scamandrogines when he dyed divided his Estate very inequally and left much more unto his sonne then his daughter though to say truth he did not deserve it and though she deserved a Crown Indeed Madam I do not thinke all Greece ever had a person so comparable unto Sapho yet I shall not now relate unto you any passages of her infancy for she was so very little while a Child that at twelve years of age she was spoken of as a person whose beauty spirit and judgment were already â—pe and made all the world to wonder only thus much let mee tell you that never was in any found inclinations more noble nor a greater aptnesse to learn any thing she desired to know However though Sapho was charming even from her very Cradle yet I will draw you the picture of her person and mind only as she is at this present to the end you may the better know her Give me leave to tell you then Madam that though you here speak of Sapho as the most charming person of all Greece yet you must not imagine her to be one of those in whom Envâ—e cannot finde a fault But yet you must know that though she be none of those which I speak of yet she is able to inspire greater passions then the greatest beauty of the Earth And thouâ—h she sayes she is very low when she would detract from her selfe yet she is of a reasonable stature but so noble and so well made as possibly can be desired As for her Complexion it is none of the highest Lustre yet so well as none can say but that she is very faire But her eyes are so unexpressably lovely so fine so sweet so quâ—ck so amorous and so sprightly as the lustre of them strikes to the very heart of those she looks upon The truth is they sparkle like fire and yet have such a passionate sweetnesse as shews that Vivacity and Languer are not things incompatible in the eyes of Sapho That which made their greatest lustre was that there never was a greater opposition then was between the black and white of her eyes and yet this great opposition did not cause any harshnesse to appeare in them but there was such an amorous kind of spirit which did sweeten them in such a charming manner as I do not believe there was ever any person whose looks were more dreadfull Moreover she had many things which are seldome found together For her physiognomic was both subtle and modest and yet she had a kind of gâ—andure and haughtinesse in her Garbe and Aire Her face was ovall her mouth little and redd an â—her hands so admirable as if they were made to take hearts oâ— if you knew how dearly she loved the Muses you would say they were worthy to gather