exceed ordinary formalities to find out some way to comfort me Upon this account having one day taken me alone consulting my own pensive thoughts and walking along a row of Trees which as a kind of Hedge parted two Walks he would needs discover his mind to me and observing on my countenance the track of certain tears which I had shed not long before What Lentulus said he to me are you resolv'd ever to live at this distance with the best of your Friends and never to gratifie either their intreaties or the grief they take at your change with the least compliance It is replyed I one of the most cruel effects of my unhappiness to communicate it to my Friends as if it were not sufficient I should be miserable alone but the persons that of all the world I wish most happiness to must be within the lash of my miseries These words fell from me with an action so dolefull that Cicero was extreamly mov'd thereat and in that condition not able to keep in any longer what till then he had out of some consideration of civility concealed Lentulus said he to me the condition I see you in troubles me so much that I cannot be any longer stav'd off by ordinary consideration since they are contrary to the intentions I have to ease you if it lies in my power nay though I should run the hazard of being thought by you an indiscreet and rash person yet can I not forbear acquainting you with my thoughts and charging you with a groundless obstinacy in suffering me to be so much a stranger to yours at a time when you cannot urge any reason obliging you to that reservedness after the good offices I have received from your Friendship 'T is generally believed and my opinion is consonant to that of the many that you are in love with Tullia and that it is from the affection you have for her that this change in you proceeds whereat all your Friends are so much cast down Besides the general opinion I think I have observed it by several marks which it were to disclaim had you any such design Having this confidence I cannot but extreamly wonder at your carriage towards me and knowing as no question but you do the esteem I have for your person the obligation I stand in to your Friendship and all the other motives which should engage me to approve your inclinations for my Sister I cannot comprehend upon what ground it is that you choose rather to languish miserably and to suffer as you do if appearances may credited then to open your mind to me as your Friend and Tullia 's Brother and let me know the necessity you may stand in of my assistance to prevail with a Sister who hath ever had a religious submission for my disposal of her You cannot from any circumstance or reason imagine I should any way oppose you nay though I were not as I am oblig'd to you I must needs be sensible that out of considerations of the nobleness of your bloud and the worth of your person the affection you have for Tullia cannot be otherwise then advantageous to her Give me then some account of your reservedness and dissidence and assure your self that if the power I have over my Sistor may help to dispel this cloud of sadness that afflicts us you shall have reason to be as much satisfi'd as ever you were in your life To this effect was Cicero's discourse to me to which he added several other things full of affection and whereby I perceived that it was to no purpose for me any longer to conceal a truth which he was fully acquainted with I therefore resolved to acknowledge it though without any hope of comfort from that acknowledgement or advantage from the offers he made me So that having continued in suspence a good while without making him any answer Cicero said I to him at last there is as much generosity in your proceeding as you imagine to your self there is strangeness in mine as indeed there might be in effect if I had not reasons strong enough to excuse it But to answer you with a freedom equal to your own I shall acknowledge that you have believed nothing but truth when you believed that I adored your Sister and that the Passion I have for her hath occasioned all the change you have observed in my person 'T is true Cicero I am infinitely in love with the fair and vertuous Tullia and I shall with an inviolable fidelity prosecute that Love to the last gasp Nay I will tell you further that in the Love I have for her there is nothing that required so great secrecy or that should oblige me to conceal it from you that I have had so far a confidence in your Friendship as to believe you would further my design and that I have expected the consumation of my happiness in the enjoyment of Tullia from your onely assistance But this supposed I shall further declare to you since I needs must That having made it my main design to conquer Tullia 's heart I had resolved to do it purely by the batteries of my Love and respect and receive it from her affection rather then your assistance which I would not by any means desire of you while I thought it contrary to her inclination These I have endeavoured to render favourable to me before I implored your assistance and have had that respect for Tullia as by my services to gain her favour before I employed the authority of her Brother My endeavours have indeed met with little success and all the demonstrations of my Passion have not been able to move a mind which I would gain by Love and submissions If Fortune hath been contrary to my design or rather if I have not had those endowments which might deserve Tullia 's affection it is but just I should smart for it and not seek my happiness by such ways as she might take offence at And though what you offer is to be preferred before the Empire of the Universe yet ought I not to make any advantage thereof since I cannot entertain a thought to do it without considering that I make unfortunate a person I adore and whose sufferings I should be much more sensible of then what you now see me exposed to Quarrel not therefore at my silence since it proceeds but not from the tenderness I have for a quiet a thousand times more dear to me then my own if you love me bewail my fate instead of proffering me an assistance I cannot accept The period of my misery draws nigh and therewith consequently that of my life and I shall have the satisfaction to have suffered even to death without charging Tullia with any thing or embracing any advantage that might displease her to compass my own happiness Cicero hearkened to my discourse with much astonishment and when I had given over speaking Your procedure says he to me hath too much
perswade me to to your advantage and upon that which I have understood of your birth in the discourse of that admirable person I offer to you now as to a Prince and to those which are with you as to the persons of a condition little different from your own whatsoever upon your present occasions you shall possibly desire of one who is interessed in your affairs and is not without credit in these parts Agrippa expressed himself thus and Philadelph as deeply engaged as he was in his passion turning towards him and having looked upon him very attentively during his discourse easily knew him by his voice for the same man with whom he had entertained himself in the dark and by whom his enemy and he had been parted in their combat His discourse was not only obliging and generous but signified too that he was a man of authority and though Agrippa was alone and on foot at such an hour in a desart and solitary place yet his garb made something extraordinary remarkable in his person and his habit which he wore that day to appear in Elisa's presence though it were but a hunting suit was yet set cut in divers places with Gold and Jewels and did not ill become Agrippa's gallant appearance Philadelph having viewed him a while was about to return him an answer though he did not know very well how he should treat with him when they heard a great noise and at the same time saw a great troop of horse appear who came up to them as soon as they had spied Agrippa Delia and her company were troubled at this sight and the unknown and Philadelph were putting themselves into a posture of defending themselves if these men should offer any incivility but by this action they saw they had no need to fear them for they all alighted and came round about Agrippa with such submissive respects as made them judge that he was their Master They were indeed the People of Agrippa's retinue who having sought all night for him in places far distant from that place where he was came thither a last having searched all the corners of the wood he that was the chiefest amongst them coming to Agrippa before the rest The Gods be praised Sir said he that we find you in so good a condition after we have spent all the night in search of you not without cruel apprehensions that some accident had befallen you They made likewise great excuses for having lost him laying the fault upon the swiftness of his horse which had so far outstript theirs that they could never find him again having unluckily followed different wayes from that which he had taken Agrippa received their excuses without passion and in the mean time the fair Delia the brave unknown and the Prince of Cilicia confirming themselves by this great train and by the respect which the persons gave him in the opinion which they had begun to conceive of Agrippa's dignity looked upon him with more attention than before and Philadelph to whom he had particularly addressed himself taking up the discourse to answer his civilities I have not deserved said he the goodness you express to me by interessing your self in my affairs as you do and if I went from you this morning without giving you thanks for the offer you then made it was not for want of acknowledgment but out of the knowledge of my own melancholy humour which made me avoid all manner of Company because it made mine troublesome 't is true my condition is changed at least if I do not find in the Spirit of this adorable Person whom you see an aversion or an insensibility which may throw me back into my former miseries and having found that which I sought for throughout the world and the only thing for which I continued in the world the mortal grief wherein I have passed so many dayes and of which you observed some marks in our last nights converse is changed into a joy which my Soul is not able to contain be pleased to pardon the transports which it hath caused me and the faults I might commit against you and judge if you please whither the miraculous recovery of such a loss as mine was and the loss of such a person as appears before you might not cause some alteration and trouble in a more solid and less passionate Spirit than mine As for what you have judged of our birth by our discourse I will confess to you that I am a Prince and that the incomparable Delia is such that there is neither Princess nor Queen under Heaven to whom the services and the respects of all vertuous persons can be more justly due As for this valiant man against whom this happy adventure caused me to draw my sword I can give you no account of him having never seen him before but all the marks in his countenance and in his whole person are so extraordinary that one cannot but judge very advantageously of them The judgement you make of them replyed the Unknown is too favourable on my part and 't is not by the marks which appear in my person that my birth can be discovered Delia will answer for me that it is none of the meanest and then possibly you will grant me a part in your friendship which you can hardly vouchsafe me now Philadelph was going to reply whilst Agrippa having accosted Delia with respect and admiration offered her all manner of service and assistance When Dion coming to his Master informed him as he had learned of his followers that this was Agrippa Agrippa was known over all the world for his dignity in the Empire for the greatness of his actions and the favour of Augustus there was not a King that was acquainted with the Roman power which did not seek his friendship and assistance and as he had joyned a great number of excellent vertues to the dignity whereunto he was advanced so next to Caesar's there was not a name amongst men more famous and more reverenced than this Philadelph had no sooner understood this but turning towards him with a more respective action than before I had observed before said he by diveres marks that you were no common Person but I was not informed of the truth and I desire your pardon if I have not rendred you that which is due to the name and person of the great Agrippa At the name of Agrippa the fair Unknown stepping some paces back and viewing him with more attention than before 't is certain said he that it is a Name to which all men and particularly all the Princes that are friends and allies to the Roman Empire owe respect and I esteem my self very happy by this adventure to see a man whose great actions make him so well known over all the world Agrippa answered both their discourses with a great deal of modesty and reiterated the offers he had made them when they saw Corlius Gallus arrive at the place
injuries I have done him til I have acquainted him what favourable apprehensions you have for him and have brought him to those terms wherein you would have him The fair daughter of Anthony being extreamly eased and comforted by these kind proffers and expressions of Marcellus would have made him some reply when Queen Candace and Elisa came into the room and immediately after the Princess Artemisa attended by Alexander Assoon as this company was come in Marcellus who was out of all patience to put the design he had undertaken in execution withdrew without speaking ought to any one and so that the Princess her self could not otherwise than by a cast of her countenance express how infinitely she thought her self obliged to him for those good intentions of his Though she had wiped her eies yet could she not hinder but that the three Princesses perceived she had been a-weeping and in regard they all had a very great affection for her and that Candace and Artemisa did not look on her otherwise than as an admirable Sister and the Princesse of the Parthians as a person whose incomparable perfections had powerfully forced her heart and inclinations towards her they discovered a certain emulation in expressing how much they were troubled for the grief she was in whereof they saw the marks very fresh in her countenance and with much precipitation would needs know the reason of it Cleopatra returned them many thanks for those kind demonstrations of their affection and after she had in few words expressed the resentments she had thereof turning to the Princesse Artemisa who was more particularly acquainted with the passages of her life than the other two and had sometime seen Coriolanus and pleaded very much on his behalf and conceiving she might safely tell her what it was that lay so heavy on her heart even before the two other Princesses whom she had not the least suspicion of and who were informed though somewhat more confusedly of the most important adventures had happened to her Ah Sister said she to her yet not without a little violence to keep in the tears that would otherwise have accompanied her words Ah Sister how much were you in the right when you maintained against me that Coriolanus was not inconstant and with how much reason did you take his part against an over credulous person and one whom her imprudent credulity hath made guilty of irreparable miscarriages 'T is very certain Sister he is innocent and hath been cleared even by those that were the authors of the calumny raised against him All the crime and all the remorse doth now absolutely fall to my share and if you have made any discoveries of grief in my countenance it was the effect of those just regrets which I could not but conceive thereat Artemisa seemed to be very much moved at this discourse and made answer to the Princess with very much earnestness But I pray Sister said she to her what certainty have you of the news you tell me what stronger arguments can you have received of it than those you might have derived from the discourses and actions of Coriolanus himself and in a word what is it that hath so strangely convinced you of a thing whereof you would not before admit of any satisfaction Candace and Elisa who among other remarkable adventures of Coriolanus had also heard of the pretended infidelity laid to his charge thought themselves concerned in his justification no less than Artemisa was and Alexander who had ever had a very great friendship for the person and abundance of respect for the vertue of that Prince seemed to be no less desirous to understand the truth of that businesse The fair Cleopatra thought it but justice to satisfie them all and perceiving there were onely those persons in the chamber she gave them a brief relation of all she had heard from Volusius insisting more particularly on those passages that were of greater consequence So that having by that discourse satisfied the noble company present of the innocency of Coriolanus they were all extreamly troubled to understand what a deplorable condition that Prince was reduced to and the sad resolutions he had taken thereupon The gods have the praise cries out the Princesse Artemisa for that they have been pleased to confirm a truth which I have ever maintained and whereof all vertuous persons were obliged to wish a perfect discovery I had ever observed in all the actions and words of that great Prince what remorse never permits in guilty Souls and I would have hazarded my life upon the confidence I had of his innocency The Queen of Ethiopia and the fair Elisa discovered for the vindication of Coriolanus a joy and satisfaction not inferiour to that of Artemisa though he was as to his person utterly unknown to Elisa and that Candace had not seen him but for some few minutes in the combat wherein he had fought with Artaban against the companions of the Pirate Zenodorus But Alexander was absolutely over-joyed as well out of a consideration of his Sister as that of a Prince whom he had ever infinitely esteemed and having understood from his Sister the design which Marcellus was engaged in to find him out and so to divert him from his tragical resolutions he proffered to go along with him and intreated Artemisa to give him leave to accompany Marcellus in so noble an enterprise Artemisa was content he should though she could not look on his departure without some regret so that Alexander immediately went out of the room with an intention to find out Marcellus and to join endeavours with him to recover Coriolanus out of his dispair and to rescue that Prince out of the danger which he might fall into by coming too near so powerful an enemy as Caesar was The three Princesses remaining still with Cleopatra endeavoured to perswade her out of a grief wherto she seemed to be inclined beyond all reason or moderation to covince her that she ought to be more satisfied with her condition as it now stood then as it was some daies before since that the cause of her most just and sensible grief was taken away To which wheâ— she would represent to them how it troubled her to the very heart that she had treated with so much rigour a faithful and innocent Prince and had brought him from a throne into which he had recovered himself to the wretched condition he then was in Candace assuming the discourse Madam said she to her the very regret you discover for your harsh treatment of the King of Mauritania is no doubt reparation enough to him and there needs no more to satisfie him and all the world than to consider the apparences whereby you were deceived and which might indeed have deceived the most subtle and circumspect persons upon earth And for his condition in respect of Fortune which you seem to bewail so much besides what you may promise your self from the Friendship which Marcellus
she had of Caesar as a man that could not consent to violate his Promise given to a Princess of her condition in the presence of six Witnesses enough to convince him of Infidelity before Men and Gods which he solemnly invok'd in that action at last whether vanquish'd with Reason or undermin'd by her own weakness she yielded her self When Caesar putting his Hand in hers after he had call'd all the Gods to the Mystery he protested that he receiv'd her as his Spouse and solemnly swore that he would never own nor acknowledge any other These Protestations She seal'd with a Kiss in our presence and to contract the Relation the Company judging their presence no longer necessary retired and left Caesar alone with the Queen to take possession of those admirable Beauties envied of all the Princes of Asia which were then with an unbridled liberty abandoned to his desires Oh Gods cry'd Tyridates with a profound Sigh Gods Soveraign Arbiters of our destinies and what has the unfortunate Tyridates done to you that you should force him thus to trail on his Life without either happiness or hope when you dispensed so much felicity to the rest of Mankind These few words he passionately uttered with his Eyes lifted up to Heaven when Eteoeles thus pursu'd Her Story HYMEN'S PRAELUDIA OR Love's Master-Piece PART I. LIB III. ARGUMENT The Rebellion of King Pharnaces calls Caesar out of Aegypt and invites him to an easie Victory He leaves Cleopatra with Child The Birth of Caesario The early dawning of his rare qualities both of Mind and Body Caesar's Victory in Syria against Cato Scipio c. He wins the Battel of Munda against Pompey 's Sons which compleats his Conquests Comes to Rome and is made perpetual Dictator His ingratitude to Cleopatra He adopts Octavius and is killed in the Senate-House The Triumvirs revenge his murder by the Death of all the Conspirators Cleopatra 's care in Caesario 's Education Anthony in his Parthian Expedition summons her to appear before him He is taken in the Snare of her Beauty Repudiates Octavia and Marries her This rais'd a Quarrel betwixt him and Augustus which is decided in the Battel of Actium Anthony is overthrown and flies with Cleopatra into Aegypt The Conquerour pursues and besieges them in Alexandria Caesario is sent for safety to Hydaspes King of Aethiopia Is betrayed in the way by Rhodon and preserved by the Loyal Policy of Eteocles Hydaspes receives and treats him as his own Son Caesario falls in Love with Candace the Kings Daughter Anthony through a Mistake kills himself Cleopatra dies by the Bite of an Aspick The Character of Britomarus and his Haughty Pretences The gallant Combat between him and Caesario They are parted Caesario protects him Moderates the Kings Anger to a Banishment The brave Speech of Britomarus to Caesario at their parting SInce that Fatal Day which I know not whether I may call happy or unfortunate the great Caesar and the Queen Cleopatra entirely dedicated themselves to their unrestrained Delights and though the Marriage continued still a secret among us and while the day lasted they observed the same Ceremonies before Company they had formeryl us'd yet the nights by the means of Iras Charmione and my Father in whom the Queen repos'd a clear confidence still reviv'd their Contentments never did Love appear more amiable than in these two Persons Cleopatra liv'd not but in Caesar Caesar was Cleopatra's Idolater and they forgot nothing that might prove their Passion the strongest and yet the most sincere that ever invaded Lovers the whole Court nay all Aegypt took part in their Contentments though they knew them not and I think Rome her self scarce ever shewed so much Pomp as then our Alexandria was daily drest in The whole World knows Cleopatra was the most magnificent Queen that ever lived not only in the pride of entertainment in the splendor of her Festivals and the Gifts she bestowed on Anthony but in the whole course of her Life kept up her Royal Grandeur at that lofty pitch of Glory where she should still have flown and then perceiving her self the Soveraign of his will that was like to be the Soveraign of all men she forgot nothing that might help her to hold those advantages and Caesar not less satisfied with his Fortune judging her most worthy of his Affection was never weary of admiring the rare qualities of her Body and Mind which daily served to make his Love flame higher But at last Fortune interrupted the course of their mutual Felicities and Caesar that was not born to waste his life upon a Womans Lip for whom all great actions were reserv'd and to whom the Worlds Empire was destin'd was constrain'd to quit Aegypt and with his Army to pass into Syria where he had learn'd that Pharnaces King of Pontus Son of Mythridates and inheritor of the hatred which he bore to the Roman Name though not of his Virtues was up in Arms and had spoiled a part of Armenia I shall forbear to repeat the Adieus of these two Lovers for I do but touch upon their life as I pass by it and only take it in my way to another Story to which it serves me for a conduct Should I enlarge my self upon the Loves of Caesar and Cleopatra truth would engage me to defend the memory of that great Queen who doubtless hath been foully blotted by the ignorance of those that knew not of her Marriage but in that which befel her since with the deplorable Anthony I shall make but a short stay their unfortunate Loves and lamentable end being known to all persons in the World that are capable of understanding Cleopatra's tears were too weak to retain Caesar in Alexandria but he comforted her with the solemn repetition of his promise before us to call her to Rome so soon as he should be established in the dignity which his Ambition aim'd at of perpetual Dictator and then to declare their Marriage to all the World At that time the Princess began to perceive her self with Child and gladly believed that the assurance she gave to Caesar of it before his departure would yet more deeply engage him to remember his vows and the dear pawn he left behind him Thus Caesar marched into Syria leaving Cleopatra in Alexandria where she governed her People with such Moderation and Prudence as she taught all men to admire those Politick and Moral Virtues in her Sex that were rarely found even in men of uncommon parts she supported the absence of her dear Caesar with much anguish but she received frequent comforts with the News of his continued Victories not long after his Departure she learn'd that Pharnaces was defeated by him in a signal Battel and the War which in all appearance was like to last many years thus terminated in half a day a little after she received intelligence that in Affrica he had vanquish'd Cato Scipio and the King of Juba with a prodigy of Fortune and
Affrican Prince and requite Cleopatra by depriving her of Coriolanus as I believe she had rob'd me of Marcellus thus at least I was one way infallibly sure to thrive in my designs if you truly lov'd me I knew the fear you borrowed from my behaviour would soon bring you home again and if not by those slights and neglects in my carriage I anticipated the declaration of yours which might have expos'd me to that of all the Romans and you might easily judge by perceiving how I took those reproaches you gave me that the demonstrations of the Love you suspected were made too publick to be real and if your memory has not lost the observation you know I took less care to hide it from you than any other person though possible I was not so stupid but I could have disguis'd a part of my thoughts had my intentions consented Heavens cryed Marcellus interrupting the Princess Gods is it possible this should be true if you still love me reply'd Julia it becomes you not to doubt it and if I do not really affect you do you know any reason can oblige me to seek my justification in fiction and Artifice What said the Prince wholly transported is then all I observed of disdain to me and love to Coriolanus prov'd a Deceptio visus I have said enough said the Princess with a discontented look to oblige your belief and after so ingenious a confession which possible I have made with too little Decorum you deem it not fit to part with your erroneous opinion my interest in you is not strong enough to render me guilty of a farther obstinacy At these words she made an offer to rise from her seat but the passionate Marcellus staying her by the Robe Madam said he pardon this incredulity and distrust to the weakness of my spirit and be pleased to believe that to pass from the sad condition in which some of the latest moments saw me plung'd to that wherein your pity has now stated me is not a thing so light and trivial to be comprehended by my soul without astonishment the opinion of my disaster was settled too strongly there to go out without violence nor is it only the height of that happiness you restore me that dazles my belief come no more said Julia I would have you efface the memory of what is past as I have done those impressions that oblig'd me to use you so unkindly I will henceforth shape my belief and actions said the Prince to the perfect rule of your will and since the visits I have made the Princess Cleopatra as a Sister have given you some Ombrage I vow henceforth no more to see her but when you shall permit me to pay my friendship in good offices to her what his hopes may challenge from our amity No said Julia I desire not to tye you to such strict conditions and since the apparent discovery of the truth has clear'd up the clouds of my suspition against Cleopatra I do not only vote the continuance of your customary visits but to dissipate all your distrusts with mine I will joyn my forces with yours to advance Coriolanus in her estimation If there had been great store of persons in the Princess Chamber that must have been Witnesses to the action Mercellus had thrown himself at her feet to pay the hasty oblations of his thanks for the favour she had done him and whether he gave an entire credit to her words or was assisted by the grandeur of his passion to deceive himself and confute his former opinion that Julia lov'd Coriolanus he remain'd so perfectly satisfied as he could scarce find words to express his contentment This encounter above all the rest instructed me in the blindness of amorous Passionists and though I believe that Julia did repent her inconstancy and really renew'd her love to Marcellus had not that Prince who in all Essayes beside had ever an excellent wit and a clear judgement at command been so powerfully prepossess'd he would never have suffer'd himself to be abus'd by the reasons she suborn'd for her justification Whatever it was he concluded that the happiest day that ever increas'd his age and Julia contributing all that depended on her entirely to settle his repose Marcellus began to live with her as he was accustomed and all the sprightly marks of his satisfaction came back into his visage This highly pleas'd the Emperour and spread an universal joy through the whole Court for that Prince was so generally belov'd as there were few persons of importance that appeared not interessed in his good or ill fortune not but Julia's deportment did often furnish him with occasions of relapsing into some of his discontents the Princess was ever excessively forward and frank in her behaviour of a free and confident humour beyond the common rule observed by persons of her condition she put nothing either in her looks or language to repulse presumption and if her beauty had charms enough to set a whole world on fire with affection she wanted that severe gravity which should have taught them fear that attempted it nor did she pattern the haughty garb of persons born to an equal Dignity by affecting a redoubted Majesty in her looks but rather made choice of an attractive sweetness and was never better pleas'd than by discerning that she drew the hearts as well as the eyes of all that saw her her easie access lent confidence to many persons when other reasons refus'd it to unmask their passion and if they reap'd no other fruit from these attempts at least their discovery met no rigour from the Princess Many Sons of Kings and Kings themselves that were either Allies or Tributaries to the Empire and then resident at Rome did an amorous homage to her Beauty but the consideration they kept for Marcellus whose credit was able to ruine their affairs with Caesar and his vertue all their thoughts that might displease him made them chain up a part of their resentments Julia whose nimble eye saw their thoughts through the Mask was willing to allow them kind looks in exchange and sometimes treated them so obligingly as Marcel us could not support it without entering into sensible displeasures and uttering most passionate complaints which Julia sometimes heard with patience but at others would flye in Choler and once as she ever wanted a bridle to her thoughts Marcellus said she were I always oblig'd to be thus enslaved to your Caprichios I should esteem my-self most unhappy I love you and you ought to believe so since there is no reason to perswade me to speak it unless it were true but I will not have my affection so foolish to do violence upon my humour and you ought to be satisfied that I love you without restraining my disposing power to that esteem which I owe to persons of merit Marcellus durst no more than shake his head at this language and she often brought him to his knees for pardon and
Trophy of your reason I shall ever be ready replyed the Princess vexed at these words to render Caesar what is only his due from my fortune and not my birth but his generosity bids me hope that he will offer no violence to the inclinations of a Princess who is born of a blood too noble to be forc'd I joyn my hopes with yours said the Empress rising from her seat and I think you are more discreet than to stay till you are driven to what you ought to run after Finishing these words with a cold countenance she went out of the Chamber without permitting Cleopatra to attend her to her own She was no sooner gone from the Princess but my Master came in to whom she punctually related all the discourse that passed betwixt them Coriolanus admir'd the great spirit and Courage of that young Lady and esteeming himself too glorious by the perseverance she armed in his behalf against the authority of such puissant persons he threw himself at her feet and there paid her all his thanks in such terms as clearly expressed the grandeur of his passion But their discourse was cut off by the importunate arrival of Tiberius to whom the Princess in spight of her hatred was constrained to give civil reception the two Rivals beheld each other with thoughts little different though their exteriour demonstrations were unequal Tiberius the greatest dissembler of all men look'd smoothly enough upon Coriolanus but that Prince who ever wore his heart upon his tongue and his face not only receiv'd him coldly but plainly told him with his eye that the sole consideration of Cleopatra stop'd his resentments from breaking out into other language the rest of that day was spent by the two Princes in debarring each other the pleasing liberty of entertaining Cleopatra but in this mutual hinderance each took an equal satisfaction from the requital of his enemies malice Tiberius was sad at the sight of his disadvantage in Cleopatra's affection but he had the absolute powers on his side and my Master whose hopes they thwarted often took fresh comfort in the renewed assurance of his Princess good will and thus some days passed away during which the two Rivals daily encountred in their visits but if several considerations held their hands it was with so much violence as there was great cause to fear they would have come at last to extremities if those meetings had continued But Tiberius perceiving how slowly the authority of those persons that supported him drove on his amorous design pressed the Empress with so much importunity and Livia wrought so powerfully with Augustus in her Sons behalf as after she had combated the remains of some repugnance that she found in the Emperors spirit at last she so perfectly reduc'd his will to her own disposal as the Princess Cleopatra and the Prince my Master received upon the same day a command from Caesar no more to see each other these two persons born to a Courage that could not easily brook a Tyrannick authority accepted the message with an animosity that shewed it at the height though the Princess curbing her anger with a feminine modesty received it with more moderation of the two and only return'd this answer to Julius Norbanus who brought her the Order I know what kind of submission I owe to the will of Caesar and since by the fall of our house which he has ruin'd fortune has displac'd me under his authority he may forbid me the sight of Coriolanus but all the puissance he has cannot from preferring him before Tiberius Coriolanus gave looser reins to his Impatience and when Marcus Piso to whom the Emperor had given the charge had delivered him his Command all the fear he could admit of so absolute a power was too weak to keep the Lists against his Choler and regarding Piso with an eye wherein it was painted all in flames You may tell Caesar said he that though my Fathers misfortune has bow'd our Estates under the yoak of his Empire the Soul of his Son has put on none of his chains nor has he power enough complexed within the utmost Lines of his Empire to fright me from the service of Cleopatra no nor the sight neither so long as I am forbidden by no other impediment but the fear of countervening his Orders I have blood running in my Veins that methinks should oblige him to sweeten his Commands and a proportion of Courage to my birth which he has acknowledged in the occasions of his service if he will needs bereave me of the sight of Cleopatra let him take my life too and if he desires to give her quietly into Tiberius arms without a contest while he labours his repose let him provide for that of his own Estate in cutting off a man that in part may chance to disturb it if his rigorous usage once provokes him to resume the quarrel of his Fathers Besides these his passion broke loose into other words which had they been carryed to his ear might well have exasperated the Emperor but Piso who was none of his Enemy instead of taking hold of that occasion to do him an injury strained his endeavours to appease the storms he had raised but he thrived so ill in his friendly design as doubtless he had parted with little satisfaction had not Marcellus arrived in whose hands he left him to lay the Tempest Marcellus had gathered part of the truth from some Court whisperers and no sooner entered my Masters Chamber but saw it all confirmed by the posture wherein he found him my Master walked a great pace about the Chamber with such troubled looks and distracted thoughts as they scarce suffered him to see his friend when he entered or almost know him when he was there Marcellus accosted him with a visage that raised more clouds to enrage the storm but no sooner opened his mouth to speak when my Prince prevented him Brother said he after the hiding my Irons within the outside of good use at last I am treated like a Slave and the Emperor no more remembers that I am newly come from letting out Brooks of his Enemies blood and spilling mine own for his service he forbids me the sight of Cleopatra and yet leaves me two Eyes which in spight of all the temptations of other objects will doom themselves to a perpetual Eclipse if they may not have leave to behold my Princess shall I give up that into Tiberius arms which I hold of your amity resign my right to my cruellest Enemy which I would not release to my dearest friend No Tiberius pursu'd he do not look for an effect of my obedience so base and timorous and if thou borrowest thy expectations of enjoying Cleopatra from my obsequy to their Commands that support thee against me condemn those hopes for Impostors I can tear out thy heart with greater ease than rende the Image of Cleopatra from mine own and thou wilt have a harder task to rob my eyes
to him all dismay'd and finding he was in a deep swoond after I had often jogg'd and call'd him in vain I ran to the Fountain that was not far off and brought back water which I threw in his face in abundance at last his faculties return'd to their several functions and perceiving himself between my arms Prithee let me alone Emimilius said he I would fain die So you shall Sir said I if this mishap that spurs you to it can shew you a just cause to pick a quarrel with your life but by the Gods assistance I shall not suffer it before you can make a clearer construction of your misfortune and what greater illustration can I ask reply'd he in a languishing tone than I have already receiv'd from Cleopatra's mouth who in terms that needed no comment has sentenc'd my my life in condemning me to see her no more with that he looked about for his Sword which by a timely precaution I had seiz'd before and the Gods were willing his grief assisted by the malady that then began to assault him should subdue his strength to such an Ebb and the tender affection I had ever for him so redoubled my mind as whatever strugling he made he could neither wrest mine nor his own from my hands 't is true his unwillingness to hurt me would not let him employ all his puissance which I could never have resisted but I would my self into such a posture as he would have found it hard to have forc'd my resolution unless he had killed me since thou wilt not suffer me said he to fall by my own Sword thou shalt see me run otherwise to my death wherein thou canst not stop me At these words whose every syllable was divided with sighs he roll'd himself upon the grass still pouring forth complaints capable to have melted the savagest Hearts that ever gave a rocky resistance to pity After I had suffered him to take a long tiring upon his grief without interruption Sir said I if you humour this obstinacy to run so eagerly upon your death for one single proof of Cleopatra's anger you will shew less Courage and Vertue than the meanest Woman had death divorc'd you from the person you loved were she married to Tiberius or any other whose felicity had power to murder all our hopes despair might then be pardoned but for a single fit of Choler that may resolve into the aery nothing that begot it for the Caprichio of Spirit who as it hath strayed from Love to anger may step back again with the same facility from Anger to Affection or a Malady whose Cure you carry about you for a Disease which rising from no other womb but Report and foster'd with a false opinion will give way to a single justification and flye like a thin mist before the beams of truth to throw your self upon Death is a design unworthy of your Courage unbecoming the lustre of your Judgement and disproportion'd to those great endowments the Gods have given you I allow Queen Cleopatra Cato and the King your Father bravely fled the world to flye the shame that was intended them but that a petty birth either made by Jealousie or any other motive in affection should rashly procure a self-sacrifice Ah Sir and where should be the Judgement where the Vertue where the Resolution in adversity and where the Constancy I have so often known you preach to others Coriolanus was too great a Master of reason not to discern some in this Discourse but sorrow had so entirely prepossess'd his Soul as reason and truth both lost their influence and had I not added the interest of honour of which he had ever been more sensible than of all things else my endeavours had doubtless been too weak to draw him from the precipice of Despair Sir said I I know it must be some treacherous practice against your quiet that has rais'd this storm in Cleopatra's breast try to dis-invalue the truth which once discovered will either help you to disabuse the Princess and wipe out those impressions have been given her of you or guide your revenge to those artificial Enemies that plotted this mischief against you Sir I assume the liberty to tell you that your honour binds you to allow these reasons nor can you without sinning against your Courage resign to Tiberius whom I suspect the Author of your disgrace a treasure which none but his subtility can carry from you All that I said to my Master though ill express'd was yet so strongly built upon truth and reason as he could find but little to resist it and he listened so eagerly to the proposal I made him of seeking his revenge upon those that had destroyed his repose as at last he concluded to prolong his dayes only in homage to that intention and after he had taken some time to ballance this resolution in his thoughts Yes Emilius said he I will live and but live to no other purpose than to give death to those whose perfidie has drop'd so many stains upon my innocence yet I feel my grief grown strong enough to post me from the world before it lends me the leisure to act these thoughts unless a timely succour prevents it O Death pursu'd he lifting up his eyes to heaven as they swam in their own tears if by thy means Cleopatra may be satisfi'd my heart shall receive thee with open embraces and thus he went on enlarging his laments which would never have ended if perceiving the night at hand I had not conjur'd him to remount his Horse and return to the City where I hoped his woes would find a lenitive as I still press'd him more eagerly to retire by chance I touch'd his arm and found by the high distemper of heat that a violent Feaver had seized him this fomented a fear of his life that encreas'd my importunity which at last prevailed so far as he grew contented to quit that unlucky place where he had received so bloody a displeasure to go learn the cause of his misfortune at Syracusa and find out Tiberius whom we both suspected guilty of laying the train earnestly inferring these hopes I got him on horse-back and at last drew him to the City which we entered without any precaution because the night had already shed her shades upon the earth we had some trouble to find our lodging because the City was so every where pestered and stuffed with perpetual throngs of people we were no sooner gotten thither but perceiving my Princes malady encrease I quickly got him to bed he would not be perswaded to take any thing nor did I much press it because his Feaver was grown very violent but the next day it raged to that height as I really feared his life and within three more it was almost despair'd by all those that undertook him I had no easie Province to combat his aversion to remedies but the desire of surviving the revenge he intended upon those that had
had disclosed to the world that Son of Caesar her attention to the recital was made her of that Tragedy was mingled with a bundance of sighs and awaked in her soul a remembrance full of pity and veneration for the Fortune of so great a Queen Cornelius was ready to leave her to her private repose when he saw a part of those enter that by Candace's intreaty he had sent to the Princes relief who being demanded how they had thriven in their late employment it was replyed they had laid out their pains in vain for being arrived at the place whereto they were guided by the Ladies directions they had only there found the marks of a great and bloudy Combat the Earth covered with bloud and fifteen or twenty men lay stretched upon the ground among which their endeavour to learn the truth had found two still living who related the event of the combat and confest themselves and all those that lay dead about them to be Souldiers belonging to the Pirate Zenodorus that they had been brought into that condition by the invincible valour of four persons and that after their defeat the Victors were gone thence upon the spur as they conceived in pursuit of a Lady whom their Captain had carried away From this Discourse Candace took abundance of comfort or at least her heart was eased of much disquiet by this assurance that her dear Caesar was escaped the danger and upon this pleasing subject her thoughts began to grow busie when Cornelius unwilling to debar her that liberty took his leave and left her alone with Clitie in chamber From that day he took order she should be served as a person whose quality he suspected did much overtop her present garb and appearance and though he was desirous to learn the truth he was not willing to betray an impatient curiosity till time should offer an occasion to do it with a more becoming pretence but if Cornelius had a desire to know the Queen had as great a design to conceal her quality and to that end instructed Clitie for her future demeanour This caution involved no ingratitude for the service Cornelius had rendered her though she could do no less than regard him as a person that usurped the right of her dear Caesario and a Lieutenant to the cruel Enemy that had passed such a bloody sentence on his life besides she had discovered in his face and language some signs of a budding affection and that sole consideration quickly grew fruitful enough to be the Mother of those twins Distrust and Secresie Nor was her suspicion groundless and that Man who possible had past the preceding part of his life without feeling that the Boy had a bow had received so powerful an inclination from the first Rays of Candace's beauty to serve her and that so sensibly augmented by the inchanting sweetness of her garb and language as in a few days time it became strong enough to leave nothing free in the soul of Cornelius his first nights rest was interrupted by the agreeable Idea of his fair guest and almost wholly consumed in the entertainment of such love-sick thoughts and amorous musings as had yet been strangers to his breast At first he made some attempts to defend himself already taking fears from the first inquietudes he had suffered from this incroaching malady but in the sequel all their arguments struck sail to the pleasing flatteries of such hopes as a man so considerable in person and quality might properly conceive If this Lady said he be of an illustrious birth as there is much about her to settle that opinion which takes another proof from so many accidents and effects of Fortune who as we daily see makes it her sport to toss such Tennis balls I may safely raise and own my pretences to her lawful possession without offending my honour but if her veins hold no bloud that will deserve my alliance I will try to find another way to satiate my desires in the mean time I shall leave no stone unrolled by the safe and gentle ways of service that may win me her affections and since the Gods have put her into my hands by an adventure so uncommon I will try to improve that advantage nor shall any consideration perswade me to resign her liberty This was the Praetors resolution whereof the Queens ignorance defended her from a sad resentment In the mean time that tedious night became a witness of her restless apprehensions and the Image of her dear Caesario who wounded as her thoughts had figured him and ranging on all sides in quest of her still returning to her timerous fancy scarce left her one hour of sleep that was not broken by those inquietudes The next day she was visited by Cornelius who endeavoured to divertise by shewing her all the beauties of the Palace and straining his fancy to find out divers other inventions that might offer her delight but all had little power to dispossess or deceive the deep melancholly that oppressed her spirit and though by a discreet complaisance she paid him her regards with a visage serene enough yet it might be easily observed she could not repulse those cruel agitations that her heart sent thither Every single action of hers blew up new flames in the Praetor's brest but whatever violence he felt they inflicted was all close Prisoner to Candace's Majesty which imprinted a respect that imposed his silence and left him no power to set any of those thoughts at liberty After he had passed a part of the day in her company he was called away by some pressing affairs that demanded the rest which the Princess spent onely with Clitie upon the ordinary task her melancholly imposed she thought it required of her affection and civility to send some body to Tyridates house as well to learn if possible what became of Caesario as receive the knowledge of that Princes condition and render him an account of her own to whom she remembred her self so deeply obliged but this resolved she wanted a person proper for that imployment and though she did not doubt but Cornelius would readily furnish her she thought there was more circumspection due to the fear of discovering that by an imprudent confidence which both her desire and discretion devoted to silence It was then the season of the year when the Sun over-warmed that Climate with a prodigality of beams and that Evening the night being well advanced before sleep could fasten any charm upon Candace's eyes to take a cool refreshment by tasting the Evenings dewy breath she went to walk upon a Terasse neer her Chamber where she had already taken some turns before the nights arrival This was a large open gallery supported by Marble Pillars whence the unrestrained eye might freely gather a pleasing variety of objects both from the Sea and all the adjacent places to Alexandria her Chamber was not the onely neighbour to this Terasse but being of the same length with
present satisfaction After this she took some turns upon the Terasse discoursing with Clytie upon that adventure which had taken so large a possession of her thoughts as for that night it barred out the remembrance of those that had a hand in her proper fortunes after she was got to bed her cogitations still glided and glanced upon this subject nor could her fancy get loose from these reflections till sleep crept upon them unawares to quiet them The next day so soon as she might be civilly seen she was visited by Cornelius and at that time he was not unwelcome because from him she hoped some satisfaction of her longing desires to be instructed in the Fortunes of that desolate Lady so much influence and interest have the afflictions of others upon our souls when they carry a resemblance to our own yet finding some difficulty to bring her last nights walk which conducted her to that encounter into the scene of their discourse she was a little posed to manage her curiosity with all the caution it required but Cornelius eased her of that pain for he had no sooner bad her good morrow and expressed such other civilities as Custom and Fashion enjoyned which prevented the question she was framing in her thoughts when believing himself obliged to give her the relation of that adventure Madam said he since I had the honour to see you last there has arrived an accident worthy of your notice which I assure my self when you have once understood it you will take some interest These words taught the Queen to level her judgement at a part of the truth and was well-pleased to be quitted of her request for what she was now only to pay her acceptation Yesterday said Cornelius some vessels that I sent out to scoure the sea-coasts within sight of the shoar encountred two Pirats ships which after they had cut in pieces the greatest part of those that defended them they took and brought in a very rich prize yet all the rest but cheap and worthless in comparison of a young Lady whom they rescued from the rude hands of those cruel men in that critical minute as I received it from two of her Women-attendants when they were ready and resolv'd to offer violence to her person Madam to commend a Beauty in your presence for whom the Gods have ransakt the treasury of their skill to make the most accomplished piece that ever they put their hands to I will onely say if my Eye had not first encountred with your Excellencies I should have thought it impossible for the world to have shewen me any thing so fair Indeed I think you would have a hard task without the assistance of your Glass to shape an Idea so handsome but the confidence I have that your own Eyes when you see her will find no dotage in these words puts a gap to my farther description we have lodged her in a Chamber neer to yours where she has already passed one night with her Woman but if this Lady be fair she is not less afflicted and though I have endeavoured to plaister the wounds her sorrows have made with as much comfort and as fair language as the Laws of Hospitality and Courtesie due to persons of her being could put into my mouth we had much ado to prevail with her to receive any nourishment I gave her yesterday a particular relation of the grand favour I received of Fortune in being made an instrument of your safety this onely recital had power to borrow her attention and bow the obstinacy of her griefs to the confession of some resentments this morning one of her women asked me if she might not be permitted to see you and told me she hoped the tide of her Ladies griefs would find an Ebb in the comforts of your society The Queen who had already taken in much affection at the ears of that accomplished person replyed she would call it her happiness to receive the honour of her acquaintance and though her present condition scarce allowed her a capacity to moderate the miseries of others yet she would take a truce with her own misfortunes on purpose to lessen the sense of hers if it were possible Since you are so nobly resolved answered Cornelius she shall presently know of her honour you intend her and I assure my self that so soon as she is drest she will pay you her acknowledgment in a visit Let her only know if you please said Candace if she be in a condition to suffer the interview of a stranger that I think my self obliged to pay that respect to a person so afflicted and possible indisposed as her self and by the account you have passed of her beauty you have already given me so much impatience to see her as it will not permit me to stay for her in my Chamber Clitie who by her own desire to know that Lady was interessed in her Mistresses Curiosity readily acted her Commands and a short time after it was returned that the fair unknown had found a little failing in her health by suffering the violence of some fits the night before however she would make haste to apparel her self with a purpose to prevent her design of a visit The Queen who knew the priviledge of her Sex allowed her the liberty to invade the Chamber before she was drest was desirous to acquit that trouble to her weak estate and Cornelius to whom the requisites of civility denyed that freedom only contented himself to conduct her to the Chamber door when Candace entred her face carried news of a grand addition to the star-light of beauty which shined in that terrestial orbe nor could these two persons encounter without the silent confession of a mutual astonishment Our former description of Candace's beauty dispenses with a farther recital but we should deal unjustly with the fair unknown should we hide them in silence in whom the Queen found many delicacies that had a far better title to her wonder than the Praetor's relation could challenge the new fain snow was tanned in comparison of the refined purity of that white that was the ground of her complexion and if sorrow had gathered the Carnations of her cheeks sham'd to see her self surpriz'd half naked though by persons of her own sex had replanted of hers there with such fresh advantages as any weaker eye than Candace's would have shrunk at the brightness of that mingled lustre her mouth as well for shape as Complexion shamed the imitation of the best Pensils and the liveliest colours and though some petty intervals of joy wanted the smiles that grief had sequestred yet she never opened it but like the East at the birth of a beautiful day and then discovered Treasures whose excelling whiteness made the price inestimable all the features of her face had so neer a kindred of proportion and symetry as the severest Master of Appelles Art might have called it his glory to have copied beauties from her
entire confidence and an absolute power to the disposal and management of his care If Tyribasus by the cunning continuance of his dissimulation had not already strangled all the suspicions I had of him I had opposed all my power against that absolute Authority the King left him and Cleomedon would never have suffered me to stay under the guard of a person so suspected but in all his actions both before his Nubian expedition in his departure and at his return he treated me with a coldness so incompatible with affection as I easily believed there was not so much as one single root of it left alive in his Spirit The King having left this order at Meroe disposed himself to depart with Caesario in his company whom neither he nor I were then any longer willing to detain from the war not that his absence since I lov'd him as dearly as decency would allow did not deeply perplex me but seeing the King my Father was going to expose his own person to the hazards of the War I thought I should sin too much against Caesario's vertue to keep the passage ' gainst him in his way to glory or detain him with me where now he could not stay with any safety to his credit he wasted divers whole days in the repetition of his passionate adiews and if he made me a thousand vows of preserving an invincible and immortal fidelity I requited him with a thousand assurances that I would ever prefer him till death divorced us before all the rest of mankind The day of that cruel separation being arrived I took leave of the King and Cleomedon of me with all the sincerity and tenderest proofs that were ever exprest by affection and the parting with both assaulted my Soul in several places with a grief so violent as receiving the Kings last embraces I was like to fall at his feet in a swoond timerously gathering an unlucky Augury from the exquisite sense of those redoublings of affection the King who perceiving it endeavoured to sweeten my apprehensions with some comfortable words but they were not strong enough to put my griefs to flight nor banish those prophetick fears from my Soul which staid there by the Authority not only of known but undiscovered causes Cleomedon gave me the first adiew and perceiving the rest of the company while he was taking his leave to be all so busied about the King as none were near enough to over-hear him It 's impossible Madam said he I should carry my self away from your presence without a torment too violent for my face to dissemble but I will learn to cashier a large part of my woes if your compassion gives comfort and allows me to hope that neither time absence nor any of those accidents that may cross our Fortune shall ever have power to exercise your tyranny upon that priviledge I hold of your bounty For that said I you have my promise and shall ever know me as inviolable in the observance of it as I hope to find you Loyal and Religious in performing the Vows you have made That confidence said he creates me happiness that infinitely transcends my merit and I hope to carry your beautiful Image into places where it must infallibly gather the bays of a glorious victory I cannot borrow meaner hopes said I from my opinion of valour but among all those dangers you intend to brave do not tye your self so strictly to the thoughts that you are Caesar 's Son to forget the propriety Candace has in you After these words he kissed my hand and having taken his last leave he left me to the King who came with open arms to bid me farewel I had a face overflow'd with tears which might well fetch their pedigree in the common opinion from no other fountain than the Kings departure and those that stole into the flood for Cleomedon's sake ran along with the rest as if they had started from the same source though if I may say it without offending the Laws of a filial piety they out-swelled the rest in number I saw them both mount their horses and really Cleomedon for in that my opinion was the legitimate child of truth and no Way led astray by the Bias of affection appeared in a posture so Heroick as might kindle envy even in those souls to whom nature had lavished the greatest advantages He was that day covered with arms that were rather designed for Parade than service and that was the first time the Roman Eagle was seen to display her wings and proudly erect her two heads amidst the Gold and Jewels that adorned his Casque and Shield Near the imperial Eagle appeared a young one that with a bold wing and open eyes seemed to strain his pinions against the Sun to prove his descent legitimate with these words The worthy Son of such a Father Caesario had only added the Eaglet and Motto to the ancient devise having received those fair Arms at his departure from Alexandria as a gift from the Queen his Mother in whose custody they were left by Julius Caesar after they had faithfully served him in most of those dangerous battels that got him the greatest name among men Under these beautiful Arms the young Warrior advantagiously mounted appeared so fierce and yet so noble as endeared him to the affection and respect of every soul that beheld him but I doat too much upon his Description and indeed Madam to comprehend it right 't is but fit his Pourtraiture should be limned as well to the life in your imagination as my heart has drawn it upon it self This young Heroe marching by the Kings side and circled with the general applause of all the Ethiopians went out of the City and left me half busied in a cloud of sad and fearful apprehensions behind him Tyribasus whom the Physitians had forbidden to ride staid some time with me in the City and implored a great part of it in striving to confute and divert my melancholly thoughts with a face so seriously honest that none could ever think it belonged to a man that was linked to any other interest than the service of his Master I did not then refuse his Converse in which he was so far from uttering a word as he did not so much as mingle one look of love and I was grown so confident in a blind opinion that he had totally disbanded all his passionate follies that displeased me as I began to interess my self in the return of his health and was glad to see his colour and strength coming to their usual vivacity In the mean time you need not doubt but my thoughts were entirely tyed to the remembrance of what I loved and if I sent any vows to Heaven for the King my Fathers safety you will easily believe I forgot not to mention Caesario's whose image was pourtraid so lively in my heart by the innocent skill of a chast affection as the vast distance betwixt us was utterly
to render my life still serviceable to your interests I would not stock it upon so desperate a cast in this unequal Combat whereto I am now marching without any hope of Victory and this incertainty might happily induce me to preserve it if something did noe prompt me with a probability in this attempt of tumbling Tyribasus from the top of his plundered honour Madam if I can sacrifice him to your just resentments and redeem you that pretious liberty and repose of which he has so barbarously bereaved you at the price of his blood and mine I will spill them both to a drop and perish without reluctance but if death cuts me off before I execute the Traitor pardon the failing to my weakness and let pity preserve some remembrance of him who could not part with his life upon terms of more happiness and glory than to die for the rights of his Royal Mistress The perusal of these words laid a greater weight of woe upon my Soul than ever yet it supported and though of late it had been argued with many anxious perplexities yet I now resented so cruel an encrease of my misery as rendered me incapable of company and comfort I spent that day in Tears and Sighs but the next that succeeded it was yet more dolefully employed since it brought me the accomplishment of all my fears in the sad news of Caesario's bloudy defeat with the loss of his whole Army all those that had made me the recital assured me he was seen fall dead from his Horse after he had left some impression of revenge upon his Rival in two dangerous wounds he had given him and done actions besides of so stupendious a nature that they seemed to hold as great a disproportion to Truth as those fictious tales of our ancient Heroes Madam you will easily judge how cruelly the sense of this disaster stretched my heart-strings and to confirm that thought you may please to know that I sunk dead in my womans arms and lay a long time in that condition before the remedies they applyed could bring back my senses that were all fled away from their usual offices and when at last they waked me from my trance I fell a wailing my loss in the dolefullest accents that were ever expressed by the lawfullest and most impetuous grief and all my actions perswaded those about me that I was become an Enemy to my Life My woman durst not stir from me in that estate wherein they saw cause enough to fear that my own hands would dispatch the business of my despair and all that day I was strictly guarded rather as a distracted person than a Princess that in the preceding accidents of her life had given the world so far a Sample of her constancy When my sighs had left me some liberty to speak My dear Caesar cry'd I since thy soul is driven from her sweet habitation for my Interest 't is but reason mine should follow her to the other world and I am very willing to go keep thee Company by resigning that life which thou hast bought too dear at the price of thine would to heaven I could have condition'd with the destinies aforehand to excuse thy thred for mine thou should'st have seen me run into the arms of my pale Executioner with as great a greediness as hurry'd thee to this unequal Combat but since the Deities deny'd me that favour believe it I will do that without repugnance to follow thee which I would have done with joy to save thee there is nothing left upon Earth that has power to stay me here now when thou art gone and my last Act shall tell that monster who thinks he has securely seated his fortunes upon thy ruine that all those flattering hopes will prove Impostours To these succeeded a world of other words to the same purpose and as the kindness I shew'd Cleomedon had been publiquely Authoris'd by the King my Fathers will so I made no scruple to avow the inclinations I had for him to all those that overheard me the force of my imagination still kept his lovely image before my eyes both day and night and my reason was sometimes so giddied with the violence of my grief as talk'd to my poor Prince in such discoursive terms as if I had seen him there in a condition to return me an answer My sorrows were risen to this degree when Tyribasus came back to Meroe or was rather brought back in a Litter with the marks of Cleomedon's valour still about him which had made him run such a manifest hazard of his life He saw me not of divers days after his arrival as well because his wounds confin'd him to his Bed as that he yet fear'd understanding to what desperate estate the violence of my grief had brought me to appear in my presence but so soon as the success of his cure would give him leave to take the air he came to my Chamber My passionate detestation of his last act had still held it self up at the same impetuous height whereto it was risen at his first conception and I no sooner saw him that was the cruel cause of it set his foot in my Chamber but breaking into a furious out-cry against him Barbarous man cry'd I dost thou come to shew me the bloody spoils of Cleomedon and could'st thou not content thy self to rob the world and me of so great a treasure without increasing my horrour by bringing the face of this inhumane butcher in my sight com'st thou to insult upon the miseries of a wretch that is taking care to die since thy cruelty has bereav'd her of him for whose onely sake she lov'd her life and can'st thou not think thy revenge compleat in the murder of him that merited my affection to the prejudice of the unjust pretences but thou must rudely press into my presence to aggravate the weight of woe thou hast to my soul for ever Tyribasus gave way to this Torrent of words which was violently followed by divers others of the same stamp till they had wearied out my weakness to admit from a tumult of sighs and sobs the short interruption of some moments silence in which vacancy striving against the stream of his own thoughts to express some sorrow for what he had done I am too deeply concern'd in your displeasure said he to sing any Io Paean 's in your presence for a thing that immoderately afflicts you and though the death of my Brother with divers of my friends besides the dangerous impediments he strewed in the path of my intentions and his particular design against my life might leave me little cause of regret for the loss of Cleomedon yet truth her self is my witness that his death cannot sink so deep an impression of grief in your spirit without stamping some sensibility of the same nature in mine and were it now in my power to give him his life though I knew it would prove yet a greater foe to my
that I may speak with you and after he had utter'd these words he turned his back upon us and softly retired with his companion towards another Alley that they might avoid the encounter of those that followed us If Clitie was astonished my self was not less surprized at this adventure and methought I apprehended something in the tone of that voice that carried through my ear an extraordinary allarm to my heart Clitie regarding me wholly irresolute Madam said she what do you please I shall do My thoughts would not let me observe her question so well to answer her when Eurinoe taking the word Madam said she me thinks 't is very fit that Clitie should go speak with this Man who knows but he may have something to impart of a deep concernment and as your condition is now temper'd such overtures cannot be dispised with a safety of discretion Clitie perceiving that I did not oppose this advice staid for no further Commission but observing to what part of the Garden those two Men bent their steps she feigned an intent to cull some flowers for a Nosegay and cunningly wandring that way she insensibly transferred her self from flower to flower till she arrived at that part of the Garden where she saw them take Covert without giving the least shadow of suspition to those that followed us In the mean time I entered that Arbour with Eurinoe and the rest of my train which because it freshly hinted Caesario's memory to my thoughts presented many pleasing passages of our innocent affection and had been the Scene of so many delightful Dialogues between that Prince and I was particularly indear'd to my choice above all the rest but a sad reflection upon those survived felicities could not chuse but set some tears at liberty which troubled my good Governess to wipe away as they crept along upon my cheeks after I had spent half an hour upon this employment propped with Eurinoe's arm as before I went out again to repeat my walk when I saw Clitie coming back with a face that carried all the marks of a grand astonishment and as great an impatience her approach in that manner shook my soul with an extraordinary emotion and judging she had something to say that requir'd no witnesses I doubled my pace to go meet her with a pretence to give her my other hand that was free she tenderly pressed it with an action full of transport and I saw she was in combat with her own amazement and had offered twice or thrice to speak without being able to get out any more words than Madam Every thing confirmed my opinion that she had some strange things to tell me and feeling some secret pressures in my Soul that gave me no less impatience to learn her discoveries I walked so fast with the help of my supports as we had quickly left my followers at a pretty distance and Clitie after she had turned her head to see if any were neer enough to over-hear us Madam said she Madam call home your banish'd joys Caesario is alive Caesario is in the Garden and it was Caesario you saw the same whose voice you heard and with whom I just now broke off in discourse These words seized upon my soul with so strong and sudden a surprizal as they wanted but little of making me fall in a swoond between my womens arms and if they had not strongly held me up I should doubtless have betrayed more weakness than I was willing to make known to the rest of my Company for a time I stood both mute and motionless regarding Clitie with a languishing eye that seemed to lend but little credit to her words and the violent agitations of my spirit had put me into a cold sweat and so great a trembling as no longer able to continue my walk I was forc'd to sit down upon a bank that was neer us Experience had acquainted the rest of my women with the pleasure I took to entertain my self alone with my two favourites and perceiving me set they made a stop at the place where they were without approaching further in the mean time with much pain I dispel'd the force of my astonishment and once more turning my eyes upon the face of Clitie Ah! Clitie said I dost thou abuse me or art thou abused thy self no Madam replyed Clitie I am not abus'd I saw Caesario I touched him I spoke with him I learn'd from his own mouth the particular of his strange escape and if you please Madam your self shall see and understand as much before you quit the Garden But Clitie said I those two men we saw are black as any of the Aethiopians and thou know'st Caesario is fairer than thou or any other of the white women that serve me That sooty complexion answered Clitie is onely artificial and Caesario with the help of a little water will quickly take off all your doubts with the black mask from his face in your presence as he lately washed the colour from one of his hands to cure my incredulity he and his Governour Eteocles are both sabled with the same liquor which is very common among the Aethiopians that take a pride to be blacker than the hand of nature painted them and he could not shrow'd himself in a securer disguise from the knowledge of his enemies who prepossess'd with a general opinion of his death and blinded with his false complexion have often pass'd by him it the very face of the Sun without the least suspition Ah Clitie cry'd I letting my self fall upon her with open arms I begin to find a likelihood of truth in thy relation and indeed when that man called thee in my presence I distinguished the true tone of Caesario's voice Great Gods continued I lifting my hands and eyes to Heaven great Gods how abundant is your goodness I made a stop at these words so distracted and transported with wonder so divided betwin joy and astonishment as my resentments were stopped up with their own tumult in my heart for want of power to express them Madam I need not strain my weak reason to describe the excess of gladness that confusedly floated in my soul for since you have loved as well as I and the powers above have parallel'd our misfortunes so exactly the cause of your present sorrows carrying so neer a congruity to the same I suffered for two months time your own apprehensions will better inform you than any expressions of mine how I relished this change of fortune The Princess Eliza fetcht a deep sigh accompanied with some tears at this passage of Candace's relation and lifting her watry eyes to Heaven with a look that spoke for pity with the best elegance of grief Immortal Gods said she how deeply should I be indebted to your Divine bounties had they such another favour to bestow on me Me-thinks my example said the Queen should have strength enough to confute your dispair and should deeâ— my self infinitely happy to be
other object he felt his grief and anguish too weak to take off his eyes from the deep study of some old Ideas which that young face by the help of a natural instinct awaked in his memory Eteocles not exempted from such thoughts as these being got on horseback near the young unknown fell greedily to examine his features or rather to devour them at the eyes which observed by Caesario confirmed his opinion that he had not mistaken that face when his conjectures told him 't was not a total stranger to his knowledge As they were taking the glad account of these thoughts which yet they had not mutually imparted they arrived at the house where the young Gallant and the Lady were attended by some domestick Servants who in obedience to their commands received the Son of Caesar with a grand respect and served him with a great deal of care and affection he had not been long in bed before some Chirurgions they had sent for to the City arrived and presently searcht his wounds which they found very great but not mortal owning no other danger of the Princes life than what might be imputed to his loss of blood the two fair ones gave a glad welcome to these hopes of Caesario's recovery and imposed a care upon themselves to see him diligently served with all circumspection He was no sooner left alone with Eteocles but he asked him a hundred questions in a throng and whatever caution that loyal servant intended for his Masters health he could have no quiet till he had related all that befel the Queen since he first trusted her to his charge till her last surptizal it was well Eteocles had not seen the face of Zenodorus nor known it was he that carried Candace away for if the Prince had understood that she was faln again into the same rude hands that had stormed her honour so violently not all his wounds and weakness could have kept him from presently spending the miserable remains of his life to the last sigh in her succour he first began to hunt for comfort in the height of his unconquered courage capable to make good his defiance against the cruellest attacques of Fortune thence did his thoughts recur to the memory of those perils which Heaven against all appearing possibility had so often helped him to overcome and from this last consideration he learned to trust some hopes of Candace's safety to the same goodness besides these the anguish of his wounds did a little dull the sense of his inward sufferings and at last his Feaver became so violent as it scarce left him any judgement to reason with his misfortunes this inforced his obedience to the Chirurgions orders and the good Eteocles more passionately desirous of his Masters dure than he that wanted it that might oblige him silence resolved to answer him no more while some of the first days past away in this manner his beautiful entertainers discreetly paid him their visits at such seasons when their courtesie might not disturb him so shon as the remission of his malady gave them leave to see and discourse with him oftner they let fall no occasion to be civil and there were very few hours in the day wherein either the fair Lady or the handsome stranger were not still by his bed-side to keep him company without discerning the reason they felt a secret impulse of extraordinary affection one towards another and if in the manly and majestick mind of Caesars Son the noble youth met charms that taught respect and ingaged affection Caesario made himself acquainted with some resemblances in his that besides the obligation he received had got a very kind entertaiment in his heart they were both pain'd with an equal desire to know each other but because he had already try'd it upon Eteocles in vain discretion bridled the young mans curiosity and Caesario contented himself to be indebted to him for his life without naming a request that might oppress his civility yet at last he could not over-master some motions of tenderness that carried him beyond circumspection and as his suspitions were stronger and his conjectures grounded upon clearer appearances than any the unknown could frame to excuse his curiosity he was the first that ventured to put his desire into words and one day perceiving him near his bed where he still carefully rendered him such offices as are seldom found in so young a friendship after his eye had seriously perused his face Sir said he 't is just I should content my self with the knowledge that my life has lately been the gift of your nobleness without steping farther into fresh obligations or hastily exacting younger proofs of your bounty especially being newly laden with others so great and weighty but besides that Natures law injoyns all mankind to court the acquaintance of those that have ingag'd us methinks I see somewhat in your person that by a particular interest has inflamed me with another kind of curiosity than I ever yet resented if therefore my request be not too unwellcome pray let me know to whom I am indebted for my life and yet I had rather sit down unsatisfied than ever offer you the trouble of changing any resolution to keep your self concealed The young Cavalier that burned with an equal desire to Caesario's tenderly embrac'd that occasion to content him and willing to ingage the Prince by the insinuation of a free confidence to a requital by a like discovery Sir said he I shall not offend truth in affirming that I never felt a stronger passion in my life than to obtain the same favour from your self you demand for besides that I have taken an impression from your looks of something in you that is very great and sublime methinks I descry some resemblances there that time has not totally wiped away from my memory which do equally beget and awake within me the sense of a high respect and a tender love to your person I shall gladly know when you are pleased to reveal it for whose sake it is I have so suddenly conceived them in the mean time for you I shall get an easie victory upon my repugnance in breaking the design to keep my self concealed from other persons I am called Alexander Son to the infortunate Antony and the great Queen Cleopatera and born in the first year of their marriage at the same birth with my Sister the Princess Cleopatra Caesario confirmed by these words that had not guess'd awry was almost extasy'd with an intemperate joy and all those passionate workings of the soul that ever bubled the secret sympathy of blood at such encounters did then powerfully possess themselves of his with an excess of tenderness prompted then by the ripened beauties of his dear brother at the same moment did he call to mind what they were in their blossoms while they were brought up together in their age of Innocence at the Court of Alexandria nor had a ten years seperation spread
declared it and that he had used all endeavours to be revenged upon all those who by any proximity or alliance might have relation to her and that upon this quarrel he had made cruel war upon the King of Media who was son to him that had procured the death of Artibasus at Cleopatra's hands which had not been ended but by the authority of Augustus and that beside the just resentments which filled him full of animosities he was reputed a severe Prince and one obstinately wedded to his passions knowing these things I saw my self deprived of all means ever to serve Artemisa by the consent of her brother and to obtain her of him by any service though of never so great importance I could not so much as see her without throwing my self into an enemies country and exposing my self to great dangers but all these considerations were not strong enough to oppose the birth or return of my passion Artemisa said I is the daughter of Artibasus her brother and all her relations are our enemies and there is little hope of prevailing with them and some danger in engaging my self in seeking occasions to see and serve her but for all that I must love Artemisa and all the obstacles which can oppose themselves to that design are too weak to divert me from it I cannot openly desire her of her brother because he is an enemy of the children and the memory of Cleopatra but I may visit her privately who possible hath not conserved resentments like to his and I am not the first of those who upon occasions of less importance have passed divers years unknown and disguised in their enemies territories my face is not known in Armenia and in the crowd of a great Court I may continue long enough disguised without being discovered at the most 't is the enterprise of a young man in whom his age may apologize for all and though I shall hazard the danger of miscarrying in it that is not enough to divert me from so glorious a design and I cannot perish more honorably nor more contentedly than in the service of Artemisa These were my thoughts which possest me for many days and this was at last my resolution from which nothing was able to move me I visited Artamenes oftentimes who finding me musing and unquiet contrary to my ordinary humour imagined part of the truth he gave me some knowledge too of the suspition he had and modestly questioned me about it but though in those affairs I should have made no difficulty of confiding in his friendship I did not believe that in this business wherein he had so great interest I ought to repose too much confidence in him In the mean time I thirsted after nothing more than the battel which was to be fought within few days being resolved to depart immediately after to go into Armenia without communicating any thing concerning my voyage but only to those whom I intended to take along with me As fortune would have it I lighted upon a conveniency for the execution of my design much greater than I expected but I purchased it with a very sensible displeasure which did strongly moderate the satisfaction I might have received from thence The battel was fought as we had expected and we gained the victory with all manner of advantages which put a period to the war it having reduced the Barbarians into a condition which made them submit to whatsoever Articles Tiberius was pleased to impose upon them but in this days work we lost divers valiant men and amongst the first Artamenes was brought back to his Tent having received two mortal wounds The affection I bare him made me run thither as soon as I had heard the news and I found him drawing towards his end having but some few moments to live I expressed to him presently by all manner of testimonies the grief I had to see him in this condition but if he were sensible of the marks of my affection he shewed but little apprehension of his approaching death and he disposed himself to receive it with a constancy very conformable to the opinion I had of his vertue After he had briefly answered my civilities he prayed me to cause those who were in the chamber to withdraw a while desiring that none might be witnesses of what he had to say to me but only one of his Servants which he retained with him and when he saw that no body heard us Alexander said he to me with a feeble voice but an assured countenance what care soever you have taken to conceal from me the pain you have endured some days since yet I knew it or at least supposed so and I am too well acquainted with the powers of Artemisa to be ignorant of the effect they might produce in a soul over which heretofore they had some power you love her without doubt or I am deceived in my conjecture and the opinion I have that it is so obliges me before I die to make you a present which possibly will be acceptable to you and I cannot put it into better hands than yours 'T is the picture of Artemisa that I leave you by the sight of that as I imagine you have relapsed into your ancient affections and in the possession of it you will find without doubt some consolation for the evils which her absence makes you suffer if I be not deceived in my opinion you will carefully preserve it and all the recompence which I desire of you for it if ever you see that adorable Princess do me onely the favour to testifie to her my last thoughts and the regret which accompanies me to my grave for having incensed her by the rash declaration of my Love Artamenes spake in this manner and I was so surprized with his discourse that I continued a long time without being able to reply he thought I made some difficulty to declare my self to him before the man who stayed with us and desiring to remove that scruple Fear not added he to discover your thoughts to me because of Narcissus's presence he shall be gone if you please but he is a man faithful and discreet above all others and possibly you may have occasion to make trial of his fidelity and discretion This was not the principal reason that hindered me from answering though it was some obstacle but seeing my self assured on that part and obliged to acknowledge by mine own freedom that of the obliging Artamenes Artamenes said I to him the testimonies of your affection are so dear to me that I can no longer disguise my thoughts to you and if I have done it hitherto it was not out of any distrust but only out of fear of displeasing you in confessing my self to be your Rival It is true that by the sight of what you shewed me my former affections are revived with such a force as hath totally deprived my soul of all liberty and that I am resolved to serve Artemisa
find in all my resolutions This was my design and I passed diverse days as uncertain what I had to do and as wavering in my will as the most irresolute mind had ever been hope and fear almost equally divided my soul but though there was according to appearances some place for hope yet out of a natural infirmity or rather a weakness proceeding from my love my fear exceeded my hope and still when I opened my mouth to say to Artemisa I am Alexander a Spirit of fear tyed up my tongue and whispered me in the ear that by this forward rashness I would ruine my self whereas by time and patience I might make my self sure I resolved then to resolve upon nothing but what opportunity should inspire me with and in the mean time I applyed my self to the Princess's service with greater assiduity than I had done before and she received my endeavours so favourably and looked so graciously upon me that amongst all those to whom I had rendred my self a companion since my disguise there was none but envyed my Fortune I lived a while in that manner but I was upon the point of passing to another condition there remained some scruples in Artemisa's mind which she must needs clear up and the desire she had to be satisfied gave me the opportunity of attaining to that which I had so much feared and so much desired One Evening when I least expected it having bid Good night to the company which was in her chamber she sent me her commands by Leucippe that I should stay for the service of the chamber when she was retired she went to sit down in a corner close by a table whereupon there were tapers lighted and Leucippe having made me draw neer after she had continued some moments without speaking Alcippus said she you will judge me to be too curious but that 's a vice ordinary with our Sex and I may possibly be excused for some reasons in that I desire to know from you since you were educated with the Prince Alexander to whom you have so much resemblance and were so particularly acquainted with his intentions it will not be amiss if you tell us something of his affairs He is the Son of our cruel Enemies but I assure my self that he contributed nothing to our misfortune and I must confess more in his younger years he had a respect to me which permits me to enquire of him During Artemisa's discourse I was agitated with divers different thoughts which made me change my countenance and rendred me for a while amazed and ill-assured in my looks but at last I partly composed my self and endeavouring to dissipate the fear which hindred me Madam answered I Alexander is too happy and too glorious seeing he hath still a place in your memory and I interess my self so far in his happiness that he himself cannot receive the knowledge of it with greater satisfaction than I do 'T is certain for all that Madam that Alexander dies for you and as in all the affairs of his life he judges nothing to be of importance but only the thoughts he hath for you 't is with those only Madam that I can and ought to acquaint you You divert your self Alcippus said the Princess and possibly I should not like it very well if by the way of my proceeding with you I did not give some place to your discourse the thoughts that Alexander had once for me were not unknown to me but he was too young to engage himself in a more solid affection and I am not ignorant that he remembers me no more now than if I were out of the World 'T is not my duty Madam replyed I to oppose your opinions but that you have of Alexander is so far from truth that all the respect I owe you is not capable to make me approve it 'T is certain Madam and in time I shall make it appear to you by infallible testimonies to which you will give greater credit than to my discourse not onely that Alexander hath preserved his infant affections for you which are not worthy to be presented to you but that he is now enflamed with a passion worthy of you that he hath sacrificed his Life and Fortune at your feet and desires neither Fortune nor life but to have the glory to employ them both entirely in your service You engage me answered Artemisa with a little blush that appeared in her face in a very strange conversation but seeing I have done so much I will see the end of your discourse of which as yet I comprehend nothing and I will ask you by what marks could you take notice of Alexander's passionate thoughts if all the World be ignorant of them if he hath not seen me since he was nine or ten years old and if since that he hath passed his life at Rome without giving me any testimony of his remembrance of me Alexander would be very unworthy of your memory replyed I if he had done as you say but I am very well assured of the contrary and to let you see Madam that it is not without reason that I bragged of having some part in his secrets will you be pleased to let me tell you that at your separation when as very a child as he was he possibly gave you proofs of a real passion you commanded him to come again to you when he was of another age you left him some favours which he hath very carefully preserved and you approved of the promise he made you to come one day and render you the homage he had vowed to you and to submit himself anew to the Empire which he had already given you over his soul The Princess seemed astonished at the discourse and yet she replyed I will make no difficulty to confess those things which the age I was then of may easily excuse and you make me remember some particulars which passed at our departure from Alexandria 't is certain that at that innocent age loving Alexander as if he had been my brother I invited him to come and see me and he promised to do so but these being the propositions of childrens promises time which hath made him forget them had almost worn them out of my memory He hath been so far from forgetting them said I to her that possibly he hath put them in execution since he hath abandoned all things to dye and serve you and without considering the danger which might threaten him among the mortal enemies of his family possibly he is come hath seen and served you and in that condition hath established all his fortune As I spake these words which began to render themselves very intelligible the Princess beginning to suspect the truth viewed me from head to foot with a gesture full of trouble and opening her eyes by little to the appearances which might discover me she continued in such an uncertainty and confusion of thoughts as would not permit her to reply
you must not dream of making any longer stay here for besides that without committing a real offence against my duty I cannot permit a disguised person privately to continue with me I shall be in a perpetual fear both of the danger which threatens you and the dishonour I may receive upon that account 't is almost a miracle that you have continued so long here without being discovered and in fine it will be impossible that you should conceal your self much longer from divers persons who have seen your face in Augustus his Court you may retire your self thither and from thence you may make his power operate much more efficaciously than at this distance from him Madam replyed I with a sigh my parting from you will be almost unsupportable to me but I must dispose my self to it since you desire it and the patience I have to engage the Emperor in promiting my Fortune will moderate as much as may be the grief I shall have to leave you I only desire some few days if it please you to grant them me in which time I shall endeavour to resolve upon a separation which cannot happen upon my part without a strange violence This moment gives birth to my enjoyment of the supreme felicity you bestow upon me and you cannot take it from me the same day without some kind of inhumanity The Princess was about to answer me when she saw the King her Brother appear and come to her in the same Alley with the principal persons of the Court I retired upon my own accord at his sight and not desiring to present my self before the King and those that followed him but as rarely as I could I turned through another Alley and went out of the Garden and at the Gate I found Narcissus and my two Squires which attended me Hitherto all things had succeeded more happily than I dared to desire and I had all the reason that could be to be satisfied with my fortune but mark the accident which befel me when I least feared it whereby our resolutions were overthrown and the Scene of our affairs was entirely changed Lucius Cepio one of the most noble Knights of Rome but the most inconsiderate and imprudent man in the world having been banished from Rome a little before and retiring himself into some of the Asiatick Provinces was come to Artaxata the evening before without my knowing of it he had already saluted the King and was going to wait upon him in the Garden where he was then walking when by chance he met me in the Court of the Palace attended by my three servants and some other friends that I had acquired in that Court under the name of Alcippus Cepio no sooner saw me but he presently knew me and having no discretion himself nor any knowledge of my affairs running immediately to me with an inconsiderate action O Gods cryed he what adventure is this to find the Prince Alexander to find the Son of Anthony in Artaxata All the Court as ordinarily it is was full of persons that walked there and they had no sooner seen the action and heard the exclamation of Cepio but they all drew near us out of a desire to learn some news In the mean time I was surprized that I could make Cepio no reply and some persons who came in with him telling him that he was deceived and that I could not possibly be the man he thought me to be What said he to them do you believe that I do not know Alexander that I do not know the Son of Anthony and Cleopatra whom I have seen brought up from his cradle and for whose absence I have left at Rome the chiefest persons of the Empire in disquiet With these words he drew near to salute me and I was so astonished at this discourse and received his salutation without replying one word besides my silence the changing of my countenance betrayed me and there appeared at first so much trouble therein that all the persons who took notice of it did not doubt but that Cepio had spoken the truth there were divers persons there as the greater number is inclined rather to mischief than to goodness which ran to the King to carry him this news and he was informed from several mouths at the same time that Alcippus one of the Princesse's Domesticks was Prince Alexander the son of Anthony and Cleopatra Artaxus being surprized at this discourse though he gave but little credit to it sent part of his guard commanding them to bring me into his presence and Cepio who had discovered me along with me When they came to me I began to recover a little out of the astonishment whereunto this adventure had cast me and when they commanded me to follow them and go to the King along with them I laid my hand upon the hilt of my sword but seeing my self alone and environed with such a great number of armed men I knew very well that my resistance would be to no purpose and so yielding to my fortue I went back into the Garden with them and marched towards the King who being full of impatience at such an accident came to meet me Cepio beginning then to understand the fault he had committed was sorry for it and would have made his Apologie to me which instead of making some reparation quite spoiled all I came before Artaxus and the Princess his sister who was then present with him but if in the countenance of the brother I saw indignation painted out to the life I beheld in the sisters face so many signs of astonishment and grief that at this object of displeasure my courage almost failed me Artaxus having divers times surveyed me from head to foot Is it true said he that you are the son of Anthony I continued at first unresolved what answer I should make him endeavouring to read in the countenance of the Princess what her intention was and in the mean while the King turning himself towards Cepio with a threatning action demanded of him if I were not the son of Cleopatra The imprudent Cepio though sorry for his fault and couragious even to the excess of rashness yet being astonished at the adventure knew not what to reply and therefore I saved him the labour I was ashamed that out of some appearance of fear I had refused to speak the truth at the first asking and doubting that it might be drawn out of Cepio's mouth I desired to prevent it and did believe that I ought not to conceal my birth upon any consideration whatsoever Upon these thoughts looking upon the King with an assured countenance Ask not Cepio said I that which I am ready to confess to you my birth is too noble to be disavowed 't is certain my name is Alexander and I am the son of Anthony and Cleopatra Artaxus stept back a few paces at this discourse beholding me with eyes enflamed with fury and after that lifting them up on a sudden
of me telling him that I had made a fool of her Daughter and of him too in perswading him to things far from truth that Urania was not of a birth to be abused in this manner and that all the Court thought it strange that I should prefer a poor stranger of a base and obscure birth before her that it was murmured up and down every where and if order were not taken in time I would render my self a laughing stock and a scorn to her subjects The King who in all things took the Queen's part was particularly moved at the complaints she made against me and protested to her that if I did not readily dispose my self to obey him in the desire he had to engage me in the service of the Princess Urania and if I did not abandon all manner of affections for her sake he would reduce me to my duty by making me sensible of his resentments and from that moment he began to use all his authority to make me submit to what he desired of me or to expose me to those cruel crosses under which I have so much groaned since and by means of which I find my self in a deplorable condition Philadelph related the history of his life in this manner when the Princess Artemisa who hearkned to him with a great deal of pleasure and attention judging that this discourse would be long and fearing left Prince Alexander should be in some care by reason of the length of her walk she sent Tideus to him to let him understand the truth and to put him out of all apprehensions for her After this order which she readily dispatched in Tideus his ear she turned her self towards Philadelph and after she had asked pardon for the interruption she had made in his discourse she heard him pursue it in these terms HYMEN'S PRAELUDIA OR Love's Master-Piece PART IV. LIB IV. ARGUMENT The King makes use of all politick mild and rigorous courses to divert Philadelph 's affection from Delia but all in vain The gentle modest and discreet behaviour of Delia makes her the Court-wonder Philadelph proffers privately to espouse her which she refuses till he had gain'd their friends consent and gives him some hints that her Birth was greater than be imagined She is poisoned by some malicious instruments about the Queen Philadelph loudly exclaims against that black Treachery and vows not to survive her Beyond expectation she recovers Philadelph falls sick of a Feaver His danger softens his Fathers heart who promises him no longer to oppose his Love whereupon he is cured Delia still renders the same reasons for her refusal of Hymen 's Ceremonies and highly indears her self to the King by her vertue Philadelph is summoned to the Median Wars At his departure Delia gives him a paper sealed up but forbids him to open it till he had order from herself or his Sister Andromeda He goes on successfully in the War and brings it to a period He receives intelligence from his Sister that Delia was retired from Court and had given him leave to peruse his paper He calls for his Cabinet but finds that by accident it was lost He was extreamly afflicted at it betakes himself to travel and resolves to range the world in her search He tells Artemisa what Countries he had already travers'd and so ends his Story The distress of an unknown Lady invites him to her rescue which he gallantly performs He takes leave of the Ladies and goes on in search of his Delia. Artemisa invites the unknown Lady to her habitation which she gratefully accepts THE King in compliance to the Queens humour had no sooner taken the resolution to torment me but he sent for me and after I was come into his presence receiving me with a frowning countenance The chear said he which you have put upon me is discovered to your confusion and if you had had as much obedience as the Princess Urania you would not have exposed me to the displeasure which I have lately received That Princess submits her self as her duty is to the will of the Queen her Mother and you do not render what is due to your Father though the things which he desires of you are only for your own advantage We know now Philadelph the truth which you concealed from us and we are no longer ignorant what the subject of your disobedience is This is not that which I expected from the inclinations which I thought I observed in you and from the education you have received and these base thoughts whereby you disgrace the beginnings of your life give a sensible displeasure to those who had established their dearest hopes upon you Reflect upon it in good earnest and with a resolution worthy of your birth discard these uncommendable affections whereby you will expose your self to your Fathers anger and the scorn of the whole world The King spake to me in this manner walking up and down with such an action as signified his displeasure and I continued unmoveable with my eyes cast down and in an uncertainty what answer I should make him I had a mind at first to dissemble still with him and to deny my passion hoping that in time I might work his spirit to a sweeter temper and bring him insensibly to give permission to it but in fine I perceived that there was little likelyhood for me to hope so and besides that it was impossible to conceal that from him any longer which was come to the knowledge of the whole Court and that it could not remain secret any longer if I did not forbear visiting Delia I believed that that fair person was very worthy of my owning and that she might justly be offended if I did any longer stifle the thoughts I had for her upon this account beholding the King with greater assurance than before Sir said I the fear I had to displease you hath hitherto constrained me to disguise the truth from you and if I had not a great deal of confidence in your goodness I should never have had the boldness to confess it to you 'T is true Sir I have failed if to love the most beautiful and amiable creature that ever the Gods sent into the world without your command be to commit a fault but this fault was not voluntary and all the considerations I could have were not strong enough to defend me against the powers of Delia. If you said the King had opposed any vertue against the birth of this passion you would have preserved your self from it and you might have fortified your self if you would have made use of them with good examples and noble education so as not to suffer your mind to be overswayed by vicious inclinations Vice replyed I hath no intermixture with those inclinations which I have for Delia if her vertue which she possesses possibly in an higher degree than ever person did were known to your Majesty without doubt you would never judge injuriously of it
rather with so much contempt that they had all a just subject of discontent and possibly of deriding my pride I will say more if modesty permit me that there were divers amongst them who were not exempted from some affection for me and gave me testimonies of it great enough to fortifie the good opinion which I had naturally for my self Nevertheless this unreasonable presumption which flattered my haughty thoughts did not carry me to manifest extravagancies and if I believed that it was permitted me to love the Princess and disdain all that was inferiour to her yet I knew well that I could not give her too visible marks of my passion without justly drawing upon me either her anger or contempt and I was contented to endure the pain she made me suffer without declaring it any other way unto her than by my assiduity in her service accompanied with a grace which possibly was not so natural in my Companions and by diligences which understandings more intelligent than Candaces was at that time would have easily discerned from those which are used for another interest Some difference likewise which she favourably found between my Companions and me both for my person and my services caused her to receive mine with more approbation than theirs and I remarked in divers passages that she set an higher esteem upon me than upon many persons which by their birth held a very considerable rank in Ethiopia I was in this condition and had stayed a year at Meroe when Cleomedon arrived there I call him by that name though his true name and birth are not unknown unto me a more ample declaration might be fatal to him in this Country where a few days since we have seen him and though I be his enemy by a natural inclination and for the reasons wherewith I will acquaint you yet I should be sorry by dishonourable means to take a revenge upon him unworthy of my courage This Prince born with all the advantages of nature and composed of as great parts as any possibly could be came into Ethiopia to drive me thence and though it was not his intention and that by the difference there was between our conditions he hardly cast his eyes upon me it came to pass rather by my fortune than his design that he overthrew all my hopes and made me go to seek elsewhere the occasions whereunto I was called by my destiny This Prince as I have said and as I am obliged to say to give testimony to the truth had qualities altogether excellent and amiable and yet I no sooner judged that he loved Candace for by the interest I took therein I took notice of his truth sooner than others but I conceived hatred against him in my heart and it found a disposition so natural to receive it that ever since though the cause of our differences be ceased and that naturally I am apt enough to be reconciled and of an humour inclinable enough to pardon my most cruel Enemies I could never banish the repugnance which since that time establish'd it self against him in my spirit It was augmented by a thousand occasions and Cleomedon though I believe without design did me a thousand injuries which were never taken notice of either by him or other persons and which could not possibly have passed for injuries amongst my Companions whose courage was not so haughty as mine He deprived me every day of the means of entertaining the Princess who out of a particular goodness oftentimes diverted her self to discourse with me if I had the honour to lead her as it was permitted us by the employment we had near her he came to do my office and put me besides a place which I must needs quit unto him out of respect and in fine he did me a hundred displeasures which I looked upon rather through my passion than my reason and which made me detest my unfortunate birth by reason of which I could not probably hope for satisfaction from a great Prince but this fear was unjust in me and Cleomedon whose vertue and courage is more sublime than his birth made me a little after acknowledge that he was exceeding worthy of the advantages he had above me and that he might highly conserve by his valour whatsoever he could acquire by his Fortune You will perceive the truth of what I have told you in the recital of the engagement between us and by the discourse which I will make you of his admirable generosity you will be amazed that by his noble procedure all the hatred I had for him did not quit my heart or rather you will believe with me that it must needs be retained there by unknown causes Hereabouts Britomarus stopped to recall into his memory some particulars of his discourse and when they were come to his mind he went on upon the same things which a few days before Etcocles had related to Tyridates He told the two Princes the displeasures he had received from Cleomedon for the Nosegay he had taken from him to present to the Princess Candace he added also divers of the same nature and at last came to the relation of the offence which he did him at the publick sports of his resentments of his complaint to Cleomedon and of the gallant combat which they had together wherein he exalted the generosity of Cleomedon in terms which sufficiently discovered his own to his illustrious auditors and made them rightly judge that vertuous men acknowledge and reverence vertue even in the person of their enemies He told them in fine the command he had received to depart Ethiopia whereby his resentments against Cleomedon were revived the combat he suffered in his soul whilest his wounds detained him in his bed to separate himself from Candace He gave them the relation of his cure of the leave he took of Cleomedon of his departure from the Court of Ethiopia and punctually all those things which Eteocles had recounted by the recital whereof he caused in Coriolanus an attention and admiration for these beginnings of his life which possibly adventures of greater importance would not have produced and after he had related in this sort that which Tyridates already understood he pursued in these terms his discourse concerning those things which were as yet unknown unto him or those at least whereof he had heard only by a common report and not by any particular narration It was not without very great violence that I disposed my spirit to separate my self from Candace and though the passion I had for her was not yet arrived to the point whither it might have come yet nevertheless it was not so slight but it made me resent a great part of that which might be suffered by such a separation and that which aggravated my grief the more was to see my self driven away by my Rival I say my Rival for the inequality which was between us cannot hinder me from calling him so and reduced by an unjust
attend some part of them to the end that I may with better grace offer to you and others a person more worthy to be presented unto you By these discourses I staid for a while the impatience of Cinthia and defended my self against her propositions not having confidence enough to declare unto her the small power I had to submit my self to what she desired of me but by the continuance of these pursuits though founded upon a very great appearance and by diminishing my addresses wherein she saw me grow the colder for her pressing me she began to open her eyes to part of the truth and to perceive that all the services I rendred her might proceed only from esteem and good will without my being possessed with any stronger passion for her She daily confirmed her self in this opinion with a very sensible grief and at last all her modesty could not hinder her from declaring to me with some earnestness the regret she had for it She had obliged me one day by a very pressing solicitation to fall into a discourse with her little different from that which I related unto you and this last time hearing me with impatiance Britomarus said she to me pay me no more with these reasons which I cannot conceive from you any longer as current after I have so much resisted them and alledge nothing to defend your self from the testimonies of my affection but the only want of your own there it is only that you can find your excuse and I should be stark blind if I did not clearly perceive that you never loved me These words at first surprised me but after I had digested them a little I was not altogether sorry that they gave me opportunity to free my self from a very great difficulty and having taken a resolution whereunto my mind did not apply it self without some trouble Cinthia said to her you may really believe that I love you and shall love you so long as I live as the qualities of your person and your goodness hath obliged me and when you shall see me wanting in this acknowledgement and resentment I give you leave to account me the most ingrateful and unworthy of all men This is a truth which I will seal unto you with my blood if you require it of me but Cinthia make an end said she interrupting me with impatience and tell me as I expect that I must be contented with a single acknowledgment and the good will only of a man which hath other pretentions I will not make my confession to you in these terms replyed I to her and I should not have courage enough to acknowledge the truth if you your self had not removed the difficulty but seeing you will have it so and that I esteem you too really to abuse you I will tell you that destiny rather than reason hath disposed of my soul and before that ever I had spoken to you I was in a condition to receive no other resentments for you than those of esteem respect and good will I made Cinthia this discourse with my eyes cast down and she was so touched with it that having beheld me sometime with all the marks of a violent regret and not having the power to express her self by any discourse she rose from the place where she sate and retired into her Closet and shut the door after her I was really moved at this displeasure which I noted in her action and her visage and all that day and divers others I was not able absolutely to free my self from some small remorses but in the conclusion I was not born for Cinthia and by my destiny I was ordained for other things than to pass my days with Cinthia In the interim this Lady transported with despight resolved to break off all kind of society with me and when I would have visited her again she oftentimes sent me word that she was indisposed and at last prayed me to render her no more visits though this order was not capable to afflict me much yet I received it with some trouble and I told the Maid that brought it that I would constrain my self to obey her Mistress and that all the repugnance she had for me should never hinder me from honouring and loving her and applying my self to her interests all the days of my life In the mean time seeing my self discharged of a trouble very contrary to my nature I pursued as I thought the motions of my love with more liberty and of two constraints being now obliged to one only I considered Arsinoe directly without diverting at all my thoughts from her O Gods what did I suffer by this rigorous violence which I was constrained to exercise upon my self and how often should I have had my mouth open to say unto the Princess I die for you if fear had not stopped me and taken away all the boldness which I received from Heaven For something she found in a conversation which did not please her she often did me the honour to discourse with me and in these agreeable moments if my tongue did not give my heart the succour which it demanded my eyes did express for it thoughts which Arsinoe being so intelligent as she was might easily have perceived if the dis-proportion between us had not diverted hers or if she could have imagined in me an ambition so little conformable to my life with some lustre and gave me hope of being advanced to the highest dignities if the actions I should do for his service should be answerable to the beginnings The Prince Ariobarzanes his Brother who was then about seventeen or eighteen years of age and in whom besides his beauty and one of the most sublime deportments of the world all admirable qualities were remarkable testified a particular affection unto me and let slip no occasion of rendring me all kinds of good offices He did me the honour to make me one in all the parts of gallantry which he performed either in courses on horse-back or the combats of divertisement and if he found that I came off with some address I must needs confess that his also not without reason was admired by the whole world and that in all particulars he gave marvellous hopes of his future excellency Artamenes and I were seldom asunder and at this time he acknowledged that he had unjustly blamed in me the effects which Love could produce without consulting with reason and what resistance soever he would have made at last he yielded himself to the powers of the Princess Artemisa and out of the confidence he had in me he presently discovered his passion to me and instead of condemning it I found therein matter of great consolation to my self I encouraged him to it as much as possibly I could and represented to him divers times that a good courage ought to fix it self upon sublime thoughts and that to despise common things and to aspire to the highest was the only means to
exempt a man from the rank of the vulgar Artamenes defended himself a while by the knowledge which he had that it was only for Kings and not for the subjects of their Brother that the Princesses of Armenia were destined but he defended himself to no purpose and at last laid his liberty at Artemisa's feet We began thence forward to sympathize and to entertain our selves reciprocally with the effects which our passion produced in our spirits without concealing any thing from each other Because of the rank which Artamenes held in Armenia there was less temerity in his thoughts than in mine and except the Sisters of his King he might without presumption pretend to any of the Ladies of the highest quality yet this did not encrease his boldness and he suffered as well as I during the time we passed together without daring to open his mouth to discover his Love Mean time the season approached for our Army to take the field and the King whose will it was as in former years to return thither in person after the winter was past hastened all the preparations for our departure All this time was slipt away and I had never the confidence to speak and certainly I had gone away in the same condition if my destiny which called me to other things had not presented me with occasions to discover my self which I never expected Cinthia in whose soul despight had powerfully operated though possibly she had extinguished all the affection she had for me yet she was not so far interessed but that she had great desire to know the subject of my real inclinations and as she was privy to all the acquaintance I had and knew all the Persons whose company I frequented she believed it would not be very difficult to discover the truth She began to be very industrious therein and as it is much more hard to deceive persons interessed than those which observe us without any particular design and that besides I had little disposition or adresse to dissemble my thoughts that which had been concealed from the eyes of others began quickly to appear to hers and if she were not certainly assured of the truth she conceived at least great suspicions wherein by the observation of all my actions she confirmed her self more and more I believe she found some consolation in this discovery and the dignity of the cause made her support my usage towards her with greater patience than she did whilst she was ignorant of it She was almost continually with the Princesses and seeing me there every day she had leisure enough to take notice of my regards my sighs and all the other signs whereby a passion might be discovered All the Court knew the familiarity between us but I discovered our rupture to none but to Artamenes and though I did not visit Cinthia at her own house yet in the presence of the Princesses I accosted her as before and she constrained her self before the World to carry her self towards me in appearance as she had been accustomed to do and not to make her resentments break out the cause whereof would have been disadvantageous unto her This was that which retained part of the Persons of the Court in the opinion which they had conceived that I had affection for her The Princesses themselves and particularly Arsinoe with whom Cinthia was more familiar than with her Sister oftentimes questioned her about it and though by this discourse the despite of Cinthia was augmented yet she durst not express it and she suffered it a while with a seeming patience but at last this moderation failed her and whether it were by resentment which possibly had animated her against the imprudence of her age she was carryed away contrary to my thought and whatever might probably be expected from her The Princess was walking upon a ballistred Terrace belonging to her lodging leaning upon Cinthia's arm and the rest of her train believing she would entertain her particularly retired to the other end and left them free in their conversations They had been discoursing some time together when I came and the Princess who at that time was speaking of me no sooner saw me but called me to her and did me the honour to make me the third person in their entertainment Cinthia blusht at my coming and the Princess taking occasion to continue the war she had made her Ah well Cinthia said she to her you blush at it and by your countenance discover that to me which your mouth hath so long disavowed I make no further doubt but that you are the cause of the melancholly and all the inquietudes of Britomarus and besides what I have learned from the publick voice of the Court I see marks which sufficiently declare the truth Cinthia was almost quite out of countenance at this discourse which the Princess made her in my presence and not being able to imagine whether she questioned her upon appearances and the common opinion or whether having knowledge of the truth and the little esteem I had of her affection she would joyn with me to mock her and make her serve for divertisement in an occasion wherein she found so much subject of displeasure she was ready to dye with dispite and could hardly find in all the respect she had for the Princess so much power as to contain her self I was but a little more assured and the confusion of us both confirming Arsinoe in her suspicions you confess enough both of you continued she with a very good grace To remove all uncertainty that might remain in my mind and I hope Cinthia from the amity I have for you that henceforth you will not use so much subtilty and dissimulation with me At this recharge Cinthia lost all patience and after she had several times changed colour in a few moments Madam said she to her your Higness diverts it self at my cost and possibly you well know that it is not to me that Britomarus addresses his thoughts and that he hath far higher pretentions At these words knowing that out of the despite which transported her she transcended the bounds of discretion and was about to speak things in my presence which could not but put me into a confusion I would have retired but the Princess staying me by the arm Tarry Britomarus said she to me and seeing that I interess my self in your affairs suffer me to understand a little more of them Ah! well Cinthia continued she turning towards her you persevere then in your dissimulation towards me and you would have me believe that Britomarus hath higher thoughts than Cinthia Perhaps you know better than I replyed Cinthia but if you do not your urgency possibly will force me to tell you more than the respect I have for you ought to permit me Ah Cinthia said the Princess to her smiling provided you satisfie my curiosity I pardon you for all things but seeing it is not to your self I will not let you rest
change hath left me in my justification and if by the inviolable fidelity which hath always engaged me to you I had not been obliged to use all my endeavours to die in the testification of my innocence I know not Madam whether I find you still in the same estate wherein you were when this miserable received his condemnation and possible it is that by the reflection you have made upon all the actions of my life or by the goodness of the Gods which never abandon an oppressed innocence you may have satisfied your self that I have not merited those miseries to which you have condemned me I speak to you Madam as a criminal in your thoughts and I had much rather submit my self to accusations against which my conscience fortifies me and against which the truth it self will defend me than to imagine that the change of my fortune proceeded only from the changing of your mind I have received too great proofs of its constancy to believe that it hath been capable of so cruel a revolution and I should conceive a thought which without doubt might offend you if I should judge that the fortune of Tyberius hath destroyed mine and attribute that to inconstancy which without doubt you have done for the reasons to me unknown The Prince had said more to this purpose if the Princess which till then had hearkned unto him without looking upon him had not lifted up her eyes and interrupted him in part of his discourse You have had reason said she to him to make this judgement of me and though you have been capable of a black infidelity yet you have been sufficiently assured that Cleopatra had an heart too well setled for being suspected of any such thing I ought not to have opened my mouth so much as to have spoken to you and whether it be chance or design which presents you again unto me contrary to my expectation and desire I should have fled from your first view as from the sight of my most cruel enemy but that I may render you yet more black and more criminal before the Gods and before men I will as unworthy as you are protest unto you once for all that if by your shameful perfidiousness you had not merited my hatred and my disdain in stead of that affection which I have blindly given you I should have despised not only Tiberius and all men besides but even the Empire of the Universe for you alone If it be so replyed Coriolanus and that by the infidelity wherewith you reproach me I have rendred my self unworthy of that fortune there is no death cruel enough for the punishment of my fault neither will I flie from it and you shall see me Madam to repair my crime in part fall upon the point of my Sword without repugnance and without any other resentment of my death than that I have merited it by my perfideousness But first Madam I beseech you by the memory of those former goodnesses which by your accusation I have so unworthily abused do me the favour to inform me what the crime is which by your accusation I have so unworthily abused do me the favour to inform me what the crime is which renders me so black and so odious Heaven is my witness that it is so far unknown to me that I could never so much as imagine the least subject of this reproach and it is but to learn this truth that I linger out my unfortunate daies and that I wander since I have the liberty into places where I may receive some knowledge of it I will not represent unto you to move you either with interest or compassion the condition wherein I am for the love of you It is a small thing that for your sake I have armed the powers which govern the earth against my self It is a small thing that having recovered for you only a very puissant Kingdom I have lost it again for want of ability to go and defend it in the condition wherein you had put me and it is a small thing to see me exiled stript of all a wanderer and vagabond in Countries which are all my Enemies without support without retreat and without Sanctuary against such great adversaries These evils are scarcely considerable for Cleopatra and they are too light to set before her eyes with any hope that she will make any reflection upon them but besides the loss of all that I might have acquired either by my Sword or by my Fortune besides the losâ— of my repose together with the loss of Cleopatra which expunges all the rest out of my soul to conclude my pitiful destiny with the loss of my life without having any knowledge without having any suspicion of the cause of my fortunes this is it which possibly is worthy of your pity and it is for this only that I will implore it with a final protestation that I will draw no other advantage thence but this to see my self condemed with reason by her whom at the last end of my life I neither can nor will accuse of any injustice The Princess Cleopatra as obdurate and pre-possessed as she was with a cruel opinion could not hear this discourse of Coriolanus without manifesting some marks of tenderness and the roots of the only affection she had had in her whole life were still too well fixed in her mind to leave her without pity and without resentment at the sight of this despairing Prince and the remembrance of those things which he represented to her Nevertheless she strove against passions and hardly retaining some tears which were ready to overflow her eye-lids Wherefore doest thou return said she to him wherefore doest thou return unfaithful Prince to renew my sorrows and oppose thy self to the repose which reason possibly had re-established in my mind What interest hast thou after thou hast so unworthily abandoned me to act the passionate lover before me afresh and needlesly to require new marks of that weakness which hath precipitated me into those disquiets wherein I have passed but too much of my life for thy sake and to plead both innocence and ignorance of a crime which thou hast endeavoured to publish to all the world As long thou wert faithfull to me my acknowledgement and my affection could never be moved by any consideration whatsoever and I as well as thou have opposed and incensed for thy sake alone those soveraign powers to whom the Gods having given an absolute command over me I had done more yet if by thy black infidelity thou hadst not too far dispensed with me and if fortune had replaced upon my head the Crowns which sometimes were in the disposing of Anthony thou shouldest have seen me use them more generously than thou hast done that which the Gods had restored to thee whilst thou wert innocent and which they have made thee lose since that by thy disloyalty thou hast rendred thy self unworthy of their protection It is by their
out of love and complacence to her self she permits divers persons to give her testimonies of their affections yet I make no doubt but that she doth not only prefer you before all others but that all her real affection is yours Ah Sister answered I though what you say were true my condition would not be a jot the better I care not for a partial heart and seeing I gave mine entirely to Julia and that she had once given hers in the same manner she cannot give any part of it to any person without depriving me of that which justly belongs to me Cleopatra said all she could in justification of Julia but more to quiet my mind than to excuse a lightness which she could not approve In the mean while I continued divers days without rendring any visits to Julia and without being present at any of the places which she was accustomed to frequent and during that time I did all I possibly could to learn who this new Rival was which had so readily found a place in her affections I stayed some days without being able to know the truth but at last having addressed my self to Phebe one of her Maids who was most acquainted with her secrets whom I had gained by the presents I made her after she had suffered her self to be pressed a great while for fear of her Mistresses anger and made me promise that I should not discover it she told me it was Drusus from whom Julia had received that letter and divers others and that if any person had any part of her amity it was Drusus above all others Upon this discovery I was enflamed with choler against this Rival and bearing already no great affection to his house for the reasons that I have allegded unto you I was upon the point of making my resentment appear without any further delay but I judged I could not do it without disobliging and mortally offending Julia by discovering things to her prejudice which as yet were secret and I had regard enough to the interests of that ingrateful Princess to retain my self for her sake But the violence I did my self in not seeing her quickly produced another effect which was noted by all the persons that did observe me and Julia her self whom I could not avoid in those places where of necessity I must meet her having taken notice as well as others of the change which my sadness had wrought in my countenance whereof she knew the cause was possibly touched with some remorse and as affections do not imprint themselves in her spirit but that she hath liberty enough left so that which she had conceived for Drusus was not strong enough to oblige her to be willing to be totally quit of me and to hinder the design of re ingaging me In fine whether it were out of a real motion of affection and repentance or out of a fear of displeasing Caesar whereupon the Princess Scribonia her Mother every day read her lectures she left looking ill upon me as she had done in divers meetings since the last conversation we had had and by an obliging carriage and looks full of sweetness she endeavoured to make me stoop to her lure I could not resist those efforts without laying a cruel constraint upon my self but my resentment had ground enough to make me suffer any thing before it could be dissipated and I had already so little confidence in Julia's caresses that I could not look upon them but as the effects of artifice rather than a real resentment After I had avoided divers times the occasion of speaking to her before the Emperour I was one day at her passage through a Gallery which leads from hers to the Empress lodgings and as I would have passed by her making a profound reverence without staying she stept before me and having taken me by the arm You do ill said she to flie as you do from persons which possibly love you better than they are obliged to do I should do ill indeed answered I very coldly if I should flie from them that love me but besides that I shall hardly have that belief concerning you I only avoid the occasions of displeasing you and endeavour as much as is possible for me to give you that satisfaction that you have desired of me If I were as cholerick as you replyed Julia I should possibly desire it more than you believe and if my inclination did not transcend my resentments I should willingly leave you in an humor wherein it may be you find some pleasure but because I cannot render you that injustice without suffering very much my self by it I forget in part what I owe to my self to make you remember what we mutually owe to each other Madam replyed I I owe you all manner of respect and submission and that way certainly I shall very exactly acquit my self towards you all my life I do not believe you can require any more of me if you do not believe you are speaking to Drusus who without doubt owes you his heart and life in recompence of your affections The Princess was troubled at this reproach as I knew by the change of her countenance and yet readily composing her self You do all you can said she to incense me against you but I pardon your passion and if you had continued your self within more reasonable bounds I should already have cured your mind of suspicion which you have conceived upon very light appearances My suspicions replyed I are become certainty and I cannot desire any farther clearing up of those things which to my misfortune are but too evident I have not been able without doubt to behold the fortune of Drusus without a mortal grief but I should envy him much more if I did not know that it is very ill assured and that some other will quickly make him lose what he bath gained from me rather by his good fortune than by his merit and services When I reproached the Princess with the lightness of her spirit she fell into a violent choler and beholding me with an eye which sufficiently expressed her indignation You shall know said she that the fortune of Drusus is not so ill-assured as you believe and to give you other impressions of my spirit I will put it into such a condition that you shall have much ado to shake it Ending these words she quitted me with so many appearances of choler that if I had not been more moved at her inconstancy than I could be at her anger I should have retired from this encounter with a displeasure which would have left me but little quiet She began thence forward to put her threatnings in execution and whether it were to do me a spight or to follow her own inclinations she carried her self so towards Drusus that few persons doubted but that he had a great share in her affections He visited her punctually every day and she no longer fearing to make me jealous which had obliged
Mecenas that together with reproaches which had pierced his heart he had received from a Maid such instructions how to reign that he should be obliged to her for them as long as he lived he continued divers daies much netled and troubled and without scarce seeing the persons who would have caused him to lay constraint upon the Daughter of Anthony This accident is remarkable and the greatness of Caesar's courage certainly produced in this rancounter an effect worthy of his actions Livia remained much afflicted and full of confusion and Tyberius was no less a few daies after when with a like resolution to that which she had shewed before Caesar Cleopatra protested to him that if he did obstinately seek to espouse her by any other waies than by his services she would infallibly destroy her self and that he ought to be very certain that the very day of her Marriage should be the day of her Funeral By this couragious resolution in favour of Coriolanus Cleopatra recovered the liberty which they had deprived her of upon the point that it was most desperate and I saw this unexpected change with a joy as great as was the confusion of Tyberius He almost died with the grief he took at it and whether it were that he had no hope to make Caesar change his resolution or whether he himself feared the effect of Cleopatra's threatnings and would not expose himself to the danger of seeing her execute them but he used no more any authority to acquire her and employed only submissions and testimonies of his love The affairs of Coriolanus were in this condition at Rome when the repose of my mind was ruined there by the ingratitude and inconstancy of Julia. This Princess as I told you either to vex me with jealousie or to pursue her real inclinations made no difficulty of bestowing publick testimonies of affection upon Drusus and she having a spirit which is not troubled with the report and opinion of the vulgar carried her self so that scarcely any person at Rome made any doubt but that Drusus possessed that place in Julia's heart which was destined for me and which sometime I enjoyed At first I endeavoured to receive this change with indifferency and to let Julia know that I did not envie Drusus his Fortune and to that end I forced my self to put the best face upon it I possibly could before her and to appear as little moved at her inconstancy as if I had not been concerned in it but I could not long lay this constraint upon my self and though I was incensed I was still a lover and a very passionate one too To my misfortune all my resolution proved vain against a power to which I had too much submitted my self and in spite of my heart I could not behold the advantages of Drusus without being heartily sensible of them The violent grief I conceived thereupon quickly made it self remarkable and not only the Princess Octavia my Sisters and my most familiar Friends perceived it but the Emperour who took more interest in me than I deserved took notice of it with regret and pressed me every day to acquaint him with the real cause of it In discovering it to him I had an assured means to satisfie my self upon Julia and Drusus in ruining the pretensions of my rival and declaring the Daughters infidelity to a Father who would not have approved of it I and all the Romans knew that the intentions of Caesar were entirely for me and though Drusus were Son to the Empress he could not hope to do me any prejudice but I would not make use of this advantage in a case wherein I thought I could not do it without baseness and seeing that by the merit of my person I could not conserve the affections of this volatile Princess I would not employ the authority of a Father for a thing which seemed due to my personmy love and services I alledged to Caesar sometimes the indisposition of body and at other times other causes of sadness and I was not only unwilling that he should learn the truth from my mouth but when I saw Octavia my Mother and his Sister who was interessed in my afflictions as much as a good Mother could be in a resolution to discover that to him which I kept concealed and to make complaint to him of his Daughter with a great deal of resentment after I had in vain requested her not to render me that displeasure I protested to her that if she would not condescend to his desire I would be gone from Rome so far from her that possibly in divers years she should have no news of me the fear of it restrained her against her design but she sharply blamed me for my vain considerations and could not forbear upon divers occasions to testifie her particular resentment to Julia but if Octavia were ill satisfied with her the Empress in revenge had all the cause that might be to be contented and seeing her designs proceed with all the success she could wish she made so many demonstrations of amity to Julia that if she had been her own Daughter she could not have received more All these things stung me at last in a part where I was very sensible and according to my judgement my honour finding it self interessed was more impatient than my love I could not endure that it should be believed that I had quitted a place to Drusus which I had first possessed and which by all reason was more due to me than to him and when I sought means to make my resentments appear without injuring the consideration which was due to Caesar in the person of his Daughter she gave me so great occasions that I thought it impossible any longer without baseness In all the assemblies and all the publick spectacles that the Emperour often exhibited to the people Drusus was always with her and if at any time by coming late he was distant from her she called him in my very presence and made him take the nearest place to her he could possible There is a sacrifice yearly offered in the Capitol the same day that the City was delivered from the Gauls wherein amongst other Ceremonies one of the principal Roman Ladies elected for that action by the voices of the people goes to make an offering to Jupiter of some gifts of acknowledgement in behalf of the Common-wealth and causes her self to be conducted to the Altar by one of the chiefest Romans and ordinarily by one of her nearest Relations whom she most esteems This year Julia was entreated to perform this office and the Emperour as it is ordinary with the Empress all the Senate and the whole Court was present at the Capitol and assisted at the Sacrifice When it was time that Julia should approach to the Altar all the company cast their eyes upon me as the man who infallibly should accompany her and what misunderstanding soever was between us the Emperours will being publickly
number of persons which made haste to part us and stop the passages out of the City My friends upon my going alone from Sulpicia's house from whom they understood some part of my resentments and Drusus his friends upon my coming to seek him at his house contrary to my custome and in the condition I was and all of them upon what had passed at the Capitol and upon divers other appearances had conjectured the truth and were separated into divers troops that they might not fail to find us and hinder the execution of our design I thought we could have escaped from the first that appeared by another street but when I saw great troops coming on every side whithersoever I could cast my eyes I was seized upon by as violent a displeasure as ever I had been sensible of in my life and turning my self towards Drusus with an action that sufficiently expressed my choler We can go no further said I but we will not quit one another in this manner and before the people who are coming to us can have time to part us one of us will have time enough to draw bloud of his enemy I had no sooner made an end of these words but I had my sword in my hand and Drusus having been no less forward than my self to that action we thrust at one another with a great deal of animosity Ptolomy obliged Tyberius to the same and in the presence of a thousand witnesses all four of us began a Combat which could not have been of any long continuance by reason of its violence though the great number of those who ran to part us had not hindred the sequel At the first pass I received a great wound in the thigh and Drusus was run through the shoulder and young Ptolomy having charged Tyberius like a Lion they slightly hurt one another at the first bout but when we would have gone to it again we had not the liberty and we were environed by so many persons that whatsoever Drusus and I could do it was not possible for us to engage any more This hindrance of my most violent desires made me exceed the bounds of moderation towards my most officious friends and in stead of thanking them for the care they took of my life I expressed my displeasure in such terms as they would not have taken at my hands if they had not been really my friends Nevertheless there was a necessity that I should be patient and Agrippa with divers of the most noble Romans conducted Ptolomy to Octavia's house whilest Domitius with a great number of others carried home Tyberius and his brother Octavia though she were endued with a great courage the Princess Cleopatra and my Sisters could not see me bloudy without fear and grief but they were better satisfied when my wound having been searched was not found dangerous though it were great Ptolomy was hurt in one of his arms but it was very slightly and the Princess his Sister who was afraid when she saw the bloud upon his habit was not sorry that by that little he had lost he had testified his amity to Marcellus and his courage to all the Romans The report of our quarrel being presently spread abroad the whole City took part with our interests but I may truly say that how great so ever the credit of Livia was my part was the greater and the most powerful and besides the affection which through my good hap all the dis-interessed Romans bare me the authority of Augustus who for all the love he bare his Wife did not stick to declare himself for me fortified it very much He did me the honour to come and see me when my wound was scarce dress'd and he was no sooner come near my bed but embracing me with as much affection and tenderness as if I had been his own Son What Marcellus said he to me are you so prodigal of a life that is as dear to me as my own and do I see you in danger at Rome close by me by the children of Livia after you had escaped so many dangers against the arms of our enemies Sir said I to him I have been but in few perilous encounters and that were not enough to oblige you to the care which out of an extraordinary goodness you take of me No danger replyed Caesar can be so slight in relation to you but 't is very terrible to me and you know I love Marcellus well enough to be as sensible of his hurt as if I had received it my self but in fine what is the occasion that hath urged you to so violent extremities against the Son of Livia Sir answered I it was for some words which Tyberius and Ptolomy had together concerning Cleopatra and I loving the children of Anthony as my Brethren as you and the Princess Octavia would have me could not separate my self from their interests any more upon this than any other occasion Augustus shook his head at this discourse and looking upon me with an action which sufficiently assured me that he did not believe me I only asked you this question said he that I might receive from your own mouth the confirmation of a thing which I have the true relation of already from my Sister your discretion is admirable that when you have such just cause to accuse the inconstancy the ingratitude and the imprudence of Julia you do not open your mouth to complain of it but I shall know how to take such order as is fitting both as the Father of Julia and as being interessed in the repose of Marcellus and I shall let Drusus and Julia know the displeasure I have received from the ambition of the one and the ill conduct of the other Ah! Sir cryed I the Princess Octavia could not afflict me more sensibly than in rendering me criminal as she hath done both towards Julia and towards your self and if in the transports of my passion I have made complaints to her sometimes as to my Mother she should have remembred that persons in love are not alwayes rational in their discourses and actions I have no cause to complain of the Princess Julia I have received favours from her above what I could justly pretend to and if I could not render her so much affection or acknowledgment by my services as I could desire I have no body to accuse for it but my self on whom the Gods have not bestowed qualities sufficiently amiable to merit the affections of Julia. Marcellus replied the Emperour by your procedure so full of discretion and goodness you render Julia yet more criminal and I will let her know how sensible I am of the displeasure she hath done me in such a manner that for the future she shall be more circumspect to avoid the occasions of it Ah! Sir said I with an action full of transport you cannot upon my consideration expose the Princess to the least displeasure without bringing me to my Grave and though it were
I should make much of another to vex you and bestow that upon him in your presence out of resentment which he could not hope for from my inclination did you believe that Julia was a person so base and of so little consideration with you that upon the least suspicion or rather the least Capricio you should come to such terms with her as you have done Is it by this proud and imperious manner of action that a spirit like mine is obliged and did you imagine that I ought to suffer all things without any mark of sensibility seeing that at the lightest matters you flie beyond all the bounds that love and decency could prescribe She pronounced these words with impetuosity and by the power she had over me she gave them such authority as forced my spirit in part to suffer the effect which she would have them produce Yet I did not find my self convinced and continuing in my former terms out of an assurance of my own innocency Certainly I should be faulty said I and worthy of all the evil you have made me suffer if I were such as you have represented me but you know very well your self if you please to call it to mind that in stead of dealing with you in that manner wherewith you reproach me I have alwaies looked upon you with all the veneration that a Divinity could exact and that never any spirit was fuller of submission and difference towards another than mine was towards yours You have not possibly forgot to how many things this respect made me close mine eyes whereby I might very apparently have conjectured my misfortune what credit I blindly gave to all that you were pleased to perswade me to concerning the Prince of Mauritania and how often I have given my eyes and my judgement the lie only to receive the impressions which you would give me If upon the knowledge of Drusus his good fortune which he merited not to my prejudice I have forborn to render you visits and have not sought occasions of seeing you formerly I have done it in obedience to your self or at least to please you after I understood from your own mouth that I could oblige you in nothing more If I forgot my self when you took the pains to speak to me in expressing something to you of the knowledge I had of Drusus his fortune in so just a resentment a moderate complaint was pardonable enough and if I could not suffer the last and publick marks of his good hap you cannot think it strange if you know that I have an heart sensible of love and honour and incapable of suffering the outrages it received in both by your preferring of Drusus before me You may without doubt replyed Julia find some excuses for your procedure which I should easily receive from any other but your self and I should not have been very sensible of any thing from you which might have moved or displeased me if I had not born you a real affection but from you whom I have so dearly loved the least things touch me to the heart and I believed that you were much more obliged to me then all others I could not see you do any thing to the contrary and from a distast which I should easily have imputed to the first motions of your passion pass to an obstination against me without being moved at it and sensible of it in another manner than without doubt I should have been had it been for any person less dear to me than Marcellus I was about to answer her I know not how being uncertain what belief I should give to her words when she laid one of her hands upon my mouth and accompanying this action with an all-attractive look and a gesture full of sweetness and the secret charm wherewith she subdues hearts Speak no more said she and let neither of us seek any farther justification I confess we have both failed and my desire is that we may agree and be perfectly reconciled for the future As she uttered these words she pressed her hand against my mouth whether it were to hinder me from speaking or by their favour absolutely to disarm my just resentments O the power of this Tyrannical passion which we call love or rather the feebleness of a Soul subject to love by this a Soul loses its light and ordinary understanding and by this a Soul which in the other actions of our life leaves the government entirely to reason submits without resistance to an imperious ascendant which overturns all rules destroyes all appearances and closes our eyes against all things but what may conserve our errour Never possibly was any lover more justly unsatisfied with the person beloved than I was with Julia never was any inconstancy more clearly declared than hers nor ever was a Soul fortified as I thought with a more firm resolution than mine and yet I am ashamed Tyridates to confess it to you at the least attempt that this constant Princess would make to appease the revolt of my spirit which had rebelled against her authority she reduced it to a blind submission with all the facility that might be I could not resist either the words or the looks or the charming action of this Princess and though by the light of the little reason I had left I perceived part of her artifice and could not find in her words any justification of her usage towards me yet all the reflections I could make upon what was past had no power to keep or hinder me from falling again into the snare which I saw and through my cruel destiny could not avoid In fine whether out of weakness I gave credit to part of that which Julia was pleased to perswade me to or not believing it I was forced by the Empire she had usurped over me to pass by whatsoever my reason could represent to me and neglected all things that might serve for my defence I submitted to the yoke more than ever and saw my self abandoned in one moment of all my resolutions and resentments I cast my eyes upon her face and fetching a sigh and pressing her hand against my mouth with a more passionate action than ever O Julia said I to her who can be able to defend himself against you when you are pleased entirely to employ all your powers I will not repeat to you all the discourse that passed between us at this reconciliation it will be sufficient to let you know that Julia forgot nothing which might conduce to my satisfaction and to perfect my cure she promised me never to look upon Drusus but as the most indifferent person in the world A little after Scribonia and Octavia being returned to us they read in my countenance part of the truth and Scribonia who earnestly desired that I should be reconciled to her Daughter seemed as well contented with it as if some greater fortune had befallen her After this first visit Julia gave me many more with her
being ceased and those to whom this execution was appointed being come near to him he told them that during Herod's voyage to Rhodes Tyridates had seen the Queen by night and in a disguise in the Castle where she was kept under the custody of Sohemus and that upon the night of that day whereon he was besieged by Herod in the Temple and saved by the interposition of Sosius he came back alone to Hierusalem into the Palace into the Chamber of Cleophe where by his own means he had seen the Queen secretly and had some time of conversation with her The cruel Salome transported with joy at this confession caused his torments to be reodubled to make him confess more and by this news which she carried to Herod she wounded him to the very heart He made such exclamations as testified his grief and abandoned himself in all things to transport and fury finding as he thought more truth in the accusations they made against Mariamne than he had desired he felt himself violently seized upon by a displeasure which all his prudence and policy could not dissemble Salome thought it best to represent to him that he ought not to suffer himself to fall into such violent passions for an ingrateful and perfidious Woman he had no ears to hear her consolations as he had to hear her Counsels and flying out into the access of rage at every moment Bestow said he to her thy unprofitable comforts elsewhere and let my grief perform the most agreeable effect that ever it could produce I know that Mariamne is ingrateful that Mariamne hath betrayed me and that Mariamne must perish but I know likewise that I cannot destroy what I have so dearly loved without devoting my self to death Mariamne shall dye without doubt if the accusations of the Eunuch be true and if her disloyalty prove real I will no longer hearken to what love shall alledge in her favour but this is infallible that Mariamne cannot dye without bringing me to the grave or if I remain in the world after her it will only be to pass my days in dreadful horrours Whilest he thus tormented himself he redoubled the poor Eunuch's tortures but if he had weakness enough to declare what he knew he had not so much villany as to invent any thing against the Queens innocence so that the executioners being weary of tormenting him were constrained to leave him at repose Presently after Salome sent them to Sohemus to whom they proposed the same interrogatories he resisted the cruelty of these tortures much longer than the Eunuch had done but when they pressed him upon Philon's disposition he varied a little in his answers and the Eunuch being brought before him and having maintained what he had disposed in his presence the unfortunate Sohemus not being able any longer to resist the truth and perceiving well that all his evasions would be useless after the Eunuch's deposition which he could no longer contradict lifting pitifully his eyes to Heaven I plainly see said he that I must die and by the compassion which I have had of the misfortunes of a great Princess I see my self brought to my end God is my witness that I little regret the loss of my life but I cannot have any comfort in my death if by our weakness we advance the loss of the most vertuous and innocent Queen that ever was She without doubt hath hastened Josep 's death and mine by the discourse she bath made to the King her Husband but all the resentment I might have for that or the horror of all the tortures they can present me with shall never make me speak against the knowledge I have of her innocence and admirable vertue After this discourse seeing himself pressed afresh by torments he confirmed the deposition of the Eunuch as to the two interviews of the Queen and Prince Tyridates in the Castle where he had her under his custody and in the Queens lodging at your departure from Hierusalem but in his confession he excused the Queen as his conscience obliged him to do and protested with Oaths sacred to the Jews that as for the first interview in the Castle it was totally without the Queens knowledge who forced you away from thence without ever granting you the liberty to return and for the last the Queen only consented to it to intreat you never to see her more and that both in the one and the other there was so much innocence and reservedness that Herod himself if he had been there present could have found no cause of complaint in the most criminal passage of it Alas cryed Tyridates at this passage with how much truth Sohemus mightest thou protest this and how advantagious had it been for that innocent Princess had Herod himself received with his own ears those testimonies of her vertue Whatsoever misery they made Sohemus suffer after this confession pursued Arsanes they could get no more out of his mouth and this was enough for the destruction of the unfortunate Mariamne Herod no sooner understood the unhappy confirmation of the Eunuch's disposition but he totally abandoned himself to his rage and whether it were that he suspected something more particularly offensive to himself in these secret interviews or that he found in this discovery occasion enough to condemn her letting loose the reins to the impetuosity of his jealousie Let her dye cryed he addressing himself to Salome Pheroras and his Ministers of Justice to whom he was accustomed to commit the like employments let her dye disloyal Woman as she is let her dye like an adultress as she is take her out of the World without any farther delay I know not whether Herod pronounced this sentence with a perfect deliberation or whether he thought he should not find so ready obedience to a command made with too much precipitation but however it was he had hardly spoken but the Enemies of Mariamne to whom by the rigor of her destiny he unluckily addressed himself ran or rather flew to hasten the end of her days Herod out of the excess of his grief or rather of his rage had thrown himself upon his bed where making more reflection upon the injury he supposed he had received from Mariamne than upon the bloody orders he lately had given against her entombed himself in such sorrow as rendred him incapable of dreaming upon what past Salome who was wholly devoid of pity and her party taking their time for the Execution of their cruel intentions employed it with so much heat and eagerness that the same day all things were prepared for the death of that deplorable Princess and they went into the Prison to give her notice of it and conduct her to it They did not so much as give the Princess Alexandra her Mother time to bid her adieu neither did they permit her faithful Servants and those whom she had loved best to take their last leave of her nor had she the liberty to take the last sight
looking upon her with eyes which partly signified his intention But Madam said he now I have acquainted You with these small trifles which You desired to know of me shall I be too curious my self or rather shall I be indiscreet if I take the liberty to enquire of You the name and the condition of this admirable person to whom by my good fortune I have rendred some small service without knowing of her and who though unknown is in as high esteem with me as if she were the Wife or Daughter of Caesar 'T is not upon any design of abusing it that I express this curiosity to you but only out of a desire of finding greater opportunities to serve you in a more plenary knowledge of You. Cornelius spake in this manner and the Queen who was already prepared for this rancounter and had premeditated with Clity what to say seemed very little surprized at Cornelius his discourse She did so far acknowledge the Obligation she had to him as to have declared to him the truth of her life and the condition of her fortune if she could have done it without interessing and endangering her dear Caesario whom she knew to be in that Country and to have all Caesars friends for his declared enemies Upon this precaution which she believed was due to the safety of her beloved Prince she resolved to conceal her name her birth and the greatest part of her adventures and upon this design after she had signified to Cornelius with obliging expressions that his curiosity was not importunate to her she told him that she was born in Ethiopia of very noble Parents who during the life of King Hidaspes had enjoyed the highest dignities of that Kingdom but that afterwards being desirous to testifie their fidelity to the Queen Candace his Daughter when she was deprived of her Kingdom by Tyribasus that Tyrant being too powerful for them had ruined them and so eagerly pursued them that they were constrained to put themselves upon the Nile with part of their most portable goods from whence sailing down into the open Sea with an intention to seek out a Sanctuary from his Tyranny they fell into the hands of the Pirate Zenodorus After this passage she concealed nothing of the truth of him but only what would have obliged her to make mention of Caesario and relating to him the dangers which she had escaped by reason of the Pirate's insolence and the flames of the Vessel which she had fired and the Waves into which she had cast her self she powerfully moved him upon divers accounts and filled him full of admiration at her vertue and greatness of courage When he had given due praises to that noble resolution of sacrificing her life to the preservation of her honour looking upon her with an action much more passionate than before I should be ungrateful to the Gods said he if I should not be thankful to them as long as I live for the favor they have done me in guiding me to the occasions of serving you and in giving me the means to conduct you into a place where I can offer you part of what you seek but if my interest might be considered to the prejudice of yours and if I might afflict my self as much at my own ill as I ought to rejoyce at your good fortune possibly I would say that in this rancounter I have no more cause to commend than to complain of my destiny and that it is as much for my loss as for your safety that the Gods caused you to land upon this Coast and lead me into the Wood where I defended you against the violence of Zenodorus Gallus spake in this manner and the Queen though she almost comprehended his discourse and received it with a very great grief pretended for all that that she did not understand him and that she might not continue without a reply she answered him without being moved I should be very sorry that my arrival in this Country should occasion any damage to a person to whom I engaged for the preservation of my life and honour and to prevent the future since it is not in our power to recal what is past I shall depart without regret from a place where you have given me refuge if my continuance here be never so little offensive to You. Alas replyed Gallus with a sigh how unprofitable would your departure be now since you cannot carry away the wound that I have in the midst of my heart together with the eyes that made it or rather how cruel would it be to me now since in parting from me you will deprive my days of all that makes them desirable to me and possibly bereave me of a life whereof all the remaining moments are dedicated to you Whilst he spake thus the Queen oppressed with a violent grief upon this occasion of new crosses which former passages made her foresee in a moment studied for terms to explain her self both according to the greatness of her courage and the condition of her present fortune whereby she saw her self absolutely subjected to Cornelius his power and when he had done speaking composing her countenance to a more serious posture than before which with the Majesty that Gallus observed in it strook him into some awe I am obliged to you said she to him for my life and honour and I should be much more engaged to you if you would preserve the glory of your benefit entire and not diminish the price of it by the offence you do me If it be an offence to love you replyed the Pretor and if it be an infinite offence to love you infinitely I confess that there is not a man in the world who hath offended you more than Cornelius but if love in the Country where you were born be not different from that which we have observed in ours if it makes a man abandon his liberty to bestow it upon that he loves if it makes him forget his own proper interests to sacrifice himself entirely to the Person beloved and in fine if it produce no other effects than what we have seen it produce in those places where I have passed my life I cannot easily comprehend the ground of the offence which you can find in the love I have for you I know not replyed the Queen coldly either the effects or qualities of that passion but the discourse of it is not conformable to my humor and I should be very much obliged to you if you will find some other matter of entertainment Cornelius though a little repulsed with the answer which made him partly understand the difficulties he should have to conquer the spirit which he had attempted prepared himself to speak when he saw the Princess Elisa approach who having understood that Candace had been walking upon the Terrace a great while had made her self ready with all speed to come and find her to enjoy in her company that little consolation which she
wherein Cleopatra was was never seen nor divers others by whose loss the Fleet hath been diminished Candace was very much afflicted at this relation and having continued some moments without speaking and yet not being able to dissemble the sadness she resented for the loss of her dear Caesario's Sister I have heard so much spoken said she of the beauty and vertue of that Princess that I cannot receive the relation of her loss without grief and I desire with all my heart that by some assistance of Heaven she may have escaped that danger They who have spoken to you concerning that Princess answered Cornelius were not skilful enough to depaint unto you either her divine beauty or admirable qualities in that perfection wherein she possesses them and though some years are past since I saw her which without doubt have made a grand addition to those prodigious beginnings the reputation of them hath spread so far since that 't is almost impossible that any one should be ignorant of them in places more remote than Alexandria O Gods said the fair Elisa lifting up her eyes to Heaven with a sigh O Sea O Fortune how cruelly do ye sport your selves with our destines and how doth that unfaithful Element carry away the most precious spoils whilst it leaves the miserable remainders amongst men These words pronounced in a very pitiful manner and with an action which proceeding from such a beauty as Elisa's was produced miraculous effects awakened the curiosity which Cornelius had alwayes had to know this Princess and having signified as much to her with the greatest discretion he possibly could Elisa who had resolved before that Candace to conceal her self no longer from him taking up the discourse with an attractive grace You see Cornelius said she to him you see the Daughter of the Romans greatest Enemy whom design and fortune equally conduct into your hands to recieve from Caesar the protection which he hath already granted to my Uncle Tyridates Phraates Brother to that Prince and Father to the Princess who speaks to you is our common persecutor and I hope that Augustus will not refuse me the refuge which I would desire of him against the cruelty of a man who sheds the blood of his nearest relations no otherwise than if they were his most cruel enemies Elisa had hardly any need of this discourse to perswade Cornelius that she was born in a very high condition and she carried so many marks of it in her countenance that it was not easie to take her for an ordinary person But she had no sooner acquainted the Pretor with this truth but stepping a little back with signs of astonishment and looking her with the respect due to the only Daughter of the greatest of all Kings and of that King who only in the World opposed the greatness of the Roman Empire I beg your pardon Madam said he to her with an action full of submission for the faults which my ignorance hath made me commit I judged before by all manner of tokens that your birth was not mean but I should never have believed that fortune hath brought upon our coasts the Daughter of the great King of the Parthians in the equipage wherein we see you and in the condition wherein we lighted on you you need not doubt but that you may find under Caesar's protection all manner of refuge against the persecution of Phraates and whilst you expect his own promise which he will make you within these few dayes you shall receive from his Lieutenant all the respect and services that are due to an admirable person and of such a birth as yours Elisa returned Coriolanus thanks with a great deal of sweetness and after that he had reiterated his offers and began to behave himself towards her as towards a Princess who might dispute priority with Caesar's Daughter they passed the rest of the morning in discourse till dinner-time and Elisa made a brief relation to Cornelius of the accidents of her life which could not be concealed from the publick and the last disasters which cast her upon the shore of Alexandria From this time forward he began to cause her to be served according to her dignity he appointed her a number of Officers and Slaves to attend her and though he believed Candace's quality to be inferior to Elisa's the love he had for her making him to supply that defect made him to treat them both as to appearance with little difference The Princesses lived in this manner at Alexandria some days during which the Pretor lost no occasion to testifie his love to Candace both by his actions and discourse The Queen received the testimonies of his passion with a great deal of displeasure and if she had been ruled by her resentments she had rejected them with all the signs of sharpness and disdain but by experience which in so youthful an age the crosses of her life had taught her she had learned that it is a grand piece of prudence to dissemble when one is not able to resist and calling to mind the hazards she had run by the violence of those persons to whom her bad fortune had submitted her she desired to keep a lover whose power was absolute within the limits of that respect that he had begun to shew her by a treatment of him which though it was severe and not very capable of giving him farther hopes yet savoured nothing of rudeness or incivility Cornelius used divers inventions to divert her and the Princess Elisa too from whom she was inseparable and besides the recreations he endeavoured to give them in Alexandria he led them oftentimes to walk without the City and invited them a hunting to which he had a great deal of inclination The two Princesses received his cares diversly Elisa as a person in whom all desires and all hopes were extinguished and Candace as a person in whom hope was not defunct but her mind was prepossed with such great cares that she had but little attention left for all the divertisements that Cornelius could give her She contrived it so handsomly that by Clitie's means she might enquire news of Cleomedon or Eteocles and Elisa had caused the shore to be often searched to find the body of her dear Artaban according as the Gods had promised her and according to the probability there was that it was cast upon the shore but hitherto both their pains had been in vain and they both expected though in a different manner the ease of their miseries in which they found no such sweet consolations as those which they mutually gave each other by the charms of their good company They walked one morning in the Gardens of the Palace conformable in their beauty to the magnificence of Cleopatra Anthony and so many mighty Kings who had bestowed both cost and care in the embellishing of them and they had already measured part of the fair and spacious walks when passing by a high hedge they
Elisa's mouth who confessed to her the love she bare to the great and unfortunate Artaban which she had not discovered to Cornelius nor to any person in whom she could not repose an absolute confidence Olympia admired at the grand adventures which till then were not come to her knowledge and her grief was augmented when she understood the just occasion which Elisa had to afflict her self for the loss of so great a man and one whom she had so dearly loved Part of the night being spent in their converse together Elisa desired Olympia to lodge with her instead of returning to a bed and a Chamber unworthy of her and pressed her to it very earnestly but the Princess of Thrace would by no means consent to it telling her that that would be enough to discover her without any necessity and that being used to the place which was assigned to her her lodging was not inconvenient Elisa not being able to prevail upon her resolution for that night permitted her to depart the Chamber and going to bed she presently after composed her self to sleep as well as her cruel strife could possibly suffer her But Agrippa passed this night in a different manner from all the nights he had ever passed in his life and the beauty of Elisa had wrought that upon his Spirit in one day which a less extraordinary one would not have done in whole years and that which had not been done in so many years by all the Roman beauties and so many others of the highest reputation amongst whom he had insensibly spent his life The image of that admirable Princess in whom grief had appeared as in its Throne and that in a languishing and dejected condition had preserved vigor and force enough to conquer the proud liberty had penetrated that martial Spirit with such a power as presently put all into a flame and Agrippa no sooner reflected upon what he had seen that fatal day but he found himself to be amorous and all on fire He could hardly at first disgest this change of his condition and reviewing his whole life with some disdain as to what was past and with some confusion as to the present What is the matter Agrippa said he and by what misfortune dost thou so suddenly permit trouble and disorder to enter into thy soul Hast thou seen the Emilia's the Octavia's the Julia's and the Cleopatra's without endangering thy liberty and wilt thou yield up thy self at the first sight of a young strange Maid Shall that courage which hitherto had found no employment capable to engage it but in War and the government of the Empire submit it self to a beauty in one day at one single view Ah! my heart what weakness will thine be accounted if thou givest up thy arms with so little resistance What will the Romans say who have seen thee at the head of their Troups in those famous combats which have so successfully decided the Empire of the Universe And what will those famous beauties say who possess the highest ranks in the world amongst those of their sex if thou sufferest thy self to be over-thrown by one single look of the Daughter of a barbarous King the Daughter of the cruel enemy of the Romans These were his first discourses by which he thought in some sort to oppose the birth of his love but a little after insensibly yielding to its force But what dost thou find went he on so strange in this rancounter Hast thou an heart of Stone or Brass Hast thou a more warlike soul than Alexander than the great Julius Caesar or so many others who amongst the combats wherein they passed their lives have suffered themselves to be vanquished by the power of beauty or dost thou find either by reason or example that love and valour are incompatible Have those famous beauties from which thou hast defended thy self or rather to whose Empire thou wast not destined any thing more great and high than this young beauty to which it seems thou art ashamed to submit Is that of the Julia's and Cleopatra's more accomplished or more admirable than Elisa's Are the graces which ought to accompany beauty with greater advantages in those Princesses than in the Princess of the Parthians And as for birth can a higher be looked for even in Caesar's family or rather is there any blood in the world that can compare in Nobleness with that of the Arsacidae No Agrippa continued he it will be no offence in thee to love this Divine Princess and if thou hast any thing to fear in doing so it must be torments it must be sufferings perhaps to no purpose 'T is it may be an engagement in the Princesse's Spirit which will render her insensible of thy love and not the reproach and shame of having submitted to the fairest Yoak that ever fortune could impose upon thee Rather fear that this Princess being born with an Arsacian heart and an Enemy of the Roman name though the necessity of her affairs compells her to seek for Sanctuary amongst the Romans hates thee as a Roman and disdains thee as one born of an inferiour blood to hers though by the favour of Caesar thou art in a condition not to envy Kings but seest a great number of them every day below thee That power which thou hast acquired either by thy Merit or thy Fortune will possibly be less considerable to her than a long series of Royal Ancestors and besides Elisa is the only Daughter of Phraates and Heir of the Empire of the Parthians who will never suffer that the Dominion of their Country should fall into the hands of a stranger and of a Roman This is the truth Agrippa and where thou seekest excuses for thy passion thou findest difficulties great enough to divert thee from it if thou leavest reason any command over thy Spirit This consideration kept him a while irresolute and at a stand but a little after encouraging himself against this obstacle which seemed to have terrified him 'T is no matter added he if Elisa be the Daughter of our Enemies if Elisa be the Heir of a Kingdom which will hardly submit to a Roman that is not capable of repulsing such a courage as mine and if by my love and services I can gain Elisa's inclinations whilst she continues in the Roman Territories and whilst she flies the persecutions of her Father the power of Caesar and of Rome who will take up arms for my sake will possibly do the rest and though Caesar should make War upon the Parthians in my quarrel and to preserve the rights of their Princess he will make no new Enemies to the Romans but will only continue what his Predecessors have begun and do that to which he ought to be animated by the blood of so many Romans who under Crassus and Anthony found their graves in Parthia In this manner Agrippa encouraged himself in his resolution to love Elisa and suffering himself to be flattered by his
different estate from that wherein I was this morning And what is befallen you of so great importance added Elisa presently be pleased to tell us that we may take our share in it as we have hitherto done out of inclination and knowledge in every thing that concerned you I am so discomposed answered Olympia that I know not whether I shall be able to express my self and all the passions are confused in my soul with so much violence that my body is not able to resist them and I have hardly so much as my speech at liberty I know not whether it be joy that puts me into this condition or whether it be grief that works this effect both upon my body and my spirit but however it be I will tell you if I can seeing you have the goodness to interess your selves thus in my fortune that the man of whom I formerly spake to you with so much passion the fair Unknown to whom by a strange fatality I gave my heart at the first sight he who afterwards by divers great actions and great proofs of his love took the absolute possession of of my soul he for whose sake only I have survived such long sorrows and for whom I preserved this unfortunate Life with a little hope of seeing him again is now in Alexandria O Gods cryed Candace what do you tell us Olympia and what assurance have you of his arrival That replyed Olympia which my eyes gave me and being with Ericia and some other persons upon that Belcony which looks into the street when Agrippa and Cornelius returned I saw him with his face uncovered I saw him so plainly that I could not be mistaken and I could not see him but with so great a trouble and emotion that my senses failed me and I fell into a swoon betwixt Ericia's arms Ah! without doubt added Candace 't is the fair Unknown of whom Agrippa spake to us with so many Elogies he whom he found in the Wood with a Lady whose admirable beauty he represented to us 'T is the very same answered Olympia and Agrippa could not speak to you of him with so many praises but he must forget some admirable qualities in his person he for whom I have breathed out so many sighs is at last returned to me and he for whose sake I lingred out my dayes in Slavery and misery comes to be a witness of my captivity and servitude which I supported with patience through the love I had for him Well said the sad Elisa interrupting her Well my dear Olympia see you have the greatest occasion of joy that ever you could desire and in the mean time it produces in you such effects as do not ordinarily proceed from any thing but grief Alas You recover all that you had lost and Elisa only remains without hope of ever seeing again that which the pitiless destinies have taken from her 'T is indeed to me replyed Olympia with two or three sighs the only occasion of joy that I could wish for to see him again whom I so dearly loved and the Gods bear me witness that had it not been for the hope I had of it my unfortunate days â—had not been of so long a continuance but 't is indeed to me a greater occasion of grief if I see him again unfaithful than if I had never seen him again nor out-lived so many miseries only to be a witness of his infidelity It had been more acceptable and much better for me to have lost this deplorable life either amonst the Waves or in those miseries wherewith hitherto it hath been turmoiled You have some reason said Candace much troubled but what knowledge or rather what suspicion have you that this Man from whom you have received so many testimonies of love is now unfaithful to you I have answered Olympia the same that your self gave me when you told me that he was found in the Wood by Agrippa with a Lady of admirable beauty those few words you spake of it exasperated my wound with a violent pain but besides that I will tell you that being come again to my self out of my swoon whereinto so unexpected a sight had cast me and being hardly able to give credit to my eyes upon the report they had made to my heart nor believe that this object of my Life had appeared to my sight any otherwise than by illusion or the effect of my imagination I desired Ericia to go presently to make a farther discovery and having enquired out the house where Cornelius had lodged those strangers I commanded her to mingle her self amongst the other Slaves which were employed in their service and to go into the house with her face covered to take notice of him who had put me into the trouble I was in She punctually executed this order and easily found means to slip into the Chamber whither he was then retired she saw him and she knew him so well that she could not doubt in the least but that it was he But O Gods she saw him with that young Lady of whom Agrippa spake to you who divers times in Ericia's presence threw her arms about his neck and used many affectionate expressions which this perfidious man answered again with caresses full of Love The report which Ericia plainly made me of it put me into the condition you see and there needs no more to send this unfortunate Creature to her Grave She ended these words with many sobs and a multitude of tears which her resentment drew from her fair eyes Elisa and Candace sympathized in her grief and were nearly touched with compassion at it they reflected at the same time upon the report which Agrippa had made them of the beauty of Delia and the marks of amity which in his presence she bestowed upon the Unknown and upon the remembrance of this discourse they conjectured that the suspicions of the sad Olympia might be rational enough yet they would not confirm her in them nor declare their real thoughts to her for fear of aggravating her affliction And Candace resuming the discourse after she had been a while sâ—ient My fair Princess said she your Grief would be justifiable if you should really find infidelity in a Man to whom you express so much affection or rather this grief ought to make way for a just resentment which with reason enough might banish him from your heart and memory but you ought not upon slight apperaances to entertain this belief which is the Enemy of your repose and the importance of it is so great that you ought not to neglect any thing that may instruct you in the truth Olympia instead of returning an answer to Candace's words lifting up her eyes to Heaven in a very pitiful manner Great Gods said she if my Prince be unfaithful do not permit me to survive a moment after this cruel discovery and end the course of my unfortunate daies by a favourable effect of your pity rather than expose
with an excessive joy O Gods said he how happy am I if it be true that You are the Brother of Delia and how satisfied shall I be that now I may love and adore in you those admirable parts which caused so much jealousie in me Never doubt answered the Unknown of a truth which in time and at leasure you will learn from Delia's mouth my actions shall make you a fuller discovery and you shall receive from me as from the Brother of Delia such services in relation to her as you could not expect from her Lover I beg your pardon then added Philadelph transported with joy for the faults which my error made me commit and I conjure you with a real repentance to grant me that friendship now which my indiscreet jealousie made so unhandsomly reject With these words they embraced each other with a real Brotherly affection and Philadelph looking upon him then as Delia's Brother with different eyes from those which his jealousie before had opened felt himself presently inclined to love and admire him who had a little before caused so many suspicions in him they continued a great while embracing each other and after they had made divers mutual protestations of eternal amity Delia said the Unknown must perfect our reconciliation let us go and visit her together if you please and you shall begin to know whether I interess my self in Philadelphs satisfaction as the Brother or as the Lover of Delia. Having done speaking these words they went together out of the Chamber and passed into Delia's which was not far off That fair Lady was laid down upon her bed to repose her self after a little weariness and she no sooner saw the two new Friends approach but addressing her discourse to the Unknown well Brother said she have you appeased that Enemy which had so much repugnance for the Brother of Delia The Brother of Delia answered Philadelph is and shall alwayes be as dear to me as my life but the reason of a Lover and of a Lover favoured by Delia could not but be very odious to me You shall never replied Delia causing him to place himself in a chair near her bed's head You shall never have cause to envie the favours you shall see me do any other and since the time you have seen me you might have known me well enough to believe that it is not easie to find any loves favoured by Delia 'T is true this man whom you have so much suspected is my Brother continued she making him sit down upon the side of her bed and imbracing him with a great deal of tenderness who is as dear to me as my life but I will make no difficulty to tell you before him that he is not more dear to me than Philadelph and though the qualities of your person had not been capable to produce the effect you may hope for from them only the remembrance of your pure and generous affection continues in my heart with such a real resentment that nothing will ever be able to efface it thence I lived in Cilicia with some circumspection that possibly you did not approve of and I went from thence at a time when you might probably expect all the acknowledgement that might be of your affection but 't is time now Philadelph to declare to you those reasons which may justifie my actions and to let you know that Fortune hath not been so blind as you believed in making you address your affections to a person of a base and obscure birth truly you have been generous and dis-interessed in loving with so honest and so rational intentions a Maid whom you believed to be infinitely inferior to you and designing of her meerly out of the knowledge you had of her face and vertue a Crown and a place which the greatest Princesses of Asia would gladly have accepted of but it was not the will of the Gods that this generosity should remain without recompence and they have permitted you in the person of that obscure Delia to love the Daughter of a great King and a Princess that might pretend being known to you to that which you freely offered her before you knew her What Madam cryed Philadelph are you a Kings Daughter I am so without doubt replyed Delia and the Daughter of a King of the supreamest rank of Asia Ha! Madam answered the Prince falling upon his knees by her bed side this discovery causes me more grief than joy and if I take part in the satisfaction which you have in being of a birth conformable to the greatness of your vertue what excuses shall I be able to find for so many faults which my error hath made me commit against you 'T is that added Delia for which I have great cause to commend you eternally and though you had known my true condition I could not desire more respect from you than you have alwaies expressed to me Ah! without doubt replied the Prince I might have perceived by so many marks of greatness which appeared in your person and your actions that you were not born of an obscure bloud and I had great supicions of the truth which I often communicated to the Princess Andromeda but this belief was stifled by the little reason we saw in you to conceal that truth with so much perseverance at a time when this declaration might have freed you from a great many displeasures and given a great deal of satisfaction to those persons of whose affection you could not doubt I had some reasons for it answered the Princess which other persons possibly might have passed by but in those of my humour they were capable of doing what they did and if it were advantageous for me in your mind to declare that I was born of Royal bloud it was dangerous for me to confess that I was of a family which is an enemy to yours and so much hated by yours that I could expect nothing upon any consideration but a shameful and cruel usage from the King your Father Ha! Madam interrupted Philadelph though you were the Daughter of Artibasus and the Sister of the cruel Artaxus King of Armenia who by the death of our near relations hath done such bloudy injuries to our family you carry that in your countenance which might guard you from all dangers and you should have alwaies found me your Slave that would have defended you to the last drop of his bloud against his Father as well as against the strangest enemies I was afraid too upon your account replyed the Princess not of any ill usage being so well acquainted with your vertue and goodness which without doubt would have protected me though Love had not interposed but some change or coldness in your affection of which I alwaies had a high esteem but since it is come to the proof of such a declaration I will make no more difficultie to confess to you that I am Arsinoe Daughter to the King of Armenia and Sister to
I will not describe to you the particulars of that impetuous storm I will content my self to tell you that the winds immediately rose so contrary to us that they made us take a quite contrary way to that which we had begun to sail and after we had been tossed up and down two daies and two nights in perpetual fears of death which presented it self to our eyes they cast our battered Vessel upon that Coast of Cilicia which is opposite to Cyprus where Navigation is so dangerous by reason of an infinite number of small Rocks which reach no higher than the superficies of the water against one of which our Vessel being disabled from sailing was dashed all to pieces and left us exposed to the mercy of the pitiless Waves I could not know then what became of Ariobarzanes and though the strict amity which had alwaies been between us rendred his safety as dear to me as mine own yet I was in part of the Ship distant from that where he was employed and the dreadful danger I was in at that time made me forget every thing else but the preservation of my life I had little hope of it and yet I would not neglect the means which Heaven might give me to prolong it I closely embraced a piece of the Mast upon which I laid hold just when the Vessel split and my Governess and one of my Maids who were alwaies close by me were likewise Companions of my Fortune and holding by my two sides they were carried above water by that favourable piece of Wood to which I owed my safety the violence of the Waves made us many times almost let go our hold but necessity gives strength in such extremities as those to which next to the assistance of Heaven we owed without doubt the preservation of our lives By good fortune the shore was not far off and after we had been a long time tossed up and down with little hope and small strength or knowledge left the Mast which sustained us by a Wave which was more impetuous than all that went before was driven on shore with so much vehemence that we found our selves upon the land when we almost despaired of ever reaching to it We continued lying a long while upon the shore half dead with weariness the coldness of the waters and so many miseries as we had suffered where I looked upon what had befallen us as upon a dream and had hardly so much knowledge left as to reflect upon my shipwrack We were in this condition when Briseis that good woman at whose house you met me arrived as she was walking upon the shore and being moved with compassion at so pitiful a spectacle she presently offered us all the assistances we could desire of her in our present misery I did not refuse her offers in the necessity we had of her succour and I easily disposed my self to go with her to her house to dry my self and to take some rest which I had need enough of But I hardly began to know that the Gods had saved my life from the danger which had threatned it but I remembred my Brother and upon that remembrance grief wanted but a very little of making me lose that which the Waves had separated I would not leave the shore as wet and weary as I was without searching it as far as my strength would permit and calling on every side with a feeble voice upon the name of Ariobarzanes I will not Philadelph describe to you the particulars of my grief that discourse would be too troublesome to you but I will protest to you truly and the Gods bear me witness that the loss of my dear Brother hindred me from being sensible of any joy for my own safety I earnestly complained that Heaven had permitted me to survive so amiable and so well-beloved a Brother and if I had not been flattered with some small hope that he might have received from Heaven an assistance like to that which saved me whereof being much stronger than I he might make much better use my grief would have been strong enough to have given me that upon the land which I avoided upon the water The comfort which my Governess laboured to give me in this uncertainty and the endeavours of Briseis who applied her self to comfort and serve me with a great deal of goodness wrought no effect upon my Spirit and I spent the three or four first daies in tears which no discourse could dry up I had the name of Ariobarzanes perpetually in my mouth and his visage eternally before my eyes losing no time in the mean while in making the shore to be searched every way by Briseis's servants to learn some news of him This affliction which absolutely took up my thoughts did not permit me for above eight daies so much as to inform my self in what place we were but when I was rendred capable of some discourse and the first transports of grief were a little dissipated by a ray of hope which I conceived that the destiny of Ariobarzanes might be the same with mine I gave my Governess leave to enquire and I understood that we were but a daies journey from the capital City of Cilicia This intelligence filled me with as much fear as I was capable of in my profound sadness and not being ignorant upon what account the King of the Countrie was an enemy to our familie and an enemy full of hatred which could let me hope for nothing but all manner of shame and ill usage if I was discovered in his Dominions I had resolved to disguise my name and my birth and understanding by Ericlea my Governess and by Melite who as you knew is the Maid who is still with me that they had not acquainted Briseis with any thing of the truth I concealed my true name under that of Delia and my condition under that of Ericlea's Niece praying my Governess to carry her self towards me in publick as her Niece and Milete to treat me as her Sister This was performed as I desired and the same day Briseis was informed by us of those things which we desired she should know and which were related to you a few daies after I had divers Jewels upon my Clothes which I took off the better to disguise the truth and I caused part of them to be given to Briseis by my Governess in acknowledgement of her generous bounty though she refused them a great while and did not resolve to take them till we threatned to be gone from her if she refused those small tokens of our gratitude and amity We were upon these terms Philadelph and waiting for some favourable opportunity to return into my own Country without being discovered I spent my time when I could get free from those women in solitude which was more agreeable to me than any company by reason of the sadness which the loss of Ariobarzanes had established in my soul when it pleased the Gods that
you came oftener into my mind than possibly you should have done and when I complained of my misfortunes I complained of them more upon your consideration than upon mine own I will speak no more of this Philadelph and without doubt I have spoken enough to make you judge that I have wanted neither acknowledgement nor inclination for you Our stay at that house was longer than we expected and though the man whom Britomarus had sent to make stay of a vessel executed his commission with a great deal of diligence yet we were fain to wait till the wind which was then quite contrary to our intended course became favourable to our navigation and in the mean while by a misfortune which made me shed a great many tears and which I still do oftentimes deplore my Governess Ericlea whom you saw pass for my Aunt in Cilicia and to whom I had dear and tender obligations as well for the care she had bestowed upon my education as for her readiness to comfort me in my afflictions with a great deal of constancy and firmness of courage fell sick and dyed within fifteen days I was very nearly sensible of this loss as well for the reasons which I have alledged to you as in respect of our friendship which was much more strongly established in my Spirit by our voyages and common crosses than if we had never stirred out of Armenia but after I had bestowed some days in deploring her death the acquaintance which I had long since contracted with grief did a little mitigate it and made me accustom my self to this displeasure as I had inured my self to so many other afflictions that my ill fortune had raised me After we had rendred her our last devoirs and furnished our selves with all things necessary for our voyage as well by Sea as by Land we departed from that house under the conduct of Britomarus attended by fifteen or twenty men which continued still in his service and we went down the River Lapitbus in boats which carried us to Cemunia where the River disembogues it self into the Sea and there we embarked the same day in the vessel which waited for us Our streightest way to go into Armenia was to return to Tharsus and to cross all Cilicia and this way we had only an arm of the Sea to pass over but I desired to avoid all occasions of being seen again in the King your Fathers Court whither you might have been returned and where I might have been stayed by some accident and because we could not avoid passing through a corner of Cilicia Britomarus who was well acquainted with the Map was of opinion that we should coast between that Kingdom and the Island which we left and go land at the foot of the mountain Amanus hard by the place called the Streights of Amanus by this means our voyage by Sea would be much longer but our journey by land much shortened I absolutely committed my self to the good conduct of Britomarus and having so much confidence in his vertue I hardly enquired what his intention was He had a resentment against the King my Brother for the displeasure he had done him by the death of your two Kinsmen which would not permit him to go to his Court and conduct me to Artaxata but he promised me to bring me as near the City as I pleased and it was sufficient for me to be conducted to the first place upon the frontiers where I believed I should find a convenient convoy and all things necessary for the performance of my voyage But the Gods disposed things otherwise than we had proposed and sailing with a favourable wind we had hardly lost the sight of the Isle of Cyprus when we met with a Vessel of Pirats which having sailed close up to us with all the signs of peace and passed by us to view us without discovering themselves they had no sooner observed the small number of our men but trusting in their own which was a great deal bigger they turned their prove towards us and after they had cryed out to us to yeild they fell upon us with a deal of fury Britomarus clapt on his armour in a moment and encouraging his men with a few words he put himself in the head of them with his sword in his hand and finding himself more fit for this kind of combat than for that with arrows which the Pirats shot at our men he gave them leave to grapple our Vessel and presented himself the first upon the deck to the Enemies that would enter You may judge Philadelph in what a fright I was at that time and though I had a very great confidence in the valour of my Defender the great number of our enemies froze me with fear and made me not without reason to tremble in thinking what might be the success of so unequal a combat yet I was ashamed to go and hide my self and though those enemies which could not come to handy blows shot arrows at us with which I might have been hurt yet I did not go down into the Hold as Melite advised me but stood a little out of the way where I might see a good part of what passed and there according as necessity presented it self to my sight I made vows to Heaven with a great deal of fervency You will nor credit my discourse Philadelph when I shall relate to you the prodigious effects of Britomarus's valour but it 's certain for all that that I shall add nothing to the truth when I shall tell you that a batalion of armed men upon the deck could not have done greater service nor made greater resistance than he did with his single hand and the few men he had with him being ranked on each side of him and animated by his example did things infinitely above their ordinary strengths The first that were so bold as to board our vessel were tumbled back dead either into their own or into the Sea by the hand of Britomarus and in a few moments he was so covered with the blood of the most adventurous that the rest were as much affraid of his approach as of lightning and thunder-bolts and assaulted him with the more precaution The success of the combat was still doubtful and if the valour of Britomarus gave some hope of the victory the number of our enemies which exceeded our men by one half made us partly despair of it and in all likelyhood there was as much cause to fear as to hope when amongst the Slaves which were in the Pirates Vessel one above all the rest who had both his legs and arms laden with Irons turning himself towards some of his companions whilst the last of the Pirates seeing that all their forces were but necessary were run to the combat Friends said he what hinders us from attempting to regain our liberty free me from these Irons which shackle me and you shall see how I open you the way to it
continually encourage the industry of his Mariners We had already passed by Apolbusa Eramnusa and Cholidonia we had Coasted Rhodes and Doris upon the right hand and left Crete behind us upon the left hand when as we were sailing forward amongst the Isles called the Cyclades the gods who were really angry with Adallas were pleased that we should be surprized with a furious Tempest which after it had tossed our Vessel divers dayes with great danger of our lives made us turn back the same way and constrained us to land in the Isle of Crete The King my Brother almost dyed with displeasure when he saw himself so cruelly crossed in his intentions but he had cause enough to exercise all his patience when he was forced to wait above six weeks in Crete till the wind which all that while was contrary to us changed to a favourable point and gave him opportunity of putting to Sea again You need not doubt but that this obstacle put him almost in despair and seeing that above two Months were slip't away since he had received intelligence of the unfortunate condition of his Affairs he had reason to fear that they were grown much worse and that his Enemies had gained time enough to corrupt the Fidelity of his Subjects or to reduce them by force to the utmost extremities He received News in Crete too whereas in other places he continued always concealed and the wind which opposed our going towards Thrace being very favourable to them who came from the Coasts of Thrace into Crete gave him opportunity oftentime to see some persons who could give him a confused Relation of that which came to their knowledge by the general Report concerning the estate of his Kingdom They told him that all things there were in a far greater disorder than before that Eurimedes Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom having been constrained to come to a second Battel was defeated and himself killed upon the place and after this last Victory Merodates had hardly found any resistance in the Field only they thought that the City of Bizantium and the Country thereabout continued faithful and in a defensive posture by his care who having been Eurimedes's Lieutenant a little before his death had since succeeded him in his charge and as they said defended those small remainders with a great deal of Valour Adallas had much ado to dissemble his grief before those who made him these Reports not knowing who he was and in the impatiency which tormented him he would possibly have sunk under his sorrows if that foolish Love which did predominate in his Soul above all the other passions had not made him lose or at least laid aside some part of the sensibility which he might have for all other Affairs At last after six weeks expectation as I told you before the wind which had been so directly opposite to us giving place to that which we had so much desired we went to Sea again and continued our Voyage with our former diligence We quickly recovered the Cyclades we left Eubea upon our left hand and sailed on in the Egean Sea But when we were past the Isle of Lesbos the King understanding by the Discourse he had heard That he could not land in safety in any part of Thrace but only at Bizantium which continued faithful to him still he was very much troubled to think what way he should take And it was not without reason that he was so sollicitous seeing that to get into the Straight of Bizantium he must of necessity sail all along the Coast of the Taurica Chersonesus which was his Enemies Countrey and pass through all the Hellespont to enter into Propontis which he could not do without a great deal of danger there being no doubt but that his Enemies had Ships at Sea either to take him or destroy him there and he almost certainly believing as indeed the Truth was that the Encounter which he already had at Sea whereby he was reduced into such great danger was with the men which Merodates had sent out upon that design He was forced for all that to resolve upon something and seeing no other means to land being naturally very Couragious he ventured the passage and upon this occasion either by his good Fortune or the negligence of his Enemies who left the Sea free having enough to do at Land the gods were favourable to him and we sailed through the Straight along all the Coast of Chersonesus and entred into Propontis without meeting with any opposition When we were past the Straight we kept out at Sea and sailed at a further distance from the Coast for fear of falling into the Enemies hands not knowing which way to get to Bizantium without great danger We continued two dayes in this uncertainty and the third day we discovered a Vessel which made towards us Adallas was in doubt a while whether he should come near it or no because of the danger there was of meeting Enemies sooner than Friends but his Affairs being in a condition which obliged him to venture very much and that without hazarding himself there was little probability for him to recover that which he had lost he determined to try his Fortune and to enquire of those persons who were in the Vessel in what condition the Port of Bizantium was and by what means he might land there in case he found them to be his Friends and faithful Subjects and if they were his Enemies he resolved to fight them With this Resolution he advanced towards the Vessel which coming directly to us and no way avoiding us afforded us all the facility we could desire of coming near to it There was immediately a signal of Peace given from our Ship and the other having returned the like they both came close up to each other and the persons which were on Board began to speak one to another but Sosias who was the most considerable man about the King no sooner saw the Captain of the other Vessel but he knew him to be Nicocles one of his familiar friends and one of the Kings faithful Servants Upon this happy Encounter Sosias after a joyful Exclamation called Nicocles by his Name and he had no sooner made himself known to him but Nicocles who knew very well that Sosias went from Bizantium with the King running to the side of his Vessel Sosias cryed he Where is the King Where is the King At these words the King who had concealed himself behind some of his Servants knowing the person and the affection of Nicocles came out before them and discovering himself to him Here he is Nicocles cryed he Here he is Nicocles being not mistaken either in the voice or countenance of his Prince immediately leaped into our Ship followed by the principal of his Companions and embracing the knees of his King with tears of joy he gave him to understand That all Fidelity was not extinguished in his Subjects hearts The King having spent some
Princess and only to have the consolation of seeing a person who belonged to her I would willingly go to the end of the world You shall not go far to see her said the Princess Olympia quitting the place where she was and coming near to the Company and if you can but know her still you will suppose that she can tell you News of Olympia At this tone of voice and at this sight the Prince who was already risen up from his seat to go and look for that Slave was so stricken with amazement that he had hardly any sense or knowledge left and whil'st that Philadelph Arsinoe Agrippa and Cornelius did likewise express their astonishment at so unexpected an Adventure Ariobarzanes being immoveable and silent and having in the tone of the Slave observed Olympia's voice began to seek the features of his Princess in the Slaves face but her sickness and sorrows had made such a change in Three or four Months which had passed since their separation that at first he could hardly discern the remainders of that admirable Beauty which he had adored Olympia who observed his astonishment and penetrated into his thoughts I perceive very well my dear Ariobarzanes said she that you wonder you do not find in my face that little Beauty which you loved in Olympia's but you ought not to be mistaken seeing her heart and her soul have suffered no change and recovering all her joy and felicity with you she will likewise recover that little Beauty which she openly lost for love of you She had not gnite finished these words when the Prince whose mistake was sufficiently cleared not being able to Master his Transports before a Company that seemed to oblige him to some respect had cast himself at her feet and embracing her knees with tears of joy had his heart so oppressed that expressing himself only by his Action he continued a good while longer without being able to speak a word At last lifting up his eyes to see in that countenance which was so much changed if it were his well-beloved Princess Yea my Princess said he yea my adorable Olympia 't is your self and neither the unworthy Habit which you wear nor the change of your countenance can any longer conceal you from your faithful Ariamenes Speaking these few words and raising himself up again at the Princesses command he once more fixed his eyes upon her Visage with attention and observing the leanness and the paleness of it which rendred it quite different from what it had been a little while before he could not hinder his affection from forcing some tears into his eyes and drying them up with one of her fair hands upon which he imprinted a great many ardent kisses Ah! my adorable Princess said he you have suffered very much and possibly I am the cause of a part of your sufferings You are the cause of them without doubt replied the Princess but 't is that which makes them dear to me and will make me love them as long as I live Alas answered the passionate Prince it had been much better that all the troubles should have fallen upon Ariobarzanes and that his adorable Princess should have been exempted from all the misfortunes which he occasions her I should think my self very unfortunate indeed replied Olympia if I by those mishaps which you represent to me had not purchased the happiness which hereafter I hope to enjoy with you and all that have suffered through the cruelty of Adallas the inhumanity of the Pirats and the misertes of Servitude cannot but be very pleasing to me in the recovery of Ariobarzanes The Prince returned an answer to this Discourse throwing himself once more at her feet and doubtless their mutual satisfaction would have enlarged it self into a long Conversation if the persons of the Company who were most interessed in it had not desired to take their share in their Caresses as they had done in their Contentment Arsinoe as being Ariobarzanes's Sister and almost as sensible of his Fortune as he could be ran first to the two Lovers and casting her self upon Olympia's Neck What said she hugging her betwixt her Arms Are you then that fair Princess to whom I am obliged for my Brothers life That Princess so worthy of Ariobarzanes's violent passions and the same for whom we sail over the Seas and for whose sake we have visited the shoar of Alexandria But you Madam answered Olympia embracing her with an equal affection to her own Are you that illustrious Princess upon whom I bestowed so many tears without knowing her and for whom upon the Relation of your dear Brother I had conceived so much esteem Philadelph being strongly interessed in the happiness of Ariobarzanes whom at that time next to his Delia he loved above all the persons in the world seconded her with a good grace in the expressions of her joy and when Olympia saw her self at some liberty from the Caresses of those illustrious persons Cornelius who understood the Truth of her condition approaching to her with a great deal of Respect and a great many marks of confusion Madam said he What punishment will you inflict upon him who hath Treated you as a Slave and hath carried himself towards you otherwise than he ought to have done towards a Princess of your Birth I will look upon you replied Olympia as a person to whom I am indebted for all my happiness and if you had not bought and kept this Slave Olympia possibly had never seen Ariobarzanes You your self only answered Cornelius ought to be blamed for the unworthy usage you have received for I could not so much as guess at what I now understand not without a great deal of confusion I will never complain replied the Princess of the employment you bestowed upon me in putting me into the service of the fair Princess of the Parthians and I would willingly have rendred her that out of mine own inclination which I was obliged to do by the change of my Fortune You have already had the goodness said Elisa to pardon the faults which my ignorance caused me to commit in relation to you and I hope continued she embracing her that this day of joy and happiness will make you forget all that is past She ought to pardon you and I added the Queen of Ethiopia because we take so great a share in the change of her condition and I will assure her for us both that we are as sensible of it as a most affectionate Sister could be This good Company entertained one another in this manner and bestowed a great deal of time upon this Adventure and they could have found matter enough to spend the whole day upon if they had not believed it to be necessary to give the two Lovers liberty to repair by their Conversation that which a cruel Absence had made them lose Arsinoe as being the Sister of Ariobarzanes believed that she ought to take the greatest care of Olympia
Train divers Roman Ladies waited upon her and though Sulpicia whom I had loved long time and had hardly left off loving was there amongst the rest left her to the first that took care to lead her and whil'st divers other men of quality tendred the same Service to the rest I ran to Cipassis and protested to her That do what she could I would not leave her all the rest of that day nor yield up to any man a Fortune which I infinitely esteemed Cipassis received the Service which I desired to render her with a great deal of Civility and reaching me her hand in a very obliging manner Is it possible said she to me smiling That in the fairest Company of the World Ovid should address himself to the stranger Cipassis But is it possible answered I that the fair Cipassis should believe till now that Ovid had not wit enough to know how to discern that which is most beautiful and rare in those Companies where he comes 'T is the knowledge I have of your wit replied Cipassis walking in an Alley after the Princess who was led by Marcellus which causes my astonishment and I cannot comprehend how Ovid whose sublime wit canot be satisfied with an ordinary Conversation and whose Company is desired and sought after by the chiefest Ladies in the Empire should be willing to day to leave so many persons of high importance to amuse himself in the Company of a dull German Maid born and bred in remote Provinces in the midst of barbarous people and one who being freed from Slavery but three dayes ago can have contracted nothing in so short a time from the illustrious Company with whom she converses which may make her Society tolerable Upon these words of Cipassis which she spake smiling I put on a more serious look and beholding her with an Air which might make her judge that the modesty of her Discourse could not make me dispense with the respect which I believed was due to her Madam said I for your being born in Germany and being fallen by the misfortune of the War into a Captivity from which your vertue quickly freed you you are never the less considerable nor less worthy of our respects than the most illustrious Roman Ladies and those to whom Fortune hath been alwayes favourable and whatsoever complaisance I ought to have for my own Countrey I shall not think I Injure it if I speak for that in the single person of Cipassis which I could have hardly found amongst a great Number of Roman Ladies Ah! Ovid said the fair Maid interrupting me you are not Master of all that Noble Freedom and Sincerity for which I have heard you highly esteemed and you offend against Generosity in exposing a poor stranger whom you should protect to the raillery of such a wit as yours You are so well fortified against raillery replyed I and I am very well assured that it is but in a jesting way that you have accued me of it And how answered Cipassis can you justifie your self upon that Account By making of you know added I and making you confess if you will submit to Reason and Truth that amongst all the Ladies whom you see here attending upon the Princess I could not find so much beauty either of mind or body as in your single self and that the great Number of excellent parts which might render all the persons of this Company considerable if they were well divided amongst them are met together in Cipassis only with such advantages as the most interested Romans cannot but acknowledge an confess You would oblige me replied Cipassis with a little blush which made her seem more handsome than ordinary to give you a serious Answer to a Discourse which deserves it not without doubt since it is not conformable to your thoughts but howsoever it be I cannot choose but tell you that if it were true that you found any thing but reasonable in me the Authority of such a Judge would raise so much presumption in me that possibly no modesty would be proof against the vanity which I might conceive upon that score You may laugh at it if you please said I with an Action no more serious than hers but possibly 't is true that I am not so ill acquainted with the lineaments which compose a beauty nor with the graces which form an excellent wit but that the judgment which I should make of it would find Approvers and 't is truer yet that in this which I have made for you to the disadvantage of this fair Company of Ladies I have followed nothing but my thoughts and real inclinations Ah! Ovid replied Cipassis in a more pleasing manner than before If you think what you say you have forgotten that Sulpicia is in this fair Company These words by which I might judg that the love which I had born to Sulcipia was come to the knowledg of Cipassis made me blush a little and kept me for a few moments a little surprized but as naturally I do not want confidence in such Encounters so I would not remain without a Reply I am not ignorant said I that Sulpicia is in the Number of those fair Ladies over whom I have given you the superiority Neither are we ignorant peradventure said she interrupting me that you have often given her the same superiority with which you would flatter a poor stranger That may be replied I very coldly and 't is certain too that when I made her a Discourse coming somewhat near to that which you have heard from my mouth I made it according to my heart and real thoughts And how can it be possible answered the merry Cipassis that your heart and thoughts should be so easily and so quickly changed and that if one may so say you should so easily transport from one subject to another the qualities which you have observed and esteemed in them It may be said I that when I found in Sulpicia that which now I observe more advantagiously in you I had never seen the charming Cipassis or that possibly my mind being prepossessed with some passion for Sulpicia thought to find that in her which in a more free condition I should not have taken notice of But how is it possible added Cipassis that that passion which hath made you judge favourably of Sulpicia should quit your heart in such a manner as that no sign of it should remain And what remedy do you make use of to cure your self so easily of a disease which troubles a great many others as long as they live I was little confounded at this reproach but I dissembled it very well and replied without being moved Love may make it self Master of our spirits with such an absolute Command that it would be but vain to make use of any remedies to chase it thence but likewise it may continue in such terms that reason may have strength enough left to struggle with it and I may say without injuring
I will finish it then said I seeing it is your pleasure and taking the Pen I added 'T is for fair Cipassis sake These last words compleated the Stanza and having nothing else to write I rose from the place where I sate and turning my self towards Cipassis though with a little fear and confusion I perceived that she was a little troubled at this adventure but yet in such a manner that her astonishment did not seem to be accompanied with any mark of anger and not being willing to give her time to be angry upon the occasion which I might have given her Divine Cipassis said I in the Name of the gods do not receive with rigor the testimony which I give you of a most pure and innocent passion and do not impute to any want of respect the Declaration which I have made you only out of the obedience I owe to you The gods are my witnesses that the passion I have for you produces no effect that you can condemn and the most violent desires it can give Birth to in my Soul are only to sacrifice my life and interests in the opportunities of doing you Service as I have already sacrificed my repose my liberty and all the thoughts of my Soul to the Beauty and Vertue of Cipassis If you be offended with the present I make you of my self what can henceforward be accounted for an obligation amongst men and by what cruel error will the reward of hatred be bestowed upon love and those punishments inflicted upon that which should be worthy of more precious recompences I should have spoken more to this purpose if instead of the displeasure which I feared I had not seen laughter sweetness and absolute tranquility in the countenance of Cipassis She had hearkned to me with a great deal of patience and when she saw that I left speaking I understand your intentions said she smiling but how do you think I must treat with you As the Sovereign Mistriss of my life replied I but as a Sovereign full of goodness and one that ought to incline rather to pity than to resentment But ought not I answered Cipassis according to the example of our own Sex seem offended at the Declaration you have made me receive your affection as an injury and forbid you at least to speak to me as long as you live I have deserved a great deal more replied I and I will never murmur at the sentence which you shall pronounce against me You shall have no reason added this charming person and instead of making as if I were angry at the testimonies of your affection I will tell you Ovid that it is very dear to me that I am very much obliged to you for it and do not count it a small advantage to my self that he amongst all the Romans who possibly is most able to discern the merit of persons hath adjudged me worthy amongst so many others of his particular esteem I shall be beholding to you for it as long as I live but this is not enough yet to acknowledge it as I ought I will protest to you besides with all truth and freedom that I do very particularly esteem your person and upon all the occasions which Fortune may offer me I will give you all the testimonies of it that you can desire Is not this a large progress for the first day Too much cryed I quite transported and infinitely above my merit and my hopes But withall replied Cipassis know that this first day shall be as the last you shall always continue in the same condition in my affection as you are now in and whatsoever you may do for my Service shall never put you any forwarder If you be rational you will content your self with that which possibly you expected not yet a while and which I did not value so highly as to make you wait longer for and if you have not reason enough to satisfie your self with what I may do in a way of acknowledging your affection you may seek elsewhere for that satisfection which you shall never find in Cipassis These last words did strongly moderate the joy which the former had caused me and seeing my self cut off from the hopes which I might have conceived by her words to which I was obliged to give absolute Credit by the proofs which I received of her sincerity and freedom I knew not how I might receive my Fortune but at last yielding to Necessity or rather preserving still some hopes that by my Services and the proof of an ardent and faithful passion I might alter the resolution of Cipassis and incline her spirit to more advantagious terms in relation to my love I seemed to be contented and to receive the courtesie she offered me as infinitely elevated above my pretensions Agippa interrupting Ovid in this part of his Narration You have related to me said he as free and as gallant a way of proceeding as could be expected from the most rational spirit in the world and though I alwayes did very much esteem the fair Cipassis I confess to you that for her manner of dealing so far from the artifice and affectation of many women I conceive an opinion of her which will make me look upon her for the future with more consideration than formerly I did Sir replied Ovid Cipassis is far more worthy of your esteem than you think for and without doubt she would have a very great share in it if she were perfectly known to you but it will suffice me to confirm you in the opinion which you have conceived of her to acquaint you in the continuation of my Discourse that this fair German proved very sincere in the promise she had made me to gratifie me with her particular esteem and that in all meeting I received all the testimonies of it that I could in reason desire but withall she kept her self very strictly within the bounds which she had prescribed to my hopes and did not suffer me to conceive the least probability of altering her resolution She alwayes kept her self so equal in her Proposition that I never perceived any change and I endeavoured in vain to move her to pity or to a consideration of the ills she made me suffer she was alwayes insensible of them or if at any time out of her natural goodness she felt any motion of compassion that thought could not change its Nature and turn from pitty which was the original of it into something that resembled love She suffered me to converse with her with a great deal of sweetness provided that the violences of my love did not intermix themselves in our Discourse and when I suffered my self to flie out she knew very well how to reduce me to that moderation which she desired of me and to make me submit to the Empire of reason with an Authority accompanied with so much sweetness and modesty that I never sound any occasion nor had so much as an intention to
his vertues shine beside the general esteem he gained in such sort the affections of the Queen that never favourite rendred himself more powerful over the spirit of any Soveraign than he did over that of Amalthea And as he gained the favour of all the world so none envied his fortune except the stranger Princes who pretended to the possession of Menalippa and seeing him so favoured by the Mother and the Daughter began to doubt whether the grandure of their birth and the possession of their Crowns would render them more considerable than the vertue of Alcimedon Euardes Son of the King of Bithinia and Phraterphernes Son to the King of Pont both drawa from their Countries by the beauty of Menalippa sighed equally for her in the Court of Dacia Merodates the most valiant of the three and withal the most proud thought not the most powerful felt the same fires and entertained the same pretensions Orosmanes Prince of the Basternes neighbour to Dacia breathed the same passion yet none of them had been able to touch the stately heart of Menalippa and though the Princes were all considerable for their valour and greatness yet this fierce haughty Princess had never favoured them with one regard which might afford the least hope the Reputation of her Beauty and the Declaration which the Queen her Mother had made to yield her to him that reveng'd her on the King of Scythia had called those Princes into her Territories and whilst at the feet of Menalippa they indeavoured to make some progress in her affection Levies were made in all parts of their Kingdoms for the Scythian expedition Those of Merodates and Orosmanes were bordering but those of Phrataphernes and Euardes were to be drawn out of Asia and required a larger time e're they could come none forgetting whatsoever might advance his particular fortune yet they had really done nothing and Merodates only by the repute of his valour could boast of some place in the esteem though none in the affection of Menalippa Alcamenes beheld with displeasure so many Princes Arm'd against his Father and unable to dissemble his resentments was notwithstanding the obligations he had to be pleasant perpetually fierce and contracted no friendship with them 'T is true that their love and pretensions to Menalippa rendred them more odious than their design to carry a War into his Country and as Rivals hated them more than as Invaders he beheld them with Aversion and would have done with Disdain had not prudence been an Enemy to his passion for knowing himself more rich in all sort of vertues and more great in the extent of Monarchy than them all he might reasonably have hoped for a better success than them all had not the hatred of the Mother and the Daughter powerfully opposed themselves to his hopes and been an obstacle greater than all the traverses of his Rivals Whilst this amorous Prince consum'd without discovering himself and by his regards only gave Menalippa cause to judge that his heart was wounded by those only he declared his torments to his fair Princess nor was this Language altogether unsufficient to make her apprehend part of the truth Menalippa over-born by her destiny submitted to that yoak which hither to she had despised and suffered nothing less than he yet not daring to permit her eyes to enter into so free a conversation as Alcamenes did his she lived in a greater constraint yet could not alwaies so command them but by some favourable glances she flattered his hopes and as he observed them with a particular interest in a short time he perceived a great part of his happiness This mute language prepared and all other circumstances seconded so well that these two illustrious persons no longer doubted a mutual affection and the haughty Menalippa who from so many Princes of birth equal to hers could never indure the least syllable of Love became now even afflicted that an unknown man and apparantly of Rank inferiour to hers kept a forced silence and spake not openly of his passion For in some moments she would continue in these thoughts but presently began to fear what she seemed to desire and sounded the bottom of her courage to find in what manner she ought to receive so hard a declaration from this unknown person Alcimedon though naturally hardy and knowing himself sufficient to believe that the greatest Princess upon Earth ought not to be offended with the declaration of his love was yet disquieted with cruel considerations and could not resolve to declare himself as an unknown or as Alcimedon without exposing his hope to an entire ruine To discover Alcamenes he could by no means yield supposing the little affection they began to entertain for Alcimedon was not comparable to the hatred they bare to his House and himself also and To declare his passion to the Princess in the disguise of an unknown person could boad no other than a bad success nor did he think such a Princess as Menalippa heir to a flourishing Kingdom and who might chuse out the greatest Princes of EUROPE and ASIA would behold but with disdain the passion of a man whose birth and quality were unknown though prepossest with much esteem and good-will towards his person He made on this subject many discourses too long to relate and in this posture many Months passed e're he could obtain from his courage the succours he demanded But at last as he is capable of the most hazardous enterprizes and as he saw himself more animated by the favourable treatments of Menalippa who sufficiently favoured his design and gave him often opportunities to entertain her with liberty he resolved notwithstanding his so many reasons to the contrary to ease his torment by discovering them or to ruine his hopes One day the Princess call'd him to her to walk in the Palace-Garden and having discharged her Squires to grace Alcimedon with the employment she made several turns and at last led him into a little Cabinet but her Maids entred not by reason it was but little but walkt in the Alley and left Alcimedon alone with the Princess He had already resolved by the Essayes he had made upon his Courage and the hope those favourable appearances had given him to lay hold on the first occasion to discover his passion So that he sought a way though trembling to enter with a good grace upon this discourse Whilst he was meditating the Princess through an open place of the Cabinet shewed him a Spring encompassed with some Trees from whence a Rivulet took its rise branching forth in many Channels through the Garden It was said the near such a place as this that I first saw Alcimedon and you may add Madam replyed Alcamenes 't was in that place that Alcimedon left his liberty at the feet of the divine Menalippa and charged himself with those glorious Chains which he will carry to his Tomb. He stopt at these first words and the Princess though she were
not angry yet blushed and became much disordered and keeping her eyes fixt on the ground as unable to lift them to Alcamenes's face she remained silent The Prince who stedfastly beheld her Countenance and finding nothing there of cruel but much more bashfulness than choler became more hardy than before and putting one knee to the ground some paces from the Princess Divine Princess said he if I have offended you ordain with what manner of death you will punish my boldness only grant me the favour as to believe that if our adorations offend not the Gods you can receive no injury from those my heart intertains for you This heart was yours from the first moment I saw you and shall be yours till the last moment of my life you may disapprove it you may condemne it but you cannot by death draw it out of this gloricus servitude Here he stopped and after Menalippa's example fastned his eyes on the ground and if the Princess had regarded his action she might have seen that fear took possession of his heart in this encounter which it had never been able to do in the greatest dangers Menalippa was joyful that he loved her and she loved him dearly yet knew not how to express her self or treat him She was not ignorant of the Rules of good manners and she had a natural disposition to punish with rigour faults of the like nature with this of Alcimedon yet had she no dissembling spirit nor could receive with appearances of dislike those things which she desired with all her heart This irresolution made her keep a long silence at length a little raising her eyes upon Acimedon whose humble posture helpt to gain her Stranger said she if I behold thy boldness with rigour I should judge it worthy of punishment but if I follow my inclinations I shall do thee no harm thy temerity alone is all I can dislike in thee but nothing of the rest is odious to Menalippa and if thou wilt have her tell thee any more first let her know who is this audacious man that without giving us any other knowledge than that of his Sword dares lift his eyes to the Princess of Dacia on the accompt thou givest her may depend a great part of thy destiny And I tell thee further thou wilt not disoblige Menalippa in letting her know thee to be such a one whose affection she may entertain without offence These words heightned the courage of the Prince of Scythia Divine Menalippa said he with more assurance than before death shall be less cruel to me than any occasions of disobeying you but I am constrained by a necessity which when you know you will certainly pardon for some Months to conceal both the Birth and Fortune of Alcimedon and the gods are my Witnesses that it is only my respect to you that causeth this difficulty in a short time you shall receive a knowledg of me confirm'd by the testimony of all EUROPE and therefore great Princess permit me to say that though in all sorts of great qualities I am infinitely your Inferior yet in Nobility of blood in Dignity and Dominions my House gives place neither to yours nor any in EUROPE and if you are satisfied with the person of Alcimedon that which ought to accompany him to render him worthy of you will be here sound more advantagiously than in all the other Princes who have taken upon them the honour of serving you In the Name of the gods and by your bounty pardon me if I can discover no more When the term of this cruel constraint shall be expired I will declare my self wholly to you without expecting a second command during which time I shall desire no further favour than those I have received from you nor pretend to any thing from your bounty which may in the least ingage you before these truths are sufficiently known and until the Queen your Mother with all the Court of Dacia do confess that Alcimedon is a Prince great enough to pretend openly to the glory of serving you Alcimedon finished not this Discourse but with much difficulty finding a strong aversion to disobey the command of Menalippa But this fair Princess was so intricated on all sides as if the were troubled in being unable to learn of Alcimedon that which she desired yet what he related concerning his Birth and Fortune did highly satisfie her and as she had too much confidence in his vertue to suspect him of a lye and of a lye which could but be unprofitable by his own conditions her contentment became so great that she could hardly dissemble it And beholding Alcimedon with an affectionate sweetness As I am more reasonable than many others said she and that visibly I act with more sincerity than artifice I will excuse for your Reasons the denial you make me but I beseech you not to abuse that good opinion which will have me believe that all you say is true Alcimedon falling on his knees and with Transports imbracing her feet My visible Deity said he if this heart were capable of disguising it self from you it were not that heart-burning for you with a passion the most holy a Soul can be inflamed with and I desire you to banish me your presence as that man of all the World the most unworthy to adore you if before I pretend to any other favour than this of imbracing your sacred knees I present not in the person of Alcimedon one of the greatest Princes of the Universe He uttered these words with an Action so passionate and Menalippa read so much love in his eyes that unable to master the motions of her affection after she had offered her hand with an Action full of sweetness and Majesty Friend said she if this be true Menalippa shall never be anie 's but thine but if to my unhappiness it prove false she shall never be to any one at all Finishing these words she carried one hand to her face to cover a blush and with the other locking upon that of Alcamenes and raising him Alcimedon added she you have gained my heart with too much facility but believe that it is my destiny and inclination which hath given it you rather than your Services and so carry it that I may never have cause to complain of the one or the other to day I will entertain you but no longer Finishing these words she went out of the Cabinet but it was in a condition and with a countenance so changed that had it been observed by the Company they might have feared some dysaster had befallen her But Alcimedon was so transported with joy that it was hard for those who saw him that day not to discern in his face the satisfaction of his heart and no sooner had he quitted the Princess by her command and recollected himself concerning his good Fortune but he found his felicity too great to be contained and scarce in the impetuous motions of his youth could he
added she that this generous spirit came whilst I slept indeavouring to disarm my spirit against Alcamenes and I begin to understand his threat of sending the Ghost of Alcimedon to me though I cannot imagine what power he hath so to do But Sosthenes since Alcimedon hath so dearly loved Menalippa and that Menalippa hath preserved so much amity for Alcimedon Wherefore after the loss of your Master have you not after Leanders example fix't your self in Menalippa's Service but in that of Alcamenes This Discourse began to trouble Sosthenes imagining with some movements of pity that grief had disturbed Menalippa's judgment but as he was preparing a Reply Leander entred the Chamber quite out of breath and accosted the Princess with a mighty astonishment Madam said he I come to tell you News that will certainly surprize you and fill you with Repentance for many of your Actions Menalippa whose spirit was already very unsetled had not power to answer which Leander taking for a permission to speak Madam pursued he in passing through the next street I saw two men fighting with a mighty animosity I drew near to part them but just as I came one of the two having received a mortal wound fell at my feet I drew near to help him but whilst I was upon this friendly office I saw my self incompassed with a great Number of others who came upon the same Account Your succours are unprofitable said the wounded person to me I perceive I must dye and the gods who at this time have justly deserted me have permitted this in punishment of the Murther I committed on the person of Alcimedon These words exceedingly surprized me How said I are you one of those that Alcamenes made use of to kill Alcimedon Alcamenes replied this man contributed nothing to the Death of Alcimedon it was by the Command of Orchomenes King of the Nomades whose Subject I am and who with Nineteen more of my Companions murthered that valiant man near the City of Nicea Alcamenes was so far from being Alcimedon's Murtherer that he revenged it on the person of Orchomenes whom he slew in the Battal These words having thrust me into a marvellous astonishment Friend said I in the Name of the gods hide not the Truth of that Relation which you have begun it is of so great importance and will conduce to the justification and repose of some so considerable persons that you may expect very great Rewards if the gods spare your life I pretend no longer to life reply'd he and in the last moments thereof I should be sorry to lye in charging my self with a Crime which will render my memory odious That which is only like to justifie me is that Orchomenes was my King and that I am a Nomadian by birth and at that time commanded those Troops which composed his Life-guard Then related he to more than Fifty persons that were present that Orchomenes having nourisht a violent hatred against Alcimedon for the death of his brother and the imprisonment himself suffered by his Valor no sooner saw this Prince return to the Dacian Camp but he designed his death and immediately after his departure from the Queens Tents caused some to observe which way he went and being informed he commanded me to take twenty more of my Companions and attend Alcimedon's return and kill him how he could promising excessive recompences and giving part before hand This order was punctually observed for the innocent Alcimedon the next Morning cast himself into our Ambuscado where he was born to the Earth and pierced with twenty wounds in the face and throat Thus Madam did he declare the circumstances so that there is no reason to doubt but that it was so carried a little after notwithstanding all our indeavours to prolong his life till the end of his Confession he dyed in our Arms and I ran with all diligence to relate the News which will be confirmed by more than fifty Witnesses This was Leanders Relation and Menalippa had too much confidence in his fidelity to doubt the Report and so called no other Witness but when she made reflection upon the dying words of Alcimedon who had uttered no other Name but that of Alcamenes her confusion remained and could perceive no light in these contrary appearances It is true said she aloud 't is true that Alcamenes hath testified too much vertue in all his Actions to be guilty of so black a Murther yet it is true replied she that Alcimedon did name Alcamenes and Alcamenes himself seemed to confess the Crime and to glory in the death of Alcimedon The Prince of the Massegetes who was present all this time understood nothing at all and Sosthenes who understood a part was ignorant of the rest and more astonisht than any He knew the Prince had never told the King his Father any thing of those Adventures which hapned to him under the Name of Alcimedon so that before the Prince of the Massegetes he would not speak more clearly to Menalippa not utter those things which his astonishment had put into his mouth but beholding her in a strange perplexity and mortal inquietude Madam said he you may believe Leanders Relation and if you will but see Alcamenes this one time I dare promise you that you will be certainly convinced it was not he who slew Alcimedon The Princess confounded raising her self at these words Yes Sosthenes said she I will revisit Alcamenes and this Truth which I desire to know is sufficiently important to make me pass beyond my resentments I cannot understand after those words I heard from him how he could be innocent of Alcimedon's death but if he be really so I will so repair the Cruelties which I have exercised towards him that I am sure he will grant my pardon At these words she arose and desiring Sosthenes to demand the Princes leave to see him she followed him immediately and was almost so soon there as he The Prince whose wound had made many promises that day of amendment and the King who was with him understood with astonishment her demand nor could they divine the cause though the Prince imagined his Letter had done it and resolving his spirits against any thing cruel or funest that could arrive he prepared to receive this second Visit of Menalippa with more courage than the former and the King thought he saw some beams of joy darting a good augure from Sosthenes's face Menalippa entred the Chamber followed by Leander and Belisa but it was with less fierceness and more sweetness than formerly The King caused a Chair to be set for her by Alcamenes's Bed where being fate Alcamenes said she with an assured countenance I come to make that reparation which I owe to you if you are innocent or which I owe my self if you are guilty of that Fact which I would have punished by the loss of your life I will make a confession of that before the King and other persons here present which
Eteocles for whom I have ever had a very great esteem and a most affectionate friendship I shall not trouble you with a repetition of all those reasons whereby he endeavoured to make me apprehend that I did not only betray a great want of prudence but that I was guâ—lty of a capital crime against my Love by courting my own death at a time that my life might be necessary for the Queens service and that since I had not received any tidings that she was either dead or married to Tiribasus there was no reason I should rush into extremities which I might overtake time enough when those misfortunes were come to pass To be short he pressed these things to me with so much reason and conviction that I began to acknowledg the truth of them and to submit to his judgment that it was not well done of me to hazard upon such light grounds a life which I had bestowed and consequently could not dispose of my self while she that was the Mistress of it might expect any service out of it Upon this consideration I was content they should endeavour my recovery and entertained with great acknowledgments the care they took of me As soon as I had arrived to such a degree of recovery as that I was able to endure discourse Eteocles came and told me what place I was in and by what adventure I was brought thither and at the same time acquainted me what aversion Eurinoe had had for me upon account of the death of her Brother and her Love and what affection she had conceived for me of a sudden Now his health being in a much better posture then mine as having given over keeping his bed while I was yet in great danger he had had more leasure to informe himself of all that he was desirous to know and had understood that Eurinoe was a Widow of very great quality that her friends and her husband had alwaies kept her at a distance from the Court that she had had two Brothers very deeply involved in the interests of Tiribasus whereof the younger was slain in the late Battle and the elder had staied at Meroe by the orders of Tiribasus who affected him very much and reposed great trust in him that she had been very earnestly courted since her widow-hood by that Teramenes on whom she had bestowed so many tears a person it seems of very great worth and very amiable as to his person that she had loved him very dearly and that after many great traverses and revolutions she was upon the point of marrying him with the consent of her friends when death deprived her of him Eteocles acquainting me with all these things told me withal how circumspectly I should carry my self that I might not be discovered by any other persons then those whom Eurinoe was forced to trust with that secret not doubting but that if such a misfortune should happen my life must needs be in manifest danger as well by reason of the rage of Eurinoe's Brother as the near relation he had to Tiribasus who out of all question would never suffer me to live should he once find out were I were retired But as things stood the security of that secret consisted not altogether in our circumspection for Eurinoe was so much concerned in it her self not only out of the desire she had to preserve a person on whom she had bestowed her affection but also for fear of her Brothers indignation whose savage humor she was acquainted with that she omitted nothing which in point of care or caution might be expected from her I shall not presume my great Princesses before you whose beauties eclipse what ever is beautiful in all nature to say any thing of the beauty of Eurinoe but certainly among the beauties of the rank next inferiour to the first and chiefest she might very well pass for a handsome woman somewhat duskish not absolutely black the lineaments of her face very good of a good stature and in a word one of the handsomest persons that ever I met with in Aethiopia I should commend her farther were it not that you would imagine fairest Queen that in the commendations of her beauty I should have no other design then to celebrate my own fidelity As soon as I was grown any thing capable of conversation I had her perpetually at my bed-side and I soon observed in all her deportment what Eteocles had told me before of her affection Her modesty-indeed was such that she would not in words discover what her heart was burthened with but her eies betraied some part of it and all her actions sufficiently confirmed the observation which Eteocles had made of her During some few daies at first while the success of my recovery was yet doubtful my fever very violent she said little to me I saw her not but at some certain times but when I was a little recovered and permitted to discourse she was very liberal of her company She was one day at my bed side where she seemed to be extreamly satisfied to see my health in so good a posture when I venturing to speak more than I had done before took occasion to give her thanks to make all the acknowledgment I could of her care tenderness towards me commended the generosity she exercised towards a man who had been of a party contrary to that of her Friends withal so unfortunate as by the chance of war to do her a displeasure She patiently bore with my discourse taking her advantage of my silence My lord said she to me I have done no more for you than your vertue deserved but shall entreat you not to attribute meerly to a consideration of generosity all that I have done to serve you After you had not only been the death of my Brother but also deprived me of a person I infinitely loved and one with whom I was upon the point of marriage there was no reflection of generosity strong enough to oblige me to do an action whereby I cannot but incur if it be known the reproaches of all the world and the indignation of all my kinred and you may therefore well judge that it must proceed from some more powerfull motive that I conceived my self engaged to relieve you I shall take it upon what ground you please replied I but you will give me leave to imagine that it is meerly to your goodnesse that I am to attribute the assistances I have received from you since I had not any waies deserved them If it be meerly upon the account of goodnesse replyed she with a sigh alasse how fatall will that goodnesse prove to me and if I am onely good to you how cruell am I to my self It would be an infinite trouble to me replyed I to think that the good offices you do me should cause you any displeasure and therefore when my health shall be in another posture than it is now I shall heartily spend
up in his service over-joy'd at the accident had taken such pains about him that at last he brought him so far to himself that he was sensible of what was said to him To this Pelorus added That Teramenes had commanded him to carry him to Eurinoe's as having no place where he might well retire any neerer and that thereupon he had been forced to acquaint him with the truth of all that had passed as having far greater respects for his Master then he had for Eurinoe That Teramenes had almost dyed in good earnest at that cruel news and that neverthelesse out of a desire to see the consequences of that adventure and to apply those remedies which time and his own resentments should suggest unto him he was content to be carried to a house that belonged to a Sister of Pelorus's not far from Eurinoe's Castle where he might not onely be privately looked after in order to his perfect recovery but also be in a place where he might every day understand by Pelorus what was done at Eurinoes That all things came to passe as Teramenes had desired and that he had been waited on and dressed with so much care as might be by persons concerned in his welfare and such as had not any way betrayed the secret committed to their trust That this had been done with the greater ease by reason of Eurinoe's continual imployment about me and the little curiosity she was then guilty of to enquire what was done in her neighbourhood That he brought Teramenes notice every day of what was done at the Castle in regard he might go and come to his Sisters house without the least suspicion That Teramenes conceived such a grief and affliction thereat that many times he was upon the point of discovering all not doubting but that Tiribasus and Eurinoe's Brother and all of that party would soon find out some means to dispatch me when they were once acquainted with the place of my abode but that he had been perswaded to the contrary partly by his intreaties who desired him to delay it and partly by those remainders of love which he still had left in him for whose sake principally it was that he forbore putting that bloudy design in execution that at last through the assistances of those that were employed about his recovery he was come to the posture of health wherein he saw him and that having notice given him that Eurinoe and my self walked every day in the Garden he would needs come thither to over-hear our discourse if it were possible and to take his opportunity to be revenged of me in such a manner as might least prejudice the reputation of Eurinoe That he had many times over-heard our discourse through the hedge-row but that in those which I made to Eurinoe he had found so much prudence and vertue that he immediately changed his resolution and that perceiving I had no affection for Eurinoe he thought fit to make his advantage thereof and had then discovered himself to us to implore my assistance upon the opinion he had of my generosity Thus did Teramenes give us an account of his adventure and prevailed so far with Eurinoe that she pardoned Pelorus who in those transactions had expressed a greater love to his ancient Master then to his new Mistresse But to what purpose should I spin out the particulars of this relation all things were composed quiet and serenity of thoughts began to chase away all former dissatisfactions onely Eurinoe discovered by certain sighs that her soul was not absolutely recovered and three daies after finding my self in a condition to depart thence I charged Eurinoe with her promise and in my presence obliged her to marry Teramenes There happened some particulars in this action which I carefully concealed from Teramenes and the next day I pressed them to accomodate me with those things that were necessary for my departure that I might repair to those places which I was obliged to go to promising them I should acknowledge when it should please the gods to enable me the assistances and kindnesse I had received from the officious Eurinoe Teramenes granted my request and furnished us with cloaths arms and horses and would have gone along with me Had I accepted of his company but I gave him thanks for his kind proffers and told him that I was satisfied he should be no longer my enemy without engaging him to be any way serviceable to me against Tiribasus who was much his freind and so intreated him not to discover any thing he knew of me and to promote the report which was already spread abroad of my death And this I was the more confident he would do not only upon the promise he had made to do it but also out of a consideration of his own interest which would advise him not to publish a thing that might exasperate Tiribasus against him They also taught me an invention which proved very fortunate to me for perceiving I was somewhat troubled how to conceal my self in the places I was to passe through by reason of the fairnesse of my face so different from the complexion of the men of that Country they gave me a certain water which is commonly used among the Ethiopians by those that are desirous of a more shining blacknesse in the countenance and having made experience of it first on my hands they afterwards therewith painted my face as also that of Eteocles so that after three washings we were grown as black as if we had really been Ethiopians They gave me a little Glasse-Bottle full of it to carry along with me and shewed me the way to take it off when I had a mind to do it which was onely with warm water and certain herbs put into it In this posture after some bemoanings from Eurinoe which she was not able to forbear and thousands of protestations which I made her to acknowledge her extraordinary favours if ever Fortune proved kind to me I departed from that house without any other company then that of Eteocles and one servant on horseback Teramenes bestowed on me and of whose fidelity he gave me very great assurances The design I then had was secretly to get to those whom I knew to be still my Friends and were desirous to serve their Princesse and had a zeal for the memory of their late King hoping that upon my returne they would be encouraged to attempt something for the service of their Queen whom I knew to be well beloved among the Ethiopians Among those Telemachus and Oristhenes were the most considerable and having understood in my way that they were retired from the Court to certain houses they had in the Country where they passed away their time in grief and solitude I without any danger got to Oristhenes passing through all palces without the least suspicion by reason of the blacknesse of my countenance which disguised me so well that you your self Madam were mistaken in me I shall
dispell their astonishment and this adventure seemed to be so great and so full of miracle that to be fully satisfied it was but necessary they had the assistance of Candace Elisa and Eteocles who very freely acquainted them with the secret of Caesario's life for as to the great actions he had done under the name of Cleomedon they were in some measure known to Alexander and absolutely to Cleopatra by the relation which Candace had made thereof to her When they were fully convinced of these truths their joy discovered it self by all the effects it could produce in moderate and affectionate dispositions as theirs were and it had not haply been greater though they had seen this very brother returning in that pomp and magnificence which he might have hoped from his former fortune when even in his infancy he had been proclaimed King of Kings by the commands of Anthony and Queen Cleopatra Then was it that Cleopatra notwithstanding all her reservedness and modesty could not forbear entertaining so great a brother with embraces fit to be envyed by all men and that Alexander expressed the agitations of his heart by the most earnest demonstrations that a sincere affection could produce in a noble soul as his was It was also during these pleasant intervalls that the fair daughter of Anthony giving thousands of kisses to the Queen of Ethiopia gave her infinite thanks with tears which the excess of joy affection drew from her fair eies for his preservation and for the present she made of her so great a brother and thence took occasion to celebrate her generosity and the extraordinary goodnesse she had expressed in bestowing her precious affections on a Prince whom fortune had not left any thing she could have taken away from him and rasing him up to a Crown whereby he might recover himself into the dignity of his Fathers What said Alexander is that invincible Cleomedon who gained so many battles in Nubia and whose reputation notwithstanding the interposition of so many Provinces eclipsed the glory of our most famous Captains no other then the same Caesario on whom in our in fancy we had bestowed so many tears and in that dead Brother do we recover again a Brother whose glory may darken that of his Father When the first demonstrations of this happy reacquaintance were over they all joyned together in a more moderate conversation so that Artaban taking occasion to expresse his concernments in the joy of Cleopatras children no lesse then if he had been of the same Bloud made them consider with a certain admiration that character of greatnesse which the gods had put upon him They thought it no ill course to moderate the discoveries of their joy out of a fear the cause might come to be known which if it should happen it could not be without bringing Caesario's life into imminent danger And considering withall that the night was in a manner quite spent and that such long sittings up might in time raise some suspicions the desire which the Princesse Cleopatra and Alexander had to enjoy yet for some longer time that happy re-acquaintance and that which Caesario had to understand the fortunes of Cleopatra whereof he had but an imperfect account were not so great but that though not without some violence done to themselves they appointed it to be the entertainment of the night following those that were concerned in the safety of Caesario thinking it not so safe to trust it to the day They parted therefore though with much unwillingnesse and Alexander and Cleopatra were extreamly troubled that the son of Caesar should take his retreat in a lone house not much frequented which Eteocles had provided for him in one of the most solitary skirts of Alexandria as conceiving there would be lesse notice taken of his going in and out there then in that of Tidaeus without the City where he had spent some dayes before But before they parted Artaban and Caesario confirmed the reconciliation they had made by words full of the greatest expressions of a real friendship and reciprocally promised one one another all the assistances which according to the posture of their fortunes they should be able to afford one the other The two Princesses they served were extreamly satisfied thereat and when they were alone the Daughter of Anthony passing to her own lodgings they went into their beds to crown the extraordinary accidents of that day with a pleasant rest The end of the Third Book HYMENS PRAELUDIA OR Loves Master-peice Part. X. LIB IV. ARGUMENT â—olusius coming in wounded into Alexandria is entertained by Cornelius and upon his entreaty brought to Marcellus and Cleopatra whom he entertains with his own History The noble deportment of Coriolanus towards him after his defeat his honourable dismission from Mauritania and his ungrateful resentments of such extraordinary civilities He is overtaken by Theocles a discontented Noble man of that country and with him enters into a conspiracy to do Coriolanus all the mischief they can Volusius not daring to come to Rome as having exasperated the Emperour against him by the losse of Mauritania makes friends to Tiberius who being an enemy to Coriolanus and Servant to Cleopatra undertakes his readmission into Caesars favour with promises of readvancement Theocles is drawn in to personate an Embassy from Coriolanus to Augustus for the obtaining of Julia so to make a difference between Coriolanus and his friend Marcellus and Cleopatra which proves in some measure effectual Volusius slighted by Tiberius falls into contempt and sicknesse which having recovered he leaves Rome and some time after meets with Tiberius at Brundusium whom he puts in mind of his former promises and goes along with him and Theocles for Alexandria They conceiving some jealousie of him plot his death which is attempted by Theocles and his men but he is rescued by an unknown person who having killed Theocles and delivered him proves to be Coriolanus whom he acquaints with what he had done against him Marcellus and Cleopatra are extreamly glad and troubled at the relation of Volusius and Marcellus extreamly grieved for the injuries he had done Coriolanus goes to seek him out resolved not to return till he had found him THe fortunate meeting with a Brother such as Caesario was had raised in the Princesse Cleopatra such a satisfaction as since the imaginary infidelity of Coriolanus she had not been caÌ„pable of whence it came that she passed over that night with more delight and took more rest than the precedent Now as the best part of the night was spent ere she lay down so was it accordingly very late ere she awoke in the morning insomuch that those who knew not any thing of her long sitting up would not have little wondered she had slept so long had they not imagined that the trouble and hardship she had gone through for some daies before might require a more than ordinary repose 'T is a common observation that it is ordinarily
good weather came at last to Brundusium where we landed Here it was that I thought fit to make some abode to make some discovery what posture my affaires were in at Rome and knowing well enough that the loss of Mauritania happened partly through my fault as having not only by tyranny and mis-government but also by the liberty I had given the Souldiers to do them thousands of injuries given the Moores occasion to rise in the behalf of their Prince and partly by reason of my neglect of preventing that revolt in the first eruptions thereof and by that negligence given Coriolanus leasure to fortifie and put himself into a condition to reascend the Throne which he would have sound very much difficulty to do had I used all the diligence I ought to smother that evil at its first breaking forth the Conscience I had of this truth troubled me extreamly By which put into a fear of the displeasure of Augustus whom a loss so considerable as that of two great Kingdoms might very much exasperate against me and not doubting but that there were a many persons about him both very ready and very likely to do me any ill office I thought it no prudence to to to Rome till I had before been assured what I was either to hope or fear upon my coming thither To that end I sent one of my men with Letters to those Friends whom I had at Rome wherein I intreated them to send me word truely and without flattery how I stood in the favour of Caesar and what entertainment I was to expect from him after the misfortune that had happened to me The Messenger got to Rome and some few daies after returned thence with some of my Friends who came to see me at Brundusium and these did not onely heighten the distrust I was in before but withall told me positively that there was no coming for me to Rome where I was extreamly ill spoken of till I had in some measure vindicated my self that the Emperour was prepossessed with an opinion very disadvantageous to me and that if I did not employ certain powerfull persons that had much interest in him there was not onely very small hopes I should ever recover my former fortune but they thought there was no great safety for my person and accordingly advised me till the tempest were laid by some persons I should employ to do it to continue at Brundusium where I had the advantage of the sea if I should be put to any extremity This discourse made to me by persons whom I could not any way suspect and whose Friendship I had great experiences of put me to more than ordinary distractions insomuch that I resolved not to leave Brundusium or look at Rome till the Emperours indignation were appeased To effect that I writ a large Manifesto in order to my justification wherein I laid down all the reasons that made any way for me and endeavoured to elude all accusations that were put up against me and having delivered it to my Friends they returned to Rome to set on work all those persons who we were in hopes might prevaile any thing with Caesar and those such as had most power and authority with him I durst not expect any thing from either Octavia or Marcellus as being not ignorant that there had ever been a very great friendship between that Prince and the King of Mauritania I had as little confidence of the mediation of Agrippa whom I had ever observed an enemy to those Governours who by their miscarriages had exasperated the nations they were to governe against them and so thought it my onely course to addresse my self to Livia and Tiberius who had ever been enemies to Coriolanus and whose interest with Caesar was not inferiour to that of any other whatsoever I thereupon imagined that my Friends by the meanes of Tiberius might set the Empresse on work who could do any thing with Augustus and it was altogether that way that I advised them to use their utmost endeavours They departed in order to the design and I remained still at Brundusium very much disquicted endeavouring what I could to shake off my affliction by the company of Theocles who would needs stay there with me and expressed a very great engagment in my concernments Some daies were passed since the departure of my Friends when one of them returnes to me to assure me that he had not onely managed the businesse with much success with Tiberius and had disposed him to engage the Empresse his Mother to endeavour my justification but also that that Prince after he had with much satisfaction embraced the occasion to do me any favour had sent him to dispatch me from Brundusium and to bring me privately to a house that belonged to a Friend of Tiberius's in the mid-way between Rome and Brundusium where I should meet with Tiberius himself and where he would discourse with me more freely concerning the state of my affaires and expresse the carnestness he had to serve me therein I received this newes with no small satisfaction and though I could not but attribute this eartiestness ef Tiberius to his envy against Coriolanus much more then to any Friendship he might have for me yet must I needs embrace this occasion of recovering my self very seriously never examining out of what motive it might proceed I left Brundusium in the night accompanied by Theocles who would by all means go along with me giving out that I went another way quite different from that which I took nay to make it the more credible sent some part of my equipage that way least it might have been discovered that I had any interview with Tiberius who had indeed sent me instructito that effect by my Friends I came to Clunium which is the name of that house seated in a solitary place such as a man might wish for a secret interview Tiberius came thither the same day having onely a single person with him and left Rome in the night and that with so much secrecy that there was not the least notice taken of his departure The condition I am in and the desire I have not to abuse your attention obliges me to contract my relation and therefore to be as brief as I can I shall onely tell you that Tiberius whose subtle wit bends it self to any thing it would be at entertained me with extraordinary caresses and very kindly received Theocles after I had acquainted him with his quality and the mis-understandings there were between him and Coriolanus Whereupon falling into discourse about my misfortune he comforted me with the kindest expressions that could be by instancing in many great persons to whom Fortune had been as malicious and telling me that I ought to have this satisfaction in my disgrace that what discourses soever my enemies might raise against me yet was there not any durst charge me with any want of courage or valour Then did he expresse the infinite
those which may be yet remaining in them of the infidelity wherewith I have been charged I imagine not but that my justification is of as great concernment to me as the recovery of my Kingdom I have made a shift to live without a Kingdom assured of the affections of Cleopatra but I would not be burthened with the keeping of a Kingdom when I have been abhorred by Cleopatra I shall intreat you to tell both the Princess and Marcellus that I had deserved they should have made a stricter inquisition into my crime and consequently been more concerned in my vindication before they had condemned me with so much severity and that they should both of them have debated the business a little on my behalf against apparences uncertain enough How do I acknowledg my self obliged to the gods that they have ordered things so as that before my death I may let them know I have not been perfidious either to my Mistress or my Friend and that since I have recovered my self from their reproaches by truth they shall never hear of those which I might make to them meerly out of the love and respect which I shall have for them to the very last breath Only you will be pleased to entreat the Princess to remember her self that notwithstanding my innocence notwithstanding my justification I am no longer worthy to serve her and that though I might hope the recovery of her affections yet durst I not presume to desire they should be cast away on a wretch persecuted by Heaven and a cross fortune and one who hath not all over the earth any place he may call his own Further that time hath been I might through the friendship and assistance of Caesar have hoped to be restored to a condition not much different from that of my Ancestors that after I had lost Caesars friendship I had recovered a Kingdom wherein she should have reigned had the gods and my cruel destiny been so pleased But that now being dispossessed of all all assistance all protection and all hope it is not fit I should lift up my eyes on a Princess whom the greatest Kings upon earth would think it a glory to serve nor indeed so much as wish my self beloved by her since she cannot affect me but upon a condition of her own unhappiness by involving her self in the miserable destiny of the most unfortunate of mankind That all I have to do now is to dye so to put a worthy Period to this Tragedy and that I shall be able to do either by laying violent hands on my self after the example of the King my Father or by Caesars wrath whereto I shall expose my self without the least fear after I have offered up to my ill fortune a Victime which I am obliged to sacrifice to her That after that action whatever may be the event of it I shall endeavour to forbear disturbing the enjoyments of a person that is a thousand times dearer to me then the life which I bestow to further them and lastly that I make it my earnest suit to the gods that they never be interrupted by the memory of a wretch whose remembrance might haply occasion some disturbance in the felicities I wish her With those words reaching forth his hand to me he bad me farewell and having commanded his Squire to help me up on horse-back again to come for Alexandria in order to the cure of my wounds he took another way and left me much more troubled at his discourse and the action of it then I was at the danger and pain of my wounds Being gotten on horse-back again by the assistance of his Squire I took my way towards this City much about the setting of the Sun and came into it before it was quite dark so weakened that I was hardly able to stand As to what hath passed since I shall not trouble you I was kindly entertained by Cornelius who was my ancient friend and seemed to be very much troubled at my misfortune but it was not in his power to hinder me out of any consideration of health which he pressed very much from leaving my bed as soon as ever I understood Madam I might have access to you to acquit my self of the charge I had taken upon me and to clear to you and Prince Marcellus the innocency of a Prince who was never guilty of any thing but by the artifices of Tiberius and our combination and who cannot justly be charged with any thing either as to his Mistress or his Friend but is the most constant and most generous of all men living I acknowledge the goodness of the gods in the favour they have done me to acquaint you with this truth before I dye and humbly beg it of them that this discovery which proceeding from a real repentance I now make to you may in some measure be thought a reparation of my crime It hath produced effects too too important and too too deplorable for me to hope any pardon from you though I have obtained it from him who hath been the greatest sufferer thereby and whom I had offended most but I fear me I have received my punishment from those that were my co-agents in it and that I shall not long survive the discovery of an action which must needs make me abominable in the sight of all the World Thus did Volusius put a Period to his discourse and though that towards the end of it he observed in the countenance of Cleopatra and Marcellus more compassion and grief then resentment or indignation against him yet were it that he could not any longer endure the presence of persons whom he had so highly injured or that his wounds troubled him he would not make any longer stay in the Chamber and with some difficulty making a shift to rise off the chair he was sate in after he had by a gesture full of humility and the expressions of his grief taken his leave of the Prince and Princess he passed into the outer-room where he found the persons which Cornelius had left there to bring him back to his lodgings It were no easie matter to represent what posture Marcellus and Cleopatra were in upon this relation of Volusius They were at the same time subject to such a distraction of thoughts that it had been some difficulty to unravel them and to make their confusion capable of some order Yet is it certain that their first apprehensions were those of joy and that neither of them could without being infinitely glad entertain the news that Coriolanus had even been a constant lover and a faithful friend and that they could not any longer doubt of that innocence which they so much wished They looked one upon another during this first apprehension and in their countenances expressed their mutual satisfaction Cleopatra as the most concerned in the business spoke first and letting the Prince read in her eyes what her heart was so full of Well Brother said she to
him you see that Coriolanus is innocent and that it was not without some ground that I was satisfied of it before I had understood so much from the mouth of Volusius I acknowledge the indulgence of the gods replies Marcellus as great towards me in this as in the greatest favour they ever did me and I take them to witnesses that what you and Volusius have perswaded me to of the constancy of Julia hath not caused in me such a satisfaction as what I have understood of the fidelity of Coriolanus How replyed the Princess with a certain transportation not suitable to her ordinary moderation it is then infallible that Coriolanus whose pretended infidelity cost me so many tears hath ever been constant to his Cleopatra and that Princess who by her misapprehension thought her self condemned to eternal afflictions may now re-assume those joyes and hopes she had before broke off all acquaintance with Here would she have taken occasion to open her soul for the reception of a passion which of a long time had not had any entertainment there but that joy was soon eclipsed by an interposition of grief and a certain reflection which filled her heart with all the sadness it was capable of when she thought on her cruel deportment towards that Prince the deplorable effect it had produced as having proved the occasion of the loss of his Crown and of all her hopes and that fatal resolution which he had expressed to Volusius that he intended to take and whereof he had given her some notice at their last parting In a word being thus convinced of his fidelity she could not call to mind the cruel entertainment she had made him at Syracuse when enflamed to the highest pitch of love and thinking it a thousand times more glorious to be her servant then that so noble a conquest and the recovery of his Kingdoms had made him he had passed through thousands of dangers to come and offer her those very Kingdoms she could not think on the cruel and injurious speeches wherewith she had received him and the sad condition wherein she had left him without a mortal wound in that heart which nothing but the love of that Prince could ever make any impression in For that doleful reflection calling to mind how she had met him in the Woods of Alexandria the day that he relieved her with greater valour than success against those that afterwards carried her away and lastly remembring the meeting she had had with him in the King of Armenias's ship whereof she represented to her self all the particulars after another manner then they had appeared to her while she was still prepossessed of her cruel mistake as well out of a consideration of that long swounding into which her sight and words had put him as the discourse full of a generous confidence he had made to her and the admirable resolution he had taken and gone through with by fighting alone for her liberty against so great a number of enemies with such prodigious valour and by the last words he had spoken to her at their parting wherein as well as in his actions his innocency was but too too apparent And from these things whereof her eies had been but too too faithful witnesses diverting her thoughts to others that were of no less consequence such as the loss of a great Kingdom which he had conquered for her and which he neglected to maintain through the despair she had reduced him to that which he had expressed when he cast himself into the Sea because he would not survive his disgrace and the shame he thought it that he was not able to rescue her from her Ravishers the miserable condition he was brought to having no place of refuge no relief nor any comfort in the World and lastly the resolution he had discovered to Volusius and her self of his unwillingness to have her any longer engaged in his misfortunes and to seek out the remedies thereof only in death which for a courage such as his was it should not be hard to find she could not fasten her thoughts on all these truths which were but too importunate upon her memory without giving way to such a grief as neither all her own great constancy nor yet the joy she conceived at the innocence of Coriolanus were able to abate After she had for some time smothered the disordered agitations she was in being not able to hold out any longer and conceiving she might freely disburthen her self before Marcellus whom she was confident of and whose soul during that time was persecuted by imaginations much of the same nature Coriolanus is innocent said she breaking forth into a rivulet of tears But O ye Heavenly powers such is my cruel destiny that Coriolanus cannot be innocent but I must at the same time be the most criminal person in the World That Prince the most amiable the most generous and the most vertuous of men hath continued inviolately constant to me and hath still persisted in the same perfect affection which had at first taken in my soul and yet unfortunate wretch that I am I have had the cruelty for to banish him my presence as a Monster I have had the inhumanity to see him in a manner expiring at my feet and never could be moved at it and I have at last reduced him to such extremities as have proved the occasion of loosing that Kingdom which he had designed for me have made him a restless Vagabond all over the Earth made him seek out precipices and now make him resolve to seek in death a Period of these deplorable miseries into which I only I have brought him O Cleopatra unfortunate Cleopatra what pretence of joy canst thou find in the justification of Coriolanus since it must needs expose thee to the most cruel regrets that ever persecuted guilty souls It were much more for thy satisfaction at least if it were not for thy satisfaction it would be much more to thy advantage that thy Coriolanus had been found unconstant and that thou shouldst be found innocent thy self and since that thy innocence and his are things inconsistent either he ought to be guilty or thou have continued in the misprision which thou hadst been perswaded to O cruel Vuolsius cruel in thy malice and cruel in thy remorse thou art in both equally the messenger of death to me and I find fatal poison in this appearance of life which thou bringest me when thou tellest me that Coriolanus is constant to me Let us then till death bewail the misfortune which attends us as well in the one as in the other condition and never entertain any comfort since that is a kind of happiness which guilty souls are never to expect Here the tears interrupted the course of her speech and fell from her in such abundance that she was forced to allow them a free passage and to let them express some part of what she felt within her In that interval
a regret that she had not her self written what she allowed so rational O thou said she who ever thou art that makâ—st me both think and speak so well what no doubt I should have thought and said if Reason had still the command of my Soul pardon my weakness if it be in thy power and see into my heart whereof thou knowest the secret transactions whether I am in a capacity to be directed by thy inspirations Thou mak'st me say to my self what thou conceivest and what all the world ought to conceive of my misfortune and my duty I find but too much justice truth in what thy hand writes for me But where shall I find strength to put it in execution suitably to my knowledge and allowance of it and what assistant Deity will guide me through the way thou shewâ—st me Having bestowed some time on these pensive recollections she beset her self to find out the Author of that adventure By the Characters of the Writing she soon concluded it could not be Emilia whom the could with less disturbance suspect to have done it then any other whatsoever From the same reason she also inferred it was not her Brother who was the person of all the world she stood most in fear of and after these two reflecting on me she imagined from the advantage it was to me to perswade her to a compliance with what was was written that it might proceed from me rather then from any other Yet could she not make that judgement without some difficulty as well out of the respect and distance I always had observed towards her which seemed in some measure to plead against the freedom I had taken as out of a confidence she had that I knew nothing of her secret and the little probability there was I should have dissembled what I knew there being so much reason I should discover it and being on the other side unwilling to suspect Emilia should have revealed it to me though she knew her to be much my Friend and perpetually sollicited her on my behalf yet desirous to find out the truth she called her Women to her and asked them Whether they had seen any one come into her chamber and so into her closet while she was asleep They assured her as they truly might that they had not seen any one and having sent them to ask the same question of some other of the Servants as Fortune would have it they came to those that had not seen me and consequently could give her no satisfaction In this perplexity was she when Emilia enters her Closet whom she no sooner cast her eye on but commanding her Women to withdraw she gave her an account of her adventure and shewing her the Letter as far as her own writing reached she afterwards made her read what I had written and put her to such a surprize that Emilia for a good while was not able to say one word to her She had often seen my hand and though I had at that time a little disguised it yet was it not so much but that at last she discovered it but not without much astonishment at the words I had written whereby she concluded as Tullia had done before that I was not ignorant of her Friend's passion She would not acknowledge to her it was of my writing nor did she so deny it but that Tullia had some suspicion it might so that she left her in a doubt inclining to the truth If it be Lentulus says Tullia at last as I believe it can be no other by what adventure could he have come to the knowledge of my misfortune or what Daemon hath discovered to him what I onely made you privy to For in fine my dearest Emilia what Friendship soever there may be between you and Lentulus I shall never suspect you have discovered this secret to him and you are but too well satisfied of the resolution I had made ever to have concealed it so to avoid this affliction I cannot onely protest to you replied Emilia both in the presence of all the Gods and by the sacred Friendship that 's between us that I never made the least mention of any such thing to him and that I have concealed it from him with as much circumspection as you could have desired but I can also with the same protestations assure you that he never either in his discourses or actions made the least discovery of his knowledge thereof And thence I infer that either it was not he writ these words or that he is the most discreet and respectfull person in the world as being one had such a command of himself as in an affair of such concernment to his felicity and a passion so violent as his to conceal a thing whereof he might have made so great advantage not onely from you who upon the account of his affection would have pardon'd it though he had not done it but also from me who am sincerely his Friend much desirous to serve him in the Passion he hath for you If he hath had that respect replies Tullia he should have continued it to the end and spared me an affliction which I shall never be able to shake off for in fine Emilia I cannot easily be perswaded that Lentulus should ever come to the knowledge of what sentiments I have for Ptolomey but I must withall conclude that Ptolomey whom he daily visits and between whom there is the greatest familiarity imaginable must know as much as he and if it be so Emilia I am resolved upon death this last imagination puting me into such a disturbance as will never allow me the least serenity of mind or thoughts Though Lentulus replies Emilia should have known the affection you have for Ptolomey I durst engage for him he never made the least discovery thereof and not to mention the respect he hath for you his Prudence is such that he would not make a Rival of a Friend and what is more a Rival whom he knew to be loved which must be the greatest misfortune he could have fear'd If Lentulus alone hath taken notice of my misfortune replies Tullia my affliction will be so much the less out of a consideration that if he knows it it may be a means to divert him from further pursuance of the fruitless affection he hath for me but I can hardly believe Ptolomey is ignorant of it and am the rather confirmed in that perswasion from these words That he makes the passion I have for him contribute to his revenge which he could not have said of him if that Passion had not been known to him It shall be my business says Emilia to her to sift this business out of Lentulus and I am confident I shall know the truth of him She urged many things to her to perswade her that in that adventure there was nothing should create her any new affliction and finding in what I had written occasion to speak on my
she her self had not given me the least notice of a thing she knew so well I continued it with a relation of the adventure which Ptolomey and my self had met with in the Gardens of Lucullus which had given birth to my passion of the design we had to follow them and to over-hear their discourse when they were retir'd into the Arbour and where they had had that conversation out of which we discover'd Tullia's Love whose very expressions I gave her as also the last words of the Song which Tullia had sung and which I had well remembred ever since Emilia interrupting me and crying out at that passage of my discourse What Lentulus said she to me is it then certain that Ptolomey heard as well as your self all the conversation we had together in the Arbour and that as well as you he knows what sentiments Tullia hath for him He knows fully as much as I do said I to her nor did he miss a syllable of all you said one to another though he had not been so attentive but upon my intreaty and seem'd not to be any thing moved there at O unfortunate Tullia replies Emilia how would thy affliction multiply if thou knew'st this cruel circumstance of thy misfortune Lentulus continued she turning towards me for Heaven's sake make not the least discovery to Tullia of what you have acquainted me with since you may be confident that if she knew but what I have understood from you she will never entertain the least comfort After what you have written in her Letter it cannot be be said you are ignorant of her affection for Ptolomey but it shall be my business to perswade her that you have it partly from Thrasyllus who hath by his Art discover'd many thinge as she may be likely to imagine from what he said to her himself and that you guessed at the rest by her countenance and actions as well at the first meeting with her in Lucullus 's Garden when she fell into a swound between us as in the visit which Ptolomey made us since with Octavia There 's probability enough in these suggestions and it is known that interessed persons such as you are may well take notice of such things as those that are indifferent make not the least reflection upon Having so said she took occasion to commend my Prudence and reservedness in keeping so well the secret of her Friend and that one I was my self so much concerned in but her astonishment was much greater when I acquainted her with my intention to oblige Ptolomey to love her as choosing rather to be deprived of all my hopes and with them of my life then any longer to be a spectator of the miseries of a person I adored And when I afterwards gave her an account of the discourse I had had with Ptolomey the day before she cries out looking on me with a certain admiration This Goodness said she this perfection of Love is beyond all example and if Tullia comply not with your desires upon the representation I shall make her of it I think her the most unfortunate person in the World I shall not fail to press very home to her this strange effect of the truest Love that ever was yet some palliation must be used as by perswading her that you have obliged Ptolomey to see her and to demean himself with all civility and complaisance towards her though he knew not any thing of the affection she hath for him And be confident Lentulus that in doing much you have hazarded nothing and that Tullia will be highly engaged to you for your good intentions But if I know any thing of her humour it is not to be feared you will receive any prejudice thereby she being resolved never to see Ptolomey I neither can nor will deny that she hath that affection for him which is known to you as well as my self and could I have done it without betraying the trust reposed in me by my Friend I had discovered this secret to you long since But I can assure you that what effects soever that Passion may produce it will onely prove her torment yet so as that he who is the cause of it shall not make any advantage there of and that she would rather die then make the least discovery of it to him To this Emilia added some other discourse whereby she made a perfect representation of the nature of Tullia's Passion and the state of her soul such as I have already describ'd it I insist too much on the relation of particulars of little consequence and to shorten it therefore I am to tell you that she went the same day to see Tullia satisfi'd her it was I had written at the bottom of her Letter and so gave her an account of all things not indeed punctually according to the truth but as we had concluded together to afflict her the less This Tullia look'd on as a ray of comfort darted from above and it was a great abatement of her affliction to understand that her Passion was unknown to Ptolomey and that I had no other knowledge of it then what I derived from the words of Thrasyllus and appearances remarkable onely by a person concerned as I was Upon the assurances which Emilia gave her of it she was in some measure appeased and recovered out of the fear she had been in and was not a little satisfi'd I had entertained an opinion that might cure me of my Passion as she had ever desired But when afterward she came to hear that instead of diverting Ptolomey from loving her as in all reason and prudence I ought to have done I would needs out of a motion of generosity as Emilia represented it to her have sacrificed my own quiet that she might enjoy hers and condemned my self to eternal miseries to put a period to hers by endeavouing to oblige Ptolomy to love her in a word that without discovering to him the affection she had for him I had made him promise to visit her and addresse himself to her with all submissions and civilities leaving the rest to the influence of her Beauty the rarity of such a demonstration of Love wrought in her more passionate sentiments for me then she had conceived at all those I had made her before So that having looked on Emilia for some time with a silence that proceeded from her present astonishment You acquaint me said she with an effect of Lentulus 's Love no less extraordinary then my own fortune such as it would be as hard a matter to find examples of as of my misfortune I was never so sensible of it as I am upon this occasion since it leaves me not in a capacity to acknowledge as I ought and indeed as I wish so unheard of a discovery of Love and Goodness of Lentulus Whence you may safely assure him that he shall suffer no prejudice by it and that instead of desiring Ptolâ—mey should come to see me
no small difficulty to dissemble the confusion he was in and after he had continued a while in suspence what countenance to put upon it he left the place where he was and went to Tigranes whom he found no less discontented then himself and with whom he held a great correspondence All this while was Alcamenes in discourse with Cleopatra whose celestial Beauty and transcendent Wit he thought worthy the greatest admiration and the Princess in whom the relation of the prodigious Adventures of that Prince had raised no less took occasion to express the satisfaction she received in her Captivity from the relation Megacles had made of â—is miraculous Adventures even to the least particularities Whereupon having given him those commendations which he could not without some difficulty receive from such a Princess as Cleopatra It must certainly be acknowledged said she to him with a grace which it was impossible to meet with in any other that what we have heard related of the fabulous Heroes of ancient times is incomparably below the miracles of your life But forbearing to mention those prodigious acts of valor whereby you have acquired so vast a reputation you will give me leave to celebrate in you that admirable fidelity of your affection as such as whereof all the past Ages cannot afford us a like example The King of the Scythians could not forbear blushing at that discourse of the Princess and answering her with an excessive modesty If my actions said he to her have raised me into any degree of reputation among Barbarians they cannot signifie any such thing when they come to the knowledge of persons among whom the greatest are ordinary and I shall withal presume to tell you that we deserve not any commendation for doing things which we are but too much obliged to and ought to observe towards the soveraign Mistresses of our Souls to the last gasp of life But Madam added he I did not imagine that the accidents of my life had come to your knowledge as conceiving that Fame had otherwise employment enough to acquaint the world with the miracle of Cleopatra too much haply to trouble her self with the adventures of a Scythian And indeed I must do her that right as to assure you that she hath in some measure done you the justice she ought and that what I understood from her of you in Nations that lie at a great distance from this hath not been one of the least motives to put me upon seeking of that in Caesar's Court which cannot be seen in all the Universe besides Ah my Lord replies the Princess you honour me too much and you give me what I expected not from you for such truths as are but too much due to your self I know not the reasons you had to undertake a journey whence we derive so great advantages but you cannot perswade me you should come out of your own Territories to seek for any thing greater then your self or more beautiful then Queen Menalippa Not I must confess added she by a graceful diversion to bring about the discourse to such a subject as her modesty could better bear with but that in some intervals I have been much inclined to quarrel with that fair Queen or at least could not without impatience reflect on that cruel mistake which produced such horrid effects and made her with so much earnestness endeavoor to put a period to a life a thousand times dearer to her then her own And you will also give me leave to tell you replyed the Scythian speaking somewhat lower that I have not conceived a less affliction and resentment when I understood that a Prince the most amiable and most vertuous among men after he had deserved your kindnesses as far as they could be deserved by extraordinary endowments and great actions rendred himself afterwards unworthy thereof by a change that armed against him the resentments of all the world and gave us occasion to consider either with indignation or pity the blindness and weaknesses of all men Alcamenes observing the disturbance which this discourse of his had raised in the thoughts of Cleopatra legible in her face it repented him that he had medled with that subject And he secretly condemned the indiscretion he thought himself chargable with when the Princess no longer able to suffer the injury done Coriolanus's innocency though she thought it no fit season to divulge it after she had done some violence to a sign which would force its passage out My Lord said she to him there is sometimes a vast distance between apparencies and truth and it is so ordinary with Time to discover what the malice of men would disguise that he whom we charge with inconstancy will be found much more unfortunate in it then guilty of it It should be one of the heartiest of my wishes replies Alcamenes it were so and could he clear himself of that crime I should gladly contribute any thing that lay in my power to moderate or put a period to his misfortune For in fine Madam the account I had received of the noble actions of his life had raised in me such an esteem and affection for him as would hardly afford any entertainment to a belief of the infidelity he is so much reproached with and made me wish his innocence though it were with the loss of many things I should highly value If it be my happiness ever to see him again replies the Princess I shall acquaint him with this expression of your of Goodness and durst I speak any more on his behalf I should presume to tell you that he is Master of those excellent endowments that might render him worthy thereof Alcamenes considered this discourse as proceeding from the excellent disposition of Cleopatra as on which a just resentment could not produce any effect contrary to her own generous inclinations While he thus entertained her filling her with admiration at his person and deportment Julia treated Artaban with those insinuating caresses whereby she often engaged hearts less constant then that of the faithful Servant of Elisa and whereas it ran into her imagination that she never had met with any thing more worthy her esteem and was one that could not do her self the least violence as to matter of conversation she treated him in the most obliging manner in the world and made no difficulty to tell him that Elisa would be very much to blame to prefer any Tigranes whatsoever before such a person as he was Those expressions coming from so great a Princess wrought in him a submission equal to the confidence he took upon him when he had to do with those that slighted him and he received the honour she did him with such an excellent grace that she was more and more confirmed in the good opinion she had of him Drusus was not a wanting in his attendance on Antonia whom none pretended to but himself though there were many that envyed his good fortune But being withal
a person generally beloved and esteemed all in a manner congratulated his satisfaction to find himself treated by the fair and discreet Antonia as favourably as the severity of her vertue would permit Ptolomey was very observant towards Marcia Archelaus waited on the Princess Andromeda nay Tigranes though with much violence to himself had some discourse with Urania The best part of the night was spent when they gave over dancing whereupon this illustrious company separated to go to their several rests They all went to their several Lodgings out of the same design yet did not all equally find that which they were so desirous of Most of the Princes went along with the Emperour to see him abed and after they were all departed and that there was onely Agrippa according to his ordinary custome left with him Augustus looking attentively on him and observing the visible change of his humour his countenance and all his behaviour could not conceal from him his thoughts of it And in being ordinary with him to discover his heart to him upon all occasions Agrippa said he to him with a smile and in a way drolling enough have I not that place in your affection as that you will acknowledge a truth if I my self have discovered it since it is well known to you that I have not had any thing so secret or of such importance as I was not willing to communicate to you Agrippa who imagined what he would be harping at made no answer to his discourse so that the Emperour confirmed in his opinion by that silence I see said he to him what your design is you would have me much more a stranger to this then to all your other adventures whence I am the more satisfi'd of what I was already in a Manner confident of But think it not much to trust me upon this occasion since I have made you privy to all the important emergencies of my life and confess if you love me whether the Princess of the Parthians hath not deprived you of that indifference and freedome which had hitherto stood in defiance against all the Romane Beauties Ah my Lord replied Agrippa with a confusion he was not able to smother what actions of mine have given you occasion to conceive any such opinion 'T was apparent replied the Emperour in all you have either done or said in my presence since your first sight of that Princess in the account you gave me of her beauty and adventures in the passion which made you so earnest in your discourse when you desired my protection for her in your officiousness to entertain her all this night to the prejudice and dissatisfaction of other persons to whom no doubt but you had resigned that imployment had you not been too much concerned in it in the change I have observed in your countenance while you were speaking to her in your amorously passionate look in the gallantry and magnificence of your Cloaths beyond what you were wont to affect To be short in all the alteration might have been observed in you even by persons no way concerned in your affairs This discourse of the Emperour put Agrippa somewhat to a loss as not being able without a certain confusion to reflect on the notice he had taken of his passion and that at a time when he had disburthened himself upon his shoulders of the Government of the Empire But being consident withal that he could not but have an indulgence for a passion which he was so much subject to himself and imagining he could not long conceal from him that which was so great a torment to him he resolved to acknowledge it with the best countenance he could and encouraged by the assurance he was in of his affection My Lord said he to him were the respect I have for you consistent with elusions and dissimulation I should haply endeavour to conceal that which your discerning observation hath but too too easily discovered nor is it without some confusion I am forced to avow that at a time wherein it was most requisite some assistance of Wisdome should have secured me against the Passion which you have by so many marks discovered I have been o'recome by it through too weak a resistance 'T is true my Lord since I must of necessity acknowledge it I am in love I am desperately in love with the Princess of the Parthians and my heart hath submitted contrary to my intention to those powers which upon the first sight disarmed it of all its strength I know this weakness were not excusable if it were voluntary and that I should have made all the force I could to oppose the violence of a passion no way consistent with reason It would have been expected that the weight of the employments you honour me with and my affairs of greater consequence should have diverted my thoughts from any such thing and if I must be enslaved to Love it should have been for any one rather then a Princess born of a House in hostility with the Romane name and Empire a Princess next to the Princess Julia the greatest in the World a Princess that is Heir to a Monarchy the attainment whereof a Roman and a private person cannot with any likelihood of success propose to himself But my Lord I have been surprized and have to no purpose had recourse to the assistance of my Reason in an affair wherein it cannot be allowed any power It very much troubles me says the Emperour to him to find you defeated by that Passion in the manner you represent it to me and that not onely because it disturbs your quiet dearer to me then my own but that withal thwarts the design I had to bring you as near my self as I could by the alliance of some person of no great distance in bloud to me But since the tenderness I have for you is equal to that I have for Marcellus or my self and that all I either do or can do for you is below what may be due to a person who by his extraordinary actions hath in some measure raised me to the great Fortune I now enjoy I will contrary to my inclinations and without any regard to my interest endeavour your enjoyment and satisfaction Elisa is not the less amiable because she was born among our enemies and I shall not oppose the union of our Empires if it may be established by this alliance Nay on the contrary you may well imagine I should be infinitely pleased could I raise you to the Throne of those great Monarchs who have so long disputed superiority and Empire with Us Nor should the Dignity of Elisa deter you since that considering the Rank you are of that which you ought to be of upon the account of your Vertue and the Friendship I have for you there 's nothing in the Universe above you Be confident Agrippa your pretensions to Elisa are moderate and justifiable since you might have pretended to Julia and that
which the Romans made to him meeting in him with dispositions consonant to their purposes first put him into suspence and afterwards prevail'd with him so far that he absolutely resolved to embrace their party This negotiation was carried on foot with so much secrecy that Arminius had not the least notice thereof And whereas upon his return from the War he wholly minded his Love and received from Ismenia demonstrations of kindness so much the greater by how much the same of his noble actions had added to the affection of that excellent Princess he seemed to consider no other interest than that of his Passion which he made it his only business to improve and enquired not after any thing but what might contribute to his gaining more and more upon Ismenia's inclinations On the other side Segestes satisfi'd of the greatness of his courage the love he had for his Countrey and the aversion our House had ever had for the Roman Usurpation had been afraid Arminius if acquainted with his design would have opposed it given notice thereof to his Father and laid such rubs in his way as it would have been hard for him to avoid and upon those considerations had very carefully concealed all from him hoping that the love he had for Ismenia would easily reduce him to his party so that the business was so closely carried on that all things were concluded and sign'd on the part of Segestes before Arminius had the least jealousie of it The man it seems either daunted by the power or drawn in by the proffers of his Enemies clearly forgetting his old Friends and ancient Allies and declaring himself either out of fear or interest contrary to his Honour and against the Liberty of his Country This though concluded was yet kept secret for a time out of a desire Segestes had that Arminius should understand it from himself rather than from commoâ— report But feeling within him the griping reproaches of his ingratitude towards him and towards the Prince his Father and some other Princes whose Alliances he unworthily forsook he resolved not to let him know it till such time as he could keep it no longer secret nor hinder him from coming to the knowledge thereof Then was it that he thought fit to acquaint him with that truth and to that end taking him one day along with him a walking in the Gardens belonging to his Palace he got him into one of the Walks whence he ordered all others to retire that he might entertain him with greater freedome Seeing him therefore ready to give the attention he expected Son said he to him for he never called him ootherwise in those times I doubt not but you would take it ill at my hands that I have conconceal'd from you the negotiation of a Treaty I have newly made if I had not done it out of motives not disadvantagious to you and had manag'd the business so out of the knowledge I had of your great courage which haply might have crossed a design whereof you could not upon the first sight have discovered the importance the interest and the necessity Certain it is there can be no other ground or consideration on which you could have taken it amiss that I have conceal'd from you what my Friends have negotiated for me with the Romans and the Alliance I have made with them upon conditions too advantageous to be disallow'd by a Prince that ought to be concern'd in my interests Upon which words perceiving that he hearkened to him with a silence that was the effect rather of his astonishment than approbation he acquainted him with all had passed between him and the Romans excusing his change of party partly upon the fear he was in of a power which he was not in a condition to oppose and partly from the advantages he found in that Alliance as well for the quiet it procured him by ridding his hands of such powerful Enemies as the dilation of his Territories by an addition of a great part of the Countrey of the Catti Arminius hearkned to his discourse with greater patâ—ence than Segestes had expected from him moderating upon the remembrance of Ismenia the indignation he felt himself transported with at the strange discovery of Segestes But perceiving he had given over speaking and expected his answer with some impatience doing a certain violence to his just resentment to keep within the respect he was desirous to observe towards the Father of Ismenia My Lord said he to him I know not how I shall be able to express my self to you as conceiving I out not ought of any consideration to violate the respect I owe you and on the other side as not able to forbear a resentment of the misfortune you acquaint me with What my Lord added he retreating back some few paces when you return victorious over the Roman Armies you would submit to their power and receive the yoke for which all persons of courage have so much horrour when you were in a condition much more likely to secure your self against it than when you shook it off 'T is not the same thing replied Segestes to submit to the yoke and to make an advantageous Peace as I have done nor shall I be a subject to the Romans though I am their Ally But my Lord replies Arminius can you be Ally to them and at the same time in Alliance with my Father and so many other Princes your Neighbours whose interests have ever run in the same channel with yours I may be both added Segestes for I hope the Prince of the Cherusci will follow my example to seek a Peace which he can never have by other ways and I have undertaken he shall upon the confidence I am of that he will submit as I have done to the reasons that have convinc'd me out of a consideration of our Friendship and upon the care you your self will take upon you to bring us both to be of the same party Ah my Lord replied the young Prince with some precipitation expect not from me a service it is not in my power to render you without opposing my own sentiments and betraying my Honour and my Countrey and assure your self happen what will to me I shall never be any ones slave but Ismenia ' s. The perswasions of Ismenia replies Segestes may prove more effectual to bring you into our party then it can be expected mine should and will haply convince you with greater success that if you sincerely love her you cannot think of any separation from her Ismenia hath no doubt replied Arminius an absolute power over me and there is not haply any thing so difficult as to limit the command she hath over my heart and resolutions but Ismenia hath too great a love for Glory to wish my dishonour and I hope she will not lay any on me that shall be inconsistent with my reputation and my duty No question replied Segestes but she will advise you not to be
were dead and that Segesces who hath already a Son by the Wife he lately married designs him to inherit his Dominions not thinking any more of Ismenia nd thus much I have understood as to what you are concerned in I shall endeavour by all the ways I can imagine to learn what is become of Ismenia and since Varus is the person by whom she was taken or at least the sorces under his command I shall haply come to the knowledge of something by his means he being now in Alexandria and am confident she will not conceal the truth from me Arminius entertained this discourse of Agrippa with all the discoveries of a real acknowledgement looking on him not onely as a person he was so much oblig'd to but as one of the greatest men in the world My Lord said he to him I receive these effects of your Goodness as so many assurances of the Greatness of your Soul on which the compassion you have for my misfortunes hath doubtless a greater influence then the esteem you may upon the relation of Inguiomer have conceived for my person His affection is haply greater to me then to have spoken of me without passion it may be partially but he hath been faithfull to truth if he hath told you that I am of all men the most miserable The deplorable condition my fortunes are in which hardly vouchsafs me any sentiment of things even of greatest importance cannot yet hinder but that I have the sense I ought of your generous favors as also of the proffers of your assistance and authority to find out Ismenia among the Romans and by the directions of Varus who can discover more then any other to get some account of her What I expect must certainly be dolefull and deplorable it being not improbable she may have been exposed to those miseries during her captivity then which death it self might be more supportable to her such as have haply forc'd her to sacrifice her life for the preservation of her honor How ere it may be I am resoved to die or find out the truth of it and though I were to wander all over the world I will never return into my native country without Ismenia I would intreat Inguiomer to see it again and accept which I gladly resign him the Soveraignty over the Cherusci and I wish the Gods were so pleased I had some great Empire to present him with to requite the obligations I have received from his Friendship T were unjust he should be perpetually involved in my miseries he hath suffered enough by a harsh and cruel captivity the infamous exercise out of which you relievedus to exempt him from anyfurther engagement in my errant fortune which will carry me all over the world either to find out Ismenia or if my endeavours prove ineffectual death Arminius having uttered these words could not but burst into tears whereat Agrippa was extreamly troubled Whereupon Inguiomer turning to him with a dissatisfied look Do not Arminius said he to him do not offer so great a violence to our Friendship by the aversion you express for my company and the injurious proffers you would make me I shall be equally able with you to support the injurious proffers you would make me I shall be equally able with to support the inconveniencies of our fortune and it is long since you might have been assur'd that I value your Friendship beyond the Soverainty of the Cherusci They were thus engag'd in discourse when an Officer of Agrippa's causing torches to be brought into the Closet gave him notice that the Princess Julia accompany'd by several other Princesses was come into his Chamber and that her visit proceeded out of a curiosity she had to see those two famous strangers whose adventure had made so much noise that day in Alexandria Agrippa somewhat surpriz'd at it turns to Arminius and being infinitely circumspect and generous in all things It is far from my thoughts said he to him that you should be oblig'd to any thing disconsonant to your own inclinations and though the Princess Julia be a person the most abliging and officious in the world and that I dare assure you her presence will contribute much to your satisfaction yet if in the condition you are in you have any aversion thereto I will go and make your excuses and am confident it will not be taken amiss Arminius had indeed some aversion for such a company as then came to see him and would gladly have avoided it but he was willing to comply with the civilities of Agrippa seeing with what circumspection he treated him And to that end wiping the tears that were still in his face he told him that had he known he were desirous of any such thing he would have gone himself to wait on the Princess Julia and those other persons whom he was willing he should see He had hardly said so much when the Daughter of Augustus was come to the door and enters the Closet followed by the two Princesses of Armenia Olympia Andromeda Vrania and several other Ladies who ordinarily kept her company Agrippa ran to meet her and the two Cheruscian princes made low obeisances to give her the salute due to her quliaty The comelinesse of their persons heighten'd by garments suitable to their condition appear'd to that illustrious Assembly much otherwise then it had seem'd to those who had seen them in the Amphitheatre though there broke forth ablushing into their countenances out of a reflection on the ignominious treatment they had that day receiv'd Julia was infinitely satisfi'd to see them and was going to speak to them with her ordinary civility when of a sudden she perceives a change in the countenance of Arminius and that so remarkable as that he seem'd to be wholly transported and in a manner at a loss of all apprehension He retir'd some paces back staggering and lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven but while the Princesses were observing his action not without astonishment they heard a noise behind them and turning about to see what the matter was they perceived the fair Cipassis who came along with Julia to make that visit falling into a swound between Andromeda and Sulpitia and discovering but with much more weakness a surprize not inferiour to that of Arminius While the Noble Assembly were in suspence what to think of that accident Agrippa having with some precipitation ask'd Arminius the reason of the disturbance he was in Ah my Lord said he with a transport he was not able to suppress I see Ismenia And immediately not minding the respect he should have observed in the presence of Julia and so many great Princesses which upon any other occasion he had not been a wanting to and quite forgetting the care he had till then taken to conceal himself from the Romans he runs to Cipassis whom Sulpitia held in her arms and calling her by the name of Ismenia he fell down at
disclaim it to those who might have a perfect knowledge of it And on the other side he thought it imprudence to discover what might be yet doubtfull and by that confession run the hazard of losing Candace who was dearer to him then his own life and without whom life signifi'd nothing with him Between these two considerations he was in some suspence what resolution he should take when Augustus observing what doubtfulness and perplexity he was in It is to no purpose said he to him to dissemble with us or to consult whether you should let us know you are Caesario we know all even to the least circumstances and Candace her self does not deny but that Cleomedon is Son to Caesar and Cleopatra Upon the hearing of these names of Candace and Cleomedon the Prince was fully satisfi'd of his misfortune and being unwilling to deny what he thought Candace had acknowledg'd 'T is very true said he to him Cleomedon is Son to Caesar and since Candace hath thought fit this truth should be known it is too advantageous for me to disclaim it I am Caesario and I am also Cleomedon Under this name I have haply done those actions which render me not unworthy the bloud of my Ancestors and the name you bear You are onely by adoption what I am by birth and bloud and name are common to us though our fortunes are much different I have not envied yours as thinking my own glorious enough in the service of Candace and purely out of the extraordinary inclinations I have had for her alone I have without any regret seen you in the place of him that brought me into the world I am apt to believe what you say replies the Emperour and withal willing to acknowledge that the noble actions of Cleomedon are not unknown to us and that they no less discover you to be the Son of Caesar then the resemblance you have of him in your countenance but you will give me leave to require some reason of your abode unknown in Alexandria and you are not to be much astonished if it hath raised some jealousies in us When you know replies the Son of Caesar that I serve the Queen of Aethiopia you will not much wonder I should endeavour to find her out even in Alexandria nor can you think it extraordinary I should conceal my self if you reflect on the Orders you sometime gave out against my life at a time when it was not fear'd I could do you much prejudice The same observations of policy replies the Emperour whereby the actions of persons of my rank are regulated may change their resolutions according to several times and exegenes and there may have been of the Orders you mention in one season a necessity in another none Howere it may be you will give me leave to examine those things whereof the knowledge does so much concern me and to find out how I may with safety treat you suitably to my inclinations rather then according to Maximes of State which are sometimes rigorous even contrary to their intentions who are obliged to follow them With those words he commanded Levinus to conduct him to a Castle not for from Alexandria where were commonly disposed Prisoners of quality and whither they had the day before carried the Prince of Mauritania but as he went away he bid him not fear any thing and commanded Levinus he should be treated and attended as Caesar's Son This personated kindness did Caesario look on as more dangerous then menaces and open discoveries of displeasure insomuch that he doubted not but Augustus had resolv'd his death though hedissembled his intention He departed without making him any reply and march'd away in the midst of the Guards which receiv'd him at the door towards the prison whither he was sent As he passed through the great Hall he met full butt with Candace led by Eteocles who transported with grief was come to give her notice of that misfortune and the fair Queen being wholly at a loss thereat and not thinking any observance of decency and feminine reservedness obliged her to smother her sentiments upon that occasion was running to the Emperor resolv'd to participate of the danger with her beloved Prince though her resolution were the greatest of any of her Sex yet could she not see him surrounded by a Guard without being so troubled thereat that for some time she was no better then in a swound though held up by Eteocles But seeing the Prince carried away she overcame her weakness and runing before him What Cleomedon said she to him is this the condition wherein you appear to me 'T is not Cleomedon replies the Prince 't is Caesario that is carried to Prison and it may be to his death it being in vain for me to conceal my name from Caesar after your acknowledgement of it to him Who I replied the Queen I discover your name to Caesar Ah Cleomedon or Caesario since you will have it so assure your self I know nothing of what you say and that before I should be guilty of a confession so prejudicial to you I would have endured all the torment that mans invention could have put me to And not be assured of this would speak more cruelty in you then in our mortal Enemies And if he who puts you into Chains shall be moved neither by my intreaties nor a respect to my dignity you shall find whether I make any difficulty to run fortunes with you May your preservation be the care of the Gods reply'd the Prince with a gesture wholly passionate but if it be their will I should die upon this occasion they know I shall do it without any other regret then that of losing you If you die replies the Queen you shall not die alone I shall as gladly accompany you to Death as to a Throne She would have said more if Levinus who was afraid his suffering that conversation might give offence after he had made some excuse to her caused the Prince to march on and carried him immediately out of the Hall leaving the Queen so struck at that cruel separation that notwithstanding all that great constancy whereof the had made so many discoveries she fell into a swound between their arms who stood about her to hold her up She was in that condition and the unfortunate Eteocles between the desire he had to relieve her and that of following Caesario was at a loss what to do when the Princess Julia comes into the Hall accompanied by the Princess Andromeda Ismenia and some other Ladies Being a person the most officious in the world she runs to the Queen with much earnestness and having understood from those that were about her the cause of that accident her thoughts were divided between her compassion and astonishment thereat Mean time the Queen by the help of those that were about her recovers her self and seeing the Princess Julia very busie and earnest to relieve her after she had looked on her
my Son was lost in his Travels and the report of it was so much dispersed as to take away all suspicion of his being alive At last by what misfortune I know not the King came to the knowledge of this hidden truth and it was out of the discovery he made thereof that he caused me to be taken at the place of my solitary abode with design either to be revenged on the Son by the death of the Father or to get the Son into his power by the danger which the Father would be exposed to And this O ye Parthians is a truth I shall by pregnant testimonies make appear to you and which you may believe even upon my bare report since there is so little likelihood that if Artaban were not of my blood I should not onely divest my self of all for his sake but also procure him so great a Fortune to the prejudice of those of my House a Fortune I say where I not so far advanced in age I might aspire my self with much more reason then any of those who make any pretensions to it Having so said Artanez turns to me ask'd my pardon for himself and Artaban that he had conceal'd from me a truth which could not come to the knowledge of Phraates without putting their lives into too much danger made several persons of the Assembly to acknowledge that they had seen a Son of his named Artaban and who might be much about his age and at last as well by his discourse as his deportment both towards me and the people satisfied all that Artaban was really his own Son You are much amaz'd continu'd the Queen looking on Artaban in whose countenance she had observed no small astonishment but you have no reason to be so unless it be for the occasion you have given us to quarrel at your dissidence of us and methinks I should rather have observed in it some joy at least as much as there seems to be in my Daughter 's at so unexpected a discovery Elisa blush'd at the Queen's discourse as sensible of her not being able to smother the satisfaction which it had raised in her and which she had given as much way to as it could be expected she should have done upon the hearing of such happy tidings but Artaban expressed not any at all and patiently waited the closure of the Queen's discourse The Queen attributed that indifference to his modesty and presently after re-assuming her discourse What have I more to say continued she of a sudden the whole Assembly was satisfied that Artaban was really the Son of Artanez and consequently of the Blood Royal of Parthia it was the more easily believed by how much it was the more earnestly desir'd and that Artaban was in all things suitable to that extraction Then was it that the acclamations of the Assembly were reiterated and that it was generally desir'd that Artaban should marry the Princess and be their King Those who had opposed it before desisted and joyned with the rest and declared they desired no other King then Artaban You haply expect Artaban that I should tell you I entertain'd that discovery of your birth with all the satisfaction I was capable of nay I may add I never was surprized with so much at any news in my life and you may consequently imagine that I was so far from opposing the desires of the Parthians that I confirm'd them therein by all I could say to your advantage In fine it was absolutely concluded in the Assembly That Artaban a Prince descended from Arsaces should be Husband to the Princess and King of Parthia and all the Parthians generally declared they would have no other King then Artaban and that under such a Prince they doubted not to become Masters of the Universe That done it was debated what persons should be employed to find out the Princess as conceiving they they should not onely be of the highest quality but such as lay not under any suspicion that they would attempt any thing that were unhandsome Divers were nominated but at last overcome by maternal affection and being not overconfident of those that were named I resolv'd to find out my Daughter my self imagining that if she took resuge with my Brother the King of Libia he would not easily trust her to any other hands then mine In fine I proposed it to the Assembly who approv'd my affection though divers represented to me that I should not ingage my self in a long troublesome and it may be dangerous voyage nay it was the general opinion of some that I should not take shipping till I had certain notice where my Daughter was and that to that end a Messenger should be sent to the King of Lybia to know whether she were there and that nothing should be done till his return But my affection could not brook those delayes and being in a manner satisfied Daughter that you were retir'd to Lybia as not knowing what other refuge the world might afford you and hurried on by desire of a woman whom opposition ordinarily makes more violent I slighted all hardship and danger to come and find you and with you the Husband design'd you I shall not trouble you with the particulars of my departure which was with much precipitation suitably to the impatience I was in According to the resolve of the Assembly I put the Government of the Kingdome into the hands of Artanez out of a confidence I could not dispose of it better then to a Prince of known vertue and Father to Artaban and taking along with me Timagenes Sosias and divers others of the most eminent among the Parthians and the Women you have seen about me I took shipping intending for Libia But having been at Sea some dayes we met with an accident which sav'd us the trouble of a long voyage 'T was a ship wherein was the body of the unfortunate Tiridates your Uncle under the care of Arsanes his faithful Governor who fearing not as to that poor Prince what he had all his life avoided was carrying home the remainders of him to be disposed among the monuments of his Ancestors I understood the deplorable adventure of that Prince with much astonishment and grief and having bestow'd on him the tears I ow'd his misfortune our alliance and the general reputation of his vertue I was told by Arsanes that you were in Alexandria and that it was thought you stay'd there in expectation of a change of your Fathers disposition He told me also that there was a report at his departure thence of Tigranes s arrival there and that he had attempted to force you away but had been prevented by the assistance of Agrippa who had received you into the protection of Caesar that these things happened much about the time of his departure and that he could not have inform'd himself further by reason of the violent grief he was in at the strange death of Tiridates which had made him in a manner
was flat like an ordinary Medal having on the out side characters in the form of Letters whereof consisted the names of Pompey and Cornelia of which when Briton had explain'd the meaning to the Queen and Princess he opened the box and the Medal wherein there seemed to be no seperation divided it self into two equal parts in which there were two Pictures excellently well done About that of the man was written CNEIUS POMPEIUS and about that of the woman CORNELIA wife of CNEIUS POMPEIUS While the Queen and Princess were looking on them Had you ever seen the Great Pompey said he to them you would easily be perswaded that Artaban was his Son never was man more beautiful or had so majestick a presence as haply you may have heard from the common report of him Those who knew him in the age Artaban is of now would hardly finde any difference in their countenances Elisa and the Queen had already observed in Pompey's picture some part of what Briton said to them and the only difference there was proceeded from that of their ages To that Briton added that the picture of Cornelia might be known by many in Alexandria and that she her self if living as he had heard she was would not only acknowledge and entertain Artaban as her son but would come to see him among the Parthians and confirm the truth of his discourse But the Queen interrupting him All these discourses said she to him are more then needs to convince us that Artaban is Pompey 's son I upon the first overture believed it as well out of the confidence I have in you and the assurances you give of it as by those characters of greatness which I find in the person of Artaban consonant thereto I praise the Gods that he is such by blood as I wish'd him nay such as he might have wished himself I am apt to believe my daughters sentiments are suitable to mine and if you meet with any difficulty to evince the truth you have discovered it will be in relation to Artaban himself who will be more hardly won than we are to aperswasion so advantagious to him I should no doubt be hardly won to it replies Artaban if I were not convinc'd But besides the credit I give a persons discourse whom I know to be highly vertuous besides the evident assurances he hath given of it and the offer he makes to have me own'd and acknowledged by Cornelia I feel many things within me which absolutely satisfie me that I am son to Pompey I have ever had for his memory a veneration full of love and tenderness I could never hear of his advantages without a certain joy nor of his misfortunes without affliction And though in the life of Julius Caesar I found much to admire yet hath it ever been without any particular affection for him I now perceive whence proceeded that unjust aversion which I sometime had for Prince Caesario whereof I have thousands of times endeavoured to find out the reason yet never could and which I was not able to overmaster till I had a perfect knowledge of his vertues I also call to minde several discourses of Britons whereby he might have raised in me some jealousie had I made any great reflexion thereon as also many actions in which he discovered that it was with some violence to himself he exercised the authority he did over me that he was much guilty of a respect which fathers express not towards their children In fine Madam all things concur to perswade me that I am Pompey 's son and I must confess that though I have ever preferred Vertue before an illustrious birth I entertain this discovery with all the satisfaction I am capable of if I may but thereby make the Princess a present more worthy of her in the person of Pompey than in that of Britomarus With these words he cast himself on his knees before Elisa who knowing the Queen would approve what she did and thinking her self obliged to make him some answer upon that overture after she had intreated him to rise I shall not tell you said she to him that Pompey deserves me better than Britomarus as having exprest my self so far as to make it appear that without the advantage of birth Artaban was more considerable in my thoughts than all the Monarchs in the world but must acknowledge that I take my part in the joy you should conceive of your descent from so great a Father and that your satisfaction is not greater than mine at the justice of Heaven in giving you such a Father as such a son deserves and such as should crown both your own wishes and ours To this the Queen added somewhat much to the same effect satisfying thereby the son of Pompey of the joy she conceived at so glorious an acknowledgement and the happiness she thought it to have a son of Pompey to her son in law instead of a Prince of the blood of Arsaces But after she had expressed her self to that purpose and fully assured Artaban of the satisfaction she conceived thereat This discovery of your birth said she to him ought to be entertained both by you and us suitably to the glory it brings us and our concernment therein But Artaban or Pompey whether shall I call you there is a necessity it should be kept secret among our selves and if you love Elisa and desire to be hers you must give us leave to conceal it and pass as you do for a Prince descended from Arsaces The danger whereto you would expose your life in relation to Augustus if it be discovered you are Pompey's son is not unknown to you as being not to learn that he persecuted the last of that name till he lost his life by the treachery of his own people but besides this reason which is to be looked on but while we lie at his mercy I am to tell you that to be born of Pompey is indeed so glorious as to be envyed by all men but a thing the Parthians will never brook as who would rather have the son of Briton for their King than that of the greatest and most illustrious among the Romans No certainly it will be with much difficulty that they will submit to the Government of a Roman You know what an aversion they have for that Empire nay for the very name and you may well imagine that that consideration might countenance the pretensions of Vononez and raise those troubles which you would finde it no easie work to compose I am therefore to entreat you for my daughters sake and my own that he who hath hitherto been content to pass for the son of Briton may go among the Parthians for Artaban the son of Artanez To be descended from Arsaces is not so despicable but that it may be acknowledged by the greatest Princes upon earth and it is a compliance you are obliged to upon the just reasons I have alledged and the affection you
his eyes off the Letter and turning them one while on the Woman who had brought it with an action discovering the greatness of his grief and another on such of his men as were about him with looks full of fury he seemed by the one and the other to express how much he was displeased with them and vindicate himself to her In fine his astonishment giving way to the desire he had to clear his innocence and to remedy the inconveniences he was the occasion of he called the most considerable of his Servants and laid his absolute commands upon him to give him a faithful account of what passed and what he was kept in ignorance of Whereupon willing to satisfie his Masters desires though with some hazard of Cesars displeasure he entertained him with a long relation of what had been kept secret from him as well concerning the arrival of the Queen of Parthia the death of Phraates the acknowledgment of Artaban to be a Prince of the blood of Arsaces as the imprisonment of Artaban the Emperours Orders for the death of Coriolanus and Cesario the taking of the Castle by Artaban and the sons of Anthony the action of Cleopatra Marcellus and Drusus their resolution to die with the two Princes the sally made by the besieged and the assurance which the Emperour had of the want of provisions in the Castle upon which he had resolved either to starve those Illustrious persons or have them all at his mercy to receive such punishment as he should think fit In a word he omitted nothing which he thought was not come to the knowledge of Agrippa and when he came to those passages which he would represent more favourably out of a fear of the Emperors displeasure Elisa's woman who was present at the Discourse discovered the whole truth without any palliation so that from the Relations of both he understood all things as well at least as the persons from whom he received that account could inform him The astonishment it put him into was no less than what he had conceived upon the receipt of Elisa's Letter whereupon having continued silent a little while O Cesar said he sighing is it possible the noble fame thou hast acquired should be less dear to thee than that which thou gottest by the cruelties of the Triumvirate and that thou must needs make me guilty of those actions wherein I shall not out of my own inclination ever have any hand After which turning to the Messenger that came from Elisa You see said he to her how far I am innocent or at least if I am chargeable with any thing that it is to be attributed to my misfortune and not my intentions It must be my endeavour to clear my self of all and you may assure the Princess that as to those things which lie in my power I shall infallibly remedy them and to others do all I can With which words calling for what was requisite to send the Princess an answer he with a trembling hand writ these few words AGRIPPA to the Princess of Parthia I Acknowledge my self a criminal in that I presumed to adore you but my crime absolutely proceeds from my Love and that is so great as that I need not be charged with any of the rest I had prevented them with the hazard of my life had I not been ignorant thereof and shall yet be willing to lose it if I can make no other reparation for the inconveniences you have been and still are subject to upon my account Having dispatched the messenger with this answer and commanded all that were about him to leave the roome with discoveries of a displeasure which it was above his moderation to dissemble he fell into the most cruel disturbances his soul had ever struggled with and reflecting with much dissatisfaction on the strange account he had received he concluded that such great miseries required great reparations and that having been the occasion of all the indignities done to such a Princess as Elisa and such a man as Artaban and the danger whereto they were exposed if some sudden expedient were not found out he thought it but just that a passion which had produced such deplorable effects should be subdued by a resentment proportionable to the mischiefs it had caused and that he ought by some action such as might speak the transcendency of his vertue set himself right in the sentiments of Elisa and Artaban prevent Caesar from drawing on himself a War and the hatred of nations and stifle the memory of a misfortune whereby his own good name might receive a blemish among men It further came into his thoughts that Elisa's condition was such by the death of her Father after the discovery she had made of her inclinations with the consent of her Mother and suitably to the desires of the Parthians and the acknowledgement of Artaban's being descended from Arsaces that he could not any longer continue his pretensions to her and thought it better to quit them out of a certain civility and by an effect of his great courage than to be forced to it by necessity This then was his designe but the difficulty was in the execution of it and to that end did he summon all his courage to his assistance and sought in his vertue what might reduce a passion that rebelled against it with those forces which it would be no easie matter to defeat He was in this tempest of reflections and spent the whole night therein while the Emperour having sought rest in sleep had much ado to find it by reason of a dream which troubled him He was fallen asleep after he had passed away some part of the night in thoughts of the affront he had received in one of his own Cities by an inconsiderable number of men he whom nothing should oppose and to whom the whole world in a manner was subject and the revenge he intended when not long before day and about the time that dreams make an impression in mens minds with less disorder and more truth according to the common opinion there stands before him the Ghost of the Great Julius Caesar not only with all the Majesty which while living attended the greatness of his person and actions but with something greater more august and more conformable to that divine state into which the Romans had raised him The Emperour looked on him with a veneration such as was due only to the Gods and found his eyes sparkling with anger and all his countenance such as discovered the greatness of his indignation and expecting what might be the issue of it not without some fear he thought the great Dictator with a menacing action and darting lightening instead of looks spoke thus to him Octavius said he to him for thou art not worthy the name of Caesar nor that of my son is it thus thou exercisest the dignity whereto I had unjustly raised thee and have I of the son of Octavius made thee the