allay the cruelty of those that would have devoured him Crisiles 〈◊〉 obtained the favour to have them from him though he would not give them unto a 〈…〉 and the wonder was Elisa did so admirably learn them that Crisiles himself was a 〈…〉 ed but the greatest wonder of all was to see the confidence and boldness of the young Elisa without any more astonishment then if she had been in her own Chamber having no other Spectator but her Governour though it was in the presence of a full and glorious Court I will not lose so much time Madam as to describe the magnificence of this Musique it will be sufficient I only tell you that never was a finer in Phenicia and I will only insist upon that which concerned the young and fair Elisa Though I could tell you Madam that the Sea was so fully represented that all the Spectators feared the Waves would have dashed themselves against the Company And that the Chairs of Neptune and Amphitrites were adorned with all that the Sea produced most rich that Pearls Choral and Rubies were the garments of these two Divinities The vestures of the Nercides and the Tritons were of Aggates Mother of Pearl and Sea Rushes That the Ship out of which Arion was cast into the Sea seemed to be far distant as if it had floted to catch the Dolphin and that all the Sceans were so lively represented as that they did deceive the eyes But give me leave to tell you Madam that when the young Elisa appeared upon the Dolphin all the Assembly shouted a cry of admiration which in lieu of amazing did imbolden her and caused their wonder to double The truth is never could any thing be a rarer Spectacle then to see Elisa upon this Dolphin which swimming gently and lifting his head out of the Water as if he were proud of such a burthen seemed as if he would leap amongst the Assembly swiming sometimes on one side and sometimes on another The young Elisa whose hair was fair like as Apollo is represented did tye up her locks with much becomingness lest they should have hung down too long yet divers of them in Breads did hang negligently upon her shoulders Her dress was of Tissue in divers colours mingled with Gold Her Buskins which suffered some part of her white legs and feet appear under her waving Garment which the motion of the Dolphin stir'd did imitate the manner how Fishes do swim A thousand Diamonds set in several places of her Garment did cast a shining flame but the eyes of the fair Elisa did out-shine them all The sleeves of her Garment reached no further then her Elbowes which suffered the lovely plumpness of her youth to appear The Aire being then very hot and Elisa having naturally a Love incarnate complexion in her cheeks with a mixture of pure white her Beauty augmented and appeared more lively and fresh her lips were perfect Coral her teeth no snow was whiter and her eyes no Stars more lustrious After all this you may well conceive Madam that Elisa was a glorious Object who without any astonishment at the motion of the Dolphin nor at the stirring of those well represented Waves nor at the presence of the King or Queen nor at that huge number of Spectators did hold her Lute with a most admirable grace and did sing with so much wonderful confidence and skill that all the Court was surprized and charmed Crisiles was in an extasie of joy and indeed it was a wonder that the voice of one so young should reach so far as to fill so vast a place as that was with a harmony so charming as moved all hearts unto admiration Also when she was landed at a Cape which represented the Cape of Tenaros and when the Dolphin had set her on shore the King was so transported with admiration that not staying the end of the Musique he went to imbrace her and made extreamly much of her Afterwards he carried her to the Queen who was also come out of her Chair and gave her a thousand commendations which she received with much respect But the applauds which every one in the Court did give her with the most Majestique fury in the world as if for a thing which she thought to be a meer vanity After this Madam she went often to the Queen yet she never went but she still augmented the admiration of all those who saw her and I am confidently perswaded that she made more Lovers at that time then did think themselves to be so and who because of her exceeding youth imagined their passions were no more then only an admiration and complacency of themselves which moved them to seek all occasions of seeing her only because she diverted them Since the King was ingaged at that time in a most violent passion and since Elisa was a very child he looked upon her only as a miracle and not as a Mistress yet he made her a thousand welcomes and applauded her to the Skies upon every occasion He never saw Straton but he asked how his Daughter the fair Elisa did and there was never any extraordinary diversion but the young Elisa must needs be present In the mean time as she grew so did her beauty and faster and every Spring put fresher Lillies and Roses upon her cheeks then grows in any gardens At fourteen years of age she was the most exact Beauty that ever was seen in Phenicia And Madam as I have already described the beauty of Elisa in her Childhood so I beseech you give me leave to describe her as she was at fourteen and as she is at present and it is requisite I let you know her heart and her Spirit that you may with more delight and attention hear her adventures Imagine therefore Madam a person of the most handsom and noble stature in the world if you will conceive Elisa's And though it was much under the common height of one that can be called tall yet her stature was so exactly handsome as all her body was as fair as her face Moreover her port was so noble and free and yet so full of Majesty that never any vvas seen to walk with a better grace nor stand still with a more modest countenance yet confident enough Moreover her action was no less pleasing then her stature was noble and her Port Majestique her favour was neither forced nor careless she looked without affectation and yet looked as if she would appear fair If she consulted with her glass to rectifie any thing that was amiss in her dress she did it with so handsom a grace and with so much art that any would say her hair did with delight obey those fair hands which ordered it All that she did was done in such a taking way that one knew not how to look upon her and not love her Moreover Nature never gave fairer eyes unto any then unto her they were not only full and fair but they were also fiery
he had made low reverence unto the Kings and Judges began his Speech to this effect The Oration of Artanus SInce it doth not reflect upon my Honour in particular I will not stand to relate unto my Judges all that I did in the Combate wherein I was It will suffice if I only shew that it is my party which hath conquered and who ought to enjoy the fruits of their Victory I think there can no question be made but if it be granted I was there and fought that then I did overcome therefore it imports the justice of my Cause to make it appear by strong and pregnant conjectures since all the witnesses of my actions are dead that though I was without wounds at the end of the Combat yet it was the particular goodness of the gods unto me and not my cowardise which preserved me Imagine O ye my Judges what probability or likelihood there is that I could fly or hide my self in such an open Plain or that where the Combat was where the danger was not less in flying then in fighting since if it had been discovered by any of my enemies I had infallibly been pursued and if by my Friends then I had exposed my self unto their Revenge and all the Punishments which were due unto one who had basely deserted and betraied his King and his Countrey so should I have incensed against me either my Friends or my Enemies or both and so by consequence should have incurred greater danger then if I had remained fighting Moreover Sirs you know that none were compelled to undertake this Combat so that had I not found in my self heart good enough for it I should never have engaged in the business All Pont nor all Bithinia were not to fight all the gallant men of either Nation were not emploied in the encounter so that if I had feared fighting I could have declined my Engagement without any more dishonour then a hune dred thousand others who did not engage themselves I could have testified desires to have been one as others did yet not have accepted of it more then they and since fear is alwaies witty I could have invented excuses enough to have put it off if I should have been accepted These Circumstances I conceive are sufficient to convince any reasonable and unbyassed man that I did fight and if it be granted that I fought it must consequently follow that I got the Victory since it belongs unto that man who remains last in a condition to take away the life of his Enemy Now every one knows how Artamenes was more unfortunate then I was The Kings which hear me did see how he was steept in bloud all wounded and so weak that his Sword was more supported by his courage then strength and therefore they would not permit him to sight it out in that condition I confess the great inequality between us was extraordinary and it might very well cause wonder that of four hundred men which fought there should remain but two living the one whereof to be wounded in so many places and the other so fresh and whole as if he had never fought But the gods work miracles when they please yet can it be that wounds should be taken for marks of Victory If so why hath our Tutors so carefully taught us to defend our selves from blows Why do we wear any Bucklers but let us go to wars without defensive Arms Wounds Sirs are rather signs of weakness in the party who receives them then of his great Courage if men may brag of Victory because they are wounded the weakest the ill-favouredst and most unfortunate have the advantage over the strong handsome and most happy men In Duels a little scratch is counted a great disadvantage 'T is true his wounds are certain marks that he was in danger but it is as certain that his valour was not able to avoid them Me thinks I hear some say that his wounds do argue for him but if I understand their Language right they pleade his defeat and my Triumph As for this Trophy which he raised in my absence I conceive it was no difficult matter for him to do since he was alone And it was a cunning devise of him which shame of being overcome and desire of honour made him invent But after all this Sirs suppose that I did not fight but that I fled in the beginning of the Combat yet where is the great advantage which he pretends unto It is true that then I deserved punishment but it is not true that he deserves to have the Victory since he had the advantage of one man more on his side then his enemy had and since the state of the Combat was brought unto that wherein you found him it had been easie for that one man which was wanting to have kil'd him and got the Victory Can he say himself that he saw me fly if he can I may chance doubt of the Victory and hereafter trust more unto his eyes then my own valour but since my Enemy can say nothing against me only that he did not see me fight and that I had received no wounds I shall desire that his weak reasons may not be accepted of but rather mine which have truth and weight in them For it must be a consequent that if I fought I conquered and it is apparent that I fought since I was accepted for a Combatant and that of my voluntary disposition and desire And that though I did not fight yet cannot he be declared Conqueror because then he fought upon inequalities and therefore his Conquest is not Lawfull Therefore Sirs defer no longer but pronounce judgement for I do not oppose against the glory of Artamenes Let it be granted he did gallantly and that his wounds are marks of courage and not weakness I will only insist upon this that there was not an enemy to oppose me nor any who can speak a word in contradiction of what I say unless that he did not see me fight he I say who perhaps was so wounded at the beginning of the fight that he could not see any thing therefore I deserve judgement to be pronounced on my side for if he did not see me his eyes were full of bloud and therefore could not But as for me who by the goodness of the Gods and my own valour did keep my sight my bloud and my strength I saw him fight and saw him wounded and fall dead close by this imaginary Trophy So Sirs having no more to say but desire that the honour of my Countrey and my Triumph may be no longer deferred As soon as Artanus had ended his Speech there was heard a strange odd grumbling and muttering noise without any acclamations amongst the Assembly by which it might easily be guessed that the people disliked his Discourse Artamenes told me since that never any thing in his life did so much trouble him as to endure this ignominy yet he resolved to answer without
this is not possible but you have more reason to say that since he enjoyes so much good fortune that he shall not enjoy it long for indeed that unjust Ravisher of the Treasure which belonged unto me and which I thought to obtain shall die by my own hand Menasta wondering to see me so troubled and transported with anger she looked upon me and interrupting me said If you do not hate Megabises I tell you again but as the husband of Amestris you may let your soul be in quiet since it is not Megabises who has married her Is it not Megabises that has married her said I No said she Ah Menasta said I with a lesse troubled minde do not mock me but speak more sincerely unto me I protest unto you said she I do not lie for Otanus is the man whom the incomparable Amestris hath married Otanus said I to her married Amestris Otanus the ugliest of men he whom she most hated Ha if it be so then either her Kindred or the King has compelled her unto this strange marriage Not at all Replied Menasta and you had more interest in her affections then any had I replied I being all amazement I confess unto you said I not knowing well what I said that I had rather she should have married Otanus then Megabises But for all that know Menasta that Aglatidas could not marry Amestris or if he had been disposed it would not have been advantagious to him yes Replied Menasta it would before the Beauty of Anatisa had rased out of your heart the love of Amestris Anatisa replied I hastily had never any place in my heart Amestris the perfidious Amestris only did reign there with Soveraignty Menasta not being less astonished to hear me say so then I was to her say Amestris was married did ask me if it were very true that I loved Amestris yet yes Menasta said I unto her I do love her yet and though my own eyes did see such things as I did not think I should ever see yet I did leave adoring her perpetually The love I shewed unto Anatisa was but counterfeit and a meer effect of my despair But Menasta said I to her what was it that set Megabises and Amestris at odds and what moved her to marry Otanus Megabises said she to me was never in league with Amestris Ha Menasta Replied I you saw not that which I saw Ha Aglatidas said she you saw nothing but what I know You may here admire Sir what strange effects Love produced in my soul The news of Amestris her marriage did infinitely afflict me but because I thought she had been married unto Megabises and afterwards heard she was not I did a while resent some joy to mingle amongst my sorrows this gave me a little comfort But in conclusion Sir after that Menasta had caused me to swear a hundred and a hundred times that I did not love Anatisa She began to aggravate the Obligations which were upon me unto Amestris for her fidelity to me and her rigour unto Megabises And to make me more resent it she told me how Amestris had forbidden Megabises for ever seeing her and how he promised her that he would not at the Fountain in the Green Border within the Garden where accidentally they met Ha Menasta said I interrupting her then have my eyes most cruelly betraied me and done me very bad service So it was Sir that Menasta telling me nothing but truth and finding my soul softened with sorrows it was no hard matter for her to perswade me The Mist of Jealousie which was before my eyes did vanish and I immediatly saw that which I saw not before that is I saw Amestris appear extreamly innocent and my self infinitely to blame After this Menasta told me all that I have told you the despair of Amestris to see me unconstant and to know that I was jealous not knowing of whom and at last to justifie her self in my minde she undertook this sad destinie to marry Otanus knowing well that it was impossible it should be he of whom he was jealous In conclusion Menasta told me that whereas I might have been the happiest of men and given Amestris satisfaction I had made my self the most unhappy and made her more unfortunate then my self Ah Menasta cried I out this is not possible if it be then never was misfortune equall unto mine She told me further that the quarrell which I intended with Megabises did haste on her odd resolution That my absenting my self and Anatisa going into the Countrey at the same time caused her to think that the voyage was agreed upon betwixt us and she told all those who spoke unto her in the behalf of Otanus that she was resolved to marry him so that the business was not protracted but quickly dispatched At the same time she asked the Kings consent who consented willingly thereunto supposing it to be a good expedient to reconcile Megabises and me both of us being equally in the principall cause of our differences Menasta told me also that the King spoke to my Father concerning it and that my Father seeing the coldness that was in me towards Amestris and being glad that I should be no longer interested in the Love of Megabises did himself desire the King to conclude up the match In short Sir Menasta told me that the business was so closely carried as almost none knew of it when they went unto the Church to be married Alas Aglatidas said she unto me had you seen Amestris in that condition you would have rather thought her going to a punishment then a Marriage and might very well have seen her innocency by her sorrows I saw her said she an hour before this sad Ceremony and she no sooner saw me but looking upon me with tears in her eyes I know not said she to me whether the unconstant Aglatidas if he saw me would resent my sorrows and repent of his crime But however Menasta it were requisite that I did justifie my self I would let him see his jealousie was ill-grounded and I must die for grief but if my praiers have any prevalency in them he must eternally lament it As soon as she had uttered these dolefull words they called her to the Church and I followed after with tears in my eyes like a sad Mourner Every one who saw her wept also all that knew of the Marriage were amazed Megabises although he was very patient at it yet it infinitely stung him Artaban was ready to forbid the Banes when the Ceremony was almost finished coming into the Church no sooner Otanus himself was so surprised and not so well satisfied as he might be because he did not very well understand how this good fortune did come about and because he was so conscious of so many defects in himself as he knew that he could not be beloved indeed it was the discourse of all the world and every one vented their conceits concerning it though there was
possible to find an antidote in the eyes of some other beauty against the chrams of Telesile I did laugh at the pleasant invention of Melesander and consented to do as he would have me and during those four days he carried me unto all the beauties But the truth is his design took no effect nor served to no other purpose but to let me see that there was none in Delphos who came within a Thousand degrees of Telesile Mean while this fair one returned from the country and her return did give fresh invitations of visit unto all her friends Melesandor went to her and whether he would or no I went with him though he told me a hundred times that he was unwilling to contribute unto the loss of my liberty but in conclusion my prayers prevailed with him and he presented me unto the mother of Telesile who treated me very civilly and afterwards I was presented unto Telesile her self in whom I found ten Thousand alluring charms more then I could have imagined although I fancied her Idea in my mind as fair as fancy could imagine I saw her I saw she was most sweet and civil most modest and gallant and of a most pleasing spirit indeed amongst a Thousand perfections I found not one fault but that which pleased above all was That amongst so many servants as Courted her I could not observe she savored any and by consequence engaged mee the more and notwithstanding her sweet disposition she had such a kind of noble pride in her soul as made her to Triumph over all hearts without vanity and she made absolute Conquests of all that saw her without contributing any of her endeavors to do it As love was resolved upon my distruction so it moved her that day to give me some hopes to thrive in my new begun passion for as I told her that my intentions were to wait upon her the first day I came to Delphos You have been a long while said she in executing those intentions which were a great honour unto me since If I mistake not you were here that day the King of Lidea offered his presents in the Temple and if my memory betray me not I saw you there with Melesander and I did then look upon you as a stranger whose name I much desired to know and indeed said she most obligingly I did enquire it of one of my friends but could not be satisfied This discourse which was only civil and might have passed for discourse sake between two strangers had such an influence upon me that I conceived it to be a happy Omen afterwards I told her for my Justification that I had since been at Anticira and returned not until that day she went out of Dolphos and that then I did my self the honour to salute her neer the Gates of the Town she then seemed as if she did not mind it because she could not acknowledg it without taking notice how earnestly I looked upon her but afterwards she was so good as to confess that it was so This innocent passage caused her to blush and from thence I grounded fresh hopes unto my self I parted from her as strongly fettered in the chains of love as ever man was and fully resolved to dedicate my self unto her service I never endeavored as others use to resist my passion but on the contrary I cheared up my soul in the humour as much as I could I did imagin that happily I might chance to be the fortunate man for whom her soul was most sensible for said I since all the men in Delphos do find their Courtships fruitless I may more certainly conclude that she has not yet met with such a man as she can fancy If I do consider her as rich it will the sooner advance my designe because my Father will not then oppose it if I do consider her as poor I shall be the more easily happy for then her Father will not refuse the motion indeed I did fancy a facility out of every thing and so much feared lest my reason should contradict my passion as that I did never consult with it at all I desired to keep it as a secret from Melesander but it could not be the flame which the fair eyes of Telesile had kindled in my heart was too great and ardent not to appear in mine and I expressed too many signs of my affection to conceal it or keep it from being discovered he could not motion any diverstisement wherein I could take any pleasure walks were but musing unto me Musique made me only sigh my self into a dampish study the sight of all the Ladies in the Town moved me no more then a stone The sight of Telesile only was my dilectable object and did with interest recompence me for the loss of all other delights I was so transported with joy when I saw her but one single minute that Melesander saw plainly I was in love as well as by my musings and melancholy It was very requisit therefore to acknowledg it unto him and to desire him that he would not oppose me in such a thing as could not be remedied but that he would assist me in my design I told him this after such a manner as he might well know his councels took no effect and therefore he did most willingly promise me his help Then I went several times unto Telesile and the ofter I went more charms and greater civilities I found This new Conquest which she had made upon my heart was quickly divulged throughout the Town especially unto both our Fathers who were neither of them displeased at it For the beleef which my Father had that she would be very rich was glad in hopes of such a fortune as might repair the Profusions of his youth for truly his Magnificence and Liberality had much engaged it And Diophantes for his part fearing left his daughter should become poor was not sorry that such a man as I was in love with her But he carryed the matter so cunningly that he seemed not to take any notice of it and he was so well acquainted with the vertue of his daughter that he did not fear she would too far engage her self though she was courted by a multitude of men But amongst the number of her servants there was one who was exceeding rich and indeed much above me though he was not of any considerable family yet was he very assiduous and violent in his passion This man was called Androclides and had a sister who did often visit Telesile and lodging neer Crantor was sometimes visited again so that Androclides had a very great advantage of me for his sister did not only solicite Telesile but her uncle also This was a very considerable circumstance for him who had as amorous an eye upon the riches of Crantor as upon the beauty of Telesile For my part it was the riches of her own self which I sought after and preferred one sight of her before all the
no need of it Cyrus hearing her say so thought that she would needs have him restore it and therefore he grew extremely sad his countenance changed his eys became melancholy and all so disordered that Martesia having pity upon him said Sir I am contented to prolong the time so you will promise to restore this picture of my Princess unto me when you have delivered her Cyrus returned thanks with all possible joy and asking her whether he could serve her in any thing she told him how she had a design to be a little neerer Mandana that she might the sooner see her when he had set her at liberty and that she designed to go with one of her cozens who within this three daies would return unto the Frontiers of Armenia where she dwelt and therefore she desired him to give her a convoy thither Feraulus who was quick to hear this did what he could to obtain that Commission but Cyrus obligingly excused it because he could not be so long without his only confident unto whom he could freely discourse of his love and told him that it was unjust in him to desire his being so neer Martesia whilest he himself was so far from Mandana and therefore he gave Ortalgues orders to wait upon her as a convoy in her voyage with two hundred horse Martesia beseeched him further to give Orsanus leave to return unto the King and Queen of Saces conceiving it just that since they did him the honor to trust their son the Prince Mazares with him that he should go and give them a particular account of his loss Cyrus remembring how much his dear Princess was obliged unto him and how carefull he had been of Martesia and because he had been one of those who had helped to deliver her would let him see and told him himself that he should find him very thankful After that rewarding him whether he would or no with a very rich recompence he dismissed him and then he bid adieu unto Martesia He asked also the Prince Thrasibulus whether he desired the restoration of some ships in lieu of those he had lost but that generous Prince answered him he should be ashamed to accept of them at this time but he would first go unto the Armenian war and there render himself worthy of that glorious protection which he had promised him Cyrus having now nothing to do at Sinope went to take his leave of Ciaxares who did imbrace him with unparallel'd kindness Those Commanders which went not with him came to bid him adieu and testified fresh sorrows that it was not their good hap to follow him Cyrus had in his eys that day such a kind of noble and sprightly fury as presaged a happy victory and to speak truth his Phisiognomy did speak him so great and happy that whosoever saw him could not imagin it possible he should be overcome This Prince was of a very aspiring and advantageous talness and also most exactly made his head was most admirable handsom all the art which Medeans used to their hair was not comparable unto that becomingness which nature only used unto his the colour which was as lovely brown as every eye beheld it was wreathed with a hundred thousand pleasing and delightful curls negligently hanging down and lying upon his shoulders his complexion was most pure and clear his sprightly eys were black full of sweetness and Majesty his mouth was delicious and smiling his nose something like an Eagles the cimetry of his whole face was of a most admirable composure his countenance most noble and all his features so high and gallant that certainly it may be truly said never man upon earth was in every particular by themselves and all parts together better composed then Cyrus so that whosoever saw him upon the day of his departure from Sinope mounted upon as fine a horse as ever eye beheld in his most magnificent and rich suit of Arms and that day wearing the glorious Scarfe of Mandana over it it was no wonder if all the people in Sinope did follow him out of the Town with a million of benedictions and wishes of victory and also with tears at his departure he was followed by all the Officers and Voluntiers so that this great number of men of quality all in rich habits and admirably mounted did make a most glorious shew the Prince Thrasibulus the Prince Artibies Hidaspes Gobrias Gadates Chrisantes Aglatidas Megabises Adusiut Themocrates Leontidas Philocles Feraulas and a thousand others were in this illustrious number yet in the midst of all this glorious tumult and in spire of all the cares which Cyrus had upon himself Mandana was continually in his heart and mind and during all the long march without neglecting any thing that did become the General of an Army he failed not in the least circumstance to do what did become a most faithful lover but every hour that he could steal from his necessary cares he dedicated to the memory of Mandana yet did it not at all prejudice his admirable and providential forecast but he gave out such orders for the marches and quarters of his Army that the places of his passages had no cause to complain against his souldiers After they had marched several days and at last came within a hundred furlongs of the river Licus which parts the lesser Armenia from Cappadocia some Scouts of the Army brought unto Cyrus who was refreshing his men and horses in a Forrest a man whom they imagined to be a Spy yet one who asked to speak with their General but Cyrus was pleasingly surprized to see it was Araspes disguised in the habit of an Armenian Merchant who was unknown unto the Cicilians who took him he imbraced him then with joy and drawing him aside Well my dear Araspes said he unto him have you been more happy in your expedition then Megabises was and can you tell us more news of the Princess Mandana and the King of Pont then he did I know Sir answered he as much almost as could be known unless I had seen the Princess Mandana or heard her named But to relate what I have learned I must tell you how in the habit wherein you see me and knowing the Armenian language very well I have been taken for an Armenian even in Artaxates it self where the Court does now reside there did I converse with divers persons and understand that the King of Armenia does still give out that the Princess Mandana is not in his Dominions and that he hath published the King of Medes does demand her only as a pretence to make a new war upon him because of the tribute which he would not pay him The people also as I understand did a long time believe it so but of late the people have altered their opinions and every one does think that the Princess Mandana is at this present in a Castle not above fifty furlongs from Artaxates towards the Caldeans and which is built upon
that he who has not the heart and courage of a King shall never be my Successor but treating him as a Slave I will cast him into prison with the Princess Araminta whom he loves above his own honor Democlides according to the instructions of Spitridates did put him in memory of what he said unto the Prince his son in the ship as they departed from Heraclea how he then said he would not oppose his marriage with this Princess I remember it very well said he but when I said so it was with this condition that he should go in the head of an Army to conquer two Kingdoms and save me that labour but since he has not performed the condition tell him that as it was then dishonorable for the Princess Araminta to marry the son of a Slave so now at this time it is a shame for him to marry a Sister of a conquered usurper and the slave of Arsamones as e're long she shall be therefore tell him from me that within these few dayes I will come unto the Camp my self and because it will grieve him too much to captivate her whom he values above two Crowns let him attempt nothing against Cabira until I come my self bid him endeavour to overcome himself or otherwise he shall know the difference between a Scepter and a prison You may imagine Sir how sadly Democlides carried this answer The Queen did write unto the prince her son to comfort him the princess Aristea did the like But oh heavens how in vain were all consolations Democlides understood at his coming away from Heraclea that Arsamones sent orders unto the Lievâ—enant General his Confident that he should keep a vigilant eye upon Spitridates and I understood afterwards by this Democlides that the despair of Spitridates was so great when he received this rigid answer from the King his father as it was likely to have cost him his life yet was he very desirous of the whole truth and though Democlides had a desire to have sweetned the answer in the relation yet he durst not because the King did speak it so publikely before all the world that Spitridates would certainly have known it by others and then he had just cause of complaint against Democlides for concealing the truth since it was that answer upon which he intended to ground all his resolutions What said he after he had understood it does the King my father intend that the princess Araminta shall be his slave and that she who deserves a hundred Crowns shall wear fetters No no Spitridates cannot suffer it or at the least will attempt all wayes possible to release this incomparable and unfortunate princess Do you not admire Democlides said he at the strange blindness of men The King my Father has all his life complained against Usurpers and now he is become one himself purposely to make me unhappy he who if he please may get unto himself immortal glory and make me the happiest man alive whereas now he makes me the most miserable For Democlides to have got two Kingdoms and to keep that only which he hath a right unto and generously to restore the other and then to bestow the Princess Araminta upon me these would be things which all after ages would speak on with admiration yet since he will not indeed he will force me to forsake his interests though he be my Father and my King I must absolutely disobey him and be all the rest of my life the most miserable Prince upon earth But the greatest wonder is Sir that though ambition could never prevail against his love yet his â—ve did never excessively transport him against the King his Father But maugre the violence of all his sorrows he began to contrive ways of releasing the Princess especially since he newly received intelligence from the Princess Aristea his Sister that the King would be in the Army within these few days He also perceived that the Orders unto the Lieutenant General were very vigilantly observed but do what he could Spitridates was so adored by the Commanders and Souldiers that he could not bring about his designe To be short Spitridates did publickly send unto the Princess to tell her that the King his Father had not yet returned an answer unto her propositions and that within a few days he would come himself and bring the answer Mean while after he had consulted with Democlides how to release the Princess he commanded him to get into the Town diguised like a Peasant which during the cessation was no great difficulty and that he should go unto the Castle and enquire for me which accordingly he did He delivered a Note unto me from Spitridates the contents whereof was That I should give credit unto what Democlides should tell me so then after he had delivered it unto me in private he acquainted me with the ill success of his voyage with the despair of Spitridates and his resolution to release the Princess with the orders that he had taken about it he told me further that the Troops which were under his particular Command were quartered all along the River side That our best course would be to come out of the Town in the night by boat and unto that place where his Troops would wait for us and be our convoy unto Sea which was not above fifty furlongs further and that he had taken order for a Ship at the next Port he tâ—ld me further that to move the Princess the more to trust her self with him Spitridates would first let her see he trusted her therefore said he if the Princess please to give orders for one of the Gates which she shall name unto me to let him enter he will be there at midnight with one page only and no more You may be sure Sir that I went in all possible haste unto the Princess and carried Democlides with me Though the news was but a subject of astonishment and sorrow yet to what purpose is complaints where there is no remedy and therefore it was resolved upon to depart the very next night Since all her women were placed about her by Artanus we cared not for carrying them with us and since all her Captains had once been her enemies she hardly knew whether she should trust any of them but since they had testified much affection unto her since the death of Artanus she was unwilling to abandon them and leave them in the lurch unto the victory of her enemies yet upon more consideration she conceived it best not to carry any of them with her and that the Officers being Masters of the Town they might make honourable conditions for themselves when they pleased Therefore the resolution was to confide in none of them but such as were necessary for the business to wit that Spitridates might enter and we go out But Sir I have already so trespassed upon your patience by the length of my relation as I must tell you in short that I took
Doralisa certainly Andramites did not invent it Then must I be satisfied of my doubts replyed the Princess from Perinthus himself for I know him to be a man of honour and sincerity who I am fully perswaded will confess the truth of any thing whatsoever So that defering no longer she sent for Perinthus and Doralisa coming into my Chamber she left Panthea at liberty to examine Perinthus As soon as he was come she looked attentively upon him I pray Perinthus said she unto him tell me whether I must chide you or thank you I think Madam replyed he you have not reason to do either since I do not remember I ever did you any considerable service to deserve the one and since I am sure I never intended to displease you so far as to deserve the other Nevertheless said she I am informed by one that you have done me an extraordinary piece of service and by another that you have been extreamly perfidious Tell me therefore Perinthus have you obliged or disobliged me However I promise you to pardon the crime if you confess it Tell me then Perinthus what I must think of you Madam said he unto her when I shall know whereof I am accused I will see if I can justifie my self To shew you said she unto him That I had rather commend then accuse you Tell me first whether it is to you that I am obliged for causing Croessus to be so sharp with Mexaris It is very true Madam replyed he that since I could not think Mexaris worthy of you and having observed a great aversion in you towards him I induced Andramites to speak unto Croessus that he would break off that Marriage which I knew would displease you Thus far replyed Panthea I am much obliged to you But why then in speaking unto the Prince my Father did you not negotiate according to my mind And why were you such a defender of Mexarâ—s to him Perinthus hearing the Princess did change colour and she perceiving the alteration which appeared in his eyes knew by it that there was some truth in the reports yet notwithstanding since Love is never without an excuse for any crime Perinthus found one I must confess Madam said he unto her that your intelligence is good and that in certain occasions wherein the Prince your Father was pleased to intimate unto me how fully he was resolved to marry you unto the Prince Mexaris I did not directly oppose his intentions and my reason was because I knew that it was not in his power to execute them Then did I perswade him as well as I could not to suffer this Prince to marry you without the consent of Croessus which I knew he could not obtain I did sometimes agree with him that Mexaris was a great Prince who in all likelyhood one day would be King of Lydia So that Madam without any prejudice unto your interests I preserved my self in his favour but did not deprive my self of any means to do you any serviceable office to him when occasion should serve Your answer replied the Princess is full of wit and seems also to be true since there is no likely reasons why you should negotiate two contraries at one time But yet since there is something in your proceeding which is not suitable to your usual manner of transacting you shall repair the fault by answering me ingenuously to what I shall ask you therefore if you will perswade me that your intentions were clear give me an exact and faithful account of all that the Prince my Father said unto you concerning me for since I shall never attempt any thing against his pleasure and since I never look but to be miserable I do not think my demand of you is unjust I do promise you Madam said he very craftily to tell you every thing which he said concerning the Prince Mexaris Do not alter my words replied the Princess but ingage your self to tell me all that he said concerning me Perinthus who knew well the Princess would not have spoke so but because she would know what the Prince her Father said unto him concerning Abradates he was so non-plused that he knew not what to answer but at the last since she pressed him very much I am so afraid said he unto her to tell you any thing which shall not please that I am sorry to be ingaged unto what you desire me The Princess wished she had the hardiness to let him know that she should be no less obliged unto him for speaking in behalf of Abradates as for speaking against Mexaris but he could not do it and I believe if she had made that prayer unto him he would either have sunk down with sorrowes or else have expressed such marks of his passion as she would have perceived it After this discourse Panthea did really believe that Perinthus had no other intentions but to imploy his fortunes in serving her and possessed Abradates with the same opinion But as for Doralisa she was not so easily perswaded into that belief but on the contrary all her suspitions of the passion of Perinthus began to revive in her mind yet since she did really esteem him she said nothing to the Princess lest she should injure him yet she could not chuse but impart her thoughts unto me after she had made me promise her secresie At the first I could not believe her serious but afterwards my suspitions were stronger then hers I absolutely concurred with the opinion of Doralisa and resolved as well as she not to prejudice so excellent a qualified man as Perinthus was upon bare suspitions which perhaps were ill-grounded since they were built only upon conjectures which often are fallacious and therefore I resolved peremptorily not to speak a word of any thing to the Princess yet notwithstanding since this might grow unto some bad consequences we resolved to observe him very circumspectly and to inform each other of our discoveries I confess Madam that I committed one piece of lightness in this business in telling Doralisa of that Proposition which the Princess made unto him concerning her Marriage but methought it so manifest a testimony of that passion which we suspected as I could not keep it from her I had no sooner told it but I wisht it in again yet not long not that I told it unto her in such a manner as might give her any cause of complaint yet for all that I perceived it touched her so to the quick that it made her blush I leave you to consider said I then unto her to please her whether Perinthus esteeming you as he doth and proffering so much friendship would not have received that motion which the Princess made with much joy though he had no love at all towards you if she had not been in Love with some other and therefore it must be concluded that he is in Love with another and that other is certainly the Princess If he be in Love with Panthea
a Wood whose paths were unknown unto me yet since I knew no safer way then that I thought it better to wander in a pleasant shade then amongst a heap of rubbish Rocks where not a pile of grass did grow I went over then this little Plain in the midst of which I spyed an Arbour which the rays of the Sun could never penetrate though never so hot and the Trees of it vvere perpetually green being composed of Cedars Pines Mirtles Evves as such like Trees vvho keeps those leaves all Winter green vvhich the Spring time gives them and the Wonder of the Object vvas that these Trees did grovv amongst the Rocks and all the Rocks vvere covered vvith such variety of all sorts of Moss and of as many several colours as that the Rainbovv had not more nor more delighting The variety of these Trees and the perpetual freshness of the leaves made this Wood incomparably pleasant I wandered then through this great and pleasing Wood where a thousand several sorts of pretty birds did make a most harmonious eccho testifying by the little fear they had of me that the place was but seldom frequented After I had gone five or six hundred paces I espyed on my right hand a very pleasant Fountain which boyling up amongst a heap of Pibbles covered over with a pretty Moss of Emerald colour did make a little Rivolet and ran turning and winding it self along the side of the Wood opposite to that aspiring Mountain of which I spoke before As I stood by the side of this Christal Fountain I observed a little path which parted from the great Rode and did lead towards the thick of the Wood and after I had rested my self a while by this Fountain I followed that path which always ascended sometimes inclining towards the right hand and sometimes towards the left because the hill was too steep to go straight up When I was in the midst of this Woody Rock O Heavens how I was amazed when I discovered a great Cave which went into the Rock and by it the Prince Mazares sitting upon a stone who at the noise I made turned his head towards me and presently knew me and gave me demonstrations to know him I was so exceedingly startled at the sight of him that I was a while and knew not what I did nor alight from my Horse my eyes were so full of tears and my heart so full of sorrow that stood I like a stone and knew not whether what I saw was real But at last my dear Master rising up and naming me with a great cry I revived out of my astonishment so that lighting from my Horse and tying him unto a Tree I went and cast my self at his feet But he immediately took me up and embraced me with extraordinary tenderness My dear Orsanus said he unto me is it possible I should ever have a sight of you again and will you force me whether I will or no to have some minutes of consolation in my life Sir said I unto him with eyes swimming in tears to see the melancholy in his looks and to imagine how sadly he had lived since I saw him I do not intend to add minutes but an age of consolation unto you The sight of you indeed is most dear unto me replyed he but Orsanus since I have been the cause of my divine Mandana's death no consolation can comfort me But Sir replyed I hastily if I should tell you that the Princess Mandana lives would not that be a comfort unto you No Orsanus replyed he it would not since I could not beleeve you I should think it only your plot to draw me out of this sad solitude wherein I live and in which I am resolved to dye Yet let me tell you replyed I that what I say is most certainly true for this Mandana who both you and I thought dead I saw her alive with my own eyes Ah Orsanus cryed he out I would I could beleeve this and dye immediately after that I might not be deluded by so pleasing a lye and be for ever delivered from all the miseries which I endure But Sir replyed I is it possible this Desart should be so little frequented and this Cell in which you inhabit so unknown unto all men that not one of them should come and tell you how all Asia is in Arms for the Princess Mandana that the illustrious Artamenes is no more Artamenes but known to be Cyrus Son to Cambises King of Persia That Ciaxares after he had imprisoned him did release him and made him General of his Army That the King of Pontus after he had lost all his Kingdoms and flying away in a Ship did save the Princess Mandana's life immediately after the fury of the boâ—sterous Waves had separated her from you That the invincible Cyrus thinking that Prince had carryed her into Armenia drew the War thither and became Master of it That in lieu of releasing the Princess Mandana he released only the Sister of his Rival that is the Princess of Pontus That afterwards the King her Brother being reported to be at Susa with the Paincess Mandana and that she was to imbarque for Cicilie conducted by the King of Susiana and by the Queen Panthea Cyrus followed Abradates defeated him and took the Queen his Wife a Prisoner in lieu of releasing the Princess Mandana that the King of Pontus according to his design imbarqued with the Princess of Medea and steered towards Ephesus Whil'st I was speaking thus the Prince Mazares hearkened unto me with extraordinary attention and by his quick and piercing looks endeavoured to penetrate through my eyes into the bottom of my heart to know whether what I spoke were sincere and really true so that I perceiving that fain he would but could not believe me No no Sir said I unto him do not suspect me of any falshood since the truths which now I tell you are so generally known that there is not so much as a Shepheard in all Asia who knows not that Mandana is living and that there is two hundred thousand men in Arms ready to release her This Princess added I hath also passed so neer you that certainly she hath seen the Cedar tops which grow in this your Desart I am confident that I am not mistaken for she might discover them as she went to imbarque How Orsanus said he can I possibly believe Mandana not dead Can I think those eyes of yours which now look upon mine hath seen her alive and that she looked upon the tops of these Mountains Ah Orsanus if this be true I am not so miserably unfortunate as I thought my self As this Prince was thus talking I spyed coming out of the Wood a man admirably handsome of a pleasant physiognomy but seemed something melancholy who being also as much surprized to find the Prince Mazares in conference with me as I was to find my Master in such a solitude we gazed upon each other with equal
three dayes together and since you are grown more carelesse of her Letters then usuall that you enjoy so much happinesse in the substance that you need no shadowes or pictures or letters to comfort you 'T is true I perceive you so melancholy that it is evident you are not contented And therefore since I cannot dive into the bottome of your heart I conjure you to tell me whether I must rejoyce or grieve with you and if you will not open your thoughts unto me I will ask Cleodora of them who as I think should know them Oh I beseech you Hermogenes said Belesis do not tell Cleodora how I lost her picture and never missed it nor how I left her letters so carelessely that they might be seen Then tell me said Hermogenes from whence comes this alteration in your humour Is it not enough you know the humour of Cleodora replied he without asking any further reasons The humour of Cleodora replied Hermogenes is now so sweet and complacentiall towards you that Leonis'â— cannot be more affable to all the world then Cleodora's to you Ah Hermogenes said this inconstant Lover being transported by the excesse of his new passion I would to the gods Cleodora's humour had alwayes been like Leonisa's Like Leonisa's I say upon whose face I never yet since I knew her saw the least wrinkle of anger and whose fair eyes are like unclouded stars which shine alwayes alike without one cloud of anger I should have thought replied Hermogenes looking earnestly upon Belesis that a Lover had never thought any eyes fair but onely his Mistresses but for ought I perceive Leonisa's eyes please you as well Cleodora's Belesis blusht at the language of his friend and let him apparently see there was a great alteration in his soul so that Hermogenes went on Confesse the truth to a friend said he unto him and tell me freely whether Leonisa is not more in your heart then Cleodora and whether if she have not already driven her out she will ere long 't is true replied Belesis But cruel friend what delight can you take in maksng me to lay open my imperfections However replied Hermogenes then you do love Leonisa and not Cleodora I know not answered he whether I do not love Cleodora but I am sure I am desperately in love with Leonisa Then doubtlesse you do not love Cleodora answered he for one cannot love two at once However I must needs chide you for truely Inconstancie is an unexcusable crime unlesse it be caused through the infidelity or excessive severity of a mistresse But the case is farre otherwise with you for you cannot taxe Cleodora with any infidelity nor is she more severe then vertue and decency require I know very well that I am culpable though I could find some excuse for my crime if I would for indeed Cleodora hath quarrelled with me without any cause in the earth and hath so tired out my patience that my passion is much weakned whether I would or no Yet the gods are my witnesse that I have endeavoured with all my possible power to reject Leonisa and keep my heart wholly for Cleodora but alasse all was impossible all too too weak for all my desires all my thoughts and faculties have changed objects I do not see Cleodora with the same eyes I did and by a fatall inchantment that which I once thought would be my chief felicity will not now afford me one quarter of an hours joy what then would you have me do Can I alter my destiny Can I dictate rules unto my fate and make love an act of my will I know that Cleodora has a million of most excellent qualities and that she is most admirably fair But I finde Leonisa has pulled my heart out of her hands and made mee change Mistresses I am most horribly ashamed of my inconstancy I confesse but I cannot keep my self from changing therefore I beseech you Hermogenes pity me in lieu of condemning me second me in my affection to Leonisa you I say who first brought me to Susa and is the cause of all my miseries and could ever lover be more miserable then I For it was my fate to love a Lady of a difficult and fantasticall humour I endured as much as patience her self could do to the end I might obtain her love and when in all likelihood I was arrived even at the very Port of my happinesse my angry fate would needs prompt me to cease my desires of enjoying Cleodora All the time and pains which I employed in getting the affection of this Lady whom I thought would have compleated my felicity is quite absolutely entirely lost since her affection makes me onely more culpable and more miserable and since I must fatally begin my sighes and prayers for another against all which I know no remedy therefore my dear Hermogenes once more let me entreat your assistance I beseech you first said Hermogenes upon what termes are you with Cleodora and Leonisa Cleodora replied Belesis thinks I love her still and as for Leonisa I have not yet spoke a word unto her onely in the language of eyes and yet I imagine by her looks she understands me How replied Hermogenes does Leonisa understandthat language and answer it I do not think she understands me replied Belesis because she answers but because she is very carefull not to answer But Belesis replied Hermogenes dare you ever speak of any love unto Leonisa do you not fear she will upbraid you with inconstancy and can you have the confidence to tell Leonisa you love her in the sight of Cleodora for my part Belesis I wonder how you can have such a thought If Cleodora lived at the other end of the Town the matter would not be so difficult but to love one Lady really and to dissemble love unto another in the same house and another who really loves you is a thing so strange that I see no possibility of doing any good in it For Belesis you cannot possibly delude Cleodora long indeed I do not think it impossible but one may perswade a Lady that he loves her though he do not provided hee does not really love any other but to love another really and to perswade a Lady whom he formerly really loved that he loves her still cannot sink into my beleef I see all these difficulties which you propound replied Belesis and conceive them to be as great and greater then they are But since my tyrannicall passion triumphs over all opposition I must delude Cleodora notwithstanding my secret repugnancy since otherwise I cannot see Leonisa I intend therefore if I can speak it without blushing for shame to continue my visits unto Cleodora and to live with her as if I loved her still unlesse at such times as when I can look upon Leonisa and Cleodora not see and talk to her when she cannot hear I have already told you replied Hermogenes that you cannot do this and I am the most mistaken
of Cleodora I consent you shall keep mine though you stole it from me At the pronouncing these words Leonisa was silent and blusht and I know not whether Belesis was hastier to render thanks then she was to diminish the obliging sence of her language But he was so ready to apprehend the obligation that the words no sooner touched his ear but they reached his heart and his heart his tongue to thank her Though you do nothing said he unto her but consent unto a thing which you could not hinder me from yet am I infinitely obliged unto you for creating it a gift and not a theft and I am most certain I shall finde your Picture more resembling your fair self since these three or four words which you have spoken in my favour do so pleasingly sweeten my imagination that I shall think my self much more happy every time I look upon it I pray Belesis said Leonisa do not give me so many thanks lest I should think I have granted you to much and repent then I must shut up my acknowledgments in my heart said Belesis and content my self with shewing you only my Love After this Leonisa desired to see her picture which he presenting unto her he had as great joy to receive it from the faire hand of his dear Leonisa as if he had received it from her own gift But first he observed unto her by the distinguishment of the claspes which was on that side where Cleodora's picture was to the end she might know in opening of the Case which side hers was on for though it is not the custome of those that have the pictures of the persons whom they love to look upon them in their presence yet it was not so with Belesis for whether it was Cleodora or Leonisa that hee loved he would look upon their pictures with such violent raptures of love and such private thoughts as if they were the very substances Hee was never better pleased then when he saw Leonisa in a great Closet at her Aunts where there was on four great Pillars four great Mirrours of pollished steel which way soever he turned he saw four Leonisa's and sometimes many more Leonisa's at least he said so when he would aggravate his passion and there also he looked often upon the Picture though it was in the same Chamber where she was Thus Sir you see upon what termes Belesis was with Leonisa In the mean time the poor Cleodora thinking that the love of Hermogenes was the true cause of Belesis his manner of behaviour resolutely determined to entreat him not to see her any more seeing that all her roughnesse of behaviour would not repulse him Since she knew he was very wise and knew most of the passages between Belesis and her She thought it best to speak unto him in all ingenuous sincerity so that finding him one day in her Aunts chamber as she was busie in talking with others she began to speak unto him In the mean time since she had a long while shunned him Hermogenes was ravished at the alteration but his joy was very short for shee no sooner opened her mouth but he knew that he should have more cause to complain against Cleodora then to thank her I pray you Hermogenes said she unto him do not murmur at the request I shall make and take that confidence which I have in you for the greatest testimony of my esteem and affection which you can ever receive from me For Heavens sake Madam said Hermogenes do not ask me any thing that will force me unto a denyall If I thought I should be denyed said she I would not ask but having great confidence in your wisdom I hope to obtain my request But Madam replied Hermogenes what can you desire more of me then what I have already given I would desire you for some urgent considerations which neerly concern me to forbear either seeing me or speaking unto me Alas Madam replied he you ask me that which is not in my power to grant But I pray Madam is this the testimony of that esteem and affection you spoke of Doubtlesse it is replied she for if it were not I should have banished you without speaking to you and therefore me thinks you ought to consent willingly to my desire If you will banish me replied he because the Person that hath Power over you thinks it not fit I should have the honour to see you or because my passion makes too great a noise in the world I could put a favourable sence of your act and obey you But fair Cleodora I know very well you onely would pack mee away to admit of Belesis I crave your pardon Madam said he seeing Cleodora blush at his answer for taking the freedom to speak with so much sincerity but yet the lamentable condition wherein I am might serve me thinks for an excuse However I must tell you that though it be onely to recall the happy Belesis that you drive me away yet you ought to let me love you and that freely for Madam if jealousie do not bring him back nothing will Therefore though you have no consideration of me at all and though you consider onely your self yet it is your best course to let mee live with you as formerly No Hermogenes replied she you must not deny me and therefore content your self that I am not angry at what you say But I will ingenuously confesse unto you said she holding her hand before her eyes and turning away her head to hide her blushes that the jealousie of Belesis begins to anger me especially since it discovers his folly unto some who else would never have known it I beseech you Madam said Hermogenes do not disguise the truth but consider that Cleodora being my Mistresse and Belesis being alwayes my intimate friend it is not possible but I should a little know how things are Certainly replied she since Belesis is your rivall you cannot be his spie Belesis carrying himself now replied Hermogenes as the lover of Leonisa and not of Cleodora I do not resent him as my rivall However it be Hermogenes replied she do not deny me in my request and do not force me to banish you with a noise But Madam I beseech you replied he since Belesis is in love with Leonisa is it not unjust in you to treat Hermogenes thus Doubtlesse it is not answered she for I have such a horror to all men that your self must needs bee included Revenge is very sweet replied he I confesse it replied Cleodora yet there is no sweetnesse to be revenged upon ones self by desiring it upon another And since Hermogenes you have too many excellent parts to owe your affection which one hath to you unto the hatred which one hath against your rivall therefore it were more expedient you looked about for some better fortune No no Madam replied she I am none of those delicate scrupulous men who are so precise as to observe
in their wayes and in their professions deserved that glorious Title The High-Priest of Tire amongst the rest of her most confident friends was certainly a man most admirable he had a wit so quick so sprightly and so superlative that there was nothing which escaped his knowledg yet was he naturally merry and by inclination so gallant that before the Gods had took him unto their service he could not talk of any thing else but Gallantry having such a natural Geniâ—s to it as he would be unawares full of such expressions but it was so pleasingly as Elisa told me one day in a merriment that it was pity when he changed his way of life he should not bequeath his talent unto some other who with decencie might have made use of it But Madam that you may the better know this Terian High-Priest be pleased to know that the solitude unto which he had confined himself when he changed his profession did not convert him into a salvage but his natural pleasantness of his Spirit remained still yet in such bounds of goodness and modesty as resembled the innocencie of the former ages So that since there is nothing more agreeable then to find a great wit and much sweetness mingled together so there is nothing more amiable then the conversion and Society of this Tirian High-Priest yet there is somthing of abruptness in his Spirit and precipitation in his gesture but not so much as to hinder him from being answerable to my description and this sudden agitation which appeared in his body and mind was rather an effect of zealous raptures at sublime thoughts then of any distemper in his humour Moreover his virtue though most exact yet was not so rude and austere as in others he applied himself unto solid goods and rested not upon false and deceiving appearances the equality of his humour was one of the charms of his Society he was never sullen nor sharp with his friends but loved them with tenderness and passion loved them without any ends he would go from his solitude to the Court without any transports of joy and from the Court to his solitude without any sorrow but the rarity is this High-Priest is not only knowing in matters of Divinity aed Sacrifices to the Gods but he is excellent in a hundred thousand several other things he writes most admirably either in Prose or Verse and with such a smooth facility as if all the Muses were his Dictators and inspired with what he writ his phancies in matters of Poetry is of so vast an extent that it comprehends the whole universe he is so facetious so smooth so sweet in his writings that he adds a new fragrancy to the Roses and a greater lustre to the Sun his works do so insinuate and imprint themselves in the heart and mind with such a passionate Character as they are exceedingly profitable and yet this soul so elevated has the sweetness and docility of a child it is free from all presumption or vanity and he does so charm all those that know him well as they cannot chuse but love him and that with extream tenderness his soul is adorned with a most modest joy which proceeds from his nature and from the serenity of his passions and which doth often communicate it self unto others This passionate inclination of his soul is not changed in him by changing his condition he hath only changed the object of his passion and in lieu of loving as he did heretofore all that was amiable he now loves only that which is permitted him to love which is his duty and his friends He is also much taken with the general beauties of the universe and makes it his ordinary delight to admire the grandure of the Gods in contemplation of wonders in their works The rising and the setting of the Sun is a great diversion unto him and more then every one is capable of A serene calm night under a Canopy of sparkling Stars does pleasingly invite his looks the murmure of a purling Fountain doth sweetly charm his ears and the unmeasurable vastness of the Sea does fill his soul with so much pleasure as makes him the more adore that God who is the maker of it Thus the recreations of this Tirian High-Priest being a study of wisdom you may easily imagine how sublime is his serious business and yet his conversation is all affable all pleasant free and diverting having the art when he is disposed unto any Rallary to leave out all bitterness and sharpness and to retain that which is pleasing and agreeable which certainly is a thing more difficult then the ta 〈…〉 g of Lions Judg then Madam if this Sidonian High-Priest be not worthy to be received into the Palace of the great Cleomira to be esteemed of Philonida and Anacrisa to be loved of the generous Megabates and to be one of the friends of Elisa and indeed he is so and in such sort as none is more in her favour then he After this Madam I must acquaint you how there is another man of Quality one of this admirable Society who the High-Priest of Sidon did most tenderly affect called Clearques whose description is so difficult as I know not how to make it resemble him yet certainly he merits to be known unto you and that with much esteem I can easily tell you that his stature is a common height his hair brown and all the features of his face regular enough and also indifferently pleasing but as for his Aire and Physiogaomy I challenge any one to describe it For indeed Madam there is in his face a kind of seriousness and lumpish melancholy and yet there is also a kind of blithness and jollity in his eyes Truth is there is a miscellany of joy and sorrow in his composition which succeeding each other in their turns and somtimes may be seen both at a time in his face makes Clearques to please infinitely He hath such a disposition unto mirth that in the midst of the most cross affairs in the world he is almost alwayes ready to tell a merry tale or to take any recreation But Madam in speaking of the Spirit of Clearques I must tell you that he had as much courage as was possible that he had made himself eminent in Martial matters a thousand times and that he had all the qualities which were desireable in a man of honor but I will not insist upon any description of his virtues only I must tell you that he had one very eminent Quality which was that he would most faithfully and zealously keep all his promises of this he hath given most Heroique testimonies for all Phenicia knows and hath seen him a thousand times hazard his life and liberty for the interest of a great Prince unto whom he was ingaged But in prosecution of my design I must let you know wherein Clearques is the most singular Imagine him then Madam to have as clear and delicate a Spirit as a man
service with all imagineable exactness and he was so obstinately devoted unto it that this Lady who did really esteem him and who feared lest her Parents should force her to marry a man whom they highly esteeme resolved to tell him the reason why she would not answer his affection One day when he was alone with her and when he had a desire to speak of his passion to her and to beseech her she would not scorn his affection she imposed silence upon him and acquainted him with as much sincerity as sweetness with the true cause of her coldness to him Since I do intend said she unto him to give you very ample testimony of my esteem I do conjure you to let me acquaint you with a business which will anger you the most of any thing in the world if what you have told me be true and that you love me as well as you would make me believe for truly Thrasiles I were very unworthy of the honour which you do me if I should let you engage your self any further in an affection wherein you can never receive any satisfaction Alas Madam said Thrasiles and interrupted her can I never hope to be loved or endured No said she unto him you cannot and if I could obtain so much power of my self as to tell you the reason you would agree with me that unless I should wrong you and be unjust I must deny you my affection Why Madam said he can you not love me because you love some body else Can there be any in the world so happy as to be loved by Atalia Can any upon earth be so little transported with joy at so high a happiness as that he can hide it Fie Atalia it is not impossible If he were a man of this Court who hath this honour I should discover the joyes of his soul through his eyes and the truth is if there were any truth were in your words I should have seen him with you and if I had seen him certainly I should have known his happiness and his passion Yet you may easily conceive said she unto him that what I tell you is not invented But I beseech you Madam said he unto her who is this too happy man that hinders me from being so and who hath the glory of your affection I did not tell you replied Atalia that I do love any but only that I would have you know that there is one whose love I could admit of If that be all replied Thrasiles it is not enough to hinder me from loving you and I beseech you Madam give me leave to love you as well as my Rival be he whom he can be and if it so fall out that you love him better then me then it may be my respects of you may make me endure my misfortune with patience Atalia seeing she had said either too much or too little to satisfie him was at a little non plus so that resolving to drive the nail to the head at one blow she confessed unto Thrasiles that she was in love though she would never confess with whom I beseech you Madam said he unto her tell me who is this invisible Rival the noise of whose sighs could never reach my ears though I have been almost perpetually with you and what hath he done to win your heart and undo me He hath loved me said she before you did and whilst you were in love with another and he hath loved me with so much fidelity and obedience that he never revealed unto you the secrets which were betwixt us How Madam replied Thrasiles much astonished is the Rival you love my friend No no Madam this is not possible for truly I have but one only friend which is Egesipes and I am most confident he would reveal his very heart unto me if either of us two be faulty I am sure it is my self in never telling him that I loved you and besides Madam Egesipes hath been absent this three moneths 'T is true said she and blusht Egesipes hath been out of Cumes this three moneths but it is as true also that he hath been above a year in my heart therefore Thrasiles since I would not expose you unprofitably to lose a friend I had a mind to discover that unto you which yet he knows not and will acquaint you that I shall never love any but Egesipes who only knows that I do not hate him but knows not at all how my heart is wholly his Oh Madam cried he out I had rather he knew it and that I knew it not But is it true that Egesipes should be my Rival and I have no cause to hate him Doubt it not said she for indeed he knows no more that you are his Rival then you did within this quarter of an hour know that he was yours However Thrasiles said she and assumed a very serious countenance If you be not faithful unto me and if you do not make good use of this secret wherewith I have trusted you I do profess I shall most horridly hate you I beseech you Madam replied he and sighed what shall I do to make good use of it You must never tell it unto any said she no not unto Egesipes himself You must also cease to be my Lover but never cease to be his friend Alas Madam replied Thrasiles how difficult are your commands to be obeyed how hard a task is it to love a Rival and leave loving a Mistress When one cannot without injustice hate the first replied she nor with any hopes continue loving the other the most rational the most generous and fittest course is to be taken and not obstinately to run on headlong in a design which will never prosper For all Atalias fair language she could not that daie perswade Thrasiles but he persisted loving her as before he thought also to have quarreled with Egesipes as soon as he returned to Cumes But upon serious consideration finding that the affection of Egesides and Atalia was indissolvable and all was both unjust and in vain to root his friend out of the heart of th◠〈◊〉 one he began generouslie to strive with himself he left Cumes for a certain time and when he returned would not visit Atalia anie more so that absence reason generositie friendship and all overcoming his passion he left off loving Atalia since he saw an absolute impossibilitie of ever obtaining her love Thus I conceive it may verie well be said that though there was a great difference between her and the first Ladie he loved yet he might verie well quit her without anie aspersion of inconstancie as well as the other However since in changing his thoughts of her he had not changed his temper and since the amorous inclination of his soul could not be idle he fell insensiblie in love with Cleocrite who indeed was verie capable of captivating a heart but was absolutelie uncapable of making a Lover happie for her humour was opposite
his courage and without imparting his design because he thought him too young to be trusted he only did extreamly commend his generosity giving him afterwards many Reasons which proved this Edict to be most ignominious and disadvantageous unto the Athenians not doubting but he would afterwards repeat them unto all those he discoursed with The truth is this Prince did so well second the intentions of Solon that within three dayes Pisistrates and hee had disposed all the youth in the Towne unto a generall revolt unlesse this Edict was revoked which would but rust their valour Solon seeing things succeed to his hearts wish resolved to make use of that invention which was such a wonder unto all Greece to see that man who was so highly fam'd for wisdome should have recourse unto foolishness to compasse his project But for all that this invention which had passed for a piece of extravagancy if it had not hit was taken for a most rare invention because it did prosper Since I do not doubt Madam but you are acquainted with this action of Solon I shall not particularize it unto you but only tell you in two words that he having composed some verses fit to incite all the youth unto a demand of the Wars continuance against the Megarians he did counterfeit himself to be out of his wits and went unto a great place in Athens where he knew that Pisistrates and the Prince of Phoceus were walking with a great number of their Friends As soon as he was there he got upon a high stone Pace where the publique Cryer used to publish all Proclamations unto the People He had no sooner recited those verses which he had composed to incite desire of War but Pisistates and the Prince of Phoceus clapping their hands and approving of what he sayd and causing others to do the like they went unto every street and cryed that this Edict must be revoked which was so ignominious to the Athenians and so contrary to the Weal publique They spoke with such efficacy that in lesse then two hours all the young men of Athens brave and simple did joyne with them And as young as they were they spoke with such vehemency and authority that none was so hardy as to resist them So that Madam this Edict must of necessity be revoked to appease the Tumult and begin the Warr And well may I say that Solon Pisistrates and Peranius only did it However the design of Solon having so well taken he became wise again the next morning and so well was he known to be so that they conferred upon him the conduct of this Warr wherein the Prince of Proceus did follow him and did miracles But Solon knowing that the rich men of Athens would still murmure at the great charges which this War would put them unto he found a way how to ease them by a piece of policy in which the Prince of Phoceus did highly signall himself as well as Pisistrates He went by Sea unto a famous Temple dedicated unto Venus unto which he knew many Athenian women of quality did resort and choosing out a cunning and trusty fellow he sent him unto the Megarians which were not farr from thence with Orders to counterfeit the Traytor â—in offering them a prize of all those Athenian women and assuring them that they would all be at the Temple of Venus such a time where they might be all easily taken The plot did take the Megarians believe the fellow and come with a ship full of Souldiers to the place at the time appointed In the mean time Solon caused all the Ladies and women to forbear coming unto that place and dressing a good number of brave youths in the habit of women he brought them thither the Prince of Phoceus was of the number for being both young and as valiant as any Hero he was very fit for such an Expedition And placing himselfe in the front of all these seeming Ladies who had all swords hidden under great loose Mantles which they used to weare over their Gowns He went according to the orders of Solon along the water-side seeming as if they walked and waited untill the hour of sacrifice as it was the ordinary custome of those who came over soon As soon as the Megarians saw them they made all the Saile and Oare they could and came to the place where they thought they saw so many Ladies and landing in all hast they came to take away those Ladies thinking after this that the Athenians would be glad to treat and make a Peace with them to redeem their Wives from being slaves But they were sufficiently amazed when the Prince of Phoceus who was the first that fell upon them seeing them come towards him threw off his Mantle and Hood upon his head and put himselfe in a posture of armed defence This strange Metamorphesis did most terribly surprize them for he being at that time very faire one would have sayd that Venus was in an instant turned into Mars The change was not particularly in the Prince of Phoceus for all the rest in an instant followed his example and the Megarians were strangely terrified to find such stout enemies in lieu of Ladies They offered a retreat unto their Ship but the Prince of Phoceus seconded by Pisistrates getting betwixt the Sea and them they passed almost all upon the point of the sword after which being master of their ship they made use of a second Fallacy which did thrive as well as the first For imbarquing all their Souldiers they went towards Salamine as if they had beene Megarians and as if they had brought all the Athenian Ladies which they designed to fetch so as the Inhabitants of the Isle never opposing their landing but on the contrary preparing themselves to receive those in the ship as men who had done them good service they were extreamly surprized to find that they had suffered Enemies to land and more surprized to observe with what miraculous valour the young Prince of Phoceus did assault them The terrour was so great in the Isle that Solon arriving in a ship presently after did strike a deeper terrour amongst the people who believing that this ship would be seconded by a great Fleet were all so damped with a Panique feare that Pisistrates and the Prince of Phoceus became Masters of the Isle with much ease and returned unto Athens with more honour as well as Solon whose wisdome was crowned with happinesse by their valour and his owne contrivance This Madam was the first budd of Peranius his valour since that he hath done a thousand glorious Acts There has not been any glorious business in all Greece wherin he was not one But the wonder is he is as well experienced in matters of Sea as Land and knowes as well how to be a Pilot as a Captain of a ship The truth is Madam the valour of this Prince is superlative He hath been seen to assault whole Navies all lined with
Archers and maugre the thick clouds of Arrows and Darts hee hath carryed fire and burned the whole fleet He hath been seen with one single ship give chase to three others and take two of them On the other side he hath been seen set upon by five and not taken Furthermore what hath he not done both in private and generall Combates both by Sea and Land Yet for all this though he had all the fury of an incensed souldier in his heart and eyes when there was any ocsion yet he had all imaginable sweetnes in the aire of his Countenance Spirit when no occasion was for his valour And I am able to assure you of a truth that he was as great a lover of the company of Ladies as of honour And certainly in his person it might be seen that Warr and Love were not incompatible Indeed he was a lover of all merriments which were the consequents of Peace I meane Poetry Musique Painting and in generall all that belongs to the Muses He writes most elegantly either in matters of serious or matters of gallantry and I am sure he can both describe a Battle very well and also a combate of Love in his heart if he would declare his passion As for his person it is infinitely pleasing though his voyages at Sea hath a little blasted the great beauty of his youth His stature is tall and big his carriage high and noble the Aire of his Aspect smiling and serious both but never was any more sweet nor of a greater Civility The first time one sees him he commonly speaks little but there appears so much judgment in what he speaks as it is easie to see that if hee would he can speak more and speak well Moreover one should never heare him speak upon matters of War among women unlesse he were forced and much lesse of any glorious acts which hee had done for he could not endure that any should commend him But on the other side he was extreamly zealous in commending the valour of others upon all occasions and would be just even unto his greatest Enemies Moreover he was one of the faithfull friends and the most violent Lover that ever was and he was as liberall as he was brave but he was as apt for ambition as love and no lesse jealous of his glory then of his Mistresse Further then this Madam I have no more to say of the Phocean Prince only that he seemed wise in all his undertakings and the impetuosity of his humour never appeared but only in love and warre for out of them he was so composed as it cannot be sayd there was ever turbulency in his heart or disorder in his spirit This Madam was the temper of the Phocean Prince thus he was when he heard that his Country was entring into warrs and he returned to defend it Though he knew very wel that the Pr his Uncle was engaged in an ill cause knew the pretentions of the Prince Thrasibalus to be just yet for all that since it is sometimes Justice to defend those who are unjust therfore he went unto Phoceus there behaved himself as the Prince Thrasibalus hath acquainted the illustrious Cyrus At his return into his Countrey he found that his sister named Onesienta was grown one of the fairest and most a miable persons that could be seen Yet he was not joyed at the sight of her because he found her all in tears by reason of her fears to see her country ruined She would have gone out of the Towne if she could though she had gone and cloystered up her selfe w2ith Menesteus in the Tombe but the Country was not open and there was as much danger in going out of Phoceus as to tarry in it so as she was forced unto patience Also there being a man of high esteem great merit son unto unto one whose name was Sfurius and whose own name was Menedorus who was in love with her I believe it no small reason of her stay in Phoceus However the Town was in a very deplorable condition when the late Prince of Phoceus accompanied with Alexidesmus and many enormious persons who drew the wrath of the Gods upon our Town by leaving it in the night time without acquainting any or leaving a Souldier to defend it You may imagine Madam how the Inhabitants were amazed at such an accident At first they cast their eyes upon the Prince Peranius who would have exhorted them to defend themselves but feare of servitude quashing their spirits he could not prevail so as resolving in a tumultuous manner to quit their Countrey for the preservation of their liberty they intreated this Prince that he would be pleased to be their Generall telling him that as his Predecessors carryed into Asia the Collony which built Phoceus so that he would please to conduct them unto some Country promising him most exact obedience He would once more have perswaded them to defend their walls but it was impossible to perswade them unto a certain death Insomuch as the Prince being forced to yeeld and choosing rather to fly then yeeld without blows as he must have done if he did not yeeld unto them therefore he amuzed the Prince Thrasibalus under colour of a two dayes parley during which time he tackled up all the Ships in the Port which was no small number and in one night loading them with all that was precious in Phoceus even to the very statues of the Temples all the people of this stately Town embarqued But Madam they embarqned in such disorder and confusion that never was a more pittifull sight to be seen then these miserable Inhabitants loadned with their goods and children followed by their wives and servants all forsaking their Town with teares and making the most lamentable cryes that ever was heard Many were so hasty in entring into the Ships as they fell into the Sea where death quitted them from that servitude which they feared For my part I must confesse I never saw the like for in lien of prayers which Pilots use at leaving the Port for a favourable wind nothing but a confused noise of crying Children could be heard women lamenting men cursing their hard fortune and Marriners crying Whole families might be seen striving to get into one ship Friends with Friends Lovers with Lovers desired they might perish together if storms did rise In the mean while the generous Prince who was Generall of this Fleet having assembled most of the women of Quality together he put them into a ship that was to be his owne with the Princesse his Sister choosing three hundred of the best men for Souldiers As for Menedorus he left his Father Sfurius and was with the Prince of Phoceus that he might in this generall misfortune be nigh unto her he loved and mixe his sighes and sorrows with hers At last Madam all being embarqued Anchors weyed and day ready to dawn the Prince of Phoceus gave command to saile towards the
her selfe in a glass to see if what she sayd was true though it was only to set her hood in a little better order After which sitting downe in her place again Thanks be to the Gods sayd she unto Glacidia your wish has not yet taken any effect nor I hope ever will but to prevent any more such wishes know cruel Glacidia that if ever such a misfortune fall upon me as you wish I shall think I only receive it from you for since I never had any sickness but once I think my constitution so sound and healthy as I cannot believe any one under poysoning can hurt me But I beseech you replyed I did that sickness which you had work any terrible alteration in you No replyed Amathilde and laughed but on the contrary it did me the greatest good in the world for since I was then a little of too high a colour it brought me to such a right complexion that the alteration was to my advantage This is a great happiness sayd Bomilcar that one should grow fairer by sickness Yet this soundnesse of Constitution replyed Glacidia which makes her so faire at seventeen will one day make her ugly since it will make her live everlastingly Oh fie Glacidia replyed Amathilde you are the most cruell person in the world to presage such misfortune unto mee why said I and wondered do you call it a misfortune to live long As she was ready to reply the Prince of Phoceus entered and presently after Britomartes and Galathes But since the contest between Glacidia and Amathilde was too pleasant to end so soon and since Glacidia was desirous of some jolly discourse to prevent her four Rivals from a more serious she began it again and looking upon those who newly entered she told them the cause of the Contest and the complaint which Amathilde made against her for presaging that she should live long If I could live long and not alter replyed she but continue always as if I were eighteen I should be contented but to imagine what I shall be when I am old it is beyond my patience to endure However replyed Glacidia I will tell you plainly that you shall never be fairer then you are and every yeare you live will detract something from your cheeks For my part sayd the Prince of Phoceus I thinke it abundance of prudence in any one to prepare themselves for such a mischance and to look for it He had no sooner said so but Bomilcar though he was of the same opinion yet he opposed it as if his design were only to take Amathildes part though indeed it was only to be against the Prince of Phoceus And Galathes and Britomartes out of resentments of jealousie and love did not strive so much for a reason of what they sayd as to be contrary unto the rest Thus the Prince of Phoceus was sure to be against the opinion of Bomilcar of Britomartes and of Galathes Bomilcar on the contrary was sure to contradict the Prince of Phoceus Galathes and Britomartes Galathes he employed all his wit to thwart Bomilcar Britomartes and the Phocean Prince And Britomartes he would be sure not to concur in opinion with the Prince of Phoceus with Galathes nor with Bomilcar Thus though it may seem there could be but two opposite opinions upon one thing yet here there were foure so different that it may be sayd they were all opposite unto each other so as for a while this conversation was the oddest that ever was for no sooner had one of these Rivals given a reason for his opinion but all the other three did earnestly contradict it and they did so thwart one another with their severall Reasons that the dispute was so intangled as they scarce understood each other In so much as Glacidia Amathilde and my seife could not choose but laugh at them and they themselves perceiving it as well as wee could not choose but laugh also However to reduce them unto some order in their disputations Glacidia commanded silence and told them that in her intentions of correcting of Amathilde there needed not so many men talk to her at once and that it was sufficient if after she her selfe had accused her and received her defence they should then speak what they thought good But I beseech you said Amathilde and interrupted them what can you accuse me of I can accuse you of an errour replyed Glacidia in thinking one ought not to live above five or sixe years For in your opinion one begins but to live at fifteen and one must die when beauty begins to fade The truth is answered she that the age which is spent in toys cannot be called happy no more then that age when youth and beauty begins to faile But I beseech you replyed Glacidia let us examine your maximes a little better and consider I conjure you how little you have lived happily hitherto and how little time you have to live for truly according to your Tenents your life did but begin at fifteen and I know you have not lived in full satisfaction for I remember you you did not think your selfe fat enough and feared you should not be full enough But now you are grown unto an admirable stature and it is as p ump and fresh as the lusty Grape is it not true you are in feare of being either too fat or too leane But though you did not yet since you think five and twenty to be old certainly your youth will be quickly gone for if you should deduct from the time you have lived and from the time at which your beauty will decay those days and nights in which you slept ill those days in which you wore some Gowns which were not well made those dayes on which you were not advantageously dressed Those on which you saw no body those on which you saw only such as did not please you it will upon this be found that your life is so short as can scarcely be sayd you have lived one year Though I should grant all this replyed Amathilde yet I should not alter my opinion for since the very best time of ones life will not afford an absolute happiness I cannot consent that old age is a thing desirable For my part I must ingeniously tell you my mind that though I never had much beauty yet I do not wish to live longer then I may be put in the Catalogue of those who have some For when I conceipt that my Glasse which shews me some symptomes of youth in my face will shew also some wrinkles of age if I should live so long Death seems desirable to me And I do profess unto you that when I think upon the difference there is between a Mayd of sixteen and a Wife of sixty I had rather dye at twenty then live to fifty I have already told you replyed Glacidia that the same health which makes vou now so faire will make you live a whole age and
his liberty and his estate with as much familiarity as if they had been married ten years though God knows they had been only three poor dayes together So after Noromata had read it with many a sigh and looked upon the Letter from Adonacris which lay upon the Table Alas said she to her self what a difference is there between that Letter and this I have read yet I must not look into it but do all which this I have read appoints me Upon second thoughts she found some danger in trusting any one to carry it back unto him and thought it more convenient to give it hansomly unto him her self the first time she met him at Eliorantes where she imagined to meet him soonest So that taking up the Letter she put it in her pocket and began to reade that from Argirispes But as she confessed since she read it with a trembling heart for as oft as she found the name of Adonacris she blusht and could not chuse but entertain some thoughts which had something of hatred and jealousie in them and wished that Adonacris loved Argirispes no better then she loved Sitalces yet in a minute after she condemned these thoughts and not shrinking a jot from her virtue and best resolution she went unto a publick sacrifice which was that day offered upon a little hill full of trees which was within the Town For you know Sir we never use to sacrifice but under the great Canopy of Heaven our Fathers believing that men cannot build a Temple worthy of the Gods nor do we use to sacrifice so often as other People it being only once a moneth that these publick acts of Piety are performed So that Noromata going that day unto the sactifice and principally to ask the Gods power to overcome the passion of her soul she came unto the foot of the hill about which was built great magnificent Galleries under which the Ladies used to shade themselves from the heat of the Sun our Religion requiring only the sacrificers and those who assist them to be under the open Heavens Yet some of our Ladies who are of a precise Piety and scrupulous Consciences never go into these Galleries but when it is either excessively hot or excessively cold So that Noromata who was very full of devotion placed her self that day amongst the multitude with many other Ladies of quality Her devotion was not disturbed by the presence of Adonacris for Aritaspes kept him with him but she prayed unto the Gods with so much serenity of soul and tranquility of spirit that she thought she obtained from them a new strength and went home with intentions to go unto Eliorantes as soon as she had dined purposely to find a fit opportunity of giving back the Letter unto Adonacris and accordingly as soon as she did rise from the Table she commanded her Coach to be made ready And to the end Adonacris should not think she had the least design of kindling any flame in his heart she went in a very careless and negligent dress pretending the imprisonment of her husband But though her habit was simple and though she wore onely five or six careless curles of her hair on either side yet since she could not chuse but be handsome she appeared to be as handsome without as with a dress But as she looked her self in a glass to see if she was as negligent in her dress as she would be she did hide some of her curles under her hood thinking them too gallant for one who had a design not to please though she wished in her heart that Adonacris would not hate her But whilest she was consulting with her Mirror to see her self drest carelesly enough she signed remembring how circumspect she had formerly been at Issedon to please Adonacris But at last she left her glass and went into her closset to see out of the observance of her women whether she had the Letter in her pocket and found that the seal had been crushed open in the press during the sacrifice so that she could not restore it unto Adonacris sealed At the first she was extreamly vexed at her self and held it a long while in hand before she would read it But at last considering though she should restore it back unread yet he would think she had read it therefore she resolved to reade it But first she examined her self what reason she had so to do For said she to her self canst thou think Noromata that Adonacris would ever have writ unto thee to tell thee of thy injuries and to give thee causes of hating him Hast thou not seen in his eyes that the same passion which is in thy heart against thy will is also in his Why then shouldest thou reade his Letter wilt thou thy self tempt thy own virtue Thou knowest that thou hast resolved to dye a thousand deaths rather than to do any thing unworthy of thy self and yet thou art ready to reade a Letter from a man whom thou knowest doth love thee and which is strangest from a man whom thou knowest thou dost not hate After this Noromata fell into a deep serious study afterwards resolving to keep close unto her former principles what tenderness soever she found in the Letter she did reade it and found these words ADONACRIS unto NOROMATA Madam DId I not know that I have not the least thought which is unworthy of your vertue I should never assume the boldness to beg a private audience that I may tell you what my heart thinks upon the injustice which you have done me But being sure that I do not entertain one thought that can offend you I conjure you Madam to grant me so much favour as once before I die to tell you what I have suffered and what I do suffer for you And to oblige you not to deny me I do solemnly protest unto you Madam that I love you without any desires or hopes and if you please I will never speak unto you of that passion which is and ever will be in my soul as long as I live Provided you will give me leave onely to put you in memorie of what it was when once you thought it innocent Thus asking you nothing neither for the present nor the future and desiring no other favour but onely to talk with you of a thing that 's past doubtless you would be unjust if you should deny me But Madam If you will deny me I beseech you forbid me your self from telling you that I do love you still more then ever any did or could For Madam I must profess that if you should by your silence make me understand it is not your pleasure I should tell you as much I would not obey you No Madam though your fair eyes as powerfull as they are should tell me as much a thousand times in that mute and rigorous language The truth is Madam it is so difficult a thing not to speak of a malady unto the Person for whose
you ought to be so far from murmuring at what I say that you are much obliged to me But Adonacris after I have confessed that your presence is terrible to me and that it is a matter most hard to see and to hate you I must resolve never to see you again as long as I live but when I cannot prevent it and therefore I must even now begin to conjure you to be gon Let me tell you Madam said he unto her that I cannot go until you have promised not to stifle your light inclination to me and until you promise not to be offended if I do not endeavor my liberty so earnestly as you do But Sir said Noromata if you do not endeavor it people will have great reason to wonder and dive into a cause so extraordinary therefore Adonacris you must endeavour it Ah Madam said he you can never move me to it And since by denying me all you give me a right to deny you something I assure you that in this I cannot do as you desire and if I be released or to say better banished it shall be onely your Act not mine After this Adonacris expressed himself so tenderly unto Noromata as that fair and virtuous person not being able to hear him without much tenderness of heart she began to be angry with her self and commanded Adonacris so peremptorily to retire that he was constrained to obey her But Madam said he as she rose up when will you give me leave to speake unto you I will give you leave to bid me farewell said she unto him the same day you are to depart from Tipanis to Issedon in exchange of Sitalces Oh Madam said he the limits of your virtue are too harshly narrow and you are all cruelty in saying so I know not whether it be cruelty to say so but I am sure my thoughts tell me that I ought to speak as I do Then Madam said he unto her tell me how I should interpret your words interpret them as you please replied she so you will be immediately gone so you will not return hither again and so you will never seek for me any where else I promise you Madam replied he to do you all I am able to obey you but in promising that I promise nothing for I cannot chuse but court all opportunities of seeing you After this Noromata did so expresly command him to go out of her chamber that he did obey her But he obeyed not till after he had looked Noromata in the face a long while without giving one word and till he discovered in her fair eyes that her heart and tongue did not agree and that she banished him with much sorrow But away he went the saddest Lover in the world and left her also in the same condition For the truth is she loved Adonacris more than ever But for all that having a high and virtuous soul she checked the tenderness of her affection and the next morning she claimed promise of Spargapises and solicited Agatherses to send immediately unto Ariantes about the exchange of Adonacris for Sitalces And the amorous Adonacris seeing how earnestly Noromata solicited his grief increased But since Love is a passion which can find expedients for all occasions Adonacris found one out to hinder his own and Sitalces liberty for it was a grand cordiall unto his passioonate soul to be near Noromata though he never saw her but incensed so that to hinder the happiness of Sitalces and to make himself a little less miserable by hindring his liberty he sent secretly unto Issedon and writ unto Ariantes to tell him that Spargapises would address himsef unto him and offer him in exchange for Sitalces but his zeal unto his service would advice not to releas him till the spring when the Army was in the field where he might fight in his quarrell For considering the juncture of affairs he thought that if he remained a prisoner all this winter time he should be able to discover many of the enemies designs much to his advantage He told this Prince further that he hoped to make him some Creatures in Tipanis adding that it concerned him not to release Sitalces untill the end of the winter because if he were presently released he knew that being very rich he would make new levies to recruit the Army of Spargapises Furthermore he told him that he was well able to do him this service because his imprisonment was not harsh but to the end his plot might better take he told him also that Argyrispe and Tyssagette should not have any knowledge of this secret and that his best way would be onely to draw the business out at length without either consenting or infusing Thus the winter being very long in that Countrey Adonacris hoped for much comfort from the length of his imprisonment and indeed his plot did take admirably well as I shall presently tell you Again he writ unto Argyrispes as if he were in some hopes of his speedy release though he had indeed some fears that it would not be so soon as he desired But whilest the man whom Spargapises would send unto Issedon was preparing for her departure whilest Noromata was soliciting from her husbands return and the departure of Adonacris she was extreamly grieved for asking two things so contrary to his own inclinations Whilest Adonacris was doing all he could to hinder his own releasment and Sitalces also Agathirses whose passion was still violently high was busie in making all the world believe that he was not in love with Elibesis to the end the fame of it might reach as far as Issedon and that Elibesis might not think he loved her thinking it a thing unworthy of himself to continue loving one who had preferred her ambition of being a Queen before her affection So that he was extreamly busie in giving instruction unto him who was going unto Issedon least he should contradict his resentments and in order to that he made choice of a man who depended absolutely upon himself But at the same time whilest he was instructing him to speak nothing which might make it believed that he loved Elibesis and that he did not act against Ariantes but onely as a true subject unto Thomiris he ordered him also to enquire very circumspectly in what manner Elibesis behaved her self towards Ariantes However not thinking his revenge upon her to be enough in perswading her that he loved not her unless he made her also beleeve that he loved another he resolved upon a full satisfaction unto his revenge in seeming to be desperately in love with some Lady in Tipanis And there being no beauty of a greater luster then Noromata nor more fit to raise a belief that he was in love he determined to counterfeit addresses to her and all the winter long to court this beauty with continual Feasts and to closet up all his real resentments in his own heart that the least sign of any sorrow should not appear
burned the most obliging of Noromata's Letters and kept only such as were most indifferent Somtimes they concurred in their opinions of things and somtimes again they differed and their excess of vexation made them somtimes jar with one another and indeed Argirispe did almost down-right tell Sitalces that his wife had stoln the heart of her husband from her because he had not merit enough to get hers And Sitalces told Argirispe that Adonacris would never have loved Noromata but because he did not think his own wife amiable Yet since their interest were alike and since they were both wholly bent upon revenge after the heat of fury was a little cooled they agreed to make those two persons miserable who caused their sorrows And at last they began to consider why Ariantes should make such a difficulty in accepting upon the exchange which they had propounded to consider the slight sorrows which Adonacris expressed in his Letters at his not being released and thereupon concluding that it was Adonacris who had writ unto his Sister to retard his releasement and afterwards concluded that Noromata was of the plot and consented unto it and that Adonacris and she did spend whole daies together in laughing and mocking at their sorrows and at all the pains they have taken to procure the exchange Sitalces for his particular did not now doubt of the reason why Agatherses did not solicite Spargapises to make any large offers unto the Prince Ariantes for his exchange for he knew it was his Wife who hindred him and who did not negotiate as he desired her And Argirispe also believed that the reason why her Husband sent her word not to offer any thing for his releasement because he knew an infallible way to procure it that the reason was because he desired not to be at liberty So that both of them being in one minde there was no violent course which they did not both of them resolve upon And after they had well examined what course to take they concluded it best to let Adonacris and Noromata know that they were not ignorant of their affections and to drive the nail so home that this their intimation to them should oblige them to remove those obstacles which hindered their exchange resolving after this to proceed further when they should see their answers So that the second Messenger from Spargapises being ready to depart from Issedon without doing any thing more then at first time they writ by him But Sir I forget to tell you that since this messenger from Agatherses had private orders from his Master to publish at Issedon How it was reported in Tipanis that Agatherses was in love with Noromata to the end Elibesis might know it so it chanced that the poor Sitalces came to the knowledg of it also So that believing then his Wife had two Lovers in one place in lieu of one he was in a most miserable condition But though this was very sad news unto him yet it was not so unto the Prince Ariantes but on the contrary he much rejoyced at it and thinking it to conduce much unto his advantage that Elibesis should know it he made her a Visit purposely to acquaint her with it But Sir his design did not hit so happily as he hoped for Elibesis could not hear that Agatherses had left loving her and that he loved another without abundance of grief and Ariantes told it unto her in such a surprizing manner that he plainly perceived how this new passion of Agatherses did trouble her and not being able to forbear some expressions of his thoughts If I should believe your eyes Madam said he unto her I should think that your loss of Agatherses his heart doth as much trouble you as if I had lost a Battel or as if you had lost a Crown If my eyes have discovered any sorrow unto you replied Elibesis wittily and blusht they have very ill interpreted the thoughts of my heart since I assure you Agatherses hath not any share in them But I must confess that since I do not love Noromata I am not very glad that a man whom heretofore I have communicated so much unto should now go and tattle all our passages unto her Yet Madam replied Ariantes I could never discover the least falling out betwixt you and Noromata all the while she was here 'T is true replied Elibesis a little non-plust there was no visible quarrel between us But Sir added she with a marvellous vivacity of Spirit When two are neer of the same age of the same quality pretend unto the same esteem and the same commendations and when they are neither old nor ugly it is not a question to be asked whether there be any quarrels between two such For though they live together in all civility yet believe it Sir if you look well into their hearts you will find but little friendship there to each other Oh Madam said Ariantes in looking fixedly upon her your cares to perswade me that you are capable of envy makes me suspicious I am fearful to discover that all your affections are upon Agatherses and that you only held me in hand out of ambition Truly Madam I conceive it not just that since I became a Rebel unto Thomiris only out of love to you since I began a War only to Crown you that I should loose your esteem by loosing a Battel and that if I should loose a Crown to loose also all hopes of enjoying you I beseech you Madam since Agatherses does not now love you but loves another let me have the happiness to possess his room Be not so unjust as to love him who loves not you and not to love a Prince who loves you more then himself I have already told you Sir replied she that Agatherses hath no share in that anger which my eyes against my will discovers unto you but to stop all your complaints let me tell you that if you had told me Agatherses had been in love with any other then Noromata you should have seen less disorder in my looks I wish I could believe you Madam replied he but if I be not much mistaken I do rightly understand the language of your eyes and unless you give me some more obliging language then yet you have but will still perswade me that I am not loved I shall give over all matters of War and strive 〈…〉 no longer to crown a person who grieves more for a Slave that hath broke his Ch 〈…〉 then for me who hazards my life to set her upon a Throne Truly Sir replied Elibesis craftily whose ambition revived in her heart you are most strangely earnest But since it is fit I satisfie you I will acquaint you with the true cause of all the sorrow you see in my eyes though I shall hardly do it without a blush for truly Sir since you will needs have me confess the truth I must tell you that I cannot hear of Agatherses his ceasing to
Madam replied he sharply I have almost a mind to endeavour it For to have such a Subject as you I would not think the name of Tyrant odious But I see Madam said he you are not so zealous for the liberty of your Country but that you would hate me if I should set it free Truly said she and laughed provided that in four and twenty hours space you could make a calm in Athens that there should be neither Civil nor Forraign War and that you would make a Law forbidding talking against State matters especially young Gallants and Ladies I should not much care if you had the Government because I am perswaded that there is much more safety and less faction in a Monarchical estate then in a Common-wealth But since this will never come to pass and since you cannot raign without abundance of trouble and division keep your self contented I conjure you and let us rather talk of dancing musique Poetry Painting or any thing then of policy Since you will not talk of what I would have you replied Pisistrates I will not talk of what you desire but I will ask you which you would rather chuse I should be the Tyrant of Athens or yours as your Lover or as your Husband Cleorante is so generous replied Cephise that I can guess what she will answer For my part replied I I cannot so easily guess And yet you easily may replied Cleorante for you may imagine I had rather all the Athenians were Subjects unto Pisistrates then that I were his Slave But Cleorante said Cephise to her Where is your love to your Country But Cephise replied Cleorante Where is the love unto my self No no added she let us not deceive our selves our particular interest is dearer to us then the general and all those Zelots for their Country aim most at their own good Therefore I declare unto you that I had rather a thousand times Pisistrates were the Tyrant of Athens then mine I am so far from being so replied he and looked upon her with abundance of Love as I think nothing more impossible If you take not good heed Madam said Cephise and smiled as she turned towards Cleorante In your forbidding Pisistrates to talk of policy you will perhaps oblige him to talk of love Though I do not much love any should speak unto me of it replied Cleorante and laughed yet so one talk gallantly of that Subject I had rather be obliged to hear it then to hear talk of State matters especially some certain men in the world for there are some whom it concerns not who governs because they have no interest yet do trouble themselves as much as if they had as much right to pretend unto it as Pisistrates hath But Madam replied he Is there any who have no interest in the Government Can servants themselves be happy when their Masters are not I know not said she unto him in the pretiest fret in the world Whether they can or no but I am sure there is no great pleasure in seeing you when you have your politique humour in your head If you will Madam said he unto her I will never speak of it again as long as I live If you can do so replied she and smiled you will do me a great pleasure But Madam replied he I will not ingage my self but upon this condition that I may speak whatsoever I please both of you and of my self Pisistrates had no sooner said so but Cephise and I condemned her for accepting his offer yet for a while she did forbid him for she said What can he say of me and himself If he tell me of my faults he will vex me and if he commend me he will not much divert me for I do not love to be commended to my face Moreover if he commend himself I shall esteem him less and if he discommend himself I shall think it a disguized pride So that not seeing what pleasure I can have in suffering him to speak often both of himself and me it must be concluded that I do hate policy in accepting his Proposition Thus Madam this Treaty ended and Pisistrates ingaged himself to talk no more of State matters unto Cleorante and Cleorante promised Pisistrates to let him say what he pleased both of her and himself yet not to have this liberty but when he was in his humour of policy But Madam since this I assure you he made use of his priviledg in telling her she was the fairest that ever he saw and gave her good cause to believe he loved more then ever any did So that Cleorante having a pretence for letting him speak thus without taking the thing as serious she mannaged the matter so handsomly that when Erophile talked of returning unto Athens Pisistrates had no more to say unto Cleorante but that he was in good earnest when he said he loved her However since Pisistrates stayed at the bathes only because Cleorante was there he offered himself unto Erophile to be her Guard so that we returned with her Cephise and Ariston also returned with us But Madam be pleased to know that an accident happened which strangely perplexed Pisistrates for it chanced unhappily that when we were neer Athens we lost our way and to compleat the disaster night being upon us Erophiles Coach broke and broke just before the Gate of a base Court which seemed to belong unto a house of good capacity So that since we had no course but to desire the assistance of the Master of the house we lighted from our horses and the Ladies came out of the Coach and began to walk whilst Pisistrates went and desired a lodging for all this good company in the great house So that going yn foot to the Gate of this base Court to know whose the house was he knockt and the Gates were opened And they were no sooner open but within four paces of him he saw Philombrotus his Wife Cerinthe Euridamia and Lycurgus who came out to see them having a design to walk into the fields took that way where the Coach was broken You may imagine Madam how Pisistrates was surprized at this sight yet since he was so neer Philombrotus that he had no leisure to consider and seeing there was no altering his design he went on very confidently and saluted him and all the Ladies After which acquainting him with the accident which had befallen Erophiles Coach Philombrotus prevented him in the request he intended to make and offered very nobly to lodg all that good company towardâ— whom he was walking with his So that these two companies meeting you may conceive Madam in what a vexed condition Pisistrates was for besides his loving Cleorante incomparably better then ever he loved either Cerinthe or Euridamia the sight of Lycurgus displeased him because he understood by Ariston that he was deep in love with Cleorante also he had an observant eye over this enterview Truth is he had so much satisfaction as to
such a one is merry as many men do for certainly there are a thousand petty observations to be made which make a great difference in tempers which seem not opposite yet that it is which makes the resemblance true For as all women who have great gray and sweet eyes do not resemble one another so there are a million of persons of whom the same things may also be said which yet do not resemble one another neither in their minds nor faces and therefore as I sayd before it is requisite to have the art of putting a difference between the melanchollick and the serious and between the diverting and the merry when one will draw such a picture as requires neither pensills nor colours I perceive by what you say replyed Onesile that when you have shewed us the picture of Sapho I shall know her better than I do my self Though I have the advantage to know that admirable Lady replyed Cyrus yet I am confident that you will know her better by Democides than I do To spend no time in commending the painter who must draw this fine peice said Spitridates I beseech you oblige him to begin his work Araminta seconding Spitridates Democedes began his relation addressing his speech unto the Queen of Pontus THE HISTORY OF SAPHO SINCE it is very naturall for every one to commend such things in which themselves have interests I think Madam it will plead my excuse if in commending the admirable Sapho I also commend her country because it is my own and if in observing unto you all the advantages of her birth I tell you that she was born in one of the most delectable places in the world The very truth is Madam The Isle of Lesbos is both so pleasant and so fertile as the Egean sea hath none comparable unto it This Isle is bigg enough in some places to make one think it is joyned to the Continent but it is none of those which are so mountanous as they seem to be only a huge masse of rocks in the midst of the sea Nor is it like some of those which having no rising ground in them seem alwayes exposed unto fury of the waves which inviron them But on the contrary the Isle of Lesbos can boast of all the varieties which any great kingdome joyned to the continent can produce For towards the East it hath mountains and great woods and towards the West meadows and pleasant plaines The aire there is pure and healthy the goodness of the ground produceth plenty commerce is great and free and the Continent so neer towards Phrygia that in two houres one may when they please see a forraigne Court Moreover Mytilene the Metropolis is so excellently well built and hath two such goodly ports that strangers admire them and find much delight in staying there This Madam is the place of Sapho's birth The wise Pittacus is the Prince of it and attracts an infinite number of accomplished men He had a son called Tysander a man the most rarely qualified in the world and who did contribute much to the pleasure of the place yet since it is long since he dyed I shall speak no more of him though he was one of Saphoes Adorers Now Madam after I have acquainted you with the place of her birth I will say somthing of her quality she was the daughter of a man of note called Scamandogenes of so noble a race that no family in Mytilene could shew a longer or more unquestionable pedegree Sapho again had the advantage to be the daughter unto a Father and Mother who were persons of great spirits and virtue but she was so unfortunate as to loose them so soon as she received from them only her first inclinations unto goodness for she was but six years of age when they dyed t is true they left her under the tuition of a Cousin who had all requisite qualities for the education of a young person and they left her an estate much below her ment yet enough not to stand in need unto any nay more to appear very decent and handsomely in the woâ—ld Yet she had a brother called Charaxes who was left very rich For Scamandrogines when he dyed divided his Estate very inequally and left much more unto his sonne then his daughter though to say truth he did not deserve it and though she deserved a Crown Indeed Madam I do not thinke all Greece ever had a person so comparable unto Sapho yet I shall not now relate unto you any passages of her infancy for she was so very little while a Child that at twelve years of age she was spoken of as a person whose beauty spirit and judgment were already â—pe and made all the world to wonder only thus much let mee tell you that never was in any found inclinations more noble nor a greater aptnesse to learn any thing she desired to know However though Sapho was charming even from her very Cradle yet I will draw you the picture of her person and mind only as she is at this present to the end you may the better know her Give me leave to tell you then Madam that though you here speak of Sapho as the most charming person of all Greece yet you must not imagine her to be one of those in whom Envâ—e cannot finde a fault But yet you must know that though she be none of those which I speak of yet she is able to inspire greater passions then the greatest beauty of the Earth And thouâ—h she sayes she is very low when she would detract from her selfe yet she is of a reasonable stature but so noble and so well made as possibly can be desired As for her Complexion it is none of the highest Lustre yet so well as none can say but that she is very faire But her eyes are so unexpressably lovely so fine so sweet so quâ—ck so amorous and so sprightly as the lustre of them strikes to the very heart of those she looks upon The truth is they sparkle like fire and yet have such a passionate sweetnesse as shews that Vivacity and Languer are not things incompatible in the eyes of Sapho That which made their greatest lustre was that there never was a greater opposition then was between the black and white of her eyes and yet this great opposition did not cause any harshnesse to appeare in them but there was such an amorous kind of spirit which did sweeten them in such a charming manner as I do not believe there was ever any person whose looks were more dreadfull Moreover she had many things which are seldome found together For her physiognomic was both subtle and modest and yet she had a kind of gâ—andure and haughtinesse in her Garbe and Aire Her face was ovall her mouth little and redd an â—her hands so admirable as if they were made to take hearts oâ— if you knew how dearly she loved the Muses you would say they were worthy to gather
knew he never thought I was there I had formerly observed many passages which induced me to believe that he was in Love with Sapho and therefore I knew he thought more of her then me And to twitt him with it I believe said I unto him that since you look so earnestly towards Sicily you are thinking of that faire foole whom you loved there Fie cruell friend said he unto me mock not at my misery it is enough you have been the cause of it without insulting upon a wrerched man who hath changed his mind Why said I unto him do you not think it better to love a faire foole then a faire wise One No no Democedes said he unto m I think it so strange that I should ever love a witlesse woman that I am perswaded I was out of my own wits or never had any untill I came from Sicily But deare friend added he before I discover the secrets of my soule unto you tell me truly how you stand affected unto the faire Sapho for if you be my Rivall you are not fit to be my Confident Doubtlesse I am a very great admirer of Sapho replyed I but I never durst be her Lover Then friend I am bolder then you replyed he for I do love that divine Lady in so high a manner as I thinke I shall loose my wits When I first carried you thither replyed I and smiled you did not believe you could ever fall in love with any learned woman Ah Democedes said he unto me I did not think she had learned the Art of charming hearts but alas was mistaken and I find you had good reason to say that every one must be miserable before happy in Love For such is the state I am in that I find more delight in only meeting the eyes of Sapho then I did in being loved by my fair fool I found no difficulty in obtaining her esteem and I wonder now that I did not scorn her She looked upon me indeed very favourably and looked upon me with eyes very faire but they signified so little and understood my mind so uery ill that I wonder how I came to think her faire The truth is Democedes I am now very far from loving a faire â—ool since I love the fair Sapho but alas the grand difficulty is to tell her as much and to tell her that I would be loved since friend you have all accomplishments requisite to merit her esteem replyed I how know you but you may winn her affection I have been consulting with her eyes above these eight daies replyed he and endeavoured to diviue my destiny and whether I am so much in her favour as to discover my love unto her but to tell you truly I know not what to think somtimes me thinks her eyes do give me some kind of far fetch hopes and somtimes again they bid me despair but however all her looks augments my love my heart trembles at every glance of her eye which inspires me with such kind of I know not what delights as I cannot express them when I am with her I can do nothing else but look upon her wonder not therefore at my musing my dear Democedes for my soul is so wholy taken up with this divine Lady that though I speak yet I cannot think of any thing but her I can think of nothing but what heavenly delight it would be to be beloved by such an Angell as she what an honour it would be to infuse some weakness into so great a wit as that of the most admirable Sapho I am thinking of all that I can san say unto her and when I am alone by my self yet I have long conference with her The truth is I do find the fair Sapho to be very Civill Sweet and obliging to me but for all that she trusts me with no secret and I could never oblige her to shew me any of her verses This most admirable Lady is so modest replyed I that her denyall need be no wonder unto you for you have not yet been so long acquainted as to come unto the honour of such a singular priviledge But however you have this advantage said I unto him that unto this hour she never suspected you of ever loving any though she knows you have a very passionate soul After this Madam we retyred taking no notice whilst we talked that the moon was in an Ecclips but in our retiring we met Themistogenes with five or six men learned in Astrology whom he was carrying unto Damophile purposely to argue with them in her presence upon this Ecclips And we understood afterwards that they spent almost all the night at her house in talking of the earths interposition between the Sun and the Moon and many other things of that nature so that all the noble company who used to meet at Saphoes did much divert themselves at this adventure for since Cynegere with whom Sapho dwelt did very well know her wisdome and discretion she permitted every one to go into her chamber though Cynegire was not present so that Amithone Erinne Athys Cydnon Nicanor Phaon Alces and I being all with Sapho we made the conversation very pleasant by having up all the follies which were in agitation at Damophiles and though Sapho did not affect any Rallary in her presence yet she did not contradict this but on the contrary was the first which twitted Damophiles to the end it might the better be known how great the difference was between them so as making a very pleasant description of a confused company she did extreamly divert all her own society However said Cydnon we get this advantage from the foolish conversation of Damophile that it serves to render ours more diverting by the excellent discription which Sapho made of it I wish she would also describe unto us replyed Phaon all other kind of fantasticall conversations which are to be found in the world Indeed said Athys it would be very pleasant if she would be pleased to take so much pains as to observe all their impertinencies You put me upon a hard imployment replyed Sapho it would be much better and shorter if every one in particular would describe that conversation which hath most wearied them For my part said Erinne I am very glad of that for I was yesterday in a company which I thought would have talked me to death for I was in the midst of ten or twelve women who talked everlastingly but of no other subject than triviall domestique business the fault of their servants the good qualities of their children and there was one woman amongst the rest who spent an hour in repeating sillable after sillable the first pratling of her son who was three years of age judge I beseech you what a fine time I had of it I assure you replyed Nicanor that I spent my time no better than you did for I was much against my will engaged amongst a troop of women who spent a whole
with her However this faire one parted not from him without some testimonies of her anger for as they were parting she asked him in what pleasant company he would passe away the evening as for us added she and pointed unto Cynegire we shall see none this day I shall passe it away replyed he only with Democrates and talk only with him of my joyes for your Returne you had done much better replyed she if you had talked with him before of your sorrows for my absence But afterwards taking Coach Phaon presented his hand to help her so respectively and his eyes had such amorous looks as Sapho could not choose but repent of her accusation and indeed the very truth is it is impossible that any should be more extreamly in love then Phaon though he could not be very sensible of such sorrows as absence caused but on the contrary did comfort himself with the pleasure of one thing for the losse of another However this chiding of Saphoes made him passe away that night in solitude and indeed he was so glad that he had made his peace with her as hee needed no other delights Not that she did say she would pardon him but they used to understand one another so well without speaking that looks betwixt them were as good as words And though Sapho had chidden Phaon very much yet he saw by her eyes that he was still in her heart as he was wont to be And indeed going betimes the next morning unto her he concluded his Peace and they were an hower together with all the joyes which the reconciliation of fallen out Lovers ever causeth But at last their pleasure was interrupted by Alces who now loving Sapho no lesse then the faire Athys was very diligent in waiting upon her T is true his Mistresse came presently after but you may be sure it was Jealousie more then love which caused her visit and though she knew Sapho did not love Alces yet she could not choose but be jealous Nicanor also was none of the last in paying his devotions to Sapho And Amithone Erinne and Cydnon comming in also the Assembly swelled into their usuall number At the first Athys Amythone and Erinne began to talk of their Journey and their returne which was no pleasing story unto Phaon And they had harped much more upon that string if Phylire had not come in and brought with her a stranger of a very handsome presence whom she presented unto Sapho and who was Brother unto that valiant Prisoner called Moriontes whom the invincible Cyrus had saved from the flames in the wood after he had vanquished him But Madam this man seemed so unlike a stranger that none questioned but that he was oâ— some of the most Civilized Townes in Greece and did not suspect him to be a Scythian yet his complexion and haire did not sute with the mode of Greece for both were very white and he very faire but that rule being not generall every one notwithstanding thought him a Grecian for he had not only the Aire and Garbe of a Greek but also he spoke the Language very elegantly his person was very pleasing his stature was not very tall but noble and gracefull his action was free and jolly The features of his face were agreeable and lovely his eyes a little languishing and he had the department of a man of a high quality Moreover his wit was both sharp and discreet and his Aire both gallant and sprightly his Conception of things and his expressions of them was neat And indeed this illustrious Scythian is a man as amiable and of as admirable parts as any man in the World Sapho having alwayes a particular Genius to honour all strangers who came to visit her she received him with that gallant civility which was naturall unto her and to testifie how glad she was to see him she complained against all the company for not telling her that a stranger of such excellent accomplishments was in Mytelene It was but yesterday Madam replyed Phylire that a Brother of mine who hath been abroad in travells and now returned did bring him unto me Since he hath not been in a condition to present himselfe unto you because he hath been a little sick and since he stood in need of me to present him unto you when who was recovered he desired it might be by my means that Clyrantes might know that admirable Lady of whom he hath heard talk of with so much esteem throughout all the Grecian Cities where he hath travelled Did I affect Glory more then my own satisfaction replyed Sapho doubtlesse I should be very sory to see a man who questionlesse will esteem me more before he is acquainted with me then afterwards But since I value not an ill gotten esteem I will run the hazards of losing his and see if I can purchase some part of his friendship in lieu of it To destroy that esteem I have of you Madam replyed this welcome stranger and smiled is but an ill way to get my friendship But Madam you are so assured to keep my esteem and purchase my friendship that you care not what you say And though you have yet spoken but little yet that little is so well as I am most confident that you speak alwayes so Wave your commendations of me Sir replyed Sapho very gallantly until you find some reason for it And therefore I beseech you favour me so farre as not to flatter me until you shall find me worthy to be flattered by so well accomplished a man as your self you are very froward Madam replyed Clyrantes in giving that glorious attribute so suddenly upon a Scythian I have such a Reputation of knowing the merits of men at the first replyed she that a friend of mine sometimes saies that I use to divine them and therefore Sir do not suspect me of being too hasty in giving my judgment since it is a peculiar Talent which I have never to be mistaken in the choice of those whom I think worthy of my commendations After thâ—s all the company having part in this discourse it was very pleasing And since Sapho could not choose but wonder at the politnesse of Clyrantes she asked him how it was possible the politnesse of the Scythians should not be as much fam'd as of the Grecians if they were all such as he was My Country Madam replyed he is indeed so neare Scythia that some do take us and Scythians to be al one However I am not only a Scythian but originally a Sauromate which is a Country something more rude for the customs and manners of the Sauromates were savage yet true it is that though I am a Sauromate yet I am of a Country which hath no tincture of their customes And in distinction from the other we are called the new Sauromates yet we hold no commerce with them for it being our policie to hold no correspondency with any Neighbours least strange customs should
was this that if she would needs know them and command me peremptorily to tell them I should have much ado to disobey her Yet replyed one of Dorinices friends vvho alvvays told her every thing I do not think that ought to be for if I did I vvould never tell any thing unto my friends For my part said the Lady vvhom I loved I think he is a perfidious Lover vvho reveals the secrets of his Friend unto his Mistress and that she is an unvvorthy Mistress vvho shall desire it For my particular replyed a friend of Dorinices vvhose name vvas Nirtile unto vvhom she made signe to contradict that Lady vvhom I loved I do not understand your meaning but I am sure that the greater svvetnesse of love is the absolute empire of a Lovers heart and if I had one who should conceale any thing from me which I desired to know I would never look upon him again for he did not love me if he did not blindly obey me right or wrong and I would not only have a Lover tell the secrets of his friends but I would also have him commit an unjust act if I should command him he may as well do the last replyed a friend of Dorinices whose name was Oxaris as reveale the secrets of his friends which of all things in the world ought most inviolably to be kept and for my part who does not think that Justice and generosity are incompatible with love I cannot think it allowable to be perfidious but am so much against it that had I a Mistresse who vvould exact this testimony of my love I should no longer esteem her and consequently be no longer her Lover and so should never tell her my friends secrets Did you knovv vvhat Love vvere replyed I you vvould not have said so For though a Mistress should command unjust things yet for all that one cannot leave loving her for it for if love vvere a thing voluntary it vvould of necessity follovv that all the vvorld vvould love none but admirable persons such as there is not perhaps three in a vvhole Kingdome and in a vvhole age and there vvould be such a croud about them that there vvould be no approaching Yet experience shevvs us every day that there are men of great vvits parts and spirits vvho fall in love vvith persons that have faults and faults vvhich they knovv of and vvhich yet vvill not cure their passions I knovv very vvel replyed Oxaris sharply that one may find his Mistress a little pale or a little svvarthy complexioned and yet not leave loving her and one may knovv that there is some unequality in her humour and some levity in her spirit and yet not change yet I cannot understand how one should continue loving a woman without honesty and vertue And I dare boldly affirm that the person who reveals the secrets of his friends is as great an offender against the rules of vertue and honesty as any Traytor is and there is nothing in the world more odious then to betray those who trust them Were I to judg only of the thing it selfe replyed Nyrtile I should condemn it But however I must needs affirm that if a man be in love and will not tell his Mistresse all he knows iâ— she desire it he does but love by halfes for he is not so much obliged in point of honour to conceale the secrets of his friends as he is in point of love to tell his Mistresse what she desires to know For he is not to examine whether her desires be just or no but to give her a testimony of his love he is to obey her blindly since there is no greater than that of obedience and without obedience there is no love nor delight in loving For my part replyed my former Mistresse I know not how to comprehend this and for my part replyed Oxaris I see no reason in it Fer I beseech you said he unto Dorinice though he did not dispute the matter with her may there not be many just causes of ceasing to love Doubtlesse there may replyed she if so replyed he why is it more just that jealousie should make love dye then when you discover your Mistress is not truly vertuous as she is not if shee would have you perfidious is there not much more reason to break off with her for that then because she did not cast an eye a little favourably upon a Rivall should I look upon you as a Phylosopher you have reason for what you say answers Nirtile but when I look upon you as a Lover I cannot think you ought to deny your Mistresse any thing Truth is iâ— you deny her any thing that is unjust you are to be looked upon as a wise man whose passions are all in his own command But for all that the Lady who required the injustice from you will charge you with being a bad Lover For though she be in the wrong to desire any thing that in unreasonable however you have no reason to deny her and you can expect nothing unlesse whilst your friends do say you are discreet your Mistresse will say you know not how to love The best of it is replyed I not to grieve the Lady too much with whom I had former correspondency There are but few Ladies who are so unjust or who will trouble themselves with knowing a thousand trifles which they have nothing to do withall For my part replyed Dorinice very maliciously were I in the humour of having a Lover my chief delight would be in making him relate all passages of his past love As for the secrets of his friends I would not desire to know them but as for trifles of gallantry which are such fond follies when they are past and seem always so to them who have no interest in them I should take the greatest pleasure in the world in hearing them exactly related unto me and if any reason induce me to admit of a Lover I think it will be in hopes of this delight in which I fancy such great diversion And if I do make choise of a Lover it shall be of such a one who hath loved many others for though they say first passions are most violent yet I would not be his first Mistresse lest I should loose the pleasures which I mentioned before If Madam the knowledg of many secrets do so much delight one replyed I then if you should admit of a Lover who were of Nirtiles humour he would have a fine time of it if you should reveale all the secrets of your friends unto him You I say who has such a multitude of them that they can hardly be numbred I cannot tell whether you jeer me in this or no replyed she and smiled but I conceive the greatest commendations that can be given me is that I have so much wit as to get and keep so many friends But Madam said I unto her to turn the discourse do you think it any honour in
admitting so many of them and do you believe that under colour of this gallant kind of friendship you ought to have a thousand at a time if so I must needs confesse that I think it a great conveniency for a Lover to have many Mistresses as for a Lady to have many Gallants I am so fully perswaded replyed Dorinice that one may have as many friends as they will that I look upon my friendship as a thing infinite and when I have purchased any new friend and payd him my friendship for it after the rate that I think he esteems me yet I find my selfe as rich within a quarter of an hour after as if I had given him nothing for it Then I perceive said I unto her that it is not according to merit that you grant your affection No replyed she merit is the measure of my esteem and friendship the measure of my friendship and thus I assure you I use to distribute my selfe very equally For my particular replyed I I cannot conceive that one can much love such a number of men nor know how any man can content himself with the hundred part of a heart for if I had not a whole one I should never think my selfe happy Then you shall never have one replyed Dorinice and smiled for I will never give all mine unto one man After which she rising up and I going with her I complained against her for her malice and afterwards in a low voyce used all my Rhethorick to perswade her unto a permission of my passion But all to no purpose and all my arguments and perswasions could obtaine no more from her then the first of her friends so as seeing no other remedy I would try if I could content my selfe with that rank she gave me in her heart And indeed I must needs say that Dorinice was as good as her promise unto me and I had no cause to think that she was more favourable unto any friend than unto me For she spake to me with much confidence she was always very glad to see me she discoursed with delight and she would sincerely give mee her opinion in any thing we talked of Moreover she did interest her selfe in my fortune if I were sicke she would send constantly to see how I did if by chance I were two dayes from her she would have me tell her what I had been doing She took my part always ever against her dearest friends she would highly commend me she would have all her acquaintance esteem me and was every way very obliging So as it may be said that I enjoyed all the sweets and pleasures of a most sollid tender and gallant friendship Yet all this while I was nothing contented and the most favourable looks of Dorinice made me more angry then pleased for though I never saw her eyes incensed yet I could never see them as I desired The truth is she looked upon me as people use to look upon all indifferent objects which are in their sight her eyes were all tranquility and I could never see in them the least languishing glance which is the true character of Love I never saw them troubled transported or passionate they had no language of Love in them nor did they understand me when mine spoke in that dialect So as I could never think my self happy Moreover though she was alwaies gladder when I talked with her than any other of her friends yet I could never perceive that my conversation made any deepe impression for if any who had any private business came unto her she would leave me to talk with him and leave me without any Regret also be at severall diversions wherein I had no share without any inquietudes and all the priviledge I had by being her first friend was that she would somtimes be a little freer with me than with others and knowing that I did love her though I did not often tell her so she used all waies imaginable to make me beleive that her Amity would never be any other than Amity and indeed she did so well perswade me of it that I thought my self the most miserable man alive So as not being able to contain my self any longer I fell into a continuall course of complaints and complained so much that I was troublesome unto her And the very truth is my complaints were excusable for there is nothing upon Earth more intollerable then to be extreamly in Love with one who retturns only friendship And there is no comparison to be made between that misery and to love without being loved again For in this case one is perpetually neer a happiness and never is like to enjoy it and all services are to no end further than what one already knows which can never give any content for it is a most undoubted truth that the most fervent friendship in the world is not comparable to the lowest degree of Love Yet Dorinice would needs one day perswade me that my complaints were unjust for said she were my affection to you of another nature than it is I should do less for you then I do I should think Madam said I unto her that in doing less you did more and I am so confident of what I say that I should think my self more happy if I could see you sometimes turn away your fair eyes for fear of meeting mine than to see them so full of tranquility as they are and to shew you how little my Love is satisfied with your friendship I do declare unto you Madam that your indifferency would be much less intollerable This is so very fantasticall replied she that I almost think you are out of your wits were you in love Madam but one quarter of an hour replyed I you would quickly finde that the most miserable condition of a Lover is to be perswaded that he must never be loved so that Madam beignning to think that it is is an easier step from indifferency unto Love than that a long continued friendship should become that passion you need not wonder I should think my self the most miserable of men in that I see all my Love all my Cares and all my Services can never alter the nature of your affection to me And yet Madam me thinks it is so easie a matter for you to make me happy that I know no reason why you do not For I am contented you should love me less than you do so you will but love me in another manner and otherwise it is impossible I should ever be satisfied for Love is never satisfied but with Love again and all your tender gallant and solid friendship is not comparable to the lowest degree of that passion and therefore I beseech you judge whether it be likely to satisfie the most violent passion that ever was For all this replied Dorinice I must tell you again that if I should love in that manner as you mean you would be less happy thâ—n you are for now I