the Rampire I had the honour to be the nearest to him in this action where he did so many noble exploits that Fortune must have been as unjust as they say she is unconstant had she refus'd him this Victory No sooner had our Army perceiv'd how easy a passage my Prince had made than above 6000 of them enter'd by that way and without shedding any more Bloud rendred themselves absolute Masters of the City but whilst Spartacus was taking order to preserve the Salapians as much as in such an occasion was possible and that he had dispers'd many of his Officers and I with them to do the like as I was going through one of the fairest streets I saw a great confluence of Soldiers about a House whose Structure sufficently spoke the magnificence of the owner and being come thither I inquir'd what was the cause of it one of the Officers soon inform'd me that a company of young Gentlemen onely considerable for their resolutions had made so generous a defence and so slighted all Quarter that they were necessitated to make use of numbers to suppress them and that now at last they had kill'd all the Defendants but one who having gain'd a narrow Stair-case was yet making of it good with so much courage that he deplor'd the destroying as much as the effects of it and that he understood this generous man's name was Perolla You may easily imagine the hearing of that name gave me an unexpressible desire to save the Master of it and having conjur'd the Officer to run and acquaint Spartacus with it I thrust my self into the croud and by many actions which shew'd my concernment and haste commanded them in Spartacus's name to forbear any further attempt against so generous an Enemy This Order found a ready obedience as well out of the knowledge they had of the affection my dear Master honor'd me with as out of a desire to preserve Perolla who they now fought against rather to shew that an Army might kill him than out of any design they had to doe so At last by the help of our Officers I came to the place where the gallant Perolla stood who appear'd to me to be less weary with conquering than our Soldiers were with assaulting him and spight of that Bloud which endeavour'd to disfigure his Face I perceiv'd a Countenance so Spiritual and so Lovely together that I knew not which most to admire but my wonder was quickly rais'd to a higher pitch by the sight of a Lady who possest the several Beauties of shape stature complexion and features in so inaccessional a degree that an affection for her could not so properly be called Passion as Reason The contemplation of so many perfections had almost made me forget the design I was come for which fault I soon repair'd by addressing my self to the generous Perolla and telling him The great Spartacus Sir who cherishes Virtue whereever it is plac'd has sent me hither to preserve so great a possessor of it as you are for he believes your Gallantry is a stronger obligation on him to serve you than your imploying of it against him is to make him your Enemy Since reply'd Perolla that is your Generals Principle the fair Izadora here is a worthy object to employ that generosity on which I believe you cannot doubt when I assure you that her exterior parts are as far short of the Beauties of her Mind as the Passion I pay her is unworthy the Object for her sake I can beg though not for my own and will acknowledge you civility as great as your courages if you will promise me she shall receive an usage as proportionate to her merit as you can possibly pay her this engagement will be more obliging farr than my own safety and make that death which my sad fate now renders necessary as full of happiness as such a deprivation is capable of As I was about to answer him I was hindered by a great noise which turning about to discover the cause of I perceiv'd it was my Prince who with incredible haste was breaking through the Croud and came time enough to see the perfect Izadora fling her self at her Lovers feet and tell him Alas Perolla can you talk of happiness in death and yet think of leaving me behind you did you ever find any felicity in separation that you beg it even of your very Enemies or have you so low an opinion of my passion as to think I can survive you Ah Madam said Perolla interrupting and putting himself in her posture if you will lessen my trouble give me rather marks of your disdain than of your love since the vastness of that score now creates my sufferings which are so great they cannot be increast but by new additions of your favour Judge then if it be not time to dye when my highest blessing that of your Affection proves my torment Then reply'd Izadora my condition will as much require death as yours for 't is as impossible for me not to augment your sufferings whilst I live as 't is to survive you which since my sorrow will not permit let my Love anticipate the effects of it this will be more proportionate to my vows and cut off the tortures of a lingring life so Death the enemy to other passions may prove the friend of ours and conferr that union on us in the other life which our Fates and cruel Parents have deny'd us in this Izadora said Perolla flatter not my hopes with an union in the other World the gods which held me unworthy of you here will have much more cause to continue that belief when instead of your mortality they shall cloath you with the reward of Virtue alas then you will be fitter for their adoration than mine Can there be she reply'd a felicity in the other World for Izadora if she be divided from Perolla do not by such suggestions fright me into a hatred of Elizium which if what you say be true will lose its quality and fancy not the gods unjust onely to make us miserable no Perolla we have walkt too exactly in the paths of Virtue to fear Death and as an argument of this truth that minute which separates your Soul from the fair Mansion it now inhabits shall give mine freedom for to dye is a Blessing or a Curse if the first I will not be deny'd it too if the latter I hope 't will hinder your despair when you know I will involve my self in it This noble dispute had continu'd longer had I not told Perolla that Spartacus was come who indeed was so ravished with the Virtue of these Lovers that his admiration made many who knew him not suspect that his suspense proceeded from his being as absolutely vanquisht by the Eies of one of his Enemies as his Sword had been victorious over all the rest But Parthâ—nissa was too deeply fixt to be defac'd and her Beauty had got so absoluâ—e an Empire over
Loyalty without being forced unto it And least any disorder might happen in the Army by my absence I was going thither when alas I met my poor Brother mortally wounded carrying by to his Lodging so sad an object soon clouded all my joy and made me return with him to know what I might expect of his fate The ablest Chirurgeons being sent for searched his wounds and found they were incurable for their Art But the generous Amidor perceiving by their looks our fears seem'd to be as full of satisfaction as we were really the contrary and having conjur'd the Chirugeons to deal clearly with him whether there were any likelyhood of recovery he receiv'd from them a sad Negative Then turning towards Lindesia who abandon'd her self to an excessive Grief he begg'd her not to be more afflicted for his death than he was for to dye That it being a Tribute humane nature was to pay he was happy that it was in so good and glorious a Cause Then desiring all those that were in the room to leave it except Altezeera who was come to visit him and I he addrest himself to us with an accent capable to inspire pity into a fury and told us Since my own weakness as well as the Chirurgeons judgement assure me I must dye I have begg'd this opportunity to reveal a secret to you both which no torment should have made me disclose and which I am confident my Actions never did Know then to silence your sorrow that these mortal wounds are the effects of my desire and not my ill fortune for it was necessary for your quiet as well as mine that I should receive them since I could not resist the inevitable charms of Altezeera's Beauty start not Artavasdes for by that time I have finisht my discourse you shall have more cause to pity than condemn me the highest Powers shall bear me witness how much I did resist this criminal passion how it forc't not found an admittance and when 't was gotten in how I purchast its silence by my torments yet at last finding it would be conqueror I resolv'd to end my pain by death which I sought so many several ways that it must have been unjust had I not found it out You weep fair Princess is it for sorrow that by dying I shall be so soon freed from those sufferings my Crime deserves the compassionate Altezeera who all this while did melt away in Tears perceiving he was silent in expectation of her Answer told him alas Amidor what actions have I ever committed that you should judge me guilty of so high a cruelty 'T were more charitable as well as just to attribute these demonstrations of my grief unto my pity for your condition which so abundantly deserves it Why then Madam reply'd Amidor you can pity me after the knowledge of my fault Great gods to what misery do you reduce me thus to convert that which should be my greatest joy into my greatest torment and thereby render any satisfaction at my death as impossible as I do ill deserve it since not to receive her pardon makes my death as full of horrors as the cause of it is of Beauties and to obtain it makes my crime as great as the perfection against which I have committed it Ah Madam dry up those precious drops or else shed them to wash away my guilt for certainly they are powerful enough to perform whatsoever you employ them for And you my dear Brother addressing himself to me can you have so much goodness to forgive your Rival when 't was not in his power to avoid that fatal Name Look upon those bright Eyes which certainly will at the same time that they acquaint you with my fault acquaint you with the necessity of it and obtain your pardon for it You that know so well their influence must withal rather pity than condemn my submission to it But I find death seizing on me farewel happy Lovers may Joyes such as Raptures never reacht wait on your Flames may every thing contribute to make you as contented as I shall dye having obtained your forgiveness which I beg with Tears and if they find you inexorable I will with Bloud Alas Amidor I cry'd out would it were as absolutely in my Power to recover as 't is in my Will to forgive thee Ah said Amidor talk not of recovery I would rather be my own Executioner than by living interrupt so pure a Passion once again farewel my summons is so short I shall have onely time to beg you never to think upon Amidor cloath'd in his ambitious desires of possessing so Divine a Beauty nor with his unavoidable infidelity to his Friend and Brother But when you consider him let it be in his pennance for his crimes and let that voluntary death he has so resolutely expos'd himself unto obtain that mercy for him which he implores with his last breath and so indeed it was for having with one hand taken the Princesses and kist it and with the other embrac'd me his fair Soul fled away and left its noble dwelling in our Arms. Who can repeat the sad words so great a loss extorted from us which really we found of such a quality that we despair'd to find a cure even from time The King ' and all those that were not enemies to vertue did manifest a resembling sorrow for his Youth was as promising as it was unfortunate Here said Artabanes to Callimachus Artavasdes could not resfrain shedding some Tears and perceiving I took notice of it he begg'd my Pardon for so just an effeminacy and then hasten'd to a conclusion in these words Phanasder who did now without reserve embrace the Kings interest was so prevalent with the revolted Towns that Armauria Artemita and Tygranocerta it self came upon their knees and yielded up their Keys and Lives to the Kings Mercy and in a word all the upper Armenia from Niphates did the like But in the lower Armenia Zenaxtus a Brother of Celindus's kept entire the Provinces of Aerethica and Horzen and the Towns of Satala and Nicapolis who for all Artabazus threatenings and promises would not lay down Arms but was preparing a vast Army to revenge his Brothers death and to act his Brothers ambition which to effect he sent to Arsaces to invade the higher Armenia and assur'd him of a considerable Party appearing for him as soon as he should pass the River Tygris and offer'd him all the Upper Armenia for his share so that he might have the Lower for his own which nevertheless he would do homage for You know my dear friend that this overture was so listened unto by your King that instantly he rais'd that great Army which defeated ours more by our valour than by those that follow'd you Artabazus had some intelligence of Arsaces intentions and to prevent them thought fit to raise an Army and carry the War into your Countrey to keep his own quiet at least the Upper part of Armenia
Hannibal intended to enter at and though by his authority he might have hinder'd the Soldiers march yet he bore so great a respect to Blacius that he declin'd it and rather elected to hazard the ruine of Salapia by not stopping them than prevent it by intrenching on the seeming right my Father had who he was inform'd was at his own house where he lighted and coming in found him with some of his intimate friends and his unfortunate Daughter discoursing what might be the subject of Marcellus design But O gods what was my astonishment at the sight of Perolla truly it was so transcending that I observ'd neither Blacius's nor his but the latter being a little supprest he addrest himself to my Father acquainted him with the fatal news the cause of his coming and then presented him his Commission which whilst Blacius was viewing Perolla and I were doing the like to each other for we durst not express our thoughts but by our Eyes yet that silent language was as significant and legible as Perolla's Commission which Blacius had no sooner read than he whose it was told him Sir the Consul shall bear me witness that I declin'd this Authority when 't was offer'd me and all Salapia shall do the like now I have receiv'd it and if I expect to derive any advantage from it 't is only to shew you that I esteem it a greater justice to obey than command you thereupon without staying for Blacius's answer in all our sights he tore his Commission in pieces I cannot tell you how great an influence this generosity had on all of us But my Father who a good while ballanc'd betwixt his natural aversion and present cause for suppressing it told Perolla your generosity is not only greater than I could expect but than I could desire from an Enemy and you had more obliged me in using your Authority than in thus declining it but though you esteem it just that I should command in my own Government yet since the Consul does not I am rather inclined to conform my self to his opinion than yours Alas Sir Perolla reply'd must I be still so miserable as to bear a Name which I have no title to and which I detest and will you attribute that to your place which I pay to you No no Sir all the World shall be Salapia to me and the Senate cannot give you so absolute a power over me as my inclination does You are more civil to me said Blacius than the Consul is and I think 't is my Fate to be obliged where I desire it not and to be injured where I expect the contrary but since you are resolved not to Command in Chief I will imitate your example let us therefore divide our selves and the Garrison and each of us take his half of Salapia to defend I had rather Perolla reply'd be near your Person that you might see with how little fear to preserve your life I will expose mine own which I take the gods to witness is not dearer to me upon any score than out of a belief that it may be serviceable to you To convince you said Blacius that the tearing of your Commission has not taken away its power you shall as an effect of it chuse where and how you will fight but if my honor were not now engaged to defend this place the Romans should know that the same instant in which they thought me unfit to command Salapia that I esteemed my self so to live in it If the Romans answered Perolla are so unjust to themselves and you as to think you unworthy to govern what you so generously have conquered I shall think them so of my service and will embrace your interest with so just a passion that if the Senate send any to usurp upon your Valour 's Conquest I will oppose every Roman as if he were an Hannibal and either preserve you in your Command or not live to see you out of it Come said Blacius without seeming to hear this last civility let us go and make Hannibal know that at Salapia he shall have as little progress in glory as in love Blacius had no sooner said these words than he went away and Perolla who durst not but accompany him was necessitated to signify his discontent for not daring to speak to me by a deep sigh which was the language too I exprest mine in but as soon as my Father was informed that all the Garrison was without the Samnite Gate and that though Perolla had met them yet he had so dangerously declined making use of his authority he turned about to a familiar friend of his and told him softly I fear Pacuvius Son will force me to be an enemy to Virtue if I prove any longer so to him I need not tell you all the preparatives that were made to receive Hannibal who about an hour before day came to the Brutian Gate which was Blacius and Perolla's Post where the Forlorn-Hope of his Army consisting of six hundred Runnagate Romans the better to disguise the business were admitted in t the Gate and some three hundred Carthaginian Horse after them who were all no sooner enter'd than the Percullis was let down and my Father with Perolla breaking out of those Houses and Courts they had lodg'd themselves in gave the Enemy so brisk and unexpected a charge that above half of them were cut in pieces before the residue could put themselves in a posture to dispute their own lives or revenge their companions deaths I will not amuse my self to tell you the particulars of this action 't is sufficient you know that Crastinus who commanded the revolted Romans knew his crime was uncapable of mercy and therefore resolved to render his death famous enough to excuse the faults of his life This made him conjure his Companions so generously to dispute the business as to make the Salapians never mention their defeat but in as many Tears as if they themselves had dy'd what they were born This Traitor acted without his Companions what he desired of them by killing with his own hand five of the most considerable Salapians and then by assaulting Blacius where Fortune seconding Crastinus despair he had certainly ended my Fathers life had not Perolla preserved it by putting a period to that Traitors but yet Blacius received so deep a wound that fainting he was carried by Perolla and his other friends unto his own house where lest he might think the generous Perolla would take any advantage of visiting me by his weakness he immediately withdrew himâ—elf to the Brutian Gate and there found the Combat renewed by a Carthaginian Commander who performed exploits as far above belief as description This Enemy Perolla had the honour singly to fight with for most of the Garrison were searching those houses where any of Hannibals Soldiers had taken Sanctuary and others took upon them the same employment that it might be thought the following execution and not their fear
ravish not contribute to my Victory and in that belief I prest my Army to return to the charge that if they were friends they might see and have no share in our success and if not to fight them before they were join'd But all my persuasions being fruitless I was taking some resolution of an honourable death alone since I was deny'd it in company but those designs instantly vanish'd and gave place to joyes as pleasing by those new Troops falling like a storm on Zenaxtus's Army who by it having lost their hopes soon after did their courages and lives My Army contributing nothing to the Conquerors glory but the not participating in it Zenaxtus's death accompany'd by 40000 of his companions was the end and expiation of their Rebellion all the rest having been kill'd the precedent way and taken in this After the execution was ended I rid up and down the Field to learn from whom Armenia and Artava'des had receiv'd so signal an obligation but I soon found the sight of my Preserver was a greater blessing than the preservation it self for 't was the generous Anexander I flung my self instantly at his feet acknowledg'd him twice my Father in giving me my life and in preserving it and by a million of other demonstrations endeavor'd to manifest a contentment as great exteriorly as it was in my heart That generous Princes extasies were not inferior to mine which being somewhat lessen'd to satisfie my impatient longing in knowing from what kind god he deriv'd his deliverance he told me after I was fallen into Zenaxtus's hands by his treachery to Artabazus which might as easily have been prevented by the King as it was foreseen by me the persidious Traytor had immediately executed me but that he thought a death without lingring rather a mercy than a revenge therefore I was kept alive till some torment as great as his cruelty or as he merited was found out which being at length I was carried out of a Prison that I believe could not be an inferior one to that he design'd me and as the Tormentors were beginning their office my Judge being one of the Spectators of his sentence a Post arriv'd who presented him a Packet which as I after learn'd brought the news of your success against Artaxata the death of Palisdes the flight of Tygranes and your being made Generalissimo of all Armenia this which in all probability should have increas'd his fury suspended the execution of it and return'd me to a less troublesom Prison but though he gave out that he preserv'd me only to make you whom he was then going against participate in my sufferings by imposing them in your sight yet I rather believe my reprieve proceeded from his apprehension of a turn in fortune and that his would be desperate if yours were successful did he extinguish his fury in my blood whatever was the cause I cannot determine yet he carry'd me Prisoner in his Army but as the gods ordain'd it Zenaxtus committed the care of my restraint to a Gentleman who was engag'd in his Cause more by his relation to those in it than his approbation of it This generous Keeper the first night of our march allow'd me half his Bed and taking the opportunity of our being without Auditors by a handsom discourse assur'd me of his pity for my miseries and of his intentions to relieve them that my patience in enduring my Torments was of a quality that convinc'd him it proceeded not from my Fortitude but my Innocence and concluded that he was thereby invited to be of a Cause which gave the Defenders of it power to conquer their Enemies by their very sufferings This proceeding was so free and so like a Gentleman that to have doubted it had been a Crime as great as his Virtue I therefore gave him assurances of my believing his professions and that if he would decline Zenaxtus for Artabazus he should thereby better his Fortunes as much as his Cause Sir said he I will take up Arms to evince that the Quarrel I approve I will defend but I will accept of no Command but an inferior one to what I have here left those that are Enemies to Truth and to me should alledge my interest was my conversion In brief said Anexander the next night he so judiciously order'd our Escape that leaving nothing to Fortune he left us nothing to fear so that without any encounter or interruption we reach'd in three dayes to Thospia from whence my Deliverer sent Zenaxtus the cause of his being there and where by Lindesia's power and care I found that Body of Horse ready for service with which I march'd after Zenaxtus but could not overtake his Army till you had so weaken'd and harrast it that I came rather to act an Execution than a Fight and instead of helping Artavasdes to a Victory I have rob'd him of one This flattery was so palpable that I did not esteem it fit by a Reply to evince it one but beg'd him by his permission to have the honour to be known to his generous Preserver He merits it said my Father for I have seen him this day do more against Zenaxtus than when he gave Anexander his liberty we went thereupon towards those new and victorious Troops to find him but alas we found him too soon for before we had gone half the way Anexander perceiv'd him pale and cold amongst the dead oh gods what did not my poor father at the fight of that fatal object But let us pass over those grateful extravagancies though they abundantly manifested how precious to him the life was whose death was so passionately deplored The next morning after our Victory by a general Muster we learn'd what it cost us which was 10000 men lost and as many unserviceable for the present with this Army we return'd to Artaxata whose littleness made some believe we had mist of success and others that we had dearly bought and deserv'd it Artabazus when my father kist his hand protested he had brought him two things he most ambitiously desir'd Victory and Anexander that he was as much oblig'd to him for the latter as the former and if he were capable of any grief whil'st he lookt upon him it proceeded from a reflection of what his Credulity had so much hazarded and for his having neglected an advice where the punishment of it could not have been greater than the fault My reception was much resembling my fathers so were my acknowledgments which finisht I presented the King my Commission which Anexander's Liberty made my Justice and my Duty to restore But said Artavasdes why do I amuse my self to give you my story by retail 'T is enough you know I kept my Commission because my King would not receive nor my father accept it and by that retension I found the duty of it and my promise oblig'd me to join with Phanasder whose courage all this while had kept the Romans from possessing what they daily saw
than the prisoner could Master of he commanded him to conduct him to his dying Rival whither they were no sooner come than the wounded Gentleman haftily ask'd for the satisfaction of his hopes but Pacorus permitted not his Guide to reply and enjoyn'd all which were present to retire and then presenting himself with much civility to the Picture begg'd him to tell him if he knew whose it was oh gods said the young Crassolis 't is mine and were but my Health as good as my Title who ever you are you should lose it or I would my life Truly said Pacorus I place as high a value on this excellent Copy as you are capable to do and would not be depriv'd of it at a lower price but that you may know I esteem and do not hate my Rivals for then I should all Men I will inform you my name is Pacorus and that I have both Force and Authority to punish your threatenings did not I excuse them upon the same account which I hope you will my detention of both our Conquerors Ah Sir said the prisoner if you deprive me of my Picture and not of my Life you are as cruel in the latter as in the former and will be as severe in your Mercy as in your Injustice for you must permit me so to call your making that Excellence your Prisoner Alas 't is I said Pacorus that am hers If you were reply'd the other you would not be her Besieger Oh gods said the Prince somewhat surpriz'd is she then within Tygranocerta and have they made me so miserable a creature as to endeavour to destroy what I should and do adore No continu'd Pacorus lifting up his Eyes and Hands I invoke the higher powers to manifest theirs in my confusion if the fair object of my flame be within those Walls if ever I shed any bloud near them but for their defence Great gods the Prisoner cry'd out could I believe this Profession how happy were my ruine and how full of satisfaction my death if it might contribute to the preservation of a Beauty whose perfections and cruelty cannot transcend my Passion Yes said the Prince falling upon his knees I do here repeat my former protestation and implore the gods to fill this Excellency as full of Ice as she has me with Fire and to make me hated as much as I do love if I do not consider my Father as an Enemy if he continues hers and leave him no way to act his revenge but through his Son I believe you Sir I believe you said the wounded Gentleman kissing Pacorus's Hands for joy since to doubt so strange a change were to doubt her power that causes it who has evinc'd upon me in particular that it is as much above being limited as resisted for she has inspir'd me with a Passion without hope the greatest miracle but that which created it I know said the impatient Pacorus interrupting him what her Beauty is more by the effects than I can by the description I will tell you the other reply'd that the goddess of it is the Princess Altezeera and though I look upon her as my future Queen yet I find she has a greater Soveraignty over me by her Eyes than her Birth and I resent more despair from the greatness of her perfections than from that of her quality This confession nothing but a certainty of death could have disclos'd and if I should have been so miserable as to be mistaken in my conjecture I am certain I shall not be in my resolution which will prove constant enough to punish the discovery of a secret which neither the tortures of a fruitless Love nor Flames as great as my presumption has or could extort from me Yes Sir I will tell you my short and unfortunate Story I saw the Princess Altezeera and consequently ador'd her but with a Silence as great as my Passion the heighth of my aspiring was to languish and consume in that devotion and because I suspected my Eyes might discover my Heart or my Actions what I knew my words should not having some skill in Limning by a thousand stolen opportunities and by an Idea which was always present I drew this Picture whose Eyes being disarm'd of their light by these faint Colours omitted me to contemplate without dazling what I could not in the Divine Original This is my highest crime and so much I adore what I love that I shall esteem her the highest Mercy if she pardons it But Sir if ever the gods so bless your Flame as to make the Princess Altezeera the reward of it and that your discourses lead you to remember the occasion which made you first a Lover do not mention my unfortunate fire with that scorn the ambition of it merits but with some resentment of that voluntary death I have embrac'd out of a sence of my presumption Let the remembrance too of that safety it will give her and of that blessing it will for you be instrumental in extinguish a Fault for which I extinguish my Life and though I am your Rival yet the way in which I am so being a sufficient punishment for having been so The poor Gentleman was able to proceed no further for either the enlarging his wounds upon the loss of Altezeera's Picture the despair of repossessing it the apprehension of out-living the discovery of his Passion or the joy of his Death being like to prove the preservation of his Princesses Life cast him into a swound from which all Pacorus's help nor the Chirurgeons could recall him any longer than to beg the Prince not to fight against his Conqueror which he had no sooner said than an eternal silence clos'd up his Lips Pacorus was so generous as to celebrate his death with some Tears and Sighs excusing his crime by the knowledge of what created it which by experiment he found was of a quality that to avoid was far more difficult than to imitate but the last summons of his dead Rival made him immediately go into his Fathers Camp where finding him busy about his approaches and all the assistants withdrawing themselves out of respect he told Arsaces after some other common discourses Would it had pleas'd the gods Sir to have given you an employment more suitable to your inclination and quality than this you are now upon for you only labour for that which is already effected and cannot be more successful than you are without rendring your self less worthy of it Your Sword Sir has made Artabazus confess he is vanquish'd let not therefore his ruine do it If he makes any resistance 't is you give him that power and by giving him despair you give him resolution you have conquer'd him already by force do it again by humanity make a King your friend by declining making him your Vassal to conquer your self is a greater victory than to conquer one you have already conquer'd and the Romans hereby will apprehend a power that has vanquish'd
with a pale look and in vast disorders yet they hardly equal'd my Prince's at the sight of mine That generous Courage which had so often outbrav'd Death in all its Horrors which had so often unmoved endur'd nay courted the highest Dangers was now conquer'd and yeelded unto the bare signs of sorrow in another but alas they were signs so clear and evident of the only way in which fortune and the gods had power to invade him that in my being uncapable to tell Him his Loss he did but too plainly read it But at last when Artabbanes perceiv'd that I had the power by words to acquaint him with what my emotions made him apprehend was the cause of them He told me Are not the gods yet Symander weary of persecuting the miserable Artabbanes by the punishments they have impos'd upon him but that they must also afflict him more cruelly and sensibly through Parthenissa For doubtless thy grief is too great for any misery which can wound me but through her Has any of my Rivals by force or delusion got her again into their power Or has her Justice now discover'd those defects in the over-valu'd Artabbanes which her mercy so long hinder'd her from seeing and punishing Speak I conjure thee for thy looks have as much of misery for me as my Fate can impose upon me Alas Sir I reply'd I must confess your Ryvals have at length got the success but 't is not your old ones have done it they have been but Instruments to convey her from themselves as well as you Your present Rivals are such that 't is as great a Sin as Impossibility to resist them In the infelicity of your Love the excellency of your choice is manifested and in the highest misery of Love you have the highest occasion of evidencing yours hath been the most pure and most excellent for if in your Passion you were only concern'd in the object of it she is now in joys which will be so far from clouding yours that they will be as uncapable of encrease as of change You have now Sir no more the occasion of repining for the unequal'd Parthenissa since the gods who deni'd her you but to possess her themselves have thereby taken from you the justice of such a proceeding and have confin'd you if you grieve to evidence 't is for your self not her who believing you were of a contrary principle and that her felicity would create yours staid not till your new Rivals called her but elected to go to them Thereupon I told him particularly all that I had seen and all that I heard from Emilia but I had no sooner ended this fatal relation what through the indisposition which then invaded me what through the horror and grief which I saw invade my generous Prince then I fell at his feet and though my senses at that instant did not abandon me yet it was but to be the more cruel and the more tormenting for I saw and heard that after Artabbanes had fetch'd a groan from the bottom of his heart which shewed the greatness of it by its being capable to contain so much he cri'd out You are dead fair Princess you are dead and you died for Artabbanes Ah too great and too ungrateful heart which canst know this and yet canst live after it but I will punish thee for needing any help but thy own to act thy duty yes ungrateful heart thy debt to my Princess shall be paid though not by thee My Resolution shall have the glory of that performance since thou hast declin'd it or at least art so long in acting it Thereupon he ran furiously to his sword and having drawn it resting the hilt upon the ground and leaning the point to his Breast he cri'd out Divine Parthenissa what you have done leaves the miserable Artabbanes nothing to do but to admire and follow you the first he has still perform'd and the last he now performs These words were no sooner utter'd than by falling on his sword I saw the fatal point of it having pierc'd his body appear all bloody as if it blush'd at the sin it had acted Oh Gods Symander cri'd out why did you give me life enough to see and not life enough to prevent it and yet it might be just in them that for my being griev'd they were happier than my Prince I should behold and not hinder his despair But Artabbanes who knew how requisite Death was to his condition and how opposite I would be to that only cure as if having opened two doors for his Soul to free her self from that dark Prison she had been confin'd unto were not enough he striv'd to employ that little life was left to take even that little totally away and doubtless had repeated his wounds if my horror thereat had not given me a supernatural strength and enabled me on my hands and knees to crawl to him and to seize upon the hilt of his Sword on which I took such sure hold that spight of all his struglings I kept him from additional wounds and by my loud and reiterated cries drew some of the people of the house to my assistance who with me by meer force wrested the fatal weapon out of his hands which being effected my Prince with a look in which a crowd of different passions were distinctly visible told me And is Symander too become my enemy ah if thou hast a hatred for Artabbanes canst thou more signally satisfie it than to see him send himself out of the World and if thou hast a Friendship for him why dost thou retard his following Parthenissa with that fair Name his Senses abandon'd him and left his Body inviron'd in that deluge of blood which had flow'd out of it This Swounding which at first made me tremble soon after made me rejoyce for thereby the Chyrurgeons who then came without resistance search'd and drest his Wounds and having laid him in his bed they there endeavour'd by powerful Cordials to recall that life which seemingly had forsaken him I caus'd them to lay me in a Pallet contiguous to my Prince's bed where in expectations which ravish'd from me all sense of my own condition I waited for the effects of the Chyrurgeons Art and Prescriptions But alas the fear I assum'd that death had eternally closed his Eyes could not transcend my grief when that apprehension vanquish'd for the first proof he gave of life was an action which sadly demonstrated how intent he was on the destroying of his for finding his wounds bound he tore away all things the Chyrurgeons had apply'd to them and endeavour'd to make his hands finish what his cruel Sword had but begun But those I had order'd to watch and hinder the effects of his despair by plain force and by my command held his hands at which he assum'd so high a rage that in words deliver'd with much more strength than I thought he had been Master of he told me Cruel Symander and much more
assault me What said I to my self can Parthenissa have a greater assurance of the vastness of my Passion than her knowledge of those Beauties which created it and the services I have this day render'd them She were as unjust as she is fair should she desire any stronger proof of my Affection But suddenly my opinion changing methought I heard Parthenissa say Presumptuous Artabanes dost thou esteem me at so low a rate as to think that nothing which thou hast done to day deserves me Thou hast lov'd me because I was lovely the greatness of thy Passion renders thy service the less and thou hast more injur'd me by thinking my beauty needed that defence than obliged me by assuming it This reproof which my distemper made me fancy came from the Oracle of my Fate had so powerfull an operation that I cry'd out Yes Madam I acknowledge your reprehension to be as just as my presumption is great and I am now so sensible of my Crime that if you do not speedily pardon it I will revenge you upon the miserable Artabanes 't is but letting these wounds weep blood until their source be dry so Death more pitiful than you will make my punishment the way unto my quiet These words spake in a high tone made Symander almost as frantick as my distempers had me for being ignorant of the cause he concluded the height of my Fever made me rave and fearing lest I should put my words in practice he ran to the Bed's side and flinging open the Curtains besought me in tears not to make my self the means to increase a danger which of it self was but too desparate This action of his put me out of that deep melancholly my Love and disorder had led me into and turning from him with a great sigh I reply'd Alas Symander thou wouldst indeed think my condition desparate if I assur'd thee my wounds were the least torment that I suffer Sir said the faithful Servant if I thought so let your torment be never so high mine would be equal to it I will then conceal it from thee I reply'd for I love thee too well to load thee with an unncessary grief the weight whereof is such that I should think it a crime to wish it on my greatest Enemy Ah! Sir he answered give not my aâ—â—â—ction for you so ill return as to make it render me uncapable of serving you It may be when I know the cause of your grief I may find out a remedy my riper years may know what yours have not attained unto and if the sacrificing of so poor a thing as my life can any way contribute to your quiet I shall think it gloriously bestowed His discretion and fidelity made me disclose my Passion having first confin'd him to an inviolable secresie by all those Protestations which might positively do it As soon as I had acquainted him with this secret I perceiv'd a visible alteration in his countenance as if the knowledge of this disease gave him an assurance of the cure and that his words might do what his looks had he immediately told me if your recovery Sir of the wound you received from Ambixules were as certain as of that Love has given you my joy would be then as great as now my apprehension is for I am confident your virtue and merit will obtain her affection or your judgement and resentment will prove your cure Dost thou think said I may Passion has already so dethron'd my reason as to credit what without any thou assurest me of but allow I were blest with perfections as great as thou canst fancy yet compar'd with hers they would onely serve but as their foile and consequently the more her perfections are disclos'd the more it would bring an accession to my now cause of adoring them were that capable of any other Lovers may hope by a resemblance in merit to create one in Love but the object of mine is so peculiar in her Prerogative that what others drive from Sympathy I must from Mercy and to expect my Judgement should recover me were the same as to expect what gives the wound should cure it too since judgement acts in me what fancy doth in others and finds more reason for my slavery than I can find to decline it to hope too for liberty by resentment were a folly onely fit for her pity the Mariner that is going to be shipwrackt may as justly hope by quarrelling with the winds to free himself as I by electing the same course may expect a resembling event Alas her eyes are my destiny and 't is not my will but they that govern me yet were I at my own dispose I would not alter my condition for the contemplation of her Beauty though she prove cruel is more Transcendent felicity than others derive from fruition so that thy advice must not be how to fly but how to conquer To which he answer'd Is there then no Mean to be expected in your Fortune None said I you take a way which looks as if you shun'd your end for can you think while you contribute to your sickness you advance your Love No but the contrary for this disorder not onely deprives you of your good Meen but of time to Court the fair Parthenissa in and if you have Rivals as sure such Beauty cannot but create you some what happy opportunity do you present them Besides if you are so negligent of your health the want of that will make you uncapable of what you need not apprehend on any other score Ah! Simander I cry'd out thou speakest of a felicity fitter for my desires than expectation but why dost thou flatter my hopes with joyes that will ever be notional and dost like Dreams which making me believe any airy happiness please me for a moment but when I wake again I pay with all real torments an imaginary Heaven Truly Sir reply'd Simander I have always esteem'd despair as great a Crime as presumption and must therefore beg you as Parthenissa's perfections keep you from being guilty of the last of these so let your own secure you from the first After he had spoken this he was silent a while and then he thus proceeded I have Sir always observed that interessed parties whatever the business is are the unfittest to conclude especially in the affairs of Love where Modesty has so much dominion and therefore if a third person were employed whose secresie and judgement were equally unquestionable I think it would much contribute to your design especially if it were one of the same Sex and therefore Sir your sister the Princess Lindadory if she could be engag'd 't would turn my hopes of your success into a certainty the opportunities she may obtain may be denied to you and she may suddenly procure from Parthenissa a Declaration which nothing but sufferings and time can obtain by you This advice I so well approved of that I commanded him immediately to put it in practice and
God's were hinder'd from seeing or relieving either party There were a thousand things perform'd which did better merit the Sun for Spectator in all his Glory than those sad and gloomy Clouds But the Victory which was a long time in suspense at last seem'd to declare it self on the Armenians side by the valour of a young Gentleman who with near 3000 Horse carried Death to his Enemies and Victory to his Friends wheresoever he appear'd So much Gallantry I thought was a fit Object for our Swords and turning to my friends I told them so with this litle addition T is too low to imitate those that have done well Let us be examples to them to do better for you see the day is lost unless recover'd by our Valours and Victory will now be so precious it cannot be too dearly courted They all unanimously approv'd my resolution and presently I led them where Artavasdes was for so was this young Conqueror call'd who perceiving our design and guessing by our Countenance we were not Men to be slighted presently rallied all his Soldiers who were eagerly pursuing the Parthians By that time he had drawn them up I charg'd him telling my companions I would not invite them to that which I would not be a sharer in I was so well seconded by those which follow'd me that after a generous resistance we broke those victorious Troops and had the execution of them as long as they had had it of ours and I was so far engag'd in the pursuit of this Rout that at last I perceiv'd the Standard-Royal which was guarded by at least 8000 select Men which was to me rather an invitation to attempt it than the contrary but least many might have been of a different principle I told my Troop-Companions 't is true their number surpasses ours but you have just now learn'd that Victory is won by Virtue not by Multitudes you have done things which will not be believ'd but by some such powerful Witness for to our own Glory but to our Countreys shame we are not onely the Actors but almost the onely Spectators and as your Valours have no limits let your success be resembling By one general Acclamation they protested they would follow me to Death or Victory I gave them no time to cool but by a successful Charge I made a breach for them to enter they lost not the occasion but with Vigor and Resolution improv'd it As we had almost effected our design the same Artavasdes who had done such noble Actions in the beginning of the Battel and was beaten by his Mens Fears not his own for they had carried him away in the Throng rallied again some of his resolutest Troops and was come with them to relieve the King which he did with so great fury that my Men lost all the Glory of their former Actions by an ignominious flight I could not believe it at the first but seeing it was in earnest I cryed out 'T is your Swords not your Feet must save you which you may effect by almost your desiring it for the Enemy are not oblig'd to their Valours for this disorder but your Fears If you doubt this Truth do but turn your Faces and their Flight will assure you it But when I perceiv'd they were as deaf to me as to their Honors I told some which were running by me Is it thus then that you perform your engagement of following me to Death or Victory I will never live to see your shame nor to participate with you in it Assure the Prince and my Father I will sell my life so handsomely that it shall neither disgrace my Countrey nor my Bloud Having so said I thrust my self into the midst of the Enemy with a resolution to dye and invoking the fair Name of Parthenissa my Rage made me do things which my Courage onely could not have perform'd for I made a Lane through the thickest Troops and my blows were so happily directed that wheresoever they did light once they needed not to do so a second time Many of those which fled hearing my last words turn'd about to know what I would do but when they saw my resolution and the unexpected success which attended it many who were gallant found my designe so much so that they returned to share in it and others who perceiv'd that those which thought to preserve their Lives did lose them and that he which indeavour'd to lose his did preserve it the same cause which made them decline the Fight made them return to it I must confess I was as much surpriz'd as pleas'd when I found my self so well followed I imputed it to the invocation of Parthenissa and was assur'd that the same power which hath occasioned the greater change which was to make those that fled to fight again would also perform the lesser which was to make those that return'd to fight overcome an enemy they had so lately worsted Whilst this heat lasted we engag'd our selves so far that Fear produced the effects of Courage there being no safety but in Victory so that I had much ado to credit my Eyes the last testimony of my companions valour having quite defaced the former of their want of it At last I perceived one who by the care they all shew'd of his preservation I resolv'd was the King which made me cry out There fellow Soldiers there is that which will make the conclusion of the day more Glorious than the Progress and will both finish our dangers and reward them too They were so sensible of what I said that their valours gave an undeniable proof of their being so and the greedy desires I had to merit the Title of Parthenissa's Servant made me address my designs onely at the King concluding all consisted in the taking of him and though Nature had deny'd me a Crown yet by my Courage to present one to Parthenissa I knew would be more pleasing to her generous disposition which much more esteemed the effects of Virtue than those of Fortune or Birth To be short after I had received some Wounds which were rather marks of Honour than Danger and after Revolutions and Confusions which were deriv'd from the mingling amongst us of another King of Armenia at least one exceeding like the first in his Armour and Furniture as well as by the Horse he rid on and disresembling him in nothing but what more pregnantly confirm'd me he was the real Artabazus since the highest Valour was fittest for the highest Title I dismounted this second Commer whereby the first found and made opportunity of escaping which the last no sooner observed than he told me Generous Enemy though my Body is at your Mercy my Liberty is not this Sword more kind than Fortune will soon ease me of all the miseries this day hath involv'd me in unless you will grant me one condition which if you do not I will deprive you of all those advantages you do pretend unto by my Captivity It
over his Men I called out to him T is I Tuminius that am come to take from thee Altezeera if thy valour fly as high as thy desires thou shouldst by killing the Ravisher of them manifest to that fair Princess thou hast a resolution able to overcome all obstacles that dare oppose it Tuminius who wanted not courage answer'd me If there needs but the killing of thee to assure her that Truth she shall not long doubt it and would to the gods I could as easily vanquish her disdain as all my other Enemies He had no sooner done speaking than he made himself a lane through the Throng and having separated my self from my companions commanded them to let us alone till Death or Victory decided the quarrel Tuminius having order'd his Men the like we began to fight but with so much earnestness as if the Conqueror had expected Altezeera for his reward I must confess I was so asham'd that one guilty Man in the presence of my Princess and for her safety too should dispute so long the Victory that I prest him so vigorously and so unfortunately for him that my Sword at last having found the defect of his Armour pierc'd him through and through at which thrust he fell and with that stream which issu'd from his wound he breath'd out his life All my friends made a great shout at my success and fell so briskly on Tuminius Soldiers that by their fury and by the loss of their Commander we had a Victory so cheap that it hardly deserved that name The Field being wholly ours I lighted off my Horse and with an infinite Humility went to Altezeera and told her Madam The gods of whom you are so perfect a Copy have sent me hither to serve you against your Enemies and have given you an entire Victory lest their Justice or Power by your loss or want of revenge might have been call'd in question I must confess said she the actions I have seen you do for my deliverance assure me 't is more than a humane Power which has effected it but the gods whose delight is to relieve the innocent made me not despair of their help though the means till your arrival was unseen But Sir shall I desire you to add two favours unto this I have already receiv'd that I may know to whom I owe the preservation of my life and perhaps my Honour and that if there be any hopes of rescuing my Brother you would imploy your Sword in so just a quarrel Madam I reply'd my Name has been so little beholding to my Actions that by them it is not considerable but for the King I have already had the happiness to serve him and if I be not mistaken that Troop which you see marching this way attends him by my Orders How said Altezeera does Artabazus as well as I owe his safety to your Sword sure then your Name cannot be so unconsiderable as you would make me believe it is or if it has been it is so no longer but I am consident you will not discover it to hinder us from being ungrateful which unavoidably we must be if once we learn to whom we are Indebted Madam I reply'd to take you out of that Error I will acquaint you who I am that you may know I have onely hazarded a Life in your service which I am resolv'd to spend in the same employment then pulling off my Helmet she no sooner saw my Face but she cry'd out 't is Artavasdes and there wanted nothing to make my Joy as perfect as my Safety but to owe the latter to his Gallantry Just as I was going to reply the King who had learn'd by some of my Troop who I was and by one of those who escaped Tuminius sword what I had done came running to me and having embraced me a thousand times told me I see Artavasdes that Virtue is born with us not infused into us by Education otherwise you could not be possessor of so great a quantity in so tender an age Sir said I your goodness being too great makes you place a resembling value upon my services and I should be guilty of an equal presumption if I did not attribute your expressions to any thing sooner than your Justice But Sir let not the joy of your safety hinder us from receiving the benefit of it nor me from bringing this Gentleman to kiss your hands who has washt away his criminal intentions by his gallant performance Thereupon I presented Evaxes to the King who acquainted him with all Celindus and Tygranes's designes and that we had taken Palisdes who being shew'd to the King discover'd as much guilt in his Face as he had in his Heart Artabazus commanded he should be safely kept and ratified all I had promis'd to Evaxes then learning that Celindus had yet three hundred Horse betwixt us and the Town we thought it not fit to lose any time and therefore having by Artabazus command and her permission taken the fair Altezeera behind me and order'd our Men we began to retire towards Artaxata when our Scouts came immediately and brought us word that Celindus with above 400 Horse for fear multiplies was marching directly towards us and was but six Furlongs off As soon as I heard it I turn'd about to the Princess and told her Madam I am in a greater conflict with my self than I can have with the Enemy whether I should commit you to the charge of some Gentleman swiftly Hors'd and endeavor to secure your Retreat or else by dying at your Feet take the opportunity to acquaint you with that which I shall not have the confidence to do whilst I am sure to out-live the discovery To which she answer'd I have so good an opinion of Artavasdes that I shall esteem my self as safe under his Sword as in Artaxata and I cannot conceive that his Heart is capable of any thing which his words dare not reveal Madam I reply'd I must confess I am guilty of a crime but the cause of it is so Glorious that if it were not committed against you I should not call any effect that proceeded from it by such a name But Madam the Enemy approaches and I must put you in some place of safety that I may by the hazarding of my life secure yours and would to the gods the loss of mine could give you as perfect a security as the ending of it in your service would give me a satisfaction The King by this time was come so near us that I could not receive any answer from my Princess and askt me what order I would settle for the receiving of so bold a Guest for he was determin'd to derive his preservation wholly from my Sword I answer'd so large a Favor with a resembling humility and having conjur'd Nearchus to have a care of the Princess I lighted from my Horse took down Altezeera and set her up behind him then kissing her hand I told her softly Madam
truth your eyes may give you that satisfaction which my words cannot by my waiting on you to his Chamber where your suspitions will soon vanish I accept your offer said the Princess abandoning her Bed and giving Amidor her hand to lead her thither for I can have no quiet whilst I have any doubts ut Madam said my Brother let me beg you to leave all your disdain behind you for the least quantity of that poyson kills all his hopes and consequently himself 't is not now with him as at other times where rigour did appear Justice his sufferings and services now stile it Ingratitude though he gives it still the former name and onely expects his felicity from your goodness not his condition So high a Modesty said Altezeera merits an equal Reward and I should be too unjust should I deny it him By this time they were come unto my Chamber and finding none in it but one of my Pages Amidor commanded him out and opening the Curtains told me the Princess was come to visit me The sight of so high a Beauty produc'd a proportionate effect for before she was come in I could not turn in my Bed but now I did towards her and with a firm voice told her At last Madam at last the gods have heard my Prayers and commiserating my condition have made my Enemies swords more pitiful than you they have given me that death you were pleas'd to deny me and in so blest away that 't is in defending and not disobeying you so that nothing could add unto this Felicity but that I had deferr'd receiving of these charitable Wounds till the last day of the War that you might have had no further use of my services and that your security and my quiet might have been establisht at one time But Madam since the gods do call me from you sooner I conjure you to remember I dy'd serving you and let that extinguish your resentments against an ambition which cannot be greater than was the impossibility of avoiding it Alas Artavasdes said Altezeera think not of dying the gods who have already rais'd you from Death to Life will perfect that good work They are too just to rob us of you They would be too cruel Madam said I did they restore me to my health Your Disdain prepares me torments so great that Death is a comparative happiness unto them But Madam I do beg your pardon you commanded me not to trouble you any more with my Passion and I 'll obey you onely let me beseech you to receive these importunities as my last Crimes and upon that score to forgive them for I vow never to offend you more Nor I said the fair Altezeera to receive your addresses as an offence No Artavasdes your Virtue has obtain'd the Victory and I command you now to live that I may shew you by my affection I know how to value and recompence yours Alas Madam I reply'd What do you do You may indeed by this art hinder my death awhile but as soon as I discover I am deluded by all that is most Sacred I will not live a minute Take heed fair Princess you may do like a merciful Judge who when the Delinquent's ripe for Death and made his peace with Heaven by giving him a pardon his future courses may be more criminal than his precedent ones and thereby make that which was intended for his good the occasion of his greater ill Banish those groundless fears said Altezeera for my intentions are as clear as you persuade me your Flame is and as a confirmation of it I engage my self before Amidor never to decline what I have promis'd Ah! Madam I reply'd Why am I not in a condition to fling my self at your feet as some expression of joy which certainly cannot kill since I am yet alive But my Princess give me leave not onely to call Amidor but the gods to witness that I will never decline the Passion that I pay you but will maintain my Flame alive even in the Grave for having vanquisht your Disdain it cannot be overcome and if ever I alter this profession make my future punishment equal to my present felicity As I had done speaking Lindesia came into the room and my Princess having commanded my Love to be as silent as constant withdrew herself and left me in such extasies of joy that they had like to have made me ever uncapable of any for all my wounds fell fresh a bleeding and I was so taken up with my present raptures that had not Lindesia been more careful of me than I was of my self I had dyed in and by them but having discover'd that my sheets were all bloody she came running to me and so timely that the least delay had render'd her care fruitless But my wounds being again bound up they enjoin'd me to take my rest as the best and easiest cure Thus my dear friend you see how at last my desires were crown'd and little obstacle remain'd to the perfection of my happiness but my health which by degrees I recover'd and that which contributed most unto it was the daily visits of the fair Altezeera whose conversation charm'd my ears as much as her Beauty did my eyes and every hour discovering new perfections I blest that suffering which had given me so high an interest in them My wounds which admitted of forty dayes for their cure did little afflict me because the Enemy never attempted any thing during that space against Artaxata which was occasion'd by those wounds Celindus had receiv'd in the Assault in which also he had lost so many Men and so many others were render'd useless that whilst he was recovering he sent Phanasder for a Recruit and had drawn his Aamy some twenty Furlongs from the Town contenting himself to block it up at so civil a distance But as if Fortune believ'd it necessary that nothing should be done whilst the chief Actor in either side was unable to appear she so order'd all things that at the same time I was perfectly cur'd Celindus was so too and Phanasder came to the Camp with a supply of near Ten thousand Horse and Foot So considerable an addition rais'd Celindus his hopes and being ambitious to recover his losses and to employ the fury of those new Men on some design where disadvantage of being repuls'd could not be so prejudicial as the honour of success would be glorious elected the storming again of Artaxata as most proportionate to his Revenge and Ambition and having made his chief Officers approve of his design he gave order that all things should be in a readiness for so bold an one But whilst Celindus was troubling himself to be Conqueror of a Town I was so in my affection and was more satisfyed in my Victory than he could have been in his had his pride and designes arriv'd at their ambition'd period O Gods what uninmaginable joys doe mutual fires create in Love at least mine
commanded him instantly to be put into Chains and kept with his other common Slaves Great gods when I saw those hands loaden with Irons which if virtue had been a title to Empire should have sway'd the Scepters of the World What did not my fury suggest in me I curst a million of times Parthenissa's inconstancy that had cast my dear Master into miseries almost as great as his virtue and condemned with many imprecations the weakness of Pompey's which the desire of an unworthy Citizen could soon destroy at last I was resolv'd to acquaint our Tyrant with my Princes quality and birth and by the assurance of an excessive Ransom free him from that Captivity his unjust Fate had flung him into But then the consideration of those sacred Oaths Artabanes had extorted from me never to reveal that secret but by his consent supprest my resolution and made me take up that of endeavouring to perswade him to it himself or else to give me his permission for it Therefore taking my opportunity I begg'd him with a stream of Tears that he would not by any obstinate silence undergo so low a destiny but by acquainting Batiatus with his quality procure a civil usage till his Ransom came That then he would return into Parthia there having obtain'd a pardon for Surena's death evince to Parthenissa by a carriage void of all trouble how easily he could divest himself of his Passion when she could throw off her Constancy that it was her virtue not her beauty onely he ador'd and since she could decline the first he could as easily the latter Hold thy peace Simander said my Prince interrupting me do not add unto my miseries by thy impious discourse of Parthenissa she is yet the highest thing in my esteem for I am upon better consideration apter to believe 't was some defects she found in me than any which were in her that made her recall the blessed joy of her affection and so that which thou termest inconstancy may be her Justice No no Simander he continu'd since the gods have profest themselves so much my adversaries tie not thy fortune unto the most wretched of men I have some Jewels that scapt the Pirates take them and buy thy freedom then return into thy Countrey where I shall pray thou may'st enjoy a felicity equal to thy virtue and let me alone to wrestle with my misfortunes for I had far rather perish in this miserable Prison and under the weight of these Chains than see Parthenissa scorn my Flame or by her embraces recompence any others By this thou may'st in some sort guess at the greatness of my torments when slavery is a comparative happiness My Prince had no sooner done speaking than flinging my self at his feet I told him Oh Sir Have all my miseries not yet obtain'd your leave to bear a share in your misfortunes Can you speak to me of felicity when you are loaden with Irons Alas What fault have I committed that you should esteem me worthy the misery of liberty I attest the gods that the sence of your torments create the greatest I endure and that I can drown my own by the consideration of yours whose liberty I would joyfully purchase by the loss of my own eternally Therefore Sir I continu'd embracing of his knees I conjure you by your virtue and those services which I hope I shall live to pay you and by that Parthenissa whom you do yet so highly reverence do not banish me from the glory of suffering with you nor have so low an opinion of my fidelity as to think any thing but death shall separate me from you To which Artabanes reply'd That his knowledge of my affection for him and not his diffidence of it made him press me to return into Parthia but since I assur'd him to be near his person was a higher satisfaction he granted my request though it were to the augmentation of his misery which he profest to me was much increast by the share I had in it I had scarce kist his hands as an acknowledgement of his favour and my joy but Batiatus came in who commanded his Chains to be taken off that he might be the fitter for that employment to which next morning he design'd him then he selected some twenty of the ablest Slaves who together with Artabanes were set apart for Gladiators and then went away The Gladiators as the Romans call them are certain Captives who are kept to fight at sharp one against another in Amphitheaters for their Masters or the Peoples pastime which sort of Combats always ends at least with the loss of much Bloud and oftentimes with the lives of the Actors As soon as my Prince learn'd by some of the other Slaves what he was destin'd to he curst a hundred times his ignorance of the Roman Customs that had sav'd Batiatus's life for certainly had he known the cause why his Chains were taken off he had employed them to kill the Commander of it But after having walked two or three turns with looks and actions expressing his just resentments he at last desir'd his fellow-prisoners silence and attention which being easily obtain'd he spoke to them much to this purpose Friends and Companions in misery That Fortune has made us Slaves is her fault that we should continue so will be ours since a quiet submission to her cruelty tacitely acknowledges we deserve it and makes that which is an effect of her blindess appear a confession of her justice You have assur'd me often that you are all Gentlemen that Title obliges you sooner to wear death's Livery than Batiatus's let us therefore by some gallant attempt shew how worthy we were of Liberty or by dying handsomely how unworthy we are of Chains Death is the worst can befal us yet it is a comparative happiness to our present condition If the gods do not favour our endeavours but take from us all those ways that lead to freedom they do thereby invite us to kill our selves which to perform is not to sin but to obey them To move us to this you see to what the cruel Batiatus designs us let us therefore resolve to morrow when we are upon the Theatre Arm'd to make use of our Swords to a contrary action to that for which they were given us and since they delight in Bloud let us make them surfet of it by employing our lives which they destin'd for their pleasure unto their punishment This is the way if we cannot reach our liberty yet at least to reach revenge which will be as pleasing as the Irons we now wear are insupportable My Prince had no sooner done speaking than Canitius one of the chiefest amongst the Slaves reply'd That he was sorry such powerful inducements were laid down to invite them to that action since their undertaking of it now would rather appear to proceed from their judgement than their inclinations That he so well understood the hearts of his companions he durst engage
make away an Enemy who in thus giving thee the power to destroy him makes it a crime to do it besides he is one who owes his Conquests onely to his Courage and Conduct and if the Roman Empire be vanquisht with those Arms she deserves that Fate which to oppose were to contradict the justice of the gods and virtue it self Ah no Perolla leave off the thoughts of such a design than which nothing can be a greater Crime but the performing it He had certainly gone away alter'd though â—ot pleas'd with these reasons had not his good Genius inspir'd him with what you shall now hear 'T is true said he Hanniball is the upholder and revenger of our Family and therefore the performance will be more glorious What greater obligation can I put upon the Romans than to ruine our Family to maintain their Empire Had Magius been as much a friend as he was an enemy to our blood design might wear the name of revenge and an action of publick concernment might be stil'd the effect of a particular hatred so that all his favours should rather invite than dissuade the attempt which these circumstances will prove rather an impartial justice than ingratitude But remember Perolla how thy Countrymen branded with infamy Perpenna for having murther'd Sertorius though an enemy to the Commonwealth how much more will they detest thee for destroying one whose too much virtue and success are his only crimes But then he continu'd Why may not I suppose they did but counterfeit since States have the same arts as particular persons and it had been an unwise justice to commend that which they could not sufficiently reward This part of Perpenna's fate I hope will attend my attempt which is one invitaion more for to perform what any but the gods can reward is to sell gallantry besides my case will be nobler than his for I cannot doubt the higher Powers so much as to deny him the freedom of his Sword to defend his life that if he fall he may owe it to my courage not my treacchery and then I 'll expose my self unto his Army since to fly were to shun Martyrdom and to out-live the fact would shew as if I desir'd to enjoy that secuty I purchase onely for my Countrey These and many other arguments so fully confirm'd Perolla that he onely attended an opportunity to put his resolution in practice and though his green age being then but 18 years old might have made his change from this determination appear rather a thing incident to youth than a want of Valor yet he so much ador'd virtue that he could not be unconstant to whatsoever bore her Character After he had with incredible impatience expected an occasion Fortune seem'd one night to furnish him with one for having learn'd that Hanniball had withdrawn himself into his Chamber for a few hours to make a dispatch to his friends at Carthage and that all his followers were upon the like employment to theirs Perolla who had always free access unto him was going to execute his design but it seems the Fates would not let him by one generous action hinder himself from performing many for Pacuvius who had some intelligence then brought him of a design the Capuans had to revenge Magius's death and to recover the freedom which that execution sufficiently shew'd they had lost was then coming to acquaint Hanniball with it and in such a conjuncture of time that the Father and the generous Son met each other at his Chamber door where Pacuvius seeing Perolla arm'd was struck with so great an astonishment that nothing could increase it but the knowledge of the cause which Perolla acquainted him with in such ravishing terms that his reason though not his inclination was converted and finding the happy operation which his arguments produc'd he began to conjure his Father by all those motives he esteem'd most prevalent that he would by some high performance regain the Romans good opinion which it seem'd the gods invited him to perform by offering him so favourable an opportunity to kill Hanniball for said he the action is good or ill if the first it has invitation enough in it self if the latter the people of Rome cannot doubt your conversion since to assure them of it you perform what is as contrary to your nature and practice as your former Crime in delivering up Capua was repugnant to their interest I wiâ—â— not said Izadora trouble your patience by telling how Perolla offer'd to relinquish to his Father the glory of the attempt nor all those other things which you may imagine so rare a subject could furnish a judgement with that was so since this design by a seeming delay receiv'd an absolute suppression for Pacuvius who found that his generous sons reasons and resolutions were not to be vanquish'd counterfeiting to be so himself and promis'd him as soon as that great Conqueror was out of his protection he would join in the enterprize in the mean while he begg'd Perolla with tears and sighs to delay the execution of his attempt and not to violate the Laws of hospitaly which would be as great an offence unto the gods as the performing it might be an obligation to the Romans These and many such pressing motives vanquish'd my dear friend especially since the design was not supprest but suspended and that a small deferring would take away the seeming aspersion of breach of Trust and so involve his Father in the execution that he might thereby efface his former injuries to the Romans But Perolla was no sooner retir'd than Pacuvius went in to Hanniball and inform'd him that the Capuans were so highly incenst at the death of Magius that he befought his permission to leave him his whole house and that he would fill it with his Guards lest the World might lose its greatest glory and he his best friend At last Hanniball consented to Pacuvius's request who the next morning remov'd and whose house was immediately so throng'd with Soldiers that the impossibility of attempting against that famous Captains life was as great as the destroying it had been pleasing to Perolla who finding how much his Father had abus'd him resolv'd in himself to go to the Romans and by the gallantry of his Actions manifest that 't was Pacuvius and not Pacuvius's blood which was an enemy to their Empire with this further hope that his fortune in the many accidents of War might furnish him with an opportunity to assault and destroy that Life in the fight of both Armies which had been hitherto preserved by his Fathers Tears and Dissimulation And the Fates who have been as much his friends in actions of Glory as his Enemies in those of Love knowing what he was destin'd to perform was too great to delay any time caus'd Pacuvius who still apprehended the discovery of his fiction and the sad events it would inevitably produce to command his generous Son to go into this Town which then had
never Glory was more nobly purchas'd than in that fatal day to the Cartheginians who lost besides the hope of Conquest 2000 of their best Men and twice as many by their wounds were render'd unserviceable Whilst these things were acting the Pettelines had sent two of their chiefest Citizens to beg the Senates aid whom they found as well by that they observ'd as by their own Declaration in a posture fitter to desire than send relief This proceeding of the Senate as it was a great proof of their ingenuity so it was of their necessity and therefore forced these Deputies to fling themselves at their feet and conjure them with all expressions of a real grief to make them messengers of more comfort or else permit them to sacrifice their lives in their sights as being a more pleasing destiny than to be testimonies of the ruine of their City which so fatal an answer would render unavoidable This Gallantry was so prevalent with the Senate that after through a generous sympathy they had paid them back their Tears they commanded the Deputies to return to their Citizens and tell them that what they had done already had been so obliging that nothing could increase the score but to save themselves by a timely submission to the Conqueror and thereby preserve those who had shew'd so great a proportion of constancy and courage that they were more concern'd in their safeties than in their own The two Commissioners at last to obey their Masters came home through a world of danger with that return and truly this was a tenderness of the Romans which they had manifested to none of their subjects for in all other cases they chose rather to lose their Friends than the reputation of their Arms but in this they preferr'd the former before the latter But this was so far from inducing them to yield that by Perolla's perswasion they determined by a generous-resistance or glorious ruine to merit so high a Care and that which made them the more intent on this was the Senates having acquainted them of their duty which render'd their further actions an obligation to the Roman Empire But Hannibal who by three bloody assaults had learn'd that Famine onely could make him Lord of Pettely had given over all hopes of obtaining it by storm and lay a while blocking of it up with as much quiet as his disgraces would permit and at last weary'd with the tedioussness of the Siege left Himilco to strave them out and brought the best part of his Army to renew the Siege of Cassilinum where Manituis a gallant Roman commanded Himilco to obey his Generals Orders had in few weeks so straitn'd Pettely that those in it did more justly fear their ruine from within than without but by the generous example of Perolla they suffer'd with as much patience as they acted with resolution and to say truth I know not which was more meritorious their active or their passive parts In this general Calamity there happen'd so rare an accident that though I exceedingly long to run through these bloudy Relations yet I cannot pass by this memorable Adventure without being as unjust as the performers of it were gallant The Famine in Pettely was so increas'd that the place was inevitably to fall into the Enemies hands were not the want of Victuals immediately redress'd and though in the beginning of the Siege they had sent away all their old People and Children yet they retain'd so many Women that the feeding of them must of necessity hasten their ruine This inconvenience was never mentioned by Perolla who bare too high a respect to our Sex to preserve those of his own by exposing ours to the least hazard or suffering But a certain Lady whose Virtue Beauty Extraction and Wealth rendr'd her the most considerable amongst the Pettelines plainly perceiv'd how great an inconveniency Perolla's civility was like to produce Amazora therefore for so she was called having gotten a high and just value in that City resolv'd to employ it to some end which might make her self as famous to posterity as her perfections merited To effect this she assembl'd the chiefest Women of Pettely to those which she thought Glory was more pleasing than Life she acquainted with her resolution of stealing out of the Town and exposing her self to the Swords of Hannibal's Soldiers and thereby free the City from the misery of Famine or at least from their hastening it To others which she believ'd prefer'd their safety above all other considerations she represented the certain languishing death they must unavoidably suffer by their residence in Pettely and the probability of avoiding that Fate by submitting to the Carthagineans who could not be so merciless to a Sex which the unreasonable creatures even by the Law of nature Reverence and Preserve In a word she so fitted her perswasions to the several humours of those she courted and at last so fully vanquish'd their fears and confirm'd their resolution that two nights after having corrupted a Centinel which was a menial Servant of hers for there being no Garrison the Inhabitants did the duty and by his help her House standing upon the Walls of the Town about two thousand Women with Ropes and Baskets got out of Pettely The next morning before day a servant of Amazora's brought this Letter to Perolla who having open'd it found it contain'd words to this purpose AMAZORA and the Women of Pettely to the gallant PEROLLA and his Valiant Companions WE had been ill Proficients and unworthy your protection had not the daily demonstrations of your Gallantryes created some in us and though the too rigid Laws of our Sex forbid us to employ our resolutions in an Active yet it exempts us from a Passive Virtue We are therefore gone to expose our selves to the Carthagineans Swords and had rather they should be employ'd for our destructions than be indebted for our lives to those which are Enemies to your and our Liberties If contrary to our hopes and desires they save us we have eased you of a burthen your civilities did not mention and which consequently had had an unfitting return any way but this But if we are sacrific'd to their fury let your courages if they are capable of any accession be thereby so heightned that whilst you celebrate our Deaths in Tears you necessitate your Enemies to do the like in Bloud IT is not easy to imagine the high admiration which this Letter produc'd and it is as difficult to describe the sorrow which suddenly ensu'd as the cruelty which was the cause of it for as soon as the Sun had render'd visible all objects within the reach of sight Perolla and his companions perceiv'd the Fields strewed with the dead Bodies of those gallant Women which the barbarous Affricans had cruelly murther'd Judge generous Spartacus what a just fury this unequall'd impiety inspir'd Perolla and the Pettelines with But their actions will better acquaint you with their resentments than my
and then retir'd to his Lodging where what reasons he rais'd against his Passion I am ignorant of though not of the strange effects they produc'd for two or three days after he came to visit Izadora where he was hardly known and where constantly afterwards if she were alone he never mention'd any thing of his Passion but would only look fix'dly upon her fold his Arms and groan and say he was not yet Conqueror But if Blacius were there he would court Izadora with a countenance as full of joy as his heart was empty of it and if he admir'd at Flamminius pining away he protested 't was an inward disease but not one of the mind nor of Izadora's neglect This was his practice for twenty days the Night of the last he came again to visit Izadora and in Sighs and some Tears implor'd his Pardon for his Passion Importunities and so long disobedience and protested that he would shortly so vindicate her on himself that she should acknowledge her Interests and satisfaction were much dearer to him than his own Flamminius after those assurances without any more words immediately withdrew himself and the next intelligence we had of him was that he kept his Bed of a disease whose nature the Physitians were as ignorant of as of the cure and that though Blacius by many reiterated and passionate conjurations begg'd again to know whether Izadora's coldness were not the efficient cause of his sickness yet he could never receive any other answer but that she was not at least if the gods impos'd not that affliction on him for so aspiring a Passion Six days Flamminius Feaver was so violent that he despair'd not the Seventh which in that disease was the first critical day but to be able to obey Izadora Therefore calling to him a Page of his who was his Confident he commanded him to bring him some Paper on which though with much difficulty he writes these few lines FLAMMINIVS to the fair IZADORA HE that lov'd where he should have but ador'd to repair his Sin from your Lover makes himself your Martyr Let your resentments fair Izadora dye with the object of them and be so merciful as to believe I find more satisfaction in Death since 't is the effect of my obedience than I can in life having lost the hopes of what my ambition desir'd and your justice deny'd me THis Letter being seal'd he commanded the faithful Youth by all the strictest tyes he could invent to deliver it with his own hands and without any witness to her to whom it was addrest For if Blacius or any other discover'd what it contain'd he should spend those few hours he had to live inso much despair and horror that those torments would almost equal Izadora's hate Judge Perolla if ever Gallantry was rais'd to a greater height than to have so particular a care for the preservation of one 's own destruction and whether you have not cause to glory in possesing a Beauty which could produce such rare effects and in a Constancy that was not mov'd with them at least no further than Pity could extend I answer'd continu'd Perolla Callione's words only with a deep sigh that the reflection of having been cursed with one Rival too full of Power and another too full of Virtue drew from me which made her thus continue But though the circumspection of the Master and the Servant was great yet it was fruitless for having deliver'd Izadora the Letter as privately as he was directed Blacius who always suspected Flamminius denials proceeded rather from his goodness than his Truth and who observ'd an admirable vigilancy over Izadoras actions was no sooner advertis'd of the Pages coming to his House than he stole to his Daughters Chamber who had scarcely read her Lovers fatal generosity but she fell a deploring it with Tears and in so great disorders that in the heighth of them Blacius surpriz'd her with the cause in her hands which he violently snatcht from hers and having perus'd it contracted so transcendent a rage for her to whom it was sent that his Ponyard was twice out to have quench'd it in her Bloud but perhaps believing to kill her would be rather an obligation than a revenge he resolv'd as the most sensible one he could invent to carry her to Flamminius and force her to give him some such pregnant evincements of her conversion that he should not doubt it and which if afterwards she broke might render her as unworthy his Affections as Resentments Blacius being thus fixt commanded a Charriot to be made ready in which he took Izadora with him to Flamminius's to whom he commanded her to be askind as she had been cruel or as he merited which if she declin d he protested by Oaths that to be repeated would give one horror much more to have broken them that if he could hire no murtherers to destroy you he would do it with his own hand and that then he would force her to marry Flamminius or Diana's Nunnery The fear as she vow'd to me she had for you the pitty of Flamminius sufferings and virtue and the duty to a Father made her more incline to obedience than her own safety which the gods by the condition they had reduc'd her to had render'd the least of her cares As soon as they were come into Flamminius's Chamber the poor Gentleman seeing Blacius with Izadora began to exclaim against the Fates cruelty and not hers that had given him no obstacle but want of health to enjoy a Felicity as transcendent as her Beauty This discourse the generous Lover held for he was ignorant that Blacius knew the cause of his danger his Page not daring to acquaint him with it lest what was his misfortune might have been esteem'd his fault but he was soon put out of that Faith by Blacius shewing him his own Letter Oh gods who can tell you those sad words Flamminius utter'd at that discovery they were such that I as much admir'd as commended Izadoras Constancy not to have been shaken by them But her Father who had solemnly sworn that nothing but Flamminius's recovery should convince him of his Daughters change withdrew himself to a window lest the dying Lover might attribute Izadora's kindness to his presence and not her conversion Flamminius perceiving 't was with design instead of employing so kind an opportunity to implore his Mercy in receiving and cherishing so pure and bright a flame made use of it only to invoke her pardon that the assurance he had sent of his obedience had prov'd so unfortunate a Duty and then protested with Eyes and Hands elevated to Heaven that if her justice would not invite her to believe he intended not to make use of Blacius authority her reason should be convinc'd of it by the demonstration of his death and lest that might be consider'd as her act he would by a Letter and before witnesses seal with his last breath 't was not her disdain that
opportunity of acting my despair for the cause of it immediately withdrew himself with so much Grace and Humility that I exclaim'd against Fate which had render'd my being his Friend and Izadora's Servant inconsistent Flamminius was no sooner gone than she having shut the Chamber door told her Confident Now Callione I perceive the gods are determin'd to furnish me by Perolla's absence with what shall evince that my passion for him is as perfect as unfortunate I must dye Callione and beseech the gods to make me as unfortunate in the other World as I have been in this if I resent any trouble for my Death but what I apprehend it may create in him and that by this one argument of my Flame I am render'd for ever uncapable of giving him any other but it may be the cause of my death may extinguish or lessen the effects of it On the contrary Madam Callione reply'd 't will augment them not only by the loss of the highest perfection that ever was but by his knowledge that that loss was his and for him Let us speak no more of it said Izadora my resolution is too just and too setl'd to be remov'd for either 't will make him love my memory or follow me and in this one performance I satisfy my Duty and my Love the first being cancell'd by the hand of death the last by going to a place where the object of mine may be assured to find and possess me and I have stoln this minute to let him know so much under my hand For thy particular Callione the trust I have impos'd on thee is of a quality which manifests the greatness of it and this is all I have to enjoyn thee that thou wilt deliver my last desires to Perolla's hands and that thou wilt with as much resolution see me take the Poison as I will drink it Come Madam said Callione I cannot believe Miracles are ceas'd since I see your constancy retire yourself into this Closet where you may deliver me your Commands with more secrecy which I beseech you to believe I shall faithfully obey though I would not any of them with so much passion as that of pledging you Alas Callione said Izadora thou hast no griefs which death alone can ease I shall have Madam she reply'd when yours are cur'd by that remedy At the end of these words the fair Izadora open'd the Closet Door and perceiving a Man there for my disguise hinder'd her from knowing me she cryed out oh Callione thou hast betray'd thou hast betray'd me but death hath more doors than one and I will try them all but I will find a passage No Madam said Callione perceiving her error your suspitions wrong me more than you believe my treachery does you 'T is Perolla you see and unless my presenting him unto you be a treachery I am guilty of none Izadora at that assurance consider'd me more attentively and then continu'd oh gods 't is not Perolla but his Ghost which comes to invite me to a place where Merit and Love have no Enemies and where a virtuous and a happy Flame are the same thing No fair Izadora I reply'd prostrating my self at her Feet for till then my distempers were too violent to let me speak I am Perolla not his Ghost and am come to implore your continuance in this life not to invite you to another the gods will not so much tempt us to doubt their providence as to decline rewarding your Virtue on the same Theatre where it has so conspicuously shined for that were to make Sin Reason Callione Madam has told me such a story of Flamminius that you must be the unjustest Woman in the World if you make me not the miserablest Man and that hatred of your Fathers which I thought was the gods cruelty I now find was their care since it has reserv'd you to a blessing which nothing can transcend but my misfortune which builds it I had continu'd this discourse had not Izadora interrupted it first by going two steps back and then by saying This is sure Perolla's Ghost not he for nothing but a Spirit divested of Flesh could entertain so high a Philosophy but can you esteem Flamminius Virtues great that never but hazarded his life to please his Mistriss when at the same instant you make yours your misery to reward your Rival his performance carried its ease with it but Perolla's it 's torment had I been curst with any doubts of your transcending him this action had clear'd them and what you intend for the disclosing of his Virtues do but the better manifest your own neither can you think but that his embracing your Offer will render him unworthy of it for the receiving a resign'd up Mistriss is like losing a life for a Friend where that act which makes the obligation imposes an impossibility of gratitude Ah Madam said I interrupting her he that could dye to please Izadora merits to live for her Observe she reply'd the justice of the Gods which furnishes me with Arguments out of your own Mouth for you will acknowledge to live in Torment is a greater unhappiness than death and since you assure me by becoming Flamminius's I must make the first of those your Fate must not a higher Martyrdom have a proportionate reward will you make Izadora unfortunate because the gods have made Flamminius generous and will you give away what you have given yourself to have you not rewarded a gallant intention by a gallanter and have you nothing to pay Izadora's debts with but Izadora herself Alas Madam I reply'd they are my debts as well as yours and I beseech you judge of the value I place upon those that oblâ—ge you when I submit to such a payment Great gods said Izadora â—â—fting up her hands what have I committed that Perolla against Reason against my Tears and against my Prayers will part with me cruel Perolla she continu'd fixing her Eyes upon me after a short silence and weeping you shall but extend your power over your self you can but deny Izadora to be yours and recall those vows you have made her you cannot make her cancel hers which were to be yours or Deaths the first you willingly exempt her from and the last she therefore as willingly elects When she had done speaking she came again to the place where I kneeled and after having wet my Face with her Tears she dry'd her Eyes and with a look as cold as temperate and as far above misfortune as she was unworthy any she told me farewell Perolla farewell for ever but before I execute what your cruelty and my religion renders necessary I will satisfy you and Flamminius by my Nuptials and after in that Bole pointing to the poison or in as certain a remedy if that be deny'd me I will satisfy my duty to the gods At the finishing of these words she left me as if Life had done so but observing her Fatal resolution and that to be
you is a real truth and is only in design to preserve you from a sin the very thought whereof doth make me tremble You must pardon me Perolla said Flamminius interrupting me if I cannot raise my Faith so far above my reason Alas I reply'd I must of necessity be oblig'd only to your Faith for your doubts are of so sad a nature that if reason and demonstration only must remove them the very performance which does it will render you uncapable of making any advantage by their suppression and the knowledge of your mistake No Perolla said Flamminius I have not been so rude an admirer of Izadora as not before now to have convinc'd her that I prefer my obedience before my death and when to manifest that reality I had almost made use of a demonstration I would not again return to life left her enjoyning me it might have proceeded from her Duty or her present pity till she had faithfully engag'd her self to permit my death when she would no longer my Passion so that having given her the power when she has the will to be free from my Flame I cannot consider you now but as your own and not Izador's Agent Alas Flamminius I answer'd that which you build upon the Cause of your Confidence will be of our Misery and her ruine for the engagement Izadora gave you the invitation to which was your virtue with the condition you were in when she gave it you and her fear of what you may do by what you have done makes her elect her own Death rather than avoid it by yours so that what you chose to evince your respect by turns to a Tyranny but let her generosity instruct yours and remember it can be but virtuous to imitate Izadora You make me said Flamminius happy whether I do or do not credit you for if the latter by my choice there is nothing since I spoke with you that troubles me and con-sequently I am in joyes of hopes till those of fruition converts them into greater and if the former I must be convinc'd that Izadora loves Flamminius better than her self but yet he continu'd were I assur'd so fatal a proof must certify that Truth I should be less unfortunate in her hate than her esteem besides he continu'd preparing himself to leave me Izadora knowing her death will be so far from preventing that it will but accellerate mine I must again Perolla beg your pardon for not crediting your vows which you may grant with the less reluctancy since my unbelief is with reason and against my self Then I reply'd staying him and drawing my Ponyard which was all the Arms I had then about me you must either oblige me so much as not to let me live to see you restor'd to a better opinion of me by so black an Experiment or you must not live to be Izadora's death which were I not certain your intended Nuptials would prove I had rather make use of my hand against my self than Flamminius Since said he unsheathing his Ponyard which was a Weapon all Gentlemen constantly wore in those times you will force me to dispute Izadora by my Arms as well as by my Services I make no question but to prove as successful in the first as I have been in the last We had no more words after those but ran furiously at each other my thrust was more fortunate than Flamminius's for though his entered my right side yet meeting with a Rib and glauncing on it it gave me but a large flesh wound whereas mine past through and through his body a little above his heart and our Weapons being not long we were constrain'd to close in which I had the fortune to fling him down and disarm him but perceiving by the great Spring of blood which issu'd from his wound that I had at least for awhile hinder'd his Marriage presenting him his Ponyard I implor'd his forgiveness for what I had done beg'd him to be satisfi'd by my being able to have success against him that I had the better cause and besought him not to implore that life I gave him and Izadora had preserved for his ruine and for mine since he would hereafter know how near she was to sacrifice her own for his and that I would ever be of a resembling resolution Flamminius made me some answer which I could not hear for having effected my design though in the most unfortunate way I thought it high time to retire lest a longer continuance in so dangerous a place might rob me of the fruits of my Victory I was but newly gone out of the Room when occasion'd by the curiosity of some that had listen'd at the door whil'st we were fighting I heard all the house in an alarm and was scarce half way out of it but that I found my self in a narrow Entry assaulted by four with Swords who cry'd out Kill Kill the Murtherer of Flamminius one of those was so hot in his fury that running at me he stumbled and fell at my feet and by his fall choaking up the passage I had time to take away his Sword with which for awhile I retreated safe against the rest but as soon as I was come into a more spacious place not only the other three came all upon me but most of that crowd which were invited to this Marriage and Blacius at the head of them so that I had certainly there receiv'd my Fate had not those two Friends I formerly specified with Strato relieved me who suspecting my design had continu'd about the house ready to answer all alarms and this they did so vigorously that having worsted some that oppos'd their entrance they join'd me in my greatest danger and crying out Courage Perolla by their voyces and their performances had restor'd me mine though I had lost it The name of Perolla made Blacius discover what my disguise had conceal'd and the affront but more the Actor of it so transported him that striking at me with all his force and I defending his blow with my Ponyard his Sword fell out of his hand which snatching up I presented it him by the hilt and beg'd him not to employ his Arms against a life that I was perpetually ready to sacrifice for his service Blacius was so extremely surpriz'd at the loss of his Sword and at the manner of his recovering it that I had time to leave him in his astonishment But I ow'd it to the Valor of the Gentleman with whom I had that discourse at my first coming into the Room where the Ball was dancing who learning by the publick noise that I was Perolla and pardoning my attempt on Flamminius as to my resentments did preserve my life by cutting off another Gentlemans hand that was coming behind me to have taken it away whil'st I was restoring Blacius his Arms. With this generous additional assistance I recover'd the Street-gate where I found by the care of my two Friends so powerful a recruit that had
my revenge been my design I might as easily have acted as desir'd it and indeed I found a greater difficulty to suppress the fury of those Swords which were drawn in my quarrel than I believe I should to have been victorious by them To be brief I retired to a private and secure Sanctuary though most of us received so many wounds that their being not dangerous made us acknowledge a high Providence Whil'st we were thus disputing our difference Izadora though she were but a hearer of it was as she has assured me in far greater fears than any that were Actors in it but being told that Flamminius was killed she ran with Callione where he lay and where she wept so many tears that he almost mistook her Pity for her Love but Blacius being after our retreat come thither also caused Flamminius to be carried into the next Chamber and as soon as the Chyrurgions had searcht and bound up his wound the impatient Father asked him Whether his Daughter had any share in this Tragedy Ah Sir said Flamminius be not so cruel to truth and to me as to suspect her guilty of such a Crime for had she intentions of that nature she needed not employ any to kill me since she knows she has not only the power to act it herself but by the honour of dying by her commands she has wherewithall abundantly to recompence my death No Sir he that has reduced me to this condition is some Stranger and Friend to Perolla who believing him too much injured by the loss of Izadora has so civilly endeavor'd to revenge his absent Friend that I can no more complain of his resentments than I should at the loss of so much blood had it been in Izadora's service for after he had by courage and not surprize disarmed me and that I had given him no slight hurt when the latter provok'd him to revenge and the former gave him power to execute it he restored me my Poniard and for that gift only besought me to excuse those resentments his Friends interest had created and so left me Take heed Flamminius said Blacius lest you make me question what you said of Izadora's innocency by seeming to be ignorant of Perolla's guilt when that he wounded you is so known a truth that there are as many Witnesses of it as People in this house It may be said Flamminius that it was Perolla but you cannot therefore conclude that I must know 't was he for if it were his disguise might have deceived one that had been better acquainted with him than I have the honour to be besides Sir 't would have been too much in me had I thought it had been my Rival to have given so large a character of his performances before my Mistriss Well reply'd Blacius the certainty that it is Perolla cannot be greater than that he shall never have Izadora who I will think innocent because you do and who upon your recovery shall be the reward of your passion and your wounds Blacius immediately after went away and Izadora to satisfie her Father and her goodness continued with Flamminius whose gallantry she admir'd as much as she esteem'd herself unfortunate in being uncapable of rewarding it But he as soon as Blacius was retir'd somewhat touch'd with my carriage to him but much more with what I had told him concerning Izadora's design upon herself besought her to permit him the honour of entertaining her without Witnesses which she granted and the Chamber being emptied Flamminius told her particularly all that had past betwixt us magnified my actions in terms as flattering as handsom and then conjured Izadora with passionate and moving words to acquaint him ingenuously Whether all I had delivered was true but she more perplex'd at this question than she would have been to drink the fatal Bole for a good while did nothing but fix her eyes upon him and cry'd out Oh gods Flamminius Oh gods Flamminius What is it you ask me And at length answered him only in a shower of tears which drew another from him and words so distracted yet so significant that Izadora found Rhetorick did not wholly consist in well speaking or in talking sence But Flamminius's disorder being somewhat mitigated he continu'd I perceive fair Izadora that your apprehensions I should destroy my life when you do my hopes hinders you from letting your words acknowledge what your tears have done but I beseech you believe that I shall be more tormented in continuing your misery than in knowing my own that I shall consider my affliction as my joy if it can build yours and if by the learning my own misfortunes I may put a period to Izadora's she will more oblige me by building her Happiness on the ruine of mine than if she continued my hopes by her sufferings Alas said Izadora what shall I answer for your virtue is such that it makes mine my pain and that constancy which I still gloried in is now a subject as fit for my tears as satisfaction Oh gods she continu'd after a short silence why do you make virtue so offensive to virtue why do you make Flamminius's virtue of such a quality that I am troubled to profess mine And why do you render perseverance in good a torment as great as the fault in declining it Alas Flamminius press me not to tell you what I elected to shun by death and guess at the nature of what I am to speak by what I would have performed to avoid it let it suffice you having tied me to approve of your passion or your death and that since my preingagement hindered me from cherishing the former to preserve you from the latter I was willing and am resolved to exchange our destines Great gods Flamminius cry'd out why did you teach me what retributions I ought to make so high a perfection and so long delayed giving me the power to perform them then turning to the excellency he had mention'd he continu'd Fair Izadora you have not only taught me what to practise but given me the power to act it Yes I am now ready to lose my hopes without my life and the joyes of having served you in a way that you can no more hereafter doubt of than reward my passion will recompence my loss and preserve a life which must be my contentment since it has establish'd yours and is esteem'd by you But why do I lengthen my discourse 'T is sufficient you learn generous Spartacus that the great Flamminius made a resignation of all his passions for Izadora but those of being serviceable to her and became as perfect a Friend as he had been a Lover This admirable change both he and Izadora acquainted me with by a servant of his to whom she had told my retreat To draw to a conclusion during Flamminius's weakness he so perfectly acted the Lover before Blacius and so perfectly the Friend when he was absent that Izadora was convinc'd by so painful a part
kill himself in it and that he was confident if they would retire either to restore his Father to his former affection in few days or himself to his Duty they began by little and little to draw off which when they were entirely Pacorus told Phanasder and me that he never had a higher Duty than that which he paid Altezeera and that he only mention'd that word to reduce the Parthians to theirs and to protract the time till he could draw in Labienus and some Forces Whilst we were in the admiration of this generous Prince and upon our return the Centinels upon the highest Towers gave us a fresh Allarm which we found was no false one for we immediately perceiv'd the Parthian Ensignes flying towards us and the foremost of them carry'd by one who Pacorus at last knew to be Arsaces who seeing his Soldiers retreat and learning the occasion of it in that fury both inspir'd he ran to the Ensign of the first Milliary and having forc'd it from him he cryed out to the rest I told you degenerate Parthians 't was your fear you disguis'd under a false Name for now that you fought for Glory and against your Enemies you resign your first to the last in which number I include the false Pacorus who is a Traitor to his King and to his Father and whose sight should rather inspire you with revenge that respect you fight not against your Prince but his crimes which being great enough to make me divest my self of all the dictates of Nature may well invite you to cast off those of respect neither can you avoid punishing his sin but by committing a greater remember from your Prince he is become your Enemy and that in taking Tygranocerta you subdue a Kingdom and a Rebel who is much more considerable neither will I command you to act what I will decline do but follow your King destroy you the Armenians and I will Pacorâ—s Let us go then valiant Parthians by your performances merit that Title which the more to induce you to I vow by the gods I will find in this assault my satisfaction or my death Finishing these words he marcht at the head of his Troops and through a storm of Arrows which were shot before Pacorus knew his Father he came to the foot of the breach somefollow'd him out of Duty some out of Fear but the most as I have been since told to oppose and divert him if affairs were reduc'd to exreams but the generous Pacorus no sooner knew Orodes than he commanded the Armenians to forbear all hostility for a little and that good conclusion of this difference or his death should render his Orders useless or dispence with their infringement of them this being obey'd he raises himself up and leaning on his Sword he cry'd out Arsaces cruel Arsaces here is that Son which thou prosecutest more than Armenia retire thy Forces out of the latter and I will deliver thee up the former and if thy fury has not so entirely divested thee of Nature as to become the executionr of thy Son he will in recompence become his own and thereby evince himself thine since nothing but so near an alliance could induce him by death to exempt thee from what if acted will make thee deserve it There is Divinity Arsaces within these Walls and if thou esteem'st my saying so no Truth thou wilt change thy opinion if thou reflectest on what her defence has made me undertake and what reverence thy Soldiers have paid her Defender or if both these will not invite thee to that belief the seeing of her will but if nothing can move thee to reason or pitty I attest that perfection I adore and which thou committest a sin if thou dost not that the first step thou mak'st towards her destruction I will act mine and perhaps when thy choller has resign'd what it has usurp'd over thy reason thou wilt find some in deploring a Son who thou didst once honor with thy affection and who has lost it in a performance which hereafter but when 't is too late thou wilt confess has given him a better Title to it Whilst Pacorus was thus speaking all the Parthians as their King did make a stand and in imitation of the Armenians had desisted from shooting with Looks in which a small Phisiognomist might have read their Hopes of not doing it again and in a silent eloquence seem'd to implore that Command from Arsaces whose answer they expected and heard with impatience for it was thus Traitor and degenerate Pacorus who to aggravate thy crimes canst mention the name of Son and yet be in Arms and Rebellion against me know that the same moment thou hast cast off the duty of a Son I have divested my self of the relation of a Father and consequently that death thou threatnest me with loses that operation with me which thou act it I shall in part excuse the sins of thy Life and consider it rather as an effect of the greatness of their horror than of thy affection Neither can I commit any higher crime than to pardon thine for thou hast robb'd me in one action of a Son of Glory and of Quiet which two last I must and will restore by the destruction of the first for that Divinity thou mention'st I am confident she is none were it only for inviting thee to sin but if she be one let her shew it in her defence for I am determin'd on so vigorous an Assault that nothing but a Divinity can render it unsuccessful Then turning to the Parthians with a furious look he commanded them to follow him and began in a hasty march to ascend the breach but he was stopt by Pacorus who cry'd out Stay Arsaces stay since thou art so greedy of my death behold I will act it and it the taking out of the World him that robb'd thee of a Son of Glory and of Quiet and if he that restores thee to the latter two can merit any favour from thee I conjure thee by those obligations which I will immediately confer on thee content thy self with the submission and seek not the ruine of Artabazus or if thy rage has stopt all ways to mercy for him yet a least let his excellent Sister be respected as near as you can extend your duties to her merit I conjure thee once again by the name of Father by the name of King by this bloud I shed for thy satisfaction and by my last breath grant me this request Then with a Look which entirely relish'd of Death turning the Pommel of his Sword to the ground and the Point to his Breast he said farewell eternally fair Princess I am capable of no more but to live your Adorer and to dye your Martyr and then cast himself so suddainly on the fatal Steel that though some endeavour'd to prevent it yet they could not so absolutely but that he made a large wound in his left side and fell on the ground
for indeed never Beauty did both promise and give so much at once as Udozia's which in a word possest such transcendent perfection that had it not been for the reliques of my Passion I might have found the honor of being her Brother would not be greater than the misfortune After these professions which my relations and esteem made me make I began to conjure her by both that she would fix her thoughts upon a person which I not only esteem'd most worthy of them but which was really so and which she might be in some degree confirm'd in when his interior graces were at least equal to those perfections of Nature of which I presented her an imperfect Copy thereupon I gave her Ventidius's Picture in a Box so precious that nothing could be more but what it contain'd and then gave her a character of him which thought it were short of Truth which had been an inevitable error to whosoever had undertaken it yet it fail'd not to produce that effect which a more proportionate one to his desert had done for Udozia whilst I was speaking with her Cheeks dy'd with a perfect Vermillion so concernedly consider'd the generous Ventidius's Picture that I thought she would be wounded in the same way in which she had wounded him and I was no sooner silent than she told me I know not Sir whether I have more cause to be satisfy'd with your care or to be the contrary in so evident a demonstration that you doubt my obedience and affection since in this one Command concerning Ventidius I find pregnant arguments of both for your election cannot more abundantly demonstratethe former than your so earnestly commanding me what is as much an effect of my judgement as obedience does the latter Dear Udozia I reply'd embracing her I am not so much an enemy to my own Felicity as to doubt your Affection but if I did your giving your self to any man at my request had abundantly supprest in me that belief since when you scruple not to be unjust for I esteem it too transcendent a reward to be a kind of injustice and your giving your self to any Mortal is that rewarad to raise in me that Faith I cannot decline making it mine without revenging on myself my own incredulity Udozia still retaining her blushes which this discourse continu'd in as high a quality as my request for Ventidius had created them in made me a return as full of flattery as mine was void of any and then gave me a positive assurance of an absolue resigning her â—elf to my dispose I thought it then high time to let her know the generous Annexander's death which till then I had declin'd because Grief was an ill preparative to Love being of a contrary quality and because I thought if she receiv'd the former it would so entirely possess her heart that the latter would not have so dangerous an admittance at last by degrees I acquainted her with that fatal intelligence which having forc'd us to mingle our tears together by little and little I began to dry my own and she hers in imitation of me but knowing that to divert a sorrow is to lessen it I resum'd again my discourse of Ventidius to whom I told her I would and to whom I then did dispatch an Express to acquaint him with his Felicity which I assur'd her he was determin'd to come and implore at the head of fifty thousand Romans whose courages so led would soon invest her in Empires as large as the Heart which ador'd her I then began to enquire in what posture Armenia stood for Satala was upon the frontiers of it and the first place in the Kingdom I had rested in Udozia told me all things were in a general quiet that the Parthian Army upon the intelligence that Crassus lay about the famous Temple of Hierapolis intending suddainly to invade their Countrey were all with Arsaces return'd into it but 10000 Horse which remain'd as Guards to Pacorus and Altezeera who were shortly to follow and which had hitherto been interrupted by a fresh indisposition of the latters who yet was now so well recover'd that in three days she with Pacorus intended to leave Tygranocerta and to begin their journey for Parthia on the frontiers of which Empire Arsaces with all the gallantry of it had publish'd he would meet them and that all this she had receiv'd by an Express the day before from Lindesia I was not more astonish'd to learn Armenia was in so perfect a tranquility than joy'd to find Altezeera had not yet left it and after a short reflection on both I ascrib'd the former to the latter and that the gods by having so obligingly detain'd her had induc'd Phanasder to suspend that Insurrection he intended another cause producing the effect for which only that was design'd Neither was my Fancy so little flattering as not to create in me some hopes that Altezeera's indisposition was rather a pretence than a reality and purposely contriv'd to give me time to come to her rescue and my own felicity In this Faith I esteem'd it not requisite to invite Crassus's invasion who too being in this place was at too great a distance to answer so suddain an occasion as mine but rather to flye to Tygranocerta and there to form my resolutions according to my Intelligence Therefore having found Udozia had as much discretion as Beauty to let her know that was my belief I privately sent for Cleomen the Governor of Satala who I commanded thenceforth to obey Udozia's Orders to whom I left entirely the Care and Governof all Cleomen gave me a million of thanks for so pleasing a Command and publish'd himself exceedingly satisfy'd that what he had hitherto done by inclination he should now do by duty Then after having given Udozia fresh assurance of a passionate affection and friendship and conjur'd both her and Cleomen to keep my being in Armenia a Secret with fresh Horses and only with Falintus and Philanax in four days I crost the lower Armenia and came to Tygranocerta late at night the first place I lighted at was at the Palace of Theoxcena with whom I was confident to find Phanasder or learn where I might and by the advice of so good Friends and Judgements fix upon the best resolution but there I learnt Theoxcena had that day left Tygranocerta with Artabazus and all the Court who were gone to accompany Pacorus and Altezeera towards the frontiers of Parthia Oh gods what horror did this fatal news strike me with but not to contribute to my misfortune I determin'd having given our Horses a little refreshment to follow that Beauty which fled both from my Passion and me and therefore went directly to Phanasder's Lodgings for I could not learn at Theoxcena's any intelligence of him but that he was not gone with her Falintus who went in first got me a private Apartment in which I continu'd til he return'd who soon brought me word that
Revenge acted without being the Judge or Guilty of it For one of my Instructions from the Triumvirat and Senate is neither to give nor receive Quarter so that in my necessary obedience you may derive a satisfaction which perhaps your own nice Gallantry would scruple to confer on you Judge generous Friend said Artavasdes Judge if my astonishment were great at so strange and unexpected an adventure in which I had on small debate whether it were an accident fitter for my joy or grief but after a short reflection and dispute on it I reply'd Ah Ventidius Pacorus must not dye my Honor as well as Reason will oppose it for to let a Prisoner be executed by the Sword of Justice which avoided it by that of War cannot more intrench upon both our Reputations than it must on my Felicity for though Pacorus's death will free me from an injoyning Kival yet alas the way in which 't is done will raise me as great an obstruction as it removes for with what confidence and hopes can I present my self to Altezeera having been in effect the murtherer of her Husband by so horrid a crime if she has any aversion for me it will be as abundantly as justly increast or if hereafter she should discover my Innocency which is too-bright to be eternally clouded I should hereby render heruncapable to reward it No generous Ventidius the gods have too palpably taken the protection of Pacorus to make me become his destroyer and they never yet permitted sin to be the way to Felicity besides I owe him a Life which if I now repay I shall ease my self of a burthen that next to Altezeera's Inconstancy does most load me neither is it impossible but so high a demonstration as this is of my concern in her satisfaction may create in her a proportionate one for mine and induce her to confess what she has done was her fault or at least her misfortune which acknowledgement of her offence I shall esteem the highest blessing next to her repairing it neither shall I ever hope her pardon for having made Pacorus a prisoner but by setting him at liberty and those wounds I have given him cannot more nobly be excus'd nor by so pregnant an evincement that I was ignorant to whom I gave them as that of restoring him his liberty when I knew it I shall therefore generous Ventidius conjure you by all those motives which you esteem most prevalent permit me to dispose of Pacorus before his qualâ—â—y be known to your Army lest so great a gift afterwards might prove a proportionate prejudice to the Giver That this Prisoner said Ventidius is Pacorus is not more certain than that before now all the Army know it for my Spies never being employ'd but about publick concerns I never us'd to receive their intelligences but before such of the Army with whom I use to advise how to improve and act upon them so that this being given me as the custome is and being a thing of so great encouragement to the Soldiers and Honor and advantage to you that took him I was so far fâ—om endeavouring to suppress it that I contributed on both those scores to the divulging it neither can I think but therein I heve abundantly serv'd you which I believe will be your opinion too if you act not as much againct your self as the gods do for you for I know you are too-much a Friend to Virtue and too-knowing in Altezeera's either to desire or expect a reward of your Passion and Services in the condition she now is in so that their being but two obstacles to the attaining of your felicity that of her real Marriage and that of your imaginary Guilt the greatest of them by Pacorus's death will be remov'd and who knows whether therein both of them will not be so for perhaps the danger Armenia was in did invite her to her crime and it may be the more to supress Pacorus's jealousies who could not but learn her pre-ingagement to you she broke with you on your pretended and unmention'd fault the better to palliate her own neither is it unlikely but that Pacorus by some Arts of his has setl'd this misunderstanding betwixt you and after his being possest of Altezeera lest she should learn it privately by some other way and so as a reparation recall you to her has himself disclos'd it thereby to hinder her from such a proceeding besides should Altezeera come to learn your innocency 't will be so far from being an advantage to you that it will be a torment to her and consequently to you and Pacorus according to the course of Nature being as probable to live as either Altezeera or you all you can derive from the manifestation of your Integrity is only to let her know but not render her capable to acknowledge or reward it whereas if Pacorus be sent into another World at the same instant your innocence is clear'd it will undoubtedly be recompenc'd These reasons continu'd Ventidius cannot more evidently manifest that Pacorus's death is necessary to your Felicity than I will that it cannot be so much as suspected to be your action or by your consent for his being a prisoner cannot be more generally known than that my Commission commands me to take none or if any be taken to execute them so that that which is a general order no body nor Altezeera her self can consider as a particular act for your satisfaction or interest what you have already done for Pacorus evinces also that Truth since when you had the power to kill him you not only declin'd doing so when too he had sufficiently invited you to it by leaving only strength enough to perform it but also employ'd that little remnant of life you had left to preserve his which had reduc'd you to that extremity and said Ventidius you must give me leave somewhat to mention my own safety in this particular which will run an infinite hazard by not only infringing my Commission but by letting goe so considerable a Prisoner Would to the gods I reply'd I could as easily answer all your objections as the last since then I could promise my self a Concession of my request as much from your Reason as Friendship for whatsoever is the cause of Altezeera's change I am confident Pacorus being thus remov'd will not leave her a Latitude to repair it but on the contrary 't will make me for ever uncapable of appearing what I am though you alleadge that my having once preserv'd Pacorus will evidence I am clear of his death yet I am satisfy'd it will prove the contrary for to save him when I knew not who he was and to permit his death when I knew him to be Pacorus will justly shew she was oblig'd by my ignorance and wrong'd by my knowledge and indeed will render me as guilty to her as to my self for knowing the perfect friendship Ventidius blesses me withal she cannot doubt if I had embrac'd
Pacorus's preservation with earnestness but my success would have been proportionate to my desire besides should she never know I was consenting to his death 't were enough perpetually to banish me from her that I did Ventidius was about to answer me when Septimus and a great many Officers came into my Tent to visit me and to give him an advice of such importance as necessitated him awhile to leave me alone which I no sooner was than I began to dispute with my self on my admirable and strange fate and to elect some course upon so emergent an occasion at length the gods made me pitch upon one which at Ventidius's return I resolv'd to communicate to him in the expectance whereof I sent for one of my Physitians and Chirurgions who waited on Pacorus to learn how he did they told me that as yet he had not recover'd his senses perfectly nor spoke but they durst undertake his cure if I were concern'd in it Yes I reply'd I am so infinitely and enjoyn you as you value me to have a care of him and that you will not only keep from his knowledge that 't was I which he fought against but my being in the Roman Army both which you may imagine are of no small importance to me since I commend them to you asmuch as his cure or my own This they not only promis'd but undertook to perform which they might the more easily because he was only waited on by my Servants An hour after Ventidius return'd to my Tent where he told me the occasion which drew him from it was an Advertisement brought him that Labienus who was left for dead amongst many thousands that were so was by the care of one of his servants the foregoing night brought to a Countrey-house not far off where beyond all expectation they found him give some symptomes of Life which the diligent Servant to improve went to a Village not far off to fetch a Chirurgion to send advice to the Parthian Army of this rare accident and to let them know how dangerous a place their General was in that they might suddainly remove him from it one of my Spies by good fortune was then in this Village and so industriously play'd his part that he got perfect information of this Truth which then he came to discover to me and which occasion'd me to send a party of Horse to seize upon Labienus and bring him hither they are just now return'd but without him for an hour before 2000 Parthian Horse had carry'd him away in a Litter Ventidius having made me this little Relation began afresh to assault me about Pacorus but when he found my resolution if not my reason was unconquerable he told me since I was so absolutely fix'd upon my prejudice he would afford me his assistance in it were it only to convince me he would not deny it me in anything and that what he had mention'd concerning his own danger was purely to invite me upon his score to yield to what was to prevent mine since I declin'd it upon my own that therefore he was determin'd to send an express to Rome to let the Senate know his victory and the taking of Pacorus whose liberty he would represent as his own opinion would sooner settle the Eastern World than his death since his being of a generous disposition an obligation that was so would invite him to be a friend to Rome which would be a more virtuous Conquest over the Parthians than they had over Crassus whereas his death by rendring the Parthians desperate will render the War so too which otherwise might be concluded without hazard and with glory I will continu'd Ventidius so fill my Letters not only to the Triumvirate and Senate with inducements to Mercy but also all those I shall send to my particular Friends that I hope they will produce what you desire at least if they do not I will be advertiz'd of it by a Post who shall arrive before my Express that if Pacorus's death be commanded before I receive that order I will by letting him escape render it impossible to be executed this course said Ventidius I elect because perhaps I may have no cause to break my instructions and if I have the doing it may prove a greater obligation to Artavasdes besides Pacorus's wounds cannot possibly be cur'd before an Express do goe and return from Rome neither will it be amiss we learn what countenance Altezeera put upon the news of his death or imprisonment This generous assurance made me embrace the maker of it and then I told him since his departure I had given strict Order Pacorus should be kept in a perfect ignorance either of my having been his Enemy or of my being in the Roman Army which I had done in expectation that some advantagious expedient might be found out for me if he gave the Parthian his liberty who I intended to visit in excellent disguise thorough which if Pacorus did not discover me I might be satisfy'd Altezeera could not and having made him know 't was from me he deriv'd his liberty and life I would return into Parthia with him where I made no doubt to learn the cause of my disgrace But said Ventidius suppose Pacorus should know you and yet not seem to do it till he came where he has a power to ruine you and what good too can it do you to learn the cause of your disgrace when it lies not in the Princesses power to redress it If Pacorus discovers me said I which I will almost render an impossibility I cannot yet suspect but what I do for him will confine him from doing any thing against me and to learn the cause of my disgrace will at least silence the torment of my suspension and restore me to Altezeera's good opinion which by her marriage is the highest felicity I can now aspire unto besides who knows what accidents may happen which being upon the place may improve and I must tell you I begin to flatter my self with a belief that the gods are weary of persecuting me since by this new accident they give me some signes of it I will continu'd Artavasdes pass over the particulars of our discourses to tell you the results which were That Ventidius yielded up his Reasons to my desires and assur'd me if he had no answer from Rome by the time Pacorus was able to make use of his liberty he should notwithstanding be restored to it Ventidius immediately after withdrew himself to make his dispatch to the Senate and to let Udozia know of that success which he deplor'd since thereby I was disabl'd from giving her an account of it Whilst we were in expectation of Pacorus's and my recovery the Roman Army Camp'd upon the same place in which it had been so victorious for I could not perswade Ventidius to prosecute his Victory by any hazard of my Life which he thought would run no small one by my removing with the Army or
my being left in any of those small Towns which were adjacent to it so that I did more oblige the Parthians by having fought against them than the contrary in having done it And though Ventidius sate still so long yet he made his Army believe it proceeded from the impossibility of doing otherwise till the great number of the wounded were cur'd which if left behind that Guard that unavoidably must be so too for their security would endanger the marching Army Yet during my cure the Romans made a sharp war on the Parthians by frequent and successful incursions and I constantly sent to visit Pacorus but under the name of Pharasmanes which was that I intended to assume in my disguise but at length being perfectly recover'd the better to act my part by the same messenger which return'd with Udozia's answer to Ventidius which was as obliging as he could desire or perhaps expect I gave out I had advertisements of some stirrs in Armenia which Ventidius perswaded the Romans my Presence only would suppress so that taking a publick and formal leave I made all the Camp believe I was gone but the same night I return'd privately again sending all my Equipage to Udozia and reserving only Philanax with that Physitian and Chirurgion which attended Pacorus and to shew you my Disguise was really what the name imports I have but to acquaint you that though Ventidius expected me at a sett hour and knew I would wear one yet we not only saluted one another but I told him I was sent from Artavasdes to beg his pardon for not being able to wait on him till next morning without discovering of me which he did not till I told him who I was and which indeed was not strange for my Hair that naturally is of a dark brown I had colour'd of a bright Flaxen and by a certain composition strangely alter'd the colour of my Skin and to perfect all by the help of a certain Gold Wire fasten'd and conceal'd in my Mouth I had disguis'd my Voice as much as my Face in a word I had not known my self if it had not been for some internal griefs which nothing had the power either to disguise or mitigate and which but too well forc'd me to remember that I was still the unfortunate Artavasdes Ventidius was extreamly satisfy'd with my having so deluded him which he fancy'd an impossibility till by experiment he found his error The next morning therefore I went to visit Pacorus and to give him the Consolation his condition and the duty of a Gentleman requir'd I found him well advanc'd on his recovery but I found him perfect in all those charms of conversation which till then I never knew he so abundantly possest I will not scruple my generous friends continu'd Artavasdes to tell you I was not a little troubled at it and truly by my constant frequenting him I began to despair of my condition by having cause to believe 't was Altezeera's judgment only which had made me unfortunate To abbreviate my story I will let you know That at last Pacorus was so well recover'd as my Physitian told me within three dayes he might without danger make use of his Horse two of which were scarcely expired when Ventidius's Messenger from Rome came privately into the Camp and assured him his Express from the Senate would be with him within 48 hours That what had been propounded by him to the Senate had been largely debated in it and had been carry'd according to his desires had not Mark Anthony oppos'd it who suspected Pacorus's liberty would settle Asia in a perfect peace and consequently take away the occasion of his going into the East with an Army which he coveted only to palliate that Passion he had for Cleopatra the Queen of Egypt and which he durst not publickly manifest lest it might create any differences betwixt him and Octavius Caesar whose Sister the Princess Octavia he had married and who in all mens eyes but Anthony's transcended her as much in beauty as in virtue That therefore he had so manag'd the business in the Senate that they had sent a positive Order immediately to put Pacorus to death Ventidius was not dishearten'd at this Advertisement and to hinder me from being so he immediately but by wayes too prolix for a repetition put things in such a certain posture that I knew there would be no difficulty that night to steal away with my Friend and my Rival till when I spent the time in taking leave of my dear Ventidius but as soon as the hour came I went to Pacorus and having brought him into one of the most obscure corners of the Tent I told him I believe Sir you have already learnt that he by whose good fortune you were made a Prisoner hazarded as much himself for you as he did against you and thereby you were preserv'd from losing your life as absolutely as you have your liberty This Gentleman who was so much your Enemy and your Friend is in the latter quality so much mine that though he is call'd Pharasmenes as well as I yet there is an high equality between our minds as between our names in his success against you he received some such wounds that though they were not as dangerous as yours yet they were in such unfortunate and inconvenient places that he has not been able to pay you those visits which he knows is due to your virtue as much as to your quality 't was therefore that I being sooner recover'd of mine he enjoin'd me to supply his place But Sir that you may see his concern in you extends further than the formal parts of humanity he has now sent me to you not only to let you know there is an express Order come from Rome to put you to death but also to attempt all imaginable means I can to prevent it At this unexpected Advertisement Pacorus appear'd in some disorder and truly I should have wonder'd more at the contrary than I did at it having by Altezeera a far dearer blessing to lose than life I gave him a little time to reflect upon his condition which the more he did the more desperate it did appear Crassus barbarous death and the Romans as barbarous usage to all Princes who they esteem'd or at least term'd so made him tell me Your generous Friend I believe Pharasmenes by his desires has already as much oblig'd me as he will have the power for I know too well the condition of the Romans to be ignorant of my own I shall not yet but acknowledge my self extremely his Debtor and as much as if what he desir'd were acted I beseech you therefore tell him from me that having no other way to pay what I owe him I will do it in contributing to his glory by the resolution of my sufferings which perhaps I shall in some degree perform if I endure my death with as much resolution as I oppos'd it This generous Reply
precipitate departure the more excusable render'd it so dangerously necessary that Artabbanes had esteem'd the Misfortune of your having left him without cause a less one The generous Roman upon your score or that of virtue so assiduously visited and serv'd my Prince that his obligations had no unfruitful return if their design was to acquire him really his Friendship At length after two Moons my dear Master's wounds were well-enough clos'd to permit him to think of Parthia and the Night before his design'd departure Perolla who apprehended in a strange Country he might not be sufficiently provided came and brought me the richest Jewels I had ever seen and desir'd me to carry them with me to remedy any misadventure I was much more satisfy'd with his care than he was with my assurance that Artabbanes had enough of them to supply his necessities and with my protestations after he had earnestly press'd me to accept them for my self that I would carry away nothing of his but the memory of his virtue Perolla immediately after went to Artabbanes with whom he had left the fair Izadora where he conjur'd him before her to permit his waiting on him into Parthia since he and the gods had left him no other way to demonstrate his Gratitude and affection Artabbanes absolutely refus'd this offer ` and was much more troubled at the making it than ever Izadora was My memory not serving me to repeat the generous Lovers final Civilities I will not so much wrong their excellence as to dress them in my own expressions The next day after this separation they return'd to Salapia with the false Spartacus's head which either to disguise the Truth or in honour to any thing which bore that name they caus'd magnificently to be buried and ever after liv'd in the unimitable joys of a virtuous Love and that those cannot be transcended by any others is not a greater Truth than it is that never any more justly deserv'd them The same morning my Prince left Rome he went to Ostia where the obliging Ventidius expected him not daring because of his eminent quality to wait on him thither lest it might have prov'd a dangerous Civility There my Prince by Ventidius's favour found an excellent Gally well fitted and Man'd ready to receive him and his Commands 'T was aboard that these two great Men took leave and 't was in that separation I discovered charms in the generous Roman's Person and Discourse which could be no more resisted than sufficiently admir'd At length having mutually vow'd a friendship as unalterable as that they had for virtue and confirm'd it by many strict embraces Ventidius returned privately to Rome and the whole Ginge immediately with chearful shouts and vigorous stroaks made the Galley run faster than that River it had so lately abandon'd but the Wind blowing a steddy gale at West exempted the Slaves from much labour and so facilitated our intended Voyage that in twenty days we cast Anchor in the River Orontes which washes the Walls of Antioch whither the same night my Prince went having largely rewarded the Slaves the Mariners and the Officers of Ventidius's Gally At Antioch having furnish'd our selves with two excellent Arabian Horses and having learnt that the ways through Syria and Mesopotamia were much obstructed by Crassus's Army which possess'd all the Bridges and other considerable Passes Artabbanes to avoid any probable impediments determin'd to leave those two Provinces on the South and so by the way of Armenia and Media to get into Parthia This was by much the more secure course and not very much the longer We had already performed so much of our Journey as to the Banks of the River Corindas which runs through Arsacca one of the noblest Cities in Media and were not past eight Furlongs from it when from the height of a little Hill we discover'd a fight which though not very considerable for the number of the Combatants yet it was for those of the dead for of above forty two only remain'd alive which by the richness and beauty of their Arms but much more by their Courages demonstrated themselves to be the Chief of either Party Not far from the Scene where this Tragedy was acting stood a Chariot whose Horses either by design or accident were running up and down the field with their Harnesses broken and in it was a Lady who we thought was the Judg or Reward of the Victory and who by what we could discern of her when we came nearer for she was vail'd seem'd too to be a worthy cause of so generous a Dispute My Prince extreamly taken with such courages and believing to permit them to destroy each other would be as great a Crime in him as in those which endeavour'd it pulling down the sight of his Helmet he rid up and thrust himself between them where having received on his Shield some blows which their fury intended for each other he conjur'd them both by what they valu'd most and by those lives which by what he had seen of them were too considerable to be fruitlesly lost That unless the Cause of their Quarrel were mortal they would desist from a fight which would give both or one of them wounds which would prove so He that wore the green Arms either inraged to lose that dawning advantage he had over his Enemy or to be interrupted from acting a Revenge he was very intent upon told my Prince in a furious Tone Whoever thou beest that art so over-officious know that did I not believe thy care of my Enemy proceeded from thy ignorance of his Crimes I should by thy defending a Person so replenish'd with them leave the punishment of his for the punishment of thine which out of that belief I will now omit but if this declaration be not sufficient to restrain thy Assistance thou shalt find thy Death in thy mistaken Charity Then clapping Spurs to his Horse and striking my Prince's with the flat of his Sword he joyn'd again his Adversary and so incessantly prest him that before my Prince could come to punish the Conquerour or defend the vanquish'd the former had pass'd his Sword through the latter who by that fatal thrust let fall his own and his Bridle employing both those hands which had held them to hold himself in his Saddle The Horse finding nothing to restrain him ran with his wounded Rider up and down the Field He in the green Armour had doubtless made the Death of his Enemy the end of his victory had not Artabbanes run after him to hinder it which so incens'd the Stranger that leaving his old Enemy for his new he only said Since by undertaking my Adversaries defence thou wilt partake of his Crimes prepare thy self to do the like of his punishment and then with an active rage he discharg'd some furious blows on Artabbanes who moved by this fresh accession to his former affront receiv'd him so briskly that the Stranger found he had undertaken a Quarrel far more
not sorry that to the invitations of Friendship he had that additional one of obedience for the silencing his designs of vindicating his wrongs but they being of too sublime a nature absolutely to be forgotten lest his disorders might discover he disputed whether he should obey Parthenissa with her permission he conjur'd the generous Sillaces to acquaint them by what strange adventure he was presented with the blessing of serving her Sillaces who receiv'd as sublime a satisfaction in his obedience to Artabbanes and Parthenissa as he had in hearing her story began his own short one in these terms From the time I left Rome till I came to Nineveh there happened nothing worth relating but that there happened nothing that was so But alas this calm was but too severely interrupted for there I understood how that both the Princess Lyndadory and Parthenissa could not more want my service than I did the power of paying it them My duty to Arsaces and hope that by being nearer the Castle of Eden I might be so to an opportunity of what so extreamly and justly I ambitioned made me immediately repair to the Camp where by the King I was received with such demonstrations of affection that I thought Surena's past favour and present condition had thitherto deprived me of that usage and then conferred it on me but my ignorance whether this proceeded from his goodness or design made me keep him in a perfect one of your condition and resolutions and though I endeavoured all imaginable ways to serve you and my self in the Princesses yet the only one in which I did it was in perswading the generous Ariobarzanes to do Surena no more services unless he received an assurance from the fair Zephalinda that in doing them to her Brother he did them too to her This I did out of a confidence Surena had deluded him and this Ariobarzanes did not to shew me in that confidence that I was so but when to many Letters of his to Zephalinda he never received any return he began to disclose a Truth which his so long ignoring had rendered obstructive to his King's ends and his own I believe this proceeding hastened Surena's for with his Intelligence he lost his hopes but whilst I lay languishing in desires and fears a Packet came from Merinzor to Surena and by the Carrier of it was delivered to Ariobarzanes but by what I have related he was become from his Confident his Enemy wherefore opening the Letters he found in them a black conspiracy of raising a mutual Rebellion against their Kings and of affording each other reciprocal assistance This I esteemed our duties to acquaint Arsaces with and this Ariobarzanes did so too as an expiation of having formerly convoy'd some of Surena's Letters to Merinzor when he knew not what they imported and when he was made believe they only were to preserve a Correspondency which might preserve the latter a sure retreat but the difficulty was how to let Orodes know of these Letters and not to let him know we had seen them before this at length we did by causing a Confident of ours to bring them hastily into the Camp as having taken them from one who by the River was stealing into the Castle and which by his Death he had prevented Orodes having perused them found Surena's Rebellion the more dangerous and that a Forraigner fomenting it would render it as long as hazardous 'T was therefore he immediately called me to him where after having told me That since Ariobarzanes had the next Command under him all others in the Army would be under me and that therefore till he could find me out a fit employment he desired I would take upon me that of being his Ambassador to the King of Media to acquaint him with this fresh Treason and to procure a League between them That as two of their Subjects had reciprocally bound themselves to ruine their Kings so that they should do the like to ruine them This continued Sillaces I obey'd partly because I had no employment in the Army but chiefly that my hopes were less of serving the Princesses in the Siege than in my Embassy For I had understood 't was Merinzor's Power in Media which hindered Moneses from having any and I had more than a belief that this favourite having rendered himself uncapable of becoming so again you might assume his place or at least your Right which I was confident to advance being employed as a publick Minister I was also but too certain the Siege would last longer than the journey which six days after I began that time being effluxt in giving me my Commission with my private and publick Instructions but because I designed so short a residence in Media I took only Twenty Gentlemen and some Servants to wait on me and being informed on the Confines of this Kingdom that it was freshly involved in a Domestick War I sent a couple of my Company before the rest to avoid Surprizes These it seemed saw those two of Surena's who fearing Mine began a round Gallop to recover their Companions but they were so briskly followed that one of them was overtaken and so wounded by a Javelin that he not only lost the hopes of his safety but almost of his Life you will believe when I came up that I was not a little surprised when I found this wounded Prisoner was Palurus who had the same employment under Surena that his Brother had under Phraates I concluded by the Servant that the Master was not far off and by threatning to torture him if he acquainted me not where his Prince was and by promising to have a care of his Life if he did he told me How you Madam had been deluded by his Prince and that you were both but a few furlongs before us Oh gods how was I surprised at this strange intelligence and how many oaths did I extort from the dying Palurus before I could believe him but as soon as I did leaving him to the care of some Peasants which were present I ran full speed upon the Traces of Surena two of my Troop I commanded to kill the Chariot-Driver and to cut the Harness lest during the fight I might lose the reward of it with the rest I charged my Enemy in which the first that fell was the false Arzimin You were Madam a Spectator of the residue of my Story and so was Artabbanes who came in when all my Company had killed Surena's and when they had had the honour to sacrifice all their own Lives in an employment which rather deserves my Envy than my Grief Sillaces continued Symander having finished his Discourse all those which had heard it and he himself were of opinion the fair Parthenissa's deliverance was replenish'd with so many strange conjunctures that it relished more of Providence than Chance and that this effect of it was but an earnest of a more sublime and obliging one I know not whether so pleasing a belief by
and I had carri'd her in our Arms to those Stairs which lead to her Appartment her breath but not her words were come to her again so that Artabbanes by pressing and kissing her hands took as we all thought an eternal leave and in whispers conjur'd Emilia to hinder her Princess's despair from making her the sharer of his Fate as she had but too much been of his Misfortunes Emilia neither answer'd nor indeed heard his request for all the faculties of her Soul had resign'd themselves to grief My Prince having spoke those few words with a languishing look took a second farewel from his Princess who by being then insensible was more happy than if she had been otherwise and going to the Guard return'd them thanks for their Civility and desir'd them to do their Duty The Captain mov'd with so sad a separation told him Would to the gods Sir I durst for then I should carry you to Liberty not to Prison Whilst this little discourse past between them I had represented to Emilia that 't was fit I should wait on my Prince and had obtain'd not only her permission but commands to do it 'T was therefore that I came to the Captain and desir'd his leave for it which he more readily granted than my Prince and accompani'd his Civility with this Protestation That nothing which could be condusive to Artabbanes's satisfaction and which was not positively forbidden him but should still find the same return By this time we were come to the Garden-Gate where we found a Chariot ready into which my Prince made me follow him the same Officers and the same Guard brought us to the Castle which is a place as impregnable as Art and Nature can render any the Appartment allotted for my generous Master was very large and magnificent to supply his being deny'd the liberty of the Gardens and finding he was to be a close Prisoner he commanded me to get a Pallate and to lie in his Chamber where he resign'd himself to so transcendent a grief that I knew by the greatness of it 't was not for himself but Parthenissa who Emilia told me afterwards had assum'd a proportionate sorrow both for the quantity and the cause My Prince found nothing in his Imprisonment no not the very end in order to which it was so intollerable as the being deny'd the sending to and hearing from his Princess who as soon as she had learn'd she was under a resembling misfortune concluded Surena's design was exceeding criminal since rather than permit her to know his actions he elected to give an exact Lover the fears such a relation unavoidably inspires and thereby contracted a worse opinion of him than his very worst performance could almost create Ten days after Artabbanes's Imprisonment during which time he never saw or spake with any except the Captain of the Guards and me finding so long a suspence as bad as execution he earnestly conjur'd him to learn what Surena's intentions were and if possibly what his usage was to Parthenissa The Captain promised to endeavour both and about four hours after return'd but with a Countenance that spake his intelligence before his words did which acquainted my Prince That for the last of his Commands so strict a watch was kept in the Palace that thereby all his endeavours therein had been fruitless but as to the first of them he came into Surena's Chamber when some of Merinzor's Partizans were disputing with him not whether you should be put to Death but of the way of it he alledging that in regard of your quality especially in Media you ought to have so much respect as not to be a publick Spectacle on an infamous Scaffold and that to execute you in your Chamber would be of as much advantage less scandalous and more secure for the Captain continu'd the Inhabitants of this City are so great Reverencers of either the Arsacian blood or of Moneses's Family that Surena has sent for a thousand Parthian Horse out of his Brothers Army to keep Arsacia from Tumults which he apprehends it will fall into let the execution be never so private on the other side Merinzor's servants alledged that since you were the first Prince of the Blood the execution ought to be publick that the Medians might be convinc'd of the reality of your Death and thereby cut off their hopes with your Life for it has been no unusual thing from the obscure Death of Princes to set up Counterfeits which have prov'd as dangerous as the real ones could that it would look rather like a Murther than an execution were it done in private and that by so covert a proceeding it might give the Arsacians an opinion we want either Justice or Power the former will make them believe 't is honest to relieve him and the latter that it is safe Though said the Captain I heard the debate yet I was commanded to withdraw when they were to form the result but yet I learn'd that whatever it were it would not be put in execution 'till the arrival of the thousand Parthian Horse who are hourly expected Any continu'd Symander that had heard this Relation would have thought he that made it had spoken of himself not of my Prince who found more satisfaction in learning his destiny than trouble in learning 't was so fatal a one and doubtless had not his just apprehensions of the fair Parthenissa's despair or at least excessive grief ty'd his hands he had by one generous stroke exempted himself from the infamy of dâ—ing on a Scaffold or composing a publick Trophy for his Enemies but that Parthenissa might be convinc'd his Life was dear to him since it was to her he determin'd if it were his fortune to be put to Death not to act it himself that she might not condemn but deplore his Fall To the Captain he gave such eloquent and admirable consolations that he went away full of satisfaction but I cannot say whether it proceeded from an assurance he thereby received of his going into a better world or that the brightness of his virtues render'd him any longer unfit for this We had not been two hours alone which we heard all the Streets of Arsacia eccho with Trumpets which we knew proceeded from the arrival of the Parthian Horse who were immediately distributed into several advantageous Posts in the City the better to suppress all disorders Artabbanes was advertis'd of this by his former Intelligencer who told him withal that a Scaffold was erected before the Palace-window and though some said it was for his execution and that Parthenissa might be a Witness of it yet he had been assur'd in private the execution should not be so and that the Scaffold being rais'd there was but the more artificially to delude the people and that Surena's opinion of doing the business obscurely had at length been assented to My Prince was a little surpriz'd at the first part of this intelligence not upon his own score
the fair Zephalinda was interrupted by the arrival of two of Arsaces Guard whom he had sent to clear Parthenissa's Chamber of all but her self These barbarous Men could not terrifie those whom Death did not all the effect they produced was a Joy that their sanctuary was so near and certain and that they had so timely resolved upon it that the burning Lust of the Tyrant could not be more surely a sin than that thereby they had put him out of the Capacity of acting it To render that yet the more so Parthenissa began to protract the time that the Fatal poyson might conquer so much of her Life as to exempt her as well from the beginnings as conclusions of Orodes's Insolence by reasoning with these infamous undertakers of a resembling imployment And though what had begun too pregnantly evinced the temper of their Souls yet the Eloquence of innocence conspiring with the sight of so many admirable and growing Beauties which were so near an eternal fading operated so efficaciously that they retired dissolving into Tears unto their King and acquainted him with the cause thereof which alas was so far from having a proportionate Influence on Him that what had converted them into Water turn'd him into Fire For judging of the Cause by the production they could not assume a higher Pity that those Beauties were to be gathered than he did a satisfaction that he was to gather them Nay his Reason was so obscur'd that he concluded they wept not that such Perfections were to be enjoy'd but only that They were not to do it so that having given them an high reprehension for what deserv'd the contrary he went hastily to Parthenissa's Chamber in whose countenance there was less disturbance than in his which being a Truth as visible as the occasion was not at least as to him he told her At length Madam I hope the greatness of my Flame and Perseverance has obtain'd a Victory which cannot be higher in it self than my desires were of it and your Face gives me a satisfaction which nothing can hardly augment but your Words giving me the same assurance which your Looks do If my Looks Sir said the Princess gives you any other assurance than my Words have still done they hold no correspondence with my Heart so that either you are mistaken in my Looks or my Looks in me If said Arsaces I am mistaken in the signs of my Felicity I am certain I will not be so in the fruitions of it and what the Power of my Love cannot effect that of my Authority shall Yet I must confess I much rather ambition to derive my happiness from the former than the latter and therefore I again prostrate at your Feet my Crown as well as Liberty either deserves the retribution I but implore for both your denying me my right authorizes me to take it and therefore you render force legitimate if you necessitate me to it My passion is as uncapable of Delay as Change and had my Promise given you a longer time to form your Resolution my love must have contracted it so that I am come to know my Fate which cannot admit of the least suspension because my Life cannot if now deni'd that alone which can give it a relish as well as continue it an existence In short Madam this is the hour I must receive or take my Felicity and the gods have as little the Power as I of altering this Resolve I know said Parthenissa you will be as much mistaken in your hopes as you have been in the signs of them The gods could not call themselves the Protectors of Innocence and refuse a Sanctuary to mine Know Cruel Arsaces I have one above your Power to violate which it was high time to ascertain when what should have been the cure of your Lust you consider'd as an Authority to act it Know further I despise your Crown and Death to avoid it which is a Resolution I might derive from a double cause for had not my Constancy been prevalent enough to engage me to assume it your usage would be which cannot with more necessity invite me to that performance than I will act it with joy The degenerate Arsaces believing parthenissa had some fatal weapon in her power that thus authoriz'd her to threaten an enraged King for he knew her too well to have so much as a suspition of her thus proceeding upon any other score suddenly seized upon both her hands and after commanding one of his Guards to search her and to take the cause of her Confidence away he told her with a furious Look The certainty of that Sanctuary which made you with such insolence despise me and my Flame is not in your Power and you are in mine so that what you refus'd with scorn if you implor'd with tears I would now deny to you in the same manner you declin'd the acceptance of it from me nor can the contempt you have endeavour'd to throw upon my Crown be justlier revenged than by the Power of it which by all that 's Holy shall no longer beg what it can take Thereupon with a countenance which relisht nothing but of Fury and Lust he commanded those which waited on him to clear the room of all but Parthenissa which was going to be put in practice when he that Arsaces had commanded to search and Disarm her told him there was nothing about her which could destroy her Life for the certainty of which he engaged his own This strange assurance made all the Tyrant's other Passions resign themselves into Admiration and that suddenly yeelded it self unto Joy for he believ'd Parthenissa had acted the part of Despair as a last essay and then was resolv'd to yeeld to what she could not resist This flattering faith was created in him by her having no visible means to resist his Power in a time when he had solemnly sworn to conquer her with it if by his Passion and Perseverance he did not do it by then Neither did the fair Parthenissa's silence all this while a little contribute to this belief but alas hers proceeded from another Cause for by this the Poyson had made its fatal Approaches so near the throne of Life that the hand of Death began to draw an obscure vail over the vital spirits and so greedily to seize on the Noble dwelling of a Nobler soul that Arsaces had scarcely prostrated himself on his knees to make Parthenissa those retributions the joy of his last faith had made him esteem so just a Debt when she began to retire to a Pallet which she had no sooner reach'd than she fell on it and having breath'd a sigh and indistincty pronounc'd your generous Prince's Name the Beauties of Vermillion resign'd their Empire to the colour of Innocence the fairest Lights which ever did or shall shine became eclips'd with an eternal Night and the admirable Soul of a Body that was so took her flight to another but could not to a
the highest Duty But those powers which know he is least unworthy of you which does most perfectly adore you have raised me to life that by your Mercy and Condescention the World and Ascanius may know by the Recompence of that Truth how intirely you believe the reality of it my unsuccessfulness in your Deliverance merited my seeming Death and my unequal'd Flame merited that Resurrection without which your mercy in crowning it would have been render'd ineffectual so that in those several Fates the gods have imposed on Ascanius you may see fair Mithridatia how equally just they are both to my unhappiness and my Adorations After these words the King of Cyprus told the Princess Statira how whilst some of his Nobility were preparing for his Body the requisite Solemnities due to the Monarchs of that Island they found some Symptoms of life remaining in it which they improved with such Art Care Diligence and Secresie that in a few Hours their hopes of his recovery had wiped away their Tears for his imaginary Death That the better to cloud the transports of that change and the more successfully to enjoy the fruits of their Endeavours and Duty they caused the dead Body of a young Cyprian Lord to receive all the Ceremonies due unto his own and did not communicate the Fallacy unto any but those who could not but know it who yet they tied by sacred Oaths to inviolable secresie even from the rest of the Cyprians themselves whose tears and sorrows so well deluded the Subjects and Servants of Nicomedes and Ariobarzanes that they never had the least umbrage of the Truth whereby when the thirty dayes of the usual Funeral Rites were efflux'd the two Kings permitted a Cyprian Galley to transport his supposed Embalmed Corps to Cyprus As soon as the Funeral Galley had recovered the Cyprian Fleet he shewed himself unto them their surprize was not greater than his own when he found in the same Galley with him the Prince Pharnaces who had also recovered his liberty by an unexpected Accident For Enestes who was Vice-Admiral to Nicomedes having lost his life attempting to carry away by surprize the Royal Family of Pontus Many of the Bithynian Nobility were Solicitors to succeed him in that high imployment and amongst those Cleomax favorite to Nicomedes upon that score was most earnest and had most hopes but his King as a reward of the high attempt of the Father conferred that Office on Lixcestes his Son who by many signal Actions of Conduct and Courage had a double Title to that Command to which he added the most powerful one of silence to Merit Cleomax though sensibly wounded by his failer suppresses all Resentments by Words and resolves to manifest them by Actions so that soon after having got an opportunity of a private Conference with Pharnaces offered him to set him at Liberty and to depend on his Favour for his future Fortunes The Prince of Pontus joyfully laid hold of this Overture and Promises Cleomax rewards proportionate to his Service so that when the Funeral-Galley was to begin her Voyage Cleomax disguises Pharnaces and himself and thrusting themselves into the Croud of that solemnity without interruption got into the Galley and escaped Whilst Ascauius said Callimachus to his Generous hearers was thus telling the Princess Statira these admirable Accidents Pharnaces was relating them to Mithridates and then presented Cleomax to him whom the Pontick King received with all manner of Acknowledgments and on the Place ordered him rewards as great as his Infidelity this being done the Pontick King came to Embrace Ascanius to whom the Princess had not answered one word to all he had said so great was her wonder and her trouble at once The King of Cyprus after his Acknowledgments were paid in the most passionate Words and Actions summoned Mithridates of his Promise and implored that as in the publick Temple he had been divorced from his blessing so in the Domestick-Temple he might be possest of it I perceive Generous Prince reply'd Mithridates by this request you are ignorant of the occasion which has brought this Assembly hither No Sir Ascanius answered I heard it since my Landing But Great King I know 't was only my supposed Death led you to what you have done the Cause ceasing the Effects should do the like the chief Motive to the performance failing 't is a necessary Consequence that all built on it should fail with it You would not have given the fair Statira to Callimachus had you known Ascanius was alive 'T is too much your ignorance of my Condition has so much wounded me let not your Knowledg of it wound me more Had I known you were living the Pontick King reply'd interrupting him I would in some other way have endeavoured to reward Callimachus's innumerable Services but I doubt Statira's Engagements and mine are too far past to be recalled so that if I should not keep my Engagements to the Generous Ascanius 't is not my Crime but the Crime of his own Fate Would to the gods the King of Cyprus answered I had really dyed rather than live to hear these killing words What Sir shall your promises be thus observed and shall my Services and Sufferings be thus rewarded Did you only raise my hopes to the most Glorious height that ever any attain'd unto only with more cruelty to precipitate me and them shall your mistake be more powerful for my Ruine than your knowledg for my preservation Oh Sir give me not so much cause to believe that what you say proceeded from your Ignorance proceeded from your Design and let not that Princess Mithridatia be made a Sacrifice to Gratitude who is a Blessing above all that Services can pretend unto do not give Callimachus more than you should and do not give me less than you promised The Services of Callimachus said Mithridates deserve my highest Acknowledgments And in giving him Statira you therefore see how highly I valued Ascanius since to him I once had destined what I thought a full recompence for preserving and restoring my whole Family and my self If these intentions have not had the success I meant them possibly it is not more your trouble than it is mine But my intentions and sufferings said Ascanius have been greater than his in what depended of our selves I have been as much his superiour as in what depended on Chance he has been mine Do not therefore reward Fortune more than you will reward Virtue and let me not so much doubt your Justice as experimentally to feel you give more to my sollicitations than to my services since only to Crown the First you design'd for me the Princess Mithridatia and to recompence the last you condemn me to a loss as much transcending Death as his Condition who shall possess the Princess will transcend the condition of all others While I did nothing you gave me all I could wish and when I have done all I could you deny me what you