all the night These circumstances being lively and properly declared by this Woman caused Melicerte to judge that this unknown was no other than Zelie however as all was to her suspect she had the curiosity to see her The old one therefore led her as soft as possible into the Chamber where she reposed and Melicerte had no sooner set in her feet but was well assured she was her Daughter for she discerned near the Bed Attire which had no similitude to those of Zelie She observed even what Papers were scatter'd upon the Table there to be dryed and in approaching knew that they were recommendations for this Maiden whose name she saw was that of Hipolite She therefore retired without any further enquiry and returned mixing her moans and regrets to those of the disconsolate Tarsis In the interim this tragical accident having bin divulged of all sides a company of Shepherds came to offer themselves to Lencippe because he was one of the most considerable of the Country and a multitude of Shepherds also came to make their Complements to the wise Milicerte and to the vertuous Philiste wife of Telamon who promptly came to render himself to his Mother since she had advertized the accident of her Sister Tarsis whose anxiety rendred the company so much the more insupportable that every one on this accident cast his Eyes up in regard there was not any Person to whom his love was unknown insensibly stole himself from the press went and thrust himself into a small Grove which was hard by there to bemoan himself with more liberty He there sate upon the Grass his back leaning against a Tree his Hat fallen over his Eyes with his Arms across and in this state having burst forth a thousand Sobs he betook him again to perplex his Spirits with a thousand reflections wherein he neither became more knowing nor yet consolate But contrarily the torment and toyl which he gave to his Spirits through so many melancholy thoughts a hundred times reverberated served for no other use than to overwhelm him with dispair Now he doubted that Zelie had not bin conveyed away by force then that she had not caused her self to be carried off and sometimes he fell into conceit that she might be drowned and in that thought he was ready to precipitate himself in the same Waves where he believed her buryed After many confused reasonings and revolvings on all these Imaginations he meditated or contemplated this roll of Papers which he had set upon his knees and opened them to see whether he should not there meet some writing or other of Zelies which might enlighten him in the Design he had resolved upon He therefore unknit the string which bound them together and unfolding them before him the first Paper which fell into his hands contained these lines Of a Charm so sensible and so delicious And of so many Pleasures the Soul finds it self ravished from the first moment that they saw you adorable Zelie That she tastes here below all the Pleasures of Heaven But amongst all the transports of an infinite joy A poyson so subtil and pernicious Even from the bottom of the heart Trickled down from the Eyes That must soon or late cost loss of Life So that by two effects in equal Prodigies You make so many benefits And cause so many Evils That remaining confused in the doubt wherein we are We cannot judg if the Gods in displeasure For our Chastisement gave you amongst Men Or if they had pitty upon Vs Ha Tarsis thereupon cryed this poor Shepherd that this doubt is now explained and 't is this day easy to judge that the Gods cause thee not to see Zelie but to make thee suffer the most exquisit Torments that the most culpable are chastized with After these Words he remain'd a small space of time without speech his Eyes fixed before him however unfastned on any Object and in such a manner that it might be well seen that all his apprehensions were contracted in him and that he was solely taken up with his anguish He returned in conclusion with a profound sigh and took the second Paper which he found under his hands which he did but run over slightly where there were these Words Since thou wilt know why thou seest me pale and wan Melancholy and languishing Learn Telamon that I Love And so much the more because that I am absent But alas it is but too little to tell what or who I Love The Object that I love hath so many attractives That there was never one of the same Nor will they ever see any Her Stature her Visage and her Eyes full of flame Displayeth us a thousand treasures And I know not whether her Soul Can be more fair than her Body A thousand and a thousand Shepherds adore this fair one But they are all fair that adore her thousands do sigh after her Not one can cause her to sigh Nere her alone I have found some favour She hath some kindness for me Or rather 't is too much audacity She hath taken some pitty They would say what suffers she her self in her own heart The Evil or Sorrow with which mine is overtaken And if the Shepherdess love me not I believe that she at least condoles me Demand not therefore why thou seest me languishing Melancholy and grown wan Since thou Shepherd knowest that I love thee And that that which I Love is absent Poor Tarsis continued he for he remembred since he cast his Eyes on those Lines of the occasion whereof they were made what Complaints oughtest thou not now to make if thou so bemoanest thy Self in a time wherein thou wert happy Thou wert absent but it was to see Zelie again very speedily and thou perhaps shalt never see her again In thus speaking he took a third Paper wherein was traced what followeth Tarsis and Zelie My amiable Shepherd it may be I have in effect some wrong to afflict my self so much and that I should comfort my self in all my Evils only to think that you lov'd me Therefore then conceive that this second Voyage of Athens wherewith they menace me is at least a Months absence Certainly when I thereof think I doubt almost whether I am not to much solaced because there are already two days that they discourst me concerning that Voyage and yet am still living If I must yet abandon Zelie in that deplorable condition wherein you see me I must relinquish Life for of that Malady they never escape twice TARSIS Ha Fortune cry'd Tarsis in putting up this Paper in some heat wilt thou present me with no other than these things or who speaks of the beauty of Zelie to repeat the displeasure I have at her loss or by the memory of a light absence makes me contemplate the difference that there is betwixt my present Evil with that which is past and how more unfortunate I am this day than I have bin in all the disgraces I have
Swords in hand even into the House requiring the surrender of a Maid there concealed Never was the like Surprize to that of the Shepherd He doubted not but the Maid which they sought was Zelie but knew not whether they thought to succour or to take her thence nor whether he should take them for Friends or Foes He entred with them then for further discovery and although he could not without difficulty contain himself he determin'd for the future to study how to comport himself in this Encounter Mean time these Men looking evere where of all sides and finding none in the first Chamber they passed into the second where the Shepherd had seen the Maid but there could find none she whom they sought being escaped through a false or trap Door where she had heard them They discovered her however by favour of the Moon which began to rise all three pursuing her flight with extreme diligence The Shepherd followed with the like incredible speed and all overtook this fugitive at her entrance into a Forrest Two of these unknown seized her The third turning towards the Shepherd rudely demanded What he would have of them and the reason of his presumption so to follow them The Shepherd was so impatient to know whether this Maid were not Zelie and so attentive to the sound of her cryes and the Words she spake to those who so seized her that he appeared only as if they had address'd to him He persisted still in following them when he who spake to him with his Sword atilt menaced therewith to pierce him if he immediately retired not The Shepherd by these Words thus advertized and by the glittering of the Sword thus brandisht before his eyes retired one pace and stretching out the point of his Dart to this unknown I will answering furiously know who this Maid is whom you thus carry away if she be not one whom I seek and what ever she should be what right have you to offer this violence unto her It concerneth not thee truly replyed the other to propose us these questions but shouldest rather ask pardon for thy Insolence and at the same instant lifted up his Sword therewith to smite him The Shepherd perceiving this without loss of time but gliding himself directly beneath when he spy'd his Enemy lifting up his Arm serving himself with his Dart instead of a Sword so forced it into his side that the one half was left there broken off and with this first blow cast him stark dead upon the earth The cryes that this Man uttered in falling made the two others believe that they were pursued one came up to succour his Comrade But the Shepherd rather feared that if he joyned this second the third would bear away wherewith he was seized so that shunning him amongst the Trees under favour of the Shrubs and Boughs made up his way to the third and presented himself unawares before his face This then believed that both himself and Comrade were attack't before and behind and seeing his Adversary so near him quitted his prize for self-defence and instantly with his Sword in hand set upon the Shepherd This Shepherd though unarm'd was no whit moved his stout Heart more worthy the name of an Hero than of a Shepherd no otherwise then animating himself by this hazard fended off the blow with the Troncheon or Staff of the Dart that remain'd in his hand desperately joyning the Souldier cast him down throtled him with one hand and breaking his Sword with th' other and with its point pierced his heart with that which remain'd in the other hand In another Incounter this brave Shepherd contented himself to have fell'd him down and disarm'd him but he had bin here imprudent if under the necessity which he saw to bear up under the assault of a third he had left this in a condition to raise himself He advanc'd also immediately to make up with him all together amazed that he had given him that leisure But when he thought to have encounterd him was much surprized that instead of a Man he saw only a Maid coming towards him with a Sword in each hand Is this one of my violent Comrades cryed she as soon as she saw him amongst the Trees how should I be so happy thus to meet my brave Redeemer By these Words he knew that she was the self same Person whom he had rescu'd and indeed it was even the very same As soon as she found her self at Liberty instead of the flight which probably she might have attempted she went and took the Sword of the first whom the Shepherd slew and with the same like the heart of a true Amazon made up to him whom the Shepherd shunn'd she attack't him so couragiously that having dangerously wounded him in the Arm and Side which caused his Sword to fall she constrained him to flight She would not loose time to pursue him but contenting her self to take up the Sword for the Trees were not so thick in that place that by the Light of the Moon she could not discern him upon the Earth she came to succour her Preserver as we have said It would be hard to express in what amazement the Shepherd was in at this sight and a thousand times more difficult to express the anguish in which he was when the sound of that Voyce had confirmed him that the Person whom he had rescued was not Zelie However he conceal'd his displeasure and only testified his admiration Thou valiantly unknown Reply'd he I observe you are in a condition where there is not any appearance that any should have the vanity to say That any other should be that of your Deliverer than only your self It's clear you have disarm'd your Enemies since you have their Spoils in your own hands and all the honor that I can here pretend is only to give occasion to yours and to have in some small sort seconded your worth These Words also instructed the Person to whom they were address'd to doubt wherein she had accosted him and as she knew that from him she had received Succour Ah bravely unknown reply'd she whoever you are or may be I must avow that to you I owe my Liberty and Life and although the deplorable Condition of my destiny hath nothing but what should render death it self desirable I shall nevertheless beseech you instantly to declare the Name of my Preserver nor to intreat you only that I may know to whom my acknowledgments are due Mean time added she after they both were gone a little further from the place of Combat to chuse out one wherein to speak with more security I apprehend you came from performing an Action not only the bravest but the most just which could give satisfaction to a good Soul and who would one day render you nothing less than a Kingdom if it were possible to point out the acknowledgments of those Favours you have conferr'd upon me The Shepherd judging by this Discourse
desperate and despairing One be it that he judged the Air of the Countrey was or would be necessary to Telesile for the restoring of Telesile to Health and recovering from that debility wherein she had bin and was in so much that Cleonime and his Wife conducted her the succeeding day to a House in the Fields which they had some certain furlongs from Athens where Aristoxene accompanied them He held himself so confident of his Conquest that he openly and publickly declared to all his Friends that he went there to â—espouse and marry her and in truth and effect he carried a considerable quantity of Preparatives there as if there he would have celebrated his Marriage The Report thereof was already almost certain in Athens and there were some who even believed that it was done When in a Morning being yet in my Bed they came and told me a Cook asked to speak with me who having bin introduced rendred me this Letter TELESILE to AGAMEE THe outrage and injury you have done me is too great to make me believe you had done it me with willingness of Heart and the more I think thereof the less could I have imagined that you had writ to me after that method and manner if they not made you believe that I had given you Subject or cause it is true that even in this case your Credulity could not nor ought not to be excusable But in the Conclusion I had rather Sin through or by too much indulgence for my Friends than to condemn them as you have done me without understanding them Answer me by this same Man whom I have sent you and believe what ever they have bin possibly able to say unto you there never was change nor dissimulation in the heart of TELESILE I can in no wise depaint you the great but pleasant Surprize wherein I was in the receiving this Letter I considered her as a criminal to whom one should have given Grace and Favour I kissed it a thousand times with a thousand Transports and having understood by him who gave it me the fallacious Reports that ran abroad of the Marriage of Telesile and how she had counterfeited her self Sick to undeceive them all I took Horse the same Hour and having engaged that Man for my Interests by a Liberality considerable enough I went with him to his Cottage which was in the neighbourhood of Cleonime I had resolved to have sent him directly to Telesile to inform her of the place where I was and to have demanded a place of mutual Conference where we might treat together but my ordinary misfortune would have it that as I was come there on a Gallop through the impatiency of my Love the Peasant who had over-heated himself in following me fell sick of a Pleurisie which having given him trouble enough to recover his House constrained him upon his arrival to take his Bed Behold me therefore disappointed for this Man was so poor that he had no domesticks nor menial Servants I durst not confide in any Person within the Neighbour-hood the major part of them being Farmers to Cleonime and moreover I had bin deceived by so many Persons that I mistrusted all the World I knew not how then to do I knew not You will possibly laugh at the Folly that I am going to tell you of But conceive for my excuse that which Love hath caused the Gods frequently to do themselves Hath it not often times made them change themselves into men Hath it not made Jupiter to take upon him the ridiculous form of an old Man Hath it not made them even carry themselves and hide and conceal themselves under forms much more strange I will therefore say nothing unto you I believe that will astonish you when I recount you that my design being to Parley with Telesile without discovery of that which was and not being able to do it but in the House of my Brother where my Countenance was unknown to none there I habited my self with the most tottering and ragged Aparrel that I could find in the House of the poor Peasant afterwards I girded thereon a Sword with a very ill gierse or piece of Leather and having put a great Emplaister upon one of my eyes walked as a maimed Souldier even to the House of Cleonime I stay'd near enough in a Wood which is over-right against the principal Gate and which crosseth or thwarteth a long Alley where the ordinary walk is that there was also the place where the Peasant had told me he ought to give an answer to Telesile I hid my self in a certain place where I could commodiously see all those who came out and entred and I had not waited there an hour but I saw Telesile come forth unready or undrest with a Cane in one hand on which she leaned as one Sick Aristoxene followed her and I observed him frequently offering to present her his hand to aid her in walking But I also remarked she still refused it and even stay'd there a long time without coming forward as thereby denoting that she would not depart thence till he was returned and would re-enter But Aristoxene persisting and continuing obstinate also more and more in his Importunate Civility I waited the event with a strange palpitation of heart for you may sufficiently judge how much more advantageous it had bin for me to see Telesile come alone than accompanied with my Rival In fine their Contestation was terminated by the arrival of my Sister which obliged Aristoxene to re-enter on the Supplication that Telesile had made her But in recompence she would accompany her not judging but in the indisposition wherein she had signified her self to be she should leave her there to walk all alone So that behold my Case grew worse and worse for if there were danger in my being known by Aristoxene there seemed yet more difficulty but that I should be known by my own Sister However I left them to come forward and when they were almost over right me I came out from the Place wherein I was and appearing in the middle of the Alley I also went forward toward them with Hat in hand kissing the other and stretching it out and in the end in t the posture of one whom we call an idle lazy and lousie Vagabond Beggar who asked an Alms. The suddain Apparition of my under-ground and odd lurking Posture and Form did so strangely surprize them both by the fear wherewith they had bin seised they turned to the one and the other although that Telesile who before made a shew of not being to uphold her self but by a Cane remembred her self not of her pretended and feigned Indisposition They ran even so unto the very Gate without so much as daring to look behind them and met Cleonime and Aristoxene in the Court to whom they recounted the terrible fright wherein they had bin immediately Cleonime opened the Gate to see me and Aristoxene himself came there They saw
succeeding Lines Her Name is graven on the Trees And her Portrait is graven in the Heart It was not difficult for him to divine who was the Author the Love of Tarsis being known unto him and that what Subject soever he had himself to bewail this Passion he had his Heart very sensible and naturally feeling he took Pleasure to see himself in a place where a Lover was filled with the marks of his own In entring into the Wood he met another small Stream which followed the declension and descending towards the lower part of the Meadow The Water was fairer and the bank or brink garnished and adorned with a most pleasant green Turfe able enough even to tempt a melancholly One. He could not refrain from sitting down in that place if he had not perceived a little Closet composed of many young Trees planted round about whose Branches intermixed above framed a kind of Vault so thick that the Sun could hardly be able to penetrate it The entrance of this Closet or Arbour served as an Issue to the Stream or Current which went out by the midst leaving only on every side the passage for one person Agamée being entred into that place met there the pleasant Source and Spring of that Water That certain place was elevated and raised up higher than the rest So that descending a little from on high it made a little noise which in despite of Fate invited one to talk idly and fantastically Above the Spring was one Tree bigger than the others which seemed to embrace the Vein of it's roots and whose foot apparelled with green Moss offered a commodious Seat to all those who came to the place Although that Agamée carefully enough shunned being alone because there was little but his Memory that revived and recovered him from the Ideas that he fled and which gave him not a thousand disgustful Thoughts howsoever he could not refrain himself for this once to take pleasure there in a place which seemed to be made expresly to talk Idly and the little time that he had bin at Tempé had also already caused him sufficiently to see diversity of things to give him wherewithal to entertain the Adventures and Accidents of others without afflicting himself by the remembrance of his own He therefore sate at the Foot of this great Tree with a design to meditate there some moments But he had not any thing to do to trouble himself he should find wherewithal to entertain himself Fortune there provided him a sufficiency enough For first in sitting down he saw that the Stock of this Tree which was extraordinary big was all covered over with an Inscription fresh recent and new enough It was very small by reason there was very much thereof But as it was also fresh and new enough and the Character very clear he with facility could there read these Lines The other day in this Solitude one over-whelmed with Love and Care bemoaning himself of his disquietudes by these Lines the desolate Tarsis which made him go loose his Life I dye and I cannot be cured but I dye for fair Zelie am I not too happy to dye O my eyes pour down no more tears to the rigour of Destinies which attend me Death hath always too many charms when the Object that causeth it hath so many there was no more than that upon the first Tree but there were other two some what less near unto that there upon every of which was Engraven One of these two other fair Streams which my fair Shepherdess so often warms with her eyes the Sun sees it when it enlightens thee with so much Heat and so much Light as they What hast thou done with the portrait of the fair one which in thy Bosom was so often graved Ah! fair Water I am much more faithful and my Heart hath much better conserved it Agamée which loved the Fancy and who was himself sometime entangled having read this drew his writing Tables out with design to copy them out wherein there was something appeared to him to be tender enough of and in part also signified to Tarsis he hoped to see very soon and whom he had not charged to divine the Accident the esteem he had made of his Composition But as he had finished to set them down he felt something to pluck the Tables from his Hand That which surprized him most was that he saw no body about him but the noise that he had heard having obliged him to look athwart the Arbour or Closet he discerned among the Willows a Man who had a Sword by his side and who in flying made great burstings forth of Laughter This Man lifted up even from time to time his two hands in the Air in one whereof he yet held the Table-Book that he had pluckt from Agamée afterwards bending all his Body he leaned upon his two Knees betaking himself to laugh more and more Agameé was extreamly astonished at this Eruption He went forth of the Arbour to follow him and because this Man returned from time to time he had by this means the opportunity to look him in the Face However he found not himself better enlightned for he knew him not and believed he had never seen him before He therefore doubted that this unknown one had taken him for another then when he saw him stop to read that which was in the Table-Book and in the Sequel the same Man approaching himself to him with a swift pace drew out of his Pocket a Paper which he presented him Read that said he in a strange and incompatible manner and remark it's Stile Agamée having by this means the liberty to consider him came a little nearer and found I know not what wandring in his eyes which was suitable to the extravagancy that he had before demonstrated and therefore caused him to doubt if the Man was very wise And indeed he had great reason to doubt it For behold who he was as he learnt immediately after It was a Roman Knight named Marcel whom the desire of Travelling had brought from Italy into Greece In passing by Callioure he became amorous of Zelie by having only once seen her in the Temple and this Love having made in his Heart an Impression worthy of the excess of so great a Beauty had caused him to remain one or two years at Tempé During that time he had not only found means to introduce himself into Leucippe's House but he had also demanded Zelie in Marriage and the refusal that they had made him had born him away to so great an excess of Trouble that he was fallen very dangerously sick and recovered not his bodily Indisposition but with a Malady in the Mind much more dangerous in his Folly his Vision was that the Gods had destinated him to marry Zelie so that he called himself The predestinated Knight He had even publickly sworn to carry away that Shepherdess he had suborned People expresly and extravagantly said every where that if
Jealousie cannot torment a Soul with more alarms and violence than his was agitated with Ergaste knowing him could not with all his cruelty hinder himself to be touched I know not therefore if it was through Compassion or Bravery but so it was that he said unto him How now go to Celemante I have not yet but kindness for Cillesie but to tell thee the Truth I know not what can become of that Wilt thou avow unto me freely if that be capable to give thee some disturbance or jealousie and I will yet break the course whilst I am yet the Master I promise thee if thou wilt I will never revisit nor see Cillesie again Never was a proposal so pleasing and acceptable to Celemante as was that and he opened his Mouth a hundred times to avow his debility and weakness to Ergaste He was quite ready to leap upon his neck and to Imbrace him a hundred times to testifie him his acknowledgment but he was with-held and I could not tell wherefore For be it that he was hindred through timerousness that this Great Empire that Ergaste had Tyrannically Usurped over him had laid an Impression on him be it that it was by a false complaint for him be it that it was through shame that he had to testifie some doubt of Cillesie after having so frequently Vaunted and Boasted of her fidelity be it that it was by a litle Jealousy he would try her himself so it hapned that instead of confessing his Debility and Weakness to his friend he would contrarily counterfeit the Confident and Dreadless one and besought him to act in such sort that they should have but one and the same Mistress But what effect or endeavor soever Celemante made and dissembled I am well assured that he acquitted himself so ill that it was easy for Ergaste to know that he spake against the Sentiments of his heart However Ergaste was so Inhumane as to take him at his word and made a new Progress in the heart of Cillesie This Barbarous Man not so contented but willing to conduct his Vengeance by the same Degrees and Steps by which he believed himself offended he became so Assiduous near to this Maiden that Celemante saw him not almost more then at her Dwelling and could not see her but in his presence he went yet much farther and that Cruelty would not fall into the heart of a Scythian He came one day to find Celemante and said unto him My dear Celemante I will not longer conceal from thee a piece of news that is that I am desperately in Love with Cillesie At this discourse a Blushing covered the face of Celemante and he was all confused but Ergaste not making any semblance or shew of observing him added I do not demand thy pardon for thou hast not only Testified to me that thou wouldst not be angry but thou hast besought me that we might have even one and the same Mistress both of us After all what part soever I have in the good favour of Cillesie thou well knowest that thou shalt also have the first and I will have there but that thou wouldst not also I pretend not to be happy but by thy means and as thou art the most Generous Friend in the World I come to thee to pray thee to manage for me thy Self some place in the Grace and Favour of that Fair one for if Cillesie had not more kindness for me then she hath had until now I believe not but that I had dyed During this discourse Celemante was agitated with divers motions which combated one with the other that left him not Liberty nor Opportunity to unfold them Now despight and rage Animated him against Ergaste then he reproached himself with the Imprudence he had Ingaged in the Love of Cillesie and then he believed that Ergaste came to discourse unto him his Feigned Passion that by reducing him to avouch his weakness to demand his pardon to try his mercy and to request him not any farther to push forward in his Conquest Celemante had too much for that but to the quite contrary he counterfeited the Confident and exhorted Ergaste not to Rejoyce nor be Foiled nor Rejected in one word he promised him all that he believed himself able to obtain for him that 's to say not to Endamage his Love But the Subtilty of Ergaste knew well enough that it was not any more in the Power of his Friend to do it and that he was not come there but that he was certain of her Favour The same Evening in returning from the dwelling of Cillesie he met Celemante and although he very well knew that this same had not seen her since they both saw her and spake with her and that Celemante had even promised to serve him However he came to him as soon as he perceived him with a Countenance full of Joy and Satisfaction and Accosting him my dear Celemante said he unto him I should be the most Ingrateful of all Men if I did not publish every where that you are the most generous for in fine you have saved my Life and I am come from Resenting so well the effect of your Recommendation to Cillesie that having nothing more to desire there remains nothing to me but to pay you for so Sensible a Favor as the preserving the same Life which is owing to your Conservation The Thunder-Bolt that fell at the feet of Celemante would not so have astonished him as did these words he thereunto replyed with so much Disorder and Confusion that being Ignorant of what he said he sought an occasion to quit with the greatest speed he could the Cruel Ergaste and having left him he remained an hour in the street without doing any other thing but going to the Gate of Cillesie and returning to his own without any possibility of resolving if he should enter into her House or should never revisit her Now he had a Design to go and reproach her a thousand times then would resolve to signifie her his Disdain in Despising her and leave her without daigning so much as to speak any more to her now he doubted whether what Ergaste had told him were the real truth and thought it Behoved him to be Enlightned by her before he were Transported and as this last part had mixed some Hope that flattered him yet in his Passion it was this that he Embraced for there was not place to doubt a long Time the Infidelity of Cillesie For first he observed that he grew red and blushed and appeared abashed and out of countenance as soon as he entred and he was in fine by a Thousand Signs and Tokens so well assured of the Perfidy of his Friend and of his Mistress that he was resolved to deliver himself for Ever from the Tyranny of both Ergaste was yet so Cruel that he would Insult over this Unfortunate one and that some dayes after seeing Celemante had altogether a Rupture with Cillesie he
unparallell'd Resolution which her anxious and perplexed state had made her to undertake She was tempted a thousand times to go her self personally to ponyard the Tyrant but after she had seen the impossibility of this Interprize by a young Maiden after consideration had of an Attempt of this nature without any effect would serve but as an advertisement to Clearque and thereby oblige him to hold himself well guarded and precaution him against all hazards and events She sent for her Lover and having shew'd him the Body of her Mother stretcht out all bloudy upon the floor of her Chamber Kion said she melting into tears you see the consequences of the Cruelties of Clearque and to what Extremities he reduc'd my Mother after he had bin the barbarous Executioner of my Father That 's to say Kion that I must dye for you would not see me recompensed as a Slave but also I must tell you that it behoves you to revenge me and thereby give me some illustrious Tokens of that Love you have so often times sworn unto me and if my supplication is not yet so effectually forcible thereon to resolve you behold Kion behold how I command you At these Words having drawn a Ponyard which she had hid under her Attire and therewith twice pierced her heart which he could not in any wise hinder and immediately fell down dead upon the Body of her Mother adding only these few Words It 's Clearque who hath slain me O Kion revenge me of Clearque These Words pronounced from the Mouth of a dying Mistriss wrought a strange effect on this poor Lover and the consequence made appear that he had too much love to survive her if he had not courage enough to revenge her This Stranger aged only twenty five or twenty six years had a younger Brother than himself named Leonides with whom he was bound in such a strict degree of friendship the like whereof was rarely exemplify'd amongst men I have never bin able to learn their Countrey nor yet their Birth only I learnt since that they had both studied in the Schools of Plato and that there was two years that curiosity of Travels had caus'd them to roam the World and that they were return'd from Gaul whence they declared their Original was Their design had bin immediately to pass farther and after they had seen as they had done the major part of Europe to run over all Asia but the love of Kion and the delectable fellowship of Leonides for his dear Brother had stay'd them both at Heraclea Kion being then come as well as he could from the view and sight of that dismal and bloudy Spectacle ran towards his Brother his heart pierc'd with Love and Grief declared to him with a thousand regrets and sighs the deplorable piece-meales and passages of this tragical Accident and in the transport of his Desperation imbraced him and demanded his Succour to revenge the death of Olympie Neither the friendship nor the great courage of Leonides could not permit him to refuse any of the Supplications or Desires of Kion And behold a resolution truly worthy of the Love of the one and friendship of the other and the courage of both The Tyrant never walked but in the middle of two hundred of his Guards He had the insolence to call himself the Son of Jupiter and as a badge or mark of his Extraction he caused to be carried before him an Eagle of Gold and his Busquins or Boots all embroidered with precious Stones and Jewels So that this Slave being apparrelled with the Pomp State and Authority of a King made all Heraclea tremble by the sole port and equipage of his Person and of his Train and Attendants All that which there remain'd amongst the Citizens were Groans under the weight of his Tiranny There pass'd not a day that he perpeted and imbrued himself in some sanguinary Murder there was neither Wealth nor Liberty but only for Slaves and in the mean time these poor Citizens had their Souls so amated and dismayed and their Hearts so violently quelled and born down that they served themselves only with wishing the death of the Tyrant without the courage to undertake it and saw themselves so Massacred one after another not one daring to revenge it But this part seemed not possible to come forth from any other than from the hand of some God and there appeared not a possibility in Men to give a Deaths wound to another who never would leave himself to be approached but across through two hundred Halberdtiers However Kion and Leonides undertook it and the honor of the deliverance of Heraclea from the most abominable of all Tyrants joyn'd to the Transports and to the excellent Movements Agility and Disposition of love and friendship wherewith they were animated they resolved without difficulty or hesitation to expose their own lives to render themselves Masters of his They therefore armed themselves immediately each one with a Ponyard and went to the Pallace demanding speech with Clearque under pretence of having some difference betwixt them of some great Importance which they would refer to the King and being by this artifice introduced and way made to the Tyrant they took their time so oportunely that in the very instant that Clearque list'ned to him who first spake the other drew his Ponyard and with the very first stab wherewith he was pierced this infamous Captain of Slaves fell stark dead at his feet Immediately the Guards ran upon them but their number dismayed them not and resolving to dye yet to sell very dearly their lives they set upon the Souldiers athwart their Pikes and Swords and ceased not killing until they were in conclusion borne down with blows they deferred putting them to present death reserving them for a barbarous and cruel Execution and in that resolution they shut them up in the very Chamber where were the Corps of the Tyrant and they placed Guards upon them In the mean time the rumor and â—ame of this Action was spread immediately throughout all the City of Heraclea It awakned the courage of the Inhabitants who running to their Arms and impatient to have at least the Bodies of their Deliverers in the hands of those by whom 't was said they were slain came in Troops crowding to the Pallace And beleaguering it they at last forced the rest of these unfortunate Slaves who kept it to redeem their Lives in the surrendry of Kion and Leonides into their hands It 's in no wise possible to express the joy they conceived when they found them living nor yet to describe what Marks and Tokens all the Popullacy sparkled and glittered forth in testimony of their grateful resentments Some immediately seized the Corps of the Tyrant dragging it through the Streets and i' th' end tearing it in a thousand pieces Others sounded and echo'd out Elegies and magnificent Triumphs setting forth Trophies in memory of their generous and unparrallell'd Deliverer you had said they
had bin taken for Gods They fell before them in Troops upon their knees lifting them upon their Shouldiers and so pompously carried them to the publick Guild-Hall or town-house and through an extreme zeal which they suppos'd to be more fatal to the lives of these two illlustrious Brothers than the very hands of their Enemies they for some time minded not but utterly forgot the dressing and healing of their own Wounds by a kind of an indiscreet ardour they had to render them the Honor worthy their acknowledgments In an instant the face of the whole City was changed the joy and allacrity pierced the hearts and was visibly demonstrated in the Visage of the Citizens when it had for a long time bin banished and exiled there was then seen no more heaviness but in those of the Slaves and Kion This generous and faithful Lover could not survive his Mistriss and after he had executed his Commission it seemed he would go and render her an account of it neither reason nor prayers could act any thing towards the mitigation of his Dolour there remained nothing but Friendship and Amity could oppose the mournful effects of his Love His brother and himself would willingly have bin set in one Chamber so that Leonides seeing the resistance that Kion made to all remedies Brother said he I believe I have sufficiently testify'd to you that I fear'd not to dye with you but I must also let you know that I cannot yet live without you Wherefore if you have resolv'd to dye tell me frankly and freely that I may not give my self the trouble unprofitably to labor the conservation of a Life which to me is of no value without yours Upon these Words he commanded the Chyrurgeons to cease and discharged them from further attendance in expectation of his reply Kion tenderly and gingerly look't upon him and would have obliged him to let them persist indeavouring to perswade him that he had neither cause nor reasonable subject to hate his life but Leonides having protested to him that he would not permit any further care to be taken of himself then should be seen that his Brother should take care of his own Kion was in fine constrained to live only to preserve the Life of his dear Leonides It 's true their care and recovery was very tedious and leisurely because their Wounds were great and grievous and for a considerable time almost desperate so that it occasioned the world to believe that they were dead but you will soon see they were reserved for more strange Adventures After the example of Heraclea the major part of the Cities of Pont were also held by small Tyrants who from being simple and petty Governors under old Antigonus had erected themselves to be so many Soveraigns shaking off the yoke of Tyranny and declared for Liberty but in regard these petty Kings chased from usurped Thrones were in League together to re-enter there with Satyre brother of Clearque the Cities likewise united amongst themselves and having levyed Troops for their universal and common Defence they elected for their Chieftain one valiantly unknown named Ariamene upon whom they conferr'd all the Authority of their Arms under the Title of Defender of the Liberties of the People My Lord I will not tell you any thing of this Ariamene a whole volum would be necessary separately to recount to you the History of his high Feats For over and above that the Renown of them is manifestly famous throughout the earth you will without any doubt have known that he had defeated Satyre and his Comrades in five different Battels that in the latter and that he himself with his own proper hands had slain three of these petty Tyrants and in sum had acquired so considerable a Reputation of Valor Liberality and Justice among the People of Pont and Cappadocia that after having fought during the term of four years for their sole Liberty they had voluntarily renounced him to submit it to Ariamene and that they had crowned him their King after they had had him four years for their Captain But let 's return to the History of our two brave Brothers The People of Heraclea being united and in league with other Cities of Pont levyed Troops which they sent to joyn with those of Ariamene and for a badge of Cognisance towards Kion and Leonides they remitted them to their sole Conduct These valiant Brothers so acquitted themselves of this trust and charge that it exceeded the possibility of all Expectations they declared to me that the grand Ariamene had divers times confess 't himself that he ow'd a considerable part of his Victories to their Valor Satyre and his Allies having bin defeated the two first Battels craved assistance of the King of Thrace and ingaged him in their Succour through hopes that they would even make him King of Asia This was my Lord at the self same time when the King your Father did me the honor to send me his Ambassador in Ordinary to Lysimachus and I learnt by the way that the King of Thrace had already pass'd into Asia with an Army composed of threescore thousand Men against the valiant Ariamene I was then obliged to find him in Asia and I arrived at his Camp only three days before this great Battel which was the commencement of his Losses the Success whereof I writ the King your Father It 's certain that when I arrived among the Thracians the Reputation of Ariamene how considerable soever it was did in no wise obliterate that of Kion and Leonides They were not only signalized by a hundred valorous Actions their amity and friendship did no less contribute to render them Illustrious They made it shine and glitter even against Envy and Emulation by a thousand remarkable passages nay in their Habiliaments and Array In effect they were seen always attyred after the same Mode and Method and armed in such sort as was sufficiently significant Their Heads were covered with Caskets or Helmets adorn'd with the figure of two Men aiding each other to sustain and uphold one heart in the midst whereof were plumes of Feathers of the colour of fire sorting or issuing it in guise of Flames to express the ardour of their friendly Amity This Motto was engraven under their Hearts One alone animates both For on the Scymeter were seen the trunk of a Man with two heads compassed and bound with a Crown of Laurel with these Words on the bust Amity makes but one On their Bucklers was depainted each of them peeping into a Looking-Glass which instead of his Visage represented to him that of his Friend Although these Portraits were small yet that did not leave them otherwise then to be marvelously resembling each other and the famous Protogene their friend had there so counterfeited the natural that having even demonstrated their Amity upon their Faces he seemed to have found the secret to paint their hearts That was the Body of the Devise or Embleme
which they denounced and proclaimed These People were half Pike Men and the other half Hurlers of Darts or Shooters of Shafts or Arrows The first carried their downwards their points trailing along the earth the others had each one a Bow the Cord or String whereof was broke and each two Arrows with their heads or Irons taken off These here contrary to the ordinary Custom held their Bows with the right hand and the Arrows with the left and altogether they boar their Shields and Targets of Withy negligently hanging at their Shoulders Their Officers marched also on Foot and at the head of each Company whereof there were some four in front every one making a File and their Ensign-bearers carried their Banners or Colours dragging upon the ground After these Troops marched as many Cavaleers or Horse-men all armed except the head which they had all bare The points of their Darts and Javelins were broken with their Scutcheons in their right hands upon the flanks of their Horses They made a halt from twenty Paces to twenty Paces and every time that they began to march the Trumpets sounded in the Air so mournful a tone and noise that in despight of endeavors drew down tears from all eyes four hundred Women their hair dischevelled and falling loose appeared following who notwithstanding the rigor of the Season carried in their Arms Children all naked whom they constrained to cry by blows given them from time to time that no Sex nor Age might be exempt from grief and that those who by reason of their puberty and youth could not weep for the death of their King should by other means be compelled to bewail it We afterwards saw a Chariot hung with mourning drawn by twenty Men all naked only that they had a Callezon or Drawers made of Human leather made of the Skins of their Enemies In the middle of the Chariot was a Coffin wherein lay the King's Corps and round about were Priests which sang Verses composed purposly in praise of the deceased The Officers of the King's Houshould followed the Corps all mounted on horse-back These were the most desolate of all as being those who also had the greatest subject for they were not only to bewail the death of their King but their own selves properly and personally the Custom ordaining that they and their Horses should be strangled about the Block to accompany their Master and serve him in the other World Those of the Bosphorus had borrowed that cruel Custom from the Scythians their neighbors who strangled them even upon their King 's Grave These Men therefore had their Visages with their demenor gesture and behavior very mournful for they were magnificently deckt adorn'd and garnished and mounted on excellent horses most sumptuously furnished as being those who not having lost any thing since they went to find out their Prince Of all these Spectacles it was this last that most moved me with pitty and commiseration but he who appeared last of all touched me with a much more violent grief I saw the poor Leonides my Lord coming his head bare his hands bound behind his back and walking a foot in the midst of a Troop of Guards In this dismal and deplorable estate however I can truly spake it he rather caused admiration than pity He walked as one in triumph with a frank and chearful Countenance a Visage and Face modest and composed and you would have said that those who follow him to carry some part of his Chains were Prisoners whom he drew after him as an Ornament of his triumph They could never observe his heart to utter forth the least sigh unworthy the height of his Courage his Visage demonstrated no kind of alteration nor did his Mouth form forth the least complaint As for me I was a thousand times more troubled than was he when I saw him in this posture and making my way forceably through the press I cry'd out demanding them to surcease and that they would bring me to speak with the Queen from the King Eumele but all that I could do served me not to any purpose I had fairly besought them and menaced them from the Prince who had sent me I had fairly said that if the Queen had understood me she would have revoked this cruel Arrest They answered me the Queen would do nothing thereon and that she could not although she would have bin willing to repeal and abbrogate the Law that was more puissant and powerful than her self I ran to the Pallace and not having ever been able to spake to the Queen in regard they told me that she would not permit her self to be seen all that day in her perplexed state I return'd to the place and pressing through the Crowd I indeavour'd at least to spake with this illustriously unfortunate one 'T is true I saw him at this time a little moved but that was not occasioned by his death it was through grief for his Brother I found his poor Brother bound to his Neck with teares in his Eyes moans and cryes in his Mouth speaking and uttering forth a thousand things capable of making ones heart cleave with pitty Leonides dream't of nothing else but comforting him and fearing by reason or for this dear friend all that might inspire him with desperation he earnestly besought all who were there present to take care of the life of his dear Brother I observed that he rejoyced when he saw me thinking that his Supplications to me might have a more prevalent effect than it might upon others He therefore repeated it to me and when I had told him of the care that Eumele had for him The King reply'd he hath too much respect for me but if I had bin so happy as to have rendred him some Service which merrited the Honour of his remembrance I would have craved all for my Brother At these Words he turn'd towards the Block and beheld it with a very stedfast Eye and with a Countenance other than that of a Man going to Dye he inquired whether all were ready and knowing there wanted not any thing but him he returned towards me and seeing me all in Tears Straton continued he shewing me his Hands bound I would have imbraced you if they would have given me liberty I recommend unto you my Brother Adieu it belongs not to me to undertake to comfort a Philosopher On these Words he entred couragiously in the Block by an opening that they had left there expresly in one of its sides and stopping it immediately with much Straw and presently afterwards the rest of the Ceremonies being finished and the Officers of the deceased King design'd to follow him into the other World having bin stranged round about the Block they there set fire to its four Corners Although the heat of the Flame constrained even them themselves who were at a farther distance than my self to retire further off I was notwithstanding so afflicted and altogether so full of admiration by reason
fortified with strength sufficient to travel on the Road I and still feigning some pretext under which to dispence my departure I would not slip that opportunity without declaring more clearly and manifestly the passionate I had for her Love and now behold the manner how One day as Olonie was imploy'd in giving some necessary Orders I found my self all alone with Erigone walking upon a plat-form or great hillock where hence one might behold the fairest sight and prospect in the World and whence one might view all the beauty of the House Erigone understanding that I praised them after at a very high rate and above all that I could not cease to hold my peace with respect to the excellency of the fruit that we had there eaten and less yet of the good reception from our Hostess in common Indeed reply'd she to me smiling you have a very great deal of confidence to cause your self to fly here and come to help us to eat our fruits and a flight which hath led you to such a pleasant place amongst such good Company and who hath made you such good chear it 's to me extremely suspicious I conceal not from you reply'd I but that I have cause to complain if I have bin worse treated here then I expected for I believed my self abandoned for my furniture and array and I see well that 't will cost me my Heart and my Liberty She feign'd to believe that this sweetness and pleasance was for Olonie It 's to therefore reply'd she if you believe them be lost I would counsel you to take your flight for I would find that you should pay your shot very dear and that your Hostess would have worse treated you than she would have done thieves But Madam shall I reassume then what they have already lost to what purpose then would serve the flight unless it be yet in the loss of the hope of their recovery in withdrawing at a greater distance from her who hath taken them from us In this case reply'd she I have nothing to say to you you know in what plight your Affairs stand and it concerns you to consult your self It 's very much rather to you Madam reply'd I it 's much rather to you fâ—om whom I ought to demand counsel since that upon you alone depends the state of this poor heart and this poor liberty that I have lost Erigone appear'd astonish't turning her Eyes towards me and recoyling one or two Faces What Eleandre saith she Is it to me that you direct these words and remember you well who I am I remember it so well Madam reply'd I that I have your Image before my Eyes without intermission so that it 's engraven in my heart and tells me every hour and in every place that you are the fairest the most spiritual the most wise in a word the most accomplisht Persâ—n throughout the World You believe it not without doubt Eleandre reply'd she coldly and faintingly in betaking her self to walk for if you believed me wise you would not thus discourse me Madam reply'd I to her the love I have for you is so respective and pure that it cannot wound the vertue of the most scrupulous nor yet the most austere Wisdom of the World She paused yet a little at these Words and spake What you continue Eleandre I should fear lest some one should hear you for they would never imagine that you should have the boldness to treat of Love to the Widow of a Man whom you have slain at least that she would not have any conference with you Ah Madam reply'd I this presumption also costs me very dear for in fine I must not flatter you it There is six Months that I have lov'd you there is six Months that I seek occasion to declare it you there is six Months that I languish between hope and fear and 't is not but at the last extremity and upon the point of loss of life that I hazard my self to declare it you Yea Madam I lov'd you almost from the moment that I had seen you I had not sooner made that innocent which renders me so guilty in respect of essay towards you but that I was punisht by the same Eyes which were the Evidences of my Crime in causing me to be arrested detain'd and made Prisoner you bound me in other bonds much more strong and ponderous than those of the Justice and when you demanded my Sentence of Death from the Judges you your self prepared me one whence they were in no capacity to deliver me Eleandre reply'd me Erigone I conceive that you have without doubt lost your Wits There is no doubt thereof Madam reply'd I doubt not thereof I have too strong a passion for you to be able to preserve me my Senses and I pride my self that I have lost them since it depaints and marks out the violence of my Love Well said Eleandre reply'd she it 's convenient to pity you and the sole pity that I can altogether consent to discharge my obligation to you and to that of my Husband I will have you reassume your Wits and thereby let you see by good reason how rediculous and extravigant your Enterprize is and hath bin and accordingly to capacitate your self in making reflections in order to your cure Madam interrupted I foreseeing where at she drove I have considered of all that you would have told me and possibly something more but of all that which is represented me I can find nothing that can hinder me from loving you because nothing can render you otherwise than infinitely amiable to me I very well know that I love a Person who hates me who regards me as her most mortal Enemy and that I am an object of her Aversion and Horror and who possibly would be glad to see my death which she hath already wished and prosecuted I know well that besides her aversion she will oppose me with a thousand reasons and those very pertinent and becoming In a word I very well know that I swim against a strong Torrent of Difficulties and Obstacles and that I cannot almost expect any reasonable hopes but I have very fairly had represented me all these things I love and it concerns you may Madam to tell me a stronger reason which excuse me from having bin able to tast any It 's not that I imagine that I act with reason I cannot then hope to convince you For give me leave Madam to tell you this wherefore this hatred and this capital Aversion against a Man who never had other than a tender respect for you If you have lost your Husband was not he even himself the primarily original Cause What is there that I have contributed but an innocent Will and what but a design to save you It was a furious Malady that possest him to precipitate himself in despight of me upon his own ruin If you hate all that was any way contributary towards his death hate him
therefore who was the principal cause or rather hate the Gods that would have it so and who by an extraordinary punishment have visibly chastised his Cruelty and furious rage As for me what have I deserved but to be condoled I went to expose my life Pardon me Madam if I say so it 's not through reproach for I should hold my self happy to have lost a thousand Lives in so fair an occasion it 's not but in my own justification that I speak I went there to expose my self through a pure sentiment of compassion and all my recompence was that I have bin put in Prison convened before the Judges treated as a Murderer and as an Assassinate exposed to an Infamous Condemnation of Death and that which I most resent and am most sensible of and a thousand times more rigorous than all the rest I drew upon my self all your indignation All the Judges all the Relatâ—ons of the dead all Larisse concluded me innocent and you alone have held me as guilty Will you be astonisht Madam if all your reasons have not bin able to do any thing against my Love since that all these that have convinc'd so many other Persons have had no power over your hatred She listned to me as long as I spake and I conceived she had taken pleasure to find and feel that her soul was not any whit moved with all that I had bin able to say After I had concluded disdaining almost to answer me You have reason Eleandre rejoyn'd she I am a Woman altogether unjust and I am astonisht that you knowing me to be such can yet find me lovely as you have said She withdrew from me at these Words and went to find out Olonie to perswade her departure the self same day to return to Larisse or to give her permission to go there all alone As for me I remain'd so pensive and sad so confused and with that stung and netled with a violent vexation against Erigone that I was amazed how I could continue to love her But it 's impossible to fly from Destiny when the Heavens have resolved something all that should appear to divert us from its end leads us thereunto and it seems to be pleased in changing for that the ordinary effects of all causes and in very deed this vexation was no other than a fire which increased that of my Love and instead of repelling me I felt that my Passion became yet more violent We return'd to Larisse where I found my self far more unfortunate than ever for Erigone had found in the end that my pretended flight had bin no other than an artifice consorted and contrived between Olonie and my self and therefore conceived such a sensible apprehension against her Relation that she brake with her and ceased any more to visit her So that I lost opportunities of seeing her and with this occasion I lost almost all the rest of my hopes in that state I would make an effort or essay upon my self and resolved to return to Thebes to deface and rase out there through better Fortune and more desirable Ideas that which caused me so many troubles and displeasures I therefore departed from Larisse and that which then extremely satisfy'd me I went away omitting to take my leave of Erigone If the Heavens had permitted I had at Thebes wherewithal to forget this ingrate one and wherewith to make me put in Oblivion for my Father who there impatiently expected me had accorded and provided for me without my knowledg one of the fairest and richest Ladies of the City not any wise doubting but that I would have held my self happy in the choice he had made for me In the interim the sole proposition which he made constrain'd me to think I should dye with grief and the change of the place carryed nothing away towards my Love but that its absence augmenting my desires encreased yet my Passion My Father being dead at the same time I found my self the Heir of a considerable Inheritance and as I had always more of Erigone in my thoughts I had a design to return to Larisse where I imagined that the change of my fortune and two years time expired since my departure might make me find some change in her heart I return'd there in a sufficiently good Equipage I saw her but found her not a whit changed and as she had a Spirit naturally loose from all manner of Interest and that she despised the major part of that which flatters all others the more I supposed she would value the advantage of my Fortune the more she demonstrated an indifferency and insensibility All these things inflamed me yet the more instead of calming and cooling me For I took them as so many marks of high and exquisite vertues I discovered my self to some of her Relations and discourse with those in whom she placed most confidence and made them so well to resent my reasons that they were perswaded so that her nearest Relations even those of her deceased Husband whom she regarded more than she did those of her own spake to her in my favor But their counsels could make no impressions nor have any influence upon her Spirits and she even quitted Larisse without telling them where she was going to deliver her self as she told me from their importunities as well as mine We were for some time ignorant of the place where she went at length I understood that she was retired into this Valley where she hath bought a little house which you see before you I repaired there immediately not being able to live a moment without her and finding that she resolved here to lead the life of a Shepherdess I at the same time determin'd to lead the same kind of Life and signified to her that I renounced willingly all the Wealth I had at Thebes rather than I would ever abandon her But neither my pleasant and obsequious deportment nor a thousand submissions that I had newly practised to bend her were of any efficacy nor served for any other end than to leave me hopeless and desperate I knew there was no other remedy for me but death Behold the cause of my resolution wise Telamon for in fine what should we think of but only death when we have no manner of content nor pleasure in life At least that kind of death which I have chosen would not it give her occasion to blame my desperation or precipitation and I hope that the cruel one would have had some horror her self by reason of her obduration when she should have had leisure to contemplate the subject that I had unprofitably given her to repent her self The unfortunate Eleandre finished this history in a manner so pittiful and sensibly touched and concerned that Agamée and Telamon were both melted and moved to compassion and so much the more that at the same time his Forces the recital whereof had drained and exhausted them the sensibility whereof he had not felt
and he obliged my Son to continue the same pretext of their sojourning in that house till the next day imagining with himself that as he would have had more time to resolve to depart he would find less pains in loosing and disingaging himself However on the morrow he felt himself there yet more indisposed than the first day So that the curtesy and the generosity of his Hostess seconding his intentions and more yet a very real indisposition which unexpectedly concurred to my Son by reason he foâ—nd himself more unable to sustain and support himself under the wearisomness lassitude and pains of the late shipwrack which the Prince did not feel he continued fifteen days with them without believing almost that he had there spent one intire day It is not possible to declare how much care he took in the mean time to find a favourable convenient opportunity or moment of time where to entertain and discourse the fair Arsinoe alone but be it that this vertuous Person defyed be it that it was by a simple scruple of her modesty and of her shamfastness pudicity or chastity so that so many times as he sought occasions so many times she took the trouble to shun and avoid them In such sort that he could never speak unto her but in the presence of Argene or Stesicrate However in despight of the compulsion constraint and violence all this presence gave him how many new pleasures delights and subjects of love and admiration did he not find in this charming conversation which discovered him so many rare bright fair and shining lights in the delicate Wit and Parts of Arsinoe and which demonstrated him in the end some part of those wonderful and marvellous Qualities which adorned and garnished the Soul of this divine Person Truly althoâ—gh that at every instant he essay'd to prepare himself for the mournful time of departure which he fore-saw necessary The more he indeavoured to dispose himself thereto the less he found himself capable so that although my Son was perfectly healed if however Philadelphe had not bin a fraid to render him suspect by too much importunity I believe he would never have bin able to resolve to quit and to take leave of the house of Stesicrate In fine Stilpon being healed the Prince took leave of his Host and he would in parting have left him some marks of his liberality drew out for that end the fairest Diamond in the World out of a little Casquet that my Son had by good fortune saved from shipwrack and as he believed it too small a thing for the Father or the Mother he presented it to the Daughter Arsinoe refused it she blushed even as if ashamed to have bin believed capable to receive it and never was it possible for Philadelphe to make her accept of it His indeavours were also all in vain to Stesicrate and Argene whom he unprofitably conjured to make them constrain their Daughter to take it and he was forced to content himself with the acknowledgment of words alone I will not exaggerate or yet aggravate you the new effect that the generosity of Arsinoe made yet upon the heart of this generous Prince but this there was that being parted from thence he declared to my Son that he was resolved not to go very far from that house that he had not yet had the satisfaction to see again that amiable Person and to entertain her once at least in particular and for that purpose he told him that he would lodge in some neighbouring house whence he might more easily spy an occasion Stilpon Stilpon said he to my Son still speaking of her I avow that this Maiden hath neither the air nor the heart of a countrey Maiden My Son who would divert him from this springing and rising Passion whereof he fore saw not any good effect answered to that which the Prince had told him I avow it my Lord but she hath the birth and that is enough to make you conceive she is not worthy of you and that you ought not to remain here What sayest thou my friend what sayest thou for the Son of a Philosopher and thereupon he recited him these Lines out of a Greek Poet. In what Rank soever one may be born Love knows how to equal Shepherds and Kings and all those who conform to their Laws are all equally Subjects to the self same Master It decides all Debates Of all Fortunes and Ranks among those who assemble and unites them together And there sets them equally at one where be found them not so After many Discourses of this nature they met with the House of a Peasant very near them and Philadelphe ingaged him by a liberality considerable enough to lodg them some dayes without their discovery There they confirmed him a thing which he had already known at the house of Stesicrate to wit that Stesicrate and his Wife were strangers in the Isle and that they had not bin there above thirteen or fourteen years but he could never precisely know neither their Countrey nor their Condition nor yet their Fortune only they told him they had lived there always a simple People yet notwithstanding sufficiently well with much reputation and honor and of general integrity and uprightness They made him also a thousand Elogies of Vertue Piety and an infinite number of fair and admirable Qualities met in young Arsinoe whom he had too well known They gave him to understand that as young as she was she had notwithstanding already bin sought after and courted by the most considerable and potent Persons of the Island but that hitherto neither she nor her Parents would listen to any and they even said that she would not be married All this discourse was to no other use for so we may say but to cast Oyl into the Fire they did but inflame the heart of Philadelphe They spent that Night incommodiously in that Cottage but Philadelphe preferr'd it to all the Palaces of Egypt by reason it was neighbouring upon that of Arsinoe He went out early the next day although he verily believed that she would neither be yet abroad nor out of bed however he conceived some pleasure in indeavouring at least to review the Place and House where she was and lest he might be rendred suspect he resolved that if he were there met by Stesicrate or any others of the house to pretend that he had lost his Diamond and that he was returned in quest thereof He designed to practice the same pretext even towards Arsinoe perswading himself that when he should meet her possibly she might fly from him and that he could not otherwise do it without suspicion and therefore would by that means indeavour to ingage her in some discourse and converse with him His design succeeded fortunately enough he saw her after some time go forth from thence and followed her undiscovered to a little Temple or Oratory desart and half ruined which was but a furlong from
her self with a Man all alone was presently moved with anger against Philadelphe verily believing that he came not there without a Design and although she wanted not an esteem nor it may be a favourable respect for him she could not however refrain from giving him some marks of dislike My Lord said she when I seek an Eccho I go to the Rocks which are here hard by and for this time I sought no other than solitude and as I likewise believe you sought it for your own part I withdraw and give you place that we may not frustrate the designs each of other At the pronouncing of these Words she would have gone but Philadelphe could not so resolve to lose so opportune an occasion without a further explication of his Mind unto her Wherefore the Prince fixing himself before her Passage said Divine Arsinoe it is not solitude but it 's your self I seek and I pray you do not fly from me as you have formerly done until I have told you the design that led me here I demand of you but a small moment of expressing my self unto you and if there be a less thing that can cause you to repent your yielding me that favor I consent not only that you make me do it during your life but even to dye immediately at your Feet Arsinoe reply'd him My Lord I believe you are capable of no other than good designs but how Innocent soever you are in what you tell me or have to say you know it could not be to listen to it here and if you have an inclination to discourse me ther'e 's no great distance betwixt this Place and my Fathers House On this expression she began to advance further but the Prince being passionately in Love stay'd her by laying hold of one part of her Vesture with that Liberty that the proportion of their conditions and civility seem'd to permit him very well fair Arsinoe continued he I consent to follow you there fair Arsinoe but at least let me know henceforward if I shall not there be Importunate in going there to make you an offer of my Heart and that with the strongest the most faithful and the most passionate of the World my Prince pronouncing these words observed a suddain Blushing to spread over the Face of Arsinoe which he Interpreted not disadvantageous to himself and yet he found no great Subject wherewith to be satisfied in her Answer I can answer you nothing reply'd she while you retain me thus like a Prisoner for what advantage could you have by a word that you could not have drawn from me other than by fear and Violence Ah! reply'd the Prince still holding her you would erre exceedingly if you should impute violence to me Alas Arsinoe it 's I that am your Prisoner and from the first moment that I saw you I found my self fastned to you by so strong and powerful Tyes and Ligaments that I am more a Captivated Slave than I should have bin in the hands of Pirates and that which is worse I am not only ignorant of means to extricate my self out of these Bonds but I find no disposition nor willingness thereunto Complain not therefore Arsinoe if I detain you for a Moment you who detain me Captive for so long time and undoubtedly a Captive during my Life My Lord answered Arsinoe using endeavours to escape should I retain you which I will never believe it would never be through Violence since you your self say that you will have it so but can you excuse your self and must I not impute you blameable with offering Violence to me since you arrest me and detain me in despight of what I can do Truly my Lord. I shall have good cause to complain if you shall refuse to dismiss me after so many Instances and Supplications wherewith I have besought you Yea I obey you fair Arsinoe reply'd the Prince but however at least favour me therefore before hand with a Boon which the most barbarous People do to their Enemies when they have vanquisht them Avow me for your Prisoner and if I dare to demand more testify to me that you will well use your Victory I will so well use it reply'd sharply Arsinoe yet with wonderful Grace that I will now freely give you your Liberty for my own O Arsinoe reply'd my Prince it 's difficult for you to give me the Liberty you speak of Alas I am bouâ—d by Ligaments and Tyes that neither you nor perhaps my self could be able to unloose were we willing but it is not so much my Liberty that I demand of you but a little of sweetness and pleasure within my Prison This fair One answered him not because the Prince dreading her displeasure had let go her Garment she presently retired into the House He believed that after that time it would not be facile for him to find her again and that she would therefore for future keep her self upon her Guard whererefore he return'd very sad to find my Son whom he had twice commanded to let go all alone fearing his presence might have abstructed his design After he had declared to him the success of this interview he signified to him he was in great Trouble how he should act for time to come and asked his Counsel as to that Point My Son who had already as I have told you disswaded him as much as in him was possible to Imbark himself in that Passion reply'd him with the Liberty he permitted him because they had bin brought up together That which I Counsel you my Lord is to remember your self of the design for which you came out of Egypt Alas to what end or purpose will it be said that the Prince Philadelphe shall vaunt and boast himself of going to make War at Syracuse aâ—d that all his Courage will determin in coming only to make Love and Court a Maiden in Corcyre My Lord they pardon these amusements for a day to those who take them to relinquish and abandon them after the Victory and as our Poets say they excuse Mars to repose himself some moments between the Arms of Venus But that your first Actions and Attempts shall determine in Attacking and Combating with the Heart of a simple and contemptible Countrey Wench of Corcyre and that so many Gallant Designes with which they have seen you to divide and share with Alexander should as may be said be here Shipwrackt with your Vessel My Lord pardon me if I dare say that this is a Thought unworthy and unbeseeming one of the Sons of great Ptolomée This Discourse touch't the Heart of the Prince with Grief and some sort of confusion he was not therefore angry with my Son for amongst the qualities of this great Prince there is this very admirable that ther'e 's not in the World that would receive with a better Grace than him the Counsel and advice of his Friends But after he had heard him Stilpon reply'd he I well observe there is much
Nations Arabia Ireland and a thousand other Countreys have they not practised and do they not yet practise this Custom to espouse their Sisters of which Egypt hath advised and considered of only since some Ages to have it in horrour The Carians within the memory of Arthemise and of Mausole do they not reverence and adore the Alliance of a Sister and a Brother Do we not our selves make so much within the Feasts and Holy-days of Isis and of Osiris which we celebrate and solemnize every year That love was it not innocent every where and necessary even at the birth of the World And Jupiter I say Jupiter the great hath he not made his Wife of his Sister Wherefore will they then that this usage be contrary to Nature If that were it would never have bin just for nature hath bin from all times and it would be prohibited throughout the World for Nature is universal I left him to say all he could that so he might listen to me the more attentively when he would have any thing more to object unto me besides that I admired his reasonings and took much pleasure in harkning unto them although I signifyed him nothing After he had held his peace I reply'd to him in these terms Permit me to tell you my Lord that all that you alledge me of authorities and examples are not good reasons and that the sentiments of Zenon of Chrisippe nor those of the Chaldeans do not justify yours They might as well be deceived as you and to shew you that it 's not impossible but that even intire Provinces have bin abused that is that Arabia Egypt retaining to this day two Opinions so contrary it must necessarily be that one of the two must be deceived However my Lord they may say that they both have good reason that there is nothing naturally just nor unjust but that the Laws alone with usage justify and render evil all Actions So your love is criminal since that neither our Manners nor our Laws cannot suffer it and those of the Arabians cannot serve you to any purpose since you live in Egypt It is not but that there was some greater appearance in believing that Nature oppugâ—s she hath even given horrour to the very Beasts you may have read in Aristotle that the Horses have precipitated themselves to be fallen into the like default and she seemeth to apprehend in such a manner the incestuous union of the Brother and Sister that when she ingenders them together she separates them from one Membrane which is not found between two Boys twins nor between two Maidens I did not convince him by these reasons but in conclusion I dispos'd him to rise and go see the King Queen and Princess As to that of visiting the King Queen and Antigone there was yet no difficulty in the managing of that but it 's not conceivable with what emotions of Soul nor with what troubles of Spirit he entred the Chamber of Arsinoe He knew not where to commence his discourse he knew not almost even how to name her for to treat her as a Princess as a Stranger that seemed him to be too cold to a Sister to call her also his Sister that was too repugnant to his love as for Arsinoe she had not the same perplexity for as I have said the esteem and friendship which she had begun to conceive at Corcyre for Philadelphe served but to dispose her to receive a Brother with more joy Her heart was not nor had yet bin preoccupied as that of the Prince by the thoughts of an Alliance contrary to the proximity of blood and all that the change of her condition had bin surprize in her ended and terminated in a surprize pleasingly delightful and advantageous So that she had in this Incounter but a facile and delectable rejoycing in his Personage and therefore from the first moment she saw him enter into her Chamber where she was yet apparelling her self she advanced before him with a very joyful Gay and jocund Countenance and imbraced him with a thousand tender respects and with extreme demonstrations of joy O how had these tender and precious caresses rendred him happy some days before but the more he dreamed that formerly they had bin sweet and delectable pleasures the more he then conceived of Regrets It was a long time before that sweet name of Brother that she had repeated him so many times could draw from his Mouth any other then Sighs The Princess discern'd it but imputed it to no other than his indisposition that he had dissembled or feign'd the day preceding and 't was therefore that she often tenderly asked him what ailed him and whether he were yet sick and indisposed Philadelphe answered hre No but in so mournful a manner that the Princess was much troubled and disquieted and as she seared some disgrace had befallen him and that the presence of her Ladies of Honor hindred him to open his heart in the discovery she made them signs to withdraw and afterwards said unto him What aileth you my dear Brother for both my duty and inclination makes me to take so great a part and share in all that concerns you that I conceive I should demand why you seem troubled without signification of any indiscreet curiosity By your good favour my dear Brother free me from this inquietude and pain and let me thereby see that you consider me as your Sister At these words the Prince uttered a dâ—ep Sigh then looking upon her with the eyes of Love and Grief who unfolded and display'd themselves together he reply'd you ask me what ayleth me Alas Arsinoe Do you not even your own self tell me by the names of Brother and Sister what you give to both of us O Arsinoe Added he Arsinoé that you would bewaile me and that you would bewaile your own proper misfortune if you loved me as I love you The Princess who knew not to what excess and extremity the love of Philadelphe had bin would produce or extend unto and knew not yet the effects of a Passion that she had not resented was enough surprized at these Words and however as she called to mind how little the Prince had formerly expressed himself to her and that as she had an infinite quick pregnant accute and lively Spirit and Wit she omitted not to Divine of something so that she answered him O my Brother What reproaches do you make me I should have much more cause to tell you that you love not your Sister your self being you will recover her with so little Joy or at least you love her not as you ought I knâ—w not reply'd the Prince if I love you as I ought but I know I love you so well and so much that I bemoan my self and you ought to have Compassion upon me For in fine Princess the Prince Philadelphe hath the same heart that that unknown One had whom you saw at Corcyre and the Princess of Egypt hath the
same Beauty that this unknown Arsinoe also had The Princess did apprehend this discourse with much facility Wherefore beholding the Prince with some Sentiments of that Compassion be required from her My Brother reply'd she unto him Philadelphe ought not to be here what he was at Corcyre since that Arsinoé is no more what she there thought her self to be and he ought also to remember himself that these petty Passions of an unknown One straying out of his Countrey are unworthy to be those of a Son of the great Ptolomée in Egypt Alas reply'd he would you that the Prince of Egypt and that unknown one had not the same Passions since that I told you that they both have but one and the same Heart O Arsinoé that it s easy to you to speak of this change to you who have not had but a change of Apparel and Condition But that it is there to see my self reduced me who must for so I may speak change Hearts and to despoyle my self of a Passion rooted within my Soul and which henceforth would make my Life full of all Hopes and Pleasures In uttering these words the Tears trickled down from his Eyes and though Arsinoé could not almost but apprehend a thing which could not be conceived but by those who had proved it she omitted not however to give him also some Marks that she was plyant soft and gentle That was some little Consolation to Philadelphe to see that she took part and share with him in his Grief and resented it and after some moments he said unto her At least my dear Sister it is true that you now have some little friendship and kindness for me and if I am so unfortunate that I must raze here and blot out a part of that affection that I had for you then you will have an affection for me which you formerly had not at Corcyre My Brother reply'd the Princess never doubt of my Kindness and Friendship and be assured that of all the new Duties and Devoirs to which the change of my Condition obliges me its him to whom I will tye my self the fastest and from that I will never depart These words gave some movements of Joy to Philadelphe who kissed the Hand of Arsinoe to testify to her his Obligation and Acknowledgment and having also on his part assured her of an inviolable Affection and which should never terminate but with that of his Life he betook himself to entertain her after the same Rate in which he had past all the time which had bin slâ—pt since their first interview and after his endeavours used to make her conceive to what a high Pitch the Passion of Love he had had for her was mounted unto he insensibly ingaged himself to her in an apologetical Discourse and after such a manner as will make me observe how he was yet preoccupied But is it possible said he to her that nature obligeth me to quit so strong a Passion as if by reason I have a double Subject to love you it must therefore be that you were more indifferent Ah my Sister avow with me that we are very unhappy to live in a Countrey where men are mingled to correct Nature and where as if they did not yet commit Crimes enough they have by new Laws made us new occasions of Sinning That the Gods did not cause us to be born amongst People less blinded That love wherewith they have made us guilty of a Crime in Egypt would be unto us a vertue amongst the Brittains amongst the Indians and in a thousand other Countreys But let 's go there my Sister and le ts make it our Countrey We cannot have a better than that wherein we shall be permitted to love one another Philadelphe had no sooner pronounced these words but that he well saw his Passion had transported him to say something which had not pleased Arsinoé He knew it by her Countenance and as he dreaded nothing more than her displeasure he was ready to retract when she answered him Brother what is it you demand and wherefore think you already â—o put my affection to such strange Proofs Let 's live here my dear Brother the Gods will have it so because they appointed us to be born here and content your self that I am your Sister for all your displeasures can never make me to be more unto you The Princess imbraced him in finishing without doubt 't was to repair the ill he had done by his words and afterwards taking him by the Hand she would have had him pass into another Chamber where there was People to interrupt afterwards that discourse and entertainment which she would not continue But Philadelphe which felt himself in a condition not very well able to begin another took leave of her and retired into his apartment altogether as sad as he came forth of it He past all the rest of the day in a Mood so mute and melancholy as is unconceivable and that which infinitely Rackt and Tortured him that he could not dispence with the Visits that were made him and which augmented his Pain by the constraint and trouble they rendred him in this his affliction Yea he found that the sight of Arsinoé did no other than reinvenom his Wound and that there was no means of Cure in presence of her who had given it All that which he imagined might prove a Remedy was the hopes he had in the change of his Brothers qualifications for whom he still conserved that wonderful Tenderness he had had from his Infancy He had not seen him since his return by reason there had already bin eight days that Ceraune was gone a Hunting fifteen or sixteen Miles from Alâ—xandria Wherefore he went to find him there with design to have spent some time with him in the Countrey But he found little ground or subject of Consolation scarcely had Ceraune seen him only arriving he treated him with such Insolence Arrogancy Disdain Fierceness Cruelty and Inhumanity not like an elder Brother but an Enemy so that poor Philadâ—lphe was constrained to return the same day that he was gon there Make you I pray some reflections upon his misfortune and observe how much he was persecuted by two opposite Passions The hatred of his Brother constrained him to shun and flye him and he was forced to shun and keep at distance from his Sister in regard of his Love In this necessity he well saw that there was no consolation for him in Egypt and he dream't of nothing more than to seek some occasion to quit it a second time He had the most honourable that he could desire For in that time chanced the famous troubles which confederated and combined all the Successors of Alâ—xander the great against the Kings Antigonus and Demetrius Ptolomée levyed a considerable Army to send into Sicily where were to be joyned all the Troops of his Party and he gave their conduct to Philadelphe It 's here where I shall have
Edges were covered with a Tissue of Flowers which seemed an admirable piece of Embroydery Her Vestment or upper Garment was trust and tuckt up of the left side a little below the Knee which left appearing visible the Buskins of the same trimming and Livery Her right Hand was armed with three Arrows or Shafts and in her left she carried a Bow of Ebony the string whereof was Tissued with Silk of the same Colour of her Attire Her Head was adorned and deckt with a Hat of Flowers whereof the diversity and variety of Colours mixed made them infinitely delightful But that was but a faint and feeble Ornament in comparison of that which is Imbued and dyed white the most delicate and admirable of the World with many black Locks which hung negligently upon her Shoulders and which formed into many Rings seem to inforce themselves to ascend again to their first and fair Original and Ofspring Be not astonished Agameé to see that I stay rather to describe you this than her Pitch Stature and Countenance I leave to your imagina to make out the Portrait of these Miracles which cannot be depainted nor delineated As soon as they had let go one of the Birds she shot the Arrow so directly that she smote his Head the very first flight and made it fall down dead in the very middest of the Assembly A thousand out-cries of Joy burst out at the same Instant and they saw this fair Shepherdess with a Gayety and chearful Alacrity which is sufficiently remarkable how much satisfaction she received to have had better Success than any of her Companions yet had done Tarsis followed her with his eyes the longest he could and had much regret when he had lost her in the middle of a thousand other Shepherdesses amongst whom she betook her self The State wherein I then saw him made me immediately presage something of his misfortune Although he was naturally cheerful and full of alacrity yet he was always sad until he had seen fair Zelie return again and that by another Shot having deprived another Bird of its Life by a second Flight made after it after she had let it go she finished the taking away of the Shepherds Liberty She appeared the third time with the like success as she had done the two first but her Consorts could not perform the same The major part failed in their Shots and if I should stop at the Presages I would tell you that those of that day which was that of the Birth of her Love were so unfortunate that one Bird having bin struck and pierced by a shot of an Arrow ceased not to flye away to the great amazement of all the Assembly After the Ceremony we went to see the Shepherdesses and Tarsis having saluted them all he approached to Zelie in particular with whom he had some discourse which renewed his Wounds and rendred his Malady incurable In very truth fair Shepherdess said he you have born off much Honour but however complaints are made that you could not kill Birds without wounding of Men. I did not belive I had bin so out of Decorum or unseemly reply'd she with an amiable blush and I so exactly observed the fall and descent of all the Arrows I shot that I am very well assured I gave not any person whatsoever Ground Cause or Subject to complain of me You have not heeded reply'd Tarsis nor known the ill that 's done by the Flights and Shots whereof I speak since possibly you know not whom you have pierced They ought therefore to pardon me replyed she since it 's without any design that I have done the evil whereof I am accused Also they never will reproach you fair Shepherdess reply'd Tarsis and they who do it do it less to signifie their displeasure than by boasting themselves to have had the honour of being wounded by you She reply'd him not and to dispence with her self she took an occasion by the arrival of some other Shepherdesses The rest of the day was spent without any of his further declaring otherwise than only the ill she had done him But see the great Transmutation and change that his love produced in him at the same Instant and so forward since it carried him away not only to undertake to make Verses or Rimes of the praise of Zelie but even to make in publick an Essay of a Trade or Calling wherein he never was concerned nor had intermedled Behold therefore Agamée what was the Subject of the first Elogy that you now go to see I do not remember my self that they were those of other Shepherds I know some compared the direct Shots out of a Bow made by Zelie to that of Diana Others said she had stollen the secret from Apollo as well as the glittering and shining cast of her Eyes Others in fine said that 't was hard to judge to which she would serve best either the Arrows of Diana or those of Love but however it be behold the Sizain or Dictates of my Brother Madrigal It 's not possible to be weary of admiring your direct Aim nor yet your incomparable even due Measure and just proportion of levelling Shots and Flights with which you infalliby Slay even my self the first I covet and desire it and therefore praise you But Zelie in secret my heart disavows me and saith you either smite or you see not I well see that you desire to know what was the effect of the preceding lines you see well he had not the perfection of a Poet or that should be given to a good Poet and however it is or be it how t' will be by the favour of the Judges be it by the grace in which he sings them they carry the Prize and Tarsis had the satisfaction not only to have most worthily praised Zelie but which is more that of receiving a recompence with his own Hands The Prize was a Dart or Javeling whereof the Head or Shaft was guilt which he went to receive upon his Knees from the fair Hands of Zelie and in its receit he said unto her Ah! Divine Zelie you gave me Weapons too late since it was not done but after I was vanquished and overcome The Morrow was the day of the bloody Sacrifice and as it is the first of the year which begins amongst us it s the ancient Custom there to make small Presents one to the other which we call New Years Gifts Present or Handsel That was the Subject of the succeeding Lines which behold have no great need of a greater explication A New Years Gift Shepherdess Custome will have it that every Shepherd is disposed this day to give if he can something to his Shepherdess it 's a Law and standing Ordinance established amongst us and accordingly observed which puts me in extream Pain for what have I which is not yours you know even your self that I am yours even I my self but now to determin and put me out of Pain permit me to
see and observe them And in the interim that which makes us afraid in the mifortunes of others is oftentimes that which causeth Consolation and it happens and occurs every day that we bemoan the unfortunate because there is something more Sweet Pleasant and more Supportable in their misfortune Not so Telamon The great and heavy Strokes of Despair do not consist in misfortune that which you take for the Evil is the Remedy O! that there are secret and private Regrets and Misfortunes in Comparison of whom the most savagely cruel death hath Sweetness Telamon would not contradict for as much as he knew that there is nothing that pains and stings an afflicted Person more than to oppose and combat his Grief with Obstinacy This wise and judicious Shepherd contented himself to tell him so from time to time uttering some words to make him capable of reflecting upon the reasons wherewith he might Consolate him And after he had yet made some certain Ones with his Company upon the sad Accidental Adventure whereof they altogether had bin effectual Witnesses he caused them to reassume and call to mind the curiosity or hearing an History that that Accident had interrupted whereof he was in expectation as we above have said whereby a little to give some Consolation to Tarsis on that which had bin promised by Agamée ever since the Shepherds had taken places round about him The Athenian spake unto them thus The History of Agamée I Have been perswaded more than any person of the World that it was possible to take such firm and assured Measures in the choice of a Mistress that one might find an absolute and compleat perfection conformable to his Humour and after the having met with it all manner of Felicity capable in this Life consisted in seeing themselves united together by Marriage I was even yet in the same Error Telamon when we left Thebes This thought was the Cause that I returned with precipitation enough to Athens because I had left there a young Beauty for whom I had so great a Love that no Man living can be capable of more she wanted not a correspendency for me and we were mutually ingaged in an extream affection and so much the more easily that we had almost bin brought up together At least we had lived these six or seven last Years in one and the same House because my Sister had espoused her Brother and taken him in Marriage and we both lived with them So that I believed I knew the bottom of her Heart and even the smallest of all her Faults For besides that she was exceedingly fair and beautiful she had an admirable infinite and excellently prompt and ready Wit and that which engaged me the more was I found in her so firm and solid a Wit for a Maiden so disingaged and unloosned from all kinds and sorts of preventions so elevated above all common and vulgar Opinions that she seemed to me to have nothing at all inherent in point of the debility of her Sex You may conceive how much my passion was augmented the more by the knowledge I had of her Amity and Friendship for nothing in the World doth inflame a young Man more than the thought that he hath to be beloved But there appeared to me a very great Transmutation and strange change of Fortune when I re-visited her and aâ—l that I formerly had of Joy and content was quite turned about and converted into Grief Dolour and Bitterness For when I thought to approach her with Testimonies and Significations of ravishing Joy where I was to re-visit her she comported her self in such a frigid sence and cold kind of strain like unto him whom she would have had as a Person throughout the whole Universe most unknown And she afterwards took the self same care to indeavour to shun me that we both of us took formerly to be together for the entertainment of our reciprocal affection This kind of welcome so different from that which I expected gave me a displeasure the like whereof I never had felt in my life I spent all that night to make a reflexion upon the subject that I could have given her to treat me so and not finding any cause in the review of all my actions I soon imputed it to the little Stability and Constancy that is in a Maiden whom the absence of two years had undoubtedly soon frozen or cooled for a new Affection The Morrow I went to see my Friends and diligently and carefully enquired of them of the names of all those who since my departure had seen Telesile that was her name and in one Word of all the things for which Jealousie which began to torment me gave me that Curiosity But for as much as they knew nothing of our Love which we always concealed they assured me that Telesile had the Credit and Reputation of affecting none nor loving any Body that during my absence there presented variety of divers considerable pretenders of Affection to her but she had Will to listen to none nor would entertain any and that it was enough to be Evil thought by her only to make mention of any thought of approaching her by any kind of declaration of Passion That made me resolve to endeavour to be enlightned by her own self upon the Subject and Ground of her Frigidity and Chilness and as I was very well pleased that we were at Liberty and in a Place where we were not interrupted I prayed her to grant me an hours time to entertain and discourse her She answered me with a very indifferent air that she believed not I had any thing to declare to her that was of any Importance and that although there might be there was no Person there before whom I might not speak what I had to say I thus spake to her at the taking away of the Table my Brother in Law and Sister being there present before whom I would not discover my self because I had learnt that both the one and the other had thoughts to marry Telesile elsewhere and particularly my Brother in Law who had promised her to a Friend of his named Aristoxene So I reply'd to her with a still Voice as I had begun that the Persons for whom she testified so much Confidence and Trust were those whom I had most cause to mistrust Whatever I said or could say I could not obtain what I demanded of her and she continued even many dayes to shun all opportunities with all the Care that she could possibly take that I should not discourse her alone or particularly That which consolated me was that I could not see that she had any more Kindness nor sweet Complaisance for this Aristoxene for although my Brother-in-Law would have made him pass to be of the most ancient House and in Reputation to have very much in point of Wealth however the Spirit of Telesile was then so forcibly strong and so well tempered with Mettal so loosned from
me yet in the same Alley where I walked slowly and where all in Confusion and disquieted in having lost that occasion of making my self known to Telesile by some twinkling of an Eye or some other Sign as I had expected I entred into some means of refinding anew As soon as I saw Cleonime and Aristoxene look upon me I feared they would advance towards me to make me some demand for which reason I would have bin well pleased to shun and avoid but I dreamed that if I testified any kind of Propensity and Inclination to shun them that would but have augmented the suspicion of my Sister and Telesile and might make them think I was some Thief behold wherefore that as far off as I saw them I put off my Hat and went forward even within forty or fifty Paces from them still stretching out my Arm in a supplicating Posture muttering forth some Words as a Passenger which demanded or intreated their Charity Cleonime took me for such a one and because my Sister had assured him that I was some Hobgoblin Ghost or ill Spirit he betook him to laugh and jeast whilest he searched his Pocket he took out some money which he gave to a Slave to give me Aristoxene who would have appeared liberal before his Mistress fumbled groped or digg'd and searched his and sent me a piece of Gold by the same Slave Some inquietude or disturbance which Passion caused in me the fantastical and toyish Humor of that Adventure which made me have the Alms of my Brother and Rival seemed to me to have something of extraordinary and so pleasant that I had Pain and Trouble to receive it in a cool sence however I counterfeited my Personage the best I could and having said to the Slave with a Voice and Countenance the most Counterfeiting that I could possible that I was obliged to pray to the Gods for them I besought him to demand something for me of those Ladies and to tell them that it was not simply for my self but for Poor Marsias their Neighbour and my Brother and whom I had found very Sick at my return from the Army You will remark that Marsias was the poor Peasant whom Telesile had sent me and I said this to give her some Diffidence or Mistrust of the Truth or at least some curiosity that she might speak with me That Slave did them my Message which failed not to produce in Telesile the effect I expected not that she had any kind of Diffidence of what I was but it seized on her immediately with an extream impatience to speak with me to know if Marcias had not had some Charge of a Letter from me to her The difficulty was to be able to do it without giving some Suspicion and my Sister her self was an occasion of giving Birth to one in her unawares for as she was charitable enough and knew this poor Man who was accustomed usually to go and ask an Alms of her she sent word to me that I should come in the evening and that they should give me some remainders of the Supper to bring to him As for Telesile she then sent me nothing but privately gave order to one of the Servant Maidens of my Sister for she began to mistrust her own to spye out the time when I would return and to go and inform her That Maiden who had received some good by Her means from my Sister and was very ready to serve her held her self so heedy and wary that she discerned me from the very moment when I first appeared and as it was early enough because I had done no other then to sink or thrust into the Wood without going further it was found they had not yet sate at Table to Supper Telesile having bin informed and willingly desiring to manage the occasion of speaking with me all alone prayed the Company to excuse her sitting at the Table at that time seeming willing to attempt a little abstinence which she supposed might be a Means to ease her She went out even then when she saw them sate down as fearing to be tempted to eat in seeing them so to do and in the mean time having made a Turn in the Garden she went out at a Postern and came to find me under some Trees where she commanded them to speak to me to expect her The fear she had lest some of the Domesticks should perceive her hindered her to come directly to me she took her Turn by a lower way then returned within twenty Paces of me as by accident she called me without staying and almost without beholding me telling me that she came with me and went to cause to be given me what she had promised me I followed her I will not tell you with what palpitation and emotion of Heart turbulency or agitation of Spirit for that cannot possibly be spoken and as she asked me still in walking and even without looking behind her how Marsias was in point of health and since when he was Sick Madam reply'd I very softly he was not in Bed but this day But there is another Person Sick since a longer time and fell Sick as well as Marsias at your Service who hath much more need than he of your Care and for whom I demand of you a little Succour and Compassion These words and the sound and tone of my Voice which I no more disguised nor dissembled smote the Heart of Telesile she turned about to consider me all surprized and she saw that I had taken of the Emplaister which had hid a part of my Face She very soon knew the Lineaments and Features when she could not doubt but that it was I that she was even at the point of crying out However she refrained and turning her self wholly towards me she joyned her hands together and in the end began to smile to see me in this State Madam said I unto her undoubtedly the Equipage wherein you see me surprizeth you But 't is that of a miserable One who comes to do Pennance for his Faults casting himself at your Knees to demand your Pardon and to be subject to those Pains which your Pleasure shall impose On these words I would have effectually have fallen at her Feet but Telesile considering more prudentially that I was not capable to conserve on that occasion but that there might pass by some one by whom I might be seen retain'd me and still casting her eyes now here now there for the fear she had lest we should be perceived Agamée said she unto him This here is not the place where we ought to deliberate return only to finish your motion of a Beggar and the night being come you shall be permitted to reassume that of Agamée She added that I should render my self firmly that very night at the door of her Chamber by a small Ladder or Stairs stolen which descends from her Chamber into the Garden and that I should there hear News of her I failed not
and gave her such an apprehension that carryed and bare her away to such a point of extremity that she knew not where she was At length she tare their silence asunder and tenderly said unto him with a voyce feeble enough Well Tarsis is this what you have promised me not to hate me for that which I was going to tell you At these words Tarsis looking upon her with eyes capable to cleave any heart with pitty and whence Trickled a Thousand Tears Ah! Zelie said he unto her I do keep you my word too well and if I could hate you you should not see me in the Transporture nor the despair wherein I am Then he beheld the shepherdess grew pale and in effect the fatigation and faintness with the grief and pain joyning themselves together to the great weakness wherein her disease left her caused her to fall to the ground and possibly it had not been without dangerously hurting her so did all her strength abandon her all at once if the shepherd had not upheld her in her fall and caused his feet to lean at the foot of a tree very near them grief and pain had toyled him in such a nature that he neither dreamed of calling us nor yet to fetch water from the River to cast in her face cause her to revive so that poor Zelie remained there a long time without speech without strength sence or motion unless some affectionate amorous aspect which she piningly and pittifully cast upon Tarsis who with one knee on ground held one of her fair hands between his and endeared them with an infinite number of tears Never was Spectacle more touching and Melicerte my self and Philiste were the mournful Witnesses thereof For as we took notice that there was some time past that we had not heard them behind us I returned to see what was become of them and we discerned them afar off in this lamentable condition I advanced forward toward their Succour and having made Zelie revive we caused her to be carried to Callioure by some Shepherds where we followed them all very sad and mournful The Morrow we returned my Brother and my self from this Hamlet to Callioure to learn some News of the State of Leucippes Health and of hers when a little Shepherd gave this Ticket to Tarsis which is doubtless the Original which she kept For see how many Lines she hath begun and blotted out afterwards before she would determin with her self in what manner to write to him see how many razings out and words changed and replaced and all that marked out well the trouble with which she was agitated But behold what she writ in Conclusion ZELIE to TARSIS THis is to reiterate you the Request I made you Yesterday which I write you this day You may judge of the violence I suffered by the State wherein you saw me and the excess of my Dolour ought in my Apprension purge me from your Reproaches I hope that Leucippe will be touched and that when his Life is out of danger he will have a care of ours But in waiting I demand and desire of you but three things Not to see me till the State of our Affairs are changed to preserve your self and not to hate me ZELIE The same reason which hath made me already pass by many other things yet impedes me to stop me here by the Testimonies that Tarsis gave of the grief that Letter had caused to fall upon him and to declare unto you how many times he re-perused it to see if he were not deceived and if he could not find there some favourable word to disabuse himself for if I should dwell upon these Particularities 't would be to have no end When he was well confirmed in the Truth of what he saw he was born away by a thousand Transports which cannot possibly be imagined But in conclusion he was forced to resolve and having his Soul full of anguish but yet at the self same time full of Love and Respect for Zelie he entred into the very next House where having taken Paper he wrote the answer that you see and besought me even my self to give it to that Shepherdess TARSIS to ZELIE THere is so long a time past that I have bin unfortunate that I should thereunto be accustomed and possibly also constant in some Disgrace or other but that of this kind is to me a Novelty the same Hand who was wont to solace me in times past makes me despair this day I have not nor do find wherewith to contradict it since it depends upon the Health of Leucippe My Life is in such a Nature at your beck that you have a right to redeem his and not being capable to loose it at your Service in particular I shall verily Sacrifice it for the Health of some of yours TARSIS You see Agamée that this Letter is in the end of all our Papers and the last that Tarsis writ unto her And there was the State of his Affection and of his Disgrace there was not any thing left of change unless it were that Leucippe was perfectly recovered afterwards there remained but a little trouble his Indisposition seemed to have added to his natural melancholly when the conclusion of the Marriage between Tarsis and Zelie had bin obstructed by the strange Accidents that you have known and understood There remains no more to me to add you but a Circumstance which will undoubtedly make you bewail him more than any other thing Besides the accident which hath happened Leucippe overcome by the vertue and complaisance of Zelie declared to me even yesterday that although he had not any way signified to his Daughter nor yet to Melicerte any kind of thing he was however resolved immediately upon his recovery to accomplish the desire of these two unfortunate Lovers with the Felicity that my Brother had so much desired Telamon having thus finished Agamée resumed the Discourse and signified to this Shepherd the extream satisfaction he had received in their reading and his recital It 's requisite that I avow to you wise Shepherd said he to him that what admiration soever I had had for Tarsis combating and performing so many rare Exploits and noble Feats with his dear Telamon at Chalcedony and at Panticapée I have had no less an esteem for Tarsis loving at Tempe and if I have infinitely bewailed him in the Prisons of Lysimachus and of the King of the Bosphorus he hath not made me less compassionate in the Shackles and Fetters of the Vertuous but too delicate and too scrupulous Zelie For in fine if at present she were not possibly rather in a State to be bewailed than blamed I could not refrain to have her tast the ill of this superstitious Imagination which had caused her to banish Tarsis so unseanably without doubt as you have said as she hath done and hath bin the cause of all the misfortunes which have hapned them afterwards But I am no
a better Opinion of thee than thou hast thy self said Ergaste replyed Ergaste and since I have believed thee worthy to make thee my Friend I will not that thou deceive me listen therefore This preferrence comprehends four principal things to give in time of need all his Wealth for his Friend to communicate him all his Secrets to take a share in all his Afflictions and even to dye for him upon an occasion Celemante believed himself falling from the height of the Clouds so much was he astonished when he understood this new and pernicious Doctrine But much more yet when Ergaste continued so These four things yet comprehend a great many others which seeming to be more lighter are therefore yet more essential to wit not to please himself but with his Friend to be troubled at his absence liberally and freely to reprehend his Faults to be afflicted for his least Evil. Behold too many Ergaste cryed Celemante interrupting him and I declare unto thee without going further that I am very much thy Servant but I will not be thy Friend And as for me I love and am willing to be thine in despight of thee persisted Ergaste and I tell thee to begin that thou art the laziest the most treacherous and the last and worst of Men if thou correspondest not with my Affection But my poor Ergaste replyed softly Celemante what Chimera of Friendship art thou going to place in thy imagination and how callest thou vertue which derogates from Civil Society and which is indeed capable to destroy all Pleasure As for me I have always learnt that all the end of Civil Society and the only secret of Life is to live happily is there any thing more contrary or opposite to happiness than that thou hast told me In giving all ones Wealth to another one becomes poor himself in discovering all his Secrets to another one betrayes himself in sharing in the Grief of another one afflicts himself and in dying for another one destroys himself I know well Ergaste that Civil Society requireth not that we should live but for our selves But that which I know also that it is requisite that one should live first for himself and afterwards for others When I shall have no need of any thing Ergaste all that is not necessary for me is for thee But that I shall take it away from my self when I shall have need of it to give it to thee Ah! I understand not if thou lovest me more than thy self that would be to disoblige thee When I shall have some secret I will tell it thee willingly if that damnifies me not but if that do me harm to tell it to thee thou oughtest not to wish that I do something prejudicial to thy Friend When there shall arrive unto thee some good Fortune I will take part with all my heart in thy Joy But thy Ills I will use as if 't were my own that is to say I will do all that in me is possible to consolate thee and consolate my self Seest thou Ergaste I have always heard say that he who would afflict himself for the evil that one suffers himself or his Friends he should never be one sole moment without Affliction That which must be done is to set the Face towards the Weal and never the Evil. If thou art Sick I will rejoyce that I am in Health if it be I that am Sick my self I will endeavour to rejoyce that thou art not so if we are so both of us I will yet rejoyce that we have not yet greater Evils if one breaks one of my Arms I will count my self happy that one remains yet whole and if they break both I will attempt to consolate my self through the soundness of my Legs It is so that one must use in all the remainder For heed there Ergaste in all occasions wherein we are afflicted there resteth some things to us wherewithal to rejoyce and that being so we should be very Fools if of two parts we did not take the most pleasurable Celemante spake to him therefore in this manner and behold how he replyed to him As to what thou sayest Celemante there is something that I condemn For if in thy misfortunes thou canst find Reason to consolate thy self it 's Wisdom therewith to serve thy self and were it false there would be even in that case Wit to know ones self to be well deceived But there is one absurd and dreadful Senselessness in the rest of thy Sentiments Thou fearest to dye to impoverish thy self to hurt thy self to afflict thy seâ—â— for a Friend Alas knowest thou not that Vertue teacheth us to do all these things even sometimes for People most indifferent In what consisteth Liberality unless it be to Impoverish ones self for others Freedom unless it be to open our Hearts Compassion if it be not to afflict our selves for their Evils Courage unless even to dye in an occasion as did the renowned Spartiate for the Thermopiles for the safety of so many thousands of Men whom he only knew not If these little Vertues whereof thou speakest replyed Celemante teach us all these things there is yet another the greatest Mistress of all which instructeth us the contrary That is Prudence Ergaste which informs us that Liberality is Prodigality that Frankness and Freedom is Indiscretion that Compassion is Debility and Weakness that Courage in one word is rashness and precipitancy and all for once is Imprudence when they prejudice us We should go too far replyed Ergaste if I should be willing to answer thee to all that I could be capable to do thereon For I would convince thee and make thee see that the more the Vertue we exercise our selves in prejudiceth our Interest and the greater it is since the despising of Interest is a second Vertue and I can say 't is almost the foundation of all others But so it is that thou shalt avouch me that we ought to do more to Friends than Strangers If thou then confessest that we ought to do all these things for Strangers when they prejudice us not what we should then be able to act on behalf of our Friends unless to perform it even then when they prejudice us That which we will do is this saith Celemante we will prefer them to Strangers but not above our selves by reason we our selves ought to be our own best Friend And as I would confide in a Physician that could not cure himself I would not put confidence in a Friend who knew not how to love himself A very fair Comparison cryed Ergaste Friendship and Amity is quite contrary to the Art of Physick Celemante the art of Physick consists in the knowledge of curing all People in the World equally But Friendship consists in knowing to love unequally and peculiarly But I will have but one word more to convince thee of this Ah! do not declare it unto me I beseech thee interrupted Celemante for I tell thee in fine that
I will not be convinced also should we be of one Mind thereon we should never be at rest Thou wilt that one take no Pleasure but with his Friend and I hold that a reasonable Man ought to take it for all in general and every where thou wilt that one should disquiet ones self in his absence and as for me I make a profession never to disquiet my self if I can In one word thou wilt render me a Fool and I will be wise Ergaste mocked Celemante and after having only smiled at his Replication he said unto him I avow Celemante in effect I do ill to be willing to teach thee Friendship and sincere Amity by reason it comes not by Wit it must have it's Original and Birth in the Heart and I will not instruct thee but by my own example They quitted one another a little afterwards and in the Sequel Ergaste spake cruelly of Celemante for there was no more need to dream of quitting him to do any thing that Ergaste knew not nor which is worse to do never so little to admit of Contradiction without being terribly grumbled at So that in the end poor Celemante a little naturally a libertin saw himself reduced to a strange Captivity But much worse yet for Celemante would always do his best and had done it the other was never content Celemante should undoubtedly have taken all that for his leave But Ergaste had in such a nature perverted the Sence that he was no more capable to serve himself At that time there came to Athens a young Maiden of a competent Beauty but had much Wit and was very Pleasant she was even skilful so that her Actions were clearly demonstrated in open View and Light The proximity of the Neighbourhood and the Reputation of her excellent Wit caused Celemante to enter her Lodgings and they so pleased one another at the first encounter when they mutually saw one another that the morrow after the first Visit Celemante wrote her this Ticket CELEMANTE to CELESIE YOu appeared to me yesterday so amiable that I know not what I shall do if you permit me not to revisit you this day I have not bin able to spend away the night and I had only the Consolation of dreaming In the interim I should shun the sight of you were I Wise for I very well resent and feel that there is no assurance for me and that I shall be constrained to Love you more than I would CELEMANTE Behold the Reply that she made him CELESIE to CELEMANTE IF you feel your self constrained to will my Wealth it 's a violence that you do to your self I have nothing that forceth Will and if you find any thing amiable in me it is a pure effect of your Imagination It abuseth you it paints me or rather repairs me entirely it 's not my self that makes you love 't is a Ghost or Apparition I am not astonisht that 't was represented to you in your Sleep for that 's the time to make Dreams nor to give it more of Credulity it having chosen a time when the Senses are asleep by reason they would not have failed to contradict it But come at what hour it shall please you to disabuse your self For what advantage soever I can draw from your Error I will resolve never to deceive my Friends CELESIE Celemante was charmed with this Letter and he was scarce able to refrain himself from shewing it to Ergaste with whom he was reconciled however he did it not then for as much as he mistrusted always the little Complaisance of that Friend In the self same thought he conceal'd from him during a certain space of time his Passion born for Cilesie and the Tickets that he received But in conclusion they gave him one on a certain day in the presence of Ergaste who discovered him their Commerce and engaged Celemante confidently to shew him all the others Ergaste who was immediately well pleased to see his Friend in Love because he was perswaded that this Passion serveth always to bring to Perfection and compleatly accomplish a young Heart when he â—â— capable well to regulate and govern it he had no sooner seen all these Letters but he was netled and stung with the long dissimulation which Celemante had used with him and although he had naturally more respect for Women than any other Person notwithstanding on that occasion as if his Resentment and sensible Apprehension extended it self even against Cilesile he pardoned not one of her Tickets that 's to say there was not one single one which he censured not as well the stile as the thoughts After he had blamed them all by Retail and Peice-Meal he betook him to speak generally against the Women that would pass for skilful and expertly knowing and particularly against Cillesie although he yet knew no other than her name It is not saith he but that it be very commendable that a Maiden or a Woman cultivate their Wits and that they should know something more than their common and ordinary Sex But it is requisite that it be for their particular Satisfaction and not to make an open profession and a kind of Commerce with the Publick It 's requisite that they learn to render themselves capable only to understand and not to distribute and retail they should affect almost to conceal that which they know which is far distant from vaunting and boasting themselves and as it is very commendable in a Man to be handsom but immodest to sting and nettle himself to be so it is well becoming and seemly in a Woman to know but infamous ignominious and dishonorable to Nettle and Spur on her self to be known so Vertues added he are divided among the Sexes There are those that are common both to one and the other and there are which are but for one alone These here are Vices in that for whom they have not bin made And as they are almost opposite who diligently seek after Vertues of or in a Stranger ordinarily neglect those of his own The Gods never bequeath it all to one alone it must be either Man or Woman and 't is a Monster to be both It appertaineth not belongeth nor is it becoming to enterprise or undertake to practise in the Mysteries Occupations or Functions of Men but to extraordinary Persons whom the excellency of their Genius elevates above both Sexes as the incomparable Sapho and to some others which are more rare than the ages But that your Cillesie should intermeddle her self pardon me if I believe her not of that Temper Composition Disposition Mood or Humour Celemante would not stay to contest against him and contented himself only to conserve for Cillesie the same which he had conceived In sum he continued to entertain discourse with her in maintaining the same Commerce both in Letters and Affection But with so firm a Tye that Ergaste feared that this Love would in the end steal away his whole Friendship In
came to rejoyce with him as if it had been some Great Happiness he Vaunted himself to him that this Breach was the Production of their Friendship and would have made it pass for an Obligation so sensibly that Celemante was therefore Indebted to him See said he see Celemante to what point I desire we be Eternally Friends I never had a passion for Cillesie and in the mean time I have been able to constrain my self even to pretend Love for her and yet to subject my self to all those small trifling things by which one gains the heart of these sorts of Maidens for to make thee sensible of thy Error I would have thee see the wrong thou doest thy self to Abandon a Faithful Friend for an Unconstant Mistress and the difference that there is between a Sollid and Vertuous Friendship and a Foolish and Unruly Passion Go Ergaste Go Rejoyned him Celemante Animated with to much Just Anger you your self are the most unfaithful of all men you are not only contented to betray the pleasant and merry heart of your Friend but you have done it to betray him yet for or by Cillesie and not content with your own proper Perfidy you have Inspired it into his Mistress You should yet be more excusable if you had been in Love as you said it and one could pardon all the Imprudence that I have seen to be willing to engage you therein and at the Violence of a Passion which primarily Tyrannizeth over us then when it constrains us to do evil to others but to be there carryed there well tempered setled with sober and sollid Reason by a Premeditated Disign by pure Malicious Envy to betray me 't is a Detestable piece of Perfidy 't is an Ambush prepared with a set purpose to intrap ensnare and deceive wittingly and willingly it is that which cannot find pardon among the Gods nor excuse amongst men I have two things to reply unto thee thereon and to subdivide rejoyned him Ergaste smiling First Celemante I avouch unto thee that there are certain sorts of Love whic hought to be Inviolable and as we so say Sacred between Friends but thou must not believe that of all On the contrary there are others where not only it is permitted us but wherein it is our duty to deceive them We owe them Fidelity in all just and honest Love but in debauched Love know that the Complaisance of a Friend is Criminal and his Infidelity is Officious Dutiful Serviceable Diligent Courteous and Friendly In the second place I ask thee if thou didst not pray me and engage thy self in despight of me to try and prove the Fidelity of Cillesie and if thou didst not even as good as compel and force me thereunto in fine if thou hast not an Obligation to me to disabuse thee in an error that would have made thee Sacrifice all to an unconstant Mistress He added a thousand ill reasons more in similitude like to those there but Celemante had too much power to be overcome thereby and his Liberty Captivated so long a time reclaimed too highly against the Tyranny of Love and Friendship He protested therefore both to Renounce the one and the other to have no more Love then is necessary for the pleasure of life nor of friendship but what is requisite for Civil Society He denounced and declared a Mortal War against the other Love and the other Friendship whereof are made so many Passions and Tyranies and above all against the Perfidious Ergaste who had given him so much Torment from the one and the other So finished the writing of Celemante and when they had ended the Lecture they testifyed to have found it altogether Delightful Another then cryes who had as much right as he to pretend kindness to this Shepherd had not possibly bin able to refrain having a little Jealousy of this first and principal affection or a few Alarms from the Resolution that she there had made him take to have no more but what disposition soever she had to receive his friendship she had none to have any Jealousy and yet less cause to be angry if Celemante had not loved her contrary in that to Arelise because Arelise would not that Argaste should have any Love for her and yet she was Jealous she had it for others and would possibly been angry if he had less Loved thereon Chorys would willingly in her heart that Celemante might Love her but she had seen him indifferent for her without despight and Amourous of others without Jealousy After they had all testifyed the pleasure they had received in the reading of this Lecture Ergaste amongst others reassumed Speech thus well said Agamée must not there patience be had to listen so peaceably as I have done a great Volumne that Celemante hath compiled against me and more must be to shew you that I am not so prompt and ready as he hath rendred me it is true replyed Agamée that I would very much commend your Moderation without being hindred by any thing What then replied Ergaste Divine said Agamée unto him I know not how to Divine replied Ergaste if it be not so that this writing hath perswaded you against me and that you could not resolve your self to praise a man of whom one hath told you so much evil So much it must be replied Agamée it is that I find that Celemante hath written for you and I would Condemn him upon his own proper Plea not to have known to Correspond with a Friendship so tender and so perfect as yours And I said Arelise I condemn them both Celemante to be engaged so forward in so foolish a Passion and Ergaste to be served of a remedy so dishonest to withdraw him The one not to have avowed his weakness to his Friend the other to have dissembled and feigned to be of his side to deceive and cheat his own the one of having been so Liberal in his Love the other to have been too Imperious in his Friendship and to have been willing to have exercised a kind of small Tyranny Ergaste saw well that Arelise said not this without design by reason she had frequently enough made the same Complaint of him This Shepherd being deeply in Love with Arelise and willing with too great Imperiousness it seemed him would prevaile upon the Friendship which she had for him to oblige her to correspond with his Passion A little even before having met Agamée they came yet to have another management on this subject and Ergaste Prompt and Ready as he was went not out without some sort of anger So that when he heard Arelise who Condemned him he replyed her in Smiling at the truth but however with some kind of Despight Sheepherdess you are not of my Judges wherefore find it good that I tell you that I neither will be Absolved nor Condemned by your Mouth How what Said afterwards Coris shall no Person speak here for this Poor Celemante truly if I were of
his Judges I know what would be for him not that I find he hath reason but it makes me pitty him that he is so Abandoned of all the World Arelise who well saw that Ergaste was angry and to whom that would cause trouble and pain through the kindness she had for him the time was not long but she sought to be reconciled to him and to that effect Resuming Speech and Addressing her self to Agamée our Judge said she unto him you shall not be quitted of so good a proceeding you have Judged but of half the Difference and if Ergaste hath gained his Process against Celemante I pretend that he will loose it against me I give it you gained already replyed Ergaste afterwards turning towards Coris I dream no more to gain mine but near by this Amiable Shepherdess He spake this very far fom his thought but as he was angry with Arelise because she would not Correspond with his Love and that he knew how much even in her Friendship she was Naturally Susceptable Capable and prone to Jealousie he was well pleased to yeild to her in making shew of being Amorous of Coris and to punish her there for the Evil she had done him or rather he was glad to excite and kindle some spark in her Heart well knowing that there is nothing more proper to kindle Fire than is Jealousie It was therefore for that reason that he would pretend to Love Coris This Shepherdess who knew well the Humor of the one and the other immediately apprehended the design of Ergaste and as she was naturally merry and given to jesting and would not therefore give occasion of offence in the Company she took a delight to endeavour to entangle the Shepherd but he had a Vivacity wherein he disintricated himself pleasantly amongst all This Shepherd having therefore said unto her that he dreamed of nothing more against her he replyed him what Ergaste you would gain a process against me Ah! I pretend not that we have it together You will therefore accord with me in that which I demand of you said Ergaste if it be otherwise I am firmly resolved to make you one Ha! what can you demand of me answered she him Your Heart replyed Ergaste for mine wherewith I will make you a present for yours replyed Coris I would therefore demand of you my self that which you formerly demanded Celemante if you have many Hearts for you have given him one another to Arelise I must therefore have the third It is true added Ergaste that I had given it to Celemante but you have seen that he hath rendered himself Unworthy Arelise to whom I had made a Present afterwards hath deserved as her Brother to loose it behold therefore that I can now dispose thereof But before it be accepted of replyed Coris if it be they that have rendred it to you For I do not see that Arelise accords and I would not have the Wealth of another Whatever design Arelise had to reconcile her self to Ergaste this discourse changed in a moment the entire situation of his Mind and this natural propensity that she had to Jealousie having produced it 's ordinary effect they saw in an instant that pleasant and merry Air with which she recommenced the dispute turned into a serious Tone whereupon she reply'd to Coris I declare you I pretend nothing at all to the Heart of Ergaste Well done Coris added readily the Shepherd glad to see the success of his feigning to second his Intentions you see that the one and the other are agreed and of one accord for as Arelise declares that she pretends nothing thereunto you have seen also that Celemante hath rendred it me too It 's true replyed Coris But will you that I tell you Ergaste a heart that they so willingly render you begins to make me become suspect And since to tell you the Truth I am a little vain-glorious and I will not have what others have rejected Hah say not so Coris cryed Ergaste for I go to demonstrate you that if I give you it at the present it 's a Sign and Token that I esteem of you more than I do them I apprehend not how Coris It is replyed Ergaste that having bin deceived twice by them it 's requisite I esteem you infinitely for having confided in you for a third But added Agamée laughing the question is if Arelise hath deceived you But continued he afterwards more seriously I think that before it be decided it would be good to see if nothing be hapned to Celemante for it seems to me that he is long in returning since you said the House of Telamon is so near It is true he might have bin gone and returned twice persisted Ergaste who also began to be in trouble for his Friend and I know not what could have detained him if it be not that he hath yet again sported us with a turn as he yesterday did after dinner In saying this they perceived this Shepherd who returned with a Countenance so far from that Jocundity and Pleasantness wherewith his had always bin accustomed to be animated that they could scarcely believe he was Celemante However Ergaste not imputing this seriousness but to some fantastical Humor which occupied him cryed out unto him at that distance whence he perceived him Ho! ho Celemante darest thou appear before me after the outrage thou hast committed against me by thy Writing Truly I believed that the fear of approaching me had after that detained thee But I imagined myself also continued he that Repentance hath surprised thee and 't is for that reason so serious and almost afflicted Ah my poor Ergaste replyed Celemante in approaching still towards them I avow you I would have bin willing to dispence my return rather than to bring you such ill Tidings Poor Tarsis is much wounded and I know not whether there may be any reasonable Hopes of Life These words caused an incredible surprise and displeasure not only of Ergaste but also of Agamée and the two Shepherdesses who understood them and as they all had a kindness and an extraordinary esteem of Tarsis it cannot be expressed how they appeared allarmed they approached to Celemante asking him mournfully how this distaster hapned Celemante related it them with the manner how he had learnt it from the Mouth of Telamon and declared to them that was the cause that detained him After bewailing this Accident as a Calamity which was common to them all in general and the most sensible they all resolved to go to the dwelling of Telamon Ergaste and Agamée to testifie him their resentment and the two Shepherdesses to consolate Philiste Tarsis and Zelie The Second Part. The Fourth BOOK IN The Interim the news of this sad Accident being spread over all the Valley of Tempe every one came from all Coasts to know it by Retail Leucippe and Melicerte omitted not to send there They permitted not any Person to speak to him lest that any
yielded her Place and Precedency by Civility so that the Shepherdess replyed thus That which you speak Ergaste is Gallant and Comely but however I do not well understand how you compare Love with War since that contrarily Love in my apprehension tends not but to Peace and Union of hearts And War Amiable Celiane replyed Ergaste tends it to any other thing than Peace Celiane not answering any thing Celemante took up the Cudgels for her and said no Ergaste not so Wars arise from the Disunion of Heart and thou wilt avow me that Love Ariseth and Springeth from Union and Correspondency That is that in which thou deceivest and cheatest thy self replyed Ergaste Love as well as War Springs yet from Disunion of Minds and Spirits and Tempers At this Discourse Celemante betook himself to laugh and turning himself to look after Philemon said Philemon behold here is news for you for what shall we be assured of in the world hereafter if Ergaste goes to make proof unto us as he saith that Love Springs from Divsunion of Hearts and Minds that is not very difficult replyed Ergaste Is it not true that Love is no other then a desire now all Desire comes from the absence of a good we wish and as we may say from its Disunion with us for if we were United in the thing we Desire we should surcease wishing for it being impossible to Desire that which we are in possession of already and with which we are United therefore thou must necessarily Avow me that Love being a Desire and Desire Springing from Disunion Love Springs likewise from the same Celemante would have replyed but Agamée Interrupted him thus I believe Ergaste that you would say as our Poets that the Man and the Woman were not formerly but one and the same person which were Disunited and Separated in two halves and to hold upon this Foundation that since that time one half dreams of nothing else nor seeks to Unite themselves as do the Parts of a Serpent cut in two prices so that when a Man loves a Woman or that a Woman loves a Man it is that they have both refound the half whereof from they had been Disunited Celemante having commended the thoughts of Agamée replyed him if that which you say should be true Agamée it would still be true that Love did Spring from Union and not from Disunion as Ergaste said For this Inclination of two halves to resemble themselves would not come to pass but from that which other whiles they would have been United But also it is certain that Ergaste Dreams not nor Conceives nor Apprehends what he says and that if the Spirits should not Unite before they Loved one another they should never be capable of Affection Hast thou sometimes taken Notice Ergaste of this Fatal Moment which giveth Birth to Love hast thou observed that which passeth in this first Interview of a Shepherd well shaped who meets with a Fair and Amiable Shepherdess I know well that they frequently long will look upon one another before they will joyn in Love and that other times they will never Love and that even many times they will conceive an Aversion one for another but also you will sometimes see that their Eyes are no sooner met then they feel themselves Inseparately tied one to another and so Love one another That is certain said Ergâ—ste but what conclusion doest thou draw or infer from thence that Love replyed Celemante never Springs but from Union of hearts My Poor Friend replyed Ergaste I see not but that returns too much to that which thou wilt shew us more then thou believest said Celemante For these different effects from the first interview come from this that Certain Spirits which commonly go out of us as the Beams go out of the Sun mingle themselves in a Moment one with another almost after the same manner as thou seest the Atomes and Motes fly from the Air. And as thou seest yet these same Motes to meet one another to knock one another to recoil sometimes one upon another sometimes to pass beyond and not to touch one another and sometimes to grasp one another together it arrives in the self same manner in the Medly and Mixture of Spirits sometimes they are long before they fix together and Unite together Whence it comes that it is a long time before they love one another other times in meeting they knock and justle one another and thence comes the Aversion sometimes they pass further without touching one another and from thence Springs the Indifferency But also sometimes they do no sooner touch they graple one another as one may say and they Unite together and 't is thence that this suddain Love ariseth which takes Birth at the very first Interview So thou seest that Union is always the Sole and True Cause of Love O Celemante cryed Coris all that is unknown to us think you that we know what is of the Spirits and what they are and that we can Imagine how it is possible that the Spirits Unite and as you say graple one another Dear Coris replyed he concieve you how that happens in the Body undoubtedly replyed Coris and I think that there needs not much skill to apprehend how a thing which is grapled and clasped is fixed to another thing in the like manner how a clasp or hasp holds to a Buckle how a Stone remains in the Iron Head of my Crook which is hollow nor how in fine how a Body which hath a Figure is fixed to another which likewise hath a Figure and Frame which is proper to it But how will you that I comprehend that of Spirits who have neither Body Frame nor Figure Amiable Coris said Celemante unto her behold you are therefore more Skilful and Expert then I am since you conceive that in the Body for in fine the Bodys and the Spirits are but one and the same thing the sole difference is but only in the Name They call those Bodyes that are Gross Ponderous Visible and Composed of many others They call Spirits Small Subtile Bodys that are Simple Light Imperceptible and whereof others are Composed But in Truth they are equally of the Body and the smallest of all have their Frames and Figures even as others Truly Celemante replyed Ergaste it Admirably becomes thee to speak here of these Small Bodys and so to Act the Doctor amongst Women Friend replyed Celmante that here is but a Doctrine of Love and I believe that he is not a Gentle-man but would very readily Learn or Teach how it is to Love such Fair and Amiable Shepherdesses Agamée who was ravished with joy to hear him said unto him They would pardon you Celemante if you did not also leave us in the same doubt where we were concerning that which hath given place to your Contest For we have told you enough how two Persons Love how they are indifferent and even how they hate but you teach us not how
of the Design whereof I had only a mistrust Until then I had but a simple Aversion against Perinte as we naturally have of all things where we see they force us but when the Grief which I had for the Death of Alceste was joyned with this Aversion when I saw that they would have me become the price of his Bloud and the recompence as I may say of his Murtherers then I had neither Father nor Son but horror and abomination and to say all at once I considered him as the cause of the death of Alceste and the other for his execrable murtherer and parricide In vain did they think to gain me by the consideration of Wealth Let him take said I let him take my Wealth provided he gives me my Liberty Poverty shall be much sweeter to me alone than all the Riches of the World with his Son Let him seize on the inheritance of our Fathers without scruple it is far less Crime to take away Wealth then Life and flight cannot cause Horror in a Murtherer It was not in secret that I made these manner of Complaints I freely discovered it to all Persons whom I saw because that after the loss of Alceste I believed I should have no more cause to fear my Enemy And in reality I would willingly have relinquished the Inheritance of my Father which Joy provided he had left me at liberty to fly where I might never more hear of him nor his Son There was in Babylon a young Persian of quality with whom Alceste had contracted a most perfect Friendshâ—p He was named Oxiarte and was near about the same Age As he dwelt in the Neighbourhood one might say that they had almost bin brought up together for a long time he conceived a great affection for me But for as much as he knew that of Alceste he had so much consideration for his Friend that whilst he believed him living he would never speak of his Passion He thought he could discover it me when he believed him dead and that without being his Rival he could demand of me a place that the other was not capable to occupy If I had bin in a state to listen to a new Friendship I had possibly bin unjust to resist his for there was never one accompanied with more generosity nor sincerity nor yet discretion But Alceste had carried away all my Affections with him and of all Passions I was not capable of any thing but hatred and aversion that I had for those who I believed occasioned his Death I would not however reject him But on the contrary endeavouring to engage him to serve me in the design I had to draw my self out of the hands of my Persecutor Oxtarte said I unto him I am in a trouble where my Soul is not capable to dream of new Engagements and also in the hands of a Man from whom you ought not hope to draw a consent contrary to the design which he hath to Sacrifice me to his Avarice That which I can say to you notwithstanding that I have so much horror for that cruel Enemy and the Marriage he designs me that there is nothing honourable that a Man can hope from me who shall have the courage to draw me out of his hands and set meat Liberty but I will testifie my acknowledgment unto him There was no more need of disposing Oxiarte to undertake all he would but know in what place I had fixed my Eyes for a Retreat I told him I had always heard say that my Father was of Tempe and that he had yet a Sister and some Relations whose Names I knew not but I hoped to discover them there when I should be there personally present and I signified to him in fine that I had designed that place for my Sanctuary and place of Refuge Oxiarte did not ponder upon my Proposition and too well content with the only shadow of the hope I gave him he made all our necessary preparatives ready the most diligently and the most secretly that in him was possible He had a great Patrimony and Inheritance which he enjoyed having neither Father nor Mother He sold it all and having by this means made a very considerable fond of money and capable to repair the loss which he had Abandoned he so very well disposed all that which was necessary for our departure that we in conclusion went out of Babylon by night and having in few days gained the City of Tire by the means of Chariots appointed by turns on purpose we prosperously Imbarked our selves on the Sea before they had leisure to overtake us It is true that I Imagined not that this good Guardian would make any great Diligence to Arrest us For I had with me but one Maiden at my wealth remained in his hands and that was the sole aim of his wishes I believed no otherwise although he would also afterward tell me that he was not soon consolated for what affection can I ever Imagine tn a man who treats me as a Slave and hath done me the Outrages which you have seen As Eliante was there Perinte who had scarce the Patience to refrain himself to Interrupt her divers times willing to say something but the Shepherds having interrupted him and having signified him they would hear him at his turn as much and as long as he pleased he left the Fair Eliante the liberty to continue after this sort We Rowed most Prosperously the first day after our Imbarkation Oxiarte without ceasing or Intermission being always by me and although he had in his heart for me a passion such as you will see by the sequel nevertheless as he saw my Grief all fresh and how many regrets I had for the Grief of Alceste and the Affection that I Conserved for his Memory rendred me the thoughts of a new Friendship unsupportable he had the Discretion to with-hold himself and to hold his Peace as much he was able to refrain his Passion to flatter and dissemble that of mine About the fifth day at the last watch of the night we heard a great noise upon the Deck and that having obliged us to rise up we found all the Mariners there occupied in considering with much astonishment a great fire which appeared very far the cause whereof they could not Conjecture the major part verily believed that it was some Ship burning and our Pilot who was more humane then ordinarily are all those sort of People caused them to steer towards it notwithstanding not too much to go out of our course to see if there were not some Miserable People who wanted succour In Advancing forward they knew that this Fire was much farther and greater then at first was apprehended you would have thought it had been the total burning of an Entire City but it was in a place where they knew there was none at all So this Spectacle increased their astonishment augmented their curiosity yea even gave them fear We omitted not
with me and he can acquit himself much better than I shall be able to do In saying this she modestly and gracefully cast her eyes upon Alceste to signifie him that she yielded him precedency and place of Speech but Alceste having replyed her that she must necessarily know more then he did and knowing the recital that she made to him was very acceptable and pleasant from her mouth and all the company having also signyfied her the pleasure wherewith they heard her she was obliged to continue which she did in these words Whilst Alceste and my self were in the Transports of our Joy they informed us that Oxiarte who remained in the Skiff refused to ascend into the Ship and that by a Despair the reason whereof was unknown he would have them row him to the Island again and that they left him there whence Alceste came this news strangely surprised us both As for me I was not long in Divineing the reason and I thought Wise Shepherdesses that I have sufficiently testyfied you the Love he had for me to let you conceive this design was in effect of the Grief and Despair in observing that the return of Alceste ruined all the pretensions of his Love But Alceste to whom this passion was unknown could not Imagine the cause of this strange resolution he inquir'd me thereof all amazed and having apprehended it by three or tour words I had let fall I saw in an instant a fire breaking out in his face and a paleness succeeding that ruddiness soon after even in an instant and I observed in his eyes all the signs and tokens of the last pain and grief O Gods Cryed he so many pains and crosses deserve they not very well at least a moment of consolation without bitterness at these words he desired my permission to quit me for an instant and running to his Friend he forced him by his Imbraces and request to abandon his wild and blind design and to return with him to our Ship the Pilot presently steered again our former Course and Alceste and my self with the Mournful Oxiarte retired our selves into a certain part of the Ship whilst all the others interrogated the two others whom they had delivered with Alceste on the subject of their Adventure and of the burning that still continued upon the Island they in like manner declared us the cause thereof and after having told us how he had been put ashore and left in that Island after the same manner as he hath already declared you the sad and deplorable life that they had led therewith his Comrades the Persecution that they had suffered by Serpents and by hunger the Miserable Kind of Death who of thirty persons that were there had reduced them to the only number of three he added that in fine having devoured all the roots and green things capable to nourish them not seeing any to pass by Vessels either great or small and not knowing how to have any farther succor they advised amongst themselve to set the Forrest on fire hoping the flame thereof by being seen at a Distance might draw and allure the Curiosity of some Sailing on the Sea to come to and succor them He told us that to that end they gathered all the leaves they could find amongst the Rocks that were exposed to the heat of the Sun and having made them very dry they brought them into the Forrest and taking some Flint Stones they had beaten and knocked them against one another out of whom came sparks of fire which kindled these leaves whereon they cast branches of Trees which they had made exceeding dry on purpose and by this means set them on fire in the thickest part Of the Forrest which they had so burnt After he had declared us this he would for the satisfaction of his curiosity have us tell him wherefore and how we were gone out of Babylon and I cannot possibly declare you how he was concerned and sensible of the generosity of Oxiarte when I had declared him how he had abandoned his Country quitted his familiar intimate Friends sold all his Inheritance to succour me and follow me wheresoever I would go Although he very well and sufficiently saw that he ought not impute this generous Resolution but to a passion Enemy of his own yet he a thousand times embraced him not as his Rival but always as a generous Friend with an ardent and sincere Affection and with all the Expressions that he deemed capable to administer him any little Consolation Oxiarte on his part did what in him was possible to answer the Caresses and Love of his Friend and one might very well see that his Soul did within it use all it's Endeavours to overcome a certain heaviness and burden wherewith he felt himself oppressed and to conceal at least his Sadness But one might also see that his Sorrow was still more and more and that the Combat that was in his Heart between his Passion and his Friendship Oxiarte alone remained overcome If there appeared any Joy in his Countenance it was but an imperfect Joy and in Similitude like to the weak Beams that the Sun casts forth sometimes out through the dark Clouds who no sooner appear than they are dissipated If he thought to open his Mouth to speak a word he would immediately shut it again and utter forth nothing but Sighs and we knew not what he would say but by the Pains and Repugnancy which he felt in declaring it us In fine he brake this long Silence and after he had a little disburdened and discharg'd his Heart of the Vexing and Hickhocks which suffocated it he took the hand of Alceste which he tenderly crushed in his own and looking upon me the same time with some sort of confusion he said unto me What will you think of me Madam to see me in the Grief and Despair where I am at the time I recover the best Friend I have in the World and what will you say of a Man who sees not his Friends revive but with the Affliction which others have in seeing them dye That I would apprehend that you would not believe me guilty towards you if you knew less the value and the worth of that you return to carry away from me I love you my dear Alceste and I take and call Eliante to witness that the Sentiments that I have conserved for her have never violated the Duty of my Affection and if ever I declared my self her Lover as much as I could believe my self to be so without becoming your Rival I will tell you very much more for in fine I affirm and attest to the Gods that at the same hour that I speak to you I have yet for you all the kindness and friendship that I owe you and that I have so many times sworn to you But Alceste The greatest Kindness and Friendship finds it self feeble when it comes to oppose it self in a Love founded upon such legitimate Hopes when
ones heart Why wilt thou that I commit such a peice of Treachery to make a man believe that I am ravished to listen unto him when I would with all my heart that he were at a further distance Ergaste there is nothing so faithful as not to Dissemble Thou findest wherewith to contradict that one signifies that he is vexed and I would that one should even speak it Ingeniously one to another when one disdains or despiseth when one is angry and furious and when one hates I would desire the truth that one constrains himself to endeavour not to hate nor to dispise any person but if one cannot refrain I would that one should freely and frankly discover it After thy Sentiment demanded Ergaste canst thou bear good Will to a man that should come and tell thee he hates and despiseth thee A thousand times more replyed Celemante than to hate me and say nothing For in fine when a man hath those and the like Sentiments for me if he conceals them from me it is not but for his proper Interest for fear I should bear him ill will or possibly the better to surprize me but if he declares it me ingeniously I should at least hold my self or keep me upon my guard at least even in his hatred would he do towards me a Friendly Action to declare me my Enemies And how many thinkest thou after all are there of hatreds and enmities which continue not in our hearts but least we should dare to discover them and which they would discharge themselves of in expressing them as they do for the most part of all other Passions Ergaste replyed behold very fair imaginations Celemante but they are such as are not customary nor used in this age of ours To whom should they then be held interrupted the other Friend let 's begin to practice them and we should introduce them into a mode It is true that that is justly thy action continued Ergaste smiling for I have always heard say that they are Fools that invent them Ay ay replyed Celemante but as they say that the Wise follow them I hope I shall be a Fool followed by the Wise and if thou doest not as do I then thou shalt be a Wise one who shall not be followed but by Fools And to demonstrate thee that from the present time I will Live with this Freedom it is I declare thee that I begin to be very weary of thee and go to seek to divert my self elsewhere At this saying he took leave of Ergaste and went forward singing towards the midle of the Plain where he saw a considerable number of Shepherds and Shepherdesses assembled together Ergaste lookt upon him sometimes walking smiling and admiring in himself the humor of this Shepherd afterwards as the Extream Love which he had for Arelise conjoined to his temper which was as Melancholy as that of the others was airy and merry made him rather to seek Solitude to meditate then Company where he might divert himself and instead of following Celemante and going to the Assembly which he saw he turned on the other side to go out of the way of that Company In the mean time Celemante went still forward observed that that Assembly were intent in looking upon Shepherds which exercised themselves in a Race and he saw two who disputed Emulously from whom the first carryed a Dart which was fixed in the Earth neer three hundred paces from the place whence they began to run The Shepherdesses were sate upon the Grass eight or ten paces aside from the Dart and one of them with a smiling Countenance held in her hands a branch of a wild Olive Tree which she plaited in form of a Crown to place it upon the head of the Victor Celemante immediately knew that Shepherdess to be Coris and that was enough to make him double his pace although he walked already with speed enough He arrived by or near her just at the same time when the two Shepherds had finished their Race and that the Victor who was named Olcite demanded the Prize Celemante opposed himself thereunto and told him after his ordinary frolicksome joaking I yeild thee all that there is of Olive Trees in Tempe but take it for good that for the Honour of Coris I only Dispute thee that little branch which she hath in her hand Olcite would answer when Coris also still frolick and jocund replyed wherefore say you Shepherd that it is for my Honour that you would Dispute the Prize with Olcite ought you not to do it only for your self since it is indifferent to me as in relation to my self to whom I give it Fair Shepherdess replyed Celemante I said it because that it being for time to come more for you than for me you have more interest in my Honour than my self and since when are you mine then replyed pleasantly Coris It is requisite that I be very Rich to have one in similitude to him there and yet am not perceived But rather Fair Shepherdess replyed he it seems you make a very small account not to remember your self as yet that I gave all these past days to you to be your Gallant Coris being soon put in mind of the Discourse which they had had on that Subject the day that Ergaste feigned to be her Lover rejoin'd him thus Ah I remember once Celemante It is true that you offered your self to be my Gallant but Shepherd I also remember me that I would not receive you Amiable Shepherdess replyed he it is true that I was not altogether received but yet I was not wholly rejected and a Gallant who is not rejected hath right to believe that he is received Let us not dessemble Celemante replyed Coris I think that you will never give your self to any person and each of us find our selves so well to be each one for him or her self that there never will be any more seeking for another Master I find my self so in very deed continued Celemante and that is that wherein you have a greater obligation unto me that I do not as do the Slaves who will change a Master because they have a bad one but that I quit one who to me was one of the best in the World wholly and purposely because I would give my self unto you I have great fear replyed Coris that it was rather through unconstancy and as those servants who change when they are too well because they cannot continue at their ease Will you that I freely declare unto you the truth replyed Celemante I quit a good Master because I believe you will not be yet a better Mistress And I replyed Coris I declare unto you I will not have a Servant so Licentious and such a Libertine for he would without doubt even quit me if he should think of finding or having a better But replyed Celemante be so good unto me that it be altogether impossible to find a better Coris would reply when Olcite who
to Judge of the Actions of the Gods but I believe Women of Heart would never do that which they impute them At the Instant lest he should continue that discourse I reassumed another The occasion which he had to be all the day near me and speak to me made me well believe that to take one away from him I was not precautioned against another for time to come That was because I would break the Course of all the designs he could have to seek any I was resolved to advertize his Father I took him then one day particularly and after I had made him remember the Protestations with which he had answered me in relation to his Son complained to him of his Audacity and conjured him to employ himself in making him more wise with all the reasons that I could possibly call to mind The Father was astonished at the folly of his Son he protested me he knew nothing of it until then and after he had asked my Pardon a thousand times he returned to his own house where he read a Lecture to this young Man both as a Father and as a Master that is to say with a Lenity mixed notwithstanding with very severe Threats if he profited not himself by this first remonstrance But that which should have rendered him wise cast him into the last excess For in fine he conceived so strange a despight and of the complaints that I had made him that by a kind of Desparation he went to find the Prince Demotime in Phrygia and after he had prepared his Mind for the Design he would inspire into him he discovered him what I was and declared him that acknowledging him to be his only and Legitimate King he could not resolve with himself to contribute a longer time in this kind of Treason Demotime who conserved always in his Heart all the Sentiments of that Ambition which had formerly obliged him to take up Arms against the deceased King My Father received this News with the same Joy as if they had already set the Crown upon his Head He embraced a thousand times the young Olearque and excited him by the hopes of the most high and vast Recompences if he could in any kind convince him by reason or demonstration or action make him believe that that was really true that he had declared There was no need to use Arguments or make so much difficulties to carry Olearque from any or all undertaking and would make good his Declaration The despight in his Heart was so joyned with Love and Ambition that in that condition there was not any thing whereof he felt not himself capable What shall I say unto you more He ingaged Demotime to make a Voyage to Mitilene under pretext of coming to give me an accompt of his Employment and there to make his Court he promised him that he would give him an opportunity of seeing me in the Bath and in effect having corrupted with much Money those which were necessary to his design he caused Demotime to conceal himself in a Corner of my Chamber where I bathed my self and I am in confusion only in calling to mind his Insolence this Perfidy betrayed my Secret and my Chastity and acquitted himself of his word to Demotime This same here cleared from his Doubts dreamed a long time in what manner he should make known to the Publick what I was He well believed that it would be a difficult thing if he did not comport himself therein handsomly because there was so little appearance of the Truth thereof that the very small Semblance thereof would only render the Proposition ridiculous and might take away all credulity from his words Behold his first thought was to put it in the Peoples minds that it was requisite to press me to marry to assure Successors to the State dreaming of the refusal that I would make would be the beginning of a Conviction against me My Father had thereunto in some Respect made Provision by the noise that I have told you that he had dumbly and deafly caused to be spread abroad and which might serve me for some kind of excuse But howsoever that noise had bin so uncertain that they knew not certainly whether it were a Fable or a Truth Demotime himself well judged that if this excuse should be ill received of any to whom the sole Doubt that they had had might have given an occasion of making Insolent Jests enough so that he thought that that would be to him but a small advantage if he obliged me to have publick recourse to an apparition or dumb shew which would cause my Person to be despised and would alienate in some sort the minds of my Subjects from the respect affection and allegiance which they ought me So although I was yet very young it might be insinuated into their minds that it was therefore requisite to press me to chuse a Wife to produce an Heir to the Kingdom and as his Interest therein would appear contrary in the pretention that he could be to succeed therein that would make it be thought that he spake not but for the good of the Kingdom and that which he said would make much more Impression And in truth he in fine perswaded the necessity of this Marriage to so many Persons that I understood not of any other thing spoken than of these Propositions He himself was always urging me thereunto yea he so persisted in it until my Subjects expresly deputed some to invite me thereunto poposing me a Princess named Aremise who being fair of my Blood and of my Age seemed not to leave me any pretext to refuse her I have told you that the two Princes who opposed themselves against the establishment of the Decree who declared the Daughters uncapable to succeed to the Crown had each of them a Daughter I was the Issue of the eldest Artemise of the second The People very much affected this Princess because her Father during his Life had been extream Popular and she was very much her self She had moreover a thousand very amiable Qualities a penetrating Wit agitating to the very utmost point But even all these advantages which rendered her so commendable and praise-worthy made an unfortunate effect against me by reason the more amiable she was the more they would astonish themselves if I made any difficulty to espouse her I notwithstanding dallied some time with the artifice of Demotime in temporising and excusing my self with the youth fulness of my Age without my belief that his urgency was an Artifice For as I knew not that he had any knowledge of my Sex I thought not also that all this was done by an evil intention Only I astonisht my self that Demotime who was married and who had Children was so affectionate for my Successors that he would forget his own In fine the success of his Stratagem seeming to him too slow he believed it would be necessary to advance it by stronger and more violent
essayed to lade upon his Shoulders a Dead Corps which I knew to be of a Woman He besought me to assist him to carry this Corps to his own House and told me it was a Daughter of one of his Relations We carried it therefore even near to that House the Master whereof I have known since calls himself Alpide He went there to fetch some Clothes wherein he wrapt the Dead Corps which was already stiff and having told me that his People were comeing to help him he dismissed me after he had given me cloths which I sold in the day time in my way to Persons unknown Yesterday being return'd to see my Master I knew that one of the principal Shepherds of Callioure was in great trouble for his Daughter who was drowned and that he had promised a considerable Sum to them who should carry him News of her The Hour and the Place where they said she was lost and even the relation that they shewed me she had to Alpide have made me very well observe that she was the very self same that I had aided him to bring hither and I came to assure it with this Shepherd whom I know long since to give advice thereof to this Poor Father to whom I well see that Alpide hath not said any thing I see that he hath not spoken to this Shepherd However he said he well remembred that his Master being returned there very late went forth again immediately afterwards and was a long time without returning and that in effect having since understood him to condole the Death of that Shepherdess he heard that they Named her Zelie which is the Name of the Daughter of that Shepherd of Callioure Whilst that Man made this recital a Rivolet of Tears trickled down the Cheeks of Telamon and his Heart was pressed with so much Grief that he could scarce fetch Breath He then Judged that he had yet till then flattered himself with some remaining hopes that he needed no more ask this unknown one with whom they had seen the Vail of Zelie had also apparel like to hers and that the Death of that Incomparable Shepherdess was in fine a thing but too true and assured The tenderness which he had for this Shepherdess was considerable and toucht him with the last Grief and greatest Pain but that which afflicted him so much the more was to think of the Despair or that Death would bring to poor Tarsis For in fine he knew well that whatsoever belief this Shepherd had before he had not notwithstanding extinguished that last hope which with so much pains he had kept up the unfortunate One But at this encounter he saw nothing of mitigation nor of recovery He remained some time in these Mortal Reflections Sad Mournful Unmoveable His Eyes and Arms lift up towards Heaven without ability to express his Affliction but by Tears and vexing Afterwards smiting his Stomack with his two Hands Ah! Poor Tarsis cryed he what Account am I come to render thee here and declare these dismal and dreadful Tidings afterwards he passed with his Hands before his Eyes two or three times to wipe off the Tears which gushed out and blinded him and having afterwards asked this Shepherd some questions with incredible Trouble and disorder he quitted him with a Spirit so strangely oppressed and overwhelmed that he scarcely knew himself neither what he should say nor what he should do nor whither he should go The End of the Fifth and Last Book of the Second Part. FINIS