that you have exprest your Nobleness in seeking to compass just things by perswasion not force and in regard your Speech is principally directed to me I am constrained to exceed the Bounds I have prescribed to my self and are proper to my Sex and to answer the Demands of my Conqueror in the Eyes and Hearing of so many Men Know then our Countrey is Ionia and we are born of one of the best Families of Ephesus when we were come to the Age wherein the Noble mens Children of our Countrey are accustomed to do Service to the Gods I was chosen Priestless to Diana and my Brother Priest to Apollo This being an Annual Honour when the Tear was run out we were to make a Voyage to Delos in our Sacred Robes and there to exhibit publick Games for exercise of Letters Musick and the Body and so according to the manner of our Ancestors to resign but Priesthood To this end a Ship was made ready for us laden with Gold Silver Silks and other Necessaries both for setting forth of the Games and feasting of the People Thus we loosed out of the Haven leaving our Father and Mother in their House who in regard of the feebleness of their old Age and the dangers of the Sea did not dare to embark with us many of the Citizens went the Voyage some in our Ship some in Vessels of their own and having sayled the greater part of our way with all favour of the Heavens on a sudden the Clouds thickned and a fearful Tempest arose accompanied with Lightning and Thunder that so masked the Skies and plowed up the Seas as we lost the benefit of our Compass and our Pilot overcome with the greatness of the Evil was forced to give way to the violence of the Tempest and abandon the Government and Helm to the discretion of Fortune In fine the Storm having seven days and nights together spent the fury of its strongest gusts upon our Vessel we were cast upon the Shore where you took us and beheld so great a Massacre of men for asmuch as we there making a Feast of Joy and a Sacrifice to the Gods of Thanksgiving for our Deliverance the Saylors with impious desire to possess our Riches set upon us and resolved to put us to the Sword but we made such resistance as after the loss of our Enemies and our Friends we two as you saw remained the Conquerors and would it had pleased the Gods we had ended our days among them and not been the only miserable Relicks of that Battel but since it so falls out yet we are happy in this one respect that some favourable Deity hath made us fall into your hands and gives us that late expected nothing but Death the liberty now to treat of a Marriage which I were indiscreet if I should refuse For what Felicity can be imagined greater than for a poor Captive to be though worthy of her Generals Bed add to this that a Maid dedicated to the Gods shall be taken to wife by the Son of a Prophet that in a little while shall himself be a Prophet which sure is not without some secret Mystery of Providence I only beseech one favour that before you marry me I may be permitted to go to the next great Town or any nearer place where there is an Altar or Temple of Apollo that I may render up the Charge of my Priesthood and put off the Marks and Ensigns of the God it would do best at Memphis when you have recovered the Dignity of Chief Priest for a Marriage joyn'd to Victory would be celebrated with more joy and be as a Trophy of your glorious Actions but whether before or after I leave it to your pleasure so as you vouchsafe to let me accomplish the Ceremonies usual in my Countrey whereto I know you will condescend since as you say you have been bred from a Child in the Mysteries of Religion and are full of Reverence towards the Gods. Thus she ceased to speak and began to weep All that were present did greatly approve her Answer and by a general Cry assured her they were ready to see her Desires performed and Thyamis consented half voluntary and half by constraint for his ardent longing to enjoy Chariclea made him think an hour of delay an Eternity withal he found himself so charm'd with her Speech as if it had been a Syrens Song that it forced him to allow of her Demands having also a relation to his Dream flattering his Desires with a belief their Nuptials should be held in Memphis Then he broke up the Meeting having first divided the Booty whereof his Companions freely gave him the richer and the greater part and commanded them within ten days to be ready to sit down before Memphis and besiege his Brother To the Prisoners he assigned their old Tent and Knemon to attend them not now as a Keeper but a Companion and many times sent for Theagenes to his Table for his Sisters sake whom he resolved not to visit often for fear her sight should increase his impatient wishes to enjoy her and lest it should make him attempt any thing against what was publickly consented to and privately figured in his Dream For these Reasons Thyamis forbare to see her thinking it impossible he should behold her and contain his longings but Knemon after every one was retired to their Lodgings passed the Lake and went a great way by Land to seek the Herb he had promised Theagenes the day before In the mean time Theagenes taking the advantage of his Absence wept and lamented to himself without speaking a word to Chariclea but incessantly calling upon the Gods and she demanding whether he did sigh for their common Misery or that some new Disaster was befallen Alas said Theagenes is there any thing more new or more unjust than to falsifie Faith and violate Oaths and that Chariclea without memory of me or of my Services should treat of a Marriage with another Oh say not so replied Chariclea be not you more cruel to me than my Destiny you have proved my Affection by many Arguments and can you now distrust me only for words accommodated to the time and for the interest of our Affairs No no your self may sooner change your Mind than I. I can suffer all the Calamities of the World but know there is no violence so great that can separate me and Modesty nor am I conscious of a fault that way but in loving you too much yet with an honest and a lawful Love for from the first entitling of you to my Heart it was as to my Husband not as to a Lover that could not moderate his Desires having to this hour preserv'd the outmost Purity often repelling your Impatience to consummate the Marriage which with Vows we had contracted think how little reason you have to conceive I would prefer a Barbarian before a Greek and a Thief before a man of all men the dearest But what was
touched the Hearts of many and made them suspect the Truth but yet I could not be heard for the People were in that tumult and trouble as it was not possible to appease them When they came to numbring of the Votes they found about One Thousand Seven Hundred that condemned me to Death one half whereof adjugded me to be stoned and the other to be cast headlong from the Rock there remained yet about another Thousand that slacking something of their Severity out of the Suspicion they had conceived of my Mother-in-Law condemned me to perpetual Banishment and it was concluded according to their Sentence for notwithstanding they were the minor part both the others being joyned yet take the first severally and a Thousand made the greatest number Thus was I exiled from my Country and my Fathers House But the wicked Damoeneta did not long escape unpunished by the Gods that hate Impieties how it was you shall know hereafter Now it is time you should rest for the night is far spent and you had need of a great deal of sleep Oh now you will add to our misery reply'd Theagenes if you leave this wicked Woman thus Hear then said Knemon since your will is so After my Judgment was pronounced I went down to the Port we call Pyreum and lighted on a Ship that was bound for the Island of Egina knowing I had some Friends by my Mothers side that lived there When I was landed and had found out those I enquired for I passed my time there a while with indifferent good content I had not stayed there past Twenty Days but walking as my custom was upon the Haven I perceived a Bark making in therefore staying a little to see from whence it was the Planks were scarce laid down but a Passenger came running to me and imbraced me it was Charias one of my old Acquaintance Oh Knemon said he I bring you joyful News you are revenged of your Enemy Damoeneta is dead You are welcom dear Friend Charias I reply'd but why do you pass over your good News so lightly as if it were some ill accident Relate the manner I beseech you for I fear she dyed by some unusual way and escaped the Death and Shame she deserved Justice said Charias hath not altogether forsaken us as Hesiod thought but though sometimes it conniveth at the wickedness of men and seems as if it slept upon their Sins and for a time deferring to punish them yet at length it overtakes them as it hath done the wicked Damoeneta The Particulars whereof came to my knowledge out of the Familiarity that had past betwixt my Self and Thesbe who concealed nothing from me for when the decree of unjust Banishment had past against me your Father Penitent for his act withdrew himself from the company of men and retired to his Grange House in the Country there seating his own Heart as the Poet says he resolved to spend the remainder of his Days but suddainly all the Furies of Hell began to torment your Mother-in-Law she loved you now in your absence more than ever and did nothing but complain incessantly deploring your Fortune but indeed lamenting for her own No word passed from her mouth but Knemon her Sweetest her Soul Knemon In fine her affliction grew to that excess all the Town took notice of it and the Neighbours and Noble Ladies her Friends that came to visit her wondered exceedingly to see a Mother-in-Law witness such a Motherly affection much commending her and endeavouring to comfort her the best they could but she told them her evil was greater than to be cured by perswasions that they knew not the cause of her sorrows not what stings were in her Heart And ever as she came to her self she complained of Thesbe that she knew not how to serve her purpose How nimble she was said Damoeneta to enterprize and execute a malice she knew not how to make me enjoy the pleasure of my Love but she knew how to deprive me of my Joy in an instant e'er I could think e'er she would give me time to change my Mind By these and other words and actions she accidently shewed the displeasure she conceived against Thesbe and that she meant her no good But Thesbe finding her indignation and seeing she was lost in passion disposed by her ill Nature to lay some train for her and mad both with Love and Anger resolved to anticipate her and by laying a Plot for her to preserve her self and coming to her Mistress said she What Destiny Enemy to your Contentment and my Fidelity makes you accuse your Servant I have always and even in this last Act obeyed your will if any thing succeeds not to your wish you must blame Fortune not me yet if you please to command me I shall testifie a great deal of affection and no little industry to find out a way to your content Alas she reply'd How is that possible since he that only can content me is so far distant and so much Sea and Land is interposed betwixt us the unexpected Lenity of his Judg was my death for had they covered him in a Monument of Stones they had with him buried and extinguished my Flame for when there is no more hope there is no more care or sence of pain Now methinks I still see him methinks I still hear him object against me my unjust deceits and upbraid me with them and I blush to think my self in his presence sometimes I think I may yet enjoy him and resolve to go my self and find him in what part of the World soever he remains this sets me all on Fire this makes me Mad and justly Oh you Gods I suffer For why did I plot against him and rather not use him kindly Why was I an Enemy and not rather a Suppliant at his Feet had he not reason to give me one refusal I was a Stranger to him he was afraid to stain his Fathers Bed it might be time acquaintance and my expressions to him might have won him But I crueller than a wild Beast not as if I had been a Suiter but a Mistress that had the absolute Empire of his Will thought strange he should not obey me and in my unhappy rigour persecuted him for despising Damoeneta that had not Beauty equal to his merit But my Thesbe what content was that you spake of Madam she reply'd the World believes that Knemon hath obeyed his Sentence and hath left the Town and Territory of Athens but I know that ever since that time I have been thoughtful to procure your quiet he lyeth concealed at a Friends House here in Town You have heard of Arsinoe the Flutenist and her Familiarity with him she after his disaster received him into her House promising to go along with him and till she can furnish her self with Necessaries for the Voyage she keeps him in secret at her House But Demoeneta could not now refrain to interrupt her saying Oh
therefore let us go to 't and let him that dies his Weapon deepest in our Enemies Blood be thought the bravest Man. Having thus said Thyamis looked about him for his Page and-often called him by his Name Thermutis and not seeing him appear cursing and threatning him he hastned to the Boat The Battel was now begun and he might see the Enemy make himself Master of the Borders of the Lake for he had set fire upon their Cabbins and their Boats and so made them transport the Flame about the Fens that devouring the great quantity of the Reed dazzled the Eyes of the Inhabitants with insufferable Light whilst the Noise and Tumult deafned their Ears all Cruelties of War were seen and heard the Lakists striving to make good the Place but the others falling upon them unawares and oppressing them with Multitudes slew easily those they found on Land and overwhelmed those within the Lake in their Boats and Cabbins whence the Air was filled with horrible Cries both of those that defended themselves upon the Water and those that fought by Land and the Lake was stain'd all over in the Blood of dying persons that fell at one time both by Fire and Water When Thyamis saw and heard this he remembred his Dream how he had seen the Goddess Isis and her Temple all on fire and full of Sacrifices and observing his Vision was thus far brought to pass he began to make another explication of the rest Having thou shalt not have her forasmuch as she shall be ravish'd from thee by the fury of this War and that he should kill her yet he should not hurt her that is he should destroy her with his Sword and not by Rape To conclude rating the Goddess as fraudulent and injurious charging her that she had abus'd and mockt him and not being able to endure with patience that any other should enjoy Chariclea he commanded his men to retire a little and to hold the Enemy in play a while only with skirmishing and some few Sallies which as they were intrenched might resist the forces of greater multitudes whilst he would go and find Thermutis and offer Vows and Sacrifices to their presidiary Gods and so forbidding any man to follow him he departed as towards his Tent but took his way to the Cave Oh how hard it is to turn a Barbarian from that he hath once resolved in his Soul for assoon as they fall to despair of their own safety it is their custom presently to kill their dearest Friends either believing they shall live together after death or desiring to take them out of their enemies power and to free them from all injuries for these Reasons Thyamis forgetting all his own Affairs and though he was at that present encompast with Enemy-Troops that had taken him as in Nets furiously transported with Love and Jealousie he entred the Cave where calling as loud as he could and speaking some Words in the Aegyptian Tongue he heard a Woman answer him in Greek and the sound of her Voyce leading him to the place where she was he put his left hand about her Neck and with his right drawing his Sword ran her through the Body under the left Breast wherewith the poor Woman fell down dead breathing but one sigh that brake her Heart-strings Presently Thyamis went out letting fall the Stone upon the Entry of the Cave and for her Epitaph seeming to write upon it with his tears adding these Words Alas poor Maid these are the Nuptial Gifts I present thee And so returning to his Men he found their Battel quite disordered and ready to fly frighted with the Enemies Approach and on the other side seeing Thermutis that brought him a Beast to imolate he chid him and told him he had already offered the fairest Sacrifice of the world and so entred into his Bark with him only one more to row for the Boats they have here can carry no more being wrought out of the Body but of one thick Tree by their rude Shipwrights Theagenes and Knemon imbarked together in another and the rest in the like manner and when they had coasted the Island a great way they ceased rowing and disposed their Boats in front of their Battalion as attending the shock of their Enemies but assoon as they approached the Herdsmen of the Island were so far from the courage to sustain the first Assault upon the Water that they presently cast about and fled not daring to endure the very sound of the Alarum Theagenes and Knemon retired themselves softly after the rest but Fear did not make them turn their backs only Thyamis held it unworthy to give ground and not desiring to survive Chariclea he prest into the midst of his Enemies and as he was fighting amongst them one cried out This is Thyamis every man now look to his Charge so immediately wheeling in a Ring about him they inclosed him with their Boats but he stoutly holding out wounded some with his Javelin and killed others The Fight was worthy of admiration in all the multitude of his Foes no man apposed or drew a Sword against him but every one did his best to take him alive he resisted a great while but at last his Javelin was beaten out of his hand and them his Foes pressed in upon him being also at that instant deprived of the succour of his Page that had stood to him bravely but at that time had newly received as was thought a mortal Wound and casting himself into the Lake swimming with much difficulty had recovered Land no one taking the pains to follow him for having Thyamis in their power they esteemed it to be an absolute Victory Yet not withstanding the loss of many of their Fellows they more rejoyced to have him alive that slew them than they sorrowed for their Friends and Kinsmens Deaths so insatiable are the covetous hearts of Thieves preferring Gain before their Lives and having no end in the holy Name of Friendship and Consanguinity but to get by them it was the case of these Thieves for they were the same that before out of their sear of Thyamis and his Men had fled from the Heracliotick Arm of Nilus who stomacking to be deprived of other mens Goods as if they were their own had gathered together their Companions and called in the Neighbour Villages offering them equal shares and chusing them for their Captains to conduct the Expedition But the Cause of their taking Thyamis was this he had at Memphis a Brother named Petosiris who having by his plots dispossessed his Brother of the Dignity of Chief Priest against the Laws and Institutions of the Countrey for he was his younger Brother and hearing that he was the Captain of these Thieves he feared Thyamis would take time to chase him out of his usurped Honour and discover his perfidiousness also he desired to take away the ill opinion that many had conceived of him that he had killed his Brother because it appeared not
taken of his Friends Chariclea approv'd his invention and they agreed in case they should be parted That upon all the famous Temples and Statua's Images and Stones in cross ways he should write Pythias and Chariclea Pythia expressing whether they were gone to the Right or the Left into what Town Village or Country adding the day and hour but if by chance they did meet it would suffice that one should but see the other forasmuch as time would never deface those amorous marks that were imprinted in their Souls Yet Chariclea shewed him her Fathers Ring that was exposed with her and Theagenes let her see a White Scar upon his Knee given him by a Wound he receiv'd fighting with a Wild Boar and so they resolved there should be secret words betwixt them hers was the Torch his the Palm In confirmation of this agreement they imbraced and wept again pouring as I conceiv'd their tears instead of o ferings and sealing to it with Kisses in the place of vows This done they went forth of the Cave not touching any of the Treasure there inclosed for they esteem'd Riches gather'd by Robberies as a polluted thing but they took again their own which they had brought from Delphos and been depriv'd of by the Thieves Chariclea changing her habit and putting her Jewels Crown and Sacred Robe in a little Knapsack to disguise her self the more she went in a poor Gown and gave Theagenes her Bow and Quiver to carry a carriage that was sweet and suitable to him being Cupids Arms the God that had made him a vassal to his Empire Being now come to the side of the Lake and about to take Water they perceiv'd a Troop of Armed Men passing over to the Island a sight that so troubled them as they remain'd a great while lost in astonishment as if the Injuries of Fortune raged incessantly upon them At length the Souldiers being almost arriv'd Chariclea said it was best to fly and return to the Cave and there to conceal themselves and as she spake she fled but the stay of Theagenes detained her How long said he shall we fly our Fate that every where pursues us No no let us yield to Fortune and not oppose our selves to her violence that breaks in upon us what shall we gain by it but vain errour and a wandring Life and to be insulted over by new misery from time to time Alas do you not see how to our banishment Fortune hath added the Robberies of Pirates ingag'd us in all the dangers of the Sea and contended with great industry to make us more miserable by Land hath she not expos'd us to the danger of War submitted us to the mercy of Thieves A while since we were prisoners subject to the pleasure of another then we were left alone depriv'd of all company then she made a show to give us our Liberty and now she sends these Murderers to make an end of all in such a War she plays against us making us her Scene of Mirth her Comedy or rather Tragedy But why do I not then abbreviate this Lamentable History of our Loves and deliver our selves into the Hands of our Murderers least if she study to make the end of her play insufferable we be forced with our own hands to kill our selves Chariclea consented to one part of what Theagenes said but not to all telling him he had great reason to complain of the cruelty of fortune but for all that it were not well advised to yield themselves voluntarily to their Enemies being they were not sure those Men would kill them when they had them in their power Neither was it likely they had so gentle a destiny as would grant them a speedy death and free them from their calamities but it might be they should be reserved for Slaves and what Death said she can be so cruel as the condition of such a Life to be exposed to the fatal indignities of barbarous and wicked Villains which let us decline by all means and to our uttermost power measuring hope and success by the experiment of our passed accidents since we have often and now lately escaped alive more incredibly as from greater dangers Let us do as it pleases you replied Theagenes and so followed as if she had drawn him after her but they could not reach the Cave in time but while they only regarded those that came to them in front they perceived not themselves to be inclosed by another company of Souldiers that had landed in another part of the Island at last falling upon these they stayed in a maze especially Chariclea who fled into the Arms of Theagenes if she were to die desiring to die there Some of these that invaded them lifted up their hands to strike them down but after the young Lovers had looked upon their Enemies their spirits fail'd them and their hands were benummed for even the barbarous as it seems do bear respect to Beauty and those Nature hath indued with perfections do mollifie the Eyes and Hearts that are by Nature fierce and bloody Having taken them they presently conveyed them to their Captain ambitious to be the first that should bring him the fairest spoils And indeed this was all they were likely to present him for when they had run all over as if they would have put a Net about the Island no one else could find any thing for all the Island was burnt in the former War only the Cave remained and that they knew not Then the Souldiers led them to their General whose Name was Mitranes Captain of the Garrisons to Oroondates who administred the Government of Aegypt as the Great Kings Lieutenant and for a great summ of Money given him by Nausicles had enter'd the Island with him to recover Thisbe Now after Theagenes and Chariclea often invoking the aid of their good Genius were brought so near that Mitranes might discern them Nausicles that stood by him advising himself of the right trick of a Merchant active in matter of profit stepped forth and running to Chariclea cryed with a loud voice Behold my Thisbe the very same those wicked Rogues the Herdsmen took from me But now Mitranes by your favour and the Gods I shall recover her then the seiz'd upon Chariclea feigning to receive great contentment and whispering in her Ear in Greek that the rest should not understand wished her to confess her name was Thisbe if she desired to be safe His Sophism had the success he hoped for for Chariclea hearing him speak Greek and conjecturing the Man intended her some good accommodated herself to his intention and being demanded her Name by Mitranes she said she was called Thisbe Then Nausicles with open Arms ran to embrace the Neck of Mitranes many times kissing his Head and admiring his good fortune puffed up with vanity the heart of the Barbarian telling him it appeared that his other Exploits in War were great since he had so happily conducted the present enterprise
Hope or Confidence left they should prepare for Fight It was a new Spectacle on an inland Soil to see Boats rowing from Wall to Wall over cultivated Grounds It was yet a greater wonder to see a Naval Army storming a Town and Land Souldiers contending with them They therefore that were in the Town seeing Ships with Armed Men approaching that part of their Wall which was broken down were seiz'd with terrour as people in great distress and extremity are always suspicious They hurl'd Stones from the Walls and shot Arrows into the Boats that came for their preservation Thus Men that despair of Life yet reckon it as an advantage for a while to delay their Fate Yet they so order'd their business as not to wound but only to keep them off The Aethiopians likewise discharg'd their Arrows not knowing the intentions of the Persians by which means several of the wounded fell down headlong from the Wall into the Water The War therefore grew hot till a certain Illustrious Person of Syene coming between intercepted those that were on the Wall by speaking on this manner O frantick Men said he and grown stupid with Calamity do we repel those persons whose Aid we so lately begg'd and make War with them at the instant of their coming to relieve us beyond our expectation If they come with a friendly mind declaring matter of Peace they are our Preservers if with hostile intentions you will easily vanquish them though they were arrived to the very Wall. But to what purpose if we regard our safety should we destroy these when we are environ'd with such a Sea and vast numbers behind Why do we not therefore receive them and know for what purpose they are sent His Judgment was approved by all the Deputy himself applauding it they then separated themselves and ceased from any further Action When the passage for the Ship-men was clear and the Townsmen by White Flags signifying that they should have free Landing the Aethiopians went nearer and from their Vessels as it were so many Pulpits in a Theatre they spoke in this manner O Persians and Inhabitans of Syene know that Hydaspes King of the Eastern and Western Aethiopia and at present also yours as he knows how to Conquer he likewise understands how to shew Mercy That is the part of Courage but this of Humanity The one he accounts the Vertue of a Souldier the other peculiar only to himself Whereas therefore he has your Lives in his power either to give or take them away but since you are suppliant he offers you deliverance without the ruine of War. Moreover he does not impose the terms of freedom upon you but leaves you your selves to choose them For he governs not the Fortunes of Men by Tytanny but Clemency To this Message the Syeneans answer'd That they would deliver Themselves Wives and Children into his Power to deal with them as he pleased That they wold likewise deliver the City into his hands if they surviv'd which in that extremity was uncertain unless their Destruction was prevented by Hydaspes Oroondates offer'd to surrender Philae and the Smaragdan Mines which were the occasion of the War but desired that he would exact no more from him nor require him to resign up himself or his Souldiers But if Hydaspes were pleas'd indeed to exercise Humanity That he would suffer those that made no resistance to depart to Elephantina for that is were the same thing for him to die now as to be afterwards put to death by his King for giving up his Army Nay it would be much worse since the present would be only a single and usual sort of Death but the other with the severest kind of Torment When the Legates heard this they turn'd their Prows and related all to Hydaspes He smiling and much reproving the folly of Oroondates to insist upon Terms who yet depended on another persons pleasure whether he should live or die Yet said he it is not just for the offence of one man to suffer so populous a City to be destroy'd Wherefore he permitted those that were with Oroondates to depart though they scarce forbore from Resistance He therefore ordered some of his own Men to damm up the breach in the Bank of Nile and to others to break down part of what he raised That by means of the Inlet of Nile being stopped and passage made for the Water that was taken in to go away Syene might be the sooner made dry They therefore setting close to the work finished it by the next day Nor did they that were within the Town spare their pains not despairing of presservation though beyond hope They therefore made Suffs under ground to receive and carry off the Water Others brought props to the Walls which they easily did heaping the Stones which from the ruines fell into the Town But after they thought themselves safe enough on this account yet they were not without Apprehension in the middle of the night a certain part of the Bulwark which the Aethiopians in the Evening had begun to dig down whether it were that that part was more loosely heaped up so as to let Water sink into the Foundation or whether it broke the sides being almost dug through when the Work-men were gone or whether it happen'd by Divine Will beyond all expectation if fell down with so great a noise that both Armies were astonished both Aethiopian and Syeneans concluding the Town-walls to be tumbled down at once But these being secure continu'd in their Tents remaining satisfy'd to know what it should be when day-light was return'd But the Citizens ran every where to their Walls and as every one saw his own part entire concluded the ruine was on some other side till the breaking day dispell'd their fears when they saw where the Breach was and that the Waters were passed away But now the Aethiopians diverted the Flood making Cataracts which they propt with Timber lining them also with Mud and Straw which the multitude of hands easily brought together Thus the Waters passed away entirely yet was there no passage to each other for the depth of Mud which remain'd which thought it seem'd dry and crusted above yet it continued moist at bottom so that neither Men nor Horse could pass without being foundred therein Thus the time passed for two or three days The Townsmen by setting open their Gates and the Aethiopians by laying down their Arms mutually declaring Peace This Truce was more remarkable because it was without Conference of the Parties and neither of them set any Watch. They that were in Town gave themselves to Pastimes for it happen'd then to be the Festival of Nile which is accounted the greatest of any among the Aegyptians which is celebrated at the entrance of the Summer Solstice when the River first begins to swell and for that reason this Solemnity is held by them in greatest Honour The Aegyptians suppose Nilus to be a God and the most Supream his