the Sun was risen that there was arrived an hurt Stranger at the Castle he heard it from Sycanus his Wife which was called Aurelia and who demanded of him when she gave him a Visit if he was accommodated in the Apartment they had given him because it look'd over a little Port where there was alway some noyse for in fine said she obligingly to him as the Protector of the Prince Mezentius may command some priviledge if you are disturbed in that place where you are we will give you another Lodging when we dislodge the other Stranger the gods have sent hither to be succoured as well as you what Madam replied Aronces is there arrived any more unhappy than I yes Generous unknown replied Aurelia and he is more unhappy than you because his hurts are more dangerous O Madam replied Aronces he may be more hurt than I but he cannot be more unhappy as Aronces had thus said Celeres came into his Chamber to tell him that the Prince of Numidia was in the Castle and that he had heard by one of his men that he was wounded fighting against Horatius who had stollen away Clelia I beseech you Madam said Aronces addressing his Speech to Aurelia permit me I pray you to deprive my self of the honour of your presence that I may go to the Prince of Numidia's Chamber to whom I am very much obliged and from whom I may happily learn something which imports me more than you can imagine you are in such a bad condition to go replied Aurelia that I believe you ought not to enterprise it without the permission of your Chirurgeons O Madam replied Aronces if you knew the Interest I have to see the Prince of Numidia you would then be assured that I ought to consult none but my heart in this incounter after that Aurelia affectively hearing that Aronces would go to the Prince of Numidia's Lodging went to that of the Princess of the Leontines whom divers Interests did at this time retain in that Castle but she went not thither before she had told Celeres that it was for him to perswade Aronces not to destroy the cure she had resolved to have for the welfare of a man which had saved the life of the Prince Mezentius and who merited if no reason had invited us thereto that we should interess our selves both in his safety and recovery Celeres according to her directions would have induced Aronces to have sent him to the Numidian Prince who was named Adherball to demand of him what he knew of Clelia but 't was impossible for him to divert his intended resolution for after he was drest and had advertised the Prince of his coming he went thither leaning on two Slaves he was scarce come into the Prince his Chamber when he said to him pardon me Sir if the ardent desire I have to be satisfied by you what is become of Clelia and her Ravisher against whom I saw you yesterday fight on the Lake hinders me from giving you new demonstrations of that friendship we contracted at Carthage Alas my dear Aronces replied Adherball sighing the Ravisher of Clelia after he had reduced me to the estate in which you now see me caused his men to row so diligently that I soon lost sight of him for my men seeing me hurt would not obey me when I commanded them to follow Horatius with all the speed they could possible and they took more care for the preservation of my life than the performance of my commands though they have exposed my life it may be to more danger by not obeying them for in fine my dear Aronces now that I am in a place where no reasons oblige me to disguise my thoughts I have loved Clelia since I first saw her at Carthage and the commencement of our friendship proceeded from my love to her imagining that if I should acquire your esteem it might much conduce to the furtherance of my affection Aronces was surprised at Adherbal's expressions and finding him to be his Rival whom he only supposed his friend he changed colour on a sudden which Adherball who did not know that Aronces loved Clelia attributed to his friendship not any way suspecting his love so that obligingly resuming his discourse I must ingenuously confess said he that after I had the happiness to be acquainted with you if I had not loved Clelia I should have esteemed Aronces whose great merits command respect from all those which know him it appears by your words replied Aronces that you do not well know me and I am perswaded if you knew me better you would be of a contrary opinion but as we are both in a condition not to give any great testimonies either of love or hatred what thoughts soever sways our Soul I think I had best leave you in repose and retire my self and after Aronces had saluted Adherball with a more reserved Civility than before he returned to his Chamber in such a despair as evidenced the greatness of his affliction he was no sooner in his bed but Sycanus brought him a Noble man called Cilicies whom Mezentius had sent to him with Complements both from himself and the Princess Aretale his Wife so that Aronces being necessarily obliged to conceal his grief both from Sycanus and Cilicies desired them to inform him who were those which would have assassinated Mezentius though you are a Stranger replied he which was sent from the Perusian Prince it is not possible but you have heard ere you arrived at the Thrasymenean Lake that Porsenna King of Chusuim and the Queen his Wife have been retained Prisoners there these three and twenty years by the Prince Mezentius his Father-in-Law therefore without particularizing the cause of their long Imprisonment I shall tell you in few words that a Noble man called Thrachon Native Subject of that unhappy King being perswaded that it was lawful to act all manner of Crimes to deliver an Innocent Prince had laid an Ambuscado in the Wood where he obliged Mezentius to hunt leading him from his men till he was to come to the place where he had set those which should assail Mezentius who was strangly surprised when he saw him which he thought would defend him put himself at the head of those Assassinats and assault him and Mezentius now believes contrary to the opinion of all that Porsenna was acquainted with this Conspiracy which plotted against him so that all those which interess themselves in the life of this great Prince fear some violence will be acted against his Person is it possible he should so ill requite the care the gods have had for the conservation of his life replied Aronces as to put to death an innocent man and if I was in estate to go to demand of him any recompence for the service I have done him I should intreat him to limit his resentments and to do me likewise the favour as to command some of his men to inform him of one called
manner that if you could see my heart you would never have the injustice to deface your Image from it I know amiable Clelia that I am unfortunate an unknown One but if you knew my flame and the purity of my thoughts you would not be offended to be beloved in the manner I love you take then the pains to know them and condemn me not without it I pray you But to the end I may know if you consent to my demand I declare to you that if you answer me not I shall believe that you favourably entertain my love and that I shall have nothing but to render you thanks for it but on the contrary if you take a resolution to treat me rigorously I had rather receive a cruel Letter than receive none I pray you make me not despair for in the passion I have for you I cannot lose hope without losing my life The reading of this Letter so much surprised Clelia that she could not tell what she felt in reading it for as she much esteemed Aronces and had much inclination towards him she could not entertain a disobliging anger against him Nevertheless her natural modesty checkt her to do it 'T is true as she knew her Fathers thoughts it was followed with some momentary grief to see it was not permitted her to give any reasonable hope to the person in the world she believed most worthy of her if she had known his birth and if her Father had not had an intention never to marry her but to a Roman so that this astonishment anger and grief so much possessed her Spirit that she thought not to read Horatius his Letter and if her distraction had not made her open it without thinking on it she would have slept without seeing it but having opened it without any design to do it and seeing the Song she demanded if Horatius was not there and that it was only a Letter she read it but not without less astonishment than she had done Aronces For in fine Madam I can shew you a Copy of it that I will read to you seeing you will not be ignorant of any thing in which Aronces is interested Horatius to Clelia I Send you not those Verses you demanded of me because having perused them I found they did not merit your sight and if I dare say so they were even unworthy of me but there is another reason which hinders me from obeying you for in fine amiable Clelia I foresee I go to be so cruelly used by you that you would not sing a Song which I made T' is not but that I use all means possible not to be rigorously treated but I sensibly feel that when I tell you now I love you you will soon divine it 't is therefore I had rather declare it to you my self to the end you may have some obligation to me to have concealed it so long from you Know then divine Clelia that the first minute I saw you was the first of my passion and that the last of my love will be the last of my life I know I have not great quality enough to merit you but I know I have divers things which may hinder me from being ill used For in fine I am a Roman I am beloved by Clelius my love and hate runs in the same current as his I am an Exile as he is I am unfortunate and I love you more than can be imagined dispose therefore absolutely of my destiny but if it is possible banish me not from your heart as I am from Rome if you will not be more unjust than the Tyrant which banisht me thence and render me infinitely more unhappy by this second and more rigorous Exile than I am by the first Clelia having finished the reading of this Letter was much perplexed to resolve what she should do for she found something so various in this mishap which had made her receive two declarations of love in one moment that she knew not what to imagine of it That which most troubled her was that Aronces and Horatius were friends and that they might both say they had obligations to her so that having thought a little thereupon it came into her mind that that which gave her so much inquietude was not it may be but a simple gallantry agreed on between them to perplex her for in our Caballa we make an hundred malicious intents one to another in divers occasions Clelia therefore finding some sweetness in believing it to draw her self from that perplexity where she was made as if she really believed it and hath since ingenuously confessed to me that though the Letter of Aronces much vexed and afflicted her yet she felt in her heart that she sustained it more agreeably than that of Horatius but after she had confirmed her self in this belief more by her will than reason she took a resolution to answer those two Letters as if she had certainly known that these two friends desired to deceive her but as she was not assured of it she determined to write to both of them obscurely to the end not to breed any contention between them if her thoughts deceived her and not to discover to them that they had both discovered their Loves to her if it was true they loved her For in fine said this admirable Maid to her self if Aronces and Horatius have plotted this invention they will understand what I shall tell them and know that they have not deceived me and if it is not a deceit and that they have written to me without one anothers knowledge I shall not embroyl them and I shall not find my self in the necessity to answer seriously to two Letters wherein I shall find my self perplexed to do it for I should answer it may be too roughly to Horatius and too mildly to Aronces After this Clelia taking a resolution to draw her self speedily from this perplexity answered to those two Letters by two Notes that I shall tell you for I think I never saw any of Clelia's writing that I have not retained I so much esteem her This Madam was her answer to Aronces Clelia to Aronces YOur deceit hath not succeeded and he with whom you have contrived it shall have no more joy than you to believe it would deceive me believe me Aronces it suffices not to have spirit to be a deceiver but a certain maliciousness of which I believe you incapable therefore enterprise no more to deceive me and to prove that your design both effectually ill succeeded I protest unto you your Letter hath not angred me one moment after this I think I need no more explicate to you my thoughts and that you believe that I believe you are not amorous of me You see Madam what was Clelia's Note to Aronces and so what was that she wrote to his Rival Clelia to Horatius VVHen two have joyned to contrive a Cheat it is easier to be found out pretend not then I conjure you
consequently bestow on him the Princess his daughter But in the mean time Tarquin being as subtile as wicked seemed to rest satisfyed with the reasons of Junius and thereupon promised he would do no violence to Herdonius but by just and honourable wayes However he made a shift to dispatch him otherwise for corrupting a Slave belonging to Herdonius who while his Master was out of doors suffered a number of swords and other arms to be brought into his Master's house the cruel Tarquin confidently dressed up an accusation against him insinuating that it was fit enquiry should be made into the business and so engaging all those to whom he spoke of it by the apprehension of their own danger he perswaded them they should be fully enlightned as to what he said to them by searching Herdonius his house This was done and there were found the Arms which Tarquin had secretly conveyed thither and such other circumstances as amounted to make him thought guilty upon which those whom Tarquin had purposely brought along with him seized disorderly every one on a sword of those which were found and without any other ceremony threaten him with death He is taken bound and by Tarquin's order cast into the Spring-head of the Ferentine fountains where he no sooner was in but overwhelmed with stones he was presently drowned The business was done so of a sudden that Junius knew it not ere it was too late to prevent it though as soon as he had notice that some Souldiers were commanded to Herdonius's he went to divert Tarquin from so strange a violence But he could not make such hast but that Herdonius was dead and all he could do was to acquaint Tarquin that he was not ignorant of his crime in it This business broke off all correspondence between him and Tarquin insomuch that he went not to Court but when honor oblig'd him he gave order Tarquinia should go very seldom to the Queen so that both of them made it afterwards their whole business to see well educated two sons which they then had whereof Brutus is one It is true he was then but a child but his brother who was six or seven years elder than he made some advantage of the instructions they gave him Another thing which extreamly exasperated Tarquin against Junius was to see what use he made of that excessive wealth which he was master of for when Tarquin had consiscated the estate of any vertuous Family Junius and Tarquinia secretly reliev'd all those whom he had ruin'd which they did after such a manner as if they conceiv'd themselves obliged to enrich those whom the Prince impoverish'd and that it was their part to restore what he took away from all vertuous people Tarquin therefore thought that their liberality did as it were dis-arm his Tyranny by making him uncapable to make men miserable and that Junius having married his Sister robb'd the Crown of all he was so prodigal of Nay he conceived that this mans Vertue secretly reproved his Vices so indeed that at last he was no longer able to endure it Being therefore resolved to rid Junius out of the way and tempted withall with the advantage of being Guardian to his Children and consequently disposing of all the great Wealth of that house he caused him to be poyson'd But as it is hard to meet with poysons that leave no marks of their malignity the vertuous Tarquinia knew but too much to her grief that her noble Husband was taken away by the cruelty of her Brother But that which was most remarkable in his death was that Junius who had an infinite affection for Tarquinia and doubted not but that he was poisoned at a Banquet where he was forced to afford the tyrant his company yet had the generosity not to tell her of her Brothers cruelty nor ever mind her of revenging his death But if he shewed himself so reserv'd to her he was more open to his eldest Son who was arrived to years of discretion For he sent for Licinius an ancient friend of his whose faith he trusted with all his secrets and speaking to his Son in his presence he enjoyned him to be as dutiful to that vertuous friend as to himself to prefer Vertue before all things never to forget that his Father lost his life through the injustice of an Usurper never to miss any occasion might conduce to the deliverance of Rome and to instil these resentments into his younger Brother as soon as he should be capable to receive them which done he died in an admirable assuredness of mind But Tarquinia's constancy was at the first onset over-mastered by her grief and it was impossible she should not betray some light supicion she had about the death of Junius even while the fierce Taquin and the cruel Tullia were comforting her for the loss which they caused her for this inhumane Princess had a hand in this as in all the rest of her husbands enormities But Tarquin catching at so visible a pretence soon began to ill-intreat his Sister and possessing himself of all the wealth of the Family reduc'd Tarquinia to a very sad condition for he left her not any thing to dispose of nor was she suffer'd to have her eldest Son with her which added infinitely to the affliction of this generous Roman Lady who in that very circumstance underwent the greatest persecution which could fall upon her after the loss she had received For Tarquin observing in his Sisters eldest Son certain great and vertuous inclinations and that he had withal a great understanding and courage caused him barbarously to be murthered and that so confidently that he troubled not himself whether he were accused for it or not or studied any pretence for it as if there were not any other account of his loss to be given than that he feared that that illustrious unfortunate man should revenge his Fathers death and recover that prodigious wealth which he had possessed himself of Tarquinia who had yet hardly dried up her tears for the death of her husband was so transported with that of her Sons that to save what was left she resolved to steal out of Rome with this child and she did it so much the sooner insomuch as she was advertised by Licinius that Tarquin would within a few days snatch him out of her Arms. So that this wise Matron assisted by the counsel of this faithful friend of Marcus Junius absolutely determined to forsake that place where her own Brother reigned with so much injustice It is true she had the happiness of Licinius's company thence for being hated by Tarquin he thought it conduced to his safety to leave his country as well as she So that Licinius Tarquinia and the young Brutus who then had no other name that Lucius Junius departed Rome disguised and pitcht upon Metapont for the place of their retreat That which obliged Licinius to advise Tarquinia to that place was making it his business to bestow
to change the Government Tarquin must be perswaded that Brutus can never hurt him Now this will come to pass if he will but resolve to do that for his own and haply for the safety of Rome which he so pleasantly did some few days since for the diversion of his Mistress when by an ingenious trick to deceive the fair Chrysis he counterfeited Simplicity so naturally that he deceived one the least easily deceived of any I know How replyed fiercely Brutus must I act the Fool and the Sot all my life You must certainly do it replyed she for by that means Tarquin not jealous of you would rest secure and would haply be glad to let you live so to give an example of moderation when it is not prejudicial to him Ah generous Damo cryed he how harsh is this expedient For though it be a hard task to betray a great understanding it is a harder to personate distraction and since to be free with you I must tell you that my only business at Rome is to destroy Tarquin and be revenged on him I beseech you consider what mischief that man can doe him whose conversation all the World would avoid and who would be thought not to have common sense For my part replyed she my reason dissents from yours for I conceive nothing more considerable in a dangerous conspiracy than to have a great understanding and a great courage invisible to the World In fine if at Rome there be no inclination to a revolt added Licinius you may be safe and quiet and if there be some secret risings in the City conducing to your design you may discover your self to those who shall be able and desirous to act for the publique good Yet once more cryed out Brutus this expedient is harsh and indigestible And yet replyed Licinius there is no mean you must either resolve this way or be for ever banished Rome and not expect to revenge your Father's death or ever hope to recover what the unjust Tarquin hath taken from you and to ascend a little higher you must either accept it or ever renounce Glory If it come to that replyed Brutus I would rather renounce Reason and submit my self to whatever you shall order Having thus resolved Licinius not willing to give Brutus leisure to repent set all things in order for his departure and four dayes after the resolution taken was put in execution He thought not fit Brutus should come to Rome till he had seen how he would be received so that he onely brought with him the little Hermilia who was hardly out of her Nurse's armes and delivered her to be brought up to the sage Racilia giving out that he was married at Metapont but that his Wife was dead not discovering whom he had married for fear of exposing Hermilia to the cruelty of the tyrant should he know she were daughter to Tarquinia for whom he had an inveterate hatred especially since she had left Rome But he was no sooner admitted into Tarquin's presence but he asked what was become of Marcus Junius's Sons whereto he answered that though he were alive he might well be numbred among the dead This doubtful answer encreasing Tarquin's curiosity he was very importunate with Licinius to resolve this Riddle who acting his part very subtilely made as if he were loath to satisfie his curiosity But at length yielding by degrees he told him he was much troubled to tell him that a man who had the honor to be so near of kin to him was so senseless as Junius seemed to be in all his words and actions This he had scarcely said but Tarquin instead of being troubled at it could not but betray his gladness not but that he said it troubled him but his eyes more faithful than his mouth discovered the secret of his heart and argu'd he had rather have a senseless than an understanding man to his Nephew Nevertheless being afraid of being deceived he bid Licinius bring him to him which he pressed so much that Licinius easily perceived that if he did not obey the tyrant his life was in danger So that promising what he desired she sent an express to Brutus whom he had secretly brought to an old friends house within six miles of Rome and acquainted how things stood Brutus was now past all deliberation as to what he was to do for considering with himself that if he went not to Rome Licinius might be ill intreated and that withal his own life as well as that of his Father-in-law's was in danger if he appeard not there in his feigned stupidity he resolv'd to do it and was accordingly brought to Tarquin But as he went what did he not think on and what apprehensions of anguish seized him He lfet Metapont where he had led an infinitely pleasant life as a banished person He there left a gallant friend whom he infinitely loved he smothered a growing love which filled his heart with hope and joy he lost the good company of a many honest people he renounced all pleasure save the hope of Revenge and he forsook as I may so say his own reason But all considered Licinius's life being at the stake the revenging of his friends death and the deliverance of his Country being to be effected he overcame the aversion he had to make use of so fantastick a pretence for his stay in Rome and resolved to live there after a much different manner than he had done at Metapont In effect when Licinius presented him to Tarquin he acted the part of a dul and foolish person so well that the fierce Tyrant was deceived in him so that instead of being troubled to see him in that condition he was very glad of it for it was an affliction to him to think that Marcus Junius should have a Son alive in any place in the world who might haply ome day endeavour to revenge his fathers death But considering him in his present conditition he was not afraid of him nor was he sorry he could give one example of humanity without danger He therefore seemed to have a care of him and to be the more assured of him he thought fit he should be married for he was not so sottish but he betrayed the inclination he had to women But being to marry he must take the daughter of a man engaged in his interests lest he should dispose of himself and haply ally himself with some family too well affected to the publique good and so the name of Junius venerable in Rome should revive Nay to dis-accustome a People from a Name had been dear to them ever since the foundation of the famous City the young Gallants of the Court began by way of abuse to call him Brutus and left off calling him Junius for as to the other name he went under at Metapont and which I have forgotten it was never known at Rome But that which was most remarkable was that he whom they called by that name which was
be born with notwithstanding their want of wit But to put a question somewhat harder to be resolved added Valeria I ask you both whether you would have an extraordinary Wit For my part replyed Hermilia I shall soon choose and I as soon replyed Lucrecia for I am already resolved But this satisfies not me replyed Valeria you must tell me whether you have chosen Methinks replyed Hermilia you might easily ghess that Lucrecia hath taken the great Goodness with the indifferent Wit and you might as easily conceive added Lucrecia that Hermilia hath chosen the greater Wit and indifferent Goodness Yet I am confident added this wise Virgin that if there were two such persons she whose goodness were greater then her wit would be much more beloved than the other I know not whether she might be more beloved replyed Hermilia but I am certain that she whom I have chosen would be the more esteemed But what signifies that esteem replyed Lucrecia which begets not friendship for I lay this as a principle we should not desire to be esteemed but in order to be loved or at least to be thought worthy to be loved If you value not an Esteem without Friendship replyed Hermilia what will you have me to conceive of a kind of luke-warm friendship without esteem For I cannot believe that one can have an eager affection for a person of mean wit how good soever he may be If the love we have for a good person be not grounded on the esteem we have for him replyed Valeria it must needs proceed from the acquaintance we have with him which we conceive obligeth us to love him Nay then replyed Hermilia I perceive she that makes the proposition declares against me On the contrary replyed Lucrecia it may be said we are both of your side for though you speak against goodness yet we know you to be one of the best in the world It is indeed true replyed she I am not wicked and to speak truly I would not be otherwise than good but it is true that there are a sort of mischievous people that please my humour and some good who are troublesome to me and to speak generally goodness is almost every where oppressed Yet that hinders not replyed Lucrecia but that vertue ought to be the foundation and support of all the rest and that we should wish rather to suffer injustice than to do it besides that to speak rationally Goodness is a vertue so well becomes a woman that I know not any she hath greater need of I acknowledge replyed Hermilia that a wicked woman is a Monster but certainly one that is ingeniously malicious addes much to Conversation and it were a great loss if there was not some such Since you are so much taken with them replyed Lucrecia I wish you may never want some of those women who can wink at nothing who condemn all things who tell merry stories of their best friends who as soon as they are out of sight abuse them who envy the praises are given them and themselves commend them less than those who are not acquainted with them and to be short who do them more hurt than they could expect from a merciless enemy and less good than from a generous one And the more to punish your obstinacy aded Valeria to Lucrecia's wishes I add thus much I wish with all my heart that you may have one truly good friend who may acquaint you with all the treacheries the rest are guilty of towards you that so you may at last become equitable and acknowledge with us that true Goodness is preferred before greatness of Wit how shining so ever it may be As she said these words Valeria rise up whereupon it being late these three maids retired and left Brutus who had hearkned to them all the while with little ceremony yet Lucrecia took leave of him with greater civility than the other two which he took infinitely well For arguing from the civility she had for him in the condition he was in that she would esteem him if she were better acquainted with him he was so ravished with the consideration that it begat in his heart a certain pleasant commotion which one might presume to call Love or at least something he felt which he could never define In fine not to abuse your patience Brutus who was resolved to depart without acquainting any could not perform it so soon for something being yet wanting which was necessary for his journey he took occasion from that light hindrance to make the less hast not thinking himself that Lucrecia was partly the cause of his change of resolution But three or four days after he was sensible that the Beauty Wit and Goodness of that person had made a strange progress into his heart for he could not keep out of the company of these three-maids They at first thought him very troublesome which he himself observed but being such a one as was not to be treated uncivilly neither would they do it insomuch that at length making no account of him they spoke before him as freely as if he had not been in place Brutus by this means having Lucrecia always in sight and viewing her with all the charms of her Beauty and wit fell deeply in love with her But to his grief Love entred his heart without that insinuating companion which they call Hope which by her beguiling charms makes men undergo such long and violent afflictions Whence it came to pass that Brutus as soon as he was convinced that he really loved Lucrecia was extremely troubled and look'd upon it as a second motive to remove himself far from Rome To what end said he should I entertain this fruitless passion which I must never presume to discover How can it be imagined that the stupid Brutus should be capable of admiring and adoring the incomparable Lucrecia But alas continued he though she understood my passion I should be no less miserable for is it possible she can love a man in whom there is not the least appearance of wit And to come yet nearer home when I should trust my self to her discretion when she should be convinced I am not what all the world takes me to be what likelihood is there she should admit the addresses of an unfortunate man who dares not betray his reason lest he lose a life which he hath designed to sacrifice to the liberty of his Countrey Shall I go and tell her I am a Conspirator when at the same time I am to tell her that I love her Shall I entertain her with interests of State and Revenge at the same instant when I am to treat her with Love and Respect But if I should thus entertain her is it probable I might make some advantage of it or that she would ever be prevailed with to run fortunes with such a wretch as in all likelihood will never be otherwise But supposing such a miracle should be done which cannot that she
true I cannot hope any thing yet this cannot weaken my love since my despair proceeds not from Lucrecia but it is the extravagance of destiny which makes me uncapable of hoping any thing She does not certainly favour me much and she were to blame if she did and I am obliged to her for her indifference for me snce it is not the same Brutus she is accquainted with that I would have in her favour But alas continued he that other Brutus is at such a distance with Fortune that it is not likely he will ever dare shew himself to Lucretia and if I renounce not one part of my reason she will still be ignorant of the love she hath kindled in my heart and consequently I shall be the most unfortunate man alive How cryed he out as he hath told me since shall not Lucrecia the admirable Lucrecia know that thou lovest her and thou art not such a Sot as thou art taken to be Canst thou be contented to be ever the object of her contempt and her indifference No no continued he I shall never do it nay though I should lose my life though I should hazard all and that Rome must eternally be subject to the tyranny of Tarquin Lucrecia must know that I live under her power She is discreet good and generous and it may be she will not cast away a man that out of excess of love trusts himself to her discretion But weak man that thou art resumed he hast thou for born all rationall discourse for so long time onely to tell Lucrecia that thou lovest her Think think on the love thou owest thy country not on what thou maist have for a person who haply will not have any for thee Remember thy Father cut off by the cruelty of Tarquin thy Brother dispatched the same way and that both dying commanded thee to revenge their loss Consider Rome enslaved by the most horrid Tyrant the earth affords regard so many thousand of vertuous families expecting their safety from thee and since thou wilt be base imagine that the discovery of thy love to Lucrecia may haply cost thee thy life and think at length if there be any thing of vertue yet remaining in thee what blot it would be to thy memory to have preferred the love of Lucrecia before that of Fame and thy Countrey Upon this such a tempest rose in Brutus's soul that it was easily perceiveable he had not herein taken the advice of his reason To be short he was that day so dejected and so melancholy that he would not see any body and the more to avoyd all company he walked out into that Meadow where I told you one evening he had seen Lucrecia Collatina and Hermilia sitting on the River side discoursing with the Prince of Pometia while Racilia walked a little aside with Collatina's Mother this company being come thither since his coming out alone Being thus engaged not to avoyd Lucrecia though he wished it he made towards the place where she was and having saluted the whole company he found their discourse to be about Love and that the Prince of Pometia opposing Hermilia who still purposely contradicted him held that it was not the proper vertue of a woman to have an insensible heart and on the contrary maintained that a Lady could not be throughly assured of her self untill a violent affection had possessed her soul For in fine said he I find that a woman makes no great difficulty to oblige those whom she hath no tenderness for to forbear the expressions of their love I find it is no great reputation to wrestle with a weak and unsetled inclination but for a woman courted by a man of extraordinary worth whom she also loves not to engage her self too far and notwithstanding all the sympathy of a reciprocal love to preserve Vertue impregnably seated in her heart is certainly of great merit Yet my Lord I conceive replyed Valeria modestly smiling that it is best not to study alwayes for this expression of Vertue lest that at first drawing in to love innocently one should come at last to love beyond the limits of Honour For my part said Hermilia I conceive it more glorious to oppose love than to entertain it how innocent soever it may be And for mine said Collatina who secretly carried on her Brother's interest I must notwithstanding the great severity the Roman Ladies profess affirm that where the rules of civility are observed there is an infinite pleasure to be beloved and if I may presume to say it to love For in fine if the enjoyments of Friendship be thought delightful only comparatively to those of Love which they say are greater it were madness not to love something it being supposed the use of it were not forbidden I could not have believed replyed Valeria smiling that a Roman Lady should make Love's party good with such confidence She is so good a Sister replyed Hermilia smiling also that she would rather forsake the interest of her Sex than of her Brother Whilst these Virgins were thus engaged the fair Lucrecia fell into such a deep musing that she minded not what was said though the were concerned in it On the contrary entertaining her self upon the first discourse of the Prince of Pometia in the commendation of Love she quite forgot the company till that Collatina taking her by the arm told her laughing that she must contribute to that conversation asking her whether she thought Love a troublesome thing or a pleasant Lucrecia answered that she could say nothing of a thing she was not acquainted with To take away that pretence we must describe that passion to you replyed the Prince of Pometia who having an excellent wit made it his business to say all he could to the advantage of Love He describ'd all the insinuations of Hope he represented the surprises of the first desires which that passion inspires into us he enumerated the delights the transports the tempting illusions it causes the pleasant reveries that accompany it and in fine omitted nothing which might relate to that noble passion Having so done he pressed her to tell what she thought of Love But she absolutely refusing her companions set upon her and persecuted her so long till at last she promised they should have her opinion conditionally they would permit her to write it down Enquiring therefore who among them had any table-books it happened that onely Brutus had one Whereupon this concealed Lover who was glad of an occasion to have any thing of the writing of Lucrecia presented her with his table-book wherein she writ what she thought of Love But my Lord that you may the better understand what atrick she put upon them I must set down the same words which she writ which she assured them contained her true sentiment of love Hereupon Herminius spying a table-book upon Aronces's table took it and writ down the same words as Lucrecia had made use of which done dilivering the
than you did those two dayes you had never loved me However I hope you will not blame me the rather if you consider I have an infinite passion for Reputation and Innocence I know there is nothing criminal in your affection but I know my own weakness wich is such that I am afraid of any secret I never was burthened with any and all novelty distracts me Yet it may happen that observing from time to time the integrity of your resentments I shall seriously resolve to share an innocent Secret with you and shall then give my soul way to entertain all the sweetness it may find in being tenderly loved by a person who knowes how to love and who can love with respect and innocence I should tell you a thousand things more should I pretend to answer your Letter exactly and acquaint you with the true state of my soul But I have not the leisure and am not certain whether I have the will for seriously the disquiet of mind is such as I am ashamed of I am confident my Lord that though this Letter contain nothing in it of extraordinary Obligation yet you cannot otherwise think than that Brutus should take it as a very high favour as wherein he might easily perceive that Lucrecia had a great esteem and a strong inclination for him Nevertheless he found in it some things to complain at as you may judge by the answer he returned to it whereof this is a Copy If I love you not beyond what any one can love you if my love admit any thing which the most exact and nice Vertue can any way censure in it self if I can live contentedly or to say better but onely live until you love me I wish I were the wretched'st of mankind This is all the answer I shall make you desire no more of a wretch whom you have already made lose his understanding and his reason and if you change not your thoughts will make him also lose his life But Madam what necessity is there to answer you you sufficiently answer your self You fear you say and cannot tell what you fear You are engaged with the most fervent and the most accomplished love in the world and if I darst say so Madam with your own goodness and compassion and yet all your forces consist of a sort of nice Difficulties as you your self call them that is to say reasons which are onely shadowes of Reason such as a great and noble Soul as yours shall never entertain Upon these niceties then you would easily deprive him of all content who of all the world hath the greatest love for you For these niceties he must be condemned to perpetual torment so as to be dissolved into sighs groans and complaints and must accuse all your past goodness as so much cruelty Certainly those who fiercely and disdainfully repulse their Lovers are not haply as inhumane as you are for their fierceness is a remedy against it self and many times saves those whom it might bring into despair Besides these when they are so scornful they believe they have reason to be so and are not swayed by niceties and their rigour therefore is so much the more excusable But for you Madam what shall I say to you Shall I complain of you or shall I commend you I am in doubt whether so much am I disordered but this I know whether you are merciful or cruel nice or not I cannot but love you while I live and all the difference will be this that as you are pleased I shall be the happiest or the most unhappy of all Lovers Alas Madam is it possible you can destroy all my felicity all my joy haply some part of your own onely because you know not whether you would have what you would or that you wish it imperfectly Have compassion on me I beseech you Madam let us once be an example that perfect Vertue is not inconsistent with perfect Love and that it were very unhappy if it were deprived of the sweetest pleasure or to say better the only in the world What serenity will you infuse into my mind if you can afford that which you desire unto your own What glory were there equal to mine With what Kings and with what Lovers would I change condition O ye Gods how doth this very thought crown me with joy in the midst of all your cruelties But if you are resolved still to oppose my happiness I tell you seriously you will either give me my death or make it my perpetual wish Consider therefore Madam what you do and the more to engage you to be tender of my life remember that the safety of Rome is haply concerned in it and that you cannot ruine me without exposing your Countrey to eternal slavery Lucrecia having received the Letter shewed it Valeria in a little close Arbor which was at the corner of Racilia's Garden but she did it with so visible expressions of disturbance in her looks that her friend not able to guess at the meaning of it asked her the reason For in fine said she to her this Letter hath nothing in it which is not full of respect and passion and I am confident it is no trouble to you that Brutus loves you I confess it replyed Lucrecia but that which infinitely afflicts me is that I have not that command of my heart so as to be able when I should desire it to avoyd loving him It is certainly in my power added she not to give him any expressions of it but if I do it I am so much the more unhappy for when ever I force my self to hide from him part of that esteem which I have for him I am presently haunted notwithstanding all my resistence with a certain fear to destroy his affection by over-concealing my own Not but that I believe I may love Brutus innocently for the last time my mother was here she expresly commanded me to entertain Brutus with that correspondence of affection which a vertuous maid may express to a man that were to be her husband adding to this command another that I should never discover what she enjoyned me But my Lord I had forgot to tell you that Racilia who was not ignorant of the great friendship was between Lucrecia's mother and Brutus's father and had often observed that her Nephew had a violent inclination for this excellent Virgin took one day occasion to confer with this Illustrious Roman whom she knew to be implacably exasperated against Tarquin and told her she thought it very strange her Husband should suffer Collatine to make publick addresses to Lucrecia since it was generally known she had an aversion for him To which Lucrecia's Mother reposing an absolute confidence in Racilia made answer that for her part she was infinitely troubled at it nor could imagine any way to divert her Husband from it who proposed to himself great advantages by an alliance with Tarquin But not to trouble you with an account of
be accepted when a woman is once another mans wife and hath the least tenderness for her reputation Resolve therefore not to love me any longer and that if I may so say for my sake as I have resolved to be unhappy for your sake and that you may be assured I do all I can and haply more then I ought I permit you to believe that I shall grieve for you while I live On the other side fear not I shall ever discover your secret for though you cannot in any likelihood destroy Tarquin but you must withal give check to the fortune of that Family into which I am entred I shall lay nothing to your charge while you meddle not with Collatine's person Not but that if you conceive I speak for my own interest I should advise you forsake Rome to set your reason at liberty to go and live at Metapont where you have friends of both sexes and where you may be cured of what passion your soul is sick of For in all likelihood Vice will ever triumph over Vertue Brutus will be alwayes miserable and Tarquin alwayes happy How Madam replyed the unfortunate Lover you would have me forsake Rome quit the design of revenging my self and delivering my Countrey but for no other end than that I might be the farther from you Ah Madam I neither can do it nor ought and if Death do not deliver you from my presence you shall never be delivered from it I shall be delivered from it replyed she if I reside constantly at Collatia whither you will have no pretence to come and though Collatine himself should command me to see you I would intreat him to pardon my disobedience and this pretended stupidity which heretofore furnished me with a pretence to see you shall henceforward be my excuse not to see you again but I shall think my self the more obliged if without any further dispute you obey the command I lay on you not to endeavour it But is it possible replyed Brutus that my sight is become so insupportable to you and that having expressed so much goodness as to let me believe that I might be the object of all your happiness I am now thought the onely cause of your misfortune For I tell you once more Madam that if you will be pleased to be my Friend I shall not think my self absolutely miserable and if I ever forget my self so far as to speak any thing to you whence you might gather I would be treated in the quality of a Lover I give you leave to acquaint Tarquin that I am a dangerous Conspirator and deserve death But do you think replyed she that when I lost you I withal lost all reason and that I can be perswded that Love may be turned into Friendship or Friendship into Love when one pleases If it be so in your heart added she you never knew any true passion and I should punish you for your dissimulation past with eternal baoishment One might indeed in a short time pass from Love to Hatred one may sometimes pass from Love to Indifference and it is not impossible to ascend from Friendship to Love but to descend from Love to Friendship is that I cannot comprehend how it may be done I could believe added she there may be some Husbands who having been infinitely indulgent of their Wives are after a long time cooled so as to have onely an indifferent affection for them which may be called Friendship but for a Lover to become a Friend is a thing I conceive impossible and shall never believe Persist not therefore in the proffers of your friendship or the desire of mine for since Fortune hath been pleased to cross the innocence of our affection I will see you no more and I profess to you I shall hate you if you continue to perswade me to a thing which I believe inconsistent with my duty For in fine Brutus you but too well know that I have loved you and you haply imagine that I shall love you as long as I live therefore our conversation can be no longer innocent one look of yours raises a controversie in my soul I must not any longer trust either you or my self in such a case as this and I have already spent too much time with you in debating a thing already resolved Go your wayes therefore Brutus go the unfortunate Lucrecia commands you be careful of the life she hath preserved you and remember sometimes that it hath cost her all the happiness she could expect But hold added she rising from her seat think on nothing that concerns me for if I thought you remembred it I could not haply forget you How Madam cryes out Brutus you cannot but remember me and can you imagine I should obey you when you command me to forget Lucrecia No no Madam abuse not your self it is not onely death can raze you out of my heart and if the despair that hovers about my soul were not kept off by the love I bear you my hand should soon rid Tarquin of an Enemy and Lucrecia of a Lover But Madam since that if I lost my life I should cease to love you if excess of grief take it not away I shall not which I do not but out of a pure consideration of love since as you may easily imagine Madam I must expect to live the most miserable of any man in the world which can afford nothing more insupportable than for a man to see his Enemy in the Throne and his Mistress in the embraces of his Rival For all considered Madam I concur with you that Love can never be remitted into Friendship and when I begged the quality of your Friend I onely meant to tell you that I should never ask any thing of you but what a vertuous friend might desire of a vertuous woman Assure your self therefore Madam that I shall love you to the last gasp and that I shall love you so intirely as never any man did the like But in requital Madam added he promise me that you will not make it your business to hate me for I had rather be deprived of your sight than that you should not promise to love me alwayes Ah Brutus I neither can nor must promise you any thing replyed she in the mean time I must leave you and be gon for I see one of my women coming to tell me that it is time to retire and indeed Brutus turning his head saw a woman-slave who was come half wayes the Garden and made directly towards the place where he was This put him into a strange disturbance for he thought he had a thousand things more to say nay he imagined that if he had said them they would have moved Lucrecia but if he should have offered to detain her by force she would have taken it in much displeasure He therefore submissively took her by the garment and would out of an amorous transport have kissed her hand and intreated her to favour
Racilias or at Valerias or at Sivilias The Salii and the Vestals wanted not their concernment in these negotiations all which related only to the liberty of Rome They caused divers reports to be scattered among the people prejudicial to Tarquin either relating to the Siege or of his refusal to deliver up the prisoners or of the loss of his Army which grew weaker every day or his past Crimes his present Tyranny or his future exorbitance Care was also taken to possess the multitude that if Tarquin took in Ardea Rome would be reduced under a more cruel subjection than ever thus to infuse into the minds of the inhabitants of that famous City a general inclination which might ingage them to a rising when there should be occasion It is certain there needed no more than the violences of Tarquin and crimes of Tullia to dispose the Romans into a desire of shaking off the yoke of so unjust a Tyranny for there were none but knew that Tarquin was no lawful King of Rome and that instead of having been chosen according to the Fundamental Laws of that State he had caused to be murthered one of the most vertuous Kings in the World so to possess himself of the power he injoyed so that it may be said he acquired it through the blackest of all crimes and conserved it through the most insupportable tyranny that ever was But though this Prince understood by some of his creatures that the people was discontented yet contrary to his custom he slighted the information as having his heart at that time wholly taken up by love and detestation Clelias resistance had filled his soul with those two passions after so strange a manner that they afforded him not the least quiet and his mind was hurried by such violent agitations that it was perpetually taken up with one of these two thoughts either that he should injoy Clelia or destroy her Troubled therefore with a perpetual imagination either of forcing her to love him or putting her to death his mind could not admit much quiet nay Aronces and Clelia as unfortunate as they were were less disquieted than he it being the property of virtue to fill with serenity those hearts it is possessed of Not but that even the most virtuous people are sometimes most unfortunate and most sensible of their being such but it never happens that their hearts are tossed with those impetuous disturbances whereby the souls of wicked persons are shaken through the conscience of their crimes and if those are forced to complain of some other they have withal the happiness to have no cause of complaint against themselves which is no small advantage For as it would trouble a man more to have any thing to object against a neighbour than against a stranger against a kinsman than against a neighbour against a friend than a kinsman against a mistress than a friend so it must be most troublesome for a man to have any thing to object against himself above all others But there being nothing that Aronces and Clelia could reproach to themselves they indured their misfortunes with an admirable constancy though the sence they had of them were as deep as their affection was great There hapned in the mean time a very strange accident which might in all likelihood have proved the mother of a world of mischief Valerius being come one night to Racilias to confer with Herminius who was within three daies to return to Ardea the Slave whose charge it was to open the gate having over-watched himself before forgot to put out a Lamp which set the house on fire at a time when all in it were so securely a sleep that the first notice they had of it was by the cries of those that passed by the next morning who perceiving great flakes and eruptions of fire soon noised it all about by knocking at the adjoyning houses and making horrible outcryes Of all those that were lodged at Racilia's Aronces was the first took the Allarm and could not be much surprized at such a confused noise but must needs be much more when having gotten hastily out of his bed he found his Chamber full of smoak and whole roof opposite to his windows so all of a fire that it was not imaginable how it could be quenched Awaking hereupon the slave that attended him he sent him to do the like to all those of that side where the fire had not yet taken and went himself and knocked at the several Chambers of Racilia Hermilia Brutus and Herminius the Stairs being as yet free in regard the Slave who had been the occasion of this disaster lying in the highest room in the house the fire began at the roof That which was most sad in this accident was that it was broad day by which means an infinite multitude of people being gotten about the house were pressing to get in to indeavour to keep the fire from spreading to the next houses This put Aronces and Herminius into a strange disturbance for it was impossible but that among such a crowd of people there might be some one that knew them and consequently might cause them to be taken Aronces whose thoughts were wholly taken up with the deliverance of Clelia was now in danger to be taken himself and Herminius was now within the reach of Tarquins cruelty and not unlikely to lose his life insomuch that those two illustrious but unfortunate persons were in some doubt whether it were better for them to expose themselves to the flames then fall into the hands of such an enemy were it not that in hazarding their lives in that manner they had also brought Racilia Hermilia Brutus and divers other persons that were in the house into imminent danger When therefore they understood that it was absolutely impossible to stop the violence of the fire without assistance from without they were the first who opened the Gates to the multitude of people who demanded entrance telling Racilia and Hermilia that they chose rather to be the Victims of the Tyrant then expose the lives of two such considerable persons to the cruelty of the flames But that there might be a combination of generosity and prudence and that whilst they endeavoured the preservation of others they might not be thought absolutely negligent of their own they disguised themselves as much as they could and their design was as they opened the gates to follow Racilia and Hermilia with burthens of Purple Tapistry and other things of that nature pretending they were employed to carry them to Sivelias whose house was not very far thence But to the end they might also defend themselves if occasion were they took every man a sword As for Brutus it was his business to conduct his Aunt and Sister who had left in the house such as they thought able to hinder the disorders which are done upon such occasions For Brutus not daring to make any discovery of his understanding it was not thought sitting
Servant and those of a Mistress No question of it replied Plotina for in the Letters of a Servant affection and respect must be predominant those of a Mistress should speak modesty and fear in aspect to tenderness But excellent Plotina replied Amilcar since you are so learned you are yet to tell me whether length be excusable in Love Letters for I have a friend conceives they should be short To speak in general terms of all sorts of Letters replied Plotina I think they should not be over-long but it were very pleasant indeed if it should be thought ill that two persons who love one another infinitely who have not the opportunities of speaking one to another and meet with many difficulties to convey their thoughts one to another should not be permitted to write what they cannot speak and that Love which is an exaggerating passion and magnifies and multiplies all things had not the priviledge sometimes to dilate it self into long Letters For how can a great passion be swathed in a few words How can a short Letter contain a great jealousie and transport all the apprehensions of one amorous heart into another in three or four words As for those who write the gallant sort of Addresses added she it is easie for them to abbreviate and yet lose nothing of Wit since their reason being absolutely free they make choice of the things they say and reject those suggestions which please them not But for a poor Lover whose reason is disturbed he takes nothing up by choice he writes down the dictates of his Fancy nor indeed should he chuse any thing since that in point of Love neither can there be too much said nor is it believed there hath been enough Thus I maintain there is no prohibition of long Letters onally they be in no other dress than what love adorns them with and to speak ingeniously there 's nothing deserves so great commendation as a handsome Love Letter For all considered notwithstanding what I said before I believe that when one writes such a one the mind is so taken up and so distracted that it is much more difficult to write well in this than in any other case Not but as I said before that the heart is that which is principally concerned in it but that sometimes the heart is so disturbed that it self is ignorant of what it feels But I pray says Amilcar who are these Female Friends of yours who have taught you to speak so learnedly of Love She hath been entrusted with the secrets of so noble a Passion replied Clelia that if you knew all she knows you would not wonder to hear her speak as she does It shall be her fault replied Amilcar if I do not for it would be the greatest pleasure in the World to me to hear her relate an amorous adventure besides that added he you cannot force me hence though you were ever so desirous for the Captain of your Guards went out when I came in and you know the doors of your Lodgings are never opened but when he is here Nay he told me he should not return very suddenly by which means you have as much leisure as you could wish But what should oblige me replied Plotina to relate to you the adventure of one of my Friends when there is no necessity for it How replied Amilcar Do you think it a matter unnecessary to let me know in what School you have learned to speak so well of Love Assure your self if you refuse I shall be perswaded you have run through three or four several Loves in your Life If it be so replies that excellent Virgin I shall rather submit to entertain you with the adventures of Caesonia whereof I had this day promised Clelia the relation not but that she knows something in general of what hath hapned to this admirable woman but since she will have the particulars thereof I am content you should also participate conditionally you use all the means you can for her deliverance as well as ours Ah Plotina replied Amilcar if the fair Clelia will have it so it will be an infinite pleasure to me for I know not any thing of greater delight than to understand that a person of a great Wit and withal serious can admit Love I therefore promise you to do all that lies in my power to oblige Tullia to set all the Captives at Liberty and to perswade her to it I will tell her that Tarquin will be less incensed at that then if she only delivered Clelia Hereupon Plotina being confident that Amilcar would more readily employ all his interest for Caesonia if he were informed what had hapned to her and Clelia having added her entreaties to those of this accomplished Affrican began her Relation in these words THE HISTORY OF CAESONIA SInce you lay your commands on me fair and generous Clelia I shall relate unto you the adventures of this admirable woman who hath had the happiness of your good opinion and I am also content Amilcar participate the pleasure of the Relation But he must give me leave as learned as he is to acquaint him with divers things relating to our City and particularly concerning its original which an Affrican cannot in any likelyhood know that so he may the less wonder if he find so many tracts of magnificence amongst the Rutuli and indeed so much gallantry and wit For to deal truly with you the Original of Ardea is more noble then that of Rome and it cannot be objected to us as it may be to the Romans that our Fathers were Criminals and Out-laws and in a word the Rutuli are reckoned amongst the most ancient people of Italy Ardea which is their Metropolis being built by the fair and famous Danae the Daughter of Acrisius and mother of Perseus whose History is so celebrated that I think it unnecessary to relate it You do very well interrupted Amilcar smiling for though an Affrican and as Ignorant as you conceive me I am not to learn that Jupiter fell in love with Danae that he was put to his shifts for that invention of the precious Golden Shower that he turned Bull to Ravish Europa and put on the form of a Swan to surprize the Mother of Castor and Pollux I know further that Danaes Father understanding his daughter was neer her time of Lying in notwithstanding all the care he had taken to cause her to be kept in a Tower to elude the effect of an Oracle which threatned he should lose his life by the hands of a Son of that Princess caused this fair Lady to be shut into a Chest of Cedar which he gave order should be cast into the Sea and that the gods providing for her safety directed the waves to cast it on the Coasts of Italy I know further that having been found by a Fisherman who was taken with her extraordinary Beauty he presented her to the Prince whose Subject he was who grew so deeply enamoured of her
had learned which she had no sooner heard but she said that certainly they were made for Caesonia She also got them by heart and being one that talks much one that goes fast and whose Fancy far out-runs her Judgement without considering what might be the consequences of it she dispersed divers Copies of them But that you may the better know what the business came to I must repeat them to you They were these For Dorinica I In her Presence fain would dye That her Fair hand might close my Eye And when my soul in sighs expires This is my Martyr she might say I would by some sublimer way But behold Be silent my Desires We Dorinica must obey You may easily judge that these Verses contain nothing that could with reason prejudice Caesonia yet made they no small noise abroad nay such as whence were drawn very unhappy consequences It hapned also that the last Verse falling in very pertinently as simple as it is in regard there is something amorous in the very cadence it became a certain frolick to quote it upon divers occasions so that it was a general humour to say how pertinently or impertinently it mattered not We Dorinica must obey Though there were no other reason for it than that it was become an expression a-la-mode But at last the business growing very common I spoke to Caesonia of it with all the sincerity of a faithful Friend I had no sooner acquainted her with what was said of her but she blushed and was extremely troubled However she was not much to seek what to do I must need confess said she to me that Persander hath so carryed himself towards me since I fell into misfortune and hath so much obliged me that I cannot but have for him the tendrest friendship in the World nay I must acknowledge that unless it be when I am with you my disturbances admit no remission but by acquainting him therewith But it seems I must be deprived of that satisfaction and I shall do it in such a manner as shall silence all the Calumny that persecutes me This Caesonia spoke with so much trouble in her countenance that I easily perceived she took some strange resolution So that I thought to have told her it was enough if she were more circumspect in some little Occurrence and that it were not discreetly done absolutely to break off with Persander No no Plotina said she to me say nothing to me for I shall do what I have resolved but only pity the unhappy destiny I have to struggle with And that you may the better know how to pity me I must acquaint you my dear Plotina with the true state of my Soul that fully understanding my frailty you may accordingly commend me for the power I have to conceal it Know then that I have ever had a violent inclination for Persander and only an ordinary esteem for Turnus and that if I had not believed the latter loved me incomparably beyond the other and that it was greater pleasure to be loved than to love I had never marryed him But that which makes up my present punishment is that Turnus's inconstancy hath raised in me a detestation of him and the constancy of Persander hath raised in me a love of him The Gods know added she blushing whether I have not equally resisted both the hatred I have for Turnus and the affection I have for Persander and notwithstanding these two Passions made a stronge resolution to live contentedly with him whom I hate and by all means possible to conceal my affections from him whom I love But all considered I cannot but so far resent the injury Turnus hath done me in ceasing to love me as soon as he was assured of me and am so sensible of the obligation Persander hath put upon me by continuing his affection when he can hope to receive no visible expression of mine that I easily foresee that through these two opposite apprehensions I shall lead the most wretched life in the World especially since I must wrastle with them as long as I live I should never have done if I should acquaint you with all Caesonia said to me and what answers I made her But as we were thus ingaged Persander comes into the house and one of Caesonias women being come into her Closet where we were to give her notice of it she gave order he should be brought in He was no sooner entred but she seeing there was none but we three and fixing her eyes full of sadness and melancholy upon him I beseech you Persander said she to him do me the favour to think never the worse of me when you shall understand a certain request I have to make to you Ah Madam said he to her though you desired my death I should not take it ill at your hands and therefore you may assure your self you cannot make any request to me that shall oblige me to hate you But Madam added he What strange request is it you have to make to me I am first to intreat you replied she to be confident that I have for you the greatest esteem imaginable and acknowledge my self infinitely obliged to you But that done I aâ— to intreat you to tell me whether it be true or no that you have for the unfortunate Caesonia a most tender and a most disinterested Friendship For Friendship Madam said he to her I know not whether I have any but for affection I dare assure you never had any man so much as I have for you and that if I were to lose my life to make good this truth I should do it chearfully No Persander replied she you shall not need to do anything of that nature and without losing your life it shall suffice only that you hence forward lose all sight of me Ah Madam how cruel is that word only and how little does it oblige me For I think it more insupportable to be ever deprived of your sight than my life But Madam do you speak to me in good earnest I do Persander said she to him and Plotina shall tell you the reason of it Whereupon I told Persander what scandalous reports were scattered up and down whereof he had not heard any thing before for being of a nature very sensible as to reputation his friends durst not tell him any thing I had no sooner acquainted him therewith but Persander casting himself on his knees at Caesonias feet Alas Madam said he to her can you lay this misfortune to my charge to mine I say who love you without acquainting you so much and have that power over my self as to conceal the most eager and most violent Passion that ever was However divine Caesonia continued this afflicted Lover I shall willingly not be innocent and to make me guilty there shall need no more than that my love hath caused you the least disquiet But Madam all criminals are not banished there are more kinds of punishment than one No no
she was desired so as Valeria after she had shut the door had liberty to pour out her tears Now her imagination representing unto her both at once Herminius unfaithful and Herminius dead she was sensible of as much sorrow as love was able to inflict This Ladie having a most tender soul and loving Herminius most ardently her grief was stronger than her anger at the first But when Emilius was gone and Flavia came unto her Closer this afflicted Ladie changed her thoughts For being one who had heard Herminius swear a thousand and a thousand times that he would be eternally faithful her anger grew stronger than her grief Come Flavid said Valeria unto her with as many sighs as words what say you now of perfidious Herminius I cannot tell what to think of his perfidie answered Flavia because appearances are very uncertain and deceitful But I am much afflicted at his death and I must confess I am much surprized to see you more moved at his inconstancy than it Oh Flavia said she I know not well which moves me most for I am so full of grief so full of anger so full of confusion at my own weakness so full of tenderness for unfaithful Herminius so full of hatred for inconstant Herminius and so full of confused thoughts as I know not what I think what I would have or what I say How can I think Herminius whose thoughts I believed so generous should be perfidious he who I have heard say a hundred times that honesty and sincerity ought to be in love as well as in all other things of the world He I say who promised to love me until death he who swore unto me that the loss of youth and beautie should not extinguish his love he who protested unto me that absence would augment his passion And he who imagined that he should be continually melancholy as long as I was out of his sight And yet he forgot all his Oaths he diverted himself at Capua he became unfaithful and which is most strange he did not only forsake me but betray me for the last time he wrote unto me was with all imaginable tenderness Judge then Flavia if I be not the most silly person in the world to lament the death of this ungrateful person for whose sake I have so ill treated Mutius during his absence And I must confess to my shame that maugre his inconstancy maugre my anger and maugre my reason I would fain make a doubt of his perfidie and lament his death But what do I say reprehending her self and not giving Flavia time to speak No no I will not lament him but rather look upon his death as a just punishment of his perfidie and I ought to taste all the pleasure that a sweet revenge can give a wronged heart For Gods sake said Flavia unto her resolve with your self upon one of these thoughts which persecute you either love Herminius or else hate him either only grieve or be only angry and do not pass so suddenly from one thought to another lest this violent agitation should impair your health No no Flavia replied this afflicted fair one I cannot do as you advise nor at the present can I love or can I hate Herminius for as soon as I would hate him my imagination represents him unto me as he was when I was pleased with him and in a minute after does shew him unto me in his grave so as seeing him in that condition I know not what I should think nor do know whether I should wish him living and unfaithful For if he lived I might reclaim him from his infidelity he might repent it and I might hope to see him upon his knees asking pardon for his error and swear new fidelitie unto me But alas I cannot raise the dead and lamentable destinie that has taken him from the earth will never restore him neither unto Clelia nor me But oh Heavens said she and reprehended her self can I pronounce the name of her whom the ungrateful Herminius preferred before me and not hate him who is the cause of this injustice and not rejoyce at his death for though this person were the fairest woman in the world though she had all the wit upon earth and though she possessed all the vertues without exception yet Herminius were worthy of my hatred if he should forsake me for her And yet my imagination never represents his death unto me but I grieve extreamly for him and wish I could raise him from death But presently after imagining that if he were alive again he would not wish to live but to adore Clelia then maugre all sorrows I have not power to wish him alive again but my only desire is that I were dead as well as he After this Valeria was silent for the excess of her grief would not permit her to complain any longer Flavia then said as much unto her as wit and friendship could invent upon such an encounter For sometimes she accused Herminius to see whether that would lessen the affliction of her friend another while she would justifie him to make her grieve only without anger but whatsoever she said she cryed tears as well as she and for a quarter of an hour she did comfort her more by her Tears than her Reasons But love being a passion full of odd devices to torment those that are possessed with it Valeria would sometimes accuse those very tears which did comfort her and take it ill that Flavia should so much lament Herminius Oh Flavia said she never lament the loss of a man who perhaps was as perfidious a friend as a Lover and let me have some share in loose tears which you so prodigally shed Herminius is culpable but I am innocent and miserable and more miserable than ever any was since at one and the same instant I suffer under two of the greatest pains that one can be sensible of Yes yes my dear Flavia added this fair afflicted one I defie the Tyrant Tarquin and all the Tyrants upon earth to invent torments equal unto mine For though Herminius were alive yet the apprehension of his perfidie is enough to make me the most miserable person in the world And though on the contrary Herminius should not be perfidious yet should I be the most unfortunate of my Sex in losing all that I loved all that I ever can love Judge then if in having both these torments upon me at once I am not excusable in giving my self over to despair and in desiring an end unto my life as the only remedie against all my miseries I should never end Madam if I should repeat all the complaints of Valeria who did nothing but complain until night constrained her to go home but when she was ready to go and was upon the stairs pulling down-her hood to hide her tears a thought came into her mind which made her go back into the Closet again and beseeth Flavia to grant her one favour If what
get you out of their hands Ah my Lord replyed Teraminta offer it not unless you have a mind to hasten my death for he who is now in discourse with Titus hath order to kill me if any tumult should happen that might oblige him either to fly or stand upon his own defence So that from the time I have been speaking he hath about him the Poniard that 's design'd to take away my life and did he but know what I now tell you I should not long survive Ah! Teraminta cryed he with extreme precipitation It is then in vain to deliberate This Envy hearing him speak so loud came along with Titus to him and asked him what resolution he had taken but Teraminta preventing him and desirous to enflame his generosity as much as might be told him that Tiberius was resolved not to quit the Party he was in and that she had no more to say to him Pardon me there replyed bluntly the Envoy you have yet something to say to him as much as a last farewell amounts to for assure your self the Queen is so far perswaded that you have an absolute power over Tiberius that she will never believe you have done all that lay in your power so that she being violent and mischievous may be easily induc'd to make use against you of that right whereby the life of a slave is at the mercy of the master While the Envoy was speaking thus Tiberius looked on Teraminta whose inviting eyes seemed to beg life at his hands Insomuch that the danger wherein he saw her filling his mind with all the fatal images which the death of a person beloved might raise in that of a Lover he presently yielded and thought it better to hazard all than to lose Teraminta He thereupon told the Envoy that provided they would secure his Father's life he would be of Tarquin's party and would do all that lay in his power to ruine the newly erected Common-wealth Teraminta durst not for the present oppose Tiberius besides that notwithstanding her great generosity she was not displeased to receive such an expression of affection from a Lover she had so much tenderness for In the mean time Titus who saw not Ocrisia as Tiberius did Teraminta would not so easily comply with his Brother but the other who was wont ever to guide him by his judgment spoke to him as a man that had taken a resolution which nothing should alter So that Titus thinking it a dishonour to seem less tender of Ocrisia than Tiberius was of Teraminta submitted to him Not but that Tiberius had a great strugling in his soul but he was young he was a lover he saw his Mistress exposed to death and he could not be perswaded but that he who promised him his Fathers life would be as good as his word Besides running over things confusedly he thought that if the design took their Father should depend on him and Titus whereas now they depended on their Father whom they at first made some difficulty to obey Tarquin's Envoy seeing things thus onward to the design put Teraminta into the hands of an ancient slave who had waited on her and looked after her ever since she came to Rome and carried back these two young Lovers to their friends Tiberius would needs be the last because he would have said something to Teraminta but the other not desirous to leave him behind suffered him not to deliver himself of all he had to say nor Teraminta to answer what she could have desired so that the best interpreters of their several apprehensions were their eyes The Envoy having brought Brutus's Sons among the Conspirators they were received with inexpressible joy they promised them what they would themselves and thought those who were come from Tarquin were resolved to begin the execution of their design with the death of Brutus and Valerius yet did they not discover their intention to all that were present they told them that the first thing to be done was to secure the persons of the two Consuls but as to the design of dispatching them it was kept as a great secret and the better to blind the Sons of Brutus they said that because Tarquin had been banished from Rome because he was charg'd with too much cruelty care should be taken to avoid it where it were not necessary so to perswade the people that he was now of another judgment Tiberius and Titus being secure as to their Fathers life soon digested that aversion which they had at first to engage in that party Besides that it being ordinary in young men unacquainted with affairs to be glad of something to do they did as the rest and behaved themselves as young men whose hearts are full of their first love and first apprehensions of ambition They therefore considered of all the courses they should take to execute their design and for the space of three or four days during which time the Senate were still debating the propositions put in by the Envoys they met divers times in several places to give an account of what progress they had made But the Senate having at last granted the Envoys the liberty to carry away whatever belonged to Tarquin and the Princes his Sons they to gain time desir'd further the permission to give him notice that had sent them and that they might send for Chariots and Mules sufficient to carry away such abundance of things as belong'd to a Prince who had impoverished all the Families of Rome to enrich himself So that this last favour being also granted they imploy'd the time assigned them to accomplish their conspiracy What was most remarkable was that there were a many of Brutus's kindred in it and that Tiberius whom Teraminta could never have perswaded had she endeavour'd it was one of the most earnest of the conspirators merely because he would save the life and secure the liberty of a person that had a Soul great enough to give him an advice so generous and full of vertue Now the Envoys thought that Teraminta had really prevail'd with Tiberius and thereupon permitted a little discourse between them sometimes but the more she urged the things she had said before the more was he strengthen'd in the resolution he had taken to deliver her Tarquin's Envoys in the mean time prudently labouring the safety of that Prince who was to come in the night and with certain Troops seize the City as soon as they had secured the Consuls and possessed themselves of one of the Gates would needs oblige all the Conspirators to write to the Tyrant to assure him of their fidelity They at first made some difficulty at it and the business came to so long and so loud a dispute one night that they were at Brutus's Brother-laws who was also one of the conspiracy that a slave named Vindicius seeing them ready to come to blows hearkned at the Hall door what pass'd between people that seem'd to be so exasperated one against
a friend to Clelius Brutus Valerius and Herminius and a servant to Clelia Look upon me I say as an enemy and expect not I should write any thing to the King my Father to ensnare him into your interests He understands his own better replyed Tarquin than to refuse his protection to a Prince forced away by his rebellious Subjects and consequently not to joyn with me If he do it replies generously Aronces I shall be the most unfortunate of men as being reduced to such an extremity as that I cannot bear Arms against you and if he do it not I shall infallibly make one among your enemies Tarquin observing with what constancy Aronces spoke and attributing it to the strongest passion he had for Clelia was so much the more exasperated against him insomuch that though he ought in point of policy to humour that illustrious captive yet could he not forbear to give him a bitter answer telling him that if he were treated any better than he should it was not for his own sake However he sends to Porsenna to acquaint him that he had taken his Son in Arms yet that he did not detain him as an enemy but only to keep him from getting into Rome where he might marry Clelia who was then at liberty That knowing it was not his intention it should be so he sent him notice of it intreating and exhorting him to take his part that he would remember the alliance there was between them and to consider his cause as such as might be that of all Kings This done Tarquin went in person from City to City to beg assistance of his neighbors taking along with him the Princes Son 's to raise the more compassion in the people But Tarquin being rather feared than loved he was not received favourably any where but among the Veientes for which reason he took the more pains to win them into his party than any other besides that Veiae was one of the most considerable Cities of all Tuscany It was as big as Athens extreamly populous and very rich the inhabitants were stout men and the Countrey belonging thereunto reached from the Janiculus to Tarquinia and from thence to the Mountain Soracie towards the County of the Falisci being seated high in a fertile Country about fourteen miles from Rome and consequently very sit for the commodious entertainment of an Army and withal strangely to incommodate the Romans Besides which Tarquin being confident that the people of Tarquinia which was also a very strong City would be for him thought that if he could but joyn the Veientes and the Tarquinians together they would be strong enough to reduce Rome He therefore was extreamly desirous to engage them into his interests and being loath to trust any one to perswade those whom he would gain he provided to speak himself The Council whereby that considerable City was governed met together Tarquin being followed only by the two Princes his Sons with a small train to raise the greater pity in those whom he would make partners in his disgraces And as men are generally moved at extraordinary accidents so how tyrannical soever Tarquin might have been those he spoke to being not his subjects but his neighbors and allies they heard him with respect and had a great compassion for him Tarquin was not certainly any of the handsomest men yet had he I know not what that was great amidst his fierceness which was not unsuitable to his birth Add to that his being followed by the Princes his Sons who were very handsom men did as it were soften the hearts of those who saw Princes of such high birth become unfortunate in so small a time Tarquin therefore being placed where he was to speak doing his humour a certain violence began now to intreat who had never before but commanded You see generous Veientes said he to them what haply others never did that is an unfortunate King that hath lost a Crown in a moment while he exposed his life at the Siege of Ardaea for the glory of those who forced him away I make no Apology for all the pretended violences which my enemies reproach me with for the just limits of lawful authority and tyrannical power are not so precisely designed by reason but that men may sometimes call that tyrannie which is no more than an expression of his vigor who governs Without any examination therefore whether my Politicks have been guilty of too much rigor or not I shall only say that should I have been unjust yet are my subjects nevertheless criminal and that my neighbors are obliged to assist me You will haply tell me That Monarchical States are more concerned in my protection than you are but I may answer you that it is no less your concernment than theirs and that the consequences of it may prove as dangerous in relation to your government as to any other of a different nature For in fine to speak properly the King is not the object of the peoples hatred but the power that keeps them in subjection For he that would search into the hearts of all Nations in the world would find very often that those who live in Republiques would gladly live under Kings and that those that live under Kings would fain live under a Common-wealth So that it concerns you to punish the rebellion of my subjects unless you would give an ill example to those who at the present obey you as being such as haply are perswaded that they cannot but with expectation of punishment disobey you You know moreover generous Veientes that there is a natural antipathy between the Romans and you which should oblige you to embrace any just occasion to revenge your selves for the antient injuries they have done you Embrace it then generously and forsake not an unfortunate King forced away not only by his subjects but by his nearest kindred who have snatched the Crown from him with their own hands and who yet are forced to divide his power because there was not any one among them that deserved the sole possession of it to himself Be not afraid to have to do with a sort of men who since they have proved rebellious to their King will certainly prove traitors one to another We shall triumph without trouble if you will but assist me But above all things that which is of greatest concernment is expedition so that my enemies may not have time to fortifie themselves by a conjunction of parties Assist me then generous Veientes revenge your Troops heretofore defeated by the Roman Legions and assume to your selves the glory of having re-instated a King in his Throne who shall not otherwise employ the power he shall by your means recover than to revenge you on your enemies if there happen to be any that shall presume to molest you when we shall be joyned together The Tarquinians will be on our side and if you will take my advice you will not stay till all other Nations
may imagine if he please his resolution to continue still at Eryx proceeded from a certain confidence that his Father could not be so rigorous as to disinherit him meerly because he was in love with one of the most excellent persons in the world And when it was done it was no extraordinary prudence in him to bear his misfortune with constancy and to oblige you to think he deserved well at your hands But be it suppos'd that he should be willing to lose all for your sake yet cannot matter of fortune be compared to life which Alcimedes was content to cast away out of an excess of love For Lisydas whom grief deprived of reason I must confess I am so much the further to seek why he should presume to contend with Alcimedes for we never recompence any actions but the voluntary And if that be granted what pretence hath he to stand so much upon the misfortune that is happened to him when it is evident that it happened to him against his will Besides it may haply be attributed as much to the weakness of his constitution as to the greatness of his love But for Alcimedes when he gave himself a stab with a Ponyard it was his desire and set purpose to do it his Will guided his Hand and Love forced his Will so that the merit of his action is out of all controversie For Melicrates I must acknowledge he hath done a thing very obliging in being content to be unjustly accused rather than to give the least occasion that you should be unjustly suspected But all considered this action which at first sight seems so is not so glorious as is imagined for Melicrates having committed a fault in coming to your Garden without your knowledge had it been just in him to prejudice your reputation or was it any more than fit that he should bear the burthen and punishment of his own crime Besides Madam while he made you this expression of his Love he wanted not the satisfaction of knowing himself to be innocent and that thought him no less nay he might be guilty of a further perswasion that in case you ever thought so well of him as to marry him it would be easie for you one day to vindicate him But for Alcimedes Madam his very resolution to die amounts to this that in you he placed his Estate his Reason his Glory and all things since you had no sooner forbidden him to hope but he inferr'd he had no longer to live But it may be objected that Alcimedes is a person crush'd with the troubles of life one that looks on life as a thing indifferent and is not acquainted with the enjoyments thereof On the contrary Madam you know him to be a lover of life a man born to joy and studies all the entertainments that may be had and yet four words disdainfully pronounced have caused a dissolution of all the engagements he had to cherish life and forced him to die for your sake in the most amorous manner that a Lover could be induced to die in Had he dyed to do you some service he might have found some satisfaction in dying but to be content to dye without the least hope of being so much as pittied is the highest expression of affection that can be given for it must needs be that Alcimedes at the very instant that he was first transported by despair was perswaded he could not live without you that he could never cease loving you that it was not in the power of time to ease him that the earth afforded not any thing could satisfie him and that only death could mitigate the torments love had put him into Let not then Caliantes make any further comparison between what he hath done and what Alcimedes hath for a man may slight the goods of Fortune out of a thousand considerations less forcible than that of love Let Lisydas quit his claim since that a simple melancholly vapor without any cause of affliction may put a man to the loss of his Reason And let not Melicrates boast so much of the sacrifice he hath made of his reputation since he only engaged a thing which he might one day recover whereas Alcimedes hath been willing to lose for your sake what can never be either recovered or recalled again Let your judgement then Madam be given in his favour who is the most amorous of those that adore you and I beseech you to consider how dangerous it were to hazard a second time the life of a person so considerable as Alcimedes When Alcimedes 's friend had given over speaking the whole Company fixed their eyes on Artelisa to see by her countenance what impression this discourse had made in her heart But there being an order made that none should speak till the four friends of the unfortunate Lovers had given in their reasons no body spoke only Teramus whispered some pleasant things to Clarinta which done he who was to maintain the cause of Caliantes spoke thus CALIANTES 's Plea I Must confess Madam that the person who hath spoken for Alcimedes hath very pertinently urged all that could be said to weaken the pretences of Lisydas and Melicrates insomuch that I have not any thing to add to what he hath said against them But I must withal make it appear to you that he hath not spoken with the same force against Caliantes and that he hath not so much proved the right of Alcimedes as discovered the unjust pretences of two of his Rivals To discover this truth I am to let you understand that to judge aright of the merit of an action a man ought sometimes to consider all those that have preceded it nay many times those that follow it For I lay down this as an infallible rule that there is no man in the world so wicked whose life affords not some one action that might give men occasion to think he might be virtuous if there were no more known of him as also that there are few people so innocent in whose lives there may not some action be found which being stripped of all those circumstances that might render it innocent or excusable might not give some occasion to think them less virtuous than they are Let not therefore Alcimedes pretend that we ought to measure the greatness of his love by one single action of his life and that an action proceeding rather from indignation than love and is more likely to argue the despair of a voluptuous person exasperated at the loss of his pleasures than a Lover afflicted as the cruelty of his Mistriss I shall not deny but Alcimedes loves life and that he discovers no less by his courting of all the enjoyments thereof but shall not grant that he loves you as much as Caliantes does whose affliction hath appeared without interest from the first beginning thereof to the end Alcimedes was willing enough to live for your sake while he looked on you as a person that might
prove the means of his felicity but it no sooner came into his thoughts that you had destroyed his pleasures by eluding his hope but he abhors himself and by a violent motion to which true passion does not contribute any thing he would needs die not knowing precisely why he should live no longer Add to this that death is not a thing so terrible as it is imagined and it is evident from thousands of examples that Love is not the most ordinary cause thereof in the hearts of desperate persons There are some that rush upon it of themselves for fear of receiving if from the hands of their enemies others to avoid being well treated by them others to prevent the inconveniencies of old age others out of a fear of abating any thing of their enjoyments and others out of an irrational melancholly which makes them hate life But for Caliantes if we consider all he hath done for you since he fell in love with you we shall find that in being content to embrace poverty for your sake he hath done the greatest and most heroick action that ever Lover did For you know Madam that when he first directed his affections to you he was prodigiously rich and prodigiously liberal and yet rather than want your sight he suffers all to be taken from him he hath no further employment for a virtue wherin he placed his greatest satisfaction he puts himself into a condition of asking rather than giving and while he does this he declares to you that he will love you eternally even without any hope for you know that as soon as he fell into misfortune he plainly told you he would not be so irrational as to be guilty of a wish to see you engaged in his fortunes Accordingly hath he undergone his misfortune with no less constancy than love till such time as the gods having bestowed on him more than he had lâ—st have put him into a condition to discover his passion to you by re-admitting hope into his heart Judge then Madam what recompence that man deserves who hath voluntarily lost his fortune though he could not lose it without the loss of all the hopes of happiness who in his misfortune hath preserved his passion without any interest and who in his good fortune makes a new sacrifice of his heart to you You see Madam that Caliantes hath done something for you more noble than to kill himself For grief is a resentment much more tender than indignation You also perceive that the loss of reason is not so great an exprission of love as for a man to have employ'd his reason to do an action that speaks a great generosity and withal a great passion and for what concerns Melicrates the sacrifice he hath made of his reputation is not so considerable as what Caliantes hath done For Melicrates hath done nothing against any one when he was content to be suspected but Caliantes not only loses his fortune but disobeys a Father and consequently does an unjust thing which he never had done had he not loved you as much as it is possible to love any one So that Madam if you consider what went before and what followed Caliantes's action you will find that he hath expressed more love to you than all his Rivals and consequently deserves to be preferred before them Be not therefore dazled with actions seemingly glorious which truly considered argue less true love and less generosity than that of my friend and I beseech you bethink your self whether a magnificent and liberal person who became poor for your sake and being grown rich again would bestow all on you deserves not your heart before any other Caliantes 's Advocate had no sooner given over speaking but he that was to plead for Lisydas assum'd the discourse in this manner LISYDAS 's Plea I Know not Madam whether the friendship I have for Lisydas makes me partial but am perswaded that none of his Rivals have so much right to your affection as he For to speak rationally the heart of a fair Lady can never be more justly bestow'd than when it is bestow'd on the most unfortunate conditionally he be the most amorous and be otherwise a person that knows how to value her love for I must confess that love without desert gives not any man a lawful right to pretend to the possession of an excellent Ladies heart This granted Madam must it not be withal acknowledged that Lisydas deserves your affection much beyond any of his Rivals He hath loved you ever since you were a fit object of love that is ever since you were in the world Nay he hath had some ground to hope he should not be slighted he hath seen the new victories you have gain'd without quitting that hope and though you have not in a manner done any thing for him yet hath he serv'd you with extraordinary respect without any complaints or repining But when you took away the hope he was in you took away withal his reason and through an excess of love to which nothing can be compared we find that your power over him is equal to that of the gods who only can give and take away their reason from them In so much that to make it appear you were absolute Mistriss of his destiny You no sooner looked kindly on him but he recovered the use es his reason and men have seen again in Lisydas that great and divertive mind which hath got him the love and esteem of all that know him To sit down quietly with the loss of an estate there needs no more than generosity for a man to give himself a stab with a Poniard there needs only a minute of fury which he repents him of a quarter of an hour after for a man to expose his reputation he needs do no more than set himself above what the world can say of him but for a man to lose his reason upon the hearing of four scornful words argues him to be the most amorous of men and consequently the most worthy to be loved For all considered this strange accident could not possibly have happened to Lisydas any otherwise than through an excessive grief which could proceed from no other cause than the passion he hath for you Be pleas'd then Madam to make serious reflections on the power you have over him and thence I beseech you consider what affliction it must needs be to you if your cruelty should force him to a relapse into that misfortune out of which you have delivered him by a seeming kindness For Caliantes he was able to live without hope while he was poor Alcimedes being cured of his wound will not offer to kill himself a second time and to prevent it you need do no more than forbid him to do so But for Lisydas Madam he must infallibly lose either his reason or his life if you do him not justice Make choice then of the most unfortunate since he is the most amorous and is
a person of that worth that he deserves you 'T were a horrid injustice in you to reproach him with a misfortune which you had been the occasion of and it were as strange a cruelty to expose him to a relapse after you had once recovered him For to what end have you restored his reason if you intend not to make him happy Think on him Madam think on him but let it be with a mixture of equity and generosity if you would not run the hazard of being charged at the same time with injustice and inhumanity Whereupon Melicrates 's friend advancing and he who had spoke last resigning his place to him began his discourse thus MELICRATES's Plea THose things which happen seldom Madam do certainly require our consideration after a very particular manner and what ordinarily happens never causes much admiration Hence is it I must confess that I can without any manner of astonishment speak of what is happened to Alcimedes Caliantes and Lisydas because there are a many examples of their adventures Divers Lovers have lost their reason through aresentment of grief many have loved without interest and not a few have endeavoured to die out of despair but never any Lover besides Melicrates hath been content to expose his reputation out of a pure sentiment of Love I beseech you Madam do but imagine you see Melicrates a person infinitely respecting his reputation full of honor and noble worth content to be accused of an Assassinate the basest and most horid of all crimes rather than give the least ground of suspicion that you had any kindness for him and I am confident your own hert will prove his Advocate and will not be able to resist his Love For were it just to stick at a thing so easie to be resolved on for to say something of the several actions of these Lovers according to ordinary reason he who sacrifices his life does an action that is more difficult that what he does who only loses an Estate he who loses his reason out of an excess of Love seems to pretend to something that is more proper to demonstrate the greatness of his passion than he that would kill himself but he that is content to lose his honor does questionless much more than he who loses his estate than who loses his life and than he who loses his reason But what makes the main difference between him and his Rivals is that the actions whereby they pretend to discover the greatness of their love are not purely voluntary as Caliantes 's friend hath well observed for when the Father of that Lover disiâ—â—erited him it was far from Caliantes to desire any such thing Alcimedes giving himself a stab with a Poniard wanted the freedom of his Will his fury being at that time the absolute Mistriss of it and be knew not haply what he did and for Lisydas 't is out of all question he would not have chosen extravagance to give his Mistress an assurance of his affection had it depended meerly on his Will But for Melicrates he willingly took upon him the shame of a lewd action out of a scrupulous sentiment of love for in fine without doing any thing against the respect he ought you he might have justified himself since he needed no more than to say that without your knowledge he is come to your house But he very well imagining that the world would not have believed the relation he might have made of the business chose rather out of an unparallel'd generosity to suffer himself to be accus'd than to expose you to the suspicion of having given him a meeting So that the violent passion he hath ever had for glory notwithstanding he was satisfied to have only you of the world conscious of his innocence Nay he thought it indeed some satisfaction to make you so great a sacrifice and one so particular that I dare affirm there never was the like as I said before To be short if you well consider this action you will find it much more hard to do than it seems to be at first sightâ— How hard a thing do you conceit it must needs have been to Melicrates to lose the esteem of his Rivals had he not infinitely loved you You are haply surpriz'd at this manner of speaking yet can I not but account it rational For it is certain that whoever hath a great and noble heart is in a manner no less desirous of the esteem of his Rivals than of his Mistress though it proceeded from different sentiments In a word Madam What Melicrares hath done for you is so great and so heroick that it in some sort derogates from the justice of his cause to use so many words so weak as mine are to maintain it Be pleas'd then only to remember Madam that he having lost his reputation for your sake you will infallibly lose yours if you preferr any of his Rivals before him As soon as he who had pleaded for Melicrates had given over speaking the Princess Clarinta commanded him and the other three who had apologiz'd for the other three Lovers to withdraw Which done she asked the company what they thought of the business enjoyning all those that had heard the reasons of the four Lovers to give Artelisa faithful advice whose thoughts no doubt were not over-quiet For Teramus he declar'd for him who was content to lose his Estate Meriander for Lisydas Anaximenes for Alcimedes Merigenes for Melicrates for whom I was also my self there were some others of our side as well as the Ladies and the business grew so hot that it begat a new dispute amongst us much more earnest than the other for every one would maintain his own opinion For my part saies Teramus at last smiling I know but one raional expedient whereby to detemine this so great a difference and withal to give Artelisa good counsel All thronging together to hear what this expedient should be 't is this said he that the fair Artelisa discarding these four Lovers should pitch upon a fifth This advice indeed is like your self replies Clarinta smiling but Artelisa if she will be rul'd by me will not follow it and yet I must confess I am very much troubled what to advise her to for poor Caliantes who is so generous I cannot but pitty Alcimedes a person of so much worth and of a disposition so violent raises in me both a compassion and a fear for him Lisydas I am also extreamly troubled for Melicrates hath done an action so noble that I shall have much ado to suffer he should be unfortunate and if I am not mistaken Artelisa will be as much to seek in the business as I am I must confess it Madam replied she but to speak sincerely I am one of the most unfortunate persons in the world to be the occasion that so many excellent persons must be unfortunate But it were not amiss saies Anaximenes after we have examined whether of these four Lovers
those two persons who of all the world were the dearest to me I must needs lose my glory and be unjust ungrateful and unnatural For when I reflect on the Prince of Pometia and imagine him dead I hate him that kill'd him be he what he will But when I also consider Brutus and imagine I see him dead after he had acquired so much Fame the object of my hatred is changed and I abhor him by whose means he lost his life So that hating sometimes the one sometimes the other and yet having a passionate affection for both I suffer an affliction that cannot be parallell'd In the mean time I condemn my own tears and at the same instant that I think it just to weep away my life an imagination comes into me that I ought not to bestow my tears on either For if I bewail Brutus I bewail him that kill'd the person I had the greatest affection for and who had no less for me and if I bestow my tears on that unfortunate Lover I do it on him that hath deprived me of the most illustrious Brother that ever Sister had and for whom I had the tenderest friendship that nature and virtue can raise in the heart of a person that can love well What shall I then do wretch that I am whom shall I blame whom shall I bemoan and on whether of the two shall I bestow most tears You may in my opinion saies Valeria bewail them both innocently for they had an esteem and respect for one the other and fortune having disposed them in the head of two contrary Armies Honor obliged them to fight as if they had not So that you must not look on them as the occasions of one anothers death there is a great difference between Battels and single Combats a man is not at his choice whom to kill and therefore the only person to be hated is Sextus as being the cause of the War and so you are allowed to bemoan your illustrious Brother and Lover Ah! my dear Valeria reply'd she sighing 't were in vain to forbid me for I find that if death do not suddenly close these eyes they will be eternally open to tears No question Valeria but I shall ever bewail both my illustrious Brother and my illustrious Lover and that I shall ever feel the saddest sentiments that can proceed from an affectionate friendship and a passionate love when one hath lost in so fatal a manner the objects of both and cannot accordingly ever after hope for so much as one moment of pleasure or one minute of rest Nay added this afflicted Beauty had I lost them by some other way as that if Sparius had kill'd the unfortunate Prince of Pometia and Tarquin the unfortunate Brutus it were some kind of comfort to me to have a horrid aversion for those that had taken away their lives For hatred is a passion that employs and diminishes grief People send up their imprecations against those that are the cause of it they endeavour to ruine them and rejoyce at their death when it happens But all this is forbidden me and grief and joy cannot be innocently together in my heart I can neither love nor hate without a secret remorse which puts me into a confusion and without feeling my self seiz'd by a certain fury whereof I dare not search into the bottom of my soul for the cause for fear I should find it to be a criminal one In fine nature friendship love and virtue furnish me with so many several thoughts that I think it will cost me the loss of my reason While Hermilia strugled with sentiments so sad so passionate and so disordered it was resolv'd in the Senate that Valerius should be received in triumph as well to do his valour a justice as to make the victory of the Roman Army the more remarkable that the partisans of Tarquin might not weaken the relation of it by those false reports which they scatter'd among the people Lucretius and Valerius as the most considerable of the Senate omitted nothing that might contribute to the honor of Valerius living or Brutus dead The Consul acquainted with the resolution of the Senate discamp'd and caus'd his Army to march back into Rome in the same order that it had left it The Lictors with the Ax and Fasces went before him which was the first time they did it for that honor was proper only to the first Consul Valerius march'd in the midst of his Forces a triumphal Chariot before him whereon was the body of Brutus covered with black Tapistry purfled with Gold And to do him the greater honor the Body was set upon the richest spoils of the enemy for there were seen Ensigns starting out on both sides sumptuous Arms in divers places and magnificent Bucklers all about Several prisoners chain'd follow'd the Chariot of the illustrious deceas'd it being Valerius's design to express thereby that he only deserved the honor of the triumph But it being requisite to infuse courage into the people Valerius had not any thing of mourning either in his Arms or his Equipage On the other side all the people of Rome went as far as they could to meet Valerius and the high way as he past along was all bordered with Tables well furnish'd whence the people took divers things to present to the Soldiers as they passed by who yet made no stay to receive them The way was strew'd with flowers and the Senate in Body met Valerius without the City Gates All the streets were hung with rich Tapistry and all the Ladies at the windows to see the solemnity pass by But after all notwithstanding those great demonstrations of Victory the sight of the Chariot wherein the body of the illustrious Brutus was caused more tears of grief than of joy to be shed In the mean time Valerius according to the pious custom of the Romans went to the Temple to offer to the gods the spoils of the enemy as it were to acknowledge victory came from them Which done having caused the body of Brutus to be placed under a mourning Canopy in the midst of the spacious place that was before Jupiter's Temple and put on a black Robe such as were then worn in publick Mournings he went up into the place appointed for those who had some Order to communicate to the people and by that means as 't is thought at least proved the first institutor at Rome of that laudable custom of making Elogies on illustrious men deceased a thing in use long before among the Grecians Valerius therefore being compassed by the Senate all the persons of quality in Rome and an innumerable multitude of people who by an awful silence seemed to expect what he would say to them began to speak in these terms BRUTUS's Funeral Oration IT were injustice in me generous Romans to enjoy the honor of the victory without acquainting you that it is to this illustrious deceased Person that you owe it and putting
Ungrateful Fair another with Ungrateful Iris a third with What strange ingratitude is this of yours a fourth with The ungrateful beauty which I serve and another which pronounces All that 's handsome is ungrateful To conclude Ingratitude is so general a thing that a man would almost protest against obliging any person and for fear of doing any thing for one that may afterwards prove ungrateful resolve to do nothing at all but to live so as only to live without taking care of any thing For Ingratititude said Aemilius who all this while had been silent I assent to you that there is too much of it in the world I am of your opinion answered Herminius but there would be much less of it if there were no slothfulness and idleness for they are usually supine and negligent persons who are most ungrateful and who are willing to be oblig'd by all the world without obliging any body In truth said Plotina you have all a great stock of wit and methinks you are in the humour to day of expressing more than ordinary and therefore I beseech you satisfie me of two things which I am desirous to know First Which is most shameful to be a sluggard for want of wit or for want of courage and Secondly to examine well all the different ingratitudes the world is full of and determine which is the greatest for there are various kinds For my own particular I have a she-friend who makes no account of the services which are done her but forgets a thousand considerable good offices without ever thinking of retribution and who because she is fair and loves her beauty better than her self if I may so speak never forgets one flattery or commendation but will do much more for them which deceive her provided it be in her own praise than for those who do her real services What you speak of said Cesonia fails out very frequently but before speaking of ingratitude let us discourse a little concerning these idle persons whose idleness has divers causes I know some who are so only because they are careless for they have wit enough and testifie also in some occasions when they are forced to it that they want no courage and besides it is not perceiv'd that they have any bad qualities These people answered Herminius are culpable in the highest degree for I know nothing more strange than to be unprofitable both to the world and ones self to have wit and do nothing with it and a certain indifferent mind which causes a man not to interest himself in any thing to have neither ambition nor love and to live with a negligence that renders him incapable of all great pleasures For my own part I should almost like it better for a man to addict himself to something not altogether good than not to apply himself to any thing at all As for me replied Plotina I am of Herminius's mind and I judge it more shameful to be an eternal idler for want of having the Will to attempt something than to do nothing for want of Will For what reason is there to accuse a poor stupid person who by engaging himself in action would only manifest his stupidity I affirm confidently that they to whom the gods have been sparing of the riches of the mind are happy when they assign them an unactive life withal so that they remain hidden in their own obscurity This deficiency causes the same effect in them which prudence does in others by restraining them from appearing unbecomingly in the world For there is none but knows there are people which would not be spoken of if they were not in great employments of whom a thousand dispraises are rumour'd because they acquit themselves ill of what they rashly undertake Promote a hair-brain'd man to the management of State-affairs and one faint-hearted to command an Army and you will find it convenient there were more idle persons than there are For idle persons injure none but themselves but they which manage employments they are unworthy of oftentimes overthrow the order of the world They make war when there is a greater necessity for peace and contrarily make peace when 't is more convenient to undertake a war and not understanding the import of their own actions it would be better they did nothing at all For which reason upon due consideration I judge it more reasonable to censure impertinent busie-bodies than those miserable lazy-backs who seek ease and oft-times do better by indulging their own quiet than by forsaking it to become active Let us leave them therefore in their happy idleness answered Cesonia and I repent me of my curiosity I had to know distinctly the different degrees of contempt I ought to allot them in my mind I cannot leave them yet replied Herminius but I must tell you that the most criminal of all idle persons are they who addict themselves to nothing when they are oblig'd by necessity to betake themselves to the employment which fortune has given them For though all idleness is blame-worthy yet when a man addicts himself to nothing and chooses no profession but out of choice floth or incapacity or some other reason passes his life in so great sluggishness that he might in a manner die without the loss of pleasure or benefit to any and even without being sensible of it himself it is sufficient to reprehend and slight him But when we see a man who by his birth and his own election is instated in a great employment which requires him to act and he does not he is to be hated and despised According to my judgement said Amilcar ye have much reason for this but yet there are people worse than those idle ones you speak of I beseech you interpos'd Cesonia tell us who they are for my part I cannot comprehend there can be any such They are those answered Amilcar who being engag'd in a great employment do not cease to forecast how to acquit themselves of it that they may enjoy a certain quiet which hath always some pleasure in it yet having a kind of humorousness in their heads which I cannot express they do not the things they are obliged to but busie themselves in matters which they might better dispense with and neglect all their lives and to which they have no engagement For when I see a Priest omit the care of the Temple he ministers to that knows nothing of the quality of Victims and scarce the ceremonies of a Sacrifice but yet discourses well concerning War Musick and Hunting I am possess'd with the most pleasant indignation in the world for at the same time I contemn him I take infinite delight to mock and abuse him When I observe a Senator with his grave aspect which he sometimes sets off with a little constraint ignorant of the Laws of his Countrey and going about to play the Gallant with a Lady who derides his bad courtship I conclude he will do better to keep in
in this manner with the less scruple was that he apprehended reasons of State might require Elismonda to marry Melanthus But though he acquitted himself with fidelity of whatsoever trust that Prince reposed in him in order to the success of his design yet he was glad to see that according to all appearances the Princess would never be brought to comply with his desires and he accounted himself happy in knowing she had both esteem and friendship for him and seeing himself equally endear'd to two Princesses so accomplish'd as Elismonda Andronice But when Eumenes after they were retir'd in private spoke to him of the adventure of the Picture he reprov'd him friendly And What intended you to your self said he to him seriously in exposing your self and me also to danger Had I believ'd I should have brought you into danger answer'd Hortensius I would never have committed this odd prank And since my dear Eumenes continued he you know the secret of my heart and have understood I lov'd Elismonda before my self having discover'd it before I knew I did so you may easily conjecture how unhappy I am who have taken so strange a course for my consolation But I beseech you do not suspect me of intending ever to betray my Master No Eumenes I will betray my own love for his interest and rather lose my life than commit an unworthiness If the War did not detain me here and I could with honor forsake my Prince so long as he has his sword in his hand I should undoubtedly do it rather than be engag'd in such a difficulty as doing service to a Rival with his Mistress But for that this cannot be I shall serve him faithfully in the pretensions he hath to Elismonda in spight of all the passion I have for her If this Princesses rigor towards Melanthus ceases I confess ingenuously I find not my soul firm enough to be a witness of his felicity but as soon as I should see him in a condition of being happy I should betake my self to wander about the world as the most unfortunate of men I should together forsake my Master and my Mistress and my Fortune and giving over all care of my Love go seek my death without discovering the cause of it to any other but your self But if Elismonda continue firm in her resolution of not marrying Melanthus I shall then endeavour to do the Princess service with him to the utmost of my power lest he changing his Love into hatred treat her rigorously and I shall adore her all my life in secret without knowing what course to take with my passion Thus my dear Eumenes continued he you see the naked sentiments of my Soul which I intreat you not to endeavour to alter for I well know your reason will not be able to do that to which my own has been ineffectual Whilst Hortensius was reasoning in this manner with Eumenes Elismonda being retir'd at night call'd Cleontine into her Closet and began to speak to her about the adventure of her Picture seeking to conjecture who might have had such boldness to detain it For my part said Cleontine to her I love not to seek that which I cannot find but I would only know Who you would be contented were the thief But Cleontine answer'd she smiling if I were to wish any thing I would wish this accident had never fallen out I have told you Madam already replyed Cleontine that I care not to have such an unprofitable curiosity and so you may judge I as little affect a wish or desire that serves to no purpose Therefore take matters in the state they are in and do me the favour to tell me whether you would have this prank committed by Melanthus or by the Prince of Cyparissa or by Hortensius or by some other I hate the first too much answer'd Elismonda and I have too great an aversion from the second to wish him guilty of this subtle deceit and perhaps I love the third too well to desire he were my Lover For indeed I would not that Hortensius were unhappy and he must assuredly be so in case he loves me If he could know what you say concerning him Madam reply'd Cleontine he were not much to be pittied I assure you said the Princess blushing that though I am not over well skill'd in love I believe that friendship is no great consolation to a Lover You speak so well what you are minded answer'd Cleontine smiling that I believe you understand more in Love than you imagine Alas Cleontine reply'd she smiling also who do you think should have taught me He that teaches Nightingals to sing so well in the Spring answer'd she may perhaps have taught you to speak after the manner you do However it be reply'd Elismonda I find it sufficient that I am Melanthus's prisoner without engaging my heart to be no longer free at all but I have a confidence 't is still my own and will be so for ever This Madam was the conversation of Elismonda and Cleontine But the next morning when the Prince of Messina and the Prince of Cyparissa were busied in the choice of Judges which were to preside at the Olympick Games Hortensius being desirous to gain a glory absolutely uninteressed would not concern himself in the affair And therefore he went to spend part of the afternoon with the Princess Elismonda who had then no other company but Cleontine the other Ladies being gone to the apartment of the Princess Andronice or that of the virtuous Elisante with intention to come back soon after to the Princess of Elis. Now the adventure of the preceding day being yet too fresh to be silenc'd Elismonda after the first civilities ask'd Hortensius Who he suspected to have taken away her picture and made those four Verses For in brief said she pleasantly retorting them upon the instant Knew I what Criminal hand it was Did this injurious part If he 'd restore my Picture back I 'd render him his heart Ah! Madam answer'd Hortensius did I know that unhappy person who loves you without daring to discover himself I think I should conceal him from you after what you have said for I look upon him as sufficiently punisht for the boldness he has to love you and to love you assuredly with very little hope without besides endangering him to be constrain'd to take back his heart and restore you your picture And moreover Madam continued he because there is no appearance this Lover can do any prejudice to the Prince whom I serve I conceive the compassion I have of him is not criminal I assure you answer'd she hastily Whoever that Unknown be he is more in favor with me than the Prince Melanthus can ever be in quality of a Lover But Madam said he would you be contented that Unknown knew what you say concerning him What I have said answer'd she being rather an effect of my hatred against Melanthus than kindness towards him I should
some of Aronces's Friends will discover it to him as soon as he shall be at liberty No question my Lord answered Clelia you may publish your resolution to all the World but you can never alter that which I have made never to be possessed by any person if I cannot be by Aronces Clelius was transported with very much violence at these words and left Clelia in incredible sorrow 'T is true Sulpitia comforted her with extream goodness for being she loved Aronoes and hated Horatius she interessed her self in the affliction of Clelia and omitted nothing conducive to her consolation Octavius likewise gave her all the occasions in the World to commend his generosity but in fine Aronces was absent and prisoner and if he were set at liberty she judged it would be only to manage the War against Rome and so she should become more miserable She likewise feared lest time might change the heart of Aronces and Horatius return to be as violent as he had formerly been whereby finding no advantage either in Peace or War she perpetually found her self unhappy But if she were unfortunate Aronces enjoyed no felicity for it was true the Queen his Mother accompanyed with the Princess of the Leontines went to him in the Island of Saules to propound to him in the name of the King either to resolve upon perpetual imprisonment or to take Arms against Rome in favor of Tarquin The very first thought of changing his side excited horror in him especially when he reflected that he should see himself with his Sword in his hand against the Father of Clelia and so many of his Illustrious friends but when he proceeded to consider that his Rival was at Rome for he had been informed of his deliverance and imagined that during his imprisonment Horatius might make advantage of his misfortune he concluded nothing could be more prejudicial to him than to continue in prison Knowing therefore that the Queen his Mother and the Princess of the Leontines favored his interests and were informed of his passion he would not conceal his sentiments from them I beseech you Madam said he to Galerita remember that I am in the same prison where Love heretofore occasioned your confinement recall all the dearness you have had for the King and compassionate the condition of an unfortunate person who lost his liberty before he knew he owed his life to you Consider the deplorable strait I am at present in If I obey the King I shall see my self with Sword in hand against the Father of Clelia and be obliged to serve Tarquin and Sextus to the utmost of my power who have been and perhaps still are Lovers of the person that I love and both her persecutors and mine If I seek to escape out of prison and put my self into Rome I commit an action horribly criminal against the King my Father and I side with Horatius who is a formidable Rival and if I continue in prison I do nothing either for the King or Clelia or my self nothing against Horatius or Tarquin and only suffer unprofitably Thus I find my self in an estate more miserable than ever any Lover fell into The Princess of the Leontines desirous at least to give Aronces some consolation informed him that the Prince of Numidia had ceased to be a Prince and was Brother to Clelia though concealing from him the report that he had wounded him which she understood from Artemidorus and Zenocrates for fear to afflict him If it be so answered Aronces I shall have lost a Rival and gained a Protector for I have no reason to doubt but that between Horatius and me the generous Brother of Clelia will declare himself to my advantage Alass said Galerita then sighing what will it be the better for you by his declaring to your advantage if Fortune be against you For in brief to tell you the state of matters in reality I have order from the King to offer you liberty and his favor on condition you will marry the Daughter of the Prince of Cere who is propounded to him by Tarquin no other assurance he says being to be had of you after your once already escaping from his Court Ah! Madam cryed Aronces I will dye a thousand times rather than do what the King propounds to me I prefer dying incomparably before injuring my Love and my Honor. Yet in the condition wherein I am at present it is so difficult to do any thing for the first without violation of the latter that death is the sole remedy I am able to imagine Cease therefore Madam added this afflicted Prince cease from having any longer kindness for me since I can do nothing but occasion sorrow to those that love me Hope is so sweet a good answered the Princess of the Leontines that it ought not to be cast off so easily Wherefore I wish you would leave the Queen the power to manage the interests of your Love and your Honor without being sollicitous what she intends to report to the King Alass Madam replyed Aronces sadly it is extreamly difficult to retain hope in a condition resembling mine when reason is as yet not wholly lost However it be said Galerita leave your self to be guided by me unless you intend your own destruction But Madam said he what can I or what can you your self do I can tell the King answered she that you are in despair not to find your Soul capable to yield so ready obedience But Madam interrupted Aronces I will never obey him if he always commands me not to love Clelia Have patience answered Galerita and suffer me to end what I was speaking I intend added she to inform the King as I told you and endeavor to perswade him to permit you the liberty of being guarded only in his Palace and to suffer all that please to come to visit you But what will be the advantage of that replyed Aronces since I resolve not to marry the Daughter of the Prince of Cere While matters are at that pass answered Galerita it shall be attempted to cause the King to alter his sentiments and in case he persist in them it will be expedient to have recourse to an artifice which I have contrived wherein the assistance of the Princess of the Leontines is absolutely necessary If it be Madam said this generous Princess you need only to inform me what I ought to do and I will obey you immediately It is only desired of you answered Galerita that you will come and see Aronces as often as I shall visit him And in the next place it will be requisite for him to act as if he were become amorous of you and being you are not in a condition to dispose of your self so long as you are at difference with the Prince of Leontium the matter will be protracted a long time Porsenna who seeks to cause Aronces to marry the Daughter of the Prince of Cere only to extinguish his passion for Clelia
and sixty Springs seen all the birds of my lovely desart making love to one another I was infinitely discontented and therefore continu'd he if there be any in the company who to their unhappiness have made a resolution not to love any thing let them hasten to change it for there is nothing more tormenting at the hour of death than the affliction of having not been able to love or be belov'd I assure you said Valeria I believe it is very troublesome too to call to mind an unsuccessful or impertinent love However it be said Damon who was unwilling Amilcar should be interrupted suffer the relation to be finisht which has been so delightfully begun for though Amilcar alwaies mingles some raillery in what he speaks yet credit ought to be given to his words since all the company knowes 't is his custome never to speak altogether seriously of the most serious things You have reason answer'd Plotina therefore I desire Amilcar to continue his relation After I had ceas'd being a Phoenix said Amilcar I chang'd my fortune and shape very much for I became one of the most ugly men in the World but in requiral one of the most valiant for I lov'd nothing so much as war which I follow'd continually not but that my heart was in some sort sensible of love though it was a kind of souldier-like Love which does not cause much sighing but has something of freedome and jollity in it but seldome any great matter of courtship and therefore I took more pleasure in relating a handsome field wherein I had fought a siege I had been present at or a particular combate of my own than in entertaining my self with the favours of my mistress But perhaps interrupted Plotina smiling it was because you had not any great matter to say upon that subject at least I know if any lov'd me after the military manner you have represented to me it should be easie to reckon the favours I would do him All women answer'd Herminius are not of your humor for some fancy those resolute gallants with fierce countenances who speak with boldness and have kill'd men more than polite and civiler persons who comport themselves with respect and tenderness No doubt Herminius has reason replyed Amilcar for I was not very ill treated and my stoutness caus'd me to obtain as many favours as my wit and courtship 'T is true I did not care over much for them and I remember one thing which makes good what I say One day I lost a picture which I had of my mistress as I was fighting with a man who had set upon me at an advantage and I was much more joyful for having taken his sword from him than troubled for having lost the picture Indeed when a fancy takes a man to pass for one of greater courage than others I assure you he is sufficiently employ'd for he is possess'd with envy jealousie and ambition all at a time danger is sought with eagerness though to speak sincerely 't is never delightful he alwayes desires to go beyond the rest and is altogether uncapable of quiet Then 't is sufficiently troublesome to be sometimes wounded and sometimes a prisoner for the Kings and Princes for whose service you hazard or lose your lives take little care of you However since 't is the mode it ought to be follow'd and I follow'd it so well that I was but twenty nine years old when I was slain 'T is true I had serv'd in fourteen companies with sufficient honour to be content with life were it not that it is alwaies sufficiently difficult to resolve to die But afterwards added he not giving leisure to any to interrupt him my adventure was strange enough for after having shewn much bravery the gods to punish me for being guilty of too much vanity in that respect were pleas'd the same soul which in another body had been so stout and hardy should animate that of one of the most pusillanimous men in the world At first I was not very sorry for it for I confess to you I was a little weary with the tumultuous life which I had led and those former impressions not being yet wholly blotted out I imagined that choosing a kind of calm life I might spend my daies with sufficient sweetness But alas I was deceiv'd for as soon as it was perceiv'd I was one of no courage I was expos'd to a hundred thousand troublesome occasions and I assure you the people of the world who suffer most are they who have the unhappiness to be cowards For I dare maintain it is a thousand times more pain to be void of valour than to be too couragious for a man who is valiant resolves upon death without fear at the beginning of the fight whereas a poor wretch who is not fears it in places where it is not to be met with For my part whilst I was a coward I fear'd both my friends and my enemies when I was forced to go to the war and shame engaged me to be present in any encounter the torment I suffer'd was above imagination Example did not animate me the noise of arrowes elashing together made my heart quake I was alwaies prepar'd for a retreat and alwaies observ'd to be last at the battle and the for most in the flight I went whither I was unwilling to go I did not go where I desir'd to be I was possess'd with fear and shame and amidst all this with a sottish pride which caused me to do things of which I repented a moment after But that which afflicted me most was that though at my return from the war I spoke as if I had been couragious yet I knew it was understood well enough that I was not Therefore I say once again there is nothing more painful than to want courage and a brave person that ingages in a hundred thousand dangers suffers much less than a man who continually fear things which are not to be fear'd Now therefore said Damon can what Amilcar saies be doubted of for could he invent an adventure of this nature were it not truth that forces him to speak Damon pronounc'd these words after a manner which surpriz'd all the company indeed he was a person not absolutely without wit but when a man is once capable to give himself up to believe a difficult extroardinary thing he maintains it more obstinately than if it were easie to be believ'd and is so prepossess'd with it that he is easily perswaded of any thing that may serve to authorize it Thus the poor Damon not perceiving that his Rival made sport with him conjur'd him that he would proceed Cesonia and Valeria did the same Anacreon Herminius Acrisius and Sicinius press'd him to it so that resuming his discourse I assure you said he that Life which they say is a thing very precious is notwithstanding more painful then 't is thought to be For tho I remember every thing that I have been
partake of your sentiments For my part answer'd Terentia faintly I do not look upon life as so great a Good as to deserve much joy for not having lost it however I am very much oblig'd to Cereontus whom you see there for having preserv'd me since his intention was to do me a very good office to which he was not so much oblig'd as the other who left me to perish As for what concerns me answer'd Aurelisa it seemes I have been more happy than Terentia but in reality I am not of that opinion for it is sometimes more unacceptable to be too much oblig'd than too little I assure you reply'd the Princesse then looking upon Aronces I do not much better understand what Terentia and Aurelisa say than what Aemilius and Theanor said to us as we came hither How said Terentia blushing are Theanor and Aemilius here Yes answer'd Aronces they are here but tho they were desirous to follow me yet they dar'd not enter into your chamber No doubt added the Princesse of the Leontines because they dare not see you after having left you in danger of perishing In truth reply'd Aurelisa changing colour as well as Terentia I conceive they knew not what they did when they leapt into the water to save my life and I am not certain but that they might take me for Terentia As for me said Cereontus then respectfully as he was going away my intention cannot be doubtful and I very well understood I desir'd to succour you but least you should believe I look for praises for it I shall retire The more you speak the lesse I understand answer'd the Princesse of the Leontines yet it would by very fitting said Amiclea who accompanied the Princesse that you knew the truth of this adventure for fear some inconvenience happen upon it You so well understand all the secrets of Aurelisa's and my heart answer'd Terentia that it will be easie for you to satisfie the Princess but to speak truth it were better to conceal our weakness than publish it upon equitable consideration I think there is no person amongst us but has their fault Terentia spoke this with an air that augmented the Princess 's curiosity who understanding in effect that there might be some occasion of quarrel between Theanor Aemilius and Cereontus told these two fair persons she would not go forth of their chamber till she knew exactly all that was to be known of their adventures I beseech you Madam said Aurelisa then do not give your self the trouble of hearing a hundred unprofitable trifles which are glorious to no persons and will but make you lose time which you might better employ No no said Amiclea then the Princess can do nothing more delightful to her self than to hinder such worthy persons as those that sav'd your lives from quarrelling as I foresee they will do if care be not taken to observe them and suppress part of their resentment Terentia and Aurelisa understanding in effect that a quarrel might easily arise between those three men consented to the desire of the Princess and Aronces who having two hours still to spend in that place was not unwilling to employ them in hindering amorous persons from destroying one another for he had heard it confusedly spoken that Aemilius and Theanor lov'd Terentia and Aurelisa Wherefore urging these two fair Ladies to consent that he should know their history they did so on condition that only the Princess of the Leontines and himself should know it and that they two might not be present at the relation which they could not hear without extreme confusion But who then shall tell us your adventures said the Princess Amiclea answered Terentia who knowes them as well as our selves and who is so sincere and so faithful that I do not conceive she is suspected by Aurelisa more than she is by me You have reason answer'd that fair Ladie and I should more doubt my own memory if I were to relate my adventure my self than I do the sincerity of Amiclea I am very glad you both know me reply'd she but withal you ought to be assur'd that I will do nothing to render my self unworthy of the good opinion you have of me and onely relate the pure and naked truth After this the Princesse of the Leontines went to her own Chamber whil'st the Queen of Hetruria was in hers with the generous Melintha As soon as the Princesse was there she commanded No person should be suffer'd to enter and then oblig'd Amiclea to relate all that had befallen her two amiable friends in obedience to which command she began her story in these terms The HISTORY of AVRELISA and TERENTIA I will not detain you Madam with telling you Aurelisa and Terentia are descended from very noble families since you know it already or that Theanor Aemylius and Cereontus are persons of quality for 't is a thing you are not ignorant of I shall omit to tell you that these five persons are indued with great merits because you know them sufficiently to be so neverthelesse for that the Prince that hears me has not time to observe the humour of Aurelisa and Terentia you must permit me to tell him that tho Terentia be brown and Aurelisa fair one has black eyes and the other blew one be tall of stature and the other low yet there is more difference in inclinations than in the out-side of their persons Yet they have both very much wit yea they had for some time a considerable kindness for one another but this has not hinder'd but that they have opposite sentiments and in brief can never agree in any thing whatsoever not even in such matters as are of least concernment If they be onely to walk together one of them will go in the shade and the other sayes she do's not fear the Sun and much affects those great open quarters in Gardens which leave the sight free and where the air is not confin'd If one will have her Curtains drawn before her windows the other maintains on the contrary that the clear day is advantageous to such as have a good complexion In brief they never had the same friends of either Sex in the very time they lov'd one another and I may say I am the only exception to this general rule 'T is true since 't is a happiness I have to be oftentimes a friend to persons who have no resemblance and whose interests are many times contrary this ought not to be wonder'd at But which is strange these two persons whose opinions are so different have yet so much reason that they never had any publick fallings out and they have so well conceal'd their difference that I am almost the onely person that have had any knowledge of them In the next place Madam you must know that these two persons having both almost in the same time lost their Fathers and Mothers they were plac'd under the Guardianship of a man of quality call'd
her true extraction Assoon as she beheld him she chang'd colour out of fear it might be less honourable than she imagin'd But she was not long in this incertainty for Clelius in the midst of the company embrac'd her very affectionately and presenting her to Horatius You know generous Horatius said he to him I have treated you as one resolv'd to give you my daughter at the end of the War but in the mean time before I make that promise good I must give you a sister who is a person unquestionably worthy of that Relation Receive therefore Plotina as a generous brother ought to receive her But Moreover added he turning towards Clelia I must give my daughter as well as Horatius a sister and therefore proceeded he directing his speech to Clelia embrace Plotina as a person united to you by blood and you Octavius added he do the same The discourse of Clelius so amaz'd all the Company and chiefly Clelia Horatius Octavius and Plotina that they beheld one another silently without making the civilities to one another which this discovery requir'd But at length Plotina began to speak and addressing to Clelius It is so little advantagious to you my Lord said she to give such a person as I am sister to Clelia that I doubt not you are my Father since you profess it your self but I confess I do not apprehend how I can be sister both to Horatius and Clelia Since 't is a thing which must become publick reply'd Clelius it is not unfit to begin the publishing of it before such a Company as this is For my part said Horatius I am so impatient to know how it comes that I have the happiness to be Plotina's Brother and brother to a daughter of Clelius and a sister of Clelia that you cannot more sensibly oblige me than by declaring to me what I vehemently desire to understand Know then answer'd Clelius that you were son of a woman of very great wit and vertue for whom I had almost from my childhood the most respectful affection that ever was and whose memory is still extreme dear to me You know she lost her Husband during her banishment that I was exil'd as well as she that I have been so thrice in my life by the cruel Tarquin During this banishment I became more charm'd with her constancy and whereas melancholy had rendred her health very infirm she fear'd to leave you without a careful guardian Wherefore this consideration rather than that of the affection I had for her oblig'd her to marry me secretly as you may know of an ancient Priest still living who is at present here amongst the Salians for you were not then with her Our marriage was thought fit to be conceal'd because if Tarquin had known it it had been impossible for us to hope ever to return to Rome since hating us severally he would have hated us more if he had understood our interests were united During this secret Marriage and whilst we were at Ardea Plotina came into the world and we conceal'd her birth But eight daies after her mother and yours dy'd and this prudent old man whom you see being our intimate Friend took care of Plotina whom he caus'd for some time after to pass for his own daughter and that easily enough because having one near of the same age that dy'd in the Country he conceal'd her death and substituted Plotina in her stead without my knowing any thing of it because I continued not long in that place Your Mother before her death writ a scroll with her own hand that she left a daughter and oblig'd me to deliver that writing to the Grand Vestal who dy'd some daies since and was her intimate friend to the end it might remain in her hands as an indubitable testimony of the birth of Plotina Shortly after I was oblig'd to depart from Ardea and came back to Rome where for the interest of my affairs I married Sulpicia since which you know I was compell'd to fly and go seek a Sanctuary at Carthage At my departure I writ to that Friend I had at Ardea but I had no answer from him When I return'd I inquir'd of him and was inform'd it was not known what was become of him since the War Tarquin made against the Tuscans I understood indeed he left a daughter but for that it was after my departure that his dy'd I did not imagine it was mine Nevertheless the Gods have been pleas'd that this prudent old man whom you behold became first a prisoner of War and afterwards a prisoner of State for a great many years without being known where he was and the same Gods have permitted that by Aronces's means he understood tidings of me came hither first with that Prince and has at length been set at liberty by his procurement to come and oblige the wise Octavia who is at this day chief of the Vestals to cause the writing to be sought out which was entrusted with her predecessor who at her death intended certainly to speak concerning Plotina when she began to declare a thing which she did not finish as all the world knows Thus there is no doubt but Plotina is your sister you know your Mothers writing since you cannot but have many things by you written by her hand The quality and vertue of him that brought up Plotina is not unknown to any and I conceive you are sufficiently perswaded of my honesty not to doubt of what I say In the mean time I declare to you I do not intend Plotina should diminish any thing of your estate I charge my self with her potion and this sage old man before you desirous not to cease altogether to be her father tells me he gives her all he has Clelius spoke this with an air that took away all ground to doubt of what he said and moreover Horatius was so joyful to find he had a sister that was able to do him good offices with Clelia that he was wholly dispos'd to believe himself her brother Plotina was also very much satiâ—fied to understand she was a Roman daughter of Clelius and sister of Octavius and Clelia Not but that I could have wish'd said she smiling I had not understood this till four daies hence to the end my name might not be put amongst those which are to be drawn by Lot to give Hostages to Porsenna The case is now otherwise daughter answer'd Clelius and it concerns you it were not but I hope the Gods will exempt you from that trouble as well as Clelia who I ardently wish prove not one of the number of the Hostages After this Octavius made a complement to Plotina Clelia did the same and in brief all congratulated her for the discovery Amilcar in particular us'd a thousand pleasant expressions to her whilst Clelius and the old man of Ardea drawing Horatius aside shew'd him his Mothers Letter to the Grand Vestal and so manifested the business
am perhaps less such than I am taken to be answer'd he yet I shall not at present offer to say I am not such at all but only that for the most part inconstant persons are rather reckon'd amongst the giddy-brain'd than the wicked and for that reason I did not think to mention them in this occasion But as for Amerintha's two-fac'd Portrait it was compos'd by one that desires not to make a secret of it all the Court has seen it and many have since attempted the like Nevertheless the Princess so openly profest her self an Enemy to all that made such kinde of things that in a very few dayes none dar'd to write in that manner and this is a great instance that 't is extremely important for persons of the principal rank in Courts never to approve of those that wound the reputation of others And it concerns them sufficiently for by not permitting the glory of their inferiors to be blemisht they preserve their own and place a Bar between calumny and themselves Yet this discourse of Lysimena did not hinder but that Amerintha understanding by Andromira who told her of it unwittingly that her Portraiture had been read in the Princesses lodgings was extremely inrag'd at it and design'd to doe her some mischief tho in truth she had no cause to complain of Lysimena But dissimulation being necessary to all such as would doe an injury she made no shew of any disgust at all but contrarily she visited Lysimena more frequently she sought my friendship and absolutely gain'd that of a Virgin who at that time belong'd to the Princess of the Leontines In the mean time Meleontus was infinitly amorous of Lysimena and Zenocrates thinking himself her friend was her Lover tho indeed he shortly perceiv'd that he deceiv'd himself As for the Princess she thought nothing of it and was so pleas'd with his friendship that she boasted of it to all the World But as one day she was speaking of it to him he found himself sufficiently perplex'd For you must know Zenocrates having deserted all his Mistresses for some time before seem'd to have nothing else to doe but to render his devoirs to Lysimena Upon which the Princess not desiring that her friendship should restrain him told him one day pleasantly that she in no manner pretended to ingross him and tho she sometimes jested with him about his inconstancie yet she would not hinder him from having some of those half Mistresses who without possessing his whole heart might afford him divertisement and occasion him to write pleasant Letters and delightful Verses Zenocrates blusht at this speech of Lysimena and was much puzzled how to answer to it For according to the thoughts he then had he lookt upon the permission the Princess gave him as the most cruel in the World Yet he durst not give her any sign of his passion of which he saw well she had not the least suspition nor was he willing to speak any thing that altogether oppos'd her Counsel But answering ambiguously to that which she said to him The Friendship wherewith you honour me Madam said he to her must needs be very weak since instead of correcting my faults you advise me to abandon my self to them You have a hundred times reproacht me for my beginnings of Love but I see now you would have me have three or four Mistresses at once Is it Madam added he because my frequent converse is distasteful to you In no wise answer'd she smiling but 't is only because I have an extreme fear lest Friendship should become fastidious to you As Zenocrates was going to reply Meleontus enter'd whereupon not being able to hide his discomposedness of mind he withdrew sufficiently pensive Meleontus had opportunity so seldome to speak to the Princess apart that he would not lose this and assoon as Zenocrates was gone forth he began to speak to her of his passion I know well Madam said he to her that I am going to displease you but I know also that if I do not speak to you of my love I must needs lose either my life or my reason Not but that I am perswaded added he without giving her leisure to interrupt him that you know I love you as much as I am able to love All my looks my words and my actions declare it to you the Prince likewise being my Protector speakes to you to my advantage and your own merit being favourable to me in this case does not permit you to doubt of my passion Yes Madam not so much but your looking-glass tells you I adore you but however I will declare it to your self at the hazard of seeing as much anger in your eyes as there is love in my heart I know well Meleontus answer'd Lysimena that the Prince my Brother speaking to me in your favour and approving your affection for me I ought not to answer you sharply and that I cannot be offended at what you tell me without offending him Therefore I will answer you like a good friend rather than as an incensed Mistress I tell you then with much sincerity I find no disposition in my heart ever to love any person and If I did it would not be your self Not but that if the Prince my Brother went about to constrain me to marry you I should be capable to obey him rather than to make a great noise in the world but Meleontus you would be more unhappy thereby and I should be more miserable too for certainly the love you have for me would soon be chang'd into aversion when you observ'd the indifferencie I have for you turn'd into hatred For indeed if after what I have said to you you should oblige the Prince my Brother to force my will I should believe I had cause to hate you Ah! Madam cry'd Meleontus what you say is extreme rigorous to me to hear and sufficient to induce me to resolve to be reveng'd upon you by marrying you against your will For altho Madam I should be enforc'd to hate you after having marry'd you yet I should be more happy than I am in loving you without being lov'd or hoping to be so by you Hatred has its pleasures as well as Love there is contempt and revenge in it whereas when a person loves tho he be ill-treated nevertheless he cannot refrain from adoring the person by whom he his so receiv'd But Madam let us not proceed to such hard extremities doe justice to my love suffer your self to be prevail'd upon by my constancie and I assure you assoon as you resolve to pity my unhappiness you will account me less worthy of hatred than you doe and your self less unhappy Lysimena was going to answer when the Prince of Leontium enter'd who observing Meleontus's dissatisfaction in his countenance drew the Princess aside and told her so earnestly that she would disoblige him if she did not regard Meleontus as a man deserving to pretend to marry her that she was
several things transiently spoken of it came to be ask'd Whether benefits produc'd Friendship rather than Friendship it self or great desert without benefits I assure you said Lysimena thereupon that benefits alone produce no great dearness in the hearts of most people for usually the remembrance of benefits wears out of their minds as grief does out of the hearts of afflicted persons from whence every moment steals a part So that time weakens and diminishes gratitude as well as it does affliction 'T is true Madam in ingrateful minds answer'd Meleontus but not in such as are generous which are alwayes grateful For my part reply'd Zenocrates tho I am not ungrateful and will never be so yet I conceive that if I received benefits from a Person without merit the friendship I should bear him would be more in my will than in my heart But if benefits without merit said Amerintha cannot produce Friendship doe you think that friendship without merit can produce a very tender one and doe you think that desert alone without friendship and benefits is able to beget a great affection In truth said Andromira if friendship be not joyn'd with desert and benefits those latter will have no great effect But how can we doe otherwise said Meleontus than love those that serve us and doe us good upon all occasions And how can we but love such too said Amerintha as love us very ardently Many times answer'd Zenocrates they that are so officious doe it out of Vanity and not out of any honest principle wherefore provided we publish their good deeds and be ready to return the like in case of need I conceive we may dispense with loving them and yet not be ingrateful For friendship and gratitude are two different things and I think we ought to have the latter towards all from whom we receive benefits and the former only for those that affect our heart either by their deserts or their friendship or by reason of our own inclination But will you love People of no merit said Amerintha because they love you and is it not just to love those that doe you services For my part said Lysimena if I were to love people of little merit I should think my self more oblig'd to love such as lov'd me than such as serv'd me but to speak sincerely Friendship not depending upon our Wills 't is in vain to dispute of a thing that is not in our power and all that can rationally be said in this case is That desert alone produces esteem only which is alwayes a great disposition to friendship That benefits ought insensibly to ingage the receivers to their interests from whom they receive them and at least beget a kind of gratitude in their minds the effects whereof resemble those of friendship but as for friendship singly without desert and benefit I conceive 't is sufficient to have a complacencie and pity towards such as bear it for to ingage to love all people without merit of whom we may be belov'd would be injurious to our true friends All which you say is extremely ingenious Madam answer'd Meleontus but I know services and merit are of no account with you unless your own inclination set a value upon them So that Madam for the obtaining of your love it is necessary to seek rather to please you than to serve you but the mischief is 't is more difficult to be agreeable to you than to render you service I acknowledge it reply'd she rising up but I conceive all the world is of the same mind and so I am not to be blam'd for it Meleontus was no doubt dejected as he observ'd the aspect wherewith the Princess answer'd him but he dissembled it tho his discontent was extreme violent Upon which the Princess notwithstanding her aversion for him could not but judge that he acted like an honest man which she being vex'd at and perceiving Zenocrates took no notice of nor determin'd to be melancholy this day as well as her self the debonair humor of Zenocrates disgusted her nice mind so that when he approacht to her in the walk to speak to her apart she frown'd upon him and told him he lov'd her so little that he was not displeas'd to see that Meleontus deportment was extraordinary commendable I confess it Madam answer'd Zenocrates wholly surpris'd that I did not think of being discontented because the Musick was good and the Collation magnificent but I am so at present with the commendations which you give my Rival Ha Zenocrates said she to him as she went from him I will not thank you for the indignation which I have by force excited in your heart After this she call'd Amerintha that she might not be alone with him so that the conversation became general all the rest of the day Zenocrates not having opportunity to speak one word in private Lysimena to avoy'd it propos'd it to consideration Whether it is more pleasing to be very lovely without being much lov'd than to be much lov'd without being amiable But after every one had spoke their Reasons it was concluded That 't is better to deserve to be lov'd and not to be so than to be lov'd without desert yet it was granted that whereas usually people desire to be lovely chiefly that they may belov'd it is more pleasure to be lov'd than to be barely lovely because instead of receiving of contentment thereby the lovely person is disgusted with living amongst people that understand not to doe justice to desert But at length night approaching preparation was made to return to Leontium Which returning was with sufficient melancholy Lysimena was pensive Meleontus dejected Zenocrates sad Amerintha vexed and they proceeded in the way after a silent manner when by chance a young Hart coming from amongst the bushes a Greyhound that follow'd one of Meleontus Attendants gave chase to him in the plain Which unexpected Adventure causing the Ladies that were on the same side to give a great cry Amerintha would oblige Lysimena who was on the other to turn her head to see the young Hart running swiftly upon the Plain But the Princess was in so deep a muse that not being willing to break it off she told Amerintha carelesly she would not see the chase unless it came on her side without taking the pains to turn her self She had no sooner spoke this but the young Heart chancing to see people coming towards him in the Plain turn'd short and passing before the heads of the Horses of Lysimena's Chariot came so near her that it seem'd to those that heard what she said just before to happen by some inchantment Lysimena being agreeably surpris'd with this Accident could not hinder her self from taking pleasure in beholding this casual divertisment But it lasted not long for by this time it was grown late so that both the Hart and the Dog were soon lost out of sight And in fine the night sav'd the Young Harts life and the Dog