structure or lastly with descents of water ordered with such extraordinary artifice as that falling from an excessive height upon a many several steps it makes a confused but withal a pleasant noise and so runs into a number of little channels which border the Walks in diverse places crosse them in divers others so that people are forced to go over them upon Bridges having on both sides Pilasters of Marble The twelve principal walks are crossed up and down by an infinite number of others wherein it is not hard for one to lose himself but with this advantage by way of recompence that wheresoever chance or your own inclination disposes of you the objects you are entertained with are every where very delightful and very surprizing There are thousands of rarities in this Garden which I do not trouble you with an account of and for what I have told it hath onely been by the way and somewhat besides my purpose When the whole Company had taken several turns about the Basin it divided it self into several parties according to the different inclinations of the persons Julia having made a proposition to that purpose and represented that walking wanted that freedom and divertisement when there were a many together which it had when there is more privacy For my part I was resolved not to leave Octavia who began to direct her course towards one of the principal Walks and my Sister Antonia was as resolved to keep me company It was I must confesse no smal satisfaction to me that Drusus came and joyned with Tiberius to lead me as well upon the account of the many excellent qualities I observed in his person as also that I thought it much better being between the Brothers then alone with Tiberius besides that I cannot deny but that I found something in Drusus's discourse which in some measure took off the teadiousnesse I met with in that of his Brother and consequently was satisfied as to the good opinion which all the World had of him He was in very good terms with Marcellus as to the difference there had been between them concerning their loves to Julia insomuch that he not onely forbore all visits to the Princesse but it was visible in all his actions that he had given over all thoughts of her and sought nothing with so much earnestnesse as the friendship of Marcellus Besides though he sided as much as he could with his Brother as in point of honour he was obliged to do yet did he not presse his interest very much to me and knowing the aversion I had for his Brothers addresses and the respects I had for those of Coriolanus he said very little to me of his Brother and spoke nothing to the disadvantage of his Rival 'T was this day that he entertained me with abundance of things that were infinitely pleasant and his Brother maliciously putting him upon some discourse concerning Julia he spoke of her with so much modesty and reservednesse but withal with so much wit that I had from that time a greater esteem for him then I had had before After us came Antonia led by Archelaus and Mithridates but the Emperour having sent for Archelaus as having some businesse to communicate to him Mithridates stayed alone with Antonia to his unconceaveable satisfaction This was it he had sought out of a long time and what he could never find before and accordingly being a person infinitely confident he would needs make his advantage of it attributing the silence he had for some time observed to want of opportunity And yet all his confidence though sommoned together upon this occasion stuck not so close to him but that for some minutes he was at a losse what to do as to the design he had to discover his thoughts and Antonia on the other side was so terrible upon any occasions of that nature that she was able to make the most assured of their strength to tremble However he took heart in his resolution and falling into discourse about the departure of Archelaus I never made it any question Madam said he to her but that Archelaus entertains whatever orders come from Caesar with all the respect and complyance that may be but for this last I believe it hath been receaved by him with a disturbance equal to the satisfaction it hath bred in me I cannot apprehend replies Antonia the cause of either his discontent or your joy nor see in this accident any occasion of either the one or the other For Archelaus replies Mithridates you cannot certainly but know how unkindly he takes it to be absent from you since you are not to be now acquainted with the passion he hath for you and for Mithridates you may well imagine what joy it is to him to have the honour to waite on you alone when I have once told you that he is involved in the same chains with Archelaus These words of Mithridates made Antonia blush for very indignation though from some circumstances she was satisfied as to some part of that truth but she would needs pretend that she understood not his meaning and so seem the lesse incensed against him whereupon re-assuming the discourse with an action full of disdain I know not said she to him what you mean either by the chains or passions of Archelaus but am satisfied that were he conscious of any thing which I should take amisse at his hands the respects he hath for me are so great that he would keep it from my knowledge Ah Madam replyed he is it possible that you who pretend so much to a real sincerity can so peremptorily affirm that the King of Cappadocia hath never entertained you with the affection he hath for you If ever he did speak to me of it replies the Princesse it matters not I gave no credit to what he said and that for me to do so was the greatest advantage he could ever hope from such discourse for after all when he had done what he could to perswade me that he had an affection for me I should possibly have perswaded him in my turn that I should be subject to a quite contrary passion for persons whose affections make them forget the respect they ought to observe For matter of respect replies the Prince of Comagenes I must acknowledge it ought to be had for you while life lasts and that the least violation thereof deserves the severest punishment but for a man to be so far from being awanting in point of respect as that he onely presumes to discover a love which for the greatest part consists in respect it self does he deserve those lightnings and thunder-bolts which you cast at the guilty and must a man needs be exposed to your indignation for telling you that he hath an adoration for you equal to what he hath for the gods as he should be to that of another person whom he had done some affront to The case is the very same replies the Princesse very roundly
having traced them through divers trees that lay between both they at last saw them go in to one of the little Isles and made no question but they would go and rest themselves in one of the Arbours They thought it their beâ— course to give them the time to do so and so having taken a good walk they made towards the Isle by other wayes and passed over another bridge then that by which the women had gone in They were no sooner got in but coming behind one of the Arbours on a certain side at which they could not be discovered they heard the voice of a woman singing in the Arbour and making a halt to give her the greater attention they found her admirable not onely as to the voice but also as to the skill whereby it was not a little heightened They at first heard her at some distance out of a fear of making any noise to interrupt her but afterwards perceaving that they had much adoe to hear the words and confident withal that if the noise did not discover them they might go quite to the Arbour without any danger of being seen by reason of the thicknesse of the branches and leaves which admitted not any passage for the sight they went as softly as possibly they could and came to the Arbour time enough to hear these words which were the last that were sung He 's now alus orecome that would not own But still defied Love's charms and pow'r O may my eyes my hearts dear losse bemoane And let their tears its shame devour That slave-like yields to passion The Lady concluded her song with a deep sigh and her companion who had hearkened to her with great attention had no sooner perceaved that she had made an end but addressing her self to her and speaking loud enough to be distinctly heard by the two Evesdroppers that were without the Arbour But is it possible said she to her and must I believe it my dearest Tullia that that god who as t is generally conceaved directs and disposes of the amorous passion should take such extraordinary vengeance on you and that to punish you for the cruelty which you sometimes exercised not without unjustice upon a Prince that adored you he should infuse into you a kindnesse nay if I may presume to say it inspire you with a love for a Prince that does not so much as think on you and one that though born of the same blood yet hath not any thing of those inclinations towards you which his Brother had These words were no sooner heard by Ptolomey and Lentulus but they withal perceaved by the voice that it was Emilia that spoke them and could not be ignorant having heard her name pronounced that they were addressed to Tullia They were both equally surprised thereat and Lentulus looking on my Brother with eyes wherein were visible not onely his astonishment but all that he would have said upon so unexpected an adventure had they been in a place where they might have discoursed without any fear of being discovered grasped him by the arm as if by that action and other gestures he conjured him from making any noise and to hear attentively as well as himself a discourse wherein if he were not mistaken he thought himself very much concerned Ptolomey was willing enough to comply with his desires so that continuing in the same pusture they were in before they heard Emilia reassuming the discourse Speak my dearest Tullia said she and since I am the onely person in the World whom you think fit to entrust with a secret that is so neer your heart ease your spirits as much as you can by acquainting me with what you would conceal from all but Emilia We are now where all things favour our designe so far that the Sun it self did he shine could not participate of the secret that is between us and all things promote the solitude we seek Do your self therefore no further violence my dearest friend and open to me that heart which being heretofore hard and impenetrable to all love and compassion does now submit to the same passion against which it was armed with so much rigour While Emilia was speaking in this manner Lentulus had found a way by turning the leaves aside to make a little passage for his sight and as good fortune would have it he could through that little place direct it just upon Tullia's face By this happy means had he the opportunity to see the face of that Beauty leaning on the shoulder of Emilia bathed with certain tears which issuing out of her fair eyes ran down along her cheeks and dropped into her bosom With one of her arms she embraced Emilia in the other hand she held a hand-kerchief wherewith she wiped the tears which she could not forbearâ— hedding Her hair was in a loose and negligent posture and all her gestures spoke a certain remissenesse but all that negligence all that languishing did but heighten her ordinary beauty insomuch that there seemed to Lentulus to be much more lustre and divinity in it then he had ever observed before He further perceived that after she had with some difficulty prevailed with her self to comply with the sollicitations of Emilia assuming the discourse with an action wherein were easily remarkable all the expressions of sadnesse and confusion Why will you oblige me said she to her to repeat to you what my eyes what my heart what my mouth have already acquainted you with Are you so much in love with my grief as to be delighted with the unhappy demonstrations I give you of it Or would you have me out of a reflection upon so many acknowledgements as I have made of my unhappiness weaknesse and cowardice to dye for shame and confusion before you If it must be so my dearest Emilia I am content and since you are and ever shall be while I have a minute to breath the onely person to whom I shall discover my misfortune I am willing my most secret imaginations should passe out of my heart into yours and wish you may be moved with pitty for the misery which my inflexible destiny hath forced me into I say my destiny Emilia for it is that onely that I can justly charge with all the misfortunes I am fallen into Do not imagine it any effect of the celestial vengeance upon me for the rigour I expressed towards Julius Antonius Though I have contributed very much to his absence and am charged as the occasion of it yet have I not been troubled with the least remorse for any deportment of mine towards him Being Cicero's Daughter I could not upon the first addresses of his affection to me be obliged to entertain any such thing from him and reflecting on the death of Cecinna whom being to be my Husband within three daies he killed in my sight upon my account I was certainly dispensed from whatever the expressions of his love might require of me in his favour
And yet the powers of heaven are my witnesses that I never hated him that I never wished him any ill fortune that I have acknowledged his great worth and that I do at this day confesse notwithstanding my present sentiments that he is as great as to point of merit and as amiable as to his person as Ptolomey is himself So that there is no ground to imagine that the gods should inflict all this as a punishment of my cruelty but that it proceeds meerly from my destiny which in this emergency acts against me as it hath done through all the misfortunes that have happened to our house But my dearest Tullia replied Emilia since you would not be flattered in your passion may it not be represented to you that the same reasons which you alledged against the love and merits of Julius Antonius before he became an impardonable criminal by the death of Cecinna might with much more ground be urged against the affection which you have conceived for his Brother since that not being obliged to him for any the least demonstration of love you cannot but look on him as the Son of Anthony which he is you know no lesse then his Brother I am no question replyed Tullia obliged by the same reasons to do the one as the other at least in some part for I might tell you did I stand upon my justification that Ptolomey is not by his birth such a criminal to us as his brother was since that he is Son to Queen Cleopatra who contributed nothing to the death of Cicero and not to Fulvia who alone engaged Anthony in that design and exercised her cruelty upon the body of my Father even after death by a many abominable indignities but such was my misfortune that I could not make use of them and I need not tell you that in those of this nature the assistances of reason are not alwayes infallible You may further argue that I have hardly seen Ptolomey above once that he is a Prince younger than my self by five or six years and a person that neither does nor haply will love me while he lives All the answer I have to make to these objections is That my misfortunes are so much the more to be bemoaned and that the rather out of a consideration that I have not contributed any thing thereto my self and have endured this violence to tyrannize over my heart without the least complyance of my will Pitty me then if you please Emilia and charge me not with an offence which I see no reason I should take upon me T is not in the power of either Vertue or the Study of Philosophy to make us uncapable of passions but onely teach us how to struggle with them and if they have not been able to make good the little garrison of my heart against the assaults of that which now disturbs my quiet they will so weaken it as that it shall not produce therein any effects that may stain my reputation at the present or my memory hereafter I have been able to look on the Son of Anthony but it seems under an unhappy constellation which made me indeed but too sensible of what I thought amiable in his person I have been able to preserve the remembrance of it too dearly for my own quiet I cannot think of him without tendernesse I can speak of him with delight I can communicate my sufferings to you I can sigh and as you see weep and bewayle this sad exchange of my condition But this Emilia is all that this destructive passion can work in my soul so that all the tempests it is able to raise there shall not eclipse those lights of wisdom which it is not in the power of any blindnesse to extinguish I can pine away yet conceale from all the World Emilia onely excepted the reason why I do so and if I must endure even to death it self I can easily do it not onely rather than open my lips but rather then become guilty of a wish that should any way stain my reputation or cast a blemish on the former part of my life But when all is done replies Emilia to speak sincerely could you not wish that Ptolomey loved you or can you with all your Wisdom and Philosophy oppose such a wish To this Tullia could not for some minutes make any positive answer but having a little after shaken off that suspence and reassuming the discourse with a certain blush wherewith Lentulus could perceive her face all covered The desire of being loved said she by that which one loves is a thing so natural in us that I durst not tell you that I did not wish my self loved by Ptolomey but you are withall to assure your self that this wish is so innocent as not to injure my vertue nay I must adde thus much that though it should prove effectuall yet would not my condition be any thing the more fortunate and that Ptolomey himself though he should love me should not know while he lived that I ever had any affection for him I should avoid him as an enemy though he were dearer to me than my own life nay though it should cost me this very life I should keep to the last gasp from the knowledge of all the earth those sentiments which have broke forth to that of all the Romans But what is then your meaning replyed Emilia what course do you intend to take in order to your own quiet To dye answered the Daughter of Cicero to dye my dearest Emilia if occasion require and I am very much unknown to you if you imagine that I think my life so considerable as not to sacrifice it to preserve my reputation But I shall do what lies in my power to struggle with this enemy that hath possessed himself of my heart and if the strength and assistances of heaven which I dayly implore prove such as that I may not gain the victory you shall find Emilia whether I have not learned to dye rather then be guilty of faults which might make you blush for my sake I have acquainted you with the secret of my heart because there hath not been any transaction there which you have not known but did I imagine it should come to the knowledge of any other person in the World besides your self I should think one hour a long time to survive the shame I should conceave thereat and you should bestow on my death those tears which compassion obliges you to shed to accompany those which my unhappinesse forces from me As she made an end of these words she could keep in no longer those showers of tears which fell down from her eies in abundance which yet hindred not but that Lentulus who looked on her with attention or rather with transportation thought her so beautiful in that condition and was so much moved at her discourses the grace wherewith she delivered them and the fortune that obliged her thereto that pitty which had
to have continued to the very last gasp had he persevered in his or am by his death disengaged as to him of a friendship which it is needlesse to observe towards the shades there is nothing can disengage me from my self that is from what I imposed upon my self when I first submitted to that innocent affection and consequently nothing can set my soul at liberty in order to a second choice or into a condition to entertain any new impression of love T is enough that the great Cleopatra hath once given way to love and been taken with the great perfections of the most amiable among men but the justification which I might find for my former weaknesses would not haply be accepted for the latter Expect not therefore from me my dearest Sister what I could not obtain of my self for my self though I should pretend a greater interest it should be so then that which you represent and imagine that there cannot be any selicity hoped from an affection contracted by such extraordinary waies To do you what service I can with the King your Brother and to oblige him to treat you more civility I shall conceale part of my resentments and the aversion I have for him and therefore you ought to be satisfied with me when you shall see me do that for you which I should never endure to do one minute formy self and consider the violence I do my self for your sake as no slight demonstration of my Friendship Artemisa gave Cleopatra many thanks for the promise she had made her to force her inclinations upon her account and begged her pardon for what she had said concerning her own concernments and in requital made a protestation to her that she would never speak to her more on the behalf of the King her Brother and that she had two great an esteem for those resolutions of fidelity and constancy which she had taken ever to be guilty of any design to oppose them Thus were they engaged in discourse when of a sudden they heard a very great noise in the ship and not long after that it was upon occasion of the Kings coming into it What lectures soever they might have read one to another of constancy they both grew pale and were a little startled at this news and looking one upon the other without speaking they were at a losse as to all resolution yet so as that there might be some difference in their thoughts and if the soul of Cleopatra was burthened with a more lively grief that of Artemisa was subject to more fear At last Cleopatra whose courage was greater than that of Artemisa was the first that broke forth into any resolution and looking on Artemisa with a countenance that spoke something of more confidence Sister said she to her let us rely on the assistance of Heaven in our misfortune and in the mean time summon together all our vertue and let us not forget the resolution we have taken Artemisa had not the power to make her any answer nor indeed had she time for immediately thereupon their chamber-door being opened the first thing they saw was the dreadful countenance of the King of Armenia He was somewhat of a pale complexion and lean'd as he came along upon one of his men but his palenesse was dispelled at the sight of that object by which he was enflamed and he made a shift to forget all his weaknesse to get near Cleopatra who at his first coming in was risen from the place where she sate Artaxus saluted her with abundance of respect and Cleopatra who was glad to continue him in that humour and laoth to force him to those extremities which she might justly fear from a man so violent returned him though with a sad and serious countenance what was due to his quality from a Princesse of hers Before he spoke to Cleopatra he cast his eyes on Artemisa who trembling for feer had her eyes fixed on the ground not having the confidence to look him in the face The fear and confusion he perceived her to be in added not a little to his joy but however he thought fit to speak to Cleopatra before he addressed himself to the other and looking on her with a countenance wherein he endeavoured to moderate some part of his natural fiercenesse and to take off somewhat of that which was most dreadfull in him Madam said he to her my love forces me to waite on you though the justice of the gods hath made you mine to be disposed as I please even in the late accident you might have taken notice of so much and you ought to forget your own resentments of it out of a consideration of the blood I have lost to preserve you I shall never believe answered Cleopatra that it is to be attributed to the justice of the gods that a free person and one of my birth should become your prisoner without any war and contrary to the Laws of all Nations You might have observed no lesse your self in this very adventure wherein it hath cost you so much bloud and it is impossible they should approve the unjust violence you do me if they are as it is believed the assertors and patrons of Justice and innocence What violence replies Artaxus can he be said to do you who casts himself at your feet Or wherein does he violate the Law of Nations when he gives you a full right and absolute power over both his heart and his crown Do you in agine that this injustice is of the same kind with those which the gods punish and are you not afraid to incense them your self by entertaining so much aversion and animosity against a King that adores you and is ready to dye at your feet Having said these words he turned towards Artemisa and looking on her with a little more mildnesse than ordinary by reason of the presence of Cleopatra whom he knew to have a horrour for his cruelties Well Artemisa said he to her you see after what manner Heaven hath prospered your designes and how it hath approved that the Daughter of Artabasus should forsake her Brother and her King to run away with the Son of Anthony My Lord replies Artemisa endeavouring to recover her self a little though my affection was I must confesse very great towards Alexander yet was it not such as should have obliged me to forsake you to follow him could I have taken any other course to have saved his life which you would have taken from him and he should have lost for my sake This makes nothing for your justification replies Artaxus but you do not stand much in need of any having found such a sanctuary in the Princesse Cleopatra The power she hath over me disarms the indignation I have against you and I have no hatred for Alexander since I adore Cleopatra In a word your destiny is in her hands and I shall not onely pardon you the offence you have committed against me but I shall
body the sword fell out of his hand his eyes closed and his strength leaving him of a suden he fell down in a swound upon the deck The incensed Cleopatra had not lost her generosity and therefore seeing him in that condition though she was somewhat of opinion that that weaknesse might come upon him from some wound he had received in the fight she gave those notice that were about him to have a care of him since he had fought so well in their quarrel Having so done she found a place to sit down where she was and leaning her amiable face on her two fair hands she burst out into a rivulet of tears and deplored the strange and extraordinary misfortune that had happened to her by such complaints as no doubt would have moved any soul with compassion unlesse it were those of Artaxus and Zenodorus Artemisa who sate by her would have comforted her but not being able to do it she wept with her for company and was not afraid to displease Artaxus by participating in her lamentations When the fair Daughter of Anthony had with much adoe dispersed those sobs which made some resistance against the passage of her voice turning upon Artemisa those fair eyes which though drowned as they were in tears set all on fire in the ship even to the hearts of unmerciful Pirates Ah Sister said she to her what fortune was ever comparable to mine by what means think you am I fallen into the hands of Artaxus now the second time That man whose innocence you pleaded so much and were so confident of that man from whom inconstant as I had concluded him I yet expected assistance nay that very man whom you saw not many daies since fighting so valiantly in our defence by the same valour delivers us up himself and that into his hands from whom he had before rescued us the King your Brothers Had it not been for the assistance of his fatal valour we had been freed and it was he alone that forced away nay haply killed those that fought for our liberty After such an adventure as this never dispute with me again the greatnesse of our misfortunes and find me but one example in the World that may be parallel'd with this I do not think it strange that Artaxus an implacable enemy of our house and one that by his former inhumanities had discovered the malice he hath against us should treat me with violence and injustice but that he who had sometime loved me so dearly whom to my confusion I had loved beyond my own life who had suffered so much for my sake and upon my account and had been the occasion that made me suffer so much my self and to be short that that onely person who should have sacrificed thousands of lives for my liberty should come and expose all he had against my friends and against my rescuers purposely to return me into the chains and power of Artaxus and not into his own Ah Sister this this is what no ages ever produced any thing comparable to and t is such a strange accident as I am not well able to comprehend though my eyes can but too well witnesse the truth of what I have seen While Cleopatra broke forth into these lamentations and that Artemisa astonished at the strangenesse of the adventure gave her the hearing and wept with her without making any reply Megacles and diverse others were gotten about Coriolanus endeavouring to recover him again some others were employed in casting the carkasses over-board and to dresse those that were wounded whereof there was no great number But before they went to visite them having looked all about the body of Coriolanus they could not find any wound about him and yet though they cast water in his face and used severall other remedies all could not bring him to himself again Megacles who had the greatest respect of any for him made it his businesse very earnestly to recover him besides that when they reflected on the assistance he had done all that were in the vessell all did accordingly conceive themselves obliged to relieve him Artaxus knew not how he should entertain this strange emergency and though his first motions were inclined to gratitude and acknowledgement for the great services he had received from that valiant person yet those which immediately succeeded them began to raise a terrible disturbance within him From the words of Cleopatra which fell from her in the violence of her grief contrary to her ordinary prudence he concluded that that man must needs be his Rivall But that grieved him not so much as to consider that it was a Rivall very precious in the affection of Cleopatra and the history of the King of Mauritania's Love to that Princesse being a thing known all over the world from the gracefulnesse from the valour and from all the other demonstrations and characters of a great soule that were discoverable in that valiant man he was easily perswaded that it was Coriolanus and consequently he that of all the world should be most his enemy and whom he should accordingly be most jealous of in the love he had for Cleopatra Yet could he not find in his heart to hate him so suddenly as well for the considerable service he had received from him as that from severall circumstances it was very probable he was unfortunate in his affection and that from the reproaches of infidelity which the Princesse made him he could infer no lesse than that that Prince had sorsaken her In this confusion of imaginations he was at such a losse that he knew not what resolution to take casting his eies sometimes on the Prince that was still in a swound and sometimes on the afflicted Princesse Besides it being not his opinion alone that the unknown was the very same person he thought him it went from one to another that without question it was the valiant King of Mauritania So that coming at last to the eares of Cleopatra as incensed as she was against him yet was she not a little troubled that she had by her discourse discovered him and yet it being to no purpose to recall what is once past Yon are in the right said she it is indeed the King of Mauritania 't is a perfidious man whom for a double infidelity I am obliged to hate above all mankind besides but he is a Prince how unconstant soever he may have proved to me deserves your assistance for the service he hath but too fortunately done you against me and therefore since you have made some advantage of his treachery you have as much reason to look after him as I have to abhorre him To this effect was the discourse of this generous Princesse and though that in all appearance she seemed not without very much reason to be incensed against the unfortunate sonne of Juba and to have made a strong resolution not to admit him into her affections again but to avoid him as much as she
had observed that her affections were absolutely devoted to him and that she had all aversion that could be for â—igranes he could not but raise his thoughts to a certain confidence that all the hindrance he might fear from that Rival would not be able to injure his Fortune The protection which Agrippa had put him in hopes of amounted to so much as to win him into a belief that Caesar would not any way oppose him and the constancy he had perceived in Elisa towards him though she were not naturally guilty of too much forwardnesse made him imagine that though all the world should be against him yet was his happinesse so surely grounded on the affection of his Princesse that nothing could shake it Amidst these imaginations wherein it might be said he placed a certain felicity his greatest disquiet was that he wanted the sight and presence of his Elisa for some few houres and the impatience he was in to see her again made him look on that one night and a peice of the next day as if it had been a year so triviall seemed to him the consideration of his rest in comparison of that of his Love But if his reflections troubled and interrupted his sleep that of the great Agrippa might be said to be subject to greater distraction For the passion he had for Elisa having already arrived to its full strength and being come to such a height as that all the force of his understanding and discourse was not able to oppose it the effects it had wrought in his soule were accordingly so violent that he could expect no other issue thereof but perpetuall and inevitable disquiet And though it had been meerly out of the consideration of his own vertue which would not suffer him to deny the doing of a good action when an opportunity offered it self to do it that he had protected Artaban against the armes and power of Tygranes and purely out of generosity had taken his part rather than that of the King of the Medes yet was it not in his power to forbear looking on him as his Rivall and that not as a Rivall out of favour and slighted as Tygranes was but as one much esteemed by Elisa and consequently as the only person that had been so fortunate as to engage her affections He had it seems that very day observed very evident demonstrations of the mutuall respects that passed between them And whereas on the other side the revolutions which had happened in the Kingdome of the Parthians and that of the Medes by the valour and conduct of Artaban were of such consequence as that they were knowne all over the world in like manner his inclinations for Elisa and the ingratitude of Phraates made no small noise among the Romanes and by that meanes was come to the eares of Agrippa so that when he looked on Artaban he must needs consider him as that person who of all men was the most likely and most able to crosse him in his love or rather as the only man that could ruine all his pretences This consideration made him sigh for very griefe and if his vertue had not been so great no question but he had repented him of the assistance he had given him but having withall a great and gallant soule and all his resentments conformable to the noble fame he had acquired he could not be troubled that he had done what he ought to have done and thought it sufficient onely to quarrell at the crossenesse of his Fortune without being guilty of a wish that should any way derogate from his vertue Nay he was not able to conceive any aversion for such a Rivall and those excellent qualities which might oblige him to fear Artaban were no lesse powerfull in obliging him to love him as representing to him that he might by the same means deserve the friendship of Agrippa as he had obtained the love of Elisa And yet all this hindered not but that he wished himself loved by Elisa and all the great vertue he was master of could not oppose in him a desire so naturall to those that Love nor prevaile with him to quit Elisa to Artaban though he were very much in her favour and not unworthy her affections He was satisfied that how earnest soever he might be to gain her love all his endeavours would prove ineffectuall and yet his passion exasperated by that kind of despair seemed to grow more and more powerfull and to seate it self in his soule with more empire and authority From this therefore he concluded that it was impossible for him to give over loving Elisa and thereupon resolved to do all that lay in his power to force her inclinations from Artabanâ— and to give a check to the favour she was pleased to afford him But in regard that all his thoughts were comformable to honour and generosity and out of a consideration that he could not without prejudice to both disturb a noble affection grounded on extraordinary Services and that between persons that had cast themselves under his protection in a place where he had all power in his own hands and where in all likelihood he could not make use of his authority without a certain kind of tyranny he sought but a meane to reconcile his Love to his Vertue and to manage the former without prejudice to the latter Upon these reflections he resolved to dispute the businesse fairly with Artaban without any advantage as to matter of power and to strive with him for the heart of Elisa by desert and services and not make use of his credit in the Empire or the authority of Caesar Being confirmed daily more and more in that resolution What injury said he do I do Artaban by being desirous to engage with him in a combat wherein all the advantage is of his side And what quarrell can be justly have against me when I shall with no other force than that of Love assault a heart already delivered up to his disposall and that a heart favourably prepossessed for him with all that may make him happy to my prejudice I am not engaged to him either upon any account of Friendship or obligation and therefore see no reason that should perswade me tamely to sit down in my own misery out of a fear of thwarting his happinesse There are few persons haply that have such a command of their inclinations as to confine themselves to those rules which I propose to my selfe and it is in Love rather than policy and to gain the possession of what a man most affects rather than to gain a kingdome that it is lawfull to employ all armes and to make use of all manner of forces And yet to avoid the reproach I might make to my selfe of having abused my Fortune against persons to whom it is contrary I will by no means make use of Augustus's favour or the power I have in the Empire but shall be content to be unhappy while I live
if my happinesse cannot be effected by other waies than those Having so said he recollected himselfe for some few minutes as if he were extreamly well satisfied with the resolution he had taken But not long after reflecting on the difficulty of his enterprise and the little hope he had to bring it to any effect It is true continued he that by this course I should avoid that remorse and those scruples which might rise in my mind for oppressing by my power a man whose vertue is not inferiour to my own but alas if this be the way to quiet my conscience it is also the onely course I can take to crush my hopes that is I undertake a businesse whereof I cannot expect the successe should be fortunate Artaban is already very much in the affections of Elisa and besides the eminent services whereby he hath deserved her favour he is otherwise worthy of it upon the account of the great excellencies of his person as much as for the noble effects of his Love So that there is very little probability that a Soule engaged not onely by a great merit and very considerable services but also haply by a strong inclination can easily be disengaged by a new affection if I neglect my advantages which alone may come into comparison with those of my Rivall and meerly upon the account of merit deale with a merit which is so far from being inferiour to my own that it hath already wrought in the soule of Elisa all that I could hope or rather all that I could desire This reflection troubled and cast him down very much but not long after taking encouragement from that little shadow of hope which ever offers it selfe even to the most miserable Why added he may it not be lawfull for me to hope There happen daily revolutions no lesse strange than what I am about to undertake and if a man may be pardoned a little selfe-conceit upon some certain occasions I may hope something beyond the ordinary rate of men My person is not unacceptable to those that see me I have some name among men my ranke is considerable enough to work some effect on the inclinations of Elisa to the prejudice of a man to whom heaven though it hath bestowed on him great advantages hath denied some part of those which it was but requisite he should have to pretend to the Princesse of the Parthians Let us hope then if we may presume to do it or at least let us not absolutely despair since that hope is a vertue so much inclined to assist any one that it hardly forsakes the most unfortunate that are though in their greatest and last extremities Thus were Agrippa and Artaban treated by love who at this time in a City where the Ptolomeys had reigned was taken up with nobler employments then haply he had met with in all the extent of his Empire while Prince Ariobarzanes and Prince Philadelph were entertained by him with such enjoyments as to all others were incomprehensible These two Lovers who after so many traverses of fortune and so many tempests saw themselves at the feet of their amiable Princesses as it were in a secure Haven could not without some difficulty apprehend the greatnesse of their felicity when they reflected on their past miseries and may in some sort be said to have found that in the excesse of their joy which they had avoided in their afflictions and dangers All that day was spent in transports such as the prudence of their Princesses would have moderated though ineffectually and though those of Ariobarzanes should proportionably to his adventures and the accidents had happened to him which indeed had been of the most dangerous and extraordinary have expressed in all probability something more vehement then could be expected from those of Philadelph yet was it certain that in the soul of the Prince of Cilicia there passed somewhat that argued a greater tendernesse and sensibility of affection For this satisfaction having happened equally to both that they had met with the Princesses they adored and whom they sought out so earnestly Philadelph had this advantage that now he had by many infallible demonstrations discovered himself to be admitted to a happinesse which he was not before assured of and found that his amiable Delia who while they were in Cilicia could never be perswaded to declare what sentiments she had for him made no difficulty to afford him even in the presence and with the consent of her Brother the greatest proofs of affection he could have desired from a vertue such as was that of Delia. Above a hundred times that day had he embraced her knees with expressions of love particular to his passion and the modest Arsinoe mildly putting him back could not but with joy observe the continuation of that noble affection whereof he had given her so many obliging demonstrations in Cilicia The more he called to mind those pleasant entertainments the more it added to his acknowledgments insomuch that the fair Olympia whom Ariobarzanes had already acquainted with all the particulars of their History conceiving an affection towards Philadelph upon the account had been given her of his generous way of proceeding took occasion to confirm Arsinoe more and more in the resentments she had thereof Yet was not this felicity of Philadelph without some disturbance for the experience he had of the King of Armenia's disposition which was such as admitted no reconciliation with his enemies put him not without some ground into a fear he might refuse his allyance and out of the hatred he had him for his house raise him some new difficulties Arsinoe her self was not absolutely free from that fear and could not dissemble it to Philadelph when he discovered his to her but Ariobarzanes gave him the best consolations and assurances he could by promising him that he would further his interests as much as lay in his power even though the King his Brother should oppose them and that he would perish rather then that Arsinoe should be any other mans then Philadelph Besides when it came to the worst they had this course to gain the consent of Artaxus still left them which was to make use of the authority of Augustus who had such an influence upon the King of Armenia that he could not deny him any thing having some intentions to that very end to cast themselves under the protection of Augustus who had sometimes proffered it them and making no doubt but that he would employ the utmost of his interest to effect their quiet not onely upon their own intreaty but also upon the recommendation of Agrippa who had promised to assist them with all the power he had with the Emperour The same mediation they thought would prove effectual with the King of Cilicia who in all probability would gladly comply with the desires of Caesar though on that side all that was to be done was to satisfie Arsinoe in regard Philadelph was fully resolved
on her with a countenance wherein his passion was extreamly visible Is it possible Eurinoe said he to her you should be so much affrighted at Teramenes living when you could find in your heart to give him kisses when he was dead and wash his face with so many teares But can I think that change any miracle cruell and ungratefull Eurinoe when I am so well acquainted with that of your soule and that I am not ignorant how that in the same minute you were seen to passe from the effects of the most violent passion in the world to a mortall oblivion of him that had adored you with so much fidelity and to new inclinations for a dying man whom you had never seen before and one that had been the death of those persons whom you thought dearest to you I return Eurinoe I return almost from hell to reproach you with your prodigious inconstancy and the gods have been pleased to restore me to life contrary both to your expectation and my own that I might come and represent to you the many oaths and protestations wherein you have called them to witnesse to your promises of an eternall affection for me Is it possible that you can call them to mind without remorse and confusion and can so many demonstrations of my love which you sometime valued at the highest rate come into your memory and not raise in you either a secret grief or a secret repentance Your hand was lifted up to thrust a dagger into the heart of my Murtherer and by an extravagance of passion you were hurried into extremities not ordinary to your sex when that fatall sight gave a check to your cruelty and that new love possessing it self of your soule in an instant forced thence the unfortunate Teramenes in such manner that you hardly remembred he had once lived In the mean time my life was preserved to my greater misfortune and I wish it had pleased the gods to have put a period to it at that very minute when your affection ceased and that their assistance and that of men had not proved so effectuall as to restore it me to make me fall into the greatest unhappinesse that ever man groaned under Do you imagine Eurinoe that heaven hath not a punishment for so strange an insidelity and that the cries of a desperate and an injured Lover will not bring upon your head those misfortunes which his Love permits him not to wish you To this effect was the discourse of Teramenes which fell from him with a certain action that raised in me abundance of pittie and he would have said more had not the excesse of his grief prevented him when Eurinoe having quite recovered her self as convinced both by the things which she heard and by what Pelorus had told her would needs stop the torrent of his words Whereupon smothering that confusion and remorse which had tied up her tongue so long she looked on Teramenes not without some remainders of the fright he had put her into and not long after venturing to speak though with difficulty enough Whatever thou art said she to him whether the Ghost of Teramenes or Teramenes himself alive thou hast filled my soule with terrour and astonishment and I cannot look on thee in that condition after I had honoured thy cold and bloody body with the last demonstrations of my Love but I must needs be disturbed at so strange an adventure Assure thy self therefore that what thou hast observed in my countenance is meerly the effect of that trouble and not of that confusion and remorse which thou dost reproach me with and though it might haply have proved more advantageous to my self to have continued my affections to thee even after thy death since it was decreed thou shouldst come to life again yet is it certain that thou hast lost them by a misfortune which I have not any way contributed to With what justice Teramenes canst thou charge me with any infidelity towards thee Have I been any way backward in the Love I had promised thee to the very last minute of thy life or did we perswade one another that our Love should last beyond this life What law is that which engages one to this eternity of affection towards the dead or by what symptomes could I judge that thou shouldst return to life after I had caused thee to be brought out of the Field in order to thy buriall Those demonstrations of love which I gave thee and what else thou maist have understood from the unfaithfull Pelorus were they the effects of an ordinary passion and was there not ground enough thou shouldest be satisfied with a passion which engaged me to do things beyond the bounds of reason To revenge thee I became contrary to my naturall inclinations more cruell than a Lyonesse and would have attempted the life of an expiring Prince at whose sight even Tygresses would have been moved to compassion If I therefore were moved thereat if the will of the gods and generositie obliged me to assist him and if since as thou art too well informed to be denied any thing his excellent endowments or some superiour irresistible power have forced my inclinations and taken that place in my heart which was not to be eternally kept empty for one that was dead dost thou find in this misfortune that horrid infidelity which thou reproachest me with or didst thou imagine that my obligations were as great to thy ghost as they were while living to thy self No Teramenes think not that thou canst accuse me with any justice and if thou hast been so unhappy to loose my affections by an adventure so prodigious quarrel with heaven whose will it was it should be so and not with my will which hath contributed nothing thereto As to the misfortune which thou bewailest so much my condition is not a jot happier than thine and thou maist elsewhere find a better fortune than thou canst expect with the unfortunate Eurinoe while in the mean time it is destined she should be eternally miserable and exposed to that chastisement of heaven which thou saiest must fall upon me and which indeed I have already felt The period of this discourse of Eurinoe's was a shower of tears which it lay not in her power to keep in any longer Whereupon Teramenes whom it put to the extremity of grief by reason there could not be a greater confirmation of the reality of his unhappinesse casting a dreadfull look upon her No no Eurince said he to her I shall accuse you no longer but acknowledge with you and submit to that irresistible power which hath forced your inclinations But in regard my life might do your reputation some prejudice in the world though my tongue were silent and that it is not to be doubted but that I am now as abomible as ever I was amiable in your sight it is but just my life should here determine and that in such a manner that you may not be
and quality might well suit with an Embassie to him as a person commissionated to that purpose To that effect Thoocles in an equipage conformable to that employment wherein there shal be nothing awanting as to matter of expence may addresse himself to Caesar with credentiall Letters under the great seale of Mauritania which it will not be hard to find at Rome among those of diverse other Kingdomes that have been brought thither after their reduction into Romane Provinces and propose unto him in the name of his King That if with the Peace which he should be desirous to have with him he would also bestow on him the Princesse Julia in marriage he would submit to him as all other tributary Kings did and would take his Kingdomes as dependent of the Empire This proposition must be made withall the solemnities requisite to so great an Embasse and in regard we are at a great distance from Mauritania so that there is not any commerce between us and that Country and that as things stand at the present there 's little hope we shall have any it is impossible we should be discovered And though it may be thought somewhat unlikely there should be so sudden a change and so beyond all expectation in the affections of Coriolanus yet there happens daily things no lesse strange which notwithstanding their distance from probability are yet neighbours to truth and there wil be those whom it will not be hard to perswade that his 〈◊〉 both made him forget his Love and that in the condition he is now arrived to desirous of a rest he never yet met with he could no way better effect it than by making a peace and courting the alliance of Caesar of whom he might expect the former upon the conditions proposed though he took him not into the latter And we shall find it a matter of so much the lesse difficulty to make Cleopatra sensible of his insidelity for that I have it from very good hands that since his departure she hath not heard any thing from him and that she hath already conceived no small jealousie of what we would perswade her to By this intrigue I shall not onely turne that love which Cleopatra hath for Coriolanus into a higher degree of aversion for him which is the onely rub that lies in my way to happinesse but I shall also dissolve that Friendship which Marcellus hath for him by making him believe that Coriolanus addressing himself to Julia whom he loves and looks on as designed for him is no lesse perfidious to him then to Cleopatra And by that means I shall deprive our enemy of a friend whose interest with Caesar hath hitherto been the greatest obstacle I have had to struggle with and instead of those supplies which he secretly receives from him and the good offices he daily does him with Cleopatra he will have the greatest indignation and most irreconcileable hatred that can be against him So that to arrive to the felicity I aim at and to make my revenge the more compleat I shall not be opposed either by the love of Cleopatra or the friendship of Marcellus which will be both destroyed by an artifice that cannot be discovered in many years I hearkned with a great deal of patience to this discourse of Tiberius and found in it many things not easily digestible as such as must needs bring us into many inconveniences but I overcame the greatest part of the difficulties I should meet with by the great desire I had to purchase his friendship and protection Whereupon assuming the discourse when he had given over speaking My Lord said I to him though your design seems to carry in it much danger and requires no small daringnesse in those that are employed in it yet all must be hazarded to serve you and we shall not be discouraged by any considerations whatsoever from effecting your satisfaction But I shall take the boldnesse to propose it to you whether it were not fitter to demand some other person rather then Julia so not to draw on you the displeasure and interest of Marcellus whom we must visibly engage against us by demanding of Caesar a person whom he is in love with and that is designed for him By this demand replies Tiberius we break the friendship that is between Marcellus and Coriolanus which it concerns me most of any thing to do But we do not thereby any way injure Murcellus and you do not run the hazard of encurring his displeasure though you may well be assured that your party shall not be weaker then his after the union of our interests and considering what you may expect from our house for as it is not hard for you to imagine there is little likelihood that this personated Embassy of Theocles from Coriolanus should any way prejudice Marcellus or that Caesar should prefer the allyance of that African his enemy before that of his Nephew whom he loves no lesse then if he were his own son and designes to be his successor No doubt all he will do will be to laugh at the extravagance of Juba's demand but though the effect it will have upon him will signifie nothing in Cleopatra and Marcellus it will do all that I expect it should so that I am in some hopes to enjoy Cleopatra long before the truth be discovered And if ever it should come to light I promise you that through the power of the Empresse who will be absolutely for us we shall reconcile all it being to be presumed that the Emperour will not be much displeased at an artifice which hath no design in it but that of assuring me of the enjoyment of Cleopatra and is not prejudicial to any but his greatest enemy To these Tiberius added a many other reasons to encourage me to engage in his design so that there needed not much to enflame the disposition I was already in to serve him into a resolution to do any thing he would have me and by his own natural eloquence and the inclination I had of my self to be perswaded he took off all the difficulties I could make to my self when he first made his proposition to me After I had reiterated the protestation I had made to him we called Theocles to whom Tiberius repeated all those things he had said to me and without any difficulty brought him to a resolution to undertake any thing which he the sooner was perswaded to as well by reason he was naturally mischievous and revengefull but withal very indiscreet and inconsiderate as by the hopes he was put into by Tiberius of great fortunes and assistances among the Romans At last he resolved to endeavour any thing should be proposed to him and made no difficulty to personate the Ambassadour of his King and to take all his instructions from Tiberius We stayed together all that day and the best part of the night to take all the order requisite in our design and when we had setled all
started as you felt and turning to you that I looked wish'dly about me through that remainder of the impression which my errour had left in my thoughts Such was the discourse of Cleopatra and Artemisa approved her opinion but it was not long ere she fell into another imagination which might have added very much to her affliction had she fastened her thoughts on it for she imagined for some minutes that Coriolanus killed in the combat wherein she had left him ingaged it might haply be that his spirit wandring about that which he had some time dearly loved had entertained her with those passionate words This reflection found at first some little entertainment in her mind and might have done abundance of mischief there had she afforded it any long entertainment but that being such in her as was not capable of ordinary weaknesse that extravagance was soon dispell'd by the light of her reason and communicated to Artemisa who gave it more credit then she had done For the Armenian Princesse was easily drawn in to think the opinion very probable and soon perswaded that if it were true that Cleopatra had heard certain words pronounced by a voice like that of Coriolanus 't was questionlesse the spirit of that unfortunate Prince dead in the combat wherein they had left him with little assurance of his safety that spoke them to the Princesse he had so dearly loved while he lived and whom haply he still loved even after his death From the opinion she had conceaved of the death of Coriolanus she derived all the affliction her vertue could give her for a Prince whose extraordinary endowment deserved a better fate and the friendship she had for Cleopatra for a man who how angry soever she might seem to be and how highly soever she might disguise her sentiments was much dearer to her than her life Certain it is that what sense soever she might have of her own misfortunes it abated nothing of what she conceaved for so great a losse so that to the tears she shed for her own unhappinesse she added some for the death of Juba's son But when reflecting on her fortune she passed from one consideration to another and was satisfied that she might mind her own interest with those of others without any breach either of friendship or generosity she thought that if Coriolanus were for certain dead an accident she neither could nor would conceave without an extraordinary affliction it might occasion no inconsiderable alteration in Cleopatra's condition and her own and that it being not impossible Cleopatra's inclinations might change when the object of her affections were in the grave if she could consider the love of the King her Brother with other eyes than she had done before and be perswaded by time and necessity to marry him that Prince how exasperated soever he might be against Artemisa sand Alexander would not onely pardon them for Cleopatra's sake but would no doubt confirm their marriage and suffer them to enjoy in quiet what they had sought with so much trouble and danger To this happinesse would be added also that of having Cleopatra for whom she had a passionate affection her Sister two several wayes insomuch that this reflection flattered her into a hope that was not unpleasant True it is that she could not raise it to that height as to reflect on the death of Coriolanus without grief but rather that she was content to seek out some comfort in her misfortunes without intrenching so much as to the least wish upon what she ought the vertue and friendship of Cleopatra Yet durst she not communicate this reflection to the desolate daughter of Anthony conceiving not without reason that such a Discourse would not be delightful to her but she felt her resolution growing stronger and stronger by that glimpse of hope betrayed in her countenance more setlednesse and lesse sorrow then she had done the day nay indeed for some minutes before This little alteration happened in her thoughts at the same time that those of Cleopatra met with such another for that fair Princesse out of motives quite contrary to those of Artemisa had just then fastned on resolutions worthy the Cleopatra's She had hardly well fixed on them but not able to disguise them either by her countenance or her discourse she embraced Artemisa with a gesture lesse sad than all the precedent and letting her rend in her eies part of what passed in her soule Sister said she to her Let us not weep any longer but rather hope from the assistance of the Gods and our own Courage the remedy of our misfortunes it may be our unhappinesse will not be so great as we were afraid it may and if our hard fates reserve us for what we fear us most insupportable we shall not want the assistance of our vertue either to overcome or to entertain it as we ought For your part Sister I hope it will be no hard matter to pacifie the King your Brother and I think it not impossible you and Alexander may come together◠and for me I can easily contemn whatever may happen to me when I do life it selfe Ever since the cruell confidence I have had of the infidelity of Coriolanus I value it so little that I should not be much troubled to loose it when ever it shall please my ill fortune to put 〈◊〉 into any such exigency and if the King your Brother violates the respect due to me or do any thing that shall make my captivity insufferable to me I shall free my selfe by the same courses the Queen my mother took to avoid it and I have that example so much before my eies that I were unworthy the name I bear should I seek for assistance any where else while I have that of my own courage This resolution once taken I no longer fear the King of Armenia and since I hope no more of Coriolanus whether dead or unfaithful I look on whatever may happen to me in a manner with indifference and shal entertain it haply with a constancy whereof the very example mayadde much to yours No doubt but Artemisa found some comfort in this discourse of Cleopatra not that she approved that hope which the daughter of Anthony grounded onely on a contempt of life but was glad to see her in a quieter posture then she had been in before and though she had not the confidence to discover to her the reflection that had found her the entertainment of some few minutes yet was she of a belief that time might so dispose of her as to endure such a discourse and that in the mean time she might admit a conversation lesse afflictive than that wherein they had already passed away so many cruell houres Accordingly no sooner were these two Princesses resolved to submit to what the uncertainty of fortune might cast upon them but they seemed to be quite changed from what they were the current of their teares was dried up and
not conceave upon what grounds his humour was so changed of a sudden It being about six or seaven years since what I relate to you happened Alexander and I were too young to be admitted of his Privy Councel so that it is since that I came to the knowledge of these particularities In the mean time Antonius as to point of magnificence lived much after the rate he was wont to do He went dayly to the Emperour's Court who had a very great esteem and affection for him and whereas the generous Octavia his Sister with whom we were notwithstanding the ill treatment she might have receaved from our Father had neverthelesse very great respects for his memory she was as earnest for the advancement of those children that he had had by his other Wives as she could have been for that of her own and that meerly out of the excesse of vertue that was in her Thence was it that she had a design to marry Antonius to one of the Daughters she had had by Marcellus her former Husband and who were brought up with us without any distinction as if we had been really Sisters as conceaving that she could not better dispose of her Daughters then to bestow them on the Sons of her Husband or rather that she could not do any thing more contributory to the advantage of the Son of Anthony then by making him her Son in law to make him Caesar's Nephew who was able to raise his fortunes to the highest pitch of greatnesse It was indeed an admirable expression of the indulgence of Octavia in regard that by way of addition to the merit of their person which yet is extraordinary her Daughters whether we consider their birth or their fortunes were such as there were no men in the World who would not have been proud to serve them upon the least appearance of any such pretention nay it might haply be affirmed that Julia onely excepted they were the best Matches in the World You may well imagine that Antonius being acquainted with that goodnesse of Octavia towards him entertained it with all manner of acknowledgement and respect but by reason of the misfortune whereby he was a little disordered he receaved it not with any great joy but found it no small difficulty to disguise his resentments as he was obliged to do His love was not haply raised to that violence which it might have arrived to by a further knowledge of the person beloved yet was it strong enough to maintain the Garrison of his soul against the assaults and eruptions of another passion and to satisfie him though not without an extraordinary affliction that of necessity he must either prove ungrateful towards Octavia and oppose the advantages were intended him or resolve to do a thing which how advantageous soever it were could not appear to be such nay not indeed supportable to his prepossessed imagination But it being withall certain that he was a person of very great endowments and a noble education he neglected not to do what he thought requisite to expresse his acknowledgements to Augustus's Sister and forced his inclinations so far as to do all those devoirs and civilities which he thought might be expected from him by the Princesse Marcella so was called the elder of the Daughters of Octavia by Marcellus her former Husband T was indeed with abundance of prudence and discretion that he overcame the violence he did himself in that particular but it was withall easie to observe that he made it not his businesse to assure himself of that good fortune so much as in all appearance he should have done or rather that he suffered those that were employed about it to bestir themselves he doing little or nothing contributory thereto Those who made this observation were very much astonished at the dis-activity he expressed in an affair of such concernment to him and instead of imagining the true cause were perswaded that his indifference or backwardnesse proceeded from the little inclination he naturally had to marriage in general against which he had been often heard to speak and for which it was known he really had some aversion But when he had done all he thought himself obliged to by way of sacrisice to that violence he had done his inclinations and had some hours freely to dispose of his discourse ran upon his misfortune and his entertainment was of the strange posture of his spirit and the odde effects of his adventure He did indeed endeavour all he could to force out of his thoughts the inevitable Idaea which would have a place there whether he would or no and was so prejudicial to his quiet and his establishment Nay I know he did all that lay in his power to get it thence and it may be his endeavours had with the assistance of time and his reason proved effectual if he had not afterwards met with something that instead of contributing to his recovery confirmed him in his passion Among those friends whom he accounted his most intimate and familiar Lucius Scipio of the illustrious house of the famous Scipio's whose glory hath filled the universe was the chiefest He was a person not unworthy the name he bore as being one that while he was yet very young the hope generally conceaved of him was that he would not degenerate from his Ancestors He had a violent passion for Emilia the Daughter of Statilius Scaurus and being very free and open to Antonius he had given him a faithful account of the progresse of his love and had carryed him along with him to Emilia But this affection of his being of no long standing Antonius's acquaintance at that house was not very great besides that it was haply the lesse by reason it had been contrary to our Fathers party nay I think he had accompanyed Scipio but once thither It is scituated upon the Tiber and the Garden which is one of the fairest about Rome reaching down to the River side which is kept off by a Terrace with Pilasters very magnificent and very commodious for walking It being the fairest season of the year Emilia cameâ—down thither everynight to take the fresh-air and Scipio out of a certain piece of gallantery very ordinary in Rome taking a little boat and driving along the River to Scaurus's Garden had often seen Emilia upon the Terrace and without quitting the boat had had in that manner several conversations with her And whereas the design he had upon the Lady was approved by his friends no body took any offence at or censured his so doing for since the house was alwayes open to him the conversation of the Garden was not forbidden him But meeting one evening with Antonius at Octavia's he invited him to that divertisement and that he did the more freely in regard he did not conceal any thing from him of his amorous adventures The melancholy Antonius was content to accompany his friend to that walk and being gotten into the boat with him
the Unknown Beauty somewhat angrily they have done me such an injury as I shall never be able to pardon them and if what you say be true you will find your self very unfortunate in your addresse to a person who cannot otherwise then by hatred and aversion make any return to your affection I am indeed easily perswaded replies the amazed Antonius that I deserve this cruel aversion by reason of some defects in my person since I am confident I could never have merited it by any action or thought I have ever been guilty of I see then replyed she much displeased with him that I am still unknown to you and were you not ignorant whom you speak to I am confident you would not speak to me at all Certain it is said he to her with a very submissive gesture that I am to learn whom I speak to and whom I have bestowed my self on unlesse there be no more requisite to know you then to have well observed the divine qualities of your admirable person all the endeavours I have used to gain a more particular knowledge of you have proved ineffectual so that I am now at a losse what I ought to learn or what I ought to desire since the knowledge of your person is of no lesse concernment to me then that of your aversion You shal know both together replies the Unknown Beauty and you will be no longer to seek why I shun you when I have told you that I am Daughter to Cicero and you remember that you are Son to Anthony and Fulvia his Executioners With these words she goes out of the Closet into Emilia's Chamber and out of that into another where she locked up her self for fear of further pursuit But indeed there was no necessity she should take all that pains for he whose pursuit she was so much afraid of was at such a losse and so surprized at the discovery she had made to him of her self that he hardly knew where he was Not that from his understanding that she whom he loved was Cicero's Daughter he felt any diminution in his love nor yet that being his Daughter she appeared lesse amiable but that all the hopes he might have conceaved vanished away in an instant And when it came into his mind not onely that Anthony had caused Cicero to be put to death but also that Fulvia his Mother had caused his head and his hands to be fastened to the Rostra where he used to make his Orations and had committed a thousand cruel indignities on the reliques of that great person whose memory was so precious among the Romans he had no more to say for himself and could not blame his Daughter for the horrour she had conceaved against the Son of Anthony and Fulvia For though indeed divers persons had lost their lives during the proscriptions of the Triumvirate which yet occasioned not eternal enmities between families yet it is certain that in the death of Cicero there had been some circumstances so cruel and Fulvia naturally inclined to bloud had used him with so much inhumanity even after death that my Brother whose memory was of a sudden burthen'd with all those things and whose inclinations were absolutely vertuous could not think on them without horrour Woe is me cryed he at last rising up from the place where he had continued all this while and turning to Scipio and Emilia who had been witnesses of all that was passed the Daughter of Cicero hath indeed reason to avoid the Son of Fulvia but the son of Fulvia hath not his own destiny at his disposal and cannot forbear loving whiles he lives the Daughter of Cicero With these words he at the entreaty of Emilia sate down and lay under such a dark cloud of affliction that for a good while he was not fit for any conversation During that time he understood from Emilia without any desire of his to be informed that Tullia was a neer Kinswoman of hers and that her Mother Terentia was of the family of the Scauri that the beauty and excellent endowments of that young Ladie had made no great noise in Rome and that her person had not been known there so much as in all probabilitie it ought to have been by reason that while she was yet verie young and that during the time the house lay under disgrace her Mother had carryed her to a Country-house neer Tusculum where she had spent her life in solitude without ever returning to Rome and that haply she had not come thither so soon if upon occasion of her Mothers death which happened not long before her Brother Quintus Cicero who lived at Rome after a verie noble and high rate and had been nominated Proconsul in some part of Africk had not some few daies since sent for her Emilia further acquainted Antonius and Scipio that Tullia besides the perfections of her body had a many admirable endowments that she had cultivated an excellent disposition with an excellent education and that during the time of her solitude being addicted to the study of the nobler kind of Sciences she was grown perfect therein that she discovered abundance of courage and vertue that she was not subject to the weaknesse of our Sex and that she was of a conversation infinitely pleasant when she was among persons to whom she was pleased to communicate her self To these Emilia added a many other things in commendation of Tullia whereof the effect was that they made the wound of the unfortunate Antonius wider than it was and disarmed him of all the forces he had to oppose a passion wherein he expected not to find any satisfaction Scipio was extreamly troubled at it through those sentiments which friendship inspired him with and Emilia who had that esteem for his vertue as all others had that were acquainted with it had an extraordinary compassion for his misfortune and would have been very glad to find out any means to comfort and assist him But knowing Tullia to be a person constant and unchangeable in her resolution especially in those wherein she thought her honour concerned and that from what she already knew she foresaw that the passionate Antonius would find but little satisfaction in his love she endeavoured to divert his thoughts from it with the best arguments she could make against it and forbore not to tell him whatever she imagined might put him into some doubt of the successe and fear of her friends humour My Brother heard her with abundance of patience and great expression of the resentment he had of her goodnesse in concerning her self so much in his misfortune but when all was done he protested to her that it was impossible for him to make any advantage of her good advise and that that unfortunate passion was grown so predominant in his soule that he was out of all hopes ever to see himself free from it what course soever he might take Scipio added his remonstrances to those of Emilia and
combats are fought whether they be between Beasts or Gladiators so that those of that rank may lean against certain Pilasters whereby the Cirque is compassed about and which is raised up to such a height as to secure them from the fury of the Lyons and Tygers that are the creatures of greatest agility the seats behind that being raised and standing at a greater distance are for the people who are ordinarily admitted to these sights to their very great delight and entertainment I went thither my self that day with the Princesse Julia though we were both of us at that time but in the thirteenth year of our age and consequently I can give you a more particular account of this action then of some others at which I was not present Antonius had his eyes continually fastened on Tullia's face who never was guilty of so much as one look towards him This amorous Prince looked upon that freedom of conversation which was between her and Cecinua with a very jealous eye and with no small disturbance of mind and if any one had concerned himself so far as to mind his actions he might easily have observed in his countenance the agitations of his soul There had past diverse combats of several beasts which found the Spectators abundance of sport and entertainment and they were going to open the door to let in a Tygre and a Bear of a prodigious bulk to set them a fighting together when Antonius who had his eyes still fixed on Tullia saw that amidst the conversation she had with Cecinna and certain Ladies that sate about her she took out a little box set with divers rich Diamonds wherein was her own picture which her Mother had caused to be taken about a year before and which she had given her at her death She had shewn it to those Ladies and Cecinna had it in his hands a good space but at last going to restore it to Tullia the box through negligence slipt out of his hands and she leaning on the raile it fell down into the Area just when the two furious beasts were coming into it with looks so full of terrour that they put the Spectators into some fear Tullia being extreamly troubled at the fall of the box she respected so much into a place whence in all likelihood there would not be any so desperate as to fetch it again gave a great outcry and by her countenance and all her actions expressed an extraordinary disturbance at that accident The Emperour and all that were present soon came to understand it but there was no possibility to recover it while the beasts were within the Cirque Cecinna who was partly the occasion of the falling of the box endeavoured to perswade Tullia to patience by telling her that after the combat of the beasts he would go and find it for her but she giving too much way to her indignation upon so slight an occasion answered him very roundly that had she been a man she would have ventured her life to fetch her picture She had no sooner delivered these words but young Antonius whom his passion had at that time absolutely devested of all reason distracted as to all matter of consideration not onely of the hazard whereto he exposed himself without any necessity but also of the noise which that action must needs make contrary to the design he had to keep his love secret turning towards that side where Tullia was Fair Tullia said he loud enough to be heard by her you shall find there is a man who dares hazard his life to do you this inconsider able service and thereupon leaning upon the raile he vaulted over it into the Cirque I was ever of opinion that Antonius a person naturally discreet would never have been guilty of an action so extravagant had he not been transported by an over-violent passion But I imagined withall as diverse others did that to do Tullia that service whereof the consequence deserved not he should expose his life to so great a danger he had been encouraged partly by a belief he was of that he might not haply while he lived meet with so noble an occasion to expresse his love to her and partly by a desire he had to let her know the difference there was between him and Cecinna whom she preferred and favoured even in his presence However it were this action raised a many outcryes among the Spectators even to the Emperour himself who had a great love and esteem to my Brother My Sister and I were almost out of our selves to see it Octavia was not a little troubled at the accident nay there was hardly any one in that great Assembly that was not troubled at it onely Antonius seemed to be the person that had any confidence and though he were a little startled at his alighting by reason of the height of the place whence he had leapt down yet immediately recovering himself he drew his sword and went with an undaunted courage towards that side where the box lay sparkling among the sand He was so happy as to take it up without any hindrance and so indiscreet as to open it in the same place and to have the patience to look on the beautiful picture of Tullia that was enclosed within it Yet was it not with so little caution but he stood sufficiently on his guard to defend himself if the beasts came to fasten on him but as he went towards the door at which he was to go out he made no more hast than ordinary and retreated so as if he had not been in the least fear of the two beasts that were within the Cirque The Bear stirred not from the place she was in but the Tigre came up to my Brother with his sparkling eyes and in such a posture as put all that were present into a fright Antonius might have gained the door before the Tygre could have fastened on him if he would have run for it but such a flight he thought unworthy his courage and therefore seeing this terrible enemy coming towards him he stood and expected him and presented the point of his sword to him with an admirable constancy You may well imagine that all those to whom Antonius's life was any way dear were not a little troubled at the accident but it was the pleasure of the gods that when the furious beast saw the glistering of the sword it made a halt and seemed uncertain what resolution to take when the Emperour having called out to those of his guard that were about him immediately to kill it it was shot with above twenty arrows and fell down dead at Antonius's feet He seemed to be somewhat troubled at the death of the beast saying he was very sorry he had deprived the Emperour and the Spectators of part of their entertainment and when he thought he might retire without dishonour for the Bear had not stirred from the place he came to the door which they kept open
But while he was employed in this compassionate office there comes by an accident you cannot but be astonished at a Chariot full of Ladies to take the pleasure of a solitary walk in the Wood to the place where they were and the Ladies who intended to take a walk being got out of the Chariot came on easily without any jealousie of what had happened to the very place where the unfortunate Cecinna was expiring his last in my Brother's arms You may well imagine what astonishment this sad spectacle raised in the Ladies but it will be hard for you to conceave that of my Brother when with Emilia and some other Ladies of his acquaintance he saw the cruel Tullia that very Tullia whom he had so well engraven in his soul I leave it to you to supply the difficulty of expression I meet with in this strange rencounter so hard is it for me to give you an account of the agitations of these two souls in so unexpected an adventure If Antonius was surprized to see that Tullia whom he adored that Tullia who shunned him with all the cruelty imaginable nay the same Tullia whose Lover that was to be within a few dayes her Husband he had killed you may well think that Tullia on the other side was not lesse astonished to meet with that Antonius whom she avoided standing over the expiring Cecinna and soiled with the bloud of a man she was to be married to She had not had t is true any violent affection for him yet it is withall certain she had no dis-inclination towards him and since she had been acquainted with the design her Brother had to make her his Wife she had entertained in her heart all the love she thought her self obliged to have for a person that was shortly to be her Husband so that she could not see him weltring in his bloud and expiring at his enemies feet without feeling an extraordinary affliction and whatever her soul was capable of upon an accident of that nature She at first sight gave a great outcry and was ready to swound in Emilia's arms who made a shift to hold her up and a little after casting her eyes on both Antonius and Cecinna on the one with all the demonstrations of compassion and on the other with all those of indignation sheding tears for Cecinna and darting forth her wrathful looks on Antonius she continued for some minutes in an uncertainty as to what resolution she should take whether to avoid what she hated or to succour what she was obliged to love And whereas she seemed to be rather carried away by the aversion she had for my Brother or at least inclined rather to the motives she conceaved she had to avoid him then to the affection she had for Cecinna her first reflections seemed to engage her to avoid the face of an enemy especially he being such a one as confirmed himself to be such by the action he had then done But afterwards upon second thoughts she being a Lady that chose rather to be guided by her duty then her passions and conceaved her self obliged to relieve Cecinna dying upon her account rather then to avoid Antonius comes to him with her face bathed in tears and by certain broken words entreated him to take heart and to further all he could the design she had for the preservation of his life The expiring Cecinna met with this satisfaction in his misfortune that he breathed out his last in the arms of Tullia and mustering up all the strength he had left him to turn his eyes towards her and to take her by the hand she reached forth to him while one of her Mayds held up his head in her lap Madam said he to her I loose my life by the hands of Antonius but it was through my own fault and seeking and therefore I beseech you to forgive him my death as heartâ—ly as I do my self The compassion he takes at my misfortune deserves yours and I dye happy and glorious since I dye at your feet for your sake and in a condition that forces those fair showers from your eyes With much difficulty was he delivered of these words but with them he lost his speech and some few minutes after breathed out his last leaving in Tullias soul such violent characters of passion that she hardly knew where she was or what she did My Brother to give her way retired some few paces when she came neer Cecinna and being extreamly moved with pity for his misfortune the affliction he perceaved it was to Tullia heightened his own so much and so violently that he had much ado to keep off from despair He at first thought himself obliged to avoid the eyes of that incensed Beauty nay though he was infinitely desirous to have a sight of her yet must he needs imagine that as things then stood he could not without inhumanity importune her with his Out of this consideration had he already retired some few paces but his passion growing too strong for him would needs oblige him to speak to her and to make some reparation for the injury he had done her This resolution grew so strong upon him that he could not resist it and so slighting all those reflections that were incompatible with the violence of his love he came some paces neerer he looked on that desolate Beauty with all the agitations that a soul that hath lost all command of it self can be capable of He had not hardly had the confidence to open his mouth had he not been encouraged by the presence of Emilia whom he knew to be favourable to him and from whom he expected some relief But at last having rallyed all the courage he had he sets one knee on the ground and looking on Tullia in a trembling posture I should not presume to importune you with my sight Madam said he to her if I thought not my self obliged to make you some satisfaction for the injury I have done you and though Cecinna hath in some sort justified me by telling you that I onely stood in a defensive posture against him yet the displeasure I have done you is greater then to be passed over with such a reparation There was no need of this last misfortune to heighten the aversion you have ever had for the unfortunate person that now adores you and this sight of you which I so earnestly begged before should not have been granted me together with that of an accident which can raise in you nothing but horrour for this so unhappy a wretch But since it is the disposal of Heaven it is but just that both Heavens anger and yours should be appeased and since I am already so well acquainted with your heart as to believe I shall find in you all the resolution requisite to revenge your self and to do right to the Manes of Cecinna here take the sword continued he drawing it and presenting her with the hilt take the sword that hath
dancing Archelaus danced with Antonia whom Mithridates durst not come neer all the night Polemon danced with Marcella and had a long discourse with her and our Brother Ptolomey with the fair Martia but after a manner much different from that of the other For Polemon having an extraordinary passion for Marcella who for her part was not any way moved thereat and did not much mind the expressions of Polemon's affection and Ptolomey naturally averse from love unlesse it were that of his liberty was little moved at the beauty of Martia though she were so well furnished that way as to make an impression on souls that were most insensible and had naturally no aversion for Ptolemey but lived with him by the directions of Octavia as if they had been Brother and Sister For Domitius and Agrippina their conversation was ful of freedom and whereas the pretentions of Domitius were generally countenanced and encouraged and Agrippina a person of a disposition easily satisfied her affection accordingly met with few traverses of fortune and so her mind had little to struggle withal Marcellus and Julia were in the height of familiarity in regard no man disputed her with him and that he himself had made his peace with her as to the difference they had had together about the love of Drusus and for my part I had my hands full of Tiberius who made all the advantage he could of the absence of Coriolanus but the most pleasant part of the story was a dispute raised by Cypassis between Ovid and Horace who had waited on her all that day and who upon a very nice and ticklish question said things worthy the admiration of all the World The greatest part of the night being thus spent it was thought time to retire whereupon the whole Company being disposed into Chariots every one went to what was then most desirable rest I know Sister I have not done well thus to digresse or at least there was no necessity I should give you such a particular description of that dayes walking and entertainments and it is not unlikely you expected to hear of some extraordinary accident some way relating to this History But this short relation of the divertisements of that day whereof I have given as brief an account as I could may be thus far advantageous to you as to make you better acquainted as well with the persons as the little intrigues that then were in the Court of Augustus and I have been so much the larger out of this consideration that it was this day that gave birth to some things which have since come to passe of very great consequence My Sister Antonia and I had layn together for some few dayes before and were extraordinary kind one to another as being engaged in a friendship that allowed as little separation as could possibly be As we were undressing our selves that night I fell into discourse about what had happened between her and Mithridates and though she was extreamly loth to make me acquainted with it yet at last not able to stand out against my persecutions of her she gave me a punctual account of all the discourse she had had with him as I have related it to you already and discovered so much indignation in the recital thereof that notwithstanding the sadnesse which then lay heavy on my heart I could not forbear laughing at it and to torment her with discourse about it But the occasion I laid hold of to do so was yet more handsome when as she put off her cloaths there fell out of one of her sleeves a letter that had been hidden there and which was no sooner fallen to the ground but I took it up and having with a great curiosity looked on the superscription I found written in a hand that was unknown to me To the fair Antonia I had no sooner eyed that superscription but presenting it to her and obliging her to read it she was extreamly at a losse and perceaving her amazement to be so great as hindred her from speaking Sister said I to her you have not dealt freely with me since that having acquainted me with the particularities of Mithridates ' s affection you conceal from me that of another more forunate Servant of yours from whom you receave letters These words put her into a sudden blush but having soon after recovered her self Sister replyed she very soberly I shall not vindicate my self to you and I think you know me better then to believe that I receave letters from any one And yet you see replyed I that this is very truely directed to you and that he that writ it hath been so much afraid it should miscarry that he would needs put your name in the superscription in very fair Characters For that replies Antonia be it on the account of his discretion but that he hath been so fortunate in his design as that it should be known it was directed to me is all the satisfaction it will bring him and assure your self I am satisfied with the bare superscription and have no desire to see any more of it Not but that I am perswaded it comes from Mithridates himself who will needs accomplish what he so confidently began It being not so likely that Archelaus should have any hand in it since he talked with me all the evening and that I cannot believe every day should produce persons guilty of such an excesse of confidence However it may be said I to her if you are not resolved to conceal it from me you will give me leave to read it You may as well let it alone replies Antonia but it would argue in me a distrust of my own strength should I forbid you to do it if you are so resolved I therefore opened the letter and began to read aloud these words Since that in your judgement there is no distinction to be made between adorations and affronts and that you think the effects of hatred more supportable than those of love Now Sister saies Antonia interrupting me was I not in the right when I told you it came from Mithridates and are they not his own words in the discourse that past between us So far said I to her I agree with you that Mithridates is the Authour of it but let us see what follows and comfort your self so far as that there is no new affront offered you in this letter since it acquaints you with nothing but what you knew before Antonia being of the same opinion heard me with much more quietnesse of thought then before so that I began it again and found it in these words SInce that in your judgement there is no distinction to be made between adorations and affronts and that you think the effects of Hatred more supportable than those of Love those who are destind to affront you since they are onely such as are born to adore you ought either to conceale the offence from you or keep the offender out of your knowledge
hostility You have granted the Unknown Lover what you had denyed Kings that were professed Lovers and though he be obliged for this good Fortune to the name of Livia for which you have had so much respect yet is he much more engaged for it to his own industry and the confidence he had to effect his design You will pardon me that I have entertained you in so poor a place since I acknowledge I cannot conceave any noble enough to receave you and cannot wish you any other then that Heart which you saw burning this day in the publick sacrifice I have made thereof to you In a word my Fortune whatever it may be hath been envyed this day by all that is great and eminent in the Empire whence I derive a certain hope that it will one day be envyed by all that shall think themselves the most fortunate in the World I cannot said I having made an end of reading the letter but acknowledge that this man what ever he may be is an extraordinary Gallant a great wit and inexpressibly magnificent I grant you all that replyed Antonia but you must anknowledge withall that there is a certain spice of extravagance in his design and that all the pains he takes will amount to nothing That I cannot tell you replyed I nay methinks I already perceave he hath effected some part of his intentions for in that he hath declared to you at the beginning that there is no other reason of his recourse to this artifice then to induce you to endure the name of Love and to reconcile you to that passion which you avoid as a Monster because you are not acquainted with it you must needs acknowledge that he hath already prevailed with you to endure not onely the discourse but all the expressions of it much beyond what you had suffered in all your life before and in a word that you have held a greater correspondence with love since you first entertained the addresses of this one Vnknown Servant then you did upon those of all the rest put together Ah Sister replies Antonia very roundly what inclinations do I derive from what you say to hate him the more and yet how true is that which you have observed and I must with shame acknowledge it to be such But if it be possible I will remedy it one way or other What remedy can you think of said I to her while you are kept in this ignorance This man is haply of such a nature that he will not discover himself while he lives and though we may very well from the transcendency of his thoughts and attempts infer the greatnesse of his birth yet may it not possibly be such as may furnish him with confidence enough to declare himself Since we are fallen into this discourse Sister saies Antonia I am to acquaint you that not many dayes since I found in one of my Gloves another Letter which I purposely forbore to shew you by reason of some discontent that you were in that day concerning Tiberius but kept it nevertheless that it might be communicated to you for you know that I mind them only in order to your diversion No said I to her smiling t is because you would have me no further acquainted with your secrets at which words perceaving she had found the Letter I took it from her and read out of it these words To the Princesse ANTONIA THough my name ought to be concealed from my Princesse till such time as she hath pardoned me the injury I have done her to prevent all suspicions that may be conceaved against an unknown person yet is it lawful for me to let her know and I ought to do it in order to my justification though it may be with some prejudice to my modesty and reservednesse that my person is not disliked by those whom I have addred my self to that I am not without some esteem or without some name in the World and that my birth and fortune are such as whence I may well derive an encouragement to serve her In fine my love is that which she might most disapprove in me after the protestations she hath made her self that the person was not hateful and from this defect it is that I hope for greater advantages then I can expect from either birth or fortunes This letter furnished us with more matter of discourse and imagination then all the rest but at last having done all we could we resolved not to trouble our selves any further and to expect with patience what might be the consequences of that adventure Ptolomey to whom I had given one of the letters had made it his businesse to enquire all about whether there were any such hand among those persons of quality and never could meet with any that came neer it Marcellus had done the like but to as little purpose All that passed before had made no great noise but the Galley occasioned abundance of discourse insomuch that for many dayes after the talk of all Companies was of the magnificent Galley of Antonia The King of Cappadocia taking occasion to make a modest complaint to her upon her refusal of the boat which he had provided for her told her she had very much reason to slight that when she expected another that was so magnificent But Antonia satisfied him as much as lay in her power telling him that it was not for its sumptuousnesse that she had preferred that Galley before his boat nor yet out of any other consideration then that it had been proffered her in the Empresse's name from whom she neither could nor ought to have refused it Archelaus a Prince of a disposition easie to be pleased was satisfied with that answer but could do no lesse withal then conceave abundance of jealousie against that Unknown Lover whose presents were preferred before his and resolved to do all that lay in his power to discover him Mithridates was as earnest in the same design as the other and though he had been slighted by Antonia in such manner that notwithstanding his great confidence he durst hardly open his lips before her to entertain her with any thing of his love after the discovery he had once made to her thereof yet was not his passion quite smothered nor his jealousie inferiour to that of Archelaus Being therefore both unfortunate and their loves encouraged by little hope jealousie had not produced in them its ordinary effect amongst Rivals and had left in them friendship enough to visit one the other and to communicate part of what they thought one to another so that having mutually acquainted one another with the desires they had to discover who that Unknown Lover might be who had made such signal demonstrations of his gallantry towards Antonia they resolved to joyne their endeavours to that purpose and not to leave any thing unattempted to find out the truth Many dayes past ere any one came wherein they could discover any thing though
by degrees taken place in his heart was of a sudden changed into a violent passion For though he had seen Tullia several times before yet did it not raise in him any inclinations for her other than what her merit might raise in all that knew her but now in this little interval wherein grief appeared so amiable in her countenance he became her absolutely devoted vassal and in love with her after such a manner that he had not the least strength to oppose it and was not able to hear the reason which should have disswaded him from loving a person whose affections were otherwise disposed of and one from whom either upon occasion of that discovery or out of any consideration of her own humour he was in all probability never to expect any thing In a word love here knew no degrees but as soon as he could be said to love he might be said to do it violently insomuch that sympathizing with her in the affection wherein he saw her involved he participated thereof so far that when he turned toward Ptolomey my Brother perceived his eyes were red and big with tears For his part he had not been at all moved either at Tullia's words or the discoveries of her affection whether it proceeded from the resentment he had in heart against that Lady or that naturally he had a soul not over-susceptible of love or that all the affection it was capable of was already devoted to Marcia a Princesse of excellent beauty and one to whom he ought abundance of obligations He was already desirous to remove from that place when Lentulus fearing they might be surprised and perceaving by the discourse of Tullia that it would trouble her infinitely if she should discover that Ptolomey had heard her took him by the arm and carryed him away They went thence as softly as they had come thither and made so little noise that they were not perceaved or heard They went out of the little Isle and walked a good while ere they spoke one to another Ptolomey knew not what to say of that adventure so much was he surprized at the strangenesse of it and Lentulus whose soul was wounded by what he had seen and whose spirits were in some disorder by reason of his newly-conceived passion could not think of words whereby to expresse himself and was content onely to look on Ptolomey in whom he could not perceive the least alteration upon that accident and knew not whether he should out of considerations of compassion advise him to love Tullia or out of those of his own love and interest entertain him with the sentiments he had for her himself At last having taken some few turns they were just falling into some discourse when coming to the end of a walk that abutted upon that wherein they were they met full but with the two Ladies who had left the Arbour in a manner as soon as they had and without the least fear that they had been over-heard by any one had reassumed their walk They were all very much surprised at that meeting and particularly Tullia as being the least prepared for it and the most concerned in it Her eyes were still red with weeping which Lentulus perceiving and consequently the condition she was in could not look on her without a certain trouble and disturbance They were so neer one another that it was impossible to passe by without salutes and Lentulus submitting to the ascendent which now began to govern him could not follow Ptolomey who after a salute full of respect turned aside Emilia who took notice of his carriage not consulting at this time so much decorum as minding the friendship she had for Tullia called him and having obliged him to turn back What now Ptolomey said she to him do you shun the Ladies No Madam replyed he but it is not fit that the Son of Anthony should come neer the daughter of Cicero Enmities replyed Emilia should not be eternal and I shall not be friends with Tullia if she make no distinction between the children of Cleopatra and those of Fulvia who alone wrought all the unhappinesse of their house Both the one and the other are equally guilty by their birth replies Ptolomey nay though they were innocent enough to deserve that Tullia should wish them no hurt they cannot be so far such as to hope for any of her conversation This fierce young man not guilty of that tendernesse he was in civility obliged to would needs out of an affected malice repeat the same words to Tullia which she had sometimes said to his Brother as he had heard it related so that after this last complement he went away and would have no further discourse with Emilia In the mean time Tullia had not spoken at all though Lentulus had come to her but had fastned her eyes on the ground as being in some doubt whether she should approve the proceeding of Emilia whose intention seemed good to her but her action indiscreet enough So that her courage and the affection she had for my Brother raised no small distraction within her but when she heard those last words and saw him go away with so much disdain her face was of a sudden deprived of all colour and grief and vexation pressed upon her heart in such manner that after she had with some precipitation said to Emilia that she was not well and was not able to stand she fell into a swound in her arms Lentulus whose eye was but too much upon her ran to her and though her misfortune touched him to the very heart yet was it some joy to him to have her in his arms while Emilia sate down on the grasse and with the assistance of Lentulus layed Tullia by her and took her head upon her lap Ptolomey who had not had the time to go far thence turned about at the cry which Emilia gave and seeing though confusedly what they were doing he suspected what the businesse might be though it is possible he might not think himself absolutely the cause of that accident However though he was not subject to much love yet would he not be awanting in point of civility and consequently as to that assistance which he thought due to her sex so that when being come neer he saw her in a swound Emilia loosning her garments and Lentulus in such amazement that he knew not what to do he ran to the next rivulet and having taken up some water in both his hands he brought it and cast it on Tullia's face Whereupon she immediately opened her eyes and that time enough to see the action of Ptolomey and to perceave that it was from him that she received that assistance I know not whether the joy or the confusion she conceaved thereat were the greater but being well furnished both as to courage and reservednesse she betrayed not her thoughts of it and giving my Brother a look suitable to the different passions she was then engaged
with I receave this kindnesse from you said she to him in requital for what I did your Brother in the like condition but it is enough for an enemy and you are too too tender of the concernments of your house to do me any more With these words she turned gently towards Emilia and spoke to her softly to entreat them to depart to which end Emilia making signes to them they went their wayes but after several manners Ptolomey with such indifference as if he had not been any way concerned in the adventure and Lentulus so moved and so distracted in his thoughts that he hardly knew what he did Being come some paces thence they met with the women that belonged to Emilia and Tullia whom their Mistresses had left behind that they might walk alone and having acquainted them with the accident that had happened they obliged them to go to their Mistresses When they were gotten a good distance from that place Ptolomey who walked after his ordinary posture of freedom and cheerfulnesse observing the disturbance Lentulus was in as well by his silence as by the several expressions thereof that were visible in his countenance Is it possible said he to him that you are so much troubled at this adventure as you seem to be But is it possible replies Lentulus that you can be so little as your face and actions discover you to be I assure you for my part saies Ptolomey that I am not troubled a jot at it and that I look on this adventure as if it had happened to any other body How continued Lentulus hath neither what you have heard from the mouth of Tullia of the love she hath for you nor yet what you have seen of the effects of your disdain on her spirit raised no trouble or alteration in you Not a jot replies Ptolomey and besides the aversion I had for that Lady I am not much taken with what is bestowed on me upon such occasions if it hath not cost me something before so that I shall not make any advantage of this adventure and all that I shall do for Tullia that speaks any thing of obligation is that I shall not divulge it and that I do upon the account of discretion and her sex So that it seems saies Lentulus you do not love her nor feel any inclination to do it I do not only not love her now answers Ptolomey but I protest to you I never shall love her If it be so replies Lentulus I am some what lesse unhappy then I thought my self that I am fallen into a passion which I should have wrastled with while I lived had it been any way prejudicial to our friendship And since you are the dearest of my Friends I shall make no difficulty to tell you that being along with you into this garden as free as your self from any love I had for Tullia I am now fallen infinitely in love with her to so high a degree that it is impossible your brother could be more These words made Ptolomey look on Lentulus somewhat amazedly as if he could hardly imagine his discourse to be serious How said he is it possible Lentulus that in so short a time and by so strange an accident you should fall in love with Tullia's So deeply replies Lentulus that all the words I can use are not able to expresse it and I thought Tullia so beautiful in her grief and so amiable in her singing and discourse that my soul is bestowed on her without ever consulting my will I say bestowed and that in such a manner that I am not in the least hope ever to retrive it out of her power I know I put my self to strange extremities and that attempting to serve a Lady prevented by a strong passion for you and that one that hath studyed constancy and resolution such as Tullia is I embarque for a voyage wherein I am sure to meet with many storms but when all is done it is the pleasure of my destiny it should be so and it is not in my power to oppose it Lentulus went on with abundance of discourse to the same effect which the length of this relation obliges me to forbear repeating to you though it put Ptolomey into such an astonishment at the fantastick adventure that he could hardly imagine it to be real He entreated him since he was not resolved to affect that Lady never to speak ill of her nor let the World know what he did concerning her passion which haply the little account and acknowledgement he made thereof might in time oblige her to forget My Brother promised never to speak of it while he lived to any one but to me from whom he was not able to conceal any thing and engaged for me that I should not suffer that secret to take any further aire Accordingly he failed not to come that very night to give me an account of all that happened to him conjuring me to secrecy and I could not but be amazed as well at his relation of the love of Tullia as that of Lentulus whose misfortune I much bemoaned because he was a person of a most illustrious birth and very recommendable among the Romans for his many excellent endowments I had also some compassion for Tullia though I had no reason to love her and I blamed Ptolomey for the inflexibility of his heart but having great respects for Martia and looking on that allyance as most advantageous for my Brother and all our house I was very glad not to see him engaged in any other affections that might have diverted him from her He on the other side visited her oftner than he had done before continuing and adding to the demonstrations of his affection but with this remark that he did all things with greater indifference and freedom of spirit then she could have desired and in such manner that his love hindred him not from minding his ordinary divertisements or discovering the aversion he had for marriage However he provided against the day of Augustus's his birth to do for her what all the other young Romans did for the Ladies they served and would come into the exercises with the Livery all other demonstrations of the engagement he lay under to serve her Lentulus did the like for Tullia but he understood that she was not well and was not likely to be present at the Solemnity You may some other time have an account of what hath past in the loves of Lentulus and Tullia possibly not unworthy your attention but besides that there is not much come to my knowledge they are not the subject of my present discourse and my relation is so long without it that I doubt not but you will excuse me if I say not any thing thereof At length the day destined for the celebration of the Solemnity and the honour of Augustus's birth being come the whole Court all the Nobility and the people ran to the Sights I shall say nothing to
Prince Marcellus for whose sake I cheerfully quitted all the pretentions I had for Julia that he will grant me out of an excesse of favour that which I durst not presume to desire of him before I had in some sort obliged him to love me by the services it was in my thoughts to do him And from Prince Ptolomey a person I have ever infinitely esteemed I do expect he should not oppose me in the design I have absolutely to sacrifice my whole life to the service of the Princesse his Sister To this effect was the discourse of Drusus which when he had done he expected the answer of the two Princes with that considence which he might well derive from the friendship they had expressed towards him for some time before T is true Drusus was a Prince of so great merit that he was infinitely esteemed by all that were of his acquaintance and from the time that Marcellus was reconciled with him after the duel they had fought for Julia having discovered his excellent endowments as well in his conversation as the earnestnesse he observed in Drusus to purchase his affection he had conceaved more respects friendship towards him than any other among the Romans preferred no man before him in his inclinations but only Coriolanus On the other side Drusus's Fortunes were so considerable by reason of the authority of Livia and the interest his own worth had justly gained him with Caesar that neither Marcellus nor Ptolomey nor any of the other Friends of Antonia could wish her a match that were more advantageous They accordingly studied not long for the answer they were to make him and Marcellus speaking for both out of a confidence that what he said should be confirmed Prince said he to Drusus we have some reason to be displeased with you but it is onely for the little relyance you have had in our friendship and the esteem we have for you But that you shall hear more of another time and therefore in the interim since you have thought Antonia worthy your affections I shall tell you that I think her happy and very much honoured in the inclinations you have for her that I question not but that Caesar Octavia Alexander wherever he may be and Ptolomey are of the same mind and that for my part if in the design you have upon her you need the assistances of a Brother that hath some power with her I proffer you all you can desire or expect from me as being one that endeavours nothing so much as the acquisition of your friendship and next to that the continuance of it while he lives What Ptolomey said to Drusus was to the same effect whereat this Prince was so much satisfied that he could not expresse his joy without a certain confusion After he had discovered his resentments thereof to both as much as he possibly could he comes to Archelaus and Mithridates and made his excuses to them as to what was past in the most obliging manner that could be These two Princes felt so much grief within that they could not think of any consolation but not so much for the disgrace of their falls as for that their ill fortune had raised them so dreadful a Rival and the words they had heard from Marcellus and Ptolomey from which together with the confidence they were in that Augustus and Octavia would declare for Drusus they could not but infer that the little hope which they had conceived in the course of their affections would come to nothing But however they were burthened with grief they received the civilities of Drusus as they ought and on their side craved his pardon for their indiscretion and whatever they attempted against him while they knew him not I see Sister you are desirous I should contract this relation since it is indeed of an excessive length and therefore I shall onely tell you without insisting too much on particulars that notwithstanding all the resistance that Drusus made thereto Marcellus and Ptolomey would needs have him immediately and in that very posture presented to Antonia and that Drusus having opposed it for some time out of the fear he was in to displease her at last was prevailed with to come along with them and followed them to the City and so to the Emperours Court where all the most eminent persons about it were assembled and discoursing of the Unknown Lover of Antonia They were yet speaking of him when Marcellus comes into the room leading in Drusus by the hand and it was before this Illustrious Assembly that Marcellus having presented him to the Emperour and Octavia brought him to Antonia and having discovered him to her for the Unknown Lover who had given her such gallant-like expressions of his love and that in so extraordinary a manner entreated her to entertain him as a Prince that had devoted himself to her service and whose inclinations for her were an honour to all their house The whole Assembly was nothing but applauses and acclamations at the sight and discovery of Drusus and being a person generally beloved all were glad to hear that it was he who had done such noble things for Antonia and cryed out they were worthy one another and that it was a couple the best matched of any in the World The Emperour conceived an extraordinary joy at it Livia was well pleased with the good choice her son had made and the Emperour and she together joyning with Marcellus having performed the first civility to Octavia addressed themselves to Antonia intreating her to entertain Drusus into her service and give him leave by open hostility to take in that heart which he would have surprized by stratagem Antonia some what troubled at the adventure found it some difficulty to recover her self out of the disorder she was in and though it be certain that it was some joy to her to see the unknown Lover changed into Drusus who was the person of all the Romans into whom she had most reason to wish him changed yet was she still vexed at the artifice he had used toward her and could not of a sudden overcome the resentment which was risen thereof in her mind However she had a command over her ordinary moderation and having raised Drusus who was on his knees before her she onely told him that there was a consonancy between her will and those of the persons to whom her birth had made her subject and that I mean her moderation she made use of not only for that day but was the same for a many that followed insomuch that Drusus hath found it true that all the demonstrations of love that may be have no influence on her spirit and amount to no more than the complyance she had for the disposal of Octavia He was at last received into her service with the joy and acclamations of all insomuch that Antonia having since had a greater acquaintance with his excellent endowments if she were incapable of
Love hath at least submitted to the commands laid on her by Octavia and Caesar in his behalf and hath satisfyed him by expressions worthy her solid vertue of the esteem she hath for him And so it hath continued ever since by the happy meeting of these two complyant dispositions who are not subject to any trouble because not to the weaknesse of a many others so that it is out of all question that the Emperour will have them marryed at the same time that the nuptialls of Marcellus and Julia shall be solemnised Drusus hath told us since how that he had heard from Mithridates's own mouth the discourse that had passed between him and Antonia when they walked together upon which he grounded his first letter as also what course he had taken to conceal himself from all the World as well that day that he bestowed on her the magnificent Galley as that of the publick shewes before which some few dayes he had pretended affairs of consequence in the Country because there should be no notice taken of his absence at an Assembly wherein he should in all likelihood be one of the first Some few dayes after Archelaus overcome with grief went to ease himself of it in the war whither he was called to assist the King of the Medes his kinsman against the Parthians and wherein as they say he hath gained abundance of reputation Mithridates was in the same posture uâ—â—aple of any consolation though his love had not made so much noise as the others but to satisfie him in some sort the Emperour having the Crowns of Pontus and Comagenes where there had happened very great revolutions to dispose of bestowed that of Pontus on Polemon and that of Comagenes on Mithridates and sent them to take possession thereof Ptolomey according to his ordinary way of courtship continued his addresses to Marcia that is with little earnestnesse and much esteem and respect but discovering little inclination to marriage He never minded Tullia who in requital was very violently courted by Lentulus but I shall not give you any account of their loves because they relate not much to the subject of my discourse though they may be said to be some consequences thereof I have already given you an account of all that happened to my self at that time as well as to the news I received of the infidelity of Coriolanus the departure of Marcellus and Tiberius and the Emperours voyage wherein we accompanied him so that you are fully acquainted with the affairs of our house and the better to satisfie and entertain you therewith I think and that truely that I have spoken more in three dayes then I had done all my life before Thus did the fair Princesse Cleopatra put a Period to her long relation which to do she had done a more than ordinary violence to her disposition and Artemisa had heard her with an attention which had suspended in her mind the memory of her misfortunes The end of the Second Book HYMENS PRAELUDIA Or Loves Master-Piece PART IX LIB III. ARGUMENT MEgacles discourses with the unknown person whose life he had saved about the constancy and inconstancy of Fortune Cleopatra and Artemisa of the fidelity and infidelity of Coriolanus The King of Armenia visits Cleopatra with a great deale of Courtship and Personated Affection She abhorring him for his cruelties and having resolved to be Coriolanus's slights him and looks on his addresses as the pure effects of insinuation and sycophancy However he forbears force because far from his own Kingdom whither he would make all the hast he could but is prevented by contrary winds Zenodorus the Pirate entertains Artaxus with the History of his Life He marries Elisena a beautiful Lady of Armenia and not long after grows jealous of her through the means of one Cleontes a young man with whom she was over-familiar His jealousie still increasing Cleontes is by Elisena desired to depart the Court The day before his departure he and Elisena taking their last leaves in an Arbour are surprized by Zenodorus who transported with rage and jealousie immediately kills Elisena in the midst of their embraces Cleontes gets away but afterwards hearing of the death of Elisena 〈◊〉 himself to Artoxus sword who 〈◊〉 him through As 〈◊〉 dying 〈◊〉 discoveryâ— his neck and breast and is found to be a Woman 〈…〉 to Phraates King of the Parthians to avoid whose addresses she had disgâ—ised her self Phrates to revenge her death comes with an Army and drives Zenodorus out of his Tetrarchy which is afterward begged of Augustus by Herod Zenodorus having lost all seizes some few ships and turns Pirate He follews Piracy with great successe for ten years at last takes Candace Queen of Aethiopia whom he falls in loves with but she firing his ships and casting her self over-board escapes Loosing her he takes Elisa sole Heiresse of the King of Parthia but going ashore to seek out Candace he loses both Elisa and all his ships hath most of his men killed and is himself wounded He is met with in a Country-mans house under the Surgeons hands by Aristus and by him brought along with the men he had left to the King of Armenia WHile the two Princesses were thus engaged in discourse Megacles whole eare was equally divided between that of having them in safe custody to obey the commands laid upon him by his Master and that of affording him the best attendance he could to satisfie in some sort his own inclinations which were ever directed to vertue omitted nothing of what he thought might be expected from him in order to either of these obligations And whereas on the one side it was some dissatisfaction to him to be employed to secure them out of the fear he was in to incense a Prince who was not wont to pardon any thing so on the other he with no lesse joy laid hold on those occasions which presented themselves to discover unto them the repugnance which he struggled with to displease them Being therefore obliged not to part from the ship he had sent Aristus betimes in the morning to see what news he could learn of the King of Armenia and this man being returned had brought him word that the King would infallibly come aboard the vessel that very day and that though he were in such a posture as topoint of health that he could not well undertake such a voyage without some danger yet had he absolutely resolved to venture it out of the great desire he had to see Cleopatra and the fear he was in of loosing so noble a prize Megacles having received this intelligence for certain began to dispose all things in the vessel in order to his entertainment and having understood that the Princesses were desirous to be alone he out of the great respect he had for them would not so much as come neer their Chamber and was content only to give notice to one of the women that belonged to Cleopatra that he
desired that notice might be sent him when the Princesses were pleased that he should waite upon them and when they would have any thing brought to dinner That done calling to mind the Unknown Person whom the day before he had rescued from the devouring waves and of whom he had conceaved a marvailous good opinion he would needs give him a visit and being come into the chamber where he had left him a bed he found that he made a shift to get on his cloaths but that afterwards being much troubled with the great quantity of salt water he had drunk he had been forced to cast himself again on the bed they had assigned him Megacles as soon as he came in caused a little window to be see open to give a little more light to the chamber and having by that advantage of light made fresh observations of the good countenance and hundsomeness of the Unknown he was now much more surprized at him then the day before and could not look on him but with a certain admiration The other who with much ado knew him again and reflected on the assistance he had received from him as also on the conversation they had had together and the more than ordinary pains and earnestnesse he had expressed in the saving of his life entertained him with abundance of kindnesse and gave him some occasion to see through the clouds of his melancholy that though he had little love for the good office had been done him yet had he abundance of acknowledgment for his good intentions Adde to that that all his behaviour all his gesture nay indeed all things seemed to be so great as if there had been in him a conjunction of sweetnesse and modesty with a noble and majestick aire that notwithstanding all his ill fortune Megacles felt in himself abundance of inclinations to respect him as he would do the person of Artaxâ—s himself After he had sate down by him that he had felt his pulse and had desired of him some account of his health the unknown person assuming the discourse with a sigh which by its depth seemed to have come from the bottom of his heart My health said he to him is but in too good a posture compared to that of my Fortune but whatever it may be you see that I do not any way oppose the return of it and that I have kept the promise I had made you not to attempt any thing against my life while I shall be in your power And for that very reason replies Megacles you shall continue in it as long as I can possibly keep you and I should find it no small difficulty to suffer you to leave us if I had the least imagination that you forsook us to go and seek out death When I consider what posture my life is reduced to replyed the Unknown I think death to be the onely happinesse I either can or ought to hope and yet since I have had that of seeing you having made some reflections on the things you told me yesterday on the strange manner whereby I was delivered out of the very jaws of death contrary to all probability and other circumstances of my misfortunes I concluded that I ought not to put a Period to my own life before I had done all that lay in my power to serve a person on whom I had bestowed it since that in all likelihood she stands in need of it and that it is not impossible but that by some one of those extraordinary accidents that happen to me but she may yet receive it Out of this consideration and upon the account of this obligation rather than out of any hope or remainder of love that I have for my life had I taken my cloaths and would have begged your leave to be gone but to deal truely with you the body was not able to follow the motions of the spirit and perceiving that all the strength I could muster was hardly able to bear me up and consequently far from putting that in execution which I had intended I was forced to ly down again till such time as I shall have recovered it a little better as I possibly may ere this day be quite passed The Gods have the praise of this good resolution replyed Megacles and I shall think my self obliged to give them thanks while I live for the opportunity they have furnisht me with to prevent the effects of your despaire since that by this very demurre we have made to it we may haply have absolutely diverted and dismissed it Alas alas replyed the afflicted person with a sigh how little acquaintance have you with my Fortune And how far would you be from that opinion had you but once an account of my misfortunes I shall know them when you shall think good replyed Megacles but I shall not desire it of you till such time as your own inclination shall inspire you to give it me for the little time I have known you consiered I have conceived such a respect for you as permits me not to deal with you as I happly should with ordinary persons That compassionate sentiment which you have for the miserable replyed the Unknown you rather derive from your own vertue then any thing you might have observed in my person which is onely the mark of Heavens indignation and a ball continually tossed and bandyed by the inconstancies of Fortune And therefore assure your self that the opinion I have conceived and the resentment I have of this compassion you express towards me should no doubt prevaile with me to make a discovery of my self to you rather than to any other person if I might thereby convince you of the esteem I have for you and were I not obliged to secrecy out of other considerations then what concern my self You may judge of the truth I now tell you by the posture wherein you have seen me and I doubt not but you are satisfied that he who contemns his life as I have done hath nothing to fear as to himself that might hinder him to discover himself Till such time then that I am at that liberty I shall only tell you that whatever incensed heaven and the indeprecable destinies may have ever executed that were most insupportable on a great number of miserable persons is fallen in such manner on me alone that neither the times of our Fathers nor yet our own could ever afford such another example And whereas you have seen divers persons become unfortunate through the losse of dignities friends estates the affection nay and the persons too of all that they could love in this World you have in me a draugt of all these but I draught a thousand times greater than your imagition can represent it to you I have ever bin of opinion replyed Megacles that your misfortunes were indeed extraordinary and your soul hath appeared to me so great in the expressions I have seen thereof that I immediately inferred it impassible as
charge my adverse Fortune with some part of my crimes In my little retirement with my Elisena I knew not what meant the least disturbance from abroad and enjoyed all imaginable felicity at home My government though of no great extent was such as I was content with and though it were envyed by Herod who was too powerful a neighbour for me yet with the assistance and protection of some others I could make a shift to maintain my own the love I had for Elisena having had such an influeuce over me that I had given over all thoughts of the wars to which I had before sacrificed all my inclinations My amiable Elisena though she had marryed me purelie out of the compliance she had for the commands of her Friends yet had ever after so much accommodated her affections to her dutie that she had an extraordinary love for me assoon as she was cenvinced that she ought to love me Accordingly might it in a manner be said that we were inseparable for that at all hours of the day whether we stayed in the chamber or went a walking or a hunting whither I carryed her sometimes and in all manner of divertisements Zenodorus was never seen without his Elisena Heaven it self I fear me envyed our felicity or it may be I was not born for that pleasant kind of life and those who know me at this day would find it no small difficulty to imagine I could ever spend my time as I did then The first year of our marriage was not yet run about when among those persons whereof our little Court consisted I took notice of a young man latelie come thither for sanctuary as he said himâ—elf against certain enemies that were more powerful than himself who had forced him to leave those places where he was born and who having been very courteously entertained among us set up his staff there He was called Cleontes and this I may truely say of him that of all the men I ever met with I never saw a handsomer or a more gentile person in all his actions nor a more amiable in all that appeared outwardly of him Suitably to these good endowments he immediately insinuated himself into the affections of all the World in so much that there was no divertisement appointed between persons of either sex but the amiable Cleontes was invited thereto All the World courted him all the World spoke well of him and all the World were extreamly desirous to oblige him He very pleasantly received those demonstrations of kindnesse and friendship which were rendred him and though he seemed not to be above eighteen years of age yet did he discover such prudence and conduct in his behaviour as is seldom in persons of a far greater age Yet was this particularly observed in him that slighting ordinary persons nay indeed many Ladies by whom he was not a little courted he enjoyed himself in no other conversation but that of Elisena whom he accordingly honoured with his constant attendance In so much that at last he got a haunt of visiting her so often that he was in a manner perpetually in her company And whereas it was none of the most inconsiderable perfections of Elisena that she was admirable in matter of discourse and that Cleontes was infinitely pleasant in that kind also they passed the best part of their time away with abundance of mutual satisfaction Among all the rest that perceived it I took notice my self of the great kindnesse and familiarity that was between them but at the first looked on it without the least disturbance and out of the extraordinary opinion which I had of the vertue of Elisena I not onely harboured not the least suspicion of them notwithstanding all the complyances services and constant addresses which Cleontes had for her but also took notice without the least worm of jealousie that Elisena looked very favourably on him and dissembled not the pleasure she took in his company beyond what she did in that of divers other person that came to see her Several moneths were past and gone in this manner before ever I conceived the least suspicion of the demonstrations of friendship that past between them and though I was indeed of opinion that their familiarity was greater than there ought to have been between a person of the quality of Elisena and a man of the age and beauty of Cleontes yet did I attribute their weaknesses to their youth and the friendship which Elisena naturallie had for persons of good pleasant wits In a word their manner of behaviour made greater impressions on other mens minds then it did on mine and among the many persons that conceived an ill opinion thereat there happened to be some indiscreet enough to act the part of the unlucky crow and to bring me the tidings of my own unhappinesse One above all a person I very much credited egged on by an imprudent zeal came to me on a day and pumping not without some difficulty as I could perceive for words wherein to dresse his expressions the more modestly My Lord said he at last is it possible your voluntary blindnesse should be such as must reduce your most faithful servants to a necessity of giving you those discoveries of their fidelity which they cannot do without regret and violence to themselves Or are you resolved not to open your eyes to see what is done against you while it is yet in your power to remedy things by mild and gentle courses and that evils are not come to their extremities Observe my Lord after what manner Elisena and Cleontes live together and spare me the confusion it will be to me to tell you what follows This was the discourse of that indiscreet person which yet had this effect upon me that I could not have been more cast down had I received a mortal wound However I did what I could to smother the resentment I conceived at his words and thought it enough to tell the men that we ought not to passe our judgement so lightly of a thing that might be innocent that I was confident of Elisena's vertue and if through the pardonable eruptions of youth she had been too familiar with and too liberal of her company to Cleontes I could not thence safely infer it proceeded out of any unjustifiable design or intention This I spoke to him with a countenance wherein yet he might have observed some part of the effect of his own discourse and having dismissed my intelligencer I would be the more at liberty to make reflections on the knowledg he had given me of my own misfortune It began to magnify in such maner to my apprehension that my soul for some minutes was as it were in a tempest and my mind over-cast with such clouds as darkened all its former light the better to dispose it to receive melancholy and fatal impressions All that before had seemed so innocent to me presented it self now to my thoughts under another form
and calling to mind all the occasions upon which I had observed too great familiarity between Elisena and Cleontes I was astonished at my own blindnesse or rather inadvertency and upon that came to my memory a hundred circumstances which I condemned all as criminal O ye gods how did this fatal discovery eat into my heart to make a place there for the greatest grief it could be capable of And what deplorable effects did that self-tormenting passion immediately produce there This black impression wrought a kind of Metamorphosis in me insomuch that I was become quite another man than what I was some daies before Being thus convinced of my want of circumspection and consequently of any misfortune I railed at Fortune I quarrelled with heaven and I took any occasion to discover my affliction Is it possible said I that one that is so dear to my heart this great example of vertue and tonjugal love hath so soon turned bankrupt as to all vertuous inclinations and lost all the affection she had promised me Or if she never were vertuous nor had any real affection for her Husband is it possible she should be so well read in the art of dissimulation as to â—conceale it from a mans knowledge with so much artifice for so long time How can that Elisena to whom I had absolutely sacrificed my heart that Elisena for whose sake onely I love my life prove unconstant to me and it may be dishonour me O inexpressible cruelty of my destiny against which it cannot be expected my courage should be able to rescue me O Heaven O Fortune what resolutions would you have me to take Shall I ever be able to hate what I have so affectionately loved and from hatred can I proceed to revenge against an object so dear to my heart and that the only object of all my affections But if I do not I shall be insensible of the persidiousnesse of an ungrateful woman and can I with an unparalleld basenesse endure those extraordinary affronts which must needs blast my honour for ever Hatred Love you that divide my heart between you let either one or the other give place and persecute not my soul with perpetual uncertainties and irresolutions Many dayes did I spend in these reflections and discourses while in the mean time my countenance began to change with my humour and the alteration that happened there was so observable that all the World took notice of it Elisena was one of the first that observed it and by all demonstrations and expressions of love took occasion to discover the grief she conceived thereat but her carriage towards Cleontes was still after the old rate And whereas my eies were nowâ— much more open than they were before and discerned all things after another manner then I had done in times past methought I could perceive in all her actions so much tendernesse and so much love for Cleontes that I made it no more a question but that I was as unfortunate as I had imagined my self I saw the whole day in a manner was little enough for them to spend together they had ever and anon some secret or other to communicate one to another and when they were at too great a distance to speak one to another they discoursed by their eies and cast looks at one another that were more eloquent than any thing of conversation and this to the observation of all the World as well as my self This alteration seemed very strange insomuch that all those that had known Elisena a little before could not without an excess of astonishment make any comparison between these sallies of lightnesse and liberty and her former reservednesse and modesty True it is neverthelesse that notwithstanding all those demonstrations of affection that past between her and Cleontes her carriage towards me was as it had been ever before and I could never porceive either from her discourse or her countenance that there was any abatement or remission in her love towards me or that she was lesse taken with my person then at the first hour of our marriage Her caresses and her insinuations were still the same she spoke with the same sweetnesse and acted with the same complyance save that she did it not so constantly as in times past that she left me often to go and discourse with Cleontes and bestowed on his entertainment the best part of those houres which she had before onely devoted to mine At last my grief was seconded and reinforced by my resentment of those things and after I had been a long time sad and melancholy I became at length exasperated and studying how to be revenged of Cleontes I began to discover to Elisena how that her caresses had not over me that influence they were wont to have that I looked on them as the pure effects of artifice and dissimulation and that I felt my soul changed from the love I sometime had for her to the passion that was most contrary thereto I gave over looking kindly on her I took a bed by my self and by degrees forbore all discourse with her She seemed to be as much troubled at this alteration as the most affectionate woman in the World could possibly be and gave me all the demonstrations of a grief as violent as any soul can be able to endure She used all the insinuation that could be she melted into tears and omitted nothing which she could imagine might perswade me that she was really moved In some intervals I was extreamly sensible of those expressions of her affliction and those imperious remainders of love that were yet left in my soul did partly produce therein the effect she desired but a little after through the cruel prejudice that had taken root there all was dashed out again and I had no more regard to what she did then as if it had been meer personation and sycophancy At last after a many dayes silence she would needs force me to speak and having found me all alone in my chamber whither I was often wont to retire since the change of my humour she runs to me with her face bathed in tears and grasping my both hands with an action full of earnestnesse and passion Ah my dearest Husband said she to me shall I be any longer unhappy and not know the cause of my unhappinesse And will you by so many several expressions make it appear to all the World that I am odious in your sight and not acquaint me by what horrid misfortune I have lost your affection Am I lesse worthy of it now then I have been formerly by reason of some defect which you have discovered in my person or have I made my self unworthy of it by any offence I have committed against you To these words she added a many others no lesse earnest and pressed upon me so far that I could not forbear making her some answer Madam said I to her methinks you take abundance of pains to expresse with your
tongue that which hath no acquaintance with your heart and if my quiet had been so dear to you as you would make be believe you would not have utterly ruined it by your own cruel inconstancy T is enough for me to be miserable and not that you should aggravate my misery by your dissimulation and you ought to be satisfied with what I have suffered hitherto and not put my affection to greater tryalls Elisena seemed to be extreamly troubled at these words as I could easily observe in her countenance but mustring up all her strength together to recover her self My Lord said she to me it is not any change in me that disturbs your quit or may have been the occasion of that which is happened in your self The gods are my witnesses that I am the same woman to you that ever I was and that my life is innocent even to the least thoughts It is very strange replied I that the thoughts should be innocent when the actions are criminal and that when they appear such not onely to the eyes of a Husband but to those of a thousand other persons These words were a little indigestible to Elisena so that she took a little time to ruminate upon them without making me any answer but with the countenance of a person recollecting and examining her self to find out wherein she had offended At last looking on me with an action which spoke something of clearnesse and confidence Can it be possible said he to me that the cause of my unhappinesse must be no other then the demonstrations of kindnesse and friendship which have past between me and Cleontes And knowing me so well as you ought to know me is there any possibility that you should perswade your self that in the good entertainment I make him there can be any thing criminal or unhandsome The demonstrations of your affection towards Cleontes replyed I are so publick and so remarkable that you need not pretend so much astonishment that when all the World had taken notice of them they should at last come to my knowledge and you ought to be so much the lesse surprized at the effect they have wrought on my disposition if you but reflect on the love I have had for you This proved another bone for her to pick so that she could not make any answer thereto till that she had been silent a good while with an action that discovered her uncertainty and losse of resolution At length lifting up her eies which she had all the time before fastened on the ground and directing them on me with a countenance much more setled and serene than before My Lord said she to me when I recollect my self and call to mind things that are now past I much acknowledge that there hath been some want of prudence in my carriage and if I have committed any fault no question but it hath been out of the excesse of confidence which I have had in your love I cannot deny but I have entertained Cleontes with very great demonstrations of a particular esteem nay I confesse that I have still abundance of respects for him as well upon the account of his own worth as for other reasons which oblige me thereto and which I shall acquaint you with when you shall give me leave to do it but I call all the gods witnesses of my innocence and desire them to send me some exemplary death before your face if ever I have injured you as much as in the least thought or ever discovered in Cleontes any design or intention that you might condemne I freely give you leave to take away my life if in processe of time you find not my words true and will accordingly be sorry for the injury you have done me In the interim I conjure you to restore me to your affection the losse whereof is much more insupportable to me then would be that of my life And since you have not taken it away from me but upon unfortunate apparences which rather argue my imprudence than bad intentions I shall make such provision against the like for the future that you shall not have the least occasion to suspect me This was the discourse of Elisena but uttered with so much assurance and serenity that I began to be perswaded she might be innocent whereupon that love whereof there were still some remainders in my heart speaking to me on her behalf with as much force as her words dispelled by little and little some part of my suspicions and if it could not absolutely clear them and make it a bright day in my mind it did at least put me into such a posture as that I was willing to hearken to what it suggested to me for her advantage and to expect her justification from time in stead of condemning her from what was past I immediately acquainted her with all the transactions that past in my soul promising that in case I should find her as innocent as she would parswade me she was I should love her with the same passion that I had ever had for her and she entertained that promise and assurance with such demonstrations of joy that I could not at that time suspect her guilty of any artifice From that day she began to live after another rate with Cleontes that is with much more reservednesse and distance than formerly she forbore all secret meetings and private discourses with him and entertained him no otherwise than as civility required that such a person as Cleontes should be This alteration occasioned a change in my humour and I began to recover the rest I had a long time wanted and was convinced that Elisena having been a little extravagant through the imprudent sallies of youth had by the strength of her own vertue and good advice recovered her self I also for my part carryed my self towards her as I had done formerly and expressed my love to her with the same earnestnesse as I had done before my mind became disordered by jealousy This lasted for some months during which time we lived together with as much delight as can be imagined but not long after the same person who had made the first discovery to me came again to tell me of certain kind and amorous looks and other circumstances whence he concluded there was a secret intelligence between Elisena and Cleontes Now my disposition being before prepared for impressions of this nature I entertained them much more easily then at the first time and observing my self that there was a certain violence in that reservednesse of Elisena I fell into my former humour and that so violently that I was likely enough to fasten on any desperate resolution When Elisena was sensible of the alteration she soon took notice of in my countenance and would know the reason of it I answered her with nothing but bloudy reproaches and the passion I was then possessed with furnished me with all the words I could desire upon such an occasion
no proffers of his company but entreated him that e're they set saile thence he would order him to be set somewhere ashore Some further complements past between them but at last the King remembring where he was to goe and impatient to see the Princesse put a period to the discourse and having left the unknown to his rest which he seemed very much to want he went to the chamber where Cleopatra was He came to her with a countenance wherein through the Love it discovered was visible some part of the discontent he was in and not able to dissemble the occasion of it All things Madam said he to her are contrary to me all things oppose me while you are against me nay the winds themselves which seem to depend of another power than yours will never turn to do me any service while I am hatefull in your sight You may thence also infer replied the Princesse the injustice of your designes since that where there is a want of the assistance of men the very Elements fight against you We must not alwaies replied Artaxus measure the justice of the intentions by the easinesse of the obstacles which we meet within the execution of them and if you lay that down as a generall rule without any exception you must consequently reconcile Fortune and Vertue who are seldome found to be very great Friends I am of your mind as to that replies the Princesse and if Fortune did take part with justice and afford her assistances to vertue 't is out of all question that you had been e're this punished for the violence you do me or at least I should not be your Captive Ah Madam saies the King of Armenia do not call her my captive who her self hath me in chaines and disposes of me with a soveraign power I pray give me leave onely to dispose of my self saies Cleopatra interrupting him since that there 's no Law in the world that gives you any power over me The Lawes of Nations replies Artaxus are of much lesse authority than those of Love and it is onely to these latter that men such as we are that like so many stars of the greatest magnitude are of the highest quality ought to submit themselves By this law of Love whatever my passion puts me upon is justifiable and all that I could alleadge as concerning the affronts and injuries I have received from your house hath much lesse of argument in it than this imperious reason It was with no small trouble that Cleopatra endured not onely the discourse but even the presence of the King of Armenia and notwithstanding her reservednesse no question but she had treated him with a great deale of scorn and contempt had it not been out of a consideration of Artemisa whose condition pitied her no lesse than her owne and a conceit withall that there was no way to keep Artaxus within the bounds of civility and respect but by an excesse of patience Supper was brought them in and the King to expresse his complyance permitted them to eat alone as knowing they would look on it as a favour and endeavouring by such behaviour to dissemble the resolution he had taken to make use of his power when he were gotten off a little further from a Countrey where he was not over-confident of the safety of his prize He spent some part of the night in discourses of the same nature with the precedent and when he thought it time to leave the Princesses to their rest he withdrew into his own chamber and before he lay down gave order that a good strong guard should be set in the ship to prevent all designes the Princesses might have to get away in the dark The two Princesses passed away this night as they had done the precedent save that they were in a much greater feare of their sudden departure than before if it were not prevented by some unexpected assistance from heaven and the kindnesse of the winds which did them all the favour they could Artaxus tormented with his Love and a fear of loosing his beautifull prize could sleep but little The unknown person disburthened himself of frequent sighs which were heard by some in the vessel that were nearest him And Zenodorus bursting almost with grief and rage for the losses he had received had much adoe to find any rest The day hardly began to appear when upon the first dawning of it those who were upon the watch discovered a vessell which being gotten somewhat neer them while the darknesse was not yet dissipated made all the saile she could towards them as having a very good wind that indeed in a manner forced them upon the shore They immediately gave the alarme and all being prepared and in expectation of an engagement with the other ship all that were able to bear armes took them and came up upon the deck in order to a fight There were much more armes in the ship than were requisite for the number of men that were in her insomuch that the Sea-men who minded onely the conduct of the ship could not as she then lay be any way employed as being in such a posture as they were loath to quit by reason of the advantage of the place which was so advantageous that the enemy could not assault them but by one onely side Zenodorus and Megacles having put all into armes and there being as I told you but one side to make good they fortified it with men and put it into such a posture of defence that it was as defensible as if they had had a far greater number of men This charge did Zenodorus and Megacles take upon them because of the wounds which the King had received not long before whereby he was still a little indisposed and would fain have had him kept his bed but he would by no meanes take their advice by reason of the great concernment which he had to make his party good and accordingly starting out of his bed upon the first alarme he called for armes and came up upon the deck in the posture of a man that wanted not either courage or confidence Zenodorus and Megacles walked up and down the ship putting all things into good order and Artaxus shewing himself among his own people in a posture of fighting personally with them endeavoured to encourage them as well by example as by words He omitted nothing of all that he thought might any waies animate them to fight and promiseth them extraordinary rewards if they behaved themselves gallantly and came off with honour During all this time the other vessell drew nearer and nearer and when it was come within a competent distance Zenodorus discovered by the flag that it was one of those ships that belonged to the Praetor Cornelius and which ordinarily lay in the port of Alexandria This discovery exasperated him not a little as calling to mind the wounds he had received and the great losses he had suffered by the same enemies
Alexander he was guilty of a greater freedom of apprehension and consequently was the lesse troubled at the horrour of that object Hence was it that he took occasion to speak while the other was silent and darting on Artaxus a look expressing the greatnesse of his indignation Barbarous wretch said he to him if the sight of those divine beauties cannot stay thy hands consider what will become of thy own life in that horrid attempt and doubt not but thou shalt loose it by the most exquisite torments that humane invention ever found out if thou execute thy barbarous resolution The Armenian smiled at this discourse of Marcellus and looking on him very scornefully Do not imagine said he to him that thou canst frighten me with thy menaces or that I stand in any fear of death my self after I have given it to what I love beyond my selfe but if thou with Alexander art desirous of the safety of these Princesses resolve immediately to do as I would have you for fear your resolutions come too late Ah! saies Alexander to him assuming the discourse at last will thy cruelties never have any end and wilt thou treat me with more inhumanity upon the sea of Alexandria then thou didst upon the scaffold at Artaxata Thus did he speak to him as much out of tendernesse as indignation when the couragious Cleopatra out of a jealousy that that softnesse might prove prejudiciall to her liberty and standing less in fear of death then of her captivity and the importunate Love of the King of Armenia brok that silence which she had observed all the time before and looking on Alexander with a countenance that argued much more confidence than his Brother said she to him have a greater relyance on the gods then to forsake us upon the vain frights which Artaxus would put us into He dares not put us to death but though we were to expect it we think it much more supportable then the life he prepares for us Artaxus was in a manner satisfied that these words of Cleopatra would have that effect on the spirit of Marcellus and that of Alexander as she expected they should and fearing to be surprized he lifted up his arme as he drew near to Cleopatra who was gotten some paces from him either to frighten them the more or possibly to execute his bloody resolution But as happy fortune would have it at the very same instant of time the valiant son of Juba who was fighting at the other end of the ship against those that were left of the Pirates had notwithstanding their finding him so much employment minding the safety of Cleopatra much more than his own partly taken notice of what was past Transported at the imminent danger he saw her in and perceiving it was not now a time for him to be so mindfull of his own life broke through those enemies that stood in his way and laying on the ground all that any way opposed him he got up to the King of Armenia with so much speed that before he was sensible of his coming he gave him a thrust with such force that he laid him at his feet and tumbled him upon the deck to one fide of the vessell Artaxus made a shift to get upon again bet e're he could do it Coriolanus was gotten before Cleopatra in a condition to defend her while in the mean time Alexander and Marcellus in taking their advantage of this intervall had caused their ship to close with the other and notwithstanding the opposition of the Armenians and the Pirates who joyned with them with abundance of resolution made their way through and boarded the Armenian This fight as it was undertaken upon a barbarous occasion so was it managed with more animosity than ordinary and upon that account was it that there was some blood spilt which upon another occasion had haply through the clemency of the Chiefs been spared The Aegyptian souldiers that followed Alexander put all they met with in their way to the sword but that Prince and Marcellus scorning a victory too easily gained ran to Cleopatra and Artemisa and if love obliged the son of Antony to mind in the first place what he most loved Friendship had in a manner the same effect upon the son of Octavia Alexander full of fury and indignation ran towards Artaxus whom rage had put upon the last and most violent attempts and who must needs have expected the execution of a just revenge but Artemisa stepped before him and speaking to her dearest Alexander with her natural goodnesse Alexander said she to him put not to death the King my Brother and satisfie your selfe with the victory and possession of Artemisa Alexander let fall the point of his sword at this discourse and looking on the Princesse with an action full of affection and respect Madam said he to her had not you laid your câ—mmands on me I should have considered in the person of Artaxus both the blood of Artemisa and the dignity of a King Whereupon turning to Artaxus who swelling with rage and confusion and overpressed with grief and wearinesse sate upon the deck whence darting his scattered lookes of all sides his thoughts ran upon what was most barbarous and horrid King of Armenia said he to him thou shalt receive from us what thou hast never granted any one and what indeed thou shouldst not expect if thou call to mind that cruell scaffold upon which my head was once made a publick spectacle We leave thee thy life and absolute liberty to dispose of thy self as thou pleasest and desire no other advantage than that of delivering Artemisa and Cleopatra out of thy cruell hands From this difference of carriage thou maist reflect on what there is between us and from the ill successe of thy enterprises infer what horrour and vengeance the good and just powers of heaven have for thy violences and cruelties To this effect was the discourse of Alexander when the King of Armenia looking on him with eies wherein the rage which possessed him was visibly apparent Be not so fond as to imagine said he to him that I will accept of a life from the son of Anthony the Cajoller of Artemisa and the brother of Cleopatra Thy very birth made thee my enemy thy crime armed me against thee and thy Sister by the little regard she had for my love hath deprived me of all the desire I could have had for life Think not then that I will owe it to him who hath occasioned me so many misfortunes or survive the hope I now lose both of being revenged of thee and possessing Cleopatra With these words he rises with his sword in his hand from the place where he was set and rowling his dreadful eyes about him gave all notice as it were of the horrid resolution he had taken The two Princesses who were best acquainted with his furious humours ran behind their defenders and the Princes set themselves before them in a posture to
oppose Artakus if he should attempt any thing The cruel King having considered his weaknesse and the little probability there was he should execute what his resentments inspired him with hearkened to the temptation of his evill genius and after the silence of a few minutes Implacable Fortune said he at last thou seest me ruined but not vanquished and though by thy unjust assistance thou hast made the blood of Anthony to triumph over that of Artabazus yet is it not to thee but to my own revenge and love that I now offer this great sacrifice Having uttered these words with a furious action he turned the point of his sword against his breast and directing it to a certain place where there was nothing of arms to oppose its passage he fell upon it so of a sudden that no man had the time to prevent him and that so effectually as to his design that the murdering sword meeting with no resistance ran him quite through and passing through those parts which are most necessary for the preservation of life deprived him of it in a moment Though that unfortunate King had drawn upon himself the detestation of all those that were present at his death yet were there some among them who could not but pitty his misfortune and though Alexander were a person that of all men had the most just ground to hate him yet was he extreamly troubled for him even to the shedding of tears at that deplorable adventure Artemisa ran immediately to her brother with a face over-flown with tears and bewailed his losse with all the lamentations which an excesse of good nature could put into a womans mouth Cleopatra Coriolanus and Marcellus thought themselvs concerned in it meerly out of a consideration of generosity and not long after they all jointly acknowledged the justice of the gods in that example and submitted to their will in the punishment of that cruel King Artemisa was still about the body of Artaxus with Megacles and the rest of the Armenians who had their lives given them upon the mediation of Cleopatra Cleopatra returned her thanks to Marcellus and Prince Alexander for their assistance and Coriolanus not able to stand for wearinesse by reason of the continual action he had undergone for so long time and the weaknesse he was in through certain wounds he had received was sate down and looked on what passed as a person distracted by different reflections when Marcellus and Alexander casting their eyes on him knew him Their astonishment was not small at that accident for Alexander having been acquainted by Marcellus with the pretended infidelity of Coriolanus he was no lesse surprized then Marcellus to find him with Cleopatra Now Alexander having ever loved the person and respected the vertue of the Son of Juba thought not the ground he had to hate him so great as should oblige him to forget the esteem he sometimes had had for him But Marcellus whose resentment proceeded from a more violent passion could not absolutely moderate himself in that emergency and looking accordingly on the Princesse Cleopatra with a countenance wherein might be seen the lively characters of his astonishment What Sister said he to her is the King of Mauritania among you And is that Prince who is guilty of so horrid an infidelity both against you and me so neer Cleopatra whom he had so ungratefully forsaken You may credit your own eyes sayes Cleopatra to him and know withall that that very inconstant man whom you find so neer me hath fought all this day alone against Artaxus and all his men hath killed the greatest part of those you see laid along upon the deck overthrew Artaxus in your presence at the very instant that he was going to take away my life and hath done so much in my assistance that without it yours had come too late and I had been yet in the hands and power of the King of Armenia I never questioned replies Marcellus but that Coriolanus was the most valiant Prince upon earth but we may as little doubt for your part and mine but that of all men he is the most unfaithful both to his Mistresse and his friend Coriolanus as it were awakened by this discourse out of those reflections wherein his thoughts were employed before and looking on Marcellus with a certain discovery of his resentment Marcellus said he to him now do I perceive that thy cruelty knows no limits and thou thinkest it nothing to crush a miserable man with such indignities as he could not have expected from a Prince that had sometimes been his friend It is a great demonstration of my fidelity that I suffer these affronts from thee with patience and not many daies since when thou hadst an implacable design against my life I presented my breast to the point of thy sword without the least opposition though it be not unknown to thee that I am able to defend it If it be any trouble to thee that thou didst not then take it from me come now and destroy the pittiful remainders that are left of it and satiate thy self with my blood without tormenting me continually with thy cruel persecution Acknowledge the difference there was between us in point of friendship since that for an imaginary perfiâ—â—ousnesse which thou woulst have to be construed a real infidelity thou art bent against my life with so much inhumanity and that by so many unworthy actions of thine whence I cannot but too much infer thy basenesse thou couldst never abate any thing of that affection which my heart hath conceived for thee and does still preserve indeed but with too too much fidelity Go cruel man triumph over my misfortune by thy change and prosecute with Cleopatra those enjoyments which I am content to resign to thee I must needs at last conclude from the conformity which I perceive there is between her sentiments and thine that it is upon thy account and to enjoy thee that she slights me as conceiving her fortune will be much better with Caesars Nephew a person destined for the Empire of the Universe then with a beggarly dispossessed Prince whom Fortune hath not left any thing but his sword And yet as contemptible and as wretched as I am I would not resign the interest I have in her to Tiberius while I had one drop of bloud left in my veines and I would wander all over the World but I would find him and take away his life did I but once imagine that Cleopatra were designed for him But for thee who didst sometimes quit the pretentions thou hadst to her to me I find in my self a complyance for thee suitable to so great an obligation and if I cannot look on thy fortune without dying I will be so far from being any way thy hindrance that I shall haply by my death remove out of thy way the greatest obstacle which any other but thy self could have met with in such a businesse This was the discourse of Coriolanus
Elisa discourse of their loves Caesario generally known by the name of Cleomedon comes to Alexandria upon intelligence that Queen Candace was there with whom he hath a secret interview in the night time He entertains her and Elisa with a continuation of his History He gives battle with 16000 men to Tiribasus who had 100000. is left for dead in the field but afterwards miraculously recovered by Eteocles who was left in a condition not much better The next day after the battel Eurinoe an Ethiopian Lady coming into the Field to seek the body of her beloved Teramenes is brought also to that of Cleomedon whom as having killed him and not long before a Brother of hers she would have run through with a dagger but is prevented by Eteocles Making a second attempt to do it she finds something in his countenance which being taken with she hath compassion on him causing him and Eteocles to be carryed to her Castle where they were nobly entertained and recovered of their wounds Eurinoe having given order for the enterrement of her dear Teramenes he miraculously recovers to life and is brought by Pelorus to a sisters house of his where he is secretly cured and informed of all that passes at Eurinoe's She falls in love with Cleomedon whom she much presses to promise her a mutual affection but he persisting in his former resolutions of vertue and constancy towards Candace all proves ineffectual Several conferences they had together to that purpose most of which are over-heard by Teramenes who thereupon conceives a great esteem for Cleomedon At last Teramenes is reconciled to Eurinoe and by the mediation of Cleomedon they are married before his departure thence and in requital of his good offices furnish him with all things necessary He goes to Telemactrus and Onisthenes to whom he discover himself and acquaints them with the design he had against Tiribasus IN the mean time the Queen of Ethiopia and the Princesse of the Parthians were gotten into Alexandria and after that the two Princesses had been disposed into their several lodgings Cornelius who had already taken order for the entertainment of the King of the Medes did the like for the accommodation of Artaban This latter though he were not looked upon as a person of a royal rank as Tygranes was yet was he treated with as much respect as any of those that wore Diadems and the great reputation he had acquired such as was already spread over the whole earth added to the gracefulnesse of his countenance and that majestick aire which was so remarkable in his person made Agrippa and the Praetor of Egypt consider him as a man worthy all the reverence and acknowledgment that might be due even to the Caesars Though by an extraordinary indulgence of good fortune he had come off without wounds having been engaged in so great a fight as he was that day yet was he not so throughly recovered of those he had received before but that the action he had been in had weakned him so much as that he stood in need of some rest Elisa could have wished he should take his ease for a certain number of daies but not able to perswade him to it by reason of the impossibility which he urged there was he should forbear waiting on her for so long time after he had so miraculously met with her again she laid her commauds on him not to stir out of his bed for that night and the best part of the next day though she did no small violencce to her self meerly out of the tendernesse she had for his health He obeyed her commands with that respectful submission which notwithstanding his heat and fiercenesse he had ever observed towards her and receiving the lodgings appointed him and the Officers whom Cornelius ordered to waite on him with abundance of satisfaction and respects he passed over that night in his bed with reflections much different from those which he had had for some that preceded it Certain it is that that great soul great even among those that could pretend most to greatnesse though it were not immoderately subject either to grief or joy was at this time sensible of both for as it had in the losse of Elisa made tryal of the greatest spight that a malicious fortune could do him so in the happy recovery of her he had met with the sweetest satisfaction he could be capable of During these pleasant entertainments of his thoughts reflecting on the many extraordinary accidents that checquered his life and not a little delighted with the consideration of those many victories that had raised his fame to so a high pitch and the noble demonstrations of his affection to his Princesse he could hardly for some time so much as think of the misfortunes he had already run through or the opposition he might for the future meet withall through either the cruelty of Phraates or the troublesome enterview between him and the King of the Medes All this signified very little with him when it came into his mind that he had found Elisa again that by many discoveries he found her not displeased that she had met him that he was within the same walls with her and that in a place where she stood not in fear of any thing from either the authority or tyranny of Phraates O ye immortal gods said he at last directing his thoughts to Heaven with all possible acknowledgment O yee assistant deities who have ever delivered me out of those abysses of misfortunes whereinto an implacably malicious Fortune and the ingratitude of men have often forced me I humbly acknowledge your power in this miraculous effect of your goodnesse and I repine no longer for what I have suffered either from the hands of ungrateful men or from the contrary disposal of my destiny since you have been pleased at length to restore me my Elisa I have not forgotten how much I am obliged to celebrate your divine assistances not onely for a many victories which have proved the means to raise me to some name and rank in the World but also for the extraordinary protection which you thought fit to afford me as well amidst the swords of my enemies as the angry waves There is therefore much lesse reason I should forget that at the point of despair you restore my Princesse and with her those felicities which are not subject either to the inconstancy of Fortune or the ingratitude of men From this consideration his thoughts were taken up with Tigranes and he began to reflect on the obstacles and inconveniences he might fear from him and his unfortunate meeting with him and certainly such a reflection had it happened at some other time might have moderated if not disturbed his joy but as things stood now it was not so considerable as to come into ballance against his present happinesse Whereupon calling to mind how that during the small time he had been felicified with the company of his Elisa he
she moderated her self the more looked on him with a certain delight and had pleasantly seconded him her self in the expressions of his love had she not thought it unhandsome to suffer any more before the Princesse of the Parthians till Caesario had taken notice of her and saluted her Upon that account mildly interrupting him she obliged him to turn towards Elisa and prepared him to salute her as the greatest Princesse upon earth and the best friend she had in the World Caesario however he might be transported at the sight of Candace was astonished and in a manner dazled at that of Elisa and coming neer her with a respect which her admirable beauty and the words of Candace easily forced him into saluted her with such submission as the most inconsiderable of mankind might do the heiresse of the throne of the Arsacides and received from her all the civility she could have done him had he been possessour of the Empire He was not at all surprized to meet with Elisa whom he knew before to be in Alexandria and with Candace but looking more earnestly in her face he thought he had seen her that very day once before and the fair Elisa taking more particular notice of him discovered in his that he was the same man whom she was talking of some few minutes before and who had that day relieved her against the violence of the King of Media She no sooner perceived it but but her gratitude and acknowledgment working their effect upon her she turned towards Candace with a countenance which partly expressed the sense she had of that obligation Madam said she to her our wishes are accomplished and if you find in this Prince a person infinitely dear to you I find in him that of my valiant defender and look on him accordingly as one whom I ow not onely my liberty but also the happinesse I have to be bear with you These words put the Prince into a modest blush and receaving them with a bundance of submission Madam said he to her I have done no more for you then you might have received from any man whatsoever upon the same occasion but indeed it proved so favourable and so glorious a one to me that I ought to have hoped for no lesse in consequence thereto then the great happinesse which I enjoy this fortunate day Having thus expressed himself he thought himself obliged to observe a greater reservednesse in the presence of Elisa as conceiving it not fit he should disburthen himself before her of all that lay upon his heart But Candace taking notice of it would not suffer him to entertain any such thought and after she had looked on the Princesse with a smile Caâ—sario said she to the Princesse since I have had sufficient experience of your respect even so far as not to fear any incivility from you even in deserts and that the Princesse hath a greater goodnesse and friendship for me then to deny us that liberty I must tell you that her presence obliges you not to any reservednesse but what may be expected only upon account of the respect due to her and not upon the score of any circumspection otherwise And this you may be confident of in that before her I call you Caesario in Alexandria and you will haply be the more assured of it when I shall have told you that she is not onely acquainted with all our adventures but also that she is not ignorant of my most secret thoughts Upon that assurance and the freedom you are pleased to afford me replyed the Prince I shall presume my fairest Queen to ask you what posture my life and fortunes are in and to conjure you to let me know whether it be possible that distance distractions and the dangers whereto you have been exposed have wrought any change in that fortunate condition to which you had out of your own goodnesse raised me May I hope fairest Queen continued he setting one knee to the ground instead of sitting in a chair which Urione had brought to the bed-side where the Princesses were already sate ought I and may I hope that that precious affection whereby you have made me the most glorious person in the World ... T is enough said the Queen interrupting him and forcing him to rise it is enough I doubt not but you could answer that question sufficiently to your own satisfaction were you so pleased and I am in a manner confident that you make not the least doubt of the constancy of an affection which I have inviolably preserved for you amidst traverses of fortune as great haply as those that may have happened to your self since our separation Not but I must confesse that I have been in more than ordinary extremities and my life and affairs in such a posture that I stood very much in need of your assistance Ah Madam replyed the Prince I have understood no lesse from Eteocles whom it hath pleased the gods to preserve for my comfort he hath indeed given me an account of that dreadful danger whereto you were reduced when you fell into the hands of the Pirate Zenodorus and that admirable resolution which your vertue inspired you with rather to sacrifice your life to flames and waves then to suffer any violence It is possible indeed added the Queen that that action might proceed purely from my vertue but I must withall entreat you to conceive your self a little obliged to me in it and accordingly believe that the design I had to preserve my self absolutely yours to the last gasp extreamly fortified me in that resolution Caesario was so strangely transported with joy at these obliging expressions that he was at some losse how to signifie the resentments he conceived thereof And yet at last he made a shift to do it but with such a disorder and confusion as more truely discovered the greatnesse of his passion then the best couched discourse could have done And when the Queen had suffered him to recollect himself in that posture wherein she beheld him with abundance of pleasure But is it just said she to him I should be any longer ignorant how and by what adventure I come to see you again what good genius hath brought you to Alexandria and what fortunes you have run through since our separation It is just replyed the Prince I should give you an account of what you were pleased to entrust me with and acquaint you with the state of a Kingdom which you thought fit to leave to my management That is not it replyed the Queen which I am so desirous to presse you to and though I should be content to understand whatever you shall think worthy our knowledge yet this fair Princesse can satisfie you that in the discourses we have had together she hath observed that the losse of my Kingdom was not the thing I was most troubled at Your generosity is to be admired replyed the Prince that is suitable to your admirable person and I
eies upon her with a feeble groane her indignation was disarmed at that object and the weapon fell out of her hand the second time The man that waited upon her thinking he did her a very acceptable service in egging her on to take the intended revenge put the weapon into her hand the third time and encouraging her to the action she would have done was ready to help her to put it in execution when the woman looking very passionately upon him Hold thy hands said she to him it is not the pleasure of the gods that I should put Cleomedon to death The man who was on the other side as ready to obey her was quiet and Eurinoe having sate her down some few paces from me began to look very earnestly upon me and ever and anon disburthâ—ned her self of certain sighs which her breast was not strong enough to keep in She looked still more and more earnestly and the more she looked on me the more she seemed to struggle with her passion and by all her deportment it was easily visible to those that took notice of it that there passed strange things in her soul and that there was an engagement of passion there whereof she was not over-confident which should have the victory Sometimes she would take her sight off my countenance with some signes of reassuming her resolution but presently after she would fasten her eies on me again with greater earnestnesse then before and during those uncertain and impetuous motions which raised such a tempest in her soul she with much ado made a passage for certain sighs Which when she had disburthened her self of Cruel man said she loud enough to be heard by Eteocles who was the next man to her fatal enemy of our house must thou needs after thou hadst triumphed over the life of my Brother and my Lover prosecute thy victorious arms even into my heart With these words she held her peace and observed not without confusion that Eteocles might have over-heard them I here entertain you with a discourse not much consistent with the modesty which is natural to me and which Eteocles might better have undertaken than my self but it was your pleasure to command it and I know not any reason whereby I may be dispensed from the obedience I owe you While the woman was still struggling with the incertainties she was in and that by several discoveries it was visible that she was guided by a passion contrary to that which a little before had put the weapons into her hand to dispatch me Eteocles who notwithstanding the extremity whereto he was reduced himself by reason of his wounds was satisfied of the truth of his observation Being accordingly desirous to make what advantage he could of the adventure wherein he could not but imagine something miraculous and extraordinary and looking on Eurinoe in a very submissive manner Fair Lady said he to her since your indignation hath submitted to your pitty be not generous by halves and consider with your self that to thrust a dagger into the breast of Cleomedon and to leave him without relief in the condition whereto you now see him reduced is no question one and the same thing Let your vertue have an absolute conquest in favour of a Prince who hath offended you onely through his misfortune and will serve you by his acknowledgments if the gods shall through your assistance prolong his life Eurinoe needed no more prevalent sollicitation to oblige her to do a thing which she was earnestly bent to do and thereupon giving Eteocles an immediate answer I shall satisfie your desires said she to him I shal relieve Cleomedon though he be the murderer of both my Brother and my Love and the gods who were not pleased he should receive his death at my hands command me to preserve his life if it be possible With these words turning to the man that accompanyed her Pelorus said she to him the hazard I run in this action is very great and besides the report I am to fear by doing this good office to him that hath shed the bloud that was so dear to me you know I have yet one brother left about Tiribasus exasperated to the revenge of his own relations and without doubt an irreconcileable enemy of Cleomedons But I have so great a confidence of your fidelity that all my hope is in it and I am accordingly inclined to believe that you will not betray this secret and will afford me your assistance upon an occasion of so great consequence The man who was become absolutely her creature by the death of his Master complyed with her in all things and promised her to be as secret as she expected But why should I importune you any longer with the relation of particulars of little consequence By the command of Eurinoe and the care of those that were about her a horse-litter was prepared and brought to the place where we were into which I was put and Eteocles by me and we were conveyed as gently as could be possible to a castle which was but one houres riding from that place where we were at first disposed into several beds but in the same chamber Eteocles it seems being very unwilling to be in any other place then where I was But now give me leave to beg your attention O ye great Princesses and withall your astonishment at what I have to tell you or at least be pleased to infer thence the constancy of those affections which seem to be the most violent You have heard the account I have given you of the affliction Eurinoe was in for the losse of her Teramenes as also of her lamentations and her deportment full of despair and extravagance which in all probability were the expressions of the most violent love that a soul could be capable of and now you are to know that when she left the place whence she caused us to be conveyed away she hardly so much as thought on him or at least bestowing all her pains on the living who might stand in need of her assistance she thought it enough to give Pelorus order to cause the body of Teramenes to be carryed away and to see it buried They presently sent into the next Town for Surgeons by whom we were dressed with much secrecy taking great care they should not come to the knowledg of my name who knew me not by sight And these being excellent men in their profession their endeavours proved so successeful on me that ere that day was passed they brought me absolutely to my self again and within a few dayes after undertook to Eurinoe and Eteocles that I should not dy of my wounds I have understood since that Eurinoe entertained that assurance with as much joy as if her life were concerned in the preservation of mine but for my own part I can truly affirm that I received it without any and that after I had recovered my memory and began to make my first reflections
on the wretched condition I was in I had almost cast my self through my own despair into that danger out of which they took so much pains to deliver me Whereof this certainly must be the reason that the violent desire of death which had forced me to engage in the sight being not yet gotten out of my mind I should in all likelihood have followed what that inspired me with and had rendred the endeavours of those that took so much trouble upon them about my recovery absolutely ineffectuall had it not been for the continuall sollicitations and importunity of Eteocles for whom I have ever had a very great esteem and a most affectionate friendship I shall not trouble you with a repetition of all those reasons whereby he endeavoured to make me apprehend that I did not onely betray a great want of prudence but that I was guilty of a capitall crime against my Love by courting my own death at a time that my life might be necessary for the Queens service and that since I had not received any tidings that she was either dead or married to Tiribasus there was no reason I should rush into extremities which I might overtake time enough when those misfortunes were come to passe To be short he pressed these things to me with so much reason and conviction that I began to acknowledge the truth of them and to submit to his judgement that it was not well done of me to hazard upon such light grounds a life which I had bestowed and consequently could not dispose of my self while she that was the Mistresse of it might expect any service out of it Upon this consideration I was content they should endeavour my recovery and entertained with great acknowledgements the care they took of me Asson as I had arrived to such a degree of recovery as that I was able to endure discourse Eteocles came and told me what place I was in and by what adventure I was brought thither and at the same time acquainted me what aversion Eurinoe had had for me upon account of the death of her Brother and her Love and what affection she had conceived for me of a sudden Now his health being in a much better posture then mine as having given over keeping his bed while I was yet in great danger he had had more leasure to informe himself of all that he was desirous to know and had understood that Eurinoe was a widow of very great quality that her friends and her husband had alwaies kept her at a distance from the Court that she had had two Brothers very deeply involved in the interests of Tiribasus whereof the younger was slain in the late Battle and the elder had staied at Meroe by the orders of Tiribasus who affected him very much and reposed great trust in him that she had been very earnestly courted since her widow-hood by that Teramenes on whom she had bestowed so many teares a person it seems of very great worth and very amiable as to his person that she had loved him very dearly and that after many great traverses and revolutions she was upon the point of marrying him with the consent of her friends when death deprived her of him Eteocles acquainting me with all these things told me withall how circumspectly I should carry my self that I might not be discovered by any other persons then those whom Eurinoe was forced to trust with that secret not doubting but that if such a misfortune should happen my life must needs be in manifest danger as well by reason of the rage of Eurinoe's brother as the near relation he had to Tiribasus who out of all question would never suffer me to live should he once find out where I were retired But as things stood the security of that secret consisted not altogether in our circumspection for Eurinoe was so much concerned in it her self not onely out of the desire she had to preserve a person on whom she had bestowed her affection but also for fear of her brothers indignation whose savage humor she was acquainted with that she omitted nothing which in point of care or caution might be expected from her I shall not presume my great Princesses before you whose beauties eclipse what ever is beautifull in all nature to say any thing of the beauty of Eurinoe but certainly among the beauties of the rank next inferiour to the first and chiefest the might very well passe for a handsome woman somewhat duskish not absolutely black the lineaments of her face very good of a good stature and in a word one of the handsomest persons that ever I met with in Aethiopia I should commend her farther were it not that you would imagine fairest Queen that in the commendations of her beauty I should have no other design then to celebrate my own sidelity Assoon as I was grown any thing capable of conversation I had her perpetually at my bed-side and I soon observed in all her deportment what Eteocles had told me before of her affection Her modesty indeed was such that she would not in words discover what her heart was burthened with but her eies betraied some part of it and all her actions sufficiently confirmed the observation which Eteocles had made of her During some few daies at first while the successe of my recovery was yet doubtfull and my fever very violent she said little to me and I saw her not but at some certain times but when I was a little recovered and permitted to discourse she was very liberall of her company She was one day at my bed-side where she seemed to be extreamly satisfied to see my health in so good a posture when I venturing to speak more than I had done before took occasion to give her thanks and to make all the acknowledgement I could of her care and tendernesse towards me and commended the generosity she exercised towards a man who had been of a party contrary to that of her Friends and withall so unfortunate as by the chance of war to do her a displeasure She patiently bore with my discourse and taking her advantage of my silence My lord said she to me I have done no more for you than your vertue deserved but shall entreat you not to attribute meerly to a consideration of generositie all that I have done to serve you After you had not onely been the death of my Brother but also deprived me of a person I infinitely loved and one with whom I was upon the point of marriage there was no reflection of generosity strong enough to oblige me to do an action whereby I cannot but incur if it be known the reproaches of all the world and the indignation of all my kinred and you may therefore well judge that it must proceed from some more powerfull motive that I conceived my self engaged to relieve you I shall take it upon what ground you please replied I but you will give me leave to imagine
have me by any means to exasperate her and was afraid of the dangers it was yet in her power to bring us into But she in the mean time was not satisfied with my simple civilities and expected I should engage my heart in a love proportionable to hâ—rs towards me I on the contrary avoided all the occasions of saying any thing to her which might displease her though I said not ought that the might be mistaken in or on which she might ground any thing of affection But one day after she had pressed me very much to resolve on something yet in a way full of sweetnesse and modesty I thought fit to discover my thoughts more particularly then I had done any time before Looking on her therefore in the most obliging manner I could Fairest Eurinoe said I to her I have this unhapiness for one among many others that are my perpetual attendants that I cannot convince you of the sincerity of my intentions and the real acknowledgments I have for all the great demonstrations you honour me with of your affection This misfortune happens to me for that I really have too great an esteem for you to make protestations to you beyond what I am able to make good but since you will needs oblige me to open my heart to you with that freedom which I owe a person to whom I owe my life and of whom I have received such extraordinary expressions of affection I must tel you fairest Eurinoe that since you are acquainted with my name and person it is not to be doubted but you have had some account of my life and consequently know how far I am at liberty to dispose of my affections There are few persons in Aethiopia but know it and therefore without obliging me to discover my self any farther be pleased to reflect on what I can and what I ought to do and assure your self that I shall be infinitely desirous to afford you all the expressions of my resentments that I possibly can Eurinoe seemed to be a little dashed at this discourse and it was some time ere she could make any answer thereto but at last having sufficiently recollected her self I have indeed with all the Kingdom said she to me heard of the love you have for the Queen the great actions you have done for her service the intentions which the late King had to bestow her on you and the hopes you may upon just grounds have conceived that you may obtain her and I am not so far blinded by my passion but that I am sufficiently sensible of the disparity there is as well in regard of nature as fortune between Candace and Eurinoe upon the account both of quality and beauty nor is my extravagance come to that height as that I would dispute with Queen Candace the possession of a heart to which she hath any pretentions But my Lord you are withal not ignorant how that on that side all your hopes are blasted that Candace hath now lost both her Kingdom and her liberty and that all the good intentions she may have for you stand you in no stead She hath haply bestowed her self on Tiribasus who is master of her person as well as of her dominions and the inclinations she hath had for you if they have not already will no doubt give way to that cruel necessity which allows her not the liberty to make choice of a husband These words wherein I perceived there was abundance of probality and truth came very neer my heart and not being able to conceal it from Eurinoe The news you tell me is very doleful said I to her and yet you tell me nothing but what I knew before I have been acquainted with the usurpation of Tiribasus and the captivity of Candace but I know withal that the gods are just and omnipotent and that by a turning-cast of their power and justice they may overturne Tiribasus and raise Candace into the Throne There have been seen among men revolutions as strange as that and we must not quit hope till the utmost extremities of misfortune But such a hope as that replyed Eurinoe cannot be well grounded and as it is not impossible but you might alone counterballance and haply overturn the fortune of Tiribasus if you had had sufficient forces to oppose him for you are not ignorant that there is not any body left which he needs fear or that can with any probability prevent his establishment in Ethiopia I can do it yet my self said I to her not able to disguise my thoughts what necessity soever there were I should do it I may yet haply thwart that fortune which you think so well established and put him to as great a hazard upon the usurped throne he is in as he was in when he had the command of a hundred thousand men Ah my Lord replies Eurinoe trust not too much to that unfortunate presumption Your courage is sufficiently known but Fortune is not your friend and your life is dearer to me then that I can without trembling reflect on the danger you must expose your self to Your fear said I smiling is haply for Tiribasus as knowing well that a miserable person that is carelesse of his own life may endanger those of the most powerful and most fortunate Cleomedon said she to me you do not I hope any way doubt but that your life is much dearer to me then that of Tiribasus since I value it above my own I shall not take the pains to perswade you any further as to that point but shall onely adde thus much that how far soever my brothers have been wedded to his interest whether upon the account of fortune or some allyance that was between our houses and though Teramenes whom when living I loved beyond my self and whom dead as he is I should have loved to tâ—e last minute of my life had it not been for the fatal sight of Cleomedon was very much in his esteem I could never for my own part approve his proceedings nor conceive any respects for an ujust man and an usurper She would have said more had it not been for Eteocles coming into the room before whom she would not insist any longer on that subject In the mean time my greatest care was to hasten my recovery being upon thorns to fasten on some occasion to sacrifice the remainders of my life with some advantage to the service of my fairest Queen But the more I recovered my health the more did Eurinoe's diminish insomuch that at last she was brought so low by that unfortunate passion that I could do no lesse then pitty her if I may use that term with modesty and was extreamly troubled that I could do nothing to comfort her I was at last grown so strong that I durst venture out of my chamber and to go into a fair garden where she would needs have me to walk with her I did it though with much difficulty she being forced to help me ever
therein mistaken a second time The greatest regret I now have at my death is that I leave you an unfortunate woman and if the vertue and constancy of Cleomedon could but give him leave to forget Candace to enjoy you as you have to gain him forgotten Teramenes the last intreaty I were to make should be that he would be lesse cruell to her and not aggravate any further a revenge which I desire not you should take With these words he drew out a dagger he had about him and listing up his hand would have thrust it into his breast if I had not fastened upon him and staied his hand though onely with so much force as to prevent him from executing his resolution Teramenes perceiving his design frustrated looked on me very disturbedly and endeavouring to snatch the dagger which I had taken out of his hands Cleomedon said he to me content your self that the experience I have of your vertue hath prevailed so far upon me that I would not have the effects of my despair fall upon you and since I am willing to spare those by whose means I am become miserable purposely that I might execute all my revenge upon my self hinder me not from freeing my self from those miseries which I groan under upon your account I will hinder you to lay violent hands on your self said I to him if it lie in my power to do it and it shall not be my fault if you do not find out some expedient besides that of death to get out of those misfortunes whereof I am the innocent cause Eurinoe knows very well that it is not upon any hopes that I have given her that she perseveres in the affection which she hath for me and I here give you a full discovery of my thoughts when I tell you that I should think my self a very wretched person and abominable in the sight of Heaven if a love so faithful as yours should come to an unfortunate end by my means Having with these words taken away the dagger from Teramenes I turned towards Eurinoe in whom the deportment and last words of her husband had raised some compassion I said to her all those things which pitty could suggest to me on her behalf and alledged to her all the reasons which I thought might any way oblige her to dis-lodge me out of her heart and to re-admit her faithful Teramenes For some time she was not able to make me any answer other then that of a shower of tears which being at last over she very earnestly reassumed the discourse and charged me with the greatest cruelty and ingratitude imaginable I heard all with abundance of patience and not discovering the least trouble thereat I took occasion to represent unto her what might be the consequences of an obstinate perseverance in a fruitlesse passion and that directed to a man engaged in another love one that was ready to take his leave of her and should not haply ever see her again nay which is more then all one that though he were not called away by the affection he had for the Queen could not make any abode with her but to the utter ruine of her reputation besides the little probability there was she would be so extravagant as to entertain in her house the murderer of one of her Brothers To this I added what she might fear from her other Brother who was still with Tiribasus and that she must needs expect he would have some designes not onely against her life but mine also as being dear to her but that on the contrary she could not but be happy with Teramenes it being out of all doubt that he had an extraordinary affection for her since the demonstrations she had received thereof were very remarkable that he was approved and recommended to her by her friends and in a word that it was the onely means to make a composure not onely in her own mind but also in her house and fortunes While I thus disburthened my thoughts to Eurinoe Teramenes having cast himself at her feet bathed them with his tears insomuch that whether it were upon that spectacle which stirred up in her the embers of her former affections or that she was convinced of the reason and truth of the things I represented to her and withal lost all hope of being loved by me and haply imagined she might never see me again after a doubtful engagement wherein we spent the best part of the day she at last began to yield Whereupon looking on Teramenes with a milder countenance then before she turned towards me and told me she would do what I should advise her to and that being become mine through the means of some unknown power she now submitted again to the same power which she was not able to resist Teramenes almost out of himself for joy after he had given thousands of kisses to her feet cast himself at mine embracing me by the knees calling me the authour of his safety and his tutelary angel and making all the earnest protestations he could to me that he would heartily spend to do me any service that life which I had prevented him from destroying and made him happie in And knowing on the other side that Eurinoe might be in some fear he should afterwards remember the change that had happened in her affections and accordinglie conceive some discontented thoughts of the love she had some time had for me he to rid her of that fear made thousands of protestations to her that it should never come into his mind again He told her that he absolutely attributed that accident to the extraordinary merit of Cleomedon which might produce no lesse miraculous an effect any where but in fine that however he might seem to quarrel with her he was confident of her vertue not onely upon the former expressions she had made thereof but also from that very demonstration of it which when he least expected any such thing he had heard from the mouth of Cleomedon that for my part he should never conceive the least jealousie or ill thought of me out of a confidence I should never prove unfaitful to Candace either for Eurinoe or any other person in the World Here am I forced to contract my relation for that should I make it my businesse to repeat all the discourses which passed upon this occasion to satisfie and convince Eurinoe it would take up more time then I have spent in the account of all I have given you already At last I made an absolute reconcilation between Teramenes and Eurinoe who endeavoured all that lay in her power to conceal before him the violence she did her self upon that occasion and prevalid with her so far upon the earnest intreaties of that Lover that I got her to promise that she would be married to him before my departure thence as she might very well do being as she was altogether at her own disposal and knowing withall that her marriage with
you should be sufficiently satisfied that a vertue such as yours is is more considerable in my account then many Crowns While they were discoursing in this manner Agrippa with Artaban and a great number of persons of quality from Rome were in their way towards the Port. As they went Agrippa fell into discourse with Artaban whom he could not but admire in whatever related to his person and hardly forbore sighing when he considered the many excellent qualities which made him both amiable and dreadful Yet was it not in his power to have any aversion for him as well by reason of the natural propension he had to vertue as that the personage of Artaban was such as if it had been purposely made easily to raise love and hardly aversion in any that saw it Artaban who had not the least suspicion of Agrippa's love for Elisa who esteemed him very much for his great actions and much more for his moderation amidst so vast a fortune who was in hopes of his assistance against Phraates and was obliged to him for the refuge he had afforded him against Tigranes looked upon him with very much respect and a most unfained affection The complements that passed between them all the way to their coming into the Port were accordingly such as well expressed the mutual admiration and esteem they had one towards another They were hardly well gotten into it but they perceive a vessel making all the saile she could towards them and and was already within such a distance as that they could discern the streamers The Officers of Cornelius who were with Agrippa had no sooner observed them but they told him it was the same vessel which had been provided for Alexander in order to the design he was then engaged in and upon that account Agrippa having stood still resolved to waite its coming to shore as taking that to be the onely way to hear what news they might bring of Cleopatra They had not long to expect for that within a few minutes the vessel was gotten into the Port and immediately they saw appearing upon the hatches Prince Marcellus with the Princesse Cleopatra Alexander with Artemisa and behind them the Women that belonged to Cleopatra Agrippa being a particular friend to all of the house of Anthony and one that had a more than ordinary honour for Cleopatra was extreamly elevated at that sight nay indeed astonished at that of Marcellus whom he thought not to be near that Country and of whom there had no tidings been heard no more than of Tiberius since they both lest Rome much about the same time There was a very great friendship between Marcellus and Agrippa though it had been often imagined at Rome that the great authority of Agrippa might produce alteration in that particular and that there had been many reports spread abroad that Marcellus to whom the Empire was designed looked with some jealousy on the great credit of that Favorite of Caesars and had some thoughts to pull him a little lower This suspicion had prevailed very much among the people but those who were acquainted with the vertue of Marcellus and Agrippa were of another opinion and besides that the excellent good nature of Marcellus was such as forced on him an esteem and affection for Agrippa on the other side Agrippa loved him and looked upon him no otherwise than as if he had been indeed the Son of his Benefactor and accordingly endeavoured what lay in his power to moderate his fortune so as that he might not conceive the least jealousie thereat Assoon as he had perceived those illustrious persons on the deck he would not stay their coming ashore and thereupon taking Artaban along with him took a boat and went to receive them in their own vessell and at the same time sent some of his men to Cornelius to give him notice of their arrivall and to desire him to send chariots to bring the Princesses to the palace Cleopatra seeing these two great persons appearing one whereof was unknown to her came towards them with that amiable majesty which purchased her a certain empire over all that saw her addressing her self to Agrippa whom she knew to be one of the best friends she had she entertained him in the most obliging way that could be and surprised Artaban in such manner with the sight of her admirable beauty that how strangely soever he might be prepossessed with that of Elisa he could neither suffer that lustre without being dazled nor forbear acknowledging the advantages which heaven had bestowed on that beauty beyond all that were mortall He had not shaken off that astonishment when Agrippa presented him to Cleopatra by recommending him to her under the famous name of Artaban and giving him withall a character which could not any waies be denied him This made Cleopatra look on Artaban with an astonishment not much different from that which he had conceived at the first sight of her and while he saluted her with the same respect which he would have expressed towards a goddesse and she received him with abundance of kindnesse and civility Marcellus and Agrippa embraced one the other and Alexander coming forward and presenting Artemisa to Agrippa as a treasure he had recovered through the assistance he had received from him the vertuous Roman received that fair Princesse with all the courtship that was due to her birth her great merit and the friendship he bore Alexander Upon that Marcellus being advanced to salute Artaban whose name he had understood from Agrippa after he had looked on him a little knew him to be the same man whom he had seen in the house of Tiridates at the time that that unfortunate Prince breathed out his last and called to mind the hot contestation there had past between him and the King of Armenia and how far he had himself endeavoured to reconcile them Artaban also knew him and knowing him withall to be Prince Marcellus whom all the Empire had a love and respect for gave him no lesse honour than he would have done to Caesar himself and received from him those demonstrations of the esteem and account he made of him suitable thereto That done Artaban and Alexander saluted one another as two men equally surprised the one at the goodly presence of Artaban the other at the great beauty of Alexander But when Artaban came neer Artemisa to salute her and that she was preparing to return to the name of Artaban which she had severall times heard pronounced what was due to its great reputation she cast her eies on his countenance and considering it with some earnestnesse notwithstanding the alteration which some yeares had wrought in it she at last read in the person of Artaban the same Britomarus whom she had sometime known in Armenia and for whom she had that esteem which all the world was forced to acknowledge justly bestowed on him While they were solemnizing their renewed acquaintances with expressions full of
danger and wherein you have received such barbarous entertainment And is Artemisa still so happy as to have the continuance of your affections after she had put them to such terrible tryals Assure your self my Lord replies Alexander that for what I have suffered for Artemisa I place abundance of glory and happinesse in it and the reflection I should make thereupon must needs be very pleasant if I am so fortunate as to find you in sentiments as much to my advantage as those of King Artaxus were to my prejudice Ah my Lord replies Ariobarzanes make not the least doubt but I shall acknowledge the great honour you do our house and be confident that notwithstanding I am the son of Artabasus I shall have my eies so far open as to consider how little you have contributed to the misfortunes of our Family No I have still fresh in my memory the first expressions of your friendship and I should have disclaimed my Sister had she not done what she hath for your safety especially in an extremity whereto you were reduced meerly for your love to her I shall not therefore tell you she is yours for you have but too much interest in her for any man to dispute her with you but I shall for your further confidence make this protestation to you and that truely and sincerely that your affection to her cannot be greater than the earnest desire I have to serve you both in your mutual inclinations Alexander almost out of himself for joy to hear Ariobarzanes in these expressions comes up close to him whereupon these two Princes embraced one another with so many discoveries of a reall friendship that the whole company could not forbear taking notice of it not without much sympathy and satisfaction Artemisu could not smother the felicity she conceived therein as seeing her self after so many storms prosperously arrived into so happy a Port and finding by reason of the sweet and generous disposition of Ariobarzanes her fortune much different from what it had been some few daies before While her thoughts were the most taken up to find out terms to expresse her satisfaction or rather to moderate it she accidentally cast her eies on Prince Philadelph whom till then by reason of the disturbance she was in and the many illustrious persons she had seen before she had not taken any particular notice of And after she had looked on him for some time very earnestly she found him to be that Prince of Cilicia whom she had met with some daies before and who had entertained her with a relation of his noble inclinations for Delia and who upon the point of their parting had so gallantly defended the Princesse Cleopatra against those that would have carried her away Artemisa upon this occasion conceived such an esteem for Prince Philadelph and was so much moved at the relation of his loves to Delia that she could not look on him without expressing an extraordinary joy thereat Whereupon coming to him with a countenance wherein were visible the great kindnesse she had for him What my Lord said she to him I have it seems the good fortune to see you again and the liberty withall once more to assure you of the esteem which I have conceaved for your admirable vertue Philadelph whose joy had had put him into so much disorder as Artemisas could have done her and who waited the opportunity to discover himself to Artemisa and to put her in mind of their last meeting kissing one of her fair hands with the greatest submission that might be Madam said he to her my fortunate meeting with you proved the prologue to that good fortune which the gods have been pleased to send me since and you may also inferre thence that I was not absolutely blinded by my passion when I took you for Delia. How extreamly I was moved at your relation replies Artemisa the gods onely know and consequently you may well think your self obliged to let me know immediately whether you have had any tidings since of that Delia for whom you pretended so extraordinary an affection These words of Artemisa causing Philadelph to look on the Princesse Arsinoe with a smiling countenance I know not Madam said he to her whether it be any prudence in me to acknowledge my inconstancy to you but I cannot forbear making this confession to you that that Delia for whom I had so much affection hath resigned up all the right and title she had in my heart to the Princesse Arsinoe your Sister Ah Philadelph cries out the Princesse with some precipitation though my Sister were the most amiable person in the World I should never approve that change in your inclinations and I should no longer continue that esteem towards you which I some time had for you if I thought you could be guilty of any such infidelity These words fell from her with so much earnestnesse that Philadelph could not forbear laughing at it in such a manner as put him afterwards into a little disorder and more sport might have been made of it if by reason of the death of Artaxus civility had not obliged them to a more serious conversation And yet Arsinoe thinking it sit to make some rejoinder to the former discourse What Sister said she to Artemisa it seems you would advise Philadelph to prefer a person he never knew before me She said but these few words but the action wherewith they were pronounced raised at first some suspicion in Artemisa which afterward grew into a satisfaction in some measure as to the truth of that businesse With that reflection looking on them both with a countenance wherein were legible the characters of her astonishment Ah Philadelph said she to him is it possible that Arsinoe and Delia should be the same person Philadelph who thought it unseasonable to continue that lightnesse of discourse any longer discovered the whole truth to her and telling her that that Delia whom he had professed so much love to in his relation was the Princesse Arsinoe her Sister put her into such an astonishment that for a long time there fell nothing from her but exclamations which once over she embraced a hundred times together that amiable Delia and entertained Philadelph with all the caresses she could expresse towards a beloved Brother Ariobarzanes who all this time was in discourse with Alexander had neverthelesse taken notice of what had passed between his Sisters and Philadelph And when that first astonishment of Artemisa was over taking her by the hand and presenting her to Olympia who stretched out her arms to her with much affection What Sister said he to her would you bestow all your caresses on Philadelph and Arsinoe and will not look on my Princesse here her I say to whom I not onely owe my life but have sacrificed it to make her satisfaction in some measure for what I am obliged to her Artemisa without any difficulty cast her self into the arms of Olympia in whom
notwithstanding her palenesse she could observe the tracks of an admirable Beauty and a most amiable kind of Majesty And thereupon having entertained her embraces with abundance of affection Be pleased Madam said she to her to charge the faults you now find me guilty of upon my ignorance as conceaving that one who within these few minutes knew not whether Ariobarzanes and Arsinoe were in the World could not have learned whom they are obliged to for their lives nor understood the particular respects due from her to your self Olympia made answer to this discourse of Artemisa with a civility suitable to that of the other and the King of Armenia engaging himself in their conversation addressing himself not long after to Olympia and looking on her with eies full of love and a deportment which by reason of the present occasion of his sadnesse was somewhat more serious then ordinary Madam said he to her when I was so desirous of a Crown to present you with the gods are my witnesses that it was my hope I should have arrived to it by some other way then that whereby it is now fallen to me and that I should have chosen rather to passe away my life with a private fortune then aspired to the Throne by the death of the King my Brother But since it hath pleased those celestial powers whose decrees are irresistible so to dispose of me as that I am come to the possession of the Crown of my Ancestors give me leave to offer it to you as I would offer you that of the Universe were it in my power and be you pleased to receive it from your faithful Ariamenes as a thing of greater value then it is and yet as what he conceaves a thousand times lesse dear and lesse glorious then the chains he hath worn and shall wear for your sake to the last minute of his life Olympia entertained this discourse of Ariobarzanes with a deportment suitable to his that spoke it and looking on him with a countenance which in some measure discovered the present state of her thoughts My Lord said she to him I have looked on you with so much esteem even while you were without a Crown that that which you have now received can hardly adde any thing to what you were in my account before I receive it with all heartinesse and submission because that with the Crown I am confident you will bestow on me the Prince that is to wear it and without the person of Ariobarzanes I could easily contemn all the Crownes and Scepters of the Universe I cannot bestow Ariobarzanes upon you replied the Prince because he is yours ever since the day he ceased to be his own and consequently it is not in my power to make you that present but I might well offer you the crown because that it is within this houre that it came to my disposall and that till then I was not in a condition or capacity to make you any offer thereof and so I in some measure make your satisfaction for the injury I did you in depriving you almost of all hopes of a dignity which you could not have missed elsewhere and which you slighted for your Ariamenes He entertained her with a many other things that discovered the greatest kindnesse and sense of obligation that might be whereto the fair Princesse answered with the same generosity and their discourse might have continued yet some while on the same subject had it not been interrupted by Prince Philadelph And what shall become of me said he to Ariobarzanes shall I make no advantage of that influence which the change of your condition gives you over my fortunes And will you offer me nothing now that you can do all things after you had offered me so much when all my hopes consisted meerly in the good inclinations you had for me Assure your self replied the King of Armenia that one of the greatest advantages I shall hope to make of my new dignity is that I may be able to do you the civility I ought and though you have indeed but too great an interest already in Arsinoe yet if you have that distrust of her disposition that you imagine she stands in need of a Brothers consent to make her absolutely yours I should heartily with that consent part with the crown I have received could I think that present might contribute any thing to your satisfaction Philadelph received this discourse of the King of Armenia's with the markes of both a satisfaction and a resentment that were indeed extraordinary and immediately thereupon casting himself at the feet of his amiable Delia and notwithstanding her resistance kissing one of her fair hands with the ordinary sallies of his affection entertained her with abundance of discourse consonant to those demonstrations of Love which she had received from him in Cilicia Alexander was in the same termes with Artemisa and Ariobarzanes being also in the same humour with Olympia these six fortunate persons after so many stormes which a malicious fortune had raised against them finding themselves safely arrived at the so much wished for port celebrated their happinesse by all the obliging expressions which they might derive from such an excesse of joy But being mutually ignorant of the fortunes of those persons that were so dear to them and particularly Artemisa who knew nothing of that of Ariobarzanes and had not understood some part of those of Arsinoe and that there were a many particulars in that of Artemisa and Alexander that were unknown to Ariobarzanes and Arsinoe they would needs be informed one of another and thought fit to spend that day in the relations of their adventures To do this they would observe a certain order and Alexander and Artemisa being extreamly desirous to understand those of Ariobarzanes and Olympia they were accordingly the first satisfied with this provisoe that Alexander Arsinoe and Philadelph should afterward give them an account at large of what of their fortune was not as then come to their knowledge Artaban coming into the room while they were thus engaged and being very kindly entertained by all those illustrious persons that were present diverted them not from the resolution they had taken And being a person they might well trust with their concernments he hearkened not without much satisfaction to a many things whereof as having had an imperfect account of them before he was very much pleased with the relation and would needs sup with that noble company and spend his time in it till the houre assigned him by Candace In the mean time the Princesse Cleopatra stirred not out of her own chamber where she had with her Elisa and Candace and assoon as the Princes were departed the roome the two Princesses imagining not without reason that Cleopatra might stand in need of rest took their leaves of her and went to their own lodgings which were close by Cleopatra upon their importunity laid her self upon the bed and rested for an houre
your sake and that though you should forbid my mouth to tell you so much it were very hard for my eies to afford you the same obedience and that they should not in some measure expresse the effects of what you have caused in my heart I am easily perswaded replied the Princesse that you do not feel all that you would have me believe and I cannot but have that confidence of your generosity that instead of what your discourse might very well put me in fear of I shall find onely where you are a sanctuary against that persecution which I have run through so many dangers to avoid I should think my self the most unfortunate man in the World replyed Agrippa if you should look with the same eies on the love of Tigranes and that which I have for you and call that by the name of persecution which is on the contrary a passion full of respect and veneration such as mine is as you do the violence of a Prince who by force and tyranny hath sought that which he should have patiently expected from your own good liking I knew Madam that the enterprise I engage my self in is of no smal difficulty when I would dispute a heart prepossessed by another affection and that an affection dearly purchased by an excesse of merit and which you have not without much reason conceaved for him who of all men hath shewn himself the most worthy of it as well by his vertue as the transcendency of his actions But I shall entreat you withall to assure your self that it is not by condemning it that I shall endeavour to ruine it to my advantage and observe that I freely acknowledge Artaban to be worthy of his fortune above all the men I have known and that it is not my own will that inclines me to traverse his affections but that it proceeds meerly from the violence you do me which is such as I have ineffectually endeavoured to overcome by all the reasons which you could your self have alledged against it Do not therefore consider what I do against him as a voluntary action which might be condemned but as a forced action and consequently rather deserving your pitty then his resentment and pardon if you please the design I have to dispute your affections with him which I shall not do out of any consideration of Caesars authority and the power he hath invested me with through the whole extent of his Empire but by my love and services To this effect was the discourse of Agrippa and the Princesse finding some comfort in the conclusion of it and in what he had said to the advantage of Artaban It hath ever been my perswasion said she to him that what design soever you might be engaged in you would make use of no other force then that of vertue it self to effect it and that is it indeed which makes you more considerable then the ranck you are in or the friendship of Caesar and it is from the same vertue that I am inclined to hope you will overcome a passion which may haply expose your reputation to some reproach by thwarting the enjoyments and felicity of those that cast themselves under your protection These words troubled Agrippa more than any thing else could have done as being levelled at him in point of generosity and honour and indeed great souls such as was really his are far more sensible of assaults of this nature then those which proceed meerly out of a consideration of difficulty or danger He accordingly was at a little losse what return to make thereto but when he had recollected himself a little It is not for Agrippa said he to her to afford protection within the territories that are under the subjection of Caesar to a daughter of the King of Parthia Caesar may be said to protect you and I may contribute my services to his protection but it concerns me ever to be suppliant and submissive to you and to account my self your vassal rather than your Protector under this qualification of vassallage which I conceave honourable enough for me and not under that other of protection which I could not pretend to without insolence it may be lawful for me upon equal terms to engage against my Rival and in this kind of engagement I shall not seem very dreadful to a person of whose side the victory is already declared He would have spun out this discourse to a greater length had not Candace troubled to see the Princesse so engaged started a question to her purposely to break it off and not long after obliged her to quit Agrippa and to participate of their conversation It continued not long that night for Elisa and Candace to oblige Marcellus and Agrippa to withdraw the sooner bid Cleopatra good-night telling her that the better to recover the rest she so much wanted it was but fit she should go to it somewhat sooner then ordinary Whereupon the two Princesses departed to their own lodgings and Marcellus and Agrippa having taken their leaves of them left the room at the same time The two Princesses were no sooner alone but Elisa acquainted Candace with the discourse that had passed between her and Agrippa and the Queen of Ethiopia gave her an account at the same time of what she had had that day with Cornelius Whereupon they advised with one another what they should do in that case and spent some time in deliberating whether they should acquaint their Lovers with that new emergency They found very strong reasons on both sides as well to oblige them to do it as to divert them from it and they were absolutely unresolved what to do when Artaban comes into the room T is out of all question that Elisa was infinitely desirous to see him yet could she not look on him at such an hour without blushing at the freedom she gave him and though she loved him to that degree which she conceived her self obliged to do as well by way of recompence for his great services as out of her own inclination yet had she not ever granted him any favour that derogated from the strictest observances of honour and her sex and had not been perswaded to this secret enterview but out of complyance with Candace whose authority rather then any thing else satisfied her scruples and prevailed with her to grant it in order to the interview which she so much endeavoured between Caesario and him Candace though she had no lesse devotion to vertue then the other might presume upon a greater liberty and besides that she could not see Caesario but at such hours she was absolutely at her own disposal as well in regard of her person as her dominions Adde to that that in her favouring Caesario and bestowing on him her Crown with her person as she was resolved she complyed with the will and obeyed the commands of her father who in his life time and at his death had publickly declared such an intention and
had absolutely ordered it should be so Elisa entertained Artaban with her ordinary sweetnesse and modesty and Candace having treated him with all manner of civility You are now satisfied said she to him that I am not much inclined to revenge and that notwithstanding the resentment which your inconstancy might well raise in me against you I yet think it not much to procure you such favours as you had not haply ever received before I must indeed confesse replies Artaban that this favour is a pure effect of your goodnesse but shall not acknowledge if I may be so free with you that you had any great resentment to struggle with for a losse you were not any way sensible of The losse cannot be thought light replies Candace when one looses such a man as Artaban but it hath been the pleasure of our destinies to dispose of us both otherwise and for that reason it is but fit we forbear all reproaches But I must tell you withal that I have not been the instrument to procure you this sight of Elisa besides your expectation without some little By-concernment and that is a request that both she and I make to you that you and Cleomedon have an interview in this room that you embrace one the other in our presence and if it be not impossible become good friends as your fair Princesse and my self are Artaban receiving this discourse of Candace with a great sense of the obligation she laid upon him I am very much troubled Madam said he to her that you should not make trial of the respect I have for you by a test of my obedience wherein I might find more difficulty then there can be in that which you propose to me for the friendship of Cleomedon is a thing whereof the purchase is so advantageous that I cannot entertain the offer you make me of it otherwise then as a recompence you are pleased to allow me and not as a punishment that you impose upon me I may adde to this that he hath put a late obligation upon me which ought to have a greater influence on my soul then that unreasonable aversion which heretofore I ever found bandying against that affection which his vertue might raise in me for him and I conceive my self engaged to him in much more than my life amounts to since I must acknowledge the liberty of my Princesse an effect of the relief she received from his valour when she was in the armes of Tigranes Artaban said Elisa to him very much satisfied with his discourse assure your self you cannot any way oblige me so much as by this kind of proceeding and there is such an union between this fair Queen and my self that it were very unjust there should be any difference between the objects of our Loves Cleomedon made in a manner the same answer when we made the same proposition to him and accordingly it is no small satisfaction to me to see that we shall find it no hard matter to establish between you a friendship not unlike ours While Elisa spoke in this manner Candace desirous to favour Artaban all she could pretending she had some businesse to do in a closet that was within the room took occasion to go into it for some time Which intervall the passionate Artaban making his advantage of cast himself at the feet of Elisa and embraced her knees with all the most affectionate demonstrations of that passion which she was already so well acquainted with and whereas he could not expresse that transcendency of joy which then possessed him otherwise than by confused and broken words the fair Princesse thought his love more legible in that disorder than it had been in a discourse well couched and actions proceeding from the greatest recollection The presence of Vrinoe for Cephisa was walking upon the Terrace with Clitia in expectation of Caesario's coming hindred him not from giving thousands of kisses to the fair hands of his Princesse and this being the greatest favour he could expect from her she could not deny it him in so favourable an opportunity and that especially after a separation which had caused her to bewaile his losse with so many teares Nay she had much ado to keep them in now during the reflections she made on it and looking on him in the most amorous manner that could be with those very eies which had set him so much on fire Ah Artaban said she to him what reall afflictions hath your imaginary death cost me and what abundance of teares have I shed out of that cruell perswasion Ah Madam replied Artaban how precious ought I to esteem that death and how deare those teares The rest of my life is no way comparable to that fortunate death no it was not either my life or death could deserve those teares which compassion drew from your fair eies But is it not time added the Princesse I should know by what adventure it came to pass that you are now alive or am I still to be ignorant what good fortune it is that we are obliged to for your safety Artaban was going to acquaint her in what manner he had escaped drowning but Elisa remembring her self how that the night before Candace would needs have her to be present at the arrivall of Cleomedon and being a little ashamed that she had suffered her to withdraw into the closet she called her and entreated her to participate of their conversation as she had done of the discourse that had passed between her and Cleomedon and understand how Artaban had escaped the fury of those waves into which he had cast himself since that in all likelihood the relation he was to entertain them with would not be so long but that he might well go through it before Cleomedon came in Candace made her answer that she should gladly hearken to any thing wherein she thought her self concerned and after she was set down by her Madam saies Artaban to her since that there are but few daies since my falling into the Sea I shall not need many words to acquaint you with what hath happened to me from that time and shall not abuse your attention long with an account of things of little consequence It is not without some reason continued he speaking to Candace that you said you were concerned in my safety or at least I may well say that you have contributed very much thereto and consequently that I am not a little obliged to you for it To me replied the Queen somewhat astonished at what he said Even to you Madam said he more then any other and had it not been for that generous action which you did in setting Zenodorus's ship on fire that action I say which carried in it a more shining demonstration of your vertue then the fire you kindled on the water I had infallibly lost a life which I could not long have made good against the violence of the waves being armed all over my buckler hanging about my
found him THe fortunate meeting with a Brother such as Caesario was had raised in the Princesse Cleopatra such a satisfaction as since the imaginary infidelity of Coriolanus she had not been capable of whence it came that she passed over that night with more delight and took more rest than the precedent Now as the best part of the night was spent ere she lay down so was it accordingly very late ere she awoke in the morning insomuch that those who knew not any thing of her long sitting up would not have a little wondered she had slept so long had they not imagined that the trouble and hardship she had gone through for some daies before might require a more than ordinary repose 'T is a common observation that it is ordinarily at our waking in the morning we make the most naturall reflections on the conditions and accidents of our lives She accordingly had no sooner opened her eies but the Idaea of her late adventures presented it self to her remembrance and as she was of an excellent good nature so that sympathy which her meeting with Caesario had raised in her mind was the first effect that was produced there Her thoughts were with no small satisfaction taken up with that fortunate rencounter as looking on it as a thing extreamly advantageous to find a Brother whom she thought dead so many yeares before changed into a Brother so great so amiable and so considerable as well for his vertue as the greatnesse of his actions She reflected on the noble accidents of his life the strange Fortunes he had run through and fixed her consideration on the present posture of his affaires which in all probability was such as promised him a safe harbour against all those tempests whereby he had been tossed up and down for the space of so many yeares and seemed to be an establishment such as gave him not any occasion to envy that of his Ancestors The consideration of her Brothers concernments had that effect on her which it might be expected they might have on the best sister in the world and struck her thoughts with so much delight that for some time she could hardly make any reflection on her own but at last she could not keep them off any longer but they must needs do a violence to her memory and the Idaea of her unfortunate Coriolanus presented it self to her in the same posture as she had seen him the day before Her first imaginations represented him to her in that terrible posture wherein he had forced out of the vessell those that fought for her deliverance but there being not so much satisfaction in this as in the reflection on the other accidents that succeeded it she soon quitted it and imagined to her self a sight of the Prince in that mortall surprise wherein he was upon his first knowledge of her and fell into a swound upon the â—eck as also in that undaunted posture wherein hef had desied the King of Armenia and was engaged himself alone against so great a number of Enemies and lastly she thought on him in that subâ—isâ—â—ve posture whereinto he had put himself â—efâ—re her anâ— Marcellus to clear his innocency 'T was upon this last reflecâ—ion that â—he fastened her thoughts more than any as desiring not so much any assurances of the valour of Coriolanus whereof she had sufficient experience as of his innocency whereof she had been so long in doubt and whereof either the certainty or uncertainty occasioned all the happinesse or unhappinesse of her life She had so well engraven in her memory all the words which â—ell from that poor Prince that notwithstanding the disturbance she had been in while he had spoken them there had not so much as one slipped out of her remembrance And finding them all very pregnant and full of conviction it was a certain imaginary pleasure to her to be in a manner perswaded that it must needs be innocence and truth that put them into the mouth of that Prince to convince her of that errour wherein she had passed over so many sad daies Alasse with what satisfaction and with what tendernesse did she repeat them over and over and how did she make it her â—ain businesse to heighten those circumstances that any way made for him All indeed were very strong for him from the time that she first opened her eies to truth and the discoveries of that pretended infidelity and she could not but acknowledge her credulity in having too easily been perswaded to a belief of things that were contrary to reason and common sence She could not find the least favourable imagination to perswade her that Coriolanus should fall in love with Julia being then absent from her when even in her presence and during the time that she expressed a great aflection towards him he had ever slighted her and that the Prince should so much court the friendship of Augustus she thought yet more improbable and that he should proffer himself to be tributary to him when he had by open hostility recovered a powerfull Monarchy when he had refused the same friendship at a time when he was not master of any thing but his sword and could not expect any thing but by his meanes and assistance She called to mind in what termes he had vindicated himself with so much apparent reason and found so much eviction in all that there needed not much absolutely to justifie him in her apprehension During these pleasant intervalls she opened her soule to give admission to that joy which of a long time before could never have the least entertainment there but it was at the same time very much abated by a cold reflection on the miserable condition to which that Prince was reduced as having lost the Kingdomes he had conquered and being deprived of all support and relief in the world through her inflexibility towards him These reflections equally divided between grief and joy drew many a sigh out of her breast and this was the entertainment of her thoughts all the time she lay in bed after her awaking and while she was dressing She was just upon the point of going out of her chamber to go into that of Candace's whom she now looked on as a Sister to whom she was engaged for the life and fortunes of her Brother and who as well as the Princesse of the Parthians had lain longer in bed then she had when Prince Marcellus comes to give her a good morrow Cleopatra entertained him as a beloved Brother but what confidence soever she might have of his prudence and generositie yet did she not think it fit to trust him with the secret of another though she had with her own and so made not the least mention to him of Caesario though she had not the least jealousie that any consideration whatsoever might induce Marcellus to do him any ill office This Prince after the first civilities were past being sate down by her Sister said he
be concealed from all the World and though I must introduce into my discourse persons whose power is much to be feared yet shall I not forbear since that within a few daies I shall either be in a condition not to fear it or if the gods think good to continue my life I am more willing to see it exposed to some danger by my confession then be perpetually persecuted with remorses which make it much more insupportable to me Be pleased to afford me your attention to the discourse I have to make to you and it is my earnest prayer to the gods that it may in some measure repair the mischief I have done and restore that happinesse and fortune which I have unfortunately disturbed To this effect was the discourse of Volusius and perceiving that instead of making any answer Cleopatra and Marcellus hearkened very attentively to him he reâ—ssumed the discourse in these terms THE HISTORY OF VOLUSIUS WE are satisfied by experience that both the remembrance of good turns and that of injuries have a different operation according to the different character of those souls where they are entertained and that as there are some minds wherein offences make but a very light impression much lighter then that which good offices might make in them so on the other side there are some in whom the greatest benefits cannot smother the least injuries or to say better who not much sensible of obligations laid upon them have neverthelesse eternal resentments for injuries That I have been worsted and disgraced by Prince Coriolanus I must attribute it meerly to his valour and my own unhappinesse and that I was nobly treated by him it was the effect of his pure generosity and yet the impression of the injury filled my soul in such manner that it leaves not any place for that which the generous entertainment should have had there and opposed the resentment it should have conceived thereof that so I might be the more absolutely hurried into contrary resolutions I doubt not Madam but you have heard how that having been several times defeated in the persons of my Lieutenants I was at last overthrown in my own and through the valour of the son of Juba having lost a battel which in all probability I should have gained I was by the same valour cast to the ground and taken prisoner You have also further understood how that after some daies imprisonment such as was sweetned by all the kind entertainments which I could have received from a brother or the best friend I had the same Prince whom by all manner of injuries I had obliged to treat me with cruelty forgetting all out of an admirable generosity and comforting me in my disgrace with the most obliging words could fall from man gave me my liberty without any condition loaded me with presents of great value and furnished me with ships and men to bring me to Rome or any other place where I would my self It might in all probability be expected I should have been sensible of this treatment as much as I had been of my misfortune but having through my disgrace besides the fame I might have acquired in my former years lost the government of two great Kingdoms a very high fortune for a private man and the hope of finding again among the Romans an establishment comparable to that I had lost the grief I conceived thereat had so cankered my soul that I was not able to entertain those expressions of the goodnesse and clemency of the King of Mauritania with the least discovery of gratitude However I pretended to be extreamly sensible thereof as I ought to have been of a favour I should not have expected and I received with my liberty the other effects of the magnificence of that Prince with those demonstrations which might well perswade him that I was not insensible thereof I went a-board with a soul half burst with grief and I carried with me into the sea an affliction grown so violent through the change of my fortune that there was nothing able to afford me any satisfaction And yet I am apt to imagine that my grief would have been satisfied in being onely a torment to my self without producing any effects prejudicial to the fortune of my Conquerour if something of chance and the sollicitations of other persons had not furnished me witlâ— the occasions to do it and that at a time wherein my sufferings were not aggravated by any design of revenge The third day after my departure I was overtaken by a Vessel that came after me from Mauritania and he that was Commander of it being come aboard mine to give me a visit was known to me to be a person of very great quality among the Moors named Theocles whose Father had had under King Juba the father of Coriolanus the greatest places in the Kingdom and the governments of greatest importance But it happening upon the death of King Juba that Theocles revolted to the Romans and sided very particularly with me as having not the least remainder of love for the royal bloud and that further he had expected till the issue of the war without declaring himself for his Prince as the greatest part of the Moors had done young Juba coming to the Throne had accordingly slighted him though he had not any way disobliged him nor taken away any thing he was possessed of and in the distribution of the Governments and charges which he bestowed on those whom he thought most worthy and had expressed most affection towards him he conceived himself not at all engaged to prefer Theocles whose pretensions were great suitably to his quality and the high rank his Father had lived in before him Theocles thinking himself hardly dealt with and taking it very impatiently that his soveraigne should prefer other persons before him such indeed as were inferiour to him in birth but much more considerable than he by their services and their fidelity to their Prince would needs leave Mauritania and lurk among the enemies of his King and bring over with him among the Romanes his resentments and desires of revenge So that having taken ship the same day that I departed the third after he comes up to me and coming out of his own vessell into mine he gave me a visit making the greatest expressions he could of the affection he had for me Now this man being he that of all the Moores I had held the greatest correspondence with and his discontents being not unknowne to me I was extreamly glad to meet with him and having understood from him that the resentments he had against his Prince were the occasion why he left the Country to follow me and to go along with me to Rome this consonancy of thoughts made me the more confident of him and raised in me a certain affection for him and engaged me to promise him all the friend-and assistance amongst the Romanes that I could possibly help him to Thus resolved we continued
things and thought our selves fully instructed Tiberius departed from that house to go and endeavour my peace with Augustus having desired us not to stir thence till we had heard from him but with as much secrecy as might be least there should be any suspicion of our interview We accordingly staid there as he had ordered us while in the mean time Tiberius having made a full discovery of his design to the Empresse and represented to her that all the happinesse of his life consisted in the hope he was in to enjoy the Princesse Cleopatra Livia who who had a very great tendernesse for him after some few difficulties were satisfied engaged in our design upon you and promised him all the assistances she could afford him to effect it He thought it not fit to make the least discovery of it to his brother Drusus as knowing him to be a Prince of a candid and open disposition and consequently would not have approved those artifices so that all the persons acquainted with and concerned in our plot were onely Livia Tiberius Theocles and my self For as to the persons we were to make use of we easily perswaded them to what we would have had all others to believe Livia sollicited my readmission into the Emperours favour with so much successe that she soon dispelled those clouds of reproaches and accusations which my adversaries had raised against me and yet so ordered all things that Tiberius was not any way suspected to have any hand in it pretending that what she did was upon the importunity of some of my friends who were persons of very considerable quality in Rome So that assoon as Tiberius understood that I might have accesse to the Emperour he sent to me by a trusty person even the very same that had accompanied him in the interview that I should come to Rome and without any fear prepare my self to put in execution what we had undertaken We departed thence Theocles and myself and got thither much about the same time as our retinue and equipage which we had sent for to Brundusium but before I presented my self to Caesar we had another secret conference with Tiberius and having understood from him how strong our party was by reason of the Empresses being of it he further acquainted us how that he had in his hands the great seal of the Kings of Mauritania and the order he had taken for the liveries of the Ambassadours and for all other things that were requisite to our design The next day I waited on the Emperour who suitably to the hopes that Tiberius had put me into entertained me with abundance of courtesie imputing my unhappinesse to fortune onely and seeming to be satisfied with the reasons which had been given him in order to my justification And though he discovered nothing so much in his discourse as the violent aversion he had for Coriolanus yet did I still give him the greatest commendations imaginable celebrating his valour and acknowledging the extraordinary civilities I had received from him in such terms as easily discovered that I was far from being his enemy For thus had Tiberius and my self ordered the businesse to be carried it being resolved that Theocles and I should speak well of him every where so to take off all suspicion men might conceive of any evil design that we might have against him The first time I was brought to the Emperour I gave him onely an account of my own affairs as also of those of Mauritania but in the second audience I had which was when all things were ready and ripe for Tiberius's design I had some discourse with him about Theocles's commission and demanded audience for him But here Madam and you my Lord continued Volusius looking on Cleopatra and Marcellus I am now come to that part of my relation which being to give you an account of things you are but too well acquainted with already will accordingly be troublesome to you For you know as well as my self how we were entertained by Caesar as also with what contempt he looked on the Embassy of Theocles and in a word all the particular circumstances of our negotiation You also best know what influence our design had upon your selves in some measure answering the expectations of Tiberius yet so Madam as that to his misfortune and my unhappinesse he made not that advantage thereof he was in hope it might have produced since that though you ceased to love a Prince whom you conceived inconstant to you yet did it not occasion the least change in you as to what thoughts you had of Tiberius nay on the contrary the aversion you had had for him seemed to be far greater then it was before upon this accident At this passage Volusius made a little stop as if he had gone through the first part of his relation and Marcellus perceiving that the Princess having summoned all the forces of her resolution and constancy to keep up her spirits at this reiteration of her cruel afflictions was neverthelesse forced to give passage to certain tears doing himself a little violence to avoid expressing the same weaknesse It is but too true said he to volusius that your barbarous combination produced effects but too deplorable and that if the crafty Tiberius made no advantage of it through the justice of the gods who have ever a punishment for such treacherous designes he drew neverthelesse this satisfaction from it that he filled our souls with a mortal grief and that it did me more mischief then you expected it should in regard of that strange influence it had on the disposition of the unconstant Julia which it might have had on that of the generous Cleopatra T is she Volusius whom you have not yet justified though you have assured us of the fidelity of Coriolanus and though Tiberius and your self have over-reached us to the prejudice of that poor Prince who you tell us had not really so much as thought of Julia yet hath that unmindfull Princesse appeared such upon that occasion as she had done upon diverse others before and the feigned expressions of the love and pretended design of Coriolanus drew from her very earnest ones of the refluxe of that affection which she had sometimes had for him Ah my Lord saies Volusius reassuming the discourse entertain not any such thought and assure your self if you dare credit a man acknowledging himself guilty of so great a cheat that Julia hath shewn her self upon this emergency no lesse constant then Coriolanus and that she entertained with abundance of contempt what we would have perswaded her to as to the affection of Coriolanus The gods are my witnesses that I have not in the least contributed to the occasions of your jealousie but was told by Toeocles after he had received orders from the Emperour to leave Rome within some few daies that Tiberius who had made him his absolute creature and had promised him a secure refuge though he saw him but
drawn into but by my advice and encouragement Though I might well imagine that Theocles fell not upon that discourse but with a designe to quarrell with me and find a pretence without infamy to Tiberius to put in execution what they had basely plotted against me yet did I not reflect on it soon enough and accordingly could not forbear telling him that there was a vast difference between an action wherein we had been jointly engaged though truely considered it were very horrid and the designe to murther a King in his own Kingdome and that there was the greater difference between those two actions in regard of us by as much as that I was a Romane and he a Subject to Coriolanus This barbarous wretch who what answer soever I had made would have found the pretence he was so desirous of pretended to be transported with indignation at this discourse drew his sword and ran at me with all the fury he could I should have been but little frightned at his action if all those that were about him had not done the like and with the same labour satisfied me that Tiberius had not bestowed that guard on me but to give me my death Of my two men the more affectionate lost his life at my feet and the other frightned saved himself by getting into the wood so that I was forced to stand alone to the fury of those cruell Butchers who came about me and gave me two great wounds No question but a thousand more had followed to dispatch me out of this world and I saw it was to no purpose to think to lengthen my life by a fruitlesse resistance when it pleased Fortune to direct into that part of the wood a man armed all over mounted on a very stately horse and attended onely by an Esquire He made a little halt to see what was done and perceiving he had but little time to loose if he would save my life after he had anticipated his coming by a great outcry and in few words reproached my enemies with basenesse and cowardice he ran in among them with a fury to which nothing can be compared and having with the shock of his horse overthrown the first he met within his way he set upon the rest with such eagernesse as shewed he was nothing daunted at their number And whereas they as well as I had no other armes then their swords he spent very few blowes which either carried not death along with them or made those they met with uncapable of fighting any longer Theocles astonished at this miraculous relief and perceiving there was no possibility to make an end of me till he had rid his hands of the stranger endeavoured with the assistance of his men to dispatch him But as it happened he ran upon his own death for that valiant man having received upon his buckler the blowes he made at him ran him clear through the body and so he fell down to the ground and immediately breathed his last His companions were but weak in their endeavours to revenge his fall and finding themselves reduced to one halfe of the number they made at first and that by the same hand they were quite discouraged and placed all their safety in their flight Finding my self rescued in that manner from those unmercifull enemies though very much weakened by the two wounds I had received I made a shift to come nearer my deliverer to give him thankes for his assistance and it happened at the same time that he feeling himself very much heated either by reason of the sultrinesse of the season or the action he had been in put up the visour of his head-piece to take in a little fresh aire I had hardly fastened my eies on his countenance but I was in a manner dazzled by the lustre and goodlinesse of it and thereupon looking on him a little more earnestly I knew him to be that person to whom I had been so cruelly perfidious the valiant King of Mauritania It is impossible I should represent to you the confusion I was in to find my self obliged for my life to a Prince whom I had so basely abused and to see that Fortune should after so strange a manner direct to my relief that person from whom of all men I had least reason to expect it An adventure so unexpected could not but tie up my tongue for a while and stifling the discourse I intended to disburthen my self of by way of acknowledgement for the deliverance I was obliged to him for I stood still before him mute immoveable and in the posture of a man whom an excesse of remorse had deprived of all confidence And it was certainly from my remorse rather than any fear that this proceeded as not knowing whether the injury I had done him was come to his knowledge but if I was astonished to see him he was no lesse to meet with me and calling me to mind by the idaea's he had still in his memory of my countenance and haply confirmed by the astonishment he observed in it he stood still as well as my self like one lost in suspence and irresolution At last the passion which produced that effect in him being much different from that which had put me into so great disturbance he soon recovered himself and having viewed me with much more earnestnesse then before Are not you Volusius said he to me sometime Praetor of Mauritania I am the very same Volusius answered I who am now obliged to you twice for this wretched life as having once received it with my liberty as a demonstration of your generosity and being obliged to you for it now by the relief I have received from you when I was reduced to the last extremities You might have added to that said he that you are the same Volusius who being once before obliged to me for your life and liberty have neverthelesse made me the most unfortunate man in the world and by your perfidiousnesse have occasioned me the losse of Cleopatra's affection my kingdome and whatever should make me in love with life This reproach put me to such a losse that I knew not what answer to make whereupon casting my eies on the ground with an action expressing the greatnesse of my confusion I satisfied the Prince that I had nothing by way of justification to say for my self When he had looked on me for some time in that posture What injury soever I may have received from you said he to me it troubles me not that I have been the occasion that you are yet alive but certainly 't is a visible example of Heavens justice to reserve the revenge of your perfidiousnesse to me who have been most injured thereby Reassume the confidence which the conscience of your crime seems to have deprived you of and since I have seen you defend your life with courage enough against diverse men at the same time muster up all you have to defend it against one man alone and
were at the same time subject to such a distraction of thoughts that it had been some difficulty to unravel them and to make their confusion capable of some order Yet is it certain that their first apprehensions were those of joy and that neither of them could without being infinitely glad entertain the news that Coriolanus had ever been a constant lover and a faithful friend and that they could not any longer doubt of that innocence which they so much wished They looked one upon another during this first apprehension and in their countenances expressed their mutual satisfaction Cleopatra as the most concerned in the businesse spoke first and letting the Prince read in her eies what her heart was so full of Well Brother said she to him you see that Coriolanus is innocent and that it was not without some ground that I was satisfied of it before I had understood so much from the mouth of Volusius I acknowledge the indulgence of the gods replies Marcellus as great towards me in this as in the greatest favour they ever did me and I take them to witnesses that what you and Volusius have perswaded me to of the constancy of Julia hath not caused in me such a satisfaction as what I have understood of the â—idelity of Coriolanus How replyed the Princesse with a certain transportation not suitable to her ordinary moderation it is then infallible that Coriolanus whose pretended infidelity cost me so many tears hath ever been constant to his Cleopatra and that Princesse who by her misapprehension thought her self condemned to eternal afflictions may now re-assume those joies and hopes she had before broke off all acquaintance with Here would she have taken occasion to open her soul for the reception of a passion which of a long time had not had any entertainment there but that joy was soon eclipsed by an interposition of grief and a certain reflection which filled her heart with all the sadnesse it was capable of when she thought on her cruel depâ—rtment towards that Prince the deplorable effect it had produced as having proved the occasion of the losse of his Crown and of all her hopes and that fatal resolution which he had expressed to Volusius that he intended to take and whereof he had given her some notice at their last parting In a word being thus convinced of his fidelity she could not call to mind the cruel entertainment she had made him at Syracuse when enflamed to the highest pitch of love and thinking it a thousand times more glorious to be her servant then what so noble a conquest and the recovery of his Kingdoms had made him he had passed through thousands of dangers to come and offer her those very Kingdoms she could not think on the cruel and injurious speeches wherewith she had received him and the sad condition wherein she had left him without a mortal wound in that heart which nothing but the love of that Prince could ever make any impression in From that doleful reflection calling to mind how she had met him in the Woods of Alexandria the day that he relieved her with greater valour then successe against those that afterwards carried her away and lastly remembring the meeting she had had with him in the King of Armenia's ship whereof she represented to her self all the particulars after another manner then they had appeared to her while she was still prepossessed by her cruel mistake as well out of a consideration of that long swounding into which her sight and words had put him as the discourse full of a generous confidence he had made to her and the admirable resolution he had taken and gone through with by sighting alone for her liberty against so great a number of enemies with such prodigious valour and by the last words he had spoken to her at their parting wherein as well as in his actions his innocency was but too too apparent And from these things whereof her eies had been but too too faithful witnesses diverting her thoughts to others that were of no lesse consequence such as the losse of a great Kingdom which he had conquered for her and which he neglected to maintain through the despair she had reduced him to that which he had expressed when he cast himself into the sea because he would not survive his disgrace and the shame he thought it that he was not able to rescue her from her Ravishers the miserable condition he was brought to having no place of refuge no relief nor any comfort in the World and lastly the resolution he had discovered to Volusius and her self of his unwillingnesse to have her any longer engaged in his misfortunes and to seek out the remedies thereof onely in death which for a courage such as his was it would not be hard to find she could not fasten her thoughts on all these truths which were but too importunate upon her memory without giving way to such a grief as neither all her own great constancy nor yet the joy she conceived at the innocence of Coriolanus were able to abate After she had for some time smothered the disordered agitations she was in being not able to hold out any longer and conceiving she might freely disburthen her self before Marcellus whom she was confident of and whose soul during that time was persecuted by imaginations much of the same nature Coriolanus is innocent said she breaking forth into a rivulet of tears But O ye heavenly powers such is my cruel destiny that Coriolanus cannot be innocent but I must at the same time be the most criminal person in the World That Prince the most amiable the most generous and the most vertuous of men hath continued inviolately constant to me and hath still persisted in the same perfect affection which had at first taken in my soul and yet unfortunate wretch that I am I have had the cruelty to banish him my presence as a Monster I have had the inhumanity to see him in a manner expiring at my feet and never could be moved at it and I have at last reduced him to such extremities as have proved the occasion of loosing that Kingdom which he had designed for me have made him a restlesse vagabond all over the earth made him seek out precipices and now make him resolve to seek in death a Period of these deplorable miseries into which I onely I have brought him O Cleopatra unfortunate Cleopatra what pretence of joy canst thou find in the justification of Coriolanus since it must needs expose thee to the most cruel regrets that ever persecuted guilty souls It were much more for thy satisfaction at least if it were not for thy satisfaction it would be much more to thy advantage that thy Coriolanus had been found unconstant and that thou shouldst be found innocent thy self and since that thy innocence and his are things inconsistent either he ought to be guilty or thou have continued in the misprision which thou
For my part fairest Antonia I am the greatest of your Enemies since that I am of all mankind the person that hath the greatest affection for you and I tell you that confidently which I should not without trembling were I not unknown to you You have seen and known the person while yet you were ignorant of his passion but now that the passion is discovered it is but fit the person should be concealed that onely his Love may be exposed to your indignation And since it is onely Love that you hate and not the persons that are inclined to love you if it be possible to engage the aversion you have for it with such good successe as that you may be entreated to be more favourable to it those who are guilty of no other crime will appear before you in a lesse odious posture when their crime is pardoned or at least connived at by your indulgence The most guilty of all those that commit any offences of this nature against you seeing himself reduced by your inflexible maximes to a cruel necessity of either holding his peace or concealing himself stands in suspence at the choice he is to make which though it be in appearance fantastick yet is in its consequences rational enough nay haply generous enough since that he cannot be charged with any consideration of his person but onely of his love and that it is to induce you to bear with his Love that he addresses himself to you and not to engage you to any affection towards his person which he conceals from you and which he shall conceal haply as long as belives Pardon him this innocent surprize which he intends your rigour and let onely your Beauty engage against him in a case wherein to punish the rashnesse of his attempt it wants not the assistance of your cruelty As soon as I had given over reading I looked on Antonia who at the same time cast her eyes on my face with certain discoveries of astonishment not inferiour to what I was in my self In a word we were both equally surprised and whereas we inferred from the first words of the Letter that it came from Mithridates we concluded from the sequele not onely the quite contrary but were perswaded withall that the person who had writ it had never made any expression of his love to Antonia and that in that Letter he took occasion to make the first discoveries of it 'T is true we were somewhat distrustful as to that opinion when we reflected on the first words which were the same she had said to Mithridates and could not apprehend how they could come by chance so pat into the imagination of the Unknown Lover but for all the rest it had so little relation or consistency either with the humour former proceeding of Mithridates or the terms wherein he was with Antonia that we were satisfied it must needs be some other and that one that either out of curiosity or concernment in the businesse might have gotten behind the trees that were on both sides the walk wherein the discourse had past and listening attentively to what was said had heard some part of it Being agreed in this opinion as the most probable we fell into discourse upon the adventure so far that Antonia thought there was some thing in it so full of surprise and so extraordinary that she could not be angry at it as she had been before at the confidence of Mithridates We searched among all the men I have named to you the person we could with any likelihood suspect but though it was out of all question that it was one of those that had passed the day with us yet after we had examined them all one after another we could not fasten on any one whom we could charge with it Divers of them had come neer Antonia as well during the Comedy as while they danced and at the Collation but of all those that she could remember had had any discourse with her there was not any whom we knew not to be otherwise engaged as to matter of affection or to be much awanting in point of ingenuity to carry on such a piece of gallantry When we had discovered almost to wearinesse about it Who it may be it matters not saies Antonia he puts himself to a great deal of trouble to no purpose and if he deprive me of the object of my indignation by concealing his person from me he also deprives himself continued she laughing of the acknowledgement I should return his affection by not discovering himself Ah Sister said I to her how well is this man acquainted with you and how true is it that if you were as ready to make acknowledgements as to be transported with indignation he would have taken a course quite contrary to what he hath but be he what he will I do not onely think him extreamly ingenious but I believe he may carry on his design very successefully and dare passe my word that you have a lesse aversion for him then for Mithridates and others who have been so confident as to discover their passions to you I acknowledge no lesse replies Antonia and am of your mind that if I never know him while I live I shall never while I live know whom I ought to hate However it may be replyed I t is out of all doubt this man hath Vnderstanding and in that understanding something that is great and signifies very visibly that he is a person of eminent quality we shall know him when he shall think it fit ... And I hope added Antonia interrupting me that if he be a man of his word we shall never know him In troth replyed I my mind gives me I should be extreamly troubled at it and must confesse this untroden way of proceeding hath raised in me a more than ordinary curiosity We should have had abundance of other discourse upon this adventure but it was so late or rather so neer day that we were loath to sit up any longer so that going to bed a little after we soon fell asleep For some dayes ensuing though it might well be thought that the misfortunes of my own life being at that time such as found matter of discontent enough should have left me but little curiosity I made it my earnest businesse to find out whom that Letter should come from nay seemed to be much more concerned in the business than Antonia her self who looked on all these things with the greatest indifference imaginable And what much heightned my inquisition was that me thought the adventure argued somewhat so far beyond the ordinary way of proceeding that contrary to my natural inclination I was extreamly desirous to see the issue of it But all the little inquiries I made proved ineffectual for I never could come to the least discovery of any thing with so great circumspection had that person managed all things in order to the design he had to continue still unknown though
you of the duels fought by the Gladiators and the fighting of savage beasts which were the divertisements of the people for the morning The rest of the day was spent in things of greater magnificence such as wherein the Roman Nobility discovered their greatest pomp and gallantry and yet I shall give you but a short description of it and that out of a necessity that lyes upon me to make mention thereof in my relation There was no place within Rome able to contain the vast number of people that were to be present at the shews and that of the persons that were to celebrate them The Emperour therefore had without the gates of the City in a fair Plain upon the Tiber side caused a vast tract of ground to be rail'd in having left two sides free for the people which were bordered with an Amphitheatre of several steps on which an infinite number of people might be disposed He had caused to be raised over against the entrance certain Scaffolds covered over with rich tapistry for the Ladies the Senate and such other persons as were destin'd for those places On the fourth side were disposed part of the Emperours Guard whose employment it was to open the railes at the entrance of the Chariots the horses and people that were to come in and all that side was wholly taken up by such as were requisite for that office to avoid all confusion and disturbance The place was spacious enough for the longest races of either horse or Chariots and of such an extent as it was said that it was sufficient for the encamping of an army The first sight was to be that of the Chariots which was followed by horse-races and after that was a combat on horseback between two parties with edgelesse weapons which the Romans call Troy and they say was invented by Ascanius the Son of Aeneas at his arrival into Italy All the Chariots passed one after another took divers turns about the place along the railes and after they had been seen by the Emperour the Ladies and the people when the signal of the races was given they were all disposed according to the order they had observed in coming in at that end of the place which was opposite to our Scaffold in expectation of the last signal at which they were to set forward They had all four horses a-breast open before with one onely place behind for the Master of the Chariot wherein he sate armed all over having on a head-piece the visour down with a Buckler on his left arm and two Javelins in his right hand and the Chariots the slaves that followed them the cloaths that covered the horses and all the Equipage wore the Livery of the Ladies as far as they were known Upon these occasions was it particularly that the young Romans outvy'd one another to discover their inclinations at least those who had no design to keep them secret and to that end was there a great distance between the Chariots as they passed by that people might the better observe the attendance of every Chariot in particular and that without any confusion The first that appeared was that of Marcellus all glittering with gold and magnificent workmanship his attendance was noble and full of pomp and about his person and in all his Equipage he wore the Livery of Julia. That of Tiberius came next not inferiour in point of magnificence to that of Marcellus with my characters and colours That of Domitius followed him with those demonstrations which argued the affection he had for Agrippina After that came Archelaus with the colours of Antonia Next came young Ptolomey very neat and gallant in his Equipage wearing the colours of Martia Prince Polemon followed him with those of Marcella and Mithridates who came after him made no difficulty to have also those of Antonia The next was Crassus with a Livery which none could guesse whom it was for and whence it was to be inferred that his intention was not to have it known Then came Lentulus with that of Tullia and then Albinus Aemilianus Cinna Cepio and a many others of the most Illustrious Roman to the number of fifty it being the Emperour's pleasure there should be no more to avoid the confusion that might have ensued Though Agrippa was not of an age that made him incapable of these exercises yet would not the Emperour have him engaged therein but took him and Mecaenâ—s for company's sake to judge of the races and to order the distribution of the prizes And though all the Masters of Chariots had the visours of their headpieces down and were in such a posture as if they had been ready to fight yet were they known as they passed by as well by the persons that were of their attendance as by divers other marks so that it was in us to judge of the magnificence and graceful carriage of them which we did and gave our opinions thereof very freely This great number of Chariots which certainly was the noblest sight in the World had gone round about the place and it was thought there would not come any more when the Lists being opened again the place echoed with the noise of twelve Trumpets which appeared at the entrance and began to match a good distance after the last of the Chariots that had passed before They were mounted on twelve excellent horses and their long coats were of a sky-coloured stuff which was the colour of Antonia all covered over with enflamed hearts and the characters of Antonia in embroidery of gold but the noblest and most sumptuous embroidery that ever had been seen at Rome The flags which hung at their Trumpets were full of the same characters After the Trumpets came one after another twenty horses led every one by two slaves who held them in on both sides by two scarfes of the colour and embrodery afore mentioned The horses were of the best kind of Gennets and the proudest in their paces that ever were seen they had in their heads which they lifted up with a certain pride great pennaches of the aforesaid colour and their maines and tayles tyed up with ribands of gold and sky colour The bits of their bridles were enamell'd with gold and embellished with precious stones and they were covered with sky coloured cloaths hanging down to the ground and enriched with the same embroidery of gold and the same characters of Antonia The cloaths of the slaves were of the same stuff and had the same trimming After these came fifty others cloathed after the same manner without any difference and went on both sides the chariot which immediately followed the twenty horses The Chariot had in it four horses white as the very snow done with ribands and harnessed as the former It seemed to be all of gold mixt with sky-colour at certain distances with double A. A's burning hearts darts chains and other emblems of love and servitude The two sides had the form of two Lyons that seemed
to have sumitted to the yoke upheld the seat and served for a leaning place on both sides And behind there was a Cupid made of the height of a man whereof the figure was somewhat greater than ordinary which resting onely on one foot behind stretched himself out as it were to fly and having the wings spread covered therewith the person that was in the seat and seemed to have been put there purposely against the injuries of the weather and as it were a covering for the Chariot The sculpture of that Cupid was admirable his face as handsome as the best Gravers could have made it and his wings glittering with gold and precious stones which shined in several places In one hand he carried a heart upon the top of one of his arrows and in the other a little flag of sky-coloured silk wherein between two chains and other marks of slavery might be seen these verses written in letters of gold I like a captive pine and sigh Yet place a glory in my woes I 'd rather own this slavery Then of the universe dispose All the rest of the Chariot was open so that it was easie to see how the person was accommodated that was within it He had on a cuirats and a head-piece of gold enamell'd with sky-colour and enriched in several places with stones of a great value The head-piece was covered over with a many plumes of blew feathers which both backwards and on both sides hung down to his Shoulders But in the enamel as well of the head-piece as the cuirats might be observed every where the characters of Antonia and the sleeves and the lower part of his under-garment which came down somewhat below his knee being interwomen with gold and blew silk were full of the same characters with an excellent embroidery of gold and his buskins interlaced with gold and blew adorned with rich buckles and precious stones Nor was there any want of them about the sword he had by his side He had in his right hand two Javelins with the points guilt with gold and in the left a Buckler of the same mettal with the edges enamelled suitably to the rest of his Armes and enriched in the middle with the picture of the fair Antonia done so like her that it was immediately concluded to be the work of the most excellent Painters of Italie I thought it not amisse to give you this short description of him for that indeed we spent more time in looking upon him then we had done on all else that was to be seen though it must needs be acknowledged there was no want of state or magnificence any where But in regard that all the rest were known and that there was no means to discover this last either by the persons of his attendance or by any other mark he drew after him not onely the astonishment and acclamations of the people but also the curiosity of all others And yet though it was impossible to know either his face or name yet from some other circumstances that were publick and remarkable enough it was generally concluded that it could be no other then the unknown servant of Antonia who some daies before had bestowed on her the magnificent Galley who had overthrown Archelaus and Mithridates and of whom under the name of the Vnknown Lover there were such strange reports spread up and down Rome and elsewhere It immediately ran from mouth to mouth among the Spectators and all the discourse was concerning Antonia's servant insomuch that Archelaus and Mithridates perceaving it conceaved not a little trouble and envy thereat and could not for a certain time recover themselves out of that disturbance of thoughts which that sight had caused in them Antonia and my self were not far from the Emperour so that over-hearing all the discourse which fell not onely from Caesar but all those that were about him upon occasion of this accident there spread such a rednesse over Antonia's face as could not be gotten off for almost all that day And though I was not thereupon thrifty of my discourse to her and earnestly entreated her to communicate her thoughts to me upon that emergency yet was it a long time ere she would as much as open her mouth to make me any answer Sister said I to her was it not shrewaly guessed of me some daies since that your unknown servant was a person admirable as to point of invention and magnificence and do you not find that in whatever he undertakes he eclipses all that is done by others In troth I cannot forbear speaking for him and to tell you that I have conceived an extraordinary good opinion of him Antonia was in some uncertainty whether she should discover her displeasure at the adventure or make her diversion of it as others did but what thoughts soever her disturbance might inspire her with yet could she not but entertain in her soul a certain joy at the advantages of a person that loved her though he did it contrary to her intentions and the reputation he acquired whether she would or no for his gallantry and magnificence But not long after she had much more reason for in fine Sister not to tyre you with a relation of all that passed that day which it were impossible to relate to you fully I shall think it enough to tell you that this unknown person having provided all things for that day with all the care and prudence imaginable and furnished himself with the best and fleetest horses that could be had carryed away all the prizes as well for the horse-races as the Chariots leaving behind him at a distance all that ran with him and in that combat on horseback called Troy he behaved himself with so much addresse and vigour and did all things with such an admirable grace that he alone drew after him the general acclamations of the Spectators In fine he was by the Emperour himself declared Conquerour how partial soever he might be for Marcellus and received the prizes which he came and laid at the feet of Antonia bending the knee and bowing to her with a submission that spoke him her slave Antonia blushing for shame and vexation though haply she was not much dissatisfied at the adventure did by the commandement of Octavia receive them and immediately after the Unknown Lover mounting one of the best of his horses rid him before us with such a grace and seemed to us to be of such a noble presence and so well to become the bow of the saddle that we could not forbear admiring him A while after he went in among the rest and taking his time and making his advantage of the disorder and confusion they were in he went out of the Lists and got away with as much speed as could be His Chariot and Equipage were gone long before for he had given order that as soon as the Chariot-races were over all should withdraw while the people were taken up with the other exercises
that through the despair you put me into you deprived me not onely of the power but even of the designe I had to go and maintain them as no doubt I could have done against all the forces of the Universe Through that misfortune is it now come to passe that I have nothing left me as having lost not onely the crowns I had conquered but also the Friendship of Caesar from whom I was to hope for all I could expect So that when I shall return again into your sight in a condition innocent enough to hope a readmission into your favour I shall have no Crowne to offer you nor indeed a refuge in any part of the earth it being not so easie for me to expect a second revolt of my Subjects after I have by my negligence betraied them to Caesars severity and the orders he hath setled in the Provinces since his last conquest thereof Thus Madam can I not cast my eies on you with any confidence nor indeed desire you should fasten your felfe to the fortunes of a miserable person that hath not an inch of earth to offer you and to entertain you in However I go my waies in order to my justification so to satisfie both my love and my duty by both which I am equally obliged thereto and when I shall have effected it I shall either out of a complyance with the will of the gods not disturb a better fortune which it is in their power to send you or with my hopes lose a life which must needs be troublesome to you and to me insupportable To this effect was the discourse of Juba's son and Cleopatra and Marcellus were so moved thereat as also at the reflection he caused them to make upon the deplorable change of his condition that they could not forbear teares and all other demonstrations of the tendernesse compassion and sympathy which might be expected upon such an occasion Cleopatra the most concerned of any to expresse her sentiments to the Prince looking on him with eies wherein could not be seen any thing of displeasure Go Coriolanus said she to him go and endeavour your justification I desire you should effect it no lesse than you do your selfe 'T is possible you might be sufficiently justified in my apprehensions by the things you have done for my deliverance by the probability which I find in your discourse and by the good opinion I have of you were it not requisite to make your innocence apparent that so it might be lawfull for Cleopatra to readmit you with honour into her former favour and affection They are but the just rewards of your fidelity if you have continued in it and the losse of your Kingdomes shall loose you nothing in my heart if yours have suffered no change In the mean tune conceale your selfe in a Country where you are to feare all things as being so near so powerfull an enemy and assure your selfe that in the uncertainty I may be in of your fidelity I am not so little concerned in the safety of your life but that I tremble when I reflect on the hazards whereto you expose it With these words she reached forth her hand to raise him up and the Prince imagined to himself so much kindnesse and obligation in what she had said as also in all the other demonstrations of her affection that for the time he had in a manner lost all remembrance of his misfortunes He stood still and made no reply not knowing how to expresse his resentments when Marcellus looking on him with eies red by reason of the teares he had shed Prince whom I once loved so dearly said he to him and whom I cannot yet hate if you are innocent I know not what reparations to make you but what condition soever you may be found in I here promise that I will never oppose you Having said thus much they all went towards Artemisa who was showring down her teares upon the body of her Brother and after they had given her a little time to recover her selfe they intreated her to passe into the other vessel Artemisa was content and was handed in by her Alexander who looking on her now as Queen of Armenia by reason of the generall opinion there was of the death of Ariobarzanes would have behaved himself with more respect towards her than he had done before would she have permitted it They ordered Megacles to carry the body of Artaxus to Alexandria that it might be embalmed and transported thence into the monument of his Fathers and Coriolanus who had a great esteem for Megacles out of a consideration of his vertue would needs be carried ashore in his ship Cleopatra Marcellus Alexander and Artemisa having once more taken their leaves of him went into their own and with all the joy and satisfaction which they could derive from the liberty of the two Princesses set saile towards Alexandria FINIS TO THE Truly Vertuous Lady M rs JANE AVBREY Of Ynis-gedwin in the County of Brecon MADAME THink it not strange to find so great a Princesse so unfortunate nor much to entertain her suitably to her condition though not to her quality and afford her what her misfortunes have forced from all she hath addressed her self to Compassion We are much moved at the distresses of Strangers meerly out of a consideration of their being such but when we find the greatest Merit and Excellencies struggling with Calamities Vertue it self surrounded with the inconveniencies of life and such whose veines swell with the noblest blood expos'd to all the miseries of a malicious destiny it defies Humanity to be unconcern'd and is able to force the most barbarous inclinations into Sympathy All these recommendations have we Madam in the person of the incomparable CLEOPATRA one whom her misfortunes have wafted for refuge all over the World yet afford not a greater hope of their drawing towards a Period then that they have brought her to the extremities of it as it were to try the entertainment of Wales after that of so many other Countries And where should I addresse her there with greater hopes of reception and assistances then to a Family which glories only in the secret satisfaction that attends the doing of what is highly generous and obliging and sheds its kindnesses as much beyond the expectations as deserts of those that receive them This is an acknowledgment Madam which those I have in particular received from your noble Father force from me and which I hope your Modesty will pardon since that though it were much greater it would be below the resentments may justly be expected in Madam Your most humble and most obliged servant J. DAVIES HYMENS PRAELUDIA Or Loves Master-Piece PART X. LIB I. ARGUMENT ARtaban and Elisa Princesse of the Parthians take sanctuary in Alexandria Agrippa under whose protection they had cast themselves falls in love with Elisa but out of consideration of vertue and generosity forbears the discoveries of his affection Candace and
Caesario at my chamber-door He is replies Clitia in the little Gallery which abutts upon the terrace where he expects my return and your commands to waite on you Taking advantage of the night and the confused number of persons that are in this palace he hath made a shift to get in and being acquainted with all the passages of the place as having not onely been born here but spent his youth in it he hath without any difficulty got to your lodgings and hath walked upon the terrace till such time as he saw me appear and by the discourse I had with Cephisa knew my voice Whereupon having called me softly by my name he acquainted me with his own and not long after with his person whereof I had an impression so well graven in my memory that it would not have been very hard for me to have discerned him in the greatest darkenesse While Clitia gave this account of Caesario the beautifull Queen was in a manner overwhelmed with an excesse of joy which by a pleasant authority got the dominion of her Soule and though fear and disquiet endeavoured to disturb it yet was there a necessity they should give place to the first sallies of that passion and suspend their effect till the first violence of the other were spent The Queen casting one arme about Clitia's neck Ah Clitia said she to her it is certainly decreed that it is from you I must expect all the most happy tidings and it was you that heretofore brought me word into the garden at Meroe of the life and return of Caesario at a time when I bewailed his death and that I had renounced all the enjoyments of life After she had said these words she would have put a hundred questions to Clitia and that all of a sudden upon that accident but she told her that the time she had was to be otherwise spent and that she must resolve either to see Caesario at the place where he expected her return or permit him to come into the chamber Now was it that fear began to disturb her joy and if on the one side she were satisfied to see her self so near the Prince she dearly loved she trembled on the other when she considered that he was in a Palace whereof Augustus's Lieutenant had the command and that a place where he must expect no lesse than to lay down his life if he were discovered This fear made her to shake again and put her to such a losse that she knew not what resolution to take looking sometimes on Elisa sometimes on Clitia as if it had been to ask their advice what she were best to do The fair Princesse of the Parthians who had received so great consolations from the Queen together with such remarkeable demonstrations of Friendship conceived her self extreamly concerned not onely in the joy but also in the fear which she now strugled with and would have been as glad as the other to find out a way to see Caesario with as little danger as might be But after they had continued for some time in uncertainty and at a losse what course should be taken they at last thought it the safest way that he should be brought into the chamber it being then such a time of the night that it was not likely they should be troubled with any more visits especially there being conveniencies enough to hide him in case it were necessary and that Clitia proffered assoon as she had brought him into the chamber to go out upon the terrace along with Cephisa and to walk there a while to see if any body came by whom they might be surprised Besides all which it made something for the security of the Prince that he was not onely not known in Alexandria but also his death was more firmly believed there then in any other part of the world Upon all these grounds summed up together yet not without a great deale of doubt and terrour the Queen commanded Clitia to go and fetch him in whereupon Elisa thinking her selfe obliged in discretion and civility to go into her own chamber that they might be at a greater freedome in that interview would have done it but Candace embracing her would not permit it and entreated her to be present at her felicity as she had been at the happy meeting between her and her Artaban Elisa at the entreaty of Candace staies in the room and presently after Clitia returns bringing along with her the son of Caesar into the chamber At that first sight these two excellent soules felt in a moment all that a passion such as theirs could produce in a longer space of time and their first looks communicated one to another of an instant what their hearts meant of greatest tendernesse and passion Assoon as ever the Prince appeared at the door the Queen ran towards him with an action whence he might easily infer how welcome his presence was to her and the son of Cleopatra kissed her hands and embraced her knees with such transportations of joy as might well convince her that his Love had not admitted of the least diminution or remission Candace after she had embraced him very earnestly with both her armes while he was yet in that submissive posture raised him up and entertained him with all those Caresses which were suitable to her dignity and modesty considering withall the violence of her affection During the first expressions of their mutuall satisfaction and joy their discourse was accordingly confused and incoherent but when the violence of those were over Candace retreating some few paces back as it were to take the better notice of the Prince What Cleomedon said she to him the gods it seems have thought fit to restore you to me after so many dangers as I had run through my selfe and so many others wherein I had left you But Madam replies the Prince it was then decreed I should find you after I had so unfortunately lost you and what is more I do not onely find you living and full of goodnesse for me but I meet with you in Alexandria in the Palace of my Fathers and in that very Chamber wherein I drew the first mouthful of air and saw the first beams of light T is an accident I must confesse replies Candace that speaks something extraordinary and if you are surprised at it I must needs be not a little moved thereat O how does this second life which I here receive added the Prince make the Palace of the Ptolomey's much more dear and precious in my apprehension then the former which I ought it and how easily can I bear with the losse of the command of it when I find therein what is a thousand times more dear to me then thousands of Empires and thousands of lives To this discourse he would have added much more to the same effect and the beautifull Queen whose affection was not inferiour to his though out of the civility and reservednesse suitable to her sex