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
taken away the life of Cecinna thrust it into this breast which lyes open to you and spare not after the injury I have done you a life which even in a condition of innocence hath ever been odious to you At these words Tullia who all the while would not so much as look towards him but turned her face another way gave him such a sudden and furious look that haply upon the first sallies of the violent passions she was then absolutely subject to she might have granted the desolate Antonius the death he so much desired and that accordingly she would have taken the sword he presented to her and whereof the very sight very much enflamed her indignation when she perceaved upon it certain drops of Cecinna's blood But the prudent Emilia fastening immediately upon it got it without much difficulty from Antonius and this she did as well in regard of the uncertainty she was in as to Tullia's intention as to prevent that desperate Prince from making use of it against himselfe as he might have done in the distraction his griefe had then put him into Tullia continued for some time without so much as opening her mouth expressing the agitations of her soule by her looks and silence more effectually than she could haply have done by her words But at last not able to master the impetuosity thereof and looking on the prostrate Antonius with eyes wherein through the tears that fell from them the fire of her indignation discovered it self but too apparently Vnmercifull disturber of my quiet said she to him thou who being the issue of my Fathers Executioners art resolved not to degenerate from their cruelty Is it possible that thy inhumanity cannot be satisfied either with the bloud of Cicero spilt by thy Friends nor with that of Cecinna which thou hast shed thy self but thou must persecute to the death an Vnfortunate Mayd who hath not without reason avoided thee and who never yet gave thee the least offence Dost thou hope stained with the bloud of him that was to be her Husband that she can regard that odious passion which hath proved the cause of all her unhappinesse Or dost thou imagine she can look otherwise on thee than a Monster and the foulest object of detestation and horrour Go Barbarian go Sonne of Fulvia and disturb no longer the Daughter of the Vnfortunate Cicero for whom thy cruelty hath opened a source of tears which no passion could ever have made her shed As she uttered these words which came from her attended with a deluge of tears she rested her face on Emelia's arme when Scipio who was then in quest of either his Mistresse or his Friend came into the place directed thither haply by the gods to prevent my Brother's despair He was in few words made acquainted with all that past and though compassion had that effect which it could not but produce in him yet he made a shift to smother it the better to serve his Friend and so joyned with Emilia to oppose those sentiments of hatred and indignation which Tullia had conceaved against my Brother But notwithstanding all their arguments intreaties and remonstrances she was still as inflexible as ever and the suppliant posture wherein Antonius had continued all this while nor the abundance of tears he shed after her example could not raise in her the least touch of compassion nor any way moderate her exasperation When he saw that the mediation of Emilia and his Friend proved altogether ineffectual rising up from the place where he was and looking very dreadfully on Tullia I now see Tullia said he to her that nothing but my death can satisfie you and I were very much to blame if being neer the dead body of Cecinna I should hope to find that pitty from you which in the greatest innocence of my life and amidst the most prevalent expressions of my love I could never obtain nor indeed was it to your compassion that I addressed my self but I defied the implacable aversion you have for me to put a period to that life for which you have so much horrour I must confesse I should have embraced death more kindly from your hands then my own as conceaving your revenge would be the more absolute when you took it your self But since Emilia hath deprived you of that satisfaction which yet had been but proportionable to the grief I have innocently caused you I shall make it my own businesse to sacrifice to you the remainder of this life which hath been so unfortunately preserved and is so cruelly abhorred With these words he pretended as if he would goe away with an action not far from extravagance but Scipio who during his discourse was gotten neer him stayed him and Tullia implacable as she was yet having abundance of vertue about her would not leave in the persons that heard her the sentiments which her distraction might have raised in them so that endeavouring once more to expresse her self to Antonius yet without looking on him I come not out of a cruel race such as this is said she to him nor do I desire any bloudy reparations for the injury thou hast done me I neither wish thy death nor thy life and leave thee Master of a Fate wherein I never intend to be any wayes engaged but if the horrid outrages which my family and my self have receaved front thee and thine may give me leave to hope any satisfaction from thee I entreat as thou dost respect Heaven or what ever else may be dear to thee that thou never appear before me again and that thou free me for ever henceforward of a sight which neither is nor ought to be any way supportable to me This thou canst not refuse me if thou hast any spark of vertue left in thee and if thou grant it me I engage my self never to desire either of the gods or men any revenge against thee and that I shall not be guiltie of so much as a wish that may contribute any thing to the disturbance of thy life 'T is but just Madam said Antonius to her who was already resolved what to do I shall give you the satisfaction you desire of me though it be more insufferable then what I had offered you my self and I protest to you that you shall never while you live see again that unfortunate person whom you thus condemn to eternal banishment With which words he went away along with Scipio who would not by any means leave him out of a fear of some effect of his despair and not long after Emilia and the other Ladies having caused the body of Cecinna to be brought away returned into the City in the confused condition which it is not hard for you to imagine to your self I shall not trouble you Sister either with the grief of Cecinna's Friends and Cicero's or with the displeasure of the Emperour at that action wherein yet he could not much blame my Brother after he had understood
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
in an instant with so much disdain a mind wherein I had found so much goodnesse and so much humanity These words he scattered into the air while the Chariot drove on with all speed till that not long after getting into a Wood he quite lost the sight of it Antonius over-pressed with affliction sate him down on the grass whereupon reflecting on his adventure he found so much matter to grieve at that it was with much ado that he admitted any the least mitigation thereof He was ignorant what motive could induce a person so officious and one that had made proffers to him so full of obligation after she had assisted him with her own hands to exchange so much indulgence into so much disain nay he was to seek who that fair good-natured and scornful person was from whom he had receaved so much good and so much hurt and what compleated his affliction was that he could not inform himself from any of his own people who ingeniously confessed they had not the curiosity to enquire though one of her Maids had come to them and learned his name which it seems they made no difficulty to tell her Antonius blamed them a hundred times for their stupidity though they alledg'd by way of excuse that the disturbance which his fall had put them into so took up their thoughts that they could reflect on nothing else Being therefore desirous to do all that lay in his power to learn out the name of a person whose idaea was but too well engraven in his heart he commanded one of his men to get on horse-back immediately and ride after the tracks of the Chariot and without fail to find out some means or other to know the truth and to come and give him an account of it at a house of Servilius's which he named to him that lay about two hours riding from that place and upon the way to Rome Having given him this order he with the assistance of those that were about him got on horseback and though it was with some difficultity that he sate yet he made a shift to ride on easily towards Cervilius's house It were a hard task for me to represent to you the different reflections that exercised his thoughts all the way he rode but certain it is as he hath himself acknowledged since that though he felt no small pain in his body yet he never so much as minded it and that he had so deeply graven in his heart the idaea of a person one while kind and obliging and another cruel and disdainful and yet both in her mildnesse and in her scorn ever fair and ever full of charm that he was not one minute without it What a fantastick adventure is this of mine said he and what arms does Fortune intend to take up against me Ought I to see that accomplished person in a condition wherein her good offices had begun what her fair eyes have compleated or could my soul prevented by the obligation be insensible as to beauty But when I had seen her when I was obliged to her for her assistance when her beauty had enflamed me with love must I lose her after so strange a manner contrary to all probability contrary to all rational order and what I think yet much more insupportable see her depart disdainful incensed and exasperated from a place where some few minutes before she had appeared with so much goodnesse By what action have I incurred her displeasure or what could she discover in my person which should oblige her so of a sudden to exchange her first sentiments for such as were absolutely opposite thereto Or is it possible she may have truly read in my eyes the love which I already feel for her or could she look on that unexpected influence of her beauty as an injury worthy her indignation and this deportment of hers towards me Having thus for some time spent his thoughts on that part of his adventure and passing to the other But is it possible added he I should commend or be dissatisfyed with any one and not know whom I either commend or am dissatisfied with and shall I be long ignorant whom I ought to returne my thanks to for the assistance I have receaved or whom I ought to complain of for the wound hath been given me For in fine I feel and that not without some confusion that I am really in love T is from the bloud of Mark-Anthony who lived and dyed the most amorous of mankind that I derive these ambrous inclinations for had I not been born of him the charms of that Vnknown Beauty had not produced so unexpected an effect Amidst these reflections he comes to the house of Servilius who chanced at that time to be there himself and who having understood the accident had happened to him caused him to be put into a bed and to be attended with as much care and affection as might be The hurt he had gotten by his fall was not so considerable insomuch that before he left Servilius's house which was about two or three dayes after he had very well recovered himself but that which troubled him most was that he could not learn any thing of what he desired from the person he had fent after the Chariot who had brought him no other account then that having lost the track of it in the sand he had never been able to recover it again and that notwithstanding all the enquiry he had made up and down the Villages thereabouts yet could he not meet with any tidings of it So that my Brother being still as ignorant as he had been before after he had described the place as well as he could to Servilius and given him all the marks whereby he might possibly know it could not meet with any satisfaction at all though Servilius the more to humour him had sent for several other persons and had very diligently enquired of all the Ladies that might have any habitation near the place where the accident had happened Antonius having taken a great deal of pains in this businesse to no purpose returns to Rome with as much melancholy and haply with as much love as ever man could be capable of He dissembled the cause of his affliction as thinking it not fit to discover it but to some few persons that were his very intimate friends who were not a little astonished at the adventure and assisted him what lay in their power to find out the name of the person whose image he had so deeply imprinted in his heart Agrippa to whom he had made a relation of this story and who was his very particular friend had some discourse with him of it when ever they met together and assisted him what he could though as ineffectually as others in the inquisition he was so much bent upon His melancholy was remarkable and obvious to all the World insomuch that those who knew him to be naturally of a cheerful disposition could
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
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