barke against the Moone suffer small rest and great hunger Arrowes shot against the starres pierce downeward and the Syrens that â—ought to intrappe Vlisses perisht themselues So gentlemen I sought to make experience of Lentulus eloquence and fortune hath allotted me to discouer mine owne ignorance but least I might be counted either too stoicall or to too full of selâ—e conceit for iealousie thus Archias discourse of Iealousie SUch as haue searched into the déepest Aphorismes of Anacreon or pried into the principles that Ouid sette downe in his volumes find Loue to be such a pure passion of the mind as like y â— Christal it admitteth no bruse without a cracke It groweth from the vnion of two minds coÌ„ceiued by y â— special liking of some excellent good consisting in exteriour beauty or interiour vertues or the combining of them both in one sole and singular perfection This choice of excellencie confirmed by election once imprinted in the hart is so pretious as the pearls of Cleopatra The fléece of Colchos the sands of Tagus are trash if brought into compare with this diuine and metaphysicall passion man hauing swilled in this nectar of loue is so chary that he not onely brooketh no corriual of his thoughtes but admitteth no partaker of his fauours and from this feare procéedeth that furie which men call ielousie béeing a secrete suspition that others shoulde enioy that excellencie that he hath chosen sole and singular to him self This noble Romaines is that fâ—end that Pluto sent to checke Cupid in his deitie this springing from hell bringeth worse torments to the minde then the stone of Sysiphus vulture of Titius or wheele of Ixion This is the cankar that fretteth the quiet of the thoughtes the moath that secretlie consumeth the life of man and the poyson specially opposed against the perfection of loue after the heart be once infected with ielousie the slepes are broken the dreames disquiet slumbers the thoughts cares sorrowes the life woe miserie that lyuing he dies dying prolonges out his life in passions worse then death None looketh on his loue but suspition sayes this is he that couetes to be corriuall of my fauours None â—nâ—ckes at his doore but starting vp he thinkes them messengers of fancie none talkes but they whisper of affection if shée frowne shée hates him and loues others if she smile it is because shée hath had successe in hir loues looke she frowardly on any man she dissembles if shee fauour him with a gratious eye then as a man straught with frensie hee eryeth out that neither fire in the strawe nor loue in the womens lookes can be concealed thus doth he liue restles and maketh loue that of it selfe is swéete to be in taste as bitter as gall This discouereth reuerent Senators that loue being of it selfe a most excellent passion is onely blemisht by this soule and disgraced staine of ielousie as hateful and hurtfull to the mind as the Cockatrice to the eye or hemlocke to the taste The purest Chrisolite hath his strakes the flowers in Sydon as they are pretious in the sight so they are pestilent in fauour Loue as it is diuine with loialtie so it is hellish with ielousie wherfore by an auncient Poet were written these verses When Gods had framd the sweete of womens face and lockt mens lookes within their golden haire That Phoebus blusht to see their matchles grace and heauenly gods on earth did make repaire To quippe faire Venus ouerweening pride Loues happie thoughtes to ielousie were tied Then grewe a wrinckle on faire Venus browe The amber sweete of loue was turnd to gall Gloomie was heauen bright Phoebus did auowe He could be coy and would not loue at all Swering no greater mischiefe could be wrought Then loue vnited to a ielous thought Had not Iuno béen ielous ouer Iupiter Io had not béene turned into a Heifer if suspition had not prickt Menelaus Helena had not stolne away with Paris Procris had beene aliue had shée not suspected Cephalus Then worthie Romaines we sée what a preiudiciall monster groweth from the fearefull excesse of loue that not onely shortneth the life disquieteth the minde but oft is the cause of most strange and vnnatural massacres If fortune frowne in loue we flie to patience If their happen iarres why louers brawâ—es are introductions to delight If pouertie why they hope vpon time thinking that there is vicissitudo omnium rerum The lowest ebbe may haue his flow and the deadest néepe his full tyde if gréefes sorrowes repulseâ— vnkindenes these bee but Amantium irae And tâ—ereâ—ore Amoris redintegratio but as the pumice stone 〈◊〉 the paper from spots and the fire consumeth flaâ—e so â—â—is inâ—ernall plague of iealousiâ— rooteth raceth all true loue 〈◊〉 the heart that yéelding my censure I conclude with this Poeme Vita quae tandem magis est iucunda Vel viris doctis magis expetenda Mente quam pura sociam iugalem Semper amare Vita quae tandem magis est dolenda Vel magis cunctis fugienda quam quae Falso suspecta probitate amicae Tollit amorem Nulla eam tollit medicina pestem Murmur emplastrum vel imago sagae Astra nec curant magicae nec artes Zelotipiam Archias hauing thus ended his discourse the Senators greatly praised his description of iealousie and from that fell to other pleasant talke as occasion offred Till dinner being ended they arose and after many thankes and curtesies according to the custome of the Romanes Flaminius to honour Lentulus the more taking him by the hand carried him into a garden where Terentia sate accompanied with other Uirgins of Roome namely Flauia Cornelia and Iulia all of such exquisite features as they séemed to be the choyce Paragons of that time Lentulus amazed at this gorgious sight wondred not onely at their beauties but maruailed why Flaminius brought him so friendly into their presence At last the old man burst forth into these words Lord Lentulus I measure the thoughts of young gentlemen by the prime of my forepassed youth not being so cinicall as with Chremes in Terence to proportion young affections by the cynders of olde age but to thinke with Menedemus that the spring hath flowers and blossomes where as winter hath dried braunches and tawnie leaues We olde men ouer whom Saturnus is predominant hauing infused melancholy in our mindes couet either to sit solitarie or that our talke be serious you that are young whose thoughts aime at delight séeke to passe the time in pleasant discourses Least therefore the time might be tedious I haue brought you amongst these faire Ladies y â— you may make experience of loues as you haue done of warres Mars no sooner puts off his helmet but he salutes Venus and you come from conquest of the Parthians see how you can enter combate with passions and so Lord Lentulus I leaue you Lentulus seeing himself thus enuironed with these miracles of beautie casting his eye vpon the Goddesse
is nought and his health is doubtfull in that his thoughtes are disquiet and madame it rests in you to saue so honourable a gentleman not onely from sickenes but from sorrowe Aeneas was a stragling Troian an exile periured and banisht euen from the ruines of Troy yet Dydo the famous Carthage quéene made him hir paramour Demophoon a pyrat a robber in Greece cast vp as shipwrack on the shore yet interteind by Phillis Phao a ferryman a slaue yet fauoured by Sapho Lentulus the hope of the Romains more beautifull then Eneas more couragious thâ— Demophoon more honourable then Phao more louing then them all is refused and reiected by Terentia his neighbour and familiar Thinke not Terentia but loue as hee hath roses so hee hath nettles as he hath perfumes so hath hee hemblocke and holding fauors the claspeth reuenge as ready to pierce as to pacifiâ— If you procure Lentulus death Cupid hath power to inforce your dispaire and to cause your loue to be as fickle to you as you are froward to him Then madam let me be the messenger of life and from your swéete selfe carry such conserues to Lentulus as may recouer his health and increase your honours This discourse of Tully did but sette Terentias heart more on fire For hearing the pleasant harmony of hir Cicero shée likt of the musicke as of the Syrens melody and so intangled hir selfe with many newe conceiued fancies insomuch that forgetting whose daughter shée was shée burst foorth into these tearmes Did I not Cicero tell thée twixt Arpinatum Roome y â— loue hath but one cell wherein to place the Idaea of y â— party loued wilt thou haue me like the Camelion to haue many colours or like Helena to intertain many loues I know Lentulus dignities are beyond my degrée that his honors are more then my fortunes that his loue is great and so I holde him the second in my most secrete thoughtes first he cannot be and that he craues Thou doest wring water out of the flint fier forth of y â— dry sandes immodesty from hir that hath euer béene honoured for chastily so that by wastlesse perswasions for thy friende I am forst to say thou art the friend that Terentia hath chosen amongst all the worthy Romains Before I sawe thée Tully I loued thee and now I haue setled my affection and thou wrongst me with discurtesie but either cease from intreating for Lentulus or looke to sée me worse then Lentulus And with this blushing at hir owne ouermuch loues shée poured foorth such abundance of teares as well might bewâ—ay the sincerity of hir affections Tully gréeuing to sée the goddesse of his thoughtes in this passion answered hir mildly thus Blame me not Terentia if I pleade for Lentulus séeing his sorrow and entring into mine owne promise Then friendship is no swéeter iewell then howe can I but labour ere I loose so rich a prize But séeing Terentia hath vouchsafed of so meane a man as Tully whose honours onely hanges in his studies loue béeing the strictest league of amity and no such friendship as is mariage I vowe by the Romaine gods euer to be a duetifull seruant vnto a Terentia and with my loyalty so to requite hir fauours as Roome shall more admire my affections then they haue woondred at my eloquence yet with this prouiso my swéete Terentia that although I preferre thy fauours before mine owne life yet if thou canst striue to loue Lentulus which if either the gods loue fortune or thy selfe can bring to passe I will with mine owne preiudice conquer mine owne thoughtes to satisfie the content of Lentulus As Terentia was ready to reply one of hir fathers seruants came to request Cicero to come to supper who taking his leaue of Terentia went in to hir father Flaminius who sitting downe to supper passed away the time in ordinary talke Their repast being taken Flaminius calling Tully on the one side demaunded what his daughters answere was Peremptory quoth Tully still to hold Lentulus in mislike Then you shall heare quoth hir father what I will say and so report to Lentulus so calling for Terentia they thrée being together he began thus I knowe not howe Terentia to insinuate my exordium whether friendly to perswade with a smyle or fatherly to admonish with a frowne thy follies are so great and my care so tender Roome hath hitherto admyred thy vertues and I haue praised thy obedience thou hast béene counted honorable and chast wise to eschew wantonnesse but neuer coy to be thought disdainefull and shall nowe all these graces ende in disgrace Then Terentia maiest thou repent hereafter and I powre forth present sorrowes I speake thus for that I heare in the city what maketh me to grieue and may force thée to blush They say Terentia is beautiful and proude witty and ouerwéening hauing coy disdaine crept into the place of curteous desire this men say that enuy thy follyes and grieue at Lentulus fortunes Now daughter thou séest the marke I aime at and maiest iudge of my shot by the leuell Lentulus is fallen into a feuer which Asclapo that famous Phisition of Patras censures to be mortall Thy frowardnes was the efficient of the disease and nowe thou deniest cure of the maladie Unaduised gyrle that neither weighest of thine owne honours nor his miseries Lentulus requires Terentia in mariage let vs make compare of the parties and so examine the cause of thy denials He is descended from the Lentuli and Aemilij two houses that euer haue béene the props of the Romaine dignities His honours are great as proconsul in his youth against the Parthians His fortunes mighty doubled with his conquests and victories His reuenewes such as he may with Crassus maintaine Legions If like Venus darling thou séekest to féede thine eie his fauour is more then his that pleased Cynthia If thou couetest a souldier Lentulus in Roome is as Hector was in Troy If a Courtier who braues it so in Italy To conclude if Terentia couet to loue there is none so fit to loue within the Romaine Empire as Lentulus Whereas Terentia is but the daughter of a meane Senatour hir dowry cannot be much for that hir fathers wealth is not great Beautifull shée is and so are many in Roome who are of meaner parentage Hir glories are but fortunes pelfe that florishe in the morning and fade before night What then can mooue Terentia to oppose hir selfe against Lentulus vnlesse shée fatally presageth hir owne discredit and the ruine of hir fathers house If then daughter thou art child to Flaminius I charge thée by the strickt law of nature which Philosophers call Regius amor a kingly loue if thou be a maide by the holy fiers of Vesta if beautifull by Venus deity if a Romaine by thy Countryes loue that thou loue Lentulus which if thou refuse to performe thy father shall curse thée Vesta shall shut thée from hir temples Venus from hir fauours and thy country
whose fauourable aspect might be the summe of his fortunes bashed at the first as Paris did in the vale of Ida and stoode as the foes of Perseus when hee vncased the head of Medusa and turned them to marble pictures so amazed stood Lentulus at the sight of such diuine excellencie till the Ladies seeing this Nouice thus in a quandarie beganne to smile which reuiuing a kind of amorous choller in the souldiers minde he beganne thus to play the Champion Ladies beléeue me Loue is of more force then warres and the lookes of women pierce déeper then the stroke of Launces their is no Curtelax so kéene but armour of high proofe can withstande but beauties arrowes are so sharpe and the dartes that flie from womens eyes so piercing as the Corslet tempered by Vulcan for Didoes paramour holdes not out the violence of there stroake The Gods tremble when Mars shaketh his Launce but he feareth when Venus casteth a frowne Alexander neuer tooke notice of the legions of his enemies but he stoode frighted at the beauty of the Amazon Then swéet saints of Rome maruell not if I were driuen into a maze at the sight of such beauteous creatures whose faces are Venus weapons wherewith shée checketh the pride of ouer daring warriours I cannot Ladies court it as your Romaine yongsters that tie their wits to their fancies nor fil your eares with amarous discourses as Cupids Apprentizes that spend their time in such louing philosophie Nor can I faine conceited supposes of affection to prooue my selfe louesicke by Poetrie But as a blunt souldier newe come from the warres I offer my selfe a deuoted seruant to your beauties swearing to defend your honours against all men with the hazard of my bloud and in pawne thereof generally to you all but specially to one as loue hath his vnitie I desire to bee intertained as a duetifull seruaunt to the Lady Terentia Lentulus hauing thus boldly boarded these louely Uirgins the Ladies séeing with what affection he offred his seruice to Terentia began to byte the lippe and shée to blush who séeing hir selfe toucht to the quicke made him this answere I know not Lord Lentulus how to answere of loue because as yet I neuer knew loue ignorant of his forces because neuer acquainted with his fortunes Vesta forbids vs virgins to name Venus as they of Ephesus hatefull Erostratus Diana deals not in Paphos nor suffers shée any of hir maidens to hunt on Erecynus least méeting with Venus mecocks they skippe with Calisto and so séek after losse The lesse you are priuate to loues passions the more welcome to our presence for rather had we still our eares with warres fortunes then with loues fâ—llies and swéeter are the teares that grows from a constant stratageme then a smyle from a comike tale of fancie For your seruice Lord Lentuâ—us finding my self vnworthy I craue pardon Nor can wee by Vestas charter admitte such seruaunts But if it please you to bee accepted as a worthy Romaine and my fathers friende looke for such fauour as mine honour and virginity can affoord Lentulus hearing the plausible answere of Terentia although hir first insinuation seemed to answere for his purpose as preferring the lawnes of Diana and fiers of Vesta before loues holy temples yet shée concluded so swéetely as might stand with the modestie of hir honour he therefore made thus his reply In that madame we are both nouices in loue the simpler are our thoughts and the néerer should be the simpathy of our affections Doues match â—hen â—hey are young Syenus are grafted when they are sprigs the one part not but by death nor are the other seuered but they perish Souldiers are like virgins the one striuing to liue vertuous the other to die valiant both enemies to loue while they wait on those which brooke not loue I meane warre and Vesta But both must loue as hauing hearts and thoughts eies to sée beautie and eares to iudge of vertue I madame while I thought none greater then Mars was vowed to Mars but séeing womens wits are worse then weapons and that their lookes pierce déeper then launces I haue resigned ouer my fortunes at the shrine of warre and meane to make proofe of the swéetenesse of loue Glad that in my first entrance I haue the patronage of your gracious fauour armde with the which Mars well may frowne but not conquer But sir quoth Terentia I graunted my fauor to Lentulus the souldier not to Lentulus the louer And so madame quoth he I accept of it for I am a souldier to doe you honour and a louer despight of my self Flauia hearing Lentulus beganne to reason pretily to the purpose being a Ladie of passing mirry disposition whose witte was as full of wiles as hir face of fauour second in the excellencie of beauty to the Lady Terentia thought to sift hir souldier in this manner I sée well Lord Lentulus that as women haue their fauours so men haue their sayings the one prodigall in graces the other polliticke in deceits being as cunning to dissemble loue as we chary to discharge loue We Romaine Ladies thought to haue founde you a flat souldier as ignorant in loues as we of fancies but how closely soeuer you couer the flame the fire wil be knowne by the smoke For your talke so sauours of loues principles as we iudgâ— you are as cunning in faining a passion as in figuring a battaile and can assoone deceiue a woman with a pen as slaughter an enemie with a launce This will make vs to take you for a day friend and what we like in you present to disallowe to morrowe swearing if you bring amongst vs Venus roses wee will beate you with Vestas nettles and therefore if you will be admitted as our souldier wee either forbidde you the name of loue or else you shall be out of our fauours Cornelia willing to breake a iest with this Champion thwarted Flauia thus And what of that madame hath not warre taught him patience hee hath past sharper brunts theÌ„ womens frownes But how your leuell is without aime If madame Terentia smylâ— his peny is good siluer â—is hir fauour that is the load-star of his fortunes and howe can we enter into hir thoughts but by coniectures shée ful of beauty and he a proper yong gentleman At this frumpe the Ladies smiled and Terentia blusht for anger But Lentulus séeing such a broad iest pinde on his shoulder willing to make answere for his Mistresse although he was sore put to his trumps as half set at a Non plus yet he followed his fortunes thus Indéede Ladies thinke I haue patience to beare womens frumpes that hath incountred an enemies blow but if I could as well answere the one as quit the other you shuld neither carry it to hel nor to heaueÌ„ But to reuenge my selfe as well as I can thus First madame to cleare my cunning in loue I refer my selfe to the verdict of your owne conscience who were you but as
from inioying the swéete content of honour and then make thée outcast of all the Romaine virgines More are my reasons to alleage then thy reasons able to contrary but omitting all and saying he is onely Lentulus Daughter what answere Terentia séeing hir father in such a choller and that hée was induced vnto it by Ciceros perswasioÌ„s in a furie began thus frantike I not denie but Fathers challenge loue by nature and obedience by duetie and both those sir I hope I haue euer performed if not I rest sorrowfull hartily craue pardon but in loue parentes haue no priuiledge For the liking of the Father is no contract of the daughter Venus conclusions growe not of parentes prâ—mises nor can affection bee like the fire stroken foorth a flint for loue is chosen by the eye and confirmed by the heart womens thoughtes are not the spoyles of Mars nor is the battell of fancie fought with the sworde but with the Senses loues arrowes are pointed by fate and fortune Weigh then Terentia who hath not hir loues in hir hande but in hir heart and thereinto none can make breach but such a one as the pleasing constellation of the stars haue appointed I not denie the excellencie of Lentulus as well in exterior shewe of honours wealth dignities and proportion as in interior vertues perfections of the minde and that he merittes a Ladie of farre more estéeme then Terentia but I knowe not what contrarie aspect either of the planets in our natiuities or of loues in our thoughtes or of fortune in our resolution â—o like hath crossed his desire and my fancie but of all the Romayne Gentlemen I cannot my Lorde fancie Lentulus Cressida confest Troylus was the better knight yet the Gréeke helde hir louely in his tent Sith then affection growes from desire and desire is tyed to destinie séeke not sir to wring water out of the pumex to couple the Mouse and the Elephant at one stall to vnite those loues that Venus in hir Sinod house hath expreslie countercheckt For to aunswere your obiection Terentia cannot force hir self to loue Lentulus Shée thus concluding with a few teares hir father departing from hir with a frown tolde Tullie that not reason was sufficient to induce his daughter to be affectionate and therefore that hee wished Lentulus to appease his passions and to salue such impossibilities with patience wherupon they after interchange of salutations and coÌ„mon courtesies parted with a friendlie farewell Tullie at his home comming reuealed vnto Lentulus the whole discourse howe Flaminius had searcht into the depth of Terentias thoughtes both with plawsible perswasions and inforced reasons and coulde finde no other conclusion but that shée could not loue Lentulus Although this newes pierced the verie center of his heart as mortallie as if hee had béene wounded with the sting of Aspis yet chéering himselfe a little he sat vp and in his owne minde hauing aboute or two with fancie he gaue hir so deepe a reuie that hee held affection at the swordes point But Tullie who betwéene friendship and loue felt a furious combate allured with the beauteous perfection of Terentia and forbidden that fauour by the entyre amitie hee had vowed vnto Lentulus entred into so déepe a melancholie that not able to master his passions he fell sicke and kept his bed Lentulus séeing hys Tullie thus distrest gréeued at his friends misfortune and chéered vp himselfe that hee might somewhat comfort his Cicero that newlie was crossed with a distempered sickenesse He sought by physicke to search out the nature of the disease but Asclapo could not déeme the cause by the effectes he sought by intreaties to wrest out the occasion of so sodayne a sorrow but in vayne Tullie was too secrete and silent to make anie shewe of his loues though he bought such secresie with death This gréeued Lentulus who féeling himselfe euery day to amend perceiued that Cicero daylie waxed worse and worse Lingring thus in inward passions Terentia that tooke it discourteously at Tullies hande that hee should force hir Father to inforce hir to loue Lentulus séeing shée had onely deuoted hirselfe as his howsoeuer fortune shoulde oppose hir selfe to ease hir mind of some choller that boiled in hir secret thoughts shée tooke penne and inke and wrote him a letter to this effect Terentia to Marcus Tullius Cicero health AS my thoughtes are secrete and my loues extréeme so is vnkindenesse bitter and the more vneasie borne Thou playest Tullie with me as doe the Leopards with there kéeper that euer wrong them most that giue them greatest store of fodder Are these Venus lawes to pay hunnie with Gall to make rods of nettles for Garlands of Roses to hate them most that loue most The ingratitude of Tullie hath drawen Terentia into this choller and if I write sharpely blame me not that am vsed so shrowdlie Before I euer sawe thy face I allowed thy fauour onelie hearing of thy vertues with myne eare I registred them vp déepely in my hearte Terentia hath béene courted of manie yet neuer made account of any sundry haue sought my loues but they haue returned with losse Lentulus the terrour of the Parthians the honour of the Romaines and thy friend hath long woode but what hath hee won onelie Tullie hath obtayned that which so many haue mist and yet he deales with Terentia as crabbedlie as shee vsed him courteously doe louers for fishes proffer scorpions or doe they like the serpent sting him which cheerisheth him vp in his bosome I séeke to fauour Tullie and hee importunate sues for fauour for Lentulus Art thou so déepe a philosopher as to déeme friendship aboue marriage or faith aboue fancie or thy Terentia lesse then thy Lentulus If it be so take héede that Terentia too much wronged scornes not both thée and Lentulus Womens thoughtes consistes oft in extréemes and they that loue most if abused hate most deadlie fear this and beware of my frowne as yet there is but one wrinckle in my brow but if it once proue full of angrie sorrowes it will bee too late to take holde of occasion behind Thou art forewarnd be forearmd and so farewell Thy Terentia if thou wrong not Terentia AFter shée had written this Letter shée causde it to bee conueied by Eutrapelus to Tullie who reading the contentes found not a salue to cure his maladie but that Terentia rubbed the scare a fresh by shaking him vp so sharpely yet coueting rather to die with an honourable minde to Lentulus then with a discredite to enioy beautifull Terentia he laide his heade on his pillowe and with manie sighes bewraide the depth of his sorrows Hauing laide his letter at his beds heade ouercharged with many cares poore Tullie fell a sléepe and so sodenlie that Lentulus by the helpe of Eutrapelus got to haue a sight of his letter Assoone as the Gentleman saw how déepely Terentia was affected to his friende and perceyued by the circumstances that he chose rather
wonder at the serious conceit of natures cunning his lookes beganne to sparkle loue as did those of Adon when he pried vpon the face of his Paramour the change of his colour bewraied his newe entertained passions which noted by Terentia half angry at loues folly she discouered hir collor with such ablush as Lentulus letting fall his knyfe on his trencher saide aloude Non fortuna non Bellum meaning that neither the highest state of fortune nor the fatall intent of warre could conquere that hart y â— her beautie hath made subiect Terentia at this vnexpected exclamation abashed and the rest of the companie maruelled but Flaminius willing to moue some table talke demaunded of Lentulus what hee ment by this soudaine embleme Lentulus willing to make flight at the foule and yet not to haue a bel at his héele answered thus Whilst I lay in legar intrenching the Parthians more hardly with legions of men then with déepe raised contermures my souldiers discouered a castle which once woone displaced the strength of the countrie séeing the Romanes had made mee Uicegerente of their forces although the place séemed impregnable béeing as well defended by nature situate vpon a mount as by prowesse stored with men and munitioÌ„ yet prising honor more déere then bloud and countries profite beyonde the content of life I bent certaine legions against the castle and following the opinion of Quintus Fabius Maximus sought by delay to driue them to composition For it was said of him Vnus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem Non ponebat enim rumores ante salutem Ergo postque magisque viri nunc gloria claret Séeking so to get conquest by famine which would haue béen preiudiciall with the sword at last séeing their forces greatly weakened I gaue assault and entred putting the souldiers to the sword yet willing to saue the Lorde of the castle for that his valour discouered his thoughtes searching him out I found him in his bed chamber his wife slaine and the blade yet varnished with bloud grasped in his fist staring me in the face with a gastly looke that stood amazed at the stratageme he spake thus Romain report in the Senate house that where you excell vs in pollicie we excéede you in resolution this Ladie which thou séest here weltring in hir goore is my wife and for she brokes not seconde fancies shee craued to ende hir loue with hir life I maried hir a virgine and honourable shee dies a wife and honest as famous in Parthia for hir vertues as your Romayne Dames for their braueâ—ies Wee liued without iarres for y â— the desire of the one was the content of the other constancie banished ielousie and true loue helde supition at the launces poynt Our fortunes Romayne thou hast pulde downe with thy prowesse warre hath made wracke of our safeties but for our loues this sword shall linke them together by death so that Non fortuna non bellum And with y â— the resolute souldier stabbed himselfe Astonied at this peremptorie massacre although all stained with the bloud of the Parthians yet I could not but grieue at the passion of the man and enter into consideration what that Loue should be that wrought in mens mindes such resolued effects So well liking of his determined death y â— I vowed in my thoughts if euer I obteined the fauour of some gracious Damosell to write in bloude with the Parthian Non fortuna non bellum The remembrance honorable Senatours of this tragedie made me to shew my selfe so passionate Lentulus hauing ended his discourse the Senatours generally praised the resolution of the Parthian and the Ladies the constancie of his wife all concluding that no impression could be so déepely inserted into the heart loue Terentia spying the flame by the smoake smyled to sée howe couertly Lentulus had cloaked his thoughts and how in vowing to be constant he discouered his conceit so that turning hir backe shée went into hir Closet and there blamed Venus that had wrapt so brâ—ue a Champion in hir subtleties not féeling either the personage or perfections of Lentulus to stirre the staied continencie of hir minde Well the Senators not willing to let this fall to the grounde talked still of the Parthian and amongst the rest of those honourable guests that were there feasted Archias the Poet a man of a pleasant disposition tooke the tale by the ende and beganne to prosecute it thus Graue Senatours I remember I haue heard Hortensus the great Orator say that in times past the Consuls for recreatioÌ„ would vse light honest pastimes especially myrth at meat as y e fittest minister for digestioÌ„ alleaging Scipio Gracchus who coueted to be as iocund at their banquets as they were serious in matters of estate Séeing then reuerend fathers Lentulus hath entred into the discourse of loue producing the Parthian who amongst his other singularities boasted that his fancie had neuer béene stained with Iealousie a plague that is greatly now a daies predominant in Rome might it please you to fauour vs with your gracious consent we woulde intreate Lentulus to discourse to vs his opinion of iealousie The Senatours graunted and Terentia being come to giue attendance on hir father smyled Lentulus casting his eie vpon his loue séeing a dimple in hir chéeke which was to him Cos amoris made Archias this present answere Had the Thebans appointed Zetus to haue discoursed of Musicke or they of Thessaly Menalcas to haue described the Court The principles of the one had béene as voide of art as the precepts of the other farre from honour The one being an enemie to Musicke the other a swaine and a shepheard So reuerend Senatours and honourable Ladies of Rome Archias how skilfull so euer in Poetrie yet hath faild in his pollicie to request him to discourse of iealousie that neuer as yet offred incence at the Altars of Loue. If it had béene to make description of a battaile to haue discoursed the order of the Phalaux or any point of Martiall discipline then could I as a souldier haue dilated such principles as warrelike Captaines register in the field with their sword But of loue whose amarous Deitie gréeth not with Drumme and Trumpet or of iealousie as the shadowe of fancie it fitteth me as little to discourse as the shoomaker of Apelles portrature But if euer Venus shall vouch me that fauour to grace me with a speciall looke from my Mistresse excellencie and that mine eie be allowed as Paris was to iudge of beauties Archias shal commande me as a friend in the meane time for Poets and Painters ought to haue their conceites fethered with Mercuries plumes I will desire Archias to supply my ignorance and to describe the effects of iealousie The Senators and the rest of the company hearing how cunningly Lentulus retorted the argument vppon Archias with a resolute consent they inioyned Archias to play the Orator who being pleasantly disposed began thus The wolues in Syria that
Lentulus will count hir disdaine but chastitie yet Flauia pray then she may liue in this mislike then hast thou yet some cause to hope otherwise wéepe thy fill dispaire and then die for swéeter is death then to liue and sée Lentulus enioy the loue of Terentia Hauing at this period breathed awhile readie to goe forwarde in passions one of hir waiting women came in who breaking of hir complaintes past away the rest of the day in prattle Leauing hir therfore and hir maide at chat again to Lentulus who tooke such inwarde griefe at this newe conceited loue that his colour began to waxe pale and to discouer passions his sighes many and often to bewray his sorrows his sodayne startes in his sléepes and his musinges surcharged with melancholie These noted by Tullie his priuate friende made him coniecture that somewhat was amisse with Lentulus Hauing therefore fit opportunitie he began to sift him in this manner The auncient Gréetians swéete Lentulus y â— set downe principles of friendship account the secrete conuersiâ—g of friendes and their mutuall participating eyther of priuate sorrows or concealed pleasures the principall end of such professed amitie Therefore did Theseus choose Pirithous Orestes Pylades to that end or else you wronge me serues Tullie to his Lentulus If then it be requisite in friendshippe to abandon suspitious secrecie I cannot but take it vnkindly that Tullie is not made partaker of Lentulus passions For as the Carbuncle is not hid in the darke nor the fire shut vp in strawe so sorrowes cannot so couertly be concealed but the countenance will purtray out the cause by the effectes Thinke me not then so blind but I can Iudge of coullors nor so simple but I can deeme of affections what meane these farre fetcht sighes broken slumbers this newe delight to be solitarie but that Lentulus féeling a passion that pierceth to the quick yet séekes to kéepe it secrete from his friend Tullie Knowe this my good Lentulus that smoake depressed stiffleth more deadly That the Ouen the closer it is damd vp the greater is the heate and passions the more priuate the more preiudiciall Stop not then the streame least it ouerflow Conceale not sorrowes least they ouercharge and prooue like woundes that kepte long from the Chirurgian growe to be incurable vlcers If it be a Fathers frowne an enemies wrong a friendes mishap reueale it and séeke remedie If Lentulus gréeues hath left his honours in Parthia feare not Rome will haue more warres and Lentulus new dignities If the Senatoures haue delt ingratefully Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris The most famous Romaines haue forerunne thée in such hard fortunes Scipio subdued Affrica what his rewarde was let our annualles report If Lentulus misliks ought in Rome let him abandon Rome and Tullio will banishe himselfe from his countrie too with his friend Lentulus If since thy comming into this storehouse of natures prodigalitie thiue eye hath made suruaie of anie gorgious Damsell and so my Lentulus be in loue although wisedome wills to hide amors euen from amitie and to tie fancie in the lowest cell of his heart yet reueale it to thy friende Tullie and if any way hee may ease his Lentulus passions hee vowes to salue thy sore though with the hazarde of his owne safetie Lentulus hearing his friende leuell so néere the marke gaue a great grone at the name of loue and fetching a déepe sighe saide Actna grauius Amor. And with that starting from the place where hee sat taking Tullie by the hande he began thus Were it my Tullie that my passions had any hope of remedie or that my wounde were such as might bee cured by counsell long ere this had Lentulus powred his plaintes into the bosome of his friende Cicero but my sorrows as they are piercing so I haue kept them priuate as hoping for no ease and yet delighting in my martiredome The birde flieth the snare of the fouler No sooner doth the woodman bend his bowe but the Déere trippes through the lawnes euerie creature is taught by nature to feare his fall and yet wretched Lentulus hunteth after his owne mishappe So haue I described the furie of my passions as I can not but say it is loue that is thus impatient Loue my Tullie that is such a lord as insâ—nuating his power with fauour he kéeps possession by force Wars haue their endes either honors or death and in battaile prowesse oft makes constraint of fortune but in loue delay is the vnhappie deathsman that holding thée vp neither saues nor killes Since my comming to Rome my Tullie coueting to conuerse with beautifull Ladies as before I had done with martiall souldiers amongst manie curious Pearles I founde one Orient Margarite richer then those which Caesar brought from the western shores of Europe so long I gased at the beautie of this pretious Iem that I founde my selfe gald with such affection as well repeat I might but recall I coulde not and for thou shalt say she is loue worthie heare how in discribing hir excellencie I haue plaide the Poet. Lentulus description of Terentia in Latin Qualis in aurora splende scit lumine Titan Talis in eximio corpore forma fuit Lumina seu spectes radiantia siue capillos Lux Ariadne tua lux tua Phoebe iacet Venustata fuit verbis spirabat odorem Musica vox nardus spiritus almus erat Rubea labra genae rubrae faciesque decora In qua concertant lilius atque rosa. Luxuriant geminae formoso in pectore mammae Circundant niueae candida colla comae Denique talis erat diuina Terentia quales Quondam certantes Iuno Minerua Venus Thus in English BRightsume Apollo in his richest pompe was not like to the tramels of hir haire Hir eyes like Ariadnes sparkling starres shone from the Ebon Arches of hir browes Hir face was like the blushing of the east when Titan chardge the mornings Sun to rise Hir cheekes rich strewd with roses and with whyte did stayne the glorie of Anchises loue Hir siluer teates did ebbe and flowe delight Hir necke colummes of polisht Iuorie Hir breath was perfumes made of violets And all this heauen was but Terentia NO sooner had Lentulus ended his well written Poem and concluded his cunning with the name of his mistresse but Tullie hearing Terentia was the saint at whose shrine Lentulus offred vp his deuotion entring his exordium with a smyle he began to be thus pleasaut And is there no fruit will serue your taste but such as growe in the Gardens Hesperides nor no colour content your eye but such as is stayned by the fish Murex Must your senses be fed with nothing but that is excellent nor your loue haue no meane but to aime at the fairest What Terentia the beautie of Rome the pride of nature the wealth of all the fauouring graces whose excellencies are spreade throught the triple deuision of the worlde I see my Lentulus souldiers haue eyes as they haue hands
and thoughtes as they haue weapons and that howe bluntlie so euer brought vp in the warres yet they are curious in the choises of their loues Well be it Lentulus loues Terentia an honour to set his fancie on hir but hee kept his loue secret froÌ„ Tullie a fault to be suspicious of his friend But why gréeues Lentulus Is not his parentage greater then the house of Flaminius Is not his honours sufficient to counteruaile hir beauties Why then is he so impatient in so agreable a passion Lentulus vpon this discoursed vnto Tullie from point to point the successe of his loues how he gaue his charge ouer to Lepidus onely that he might haue a sight of Terentia and then recounting what prattle had past betwixt him and hir after dinner Hir coy answeres and firmed resolution to remaine chast crauing counsell howe he might ease the disquiete of his thonghts Tullie pittying the extreeme passion of his friende deuised sundrie meanes howe to make him lorde of his desires But after the discourse of sundry plottes it was decreed that Lentulus shoulde write vnto Teren-Terentia Lentulus dispairing of his owne stile and methode required Tully to write him a letter passionate and full of familiar eloquence which at his request Cicero contriued after this manner where by the way gentlemen I am to craue you to thinke that Terentia kept the copy secrete so that neither it can bee founde amongst Lentulus loose papers nor in the familiar epistles of Cicero If the phrase differ from his other excellent forme of writing imagine he sought to couer his style and in his pen rather to play the blunt souldier then the curious Orator neither vsing those verborum fulmina that Papyrius obiects nor that swéete and musicall cadence of words which he vseth to Atticus but howsoeuer or whatsoeuer thus it was Lentulus Terentiae salutem QVod natura in venustatis formae tuae Idaea formauit suauissima Terentia nullo modo silentio praeterire possum Ne cum nimis cautus amoris ignem celare conarer incautus tanquam Aetna meipsum consumens in cineres redigar Cum inter Parthos versarer nihil nisi bellum arma cogitans a Roma vsque formae tuae pulchritudo morumque integritas à multis saepe nuntiata est Cuius rei faema ca iucunditate aures meas permulsit vt syrenum quasi cantu delectatus arma abijcere amorem cogitare coeperim meque totum in Terentiae potestatem tradere non erubescerem Diuinae autem excellentiae tuae cogitatio eos mihi pro tempore in bellicis negotijs addidit animos vt breui deuictis profligatis Parthis totam hanc Prouinciam Lepido commiserim quem vnum tum honoris tum fortunae meae participem feci Parthisque relictis Romam me contuli vt iucundissimo fructu tum aspectus tum consuetudinis tuae frui liceat Formae vero pulchritudinis tuae dignitas tanta tamque excellens fuit vt non modo famam sed expectationem meam longe superarit Vnde exquisitam tuam perfectionem oculis contemplans singulares animi dotes auribus accipiens excellentiae tuae Idaeam in imo pectore collocaui meque totum amori quasi constring endum tradidi Cum igitur tua vnius causa suauissima Terentia famam fortunasque arma proiecerim verum amantis officium fac praestes me non meritis sed amore fac metiare vt in amore tu mihi respondens ego in omni officio tibi satisfaciam Taceo genus parentes quos tamen bonos ciues senatores fuisse constat taceo triumphos qui quales fuerint Capitolium populusque Romanus locupletissimi sunt testes de diuitijs non glorior quas tâ—men mediocres esse constat sed virtutis vim amoris constantiaÌ„ tibi propono quae nec parui facienda nec ingratitudine compensanda sunt Me igitur fac redames mea Terentia pulchritudini comitatem coniungens parentibus honorem aâ—icis fidem Lentulo amorem tribuas vt parentibus gaudio amicis vtilitati Lentulo voluptati esse possis Non disertè vt Orator sed peramanter vt imperator tibi scribo quod si amorinostro consentire digneris de patris voluntate nihil est quod dubites sed si alieno amore non nostro delecteris dâ—lores meos augebo celabo quamcunque in partem te flexeris tibi tum vitam tranquillam tum mortem gloriosam vt fideliss amator exoptabo Vale plus oculis mihi dilecta Terentia me tui desiderio iam pene languentem aut ames cito aut oderis semper vale rescribe Lentulus to Terentia health I cannot swéete soueraigne of my thoughts and chiefe myrrour of our Romaine excellencie smother that with silence which nature hath figured in the portraiture of my lookes vnlesse kéeping the flame too secrete I shoulde like Aâ—tna consume to cinders When seated amongst the Parthians hauing nothing in my thoughtes but warres and stratagemes thy beauty was repeated as speciall newes from Roome amongst the Legions The melodie séemed so pleasing to mine eares as if the musicke of the Syrens had inchaunted my senses I ceased from warres to think of loue and from loue to doate on the conceit of Terentia The thoughtes of thy excellencie doubled such courage in my attempts that I conquered the Parthians yéelded vp my charge to Lepidus made him partaker of my honors and fortunes and came to Roome onely to sée Terentia whose sight was so beauteous and so farre beyond the report of fame that mine eies surueying exquisitely thy perfections and mine eares censuring of thy wit and vertues both in league conspired to present the Idea of thy selfe to the contemplation of my heart which gréedily intertaining such rare beauties hath euer since remained a poore distressed captiue Sith then Terentia thy Lentulus hath left his fortunes to followe fancy and hath forsaken the warres to winne thy loues holding thée more deare then country or honoâ—r shewe thy selfe a Romaine Lady that striuing in minde to be matchlesse thou mayest bee more prodigall in fauours then I worthy in deserts and yéelde mée such méede for my loue as Lentulus for his loyaltie doth merite I â—oast not of my parents they are Citizens of the Senate w t thy father I speak not of mine honors the Capitol can witnes what showtes past from the Romaines as victors what tears from the Parthians as vanquished both these passions growing from the fortunes of Lentulus My reuenewes are such as satisfie my desires But all these are externall fauours which though I rehearse yet I bragge not off But the constancy of my loue the loyalty of my thoughts These Terentia are gifts of the mind deseruing no light estéem much lesse to be requited with ingratitude Consider then swéete goddesse the sincerity of mine affections weigh howe Lentulus loues and so vse him in loue measure his fortunes by his fancies As thou art
beautifull so vse iustice giue euery one his due Honour to the gods reuerence to thy father faith to thy friend and Loue to Lentulus and if it please thée to grace me with the title to thy husband Lentulus for I couet to like honestly not to loue wantonly I write Terentia as a souldier without eloquence and as a louer without flattery if thou satisfie my loue with thy fauours I doubt not to seale vp thy content with thy fathers and friends agrée If either thou art tied to former loues or mislikest of mine I will close vp my sorrows with silence Howsoeâ—er it shall please thée to returne answere Liue with content and die with honour Terentias newe intertained souldier Publius Cornelius Lentulus If gentlemen I haue not translated Lentulus letter verbatim worde for worde let me in mine owne excuse yéelde these reasons that neither the familiar phrase of the Romaines can brooke our harsh cadence of sentences nor durst I attempt to wrest Tullies eloquence to my rude and barbarous english fearing either to wrong so worthy an Orator in displacing or rather disgracing his phrase or in too far presuming purchase your frowne which I haue euer in all duty sought to auoid But howsoeuer my translation séemes wrested I haue kept his And so to Lentulus who hearing Tully reade the epistle both conceited the methode and allowed of the manner Onely carefull where to get a fit and conuenient messenger Tully at last called to remembrance one Eutrapelus an especiall friend of his who frequented the house of Flaminius by him did Lentulus sende the letter and so liuing in hope of a happy answere he left Tully in his study and went to the Capitoll Cicero no sooner was by himselfe but calling to mind the description of Terentia set out with such excellency by Lentulus in his new learnd poetrie and weighing how al Roome woondred at hir beauties began to féele certaine sparkes of loue kindling in his young desires which made him blush at his owne thoughtes and smile that fancy shoulde lie lurking amongst his library to take him at discouert But assoone as he remembred that Lentulus was in loue with hir the faith to his friend was a cooling carde to his affections and hee quenched those sparkes at the first lest suffered they might grow to a greater flame yet was he maugre his heade forced to say thus much Hast thou liued fortunate and fauoured in Roome hath honour raised thée from a meane cottage to be a companion to the sonnes of Senators Doe the Consuls make thee for thy learning one of the Pretâ—xtati and wilt thou for the hope of foolish beauty staine all thy fauours and fortunes with disgrace Nay rather Tully it will be honor to wooe the daughter of so famous a Romaine but shame to thee to take the repulse and be denied Thinkest thou Terentia will looke so lowe will Eagles catch at flies wil the woonder of our time the paragon of our age allied to the noblest houses in Roome make choise of so base and meane a person What hast thou to deserue hir loue any more then a little babling eloquence Womens eares are not their touchstones but their eies they sée and make choyse not heare and fancy A dramme of honour weighs downe a pound of wit and better is it to court with welthy reuenewes then with swéete lines or fine coucht poemes Thou hast nothing left but a poore farme called Cumanum whose rents quits not the charges of thy studies But suppose thou couldst winne Terentia suffice shée is loued by Lentulus and therefore froÌ„ this day name hir not in thy mouth nor weare hir in thy thoughtes least thou violate friendship which thou ought to prise dearer then life Thus Tully appeasing his passions went out of his study and willed Eutrapelus to deliuer the letter with secrecy who being one of Tullies chief familiars went with all spéede to the house of Flaminius where finding the Ladie Terentia sitting with Flauia Cornelia at worke he being homo facetus began merily to commend their huswifery after some iests broken betwixt the gentlewomeÌ„ him he craued to speak w t Terentia about certain serious affairs y â— greatly imported hir father Wherupon shée rising going with Eutrapelus into hir closet he there deliuered vnto hir Lentulus letter Terentia abashed at the sight blushed as half angrie with Eutrapelus that he made him selfe messenger in so vaine a matter yet considering it came from so honourable a personage as Lentulus shée vouchsafed it wisht Eutrapelus in the euening to come for an answere He was no sooner departed but Terentia vnripped the seales and then red the contentes which being contrarie to hir resolution shée determined to returne with a deniall But for that she would make hir friends priuie to hir new loues passions she went smiling in and shewed them the letter Upon poore Lentulus plainesong they all began to descant Cornelia praysing Terentias fortunes that was so enterely beloued of so honourable braue a Gentleman but Flauia hung the lippe and saying little only askt what a louing answere she would write I know not howe to replie quoth Terentia he hath written so eloquently and so cunningly But quoth Flauia I durst pawne my credite it was written by young Tullie that braue Orator for I haue red some of his Epistles and tis both his methode and his verie phrase That Tullie quoth Terentia whom I haue heard my Father and the Senators so highlie commend for his witte thinking him to excéede either Crassus or Hortensius and with that sitting downe they began to enter into discourse of Tullies excellencies concluding all that he was as singular amongst the Romaines as euer Demosthenes was amongst the Grecians At last Terentia remembring hir selfe tooke leaue for a whyle of hir two friendes and stealing into hir closet stepping to the standish shée was about to write but calling to minde the discourse of Tullies perfection letting fall hir penne she fell into a passion Cupid wayting to spie this vestall at aduantage séeing hir halfe at discouert vulosde a bolt headed with desire and fethered with conceite which piercing the tender briest of this young Damosell he made hir shrinck at the blow and so breath out this complaint Hast thou Terentia béene wondred at in Rome for despising loue and wilt thou now doting gyrle stomble on desire shall fancie eclipse all thy former glories shall Vesta léese a virgin and Venus winne a wanton Wilt thou resemble the buddes of an Elder trée which young are swéete and holesome but blomd foorth are bitter and preiudiciall thinke with thy selfe that Dianas shrubs are more pleasaunt than Cupids bowers the one harbours chast thoughts the other amorous fancies Truth but Lucina is a goddesse loue is diuine and marriage honorable Cedars are fayre but in yéelding no fruite they purchase the lesse estéeme To be a virgin is a glorious title but to liue euer so is to wrong nature in
hir fauors Well hast thou not then Terentia a noble gentleman of Rome Lord Lentulus to bee thy husbande a man whose youth is filled with honours and whose spring time â—â—orisheth dignities hath he not triumpht ouer the Parthians in conquest bouÌ„d fortune to his temples with wreathes of victorie Is not his parentage one of the greatest families in Rome Is he not for beautie like the fayre Gréekes Paramour For wisedome like wise Vlisses that Cyrces could not inchant For courage Hector Aud of such reuenewes as may maintaine thee with the most gorgeous dames of Italie But the chiefe of his graces is he not enamored of Terentia and sues for hir fauour This I confesse Sed deteriora sequor Loue ah that foolish passion which we tearme loue allowes nothing excellent but what it likes It shadowed begarie in Crates For Hipsycratea thought him rich in that he was vertuous deformitie in Vulcan for Venus would not beléeue hee had a poult foote Loue hath no lacke and lesse reason yet must I loue and whome ah Tullie swéete Tullie from whose mouth flows melodie more inchaunting then the Syrens on whose lips the muses make a newe Parnassus in whose thoughts rest Platos diuine spirites and in whose heade is contayned the subtilâ— witte of Aristotle Is not hee as glorious in Rome for his eloquence as thou for thy beauties Doth not the Senators wounder at his learning as at thy perfection Why should not then both our singularities be lincked in the vnion of Loue why shoulde not Terentia liue to Tullie and Tullie to Terentia Ah but he is base the first of his kyn that tasted of honour I but he is vertuous and famous for his eloquence graces that counteruaile the meanesse of his parentes I sée loue hath reasons béeing out of reason still to argue against reason therfore without further pro contra in mine owne passions I wil loue Tullie therfore thus to Lentulus With that taking vp hir penne she wrote him this aunswere Terentia to Lentulus health WHen I red Lorde Lentulus thy letters and spied thy loues I blusht at mine owne thoughtes and sorrowed at thy fortunes I serch not the cause of thy loue for it sufficeth to me thou doest loue if it lay in me either to graunt thy desire or satisfie thy passions Thy reasons are sufficient to moue were it not my vowe and my destines direct my minde to contrary thy affections Thy honours Lentulus knockes at the closet of my heart thy victories sue for their lordes libertie thy loyaltie enters pele mele with my thoughtes and giueth a sore assault to my setled resolutioÌ„ all these put in their pleas to purchase fauour for young Lentulus But Vesta hard harted Vesta that makes hir virgings pliant to hir owue properties commaunds that I shut mine ears against such alluring Syrens I count my selfe greatly honoured with the loue of so worthie a Romayne and euer will Terentia coâ—et to prooue as thankfull as he affectionate onely in loue pardon me for that either I neuer meane to loue or if I doe loue my thoughtes were fixed before Lentulus came from Parthia Wade not there where the ford hath no footing barke not with the Wolues of Syria against the Moone looke not to climâ— Olimpus way not at impossibilities but pacifie that with patience which thou canst not obtaine with beeing passionate If thou suest to my Father and he graunt to conclude a mariage yet shalt thou want a bride for I will first die before I violate my resolution Séeke not then by my preiudice to aime at thy owne content which be it euery way yet it shall neuer be in my loue not that I hate Lentulus but that my fortunes forbides me to loue Lentulus If thou thinkst these denials be but words of course and perswadest thy selfe that women will bee first coy and then courteous as the marble that drops of raine do pierce Thou shalt déepely deceiue thy selfe and highlie wrong me but I challenge thy promise that howsoeuer I frâ—strate thy expectation thou wilt burie thy conceipte in silence In which hope gréeuing that thy showers came in Autumne I wish quiet to thy thoughts and an ende to thy loues Thine euer but in loue Terentia TErentia hauing thus ended hir letter and newe begun hir loues the one directed to Lentulus the other deuoted to Tullie she went straight to hir two friends Cornelia and Flauia shewing them the contentes of the letter Cornelia saide she was too seuere and stoicall in sending such a peremptorie aunswere to so braue a gentleman Flauia ouercharged with ioy praysed the resolution of Terentia wishing that all maides were of hir minde misâ—iking that which shée most loued thinking by retreating Terentia from the chace to be mistresse of the game hir selfe Well this letter at last was sealed and deliuered to Eutrapelus who hying him fast to Tullies lodging founde Lentulus and him in secrete and serious discourse and all god wot was about Terentia Lentulus hauing receiued the letter entring with Tullie into his study read the contents No sooner had he viewed reuiewed ouer hir cruell determination but in a great extasâ—e of minde he cried out Dulcior est mors quam Amor. And with that flinging out of his study he fell into bitter and extreame sorrows Tully grieuing at his friendes harde fortune sought with plausible perswasions to appease his furious melancholy wishing him whatsoeuer Terentia wrote stil to thinke hir a woman that would one while thrust out fancy with a finger and straight interteine loue as a friend that either time or his constancy woulde make hir stoope to the lure of his desires Thus sought Tully to wrest him from his passions but in vaine for hir resolution confirmde with such effectuall and perswasiue determinations so quatted the conceit of his former hope that going passing melancholy to his bed he fell into an extreame feuer which aggrauated with the inward anguish of his minde grewe to be so dangerous that Asclapo the physitâ—on excellent at that time for his facultie iudged the disease â—o be mortall The Senatours hearing of Lentulus sickenesse sorrowed as fearing Roome by death shoulde bee depriued of such high ensuing hope his friends fâ—ocked to his lodging to visite him who noting the heate of the ague and the passions of his minde his sodaine starts his gash lookes and his abrupt answeres iudged the extremity of his sickenes had halfe brought him to a lunacy all séeking by counsaile to cure that which neither counsail nor medicine could mitigate Frustrate of their expectatioÌ„ they wished his weal and returned with grief Only Tully whose setled friendship no misfortune could remooue still day and night as a second Esculapius wayted vpon this perplexed patient But as the depth of his passion pierced into the center of his heart so the feuer increased that generally Roome began to sorrow so braue a warriour shoulde bee cut off in the very prime of his fortunes insomuch
to die then to falsifie his faith such a secrete loue towardes Tullie so pierced the closet of his honourable thoughtes that he â—ell to conceipt but meanlie of Terentia and to wish that his friende Cicero might both recouer his health and his loue Now began the fancie of Lentulus to freze that earst was so great a flame and he that like the Salamander delighted to liue in the fire beganne to feare to accedere ad ignem least he shoulde Calescere plus quam satis Now he called to mind the resolution of Terentia tempered with frowardnesse and with this he did proportion the vertues of Flauia mixed with courtesie finding the fauour of the one aunswerable to the beauty of the other Then the faith of his friend his sickenes and extréeme sorrows These weighed with depe consideration he vowed to séeke by all meanes howe to win Terentia wholy for his friende Cicero In this humor he conuaide the letter vnder his beddes heade and rested silent till occasion might offer him oportunitie to discouer the perfection of his amitie Thus grewe Lentulus at one time from his sickenes his loue walking abroad visiting Flaminius who entertayned him in all sumptuous manner But Lentulus séeing the thrée Ladies made no showe to Terentia nor scarse glaunced a looke vppon hir beautie but onely courted the Ladie Flauia who he founde so agreeable and plyant to his sutes that Terentia and Cornelia might easilie sée howe depely they were linked in the league of affection Leauing Tullie thus sicke on his bed and Lentulus in swéete content with Flauia againe to our newe transformed Fabius who in this time prooued one of the brauest Gentlemen in Rome and finding a restlesse passion in his mind for the beutie of Terentia as hauing continually before his eye the Idaea of hir person séeing by hir meanes hee was metamorphosed brought to this perfection making the force of his loue priuie to his Father Vatinius he was not onely praysed for his good choice but willed to goe forwarde in the optayning of his affectioÌ„s Whereupon not willing to make a long haruest to a small crop to preuent as hee thought that none shoulde cut the grasse from vnder his féete hee went to Terentias Father and bluntâ—â— craued his daughter in marriage He knowing him to be of honourable parentage and of rich reuenewes séeing shée woulde not condiscende vnto Lentulus gaue him his francke good will if he could créepe into his daughters fauour who taking the aduantage of the time went to find out Terentia who as then was verie melancholie sitting with Flauia Cornelia talking of the sickenes of Tully As they were thus in â—hat came in Fabius who they streight knew wondered at his strange alteration he to shewe hee coulde as well court it as the brauest young gentleman in Rome began thus curteously to salute the Ladies Maruell not Ladies if a countrie swayne presume to attempt y â— presence of such rare excellencies séeing Oenones shéephearde durst with his eye suruay the beautie of diuine goddesses and they to shewe they were as gratious and full of fauours gaue him the greatest minion that was counted the swéetest Peragon of the world Earthlie creatures you be fayre Romaynes but heauenly faces whose looks lighten diuine influence into the thoughts of such as dare to contemplate your affections I speake this as being the man that from the cart liue in the court thus metamophosed by your supernaturall beauties For which fauour I am come in duetie to rest a bounden voterie to your swéete selues Terentia was so pensiue for Tullyes passions that shée woulde make no aunswere but Cornelia whom alreadie Cupid had set on fire with Fabius feature she returned him this replie I remember Fabius that sitting in the groue by Arpinatum a gentle swaine much like your self in proportion though not in properties séeing wee were slenderly garded with a page conducted vs home to Rome with his friendlie companie if it be your selfe had wee as braue a Ladie as Helena was and were shée in our power to bestowe wée woulde make you master and sole possessour of hir beauties so to rewarde your courtesie Fabius séeing the marke so faire thought not to loose his shoote but aimâ— his leuell thus And for that cause Ladies is Fabius come that his méeâ— may not want his merite glad that Venus dewes downe such fauors and oportunitie such showers of good fortunes to finde you all here in so fit a time For knowe honorable Romaineâ— that for my grosse and rude nature hating the ciuill behauiour of the citie I was surnamed Fabius in which obscure life I liued hauing my senses eclipsed with follie till the gods grudging at natures spight sent you thrée to bee ministers of my happines For comming into the groue where you lay all a sléepe casting mine eye on the beautie of Terentia Such a déepe impression was figured in my mind that I felt an vnacquainted motion with a milde reuerence to thinke well of hir perfection surueying hir singular beauties I fell so farre in loue with hir excellencie that from the countrie I came to y â— citie how since by hir gratious sight I haue metamorphosed my selfe your owne eares and the wonder of Rome is best ablè to witnesse Then Ladies I count the renewing of my life to come from the feature of Terentia and that she not as Diana chaunged mee from a man to bée a beast but contrarie full of fauour hath reduced me from a sensuall beast to a perfect resonable man Howe déepely then I ought to bée vowed to hir whose sight is the welspring of my happinesse let the greatnesse of my benefite make manifest In so much as féeding my thoughts with the contemplation of Terentias beautie I haue béene thus transformed but withall so surprised with hir loue that as I haue gaind a seconde essence by hir swéete selfe so I haue lost my selfe within the labyrinth of hir lookes that I remayne hir captiue while it pleaseth hir to graunt me libertie Bee then braue Romaine Dames impartiall doomers of my sute whether my desertes craue not Loue that thus haue béene chaunged for hir loue My Parentes are Senators my reuenewes inferiour to none old Vatitinius glad of my choise and Terentias father thrise happy if his daughter might like of Vatinius Nowe restes it onely in Terentias power to make me blessed or infortunate At this discourse of Fabius the Ladies were astonished and Terentia galled to the quick with this demaund held hir tongue till Cornelia and Flauia looking earnestly vpon hir asked hir what answere shée made to Fabius Such quoth shée as I returned to Lentulus for know syr if either the honor of a Souldier y â— dignity of a Romain the reuenewes of a Senators sonne or the déepe impression of fancy might haue drawn Terentia to loue I had beene ere this the wife paramour of Lentulus But not y â— courage of Hector that