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
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
give me not occasion by a feeble resistance to blush at the defeat of a man of inconsiderable valour Do not imagine I shall make use of the advantage I have over you though the nature of the injury you have done me might very well induce me to wave that consideration and since you have nothing about you but abare sword I shall put off this armour which if I should keep on the engagement were unequall With those words he cast off his head-piece and buckler and was going to unhaspe his â—â—irats when looking upon him with the countenance of a man already overcome and one that prepared himself for voluntary death rather than a combate My Lord said I to him If these little remainders of life I have left me can any way satisfie your revenge you may without any difficulty take them nay though I were much more in love with it then I am you should never see me defend it against you This is the second time that I receive it as your gift and therefore present you with nothing but what was yours before when I sacrifice it to your just indignation Besides should I endeavour the resistance which you would have me undertake I have not strength to beare me out in it for I sind my spirits issuing out with my blood with such hast that it is with some difficulty they afford me the leasure to speak to you so that if you consider the condition I am in you may well take a just revenge on me but not expect an honourable victory Nor indeed is it from the ruine of a person infamous for his perâ—idiousnesse and treachery that you ought to look for any glory yet will it not be any reproach to you though you should without any further combate run your weapon through a breast which I lay open to you and which I offer up to your indignation without any other regret than that of an incapacity to make you better satisfaction for the mischief I have been the occasion of and the injury I have done you While I spoke to this effect the Prince perceiving my countenance grew more and more pale and that my blood ran down along my cloaths in abundance not onely moderated his just displeasure which would have armed him against me but passing from one extream into another with a generosity that is never met with in any soule but such as his he seemed in a manner ashamed that he had been so ready to engage a man to sight that was weakened by so great wounds Whereupon compassion forcing its passage into that truely-royall heart through those barricadoes of passion which for some time had opposed it he became tenderly moved at the wretchednesse of my condition and looking on me with a countenance wherein there was not any thing legible of his indignation Volusius said he to me the injury you have done me is of such a high nature that it is not to be satisfied with light reparations but it is not in the condition you are now in that I can take my revenge on you nor indeed have I been wont to fight my enemies when they are weakened by wounds and incapable to defend themselves Far be it from me to take those remainders of life you offer me since that though you had many whole lives to give me 't were but little by way of reparation for those cruell losses which I have suffered by your meanes With these words out of a miraculous excesse of goodnesse he commanded his Esquire to help me off my horse to view my wounds and to stop my blood if it were possible The officious Esquire immediately obeyed his Masters command and having torne off some linnen from his owne cloathes he endeavoured to stop the blood which ran in abundance from my two wounds and to recover me so far as that I might get hither being not distant many stadia's After I had received that assistance from him turning to the Prince who looked on the good office he did me without any expression of animosity My Lord said I to him this miraculous goodnesse of yours does in a manner multiply my crime and forces a grief upon me such as I shall not be able to shake off but by the hope I am in that the arrowes which the sence of my crime thrusts into my breast will ere long put a period to my life The gods know that the remorse I conceived at that was the onely thing which brought it into the hazard wherein you have seen it and if I had not discovered to Tiberius a regret for the offence I had committed and to Theocles a horrour for his perfidiousnesse they had never plotted that against me which no doubt but this latter was to put in execution as well to satisfie his own resentments as to obey the orders of Tiberius The Prince interrupting me at these words entreated me to clear up a little more that which I had said somewhat obscurely Whereupon to satisfie him I made him abrief relation of what I have repeated to you more at large as well in relation to the instructions we had observed in the carrying on of the treacherous designe we had upon you as to what had happened to me from my departure out of Mauritania to our then meeting And when I was come to the close of my discourse I shewed him the perfidious Theocles who had newly breathed his last and whom the gods by the miracles of their providence had reserved to die by his hands as a reward of the horrid attempt he had made upon his life The son of Juba was very much astonished at the wickednesse of Theocles whose face he knew though somewhat disâ—igured by death At last when I perceived that he was what by my words what by my deportment perswaded I was truely sorry forwhat I had done I am very unfortunate said I to him that I can do so little in order to any reparation for my crime and all the favour I desire of the gods is that they would continue me the light of this life but till such time as that I have acquainted the Princesse Cleopatra and Prince Marcellus with the cruell abuse we have put upon them I shall give them an account of the whole transaction and will acknowledge it to all the World to my last gasp In a word I shall endeavour to restore you to that innocence which I have been the occasion that you have lost in the opinion of men and I wish my bloud spent upon no juster an account then that of restoring you to that kingdom which I sometime maintained so poorly against you Accept from a miserable wretch of what you can get for the expiation of his perfidiousnesse since you will not take those poor remainders of life he offered you and which should have been sacrificed to your revenge These words were accompanied by so many expressions of a real and sincere repentance that the Prince absolutely
to employ all the interest she had in him to get it upon the confidence she had that my Brother would not deny that satisfaction to a person for whom he seemed professed to have a very great esteem Antonius entertained this discourse of Emilia's with abundance of respect and when she had given over speaking Madam said he to her it is not without reason your friend is perswaded that you have an absolute power over me and accordingly I did not much doubt but that she would make this request to you when ever she should be content to have her picture again and I further engage my self that I will returne it as soon as she shall be pleased to receave it and that I have no intention to keep it against her will though I haply better deserve that favour than others whom she may confer it upon Tullia is more discreet replies Emilia then to bestow her picture on any one and I can assure you she hath no such intention and that it is onely for her self that she hath entreated me to get it ouâ— of your hands Ah Madam replied my Brother you know what I am obliged to by my oath an oath I took in the most Illustrious Assembly in the World I cannot return the picture till Tullia desire it nor put it into any other hands than her own I conceave my self disengaged as to the one half of it and I receave the demand you make of it as from Tullia's own mouth but for the other part of my oath whereby I am obliged to restore it onely to her self it cannot admit any explication And if you will give me leave to adde to the justice of my cause the confidence I have in your goodnesse and to speak sincerely to you as to a person whose protection I cast my self under I shall tell you that for the favour of one visit from Tullia she shall receave her picture T is the least she can do if she have any desire to have it again and if she deny me so poor a request you are to imagine it is her pleasure I should keep it all I desire is to put it into her own hands in your presence and you shall be privy to our conversation And to acquaint you with what is most secret to my thoughts since you see I have but this onely means left me to procure one visit more of Tullia while I live methinks you cannot without cruelty take it away from me Emilia found a great deal of reason in my Brothers discourse and Scipio adding his perswasions to the others to prevaile with her they brought her to this at last that she promised to use all the interest she could with Tullia to oblige her to see Antonius once more and to receave her picture from his own hands according as he was engaged by his oath She made it her businesse that very day but to no purpose so that Antonius understood by her the next that all the entreaties she could make to her could not induce that heard-hearted Beauty to condescend thereto and that at last she had with a strange constancy protested that she had rather lose her picture by an accident whence it might not be inferred that she had any design to favour Antonius then resolve to see him and to speak with her will to a man whose name those of her family could not hear without horrour My Brother was extreamly cast down at this obstinacy of Tullia and entertained Emilia with diverse discourses which moved her to much compassion for him but he also continued firm to the resolution he had made not to deliver the picture not that he could do Tullia this displeasure without some repugnance but that besides the comfort he receaved from the sight of that dear image he thought he could not with honour restore it after the protestation he had made not to do it before Cecinna and Cicero who pretended to be so much concerned in it What confirmed him further in this resolution was that some dayes after he understood that Cicero purposely to spight him had bestowed his Sister on Cecinna and it was conceaved that within a few dayes he was to marry her and indeed it was certain that he had promised her to him and though Tullia had not till thâ—â— any particular affection for Cecinna yet being discreet and vertuous she submitted to her Brother's will and without any contradiction entertained the Husband he was pleased she should have This news put my Brother into such violent transports of grief as you may easily imagine if you consider well what I have told you concerning those of his Love nay it is almost a miracle that he did not discover it by some action suitable to the passion he was hurryed by At first all his thoughts ran upon some thing that was violent and fatal and when he imagined to himself that his Rival was happier then he did not onely deprive him of what he loved but might haply be the cause of all Tullia's rigour towards him had prevented him by an affection that made her insensible of all the expressions he made to her of his and exasperated her against him more than any consideration of the death of Cicero he could not oppose the torrent of his resentments nor think of any thing but the death of his Rival How said he walking in a furious manner it was then the love of Cecinna that made Tullia's heart impenetrable as to all compassion and it is Cecinna that robs me of this unmerciful Beauty and with her of all the satisfaction and desire of lifeâ— I wonder not added he at his backwardnesse to recover her picture and the confidence he had soon to be possessed of the person hath made him take it the more indifferently to see her fair image in the hands of an unfortunate Rival T is the knowledge he had of my misfortune made him neglect what haply both his interest and his honour had obliged him to do and I am satisfied he had courage enough to take the advice of his reputation in that emergency if the hope of a greater happinesse had not made him lesse earnest for what was of lesse consequence Whereupon he walked for a good while without speaking at all then breaking forth into his ordinary transports Think not Cecinna said he that I resign Tullia to thee as thou hast done her picture to me it shall cost thee the purest of thy bloud to dispute whose she shall be and since I have hazarded my life for her picture it is but just thou shouldst venture something for the person This was the resolution he took but when he thought himself fully confirmed in it he met with such difficulties in that design which he was not a little startled at He had reason to fear he might displease Caesar who upon what had passed in his presence fearing the consequence had forbidden them very severely to attempt any thing one against
having traced them through divers trees that lay between both they at last saw them go in to one of the little Isles and made no question but they would go and rest themselves in one of the Arbours They thought it their beâ— course to give them the time to do so and so having taken a good walk they made towards the Isle by other wayes and passed over another bridge then that by which the women had gone in They were no sooner got in but coming behind one of the Arbours on a certain side at which they could not be discovered they heard the voice of a woman singing in the Arbour and making a halt to give her the greater attention they found her admirable not onely as to the voice but also as to the skill whereby it was not a little heightened They at first heard her at some distance out of a fear of making any noise to interrupt her but afterwards perceaving that they had much adoe to hear the words and confident withal that if the noise did not discover them they might go quite to the Arbour without any danger of being seen by reason of the thicknesse of the branches and leaves which admitted not any passage for the sight they went as softly as possibly they could and came to the Arbour time enough to hear these words which were the last that were sung He 's now alus orecome that would not own But still defied Love's charms and pow'r O may my eyes my hearts dear losse bemoane And let their tears its shame devour That slave-like yields to passion The Lady concluded her song with a deep sigh and her companion who had hearkened to her with great attention had no sooner perceaved that she had made an end but addressing her self to her and speaking loud enough to be distinctly heard by the two Evesdroppers that were without the Arbour But is it possible said she to her and must I believe it my dearest Tullia that that god who as t is generally conceaved directs and disposes of the amorous passion should take such extraordinary vengeance on you and that to punish you for the cruelty which you sometimes exercised not without unjustice upon a Prince that adored you he should infuse into you a kindnesse nay if I may presume to say it inspire you with a love for a Prince that does not so much as think on you and one that though born of the same blood yet hath not any thing of those inclinations towards you which his Brother had These words were no sooner heard by Ptolomey and Lentulus but they withal perceaved by the voice that it was Emilia that spoke them and could not be ignorant having heard her name pronounced that they were addressed to Tullia They were both equally surprised thereat and Lentulus looking on my Brother with eyes wherein were visible not onely his astonishment but all that he would have said upon so unexpected an adventure had they been in a place where they might have discoursed without any fear of being discovered grasped him by the arm as if by that action and other gestures he conjured him from making any noise and to hear attentively as well as himself a discourse wherein if he were not mistaken he thought himself very much concerned Ptolomey was willing enough to comply with his desires so that continuing in the same pusture they were in before they heard Emilia reassuming the discourse Speak my dearest Tullia said she and since I am the onely person in the World whom you think fit to entrust with a secret that is so neer your heart ease your spirits as much as you can by acquainting me with what you would conceal from all but Emilia We are now where all things favour our designe so far that the Sun it self did he shine could not participate of the secret that is between us and all things promote the solitude we seek Do your self therefore no further violence my dearest friend and open to me that heart which being heretofore hard and impenetrable to all love and compassion does now submit to the same passion against which it was armed with so much rigour While Emilia was speaking in this manner Lentulus had found a way by turning the leaves aside to make a little passage for his sight and as good fortune would have it he could through that little place direct it just upon Tullia's face By this happy means had he the opportunity to see the face of that Beauty leaning on the shoulder of Emilia bathed with certain tears which issuing out of her fair eyes ran down along her cheeks and dropped into her bosom With one of her arms she embraced Emilia in the other hand she held a hand-kerchief wherewith she wiped the tears which she could not forbearâ— hedding Her hair was in a loose and negligent posture and all her gestures spoke a certain remissenesse but all that negligence all that languishing did but heighten her ordinary beauty insomuch that there seemed to Lentulus to be much more lustre and divinity in it then he had ever observed before He further perceived that after she had with some difficulty prevailed with her self to comply with the sollicitations of Emilia assuming the discourse with an action wherein were easily remarkable all the expressions of sadnesse and confusion Why will you oblige me said she to her to repeat to you what my eyes what my heart what my mouth have already acquainted you with Are you so much in love with my grief as to be delighted with the unhappy demonstrations I give you of it Or would you have me out of a reflection upon so many acknowledgements as I have made of my unhappiness weaknesse and cowardice to dye for shame and confusion before you If it must be so my dearest Emilia I am content and since you are and ever shall be while I have a minute to breath the onely person to whom I shall discover my misfortune I am willing my most secret imaginations should passe out of my heart into yours and wish you may be moved with pitty for the misery which my inflexible destiny hath forced me into I say my destiny Emilia for it is that onely that I can justly charge with all the misfortunes I am fallen into Do not imagine it any effect of the celestial vengeance upon me for the rigour I expressed towards Julius Antonius Though I have contributed very much to his absence and am charged as the occasion of it yet have I not been troubled with the least remorse for any deportment of mine towards him Being Cicero's Daughter I could not upon the first addresses of his affection to me be obliged to entertain any such thing from him and reflecting on the death of Cecinna whom being to be my Husband within three daies he killed in my sight upon my account I was certainly dispensed from whatever the expressions of his love might require of me in his favour
And yet the powers of heaven are my witnesses that I never hated him that I never wished him any ill fortune that I have acknowledged his great worth and that I do at this day confesse notwithstanding my present sentiments that he is as great as to point of merit and as amiable as to his person as Ptolomey is himself So that there is no ground to imagine that the gods should inflict all this as a punishment of my cruelty but that it proceeds meerly from my destiny which in this emergency acts against me as it hath done through all the misfortunes that have happened to our house But my dearest Tullia replied Emilia since you would not be flattered in your passion may it not be represented to you that the same reasons which you alledged against the love and merits of Julius Antonius before he became an impardonable criminal by the death of Cecinna might with much more ground be urged against the affection which you have conceived for his Brother since that not being obliged to him for any the least demonstration of love you cannot but look on him as the Son of Anthony which he is you know no lesse then his Brother I am no question replyed Tullia obliged by the same reasons to do the one as the other at least in some part for I might tell you did I stand upon my justification that Ptolomey is not by his birth such a criminal to us as his brother was since that he is Son to Queen Cleopatra who contributed nothing to the death of Cicero and not to Fulvia who alone engaged Anthony in that design and exercised her cruelty upon the body of my Father even after death by a many abominable indignities but such was my misfortune that I could not make use of them and I need not tell you that in those of this nature the assistances of reason are not alwayes infallible You may further argue that I have hardly seen Ptolomey above once that he is a Prince younger than my self by five or six years and a person that neither does nor haply will love me while he lives All the answer I have to make to these objections is That my misfortunes are so much the more to be bemoaned and that the rather out of a consideration that I have not contributed any thing thereto my self and have endured this violence to tyrannize over my heart without the least complyance of my will Pitty me then if you please Emilia and charge me not with an offence which I see no reason I should take upon me T is not in the power of either Vertue or the Study of Philosophy to make us uncapable of passions but onely teach us how to struggle with them and if they have not been able to make good the little garrison of my heart against the assaults of that which now disturbs my quiet they will so weaken it as that it shall not produce therein any effects that may stain my reputation at the present or my memory hereafter I have been able to look on the Son of Anthony but it seems under an unhappy constellation which made me indeed but too sensible of what I thought amiable in his person I have been able to preserve the remembrance of it too dearly for my own quiet I cannot think of him without tendernesse I can speak of him with delight I can communicate my sufferings to you I can sigh and as you see weep and bewayle this sad exchange of my condition But this Emilia is all that this destructive passion can work in my soul so that all the tempests it is able to raise there shall not eclipse those lights of wisdom which it is not in the power of any blindnesse to extinguish I can pine away yet conceale from all the World Emilia onely excepted the reason why I do so and if I must endure even to death it self I can easily do it not onely rather than open my lips but rather then become guilty of a wish that should any way stain my reputation or cast a blemish on the former part of my life But when all is done replies Emilia to speak sincerely could you not wish that Ptolomey loved you or can you with all your Wisdom and Philosophy oppose such a wish To this Tullia could not for some minutes make any positive answer but having a little after shaken off that suspence and reassuming the discourse with a certain blush wherewith Lentulus could perceive her face all covered The desire of being loved said she by that which one loves is a thing so natural in us that I durst not tell you that I did not wish my self loved by Ptolomey but you are withall to assure your self that this wish is so innocent as not to injure my vertue nay I must adde thus much that though it should prove effectuall yet would not my condition be any thing the more fortunate and that Ptolomey himself though he should love me should not know while he lived that I ever had any affection for him I should avoid him as an enemy though he were dearer to me than my own life nay though it should cost me this very life I should keep to the last gasp from the knowledge of all the earth those sentiments which have broke forth to that of all the Romans But what is then your meaning replyed Emilia what course do you intend to take in order to your own quiet To dye answered the Daughter of Cicero to dye my dearest Emilia if occasion require and I am very much unknown to you if you imagine that I think my life so considerable as not to sacrifice it to preserve my reputation But I shall do what lies in my power to struggle with this enemy that hath possessed himself of my heart and if the strength and assistances of heaven which I dayly implore prove such as that I may not gain the victory you shall find Emilia whether I have not learned to dye rather then be guilty of faults which might make you blush for my sake I have acquainted you with the secret of my heart because there hath not been any transaction there which you have not known but did I imagine it should come to the knowledge of any other person in the World besides your self I should think one hour a long time to survive the shame I should conceave thereat and you should bestow on my death those tears which compassion obliges you to shed to accompany those which my unhappinesse forces from me As she made an end of these words she could keep in no longer those showers of tears which fell down from her eies in abundance which yet hindred not but that Lentulus who looked on her with attention or rather with transportation thought her so beautiful in that condition and was so much moved at her discourses the grace wherewith she delivered them and the fortune that obliged her thereto that pitty which had
Love hath at least submitted to the commands laid on her by Octavia and Caesar in his behalf and hath satisfyed him by expressions worthy her solid vertue of the esteem she hath for him And so it hath continued ever since by the happy meeting of these two complyant dispositions who are not subject to any trouble because not to the weaknesse of a many others so that it is out of all question that the Emperour will have them marryed at the same time that the nuptialls of Marcellus and Julia shall be solemnised Drusus hath told us since how that he had heard from Mithridates's own mouth the discourse that had passed between him and Antonia when they walked together upon which he grounded his first letter as also what course he had taken to conceal himself from all the World as well that day that he bestowed on her the magnificent Galley as that of the publick shewes before which some few dayes he had pretended affairs of consequence in the Country because there should be no notice taken of his absence at an Assembly wherein he should in all likelihood be one of the first Some few dayes after Archelaus overcome with grief went to ease himself of it in the war whither he was called to assist the King of the Medes his kinsman against the Parthians and wherein as they say he hath gained abundance of reputation Mithridates was in the same posture uâ—â—aple of any consolation though his love had not made so much noise as the others but to satisfie him in some sort the Emperour having the Crowns of Pontus and Comagenes where there had happened very great revolutions to dispose of bestowed that of Pontus on Polemon and that of Comagenes on Mithridates and sent them to take possession thereof Ptolomey according to his ordinary way of courtship continued his addresses to Marcia that is with little earnestnesse and much esteem and respect but discovering little inclination to marriage He never minded Tullia who in requital was very violently courted by Lentulus but I shall not give you any account of their loves because they relate not much to the subject of my discourse though they may be said to be some consequences thereof I have already given you an account of all that happened to my self at that time as well as to the news I received of the infidelity of Coriolanus the departure of Marcellus and Tiberius and the Emperours voyage wherein we accompanied him so that you are fully acquainted with the affairs of our house and the better to satisfie and entertain you therewith I think and that truely that I have spoken more in three dayes then I had done all my life before Thus did the fair Princesse Cleopatra put a Period to her long relation which to do she had done a more than ordinary violence to her disposition and Artemisa had heard her with an attention which had suspended in her mind the memory of her misfortunes The end of the Second Book HYMENS PRAELUDIA Or Loves Master-Piece PART IX LIB III. ARGUMENT MEgacles discourses with the unknown person whose life he had saved about the constancy and inconstancy of Fortune Cleopatra and Artemisa of the fidelity and infidelity of Coriolanus The King of Armenia visits Cleopatra with a great deale of Courtship and Personated Affection She abhorring him for his cruelties and having resolved to be Coriolanus's slights him and looks on his addresses as the pure effects of insinuation and sycophancy However he forbears force because far from his own Kingdom whither he would make all the hast he could but is prevented by contrary winds Zenodorus the Pirate entertains Artaxus with the History of his Life He marries Elisena a beautiful Lady of Armenia and not long after grows jealous of her through the means of one Cleontes a young man with whom she was over-familiar His jealousie still increasing Cleontes is by Elisena desired to depart the Court The day before his departure he and Elisena taking their last leaves in an Arbour are surprized by Zenodorus who transported with rage and jealousie immediately kills Elisena in the midst of their embraces Cleontes gets away but afterwards hearing of the death of Elisena 〈◊〉 himself to Artoxus sword who 〈◊〉 him through As 〈◊〉 dying 〈◊〉 discoveryâ— his neck and breast and is found to be a Woman 〈…〉 to Phraates King of the Parthians to avoid whose addresses she had disgâ—ised her self Phrates to revenge her death comes with an Army and drives Zenodorus out of his Tetrarchy which is afterward begged of Augustus by Herod Zenodorus having lost all seizes some few ships and turns Pirate He follews Piracy with great successe for ten years at last takes Candace Queen of Aethiopia whom he falls in loves with but she firing his ships and casting her self over-board escapes Loosing her he takes Elisa sole Heiresse of the King of Parthia but going ashore to seek out Candace he loses both Elisa and all his ships hath most of his men killed and is himself wounded He is met with in a Country-mans house under the Surgeons hands by Aristus and by him brought along with the men he had left to the King of Armenia WHile the two Princesses were thus engaged in discourse Megacles whole eare was equally divided between that of having them in safe custody to obey the commands laid upon him by his Master and that of affording him the best attendance he could to satisfie in some sort his own inclinations which were ever directed to vertue omitted nothing of what he thought might be expected from him in order to either of these obligations And whereas on the one side it was some dissatisfaction to him to be employed to secure them out of the fear he was in to incense a Prince who was not wont to pardon any thing so on the other he with no lesse joy laid hold on those occasions which presented themselves to discover unto them the repugnance which he struggled with to displease them Being therefore obliged not to part from the ship he had sent Aristus betimes in the morning to see what news he could learn of the King of Armenia and this man being returned had brought him word that the King would infallibly come aboard the vessel that very day and that though he were in such a posture as topoint of health that he could not well undertake such a voyage without some danger yet had he absolutely resolved to venture it out of the great desire he had to see Cleopatra and the fear he was in of loosing so noble a prize Megacles having received this intelligence for certain began to dispose all things in the vessel in order to his entertainment and having understood that the Princesses were desirous to be alone he out of the great respect he had for them would not so much as come neer their Chamber and was content only to give notice to one of the women that belonged to Cleopatra that he
and calling to mind all the occasions upon which I had observed too great familiarity between Elisena and Cleontes I was astonished at my own blindnesse or rather inadvertency and upon that came to my memory a hundred circumstances which I condemned all as criminal O ye gods how did this fatal discovery eat into my heart to make a place there for the greatest grief it could be capable of And what deplorable effects did that self-tormenting passion immediately produce there This black impression wrought a kind of Metamorphosis in me insomuch that I was become quite another man than what I was some daies before Being thus convinced of my want of circumspection and consequently of any misfortune I railed at Fortune I quarrelled with heaven and I took any occasion to discover my affliction Is it possible said I that one that is so dear to my heart this great example of vertue and tonjugal love hath so soon turned bankrupt as to all vertuous inclinations and lost all the affection she had promised me Or if she never were vertuous nor had any real affection for her Husband is it possible she should be so well read in the art of dissimulation as to â—conceale it from a mans knowledge with so much artifice for so long time How can that Elisena to whom I had absolutely sacrificed my heart that Elisena for whose sake onely I love my life prove unconstant to me and it may be dishonour me O inexpressible cruelty of my destiny against which it cannot be expected my courage should be able to rescue me O Heaven O Fortune what resolutions would you have me to take Shall I ever be able to hate what I have so affectionately loved and from hatred can I proceed to revenge against an object so dear to my heart and that the only object of all my affections But if I do not I shall be insensible of the persidiousnesse of an ungrateful woman and can I with an unparalleld basenesse endure those extraordinary affronts which must needs blast my honour for ever Hatred Love you that divide my heart between you let either one or the other give place and persecute not my soul with perpetual uncertainties and irresolutions Many dayes did I spend in these reflections and discourses while in the mean time my countenance began to change with my humour and the alteration that happened there was so observable that all the World took notice of it Elisena was one of the first that observed it and by all demonstrations and expressions of love took occasion to discover the grief she conceived thereat but her carriage towards Cleontes was still after the old rate And whereas my eies were nowâ— much more open than they were before and discerned all things after another manner then I had done in times past methought I could perceive in all her actions so much tendernesse and so much love for Cleontes that I made it no more a question but that I was as unfortunate as I had imagined my self I saw the whole day in a manner was little enough for them to spend together they had ever and anon some secret or other to communicate one to another and when they were at too great a distance to speak one to another they discoursed by their eies and cast looks at one another that were more eloquent than any thing of conversation and this to the observation of all the World as well as my self This alteration seemed very strange insomuch that all those that had known Elisena a little before could not without an excess of astonishment make any comparison between these sallies of lightnesse and liberty and her former reservednesse and modesty True it is neverthelesse that notwithstanding all those demonstrations of affection that past between her and Cleontes her carriage towards me was as it had been ever before and I could never porceive either from her discourse or her countenance that there was any abatement or remission in her love towards me or that she was lesse taken with my person then at the first hour of our marriage Her caresses and her insinuations were still the same she spoke with the same sweetnesse and acted with the same complyance save that she did it not so constantly as in times past that she left me often to go and discourse with Cleontes and bestowed on his entertainment the best part of those houres which she had before onely devoted to mine At last my grief was seconded and reinforced by my resentment of those things and after I had been a long time sad and melancholy I became at length exasperated and studying how to be revenged of Cleontes I began to discover to Elisena how that her caresses had not over me that influence they were wont to have that I looked on them as the pure effects of artifice and dissimulation and that I felt my soul changed from the love I sometime had for her to the passion that was most contrary thereto I gave over looking kindly on her I took a bed by my self and by degrees forbore all discourse with her She seemed to be as much troubled at this alteration as the most affectionate woman in the World could possibly be and gave me all the demonstrations of a grief as violent as any soul can be able to endure She used all the insinuation that could be she melted into tears and omitted nothing which she could imagine might perswade me that she was really moved In some intervals I was extreamly sensible of those expressions of her affliction and those imperious remainders of love that were yet left in my soul did partly produce therein the effect she desired but a little after through the cruel prejudice that had taken root there all was dashed out again and I had no more regard to what she did then as if it had been meer personation and sycophancy At last after a many dayes silence she would needs force me to speak and having found me all alone in my chamber whither I was often wont to retire since the change of my humour she runs to me with her face bathed in tears and grasping my both hands with an action full of earnestnesse and passion Ah my dearest Husband said she to me shall I be any longer unhappy and not know the cause of my unhappinesse And will you by so many several expressions make it appear to all the World that I am odious in your sight and not acquaint me by what horrid misfortune I have lost your affection Am I lesse worthy of it now then I have been formerly by reason of some defect which you have discovered in my person or have I made my self unworthy of it by any offence I have committed against you To these words she added a many others no lesse earnest and pressed upon me so far that I could not forbear making her some answer Madam said I to her methinks you take abundance of pains to expresse with your
Elisena heard them with much patience and at last when I had given over speaking joyning issue in the discourse with abundance of resolution but a resolution ful of modesty and the demonstrations of that confidence which is ever the attendant of innocency My Lord said she to me I thought I had reduced my self to such a behaviour towards Cleontes as you expected and was of opinion that I had entertained him no otherwise then I ought in pure civility to do But since I have been so unhappy either through my ill fortune or my imprudence there is now no dispute to be made of it but the occasion must be removed for the correspondence which is between Cleontes and me is not of such consequence as that we should thereby purchase the danger and inconveniences which are the effects thereof I shall not therefore tell you that I will not see Cleontes any more or that I will never speak to him again No this is not security enough for you while Cleontes shall continue in your territories no he must not tread your ground and though it speaks a certain barbarousnesse and inhumanity to force away a person from the place where he had taken sanctuary against a malicious fortune yet is not it considerable in comparison of the mischiefes which his abode here hath already or hereafter may occasion I will therefore take it upon me to send him hence so as he shall never return again and after the term that you shall appoint for his departure is expired I promise you that neither you nor I shall ever see him more These words of Elisena gave me some satisfaction though I think she discovered some violence when she made that proposition to me and so resolved to grant it her Well Madam said I to her if you expect that you and I should live together in any quiet there is a necessity that Cleontes should be sent away His longer abode here may haply involve us into some misfortunes which we shall do well to avoid when it lies in our own power to do it and therefore I shall intreat you to dispose him to leave us within eight dayes that is the longest day I can afford him to provide for his departure and to find out some other place for his refuge and that time once expired I beseech you let such order be taken that he may never be seen in our dominions again I promise you to do it replies Elisena and I shall take occasion this very day to acquaint him therewith and endeavour what I can to have things so carryed as not to raise among our neighbours any suspicion of the true cause of his departure With those words she went away and left me but as she took leave she expressed so much affliction in her eies that it was easie for me to judge through the constancy which she so much affected that it was not without a sensible regret that she was induced to dispense with the company of Cleontes The next day I saw them speaking together and I perceived they were very earnest in their discourse and in their gestures and looks discovered much sadnesse But conceiving all to be in order to his departure I bore with their conversation at that time as also what they had in my presence the day following during which time Cleontes took leave of his friends alledging certain reasons to them for his so sudden leaving of them The seventh day which was just that day before his departure guided by some unfortunate genius and my own malicious fortune together I would needs take a walk in my Garden And being desirous of solitude and at that very time reflecting on the uncertainty I was in as to what I should believe of Elisena finding appearances of all sides as well to demonstrate her affection to me as to satisfie me of her infidelity I went aside from those that followed me and leaving them some in one of the fairest knots of the Garden and others in the more spacious walks I went into those that were most private and solitary and so continued my walk in the most remote parts of the Garden At the furthest end of the Knot before mentioned there is a little handsome Grove and in divers places of the Grove Arbours made of the boughs of trees plashed together Coming neer that which lies at the greatest distance I heard the noise of some people talking and going forward still to come yet somewhat neerer and listening with much attention I could discern the voice of Elisena The privacy of the place bred a little worm in my braine and I immediately suspected there might be some unhandsome action committed and not willing to let slip an opportunity so favourable for the discovery of the truth I crept softly between the trees and coming neer the Arbour with so little noise that I was not heard I put my head close to the branches whereof it was made and finding an easie passage for my sight I presently perceived all that was done in the Arbour O ye gods what a spectacle with what object were my eies unhappily smitten with I saw my Lord since I must rip up these dolefull passages of my life I saw Cleontes set upon a little table that stood in the midle of the Arbour holding Elisena standing between his legges compassing her with his armes while he was as amorously embraced by those of Elisena and at the same time both giving and receiving thousands of kisses from him Sighs tears and bemoaning expressions were the burthen of their caresses and reciprocally wiping off one anothers tears they reiterated their kisses with so much love that a person the least subject of any in the World to suspicion could never have been perswaded but that there might be yet a further familiarity between persons so passionate For my part I made not the least question of it and from that fatall spectacle concluding my unhappinesse undeniable I gave way to the rage then gaining ground upon me and stayed not a moment to consult upon the resolution I was to take to revenge my injured love and to repair the losse of my honour I seldom went any where without my sword and as ill fortune would have it I had it it then about me I drew it transported with fury and running to one of the doors of the Arbour with so much hast that those two amorous persons had hardly the time to break off their kissing You must dye base perfidious wretches cryed I you must dye and putting my fury in execution upon the first object that offered it self it fell upon the first object that offered it self it fell upon the unfortunate Elisena whom running with my sword in at the breast there needed not much strength to force it in up to the hilts Cleontes had the time to get out at one of the doors of the Arbour and had got away as soon as he saw me appear with all the speed he could
put me upon resolutions of getting that elsewhere which had been wrested out of my hands at home and having yet a number of ships under my command I began to make a Sea-war first against those only that had taken away my estate and afterwards against all Nations without any choice or distinction of parties I had gotten with me my Nephew Ephialtes as valiant and daring a person as ever followed this course of life who contributed much to the carrying on of my designe insomuch that when I had by a great number of rich prises got together abundance of wealth I bought more ships and so reinforced my Fleet and lur'd in a many souldiers who found better service and pay in our war than they would have done in any lawful one In fine I became so powerful that I had squadrons of ships on all seas Having made Ephialtes my Vice-Admiral in those parts of the sea which admitted not of any communication by sea we went and met by land having Horses and private retreats for that purpose So that of a desolate man and one that in all probability should have spent his whole life in weeping over a Tomb I became terrible and dreadful to all Nations the terrour of all that had any businesse with the sea and famous for thousands of Prises which had made me the richest of all the Pyrates that ever were This course of life have I led for these ten years very neer and yet I shall not entertain you with the most considerable actions I have been engaged in not onely because it would require a long relation such as possibly might prove very troublesome to your Majesty but also for that I am confident you have already had some account thereof and have not without astonishment heard of the several changes of my Fortune I shall therefore onely tell you that during the space of ten years that I have followed this trade there happened not any thing memorable unto me in comparison of what hath come to passe within these few dayes upon these very coasts there having in a manner at the same time fallen into my hands two of the most beautiful preyes that the whole universe can afford And this I am confident you cannot but acknowledge when I have told you that in two dayes time I had in my power and disposal the fair Candace Queen of Aethiopia and the Princesse Elisa the onely daughter and heir of the great King of the Parthians I took the Queen of Aethiopia just at the mouth of the Nile and this soul of mine which since the death of Elisena had not entertained the least impression of love nor ever thought it could have been capable of any remitted some part of its Forces upon the first view of that Princesse and by degrees became absolutely subject to her Beauties I was ignorant both of her name and quality and yet love made me at first slight the proffers she made me of a considerable ransome and when afterwards she told me that she was Queen Candace I would not absolutely believe what she said out of an imagination that she might take that name upon her purposely to keep me within those terms of respect which she perceived I should not be long able to observe During that uncertainty I did all that lay in my power to perswade her to my will and having found all the waies I took ineffectual I hoped at last to effect my own satisfaction by making use of the power I had over her when that during the space of one night which I had allotted her to fix on some resolution this Princesse daring above her sex and beyond all example set my ship on fire which broke forth in several places and cast her self into the sea within some few stadia of this river You may well imagine what an astonishment I was in when it came to my knowledge that I had lost her in that manner I made the best shift I could to repaire the breaches which the fire had made in my ship that I might the sooner make after her into this river whither I conceived she might get upon planks with the assistance of some men who had cast themselves over-board at the same time with her We were very busie a mending of our ships when it was the pleasure of Fortune to make me some requital for the former losse to send me a vessel wherein was the Princesse of the Parthians which having with much adoe escaped wrack in a great tempest that had been and being not furnished with men to maintain her came and cast her self into our hands We boarded her without any great difficulty and the first thing I was entertained with was the shouts of certain slaves whom I found to have been my souldiers and some of those that I had left Ephialtus They presently gave me an account of the death of my Nephew and pointing to a person that stood neer the Princesse they told he had been his murtherer I cast my eyes on the man and notwithstanding the admirable things I could observe in him yet was I resolved his life should be sacrificed to the Manes of my Nephew whom I had so dearly loved and thereupon caused the points of all our swords to be turned upon him But good gods how strangely did he behave himself for passing through our armes without any fear he comes up to me takes hold of me by the midle and cast himself into the sea with me in his arms I was relieved and taken up again by my own men not without some difficulty but when I had recovered the danger cast up the water I had drunk and put on other cloaths the presence of a Beauty which all the World might admire but that seemed orewhelmed with an insupportable grief could not make me forget her who may be said to have set my heart a fire as truely as she had done my ship And thereupon resolving to follow her living or find out her dead body about this river I came hither and landed with thirty of my men leaving the fair prize I had taken in my Vessel under the care of a Lieutenant whom I trusted her with I wandred up and down the river-side all that day and could not make the least discovery of what I sought and the next day after I had spent some part of the day in the same enquiry and having divided my men into several parties in order to visit more places I came at last accompanyed onely by two of them neer a spring where I saw two men engaged in a furious combat They were both persons of an admirable goodly presence their arms rich and magnificent but there was nothing comparable to the valour wherewith they fought but the animosity they expressed in the combat One of the two had upon his armes which glittered with gold the Roman Eagle spread in divers places and those of his adversary remarkable for certain Lyons causing me
body the sword fell out of his hand his eyes closed and his strength leaving him of a suden he fell down in a swound upon the deck The incensed Cleopatra had not lost her generosity and therefore seeing him in that condition though she was somewhat of opinion that that weaknesse might come upon him from some wound he had received in the fight she gave those notice that were about him to have a care of him since he had fought so well in their quarrel Having so done she found a place to sit down where she was and leaning her amiable face on her two fair hands she burst out into a rivulet of tears and deplored the strange and extraordinary misfortune that had happened to her by such complaints as no doubt would have moved any soul with compassion unlesse it were those of Artaxus and Zenodorus Artemisa who sate by her would have comforted her but not being able to do it she wept with her for company and was not afraid to displease Artaxus by participating in her lamentations When the fair Daughter of Anthony had with much adoe dispersed those sobs which made some resistance against the passage of her voice turning upon Artemisa those fair eyes which though drowned as they were in tears set all on fire in the ship even to the hearts of unmerciful Pirates Ah Sister said she to her what fortune was ever comparable to mine by what means think you am I fallen into the hands of Artaxus now the second time That man whose innocence you pleaded so much and were so confident of that man from whom inconstant as I had concluded him I yet expected assistance nay that very man whom you saw not many daies since fighting so valiantly in our defence by the same valour delivers us up himself and that into his hands from whom he had before rescued us the King your Brothers Had it not been for the assistance of his fatal valour we had been freed and it was he alone that forced away nay haply killed those that fought for our liberty After such an adventure as this never dispute with me again the greatnesse of our misfortunes and find me but one example in the World that may be parallel'd with this I do not think it strange that Artaxus an implacable enemy of our house and one that by his former inhumanities had discovered the malice he hath against us should treat me with violence and injustice but that he who had sometime loved me so dearly whom to my confusion I had loved beyond my own life who had suffered so much for my sake and upon my account and had been the occasion that made me suffer so much my self and to be short that that onely person who should have sacrificed thousands of lives for my liberty should come and expose all he had against my friends and against my rescuers purposely to return me into the chains and power of Artaxus and not into his own Ah Sister this this is what no ages ever produced any thing comparable to and t is such a strange accident as I am not well able to comprehend though my eyes can but too well witnesse the truth of what I have seen While Cleopatra broke forth into these lamentations and that Artemisa astonished at the strangenesse of the adventure gave her the hearing and wept with her without making any reply Megacles and diverse others were gotten about Coriolanus endeavouring to recover him again some others were employed in casting the carkasses over-board and to dresse those that were wounded whereof there was no great number But before they went to visite them having looked all about the body of Coriolanus they could not find any wound about him and yet though they cast water in his face and used severall other remedies all could not bring him to himself again Megacles who had the greatest respect of any for him made it his businesse very earnestly to recover him besides that when they reflected on the assistance he had done all that were in the vessell all did accordingly conceive themselves obliged to relieve him Artaxus knew not how he should entertain this strange emergency and though his first motions were inclined to gratitude and acknowledgement for the great services he had received from that valiant person yet those which immediately succeeded them began to raise a terrible disturbance within him From the words of Cleopatra which fell from her in the violence of her grief contrary to her ordinary prudence he concluded that that man must needs be his Rivall But that grieved him not so much as to consider that it was a Rivall very precious in the affection of Cleopatra and the history of the King of Mauritania's Love to that Princesse being a thing known all over the world from the gracefulnesse from the valour and from all the other demonstrations and characters of a great soule that were discoverable in that valiant man he was easily perswaded that it was Coriolanus and consequently he that of all the world should be most his enemy and whom he should accordingly be most jealous of in the love he had for Cleopatra Yet could he not find in his heart to hate him so suddenly as well for the considerable service he had received from him as that from severall circumstances it was very probable he was unfortunate in his affection and that from the reproaches of infidelity which the Princesse made him he could infer no lesse than that that Prince had sorsaken her In this confusion of imaginations he was at such a losse that he knew not what resolution to take casting his eies sometimes on the Prince that was still in a swound and sometimes on the afflicted Princesse Besides it being not his opinion alone that the unknown was the very same person he thought him it went from one to another that without question it was the valiant King of Mauritania So that coming at last to the eares of Cleopatra as incensed as she was against him yet was she not a little troubled that she had by her discourse discovered him and yet it being to no purpose to recall what is once past Yon are in the right said she it is indeed the King of Mauritania 't is a perfidious man whom for a double infidelity I am obliged to hate above all mankind besides but he is a Prince how unconstant soever he may have proved to me deserves your assistance for the service he hath but too fortunately done you against me and therefore since you have made some advantage of his treachery you have as much reason to look after him as I have to abhorre him To this effect was the discourse of this generous Princesse and though that in all appearance she seemed not without very much reason to be incensed against the unfortunate sonne of Juba and to have made a strong resolution not to admit him into her affections again but to avoid him as much as she
the others head into two pieces Upon this spectacle Artaxus perceiving it was not safe to dally any longer and repenting he had not fallen upon him sooner cryed out to his men to hasten to cut off that temerarious person and when he saw himself fortified by those that came about him he advanced along with them with his sword drawn towards the Prince of Mauritania But Cleopatra came and stood before him and speaking to him much more mildly than ever she had done before Artaxus said she to him if ever in thy life thou wilt do an action which I may take kindly at thy hands attempt not the life of Coriolanus and remember the assistance thou hast received from him without which I had been out of thy power and thou thy self haply out of the World What you desire of me Madam replies the King of Armenia is a thing out of my power to grant besides that Coriolanus himself who unworthily abusing the respect I have for you sticks not to murder my men before my face is not desirous of that life which you so much beg for him And yet I shall not take it away from him that I may at length begin to do something that pleases you and though he be my Rival and that one so much the more to be feared for that he is much in your favour yet shall I permit him to live and give him leave to depart immediately out of the ship and go his waies whither it shall please fortune to dispose of him If there be any favour in this replies the Mauritanian it were done to thy self and not to me nor indeed do I make the least doubt of it but that thou wouldst be very glad I were once out of thy ship but thou art not guilty of so much vanity as to imagine I will go hence without the Princesse Cleopatra and therefore resolve immediately either to restore her to liberty or to give me my death and withall to defend thy own life which I doubt not but I shall even in the midst of all thy men put once more into danger Alas for death cries out Artaxus being grown furious to the highest degree thou shalt without much difficulty find it at my hands and here I now sacrifice thee to my resentment and my love both as a temerarious enemy and an insoleâ—t Rival With this Rhodomantade having not the patience to give any further ear either to his words or the cries of Cleopatra whom he caused to be taken away by force from between their arms he began to make towards the Prince who having got to a place whence he could not be assaulted but onely before covering his left arm with a buckler and brandiâ—â—g his dreadful sword with the right expected him in such a posture as spoke him a person whom no danger could frighten Artaxus was both valiant and daring but besides that he was not absolutely recovered of his wounds and felt himself a little too weak to engage in a combat the great actions he had seen him do that day against the enemy that would have rescued Cleopatra made him look on that enterprize with some distrust and accordingly was not much displeased to see the stoutest of his men expose themselves before him to that danger Zenodorus followed by the rest of his companions and some of the Armenians animated by him whose Brother the valiant Prince had killed some daies before was the first that would venture to come on Megacles not able to divert this misfortune would not however have any hand in the crime and holding his armes acrosse at the other end of the ship did all that lay in his power to perswade to stay with him such of the Armenians as had most affection for him Aristus who was the first that offered at the King of Mauritania was also the first that paid for his confidence for having made a blow at the Prince and he putting it off with his buckler he received another from him by way of exchange which taking him in the throat cut off the passage of his respiration For the bloud issuing out of his wound in thick clots choaked him within a few minutes and after he had staggered some paces backwards spreading his arms asunder he fell down and breathed out his last at the King of Armenia's feet Had Cleopatra delighted in revenge and that a bloudy revenge here she might with no small pleasure have looked on this victime which the Prince sacrificed to her since it was this man that had seized her and carried her in his armes into the ship This sudden dispatching of Aristus did a little cool the courage of his companions but it withall animated them to revenge him and the King who had loved Aristus very dearly being extreamly grieved at his fall cryed out to his men to take heart and would have been in the head of them had he been in his absolute strength and if some of his own who would not have him to hazard his life had not stood in his way But this they did partly out of a desire to please him and the fear they were in at the sight of Coriolanus's dreadful sword and partly out of a certain repugnance they felt in themselves to put to death a valiant Prince who not long before had so generously hazarded his life for their safety Those that were the most forward to second Aristus met with a destiny not much different from his and he who was so violent to be revenged for his brothers death coming on a little too rashly lost his resentments with his life by a thrust which for want of arms found a way into his belly and which made him fall down into a rivulet of his own bloud The deaths of these two men made their companions more circumspect and more fearful of the length of Coriolanus's sword The valiant Prince looking on them with a certain contempt and frightning them the more by menacing gestures It is not so easie a matter said he to them as you conceived it to take away a mans life who knows how to defend it the advantage of number and arms does not alwaies bring victory with it and if I dy this day as it is possible I may by your hands if the gods have so disposed of me I hope I shall not dy unrevenged Having said these words to them he kept his former posture that is stood close to the ships side to avoid being set upon behind and warding off the blowes which were made at him with his buckler he looked like lightning on his enemies and when any one of them instigated either by shame or the cries of Artaxus grew more daring then his companions he neglected not either time or occasion to make him repent his forwardnesse and alwaies directed his sword so fortunately and with such force and execution that it ever proved either the messenger of death or some cruell wound At last Zenodorus to whom
him and took up the visour of his head-piece to give him a greater freedom of breathing and more aire While he continued in that condition Cleopatra running to those that were stil fighting against Coriolanus and who possibly notwithstanding his miraculous resistance would have dispatched him at last comes up to them without any fear and liftng up her voice that she might be the better heard Hold your hands said she to them and if you expect any favour from those whom you see coming to our assistance make no further attempt on the life of a Prince on whom your own will within these few minutes depend T is the onely way you have left you to secure your lives for you are not to hope for any mercy if you be take you not to your own Prince and by complyance make your selves worthy the pardon which I promise you These words proved effectual upon some part of those that heard them and particularly upon the Armenians who were most of them persons of considerable quality These were content to do as the Princesse would have them and giving over sighting went to see how their King did but the Pirates in whom the death of their leader and the despaire of pardon wrought a different effect were obstinate in the designe they had conceived to take away Coriolanus's life and though there were but one half of them left yet despaired not of revenging the death of Zenodorus The Prince perceiving himself eased not onely of the greatest part of this enemies but also of the most dangerous and most valiant valewed not much those that remained and though he must needs be very much weakned as well by the continual action he had been in as by some slight wounds he had received yet was he now in greater hopes than ever of gaining the victory and delivering Cleopatra In the mean time Artaxus who had onely been stunned with the heavy blow he had received comes at length to himself by the assistance they had given him but ere he had so far recovered himself as to know all that were about him and become master of his strength that is before he was in a condition to discern what passed in the ship and to give out orders about any thing the other that was coming in to the assistance of Cleopatra and which had already been known to be one of those of Alexandria was gotten so neer that they could hear them hollow that were within her and in a manner discern their faces Artaxus having got up and taken his sword again looked about him of all sides and perceiving that all his hopes were vanished he was convinced his final ruine was at no great distance He sighed again for very grief and rage as conceiving himself not to be in a condition either to execute his revenge or keep Cleopatra in his possession and therefore was at such a losse and irresolution that he knew not what side to take While in the interim the other ship came on still with such speed and such hollowing that it was out of all question she was an enemy and indeed within a few minutes after Cleopatra and Artemisa perceived in the head of those that were coming to their assistance Prince Marcellus and Prince Alexander who that they might be known to the Princesses had raised up the visours of their head-pieces If their joy was extraordinary the grief of Artaxus who upon the first sight knew Alexander was no lesse violent He blasphemed against Heaven and railed at his evil fortune and that hateful sight filled him no doubt upon the first apprehension thereof with fatal resolutions We must perish cryed he but it is but just we bury under our ruines those that should derive any felicity from our destruction And for thy part Alexander said he loud enough to be heard by him assure thy self thou shall not laugh at the defeat of Artaxus With these words he comes up to the two Princesses and looking on them with eyes red with bloud and fire he put them into a greater fright then ever they had known before See here said he these are either my security or my victimes what shall escape my love shall never escape my revenge and if it be lost to me it shall be lost to all the World besides As he uttered these words he took Artemisa in the left hand and with the right presenting the point of his inhuman weapon to the fair breast of Cleopatra he directs his fatal looks on Alexander and Marcellus just at the instant that they were preparing all things to fasten the grappling-irons and addressing his speech to the Son of Anthony Alexander said he to him hope not thou shalt have any thing to rejoyce at in the misfortune of thy enemy and think not to triumph over me so many several wayes as thou hast through the malice of my fortune and the perfidiousnesse of Artemisa It was through the basenesse of this Princesse that she ever came into thy power and the revenging gods have been pleased that Cleopatra should fall into mine but if my Sister hath been too susceptible of thy love thine hath been too ungrateful to entertain the affection I have had for her Thou returnest again conducted by that Fortune which hath ever been in hostility against me with a design and haply in a condition to force them both out of my hands but know that thy hope hath deluded thee and all thou art to expect from this enterprize is the death of these two Princesses Thou maist save their lives by directing thy course some other way and leaving me at liberty to pursue mine but if thou losest a single minute in considering what resolution thou shoulst take thou shalt find me aready resolved to sheath this sword in the breasts of Cleopatra and Artemisa The King of Armenia had made this discourse without the least interruption while Alexander seeing him in that cruuel posture against the Princesses had given order to those that were preparing to fasten the ship to forbear and stood in a confusion and absolutely at a losse what to think of so terrible a spectacle Upon the first sight of that Barbarian and his inhuman attempt his indignation would have broke out against him with all its violence but fearing on the other side by his precipitation to lose what was a thousand times dearer to him then his own life his love tyed up his hands with considerations as strong as the other and kept him in an irresolution full of perplexity Thence it was that he not onely forbore interrupting Artaxus while he spoke but also when he had given over was not able to make him any reply and onely looked on him with much confusion and as if he had been in a trance Marcellus was also afraid for Cleopatra whom he loved as dearly as he could a Sister but his soul being not upon this occasion capable of such a violence of passion as was that of
Alexander he was guilty of a greater freedom of apprehension and consequently was the lesse troubled at the horrour of that object Hence was it that he took occasion to speak while the other was silent and darting on Artaxus a look expressing the greatnesse of his indignation Barbarous wretch said he to him if the sight of those divine beauties cannot stay thy hands consider what will become of thy own life in that horrid attempt and doubt not but thou shalt loose it by the most exquisite torments that humane invention ever found out if thou execute thy barbarous resolution The Armenian smiled at this discourse of Marcellus and looking on him very scornefully Do not imagine said he to him that thou canst frighten me with thy menaces or that I stand in any fear of death my self after I have given it to what I love beyond my selfe but if thou with Alexander art desirous of the safety of these Princesses resolve immediately to do as I would have you for fear your resolutions come too late Ah! saies Alexander to him assuming the discourse at last will thy cruelties never have any end and wilt thou treat me with more inhumanity upon the sea of Alexandria then thou didst upon the scaffold at Artaxata Thus did he speak to him as much out of tendernesse as indignation when the couragious Cleopatra out of a jealousy that that softnesse might prove prejudiciall to her liberty and standing less in fear of death then of her captivity and the importunate Love of the King of Armenia brok that silence which she had observed all the time before and looking on Alexander with a countenance that argued much more confidence than his Brother said she to him have a greater relyance on the gods then to forsake us upon the vain frights which Artaxus would put us into He dares not put us to death but though we were to expect it we think it much more supportable then the life he prepares for us Artaxus was in a manner satisfied that these words of Cleopatra would have that effect on the spirit of Marcellus and that of Alexander as she expected they should and fearing to be surprized he lifted up his arme as he drew near to Cleopatra who was gotten some paces from him either to frighten them the more or possibly to execute his bloody resolution But as happy fortune would have it at the very same instant of time the valiant son of Juba who was fighting at the other end of the ship against those that were left of the Pirates had notwithstanding their finding him so much employment minding the safety of Cleopatra much more than his own partly taken notice of what was past Transported at the imminent danger he saw her in and perceiving it was not now a time for him to be so mindfull of his own life broke through those enemies that stood in his way and laying on the ground all that any way opposed him he got up to the King of Armenia with so much speed that before he was sensible of his coming he gave him a thrust with such force that he laid him at his feet and tumbled him upon the deck to one fide of the vessell Artaxus made a shift to get upon again bet e're he could do it Coriolanus was gotten before Cleopatra in a condition to defend her while in the mean time Alexander and Marcellus in taking their advantage of this intervall had caused their ship to close with the other and notwithstanding the opposition of the Armenians and the Pirates who joyned with them with abundance of resolution made their way through and boarded the Armenian This fight as it was undertaken upon a barbarous occasion so was it managed with more animosity than ordinary and upon that account was it that there was some blood spilt which upon another occasion had haply through the clemency of the Chiefs been spared The Aegyptian souldiers that followed Alexander put all they met with in their way to the sword but that Prince and Marcellus scorning a victory too easily gained ran to Cleopatra and Artemisa and if love obliged the son of Antony to mind in the first place what he most loved Friendship had in a manner the same effect upon the son of Octavia Alexander full of fury and indignation ran towards Artaxus whom rage had put upon the last and most violent attempts and who must needs have expected the execution of a just revenge but Artemisa stepped before him and speaking to her dearest Alexander with her natural goodnesse Alexander said she to him put not to death the King my Brother and satisfie your selfe with the victory and possession of Artemisa Alexander let fall the point of his sword at this discourse and looking on the Princesse with an action full of affection and respect Madam said he to her had not you laid your câ—mmands on me I should have considered in the person of Artaxus both the blood of Artemisa and the dignity of a King Whereupon turning to Artaxus who swelling with rage and confusion and overpressed with grief and wearinesse sate upon the deck whence darting his scattered lookes of all sides his thoughts ran upon what was most barbarous and horrid King of Armenia said he to him thou shalt receive from us what thou hast never granted any one and what indeed thou shouldst not expect if thou call to mind that cruell scaffold upon which my head was once made a publick spectacle We leave thee thy life and absolute liberty to dispose of thy self as thou pleasest and desire no other advantage than that of delivering Artemisa and Cleopatra out of thy cruell hands From this difference of carriage thou maist reflect on what there is between us and from the ill successe of thy enterprises infer what horrour and vengeance the good and just powers of heaven have for thy violences and cruelties To this effect was the discourse of Alexander when the King of Armenia looking on him with eies wherein the rage which possessed him was visibly apparent Be not so fond as to imagine said he to him that I will accept of a life from the son of Anthony the Cajoller of Artemisa and the brother of Cleopatra Thy very birth made thee my enemy thy crime armed me against thee and thy Sister by the little regard she had for my love hath deprived me of all the desire I could have had for life Think not then that I will owe it to him who hath occasioned me so many misfortunes or survive the hope I now lose both of being revenged of thee and possessing Cleopatra With these words he rises with his sword in his hand from the place where he was set and rowling his dreadful eyes about him gave all notice as it were of the horrid resolution he had taken The two Princesses who were best acquainted with his furious humours ran behind their defenders and the Princes set themselves before them in a posture to
for joy gave me so many kisses and spoke to me with so much earnestnesse that at last he absolutely recovered me to life again I began to feele and to see but had not the power to stir and though I saw Eteocles yet did I not perfectly know him but as it were by some broken remainders of an Idaea halfe forced out of my memory In the mean time he perceived it was impossible for him any way to relieve me and though he saw I was come to my selfe yet did he in a manner put it out of all question that I would die for want of assistance and out of the fear he was in it might so come to passe he importuned heaven with cries and exclamations and did all that lay in his power to call in somebody to our reliefe Yet were they not his cries that wrought that effect but it happened by an adventure very strange and unexpected whereof for many reasons I thought fit to give the Queen but a slender and imperfect account but shall now relate at large since it hath been your pleasure to command it from me I had already made a shift to open my eies fully though all I could do was onely to stir them a little when Eteocles heares the neighings of certain horses and the noise of their going which made him imagine that there were some people coming towards us He thereupon lookes about him and perceives a chariot coming into the field among the dead bodies wherewith it was covered and a man riding on horseback before the chariot as if he had been a guide to those persons that were within it Those were onely two women one whereof filled the aire with the dolefulnesse of her Lamentations and there followed the chariot onely three slaves all asoot At last when they were come quite into the field the heaps of dead bodies hindering the passage of the chariot the women that were within it were forced to alight and the man that was on horseback having done the like took the more considerable of the two by the arme and led her towards the place where we were Eteocles whom this accident put into a great hopes of relief took very much notice of all that passed and distinctly heard the mournfull cries and expostulations of that disconsolate Lady which certainly were such as might have been heard many Stadia's Her hair was loose and dishevelled as if she had been fallen into some extravagance her eies showred down teares her breast almost rent with the violence of hersighes in a word her deportment was no other then that of a person distracted and ready to fall into despair Terrible death cried she implacable devourer of mankind which appearest to me here in so many formes is it possible that in this place where thou hast exercised thy power with so much cruelty thou shouldst forbear to dispatch one miserable creature that defies thee or that thou canst deny her thy assistance after thou hast deprived her of all that could oblige her to shun thy face Insatiable Goddesse to whom my malicious Fortune hath sacrificed all that the earth had that was amiable in my sight is it possible thou shouldst avoid an unfortunate woman as I am while thou cuttest off such noble lives and that more inhumane in thy compassion than thy cruelty thou must needs strike a thousand times at a heart which there needs but one blow to deliver from thy Tyranny Here sighs and sobs made a patenthesis in her discourse forsome minutes but soon after reassuming it with an accent much more dolefull Teramenes continued she my dear Teramenes where art thou why dost thou conceale thy selfe from me O thou body that I have loved beyond all things why dost thou hide thy self from her eies that was sometimes so dear to thee Art thou afraid thy countenance covered with the horrours of death might frighten me or that it will be a lesse delightfull object to me in that figure then it was in that wherein I was so much taken with it No no my dearest Teramenes even under that dreadfull livery under that irremissible ice of death I shall think thee amiable and it may not haply be impossible I should by my kisses restore to thee some part of that which thou hast lost and reinfuse into thy cold body that soule which thou hadst enflamed with a fire that death it self is not able to put out At this passage she made a little truce with her Lamentations but it lasting not above a minute or two she turnes her self to the man that conducted her But Pelorus said she to him where is then the body of Teramenes You shewed me this place with a confidence it was that where I should infallibly find it and yet among this vast number of carkases I see not that of my Teramenes Fear not Madam replied the man to whom she spake it will not be long e're we find it for now we are come to the place where I saw him fall yesterday by the hands of Cleomedon No doubt but he came by his own death out of the over earnestnesse he had to revenge that of your Brothers who died by the same hand in the former battle as also out of an excessive desire to have the honour of dispatching with his own hands a Prince of so great a fame Cleomedon falling at his feet drew him upon him and with that little remainder of strength he was yet master of ran him into the throat with a dagger which he had still in his hand Teramenes though mortally wounded with that thrust made a shift to get off the body of the expiring Cleomedon but after he had staggered a little he fell down within some ten paces of him and by reason of the bloud which coming out abundantly hindred his respiration died immediately Ah cruell man cries out the Lady ah inhumane stranger whom I had never any waies injured and that leavest thy native soile to bring death after so many severall waies into the breast of the innocent Eurinoe May it please the gods since I have no other revenge either to take or desire upon thee that thy body may be the prey of Vultures and that thy shade may eternally wander amongst the most unfortunate ones without ever obtaining of the infernal Gods any other rest then what thou leavest this miserable woman Thou hadst opened the sluces of my tears by the death of a brother I infinitely loved which thy unmerciful arms had deprived me of not many daies before but thou thoughtst it not sufficient to assault my self only upon the account of Blood and Friendship without sacrificing to thy cruelty whatever there is in Love that is most passionate and most violent in the death of my Teramenes While she disburthened her grief by such expostulations he who conducted her shewed her the body she looked after which lay not above fifteen or twenty paces from us and it was upon the cruel spectacle that
on the wretched condition I was in I had almost cast my self through my own despair into that danger out of which they took so much pains to deliver me Whereof this certainly must be the reason that the violent desire of death which had forced me to engage in the sight being not yet gotten out of my mind I should in all likelihood have followed what that inspired me with and had rendred the endeavours of those that took so much trouble upon them about my recovery absolutely ineffectuall had it not been for the continuall sollicitations and importunity of Eteocles for whom I have ever had a very great esteem and a most affectionate friendship I shall not trouble you with a repetition of all those reasons whereby he endeavoured to make me apprehend that I did not onely betray a great want of prudence but that I was guilty of a capitall crime against my Love by courting my own death at a time that my life might be necessary for the Queens service and that since I had not received any tidings that she was either dead or married to Tiribasus there was no reason I should rush into extremities which I might overtake time enough when those misfortunes were come to passe To be short he pressed these things to me with so much reason and conviction that I began to acknowledge the truth of them and to submit to his judgement that it was not well done of me to hazard upon such light grounds a life which I had bestowed and consequently could not dispose of my self while she that was the Mistresse of it might expect any service out of it Upon this consideration I was content they should endeavour my recovery and entertained with great acknowledgements the care they took of me Asson as I had arrived to such a degree of recovery as that I was able to endure discourse Eteocles came and told me what place I was in and by what adventure I was brought thither and at the same time acquainted me what aversion Eurinoe had had for me upon account of the death of her Brother and her Love and what affection she had conceived for me of a sudden Now his health being in a much better posture then mine as having given over keeping his bed while I was yet in great danger he had had more leasure to informe himself of all that he was desirous to know and had understood that Eurinoe was a widow of very great quality that her friends and her husband had alwaies kept her at a distance from the Court that she had had two Brothers very deeply involved in the interests of Tiribasus whereof the younger was slain in the late Battle and the elder had staied at Meroe by the orders of Tiribasus who affected him very much and reposed great trust in him that she had been very earnestly courted since her widow-hood by that Teramenes on whom she had bestowed so many teares a person it seems of very great worth and very amiable as to his person that she had loved him very dearly and that after many great traverses and revolutions she was upon the point of marrying him with the consent of her friends when death deprived her of him Eteocles acquainting me with all these things told me withall how circumspectly I should carry my self that I might not be discovered by any other persons then those whom Eurinoe was forced to trust with that secret not doubting but that if such a misfortune should happen my life must needs be in manifest danger as well by reason of the rage of Eurinoe's brother as the near relation he had to Tiribasus who out of all question would never suffer me to live should he once find out where I were retired But as things stood the security of that secret consisted not altogether in our circumspection for Eurinoe was so much concerned in it her self not onely out of the desire she had to preserve a person on whom she had bestowed her affection but also for fear of her brothers indignation whose savage humor she was acquainted with that she omitted nothing which in point of care or caution might be expected from her I shall not presume my great Princesses before you whose beauties eclipse what ever is beautifull in all nature to say any thing of the beauty of Eurinoe but certainly among the beauties of the rank next inferiour to the first and chiefest the might very well passe for a handsome woman somewhat duskish not absolutely black the lineaments of her face very good of a good stature and in a word one of the handsomest persons that ever I met with in Aethiopia I should commend her farther were it not that you would imagine fairest Queen that in the commendations of her beauty I should have no other design then to celebrate my own sidelity Assoon as I was grown any thing capable of conversation I had her perpetually at my bed-side and I soon observed in all her deportment what Eteocles had told me before of her affection Her modesty indeed was such that she would not in words discover what her heart was burthened with but her eies betraied some part of it and all her actions sufficiently confirmed the observation which Eteocles had made of her During some few daies at first while the successe of my recovery was yet doubtfull and my fever very violent she said little to me and I saw her not but at some certain times but when I was a little recovered and permitted to discourse she was very liberall of her company She was one day at my bed-side where she seemed to be extreamly satisfied to see my health in so good a posture when I venturing to speak more than I had done before took occasion to give her thanks and to make all the acknowledgement I could of her care and tendernesse towards me and commended the generosity she exercised towards a man who had been of a party contrary to that of her Friends and withall so unfortunate as by the chance of war to do her a displeasure She patiently bore with my discourse and taking her advantage of my silence My lord said she to me I have done no more for you than your vertue deserved but shall entreat you not to attribute meerly to a consideration of generositie all that I have done to serve you After you had not onely been the death of my Brother but also deprived me of a person I infinitely loved and one with whom I was upon the point of marriage there was no reflection of generosity strong enough to oblige me to do an action whereby I cannot but incur if it be known the reproaches of all the world and the indignation of all my kinred and you may therefore well judge that it must proceed from some more powerfull motive that I conceived my self engaged to relieve you I shall take it upon what ground you please replied I but you will give me leave to imagine
that it is meerly to your goodnesse that I am to attribute the assistances I have received from you since I had not any waies deserved them If it be meerly upon the account of goodnesse replied she with a sigh alasse how fatall will that goodnesse prove to me and if I am onely good to you how cruell am I to my self It would be an infinite trouble to me replied I to think that the good offices you do me should cause you any displeasure and therefore when my health shall be in another posture than it is now I shall heartily spend this life which I have received from your courtesie to protect you against whatever you may fear You your self said she casting down her eies with a blush which covered all her face you are the most dreadfull of my enemies the onely person I can fear and the onely man against whom you can offer me your assistances These words though I were not at all surprised thereat put me to such a losse that I knew not what answer to make her and seeing me silent as seeking what to say It plainly argues in you added she an excesse of cruelty to pretend your selfe ignorant of my condition after what you have discovered your self and what you might have understood from Eteocles You cannot be yet to learn that miraculous alteration of my heart and sentiments which by reason of the inexpressible suddennesse of it must needs proceed from some superiour power or a strange fatality e're it could passe out of one extremity into the other It is impossible you should not take notice of its engagement in my actions since and in fine you but too too well perceive all the transactions of my soule for me to trouble my self to acquaint you therewith by my discourses I am not naturally very much inclined to make declarations of this kind but I have not been able to contain my self in an adventure absolutely prodigious and whereof all the consequences must needs be extraordinary Here Eurinoe put a period to her discourse not without great discoveries of confusion and I was in too much disorder my self not to be astonished thereat as perceiving my self reduced out of necessity to act a part for which I had so much aversion I thought it fit to make her some answer and after I had studied sometime to dresse it with such obliging expressions as that I might neither engage my self nor deceive her Madam said I to her I now perceive I am much more happy than I thought myself since I must infer from your discourse it being your pleasure I should that I owe that to your affection which I thought my self obliged for onely to your pitty This happinesse is too great not to be esteemed and acknowledged by a person that hath the least pretence to respect and gratitude and I must therefore promise you that you shall find my heart as well furnished as to that point as you can desire your self This was all I said to her for the first time and I was not able to judge whether she were satisfied or displeased at it for that Pelorus whose fidelity she began to mistrust comes into the chamber which obliged her to fall upon some other discourse and not long after to leave the roome The discoveries of this affection of Eurinoe had made some further impressions upon me if my soule had not been then strugling with other afflictions which I thought more insupportable and if the knowledge I might have had of the extremities whereto my Queen had been reduced thorough the Tyranny of Tiribasus had not tormented me with such a violence as afforded me but little leasure to think of any thing else Wo is me what cruell reflections was I persecuted with at that time and how often in the daie did I represent to my self that my fairest Queen was fallen into the power of Tiribasus and it may be upon termes of yeelding to his violence Then was it that I seriously repented me of my rashnesse in pursuing my own death at a time that I should most have husbanded my life to do her further service and I thought that if I had minded my own safety I might have been able alone and by some other waies to take away Tiribasus'â— life in the midst of all his Guards That which aggravated my grief was that I durst neither enquire after any newes from the Queen nor give any credit to what I heard related in that place as being such as I could not but suspect On the other side I could well remember that just upon my engagement in the battle I had writ her a Letter whereby I gave her to understand that I was going to inevitable death and consequently made no doubt but that the newes of my departure was soon brought her and spread all over Aethiopia And thâ—â— I saw must needs prove prejudiciall to me two waies either by exposing her to a grief for my losse proportionable to the first experiences I had received of her favours or by exempting her by my death from the obligation she had to my Love and the promise she had made me I was so tormented with these cruell reflections that I saw there was no remedie but patiently to expect my recoverie and to hasten it all that lay in my power it being not to be expected I should there meet with any expresse messenger whom I durst trust with the secret of my life and Etâ—ocles being absolutely resolved not to leave me in the doubtfull posture I was in as to point of health and withall in a place where I lay subject to a thousand dangers if my abode there were discovered I therefore resolved with much difficultie to complie with the present necessity mustring up all the forces of my mind to my assistance in that emergencie while in the mean time my fairest Queen was still in my thoughts and her idaea as it was the cause of all my sufferings was also the ground of all my consolations That part of the Castle into which we were disposed was at some distance from all the rest so that those persons that were in the others knew nothing of what was done where we were Eurinoe having so ordered things that all was carried on with the greatest caution and secrecy imaginable By this means had I all the accommodation and attendance I could desire insomuch that having kept my bed a moneth I at last began to sit up and to walk a little about the room Now had I so much of Eurinoe's company that she was in a manner never from me making it her businesse by all her discourses though ever cloathed with modesty enough to convince me of the greatnesse of her affection I on the other side expressed my self with as much acknowledgment as I could possibly of the obligations I ought her as well because I thought it no more then civility to do so as upon the advice of Eteocles who would not
be concealed from all the World and though I must introduce into my discourse persons whose power is much to be feared yet shall I not forbear since that within a few daies I shall either be in a condition not to fear it or if the gods think good to continue my life I am more willing to see it exposed to some danger by my confession then be perpetually persecuted with remorses which make it much more insupportable to me Be pleased to afford me your attention to the discourse I have to make to you and it is my earnest prayer to the gods that it may in some measure repair the mischief I have done and restore that happinesse and fortune which I have unfortunately disturbed To this effect was the discourse of Volusius and perceiving that instead of making any answer Cleopatra and Marcellus hearkened very attentively to him he reâ—ssumed the discourse in these terms THE HISTORY OF VOLUSIUS WE are satisfied by experience that both the remembrance of good turns and that of injuries have a different operation according to the different character of those souls where they are entertained and that as there are some minds wherein offences make but a very light impression much lighter then that which good offices might make in them so on the other side there are some in whom the greatest benefits cannot smother the least injuries or to say better who not much sensible of obligations laid upon them have neverthelesse eternal resentments for injuries That I have been worsted and disgraced by Prince Coriolanus I must attribute it meerly to his valour and my own unhappinesse and that I was nobly treated by him it was the effect of his pure generosity and yet the impression of the injury filled my soul in such manner that it leaves not any place for that which the generous entertainment should have had there and opposed the resentment it should have conceived thereof that so I might be the more absolutely hurried into contrary resolutions I doubt not Madam but you have heard how that having been several times defeated in the persons of my Lieutenants I was at last overthrown in my own and through the valour of the son of Juba having lost a battel which in all probability I should have gained I was by the same valour cast to the ground and taken prisoner You have also further understood how that after some daies imprisonment such as was sweetned by all the kind entertainments which I could have received from a brother or the best friend I had the same Prince whom by all manner of injuries I had obliged to treat me with cruelty forgetting all out of an admirable generosity and comforting me in my disgrace with the most obliging words could fall from man gave me my liberty without any condition loaded me with presents of great value and furnished me with ships and men to bring me to Rome or any other place where I would my self It might in all probability be expected I should have been sensible of this treatment as much as I had been of my misfortune but having through my disgrace besides the fame I might have acquired in my former years lost the government of two great Kingdoms a very high fortune for a private man and the hope of finding again among the Romans an establishment comparable to that I had lost the grief I conceived thereat had so cankered my soul that I was not able to entertain those expressions of the goodnesse and clemency of the King of Mauritania with the least discovery of gratitude However I pretended to be extreamly sensible thereof as I ought to have been of a favour I should not have expected and I received with my liberty the other effects of the magnificence of that Prince with those demonstrations which might well perswade him that I was not insensible thereof I went a-board with a soul half burst with grief and I carried with me into the sea an affliction grown so violent through the change of my fortune that there was nothing able to afford me any satisfaction And yet I am apt to imagine that my grief would have been satisfied in being onely a torment to my self without producing any effects prejudicial to the fortune of my Conquerour if something of chance and the sollicitations of other persons had not furnished me witlâ— the occasions to do it and that at a time wherein my sufferings were not aggravated by any design of revenge The third day after my departure I was overtaken by a Vessel that came after me from Mauritania and he that was Commander of it being come aboard mine to give me a visit was known to me to be a person of very great quality among the Moors named Theocles whose Father had had under King Juba the father of Coriolanus the greatest places in the Kingdom and the governments of greatest importance But it happening upon the death of King Juba that Theocles revolted to the Romans and sided very particularly with me as having not the least remainder of love for the royal bloud and that further he had expected till the issue of the war without declaring himself for his Prince as the greatest part of the Moors had done young Juba coming to the Throne had accordingly slighted him though he had not any way disobliged him nor taken away any thing he was possessed of and in the distribution of the Governments and charges which he bestowed on those whom he thought most worthy and had expressed most affection towards him he conceived himself not at all engaged to prefer Theocles whose pretensions were great suitably to his quality and the high rank his Father had lived in before him Theocles thinking himself hardly dealt with and taking it very impatiently that his soveraigne should prefer other persons before him such indeed as were inferiour to him in birth but much more considerable than he by their services and their fidelity to their Prince would needs leave Mauritania and lurk among the enemies of his King and bring over with him among the Romanes his resentments and desires of revenge So that having taken ship the same day that I departed the third after he comes up to me and coming out of his own vessell into mine he gave me a visit making the greatest expressions he could of the affection he had for me Now this man being he that of all the Moores I had held the greatest correspondence with and his discontents being not unknowne to me I was extreamly glad to meet with him and having understood from him that the resentments he had against his Prince were the occasion why he left the Country to follow me and to go along with me to Rome this consonancy of thoughts made me the more confident of him and raised in me a certain affection for him and engaged me to promise him all the friend-and assistance amongst the Romanes that I could possibly help him to Thus resolved we continued
satisfied that I was truely sensible of the hainousnesse of my crime was extreamly moved at it himself by the discoveries I had made thereof Whereupon having continued silent a little while as it were to recollect himself and to consider what he had to say to me Volusius said he I heartily forgive you the mischief you have done me and am satisfied with the death of this persidious subject whom the gods by a miraculous conduct of their justice had reserved to perish by my hands when I least expected it I refuse not the proffer you make me to give an account of my innocence to Cleopatra and Marcellus I am confident they have already entertained some apprehensions thereof and it will be your businesse to rid them of all those which may be yet remaining in them of the infidelity wherewith I have been charged I imagine not but that my justification is of as great concernment to me as the recovery of my kingdom I have made a shift to live without a Kingdom assured of the affections of Cleopatra but I would not be burthened with the keeping of a Kingdom when I have been abhorred by Cleopatra I shall entreat you to tell both the Princesse and Marcellus that I had deserved they should have made a stricter inquisition into my crime and consequently been more concerned in my vindication before they had condemned me with so much severity and that they should both of them have debated the businesse a little on my behalf against apparences uncertain enough How do I acknowledge my self obliged to the gods that they have ordered things so as that before my death I may let them know I have not been perfidious either to my Mistresse or my Friend and that since I have recovered my self from their reproaches by truth they shall never hear of those which I might make to them meerly out of the love and respect which I shall have for them to the very last breath Onely you will be pleased to entreat the Princesse to remember her self that notwithstanding my innocence notwithstanding my justification I am no longer worthy to serve her and that though I might hope the recovery of her affections yet durst I not presume to desire they should be cast away on a wretch persecuted by heaven and a crosse fortune and one who hath not all over the earth any place he may call his own Further that time hath been I might through the friendship and assistance of Caesar have hoped to be restored to a condition not much different from that of my Ancestors that after I had lost Caesars friendship I had recovered a Kingdom wherein she should have reigned had the gods and my cruel destiny been so pleased But that now being dispossessed of all all assistance all protection and all hope it is not fit I should lift up my eies on a Princesse whom the greatest Kings upon earth would think it a glory to serve nor indeed so much as wish my self beloved by her since she cannot affect me but upon a condition of her own unhappinesse by involving her self in the miserable destiny of the most unfortunate of mankind That all I have to do now is to dy so to put a worthy Period to this Tragedy and that I shall be able to do either by laying violent hands on my self after the example of the King my father or by Caesars wrath whereto I shall expose my self without the least fear after I have offered up to my ill fortune a victime which I am obliged to sacrifice to her That after that action whatever may be the event of it I shall endeavour to forbear disturbing the enjoyments of a person that is a thousand times dearer to me then the life which I bestow to further them and lastly that I make it my earnest suit to the gods that they never be interrupted by the memory of a wretch whose remembrance might haply occasion some disturbance in the felicities I wish her With those words reaching forth his hand to me he bad me farewell and having commanded his Squire to help me up on horseback again to come for Alexandria in order to the cure of my wounds he took another way and left me much more troubled at his discourse and the action of it then I was at the danger and pain of my wounds Being gotten on horse-back again by the assistance of his Squire I took my way towards this City much about the setting of the Sun and came into it before it was quite dark so weakened that I was hardly able to stand As to what hath passed since I shall not trouble you I was kindly entertained by Cornelius who was my ancient friend and seemed to be very much troubled at my misfortune but it was not in his power to hinder me out of any consideration of health which he pressed very much from leaving my bed assoon as ever I understood Madam I might have accesse to you to acquit my self of the charge I had taken upon me and to clear to you and Prince Marcellus the innocency of a Prince who was never guilty of any thing but by the artifices of Tiberius and our combination and who cannot justly bâ— charged with any thing either as to his Mistresse or his Friend but is the most constant and most generous of all men living I acknowledge the goodnesse of the gods in the favour they have done me to acquaint you with this truth before I dy and humbly beg it of them that this discovery which proceeding from a real repentance I now make to you may in some measure be thought a reparation of my crime It hath produced effects too too important and too too deplorable for me to hope any pardon from you though I have obtained it from him who hath been the greatest sufferer thereby and whom I had offended most but I fear me I have received my punishment from those that were my co-agents in it and that I shall not long survive the discovery of an action which must needs make me abominable in the sight of all the World Thus did Volusius put a Period to his discourse and though that towards the end of it he observed in the countenances of Cleopatra and Marcellus more compassion and grief then resentment or indignation against him yet were it that he could not any longer endure the presence of persons whom he had so highly injured or that his wounds troubled him he would not make any longer stay in the chamber and with some difficulty making a shift to rise off the chair he was sate in after he had by a gesture full of humility and the expressions of his grief taken his leave of the Prince and Princesse he passed into the outer-room where he found the persons which Cornelius had left there to bring him back to his lodgings It were no easie matter to represent what posture Marcellus and Cleopatra were in upon this relation of Volusius They