The loves of Clitophon and Leucippe A most elegant history, written in Greeke by Achilles Tatius: and now Englished.

The Loves of CLITOPHON AND LEVCIPPE. THE FIRST BOOKE. (Book 1)

The Argument.

Clitophon telleth his parentage. Leucippe with her mother Panthia, by reason of the wars which were at Byzantium, where they then lived, were sent by Sostratus to Hippias Clitophons father, there to live till the warres ceased. Clitophon falls in love with Leucippe; Clinias his friend instructs him how to court her.

SIdon the chiefe Citie of Phoenicia, and which gave the first originall to the Thebans, is situated on the shore of the Assyrian Sea; having to it two very faire havens, but a narrow entrance into

them: for where the right side of the Bay twines and windes, there lyes open another passage through which the water runnes again: So that the two havens being joyned together, in one of them the Ships may harbour safely in the win∣ter; in the other in the summer: Whither by the violence of the tempest being cast, I sacrifi∣ced to the Goddesse Venus, whom the Sydonians call Astarte (which solemnity is usually perfor∣med by those who have escaped the danger of the Seas) then viewing other parts of the City, and seeing the donaries which hung up in the Temples of their gods, I chanc'd to cast mine eye on a picture, wherein was most curiously re∣presented the Sea and the Land, the fable also of Europa: the sea I descried to be the Phoenici∣ans, the land the Sidonians: part of the landskip was a meadow well replenished with beautifull Virgins: in the sea a Bull swamme, bearing on his backe a maid, and bending his course to∣ward Crete: the meadow seemed to smile, being adorned with such variety of flowers and trees, whose boughes and leaves with their mutuall embracements were so wel knit and united, that they served for an arbour. The painter also had made a shade under the trees, but with such art that in some places the Sunne shone in, yet

through no bigger a space than hee pleased to leave. The whole meadow hee had environed in with sedge, under the trees were planted beds of Roses, Daffadillies, and Myrtles: Out of the earth sprang a fountaine, which dividing it selfe into many streames, watered the whole mea∣dow, flowers, and plants; nor was there one wanting who with a spade digged a passage, through which the water might the more easily diffuse it self. In that part of the meadow which toucheth upon the Sea, hee had painted the vir∣gins, seeming by their lookes to bee both mer∣ry and sad: they had garlands on their heads, their haire hung about their eares, their sandals were off, and their legges bare; their counte∣nance pale, their cheekes thinne, their eyes were fixed toward the sea, their lips standing apart, they seemed to mutter somewhat for fear; their hands pointed toward the Bull, and so neere they went toward the sea, that some part of their feet toucht the water: to be briefe, the whole posture of their body was such, that faine they would have followed the Bull, yet loath they were to expose their tender bodies to the mer∣cilesse fury of the waves.

The Sea was of two colours, for that part which was neerest the Land was of a mixt red,

the farthest and deepest of an azure colour; in it were rockes, which were made white by the some of the waves, swelling and beating against them. The Bull, Neptune (out of an awfull re∣verence as it were) gave such kinde entertain∣ment to, that the sea went backe, and where hee trod, the water which but now was as smooth as glasse, grew to a mountaine. Thus rode hee on the water, and on his backe the virgin, not a∣stride, but both her legges decently hanging downe on one side, holding in her left hand the horne, as a charioter his reines; for the Bull o∣beyed her checke, and seemed willing to bend his course which way shee pleased to steere it. The virgins upper parts were covered with a white vesture, the rest with a purple robe, yet so, as one might discerne each part through her garments, which being girt about her, were truly no other than the looking-glasse of her whole body. One hand she had on his horne, the other on his taile; and the winde, never till now painted, getting into her veile, made it swel like the sailes of a ship. About the Bull were ma∣ny Dolphins skipping and playing, whose wan∣ton gestures you would sweare to bee no others than were there painted. Little Cupid stretching out his wings, with one hand led the Bull, in his

other hand were bow and arrowes, and torches, who looking backe on Iupiter seemed to mocke him, that for his sake hee should so transforme himselfe. All other parts of the picture I much commending, but more especially this, & there∣fore looking more earnestly on it, burst out into this admiration; See how a little infant ha's the command of sea, of earth, and of heaven it selfe▪ Which speech of mine a young man that was there present, hearing, said hee found what I spake to be true by his owne experience, seeing that Love had beene the cause of all the sad dis∣asters which had ever happened unto him: Tell me Sir, said I, what in this kinde you have suffe∣red, for by your lookes you seeme to be a lover: You call me backe, said he, to the remembrance of a promiscuous and confused heape of mise∣ries, the greatnesse whereof would make them seem fabulous; I desired him for Venus sake that the relation of that should not bee troublesome to him, which thogh it were not true, yet would much delight me. So having taken him by the hand I led him to a grove adjoining to the place in which was a fine shade of plane trees, and a brooke of water, so cleare and coole, as if it had beene snow newly dissolved; there when I had placed him in a little valley, and I my selfe had

taken my seat close by him, I told him that it was now a fit time to beginne, seeing the very opportunitie of the place, which full of delight, and therefore most fit for love-tales, seemed to invite him, so he began.

I am by birth, saith he, a Phoenician, my Coun∣trey is Tyre, my name Clitophon, my Father Hip∣pias, my uncle Sostratus, my mother I remember not that ever I saw, for shee died while I was young, therefore my father married another wife, by whom he had a daughter named Cali∣go, her he intended to have espoused unto mee, but the Fates, whose power is able easily to o∣ver master the decrees of men, reserved another for me. And indeed many times the gods are wont to foretell things that shall come to passe to mortalls in a dreame, not that wee being forewarned of the evill might shunne it (for no man can withstand his desti∣ny) but that we may the more patiently endure it when it shall happen, for that which suddenly and unexpe∣ctedly assaults the heart, strikes it with a deep terror; but things foreseene, and so consequently taken heed of, whilst by degrees they entice the minde to thinke on them, doe lesse afflict it.

When I was nineteene yeeres of age, and my father not long after was about to marry mee, Fortune beganne to play her prankes with mee;

for on a time sleeping I dreamt that I was in love with a virgin, and so intimately knit unto her by the bond of affection, that wee seemed both of us to have but one soule; with her as I was sporting, me thoughts there appeared unto us a woman of a most horrid aspect, an immense stature, a rusticke countenance, bloody eyes, rough cheekes, snaky haire, holding in her left hand a torch, in her right hand a sickle, with which she gave such a stroke that shee parted us as we were embracing; at which dreame much affrighted I awak't, not revealing it to any man, but keeping it lockt up close in my breast: In the meane time letters were sent from Byzanti∣um by him whom I even now told you was my fathers brother.

Sostratus to his brother Hippias, &c.

I send unto thee my daughter Leucippe, and my wife Panthia, for at this time the Thracians wage warre with the Byzantians, keepe therefore these my deere pledges till the warre bee ended. Farewell.

My father so soone as hee had read the con∣tents

of the Letter, arose, and went downe to the sea to meet them, and not long after retur∣ned, a great number of servants and maidens, whom Sostratus had sent to attend on his wife and daughter, accompanying him. Leucippe a∣bove all the rest was costly attired, on whom I had no sooner cast mine eyes, but I straightway thought on Europa. Shee had an angry eye, yet it was qualified with a merry aspect: her eye∣browes were blacke as jet, her cheekes white as snow, onely that in the midst they were dyed with Lidian purple, her mouth was like the rose beginning to bud, so that when I had fully viewed her I was almost dead: For beauty strikes deeper than the sharpest arrow, whilst piercing throgh the eyes it opens a passage to the heart, and wounds it too. In the same moment I was forc'd to praise her stature, to be amazed at her beauty, to trem∣ble at my heart, and warily to eye her, still fea∣ring lest I should be observed; and endeavoring to draw mine eyes from her, but they would not, for being still inticed by the sweetnesse of her countenance, they obeyed not my com∣mand, but reflecting on her got the victory over mee.

When the women were brought in, and had one part of the house allotted them, my father

commanded supper to be set on the board, and that we should all sit at severall tables, he having so contrived it that hee and I should bee in the middle, the matrons on the left hand, the virgins on the right: which when I had observed, I had much adoe to forbeare kissing of my father, that he had placed the maid so luckily that I might still looke upon her; but for any supper, God knowes I ate no more than hee which dreames he eates; for still leaning my elbow on the table, I viewed her, and that was meat and drinke to me. After supper was ended, a boy came with a Lute, and tuning the strings, it gave a gentle low sound, but afterwards taking his quill, and striking up louder, hee added his voice, which made the musicke more sweet. Hee sung how Apollo complained of Daphne for flying from him, how neere he had like to have caught her, how shee was turned into a Bay tree, with the leaves whereof he made him a garland, which song added more violence to my inflamed love. For an amorous story is a great enticement to lasci∣viousnesse, and though a man may be of himselfe con∣tinent, yet he is drawne by a strong example, and the more easily, by how much the more that vice is patro∣niz'd by some great one: for shame which at the first did revoke him from offending, being posted forth by

the dignity of some one which is better than himselfe, yet guilty of the same crime, turnes into licentious∣nesse. Wherefore thus I resolved with my self, was not Apollo in love? did not he cast away all shame, and openly pursue his Daphne? whilst thou like a foole benumm'd with sloath, and o∣vercome with modesty containst thy selfe. Art thou, or wouldst thou seeme better than a god? The evening drawing on, the women went to bed first, and not long after we. Some having bestowed the pleasure of the supper on their bellies, I on mine eyes, so that I was glutted, and as it were drunk with love; wherefore I betook my selfe to my chamber where I used to lie, but slept not one winke. For nature hath so ordained, that all diseases and wounds of the body are most trou∣blesome in the night, especially when we cannot sleepe; nor is a wounded heart in a better state, for when the body moves not, it being hurt is farre more troubled, because when the eyes and eares are busied about di∣verse objects, it feeles not the goads of care, but di∣stracts the minde, so that there is no leisure left to grieve; but while the members are at ease, the minde recollecting it selfe, is sensible of its calamity, for such things which before lay as it were asleepe, are then rouzed up, & are at hand, to wit, to those that mourn, sorrow; to those that are sollicitous about any civill

affaires, distraction of thoughts; to those that are in danger, feares; to those that are in love, fire.

At length the morning approching, sleep took pitie on me, and afforded me some rest; nor then was shee out of my minde, but all my dreames were of Leucippe, with her I playd, with her I talkt, with her I supt, then enjoying more de∣light than when I was awake, for me thoughts I kist her, and that truly. Whilst I was in the midst of this delightsome fancie, one of the ser∣vants called me, whom I curst that hee had wa∣kened me out of so sweet a dreame; then rising out of my bed, I went on purpose to walke in a place that the maid mought see me, where hol∣ding downe my head I read in a booke which I brought along with me, that as often as I turned backe to her doore, I might cast mine eyes on her. Thus having done, I departed with a mind most miserably perplexed, and so I spent three dayes.

Now I had a kinsman two yeares elder than my selfe, whose father and mother were both dead, his name was Clinias, which had former∣ly beene in love, against whom I had much ex∣claimed that he should have nothing else to do, but he laughing at me, and shaking his head, re∣plyed, that the time would come when I my self

should be caught in the same snare; him I went to, and having saluted, thus I began: Ah Cli∣nias, now am I justly punished for all those scan∣dalous and opprobrious obloquies which I cast on thee, seeing I my selfe am now caught. At which clapping his hands, and most excessively laughing, he saluted me, and said, Truly I per∣ceive by thy very lookes that thou art in love. He had scarce said this, but immediately came in his friend Caricles, on whom he had formerly bestowed a most gallant horse, who comming, said, Clinias, I cannot be at rest till I have revea∣led my minde unto thee. Clinias, as if his soule had beene joyned with his, and not onely com∣passionate, but really sensible of what harmes might befall Caricles, with a stammering tongue replyed, Thou kill'st me with thy silence, tell me thy grievance, what is it troubles thee, or with whom art thou to fight? My father, said Cari∣cles, is providing me a wife, and such a blouze that I shall bee tormented with her above mea∣sure; if a handsome woman bee an evill intole∣rable, what is an ill favoured one? but my fa∣ther he gapes after her wealth, and there is no hopes of mee poore wretch, but that I must bee betrayed to a little money. Which when Cli∣nias heard, hee waxed pale, and inveighing a∣gainst

the whole sex, disswaded the young man from marriage in this wise. Doth thy Father provide thee a wife? how hast thou so ill deser∣ved at his hands, that hee should cast thee into bonds and fetters? doth not Iupiter say in the Poet?

The fire that bold Prometheus stole from me, With plagues call'd women shall revenged be, On whose alluring and enticing face Poore mortalls doting, shall their deaths imbrace.

And such truly is all pleasure wee take in any thing that is bad, not much unlike the Syrens, who deluding poore Mariners with the melo∣diousnesse of their voice, slay them.

Me thinkes the very pompe and provision (if there were no other evill in marriage) were e∣nough to deterre a man from it, the noise of mu∣sicians, the crackling of doores, dancing, sing∣ing, revelling, and the like, were able of them∣selves to make a man miserable; for in my mind one were better be in a skirmish. Were you not a Scholler you might perhaps bee ignorant what history and antiquity have related concer∣ning the wickednesse of women: but seeing you are so good a proficient in your studies, that you are able to relate to others of how many trage∣dies

womens cruelties have been the argument, how can you seeme to forget Euriphyles brace∣let, Philomela's banquet, Sthenobaeas calumny, Ae∣ropes incest, Prognes salvage murdering of her childe?

Agamemnon was ensnared with the beauty of Chryseis, Achylles of Briseis, who proved the ruine of both their armies. Candaules married a beautifull wife, and was murdered by her: Hele∣na's nuptiall torches set all Troy on fire: Nay more, the chastity of Penelope proved the death of many suiters: Phaedra slew Hippolytus whom she loved: Clytemnestra Agamemnon whom she hated. O women ready to attempt any mis∣chiefe, who are as pernicious in their love, as in their hatred! little reason was there that Aga∣memnon should be slaine, a man of so exquisite a composure for his beauty,

To be compared with th' immortall gods.

Yet though hee was endowed with such excel∣lent perfection, a woman was the death of him. And all this may bee said of those that are beau∣tifull, in whose embracements there is an indif∣ferencie of infelicitie, for beauty doth a little qualifie the calamitie, it being the onely good a∣mongst so much evill: But if as you say she bee ill-favoured, the misery is farre greater, and no

man able to endure it, especially a proper man, and in the spring of his youth, as you are. By all the gods, Caricles, make not a slave of thy selfe, nor suffer the flower of thy age to bee cropt be∣fore its time; doe not, as thou lovest mee, spoile thy selfe, by letting so fresh a rose bee pluckt by the hand of so rude a husbandman. Then Cari∣cles answered, This hath beene as much my care as the gods, who (I thanke them) have given me respite to bethinke my selfe, so at my leasure I will consider better on it; but now I must to the horse-race, for as yet I have not tryed the horse which thou gavest me, this bodily exercise may perhaps somewhat asswage the griefe of my minde; so he departed and run his first and his last race.

Now I proceed to tell thee Clinias how my affaires stand with me, how I fell in love, the sa∣tiety I had in seeing Leucippe, the hearty meale I made on her beauty, and now me thinks I speak I know not what, my griefe having distracted me; for love hath poured all his fury on me, not allotting me so much time as to sleepe, Leucippe is still in my minde, still in my sight, nor is there any hope of release, since the cause of my griefe lives at home with me. Sure, saith Clinias, these are the words of a madman, could you desire a

fairer opportunity for your love, seeing you need not stirre out of doores, nor use a spokes∣man for you to your mistresse? Fortune hath not onely bestowed her on thee, but hath put her in the same house with thee; other lovers count it a great happinesse but to see her whom they affect, and getting but an houres confe∣rence, they thinke they have attained the full height of that happinesse, but thou seest her, tal∣kest with her, art ever in her company, dinest and suppest with her, yet complainest, wherein thou arguest thy selfe guiltie of the greatest of∣fence that can bee committed against Love, to wit, ingratitude; for doest thou not know that beauty is far more pleasant to the eye, than the hand; to the sight, than the touch? For while the eyes look mutually each on other, they receive the ima∣ges of our bodies like looking-glasses, whence those sparkes of beauty being sent, and conveyed into our soules through our eyes, they are united, though our bodies be separate: which conjunction is farre more sweet than that of the body. The event as I guesse will be very successefull, for the eyes being as it were loves factors, your living with her will be of much consequence, company and society be∣ing so prevalent, that the very bruit beasts being among men a while wax tame, and shall not a

woman? Againe you have another advantage, in as much as you are both of one age. But you must commend her above measure, for every maid would faine be accounted faire, and is ne∣ver gladder than when shee is wooed, and will still be praising her sweet heart, as the witnesse of her beauty; and if there bee any with whom no man was ever in love, shee scarce beleeves that she is handsome, though perhaps shee bee. Therefore I counsell you to make it your chie∣fest care to possesse her so farre forth with your minde, that she may perceive you love her, and you shall see that not long after shee will follow your example, and love you again. But by what meanes may I effect that which you tell me? you have given me a remedy, but I would desire you that you would prescribe me how I shall apply it, for you have been a scholler in Loves schoole longer than my selfe. What shall I doe, or what shall I say? You need not, saith Clinias, learne of others, for in this case every man is his owne master, children are not taught to sucke, for by naturall instinct they know there is milke provi∣ded for them in the dugge; so young men being first pregnant with love, need not the helpe of a midwife to bring them to bed. Though thy tor∣ment grow greater by delay, yet feare not, thou

shalt have a happie deliverie, onely take some generall notions of such things as are common, and need not the opportunitie of time to further them, which are in briefe these.

First, be sure you talke not obscenely to her, but dispatch your loves with silence, for women though they be most lascivious and wanton, yet in this they are modest, detesting to heare that spoken, which they make no bones of doing, accounting the words more filthie than the deed. Those that have made shipwrack of their virginitie will suffer you to talke more freely, and perhaps will in plaine termes reveale their minde; but maidens have other preludiums to their loves, a nod or a becke. Therefore if you talk wantonly to her she will blush, and be much offended, esteeming it a great injurie to her ho∣nour, and though she may entirely love you, yet shame not suffering her to give consent, you may quite take off the edge of her affection.

Next if you have tried any other means, and thereby have displeased her, so that shee chide you, make no reply, but by little and little draw neare and get a kisse from her, For a kisse to a wil∣ling minde is a silent petition, to an unwilling a prayer.

Againe, if you see her resisting, yet doe not

you give off, for in this matter much circumspe∣ction is requisite; yet be sure if you see her ob∣stinate, use no violence, being that shee is never past all perswasions, how backward ere she may seeme.

Lastly, if nothing will prevaile, dissemble with her, and I doubt not but thou mayest bring to passe thy intended purpose.

Then I replyed, thou hast furthered me much O Clinias, in my love, but I feare this happinesse will turne to my mischiefe, and more enflame me, which if it do, what course shall I take, I can∣not marrie her, for my father hath betrothed me to another, and shee none of the unhandso∣mest, but I at this time can no more judge of her beauty than a blinde man, nor can I see ought any where but Leucippe, by reason whereof I am distracted betwixt love to Leucippe and obedi∣ence to my father: how shall I decide this con∣troversie, seeing necessitie fights against nature? I would give sentence on my fathers side, but I have so potent an adversarie I cannot, hee threa∣tens to torment me, pleading his cause with ar∣rowes, and torches in his hand: I will obey him, father, for I am encompassed with flames of fire; thus did I reason about the god Love, when suddenly one of Caricles familiar friends came

in, in whose countenance you might reade some ill message, whom as soone as Clinias saw, he said certainly some ill is befalne my friend Caricles, which words hee had scarce uttered, but the messenger replyed, Caricles is dead.

At which words Clinias was so astonisht, that he neither spake nor moved, but stood like one that were thunder-strucken. The boy going on with his message, said, O Clinias, Caricles moun∣ted on thy horse, at the first put him gently for∣wards, till hee had finished two or three races, and then let him rest, but the reines being slack∣ned, and he sitting on him, wiping off the sweat, wherewith the saddle was wet, some noise was made behinde him, at which the horse affrigh∣ted ranne up and downe like mad, biting the bridle, and wreathing his necke to and fro, and mounting with his two fore feet, whilst the two hindmost hasted to follow them, he was hurri∣ed like a ship in a tempest, and at last fell back∣wards: poore Caricles shaken with his praun∣cing, was one while throwne backe on his taile, another while forward on his maine, and with this waving up and downe was most miserably vexed; at length when he could no longer hold the bridle in his hand, hee committed himselfe wholly to the blast of Fortune, but then the

horse being most vehemently enraged, turned out of the path way, and flung into a wood ad∣joyning, where he dasht the poore young man against a tree, who tumbling out of his saddle, and thereby freed by a lesse torment from a greater, had his face wounded in as many places as there were prickles on the tree, but his bodie tangled in the bridle, and not onely affrighting the horse by its fall, but hindring him in his flight, he trampled on, and hath so defaced him, that now you can scarce know him. Clinias at this held his peace for a while, at length as though hee had begg'd leave of his griefe, hee burst forth into a most bitter crie, and ranne straightway to the carcasse; whom I followed, administring him what comfort I could: meane time Caricles was brought forth, a most lamenta∣ble spectacle, so torne and mangled that none of the standers by could refraine weeping at the sight of him. Moreover, his father being at that time present, and a sad beholder of his dead sonne, with many a sigh and beating of the brest burst out into this lamentation:

What a one was thou when thou wentest from home, and what a one art thou return'd? O the accursed art of riding! thou truly dyd'st no common death, for other men though dead

have something left that may speake them men, but thou hast not: In other carcasses, whether the lineaments or the beautie of the face perish, yet there is some effigies left, which deluding the spectators with hope that they are asleepe, abates their griefe. Death truly robbes a man of his soule, but usually leaves his body un∣toucht, yet this also hath thy injurious face vio∣lated, wherefore thou art twice dead, first in thy soule, next in thy body, out of which thy breath is fled, yet I finde thee not there neither. When wilt thou marry now my sonne, when shal I pro∣vide for thy wedding O thou unskilfull and un∣happie rider? Thou art now espoused to death: wherefore I must for thy chamber give thee thy sepulchre, for thy marriage song a funerall ele∣gie: I hoped to have kindled other lights for thee, but envious fortune, together with thy life hath put them out, and in stead of them hath kindled funerall torches.

In this manner did the father bewaile the sonne, but Clinias on the contrary (for the father and the friend strived to out-vie one another in their griefes) said thus: I truly have beene the sole cause of what evill hath befallen Caricles, for why should I give him that fatall gift? have I not a golden goblet in which I sacrifice? would

not that have beene a present farre more accep∣table to him? but I unhappy wretch must be∣stow this horse on him, tricking him up with sil∣ver trappings, golden bridle, and other orna∣ments for his breast and forehead, all this did I doe for him which slew thee. O salvage and un∣thankful beast, abhorring from all acknowledg∣ment of thy masters love! he commended thy pace, wiped off thy sweat, and promised thee that thou shouldest runne in a fat pasture, yet for all his promise, for all his commendation, thou slewest him: me thinks thou shouldst have been glad of so faire a burden, and not have cast it on the ground.

After wee had dispatcht his funerall rites, I ranne straightway to Leucippe, who was then in our garden. There was a grove of a most plea∣sant aspect, environed with a row of trees thinly set, and all of one height; whose foure sides, for there were so many in all, were covered with a shelter, which stood on foure pillars, the inner part was planted with all sorts of trees, whose boughes flourisht, and mutually embrac'd each other, growing so thicke, that their leaves and fruit were promiscuously mingled; upon the bigger trees grew ivie, some of it on the soft plane trees, other some sticking to the pitch

tree made it tenderer by its embracements; so by this meanes the tree served to beare up the ivie, and the ivie was a crowne to the tree: on both sides many fruitfull Vines bound with reeds spread forth their branches, which dis∣playing their seasonable blossomes through the bands, seemed like the curled lockes of some young lover. The walkes which the trees han∣ging over shaded, were here and there enlight∣ned, whilst the leaves driven this way and that way with the winde, made roome for the sunne to shine through. Moreover, divers flowers strived as it were to shew their beauty; the daf∣fadilly and the rose, whose beauties were equal, made the earth of a purple colour, the upper part of the rose leaves was of the colour of blood and violets, the lower part white as milk; the daffadilly differed not at all from the lower part of the rose; the violets were of the colour of the sea when it is calme; in the midst of the flowers sprang up a fountaine, which was first received in a fouresquare bason, and running from thence it fed a little rivulet made with hand: in the grove were birds, some used to the house, and to bee fed by the hands of men, others more free sported on the tops of trees, some of them being eminent for their singing,

as the grashopper and the swallow, some of them againe for their painted wings, as the pea∣cocke, the swanne, and the parrot. The grashop∣per sung of Aurora's bed, the swallow of Te∣reus table; the swan was feeding neare the head of the fountaine; the parrot hung on the bough of a tree in a cage: the peacocke stretching forth his golden plumes, seemed to contend in beau∣tie not onely with the rest of the birds, but even with the flowers themselvers, for to say truth, his feathers were flowers: wherefore willing to g••••e her a hint of my intended love, I fell in talke with Satyrus my fathers man (who was at that time in the garden) taking the argument of my speech from the peacocke, which by some chance spread her wings just over against him: This peacocke (said I) doth not all this for no∣thing, for being in love, and desiring to allure that female to him which he most affects, thus he deckes himselfe. Looke (and then I pointed with my finger) doe you not see that peahenne under the plane tree, to her he shews all his bra∣very, that meadow and garden of his wings which flourisheth more than this, for in his taile which is distinguished with a row of eyes, that part which resembles gold, is on every side clo∣thed with purple. Then Satyrus well perceiving

the drift of my speech, and to what it tended, replyed: The power of Love is so great, that it extendeth not onely to birds, but serpents, foure-footed beasts, and (as it seemes to mee) even stones; for the load-stone loves the iron, which if it but see or touch, it drawes to it, as if it were some amorous flame: for what is it in the stone but a kissing of the iron? Concerning trees, now that they are in love one with ano∣ther it is the common received opinion of Phi∣losophers, which I should thinke fabulous, did not the experience of all husbandmen sub••••ribe unto it, that the palme trees are distinguished by sexes, and that rhe male is much in love with the female, for if she be planted farre from him, he waxeth dry and withereth: wherefore the husbandman gets to the top of some hill, and markes which way the male inclines, (for hee bowes toward the female) and finding his dis∣ease, he administers a remedy by taking a cions of the female, and ingrafting it into the male, with which he is much recreated, and moving his body seemes to be rouzed, revived, and de∣lighted with the embracements of his beloved; and these are the marriages of trees. There is another wedding betweene the river Alphaeus and the fountaine Arethusa, this river passes

through the sea with no more alteration than through the earth, for it relishes not at all of the salt water, so that by this meanes hee arrives safely at the fountaine Arethusa; every five years or at the celebration of the Olympicke games, many will fling divers toyes into the river, which he presently conveyes as love tokens to his mistresse Arethusa. Among serpents there is another kinde of love, for the viper is in love with the lamprell; now this lamprell is like a serpent, yet as usually eaten as any fish: when they would come together, the viper standing on the shore and hissing toward the sea, gives no∣tice to the lamprell, shee having perceived it, comes out of the water, yet hastens not straight way to her bridegroome, whom she knowes to have poisonous and deadly teeth, but getting upon some rock, stayes there till he hath cast his venome, then they stand and view one another, but as soone as the lover hath freed his mistresse from all feare, by casting his poison on the ground, shee slides off the rocke and embraces him.

While these love-stories were a telling, I nar∣rowly observed how Leucippe was affected with them, who seemed to me to heare them gladly; but let them say what they will, Leucippes coun∣tenance

farre surpassed the rare and exquisite splendour of the peacocke, nay the whole gar∣den, for in her forehead were daffadillies, in her cheekes roses, in her eyes violets, her locks were more curled than the twining Ivie, and every part held such correspondence with the garden, that I may truly say the best flowers were in her face. Not long after she departed, being called away to her Lute; but to me she was still present, imprinting her image in mine eyes at her depar∣ture. Then beganne Satyrus and I to applaud each other, I him that he had told such fine sto∣ries, and he me, that I had given him the hint: immediately it was supper time, and wee sate downe in the same order as before.

The end of the first Booke.