In the evening, under pretence of his stomach being disordered, he went out: in a short time we heard a great noise, and suddenly a number of powerful men burst into the room, sword in hand, and turned towards the maiden. Seeing my dearest life about to be carried off, I rushed into the midst of them armed as they were, and received a wound in the thigh, from the effect of which I fell bathed in blood; they immediately put Leucippe into a boat and rowed away. Aroused by the disturbance and alarm caused by this occurrence, the commandant of the isle came up whom I had known when with the army. I exhibited my wound, and earnestly besought him to pursue the pirates. Accordingly, throwing himself and the soldiers with him into one of the many boats which were in the harbour, he gave them chase; I likewise was among the number, having caused myself to be lifted in.
When the pirates saw that we were gaining upon them and were prepared for an attack, they placed the maiden upon the deck with her hands bound behind her; some of them, after calling out in a loud voice, "Behold the prize you wish to win," severed her head from her body, and threw the trunk into the sea. Upon beholding this I uttered a loud cry and was on the point of casting myself into the water, but was prevented by those standing near me; I then requested the crew to lie upon their oars, that some one might jump into the sea and if possible recover the body for burial; they complied with my request and two of the sailors throwing themselves over the boat's side, got hold of the corpse and brought it on board. Meanwhile the pirates plied their oars still more vigorously, and when we were again nearing them they caught sight of another vessel, and recognizing those in her, hailed them to come to their assistance; these latter were purple-fishers[11] and like the others pirates. The commandant, seeing the odds against him, became alarmed and gave orders to back water,[12] for the pirates instead of continuing their flight, were now eager to provoke an engagement. Upon reaching the shore and landing, I threw myself upon the body and shed bitter tears.—"Thou hast indeed died a double death, my dearest Leucippe,"[13] I exclaimed, "divided as thou art between land and sea; I have a remnant of thee, but thou thyself art lost to me; the division is unfair, for thy larger portion which I possess (thy body) is in reality, thy lesser, (considering its worth,) while the sea, in retaining the lesser part (thy head[14]), is in fact guilty of retaining all; since cruel Fortune envies me the happiness of kissing thy fair face, I will at least kiss thy neck." After giving vent to these lamentations, I had the body interred, and returned to Alexandria, where much against my will my wound was dressed, and where I continued to live a miserable life, though Menelaus did all in his power to console me. At the expiration of six months, the violence of my grief began to subside; time acts as medicine upon sorrow and heals the wounds which have been inflicted upon the soul, for the light of day, and the bright sun are full of cheerfulness, and though the mind may be fevered by excess of sorrow for a time, yet it is gradually cooled and overcome by the persuasive influence of time.
One day, when walking in the public square, some one came behind me, and without speaking a word, seized my hand, turned me round, and warmly embraced me. For a few moments I knew not who the party was, overcome by surprise I mechanically suffered myself to be embraced; at length, upon looking up and seeing his features, who should it prove to be but Clinias, so uttering a cry of joy, I returned his embrace with ardour. We then retired to my lodging, where I told him the particulars of Leucippe's death, and he related to me the manner of his escape.—"When the ship went to pieces," said he, "I laid hold of one end of the sailyard, which was already crowded with people, and endeavoured to hang on; after we had been tossed about for some time, a great wave overtaking us raised and dashed the yard against a sunken rock, from which it rebounded like an engine, and shot me off as though I had been hurled from a sling. I swam during the rest of the day, but with little hope of being saved; at length, when exhausted and abandoning myself to the will of Fortune, I espied a vessel bearing down towards me; so alternately lifting up my hands, I supplicated help by gestures. Moved by pity, or perhaps merely obeying the impulse of the wind, the ship came near me, and while running by, one of the sailors cast a rope over the side; I seized it, and was thus drawn out of the jaws of death. The vessel was bound for Sidon, and some of those on board to whom I was known showed me every kindness. We arrived at the above city after two days' sail, when I requested the Sidonians on board (the merchant Xenodamas, and his father-in-law Theophilus), not to mention to any of the Tyrians whom they might meet, the circumstance of my being preserved from shipwreck. I did not wish any one to know that I had been away from home, and if those two preserved silence in the matter, I had hopes that nothing would be discovered; five days only had elapsed since my disappearance, whereas if you recollect, I had told my servants that I was going into the country for ten days; and fortunately I found this to be the prevalent belief among my friends. Your father did not return home until two days after this, upon his arrival he found a letter from his brother, Sostratus (which came the very day after our departure), in which he offered you his daughter's hand. Upon reading it and hearing of our flight your father was in great trouble, both because you had missed the prize intended for you, and because after so nearly bringing matters to a favourable issue, Fortune had failed merely through delay in the arrival of the letter. Not wishing his brother to know what had happened, he enjoined secrecy upon Leucippe's mother, thinking it probable he should be able to discover you, or at any rate, that upon hearing of the betrothment, you would both gladly return, having it in your power to realize the object of your flight. He is now using every endeavour to find you out; and only a few days ago, Diophantus of Tyre, just returned from Egypt, informed him that he had seen you here; immediately upon hearing this, I took ship, sailed hither, and have for more than a week been seeking you in this city. As your father will soon be here, it is time for you to decide upon some plan." He ceased speaking, and I could not help inveighing bitterly against the cruel sport of Fortune. "How unfortunate is my lot, my uncle Sostratus gives me the hand of Leucippe, and sends me a bride from the theatre of war, so exactly measuring the time as to avoid anticipating our flight. My good luck and happiness comes just one day too late![15] Marriage and the nuptial hymn is talked of when death has claimed his victim, and it is a time for tears! Whom do they now offer me for a bride? Even her whose corpse I am not permitted to possess entire!" "You have no leisure for lamentations now," said Clinias; "what you have to settle is, whether you will return to your own country or await your father's arrival here."—"I will do neither the one nor the other," I replied; "how can I look my father in the face, after basely flying from his house, and enticing away her whom his own brother had entrusted to his charge? Nothing remains but to quit this city before he comes." At this moment Menelaus came in, accompanied by Satyrus, and upon seeing Clinias they hastened to embrace him. When informed by us of the state of affairs,—"You have an opportunity," said Satyrus, "of prosperously settling all your affairs, and of taking pity upon a heart which burns with love towards you. Listen," continued he, addressing Clinias, "Venus has thrown a piece of good fortune in the way of Clitopho which he is unwilling to accept; a lady, by name Melitta, a native of Ephesus is doatingly in love with him; so rare is her beauty, that it fits her for a sculptor's model.[16] She is rich and young, and has lately lost her husband who was drowned at sea; she earnestly desires to make Clitopho, I will not say merely her husband but her 'lord paramount,'[17] and freely surrenders to him herself and all she has. She has passed two whole months here, endeavouring to persuade him. Yet he, heaven knows why, looks coldly upon her, and slights her suit, imagining, I suppose, that Leucippe will come to life again."
"In my opinion," replied Clinias, "Satyrus speaks sensibly; it is no time for hesitation and delay, when beauty, health, wealth, and love combine to woo you; her beauty will yield you delight, her wealth will supply the means of luxurious enjoyment, and her love will gain consideration for you; consider, moreover, that the deity hates pride and arrogance, so follow the advice of Satyrus and yield to destiny."—"Well then," said I, with a deep sigh, "do with me what you will, since Clinias is of your opinion; one stipulation I make, however, that I am not to be pressed to consummate the marriage until we arrive at Ephesus, for I have taken a solemn oath to be connected with no woman in this city where I have been bereaved of my Leucippe." Upon hearing me say this, Satyrus hastened to Melitta with the joyful tidings, and shortly after returned and said, that upon learning them, she had nearly fainted from excess of joy; he was also the bearer of an invitation to me to come to supper as a prelude to the marriage. I complied and proceeded to her house. No sooner did she see me, than falling on my neck she covered me with kisses. I must do her the justice of saying that she was really beautiful; her complexion was fair as milk, but tinted with the rose,[18] her bright and sunny look was worthy of Venus herself, and she had a profusion of long golden hair, so that upon the whole I could not look at her without some pleasurable emotions.
A costly supper was served, she now and then took some of the viands for appearance sake, but in reality ate nothing, feeding her eyes on me. Lovers find their chief delight in gazing upon the beloved; and when once this tender passion has taken possession of the soul, there is no time or desire for taking food. The pleasure conceived by the eyes flows through them into the mind, bears along with it the image of the beloved, and impresses its form upon the mirror of the soul; the emanation of beauty darting like secret rays and leaving its outline on the love-sick heart.[19] I said to her, "Why is it that you touch none of your own delicacies?—you are like one of those who sup on the painter's canvas."—"The sight of you," replied she, "is more to me, than the choicest viands and the richest wines," accompanying the words with one of her kisses which I began to receive with some degree of pleasure; "this," said she after a pause, "is meat and drink to me."
In this manner did supper pass; at night she used every endeavour to persuade me to remain and share her bed; I however excused myself urging the same reason which I had previously advanced to Satyrus. Much against her will she allowed me to depart, upon the understanding that next day we should meet in the temple of Isis, in order to arrange matters and to plight our troth in presence of the goddess; accordingly I went thither the following morning accompanied by Clinias and Menelaus, and we took a mutual oath, I to love her in all sincerity; she, to take me for her husband and to give me the control of all her property. I reminded her that the performance of these promises was to be deferred until we should arrive at Ephesus, "for as long as we are here," I said, "you must give place to my Leucippe." Another magnificent banquet was prepared, which was in name but not in reality the marriage supper, for as I have said, the consummation of our nuptials was postponed. During the entertainment, when the guests were wishing heath and happiness to the new married pair, Melitta turning to me, said half in jest, half in earnest, "How flat, stale, and unprofitable is all this, like the empty honours sometimes bestowed upon the dead; I have often heard of a tomb without a body, but never till now of a wedding without a consummation."[20] The next morning, induced by a favourable wind, we sailed from Alexandria; Menelaus accompanied us to the port, and after many embraces and wishes for my having a more prosperous voyage than formerly, took his leave; he was in all respects a worthy and excellent young man, and we mutually shed tears at parting. Clinias would not leave me, but determined to accompany us as far as Ephesus, and after remaining there some time, to return, as soon as my affairs were comfortably settled. The wind continued in our favour the whole day, and at night after supper we retired to rest in a cabin which had been parted off for me and Melitta in the hull of the vessel. We had no sooner entered it, then throwing her arms around me she urged me to consummate our marriage. "We are now," she said, "beyond the boundaries sacred to Leucippe, and within those where you are pledged to perform your promise. What need is there to delay until we arrive at Ephesus? Remember, the sea is not to be depended on, the winds are faithless! Believe me, Clitopho, I burn; would that I should actually show the intenseness of the fire! would that it possessed the same nature as the ordinary fires of love; that so I might inflame you by my embraces! but, alas! it has a nature peculiar to itself, and the flame which usually extends its influence to both the lovers, in my case burns only its possessor! Strange and mystic fire, which refuses to quit its own peculiar precints; dearest Clitopho, let us begin the rites of Venus!"—"Do not," I replied, "urge me to forget that reverence which is due to the departed; we cannot be said to have passed the limits sacred to her memory until we arrive in another country. Have you not heard how she perished in the sea? I am therefore still sailing over Leucippe's grave; nay more, her shade may even now be flitting around our vessel: it is said that the souls of those who have found a watery grave do not descend to Hades, but wander about the surface of the waves; for aught we know, she may appear to us in the midst of our embrace. Besides, can you consider the tossing waves of the uncertain sea, a fitting place for consummating a bridal? Would you wish to have a fluctuating and unstable marriage bed?"—"Dearest," she resumed, "lovers need no feather-bed,[21] every place is accessible to the god of love; nay, rather is the sea a most proper and fitting place for celebrating the mysteries of Venus. Is not that goddess daughter of the sea: in honouring her shall we not be paying homage to her mother? Everything around us, moreover, is emblematic of the marriage rites; above us is the sailyard (resembling in form a yoke[22]) encircled by its ropes;—what can more fitly symbolise a wedding than a yoke and bands? close to our bed is the rudder,[23] emblem of safe arrival within the port; Fortune herself is clearly guiding our nuptials to a happy issue. Neptune himself, who wedded a sea-bride, will wait upon us with his choir of Nereids; and the winds which sigh so softly among the ropes seem to be chanting our nuptial song; look too, at the bellying canvas, how it resembles a pregnant womb; even this is not without its propitious meaning, for it tells me that ere long you will be a father!"
Seeing her become so pressing and so excited, I replied,—"Let us, if you will, continue to discuss these subtle points until we reach our destination; I swear to you by the sea itself and by the fortune of our voyage, that I am as impatient as yourself; but remember that even the sea has its peculiar laws; and I have often heard say from ancient mariners that ships must not be made the scenes of amorous delights, either as being sacred in themselves,[24] or because wanton pleasure is unseemly amid the perils of the ocean. Let us not then, my love, cast insult upon the sea, or cause our nuptials to be distracted by alarms, rather let us keep in store for ourselves pure and unalloyed delight." These arguments mingled with kisses and endearments, produced the desired effect; and we passed the remainder of the night in sleep. Five days more, brought us to Ephesus; Melitta's house was one of the finest in the city, it was spacious and handsomely furnished, and she had a numerous establishment. After ordering a handsome supper she proposed that we should in the meanwhile visit her country-house, which was not more than half a mile out of town; we rode there in her carriage, and then getting out walked about in the kitchen-garden.[25] Suddenly a female approached and threw herself at Melitta's feet; she had on heavy fetters and held in her hand a hoe, her hair had been cut off, her whole appearance was squalid, and her clothing consisted of a sorry tunic. "Lady," she exclaimed, "have pity upon one of your own sex, who once was free, but is now by the caprice of Fortune, a slave."—"Rise up," replied Melitta, "and tell me who you are and from whence you came, and by whom you have been thus fettered; for though in rags and misery your countenance bespeaks good birth."—"I received this treatment from your bailiff,[26]" resumed the woman, "because I refused to gratify his desires; my name is Lacæna and I am from Thessaly; I throw myself upon your mercy, beseeching you to release me from this wretched condition, and to guarantee my safety till I shall have paid the two thousand drachmas, for which Sosthenes purchased me from the hands of pirates; the sum shall soon be raised, and until then I am willing to remain your slave. See," she continued, "how cruelly I have been used," and opening her tunic she shewed her back[27] furrowed with stripes, a pitiable sight. Her voice and appearance overwhelmed me with strange feelings, for I seemed to recognize in her a resemblance to Leucippe. Addressing her, "Be comforted," said Melitta, "I will have you set at liberty and will send you home without ransom,"—then speaking to a slave, "Summon here Sosthenes!" The unhappy woman was then disincumbered of her fetters, and the steward made his appearance in great trepidation.—"Villain," said Melitta, "did you ever see any one, even among the most ill-conditioned of my slaves, used so shamefully?—tell me instantly, without any shuffling, who this female is."
"Mistress," replied the fellow, "all I know is, that a merchant, called Callisthenes, sold her to me, saying that he had bought her from some pirates, that she was free-born, and named Lacæna." Melitta instantly degraded him from his office, but her she entrusted to the charge of her maid-servants, with orders to have her washed, decently dressed, and conducted to the city; then, after settling the business which had brought her thither, we rode back, and sat down to supper. While we were thus employed, Satyrus with a very serious countenance motioned to me to come out of the room: I did so, making some trifling excuse, when without uttering a word he put into my hand a letter, which even before reading it, filled me with consternation, for I recognized Leucippe's writing;—the contents were these:—
"Leucippe, to my master Clitopho.
"I am in duty bound to address you by this title, since you are united in marriage to my mistress. Although you are well aware of my sufferings on your account, it is necessary for me to remind you of them. For you I left the protection of my mother and became a wanderer; for you I suffered shipwreck and endured captivity among pirates; for you I became an expiatory victim and underwent a second death; for you I have been sold to slavery, bound in letters, made to bear a mattock and to hoe the ground; for you I have been beaten with the scourge;—and all this in order that you might become wedded to another woman—for suppose not that I will give myself up to any other man. No! I have borne, and without a murmur, all these ills, and you, exempt from them, have been enabled to form new marriage ties; if therefore you are impressed with any sense of the sufferings which I have undergone for love of you, urge your wife to send me home in accordance with her promise, and undertake to be security for the payment of the two thousand drachmas, which on my return, as I shall not be far from Byzantium, I will procure and send; though supposing you should have to pay them out of your own purse, it will only be a trifling compensation for all that I have suffered in jour behalf. Farewell, and may happiness attend your marriage—and remember that she who writes this letter has preserved her honour undefiled."
Upon reading these lines, I became a prey to a succession of conflicting feelings; love, fear, astonishment, doubt, joy, grief, by turns took possession of my mind.