Tears for a time choked her voice; but when I remained still silent and with downcast eyes, a sudden change came over her,[40] and she then resumed:—"Dearest Clitopho, anger and grief have hitherto dictated my words, but love prompts what I am now about to say; for believe me, however angry, I still burn with passion; however much wronged, I still feel love; yield to my entreaties then, and even now compassionate me! I no longer ask for joys of many days' duration, nor for the lengthened wedlock which in my folly I had dreamt of; I will be content with one amorous embrace. I ask but a little medicine to palliate this powerful disease,—extinguish, in some degree, the flame which now consumes me! Pardon me if I have spoken with too much haste and bitterness, for love when unsuccessful is pushed to phrenzy! Well aware how unseemly my conduct may appear, I am not ashamed to divulge the mysteries of Love, for I speak to one already initiated,—to one who knows by his own experience what my feelings are. Lovers alone understand the wounds felt by those who love; to all others the arrows of the god and the havoc which he makes are equally unknown. One only day remains to us. I ask the performance of your promise. Remember the temple of Isis; show regard to the oaths which you took there. Were you willing to live with me, according to the troth you plighted, I would not care for a thousand Thersanders; but having recovered your Leucippe, you may not wed another; accordingly I surrender every claim, and ask only what may easily be granted. It is vain to resist my destiny; all things evidently conspire against me,—even the dead rise up again. Cruel sea, thou hast borne me safely only to plunge me into greater ruin, bringing back to me, for my confusion, the very dead. Nor was it enough for Leucippe to revive in order to assuage the grief of Clitopho, but the savage Thersander also must needs come back. And he has dared to strike Clitopho before my eyes without my having the power to aid him; he has dared to disfigure that face upon which I doat. He must have been blind to beauty when he did so! Once more I entreat you, my Clitopho, lord, as you are, of my affections, give yourself to me now, for the first time and the last; it will be to me as if many days were crowded into one short space! so may you never more be deprived of your Leucippe; so may she never again die a fictitious death! Do not scorn my love; it has produced your greatest happiness; it has been the means of restoring to you Leucippe; had I never been enamoured of you, had I never brought you here, Leucippe would still be dead to you. Some thanks are due to good fortune, Clitopho; he who lights upon a treasure honours the spot where he discovered it; he builds an altar, he offers a sacrifice; he crowns the place with flowers; but though you have found in me a treasure full of love you despise your happy fortune! Think Love to be addressing you through my mouth, and saying, 'In this matter thou art bound to oblige me, thy tutor; initiate Melitta in my mysteries; I kindled the fire with which she burns.' Hear likewise how I have provided for your safety; you shall be set free from these chains, whether Thersander will or no, and you shall find a place of refuge with my foster-brother for as long a time as you may wish. In the morning you may expect to see Leucippe; she is to pass the night in the country for the sake of gathering herbs by moonlight,[41] for my simplicity was so imposed upon, as to believe her a Thessalian, and to ask of her a philtre to be administered to you. What else could I do, when disappointed in my wishes, than have recourse to herbs and drugs, the refuge of those who are unfortunate in love. You need be in no fear of Thersander; he has rushed out of the house in a rage, and betaken himself to one of his friends. The deity, indeed, seems to have purposely contrived his absence, that I may obtain the last favour which I ask. Let me then enjoy you, Clitopho!"
After this earnest and impassioned pleading, suggested by Love, who is a mighty master of eloquence,[42] she undid the fetters; and after kissing my hands applied them to her eyes and heart: "Feel," said she, "how my poor heart beats, agitated by fear and hope,—would that I could say, by pleasure!—and seeming to supplicate you by its palpitations." When, after setting me free, she hung about my neck in tears, I was no longer proof against human weakness; indeed I was in dread of incurring the wrath of Love[43] himself, especially as I had now recovered Leucippe, and was about to leave Melitta, so that our present connexion would be no consummation of a marriage, but simply administering relief to a love-sick soul. Yielding to these reflections I returned her kisses and embraces, and though without the help of bed or other appliances of amorous delight, nothing was left to be desired. Love, indeed, is his own teacher, and an excellent contriver,[44] and makes every place his temple; nor is there any doubt that impromptu amorous intercourse is far preferable to that which is elaborated, and that it brings with it much more genuine enjoyment.
[1] ἔνδημος ἀποδημία.
[2] τοιαύτη τις ἰσότητος τρυτάνη. "The beautiful and regular form of that great city, second only to Rome itself, comprehended a circumference of fifteen miles; it was peopled by three hundred thousand free inhabitants, besides at least an equal number of slaves."—Gibbon, vol. i. 452.
[3] See the description of his temple and statue.—Gibbon, vol. v. 108-114.
[4] The expression in the Greek is remarkable—ἄλλος ἀνέτελλεν ᾔλιος κατακερματίζων.
"Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine,
That all the world shall be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish sun."—Romeo and Juliet.
[5] ὁ πέπλος. The piece of tapestry on which Philomela, during her captivity had worked the representation of her misfortunes, and which she had conveyed to her sister Procne.—See Ovid. Met. vi. 411-676.