Page:The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (IA b30323241).pdf/40

VVhich conditions you ſee, cary in themſelues no more contention then aſſurance. For this is not a peace which is made with them, but this is a peace by which you are made of them. Laſtly a forgetfulneſſe decreed of all what is paſt, they ſhewing themſelues glad to haue ſo valiant men as you are, ioyned with them, ſo that you are to take mindes of peace, ſince the cauſe of warre is finiſhed; and as you hated them before like oppreſſours, ſo now to loue them as brothers; to take care of their eſtate becauſe it is yours, and to labour by vertuous doing, that the poſteritie may not repent your ioyning. But now one Article onely they ſtood vpon, which in the end I with your commiſſioners haue agreed vnto, that I ſhould no more tarry here, miſtaking perchance my humor, and thinking me as ſeditious as I am young, or elſe it is the king Amiclas procuring, in reſpect that it was my ill hap to kill his Nephew Eurileon; but how ſo euer it be; I haue condiſcended. But ſo will not we, cried almoſt the whole aſſemblie, counſelling one another, rather to try the vttermoſt euent, then to looſe him by whom they had beene victorious. But he as well with generall orations, as particular dealing with the men of moſt credit, made them througly ſee how neceſſary it was to preferre ſuch an oportunitie before a vaine affection; but yet could not preuaile, till openly he ſware, that hee would (if at any time the Lacedæmonians brake this treatie) come backe againe, and be their Captaine.

So then after a few daies, ſetting them in perfect order, he tooke his leaue of them, whoſe eyes bad him farewell with teares, and mouthes with kiſſing the places where he ſtept, and after making temples vnto him as to a demi-God: thinking it beyond the degree of humanitie to haue a wit ſo farre ouergoing his age, and ſuch dreadfull terror proceede from ſo excellent beautie. But he for his ſake obtained free pardon for Argalus, whom alſo (vpon oath neuer to beare armes againſt the Helots) hee deliuered: and taking onely with him certaine principall Iewels of his owne, hee would haue parted alone with Argalus (whoſe countenance well ſhewed, while Parthenia was loſt he counted not himſelfe deliuered) but that the whole multitude wold needes gard him into Arcadia. VVhere againe leauing them all to lament his departure, hee by enquirie got to the well-knowne houſe of Kalander: There was hee receiued with louing ioye of Kalander, with ioyfull loue of Palladius, with humble (though dolefull) demeanor of Argalus (whom ſpecially both he and Palladius regarded) with gratefull ſeruiceablenes of Clitophon, & honourable admiration of all. For being now well viewed to haue no haire on his face, to witneſſe him a man, who had done acts beyond the degree of a man, and to looke with a certaine almoſt baſhfull kinde of modestie, as if he feared the eyes of men, who was vnmooued with ſight of the moſt horrible countenances of death; and as if nature had miſtaken her worke to haue a Marſes heart in a Cupids bodie: All that beheld him (and all that might behold him, did behold him) made their eyes quicke meſſengers to their minds, that there they had ſeene the vttermoſt that in mankind might be ſeene. The like wonder Palladius had before ſtirred, but that Daiphantus, as younger and newer come, had gotten now the aduantage in the moyſt and fickle impreſſion of eye-ſight. But while all men (ſauing poore Argalus) made the ioy of their eyes ſpeake for their hearts towards Daiphantus: Fortune (that belike was bid to that banket, and meant then to play the good fellow) brought a pleaſant aduenture among them. It was that as they had newly dined, there came in to Kalander a meſſenger, that brought him word, a yong noble Lady, neare kinſewoman to the faire Helen Queene of Corinth, was comethither