Anonymous

“ Antiochus, the king of Antioch, (from whom the city takes its name,) had a daughter of such uncommon beauty, that when she came of marriageable years, she was sought after with the greatest eagerness. But on whom to bestow her was a source of much anxiety to the king; and, from frequently contemplating the exquisite loveliness of her face, the delicacy of her form, and the excellence of her disposition, he began to love her with more than a father's love. He burned with an unhallowed flame, and would have excited a simultaneous feeling in his daughter. ”

“ I preserved my virtue, when attacked by the brutal Leno. The wounds of the mind linger, and tears fail. In me behold the only offspring of a royal house. Contain your tears, and limit your anxiety. Look up to heaven, and raise your thoughts above. The Creator and Supporter of mankind is God; nor will He permit the tears of his virtuous servants to be shed in vain." As she concluded, Apollonius fixed his eyes upon the girl, and groaned deeply. ”

“ Guido arose, and took away the weapon. "My beloved," said he, "your words alarm me. I have vowed to God, that I will visit the Holy Land. The best opportunity is the present, before old age come upon me. Be not disturbed; I will soon return." Somewhat comforted with this assurance, she presented to him a ring. "Take this ring, and as often as you look upon it in your pilgrimage, think of me. I will await, with patience, your return." The knight bade her farewell, and departed in company with Tyrius. ”

“ You ought to live and be glad." Apollonius irritated at the girl's pertinacity, arose and pushed her from him with his foot. She fell, and cut her cheek, from which the blood copiously flowed. Terrified at the wound she had received, she burst into tears and exclaimed, "O thou eternal Architect of the heavens! look upon my afflictions. Born amid the waves and storms of the ocean, my mother perished in giving life to her daughter. Denied rest even in the grave, she was deposited in a chest, with twenty gold sestertia, and thrown into the sea. ”

“ Tempted by the devil he gave way to the most horrible desires; and finally, in spite of the pleading of the wretched girl, violated every law both human and divine. Her tears, if tears could have retrieved the ignominy, had been enough: she wept bitterly, and refused all comfort; although the emperor attempted to console her, and evinced the excess of grief and love. About the middle of the year, as they sat at table, the brother narrowly scrutinized his sister's looks. "My beloved sister," said he, "why dost thou change colour? the upper part of thine eyelids darken." ”

“ When the mother perceived the agony of her child, she said, "Dear son, for the residue of my life, I will expiate our crimes, by hardships and wanderings. Thou shalt govern the kingdom." "Not so," returned he, "do you remain, my mother. I will roam about, until our sins are forgiven."
The same night he arose; broke his lance, and put on the dress of a pilgrim. He bade his mother farewell, and, with naked feet, walked till he reached the uttermost boundaries of the kingdom. Having entered a certain city, he sought out the house of a fisherman, with whom he requested permission to lodge. ”

“ An archer, catching a little bird called a nightingale, was about to put her to death. But being gifted with language, she said to him, "What will it advantage you to kill me? I cannot satisfy your appetite. Let me go and I will give you three rules, from which you will derive great benefit, if you follow them accurately." Astonished at hearing the bird speak, he promised her liberty on the conditions she had stated. "Hear, then," said she, "never attempt impossibilities: secondly, do not lament an irrecoverable loss: thirdly, do not credit things that are incredible. ”

“ He did so, and the mean while, the master read to him from a book. "What see you?" he asked. "I see," said the knight, "a certain clerk in my house, with an image of wax which resembles me, and which he has fastened in the wall." "Look again," continued the master; "what do you perceive now?"
"He takes a bow, and places in it a sharp arrow; and now he aims at the effigy."
"As you love your life, the moment you discern the arrow flying to its mark, place yourself in the bath, and remain there, until I tell you to come out." ”

“ Early the next morning the city bell rang, and the judge sentenced him to be crucified. Amongst those who followed to witness his execution, was the knight whom he had befriended; and the former, seeing him led toward the cross, was struck with the resemblance to his old acquaintance, "What," cried he, "shall he be crucified, and I alive?" Shouting, therefore, with a loud voice, he said, "My friends! destroy not an innocent man. I am the murderer, and not he." ”

“ Augustine tells us in his book "De Civitate Dei," that Diomedes, in a piratical galley, for a long time infested the sea; plundering and sinking many ships. Being captured by command of Alexander, before whom he was brought, the king enquired how he dared to molest the seas. "How darest thou," replied he, "molest the earth? Because I am master only of a single galley, I am termed a robber; but you, who oppress the world with huge squadrons, are called a king and a conqueror. Would my fortune change, I might become better; but as you are the more fortunate, so much are you the worse." ”

“ I am willing to die; and for heaven's love command me to be put to death." The judge then turning to the knight of Baldac, "And you, my friend! why did you avow yourself the murderer?" "My lord," replied he, "this knight bestowed upon me a wife, whom he had previously educated for himself, with an infinite store of wealth. When, therefore, I perceived my old and valued friend reduced to such an extremity, and saw him led rudely to the cross, I proclaimed myself the murderer. ”

“ This threw Jonathan into the greatest distress—"Am I mad," cried he, "that after the loss of my ring, I should give up the necklace?" Immediately hastening to his mother, he related to her the whole circumstance. Not a little afflicted, she said, "O my dear child, how canst thou place confidence in a woman who has twice deceived thee? People will believe thee a fool: but be wise, for I have nothing more for you than the valuable cloth which your father left: and if you lose that, it will be quite useless returning to me." Jonathan received the cloth, and again went to his studies. ”

“ These things considered, were I lord of the universe, I could not rejoice." "Now then," answered the king, "I will reply to your question of yesterday; I am, on my throne, as you on that frail chair. For my body is its emblem, supported by four decayed feet, that is, by the four elements. The pit below me, is hell; above my head is the sword of divine justice, ready to take life from my body. Before me is the sword of death; behind, the sword of sin, ready to accuse me at the tribunal of God. The weapon on the right hand is the devil ”

“ The carpenter did as he was directed; he took the cakes and weighed them in his hand, one after another, and finding that with the earth weigh heaviest, he chose it. "And if I want more, my worthy host," added he, "I will have that—" laying his hand upon the cake containing the bones. "You may keep the third cake yourself." "I see clearly," murmured the host, "I see very clearly that God does not will the money to be restored to this wretched man." ”

“ The emperor assented—"but," said he, "let us study in the first place to be reconciled to God." They were then both confessed, and their contrition was perfect as sincere. Afterwards sending for the knight, they revealed, amid a flood of tears, their crime. "My lord," he replied, "that ye may be reconciled to God, hear what I counsel. As well for your own sins, as for the sins of your father, hasten to the Holy Land; and before you embark, call together the noblemen of the kingdom, and explain to them your intent. And because your sister is your only heir, charge them to be obedient to her. ”

“ This house loudly echoes, but its inhabitant is ever silent; and both—the house and inhabitant—move forward together [34] . Now if you are a king, as you aver, you should be wiser than I am. Resolve the riddle."
"To prove to you that I am no impostor," said Apollonius, "I will reply. The house which bounds and rebounds, and echoes, is the wave; the mute inhabitant is a fish, which glides along with its residence [35] ." Tharsia continued, "I am borne rapidly along by the tall daughter of the grove, which equally encloses an innumerable company. ”

“ Can I conceal myself in your country?" "My lord," answered Stranguilio, "our city is extremely poor; and cannot sustain your attendants, in consequence of a grievous famine which has wasted the land. Our citizens are hopeless and helpless; and death, with all its accompanying horrors is before our eyes." "Give thanks to God," replied Apollonius, "who hath driven me a fugitive to your shores. ”

“ Many romances were at first little more than legends of devotion, containing the pilgrimage of an old warrior. At length, as chivalry came more into vogue, and the stores of invention were increased, the youthful and active part of the pilgrim's life was also written, and a long series of imaginary martial adventures was added, in which his religious was eclipsed by his heroic character, and the penitent was lost in the knight-errant. That which was the principal subject of the short and simple legend, became only the remote catastrophe of the voluminous romance. ”

“ If you think fit, let us kill this fellow, and get possession of his money." "You say well," returned the lady; and when all were asleep, at an early hour in the morning, the knight arose, and awaking the pilgrim, bade him begone. He then slaughtered a calf, cut it into small pieces, and placed its mutilated body in a sack. Arousing his wife, he gave her the sack to hide in a corner of the house, observing, "I have only deposited the head, legs, and arms, in the sack; the body is interred in our stable." He then shewed her a little money, as if he had taken it from the murdered pilgrim. ”

“ My beloved, the image is the devil: the clerk is any covetous man, who sacrifices himself to the cupidity of his desires. The steps by which he descends are the passions. The archer is death; the carbuncle is human life, and the cup and knife are worldly possessions. ”

“ Let us now return to Apollonius. After a lapse of fourteen years, he again made his appearance at the house of Stranguilio and Dionysias, in the city of Tharsus: no sooner had the former beheld him, than he strode about like a madman. "Woman," said he, addressing his wife, "what wilt thou do now? Thou hast told the shipwrecked Apollonius, that his daughter is dead. Behold he seeks her; what answer shall we make?" "Foolish man," returned she, "let us resume our mourning, and have recourse to tears. He will believe that his child died a natural death." As she said this, Apollonius entered. ”

“ The knight arose and said, "Dearest lady, listen to me. If you suffer yourself to be thus concerned, the whole kingdom will perish. You only are left; and you are the lawful heir. Should you destroy yourself, the nation will remain at the mercy of foreign powers. Arise then, and direct the body to be brought hither, and honorably interred. Afterwards, we will debate concerning the prosperity of the kingdom." Quieted, if not comforted, by the knight's words, she arose, and proceeded with a noble company to the castle, where her brother's body lay. ”