Apollonius of Tyre

“ 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 said that Apollonius was shipwrecked and dead. Behold, he seeks his daughter; 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 girl, happy in the permission, approached the young man, and said, “Good friend, kindness proves nobility: if it be not troublesome, tell me your name and fortunes.” “Would you inquire my name?” replied he, “I lost it in the sea; or my nobility? I left it in Tyre.” “Speak intelligibly,” said the girl; and Apollonius then related his name and adventures. When he had made an end he wept, and the king, perceiving his tears, said to his daughter, “My dear child, you did ill to inquire the name and occurrences of the young man's life. ”

“ While these things were thus done in Tyre, then came the beforesaid Thaliarchus, who was from Antiochus the king sent for the purpose of killing Apollonius. When he saw that these places were locked, he said to a boy; "So be thou in health, tell me for what reasons this city continueth in so great lament and wail?" ”

“ Thence sailing to Pentapolis, the old King Altistrates received them with delight. He lived with his son, and daughter, and grandchild, a whole year in happiness. After that, he died, full of years, bequeathing the kingdom to his son and daughter.
As Apollonius walked one day upon the sea-shore, he recollected the kind-hearted fisherman who succoured him after his shipwreck, and he ordered him to be seized and brought to the palace. The poor fisherman, perceiving himself under the escort of a guard of soldiers, expected nothing less than death. ”

“ Then addressing the servants bestowed upon him, he commanded them to bear away the presents he had received to an hostelry; but the girl, who became apprehensive of losing her lover, looked sorrowfully at her parent, and said, “Best king and father, does it please you that Apollonius, whom we have so lately enriched, should leave us? The goods we have given him will be purloined by wicked men.” The king admitted this, and assigned him apartments in the palace, where he lived in great honour. ”

“ 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." Tharsia continued: "I am borne rapidly along by the tall daughter of the grove, which equally incloses an innumerable company. I glide over various paths, and leave no footstep." "When I have answered your questions," said Apollonius, "I will show you much that you know not. ”

“ Addressing the Tharsians, he inquired, “Did I ever do an injury to any one of you?” “No, my lord,” answered they; “we are ready to die for you. This statue bears record how you preserved us from death.” “Citizens,” returned Apollonius, “I entrusted my daughter to Stranguilio and his wife: they would not restore her.” “Oh, my lord,” cried the unhappy woman, “thou hast read her fate inscribed on the monument.” The king directed his daughter to come forward; and Tharsia, reproaching her, said, “Hail, woman! Tharsia greets thee; Tharsia returned from the grave.” Dionysias trembled ”

“ Thus if a man so set his love, he will afterwards sorely repent it; and of this I think to tell a tale which is long to hear. (199-270.)
Apollonius of Tyre. In a Chronicle called Pantheon I read how king Antiochus ravished his daughter and lived with her in sin. To hinder her marriage, he proposed a problem to those who sought her love, and if a man failed to resolve it, he must lose his head. At length came the Prince Apollinus of Tyre, and the king proposed to him the question. ”

“ When Stranguilio heard that, he prostrated himself at his feet, and said: "Lord Apollonius, if thou helpest these hungry citizens, we will not only conceal thy flight, but also, if it shall be needful to thee, we will fight for thy safety." Then Apollonius mounted on the tribunal in the street, and said to the citizens present: "Ye citizens of Tharsus, I Apollonius, the Tyrian prince, make known to you, that I believe that ye will be mindful of this benefit, and conceal my flight. Know, also, that Antiochus the king hath driven me from my home ”

“ After these words, Hellanicus turned from him, and Apollonius bode him again be called to him, and said to him: "The worst thing thou hast done, that thou warnedst me: take now from me a hundred pounds of gold, and go to Antiochus the king, and say to him that my head is cut from my neck, and bring that word to the delight of the king: then thou wilt have reward and also hands clean of the blood of the innocent." Then said Hellanicus: "That may not be, lord, that I take reward from thee on this account; because with good men, neither gold nor silver is compared with a good man's friendship." ”

“ Whilst he was doing this, he cast his eyes around to discover someone of an equality with himself; and at last Altistrates, king of all that country, entered with a troop of his attendants. The king played with (268>) them at tennis; and Apollonius running forward, caught up the ball, and striking it with inconceivable skill and rapidity, returned it to the royal player. The king, motioning to his servants, said, “Give up your sport, give up your sport; for I suspect this youth is as good a player as I am.” ”

“ When the king heard that Apollonius read the riddle so rightly, then he dreaded that it were too widely known; looked then with angry countenance at him, and said: "Thou young man, thou art far from right, thou errest, and what thou sayest is naught, but thou hast earned decapitation. I will now dismiss thee for a space of thirty days, that thou mayest consider the riddle aright, and thou then shalt receive my daughter to wife: and if thou doest that not, thou shalt suffer [2] the appointed doom." ”

“ Then, entering into a more detailed account of her adventures, she related what she had endured from the wretched pimp, and how the Almighty had protected her.
Athanagoras, fearing lest another might demand her in marriage, threw himself at the king's feet, and modestly intimating how instrumental he had been in promoting their happy reunion, besought him to bestow his child upon him. “I cannot deny you,” returned Apollonius, “for you have alleviated her sorrows, and been the means of my present and future happiness. Take her. ”

“ Then began all the men to praise her for her music; and Apollonius alone was silent. Then said the king, "Apollonius, now thou dost evilly; because all men praise my daughter for her music, and thou alone findest fault by being silent." Apollonius said, "O thou good king! if thou allowest me, I will say what I feel, that truly your daughter hath failed in her music, for she hath not well learned it; but bid the harp be now given to me, then thou soon shalt know what thou yet knowest not." Arcestrates the king said, "Apollonius, I know in sooth that thou art well instructed in all things." ”

“ 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. Restrain 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. "Wretched man that I am," said he, "how long shall I struggle with my sorrows? ”

“ Your father is called Apollonius, and your mother's name is Arcestrate, the daughter of king Arcestrates. She died the moment you were born; and Apollonius, adorning her with regal vesture, cast the chest which contained her into the sea. Twenty sestertia of gold were placed beneath her head; and whosoever discovered it, were entreated to give her burial. The ship in which your unhappy father sailed, tossed to and fro by the winds which formed your cradle, at last put into this port, where we were hospitably received by Stranguilio and Dionysias, to whom your sire also recommended me. ”

“ Then said Stranguilio: "Lord Apollonius, our city is in want and may not suit your nobility, because we are suffering the severest and fiercest famine, and for my citizens is no hope of salvation; but the most cruel [death] [3] stands before our eyes."
Then said Apollonius: "My dearest friend Stranguilio, thank God that he hath led me to flee hither to your frontiers. I will give your citizens a hundred thousand measures of wheat, if ye will conceal my flight." ”

“ 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. ”

“ Apollonius raised his head: "Whosoever you are, go in peace; I am unworthy to appear at the banquet, and I do not desire to live." Perplexed, yet anxious to console the unhappy king, Athanagoras returned upon deck, and despatched a messenger to Leno to require the immediate presence of Tharsia, whose musical skill and eloquence he thought could not but produce some effect. She came, and received instructions from the prince. "If you succeed," said he, "in softening this royal person's affliction, I will present to you thirty gold sestertia, and as many of silver ”

“ We are rich, and of noble lineage: choose, then, which of us shall be your son-in-law.” “You come,” replied the king, “at an unseasonable time. My daughter is unable to follow her usual pursuits, and for this reason languishes on her bed. But that I may not appear to you unnecessarily to protract your uncertainty, write each of you your names, and the settlement you will make her. She shall examine them, and choose between ye.” The suitors complied, and gave the writings to the king, who read, and sealed, and then despatched Apollonius with them to the lady. ”

“ Ah how wicked a man thou art, thou who knowest that which thou askest after! Or what man is there who knoweth not that this township continueth in lamentation, because that Apollonius the prince all at once nowhere appeareth, since he came hack from Antiochus the king? ”

“ Go," added he, to one of the (269>) attendants, “Go, and inquire who he is.” He followed accordingly, and beheld him equipped in the mean cloak received from the fisherman. Returning to the king, he said, “The youth is one who has suffered shipwreck.” “How do you know!” replied he. “The man said nothing,” answered the servant, “but his dress pointed out his circumstances.” “Go quickly,” returned the king, “and say that I entreat him to sup with me.” Apollonius was content, and accompanied the servant back. ”

“ He found a rugged and melancholy man, who was none other than Apollonius. In due time that prince was joyfully reunited with his child, who was given in marriage to her perserver. Speedy vengeance overtook Tharsia's cruel owner, and later Stranguilio and Dionysias suffered for their misdeeds. Being warned by a dream to return to Ephesus, Apollonius found his wife in the precinct of the vestals, and, together with her, he reigned long and happily over Antioch and Tyre. After death he went into everlasting life. To which may God, of His infinite mercy, lead us all. ”

“ It is in sooth very needful to thee that thou [8] be on thy guard, because thou art condemned." Then said Apollonius: "Who could condemn me, the Prince of my own nation?" Hellanicus said, "Antiochus the king." Apollonius said, "For what reasons hath he condemned me?" Hellanicus said, "Because thou desiredst to be what the father is." Apollonius said, "I am sorely condemned." Hellanicus said, "Whatever man bringeth thee to him alive, he will receive fifty pounds of gold; he who bringeth thy head will receive a hundred pounds of gold. Therefore I counsel thee to flee, and save thy life." ”

“ Then immediately as the fisherman saw that the young man was lying at his feet, he with compassion raised him up, and led him with him to his house, and laid before him those provisions which he had to offer him. Still he would, as far as in his power, show him greater constancy: he then tore his coat in two, and gave [12] to Apollonius the half part, thus saying: "Take what I have to give thee, and go into the city: there is hope that thou mayest meet with one who will pity thee. ”

“ I engage you, therefore, of my own free will, to do so great a pleasure to him who seeks my destruction.” “My lord,” answered the old man, “far be it from me to take away your life for hire; the friendship of good men is of more value, and cannot be bought.” Then, returning thanks to the prince for his munificence, he departed. But as Apollonius tarried on the shore, he perceived a person named Stranguilio approaching him with a sorrowful aspect, and every now and then uttering a deep lament. “Hail, Stranguilio!” said the prince. “Hail, my lord the king,” was his reply. “You appear concerned ”