Deidamia

“ They went to Antonio's chamber, where they entered into a combination so hellish and malicious, that it brought many woes and miseries, both to the virtuous Deidamia, and the Gardener; till by the mercy of God, to the shame and confusion of the contrivers, they were turned to blessings, to rejoice the injured, and to clear their innocence, after many inexpressible sufferings.
Whilst these wicked men were thus plotting to revenge their repulses, Deidamia was thoughtful of her safety: Sometimes she determined to write to Alanson, to remember his promise, and hasten his return ”

“ His companion (as we have already heard) was killed in their contest, about which should enjoy, or rather ravish Deidamia first; and he that survived, fainted away thro' loss of blood, which (as we have already related) made way for Deidamia's escape: But he recovering, in some little time, found means to stop its effusion; and then missing of Deidamia, he made what search he could for her, not so much to satisfy his lust, (which his loss of blood had pretty much allayed,) as to take away her life, that, in time to come, she might not be an evidence of his wickedness ”

“ The consideration whereof, was a mighty allay to her present sorrows, in the midst of that forlorn condition to which she was reduced; so that, a little supported thereby, they at last, fell into a sound sleep; having no other pillow than a turf of grass, nor covering, than the canopy of heaven. The morning being come, Deidamia again returned thanks to God, both for her late deliverance, and her last night's preservation: earnestly begging of him, That as he had graciously begun to deliver her, so he would, in his own good time, complete it to his own glory and her good ”

“ It is, in brief, the loss of Deidamia. I do not mean by death, for had heaven ordained it so, that would have been far more eligible: But, alas! she is lost both to herself and all of us; and, she is, since your departure, perverted to heresy and turned an obstinate Hugonot; which whilst we endeavoured to reclaim her from, by consenting, upon the advice of your Chaplain, father Antonio, that she should be put into a nunnery, she is escaped from thence no one knows whither. ”

“ But Antonio and Fronovius have, and we must obey them: besides, you are a heretic and ought not to live.
Deidamia now finding she was betrayed by her wicked servants, into the hands of these merciless villains, and seeing nothing but present death, before her eyes, she poured out her soul to God in vehement petitions, for favour from his hands; and, that, if he saw fit, she should live no longer here, that he would receive her into life eternal ”

“ Ah! (said the impudent priest, who could not long keep down his boiling pasfion) 'Your two fair eyes, sweet lady, like loadstones have drawn me to you that beauteous tempting face of yours, has made me forgot myself, with my duty to my Lord, and the trust he reposed in me.' Why! certainly, (said Deidamia, calling in patience, to bridle her passion) you are beside yourself, Antonio.—What mean you by this kind of discourse? 'If I am beside myself, (replied he, almost crying) your fair self is the cause of it: whose beauty, like arrows, has wounded my heart, and sickened my brain ”

“ Deidamia being received by them as one risen from the dead. And the story of their daughter's troubles being all related to them, they could not but admire the providence of God in preserving her, and wonder at the monstrous wickedness of Fronovius and Antonio, who, upon their hearing of the confession of the dying criminal, had withdrawn themselves their former residences. And Antonio (the better to escape deserved punishment for his lustful attempts upon Deidamia's chastity) went privately to the bishop of Rheims, and told him that Count Alinson's lady was depraved with heresy ”

“ He brought every incident and person before their eyes—the virgins as they spun in the palace of their father, Lycomedes; the fair youth concealed as a virgin in the midst of them, and called Pyrrha from his golden locks; the maiden Deidamia, whom he loved; the eager summons of Ulysses at his gate; the ear-shattering trumpet of Diomedes; the presents brought by the disguised ambassadors; the young warrior betraying himself by the eagerness with which he turns from jewels and ornaments to nodding helmet and bright cuirass ”

“ Demetrius meantime possessed himself of Cilicia, and sent Phila to her brother Cassander, to answer the complaints of Plistarchus. And here his wife Deidamia came by sea out of Greece to meet him, but not long after contracted an illness, of which she died. After her death, Demetrius, by the mediation of Seleucus, became reconciled to Ptolemy, and an agreement was made that he should marry his daughter Ptolemais. ”

“ Whom more than all the rest the Muses suckled,
In the first circle of the prison blind;
Ofttimes we of the mountain hold discourse
Which has our nurses ever with itself.
Euripides is with us, Antiphon,
Simonides, Agatho, and many other
Greeks who of old their brows with laurel decked.
There some of thine own people may be seen,
Antigone, Deiphile and Argia,
And there Ismene mournful as of old.
There she is seen who pointed out Langia;
There is Tiresias' daughter, and there Thetis,
And there Deidamia with her sisters. ”

“ Demetrius left no other children by his wife Phila but Antigonus and Stratonice, but he had two other sons, both of his own name, one surnamed the Thin, by an Illyrian mother, and one who ruled in Cyrene, by Ptolemais. He had also, by Deidamia, a son, Alexander, who lived and died in Egypt; and there are some who say that he had a son by Eurydice, named Corrhabus. His family was continued in a succession of kings down to Perseus, the last, from whom the Romans took Macedonia. ”

“ He received into friendship all Acte, as it is called, and all Arcadia except Mantinea. He bought the liberty of Argos, Corinth, and Sicyon, by paying a hundred talents to their garrisons to evacuate them. At Argos, during the feast of Juno, which happened at the time, he presided at the games, and, joining in the festivities with the multitude of the Greeks assembled there, he celebrated his marriage with Deidamia, daughter of Aeacides, king of the Molossians, and sister of Pyrrhus. ”

“ Festival at Oxford. 1737.... Collapse of Opera; Handel bankrupt and paralysed. 1741.... Last opera: Deidamia. 1742.... Messiah at Dublin. 1751.... First signs of blindness. Last oratorio Jeptha. 1759.... Death in London.
CHAPTER I
Birth and parentage—studies under Zachow at Halle—Hamburg—friendship and duel with Mattheson—Almira—departure for Italy.
The name of Handel suggests to most people the sound of music unsurpassed in massiveness and dignity, and the familiar portraits of the composer present us with a man whose external appearance was no less massive and dignified than his music. ”

“ The Italian noble was the first to break silence. "Come, sir," he said, "let us make these young people happy."
"With all my heart, signor; but what will you do? My daughter is descended from an illustrious house; she must live in the world in a manner to do honor to her birth; as her father, I have duties to fulfil which I cannot disregard."
"Poor Geronimo!" said the Signor Deodati, in a tone of compassion, and with a deep sigh. "You would accuse me of cruelty, would you not? and this lovely young girl would hate the old man for his insensibility. ”

“ The Signor Deodati, as though a new and sudden thought possessed his mind, seized his nephew's hand, and fixing his eyes affectionately upon him, said in a calm tone: "I am pleased with you, Geronimo. Young as you are, you have conducted prudently the affairs of a large commercial house; you have acted as an experienced man; in order to please me, you have denied yourself pleasures which are so seductive to youth. Taking the place of your father, I have kept a vigilant eye upon you, and it gladdens my old heart to know that I have in my successor a virtuous cavalier and a prudent merchant. ”

“ Control yourself, Mary, for yesterday each word you uttered pierced the heart of the poor Deodati like a dagger. It would be cruel and guilty in you to cause his tears to flow anew; at his age such affliction wears down the strength and shortens life."
"No, Petronilla, I will hide my feelings, and I will appear hopeful. I saw that the old man was overpowered by anxiety and trouble. Trust me, Petronilla, and let me go; I must know from the Signor Deodati if he has received any information." ”

“ May God grant you peace in our country, Signor Deodati!" said Mary, taking the old man's hand. "Come sit by me; I am so happy to know you. Do not think me bold; Geronimo has spoken so much of you, that I have long respected and loved you. And then, in our Netherlands we always welcome a stranger as a brother."
Signor Deodati seated himself by her as she desired, and as the gondola returned to the city, the old man said, in surprise: "But you speak Italian like a native of Lucca. ”

“ Somehow in the years at Charlestown, Vanzetti—the misfit, the wanderer—became the master of language. Even in his early fumblings with grammar he was always eloquent. As early as December 1921, after a brief glimpse of the close-ranged Roxbury streets on the way to his Dedham hearing he could write: “O, funny, humble, old, little houses that I love; little house always big enough for the greatest loves, and most saint affects.” ”

“ From this day forward the Signor Geronimo is as a stranger whom we have never known."
Deodati regarded the irritated nobleman with tearful eyes, and seemed to deprecate the inflexible decree.
Mr. Van de Werve took his hand, and said in a calmer manner:
"Be reasonable, signor, and do not let yourself be blinded by affection. What a dishonor to my name, were I to permit a man with so tarnished a reputation to enter my family! Could I confide the happiness of my good and noble child to one who was not withdrawn from a culpable love of play by life-long benefits? ”

“ As she raised herself from the ground, and paused a moment looking towards the house, but evidently quite unconscious of any spectators, Gertrude could not take her eyes from the vision she made. If radiant beauty, if grace, and flawless youth can "lift a mortal to the skies," Delia stood like a young goddess under the winter sun. ”

“ Dedeamo, my interpreter, was a croton; his wife was originally a coconut, their little boy was a croton. When I asked Dedeamo what was his wife’s name he refused to tell me. One frequently finds that people in a low stage of culture decline to tell you their own names, lest you should obtain power over them, but one can generally get from them the names of other people; this good man evidently thought it was wiser to be on the safe side. ”

“ Before the temple stand a few statues of the women who have served Demeter as her priestess, and on passing inside you see seats on which the old women wait for the cows to be driven in one by one, and images, of no great age, of Athena and Demeter. But the thing itself that they worship more than all else, I never saw, nor yet has any other man, whether stranger or Hermionian. The old women may keep their knowledge of its nature to themselves. ”

“ Were I to abandon Geronimo entirely, he might be pushed by want and misery into the path of vice, perhaps of infamy. I will fulfil my duty to the last. If I love him less than formerly, at least I will save him from utter ruin."
"What generosity!" exclaimed Mr. Van de Werve, in admiration. "You travel about in search of your nephew; you endanger your health. I foresee that he has but to speak to obtain pardon. And this great sacrifice, this magnanimous affection meets with such a return! It is frightful!"
"No, sir," replied Deodati, "I will not pardon Geronimo. He will never be the same to me. ”

“ In about an hour the slave came back, and I returned to the apartment of Theodora. I was indeed struck by the blaze of beauty she exhibited when dressed after our fashion, her coal-black hair, beautifully parted over her noble ivory forehead, peeping out from beneath her headdress. "My God," I cried, "how is it possible the chief eunuch of the Dey could have passed over charms such as you possess?" The name of the Dey brought the recollection of him to her, and she dropped on a couch overcome by her feelings. She entreated me with tears not to name the Dey again to her. ”

“ DIDYMI, or Didyma (mod. Hieronta) , an ancient sanctuary of Apollo in Asia Minor situated in the territory of Miletus, from which it was distant about 10 m. S. and on the promontory Poseideion. It was sometimes called Branchidae from the name of its priestly caste which claimed descent from Branchus, a youth beloved by Apollo. As the seat of a famous oracle, the original temple attracted offerings from Pharaoh Necho (in whose army there was a contingent of Milesian mercenaries) , and the Lydian Croesus, and was plundered by Darius of Persia. ”

“ Now Demetrius had married a wife, and no man who has ever been appointed Archbishop of the city of Alexandria has ever married a wife, except this holy man. And Satan entered into the hearts of the people of the congregation, and they talked against the holy man and abused him because of his wife. And the angel of God appeared unto Saint Demetrius and said unto him, “Inasmuch as some of the people are reviling thee, it is meet for thee to remove doubt from their hearts, and thou must reveal unto them thy strife with thy wife. ”