Syrtis Major

“ So little is mentioned by any writer (with whose works we ourselves are acquainted) of the buildings contained in the Syrtis, that it will for the most part be difficult to assign any other name to the remains of forts and towns at present existing there, than those by which the Arabs of the country now distinguish them. Charax is pointed out by Strabo as occurring after the tower of Euphrantas ”

“ What on earth has come to you all?"
"That's the very question I wish to Heaven I could answer," groaned the Squire, quite mildly and pathetically—"What on earth has come to us all! Ask Stirn:" (then bursting out) "Stirn, you infernal rascal, don't you hear?—what on earth has come to us all?"
"The Papisher is at the bottom of it, sir," said Stirn, provoked out of all temper. "I does my duty, but I is but a mortal man, arter all."
"A mortal fiddlestick—where's Leonard Fairfield, I say?" ”

“ Begging her to listen, Pan followed; and Syrinx, more and more frightened by the patter of his hoofs, never heeded him, but went as fast as light till she came to the brink of the river. Only then she paused, praying her friends, the water-nymphs, for some way of escape. The gentle, bewildered creatures, looking up through the water, could think of but one device.
Just as the god overtook Syrinx and stretched out his arms to her, she vanished like a mist, and he found himself grasping a cluster of tall reeds. Poor Pan! ”

“ In the old map of Peutinger (as we have stated above) we find the Philænean altars placed much farther to the westward in the neighbourhood of the little Syrtis; but the authorities of Ptolemy [11] , Strabo, Pliny, and Mela, are sufficient to fix them in the Greater Syrtis; and as they are expressly stated by Strabo (lib. 17) to have occurred before Automala [12] , in passing from west to east, we must suppose them to have existed somewhere in the tract of country just [221] described, since the fortress of Automala is laid down by that geographer in the bottom of the gulf [13] . ”

“ He was still alive. He'd been choked for a good ten minutes, but a Martian can last fifteen without air.
He opened the sleeping bag and got Riordan's keys. Then he limped slowly back to the rocket. A day or two of experimentation taught him how to fly it. He'd go to his kinsmen near Syrtis. Now that they had an Earthly machine, and Earthly weapons to copy—
But there was other business first. He didn't hate Riordan, but Mars is a hard world. He went back and dragged the Earthling into a cave and hid him beyond all possibility of human search parties finding him. ”

“ Clinia has begged his friend to send at once to his dear Antiphila, and,—if she has been asfaithful to him in his absence as he hopes,—to entreat her to pay him a visit in his temporary domicile. And now the complication begins. Syrus,—the slave to whom young Clitipho intrusts his friend's errand, his confidant in all business, lawful or unlawful—determines to take the opportunity of doing his young master a special kindness. ”

“ Syrus. Clinia has told his father that the wench
Is mistress to your Clitipho; and that
He brought her over with him to their house,
To hinder your detecting it.
Chrem. Good! good!
Syrus. D’ye think so?
Chrem. Charming!
He brought her with him hither, to prevent
Your smoking it.
Chrem. Incomparable!
Syrus. Really?
Chrem. O, admirable!
Syrus. Aye, if you knew all.
But only hear the rest of our device.
But only hear the rest of our advice.
480
He’ll tell his father he has seen your daughter,
Whose beauty has so charm’d him at first sight,
He longs to marry her.
Chrem. Antiphila?
Syrus. ”

“ But to Syrinx, who knew no fear, Fear came at last. She was returning one evening from the shadowy hills, untired by the chase that had lasted for many an hour, when, face to face, she met with one whom hitherto she had only seen from afar. Of him the other nymphs spoke often. Who was so great as Pan?—Pan, who ruled the woods. None could stand against Pan. Those who defied him must ever come under his power in the end. ”

“ Syrus. And so I did.
But he came back soon after, like a madman.
He had no mercy.—Was not he asham’d
To beat a poor old fellow? to beat me;
61
Who bore him in my arms but t’other day,
An urchin thus high? (Showing.)
Dem. Oh rare, Ctesipho!
Father’s own son! a man, I warrant him.
Syrus. Oh rare, d’ye cry? I’ faith, if he is wise,
He’ll hold his hands another time.
Dem. Oh brave!
Syrus. Oh mighty brave, indeed!—Because he beat
A helpless girl, and me a wretched slave,
Who durst not strike again;—oh, to be sure,
Mighty brave, truly! ”

“ The squire took the napkin off his shoulder, laid down strop and razor; he seated himself in his armchair majestically, crossed his legs, and, in a voice that affected tranquillity, said,—
"Compose yourself, Stirn; you have a deposition to make, touching an assault upon—can I trust my senses?—upon my new stocks. Compose yourself; be calm. Now! What the devil is come to the parish?"
"Ah, sir, what indeed?" replied Mr. Stirn: and then laying the forefinger of the right hand on the palm of the left he narrated the case.
"And whom do you suspect? Be calm now; don't speak in a passion. ”

“ Sciron rushed at him; but Theseus received him at the point of his sword, and the two fought furiously, while the robbers looked on, enjoying the game. Sciron was twice the size and weight of Theseus; but Theseus was the best swordsman in all Greece, and presently had him down.
“There,” said he, pricking Sciron’s throat with his sword, “you have had a lesson in manners. You shall wash my feet and wait on me before you go over the cliff after your victims. For I am not going away to leave a brigand like you alive behind me.” ”

“ This Clinia, Menedemus’ only son,
Would never have elop’d.
Syrus. I can not tell
Whether he says all this in jest or earnest;
But it gives fresh encouragement to me. (Aside.)
Chrem. And now what is’t the blockhead waits for, Syrus?
Is’t till his master runs away again,
When he perceives himself no longer able
To bear with the expenses of his mistress?
Has he no plot upon th’ old gentleman?
Syrus. He’s a poor creature.
Chrem. But it is your part,
For Clinia’s sake, to lend a helping hand.
Syrus. Why, that indeed I easily can do,
If you command me; for I know which way. ”

“ Kyrênê—combined with Barka and Hesperides, both of them sprung from her root [66] —exercised over the Libyan tribes between the borders of Egypt and the inner recess of the Great Syrtis, for a space of three degrees of longitude, an ascen [p. 35] dency similar to that which Carthage possessed over the more westerly Libyans near the Lesser Syrtis. Within these Kyrenæan limits, and further westward along the shores of the Great Syrtis, the Libyan tribes were of pastoral habits; westward, beyond the Lake Tritônis and the Lesser Syrtis, [67] they began to be agricultural. ”

“ Master Stirn was a formidable personage—more formidable than the Squire himself—as, indeed, a squire's right-hand is generally more formidable than the head can pretend to be. He inspired the greater awe, because, like the stocks, of which he was deputed guardian, his powers were undefined and obscure, and he had no particular place in the out-of-door establishment. ”

“ Quite proud of his provincial success, when Syrus arrived in Rome, he had the courage to challenge to a trial of wits all the poets who adorned the stage. Every one accepted the challenge, and they were every one beaten. The caprice of Cæsar brough out against him, however, a formidable competitor. The dictator had command Laberius, then sixty years of age, to perform in one of his own mimes, which was a disgrace for a freeman, and above all for a knight. ”

“ Clit. Your counsel’s good. I’ll do’t.
490 SCENE V. Syrus alone.
A lucky thought of mine! for Clitipho:
The less he hopes, so much more easily
Will he reduce his father to good terms.
Besides, who knows but he may take a wife?
No thanks to Syrus neither.—But who’s here?
Chremes!—I’m off: for seeing what has pass’d,
I wonder that he did not order me
To be truss’d up immediately. I’ll hence
To Menedemus, and prevail on him
To intercede for me: as matters stand,
I dare not trust to our old gentleman.
Exit Syrus.
323 SCENE VI. Enter Chremes, Sostrata. ”

“ Oh! then I stay.
Syrus. You shall be paid directly.
Syrus. The money’s ready.
298 Bacch. Then
I stay. (Phrygia returns.)
Syrus. This instant you shall have it, Bacchis.
Bacch. When you please; I don’t press you.
Syrus. But d’ye know
What you’re to do?
Bacch. Why, what?
Syrus. You must go over,
You and your equipage, to Menedemus.
Bacch. What are you at now, sauce-box?
Syrus. Coining money
For your use, Bacchis.
Bacch. Do you think to play
Your jests on me?
Syrus. No; this is downright earnest.
Bacch. Are you the person I’m to deal with?
Syrus. No.
But ’twill secure your money. ”

“ It will encourage others.—In a word,
Your Æschinus would have it so.
Micio. Do you
Desire it?
Æsch. Yes, Sir.
Micio. Well, if you desire it——
Come hither, Syrus!—Be thou free! (Syrus kneels; Micio strikes him, being the ceremony of manumission, or giving a slave his freedom.)
Syrus. I thank you:
Thanks to you all; but most of all, to Demea!
Dem. I’m glad of your good fortune.
Æsch. So am I.
Syrus. I do believe it; and I wish this joy
Were quite complete, and I might see my wife,
My Phrygia too, made free, as well as I.
Dem. The very best of women!
Syrus. ”

“ Sisithrus, when he had complied with these commands, sailed immediately to Armenia, and was presently inspired by God. Upon the third day after the cessation of the rain Sisithrus sent out birds by way of experiment, that he might judge whether the flood had subsided. But the birds, passing over an unbounded sea without finding any place of rest, returned again to Sisithrus. This he repeated with other birds. And when upon the third42 trial he succeeded, for the birds then returned with their feet stained with mud, the gods translated him from among men. ”

“ Syrus. Say you?
Dromo. Even so.
Syrus. But while we chat, the girls are left behind.
Clit. (listening.) Girls, Clinia! do you hear?
Clin. I hear, I see,
And now, at last, I’m happy, Clitipho.
Dromo (to Syrus) . Left behind! troth, no wonder: so encumber’d;
249
A troop of waiting-women at her heels!
Clin. (listening) . Confusion! Whence should she have waiting-women?
Clit. How can I tell?
Syrus (to Dromo) . We ought not to have dropp’d them.
They bring a world of baggage!
Clin. (listening) . Death!
Syrus. Gold, clothes!
It grows late too, and they may miss their way. ”

“ But here comes Syrus; he can tell me all.
And yet this slave is of the gang; and if
He once perceives that I’m inquiring for him,
He’ll never tell me any thing; a rogue!
I’ll not discover my design.
44 SCENE IV. Enter Syrus at another part of the stage.
Syrus We’ve just disclos’d
The whole of this affair to Micio,
Syrus (to himself) . We’ve just
Disclos’d the whole of this affair to Micio,
Exactly as it happen’d. I ne’er saw
The good old gentleman more pleas’d.
Dem. Oh Heav’n,
The folly of the man! (Listening.)
Syrus (to himself) . He prais’d his son ”

“ You know it was you who would not let me go to church; it was you who told me to—"
"Fit a young gentleman, and break the Sabbath," said Mr. Stirn, interrupting him with a withering sneer. "O yes! I told you to disgrace his honor the Squire, and me, and the parridge, and bring us all into trouble. But the Squire told me to make an example, and I will!" With those words, quick as lightning flashed upon Mr. Stirn's mind the luminous idea of setting Lenny in the very stocks which he had too faithfully guarded. ”

“ De Sterny sat down by the chimney to warm his feet. "Deuced cold!--hand me the chartreuse, so--Yes, a refined siren if you like," he continued. "The siren has soft human arms with which she draws us into destructive pleasures, the chimera has claws with which she tears our heart. The siren entices us into the mire, the chimera lures us toward heaven,--only we don't reach the heaven, and we often find ourselves very well off in the mire,--deucedly well off! But saperment! you don't understand that yet." And he pulled Gesa's ear. ”

“ Spiller, returning to her side. “So sustaining. Not one? Won’t you share one with me now?” he whispered facetiously, bending towards her.
[54] The girl drew back proudly. There was no mistaking the gesture.
“That girl of Ruan’s is too big for her boots, as the saying is,” whispered Mrs. Jenkins to a friend.
“Is she? She’s quiet, I noticed, but she’s pleasant mannered enough, I thought.”
“Look at ’er with young Spiller. I don’t call that pleasant.”
“Perhaps he’s offended her,” Mrs. Walker returned comfortably. “Young men nowadays are very free, I fancy. ”

“ Now Theseus was not wearing light shoes or sandals, like the golden sandals of Ægeus, which he carried in his wallet. He was wearing thick boots, with bronze nails in the soles, and the upper leathers were laced high up his legs, for the Greeks wore such boots when they took long walks on mountain roads. As soon as Theseus had trained Sciron to stand in the proper position, he bade him stoop to undo the lacings of his boots. As Sciron stooped, Theseus gave him one tremendous kick, that lifted him over the edge of the cliff, and there was an end of Sciron. ”

“ Syrus. Give a young man his way.
San. What could I give him more, who gave my face?
Syrus. Nay, but d’ye know my meaning, Sannio?
To seem upon occasion to slight money,
Proves in the end, sometimes, the greatest gain.
Why prithee, blockhead, could you be afraid,
Had you abated somewhat of your right,
And humor’d the young gentleman, he would not
Have paid you back again with interest?
San. I never purchase hope with ready money.
Syrus. Away! you’ll never thrive. You do not know
How to ensnare men, Sannio. ”