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Chapter 5

Argalus and Parthenia

A steward explains to Musidorus what has happened to Kalander’s son Clitophon, who has gone to help Argalus, the cousin of Gynecia. Both Clitophon and Argalus are now held by the Helots’ new captain, who joined the Helots after killing another man. Argalus had been captured by the Helots after killing their captain Demagoras, the man who disfigured Parthenia (Kalander’s niece and Argalus’ love). (1593 ed. 8v.١١)

When they came to the supping-place, one of Kalander’s servants rounded6 in his ear, at which—his color changing—Kalander withdrew into his chamber, commanding his men diligently to wait on Palladius and to excuse his absence by some necessary business he had presently to dispatch. They did accordingly, and for a few days forced themselves to let no change appear; but though they framed their countenances ever so cunningly, Palladius perceived some ill-pleasing accident had fallen out.

One day, again set alone at supper, Palladius called to the steward and desired him to tell him the matter of Kalander’s sudden alteration. After some trifling excuses the steward at last confessed that his master had received news that his son Clitophon, before the day of his near marriage, chanced to be at a battle fought between the gentlemen of Lacedemon and the Helots. The Helots had won, and they took Clitophon prisoner when he himself tried to gain the release of a friend of his whom they had captured. That friend, a poor young gentleman, had offered great ransom for his life, but the hate those peasants conceived against all gentlemen was such that every hour he was to look for nothing but cruel death, which hitherto had only been delayed by the vehement dealing for him of the Helots’ captain, who seemed to have a heart of more manly pity than the rest.

The loss of his son had stricken old Kalander with such sorrow that his abundance of tears were not sufficient to witness it. He retired alone, tore his hair and beard, and cursed his old age that had not made his grave stop his ears from such advertisements.

Meanwhile his faithful servants wrote in his name to all his friends, followers, and tenants. Philanax, the governor, was refusing to deal in it because it was a private cause, yet he gave others permission to seek their best redress so long as they wronged not the state of Lacedemon. There were now gathered upon the frontiers good forces that he was sure would spend their lives in any way to redeem or revenge Clitophon.

“Now sir,” the steward said. “This is my master’s nature. Although his grief is such that to live is a grief to him and even his reason is darkened with sorrow, yet the laws of hospitality (long and holily observed by him) give still such a sway to his proceeding that he will no way suffer any stranger lodged under his roof to receive, as it were, any infection of his anguish—especially you, toward whom I know not whether his love or admiration be greater.”

Palladius could scarce hear out his tale with patience, so was his heart torn into pieces with compassion of the case. He admired Kalander’s noble behavior, the kindness of Kalander’s respect for him, and desired to find some remedy. He also thought of his dear friend Daiphantus, whom he judged suffered either a like or a worse fortune. Therefore, rising from the board, he desired the steward to tell him particularly the ground and event of this accident. By knowing the circumstances he might find a way to help. Whereunto the steward easily in this sort condescended:

“My lord,” said the steward, “when our good king Basilius with better success than expectation took to wife (even in his more than decaying years) the fair young princess Gynecia, there came with her a young lord, first cousin to herself, named Argalus, led here partly by the love and honor of his noble kinswoman, partly by the humor of youth, which ever thinks that good whose goodness he sees not. In this court he received such good increase of knowledge that after some years spent, he so manifested a most virtuous mind in all his actions that Arcadia gloried that such a plant was transported here. He was a most rarely accomplished gentleman, excellently learned, but without any vainglory; friendly without factiousness; and valiant, so as for my part, I think the earth has no man that has done more heroic acts than he.

“Lately the fame flies of the two princes of Thessalia and Macedon, as it has long done of our noble prince Amphialus, who in these parts is also considered his match. For my part, I think no man for valor of mind and ability of body to be preferred to Argalus, although he may be equaled. He is valiant in a way that restrains him from doing anybody injury. Some will say his behavior is always sad, surely sober, and somewhat given to musing, but never uncourteous. His word is ever led by his thought and followed by his deed. He is rather liberal than magnificent, though the one wants not and the other always makes a good choice of the receiver. In sum, for I perceive I shall easily take a great draught of his praises, whom both I and all this country love so well, such a man was (and I hope is) Argalus, as hardly the nicest eye can find a spot in—if the overvehement constancy of yet spotless affection may not, in hard-wrested constructions, be counted spot, which has made both him and his constant affection famous throughout this country.

“My master’s son Clitophon (whose loss gives the cause to this discourse and yet gives me cause to begin with Argalus, since his loss proceeds from Argalus) is a young gentleman of great birth, being our king’s sister’s son. He has a good nature, one that can see good and love it. Therefore he haunted the company of this worthy Argalus more than of any other. If there were not a friendship (which is so rare as it is to be doubted whether it be a thing indeed or but a word) at least there was a liking and friendliness, such as has brought forth the effects which you shall hear.

“About two years since, it so fell out that Clitophon brought Argalus to the house of a great lady, sister to my master, who had with her her only daughter, the fair Parthenia. She was fair indeed. I think that Fame itself dare not to call anyone fairer, if it be not Helena, queen of Corinth, and the two incomparable sisters of Arcadia. And what made her fairness much fairer was that it was but a fair ambassador of a most fair mind, full of wit, and a wit that delighted more to judge itself than to show itself. Her speech was as rare as precious, her silence without sullenness, her modesty without affectation, her shamefastness without ignorance. In sum, to praise her well, one must first set down what it is to be excellent, for so she is.

“I think you think that these perfections meeting, they could not choose but find one another, and delight in what they found, for likeness of manners is likely in reason to draw liking with affection. But actions do not always cross with reason. To be short, they loved, although for a while the fires thereof (hope’s wings being cut off) were blown by the bellows of despair, upon this occasion:

“There had been a good while before, and so continued, a suitor to this same lady, a great nobleman named Demagoras. Although from Laconia, he was a near neighbor to Parthenia’s mother. He was mighty in riches and power, and proud thereof, stubbornly stout, loving nobody but himself—and, for his own delight’s sake, Parthenia. He pursued vehemently his desire, and his riches had so gilded over all his other imperfections that the old lady (though contrary to my lord her brother’s mind) had given her consent. Using a mother’s authority upon her fair daughter, she had made Parthenia yield thereunto, not because Parthenia liked her mother’s choice, but because her obedient mind had not yet taken upon itself to make her own choice. The day of their assurance drew near, when my young lord Clitophon brought this noble Argalus, perchance principally to see so rare a sight as Parthenia was judged by all well-judging eyes.

“There were few days before the time of assurance appointed, yet Love, who saw he had a great journey to make in short time, so hasted himself that before her word could tie her to Demagoras, her heart had vowed her to Argalus, with so grateful a receipt in mutual affection that if she desired above all things to have Argalus, Argalus feared nothing but to miss Parthenia.

“By now Parthenia had learned both liking and misliking, loving and loathing, and out of passion began to take the authority of judgment, insomuch that when the time came that Demagoras (full of proud joy) thought to receive the gift of herself, she, with words of resolute refusal (though with tears showing she was sorry she must refuse) assured her mother she would first be bedded in her grave than wedded to Demagoras.

“The change was no more strange than unpleasant to her mother, who being determinately (lest I should say of a great lady, willfully) bent to marry her to Demagoras, tried all ways that a witty and hard-hearted mother could use upon so humble a daughter, in whom the only resisting power was love. But the more she assaulted, the more she taught Parthenia to defend; and the more Parthenia defended, the more she made her mother obstinate in the assault.

“Her mother at length found that Argalus eclipsed her daughter’s affection from shining upon Demagoras. As Argalus stood between them, she sought all means to remove him, so much the more as he manifested himself an unremovable suitor to her daughter. First she employed him in as many dangerous enterprises as ever the evil step-mother Juno recommended to the famous Hercules. But the more his virtue was tried, the more pure it grew, while all the things her mother did to overthrow him only served to set him upon the height of honor—enough to have moved her heart, especially to a man every way so worthy as Argalus. But she struggled against all reason because she would have her will and show her authority in matching Parthenia with Demagoras.

“The more virtuous Argalus was, the more she hated him. She thought herself conquered in his conquests and therefore employed him in more and more dangerous attempts. Meanwhile she used all extremities possible upon her fair daughter to make her listen. As to Argalus, the world sooner wanted occasions than he valor to go endure them. As to Parthenia, malice sooner ceased than her unchanged patience. It was hard to judge whether he in doing or she in suffering showed greater constancy of affection.

“It came to the point where by treasons Parthenia’s mother and Demagoras would have made away with Argalus, but he with providence and courage so passed over all, that the mother died from spiteful grief, her heart broken.

“Demagoras was sure that Parthenia would be never his, now that she was her own woman, and he received as much by her own determinate answer. Not desiring his own happiness, but rather envying Argalus, whom he saw with narrow eyes even ready to enjoy the fruition of his desires, he strengthened his conceit with all the mischievous counsels which disdained love and envious pride could give him, and when Argalus went home to fetch some of his principal friends to honor the marriage that Parthenia had most joyfully consented to, the wicked wretch found a time. Wicked Demagoras, I say, asked to speak with Parthenia, and her weak arms in vain resisted his unmerciful force as he rubbed all over her face a most horrible poison. The effect of the poison was such that never leper looked more ugly than Parthenia. Although her servants were as ready to revenge her as could be in such an unexpected mischief, Demagoras had his men and horses ready when he was done and departed away.

“When the abominableness of this deed came to my lord Kalander, he made such means both through our king’s intercession and his own that Demagoras was banished from the country by the Lacedemonian king and senate, upon pain of death. Demagoras hated the punishment, where he should have hated the fault. He therefore joined himself, with all the power he could make, unto the Helots, lately in rebellion against the state. And they (glad to have a man of such authority among them) made him their general, and then under him they committed the kind of outrageous villainies that a base multitude full of desperate revenge can imagine.

“Argalus returned not long after Parthenia suffered this pitiful attack. The poor gentleman had her fair image in his heart and promised his eyes the uttermost felicity. Nobody dared tell him what happened, and so his eyes were the first messengers to themselves of their own misfortune. I mean not to move passions with telling you the grief of both of them when he knew her, for at first he did not. And when he did recognize her, his virtue was not so ready that he could not help at first but to lament the loss of such a jewel, so much the more because men skillful in the art of medicine assured him that her face was permanently disfigured.

“Nonetheless noble Argalus shortly showed the truth of love, which still held the first place in his memory. He revealed a virtuous constancy, even a delight to be constant. He had given his faith, and his inward worthiness showed through the foulest mists. Both with such comfort as witty arguments may bestow upon adversity and also with the most abundant kindness that an eye-ravished lover can express, he labored to drive the extremity of sorrow from her. He hastened the celebration of their marriage, unfeignedly showing himself no less cheerfully earnest than if she had never been disinherited of that goodly portion which nature had so liberally bequeathed to her. And he deferred his intended revenge upon Demagoras so that he might continually be in her presence, showing more humble serviceableness and joy to content her than ever before.

“Although he gave this rare example of constancy (not to be hoped for of anyone but another Argalus), for her part she took as strange a course in affection. She desired to enjoy him more than to live, yet she overthrew both her own desire and his and in no sort would yield to marry him. It was a strange encounter of love’s affects and effects, that he, by an affection sprung from excessive beauty, should delight in horrible foulness and she of a vehement desire to have him should kindly build a resolution never to have him. For truth it is that she loved him so in her heart that she could not find in her heart that he should be tied to what was unworthy of his presence.

“Truly, sir, a very good orator might have a fair field to use eloquence in if he did but only repeat their lamentable and truly affectionate speeches. He conjured her by the remembrance of her affection and by true oaths of his own affection not to make him so unhappy as to think he had not only lost her face, but her heart. He said that her face, when it was fairest, had been but as a marshal to lodge the love of her in his mind, which now was so well placed as it needed no further help of any outward harbinger. He beseeched her, even with tears, to know that his love was not so superficial as to go no further than the skin, which yet now to him was most fair, since it was hers. How could he be so ungrateful as to love her the less for that which she had received for his sake? He never beheld her face without seeing the loveliness of her love towards him. He protested that he would never take joy of his life if he might not enjoy her from whom principally he was glad he had life.

“But (as I heard by one that overheard them) she, wringing him by the hand, made no other reply than to say, ‘My lord, God knows I love you. If I were princess of the whole world and had all the blessings that ever the world brought forth, I should not make delay to lay myself and them under your feet. If I had continued as I was, though (I must confess) far unworthy of you, yet would I (with too great a joy for my heart now to think of) have accepted your allowing me to be yours and with faith and obedience would have supplied all other defects.’

“ ‘But let me be much more miserable than I am before I match Argalus to such a Parthenia. I live happy, dear Argalus, but I give you full liberty, and I ask you to take it. I assure you I shall rejoice, whatsoever becomes of me, to see you so coupled as may fit both your honor and satisfaction.’ With that, she burst out in crying and weeping, no longer able to contain herself from blaming her misfortune and wishing her own death.

“Because Argalus with a most heavy heart still pursued his desire, she fixed her mind to avoid further entreaty and to fly from all company—even his—which grew unpleasant to her. One night she stole away, but to where is yet unknown, or what has become of her.

“Argalus sought her long, and in many places. At length, despairing to find her—and the more in despair, the more enraged—he grew weary of his life, but first, determining to seek revenge on Demagoras, he went alone disguised into the chief town held by the Helots, where coming into his presence, even though guarded about by many of his soldiers, he could delay his fury no longer for a better time, but setting upon him, despite a great many that helped Demagoras, he gave him several mortal wounds. No doubt he himself would also have been murdered if Demagoras himself had not desired he might be kept alive—possibly with the intention to feed his own eyes with some cruel execution to be laid upon him.

“Death came to Demagoras sooner than he expected, yet he had time to appoint his successor, a young man who not long before had been delivered out of the prison of the king of Lacedemon, where he should have suffered death for having slain the king’s nephew. He was absent, and making inroads upon the Lacedemonians, when Demagoras named him. Once he returned, the rest of the Helots, for the great liking they felt for that young man, were content to follow Demagoras’ appointment, especially because they had none among themselves to whom the others would yield.

“Since his succession this young man has done things beyond the hope of the youngest heads. I mention him because he has hitherto preserved Argalus alive, if only with intention to have him publicly, and with exquisite torments, executed after the end of these wars, of which the Helots hope for a soon and prosperous issue.

“And he has likewise so far kept my young lord Clitophon alive, who went with certain other noble men of Laconia, and forces gathered by them, to redeem his friend by laying siege to this young and new successor, who, to the wonder of all men, defeated the Laconians, slew many of the noblemen, and took Clitophon prisoner, whom with much ado he kept alive, the Helots being villainously cruel. He tempered them so, sometimes by following their humor, sometimes by striving with it, that hitherto he has saved both their lives, but in different estates. Argalus is kept in a close and hard prison. Clitophon is at some liberty.

“Now, sir, though to say the truth, we can promise ourselves little of their safeties while they are in the Helots’ hands, I have delivered all I understand touching the loss of my lord’s son, and the cause thereof, which, though it was not necessary to Clitophon’s case to be so particularly told, yet the strangeness of it made me think it would not be unpleasant to you.”

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