144How Athanagoras prince of Machilenta seeing the beautie of Apollonius ship, went aboord of it, and did the best he could to comfort him.

145AS fortune thereto served, and delight to take the fresh aire moved Athanagoras prince of the Citie, to walk toward the sea side, he sawe Apollonius's ships riding at anker: at the view wherof he tooke great pleasure, especially at the Admirall which was a great ship and a beautiful, wherin Apollonius himself was carried, the like wherof haply he had not seene often before. This was that Anthagoras that loved Tharsia so tenderly, and he haled unto the Marriners, and asked of whence that faire ship was? The Marriners answered, that she came now from Tharsus. "Truly," said Athanagoras, "it is a faire shippe, and well appointed, and of all that I have seene, I like best of her." Now when the Marriners heard their shippe so highly commended, they desired him to come aboord, whereunto he willingly graunted.

146And when he was come abord, he sate downe with them at meat and he drue his purse, and laid downe ten peeces of gold upon the table, saying "you shall not say that you have bidden an unthankfull person, take this small summe of money at my handes for a reward," and they thanked him. But when he was set downe, and beheld al that sate at the boord, he demaunded who was owner of the ship, and where he was? The maister answered, "our owner is sicke, and weake with sorrowe and taking thought, and needes will die. He lost his wife uppon the Sea, and his daughter in a strange land." Athanagoras said unto one of the servants called Ardalius: "I will give thee two peeces of gold, to go down and tell thy master that the prince of this Citie desireth him to come up out of darknesse into light." The servaunt answered, "I cannot buy new thighes for thy golde, and therefore get some man els to go on the errand, for he hath said that whosoever troubleth him, his thighes shall be broken." "That law hath he made over you," said Athanagoras, "and not over mee, and therefore I will go downe unto him: but first tell me, I pray you, what you call his name?" They answered "Apollonius." And when he heard that name, hee remembred in his minde that hee heard Tharsia call her father so, and he went downe unto him where he lay, whom when hee beheld, having a long beard, and rough fligged haire, and long nailes on his fingers, he was somewhat astonied, and called upon him with a soft voice, saying: "Apollonius!"

147When Apollonius heard himselfe named, thinking it had been some of his men that had called him, arose up sodainly with a fierce countenance, and seeing a stranger looking verie comely and honourably attired, he held his peace. Then spake Athanagoras: "Sir, I thinke you doe marvell, that I being a stranger, am so bold as to come to trouble you. You shall understand that I am prince of this citie, and my name is Athanagoras. I walked by chance unto the Sea side, where beholding thy ships, especially commending this wherin thou art, for beautie and strength: I was by thy men desired to come aboord which I did, and have eaten with them. Then inquired I for the owner, and they told me thy name, and that thou remainest in great sorrow, and for that cause I am come downe unto thee to bring thee, if I may, out of darknesse into light, hoping that after this heavinesse god shal restore thee unto gladnesse." Apollonius lifted up his eies, saying: "I thanke thee, my Lord, whosoever thou art, and I beseech thee not to trouble me longer, for I am not worthy to eate meat or make good cheare, and I will live no longer." Athanagoras much mused at this answere, and wondred at the wilfulnesse of the man, and came up uppon the decke and saide unto the servauntes: "I cannot perswade your lord to come up out of that darke place into the light: what way therefore, were I best to devise to bring him from his purpose, and to preserve him from an obstinate death? For it were great pitie that a notable gentleman should so consume away in hucker mucker, and die by a dishonourable death."