115How Apollonius, arriving at Tharsus, delivereth his young daughter Tharsia unto Stranguilio and Dionisiades to be brought up; and how the nurse lying in her death-bed declareth unto Tharsia who were her parents.

116LET us leave now a while the lady Lucina among the holy nuns in the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, and let us look back unto sorrowful Apollonius, whose ship, with fortunate wind and the good providence of God directing the same, arrived at the shore of Tharsus, where he immediately came forth of the ship, and entered into the house of Stranguilio and Dionisiades, whom he saluted and told then the heavy chances that had befallen him, both of the great storms and tempests on the sea which he had endured, as also of the death of the good Lady Lucina his wife: "Howbeit" said he, "God be thanked, my daughter remaineth alive, for the which I am very glad: wherefore, dear friends Stranguilio and Dionisiades, according to the trust which I have in you, I mean in some things to use your friendship, while I go about to recover the kingdom which is reserved for me. For I will not return back again unto King Altistrates, my father-in-law, whose daughter, alas, I have lost in the sea; but, meaning rather to exercise the trade of merchandize, I commit my daughter unto you to be nourished and brought up with your young daughter, Philomacia, and I will that my daughter be called Tharsia. Moreover, I will leave my dear wife Lucina's nurse here also, called Ligozides, to tend the child, that she may be less troublesome unto you." And when he had made an end of talking, he delivered the infant and the nurse unto Stranguilio, and therewithal great store of gold, silver, and raiment; and he swore a solemn oath, that he would not poll his head, clip his beard, nor pare his nails, until he had married his daughter at ripe years. They wondered much at so strange an oath, promising faithfully to bring up his daughter with all diligence.

117When these things were ended according to his mind, Apollonius took his leave, departed unto his ship, and sailed into far countries, and unto the uppermost parts of Egypt. Therewhile the young maiden, Tharsia, sprang up in years, and when she was about five years old, being free born, she was set to school with other free children, always jointly accompanied with Philomacia, being of the same age that she was of. The time passed forth apace, and Tharsia grew up so well in learning as in years, until, coming to the age of fourteen years, one day when she returned from school, she found Ligozides, her nurse, suddenly fallen sick, and, sitting beside her upon the bed, demanded of her the cause and manner of her sickness. Then said the nurse unto her, "Hearken unto my words, dear daughter Tharsia, and lay them up in thine heart. Whom thinkest thou to be thy father, and thy mother, and in what country supposest thou wast thou born?" Tharsia answered, "Why, nurse, why ask you me this question? Stranguilio is my father, Dionisiades my mother, and I was born in Tharsus." Then sighed the nurse, and said: "No, sweet Tharsia, no, thou art deceived.

118But hearken unto me, and I will declare unto thee the beginning of thy birth, to the intent thou mayst know how to guide thyself after my death. Apollonius, the Prince of Tyrus, is thy father, and Lucina, King Altistrates' daughter, was thy mother, who, being in travail with thee, died after thou wast born, and thy father, Appollonius, enclosed her body in a chest with princely ornaments, laying twenty talents of gold at her head, and as much at her feet in silver, with a schedule written, that whithersoever it were driven, it might suffice to bury her according to her estate. Thus wast thou born upon the sea; and thy father's ship, with much wrestling of contrary winds and with his unspeakable grief of mind, arrived at this shore and brought thee in thy swaddling clothes unto this city, where he with great care delivered thee unto this thine host, Stranguilio, and Dionisiades, his wife, to be fostered up diligently; and left me here also to attend upon thee. Moreover, he swore an oath, that he would not poll his head, clip his beard, nor pare his nails, until he had married thee unto some man at ripe years. Wherefore now I admonish thee, that if after my death thine host or thine hostess, whom thou callest thy parents, shall haply offer thee any injury, then run thou into the market place, where thou shalt find the statue of thy father standing; and take hold of it, and cry aloud saying: 'O citizens of Tharsus, I am his daughter whose image this is!' and the citizens, being mindful of thy father's benefits, will doubtless revenge thine injury." Then answered Tharsia: "Dear nurse Ligozides, I take God to witness, if you had not told me thus much, I should utterly have been ignorant from whence I had come. And therefore now, good nurse, I thank thee with all my heart, and if ever need so require, thy counsel shall be followed." And while they were debating these matters between them, Ligozides being very sick and weak, gave up the ghost, and by the death of this present body passed into the state of live everlasting.