225How Apollonius departed from Ephesus and sailed himself, his wife, his son and daughter unto Antiochia, and then to Tyrus, and from thence to Tharsus, where he revenged himself upon Stranguilio and Dionisiades.

226APOLLONIUS and Lucina his wife and the residue of their train, having rested themselves and made merry sufficient time at Ephesus, when the wind served, took leave of their friends and went aboard of their ships, and launched from the shore and departed unto Antiochia; where, according as Calamitus, the master of the ship of Tyrus, had told him before, the kingdom was reserved for him since the death of Antiochus. But when the citizens heard that he was arrived, they were all exceeding glad and put on their bravest apparel and garlands of bays upon their heads and went forth in procession to meet him, and brought him in triumph into the city and crowned him king with all joy and gladness. And when all the solemnities of the coronation, the feasts, triumphs, largesses and pardons were finished, he abode with them certain days to dispose some matters in order that required redress, and to establish certain laws for the due administration of justice.

227Which being all accomplished according to his desire, he took his leave of the citizens, and, with his wife, son and daughter, departed to the sea, and sailed unto Tyrus his own native country, where he was joyfully received of his subjects, and found his kingdom governed in good order. There placed he for his lieutenant his son-in-law, Athanagoras, which had married his daughter Tharsia, to rule the country in his absence, and when he had aboden a convenient time amongst them to make merry and to provide necessaries for his farther affairs, he levied in shorter space a mighty army of the best-approved soldiers with sufficient store of money and munition, and, taking with him moreover his lady and his daughter Tharsia, took shipping in the haven, and had so prosperous wind that in few days they landed in the coast of Tharsus.

228And when they were come all ashore, they marched forward in battle array and came into the city to the great terror of all the inhabitants. When he was come into the market-place, he commanded that Stranguilio and Dionisiades should be brought before him, which being done he thus spake unto the people. "Ye citizens of Tharsus, I am come hither in arms as you see, not moved by my will but constrained by injury. Wherefore tell me, was I ever unthankful unto your city in general, or unto any of you all in particular?" They all answered with one voice "No my lord, and therefore we are ready all to spend our lives in thy quarrel; and as thou knowest well we have erected here, in perpetual memory of thee, a statue of brass, because thou preservedst us from death and our city from utter destruction." Then said Apollonius, "Understand then this much my friends: that when I departed last from this city, I committed my daughter in trust unto Stranguilio and his wife, Dionisiades; and when I came to require her they would not deliver her unto me nor tell me the truth what is become of her."

229Immediately they were both called forth to answer unto these matters before Apollonius, where, falling down on their knees before him, Dionisiades answered in this manner: "My lord, I beseech you stand favorable unto my poor husband and me, and not to believe any other thing concerning your daughter than that she is departed this life. And as for her grave, you have seen it, and also the monument of brass erected by the whole city in the memorial of her, and moreover you have read the superscription." Then Apollonius commanded his daughter to stand forth in the presence of them all, and she said unto Dionisiades: "Behold thou wicked woman, dead Tharsia is come to greet thee, who, as thou didst well hope, should never have been forthcoming to have bewrayed thy wickedness." But when the miserable woman beheld Tharsia, her heart quaked for fear and she fell to the ground in a swoon; and when she recovered again, she cried out upon the just judgment of God and cursed the time that she was born. And all the people ran thronging about Tharsia and wondered at her, thinking how greatly they had been of long time abused by Stranguilio and Dionisiades; and they rejoiced much in her safety, and all knew by her countenance that it was she and none other.

230Oh now, who were able to declare the bitter grief and intolerable care which eftsoons assayed the wearisome consciences of these twain, the husband and the wife, when they saw her living and in good liking before their faces whose death they had so traitorously conspired? Even hell itself is not comparable unto so heavy a burden, the unspeakable weight whereof all men ought to fear and none can sufficiently describe unless he have been semblably plunged in the like gulf of horrible desperation. Then Tharsia called for Theophilus, Stranguilio's villein, and when he was come into her presence, she said unto him: "Theophilus, answer me aloud that all the people may hear, who sent thee forth to slay me?" He answered, "Dionisiades, my mistress." "What moved her thereunto?" said Tharsia. "None other thing, I suppose," said the villein, "but to enjoy the money and ornaments, and also because thy beauty and comeliness were commended above Philomacia's, her daughter's."

231Now when the people heard this, they ran upon Stranguilio and Dionisiades, and took them violently and bound them, and drew them out of the city and stoned them to death, and would likewise have slain Theophilus the villein for that at his mistress' commandment he would have murdered the innocent maiden. But Tharsia entreated for him, saying, "Not so my dear friends. I pray you let me obtain pardon for him at your hands; for unless he had given me respite to say my prayers, I had not been here now to have spoken for him." And when she had said so, the furious multitude was appeased. And Apollonius gave many exceeding rich gifts unto the city, and repaired it strongly in many places where it was decayed, and abode there with them the space of three months in feasting and making merry before he departed.