85How Lucina, King Altistrates' daughter, desirous to hear Apollonius' adventures, fell in love with him.

86Now while they sat at meat, discoursing of this and such like matters at the board, suddenly came in the king's daughter and only child named Lucina, a singular beautiful lady and a maiden now of ripe years for marriage. And she approached nigh and kissed the king her father and all the guests that sat with him at the table. And when she had so done, she returned unto her father, and said, "Good father, I pray you, what young man is this which sitteth in so honorable a place over against you, so sorrowful and heavy?" "O sweet daughter," answered the king, "this young man is a sea-wrecked man, and hath done me great honor today at the baths and place of exercise, for which cause I sent for him to sup with me; but I know not neither what, neither whence he is. If you be desirous to know these things, demand of him, for you may understand all things; and peradventure when you shall know, you will be moved with compassion towards him." Now when the lady perceived her father's mind, she turned about unto Apollonius, and said: "Gentleman, whose grace and comeliness sufficiently bewraieth the nobility of your birth: if it be not grievous unto you, show me your name I beseech you and your adventures." Then answered Apollonius, "Madam, if you ask my name, I have lost it in the sea; if you enquire of my nobility, I have left that at Tyrus." "Sir, I beseech you," then said the Lady Lucina, "tell me this more plainly, that I may understand."

87Then Apollonius, craving silence to speak, declared his name, his birth and nobility, and unripped the whole tragedy of his adventures in order as is before rehearsed, and when he had made an end of speaking, he burst forth into most plentiful tears. Which when the king beheld, he said unto Lucina: "Dear daughter, you have done evil in requiring to know the young man's name, and his adventures, wherein you have renewed his forepast griefs. But since now you have understood all the truth of him, it is meet, as it becometh the daughter of a king, you likewise extend your liberality towards him, and whatsoever you give him I will see it be performed." Then Lucina, having already in her heart professed to do him good, and now perceiving very luckily her father's mind to be inclined to the desired purpose, she cast a friendly look upon him, saying, "Apollonius, now lay sorrow aside, for my father is determined to enrich you." And Apollonius, according to the courtesy that was in him, with sighs and sobs at remembrance of that whereof he had so lately spoken, yielded great thanks unto the fair lady Lucina.

88Then said the king unto his daughter: "Madam, I pray you take your harp into your hands and play us some music to refresh our guests withal, for we have all too long hearkened unto sorrowful matters." And when she had called for her harp, she began to play so sweetly, that all that were in company highly commended her, saying that in all their lives they never heard pleasanter harmony. Thus, whilst the guests every man for his part much commended the lady's cunning, only Apollonius spake nothing. Then said the king unto him: "You are to blame Apollonius, since all praise my daughter for her excellency in music, and you commend not her, or rather dispraise her by holding your peace." Apollonius answered: "My sovereign and good lord, might it please you to pardon me, and I will say what I think. The Lady Lucina, your daughter, is prettily entered, but she is not yet come to perfection in music. For proof whereof, if it please your Grace to command the harp to be delivered unto me, she shall well perceive that she shall hear that which she doth not yet know." The king answered: "I see well, Apollonius, you have skill in all things, and [there] is nothing to be wished in a gentleman but you have perfectly learned it; wherefore, hold, I pray you, take the harp, and let us hear some part of your cunning." When Apollonius had received the harp, he went forth and put a garland of flowers upon his head and fastened his raiment in comely manner about him, and entered into the parlour again, playing before the king and the residue with such cunning and sweetness that he seemed rather to be Apollo then Apollonius, and the king's guests confessed that in all their lives they never heard the like before.

89But when Lucina had heard and seen what was done, she felt herself suddenly moved within, and was sharply surprised with the love of Apollonius, and, turning to her father: "Now suffer me, good father," said she, "to give unto this young gentleman some reward, according as I shall think convenient." "I give you leave to do so fair daughter," said the king. Then she, looking towards Apollonius, "My lord Apollonius," said she, "receive here of my father's liberality two hundred talents of gold, four hundred pounds of silver, store of raiment, twenty menservants, and ten handmaidens." "Now therefore," said she unto the officers that stood by, "bring hither all these things which I have here promised, and lay them down in the parlour in the presence of our friends." And immediately they were all brought into their sight as she had commanded. When this was done, the guests arose from the table, and, giving thanks unto the king and Lady Lucina, took their leave and departed. And Apollonius, thinking it likewise time for him to be gone, "Most gracious King Altistrates," quoth he, "thou which art a comforter of such as are in misery, and thou also, renowned princess, a favourer of philosophy and lover of all good studies, I bid you now most heartily farewell; as for your great deserts toward me, I leave them to God to requite you with deserved recompense." And looking unto his servants which the lady Lucina had given him, "Sirs, take up this gear," quoth he, "which is given me, and bring it away, and let us go seek some lodgings."

90When Lucina heard those words she was suddenly struck into a dump, fearing that she should have lost her new lover before she had ever reaped any fruit of his company, and therefore turning to her father, said: "I beseech you, good father and gracious king, forasmuch as it has pleased you this day to enrich Apollonius with many great gifts, you would not suffer him now to depart so late, lest he be by some naughty persons spoiled of the things which you have given him." The king willingly granted the lady's request, and commanded forthwith that there should be a fair lodging prepared for him and his, where he might lie honorably, and when he saw convenient time he went to bed and took his rest.