137How Apollonius comming to Tharsus, and not finding his daughter, lamented her supposed death; and taking shippe againe, was driven by a tempest to Machilenta where Tharsia was.

138RETURNE we now againe unto Prince Apollonius, who whiles these things were doing at Machilenta when the foureteenth yeere was expired, arrived at Tharsus, and came into the citie unto the house of Stranguilio and Dionisiades, with whome he had left his yong daughter Tharsia. Whome when Stranguilio beheld and knew, he ranne hastily unto his wife Dionisiades and saide: "Thou reportedst that Prince Apollonius was dead, and loe now where he is come to require his daughter. What shall wee now doe, or say unto him?" Then cried she out "alas wretched husband and wife that we are! let us quickely put on our mourning attire, and shead foorth teares, and he wil beleeve us that his daughter died a naturall death." And when they had apparelled themselves, they came foorth unto Apollonius, who seeing them in mourning attire, said unto them: "My trusty friends, Stranguilio and Dionisiades, why weep ye thus at my comming? and tell me, I pray you (which I rather beleeve) whether these teares be not rather mine than yours." "Not so [my lord Apollonius]," answered the wicked woman. "And I woulde to god some other body, and not mine husband or I, were inforced to tel you these heavie tidings, that your deare daughter Tharsia is dead."

139When Apollonius heard that word, hee was suddenly cut to the heart, and his flesh trembled, and he coulde scarce stand on his legges, and long time hee stoode amazed with his eies intentively fixed on the ground, but at length recovering himselfe and taking fresh breath, he cast up his eyes upon her, and saide: "O woman, if my daughter be dead, as thou sayest she is, is the money also and apparell perished with her?" She answered, "some is, and some yet remaineth. And as for your daughter, my Lorde, we were alwaies in good hope, that when you came, you should have found her alive and merry. But to the intent that you may the better beleeve us concerning her death, we have a sufficient witnes. For our citizens being mindfull of your benefites bestowed upon them, have erected unto her a monument of brasse by yours, which you may go see if you please." And when she had so saide, she brought foorth such money, jewels and apparell which it pleased her to say were remaining of Tharsias's store.

140And Apollonius belieeving indeede that she was dead, said unto his servants: "take up this stuffe and beare it away unto the ships, and I will goe walke unto my daughter's monument." And when he came there, hee read the superscription in manner as is above written, and he fell suddenly, as it were into an outragious affection and cursed his owne eies, saying: "O most cruell eies, why can you not yeelde foorth sufficient teares, and woorthily bewaile the death of my deare daughter?" And with that word, with griefe and extreme sorrowe he fell into a sowne, from which so soone as ever he was once revived, immediatelie hee went unto the shippes unto his servauntes, unto whome hee saide, "cast mee, I beseech you, unto the very bottome of the sea, for I leave no joy of my life, and my desire is to yeelde up my Ghost in the water." But his servants used great perswasions with him to assuage his sorrowe, wherein presently they some deale preaviled, as they might in so wofull a case; and partly the time, which is a curer of all cares, continually mittigated some part of the griefe, and hee espying the winde to serve well for their departure, hoised up saile, and bid the land adue.

141They had not thus sailed long in their course, but the winde came about to a contrary quarter, and blew so stifly that it troubled both sea and shippes. The raine fell fiercely over head, the sea wrought wonderously under the ships, and to be short, the tempest was terrible for the time. It was then thought best in that extremitie to strike saile, and let the helme go, and to suffer the shippe to drive with the tide, whither it shoulde please god to direct it. But as joy evermore followeth heavinesse, so was this sharpe storme occasion of a sweet meeting of the father with the daughter, as in processe heereafter it shall appeare. For while Apollonius's shippe runneth thus at random, it striketh upon the shoare of the Citie Machilenta, where at that present his daughter Tharsia remained.

142Nowe it fortuned that this verie day of their arrivall was the birth day of Prince Apollonius, and when as the Marriners sawe themselves so happily come to the land, both for the gladnesse of the one, and joy of the other, the master of the shippe, and all the whole company gave a great shout.

143When Apollonius, who lay solitarily under the hatches, heard such a sodaine voice of mirth, hee called unto the master, and demaunded what it meant. The master aunswered, we rejoyce, and be you glad also with us my lorde, for this day we doe solemnize the feast of your birth. Then Apollonius sighed, and said himselfe: "All keepe hollyday save I onely, and let it suffice unto my servants that I onely remaine in sorrowe and heavinesse: Howbeit, I give unto them ten peeces of goold, to buy what they will to keepe holyday withall. But whosoever shall call me unto the feast, or goe about to provoke me unto mirth, I commaund that his thighes shall be broken." So the cater tooke the money, and went aland, and provided necessaries, and returned againe unto the ship.