excessively enamoured of his bride, that he could not survive the loss
of her. For this reason, as soon as he appeared, and before he spoke
to her parents, he took great care to talk with him. "As you and I are
both young," said he, "we can converse together with greater freedom.
When your bride, who had fallen into the hands of my soldiers, was
brought before me, I was informed that you loved her passionately;
and, in truth, her perfect beauty left me no room to doubt of it. If I
were at liberty to indulge a youthful passion--I mean honourable and
lawful wedlock, and were not solely engrossed by the affairs of my
republic, I might have hoped to have been pardoned my excessive love
for so charming a mistress; but as I am situated, and have it in my
power, with pleasure I promote your happiness. Your future spouse has
met with as civil and modest treatment from me, as if she had been
amongst her own parents, who are soon to be yours too. I have kept her
pure, in order to have it in my power to make you a present worthy of
you and of me." The magnanimity of his behaviour did not close here,
for when the parents of the fair captive brought an immense sum of
money to ransom her, they were much surprised at Scipio's noble
conduct, and in the ecstacy of joy and gratitude, they pressed him to
accept it as a token of thankfulness. Scipio, unable to resist their
importunate solicitations, told them he accepted it; but ordering it
to be laid at his feet, he thus addressed Allutius:--"To the portion
you are to receive from your father-in-law, I add this, and beg you
would accept it as a nuptial present:" thus exhibiting in the whole
transaction a rare instance of modesty, disinterestedness, and
benevolence, well worthy of imperishable record, as a moral lesson for
mankind.

When Araspes had commended the fair Panthea to Cyrus, as a beauty
worthy his admiration, he replied--"For that very reason I will not