“Argalus sought her long, and in many places; at length (despairing to find her, and the more he despaired, the more enraged) weary of his life, but first determining to be revenged of Demagoras, he went alone disguised into the chief town held by the Helots, where coming into his presence, guarded about by many of his soldiers, he could delay his fury no longer for a fitter time, but setting upon him, in despite of a great many that helped him, gave him divers mortal wounds, and himself (no question) had been there presently murdered, but that Demagoras himself desired he might be kept alive: perchance with intention to feed his own eyes with some cruel execution to be laid upon him; but death came sooner than he looked for; yet having had leisure to appoint his successor, a young man, not long before delivered out of the prison of the king of Lacedaemon, where he should have suffered death for having slain the king’s nephew, but him he named, who at that time was absent, making inroads upon the Lacedaemonians; but being returned, the rest of the Helots, for the great liking they conceived of that young man, {27} especially because they had none among themselves to whom the others would yield, were content to follow Demagoras’s appointment. And well hath it succeeded with them, he having since done things beyond the hope of the youngest heads; of whom I speak the rather, because he hath hitherto preserved Argalus alive, under pretence to have him publicly, and with exquisite torments executed after the end of these wars, of which they hope for a soon and prosperous issue. “And he hath likewise hitherto kept my young lord Clitophon alive, who (to redeem his friend) went with certain other noble men of Laconia, and forces gathered by them, to besiege this young and new successor: but he issuing out (to the wonder of all men) defeated the Laconians, slew many of the noblemen, and took Clitophon prisoner, whom with much ado he keepeth alive, the Helots being villainously cruel; but he tempereth them so, sometimes by following their humour, sometimes by striving with it, that hitherto he hath saved both their lives, but in different estates; Argalus being kept in a close and hard prison, Clitophon at some liberty. And now, Sir, though (to say the truth) we can promise ourselves little of their safeties while they are in the Helots’ hands, I have delivered all I understand touching the loss of my lord’s son, and the cause thereof: which though it was not necessary to Clitophon’s case, to be so particularly told, yet the strangeness of it made me think it would not be unpleasant unto you.” Palladius thanked him greatly for it, being even passionately delighted with hearing so strange an accident of a knight so famous over the world as Argalus, with whom he had himself a long desire to meet: so had fame poured a noble emulation in him towards him.