not to break it open lest by the noyse we should raise up to our harm
the neighbours by. Then our strong and valiant captaine Lamathus
trusting in his own strength and force, thrust in his hand through a
hole in the dore, and thought to pull back the bolt: but the covetous
caitif Chriseros being awake, and making no noise came softly to the
dore and caught his hand and with a great naile nailed it fast to the
post: which when he had done, he ran up to the high chamber and called
every one of his neighbours by name, desiring them to succour him with
all possible speed, for his own house was on fire. Then every one for
fear of his owne danger came running out to aid him, wherewith we
fearing our present peril, knew not what was best to be don, whether
wee should leave our companion there, or yeeld ourselves to die with
him: but we by his consent devised a better way, for we cut off his arm
by the elbow and so let it hang there: then wee bound his wound with
clouts, lest we should be traced by the drops of blood: which don we
took Lamathus and led him away, for fear we would be taken: but being
so nigh pursued that we were in present danger, and that Lamathus could
not keepe our company by reason of faintnesse; and on the other side
perceiving that it was not for his profit to linger behinde, he spake
unto us as a man of singular courage and vertue, desiring us by much
entreaty and prayer and by the puissance of the god Mars, and the faith
of our confederacy, to deliver his body from torment and miserable
captivity: and further he said, How is it possible that so courageous a
Captaine can live without his hand, wherewith he could somtime rob and
slay so many people? I would thinke myself sufficiently happy if I
could be slaine by one of you. But when he saw that we all refused to
commit any such fact, he drew out his sword with his other hand, and
after that he had often kissed it, he drove it clean through his body.
Then we honoured the corps of so puissant a man, and wrapped it in
linnen cloathes and threw it into the sea. So lieth our master
Lamathus, buried and did in the grave of water, and ended his life as I
have declared. But Alcinus, though he were a man of great enterprise,
yet could he not beware by Lamathus, nor voide himselfe from evill
fortune, for on a day when he had entred into an old womans house to
rob her, he went up into a high chamber, where hee should first have
strangled her: but he had more regard to throw down the bags of mony
and gold out at a window, to us that stood under; and when he was so
greedy that he would leave nothing behinde, he went into the old womans
bed where she lay asleep, and would have taken off the coverlet to have
thrown downe likewise, but shee awaked, and kneeling on her knees,
desired him in this manner: O sir I pray you cast not away such torn
and ragged clouts into my neighbours houses, for they are rich enough,
and need no such things. Then Alcinus thinking her words to be true,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account