"The beautiful youth gracefully bent his knee, and bowed his head in thanks, respectfully, and with an air of high breeding. In two bounds he stood before the cord by the side of the four runners; his twelve comrades placed themselves on one side as spectators of the race. A trumpet sounded, the cord was loosed, and the five sprang forwards at full speed; but they had not run twenty paces, when the new comer was more than seven paces ahead; at thirty paces he had gained nearly fifteen; finally he left them half way behind, as if they had been made of stone, to the admiration of all beholders, especially of Sinforosa, who followed him with her eyes, whether he ran, or whether he stood still; for indeed the beauty and grace of the youth was enough to attract every eye, and win the hearts of every one that looked upon him. I observed all attentively, because I had my eyes fixed upon Polycarpa, the lovely object of my affections, and thus I remarked also the motions of her sister. Envy began to rise in the breasts of those who were intending to try for the prizes, when they saw the ease with which the stranger had won the race. The second trial was that of fencing; the boy took the foil, and of seven who encountered him, he hit one on the mouth, the nose of another, closed the eyes of a third, and gave blows about the head repeatedly, whilst not one of his adversaries ever succeeded in touching so much as a bit of his clothing. "With one accord, the public voice adjudged the first prize to him.