doth chaunce contrarie. For as teares oftentimes
trickleth downe the cheekes of him that seeth or
heareth some joyfull newes, so I being in this fearfull
perplexitie, could not forbeare laughinge, to see how
of Aristomenus I was made like unto a snayle in his
shell. And while I lay on the grounde covered in
this sorte, I peeped under the bed to see what would
happen. And behold there entered in twoo olde
wemen, the one bearinge a burninge torche, and the
other a sponge and a naked sworde: And so in this
habite they stoode about Socrates beinge fast a sleape.
Then she (which bare the sworde) said unto the
other, behold sister Panthia this is my deere and
my sweete harte, whiche both daie and night hath
abused my wanton youthfulnes. This is he (who
litle regardinge my love) dothe not onely diffame me
with reprochfull woordes, but also intendeth to runne
away: And I shalbe forsaken by like crafte as Ulisses
did use, and shall continually bewaile my solitarines
as Calipso: (which said) she pointed towardes me,
that lay under the bed, and showed me to Panthia.
This is he (quoth she) which is his counseler, and
perswadeth him to forsake me, and now (being at
pointe of death) he lieth prostrate on the grounde
covered with his bedde, and hath seene all our doo-
inges, and hopeth to escape (skot free) from my
handes: but I will cause that he shall repent him
selfe too late, nay rather forthwith of his former
untemperate language, and his present curiositie.
Whiche woordes when I harde, I fell into a colde
sweate, and my harte trembled with feare, in so
much that the bed over me did likewise rattle and
shake. Then spake Panthia unto Meroe, and said:
Sister, let us by and by teare him in peeces, or els tie
him by the members and so cutte them of. Then
Meroe (being so named because she was a taverner