overthrew the tables and seized each his own lady, and placed them in charge of their men, whom they bade bear them off forthwith to the ship that lay ready to receive them.  Whereupon the brides and the other ladies and the servants with one accord fell a sobbing and shrieking, insomuch that a confused din and lamentation filled the whole place.  Cimon, Lysimachus and their band, none withstanding, but all giving way before them, gained the stairs, which they were already descending when they encountered Pasimondas, who, carrying a great staff in his hand, was making in the direction of the noise; but one doughty stroke of Cimon’s sword sufficed to cleave his skull in twain, and lay him dead at Cimon’s feet, and another stroke disposed of hapless Hormisdas, as he came running to his brother’s aid.  Some others who ventured to approach them were wounded and beaten off by the retinue.  So forth of the house, that reeked with blood and resounded with tumult and lamentation and woe, sped Simon and Lysimachus with all their company, and without any let, in close order, with their fair booty in their midst, made good their retreat to the ship; whereon with the ladies they one and all embarked, for the shore was now full of armed men come to rescue the ladies, and, the oarsmen giving way, put to sea elate.  Arrived at Crete, they met with a hearty welcome on the part of their many friends and kinsfolk; and, having married their ladies, they made greatly merry, and had gladsome joyance of their fair booty.  Their doings occasioned, both in Cyprus and in Rhodes, no small stir and commotion, which lasted for a long while:  but in the end, by the good offices of their friends and kinsfolk in both islands, ’twas so ordered as that after a certain term of exile Cimon returned with Iphigenia to Cyprus, and in like manner Lysimachus returned with Cassandra to Rhodes; and long and blithely thereafter lived they, each well contented with his own wife in his own land.

(1) One of the augmentative forms of bestia.

NOVEL II.

—­ Gostanza loves Martuccio Gomito, and hearing that he is dead, gives way to despair, and hies her alone aboard a boat, which is wafted by the wind to Susa.  She finds him alive in Tunis, and makes herself known to him, who, having by his counsel gained high place in the king’s favour, marries her, and returns with her wealthy to Lipari. —­

Pamfilo’s story being ended, the queen, after commending it not a little, called for one to follow from Emilia; who thus began:—­

Meet and right it is that one should rejoice when events so fall out that passion meets with its due reward:  and as love merits in the long run rather joy than suffering, far gladlier obey I the queen’s than I did the king’s behest, and address myself to our present theme.  You are to know then, dainty ladies, that not far from Sicily there is an islet called Lipari, in which, no great while ago, there