The Ladies' Garland

THE REPOSITORY.

ALCANDER AND SEPTIMUS.

TRANSLATED FROM A BYZANTINE TRAVELLER.

Athens, even long after the decline of the Roman
empire, still continued the seat of learning,
politeness, and wisdom. The emperors and generals
who, in these periods of approaching ignorance,
still felt a passion for science, from time to time
added to its buildings, or increased its professorships.
Theodoric, the Ostrogoth, was of the number; he
repaired those schools which barbarity had suffered
to fall into decay, and continued those pensions to
men of learning, which avaricious governors had
monopolized to themselves.

In this city, and about this period, Alcander and
Septimus were fellow students together. The one
the most subtle reasoner in the Lyceum; the other
the most eloquent speaker in the academic grove.
Mutual admiration soon begat acquaintance, and a
similitude of disposition made them perfect friends.
Their fortunes were nearly equal, their studies the
same, and they were natives of the two most celebrated
cities in the world; for Alcander was of Athens,
Septimus came from Rome.

In this mutual harmony they lived for some time
together, when Alcander, after passing the first part
of his life in the indolence of philosophy, thought at
length of entering the busy world; and, as a step
previous to this, placed his affections on Hypatia, a
lady of exquisite beauty.

Hypatia showed no dislike to his addresses. The
day of their intended nuptials was fixed, the previous
ceremonies were performed, and nothing now remained
but her being conducted in triumph to the apartment
of the intended bridegroom.

An exultation in his own happiness, or his being
unable to enjoy any happiness without making his
friend Septimus a partner, prevailed upon him to
introduce his mistress to his fellow student, which
he did with the gaiety of a man who found himself
equally happy in love and friendship. But this was
an interview fatal to the peace of both. Septimus no
sooner saw her than he was smit with an involuntary
passion. He used every effort, but in vain, to suppress
desires at once imprudent and unjust. He retired to
his apartment in inexpressible agony; and the emotions
of his mind in a short time became so strong that they
brought on a fever, which the physicians judged
incurable.

During this illness, Alcander watched him with all
the anxiety of fondness, and brought his mistress to
join in those offices of friendship. The sagacity of the
physicians, by this means, soon discovered the cause
of their patient's illness; and Alcander, being apprised
of their discovery, at length extorted a confession from
the reluctant dying lover.

It would but delay the narrative, to describe the
conflict between love and friendship, in the breast of
Alcander on this occasion; it is enough to say that the
Athenians were at this time arrived at such refinement
in morals, that every virtue was carried to excess. In
short, forgetful of his own felicity, he gave up his
intended bride, in all her charms, to the young Roman.
They were married privately by his connivance; and
this unlooked for change of fortune, wrought an
unexpected change in the constitution of the now happy
Septimus. In a few days he was perfectly recovered,
and set out with his fair partner for Rome. Here, by
the exertion of those talents of which he was so
eminently possessed, he in a few years arrived at the
highest dignitaries of the state, and was constituted the
city judge, or praetor.

Meanwhile Alcander not only felt the pain of being
separated from his friend and mistress, but a
prosecution was also commenced against him by the
relations of Hypatia, for basely giving her up as was
suggested for money. Neither his innocence of the
crime laid to his charge, nor his eloquence in his own
defence, was able to withstand the influence of a
powerful party.

He was cast and condemned to pay an enormous sum.
Unable to raise so large a sum at the time appointed,
his possessions were confiscated, and himself stript of
the habit of freedom, and exposed in the market place,
and was sold as a slave to the highest bidder.

A merchant of Thrace becoming his purchaser,
Alcander, with some other companions of distress, was
carried into the region of desolation and sterility. His
stated employment was to follow the herds of an
imperious master, and his skill in hunting was all that
was allowed him to supply a precarious existence.

Condemned to hopeless servitude, every morning
waked him to a renewal of famine or toil, and every
change of season served but to aggravate his
unsheltered distress. Nothing but death or flight was
left him, and almost certain death was the consequence
of his attempting to fly. After some years of bondage,
however, an opportunity of escaping offered; he
embraced it with ardour, and travelled by night, and
lodged in caverns by day: to shorten a long story, he at
last arrived in Rome. The day of Alcander's arrival,
Septimus sat in the forum, administering justice; and
hither our wanderer came, expecting to be instantly
known, and publicly acknowledged. Here he stood the
whole day among the crowd, watching the eyes of the
judge, and expecting to be taken notice of; but so much
was he altered by a long succession of hardships, that
he passed entirely without notice; and in the evening,
when he was going up to the praetor's chair, he was
brutally repulsed by the attending lictors. The attention
of the poor is generally driven from one ungrateful
object to another.

Night coming on, he now found himself under the
necessity of seeking a place to lie in. Emaciated and in
rags, as he was, none of the citizens would harbour so
much wretchedness, and sleeping in the street might be
attended with interruption or danger: in short, he was
obliged to take up his lodging in one of the tombs
without the city, the usual retreat of guilt, poverty, or
despair.

In this mansion of horror, laying his head upon an
inverted urn, Alcander forgot his miseries for a while
in sleep; and virtue found, on thus hard flinty couch,
more ease than down can supply to the guilty.

It was midnight, when two robbers came to make
this cave their retreat; but happening to disagree about
the division of their plunder, one of them stabbed the
other to the heart, and left him weltering in his blood
at the entrance. In these circumstances he was found
next morning, and this naturally induced a further
inquiry.—The alarm was spread, the cave was examined,
Alcander was found sleeping and immediately
apprehended and accused of robbery and murder. The
circumstances against him were strong; the
wretchedness of his appearance confirmed the suspicion.
Misfortune and he were now long acquainted, that he at
last became regardless of his fate. He detested a world
where he had found only ingratitude, falsehood and
cruelty; and was determined to make no defence. Thus
lowering with resolution, he was dragged before the
tribunal of Septimus. The proofs were positive against
him, and he offered nothing in his own vindication; the
judge, therefore, was proceeding to doom him to a most
cruel and ignominious death, when, as if illuminated
with a ray from heaven, he discovered through all his
misery, the features, though distorted, of his long lost
friend Alcander.
with sorrow, of his long lost, loved Alexander. It is impossible to describe his joy, as his pain on this strange occasion; happy in once more seeing the person he most loved on earth, and distressed at finding him in such circumstances. His mind agitated by contending passions, he flew from his throne, and falling on the neck of his dear friend, burst into an agony of distress. The attention of the multitude was soon, however, divided by another object. The robber who had been really guilty, was apprehended all aghast under, and struck with a panic, confessed his crime. He was brought bound to the same tribunal, and every other person acquitted of any partnership in his guilt. Need the sequel be related? Alexander was acquitted, shared the friendship and the honors of his friend Septimus, lived afterwards in happiness and ease, and left to be engraved on his tomb, "That no circumstances are so desperate which Providence may not relieve."