the Pit of aduerse lucke, so
well as I am nowe: of that forme Fortune's wheele is made, whych
we dayly see to be vnstable, turninge and dyuers, that now peace
and now warre it promiseth, now euill it threatneth, now mirth,
now sorrow it bringeth, now aduauncinge aloft, now tumbling
downe the clymbers up. Let Syphax bee cleare and liuely Example
to thee, whych coulde neuer finde any stedfast stay vnder the
Moone's Globe. He was the mightiest and the richest kinge that
raigned in Affrica, and now is the most miserable and vnlucky
wight that liueth on Land. The Gods graunt that I bee no Prophet
or Diuiner of future euill, whose omnipotency I deuoutly beseech
to suffer thee and thy posterity in Numidie land and most
happyly to raygne. Vouchsafe then to deliuer me from the Romanes
thraldome, which if thou bee not able safely to bryng to passe,
cause death (the ease of al woe) to be inflicted vpon me." In
speaking those words, she tooke the kynge's right hande and many
times sweetly kissed the same. And then her teares turned to
pleasant cheare, in sutch wise as not onely the mynde of the
armed and victorious Prynce was mooued to mercy, but straungely
wrapped in the amorous Nets of the Lady, whereby the victour was
subdued by the vanquyshed, and the Lord surprysed of his
Captiue, whom with tremblinge voyce thus he aunswered: "Make an
end, O Sophonisba, of thy large complaynt, abandon thy conceyued
feare, for I wil not onely ridde the from the Romayne handes,
but also take thee to my lawfull wyfe (if thou therewyth shalt
be content) whereby thou shalte not leade a prisoner's life, but
passe thy youthfull dayes and hoarye age (if gods doe graunt thy
life so long) as Quene vnto a king, and wife vnto a Romane
frend." When he had sayd so with weeping teares, he kissed and
imbraced hir. She by the countenaunce, Sygnes, Gestes, and
interrupted Woordes, comprehendyng the Minde of the Numide king
to be kindled with feruent loue: the more to inflame the same
beemoned her self with such heauinesse, as the beastly heartes
of the Hircane Tygres would haue bene made gentle and dispoiled
of al fiercenesse, yf they had beheld her: and againe she fel
downe at hys feete, kissinge the armed Sabbatons vppon the same,
and bedewinge them with hir warme teares. After many sobbes and
infinite sighes, comforted by him, she sayd: "O the the glorie
and honor of all the kynges that euer were, bee or shall bee
hereafter: O the safest aide of Carthage m