student, which he did with all the gaiety of a man who found himself equally happy in friendship and love. But this was an interview fatal to the future peace of both; for Septimius no sooner saw her, but he was smitten with an unvoluntary passion; and, though he used every effort to suppress desires at once so imprudent and unjust, the emotions of his mind in a short time became so strong, that they brought on a fever, which the physicians judged incurable.

8

During this illness, Alcander watched him with all the anxiety of fondness, and brought his mistress to join in those amiable offices of friendship. The sagacity of the physicians, by these means, soon discovered that the cause of their patient's disorder was love: and Alcander, being apprized of their discovery, at length extorted a confession from the reluctant and 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 that time arrived at such refinement in morals, that every virtue was carried to excess. In short, forgetful his intended bride,

of his own felicity, he gave up in all her charms, to the young Roman. They were married privately by his connivance, and this unlooked-for change of fortune wrought as

To join, pour partager avec lui.-9Extorted a confes

unexpected a change in the constitution of the now happy Septimius: in a few days he was perfectly recovered, and set out with his fair partner for Rome. Here, by an exertion of 10 those talents which he was so eminently possessed of, Septimius in a few years arrived at the highest dignities of the state, and was constituted the city judge, or prætor.

13

In the meantime, Alcander not only felt the pain of being separated from his friend and his mistress; but a prosecution was also commenced against him by the relations of Hypatia, for having basely given up his bride, as was suggested 13, for money. His innocence of the crime laid to his charge, and even his eloquence in his own defence, were not able to withstand the influence of a powerful party. He was cast, and condemned to pay an enormous fine. However, being unable to raise so large a sum at the time appointed, his possessions were confiscated, he himself was stripped of the habit, of freedom, exposed as a slave in the market-place, and sold to the highest bidder.

A merchant of Thrace becoming his purchaser,

sion from, arracha un aveu à.- 10 By an exertion of, en déployant.-11 Which he was so eminently......., qu'il possédait à un si haut degré.—12 The pain of being separated from, la douleur d'être séparé de.-13 As was suggested, comme ils voulaient l'insinuer.—

Alcander, with some other companions of distress, was carried into that region of desolation and sterility. His stated employment was to follow the herds of an imperious master, and his success in hunting was all that was allowed him to supply his precarious subsistence. Every morning awaked him to a renewal of famine or toil, and every change of season served but to aggravate his unsheltered distress. After some years of bondage, however, an opportunity of escaping offered; he embraced it with ardour; so that, travelling by night, and lodging in caverns by day, to shorten a long story, he at last arrived in Rome. The same day on which Alcander arrived, Septimius sat administering justice in the forum, whither our wanderer came, expecting to be instantly known, and publicly acknowledged by his former friend. Here he stood the whole day among the crowd, watching the eyes of the judge, and expecting to be taken notice of 14; but he was so much altered by a long succession of hardships, that he continued unnoticed among the rest 15, and, in the evening, when he was going up to the prætor's chair, he was brutally repulsed by the attending lictors. The attention of the poor is generally driven from one ungrateful object to another; for night coming on, he

14 Expecting to be taken notice of, s'attendant à être remarqué.-15 He continued unnoticed among the

now found himself under a necessity of seeking a place to lie in 16, and yet knew not where to apply. All emaciated, and in rags as he was, none of the citizens would harbour so much wretchedness; and sleeping in the streets might be attended with interruption or danger : in short, he was obliged to take up his lodging 18 in one of the tombs without the city, the usual retreat of guilt, poverty, and despair. In this mansion of horror, laying his head upon an inverted urn, he forgot his miseries for a while in sleep; and found, on his flinty couch, more ease than beds of down can supply to the guilty.

As he continued here '9, about midnight, two robbers came to make this 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 blood at the entrance. In these circumstances, he was found next morning dead at the mouth of the vault. This naturally inducing a farther inquiry 20, an alarm was spread; the cave was examined, and Alcander being found, was immediately appre

rest, il resta confondu dans la foule.-16 A place to lie in, un endroit pour se coucher.-17 Sleeping in the streets might be attended with, s'endormir dans la rue, c'était s'exposer à.-18 To take up his lodging, de chercher un asile.-19 As he continued here, pendant qu'il était couché là.- -20 This naturally................,

hended, and accused of robbery and murder. The circumstances against him were strong, and the wretchedness of his appearance confirmed suspicion. Misfortune and he were now so long `acquainted 2, that he at last became regardless of life. He detested a world where he had found only ingratitude, falsehood, and cruelty; he was determined to make no defence; and thus lowering with resolution 22, he was dragged, bound with cords, before the tribunal of Septimius. As the proofs were positive against him, and he offered nothing in his own vindication 23, the judge was proceeding 24 to doom him to a most cruel and ignominious death, when the, attention of the multitude was soon divided by another object. The robber, who had been really guilty, was apprehended selling his plunder, and struck with a panic, had confessed his crime. He was brought bound to the same tribunal, and acquitted every other person of any partnership 25 in his guilt. Alcander's innocence therefore appeared, but the sullen rashness of his conduct remained a wonder to 26 the surrounding multitude; but their

cette découverte conduisit naturellement à de plus grandes recherches.-21 Misfortune and he......., il était depuis si long-temps identifié avec le malheur.— 22 Lowering with resolution, perdant courage.- 23 In his own vindication, pour sa défense.—24 Was proceeding, allait.—25 Partnership, complicité. —26 Re