_Timoclia, a gentlewoman of Thebes, vnderstandinge the couetous
desire of a Thracian knight, that had abused hir, and promised her
mariage, rather for her goods than loue, well acquited hir selfe
from his falshoode._
Qvintus Curtius, that notable Historiographer, remembringe the
stout fact of thys Thebane gentlewoman, amonges other the Gestes
and Facts of Alexander the great, I haue deemed not altogeather
vnfit for this place, to reueale the fine and notable pollicy
deuised by her, to rid hir selfe from a couetous caitife of the
Thracian kinde, who for lucre rather than loue, for gayne than
gratitude, promysed golden Hylles to thys dystressed poore
Gentlewoman. But shee in the ende payinge hym hys well deserued
hyre, was liked and praysed of Alexander for hir aduenturous
facte, beinge not one of the least vertues that shined in him,
before hee grewe to excessyue abuse: but bycause Plutarch in hys
Treatyse _De claris mulieribus_, more at large recounteth this
Hystory, I haue thought good almost (_verbatim_) to follow him.
Theagenes a Gentleman of Thebes, ioyninge himselfe wyth
Epaminondas, and Pelopidas, and with other noble men, for
preseruation of their countrey of Greece, was slayne in the
chace of his enemyes, as he pursued one of the chyefe of hys
aduersaries, the same cryinge oute vnto him: "Whether doest thou
pursue vs, Theagenes?" "Euen to Macedonia:" aunswered hee. Thys
Gentleman thus slayne had a sister, whose vertue and neerenesse
of kin by noble deedes, she well witnessed, although she was not
well able to manifest her vertue, for the aduersity of the tyme,
but by pacient sufferance of the common calamityes. For after
Alexander had won the Citty of Thebes, the Souldiours greedy of
Spoyle runninge vp and downe the Citty, euery of them chauncinge
vppon sutch Booty as Fortune offred them, it hapned that a
Captayne of the Thracian horsmen, a barbarous, and wycked
wretch, came to the house of Timoclia, who somewhat neere the
kynge both in name, and Kyn, in manners, and conditions, was
greatly different from him: hee neyther regardynge the noble
house, ne yet the chastity of hir forepassed life, vpon a tyme
after supper, glutted and swilled wyth abundance of wine, caused
Timoclia forcibly to be haled to his dronken Couch: and not
contented with the forced wronge, as they were in talke
together, diligently demaunded of her, if she had in no place
hidden any Golde or Siluer, and partly by threates, and partely
by promise to keepe her as his wyfe, endeuoured to get that he
desired: but shee being of ready wit, takinge that offered
occasion of her aduersary: "I would to God," (sayd shee) "that
it had beene my lucke to haue died before thys night, rather
then to liue: for hitherto haue I kept my body pure and
vntouched from all despite, and villany, vntill vnlucky fate
forced mee to yelde to thy disordinate lust: but sith my hap is
sutch, why should I conceale those thyngs that bee thine owne,
thou beinge mine onely tutor, lord and husband (as thou sayst)
when the Gods shal please to bringe the same to passe: for by
thy will and pleasure must I vnhappy Thebane Wench be ruled and
gouerned. Ech vanquished wight must subdue their wyl and minde
to their lord and victor: I beinge thy slaue and prisoner, must
needes by humble meanes yelde vp my selfe to the vnsaciate hest
of thy puissant heart: what shall let me to disclose the pray
that thou desirest, that we both, if thy minde be sutch, may
rather ioye the same, than the soyly filth of stinkinge Earth,
should deuoure sutch spoyle, which for feare, and hope of future
fortune, I buried in the bowels of the same. Then marke my
words, beare them well in mynde, sith lot had wrought me this
mishap. I hauinge plenty of coyned siluer, and of fyned gold no
little store besydes sutch Iewels as belonge to the settinge
forth of the grace of woman's beauty, of valure and price
inestimable: when I saw this Citty brought to sutch distresse as
vnpossible to be saued from takinge, all the same I threw away,
or more truely to say, I whelmed altogether in a drye Ditche
voyde of water, which my fact fewe or none did knowe. The Pit is
couered with a little couer aboue, and thickly round about beset
with bushes and thornes. Those goods will make thee a welthy
personage, none in all the Campe to be compared to thee, the
riches and value whereof, wyl witnes our former fortune, and the
state of our gorgeous, and stately house: all those doe I
bequeathe to thee, as on whom I thinke them well bestowed." This
greedy Lecher, laughinge to him selfe for this sodaine pray, and
thinking that his lady fast holden within his barbarous armes
had tolde him truth, routed in his filthy Couch till the day had
discouered the morning light, then gapinge for his hoped gaine,
he rose and prayed her to tell the place, that he might recouer
the same. She then brought him into her Garden, the doore
whereof she commaunded to be shut, that none might enter. He in
his Hose and Doublet, went downe to the bottome of the Pit: when
Timoclia perceiued him down, she beckned for certaine of her
maids, and rolled downe diuers great stones with her own hands,
which of purpose she had caused to be placed there, and
commaunded hir maides to tumble downe the like. By which meanes
she killed that lecherous and couetous vilayne, that rather
carked to satisfie his desire, than coueted to obserue hys
promisd faith. Which afterwardes beinge knowen to the
Macedonians, they haled his body out of the Pit: for Alexander
had made proclamation, that none should dare to kill any
Thebane, and therefore apprehendinge Timoclia, they brought her
to the kinge, accusinge her for doinge that murder: who by her
countenaunce, and stature of body, and by her behauiour and
grauity of maners, beheld in her the very image of gentle kinde.
And first of al, he asked her what she was: to whom boldly with
constant cheere, she stoutely answered: "Theagenes was my
brother (said she) who beinge a valiaunt Captaine, and fightinge
against you for the common safegard of the Greeks, was slaine at
Chæronea, that we together might not sustaine, and proue the
miseries, wherewith we be now oppressed: but I rather than to
suffer violence vnworthy of our race and stocke, am in your
maiestie's presence brought ready to refuse no death: for better
it were for mee to dye, than feele sutch another night, except
thou commaunde the contrary." These wordes were vttered in sutch
rufull plight, as the standers by could not forbeare to weepe.
But Alexander sayinge, that hee not onely pitied the woman
endewed with so noble wit, but mutch more wondred at her vertue
and wisedome, commaunded the Princes of his army, to foresee no
wronge or violence to be done to the Gentlewoman. He gaue order
also, that Timoclia and al her kin, should be garded and
defended from slaughter or other wronges. What say yee (good
Ladies) to the heart of this gentlewoman that durst be so bolde
to stone this Caytife wretch to death, and for wronge done to
her bodie til that tyme vntouched, to wronge the corps of him
that sauoured of no gentle kinde: who rather for earthly mucke,
than for loue of suche a pleasaunt prisoner, exchaunged Loue for
Gold? but note hereby what force the puritie of mynde vnwilling
of beastlye lust doth carye in it selfe: a simple woman voyde of
helpe, not backed with defence of husbande's ayde, doth bring a
mighty Captayne, a strong and lofty lubber to enter into a Caue,
and when shee saw her best aduauntage, thacked him with stones,
vntil he groaned foorth his grieslye ghost. Such is the might
and prowesse of chastitie: no charge to burdennous or weightye
for suche a vertue, no enterprise too harde for a mynde so pure
and cleane.