_The loue of Chariton and Menalippus._
Nowe will I rehearse a fact of the tyrant Phalaris farre discrepante
from his conditions, because it sauoureth of great kindnes and
humanitye, and seemeth not to be done by him. Chariton was an
Agrigentine borne, which is a towne in Sicilia, and a great louer of
beauty, who with ardent affection loued one Menalippus, which was also
borne in that Citie, of honest conditions and of excellente forme and
comelines. This tyraunt Phalaris hindred Menalippus in a certaine sute:
for he contending in iudgement with one of Phalaris frendes, the tyraunt
commaunded him to giue ouer his suite: whervnto, because he was not
obedient, he threatned to put him to death, except he would yelde.
Notwithstanding, Menalippus ouer came him in law, and the noble men
which were the frends of Phalaris, would giue no sentence, but brought
the matter to a Nonesuite; which the yong man takinge in ill part, said
he had receiued wrong, and confessed to his frend Chariton the wrong he
had sustained, requiring his ayde to be reuenged upon the tyrant. He
made other yonge men priuie to his conspiracie, such as he knewe woulde
be ready and apte for that enterprise. Chariton perceyuinge the rage and
furie of his frende, knowinge that no man would take his parte for feare
of the tyraunt, began to disswade him, sayinge, that he himselfe went
aboute the like attempte, a litle before, to deliuer his country into
libertie from present seruitude, but he was not able to sort the same to
any effect, without great daunger: wherefore he praied hym to commit the
consideration thereof vnto him, and to suffer him to espie a time apt
and conuenient. Menalippus was content: Chariton reuoluing with himselfe
that deuise, woulde not make his deare frend a partaker of the fact
least it shoulde be perceiued, but he alone took vppon him to do the
deede, that onely himselfe might sustaine the smart; wherefore taking a
sword in his hande, as he was seeking way to giue the assault vpon the
tyraunt, his enterprise was disclosed, and Chariton apprehended by the
Guarde, which for the tyrauntes defence, diligently attended about him.
From thence he was sent to the Jaole, and examined vpon interrogatories
to bewraye the rest of the conspiratours; for which hee suffered the
racke, and the violence of other tormentes. Afterwardes, Menalippus
remembring the constancie of his frende, and the crueltye by him stoutly
suffered, went to Phalaris and confessed vnto him that not onely he was
priuy to that treason, but also was the aucthour thereof. Phalaris
demaundinge for what cause he did it, tolde him the consideration before
rehearsed, which was the reuokinge of sentence, and other iniuries done
vnto him. The tyraunt maruaylinge at the constant frendshippe of those
twaine, acquited them both, but vppon condition that both shoulde depart
oute of the citie and countrie of Sicilia. Neuerthelesse, he gaue them
leaue to receiue the fruites and commodities of their reuenues. In
record and remembrance of whose amitie, Apollo sang these Verses.
_The raysers vp of heauenly loue,
amonges the humaine kinde: Were good Chariton and Menalippe,
whose like vnneths we finde._
This Phalaris was a most cruell tyraunte of the citie of Agrigentine in
Scicilia, who besides other instrumentes of new deuised tormentes, had a
Bull made of Brasse, by the art and inuention of one Perillus: into
which Bull, all such as were condemned to death were put, and by reason
of extreame heate of fire made vnder the same, those that were executed,
yelled foorth terrible soundes and noyses, like to the lowing of a Bull.
For which ingine and deuise, Perillus thinking to obtaine great reward,
was for his labour, by commaundement of the tyraunt, throwen into the
Bull, being the first that shewed the proofe of his deuise. Within a
while after, also Phalaris himselfe, for his great crueltie, was by a
general assault, made vpon him by the people, haled into the same Bull
and burned: and althoughe this tyraunte farre excelled in beastlye
crueltie, yet there appeared some sparke of humanitie in him, by his
mercye extended vpon Chariton and Menalippus, the two true louers before
remembred. The same Phalaris wrote many proper and short Epistles, full
of vertuous instructions, and holsome admonitions.