The Decameron, vol. 2 | Page 7

that were in the island of Cyprus. What then,
gracious ladies, are we to say of Cimon? Verily nought else but that the
high faculties, with which Heaven had endowed his noble soul,
invidious Fortune had bound with the strongest of cords, and
circumscribed within a very narrow region of his heart; all which cords
Love, more potent than Fortune, burst and brake in pieces; and then
with the might, wherewith he awakens dormant powers, he brought
them forth of the cruel obfuscation, in which they lay, into clear light,
plainly shewing thereby, whence he may draw, and whither he may
guide, by his beams the souls that are subject to his sway.
Now, albeit by his love for Iphigenia Cimon was betrayed, as young
lovers very frequently are, into some peccadillos, yet Aristippus,
reflecting that it had turned him from a booby into a man, not only bore
patiently with him, but exhorted him with all his heart to continue
steadfast in his love. And Cimon, who still refused to be called Galesus,
because 'twas as Cimon that Iphigenia had first addressed him, being
desirous to accomplish his desire by honourable means, did many a
time urge his suit upon her father, Cipseus, that he would give her him
to wife: whereto Cipseus always made the same answer, to wit, that he
had promised her to Pasimondas, a young Rhodian noble, and was not
minded to break faith with him. However, the time appointed for
Iphigenia's wedding being come, and the bridegroom having sent for
her, Cimon said to himself:--'Tis now for me to shew thee, O Iphigenia,
how great is my love for thee: 'tis by thee that I am grown a man, nor
doubt I, if I shall have thee, that I shall wax more glorious than a god,
and verily thee will I have, or die. Having so said, he privily enlisted in
his cause certain young nobles that were his friends, and secretly fitted
out a ship with all equipment meet for combat, and put to sea on the
look-out for the ship that was to bear Iphigenia to Rhodes and her
husband. And at length, when her father had done lavishing honours
upon her husband's friends, Iphigenia embarked, and, the mariners
shaping their course for Rhodes, put to sea. Cimon was on the alert, and
overhauled them the very next day, and standing on his ship's prow
shouted amain to those that were aboard Iphigenia's ship:--"Bring to;
strike sails, or look to be conquered and sunk in the sea." Then, seeing

that the enemy had gotten their arms above deck, and were making
ready to make a fight of it, he followed up his words by casting a
grapnel upon the poop of the Rhodians, who were making great way;
and having thus made their poop fast to his prow, he sprang, fierce as a
lion, reckless whether he were followed or no, on to the Rhodians' ship,
making, as it were, no account of them, and animated by love, hurled
himself, sword in hand, with prodigious force among the enemy, and
cutting and thrusting right and left, slaughtered them like sheep;
insomuch that the Rhodians, marking the fury of his onset, threw down
their arms, and as with one voice did all acknowledge themselves his
prisoners. To whom Cimon:--"Gallants," quoth he, "'twas neither lust of
booty nor enmity to you that caused me to put out from Cyprus to
attack you here with force of arms on the high seas. Moved was I
thereto by that which to gain is to me a matter great indeed, which
peaceably to yield me is to you but a slight matter; for 'tis even
Iphigenia, whom more than aught else I love; whom, as I might not
have her of her father in peaceable and friendly sort, Love has
constrained me to take from you in this high-handed fashion and by
force of arms; to whom I mean to be even such as would have been
your Pasimondas: wherefore give her to me, and go your way, and
God's grace go with you."
Yielding rather to force than prompted by generosity, the Rhodians
surrendered Iphigenia, all tears, to Cimon; who, marking her tears, said
to her:--"Grieve not, noble lady; thy Cimon am I, who, by my long love,
have established a far better right to thee than Pasimondas by the faith
that was plighted to him." So saying, he sent her aboard his ship,
whither he followed her, touching nought that belonged to the
Rhodians, and suffering them to go their way. To have gotten so dear a
prize made him the happiest man in the world, but for a time 'twas all
he could do to assuage her grief: then, after taking counsel with his
comrades,