thereunto was the desire of a thing which to have
gotten is a very grave matter to me and to you a very light one to
yield me in peace; it is, to wit, Iphigenia, whom I loved over all
else and whom, availing not to have of her father on friendly and
peaceful wise, Love hath constrained me to win from you as an enemy
and by force of arms. Wherefor I mean to be to her that which your
friend Pasimondas should have been. Give her to me, then, and begone
and God's grace go with you.'

The Rhodians, more by force constrained than of freewill, surrendered
Iphigenia, weeping, to Cimon, who, seeing her in tears, said to her,
'Noble Lady, be not disconsolate; I am thy Cimon, who by long love
have far better deserved to have thee than Pasimondas by plighted
faith.' Thereupon he caused carry her aboard his own ship and
returning to his companions, let the Rhodians go, without touching
aught else of theirs. Then, glad beyond any man alive to have gotten
so dear a prey, after devoting some time to comforting the weeping
lady, he took counsel with his comrades not to return to Cyprus at
that present; wherefore, of one accord, they turned the ship's head
towards Crete, where well nigh every one, and especially Cimon, had
kinsfolk, old and new, and friends in plenty and where they doubted
not to be in safety with Iphigenia. But fortune the unstable, which
had cheerfully enough vouchsafed unto Cimon the acquisition of the
lady, suddenly changed the inexpressible joyance of the enamoured
youth into sad and bitter mourning; for it was not four full told
hours since he had left the Rhodians when the night (which Cimon
looked to be more delightsome than any he had ever known) came on and
with it a very troublous and tempestuous shift of weather, which
filled all the sky with clouds and the sea with ravening winds, by
reason whereof none could see what to do or whither to steer, nor
could any even keep the deck to do any office.

How sore concerned was Cimon for this it needeth not to ask; himseemed
the gods had vouchsafed him his desire but to make death the more
grievous to him, whereof, without that, he had before recked little.
His comrades lamented on like wise, but Iphigenia bewailed herself
over all, weeping sore and fearing every stroke of the waves; and in
her chagrin she bitterly cursed Cimon's love and blamed his
presumption, avouching that the tempest had arisen for none other
thing but that the gods chose not that he, who would