e could achieve, was taken prisoner, but being led
towards the captain of the Helots, whom should he see next the captain
but his son Clitophon! Then were Kalander and Clitophon delivered to the
Arcadians without ransom, for so the Helots agreed, being moved by the
authority of Diaphantus as much as persuaded by his reasons, and to
Palladius (for so he called Musidorus) he sent word by Clitophon that he
would himself repair to Arcadia, having dispatched himself of the
Helots. Also he assured them he would bring with him Clitophon's friend.
Araglus, till then kept in close prison, or he would die. And this he
did, and was received with loving joy by Kalander.

_II.--The Lovers' Quest_

The two friends having accounted their adventures to each other since
they parted, embraced and kissed each other, and then told Kalander the
whole story; and Palladius recounted also to Pyrocles the strange story
of Arcadia and its king. And so they lived for some days in great
contentment. But anon, it could not be hid from Palladius that
Diaphantus was grown weary of his abode in Arcadia, seeing the court
could not be visited, but was prohibited to all men save certain
shepherdish people. And one day, when Kalander had invited them to the
hunting of a goodly stag, Diaphantus was missed, after death had been
sent to the poor beast with a crossbow, and on returning to the house,
Palladius, greatly marvelling, lighted on a letter written by Pyrocles
before he went a-hunting, in which he said that violence of love led to
his absence. Then Palladius determined never to leave seeking him till
his search should be either by meeting accomplished, or by death ended.

So, in private guise, he directed his course to Laconia, and passed
through Achai, and Sycyonia, and returned after two months travail in
vain. Having already passed over the greater part of Arcadia, one day,
going to repose himself in a little wood, he saw a fair lady walking
with her side towards him, whose sword interested her to be an Amazon,
and following her warily to a fine close arbour, he heard her sing, with
a voice no less beautiful to his ears than her goodliness was full of
harmony to his sight. The ditty gave him suspicion, and the voice gave
him assurance who the singer was, and entering boldly he perceived it
was Pyrocles thus disguised.

Then Pyrocles told him he had been infected by love through a sight of
the picture of the king's daughter Philoclea, and by