THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 417 



pons ; others were overpowered by large bodies of men Tal- 

 lying from the thickets, and fighting them firmly foot to 

 foot. Many officers were that day flain, among the reft Al- 

 zague and Petros, two perfons of great diftinction in the 

 palace. But the king, however afflicted for the lofs of his 

 men, well knew that this defeat would have no other con- 

 fequences, fo returned to his capital, with refolution to 

 make another vigorous effort againft Lafla. 



The manner in which this expedition was prevented can-^ 

 not but give us a high idea of Facilidas : Laeca, at the head 

 of an army of veteran troops, whofe affection he never had 

 occafion to doubt, thought it fafer to truft to the generality 

 of a king, who had flain his father in battle, than to the 

 acquiring a crown that was not his, by perfevering any 

 longer in rebellion. Accordingly he furrendered himfelf, 

 without condition, to Facilidas, who immediately committed 

 him to prifon, which feeming feverity, however, meant no- 

 thing further, than to fhew him the lenity which followed 

 was entirely his own, and not fuggefted to him by the offi- 

 cioufnefs of courtiers ; for no fooner was he arrived at 

 Gondar, than he fent for Laeca from prifon, received him 

 not only kindly, but with great marks of diftinclion ; and, 

 inftead of banifhing him to "Wecrme, as he did his own bro- 

 ther Claudius, and which, as being of the blood- royal, 

 mould have been his deftination likewife, the king entered 

 into a kind of treaty with Laeca, by which he gave him 

 large pofTeflions in Begemder near Lafta, and married him 

 to his daughter Theoclea, by whom, however, he had no 

 children, but lived long in conftant friendihip and confi- 

 dence with Facilidas. 



Vol. II. 3 G Except 



