Evening star., 1927-11-02
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
LAUSUS AND LYDIA
By JEAN FRANCOIS MARMONTEI,

Francs IN isss: b. aiea % u l7s@s. IS PGen a. was !.
res IN The time Of vosre The ap6 s.9
story 10 moral tale a type of fiction
imaFinary scene is used to illustrate a moral
principle. as that great courage will win its
rewardi ~
Mezentius, King of Tyrrhene, was
bad ruler and good father. cruel
and tender by turns- When no ob-
stacle blocked his wishes. he was
mercy and goodness personified: but
let his will be opposed and the tyrant
IN him came out.
Mezentius had a son named Lausus.
whose yalor and beauty made him
famous among the young heroes of
Italy. 1t was with Lausus fighting
valiantly by his side that Mezentius
won his. victory against the King of
Praeneste. Fleeing from the victors,
the King of Praeneste left a precious
treasure indeed behind him-his
daughter. a beautiful princess, VINO
kept her dignity before her con-
Querors.
All hearts were moved by the self.
contral OF the princess, whose name
was Lydia. Mezentius himself, as.
tonished, forgot his pride and age.
AND Lausus Immediately fell in love
and reproached himself for having
fought to conquer Lydia's f.ther.
But when he saw that Mezentius, his
own father, was inclined to be soft
instead of severe. he became alarmed
for he clearly saw in his fathers
weakening the possibility Of having
him for rival.
At the age of Mezentius jealousy
follows closely on the heels of passion
He saw that his son was enamored
of Lydia, but he restrained his i'm.
pulses and appeared to approve of
his sons love for the princess. So
Lausus presented himself to LYDIA,
and soon the two were deeply in love
To redeem himself in Lydia's eyes
and to remove the barrier between
the victor and the conquered, I.ausus
proposed a peace between the two
powers. the wedding Of himself and
Lydia to seal the bond. The princess
was willing. and Lausus conveyed
the plan to his father
Had MeZentius obeyed his first i'm.
pulse he would have destroyed Lau.
sus then and there. But he knew
that would cause comment, and per.
haps rebellion. So he merely sent
1.ausus on an errand to the farthest
outposts Of his army not even Civ.
ing him time to take leave Of Lydia.
his beloved
conditions of peace to Lydia = father,
with the provision that lydia b..
made his wife. The unfortunate
monarch could not but consent. and
30 the preparations went forward &C.
cordingly.
Now Lausus had a loyal friend at
court who would risk anything for
him. Theirs had been lifelong at.
tachment. Indeed. they had a re.
markable physical resemblance so
that they were often taken for twins.
being seen so much together. Learn.
ing that Lydia was to be sacrificed
10 MeZentius' desires, this friend
Phanor by name, decided to inform
1-ausus. This he did, and Iausus, in
despair, sent a message back to LYDIA
by Phanors hand.
Pha nor realized that he was risk
Ing his. life, but he undertook to carry
his friends message of love. His
fore bodings were justified, for spies
az Mezentius intercepted him. found
the message. and dragged him TO 2
terrible dungeon.
Everything was ready for the mar
riage Of Lydia 10 Mezentius. who hat
now become the tyrant who was 20
much feared. For the celebration tn.
King had things to his taste-athletit
games, duels, fights, bloody contest.
of all sorts. to be staged in a hug,
arena. At sucn times criminals wer,
doomed 10 die by the claws OF wilt
beasts. and so Phanor was TO be offer
cd as the prey of vicious lions.
-.4asus awaited Phanor's return
with an answer, in vain. At Las
he became alarmed, and guessed tina
his friend might have been captured
and condemned TO death. Unable [,
bear the uncertainty. he set out on
return TO the scene of his misfortunes
First. however. he disguised himsel
carefully.
Arriving. he learned from the tall
81 the people that Phanor was indee,
captured. and in prison. awaiting hi
fate with the lions in celebration q
the wedding OF Mezentius and Lydia
~ this information Lausus deter
ilined to save his friend at the cos
Cf his own life. He presented him
peh a. the prison. revealed hi
4 identity 10 an Oh se.vant there, an
asuapdsa 70 y admitted, u