When she saw him approaching, she went to meet him and handed him over to one of her confidants, whom she always intrusted with commissions of this kind.
In what manner the unfortunate youth disappeared I cannot say.

He has never been seen to this day--not even after his mother's death.
At that time the morals of women were almost without exception corrupt.

They were faithless to their husbands with absolute licence, since the crime of adultery brought neither danger nor harm upon them.
When convicted of the offence, they escaped punishment, thanks to the Empress, to whom they immediately applied.

Then, getting the verdict quashed on the ground that the charges were not proved, they in turn accused their husbands, who, although not convicted, were condemned to refund twice the amount of the dower, and, for the most part, were flogged and led away to prison, where they were permitted to look upon their adulterous wives again, decked out in fine garments and in the act of committing adultery without the slightest shame with their lovers, many of whom, by way of recompense, received offices and rewards.

This was the reason why most husbands afterwards put up with unholy outrages on the part of their wives, and gladly endured them in silence in order to escape the lash.