Lives of Alcyone

apparently there some form which his crippled condition was
considered to debar him), and studying with keen interest such
philosophy as was available, till in 7774, when he had already
reached the age of seventy-eight, the Tarters once more descended
upon his district, dealing death and destruction everywhere. Against
a fee, so barbaric as this Alcyone felt it right to fight, and when after
many days of siege and the most awful massacres it seemed certain
that the town must soon fall into the hands of these savage
marauders, he went to the fort and, old and crippled though he was,
offered himself to share the fate of his old comrades in arms, and
die—since all must die—fighting as well as a man in his condition
could. When, however, the fort was captured and destruction
certain, the rajans saved themselves from the disgrace of defeat by
simultaneous suicide, and it was thus Alcyone died. His sons Percy
and Mizar both perished with him.